hugtopia_logs | Reclaiming Lost Felicity

Entry tags:

Reclaiming Lost Felicity

♥ Who: Regis, Cor, and Cor's closest friends & family
♥ Where: The Lucis Caelum Home: Senior Version ;-P
♥ When: Evening, May/Ealom 5th
♥ What: A celebration of the birth of a man truly worthy of celebration, even if he thinks differently.
♥ Rating: PG/PG-13, please mark if it goes beyond that!

[Perhaps it shouldn't be surprising that the first time Regis really seems to come back to himself--or at least the self he was before having returned home and lived those five years--is when it comes time to plan Cor's birthday. Much like Regis himself, Cor would rather his birthday go unremarked on, and much like Cor himself, Regis can't let that happen. It's an even trade really, which is probably why they've never gotten too mad at each other for all those surprise and not-so-surprise birthday celebrations over the years.

About a week before the party, Regis sends out invitations to all of their closest friends and family through his tablet. Cor doesn't do large gatherings when he can avoid it, so it is best to keep this out of the public eye.

Warmest Greetings!

I hope this letter finds you all doing as well as possible. It has been a rough month for our extended family, but this is not something I wish to linger on. Instead, I would rather speak of a much happier topic; one I would like to request your assistance in handling.

For those who don't know, and I suspect this is most of you considering how our dear lion is, May 5th--or Ealom 5th as the natives apparently call this month--is Cor's birthday. He is like me in that he doesn't really feel a celebration is necessary, but as he would not allow my birthday to pass with no celebration, I feel it is my duty to return the favor.

On the evening of the 5th I would like you to join us at the house for a small celebration of Cor and all that makes us love him. I have asked the owners of Affurgato to prepare the food for us, so there is no need to bring food unless you really wish to.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII

P.S: In my personal opinion, he should be showered with gifts, but they are by no means necessary. I know he will appreciate your presence more than any gift.

In the evening on the 5th, Regis will be waiting with a welcoming smile to greet anyone who shows up. Cor will be there, even if it takes a little coaxing on Regis' part. However, Regis cannot guarantee how easy it will be to find the birthday boy at times. Cor is Cor, after all. Fortunately, Regis and Noctis have both had a hand in helping those at Affurgato prepare foods both with an Eosan taste and that Cor really likes.

Using them as bait may just be a valid option...]

(OOC: Mingle for Cor's birthday is a go! Post your top levels and have fun! For reference, the house's layout is here.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I wish I knew. I fear I've grown only somewhat tolerant of it myself, and only on occasion.

Perhaps exposure to it does help in some way. To... adjust. However the venue for it being smaller means you are... more likely to be noticed when you may not have been before.

Quite so, unfortunately. Would you be more comfortable stepping outside for a moment? I've little reason to think such a thing would be questioned.

A change of scenery?

[ She glances around to take in the current state of the room, before making her decision. ]

Yes... I think that would be fine. Please, lead the way.

I would be only too glad to. [He bowed slightly with a faint smile, gesturing for Honerva to follow as he walked out back. Lucky enough that it was evening and he didn't have to worry about ducking out of the sunlight.]

There. I find a short few moments' distance help make these sorts of things much more bearable.

... I am glad that it would not make me seem... ungrateful for needing to do so. Although perhaps I have gotten used to needing to be on hand for such things, at the cafe.

I understand the feeling, I think. I'm more comfortable when trying to make myself useful, but...well, it can't always be helped. A matter of minutes at a time won't be likely to harm anything.

It does help, to have... that sense of purpose. [Her tone seems distracted, looking out toward their flowerbeds.] Being more certain of where and when you are needed leaves less time for wondering... if you are.

...Quite.

[He answered with a thoughtful hum, looking out to where he'd planted a handful of blue, white, and red sylleblossoms.]

It's difficult to have a specific purpose in mind for oneself only to find yourself unable to do as much near as often as one would like.

Most circumstances are adaptable, unless someone is asking me to... relax, specifically.

[ She shakes her head a little at herself, her tone lighter as she continues, allowing the wry humor to sink back into their predicament. ]

But it is all too easy to get pulled along by such thoughts and lose track of the moment, when here you have been providing me a heroic favor once more. I apologize.

Oh, nonsense. I'm not nearly so heroic as all that.

[Ardyn laughed to himself, shaking his head.]

I just have a terrible habit of being unable to leave well enough alone if I think someone needs help.

Well... even if it was part of habit, your kindness is still appreciated. Sparing others from their concern of me. Though I would soon as expect you'd rather not be complimented on something you would have intended to do as part of your nature.

I can not stop you. But as you say, it is merely in my nature--I would seek no praise for what I do.

Regardless. Understanding how to relax in itself is...difficult, certainly.

It is not easy, as much as I have come to understand that we all have different... contexts for what that will entail for ourselves personally. I still think of how Cor used to react so strongly to the mere... suggestion of the word, but he seems to have taken more to it now.

He does seem to have calmed down somewhat, in the short time I've known him. Which is a reassuring thought in itself, even if it seems an insurmountable task from my own perspective.

Sometimes the mountain may seem insurmountable until one takes more time to circle the base of it. Or if one were to receive an unexpected lift along the way. But... you also have to be ready to look around a little and prepared to do for a while.

Very eloquently put. I think I've been lucky enough to have a helpful push or two myself, but one can't quite manage on that alone.

It is better to be with others. Especially when you can... support one another. Perhaps that is what is so relieving of being in a place like this, and having the time and opportunity to do so, strange as it all may seem.

No doubt it's strange beyond description, certainly. But...well, I don't know about you, but it has been quite a long time since I was fortunate enough to be met with such kindness as I've encountered here.

'Surprising' seems a concerning choice of words to me, and yet I fail to describe it any other way.

... It had been a very long time for me as well. Although... I have had a little more time than solely the experience of this world alone to even begin to adjust. That is how I have learned that only more time to appreciate this kindness that has been available can prove to be beneficial, even for those of us who have long believed otherwise.

I fear you've the advantage over me. I catch myself having trouble adjusting to that which I still do not fully expect. I'm sorry to hear things have been so difficult for you, as well.

Oh, just a few months more, so I am certain you will surpass me in time with your progress. It is... difficult, to look back even that far now. Everything was surprising, especially when anyone would want to speak with me or spend time with me, without want for something in return beyond... perhaps seeing a smile, someday.

I know the feeling a bit too well.

[His smile faltered despite Ardyn's best efforts, restlessly tugging the sleeves of his sweater a little further over his hands.]

...Smiling is a difficult thing to learn to do again, isn't it?

... It is.

[ Her tone is soft, ears slightly lowered, as though she is preoccupied with recounting those days as different as it all felt. Such was the power of hindsight. ]

It felt so... unnatural at first, without the experience of the emotions to associate it with. Although I admit it became easier once I learned to appreciate being in the moment with those around me and not... think about it too hard.

[ But, on a lighter note, she adds,] Taako teases me less about it, these days. At least that is evidence enough that I must have overcome something.

That's the difficult part, isn't it? I'd long since forgotten what such things felt like to begin with, so relearning them has been...a bit of a trial.

[He laughed nervously, trying to ease the tension just a bit himself.]

It's easier that way, to focus more on others than oneself. Particularly when they treat you as though you're far more normal than you feel.

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