☆ // equilibrium [semi-open]

[scourgingstars]

♥ Who: Ardyn + open to close CR
♥ Where: Ardyn and Regis' house
♥ When: April 30th
♥ What: A small birthday gathering!
♥ Rating: pg13 at worst

[The past month had been...stressful.]

[Stressful was a good word to vastly understate everything that recent events had chosen to be, and Ardyn chose to leave it at that. He knew well enough to understand that leaving the day unremarked upon would cause several people to be quite concerned, and he couldn't very well have that. As far as invitations went, it was just a small handful of quick text messages--to the effect of 'if you're not preoccupied, you're welcome to come over', more or less.]

[There was a considerable amount of food provided by Affurgato's catering--as well as Ardyn himself, who may or may not have been stress baking for the past day or two.]

[Come in, enjoy yourself, it's a nice and peaceful spring afternoon.]

Comments

[scourgingstars]

[Sure enough, Ardyn was spending a good deal of time in the kitchen; baking was becoming something of a stress-relieving hobby of his, in the company of a small tonberry sitting on the counter and swinging its feet as if hoping to 'accidentally' kick someone.]

[If not that, then he was sure to be wandering around with a warm greeting for whoever happened to come by, with the usual gentle smile and friendly albeit tired disposition.]

[...Today wasn't so bad, compared to what he'd been like a year ago.]

[astralera]

[ Era's original plan had been to drop off a card and a bottle of wine, wish Ardyn a quick 'happy birthday', and then retreat leave... Then Hythlodaeus caught wind of where she was headed and suddenly she had to dress her amaro up in his nice harness, check that he was properly prepared to go out, and then allow the not-so-small chick to drag her in the direction of his second-favourite house.

By the time they arrive it has taken three times as long as it should have, and she looks every bit the role of beleaguered mother dealing with a troublesome toddler.

Hythlo knocks enthusiastically on the door with his maw. ]

Hythlodaeus. Five knocks only.

[ To the amaro's credit, he does knock only five more times after that. ]

[scourgingstars]

[Ardyn opened the door after the barrage of knocks, looking just a little bit alarmed until he realized there was no emergency and just a very eager bird.]

Oh--hello there, you two. Someone's certainly quite excited today.

[astralera]

[ Were it not for the lead attached to Hythlo's harness he would have slammed himself into Ardyn with great force. As it is, the amaro makes an attempt that is cut short, leaving him to stumble and fluff his feathers irritably. ]

Someone was so eager to wish you well on your birthday that he seems to have forgotten his manners.

[ That, at least, seems to have struck a nerve with Hythlo. Wanting to be a good boy, he quickly does his best to remember his manners, smoothing his feathers back down and pulling a birthday card out carefully from where it was kept in a pocket under his wing.

Part of the card is ruined by the sharpness of his maw, but on the outside the lovely calligraphy remains unharmed. Happy Birthday it reads, in a flawless, flourishing script. ]

He is convinced the quill I used was made with one of his feathers, and so is quite proud of 'his' card.

The card does come with some wine, though we agreed it best I carry it.

[scourgingstars]

Oh, did he now? [Ardyn knelt down to accept the card, giving Hythlo some grateful headpats in the process.]

It's beautiful. You're both much too kind.

[blindedbyloyalty]

[ Ignis is carrying a batch of cookies in on hand, his walking cane in the other when he makes his way on over to Ardyn's place. He hadn't expected the text so he took some time to make something for Ardyn, especially after what he saw in the guys memories.

The cookies themselves are normal looking chocolate ones, mixed in with memory lane pastries.

He gives off a couple of knocks. ]

Ardyn? Regis?

[scourgingstars]

[Ardyn opened the door, sounding a fair amount better then when last they'd spoken. Not that it would have taken much.]

Right here, dear. Please, come in.

[iustaegis]

Arrrdyn!

[ Hello!

She's going to link an arm with his, smiling happily as she does so. ]

I have a present for you...!

[scourgingstars]

Oh-! [He stumbled a bit at the surprise, but smiled once he'd recovered without falling over.]

Hello, dear. You didn't have to go to any such trouble--your presence was more than enough for me.

[kingkingcxiii]

[Baking is something that Regis still completely leaves to Ardyn, but after some practice, he thinks he might have this simple vegetable stir-fry down. He plates it up and then walks over to Ardyn, setting the plate before him with a flourish that seems to say, "Look! I didn't burn down the house and still have all my fingers!"

Happy birthday indeed.]

[scourgingstars]

Now that is truly an unexpected surprise. I don't even see anything on fire.

[kingkingcxiii]

I decided it may be best not to try adding candles. Candles are overrated anyway.

[And wax doesn't help vegetables taste any better than they do alone.]

[scourgingstars]

No reason to push our luck, I agree. [He took the plate with a grateful smile, tasting it with all the confidence of someone that literally could not be poisoned no matter what.]

rolls in here 12 years late

[carbungle]

[Noctis has a lot more cooking experience than where he'd started, so he could help, but he's perfectly content watching other people who're more interested doing it instead. He can at least offer company, so at some point while Ardyn is busy he wanders into the kitchen, parks himself in a chair and stretches his good leg out, allowing the tonberry to 'accidentally' kick him all it likes. They don't cause much harm when they aren't swinging those giant knives around, anyway.]

Someone's in a good mood.

[scourgingstars]

I am always in higher spirits around my dear friends and family.

['Accidentally', like Viridi wasn't going to take full advantage and just kick like a terrible cat. However, being very small and with stubby legs, it's about as effective as being bopped by a nerf gun over and over.]

And of course, I'm glad to see you.

[carbungle]

[Noct puts up with it. The damn thing is almost cute despite its petty murderous intent, and it's harmless.]

Easier to be in high spirits at the start of the month, for sure.

[Or. The tail end of it, at least?? His doorways haven't done anything terrible to him today, so he's also in a much better mood than he'd been the rest of the month.]

Good to see you too, though.

[scourgingstars]

...That it certainly is. [Ardyn brushed off something unsettling, as he was known to do.] One can only hope the coming days to be a bit less...eventful.

Viridi, don't bully him so much. [...This did little to help except to make the kicking slightly less frequent.]

Knock Knock Knock

[callmegladio]

[Three knocks at the door and then Gladio took a step back to wait.

He'd heard about Ardyn's birthday through the grapevine and, maybe he was a little late, but he'd wanted to get the guy something. He and Tony had gone trawling the stores to find something. Tony had found something pretty good. Gladio... had caught sight of a thing that he'd just known he needed to get.

From there they're returned home, done a little baking and then Gladio had brought them all to Ardyn's doorstep. A basket containing mixed berry muffins and honey cakes. His and Tony's gifts atop wrapped as best as the bots could.]

[scourgingstars]

It's good to see you, Gladio. [Ardyn answered the door with a smile, stepping back to let him in.] Please, make yourself comfortable.

[callmegladio]

Hey, Ardyn. I was just... [He paused, the offer to enter taking him off guard for a moment. Gladio glanced down at the basket he carried, considered his options and gave a shrug.] Sure. Don't mind if I do.

[He stepped inside with a smile.]

Somewhere I can drop these off?

[scourgingstars]

The table's fine, but...you didn't have to bring anything, you realize.

[shroudedsecrets]

[ Obviously, with the presence of Affurgato's catering, this day wasn't about to be unremarked upon by everyone involved, regardless of the slight change in their original plans thanks to recent events.

For her part, Honerva is here, mostly attired simply and doing her best to not seem as though she is "working", as much as she prefers to keep busy during even small gatherings. Friendly, but distracted, to those that might approach.

Still, once she feels certain that Ardyn has had significant time spent interacting with others who would have been there to wish him well, he might notice her lingering by the entrance of the garden, waiting for a good time when he would be unoccupied. ]

[scourgingstars]

Now, you haven't been too hard at work today of all days, have you?

[He certainly did notice, sneaking away from anything else that might have occupied his attention for a highly important priority instead.]

[shroudedsecrets]

Not today of all days. All seems in order now, does it not?

[ They're lucky it's a small little gathering, and she does not mind to watch others so much once she can settle herself from keeping too busy with little things like making sure no plates were left astray. ]

[scourgingstars]

Hm... [Ardyn gave a theatric act of thinking particularly hard, complete with deeply contemplative frown.] Not just yet. My dear, I'm afraid something most vital is out of order!