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♥ Who: Shinji, Kaito, and Kyoko
♥ Where: starting at their house, then heading outta town into p r i m e picnic territory
♥ When: Dianir 6
♥ What: an birfday
♥ Rating: PG max, I'm sure

Kaito and Kyoko had planned. They'd plotted. They'd formed a pact! They'd perfected recipes and toiled away preparing feasts and gifts in secret, and now the promised hour of the promised day had arrived.

It was time to put this kidnapping into motion.

Even as she put the last carrot flowers into place, Kyoko was on high alert for the sounds of a certain birthday boy approaching--like those footsteps falling softly out in the hall. Glancing urgently over at her partner in crime, she hissed, "Kaito! The target! Intercept!!"

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Kyoko also crouches down as soon as the blanket is spread, gently setting the bento stack down on another corner of it. There, look how nicely everything's coming together! Even if Shinji is finally chiming in with some of the protestation she had sort of figured he'd offer eventually.

Luckily, Kyoko had a counterpoint lined up already: "No." She brandished a finger. "It's a holiday."

"Uh-huh."

Kai plopped himself down, giving Shinji enough time to set his bounties down before he reached over to carefully tug him down to the blanket fully. "The most important of our day is right here."

It's... you!

Shinji's eyes go wide in disbelief at Kyoko's insistence that today could be so important to warrant a whole day off, but it's a fleeting look as a different kind of surprise colors his expression when Kai pulls him more fully over on to the blanket. Okay, okay! Here he is, sitting himself down on this cozy spot they've prepared for him.

"You guys..." If they're dropping any pretense that this might be some errand or job they're running, then there's no reason to pretend they haven't put a lot of effort into this - into spoiling him - either. His voice is soft, and perhaps a little unsteady as he takes all of their work and preparation in. Regardless of whatever they might insist to the contrary, it is A Lot. "You really didn't have to do all of this."

With Shinji forced to sit down at his own birthday spread, Kyoko slips off her shoes, lines them up in the grass, and sits down on the blanket, facing the boys. Now that the protestations have started, she supposes it's no surprise if he kept them up a little longer.

"But I really wanted to, you know?" Hands folded in her lap, she leaned forward a smidge, smile soft but insistent. "To celebrate with you. You could even say all of this is self-serving."

Kai nodded along. Yep, that all sounded right. Leaning over, Kai snuck his hand up through the back of Shinji's hair, fondly ruffling the already helmet-ruffled locks.

"We didn't really need a specific day to want to do something for you," he went on, "but it worked out all the same."

Framing it as something that might be in their best interests as well does make all of this fuss a little easier to swallow... but still. Still! Don't the two of them do enough for Shinji normally? Just by being kind and loving toward him, despite knowing all they know about him? He didn't think he'd escape a birthday without some kind of acknowledgement made for it, not after the two of them got to be blindsided by their own celebrations, but not like this. Not a whole day off for all three of them, not a big picnic, and certainly not presents.

He had meant it last year when he's told Kyoko it wasn't important, but he also knows he wouldn't let either of them get away with saying as much if the tables were turned, and he's sure they'd do the same if he were to insist it now.

So, those stronger protests stay right in his head, where a muted squeak of surprise escapes his throat at Kai ruffling his hair. "Just dinner would have been more than enough," is what he settles on - a tiny, weak pushback is really all he can manage in the face of such sincere insistence. "You guys are going to spoil me."

That cute little ruffle-squeak moment tugged at Kyoko's heart, but she didn't miss a beat. "That's the point." Her smile didn't budge, eyes crinkling a bit at the corners.

"Spoiling you was 100% the goal, from the very beginning. This is kinda selfish, but we got pretty excited about it, so... if you don't mind, could you bear with it for a little while?"

"Mm. You started it. We had to wait a whole year for revenge, after all," Kai said with a little laugh. His devious ruffling hand had dropped down, settling itself over Shinji's instead. "Though that gave me time to practice."

Their first picnic had been a fluke after all. A complete accident when Kai had no idea would have had no idea what he could have done for a birthday even if he had known. How fortunate that something lowkey was the perfect fit anyway.

"You've done a lot. Its our turn."

A fluke had been plenty! There had been a kind of solace he could take in it having been an accident, just something nice that had happened coincidentally on his birthday.

The fact of the matter is, one way or another, all of this effort had been put forth, and who is he to rain on their parade? If they think he's done enough to deserve being spoiled... he's still not sure he believes it, but that belief on their part should be cherished. He wants to be able to protect those soft and fond looks being directed at him, so really, he should let them unfold the rest of their plans with as little fuss as he can manage.

He adjusts his hand under Kai's to tangle their fingers together, while his other hand reaches up to lightly, bashfully cover his mouth. "It means... a lot," he says, voice soft and words careful. "Thank you."

If they had waited for Shinji to think he deserved nice, normal things like birthday parties and presents, Kyoko and Kaito would have grown old. Who knew how long the three of them had together, dreams of making a new life in a calmer world aside? Shinji was just going to have to start getting some healthy doses of exposure therapy to getting spoiled. Birthdays were as good a place to start as any, right?

And for now, that timid acquiescence was just fine. Beaming warmly at him, Kyoko decided to go in for the kill. "Mm! Happy birthday, Shinji."

Ah, all three of them were bad at this huh. Kai had watched Kyoko grapple with those feelings, and they had hung over him at his own birthday too. That this was too much, they could have spent their time doing anything else... But if they didn't do it, who was gonna?

So Kai watched him fondly, giving those fingers a light squeeze. It was a lot, even with just this. He got it.

"Happy birthday, Shinji" he echoed softer. "This is the bulk of the surprise, promise."

Just a gentle annihilation, after all.

The gentlest annihilation. Thank you for the consideration while trying to acclimate him to the concept of accepting the nice things that come his way. He is dead, but in a good way.

"Thank you," he knows he just said it, but it bears repeating, a little warmer this time to match the color in his cheeks and the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. They truly are too good to him, and for as overwhelming as that can be, he's going to greedily hold on to as much of it as he can manage. He's not sure, however, how much more of the spotlight he can take on himself right now, so maybe he can do something to direct that immediate attention away for a bit.

"What... kinds of things did you two make?" Those bento boxes and their contents surely deserved some recognition! The fruits of Kai and Kyoko's labor! What do we have to feast upon on today?

There it was, that shy little smile of his. He'd finally let it out for them to see. Kyoko's grew that much bigger for it as she reached for their bento feast.

"Ohh, are you ready to eat?" Unwrapping the boxes and laying them out, Kyoko revealed a truly absurd spread for just three people; croquettes, tamagoyaki, wiener octopuses and apple bunnies had been the items Kaito and Kyoko originally settled on, and indeed, those were all well represented. But it had spiraled well out of control from there--onigiri were a must, right? And if they were really gonna be festive, why not throw in some karaage? And maybe a few fried shrimp while you're at it? And then, you also really ought to include lots of vegetables to balance all that decadence out, right? And that wasn't even getting into garnishes!

Please enjoy this demonstration of what happens when nobody reins in Kyoko and Kaito, Shinji. Sitting back on her heels, Kyoko had the sense to look a little bashful. "... The leftovers should be fine tomorrow, too."

Don't forget the saucy yakitori over there, or those tiny egg sandwiches. Because there had definitely needed to be more, right? ...Well. When it was all laid out like that, it definitely seemed like a whole lot.

Kai chuckled a little. "Maybe dinner tonight too, if we're here that long. But we've got plenty of water and I made some orange juice too." He gestured to the bottles over there, indicating the one (1) thing he was going to take any credit for here.

Setting aside this being figuratively too much, isn't this, ah, a little overboard? Seeing everything laid out really does drive home how much stuff there is here - and they managed to do all of this behind his back? That's way too powerful of them.

"You two really went all-out." There's a hint of marvel in his voice alongside that bit of disbelief, and he leans in a little closer to get a better look at this impressive spread. And even drinks to keep them hydrated on a warm, sunny day? Goodness. "Were you really planning on staying out here all day...?"

Who could possibly forget yakitori or sandwiches? Both were obviously crucial to a picnic feast, just like every other item on the menu today. Everything was absolutely essential.

There was a sheepish little giggle from Kyoko. "Like I said... we got kinda excited. But we had to be prepared, you know? It's your party, so it can end whenever you get tired of it, but there's no reason we can't stay out here until after dark, right?"

Everything was needed.

"Not that I can think of," Kai said with a little shrug. They had a bit of shade, more than plenty of food and drink, and extra blankets for when things started to get chilly. Like Kyoko had said, they had to be prepared.

"We can wait and see the stars come out, or go home whenever you want." Kai grinned. "We get to spend time with you either way, it doesn't matter where we're at."

Who knew a picnic lunch/dinner had so many necessary components? Astounding.

There's a moment where Shinji is sure that he wants to let them know they don't have to stay out late if they get bored, but Kai mentioning the stars stops him. That... had really been a highlight of last year's excursion, wouldn't it be nice to try and get a repeat of it? With Kyoko here this time?

"It... would be nice to see what it's like out here at night."

There--he was starting to properly come around, now! Kyoko beamed at Kaito--good job!!--and then even brighter at Shinji. "Right? I bet it's really pretty~" Definitely no need to rush home! Embrace this all-day birthday party!

"I've never been out this far at night. I'd really like to see it, at least once!"

Good. Yes. Metaphorical doggo tails were now properly going nuts as Kai beamed that much brighter. It was Shinji's party, but he was still going to get excited for engaging in a favorite activity with favorite people. Very Good.

"Then we can shoot for that. It'll be real nice."

Oh, look at how happy the both of them are now that he's relented to a potential full day of relaxing out here. However conflicted he may still feel about being the center of the festivities, those smiles around him make him feel like he's made a good call.

"Okay," okay! A good plan, and Shinji gives them a small smile in return, sincerely excited about this prospect. "Let's... eat some of this food first, though."

Might as well get a taste of that food that they worked so hard on! Maybe let's get a look at that karaage first? That's definitely new here.

If they looked happy, it might just possibly be because they were! in fact! quite happy! Excellent job not totally rejecting their attempts to give you a good time, Shinji, you are rewarded with smiles.

Smiles, and at least one eager set of eyes on him as he made a tentative move to start the feast. Kyoko went ahead and took a croquette for herself, but she didn't eat it right away, awaiting the birthday boy's first bite.

Just imagine. All three of them? Happy with this arrangement? Absolutely wild.

If they were all helping themselves to something fried, Kai went ahead and helped himself to one of those tasty looking shrimps. "She went all out," Kai said with a pleased note as he hefted that shrimp up, "you're in for a real good time."

He can already see that an astounding amount of effort was made here! It would be a real shame to let any of it go to waste, even without all of the votes of confidence flying around.

"It all looks really delicious." Might as well prove that assumption right sooner rather than later. With a soft, "Thank you for the food," he takes a bite of that tasty, tasty looking chicken. It only takes a moment of actually tasting it before his eyes light up, "Mmmh!" It's good! Really good!!

"You went all out," Kyoko chided, sending Kaito a small Look. He'd made a lot of things! And worked very hard! And done a good job!! "And this was all your idea from the start anyway." She had merely added embellishments!

But oh look, fried chicken success was happening over there in Shinji's mouth, reflected on his face. Kyoko wouldn't comment on it, but she was certainly glowing with an extra bit of pride as she took a bite of her croquette. "M-mmh~!" Look Kai, proof of how good a job you did!

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