Happy Birthday, Ryoji

[puppy_lancer]

Characters: You know the drill. Lancer puppy_lancer, Ryoji notsogrimreaper, the people they invited between the two of them, and everybody else who just happens to stumble into the party.
Setting: Floor 25, November 17, morning-evening
Format: Open, anything goes
Summary: It's Ryoji's birthday, so Lancer is throwing him a big party. Anyone is welcome in! (And nobody is gonna kick out those who aren't so welcome)
Warnings: None for now

[It's been a long time since Lancer had thrown any parties. Therefore, he's making this bigger and grander than the last two parties he's thrown. It's a good way for him to distract himself from all the emotional turmoil that had popped up during the battle with Sephiroth, if anything.]

[There's two tables laden with food over at one side of the floor. The centerpiece for that is a big double-tier cake with "HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYOJI" written over the side of the bottom layer. The top layer is little more than a glorified candle holder, as several handfuls of candles have been jammed all over that second layer.]

[Over on the other side, there was a variety of party games. They're all old favorites like pin the tail on the piggy (pinning spiraling paper tails onto a "pig" with Ganon's face), apple bobbing (various fruits in a water-filled wooden barrel), and everyone's favorite--the pinata (a scarecrow with a berry-filled paper mache head supposed to represent Jason).]

[In the center of the floor, there is a stage nailed together from wooden boards. A ways behind that, a pile of wood stacks into a bonfire pyre. A turnip lantern leers at the party goers from one corner of the stage.]

[For decorations, there are black feathers and crude little paper doll cutouts resembling angels scattered around on the ground or in the corners of the dining tables. There are also a few more turnip lanterns.]

[And of course, Lancer, like a good host, stands on the stage, dressed like a hobby horse, waiting for people to show up. He's feeling pretty relaxed, if only because the major unwanted guest, Sephiroth, was locked up and in no danger of crashing this party.]

Comments

[oathshackledbird]

[An uncertain look crosses his face, but Diarmuid hides it quickly so he doesn't upset her again. And, because it's hard to be upset when getting ear scratches.]

I will try. First to start, if you don't know what being embarrassed is, do you know what being ashamed is?

[sunflowerfairy]

[While Diarmuid managed to hide his uncertain look, Yotsuba looked a little puzzled at that question. As she thought, she stopped scratching Diarmuid's ears, and she shook her head.]

No..what is it?

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid sighs. Of course, it couldn't be that easy.]

It is a word similar to 'embarrassed,' and I thought it might help to explain if you did know it, but since you don't, it doesn't matter. Have you ever done something either accidentally or for some other reason that you didn't really want anyone else to see you doing?

[sunflowerfairy]

Sometimes I made mistakes that I didn't want Daddy or Jumbo to know about..

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid nods.]

Now think about how you would feel if they saw those mistakes you didn't want them to see. Can you describe it to me?

[sunflowerfairy]

[Well, she didn't have to think too hard about that, since that had happened plenty of times in the past.]

Um..really scared and sad and bad. Especially when I lie! It's not good to lie, Dia, even if I apologize!

[..Suddenly, a small breakthrough.]

[oathshackledbird]

That is right.

[Diarmuid reaches out to give her shoulder a light squeeze.]

Lying is bad and that feeling you are feeling? That is being ashamed. You know you have done something wrong and you are sorry for it. Being embarrassed is similar, but the feeling isn't as strong. Sometimes, there is even a humorous element to being embarrassed.

Does that help any? Or do I need to explain more?

[sunflowerfairy]

[While that squeeze felt nice, Yotsuba still kept frowning a little as she thought about the times she did bad things and felt..a..ashamed. All the while, she kept on scratching Diarmuid's ears.]

Oh...Yotsuba understands. But..what's funny about feeling em..embarrased? And you didn't do anything wrong, Dia!

[oathshackledbird]

That is the difference between being embarrassed and being ashamed. Being embarrassed is not so negative as being ashamed is. Sometimes, like now, things that embarrass you can be out of your control. My ears are cute, but cute isn't exactly how I want some people to think of me.

[Diarmuid pauses. He feels like he might be making this explanation too complex now, but he's not sure how else to continue.]

And cute is fun, isn't it, even if it isn't what I really want? The ears and tail make you smile and have made others do so as well. So while I might feel uneasy about having them and how they make people see me, I don't feel as bad as I would if were ashamed of them.

[sunflowerfairy]

[Even if it was too complicated, Yotsuba was following along..a little bit. She wasn't dumb, so she could at least figure out the jist of what cute was and how being embarrased felt.

However, as she spoke, she did stop scratching Dia's ears.]

I think I understand..but why don't you wanna be cute, Dia?! You can be cute and super awesome! Doggies are really nice, so why don't you like it? Why does it..embarrase you?

[oathshackledbird]

Perhaps in modern day it is more accepted, but in my day being cute and being a fighter didn't go together at all.

[Diarmuid shakes his head, thinking back to the past for a moment before continuing.]

Back then no one would have taken me seriously or listened to what I told them if I was cute and that could have very well gotten them killed. I guess those old worries and such are what make me embarrassed.

[sunflowerfairy]

[While the explanation made sense, the different time periods sounded strange to Yotsuba. However, she did start scratching Diarmuid's ears again.]

Oh..okay then! You shouldn't worry though, Dia! I dunno why they wouldn't have listened to you, 'cause you're cute and really strong, but you don't have to worry now! Everyone knows your strong! You just have puppy ears now!

[oathshackledbird]

[Ah...she doesn't seem to get it at all, but that's okay. Diarmuid isn't going to worry about trying to explain anymore. He expects it is something Yotsuba will learn in time anyway. Or not, and that, quite honestly, would be okay too.]

Maybe you are right and I am worrying too much. It is something I do a lot, worry. I'm trying to fix it, but I've been that way for a long time.

[He suddenly grins at her.]

But you know what helps with worry? Ear scratches! And you are very good at them.

[sunflowerfairy]

[Well..at least she had a basic understanding of embarrassment and shame now. She had just never been exposed to the idea that boys or fighters weren't supposed to look cute, so it seemed strange to her. After all, if her world hadn't been destroyed, she would have put flowers in her father's hair.

But Yotsuba just returns Dia's grin and keeps scratching his ears at an even quicker pace.]

Really?! Yotsuba will keep scratching them then! It's good to not worry, es..espechally if there's nothing to worry about! But I'm sure you'll get it eventually!

[oathshackledbird]

I'm sure I will especially if you keep scratching at my ears like that.

[Diarmuid laughs and reaches out to lightly ruffle her hair.]

Are you enjoying the party?

[sunflowerfairy]

[And the hair-ruffling only causes Yotsuba to laugh..and a strategy suddenly comes to mind. Quickly, she tried to climb up Diarmuid's leg and chest to his shoulders, where she would sit and..continue to give him ear-scratches.

Dia was perfectly free to shake her off or stop her though.]

I am! It's super fun! Is it your birthday again?!

[oathshackledbird]

[The last thing Diarmuid is going to do is discourage her climb. In fact, he helps her until she finally gets settled on his shoulders.]

I'm glad to hear that, but no. It's not my birthday again.

[He pauses a moment, suddenly realizing that when it is his birthday again there will likely be no party. Not like this year. They will only have a bit more than a month left at that point. They will be fighting too hard to have fun.

Sad thoughts and ones he quickly hides.]

It is my son's birthday. Do you know Ryoji?

[sunflowerfairy]

[Thankfully, it was hard to look at Diarmuid's face from his shoulders, so Yotsuba didn't have an opportunity to see anything before he hid it. Then again, even if she did see something, she didn't always comment on it. But, at the question, she looked puzzled as she continued to scratch Dia's ears.]

No, I don't! Is he a good person?

[Yotsuba, really..]

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid smiles gently, the question not seeming to bother him. He looks around for a moment and then points toward where he sees Ryoji standing.]

That is him. You should go tell him happy birthday. Ryoji is a very good person even if he doesn't always believe it himself. I couldn't be blessed with a better son.

[sunflowerfairy]

[And Yotsuba smiled when he pointed out the boy that was his son. He looked a lot like Diarmuid, which was good, because Diarmuid looked nice and was a good person!]

Okay! Yotsuba will tell him happy birthday soon! But why doesn't he know he's a good person? And what's blessed?

[oathshackledbird]

It's complicated. Lets just say some of the things he had to do back on his world could be taken in the wrong way. He didn't mean them that way, but they were things that had to happen.

[Yeah, Diarmuid isn't even going to try and explain Nyx and the Fall to Yotsuba.]

He's getting better, though. That is the important thing. And being 'blessed' is kind of like being 'lucky.' It means I feel it's a wonderful thing that I have gotten to have him as my son.

[sunflowerfairy]

Oh! Okay then! Yotsuba was blessed to have Daddy too! And Jumbo and you and Enoch and Luci and Rick and Zett and Quark and Sealand and a lot of other people! And it's good that he's getting better! But..what did happen? Did he make bad mistakes?

[Sadly, Yotsuba wasn't going to let Ryoji's past go so easily.]

[oathshackledbird]

That is absolutely correct. It seems you understand the meaning of the word very well.

[When she pushes about Ryoji's past, though, Diarmuid's happy expression fades. There is no way he can think of that she will understand what Ryoji had to do because of Nyx and trying to explain even parts of it will likely not turn out well.]

He did nothing wrong and made no mistakes. Unfortunately, someone tied to him was fated to do bad things, and he feels like it was his fault and his responsibility. That isn't the case and he did all he could to try and help.

[sunflowerfairy]

Oh..why does he feel bad if it wasn't his fault? If a bad person did something and forced him to help, it wasn't his fault!

[There were a few other things Yotsuba didn't understand, like fated and responsibility, but this was more important in her mind right now.]

[oathshackledbird]

He is a very kind person, Yotsuba, and kind people are like that. They sometimes feel bad about things they have no control over because they feel like they should have been able to do something. I know that doesn't make sense, but feelings are often like that.

[This is something Diarmuid knows far too well.]