[014] [video/action] happy, happy birthday, from all of us to you

[complexing]

[The video starts up and Touya looks rather intensely into the camera. For having just turned 21, he looks fairly grumpy.]

Okay, so my birthday only comes around once every four years, technically, so I figure I get a free pass at this. It isn't a joke, nobody laugh.

The person... people... [He huffs in frustration and decides to keep this simple.] The person I'm with wants to take our relationship to an intimate level and I don't know how to make it special or memorable or nice or whatever. Can anyone give me some advice or something?

[A fairly hostile video for a request but... the subject has clearly been on his mind for a few days. Long enough that he's so desperate for advice, he's gone public.]

[Action]

[Even though it's his birthday, Touya isn't making such a big deal out of it. He goes to work at Seventh Heaven, picks up some groceries (ingredients for one of his favorite meals), and walks home. Meanwhile, he's pondering the responses he's received from the network and, oddly enough, thinking about his mother. Had she ever thought that she would see her son turn 21? It wasn't much of a milestone, honestly, but Touya always tended to think about his mom on his birthday, and all of those small celebrations he'd had when he was younger. And how annoyed he was when his dad explained why Touya's birthday wasn't always on the calendar.]

[Some of these memories have Touya smiling at times when maybe it wasn't really appropriate to smile, but he isn't thinking about everyone else at the moment.]

Comments

[winged_moon]

[Yue inclines his head slightly in acknowledgment, then wordlessly takes the bag of mushrooms and sets to work. It's clear that he knows exactly what he's doing— in fact, it's almost like watching Yukito at work in the kitchen. Perhaps he may not eat, but he's not at all unaccustomed to preparing food.]

[complexing]

[Touya watches for a few minutes to make sure Yue's got it all handled, then sets to cutting the meat for the meal. It's nice to do this sort of thing with him, though he keeps looking over to make sure Yue doesn't look like he's being gangpressed into mushroom duty.]

[winged_moon]

[If anything, Yue seems a little more relaxed than he normally does, now lacking the subtle tension that always seems to be present in the set of his shoulders. It could be simply because he doesn't currently have the weight of his wings burdening them, but... one might almost think he's enjoying himself. Especially when he finishes the mushrooms and moves over to check the grocery bag and see what else he can work on, all without being asked.]

[complexing]

[Touya does note this, and is a little excited that Yue looks like he's having a good time. Or, really, he doesn't look sad or annoyed or bored--so he must be happy to help?]

The negi needs to be chopped up too, if you want to handle that.

[winged_moon]

[Well, see, now that Touya has called attention to what he's doing, Yue isn't quite so interested in doing it. Yue hesitates a moment with one hand poised over the bag, then frowns just slightly and pulls the onions out. With the air of one doing a great favor he takes them over to the cutting board and begins to chop them, quickly and neatly but without any sign of interest.]

[complexing]

[Touya does his best not to laugh. Yue is reminding him of Sakura right now--helping, but not doing what her older brother says to do. Okay, okay, Touya can just let Yue do his own thing.]

[Though he does want to thank Yue for chopping those onions, because he's never able to do it all in one go... Of course if he says anything, Yue might just stop altogether. And it was kind of cute watching him cook.]

[winged_moon]

[Only a short time later Yue finishes that up, frowning critically at the end result before he sets the knife down and steps back from the board.]

I should allow Yukito to help you finish this. Since he will be eating dinner, not I.

[complexing]

Okay. [Touya has finished slicing the meat by now. He picks up a towel and wipes his hands briefly before walking over to Yue.] Thanks for the help. [He leans down to put a kiss on Yue's cheek.]