𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐲 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐳. || 🇵🇸

(Maybe some people - but not him. In fact, from a tree overhead - he's already dropped directly onto Ratha's back.)

(Reaching out with the vantage... he pats her atop the head.)

Poke.

Somethin' you're wanting to do, Lutes?

You know, I think I can call up a buddy of ours if you want to go for a flight. They've grown a bit since last you saw.

You'd be right, but... seeing as you're still a friend, I wish you a happy birthday nonetheless.

... Yes, well... I'm usually standing on ground that isn't glassed, so I think we might be from different timelines.

Maybe... we make that more of a Christmas thing? Or a Halloween thing...

I kinda want to spend more time just the two of us.

It'd be real romantic and cute and stuff.

I am fighting unconsciousness in your arms, Lute.

Three and a half years back or so. I was 16. I'm 20 now.

I cannot help but feel you mean the other one, but, thanks buddy.

Iiiif I can convince a good three of them to not be terrified...

Or at least make some good stuff to counterbalance...

Happy birthday to me -

Today for my birthday I had to figure out how declaring money for taxes when you earned it in another country works.

I think I might prefer more zombies and demons.

Oh pawd, I gotta figure out how to get them there and stuff, and try to make sure no one wanders off, if only we had some kind of guard and transport -

... you have like so many dragons. What am I talking about.

... it's been a while since it wasn't just a list of bad stuff happening.

Either we are talking about the wrong apocalypse or it's the same one with two different kill counts. Mine is barely over a thousand and you just implied you've witnessed the death of everything.

For once it's not my friends...

... oop, wait, hold on, I see Brownie over there so veto that. It's just a 1+1 now.

(The hug gets a little tighter.)

... okay.

You... really just wanna hang around? Not talk about... things?

... what's funny is I can't decide.

All the me-ness that I lost... was me that I wasn't.

So... I don't know if I'm less or more myself now. Haha...

... to summarize, I sort of... spent. Myself.

I... used to have a lot of pieces of me. Other me's. Like, fifteen times myself.

... now I'm two me's.

It feels... small. But also... less uncomfortable.

... um, so, leaving out the reason why it happened...?

I... did something. To help a lot of people. Because someone was trying to make it so... what happens to me when I sleep happened to all of them all the time. But it was really hard to do, so, even though it turned out okay... um.

(+)

No but it's just I had a really Bad Party one year so I sort of stopped celebrating it and --

. . .

... actually, what am I talking about. I... could use a nice birthday, really.

... I can... wait, for most of it. But you need to know one part.

Something is sorta different about me. I... don't know what it's going to change, but... it might. So.

I-in my defense I never really think of it as Valentine's day?????

It entails me.

S'my birthday.

... Lute... That's hardly something you should apologize for. You've been through so much without me, too...

(... he takes a breath.)

... you tell me and I tell you?

(... It's strange.)

(He's... he hasn't changed a bit. It's a certainty, an obvious certainty. But in some strange way that perhaps only she can feel, it feels like he's... less. But... somehow, it doesn't make him feel weaker or worse. Just 'less something.')

(... he quietly returns the embrace.)

(He considers bracing against something and then decides not to. Whatever happens happens.)

(Notably he looks like he slept for most of a week and then hasn't slept for like three days following??)

(Straightening up an inch taller out of a slouch.)