[ At first he's inhaling in that sort of way that indicates Fabian is about to start bragging about every single detail of this.
But then Riz speaks on, saying this is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me, and Fabian immediately exhales that breath again before he's been able to even say a single thing. It's a good thing that Riz is standing ahead of him, because it gives Fabian an opportunity to let some surprise and near-fluster cross his face without the other seeing it.
He quickly pushes it down, trying to sound as huffy as he can when he speaks up with: ]
Oh, come on, The Ball! It's just a cake and decorations!
[ .. ones that Fabian worked pretty hard to get and put up, but-- sshh, this is like the gifts all over again. Fabian can't just say these things, not even two years after the initial gift incident. ]
[ That's the thing, though. Growing up, Riz didn't have the cake and decorations, not really, not after his Dad died. Not because his Mom wouldn't have been able to figure it out - she's a whiz with a coupon book, that Sklonda Gukgak - but because he hadn't really had anyone to invite to something like a birthday party after they'd grown out of the tendency to have the whole class over. One year, he'd given out invitations, and...
It was fine. Him and his Mom gorged on cupcakes and soda. And now he has friends to celebrate birthdays with, and they have all the cake and soda they like, and it's awesome, and he's so, so happy about it! They even have parties when it's nobody's birthday, just so they can have fun together! It's the happiest he's ever been in his life! But this isn't that, either. This is for him, and only for him, on a day that Fabian should by all rights be sharing with -- well, with his romance partner. Fabian chose him to celebrate, and it's not even his birthday. He's pretty sure that Palentine's Day isn't even a thing.
Not that long ago, Riz put that necklace on Fabian more or less by force. ]
Hey! Don't you dare call my Palentine's gift nothing! [ And of, course, he whips out his crystal and starts taking pictures of everything. It's all going to get eaten, and the decorations are gonna be taken down, and he wants to remember this, damn it! He's going to have to hassle Fabian into taking some selfies too, he thinks. ]
Seriously, man. Thank you. This is, this is so -- [ he struggles to think of a more masculine word and immediately gives up ] so sweet. [ His smile doesn't dim, though his brows furrow as he asks, tentatively, ] Is this okay, though? I mean, isn't this, like... supposed to be a day you spend with Gorgug?
[ Riz wouldn't have minded. As weird as it is to suddenly become the third wheel, so to speak, it'd bother him on birthdays or the holidays, but something like this? This is for them. ]
[ Somewhere between the copious amounts of photos that Riz is taking and the way he's calling it sweet one of the muscles in Fabian's face twitches.
Not in anger. Of course not. No, this is utter embarrassment. It's a wince out of realizing how cringe this is becoming. Toxic masculinity may be dead and all, and Fabian loves being admired and all that too, but-- gods, if Riz ever brings this up again, Fabian will die. Especially in front of other people. And the problem is that it's definitely a risk, somewhere between the photographic evidence and Riz's motormouth. ]
Yes, of course it's fine.
[ It is the reason he's sounding a little bit huffy as he's saying that - though he does fully mean the words, crossing his arms across his chest. ]
Surely you are aware how long a day is, The Ball. Do you really think I'm not capable of dividing that time up?
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But then Riz speaks on, saying this is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me, and Fabian immediately exhales that breath again before he's been able to even say a single thing. It's a good thing that Riz is standing ahead of him, because it gives Fabian an opportunity to let some surprise and near-fluster cross his face without the other seeing it.
He quickly pushes it down, trying to sound as huffy as he can when he speaks up with: ]
Oh, come on, The Ball! It's just a cake and decorations!
[ .. ones that Fabian worked pretty hard to get and put up, but-- sshh, this is like the gifts all over again. Fabian can't just say these things, not even two years after the initial gift incident. ]
That's nothing!
no subject
It was fine. Him and his Mom gorged on cupcakes and soda. And now he has friends to celebrate birthdays with, and they have all the cake and soda they like, and it's awesome, and he's so, so happy about it! They even have parties when it's nobody's birthday, just so they can have fun together! It's the happiest he's ever been in his life! But this isn't that, either. This is for him, and only for him, on a day that Fabian should by all rights be sharing with -- well, with his romance partner. Fabian chose him to celebrate, and it's not even his birthday. He's pretty sure that Palentine's Day isn't even a thing.
Not that long ago, Riz put that necklace on Fabian more or less by force. ]
Hey! Don't you dare call my Palentine's gift nothing! [ And of, course, he whips out his crystal and starts taking pictures of everything. It's all going to get eaten, and the decorations are gonna be taken down, and he wants to remember this, damn it! He's going to have to hassle Fabian into taking some selfies too, he thinks. ]
Seriously, man. Thank you. This is, this is so -- [ he struggles to think of a more masculine word and immediately gives up ] so sweet. [ His smile doesn't dim, though his brows furrow as he asks, tentatively, ] Is this okay, though? I mean, isn't this, like... supposed to be a day you spend with Gorgug?
[ Riz wouldn't have minded. As weird as it is to suddenly become the third wheel, so to speak, it'd bother him on birthdays or the holidays, but something like this? This is for them. ]
no subject
Not in anger. Of course not. No, this is utter embarrassment. It's a wince out of realizing how cringe this is becoming. Toxic masculinity may be dead and all, and Fabian loves being admired and all that too, but-- gods, if Riz ever brings this up again, Fabian will die. Especially in front of other people. And the problem is that it's definitely a risk, somewhere between the photographic evidence and Riz's motormouth. ]
Yes, of course it's fine.
[ It is the reason he's sounding a little bit huffy as he's saying that - though he does fully mean the words, crossing his arms across his chest. ]
Surely you are aware how long a day is, The Ball. Do you really think I'm not capable of dividing that time up?