dreamcrystals | Happy Birthday, Dork | Backdated to August 31

Just because it isn't a lie doesn't mean it's also the whole truth. I know you better than that.

What would I have to gain from this other than watching you squirm?

That's exactly what you have to gain.

So what's the problem?

[He's getting another paper ball thrown at him.]

Stop being weird.

But that's what makes me charming.

As charming as a snake, sure.

[He's about to make a comment about the old legend, but he holds back.]

[Hm.]

Maybe so. But it's amusing.

[please please please do not talk to him about his once upon a time mom. he's still coming to terms with being the first murder victim, and that it was Naoya who bashed his brains in.]

You can get me a cake. I'm not sharing.

[Different legend, but fair enough.]

I wasn't expecting you to.

Good.

[He drops himself right back on that ugly as shit orange couch.]

I want it with cream cheese frosting.

[Since he gets to be specific. He's the birthday boy!

Anything you want written on it?

[He's going to regret this, but oh well.]

[Hm... Hmmm.

It's his birthday, but... He could make a jab at Naoya at the same time. Not that he particularly likes being called Abel...]

Just this once you can write Happy Birthday Abel on it. But if you let anyone else see... I'm going to throw it into your face.

[Well he was going to get help with it but maybe not now.]

... You don't have to humor me on that, you know.

Just this once. Take it or leave it.

[It's his final offer. And the only one he's getting.]

All right, all right. I'll head out and get some ingredients.

[He'll make it himself so no one has to see. If Kazuya insists.]

[A home baked cake from Naoya? Finally, all of the times he's cooked for him are being returned...

Kazuya will wave him off, and will probably just be dozing on that hideous orange couch listening to music when he returns, like a shitty cat.]

[He comes back not too long later and starts preparing things for baking. The frosting and the sprinkles - yes, there are sprinkles - are set aside so they can be used later. He starts preheating the oven and washes his hands before he starts.]

[He glances over at Kazuya and does his best to hide the smallest of smiles before getting to work.]

[ Naoya gets a small lift of his hand in greeting when he returns, a small sign that his cousin isn't, in fact, dead to the world.

Not that he's moving to help. Nope, he's got his music on and is just vibing. You're all on your own, Naoya. ]

[The sounds of mixing and baking poke through the haze of music, but after that he sits down at the table, fiddling with something on his COMP. He snaps it closed as he hears the cake finish and pulls it out to cool.]

[Back to the COMP. ... A little while later he gets up again and starts to decorate the cake. It's relatively simple, with 'Happy Birthday Abel' written on it. ... The last word looks like he trembled slightly at the end, but he wasn't about to refrost the entire cake. He starts putting away the ingredients and the frosting - maybe he'll eat some of that later - before washing his hands.]

[Kazuya gets a ruffle of hair as a wake-up call.]

Cake's done.

[Kazuya doesn't bother swatting the hand that ruffles his hair, but he does make a grunting noise, hand coming up to turn the volume to the headphones off so he can sit up and go and inspect the cake.

... The name Abel is wobbly, is the first thing that he notices. Naoya's normally steady hand trembled writing it.

He's never known his cousin to falter, not once. Which means just writing the name must have had some sort of profound effect on him, though it's not hard to understand why. Cain cares for Abel. Naoya, by extension, cares for Abel, and by extension of that, Kazuya himself.

He bumps Naoya's shoulder with his own, friendly, and turns to grab his COMP, futzing around in the settings until he can bring up the camera function.]

C'mere.

[He says, motioning for Naoya to move in close to him.]

[He takes the shoulder bump without moving, just watching Kazuya. He's not sure if he likes it or not, but the fact that he hasn't made a snarky comment is proof enough that he's not displeased with it. He eyes the COMP - to be fair, Kazuya's not the only one twitchy around it, and that specific one helped kick his ass not too long ago - but leans against Kazuya.]

[Oh. A picture.]

[He wraps his arm around his cousin's shoulders and pulls him in, leaning his head against the other's.]

Happy birthday.

[Good. Naoya gets the idea.

He raises his free arm up, wrapping it around Naoya's shoulder and leaning back against him in turn while his free hand careful lines up the shot for the picture.

He gets the cake, and subsequent birthday message in it on purpose when he tilts the camera, and smiles warmly.]

Thanks.

[Click! Goes the camera, and while Kazuya stays pressed against Naoya for a moment, he does eventually pull away to fiddle with his COMP once more, and the reason for it will become evident when Naoya's COMP makes a soft pinging noise of mail received.

He's not an asshole. He'll let Naoya have this. If it's his birthday, then by default it's Abel's too.]

[It is and it isn't. He hears the ping of the mail go off and knows what Kazuya's done. ... It's sweet, even if it's not true. Though in a sense it still is.]

[Souls are weird like that. Fragments of them even more so. He's met other Abels who would do similar, were they in the right era. He hesitates a moment and wraps his arm around Kazuya again to pull him into a hug. Even on his day, Kazuya is thinking about Naoya.]

[This close to Naoya's chest it's not hard to feel that it's thumping a little faster than normal. He's not one to show his emotions, but... Kazuya - or this Kazuya, at least - understands. Somewhat. As much as anyone who is or was normal can.]

... Thank you.

[He's not made of stone. He can have emotions, too.]

[The hug goes on for a few moments before he releases Kazuya and heads over to the kitchenette again to get a plate and some utensils.]

I'll leave you to eat at your own pace, if you'd like.

[The hug is somehow unexpected, but he does take it in stride. It's not like Naoya, at least not as they got older, but it also isn't unappreciated either.

He won't make a comment on it, he doesn't need to. He knows that his action is appreciated, and that Naoya knows that he appreciates him in turn, even if he's not always happy with the choices he makes.]

You can grab a plate too. I was only kidding when I said you weren't allowed to have any. There's no way I can eat an entire cake on my own, you know.

[It also wouldn't be bad to share a meal with Naoya again, after what feels like a lifetime. The lockdown was rough, in more ways than one.]

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