Alain's birthday

[key-youth-bert.livejournal.com]

It's almost sunset, and the preparations are almost finished.

Cuthbert, Lilly, and the waitrats they've roped into helping out have set up tables with food out by the lake. On one of them, there's a small CD player currently playing The Beatles.

A few games are set up in the surrounding area--the kind you'd find at any country fair or picnic--but on the whole, there's nothing elaborate.

All that's needed now is for people to show up.


[Summary: Alain has a birthday party. Roland, Cuthbert, Susan, Lilly, Faith, Ace, Meg, and Gavroche attend. There are snow cones and lovely presents and a general mood of "there's doom all around, so let's make this one thing tonight happy and fun".]

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[lastgunslinger]

Roland is there, looking tired, but smiling all the same.

Smiling a little, anyhow.

He's got a glass of lemonade, and is sitting on top of a picnic table, feet resting on the seat.

There's a small box wrapped in blue paper sitting next to him.

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly comes over to the table, smiling.

"What up, sai? Want a Snoopy sno cone?"

[lastgunslinger]

"Not especially." Pause. "Say thankya."

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly looks disappointed.

"Really? Alain liked them, they're just ice and flavored syrup and really good, I promise."

[lastgunslinger]

A slight shrug.

It really hasn't been a great couple of days.

Roland's not in the mood to fight.

"Fine, then."

[awesome_lilly]

It really hasn't. Lilly's still trying not to think about seeing Bernard this morning, spending time in the flat with Sunny and Fleur, hearing about Svava, Ophelia's racking sobs... yeah. But it's Alain's birthday and there are sno cones and people to introduce to them so she puts on a smile and starts crushing ice under Snoopy's head.

"What flavor do you want? I have lemon, orange, blueberry, raspberry, cherry, and strawberry."

[lastgunslinger]

"Strawberry, if it does ya."

[awesome_lilly]

"Not a problem," Lilly says cheerfully. She picks up the pink-hatted snowman and douses Roland's cup of crushed ice liberally with syrup. She sticks a bright red shovel/spoon in it and hands it to him.

"There you go, sai. Enjoy."

[lastgunslinger]

"Say thankya." Pause. "So. You and Cuthbert, I imagine. Yes?"

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly tilts her head at him.

"Me and Koosh what? Wear terrible hats? Because I left that phase behind in junior high, so I don't think it can be counted against me any longer."

She grins.

"If, however, you're not very clearly asking whether we planned the party, then the answer is yes. We did."

[lastgunslinger]

"Thought so."

Pause.

"You did well."

[awesome_lilly]

Lilly blinks, startled, and then starts to smile warmly.

"Say thankya, sai. That's nice to hear. And I really do think Alain's enjoying himself, so we're all shiny."

[lastgunslinger]

"That we are."

Roland pokes at his sno-cone.

"Not bad."

[honest-johns.livejournal.com]

A little's enough, from Roland. Especially given... everything.

Alain returns it, as he takes a seat on the table beside him.

[lastgunslinger]

"So."

Roland's hands are dangling between his knees as he gives Alain a sidelong look.

"A party."

[honest-johns.livejournal.com]

"Cuthbert."

Enough said.

He's grinning a little in spite of himself.

[lastgunslinger]

"Figured." Pause. "You all right with all of this?"

[honest-johns.livejournal.com]

Alain slants a look at him, and his face softens.

"Yeah."

A small shrug. "Nice to have something to celebrate."

[lastgunslinger]

He nods, and slides the box over to Alain.

No words.

[honest-johns.livejournal.com]

They don't need words, most of the time, really.

Alain starts on the paper.

[lastgunslinger]

It's small, and it's flat, and it's round, and it has a string attached to it.

And it's stained glass.

"Called a rose window, when it's bigger," says Roland, looking out at the lake.

Roland doesn't know that it's a replica of the rose window of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, in New York City, on the other side of town from the rose.

But that's all right.

[honest-johns.livejournal.com]

Alain holds it up. Afternoon sunlight sparkles through, throwing patterns of color onto his face and shirt.

Quietly, "It's beautiful."

[lastgunslinger]

"There's one in Paris that I've seen. Not that one. But another. Same kind of thing."

They had it in Gilead, too, along the halls of the castle.

It's why Roland loves it.

A small remembrance of what's gone, and why it's worth holding in one's mind.

[honest-johns.livejournal.com]

Alain remembers.

He's still holding it up, watching it twist slightly in the breeze. The light dances through it.

[lastgunslinger]

Quietly: "Happy birthday, Al."