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".]

Comments

[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."

[honest-johns.livejournal.com]

Alain gives him a sidelong smile, and drapes an arm around Roland's shoulders in a quick one-armed hug.

"Thanks."

He's probably not just talking about the present or the birthday wishes.