suddenlybees | || IC INBOX

You could be two seconds away from not being that, okay?? What did you even do?

I jus' dropped my phone, it's fine. Case chipped a lil' but it still works. Obviously. Because we're fucking still talking. Hey.

Hey.

[ Alright, now that they established that they'be both still alive... ]

...What were we talking about, again?

[He almost tracks the conversation back out loud, but then he drunkenly realizes this is his chance to ignore all that feelings bullshit. Now if only he were actually smart enough right now to realize he should change the topic altogether.]

How you tried t'sep -- set me up with a fifteen-year-old! Did you know m'gonna be nineteen? Like real soon. You're fucking awful.

[ Is that what they were talking about? Fifteen... sixteen, seventeen, eighteen. Three to four years isn't that bad, he wants to think, but maybe he just has no context because he had just the one parent and never gave dating any thought before this.

But his intentions were something- well, never mind, this is more important: ]

When's your birthday?

[It's not the numerical difference, but a maturity thing!! Which thankfully he doesn't have to explain himself, because he might be an old man in Kano's eyes, but he's also called him immature. Being a young adult is really hard.]

My birthday? S'November 1st.

[...]

And what month is it right now??

[ He thinks Maverick really did walk into a pole. ]

Fucking March? Are you drunk?

Whether I'm drunk or stupid doesn't matter right now, okay? Just humor me! What're the next few months that come after March?

[?????

Well, he's a compliant drunk, anyway.]

Oh my god this is a fucking waste of time... March, April, May, June, July, August. Fucking good enough for you?

[ Where is Ekkehardt... Kano doesn't know how to interpret these neurological exam results, if Maverick can name the months in order but thinks November is somewhere near March.

He shifts his phone so that it's clamped between a shoulder and his chin so he can clap for Maverick. ]

Bravo! Yes! Good job~ I was just asking, 'cause, November's kinda far away from now, right? Your birthday?

[A small part of him almost gets him to cheer in response to the clapping -- because it's really great that Kano is clapping for him and praising him, even if it's over something stupid -- but he manages to hold himself back. Can't stop the giggle at that last comment, though.]

Oh! I getcha now. Nah, fuckin'... My birthday's November 1st, but I was born on March, uh...27th? I think. Somewhere this next week.

[ Something's still wrong with Maverick's head but that doesn't matter. ]

The 27th? So soon~ Ah- will you be at the dorms on the 27th, or will you go home?

[ Gotta prepare something stupid for Maverick's sort of birthday, watch your inbox ]

I mean...yeah. S'fucking finals, innit?

[Ugh, bad feeling, though...]

Cricket, seriously I don' celebrate this one, so don't fucking bother. S'just when I get older. November, though... I expect a huuuge...nah, not party. But something! You'll get me something nice then, right? You owe meeee~

I owe you for what?

[ He laughs, though, shaking his head. Maverick can't see, but that's alright. ]

I got a good idea for what to get you now, though! Just think of it as a late present for last year~

For... [uhhh] ...lots of things! I've been good, haven't I? An' s'what friends do anyway, an' that's what we are, right? Friends.

[The cheeriness drops a little, becoming more of a weak bluff. There's an F-word he's confident using, but it sure as hell isnt "friend"... Already he's mentally kicking himself for floating that on out there, even if Kano's said it before, and maybe him, too. But...birthday gifts from a friend, because they're happy you exist. Dang.

...It's been a couple years now since he got anything from someone who wasn't Ramona. That there would be even just one more person celebrating with them -- with him is...a bizarre thought. Makes his head hurt.]

[ There's stunned silence on the other end of the phone, and Kano almost hangs up on him but he doesn't because that would be bad. Because friends... a mistake he told himself he wouldn't be making this year, and it happened anyways and he's glad for it but it also makes things so much harder.

It's real hard, because when has he ever had good things in his life that haven't been torn away in the end? He doesn't want to get his hopes up again, but... ]

...Yeah, you've been good~ The best. So of course we're friends.

[He hates how confident he is that the warm fuzzy feeling isn't nausea. How his heart feels lighter as he lets Kano's words repeat in his mind. He's been good. The best. Of course they're friends.

It's such a relief, and he's almost grateful for the fact he's tearing up because at least that makes him mad at himself again. Stupid drunk emotional asshole. The worst, but Kano called him the best. Oof, he was gonna give himself whiplash going back and forth on this shit.]

Heh. Damn fuckin' right.

[ Maverick laughs and the warmth Kano's feeling is mostly in his face and his ears, but at least he doesn't have to go through the trouble of hiding it, he can just lie there and be mortified at the ceiling and wonder whether Maverick will remember any of this when he sobers up in the morning. ]

—Then, I get something for my birthday too, right?

[Unfortunately. So very, very unfortunately...]

Yeah, 'course! Dumbass. I dunno when it is, though, when's your birthday?

December 25th!

[ is the date he'd been telling everybody who doesn't know, because 1) his birthday isn't anybody's business because it's not something he cares about, and 2) if they insist on getting him things, then it's a gift celebrating a holiday, and not his existence. ]

[Awh, they both do the thing. Just for different reasons. Mav' much cuter about his birthday, step up your game, Kano.]

Fuuuuck, seriously? What a fucking bummer, haha... Mmm, so that means I should get you a belail -- bell... Fuck.

[Words are dumb. Anyway, he has to think now. What would he even want!!! He's such a weird boy... Good thing he carries a sharpie on him at all times so he can stop in the middle of his walk, holding his phone in his teeth, and unevenly scrawl CRICKET GIFT on his wrist. Beautiful.]

I have no idea what a belail bell is, but yes, I want one.

[ He's a good cricket with good suggestions sometimes, but also, just stick your phone in your pocket, Mav. ]

[A belail bell is either a mispronunciation of a Belial bell, an ancient musical token to summon a horrific, demonic ruler, or Mav trying to say belated gift. The second one sounds a lot easier to accomplish, at any rate.

And no!!! He has to know if Kano's talking. Gosh.]

Mmmkay. [Some odd noises, since he has to wipe down his phone now that it's out of his mouth, and all... There! All better! ...Hm, he really is getting a headache. Thankfully he's not too far out, now.] Man. Talking is...exhausting.

[ The first one sounds like something Kano would rather have, though. He can't tell what's going on on the other side of the phone, maybe Maverick's fallen asleep on his feet or something, but he speaks again and he really does hope Maverick's almost home. ]

Hang in there and keep talking for me~ Can you do that for me, Mav? Maybe you'll tire yourself out by the end of the night and finally have a good night's sleep? That's a nice thought, isn't it? Hang onto that.

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