video; un: tabris | locked from un:younghuman

[peripheries]

[A young boy appears on the screen! He's sitting on... maybe the roof of a house? You can see the tops of buildings in Gaze behind him. But that's not important. What's important is what he has to say-]

How do you throw a great human birthday party? Not just the stuff with cake, gifts and people, I'm already know about all of that basic stuff. The extra things that make it a really good party. The kind that creates important memories that you can look back on and feel those pleasant feelings again.

[For some reason, this matters, apparently.]

Anyway, the first of the month was Paul's birthday. [No need to elaborate on that one. If you know, you know.] So we're going to do something next month, on the first, instead. It's a surprise, so don't tell him. You know he'd say something like "that's not necessary, it's just my birthday and it will interrupt me sitting in the dark and contemplating my terrible purpose so I'm busy and also no one can use the shower for the next hour".

So it's up to me and the rest of you to make it a good one that he likes. If you're Paul's friend or lived at the beach camp, gimme ideas and then show up and bring a gift. He needs something to strain rice with so he stops using his hands.

((ooc; a log for the party will go up next week(ish) this weekend! If you have CR with Paul you are invited, no reply necessary.))

Comments

[hearthebell]

It can also be a backhanded way of saying "unrealistic."

But that's not how I meant it, to be clear.

Paul likes music. You could hire musicians.

[peripheries]

It's annoying how humans use the same word for things that are good and bad.

...I could teach the skeletons to play piano.

[hearthebell]

Annoying, but understandable. Sometimes there are things you have to get off your chest while still managing basic politeness.

[In fairness, what L considers "basic politeness" is probably closer to "horribly passive-aggressive." Candid bluntness can actually be better.]

Is that so? See if you can find Camille Saint-Saëns in the Archives. The "Fossils" movement of "The Carnival of the Animals" and the entirety of "Danse Macabre" would probably be entertaining if skeletons were playing them.

[peripheries]

Politeness is such a pain.

[Yeah, yeah, okay though, he's writing that down.]

I've heard of this composer but I've never played his music. I'll look in the archives. Maybe a fitting song will help the skeletons learn more quickly.

[hearthebell]

The fact that it's usually just a matter of remembering and applying rules helps. Notably, sincerity is not required for politeness; that also helps.

[For having been a human for his whole life, L takes a pretty pragmatic approach to a lot of social interactions, and sees himself as distinctly apart from others.]

That was my thought. I'm sure Paul will like it and everyone will have fun.

[peripheries]

I'd rather just say what I mean. It's faster and means less uncertainty.

[Which he does! Old habits die hard.]

That's what I want. I want him to be happy and know that others care for him.

[hearthebell]

Are you concerned that he doesn't already know that others care for him?

[peripheries]

I think he worries he's undeserving of it after what happened with the Leviathan. I want to show him that the feelings of for you are their own and real, not about deserving or not.

[hearthebell]

Spoken like a true angel. You're off to a good start, anyway.