お誕生日おめでとう~!

[sumarusfinest]

A day planner laid out on Katsuya's kitchen counter has a big red circle over the date.

October first.

The officer wipes his glasses clean with a cloth and removes the apron he'd been wearing until moments ago. Changes back into his suit and tie and resolves that his kitchen will just have to be cleaned when he gets home.

He has gifts for a very special someone to go deliver. He scoops up the cake box and his keys and leaves his apartment for the Nexus. A certain magi's tower in the Nexus, to be exact. He does have the courtesy to text her to let her know he's on his way.

Still feels weird to announce 'I'm here to see Miss Verity Willis' to a wall of solid crystal though. Would it still open if he spoke in Japanese? Experiments for another time.

"Verity?"

Comments

[brave_heart_verity]

"I know that." He doesn't need to stress that with her. The hero's dilemma is a grade-school subject where she's from, something drilled into their heads like the names of state capitals. "I do understand that, Katsuya, and I wouldn't expect you to do anything else. I wouldn't want you to. But I think it's okay to admit we're not always going to love it."

She thinks she's adulting very well. But time to change the subject before they get really nasty with each other.

"So did I tell you I got adopted? I've got two little brothers now. Although, I'm pretty sure Clint is older than I am." She's not trying to fake being happy so much as work toward it.

[sumarusfinest]

"...People usually don't." Katsuya consents that that is really all that needs to be said. He doesn't like it any more than she does. He pulls her closer when he says it, too.

He doesn't want to lose Verity. He finally has someone who makes him happy for the first time in a long, long time. Someone he wants to make happy in return.

"You got what?" Wait, wait what? Katsuya looks down at her. "By Naugus? ...Who?" Katsuya, honey, you've met Clint, he's the archer guy from the demon fight. Remember?

Apparently not.

[brave_heart_verity]

She has no plans to go anywhere or get driven away. Even if Nyarlathotep comes back and tries that 'show her evil Katsuya' trick, she's been down that kind of road before, and she's learned from it. So good luck getting rid of her now.

The idea of Naugus adopting her... actually isn't that far-fetched. But she's got an amused smile none-the-less. "Not Naugus, no. Clint, he's the archery guy. You've met him. And Jim, he's... he was there when Hughes asked me to call you." No need to mention all the blood. I think they only love me for the food." She knows that isn't true, but siblings. She's contractually obligated to tease them, even in absentia.

[sumarusfinest]

"Oh! Oh. Yes." He remembers the archer. One of the core group who managed to kill off the massive demon that had appeared in the Nexus.

Jim is someone he vaguely remembers seeing around the Nexus. He's a regular in the forums, usually arguing with Naugus or the like. Katsuya hasn't made much of an effort to talk to him. The man seems rather irritating, in Katsuya's opinion. Full of himself.

"So this Jim...and Clint adopted you? Are they...." Wait, how would that even. "Are they related?" Is this a literal thing or? Because at least half of this brother equation already has Katsuya concerned for Verity's safety. And it's not Clint.

"You're certain this is alright with you?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"They are, strangely enough. Clint is Jim's alternate-dimension many-times-great grandfather. It's confusing, but it also kind of makes sense because they look so much alike and act so much alike too." And both have come back from the dead, but he doesn't need to know that part.

"Yeah, it's kind of nice. Gods know they need looking after." That's what she's for: taking care of more important people. It's not a bad life when they're not actually on fire. Try to be happy for her, Katsuya, she needs things to be happy about right now. "And they care about me. Honestly. And not in some creepy going-to-hit-on-me way."

[sumarusfinest]

"If you trust them, then I will as well." Katsuya leans over and brushes his lips briefly against her hair before taking another bite of cake.

"It's good that they found each other then. And you. A surrogate family can be as nice as blood relations." Katsuya knows this from experience. Losing them hurts just as bad, too.

"I suppose I'll have to meet them properly at some point then?" Get the 'if you hurt my sister I'll break your face' speech? "Naugus already threatened to hurt me if I hurt you."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Thank you for trusting me." The kiss is nice, and she hums happily. She's a musical creature when she's relaxed.

"I've never had family I could trust before. It's... weird. Nice." She's a little distracted now, thinking... She was just about to kiss him when he brought that up.

"Wait. What?"

[sumarusfinest]

"When I said you were my girlfriend. He replied that I spoke a language he knew, and asked me not to hurt you, because he'd do the same to me." Katsuya shrugs gently.

He doesn't think it's that big of a deal. Not even coming from the Magi. Mostly because he doesn't intend to hurt Verity. What possible reason could he ever want to do that?

"Standard fatherly advice, frankly. I didn't realize it was that cliche in America as well."

[brave_heart_verity]

"But. He's. I don't have a father."

Everyone has a father, obviously, but she's never had one who protected her or smiled at her or did anything of those fatherly things.

She and Naugus are going to have to talk about this. When he's feeling less likely to set everything in the room on fire.

"Huh."

[sumarusfinest]

"That's why I had assumed he was the one who had adopted you." Katsuya points with his fork to further his point. Coffee sip.

"Maybe the biggest brithday present you're being given is a family. Compared to that, cake and flowers seems somewhat paltry."

Katsuya chuckles idly, mostly joking about that sentiment.

[brave_heart_verity]

Gesturing with his fork? How rude. Not that she cares, she likes seeing him relaxed.

"It'd be really weird if you adopted me now, so you'd better stick to the cake and flowers," she teases.

[sumarusfinest]

"Fair point." That would be weird.

But he's glad that Verity seems to be gaining a family. Especially considering recent events.

He had hoped to get the day off properly, but there was no way if he wanted to take Verity out later. He tries to be discreet when he checks his watch, frowning at time's sudden but inevitable betrayal.

"What else do you have planned for the day? Spending time with your new family?"

[brave_heart_verity]

She glances at his watch too. She hadn't expected he could just take off in the middle of the week, but... oh well. She'll see him again soon.

"Mm-hmm. I've been told to 'suit up', so... " she has no idea what's going on really, but she trusts them. "And you have to go back to work."

[sumarusfinest]

"...Suit up? Like...in a suit?" Katsuya is taking this literally too it seems. He didn't know Verity had a suit.

She certainly must look quite stylish in it.

"..I do." The officer looks rather guilty about this. "I wanted to be sure I could get you a cake on your birthday." Another little hair kiss.

[brave_heart_verity]

"I guess? At least now I have a suit for when I need to look professional." Or when she's visiting him and wants to look like they belong together.

It is really stylish. He's going to like it when he gets to see it.

"Hmm. Thank you. This was nice." She'll let him up with a sigh, but not before kissing his cheek. "I'll see you on Saturday right?"

[sumarusfinest]

Katsuya meets the sigh and matches it with one of his own. He's not thrilled about this either. The high point of his day is ending, always a let down.

"I wish it could have been for longer. Try to have a good time tonight." Katsuya gives her an encouraging smile. "I will see you Saturday for lunch, yes.'

[brave_heart_verity]

At least they have these high points now.

"I will." She'll walk him to the door, holding his hand until the last possible moment. "Remember to take care of yourself."

[sumarusfinest]

The escort is appreciated. It lets him have time for on more hug that he pulls her into gently.

"Ohtanjyoubi omedetou Makoto-chan~"

Maybe that will still become a nickname. It's hard to tell. He likes her real name better.

[brave_heart_verity]

The hug is warmly returned, and the nickname gets a happy giggle from her. She likes it, especially since he explained how special they are in Japan. "Thank you, Katsuya."

Before he goes she stretches up to give him a little kiss, just a soft shy peck on the lips. "Hontōni daisuki."

It's her birthday she will kiss her boyfriend if she wants to.

[sumarusfinest]

He turns utterly crimson. not even because of the kiss. Just..well.

"That...that was perfect." He finally stutters out, a hand already moving up to touch his lips unconsciously.

[brave_heart_verity]

So long as it's a happy blush. That would be good, since it'll match hers.

"Yeah. I've been practicing."

Beat.

"The Japanese! Not the. Not the kissing."

[sumarusfinest]

"Y-yes, I could tell."

Wait.

"The uhm..T-the Japanese." Flushhhhh. "I-i should be going now. To work. In Sumaru, which is...yeah."

[brave_heart_verity]

"The kissing practice will be with you." Because that needs to be made really clear. And also he needs to definitely still be blushing when he gets back to work.

"Will... will you call me tonight? Just to say goodnight?" She knows she can't see him every day, but a few minutes on the phone should be doable?

[sumarusfinest]

"I tell you what. Call me when you're done having dinner, okay? I promise that unless I'm at a crime scene, I"ll set some time aside to hear all about it. I really do hope you have fun."

He nods. Talking to her over the phone is no problem. It will make his empty apartment feel a little less cold.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Okay. I will." She'd like that.

She should probably let him go now.

Adulting sucks.