deercountry | (closed) february catchall

[ Don't threaten him with a broken-hearted pawpaw!! Robby puts his hands up in defence, matched with the grin he can't really seem to get rid of. ]

I like the candles! My mom and me used to have one on our cakes, when we remembered them. [ Which wasn't all the time. ] And it was just one. And it was a cupcake than a big cake.

[ That might be lacklustre to a man like Mister LaRusso, but Robby still seems happy talking about it. There's the days where there wasn't even a cupcake (on the right day), but Robby can tuck those things away, too. ]

Most of the parties I went to...didn't have the parents around. [ He tips his head, wrinkles his nose around that pause, and he's sure that Mister LaRusso knows the kind of parties Robby's referring to. Louder music, no adults. No tooting shisa omens.

And he feels it's worth saying, regardless of all that-- ]

But--thanks. Cake for breakfast is pretty cool.

[ It's not like the talk about the memories with his mother is all too surprising, considering the kind of circumstances Robby grew up in. Daniel may not know all the details, sure, but.. it's not exactly hard to imagine them either after everything he's seen and heard.

If anything, it just makes him glad that he could provide Robby with something he's used to, rather than letting the boy's birthday pass like it's nothing. This place can already be so crappy at times - which means they've got to make their own little lighter moments.

Like this. ]

Well.. I'm glad you enjoy it.

[ Daniel smiles a little as he says it, grabbing the knife so he can cut off a slice of cake for Robby and putting it on the boy's plate. ]

It's not over yet though. I've still got to give you your present.

You mean the wake-up call wasn't the present?

[ He's watching the cake cutting, but looks up between Mister LaRusso and the omen at the table, as if he's a very important part of this birthday gathering. Which sure, he can be, but it's still funny to see the fluffy omen there, probably watching Mister LaRusso cut into the cake too.

Truly, a spoilt omen. But it is making Robby consider if he should bring out his own omen?? Let him think on it more, or pretend to--like Mister LaRusso spoiling him like this doesn't make Robby both giddy and embarrassed. ]

[ The moment Robby is done asking that, the shisa bursts out into a new chorus of party horn blowing. It's almost ear-deafening - which is probably the reason why Daniel sighs and reaches over to pluck the party blower out of the dog's mouth.

Privilege revoked, shisa. You had a little bit too much party.

But as Daniel turns over to grab the present off the kitchen counter, the shisa decides to just give Robby its own little present. It hops right out of the chair it was sitting on, but not to grab the party blower again. No, instead it trots across the table over to Robby, starting to lick the boy's face.

Isn't this the best birthday gift shisa could give. Its love, Robby, just for you!! ]

[ Robby laughs at the pair, the omen apparently not ruining his mood despite the effort put forward to ruin their ears. He gives the creature a sympathetic smile, kinda goofy, which turns puzzled when the omen hops from its place. Is it coming for the cake? ]

Hey... [ Robby starts; wanting to warn it if Mister LaRusso catches it on the table, but also not wanting the man to hear (no snitching!!). And he thinks the omen is coming for his slice of cake when it comes in close, a hand hurrying to cover over his plate--only to not realise what was truly in danger: Robby himself. ]

Pff-- h-hey, hey hey! [ How could an omen's tongue actually feel like slobbering?? This is unfair, unjust!!! With Robby angling his head away, while ruffling the top of the omen's head at the same time he pushes him back. ]

You did this already! Go wet Mister LaRusso's face!

[ Sure, he already had one session of Robby face slobbering.

But what about a second session of Robby face slobbering?

Robby is clearly too powerful though, because the creature does allow Robby to push it back a little. Only as long as he's still getting those head ruffles though, they're very important. The shisa may even be leaning into the touch a little..

Apparently the situation looks harmless enough to Daniel by the time he turns back though that she doesn't say anything about it, only faintly rolling his eyes at his Omen's antics before putting the present down on the table. It's actually packaged in fancy paper this time, like Daniel did come prepared after last time, and it's.. kind of big. Not huge by any means, but it's kind of flat and wide.. ]

Okay, okay, leave Robby alone for a moment so he can open it, alright? [ In fact, Daniel will make sure shisa gives Robby both of his hands back by scooping up the small dog and holding it in his arms as he watches, waiting for Robby to unpack the gift.

Inside is a skateboard, mostly white instead of the usual black. The top is adorned with a pattern of the same blue flower that's on the gi belts and Daniel's headband, and on the back is the bonsai from the dojo's logo. ]

Edited 2023-02-27 17:58 (UTC)

[ Does Robby's suffering know no end?

Actually, it does, thanks to a shisa obeying to a no-push in trade for the head ruffles. Which Robby does briefly switch to using both his hands just to ruffle up the entirety of shisa's face--which shows just what a good and silly mood Robby is in to do, throwing in a 'Fluffball' like it's an insult.

When it's just the truth.

But goodbye, shisa--not all good things can last. The omen's exit (or, new home) does let Robby focus on what's been put in front of him. Long and wide---he should recognise the shape, but Robby opens it up obliviously until the paper s properly torn away to show more than the Miyagi-do flower, which alone has his eyes widen.

And then he sees the shape the board takes, and there's a laugh into the 'Whoa!' he lets out. Robby definitely needs to stand up to properly unravel this, checking out the shape and wheels (look, he's a professional (wanted to be a baby professional), he's got an eye for this), all the while with a grin that's pushed wide into his cheeks. ]

Mister LaRusso, this is awesome. [ Dude, friends, pals. Look at this sleek design. And yes, he does see the tree, flipping the board between his two hands. He's beaming when he looks at Mister LaRusso, even though: ]

--You know this'll get scratched up 'til you can't see anything.

[ Which isn't a bad thing to Robby, just. Sorry, Mister LaRusso, this nice design is going to get wrecked by use. ]

[ Oh, how the tables have turned. Or rather, how the tables will turn. Because it's still very early in the month, and while Robby will certainly be the one standing next to Daniel and hoping the older man likes the gifts Robby is throwing at him, right now it's definitely Daniel in that position.

Especially since it's not like he knows a lot about skateboards. Let's be real, he probably had to get quite some help to even get this present done in the first place - and even then he wasn't sure about the end result. Sure, he likes the way it looked, b-but does it pass the test of a teenager who loves these things?

.. apparently it does, judging by Robby's reaction. His glee is almost childish, but that's exactly the kind of reaction Daniel was hoping for. Robby being able to experience at least some birthday joy, despite the cancelled party and the circumstances.

It makes Daniel momentarily duck his head with a grateful smile, only looking back up when Robby speaks up, ready to meet the teen's gaze if necessary--

U-Until that last part, that is. Because Daniel was ready to laugh right alongside him, but there's something about those last words that makes the man's eyes go wide. Not even in a negative way.. Not necessarily, anyway.

Because, yes, Daniel looks utterly shocked, but there's something kind of comical about it. Like Daniel's fusiness being turned up to the maximum limit. ]

Is it bad? [ Just listen to the speed he says that with. It's like Daniel is going to trip his tongue over his own words if he'd speak even faster than this, his cheeks starting to color with a very faint coldblood blush.

Sure, Robby seems happy, but.. d-did he screw up the birthday present after all?! Did he forget about a crucial part of skateboarding?!

(Yes. The downsides of being a very uncool middle aged man.) ]

If-- [ Oh god. Panic. Panic!!! ] If you don't like that, I could see if I can do something about it..

[ Look at this mess of a man. So desperately wanting to please his ~~son~~ student on his special day. So determined to get everything right here - like one tiny mistake about all of this is enough to potentially bring down the way Robby seems delighted about it. This is how much he loves you, Robby. ]

Mister LaRusso? [ --This is a boy who did not see that reaction coming to his remark. He doesn't know what to make of it, even, watching Mister LaRusso with confusion at his questions of doubt; asking if it's bad (huh?), if he doesn't like it (what?).

He looks down at the board, tilting the design so he can see it. ]

I like it--but skateboards get scratched up when you use them? [ He's confused looking back at Mister Larusso, even-- ] Didn't you see my board? They get scratched like that.

[ Robby even suspected Mister LaRusso must have sneaked off with his board sometime (or one of the spares he got for the other guys) to use as an example with whoever put together this one.

M-Mister LaRusso, you don't really think Robby's going to take a knife to this, do you?? ]

[ Yes, of course boards get scratched up when you use them like that.

It's something Daniel is definitely realising in this moment - and, thinking back on it, the boards Robby let him use for their little 'lesson' sure looked like that too.. But it's something he didn't think of in the moment while getting this skateboard made.

The result? One (1) old man feeling like the dumbest guy in the world right about now, especially in the face of Robby's answer. ]

Yeah, I just..

[ .. the guy's voice trails off.

It's kind of lame to admit to a teen you see like a son that you wanted this gift to feel perfect, and now you instead just feel like you screwed up, huh. He can't just say that, even though the way Daniel looks vaguely flustered in this moment is kind of doing that job for him, though perhaps not with quite as much detail or nuance.

On the other hand, Daniel is a man of accountability, and it'd feel crappy to not say something here. Even though 90% of this is the man making a way bigger deal out of this in his head than it actually is in reality.

But what else is new with Daniel LaRusso? ]

Sorry. I guess it kind of slipped my mind that decorating the board kind of defeats the purpose. I can get you something else?

[ Robby, please realise this is just a man who desperately wants to please you.

Even if you may have very little experience with this exact thing. ]

[ He really doesn't have an experience with this kind of thing. It's--odd, to the point that he wonders if this is a blood thing? Or is it just because Mister LaRusso is so out of experience with skateboards that he thinks he did something that dumb? ]

Mister LaRusso... [ he starts slowly, torn between concern and reassurance, but going for the latter as he smiles at the man warmly. Holding the gift in his hand, nudging it into attention. ] The board's perfect. Thank you. I'm gonna use it a lot.

[ Does that help a flustered sensei? Robby hopes, because isn't the purpose of the gift that he uses it 'til it's well-loved? ...but he is glancing at shisa; not in an ask for help, but the idea does cross his mind.

H-he hasn't made the man feel bad, has he?? ]

[ The sincerity of that reassurance is enough to get Daniel to look over at Robby. Still something vaguely flustered, especially near his eyes..

.. but he only has a moment to stare like that before shisa has taken its cue. Not that Robby was asking for anything here, but with the way the kid was staring at it - the Omen knew that it had to do something here.

Even if said something is just doing what Robby asked him to do about five minutes ago: licking Daniel's face. And not just one tiny lick. No, this is an Omen fully standing up in Daniel's arms so the shisa can slobber the man's entire face.

There's no better way to pull a flustered dad out of his own head, right.

Especially when Daniel is way too busy sputtering, trying to grab a hold of the shisa all over again so he can pull the dog away from his face enough to breathe without getting a mouthful of dog fluff and dog drool.

It leaves him looking flustered still, but a slightly different kind, one that looks much less miserable on Daniel, especially when it changes into a smile a moment after. He puts the Omen down on the table so he can pull a hand through his messed up hair - though the party hat is still up there, holding on -, and then move that same hand across his face to get rid of some of the stickiness there. ]

.. I'm glad you like it.

[ There we go. That's a much more normal answer, right. Maybe shisa slobber soothes the soul. (Or just breaks the tension of a fusser.) ]

Maybe I'll open up that dealership after all so I can give you a car next year.

[ Bless shisa for the magical touch....the slobber.

Robby didn't really know what he was asking for by looking at the omen--just some vague hope, a plea? The following slobber-session isn't what the young man was expecting, and he chokes on a laugh-slash-gasp, bewildered, but then a grin spreading on his open-mouthed expression. Mister LaRusso's is just going to town on the man? Well, okay.

And he's laughing for real when he sees the mess left, hair and face and all, the board still held in both arms. Next sat in his lap when he sits down himself, smile still wide on his face and beaming at Mister LaRusso.

Maybe I'll open up that dealership after all so I can give you a car next year.

He shows teeth in his grin. ]

I'll scratch that too.

[ Truly, a chaotic rebel...but maybe he wants to make a car man wince. ]

Are you kidding me? I'll have you waxing that thing until the end of time.

[ This is how important wax on, wax off is, Robby! Too important. It's true that Daniel loves cars just a little bit too much to even live for a moment with the thought of one being scratched up...

Maybe it's for the better that he didn't get Robby a car, really.

He sits down as well, gesturing at the cake. ]

Now have some of your cake already. [ A tiny pause, and then he adds: ] Unless you were planning on scratching that up first too.

[ Well, at least it seems like Daniel has been dragged out of his thoughts about that one enough to be able to joke about it now.. ]

[ The joke gets a laugh out of Robby, a brimming happiness to him clinging on regardless of the brief bump there. But the mood has returned easily to Robby and the room, the slices of cake set out and each of them with their party hats. It has to be the silliest-looking birthday celebration imaginable, but Robby really can't find himself minding, and if he does think about it too hard, it makes him want to duck his face and laugh all over again.

There's the rest of the day to go, a dad and friends to see, but this might be enough to make a memorable birthday.

(He'll definitely let Mister LaRusso's omen have the party blower again so he can force him chase him around the house to get it. We believe in you, party dog....!!!) ]

(closed) february catchall

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