Merengue Living Room, Friday Afternoon

[life_inshadow]

Turning sixteen already felt much better than any other birthday Tara'd had since puberty. For one, she no longer had the sword hanging over her head of in a few years, the demon will take over and everything will be different. That in itself was enough to make the crisp fall day feel different.

For another, Diana had dropped off a chocolate cake with coconut frosting before grabbing Samuel and disappearing on some mysterious errand.

Tara considered waiting for any other guests, but ultimately decided to just cut herself a slice and enjoy it. She sat in one of the battered chairs in the living room with a Fiona Apple CD playing on the stereo, feet up as she picked at the cake. She was happy.

[OOC: If you want Tara to have mentioned her birthday to you, or if you live in Merengue, this is open (with possible slow due to workiness). Diana modded with permission. Come have cake!]

Comments

[trigons_child]

Of course Raven would have wanted to know it was Tara's birthday! She even had a gift, inside which she had placed some of the incense cones she had brought with her from Azarath.

"Happy birthday, Tara," she said when she arrived.

[life_inshadow]

"Hi, Raven," Tara said happily, and went for a hug. "Thanks. Y-you didn't have to get me anything."

Not that that was stopping her from going for the present.

[trigons_child]

"I know I did not have to, but I wished to," Raven said, hugging Tara back. "We do not celebrate birthdays in Azarath so I am enjoying learning the traditions."

[oops-mbad.livejournal.com]

Diana's mysterious errand had resulted with her returning with an envelope and Samuel on her shoulder. "How's the cake?" Diana asked the birthday girl, shifting the cat's tail out of her face.

[life_inshadow]

"Then you have to have cake," Tara told her. "That's my, my favorite tradition."

She went to unwrap the gift, letting raven cut her own slice, and gasped when she saw the box. "Oh, this is j-just beautiful."

[life_inshadow]

"Pretty much the best cake ever," Tara said, once she'd swallowed a bite. "S-seriously. You have to try it. Samuel too, if it won't, uh, make him really sick."

[oops-mbad.livejournal.com]

Diana glanced over at the cat who was looking very, very hopeful. "I think I'd rather not risk the cat." She said, and went to grab a slice for herself before handing over the envelope in her hand. "For you, gift card to a bookstore near the school." Don't ask how she got it, just don't ask.

[inthereflexes.livejournal.com]

Jack had no clue it was Tara's birthday; there was cake. Cake was important. "What's the occasion?" he asked.

[trigons_child]

"Thank you," Raven said, helping herself to a slice. "And you are welcome. The incense inside came from my home and not from Airs. It is one of my favorite scents."

[life_inshadow]

"Thank you!" Tara smiled happily. She wasn't going to ask; it was there. "I th-think I ran through most of my reading list on the trip."

Samuel got an apologetic shrug.

[life_inshadow]

"Oh, hi," Tara said. "I'm s-sixteen. Have cake." She gestured to said cake, then frowned for a second. "Have we met? You can have c-cake either way."

[life_inshadow]

"I like it," Tara said, taking a whiff. "It smells like trees, but warmer. It'll remind me of this trip."

[trigons_child]

"I am glad you like it," Raven said. And, because she could not help but feel Tara's mood, she added, "It is good to see you so happy."

[inthereflexes.livejournal.com]

"I...don't think so?" he said. "Happy sixteenth!" He helped himself to a slice of cake. "Did I miss the singing? And the candles? I'm Jack."

[life_inshadow]

"I know," Tara said. "I mean, not that I'm usually miserable or anything, but -- there's this whole huge weight off my shoulders lately? It's good."

[trigons_child]

"I can sense it," Raven said, smiling at her friend. "You seem lighter. Freer." She couldn't help but be a little envious.

[life_inshadow]

Tara shook her head. "Singing and candles always make me way too s-selfconscious. Cake is happy. And I'm Tara."

[life_inshadow]

"Yeah, there was this thing?" Tara sat and invited Raven to do the same. "There was this thing my family told me all my life, and it's not true. It makes getting older much easier."

[trigons_child]

Raven settled in a chair, frowning slightly. "Your family misled you? On purpose?" She shook her head. "I am sorry, this is a pleasant occasion, I should not be asking such questions."

[life_inshadow]

"No, no, I don't mind," Tara said. "I mean, I don't mind talking if you don't mind hearing about it."

[trigons_child]

"As long as you do not mind," Raven said. "I am curious but I do not wish to ruin the mood of your special day."

[inthereflexes.livejournal.com]

"So...it's silent 'Happy Birthday', then." Jack then broke the silence by humming a bit of the song. "Good to meet you, Tara."

[life_inshadow]

Tara shook her head. "it shouldn't ruin it? I mean, probably?"

The preliminaries were just making her more self-conscious. "They said my mother was part demon. That I'd -- that that was why I could do magic. That I'd go bad."

[trigons_child]

"And...it was all a lie? Why would they tell you such a thing?" Raven said. She wished her own heritage was as easy to dismiss.

[life_inshadow]

"The same to you, Jack," Tara said. "Have you had a good trip?"