IT R UR BIRFDAY

[powerisyours]

[ the lab is clean, the table's set, the dogs are securely out of the way, and the candle on a small cake sitting on the counter's lit. all that's missing is the birthday girl, and this dude's watching the door like a hawk, drumming his fingers on the tabletop impatiently

because cake

and also birthday!!! ]

Comments

[powerisyours]

[ running a hand through his hair ]

I'm still better looking. He does that weird curly thing with his hair. It looks like a comb on a rooster.

[ridestherider]

Says the one with ear-tails.

[powerisyours]

The eartails add to the charm. His just looks like plumage.

[ridestherider]

You both have your high points.

[powerisyours]

My face is cuter, too.

[ridestherider]

[Thoughtfully.] Maybe.

[powerisyours]

His is--well.

[ a moment and his appearance is changing a bit--a little less fat here, a little more muscle there

and he's poking at his cheekbones ]

He has these.

[ridestherider]

He does, among other things.

[powerisyours]

[ tugging up his shirt again

look, Shan Shan, no babyfat! solid tummy with definite muscles ]

Those, too.

[ridestherider]

[I'm going to overheat and it's going to be your fault.]

Yes, definitely those too.

[powerisyours]

[ and now he's his normal self again ]

He does have about a decade on me. It's to be expected.

[ridestherider]

Mm, he's closer to my age. I forgot that somehow.

[powerisyours]

Twenty-eight, I think.

[ridestherider]

And I'm technically 25 now.

[powerisyours]

I'm--

[ counts on his fingers ]

I'll be twenty.

[ridestherider]

Barely an adult where I'm from! You'd finally be able to vote.

[powerisyours]

Well, as it was, I'm technically too young to get a motorcycle license, but when you're me, they make a few exceptions.

[ridestherider]

You're not Meng Zhu in my world, at least not that I know of.

[powerisyours]

Well, no, but I have ways of getting what I want.

[ridestherider]

You can't just freeze everyone.

[Joking, of course.]

[powerisyours]

Ways of literally forcing them to do as I say.

[ridestherider]

Not exactly on the moral high ground are you?

[powerisyours]

I said I had ways. Not necessarily that I'd use them. One even less so than the other.

[ridestherider]

The card you won't play is a card you don't have.

[powerisyours]

I never said I wouldn't, simply that I'm not likely to. I certainly would if the situation called for it.