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"Sorry about the eye," Beidou sympathizes, awkwardly scratching the back of her head. "But hey!" She gestures to her eyepatch. "We match!"
"Yeah..." Aether moans a bit as he scratches a bit around the bandage covering his affected orifice.
"Don't mess with it! It'll heal up in a few days!"
"Sorry."
"Yeah!" Paimon agrees. "Styes are serious!"
"I know," Aether groans. "I know."
"Enough dawdlin'," Beidou waves. "Let's eat!"
"Food!" Paimon chirps before her hand goes to her head and she groans. "Uggghhhh..."
"You okay?"
"Paimon...Ughh...Paimon is..."
Aether sighs. "I think someone had a little much chocolate."
"THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH!" Paimon screeches before she collapses onto herself in pain. "Owww..."
"Geez," Beidou puts her hands on her hips. "How much did she have? Gotta be a lot ta take down Paimon."
"Enough to win the next three Inazuma City Chocolate Festivals' Choc-Offs."
"Damn!" Beidou jolts. "And she can still float?!"
"Slowly," Paimon winces. "Very, very slowly."
"Oh man," Beidou crosses her arms. A thought occurs. "Maybe you might want to sit this one out?" At Paimon's shocked face, she adds, "Crux birthdays can get kinda...loud."
"What?!" Paimon whines. "But...But Paimon hasn't even had any birthday cake yet!"
"Do you really think more sugar is a good idea?!" Aether scolds, disbelievingly.
"Paimon can take it!"
"That doesn't mean you should!"
"Paimon brought home the gold!"
"And Aether had to go to a Bubu Pharmacy for painkillers!"
BAM-BAM! Drums are being hit.
BOOM! And there goes the fireworks!
"AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" Paimon screams, clutching her head, her yelling not helping the situation at all.
"Tried ta warn ya," Beidou notes, taking a chug of beer.
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After a few hours of hollering, hooting, drinking and singing, Beidou finds it impossible to stifle a yawn.
"Are all your parties like this?" Aether asks from where sits next to her, nibbling on his plate from the buffet.
"Well," she shrugs. "I mean, no one died this time." At Aether's look of horror, she belts out a laugh. "Just kidding!"
Aether pouts and goes back to his chop suey. Beidou snorts at his cuteness before directing her gaze to the stars. Sure are a lot out tonight...
"Hey," she speaks up after a minute. "Didn't you have a hot date tonight?"
That makes the kid freeze, nearly choking on a rice bun. His face going bright red, he puts his plate down and tries to begin, "Well...we uh...finished a bit ago and uh...we both had stuff to do, so..."
"Please don't tell me you cut your date short 'cause of little ol' me." She teases, leaning back and reclining her head on her arms. "Don't wanna get in the way of you gettin' some...sweet time." She winks. As much as she can with one eye.
"Beidou!" Aether scolds, face going even redder.
She belts out another laugh. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! But seriously, I would've understood." She gives a sigh. Ain't easy sharing your birthday with a holiday. Plus it's right after Lantern Rite..."
Aether shakes his head frantically, braid bouncing back and forth. "That's why I had to come! Everyone's birthday needs to be celebrated, no matter when it is!"
Such a good kid. …He really should not be hanging out with a bunch of pirates.
Eh. It’s his choice.
"Aww!" She coos, wrapping an arm around his shoulders to pull him close so she can give him a noogie. "You're too sweet."
"Hey!" He giggles, "Knock it off!" And playfully tries to bat at her hand, unable to shake her powerful grip.
"Ugghh," Paimon moans from where she lays next to them, surrounded by empty plates. "Keep it down..."
"I warned you about the cake," Aether reminds her.
Paimon just groans.
"Well then," Beidou cuts in, pausing her movements. "You're gonna hate the next part." She warns, gaze turned towards the sky.
Paimon gives a nauseous look.
"Next par--"
"CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!"
"AAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHH!" Paimon screeches before zooming below deck.
"Alright," Beidou says as she gets up, cracking her neck a bit. Pointing towards the crew members emptying beer by the barrel, she encourages, "Come on, Aether; time ta show the kids who's boss."
By boss, she means herself; Aether’s a good cheerleader though.
"Wait," he points to himself. "Me? Um, I'm not much of a...drinker."
"C'mon," she peer pressures. "You don't have to compete, just enjoy a drink or two; it is a party."
"Well..."
"That's the spirit!" Beidou cheers, yanking him over her shoulder and heading over to her rowdy men.
After all, it's her birthday. It's only fair that she wins.
As she does everytime.
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After several rounds of merciless chugging, barely stopping for sweet, precious, life-giving air…Beidou (obviously) claimed victory.
Aether didn't get past round one. As she regards his slumped form after many congratulations, she feels regret starting to form in her gut.
Oh boy.
"Kiddo?" She attempts before gently shaking his shoulder. "Aether? Come on, we gotta get you home."
She jolts when his head rolls back around, eyes (well, eye right now) glazed and cheeks flushed. "Unnnnnn..." Is all he can get out of his mouth.
"Oh boy." Beidou sighs before steeling herself. "Okay, arms up."
He still doesn't seem to notice she's there.
"Alright," she resolves, "The hard way it is." And she thoroughly scoops the kid up, clutching him close.
"Wai..." He finally seems to be coming to. "Whas...Whas goin' on?"
"Bedtime."
"Noooo..." He moans.
She snorts. "Why not?"
"Because...Becaushh..."
She really shouldn’t find this funny, but she can't help herself. And besides, it's good to laugh at ourselves every once in a while.
"Because I need to make sure Beidou knows how much I care about. Becaushhh...she's my friend and I love her."
She stops.
Where do kids like this keep coming from? ‘Cause she’s pretty sure Celestia ain’t too keen on doin’ her any favors after some of the stunts she’s pulled.
"Unnnnhhh?" Aether moans from her shoulder.
"Don't worry." Beidou assures him, pulling him tighter. "I'm sure she knows."