🎉 if i celebrate, i want to offer my heartfelt and honest congratulations

[nortonnnn]

Who: Norton Campbell, Nagito Komaeda, and open to anyone who'd be willing to offer Komaeda birthday wishes of their own volition
When: April 28, after class
What: 3rd floor, music room

---

Arriving

( so, it's like this: nobody likes komaeda.

well, it seems that way a lot of the time, from what norton's observing, and the unfortunate fact of the matter? no matter how absolutely off-his-rocker insane he's been acting, he... well, real or not, he didn't seem to be a bad guy in those memories norton has of him. try as he might, he can't simply act as though they don't exist either. so instead, with a sigh of defeat and an important date that he'd learned in those strange memories in mind, he'll go about collecting those who seem to be... more tolerant (even if that's a generous way to express it) of komaeda lately.

he's already arranged for the most reliable chef he's yet to meet in this school to help by preparing a birthday cake, (and learned quite a bit in the process, actually,) and he's let the others know where they should gather. so, when norton decides it's about time to drag komaeda to the survival club's meeting room for some kind of survival club-related excuse of a reason, there should hopefully already be at least a couple of people there and waiting for them—including one boy holding a white cat who may or may not look a little out of his element.

his voice is soft, but as the cake and the small collection of people he's managed to gather come into view, norton offers a smile. )

Happy birthday.

---

01.) ♡

( so... how will you greet the birthday boy? tag-ins will be assumed to be for komaeda, unless otherwise indicated! )

Comments

[adsum]

...We were partners in crime, once, but if you don't remember that, you don't have to worry about doubling up. Take that as a freebie promise.

[ If it's any consolation, anyways. Promises can be one way? With Komaeda and his dementia, a lot of what Roku~n says and does and remembers feels very one way, but maybe the new promise will stick if it's something Komaeda feels strongly enough about. ]

[commences]

( partners in crime? it's enough to make komaeda laugh, it seems his own sins continue to catch up with him no matter what he does — though, that's not a problem to him. as long as it was for hope, he doesn't mind what type of crime it was they could have committed. )

I wonder... if I asked you to give your body and soul to me, and do every little task I say, would you promise that?

( to be honest, komaeda doesn't know how deep their friendship goes, or if roku~n is saying these things because of the advantage that he has. mostly everyone here is transfers with not much memory going for them, and he can reference to yesterday with izumi and chiaki. )

You'll be a stepping stone for hope, it's perfect!

[adsum]

[ He laughs. ]

No way. I'm getting a jacket out of this deal, Nagito.

[ Please... Why do all you transfer students have dementia, how do you fix dementia ]

You can do whatever you want to my body and soul after I die, but while I'm still alive, I'll do one task for you. No questions asked.

[commences]

Then why not raise the stakes?

( listen, maybe he could catch roku~n slipping, you never know! that, he says this easily without a care as he looks at the other. he thinks this is funny, but komaeda is serious! )

I'm trying my best to be with you, and you reject every method where I try. ( he sighs. ) I really don't mean that much to you, do I?

[adsum]

I mean...

[ Is Komaeda important enough for him to essentially become his slave? This shouldn't even be a question. ]

If the only way you'll be with me is if I'm at your beck and call, that's sorta on you, not me. Can't you ask me for something normal, like to cook lunch for you someday or something?

[ IN EXCHANGE FOR LETTING HIM BORROW HIS JACKET, please,,, ]

[commences]

That way I always know you're by my side, Roku~n. ( well, komaeda's not normal so that's asking for a lot, but this seems like a conversation he isn't willing to agree to. a shame!! ) Ah... no... eating too much food will make me sick.

( he sighs, shaking his head as he finally looks up at the other. )

You said you'll do a task for me? It might be enough for hope.

[adsum]

[ Ignoring the fact that Komaeda can moderate how much he eats and pack the rest as leftovers-- ]

That's what I said. Did you have something in mind already?

[commences]

( he's trying to die leave him alone! )

Later.

( he says this softly and with a nod, he looks towards roku~n with a small smile. ) I can't talk about it now. ( call it a surprise, and doesn't everyone love those from komaeda? )

But when I ask, I do hope you'll be able to carry it out.

( sounds ominous... ) Or I'll just die trying, haha!

[adsum]

[ Um?? What does this mean, if Roku~n doesn't follow through then Komaeda will die...? Huh. ]

Alright. An IOU in exchange for my jacket.

[ He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his keys: one of the keychains is what looks like this pocket screwdriver except instead of a screwdriver head it's a thin blade that he pulls out and nicks the palm of his hand just enough so that a few beads of blood pool in the center of his palm. He motions for Komaeda to hold out his hand too.

Blood oath, let's go. ]

[commences]

What's this, have you grown up from pinky promises?

( what happened to his innocence from before when he was willing to promise without blood? he didn't bring this up when it was him, izumi and chiaki so why all of a sudden now? he notices the motion, and komaeda slowly takes a step forward, and he extends his normal hand, but not for the other to cut. instead, he holds his log in his arms properly along with the jacket so they don't fall, and he brushes the tip of his cold fingers along the center of roku~n's hand, and then pulls away once coated in blood. he drags his fingers along the palm of his mechanical hand, imitating the beads, but with a smear along the center. )

Sorry for taking so long, I'm ready.

( yes, he's willing to shake with his mechanical hand. )

[adsum]

Don't you refuse me either way?

[ Komaeda didn't want to pinky promise with him either so it doesn't matter what he chooses. At least he gets a handshake out of this, the blood thick and cold and sticky by the time it's returned to him.

He reaches out to pat Komaeda on the cheek, trying to wipe his hand clean and leaving a bloody smear where he'd taken care to wipe clean not too long ago. Oh well. This is good enough. ]

[commences]

You're disgusting, Roku~n, putting your hands on me like that.

( he's lucky he got his hand back because komaeda was going to hold it the entire time. to be used like a literal towel by someone below him, actually insane if he thinks he'll get away with this. now, even though the ultimate doesn't remember him properly, roku~n's lucky considering komaeda's willing to put up with him. )

...

( with his arm close, now that komaeda thinks on it, he might as well reach up with his mechanical hand, gripping the male's wrist to bring down his arm. let him... slide down that wristband...... hopefully this is the left hand so he can check and see if he has anything as well. listen, sometimes you have to check if your "childhood friend" has a few tallies too. )

[adsum]

[ He snatches his hand back, but not quick enough to hide the marks on his wrist and tug the wristband back down over it. More than one, not distinct enough to see how many, but they seem to have healed a little better than everybody else's.

... ]

Happy birthday, Nagito.

[ He's just going to take his leave now. All he wanted was to give Komaeda his birthday log, and now his hand is bleeding, how'd it come to this ]

[commences]

( interesting, actually. komaeda makes no comment on what he happened to see, and as soon as the wristband is set back into place, his eyes raise up to meet the others. he smiles softly (eerily so), lifting his hand to offer a goodbye. )

Have a nice day.

( ... )

Keep your eyes open.

( maybe this was a great gift, after all. )