In Which The Boy Realizes He Has Aged

[theresalwaystheview]

Who: Bart Torgal and whoever is interested in his BIRTHDAY!

What: Bart's 20th Birthday (and the immediately adjacent days

When: September 2-4

Where:The clinic, the Velvet Ambrosia and Silk, the beach, Bart's house, etc

Warning(s): n/a (will update as necessary)



The Day Before
On the second day of September, after he's figured out his budget for the month and realized how tight he's let things get, Bart makes a decision:

He's got to get out more, so that he can make more stable connections with other people again. This habitual self-isolation is doing him absolutely no favors. He'd promised First Aid that they would try harder to meet one another halfway, so...he should do that. He looks down at his sending stone, sitting neat and faintly glittering to one side of his desk, and debates on calling the protectobot to see what he might be up to when his work was finished. His fingers come to rest lightly against the outer edge of the stone and...

He hesitates. Dammit, why are relationships so hard?

Birthday, Morning
When Bart awakens on his birthday, he wants to have a quiet, simple day. Half a shift at the clinic, a bit of time spent outside working in the garden that he'd started that was coming along very well by now. It was a vegetable patch with newly planted, strong stakes in the midst of the climbing stalks, and even a space where he wants to eventually install a little fountain so that he could have the sound of water closer by. He's proud of it, especially considering he'd done the majority of it alone in the back lot of his property.

Settling into his seat at his desk, Bart whiles away his time writing little notes in his journal as he awaits incoming patients or perhaps other doctors in need of an extra pair of eyes or hands. But it's a quiet day, peculiarly so considering the semi-frequent upheavals in the regular goings-on of the town, but he's certainly not complaining. It means that what he's planning for the evening, after whatever else may happen to him in the intervening hours, may actually go down without a hitch.

He can hope, anyway.

Birthday, Evening (but possibly the next day, thread-dependent)
Later into the evening, when he's got time to do so, Bart can be found standing anxiously just outside of Velvet, Silk, and Ambrosia. He's dressed well in a fine button-down shirt and comfortable trousers that make his legs look even longer. His hair has been combed before being pulled back in a low ponytail. He looks every bit the very nervous first-timer to an establishment like this, and the reasoning is twofold:

1) The Madame of the establishment makes him very nervous. She has used him as a weapon before, might as well have been responsible for the death of his roommate, and took every opportunity to poke fun at him, which he considers to be very rude indeed!

and 2) It's a brothel. It's advertised as a "love hotel with breakfast options", but the general consensus is that it's a high-end brothel. Which is fine! He has nothing against that! He's just never, ever been this close to one in his life.

So now, here he is, hovering just outside the door with his hand out, as if to test the barrier that he knew had been put in place for the peace of mind of the staff and villagers alike. He can press through it and be permitted to enter.

And he will.

In a minute.

The Day After
The day had been long, and now he wants to take some time alone to decompress Being social takes so much out of him at times, and this was certainly no exception. Bart leaves a note on the front desk at the clinic to let the others know that he would be taking the full day off to get his head back in order, and that he could be found down by the waterfront in case of emergency. Then he simply leaves, heading down toward the beach to spend his day there with his pantlegs rolled up and his feet in the waves coming ashore in their rhythmic patterns. He looks, and feels, at home here, holding his shoes in one hand and just watching the ocean a while.

Wildcard
Belated birthday greetings and/or gifts? Just wishing to say hello in general or run into him early in the month? Prod here, DM me, hit me on the Discord, and I can set up a toplvl to make threads happen.

Comments

closed, for Max

[theresalwaystheview]

Bart finally crosses the threshold with no resistance from the precautionary magic the Madame had put in place. He's officially allowed here. He's still nervous though, and it shows on his face when he lets the door close behind him.

The inside of the parlor is really lovely, with the commissioned art of the staff here and there on the walls, the flowers, the ambient music from the radio perched behind the bar. Soft chatter between patrons and workers that make everything seem so very casual, even as he can hear snippets of negotiations happening here and there.

Bart stops at the bar, nods to the bartender, then clears his throat to keep his voice from cracking as he puts in his own request:

"May I please request the services of Mr Maximum?"

[maximumcake]

The bartender rewards the request with a warm smile and answers, "Of course. Who may I tell him is making the request?"

It won't be long, after the call is made, before Max comes bounding down the stairs nearly two at a time. "Bart! Hi! Come sit with me. It's great to see you." It's a surprise, but a very pleasant one, obviously.

[theresalwaystheview]

Bart's fingers tapped lightly on the bartop, clearly nervous as he waits even after informing the bartender of his name, and that Max should recognize it easily enough.

Max coming to meet him so enthusiastically is met with a bright smile in return, tension sliding off of him as he goes to meet the man halfway. "Hello sir!" he replies brightly, already growing rather pink across the face thanks to the newness and mild awkwardness of the situation. He follows Max to a seat, and tries to think about how he words what he'd like.

"So...erm. What...sort of things do you generally do when you work here? I just, I had an idea what I might want to do, and I don't want to waste your time if it's not in your purview..."

[maximumcake]

Aw, look how he's blushing. Max is giddy over it, and he has to keep reminding himself he's at work so he should try for more professionalism.

"Well, the one thing I don't actually do on the clock, despite where I am, is have actual sexual contact. I'm more like a burlesque performer, I guess. I've done sexy dinners and strip teases, I've done dancing and singing, I can do hugs and cuddles and intimate conversations, but my favorite thing is catered meals custom-made for my guests. I can do sexy cooking lessons, too, but no one has asked for that yet."

[theresalwaystheview]

Max will have to get used to it, because Bart has no real compulsion to try and control it the way he would in a more professional setting anymore, so he would just remain varying shades of pink until he either became more accustomed to the attention, or actually started stifling himself again.

As Max lists his specialties, Bart takes it in with his head at a mild tilt and his hands folded together atop his knees. "How would one make cooking lessons 'sexy'?" he asks after a second's thought. "It seems like that sort of thing might be unsanitary, if it's anything like I'm imagining."

closed, for Helena

[theresalwaystheview]

He needs the quiet so very badly, and it seems as if staying in his normal haunts (home, the clinic, the forest) isn't really cutting it. So he knows that he needs to be down by the water, where he can dip his feet into the sun-warmed waves and just exist for a bit. Perhaps he'll swim, if nothing else catches his interest.

He walks barefoot here when he gets down to the waterfront, soles toughened by so much time doing just this. He meanders along the border between sand and sea, making footprints that will fade as they're lapped by the surf, moving so very quietly as he tends to when it's just him by himself. A habit from trying so hard not to disturb the animals with his passage so that he might be able to better examine them.

It's not unusual to see other people here, of course. He's not the only person that finds comfort and interest down by the water. Seeing the shape of a young woman moving about down the beach is nothing odd. Of course, as he gets closer, he catches sight of the cane in her hand, and the way it taps here and there, seeking... Ah.

"Good morning," he calls from further back so that he won't startle her. "What are you looking for? Perhaps I can help."

[decrypter]

"Good morning!"

She turns in his direction, a bright smile on her face. His voice isn't familiar - but then again, there are a lot more people here than she's used to having around. Still, her attitude is warm and inviting, unbothered by the surprise.

"I'm searching for driftwood - I want to build a sandcastle, and I'd like it to have some support. Do you see any nearby?"

Visiting the beach by herself has become not an event, but part of life. It has made her think of Wayne, and absent being able to wear his jacket and feel closer, she wants to build something in the sand. Maybe somewhere in his afterlife, he's building one too.

[theresalwaystheview]

He doesn't know her just yet, but she seems nice already, and this endeavor of hers seems like a lovely way to spend a bit of time. It's something he hasn't really thought of for himself to do, as much as he generally wants to avoid disturbing the environment with his passing, but really, what's the harm?

"That sounds like a splendid idea," is what he says to her. The sand shifts underfoot as he moves around to where slick rocks have caught a few hunks of wood and kept them up off the waves enough to dry them out. He collects some of the smaller fragments, and returns to where the beginnings of the sand castle's foundations are.

"I don't believe we've met. Are you new to the village?" he asks as he puts the wood down and moves to find a seashell or two.

[decrypter]

"Somewhat," she confesses, returning back to where she's begun a pile of sand. "I've resided in town for a while now, but I'm afraid I've kept to myself. It takes me some time to get accustomed to a new place, and I had to rewrite all of my records that didn't come with me. That took up a great many days, but now I have it in order."

Scooping up some sand, she pats it into the beginnings of a wall.

"With such a task done, I can get on to actually meeting people. I'm Helena."

[theresalwaystheview]

He makes a soft sound as he kneels in the sand on the opposite side of the castle, moving to mirror the way that she's building up the wall. "That is understandable, I did much the same when I arrived here. I don't want to forget anything that I've learned, so I had to write it all before it escaped me. Now, I just make little notations when I remember other details, or I write the things that I learn here." The smile is obvious in his voice as he works the damp sand around driftwood struts.

"I'm Bart," he replies. "I work at doctor Watson's clinic, when I'm not in my garden or out conducting my research."

The Day Before

[lovinglefthand]

As it happens, Bart is on First Aid's mind as well -- and he beats his special friend to the punch, calling him around the time that First Aid thinks he should be done with work.

"Bart, hi!" he says brightly when the call is accepted, cheerfully but with an undercurrent of nervous tension. "Um, are you free? I wanted to ask you about something."

[theresalwaystheview]

It's a wonder that Bart doesn't jump when his stone chimes for his attention, but reflexively his hand does lift up and away, before he picks it up and clears his throat to greet his caller.

Hearing the modulation of First Aid's voice over the stone brings a soft smile to his face, and he excuses himself from his desk to duck into the short hall to take the call.

"I'll be off soon, yes. Has something happened?"

[lovinglefthand]

"Oh no," First Aid says quickly, not wanting to worry. "At least, nothing bad. I, uh," he laughs awkwardly. "This is a little embarrassing...I know it's your birthday tomorrow, so I gave myself the day off so we could spend it together. But I just realized that I forgot to ask if you had any plans already. Which is fine if you do! I had a few different ideas for stuff we might do, it's very flexible. I just wanted to be present, you know? So," he laughs again. "Um. Happy early birthday, Bart! Are you busy tomorrow?"

[theresalwaystheview]

Bart is quiet enough while letting First Aid speak his piece that it could be forgiven if he thinks that Bart isn't there for a moment. At least, until he speaks up again and Bart sounds just the slightest bit chokey.

"I'd...well, I'd planned to come to work for the morning, but then take off for the afternoon to try and find something nice that isn't work related for the rest of the day," he explains hesitantly. "Erm...what did you have planned?"

[lovinglefthand]

If First Aid is disappointed by the news that Bart plans to work in the morning, he hides behind a thoughtful hum. "Well, I had a couple different ideas. It's too cold for swimming, but I thought we might go down to the beach and look for tide pools, see how they've changed with the season. Or, I heard that they've widened and reinforced the tunnel down into the Paradesium. I should be able to fit down there now, so you could show me a couple of your favorite spots..." It occurs to him, a little too late, that Bart might actually prefer to stay home and relax on his special day.

"Is that okay? We can do something else if you'd prefer -- we can do whatever you want," he adds. "I just like seeing the places that matter to you...it makes me feel like we're growing closer."

Wildcard -- planned meeting

[xiaoxiuya]

He'd spoken to lots of people over sending stone during the blight, but one voice in particular had stood out: Bart Torgal, with his European accent and sympathetic voice. Too sympathetic really, Shen Qingqiu was pretty sure he'd trauma-dumped to the poor man while he was sick more than was professional or appropriate. He owned Mister Torgal an apology for that. But he also had every intention of following up with his other services.

Because Shen Qingqiu, you see, was still suffering from migraines. Psychic injuries will do that to you. And Bart had promised to help him get set up with some painkillers. It would probably just be a drop in the bucket, but...he was getting desperate enough that he'd try it anyway. Maybe he'd at least be able to sleep at night.

He lets himself into the clinic and smiles at the young man looking after the reception desk. "Hello," he says calmly. "Is Bart Torgal in?"

[theresalwaystheview]

Bart had offered to help him figure out migraine medication, as well as a handful of tips to do with massage both from a partner and by oneself, and had offered to make a small informational guide to help with that for Shen Qinqiu to assist if necessary.

Now, when he looks up from the file he's updating at the elegant gentleman asking after him, Bart offers a small smile and stands, holding a hand out to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Shen Qinqiu." Yeah, that sure is the voice of Bart Torgal coming from this sweet-looking young Mongolian man.

[xiaoxiuya]

...Well! That's certainly unexpected, but Shen Qingqiu believes he's able to cover up his surprise with a smile as he clasps the (surprisingly!) young man's hand. "The pleasure is all mine. I'm afraid I don't recall many of the details of our conversations over sending stone, but I wanted to thank you for your assistance all the same."

[theresalwaystheview]

The surprise isn't lost on Bart, but he can only guess at what it's about. So he just brushes it off and grips Shen Qingqiu's hand in return. "I'm glad that I could help," he replies with a small nod. "If you need any other assistance, do please let me know. I know I can sometimes give a lot more information than is immediately necessary, but rest assured I would be happy to repeat anything that you need. Would you like to have a seat?" He gestures toward the simple chairs back against the wall that served as a waiting area.

[xiaoxiuya]

"I've always thought that too much information is better than too little, when it comes to medical issues at least," Shen Qingqiu says lightly, as he takes one of the indicated seats. "Ah, did I remember to tell you how these headaches started? What I did to myself?" It's still embarrassing, but he's not about to lie to his doctor. Mu Qingfang would spontaneously manifest in this universe solely for the purpose of kicking his ass.

Birthday at the Clinic

[iamthepyre]

When Touya walks to the clinic he has no idea that it's Bart's birthday, all he knows is that he wanted to thank the guy for being....him? Having that time on the beach to talk to Bart was good for Touya and he couldn't express how thankful he was for him. So he decides to try, picking up a small lunch and something to drink on his way he saunters into the clinic like any other day and grins when he sees his friend.

"Hey you, hope you aren't too busy to grab a bite?" He holds up the bag and drinks as he makes his way to the counter, setting them down.

[theresalwaystheview]

Bart had been pleased just to be there and spend his time with Touya when they'd talked that morning, been happy to talk with him both about the serious parts of life and to distract from the worse things by occasionally crouching at the water's edge and prodding the sand immediately around one or two spots to dislodge a crab or a mussel to show it to his friend. He thought about it fondly even as he gave Touya some space to process it all after their chat.

He doesn't expect to see Touya coming into the clinic just yet that week between their preventative care appointments, so when he looks up from the book he's been reading he blinks, then smiles in his surprise at the sudden presentation of lunch. His stomach gives a quiet growl that's nearly inaudible. "Oh, what time is it- I lost track of lunch time," he admits with a soft chuckle. "Thank you. Touya. How has your day been so far?"

[iamthepyre]

"Not surprised, the Boss used to get too into his games to eat sometimes." Not that Dabi had had to worry about that. Fuck no. Tomura would have dusted him if he thought the pyro was suggesting he was any kind of weak. No Touya left that up to two people, Kurogiri and Compress.

"Here," He dug out a couple sandwiches wrapped in waxed cloth before also placing a sealed mug of tea. "It's not a lot but I figured you could use it. Besides, I wanted to thank you."

[theresalwaystheview]

"How kind of you!" Bart takes one of the offered sandwiches and surreptitiously checks the ingredients to make sure he wouldn't be put out of commission by a nice gesture. "I appreciate the thought, thank you," he replies as he takes the tea and uncovers it to place to one side on his desk.

He might have asked some about who Touya called 'Boss', but his comment about wanting to thank Bart gives him pause. "Thank me? If it's about the treatments, you know that it's as much something that I want to do as something for your benefit."

[iamthepyre]

"Nah, not the treatments." Touya shook his head. "Wanted to thank you for talking with me the other night."

He sort of shifted, moving to sit against the desk and unwrap his own sandwich to eat. "I mean...you didn't have to."