ph_logs | Valdis Birthday "Surprise" Party

Valdis Birthday "Surprise" Party - FOR VALDIS CR!

Who: Valdis, Max, Fever, Miles + any other friends and family of Valdis (assume they got an invite)
What: Valdis is celebrating her birthday for the first time and her friends want to make her feel special by throwing her a very not surprising surprise party.
When: January 23rd, early evening
Where: Around town first (with fever) and then Max and Valdis's home for dinner.
Warnings: None yet. Will update as needed.

Max wakes up at his usual time that morning out of habit, but he doesn't make any moves to leave for work. He's taken off because it's the day Fever picked to celebrate Valdis's birthday and he is determined to make it special for his love in every way he can. It's already obvious the surprise part of the surprise party he's organized will never keep because he can't stop smiling and he knows Valdis can feel the excitement bursting in his chest. But that's okay, she still doesn't know what the decorations look like. Or the cake.

He's not doing it alone, of course. Fever arrives to take Valdis on a date to keep her occupied out of the house so the rest of them have time to work. As soon as he can, he runs to the bakery to retrieve the extraordinary three-layered angel food cake he'd already made days in advance. It took careful planning and shrewd trading to secure enough berries to fill it in the middle of winter but, for Valdis, he would move Heaven and Earth.

He grabs the decorations he's been hiding in the bakery closet there, too, and hoofs it back. When he gets home, he'll task Miles with hanging them while he gets to work prepping the food. It's going to be the charcuterie board to end all charcuterie boards. Thinly sliced meats, cheeses, more fruits, nuts, even some olives, and, of course, lots and lots of fresh bread and butter. It takes over almost the whole kitchen table. So much so that Max has to move the cake to a side table. It's guaranteed no one here is going to go hungry or thirsty. There's plenty of wine, lemonade, coffee, tea, and a few good bottles of spirits. Enough to keep them toasty and toasted for the evening.

He's been looking forward to this for so long. Now, he steps back to inspect the work one last time as it gets closer to when guests should be arriving, and he smiles. It's simple, elegant, and intimate--just what he wants for Valdis. He's looking forward to an evening with Valdis surrounded by the people who love her most, soaking in all the good feelings from them as they revel in their friendships.

All that's left to do, now, is wait for the woman of the hour to arrive.

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Good. She's already getting into the spirit.

Fever nods and follows with her, unwilling to get separated this early, and wondering what caught her eye about this place. Some of these definitely took some skill to create, and she gazes around, taking it all in. There's a small carving of a wolf in the mix, and Fever picks it up, holding it out to Valdis.

"I didn't know you were in the habit of being an artist's model."

Her ability to not laugh at her own joke will only last as long as Valdis doesn't make eye contact.

Valdis is looking at the beautifully carved boxes but glances at the wolf and blushes when Fever makes her joke, though perhaps not for the reason Fever may expect.

"Actually, I used to do it a lot, but...not for wood carvings."

She pushes a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she looks at the other figurines.

"It's fun, isn't it? Pyotr's drawn me a few times, but I do have to remember not to talk too much, or I'll move on reflex."

She doesn't see any reason to blush about it, but it's cute when Valdis does, she's discovering. Her eyes linger, taking in the rare sight, before looking away and allowing her a reprieve.

"It is, yes."

Her blush has nothing to do with her past hobbies and more with the fact that Fever didn't know of it. Max and Miles don't know either. How many of these small things she's taken for granted matter to them as much as the big things? Probably a lot of it.

"Artists tend to appreciate you in a different way than others."

"What was it like, when you did it? Who was it? A painter, a sculptor...?"

They matter, the small fragments of her past. They're experiences she carried with her, still her memories to share, glimpses into her life. So Fever will ask, because she knows she's welcome to, because she wants to know for the sake of knowing.

"It was...nice. Mostly painters, I didn't have the patience to sit for a sculptor, though I wouldn't be surprised if there were some out there modeled on me."

It's not overly prideful to say such things, is it? She's tempted men her whole life, beauty and such was always an effective weapon and a means to manipulate. But...it's not all bad, she got to inspire talented, good people sometimes.

"I don't think you would recognize any of the names, but I knew many famous painters from my world personally."

It being prideful is the last thing on Fever's mind, instead her thoughts filled with curiosity of how these artists might have chosen to represent Valdis, what she moved them to create. Perhaps able to look at a painting years later and know, that's me.

"I probably wouldn't, but I'll take your word for their fame. Who was your particular favorite? Or one of your favorites, in case it's too hard to pick."

"I really liked Da Vinci, he was...brilliant in many ways. His mind was spectacular and his art was based so much on science as well as form."

There were others, but Da Vinci was one of her favorites.

"I feel like I've seen the name once or twice. In those novels I would read to pass the time on the Eterna, there were always so many names I didn't know."

Great figures of legend or myth or a history that so many books seemed to share.

"Probably one of the most incredible humans I've ever met."

Valdis' gaze lingers on the wooden figurines for a few more minutes, then she takes a sip of the cider and turns her eyes on another cart, this one filled with scarves and hats, including what looks like tiny ones for cats.

"Let's go over there."

"Oh, yes! These are the people who made my hat!"

The very same that's keeping the cold off her ears, a silver and blue one that had been a Givingstide present as well as a very small counterpart.

"It's quite warm, and Chills actually has one to match, though he doesn't quite get it when I've put it on him..."

Valdis smiles at Fever and her hat, crossing to the other cart to look through the tiny hats.

"I think Anani needs one."

Not because it would do anything, but because it would be cute for him to wear one. She glances up at the one Fever is wearing then back to the hats in the baskets. There are many colors, but despite being very fashionable, it's hard to match something to a pure white cat.

"What about one to match his eyes?"

Because he definitely needs one, and even if he despises it, the visual alone will be enough reason to see it done. She's going to help sort through the baskets, looking for something close enough to the shade of the cat's eyes.

Valdis smiles. Yes. The cat has green eyes that match hers, and he would look so handsome in green. She starts on another basket, looking for something that will complement his coloring.

There are several shades of green, but two seem to be the closest. One has a small pom pom on top and the other has what looks like dragon horns and spines.

"Find anything?"

"Maybe, but-"

Looking up, her eyes widen in delight.

"We could put him in a dragon hat?"

Valdis smiles and holds it up.

"We could, if we wanted to."

She's not sure how much Anani would like it, but it might be worth it just to see how cute he looks.

"We have to. This is an imperative. Think about how cute he'll look. Think about how Max will react to see him in it. Please."

If nothing else, he might tolerate it to make Valdis happy.

Valdis laughs and pulls out her purse to take out a few brass in order to pay for the green dragon hat. Fever is right that Max will love it, and Anani will look adorable in it too.

Once the exchange is made she puts the small hat in her bag with her purse.

"There, now Anani can be a dragon like Chills."

"He's going to look absolutely perfect. Oh, it's a shame we won't be able to save the image to witness whenever we please, but if he tolerates it enough, that will suffice."

"He will tolerate it for you."

For some reason her cat really likes Fever, always choosing her partner's lap over hers. Maybe he senses that Fever needs him more and he is happy to oblige.

"Is there anything else you would like to see?"

It is a mysterious but grand joy to be so favored by a cat. The reason is unknowable to her, but she accepts the outcome without questioning it.

"Not here, but I remember seeing a stall down the way the last time I came here. Help me look for it? I remember the cloth on the table was a strange shade of blue...you'd know it if you saw it."

That, and some of the trinkets glittered - accessories, all.

Valdis takes another sip of her cider.

"An unusual shade of blue?"

There had been a few booths with blue cloths, but none of them stood out to her in a way that would make any of them the one Fever is looking for. She glances around, sure that nothing they had passed yet suited the description.

"Anything else stand out about the booth?"

"It seemed to glitter. I'll know it precisely when I see it. But if your eyes catch it first, let me know."

Glittering from glass, mostly, but that's what's stuck with her.

"Glitter?"

That should be easy enough to spot, though she's not sure why something sparkly would catch Fever's attention after the fact.

"Well, let's continue our walk and see if we can find it."

She likes pretty things, Valdis. That is enough to draw her in. But nodding in affirmation, she's happy enough to walk on at Valdis's side.

Until she looks the right direction, and sees a booth with a cloth of aqua blue, glass twinkling in the light.

"That's it!"

Without further ado, she's bounding over, fully drawn in. The little figures that line the cloth are simple, but made with a professional's hand, and they reflect light in interesting ways.

"Look, Valdis - it's beautiful."

What she holds up looks like a deceptively basic object, until she turns it, and the prism shows itself for what it is, the light turned to rainbows in its wake.

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