lifeaftr | Have done with sorrow; I’ll bring you plums to-morrow

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Have done with sorrow; I’ll bring you plums to-morrow

Who: inhabitants of camp BASE
What: A catchall for all our goblin farm needs. We'll just be compiling our camp-internal threads in here so we don't clog up any comms or inboxes.
When: starting in April
Where: in and around the camp
Warnings: Kids being cute. Gays being dramatic. 4+ people representing like 85% of a functioning adult.

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Oh hell no, she's not letting Taako have a go at the amazing whack stick, dream on buddy. She clutches it to her chest possessively even as she's grinning with delight at his outrage. This is already a stellar birthday and it's only just begun.

Luckily Ren is here to nip any twinfighting in the bud. Or rather, not here? Kinda, creeping around with an adorable air of mystery and Lup stares, completely entranced, before throwing Taako a look and mouthing a thrilled what the fuck? What else does she have up her goblin sleeves? There's just no telling. This is gonna be buckwild.

And you better believe she's peeking, who do you think she is. She's leaning out of the tent opening, neck as long as her ears and drops back with a startled giggle just in time not to be caught. "We sure got older just now, didn't we Taako?" she announces loud and clear and elbows him for emphasis. "Did a like, a bang-up job! Kind of a close call there for a minute but we definitely made Ren proud!"

The digging really sells him on this being something truly special, and he cannot begin to imagine what wonders? horrors?? await, hearing dirt patter ominously against the side of the tent. What is happening. But Taako is surprisingly patient, unlike some people; he's not going to peek and spoil this magic. Orrrr maybe he's just too lazy. He returns Lup's look with an elaborate, mystified shrug.

He returns the elbowing too, with a quick but harmless swat, ears back. Something about having their birthday sprung on them, far from making them get older, is making them act like the horrible elf children of like two hundred goddamn years ago. Or maybe just like, you're average assholish cats.

"Uh yeah, sure did! What did she dig up, when'd Ren get so sneaky?? Maybe almost too old!" He plays along, interspersing the drama with whispering and hushed laughter. This is such a good birthday surprise. He's still going to hit Lup with the stick though.

It's a good thing Lup ducked away before Ren had to shoo her off with the only tool in her arsenal-a handful of dirt, which she wasn't going to throw at her per say, but also? No peeking. That's the law, you chaotic elves. Their distracting voices occasionally pulls her away from her frantic digging session because they did make her proud. Pride is radiating throughout her whole body right now. They got older, on their own, with their own elven power. It's incredible.

Taako's final comment is what gets her to knock her hand against the side of the tent to get their attention. "You won't get too old. Even if you look like a grandpa, I'll say 'I'm proud of you. Good job, Uncle Taako'-that's what I'll do."

How do elves age even? Will he look like an old man next year? Will it take months? 2000 months? Will they all wake up one day to a saggy eyed wizard? Elves are a mystery, but her pride at their growth is eternal and unyielding. And wouldn't you know it-the terrible things in question are dug up and she hurries back to the tent inhabitants. Are you ready? For this?

It's horrible.

Which is to say, she finally hands over Taako's birthday stick, covered with pretty seashells and a single silver bullet. Because she makes great trades and don't question where her shit comes from. It's pretty. Happy birthday. If there's ever a question about who took the glue, the answer is probably pretty evident by now. Hide the jar or levitate it out of her reach.

As for what she dug up, surprise, it's garbage. One day she'll learn to appreciate these nice elves with actual items that aren't cat paw gloves. One day, not today. The point is she did her best and both giggly heathens are handed, what looks like, a paper wrapped ball of something.

If Taako unwraps his horrible gift, he's going to find a mixture of white and indigo-ish petals, bits of seaglass, a bunch of smooth stones that caught her eye and something that looks suspiciously like cumin. The paper around this garbage potpourri has a horrible drawing of Taako, surrounded by stars, multiple pointy hats and a full moon.

That something for Lup is an assorted variety of red colored items-dried red flower petals, red tinted rocks, specks of cayenne and the paper it's wrapped in has a terrible doodle of her aunt under a shining sun with fire everywhere.

Anyway, it's bad. Take her treasures and look at her face? She's so proud of them? And so happy?

"Sneaky? That's all on you!!" she whisper-accuses Taako of his terrible influence on this innocent child in between breathless laughter. Which is quelled in stunned silence at Ren's insistent reassurance through the tent wall. She stares at Taako with big eyes for a wordless moment, before mouthing Grandpa at him in awe and bursting into laughter again. The mental image of a wizened old Taako still receiving heaps of birthday praise by this girl is, it's too amazing, how is she meant to cope? Ren, of course, doesn't look a day older in this vision.

Anyway Taako's birthday stick can definitely hold up to her own in terms of both glamor and whacking might and Lup gets ready to be assaulted with either, leaning away from him with defensive ears. Luckily both these shitty elves are instantly distracted by more presents! dropped into their laps! Hell yeah!

Lup unwraps hers delicately, pouring the various bits of treasure into her hand to look at them. Oh these are all going on the fridge and/or her hair for sure. But the real kicker is the drawing. A doodle of herself surrounded by the sun and fire like that's-- that's how she sees Lup? Why is that-- why does that make her heart swell, so much? And it hits her that Ren, she-- she really knows her. Knows both of them, knows what they love and did her goblin best to put some of those, those feelings into cute little items and remembered their birthday, their first birthday in so, so many years, and it's--

"This is-- the best birthday present... I've ever gotten," she finally manages, sounding kind of genuinely choked up about it as she smiles at Ren's beaming face. She's just gonna need a minute not to cry here, it's fine.

Well she doesn't have a minute. She has maybe thirty seconds, most of which Taako spends marveling at his own gifts. Is that a silver bullet?? Smells like it. He's not even gonna complain about this unsanctioned usage of his personal spice collection. His familiarity with garbage gifts may be well over a hundred years in the past, but it's still too recent not to feel a stinging kinship, at this harrowingly thoughtful array of garbage. The look he turns on Ren suggests she's the real mysterious magic user in this camp. Some kind of, dank thoughtfulness wizard, probably. Who knows the real extent of Ren's powers??

"Yeah, this is..." he struggles under the weight of this unlooked-for wonder, before alighting on something he knows will hit with at least close to the same accuracy if he's very lucky. "So dope. You. are. crushing it," he beams back, with every ounce of sincerity he can sacrifice. No less delicately than Lup he re-wraps his trash-cache, but he keeps it close and in hand, like he's seconds away from re-burying it for safekeeping, if they'd only turn their backs a second. "Nuked this birthday from orbit, is what you did. We're proud of you." Take that, thoughtfulness wizard.

Lup though, is a messy disaster ruining both of their images, and her thirty seconds are up anyway; he thwaps her helpfully with the birthday sceptre. Get it together, there's no bags for these feelings, only whaps. "Aren't we, Lup?"

To a child that's had few successes in her life, hearing the happy falter in Lup's voice and Taako's praise is enough to make her feel like all that lowkey sneaking around had been worth it. The days she claimed to have found no treasures so she could sneak them into holes while everyone was sleeping, the afternoons spent doodling in the woods and looting whatever glue and spices were in her immediate line of sight-she hoped it would make them smile.

That's all she wants to see is their happy beaming faces and we're proud of you feels crushing in its own way. People don't say that to her and the only response she can muster up is a happy little bounce on the balls of her feet as she waits to see if Lup is proud too. If maybe, for once, they can feel her heart in these gifts, in the same way she feels their kindness with every little trinket, meal, and hug they give to her. But in the meantime, she happily adds-

"I'm very proud of you both of you. You always 'crush' it."

Thank god for Taako and his unfailing ability to completely derail any heartfelt moment with some dumb words or like, unnecessary violence. What a champ, so dependable. Except-- that's not what he's doing at all when he opens his mouth this time? The stuff he's saying is, it's actually really sweet? It's straight up another fucking birthday miracle, is what it is, and all she's got to add is a slightly teary-eyed grin at them both as he puts into words everything that's in her heart, too. Ren's really out here getting Taako to just say some genuine as fuck shit, she's absolutely an uncanny emotions wizard and this is the best birthday ever, did she mention?

Before Lup can get any more lovingly wrecked though, there's that unnecessary violence at last. The natural order has been restored and her brain whap-started.

"Yeah-- Yeah! Hella proud!" she laughs, full of warmth. "And you know what's the best treasure here?" Pause for dramatic effect, and-- "It's you! You're our treasure, Ren. Isn't she, Taako?"

Like she's gonna be the only one thrown under the emotional bus. It's an all out sincerity war now, how 'bout that.

Sincerity war can't be a thing, nope, nah, because that's a war he's going to lose 99.9% of the time, birthday miracles aside. Can't he at least get some kind of consolation points for the thwap? That was on brand, at least. C'mon.

Anyway, miracle's over. He snubs Lup's attempt to drag him under the emotions bus, nose in the air and one pontificating finger raised.

"Definitely the best, and technically, I found her first, so I deserve all the credit for anything she does until she graduates." He relents, and it's a struggle to keep his haughty look from sliding into something less theatrical. "But I guess she can be your treasure too. Since it's your birthday and all."

Gracious apprentice delegating aside, Taako is morbidly curious what else this day has in store. Could be anything, that's the wonder of goblins. "Now, did our treasure make us any kind of breakfast, or do I gotta invent pancakes?"

They've called her a treasure before, but it sends a little happy jolt through her heart like she's hearing it for the first time. Out of all these incredible items she scavenged and put together, they see her as the best? It's mind boggling and there's a denial brewing that she has to push back down, which is easy to do when she considers that Taako would lose out on some credit? Somehow? What does it mean to graduate? Whatever. It doesn't matter. The point is, she accepts these kind words with a beaming smile.

They always make her feel special, even on days meant for them.

"I won't graduate for a long time, so I'll do lots of things. That way you'll get more credit." And isn't that just the greatest gift of all?? Honestly?? Actually, the best gift is probably hidden in whatever Chara had set out for them-another surprise beyond these tent walls. Pancakes would've been good too, probably. She doesn't have that prepared or have any idea what that means. It's probably like eggs or oatmeal.

"You have to invent hella pancakes, but I'll start the fire." Which is like, probably something she can do? And she glances around her to see if there's Fire Starting Stuff. Which, hm. Well, there's one fire starter here. It's the best flint around. Her eyes immediately swoop to Lup and she hurries to her side, kneeling down next to her and gently raises her arm up. It's not work for her if Ren assists right?? It's fine. If Lup doesn't jerk away, she's going to aim her hand, like she's a professional sniper, right towards the usual campfire area-

And then repeatedly tap the top of her arm. Boom. Make Birthday Fire. It's breakfast time!!!

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Have done with sorrow; I’ll bring you plums to-morrow

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