deercountry | Birthday Party

Birthday Party

Who: Paul Atreides and all his CR
What: Throwing everyone’s favorite Duke a surprise birthday party
When: Forwarded dated to April 1st
Where: Bone House in Gaze

Content Warnings: Drinking, underage drinking, drugs (both fictional and not), drawings of space worms, skeletons, will add further warnings if necessary

When you arrive at the house in Gaze, (affectionately known as Bone House), a skeleton will open the door and offer to take your coat if you have one. No need to take your shoes off or anything!

The large house has been decorated with black streamers and confetti. In the entryway and hung on the railing to the second floor that overlooks the entrance to the great room are large banners that say “HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAUL” (though one looks like it used to say “Jaune” but was just painted over? Whatever).

In the Living Room, there is a large board and various colored markers for people to write messages to the birthday boy. There is also a table full of bottled water and various couches, chairs, and beanbags to collapse into if the party gets to be too much and one needs a quiet place to rest or a place to chill if you’ve imbibed too much… well, whatever you had.

It is also where all the food and drinks are.

There’s an extremely large charcuterie board with the usual meats, cheeses, and olives as well as an extremely eccentric collection of snacks ranging from individual sized Cheez-it bags, to humungous bags of Doritos and salty chips, as well as nearly every kind of Oreo one can imagine.

There are also various cakes, all angel food. Some are misshapen, some have an attempt at being frosted with whipped cream and fruit, one even says “Happy Birthday Ka-” before that was hastily covered with a bunch of strawberries jammed really close together.

At the island, a skeleton is playing bartender. Surprisingly, it can seem to take and understand individual orders, but there’s always a constant flow of tequila shots being made and sent out to the great hall to be served by another skeleton.

And, no, of course it’s not going to check your age to see if you’re legal. It’s a skeleton. Why would it care?

The Great Hall is the center of activity and where everyone is encouraged to mingle and have fun. There is a skeleton on the grand piano in the corner gleefully playing piano covers of the hits from the Shrek Soundtrack with the occasional cover of “DaRude’s Sandstorm” when it has another one to help out.

In another corner, on huge piece of paper that spans nearly 6ft wide and 8ft tall is drawing of an Arrakis sandworm and it’s giant maw. The game is Pin the Tooth on the Sandworm and it’s… very easy… because the worm maw is most of the board. Even if the skeleton spins you as you’re blindfolded, it’s pretty hard to lose. If you manage to do it, which is likely, the skeleton running the game will award you a tequila shot! If you lose, the skeletons will award you a tequila shot (but it’s rail).

(It’s a drinking game, isn’t the point to drink?)

There’s also a table that has many candelabras on it, numbering up to seventeen. They’re still lit and burning even though there is a sign that says “make a wish!” even though it almost looks like a shrine for the dead.

…It’s maybe clear that the concept of “birthday candles” was greatly misunderstood.

There is also a skeleton dealing out small doses of “Spice”, a psychoactive drug straight outta the Duneverse. However, you must check in with this Skeleton to get a dose. There will be no “permanently melting your brain with ancestral memories” at this party!

Teacher’s/God’s/Jod’s/The Emperor Undying’s study, adjacent to the main hall, is closed and locked. Though, the lock is fairly easy to break if someone really wanted to get in. There’s not even skeletons guarding.

That said, many things are warded with eerie runes of blood and bone.

So, fuck around and find out.

The upstairs is generally off limits. Party goers can climb up the stairs, and it’s encouraged if they want to look over the Great Room from above, but all of the bedrooms are carefully guarded by more skeletons who will SCREAM VERY LOUDLY if you try to enter and will become hostile if done by force.

Of course, this won’t happen if you are with someone who lives in the house.

Enjoy the party! Mingle away!

((ooc: if you have any questions or anything, please hit me up at

worldtype)) or via PM.))

Birthday Board | At the Party | The Morning After | IC Party Games | Spice Dealer

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This is not how Tokoyami felt that time they all had hotpot in the dorm, because Tokoyami wasn't currently plotting Midoriya's murder by chopstick. He is held, arrested by her show of dominance and willingness to mercilessly cleave that mushroom in two with her teeth. It'd be different if she just hadn't listened to him; he might put a little more effort into defending himself, but... Yeah, he fucked up.

"Sorry I wasn't... more clear..."

On the bright side, Midoriya 1) gingerly passes the ponzu, and 2) is currently being a distraction for poor Uraraka. He'll take one for the team.

It's not murder. It's just what what most people do with a deku - they NAIL THEM TO A TREE. In this case, it's just with chopsticks!! Technically not murder! Ochako grumbles something under her breath, sighing as she's finally passed the ponzu sauce, and takes a calming breath. It's not his fault...it's not. They've all been afflicted with that godawful blood-plague...sickness...curse...thing and going through a lot mentally and emotionally over the past few weeks. It's fine, she can get through an evening if she just avoids the skeletons like she avoids confronting her feelings.

Dipping some of the thinly sliced meat into the broth to cook it, Ochako sags her shoulders and just groans.

"It's...okay." Not fine. Just 'okay'. "I don't know what I expected when you said there'd be a skeleton army, so it's kind of my fault, too... And s'not like you knew how scared I'd be." But she does reach out and kind of punch Deku's shoulder gently a bit. "Just please don't make me do anything like this again, Deku."

Otherwise she will feed you to Bakugou. Or something. The actual murderplots are still in the works. "I...don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight..."

He had really hoped that, for the friendly and bubbly Uraraka, a party was exactly what she needed to lift her spirits. She'd agreed to come, in her usual sweet way. Instead, he's watching his friend take one of her calming breaths as she tries to ignore a phobia. He'll take the punch. Then he'll start dumping more of her favorite things into the broth.

"I doubt I'd have the opportunity." Famous last words in horrorville. "It's not exactly something we're used to, skeleton armies... But--look--I was kind of freaked out at seeing one up close too, at first, even though I'd seen them before on the same ship in February." February, during the Leviathan battle, which he won't directly bring up over dinner.

"Sometimes I find it helpful to think about... how we all have skeletons inside us anyway?" The rise in his voice at the end is rather pathetic. He's trying.

It definitely did help a lot!! Getting out and meeting new people is always something Ochako enjoys - she has a lot of energy (for the most part), and is extremely friendly and welcoming to other people. Plus, she just likes to have fun (and eat free food, let's be completely real here). It's just that the skele-men put her into a wild panic when she sees them, so her anxiety has been a godawful rollercoaster ride, with highs and lows and sharp jerks and curves at every angle. Deku had good intentions, which is why she can't be too mad at him...he didn't know how bad her phobia was.

As she picks out more things to add to her bowl, Ochako nibbles on some tofu, slurping a bit of the broth, and grunts. Right, right...this place is going to be a true test of her mettle, it seems. With all types of things bound to scare the heebie-jeebies out of her. "Aah, I know that, Deku-kun, but usually skeletons stay inside us. S'why I don't like 'em. They're not meant to be, uh...like that." Catering a party. Though she does recall on nice skeleton she met in Nippon, one time. She was utterly terrified of him at first, but thinking of it like a quirk, it wasn't...so bad.

"Maybe If I get so scared, it'll shock me enough so I'm not scared anymore..." she slurps her broth again. "Or I'll just have a heart attack and die."

He definitely took the free food into account when he asked her here. It's not manipulation; he just knows his friends well. Anything to make his friends happy.

It wasn't like they had ample opportunities to see her phobia in action against actual skeletons walking around, guarding the house, even serving drinks. A few are wearing someone's beginner attempts at knitting, which is either endearing or, in contrast to their creepiness, off-putting. He watches Uraraka steel herself like she's about to tackle a difficult essay.

"Not sure that's how being scared works," he says dubiously. "Anyway, these ones are... kind of meant to be that way? Some of them belong to someone who comes from a culture where people donate their bodies when they die. But instead of science, they're used to help the living."

God bless you Izuku, you know ya girl's second favorite thing in the world - food. Free food specifically. In all honesty, it was partially the reason she came even after hearing about the skeletons. With the previous month's blood sickness and all, Ochako was barely able to hold down a lot of food, consisting of mostly fluids and super light foods when her tummy wasn't as angry with her. After March ended, she was on a manhunt for tasty food to make up for the bit of weight she lost with, uh...all that. What a way to start her time in Trench, yeehaw.

Though for the most part, the ones in poorly made clothes definitely have her less scared than the others. There's something just so hysterical about a skeleton just hobbling around in a clumsily made sweater, beanie, or scarf that just makes her snort and laugh into her hands, so...it helps. If she can find them funny, like cartoon skeletons, then it's...not so bad.

Sticking her tongue out at Deku's commentary, Ochako nibbles more of her food, this time taking more meat and some cabbage, piling the former into the latter before stuffing both into her mouth. No--...oh. Oh that was a very unfortunate moment to take a bite of food. "...I never want to go to that person's world."

There's something down to earth about someone being food motivated. It's linked to survival, after all. It also gives Midoriya an excuse to surprise his friends. When he arrived in Trench last year, he remembered and took a page out of Aoyama's book: He's been known to turn up at a friend's place with pastries he bought or a portion of something hearty he's cooked.

"Shh, that's rude..." comes a wincing, strangled whisper around his chopsticks and some noodles. "I mean, it's their culture okay, what if someone judged us for what we do with our dead? Anyway, let's not... Let's talk about something else while we're eating."

Slurp. The noodles sit uneasily in his stomach. "How are you settling in? Need any help at your place?"

Food will never not be a good thing to give someone, let's be honest. Who doesn't love getting free food?? It's part of why Ochako likes to cook, and even if she's not as good as Bakugou is, she enjoys it thoroughly. She sort of...grew up when a large meal wasn't exactly common - and there's been times where she wouldn't eat at all - so now that she's a little more stable...she cooks more, and can share more. Good food is meant to be had with others, that's what her family always taught her.

But ahh...yeah, she did sort of say a rude thing, huh? E-Even if it's what she thinks... Ochako makes a little noise in the back of her throat and pouts. She's always been blunt to the point of shoving her entire foot down her throat, and now is no different. Right, right...moving on with the subject change. Good idea.

"It's not bad, but me and Bakugou-kun are definitely still adjusting to the, uh...no money thing, I think? It's really hard to trade for the essentials when you don't really have much to begin with, y'know?" Ochako tips the bowl back and finishes off her share of broth, but might...grab a few bits of cooked meat to put over some rice in a sec. "And I don't think he'd be happy if he found out I gave away a pint of blood or whatever to get some clothes or household things..."

"Yeah no that's really bad!!" he exclaims. "I mean blood drives are one thing, but someone could do some weird magic stuff against you with that! And all because you two refuse to accept stuff from me!"

It's because they're close friends that he can descend into scolding. On Midoriya it just looks like augmented worry with no bite. His hand is unconsciously moving the meat closer to her. This is one loophole he's been able to exploit, hiding behind the pretense of giving them food at a party where they must eat, or coming over with "just" some leftovers because he "made too much." It's rude for them to refuse, even if it begs the question why someone living alone would make an entire stockpot of stew. Todoroki, who eats out a lot because he can't cook, can't escape either.

It says something about Midoriya that's he's more disturbed by his friend trading her blood than skeletons. But, well, those bones are... dead! No more harm can come to them. Uraraka is a different story. Midoriya puts his bowl down, all thoughts of food scattered from his mind. He pulls out his Omni and begins rapidly typing a text to her on it.

"I might know some people who need odd jobs done. Texting you a list now."

Oh jeez, wrong thing to say to the wrong person... And here Ochako thought the one to worry about was Bakugou (he still is), but she holds up a hand to stop her friend before he spirals. Because she knows he will - Izuku is neurotic like that, and he always worries more about others. It's...sweet? It's very sweet, but also kind of annoying sometimes, too. Is this the other side of "helping when it's not asked for"? Because oof, it's certainly a double-edged sword for sure.

"Deku, I didn't actually give a pint of my blood away!" ...Yet, anyway. "I was just giving an example. You should know better than anyone here that I'm really good at bargaining and thrift shopping!! I know what it's like to live like this, I've done it my whole life, and if I need help, I'll ask for it. I actually have the forethought to know my limits and not go past them if I don't have to. Unlike someone I know..."

There's a hint of a bite to her tone, but it's just tiny. They're just two friends worrying about the other, really, and having a go at each other for it. It's part of who they are as people and as Heroes - grin and bear it, endure quietly, don't burden anyone else. It's how their culture is, and yet Ochako knows it's not right all the time. Intervention is necessary, asking for and accepting help is, too. So she sighs and shakes her head.

"...Doing jobs would be great, thank you. I'll forward the list to Bakugou-kun, too. But please, Deku, you need to trust that we can handle ourselves sometimes. You're like an overprotective parent, you know!" Ochako pokes his nose with one finger, making it scrunch up. "It's cute, but kind of annoying."

cw: vague child abuse mention, blood harvesting mention
He forgets that Uraraka is still fresh to this world. A lot of things have become part of normal Trench conversation. The inhabitants regularly trade bloodstones too. Midoriya has always been hesitant to contribute to blood pollution systematically. When he first learned about the trade, though it's not quite the same, it reminded him of how Eri was used. Then he ran afoul of a place where Sleepers were used in a similar way, but on a grander scale.

He jolts out of his headlong distraction like someone coming up out of the water for air. When she pokes his nose, he winces comically, as the joke calls for, but his hands clutch his Omni a little too tight.

"Stuff keeps happening to my friends..." he means to say in an offhand way and doesn't quite manage to hide the note of concern in his voice. And isn't that just how his mom felt every time he got hurt? And didn't he, thoughtlessly, ignore that until she threatened to pull him out of UA? And now this world keeps deepening the roots of that fear he now fully understands. He's seen several people at this party get hurt.

He presses his lips together and rubs the itch from his nose.

In all honesty, just the concept of giving her blood away gives Ochako the worst, kneejerk reaction and correlation to Toga, so her aversion to share even a drop of it is extremely high. She knows well the consequence of what even a little can do, and she's not exactly enthused about the fact that yes, people in this world can do things with it, far worse things than just take her shape and form. Sometimes it is necessary, but...she's also been trying to avoid it vehemently.

Seeing the reaction does make Ochako giggle a bit, but then her smile drops when Izuku seizes up. Now that she can, Ochako shifts closer to her friend and sets her utensils down completely to pull him into a very loose hug. She remembers that the reason why he ran away in the first place was because something happened - he lost a friend, blamed himself, and the corruption started and then escalated. Izuku has always been like that, but...it's not totally the right thing.

"Deku, I know it's hard. It's probably way harder here than back home, but you can't take on everything yourself. You don't have to. I know it's part of who we are as Heroes, but..." she takes a deep, steadying breath and gives his shoulders a little squeeze. "We're always going to be in danger, we're always going to be putting our lives on the line, always getting hurt - that can't be helped anymore, Deku. But we can help people together, all of us. You know that Bakugou, Todoroki, me, and everyone else is real strong, right? Trust us to get through whatever as a team, ne?"

She smiles gently at him, pulling back to pat his head. "It took all three of us students to get you back, remember?"

It is still frightening to think about how quickly the Corruption had set in. He'd started the battle with none at all and hadn't taken any huge risks--until that moment. (He knows Uraraka has also experienced that moment of moving without thinking.) Back home, losing control of his body's processes meant One For All was doing something funny--as Quirks in small children do. Corruption is... not that. It is outside his frame of reference, and the fear of the unknown (his Beast form) is a great one. It can't quite outmatch his fear of seeing others hurt, but it makes an augmented and convincing weave with it.

He sits still at first, just letting her arms circle him. Then he sets his Omni on the table and mirrors her, right down to her breath. There. In and out. Something shivering and unsure on the inside wants to copy the steadiness of drawing in good air and expelling whatever it is that snagged his voice and tensed his fingers.

"I'm not, I'm..." He's not sure what he's doing besides mumbling a half-finished protest just above her ear. When she starts to draw back, he forces himself to blink away the barren, haunted look her kindness had drawn out of him. He doesn't feel like showing that here.

"Yeah. I caused a lot of trouble for you." He gives her shoulder a tentative, apologetic squeeze in return. It matches his sheepish expression. "We've trained together for a long time. You're people I trust fighting alongside the most--though I do have a few more months on you and Kacchan." He twitches the corner of his mouth up. They better catch up, or he's leaving them in the dust. "We make a good team."

Ochako won't lie, seeing Izuku like he was after literal months of not seeing him, and a deep-seated fear of never seeing him or her other friends and family again, becoming something monstrous - truly monstrous - was scary...but in the end, she was still happy to see him. But, there is now a concern that this sort of thing could happen again, at any moment, to anyone. Ochako's still too new to this world, so she doesn't understand the how and why, but it's still a terrifying thought - that she or her friends could become something they're not at any moment, that they could be fighting one another at any time...

But it also means she has to keep them close, watch over them, and check in from time to time as well - which isn't difficult for someone like her to do at all. Like now, while she's holding onto her friend and feeling his breath even out with her own, it's grounding...and she really does hope Izuku knows that they've got him. That they will support him, no matter what. He is their dear friend, he doesn't have to worry about them, and whatever perils they have to face...it'll be together. They are a team, a family...friends.

"Dekuuuu...stop that," she chides gently, pinching one of his freckly cheeks. "Stop blaming yourself for what happened, it couldn't be helped. You're here now, and everyone is happy you are, so just...just be happy too, okay? Ah--" Ochako blinks, looking falsely affronted. "Ne, you think me, or Bakugou especially, haven't been training hard?! You may have a few months on us...but we'll catch up before you know it."

She beams, that usual, sunny smile of hers. "Mm, we really do. Let's go do something fun after we eat!! I wanna dance! And play games!!"

He makes a strangled sort of noise as she rearranges the structural integrity of his cheek. He bats at her hand in a lazy fashion that does nothing, actually. This, right here, is friendship.

He can't be happy just because someone tells him to. He's reminded of little Eri, who found it hard to smile. But he can be happy because a friend is, and Uraraka always had that quality of reassuring others. When she's around, he feels like everything will be okay. He's safe with her. He trusts her. He doesn't exactly beam, but his smile hints at an imminent possibility of that.

"We should show them our dance moves, the ones Ashido-san taught us." He's not one for being the center of attention, but he doesn't mind if people stare at him doing something cool, especially with a cool friend.

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Birthday Party

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wheezes and /endtags