wylan's birthday!!! :: 10/10 baby

@cloudpools sent: “Zachary!” Full name. Oof. He was in trouble! The tears bubble in her eyes as she clenches her fists, trying to hold them back. “Why?” Nara sniffles hard. Right now, she doesn’t care if it’s unbecoming of a Branth. Even the voice of her father can’t penetrate the betrayal she feels in this moment. The guilt… “Why wouldn’t you tell me it was your birthday? I would have made you a cake! Bought you a gift! But now-“ It was a day too late. Flopping down on the makeshift milk crate and stolen cushions from her father’s estate couch in their fort, she hides her shame in her hands. “I- I’m a terrible friend…” Is that what she was worried about? Well. It made sense. Zachary had been her one and only friend, and in classic Nara fashion, she wanted to be the best one he’d ever had… But how could you be the best when you didn’t even know his birthday!!!! “I’m sorry…” ((Nylon Smols~

"Good grief, Nara." The flinch is understandable. Not even his gran called him Zachary. And the way this girl talks her voice could knock the tree down, let alone the fort. "I ... why? I dunno. There was no why. I didn't think it was a big enough thing to make a deal of." And yet, here she was going about a fuss anyway. Going so far as to soften to the point of shedding tears.

The sigh of exasperation that leaves him is corked with a palm to his face. Ugh. Hindsight 20/20 all that. You avoid one hassle just to create a different one. He didn't win anything in the end, did he? So how does he fix it?

"Here's a why- why are you the one apologizing? Far as I know it's not like birthdays are something you're supposed to be sleuthing out or anything like that. Ugh, I just don't care all that much about mine. Kat and Gran had a little cake for me anyway. I mean. Besides."

Zach shrugs, folding his arms a little tighter as he looks out the other direction, mumbling under his breath.

Gary 'Roach' Sanderson loves his career, he loves his team. He loves the adventures that came with being in Task Force 141, along with all the challenges it threw his way. He loved the action it provided, how it left him with a feeling of purpose - even when he was injured in action.

What he didn't like was the cold. He felt slow in anything above a foot of snow, and ice made him feel clumsy, even with all his training. He hated being cold too - the way the wind felt like it blew through even the most highest of rated gear. He just didn't fucking like it, any of it, and even the perks of being paired with one of the loves of his life didn't have him feeling any better.

Especially when it's, not even arguably, the more positive of his lovers.

Gritting his teeth, Roach sniffs lightly - as if dismissing the idea that he wasn't acting positively - and rubs his gloved hands together before responding. 'If I ever complain about being overheated again, remind me of this mission.'