afraid_of_marshmallows | The All-Purpose Room, Midnight Manor, Saturday Afternoon

As far as Cal was aware, Arden had set this whole thing up to celebrate his win in paintball. After remembering the All-Purpose room existed and getting permission from Steven to use it, Arden had programmed in a decent-sized mountain for them to climb. If her side had a lot more hand- and footholds than Cal Climbing-Would-Be-My-Middle-Name Kestis' had, well...sometimes mountains grew that way. Or whatever. Hush.

Of course, what Cal didn't know was that while Arden was keeping him busy with a climb, BD-1 (the true architect of this party) and Kamala were busy setting up everything for the party proper. The top of the mountain turned into a beautiful landscape dominated by verdant trees so big there were houses built into them, with mountains shrouded in mist far in the distance, dominated by a tree even larger still. Arden had been very glad that BD-1 was able to communicate with Midnight, too; he'd had a very specific idea of how Kashyyyk was supposed to look and there was no way that she could have translated binary well enough to have pulled it off. Of course, beautiful alien vista or not, this was an Earth birthday party and some things were absolutely required. So there were a bunch of ~~moddable~~ pizzas (including two vegan, and several with very spicy toppings), soda, bowls of chips and popcorn, a fruit and a veggie platter, and, the centerpiece of it all: a chocolate and pistachio ice cream cake from Chilly Boulder with HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY CAL! written on it.

And probably red Squishies, because Kamala had been deputized for setup.

Welcome to Keshyyyk, everybody. Hope you brought your party hats.

[Friends, neighbors, frenemies, and especially GFFA folks, please feel free to assume you've gotten an invitation emailed, texted, sent via droid and/or carrier pigeon...whatever! However it got to you, please show up and help Cal celebrate his twenty-first birthday in style!]

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"Thanks, bestie," Arden said, giving Kamala a hug. "Couldn't have done it without you."

“What are friends for?” Kamala said returning the hug, gleefully. “Besides I did not want to disappoint BD. Droid disappointment is the worst disappointment.”

Edited 2024-08-24 15:50 (UTC)

"It's the eyes," Arden muttered. "He knows how to use them too well."

"I know, right?" Kamala said quietly. "It's like he knows how to use them to take advantage of us. How does someone program that into a thing like that? AND make them adorable?"

Wild shrugging. "It's unfair," she said, shaking her head. "I have no defenses. I'm worried if he ever goes supervillain, because I will just voluntarily become a henchman, sorry, Kams."

And now there was a mock gasp of betrayal. "Arden!" Kamala cried out, trying not to laugh. "How could you-"

She stopped and looked at BD and then just shrugged.

"Yep. I'm probably going evil for him too."

"Right?" Arden laughed. "Well, at least we know where our lines are." She leaned on Kamala and sighed, flexing her hands a bit. "Next time I say, 'what if I climb a wholeass mountain before going to a party,' it's your job as my bestie to remind me I'm a dumbass. Okay?"

"Hmm. I don't think I'd call you a dumbass," Kamala said throwing her arm around her friend. "I'd call you a dedicated friend who always goes above and beyond. Or I'd just offer my elevator services."

"I think my arms would appreciate the elevator," Arden laughed, massaging them. "Amazed and appalled that I somehow found new muscles to hurt less than a day after Professor Amicitia's classes ended."

"Yeah, but look how happy we made stoic boy," Kamala said nodding at Cal. "I think your muscle aches are worth it. Plus do this a few more times and your arms will be like Cal's."

"Seriously what I'm going for," Arden said, giggling. "Arms like Cal's, abs like...okay who has the best abs of all your superhero friends?"

"Carol."

That was said extremely quickly. Yes. Kamala let out a small cough of embarrassment. "Some of the exercises she gave me are supposed to help with that.

This was Arden's vastly unsurprised face. In face, it might be her very smirky face.

"Is it planks?" she groaned, not commenting because she was a good bestie. "I hate planks."

“So. Many. Planks,” Kamala said with a long sigh. “And crunches. And burpees. Apparently reverse sit ups are a thing? I don’t know.”

"Every day we drift further from the light of the goddess," Arden grumbled. "And then there are the people who do it for fun."

Mad people, all of them.

“And I bet not one of those people have enjoyed a squishy,” Kamala agreed.

"They just enjoy suffering on every axis, I guess," Arden said, shaking her head in pity and disbelief. "I notice you brought plenty to share, and thank you. I think I basically chugged on after we got up here."

“I do think it’s the perfect summer beverage,” Kamala admitted. “It gets a bit chilly drinking it in the winter though. There is some other drinks too. I’m not here to convert everyone to the Squishy lifestyle.”

"Good because then you'd be a direct rival to me and my sweet tea agenda," Arden deadpanned. "And I'd have to send BD-1 after you."

Again. There was a fake dramatic gasp.

"This is because of my father, isn't it? Curse Abbu and his horrible sweet tea!"

Yes. There were clenched fists being shaken.

"I have taken all I can of that man's diabolical so-called sweet tea!" Arden proclaimed. "Now it's war."

This is exactly how the Avengers broke up.

“My father has shown you nothing but love and kindness!” Kamala declared. “How dare you turn against the family!”

The All-Purpose Room, Midnight Manor, Saturday Afternoon

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