IRIS MESSAGE - MARCH 24, AFTER DINNER

[angeliaforos]

[Finally. Finally, he's got it, and he's so excited about this. At least, the cake part. (Thanks, Jehan.)

There's a part of turning 18 that scares the everloving crap out of Gabriel, especially being here, of all places, but he's not going to think about that right now. No. Right now, he's going to think about how freaking great this cake is going to be.

But first he's got a little matter to settle of who he's going to share his birthday cake with. He sends out an IM, the giant cake very visible in the rainbow.]

Really, guys? You're gonna let me sit up here by myself and eat the whole thing? By myself? Really, guys?

[He's teasing, of course. That was his idea of an invitation.]

Comments

[angeliaforos]

[It actually is. It's kind of cool to talk with Cosette and find out she can dish it out as well as she can take it, but it's also really friggin' weird.]

I'm eighteen now. Came with more of a whimper than a bang, I think, but maybe it's because I'm spending it at a summer camp in March.

[impetueux]

[She laughs at the summer camp comment, covering her mouth to keep from spitting out cake. Still, the thought of turning eighteen gives her pause.]

That doesn't mean that you'll have to leave, does it? With the Red Room and everything else going on?

[She's unsure of the rules or if they had managed to change, but she knows the older camps often left at eighteen. Still, that was before the Red Room and the long-term camping and past lock down.]

[angeliaforos]

No fucking clue.

[Gabriel has no intention of leaving - he's a counselor, he has a sister to look after who cares about him now and one he adopted into his heart in the Demeter cabin. Then there's Eponine, who he'd fight to the death for, and R, who's just as afraid as he is, as far as he knows.

He can't go. He can't run this time.]

I've got a cabin to manage. They can't make me leave. I'm responsible, remember?

[Big, overeager smile here. It's joking, but there's a twinge of fear behind it.]

[impetueux]

[She gives a small, sharp exhale, smiling.]

Every once and a while, yes.

[She finally looks up at him, just catching the twinge, but only slightly.]

...I think it means a lot to a lot of people to have you stay. I'm glad you've decided to, so...I think they'll work something out. They should.

[angeliaforos]

They better. I wanna see my cousins again, but...

[he shrugs a little, clapping his hands together once before putting them at his sides.]

Better for everyone here! Safer, remember? For me and for them.

[He doesn't want to risk going home. Doesn't want to risk his brothers finding out he's been holing out at his uncle's all this time.]

[impetueux]

[Cosette isn't sure the safety is just because of barrier (mostly) keeping the monsters out, but some things you just don't pry with.]

What are your cousins like? I don't think I've ever heard about them.