alnifolia | OPEN POST;

[ Peter lost track of time a long, long time ago.

Which is to say, he lost track of Terran time. One of the first things that was incorporated into his reeducation as one of Yondu's Lost Boys in Space was tracking time using Xandarian standard. And since no one gave much of a shit about Earth in the sectors he wandered around in, he sort of stopped keeping track.

This meant, of course, he missed every holiday. Every birthday. Luckily, he didn't lack for celebrations -- the Ravagers frequently partied after big hauls or successes. Still, he would end up wondering, "How old am I, again?" and try to convert time back and forth, but usually he would give up and figure out the ballpark timeframe. He's pretty sure he's thirty-five? But then again, he could be off.

This also means, of course, that he has no idea what Kasumi has planned.

The first thing Peter notices, naturally, is that Kasumi isn't wearing her customary tactical suit, complete with mysterious, face-obscuring hood. He smiles at her slowly, thinking, Damn, she looks good.

It's only after a moment that he notices the candles. The petals. The everything. He freezes in the doorway, a million thoughts running through his head. Did I forget a holiday? Oh shit, was I supposed to bring a gift? Oh, crap. It wasn't an anniversary or something, was it?

Shit.

He swallows hard, turning back to Kasumi with a startled glance. ]

What's-- what's all this for?

[ She responds to his confused look with a small playful smile, at first. That was pretty much how she'd imagined he'd look once he noticed everything. She has the mind to string him along for a little, maybe make him really confused about what this was all for, but the idea quickly throws itself out the window when she realizes she just can't do that--not today, of all days. Plus, she's ridiculously excited--and it begins to show when the small smile gives way for a bigger genuine one.

She stands on the tips of her toes to give him a quick kiss on the lips before she leans in to whisper into his ear, ]

Happy birthday, Star-Lord.

[ He still looks so lost after she pulls away, if the way his eyes are still wide and owlish are any indication. He blinks a couple of times, still trying to take in the scene.

Clearly it hasn't sunk in, yet. ]

I-- what?

[ Smooth. ]

[ She chuckles at him and boops him on his adorable confused nose. ]

It's. Your. Birthday.

[ He half-heartedly tries to bat her hand away before she can poke him, but clearly he's unsuccessful. ]

-- Wait, is it? [ And now he's just straight up frowning, as if trying to figure out what month it is. ] What day is it? On Earth, I mean.

[ Her nose-booping hand comes to rest on his shoulder. ]

It's February 4th over there.

[ Yep, he's definitely blinking once or twice, still frowning. ]

... Shit. I had no idea.

[ Obviously. ]

-- You did all this just for my birthday?

[ She tucks her hair behind her ear and offers him another smile--a surprisingly bashful one coming from someone like Kasumi. ]

Of course I did. I... sort of went overboard. Sorry.

[ She's not that sorry, but she will admit that she got a little overexcited. But it's been a while since she's gone all out for something like this. ]

[ He tries for a smile of his own, though it's slightly self-conscious as well. He hasn't celebrated his birthday in decades. Not since he was on Earth, anyway. ]

I-- I meant-- It's nice. I just-- you seriously didn't have to do all this on my account, Goto.

[ She sighs. For one, because she doesn't mean to put him on the spot like this, but she thought he--they could use a night like this. And also, when is he going to stick to calling her "Kasumi?" She's sure this must be what Shep feels like, sometimes, when Garrus insists on calling her "Shepard" despite being--probably, and in Kasumi's mind, the galaxy's best couple. ]

I didn't have to, for sure--but I wanted to, Peter.

[ He rubs the back of his neck -- not quite shy but just a tad embarrassed, maybe.

At length, he manages a small smile, genuine and crooked, slightly timid as his more earnest smiles are. ]

Thanks, Kasumi. You didn't have to go to so much trouble. But-- thanks.

You're welcome, from the galaxy's best girlfriend.

[ Which is totally what she is. ]

So, birthday boy, you get to pick. Would you like your present--[ She points her thumb over her shoulder towards the table. ]--or your present? [ And then she playfully nods her head not so subtly in the direction of the bed. ]

[ He laughs at that, then steps in a little closer, hands moving to rest on her hips. ]

That's a trick question, right? Gotta be a trick question.

[ She moves in closer, too, her other hand trailing up to his other shoulder before she laces her fingers together behind his neck. ]

Well, I have to say--they're both amazing presents. So it's really a matter of which one you'd rather have first.

[ He quirks an eyebrow, his smile turning sly. ]

Well, hey, you're the one who went to all this trouble. I've gotta to defer to your expertise. What do you suggest?

[ Logically, dinner and the other present should come first, but when he smiles at her like that, and when his hands are on her hips like that, she finds herself leaning so slightly towards Option B.

To that effect, she goes up to give him a slow, steady kiss, fingers teasing his hair at the nape of his neck. She pulls away before long, but not before she catches his bottom lip between hers and giving it a small, playful lick.

The expression she wears when she does finally pull away is undeniably beckoning and coy. ]

Hmmm. Well, how hungry are you?

[ Because she's got a craving, and it's not for food. ]

[ when she pulls away, he's definitely thinking everything else can wait, as evidenced by the fact that he answers her question with a quick smirk before moving in for another kiss. ]

[ Her lips curl into a smile against the kiss, and for a second, she wonders if they'll even make it to the bed. There's a wall right there, after all, and the couch, and--

--in any case, they did make it to the bed, eventually. And it was amazing, as it usually ended up being between the both of them, but there was something to be said about the setting of it all that seemed to make it more special, somehow. Maybe it was the candlelight, or the petals on the bed (though they did seem to be a better idea in thought than in reality, given how neither of them escaped having a petal or two or several stick to their skin during), or maybe it was the way Kasumi didn't have a bajillion things to take off, for once, or maybe it simply was just Peter and Kasumi. Quill and Goto. Star-Lord and the master thief.

It's a while later when they finally decide to maybe take a break. They should probably finally eat the now-cold meal at the table, but damn, has it been nice to just lay there. It takes all of what's left of Kasumi's energy to peel herself away from Peter, steal his shirt to wear, and walk over to the kitchen (and unwittingly leaving a trail of petals in her wake) to start reheating the food. She looks over her shoulder, back at Peter, and smiles. ]

You know, I should have just waited to make dinner. I knew we wouldn't end up eating right away.

[ Peter's busying himself with pulling his pants back on, and he casts a sly glance at her. ]

All that planning, Goto, and you overlooking a simple detail like that.

[ He tsks quietly. ]

Honestly. I expect better.

[ She rolls her eyes, but she's still smiling nonetheless. ]

Forgive me, Star-Lord. Must have gotten lost in translation between picking petals off of roses and wrapping your other present.

[ She gestures at the--once again--suspiciously poster-sized box at the table. ]

[ He glances at it, but there's still an edge to his smirk when his gaze returns to Kasumi. ]

You know, the gift you just gave me? You really didn't even have to bother wrapping it. Could've given it to me as is, you know?

[ She pauses what she's doing just to turn towards him and quirk a brow. ]

Ha ha. Don't you know part of the fun is unwrapping the present? Duh.

[ He moves his way to the kitchen (still topless, because someone has his shirt), and leans back against a counter. ]

I dunno. I've always been impatient. The wrapping just gets in the way, in my opinion.

[ Well golly gee, he'll just have to deal, because she's rather enjoying the view, which is pretty obvious with the way she gives him a once-over look and smirks. ]

Some things are worth the wait, cowboy.

[ Wow Kasumi, Peter's not a piece of meat, okay?

Granted, he didn't seem to mind the way she looks him over, judging by the way he's sidling up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. ]

You know? I'm more partial to the instant gratification thing, myself. Lot more fun, don't you think?

❖
OPEN RP POST ① Pick a character ② Pick a prompt (or DIY) (shamelessly and selectively pilfered from bakerstreet's Random Scenario Meme) ③ Do the thing!. table code by betterdolphin

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