songerein | [Semi-Open] Oh, would you look at that. It's Joshua Day.

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[Semi-Open] Oh, would you look at that. It's Joshua Day.

Who: FF16s and anyone who has positive CR with Joshua is invited (friends of friends can also drop by!)
Which: Semi-Open Log
Where: Starflower Cafe!
When: Backdated to March 25th
What: Once upon a time, some people looked at a baby and said, "You are Joshua." Today, we celebrate the 29th anniversary of that occasion.
Warnings: None!

It's early evening, and the golden hour sun shines gently through the windows of the Starflower Cafe. There's a modest array of red, white, and black decorations strung from the roof and set upon the tables to catch the flickering flames of lantern centrepieces, but the overall ambience is simple and warm, reminiscent of Rosarian hospitality.

Clive and Jill extended invitations earlier in the week, emphasising that the celebration is a surprise for Joshua. Guests are encouraged to arrive early, whereupon Jill will guide them not into hiding, per se, but at least to places where they can't be spotted through the windows. Meanwhile, Clive will be escorting Joshua to the party under the pretence of treating him to a name day dinner.

As such, guests are also encouraged to surprise some JOY into Mister Phoenix Boy when the brothers arrive.

Once the excitement of the surprise subsides, all guests will receive a softly glowing phoenix feather imbued with healing dreamotion. Joshua is handing them out personally as tokens of gratitude, so come and get yours!

Early mingling will happen over the appetizer buffet, which features potato croquettes, charcuterie boards with a heavy emphasis on cheese, various veggie platters with dips, and small cups of ice cream. Or, guests can sit down and chat over dinner: a roast with all the fixings.

After dinner, everyone will be escorted outside to where a bonfire has been set up. There, guests can enjoy roasting marshmallows, s'mores, and other sweet treats over the fire while watching a fireworks show to end the night.

TL;DR it's a party. So, like, party y'all.

(Clive and Jill will be around, but they'll be busy ensuring everything goes off without a hitch, so they won't be interacting much. Please feel free to assume that introductions have happened & that everyone present has been invited to their wedding, where they will be much more present!)

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[Sometimes, it’s thought that counts. Extra points for effort. Joshua can appreciate the pains Eustace is taking to preserve his dignity. Really. Truly. Madly. Deeply.]

[They’re almost through those awkward woods, he can see the light at the end of this embarrassing tunnel, the rugs are already mountainous with just how many crumbs of humiliation have been swept underneath them, just a few seconds more, and they can continue their conversation as if nothing has happ—]

[—nope. There it is. The teasing.]

[For all intents and purposes, it could have been worse. A lot worse. To be fair to Eustace, it’s about as benign as Joshua could expect, given the circumstances. So, sheepish as it is, he does grin.]

It’s excellent. I’m impressed by the quality.

The croquettes are fried to perfection, I haven’t had roast that fine outside of my home realm, and the cheese… well, you have witnessed firsthand my thoughts on that.

[Just a quiet chuckle as he helps Joshua by taking the plate and refilling it with more of what he spied the young Dominant favoring.

With an extra helping of cheese.]

I'll be sure to pass along the compliments to the chef.

[ie, his wife.]

But don't forget there's still dessert later.

[For a split second, Joshua opens his mouth to insist Eustace doesn’t need to serve him, but he holds himself back. There’s a specific pride associated with hospitality, that much he knows, and it’s better to avoid any potential bruising of said pride with an overabundance of caution than potentially cross a line. As such, protest is off the table, but future tokens of gratitude are still very much in play.]

[He’ll get you back, dog-man.]

Please do, and I’ll be sure to leave plenty of room for dessert.

[He takes the plate back, but decorum stops him from stuffing his face again.]

If you don’t mind my prying, is opening the Starflower something you and Lady Tifa sought to do from the beginning of your arrival?

[If it makes Joshua feel better, Eustace will also take a small plate for himself, though he only picks out a small handful since he's not really here to eat eat.

At his question, however, there's a small pause and a glance before he hums.]

Not at all. I certainly wouldn't have imagined being married when I first arrived almost three years ago.

[It does help him feel a little better! However, Joshua’s interest is now firmly focused on Eustace’s story.]

Ah, but how enchanting are the unexpected turns of life! Like sudden bursts of color in a sea of gray.

[Before he can sink too deep into fanciful metaphor, Joshua pulls back.]

How did the two of you meet?

[There's a slight look of surprise before there's a faint smile of amusement.

Leaning against the wall, he thinks back for a moment.]

...Hm, that's a bit of a complicated question. Tifa and I...were in another world before coming to this one. However, I had no memory of it at the time.

[That’s a sign of a good story if Joshua’s ever seen one, and he eyes Eustace with rapt attention. Like a kid getting ready to listen to a grand tale.]

Then what world did you arrive from if not your own? Why would it rob you of your memory?

That I don't really have much of an answer to. Perhaps it was due to the different changes...

[He pauses, considering how to word this.]

The world Tifa and I first met in was a world that had used powerful magic that almost destroyed itself and other worlds along with it. They were able to stop it by freezing time, including those other worlds, and through the use of bond animals were able to pull individuals from those worlds to try and reproduce enough magic to restore it and fix the problem.

[WELL JOSHUA WANTED A STORY HERE IT GOES.]

[Bring on story time, Grandpa!!!]

Fascinating.

Anya mentioned she had been to a different world previous to this one. I didn't know that others had the same experience.

[He tilts his head.]

Does that mean you and Tifa both came from different worlds prior to the one you met in?

[Gran—EXCUSE??? YOUR BROTHER IS OLDER—]

Correct, we are both from different worlds.

[But if you take dog years into account...]

How serendipitous.

[There's a gleam in his gaze--one that betrays the romantic he keeps hidden deep inside. Not out of any misconstrued idea of strength through indifference, but out of necessity. Romanticism has no place in a perpetual war of subversion. However, stories provide wide, open fields where one's emotional side is free to run unhindered, and Joshua is going to take advantage of them as they arise.]

A bond forged between travelers navigating the stars, destined to find one another no matter the realm.

[Come here baby face.

There's a slight arch of his brows before a quiet smile forms.]

Hm... A poetic way to put it.

[He then idly taps the edge of his plate.]

However, I won't be depending on destiny in making sure we can stay together in this world.

[Excuse you, the whole package is baby, not just the face.]

An astute decision, indeed.

Free will means little if one were to submit to destiny. I imagine love would be similar.

Mm...I suppose it is. But more than that...

[He looks over to where Tifa is.]

I just want to be sure she's happy, regardless if in this world or not.

[Joshua matches Eustace's gaze, although he lingers on the man in front of him for a moment or two before joining him in watching the woman he clearly loves so much.]

["To be sure she's happy."]

[A pang strikes his heart as it skips a beat. He's hinted at such before towards a certain companion back in Valisthea, but his penchant towards the obtuse only kicked up further debris in already muddied waters.]

[What a fool Joshua Rosfield is, he's come to realize. Once again far too late.]

Pray waste no opportunity to show her that resolve.

[He glances at Joshua at that before he looks back at Tifa and then picks up his glass.]

There's never a day that I don't.

[Even if the research has been slow going...frustratingly so.]

Perhaps I might ask for your help later.

[Immediately hit with equal parts curiosity and earnestness, Joshua finds himself straightening his shoulders.]

I am at your disposal, but what is it that may I help you with?

Finding a way to stay in this world without the risk of being sent back to our own.

[Joshua nods thoughtfully. It’s a tall order, and he’s not sure if the information exists. The logical part of him wants to say that if there were a way to stay, it would have been spread far and wide.]

[But he’s never taken “that’s impossible” for an acceptable answer, nor has he refused any intellectual challenge. Combined with the deeply personal stakes of Eustace’s request, and Joshua’s optimism won’t allow him to say no.]

When you are ready, I shall begin anon.

You and Lady Tifa have my word.

[He can't help but smile a bit at that.]

We have some leads... But I'll discuss it with you on another time. Right now we're here to celebrate you.

[Part of him is just a little bit disappointed. What a nerd.]

[But Joshua easily pushes that feeling aside in favor of a smile that matches Eustace's.]

Another time, then.

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[Semi-Open] Oh, would you look at that. It's Joshua Day.

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