Happy birthday to you~
Happy birthday to you~
Happy birthday dear KekiAiKohi-chan~
Happy birthday to you~!
This is KekiAiKohi's birthday fic, which is super late, considering her birthday was eleven days ago and all… I'm sorry :(
D&M = deep and meaning (conversations)
The Genei Ryodan was a strong, united group. Everyone knew that. The Spiders knew each other's weaknesses, faults, the things that sparked annoyance. They had lived together and worked together long enough to be able to tell the emotions raging underneath the surface. But like any other human being, they need personal space or a place to relax away from the chaos that the Ryodan often brought.
So when it came to mundane things, the Spiders went their separate ways.
Like eating, for example.
The Spiders never ate together. They ate by themselves, in pairs, or in small groups. Never together. And never as if they were one big happy family.
So when Uvogin came in carrying a huge, battered wooden table and set it down in the middle of their hideout, ten pairs of eyes glanced up in confusion, questions buzzing in their heads.
"Don't ask me," Uvogin shrugged. "Danchou was the one who asked me to bring this piece o' crap in."
"A table?" Nobunaga muttered. "Why a table?"
"Well, Danchou did say something about eating, but I dunno what he was talking about."
Shalnark's bright blue eyes scanned the said table, and then he dived towards his phone and flipped to the calendar.
Oh no, Shalnark thought in despair. No, surely not.
He was well-aware that Kuroro had a knack of surprising them, often with nasty things and a painful situation. Once, he had even ordered the Spiders to do some D&M, which was just about the most awkward thing Shalnark ever had to take part in.
"Where is Danchou, anyway? He's been gone for three days," Pakunoda said. She was the one who was closest to Kuroro, and so it puzzled her to know that he had sent Uvogin a message, but not her.
The giant scratched the back of his head, tugging on his tattered shirt. "Uh… Danchou said that we should leave everything to Shalnark. Says that Shalnark would know what he's talking about. Will have figured it out or somethin'." A mischievous grin danced on Uvogin's scarred face. "Said it'd be funny."
No, no, nonononono, Shalnark groaned to himself, burying his face in his hands as the other members swung themselves to look at him. Danchou, you bastard!
"Shalnark?" Machi asked. She flung her purple hair behind her shoulders and crossed her arms. "Shalnark, you look… worried."
Maybe I can just lie to them–
"And Danchou said that he'll know if we've done it or not, so don't pretend," Uvogin cut in cheerily. Shalnark's stomach plummeted.
"Uh…" Shalnark coughed out. He raised his head and sighed. "Danchou wants us to have a Thanksgiving dinner."
Silence.
"The fuck is Thanksgiving?"
Shalnark sighed again and tried to explain it using very simple terms.
"It's like… um… a food party?"
"What?"
"Like… you eat… food."
Shalnark could have sworn he felt Kuroro rolling his eyes in God-knows-where.
"What? Shalnark, talk properly!"
"It's like… you have this huge dinner to celebrate!" Shalnark snapped.
"Celebrate what?"
"It stems from when the pilgrims–"
"Actually, doesn't matter, we get it," Phinks cut in hastily, waving his hands when he heard the word 'pilgrim'. What the hell was a pilgrim anyway?
Shalnark dragged a hand down his face and said, "So, everyone good? Let's get this stupid thing over with–"
"Hell no! You ain't dragging me to some sissy dinner crap–"
"It's Danchou's orders and you know how bat-shit scary he gets when we don't listen!"
"How do we even know that this is Danchou's orders?"
"Uvogin maybe make up story…"
"Hey!"
"SHUT UP!" Franklin roared. Everyone closed their mouth, disgruntled.
"I have a note from Danchou, with his very own signature," Uvogin said into the silence. He handed it to Pakunoda, who took one look at it, and gave Shalnark an all-suffering signal of confirmation.
"Shalnark is right," Shizuku said quietly. "What Danchou says, we do. If he wants a dinner, then we'll have dinner."
"Danchou coming?" Feitan asked. When Uvogin shook his head, his golden eyes narrowed dangerously. "Fool. Embarrass us no reason. Stupid boss."
"Feitan!" Machi said sharply. "Don't disrespect him."
Running a hand through his hair, Shalnark ignored the others and mentally made calculations on what was needed to have this Thanksgiving dinner.
Well, he definitely needed turkey. And mashed potatoes. And what the hell was the stuffing made up of again?
"Don't worry," Pakunoda said. She nodded at Shalnark and gave him a small smile. "I got it." Her tone then became brisk as she lifted her head to the other members. "Phinks, come with me."
"Where am I going?"
Pakunoda gave something akin to her version of a smirk. "Shopping."
"… Excuse me?"
"You're going shopping with me."
Beside him, Feitan barely stifled a snort of laughter.
An intense glare and a series of silent threats later, Phinks faltered. "I'm… going shopping."
Two hours later
Nobunaga scooted away when a box of something that sounded crinkly landed straight at his feet. Looking up, he found Phinks' disgruntled face looming above him, and he could barely contain a grin.
"How was your shopping trip?" Nobunaga snickered. Bonolenov gave a ghostly chuckle, something which caused everyone else to stare at him; Bonolenov never laughed, not when he wasn't in battle.
"Shittiest day of my life," Phinks muttered. He bent down and tore the large cardboard box open and pulled out a large glittery green and red tablecloth.
"The fuck is that for?" Nobunaga asked between bouts of laughter. Phinks was about ready to strangle Nobunaga, before a voice rang out behind him.
"Nobu," Shalnark called, "please put that on our table."
Nobunaga held the sparkly tablecloth as if it was a poisonous snake, and the expression on his face greatly supported that.
"You know," Machi murmured, "no one's going to eat with that thing decorating our table. No one here likes glittery stuff."
"Blame Pakunoda."
And really, Pakunoda looked as if she was having too much fun. Pakunoda was a woman, after all, and she loved celebrations. Shalnark watched her directing an unwilling Kortopi into setting the table and a grumbling Uvogin into mashing the potatoes while Feitan gingerly handled the gravy. She had all but set up her very own kitchen in the corner of their hideout.
"Yeah, I kinda of do."
Another two hours later
"Okay everyone, sit down."
"No!"
"I refuse!"
"I don't want to sit with that type of tablecloth–"
"Don't tell me what to do!"
"It looks nice."
Shizuku's quiet voice cut through all the noise, and everyone turned to find her smiling softly at the full table. There wasn't much; Pakunoda wasn't sure what was really needed, seeing as she had never celebrated before. There was the roasted turkey and the gravy, but that was where the similarities between any traditional Thanksgiving dinner ended. Pakunoda had bought chocolate.
Lots and lots of chocolate.
And she had a whole mountain of rice in the middle. And a plate heaped full of fried eggs. Some prawns and steamed fish sat at the side.
"I don't think you're supposed to have–" Shalnark began, before Bonolenov elbowed him, effectively shutting him up.
Shizuku sat down first, Franklin next to her on a Nen-enforced seat. Then, Feitan sighed and took his place, Phinks and Kortopi following after. Bonolenov, Nobunaga and Uvogin hesitated before doing the same. Shalnark nodded to Machi, both sitting, and Pakunoda settled herself at the place of the second in command. The head of the table was left empty.
Everyone stared at each other uncomfortably, and then Franklin took the initiative and stabbed an egg, bringing it to his mouth.
"It's good," he mumbled. Pakunoda smiled at him, and the ice broke.
Far, far away, Kuroro Lucilfer lifted up his head to watch the first stars appearing, and his mouth lifted up at the corners.
The table was full. He was satisfied.
Oh my Kami, that was so bad. KekiAiKohi, I am so sorry. I had to rewrite this several times before I was able to post, but this is just… *squirms*
Thanksgiving is not celebrated here in Australia, so I don't know anything about it. I researched a rough outline, but it was scarce. Tell me if I wrote something wrong.