#good job cricket you said just the right words to make iago float in the air and start spinning in circles excitedly

[accultant]

@swarmcall :

Another strange concept he got to learn. Birthday. Faintly  ( and fondly )  remembering when people swarmed his way to congratulate him for his hatching anniversary. It was exciting  —  now not the one receiving but offering his own thanks for the other being alive. That was all of that about. The wizard told Cricket so. Celebrating being alive.

For the occasion, the half-insect brushed his ever-fuzzy hair back, got some help with tying it, before he faced the birthday-subject.

     ❝ Iago  !  ❞     A call that turned out more than a loud whisper when he spotted them. Amber orbs behind red glasses glanced down to his palm, reading.     ❝ I kongratulate you to your hatch- no, wait . . .❞    A little pause,     ❝ . . . To your birthday. I am very happy you are not dead. You are alive. That is very good. I am glad. Here is your present, ❞

A rather simple bouquet of flowers ; Cricket snuck in some lavender  &  other more useful herbs between proud petals. Why would one want only plants without a proper use  ?    ❝ These are for you. I dearly wish you a wonderful day. ❞

━━★. *･｡ﾟ✧⁺ happy hatching, Iago ! | @swarmcall

Iago, as usual, is charmed before Cricket even speaks. He looks more excited than the birthday girl* themselves and they suspect he might've dolled himself up for the occasion, noting the effort to tame his hair.

"Cricket," they reply when he exclaims their name. Whatever he thinks a birthday might be is sure to provide a day's worth of entertainment. They can't help their small smile at the whole display -

You are alive. That is very good!

Instantly, simple endearment turns into full-fledged adoration. Iago is shot over the moon and their heart is struck right at the specific angle with those words that makes them light up. They really like what Cricket has decided birthdays are about.

He's handing them a bouquet while they're still repeating his words in their head. They'll have to add these to their flower press - it's gotten a lot of good use lately. They're proud of their growing collection. Iago holds the plants close to their chest and smiles at him - a real smile, not the half-twitch they sometimes manage.

"Thank you, Cricket. I am alive. I think that is very good, too," they say quietly, conspiratorially, like sharing a secret. Speaking normally again, they hum, "Say- did you do something different with you hair?"