#he just shows up and linhardt is like FOND! NOSTALGIA! WARM! YAY FRIEND

[warpaway]

"Linhardt!"

Caspar catches up to his friend with bounding steps, brimming with extra enthusiasm. It's a special day, even if Linhardt himself doesn't usually pay it much mind. The precarious little tower of gifts bundled up in Caspar's arms are a testament to that.

"I got this little artifact from a guy saying it's from Zanado." He says, offering an explanation for the silky drawstring bag at the top of the gift tower. "But then I was like- wait, how do I know it's even real? So then I found a book from a scholar who studies all the stuff they find out in the ruins there."

With the rectangular base accounted for as well, all that remains is to explain the cloth-covered basket that wobbles in the middle. Caspar smiles. A smudge of flour scrunches up into the space between his cheek and his nose.

"You can definitely trust the guy who made the fruit tarts, though. He's got plenty of practice spotting his own mistakes and throwing 'em out, heheh."

Even if both the book and the relic turn out to be bogus, it can still be an interesting journey for Linhardt to uncover the truth-- that's what Caspar hopes, anyway. Journeys with Linhardt are never boring.

"Y'know...letting you sleep in was your first birthday present today, but maybe next year I should toss that one out and take you out to those old ruins in person instead." You can see the sights for yourself, and I'll protect you from any dangers. That part goes without saying. "Whaddaya say?"

upon waking up this morning, linhardt had forgotten what day it is. thursday, certainly. professor hanneman wants a literature review on monday, so that's four days from now, depending on how you count them. it takes an absurdly long amount of time (and an entire extra student wishing him well) for him to remember his own birthday. from that moment forward... linhardt expects something.

caspar can't leave well enough alone. they know this to be an immutable fact about their best friend, and past experience and pattern recognition dictates that soon enough he'll appear with his own attempt to wish linhardt a happy birthday today.

linhardt relishes that feeling - the familiarity of it, the fondness he holds for caspar, and the combination of the two being just for him. he is a selfish person, he knows, but this is the one day it's completely permissible. that means it's one more day for him to put off the introspection.

the expectation wears on them though. caspar could be around that corner, but when they round it, he isn't. what is he doing? what could be taking so long? that expectation builds. now, they might call it suspense. it could also be something else, though. part of them just wants to spend the time with their best friend.

linhardt has been enjoying garreg mach so far, but that has been a problem since day one. there's no long carriage ride to bergliez territory, or staying at the hevring estate in enbarr, or any other unbearable social event standing in between caspar and linhardt now, but there are still days that go by in which they don't see each other. today, that problem seems as obvious as it's ever been. they should do something about it. if linhardt's noticed it, then surely caspar has twice as many times.

he takes the long way back to his room. the last chance for caspar to drag him to dinner so that he can complain about caspar's eating habits, fondly, or surprise him with some absurd combination of gifts that...

linhardt doesn't have a chance to finish the though before it manifests before them: that is caspar carrying a pile of gifts, and they simply must be for linhardt.

there's no need for compunction between the two, so linhardt's hands reach for the top gift before caspar's explanation is even finished, even before they have an even better reason to see what's hidden inside.

a zanado relic, and a guidebook to verify its authenticity themself. caspar surely doesn't realize what a wonderful present that is on its own, or he wouldn't have gone through the trouble to put so much work into... is that blackberries linhardt smells? he's realizing he's skipped dinner, and his stomach is angry about it.

"you never disappoint, caspar," he says. he plucks the second package off the stack to lighten his friend's load - that, and the first chance linhardt gets alone he's digging right in to this mystery. if not for the unpleasant memories linhardt has surrounding that place, he's certain he would be begging to join some expedition the archaeologists go on.

zanado is the place where linhardt killed some one. step one to blocking out that horrible memory, that trauma, is to never return. he can run away from what he did there, and he doesn't have to remember or think about it ever again. he's long come to terms with zanado simply being untouchable since then. could he go with caspar? linhardt has trouble holding onto painful memories with his best friend around. he could do anything with him, probably. they could do anything together.

"i'll thank you for letting me sleep this morning, even if i admittedly didn't realize it," they say instead, pondering the offer still. "zanado is... i'd like to go there one day."

he says it as though he hasn't already been there. beside caspar, it will be new anyway. he could actually enjoy it, probably. caspar could tackle any demonic beast, and even triumph over linhardt's personal demons. "for a birthday gift, the chance to unravel an ancient secret and spend more time with my best friend at the same time would be hard to surpass. careful, you might ruin my expectations for every year afterwards."

their mouth curves into a playful smile, two of the three gifts held tight to their chest. even without giving either a proper glance, they've instantly become cherished treasures, just because of the day and the gifter and the thoughtfulness with which they were chosen. as pleased as they are, and even with the warm feeling in their chest, linhardt has the audacity to request a fourth gift.

"now, it wouldn't behoove me to overeat, so while i trust the cook was able to bake a basket of scrumptious treats, would you mind helping me eat them, too? i accidentally skipped dinner again. i'm in a good mood so i'll only complain about you talking with your mouth full a tiny bit. well, maybe a bit more than that, but..."