fandomhighdorms | Fifth Floor Common Room, Tuesday Afternoon

Ringo hadn't really paid much attention to the date, which was why she'd been surprised when she got back from her morning ride to find a delivery waiting for her. It was a pretty big box, too, but didn't feel like AT parts. There wasn't a return address on it, either.

With a thoughtful frown, she set the box down on the table in the common room and opened it up. Then her eyes shot wide. A cake! A really, absolutely beautiful cake. It took a couple of seconds for her to figure out why anyone would send her a cake, but as soon as she did, she was on the phone.

"You got me a cake!" she accused her sister when Rika picked up. "A really expensive cake."

"You couldn't be here with us, so we got you the same cake we got." Ringo could practically see Rika's smile in her voice. "So at least we could all share that much."

Ringo grinned. "You know I can't eat all of this by myself, right?" she asked.

"Guess you'll just have to find someone to share with. I mean, it'd be lame to spend your birthday all by yourself, so if we can't be there, make sure someone else helps you eat that cake."

"Yes, ma'am," Ringo answered, laughing.

"Happy birthday, Ringo."

"Happy birthday, Rika. And tell Mikan and Ume 'happy birthday' from me, too."

"They know, but I will."

So Ringo was smiling as she rummaged around for a plate and a fork and a glass of milk. She'd totally forgotten it was her birthday, but this was a pretty awesome way to be reminded.

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"Oh. Well, then I suppose congratulations are in order." Lucille gave Ringo a distinctly uncongratulatory smile.

She should have know she had walked in on some kind of birthday party.

"Sadly I didn't know, so I didn't get you a present."

Ringo laughed, shaking her head. "No worries. I forgot about it myself, to be honest. If my sister hadn't sent a cake, I still wouldn't remember."

She rolled her eyes and flushed slightly. "Which is kind of embarrassing since it also means I forgot my sisters' birthdays."

"I am sure she will find it in her heart to forgive you. The cake is delicious."

At least the latter comment was sincere.

[I'll disappear for a while, biab]

"Rika's not one to hold a grudge. And while Mikan or Ume might, I think they'll forgive me this time. I just better remember next year."

The kettle began to whistle, so Ringo took it off and poured the hot water into a cup, adding the tea to steep.

"You have three sisters then? Are they like you?" Because four of Ringo sounded horrible.

Ringo laughed. "No, we're all different. Like, Rika's the oldest, she's almost more of a mom, you know? Mature and always keeping an eye out for us. Mikan's next. She's, like, a huge tomboy. I guess she and I aren't that different in some ways? And Ume is the youngest. She's the quiet, thoughtful one, really."

"What about you? Any sisters?"

"No. I have a younger brother. His name is Thomas." She was mostly looking at the teapot.

"Is he cute?" Ringo teased, grinning over at Lucille as she checked the tea and brought a cup of it over to the table.

Hopefully Japanese style tea wasn't too different from what Lucille had been expecting.

Lucille just stared at Ringo, then said cooly: "He is my brother." She reached for the tea cup.

"Well, duh, you said." Ringo grinned as she handed over the cup. "I mean, Ume's cute. When she's not being a brat. That's what little siblings do, right? Be cute, and be brats?"

Was that what Ringo had meant by 'cute'? Lucille thought the word was mostly used nowadays for someone you found handsome. She blushed a little.

"My brother is not a brat," she replied, taking a sip from the cup. She frowned a little. "What is this?"

"Tea?" Ringo asked, frowning slightly. That's what Lucille had been asking for, right. It didn't occur to her that Lucille hadn't been expecting sencha green tea.

"It doesn't taste like the tea I'm used to," Lucille replied. "But I suppose I should expect even the taste of tea to change over time."

Not that she thought it should.

"Huh." Ringo frowned. "I hadn't thought about it, but I suppose that makes sense."

She looked a little worried. "I hope it's not bad?"

Even Lucille had her limits, and the tea wasn't actually bad, just unusual, so she gave a small nod. "It is fine."

"I'm sorry it's not what you're used to," Ringo sighed. But then she sat back down and got a forkful of cake and felt quite a bit better.

"It is fine," Lucille repeated, then tried a piece of the cake herself.

Why couldn't they just eat cake in silence?

It wasn't like Ringo couldn't handle silence, but birthdays back home, with all four sisters celebrating on the same day, tended to get a bit loud. So 'quiet' and 'birthday' weren't really close associations in Ringo's mind.

But she could take a couple of seconds to just enjoy the incredible cake her sister had sent. Because it was gooooooood.

Fifth Floor Common Room, Tuesday Afternoon

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