Many Happy Returns (Open-ish)

It had been a little over a week since her injuries, nine days, and Leandra had been released from the infirmary, given a few bottles of nectar and a cane, which made her feel old. While she wasn't going into hysterical fits of crying at the drop of a hat anymore, Leandra still didn't feel right, and she didn't feel comfortable going back to the barracks. Maybe Tiberia could tell she didn't want to go back to the barracks, because her friend invited her to use some liberty and stay at the Scipio's house in New Rome. After a week of seeing the inside of a tent, Leandra was more than willing to accept that idea.

Tibby was walking with her, because Leandra after a week of being told she couldn't get up and walk around, had insisted on walking. Even if it hurt and she had to use her cane to support the mangled, still healing right leg. The walk was quieter than normal, just the every day sounds of New Rome. Lares moving around, children laughing, adults calling to each other. Leandra wasn't talking much, though, and that was usually only typical of her in the early mornings.

They were almost to the doors when Leandra finally broke the silence. "Thanks for letting me come over, Tib. I just couldn't bear the thought of going back to the barracks toni-ARGHHG!" Leandra had opened the door and nearly jumped out of her skin when everyone yelled SURPRISE.

What? What was the day? She couldn't think. She had lost the color she had regained in a week, and her heart was racing. Her mind had locked onto the fact that there weren't actually any dangers, but she still wanted to run away. Then there was the embarrassment. She covered her face, blushing as she tried to calm down and hide her shock and fear. What day was it? July. Oh my gods She thought. It was the 18th, her 15th birthday and she hasn't even realized it. She tried to keep a straight face and forced a smile. "Y'all got me."

Tiberia was walking down a long street with Leandra, past the Favonius gardens and through to the Vicus Triarii, where the Scipio family had their villa. The house stretched three stories up, with a red tiled roof and marble colonnades, the floor covered in colourful mosaics. Tiberia was dressed in a short green stola held on her collarbones by small golden pins, a white palla over her shoulders.

It seemed Leandra was completely oblivious to the fact that this was her birthday -- which would make the surprise all the sweeter. Tiberia had managed to round up a reasonable amount of people for the afternoon (Leandra wasn't one for huge loud parties) and had of course let her parents in on the secret. So when they entered the villa's atrium only to hear a big "SURPRISE!" come from a dozen throats, Tiberia was prepared. Her mother had put floating tealights in the atrium pool and purple backdrops behind the columns and across the ceiling, but she knew it wasn't everything.

She gave her friend a big hug, then took her hand. "Come on, my dad's waiting with the food," she grinned.

Wade blew a party horn after they yelled surprise. He patted Hobbes next to him. "Where's Colten?" he whispered. "You know, he said he was going to be. I'll beat the little shlub if he doesn't show up at his kinda-girlfriend's birthday party."

"Maybe he's all mad and hormone-y because they're the same age now." Hobbes suggested, before noticing the cake beside them. "I wish I could eat. This all looks delicious."

"Hobbes, stop focusing on the food you can't eat. Colten needs to be here." Wade went over to Tiberia. "Colten's not here, and if he doesn't show up, I will personally get us bats so we can both beat him up." He grinned at her, probably the first time he did since they dated..

"It's a shame Colten isn't here yet," Colten said, grinning, ripping off his invisibility cloak, next to Tiberia.

"....I'm going to hurt you."

"Dawgs, c'mon. Let's let this pretty little girl have her birthday party without you two knuckleheads fighting the night away," Hobbes said. "I remember my 15th birthday party. Good times."

"Hobbes, you don't age like humans, nor have you had a 15th birthday party," Colten said, trying to hide the box with a new custom necklace for Leandra in it. He so far had it behind his back. Secretive presents pro over here.

"Oh yeahhhhh."

Gunther-Klaus and Tanzania shouted "Surprise!" with the rest of the party guests. He wore a pair of blue jeans and a grey t-shirt. Gunther went over to Tiberia and Leandra, giving them both a hug. Leandra first since it was her birthday. "Happy fifteenth birthday, Leandra." He gave her a wide smile. "Are you ready to turn up,?" Wow, that sounded awkward as heck. Tanzania was walking up in a purple sun dress and red wedges behind Gunther. "Please don't ever say that again." She stated in her raspy voice before turning her attention to Leandra. "Hey, chica. Happy birthday." She lean down to give her a hug and kiss on the cheek.

Leandra was still a little taken aback by the surprise, but she started to smile more naturally as friends came up to greet her and hug her. Gently. Hugging was still a little painful and she grimaced when both Tibby and Tanzy hugged her. Colten, Wade and Hobbes were arguing and Gunther was there being his standard unflappable self. Yes, maybe things were getting back to normal.

"Thank you, thank you all." She said, tears welling up a little. She felt overwhelmed again, but happy overwhelmed this time. She blinked it back. "So, food, and yes, getting turnt up. Definitely. Let's do this. Loud music and everything." She said, leaning against her cane. "I could use a seat for now, though. My leg is bothering me a little. Colten, that means you'll have to dance with Tibby instead."

July 18th was the day that Leandra was born which of course meant Tiberia was going to do something in attempt to cheer up the girl who had just gone through so much. A party with just her closest friends…or her closest friends and the Juinse brothers. He was still unsure how he felt about the younger one, Colten, and how he fit into all this. Having either heard or overheard tales about him from Tiberia or other people. From what he read in the new ‘book’ it would seem that Colten was quite smitten with Leandra. How she ‘felt’ about him was of course beyond his understanding as he had yet to see the two interact. But it of course only further proved his theory on how useless and nonexistent love truly was. People were so fickle always moving from one person to another.

But, that was for another time. Now was time for the obligatory ‘SURPRISE’! He like all the other occupants of the room shouted when the birthday girl walked into the room. He had of course gotten her a present as was customary but it was not one he could give while in New Rome and would have to wait till she was back in the barracks. A shiny new Imperial Gold sword fitted to match her strength, mobility, and reach perfectly. So, it of course was more of a short sword than anything but if he remembered her body movements correctly from the few sparing sessions and his lessons it would be very good for her. So, for now he just had a card. “Happy Birthday Leandra.” He said walking up to the ‘crowd’ that was slowly gathering around her and held the card out for her. “I’m not quite sure if we are to give you presents yet, but as you’ll read this isn’t the present.” As on the card in his own way it told her happy birthday and how ‘awesome’, a Tiberia inspired word, she was and where her present was waiting for her. On her bunk in her Barrack. Because that didn’t sound weird to him.
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Darren didn’t really know Leandra all that well, he just knew she was the little Roman that could…that didn’t seem to like him. I mean sure he called her Lanny but he gave everyone nicknames. Her nickname just happened to be a spur of the moment one. He was sure he could give her a better one if given enough time to get to know her better. Which, by going to a party with all of her closest friends gave him the perfect opportunity to do so. If asked that would be the main reason he would tell the Roman people he was here. He was sure they would ask to, it wasn’t everyday a ‘dirty Greek’ was at the same party as everyone else in New Rome. Darren was starting to think that the Romans didn’t exactly like Greeks, but that was just silly.

There was of course another reason he was really at the party. He’d never admit it because he himself still wasn’t too sure what was going on between them but Tiberia had asked him to come and he did. Sure, they spent some time getting lost together, unintentionally, bonded over things and made it back to the camp alive and then had danced together at the summer solstice dance where she looked absolutely stunning of course. He was pretty sure with his blabber mouth and awkwardness around girls he told her that one or a hundred times and now he was here. Yelling ‘Surprise’! Just like everyone else. What was really a surprise was that Darren was actually wearing a shirt. He wasn’t sure whose shirt it was, and boy was it tight, but it was a shirt. Still wearing swim trunks though.

With the lady of honor walking in and getting surrounded by her friends Darren sort of hung back letting them strangle her with affection. He himself had decided it would be best if he let her have her fun instead of spazzing out right at the beginning…he could handle himself. Sometimes. Okay so when someone said something about dancing he perked up and made his way over to the group. “Someone said something about dancing? I mean we ‘dirty Greeks’ sure know how to dance but can you all get footloose? Happy Birthday by the way Lan-Leandra.” That would be funny now that he said it, a Footloose movie based off of people here in New Rome. Could totally work, they have such big sticks up their as-hey the cake looks like a butt. Heh, butt cake.

Okay. Play it cool. Don't blush. Leandra was blushing, hard. She hasn't expected the party to begin with, but did expect most of the people who had attended. Romulus she did not expect. Not after that very awkward conversation where she had passed out in front of him instead of telling him that she had a crush on him. Was it hot suddenly very warm in the room?

Leandra took the card from Romulus a little awkwardly and opened it. He called her awesome. And he had gotten her a present. Leandra smiled, but also shot a look to Colten. Romulus was the perfect Roman soldier, everything she looked up to. Colten was definitely not, but he actually liked her, and wanted to spend time with her, and told her she was pretty. That had made a lot of difference. Now, she was a little confused. Did Romulus actually like her? Was she making a mistake with Colten? Or was she reading too much into Romulus's present and card?

"Thank you, Romulus. I look forward to trying out the present later." She said, trying to keep her voice even, her breathing normal, trying to keep from blushing. And then she was surprised again, but didn't blush. The Graecus. The one Tibby had danced with while Leandra had been stood up. What was he doing here? "Romans can get footloose, Graecus, we can dance our togas off. Although, I will not be tonight. Besides, I have two left feet."

Colten could've responded to dancing with Tiberia, or make fun of Wade's scowl at Darren and how much he disliked Greeks, but he just now saw Romulus. Colten sighed a little- he didn't know how to act about all of this. He liked Leandra a lot, but here was Romulus, who he could feel something about with Leandra- he couldn't explain his ability to tell crushes. He couldn't tell what the connection was, but it was there, the same way it was present between Darren and Tiberia, but they seemed to hate each other. At least, from what Leandra and Wade said while Tiberia got p'ed at them. He sighed. "I'm going to go get some chicken," he said, and wandered away.

Wade could tell something was up. "Hold off, people, and Darren, I gotta see what's up with him." Wade went over to him. "Dude, you don't walk away from teenage convo to go get chicken. What's wrong?"

"Romulus."

"Ahh you're jealous. Want some advice?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't get upset about it, let it go on, if it works out with you and Leandra, yay, if it doesn't, too bad, so sad, other fish in the sea."

"Wade, you're horrible at advice. I'll ask Darren and Gunther and later Vino if they think Leandra likes Romulus better than me."

"Wait, don't ask Gunther," Wade quickly said.

"Why?"

"Um, well...um...he's bad at giving advice," Wade lied.