Well it's time to celebrate your birthday, it happens every year

[pinprick]

WHO: Anders, Nathaniel, and invitees!
WHAT: Fancy birthday party in Camp Shady
WHEN: Harvestmere 27, evening
WHERE: Camp Shady
NOTES: Will update.

Since many Wardens moved into the Kestrel House, there is plenty of space in the camp for a big top tent. Finding enough candlesticks, tables, and chairs required a lot of time and a number of bribes to pull off. The tables are nicely draped with fabric lent by one of Anders' patients, and each is decorated with flowers. The tent is alight and smells like good food--more donations from grateful patients.

One of the Wardens is known for her fiddling, and she plays lively dances and crooning ballads. In the center table is an ice sculpture of a cat chasing a butterfly (you guessed it--donated by a mage patient). It glitters spectacularly in the candlelight.

On the menu is a slow-roasted pig, spiced hot cider, spectacular salads, jams, cakes, delectably seasoned vegetables, a lamb-flank, and your choice of wine. There is even a hard-won bottle of Antivan brandy Nathaniel had to win several card games to achieve.

Relax, enjoy, greet the birthday boy, and mingle. The nights will be cold soon, but under this tent, life glows.

Comments

[pinprick]

"A card game." He turns Anders under his arm and grins. "That I won. Perhaps I should have left it a mystery, but I have my ways when I am determined."

[justice_is_blond]

"You most definitely have your ways," Anders agrees with a very warm smile. "I find you exceedingly talented."

Another few steps and here's the part where he gets to be held by Nate, one of the best parts of this dance, in his opinion. "I'm the luckiest person here."

[pinprick]

Nathaniel gives a little squeeze when he holds him, and barely releases him in time to continue the dance. "I will cede to you the title," he says fondly. "Since it's your birthday and you can have whatever you want today. Later, we will both be very lucky indeed."

He leans in to whisper hotly against his ear, "With Zevran."

[justice_is_blond]

He's smirking right away at the lucky comment, but it turns into something filled with hunger and desire at the other. They'd discussed this some time ago, and Anders has been looking forward to it for some time now.

"Maker. The... discussed thing?" This will be even more of a day to remember.

[pinprick]

"The very thing," Nathaniel confirms with a faint growl before pulling back and smiling innocently like nothing has happened.

[justice_is_blond]

While he doesn't blush easily or often, there's a bit more color to Anders' cheeks come the next twirl around the floor.

"I hadn't realized you'd gone and spoken with him." He'd hoped, and wanted, but he'd deliberately left it in Nate's hands for his lover's comfort. "So he's interested in... all of it?"

[pinprick]

"He is. The specifics he will discuss with us just before we go into it, for the sake of boundaries and the like. But he painted a truly lovely picture for me, when I brought it to him. It's your first birthday in a long time. I wanted to spoil you."

[justice_is_blond]

"And I'm quite sure your intentions in telling me partway through the party are innocent." He's teasing, eyes sparkling. Anticipation is delicious though they both know he often starts begging early. Now Nate's dangling this teasingly and Anders has a whole party to think about it.

"You should know I'm half-tempted to pin you against a tentpole and kiss you the way you kissed me at the challenge gathering. But I'm behaving because I'm the guest of honor." Teasing can go both ways.

[pinprick]

A slight widening of his eyes tells Anders that Nathaniel likes this image very much. "I thought you would like that, yes." He turns him under his arm again. "Give you time to...think about it."

[justice_is_blond]

"First thing when the guests have departed," Anders promises in a low, slightly rough voice the next time they're back together in the dance. "I'll shove you against the nearest surface. Vertical or horizontal. You can think about that."

Anders will be too. This is decidedly unfair... in the best way. Especially because there's a decent chance that he'll take command in the kiss here, but then have to submit completely after.