[ The aesthetics of cake - of desserts in general, really - is sort of important. There's nothing quite like looking at a very beautiful cake or parfait or cupcake. But, no, he doesn't care all that much, especially not when the cream is evenly spread and the strawberries evenly placed.
He doesn't say anything else, but the almost-awe is visible on his face the moment before he goes to grab strawberry milk from the fridge and then sit down at the table. ]
[ Listen, maybe it is, but surely the love it was made with can make up for the lack of it!! ]
[ Zura's still making tea because that's apparently just a breakfast ritual for him at this point, but he says nothing about the strawberry milk. Perhaps his close run-in with Hijikata and his mayonnaise coffee has given some immunity to being unsettled by questionable beverage choices. ]
[ At least something good came out of the catfishing.
After grabbing a glass and putting that and the milk on the table, he sits. While Zura is making tea, though, he'll be good and not blow out the candles or cut into the cake. This patience better be appreciated. ]
[ It's true, that's probably the main benefit of it. He didn't even get any particularly good information out of it. Bummer. ]
[ The patience is indeed appreciated. Honestly, Katsura wasn't even expecting Gintoki to wait for him, but once he catches on that that's indeed what is going on, he'll finish up quickly and take a seat, feeling some sort of way, and it might reflect in how his eyes seem to soften further when he looks at him and nudges the cake knife toward him. Go on, then. ]
Happy birthday~ to~ you--
[ Yeah. He hadn't actually said it until now, and now he's singing it, probably a little off-key. At least it's not long? Happy birthday, Gintoki. ]
Off-key and sort of terrible, and he wouldn't have it any other way. Afterwards, he makes a wish and blows out the candles, and wastes no time cutting up a biiig slice of cake. He almost looks a little excited. ]
[ Good. He should be! This means he has spent another year alive, even if part of it wasn't with all of them this time. But still. It's really more this fact than any particular date that Katsura wants to celebrate. ]
[ He does the best impression of an applause he can muster on his own when Gintoki blows out the candles -- luckily, nothing explodes -- and probably looks excited enough for them both. He has high hopes for the verdict of this culinary venture!! ]
[ In the meantime, there is a bit of an odd sense of peace and melancholy when none of that gets interrupted. No excitable brats making a ruckus, no bazooka shells blowing out a hole in the wall, nobody getting smacked with a placard. It's just them. ]
[ But, on the bright side, it's both of them, still alive, doing well. ]
[ It really is way too peaceful. That thought has crossed Gintoki's mind many times since their arrival here, and it's another reason he asked Zura to move in with him. He's not used to being alone anymore and he prefers it that way.
This peace is pretty bittersweet, but at least they're not alone.
Speaking of interruptions-- It isn't really one, but Sadaharu comes in at about the same time that Gintoki puts the knife down with the handle in Zura's direction. For now, the dog only sits down next to the table to watch, as Gintoki takes a spoonful of the cake and puts it in his mouth. ]
[ It's a little sad that he had enough time to get used to it in the first place (though perhaps not fully, not entirely, because an old lady downstairs is still not quite nobody). But that's good. Perhaps neither of them is truly cut out for solitude. ]
[ And, well. If it's lack of peace he wants, he has certainly made the right choice. ]
Ah. [ Katsura regards Sadaharu as he slowly cuts himself a slice -- much smaller than Gintoki's, of course, he's mostly doing this for company though he is also curious if it came out as well as he hoped -- and glances toward Gintoki. ] Should I get a third plate?
[ It's a good cake. It could perhaps be fluffier, but it's rich and flavourful and sweet. Gintoki doesn't react in a particularly noticeable way, but his eyebrows rise a little and he quickly gets another spoon of it. ]
Guess you better or he might swallow the whole thing.
[ Sure, Sadaharu easily reaches the table but-- Really? Gintoki leans over to take the plate and put it down, but before he gets that far the dog leans in and takes the whole slice in one bite.
[ Assuming he's been informed about the reasons for Sadaharu's several day of monstrous size he probably witnessed from a distance if nothing else-- ]
...Fair enough.
[ Hopefully the pup is placated by the piece of cake he got and doesn't try to swallow the rest. Katsura will volunteer to walk him if Gintoki would rather stay inside today, otherwise they can both have a pleasant walk in the park and return to rot on the couch together. Perhaps they can borrow a game console from a neighbor, otherwise it's probably going to be Annika's Heart marathon time, or whatever else Gintoki decides he wants to do. ]
[ The pup will be placated by the piece of cake, especially since he quickly enough gets fed regular dog food.
Gintoki will also come along for at least one walk, then there will be UNO and an Annika's Heart marathon. It is the perfect day, just as he predicted. It would've only been better if the brats had been here too. ]
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He doesn't say anything else, but the almost-awe is visible on his face the moment before he goes to grab strawberry milk from the fridge and then sit down at the table. ]
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[ Zura's still making tea because that's apparently just a breakfast ritual for him at this point, but he says nothing about the strawberry milk. Perhaps his close run-in with Hijikata and his mayonnaise coffee has given some immunity to being unsettled by questionable beverage choices. ]
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After grabbing a glass and putting that and the milk on the table, he sits. While Zura is making tea, though, he'll be good and not blow out the candles or cut into the cake. This patience better be appreciated. ]
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[ The patience is indeed appreciated. Honestly, Katsura wasn't even expecting Gintoki to wait for him, but once he catches on that that's indeed what is going on, he'll finish up quickly and take a seat, feeling some sort of way, and it might reflect in how his eyes seem to soften further when he looks at him and nudges the cake knife toward him. Go on, then. ]
Happy birthday~ to~ you--
[ Yeah. He hadn't actually said it until now, and now he's singing it, probably a little off-key. At least it's not long? Happy birthday, Gintoki. ]
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Off-key and sort of terrible, and he wouldn't have it any other way. Afterwards, he makes a wish and blows out the candles, and wastes no time cutting up a biiig slice of cake. He almost looks a little excited. ]
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[ He does the best impression of an applause he can muster on his own when Gintoki blows out the candles -- luckily, nothing explodes -- and probably looks excited enough for them both. He has high hopes for the verdict of this culinary venture!! ]
[ In the meantime, there is a bit of an odd sense of peace and melancholy when none of that gets interrupted. No excitable brats making a ruckus, no bazooka shells blowing out a hole in the wall, nobody getting smacked with a placard. It's just them. ]
[ But, on the bright side, it's both of them, still alive, doing well. ]
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This peace is pretty bittersweet, but at least they're not alone.
Speaking of interruptions-- It isn't really one, but Sadaharu comes in at about the same time that Gintoki puts the knife down with the handle in Zura's direction. For now, the dog only sits down next to the table to watch, as Gintoki takes a spoonful of the cake and puts it in his mouth. ]
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[ And, well. If it's lack of peace he wants, he has certainly made the right choice. ]
Ah. [ Katsura regards Sadaharu as he slowly cuts himself a slice -- much smaller than Gintoki's, of course, he's mostly doing this for company though he is also curious if it came out as well as he hoped -- and glances toward Gintoki. ] Should I get a third plate?
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Guess you better or he might swallow the whole thing.
[ Now, shh, he's eating. ]
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...That is a fair observation.
[ He gets a plate, puts a generous slice of cake on it, and pushes it toward the edge of the table closest to Sadaharu. ]
There you go, Sadaharu-dono. It's nice to have you here for the joyous occasion of celebrating your owner.
[ He does apparently expect the giant puppy to eat with them rather than on the floor. ]
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[ Sure, Sadaharu easily reaches the table but-- Really? Gintoki leans over to take the plate and put it down, but before he gets that far the dog leans in and takes the whole slice in one bite.
Well.
Great, he didn't topple the table. ]
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[ Still talking to the dog... ]
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[ S T O P ]
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[ UNSHAKEABLE ]
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[ Sure, tea shouldn't be a problem, but he doesn't want to find out. ]
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...Fair enough.
[ Hopefully the pup is placated by the piece of cake he got and doesn't try to swallow the rest. Katsura will volunteer to walk him if Gintoki would rather stay inside today, otherwise they can both have a pleasant walk in the park and return to rot on the couch together. Perhaps they can borrow a game console from a neighbor, otherwise it's probably going to be Annika's Heart marathon time, or whatever else Gintoki decides he wants to do. ]
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Gintoki will also come along for at least one walk, then there will be UNO and an Annika's Heart marathon. It is the perfect day, just as he predicted. It would've only been better if the brats had been here too. ]