🎉 [ birthday event adopt ] chocolate & vanilla

[elf_of_the_hollow]

hiya! hope you're all having a lovely day ^^
I'm extending this comp another week, so the new end date is march 1st @ rollover!

[khvoxtic]

┌─────────────────┐
Username: khvoxtic +323740
Kalon Name: Keyton

Username: justamindset +695530
Kalon Name: Hemlocke

✦ Our Form ✦
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[elf_of_the_hollow]

hi everyone! I realize there's been a bit of confusion so just to clarify-
this is open until tomorrow! as of this post you have about 23 hours to make any finishing touches you need ^^

[gojo]

username + id: gojo ✦ 412507
kal name: Alexander Langley [vanilla]

username + id: fūi ✦ 756238
kal name: Sullivan [chocolate]

prompt:

" Five minutes, sir. "

The escort leaned back, his gaze hidden by black sunglasses. They stood statuesque behind him, only their eyes moved scanning the room. It was truly unnecessary, but appreciated. Never know what criminal deeds and crimes could be conducted right before your eyes. And before him was...the biggest crime of them all.

Alexander sat behind 3 inch bullet proof glass, glaring with all the fury and hate that 8 years could harvest. His hair and beard have grown, his yellow eyes hardened. Sullivan could tell his partner was fighting to urge to punch through the glass and grab him by the throat. And while Sullivan wouldn't mind his familiar touch...the thought of perishing before he could explain why things happened the way they did made him upset.

"I'm relieved to see you doing....well, Alex. I know that it's been some time and there are many details to dig into."
" Some time? Some time?? It's been 2,921-!" Alex began to rise up, but quickly regained composure. He sunk into his chair, holding the phone between his shoulder and cheek. "It's been eight years Sully. I was told I wouldn't even see the next meal rotation, but then a week passed, and then a month, and then anniversaries and then birthday and THEN- " Another shaky sigh.

Sullivan could try to look composed and calm and collected...but his heart twisted and tore. He had known it wouldn't have been just a day in here, or even a week. He hadn't wanted to scare Alex...or maybe he hadn't wanted to ruin the plan.

"Alex..." His voice was soft into the phone, and as he leaned forward, his fingertips touched the glass. He didn't care what would happen if the guard scolded him. Sullivan would have him lose his job on the spot if it came to it. The past years he had worked hard, made sure every mistake was fixed, every connection was used, accumulated profit, gain, wealth, influence, power. And it was all thanks to Alexander, and finally...now..

"I couldn't let another birthday pass. I managed to get your favorite flavor...but couldn't convince them enough to get me a light....so, " Sullivan smirked, and watched as his second henchmen came in with a colourful buttercream cake. " I brought my own."

Now it was a familiar look on Alexander's face. The annoyed smirk, the ' really? ' eyes. Ah yes, this is the reaction Sullivan had wanted, not the look of betrayal from before.
"I made it especially for you, after all these years...you still hold the key to my heart~" Sullivan made a cheeky smile, and he could have sworn he heard one of the henchmen behind him laugh.

"Happy Birthday, Alex. "

Report: February 5th, 1949,

Alexander Langley has been incarcerated.




7. That's how many days he had been in here for, but taking the fall was hardly a worry. He knew he wouldn't be here for long, the two of them made a promise. Cunning criminals, but even closer friends. He almost laughs to himself at the word, wondering if friends was really what their closeness could be called. He was sure Sullivan would figure something out and have him out of here before long.

They were partners, after all.







2,921. That is how many days he's been counting. Nothing etched into the walls or the floor; these numbers sat in his head and festered. His trial was open and shut, and right about now—2,921 days into his 29,220 day prison sentence—he was wishing he had taken that damn plea deal. Now he had to rely on something (or someone) much worse.

In just a few hours, it will be day 2,922. He didn't need a calendar to know what day it would be. Gone were the days of bitter resentment towards his old partner as his head had recently been full of numbers, but now the characters were scattered in his brain in the wake of a man named Sullivan. He had grown accustomed to the silence from him by day 553, and the past 2,369 days had been going fine before he appeared with a cake. It wasn't even his favorite flavor, damn him.

His face, the subtle wrinkles that formed under his eyes, the way his hair had grown silkier and way past what it had been before Alex had been locked away. He hated the fact that under all that resurfacing hatred, there was an undeniable fondness that pulled at his mind.

He came back for you.

He hushed the childish voice of hopefulness in an instant, seizing and spitting the key out into his hand. He nearly begins to tremble staring at the thing, thoughts of being free after so many days, months, years—No. Stay calm. Over the years, he's memorized every single one of the guards' patterns, down to every individual break. There's one blind spot for the next 4 minutes and 35 seconds. That was why he used to be the strategist, his keen mind and knack for memorization was unmatched. But he couldn't catch himself reminiscing about the past, he had to try this key that apparently took years to get a negative of and make. Whatever.

With tentative hands and a wandering gaze down the hall, he lines the key up with the hole and twists it with a click.

Sullivan had figured it out. Happy birthday to him.



Report: February 5th, 1957,

Inmate 13456-038, Alexander Langley, has escaped and was last seen on February 5th, 10:38 pm in his cell. All personnel are to search for him immediately.

[fui wrote for Sullivan [art : sketch / colour]
[gojo wrote for Alexander [ art: line / shade / details ]

[Maringue]

Chocolate

username + id: Maringue 677846
kal name: Moose

Vannila

username + id: captain dude 1003555
kal name: Cannoli

prompt:

Bodie | Lav

Moose laced up his shoes, letting out a little nervous exhale as he did it. For an introvert to plan a party, let alone one that kind of terrified him, was a big step. But he could just picture the joy on Cannoli’s face with everyone there and with all the music pumping loud to celebrate her special day, but rest, did it have to be roller skating? Sure it was the trend these days and the rink ran unbelievable deals on Fridays (which was coincidentally the exact date of Cannoli’s big day), but the stinging memory of breaking his wrist was seared into his mind and fears all too well. Ouch. That was still all too fresh. He could just picture himself still taking that tumble, the excruciating pain as his dad drove the pickup to the hospital, and the clunkiness of the cast. It seemed all too likely for the same thing to happen on roller skates. Moose wasn’t exactly the most graceful sometimes.

He shoved the cutesy invites into his messenger bag. How was he going to give these out at school and not look weird? The tight end of the football team giving out the tiny little neon envelopes made from custom paper and stickers. Yeah, right. He swallowed his pride and started the drive to school. Pulling into the parking lot, Moose caught a quick glimpse of Cannoli waving at him as she walked in. He waved back. Cannoli was always in his corner. She was the first to sign his cast when he broke his wrist, the one who picked him up when he was stuck after carpooling to team parties that ended up being awkward, and the one who helped him with his physics homework after long hours at practice.
He walked up to the school, spotting Cannoli’s friends, comprised of a few dance and song leaders, the president of the film club, and half the student government, chatting in the hall. Geez. Approaching girls. This was like one of his nightmares.
“Hey… guys… so I was planning a party for Cannoli, like a surprise party, yknow? I know she’s been getting really into roller skating, so, uh, I was thinking of doing like a skate party if you’d want to…”
He just awkwardly shoved the invitations in their direction.
“Oh, thanks, Moose,” Iavier said, taking one of the envelopes and passing the others to the rest. “We’ll be there. Oh! And I’ll bring the cameras too; I think it’d be fun to capture her reaction when she sees it!”
“Uh, thanks, guys,” he said, trying not to smile too awkwardly.

The week flew by as Moose hurriedly tried to get everything ready for the party.
He ordered the cake (check): her favorite, buttercream with strawberry chocolate filling.
He bought all the decorations (check), streamers, the big 16 balloon, and party hats.
One of his friends from the team, Bodie, offered to DJ and somehow managed to talk the rink owner into letting him play all her favorite songs (check).
All that was left was a present. A record player? No… she already had one. A new stack of records? Maybe not; she was somewhat picky. Clothes? He could never remember her size. More books? She borrowed from the library. She was so tough to shop for! He’d find something at the mall while he was grabbing pizzas on the way to the party.
No such luck. He felt himself panicking a bit as he realized it meant he’d be going to the party empty-handed. Cannoli was so good at getting gifts for others; he really wanted to get her something just as nice. Hmm…
He bit his lip and made a quick impulse purchase. Thirty dollars later and he had a decent gift. He was sure she’d like it, right?
“Hey, can I use your phone?” He asked the rink owner. He dialed the number and it felt as if he waited forever for the phone to ring.
“Hey, who is this?”
“Oh, hi, it’s Moose. Hey, any chance you can pick me up at the roller rink at the mall? My dad dropped me off but he can’t pick me up to bring me home. Any chance you mind giving me a lift?”
“Oh, sure! I’ll be there in 20!”
The twenty minutes felt like hours. He was so antsy, he was crawling out of his skin. Seeing Cannoli walk in only intensified it. His only thought was “I hope she likes it.” She gave him a wave, walking over to him.
“Are you ready to head out?” She asked
“Well, actually, no,” Moose said. “We’re actually kinda here to celebrate you. Surprise…”
He gestured to all her friends behind him.
“Oh my gosh! Moose! No one’s ever done anything like this for me, ever!”
She began to tear up. She hugged him so tightly it hurt.
“Oh, this is also for you,” he said, pressing the gift into her paws.
She opened the box, eyes widening in excitement.
“Oh, Moose! This… this is just what I’ve always wanted! I… this, this is the best birthday ever. Thank you, thank you all so much!”
Inside the box was a pair of brand-new roller skates in holographic fabric with gorgeous rainbow laces and pastel purple wheels. She started putting them on as Bodie shoved a pair of rental skates in Moose’s paws.
As he laced up his skates, euphoric from the mutual excitement of his best friend, he realized that any vestige of worry had burned off. Skating wasn’t easy (truth be told, he clung to the wall like a half-drowned rat to a life raft) but watching Cannoli glide across the rink, spinning and turning with ease, made it all worth it. By the end, he was proficient enough to line skate with her and the rest of their friends. And now seeing how happy she was, fears of breaking his wrist again were the furthest thing from his mind.

[squeegi]

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xxxxxxxxxxxchocolate!
xiuser & id: cherubim + 724098
xikalon name: vance
xxxxxxxxxxxx[writing!!]
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┌─────────(🍰)─────────┐
xxxxxxxxxxxvanilla!
xiuser & id: squeegi + 929095
xikalon name: toast
xxxxxxxxxxxx[art!!]
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[1000/1000]



Were it up to Vance, birthday celebrations wouldn’t exist.

He really wasn’t too fond of the fanfare that came with celebrations, let alone the set up and subsequent clean up that followed it. That, and he really only had one friend who would come to such a celebration — Toast, who miraculously shared a birthday with him. While Vance had never bothered to celebrate his own birthday, he always felt obligated to do something for Toast, whether it be a full-fledged party or a simple meal together. The blonde kalon deserved that, at the very least.

It was a week before their shared birthday when Vance realised he hadn't made any plans for Toast’s celebration. It had been quite the tough year for the two of them; work had served them nothing but troubles, which was odd considering Vance worked at a museum — it had barely any risk with it. Sure, he was a security guard, but the only real threat he had ever dealt with was kalons ignoring the boundaries set around the relics. Somehow, though, every day brought a new struggle, and with how the staff shortages were, Vance was picking up the slack (with no extra pay, of course). If he wasn't escorting kits away from the fossils, he was fixing a leak in the staffroom — they should call him Handiman Vance at this point.
Regardless, the stress that the museum had placed on Vance was enough for him to bypass months without taking notice of dates, which inevitably led him to this point. What was he to do about Toast’s birthday? It’d be too late to take a trip anywhere, and he wasn't quite sure he’d be able to afford such a thing anyway, but a small get-together seemed too shallow, too lazy. His eyes glazed over as he stared out his kitchen window, watching as the birds flitted in his garden. All this thinking was too much for his work-torn brain, he decided, getting up to make himself a cup of tea. With his mug in his paws, Vance was struck with a sudden epiphany — Toast loved the museum, and it just so happened that Vance was able to get in after hours. A sleepover in the museum was sure to knock Toast’s socks off! That way Vance wouldn't have to invite anyone else either, it’d just be the two of them. As for a gift, well, Vance will figure that out on the day.

Now, if Vance were to be completely honest with you, he would say how meaningless holding onto sentimentality was. Sure, call him boring and emotionless, but he really didn't see the point in keeping distant memories; life was a cycle, and you shed so many old things to create anew. And yet, here he was, laying out thought-out gifts in every corner of the museum. He’s not sappy, he really isn’t, but any gift he thought of really fell flat this year. Nothing ordinary seemed to be right for the occasion, and Vance had the sneaking suspicion that Toast was feeling a little put off by the lack of time they spent together. It took a while to think of it, but Vance decided on a treasure hunt that took them both through the museum, each clue a reference to their inside jokes and fond memories. By putting so much effort into a gift that recalled their friendship, he really hoped that it would make up for the year that they both had.

Clues set and gift sufficiently wrapped, Vance applauded himself for such a meticulous job; he really didn't cut any corners with this birthday. What Vance didn’t plan for, however, was for Toast to burst into the totally closed front entrance, equipped with balloons and a cake. This wasn't a breaking and entering job!

“Toast, what the hell do you think you're doing?” he asked, sighing as the blonde kal placed everything down. “You do realise I said I’d guide you in for a reason.”

“Well, yeah, but—” and in typical Toast fashion, he poked his tongue out playfully. “—Buuuut I wanted to surprise you as well! So here. Surprise!”

Defeated, Vance welcomed Toast’s hug and gave up any semblance of a plan for the treasure hunt. He supposed it would be fine to ad-lib it for now. “I appreciate your thought, Toast, but you know I’m not too fussed on celebrating my birthday. I planned this for you, bud.”

“I know…” Toast trailed off, pulling away from Vance and kicking at the floor. “But still, let me at least acknowledge it!”

Choosing to chuckle in response, Vance patted Toast’s shoulder before directing the other kal to the left. “I appreciate that, so thank you Toast.” He paused, practically pushing the blonde towards the gift shop. “But I’d like to get to the present I have for you now.”

Toast perked up, looking around the gift shop excitedly. “Do I get to pick whatever I want from here?!”

“No! No—” Vance choked out, “It doesn't involve the items in the gift shop, Toast, geeze.”

“Well what is my gift then, Vance? Is it just looking at everything here?” Toast paused, tapping his paw against his chin. “Not that I’d be upset with that! Just… seems weird to me.”

Sighing yet again, Vance walked over to the counter and pointed at a pink post-it note, stuck to the back of the register. “Read this.”

Thus began the two’s journey through the museum — Vance pointing out every fossil, every art piece, every area that had some semblance of meaning to them. He had expected Toast to get a little misty eyed, possibly a little choked up, but by the end of Vance’s impromptu tour, the kal’s cheeks were sufficiently tear-stained. Especially so once Vance had given his gift — a refurbished version of the beaded bracelets Toast had made for them at the very beginning of their friendship. Vance wasn't the best with birthdays, but for Toast, he would be.

[Flowerlily]

usernames + ids: Flowerlily - 279725, NightFlame22 - 239829
kal names: Chocolate Kal: Celinda, Vanilla Kal: Fen
prompt:

Oh no. Oh, oh no. No, no, no.

This can't be happening.

There's still some time, right? Maybe they could-

Knock knock knock.

----

It had started out so well. Fen had gotten up extra early to get everything prepped, from the decorations to the desserts. Colorful streamers snaked around the back of each chair, tied neatly in a big bow right at the seat. Party hats were scattered around the room in strategic locations so no matter where you were, it'd be easy to grab one. A sweet smell wafted through the entire house as the cake baked, promising warm deliciousness for all who might enjoy it.

The balloons were taking them some time, though. It'd been tricky to get the helium to fill them, and now that they had it, the process wasn't going all that smoothly. Just as they'd nearly finished one, it'd pop off the nozzle and go flying around the room until it fell unceremoniously on the floor, deflated. Then they'd have to start all over again.

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

The sound of the oven timer startled Fen so much that yet another colorful floaty projectile soared through the air, smacking against Choco's cage before hitting the ground. Her nap rudely interrupted, the old parrot squawked and flapped her wings several times before deciding that, after no more harassment, she was fine.

They sighed in relief once Choco settled down. They'd inherited the bird from their late great-aunt, and she could be just as stubborn and ornery as her previous owner. At least for now, they could focus on the cake. It wasn't the first time they'd baked, but since it was a special occasion, they'd decided to try something incredibly ambitious: a three-tiered vanilla and strawberry marble cake with a bit of jam in between the layers.

With the cakes - beautifully golden brown - on the cooling racks, they switched gears to start working on the frosting. Making everything from scratch had seemed like a great idea at first, but now they were starting to worry. Would they have enough time to finish everything? They still had to finish blowing up the balloons, set the table, wrap the gift...

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!" Choco's singing was loud enough to hear from the other room. They'd had the brilliant idea to teach her as a surprise for Celinda - you might not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, but no one said anything about old parrots - and Choco had taken to it remarkably well. There was just one problem.

"Cookie!" Oh boy. She'd started to sing without being prompted, and yet she still demanded a reward for her trick. "Cookie! Cookie!" Fen could hear the bars of the cage rattle a bit as Choco presumably was having one of her tantrums.

"Ah, uh, not right now Choco!" They call out, their voice a bit panicked. Their paws were covered in sugar and butter and food coloring for the frosting, and they couldn't take their eyes off the mixer in case it decided to get a mind of its own. If she could just wait a few more minutes-

"Cookie! Choco cookie! Good bird Choco cookie!" The rattling kept getting louder and louder, until suddenly it stopped. They knew better than to hope that she had calmed down, but they still weren't expecting her to come rushing in, a screeching blur of feathers and fury, rampaging through the kitchen like a bat out of hell. Dishes flew through the air, some still covered in cake batter, hitting the ground with a crash. In their haste to go catch Choco, they accidentally turned the mixer on max speed instead of turning it off, and pink frosting sprayed all over their fur before they could get it under control again.

By the time they'd tamed it, Choco had already sped into the other room. Fen ran in to see a mess of shredded streamers as the half-blind bird tore at anything she could find in order to get her desired treat. A futile chase ensued, them clumsily trying to catch her as she always seemed to stay just out of reach. How could an old bird fly so fast?

It wasn't until they tripped over an upturned chair, their toes throbbing painfully as they fell to the ground with a thud, that they finally gave in. A quick trip to the kitchen and back, and they had the precious cookie in their paws. They turned to Choco and held it up high so she could see it clearly. "Look, Choco! Cookie!" The parrot squawked indignantly and practically threw herself at them, eagerly biting at the treat before they could let go. "Ow! Ow, okay! Come on, let's get you back to your home."

Fen turned around after returning Choco to her cage and looked in dismay at the once-festive room. Any hope they’d had of cleaning everything up evaporated when they heard the doorknob turn. As the door opened, all they could do was stand - fur covered in frosting, bits of paper, feathers, and goodness knows what else - and give a tiny, awkward wave as Celinda stared wide-eyed at the house. “Uh… surprise?”

Celinda shook her head slightly and gave a small chuckle. “I’m certain what we salvage will still taste delicious – now where’s a broom? I’ll help you clean this up.”

[elf_of_the_hollow]

hi everyone! results are in :D and I definitely didn't keep forgetting to judge this bc it wasn't in my gallery T^T

first of all, I'm handing out HMs to the following users:

_silentsiren_ / 804746 & Sei It / 425119
khvoxtic / 323740 & justamindset / 695530
Maringue / 677846 & captain dude / 1003555
cherubim / 724098 & squeegi / 929095
Flowerlily / 279725 & NightFlame22 / 239829
all of your entries were absolutely fantastic! you all made it so difficult to choose the winners :'D

and, without further ado, our winners are going to be gojo / 412507 & fūi / 756238! even before I had a chance to read your story, the art instantly caught my attention - and the writing didn't disappoint! I was so intrigued by the dynamic between the characters. their whole situation made me so curious to know more! take good care of alexander & sullivan! ^^
(and, if you need any other refs than the ones already on here, just let me know! I'll be happy to send them over)

[gojo]

YOOOOOO THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!! me and fui were HYPEEEE FOR THIS cuz its our first time doing a partner comp N WE FINALLY DID IT SO WE'RE HYPEEEE THANK YOUUUU

[fūi]

SUPER LATE but thank you so much!! I look forward to developing these two with gojo and we also read everyone else’s entries and enjoyed them !! Good job everyone 😫🙌✨ and thank you again elf of the hollow !!