fourteen years have come and gone | open, birthday

[eloise e.]

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[I][b]Curiouser and
curiouser     

[B][I]Shines with a light thats rare

[Takes place on February 14th]

Today was her fourteenth birthday, and valentines day. Most people would probably be more concerned with the latter holiday. She didn't remember letting it slip it was her birthday in her tired state last night, so as far as she was concerned nobody was aware of her birthday. Eloise had gotten dressed: a dress and leggings. She tied on her boots, grabbed her coat and exited her room. She would try to sneak by everyone to go to the barn, like she usually did.

She wasn't social with the others in Flintlock to the point where if anyone knew her she was rather surprised. El was pretty sure they knew her purely because she hid out in the barn, which was understandable since she had to make sure Dipper and Mable were okay. It was similar to when she lived on that farm, she liked taking care of the animals. Her brother taught her to ride a horse, her mom let her take care of the baby animals, and her dad helped the few other dads around the farm. The calves sort of made her feel home or at least, comfortable.

Upon being caught trying to sneak by, she'd freeze and slowly look towards whoever caught her. Her jacket was still in her hands, not yet on.

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[tomorrow]

JUST STANDING WAITING FOR THE PUNCHES

Tomorrow knew that he didn't know everyone in the Lodge; it'd been kind of unnerving at first, but nowadays it was fairly standard. He knew his place, and he knew that meant looking out for other people, especially the younger population of the Lodge.

He noticed a girl attempting to sneak out, coat still in hand. Normally he wouldn't have stopped her, but something about how she was sneaking around made him think he probably shouldn't let her leave, at least not on her own. He vaguely remembered last night he'd heard that girl mention today was her birthday, which made the sneaking off a bit more curious.

"Where're you off to?" Tomorrow asked, forcing a small, hopefully reassuring smile.

[HAYLEY]

[align=center][div style="width: 430px; text-align: justify; font-family: calibri; font-size: 8pt; color: black; line-height: 22px;"]☁  hayley hadn't been anything like eloise at fourteen. the girl was shy and timid, a teenager and yet so unmistakbly innocent and child like. when she'd been fourteen, she'd already been able to hold her alcohol and regularly made out with boys who's names she could even be bothered to know. she'd acted like you might expect a girl her age to act, and perhaps in another life she would have been in high school at that age, sneaking into senior parties and schemeing to get an invitation to the junior prom. but, she'd been born into an entirely different life, one where, by the time she'd turned fourteen, she knew how to disarm most grown men, and how to swing to break a nose. by the time she'd been fourteen, she'd already raised herself, and she acted as her own guardian.

of course, hayley was half relieved that eloise was a seemingly mild young girl, because truth be told, hayley wasn't sure if she could even stand to be in the same room as her fourteen year old self. tough and flirtatious as she'd been, she'd also been stubborn and possessed a confidence she hadn't earned in her brief time alive. she was only twenty-three, but she was a hell of a lot more mature than she'd been. mature enough to lead a group and raise a child and get married. but today wasn't about how intolerable she'd been at eloise's age. and, as much as she was tempted for it to be, it wasn't about valentines day (though jackson had spent the entire morning trying to convince her not to get out of bed, and damn she'd been tempted). no, it was, at least for the few hours before they had to saunter on over to the badlands for some party, about eloise, and the day that only came once a year for her. though her own birthday was on an insignificant date (in three days, in fact), hope shared a birthday with the christmas holiday, and hayley was determined for hope to still have a special birthday despite the holiday, and she intended for the exact same for eloise.

she caught word that the girl had emerged from her room and hayley, who'd been up all night in the kitchen trying to figure out how to make a cake, quickly darted out of the kitchen, panting by the time she approached the teenager. ❝happy birthday,❞ she told the girl with a smile, wiping her flour covered hands on her pants, leaving white handprints on the black fabric, and motioning over her shoulder, ❝i, uh, attempted to make a cake with what little flour i've got left. there's a valentines party over in the badlands tonight, so we can't really do cake tonight, but cake for breakfast every now and then isn't that bad for you.❞ she said with a small smile. however, she quickly reminded herself that eloise didn't seem like someone who really bathed in attention, so she cleared her throat. ❝we don't have to, like, sing or anything if it'll make you uncomfortable. but you have to have a slice with everyone.❞

[eloise e.]

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Curiouser and
curiouser     

[B][I]Shines with a light thats rare

[b]"The barn" her reply to Tomorrow was quiet, more similar to how a young child may reply to something than a teen. She was the most unteen like teen when it came to her personality. Not for anything that can be explained, but that was just how she was. It was how she always had been really. 

Hayley startled her a bit, but the mention of her birthday brought a small smile to her face. "Thank you" she replied, though curious on how Hayley knew it was her birthday due to not recalling anytime she mentioned it (other than when she was tired, but she didn't remember that). At the mention of cake, Eloise looked a little surprised "Y-You made me a cake?" the last cake she had was one her mother made which seemed like a lifetime ago. [i]❝we don't have to, like, sing or anything if it'll make you uncomfortable. but you have to have a slice with everyone.❞ "Okay" she said quietly, turning so she wasn't facing the direction of the door. She could go to the barn after.

"You guys can sing...i-if you want. I don't mind"

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