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Or at birthday parties such as they were hosting tonight.
Harden went into the kitchen so that he could begin assembling fruit and cheese and meat. They would put the yellow rings on the tray as well and drink the bottles of what he thought might be ale while they did. Dragons often had ale with breakfast.
“May I ask, and if I am overstepping please tell me, why you do not want to have a birthday party?”
Brayden indicated the table and chairs, and he nodded so Brayden could sit. Brayden sank into a chair, staring at him. “I just feel weird about celebrating it. I’ve had a lot of birthdays, and I’m still adjusting to living here. Does that make sense?” A low chuckle sounded. “I’m not sure it makes sense to me, so how could it to you?”
“I can see where that would be odd.” He was willing to ponder this fact. “The day of your birth was long ago, and you do not remember it, but it is nice to know that your friends wish to celebrate the cycle of the suns with you. Celebrate that you have been together for another spring, another summer, another autumn, another winter, and that there is hope that you will do that again. Is that more pleasant?”
Harden thought it was pleasant. He did understand birthday parties were for children normally, and many times, adults celebrated their birthing day with a flagon of ale or a favorite meal. “Obviously, you have people who care about you very much.”
“I do and I love them. I’m going to come to this party, and I’m going to be nice, because I do appreciate that. but it doesn’t stop me from feeling cringe.”
He’d heard this term before, just cringe. Apparently at the time Brayden had left the human world, it meant something that was not a thing which made people proud.
“And I will come because I am glad it is your birthday, and you’re my friend.”
“I am?” Brayden beamed at him then. “Thank you for that.”
“Of course you are. I like you very much, Brayden. I showed you my winged horse baby before I even had a name for her.”
“True.”
“Let us go and sit on the balcony so we may watch the animals.”
His bwostfal always made him proud, and they seemed to make Brayden smile. He loved to see Brayden’s eyes crinkle up, his lips move in an upward curl.
“You’re obviously really good with them. They all seem to like you.”
Of course he was good with them. It was his job. “I have had a few now and again that were not happy here, but I allowed them to go to other places where they would be more satisfied.”
“Oh? You just…let them go?”
“Of course. Everything deserves to be happy. You see some, like yesiri, only want to be by themselves. The same with ciucui — some don’t like others of their kind—”
“Until I came here, I’d never seen a three-headed dog before.”
Harden tilted his head and blinked. “Really?”
“There are myths about them, yes, but this is totally different.”
“They are exceptional protectors, you know. They’re always watching.”
“They’re amazing.”
“They are. And every legend has a basis in fact, does it not? Perhaps word of them got across to your old world somehow.”
“There does seem to be a bit of crossover.”
They sat and he grabbed one of the crunchy things Brayden had brought. “What is this?”
“It’s a Funyun. It’s an onion flavored snack. You have to try it.”
“I like crunchy snacks.” Harden snapped it down, finding it salty and bright and crunchy and amazing. “These are good. I like these.”
Brayden grinned at him. “I do too. I used to eat these and olives and think it was the most wonderful thing in the world.”
“I’ve had these olives. They’re pickled, brined, salty, sour. Tyr likes them very much. Pickles more than anything, but he liked those too when he was having Melissa.”
