It was about the fourth or fifth time that Chachan had peered out the doorway of his smithy, his attention drawn from his work from the sounds of something going on beyond his little room at the Still Shore. He was usually not this attentive to such things, but his work focus was understandably dulled given the date; one's namesday only comes once a cycle, after all. He had been distracted all day - and even the suns prior - as he went about his errands in Ul'dah and lending a hand at the smithing guilds in Limsa. Waiting, expecting some manner of celebration of this great event.
Not just the fact that it was his namesday - though he felt an eager twinge in his gut just thinking about it - but that it was his 18th. Not that many knew or would likely even believe such a thing - he had been presenting his age as 19 for moons now in an attempt to be taken more seriously than his childish demeanor implied. However, with his new focus on attempting to act more mature and appropriate for the heir of the Gegenji family, hitting the big one-eight held much more significance than it might ever had otherwise.
The thought of that brought to mind another musing: did... did mature teenagers and young adults still have namesday parties? That's why he had been so eager and jumpy the past couple suns - expecting at any minute for his friends to leap out from some undisclosed hiding place and shower him with well-wishes and gifts. Or, at least, something a bit grander than last cycle's.
The latter brought a deflated droop to the edges of the Lalafell's lips, risking to mar his freckled features with a childish pout. His first namesday away from home - away from his family. Still struggling to make ends meet while living out of the Hourglass, the only sign of celebration being the cupcake left for him in his room by Ms. Momodi. How she had learned of such a thing would forever been a mystery to little Chachanji, but the act had both warmed his heart and brought lonely tears to those violet orbs of his. It was one of the few times he had felt truly... apart and alone.
Maybe that's why he was so excited, so eager this time around. Much had happened since then - he had met many new friends and found himself a new home with the Free Company of Coral. He had been crushed by the razing of his homeland and relieved anew to find his family alive and well. He had found, confronted, and hopefully turned his elder brother away from the destructive path he had set himself upon. Hells, he had even gotten himself a girlfriend for a few solid moons' worth of time - though he was still somewhat uncertain how that had happened.
And yet here he sat, clinging to his door frame like a hopeful baby spider, peering out at an empty hallway. Whatever had caused the noise was gone - no shouts of surprise or sweet smell of a freshly baked namesday cake to greet him - just like all the times before. And that left the Lalafell with a tightness in his chest that he forced himself to swallow away. It was fine, it was okay - he was supposed to be the mature heir to the Gegenji line now. He didn't need a namesday party, he reminded himself as he returned to the forge with slow, heavy footfalls.
... No matter how much he really wanted one.
Not just the fact that it was his namesday - though he felt an eager twinge in his gut just thinking about it - but that it was his 18th. Not that many knew or would likely even believe such a thing - he had been presenting his age as 19 for moons now in an attempt to be taken more seriously than his childish demeanor implied. However, with his new focus on attempting to act more mature and appropriate for the heir of the Gegenji family, hitting the big one-eight held much more significance than it might ever had otherwise.
The thought of that brought to mind another musing: did... did mature teenagers and young adults still have namesday parties? That's why he had been so eager and jumpy the past couple suns - expecting at any minute for his friends to leap out from some undisclosed hiding place and shower him with well-wishes and gifts. Or, at least, something a bit grander than last cycle's.
The latter brought a deflated droop to the edges of the Lalafell's lips, risking to mar his freckled features with a childish pout. His first namesday away from home - away from his family. Still struggling to make ends meet while living out of the Hourglass, the only sign of celebration being the cupcake left for him in his room by Ms. Momodi. How she had learned of such a thing would forever been a mystery to little Chachanji, but the act had both warmed his heart and brought lonely tears to those violet orbs of his. It was one of the few times he had felt truly... apart and alone.
Maybe that's why he was so excited, so eager this time around. Much had happened since then - he had met many new friends and found himself a new home with the Free Company of Coral. He had been crushed by the razing of his homeland and relieved anew to find his family alive and well. He had found, confronted, and hopefully turned his elder brother away from the destructive path he had set himself upon. Hells, he had even gotten himself a girlfriend for a few solid moons' worth of time - though he was still somewhat uncertain how that had happened.
And yet here he sat, clinging to his door frame like a hopeful baby spider, peering out at an empty hallway. Whatever had caused the noise was gone - no shouts of surprise or sweet smell of a freshly baked namesday cake to greet him - just like all the times before. And that left the Lalafell with a tightness in his chest that he forced himself to swallow away. It was fine, it was okay - he was supposed to be the mature heir to the Gegenji line now. He didn't need a namesday party, he reminded himself as he returned to the forge with slow, heavy footfalls.
... No matter how much he really wanted one.
~