[ it's impressive how mizuki's touch almost instantaneously calms him down—he, the fierce dog who'd just recently broken free of his chains. he allows them to lower his fist without any resistance, closing his hand around theirs instead of into itself to keep himself grounded. that they can still smile like that after he'd almost punched them... god. they're so damn special. ]

I told ya as much, didn't I? Never really had much reason to ever be celebratin'.

[ ... but he drops it there, because he knows he shouldn't be gloomy today, of all days. with his free hand, he scratches his cheek a little sheepishly as his eye scans the room (lingering perhaps a little longer than expected when he sees the hat, because god, of course they would). ]

... Ya really put all this together for me?

[ yeah, it's a meager assortment of decorations and treats at a glance, but for someone who's never gotten anything like this before, period? it means the world. ]