[hr][center][color=a2d39c][h2]Benji Graham[/h2][/color]
[b]Location:[/b] 2A, then 2B, then the Bean
[b]Interacting With:[/b] Eva via text - [@Aewin], Nat - [@HushedWhispers], and everyone else in the Bean.[/center][hr]

The sound of the door opening was enough to wake Benji from his angelic slumber. He groaned, rolling over in his bed and promptly falling to the floor with a [i]thud[/i]. The jolt startled him into alertness as he realized no, he had not been in his bed, he'd been on the sofa. Not even his sofa, he realized as he stared up at the ceiling. He was in 2B, which wasn't unusual, except that he didn't really remember falling asleep on the couch. Oh well, things happen. He tried to get up but the blanket that he'd been buried under suddenly gained sentience, wrapping around his feet and tripping him, or so it seemed to Benj. He fell, this time with a much louder [i]thunk![/i]

[color=a2d39c]"Well, fuck you too, blanket,"[/color] he muttered. After freeing himself from the blanket's treacherous grasp, the smell of freshly brewed coffee lured him into the kitchen area. Spotting the used tea-bags on the counter he instantly knew it was Feliks who had made it, and he sniffed the pot suspiciously several times to make sure the guy hadn't done anything funny to it. It seemed safe enough, and so he rummaged in the cupboard for a travel mug, pouring himself a cup and then adding unholy amounts of milk and sugar. It was at this point Benj became self-aware, and realized he was still decked out in yesterday's clothes. They smelled kinda funny, sorta like a mixture of sweat, coffee, and freedom. Okay so maybe he made up the last part, the whole point being he definitely needed a shower and change. At least he wasn't hungover.

After a few sips from the cup he decided to check his phone, and almost had a mini-heart attack. [i]Crap crap crap![/i] There were three notifications. One of them reminding him it was Natalya's birthday, another one about the party, and a text from his mom. He swore under his breath, having completely forgotten about the birthday and the party. Dammit he didn't even have a present. I mean, it wasn't like he was super good friends with Nat, but still. After quickly glancing at his mom's text (aww cute, it was a picture of the family cat), he sent a new message to Eva:

[color=a2d39c][center][b]To: [u]Eva-chan ^~^[/u][/b]
nbd but i sorta forgot about Nat's party today. Hypothetically, how screwed am i if I forgot to get a present?? btw did u and Felix manage to survive last night without me? Fill me in later![/center][/color]

[color=a2d39c]"Ahhh crap..."[/color] He stumbled out the door and down the hall to his actual apartment, 2B. Well sort of his apartment anyway. He [i]usually[/i] paid his rent...sometimes, when Didi really gave him heat over it anyway. Speaking of Didi, the door of her room was open so he took a quick peek inside. There she was, crouched in front of her computer like Gollum, looking kind of ill with dark circles under her eyes. Pushing the door further open, Benj leaned on the frame and took another gulp from the cup. Too much, it burned his tongue.

[color=a2d39c]"Didi,"[/color] he said, slowly so as not to startle her, [color=a2d39c]"Were you up all night...?"[/color] the unspoken "again" hung in the air between them. It was kind of awkward. [color=a2d39c]"Um, Natalya's birthday party is today, remember? I'm just gonna hop in the shower real quick, then the bathroom's yours."[/color] 

As promised, ten minutes later Benj had vacated the bathroom. Squeaky-clean and with a towel wrapped around his waist, he waded through the piles of clothes on his bedroom floor, kicking them around to try and find some that were clean. He ended up settling for a pair of ratty old jeans and studded belt, a faded Green Day t-shirt, and his favorite black leather jacket which was so worn in it felt like his own skin. Then he changed his mind, opting for a Doctor Who tee and a dark blue flannel shirt with the sleeves cut off instead, and then the jacket over that. He grabbed a handful of rubber wristbands at random, the kind you get for free at concerts and stuff with little inspirational phrases on them, and slid them on until he had about half-a-dozen crisscrossing his forearms. Pushing his still-damp hair out of his face, he tied a bandanna around his head to keep it that way. Running a hand over his week-old scruffled chin, he decided against shaving. Too late, he already had clothes on. Last of all he tugged on the pair of scuffed-up motorcycle boots that he almost always wore. Heading out into the common room, he checked his phone again, mind racing as he wondered how he was gonna come up with a halfway-decent last minute gift. And good lord, he needed more coffee.

[color=a2d39c]"I'm going down to the Bean!"[/color] he called to Didi. But when he got to the Bean, the sound of the bell as the door opened might has well have been chiming his funeral. [i]Oshit, she's here![/i] The fact that it looked like Dom and Tas had already given her presents only made him panic more internally. He froze, but it was too late to run away, the door had already announced his presence to the whole room.

[color=a2d39c]"Buenos dios amigos!"[/color] he called, plastering a cheesy grin on his face and trotting over to the table. [color=a2d39c]"Oh, and happy birthday Nattie! I'm psyched for the party, it's going to be awesome! Plus I got you something totally cool that will blow your freakin' mind, I can't wait to show you!"[/color]

[i]I am the worst.[/i] He glanced at his phone, still grinning. [i]Dammit Eva, where are you? I am digging my own grave over here.[/i]