[center][color=a2d39c][h2]Benji Graham[/h2][/color]
[b]Location:[/b] The Mighty Bean, 2B
[b]Interacting With:[/b]Connor [@Universorum], Kipper [@rougeLily][hr][/center]

[color=a2d39c]"Sorry, no change,"[/color] Benji held up his hands helplessly, [color=a2d39c]"I spent it all on [i]Playboy[/i] magazines."[/color] He grinned, pulling the wad of leftover cash out of his pocket and passing it back to Connor. [color=a2d39c]"Thanks man, I owe you one."[/color] He decided not to hang around long enough to see the drama unfolding at the non-otaku table, excusing himself to go get ready for the party. This was an awful lot of running around, he hoped Nat would at least appreciate the effort he was making. [color=a2d39c]"Hey Connor, I'll give you that other thing at the party."[/color] He glanced quickly at Eva, who was busy texting at the moment, not sure if the whole anime thing was supposed to be a surprise. Well, it was going to be now. It would look better that way anyway, if Connor gave it to her himself. [color=a2d39c]"Deuces!"[/color]

The bell rang as he pushed the door open and left. He took his time walking back up to 2B, thinking about what he should wear. Nat had said something about Mardi Gras or Saint Patrick's day, he recalled. Well he probably had something green laying around, although he guessed that wearing a Green Day T-shirt probably wouldn't cut it. That was fine, Benji liked parties and he liked costumes. Heaven knows just what kind of random shit he has laying around his room from past comic conventions.

[color=a2d39c]"Kon'nichiwa Ippitsusai-chan!"[/color] he called cheerfully upon entering the apartment and spotting Kip. He liked using Kip's given name from time to time, it was fun to say, especially since he was one of the few people who [i]could[/i] say it without stuttering. [color=a2d39c]"How was your nap?"[/color] he asked, patting his sleepy-eyed roommate on the head on his way to his room. He was kinda jealous that Kip could fall asleep at any given time, when he himself was something of an insomniac. Kipper was like a cat, he'd just curl up anywhere in a cozy spot and be dead to the world. Nice.

Taking a deep breath, Benj tried to focus on the task at hand. By now he had some idea of what he was going to wear. Now he just had to actually [i]find[/i] it. He was extremely tempted to just grab the horse mask and call it good, but it was Nat's birthday, and if there was one day he couldn't get away with a half-assed costume it was today. He'd probably bring the horse mask anyway. After thirty minutes of digging and irregular-laundry folding he finally came across the black-and-white striped skinny jeans he'd bought two years ago and worn once. It wasn't that he didn't like them (actually they made his butt look fabulous), he'd just never had another occasion to wear them. Plus he was afraid to get them dirty. He tugged them on and was pleased to discover that they still fit. He swapped the Doctor Who tee for a black V-neck and pulled a green patterned vest from the furthest hanger in his closet. He stared at himself in the full-length mirror on the back of his door, stroking his chin thoughtfully. Since he didn't have any green shoes, he opted for a pair of red Converse high-tops. Dusting off his old felt top hat, he tied a green ribbon around it and smashed it on top of his unruly hair. Perfect. 

[color=a2d39c]"Hey Kipper, how do I look?"[/color] he asked, slipping his leather jacket back on and grabbing the presents. He poked his head into Kip's room and spotted the finished painting. So [i]that[/i] was the project he'd been laboring over for so long. [color=a2d39c]"Wow! That's fantastic! Is it for Nat?"[/color] He stared awestruck for a moment, sorta wishing he could make things like that. Well, that was okay, if he was as good a painter as Kip then he didn't think he'd be quite as appreciative of his friend's creations. [color=a2d39c]"Ah, anyway, are you ready to go?"[/color]