i had the same feeling!!! imagine throwing a party for your whole group of adoptive siblings and other members of your found family where YOU give THEM gifts... on YOUR OWN BIRTHDAY. this boy made such a habit of pleasing and entertaining others that he can't even really celebrate his own birthday for himself 🥹🥹 and then contrast that with his birthday art where he retreated to the workshop of his late mentor to quietly open gifts by himself... i think while he can mostly be himself around his siblings, it's still a more "palatable" version of himself that's cheery and upbeat and puts other people first, and he'd rather put them in the spotlight than be in it himself (in a way that he himself didn't orchestrate, i mean). i feel like just sitting still and accepting gifts and words of affirmation from the ones he cares about would make him uncomfortable, so he prefers playing host and making sure everyone is entertained, and only after all the festivities does he take the time to pull back and reflect on his increasing age and where he's at in life... this boy is like a shark in the way that he cannot stand still for the life of him or he'll drown in his own thoughts and lose himself so he gotta move and deflect and smile and keep himself busy 🥲🥲 someone give him a hug oh my god