HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! Sweet 16, baby!!
“Happy Birthday, little one! Kufufu~” Lilia Vanrouge popped into the air in front of me. Which I would be surprising enough, even if we wasn’t upside down, like usual.
“Ah..!” My eyes widen in surprise and then soften in recognition as I put my hand over my chest. “You always do that.”
“Well, then shouldn’t you be used to it by now?” I could hear the playful smile in his voice. “Touché.” I shrug a little bit. A playfully mad frown takes over my face as I pretend to be annoyed, “Y’know I’m probably older than you, right?”
My fae friend lands right side up on the ground and puts and wraps arm around me. “Ah, but you’re still little, my dearest.” I grumble out the side of my mouth, “We’re about the same height….”
Lilia took pride in how “cute and adorable [he is], darling!” while I kinda wished a was a little taller. I always made the argument of “well, one of us needs to be able to reach the top shelf.” To which Lilia would respond by teleporting into the air to dramatically take something off and bring it to me.
“I do have a gift for you, Beasty.” My expression and voice fill with amusement and I raise an eyebrow, “What, you mean you aren’t my gift?” I smile genuinely and fiddle with his collar a moment before hugging him loosely.
Lilia laughed heartily before focusing back on talking with me. “Oh kufu,” he said while settling down, laughter still weaving its way into his voice, “I could be. I mean, if you don’t want this lovely gift I got and spent so much time on…” He put his hand over his forehead and made a big show of feeling hurt. I scoff a roll my eyes, smiling all the while. ’So melodramatic…’
“Of course I want the gift. But I want you too. I’m a greedy little thing.” I shrug in a what-can-you-do? kind of way. “Kufu~ Don’t I know it.” He lightly tapped me on the tip of my nose. “Hey… D:<“
“I’m sorry, but am I wrong?” He raised his eyebrows, begging me to deny something I first brought up. I stare at him intently for a moment and then pout a little bit and look away. “No…” He nodded soundly, “Alright then.”
“Oh, don’t pout, darling. We still have your present.” I lit up immediately, “Okay! :D” The corner of Lilia’s mouth twitched up and he thought ”T h i s is why ‘little one’”
“So what’d’ja get me?” My beloved Lilia loved all sorts of unusual things from far away, he’s very eclectic. He finds and adores things I had long forgotten about or didn’t even know existed. And he often shares those things with me.
He sombered up a little bit. “This one… is not some forgotten treasure from far away lands. Or, not the usual kind, at least…”
This peaked my interest. “Oh..?” Lilia produced a small white box with a light blue and purple ribbon trying it closed with a bow on top. And that’s another thing. Not that Lilia isn’t very thoughtful about gift giving, but he’s usually a lot more haphazard when he gets excited.
I gingerly untie the ribbon, almost afraid about whatever’s in there. Or breaking it, at least. I slowly take off the lid and look inside. What I see freezes me to the spot and after a moment of disbelief, a few tears well up in my eyes.
It wasn’t anything particularly ornate. It was lovely, don’t get me wrong, but nothing exceptional. While old and banged up, but had clearly been worked on.
It was a small music box. White, with gold trim. And small paintings of fae and fairies and magic and nature. It was beautiful. And it was mine.
No really, it was mine. It was something I had lost a long time ago. I never thought I’d see it again.
“How-“ I feel embarrassed for choking up. “How did you find this? Where did you find this? I- Y-..” I stammer for a little bit.
I known Lilia for a long time. And we weren’t always as close as we are now. I knew him when he was General Vanrouge of the Royal Guard, before the Land of Briar was known as the Briar Valley. Back when he was fighting against the Silver Owls, the invaders. Back when… when he was in love with Meleanor Draconia, the Queen of the Land of Briar.
I was something of a spy at the time. Of course I’ve worked for the Shroud family almost as long as I can remember, but I’ve never been tied down before I was sent to this school with Ortho to watch after Idia. I spent a long time traveling, and ended up in the Land of Briar.
The Silver Owls were invaders who came to the Land of Briar for resources, especially to mine the mountains.
This music box was very important to me. And I lost it a long time ago.
“It’s something of a long story… But the point is, it’s partially my fault it was lost, and now I have returned it.” Lilia had a little bit of guilt in his voice. He didn’t really care at all at the time, but I guess he’s more invested in me now.
I purse my lips despite the sweet gesture. “It wasn’t really your fault. I was the one distracted.” My voice is quiet. He was the distraction. He always was. This time in particular, he had just informed me in a beat-around-the-bush way that he didn’t love me or really want anything to do with me.
Lilia had always been about living in the moment, almost wanting to move on from the past so much he didn’t even want to talk about it. I was more sentimental. So it meant a lot he was returning this and dredging it up.
“Oh, Lilia!” I fling my arms around him and he share an appreciative and comforting hug. I bury my face in the crook of his neck. I’m not sure how long we stay like that, but I feel better by the end of it. Well enough to be playful again.
“This so tops what I got you for your birthday a few days ago.” Mine and Lilia’s birthdays are only 9 days apart. His is January 1st, mine is the 10th. Or well, he says his is the first. Truth be told, he’s been around so long he’s forgotten his birthday.
“Oh no, no, it was lovely. Really..!” He’s saying it to console me, even if he really did like it. “…. Thank you, Lilia. I love it.” I look at him, trying to convey all I feel with my eyes. He smiles, his fangs showing. “I’m glad, Angel.”
“But enough of sad things,” he gently wipes my eyes and separates us from our embrace and just taking my hand not holding my gift, “i
I have actives planned! We’re going into the city off campus to go shopping. Then we’re going to play video games in my room and gorge ourselves on junk food and soda that’ll rot our teeth and then we’ll watch one of those scary movies you love so much. Or just wing it. But I’d love nothing more than to celebrate your birthday with you.”
I try not to tear up again. I kiss his cheek. “I love you so much, Lilia.” “I love you too, my darling.” A wolfish grin takes over his expression. “But you missed!” I raise an eyebrow, “Oh?” Lilia kisses me and I get the joke. ’Sneaky old man.’ “Happy Birthday!” He leads me down away to start our adventure.
.
.
And then we kiss passionately and make out obnoxiously all over campus.
We make Idia watch at some point.
.
Later:
🍷🦇 Angel, my darling, I made birthday cake and other food!
⚜ Y-you made it?
🍷 Of course!
⚜ Oh kill me now, his cooking is always inedible