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“Well, what am I doin’ here? You didn’t give me a single reason!” Kled questioned. He was sat down in front of their living room table, surprisingly ridden of its inhabiting objects. Kled swiped his arms across the table, feeling the empty space. “Pfffff… it feels weird how clean you made it. Theres… too much space.” Kled couldn’t what Heimerdinger was doing behind the wall that stood behind him, only hearing the various sounds of clicking utensils and what seemed like the turning of gears. “You ain’t cookin’ for us today, right? I ain’t trustin’ in your cookin’, so whatever it is, it ain’t goin’ down my sarcophagus or whatever the damn thing is that food goes through.”
“Please, Kled, be patient! I’ve got something extraordinary for your special day. It’s not an easy process for something as elaborate as what I have.” Kled continued to hear more sounds, leaving the vision to his imagination. Click, click, click… maybe a music box, or somethin’? Fffft, Fffft… maybe cuttin’. He could only imagine a little machine that cooks and cuts bread, whatever that would have to do with him. Eh, it is Piltover… maybe Cecil’s just doin’ innovation or whatever. Piltover is always buildin’ shit, right? They’s the city of progress. They’re always engineerin’ and buildin’ and meldin’ and torchin’ and-
“Okay, Kled! Close your eyes, I’m coming over!” Kled straightened up his back and immediately closed his eyes, hands bunched in his lap. Cecil peeked his head around the corner, making sure he wasn’t seen, secretly flashing a grin when he was able to. He held down the button on the side of his portable film camera (made on his own, to add) and the tape inside rattled inside as it spun. His body quickly snaked around the wall and he slowly made his way forward. “Now, I know you always cook breakfast for us in the morning, and it’s always something new every day…” Kled smirked at his accomplishment.
“Haha, yeah. I suuure do.” Sure, he was just cycling through the same 5 dishes, but it’s nice to be seen.
“And I admire it thoroughly, even if sometimes your cooking can be a little too… extreme, I suppose. Your hospitality shines through, and I find that to be something I’m lucky to have in a person.” Kled was flattered. He smiled a bit and let open a silenced chuckle.
“Cec, you don’t gotta flatter me like that. It’s too much.”
“Well, I’ve got every day to show you my love. Every variable of my life that tries to crush my soul as if it were a mere ant amongst an oncoming wave of hail is denied when I’m with you. You are the missing part of my life, one that would’ve been plagued by dullness and that ominous, unwavering worry of every macabre thought I have. You help me appreciate life. And I want to celebrate just that. Yours, specifically.”
“...What, my thoughts of death?”
“No, no. Your life. I should just say this already, so… open your eyes!” Kled opened his eyes to see a double-tiered cake painted in a light yellow and blue frosting, topped with shaved chocolate and a row of wax candles that Cecil made himself. Together they read: “1000+”, a guesstimation of Kled’s age. In Cecil’s other hand was an odd box-shaped tool with a large circle resembling an eye, which was sat upon another odd mechanical object. Kled gasped in surprise.
“Huh, I guess it is my birthday… Wait, oh my god, Cec! You can bake? This looks delicious, shit!” He stood up on his knees to admire the cake. “And you brought me a…” He squinted at the machines. “…What is that?”
“Huh…? Oh, yeah! This is what I’d like to call my ‘V-0 Film Unravel CM Rainbow’. But, I’m liking the name ‘camera’. It lets me record everything as if someone were watching us. I saw Caitlyn with a gadget like this and I just needed to get my hands on it and upgrade it, I suppose.”
“Uhhh… yeah, cool.” Kled smiled uncomfortably, not exactly sure what he was talking about.
“Oh, wait wait! I need to show you one more thing!” Cecil quickly placed the cake on the table, being careful not to let it topple over. He picked the camera off from the other object and carefully placed it in his coat pocket. The other gadget sat gently in his palms, closed up like a flower before it blooms. “This right here isn’t nearly as technically complex, but I find it quite lovely myself. Just a little thing I made for you.” He placed the globeish metal thing in front of Kled. “Go on, observe.” Kled looked all around the gadget, carefully inspecting.
“Hm… yep, it sure is a… thing!”
“No, look. The button.” Cecil carefully hovered his finger over the small pin-sized button located on the side of the gadget.
“Oh, alright.” Kled placed his hands firmly on both sides of the box, and bent his finger down to the button to press it with his nail. Slowly, the knob began to turn, making a ticking noise as it rotated. The petals of the box began to rise, revealing small lights bedazzled all across the underside. On the inside of the box… two doves. Each flying in a circle, seeming to chase each others’ tail. Seeming so eager to be close, but at the same time, already holding each other together as the gears spun and turned them around in circles. The thing was hypnotizing to Kled. His eyes were wide, leaning into the sight to see every intricate movement the doves made. It was a little rickety, seeming to snap into place every so often, but it was precious. Every imperfection only made the thing more beautiful.
Tick, tick, tick… so much time has passed. So many days have been spent with Cecil. Every day seems to be better than before. Every good thing has led to greater things. Every bad day was resolved with a day of healing and care.
Tick, tick, tick… it’s peace. Peace to live such a great life. Such a life with such a guy. A guy who understands what words are coming out of his mouth, even if they’re nothing but gibberish. Like a language only lovers can understand.
Tick, tick, tick… is it luck? Was he lucky to be with Cecil? No, it wasn’t luck. This was their life, and he knew it was set in stone. A life he wouldn’t ever trade for anything else. A simple one. A perfect one.
Tick, tick, tick…
Slowly, the lights dimmed, and the doves came to a stop. Kled’s eyes lingered on it for a while longer before looking back up to Heimerdinger.
“I love you, Cecil.”