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When Bepo wakes up on his birthday this year, he is excited. He can still remember last year’s party and how he didn’t even have to give Law puppy eyes to get to cuddle with him AND have a lot of really delicious fish served on top of shaved ice.
He practically bounces out of bed and puts on his orange boiler suit and a little party hat he prepared for this occasion yesterday evening in giddy excitement. Oftentimes the Heart Pirates had partied into his birthday well through midnight, but yesterday everyone had been tired and gone to sleep surprisingly early.
Bepo makes his way into the navigation room, making sure that the Tang is still on course and that everything’s in order. Hakugan is there but doesn’t really acknowledge Bepo beyond a curt nod, but then again Hakugan isn’t exactly a morning person.
What is however strange is that everyone seems to just walk past Bepo and only give him short glances and nods when he passes them in the corridors. Usually, beyond a few morning grumps such as Captain, Hakugan and Ikkaku, the crewmates are much more enthusiastic and outgoing than this.
Bepo feels decidedly weirded out and a little sad too. Did they really forget his birthday? But he’s even wearing his party hat! Did he do something wrong? Should he apologize to everyone? He probably should apologize to everyone. He’ll start with Captain once he finds him. Surely Captain won’t have forgotten about Bepo’s birthday?
Bepo searches the ship for a while before knocking on the door to Law’s quarters. “Captain?”, he asks shyly.
Law opens the door, looking about as disgruntled as ever, his expression only softening slightly when he sees Bepo. He sips on his coffee, then simply asks: “What?”
Bepo’s face falls. No way Captain would forget! He’s Captain! He cares for Bepo as much as Bepo cares for him!
So naturally, Bepo apologizes. He rubs the back of his head with his paw and looks down. “I’m sorry.”
Law snorts almost derisively, then speaks sternly. “Fetch me some breakfast from the kitchen while you’re already here.”
Bepo trods off to the kitchen, his previously happy mood entirely down in the dumps. His friends won’t even wish him a normal happy morning, Captain is in a sour mood and forgot (how could Captain forget? How could he?? He knows how much Bepo’s birthday means to Bepo!) and all is miserable and sad.
When he gets into the kitchen, he’s surprised to find everything still completely in the dark. Usually whoever was on kitchen duty for the day would have started making breakfast already, or Shachi and Penguin would be laying about groaning after having fallen into another one of Captain’s ingenious traps preventing them from stealing food from the fridge or pantry.
But then suddenly, someone turns on the light and – it’s the entire crew right there, postured in two lines with the front line standing on the floor and the back line standing on benches behind them, all to facilitate all of them holding up a huge sign saying “Happy birthday, Bepo! Best –“ and then there’s a lot of words describing Bepo there. Best friend. Best navigator. Best silly goose. Best bear. Best portable heater. Best crewmate.
Bepo can feel himself tearing up from his happiness already. “You guys!”, he shouts joyfully and then launches himself at his crew, not even going for anyone in particular, just wanting to hug all of them all at once.
Physics don’t really work like that so Bepo’s jump topples the bench the back line crewmates were standing on, making everyone land on a pile on the floor and Bepo starts nuzzling his head against every single crewmate he can get his paws on, one after the other.
“I thought you forgot! I’m so happy! You’re the best!”, he sniffles happily.
Everyone starts laughing happily, patting Bepo wherever they can reach him, all wishing him a happy birthday in a chorus of chatter.
When rolling off of a crewmate, Bepo is suddenly “Shambles”’d away from the crew to in front of Trafalgar Law. Law’s wearing one of his very rare large smiles and a shirt saying “I love my Bepo”.
The word “love” is replaced with a heart and “Bepo” is replaced with a drawing of Bepo’s face that Clione must have made.
Bepo practically squeaks when he sees that shirt and Law’s huge smile and jumps onto Law, nuzzling into him happily. “Oh my god that shirt! Captaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiin!!!!”
He feels like he’s gonna burst from joy. Bepo can feel Law’s body rumbling slightly with laughter as Law hugs him back as good as the size difference between them will allow him.
Law whispers quietly so only Bepo’s sensitive ears can hear: “Would you like some shaved ice, Bepo?”
Bepo jumps off and nods vigorously. “Yes, yes please! Please, Captain!”
The rest of the day is spent partying and celebrating Bepo.
Throughout the afternoon, Shachi and Penguin spook Bepo repeatedly with large polar bear costumes they’ve made for themselves. Every time Bepo gets jumpscared he promptly apologizes to them. At their seventh attempt of sneaking up on Bepo, Law “shambles” them into the ocean as punishment, prompting him another happy hug from Bepo.
At some point, Jean Bart carries Bepo on his hands, holding him high above, while the crew chants and cheers for him. Bepo’s delicate ears can distinctly hear that even Captain is loudly joining in, usually he’d stand on the sides and smile quietly, but he’s doing this for Bepo!!
Bepo couldn’t be happier. He’s right where he belongs with his friends and family and he’s going to try and make a shirt saying “I love my captain” the second the festivities are over.
Clione has already agreed to making a funny small grumpy Law face for the shirt!
