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“Happy Birthday Dark!” Chosen said with a smile. Carrying in one hand was a small cake, white with uneven layers and splashes of what seems to be cream. Placed on it was a single lit candle.
Dark stared at her. “...What’s a birthday?”
The cake on her hand lowered slightly. “Great Beyond, how do you not know what a birthday is?”
Dark narrowed their eyes. “Could you just tell me what it is?”
Chosen placed the cake on the table, gesturing Dark to sit which they did. “A birthday is the day you were created on. Usually, it’s celebrated with a cake and some presents but all I got is this… cake.” She sighed, having sat down on a chair near Dark’s. “But your birthday is more special since we both escaped on the same day.”
“Oh, interesting.” Dark said as Chosen handed over a spoon to them.
“Yours. Make a wish in your head, blow out the candle and we’ll eat.”
Dark raised their brow. “Do I have to make a wish?”
Chosen shrugged. “That’s what others usually do. I don’t know whether they actually make a wish or not because I’m not a mind reader. Do whatever you want.”
“I’m not gonna be surprised if you can suddenly read my mind.” They said with a laugh.
“Oh no! What am I going to be scared of from that empty head of yours?” Chosen asked mockingly, pointing their head with the spoon.
“You’re a donut head too!”
“No, I’m a limited edition pacman.”
“I swear if you open that mouth and try to bite me, I will stab you.”
Chosen slowly opened her mouth. “Heh, you thought.” She looked at the candle. “Blow the candle before the wind does.”
Dark rolled their eyes and blew the candle.
“Did you make a wish?”
“Nope.” Dark replied, balancing the spoon in between their fingers. “No idea what kind of wish to make.”
“Yeah, fair enough.” Chosen mumbled, looking at the cake then at Dark. “You take the first bite.”
“Hey, it’s not fair for the birthday stick to be the poison tester.” Dark teased as they cut a piece with the spoon, earning what could be described as a pout from the other.
“Hush you.” Chosen scooped a small piece onto her spoon. “Cheers.”
“Cheers!” Dark chewed. It was a little gummy that barely had any flavor aside from a mild sweetness. “Hm, not bad.”
“Really?” Chosen asked, a frown plastered on her face along with furrowed brows. “It doesn’t taste like how a cake should.”
“Probably because you just suck at cooking.” Dark grinned as they took another bite. It tasted a little sweeter.
Chosen reached over and flicked their head, earning a tiny “ow!” and a stuck out tongue.
“But seriously!” Dark rubbed their forehead, digging their spoon in the cake for another bite. “I would have preferred yours over the best cake in the world.”
A tiny smile surfaced on her face. “Heh, happy birthday Dark.”
Dark looked at the sleeping figure curled up on the side of the sofa. Wrapped around her was a blanket she must have had prior to meeting them.
They sighed. After everything that happened, Dark was surprised that she agreed to stay with them as opposed to staying with those pesky fiends. To be fair, even if she wanted to live with those sticks, Dark would have tried to get her away from the human. It hurt them to think of her living away from them willingly. That they would hurt her, forcing her to stay with them.
Still, Dark could not believe that she decided to stay with them. And the fact that months had passed since the two began living with each other again.
Months since Chosen was renamed to No One, having forgotten not just herself but also her past.
She no longer remembered having lived with them before in this house. No longer remembered the joys and sorrows the two had shared. The spars they had. The conversations, the arguments, the jokes. All those memories were gone. Chosen was gone. In her place was No One.
The hands of the clock ticked by.
26, 27, 28…
It was no surprise she had forgotten what day today was.
31, 32, 33…
There was no cake, no present, no talks nor a mention of it. Nothing.
37, 38, 39…
Dark looked at her sleeping form. She seemed to be in a deep sleep.
43, 44, 45…
She hadn’t said anything or seemed to remember about it all day.
48, 49, 50…
Should they tell her? How would she react? Would she celebrate it next year? Would she even be around a year later?
58, 59-
12am
Today is October 3rd. A day after Dark’s birthday.
3, 4, 5…
Dark sighed, looking at her.
13, 14, 15, 16…
This is the first, and hopefully only, time their birthday isn’t celebrated when she is around with them.