Work Text:
Chirp chirp
The echoes of birds' chirps has spread around the city as the light seeped into every corner it could creep into. The sun ascended higher into the sky as the warmth of it attacked the city with hope for the day, spreading positivity through the air.
That sparked the start of a new day for the city as its people woke up to happily comply with their assigned cycles.
Trains sped into different directions as cars started up and scattered from buildings whereas others stopped buzzing as their respective owners left. People flooded the city left and right of all variations, from big to small, from old to young, from employees to students prodded slowly or quickly to catch up with a schedule that needn't to be written for its followers to obey.
To any normal person, this marked the start of a new fresh day to them.
But to PMM employees? That was the end of another day for them.
A job that operated from midnight until sun rise was not the ideal job to handle, yet PMM employees would stop at nothing when it comes to keeping the city safe, not even inconsistent rest could block their path. Not when they dedicate their days into planning, to keep the city safe, to keep the people safe, to ensure a tomorrow for them.
Some would sleep as soon as they were back from a shift, turning their evening's focus to prepare for the next one, if they were even up. Others would stay up until evening and later sleep until they had to prepare for their night at the mall.
Neptune? She stayed up usually.
She was the type of person to always be two steps ahead. She looked back to every shift, every hour, every possibility and crack to push their chances in succeeding even higher than they already are, in ensuring a successful shift, in keeping the city safe, in attempting to restore the corrupted parts of the city back.
At times, she would push herself too hard with her work, often overworking herself to exhaustion. She sometimes went sick because of it, but even then she'd try to keep pushing herself into working more.
She wasn't always lucky to keep going as she wills however, thank whatever deity is out there left watching over them for her grandfather. She distanced herself, she pushed him away, yet no matter how many times she did it or how far she went, he never gave up on her. He insists on keeping track of her, the only flesh and blood of his remaining. He'd rather endure torture than lose her.
Today however was a special day, or at least, it used to be. It's her birthday. She had long stopped celebrating them. Her life was far too active to allow her to stop for a moment and celebrate another year survived. Ever since her parents died..
Though, that shouldn't be something that matters anymore. It happened years ago already. Birthdays are nothing more but a luxurious distraction that she didn't wish to engage with much, especially not when she didn't have anyone to celebrate it with.
Bluey does visit her on her birthdays, sure, he may bring something and wish her a happy birthday, but other than that? It was just another day for her. It was no excuse to stop herself from working, that's how it was for several years.
This year, she expected it to be the same. Just like any other birthday. For the past few years.
Except it wasn't.
As the doorbell to her apartment echoed, she kept her hopes low. It was probably just her grandfather visiting, she thought.
What she didn't think of was the possibility of a certain red demon aquintance of hers at the other side of the door coming into view as she opened it.
He was dressed casually, nothing too flashy, nothing too eye catching. He dressed as if it was just another casual day.
Yet the cupcake he reluctantly held said otherwise. The wrapping looked neat, however the cupcake itself wasn't. The frosting was uneven, messy, it looked like a beginner's 60th attempt at applying frosting to an already puffy and uneven cupcake.
But she had to admit, regardless of how messy it was, the cupcake was still a heartwarming sight to behold.
A singular candle stood on the cupcake, looking like a beacon atop some messy land of snow.
Holding the cupcake, her red aquintance, or as she liked to think, her demon friend, stood holding the cupcake. Beside him a floating screen that displayed a low quality picture of a birthday party that simply said "Happy Birthday". Nothing too special, it looked stupid, even.
"Happy birthday, Neptune.."
His voice was laced with a tone of awkwardness, something the said he wasn't quite sure what he was doing, why he was doing this, or how he's doing this. He just is.
He wasn't quite sure what expression to put on either, his expression looked strange, something that looked like it was meant to be cold yet warm, distant yet caring, like he couldn't pick between whether they're friends or strangers.
Neptune meanwhile kept looking at the cupcake in C00ldude's hand and back at him, the motion repeating several times over the course of a few seconds. She had questions, she had things to say, yet it was a struggle to pick what she wanted to start with.
And c00l-gUI? It floated there and smirked like this is the cheesiest most awkward romance movie scene it has ever seen, despite C00ldude's objections to having any feelings for Neptune minutes prior to the door opening. It greatly found joy in their complex mix of emotions.
The silence held up long enough for both to decide they have to say something, yet nothing came to mind. It was uncomfortably awkward, the other's exact emotions were as hard to read as a book of jumbled words. It was a race to see who would think of the perfect phrase to put together before the other, and the winner was Neptune as she started with a scoff to attempt to ease the awkwardness.
"I have no idea where to begin, or maybe I do. Thanks."
Neptune's eyes softened, her gaze no longer alternating between C00ldude and the cupcake. It locked onto him, watching as his expression shifted into one of embarrassment.
"No problem. I.. uh.. I hope you like it."
The letters took their time to come out and form into a sentence, the unwavering awkwardness drawing a giggle from C00l-gUI. It lasted shortly as C00ldude smacked it, hard enough for it to complain out loud but light enough that it doesn't think about destructing itself.
Neptune smirked watching the interaction. The thing had it coming, didn't it?
But that didn't erase the line of questions Neptune had. And it didn't erase her plans to ask either.
"How'd you know it was my birthday anyways? I never mention it to anyone."
Neptune gently accepted the cupcake as she spoke so, allowing C00ldude the time to form an answer enough to satisfy the question without sounding weird.
But knowing her birthday in the first place was meant to be weird itself, wasn't it?
"I overheard Bluey mention it was today a little while ago and thought I'd prepare something for you.. I depended on that old man's word too much but I'm glad I wasn't betrayed at least."
Bluey. Of course he did, it must've slipped out when he was talking to someone.
Great, she has no idea how many people know about her birthday now other than three potential people. If it remains a secret she would be incredibly lucky.
That could be her problem later. When it surfaces enough to actually be a problem to her.
"And why would you do this?"
Neptune had slightly averted her seigjt to look away. Her question couldn't help but cause C00ldude to tilt his dead in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
Neptune shifted her hands to hold the cupcake with one, granting her other hand the freedom to move around however she pleases. She chose to make it fidget with her hoodie's strings. She lacked other options after all.
"Why go this far for me? I'm not the most memorable or the most special, I tend to hide from people a lot."
C00ldude whipped his head up realising what this was about. She didn't expect anything this year. She wasn't doubting herself or anything, that much they both could tell, she was questioning the sudden motion after several years of quiet, of the world moving like it normally did on her birthday like it always did.
C00ldude had no idea why he was doing this either. Perhaps because he felt bad. Perhaps it was that he wanted to give this a go. Perhaps it was both at once. Perhaps it was none at all.
So, the answer he gave? He kept it short, brief.
"No idea. Guess I was willing to give this a try for once and not rely on the others for all this birthday stuff."
His answer felt lacking to him, but to Neptune? It was good enough. It made sense at least.
Further after this question is where the quiet settles. There was nothing more to say really, C00ldude only intended to wish Neptune a happy birthday, drop the cupcake and move on but he figured he could stay until either of them did or said something.
The candle was still lit, it did catch both of their attentions. It took only a moment of eye contact and a nod for Neptunr to finally blow it out and make a wish.
Her first wish since several years that was with someone that wasn't her grandfather. She held the cupcake close, far enough so that it doesn't burn her.
She made a wish. A wish that she repeated throughout the years, but it felt different this time..
For the corruption to come to an end.
For Robloxia to be restored to its former state.
For her aquintances and the people of this city to make it out of this crisis safe and well.
And a part that she never included with her wish before. For all the connections she made during her time at PMM to remain intact.
She blew the candle as she finalised her wish. C00ldude breathed out in relief knowing she probably did make a wish, not blow it out like it was nothing. He knew so by the time she took to wish, by her face after she flew the candle out.
Although he indeed was curious about what she wished for, he figured she could keep that to herself. Maybe he could ask sometime in the future.
Before C00ldude could set off again, Neptune felt as though she owed him. Such a small gesture, yet such a big meaning.
"C00ldude.. thank you again for this. Seriously, thanks a lot. It means more than you think it does."
C00l-gUI rolled it's drawn eyes, clearly growing impatient from how long their stay had become and how boringly calm the path of this idea set to.
C00ldude payed no mind to it, for all he cared it could get annoyed and start begging, and he wouldn't return until he feels like they could properly end this.
He gave her a small smile, nodding along as an entrance to his answer.
"No problem. I'll get going now, have a nice rest."
Neptune ended their conversation with an appreciative "you too" before she returned the door to its usual state, closed, locked, and forgotten. Except that today, she couldn't forget it.
Her gaze remained fixed on the door for a while more, replaying her newly formed memory a few times more while a smile, small and soft, formed on her face.
You cannot keep yourself fixed on something for eternity however. She eventually looked back and decided to try the cupcake C00ldude gave her, then, according to her, probably rest. If she was coming to work tonight she was in for a surprise, she'll need the energy as much as possible tonight.
---
"H3h3, y0u sh0uld'v3 s33n th3 l00k 0n y0ur f4c3- 0w!!"
C00l-gUI attempted to exclaim playfully before it was smacked once again by its owner. He signed to it to stop with an audible huff that came from him.
"Y0u'r3 n0 funnnn >:["