if i die tomorrow - permanent hiatus

celebration

     I woke to a door slamming.

     I shot up, my eyes half-open but already dropping into battle stance. Almost subconscious I reached for my sword, my hands grasping empty air.

     My sword was dropped into my lap. 

     "Here." A familiar voice. The world, once tinged red with clumsy panic, blurred with the cobwebs of sleep, cleared and your face solidified into form. I relaxed, falling back onto my pillow. "Fight me if you want. But then you would get no birthday present."

     "Ugh." I rolled my eyes, dramatically splayed out on my bed. "It's too early for battle." I peered at the clock hung on the opposite wall. Almost five A.M.

     "It's never too early for blood." You bodily dragged me out of bed, and I rolled limply off the edge and landed with a thump on the carpet. "C'mon. Let's get moving already."

     "You didn't knock." I complained, sitting up and rubbing my head blearily. 

     "A Princess need not abide by secular rules." You smirked, prancing around my room like you owned the place, which I supposed you did. 

     "A Princess, however, needs to get kicked really good in the face." 

     "Yeah, yeah." You shrugged. "You're right. You always are."

     It wasn't an apology, but it would have to do. 

     As soon as I was changed, you pulled me out of my room and into one of the many hallways of the Castle.

     "Let's finish today's session so we'd have the day free, okay?" You grinned widely at me. "It's your birthday, after all!"

     I grunted noncommittally, fighting a yawn. I stumbled along after you, trying to knock myself awake. The Castle itself was still sleeping, the usual bustle reduced to a contented buzz. The only one who seemed to have any energy was you.

     You saddled both of our horses and mounted. I followed, the barest scraps of the dawn sun brushing your face. 

     The session took us to noon. It seemed to be as exhausting as usual, fruitless as always, but for once you didn't carry a black cloud with you as you stepped out of the waters.

     "There. I'm not gonna rant, or explode, or yell at every being who lives." You spread your hands, smiling slightly, your features weighed down with weariness but still somehow bright as the golden sunlight catching on your hair. "Because it's your birthday."

     "You're making too big of a deal about it." I said. 

     "Birthdays are a big deal." You insisted. "Why else would they throw such huge balls at mine?"

     "You're the Princess." I pointed out.

     "True. But why should yours be much different? As long as there's someone out there willing to celebrate it with you." You threw me a lazy grin.

     "They've already started preparing for yours, next month." I laughed. "I mean, that's too much. I just want something quiet, maybe a cupcake."

     "I'm sure I can nick something from the kitchens."

     I could never pass up a chance to raid the royal kitchens. "Take me with you."

     You winked at me. "No. This mission requires finesse, precision of hand, sneaky constraint. Knowing you, the entire place would be empty at the blink of an eye. Then it would be way too obvious that we'd been there."

     I sulked.

     "Ah, don't feel too bad." You clapped me on the back harder than strictly necessary. "I'll get you something good."

     "Chocolate."

     "Strawberry."

     "No, chocolate."

     "Strawberry is better."

     "No it isn't."

     "Yeah it is."

     It was one of the best birthdays I'd had in my life. Not because of the chocolate cupcakes. Not because of the presents. Because you were there to celebrate it with me.

A/N: I wrote this chapter after "bells". If you are caught up, thank you for returning to read this one! I wrote about this specific topic because it establishes something that doesn't seem to be too important, but will become very, very relevant later. 

Thank y'all and see you in the next one!