yes, we're going to a party party

[attitude]

At the start of the New Year's Eve party, Faye had to remind herself that if there was any night for which she had to hold back on drinking, it was then. While normally not a person who hit the bars too often, there were definitely some drinks that she sorely missed from back in the day, bourbon whiskey burning the back of her throat with each blessed sip. But tomorrow was significant for more than just the start of a new year, and while in almost any other situation, Faye might have shrugged it off entirely— this time, she couldn't.

Groaning, Faye pulled herself to her feet before the sun crept above the horizon, reminding herself that she could push through the pounding against her temples for this. It wasn't very long before she returned from the Compound, arms laden with a simple chocolate cake and a carefully wrapped book from the shelf, complete with a ream of brightly colored origami paper, the same sort she'd enjoyed playing with as a child.

Sneaking back into the hut, she hoped that Edward hadn't already taken off for the day.

Comments

[radical_cowgirl]

Edward had not taken off. While she hadn't gone to the party, well, not that anyone had noticed, she'd crept inside to get food to take back home, hence the reason she was still soundly asleep, the result of a sugar coma. She only barely heard Faye-Faye coming back and mistakenly thought that she was just coming home from the party.

Bleary-eyed and curious (and wary in case Faye was still drunk) she stuck her head out of the door. "Faye-Faye?"

[attitude]

"Wake up, sleepyhead," Faye replied as soon as she'd heard Edward's voice, heavy with sleep. A rush of relief passed through her upon realizing that somehow, impossibly, she'd managed to come in time to be the first thing that Edward would probably remember from that day. Birthdays weren't really all that special, when one got to be Faye's age, but it was the type of celebration that every kid should have known, growing up. Being celebrated for them. Having a day all to themselves.

"I'd sing 'happy birthday,' but I'm not sure that's the thing you really want to wake up to," she grinned, holding out the cake. Unfortunately devoid of candles, she thought to herself.

[radical_cowgirl]

Peering out of her bedroom, her hair even more of a tangled mess than it usually was, Ed just stared for a moment. That was a cake. Why was there cake? Was it leftover from the party? How had Edward missed it there, Ed was sure she'd sample all the sweets.

Then Faye-Faye's words sunk in. Birthday. "It's Edward's birthday?"

[attitude]

"Are you telling me that you forgot?" Faye asked, incredulous, brow raising as she did her best to prevent the cake from tipping over as she stepped further into the hut, heading to the small set of table and chairs in the corner of her room, the set that she kept there in case of times like these, when Edward needed the reassurance of her company. She supposed that it was all the better that this came as a complete surprise to Edward, but a part of her was still confused over the fact that the girl had been so capable of making Faye's birthday into a great ordeal, while never expecting that the same should come to her.

Faye was more than tempted to blame the father.

"Yes, it's your birthday. Now hurry up and sit. The mousse on the cake won't taste half as good if it melts in the island heat."

[radical_cowgirl]

"No one's ever remembered Ed's birthday like this before." The Sister might have, and did occasionally. She'd try and make sure Ed had something special, but she was the only one. The only one Edward remembered.

Creeping out, she leaned over to smell the cake. It was real. A real cake, all for Edward?

[attitude]

"And am I like anyone else? Tell me honestly," Faye replied with a quirk of her brow, trying to keep the conversation light. Truth be told, she wasn't that enamored of birthdays; she'd almost forgotten her own. But part of the reason why they'd lost their meaning and their glamour over the years was because it marked an uncertain passage of time, never knowing if one was the last, never knowing if there were hunters who would simply slip out of her life altogether. She hardly needed to have reminders of it affixed to every calendar date.

The island changed that, somewhat.

Pulling a butter knife out from under the plate, Faye held it out, handle-first, to Edward. "Unfortunately, I didn't find candles, but maybe you can make a wish before the first cut."

[radical_cowgirl]

"No, Faye-Faye is Faye-Faye and Edward is Ed." Everyone was everyone, but sometimes they were more different than they were the same. Faye was like that. Ed had never really known anyone like Faye, anyone that would take time out to spend with Ed and even find Ed a cake for her birthday.

Fourteen. Edward was fourteen today. She didn't feel different. But Ed hadn't felt different in years. Ed was still Ed.

"What kind of wish should Edward make?" She held the knife and turned her head to look back up at Faye. Was she supposed to wish for them to be home, because Edward wasn't sure she wished that anymore. She missed the father-person, the one she was supposed to belong with, but... here she had Toly-man, and Hackerman Sam, and Faye. She didn't want to lose that.

[attitude]

"I'm pretty sure your wish is supposed to reflect what you want, not me," Faye pointed out with a crooked grin. Even if Edward wanted to hand the dream over, Faye wasn't sure that she would've been able to pick something great. Never let Edward be alone again was an idea, but too frightening to even contest in the space of a pointless wish. Anything else that she might've wished for, that Dean should be able to find her world one day, that Jet not be alone on Bebop, that somewhere, wherever that space between their world and limbo was, Spike Spiegel would find a way to escape and find peace at last, it all felt like asking for too much.

She was rather afraid of doing that.

"Whatever you want most, Ed," she said. "Even if you have it already."

[radical_cowgirl]

What did Edward want. Very few times was she ever asked that question. It was always, 'Edward, I want this!' or, 'Get into that system, Ed!' but it was never, 'What do you want, Ed?' She wanted to belong. Faye had said that belonging was the best and while Ed didn't entirely understand what that meant she wanted it. She thought, maybe, she had it a little here. With Faye and Toly and Sam (and once upon a time Spike, but that was swiftly receding into the past that Ed never looked at too hard).

She also wasn't sure how to make wishes, but she'd seen it in pictures when she was looking for Faye-Faye's birthday things, so she closed her eyes and whispered. "Edward wishes to belong."

And with that, she stabbed the cake.

[attitude]

She thought that she caught the cusp of that familiar word in the air, the one that was only noticeable for how often she used it, for how often it applied to the greatest of her hopes, and how often it led to the longest of falls. Belonging was the best thing there was, Faye had said once, and a part of her knew it to be true, even if she didn't have the heart or the guts to wish for it a second time. She could, however, offer it to Edward in whatever fashion she was able. Different though their personalities were, perhaps it was in a way that would still allow them to carve out a space for one another.

Live, with one another.

"Happy birthday, kid. And here's to many mom," Faye grinned with a laugh as she pushed a plate and fork in Edward's direction, and kept another set in front of herself. "Think you and I can polish this off without a stomachache?"

[radical_cowgirl]

Pausing for a moment, Edward looked at Faye and blinked.

"Edward has to share?"

[attitude]

Faye stared for a second, then broke into laughter. There wasn't anything especially novel or unusual in Edward hoarding sweets to herself, and in retrospect, Faye should have anticipated such a question— it wasn't as though there was anything that said birthday girls had to share, either. So she snorted, leaning her cheek against the flat of her palm, and shook her head.

"No, Edward. No, you definitely don't have to share," she grinned.

[radical_cowgirl]

Ed considered for a moment, then cut Faye a slice. It was a small-ish slice, but Ed wanted to be polite. Maybe she would give more later. Now, Edward took a huge bite, smiling around the cake.

"Mfnkoo eye!" Thank you, Faye.

[attitude]

There had been a time when Faye wanted siblings, feeling lonely on the days that her parents went out on work. Instead, she'd filled her days with friends that she endeared herself to, led around, taking them on whatever adventures were within their grasp in their small little Singaporean neighborhood. She wondered if this was a bit like what she'd originally wanted, a kid to look after. It felt weird, but maybe she was in a place in her life where she could do that. Probably teach Edward to be as independent as Faye had ever been.

She reached out, ruffling Edward's hair.

"You're welcome, kiddo."