Birthday Gift (Don't Mention It)
Had it not been for the employment paperwork that had been filled out upon Vaughn’s initial hiring, Neil would have never known when his employee’s birthday was. Thankfully, though, there was evidence that Vaughn, at the very least, knew when his own birthday was. Hopefully he actually remembered (unlike the previous February holiday…) and Neil’s gift left on the kitchen table with a note wouldn’t seem too odd.Â
On the table was a bottle of scotch packaged in a wooden box. Placed in front of it lying flat was a scrap of white paper with the words “Happy Birthday -Neil” scrawled onto it in red pen. The day’s chores required Neil’s work, and the blond left the gift on the table for his housemate to find as the sun rose for the day.Â
Vaughn, following behind him not ten minutes later, left off weighing the envelope that contained his bi-weekly paycheck in his hand– pleased by how much heftier it was than those he had earned during the winter months– when he noticed something out of place on the long farmhouse table: a rectangular wooden box that, upon closer inspection of the note placed beside it, was apparently intended for him.
His birthday had never held much meaning for him, one way or the other, for better or worse. Some places he stayed at bothered to celebrate it, while others didn’t; it was difficult for him to get excited about it, even as a child, when he had no one he wanted to share it with, and no way of knowing if it was anywhere near when he had actually been born. From what a caretaker had rather cruelly revealed to him once, he was left on an orphanage doorstep at about two months old– so the date was a ballpark guesstimate, at best.
He remained aware of it’s passing most years, however, if he wasn’t overly involved in whatever work he was doing at the time, and usually managed to treat himself to something off of one of the higher shelves at the local bar– which made Neil’s present almost humorously appropriate, if it was what it claimed to be on the box.
But otherwise, it was… thoughtful. Neil had taken into account what he liked, however obvious the conclusion, and gifted it accordingly. Vaughn, notorious loner that he was, honestly couldn’t say he had ever received anything like it before.
It made him… really happy.
Clearing his throat loudly, despite there being no one to witness the brief crack in his stony expression, he stiffly pocketed the envelope and placed the gift, box and all, into the liquor cabinet– stopping back at the table to scribble a quick THANKS below the other man’s name with the nearby pen, in case they didn’t run into each other now that they were back to their regular, peacefully synchronized schedules.
He would show his gratitude more properly that evening, when he invited Neil to drink with him and help celebrate the first truly enjoyable birthday of his life.
