tucked away within a protective tube, a roll of canvas is left upon the saltbag's bed for him to find. the pair of paintings, upon just the one canvas, must have taken countless hours, several feet wide, and nearly three tall. one, familiar, a fantasy post apocalpytica beneath a soft pink sky, strewn with clouds, of islands and arches...
the other depicted islands too, bound together by chains, with a basin sea suspended beneath them, a familiar tower, now far smaller, upon one of the landmasses, with a tree that dwarfed it's height all but wrapped around it, beneath a sky that shone with bands of color and glistening sparkles.
only a happy birthday is written on the note beside it, in familiar handwriting, promising their brother that they will always be his sibling, and asking him to kiss one of those cute trees in his orchard for them.
there's a gift from fluffdad too, carefully placed within a box that must have been nearly his own size, a photo album within, and pictures strewn through it of Archer and Ink, Bells and himself, Cadence and Ninte- and in the last two pages, photos of a somewhat older Ninte, cradling a goat infant with golden fur and black sklera, with the words, 'meet Jarest. happy birthday son, I hope you don't mind sharing the day too much with your new baby brother.'
(Once again, it takes a while. It takes so very, very long. As it has been, since last...)
(Regardless, skeletal hands tug at the edges of the gifts, laughter echoing in the distance.)
(No matter what, you've made him happy. Isn't that the greatest birthday gift of all?)
