#aprilus

while sylus wasn't one to celebrate his birthday, he really only let the twins do what they wanted because it amused him and warmed his heart. he had many silent and blood-ridden birthdays, what was some more to the list?

with a heavy sigh he removed his helmet, lightly shaking his head to combat any helmet hair. today was his birthday and he heard nothing.

the twins didn't immediately explode confetti canons when he walked out of his room, he didn't have mephisto cawing in his face with happy birthday music blaring through his speakers as he struggled to open his eyes.

and he definitely didn't get anything from you. when he opened his eyes this morning he had expected you to attack his face in kisses, whisper in his ear "happy birthday sylie" as you held him close, keep him in bed for some fun.

but he didn't get any of that. all he got was a soft "g'morning baby" and a kiss on the cheek. the cheek. you had sprung out of bed talking about how your friends wanted to go to this newly opened mall as an uncomfortable feeling settled deep in his chest.

he watched as you got ready, chest tightening as you flitted about the massive room. his jaw unclenched when you placed a knee on the bed, leaning over him and he thought this was it. you'd tell him you were actually heading out to get a gift or that you had the whole day planned for him or something.

but none of that came. you placed a soft kiss on his sleep puffed lips and cupped his face, thumb smoothing over his cheekbone as you gazed at him with such love in your eyes.

"forgetting something kitten?"

your eyebrows furrowed at his question before you smiled widely and he thought, really thought, he would get what he wanted. but you just got off the bed and clipped your necklace with the gleaming red gem on. "thanks for reminding me baby! would have felt off if i didn't have that on."

sylus barely managed to kiss you back before you were bounding out of the double doors, singing your way down the hallway while his teeth worked his bottom lip.

shutting the garage door with a little more force than necessary he made his way through the base. the dark walls only added to his frustration, not a hint of streamers or glitter staining them. his fingers clenched tightly around the helmet in his hand, leather gloves crinkling at the force.

he shouldn't care. he shouldn't feel a heaviness nestled deep inside of his chest just because no one had wished him a happy birthday. he was sylus qin for crying out loud, the feared leader of onychinus who made a name for himself young, quickly rising to the top of the n109 zone.

people split paths for him when he was walking down the street, whispered warnings to each other as he passed, bodies pressing as far as they could go to get away. he has a nine billion dollar bounty on his head that people frequently try to claim.

so why does he care right now? why has his chest felt tight all day?

the hair on the back of his neck stands, evol activating as he mutedly steps inside of the living room. the whole room was dark, the moonlight from the window barely illuminating the ground.

red mist swirled around his body, ready to attack, when the lights turned on, so bright it would have made a normal person squint.

"SURPRISE!!"

confetti shot out of canons in multiple rounds, multi-colored paper dancing around the room. sylus took in the sight before him. luke and kieran jumping in place and clapping their hands, chanting "happy birthday bossman!"

mephisto was cawing in sync with them, wings flapping as he flew circles around the small group. sylus took everything in, confetti still floating around, red and black streamers spread across every wall he could see, it kind of looked like halloween threw up.

tinsel and lace draped from the ceiling, he was a little surprised at that considering the ceilings were so tall. a huge banner with the writing "Happy Birthday Sy!" (with the Y being squished in) hung across the entrance to the dining room.

movement brought sylus back, looking to where you were walking up to him. when mephisto dropped something in your hands, a tiara, he realized everyone was sporting a birthday cone on their head. even mephisto had a little one.

"lean down for me?" sylus felt his heart race even faster as he did what you asked, bending forward so you could secure the tiara in his hair. he had to hold back a purr as your fingers ran through his hair, adjusting the silky strands so they sat just right.

"all of this for little old me?" he spoke finally, setting his helmet down onto the coffee table as his free hand wrapped around your waist.

"you didn't think we'd forget right bossman?"

"yeah, we spent years saying it to you every day for the whole month! maybe we made you greedy."

the twins laughed at the joke and made work of grabbing their presents. while they were busy you urged sylus to sit down, planting yourself next to him. "surprised?" you asked softly as sylus shrugged off his leather jacket, tossing it onto a chair.

a wry smile curved on his lips as he leaned back, hand resting on your thigh. "something like that. i knew the twins wouldn't have forgotten, they love my birthday more than i do." his fingers absentmindedly traced little shapes against the fabric on your leg.

you knew he wasn't telling the truth. you had felt how disappointed he was when you left him in the morning, remembered the way his lips had pursed into a cute little pout he didn't know he did.

your heart hurt to leave him without acknowledging it but that was part of the plan. if you acknowledged it he would have wrapped you up and kept you in bed and you had a time restraint.

no matter how well he hid it, he couldn't fool you. you saw the way his jaw was clenched when the lights turned on, the tenseness in his muscles as he stood rigid, eyes busy with the thoughts that swirled in his mind.

"did you think i forgot?"

the simple question made his fingers pause slightly before the began again. sylus knew better than to lie to you. the way you asked it so softly, with no judgment if he thought so, with love. he hummed quietly, not saying out loud what he thought, not confirming or denying.

"done!"

the twins stood proud next to the mountain of wrapped presents, smiles pulled wide as he took in every single one. it was definitely more than ten gifts, each one stacked on top of the other, you're pretty sure the pile started leaning.

"since i'm the oldest i think you should open mine first." luke grabbed a red wrapped present and tossed it lightly in his hands. this made kieran scoff and grab his own.

"that's stupid, it's his birthday he should get to decide."

luke stuck his tongue out. "you're just jealous 'cause he'll like mine more." he teased. kieran rolled his eyes so hard you were worried he'd strain them.

"as if! you pick presents that you would like, not what he would." luke gasped dramatically, hand coming to his chest as he stared at his twin incredulously.

"take that back!"

as they start to bicker you see sylus smile softly, eyes fond as he watches them go at it. since you knew he wouldn't stop them, you decide to say something. "how about you play rock, paper, scissors for who goes first. best two out of three? and no cheating."

the twins gasp like you just revealed something sacred and their fists meet their palms as they perform the most intense rock, paper, scissor battle you've ever seen in your life.

kieran reigns victorious in the end and happily presents sylus with his gifts. two whole hours pass before he's done going through both of the twins piles. wrapping paper is scattered everywhere, all of his new trinkets and gadgets (and weapons) lay around the couch and floor.

luke is finishing up tying a phone charm to sylus' phone —one suspiciously similar to the one him and his twin bear— when you walk in, flames dancing in the candles of his cake.

sylus sits up as you near, hands coming to hold your hips. you lower the cake toward his face as you and the twins begin to sing the classic birthday song, mephisto cawing along from his perched position on your shoulder.

when the song is done he closes his eyes and makes a wish, softly blowing out the candles. they reopen as the twins cheer and snatch the cake from your hands. you take a seat in his lap and press a warm kiss to his cheek, "happy birthday sylie."

sylus captures your lips in a soft kiss, nibbling your bottom lip before nuzzling your cheeks together. "there better be a slice left for me and y/n when i look up." sylus pipes up, gaze still on you.

you laugh softly as you hear the twins choke, patting at each others backs as they speak through full mouths.

looking up, you watch as sylus pulls up his boxers before making his way to bed. he easily maneuvers his way under the covers, big hands already grasping your hips as he pulls you into his lap.

he stares up at you in pure adoration, thumbs rubbing soothing circles on your skin. "hi." his nose comes to brush against yours just to hear you giggle.

doing just that, your arms come to wrap around his neck. "hi yourself." you smile at him. sylus looked so soft in this moment. hair slightly damp and skin heated from his shower, eyelids low as he relaxes against the headboard, pupils dilated as he gazes at you.

your stomach flips, which could possibly be from the amount of cake you've eaten tonight. sylus doesn't say a word, just simply watches you like this was all he needed, all he ever wanted.

"i got you something."

sylus quirks an eyebrow, waiting for you to continue. pulse racing slightly your hand reaches into the pocket of your sleep shorts. your fingers curve around warmed metal, thumb rubbing over the band you've become familiar with.

holding your hand out, you gently drop the ring into sylus' awaiting hand. if you were anyone else you would have missed the expressions on his face. surprise filled his eyes as he held the ring up to inspect it.

it was simple, something with a red gem in the middle and engraved wording on the inside. it sparkled in the low light, captivating the dragon that rested inside of him.

chewing on your bottom lip, you watched him carefully, waiting for him to say anything. "it's something like a promise ring." you inform, fingers playing with the hair at his nape. "it's okay if you don't like it, i know it's a little more simple than what you're used to but-!"

the breath leaves your lungs when sylus squishes you to his chest, lips crashing onto yours in a heated and passionate kiss. your hand comes to cup his face as you match his pace, thumb brushing against his warm skin.

sylus poured all of his love into that kiss, keeping you firmly rooted to him as he moaned softly. patting his chest, you pulled away, a thin line of spit following your retreat. a deep purr rumbled through sylus' chest as he planted kisses across your face.

"don't say that. it's perfect, beloved."

the ring looked so small in his hand as he held it back out to you. brows furrowed you grabbed the ring and watched as he held his left hand out.

"what is it you're promising?"

grabbing his hand, you rubbed his ring finger. "that i will never leave your side. to always complain when you crush me beneath your body for a nap, to always let you steal half of my meals because you secretly think my junk food is delicious. to always annoy you and make you worry about me." you slid the ring onto his finger.

"that even when we part from this world we will always find a way, we will be together until the end of time. that our story is never done. that i'll always love you. that i'll never forget you."

looking up at sylus you see a thin line of tears in his eyes. placing a kiss against his finger, you do the same to his lips. "i love you sylus. you are my soul, what keeps me going when things are tough, what keeps me grounded when the world is carrying me away."

feeling a drop on your hand, you kiss along the thin tear tracks on his cheeks. sylus holds you close, like you were the oxygen he needed. his big hands firm against your back, lips capturing yours. "i'll hold you to your promise beloved."

smiling, you moved around so you were the one laying down. you pulled sylus in, letting him rest his head against your chest, heart steady as it beat just for him. a hand rubbed his back and the other ran through his hair as you placed a kiss on his head.

"i'm so in love with you. thank you."