June 14th had been marked on every one of Bes's calendars for... more than 5 years- and he had celebrated it by himself, because he knew the odds of Areum celebrating it were slim. One of them had to do it. So Bes celebrated every year, bringing home a little cake and hiding away the gifts he couldn't help but buy; he didn't know why he kept buying them when he was unsure of if he would ever even see his best friend again, but thought of it as coping. The pile occupied the back corner of his closet, and it grew every June. Some of it was stupid stuff that he just bought because it reminded him of the other demigod. Some of it was stuff he thought that... maybe the Mayan would need should he ever turn back up on Bes's doorstep.
So this year the feline had been so excited to surprise his friend- who had surprised him by even coming back -that he had almost spilled the secret before the date rolled around. Somehow Bes holds it together, avoiding Areum all day as he fulfilled his laundry list of tasks: picking up the cake he had ordered, dragging all the gift bags out and arranging them around his coffee table, cooking what he remembered to be Areum's favorite for dinner, neatly stacking 7 birthday cards filled with long winded notes of what he now understood as pining. He finally shot off a quick "come over" text, barely feeling like he had time to plate food, bring it to the coffee table, and then light cheesy colorful birthday candles before he has to rush to open the front door for the other man, out of breath and flushed by the activity. He greets his best friend like that, childishly wide smile on his lips and warmth in his eyes.
Being alone on his birthday had Areum genuinely forgetting after a good amount of time when it even rolled around. The same happened today as he had gone about his day just as any other normal one. For him it had never been much to celebrate minus the singular one he spent with Bes here on the island. Never could he forget that day, when they were making hats out of paper and Bes had gifted him the prettiest flower that he had put in a vase. Even though the plucked bound of orange was bound to die, back then Bes had known to put something around it since the heat of his hands often wilted flowers if he held them for too long.
Since then, he hadn't celebrated his birthday let alone thought of it; so when Bes had messaged him to come over Areum hadn't expected... all of this.
Bes, standing there, out of breath and flushed was already taking his breath away. Right after the waft of Tteokbokki with extra fishcakes he could smell. (How had Bes even remembered extra fishcakes... he was on another level of perfect..) Then the flickering of candles.
'Happy Birthday, Are..'
It was his birthday..
How long had it been since he cried? Since even the hint of a tear fell down his cheeks? Areum couldn't remember the timeline. He remembered the constant sobbing, then he remembers never having done it again. Not when he got arrested. Not while he was confined to four walls. Not when he was told he was getting out. None of those times a tear left Areum's ducts but now? They were rushing the flood gates and just as fast as a wide smile grew on his face, the salty tears flew from his eyes.
It was happy, not sad. It was overjoying and caring... Somehow he felt scars of his past being patched up, the bad parts of him being gently tucked away and sewn in with every moment he stood in the door way.
Thick arms wrap around Bes fully, hugging him tightly to his chest, neck angled down so his head is buried in sweet smelling hair.
For a while he just sat there, hugging on Bes and crying.
So many aspects have the brute breaking down. Bes having remembered in the first place was a big part; and the fact that Bes was the only person on record that had ever done anything for his birthday.
When he was on the island the first time, Bes had said something on his birthday that he never forgot.
This time, was the second time he had a real birthday, and both times it was with Bes. To be really here... with him again... being cared about again... being happy.. that's what made him the most emotional. Because, no matter how many days he spends here with Bes again, it still feels so surreal sometimes. Every day Areum falls for the feline even more. At this point, he has fallen face first and is happy about the broken nose that comes with it.
"You are too good to me, Bes.. You make me so fuckin' happy.. I-" Areum paused and sucked up his tears, a smile could be felt as he kisses the top of Bes' head before finally letting him go, only to hold the feline's arms still. "Thank you so much."
