Birthday Girls (One-Shot)

[kaserkin]

It is late. Or at least I think it should be. I'm not very good at keeping track of time, but we did eat supper and shower and brush our teeth, and we usually don't do all these things early.

I've been in my bed with Emi for some time. She is sleeping now, snoring lightly with one of her arms wrapped around my sleeve, while I can't find my own sleep. It happened once before when I slept with her, but that was because she didn't snore. Maybe sleep isn't something you look for, so I stop. It doesn't work. I am sure I am forgetting something, something very important. Maybe that's why I can't sleep.

I look around the room. I see the paint cans Mum and Dad helped me carry stacked in a corner with the new brushes. They did most of the carrying. They are the practical ones that I can open with my feet, but they don't have the best colors. I should write a letter to the factory that makes them so they will change their orange paint to make it look more like oranges and dried leaves, and not like orange pieces of plastic.

There's also the box of chocolates Emi gave me. I thanked her and I told her she shouldn't have. They are very sweet and they make me feel sick when I eat too many, but I didn't tell her that. She ate most of them anyway. Too sweet doesn't seem to exist for Emi. It makes me smile a little, and then I remember.

"Emi."

She doesn't seem to react, and continues to snore. I push her a bit. She starts mumbling, but she's not fully awakened yet.

"Emi. What time is it? I can't see the clock."

She keeps mumbling for a time before looking at it.

"It's midnight."

That's good. I'm just in time.

"Happy birthday. I wanted to be the first to tell you."

She looks at me with sleepy, happy eyes, and smiles. It is a beautiful smile, and a very contagious one at that.

"Happy birthday, Rin. I'm glad I could say it one more time."

Emi gently drifts back to sleep, and I follow her closely.

[Dannflor]

Oh wow! I never realized Emi's birthday was right after Rin's until I checked it after reading this.

Anyway, I really like this piece. I think Rin's voice is the hardest to write, but you captured it pretty well. There are some very Rin-like moments here and the interaction between her and Emi is sweet.

[Sadako]

That’s adorable. Short and very, very sweet. Thank you.

[Oddball]

Short cute and to the point. I liked it. … also I never noticed that about the birthdays either. I wonder if the devs actually planned it that way or it just sort of worked out.

[sloth4]

Very cute. And good on you for noticing the little details.

[SJFzone]

Oh god, character interactions like this are the greatest. It's the little things like this that make my heart swell.