"Err— are you sure about this, Radar?" Jesse asked as she shifted awkwardly on her seat.

"Of course i am!" he said excitedly. "It's perfect! Oh, i just can't wait for the Founding Day! Don't you like it?"

The young woman sighed on the throne Radar and some villagers had built for her. "I don't know," she said. "I mean, it's really pretty and everything but it seems so— so conceited! I'm not a queen!"

Radar hummed appreciatively. "That is so like you to worry about something like that but i assure you, everyone is going to love it! As much as they love you !"

Jesse bit her lip, still uncomfortable. They wanted her to parade on this during the chariot festival but, honestly, there was no way she was doing this. This is too arrogant!
"Listen," she began.

"Jesse?" a well known voice spoke. "What are you doing up here?" Petra snorted.

The young woman on the throne squealed and blushed. "Petra! What are you doing here?"

"Why, i just came to see you, my dearest queen." the red-haired said, kneeling down in front of the golden chair.

"Such rude greetings from a servant." Jesse answered highly, entering the game. "Now why don't you really answer my question?"

"Well, i was hanging out not so far away from here and i thought : 'why not pay a visit to that old friend of mine' so, here i am." Petra said, suddenly blushing a little as she got on her feet.

Jesse smirked. "Oh, is that so?" she asked as she crossed her arms. "Funny, i was planning on visiting you this afternoon too…"

It was Petra's turn of being embarrassed. "Oh yeah? Funny, like you said."

"Because you think it's just a coincidence?" Jesse teased, descending from the throne and approaching her friend.

"Huh, i guess i'll leave you two alone then." Radar said all of sudden, breaking Jesse's game.

"Ah, err, yes, i'll see you later then." she blurted. "But we're not over this subject yet!" she still warned.

The door closed and the women looked at each other somewhat anxiously, then Jesse smiled before jumping on Petra.

"I know what day it is, silly! Happy birthday, Petra!" she said as she hugged the red-haired woman.

Petra gasped before hugging her back. "T-thank you Jesse, b-but, how come you know? I didn't tell anyone!"

Jesse giggled. "We figured it out with the others, you always disappear the same day every year. How come you didn't tell us? You guys made me a surprise party with the whole town and everything, i feel kinda bad now."

"Oh, no— don't feel bad, please? I just don't like that sort of attention, ok? I'd rather be alone and i don't like surprise…"

"We figured that out too, that's why we didn't prepare any surprise party or anything—"

Petra sighed in relief.

"—But we still decided that I was going to find you and drag you here so that we could celebrate it properly and privately."

"Why, you don't have to— !"

"I don't have to, i just want to, Petra. You're our friend and we want you to know that we all love you."

The young woman blushed hard and Jesse smiled.

"Well, i guess i'll just call everyone and tell them we were early!" she said, taking Petra's hand and dragging her through the room before she could protest.


"To Petra!" they all called as their glasses clinked loudly.

"Damn it, guys—" the red-haired muttered, before taking a sip. "Man, this is good!"

"Thanks," Axel said. "I made it."

"What? You big liar, I made it!" Olivia suddenly retorted, though she was smiling and so was Axel.

"You just helped."

"Geez."

"I made the cake!" Jesse slided in excitedly.

Under the eyes of everyone, Petra took a bite from the cake and hummed in appreciation. "The cake's good too, c'mon, stop looking at me like that!"

Everyone laughed and dived in.


"Err— thanks for the potion, Ivor."

"That's not just a potion!" Ivor shrieked. "It's a new invention of mine, this, young lady, is incredibly rare and precious!"

"It's just an invisibility potion!"

"That tastes like strawberries!"

Petra laughed and pocketed the vial. "No, really, thank you." she smiled.

Ivor's eyebrows rose and he left before he could say something stupid or worse, something nice .

Everyone had been so kind to her tonight! Well, they always were but this time they had gifts and more sweet words. Even if she didn't knew what she was going to do with Axel's TNT. Olivia had been thoughtful like she always was and had offered her a cleaning kit for her sword, her dear Miss Butter . Lucas had given her a new scarf for her hair, this one was green and it was true that her blue one had seen better days.

Petra sighed kinda happily as she took another glass of what Axel had made because it was that good.


"Found ya," Jesse smiled as she joined Petra on the balcony.

The red-haired jumped a little then relaxed when she saw that it was Jesse and not someone else. "Sorry, it's not that i'm hiding or anything, it's just that it's a lot to take in for me…"

"Don't worry, i understand." Jesse said. "Everyone need their cool-down time and i must admit that Axel's singing voice gets tiring after the third song."

"You always understand everything and everyone." Petra snorted. "They're all drunk in there."

"So am i too, but just a little." the young woman giggled.

"You have it way better than them, and it was you who drank the most."

"Hey!" Jesse exclaimed as she friendly punched Petra's shoulder. "I saw you refilling your glass the whole night!"

"Can't help it if the stuff's good."

"Axel and Olivia can do good things when they work together."

"Just like you and me." Petra smiled.

"Exactly," Jesse said as she took her hand and looked at the stars, ignoring the zombies that were watching them from afar. "I can go everywhere and fight everyone when i'm with you."

The red-haired woman laughed and squeezed her hand. "Look who's a little more drunk than she believes."

"Am not! How come you handle it so well though? Anyway, that's not the subject, i have something for you."

"What? But you already gave me my birthday present! Luv' it, by the way." Petra said as she touched the enchanted bracelet her friend had gotten her. It shone in the dark and smelled like extinguished fire, a smell that the woman had once admitted she loved. It also made her feel warm when she was cold and vice versa.

"It's not that, you silly, it's something more private. I wasn't sure about it at first but seeing how you came to see me this year when you usually just run away…"

Petra blushed and could not deny it, she had wanted to see Jesse the day she was born. She had wanted to hear her laugh and speak about everything and nothing with the best friend she ever had. She thought about how good she had looked when she was sitting on that ridiculous golden throne and how she had teased her with the knowledge of her birthday.

"What is it, then?" she blurted.

The young woman in front of her chuckled adorably. "C-close your eyes."

"You know i wouldn't do that with a lot of people," Petra said, closing her eyes.

"I know."

Seconds passed and— nothing.

"Jesse?"

"Ah— err, yeah, i was looking at you, sorry. Wait, don't open your eyes! I forgot i had to ask first." she said, seeming nervous.

"Sorry but i'm opening them now, what do you wanna ask?" Petra demanded.

Jesse sighed a bit drunkenly, looked at her with her deep green eyes full of affection and asked :

"Can i kiss you?"