Nobody remembered his birthday.
Then why did Gilbert let his hopes up? As he laid on the couch in the dark, he reminisced the times when everyone always said 'happy birthday, Gilbert' and gave him some presents and party the day away. But now, it was just a conference day without a single word spoken to him—despite making himself quite persistent and obvious that today was his birthday by bragging how old he was becoming—and Gilbert felt saddened of absence.
Gilbert allowed the darkness to engulf him to pettiness. The pillow his head rested on wasn't thankfully covered in snot, but rather just the face of a depressed person. And to think, he wanted out of everyone in the room to remember his birthday was Matthew. Not his brother, Ludwig, who he deeply loved than anybody else.
Not his friends, Antonio and Francis, as they usually teased him about how Gilbert was getting 'romantic' and if it was one of their birthdays, they partied the night away like no tomorrow—Gilbert was getting elderly, even though he didn't like admitting that truth and he felt tired—and he certainly didn't want Elizabeta... No. Just no, she was worst with her remarks on how old he had gotten.
Says the woman who gets grumpy like an old woman, remarked Gilbert quietly in his train of thought. He closed his eyes, sleepy and exhausted from today.
Nonetheless, Gilbert had high expectations for his beloved one to at least say those words. Instead, Matthew was far too busy to even say good morning and left him begging mentally for him to come back.
Now look at him: Gilbert was on the couch and pitying himself for his desperate attempts for Matthew's attention. Gilbert scolded himself—he wasn't desperate, he just wanted to see if Matthew knew or not. And apparently, to his dismay, Matthew took no heed of today.
Gilbert just wanted to stay in the darkness all to himself and feel nothing, but all he could feel was sadness and regret for not mentioning his birthday more often in the past. Taking the pillow from his head to his chest he squeezed it; relieved of some imaginary comfort. But he was too awesome for that and decided mentally he was going to celebrate his birthday himself! He was just about to get up and turn the light on when he heard a knock on the door.
Who could that be? Gilbert squint his eyes at the tiny clock on the coffee table saying it was seven o'clock at night. Who would be here at a time like this?
Striding lazily out of the living room and wondering idly who was here, Gilbert got to the front door and with the lock undone opened it. Standing there with a sweet, maple-like smile was none other than Matthew.
"Matt?" said Gilbert, his obvious smile showing in glee.
"Hey, I hope I'm not interrupting you," Matthew apologized innocently. Gilbert couldn't help but notice the mysterious white plastic bag he was holding.
"No, not at all!" said Gilbert. "What's in the bag?"
Matthew blushed and said, "It's something I picked up for someone. I thought before I go I could stop by and ask for some candles?"
Gilbert's once happy smile turned to a frown. "Oh… Who is it for?"
"It's a secret," Matthew said. "I just wondered if I could have some candles."
"Yeah…sure, c'mon in." Gilbert stepped aside and allowed Matthew to come in. He noticed how at the end of Matthew's golden locks they were curled just slightly.
"Thanks a lot," said Matthew graciously. "I won't be long—why is the living room dark?" Matthew couldn't help but stare at the empty, pit-like living room.
"Uh…I had a power outage," lied Gilbert sadly.
"Oh." Was all he said.
Matthew went into the kitchen, Gilbert shuffled to the living room and with a flick of the switch on the wall, the living room shone in light and he slumped onto the couch. He need not bothering to let Matthew out once he gets what he needed. For just a quick second, he really thought the one he loved remembered his birthday. Oh well, he thought, maybe I'll celebrate next time.
For Gilbert, who was always the life of the party, he was becoming quite the party pooper. Frowning, Gilbert hugged the white pillow and clutched it—how pathetic, huh?—and pondered if Matthew had already left.
"Gilbert?" called Matthew's magnificent and beautiful smile. "Are you still there?"
"Ja, I am…" he closed his eyes, desiring than ever to drift into eternal slumber.
Out of nowhere, Gilbert heard the switch go off and, getting up, saw only a shadow of a person, holding a cake with brightly lit candles.
"…I KNEW IT!"
"W-why are you yelling?"
"I NEVER GAVE UP HOPING, I AM SO AWESOME, I AM BETTER THAN SHERLOCK!" Gilbert leapt over the couch (tripping to the floor and smashing his nose, but thankfully took no heed of his injury) and almost dashed over to hug Matthew when he saw the cake.
Knowing it was a bad idea to hug a person holding a cake, Gilbert instead gave Matthew a kiss on the forehead. His lips felt the heat go off, Gilbert's toes just slightly tiptoeing higher for greater height and couldn't help but laugh mid kiss. Matthew, on the other hand, smiled idly and leaned their faces together to kiss on the lips.
The cake—delicious strawberry shortcake with added whip-cream swirls, a chocolate panel saying 'Happy Birthday' and a single blue-colored candle which lit their oath of love and light—looked delicious but left alone in Matthew's hands as his lips were preoccupied.
XxXxXxX
"Ludwig, are we coming in or not?"
Ludwig was just peeping outside the living room window, checking if Gilbert was watching TV or doing something, and wondered whether it was a good idea to come in or not, seeing his brother was preoccupied with Matthew.
"Luddy~!" whined Feliciano, "I want to see! Let me see, please?" Feliciano tried, and failed, to tiptoe over Ludwig to look in the window.
The end.
Happy birthday, Gilbert! :)