She honestly hadn't planned for this.
When Haru had messaged Akira that evening, asked if she might come by and stay a while – not the night! No no no no she didn't intend anything like that! – she'd hoped only for a quiet little moment together with her boyfriend. Some time spent not alone.
She'd had the feeling Akira didn't know. He'd greeted her when she came by, Leblanc mercifully empty bar for its two residents – Morgana seated on one of Leblanc's couches and watching her with a glint to his eyes and smirk that was almost human – and welcomed her in. Provided coffee and curry, as was the job he had been taught. Stayed by her side.
Birthdays had always been lonely things for her. This year, well, these past few months specifically, a lot had happened, good and bad, but one thing she'd never, ever feel any regret for was that she'd found Akira. That when she'd asked, heart pounding so heavily, why one might think that she were interested in him, he'd returned her feelings exactly. Matched her love with his own. They had one another now. And just being here, in this cafe with him nearby, it was enough. Her heart didn't ache and the loneliness at home couldn't follow her here.
She sighed into his arms when he embraced her. Touch, affection, care, how long has she been deprived of such? But he gave to her so much. Whispered love into her ears that made her shiver with joy. She was happy and that happiness radiated out from her. Morgana, politely, had retreated upstairs while the two were down here. It was just the two of them. Just as she'd wanted.
She was fairly sure he didn't know. She'd tell him when she was leaving, when she returned home to sleep away the dark. Though she would be alone then, this time spent with Akira would help her through the long and lonely night. She'd tell him he'd given her the greatest possible gift on her birthday – the ability to feel loved, to feel safe, to be freed of the loneliness that had haunted her for so long. He'd be surprised, shocked almost, that she'd kept it from him. Then he'd smile in that way he did and she'd wish she never had to leave.
Yes, that was her ideal plan.
Haru remained committed to it right until Futaba all but slammed open the cafe door.
"Movie Night!"
Her announcement was punctuated by the shift of her laptop to be held high in the air, the rapid pitter-patter of her feet as she all but danced across the cafe completely stunning Haru where she sat. Yet this was only the beginning of Haru's plan for the evening being completely destroyed as, one by one, every other member of the Phantom Thieves entered the building.
"It's kinda weird being in here so late, when no-one else is around at all!"
"That's not any different from during the day y'know."
Ann and Ryuji both raised hands to give waves of greeting to Haru, continuing some sort of play argument about the state of Leblanc and feeling it gives in the evening. Makoto, following after, actually did stop and pressed a well wrapped box into Haru's hands.
"For you," she said it quietly, attracting no attention, "from all of us. Open it later." Haru just stared.
Last to enter was Yusuke, who dutifully shut the door after the rush of everyone else entering. Actually how had they even made it in? Leblanc was closed for the night, and Akira should have locked the door shouldn't he-
"Alright," Akira spoke up, "Futaba, go ahead and set-up upstairs, I'll serve some food before we get started."
Haru felt her face warm very quickly.
"A-Akira-kun?" He smiled at her and she lost her footing completely, would fall flat were she not seated as she was. Akira gave a gentle shrug.
"Futaba was really excited to watch some movies with you."
"I've got all the classics!" came the yell down the staircase, "Last of the Dead, Regent of Darkness, The Bayou Beast, all the good stuff!"
Haru couldn't help but rise to her feet after that. "You found a copy of Regent of Darkness, Futaba-chan? I've been looking for one for simply forever!" Akira was smiling at her and, when she caught herself, she couldn't help but flush. Had he really... "Did you know all along?"
"Yo dude!" Ryuji, rushing ahead as always, slung an arm over Akira's shoulder. "You promised curry tonight, remember?"
"Yeah yeah," for as much as he struggled, Akira could not break free of Ryuji until the blonde teen permitted him. Haru considered how easy Akira appeared to pin down when he allowed it. "Take a seat guys, I'll serve you all."
She'd eaten first; a quiet dinner together with Akira. Because of that, Haru was now free to watch over the others as they tucked in to the curry provided. Ryuji and Ann were always play-bickering, a constant entertainment provided to the group. Yusuke was devouring the curry like his life depended on it – quite possibly, given the things Haru had already seen and heard. Yet somehow he always seemed slightly resistant to offers of food, unless the offer were couched in some reason for him to accept. Makoto ate with the most dignity of everyone here, but that was hardly a challenge given the group. Akira momentarily disappeared upstairs to hand a plate over to Futaba, who was apparently 'setting up'. Haru pulled Akira aside.
"Was this your plan all along?"
"Honestly," Akira kept his voice quiet, the others all focused on their food, "when you asked if you could come over it was about a minute before I was going to invite you myself."
She paused. Considered. A gentle 'oh' emerged in her voice. Akira just smiled at her. "We'll have plenty of time, but everyone wanted to be with you tonight." And now her face was burning with... embarrassment? To have people care for her to such a degree? She shook her head, wishing whatever redness might be across her cheeks be dislodged and thrown away. She was happy.
She was so happy she couldn't put it into words.
Once the plates of curry were clear, washed by Akira with Makoto's help, the group made their way upstairs. Haru hadn't gone upstairs before – firstly because she'd been enjoying sitting with Akira downstairs, secondly because Morgana was around and would tease her most terribly for doing so, and thirdly because she wasn't ready to face the thought of being alone with Akira in his room in the evening. It had taken great courage to accept the offer to join him during the day. This though, this would have been...
"Yo nice setup!" Ryuji, loud as ever, broke through her thoughts and allowed Haru to see just what Akira and Futaba had organised. The attic of Leblanc sported a few modifications: a white sheet hung on the wall to the right, directly opposite the couch, which had the futon from Akira's bed unfolded before it. A number of cushions had been stacked up, and some blankets thrown over the top of it all. Morgana was seated atop the entire pile, a pleased swish to his tail. Futaba was just finishing up messing about with a projector that she had most definitely not been carrying.
Akira had clearly been preparing for this for a while. Haru couldn't help but feel stunned by it all.
"Okay!" Futaba was in high spirits, in command with control over the evening's entertainments in her hands. "What are we starting with?"
"Nothing too extreme, thank you Futaba," Makoto attempted to curb the enthusiasm of the younger, though by the grin on Futaba's face been unsuccessful. "Not all of us are... accustomed... to these sorts of movies."
"No time like the present!" Futaba ignored the concerned look Makoto, Ann, and to a lesser extent Ryuji, shared. Mostly for Ryuji it was about not admitting he was nervous. Yusuke, either unaware or simply unconcerned by the unfolding prospect of terror, walked over to the couch and sat himself down.
"Inari you dumbass get off that!" Futaba, still intent on remaining in charge of movie night, stomped over to Yusuke and furiously gestured for him to move. He looked at her with offence.
"Excuse me? Where else am I supposed to sit?"
"The floor!" Futaba jerked her arm, pointing downwards, "the couch is reserved!" Realising just what that meant, Haru bit back a squeak of surprise when Akira gently pushed a hand against her shoulder, urging her to move forward. When she looked down at Ann and Ryuji, who were already settling into the piles of cushions, each of them had a barely restrained grin. Ohhh this was so embarrassing!
Makoto, thankfully, smoothed things out – though that mainly amounted to instructing Haru to go ahead and sit down, Yusuke to move, and Akira to come be seated as well. Futaba would need to be at the front of the futon, within reach of her laptop, leaving Haru seated between Akira and Makoto. The couch was not made for three people, and she found herself in physical contact with each of them. The heater had to be on, right, for the room to be so hot? Yes, she definitely imagined that it was.
Eventually the group settled, Haru on the couch between Akira and Makoto, Ryuji and Ann pressed up against its sides, hemmed in by cushions, and Yusuke and Futaba close to the front of the arrangement. Futaba reached forward and clicked a button on her laptop.
Movie night began.
For Haru, the sensation of being so close to the others, mingled with being in Akira's room at night, mingled with the knowledge they were all here for her, lasted up until the first few minutes of the first movie. Then it was this that called to her, sweet sirens of the silver screen capturing her full attention. The scarier moments were tempered – first by having the others around her, then secondly by Morgana, Makoto, Ann, and Ryuji all reacting in various ways to try and be slightly less afraid. Unsuccessfully. By about halfway through the second movie, Morgana had given up and retreated under the futon. Ann and Ryuji were alternating between viewing and keeping one of the cushions in front of their faces. Makoto's eyes were screwed shut and she was counting backwards from a rather high number. It was all incredibly charming.
Futaba was enjoying this almost as much as Haru was, clearly extremely into the older movies, evaluating the effects as much as she was extolling the acting and stage direction. Yusuke was fixated on design, somehow immune to any and all terror intended, focusing only on studying what might prove useful inspiration.
Akira, despite giving an outwardly calm appearance, was breathing far heavier than normal and Haru couldn't help but find that the most adorable part of this all. He was doing his best though. And she loved him for it.
She loved him for so very many reasons indeed.
By the time midnight encroached upon them all, Makoto was forced to ask for order. In spite of everything, they still had school tomorrow, and she wasn't about to let anyone off the hook for skipping out. Begrudgingly for some – Ann and Ryuji for once thankful they had school the next day – the group made their way back downstairs.
Last to go by the way the others moved, Haru was forced to conclude the entire group had planned this out from the beginning. How else could it be that as soon as she set foot upon the ground floor of Leblanc, the entire group let loose a cheer as Akira held out a cake towards her.
"Happy Birthday Haru!"
She definitely cried.
So many people who cared for her. Who were here with her now on what had once been the loneliest of days, the day she hated for how it was so empty of what it should be. How there was no happiness even in the day of her birth. Not now though. Now she was happy. Now she had friends, love, and affection in her life.
She truly couldn't express how much they all meant to her.
Cake was enjoyed. Well wishes shared. Being as late as it was, getting home now proved a challenge – Ryuji nominated Akira to put himself and Yusuke up for the night, allowing Haru to offer Ann and Makoto rides home once she called in the request. Akira would walk Futaba back after this was all over.
There was a moment, a brief period where everyone wasn't in the same room as them – Yusuke, Ryuji, and Morgana upstairs, Makoto, Ann, and Futaba outside, where the two of them were alone. Akira wrapped his arms around her then.
"Happy birthday."
She didn't even know what to say? To demand to know how he knew? To exclaim about how much of a surprise this night had been? To thank him for caring for her so? She wasn't sure. So she just said what was in her heart.
"I love you."
"I love you too, Haru."
Only when Makoto, last person to be dropped off on her way home, was gone did Haru think to open the gift she'd been given. 'From all of them', Makoto had said. Haru couldn't imagine what it contained, but delicately unwound the wrapping as the vehicle carrying her home continued on. The box opened, and its contents looked up at her.
Seven letters, Morgana's dictated through Akira and signed with a pawprint, from each of her friends. Each talking about how much Haru meant to them. Each different. Ann had drawn flowers and hearts on hers. Ryuji had drawn a cartoonish Milady, the sight of whom caused Haru to giggle. Others had used words to say things they'd struggle to in person.
But each and every last one of them read with a friendship so powerful it brought tears to her eyes. When Haru closed the box, it was not because she was done reading the letters, but more that she could not through her watering eyes. She would read them again though. Again and again.
And think of this night, and of the best birthday she had ever had.
The best, the letters had promised, until every one that followed.