"Is that a cake?"
Melinda had been prepared for her usual post-deathly-shenanigans evening of coffee in the kitchen to keep her awake when she went to the gym. However, instead of the usual empty kitchen and coffee filter to be emptied, her team is there, standing around a rectangular store-bought cake with dozens of lit candles.
"Yeah," Daisy says, grinning. "Coulson revealed all, May. Happy birthday."
Lance blows one of those ridiculous birthday kazoos, the red, white and blue paper unrolling and flopping down pathetically. Bobbi and then Phil each pull a party-popper. Melinda steps out of the way of the floating-downwards streamers.
"Traitor," she says to her best friend, before coming to sit up on the island table. She counts the candles silently in her head. "Double-traitor."
"Is that even a thing?" Mack questions, eyebrow rising – but Fitz punches the air as Jemma groans.
"Yes! I told you she had to be at least-"
"Not another word," Jemma interrupts, eyes closed as she grimaces. "You win. I owe you two weeks' worth of sandwiches."
"Yes, you do-"
"Shh!" Daisy hushes them, before looking back to Melinda. "Happy birthday to you-" it sets everyone off and Melinda sighs, but is unable to stop a small smile from forming. When they finish, everyone – sans Bobbi and Phil – pull party-poppers. Some of the paper streamers land on the cake, which Jemma leans forwards to take off quickly. The kitchen smells faintly of smoke and sugar, full of people Melinda cares about-
-and she thinks, this is the best birthday I've ever had.