Stitch was running all over the house, he needed everyone in place and everything needed to be perfect. Today was Lilo's fourteenth birthday and as always, Stitch wanted it to be special. He decided to make it a surprise party this year, sadly not all the experiments could attend, which was to Nani's liking. Quite a few helpful ones did show up though. Felix was busy helping clean and Frenchfry was making a feast to satisfy the twenty or so experiment guests on top of the regular household. Reuben was in the kitchen trying to convince Frenchfry to let him make a bunch of sandwiches, but was quickly shooed out. Instead, he decided to help Angel and Sparky put up a bunch of decorations.
A blue blur throughout the house, Stitch tried his best to make sure everything was ready. Checking the kitchen a number of times to make sure the cake he made himself was still intact, he was satisfied that all was going well. Calming down a little, he went into the living room to help with the decorations, of which Dupe was supplying copies, which needed to be hung. All in all it was coming together. Red and blue balloons softly touch the roof in every corner and streamers of every colour cascaded the walls. Stitch had painted a large banner that read "Happy Birthday Lilo" which was adorned on the wall above the couch.
Everything was ready. All that was left was to wait for Lilo to get home. Victoria had taken her to the mall for the day while everyone got the house prepared. Lilo had no clue what was going on. As a family, they had decided to celebrate her birthday a few days later since Nani and David were supposed to work on her actual birthday. She didn't mind though, as long as she was with her ohana, nothing else mattered. She is going to be so surprised. Stitch giggled to himself, unable to contain his own joy. The entire time he could see Angel looking at him out of the corner of his eye. He knew what she wanted to talk about, but he kept brushing her off. He would make excuses not to talk to about it, for weeks now he had been avoiding her. Lilo even noticed Stitch was acting strangely, but knew he would say something if he needed to. It looked like tonight he wasn't going to be able to avoid Angel anymore though. I'll put it off as long as I can.
The sun was beginning to set on the island, Stitch knew it was almost time for Lilo and Victoria to arrive. He directed everyone into place and turned off the lights. After waiting a few minutes in utter silence, the door started to creak open.
"That's weird. Why are the lights off?" Confused, Lilo let Victoria in and closed the door. Just as she turned around the lights flicked on.
"Surprise! Happy Birthday Lilo!" Everyone shouted at once, filling the house with a chorus of emotion. Stitch was at the very front of the group. He could see Lilo's face brighten with surprise and joy, she was completely awestruck.
"My gosh! Everyone? I had no idea." She looked out onto the room and saw everyone who had come on her special day. Nani came over and gave her a hug, wishing her a happy birthday personally. "I thought you had to work though."
"How could I work on your birthday?" Nani stood up and moved to the side, directing Lilo's attention to the bashful blue experiment. "It was actually Stitch's idea, he came up with it a long time ago."
"Really, Stitch?"
"Ih. Meega thought Lilo like surprise."
Lilo quickly pulled Stitch into a hug. "I love it, Stitch. Thank you so much." She gave him a kiss on the cheek before being pulled away for party games.
Out of the corner of his eye, Stitch saw Angel had made her way over to him. "Stitch."
"Nagga now, Angel." He didn't even turn to look at her, his focus was solely on his friend enjoying her party.
"Youga nagga nota gaba meega want."
"Meega do. Meega nagga talk about it." Stitch turned to look in the pink experiments dark eyes. "Please, Angel. Let meega enjoy the party."
Before receiving an answer, Stitch left to join the fun and games, leaving behind a very crestfallen Angel.
"Youga can't run from it forever."
The entire house was in an uproar of festivities. Before long, someone suggested playing musical chairs and an entire tournament broke out. Sample volunteered to be their music/sound provider and eventually, the final battle came. A single chair sat in the ring of experiments. Lilo and Stitch stared each other down, waiting for Sample to begin the song. Once they heard the sounds begin, they started circling the chair, waiting for the moment to pounce. Having superior reflexes and speed, Stitch was sure he could win, but this was Lilo's birthday. Suddenly, Sample stopped, Lilo and Stitch ran to reach the chair first. As soon as he was about to reach it, Stitch pretended to slip on the floor, falling flat on his face. Lilo hopped onto the chair and everyone cheered. Stitch looked up to see her face beaming. He stood up and went to congratulate her.
"You let me win, didn't you, Stitch?"
Stitch shook his head and raised his hand to shake hers. "Nagga. Meega never do that."
Lilo took his hand into her own and smiled at her lifelong friend before pulling him into another hug. "Thank you. This party is wonderful."
Before the party could continue, a tall noodle like alien walked into the room of experiments and girls to make an announcement.
"Hold it! Hold it!" Everyone's attention turned to Pleakley. "It is now time to partake in the dining of this delicious, despite not being made by me, food!"
As soon as Pleakley finished saying the word "food," everyone started rushing into the kitchen, knocking him over and to the side.
"Don't everyone rush in all at once now." He said as he fell back from dizziness.
Knowing that there wouldn't be enough room in the kitchen, everyone filled their plates with an assortment of food and ate wherever they could. A lot taking to the outdoors to enjoy the night sky with their meal. Stitch never left Lilo's side the entire time, he enjoyed every second of her company. Angel looked at them from a distance. She knew she couldn't talk to Stitch when he was with Lilo. Suddenly, she grinned mischievously. If I can't go to him. I have to make him come to me. Scanning the crowd of experiments she found her soon to be accomplice. A chubby, tan yellow experiment with floppy ears sitting by himself near the tree line, eating a sandwich. She carefully made her way through the crowd, trying not to rouse suspicion, especially from Stitch. Squeezing her way past the last few experiments she kneeled down in front of Reuben.
"Aloha, Rueben."
"Hey, Hotcakes. What brings you over here?" He gulped down the rest of his sandwich as to not talk with his mouth full.
She wiggled one of her fingers telling him to lean in. When he complied she whispered into his ear. The more she told the more shocked his face became.
"What?" he shouted.
"Sh sh sh sh." Rueben covered his mouth. The two looked around to make sure no one was paying attention to them. Thankfully, everyone was still busy talking and enjoying the food that Frenchfry had made.
"Really?" Rueben asked, now that the initial shock had passed.
"Ih. Meega try to talk about it, but Stitch keep avoiding me." Angel's normally cheery demeanor dropped into one of sadness.
"Well, I agree. He needs to tell her. What can I do for you?"
"Really? Youga help me?"
"Of course. He's my cuz. So are you. I'd be more than glad to help out. But, does she really?"
"Ih. " Angel nodded profusely. The both looked out on the crowd, trying to think of the perfect plan. They knew they couldn't do this alone.
"What we need is help." Rueben brought his hand up and began rubbing his chin. Finally using his superior intellect for something other than sandwiches, he formulated a plan. "I've got it!" Reuben whispered the main details of the plan in Angel's ear, hoping no one nearby could hear them. "Got it?"
"Ih." Angel was smiling again. This has to work.
"Okay. You go tell Victoria, I'll go recruit our little friend. Once the party is over, I'll bring Stitch to you. If he doesn't listen, we unleash the secret weapon."
The two high fived and then split up. Angel quickly made her way through the crowd. Thankfully, Victoria and Snooty stood out from the crowd. Having closed the distance to her friend as quickly as she could, she tapped Victoria on the shoulder. Victoria looked up to see Angel leaning down to whisper something in her ear. As Angel whispered the plan, Victoria grew a huge grin, she couldn't help but giggle at the, sure to be, outcome.
"Alright, I'll be able to do my part. You focus on yours." The two friends hugged as Angel went off to keep any suspicion from arousing.
Meanwhile, Stitch was sitting on a log, enjoying the last of his meal with Lilo. Enjoy wouldn't be the right way to put it, though. Normally he would have gulped everything down at once, some of the other experiment's food as well. However, he didn't feel all that hungry. He stared down at it his plate and pushed the vegetables around with his fork. Poking at them every now and then. Lilo noticed he wasn't eating much and became worried.
"Are you okay, Stitch? You're not really eating."
"Huh?" Stitch looked up and saw the concern on his friends face. "Oh! Ih. Meega butifa." Stitch smiled as wide as he could. Maybe I should tell her. At least then I will feel better. "Actually, Lilo. There is something meega want to talk to youga about."
"What is it?"
"Well…youga see…"
Before Stitch could finish however they heard Nani call from inside the house. "Come on in everyone! Time for presents and then cake!"
Everyone began rushing inside. Lilo stood up and brushed herself clean of any dirt from the log, "C'mon, Stitch. We better get in their soon. Everyone will be waiting for me."
"Ih…" Lilo ran ahead as Stitch sat there, again looking down at his plate, sadly. He place it on the log beside him and stood up to head inside. It is probably for the best if I don't say anything.
Stitch got inside just in time to see everyone sitting in a half circle around Lilo who was sitting on the couch. She had waited for him, not wanting to open her presents without her best friend. She waved him over and he quickly took his place beside her.
"Alright." She said as she picked up one of the presents. Going through the presents from her family she got a waffle iron from Pleakley, who said that in his Earth research he found that it is a traditional gift to give, a new surfboard from Nani and David, and Jumba had given her a new communicator system for her and Stitch. Even though their experiment hunting days were long past them, they still went out on adventures. Finally, it was Stitch's turn. He handed her a medium sized, thin light blue square box, with a dark blue ribbon.
"Oh Stitch. You didn't have to get me anything. You already planned this whole party for me."
"Meega wanted to." Lilo took the box with a smile, opening it carefully, having no idea what was inside.
When she pulled it open, her face lit up. Inside was a brand new red photo album. Adorned in the slot on the cover was a picture of Lilo and Stitch a few months after they first met. They were sitting on a tree with their arms around each other as they smiled and waved at the camera. Inside, all the pages will filled of photos and mementos of the years they spent together. There was even still some room in the back for more memories to be made and shared. Tears of happiness swelled up in Lilo's eyes. She stroked the cover of the album before turning to pull Stitch into a hug.
"Thank you so much. I love it!" She gave him a kiss on the cheek and lingered there for a moment before pulling away. Stitch wished it had lasted longer, but he was satisfied that she loved his gift.
"Meega glad youga like it."
Lilo hurried off to put her presents away while everyone else got ready for cake. Putting everything she had received in the dome room she and Stitch shared, she lingered. Holding onto the album close to her heart, she placed it in her secret box hidden under her bed for safe keeping. Reaching the elevator she looked back at the secret spot one last time before heading down into the living room to continue the party.
Once Lilo had arrived, everyone became quiet, she was about to question it when, suddenly, the lights went out. A soft, warm glow could be seen from the kitchen and after only a short moment a large birthday cake with fourteen candles alit on top came out to meet her. The cake was more magnificent than she had ever seen before. It was two feet tall and two feet wide, like a giant cube. The icing was a bright red with white trimming along all the edges. Flowers made out of icing of every colour were decorated along the corners on the top. In the middle were the words "Happy Birthday Lilo" written in liquorice icing. Everyone was singing "Happy Birthday" to her, a lot of the experiments trying the best they could with the English words. I never know what to do at this part. She stood there, blushing furiously, waiting for the moment to blow out the candles. As soon as the song finished, she made a wish and blew out all the candles in one breath.
Everyone in the room cheered, and Nani gave Lilo a hug as David and Jumba set the cake back on the table in the kitchen to start dishing it out. All the experiments got in line for cake, Victoria and Stitch were at the back, waiting for Lilo to join them.
"So, what'd you wish for?" Nani whispered.
"I can't tell you. It won't come true then."
"Awe, come on. I'm your sister, you can tell me."
"Well," Lilo looked over at Stitch and smiled, "nope. Can't say."
Nani followed her sister's gaze towards Stitch and smiled in understanding. "Alright, but let me give you some advice." She said while standing up. "It's better to do something yourself, rather than wait for a wish to come true." Nani headed into the kitchen, squeezing past Kixx and Slugger, who were blocking a good section of the entrance.
Lilo stood there for a second, processing Nani's words. Blushing, she shook her head to clear it and joined her friends in the diminishing line. After everyone enjoyed the cake, they noticed that it was starting to get late. Having started the party after sunset they knew it would be a late night, but it was worth it for Lilo.
"Thank you all for coming." As each experiment made their way out, Lilo would thank them and promise to visit them soon. Considering the number of guests, she was going to be stuck at the door for a while. Reuben saw this and signaled Angel and Victoria to start the plan. Victoria waited with Lilo, while Angel quickly ran into the deserted hallway. Once he saw the two were in place, he approached Stitch.
"Hey, cuz! Amazing party you threw. Could have used some more sandwiches though."
"Thanks. Meega try for more sandwiches next time." He said with a laugh.
Rueben joined in his laughter, "So, you glad it's all over now, though? Getting some time to relax."
"Ih, but it was worth it. Anything for Lilo." Rueben noticed a twinkle in Stitch's dark eyes.
"Yeah. About that. Do you think you could come with me for a second? There's something I want to talk to you in private about."
"Ih." Stitch was confused, but if Reuben needed him for something he wasn't going to ignore him. He followed close behind as they walked out into the hallway. Before he had a chance to ask what was going on though, he noticed Rueben move behind him quickly as Angel stepped forward.
"Gaba? Angel?" He looked confusedly between the two before anger washed upon his face. "Gaba going on?"
"Let's call it, a little intervention, cuz."
Having his full attention, Angel finally had her chance to talk to Stitch after weeks of trying. "Weega need to talk about Lilo."
