A/N: So this was pretty hard to write... one, it was a romance fiction, and that isn't exactly my forte, and two, I hadn't read Red Pyramid in a while, so I'm not too sure if Sadie and Anubis, etc., are completely in character and all of that. So if they aren't in character... well... don't judge me, I did the best I could. :P

Anyways, this is a birthday present for a good friend of mine, ArtemisHarryAnimorphsfan96. This is actually the first time I've ever written a story for a present, and in Drama class she brings up Sanubis a lot, so why not write a Sanubis fanfiction for her?

And to Animorphsfan- while I'm still mostly neutral on the whole SadiexAnubis vs. SadiexWalt thing... I'll admit that this was really fun to write. ;)

Happy birthday, Animorphsfan! I hope you like it!

Birthday Wishes

"Happy birthday dear Sadie… happy birthday to you!"

The ends of my lips curled upward bluntly, my heart bouncing around in my chest. The fourteen tiny flames all wavered on their respective candles, as if they were dancing to fast-paced music. Or maybe listening to my birthday song.

It's nice to have everything revolve around you for a day.

Of course, Carter just had to punch my current thoughts away and replace it with new ones. "Make a wish, Sadie."

I didn't make a wish- instead I made a face. "Carter, that's for three year olds."

"Come on, why not?" Jaz urged. "Making a wish can't hurt, can it?"

I threw my head over to repeat to her what I just said to Carter, then decide against it and look toward the rather crudely frosted cake. Maybe Jaz had a point- it couldn't hurt.

I leaned forward, aligning my mouth with the candles. Now, what to wish for…

Quickly enough the answer popped into my head.

I wish for Anubis and I to be together.

A puff of air killed the candles.

There were three raps on the door just as my fingers landed on the wrapping of the next present.

Carter rose from his seat to get it, but I wove him off. "I'll get it."

I crossed over to the door. Who could possibly be here? After all, the mansion wasn't exactly easy for just anyone off the street to see.

Wait, could it…

I yanked the door open, and sure enough, it was Anubis.

Thanks to that tousled dark hair and eyes like melted chocolate, I froze right then and there. My entire body may as well have turned into stone- there was no way I could move.

Anubis smiled. "Sadie."

At last I broke free of the spell. "Anubis?" Something warm and soft tickled the edges of my stomach as I stepped outside. A majestic, midnight black watched over us, the night air soft and still. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd wish you a happy birthday."

"Charmed," I mutter. While he was undeniably hot, he was going to begin annoying me any second now, wasn't he?

Strangely enough, Anubis was all about business. "Anyway, I have a gift for you." Just then I noticed that his hands were clasped behind his back. Not only that, but he shifted his feet. Was he… nervous? Anubis, the God of Death, nervous?

He unveiled his hands and presented a staff, made of gold and intricately crafted. Hieroglyphics, flowing down the staff, read SADIE.

"I-It's beautiful," I admitted, cradling the staff. My regular attitude soon sunk back into me, as if I were remembering my personality."But I already have a staff, if you haven't noticed."

"Don't worry about that. This staff's unique."

"How so?"

Anubis erected his spine, proud of himself. "It has a special ability that can only be used once a month, when you're in a graveyard."

"Oh, I'm sure I'll be in a graveyard while fighting gods." I roll my eyes.

Anubis simply shrugged. Then he heaved out a bucketful of air.

"One more thing." He was shifting his feet again- I found that cute. "When we first met, you said that I wasn't exactly up to speed on courtship rituals."

My heart nearly stopped right then and there. The wish…

"And?" I prompted.

"Well, perhaps you could help me get up to speed." The pacing between the words were a bit quicker than usual.

Was this what I thought it was?

A twinkle of interest sparked in my eyes. "Sounds good." I gripped the staff tightly behind my back as an outlet for my suppressed excitement. "Do you… want to get a head start?"

Anubis smiled. "I'd like that."

With that, we moved in closer, closer, until, finally, we kissed.

Now, this wasn't my first kiss with him. But the first kiss I did have with him I was fighting a rabid vulture and a giant baboon who possessed my grandparents, so I wasn't exactly able to relish that. This, on the other hand, was different.

In these moments, nothing mattered. Nothing mattered except Anubis and I, me and Anubis, Perfection was sewn into these moments, and I didn't want it to end.

But ultimately, we both drew away and the moments came to a close- that perfection was gone.

"Two weeks," Anubis said. "Two weeks from today, we'll begin exploring modern courtship rituals. How about that?"

"So, in other words, a date?" The words slipped from me bluntly.

Anubis looked fascinated. "Dates… so courtship is called 'dating' nowadays."

I smiled. "You're a fast learner. Anyways- yeah, I'll be free."

"Come to a graveyard," Anubis continued."Be sure to use the staff's special ability, otherwise there isn't' a guarantee I'll show up."

"What do you mean?" I looked down at the staff, twisting my face up into concentration.

Then it clicked all at once.

The God of Death may as well have given me his phone number.

I looked up, possibly to kiss him again due to the sheer joy of how cool a present this was, but just like that, he was gone.

One moment my heart plummeted into an abyss, and the next moment I was ready to string a thousand British cuss words, all aimed at him for leaving me so suddenly. But then I remembered what he had said.

"Hey, Sadie!" Ugh, Carter, that little… "What's taking you so long?"

I tightened my face, an unpleasant bubbling sensation swelling. "Hold on a second!" I yelled back to my insipid brother.

The annoyance drained when I looked at the beautiful staff again. Everything was positively still, and I felt a peaceful kind of happiness overwhelm what annoyance was left.

"Two weeks," I promised firmly. Then I walked back inside the mansion, closing the door behind me.

My wish had come true.