Riza Hawkeye did not celebrate birthdays.

Indeed she didn't really subscribe to celebrations in general unless it was expected of her. And at those events she behaved with the same perfect decorum and refined dignity that was her daily demeanour.

In fact – other than the slight change to her routine – those days were just like any other.

However there was only one day – one birthday – that she felt deserved some sort of marker or token.

It was the birthday of someone special to her, someone who'd always been special, who'd meant a lot to her for a long time. Thus this day deserved to be celebrated, just a little bit.

And so every year – like clockwork – on the way from work she'd buy a cupcake and candle, placing the box on her desk and dressing down in preparation.

She'd settle herself down in her favourite chair, picture, cupcake, and lit candle in front of her. Black Hayate seemed to know enough to lie quietly on his mistress' feet as she stared at the picture and whispered;

"Happy Birthday Mommy."

Later, when the candle died low, she'd split the cupcake with her faithful canine and go to bed early. If she woke up the next morning to slightly red eyes and a wet pillow, she refused to acknowledge it.


WitW: I bet you thought the special person was Mustang huh?
Every year on somebody's birthday, if they were dead my family would buy something small like a cupcake and a birthday candle or just a candle and we'd celebrate their life. Somehow I think that's something Riza might just do – in place of her own birthday.