Celica's calves burned from the walk up the stairs to her apartment. She had told herself she should exercise more and taking the stairs instead of the elevator was an easy first step, but after a long day of working late, her body was regretting that decision. As soon as let herself in, she kicked her heels off to the side, and peeled off the rest of her sweaty clothing until she was down to her underwear. After running across the city and back in the hot sun, all she wanted to do was take a shower and then collapse into bed. Tomorrow was going to be just as strenuous, so there was no need to drag today out any longer, even if that phone-call still hung in her mind.

However, before she could make it to the bathroom, she noticed the tv in the living room was still on. As she went to turn it off she found Alm asleep on the couch. Strange, he wasn't the type watch much tv and doze off. Figuring he'd prefer to sleep in his own bed, she nudged him gently.

"Mmhm?" Alm groaned as he lifted his head. "Celica?"

"It's me," Up close, she noticed the stains lining his t-shirt and a glob of something smattered across the bridge of his nose. Knowing him, Gray and the rest of the gang must have dragged him into something stupid, but that would be a story to hear another day. "You should wash up and get to bed."

Slowly he began to sit up, stretching his limbs out like he was a cat. "What time is it?"

"11:00pm. Don't worry, I'm gonna be joining you soon."

Immediately his head snapped towards her, suddenly alert and lively. "Ah! Good then I didn't miss it! Follow me!" Before she could protest, he had already grabbed her hand and dragged her to the kitchen. "Ta da!" With a flourish he flicked the light-switch. "Happy Birthday!"

Sitting on the counter was a plastic cake container with a note proclaiming the same cheery message. If it had been any other day she would at least appreciate the effort, but after everything that had happened, she couldn't mask her disappointment.

"Alm…we talked about this." It had been bad enough having to spoil Mae and Boey's attempt at a surprise lunch date. "I just don't really have the time for–" She tried to search for the right words, but ended up coming up blank. "–that." She gestured at the container.

Alm ran a hand through his hair "I know you didn't want to celebrate, but I thought something simpler could help make the festivities go down a bit easier. So what if it isn't a birthday cake, just one I happened to make this afternoon? We can save it for tomorrow if you're really too tired."

In the light she could see it was flour that had gotten all over his clothes and face. Considering the evening out together he had originally planned, Alm really was trying to meet her on her level. It wasn't like she disliked her birthday, but with her polling and research running her more ragged than usual on top of the other normal stresses of life, she felt as if she physically couldn't relax, that if left doing nothing for too long she would snap and lash out at those just wanting to help her and ruin everything.

Without warning, her stomach let loose a loud growl. When she did the math in her head, she realized she hadn't had any food since her quick lunch at 3.

"I guess one slice wouldn't hurt."

Alm's smile was so bright, she thought it might blind her in that moment. "Sounds great! One slice coming up!" With a flourish he removed the top…

…and revealed the saddest cake she had ever seen. She hadn't expected any homemade effort to be professional quality, but what frosting had managed to stay on the cake seemed to double its height. The poor thing couldn't even stand up straight.

She couldn't help. Immediately she broke in an ugly laugh, so hard she buried her face in her hands in an attempt to keep some measure of dignity.

"Hey! I worked very hard on it!" Alm scowled, but he couldn't hide the flush slowly creeping up his neck.

"I know you did, honey. I appreciate it, truly," She leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "What matters the most is that it tastes good."

Back in highschool, when imagining the grand and ambitious life she'd have once she left home, Celica hadn't picture herself eating an ugly slice of cake in her underwear at midnight. But as Alm and she ate (it actually turned out to taste pretty decent) something in her slowly began to still. Ugh, somehow she always managed to forget just how much slowing down helped her, even when every bone in her body screamed not to. Funny how humans were like that. Repeating the same mistakes over and over again. Really she was a pro at it. But instead of beating herself over it, she tried to focus on the way Alm's thumb skimmed over her knuckles. It was harder to lose her head with him anchoring her.

When they both finished, Alm moved to put the cake up, but before he could leave, she squeezed his hand.

"Hmm?" He raised an eyebrow. With the way that flour was still caked across the bridge of his nose, she couldn't help but smile and lean forward to wipe it off.

"Dad texted me today."

Alm muttered something under his breath, yet from the way his grip tighten around her she knew more or less what he said.

"I thought you had blocked that bastard's number?"

"And changed mine since the last time he pulled this stunt." Celica massaged the side of her temple with her free hand. "But he must have been using his latest girlfriend's phone bc I didn't recognize the number and thought it might be one of the priests I've scheduled to interview. And once I started reading….it was like a train-wreck, couldn't look away no matter how much I wanted to."

"What'd he say?"

"The same old about not being sure about how much time he has left," She sighed as she pulled at a loose string. It always felt like she pouring salt in an exposed wound right after she thought it had closed. "And he tried to worm his way into getting an invitation to the wedding."

Alm let go of his hand to cup her face, his thumb stroking her cheek gently. "Cel…don't feel like you have to forgive him just it's what you're "supposed" to do. You shouldn't have to sacrifice your special day for other people's happiness. Least of all, his."

"Oh the guilt is definitely there, but I feel like I'm handling it better," Despite her light pitch the bitterness steeped through all the same. "Rather it feels like I have no choice. If he was able to get my number he can probably figure out where its gonna be and invite myself. I feel tied to being his daughter no matter what I do."

Alm bit his lip–a common habit for when he was frustrated. One one hand it was touching to see him emphasize so much with her, but on the other she hated making him suffer.

"I called my therapist about it. When I get around to my next session we'll be ready to tackle it."

"Doesn't make me want to try and fix everything any less," Alm pulled away, fists clenching and unclenching. This was an old song and dance for them, yet that didn't ease the pain a bit. "You know I'm always willing to do whatever I can."

"And I love you for that." It was Celica's turn to stroke his arm. Truly even this meant the world to her. "It doesn't help that he offered to cover expenses. Almost makes me want to tolerate him just so that money isn't stuck sitting in his trust funds and–"

"–Celica, I would never ask that of you." Green eyes bore into her soul. "I feel awful that you've had to be working yourself to death for me, but I promise once I pass the bar exam, things will get easier for both of us."

She took that moment to study Alm closely, to really observe the man she would dedicate herself to in the matter of a few months and the worry that lined his face. My my in moments like this she could trace out the boy she first met, who had been doing his damnest to befriend the lonely, rich girl.

"Look at us–" Celica gestured from her underwear, to the cake, then to the rest of the apartment, at a lost of what to say. "–just…tripping over each to see who can do the most for the other. I thought it was my job to overthink things."

"We're both the professional types," Alm ran a hand through his hair. "Professional disasters for now but one day we might get prompted on up to professional mess."

"It will be quite exciting won't it?" Celica laughed. The memories swarmed before her eyes, of the two of them sharing their dreams during homecoming, imagining the world that would wait for them once they left their small town. They had managed to survive high school together and even made it through undergrad all while thousands of miles apart. The fact they made it this far would have blown her fourteen year-old mind.

"Hey, don't worry about saving the world, Superman." This time she pressed a kiss to his nose. "Just be my Clark Kent." Even with no clear solution to her father, the wedding, or tomorrow's long hours, her shoulders still as if some of the weight had been lifted.

"Eh not sure if I can ever give up on the world," From the faraway look in his eye, he must have been reliving the past just like her. "but you think it's ok for now?"

The same tired side of her was ready to insist everything was fine, that she had to rush to bed so she could rush all tomorrow again. However its tiredness seemed to have drained even her own weariness.

"Can we cuddle for a bit?" She felt like a teen voicing such a desire. "We've been out of sync with our schedule for a while now, and I've really missed it."

Without another word, Alm wrapped her in his arms. As Celica rested her head against his heart, she knew that everything they've been through would have all been worth it just to have this moment.


A.N. Idk if I know how to fluff anymore, so some hurt/comfort as much as it got away from the prompt I am just happy to finish something