Wren rolled over and stretched before opening her eyes to unfamiliar surroundings. She sat up on her elbows and groggily surveyed the room. Black curtains were closed, leaving only a sliver of space for the midmorning sun to shine through. The end tables were cluttered with scraps of paper, bullets, books, and parts of a gun that had been dismantled. The bed itself was covered in pillows and blankets, some spilling off onto the floor and all of them different materials and thicknesses. It was an absolute nest of soft things and she rubbed her eyes.

"Where…"

"We're at Cayde's," Kiran said. "There's a note for you."

Wren reached over to the paper Kiran was referring to and read it, drawing her thumb over Cayde's handwriting before tucking it away in her shorts pocket.

"Do you remember anything?" he asked.

"Sort of. Bits and pieces. I just don't remember making the decision to come here."

"I'm not surprised. You were in bad shape. How are you feeling now?"

"A little better. Still tired though."

"Why don't we go home and you can rest some more. Zavala updated me on the Prison mission and he said Cerulean is due back just after dusk and you know Sisre is excited about your birthday tomorrow."

"I don't know if I'm up to it," Wren admitted as she sat up and put her feet on the floor.

"You can back out if you want."

She shuffled into the living room where she found more cluttered surfaces and peeking out from under a sheet in the corner was something familiar…

"Is that…. Is that a flame turret?" Wren asked.

"You know what… I'm not sure how I didn't notice that last night but I'm also not surprised to find that here."

Funny how the apartment was so clean and the seats were free for people to sit in, but every other table, stool, bar, etc. was covered in random bits and pieces of things. Her blanket was still over the back of the couch and she pulled it tight around her shoulders and checked the clock. According to his note, she was close to missing her first window for escape without being seen and if that happened, she'd have to wait around a couple more hours.

When she reached the door she turned for one more look at Cayde's place and wondered if it might be worth it to lay back down and sleep; get caught by the tight time frames and stay wrapped up in his blankets. But that would cause trouble for both of them and frankly she felt Emelie's den might retaliate against her somehow.

On the other hand, she couldn't deny that she found comfort here.

"What are you doing?" Kiran asked as Wren went back to the bedroom and dropped her blanket on the bed.

"I'm trading blankets." She took one of Cayde's and pulled it up around her shoulders like a shawl so it wouldn't drag on the ground before leaving.

"I don't know if he's gonna like that."

"He won't notice."

The Vanguard floor of the Tower was quiet and empty when she left and she was able to get back to her own floor without incident. A few Guardians passed her but none of them gave her a second glance. It wasn't until she turned the corner to her section of the hall that she noticed someone had glued a dead rat to her door.

"That's terrible," Kiran said.

Wren went into her room to find something to dispose of the rat with and stepped onto a pile of notes that had been stuffed under the door. The first one was telling her how much of a pet she was and she decided not to bother reading the others and scooped them into the trashcan.

"Do you want me to tell Sundance?"

"No. I've bothered Cayde enough." Wren dealt with the rat on the door and bagged up the trash before taking it to the chute down the hall. Kiran hovered over her shoulder as she went, his shell twisting nervously though he said nothing else.

"But what if it gets worse?"

"It might," Wren shrugged, then cleaned up before heading to bed. She wrapped up tight in Cayde's blanket and closed her eyes. "I can't deny certain things anymore… one of them being that I don't want to give Cayde up as a friend for the sake of dens that don't want me. I don't want their approval. I don't need it. This'll pass. They'll get bored and move on."

She knew what he was thinking. The idea of Flak hung thick between the two of them and she knew that same logic hadn't worked so well with him. It could be said that it hadn't worked out that way with Emelie and her den either, but Wren knew she'd caused the trouble that came to her. Embarrassing Emelie had come with dire consequences but she hoped to never cross that line again, but at the end of the day she also knew that had it not been for that prank, Emelie's issue with her would have stayed at arm's length.

Wren pushed the thoughts away and focused on the subtle scent of Cayde's blanket. Another thing she couldn't deny was taking comfort in Cayde. But that one wasn't something she was prepared to openly admit.

Not yet anyway.

The Tower was bustling yet again when Wren and Sisre walked across the courtyard. The midmorning rush to get bounties off the board had drawn people in but they had no reason to hang around. That didn't stop Wren from glancing over at the stairs leading down to the command center.

Kiran had told her he'd invited Cayde but that said he would if he wasn't busy. She turned her attention away and caught sight of an Exo Hunter dragging a bag as big as he was across the courtyard toward Rahool, engrams plinking out on the ground all around.

"Don't you dare touch that!" he yelled at another Hunter who tried to swipe one.

Wren stepped aside and Sisre pulled her farther away but it was so bizarre she couldn't stop watching as an Exo Titan ran up and gathered the dropped engrams.

"What's all this?" the Titan asked, grabbing the bag to help his friend.

"I found this cave, right, and enemies just kept coming. I've never seen anything like it before and… and there was this voice," the Hunter whispered, "it said a million deaths wouldn't satisfy Rahool and it was spooky."

"Rahool is going to hate you," the Titan laughed.

Wren raised a brow at Sisre. "What's with that?"

"Don't stare, Wren," Sisre said, leading her away. "We uh, we don't talk to them okay?"

Wren chuckled and shook her head. "You're such a mother hen."

"Sorry," Sisre smirked. "I was really worried about you after what happened. I guess it just sort of… spills over sometimes."

"I appreciate it, but I really can take care of myself."

"I know. It's not about that. You're my best friend—"

"Outside of Rorick," Wren pointed.

Sisre laughed. "Outside of Rorick. What I'm trying to say is that I look out for you because I care about you, not because I don't think you can handle it on your own." She put an arm around Wren's shoulders as they exited the Tower and into the City. "If you want to talk about what happened, I'm here for you. But if you'd rather deal with it later, I say we go get you a pretty dress for your party."

"I'll just wear my red and white cheongsam."

"Nuh uh, this is a special occasion, we're getting you something new."

"I think you have a thing for shopping and use me as a guinea pig," Wren smirked.

"Maybe a little. Cut me some slack, okay, I've been stuck with four guys for like, two days in a prison. I'm ready to feel pretty. Besides, isn't Cayde coming?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Didn't you ask him?"

"Kiran did. If he shows up then okay, but if he doesn't it's not that big of a deal."

Sisre hesitated, then shrugged. "If you say so. Anyway, when we get done with shopping, we have a surprise for you in your den."

"What is it?"

"I can't tell you. Rorick, Koro, Franz, and Beorn are setting it up as we speak. You'll love it, trust me."

The hours passed and Wren found she was able to put aside the overwhelming emotions she'd experienced since the incident with Emelie and her friends, but she couldn't quite shake the paranoia. The feeling that someone was watching her, ready to pick her off and put in some other horrible situation.

They spent some time in the bath house, then had a late lunch before heading up to Wren's den, shopping bags hanging off their arms. Beorn and Koro met them at the stop of the steps and took their bags.

"How are you feeling?" Koro asked, greeting Wren with a hug.

"I'm okay."

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Beorn asked and Wren followed him back up the steps while Sisre and Koro went toward the den. "I'm sorry I haven't come to see you yet."

"I've just been sleeping it off anyway."

"I can't express how sorry I am for what happened. I… I feel partially responsible. Had I not played that prank, your signal would have reached the Tower and—"

"I don't blame you. Really. We were all having fun and making some stupid choices. You couldn't have known what was going to happen. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm relieved to hear that, but I still feel guilty."

Wren hugged him and he seemed surprised at first but only took a moment to reciprocate, squeezing her a little too tight. She could hear the mechanical whirring from inside of him that's he could hear in Cayde and it took her back to seeking him out that night. Bits and pieces had drifted back in since then and she wondered… why hadn't she gone to Beorn? He was a good friend and lived much closer and yet… she'd sought out Cayde in her feverish state. She took a step back from Beorn and he leaned down to touch foreheads with her, which she'd figure out what the Twin's way of accepting someone into their circle, and put her hand to his cheek.

"I still trust you with my life," she said and he smiled.

"I promise, you won't see me pulling pranks any time soon. Now, let's go down and see your surprise."

Franz was nearly bursting with excitement when he opened the new door, swinging it wildly on its hinges. "Look! An actual working door! I mean… the ceiling is still jacked up and half the wall is missing but… a door!"

Wren laughed and walked past him into her den. The floor had been cleaned up of all the broken tiles, leaving only those intact. Little white lights hung from the open wall and a thick carpet had been placed on the back side of the room where the floor was higher. In that protected area they'd set up a mattress and covered it with pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals, which Franz was quick to say were from him and Beorn. Over that area was a sort of tent of colorful cloth in orange, yellow, and pink, some with tassels hanging off. It looked like some of the fabric stalls in the city, bright and vibrant.

"We know you sleep out here sometimes," Sisre said. "And we wanted to make sure that when you did you were comfortable."

"I got the lights and the carpet," Koro added. "I thought maybe something soft to walk on would be better than that cold, cracked floor, and those lights add a nice atmosphere I think."

"And I got you new tools," Rorick said, opening one of the drawers in Wren's work bench. "There is equipment for cleaning your weapons too so you don't have to get Banshee to do it all the time. Sisre and I can show you more extensive weapon care than what we do in the field."

Wren was overwhelmed as she looked to her fireteam and Koro, her friends, who had gone to such lengths to make sure she was happy and comfortable and tears welled up in her eyes. She was at a loss for words and went to hug them, only to get trapped in the middle of the group.

"Thank you so much," she said from where her cheek was crushed against Franz' shoulder.

"Happy birthday," Koro said.

"Yeah, yeah, happy birthday," Franz said. "Let's go get drunk!"

Beorn slapped the back of his head playfully. "Behave yourself. It isn't time yet."

"Damn. Well, I need a shower anyway. Meet you guys in what, an hour?"

"Give it an hour and a half and we'll be ready," Sisre said.

"Pft, girls," Franz rolled his eyes only to get punched in the shoulder by Sisre. "Geeze, Sis, I was only playin'."

Rorick kissed Sisre's forehead and ruffled Wren's hair before escorting Beorn, Franz, and Koro away from the den, closing the door on their way out.

"Isn't this great?" Sisre said.

"I don't have words," Wren said, picking up a stuffed white chicken from the bed, its yellow legs dangling. "I had no idea you guys would do all this for me."

"Well, it's your birthday and we really do want you to be comfortable here. It's your den after all."

Wren rucked the chicken under her arm and went through the workbench to see what Rorick and Sisre had gotten for her.

"Does it bother you?" Sisre asked.

"Hm?"

"I mean… about the den thing. I don't know many other Hunters that aren't in one."

Wren hopped up onto her stool. "It did bother me, but it doesn't now. The only den I've had any experience with is Emelie's and it's never been good. I think a part of me wants to bond like that, but I have you guys. I don't really need to be a part of a den. You see how distant Flak is from us and he has a den. Don't get me wrong, I can't stand Flak and I don't want him to be a part of us, but his demeanor toward people outside of his den is closed off and I'm glad I'm not like that to you guys. I bonded with you. And Rorick, Koro, Beorn, and Franz…"

"And Cayde," she smirked.

"Yeah, I guess so. I don't feel like I need anything else, ya know?"

"I get it. And I'm glad you picked us over some dumb old den anyway, right?"

Wren smiled and hugged her chicken. "Right."

"So let's get dressed real quick and we can leave our things here to pick up after the party. Do you have a mirror?"

"Should be in the bottom drawer of the work bench. You sure you don't want to go back up to the Tower?"

"Nah, we can do just fine here. I can't wait for you to put that dress on. It's going to be fantastic. And someday I'm going to talk you into wearing heels."

The pair of them donned their new dresses and Wren stared in awe at her Titan friend in her knee length silver dress with it's low plunging v shape in the back that exposed her skin and scars she seemed immensely proud of. The shimmering hemline was asymmetrical and glittered in the dying light of day.

"All you need is a tiara," Wren teased as Sisre tied a ribbon around her neck with a ring on it. "That's pretty."

Sisre smirked and straightened the bow in the back. "It's a favor from Rorick."

"What's that mean?"

"See, when Guardian's get married the bride wears a ribbon or scarf in her hair, or a groom can wear it tied around his wrist if that's the case. Either way, it's called a favor it's given to someone in the bridal party and that person then gives it to someone they want to spend their life with. It's taken very seriously and if the other person accepts, they wear the favor on them—"

"Oh, is that the red ribbon Rorick wears on his arm?"

"It is. And when the other person really wants to make things serious, they gift a favor in return. Usually, it's a ring but Guardians and rings don't mix so it's worn around the neck or just, somewhere on their person until they finally decide to get married."

"Guardian weddings sound complicated."

Sisre laughed. "There's a lot of tradition around them. When Rorick and I get married you'll see first-hand."

Wren straightened her midnight blue dress and Sisre gave her a little spin, the knee length skirt swirling around her. The sheer layer over it had gold constellations and paths of comets. "What do you think?"

"It's adorable. I swear, you look so sweet. Too bad I know better," she teased. "I'm glad you went with the off the shoulder look. I love it. Really shows off your necklace. Where did you get it?"

"Ah… um…"

"Cayde gave it to her," Kiran piped up and Sisre raised a brow.

"Oh, did he now?"

"It's not a big deal, really."

"Then why are you blushing?"

"Hush," Wren laughed, and they left for their night in the City.

Hours passed and Wren had partied herself out. They'd ate, drank, and danced themselves to exhaustion and Wren was pushed even more by constantly glancing at to door every time someone walked in only to find herself utterly disappointed that Cayde never showed up. It pushed her to drink more, dance more, eat more; generally, distract herself with everything else because that feeling of disappointment felt wrong somehow. And yet it brought her right back to that night he'd stood her up at the North gate.

Once she was walking along the Wall, she pulled her flats off, relishing the cold concrete on her aching feet. A cool wind blew in from the West, sending chills along her arms and she fought with herself on whether she wanted to sleep in the den with her new things or go back to the Tower where she could curl up in her warm room with Cayde's blanket.

The buzz from all the alcohol had her irrationally angry at the blanket for its very existence though Cayde had never promised to come to her party. She descended the steps, annoyed at herself for entertaining the irritation at Cayde when she noticed dark smudges on the walls of the den. The door was slightly ajar and she froze on the steps.

"Hello?" she called out, but no one replied. "Cayde?"

"I don't think he had anything to do with this," Kiran said, cautiously floating down to shine his light across the smudges which turned out to be graffiti. Derogatory terms and threats covered the outer wall and the new door and Wren's heart sank. "No one else is here. It's safe."

"I'm almost afraid to go in," she said before pushing the door open with her fingertips, jumping out of the way in case it was booby trapped. When nothing happened, she peered in to see her den had been trashed.

"I'm so sorry Wren," Kiran said, checking out the tent which had been dismantled and lay in a heap on the floor. "Emelie's den must be angry with their punishment."

"Nothing to do about it now. Let's get this cleaned up."

Wren tied up her hair and her skirt and found her music player which was still in one piece and put it on as loud as it would go. She prepared some water from a spigot nearby and began scrubbing the outer wall of the den.

"Happy birthday to me."

The time for Wren's party came and went and Cayde paced around his apartment. He'd tried to distract himself by reading, tinkering with some long-abandoned projects, and making some dinner but nothing worked. He decided to go into his room for the first time since Wren had been in it and flipped on the light.

Last night he'd come home and avoided it at all costs, choosing to sleep on the couch for fear that laying in those blankets and pillows she'd slept in would sway his opinion on what to do about her before he'd had a chance to figure it out but he couldn't avoid it forever. He tossed a pillow back onto the bed when he spotted Wren's blanket and froze. Sundance hovered over it and glanced at him.

"She left it behind?" Sundance asked.

"I uh… yeah I guess she did."

"We should return it."

Cayde paused and narrowed his eyes at her. "I know what you're doing."

"Whatever. Hey, where's the beige one?"

He dug around a minute. "Did she take it?"

"Aww, she swapped them."

"I doubt it. She probably just…. Mixed them up is all," he said holding up Wren's plush, pink blanket that was far too small for him to use comfortably.

Sundance stared at him, then said deadpan, "Right. She totally picked up an oversized beige abomination over her own cute, tiny pink blanket. Sure."

Cayde wadded the blanket up and stuffed it under his pillow and retreated to the living room once more where he made himself a drink and stood before the window overlooking the City. She was out there. Probably still in the North food district with her friends. And Koro. He downed the drink and grumbled at the empty glass. Why'd he even bother if he never felt it?

"Why don't you just go," Sundance said. "All this pacing and moping around is driving me nuts. And you already have a present for her."

He had his reasons for declining her invitation. Stupid Koro being one of them. Stupid Koro with his stupid little bird charm and his stupid ramen. But then again… he was a nice guy. Plenty nice enough to Wren and he worried about her. Cared about her and…

Cayde turned his back on the window and went to his desk to fish out a pen and some paper before heading to the couch.

It was better this way. For a year he'd been the source of so much trouble for Wren and they both knew it. He was trouble in general. To everyone. All the time. And what Ikora said had gutted him. His track record with women wasn't great and they both knew it. Wren was just the newest casualty in his wake and if he wasn't careful, he'd cause more damage than he already had.

And she already didn't want to be seen with him anyway.

Trouble, trouble, trouble.

He stared at the ceiling for some time before starting to write her letter. Like the others before it, the words came easier once he started writing than when he sat back and thought about it. As with the others, Sundance rested on his shoulder and read what he was writing. A part of him had wanted to shield her from the letters when he first started writing them, but if anyone knew him, it was Sundance. She was so tuned in to him, sometimes it was like she knew him better than he knew himself. Only difference was, she cut through his bullshit. She saw the absolute truth in whatever it was he said. Or thought. Or wanted.

Once the letter was finished, sealed, and safely tucked away with the others, Sundance came to rest on his chest and he gently stroked her side panel with his thumb.

"This is getting morbid," she said. "They don't really want us dead, you know."

"Yeah. Sure."

"Okay, that's enough," she said. "I'm sick of you sitting around here feeling sorry for yourself. Get up and take her the birthday presents."

"It's a bad idea."

"Oh, shut up, would you? I know what's bothering you. You're looking for every excuse there is to run from her and it's driving me nuts. Why do you feel like you have to make some kind of choice? Just be her friend and get over it. If it goes somewhere, then okay. If not, that's fine too. And don't you dare use Koro as an excuse either. She didn't seek him out when she was sick, she came to you."

Cayde flopped to his side, turning his back on her. She was quiet for a moment, then proceeded to batter against his head and shoulder until he had no choice but to swat at her and roll off the couch onto the floor.

"What's gotten into you?" he huffed but her only reply was to spin her shell like she was preparing to smack into him again and he put his hands up defensively. "Woah okay! I'll go, sheesh."

Sundance seemed quite pleased with herself as he got dressed, keeping the baggy pants that tied around his ankles and slipping on some cloth shoes, a long sleeve shirt, and an asymmetrical hooded poncho he wore into the City when he needed to disappear for a little bit. He went to retrieve the presents from the table by the window and caught a glimpse of a light in the darkness of the Wall. Was that Wren's den? Had to be. Was her party done already? He looked to the clock and sighed. Well, better late than never and if he stuck around too much longer Sundance would smack him again. Little bully.

They made their way down to the den and Cayde heard the music before they reached the top of the stairs. He could see twinkling white lights along the hole in the wall overlooking the City and when Wren came out the door with a bucket in hand he smiled.

Halfway down the stairs he slowed, then stopped, when he realized she was scrubbing graffiti off the walls with a wire brush. The words "rat" and "snitch" were everywhere along with threats and comments about her being his pet and he felt the urge to go quietly up the stairs before she noticed him.

Sundance must have felt what he was about to do because she floated down and swirled around Kiran. Wren glanced up at them, then back at Cayde.

"Oh, hey," she said. "I didn't recognize you without your armor. Kiran, can you turn the music down?"

The Ghosts disappeared inside and the music lowered to a volume where they could still hear it but not have to yell over it. When they came back outside they settled to hover close to Wren, lending her their lights to see by.

Cayde joined her too, getting a glimpse of the interior of the den which was trashed. Cloth, stuffed animals, tools, paper, and other various items he'd never seen before were scattered along the floor.

"I'm sorry I didn't make it earlier. To your party I mean," he said and Sundance glared at him, hitting him square in the chest with regret that he'd stayed in his room throwing a pity party for himself instead of being with her to celebrate. Not that it would have stopped Emelie's den from retaliating. Hell, she probably didn't notice his absence anyway and when he apologized, she didn't speak, only scrubbed the wall harder.

Cayde stepped back until his heels were at the first step. "I uh, I think I should go."

"Wait," she said, standing. "You don't have to."

"I don't want this stuff to keep happening to you."

She took a few steps closer and he caught a good glimpse of her in the light that came from the open door. Her cute, flowy dress was tied up around her knees, stray curls had fallen around her face from the messy ponytail, a few of them long enough to twist across her bare shoulders. Her eyes glowed up at him and she chose her next words carefully.

"What if I'd rather you stay?"

How could he say no to that?

"I have some stuff that can take that paint off," he said. "We can get some tomorrow. Let's get the inside clean for now and worry about that later."

Wren tossed the brush in the bucket, happy to give it up, and followed him into the den. He glanced down at her, his eyes lingering on the light that danced under the skin around her collarbones and noticed goosebumps had formed on her shoulders. Before he could ask if she was cold, she'd set to work on collecting the fabrics, some of which now had small tears and stains, and began to remake the tent above the mattress in the corner.

"Did you get this stuff for your birthday?" he asked, picking up a stuffed chicken with dangling legs and dusted it off. There were a few brown smudges on its white surface, but it was otherwise okay.

"Yeah. Rorick, Sisre, Beorn, Koro, and Franz set it up for me."

"I'm sorry for what Emelie's den did."

"You had nothing to do with that."

Cayde stared down at the chicken while Wren fixed the tent up. "So, does it have a name?"

"Does what have a name?"

"The chicken."

"Uh, well, no."

"Let's name it Colonel," he laughed.

"Is that supposed to be funny?"

"It is, but I guess you don't get the reference."

"That's okay." She took it from him and put it with the others on the bed.

They listened to music and cleaned the rest of the mess up, setting aside things that were too damaged to salvage in order to try and find replacements for them later. When they were finished Wren grabbed Colonel and climbed to the roof to rest.

Cayde started to follow her but went back for the presents before joining her to look over the City.

"Here," he said, handing them over.

"You didn't have to," she replied, setting Colonel beside her to take the presents in her lap. She shivered and he pulled his poncho off and handed it to her. "Oh, I'm fine."

"Just put it on."

They stared each other down for a moment before she relented with quiet thanks. She pulled it on over her head and he laughed at how the wide collar hung off her shoulder and the hem rested on the roof.

"You could swim in that thing," he teased, pushing the collar up onto her shoulder.

"It's not my fault I'm Hunter sized."

"Are you insinuating that I'm not the right size for a Hunter?" he scoffed.

"You are taller than most Hunters I've seen."

"Well… well you're smaller than most Hunter's I've seen."

She smirked. "Keep picking on me and I'll tell Zavala you have a flame turret in your room."

"Keep picking on me and I'll tell him you stole Tower speakers."

"I returned those, thanks."

"Then I'll tell him you only know that cuz you were in my room."

She arched a brow. "Neither of us wants that."

He opened his mouth to speak but then stopped. "That's fair. Now shut up and open your present. This one first," he said, taking the smaller box from her and setting it between them.

She opened the larger box and laughed as she pulled out a black coffee cup with pink flamingoes all over it. Then a notebook with a wide-eyed owl, a pen with a springy crow at the top, a light scarf covered in colorful feather designs, and a carved hawk.

"This is getting a little out of hand," she chuckled, waving the little crow around.

"There's one more thing," he said, reaching into the paper in the bottom of the box to retrieve a shiny blue bird charm. "It's for your necklace. Thought it'd be pretty with the purple crystal, ya know?"

"It's beautiful."

"May I?"

She turned her back to him and dropped the poncho away from her neck so he could unclasp the necklace and carefully add the bird charm.

Goosebumps rose on her skin when he put the necklace on her, knuckles grazing her neck and tracing down her shoulders to the collar of the poncho that he pulled up, despite wanting to let his fingertips linger. When she turned back around, he noticed her cheeks were flushed and she refused to look at him.

"Thank you," she said, resting her hand on the new addition around her neck.

"Don't forget this." He handed her the smaller box and she seemed relieved to have a distraction.

Inside the box was a white chocolate coated cake that was roughly the side of the balls children in the City played catch with. The surface was decorated to look like the Traveler, but whole, as it should be.

"What is it?" Wren asked.

"It's called a Traveler cake. They used to be just for Guardians on their birthdays but it's kind of an old tradition these days. Lots of people eat them, not just Guardians. Inside is dark chocolate and raspberry. They're great. Well, I haven't had one in a while, but I remember them being delicious."

"Don't you get them on your birthday?"

"I used to, but I haven't celebrated a birthday in so long I don't remember when it is anymore," he chuckled.

Wren stared at the cake, the broke it in half and handed part to him.

"You're supposed to eat it yourself," he said.

She shrugged. "Then… happy birthday to you. Here's half of my treat because I didn't know it was your birthday too. How rude of me."

"You'd share your birthday with me?"

"Why not? You don't remember yours so, why not today?" She munched away at her half of the cake while Cayde just stared at his.

If nothing else, they were friends. Right? And he didn't have to run from friendship. He had other friends. And she had friends so… why not? He took a bite of the cake and couldn't remember a time when it was sweeter.