Happy belated birthday, BigWritingWorld!

(Sort of) request: OC & OC (A/N: Jojo belongs to BigWritingWorld, and Sphinx belongs to me)

.

He had bought cake. So even if there was nobody there to celebrate with him – there hadn't ever been – he at least had cake. Jojo hadn't deliberately refrained from telling anyone it was his birthday, no, it was just… there wouldn't be much point in it. He had always been lonely on his birthday, and soon had adapted to that. Buy cake, buy a new game, play by himself and lose himself in the plot. Don't think of his childhood. Don't think of his parents.

…It's hard to tell a joke when there is no one around to listen.

So quiet in the house. So… still.

Empty.

He turns up the volume of the TV, drowning out the silence with cheerful tunes and occasional blasting sounds. And he really, really likes gaming… so why does it always feel a bit bleak on his birthday? …Okay, but what else could he do, anyway?

-And that's when he hears noises from the door. Suspicious noises, so he quickly grabs his trusty sword and stands up, starting to pad toward the door. He forgets his previous gloomy thoughts as he strains his ears, wondering if maybe it's just one of my friends who forgot some-

His rambling thoughts slip from mind as he steps around the corner, fingers tensing around the hilt of Winter's Howl – and unclenching again, as his eyes land on the 'intruder'. Yeah, he can't remember giving her the key, but who cares about that right now – standing at the door is one of his most recent friends. Sphinx, some sort of mercenary (he doesn't actually know; he never asked) from the desert. She's a snarky and kinda rude caracal, and Jojo can't really imagine what she's doing in his house-

Hey, wait – she's here. Even if she doesn't know what today's date means, she's still visiting him-

"Hi Sphinx." He might be grinning. A little bit. "What's up today, then?"

"I told you, I'm always out scavenging." She gives him a look with those golden eyes. A disapproving look. And then she just doesn't say anything, looking like she's guessing at- "…I think you mentioned it was your birthday?"

Uh? "When?" Jojo honestly cannot remember saying-

"Two weeks ago? When we were hiding out in that old mining system?" She pauses. "I know it was you who said that, c'mon."

(Well, probably. Unless that other guy had been born the same day as Jojo and thought to mention it the same day as Jojo— Actually no, that's way too farfetched.)

"Yes, it was."

She nods sharply, and takes a step further inside the room.

Jojo suddenly is hit with the question again- "By the way, how did you get inside?"

"Picked the lock," she says, and adjusts that absurdly long scarf she wears everywhere, before striding right into his living room. After a quick glance at his door, Jojo follows – feeling strangely glad that she remembered. How did he let that fact slip, anyway? -But the results are turning out just fine. So it's – it – whoa.

He has a guest for his birthday.


Sphinx the Caracal, lives in the desert even though she hates sand, but she hates snow even more – doesn't really know what compelled her to come here today, on the off chance that it was Jojo's birthday. That strange white fox wielding a yet stranger sword, having befriended him only weeks ago… it seemed pretty shitty to not visit though. Since it then turned out to actually be his birthday – and now she's stalking through his house, looking at his stuff-

How is no one here? Why doesn't he have a party or a banquet or-? Anything? It's the guy's birthday, what the heck.

He does have friends, she knows that. Obviously. So why is he celebrating his birthday all alone?

-She stops in the middle of his kitchen, and turns around to face him. He's been following her like he's anxious she'll smash something – honestly – so now she throws the question at him: "Where are your friends?"

"Busy?" he shrugs, and it's almost irritating. Like he doesn't care about his own birthday- "I'm hanging out by myself today, how should I know?"

"Why?" Sphinx snaps. "It's your birthday."

He looks pensive. "Birthdays… I haven't ever celebrated my birthday with anyone, really."

That's… not good. Okay, what the fu- Jojo is fun, friendly, loyal- How hasn't- why-?

…It's clear what she must do.


"Want to go somewhere?" Sphinx asks next.

Jojo replies, "Depends on where."

Now she rolls her eyes. "A cinema? Or amusement park? Where do you want to go?"

He hadn't planned to go anywhere. He thought he would be spending today in the company of video-games, himself, and a bucket full of unpleasant memories.

"Nowhere?" he tries jokingly.

"Are you serious? Do I have to decide?"

"Well, no. No one has to decide at all, since we're not going anywhere."

"You'd… rather stay here?" Sphinx asks slowly, like she thinks he's dull or something. And would he rather stay here, at home? …going out in the city, or staying here doing- doing what, exactly?

"No, we're going out." Sphinx looks pleasantly surprised at Jojo's answer – and then he adds, "But I decide where to."

"You're the birthday kid," she says, shrugging. Adjusting that freakishly big scarf again.

"'Kid'? I'm taller than you." They walk back to the door, and Jojo makes a show of straightening his spine so he looks even taller. Sphinx quips back with a,

"So? I'm wiser."

"Sounds incredibly fake. Also, my sword is way deadlier than your tiny daggers."

"Pfft, your sword looks heavy as-"

"-AND I've rescued you twice," Jojo interrupts, and then they're at the door. Jojo opens the door – the lock seems fine – and Sphinx slinks out before him. He locks the door, and makes a dash so that he's walking in front of Sphinx instead of the other way around.

"So where're we heading then, starboy?"

"To the-"

"AND if you say 'the game shop' then I will kick your ass."

"-the cinema," Jojo finishes. "But if you want to visit the game shop, then-"

"Gods, no. I'll stick with cinema."

They get going, ambling along icy sidewalks while heading for the busier parts of the city. It'll take a while to get there, which is good, because then Jojo will have time to clear his head…


Sphinx pays for tickets, and Jojo picks an action movie.

They get seats in the back row, and arm themselves with way too much soda and popcorn. The movie is good but not that good, and Sphinx keeps stealing glances at Jojo to see if he'll notice. Maybe he does, and just doesn't show it…

She kind of wants to put a hand on his shoulder and go "are you alright?" but that seems a bit weird. He seems to have some issues with his past. Some issues in his past… Like, it's not her place to pry. If he doesn't want her to, that is. Past memories, old scars… sitting alone at home as your birthday creeps by- stupidly personal business.

Darn it. Sphinx curses. I'll ask.

Maybe.

But not in the blasted cinema.

-Somehow they eat through that whole mountain of snacks they bought, and by the time the credits roll they're finished with all the soda too. They dump all the trash into the big garbage can outside of the cinema, and then they both proceed to stretch and take a deep breath of fresh winter air…

It's already getting dark. Huh.

Sphinx looks up and— yes! You can see the stars tonight.

"Look," she says, gestures vaguely. "You can see the constellations…"


Jojo glances up. And it is beautiful, crisp black sky dotted with thousands and thousands of stars. He knows the sky isn't as clear as it is outside the city – but there's still so many stars. Sphinx seems to be more in awe than he is, though, he thinks after a quick glance at her. The stars…

"My dad and I had this tradition of staying up – on our birthdays. We'd stay up and look at the stars while eating-" she makes a gesture. "-dried fruit."

"Oh," he says. Numbly. "Dried fruit?"

"Tastes terrible."

He nods noncommittally. Birthday traditions. Another thing he's missed out on- another thing he'll never have and can't ever share with anyone because his birthdays barely- But that's just another thing on the list. Today – today was better than all the birthdays before and next time, next time maybe he'll even try and invite his friends home to his place for a party-

Not sitting there, alone, anymore.

"In the desert, you can see even more," Sphinx says suddenly. "Stars, I mean."

"Well then you'll show me next year, right?"

She looks surprised. "You wanna do this again next year?"

He… shrugs. And smiles. "Well, it was better than moping at home."

She- she grins, which is a bit scary because those teeth look sharp- but she also looks happy, so there's that. "Heck yes it was. And deal, I'll take you to the desert next year. Okay?"

He holds his hand up for a high-five, and she rolls her eyes but slams her hand against his.

"Happy birthday, Jojo…"