According to the fake birth certificate in the black box, Nikita's birthday was this week. So, here's a post-series fic of Nikita celebrating her birthday.
The alarm woke Nikita up way too early. She knew she had set it that early so she could enjoy a run on the beach while the sun was still low. But she didn't want to get up yet. Her bed was so warm, and Michael had wrapped his arms around her. She could stay in bed for five more minutes. There wasn't anything she actually had to do that day. She was allowed to be lazy.
Michael, however, interrupted Nikita's attempt to doze back off. He kissed her neck and her cheek, and he tightened his arms around her waist. Before he could also pull him tighter against him, she turned in his arms. He beamed the instant he saw her face. She couldn't help but caress his cheek and smile in return, "Hey."
"Good morning," Michael's excited greeting didn't echo the sleepiness in Nikita's voice. He was far more awake than her and far more eager to start the day. She wasn't sure why that was. Yet she didn't care enough to question it. Her husband began to kiss her awake, and she happily kissed him back.
Michael kissed his wife passionately and caressed her warm bronze skin. She came alive under his touch. He gripped her ass and pulled her flush against him. She threw an impossibly long leg over his hip, and his hand immediately landed on her phoenix tattoo. Softly, their hips rolled together, making them moan into their kiss. It was a great start to their morning, and Nikita definitely wanted to continue it. Unfortunately, Michael quickly ruined the moment by pulling away and whispering against her lips, "Happy birthday."
Whereas Michael attempted to keep kissing Nikita, she pulled away in confusion. What was he talking about. It couldn't have been her birthday. Could it have been.
Rolling away from her husband, Nikita reached for her phone. She checked the date, and sure enough, it was her birthday. She was surprised. She hadn't even realized the day was coming. So how did Michael remember, "Oh… that is today."
Her muttered response was certainly not the reaction Michael had expected. Nikita sat up on the mattress and brushed her wild hair out of her face. He followed her upright and attempted to reach for her; however, she began to draw away from him. She didn't let him get a good look at her face- it was almost like she was attempting to hide her thoughts from him. He couldn't understand it. And she didn't give him much time to think about it before she deflected, "Thanks. Um. I'm gonna go on my run. You wanna come with?"
"I was actually gonna make you breakfast," Michael replied, still confused by Nikita's reaction. He had only wished her a happy birthday. He knew that they had never had time to celebrate it before- something was always going on (especially between them) during her birthday. But they were free then. They could celebrate her all they wanted. So what was the problem. What was wrong.
"Oh. You don't… thanks," Sliding out of bed, Nikita smiled shyly. Michael knew that she had almost told him not to do anything special for her. But she must've suspected that he'd argue, so she dropped it completely. That didn't negate the fact that she still believed she wasn't worth all the trouble, though. They were married, and it was her birthday, yet she continued to have that doubt. Michael opened his mouth to say something, yet Nikita quickly moved to the bathroom- under the pretense that she was getting ready for her run- to hide.
For the time being, Michael let the topic drop. He was certain that Nikita would tell him what was going on eventually. After she woke herself up more, and after she cleared her thoughts with a run, she'd talk. And if not, he could get her to open up once he fed her. He had a lot planned for his wife's birthday. The day was going to be spent showering her in love and reminding her how special she was. Whatever was on her mind couldn't be allowed to weigh her down for long. She had to be happy on her day.
While Nikita went to run along the beach- and hopefully clear the depressing thoughts that had invaded her mind- Michael moved to get things ready for the day. He hadn't just planned to make breakfast as she ran; he had also planned to set up for a few surprises. He shot off some texts, cleaned the house, and put together a part of one of her gifts. Fortunately, Nikita liked to go on long runs. Michael had plenty of time to get everything ready and start making breakfast by the time she returned. She seemed more at ease as she walked into the house, and he smiled. It was going to be a good day.
"Hey. How was your run?" Handing his wife a cold glass of water once she entered the kitchen, Michael asked cheerfully. She easily matched his smile, and he felt relieved. The mysterious funk she had fallen into was gone. They still had to talk about what had happened, but it wouldn't weigh down the rest of their day.
"Good," As she thankfully drank her water, Nikita surveyed the kitchen. Her husband had been slicing fruit, mixing up pancakes, scrambling eggs, and frying some ham and tofu while she was gone. He really was going all out for her birthday. For some reason, the thought made her blush. She honestly shouldn't be surprised, yet even after all those years his kindness for her always threw her off guard, "You seriously made all this for me?"
"It's your birthday," Michael shrugged. Why shouldn't he spoil his wife on her birthday. They never actually got to celebrate it before, and she had once made a big deal out of his birthday. She deserved the special attention.
Setting down her glass, Nikita fought to maintain eye contact with her husband. She shouldn't run and hide from him again. She knew he wouldn't judge or hurt her or whatever. She just had to be honest with him. He'd understand, "Yeah, I know. But…"
"But, what? You make a big deal out of our birthdays," Interrupting, Michael reminded Nikita. Although there were times when they couldn't have all out parties for one another, Nikita still made certain that their family recognized and did a little something for each other's birthdays. It didn't always work out because of the many different things that were going on, yet she still tried (and so did Alex at times). Since the war was over, though, the family could actually devote time to one another's birthdays. No one could be the exception.
However, that wasn't exactly what Nikita was thinking about. She didn't believe she was unworthy of any celebration. She was fine with receiving attention and being spoiled. What had her weirded out was simply the fact that it was her birthday.
For as long as Michael had known Nikita, she had never drawn attention to her birthday. She had never dropped hints about birthday presents; she had never joked that she should be treated like a princess because it was her day (Alex and Birkhoff on the other hand). She had always ignored the day. It wasn't difficult for Michael to understand why. Those kinds of things always had the same reason, "You didn't celebrate it much as a kid."
"It was never a big deal. Maybe I'd get a cake. Maybe I'd get a present. But no one took much time to celebrate it. I didn't really either," Nikita admitted quietly. For as long as she could remember, her birthday had never been paid special attention. She never even had a party. It was just another day in the year; the only difference was that she changed age.
"You didn't care?" Michael wondered. Sure, as an adult he didn't really care about his birthday. He'd celebrate with his family. But other than that, it wasn't that big of a deal. When he was a kid, however, his birthday was the best day ever. He couldn't imagine a kid not being excited to have a day meant just for them. Except, Nikita had never been a normal kid. Her dreams and wishes had been drastically different than other children's. A birthday probably didn't even make it on a list of the things she wanted.
"The older I got, the more it became just like any other day," Nikita confessed. There had been some years where her birthday had passed without her even noticing. There had never been a reason for her to make the day special. Especially when there were moments where she didn't believe she'd make it to the next one.
Although her husband turned away from her to attend to their breakfast, Nikita knew he was still listening to her. He'd listen intently to everything she'd share with him. She simply had to be brave enough to speak all her thoughts aloud, "You know, there was a point where I resented my birthday. I was never able to picture a future for myself. I just kept thinking that each day was another day I might… I never thought I'd make it past eighteen. Technically, I didn't. So, you know…"
Fidgeting with the ends of her ponytail, Nikita let her sentence drop. Michael knew what she was going to say, she didn't need to continue. She just played with her long dark hair and tried not to let her past thoughts overwhelm her. Luckily, she had her husband. He ignored their breakfast for a moment to grab her hand. He squeezed it tightly, looked her deep in the eyes, and promised as sincerely as possible, "You have a future now."
"I know," Smiling softly, Nikita kissed Michael's knuckles. He kissed hers in return, then he dropped her hand so he could finish cooking. She stayed close to his side, continuing to grin. She really did have a whole life in front of her. Nothing would stop her from being happy for the rest of her life. She had begged for that, she had fought for that, and then she had that, "For the first time ever, I can see myself living forever. I mean, I'm thirty. I didn't think I'd ever be this old, and here I am. I have an actual life ahead of me. I can have seventy more birthdays. I can have a hundred more. I actually have something ahead of me. And it… it just feels so surreal."
Putting the final touches on their breakfast, Michael turned to his wife with a smile. He knew exactly what she meant. It was weird at times to think that they could live the rest of their lives without looking over their shoulders. But it had been a hard-fought victory. They should celebrate their freedom and revel in their happiness as much as possible, "Then we should get you used to celebrating your birthday now."
"Starting with breakfast," Nikita excitedly grabbed plates for all the food her husband had made her. Her run had left her starving, and she was so ready to eat- especially since all the love and care Michael went into his cooking made the food look even more delicious.
"Yep. This is your day. It's gonna be extra special," Matching his wife's excitement, Michael promised. He had begun planning her birthday months ago. He swore to do all he could to cherish her that day. Cooking her breakfast barely even scratched the surface.
"And, let me guess. It'll end with dinner with the family," Nikita had noticed that while on her run Michael had done more than just cook breakfast. The house was cleaner and looked more put together. The others must've been coming over for her birthday. They hadn't seen one another in a while, so it'd be a nice end to her day if her whole family was there with her.
"Actually, no. Sorry. Everyone was too busy to make it today. But, the next time we get together, we're gonna celebrate your birthday again," Michael focused on plating the food so his wife wouldn't read his expression. He wasn't hiding anything from her. He just didn't want any surprises ruined. And since she had the uncanny ability to read his mind, he had to avoid her a little bit. It'd only make the day better, though, so it was worth it.
"That's okay. I'm happy with just you," Taking her plate from her husband, Nikita beamed. Although she was a little disappointed the others wouldn't be joining them, she understood. None of the former rogues could sit still for long, even in retirement. But they were free to choose what to do with their hectic lives, so that was a blessing. They'd spend time together whenever they could. The family couldn't stay away from each other for long.
The married couple sat close together at the table as they ate and talked. Their conversation shifted from serious topics to silly nothingness. They mostly wanted to make each other laugh and smile around bites of delicious food. Eventually, when they had both finished eating, Nikita began to clear the table. Michael quickly put a stop to it. She didn't have to lift a finger that day, "Don't worry about this. Go shower. I'll clean up."
"You don't wanna shower with me? It is my birthday," Walking backwards towards their bedroom, Nikita smirked. Cleaning up could wait. There were far more enjoyable activities she wanted to do on her birthday. Fortunately, her husband didn't hesitate to join her.
Once the two were sated, clean, and dressed, Michael cleared the dishes and cleaned the kitchen. Nikita sat on the counter, half talking to him and half just watching him. They shared various adoring glances and quick kisses while he worked.
As soon as he finished, Nikita tried to suggest that they cuddle on the couch and watch a movie; however, Michael had other plans- literally. They were going to spend the rest of the morning shopping in town. Nikita was confused by what her husband meant, yet he soon cleared that up. After they got coffee from their favorite place and drove to the market, his plans unveiled themselves. The two weren't shopping for necessities. Their trip was a shopping spree for her. Whatever Nikita wanted, she could buy. Money wasn't an issue (thanks to the latest criminal organization they had taken down).
Kissing her husband excitedly, Nikita giddily bounced between the different stalls at the market. Michael mostly watched his wife have fun, but when she needed him to hold or carry something, he was right there beside her. The two spent a few hours shopping and wandering the market; Nikita wanted to look at everything, and of course Michael let her. They eventually walked back to the car with various shopping bags and items piled up in their hands. Despite that, they walked arm and arm, giggling like the lovebirds that they were.
Before heading home, the married couple grabbed a light lunch at a nearby café. Michael didn't have any other plans until dinner, so Nikita took over from there. She put all her new belongings in their place at home, then she turned on some music. She and her husband danced, sang, and laughed around their house until they couldn't stay on their feet any longer. They collapsed on the couch and finally played a movie; however, their attention didn't remain on it for long. Soon, Michael and Nikita stumbled towards their bedroom, kissing, caressing, and making passionate love between the sheets.
Nikita received texts from Sonya, Birkhoff, and Sam throughout the day. They all wished her a happy birthday, and they all promised that they'd get together and celebrate soon. When Michael began to take food out of the fridge to cook dinner (after they had tidied up themselves and their bed) Alex called the birthday girl. Nikita went to another room to talk to her, and the two stayed on the line for a long time, talking about everything and nothing all at once.
When she finally rejoined her husband in the kitchen, dinner was already in the oven. Nikita attempted to guess what Michael had made, but most of the ingredients were already put away. A part of her thought that he was trying to hide what he had made from her. But that would've been ridiculous. He had surprised her enough, "Whatcha making for dinner?"
"You'll find out," Michael smirked. Nikita glared. Again, he used focusing on the kitchen as an excuse to hide his true expression from her. He still had a few more surprises in store, and they couldn't be ruined then. Though, he was beginning to suspect that she was catching onto him. Her glare soon turned scrutinizing.
Michael needed to do something to distract Nikita. As he opened the fridge to put the rest of the remaining food away, he figured letting her take a peek would keep her preoccupied. She spotted the salad he had also made, and that seemed to satisfy some of her curiosity. Though, there was something else in the fridge- or, more specifically, the lack of something else- that really caught her attention. She turned to her husband as he closed the fridge again, confused, "Wait. No birthday cake?"
"It's an ice cream cake. It's getting delivered," Michael explained. Nikita had always enjoyed ice cream more than cake, so he figured an ice cream cake was the best idea. Based on the smile she gave him, he had been right.
"Fuck yeah," Bouncing in excitement, Nikita beamed. She had always wanted an ice cream cake. So, of course, it was no surprise that her husband was the one to eventually buy her the desert. He'd do anything to make her happy and smile at him like that.
Chuckling, Michael pulled Nikita into his arms to settle her back down. He was going to suggest that they finish their movie until dinner was ready. But then his phone buzzed in his pocket. He didn't have to check the text to know what it said. It was about time he pushed his final plan along. Ushering his wife out of the kitchen, Michael surprised her once again, "You know what. Why don't you open your presents now."
"You got me presents?" Nikita watched her husband hurry to another room, bewildered. She had thought the things she bought on her shopping spree counted as her presents. She couldn't believe that Michael had bought her more. And she couldn't believe that he had gotten her gifts, wrapped them, and hid them without her noticing.
Soon, Michael returned with two wrapped boxes in hand. Again, Nikita stared in bewilderment, trying to comprehend how her husband did all that without her knowing. He must've had help. But before she could think about what kind of help, Michael handed her the bigger of the two boxes, "Here."
Although she remained skeptical, Nikita couldn't stop herself from ripping open the wrapping paper. She was left staring at a black case that Michael indicated she open. She did so gently, and she instantly gasped. Inside the case were five multi-colored throwing knives. When one was to throw them, the spin created a rainbow. Nikita had wanted knives like those since she saw them in a catalog years ago. She thought she'd never get them, but she was so gladly wrong, "Are these the throwing knives I wanted? You remembered?"
"Of course. Sorry I couldn't get them for you sooner. But, my stipulation still stands. You can't use them and lose them on a mission. These are for practice only. Which, you can do in the backyard with the sandbag targets I set up," Grinning warmly, Michael replied. They hadn't been able to get the throwing knives when Nikita had first seen them because money had been tight (they had been living in motels, making it by on money they had stolen from black box villains). But they weren't struggling then. They could have whatever they wanted, including rainbow throwing knives that were too nice to use on missions.
Turning towards the backyard, Nikita was ready to try out her new knives immediately. Michael must've set up the targets while she was running (that was something she definitely would've noticed him doing). They were just waiting for her, begging to be used. However, her husband didn't let her run off just yet. He pulled her back gently and chuckled, "Wait. Wait. There's still more presents."
Nikita set the knives down on the counter and accepted the small box from Michael. Again, when she ripped away the wrapping paper, she was met with a case. That one was white and clearly held jewelry inside. Prying it open, she instantly froze. She was too stunned to even gasp. The necklace her husband had bought her was absolutely breathtaking. The gold chain was thin and held a small charm. Despite its size, the charm drew all eyes towards it. The design was elegant and powerful- a golden phoenix rose out of a fiery red gemstone. Nikita was mesmerized by it. She felt like she could hardly speak, "Oh my God. Michael. This is beautiful."
"It's garnet. Your birthstone," Removing the necklace from the box, Michael explained. He helped his wife clasp the jewelry around her neck, then he placed a kiss to her temple. He had seen the necklace in a jewelry store months ago, and he instantly knew he had to buy it for her. Nothing else seemed to be her style. Except the fiery phoenix was perfectly her.
"I love it. Thank you so much," Turning in her husband's arms, Nikita protectively clutched the charm of her necklace. Michael tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled tenderly. She kissed him.
Whereas Nikita intended to kiss Michael until dinner was ready, another text on his phone made him pull away. He still didn't need to look at it to know what it said. He simply pressed his forehead against his wife's and beamed, "You've still got one more gift."
The doorbell soon ringing confused Nikita. She wanted to assume that it was only the ice cream cake being delivered. But Michael's smile expressed otherwise. He pushed her towards the door and urged her to open it. As she slowly followed his silent orders, she quickly began to realize what was going on. On their doorstep, delivering the cake and holding a whole bunch of other goodies, was their family. Alex, Sam, Birkhoff, and Sonya burst into smiles upon seeing Nikita and shouted, "Happy birthday!"
"You fucking liar!" Nikita instantly yelled at Michael. She wasn't angry at him. She was just so excited she didn't know how else to react. Her family took her reaction in stride. They laughed warmly and swarmed into the house.
Everyone's arms were too full of luggage, gifts, desert, snacks, and drinks for any proper hugs. Yet that didn't stop them from loudly exclaiming how much they had missed each other and how excited they were to see everyone again. Nikita closed the door and led them further into the house while Michael took care of luggage. Sonya eventually made it through the jumble and headed towards the kitchen. She had the ice cream cake in her hands, and she made sure that it didn't get more damaged than it had in the car surrounded by people and things, "Where do you want the cake and gifts?"
"Is dinner almost ready? I'm starving," Dumping the sodas and chips that he had brought on the table, Birkhoff grumbled. Michael ignored him to help Sonya. They set gifts on the counter and piled food on the table. The main course would be ready soon; there was no need to complain. Besides, if Birkhoff was that hungry, there were chips and salad.
"Please feed the nerd. He hasn't stopped complaining since we picked up the cake," Sam grumbled as well. He and Birkhoff glared at each other for a moment. Yet they soon rolled their eyes, laughed, and helped Michael with the paper cups, plates, and cutlery.
"Did Michael give you that? It's gorgeous," Spotting the phoenix necklace around Nikita's neck, Alex asked. Once her hands had been freed, Alex had managed to hug her best friend. She kept it brief, however. There was too much chaos in the room for a long embrace.
"Yeah, he did," Unable to stop her brilliant smile, Nikita adoringly spun the charm of her necklace. Michael had undoubtedly gotten her the best presents for her birthday; she loved every single one of her gifts. She had already excitedly told Alex about what she had bought on her shopping spree while they were on the phone (which she then realized was a distraction so she wouldn't see what Michael was cooking). So she wanted to show her the rainbow throwing knives as well. She was pretty sure her best friend would love them too, "You have to see the knives he also got me. We can throw them in the backyard."
As soon as Alex saw the multi-colored knives, she begged to see them in action. She and Nikita began to move towards the backyard, but- once again- Michael stopped that from happening. He noticed the two women run away as he pulled the various homemade pizzas (enough to feed the whole family with their different diets) from the oven, and he quickly called them back, "Wait until after dinner."
Somehow, everyone managed to settle at the table. The family was still crazy and loud, but it was contained to their laughter and fun. They caught each other up on their lives while they ate, drank, and watched Nikita rip open even more presents. They couldn't run out of things to talk about. They had to share everything with one another, making them laugh and smile.
After dinner, dessert, cleaning up, and finally putting luggage in guest rooms, the family made their way to the backyard. Michael and Nikita's backyard was basically their own private stretch of beach. They mostly sat out there to stargaze or bask in the sun. But that night, they had a birthday party. Michael built a bonfire with Sam's help, and Alex and Nikita used the blazing light to throw the rainbow knives. The two's excited squeals caused the others to throw them as well, and a contest soon formed. The family quickly lost track of the score, however. They were too busy laughing and poking fun of one another.
The night stretched on, and the former rogues lost their energy. They sat around the bonfire, talking aimlessly and enjoying one another's company. Nikita sat next to her husband. He wrapped his arm around her, and she rested her head on his shoulder. The two happily listened to their friends, warmed by the fire. Eventually, Nikita turned to Michael and gazed up at him. Every ounce of love she had for him reflected in her brown eyes as she said, "Thank you. This was the best birthday ever. I love you."
"I love you too," His green eyes flashing his love for her, Michael kissed his wife. She melted into the affection, and he held her closer to him. When they separated from the kiss, he pressed his forehead against hers and kept her in his arms. He was going to keep her with him for a long time. They had forever together- a million more birthdays together- and they had to cherish every single moment, "Happy birthday, Nikita."
