Warning: Even when the first few chapters will be relatively light, the subsequent chapters could trigger some people. Themes like torture, human experimentation and even SA of a minor, discretion is adviced.

Dash's Forgotten Birthday

The room was dimly lit, the cold, gray walls pressing in on them. Violet sat in the corner, her back against the wall, knees drawn up to her chest. Across from her, Dash was lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling. His face was gaunt, his once-bright eyes dulled by exhaustion and despair.

They had long since lost track of the days. Time blurred together in the sterile monotony of their prison. Violet kept trying to count the experiments, the times they'd been fed, but it never added up anymore.

"Vi," he murmured, breaking the silence.

"Yeah?" She asked in a flat tone.

He didn't move, his voice heavy. "How long do you think we've been here?"

Violet hesitated. She didn't have an answer, and she hated admitting it. "I don't know… weeks?... months?... I am not sure" she finally said softly.

Dash sighed, his voice trembling slightly. "I was thinking... When we got captured, my birthday was only a couple of weeks away." He paused, his fingers clenching into fists. "I think I turned eleven in this place, Vi."

Violet's heart sank. She hadn't even thought about it, and the guilt hit her like a wave. Dash had always been so excited about his birthdays, counting down the days and talking endlessly about what he wanted to do. And now, that day has passed in this awful place, being treated like a lab rat.

She swallowed hard. "Dash... I'm so sorry. I didn't realize"

He shrugged, trying to seem indifferent, but his voice cracked. "It doesn't matter. It's just a stupid birthday. Not like we can celebrate or anything."

But it did matter, and Violet knew it. Dash was just a kid, and he deserved better than this.

"Wait here," she said softly, standing up on shaky legs.

"Where am I gonna go?" Dash muttered.

Dash frowned, watching her as she crossed the room to the small tray where their pitiful ration of food sat. It wasn't much—some stale bread, water and a lump of dry rice—but it was all they had. Violet carefully broke the bread into pieces, forming it into a rough, lumpy circle and used a bit of water to stick the rice together in the middle like frosting.

It wasn't much. It wasn't even close to what Dash deserved. But it was something.

She turned back to Dash, holding the makeshift "cake" in her hands. "Happy belated birthday, Dash," she said, her voice warm and soft.

Vi..." His voice cracked, and for a moment, he couldn't speak. "That's... that's the saddest-looking birthday cake I've ever seen." He said between a laugh and a sob.

She set the 'cake' down between them and sat cross-legged, facing him. "Now, hold on. There's one more thing."

Clearing her throat, Violet began to sing in a soft, shaky voice:

"Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday, dear Dash,

Happy birthday to you… "

Her voice cracked on the last note, and tears spilled down her cheeks, but she didn't stop singing until the song was done.

"You're such a weirdo, you know that?" He said as he wiped his eyes quickly, trying to hide the tears that slipped through.

"Hey," Violet said, nudging him gently. "It's your birthday. You get to make a wish."

Dash hesitated, then closed his eyes blowing at imaginary candles. His expression softened, and for a moment, the weight of their situation seemed to lift.

"Okay," he said softly. "I made my wish."

Violet then handed him the rest of the bread, forcing a smile. "Here. The birthday boy gets the biggest piece."

"What about you?" Dash asked, frowning.

"I'm fine," she said, though her stomach growled in protest. "This is your day, okay?"

Dash hesitated, then took the "cake", breaking it in half and handing a piece back to her. "We share. That's how birthdays work."

Violet chuckled, a genuine laugh that felt foreign after so long. She took the bread, and the two of them sat together, nibbling on their "cake" in companionable silence.

For a brief moment, the walls of the cell didn't feel so cold, and the oppressive weight of their situation seemed to ease.

"What did you wish for?" she asked, though she already knew he wouldn't tell her.

Dash smirked faintly, shaking his head. "Can't say, or it won't come true."

But Violet just had to look at his eyes to know what was his wish. For them both to get out there.

Violet ruffled his messy blonde hair (something she hasn't done in ages), her fingers trembling. "Well, happy birthday, Dash. You're officially eleven now. A whole year older and... still as annoying as ever."

He grinned, leaning into her touch. "And you're still bossy."

They shared a small laugh, the sound echoing softly in the otherwise lifeless cell. For a moment, it felt like they weren't trapped, like they weren't being tortured and broken. For a moment, they were just siblings, finding comfort in each other.

She didn't say it out loud, but she made a promise to herself right then and there: No matter what it took, she was going to get Dash out of this place. He deserved more than this nightmare.

For now, though, she held onto the small victory of seeing him smile, even in the darkest of places.