Conceal || ItsFunneh AU

10 | birthday gal

My siblings, Alec, Kyran, and Calix gather around the dining table as I take a seat in front of the cake, ready to perform my duty.

They start singing "Happy Birthday" as I sit there, pondering what I should wish for. Of course, they don't come true, but it's still nice to hope.

Hope. That's all I can do.

The song comes to an end and I close my eyes, hands up and palms against each other.

I wish to be normal.

I know I should've used my wish for something more selfless, like world peace, but I can't help but be selfish, just for once.

My eyes open and I blow out the candles in one breath. Cheers and claps erupt from around the table, and Rainbow splits the cake into eight pieces.

I see Funneh steal some of Alec's cake. Alec returns the favour, and Funneh swipes a trail of whip cream on his cheek. Soon enough, they're running around the apartment, cackling.

Draco appears beside me, whip cream smudged around his mouth. "Happy birthday, Lunar!"

I laugh and ruffle his hair, to which he squirms away. "Thanks, Draco."

"Just so you know, you were staring at Calix with that look on your face."

I frown. "What look?"

"Draco! Want my whip cream?" Gold calls, and Draco throws me a sneaky grin before running away.

That boy, I smile, shaking my head.

"Having fun?"

Calix slides into the vacant seat beside me, propping his feet on the edge of my chair.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that? You're the guest, after all."

"I'm having a relatively fun time."

"Relatively?"

"Yeah. You know what would make it better?" I nod, and he continues, "If you let me apologize: Lunar, I'm sorry for snapping at you the other day. I didn't mean it. It's just... you're the first person I've ever shown my art to and... I didn't know how to react. And you were right; I was ashamed of my art, scared of destroying this sporty, 'cool' image of me people have inside their heads, but not anymore."

His apology shocks me. I should be the one apologizing!

"Wait, no, stop. I'm sorry. For peeking at your art, and for bossing your life and overstepping my boundaries, and—"

"Okay, okay, that's enough," Calix's hands are up, like he's surrendering. "Are you trying to guilt trip me?"

"No!" I practically shout, my head shaking so hard it's on the verge of coming off.

"I was joking!" His face is bright with happiness, and I find myself stupidly grinning back.

"Hey... thanks for opening up. I appreciate that. And I'm glad I met you. You... make me happy."

"That's so cliche!" Calix guffaws, and I feel like crawling in a hole right there and then and never come out. "But I feel the same way. By the way, you won the bet; I got 79% again on the art test, again. But you are partly to blame for that."

"Why?"

"Because I've been so thinking about you, I couldn't concentrate on anything the teacher was saying."

My heart feels ready to burst.

"So I get my prize now, right?" I ask, grinning cheekily. At his nod, I say, "I want to ask you one question, and you have to answer it honestly, okay?"

"Oh, how the table has turned," Calix groans, but he's smiling. "Come at me."

"Why was your lip bruised that day after school? No lying!" I add, as his smile fades and a serious look comes over his face.

"It's really nothing, just... the boys were being stupid."

"How so?"

"They commented on something about you, and I just... snapped, I guess." Calix looks ashamed of himself. "I don't usually solve things by punching, but..." he trails off, raising his eyes to gauge my reaction.

He... fought, because of me?

I smile, a slow one that blossoms into a grin. "Thank you," I whisper.

Calix's face lights up, making my grin wider. He seems to have the ability to make me smile. To make me happy.

That thought surprises me, and it scares me. If he can get this far, what else can he do?

Alright, Lunar. Enough is enough.