"So, what do you think?" Enid asks hopefully, grinning at the pair expectantly. Persephone and Hades just stand and stare at the girl with raised eyebrows.
"You want to throw Wednesday a birthday party?" Persephone queries as Enid nods enthusiastically.
Noticing the unimpressed looks on the pair's face, Enid wonders whether she has made a mistake. "Is it a bad idea?"
"Yes." They reply simultaneously and without hesitation.
"She will absolutely hate it." Hades informs her as an evil smirk appears on his face. "It's perfect."
"But it's your birthday too, isn't it?" Persephone whispers to him, staring up at Hades in confusion.
Hades nods. "And I hate the idea of a party, which is how I know Wednesday will hate it too."
Enid has not been listening to their private conversation as she rambles on about her plan for the celebration. "...and we can have a cake and party hats and maybe play some cool party games."
"Ooh. Like Russian Roulette." Hades suggests eagerly to the horror of the girls.
"Maybe we'll just skip the party games." Persephone advises, making Enid hurriedly nod in agreement.
◇ ◇ ◇
Hades and Persephone crouch down behind the crypt with the rest of the people invited to Wednesday's surprise party. Persephone was still hesitant on whether this was a good idea, knowing Wednesday had made it explicitly clear that she didn't want a party. The whole dilemma was making her anxiously fiddle with her fingers.
"This is a terrible idea." She mutters to herself in despair. Hades slips his hand into Persephone's and allows her to fidget with his rings.
"It's fine. I won't let her hurt you." Hades assures her.
"What about us?" Ajax asks distraughtly as the rest of the group turns to the boy with wide, fearful eyes.
Hades ignores them to focus all his attention on Persephone. "Like I said, I won't let her hurt you." The group hushes as they hear the doors open, signalling Wednesday's arrival. Many of the guests are now slightly concerned that their lives will be at risk if Wednesday is less than pleased with the surprise. Nevertheless, they still manage to sound animated when they reveal themelves to her.
"Surprise!" The small group cheers, jumping out from behind the crypt. Wednesday's face falls as the group begins to sing 'Happy Birthday' to her. Enid appears with the cake, illuminated in sparklers and Persephone grows various dark flowers around the walls of the tomb.
Wednesday whips round and points her flashlight at Thing, who wears an adorably tiny party hat that Persephone and Enid managed to make. "I should have known you were behind this. What part of 'no party under the penalty of death' do you not understand?" She then turns her glare to Hades. "And you! How could you encourage this? It's your birthday as well!"
"I thought my cake design was pretty inspired." Xavier brags proudly as Hades raises his hands briefly in mock surrender.
"We made sure it was a black velvet cake." Persephone motions to herself and Hades, who has his arm wrapped around the girl to secure her to his side.
"And the pink balloon was my little touch." Enid adds in, as if they couldn't already guess who had been responsible for the random pop of pink. "Why don't you make a wish?"
Wednesday ignores the suggestion to focus on some writing engraved into the stone. "Wait, it's Latin." She crouches down in front of the words to translate the phrase. "Fire will rain... when I rise."
"Okay, that's not really a wish." Enid points out in dismay.
"The first part of that phrase was burned onto Nevermore's lawn. It can't be a coincidence." Wednesday continues to murmur to herself.
"Wait, we're never eating that cake, are we?" Ajax grumbles dejectedly, making Enid's face fall.
"I made some good threats for that cake. I'm definitely gonna eat some." Hades argues firmly. Wednesday takes no notice of the conversation behind her as she caresses her fingers over the stone and gets thrown into a vision. "I guess the party is over then."
Persephone sighs. "I knew she would hate it."
◇ ◇ ◇
"Careful, that's my cold shoulder."
Enid is quick to step up and defend the disembodied hand. "Don't blame Thing. The party was my idea. I believe everyone deserves to be celebrated on their birthday."
"I prefer to be vilified." Wednesday retorts as Thing hurries away from her desk.
"What happened? It looked like you were having a seizure." Persephone hadn't realised that Enid didn't know about Wednesday's visions. Then again, Persephone had only found out about them because Hades had told her. He couldn't keep any secrets from her. She basically knew his whole life story by now. The only thing she didn't know is how much she means to him.
"I wasn't that lucky."
Enid's face drops at the macabre comment. "Can I at least get some kudos for pulling one over on you?"
Even Persephone had to admit that Enid's deceptive plan was pretty genius. "The subterfuge was impressive." Persephone wanders over to Wednesday's bed to assist Thing in dragging over the massive present. Wednesday strides over to it and reads the card placed on top. "May your 16th be as sour and misery-filled as your desire. Your ever-doting Mother and Father."
"Thing and I helped to hide it before they left on Parents' Weekend." Persephone admits as Thing perches on her shoulder.
Enid is not as excited about the present once it is opened. "Ew! That's so gross." Persephone can only assume it is a taxidermy kit based on the various chemicals and sinister-looking tools laying inside. And the dead squirrel is a bit of a giveaway.
"I would've preferred live squirrels." Wednesday complains as Enid cringes away.
"While we're still accepting presents..." Enid hands over a neatly wrapped bundle with a beaming grin. Wednesday unravels the paper to reveal a black mound of material. "Well, do you like it?"
"What is it exactly?"
"It's a snood, silly. I made it in your signature colours. And you want to know what the best part is?" Persephone muffles her sniggers behind her hand as she sees Wednesday's disgusted expression. "I have one too!" Wednesday is stunned into silence with her mouth hanging open and Persephone can no longer contain her laughter. "Don't worry, Persephone. I didn't forget about you."
Wednesday gives a pointed look at her friend whose laughter has now ceased as she is presented with a snood of her own. It is the same red colour as the braiding on Hades' blazer, which instantly makes her think of him. Wednesday's face looks almost amused as Persephone reluctantly accepts the snoods. The two of them will now have to fake enthusiasm together.
"We can all wear them together to class." Enid suggests eagerly, wrapping her pink snoof around her neck.
"Oh, Enid," Wednesday begins, trying to find the right words to let Enid down gently. "This is far too unique to wear to something like class." Enid's face is glowing with happiness as she grins at her roommates. "I suggest we wait for a more special occasion... like a funeral."
Enid's face is not so cheery after that comment as she mutters a soft, "Oh."
"Stay here. I also have a present for you." Persephone demands before hurrying up to her loft to dump her snood and retrieve the small box. Her footsteps make loud thuds on the wooden stairs as she descends to the main area where the two girls are waiting. "I hope you like it." She nervously presents Wednesday with the small black box and bites on her bottom lip in anxious anticipation. Wednesday has to fight hard to stop her face from showing any emotion as she removes the lid. Lying daintily on a bed of black satin is a scorpion ring, purposely made for the stinger to point upwards whenever the fist is clenched. "I remember you mentioned your pet scorpion, Nero, and I saw that and thought of him, so..." She trails off as Wednesday has yet to say anything. "Is it alright?"
Wednesday carefully slips the cool metal onto her finger and clenches her fist. The metal scorpion tail flicks up menacingly, reminding Wednesday of her precious pet. Small tears gather in her eyes but she refuses to let them fall. The goth girl is genuinely taken aback by the heartfelt gift. She has never been the best around other girls her age, always struggling to make friends and deciding that she would be better off alone. The two girls in front of her have changed her mind completely. Maybe having friends who understand and accept her isn't such a bad thing after all. She allows a small hint of a smile to creep onto her face and raises her head to meet the anxiously awaiting eyes of Persephone. "Thank you." A relieved sigh escapes Persephone's lips and her posture relaxes. As genuinely as she can, she adds on a grateful, "I love it."
And she meant every word.
◇ ◇ ◇
Persephone's loft was shadowed in darkness when she reached the top of the stairs, yet she could sense that she was not alone. "Hello Hades."
A groan echoes from behind her. "I can never sneak up on you." The boy complains, flicking the light on as Persephone giggles.
"You'll survive." She states teasingly, patting his cheek unsympathetically. "But I'm glad you're here. I have a birthday present for you, mister." She takes his hand and drags him over to her bed.
"Sephy, I told you not to get me anything." Hades reprimands her sternly, trying to hide his internal giddiness. He couldn't deny that he was excited to see what she had gotten him. His parents had gifted him various holsters for carrying his daggers and throwing knives.
"I know you did but I didn't listen." Persephone reminds him smugly as she lets him take a seat on her bed while she heads off to collect the other black box she had hidden in her room. Many doubts swirled in her head about her choice of gift as she returned to stand in front of him. "Here you go."
Hades accepts the box gratefully, smiling softly up at the girl as he stares deeply into her eyes. "Thank you, Sephy." He opens the box to find the most exquisite scabbard resting inside. The leather is black with detailed vines and roses of silver decorating it. Gripping the similarly decorated handle of the dagger, the knife slides out with a satisfying metallic sound to reveal a blade resembling the darkest shade of obsidian. The polished surface reflects his eyes like the stars in the night sky but the sharp point reminds him of the danger of the bewitching object. A weapon that is as beautiful as it is deadly. A perfect representation of him and his beloved Persephone. A flower with a stem made of steel.
"I know of your love for anything sharp so I thought that would be ideal." Persephone laughs weakly, unsure if Hades even liked the gift as he was yet to react.
Sensing the girl's nerves, Hades reaches out to grasp her hand in his and lay a gentle kiss to the top of it. "Stop your fretting. I love it, Sephy. I have a new favourite dagger."
These days, there's just something Hades loves more than a sharp blade.