- - - SHELFORD CITY // JUNE 8TH - - -
Xavia is sitting on the sofa with his mom, enjoying a movie together and snacking on popcorn when his phone buzzes with a text from Zane, "Hey Xav, I got Dusk's birthday card ready. Want me to sign it for you? Z."
He quickly types back, "No need, Zane. I'll do it myself when I get there."
He hadn't realized Dusk's birthday was coming up. He never asked her when it was but, in his defense, he was still getting used to the whole being a good friend thing.
Xavia's about to shove his phone back in his pocket when another notification pops up, "But don't you get back on Sunday? Z."
"Yeah," He messages back simply, shaking his head in annoyance.
Zane quickly sends a response, "We'd like to give her the card today on her birthday. Z."
His eyes widen in disbelief and he hastily stands up from the couch, telling his mother, "Don't pause it, ma. I'll be right back," He quickly makes his way out of the room, stepping outside onto the back porch as he calls Zane.
As soon as he answers, Xavia questions him incredulously, "Zane. What the fuck do you mean her birthday is today??"
There's a brief pause as the other man processes Xavia's words before sighing quietly into his receiver, "Yes, Xav. Her birthday is today. Did she not mention this to you?"
"No, she didn't," Xavia hisses through gritted teeth, a wave of frustration washing over him.
'So that's why she had that sad look on her face the day I left... I was too caught up in my own world to ask if there was something wrong. Dammit, Dusk! Why couldn't you have just told me!? Or should I be blaming myself for not noticing sooner?' His mind races with a mix of frustration, guilt, and regret as he contemplates the situation.
"I see... Well," Zane begins, hesitating for a moment before speaking again, "I don't think it was out of malice, Xav. She probably didn't want you to change your plans."
"Dammit, Zane, I wasn't accusing her of malice," The white-haired man retaliates irritably, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I know she wouldn't do that."
"No one said you were," The navy-haired man replies calmly.
"Look, I'll catch the first train back," Xavia states with determination evident in his voice, "I'm not missing this."
"I'll let Dusk know... Unless you want it to be a surprise?" Zane inquires knowingly, his tone smug with a hint of mischief.
"Nope. Don't tell her anything, Zane," Xavia commands sternly, a small smirk crossing his face as he adds, "I want to see the surprise on that overly optimistic face of hers."
Zane chuckles at the other man's words, "Alright then, it'll be a surprise. Safe travels back here."
"Thanks, Zane. I'll see you soon," The white-haired man replies before hanging up and stowing his phone back into his pocket.
He lets out a deep breath in preparation as he heads back into the house, standing beside the sofa where his mother sits, still engrossed in the movie they had been watching.
"Ma, I need to leave early," Xavia starts, prompting her to pause the film, "It's for a friend-"
He cuts himself off, regret instantly bubbling up inside him. He hasn't told his mom about Dusk because he knows she'll make a big deal out of him having a friend. Or worse, assume there's something more between them.
"A friend?" She's quick to prod him with an expectant smirk playing at her lips.
"Actually, it's a job thing!" He hurriedly backtracks, "Aurelius called me for an emergency assignment."
"Hmm," She seems reluctant to believe him, her tone tinged with a hint of skepticism, however, she concedes with, "Okay, dear. You don't need to tell me anything you don't want to."
"I... Thanks, mom," Xavia replies, sighing in relief, "I promise I'll make it up to you. I'll come back and stay for the weekend."
"That would be wonderful, Xav," She stands from the couch and gives him a tight hug, "Be safe out there! And take some of my cookies with you."
"Thanks, ma," He says gratefully, giving her a soft smile and taking the bag of cookies she hands him, "I'll see you soon."
He heads out the door, dead set on a mission to find Dusk a great gift and catch the first train back. His too kind partner is getting a gift and his presence, whether she wants it or not!
"Time to get this show on the road," Xavia mutters under his breath, walking briskly towards the town, his mind running wild with ideas.
As he passes by a few storefronts, he considers what kind of gift she would like. He knows Dusk enjoys archery, and she's always listening to music, isn't she?
"That's it," He tells himself in realization, "Dusk is always humming some tune or another. Maybe she'd appreciate a new set of headphones."
He moves from shop to shop before he finds a pair of sleek violet headphones that stand out to him, "Damn, these things are pricey," Xavia grumbles before shrugging and paying for them, "But if they're for Dusk... Whatever."
As he walks down the sidewalk towards the train station, he notices a small girl selling flowers. Should he? Well, maybe just one.
"Would you like a flower, mister?" The child asks him, her voice innocent and hopeful.
"Yeah, why not?" Xavia says with a small smile, "Which one would you recommend for a friend who's having a birthday?"
The young girl tilts her head, curiously asking, "Um... What does your friend like?"
"She likes... The moon and her favorite color is purple," Xavia answers, a sense of surprise evident in his tone as he notices he's learned more about Dusk than he realized.
The child digs into her basket and excitedly holds up a lavender-colored rose for Xavia, "This one!"
"That's perfect!" He nods with approval and quickly pays for the flower, making sure to toss in a little extra, "Thank you, kiddo."
As Xavia heads off, the small girl waves at him happily, "Have a nice trip!!"
"Thanks, kiddo. Stay safe out here," Xavia calls back lightheartedly before continuing ahead.
Upon reaching the train station, he checks the information board before groaning in irritation, "Great... Just my damn luck," He complains to himself, "Everything's delayed! Ain't this a bitch."
His eyes reluctantly drift towards the bus schedule. A bus would take a lot longer, but with these delays, this is his best option, "Guess I have no other choice," Xavia sighs, quickly purchasing a bus ticket, "This sure is gonna be one hell of a ride."
- - - A FEW HOURS LATER - - -
"Damn, I should've brought a book or something," The white-haired man laments as he watches the scenery pass by monotonously.
At the next stop, a man enters the bus and lingers near the front. As the vehicle begins to move, he suddenly brings out a gun, pressing it threateningly against the bus driver's head as he barks out a command, "You're gonna take me to North Park right this instant or I'll blow your brains out!"
Xavia had been watching the exchange with a bored expression until he heard the mention of North Park. Realizing that this is in the total opposite direction, he immediately snaps to attention. Like hell he'd let this bus turn around!
"Of course... Never a quiet day, huh?" Xavia grumbles as he gets up from his seat, "Alright buddy, I don't care where you want to go but North Park is not an option."
The man swiftly turns to point his weapon at Xavia instead, "You got a death wish??"
"Nah, just a busy day," Xavia retorts nonchalantly, eyeing the gunman carefully, "And you're in my way."
"I'll fucking kill you! Do you understand?" The man aggressively shouts in response, a dangerous warning flashing in his eyes.
"Can you just do it quietly then? Your screaming is giving me a headache," The white-haired man responds, rolling his eyes.
"Disrespectful bastard!" He waves the gun around, pointing it towards the passengers who scream in fear, "I'll kill everyone on this damn bus too!"
"Oh, for the love of... Alright, that's enough!" Xavia snaps, hastily disarming him by targeting his wrist, "Just sit down and shut up."
"What the hell?" The gunman bellows when he finally processes what happened, "You're insane!"
"And you're annoying," Xavia quickly knocks him out, tossing him into a nearby empty bus seat and making a mental note to turn him in when they reach his stop.
Standing at the front of the bus, Xavia speaks up as he encourages everyone to continue sitting tight, "And we're back on track. Everyone, just breathe," He glances over at the driver, adding, "And you, keep driving. We are absolutely not turning this bus around."
The man swallows hard before stammering out, "Y-yes, sir."
"No need to be scared, I'm on your side," Xavia reassures him before returning back to his seat as if nothing had happened.
- - - VAN HELSING GUEST HOUSE // 6PM - - -
As Dusk adorns herself in the simple yet elegant, violet dress she had picked for the occasion, her thoughts keep wandering back to Xavia, "I hope he's having a great time," She muses aloud, applying a soft rouge to her cheeks.
Upon hearing a knock at the front door, Dusk rushes to open it, revealing Zane standing on the doorstep, dressed in an expensive suit, "Good evening, Dusk," He greets her with a slight bow and a polite smile, "You look lovely tonight."
Dusk gives a mild laugh, feeling flattered and shy at his compliment, "Thank you, Zane."
"You're welcome," Zane says as he offers an arm to her, "Shall we go? Aurelius is waiting."
She nods, looping her arm through his, "Let's not keep him waiting then."
"Of course, we wouldn't want to do that," The navy-haired man remarks as they walk together towards the car, his eyes subtly assessing Dusk's appearance again.
Dusk feels a flutter in her stomach at Zane's attention, but she shrugs it off with light teasing, "Zane, if you keep looking at me like I'll disappear any second... I won't," She comments, laughing lightly.
Zane blinks when he realizes he had been staring at her. He chuckles softly, rubbing the back of his neck in slight embarrassment, "My apologies, Dusk. I assure you it wasn't my intention."
She lets out a chuckle, appreciating the rare occurrence of Zane being flustered, "It's fine, Zane," She reassures him, giving his arm a friendly squeeze.
Zane opens the back door of the vehicle for her, and she climbs in, settling onto the leather interior next to Aurelius.
"You look stunning tonight, Dusk!" The old man comments with a wide grin, "And happy birthday! You can order anything you'd like at the restaurant."
Dusk offers him a bright smile, "Thank you, sir!"
Zane, sliding into the driver's seat, looks at Aurelius and Dusk through the rearview mirror, "Happy birthday again," He adds with his own kind smile.
She shoots Zane a grateful look through the rearview mirror, replying with, "Thank you, Zane."
"And don't forget to bring in the gifts when we get there!" Aurelius reminds Zane with a hearty pat on the shoulder.
Zane tilts his head at the older man, "Of course. I wouldn't forget that," He says with a light chuckle, assuring Aurelius as he starts the car and pulls out of the driveway.
"Gifts?" She questions them curiously, trying to suppress her apparent surprise.
"Of course!" Aurelius affirms easily, "It is your birthday after all! It's my way of thanking you for all the hard work you do!"
Dusk feels a blush creeping on her cheeks at Aurelius' words, "That's really thoughtful of you. Thank you, sir."
The navy-haired man glances at Dusk in the mirror again and can't help but chuckle, "Seems like you managed to surprise her after all, Aurelius."
"And you said I couldn't!" The older man retorts back at him with a smug grin, his arms folded over his chest.
"Alright, alright, I stand corrected," Zane concedes with a slight roll of his eyes, though a quiet laugh escapes him nonetheless.
Listening to their banter, a giggle escapes Dusk's lips, "You two are something else!"
----------
At dinner, Dusk has a great time and enjoys her meal, making sure to savor each bite of the expensive food. Aurelius also orders a cake and champagne for the celebration before presenting her with several gifts.
Her eyes fill with sheer joy as she carefully unwraps a beautifully crafted bow. It's stunning, a piece that clearly had thought and care put into its selection, "It's beautiful... Thank you, sir."
"Don't stop there!" Aurelius waves her on with an exuberant grin, "There's two more."
She carefully opens the next gift, revealing a new pair of archery gloves, which she also thanks him for before moving on to the last box. Dusk takes a sharp inhale when she sees an intricate necklace, its sparkling violet stones reflecting in her eyes.
"It's... Stunning," She manages to utter out, words failing her at the moment.
"Zane helped me pick them all out, didn't you, buddy?" Aurelius shoots Zane a playful look.
The navy-haired man nods, downplaying his contribution as he quips, "Well, he needed a second opinion."
"You've clearly got good taste, Zane," Dusk remarks lightheartedly, still marveling at the expensive piece of jewelry in her hands.
"I had a good teacher," Zane mentions with a smirk.
Aurelius wastes no time in adding, "You mean a great teacher!"
Zane shakes his head, letting out a quiet chuckle, "Can't argue with that."
- - - WESTON CITY // 7:13PM - - -
"Finally made it!" Xavia mumbles to himself before taking out his phone, "Zane, where are you guys? Just arrived in Weston City."
"Excuse me for a moment," Zane says aloud to the table as he brings out his phone and quickly types a reply to him, "We're at L'atelier Du Jardin. Z," He sends the location along with it.
"Thanks, Zane. I'll be there soon," Xavia texts back swiftly before making his way towards the elegant bistro.
Xavia enters the restaurant, a mischievous grin playing on his lips as he hides both of his hands behind his back, concealing the gifts he brought for his partner. She notices him almost immediately from across the room, her eyes lighting up in surprise.
Without hesitation, she rushes over to him, "Xav... What are you doing here?" Dusk asks, her voice a mix of surprise and delight. Her heart pounds in her chest as she takes him in, trying to comprehend his unexpected presence.
"Yeah, yeah, the prodigal son returns," Xavia mutters sarcastically, "Happy to see me?"
She chuckles at his remark, shaking her head slightly, "Absolutely thrilled."
Xavia takes a moment to appreciate Dusk's look for the evening, his usual gruff demeanor momentarily forgotten as he blurts out, "That's... You look nice."
Feeling her cheeks heat up at his compliment, she shifts her gaze to the floor, "Thank you. You look good too, Xav."
He laughs incredulously as he points at himself, dressed in his normal jacket, "Really? In these shabby clothes?" He jokes before revealing the surprise behind his back for her to see. With a grin, he hands her the gift box and lavender rose, "It's not much..."
Her eyes widen in shock at his reveal, "Xav, you..." Her voice trails off as she looks at him in awe.
He brought her gifts? And a rose... No one's ever given her flowers before. Is this his way of showing he cares? As the realization dawns on Dusk, she can't help but feel a surge of appreciation towards him.
Xavia rubs the back of his head awkwardly, trying to maintain his usual prickly attitude despite the smile tugging at the corners of his lips, "Just... Open it," He instructs her, his heart pounding rapidly.
'Okay, I didn't expect to be this nervous. Why am I even getting worked up over such a small thing? But... It's Dusk we're talking about here. Her opinion does matter more than most,' He reflects inwardly, feeling an uncharacteristic mix of nervousness and anticipation flood over him.
Dusk unwraps the gift box, her eyes lighting up as she takes in the sight of the sleek headphones, "Xav, I love it," She says softly, beaming up at him.
Relief washes over the white-haired man and he can't help but grin at her reaction, "Glad you like them. Figured they'd be useful for your... Music thing."
A laugh bubbles up from her throat at his clumsy words, "Music thing, huh? Thank you, Xav. This really means a lot to me."
"Just... Don't make a big deal out of it, alright?" Xavia retorts, averting his eyes from her as he feels a warmth creeping up on his own face, much to his chagrin.
"Alright, no big deal," The dark-haired woman replies, her voice laced with laughter, "But seriously... Thank you."
"Always here to help you out, Dusk," He mutters in a rare moment of sincerity, "Just... Keep that smile on your face, okay?"
Feeling the familiar flutter of her heart from his words, she nods, a tender smile on her lips, "I will. I promise," She responds quietly as she places the flower behind her ear, its vibrant color stark against her dark locks.
"Cute..." Xavia finds himself murmuring under his breath before he abruptly realizes what he just said, "I mean... The flower! It looks good on you," He shifts uncomfortably, intently avoiding meeting her eyes.
A mild chuckle escapes Dusk's lips as she watches him stumble over his words, shooting him a playful wink, "I'll take both compliments, Xav."
"Right," He grumbles, a hint of pink visible on his cheeks despite his attempts to hide it, "Happy birthday, Dusk."
"Thank you," She says sincerely, "This is really the best birthday I've ever had."
"Really...?" Xavia can hardly believe his ears but a sense of joy fills him, "Well, you deserve it, Dusk."
Dusk nods, her expression softening as she looks up at him, "I really do mean it. And it's all thanks to everyone. You included."
He smirks, his thumb idly playing with the hem of his jacket, "We are a team after all," He shoots back, trying to lessen the tension.
She watches him silently for a moment, a thoughtful twinkle in her eyes as she speaks up, "You showing up... That was the real gift."
Taken aback by the honesty in her voice, he stammers out, "I... Well," He starts but ends up at a loss for words.
Dusk can't resist teasing him a little for his reaction, "Speechless, huh? That's a first."
She finds herself cherishing this rare sight. It's nice for her to see him off balance once in a while. It humanizes him even more to her, reminding her that beneath his tough exterior, Xavia is capable of vulnerability and warmth.
A sarcastic retort forms on his tongue, "Smartass," He mumbles under his breath. But the genuine amusement on her face makes him swallow it down with a soft grin.
"Hey, takes one to know one," Dusk jokes lightly, "Come on, Xav. You must be hungry," She takes his hand enthusiastically, leading him towards the table.
The white-haired man relents, not bothering to pull his hand away, "I guess I could eat something."
"That's what I like to hear," She chuckles, taking a seat next to him at the table
"Xav!" Aurelius exclaims in surprise and excitement, "Glad you could make it!"
"Indeed. Welcome back, Xav," Zane greets cordially, a polite smile on his face, "You must have rushed here."
"Hey, Aurelius. Zane," Xavia nods, pulling his hand gently from Dusk's grasp to greet both men with a firm handshake.
Aurelius hands him a menu as he announces, "Order anything you want, Xav. I'm buying!"
"We already had dinner," Zane adds on, "But we won't cut the cake until you've eaten."
"Appreciated," Xavia nods in gratitude, keeping his words short and sweet as his eyes scan over the menu.
Dusk watches with a fond smile, "Take your time, Xav. It's not a party without you."
"Alright, alright," The white-haired man grumbles in response, playfully rolling his eyes at her. The genuine affection in her eyes makes it all worthwhile.
"I mean it, Xav."
"I know," Xavia acknowledges softly, his eyes meeting hers for a brief moment before being drawn back to the menu in front of him.
Throughout the night, as he mumbles sarcastic remarks at Zane's jokes and exchanges banter with Aurelius, Xavia finds his gaze often straying back to Dusk. Her laughter ringing in his ears... It feels strangely comforting.
Maybe this is what friendship feels like... To be part of something beyond just himself. Having people around that he genuinely cares about, especially someone like Dusk by his side... It's really not such a bad thing after all.