Esme carefully pipes the flowers onto the white cake she iced perfectly during the early hours. She's nervous; today, King turns 18 and of course they want to celebrate, but is it right? The girls broken and making her celebrate isn't going to help. Either way, everyone needs a cake on their birthday - well, those who can eat, anyway.
Alice sets a gathering of balloons down, smiling wide. "Woooow, to be human again! I bet that'll be delicious."
Esme smiles small and inspects the cake. "I hope so... I just want today to go good for her, you know?" She sighs.
Alice rubs her back gently, half hugging her. "She'll love it, mom. Promise."
Esme smiles gently and moves the cake to the fridge before beginning to make some pancakes. She heard King wake and quickly plates them up, running upstairs. She's stood in the doorway when King opens it, a big smile on her face. "Happy birthday honey!"
Kingsley gives a soft smile. "Awh.... You didn't have to. Thank you." She moves back to the bed and let's Esme set the tray down.
"You said it's tradition, right? Pancakes when you wake up, then presents and then movies..." Esme trails off, remembering a conversation they had a while ago.
King cuts a small piece of pancake off, eating slowly. "I know... Just... Doesn't feel right. Mom isn't here. Billy isn't, Jake isn't. Carlisle isn't. Cai... Obviously isn't." She sighs.
Esme kisses her head gently. "This day is about you, sweetheart. All you. And you definitely deserve that after everything. I'll let you eat, but then I want you dressed. I have a small surprise for you and then after that you can pretend it isn't your birthday if you wish."
King forces a smile and nods as Esme goes. She finishes one and a bit of the big pancakes Esme gave her, setting the tray on the edge of the bed to go shower. The tray is gone when she comes back. King changes into some grey jogger-type shorts and a matching hoodie, putting the hood up as she heads downstairs in her bear foot slippers.
"Happy birthday!" Alice, Esme and Ness say, Ness and Alice popping a confetti cannon as Esme holds the cake.
King smiles wide, a genuine smile. "You guys..."
"Look. Everyone gets a cake on their birthday, okay? And they get presents. We only have one present." Alice says, grabbing the small gift bag. "Then we can pretend this is any other day, minus the cake you have to eat."
"I'll help eat it!" Ness grins.
King giggles small and hugs them all gently. "Thank you guys. I hate money being-"
"We didn't spend a penny. We thrifted, I suppose you can call it." Alice grins.
King sits on the couch as Esme sets the cake down and sits by her, Alice on her otherside and Ness stands in front of her. She gently pulls the tissue paper out of the small bag, lifting the flat box out. A gasp leaves her lips as she opens it. "Woah..."
(AN// I have this and it is my most prized possession 😂)
"Jake made that for my mommy. And then daddy wanted to be represented too, so he added the heart because he sparkles." Ness says, pointing to the charms. "But we thought that it suits you. Jacob." She points to the wolf. "And Caius."
King sniffles and quickly wipes her cheek with her sleeve. "Dammit guys, I haven't cried in 3 days - you're ruining my record!"
They laugh and Esme hugs her. "We just want you to know we're all fighting for you, honey. Every moment of every day.".
King smiles, letting Ness clasp the bracelet for her. "Thank you. It's so beautiful. I must thank Bella, too, for giving up such a beautiful item."
"You're welcome!" A voice calls.
King is instantly alert. "Bella's back... So... JACOB!!" She leaps off the couch as her brother bounds up the stairs, a big grin on his smug face as he catches her in a tight hug. She wraps her arms and legs tightly around him and cries hard, squeezing him tight.
He rubs her back gently. "Alright alright, no more tears. You're a big girl now."
King hits him as she pulls away a little, wiping her eyes. "Jerk... I hate you. You never told me you were leaving for like a week."
Jacob rolls his eyes as he holds her. "I'm sorry, mlady, I'll make sure to put a leave request in next time."
"Good." She giggles small. "Is cake acceptable for breakfast?"
"Hells yeah! But first, Caius sent a present." Jake says, setting her down. He rolls his eyes when he sees the bear feet slippers, scooping her up again and carrying her downstairs.
King looks at the incredibly beautiful woman stood in the entry way. She's tall, blonde, pale. She has piercing red eyes and plump red lips. She wears a tight black dress and some heels that make King cringe. Athenodora. "You're Cai's wife." She says gently, letting go of Jake as he sets her down.
She smiles wide. "Hello... I'm so glad you finally meet you. It only took our entire lifetimes." She giggles. "Call me Thea."
King smiles a little. "He sent you?" She asks curiously.
"Sort of." Thea smiles. "I'm part of the present - sorry I'm not the Louis bag like you wanted." She teases gently. "But since can't be here, and I can, he feels safer knowing you're not alone."
"Awh, see? He has a heart!" King says to Jacob as he rolls his eyes.
"Hidden. Wayyyyy deep down."
"Secondly, he did send a gift or two. But I heard you say cake, so go and enjoy it while I bring them in." She says gently.
King smiles gently. "Thanks... I'd offer you cake but..." She shrugs, her and Thea laughing. She heads back upstairs with Jake, smiling wide when she sees Carlisle. "Miss me too much?"
"Always." He chuckles and hugs her gently. "You look so much better. How are you?" He brushes her hair back gently.
"I'm good. Your wife made cake, she's a keeper." King says.
Carlisle laughs. "She definitely is, go get some."
Jake smiles as he watches King go to help Esme with the cake. "She's better, right?"
"I believe so. Let's not subject her to any tests on her birthday." He pats Jake's shoulder.
Jake takes the plate King brings over. "Ooooh god, funfetti cake too!? Esme, marry me!!"
Esme pulls a playful face and shakes her head as everyone laughs, eating. "Why don't we take some to my dad and Billy?" Bella suggests, Ness on her lap as she eats a big slice of cake - equally as much as Jacobs slice.
King sighs deeply. "Fine... But I want Thea there. If I cant have Cai, I want the next best thing."
"I'll go call and ask." Jake sighs heavy and hauls himself off the couch.
Thea passes him on the stairs. "Kingsley? Big present or small presents first?"
King looks horrified. "Plural? More than one present? I'll kill him."
Thea giggles softly. "Yeah, I told him you'd say that. He's told me so much about you that I feel I've always known you." She says. "Let's do the big one, get over the shock first."
"Jesus." King mutters.
"I'm right here!" Emmett calls from somewhere in the house, apparently back now, too. That means Rose, Jasper and Edward are back too.
"Emmett, if you're the son of God, we're screwed." Jasper calls back.
King giggles small and slips her sliders on rather than shoes, following Athenodora downstairs. She quirks an eyebrow as Thea holds the front door open, waving her out. The moment King steps outside she's pulled her phone out, calling Caius.
"WHAT IS THAT."
"I assume you're stood in front of your car?" He says, smirking. He's back in Italy, following some leads off the list from Alistair. "Happy birthday, sister."
"Caius - fuck I don't know your last name - Caius Caius!!" She yells, Thea giggling softly as she watches.
Caius smiles to himself at the sound. "I know it's too much, don't lecture me. But I want you to be safe. But have some freedom. You deserve it."
"It's a freaking Mustang GT! I'd have to sell both kidneys to afford it!" She shrieks.
Caius rolls his eyes. "You don't have to spend anything on it but gas - and even then, I'm sure you won't use much in a week or a month. Accept the gift, silly."
"What if I don't?"
"I'm under strict orders not to let that happen." Thea sings.
King groans and sighs. "Caius..."
"You're welcome. I'll call again, soon. But enjoy your day. I love you." He says gently, moving away from his brothers. The movement won't stop them hearing but the motion suggests privacy.
King freezes. "You said it back... You freaked last time I said it."
"Because I haven't heard my sister say that in thousands of years, let a guy be in shock." He says, laughing a little. "Go. Go, enjoy your day."
"I love you too, brother." She smiles small, hanging up.
Thea holds the key out. "Now? Or presents?"
"Let's get the presents done... Then maybe I'll drive the car into a wall." She says, heading inside.
"I'll kill you before you can!" Emmett says as she comes in. "That car - it's a masterpiece."
"Yeah yeah, go nerd out for a bit." She says.
Of course, she knows she sounds ungrateful, but this is a lot. But then again Caius has hundreds of birthdays to make up for... Still! For King, that's a lot. And he did get her a LV backpack. Some nice boots - Thea seems excited about those, so King figures she chose most of these ones - and some clothes. She makes use of the bag for now, she did really want one.
"Ready to go to the res?" Jake asks, coming upstairs again.
"It can't be good if you were on the phone that whole time." King raises an eyebrow.
He smiles. "Naa, just sorting a few things out - the pack are a bit scattered right now and 90 percent of the patrol is newbies. I didn't want them to attack as we came in."
King rolls her eyes. "Fine let's go."
"Can I drive? Pleaaaaase." Jake begs, clasping his hands.
"Hey! I'm first, I'm the favourite brother!" Emmett bounds in.
"If he gets a turn, I get a turn." Edward says, leant on his piano.
Jasper smirks. "I already had a turn."
"Hey!" The others whine.
Thea rolls her eyes. "I asked him to park it up. And anyway, it's Kingsley's birthday. She gets first official drive."
King smirks a little, a mischievous look on her face. "Ah... How fast can I go? Let's see!"