birthday gift for a star ✯
[ which is supposed to be a Submit but the link did not work :(( ]
Happy birthday dear @mpxcarter !
It was a miracle that Erik’s heart did not jump out of his mouth and poured itself onto the page.
The letter he was writing, he had written it for a while. A long while, since this Valentine's Day. Or last Valentine’s Day. Or last, last Valentine’s Day.
Erik truly lost count of how many years had passed. He knew he should have kept better track of it, the chances he got and the chances he lost, for counting was what he was good at. As good as the way he had done to the time spent away from Carter, away from his world, away from their world.
Since when did he stop being over-obsessive about time?
Ah, since he moved to Mount Phoenix. Back to Carter, back to their world, even though it was no longer the world they had known.
He stopped being haunted by time, but memories stayed strong. Carter’s birthday was a diamond among the rocks, sparkling bright without blinding his eyes. The northern star of his stormy sky.
Love of my life
Erik’s low laugh spurted over the words he wrote. Cursive silver lines on a jet-black, silk-like surface. Who the hell would choose black-coloured paper for a birthday card? Well, Erik guessed, when it came to impressing his best friend, his own craziness was the limit.
Among different messages on different pieces of black paper, one was eventually chosen to join in the silky black box. It lay atop the bottle of fragrance whose notes uncannily reminded Erik of Carter the other day, when he was on his solo cologne spree.
He had sneakily placed the gift box in one of the kitchen cabinets, the one he knew Carter would open for the sake of his morning tea, just before he left his best friend and their puppy C.E. for an early morning class.
The message happened to be the seemingly silliest among the messages he had written. But at least, it was concise enough, it got straight to the point, and it did not sound like Erik’s heart almost jumped out of his mouth and poured itself onto the page.
“Surprise!!!! Happy birthday, Arty~ It’s your turn to take Princess C.E. out today, so maybe wear the cologne to the park this afternoon around 6? I’d like to see if it can last a walk and a hearty dinner at Honeypot (and a homemade karaoke section?) See you and C.E. soon. And don’t be late! Sealed with a wink ;) Erik ”