feliz cumpleaños a ti

Chocolate destroyed him in a way he couldn’t begin to explain. It was such a decadent and Western thing to him, even after living in the West. He stared at the cake for a while, not really feeling like he had earned the right to touch it. It was certainly for him. He had baked it himself, cooled it, layered it, and frosted it. He had a knife and even the little spatula just for cakes. It was ready. The candle wasn’t lit yet.

 

He sighed and put his head down on the table. The white shirt was always such a switch, but that was how it was meant to be done. Always wear white. Always make your own cake. Always make a little place to save the first slice. He had these rules in place, building up slowly to what it had become as an adult, since he was a child.

 

“Ay, you look like a snowball today!”

 

Mantis looked up and smiled briefly. “Birthday.”

 

“Who’s? I thought Liquid was a summer spirit.” Decoy Octopus moved around the table and leaned over, patting Mantis lightly on the back.

 

“Mine. I’ve been getting ready since last night.”

 

Mantis smiled a little louder as Octopus began swearing in Spanish. “You got older again and you didn’t tell me?! Pendejo, I could have gone food shopping! Now I got to find out how to make a meal with what we have here.”

 

Pale grey eyes followed Octopus as he headed to the fridge and cracked it open. He muttered to himself in Spanish and English, filtering through different bottles and packages of frozen meats.

 

“I already did my part to celebrate. I made my shrine and got a candle for it.”

 

“Wait,” Octopus stood up to look over his shoulder. “Like an ofrenda? I could have added you to mine if you were going to celebrate someone.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

“Says the mind reader. An ofrenda! Ay por dio… A memorial shrine for the Day of the Dead? You put up photos and people’s favorite foods. Did you never hang out with anyone from Mexico while you were in the FBI?”

 

“I guess not. I do things my own way.” Mantis sat up as Octopus started going through drawers and pulled out some paper and a pen. He began writing quickly. “I really don’t need anything to-“

“Shut up. I’m cooking you dinner.” Octopus re-read his list and counted off on the fingers of one hand. “I know just what to cook, but I got to get shopping now. You’re lucky I can make do with a little.”

 

Mantis was still seated as he watched Octopus leave and loudly declare that he had to cook a birthday dinner now. He turned back to the cake and sat back, knowing he wouldn’t be able to escape the meal to follow. Always wear white. Always make your own cake. Always make a little place to save the first slice. Let Octopus know in advance so he has time to prepare a meal. Mantis got up from his seat and the cake floated ever so carefully over to him as he went to the fridge. It could wait for now.