"My dear, when is your birthday?"
The question, simple and offhand, hung in the morning air of their shared suite, cutting through the usual, comfortable silence.
Alvin, a High Elf whose striking golden-yellow hair was currently ruffled from sleep, paused mid-sip of his morning tea. His deep, mint green eyes, usually brimming with mischief, widened momentarily as the meaning of the date registered.
"In seven days! Why? What is it, Alvin?"
Kazien, his fiancée and a man of formidable presence—silver-white hair, sapphire blue eyes, sharp features, and an aura of quiet strength—watched Alvin's reaction with an amused, easy smile. He was accustomed to the high elf's bursts of expressive feeling.
Alvin set his teacup down with a soft clink. His mind, usually a swift and efficient machine of magical theory and alchemical formulas, suddenly sputtered. Seven days. That was barely enough time to arrange anything grand, and Kazien deserved something more than 'grand.' Kazien was everything to him: his partner, his protector, his future husband, and the only person who understood the strange, wild rhythm of his heart.
He realized with a jolt of panic that he genuinely didn't know what Kazien truly wanted. What do you give the powerful Duke of the Altavis family, a man who already possessed wealth, status, and the keys to a kingdom?
"What gift do you want from me?" Alvin finally asked, his voice laced with uncharacteristic uncertainty.
Kazien chuckled, a low, rich sound that made Alvin's chest vibrate slightly as he leaned closer. "Whatever you give me, I will accept it gladly. Your presence is the best gift, my cute prince."
The answer was sweet, frustratingly so, and entirely unhelpful. It only intensified Alvin's desire to create something extraordinary, something imbued with his own magic and love.
"Just wait!" Alvin declared, standing up with a renewed purpose that banished his earlier confusion. "I will definitely make something for you! I promise."
He strode towards the door with a determined smile. But before his hand touched the ornate brass handle, he turned back, his expression serious for a moment.
"I will focus on making something in the library! I might need the seclusion and the… specialized resources. Please, don't disturb me for a while. Not even your father's 'accidental' visits."
Kazien could only nod in agreement, his smile now a warm mixture of affection and anticipation. "I understand, my dear. Go. But don't forget to rest."
Time, an abstract concept for mages and elves, became a relentless, measurable force over the next six days. Alvin vanished into the Altavis family's immense, sprawling library—a repository of ancient texts, forgotten knowledge, and, most importantly for Alvin, a heavily warded section dedicated to complex, high-level alchemy magic.
He rarely emerged. The sounds that occasionally escaped the thick, soundproofed oak door were soft clinks, the low hum of incantations, and the faint, sweet scent of exotic reagents being refined.
Kazien was left to navigate their spacious home alone, the emptiness of their suite and the silence of the library hallway a constant, nagging reminder of Alvin's absence.
Kazien's family, who adored the cheerful, dramatic high elf, found the Duke increasingly restless.
One morning, Kazien saw him standing near the library entrance. "Alvin, how is your food?" He asked to make sure all of Alvin's needs were met.
At that moment, the door cracked open just enough for a flash of silver hair and a mischievous, albeit tired, face to peek out.
"I have stored it in my Storage Dimension, my dear! Don't worry, I haven't forgotten to eat. I've also prepared all the drinking water." Alvin's voice was muffled but cheerful. He offered a quick, bright smile that didn't quite reach his exhausted eyes, then the door snapped shut.
Kazien felt relieved that all of Alvin's needs had been met.
For six full days, Alvin focused solely on his creation. Sleep was a luxury he afforded himself only in short, powerful magical trances. His passion was fueled by the thought of Kazien's smile.
The entire Altavis household watched Kazien descend into a state of quiet, lovelorn misery, always finding him, without fail, sleeping on a plush velvet rug directly in front of the massive library doors, a silent sentinel awaiting his fiancé's return. His whole family could only shake their heads at Kazien.
Finally, the library door creaked open.
Kazien, who had been dozing, his head propped awkwardly against the cool wood of the door frame, snapped awake instantly. The exhaustion on his face vanished, replaced by an incandescent joy.
Alvin stood there, looking utterly spent, his robes dusted with fine gold particulate, his eyes shadowed but blazing with triumph. In his hands, he held nothing, but his smile was the most radiant thing Kazien had ever seen.
"Are you done?" Kazien asked, the words a raw whisper of certainty and relief.
Alvin didn't answer with words. He only answered with a wide, genuine smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes. And Kazien, knowing his elf better than anyone, understood: It was finished.
Kazien stood up, not bothering to brush the dust from his clothes. He crossed the short distance in two strides and swept Alvin into a crushing, tender embrace, inhaling the faint scent of ozone and concentrated magic clinging to the high elf's skin.
"Let's take a bath together," Kazien murmured against Alvin's golden-yellow hair. "right now. I've missed you so much, my dear."
Alvin's arms tightened around his neck. "Yes, let's take a bath! I've missed you so much too!"
Kazien easily scooped Alvin onto his back in a piggyback ride, a familiar, comfortable position, and walked toward their private bathroom, his heart finally settling into a steady, happy rhythm.
As they soaked in warm water infused with spices, a deep sense of peace enveloped them. Kazien, still a little shocked by his fiancee's return, remembered something. That all this time, he had never asked about his beloved's birthday.
"Alvin," Kazien began, gently pinched Alvin's thigh, which he was holding between his hips. "when exactly is your birthday?"