Click
"Hellooooo! Anybody homeeee?" Isaac called out the moment he unlocked the door, kicking it shut with the back of his heel.
Heavy footsteps pounded down the hallway, barely a second before Aria rounded the corner, practically skidding into the entryway.
"I am!" she announced, throwing both hands up like she was claiming a prize.
"Oh my, the lazy, jobless bum is finally awake." Isaac bent down to untie his boots, voice dry.
"Why would I work? I'm loaded, dumbass."
She flicked her hair over her shoulder with a smug look.
"Tsk. The world's gone to shit…" he muttered, placing his shoes neatly by the rack.
"If you don't shut it, I'll make you."
"And how exactly will you do that, midget?"
Her eye twitched.
"Say that again."
"Mi–dge—"
She stepped forward with clear intent and grabbed the collar of his shirt, but Isaac simply leaned back with a small smirk, letting her menace him without any real threat.
Throughout their meaningless banter, he moved on autopilot: washed his hands and face at the sink by the door, shrugged his jacket off onto the back of a chair, and drifted into the living room like it was just another normal day.
"So," he dropped onto the sofa, stretching lazily, "what exactly were you rushing me for?"
Aria stared at him like he had grown a second head.
"Don't you already know?"
"No clue?" Isaac tilted his head, feigning complete ignorance.
Given the date, it was impossible for him not to know, but acting dumb just to annoy her was half the fun.
"Ugh, you're so annoying."
"Yeah, yeah, tell me something I don't already know."
"Should I just take it back…" she muttered, eyeing him sideways.
"Wait, no! I'm sorry."
He sat up straight immediately.
"That's better."
She huffed, secretly pleased, and pointed at the sofa.
"Now wait here for a second."
With that, Aria disappeared into her bedroom, shutting the door with a soft click.
'I wonder what she's got for me,' Isaac thought, leaning back again.
He was genuinely curious.
Unlike her birthday, where she had basically sent him a list and told him to pick something, Aria hadn't said a word about his this year.
No teasing reminders, no hints, nothing.
'Knowing her, it's probably something stupid…'
It wouldn't be the first time. Aria's gifts tended to fall into a very specific category: anything that could embarrass him.
Bright pink bunny slippers.
A boob mousepad.
A mug with her face on it.
He was used to her sense of humour by now.
"Here we go!"
Isaac looked up.
"Hmm…"
He eyed her skeptically as she stepped out of her room, cradling not one, but two boxes wrapped in aggressive hot pink paper.
"Are you excited?" she asked, grin already in place.
"...Yeah."
His answer was a beat too slow.
"Hey, that response was too delayed."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Whatever, just hand it over."
"Ugh, fine. You're so ungrateful."
"Shut up and pass the boxes."
"This one first."
She shoved the smaller, rectangular box into his hands and plopped down across from him, watching closely.
Aria told him he had to open that one first, so Isaac complied, setting it on his lap and carefully peeling back the wrapping paper, if only to annoy her a little more by being slow.
"Just rip it already," she complained.
"Learn some patience."
He ignored her and finished unwrapping before lifting the lid.
His face froze.
"Aria…"
"Pfff…"
Her lips immediately twitched, and she turned her head away, shoulders shaking.
"What is this…?" he asked flatly.
Aria rolled her eyes around the room, trying and failing to look innocent, the grin on her face refusing to disappear.
"Why don't you try it on…?" she suggested, voice wobbling with barely suppressed laughter.
Isaac pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a long sigh.
"You want me to wear a bright pink, frilly apron?"
She didn't answer. Her lips trembled, and a small squeak of laughter slipped out.
"You know what, fine. I'll wear it."
He stood up, pulled the apron from the box, and dragged it over his head, tying the ribbon at the back with practised ease. It fit almost too well.
"There," he said, spreading his arms slightly. "Are you happy?"
Once all was said and done, there he stood: a tall, slim man with androgynous features and long black hair tied into a ponytail, now wrapped in a ridiculous, frilly pink apron right in the centre of their living room.
Aria couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Pffhahahaha! Ahahaha! This is, ahahaha! It's too much! Ahaha!"
She bent over, clutching her stomach, laughing so hard tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.
"Does it not suit me?" Isaac asked, deadpan, one hand resting on his hip like he was on a runway.
"Ahahaha! It, ahaha, it does! I promise!" she wheezed.
He couldn't be upset; this was exactly the kind of thing he had expected from her, and seeing Aria laughing that hard made the whole thing worth it.
His mood rose immediately.
Of course, the real problem came after.
Now that he was wearing the apron, Aria clearly couldn't restrain herself.
Click.
The sharp sound of a phone camera shutter cut through the air.
"Hey, did you just take a photo of me?" Isaac narrowed his eyes.
"Hehe… Whatever could you mean…?"
Aria hid the phone behind her back.
"By the way, could you maybe strike a pose for me?"
"Isn't it enough for me to just wear it?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"Aren't you meant to be a model? Don't tell me that you're embarrassed."
"No way."
"Then pose, c'mon, you can do it!"
She stepped closer, eyes shining with mischief.
"..."
"Isaac, won't you do it for me?"
Her voice softened as she tilted her head and fluttered her eyelashes in her best attempt at puppy-dog eyes.
"..."
Hug.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek lightly against his chest, looking up at him.
"Pretty pleaseeee…" she said, dragging the word out.
"...Fine, what pose?" he muttered, defeated.
The moment he agreed, she jumped back, fist-pumping into the air.
"Yes! Now do these!"
She shoved her phone under his nose, showing him a collection of cutesy, over-the-top poses: peace signs, heart hands, blowing kisses, even one where he had to pretend to be surprised with his mouth open.
Isaac's eyes went blank.
'What the hell is she making me do…'
It was supposed to be his birthday, and yet he was the one being paraded around like some kind of joke model in their living room.
Still, he did it.
Pose after pose, expression after expression, he moved through them all with the same reluctant professionalism that came from his job.
At some point, Aria added cat ears to his head, then a fake tail, then made him hold a frying pan as a "prop."
Click. Click. Click.
Her laughter echoed endlessly.
••✦ ♡ ✦•••
After humiliating himself further for what felt like half an eternity, Isaac finally tore the apron off, his face bright red, and collapsed onto the sofa, limbs spread out like a corpse.
"Did I go too far?" Aria asked, the last bits of laughter fading as she watched him.
"Sigh, no… just give me a minute," he muttered, covering his face with his arm.
Isaac felt as if he were burning alive with embarrassment.
She had made him pose in all sorts of ridiculous ways, occasionally yelling "Cute!" or "Perfect!" while taking rapid-fire photos and cackling at his misery.
"I have another present for you, y'know," Aria said after a brief pause.
"Oh, right."
He had genuinely forgotten about the second box thanks to… all of that.
"You'll like this one," she said, tone softer, more certain.
Isaac raised his head with narrowed eyes.
"I don't trust you…"
"That's… fair, but I promise you will! I'm not horrible."
"Uh-huh."
"I'm not!" she insisted, puffing out her cheeks.
"Sure, sure. Now hand it over."
"Wow, so rude. Using me for my money."
"Yeah, I am, now shut up and give me the present."
"Yeesh, someone's feisty."
"Who's fault is that exactly?"
"Who knows..." She shrugged innocently. "Anyway, here you go."
This time, he didn't bother with carefully peeling the paper.
He just tore the hot-pink wrapping to shreds to get to the box faster.
"Why're you in such a hurry?" Aria asked, amused.
Isaac didn't answer, simply flipping her off without looking up as he threw the shredded paper aside and opened the lid.
"Oh!"
His eyes widened, and a wide, genuine smile spread slowly across his face.
"So you like it," Aria said, watching his reaction rather than the actual contents.
"Aria?" he said, voice oddly quiet.
"Yes, Isaac?" she replied, sounding smug and pleased.
"I love you."
"You're so materialistic…" she sighed.
Inside the box sat an entire treasure trove of merchandise from his favourite game of all time, ❰The Knight of Stellaris❱.
Figures of the three main Heroines stood neatly in their plastic shells.
Rolled wall scrolls of official artwork.
Badges, pins, and keychains.
It was an absurd amount of merch, clearly not cheap, and exactly the kind of thing he would never buy for himself.
It was, without question, the best gift he could have imagined.
The smile on his face refused to fade.
"Wow, you're so easy," Aria commented, crossing her arms with a huff.
"Shut up for a second, Aria."
"Hey, I was the one who bought all of that. Show some gratitude."
"My apologies, Miss Aria, but please may you be quiet for just a moment?" he said, slipping into an overly polite tone.
"God, I hate you sometimes."
"Love you too."
Isaac jumped up from the sofa, clutching the box to his chest, and practically jogged down the hallway to his bedroom.
He set everything out on his bed and began placing the merchandise around his room with all the seriousness of arranging a shrine.
"Figures on the desk, wall scrolls above the bed, pins and keychains on the corkboard… then this…" he muttered to himself.
The last thing in the box was yet another boob mousepad, this time themed after one of the Heroines.
"…Thank god we live alone," he said under his breath as he set the risqué mousepad on his desk.
He stepped back, took in the transformed room, and felt a small, contented warmth settle in his chest.
Then he turned and headed back to the living room.
"Aria?"
"Yeah?" she called from the sofa, already scrolling through the photos she had taken of him in the apron.
He walked over and pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.
"Thanks," he said quietly. "I meant it earlier, I love you."
"Whatever, dumbass. I love you too," she replied, voice light but sincere.
Even though the two of them constantly made fun of each other and argued over everything from chores to snacks, their friendship was unshakable.
Underneath all the insults and teasing, they cared about each other more than anyone else.
"I will get you back for the apron, though," he added, leaning back with a grin.
"...Oh god."
Aria's eyes widened with immediate regret.
Isaac grinned wider at her expression, then turned towards the kitchen.
"So what do you want for dinner?" he asked, rolling his sleeves up.
Aria watched him move around the familiar space, the pink apron now draped over a chair, the new merch box sitting open on the coffee table, and a small smile tugged at her lips.
It was the perfect birthday.
————「❤︎」————