Although they had eaten lunch a little while ago, Faun scarfed down nearly half the cake; it was always reassuring to see his appetite.
He could always trust Isla and Lou to keep to their promises; a little while later, they both showed up at the front door brandishing birthday crackers.
Declan had predicted something like that, it was Isla after all so he had asked Faun to open the door.
Faun was blindsided. "We're not expecting anybody, right?" He asked, still making his way to the door.
"Happy Birthday, Faun!" They cheered for him when he opened the door, streamers and glitter getting on his face.
"W-What?" Faun mumbled in a small voice, still looking stunned even when Isla pulled him into a warm hug.
"I can't believe Declan forgot your birthday." Isla shot Declan evil eyes, holding Faun protectively.
"We brought cake!" Lou announced, marching right in.
Faun was still very much confused but he went with the flow, his eyes getting bright when Isla and Lou gave him a present.
"Wait, mine is outside, I'll go bring it." Isla jumped up after Lou had handed Faun hers.
Declan's brows furrowed, he had a bad feeling about this.
"Hey! D! Come help me." Isla's voice came in from outside the front door.
Declan glanced at Lou but she was steadfastly looking away, it only increased his anxiety.
He cautiously made his way out, coming face to face with a present that was easily as tall as he was.
Isla was struggling to get it off the trolley she had brought it here on.
"Isla? Isla?" Declan called her name, staring wide eyed at the larger than life gift box. How did she even find one that big?
Isla straightened up and slapped the side of the box like a car salesman. "You like? Eh?" She smirked, looking incredibly proud of herself.
"That's not going to fit through the front door." He told her blankly.
"No worries." She reassured him, shoving a tape inside the front pockets of her dungarees. "I already did the measurements, it'll fit just fine." She said calmly.
Declan could only look on in silence, Isla terrified him sometimes.
"You workout, don't you? So, heave this inside." She directed him, not really expecting him to handle it. She was already thinking of calling Lou out as well, they would need all the help they could get.
Declan gave her one last look, wrapping his arms around the gift box and picking it up like it weighed nothing.
"Whoa!" Isla marvelled, following behind him.
"Happy birthday, Faun!" Isla beamed at how round his eyes and mouth got when he saw the present she had gotten for him.
"I just called you like an hour ago, how did you get your hands on this?" Declan whispered furiously, glancing at Faun who was checking out the present.
Isla just shrugged, her annoying smirk still in place. "I have my ways."
"What's even in it? I hope it's not the parts for making a rocket or something just as awful."
Isla shrugged again. "It's not for you, why do you care?"
Lou jumped to her feet at this. "We would really love to stay but we have to get back to doingโฆ" She trailed off, sharing an odd look with Isla.
"Stuff." Isla quickly completed for her, pink tinting her face.
"Yeah, stuff." Lou repeated slowly. "Anyway, we'll be on our way now."
After they said their goodbyes, Declan blinked out the open door that he had gone to close behind them, did they have their arms wrapped around each other?
No, he was definitely seeing things. Of course, that had to be it.
He shut the door and leaned against it to find Faun looking at all the presents he had gotten in fascination.
"You can open them you know, especially this one." He strode forward, indicating Isla's present. "I want to know what she crammed in here."
Faun snickered at Declan's serious expression. He also wanted to know too so he allowed Declan to take the lid off.
When he did that, the sides of the box fell open, revealing a giant teddy bear.
Faun's eyes went so wide, they were saucers on his delicate face. "It's for me?" He asked in wonder like he couldn't believe it.
Declan's expression darkened, going green eyed with jealousy. Isla didn't have to go all out like this.
Faun's laughter was contagious as he jumped on the teddy bear and he found himself smiling grudgingly after a while.
Lou had gotten him a fancy book with a lot of glitter pens and a sticker note that said he should use it to write down all of his recipes.
"Could you help me carry the teddy bear to my room?" Faun asked politely.
Declan frowned, Faun had opened their presents but not his, it made his nervousness skyrocket.
"Sure." He agreed, distracted.
It was odd just hanging around Faun's room after dropping off the teddy bear so he made himself scarce, his brows furrowing when Faun didn't come out with him.
He might as well busy himself in the meantime, the area around the front door was still covered in streamers and glitters. He had to clean that up and then get rid of the gift boxes.
In his room, Faun gingerly sat on his bed, gently holding the present that Declan had gotten him.
He wanted to try shaking it out of curiosity but stopped himself, what if he broke it by shaking it?
He looked over the small gift box again, like he could find out what was in it by staring at it hard enough.
He was nervous for some reason, which hadn't been the case when he was opening up Isla and Lou's presents.
Finally, he opened up the gift box; inside it was a little white box and Faun reached it to take it out.
He stared at it curiously, most of his nervousness overwhelmed by his curiosity.
He opened up the box after a couple more seconds of staring, his eyes going wide.
Declan was almost done cleaning but he had barely been paying attention to what he was doing.
He had been torn at first on what to get Faun, buying gifts for people wasn't his forte but he had wanted something that Faun could keep with him all the time.
But now that it was time for Faun to open his present, he worried that it would be a little cheesy.
"No! Don't take the cake away." Faun's voice stopped him as he was about to put the half eaten cake in the fridge.
Declan turned around to look at him, his pale grey eyes searching. "You already ate enough cake." He reminded him.
Faun pouted. "But it's my birthday."
Declan glanced down to hide the light in his eyes. "You're right." He agreed easily. "Fine, one more slice and you're done, can't have you falling sick."
He didn't have to search because Faun was proudly wearing the little trinket he had gotten him, it was pretty expensive but Faun didn't need to know that.
"Do you have the other half of this?" Faun finally worked up the nerve to ask Declan.
They were eating dinner; Faun had suggested cake, naturally but Declan was quick to shut him down, ordering instead.
"Yep." Declan said casually like it was no big deal, bringing out his own necklace that was hidden under his shirt.
Faun's eyes went wide when he saw the other half of his heart pendant, smiling widely.
"Thank you." He said in a shaky voice.
Declan was caught off guard when Faun threw himself at him, but he held him close.