It’s ZELDRIS’S BIRTHDAY!!!
Here is a fic for him and for @emo-hedgehog-zeldris who asked for Zelthur with “make a wish”. Hope you enjoy it!
This is also seems a fitting day to say thanks to everyone who has read and supported my work over the last couple of years. I’m taking a break to focus on my family and I wanted to say it’s been an absolute blast being in the fandom. Thanks so much for being such a great group of people ❤️
“Surprise!!”
Zeldris stared hard at the people in front of him, so many of them, their faces shining in the sudden glare of the electric light which had lurched into life without any warning. Everyone was grinning at him inanely, their teeth showing and the skin around their eyes crinkling with their smiles. He glared at them, eyes narrowed as the silence stretched before him and his friends expressions began to falter.
They looked at one another, a few shuffling their feet uncomfortably until Arthur stepped forwards, an absolutely enormous glass of red wine in hand. “Happy birthday!” his boyfriend said brightly as he thrust the glass under Zeldris’s nose. “Come on, you could smile! And drink! That’ll help,” he added more quietly, lowering his voice so only Zeldris could hear. “Just play along would you? For me?”
Looking into the violet eyes, Zeldris sighed, taking the glass from Arthur with a little more force than was necessary. More carefully, he sipped the drink, thankful for the splash of heat travelling down his esophagus. “Fine,” he muttered under his breath, “but you owe me one.”
“Understood. Alright everyone! Let’s get this party started!” Arthur bounced on the soles of his feet, hopping back into the crowd, grabbing bottles of beer by the handful as he passed by the kitchen island, its granite surface laden with bowls of crisps, tall glasses filled with breadsticks and celery and cut up bits of carrot, and of course every alcohol known to man. There was even a bottle of wasabi vodka which had been sitting in the cupboard for who knew how long and was covered with a fine layer of dust. The guests ignored it as they honed in on the beer and wine.
“I’m sorry, Meliodas talked me into it.” Arthur moved behind him, wrapping an arm around his waist. “I did say you wouldn’t be super impressed but… well, wow he’s very persuasive. Now I look back I think I got played.”
Zeldris shot his brother a furious look, receiving nothing but a cheery wave in return. “You should know better than to listen to him,” he hissed at Arthur. Then he sucked in a deep breath, shaking his head a little and shrugging his shoulders. “But yes, I understand. Even I have fallen victim to his eloquence on occasion. Let us both make the best of this. I cannot imagine you are delighted about having Estarossa in our apartment.”
Arthur giggled. “He’s… pretty extra, isn’t he? I think he was trying to get me drunk. I noped out of that one,” Arthur said with a laugh. “Anyway, Ban made lasagna, and it’s pretty good. And then you have to see the cake. It’s, like, a work of art.”
Zeldris let Arthur lead him round the room, stopping to talk to each of the guests. He had not even realised he knew so many people, nor that the flat he and Arthur shared was big enough to contain them. But the noise worked in his favour. It was easy to slip in and out of conversations with the persistent hum of chatter and the boom of the sound system blotting out all chance of intelligible speech. As the evening progressed and his reluctance wore off, Zeldris had to admit it was nice to see some of those in attendance. His friends had brought more alcohol with them than they were consuming, Estarossa aside, and the atmosphere was convivial without being raucous. He began to relax, settling into the rhythm of the party as the guests talked and polished off the lasagna.
Just as he was beginning to enjoy himself, he was pulled back in the kitchen and left standing awkwardly in front of the island. Arthur grinned at him, then made him cover his eyes with his hands, the light seeping through his fingers changing in hue as someone played with the dimmer switch. Zeldris felt his cheeks flush with the ridiculousness of it all, swallowing hard as he tried to control his breathing and so stop his heart thumping with the anticipation.
He opened his eyes at the first notes of ‘Happy Birthday’, jaw dropping at the sight of the enormous cake. It was a dragon, with wings made from some sort of sugar, its green body twisting on the platter. Its back was covered in candles, the flickering lights glowing in the darkened room. Zeldris stared and stared, words forming then refusing to leave his lips as he took in the immense structure and the guests broke into applause.
“D’you like it? The green matches your eyes.” Arthur set the cake down, then stepped towards Zeldris pulling him into a tight hug. They stayed together for several moments, until Zeldris became aware of the sounds of people cooing around him. Embarrassed, he pulled back, his gaze falling once more on the cake, and he shook his head in disbelief.
“Well, make a wish!” Arthur said brightly.
Zeldris nodded and, turning to the confection, blew all of the candles out with one blow, his wish echoing round and round in his head. The guests cheered, then milled about as he and Arthur dished out the portions, the revelry resuming as the clock hands crept round towards midnight and even Estarossa took his cue that it was time to leave.
At last they were alone. Zeldris immediately turned to the clean up, scooping bottles into the recycling bin and staking glasses carefully in the dishwasher. “Hey!” Arthur called, interrupting Zeldris mid-task. “I have a deal for you. If I can guess what you wished for you, you have to say yes to my next question. How does that sound?”
Zeldris set down the cloth and bottle of antibacterial spray he was holding. “That sounds moronic,” he grumbled. “But fine. If you like. Tell me, what did I wish for?”
“That next year you’ll be left alone on your birthday.” Arthur grinned. “I’m right, aren’t I,” he added as Zeldris broke into a chuckle.
“Quite correct, yes,” Zeldris confirmed. “Very well, I shall keep my end of the bargain. Tell me, what is your question?”
“Will you marry me?”
Zeldris’s jaw dropped again. “Repeat that,” he commanded.
“Will you marry me?” Arthur opened his mouth, then barked out a mirthless laugh and pulled a small, square box from the pocket of his jeans. “Your birthday present,” he said a little sheepishly, holding it out towards Zeldris. “If you want it, of course.”
“I do. I mean, I… yes,” Zeldris stuttered out. “Yes,” he added more firmly, a smile curving his lips. “Yes. I will marry you. I want to.”
“Yay!” Arthur punched the air, then coughed self-consciously before opening the box to reveal a plain, onyx band, which he slipped onto Zeldris’s outstretched hand. “I, um… I’ve never done this before. What do we do now? I guess we should tell someone…”
“I have one condition.”
Arthur’s head fell slightly to one side as Zeldris cut through his thoughts. “Okay,” he said cautiously.
“No parties. We elope.” Zeldris folded his arms over his chest. “Frankly, there is no need to tell anyone until the opportunity for their interference is well out of the way. We do it quietly, by ourselves.”
A grin spread over Arthur’s face. “Okay deal,” he agreed, and Zeldris pulled him to a hug, their lips meeting as the clock struck the hour.
