#Well it's not as poslished though I wanted shorts to be more quick and fun

[rottentick]

Short 1: Birthday

Summary: A “short” story based on events before Act 0; Zeck is enjoying his 25th birthday.

             “Hey, hey! Look at this! Apparently when the electric eel is excited, the little sign on the tank is supposed to turn on! Isn’t that neat, that the eel can control when it turns on its electricity?” Zeck rambled as he looked happily at the tank in front of him before raising his phone and taking a picture of the eel. The brunette woman next to him was staring down at her phone, typing away but let out a low hum.

            “The keepers said that they were going to feed the little guy in a few minutes! Do you wanna stay and see it, Victoria?” Zeck turned towards the woman, who still hadn’t looked up from her phone, her brows furrowed a bit.

            “Uhm, not really Zeke,” she grumbled something under her breath, “Why don’t you show me something else?”

            Zeck felt slight disappoint in the pit of his stomach, but his energy immediately bounced back as he thought of a great tank to take her next. “I know! The otter tank should be nearby, come on, come on, we might get a good spot to see them playing!” Zeck excitedly grabbed onto her hand, which she allowed as he led her off. It didn’t take too long to reach the otter tank, but much to his dismay there was a group of people rather gathered, ooo’ing and aw’ing the little critters as they played around. He could hear a disappointed noise next to him, actually seeing Victoria looking up from her phone to see the crowd with him.

            “Aw, shoot,” Zeck clicked his tongue, “Ha, guess we didn’t beat the crowd after all. Oh, maybe we can go look at the stingrays? I think we can actually touch them—”

            “Ewww, you wanna touch a stingray?”

            “Well yeah! They’re like sea puppies! Uh, flat sea puppies anyways!” Zeck smiled at Victoria, who rolled her eyes slightly, before letting out an amused huff.

            “Okay Zeke, take me to your weird flat sea dogs.”

            ----------

            Zeck watched the giant pacific octopus that sat in the tank in front of him, seeing it’s eye move a bit. Was it wondering about him, just as he was about it? How alien he must have been to the creature, and how alien it was to him…

            “I wonder how it’d be to see things from your side…” Zeck mused out loud, before he heard someone clearing their throat and had him looking up from his spot. Victoria had returned from the bathroom, after being splashed on by one of the stingrays. There was a bit of a wet spot left on her shirt, but it wasn’t really noticeable, still she didn’t see too pleased.

            “Ha ha, hey~! I guess the little guys were too excited, that was crazy though, seeing it do that little jump huh?” he chuckled a bit nervously, which caused her to let out a low groan and sit down next to him.

            “It splashed all over my favorite dress Zeke, the fish smell is gonna stay on it,” she pouted

            “Aw, it wasn’t anything personal Victoria! Besides we can just get it washed once we get home! Then we can order some food and have some of the cake I got!” Zeck said, trying to cheer her up.

            “Mhmm? Can we get sushi?” she asked, causing Zeck to pause and let out another chuckle.

            “Ha-- That’s kinda morbid considering we’re like, sitting around some fish right??? Especially in front of an octopus-- But sure! I don’t see why not, I got birthday money to blow on sushi anyways!” he said happily, which he could see caused her to smile back.

            God she’s so pretty. She’s so perfect. I’m so lucky to have her in my life. Lucky she came with me on my birthday-- 

            “Oh! Make sure to get enough for all three of us Zeke, we don’t want to leave Bailey out too,” she chimed up, halting Zeck’s thoughts.

            “Oh.” he blanked slightly, before pulling out his phone and looking excited again as he started looking through his phone’s contact list, “Yeah, yeah, of course! I wouldn’t forget him, I should text him to ask what kind of sushi he likes!” 

            Mmm, I don’t really want sushi but… They probably both do. I can’t be a bummer, it’s my birthday after all!

            … Ugh, this fucking sucks.

            Blowing a strand of black hair out of his face, he focused on texting away to Bailey who he had nicknamed ‘Bailer’ on his phone.

            [You: heyyy dude, im gonna order sushi! Do u want something?]

            [Bailer: Nah man it’s cool.]

            Well… One less mouth to feed.

            “Bailey didn’t want anything,” Zeck said before shoving his phone in his pocket, “So I could just get sushi for the two of us?”

            “Awww come on Zeke, at least get him something too? Even if it’s not sushi?” Victoria pleaded. Zeck could feel a slight twitch in his eye.

            “Oh yeah~! No worries, I’ll just ask him again in a bit what he may want!”

            God… Dammit.

            ----------

            So here he was at home, having ordered some fried tempura sushi and pizza for his girlfriend and roommate in their apartment, Victoria and Bailey sitting on the couch having put on a movie Zeck was nowhere near interested in, as Zeck set up his cake, pushing down a 2 and a 5 candle onto it before smiling down at his cake satisfied. It was a rather small cake he had gotten for himself as neither of his roommates had been interested in cake so he had gotten his favorite; A simple caramel turtle ice cream cake, all for himself. Sliding himself into a seat, Zeck used the matchbox to light up his candles, small lights illuminating his space in the darkened apartment.

            “Big 25… Coolio, time to make a wish,” he mumbled lowly to himself, closing his eyes for a moment.

            I wish for… Hm, happiness? No uh, maybe money??? Eh, oh, maybe a—

            “Hey man! Blowing out the candles without us?” Bailey’s voice cut through Zeck’s causing, causing him to yelp and grip onto the table, startled. Bailey laughed a bit as Zeck dug his fingers into the table, a strained smile on his face.

            “Uh—You two were busy so I at least wanted to get this out of the w—”

            “Oh sweet, is this a caramel turtle cake? Can’t wait for you to cut into it then man!” Bailey interrupted Zeck, and Zeck just stared at him, before back at the cake.

            The cake was small. For a single person.

            “Zekeee, you can’t just blow out your candles before telling us! Come on, let me at least get a picture!” Victoria came over to, phone held up, causing Zeck to nervously push his hair behind his ear.

            “Uhm, I, I don’t like pictures being taken of myself you know…?” Zeck’s quiet went softer at the end, before Victoria tsk’d him.

            “No no! That won’t do, it’s your 25th birthday Zeke! Come on, just one pic, okay?” she asked. 

            “... Okay. Fine.” Zeck resigned, shifting in his seat again, before closing his eyes and trying to focus.

            What I wish for… Big ol’ 25th wish huh? 

            … Does it even matter?

            Zeck blow out his candles, wincing slightly as the flash hit his eyes, before he lifted up his glasses to rub his eyes. He heard a low hum from Victoria. 

            “I could work with this, just gotta edit the lighting…” She mumbled, before walking off, meanwhile Bailey had gotten a knife to hand off to Zeck, which he begrudgingly took, gripping the handle a bit too hard.

             Happy birthday to me, I guess, Zeck thought, before bringing down the knife on his cake, slicing it in half.