Alex.J.Cobalt

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” the room roared as Urana stepped into it.

Urana grinned as her parents pulled her into a hug, followed by her sister. Then her friends, the Crew from down south. Faces swarmed in front of her, all clamouring to give congratulations. They were all squeezed into her parent’s tiny apartment, bumping into one another as they tried to congratulate Urana.

“Pretty cool huh?” her sister, Riayt whispered in her ear, grabbing Urana by the elbow and pulling her towards the kitchen. Most people were in the open plan living space, admiring the views of Sector-8E. It was a good view to be fair.

“Definitely,” Urana said, putting down her empty glass and picking another one up from the side, “you planned it all then?”

Riayt grinned.

“Of course,” she said, “not as if I’m going to let Mum do it am I?”

Urana snorted. She loved her parent’s dearly, as did her sister, but celebrations were not her forte. Planning a strategic attack on enemy base? Now that was their mother’s forte.

“Got you a sneaky surprise though,” Riayt said, dragging Urana over to one of the cupboards. She giggled as she opened the door to reveal a very squished up Marak hiding where the pots and pans should be.

“But you,” Urana said, falling to her knees and poking Marak’s face to make sure he was real. Yep very real, very handsome and very much here.

“Hey Starshine,” Marak grinned up at her. Urana felt her heart miss a beat when she heard his voice.

“I thought you couldn’t make it,” she said, struggling to hold back tears of joy-

Marak is here. He’s here.

“Well I had to make your thirtieth a surprise right?” he said, “now can you two lovely ladies help me out from under here? I have a girlfriend I want to kiss.”

“Oh, whose that?” Riayt teased, as she and Urana each took one of Marak’s proffered arms and pulled him out of the cupboard.

“Someone very special,” Marak said, grinning up at Urana, “someone special indeed.”

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