[META KNIGHT] Another One Of Those Days

oneshot

It took Kirby, King Dedede and Bandana Waddle Dee a stupid amount of time as it is to even find out when their knight friend's birthday was. The gang had to go miles to find someone who withheld the information, pestering the Meta-knights to no end and even considering resorting to the mirror doppelganger.

Once the date had finally been marked in the calendar with a bright red circle, nothing could go wrong. They would finally start celebrating Meta's birthday, and they'd throw a big party to compensate for all the years that have gone by, and they'll have so much fun and—!

"I'd prefer you wouldn't."

"WHAT?" All three of his friends asked simultaneously, unbelieving of the rejection.

To have his friends visit him in his own quarters over at Castle Dedede was nothing new, and usually inconvenient when he tried to focus on work. They'd bust through his door without knocking or asking at first, Bandana Dee being the only one that looked even slightly guilty of doing so.

But to have them come all the way over to the Halberd. It almost made him ashamed to have to dismiss them like this. (They still hadn't previously warned of anything, and stormed into his bedroom, which might have been the reason for "almost").

Meta Knight sighed, putting down his ink pen and finally laying eyes on the unwanted, but welcomed, guests.

Dedede looked almost angry, brows furrowed and mouth slightly agape. Bandana Dee just looked distressed, with low spirits and nervousness reeking out of him. Kirby looked determined as always, but now with a hint of shock judging by how his eyes widened.

"I do not... care for my birthday, I suppose." He put the words carefully, not wanting to reveal how much he despised celebrating the date to save from more discussions with the rest of them "And I was never one for parties as well. I appreciate the kindness, but please, do not try and surprise me with anything."

"No fair!!" The pink puffball was the first to protest, huffing "I understand the party part, but how come we can't celebrate it?!"

"Meta Knight, we were 'bout to ask Dark to find out when the hell yur birthday is," His king didn't seem all that happy either "jus' for ya to tell us no?"

"Can't we give you gifts at least, Sir Meta Knight?" The waddle dee tried to ignore all the angry energy emanating from his friends, shaking his paws like trying to call his attention.

Of course, Meta isn't stupid, and ignored it as well. He shook his head.

"There is no need to. Treat it as if a normal day." And soon, he dove right back onto whatever paperwork he was doing this time.

Not surprisingly, Kirby and Dedede kept talking, complaining, wondering too loudly about why would anyone not appreciate their birthday. The king emphasized the importance of his own and told about how he made the day his day, every year. Meta Knight paid half attention to the stories but didn't comment on any. He wanted to avoid the topic as better as he could.

Birthdays, for him, always felt like mockery. Just a reminder of how he's still alive and aging, which should be a reason for joy, but not necessarily.

Every hour is painful agony, remembrance of the obscure times of his life with Nightmare. Every day consists of reliving past mistakes, of misadventures and all the times he's been the damsel in distress rather than the knight in shining armor he was supposed to be. Every year he yearns for closure but the cycle of crippling doubts just continues and continues.

He remembers his younger self very clearly, repeating words in his head, tens, thousands of times. "I won't make it, I won't make it", but he doesn't quite recall when they became a wish.