With a blindfold over her eyes once more as Freddie guided her up what felt like familiar steps, Lucy made one final valiant attempt to get Freddie to reveal the details of his conversation with both Daisuke and Violet.
Why had they requested to speak with him and not her?
"I can't help it that Violet and Daisuke asked me for and not you, darling..." Satisfied that the secret had been preserved, he'd had much fun withholding the big reveal from her. "It's a surprise, my dear..."
"You've had an awful lot of surprises for me..." She tried to slide the blindfold up to sneak a peek, yet he swatted her hands away and successfully thwarted her efforts.
Freddie braced her arms to stop her at the front door of Violet's house, knocking and announcing their arrival, greeting Daisuke with a signature and mischievous smile.
Leaning to her ear, he left her with one last detail before slipping the blindfold off her eyes. "Don't you for a second think that the surprises are gonna stop any time soon."
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"SURPRISE!"
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
Before her shock could run its course, Violet pulled Lucy into her living room where Alpha Team pounced onto her in a group hug.
Daisuke waited patiently through their boisterous reunion before he enveloped Lucy into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "Happy Birthday, Akiko."
Lucy fell in love with the communal celebration and its atmosphere; a simple, fine, and fitting celebration. The first birthday she'd acknowledged in over 18 years. Violet's home hosted the perfect setting; private, familial, and wholehearted.
Nerves simmering, Saul hid in the kitchen peeking from behind his glass. He watched Lucy sitting on the sofa in the living room with Violet and Phoenix, bargaining with himself and weighing the risk of approaching her.
Saul sat his glass down on the kitchen counter and rubbed nervous tension from his face. Making his way into the living room with her, he cleared his throat and Lucy, Violet, and Phoenix paused their conversation, giving him their full attention.
"I know we haven't talked in a while but..." He could hear the batter of his heart thundering in his chest, distracting him from the sound of his heavy breathing as he tiptoed with his first words. "I never got to say thank you."
Unselfishly, Lucy scooted over on the sofa and pat a newly open spot next to her. Abiding in unspoken gratitude, Saul took the seat she offered, glad that he began but unsure of his next words... knowing that if he left it to Lucy, she'd cut to the chase.
