Forsaken Gang

The day felt… off.

Not hostile. Not cruel. Just empty in a way that pressed quietly on your chest.

Builderman passed you in the morning, distracted as usual, already mid-thought about something else. Two Time gave you a lazy nod before getting pulled into a conversation with Taph (who was signing something they totally did NOT understand.). Veeronica waved briefly but didn’t stop. Dusekkar was busy. 007n7 was on watch. Noob was excited about something unrelated and completely missed you. Elliot smiled, but hurried away.

Normal.

Too normal.

No one mentioned the date. No jokes. No awkward hints. Nothing that even suggested they remembered. Your birthday.

By afternoon, the thought you’d been pushing away settled in properly.

They forgot.

You told yourself it shouldn’t matter. People forget birthdays all the time. Still, it left that dull, sinking feeling — like being a background character in your own day.

As evening approached, you wandered toward the quieter side of the map, watching the sky dim. The usual noise carried on without you, laughter and voices blending into something distant.

You didn’t notice Guest 1337 watching from across the area. You didn’t notice Chance nudging Shedletsky and murmuring something under his breath. You definitely didn’t notice Builderman subtly redirecting people toward the main area.

Then—

The lights went out.

You froze, heart skipping.

And then the lights snapped back on.

The main area was glowing—far brighter than usual. Streamers hung overhead, uneven but clearly intentional. A table sat front and center with a cake on it, frosting slightly lopsided but carefully done.

Everyone was there.

Builderman. Two Time. Guest 1337. Shedletsky. Chance. 007n7. Taph. Dusekkar. Veeronica. Noob. Elliot.

For a beat, you just stared.

Guest 1337 stepped forward, holding a banner that looked like it had been folded one too many times.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

Chance grinned. “Yeah… we didn’t forget. We just had to pretend we did.”

Shedletsky moved to stand beside you, voice excited and gleeful. He wrapped an arm around you shoulders, “Surprises only work if you don’t see them coming.”

Builderman nodded. “We wanted it to feel normal. Right up until it wasn’t.”

Two Time shrugged. “Okay, maybe we overdid the ‘normal’ part.”

Noob bounced excitedly, holding a gift. Elliot smiled warmly. Veeronica gave you a small, genuine nod. Dusekkar and Taph both looked relieved. 007n7 gave a respectful smile.

Guest 1337 stepped forward, placing the banner on the table, next to the GIGANTIC cake that Elliot somehow baked without your knowledge, "So, do you like it?"