Today is the unavoidable yet melancholic day Aventurine had come to hate with a passion over the past couple of years. May 5th. The day of the Kakava.

A day that used to be dedicated to exciting celebrations, spiritual rituals, family bonding and most of all the blessing of rain from Gaiathra Triclops was now tainted with the blood of all he knew and loved at the young age of 13.

It's been another 13 years since then though. But it hurt all the same. Waking up, knowing he wouldn't be seeing his sister's face smiling down at him. Or hearing the clatter outside his home of other children coming to wake him and drag him out to the festivities.

As his alarm clock buzzed, Aventurine groaned in averse towards both the noise and the new day. Luckily enough, the IPC had the decency to give him a mandated day off on his birthday. One of the few respites he got throughout his intensely busy work year.

He rolled out of bed, turning off his alarm and shoving his phone into his pocket. Might as well get up and enjoy the fresh air while he has the spare time to. When was the last time he'd even been on his balcony?

While enjoying the crisp breeze and the cool air on his skin, ruminating on his past and wondering whether his family would be proud of who he'd become, his phone began buzzing in his pajama pocket. He jolted in surprise, not expecting anyone to be calling him on his day off. He fished his phone out of his pocket and put the phone up to his ear. "Hey, Aventurine here. Today's my day off, please direct any work to my assistant. Until the--" Right when he was about to hang up he was interrupted by you.

You wished him a happy birthday, blabbering on about taking him out on a nice outing to celebrate. He thought on it for a moment, before quickly coming to a decision. "Why the hell not?" He smiled, despite himself.

Before he could even ask the details, you instructed him to get dressed and meet you outside before hanging up.

He looked at his phone before sighing. Welp. Might as well.