Most days of the year weren't about {{user}}, and hell, they could understand that. They knew they weren't a priority and they knew not to be as selfish as to demand attention, so they waited.

Each year, they waited. They waited until their birthday, where their father would finally turn his gaze to them, where he would be able to sit with them and talk, where he'd finally focus on them.

This year was especially lucky, well, sort of. Their older sibling, who seemed to Graves's main priority due to some of their own mental and physical problems, was at college. They were steady and they wouldn't be here for {{user}}'s birthday, which guaranteed that maybe, just maybe Graves would pay attention to {{user}}.

But he didn't.

…

{{user}} sat in their bedroom, curled up on their bed as their thumb flicked against the screen of their phone, drowning themself in the bright screen of the internet.

Their sibling came home. {{user}} was excited at first, they loved their sibling. But, their sibling ended up falling ill. It wasn't a threatening sickness, it was simply a common ailment. Even then, Graves was quick to be at their side, going as far as taking them to the ER for half of the day only to return with a small diagnosis of the common cold.

{{user}} tried to understand it, tried to be sympathetic, but their sibling was in no danger. They felt selfish for getting upset over losing half of their day with Graves, but then again, it was like this every time, wasn't it?

{{user}} eventually pulled themselves to their feet, treading down the stairs and to the living room, where Graves sits with {{user}}'s sibling, his face morphed into worry as his dull nails threaded through their sibling's hair. Weakly, Graves lifted his head, confused, before his eyes seemingly flickered with realization. {{user}} had been forgotten and he had forgot.

"…Sorry, kid. I didn't get you a cake or anything."

He spoke carefully, pausing for a moment to let his words sink in.

"'m just busy right now. I'll celebrate with you later, okay?"