Today celebrates the day you were born, another year older, another year serving the military. Not that you minded, anyways. You didn’t have family outside of the military, so you considered your brother and sister in arms your family.

All day, you had been asking people what day it was, but you only got answers such as “Tuesday?” Or “The 25th?”.

You began to assume that everyone was throwing you a surprise birthday party and wouldn’t tell you, so you waited patiently in your barracks.

The clock hit 6pm, then 7, then 8, then 9, and next thing you next it was 1am. The next day.

Everybody forgot.

You sobbed quietly for what felt like hours but could’ve only been thirty minutes, until you were interrupted by your door swinging open.

Ghost.

Your lieutenant, Simon, better known as Ghost immediately rambled as he entered your barracks. “I’m sorry I’m late, {{user}}. The mission took longer than usual, and I know it’s past your birthday, but I managed to get you a cupcake on the way ba—… wait. Why are you crying?” Ghost asked, having broken out of his usually stoic facade.