OOM: The Birthday

[iprotectyou]

Baze wakes one special morning with a spring in his step. The day is his birthday, and he's nine years old, now. He knows the kitchens will have cookies--shortbread with jam, mmm--for him, so he hurries through his morning chores and forms, thinking with kid logic that if he goes fast, time will too and he'll be able to eat the cookies sooner. He spots Chirrut in the hall on the way to the kitchens.

"Good morning again, Chirrut!" Baze singsongs, so excited that he's vibrating with joy.

"I forgot to tell you this morning, but it's my birthday today!"

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[iprotectyou]

Baze stops scrubbing dishes to squint at his friend.

"They're not my cookies. They're our cookies. We're sharing a birthday now, so you get half of whatever I get. And just think, next year, the kitchen staff will make twice as many!"

[idontneedluck]

Chirrut huffs, looking mulish and drying his current plate with unnecessary vigor.

"It still isn't fair, I'll just tell them they're your cookies."

[iprotectyou]

Baze folds his soapy arms.

"No! Why do you have to be so stubborn?" tbe boy says, pursing his lips. He unfolds his arms and cups Chirrut's elbow in his wet hand.

"I want to share this with you."

[idontneedluck]

"And I don't want to take your food." Chirrut grumbles right back, "It isn't right, it's yours."

[iprotectyou]

Baze is at a loss. He doesn't know how to convince his friend that Baze wants to share his food with him.

"Chir," Baze says, squeezing his arm.

"Sharing this with you will make me happy. It's not right that you don't have a birthday! I want you to share it with me. Please?"