@thelesbiantragedy: I sighed, then remembered something. "Here." Pansa looked down. I had pulled a small container from my bag and held it toward her. She frowned. "What's that?" "I baked cookies." Her eyes immediately widened. "Cookies?" "Yes." "For me?" "No, Pansa. For the security guards chasing us." She ignored that. "But my present—" "These were part of it. I made extra." She immediately took the container. "I couldn't think of anything to buy you," I explained. "Because anything I could afford, you could probably buy a thousand of without checking your bank account. So I baked something instead." Pansa stared at the container. "The actual gift was packaged nicer." She looked up. "I don't care." "These were supposed to go to Film so she could give them to Luna." Pansa's expression immediately changed. "Why are you giving that kid my birthday present?" "I just told you they're extra." "It's my birthday." "And?" "Why does Luna get my cookies?" "Because there are more than enough cookies!" Pansa narrowed her eyes suspiciously before finally opening the container. Then she stopped. Her eyebrows slowly pulled together. "What are these?" "I told you. Cookies." "I can see that." She picked one up carefully. "But..." She turned it around. "Are these stingrays?" I smiled. "Yeah." Pansa stared at the cookie. A tiny smiling stingray stared back at her. "Baby stingrays?" "Smiling baby stingrays." She looked at me. Then the cookie. Then me again. "Why?" I stared at her face. "Don't you see the resemblance?" "Huh?" "That's you." Silence. Pansa slowly pointed at herself. "Me?" I nodded. "I'm a baby stingray?" "Yes." She looked genuinely offended. "Are you mocking me on my birthday?" "No! Baby stingrays are cute." Pansa's expression changed again. "Oh." There it was. I knew exactly where this was going. She smiled. "So you're saying I'm cute?" "Why do you always have to turn everything into a compliment about yourself?" "It's my birthday." "Your birthday ended with us fleeing your mother." "Still my birthday." "You're exhausting." "Still cute, apparently." I rolled my eyes. "Fine. You're cute. Happy?" Pansa giggled. Then she looked back down at the little stingray cookie in her hand with the biggest smile I'd seen from her all night. "Very." She took a bite. Then immediately hugged the entire container against her chest. "Best birthday gift ever." --- After 62 years of waiting, I decided to update Thorns on Roses. Go check chapter 44 on Wattpad. #milklove #milkloveau #milkpansa #lovepattranite #wattpad
