The nightclub was alive with neon lights slicing through the haze of fog machines, casting bright streaks across the pulsing crowd. The bass of the music thumped in Jace Rylan’s chest, a rhythm that made it impossible to sit still, even on the uncomfortable bar stools. He leaned back, oversized hoodie draped loosely over his broad shoulders, a drink clutched in one hand, and his other hand gesturing dramatically as he sang off-key but with ridiculous confidence into the karaoke microphone. “And I will always love yoooouuuu!” he belted, nearly falling backward in laughter, “even if you hate my singing, which you definitely do!”“God, Jace, stop pretending like you’ve got a voice,” Ezra Vahn shouted, sloshing his drink slightly as he waved his arms for emphasis. “You sound like a dying cat, and somehow, I love it!”“Dying cat?” Jace’s smirk widened, teeth flashing under the club lights. “Ezra, I think you mean a glorious lion serenading the world. Big difference.”“Big difference?” Nico Kairen groaned from the stool next to him, face buried in his hands. “You’ve been half-drunk for ten minutes and you’re already rewriting animal kingdom standards.”“I’m a visionary,” Jace said, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. “Some people see cats. I see opportunity... for chaos.” Silas Mune, perched silently on a nearby stool with a cigarette in hand, just raised an eyebrow. “Your vision smells like alcohol and bad decisions.”“Ah, but Silas,” Jace said, sliding closer to him with a mischievous grin, “bad decisions are my specialty. You just happen to be the witness.” Rayen Holt stumbled beside them, still holding his mic from an earlier song, tossing imaginary glitter into the air. “Witness? I’m more like a victim of your glorious chaos, Jace. You should be paying me royalties for this entertainment.”“Royalties?” Jace laughed, taking another swig from his drink. “I pay you with memories, Rayen. Priceless, unforgettable memories.” Ezra leaned forward suddenly, his grin widening. “Speaking of unforgettable, remember your game night with...you-know-who?” He paused dramatically, raising a finger in the air as if this were a revelation of monumental importance. “And her birthday’s tomorrow. Midnight. Tick-tock, baby.” Jace froze mid-laugh, his eyes narrowing as he realized he had almost completely forgotten. “Wait...what? Her birthday? Tomorrow?!” Nico snorted, barely holding back a smile. “You literally didn’t even remember until Ezra’s dramatic intervention. Typical.”“Hey, hey,” Jace protested, raising his hands, “I totally remember, okay? Just... prioritizing the current chaos. That’s different.” Silas rolled his eyes, exhaling smoke lazily. “Yeah, sure. Prioritizing. You’ve been prioritizing half-drunk karaoke for an hour.” Rayen leaned in, waggling his eyebrows. “Relax, Jace. Not like it matters. You did give the money, didn’t you?”“Of course I did!” Jace waved dismissively. “I’m responsible... sometimes.” Ezra’s grin became devilish as he leaned toward Jace. “Well, lucky for you, I already bought the gift. Wrapped it all fancy and secret-like. You didn’t even have to see it. I just took your money and did the hard work, Mr. Almost-Forgetful.” Jace narrowed his eyes, smirking despite himself. “Wrapped it, huh? So you’re saying there’s a mystery element? Intrigue, suspense, the thrill of... not knowing what the hell I bought?”“Exactly,” Ezra said, puffing out his chest dramatically. “And if you screw it up tomorrow, I’m taking all the credit. Your name stays irrelevant.” Rayen threw his head back in laughter. “Ohhh, this is going to be fun. Jace, panicking over her birthday gift? I didn’t know this was in your skill set!”“Shut up, Rayen,” Jace muttered, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward. “You’re just jealous I’m the center of attention, as always. And anyway, the gift doesn’t matter. It’s the thought that counts... or whatever cliché crap you’re supposed to say.” Nico leaned over, arms crossed, shaking his head. “Just... don’t make a disaster out of it, okay? She’s special to you, Jace. Try not to ruin it while acting like a drunken idiot in front of her.”“Ruining it?” Jace scoffed, pretending to clutch his chest in horror. “Nico, I live for moments like these. Chaos, drinking, half-drunken karaoke... and maybe a little panic over a secret gift. That’s the spice of life!” Silas, unimpressed, muttered under his breath. “You really are ridiculous sometimes.”“And yet, undeniably entertaining,” Jace said, raising his glass. “To birthdays, chaos, and the art of almost forgetting important stuff,” he toasted, grinning at each of them as they all cheered, laughed, and clinked glasses.

The bass still rattled through Jace’s ribs as the laughter of his friends bled into the pulse of the nightclub, but then his phone buzzed against the table — one sharp vibration cutting through the noise. He glanced down, eyes squinting through the haze of strobe lights, and his expression instantly shifted from amused to alert.

“Shit,” he muttered, pushing up from his chair. “She’s at my place.”

Ezra blinked, slouched halfway across the table. “Who’s at your place?”

“Her,” Jace replied, already grabbing his keys, his hoodie half off one shoulder. “She’s at the gate, and the damn door’s locked. I forgot we were supposed to game tonight. And—” His eyes darted to the digital clock above the bar. “It’s almost midnight. Her birthday.”

“Ohhh damn,” Rayen said, dragging the last word out like a siren. “You’re so screwed.”

Jace reached across the table and yanked the gift bag from Ezra’s hand. “You’d better not have screwed this up, Vahn. I gave you money, not creative control.”

Ezra smirked, tipping his head. “Oh, I definitely used both.”

“Ezra,” Jace growled, tucking the bag under his arm, “if this turns out to be something stupid—”

“You’ll what?” Rayen interrupted with a laugh. “Ground him? You already sound like an angry husband.”

“Shut the hell up,” Jace snapped, though he couldn’t hide the faint grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I’ll see you idiots later.”

“Drive safe!” Nico called out over the noise as Jace shoved through the club doors.

“Yeah, right,” Silas muttered, watching the door swing shut behind him. “That man’s about to break a speed limit or ten.”

“Worth it,” Ezra said smugly. “He’ll thank me when he sees her face.”

“Or he’ll murder you when he sees what’s inside the box,” Rayen countered.

“Eh,” Ezra shrugged, “details.”

Meanwhile, Jace’s car engine roared to life like a beast unleashed into the night. The city lights blurred into streaks of gold and white as he cut through empty streets, one hand gripping the steering wheel, the other clutching the wrapped gift. His pulse raced almost as fast as the tires against the asphalt.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he muttered under his breath, eyes flicking to the time on the dashboard. 11:53 PM. “Seven minutes, Rylan. Don’t screw this up.”

He turned into the long, sleek driveway leading to his mansion — a sprawling, modern structure of glass and steel glowing under soft outdoor lights. And there she was. Standing at the gate, phone in hand, waiting patiently.

Jace slammed the brakes, jumped out of the car, and ran to the gate, fumbling for the remote before the gates slid open with a mechanical hum. He called out, voice rough but light, “You made it, finally. Took me, like, one drunk sprint to get here, but hey—here I am.”

He flashed a grin and waved her in, then led the way through the grand entry hall — all minimalist decor and soft LED glow — up the staircase toward the master bedroom.

The room was vast, with glass walls overlooking the night city, warm light spilling over the huge bed, and the centerpiece — a massive gaming setup that dominated one corner. Two controllers rested neatly beside a massive screen already glowing with a start menu. Jace crouched down on the plush carpet, setting the controllers in place.

He tossed his hoodie off, stretched, and leaned back against the edge of the bed, legs crossed on the floor. The gift sat beside him, wrapped perfectly in metallic paper, the ribbon glinting under the light. He subtly slid it behind his back, smirking to himself.

“Perfect timing,” he muttered under his breath, glancing at the clock on the TV screen as the numbers flickered to 11:59. “Alright, Rylan. One minute left. Play it cool.”

The digital clock on the wall struck midnight.

Without warning, Jace launched himself forward, catching her in a sudden tight hug, laughing against her shoulder. “Happy goddamn birthday!” he yelled, his voice echoing through the high-ceilinged room. “You’re officially one year older and I’m still taller and a year older than you. Unfair world, huh?”

He held her there for a moment, still chuckling, before pulling back slightly and nodding toward the hidden gift. “Okay, okay. Before you yell at me for being late or, I dunno, almost forgetting, here.” He reached behind him and handed her the shiny package, his grin a little crooked but genuine. “Don’t judge the wrapping — I didn’t do it. You know I’m all thumbs with ribbons.”

She started opening it, and Jace leaned forward slightly, curious. The sound of torn paper filled the air, and then... silence.

Jace blinked. His grin faltered.

Sitting in her hands was a sleek, unmistakably adult-looking device.

His pupils dilated. “Oh... oh, *you’ve gotta be fucking kidding me*,” he muttered under his breath, one hand running down his face as the realization sank in. “Ezra, you absolute piece of dickface.”

He leaned closer, still muttering, voice low and dangerous now. “That idiot is dead. He’s *dead.* I’m gonna choke him with his own shoelaces. I gave him money for a *nice* gift, like, a bracelet or something, not a damn.... vibrator!”

He stopped, taking a slow, deep breath, forcing a crooked smile as he glanced sideways. “Right. So, uh... surprise?” he said weakly.

He looked away for a moment, jaw tightening. “When I get my hands on that moron,” he whispered, eyes dark with restrained fury. “I’m gonna make him regret ever learning how to breathe.”

His brain, still in drunken state due to drinking all night, decided to just shit out words without making him control his own mouth, "Maybe....we could try this...while we game..." He made a shit eating grin.