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- >"HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!"
- >Hope jumps on you, landing across your chest.
- >You try to throw your duvet out the way, but Hope counteracts that, rolling around and giggling.
- >Eventually, you extricate yourself from your bedsheets.
- "Hope, what time is it?"
- >She doesn't answer, content to continue bouncing on your bed in happiness.
- >Luckily, your clock has a light, so you reach and flick it.
- >05:00.
- "Hope, it's five. Why are you awake at five in the morning?"
- >She gasps, and runs out, clomping down the stairs.
- >You sigh, and heave yourself out of bed.
- >By the time you've got your dressing gown off the back of your door, yawning and brushing sleep out of your eyes, she's back on her way up.
- >Hope comes in, carefully balancing a tray in her arms.
- >A glass of water, a teabag, and a pile of fruit from the fruit-bowl.
- >You blink, then take the tray and set it on your bed.
- >"You tol' me not to use the kettle, so you're gonna have to make your tea yourself."
- >Finally awake, you smile at Hope, and ruffle her hair.
- "Thanks kiddo, but why are we up this early? It's still only five."
- >Hope gasps, and brings both hands up to her mouth.
- >"And presents!"
- >She dashes off again, hoofsteps thumping the house.
- >You sigh, and take a sip of the water.
- >Awake now, there's not much chance you'll get any real sleep before the day actually starts, so you might as well make the most of it.
- >It takes her only a few seconds to come rampaging back, a mess of paper bag and tape clutched tightly in her fists.
- >She hauls to a stop, and shoves it at you, shaking it into your chest.
- >You take it, resigned to going along with this.
- "Hope, calm down. It's five in the morning, and you need to go to school today. Why are we up so early?"
- >"Too excited!"
- >That makes sense.
- >In the three years since Lyra moved out, you've done your best to make Hope's birthdays a big deal.
- >It seems that this time, it's your turn for an extravagant birthday.
- "Did you get any sleep?"
- >She shakes her head, tousled hair flying around her, a green halo framing her face.
- >"Nuh uh, but I waited as long as I could! Openitopenitopenit!"
- >You relent, and start picking apart the wrapping paper.
- >It's difficult - she kept whatever it was in the paper bag, and just wrapped tape around it until everything stuck.
- >Giving in, you lower your head, and rip at it with your teeth.
- >Hope starts giggling again, so you let out a mock-growl, and start shaking your head, savaging the parcel.
- >Shrieks of laughter fill the house, and you join in, your muffled chuckles much deeper than her squealing giggles.
- >A bit of tape gets stuck in your throat, and you hack, spitting it out onto the tray.
- >With that, the tape is demolished enough that you can peel the rest back, pulling your present out.
- >It's a white, misshapen cup.
- >The handle is wonky, and only joined at the bottom.
- >Its rim is a wobbly line, and you're pretty sure that no matter how you drink it, some will end up spilling down your chest.
- >However, bright green letters are scribbled along the side.
- "BEsT DADDY EV3R"
- >You turn, and look at Hope.
- >Her eyes are turned away, and she's blushing, face and neck a bright red, even in this pre-dawn dark.
- >"'M sorry, I tried to make it straight, but..."
- >She wiggles her fingers at you.
- >"They're all pointy, and not flat like hooves."
- >You wrap her arms around her, squeezing her tight.
- "It's perfect."
- >She wraps her arms around you, and hugs her back.
- >It's five in the morning.
- >You have work in four hours, and you're absolutely shattered.
- >But you wouldn't change a thing.
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