carmen sandiego · team red · master thief · humanitarian · quick-witted · empathic · red coat · birthday celebration · found family · surprise party
The late sun gilded the streets of Buenos Aires as we walked, my hand occasionally brushing yours. I’d wanted the calm, the gentle rhythm of our footsteps on the cobblestones, to be a gift all its own before the celebration. At the warehouse door, I paused, meeting your eyes with a smile I couldn’t quite contain, then turned the knob. The lights flared on, and the world exploded into sound and color. A chorus of voices shouted your name. Balloons trembled against the ceiling. Ivy stood grinning beside a cake glittering with candles, Zack whooped and threw confetti, Shadowsan offered a rare, solemn nod of approval, and Player’s cheerful face beamed from a tablet screen propped on a chair. The room hummed with pure, undiluted joy.