"Thirteenth? Doesn't matter what I got, this is your birthday."

"You want ideas? Iris, darling, that's not how birthday gifting works...well, no, I only asked you so I could buy you something you'd like."

"Fine. All right then. Well, it's been a while. They all started to blend together by then."

"No, I remember the ones from Elliot. He's got strange tastes, but thought goes into them, y'know? The ones I got from my father were all cosmetics. Jewellery or dresses."

"Not at all. Anyone else would've killed for some of those things. Real 'heirloom stuff'. That's what Elly called them, said that every middle-class family had something like that, usually from a great-grandma or other, and it'd get passed down from daughter to daughter. But to me, they were just cosmetics. I didn't tell him that, though."

"At least they weren't consumables."

"...yeah, you're right. Thirteenth is the big one...follow me."

"I need to get Elliot to oil this hinge...well you know how I dress, I only open this cupboard a few times a year."

"Ah, yeah, here it is. Told me he hid them with the passports...that should be all of them, now let's see."

"The velvet's worn...do you know if there's a jewellery store nearby?"

"No? Thought not. Wouldn't know if they sold the cases separately. Ah, yeah. It's probably these."

"Emerald and silver. Gosh, it's clouded. I'll have to get that polished. Hm? Yeah. I remember getting this when I was thirteen. Stands out against my hair, so for earrings, I'd say it's of good taste. Would've been nicer if I had green eyes. It's why I only wear gold now."

"You? Are you much for jewellery? We'd have to get your ears pierced. No, better to get them done by someone; I doubt you could finesse a hole that small into your earlobe."

"Silver, I'd say. Silver, diamond. They'd go well with your hair, but if you wanted something to match your eyes..."

"Yeah, there we go. Do you want these? They're called amethyst. No, I'd never wear them. I don't know who thought it was a good idea to give them to me. Purple isn't my colour at all."

"No, of course not. We'll get you something new for your present. Keep thinking, but whatever you decide on, make sure it's something you'll find valuable, all right? You yourself."

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"Money."

"...what? I appreciated it all the same."

"Spend it? No, I saved it."

"Don't give your own Dad that look. I'm sure it was well spent eventually."

"I don't know. By the time I was thirteen, I'd been telling my parents I didn't want anything for years, so I guess they just gave up. I don't blame them, either. I'd do the same if you turned out like that."

"Come on honey it'd be your own fault."

"But I guess you've got an income so giving you money wouldn't work..."

"But this is about you, not Evalyn. Ideas? That's not how gifts work...you know what? Nevermind."

"That girl's quite obvious. She likes to complain, so it's easy to read what she wants. The year before you came, I took her on a holiday overseas 'cus she'd been complaining for months how sick of the city she was."

"Nah. Besides her, Marie, and my parents, there aren't too many people I give gifts to. There's boys from my hometown I keep in touch with, but as long as I'm there for a pint and a chat, they don't really mind if I come empty-handed or not."

"Oh, there was one. I gave a girl a gift for her birthday back in high school. I think it was a scarf and a bouquet."

"I thought I liked her. Looking back, I think it was one way between us, and I reciprocated just because I thought 'Why the hell not?', which in hindsight is a horrible thing to do. No, haven't seen her since. I think she works at the bakery now."

"That year? That year Evalyn got me an entire suit. I know! Came with a wrist watch too. Said she was sick of me renting one every time we had a dinner to go to."

"No. I think she just needed to phrase it like that or else she'd get too embarrassed."

"The wristwatch? Ah, yeah. There's a story behind it but it's something we keep between us two."

"One day. Not today though. But keep thinking of ideas. I don't feel like I was too helpful, though."

"I guess, it doesn't have to be anything beautiful or fancy or other. If you want something boring because it'll help you out in your day-to-day, then we'd happily get it for you. There's plenty of beautiful things with no use to them, but the reverse shows that they care about you."

"Father bought me my first handgun. Strange, right? But what do you expect from a family where everyone's gone through boot camp?"

"Carto '87 standard issue. A little nicer than the service pistol at the time. But it used the same rounds as everyone else in the house, so it was easy to train with."

"I liked it. Used it a lot until I entered service. Being an officer, you've got to use what they give you, and by the time I was senior enough to carry something to my own tastes, it just didn't hold up like it used to."

"Yeah, it's still around. Would feel like I've lost some sort of connection to the Elvera household if I didn't keep it. Well maintained too, if I say so myself. Hasn't been fired in forever."

"No, I guess there isn't much point to a gun you don't fire, but I guess it's not about that. Like I said, it's like...a part of me, in a weird way. Wouldn't feel connected to the family without it."

"No. Not often. Not out of bad relations or anything, but we live far apart, took different paths in life. I was the eldest, so as long as I became an officer, my younger siblings could do what they liked. Even then, I'm pretty sure we all still held onto our first handguns."

"Yeah. Sentimentality. Hm? Oh. Strong emotions. Usually tender or nostalgic. If you feel sentimental towards something, you feel...well, tender and nostalgic towards it. In my handgun's case, it's the memories behind that, though. What it represents."

"You sure? How many people have you asked today? Oh...well, keep trying. See what comes of it."