Like many such stories this one started relatively ordinarily.
Relatively, because you don't get to know when a summoned soul from beyond time and space has a birthday, while traversing a diverged human history. But that's Ritsuka's everyday life now and honestly? At this point she was starting to forget it was ever any other way.
What was it about again? Oh, right, birthdays.
Imagine Ritsuka's surprise when on the ninth of may, on a routine supply run, she started your average conversation.
-...Oh, it's on the fifteenth of this month.
And got this bombshell dropped on her.
She had to hide her incredulous look from Roland right that instant because she stopped moving and almost tripped over.
-Hm? You alright?-Fixer asked slightly confused behind the mask.
-Yeah-yeah, I'm okay, it's just a very funny thought occurred to me, is all.
-Huh, mind sharing?-he inquired.
-Nah, I'll keep it to myself.
Fixer arched a brow, but shrugged and let go.
-Let's get back to the camp, I'm sure Mash is losing her mind right about now.
-Right.
The conversation went completely forgotten by the Servant, but not by the Master.
This story got a new turn when the group returned to Chaldea a day later.
Romani Archiman, as always, was lazing around. Da Vinci, having mercifully taken over paperwork, gave him just enough time to rest his weary, overworked…
-ROMAN!
…Or not.
The Doctor sat straight as the intruder strode towards him with no small amount of panic and enthusiasm.
-ROMAN!!!!!-she started shaking him, screaming her lungs out, making his eardrums want to erupt.
-RITSUKAA!!-he then found no better course of action then to start shaking her instead.
-ROLAND!!!!!!-she screamed back, her voice fluctuating from being flung back and forth.
-ROLAND!!!!... Roland? -he repeated dumbfounded, tilting his head in askense.
-Roland has a birthday in five days!-she shouted, gripping onto her head in a dramatic gesture.
-Erm, okay?-he replied, still confused.
-What do you mean "okay"?! We must celebrate it! And on that note I demand a full list of every servant's birthday right… this instance…-her face dropped as her mind caught up to the last part of the sentence.
Only for her eyes to fill with horror as she gripped Romani's shoulders in a steel like grip.
-WHEN IS MASH'S BIRTHDAY?!-she asked in a threatening tone.
-J-july 25th!-he came back automatically.
-Fewww,-Ritsuka swiped the nonexistent sweat, relieved,-I still need that birthday list and help.
-Help with what?
-We need to organize the party, of course,-she reposted as if it was the most obvious thing on earth.
-And how about everyone else's birthdays?-he regretted saying that right that second.
-Then it's gonna be everyone's birthday, Roland's would be just a bit more special than the others,-she nodded to herself, satisfied.
-I don't think that's going to sit right with everyone else…
"We also don't have enough resources to throw a party like that".
-Hm, you might be right? Only Roland then, I'll make an ultra big birthday party on my birthday for everyone, -she nodded again, turning around thinking of the specifics of how that's supposed to be.
Roman could only watch her retreating back, suppressing the urge to take some medication.
Because the migraine was strong with this one.
And so, the show was on the road.
It wasn't at all difficult to make preparations when the person you are trying to surprise is holed up in the library most days, and when he isn't, he hangs out with people somewhere out of the way.
Like this, five days went by in preparation. EMIYA was annoyed out of his mind to make something delicious, Romani had his hand cramped from all the paperwork that he needed to write for this to be sanctioned (the world might have ended, but bureaucracy will thrive even if most of humanity is extinct), Da Vinci was bought with a separate cake, Boudica was happy to prepare the tea, Jeanne was just there helping with her reassuring presence (and maybe helping around with the small stuff).
And there were many, many people helping out. Astolfo and Charlemagne were especially enthusiastic. Having spent some of the time with the man, they really came to consider him interesting. Roland's personality fitting well with the laidback King and sometimes reckless Paladin was just an added bonus.
Even the famed Witch of Colchis, known for her reclusive nature, decided to put her item creation to use, making a dagger for her reading buddy.
In five days time - everything was ready.
What did Ritsuka have to say about the whole thing?
-It's a rushed job, but it will have to do,-sagely, she affirmed to herself.
-Rushed? He should be happy that these many people even came,-retorted Elizabeth Bathory,-And I still don't understand why you prohibited me from singing. Wouldn't a concert from an Idol be the best kind of present?
Ritsuka had to hold her face in a perfect mask of politeness, while everyone standing past the lancer didn't conceal their winces.
-Singing is… bad civilization,-Altera muttered, just enough to be heard by most people in the back, but not enough to reach the concerned party.
-Nonsense! Singing is the art of arts, you'll see!-Nero Claudius reposted, but was collectively ignored.
-Em, Senpai, maybe it's time to call him?-Mash offered, and Ritsuka agreed with that.
-Alright,-she said that, but honestly, she had no idea what to say.
Was he even awake right now? Maybe she should shout something through the link?
…This was one part of the plan she had completely forgotten.
But then, an IDEA came to her.
"Hey, Roland, mind coming to the cafeteria? We have a bit of a debate here concerning sandwiches, need your input".
He wouldn't lose out on a food debate. He never did.
Some ten minutes prior.
Roland was sitting in his armchair in his room in Chaldea.
His eyes reflected his current feelings perfectly: a spark of longing, a trace of melancholy, a touch of reminiscence.
Despite it being his birthday, or maybe because of it, when he woke up, the first thing he did was to remember the different ways his birthdays went.
There was this one time he had spent his birthday with his grandma. It was also the only one because she was gone for the next one. It wasn't anything interesting, just sitting around the table, some really good chicken and a few donuts.
Nothing to write back home about, but it was his first birthday celebration. Believe it or not, he didn't think people celebrated them before that time.
Then there were his adult years. He never really did celebrate his birthdays after his grandma passed, so it wasn't until one day Oliver decided to take him out to a bar, after seeing his birthdate in the office's files, that he somehow started to do it again.
In the process, they strung Astolfo along. He had only just entered the office back then and it was not long after that accident… Which he was still embarrassed about.
To get himself cornered like that…
Anyway, they went to a bar and had a good time, since then it was a bit of a tradition to do that every year.
Until Angelica burst into his life, that is.
His wife was very adamant when it came to celebrations. She made him attend some of the public festivities as well as added a few more holidays to the calendar, which he had no idea even existed. She couldn't sit still and was always eager to get into some party dedicated to something or other.
But it was all blown out of proportion when it came to birthdays. To her it was an affair orders of magnitude more important than anything else.
Expensive presents, booking entire restaurants out, inviting everyone - you name it, it probably was part of the revelry.
The culprit behind this was, of course, the ever spoiling brother - Argalia.
Being the thrown out experiment of some wing, Argalia was always protective of one person he could call family - Angelica, and as soon as he started making money - he started to spoil her. And, naturally, the day of his little sister's birth - his one and only treasure - was to be celebrated with every bit of effort put in it.
As he had heard from Angelica, Iory was just severely amused with his antics, and allowed them, even helping out sometimes, getting some kicks out of it.
What kind of satisfaction the vixen could get from it was anyone's guess. Roland, for his part, couldn't be bothered with trying to figure it out.
Anyway, on one of those times he even had to partner up with the Blue Sicko because (through some serious emotional (sleeping on the couch) and physical (handing his ass to him) manipulations) she wanted them to get along. And, to be fair, preparing a birthday for her might have been the only ground they could work on without tearing each other's throat.
But that was Angelica's birthday. And what you need to know about her - she likes to return her favors. So she threw just as big of a party for him.
Then, Pianist happend.
The days spent in his frenzy, he didn't remember well. He either didn't do anything or drank himself into oblivion. One of his birthdays in the Library he spent still boiling in his hatred, so he kept it under wraps.
And when the truth did go out, after being sent to the Outskirts, all of the Patrons and some of the assistants cunited to spend a pleasant evening together. It wasn't anything fancy, with very little alcohol and a lot of sweets and chats. He only got small trinkets for presents back then. But it was nice.
All of these thoughts naturally flowed into the present day.
He didn't tell anyone about his birthday, because technically, dead people shouldn't celebrate their day of birth. It's only logical, after all. Being a summoned spirit might have introduced some complications but…
He had never seen anyone celebrating their birthday, so he assumed people here did the logical thing.
He was about to be proven wrong.
"Hey, Roland, mind coming to the cafeteria? We have a bit of a debate here concerning sandwiches, need your input".
Roland smiled, this was just the right thing to get him out of his dour mood.
"On my way".
He put his usual clothes on, leaving the mask in the gloves and then strode purposefully to the cafeteria.
As he neared it, his senses picked up quite the concentration of servants but he gave it little thought. It was morning, after all. Maybe it was one of those rare days when everyone decided to eat in the morning.
As the door in front of him opened, he was bombarded with a…
-HAPPY BIRTHDAY!-everyone shouted in unison before he could make heads or tales of what's happening.
With Ritsuka at the forefront, wearing a simple but well-made dress, accented with a warm smile, the crowd of servants chanted a happy birthday.
Roland had to blink the surprise out of his eyes for a good couple of seconds.
-Ha-ha, look at 'im. The poor sod can't get his wits about him!-Blackbeard barked out in laughter.
Ritsuka, along with Mash skipped to him, the Master keeping her smile and the Shielder giving a much more demure one, holding a small, chocolate cake on the tray.
-Happy birthday, Roland-san.
-Happy birthday, Roland! This is for you!-Ritsuka gestured at the cake.
And the only thing the fixer could do was smile gratefully.
This was going to be a day to remember.