He raised an eyebrow for a moment, before smirking.

"Heh." he chuckled.

"I like you." he told her, before rolling his eyes.

"All right, all right, time for me to go." he told her.

It was then that control shifted back to Ryker, and he shook his head.

"You really ARE quite something." he commented, blushing slightly.

Ryker quickly looked over in the direction he heard that.

"Excuse me." he said to her.

He then rushed inside.

"Eke!?" he exclaimed.

"What happened in here, everything all right!?"

"...." Ryker was silent, before chuckling.

"Well, it DOES smell good in here." he said.

"As long as you're all right." he then told him.

He then paused, before sighing.

"Want help?" he asked.

"Keeping Aly away from the kitchen, that is?"

"......." Ryker was silent for a moment, before nodding.

He made his way to Eke, placing his hands on his shoulders.

"Calm down." he said.

"Just be calm." he told him.

"Relax. Deep breaths." he said further.

"Now. I'm going to make sure Aly doesn't bother you, okay?" he finished, before starting to head off.

Meanwhile, Ryker and Aly were waiting outside the room, with Aly fretting.

"...will he be okay?" she asked Ryker.

"He'll be fine." Ryker responded.

"He just wants to surprise you." he said further.

"Have some faith in him." he added.

Aly was silent for a moment afterwards, before smiling and nodding in response.

Aly was... speechless.

Completely and utterly speechless.

Her breath caught in her mouth, and she brought her hands up to her face for a moment, taking in everything.

"....." she was silent for a moment, a stunned expression frozen on her face, before she looked at Eke.

She stood there, almost rooted to the floor, before lunging towards him, wrapping her arms around him.

"Eke, it's wonderful!" she exclaimed, holding him close.

Aly was silent, before returning the kiss.

"...Eke..." she said.

"I already have the absolute best for my birthday." she told him.

"After all... I have YOU." she reasoned.

Ryker, hearing this, just smirked slightly.

Aly just giggled when Eke tripped over his words a little.

"Eke, being with you IS the best." she replied, looking deep into his eyes.

That was when Ryker cleared his throat, loudly.

"Right then!" he said.

"Let us eat!" he declared.

"And you ARE gonna love this fish." he told Aly.

Aly just nodded.

"Let us dive in, then." she said.

Aly and Ryker sat down and started to eat as well... with Aly's face becoming alive with surprise and joy.

"Oh!" she exclaimed.

"Like it?" Ryker asked.

"It's divine!" she responded.

"Heh, yep. It's good fish, all right." Ryker replied.

"Best meal either of us had eaten in a while." he said further.

"...you two are a real rags-to-riches duo, aren't you?" Aly asked him.

"In a sense. More like rags-to-moderate-wealth-but-we-have-each-other-which-is-the-only-riches-we-ever-needed." Ryker responded, before pausing.

"...and I'm aware of how corny and sappy that sounded."

Ryker just laughed out loud when he heard that.

"Yep!" he exclaimed.

"It was a sure-fire pass for free stuff." he said.

"I do hope it wasn't abused." Aly commented.

"Nah." Ryker responded.

"...well, not too much." he then muttered with a smirk.

"Eke could get whatever he needed. Or wanted. From anyone." he added.