need help about friends pleasee

i have a really close friend (also fam relation) that i have recently had a bit of a falling out with. it's kind of a tentative friendship but also good? unless y'all want paragraphs you'll have to use your imagination.
so, i turned 18 a few days ago (after not having spoken for awhile) and he didn't reach out, didn't say anything. i was so anxious all day until my other friend also msgd at 1pm and i was like?????
anyways, after several days i have received a text not even saying happy birthday just asking how it went. now i'm stumped what to say. i think he might be going through stuff so i don't wanna be mean about it, but i value someone thinking about me and talking to may over any present ever.
any ideas what to say? what to do? i don't want to make this about myself as he has done in the past argument we had, but i also feel pretty hurt he's left it days and days to even idk message me?? we haven't hung out in ages despite knowing i'm free now going forward it just feels so idk

Im gonna be honest and say if he really cared he would've messaged u earlier. But always give the benefit of the doubt. As someone whos been through something similar I litch just distanced myself from ppl like that but obviously it wasn't only ab the birthday there's other factors involved but it is also something important in my opinion. I would say communicate w him and ask him why he did that but if he isnt too bothered to even hang out anymore there's no point sitting overthinking ab these things because even if you communicate, like you said, he'll make it about himself cause some people have a victim mindset. You'll find much greater friends like I did who treat u way better and u wont ever have to overthink again, no one deserves to be treated like that especially when all u want is for him go value u as a person and he can't even do that. You can make amends but still distance urself like i did. Im just talking from my experience as I had a toxic friendship w my cousin and a few girls (we were all in the same friendship group) and I dont even talk to my cousin as much but we did make amends and we talk at weddings or family gatherings and have a laugh even tho we're practically strangers to each other now so it will get better i promise! Dont waste ur time on people who wont make time for you.