Happy Birthday!

[light_in_sound]

The preparations had begun days before. Alison had sent letter after letter and made dozens of phone calls. Half of the calls had gone to her stubborn step-son. Shatterstar was hard to corral. The other half had gone out to other family and friends. Anyone Alison could think to invite, she had contacted. Her invitations were only part of the deal.

Comments

[sonofarize]

Longshot did not understand why his Dad wanted to go fishing. It was not like the Mojoworlder was entirely familiar with it. Though he would give it a shot to spend time with John. When he caught fish, he didn't want to particularly to keep them. He already had a pond full of fish. Also, he was not hungry for fish. So he released what he caught.

Now, he was coming home and his pace was slowing because the front yard looked a little funny...

[light_in_sound]

When Sadie's ears perked up and her tail started to wag, Alison knew that Longshot and John must be returning. She grinned and hopped up out of her seat to run to the door. A peek out the window confirmed it.

"Okay, girls. You know the plan." Lisa handed Hana to the jonin and Gloria Jean passed Aiden off to Alison as the two girls passed her. Then they raced out the front door, down the steps, and bolted for Longshot.

"You gotta close your eyes!" Lisa shouted, waving her arms and giggling.

[laertes]

"Longshot! Longshot!" Gloria Jean was similarly running and waving her arms. When she got to the Mojoworlder she gave him the biggest hug possible. She tried to squish him, but he was too darn sturdy. She grabbed one of his hands.

"C'mon! And close your eyes! Lisa and me won't let you fall or something." She tugged on his hand.

[clericpreston]

John carefully side-stepped the incoming girl missiles. They were not large, but they were still dangerous. He chuckled and took Longshot's fishing pole.

"Better do what they say. I don't think they take 'no' for an answer. I'll carry the stuff in."

[sonofarize]

Everybody was sure acting weird today. "Oh-Okay."

Longshot closed his eyes and let his little sister and her best friend lead him up the stairs. Fortunately, he knew his home stairs like nothing else and didn't stumble once.

[light_in_sound]

Alison was waiting to hold the door open for them. She leaned over to kiss his cheek as Lisa and Gloria Jean pulled him past her. "Welcome back, cutie."

John paused in the hallway to drop off the fishing gear and followed. Alison closed the door behind them all. When they got Longshot to the living room, she nodded to the girls who told him he could open his eyes now.

All of the assembled guests cheered, "Happy Birthday!"

[laertes]

Gloria Jean jumped and cheered! The twins pulled party poppers to send streamers across the room at Robbie and Miyuki. Dakota greeted like everyone else. Well, except his arm was around his wife's shoulders.

[sonofarize]

Longshot couldn't help but smile as he felt his wife's lips on his cheek as he came in the door. Though he still wasn't sure why he was being lead into his own home. Then he was told to open his eyes.

There. Was. A. Lot. Of. People.

He blinked. And then they greeted him with 'Happy Birthday.' His brow furrowed slightly. Was that today?

"Who? Me?" Whoops. That wasn't what he was supposed to say.

[clericpreston]

"Unless you think Alison got the date wrong," Robbie teased from across the room. He was standing close enough to Miyuki to be 'with Miyuki', but not close enough to get himself killed. Asuka was there somewhere.

"She did not!" Lisa protested. She had the date written down on her calendar. She had helped Alison with all the prior days of preparation.

"I'd say this surprise party was a pretty solid success, then," John piped up from behind Longshot and Alison.

[pastthegumbo]

Rogue raises an eyebrow as she leans against her husband. "Sugah, Ah was told y'all picked this date. Not keepin' track of it?"

She knows Longshot well enough to not use the f-word around him. Not the bad one. The other one.

[light_in_sound]

"I was keeping track of it," Alison assured everyone as she slipped an arm around Longshot's waist. Her other arm was still holding their son. Aiden thought that his Daddy's facial expression was funny and he giggled.

[sonofarize]

"Ah. Hahaha." He laughed a little in shame. He rubbed the back of his head. He nodded to Rogue. "I don't need to get anything for my family, so I... didn't keep track."

Longshot bowed slightly. "Thank you!"

Then he reached over and tickled Aiden's chin.

[clericpreston]

Aiden's resultant laughter made Lisa laugh again. Baby giggles were contagious! She bounced excitedly at Longshot's side and tugged on the edge of his shirt.

"You've got lots of presents! And decorations -- me an' Gloria Jean an' Rogue put them up! And cake, but it's a surprise so Ali won't let anyone see it."

"And enough food to feed us all twice over," Robbie observed. Although, they did have several teenagers on hand. And Longshot. So, maybe not.

"Happy birthday, kiddo." John said as he clapped Longshot on the back.

[laertes]

"Yeah! We decorated! Ain't it pretty?" Gloria Jean gestured around them and ignored the Southern slip of the tongue she picked up.

Dakota didn't ignore his daughter's speech pattern change. He looked at Rogue and squinted. "You're a bad influence," he whispered in her ear.

The twins were edging toward the food. They wanted first dibs after Longshot.

[pastthegumbo]

She smiles a little. "Ah ain't a bad influence. Gloria Jean is just pickin' up a sense of style is all."

She pinches her husband in his ribs.

[light_in_sound]

"Whatcha wanna do first, cutie? It's your day." She smiled and bounced Aiden lightly as she waited for Longshot to decide. "We could eat first. You could open gifts. Play some games..."

"It's up to you, birthday boy."