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.

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[pastthegumbo]

After checking on three of Dakota's children (the fourth was easier to check on since she has a very good idea of where that child is at), Rogue settles in beside her husband. He has graciously held onto her heaping plate. Also, he is needed to make sure no one takes her seat. There were lots of ninjas about. Festive ninjas. Rogue doesn't know how that works.

She glances over at the family gathering on the couch. She nudges her husband with an elbow. "Think we'll get more happy moments like that one?"

[laertes]

Dakota eyed the little reunion and hugfest. "Probably not. I don't have any sons from the future that were made into destruction machines."

He was going to say 'killing' but he didn't want to blip on any ninja radar. Nor on Alison's. She was enforcing happy fun times after all.

[pastthegumbo]

Rogue shakes her fork at him. "You, Mister Standing Fox, are a killjoy."

Though her eyes trailed down to little Hana. She wants one so bad.

[laertes]

"That's not what you said last night," he muttered before shoving a forkful of food into his mouth. Dakota tried to look like the picture of innocence while chewing. Since he was not Longshot, he failed miserably.

[light_in_sound]

A tiny whine off to the side interrupts the sound of Dakota's chewing. Aiden woke up and found himself alone! And nobody was paying attention to him. He pulled himself up into a sitting position and grabbed handfuls of the net sides of the playpen.

Pleading blue eyes lock on Rogue and Dakota. Escape! Escape!

[pastthegumbo]

Rogue squints at her husband. She is about to say something when there's this tiny, cute little whine. Instead of scolding her husband, she hands him her plate. It serves him right anyway.

"Well, hello there, sweet pea." Rogue gets out of her chair with a little struggle. This baby belly is throwing off her balance just a little. "How 'bout Ah help y'all out of there?"

She picks up Aiden and goes back to her seat.

[light_in_sound]

Aiden flailed his arms and legs happily when he was lifted out. Freedom! He giggled and smiled at Rogue. He got to see this nice lady a lot!

And he didn't know it, but he looked absolutely dashing in the little shirt and pants his Mommy had dressed him in. They were dyed to look like a little tuxedo.

[laertes]

Dakota had two plates and no third hand to feed himself. This was a problem. He watched his wife fall pray to her baby magnet again.

"So, how are you going to eat while holding Wiggleworm Junior?" Longshot would always be known as Wiggleworm Senior.

[pastthegumbo]

"That's not a concern for now," she replies lightly. "Ah've be grazin' all day. An' Ah got this handsome boy all to myself for once."

She keeps an eye out for John. He is known to swoop in and gather grandkids to him. She tickles Aiden's chin lightly with a gloved finger.

[light_in_sound]

The chin tickling set off more giggles. Aiden was a giggle factory! Just like his sister. He wiggled in Rogue lap and reached for anything grabbable. Hair, jewelery, silverware... ooh, what was Uncle Dakota holding?

Reeeeach.

[laertes]

Uncle Dakota had long arms. It came from being a tall guy. So he moved his arms so Aiden couldn't reach anything unless his arms grew a foot. Which would make Longshot's boy a true monkey-child if he did.

"You might have been grazing, but I haven't. I had two ladies chasing me out of the kitchen in two different languages."

[pastthegumbo]

"Oh, don't go blaming starvation on anybody this cute," she admonishes lightly. She bounces Aiden a bit. Babies and bouncing on knees always went together. Though she is being a bit careful about the bouncing. She is wearing a skirt after all.

[light_in_sound]

Pout! Uncle Dakota took away all the interesting stuff. The pouting didn't last long though. Auntie Rogue was bouncin' him! Yay! He waved chubby fists in the air as he bounced along. Cowboy! Yay!

[laertes]

Uncle Dakota was unmoved by the pouting. He had gone through that at least three times. He had a fourth coming. Aiden wasn't his son so the magic of the pout was lost on him. He looked around for a table to set Rogue's plate on.

One minute, there was nothing near enough. The next, there was a small table at his elbow. He squinted. Sneaky ninja. Though he didn't look a ninja gift in the mouth. He set her plate down and resumed eating.

[pastthegumbo]

Rogue smiles and continues to bounce Aiden. When she speaks, her voice has the singy-songy texture of talking to a baby. "Somebody likes ridin' knees in a tuxedo..."

Though the rides would end soon. She does tire out a bit more quickly than usual.

[light_in_sound]

James Bond cowboy! Cowboy inna suit! Aiden giggled at Rogue's funny words and kicked his feet along with the arm flailing. Auntie Rogue was good at horsie rides.