♤SPRING SHIELD (MxM) ~fantasy~♤

No matter what

Elijah

Every year,I,as a father have the same issue.
I have twins which means they're birthday is on the same day,but they're tastes couldn't be anymore different.
All year leading up to that point is spent planning,making list after list of things they'd both want. Finding the perfect balance of Liam and Oliver into one party.
And I'm a perfectionist at heart so obviously everything has to be perfect. So perfect that no other party that they're friends could have will make them feel jealous. What? It's a point of pride for me as a dad.
"So you're basically throwing them a huge birthday party?"Kristian asks me,yawning. It's six thirty am,I always wake up this early the morning of. Decorating their cake and other stuff they won't eat unless I make it.
Why do I make such a big deal of this? For avatars,a birthday party really isn't just about when you were born. It's a celebration of the second blessing and what it brings. The first blessing is what a rightful heir receives once the Oracle accepts them as an avatar. The second is the strength that an avatar gains when he falls in love. What is given to an heir by they're parents.
Glowing strings of green light attached to my wrist will glide from me to them. Signifying the line of heritage. But there's supposed be two. I have to compensate somehow for what is left to be desired.
"You can go back to bed if you want."I tell him whipping together cream. I need a lot for both the cakes I'm making,
"Don't wanna. How can I help?"
"Are you sure you want to? I'll put you to work without breaks if you say yes."I tease,watching him yawn again,stretching his arms high above his head.
"Can't let you take all the credit. Give me those pipping bags."

_________________

Kristian is actually really good at planning birthday parties.
Apparently he used to do it as a job when he was a teenager. Plan kids parties and get paid. Clever.
We watch from the pool with our shades on as Oliver and Liam play with they're invited friends. In a couple minutes I'll need to send them back to they're homes. But right now? I just want to chill,it's been a long day.
Even Kris is slowly getting tired with each passing hour. It's hilarious how he can't operate if he wakes up early,"Hey,Red?"
He doesn't say anything from his sun bed except a sound,"You got the boys gifts,right?"
"Yeah. For the past two weeks while you were away they've been,'patry this,partry that' 'wait to see what dad's going to do' it's been torture."has his voice always been this groggy?
"That's what happens when kids have a cool dad."I say with a proud smile,
"Calling yourself a cool dad is arrogant as hell."he says,making me laugh. I take my shades off as I watch the last of the children leave with they're parents. The house slowly becoming quiet,the boys jump out the pool and dry themselves off.
The sun starts to set,it's almost time.
When they run inside through the front door. Me and Kris go inside through the back. "Had fun?"
"Yeah. People are going to talk about my cake all week!"Liam exclaims,pulling a shirt over his head,
"No way,mine was wayyy better."Oliver says,running up to me and gives me a hug,"Thank you,thank you. Best birthday ever."mission cleared.
This is what I do this for. To see their excitement,pride and joy. It takes a weight off my shoulders,
"You're welcome,Oliver."
"You guys should open your gifts now."Kristian rushes,getting emotional when he sees me and my children together. As always. I roll my eyes and let go of Oliver as he beelines to Kris,
"Thanks for coming to my birthday party."he says,his voice growing nervous as he holds Kristian's hand rocking it back and forth,
"Totally,thanks."Liam adds sitting down next to all the gifts they received. While they whisper things amongst themselves. I get a whisper of my own,
"You know I thought they'd already turned seven."he leans over my shoulder,resting his head there as he watches them,
"Nah,I just got into the habit when the year started."
"Huh."
"Dad! Which one is yours?"Liam asks,shaking all of them,
"The one on the right,buddy."I answer,sitting down on the coach Kristian follows me. Oliver finds the one from me very easily. Carefully he opens it making sure not to rip the wrapping. When he sees what's inside,his reaction lags for a second before he screams. A high pitched scream as he gets up and runs around in a circle before he scurries between my legs landing there,
"Where did you find one?"
"Just enjoy it,buddy. Happy birthday."I say chuckling. I had been searching for a Chinese chess board since Oliver knew it existed. I'm glad I found it just in time for his birthday. Nothing beats his reactions.
Liam hums as he rips his open,excited to see what's inside. Humming while he does it. "Oh my gosh."he says lifting the box up and checking to see if it's real,"Oh my goshhhh. Is this real?"
"What else would it be?"I ask. I never thought some limited addition soccer shoes would make him lose his mind,
"Are you serious? Thank you so much,"he says,hugging me along with Oliver,
"Happy birthday to you too,buddy."
"Time to open Kristian's gift!"Oliver announces once our moment is over,going back to the heap of gifts,
"They're the small ones over there."he instructs,and they shake them gently,
"What is it?"Liam asks,
"Why ask me? Open it."he's really tired but still trying his best to smile for them. It's making my heart warm,
They open them and it's... a bottle?
It's literally just a bottle with coloured sequins and glitter floating with the help of water. In silence they turn they're bottles over making the glitter move.
"...wow. So pretty."Oliver whisper placing it on the coffee table,resting his chin on the surface his eyes lit up with wonder.
"Here,watch this."Kristian puts his hands on the top of both and the glitter forms a sprout of some sort. An illusion of growing upwards in the water.
"Oh,oh,I know- The poor boy and the bean sprout! Its from that story."Liam says,clapping his hands together,
"The what?"I ask,raising my brow,
"It's our thing."he says back shrugging with a weak smile. Has he always been so... pale?
I don't have time to think more about it when they all exclaim and hug each other. Over a damn bean sprout.
I clean the rest of the things up,Kristian disappears after they finish with they're gifts. When I finish,I go up to his room with a slice of the cake that was left. I knock on his bedroom door twice. No answer.
I crack the door open and find him lying on his bed,facing the window. I smile,and invite myself in,"Can you believe it? I can't wrap my head around the fact that a bottle and some talk about bean sprouts rivalled gifts I had been planning for months. A damn bottle."I shake my head,using my free hand to pull the chair from the desk to his bed side,
Silence. I at least thought we could have some good old banter over who had the better gifts. Frowning at him,I pull his blanket down from his face,"Kristian?"
He makes a weak strangled sound,"Red? What's up?"I hold his shoulder placing everything down. "Red,talk to me."he swats at my arms with little force. Like he's flailing pieces of fabric around,"Say something!"I yell,getting worried. But he doesn't say a thing.
Groaning. I touch his forehead,checking his temperature. "You're burning up."