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There was a special kind of numbness that came with August 9th.
The one Q-taro Burgerberg hated to his core, and along with the numbness came with dread and anxiety. Out of the 365 days in the year, nothing soured his mood more than August 9th.
Q-taro sneered but held his tongue as a young couple bumped into him, it was too fucking hot on the train for people to be bumping into him. The train was tightly packed like a can of sardines and despite the air conditioner being on full blast, it didn’t feel like it was working. He hated taking the train during this time of the year and it didn’t help that he was coming from baseball practice, sticky from heat.
Q-taro wiped the sweat off his brow. He wanted nothing more than a cold shower. He also wanted to sleep his sour mood away, but he knew that his boyfriends wouldn’t allow that. Q-taro exhaled out through his nose. He knew Alice, Keiji, and Naomichi had some sort of surprise for him.
The first time that his partners threw a party, it was both overwhelming and underwhelming. Q-taro did appreciate their efforts, but it felt forced in a way. Ungenuine, as if they didn’t do it because they loved him. They wanted to show that they care about him. Q-taro couldn't help but feel like they only really did it to feel good about themselves.
Q-taro swallowed a bit, his throat dry from the humidity and the lump in it. He forgot to refill his water bottle when he left practice.
The baseball player tugged the brim of his hat over his eyes. He didn’t like thinking negatively of his partners, but it was plausible. They were egotistical to varying degrees.
He didn’t hate August 9th, or birthdays for no reason. The date only reminded him of his days back at the ASU-NARO Orphanage. The bleak grey walls of the building felt like prison, especially if you had no chances of being adopted.
Birthday parties weren’t allowed. There were too many snot-nosed brats, and the caretakers weren’t paid enough to deal with them on a regular basis, so, why would anyone want to deal with rugrats hyped up on sugar?
Even then, the birthday kid was given a card with a little bit of spending money...that’s if the caretakers remembered or no one stole it. Since Q-taro’s birthday was in the summer, along with many other summer babies, he was often forgotten and overlooked. By the time anyone remembered his birthday, it was long past and only solidified his hatred for August 9th.
August 9th wasn’t even his real birthday. It was just the date that his parents or whoever decided to drop him off at the hellhole, the date would be stuck with him until the day he died.
How could anyone, or any kid for that matter, be happy on the day that was just the anniversary of them showing up on doorsteps of an orphanage?
Q-taro wiped his eyes with his free hand. He already felt gross, and he didn’t need tears on top of sweat nor did he really want any pity if people saw him crying. He sniffled; it was a stupid reason for him to be crying over anyway. It was an unmanly reason for him to be crying over it.
He managed to get through past birthdays with no tears so, why now?
Maybe he was just overwhelmed with heat and a migraine.
Maybe if he showed up to the house with a bad mood, his partners would give him space.
---
“What in the ever livin’ tarnation?”
“Hey, we’ve been waiting for you! Pull up a seat”
There were his three beloved partners: Keiji Shinogi, Alice Yabusame, and Naomichi Kurumada, who were all wearing birthday party hats. There were a few unwrapped gifts on the island countertop and an ice cream cake.
The ice cream cake that you get for birthdays.
Q-taro swallowed and frowned.
“Guys, I said I didn’t want a birthday party-”
“It’s not a birthday party. It’s a little random party between boyfriends," Alice paused, grasping his chest with one hand dramatically and the other to his forehead.
"A little celebration among lovers! Is that a crime?”
The baseball pitcher rolled his eyes. He felt like he walked into a telenovela.
Keiji and Naomichi snickered.
Q-taro sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He didn’t like being the butt of the joke nor did he like being out of the loop.
“Look, I appreciate the celebration but y’all know how I feel about birthdays,” Q-taro said, emphasizing the exasperation in his voice. This was a dance they did every time his day came up. He didn’t want to be a part of it, and it frustrated him to no end.
“We know and that’s why it’s not a birthday party,” Keiji explained, a sly smirk on his face.
“Plus, when’s the last time we did something fun together as a group? We all have been busy slash tired, so today is a great day to celebrate! The date is irrelevant,” Naomichi said before taking a sip of his root beer.
Q-taro didn’t know why, but that statement hurt. He shook his head before sitting next to Alice, across from Naomichi. Naomichi smiled but it was only met with a stare and frown.
Q-taro glanced at the cake.
It was starting to melt but waiting to be cut into. He could clearly see where the balloons used to be, and the ‘Happy Birthday’ message was covered with a big red uneven heart. It was smacked right in the middle of the cake, off centered. Four plastic champagne flutes with a spoon in each of them were set to the side.
Q-taro raised an eyebrow.
“Before we continue this totally random party, how was practice?” Keiji asked, tiling his head. Q-taro stared at him.
“It was fine.”
Keiji adverted his eyes, now rubbing his neck.
“Anything exciting happened?” Alice asked, turning a bit to look at his boyfriend.
“No.”
Alice drummed his fingers against the countertop. “Ah. I see.”
The vibes in the kitchen were now tense and uncomfortable. Q-taro squirmed in his seat.
“That sucks. Anyways, open my gift, Alice,” Naomichi said, reaching under his stool and grabbing a gift bag. The bag was a simple blue paper bag with white tissue paper, the cheap ones that you would find in a dollar store or something.
Alice reached for it, mindful not to hit the cake.
“Ooooo, what did you get me?” Alice said, pulling out the tissue paper. Alice pulled out…an envelope.
“You got him an envelope,” Keiji said, deadpan. Naomichi elbowed his partner in the side, a smile breaking out on Keiji’s face.
“There’s stuff in here, what did you--Naomichi!!” Alice said with a gasp, his only visible eye widening in surprise.
There were three V.I.P passes to Alice’s favorite theatre production.
“One for you, one for me, and another for whoever,” Naomichi said casually, a smile on his face.
“Michi, these were sold out! How did you get them? Three of them no less!” Alice said, holding the three passes, a huge smile on his face.
“I brought the last three when coming home from the gym one day,” The boxer replied, scratching his chin.
Alice got up and placed kisses across his face. Naomichi chuckled, before giving Alice a smooch on his own.
“Alright you lovebirds, it’s my turn. Naomichi, this is for you,” Keiji said, breaking up their kisses and handing Naomichi a large green and blue striped laminated bag.
“You got me...Keiji..” Naomichi trailed off, a huge grin on his face.
“What did you get?” Q-taro asked, curious. Naomichi wasn’t easily stunned into silence.
Five gigantic bags of Laffy Taffy candy hit the counter. Q-taro frowned, Naomichi on a sugar rush was the worst.
“I don’t want wrappers around the house nor do I want to hear you complaining about your stomach hurts,” Keiji said, giving Naomichi a kiss on the forehead.
“No promises.” Naomichi said, giving Keiji a quick peck before putting the candy back onto the bag. Keiji sighed before ruffling the boxer’s hair.
“Now, your gifts!” Naomichi said, putting a tri-color bag onto the counter.
“Right…” Q-taro said.
“Since you weren’t here when this first started, here’s my gift, Taro,” Alice said, handing out a ring box.
Q-taro stared at the box before taking it. He didn’t wear rings since not many came in his size.
“Thanks, Al.” He mumbled before opening it
Q-taro’s eyes widened.
It was Yokohama DeNA BayStars World Series ring, Q-taro’s hands trembling a bit.
“Alice...how did you-”
“We all pitched in, pun intended, to get you this,” Alice said with soft chuckles in between.
“Alice, my team didn’t win or anything-”
“So what, you’re still a winner in our eyes and plus, you’re gonna look so cool,” Naomichi said, tossing a hand into the air.
Q-taro couldn’t help but smile.
“Thank you.”
Alice kissed him on the cheek, before smiling.
“Anything for you, Taro.”
“Now’s my turn, open it!” Naomichi said, shoving the bag into Q-taro’s face, breaking the tender moment.
Q-taro glared at Naomichi. The latter stuck out his tongue.
“A’right, A’right,” Q-taro grumbled, digging into the bag. Q-taro looked at him in surprise.
Naomichi grinned.
Q-taro pulled the gift out of the bag, and it was a baseball mitt.
“I didn’t know what size you wore so I guess BUT the receipt should be in the bag if you want to take it back,” Naomichi explained.
Q-taro felt around for the paper but felt nothing.
“It’s not in ‘ere.”
“Whelp...Give it to Joe or Gin. I’m sure they will like it,” Naomichi said, his mood a little sour.
“Let me try it on first,” Q-taro said, trying on the mitt..and it fit like a glove. Q-taro grinned. His current one was on its way to the trash, but he hadn't gotten around to getting a new one.
“Oh poggers!” Naomichi said with a grin.
“Shut up! I hate that Anzu and Joe taught you that,” Alice complained.
“That wasn’t very pog of you, Alice,” Keiji said, with a smirk.
“I hate you both.”
“Oh, my gift is to take you out to dinner. Just let me know when and I can make time,” Keiji said with a yawn.
Q-taro smiled.
“That sounds nice.”
“Now as Marie Antoinette said, let them eat cake,” Naomichi said, taking a champagne flute and filling it with ice cream cake.
“I don’t think she actually said-”
“Shut up and eat the cake, Keiji.”
---
The four partners sat on their porch, watching the sun go down. Red, pink, blue, yellow, and orange painted the sky with an occasional streak of white here and there. Keiji, Q-taro, and Alice were rocking gently in their patio swing. Alice was asleep, his head resting on Keiji’s shoulder. Naomichi was draped across them, also asleep.
All of them enjoying the sunset, the noise of the neighborhood, and most of all, each other's company.
“We should...do this again, next year,” Q-taro said softly, playing with the melted cake and cookie bits at the bottom of his flute.
“Oh?” Keiji tilted his head in interest. Alice grunted. “Sorry."
“Yeah,” Q-taro mumbled.
“It was really nice. Thank you.”
Keiji smiled softly before kissing Q-taro on the cheek. Q-taro kissed him back.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”