Chapter Text
Paris, December 8, 2001
Today should have been a happy day, it was his birthday, his fifth birthday, but he had to expect that he wouldn't celebrate like all normal children.
His mother had wished him a happy birthday and kissed his cheek, allowed him to have breakfast in bed, which was only allowed on that day of the year, then given him a small chocolate muffin with frosting blue and a small candle above it, not yet lit, then she had left the room and had remained in the room all day with his three-year-old sister, who was crying.
James knew his mother wanted to celebrate that day with him, but he also knew she couldn't, she was too busy arguing with his father.
He placed the muffin on the bedside table and approached the pastel pink crib in the center of the room, James was quite short and had to stand on tiptoe just to glimpse the light blond tufts like his mother's and the magnificent green eyes of his little sister, which she continued to cry nonstop.
"I can't stand that baby anymore, she does nothing but cry!" he heard his father yelling downstairs, yelling at his mother, as always.
"What do you expect from a three year old baby, you big idiot? I'm busy now, stop pestering me with this bullshit!" snapped his mother defending the baby, Kate Argent was certainly not that kind of woman who let herself be put on her feet so easily.
"Damned woman!" his father exclaimed as the front door slammed loudly.
James sighed.
He knew his father didn't love them, the evidence was the bruises on James's arms and Kate's too, yet he hadn't dared to touch little Lexie yet, she was still too small, if she had suffered one of his father's seizures in such a tender age, James doubted she would survive.
The older brother closed his eyes as he heard his father's screams, until they stopped and were replaced by loud footsteps approaching the room.
The door opened very abruptly revealing the tall, strong figure of his father.
"Kid, make that stupid brat stop crying, am I clear?!" he pointed a threatening finger at him.
He nodded weakly, then took a slap across the face.
"I said... am I clear?" he repeated, hissing and showing him his fist.
"Y-yes," he answered weakly, holding his injured cheek with one hand.
"Hurry up!" he said abruptly walking out of the room, slamming the door.
James sighed and tried in every way to calm his little sister, who finally fell asleep exhausted after half an hour.
At the end of the day he sat up in bed and took the muffin, lighting the candle and blowing on it.
"Happy Birthday to me"