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Gen honestly was not sure what to expect this year. Last year on this week, his life got turned around. His biological parents left for a full week, leaving him to survive for himself, and for him to be forgotten. This year, he was with his new parents, the parents he never told about his birthday or remember them doing much of anything for each other’s birthdays. Stanley’s birthday came during one of his month-long missions. So sadly to say they did not celebrate his birthday, and by the time Stanley had made it back to the apartment it was a few days away from Xeno. Xeno, who insists that since they did not celebrate Stanley’s birthday they had no reason for wasting money on his birthday. Though neither Xeno or Stanley turned Gen’s homemade wallets that were birthday gifts away. (Wallets that were still being used after months even though they were made from paper and marker, Xeno had found a way to store them.)
Sure, Gen knew they could easily get the information on when his birthday is, but it just doesn’t seem like Xeno or Stanley would make it into a huge deal, which is the exact opposite of what Gen wants. For as long as he remembers Gen's only birthday celebration was the cakes or cupcakes that Brody or Maya would give him, or the brownies Mrs. Johnson made from him back when he was six. But just for once he wanted to be the main attraction, have a day all about him, even if most days with Stanley and Xeno’s was about him.
Gen wanted a big party, with his friends, a giant cake, with balloons, confetti, streamers, and gifts wouldn’t hurt. But most of all just all the attention. He wanted to make up for the nine birthdays that had gone by without a notice.
Unfortunately, neither Xeno or Stanley were mind readers, and Gen would never tell them of this want. Why would he, wouldn’t that be so selfish of him. Not only did they just skip celebrating their birthdays, but it also hasn’t even been a year since Gen put them through all the legal trouble. Even if his Stanley mandated therapist says it's not his fault and he should not blame himself, he knows that he has been a handful already. So, no extravagant birthday party wants was coming out from his lips.
So imagine his surprise when on Monday the day of his birthday, his parents came into his class at the end of the day with cupcakes and birthday hats on. Not only was he ecstatic to finally be the kid with parents that came to his school. But for them to celebrate at the last fifteen minutes with him and his friends, Luna and Ukyo, while this was the biggest thing Gen could ask for.
Meaning that after school, after the classroom celebration, when Luna and Ukyo joined him in Xeno’s car Gen was happily confused. Especially when instead of taking a right to head back to the apartments, Xeno sped forwards towards the center of town, where the five of them parked in front of a laser tag arena.
The three children were out of the car as soon as it hit the parking lot, forgetting their schoolbags with Xeno and Stanley. All three of them were excited to spend the day there. As soon as they got in, Stanley right behind them and Xeno slowly trailing behind, Gen was met with balloons and confetti. Behind the party supplies was Maya with Charlotte, Sam and Lawren, Brody, Byakuya with Lillian, and Mrs. Johnson. Not to mention the three blonde female children surrounding Byakuya and Lillian.
After a quick round of greetings, hugs, and handshakes, Stanley, Brody, Charlotte, and Maya stole all the children to start, besides the one year old Suika and the tired Ruri, to start a round of laser tag. To make the matches fair they separate the teams into two adults with two children, which made the teams end up with Stanley and Brody together with Gen and Ukyo. While the other team was Charlotte and Maya with Luna and Kohaku. The adults also had an understood rule of not going for the children and only going for each other, still making the game take long with neither team wanting to lose.
Gen and Luna quickly came to the realization that they were the weak links in their respective teams, but that did not put a damper on the game. In fact it made it more exciting when the two of them switched teams quietly and took out the other adults without anyone knowing.
After about an hour worth of rounds the eight of them were pulled from the room to gather around the table. Where a big sheet cake covered with a purple background and white and black rabbits. On top of the cake was ‘Happy 10th Birthday Gen’ with black icing. Counting multiple times, Gen saw ten candles, all white, on top of the cake. As he was still taking in the cake everyone started singing, the only non ear bleeding voice was Lillian, but if anyone ever asked Gen he would tell you it was the most beautiful sound he ever heard.
After everyone finished singing, Gen blew out the candles on his cake, wishing that he could be this happy with his family for as long as possible.
As Xeno cut the cake, ever so slowly to make sure it was as evenly cut as he worked it out to be, and Stanley passed the plates around, Gen was treated to multiple gifts in front of him.
But the best gift he was given today was just the acknowledgment. The reassurance that he no longer had to spend his birthday in the silence of an empty apartment. That possibly the only thing he would be eating on his birthday being a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He wouldn't be making up fantastical stories on how he would spend future birthdays with everyone around. He wouldn't be planning and planning, going through multiple different papers, on just the perfect birthday plans.
The best gift he got was the knowledge to know that now with this version of his family, he would never be forgotten nor abandoned. Even if an emergency had, he would be caught by anyone around this table.