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Julian Loki celebrates his birthdays, but in a disconnected way. It is an interpersonal event where Loki is celebrated, which happens to fall on the date of his birth
Or rather, the date of where he is conceptualized; a god of soccer, the fastest among them all, has been born, and he demands all the attention. Every single fan of his would come together on this day to greet him with those abysmal, if not ordinary birthday greetings, although there were some exceptions, like a cake made for him, a photo of their shrine filled with Julian Loki merch, or even coming to greet him in public himself (he loves that one; it makes him believe that he is being treated like a deity).
He likes his birthdays; he likes spending it with Hugo in particular, who always seems to surprise him every year with whatever gift he gives Julian. He may not be the most expressive of the bunch, his void eyes lacking any light and warmth one can associate with him, but he was attentive when he needs to be. Vivian, above all, puts him above everything; a true number two to Loki.
What Julian is peeved about is how, despite Vivian knowing his place beside and behind Julian as his midfielder, his birthday… not so much. Julian's birthday is on June 9th. However, Vivian's birthday is three days before, on the 6th. He was going to celebrate earlier than Julian, neglect his God for himself… at least, that had been his fear. As they continued celebrating each other's birthdays, it became clear that Vivian's birthday was now merely a dressing act for the extravagance that is Julian's birthday three days from now.
Julian does not give him a celebration for his birthday— he greets him, they have their soccer practice, Vivian will escort him to a restaurant he's had his eyes on, and Julian will oblige because it's his special day, and then they return to Vivian's apartment and lock the doors once they enter their bedroom.
All in all, it was a mundane event, filled with Vivian's need for routine. Not like Julian minded— he was also fond of his routines and needed to be in control of what was currently occurring from one day to the next. Anything unexpected and outside their variable is liable to make both Julian and Vivian extremely displeased.
So, Vivian's birthday is nothing more than an extension that will lead up to Julian's birthday, with a muted celebratory nature and a small cake made just for him. (Julian brings a modest box of eclairs, but then Charles just had to show up with a mountainous heap at the front door too.
It doesn't get boring, no matter what Julian expects. Ever since he met Vivian, his number two, the man who will accompany him for life, he's been thoroughly entertained, in and out of the field.
Vivian truly is one of the best followers a god could ask for.
Julian does wonders for those who worship him.
As the turn of the year cycles to June, Julian prepares himself for whatever Vivian will surprise him with during his birthday. Julian wakes up especially early for his birthday; he ignores Vivian’s fretting about his sleep deprivation, but it's not as if he was an unwilling participant in not getting eight hours of sleep. It's his choice.
Julian has spare keys to Vivian's apartment. Like Vivian, the exteriors of the apartment belonged to a neat and purely organized neighborhood; there had been instances where, when a single unit became disorganized, Vivian packed his things and returned to his family's home back in Lyon. Julian finds that kind of impulse dramatic.
Julian likes the scenery, though. He'll be displeased if Vivian moved out of this neighborhood, and will personally see to the interloper who dared uproot their daily lives. Even when he's wearing casual clothes, holding a box with a simple cake inside, he can appreciate the tranquility of the place.
He takes the keys and inserts it on the doorknob, letting himself inside the apartment. Vivian finds his presence less invasive and more welcoming, and he is always keen on finding Julian literally making himself at home.
Julian hums as he finds the mug he'd forgotten to pick up on the coffee table. Untouched, yet still in pristine condition. It's like Vivian wants to turn everything into a museum. Since Vivian is still asleep (who can blame him, the sun has only risen), Julian opts to make coffee for the both of them, just to ensure Vivian will cease complaining about the lack of caffeine in his hands.
Vivian emerges from his room, his burgundy hair disheveled and eyes still hazy from sleep. He's not surprised to smell coffee beans being filtered, nor the sight of Julian on his kitchen.
Julian knows he's already awake, but he lets Vivian envelop his sturdy arms around him. A god should not be perceived by mortals, but Vivian is a mortal who's been serving him well. He can handle someone practically manhandling him.
“Good morning,” Julian greets him first, and he lets Vivian peck his cheek. There are many things he lets Vivian off the hook for. “Happy birthday.” He does not kiss Vivian back. Julian is not one to initiate things with another; a god can't reciprocate the love of a follower. He is fine with the dynamic they currently share.
Vivian easily finds the cake, and he and Julian have coffee and cake for breakfast. It was flavors that Julian knows Vivian liked— like how Vivian knows him, front to back like a book; Julian makes sure he knows Vivian as well.
Vivian’s birthday celebration, or at least one as intimate as this, will end when Vivian tells him of his plans on Julian's birthday.
It seems that he doesn’t care about formalities, since he mutters, “I booked us a trip to the beach.”
Julian raises a brow. “The beach?”
“Yes. I remembered you saying you wanted to feel the sand tremble beneath your feet, correct?”
Julian lets the corners of his lips form a smile. “That sounds perfect, Vivian.”
“I also want to build a sand castle around your body and trap you on the beach for hours.”
Julian rolls his eyes, sticking his tongue out. There were times, such as these, when he couldn’t quite shake off the feeling of being human. Vivian always seems to bring out a more mortal and humane part of him that Julian holds back in public for his persona to take shape. Vivian suits his name, really. “I'm going to outrun you before you even try.”
Vivian's eyes glimmer, the rare times it does when he has an idea he wants to try out. “I'll make sure that you'll be entrapped in the sand. Maybe I'll kiss your feet in gratitude once I break you free from those restraints.”
Julian couldn’t help how his smile grew wider from Vivian’s light-hearted ways of messing with him. “You're quite determined to encase me with sand, Vivian.”
“It's been a dream of mine.”
Julian hums. “Are we taking your family and Charles to the beach?”
His eyes look towards Julian as he reflects the question at him. “If you want to invite them.”
***
He and Vivian invite Charles for the beach trip. Charles has denied their invitation twice before finally changing his mind at the last second when Vivian and Julian had finished packing. Julian admonished him and then spent the rest of his evening helping Charles with organizing his luggage. They're all big boys now, according to their families, so the three of them travel to the beach all by themselves. Julian wasn’t surprised by the outcome of their trip to the beach, but he had been hoping for a trip alone with Vivian.
He feels a hand enclose around his. Julian looks at Vivian, his eyes tender even if it feels like only the abyss stares back. He marvels at how big Vivian’s hand is, sometimes, and what it does during—
“Displeased?” Vivian murmurs, as they see Charles childishly engaging in conversation with the cab driver.
Julian shakes his head, huffing. “He was bound to come, so there is no need to feel disappointment.”
Vivian hums agreeably. “Without Charles, we wouldn’t be entertained during our beach trip.”
“Oh please, we are going to play as babysitters to make sure that Charles is well-behaved.”
Vivian raises a brow. “And when is he well-behaved?”
Vivian and Julian share a hotel room, as they always do, with two beds. Although Julian knows that the two of them are going to sleep in one bed tonight, he always feels warmer when Vivian is behind him and enveloping his very body in his arms.
Julian never thought he'd become so damn sentimental when he's with Vivian, and yet he couldn’t stop.
At least Charles was content with his room being small but having only one bed. He didn’t want to join the ‘lovebirds’ in their nest.
However, what they looked forward to was, of course, the beach.
Charles is the first to run to the bright white sand, tucked beneath his feet. They hear the sounds of the tide brushing through the coast, sea foam spilling from its waves. The sea breeze smells salty, but of course it does; the fresh air brings Julian satisfaction. He and Vivian had already changed to their swimwear, and took their time walking to the beach.
Julian sighs as he sees Charles already traipsing through the water. “At least I got him to wear sunscreen before he ran away from me.”
“He would rather get skin cancer than wear something that will protect him from the sun.” Vivian finds a good spot to place their things, and he opens the parasol for the shade. He then sets up their beach chairs underneath the umbrella, but Julian was already running to the sea. He ignores Charles literally playing with sea urchins and splashing around the water as he sits back and enjoys the view of the sea washing ashore and soaking his feet.
It was nice out here. The sun was shining upon him, his skin glittering like he was divinity that has touched the earth from the heavens. It was perfect here, and he had to commend Vivian for bringing him to a place where time all but seems to stop. He supposes that this is what Vivian had intended, because all his worries are unfounded as he looks over the horizon.
He feels someone's arms wrap around him, and he looks over the side, face-to-face with Vivian. One of his arms was wrapped around his waist, the other holding a small plate of cake in his palms.
“Happy birthday, Jules,” Vivian says tenderly, placing kisses along his neck. Julian hums in response, pleased with the affection he gives him. Vivian offers him a fork, and it must be a sublime sight, seeing a young man eating cake at the beach with a taller man beside him, his hand never leaving his waist. He does this all the time.
“Touchy today, aren't we?” Julian jokes as he bites through a portion of the cake. It was sweet as hell, even made fresher by the current sea breeze sweeping past them.
“Wait, Julian’s already eating?! I want one too!” Charles exclaims from a distance, running with his legs still submerged in water, and tripping.
Julian cannot help but be entertained by Charles getting doused by seawater. “You don't like cake!”
“I like it if someone's eating it right now!”
“Shame,” Vivian’s face is still on Julian's shoulder, his lips touching Julian's collarbone as his hot breath tingles upon his skin. He could smell the lingering scent of coffee from the taller boy. “This cake is for two people only.”
“You’re not keen on sharing, aren't you?” Julian says, a smirk playing on his lips as he brings a slice of cake to Vivian’s mouth, who inhales it in one go. “Consider that as a token of my gratitude for bringing me here. Is this truly my birthday gift?”
“Do you want a ring as your birthday gift?”
Vivian said the question so softly that Julian couldn’t parse what he'd just said. “Pardon?”
“I meant…” Vivian’s hand that had been on his waist climbed higher until it was now touching his chest. “I reserved lunch and dinner reservations for us both. We can talk about soccer there like there is no tomorrow.”
Julian nods, smiling. With his free hand, he holds the hand that is currently on his chest. “Thank you.”
He doesn’t admit it, but being with Vivian feels like there wasn’t a tomorrow where he's alone either.