When Jaxsen awoke he was aware of two things: it was much brighter in his room than it should be and the date. November twenty-first. Today he was nine years old. He had mixed feelings about today. After he woke he wondered why Sebastian hadn’t made him get up for school. Nizhoni, who moved in almost two weeks ago, hadn’t roused him, either. He frowned pondering. His two previous birthdays were nothing to be remembered. He squeezed his eyes shut against the memories that threatened to overwhelm.

Dispelling the flooding images, he crawled from bed realizing that he was hungry. He came downstairs finding Nizhoni sitting alone on the couch reading Moby Dick. She smiled brightly upon seeing him, setting aside the hard back. He smiled sleepily in return and rubbing his eyes he crawled into her lap. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close, and placed a gentle kiss to his cheek. He sighed contentedly and snuggled further into her, that sleepy peace settling over him.

“Good morning, baby. How’s my birthday boy? Sleep well?”

He shrugged. “I’m okay. And I guess so.” There was a pause in conversation and he just reveled in the feelings of being held. “Zhoni?”

“Hmm?”

“How come Bastian didn’t wake me up for school?”

She smiled over his head, her hands running soothingly up and down his side. “Because it’s your birthday, Yanaha.”

He didn’t understand. Not even his mom and dad let him stay home on his birthday. He decided not to question it further. He didn’t want to go to school today anyway.  “Where is Bastian anyway?” he asked instead. 

“He should be home soon,” she answered as she continued running her fingers through his long hair, avoiding his question. She felt him begin to relax against her and kissed his hairline. Sebastian came through the door just over half an hour later. Jaxsen had fallen asleep while Nizhoni played with his hair.

“Hey, babe.” He set the bags he was carrying on the kitchen table before placing a kiss on Nizhoni’s lips. “He woke up and you managed to get him back to sleep?” 

She smiled. “Caught him before he woke up all the way. He came for morning cuddles and I started playing with his hair.”

Sebastian chuckled. “His kryptonite.”

“Yeah, I cheated.”

Sebastian kissed the boy’s temple and smiled. “I’ll wake him up in a minute. Let me set up the cake and candles and lay out his gifts and stuff.” He kissed Nizhoni once more and scurried back into the kitchen.

Jaxsen’s eyes pried themselves open as a familiar voice roused him. He smiled sleepily at Sebastian and reached out for him. 

“Good morning, birthday boy.” Sebastian said as he lifted Jaxsen into his arms. Jaxsen hugged him close and laid his head on his shoulder. “Sleep well?” Jaxsen nodded and rubbed his eyes. “Yeah? Good.” Sebastian kissed his forehead. “Hey, Jack, would you mind helping me with something?” Jaxsen nodded, his eyes sliding closed again. Sebastian stopped in the thresh hold to the kitchen. 

“Jaxsen?” He drew out his name bringing the boy back to wakefulness. 

“Huh?” Jaxsen lifted his head and gave Sebastian a confused, questioning stare.

“Look.” Sebastian pointed into the kitchen, Jaxsen following Sebastian’s hand. His brain quickly registered what he was seeing, instantly coming awake. A huge smile broke out across his face and he squirmed to get down.

“Wow!” He exclaimed eyeing the table. “Is all of this for me?”

Sebastian smiled. “Well who else would it be for, silly boy?” Jaxsen grinned brightly, a small giggle escaping him. “How about some cake and ice cream, you can open all your presents, and then we can go eat a nice big breakfast? What do you think, Jack?”

Jaxsen beamed. “Can we open my presents first before cake?”

“We can do it in whatever order you wish, Yanaha. It’s your day today,” Nizhoni said having joined them in the kitchen. He grinned big at her, joy and excitement evident all over his face.

“Can I open half now and half after cake?”

“If that’s what you wanna do, sweet boy, go for it,” Sebastian told him with a chuckle. With a splitting smile Jaxsen dug into the large pile of gifts.

“Well kiddo, I’d say you made out like a bandit,” Sebastian commented about the pile of various items strewn across the table. Jaxsen giggled as he eyed everything from his spoils. He’d gotten a new flat screen T.V. that mounted to the wall, a new DVD/Blu-ray player, several new games for his PlayStation3 and Xbox One, new clothes, a pair of shoes he’d told Sebastian he liked, and a variety of other things striking of his fancy.

“Hm,” Sebastian said as a frown formed upon his brow. He lifted the corner of a box and looked under it. “No. Not under there.”

“What?” Jaxsen asked curiously.

“Nizhoni, have you seen it?”

“What?” Jaxsen asked with an excited giggle recognizing the game.

Sebastian smiled as Nizhoni answered, “No, I don’t see it anywhere. We did remember to pick it up, didn’t we?”

Jaxsen giggled again and pulled on Sebastian’s shirt sleeve. “Bastian, what is it?”

Sebastian smiled down at him. “It’s outside. Wanna see it?”

“Yeah!” He jumped up and down with excitement. “Let’s go, Bastian, let’s go.” Jaxsen ran to the front door, leaving Sebastian having to catch up to him. Jaxsen waited, one hand one the gold plated door knob. 

“Go on, open the door,” Sebastian said. It took no further encouragement for Jaxsen to rip the door open. He stopped before taking a full step outside, his mouth dropping open, eyes wide like azure saucers. Sebastian set his hands gently on the boy’s shoulders as he came up behind him.

“Wow…it’s…it’s really mine?”

“It’s really yours, sweet boy.” Sebastian knelt down, encircling the boy in his arms. Jaxsen leaned back into him, bringing his hands up to hold onto Sebastian’s forearms. “Happy birthday, Jack,” Sebastian told him gently, kissing him softly on the cheek. He pushed Jaxsen toward the neon green and black splatter painted bicycle.

“Go on, Jack, check it out.” Jaxsen walked up to the bike, running his hand along the shiny paint job, gripped the handle bars and felt the gription under his palm. He picked up the helmet, the smooth plastic surface felt sun-warmed in his hands.

“After cake and stuff you wanna take it out for a ride?” Jaxsen looked down, his lower lip sucking into his mouth, gnawing it in nervous habit. “What, what’s the matter?”

“I…I don’t know how. Daddy had started to teach me, but…” He shrugged trailing off.

“Well, hey, no worries, sweet boy. I’ll teach you, alright, and in no time flat you’ll be tearing up the neighborhood on your new wheels,” Sebastian told him in an upbeat tone as he patted him lightly on the chest. Jaxsen nodded and closed his eyes. “Aw, sweet boy.” Sebastian wiped two fallen tears from his cheeks. “No tears, huh?” Jaxsen nodded again. “Today is a happy day, baby boy.”

“Bastian?”

“What, bud?”

“Can I have a hug?”

“You can have them all, Jack,” he said as he opened his arms. Jaxsen practically threw himself into Sebastian’s embrace. They hugged a long moment before Sebastian carried him back into the house.

“Did you have a good birthday, Jack?”  Sebastian asked as he tucked in Jaxsen that night. The small table-side lamp illuminated the room in a soft glow. 

Jaxsen smiled and nodded. “I did. It was the best one in a long time.”

Sebastian smiled brightly. “I’m glad you had a good day, sweet boy.”

“Thank you for all my presents, Bastian.”

He smiled and kissed the boy’s forehead. “You’re very welcome, Jack. I had fun, too.”

“Bastian?”

Sebastian turned toward him as he stood up. “What?”

Jaxsen fidgeted with his blankets as he worked up his courage and shyfully requested, “W-will you stay with me till I fall asleep?”

“Always.”
Jaxsen smiled and scooted over toward the wall. Sebastian held him close, running his fingers through his hair, over his face and arm, sending them both to such a state of relaxation they both fell asleep.

Nizhoni glanced at the clock. Spying the time she realized Sebastian had been with Jaxsen for nearly an hour. When she peaked into the boy’s bedroom she smiled. Sebastian lay on his side facing the wall with his arms wrapped protectively around Jaxsen, who had his back pressed into Sebastian’s chest, his head using Sebastian’s arm as a pillow, his little arms encircling Sebastian’s larger ones.