[October 31st: For Harry]

[raith_rogue]

Thomas jogged down the steps to Harry's apartment with a large, brightly wrapped box tucked under his arm and a bakery box balanced in the other hand. He was a little nervous about the gift he'd picked out, but hey, Harry had started it with those damn plastic robots. He had no room to complain.

He left the battery at the top of the stairs so he could come back for it easily without it ruining the surprise, and knocked at the door with his elbow, carefully keeping the cake balanced. "Harry?" he called out, shifting his grip so he didn't drop the cake on Harry's doorstep.

Comments

[forzare.livejournal.com]

Harry managed to still look grumpy even as he opened the bakery box. "What ridiculously pretentious dessert did you spend too much money on?"

[raith_rogue]

"It's just a birthday cake. You know, for your birthday," Thomas replied, leaning against the back of the couch and tucking his hands into his pockets. "Chocolate with white frosting."

[forzare.livejournal.com]

His favorite. Of course. Harry closed the box again and moved to the fridge, getting out two beers--one for him, one for Thomas--and then to the couch, where he sat down beside his brother. "You know I actually forgot?"

[raith_rogue]

"I've done that a few times, myself," Thomas answered, shrugging as he accepted a beer. "But you remembered mine, so..."

[forzare.livejournal.com]

"A sex vampire whose birthday is on Valentine's Day?" Harry smiled and clinked his bottle against Thomas's. "I enjoy the irony too much."

[raith_rogue]

Thomas snorted and took a sip of beer. "Says the wizard whose birthday is on Halloween. Mom had a sense of humor, even subconsciously?" What other explanation could there be?

[forzare.livejournal.com]

"Well she did marry a magician who had no magic," Harry reminded Thomas. "Poor bastard never even knew what she was."

[raith_rogue]

Thomas nodded, looking distant. It was a reminder of when she'd left, for him, even though it had given him Harry, and for that he was extremely grateful. "Anyway. Open your present so I can get out of here and let you have...a different kind of celebration." He smirked at Harry in between swigs of beer.

[forzare.livejournal.com]

"Uh, yeah." Molly would no doubt be helping him celebrate later. Harry picked up the package and shook it lightly. "...if this is a sex toy...."

[raith_rogue]

Thomas rolled his eyes at that. "Just open it." Even Thomas didn't give sex toys for birthday presents. ...Maybe to Robin, but not to his own brother, anyway.

[forzare.livejournal.com]

Harry shot Thomas another suspicious look but then unwrapped the present, slowly.

What he found made his jaw drop slightly, and made his heart clench, and suspicion melted away as he was hit by a wave of nostalgia, longing, and remembered loneliness.

Slot cars. For two.

Yet another childhood toy he'd seen commercials for and wanted desperately as a child, but had never had.

He exhaled, looking down at the box, and tried to compose himself before looking to Thomas.

[raith_rogue]

Thomas watched him, sitting forward and fidgeting with his beer. "You...told me about how you wanted a brother to play with, so I thought...maybe you'd like it," he murmured, turning to look at Harry directly and examining his face nervously.

[forzare.livejournal.com]

Harry swallowed and finally turned his face towards Thomas. "Yeah," he said softly. He even offered a slightly sheepish smile. "Did you ever have one?"

[raith_rogue]

Thomas shook his head. "No. I had lots of toys, but never one of these." He smiled back and asked hesitantly, "Do you like it?" He added quickly, before Harry could answer, "I can take it back and get you something else."

[forzare.livejournal.com]

Harry's fingers tightened around the box reflexively. "Don't make me hurt you," he threatened, then smiled, big and open. "I love it," he said, because it seemed like Thomas needed to hear it. "You're sticking around to help me put it together, right?"

[raith_rogue]

"If you want me to," Thomas answered, returning the smile. "It can always wait for another time, if you have plans."

[forzare.livejournal.com]

"Molly won't be back for awhile," Harry said, pointedly. "Do you have plans?"

[raith_rogue]

Thomas gave him a soft smile and shook his head. "I'm all yours," he said quietly.

[forzare.livejournal.com]

"I think Robin might disagree," Harry replied lightly. He slipped to the floor and set his beer bottle on the table before unpacking the box's contents.

Mouse looked up from where he lay sleeping, interest piqued, but his eyes closed again almost immediately.

[raith_rogue]

Thomas just sighed quietly, not interested in picking a fight on Harry's birthday. "All right. You get it unpacked, I'll be right back." He got to his feet and set his beer down, heading for the door.