Atom's Birthday!
A short one-shot fanfic written by Emicaustic and Kaidraman as part of the Vivid Insomnia short fan fictions
After waiting for many days; days of putting up with people's bullshit and desperate attempts to survive, the day had arrived.
Atom's birthday.
It was a Saturday morning in the year 2040.
"Really? Geez, talk about a buzzkill." Atom walked up the stairs to the kitchen/dining room area while talking on the phone.
"Nothing like starting off your morning with cereal and a handful of pills am I right? Well no, I don't take a small number of tablets, I-I only take one." His voice went from sarcasm to monotone.
Atom stopped for a moment to hear Stephen speak without his emotions and thoughts getting in the way; even speakerphone doesn't do much justice.
"Pffttttt" Atom burst out into laughter.
"Well I'm gonna go eat now, I'll call you back when I'm done OK?"
"Uh huh…. Hahaha… yeah? Ah alright then, love you too!" Atom hung up the phone.
He walked into the kitchen to get his bowl of cereal and his medicine but stopped when he saw Cindy claiming the whole kitchen as hers, with a giant mess of food and her working away at making meals by the stove.
"Cindy?" Atom asked, confused.
"Oh! Hi, Atom!"
"Oh, haha, I didn't know you started getting up this early? I was just about to make myself a bowl of cereal."
"I just woke up before the alarm and thought I'd make breakfast for everyone." She looked back and smiled.
"Alright…. Do you uh, need any help?"
"No. I'm almost done."
"Ah, ok then, I'll just go wait at the table." Atom smiled, walking over to the table and sat down.
Astro walked out of his room and went over to sit at the table next to Atom.
"Today's Cinco De Mayo!" He exclaimed.
"Oh yeah, I forgot, today's Cinco De Mayo too!" Atom butted.
"Too? It's only Cinco De Mayo, Atom." Astro tried not to laugh.
Cindy placed a plate of pancakes in front of Astro, then walked back to the counter to grab the other plate.
"The fuck is this shit Cindy? You know I don't eat, and yet you give me a whole plate of food?!"
"I made them special. Just eat a little."
"Bleh, food is nasty, well not really I'm just too lazy to eat and skipping meals isn't as bad as it sounds, for a robot that is, humans would die if they ate the way I do…."
"It's still healthy for you to eat, too."
"Eh, okay." Astro seemed done with the world and himself.
He played around with the fork for a minute before finally taking a bite.
"Not bad," he said, trying not to admit how much he liked the pancakes.
His twin seemed a bit more excited than usual, the odd smile on his face not leaving, almost like the childlike side of him was making an appearance again.
Cindy came back over and placed a plate in front of Atom, but this one had chocolate chip pancakes topped with icing, sprinkles, and a candle.
Atom looked surprised as if he had never seen such a sight.
"Woah, all of this? For me?" He questioned.
"Mmmhmm. Happy birthday, Atom." Cindy leaned down and gave Atom a kiss on the forehead before walking over to the stove to make more pancakes. ((CINDY IS BEST MOM ~From Kaitlyn and Emily that did extensive research to approve the above statement as 110% accurate))
Happy Birthday.
He hadn't heard those words in a while. For the longest time while being with Elefun, he never really did get much.
Birthdays never got this idiosyncratic.
Atom smiled again, with such pride and joy he grabbed his fork and dug in to take a bite.
He never at any other moment, felt so special.
The day progressed, and everyone left to their own devices for the most part.
"GONNA GO TAKE PICTURES, BE BACK LATER!" Atom yelled before opening the front door to leave.
"OK HE'S GONE," Astro called out from the table while being wrapped up in finishing a crap ton of artwork.
"PAY UP BITCHES I NEED THE MONEY I'M A BROKE ASS MOFO!"
"Here. Thank you very much." Tenma said in a sarcastic tone as he handed a 20 dollar bill to Astro.
"Thank you. Your act of generosity will be put to great use." Astro replied back in a similar sarcastic tone.
"So what's the plan Citizen? You know you gotta go big to top out everything Elefun has done, which is little to nothing, but you know, don't fuck shit up." He continued, swiftly moving his hand around his pen tablet.
"I won't."
"Haha good luck, I heard last year Elefun got him a card and lectured him on adulthood; boy would that be quality Meme Material™, am I right?"
"I'm sure I can beat that."
"...It was a store bought card that played 80's music, you sure?"
"Yes."
"Pfft, alright then….. Just warning you, got a lot to compete with…." Astro couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing.
Tenma shook his head then walked out of the room.
Astro continued drawing for a little bit, then left as well.
After a while of decorating and making everything better than Elefun could ever do, Atom came back home subsequently taking a crap ton of pictures downtown.
"IM BACK!" Atom yelled.
He looked confused when he saw no one was there.
"Hello?" Atom called out, a bit quieter this time.
"SURPRISEEEEE!"
Atom gasped in shock but then suddenly broke out into laughter.
He walked up to the crowd with tears forming in his eyes.
"Pfft, I told you this was a bad idea! You should have gotten him a 99 cent card and gave him an even longer speech on US government." Astro whispered to Tenma.
Tenma rolled his eyes.
Atom set his camera down on the table.
He walked up to everyone and hugged them tightly.
"Wow, you guys went all out! You know last year all I got was a card, a store bought one mind you, and then a long lecture on being an adult, as if the teen years weren't scary enough…" Atom gazed around the room, looking at the decorations as he spoke.
"Yeah, it was Citizen's idea, blame him not me." Astro pointed to Tenma.
Tenma smiled brightly.
Astro looked over at him and shook his head in disappointment.
"I'm sorry you gotta deal with our bullshit if it makes you feel better I know a bit about geography….."
"Astro, please." Kaitlyn looked over at Astro with a stink-eye.
Atom rolled his eyes with a chuckle "You dumbass…."
Kaitlyn burst out in laughter.
Atom laughed along with her.
Later on, Atom was sitting by himself at the table, looking off into the abyss.
"You OK there? Seem lonely…." Emily asked, seated in the chair in front of him.
"Oh no! Stephen just left to the bathroom, and I'm just kinda here self-evaluating my life and every single bad decision I've made to remind myself I'm sure to be made of 99.9% real poop." Atom nodded as he spoke with a 'seems legit' look on his face.
"Pffffffttt, Atom, you know you're not poop."
"You sure about that?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Yea- what? Y-you need me? Bee? Uhhhh, I'll be right back." Emily got up to see Kaitlyn.
Atom sighed and made circles on the table with his index finger.
Stephen came back and sat down in Emily's seat.
"B-B has returned!" Atom threw his hands in the air and rejoiced.
Stephen didn't even speak, he sat there and looked at Atom with a face of amusement.
"Well geez, didn't know I was that attractive…" Atom giggled.
"I guess so," Stephen replied.
"Aww stawp it!" Atom blushed.
"Mmmm can't wait for cake, my first actual cake! I hope it tastes good 'cause it's got lots of potential from what I hear…."
"Hey birthday boy!" Kaitlyn stuck her head into the room and looked at Atom with a smile.
"Hi, Kaitlyn!" Atom waved with a smile.
"Hi," Stephen held his hand up for a second.
She quickly looked over at the timer on the stove.
"3 MORE MINUTES!" She yelled to Cindy. "...Yeah?!... Oh. OK!"
"We're gonna open presents before dessert. The cookies aren't done yet," Kaitlyn pointed to the oven. "So come on in here."
"Kk." Atom motioned to Stephen, and the two of them got up.
The three walked into the living room and sat around the coffee table.
Atom looked quite surprised to see all the gifts there; he felt bad that everyone went out and spent their hard earned money on him. Maybe a card and a lecture didn't seem so bad?
"Here." Cindy passed the first box to Atom with a smile.
Atom carefully grabbed the box and opened it slowly, literally killing anything climatic.
"Geez, can you hurry up already?!" Astro complained.
Atom sighed and continued unwrapping the gift at the same pace.
"I just don't wanna hurt the box, or ruin the paper. That's all…" He said.
Everyone except Astro waited patiently as Atom slowly took off each piece of tape.
He finally unwrapped the paper, carefully setting it aside and slowly lifting the top off the box.
His eyes lit up as he picked up a hardback book from the box, only having it followed by many others beneath it, neatly stacked together.
The amazement didn't leave when he took out the other books and laid them side-by-side on the floor.
At first, he was unsure of what to say, but after giving some thought, he looked up and smiled.
The next gifts came one after the other, to the average Joe, it may have not seemed like a lot, but to Atom, it was more than he could ask for.
He looked around at all the loose wrapping paper scattered on the floor, it seemed like he made the biggest mess possible.
"I'm gonna go get a trash can." He said, standing up and walking away.
After throwing away all the excess trash, Atom walked away once more with the gifts in his arms to his room. Stephen walked beside him but then wandered off to other parts of the house while everyone else stayed seated chatting.
"I clearly got him the best gift. Amiright?" Astro boasted, his arms crossed.
"You bought him a single pair of socks…." Kaitlyn furrowed her brow and looked over at Astro.
"Ayee it's the thought that counts! Besides, they were rainbow socks!"
Kaitlyn sighed.
"I mean I wish I got rainbow socks on my birthday..." Emily mumbled.
"I just can't believe how extra we are- I'm sure a card and lecture would've been perfectly fine but noooo, we had to go out of our way and decorate and spend money on shit he's probably not gonna give two flying fucks about when he's on his deathbed." Astro butted in.
"He deserves way more than what we gave him." Kaitlyn gestured at the decorations and desserts.
"Pfffffffttt!" Astro burst into a laugh.
"Well, then nobody will get you any gifts ever again, how do you like that?"
"When did I ever say I wanted any?" Astro tilted his head.
"Kaitlyn… It's no use..." Emily put her hand on her girlfriend's shoulder.
She sat back in her seat and pouted angrily.
Astro stood up. "Welp, it was nice seeing you all- good fucking bye, have a great fucking day yadda yadda millennial bullshit- goodnight." He walked away to his room.
"I swear to god I'll- …. Stephen?" Kaitlyn looked over at the kitchen door to see Stephen walk out, obviously looking for something.
He looked up, a look of shock on his face.
"Are you looking for something?" Cindy asked him.
"Ahhhhhhh…." He quickly darted his eyes around the room before finding a small box and dashing to pick it up.
"Uh. Bye..." He looked at the others for a split second before sprinting away to Atom's room.
Atom was in his room putting away his gifts whilst muttering a tune and doing a little dance.
Stephen hid the box behind his back before walking in and sitting on the bed
"Oh, hey Stephen! What's up?" Atom greeted, putting a book on a shelf.
He shrugged.
"To be honest, same." Atom chuckled.
Stephen nodded.
"So uh… you liked the party? I think it was pretty great, though I do wonder what a card and lecture would have been like…"
"Yeah."
Atom chuckled again. "You know what I just realized though… both our birthdays fall on a holiday- is this like some kind of coincidence or better yet the illuminati?"
Stephen gasped.
"Nah, that probably can't be it, buttttttt I wouldn't be surprised if it was."
"It's always the illuminati." Stephen whispered, trying to pretend he was being dramatic.
Atom burst into an uncontrollable laugh.
Stephen smiled and looked at Atom in awe.
Atom put the last gift away and sat down in a chair by his desk, facing Stephen.
"I uh…" Stephen began to speak but stopped abruptly.
"What?" Atom looked up, confused.
"I um… I got something… for you..." His pale cheeks turned rosy.
"Oh, really!" Atom's eyes lit up.
"Yeah." Stephen slowly pulled the box out from behind him and handed it to Atom.
Atom gasped and gladly took the box from Stephen.
"Umm… do you wanna… keep the wrapping paper?" he asked
"Doesn't matter." Stephen fidgeted in anticipation.
"Uhhh, okay then…." Atom slowly unwrapped the paper. "I'll be gentle just in case…."
"Did you do this wrapping yourself? It's really nice." He slowly pulled a piece of tape off.
"Mmhmm." He nodded.
"Nice." Atom smiled.
He finally put the wrapping paper aside, opening the box in anticipation.
"Oh wait.. Wait… wai… I think I know what this is… ahhh… AHHHHHHHHHHH" Atom squealed in delight whilst laughing.
"T-t-t...th...this…. Is the best thing…. My god…." He couldn't stop laughing like a dork.
He pulled the gift out of the box. "You got me…. A fucking goldfish…." he uncontrollably laughed some more.
Stephen couldn't help but make the biggest smile.
"I've never been happier my god." Atom wiped a few tears from his eyes.
"Woo… man… that was some quality™ right there…. No doubt about it."
Atom stood up and placed the small fish tank on his dresser. "So uh… I think we should name it…. I'm thinking Steve The Goldfish II- but any suggestions are accepted."
"What about 'Atom'?" Stephen stood next to Atom.
"Hmmm…. But that's gonna cause confusion with my name also being Atom…."
"We can combine the names."
"Oh yeah! But Steve and Atom don't really go together- 'least I think they don't…."
"How about we combine your name with my name instead?"
Atom gasped. "That's a great idea! So you're name is uhh… Stephen- hope i'm right about that- and mines is Atom…so that makes… Atomphen!"
"I like it."
"Yeah, has a nice sound to it." Atom smiled, then looked at Stephen. "Thanks." He blushed.
"You're welcome." Stephen smiled, putting his arm around Atom.
Atom chuckled and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Stephen pulled him in close and smooched him on the lips.
Atom pushed him away. "Stephen! Not in front of our son…."
"Our son?"
"Well yeah- he's ours… it's part of the joke now…"
"Fine..." Stephen sighed before letting out a short chuckle.
"Wait nonono- he doesn't have to if you don't want him to." Atom shook his hands in worry.
"No. I like having a son."
Atom sighed. "You sure?"
"Mmhmm." He smiled.
Atom smiled back. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Stephen leaned back in for a kiss.
"Happy birthday, Atom."
The End