This is going to be a more domestic chapter :)
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Hermes's POV
August is known as the "month of the birthdays" in our house, simply because there are so many people with birthdays in August. Firstly there's my aunt Sora on the second of August, then there's me on the sixth, Athena on the eighth, Austin on the sixteenth, Cody on the twentieth, and Adrian on the twenty-third. We generally have a birthday party for everyone on the twenty-fifth of August or thereabouts, which is when everyone has already had their birthdays.
But now Hazel's twins have been born in August too, on the 18th, we've decided to have a party on the day after their actual birth-day, celebrating all of our birthdays, even the ones that haven't happened yet.
The party is in full-swing. It's just for our family, though, which is why we're holding the party in our own backyard. I had no idea our family is so large, but there are almost twenty-five people here, including myself. I haven't seen Mom and Dad in over an hour, but Pearl is drifting in and out, chatting to people. I think she's realised that the only reason everyone is here today is because of her and Patrick.
Anke is here too, since she is my girlfriend. She doesn't really know anyone else, so she is sticking with me, though she's eagerly introducing herself to the other members of my family, so I think she'll be okay.
Hazel's POV
It still hasn't sunk in. I am the mother of twins. This is the second time twins have arrived in our family in two years. Felise and Hughie are delighted to have another pair of twins about the house, even though my kids are only a day old.
Parker has been carrying Kiki around the house and I have been carrying Scotty, so that neither one of us is burdened with both twins, and so that our relatives can meet both kids at some point over the course of the day.
The birthdays we're celebrating are Sora's, Hermes's, Athena's, Austin's, Cody's, and now Scotty and Kiki's. Pearl and Mom have actually managed to bake six cakes, one for each birthday, though they're fairly small. Mom asked me yesterday if it was okay that she made only one cake for the twins to share. I replied that it didn't matter, since the twins aren't old enough to even realise what is going on, let alone be able to eat the cake.
Someone, probably Dad, puts on music. We're treated to PFT songs for the rest of the day. Nobody minds, though. We have a lovely sing-along and dance party, especially when J-Pop (Welcome To Tokyo) comes on. I swear, everyone knows that silly yet very fun dance. Even Scotty is bopping about to the music as if he's dancing. He seems to really like Summer (Where Do We Begin?), which is also one of my favourites. Perhaps I'll sing it to them as a lullaby.
We don't do birthday presents in our family. It may seem weird, but since we're such a big family, there just isn't time. Instead, on the day of the birthday, we let the birthday boy or girl decide an activity to do for the day, whether that be a day or just playing a board game. That's what we've been doing all this month. Hermes chose to have a movie night with his parents and siblings, probably to get to know us better. Even though it's been nearly three years since he came back to us, I think he still feels like a stranger in our house. I don't blame him; Teddy, Quinn, and I have grown up surrounded by our family. For the first three and a half years of his life, he was simply in a cage 24/7 with nobody to care about or for him. It almost makes me want to cry when I think about it. I'm sure it's a hundred times worse for Mom.
Teddy's POV
Out of me, Hazel, and Quinn, I'd say I know Hermes the least. Since Hazel got pregnant, Hermes had been spending a lot of time getting to know her. And since Quinn also stuck with Hazel around that time, Hermes knows the most about Quinn and Hazel, and they know the most about her. Perhaps it's because I'm eleven years older than Hermes, but I think it's probably something else.
I'm ashamed to say I'm almost scared of Hermes. Whenever he walks past me, I feel a nervous twinge. I know I wouldn't be feeling like this if he didn't have those abnormal abilities. Whenever I even see him, I feel a sudden urge to rush to my children to protect them, which makes me feel awful inside, especially since two weeks ago, Hermes saved both my daughter and my niece from falling off the climbing wall. His actions since coming to OWCA have been nothing but honourable, and yet I still feel a hint of distrust towards my brother. I hate it. I hate it so much.
That's why, when I go outside into our front yard and see my younger brother standing in the sunshine, I force the feeling of anxiety down and I approach him. "Hey," I say.
Hermes turns and spots me. "Hey Teddy."
We both stand together in the sunshine, both of us trying awkwardly to make conversation.
"I've never had a party like this," I say. "My birthday's in December, and the person with the nearest birthday to me is Piper, but she's still nearly two months before me."
"I almost wish we could trade," Hermes says with a small smile. "I don't really like all the attention. I'd prefer a smaller occasion. I guess it's because I'm slightly claustrophobic."
"Seriously? Me too."
"Huh. I would never have pegged you for the claustrophobic type."
I'm not sure if that's an insult or a compliment. I go for asking, "What would you assume I'm scared of?"
His eyes look me over once. "Well, since you never seem to display fear, I'd have said something harmless, like butterflies."
I was not expecting that. I let out a laugh. "Butterflies?"
"Yeah." Hermes seems embarrassed. "It's just that…there are quite a few "tough guys" who never show fear at standard things like fire or death or heights. And they always seem to have a fear of something irrational, like butterflies."
We laugh together. "That's ridiculous," I say.
"I know," agrees Hermes. "But I guess my claustrophobia comes from being locked in a small cage for three and a half years."
I grimace. I hate talking or thinking about Hermes's past, mostly because of the selfish reason that if I do, I start comparing what I've been through with what he's been through, and my past troubles seem extremely dull compared to his. Which I know is both selfish and stupid, but I can't help it.
"Plus," adds Hermes. "I don't like being in crowds, not just because I'm claustrophobic, but because I'm afraid of what will happen if that fear affects my ability to control my power. I'm just worried that I'll accidentally hurt someone with my powers when I get scared in crowds."
"That's understandable," is the only thing I can think of to say.
What else can I say to him when I don't share his problem? I don't share anything even close to his problem! How am I supposed to try and get to know my little brother better when we have virtually nothing in common?
…
There's nothing else to say about this chapter, except for: *dramatic voice* the party's not over yet!
