A/N: Here you go as promised, today's second update. No smut yet, but it does get really cute for a while. Read, review and enjoy!
Chapter Twenty Eight
Tamsin, Acacia and Bo had decided to keep the rest of the gang out of the loop about Brazenwood; they'd be of no help there anyway. Dyson and Hale being Light Fae would be hung on spikes at the gate. Acacia had basically told the girls to forget about the idea of going to Brazenwood until the following morning; there was no way she would even consider going there with the sun setting.
After everyone went home and got ready they met back up at the Dal. Tamsin still didn't love the idea of birthday drinks; she hated doing anything on her birthday other than getting tanked, preferably alone. But that was before she had real friends, before she had family. Plus Bo was pretty excited for them to go there as a couple again. They hadn't labelled their relationship, Tamsin was pretty sure of that, but maybe Bo had. Tamsin was overthinking it as she drove herself and Bo to the Dal. Acacia was meeting them there, apparently she had to go and pick something up. Kenzi had got ready at Hales, so the chances of the gang seeing them until later would be pretty slim.
The girls walked into the Dal to find a relaxed atmosphere, chilled out music playing and not a party hat in sight. The only sign that there was something different going on in the Dal was the fact that Lauren, Trick, Dyson and Acacia were the only ones in there and the fact that three tables had been pushed together and there were boxes of Chinese Food dotted along them. Dyson walked over to the girls first, he handed Tamsin a small rectangular box which had a green ribbon around it, and then he pulled her into a hug.
"Happy birthday partner." He said.
"Thanks D…" She said, looking down at the box, "you really didn't have to…"
Tamsin looked at Bo.
"You didn't tell me there were going to be gifts." She said.
"That's usually what happens when a group of people who care about someone get together for that person's birthday." Bo said, nudging Tamsin slightly.
"Open it." Dyson said, motioning to the box.
Tamsin opened the box to find a set of keys. She knew straight away they were for a bike.
"Dude you got me a bike?" Tamsin asked.
"Well you only turn 3000 once right." Dyson said with a smile, "plus Acacia told me how much you used to love flying off in front of everyone so you could feel the wind in your face… well this way you can do it on solid ground…"
Tamsin pulled Dyson in for another hug.
"You really are the best dude, thank you." She said quietly before pulling away.
It was Lauren who walked over after Dyson and she handed Tamsin a bigger box. Almost the size of a dress box.
"Happy birthday." Lauren said with a little smile.
"Thank you Lauren…" Tamsin said, returning the smile almost cautiously, "this isn't going to blow up in my face or anything is it? I mean I heard about your interest in pipe bombs…"
Everyone laughed, Lauren included. It was such a Tamsin thing to do when she felt uncomfortable, come out with a snarky line.
"Thank you…" Tamsin said again.
"Are you going to open it?" Bo asked, knowing full well what was in the box because Lauren had called her to ask Tamsin's size.
Tamsin put the box on the table and took the top off. In it was a black leather biker jacket with red sleeves and red wings on the back.
"Wow…" Tamsin said.
"It's for the… it's for the bike." Lauren said.
"I love it, thank you." Tamsin said, smiling a little more warmly at Lauren.
The girls walked over to the bar, Trick was standing there. He lifted out two boxes from behind the bar.
"Happy birthday." He said.
Tamsin just nodded at him. She opened the boxes. One had a bottle of pixie dust laced vodka that was over 100 years old and was 75% alcohol; Tamsin smiled a little, and then opened the bigger box. In it was a bike helmet, black down the sides, red across the top with a blacked out visor and gold wings on the back.
"Thank you." Tamsin said, looking at Trick.
"You're welcome," he said, "I'll leave you to it."
He started to walk towards the end of the bar. Tamsin could feel all eyes on her. The next move was her call, hers to make. She closed her eyes and lowered her head a little.
"You don't have to leave Trick." She said.
"Are you sure?" he asked, turning back to face her.
Tamsin shrugged and looked at him.
"Yeah, we're going to need someone to serve the booze right," she said with a smile, "plus you know as soon as Kenzi gets here she's going straight for the top shelf."
Trick smiled at her and walked back behind the bar.
"Where is she anyway?" Dyson asked.
"She went to Hales to get ready." Tamsin said.
That had been explanation enough for Dyson who just nodded.
"Guess it's my turn." Acacia said.
Tamsin turned to face her.
"You got me a gift?" Tamsin asked.
"Well I didn't go out and buy you anything, so don't worry about that." Acacia said.
Tamsin smiled and walked over to where Acacia was sitting in front of a large chest. As Tamsin started to open the lid she recognised the chest, she ran her hands over the carved wings on the lid. The gold plating around the edge of the lid and the lock was as vibrant as she remembered. She looked at Acacia who just smiled softly at her.
"Happy birthday kid." Acacia said.
Tamsin opened the lid, swallowing hard when she saw what was inside. She took out the helmet and breast plate first, running her hand over the wings on the helmet and the breast plate.
"I… I kept a hold of that," Acacia said, "thought you might want it back."
Tamsin nodded a little, tears starting to build in her eyes.
"Don't go getting all soft on me now." Acacia said.
Tamsin looked at her and pulled her into a hug. As Tamsin backed away she felt a presence next to her, she knew it would be Bo.
"What is it?" Bo asked.
"This is my very first suit of armour…" Tamsin said, picking up the helmet, "I was 5… and when I got it I felt like I was pretty much invincible… The wings on the breast plate were mine; they let people know it was me… The wings on the helmet meant that I had been chosen for the special battle regiment… which was all I ever wanted…"
"You had a tiny head…" Bo said, looking at the perfectly crafted helmet that Tamsin held in her hands.
"I was 5," Tamsin said with a laugh, she looked at Acacia, "I can't believe you kept it…"
Acacia shrugged.
"It's some beautiful craftsmanship." Acacia said.
Tamsin nodded.
"It really is." She said.
x-x
Everyone was sitting around laughing and eating Chinese when Tamsin excused herself to go to the bathroom. She needed some space to let it all sink in. No one had ever put as much thought into gifts for her as these guys had; in fact it was a long time since anyone had even got her a gift. As she was standing in the bathroom thinking Bo walked in.
"You okay?" she asked, seeing Tamsin leaning up against the far wall.
The Valkyrie nodded.
"Yeah," she said, "just a little much to take in at once you know…"
Bo smiled a little and walked over to her.
"I didn't get a chance to give you my gift, before Kenzi came running in all mad-headed." Bo said.
"Bo, you didn't need to get me a gift…" Tamsin said.
"Well I did," Bo said, getting a small box out of her pocket, "happy birthday… my Valkyrie…"
Tamsin opened the box to find a necklace with pendant type thing on it. It was half a heart with half a pair of wings. She looked at Bo who pulled out the chain she was wearing, there on the end of it was the opposite side of the pendant that Tamsin had in her hand.
"The heart…" Bo said, taking Tamsin's hand and putting the two sides together, "represents me… The wings are you… and they fit together perfectly…Because you complete me Tamsin."
x-x
Bo was sitting on a chair to one side of the Dal, away from the gang, with Tamsin sitting on her lap facing her. The rest of the guys were still chatting away.
"So when are you going to tell her you're her mother?" Kenzi asked Acacia.
"That isn't the way it works with Valkyries, kid." Acacia replied.
"But you are, aren't you." Kenzi said.
"Yeah, I am," Acacia said, looking over to where Bo and Tamsin were, "and she's the best thing I've ever done in my life."
Kenzi smiled a little, the pixie dust laced vodka was loosening everyone's lips.
x-x
"You know earlier," Tamsin said, looking down into Bo's brown eyes, "you said you wanted to come here tonight as a couple…"
"Yeah…" Bo replied.
"Is that what we are?" Tamsin asked.
"It's what I want us to be." Bo said.
Tamsin nodded a little, placed her hands on the sides on Bo's face, and kissed her. Bo, who's hands were on Tamsin's waist, pulled the Valkyrie closer. The pendants around the girls' necks started to glow softly gold as the kiss deepened.
"Yo bitches!" Kenzi called over, "you're glowing!"
Both girls backed out of the kiss and looked down at the pendants.
"What the fuck?" Tamsin asked.
"Oh shit…" Acacia said.
