Today is a very important day today!
Saturday, June 5th, 2021...
Is Marcus's birthday! *blows noise maker*
This is mostly in Drake's POV. Meaning Gamma is deceased as of this time.
I guess you cay say it takes place... During Shrieker Island on Wattpad. It's not a part of Shrieker Island itself, but... Go to my Wattpad profile and read Shrieker Island if you haven't already. It's pretty good!
This is a short story, and most of my short stories are a bit on the lazy side... But I think I did okay on this.
Drake is a Duskwing Dragon, and Marcus's new mate. I'm trying to update "Chasing Sleep," I really am. Small spoiler, Gamma dies. So Marcus's mate is Drake. Jut wanted to point that out.
It'll make more sense if you either read my OC book on Wattpad or Shrieker Island. The link is on my profile.
"Drake, he's not gonna go for this," Leonardo warned, shaking his head.
"Why not?" Drake asked. "He'll love it!"
"Well..." Raphael started off, "He...hates his birthday."
Drake froze in place, slowly turning to the turtles. "What do you mean he hates his birthday!?" The last Caspian Tiger on Earth, who could have anything he wanted for one time a year, hates his birthday?
"He's never cared about it, let alone ever wanting to celebrate it." Raphael said. "But why not?" I asked. "We don't know. He doesn't even wanna talk about it. Last time we tried, he ignored us and walked away." Leonardo answered.
"Hard to believe, I know, but here we are." Kijani said.
That was when Drake remembered. Marcus spent most of his life without friends, family, or siblings of any kind. The poor guy suffered from depression for most of his life, too, and what's worse, he didn't know what the feeling was. He's had suicidal thoughts, several losses of his appetite, yet very few actual attempts of suicide, and so on, and he had no one around to reassure him. He's had the loneliest childhood ever.
Drake felt a small sting of tears in his eyes as he remembered his mate's backstory. "What's the matter?" Kijani asked. "That is exactly why..." I muttered. Kijani was confused for a moment. Then he realized what day it was. "He told you his life story, didn't he?" Kijani asked.
"He did."
"But he has all of us for a family." Raphael asked. "I agree with you, but he tends to dwell on the past sometimes. He worries that he might lose them again." Drake mentioned. "Okay, I can relate to that." Leonardo said.
"We're not just gonna sit here and pretend it's like any other day. Today's his birthday, and we're gonna treat him as such. Do you know where he is?"
"He usually goes out hunting on his birthday. Probably to take his mind off it." Donatello answered. "Okay, I'm gonna go out to find him. You guys get things ready." I said, heading for the toll gates.
"Wait." Kijani said, stopping me in my tracks. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Yeah, he doesn't like being forced to do something he doesn't want to do." Michelangelo said.
"But sometimes he does what he doesn't want to do. I'll bring him here. Somehow."
Marcus's POV
Why did today have to be his birthday?
Marcus is in a dark alley, stalking a squirrel. He usually hunts on the morning of his birthday, and doesn't do anything special nor specific. He's not celebrating it, knowing damn well he's gonna celebrate it alone again one day. So why bother doing anything? It's not like birthdays are very important day in one's life.
It may be important for most people...
But it is NOT important to him.
Besides, it's not worth the embarrassment that comes with it. Marcus doesn't always like being the center of attention. Especially on his birthday.
That squirrel is right in front of him. He lowered myself so his muzzle was level with the ground, ears drawn back, eyes dilated, he wiggled my shoulders, unsheathed his claws, and got ready to pounce. Marcus jumped, ready for his first catch of the day.
At least, it would've been.
"Yo, Marcus!"
Drake's shout threw him off. Marcus landed on his stomach. He watched with an outstretched arm as I watched the squirrel get away. He let his arm drop down on the sidewalk. Standing up, he turned to face Drake. "Do you have a good reason why you interrupted my hunting?" Marcus asked him bluntly. "Oh, yeah, you know, I'm really sorry about that, I really am, but I couldn't help but notice that today was..."
Marcus instantly knew what he was talking about.
"My birthday. I know. So what?" He said rudely. "So what? Don't you wanna celebrate your birthday?"
"No." I said flatly. "And you're not gonna make me."
"Wanna bet?"
"Yeah."
"Fine. Try."
Drake gave me a look like I just stated the obvious. "Today's your birthday! I really think you should celebrate it!" Drake said. "And I really don't want to." I told him.
"You're going to." He said.
"Why?" I asked.
"Because you should." Drake said.
"So?" I said.
Drake groaned in frustration. "You know, birthdays are just rewards for not dying." Marcus told him. Drake opened his mouth and raised a finger to say something, but he closed his mouth and lowered her finger. "But don't look at it like that. You're turning 22 today. That's a long time. Come back to the apartment. Please." Drake slightly begged.
"Give me a good reason why I should go back to the lair." Marcus told him. "Well... If you come back to the lair, we have fun things to do! We have a karaoke machine, a cake made of your favorite food, your favorite movies-"
"You... wanna do all that for me?" Marcus asked him incredulously. "Of course. Today is my mate's special day, and we're gonna celebrate it somehow, whether you like it or not." He told Marcus. He gave him a sweet smile with flattened ears. "No one's ever done anything like that for me... mainly because all the friends I tried making ran away from me."
"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that. But it's just you, me, everyone else, and Kijani now." Marcus smirked at him with a tilted head. "Okay, I'll go back, BUT, if I don't like it, I'm coming back out here."
"Deal."
Drake's POV
It's getting him to stay that's gonna be hard.
Since they knew he didn't really like surprise parties, or overall surprises, the party won't be very big, but no less special.
"Can I interest you in a piece of salmon?" Kijani scared the crap out of them as they hopped over the toll gates. He had a chunk of salmon in his hand. The smell was intoxicating. In a good way. But before Drake could get to it, Marcus chowed the whole thing down.
The party really wasn't that big. There's a one-layer rectangular cake made of different kinds of fish sitting on the counter in the kitchen, a karaoke machine, because they know how much he loves to sing. And they have his favorite movies gathered up (none of them being horror films).
"So, you decided to show up. Shall we get started?" Kijani said as Donatello snuck to grab the cake from the counter with a sly grin. Marcus shook his head. "I suppose. You guys didn't do much for nothi- what in the name of mike is that?" Marcus cut himself off when he saw Donatello walk in with the fish cake I was talking about. "It took us a while to make it, and it stinks, but it's for you two-"
Cutting Donatello off, Marcus gave Donatello a grateful nuzzle, "Thank you." He set the cake down an gave him a hug. "Aw, you're welcome. Happy birthday, bud."
Marcus's POV
"Is there a reason why there are so many damn candles on the cake?" I asked. "Well, you're turning 22 today, right?" Raphael said. I gave him a blank look. "Hush up and blow them out, will you." Drake told me, holding back laughter. I inhaled, then stopped. They gave me a look. Then I sneezed, somehow blowing out all 22 candles. After pulling them out, they split it in half. "What? You guys don't like fish?" Drake asked.
"Not as much as you guys do. Not even him."
I was trying to be a gentleman, but I'm a sucker for fish. But the I stopped. "Uh, shouldn't we wait for everyone else to get here" I asked. "Oh yeah. Yeah, cake can wait, guys." Drake said. "So, you up for some karaoke?" He asked.
"You have a karaoke machine?!"
Marcus: Needless to say, I keep in check
She was a bad-bad, nevertheless
Callin' it quits now, baby, I'm a wreck
Crash at my place, baby, you're a wreck
Needless to say, I'm keeping in check
She was a bad-bad, nevertheless
Callin' it quits now, baby, I'm a wreck
Crash at my place, baby, you're a wreck
Thinkin' in a bad way, losin' your grip
Screamin' at my face, baby, don't trip
Someone took a big L, don't know how that felt
Lookin' at you sideways, party on tilt
Ooh-ooh, some things you just can't refuse
She wanna ride me like a cruise, and I'm not tryna lose
Then you're left in the dust, unless I stuck by ya
You're a sunflower, I think your love would be too much
Or you'll be left in the dust, unless I stuck by ya
You're the sunflower, you're the sunflower
Drake: Every time I'm leavin' on ya (Ooh)
You don't make it easy, no (No, no)
Wish I could be there for ya (Ooh)
Give me a reason to, oh (Oh)
Every time I'm walkin' out (Oh)
I can hear you tellin' me to turn around (Oh, oh)
Fightin' for my trust and you won't back down (No)
Even if we gotta risk it all right now, oh (Now)
I know you're scared of the unknown (Known)
You don't wanna be alone (Alone)
I know I always come and go (And go)
But it's out of my control
Then you're left in the dust, unless I stuck by ya
You're a sunflower, I think your love would be too much
Or you'll be left in the dust, unless I stuck by ya
You're the sunflower, you're the sunflower
The boys and Kijani were applauding. I was overly excited that that they had a karaoke machine. I didn't even know we HAD a karaoke machine. "We have a working karaoke machine, and you didn't even tell me?!" I asked them. "Well, a month ago, we found one in the-"
"Dumpster?! You can't throw away one of man's greatest inventions!" I cut Leonardo off. "We figured you'd say something like that." Kijani said. "I just wanna say thank y'all for coming here tonight. 'Preciate you." I said, like I was in a concert. "I think I'd like to sing one last song tonight. Drake. Circles, if you please."
Drake pushed a button.
Drake: We couldn't turn around
'Til we were upside down
I'll be the bad guy now
But no, I ain't too proud
I couldn't be there
Even when I tried
You don't believe it
We do this every time
Seasons change and our love went cold
Feed the flame 'cause we can't let it go
Run away, but we're running in circles
Run away, run away
I dare you to do something
I'm waiting on you again
So I don't take the blame
Run away, but we're running in circles
Run away, run away, run away
Marcus: Let go
I got a feeling that it's time to let go
I say so
I knew that this was doomed from the get-go
You thought that it was special, special
But it was just the sex though, the sex though
And I still hear the echoes (the echoes)
I got a feeling that it's time to let it go, let it go
Seasons change and our love went cold
Feed the flame 'cause we can't let it go
Run away, but we're running in circles
Run away, run away
I dare you to do something
I'm waiting on you again
So I don't take the blame
Run away, but we're running in circles
Run away, run away, run away
Drake: Maybe you don't understand what I'm going through
Marcus: It's only me, what you got to lose?
Drake: Make up your mind, tell me, ehat are you gonna do?
Marcus: It's only me, let it go
Both: Seasons change and our love went cold
Feed the flame 'cause we can't let it go
Run away, but we're running in circles
Run away, run away
I dare you to do something
I'm waiting on you again
So I don't take the blame
Run away, but we're running in circles
Run away, run away, run away
"Is this pate filling? Who's idea was it to put pate filling in this?" Marcus asked. "Ours?" Michelangelo said with a question mark. "You guys are GENIUSES!" Then he went back to eating, less like a savage. But he noticed Drake and the other tigers hasn't taken a lot of bites out of their halves. "Don't you like it?" Marcus asked them. "We do..."
"If it was because of the way I was eating, I'm sorry." Marcus said. Has tigers smiled and took some more bites from their pieces. "Do I detect catnip in here?" Drake asked. "No, there's a bit of silvervine, basil, we know how much you like garlic powder, and a bit of salt and black pepper." Donatello said. "Oh, and some shredded cheese."
By now, everyone was done with their pieces. "That tasted great!" Marcus said. Then he went to licking my lips. Drake was cleaning his plate off. Marcus began cleaning himself.
(I dunno, my cats clean themselves every time they're done eating, so...)
"Uh..."
"What? Cats clean themselves after they're done eating." Marcus said, getting back to washing his paw and wiping it on his face. "And whenever they have the chance to."
"Yeah, cats are one of the cleanest animals in the world. They can spend about five hours a day grooming themselves." Donatello said to Drake. "Oh... Interesting."
"I don't spend five hours grooming myself. Ain't got that kind of spare time." Marcus said, finished.
And to finish the day, Marcus begged to watch Jaws, since it was summer. "I can't believe you talked us into watching this." Raphael muttered. Marcus was half asleep by the time the movie started.
"I think the catnip's kicking in." Donatello whispered. Drake cuddled up next to him. Marcus purred, rolling over a bit. Drake put his wing on top of him.
"Happy Birthday, baby."
I STILL think this is a little on the lazy side... Leave a review and tell me what you think, I guess...