Disclaimer: I don't own Namco or Tales studios so please don't make the wrong assumption that I own anything.

Warning: Moses/Jay. Slash and spoilers.

Note: Readers are expected to already have known the story, or better yet, have played the game.

Chapter 1

'Why do I put up with this idiot?' Jay asked himself for the nth time as one stupid bandit continued his whining.

"Come on, Jay! Please? Let's play out in the forest, yah?"

"I know it's useless for me to repeat what I've said since your simple brain can't even seem to understand just one word but again, no!"

"Why not? It would be fun!"

"How would playing in the monster-filled-forest be fun? Wait, I shouldn't have asked. You're a savage after all."

"It would be good for you to come out in the sun once in a while, Jay. Yah've been cooped up in this room for too long that your quilt has more color than you do. 'Sides, it's your birthday ain't it?"

It just proves how much the two got closer that Moses seem to got used to the former ninja's insults and can now throw back some of his own without getting his blood spilled. Jay knows he should be alarmed with how much he came to tolerate the idiot's company, but to care enough to think about the bandit right now would be far too troublesome for his own peace of mind. Speaking of "peace", he could only have that if the other would, well -- "rest in peace" that is.

"As far as I'm concerned, I don't have one. And even if that day's today, I won't be inclined to celebrate it because it would only remind me of the day I get to live only to suffer the consequence of meeting you and pestering me about it."

Hearing this caused the bandit to show the most adorable expression on his face, which Jay would never admit to himself of seeing, when he pouted and replied,

"But the Oresoren bros said that today marks the same day when you came to the Legacy three years ago. That's as good as your birthday to me!"

"Moses…" A birthday? Seriously, Jay never got the chance to celebrate much while growing up. Being treated like a killing tool instead of a human being, or a child for that matter, does that to a person.

Before meeting up with the Oresoren, Jay would never have thought that a day would come when he would be able to celebrate his birth into this harsh world. Yes, back then he dreamed of celebrating his freedom from Solon's clutches, but he always thought that if that day comes, he will be celebrating alone. Now that day indeed came three years ago, and it has been that long since he met up with the Oresoren who took him under their care. It has been a year since he met Senel and the others, and a lot has happened since then.

After getting to be part of the Eren gang, it was only then that Jay realized how much of his humanity he's missing. It's true that the Oresoren treated him like family and cared for him and he learned to care for them as well, but contact with his own people are few and far in between. It was only when he met Senel and joined their group that he came to learn more about human relationships, something he never had the chance to be part of. His "relationship" with Solon can never be named as such since it's more of a forced co-existence between a master and his slave. Being able to learn what friendship is, and especially what family is, he came to long for it as well.

Now he has friends, and his friends say that they are all one big family. That part he has already realized and accepted, but dare he dream to have a family can he call his own?

Seeing the frown that appeared on his "little brother's" face, and the silence that followed, told Moses that the former ninja must be lost in his memories. This prompted him to ask in worry. "What's wrong, Jay?"

Feeling the other's concerned gaze, Jay was brought back from his thoughts enough to answer, "Nothing…"

Feeling that the former ninja would soon be closing up back to his own world again, Moses tried to bring him back to his own and out of the darkness that enclosed the other's memories.

"So there's no problem then? Yahoo!! Let's go Jay!!" Before he could vehemently protest, Jay found himself facing the bandit's back with his feet hanging down the bandit's front and his bum up in the air, being carried down the stairs like a sack in the bandit's left shoulder.

"Put me down, you stupid bandit!" Jay tried to wriggle and punch any part of the bandit's back he could reach.

"Oww! Stop that, brat! You're going with me to the forest and celebrate your birthday!"

Hearing the ruckus, the three Oresoren brothers looked up to see what was going on, and when they did, they looked at each other with a knowing smile on their faces.

Moses stopped in front of the trio to bid them good bye, but with Jay still punching and wriggling with protests, he couldn't put a decent word out to them. So Moses did the only thing he could think of to punish the wayward brat. He reached out his right hand and spanked the former ninja's bum with one good smack!

Jay could only bite his lip to prevent himself from uttering an undignified 'eep!', but it didn't stop his face from burning red in embarrassment and anger. 'Just you wait you stupid bandit! I'll kill you!' Jay consoled himself with thinking about ways of torturing the beast tamer, who was now assuring his Oresoren friends.

"We'll be on our way now then." Moses said to the brothers, while giving a jerk to prevent the surprisingly silent baggage from slipping off his back.

"Ors! Take care of him, Moses" the three quipped in unison.

"Sure will! Bye y'all!" and when he turn to walk outside the open door and find themselves staring at the murderous look on the former ninja's face, the three bid Jay

"Have fun!!" (Poppo)

"Take care!" (Quppo)

"Happy Birthday, Jay!!" (Pippo)

The death glare only intensified at that last remark before they saw the door slamming in front of Jay's red face. This could only cause comical a sweat drop appears on each of their foreheads, until the youngest brother broke the silence.

"I wonder if Jay knew that we're the one's that told Moses about this day." Pippo said.

"Should we be worried about that?" Poppo asked.

"Nah. He might never admit it even to himself, but besides us, Moses is the closest to a family that he ever has." Quppo answered, and the three nodded in agreement.

A/N: How was it? Should I continue?