Author's Note: This is directly taken out of my life. My friend wanted a lava lamp for her birthday so I went on a journey to find one that lasted like ten hours. This is also me acknowledging that I didn't upload any crap for the twins' birthday. I didn't forget, I've just been insanely busy. The thing for Doxy just got uploaded after the fact because like this thing, I'd started it waaay beforehand o_e'

Who knows, maybe whenever I do get free time back later and finish those requests I still have to do, I'll belatedly feed them to giant squids or boil them in oil or something.

Armin isn't really hard to shop for. He's constantly in need of new games, new controllers, money or gift cards for MMORPGS, massive family-sized bags of chips so he had something to keep him going during his continuous all-nighters. Alexy on the other hand, is very hard to shop for. He likes clothes, yeah, but his stylistic choices are pretty specific and Kentin only knows enough about fashion to keep himself looking sharp.

Besides, Candy already told him that she was going to get him some new jeans. Kentin couldn't piggyback off of someone else's idea. He was in a difficult position. He scanned his brain and looked through all the fissures for something Alexy would want and he got zilch. His birthday was on June 7th, so that only gave him two days. It would be embarrassing to ask Alexy what he wanted this late in the game, and it was just frustrating that he should have to ask at all.

They'd been dating for three months and they'd been friends long before that. He should easily know what to get for him for his birthday, damn it. But he didn't and between the choices of losing a little pride by asking Alexy specifically what he wants, or taking a gamble and disastrously getting something he definitely wouldn't want, the answer was clear.

Kentin gave in and walked to his house. It might've been easier to just text him, but it was on the way to the bus stop anyway. The day was balmy, the sun shone in a cloudless sky and a warm zephyr gusted through the atmosphere. He closed his eyes to enjoy the way it brushed through his hair before he rang the doorbell.

It was the twins' mother who answered, her textured hair up in a ponytail and a bright smile leaping to her lips when she saw him. "Well hi there, Kentin."

"Hi." He found himself smiling back at her. She was a really nice lady, easy to feel comfortable around even though one would assume it'd be awkward.

"I'm sorry, but the boys aren't here. You can still come in if you want, have a glass of water."

Uh-oh...Wait, maybe this wasn't so bad. Asking Alexy what he wanted for his birthday was going to be embarrassing anyway. His mother lived with him, so she was bound to have some kind of idea, right?

"No thank you. But has Alexy mentioned what he might want for his birthday, by any chance?" A twinge of self-concsiousness leapfrogged through Kentin's middle.

"Hm? Oh, yes. A few things. One thing I didn't manage to find was a lava lamp."

"A lava lamp?"

She nodded. "He wants one for his nightstand."

"Oh." Mission A accomplished. "Any specific color?"

"He didn't mention one, but I'd think orange or yellow would suit his room best."

Kentin had been in said room more than enough times to know that this was probably correct and more important, correct in Alexy's eyes. He thanked her and left, advancing on to the bus stop. He leaned against the sign and absently tapped his fingers together as he wondered where he'd get a lava lamp. He was naturally going to go to the mall, but wasn't sure what store inside said mall he'd hit first.

"Hey look, it's Kentin."

At the note of a familiar voice peeping his name, Kentin glanced over to see Candy waving, her other hand intertwined with Rosalya's.

He waved back to them.

"So where are you going today?" Candy asked as they drew to a stop at the bench.

"The mall. How about you two?"

"We're going to the mall too," said Rosalya. "What a coincidence."

Kentin blinked. "Oh yeah? Do you think you could help me find a lava lamp then?"

"I think I saw one at Micro Games," said Candy.

"Oh good, I had to go there anyway." Kentin grinned.

The bus ride to the mall was filled with amiable conversation and quiet jokes about the other passengers and went by rather quickly. When they arrived at their destination, they parted waves with smiles. Just out of curiosity Kentin watched what direction they headed off in and then immediately looked away as they ducked into the lingerie shop. He mentally scolded himself as he felt a blush burn his face.

Nothing good ever came from spying on people. He shuffled off to the escalator, watching the people below get smaller as he was carried up to the second floor. He walked to Micro Games and traveled down every aisle, meticulously searching every shelf. He picked up some portable game that looked like it'd be up Armin's alley, with this thing on the cover that looked a hell of a lot like the Cloverfield monster.

He found the lava lamps located at the back, amongst the other miscellaneous merchandise. But there was a problem. The only colors available were purple, blue, and glittery silver. That just wouldn't cut it.

Kentin bought the game for Armin and left, determined to acquire a lava lamp elsewhere.

He tried the other stores in the mall but alas, there were none.

Breathing a low sigh, Kentin left and caught the bus again. He decided to venture into the Dollar Shop and see if he could find one there. Candy had told him before that whenever she went to the Dollar Shop, Louis would have exactly what she needed, conventional or not, so he supposed this was a pretty good bet. Kentin zipped right to the section with various decor.

He pawed through different posters and mirrors and desk lights and he found quite a lot. He found flameless candles, a light that looked like an inflated blowfish, a singing trout that could be put up on the wall, ceramic busts of dead artists and papers lanterns, but no lava lamp. Grumbling, he turned around and started to leave, only to find a gigantic toothbrush mere centimeters from being as tall as he was. It must've been for decoration because this could only fit an ogre's mouth.

His frustration reaching a crescendo, Kentin snatched the toothbrush and marched to the counter.

"How!?" he demanded. "How is it you have something as weird as this, but you don't even have a freaking lava lamp!?"

Louis frowned and scratched his bristly head. "I'm sorry, young man. I'm actually not in control of stocking this store. I just man the front."

Immediately Kentin felt sour and immature for yelling at him. "I'm sorry, that was rude..."

Louis waved his hand. "It was a valid question. But you said it was a lava lamp you're looking for?"

Kentin nodded.

"Try The Street Show a few blocks over. That shop has all kinds of things of that hippie nature."

"Oh. Um, thanks." Kentin gave him a warm smile and swerved back to return the toothbrush. He'd heard of The Street Show, but he'd never been inside. His mom bought incense there sometimes and Kim had mentioned a friend who worked there.

He trekked the three blocks it took to get there only to see a 'Closed' sign mock him in blocky white letters.

The urge to kick the door roared through his legs and had him clenching his teeth, but Kentin kept his cool and walked away.

His luck today could literally not be worse. It was time to throw in the towel. He would try again tomorrow and he'd ask Alexy if there was something he wanted besides a lava lamp.

Heavy with failure on his shoulders, Kentin started home. On his way he spotted what looked like a delivery truck, sidelined on the road. There was a woman in a uniform sitting on the back of the truck amid a cluster of boxes. When she saw Kentin, she motioned him over with swooping gestures.

"Excuse me! Do you have a cellphone?"

"Yeah," Kentin called back. "Do you need to call someone?" It looked like he wasn't the only one having dumpster luck today.

"Yes! I have a flat tire and these shipments are due in a half-hour!"

Sympathizing, Kentin walked over and gave her his phone. Her eyes glittered in gratitude as she made her call. Kentin just stood around idle until she'd requested a tow and took it back from her.

"Thank you," she said warmly.

"No problem."

"Could I interest you in a free lava lamp?" She gestured to the boxes around her. "I've been stuck here for two hours and three people have passed me up today. I'd like to repay your kindness."

"These are lava lamps," Kentin repeated, barely allowing himself to hope he'd heard her right.

"Uh-huh."

"Do you have an orange one!? Or a yellow one!?"

She seemed slightly taken aback by his excitement but nodded. "Sure. It says what color they are on the box so we can keep them separated. Let me just..." She turned and drew her finger along a line of boxes, peering at them. "Aha! Here's an orange one!" She picked it up and held it out to him.

Kentin was so ecstatic he kissed it.

წ

"Wow," Alexy exclaimed as he took his new lava lamp out of the gift bag. His blinked rapidly, cerise orbs like parasols bursting open. "I actually really wanted one of these!"

He turned to Kentin, awe and dazzling delight painting his features. "Thanks! How did you know?"

Kentin shrugged, smirking and playing it off like it was no big deal. "It just looked like something you would like."