Happy Birthday!

[shimmerandsing]

The preparations had begun days before. Alison had sent letter after letter and made dozens of phone calls. Half of the calls had gone to her stubborn step-son. Shatterstar was hard to corral. The other half had gone out to other family and friends. Anyone Alison could think to invite, she had contacted. Her invitations were only part of the deal. She had enlisted her mother-in-law to invite the women from the clan. Whoever Longshot was close to. And given her husband's ability to make friends wherever he went, that list would be long.

After the guests were settled, she focused on food. The cake had been a big deal to her... it had to feed dozens of people, and it had to be appealing to her husband. It had taken ages to find a baker who could produce what she wanted. In the end, it had been worth it and she couldn't wait to show it off. For lunch, she had enlisted the help of Longshot's two favorite cooks: Momoko and Maria. The day of the party, the kitchen and dining room were piled high with the best food Italy and Japan had to offer.

The living room was the designated present area. A table had been set up along a mostly unused wall and had begun filling up with brightly wrapped packages of all sizes early that morning. Lisa and Gloria Jean had been assigned inside decoration duty and had roped Rogue into helping. She could fly and get to the high places, they reasoned. Dakota and the boys had pulled outside duty. There were balloons and streamers all over the place. The more the better, as far as Alison was concerned.

John had been stuck with the hardest job of the morning. He had been assigned the task of getting up dreadfully early and taking Longshot out of the castle long enough for them to prepare the party. Since he had been spending so much time at work catching up after his vacation, he used the excuse that he wanted to spend time with his son on his birthday before he had to go to work. And the best early rising activity he could think of was fishing. At a lake. Far away from the castle. He might be tired by the time they returned, but he knew Longshot would perk right back up when he saw the party dedicated to him.

It was early in the day, still, when the party was all set up and they just had to wait for the guest of honor. Alison had showered and changed. The babies were fed, clean, and dressed in new little outfits their Mommy had picked out especially for the occasion. They had picked up on the excitement around them and were giggling and babbling happily to anyone who would listen. Lisa and Glora Jean each had a baby in their lap and were laughing and making faces right back.

Alison shifted impatiently in her seat and tried to will her husband to appear.

Comments

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Longshot whistled as he disappeared into the bedroom. He looked at Rogue's present and decided to go ahead and give it a shot. So, still whistling, he disappeared into the closet.

Now, to take everything off and put these chaps on...

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

When Alison entered the room she heard whistling. It made her pause for a minute and smile. Well, at least she knew he'd enjoyed his party. He certainly sounded happy. She closed the door behind her.

While he was doing whatever it was he was doing in the closet, Alison went to her bedside table and opened the drawer. Another small package was inside. It was a copy of their favorite French singer's newest album. She sat cross-legged on the bed and waited for him to appear.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

He heard the door close so he figured Alison must be up. Then he emerged from the closet! In nothing but his new chaps and a grin.

"Like Rogue's gift?" he asked as he swaggered over.

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

Well, hello. Alison sat up straighter and grinned wide at the sight of her hubby in a brand new pair of chaps. And nothing else.

"Wow..." Very nice! "Turn in a circle, cutie. I gotta see how they fit all over."

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Longshot held his arms out and slowly turned a circle so Alison could inspect his butt. Or whatever she was looking for. He thought his penis was actually more cinematically enticing, but his wife had her own ideas.

"Well?" He asked when turned back to face her.

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"Hubba hubba!" Alison grinned and nodded. "Are you sure this wasn't a gift for me? I think I may be enjoying it much more than you are..."

Oh, Rogue was getting as many baked things as she could stand just as soon as Alison left her bedroom again. Best. Gift. Ever.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Longshot raised an eyebrow and scratched his chin. "I thought I was your hubby."

He shook his hips a bit. Yep. He really wasn't wearing anything supportive. His bits were wiggling! "I'm liking the reaction I'm getting from you..."

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"You are. My hubba hubba hubby. Hot and sexy in leather. Mmm..."

Alison was enjoying the wiggling. He was being silly and playful, but he was naked doing it. Silly could change to sexy at any moment.

"Rogue wins for best present of the day, I think. She's got me beat."

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

"Well, she got me the best present I can share with you. I think you gave me the best present I can share with our kids." He grinned. Longshot moseyed closer. "That sound about right to you?"

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"Mmm... that sounds fair." Alison grinned as she set the package in her hand aside. When he was close enough, she settled her hands on his hips and flexed them against the leather. So nice.

"Looks and feels good. She's got good taste..."

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

"Good." To either it sounding good or Rogue having acceptable taste. Though he noticed the package she set aside. He looked at her curiously.

"What's that?"

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"Huh?" Intelligent thought? When he was standing naked before her?

What was the question? Oh!

"Your other present. You can open it if you want." It kind of went with the theme.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

"Other present?" He picked it up. It was thin like a CD case. Maybe a demo of her new album? Hmm. Maybe. He ripped it open...

... and tilted his head in confusion. Why was she giving him this French singer's CD?

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

Alison was as puzzled as he looked. That was not the reaction she usually got to giving him sexy things. Huh. Maybe her husband's music taste had changed without her noticing.

"What's wrong, sweetheart? You don't already have that one, do you?"

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

"No, I don't have this one." He scratched his head. Well, if she was giving him this as a gift, she probably didn't think badly of the music. But how could she forget that horrible date? He knew it went well at first, but then he ruined everything on the beach.

"You... I mean, I didn't scare you away from this?"

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"Scare me away? No." She shook her head, puzzled. Until she thought of what he must be talking about. That date had ended pretty badly, but for the most part, she remembered it fondly.

She got up on her knees on the bed and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him lightly. "Just because we both messed up at the end doesn't mean that everything about that date was bad. I still love the music. And France. And the wine. Even the beach."

"And especially you."

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

"Oh... well, I still love you. I just... tried not to think about anything else that went with the date. I haven't listened to her music since then." He looked ashamed. Alison hadn't made a big deal about it. And he overreacted. He had always made sure to skip over this singer's songs in his iPod.

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"I know you love me." She smiled gently. Then she kissed him again.

"You don't have to listen to her, if you don't want to. That's absolutely your choice. But, if you still like the music, don't let those circumstances change it. I don't ever want to be part of taking something beautiful from you."

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

"I just thought I ruined everything. I didn't want to be reminded of it." He looked at the CD. He remembered how nice her voice was. This music was always good for making love to Alison. Mostly because it was hard to go fast to half the songs. Maybe he should get back to listening to help his resolution of never starting out fast again.

"I could give her a listen again..."

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"If you want to." She nodded. "We can listen to it now. Or we don't have to. You could listen to it by yourself later, if that's better. And, you don't have to keep it if you decide you don't like it. I'll hang onto it or take it back."

She hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek. She felt bad that she'd gotten him something that made him sad on his birthday. But, hopefully it wouldn't ruin the whole night.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

He chewed on his lower lip for a moment. "Let's listen to it together. If there's a problem... I can distract you with my chaps."

He wiggled against her. Alison would be the best person to get him at ease. One way or another. He kissed her neck.

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

"Yes," she said, looking down as his pants (and lack thereof). "Yes, you can. Quite easily, in fact."

"What were we talking about?" She teased.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

Longshot put his hands on either side of Alison's face and peered into her eyes. He made inquisitive humming noises. "I don't... see any brain damage..."

He grinned and winked. Then he hugged her tight. "How about you put this in the CD player? Then I can bounce on the bed..."

[light-in-sound.livejournal.com]

She stuck her tongue out at him when he pronounced her un-brain damaged. Then she grinned and hugged him back. He was so cute. And still smiling, so there was hope for the rest of his birthday.

"Okay, cutie. I want lots of bouncing, though." She grinned and snagged the CD as she hopped up form the bed to head to the CD player.

[sonofarize.livejournal.com]

"Will do!" Once she was off the bed, he flopped on. He landed on his back and wiggled himself onto the middle. Then he used his hips and the springy quality still left in their bed to get some bouncing going on.

He was also slightly amused watching himself.