That Bit Extra - Felix's Surprise Birthday Party

“Hm…” Nat tilts her head to one side and squints. “It looks a bit unlevel still. Try it more to the left.”

Mason growls and almost crushes the vividly bright paper party banner in his grasp. “If you say that one more time—”

“Just do it, Mason,” Ava calls from the other side of the room where she’s—a little unsuccessfully—trying to arrange party décor across the mantlepiece into something cheerful. “This is for Felix. He deserves to enjoy his day.”

Mason blows out his cheeks before slouching. “Fine.” He then shifts the banner a little to the left.

“No. You were correct. It was better where it was,” Nat announces.

Morgan shoots her a glare so hot it’s a surprise it doesn’t burn a hole right through the tall vampire.

Nat shrugs in innocence.

“How did you get Felix to stay out of the house today anyway?” Mason asks after fixing the banner in place, watching Nat tie some balloons and curl ribbon around them.

Ava stands back and swallows down a cringe at her failed décor attempt. “Tane took him out for a ride on his new motorcycle.”

Nat frowns. “Another one? Where does he keep them all?”

“You do realise that’s every parent’s worst nightmare?” Mason interrupts with a smirk as he climbs down from the ladder. Nat shoves a bunch of balloons into his hands and gestures at the ceiling. He climbs back up and doesn’t bother to bite back his annoyed groan.

“I am not Felix’s parent,” Ava states, though the words feel wrong as she says them. Felix is no child, but Ava certainly feels the same need to protect him from the world as a parent might.

It’s not that Felix can’t handle himself, and he has certainly been through his own share of loss and pain to be as experienced in it as the rest of them. It’s more that, even after all of that, Felix retains amazement at this world, his lust for life, and Ava won’t let that be tarnished or his heart to be bruised.

…Maybe Mason is right. Letting him out with Tane wasn’t such a good idea.

“Tane will have him here by four o’clock,” Nat says, angling one of the presents spread on the gift table a little to the left.

Mason leans against the steps of the ladder casually and gestures at the grandfather clock. “You mean right now then?”

“What?!” Nat blurts, swinging around and going wide-eyed when she notices the time.

The front door clicks open.

“I’m back!” Felix calls, his footsteps skipping across the wooden floor of the hallway towards the living room.

Nat goes into overdrive, speeding about the room trying to throw trash into bags and hide all the equipment they’d been using to decorate. She even manages to swipe the cigarette Mason was about to light from his fingers leaving nothing but thin air for Mason to puff on.

When Felix’s entrance is announced by the creak of the door, Nat almost falls over with how fast she halts.

“Surprise!” she yells. The garbage bag in her hand whirls across the room and slides with precision beneath the buffet table.

“Surprise…” Ava and Mason add in much quieter voices.

“Aah!” Felix yells, staring about the room, his hands slapped to his cheeks as his jaw falls open. “I was totally, not-even-a-little-bit expecting this! What a surprise! A major surprise!”

Nat sighs. “Who told you?”

Felix grins and walks into the room. “Maaka, just before I came in. I swear he was more excited than I was.”

Nat frowns and pinches at the bridge of her nose. “I’m sorry. It was supposed to be far more organized than this.”

“I don’t need organized, I need fun. And look at all this!” He gestures to the room which is about as bright as a frosted cupcake. Just Felix’s style. “It’s perfect.”

“Well, happy birthday, Felix,” Nat says, squeezing him close before sweeping him towards the gift table.

Felix’s eyes widen and when he claps his hands together this time it’s with true excitement. “Now all of this I really wasn’t expecting!”

Mason and Ava walk closer as Felix grasps for a wrapped box and begins tearing off the ribbon.

“Was it worth the effort?” Ava asks Mason as Felix tries on the gold-ribbon bracelet from Nae, his eyes glimmering with as much sparkle as the precious metal.

Mason shrugs but can’t help but smile. “I suppose.”

Nat listens in on their conversation as happiness blooms with warmth through her. If not for Felix, the group of them would never stop to make memories like this. The young vampire has changed their family more than any of them might admit.

And all of it for the better.