Work Text:
BIRTHDAY BLUES
I must admit that I'm severely disappointed. No. No, I think that's an understatement. Perhaps 'insulted' would be a better choice of words.
I can't believe this! Here it is, my 30th birthday, and I haven't received so much as a mumbled 'happy birthday' from anyone!
It's not like I'm some stereotypical spoiled little rich girl who insists on champagne and roses. I don't expect the men in my life to remember every detail about me, right down to the shoes I was wearing when we first met - which, by the way, were some very sexy black five-inch stiletto heels that had straps that laced up to my knees. But come on! Judson, Gabe, and I work together, play together, eat together, and live together - all quite platonic, I assure you. You would think being that close to someone, things like remembering birthdays would be almost automatic, even for your typical, everyday, average, ordinary male. But Judson and Gabe are far from ordinary, aren't they?
Judson is easily the best in his field. He knows practically everything about civilizations past and present. He can read people like a book and instinctively knows exactly what to say, and what to not say, to get them to cooperate with him. He has an incredible passion for exploration and his ability to find lost treasures is absolutely uncanny! He is very open to new ideas and is probably the most honest man I've ever known, but at the same time, he's surrounded by an aura of mystery. I've dedicated quite a bit of time to unraveling the enigma that is Judson Cross. I haven't succeeded yet, but I'm still working on it.
Then there's Gabe. He's barely 25 years old and it wouldn't require any stretch of the imagination to call him a genius. He's our resident go-to guy for all things technological - both mechanical and computer related. He's fluent in several languages and knows enough to get by in a few others. He's a problem solver and loves a challenge. I've seen him completely exhaust himself, both physically and mentally, when he'd been working on something that others had deemed impossible. He thinks so far outside of the box on so many occasions, I often wonder if he even knows that the box is there. It takes a lot to impress me, but I have to admit that Gabriel Patterson has done just that.
Maybe that's where the problem lies. Maybe both of them have so much...stuff...cluttering their brains that there isn't room for trivial things like remembering my birthday. Or, maybe they just don't care.
I had actually been dreading this day for a few weeks because I was sure the guys would do something to embarrass me. Something that involved pointy hats and noisemakers. After some time, I finally convinced myself that it wouldn't be that bad. I could play along, plaster a fake smile on my face, and tolerate almost anything for a few hours. After all, revenge *is* sweet.
By the time this morning rolled around, I'd decided that the expected surprise party could actually be fun. I got up at my usual time, dressed in a nice skirt and top, and headed off to the kitchen with a smile on my face. I was actually beginning to look forward to whatever my two best friends had in store for me.
I had made it as far as the living area when I ran into Judson.
"Mac! You're up!" I think I had caught him off guard. He whirled around to face me, but he seemed to be attempting to hide something on the desk. "Oh good! It's your turn to make breakfast. How about some French toast?"
"..."
Yeah, that's right. I, Mackenzie Previn, was speechless. Here it was, my birthday, and *I* was going to have to cook breakfast! I was full of self-righteous indignation and ready to give that oaf a piece of my mind when it dawned on me that his breakfast request might have been a diversion. He was still trying to hide something on the desk from my view. A birthday present, perhaps?
My anger instantly vanished and a smug smile crossed my face. "Okay, Judson. Three orders of French toast, coming right up!" With a spring in my step, I continued my journey to the kitchen.
Less than ten minutes later, I heard a commotion in the other room. I raced in, ready to do battle, but pulled back when I saw that only Gabe and Judson were in the room.
"What's going on out here?" I asked somewhat nervously as I stood there watching Gabe pin Judson with a glare that would surely have killed a lesser man.
Gabe held his laptop out towards me. Or perhaps I should say the shattered remains of his laptop. "Did you know about this?" The heated question was directed towards me, but Gabe's steely blue eyes never once drifted away from a very remorse looking Judson.
"Is that what you were trying to hide when I walked through?" I asked somewhat bewildered but for reasons not at all related to the broken bits of computer in Gabe's hands.
When Gabe's gaze darkened further, Judson finally decided to come clean. "I thought I could fix it before anyone found out it was broken. I'm sorry." At least he had the decency to look duly chastised.
Gabe heaved a long-suffering sigh then seemed to remember he was addressing his boss. In a much calmer voice, he asked, "Why were you messing with it in the first place?"
Judson fidgeted around for a bit before finally answering in a meek tone. "Playing solitaire." Seeing that Gabe was about to explode, or at the very least have a stroke, Judson quickly switched to a diversionary tactic. "Breakfast!" he blurted. "Mac is making French toast, your favorite." He placed an arm across Gabe's shoulders and ushered him towards the kitchen.
Breakfast was eaten in relative silence, which offered me a chance to think. Okay, so Judson hadn't been hiding a secret birthday gift, but that didn't necessarily mean that they'd forgotten. The day was still young.