Story bits

"Wjoa. What's all this for?" James asked, looking at the party decorations. "Tomorrow is Lance's birthday. And since nothing important ever happens today, we figured we'd use it to set up." Nadia answers. "Oh. Are you sure there's-" "Here." Veronica said interuppting him by shoving a box of decorations in his arms. "Help set up. Take those to Hunk and Pidge, then come back for more." James stared at her, as if waiting for something.
"Now, Griffin. Chop chop." James blinked, then nodded, heading off.

He spent the next SIX HOURS helping set up for the party, before collapsing on the couch in the breakroom, exhausted. "Hey there's the birthday boy!" A voice said, and he picked his head up, looking around. He saw Shiro hugging Lance, who was stepping onto the ship. "Hey, so Keith wanted me to tell you, he has some really important Blade work, and he can't come." "Oh darn. Well at leats the rest of you are here!" Lance exclaimed as the other paladins filed out of the ship.
He sighed and laid back down, letting his eyes flutter closed.

"Hey James, when's your birthday?" Nadia asked, sipping her drink. "Yesterday." James says, loud and clear. Her face falls. "Oh. Well why didn't you say something?"
"I did. You guys just didn't listen." "Wait, so every year that we've been preparing for Lance's birthday, we've been doing it on your birthday?" Veronica asked. "Yep." James said, popping his lips. "James, we're so sorry. We'll make it up to you, we promise." Ryan said. "Guys, it's really not a big deal. I- I'm used to it."
"Yeah, see? It's fine. And who's this we you speak of? Cause I ain't doing anything for him." Lance slurred. "Griffin's a self centered asshole, who only cares bout m'self, an could die in a hole for all I care." "Lance!" Veronica hissed. "No, please, continue. I love hearing about how people hate me. It's a birthday tradition. I sit there while everyone I know says things they don't like about me and ignore the fact that it's my birthday. It's my favorite part." James said sarcastically.
"Really?" Shiro asked, with a concerning amount of enthusiasm. "No. Look, I could care less about a party, or cake, or presents, or all that. All I really wanted was for someone to wish me happy birthday on my birthday. And that didn't happen, again. I can wait til next year."
"Bitch, we're gonna forget if you don't remind us." Ina said.
"You can remember your first days of school, all the paladins and half of the bridge's birthdays but you can't remember mine?" James asked, crossing his arms. "You can start planning Lance's birthday MONTHS in advance, but completely forget about mine? It's been the same thing every year for the past several years." James stated.
"Come on James, can't this wait until tomorrow?" Pidge asked.
"No. I want an answer. Why is it so easy for you all to remember everything but things that concern me? You leave me out of mission plans, you've left me on hostile planets and ships, you never ask my opinion or how I'm doing you do all sorts of fun things without me, and on my birthday, you make me help you set up someone else's. Why?"

The others shared a look. "It's because no one here gives any shits about you. Yous just another pilot completely and totally replacable." Hunk blurted. "No talent, nothing memoable, nothin. Wes donut forgets, wes jus dont care."
"Yeah." Nadia agreed. "Is like I's said, nuffin important happens the 27th."
"Is that how you all feel?" James asked, looking around the table. He was met with an uneasy silence. "Well then. I'm going. Have fun." He said, standing. "No, don't go." Ina slurred, reaching for him. "No." he said, before letting out a shaky laugh. "I'm going. I know where I'm not wanted."

James left them, going up to the observatory. There, he cried his heart out. Ok, so maybe he did care a little about the party and presents and stuff. All he really wanted was to be remembered. To be cared for. To be part of a happy family.
The red hot tears streamed down his cheeks as he sobbed, letting years of pent up emotions come spilling out.

And unlike everyone he knew, he didn't have a shoulder to cry on, or someone to say it was all gonna be ok. No soothing voice, no comforting hugs.

"Jamie? What's wrong?" A voice asked. He glanced up and saw Ezor and Zethrid standing in the doorway. He sniffled and wiped his eyes, offering them a weak smile. "Hey." He croaked. "What's wrong?" Zethrid asked, sitting next to him.
"Nothing." He said, looking away and wiping his eyes.
"Come on, you can tell us." Ezor assured, sitting on his other side.

Her blue and green eyes were filled with concern, and it broke him. He started crying again. "Yesterday, yesterday was my birthday." he croaked out. "And everyone forgot again. But Lance- they remember Lance's birthday. I had to- I had to help them set up for it all of yesterday. I spent my whole birthday getting ready for someone else's. No one- no one ever said happy birthday. And it- it happens every year, over and over again. Everyone always forget. My team, the paladins, my family, Keith. Everyone always forgets. But apparently, it- it's not that they forget." James let out a shaky laugh. "It's that they don't care. About me, at all. I mean, I- I should be used to this. My mom probably didn't care about my birthday or me, cause why else would she have left just a few hours after I was born? My dad, he- he's been MIA for 18 years. Got deployed day after my birthday. My grandmother didn't care. Neither did my uncle or my cousins. Why- why would my team be any different?"

"Poor Jamie." Ezor said. "Aw come on lil Griffin, don't let that get you down." Zethrid told him.
"He used to call me that. My dad. He used to call me his lil Griffin." James let out a broken sob. "I miss him. I haven't seen him in so long. Not since my fifth birthday. And yesterday-" his voice cracks. "-yesterday was my birthday and nobody cared." he whispers.
He starts sobbing again, burying his face in his hands as his whole body shakes. He feels a strong arm wrap itself around him, and he lets Zethrid hug him. "And they- they said they didn't care about me at all, and that I- I could die and they- they wouldn't care." He stuttered. "Aw Jamie, they were just drunk. They do care, really, they do." Ezor assured, rubbing his back. "N-no they don't." "Yes, they do. I know they do. And we do too."
"Really?" James asked, voice just over a whisper as he looked at her.

Pain filled his purple eyes, and tears ran down his cheeks. "Yes, really." James nodded numbly, wiping at his face and laughing shakily. "Sorry. Gah- you guys were probably gonna have a date or something, and here I am dumping all my problems on you." "It's okay. Everyone needs to cry sometimes." Ezor said softly. "Hey, what'd you do the last time you celebrated your birthday?" Zethrid asked.
Ezro gave her a "wtf" look, and she returned a "just trust me" look.
"Um I was four. Me, my dad, um- Keith and his dad were there too. We- we all went to this pizza place with an arcade and- and go karts." James laughed. "We spent the whole day there. Since we- we were too short to drive the karts, our dad did it, and we rode shotgun. We played all the games, and Keith- he had the stupidest smile on his face when he won this, this stuffed hippo. Took him a million tires and half our tokens, but he got it. Then we- we pigged out on pizza, and his dad took us- he took us to this cliff our in the dessert, and it- it was beautiful." Happy tears streamed down James's cheeks as he smiled softly. "You could see every star in the night sky from there, and Keith's dad taught us where all the constellations were, and my dad taught us how to navigate by the stars. Then we- we made up our own constellations. And I- I remember my dad saying "Someday, you're gonna be up there lil Griffin. You're gonna be flying in the stars." James croaked. "He left the next day. I never heard from or saw him again."

He cried freely, wedged between Ezor and Zethrid, leaning on the latter's shoulder. After a while, his breathing evened out. "Damn. He cried himself to sleep." Zethrid muttered. "Come on. We better get him to bed." Ezor said, brushing some hair out of his face. Zethrid scooped him up in her arms, cradling him against his chest.
He looked like a small child in his mother's arms with the size difference. "Poor Jamie." Ezor cooed. "He didn't get to celebrate his birthday again." "But next year, he will." Zethrid declared.

"Hey James." Nadia greets. "Rizavi." he says, voice hoarse. "Did you have fun yesterday?" She asks. "Oh yeah. Tons." He says through gritted teeth. "Great. How was the party?" She asked. "Great. I loved setting up for it /all day/ the 27th." Nadia laughed. "Yeah, well, what are you gonna do? It's Lance, he deserves the best." "I'm sure he does." James grimaced.
"I mean, with everything we've been through together, he's like family." "Mhhm." James said, smiling strainedly. "Are you okay? You seem tense." Nadia said.

James's eyes were rimmed red, and there were little bags under them, and his normally perfect hair was a mess. "Peachy." And his voice was hoarse. "You sure? You don't sound too good." "Yeah. This is just what I normally sound like after crying myself to sleep." She shrugged and started to walk off. "Wait." She said stopping and turning to look at him. "Crying?"
"Do you know what the 27th is?" James asked. "Yeah. The day we set up for Lance's birthday." Nadia answered. "You know what else is on that day?" James asked. "Um, no. What?" "It's my birthday."
"Oh. Well happy birthday." Nadia said. "Thanks." James gritted out, grip on his tablet tightening. "That means a lot." "No problem. Is there anything you wanted to do?" She asks.
"Well, I was kind of hoping to actually do something ON my birthday and not have to remind everyone about it, but that didn't happen. But oh well, there's always next year." His voice was sickeningly sweet.
"James, I'm sorry we forgot. I promise, we'll remember next year."
James let out a shaky laugh. "No, you won't. You didn't this year, or last year, of the year before that, or any other year you've known me. But for Lance, and Hunk, and Shiro, and FUCKING SLAV, you can remember. But not mine." James let out another shaky laugh. "But it's fine, it's fine."
"James, I really am sorry." Nadia said.
"Don't apologize. It-it's fine. I'm used to it."

(almost)one year later

"James, wake up." Someone cooed. James picked his head up lazily, eyes opening a crack. "Hmm?" "Hey Jamie." Ezor said. "Ezor? Zethrid? Whadda you doing here?" He mumbled, sitting up a bit, propping himself up on his elbow and rubbing his eyes. "Get up, get dressed, in civvies not your uniform, and come to the hangar, okay?" Zethrid said. He nodded. "M'kay." They left and he sighed, sitting up, careful not to hit his head on the ceiling.
He looked around, surprised to not see his team. Normally he was the first one up.

He hopped out of bed, popping his back and stretching. After a quick shower, he threw on some skinny black jeans, a dark blue v-neck, and a black hoodie. With a yawn, he left the room, heading towards the hangar. He passed some people in the halls, and they gave him a nod before going back to their work.
Why'd he even have to get up? Was there a mission he'd forgotten about? An errand? He got to the hangar doors and the slid open. But they lights were off. Weird.
All of a sudden, the lights turned on, and a group of people yelled "SURPRISE!" James jumped a bit, eyes ballooning.
Ezor, Zethrid, Axca, Romelle, and were all in the hangar, smiles on their faces. Ezor laughed at his expression. "Come on Jamie, don't tell me you forgot." She said, walking towards him. James gave her a blank stare, and she laughed again. "It's your birthday James." James blinked a few times, Ezor's words sinking in. "Oh. OH! It is! Holy shit, today is my birthday! And you guys remembered!" "Of course we did. Our favorite MFE deserves a birthday of the ages, doesn't he?" Romelle said.
Ezor pulled James into a tight embrace, which he returned. "You're 23! Isn't this exciting?" Romelle chirped. "Another year survied in space. Aint it great?" Zethrid said, clapping him on the back.
"Now come on." Axca said. "We have the whole day planned out, and need to get going if we're gonna get it all done."

First, they got in a pod and Mr. Holt opened a wormhole, which took them to Earth. Next, they went to a diner, where they ate chocolate chip waffles and strawberries. "My god. James, why didn't you tell us about these Earth foods before? They're delicious." Romelle says. He grinned. "I know right? Now add syrup." He poured some on her waffles, then more on his. She took a bite, and her eyes lit up with joy. "We're going to come to Earth more often. This food is delicious." Axca says.

Axca drove, and they sung along to some earth songs, laughing whenever someone messed up. They drove to a large building, almost the size of the hangar back on the base. "What's this?" James asked, peeking out the car windows. "It's a surprise." Ezor sang. "You'll love it, trust me."
They got out of the car and Romelle and Ezor dragged James inside, but not before blindfolding him. They giggled as they led him further into the building, and he heard laughter and little noises all around him. "Where are we?" James asked. "You'll see." Romelle sang. "Guys, over here!" Someone yelled.

"Keith?" James asked, raising an eyebrow. The girls whipped the blindfold off his face, and he was greeted with Keith's smile. "Happy birthday James!" He exclaimed, hugging him. "Keith! You're here!" James said as Keith pulled back. "Of course! I hated having to miss your birthday last year, I certainly wasn't going to do it again." "Is this-" James asked, looking around. Keith beamed. "Yep! The place we went to for your last birthday party! And~" Keith sang, pulling James towards a go kart track. "I have a surprise for you."

A black car came around the track, and the driver skidded to a stop in front of them. They pulled off their helmet, and James's jaw dropped.

The man smiled. "Hey lil Griffin. Miss me?" His father asked, arms wide like his smile. "Dad?" James whispered, tears welling in his eyes. "I'm back. How about a hug?" "Dad!" James exclaimed, running at him. He threw himself into his father's arms, and he spun him around in a hug, holding him tight against his chest once he set him dwon. "My son." "I missed you." James muttered, nuzzling into his neck.

Even when he was all grown up, his father was still taller than him. They pulled apart and his father cupped his face. "Look how big you've gotten! Last time I saw you, your head was barely at my waist. And now look at you! I don't have to bend down to hug you anymore! And you've gotten stronger! Look at that muscle! What happened to my tiny baby boy?" His dad asked.
"I grew up. And I'm a pilot now. I- I've been to space, and you were right, the stars are so much more beautiful up close." James said.
"I know. I've heard all about what you've done. And I'm so proud of you. God, my little boy's all grown up." His dad said, pulling him into another hug.
James turned his head towards Keith. "Thank you." He whispered, happy tears in his eyes. "Come on Keith. You should be a part of this hug too." James's dad said, extending a hand to Keith, who smiled and took it, wrapping his arms around James from behind. "And you ladies too. You've helped keep these two alive, and for that I'm eternally grateful." Ezor, Zethrid, Romelle and Axca joined the hug, and James was squished in the middle.
But he was perfectly fine with it. He was surrounded by those he cared about, who had gone out of their way to plan this special day for him.

"Now come on." Axca said, an excited gleam in her eyes when they pulled apart. "I want to test out these go karts."

For the next several hours, they ran around the building, racing go karts and winning tickets at the games. Then they went to the buffet, where the Earthling watched in a mix of shock and fascination as their alien friends tried the new foods.

After, they drove back to the ship, James riding with Keith on his hoverbike and James's dad going with the girls. Once back on the ATLAS, they were swarmed by the others. "Where have you been? Do you have any idea how late it is? We've been worried sick. Where were you? Who is this guy? Why do I smell syrup? Did you guys go to Earth? Keith! You're here! Why?" Their friends bombarded them with questions. "Everyone, please, calm down." Krolia said, stepping in front of the group.
She extended a hand to James's dad. "I'm Krolia, Keith's mother." James's dad shook her hand with a smile. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Chris, James's father. Tex spoke highly of you."
"Hold up, this is your dad?" Ryan asked in disbelief, looking back and forth between the Griffin men. "Yeah." James answered. "As for wherewe've been, we were on Earth. The syrup you smell is probably because we spilled some when we went to get breakfast, and we're all fine." "And I'm here because James." Keith said, putting an arm around his shoulders.

"But why were you on Earth?" Nadia asked. "Why, it's James's birthday! We had to celebrate." Zethrid said. The others' eyes widened. "Shit. That was today, wasn't it?" Nadia muttered. "But don't you worry. We took care of it. Now, if you'll excuse us, we still have a few more things to do." Ezor said, smiling at them as she led the others away. "We're having a movie night. Go get some pjs, pillows and blankets so we can make a fort." Axca ordered. "Veronica already got us the room and movies."

Keith and JAmes scrambled to obey, almost tripping over each other in their rush. When they returned, all were in pajamas. James's dad, Chris, was deep in conversation with Krolia and Iverson, while Zethrid and Ezor lounged on the couch. Together, James, Keith, Axca and some of the McClain children made a pillow fort, squishing into it and shushing the others excitedly as the movie started. One sat in each boy's lap, and Axca moved to the outside to sit with Veronica.