(no subject)

[basic_powers]

Two weeks of summer gone by, and Tyler felt justified in the fact that with the Bar's help, he'd been plowing through the Japanese language homework at a great pace, without anyone suspecting a thing yet. He'd just have to talk to his parents about staying over at Cecil's house over the night and...

-worzch-

Tyler stopped writing down his journal entry about today's activites and quickly put the notebook into his backpack at the sound of the teleporter outside of his room. Just in time as his mother peered inside to smile at him.

"Tyler! Come on, we'll be having dinner together at the headquarters tonight...We've got something important to talk about..."

"Cecil asked me to come over to his hou-" Tyler started to responed to and stopped as the rest of the words registered. "What're we going to talk about?"

"Well...you know your birthday is coming up soon...it'll be your 10th and Toby's first birthday!"

What.

"We were thinking of having it at the headquarters and I know you're so enamored with all of the friends you've made here. Your father and I were thinking that it'd be perfect to host it....."

His heart sank into his sneakers.

"...what about Toby? It's going to be his first birthday....shouldn't he just...have it with you and dad instead of a bunch of strangers?"

"Well they're not really strangers...he's met most of them already... besides that, what do you think your little brother would want for his birthday..."

"...shouldn't you ask him that?"

"Well, that wouldn't be a very good surprise now would it? Besides, it's been a long time since we've done anything together as a family..."

".....sure, Mom. I'll help."

"That's the spirit...now what was this about your friend Cecil..."

"He wanted me to come over and help figure out what to get Alec for his birthday tonight..." Tyler lied quickly, looking at the door as he did so. He couldn't lie to her face...not really...

"Oh well...how about tomorrow night then...just a family night...we could even play some games afterwards."

"Chinese checkers?"

"We'll see, something we all can play together..."

"...hey Mom?"

"Yes sweetie?"

"Could I get a bicycle for my birthday?"

"You sure you don't want that rocket pack your father promised you?"

"...I'd rather have a regular bicycle..."

"Oh...well...we'll see, it's still a long while until your birthday..."