Rainbow Connection, AFTG ✔️

2.9

CHAPTER NINE
JAMES

James had never been one for spectacle. As a child, he was never given anything that could've been made into something special. Toys were limited, and school stopped early. By the time he went to Evermore, they couldn't take his physical belongings, but they managed just fine with his physical being.

Days were just days with the Ravens. James had never had a summer or a spring break. He'd never had Christmas, even before Riko. Every day was for practice, just as life was for exy.

James was already drinking coffee and reading a book when Porter climbed out from under his covers. His entire walk from the bedroom to the kitchen consisted of groaning and grumbling, "I'm never drinking with Nicky again," He claimed.

Neil had vanished on his morning run earlier in the day, but Matt was doing homework at his desk close to James. When Porter walked around the back of James' chair, ran a hand through his hair, and tiredly muttered, "Happy birthday, man," James knew Matt could definitely hear it.

James didn't want a spectacle. Still, Matt gave him a reaction, and James couldn't deny him human nature. "First Neil, now you?" He asked.

"Back to back," Porter replied. He set his coffee on the side table and slouched into the couch cushions, closing his eyes again, "It's the big one too, twenty-first, veintiuno. He can finally drink!" Porter mockingly cheered, still weighed down by his hangover.

"I'm a law-abiding citizen after all," James replied straight-faced.

Matt grinned from his place of abandoned homework, "Well, we have to do something. Shit, James, you should've told us and we could've scrambled for presents."

"Oh..." James scrunched his brows together and looked over his shoulder to study Matt's sincerity. Clearly, Matt meant what he was saying, but that didn't mean James understood it any better. James put on his collected appearance and shook his head, "Oh, no, I...I only arrived this month, Matt, my birthday isn't one to be heralded. Kevin's is soon, worry about that."

Matt rolled his eyes, "Kevin's is soon, yours is now."

"Don't make a fuss," James paused to take a sip of his drink, but Matt took the chance to speak when James couldn't argue.

"Porter just said! It's a big one! It's a Saturday too, we could go out and party."

"I'm in a full leg cast, Matt, I'm not sure I'd have much fun at a birthday party," James said genuinely, "Really, Matt, I appreciate that you care about my birth so much, but I don't want a party or presents."

The door was thrown open before Matt could argue, and an out-of-breath Nicky was in the doorway. "You guys won't believe what Andrew did."

Porter groaned and grabbed the nearest couch pillow, covering his face to muffle his yells.

"Did you know it was his birthday?" Matt asked, pointing to James, who sighed and shrunk into his chair in response.

Nicky barely blinked, eyes wide. He looked fairly crazed, either from excitement, love, or true insanity. It was hard for James to be sure with Nicky, who always seemed to be switching up his personality. Something about him was easy to read — his talent at being a pushover — but his true motives were always hidden behind his fear of the cousins. Or was it his compassion for the cousins? James couldn't tell.