There Must Be Something More ( Bellroc x Jim Lake's older sister Iris Lake)

Oh Brother, I Will Hear You Call

Her feet soundlessly padded into his room. The un-birthday boy still slept sweetly, what a perfect opportunity.
Jim's lamp was removed; his birthday gift was put in its place.
" Hey. Hey, Jim. Wake up."
No response. It was apparent, now, that all the training had really drained him.
Some part of her felt a needle-prick of guilt. She half wanted to give him the present he desired more than a Vespa.
This being a medically induced coma, so he could sleep his whole birthday away.

Iris picked up his walkie-talkie.
" Code Sleeping Beauty. Code Sleeping Beauty. "
-" Roger that. I know what'll wake him up..." -
She put it on the pillow by his head.
" EASY PEASY, LEMON SQUEEZY, EVERYTHING IS FINE
EASY BREEZY, ONE TWO THREE, IT'S ALL BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE-"
The "The Kinnardlys" song boomed through Jim's walkie-talkie, played on Toby's phone .

Jim leapt into something resembling his fighting stance,standing on his bed. Letting out a yell with his wide eyes searching the room for The Threat, finding only his sister.
The song cut off.
Iris held out a plate of (fresh and delicious) celebration waffles. He took it and sat down, then threw his pillow at her face.
" Yeah, I...I kinda deserved that. "
" Happy birthday to meee," Jim droned out, through a mouthful of waffles and ice cream .
" Do me a solid. Pretend, when Mom's with us, that you're so excited you can't help yourself. Please? "
Jim swallowed, and answered.
" Fine. I get a solid in return. "
" You'll love the latest birthday theme I came up with."
" 'The Good Ship Misery?' "
"Even better. I present...
'Un-birthday!!' "

He looked around. "There's nothing. "
"Exactly. I didn't even buy you a big foil balloon. No banners, no party blowers, nada. This birthday, is gonna pretty much be, um, 'Schrödinger's birthday. ' It both is and isn't a birthday. But because I love you, I'm not going to skip gift-giving. And, because you love Mom and your dear sister, you'll have to suffer through tonight's party."
He groaned.
" The Un-birthday theme will still be on even then. I'll tie black balloons everywhere and tell her it's "classy" . Also,the "party" is pretty much just a regular ol' DVD marathon. With obligatory cake and singing,but after that , just bingeing on films and snacks together. "

Jim gave her a smile. It was less sad than his previous birthday-boy smiles.
"Thank you, Iris. Best birthday since I turned four.
Really, I do appreciate the effort you put in every year;it's just, you know it's not you. It's not your fault, so I don't know if you can somehow fix it.You've made my birthdays so much better than they would have been without you, but..."
She hugged him, blinking back her tears.
" Tell me you're still bummed out, after you see what I got you."

He looked at it. He started grinning.
" Okay, I think I'm only eighty percent bummed now."
Jim picked it up and turned it around and around in his hands, getting a good look. " Where did you get a Toothless lamp?!"
Said black kitty-esque dragon was perched atop the cream-white lampshade, wings flared, teeth bared.
Jim's very own 3D mini-Toothless, who looked as if he might take off and fly at any moment.
The base of the lamp had images of Hiccup, Toothless, and other HTTYD dragons printed on it.
" I saw this at the Alex -video game store, and, well, I figured, since you love the movie and especially Toothless..."

Iris felt the solid warmth of his body against hers, soft hair touching her cheek, his comforting arms embracing.
"Thank you. It's great. I love it."
This touching moment was shattered by an unearthly growl. They jumped and yelped as it sounded from somewhere outside.
Their mother walked in, sunny attitude radiating from her big smile and bright eyes.

" Hey heyyy, it's your Big Dayyy! The big day you start with-"
She paused, frowning at the waffles.
" Sorry, Mom. I wanted to give him a surprise b-day breakfast this year. It's his big one-six, after all."
" Awww, alright, but let me know next time," she pouted. "I'll leave the pancakes downstairs. You can take a bite if you want; don't overeat and make yourself sick. "
She added:"Like Iris said,sixteen is a big one. I know you always hate your birthday, but Iris and I have something extra-special planned for tonight. You'll enjoy this surprise, I promise. When you've had your fill, come downstairs so I can give you your gift from me."
She went out of his room.