𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬¹ ✓

Twenty-Six

Celebrate {verb} - acknowledge (a significant or happy day or event) with a social gathering or enjoyable activity

*ੈ✩‧₊˚

One Year Later...

𝓘𝓽 was the twin's fifth birthday and Olivia and Tony were running around the Noir estate getting everything ready for their small party.

Marcus and Peter were upstairs trying to keep the boys busy so they wouldn't ruin their surprise. It's been a year since the incident and thankfully, it didn't affect the boys too much. Ares had grown more protective but that was expected.

"Tony, how many balloons are left?" Olivia asked from the kitchen where she was baking a cake. The same one she baked for them every year. She could hear Tony gasping for air from the dining room, "I don't know, maybe ten more?" He said out of breath.

Olivia chuckled, "You know we have a pump in the garage right?" A moment of silence passed before she heard Tony cursing as he walked towards the garage to retrieve the pump. He'd already blown up two bags full of balloons.

An hour later and everything was ready. Olivia texted Marcus to let them know they could bring the twins down.

The cake she had baked in the dining room was surrounded by a bunch of presents. All of their close friends were there, which only really consisted of Theo and Arthur.

They could hear the boys' laughter as they ran down the stairs and through the living room to get to where everyone else is. As soon as the doors opened, everyone screamed, "Surprise!" while throwing confetti up in the air.

Ares and Apollo screamed and giggled as they looked around at how their uncle Tony and their mom decorated everything. Balloons converted the ceilings as streamers hung across the walls.

"Happy birthday my little greek gods." Olivia congratulated them, referring to their names, as she hugged them tightly. "Thank you!" They said before they went around to everyone. Apollo could tear his eyes away from the chocolate cake that sat in the center of the table.

Marcus wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her into his side as she leaned her head against his shoulder. "They're growing up so fast." She told him as she watched Ares throw punches at Arthur's open hand. Arthur cheered him on as Apollo talked to Theo about who knows what.

Marcus hummed in agreement. "I know this probably isn't the best timing but, are you planning on having them train for the throne? They are the heirs after all." He asked his wife because, at the end of the day, it was her decision whether she wanted the boys to take over after her or not.

Olivia sighed, "Not now but eventually. I really wanted to raise them away from all of this but I guess it was inevitable." Marcus kissed her temple lightly as he rubbed her arm soothingly. "They'll be great rulers, il mio sogno." He tried to comfort her.

But, she couldn't shake the fear that came with the thought of her babies becoming like her. In her eyes, they'd always be little boys. They'd always be the same boys that come into her room on stormy nights to sleep in her bed because they were scared.

She couldn't imagine them being heartless, ruthless, rulers of the Lenoir empire like her.

"Don't worry so much about it right now and let's enjoy their birthday. There's still a very long time before anything needs to be put in motion." Marcus said, noticing that was had started falling back into her own thoughts.

Olivia smiled up at her husband lovingly, placing a chaste kiss on his lips before leaving his embrace to go light the candles so their sons could make their wishes.