Tiny Terror

Youth!

  'I can't believe I'm doing this....' I mentally grumbled as I sat on the blanket in the park. Looking at Vasco as he greeted the last two to show up, I saw how his face was lit up and he seemed so happy. 'I can't believe I'm doing this.... You're not supposed to be adorable! You're over six foot! God, damn it!'

  Keeping all of my shouting in my head, I was bundled up in layers of hoodies with a coat on top from how cold it was. We were outside, in the dead of winter, and next to a freezing river as the wind was being a total pain in the ass. Vasco just had to be born in the damn winter.

  Pulling my hands from my sleeves, I tucked them under my boobs to warm them up while everyone was singing Happy Birthday. Vasco, as insane as it was, still wore a tank top in the frigid weather. He seemed unfazed by the cold, and I wondered if he had something akin to a furnace burning inside of his body.

  "Thank you! I'm so happy!" Vasco joyfully said before he went to blow out the candles. However, before he could, the wind blew them out first, and Vasco paused. Pretending it hadn't happened, he blew on the smoke from the candles. "Everyone, thank you!"

  "Here, Vasco! Here are pics of Enu's pups." Daniel handed over some photographs to the big guy.

  "Oh, oh, oh!"

  "Since I know you like dogs...."

  "Thanks, Daniel. I love them!"

  "Hoo hoo, Vasco! This is a special edition Heroman figurine." Jace said while handing over his gift.

  "Oh, oh, oh!" Vasco was bouncing up and down with excitement.

  "I tried for months and barely found one!"

  "Oh! Oh! Jace!" And the Burn Knuckles leader was welling up with tears. Next up was Zack, and I glared at him as he gave Vasco a damn rock.

  "It's a good luck rock. It offers good luck to its owner. It's a treasure my mom gave me." The boxer explained while still holding the fucking marker.

  "How can I accept something so precious?" The birthday boy was crying now.

  "I made an account in your name! I gathered 100,000 followers!" Taejoon boasted.

  "Ahhh, Taejoon. ....Thank you." This time, Vasco's smile was fake since social media really wasn't....well, his thing. Jace and the other Burn Knuckles present then looked at me, hoping the gift sitting in my lap would make up for the disappointment. Making a face, I slid my hands back into my sleeves and picked up the box before tossing it to Vasco.

  "Happy Birthday." I said as he caught the box. He opened it, and his face lit up again as he held up the t-shirt. It wasn't much, but I had seen it and just thought of Vasco. It had a pitbull on the front with only the word 'SMILE' under the grinning dog.

  "Thank you, Mia!" Vasco pulled the shirt over his head and now he had at least had something other than that tank top against the cold.

"No problem...." I muttered while realizing I had doomed myself from how the shirt hugged his chest and biceps. It was hardly better than the tank top because it was showing his muscles in the same way and, thank God, my burning ears were covered by my hat.

  "Oh! How about we play a game? I'm having so much fun!" Vasco beamed, and I internally groaned. 'This boy is gonna kill me....'

  Within a few seconds, everyone was playing some Matching Game, and I just teamed up with Vasco like the last time I had played this game.

  "Fuck, you're so bloody warm. Guys! Vasco's a heating blanket!" I said while hugging the big guy's side. I knew I looked like a puffball hanging on Vasco's side from all of the layers I was wearing to fight the cold. It was a lot hotter in Australia, so I was not really physically prepared for this onslaught of freezing weather.

  The next game was Duck, Duck, Goose! and still, no one had the heart to tell Vasco how we should go inside. He just looked so damn happy and not even I could say no to that face.

  "Vascoooo!" Zack suddenly shouted as he was throwing the Heroman figure into the river. Vasco's head whipped around, only seeing the box soaring into the water. "Heroman is flying in the river wind!"

  "What?!"

  "Oh! Heroman went for a swim in the water!" Zack smiled before Vasco flew into the water to get his gift back.

  "Vasco?!"

  "Get out of there!"

  "I cannot! Jace's precious gift!" The big guy shouted back as he was searching the water. "I won't come out till I find it!"

  "Zack, you fucking prick! I'm gonna-" I got cut off as I went at the boxer when Jace grabbed me and lifted my feet off the ground. "Put me down!" I kicked my legs while glaring at Zack as he was nervously sweating. "I'm only gonna kick his ass for that dick move!"

  "Mia! Calm down!" Jace said while making sure I couldn't reach the ground to get leverage.

  "No! Oh, I'm gonna wring that bloody neck of yours, ya sodding bastard!" Motioning with my hands as if I was choking Zack, I was pissed off because of what he did to Vasco. "C'mere so I can reach you!" And from an outsider's perspective, it was as if Jace was holding back a pomeranian from beating the shit out of Zack.

  Soon, the police and the fire department were there to try and get Vasco out of the water. There were helicopters circling above, and even a news crew showed up while Vasco was accidentally knocking out the rescue team in the water.

  Angrily glaring at Zack as I was still dangling in Jace's hold, I used one of my feet to partially slide off one of my shoes. Kicking my leg out, I pegged the boxer in the face while preparing more ammo.

  "Ha!" I laughed as blood dripped from Zack's nose and an evil grin played on my face.

  "Mia! You're being childish!" Jace tried to swing me around so that I couldn't kick my other shoe off, but I lifted my leg and grabbed it off my foot before tossing it. There was a loud smack followed by an 'ow!', and I realized I was out of things to throw.

  "Hey, Jace....give me your shoe."

  "No!"

  "But I can't reach him with these tiny arms!" I flailed before hearing a splash. Looking up, I saw Zack in the water while holding the Heroman figure. "I hope you freeze your nuts off!"

  "I found it!" Zack shouted. Vasco finally climbed out of the water and what was left of the rescue team gave him and Zack a blanket.

  "The rescue team barely got out....and we found the Heroman. Isn't that great, Vasco? Have something hot to drink." Jace nervously smiled while handing over a cup.

  "Sorry, Jace. I couldn't find the box...." Vasco held the drink in both hands and I shot Zack a glare as I was putting my coat onto Vasco's shoulders to keep him warm.

  "Huh? It's okay!"

  "Thanks, Zack! My savior." The Burn Knuckles leader smiled, and everyone was giving Zack a dirty look.

  "Huh? Oh, it's nothing. I'm glad we found it, haha!"

  "Anyway....let's get going...." Jace tried to smile. "Hmm? What's wrong, Vasco? Are you sick?"

  "....I don't see it. Zack's 'Good Luck' rock." Vasco looked horrified. "It must've fallen in the water! I gotta find it!" The big guy then flew back into the water, and I slowly looked at Zack with a cold expression. This time, everyone joined in to help find the rock so we wouldn't be here forever. Some guy showed up and gave Zack a fake so that we could get out of the water faster, and I just kept giving the boxer glares. Jace would give me a look whenever I stepped too close to Zack, so I didn't get to pummel him.

  "The rock my mom gave me. It still has good luck." Zack sighed while holding the fake. I felt frozen to the bone from the river, and I was so close to just exploding. "Vasco, please treasure it."

  "....I also found the same rock." Vasco stated as he held the rock and the soaked Heroman box. He finally looked pissed, being able to put 2 and 2 together. "I think I know why this rock was in the Heroman box.... Who did this?" And everyone pointed at Zack. "So it was Zack...."

  "Run!"

  "I will beat you!" Vasco shouted, and I felt some peace as he chased down the boxer along the river.

  "Ah, youth." I sighed.