Limelight

Rizzo and Zephyr: Birthday

(Hey, so after the sad stuff that's going down in Since We Broke Up (the future fic), I think we need to go back to nice, happy Zephyr, don't you? With a touch of nice, happy Zephzo~ The future fic takes place like, two years after all this. They get to be cute and happy for two more years. And Rizzo gets to tease Zephyr for the rest of her life. Cuz that's what big sisters do ;)

Also, wow, this is the 50th Limelight...! \^^/)

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The twins were turning seventeen.

And every year, as far as Zephyr could remember, was the exact same.

Pretty much since she had learned to talk, Rizzo would always spend the few days leading up to their birthday asking their mother, over and over again, what time she was born. Not when they were born, when she was born specifically.

"12:24."

Then, and only then...

"And what time was Zephyr born?"

"12:27."

He could tell his mom was just as sick of answering the question as he was of hearing it, but if she refused then it would only result in Rizzo pestering her even more. And she only ever asked when Zephyr was in the room, too, just so that when she got her answer, she could shoot him that smug smile every. Damn. Time. It was three days away now. Three more days of being sixteen before the inevitable mentally distressing three minutes of Rizzo gloating about being 'older' – as if she didn't already do that on a daily basis as it was.

Three more days of hearing that question every few hours. By the time their birthday finally rolled around, Zephyr was at the breaking point.

Both Alonzo and Zane were over at the Styx's house late in the morning before they'd be going to meet up with Roz, Zach, Bonzo, Zed, Eliza, Azalea and (possibly) Paizley.

The second the clock hit 12:24, everyone in the house knew about it. Rizzo came striding downstairs, arms raised like a queen gracing her subjects with her presence. Zane, following behind her much less ceremoniously, struggled not to laugh as she announced that she had, in fact, aged. Officially. Zephyr and Alonzo were in the kitchen and when he heard his sister's voice, he groaned and dropped his head back onto Al's shoulder, making him chuckle.

"Kill me..."

Rizzo appeared in the doorway, posing like a model, "Yes, you heard right, it happened. Another year has gone by. You are now looking at Miss Rizzo Styx, age seventeen!"

"So, how's it feel?" Al asked with a smirk and Rizzo dropped the act as she came over to them.

"Honestly, not that different. And yet, I feel like I've achieved something. Something that you," she patted Zeph on the head and he narrowed his eyes, "Will understand when you're older."

"We're both older."

"When you're as old as me, sweetie."

He had to take a moment to calm himself before he snapped.

"We, both of us, together," Zephyr pointed between them, "We were both born seventeen years ago today. We are both seventeen."

"Ah, ah, ah...! I think you will find, baby," she reached out to tickle his chin and he swatted her away. She pointed to the clock. 12:25, "I am seventeen. You have still got two more minutes left."

"Did you even hear anything I just said? We have both existed for seventeen years. We're both seventeen years old. Please. For the love of Z, Rizzo, can this stop?"

Rizzo just kept smiling sweetly, "Nope!"

"Zeph..." Alonzo, standing behind him, squeezed his shoulders.

Zephyr didn't even acknowledge him, "We're the same age."

Al sighed, snaked his arms around Zephyr's waist and rested his chin on his shoulder, "It's not that big a deal..."

"But she does this every year!" he looked from his boyfriend to his sister, glaring at her, "We are the same age."

"We will be. In one more minute."

"Takes less than a minute to rip a foot off," Zephyr threatened, but Alonzo was holding onto him and Rizzo laughed as he tried to break free before giving up and settling for nestling into Al's arms.

"I win this time," she said with a smirk, turned and walked away.

Zephyr shouted after her, "You're not winning anything...!" but he was obviously far too comfortable where he was to follow her.

Rizzo made her way back over to Zane, who had overheard her conversation with her brother and was laughing a little to himself, "Are you ever gonna leave him alone?"

"Never. What kind of a big sister would I be if I didn't abuse my power every now and again?"

"A good one?"

"A boring one," she corrected.

Zane laughed again, "You do this every year! He has to be getting bored of it by now."

"That's the beauty of it; it's boring to him but it never will be to me!"

Rizzo kept her eye on the time as they talked and ran back to the kitchen at exactly 12:27. Finding her little brother with his hands in his boyfriend's hair, Al's lips pressed to his neck, she grinned to herself.

"Happy birthday Zeph!"

"Zragh vak...!" Zeph jumped back from Al, glaring daggers at Rizzo, "Are you serious?"

She just batted her eyelashes innocently, bringing her hands behind her back and swaying slightly, "What do you mean?"

"You did that on purpose! You know damn well what you just interrupted."

"What?" Rizzo asked defensively, "I don't know your business!"

Zephyr gave a sarcastic nod, "You don't know my business? Like you're not in my business every second of the day. Can't you just give me a break?"

"Oh, we both know the answer to that, honey."