𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨

𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦

"Ha! Hmm, Well I guess Pagey's not hiding out here." Steve laughs. "Gotcha! That's twenty two for me. How about twenty three, out of forty five?"

Steve's pet chameleon, Page, shakes his head.

"Okay, well, what do you want to do?"

Page points his tail outside.

"Yeah, I don't think so." Steve sighs, shaking his head. "I like it in here and so do you."

Page huffs and turns his back.

"Oh, come on Page, it's not so bad in there."

Steve looks around and thinks about what he might do for the day, and his one request for his eighteenth birthday. Stuck in the same place I've always been. I wonder...when will my life begin? Tomorrow night, the lights will appear. Just like they always do, on my birthday. What is it like out there, where they glow? Now that I'm older, maybe Dad will take me.

~~~

"Wow, I could get used to a view like this!" Phil laughs, standing on the roof of the castle.

"Phil, c'mon." Sav rolls his eyes.

"Hold on. Yep, I'm used to it. Mates, I want a castle."

"We do this job, you can buy your own castle." Joe says.

Phil knots the rope around his waist, and Joe and Sav begin to lower him down into the castle.

One of the guards sneezes.

"Gesundheit." Phil says automatically.

"Thanks. Hey, wait!" But Phil's already gone.

"Can't you picture me in a castle of my own? I mean, I certainly can. Oh, the things we've seen and it's only eight in the morning. Mates, this is a very big day." Phil slips the crown of the Lost Prince in his satchel and the three thieves take off.

~~~

"This is it, Page. I'm gonna ask him." Steve sighs softly, putting his guitar away. His father is home, and Steve's brand of scorching hard rock won't be appreciated.

"Steve, throw down the rope! Steeeeve, I'm not getting any younger down here."

"Coming, Dad!"

The lanky teen makes his way over to the window and tosses the rope over the edge, pulling his dad up into the tower.

"Hi, welcome home, Dad."

"Hey, Steve-O." Steve's dad says, ruffling his son's long, blonde hair. "I don't know how you do that every day, it looks simply exhausting."

"Oh, it's not a big deal, really."

"Then I have no idea why it takes so long!"

"Dad, I need to ask you something! As you know, tomorrow is a veeeery special day..."

"Steve, I'm feeling a little run down. Would you sing for me? Then we'll talk."

"Okay." Steve pulls out a chair, shoves his father into it, and takes a deep breath. "Flowergleamandglowletyourpowershinesavewhathasbeenlostbringbackwhatoncewasminewhatoncewasmine!"

"Steve!"

"Dad, tomorrow...It's my birthday!"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember your birthday being last year."

"See, that's the thing, y'know, birthdays are kind of an annual thing."

"Cut the crap, Steve, get to the point."