It was Annie's first birthday party, but because of the dimensions, the twins were nearly a year old. Rachel decided to mak their first birthday party a week later, so that Annie wouldn't feel jealous, especially as they got older.
Because she was only a year old, the party was more for the adults, but it was still a big deal.
Rachel was taking lots of pictures, and everybody was invited, including Clint. Unfortunately, having Zac, Clint and Mac in the same room with Marco was proving to be a bit awkward, but Marco was putting on a good act.
Zac and Saku
Zac was on the floor, playing with the number of kids (all under 2) who were at the party. Meanwhile, Saku sat down next to Marco, who had now taken to glaring at Zac, Clint and Mac.
"Gonna glare at Annie to?" Saku asked.
Marco looked at him.
"No."
"Because she is Dad's daughter," Saku went on. "Of course, she's also Rach's daughter so maybe that counteracts that downside to her DNA huh?"
"You're a weird kid," Marco felt the need to say.
"Yep."
Orion, Jessica, Rachel and Kate
"Maybe you should just tell her you're in love with her," Orion suggested, sitting down on the other side of Marco, who now began to glare at Orion.
~*~*~
"She sure got a lot of clothes and stuffed toys," Jessi said as Rachel helped Annie unwrap her gifts.
"Yeah. It's hard to original for a one-year-old," Rachel agreed.
~*~*~
Kate sat down next to Zac to play with the kids.
"They're all so cute," she remarked.
Zac and Saku
"Yes. They get it from their mother," Zac replied, with a grin.
"Naw," Saku disagreed, "it's too much fun glaring at people who didn't actually do anything to offend him on purpose. Isn't that right, Marco polo?"
"Can it, Saku."
Kate and Orion
"Well, I hope the boys look more like their dad and less like their mom when they're older," Kate remarked. "At least for their sake."
"Stop moping," Orion said. "She's happy. Can't you just be happy for her?"
Saku
Marco said nothing.
"No, I don't think he can be," Saku said. "See, he won't be happy until he has Rachel all to himself."
"Would you two leave me alone?"
Orion
"Probably not," Orion said. "Ooh! Cake!" he squealed, and jumped up. He was such a cat.
Zac and Saku
"I thought girls liked pretty boys," Zac said. "Of course, there must be exceptions, because I'm hardly a pretty boy, but..."
Saku smirked. He stood up as if to head over to the cake, then turned around and leaned over Marco.
"You're a bit of a wuss, y'know that?" he said. "You never bother to tell her how you feel, then you spend all day moping because she won't look at you. Maybe she isn't looking because you've never done anything to grab her attention. And you know why you haven't done anything to grab her attention? Because you're too busy moping! I believe they call that a catch 22."
And on that, Saku joined Orion in stalking the birthday cake.
Rachel
Marco rolled his eyes, and continued to pout, only he did so while eating birthday cake.
Jake and Cassie came over to give Annie big hugs.
"Hey, Cuz," Jake said. "Listen, I know your mom's been harsh, so I figured you might not have heard about Jordan and Sarah yet."
"What about them?" Rach asked, curious about her sisters.
"They've both mutated. That leaves you the only one of us who's not a mutant."
"Huh," Rach said. "I wonder why that is. Now, sit with your niece and feed her some cake, while I girltalk with your fiancee." Jake smiled and agreed.
"So," Rach asked Cassie, "Convince him to set a date yet?"
Julie, Isaac and Zac
"Yep. August 27," Cassie replied, "this year."
"Woo!" Julie cheered.
"Wait..." said Isaac. "Is Tom a mutant?"
"Tom is dead, what does it matter?" Zac demanded.
Isaac groaned.
"He's not dead, Zac."
"Yes he is. He's gay and he made a pass at me. A serious one. Even though I had told him that I was strictly a girls-only type of guy. And then he accused me of being homophobic, even though I'm not the least bit scared of anyone with homosexual tendancies. And then he had the nerve to try and kiss me. With his tongue. So Tom is dead to me. Dead."
"Wow," Julie said. "I would have liked to have seen that."
Zac poked her tongue out at her.
Frankie, Kate and Rachel
"Tom's a mutant too," Jake said. "And you're lucky I don't thrash you for that, dork," he said, laughing a little.
"Well, you slept with Friday when she was a boy," Frankie pointed out.
"yeah, but Zac was a girl, so it all equalled out," Kate answered.
"I think all the boys should kiss him just to be sure," Rach declared. Then Macauley, who had no problems playing a gay chaacter in movies, grabbed Zac and pretended to try to kiss him.
Zac, Annika, Julie and Isaac
"Get off me," Zac growled, pushing Macauley away forcefully. "I'm not gay, I'm not anything even remotely gay, and I'm not like girls who have no problems kissing other girls."
"Y'know, I don't think that grudge holding is very healthy," Annika said. "I mean, the whole 'he's dead to me' thing is kinda severe. And how long ago did this happen? All the poor guy is guilty of is having a crush on you."
"And trying to do something about it," Julie smirked.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Zac replied.
"Well, I have to admit, I too, would be rather repulsed if a gay tried to make a move on me," Isaac mused. "But I mean, I don't think I would do the whole 'he's dead to me' thing, just because he tried."
"His tongue, Ike. His freaking tongue."
"Umm, I don't know about you guys," Jake piped up, "but this is my brother you're talking about, and I really don't want to be thinking about him coming onto anyone, let alone what his tongue is doing, thank you."
Rachel
"Well," Mac said. "I'm 100 percent straight, but in Party Monster I had to make out with Seth Green and Wilson Cruz, and I got over it pretty quickly. And guys have been hitting on me my whole life. I just take it as a compliment and say 'No thanks,'" Mac said. "And Zac, I was just joking, I wouldn't actually kiss you. Your breath is too nasty."
Rachel poked Mac. "Stop teasing him. But seriously, Zac, it was years ago. Tom's all settled down with a boyfriend who he loves, can't you let it go?"
Zac and Saku
"Umm, lemme see... no," Zac replied. "And I was doing quite well until someone brought his name up. So maybe if we stop talking about him, we'll all be happier. And you might take that kind of thing as a compliment, Culkin, but I take it as bad taste."
"I agree," Saku piped up. "Let's stop talking about it. This is supposed to be a party. Isn't that right, Marco?"
Marco just looked at Saku, and Saku grinned.
Rachel
"Well, it's time for cake," Rachel said, a little irritated at Zac's comments about her cousin. She just wished he would get over it.
Saku, Annika and Julie
"Yay, cake!" Saku said ethusiatically. "C'mon Marco! C'mon Orion!"
"Cake," Brett said.
Annika looked down at her son.
"He said cake!" she exclaimed. "Julie! He said cake!"
"I heard," Julie grinned. "Let's reward his efforts with some."
Rachel
"Everybody gets cake," Rachel said, cutting the gigantic cake. It was half the size of the table. Macauley certainly didn't scimp on anything. One side was chocolate, and the other vanilla, for those heathens that don't like chocolate.
Zac and Saku
"Wait, wait, wait," Zac objected.
He picked up Annie and carried her over.
"What? No candles? No singing of Happy Birthday? I forbid it!"
Saku conjured up a candle, and lit it.
"Ta da," he grinned.
"Everybody!" Zac conducted.
And was joined in singing "Happy Birthday" to Annie.