#I'm going to eat the leftover birthday cake in my fridge and think of him <3

[mareep-gaming]

Happy 8 years to Dad!

[hiccanna-tidbits]

@jackunzel-time

Jackunzel Month Week 2 - Coming of Age

***

"Okay, can I look now?"

"Not yet!"

The kitchen is once again filled with the sounds of Rapunzel banging around, plates and dishware clattering as she searches the fridge. Jack's got a sneaking suspicion this all has something to do with the huge, tinfoil-covered mound on the top shelf.

For an entire week, Rapunzel insisted they put every ounce of leftovers in the bottom half of the fridge, ignoring the Mysterious Object™️like a leaky faucet you handn't gotten around to fixing. Not that Rapunzel doesn't occasionally need her home fridge for work-related things, but she isn't normally cagey about it.

Jack once again resists the urge to peek out of the blindfold.

"Come ooooon, Zellie! This anticipation is going to kill me before our starving artist lifestyle does."

Rapunzel laughs. "Starving? I'll have you know, sir, that I've had no less than 5 whole french fries today!"

Considering it was 9 pm, this was not an ideal french fry quota. Rapunzel definitely had time to eat more fries today.

Jack wonders idly if Rapunzel's just getting too caught up in her work to take lunch breaks, or if her manager is crunching her deadlines again.

Before he can get too far into plotting how he would swap her boss's salt and sugar without getting Rapunzel in trouble, he hears the distinctive sound of a lighter.

"Are you torching our apartment?" he asks. "Because if so, I'm very offended I wasn't invited to participate."

Rapunzel scoffs. "Don't be silly! Like I'd set the place on fire without getting home insurance first. And it isn't as though either of us can afford that."

"You're still making me nervous. Usually I'm the one who plays the pranks."

"Hmmm, well...that would have been a good idea, actually." Rapunzel sounds a little regretful. "But no tricks today, I promise. Now open your eyes!"

And at last, Jack gets to see what all the fuss is about.

A stunning, snow-white cake sits in the middle of their dining room table, covered in sparkly silver candy orbs and carefully sculpted fondant snowflakes. All around the side are little hand-painted winter scenes, meticulously crafted by an icing brush in a process that must've taken hours. On top, a "2" and a "6" candle sit ablaze.

Rapunzel, of course, spends all day at work decorating cakes. It's her career. (Or, at least, it has been for the past 6 months--the longest she's gone without leaving a job to date.)

It still seems like she went the extra mile with this one.

"What--" For a long moment, all Jack can do is stare with his mouth hanging open.

"What the hell," he says finally. "How did I forget today was my birthday???"

Rapunzel's surprise quickly turns to laughter.

"Oh my god, how did you forget?"

Easy for her to say. Back when Rapunzel lived with her crazy mom, who practically kept her a prisoner in her own house, birthdays were easily the most interesting thing that happened all year. Birthdays with the Overlands were always much more...lowkey, so to speak.

"In my defense!" He holds up his hands. "Nothing interesting happens when you turn 26. Pretty much all the milestones are finished, so it's just another orbit around the sun."

"Nonsense!" Rapunzel sticks her lip out in disapproval. "That's no way to talk about your coming-of-age ceremony!"

"Coming-of-age?" He raises his eyebrows. "I think we missed the cutoff for that a while ago."

"Well, 26 is your age now." She crosses her arms, chin up defiantly. "And you have come to it. So therefore you have come of age."

He chuckles. "Is that how that works?"

"Why not? Teenagers and college kids shouldn't get to have all the fun!"

"My point still stands, though," he argues. "You don't really...unlock the same kind of stuff in your 20s that you do when you're younger. It's not like there are new magical adventures that you suddenly have access to when the clock strikes 12 on your 26th birthday."

"Says who?"

His girlfriend's conniving smirk sends a wave of excitement through him. What is she plotting?

"Did you find an elite 26-and-over club to join?"

"Not exactly." She leans over the table, smirk widening. "But someone did have a chat with your boss about how many great snowscape photo opportunities there are in the mountains, and how you're going to need to not come into the office for while to get all the best shots."

Jack's eyes widen as her meaning dawns on him. "And Mr. North was cool with that? Me taking a vacation right before the holidays?"

"I mean. He could hardly resist the offer of having his best photographer out getting festive snapshots for the December issue of the magazine. You'd do more good on the field than stuck behind an editing desk, right?"

"No kidding."

Jack sits down, getting ready to blow out the unexpected birthday candles. He pauses, something occurring to him.

"Wait, what about you? I'm not about to go off and leave you to handle the bakery's holiday rush on your own!"

Rapunzel hums thoughtfully.

"Well, funny thing. I told our head baker that I just hadn't been feeling very inspired lately. And if I went somewhere, say, fresh and exciting, then the muse was sure to strike again and I'd pump out a collection of the most beautiful winter cakes the bakery's ever known. Ones to really send that holiday profit flooding in."

"So...you snuck around and got us both a week off for my birthday by spinning it as a work trip? And on top of that, you just casually whipped out the most gorgeous birthday cake I've ever seen in my life?"

She nods, beaming.

"You're my goddamn hero."

He stands up and sweeps her into his arms, pulling her into a kiss worthy of being the Big Dramatic Finale to any coming-of-age film. All these years later, and it still feels like cameras should be spinning around them with rock music building into a triumphant crescendo.

Maybe that's cheesy, but to hell with it.

"Have I ever mentioned I'm in love with you?" he murmurs against her lips.

"I would hope so, Overland. We've been dating for 9 years now."

***

Half a hazelnut chocolate cake and two celebratory hot cocoas later, Jack finds himself being dragged toward the car in the encroaching darkness of 5:30 pm.

"Zel, what--"

"Come on! I booked us a night in a cabin, and we need to take off before the roads get icy. It's supposed to snow in a couple hours!"

"But what about--"

"I packed the car while you were at work." Rapunzel doesn't miss a beat. "Don't worry, I grabbed all your favorite sweaters! Your snowboarding stuff too. And the sleeping bags. And the cozy socks. And the snow chains. And the binoculars. And the sled. And the scarves."

He doesn't have time to form a reply before he's being bundled into the front seat and covered in one of his favorite fluffy blankets. The sheer amount of alpine field guides and brochures on the car floor make him do a double take.

"You have an itinerary?" he asks, surprised.

She hums uncertainly as she pulls out of the driveway.

"Well...nothing too rigid. No coming-of-age road trip of self-discovery can be that structured, or else it might get in the way of spontaneous epiphanies about who you truly are, right?"

"Right."

Rapunzel looks like she's about to burst open with what she isn't saying.

"I sense a 'but' there."

"I did find a really cute place for us to sled." The dam breaks as Rapunzel pulls out of the driveway. "And there's this secluded little mountain animal rescue we have to see. And this four-star cafe we can stop at for hot cider and soup, and this really pretty snowy hike that I don't think is too tiring. Also this ski and snowboard slope we can check out if we have time, with this really cozy lodge, and--"

She cuts herself off mid-sentence as soon as she picks up that all this might be a little overwhelming.

"Buuuuut," she amends slowly. "It's not like I've put down a deposit for anything. We could just drive through the mountains and stop whenever we feel the urge. Find the best secret spots and have them to ourselves, you know? Have deep conversations and be alone with nature and reconnect with our humanity and our sense of purpose. Or something like that."

He can't help but laugh at the way her brow scrunches as she goes deep into thought.

"That sounds great."

"Do you...have a preference?" She gives him a searching look as they pull onto the freeway, already glowing with streetlamps and taillights. "Agenda or no agenda?"

"Whatever you're down for, I'm down for. Hell, I'm just happy to have an unexpected week of vacation."

"I guess that's the thing about these types of 'finding yourself' stories. You kind of have to figure them out as you go along."

"Then let's do some figuring!"

Rapunzel hits the gas, and off they go into the winter sunset, bound for their next coming-of-age adventure. One to perhaps be followed by many more, depending on how many future ages they deem it significant to "come to."

***

Tfw you keep aging but The Blorbos™️do not, so the only logical solution is to force them to age with you XD God dammit, if I have to be in my mid-20s, then so do my comfort characters!!!

Fr tho, I often find myself wishing there were more aged-up AUs in the RotBTD fandom. Most fandom olds returning to (or who stayed in) the fandom aren't the teenagers we were when we first got into the big four anymore, so...why not let them grow up with us??? It's not like their canon ages are some sacred, set-in-stone thing that can't be changed since people do in fact get older as time passes ajdnlshbf

And like!!! Don't get me wrong, I love a well-done high school or college AU, and they can be a lot of fun!!! But I think as I've gotten older I wonder more about how the RotBTD kids would navigate adulthood, and how they would change/adapt and how they would stay the same throughout their lives.

Jackunzel I feel like would be one of those couples who would just be it for each other. Like they get together in late high school--probably junior or senior year--and everyone keeps waiting for the spark to die in college and for them to get stir-crazy (as people who get into committed relationships young often do) or bored of each other, and they just. Don't. MFs hit 30 and are still in the honeymoon phase with no sign of getting out XD

Rapunzel is so right here btw. Twenty-somethings DO deserve to have indie coming-of-age dramas made about them!!! Kids and teens and college students shouldn't get to have all the fun!!! Besides, there's plenty of growing/maturing still to do in young adulthood, so why stop writing stories about that just because the people in question are out of school??? Tbh I'm so tired of movies with adult protagonists being either fluffy (hetero) romcoms or a drama about Some Guy with a wife and kids like??? There are other types of adults besides straights in the dating pool and middle-aged people with tidy little nuclear families!!! I promise!!!

Guess I'll just have to write all those funky little RotBTD twenty-something AUs myself ajshdkuys

Shout-out to the RotBTD discord for giving me the idea of having Rapunzel be a cake decorator and Jack be a photographer! I sometimes struggle a bit with future career ideas for the RotBTD kids, but these fit really well :D Jack definitely seems like the kind of person who would like something freelance and loose-scheduled where he basically gets paid to capture the beauty in the world around him :O And we know Rapunzel can bake, and she likes art, so...

CAKE ART CAKE ART CAKE ART CAKE ART

VERY happy I found that snowflake-and-orb cake, because that definitely seems like something Jack would enjoy 🤍❄️ And now I kind of want to try it 👀👀👀I DO have to wonder how they did that little picture with the tree and the car :O

As always, moodboard pic credits available upon request!

[nightcall99]

Dreams from 6.7.23

Dream 1: I have been invited to go on holiday to Italy or France by a guy I don't know very well and I said yes. I don't really want to go with this person since they are a stranger who I've barely talked to. I know he is an NPC. He is a customer at work and I just felt like I had to say yes. I want to cancel but I think I'm going to go through with it. We are going for two weeks and I am thinking, at least it's only for two weeks. I am also grateful that all the hotels he booked are double rooms, so there'll be separate beds. We are just 'friends' but I have a feeling this guy likes me. I am also thinking about my friend CN, who I know is currently residing in Rome, and how I will have to meet up with her while I am there. I don't really want to, she is a lovely friend of mine but she's an NPC now and I just feel obligated with this reunion. I think about my other friend who was just recently on holiday in Italy and how she met up with CN too, and since she had visited her, it is more reason that I will have to. I look at the calendar on my laptop or phone. So I know that we are going for two weeks, in about 5 days time. Which will be the end of July, so around the 31st of July. I can see the bubble around 'today' (not today's real date) to denote the current day that it is, and then the handful of days after it (about 5) are greyed out. I look away and look back to try and make more sense of things. When I look at the end of the calendar month of July, it's like it doesn't exist anymore. I am going around the 31st, but the month ends a few days before the month is supposed to end, like say, the 28th or something. I am wondering to myself, how many days are officially in July again? I look away and look back again. Now I see that the last two days of the month (however many days the month has now doesn't matter) are greyed out and instead of a number in those two boxes, it has some strange keyboard symbols. I am very confused, I am wondering why does the month end so abruptly like this? And I am thinking, so am I even going on this trip? Because I'm glad if I don't have to. Afterwards the guy and I go for a walk and I am dreading about how I have to engage in polite conversation with him.

2: I am at work eating a wedding cake or a birthday cake. It is chocolate with white icing. A co-worker had bought it over to me. It is probably some leftovers from an event she had gone to and over half of it was on the plate. I am stuffing my face actually. But honestly, I can't really taste the cake and I'm having trouble with chewing/swallowing. I keep eating it though. To hide how full my mouth is, I open the fridge full of drinks beside me and pretend to be busy straightening out the drinks that are in there. In the fridge, I see 3 passports that are being stored towards the back, kind of hidden from view. I realise that one of them is mine. The lady who bought me the cake, passes me and says, Kath have you had any cake? I take my head out of the fridge and turn toward her with my mouth completely full and manage to say yes. She gives me a bemused smile and I feel completely embarrassed.

3: I am walking our dog around the house on his lead and there are guests over, people we are related to. The dog is being treated very well and everyone is giving him attention. We are in the backyard now and the person I am with, who is probably my cousin, feeds him some treats that look like some chewy jelly candies. I know that the dog's stomach is full of these candies, which are actually medicine or vitamins to keep him healthy. I notice the dog's coat is looking very lush and he has more energy and is more well-behaved than usual. He is being petted now, and I am thinking about how spoilt this dog is.

4. There is a very small baby being held by it's mother. The baby is sleeping on their stomach, with their head in the crook of the mother's elbow and I can see that the head and the whole body, is being supported really well by the mother's arms. Very safe. Someone I am with is saying something about the positioning of babies and how it important it is.

-

In dream 1, the trip is not about NE, it denotes having to continue this 3D existence. But I won't have to. That's why the leaving date for this trip I feel I must endure, is gone from the calendar and it is shown to me in 3 slightly different ways. This also goes with the fact that for a long time now I have said that if I was offered an all expenses paid trip to Europe right now, I would say no since it does not entice me. I will never, ever, ever, 'believe' any dates as being literal unless I have a dream of myself as the HS, 'knowing' it to be so and it is completely undeniable (and even then it won't matter until it's really happening). As always, dreams such as these are to be regarded as symbolism only.

[tmntstyle]

BIRTHDAY GONE WRONG

**BEEP BEEP BEEP**

A green hand reached over and hit the 'off' button on a Mickey Mouse alarm clock. Stretching and yawning loudly, Michelangelo slowly sat up in his bed. The young terrapin rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and glanced across his dimly lit bedroom.

"GASP! Today's the day!!" Mikey exclaimed as he hopped out of bed and bounded to his calendar in excitement. Mikey grinned and bounced in place as he viewed the highly decorated date on the kitten calendar Raph had gotten him for Christmas.

"Ooh I can't wait to see what my amazing older brothers have planned for me today."

Mikey set about to get ready for the day. Once the bathroom had been visited with teeth brushed and an orange mask had been tied securely on his face, Mikey skipped out to the main living area.

Sitting on a beanbag was Leonardo scrolling through some app on his phone, his shell facing Mikey. On the ground beside Leo sat Donatello tinkering with S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. again. Nothing out of the ordinary here.

Hmm. Mikey shrugged and strode toward his immediate older brothers. "Good morning, dudes! It's a beautiful day, isn't it?"

Leo glanced up from his phone and turned his head to smile at Mikey. "It sure is, hermano. Too bad we can't go outside to enjoy it."

Confused by Leo's lack of acknowledgment of the day's importance, Mikey went and sat in front of his brothers.

"Well yeah, but I mean... It's a beautiful day down here. In sewer sweet sewer. Don't you think?"

Mikey directed the question at Donnie, who merely shrugged and said in a flat tone, "Don't know how this place can be anymore beautiful today than any other day."

'What is with these guys?' Mikey thought to himself. A bit disappointed by his brothers' lack of enthusiasm, Mikey stood and headed toward the kitchen.

'Maybe it's too early for any celebrating. Neither of them like mornings.' Then it was if a lightbulb turned on above his head. 'Aha! Of course! They have a big surprise planned and don't want to spoil it. Oh, those guys...'

Mikey hummed a light tune as he entered the kitchen. There, he found Raphael pouring milk into his bowl of cereal. Seeing his youngest brother, Raph smiled wide. "Mornin', little man!"

"Raaaph. How many times do I have to tell you? I'm NOT a 'little man'! I'm grown up like you!" Mikey rolled his eyes and huffed, placing his hands on his hips as he stared at his oldest brother.

"Right, right, sorry. Ya hungry, big guy?"

Mikey grinned and nodded. "You bet! What do we have?"

Raph looked at his brother in confusion. "Uh... Same stuff we always do. Cereal, toast, leftover pizza. Whatever you want."

Posture deflating, Mikey uttered an "Oh," and rifled through the fridge for the pizza box from the night before.

Heating up two slices of supreme pizza in the microwave, Mikey poured himself a glass of milk and took his 'breakfast of champions' (Leo's name for it) toward his room. Noticing Mikey's dejected behavior, Raph followed him.

"Somethin' wrong, bro?"

Mikey shook his head and opened his bedroom door. "Just still tired, I guess. Kind of a slow morning."

Nodding at his brother's words, Raph gave him a small smile. "I think we're all a bit tired. Take it easy for a bit."

Mikey didn't respond and shut the door behind him. Rather than sit and possibly drop grease on his bed, Mikey opted to sit in his egg-shaped floating chair. He sat his glass of milk down on his desk and started eating his pizza.

"What the heck is going on today? Does no one respect the joy of a birthday anymore? No happy morning greetings with confetti, no pre-made breakfast...no pops. Where is he?"

Setting his empty plate on the desk, Mikey sipped his milk and used his left foot to push on the floor. His chair lightly swung as he mulled over his family's behavior that morning.

After some time had passed, Mikey was woken out of his light doze by a knock on his door. Rubbing his eyes, Mikey called out, "It's always open!"

Splinter entered the room, ears twitching as he beheld his youngest and smallest child alone in his room. That alone was not concerning. What bothered Splinter was that Mikey seemed to have been asleep instead of painting or drawing or writing something. Keeping one hand behind his back, the older rat shut the door and walked toward his son.

"May I ask why you are alone in here and not with your family out there?"

Shrugging, Mikey kept his toes on the floor to maintain a steady swing of his chair. His right leg was bent underneath his left, hands resting on it. "Not much going on out there, dad. Seemed more fun to do my own thing than be around those party poopers."

Frowning at his son's words, Splinter sat on the edge of the bed and held out a brightly-colored box. "Well, I hope this can lift your spirits, Orange. It's not much, but I hope you like it."

Eyes widening at the expertly-wrapped gift, Mikey took the box from Splinter's hands. It wasn't overly big, nor was it small. Mikey smiled and tore off the orange wrapping paper, removing the lid covering the box.

Inside was a small book. Mikey gently lifted the brown leather tome, noting the professional binding. In gold lettering were the Japanese characters for Hamato on the spine. Turning the book over, Mikey found that there was no description for any story. Looking up, he saw Splinter smiling at him.

"It is a journal. Tradition in my family is to pass one down to your son to write of his life and adventures. Seeing as I have four sons, I had to decide which of you to give it to." Splinter reached out and flipped the book over to the front cover, pointing to an engraving on the bottom right corner.

"I knew a long time ago that it would be given to you once you had reached the right age. Of all my sons, you are the most creative and open-minded. I had your name engraved with April's help a few years ago. I hope you may find some use for it."

Mikey didn't know what to say at first. So he sniffed and threw his arms around Splinter in a tight hug. "Thanks, dad! This is the best birthday present I've ever gotten!"

Splinter chuckled and patted Mikey's shell. "I am glad you think so, my son."

Pulling out of the hug, Splinter stood and headed toward the door. "Feel free to join us whenever you wish. Though I am sure you would rather use this time to use your present."

Mikey grinned and nodded, grabbing a pen from his desk drawer. "You bet, pops. I'll be out there for dinner and topside shenanigans."

Smiling softly, Splinter left the room and shut the door behind him.

Hours of writing/doodling later, Mikey shut his journal and got out of his chair. Stretching his stiff limbs, Mikey checked his phone and was shocked to see that he had indeed missed lunch and nearly dinner.

"Oopsie! Guess I should finally make an appearance." The young turtle, mood drastically improved, exited his room and headed to the kitchen.

"Hiya guys! Wassup?" Mikey's entrance was met with wide eyes.

"Mikey! Where have you been? Haven't seen you all day!" Leo pulled out a seat at the table beside him. "I was bored without you."

Grinning, Mikey sat beside Leo and piled the pasta onto his plate. Other than Mikey himself, Leo was the best cook when he needed to be.

"Sorry. Got distracted. Excited to head topside, though!"

"Oh... Yeah, about that. No one is going up top tonight."

Groans and protests were the responses to Raph's statement. The leader merely crossed his arms and shook his head. "According to the news, a large storm is coming in. We're not going out there. End of story."

Sighing in defeat, Mikey rested his chin on his fist. He twirled noodles around the tines of his fork. 'Well this sucks,' he thought.

Standing up and grinning, Leo addressed the room. "Fear not, brethren! I have a fantabulous plan!"

Donnie rolled his eyes. "This oughta be good."

Ignoring his twin, Leo went on. "We can have a skateboarding competition! Winner decides on dessert and movie."

Mikey's eyes lit up at the idea. If he won, he could demand cake and an awesome movie. Then they would have to celebrate his birthday and reveal whatever surprise they've been hiding.

"I'm in!"

The four turtle brothers later stood at the top of their indoor skate ramp, skateboards in hand. "Alright, bro-hames. Rules are simple. Do a trick. Stick the landing. Winner will be decided by majority votes." Leo looked at his brothers for understanding. After an affirmative nod or thumbs up from each, Leo designated himself as first up.

The turtle in blue skated down the ramp and flew up the other side, completing a flip before skating down to the bottom. He finished with a twirl and bowed with one foot on the board. The other three clapped at the performance before moving on. Leo stood beside the ramp, watching as Donnie did a similar trick, but instead landed on his hands rather than his feet. Impressive.

"Why don't you go next, Mikey?" Ralph suggested.

Mikey grinned. "Don't mind if I do." With a determined look on his face, Mikey kicked off the edge of the ramp. 'Gotta win. Gotta win. Gotta win.' This chant overtook Mikey's thoughts as he picked up speed. When he made it up the other side of the ramp, he was too distracted to realize his placement and instead of doing any kind of trick, he plummeted toward the bottom of the ramp.

CRASH!

"MIKEY!!" Three turtles surrounded their fallen brother. "Mikey, you ok?" Donnie immediately assessed his younger brother for injuries. When he saw the unnatural angle of Mikey's left ankle, he cringed.

"Ooh, that looks bad. I gotta get you checked out then bandaged."

Shaking and silent, Mikey held his leg. No words came to him. Nothing except, "Ruined! It's ruined!"

Raph lifted Mikey delicately. "Don't say that, bro. Don'll fix your foot good as new." With that, the brothers headed to the genius' lab.

Mikey refused to speak after that. He didn't make a sound the entire time Don poked and prodded his obviously broken ankle. Even after being treated with utmost care and gentleness, Mikey remained mute.

"You're all fixed, Mikey. Can't you say anything? Not even 'ow'?" Leo tried his best to coax any words out of the youngest, but failed. Sighing, he patted Mikey's head. "Some birthday, huh?"

Mikey looked at his brother in shock. "Y-You remembered?" Taken aback by his brother's voice, Leo blinked several times before responding.

"Of course I remembered! That's why I came up with the skateboarding competition. I know how much you were looking forward to being topside today. Sorry my plan sucked."

"No! No no, your plan was great! I just... I thought you guys all... forgot. Or were just messing with me to surprise me later."

Leo swallowed and sat beside Mikey. "I'm sorry, Mikey. I didn't forget, but the others might have... They haven't talked about it at all."

Heaving a sigh, Mikey looked at his bandaged foot. This birthday sucks. Seems like everything went wrong today. No special breakfast, no party, not even a cake!

"Hey, I just remembered. I have something for you. Be right back." With that, Leo got up and left the lab.

A few minutes later, Leo returned carrying a cake, followed by Raph and Donnie. Both had apologetic looks on their faces.

"I'm so sorry, Mikey. I wasn't thinking. I can't believe I forgot what today is." Raph looked devastated. He took pride in caring for his family. This whole situation hurt him.

Donnie looked just as upset. He sat next to Mikey and took his hand. "Bro... Why didn't you say anything? We could've had a party!" Then the genius in purple smacked his own forehead. "April's text makes more sense now! That's what she meant by 'when's the party '!"

The three older turtles gave Mikey pleading faces. "Can you forgive us, bro? We didn't mean to give you a terrible birthday." Leo held the cake out to Mikey, candles lit.

Glancing at each brother, seeing the love and regret in their eyes, Mikey slowly smiled. "Of course you're forgiven. I can't stay mad at you guys. Besides, you brought cake! How can I say no to that?"

Three huge smiles were given in response. "Alright then," Raph said. "Blow out your candles and make a wish, big guy."

Mikey blew out the candles. "I have everything I need already. My family. My friends. Personal butlers who will cater to my every whim to make up for my sucky birthday and broken ankle." At this, his smile turned into a smirk.

"Isn't that right?"

Raph decided to answer for the group. "Sure, bro. Just until your foot heals."

Nodding, Mikey opened his arms. "You may hug me now."

His brothers chuckled and hugged him tight. They'd never forget important days like this again.