Just a Number

Sometimes I think about people with unlucky birthdays. Not like being born on the thirteenth or in the middle of nuclear war or anything like that. No, I think about people who were born on Christmas and get all their gifts in the form of snowmen, or people born on that extra day of a leap year and don't get the same level of excitement because they had to shift their 'birthday' by a day. I don't do this for amusement, it's more to put things in perspective, because if those people are still happy every year then what have I got to complain about?

See, when you're a twin you never really get your birthday, you get your 'birthdays.' You get sung to together, blow out the candles together, open your gifts together, everything. This used to annoy me deep down, not because I had to share the spotlight, but because Rouge never made it easy to be her twin all those years. This year? This year... I think I'm excited. I feel really good about my birthday...

Like really good...

No, like, wow...

That's...

I open my eyes, it's morning. Part of me wants to look at the clock, find out what the time is, or check out the window to see the weather... But I'm held in place by this feeling of pleasure. I look down to see Elise's face buried between my legs, the lapping of her tongue sending waves of ecstasy through my body. I can't settle on anything to say, waking up feeling this good should be illegal. All I can do is grab the back of her head and pull it closer as I begin to gain my sense, only to lose them to a heart-stopping orgasm courtesy of my girlfriend. I can't tell if I'm being loud, or if I'm moving all that much, drowsiness, shock, and pleasure have overridden any logic I once had.

The next thing I feel is Elise's lips against mine, my familiar taste bringing me back to the land of the living. "Good morning beautiful." Elise whispers, resting on my chest and looking up at me, expectantly awaiting praise for her method of awakening me.

"Any... Any chance we can skip the rest of the day and just do that some more tomorrow?" I ask, with it being the only question I can manage to formulate.

Elise giggles at my sex-inebriated state. "Well, you're definitely my new favourite breakfast, but I don't think anyone would forgive me if I hogged you today." She declines me. "Besides, getting your underwear off without waking you up was hard, I'm not in a hurry to try it again." She adds, poking my nose cheekily.

"If that's the only barrier, consider me a nudist from now on." I cackle. Elise simply rolls her eyes and kisses me again.

"Come on, your mum told me to bring you downstairs as soon as you woke up." She orders, standing up off the bed and opening my drawers, before pulling out a pair of knickers and throwing them at me. You know, it feels like she's not going to respect the nudist lifestyle I just pretended to have. I pull on the pants and retrieve my pyjama bottoms from the floor before following Elise downstairs.

I'm led to the kitchen, where the scent of bacon and eggs fills my nose and the sound of lively conversation greets me. Am I the last one up? Maybe I should've looked at the clock. We enter the room and I take a scan of the faces, Mum's taken command of the cooking, meanwhile, Rouge and Trish wait at the table, laughing along with a face I didn't expect to see so early.

"Wow, you had to sleep in longer than the parent of a newborn. Maybe you got all the laziness genes?" Jasper grins. He never greets us with 'happy birthday,' always saves it for later, usually to punctuate a joke.

"Full time student. Full time job. House hunting. I'd say I've done enough this week to be considered tired." I scoff back at him, before joining Elise in sitting at the table. "Sister." I greet Rouge with an ironic nod. "Sister." I add to Trish, trying to draw the jokes to their wedding rather than my lay-in.

Trish just laughs at my mannerisms. "Wow, you're cranky and Rouge is cheery, did you guys swap bodies or something?" She jokes. "Then again, how would you know?"

"I'd know." Rouge and I say in sync. forcing a chorus of laughter from everyone else.

Yeah. This birthday's alright so far.

Mum interrupts the frivolity with two plates of food, placing them in front of me and my sister. Every year, without fail, she organises the food into the shape of a face. It used to make me laugh, now I just enjoy it for the nostalgia, it's one of those little Mum things she never bothered to stop doing as we got older. I kinda hope she never does. Mum continues to bring a less-organised plate for Jasper, and a meat-less version for Elise, before turning to Trish.

"I... Erm, I didn't know if you had any dietary things, so I made one meat version and one without..." She admits. Yeah, that's another Mum thing,. she'd rather make two meals than ask someone if they've got any restrictions. I think it's because Trish is technically Hindu, but I don't know if she actually regards herself as such, if she is, she definitely takes a liberal view of the guidelines. Not that Mum knows that, or wants to ask.

"Only requirement is that I eat a lot, I'm kind of a bottomless pit. Also, allergic to penicillin, but I don't see that coming up." She reassures Mum, she stands and moves over to the kitchen with Mum, who returns with her own plate, and returning with both of the breakfasts. I wasn't aware I'd receive envy for my birthday, but damn, I'd love to be able to eat that much. Maybe next year.

The food's great, but I can see everyone but Rouge shooting glances of excitement at each other when they think I'm not looking, which makes me more and more curious with each bite.

What exactly have they planned?