TWO | BIRTHDAY CHAOS

"The money is decent, and I make my own hours, so there's that," Diego informed the young couple as the three carried boxes of canned soda to a table. "But my team supervisor is a real dickhead, he's always riding the stick," Diego complained.

"Yeah, that seems tough," Five pretended to care. "Mostly importantly, it's just a waste on my god-giving talents," Diego stated, setting down the sodas. "Which is?" Tate asked with her genuine curiosity peaked when Diego said that.

"So when do you think I'll be hearing back from the agents," Diego asked as Five grabbed the beer bottle he left on the table. "Um..." Tate trailed off, pulling a soda from the box. "Sorry?" Five repeated, turning to face Diego.

"The CIA, bro," Diego reminded. "You gave them my resume, right?" Diego asked his sister. "I did, I did. But HR takes time to process these things, it's... they're really thorough in making sure they hired the right person," Tate blabbed on, trying to cover the fact Diego would never make it in the CIA.

"Trust Tate, she knows them well, with a bigger office and a better title, what does she not know about the CIA?" Five said with a bitter tone, causing Tate to glare at him. "Yeah, that's heading up the ladder as we speak," Five fibbed after Tate's glare burned into his skin. "That's what I'm talking about!" Diego cheered, patting them on the back.

"You told 'em I know multiple disciplines?" Diego asked, causing Tate to stare at her brother weirdly. "Hand-to-hand. Karate. Aikido. Hapkido. Krav Maga. Jujitsu," Diego listed out his talents, causing Tate to sigh as Diego pulled out the juice boxes. "Muay Thai. Kendo. Sambo," Diego continued before Tate interrupted.

"Diego, I let them know, I told them, I promise," Tate reassured her brother before Five wrapped an arm around Tate's shoulder.

"Lila!" Tate called out to the brunette before she turned around. "Do you need any help?" Tate asked before Lila nodded. Lila and Tate held onto their jackets as they made their way to the parking lot.

Lila and Tate pushed through the arcade's door with a tired look as they walked toward Lila and Diego's van. "Are you okay?" Tate asked as Lila ran to her car. "Just fine," Lila muttered, pushing up the trunk lid.

"Lila..." Tate pointed after she turned her head to see Allison sitting in her car alone, smoking a vape. "What are you..."  Tate watched Lila approach Allison's car, causing Allison to panic, her hand waving out the smoke. "Oh, oh I'm sorry, I was—" Allison tried explaining herself.

"As you were, I just need a minute," Lila understood before sinking into the passenger seat next to her. "Is that banana bread?" Tate asked her sister about the smell in the car as she was getting in the backseat. "Tell me it gets better when they're older," Lila sighed at the hectic party, turning to Allison.

"Tell me it gets easier," Lila pleaded. "Once they hit puberty—" Allison said after she took a puff from her vape. "Give me that!" Lila snatched Allison's vape from her before she inhaled the smoke. "You guys need better coping mechanisms," Tate commented, leaning forward towards the two girls.

The three sat in silence before Lila spoke up. "That's better," Lila sighed, exhaling the smoke from her nose. Allison and Lila started giggling like children as they relieved their stress. "You coming in or are you gonna linger out here like a total psycho?" Lila asked, glancing at Allison.

"I can't. I can't," Allison denied, her eyes avoiding Tate's. Lila nodded as she took another puff. "You can," Lila reassured. "No, nobody wants me there,"  Allison said, indirectly hinting at Tate's displeased presence in the car.

"Nobody cares anymore," Lila gasped as she struggled to blow out the smoke in her lungs. "I don't," Lila added. "It would be so awkward," Allison and Tate said in unison, causing Tate to slum in the backseat. "They're over it, let's go," Lila said, pushing the car door open as Tate secretly swiped her keys.

"No... Lila--" Allison pleaded as Tate hopped out of the car, stashing the keys in her jacket.  "Tate! Give me... Hey! Give me my keys..." Allison yelled as Lila raised her keys. "Chop-chop!" Lila hurried before the two walked to Lila's car and unloaded the bottles. "Li... Ta..." Allison exhaled before hitting her car frustrated.

"Lila! Tate! Gimme my keys! Please don't make me go in there," Allison pleaded as she followed the two girls inside the arcade. "Allison, listen to me," Lila said, holding the bottles of soda. " No... nobody likes me here," Allison reminded. "You're being dramatic," Lila denied.

"I'm telling you, nobody wants her here," Tate stated, trying not to drop the fizzy drinks. "Please you don't understand," Allison said, her desperation rising. "Trust me, you'll be fine," Lila reassured, walking towards the group.

"Lila, I'm too stoned for this," Allison stated as the three stopped in front of the group., causing everyone to turn around. Tate's eyes landed on Five's bottle of beer. "Dude this is your..." Tate trailed off, counting in her head the amount of beer Five had consumed.

"This was a mistake," Allison said, staring at her family. " You're right, this is incredibly awkward," Lila agreed with Allison. "Uh..." Luther looked at Allison. "Hey, uh, Allison!" Luther tried diffusing the tension as he ran up to her.

"Uh, uh," Luther walked towards her as he realized he was the only one making the effort. "hey!" Luther greeted her. "So glad you made it," Luther forced out with a fake smile. "Just..." Allison trailed off, unable to respond to the awkward interaction.

"...thought I'd pop in and say hello," Allison sighed. "Hello," Allison responded as she waved her keys around. "Yeah..." Luther tried to keep the conversation going. "Great..." Luther kept going as Five helped Tate set down the bottles of soda.

"It's been a minute, huh?" Luther asked. "Since we've..." Luther tried to continue. "Yeah," Allison nodded. "Is Viktor here?" Allison asked. "No, no, he's not here yet, but uh, he said he's coming, so..." Luther said, turning to his siblings for help. "Okay, see you later," Allison said awkwardly before walking away from Luther.

"Diego, where's the cake?" Lila asked, turning to her husband in a hurry. "You said piñata before cake," Diego reminded. "That was like two hours ago!" Lila yelled, taking off the green party hat off her head. "Can we get this show on the road?" Lila hurried, looking at her watch. "I have book club tonight," Lila stated, staring at the ticking clock.

"That reminds me, I have a meeting tonight," Five whispered into Tate's ear before Tate rolled her eyes, wrapping her arm around FIve's waist.  "Fine, take the car," Tate said, knowing Five was lying about something but still she decided to drop it. "I'll drive you home and then take the car," Five smiled at his wife's generosity.

"One, two, three..." Diego spun Grace around, gripping onto her shoulders. "Yeah, Grace!" Allison cheered as everyone watched from the side. "...four, five six," Diego continued. "Now go!" Diego let Grace go before she started whacking the piñata, hitting the paper-mache horse with force.

"Harder!" Diego called out. "A little more," Ben urged, watching Grace continue. "All right," FIve said before staring at Tate, wondering if she was starting to get baby fever. "All right, that's enough, good job," Diego stopped Grace as everyone clapped at Grace's attempt.

"Good effort, good job," Five and Tate tried being supportive. "Come here, birthday girl," Allison asked the child to go over to her before giving her a high five. "Yes," Allison grinned before hugging her from behind.

The other kids started to take their turns, hitting the piñata. "Wow. They really can't break that thing, huh?" Luther asked as they watched the kids struggle to break open the candied-filled horse. "East side piñatas are notorious for their difficulty," Diego informed his brother, turning to Five and Tate.

"Screw this, I'm starving," Luther said as he walked towards the piñata. "Luther..." Tate sighed as she watched Luther. "Out of the way, kid! I'll hit you, you son of a bitch," Tate rolled her eyes before Five tightened his grip on Tate's waist. "Oh!" Allison gasped as everyone watched Luther punch the piñata, the horse swinging left and right.

"Come on!" Luther continued punching it as Lila's Mom covered the kids behind her as children started screaming at the horrific and unnecessary sight. "What the... what..." Ben watched in confusion, staring at Luther punching the paper-maché horse helplessly.

"All right, you asked for it!" Luther screamed before biting the piñata open with his teeth. Luther swung the piñata away from him, not knowing that Lila and Diego were walking towards him with Grace's cake, causing the cake to fly up in the air before it landed on the floor.

"My cake!" Grace cried out as the cake landed on the ground with a splat before Allison and Tate went over to hug her.  "It's okay, sweetie," Allison reassured her as the girl cried into her shoulder.

"What is wrong with you?" Diego asked as he snatched the piñata away from Luther. "I got it open," Luther tried remaining nonchalant as if nothing happened. "You proud of yourself, big guy?" Tate turned to Luther before she continued to comfort her niece.

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DAMN LUTHER RLLY HAD TO BREAK SOMETHING EACH SEASON BC HE WAS BUILT DIFFERENT POOR THING  😭