Slave to Love

Chapter Eight

Author's Note: To celebrate my graduation I wrote a new chapter! Woo-hoo! And please vote if you liked it - when you don't I have no idea whether you even read it or just clicked on it by accident.

Chapter Eight

I made sure Brian and all the guests went to the backyard, where the party would take place, before I led Logan to the kitchen. Lena, who was there cleaning up empty bags after chips and M&Ms, almost got a seizure when she saw him.

"This is that big birthday surprise?" she screeched.

I grinned. "Only half of it.”

"Half of it? What is the other half? Thor is going to fall from the sky?"

I went to the fridge and I pulled out a white box. "This is the other half," I announced lifting the lid up, revealing the football cake. They both leaned in and Logan whistled, impressed. Lena turned to him. "How on earth did my sister get you to do this?"

I answered before he could: "Logan heard about Brian's party and he offered to help. He's such a good sport." I patted him on the arm to emphasize my words. Lena eyed this gesture suspiciously. "And we thought it would be a great opportunity to, you know, do this bonding thing."

My sister narrowed her eyes at Logan, contemplating whether to say something or not. After a moment, she decided to go for it. "You hurt my sister, lover boy, and I'll have your head delivered to me on a plate."

Logan and I exchanged looks. I was surprised, he - not so much.

"I wouldn't worry if I were you," he said through gritted teeth. "Your sister can handle herself pretty well."

"Anyway," I chirped, trying to change the subject. "Shouldn't you be getting ready to meet up with Jake?"

Lena nodded, and threw out some empty cookie boxes into the trashcan. "Have fun. Don't do anything that I wouldn't do," she teased.

"Well, that doesn't leave us with many options, does it?" I snickered and Lena just rolled her eyes before leaving the kitchen. Once she was gone, I released a heavy breath and turned to Logan, "Sorry about that. My sister never gets protective. I have no idea what's gotten into her."

"Nothing I didn’t expect,” he said but before I could ask what that meant, he indicated the cake with his head. "That's a cool cake. I never got a football shaped cake when I was a kid."

"What's wrong with getting one now?"

He smirked. "Nah, I'm way too old for that."

Another person with some weird prejudice towards football cakes, I though petulantly.

"So what's the plan?" Logan asked and I proceeded to explain his mission. It wasn't anything like saving the world from an Asgardian invasion, but even though big gestures made you 'super', I believed it was the small stuff that made you a 'hero'.

➳♥

Twenty minutes later I was standing in the garden, next to my brother and my parents, singing 'Happy Birthday', as Logan walked through the backyard door with the cake that had nine candles stuck into it.

I was standing behind Brian, so I couldn't see his reaction to the surprise, but I could hear the stifled 'Oh my God, it's Captain America' that escaped his mouth. I couldn't help but grin. Apparently, there were some things I knew how to do right.

When Logan put the cake down in front of Brian and everybody started clapping I leaned in and whispered into my little brother’s ear, "Happy Birthday, bro. I hope you like your surprise." When he turned his face towards me he didn't have to say anything – his radiant smile was the best ‘thank you’ I’d ever got.