"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you." Dark sang as he entered the dining room, a large chocolate cake was balancing on his hands, four bright orange candles circled the center with their wickers lit.
"Happy birthday dear Annalise." Anti joined Dark with his singing, a very happy and energetic Annalise sitting at the head of the table. "Happy birthday to you." Dark placed the cake down in front of Annalise.
"What I do?" Annalise asked as she stared at the cake with wide, eager, eyes.
"You blow out and make a wish," Anti answered.
"Wish? I get wish?" Annalise put her hands to her mouth in shock.
"And you can't tell anyone or else it won't come true," Dark said, smiling when Annalise scrunched her face in determination.
"Got it." Annalise nodded her lead before straightening up, chewing her lip for a moment as she thought before letting out a harsh puff of air and blew out the candles.
"Got it one take." Anti chuckled.
"Father..."
"Wanna tell papa what you wished for." Dark asked in a soft tone.
"You say no tell!" Annalise huffed, wagging a finger in Dark's face.
"I was testing you, princess. Have to make sure you don't tell anyone your secrets."
"Father."
"No tell anyone." Annalise promised.
"I'm ready for some cake." Anti chuckled.
"Father!"
Dark snapped out of his happy daze when his office door was thrown open. The laptop continued playing the video as Annalise entered the room, hands on her now developed hips and backpack slung over her shoulder.
"I'm going to be late!" Annalise cried as she grabbed Dark's arm and started tugging on it. "What are you watching?" She asked when she saw the video.
"Nothing." Dark quickly paused the recording and stood up.
"I remember making that wish." Annalise said with a light chuckle.
"That was thirteen years ago, how do you remember that specific wish?" Dark asked as his body changed to match what the fathers of Annalise's classmates would look like.
"I make the same one every year." Annalise stated.
"Really? What is it then?" Dark brushed his now salt-and-peppered hair back.
"One: not telling. Two: please keep your hair as dark brown, the gray parts are too old for you." Annalise ruffled Dark's hair.
"I think it makes me look mature." Dark huffed as he changed his hair color.
"It makes you look like a sugar daddy and I will not have my friends try to get some from you." Annalise adjusted Dark's hair until she was satisfied.
"I'm a married man. To another man." Dark straightened his tie before slightly bowing and gesturing towards the door. "After you."
"Why, thank you." Annalise said in a low-pitched voice and did a small curtsey before walking out of the office. "When's dad supposed to get back?" She asked while they headed for the front door.
"He should be back by the time you're home from school." Dark answered.
"Bye, Cranky." Annalise said to the black cat sitting on the kitchen floor. The cat looked up, blinked their one green eye and meowed before going back to his licking.
"Now, if you get a text to ride the bus go-"
"Lock all the doors, gather the hidden guns and knives, stay in the office with Cranky and wait until you get home." Annalise listed off the steps with her finger as they left the house and went into the car.
"Did you remember-"
"Yes, father, I remember all of it." Annalise groaned, struggling to get her seatbelt to agree with her.
"Did you remember to look under your seat?" Dark asked with a grin.
"No way!" Annalise squealed and reached under her seat, pulling out a small box. "It's so pretty!" Annalise gasped when she pulled out a thick gold bracelet, a diamond in the shape of a butterfly was in the center of the band. "Thank you!" Annalise hugged Dark before slipping on the piece of jewelry.
"Happy birthday, princess." Dark said with a smile.
"Tiana is gonna think that this is so cool!" She continued squealing as she put on her seatbelt.
"Make sure not to lose that, it's one of a kind." Dark started as he began driving.
"This thing is too cool to lose!" Annalise said as he admired the bracelet.
So..." Annalise's shoulders slumped, she knew what that tone of voice meant. "I saw that you had thrown away all of the college pamphlets that have been sent to you."
"Father." Annalise groaned.
"You're nearing the end of your junior year, you need to be thinking about what college you're going to." Dark said. "You can go to whichever college you want. We can easily afford it and your grades are nearly perfect and you're going to score highly on the ACT's and the SAT's later this year. You could go to Harvard or Princeton or Yale or anywhere."
"I don't want to go to college." Annalise muttered under her breath. She crossed her arms and curled up when she saw Dark stiffen a little, knowing she was in for a lecture.
"Why don't you want to go to college? Do you know the thousands of people your age who would love to know that they could go to college worry free? To pursue any field they want without fear? No student loans, no debt, just college?" Dark was waving his other as he spoke.
"You didn't go to college." Annalise protested.
"I'm a demon, Annalise. I'm not like the others."
"And I'm a virus like dad. I'm not like the others, too."
"Your dad is a virus that was formed inside of a grown man's body. You were born, you are being raised and I have not been raising you so you can waste such a golden opportunity." Dark waited for several teenagers to walk past the car.
"I don't want to waste four years to get a degree that I don't want." Annalise said.
"What do you want to do then? I can't think of anything that a college degree isn't either required or at least help." Dark pulled up to the high school.
"I want to work with dad." Annalise answered.
"I..." Dark felt his voice get caught in his throat.
"I'm great with computers, I'm a natural and I'm sure dad won't require a college degree to hire me." Annalise started to get out of the car. Dark sighed as Annalise walked around the car.
"I love you." Dark called. Annalise stopped, did a shuffle like she was trying to hold herself back, but lost and she rushed over to the driver side of the car.
"Love you, too." Annalise said after giving Dark a peck on the cheek. "Shit!" Annalise cursed when a bell went off.
"Lang-"
"Bye!" Annalise waved as she ran off. Dark watched Annalise run up to a girl her age and the two laughed as they both ran into the building. Tatiana, or Tiana, for short, was a very nice girl that Annalise befriended when they were both seven years old. Dark could still remember after school had ended that Annalise was holding Tiana's hand and walked her over to him and Anti. Tiana was a little confused at first when Annalise referred to them as 'papa' and 'daddy' but she just shrugged and greeted 'Mr. Papa' and 'Mr. Daddy' with a big wave and a squeaky voice. The two had spent many weekends over at each other's houses, it took hours of convincing from Anti and a few...favors, to get Dark to agree into letting Annalise go to Tiana's house. There, of course, was a phone call to Tiana's parents, but after the first time, Dark never questioned it again. His little girl was happy and that's what mattered.
"Hey, buddy! What you doing!?" A voice shouted and was followed by a honk. Dark blinked a few times, getting pulled out of his memories and he drove away. He had other things to do besides getting angry at a rude man. Dark took out his phone and held one of the keys to speed dial someone. He put the phone on speaker and placed it inside of a phone holder.
"Hey, handsome." Anti answered with a chuckle.
"Did you get it?" Dark asked as he took a turn.
"I did not travel all the way to New Jersey to not get it. I've gone through all the batteries I've packed and I'm going to pick up some more before coming back to the house, see you in twenty. Love you."
"Love you, too-could you not!?" Dark snapped at the person who cut him off and forced him to slam on the brakes. "Seriously! I don't give a fuck that I can't die, that doesn't give you a reason to be an asshole!"
"Save that anger for the bedroom, honey." Anti's smirk could be heard through the phone.
"Then you better hurry up, the others will be at the house later and I don't want to be interrupted." Dark chuckled.
"I'll see you at home, Darky."
"I'll see you."
x~x~x
Annalise was giving Dark a look of suspicion as she got out of the car. He was happy, too happy. He was overly excited about something. For most people Dark seemed like he was fine, he seemed calm and collected, but Annalise was able to tell with the occasional twitch of the lip, the messing with his hair a little too much and the light movements of his fingertips, something was up.
"Allow me to get the door for you." Dark said, holding the door for Annalise.
"Did someone-"
"Surprise!"
"Holy shit!" Annalise cursed when all of the egos jumped out towards her.
"Language." Dark sighed as Annalise ran into the group and got lost in a giant hug.
"Happy B-day, girl." A girl Annalise's age said and gave Annalise a personal hug.
"How did you beat me, Tiana?" Annalise asked.
"Wilford got me after school on his motorbike." Tian answered, gesturing with a thumb towards the pink haired man.
"You got to ride the motorbike!?" Annalise gasped. "When can I-"
"No." Dark stated.
"But-"
"Tiana's mother gave us permission but you do not have mine."
"Father." Annalise whined.
"Would anybody like some cheese with that whine?" Bing asked as he held a cheese platter towards Annalise. Annalise laughed at the joke and took a cube.
"I'm glad you could make it." Annalise said with a shy smile at Bing.
"Like hell, I'm missing the party of the year!" Bing did a spin on his heels, earning another laugh from Annalise.
"Look out, bitches! I got cake!" Anti called out as he entered the room, a large tray balancing on his arms.
"Dad!" Annalise cheered.
"Happy birthday, princess." Anti chuckled as he lowered the tray onto the dining table that had been moved to the living room. "Check it out!" Anti removed the cover and showed off a cake designed in the shape of a butterfly. The wings were orange with cubes making their shape, a sheer gloss covering it to make them look holographic.
"That's so cool!" Annalise and Tiana said together.
"Let's eat!" Anti picked up a knife from the table and started slicing the cake, handing Annalise the first slice before passing out a piece to everyone.
"I totally mastered this new trick on my skateboard and you gotta let me show you." Bing said from his spot on the floor while looking up at Annalise and Tiana, who were sitting on a couch.
"We have to make sure father's not looking." Annalise said in a lowered tone.
"Your dad would be all for it." Tiana said. "But Mr. Papa." She held out the word to show her lack of faith.
"I'm still not sure how they made this gloss." Marvin said as he examined the piece of cake on his fork.
"Sugar?" Chase raised a brow and licked the frosting.
"Hey, you two." Anti plopped himself between the two and laid his arms across their shoulders. "Have you hooked up yet? I want my ten bucks from Dark."
"I'm married, Anti." Chase protested.
"Are you?" Anti raised a brow.
"Technically and besides, me and Marvin are just good friends, right, Marvin?"
"Yep. Just friends. Only friends." Marvin shoved a large bite of cake into his mouth. Chase was oblivious to the gesture since his attention was drawn away by Wilford as he and Jackieboy started dancing offbeat to the music. Anti caught what Marvin did and patted the magician's shoulder.
"Don't give up." Anti whispered before getting up. Marvin swallowed thickly and stared at his cake.
"I don't..." Marvin let out a soft whine instead of finishing his statement.
"I think Annalise is having fun." Dark said with a small smile when Anti joined him.
"Good. It's her birthday, she should be." Anti wrapped his arm around Dark's waist.
"Haven't you had enough for today?" Dark chuckled.
"I could never have enough of you." Anti put his other hand on Dark's chest and gave him a kiss.
"Gross!" Annalise yelled, getting a laugh from the others and making Dark and Anti part.
"Get a room!" Tiana added.
"Don't give them any ideas." Google said
"Too late!" Anti quickly leaped on Dark's back and pointed. "To the bedroom!" Dark simply stood there and made a face. "To the bedroom!" Anti tried again. "You're no fun." He said after another pause of nothing.
"You weren't saying that earlier." Dark said with a wink.
"No! Don't say things like that!" Annalise flailed a little.
"Oh, no. The birthday girl is upset." Anti hopped down and 'ran' to Annalise. "Does she need to tickle-monster?"
"Don't you dare." Annalise held up a finger. "Traitor!" She squealed at Tiana when she took her plate away and Anti started tickling her.
"Back-up, I need back-up!" Anti laughed as he struggled to contain Annalise.
"Here comes Dark-osaurus!" Dark rushed over and joined Anti.
"No!" Annalise giggled as she was tickled mercilessly by her dads. "Help!"
"Uncle Stache is here!" Wilford grabbed Dark from behind and pretended to try to pull him away.
"And here we can see the strange ritual that is of these demons, Jim." Reporter Jim said into the camera as all of the other egos joined in the big, chaotic, mess.