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After a not so intense Phighting match, the Phighters were accorded to go to their lockers for some downtime. Rocket’s team lost but he wasn’t the slightest salty at all, even if that’s how he’s seen as. He opened his locker and reached in for a singular protein bar, to aggressively open it and chew. He knew it wasn’t a brownie even if it looked like one. Still being disappointed by the powdered taste. Leaning against the locker, he wanted to do everything in his power to make this day go smoothly. Even if the red bull horned demon was clearly at his spot loudly whispering gossip of Rocket. Can he at least be more secretive of it?
Of course it was with his two “best friends”. The ones Rocket teased of the three being polyamory. He ignored it, the lost, the annoying presence of Skateboard, taking what little self control he has to stay happy-go lucky. Even if he was fuming while the seconds were passing by. He adjusted his goggles, and threw the wrapper of the protein bar to a nearby trash can. Missing since his throw was too light, his grin slowly faltering. It’s just a minor inconvenience. It’s just a minor inconvenience, just minor. He sighed. Picking the wrapper up and throwing it in the trash again, more delicately this time.
Walking back to where he once was, he awaited for Sword to meet up with him. Leaning again with a more sassy stance since he was crossing his arms with a leg against his locker. His gear unsafely over both of his arms. Thirst filled his throat and the insides of his mouth. Why did he eat it so early? He stood there with his rambunctious thoughts while scanning the area in boredom. ‘Til, finally, one of his peers approached him, and thank SFotH it was Sword. His eyes instantly shot up with glimmer in contrast to the clear, weary expression he had a second ago.
He placed his gear down and immediately pulled Sword in a hug with a genuine grin.
“Sworrrd ~ ! “
Rocket cheered, while the swordsman was a bit embarrassed by the PDA. Red flushing his cheeks, repaying the hug and rubbing circles on the rocketeer’s back. Giving out a shy chuckle to his enthusiasm.
“‘Ket!—”
“You’re far more excited than I’ve thought..”
Rocket pulled away, Sword a bit dissatisfied. The prior was oblivious to it though.
“Why wouldn’t I be? Today is my!—”
Cutoff.
“Birthday.. I know,”
Sword smirked. Rocket crossed his arms again and rolled his eyes playfully.
“Not even a Happy Birthday?”
“.. You forced me to sing it out loud before the match for everyone to hear.”
He glared. Rocket’s lively demeanor turned into a sheepish one.
“..It proves you care about me..?”
Sword glared even harder, Rocket’s now the one letting out a chuckle. One in danger, though.
That trance would’ve stayed like that for a while, if the Playground members and half of Thieves Den didn’t tag along. They all seemed to be hushing giggles while walking towards the two.. Oh great. Rocket’s expression weakened to a nonchalant one, already feeling irritated. Sword snapped out of trying to scare Rocket and stared at the other 4 Phighters. The two knew what was going to happen, just by the giggling and slight bickering.
“Okay so Playground vers—”
Skateboard tried to continue, just for him to be caught off by Shuriken’s high pitch banter.
“NO! Blackrock version! Playground is too much work, and his dad was from there anyways!”
Boombox scrambled, looking at his birthday special playlist that was hooked up to his gear while Slingshot was trying to break the other two apart. The bickering being too much to handle for Rocket, and Sword. Sword putting an arm over Rocket’s shoulder to walk him away. Showing a far from pleased glimpse to their other peers while Rocket looked down. He liked loud, but not this loud. Boombox noticed, and almost immediately, the musician yelled out in a far more lower octave than he usually speaks in. Making everyone in the room pause for what felt more than a second.
“EEYYYY EYYY—”
Slingshot was muttering about how they listened to Boombox not him.
“It’s his birthday! Let him decide!”
The eyes, except Sword’s, looked over to Rocket. His breath hitched, biting his lip. Sword took notice and tried to inquire so his friend wouldn’t feel as pressured.
“He.. really appreciates the generosity but—”
“Blackrock. Version.”
Shuriken smirked, staring at Skateboard with a “SEE I told you!” face, while Skateboard just blew silent raspberries at him. Though, it took Sword by surprise. Usually, Rocket HATES when the demons sing happy birthday to him. Let alone the Blackrock version? Maybe it was correlation to last year on Skateboard’s birthday– he knew the two were one sided and Rocket wanted him to possibly pay back, though he had faith in the Phighter that he wasn’t that petty.
Rocket just wanted his father. Just Zuka, Sword, Medkit if he wasn’t busy. Maybe Broker if he feels generous. That’s it. With the ninja mentioning his dad, maybe he really just wanted home after all of these small inputs.
Boombox raised up his volume. Playing the beat with him Boombox while the speakers played the depressing rhythm out. Him bouncing along and trying to make it more joyous, even if the room was probably ripping apart from the seams of hell, and they already were in hell.
“S Dnem rozhden’ya tebya—”
“Zznyom roshdinyeh tibya—”
“Happpyy birthday tooo youu—”
???
“S Dnem rozhden’ya rebya — ??”
“Zoom roshyeyeye tibyaa—”
“hApPYY Birthday to YOUUU—”
Slingshot was the only one who was in tune and getting the lyrics right. His tone became more confused as the improvised song continued. Shuriken had his voice right in tune, though he couldn’t get the pronunciation in the slightest. Meanwhile Skateboard didn’t even try and belt it out with a nasally voice. It was alarming to hear, is this the definition of earrape? Boombox shuddered in cringe as the three fell apart in their own little world. He joined in to beatbox to match Slingshot’s tempo. It caught the café owner off guard and he randomly paused, Shuriken’s horrendous pronunciation more clear and Skateboard being louder.
Rocket wanted to die. He had pitiful remorse in himself, just why would he trust the most chaotic Phighters other than himself to do it? Sword felt so much second hand embarrassment, he didn’t know whether to laugh vociferously, or to actually run away then and there. Maybe Rocket should’ve lost a limb, all of it, to get the hell away from this situation.
The ending of the song quickly came, Rocket was muffling every single sound that came out to not endure this pain any longer. Skateboard somehow became even more strident, not even belting at this point. Just screaming like how he does whenever he trickshots off a cliff.
“HAPPPPYYYYY BIRTHDAAAAA—”
Boombox stared at him, Slingshot doing the same but his was more of a glare. Whilst Shuriken did not hold back with his laughs.
Rocket’s eye twitches uncontrollably. More irritated than ever, Sword’s head started to hurt as in response to everything. Rocket really appreciated that they cared enough to sing for him, but SFotH, couldn't they have thought about it more? He showed fake praise, though made it obvious he was lying.
“Wow! Thank you soo much, I loved it!”
Passive aggressiveness, that smile on his face was a horrible facade. They all knew his sarcasm, but the two Playgrounders shared a singular brain cell and smirked to each other. Boombox quickly changed the song to the Playground version; it was known to be more upbeat than the other four factions. Though, after Blackrock’s upsetting instrumental and horrible warbling, it was too upbeat.
“HAPPY” clap. “BIRTHDAY” clap. “TO” clap. “YA!”
Rocket held back a hiss, Shuriken joining in on the clapping. Slingshot whispered,
“Stop. Now's not the time— let's leave.”
“But isn't it faction-ist if I don't clap also ?? “
Continuing, Slingshot dragged Shuriken and only Shuriken away. The two that was left, it was their ride or die.
“HAPPY” clap. “BIRTHDAY” clap. “TO” clap. “YA!”
Rocket yelled, trying to stop the music.
“I REALLLLY APPRECIATE IT BUUT THAT'S ENOUGH! YOU SANG VERY WEL—”
Boom boom boom. Clap
clap clap.
“HAPPY” clap. “BIRTHDAY” clap. “TO” clap. “YA!”
“SHUT THE FUCK UP YOUR SINGING IS ASS”
.