Work Text:
Orlando was unfashionably early, getting to Elijah's house before either Billy or Dom. Lij shooed him into the living room, threatening great unpleasantness if he stepped one foot into the kitchen. They shouted conversation for several minutes until Dom clanked through the door, arms loaded down with boxes from the liquor store. Billy was the last to arrive, carrying even more booze and a Sunday-comics-covered box which was clearly the joint gift Orlando had been hearing about for weeks.
A few pizzas and quite a lot of alcohol later, Dom grabbed Orlando and shoved him into the center of the room, ordering him to sit. "Let the birthday celebration begin!" he announced.
"What were the last couple of hours then?" Orlando asked, giggles and beer slightly obscuring his words.
"That was sustenance," Billy replied, giving the box to Orlando.
Elijah came out of the kitchen carrying four rather haphazardly presented desserts on a tray.
"It tastes better than it looks," he assured, handing them each a bowl. "Peach Melba in honor of National Peach Melba Day."
"Which is why we're going to call you Melba for the rest of the day." Dom took Orlando's bowl away from him and poked at the gift. "Open it!"
The box contained an odd assortment of items, most notably the container marked 'especially for January 13.' Inside was a frisbee, which went into production on this day; a rubber ducky, as it was Rubber Duckie's birthday on Sesame Street (with a note saying to use with caution as this was also Bath Safety Month); several cans of soup (all the labels removed just to make things interesting)for National Soup Month; a print of J'Accuse by Émile Zola, published on this date; and 45s of "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" and "Don't Give Up On Us," the US and UK number one songs the day Orlando was born.
"Such mad bastards," Orlando murmured, raising his bowl of Peach Melba in a toast. "I love you."
The next couple of hours were spent in a time warp; it was almost as if no time had passed. They were still the hobbits and the elf, slightly older and with less-funny hair, but the unit was just as strong, just as flexible, just as connected. Orlando didn't waste time questioning the miracle that got them together in one place for a few hours, only considered himself lucky that they managed it on his birthday.