It had taken Flake ages to even figure out Pitch's birthday. It seemed like his friend just did not care a lot about things like that, or maybe he didn't want to care because maybe it made him think of his wife and daughter. Flake hadn't wanted to pry too much either, but in the end he had managed it and gotten the male to tell him the date. And of course, he had never forgotten it. He had sneaked out into the city a few nights ago, making up some stupid excuse to go alone. Well, not completely alone, he had taken Max. Their wonderful, faithful Max, their puppy. He probably was an old dog now, but neither Flake nor Pitch wanted to think about what was inevitably going to happen at some point in the not too distant future. He had taken Max into the city, getting a few things he didn't want Pitch to know about. After all, the date was nearing.
That morning, he had gotten up early and snuck down into the kitchen, avoiding all the creaky steps on the stairs. He really, really just hoped that Pitch would not wake up. He wanted this day to be perfect. He needed this day to be perfect, for his friend's sake. He entered the room with a sigh, lighting a candle to look around. They still did not have electricity, of course not, so there was no way he could bake a cake unless he wanted to throw it into the fireplace to cook. And somehow he doubted that that would work out the way he wanted it to. He didn't want to end up burning down the house, after all. He loathed storebought cake under normal conditions, but nothing had been normal for ages with them. So maybe storebought cake still was better than no one? At least he hoped so. He had even gotten candles along with it, and he now unwrapped the cake and started to put the small candles on it to make it a nice birthday cake. As nice as it was going to get, after all. He knew things were still weird in their half collapsed house alone in the woods, and sometimes he still wished they could just go out and be normal, live in a normal house, not having to hide, even find a job again... He'd like to go working again. He doubted he ever would though. Carefully, he carried the cake over to the livingroom, placing it down on the coffee table before lighting the candles and picking out the hats. Silly children's paper party hats. He put one on Max before setting one on his own head. Now they just needed to wait, right? Wait for the birthday boy to wake up. Luckily they did not have to wait for too long before there were sleepy yet worried steps on the stairs. Poor Pitch, he was probably worried Flake had gone off by himself without telling him. As if he would ever do that. He jumped up as Pitch entered, throwing himself at him, arms around his friend's neck, and gave him a firm kiss right on the lips. „Happy birthday, Pitch!“ he smiled, easily slipping a head on Pitch's head as well, giggling at the sight. „Look, I bought you cake so we can celebrate!“ he pointed out, then frowned a little. „I'm sorry I could not get you any other present... But I hope you're okay with that... I just want you to have a really nice day and be happy because it's your birthday“ he murmured, wrapping his arms around the other's waist. „And if you want to... really want to... you could have me.“