"Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday you little slutty bitch. Happy birthday to you!"

Brendon sang the words as Patrick stood at the table in front of the large cake Pete ordered at the last minute.

Pete had no idea it was Patrick's birthday. That was until Brendon came bursting through the door in a zebra onsie, holding a bunch of balloons and a badly wrapped gift.

So of course Pete decided order a three layered cake for the occasion. And now Pete, Ryan, Patrick and Brendon were all standing in the dining room wearing animal onsies.

At first, Pete had to sadly inform Brendon that he didn't own an animal onsie. But of course Brendon had plenty to go around. He was a zebra. Patrick was a bunny. Ryan was a giraffe. And Pete was a lion.

"Yay!" Ryan clapped his hands together happily. "Blow out our candles!"

"But don't forget to make a wish!" Brendon added.

Patrick closed his eyes and blew out the candles. The other three men clapped and cheered their approval.

"How does it feel to be twenty five?" Ryan asked.

"Feels just like twenty four." Patrick shrugged.

"Ah, he hasn't reached the bad side of twenty five yet." Brendon lifted his glass and took a sip.

"The what?" Patrick laughed.

"The bad side of twenty five." Ryan repeated. "When all the good old boys are playing bad new songs. On the country station while the city moves on."

"When you mix two parts jack with two bloodshot eyes. And you still feel cheated when your buzz subsides." Pete added.

"When your age degrades into a well worn lie. And all the cute boys look eighteen between you and I." Brendon smirked.

"You guys are idiots." Patrick smiled and turned to Pete. "And my cute boy doesn't look eighteen at all."

Pete lowered his eyebrows and pursed his lips. "Am I offended or complimented?"

"Complimented." Patrick said quickly.

"Then thank you." Pete kissed Patrick quickly.

"You guys are so cute that I want to barf."

"I want to barf looking at your lip." Brendon frowned at Pete's split lip.

"At least the swelling went down."

Pete pouted and tried to see his lip but his nose was in the way. He used his fingers to pull his lip outward. It didn't look that bad.

"Did someone beat you up or something?" Brendon asked.

"No." Was all Pete said. Patrick blushed.

"It happened last night." Ryan coughed the words. And then cleared his throat.

"What?" Brendon stared at them in confusion before understanding dawned. "Patrick did that?"

"No." Pete lied.

"I heard them." Ryan said proudly.

"Patrick's a screamer just like I said, isn't he?"

"Loud as hell." Ryan nodded.

"And Pete?"

"That's enough!" Pete interrupted. "I think it's gift giving time."

"How do you have a gift?" Brendon raised a brow. "You found out about his birthday a few hours ago."

"You go first." Pete ignored his question.

"Okay! Okay!" Brendon grabbed the wrapped gift off the table excitedly. He tossed it at Patrick.

Patrick stared at the Batman wrapping paper for a few seconds. Only Brendon. He inspected the size and shape of the gift. Turning it every which way. And then finally, he tore the paper off of it.

"Brendon?"

"Yeah?" Brendon was bouncing with excitement.

"Is this a carry on bag with your face on it?"

"Yeah. For your art supplies and stuff!" He clapped his hands. "But that's not all. Lift the bag!"

Patrick did as he was told. He couldn't help but laugh.

"A T-shirt with your face on it and a phone case with your face on it."

"You're welcome." He lifted his chin proudly.

"You know what, I love it." Patrick sat the gifts on the table and pulled Brendon into a hug. "Thank you, Bren."

"My pleasure." He grinned.

"I guess I'm next." Ryan sighed. "But in my defense, I didn't know it was your birthday until a few hours ago."

"I will take that into consideration. Now stop stalling and give me my gift."

"It's not exactly something I can give you." He said awkwardly. "But I had your closet cleaned out."

"What? Why?"

"Because I know you hate the clothes I picked for you. The clothes from your apartment were put in an hour ago."

"Yay!" Patrick huggged Ryan tightly and chanted. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank You."

"Just please, please don't make me regret it."

"You won't." Patrick pulled away. "I promise."

"I guess it's my turn?"

"Yes." All three said in unison.

"Then follow me!"

Pete took Patrick's hand in his. Pulling them through the dining room, past the kitchen and into the lobby. One of the maids walked up to open the front door for them. They walked out onto the front porch.

"I-I don't get it." Patrick glanced out at the empty yard.

"Wait for it."

On cue, a shiny, red car came speeding up the gravel. Stopping abruptly. The driver's side door opened and Jefferson appeared. He gestured grandly towards the car.

"You got him a fucking car?" Brendon gaped.

"That's not just a car. That's a 2015 Mercedes Benz CLA-Class." Ryan's eyes stayed on the car as he spoke.

"I have no idea what those letters and shit mean. But that's a nice car."

"That's my car?" Patrick squeezed Pete's hand.

"That's your car." Pete confirmed with a smirk.

"Ahh!" Patrick jumped up and wrapped his arms around Pete's neck. His legs encircled the older man's waist. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." He kissed him after each word.

Pete laughed. "Go try it out!"

Patrick unwrapped his legs from around Pete but kept his arms around his neck.

"Thank you. I love it. I love you. Thank you, baby."

He let go of Pete completely. He grabbed Brendon's hand and they raced down the steps. Jefferson stepped out of their way as they rushed to get into the car. Pete and Ryan watched them.

"Baby? Love?" Ryan repeated the words Patrick used.

"Shut up, Ry." Pete stared straight ahead. Watching the car disappear from the yard.

"Things must be getting pretty serious." He noted. "Either that or sex makes him really emotional."

"He said it before we had sex."

"And did you say it back?" Ryan already knew the answer before he asked.

"No."

"Pete, Patrick is a broken man. His decade long relationship was just shattered. He's vulnerable as hell."

"I understand that."

"Then don't string him along if you don't feel something for the kid."

"Who says I don't feel something?"

Ryan rolled his eyes. "I don't think you're able to feel."

Pete's expression hardened. "I know what I'm doing."

"Don't break his heart, Pete."

"Wasn't on my to do list."

"I'm serious."

"Do I need to question your loyalties again?"

It was Ryan's expression that hardened this time. "I'm always on your side, Pete. But being on your side doesn't mean I can't be on Patrick's side too."

"Humph."

They just stood there after that. Pete staring at the empty yard. Ryan staring at Pete. He hated butting heads with his best friend.

"So," He said playfully, trying to break the bad mood. "How was gay sex?"

Pete's face softened. His eyes flickered to Ryan's.

"So much better than straight."

"Top or bottom?" Ryan bit his lip and smirked.

The right side of Pete's lip quirked up into the ghost of a smile. It was impossible to stay mad at Ryan.

"Top."