It was almost Remus's birthday, and for the first time in years he was feeling tentatively hopeful. He was never a huge fan of his birthday, and the ways in which it was celebrated from one extreme (loneliness) to the other (anxiously awaiting a surprise party he repeatedly said he didn't want) often left him wishing for March 11th to hurry up and come.

The only one who had been acting slightly off was Sirius, but Remus has been doing his best to brush it off. He confronted Sirius, who relented and said it was in fact something for his birthday, but he swore up and down it was about his gift, and not him throwing a party for Remus against his wishes. So, Remus remained hopeful, and tentatively optimistic that this would be his best birthday yet.

It seemed that way when he was welcomed with a sweet surprise a few minutes before midnight. His bed curtains tentatively opened, and he was greeted with his favorite sight, a grinning Sirius Black.

"Hiya Moons! Have room for one more?"

"For you? Always Pads."

"Sirius actually meant to ask if you had room for three more!," James said excitedly, throwing the curtains completely open.

"I have room for Peter," Remus mused, his lips twitching as he fought back a smile.

"C'mon Moony, there's no surprise party this year I promise!"

"I suppose you may enter."

As James jumped into Remus's bed he sent Sirius tumbling forward, Remus's hands finding purchase on his waist so he didn't smash their heads together.

"Prongs!"

"Sorry, I'm so sorry!"

"We'd actually like Remus to make it to his next birthday you know," Peter chimed in, shaking his head.

"Sorry Moons."

Remus swore Sirius had a blush coloring his face, but he thought it was a trick of the light.

"Is there a reason as to why you're all in my bed right now?"

"It will make sense in oh, 5 seconds," James replied after casting a Tempus charm and then covering Remus's eyes.

"James Fleamont Potter-"

On cue, James removed his hand as Sirius thrust a cupcake with a lit candle in front of Remus, and they all began to sing happy birthday to him as the clock had struck midnight.

"Happy birthday Remus! Make a wish."

Remus met Sirius's eyes before he closed his own, and he didn't even have to think about what he wanted to wish for. He blew out the candle, and smiled softly at Sirius, who was still looking at him fondly.

"Thank you, all of you. This... this was so much nicer than the years past."

"It was all Sirius," Peter replied with a grin.

"Don't worry Remus, we have a whole death by chocolate cake for you tomorrow," James promised. "Goodnight, we'll see you in the morning."

"Night Remus."

"Goodnight James, goodnight Pete."

"Good surprise?," Sirius asked with a soft smile once the other two had gone to bed.

"A very good surprise. Share this with me?"

"Moons I got it for you."

"Birthday cake doesn't taste the same if you've no one to share it with. I want to share it with you."

"And make my wish come true," Remus's brain added as Sirius agreed, carefully cutting the cupcake and making sure Remus got the bigger piece.

They ate in silence, Sirius's head resting on Remus's shoulder. Once Remus was done eating, he leaned his head against Sirius's.

"Moons?"

"Yes Pads?"

"Can I please give you your gift now?"

"I can wait until tomorrow," Remus replied, a fond smile on his face.

"But what if I can't?"

"I think you're more excited than me, Pads," Remus teased.

"I think you'll love it, Moons. I really hope you do. It's from the heart."

"I'm sure I'll love it regardless," Remus promised.

Remus would take whatever he could get from Sirius's heart.

"I'll be right back, don't miss me too much," Sirius teased.

The present was wrapped perfectly, a beautiful bow on the front. Remus removed the bow carefully, and with a grin, placed it on Sirius's head.

"You know you can have me anytime you want me Moons, you don't have to wait for your birthday," Sirius teased with a wink.

"Maybe I want to save that present for later."

As the sweater came into view, Remus gasped in surprise. He removed it gingerly from the paper, and held it up, mouth ajar.

"Sirius... did you?..."

Remus was at a loss for words as he put the seemingly hand-made sweater on, and it fell perfectly to cover his hands.

"I hope it fits okay! I watched a lot of videos and read so many books. I know that the sleeves turned out a little wonky, but I made them longer because I know you like when they cover your hands. You don't have a sweater like this, I hope you like the pattern. But even if you don't, I can make you another one! It wasn't that hard, this was my fifth attempt which I think is pretty good considering I-"

"Sirius, I love it."

"You, you do?," he asked hopefully.

"I love it, and I... I love you."

"I love you too Remus," Sirius replied shyly.

Remus grabbed Sirius's hand, gently caressing it in his own.

"I can't believe you took the time to make me a sweater. I- it must've taken you ages?"

"I'm a quick learner. I watched some videos and I read a lot of books. I wanted to give you something special. Store bought sweaters aren't very special."

"Fuck, Sirius."

The way Sirius was looking at him...

"Moons?," Sirius asked, head tilted as he trapped his lip between his teeth. 

"I meant it Pads, I really do love you. This is the most meaningful thing anyone has done for me."

"It was nothing, really-"

"No. Don't do that. Don't be modest and minimize your incredibly thoughtful gift. Fuck, Sirius. This, you, is everything. You're everything," Remus promised, pulling Sirius into him.

Remus would never get over how perfectly Sirius fit in his arms.

"I wanted this birthday to be special, you know? You've had so many that you haven't enjoyed, I wanted this one to be different. Figured I'd start early this year."

"You didn't have to do all of this for me."

"Hey, none of that. You're my Moony, my Moons, you're worth so much. I just... wanted to make you as happy as you make me."

"Sirius, you make me so indescribably happy I can't put it into words."

"You do have an extensive vocabulary," Sirius teased. "Are you going to take this bow off of my head?"

"I might," Remus replied, carding his fingers through Sirius's hair, catching the tails of the bow.

"You really like it?," Sirius asked, eyes closed as he leaned into Remus's touch.

"I do. It's my new favorite sweater. I'll wear it all the time," Remus promised.

"I'll make you more. For every occasion, and just because I want to."

"I'm so lucky to have you."

They sat there in the quiet, cherishing the other's embrace.

"So... are you going to tell me what you wished for?"

"The same thing I've been wishing for the past few years."

"It still hasn't come true? Tell me so that I can help."

"If I tell you, it won't come true," Remus replied with a laugh.

"Fine. In that case, I will give you the rest of your gifts now in case one of those is what you wished for," Sirius replied stubbornly.

Remus sputtered, grabbing Sirius by the hand as he slid off of the bed.

"There's more?!"

"Of course there's more Moons," Sirius replied with an eye roll. "What kind of best friend do you take me for?"

"I don't think you quite understand just how much the fact that you learned how to knit for me and made me this means to me."

"Everything else is smaller, promise. This was the big gift."

"Okay."

"Okay!"

Sirius came back, arms ladened with packages of various sizes.

"Sirius Black!"

"Remus Lupin," Sirius replied, wiggling his eyebrows with a grin.

"You- I'm not even going to argue with you anymore."

"Ah, wisdom does indeed come with age."

"You're unbelievable."

"Is it too much?," Sirius asked with a frown.

"You know I don't need all of this, Pads. Honestly, your company would've been enough," Remus said gently, making more space on the bed for Sirius and his packages.

"This is one of the only times a year you actually let me take care of you and treat you how you should be treated. It makes me happy to be able to spoil you, I'm not doing it so you feel like you owe me something, I'm doing it because I love you."

"I'll allow it, but I won't like it."

"Prepare to eat your words, Moons."

Remus was touched by the thoughtfulness of all of his gifts. Sirius had put so much time into picking out meaningful gifts that he knew Remus would love, that Remus was fighting back tears.

"So, did your wish come true?," Sirius asked, biting his lip hopefully.

"Not yet, but it's close enough," Remus replied with a fond shake of his head.

He would cherish his time with Sirius like this.

"Good thing I saved the best for last."

"You gave me the sweater first though," Remus argued.

"I have a strong feeling you'll like this one more. Happy birthday, my wonderful, lovely, Moons."

Remus gasped excitedly as he unwrapped a first edition print of one of his favorite novels.

"Sirius, you've really outdone yourself!," Remus exclaimed, throwing his arms around Sirius and pulling him into his lap. "There's two books in here...," he trailed off, opening the cover of the newer edition.

His mouth went dry as he read the inscription, written in Sirius's beautiful calligraphy.

"To My Moons,

Cheers to another year around the sun. Like the moon, you're a constant reassuring presence in my darkest times, and I hope this book can do the same for you in my absence. I've annotated the pages with all my thoughts and feelings in hopes that they will resonate with you. Happy birthday Remus.

Forever yours,
Sirius (Your Pads)"

"Did I give you what you wished for?," Sirius asked, pulling back quietly to look at Remus's face.

"I still have one present left, if you'll let me."

"But I just gave you- oh," Sirius interrupted himself as Remus pulled back, and slowly removed the bow from his head. "Please."

That was all it took for Remus to finally, finally, close the gap between them and receive the birthday wish he had been wishing for the longest.

"I've finally received my long awaited birthday wish."

"It's been me? All this time?"

"How could I ever want anything but you?," Remus asked with a quiet laugh. "You're everything, and falling in love with you was one of the easiest things that I have ever done."

"I love you," Sirius whispered, the words being spoken against Remus's lips for what was the first time, but certainly would not be the last. "Happy birthday Remus. You'll have to think of a new wish when we give you your cake later."

"I have a few ideas," Remus grinned, tangling his fingers in Sirius's hair as he pulled him impossibly closer.