This is my birthday present to my beautiful baby Chris.

Chris sat on his couch with his cat curled up next to him fast asleep. The credits for "The Devil Wears Prada" were rolling on the screen in front of him. It was the night before his birthday and for the first time in years Viktor wasn't here next to him. They had always agreed to spend birthdays together because no one else understood what it was like to have a birthday on an internationally celebrated holiday.

It was tradition that the night before his birthday they would indulge in ice cream and popcorn while travelling with Anne Hathaway on her journey into the working world. They would sympathise with her and her change, as well as how the people around her started to treat her differently. They both loved the movie but reserved it for the night before Chris' birthday to keep it special.

This year though, Viktor had a lover, and one he couldn't blow off on Valentine's day under the pretense of it being his best friend's birthday. Chris understood that, but it didn't make him feel any less lonely. Everyone seemed to have plans but him. Normally that would bring him joy – a little alone time for a little self pampering – but this was his birthday, and the most romantic day of the year and he couldn't find a single person willing to spend it with him.

Viktor had told him a month in advance that he wouldn't be able to make it. Chris couldn't blame the man and had seen it coming from the first time that he had seen the two together at the banquet. He knew then that his birthdays with Viktor were numbered. But Viktor had been waiting for the love of his life as long as Chris had known him, and as the best friend, Chris couldn't have been happier for Viktor.

He had tried to entice Phichit to at least let him come for a visit, but Phichit swore that he would be in America trying to play match maker with Leo and Ji. Chris had then spent hours on the phone with the Thai skater plotting the rise of the worlds hottest new skating ship. They had the entire event planned to a T, and Chris had left excited to hear about how it panned out – even if it meant that that ruled out two more skaters.

Chris had tried Mila, who already had plans with Crispino's sister, to which Chris knew that the over protective brother would be tagging along – with the Czech skater in toe as well. So that crossed out four more skaters off his list. He had even gotten desperate enough to call up the Russian punk – only to have the phone hung up on him after a few choice words.

His brother had informed him that his job was moving him to Germany the week of Chris' birthday almost six months in advance, which Chris knew better than to complain about. Since their parents had died, they only had each other as family, but Chris also knew that it had always been Michael's dream to work in the facility he was being moved to and didn't want to be a hinderance in that dream. So, Chris had told him that he would be fine and gave him advice about German girls before hanging up the phone.

Chris sat on the couch, too lazy to move the dishes to the sink as the opening screen played on the tv. He stared down at his favourite pair of pajama pants. Phichit had bought them for him the year before, and even though they were covered in sexy hamsters – how the man had found the fabric, Chris wasn't sure he even wanted to know – they were warm and comfortable. He eventually stretched his arms above his head in an effort to wake up his tired body. He knew he had to do dishes before he went to sleep, because he hated the mess that day two ice cream made, and he didn't want to deal with it on his birthday.

He finally pulled himself up off the couch and busied himself with the dishes. He left the music playing softly in the back ground to keep his mind busy while his body was distracted. He left the dishes in the rack to dry and headed up the stairs to his bedroom. He brushed his teeth before wandering back down the stairs in order to turn everything off and to gather his princess to bed. His head barely had time to hit the pillow before he was asleep.

…

Chris had no idea how long he had been asleep when he was woken up by a commotion. He was about to get up and see what it was when he felt a weight fall on top of him. He heard the distinct jingle of dog tags before he heard his princess hiss and jump off of the bed. His face was already covered in slobber by the time the light above him turned on.

"I'm just saying, I told you," Chris heard Yuuri's voice coming from down the stairs, muttering to some unknown person.

"Did we wake you mon amore?" Viktor asked with a teasing smile from the door way.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Chris asked as he looked at his best friend in shock.

"Well, I couldn't let my fellow holiday boy be by himself," Viktor said as he joined Chris under the covers and snuggling in.

Both men were startled as they heard a crash and a string of swear words coming from down the stairs.

"Just get a room already," they could hear the younger Yuri huff.

"You're one to talk," they could hear Ji yell in return.

"Should we go and do some damage control?" Chris asked, slight concern in his voice.

"Maybe, but Yuuri and Phichit are down there to keep everyone under control," Viktor returned.

"You brought Chit?" Chris asked with an eyebrow cocked.

"Of course," Viktor stated with a wink. "He's the best birthday present I could think of."

"Vi-" Chris started before Viktor cut him off by shoving a present in the man's face.

"I'm just kidding," Viktor laughed before adding, "Mostly."

Chris opened the package carefully, making sure to keep the paper in as good of condition as possible. It was a habit that he had adopted when he was growing up. His family was never rich, and they did their best to find secondary uses for anything that they could.

When the paper was off and folded neatly he almost laughed. In his hands was a small photo album with teenage Viktor and Chris grinning on the front in their free skate uniforms from their first competition together. The rest of the book was filled with pictured of them together through the years, some obviously stolen off Instagram, others were from their personal stash on their shared google drive.

The very last page was different though. It was a document that Chris had never seen before.

"What's this?" Chris asked as he moved to grab his glasses from the bedside table.

"It's an adoption form," Viktor stated.

"Vitya," Chris cooed. "I hope you know I turn 27 tomorrow. I am too old for you and Yuuri to adopt, no matter how much I would love to be your baby."

Chris laughed as he saw Viktor's face turn red and knew that the ramble was about to start, so he cut him off.

"What is this really about Vitya?"

"Yuuri and I are planning to adopt, and I wanted you to be the first to know for two reasons," Viktor started. He looked at his hands for a minute before taking a deep breath and looking up directly at Chris. "1. You are my best friend and I have been desperate to tell you even though Yuuri and I were keeping it a secret until we knew for sure we might get one. 2. I was hoping that you could be one of her godfathers, and officially become a part of our family that way."

Viktor looked honest-to-god nervous about asking, as if he could even think that Chris would say no. Chris lunged forward and wrapped his arms around his best friend and did his best to keep the tears from falling. This was the best present that Viktor could have given him. Not only was he giving Chris family, but proof that he had always had a family in Viktor.

Though before Viktor could get another word in, Chris pulled back and looked his best friend in the eye.

"Who is the other godfather?" Chris asked, even though he knew the answer. There was only one possible answer.

"Phichit," Viktor stated. "That way, if you two don't get your shit together by the time me and Yuuri die, at least we can hope that things will play out just like in 'Life as we Know it.'"

"God, I hope things can happen without you having to die, Vitya," Chris laughed as he pulled his best friend into a hug. "But if that's what it takes, I call dibs on being Holly."

"Hahaha, I bet Phichit would be willing to fight you for that part," Viktor stated as he moved to stand up. "Are you ready to go say hello to all of your guests?"

Chris laughed as he followed Viktor down the stairs – this was so much better than any birthday he had had yet.