Just a short little fic I thought up in light of Monique Coleman's birthday. R&R and Enjoy!

Monique sat curled up on her bed, the glow from the TV illuminating her face, her eyes slowly drifting shut. She snuggled deeper into her comforter, but her half-sleep state was interrupted by the vibrating of her cell phone. She grumbled silent curses fumbling out of bed, bemoaning about people calling her at indecent times of night. She pressed the answer button on the phone without bothering to look at caller id and swung it to her ear.

"Hello!" It was harsh and rude. She was even taken aback by the way she answered the phone but hell, she was tired. At this point she really didn't care who on the other end was offended.

The smooth male voice on the opposite end chuckled. "I'm guessing I was interrupting sleepy time."

Monique smiled, she immediately knew who that voice belonged to. Her hostile mood instantly replaced with a peaceful one. "You do know it's late right, Mr. Bleu."

"It's only a little after eleven o'clock Ms. Coleman." The smile in his voice as he answered unmistakable. "Besides you should be out celebrating, not home watching Lifetime."

Monique shuffled to the bed, grabbed the remote and clicked off the TV. She rolled her eyes at herself for being so predictable. "Whatever. Today is just a day like any other day, I don't see the need to celebrate."

Corbin sighed. "Yeah well, I have something for you."

Monique groaned. "You didn't have to spend money Corbin I told you--"

"I didn't." He cut her off laughing. "I knew you wouldn't allow it."

"Okay well--"

"Just open the door, I'm pulling up now."

She slid on some slippers and trudged to the door. Unlocking it and plopping herself on the couch in the dark. The sound of her door closing and locking and the footsteps making their way to the kitchen signalled his entry. She heard rustling in her kitchen draws and a match being struck. She lifted her head in anticipation of what was to come. Finally a small glow could be seen from the distance and then a softly lit face revealing Corbin's beautiful features. When he was about two feet away she saw the lone cupcake with light purple icing-- her favorite--and a single candle placed on top. Then he placed it on the coffee table and quietly sang her Happy Birthday.

"I knew you wouldn't let me take you out." He said once he was done singing. "Especially since you appreciate the little things in life much more than the grand gestures, and you were so insistent on forgetting it was your 29th."

She flinched at the mention of her age. She hated that she and her best friend had that age gap. He caught it and placed his hand on top of hers. "Like you said Mo, it's just a day, and I know it's tired and played out but your age is just a number."

He was right she had heard it so many times but he just made it sound so convincing.

"So." He picked up the cupcake and held it toward her. "Make a wish."

She smiled closed her eyes and blew out the candle leaving the room dark again, the only light coming from the streetlamps outside. Corbin reached over and turned on a lamp, while Monique raised the cupcake to her lips slowly licking off the icing, nodding in approval.

"So, what'd you wish for?"

Monique shook her head playfully, her newly pressed chin length chocolate locks swaying with her. "Nuh uh, if I tell you it won't come true."

Corbin slid to the end of the couch grabbing the throw the hung over it, moving his body more into the back of the couch so that Monique had room. He gestured with his head for her to take up the space he had just made for her. She slid into the space, her body fitting perfectly with Corbin's, he put the throw over them and placed his arm around her, than took the remote that sat on the arm of the couch and clicked the TV on. They were friends but they had an inexplicable ease around each other. They didn't feel weird or awkward in otherwise intimate situations like this, in fact they rarely ever thought about it unless it was brought to their attention by someone who wasn't quite used to the way they responded to each other. "Come on," He whispered after a few minutes. "Tell me."

Monique smiled. She knew he wouldn't be able to hold out for too long. "It's gonna sound cheesy."

Corbin laughed loud and wholeheartedly. "It wouldn't be you if it wasn't cheesy Mo."

"Okay." She said her voice full of resignation. "I wished that all my birthdays could be like this."

Corbin's face broke out into an immediate grin. "Well, Ms. Coleman. That can be arranged."