A/N: Just a little drabble for today. I think mashmaiden mentioned she might like a follow up to the drabble about Callen's birthday party.
"So, not too shabby for your first birthday party, right?" Deeks asked as he scraped florescent pink frosting off his plate. His feet were balanced on the edge of a coffee table-a purchase that Anna had been adamant about a couple years ago-and he was lounging in an armchair, his Ravenclaw party hat perched crookedly over his messy hair.
There were several more people from the office and bar milling around the house, talking and drinking. There was a consistent babble of voices that was unusually unheard of in the Callen-Kolcheck household.
Callen poked at his own square of cake, trying to decide if he was ok with eating the sparkles dispersed throughout the bright frosting. Caleb had apparently also helped with picking out the cake and chosen a rainbow unicorn. With a shrug, he ate a bite, shaking his head at Deeks.
"You know, I've had parties before this," he said. "Which is how I know I don't like them." Deeks ignored the residual annoyance in his tone, as Callen had expected.
"Yeah, but those weren't real parties. And how can you not like unicorn cake, Harry Potter decorations, and presents?"
"I admit, it isn't as terrible as it could have been."
"That's high praise coming from the man who normally won't let me buy him anything," Sam commented, walking up with a beer in one hand a giant smile. Somehow he'd evaded the hats Callen noticed jealously, glaring up at his Slytherin hat which Caleb had given him.
"You just need the right approach," Deeks explained sagely, the effect somewhat lessened by his lopsided hat.
"You barged in and wouldn't take no for an answer," Callen protested, just in case anyone got any ideas about making this an annual occurrence.
"That is usually the way with this one," Anna said, coming up beside him and kissing him loudly on the cheek. "You look adorable in this hat. He glared at her to little effect.
"Hey, I'm still pissed at you two" he gestured between her and Sam "for letting this happen. You're my best friend and you're my girlfriend, you're supposed to be on my side." Anna put her hands up defensively.
"I swear I knew nothing about it."
"And I wasn't about to miss out on this for anything," Sam said with a chuckle.
"What are we whispering about?" Kensi asked as she joined the semi-circled. Caleb pushed past her and catapulted himself into Deeks' lap. He made an appropriate groan as his son's foot sank into his stomach.
"We're trying to convince my delightful boyfriend that he is actually enjoying himself," Anna said, pinching his cheek.
"I know it was a surprise, but we did it with the best of intentions," Kensi explained, looking a little sheepish. "And in case you really hate it, it was all Deeks' idea."
"Hey," Deeks protested. "Way to throw me under the bus." Kensi just grinned and sat on the arm of his chair, consoling him with a kiss.
"You didn't open your present yet, Uncle Callen," Caleb observed as he balanced on the other arm of the chair and jumped across to Callen. "I got you a really good present, but mommy and daddy said I can't tell you what it is. So can you open it so I can tell you all about it?"
Callen looked down at his earnest face, once again unable to resist him.
"Sure, kiddo," he agreed. "But you'll have to help me." Caleb gave a whoop and grabbed his hand, dragging him over to the pile of presents laid out in the front room. He pointed to a lumpy package, practically vibrating with excitement as Callen picked it up.
Maybe it wasn't what he'd wanted, or asked for, but as he opened up a baseball glove to the sound of Caleb's excited babbling, Callen decided that it was possibly the best birthday he'd ever had.