"Well, aren't you going to blow out the candle?" said Sirius with a grin.

"Don't be so hasty, I'm savouring the moment," replied Remus.

"If you savour it any longer the wax is going melt onto your birthday cake."

"Birthday cake!" snorted Remus "Is that what poverty calls a cake these days? And I'll savour it as long as I like, thank you very much. You can be very unromantic at times."

"Unromantic! Me? Didn't I bring out to this posh muggle establishment and bestow cake upon you on this most blessed of days! And I actually remembered it was your birthday, all by myself, and you call me unromantic? I'm offended!"

"Shut-up Sirius," laughed Remus quietly. "Don't use the 'M' word so loudly!"

Sirius grinned at him and kicked Remus playfully under the small wobbly table. Remus mouthed the word 'ow' but Sirius was looking away innocently as if some imaginary foot had done the kicking. Remus hunched up and leaned closer to Sirius who was sitting across from him. He stared at the flame of the lone candle on blueberry muffin that was serving as his birthday cake this year. When you've no money, a muffin is the closest thing to triple-decker chocolate cake you can get. It was the thought that counted and since Sirius had, as he claimed, actually remembered that it was Remus's birthday, the least he could do was make a big deal of the muffin. He was going to blow out the candle in a minute and divided the spoils but it was nice just admiring it for a moment, even if the glow of the candle was lost amidst the glare of the neon lights of the dingy muggle café they were sitting in. Remus couldn't believe he was turning twenty, and yet he felt older. Being a werewolf had a premature aging effect he mused. He was shaken from his reverie when Sirius placed a hand over his own.

"Sickle for your thoughts" he said.

"Kiss me Sirius. Right now."

"What, in front of all these people? Are you mad?" Sirius sputtered.

"Just a little kiss! No one's looking, and besides, it's my birthday. Doesn't everyone get one special wish on their birthday?"

Sirius looked around the café. The owner had his backed turned to everyone and was cleaning the grill, the young couple that had been sitting near them had left and the old man by the window was reading his paper. It seemed safe enough.

"Okay, I'll kiss you, on one condition" replied Sirius cautiously.

"Name it," said Remus.

"Blow out the fucking candle Moony."