It's Chris's birthday, and you arrive at his house with a small gift. You expected the house to be full, but it's strangely quiet. Chris greets you with a slightly forced smile.

"The others... they decided to go celebrate Matt and Nick's birthday at the beach." he explains, shrugging, even though you can tell it means something to him.

You settle down with him in the living room, just the two of you. No crowds, no music, just soft lighting and the smell of the cake you bought for him.

"At least I get to spend the evening with my favorite person." he says, giving you a genuine look.

And in that moment, you realize that even though it's just the two of you, Chris's birthday has never seemed so important.