Birthday Cake

Brock balanced the small package carefully, taking extra care not to jostle it as he hipchecked the door open. He had made sure to clear all the things she had today (And he'd hid her files, shhh) in favor of this, right here. The little package in his hands and the small backpack on his back that went with it.

"Oi, Volchonka." He called, sliding into the office easily. "I've got something for you." Walking steadily into the room, he placed the package on the desk before her, extremely cautiously. He grinned at her, reaching into his backpack and pulling out a paper party hat, placing it unceremoniously on her hair, over her bun. "Hyvää syntymäpäivää!"

Kallie sat in her desk expecting him. She had a suspiciously blank agenda for today, her secretary looking very wide eyes when she asked about it.

She supposed the lack of events could have been Eli.

But she couldn't find any of her files.

Only one person would touch her files.

"Good afternoon, Brock," she grinned slightly as she looked at the box, with a raised eyebrow. Of course the smile turned to one of slight exasperation as a hat was stuck on her head, "Is that really necessary?"

She knew she looked absolutely ridiculous.

Brock snorted, his eyes going back to the package. "Open it already, what are you waiting for?!" He grinned, sticking a party hat on his head too. Digging through his bag once more, he placed another package, this one bigger, next to the first. This one had a baker's stamp, though it was pretty obvious what it was.

Kallie couldn't help but snort too. She rolled her eyes but pulled herself closer to the gift.

"Some of use, were actually able to contain our curiousity for more the a nano-second," she teased softly, as she carefully began to unwrap the box in her usual orderly mannor. She slowly pealed off the paper, and then give Brock a curious glance, stood up opening the box.

As her gaze fell on the contents she froze for a moment, hand hovering the opening hesitantly, before a soft coo came out of her mouth.

"Oh my," she breathed, glancing up at Brock, before back into the box, "Pentu..."

She shook her head, and reached a hand into the box, petting the animals head softly with one finger, before hesitantly lifting it out of the box.

The small kitten purred as it fit right into both her hands.

"Hei pikku kissa," she cooed again as she cuddled it close.

A grin flashed across Brock's lips at the look on her face, unable to stop the urge as he picked up the small disposable camera and snapped a picture of her. The moment was just so... Volchonka. The side she never was relaxed enough to let anyone see. The side reserved for his wolf.

"I call him Tiikeri. He was fending off three much bigger cats when I rescued him. Regular supercat." He grinned, stashing the camera away before she could do anything about it. "You're welcome to rename him, but he'll always be Tiikeri to me." Leaning forward, he gently rubbed his thumb over the small kitten's head, grinning when it nipped at his thumb before purring and nuzzling into him. "I knew he'd like you. Wasn't fond of anyone but me, really."

He grinned. "You like him? Wouldn't want to break his little kitty heart by rejecting him, would you?" Placing a hand over his heart, he looked up at her with wide, puppy dog eyes to match the kitten's.

---

Spoiler:

"Tikeri," she smiled fondly as the small creature pured again. It's wide kitten eyes had her so transfixed she didn't notice Brock pull out the camera, nor hear the click of the shutter. She looked up only as he was stashing something away, and didn't bother to think to question it. "Its a perfect name."

She shook her head at his antics, a giddy little giggle escaping her lips, "I love him. Thank you."

Brock grinned, ignoring whatever in hell his heart had decided to start doing at her words. "Volchonka and Tiikeri, perfect." He said with a boyish smile. Pulling the other box front and center, he glanced up at her before pulling it open. Inside was one of his specialty cakes, made just as Kallie loved it. He hadn't built it up to its full three layers, only taking the top one. He'd rearranged the chocolate covered strawberries to spell out 'Happy Birthday' around the curve, and quick as a blink, he pressed three candles into the center.

"Time for your wish." He said, pulling out a lighter. "Ready?" Quickly he lit all three candles, nearly bouncing with excitement. In Kallie's hands, Tiikeri watched the flames, tail twiching in amusement before he pounced at them. Catching the kitten, Brock held him up to eye level and they stared each other down. "That's Volchonka's cake, greedy little Tiikeri." The kitten mrrowed in disapproval, and Brock slid him into the pocket of his shirt, where his head poked out. They both looked up at Kallie with sheepish faces, before they both looked down at the cake.

"Want me to sing?" Brock teased lightly, as Tiik started purring.

---

Spoiler:

Hands still holding the kitten close, she let her eyes drift to the other box, her mind telling her what was inside it. It wasn't hard to figure out. She was already smiling before he had even taken the lid off.

She laughed slightly, as she reached out to grab the Tiikeri but Brock got to the animal first.

"Only if you want to Pentu," she responded, shaking her head, her eyes watching the dancing flame as her mind wandered at the order for a wish.

Kallie had never been a frivolous child, and things like wishes and dreams... she had never taken many of them seriously, but somehow... on her birthday - when she blew out the candles on her cake, it was the only time of the year she ever allowed herself to just believe in something.

Closing her eyes, she continued to let her mind drift, trying to find her truest wish, the one thing that she disired the most. But everything was jumbled. She wasn't sure what she wanted. She just knew she wanted....

Taking a deep breath in, she let her eyes flutter open, and blew out her candles.

Never having been a singer, Brock hummed instead, staying mostly in key as he hummed. To his surprize, Tiikeri purred along, and they were quite the duet, in Brock's opinion. He paused as she blew out the candle, something about the look on her face hurting at the same time it brought him pleasure. She was happy.

"What'd you wish for?" He asked, his voice hushed. His brown eyes blinked up at her from where he and the kitten had taken residence.

Shaking herself from her thoughts, her eyes flicked back up to the man, gaze locking on his familiar one. How many times had she gazed back at him like this? Just...

Looked at him.

Odd, the things she decides to notice, to remember.

"I-" she intented to tell him, when she opened her mouth, but then she remembered herself, and a teasing grin tugged at her lips instead, "I can't tell you that. If I tell you, then it won't come true. You know that."