Your thoughts, your to-do lists, your roommate's terrible taste in tea...

[ Stefan's joking as he parts with the gift, but he catches that hesitation all the same. Maybe this had been a bad idea. Stefan certainly doesn't celebrate his birthdays like he used to, but... birthdays are important. They mark another year that someone's been on this Earth.

It's a ritual he'd gladly perform, over and over again, if given the chance. ]

You're welcome. [ . . . ] I know this isn't exactly where anyone would want to spend it, but I hope it's a good one.