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A barely noticeable clack resounded from the polished ceramic tiles as Kory slowly lowered herself down into her boyfriend’s balcony. She had made the cautious effort to avoid the countless amount of hidden cameras that surrounded the Wayne manor while simultaneously holding onto the funfetti cake.
Flying with a cake in hand while the wind blew some icing on her face was definitely a hassle, but it was worth it for him. After all, she had to one up him after the surprise birthday party Dick threw for her during the first year she moved with the Titans. Now, some years had passed since they began dating and she had always failed to completely catch Dick Grayson by surprise on his birthday.
Last year, it seemed that she would be successful in throwing him a surprise party for his seventeenth birthday, but his family did it first.
Today, she could not fail. She would make sure that she would one up everyone on his eighteenth birthday, because after all, there was always a line of people waiting to impress Dick. He was just lovable like that and she loved him for that too.
She slowly opened his balcony’s reinforced glass door leading to his bedroom, and she made sure that not a creaked was heard. The last thing Kory needed right now was to be interrogated by her boyfriend’s dad about why she was breaking into his room in the middle of the night. She couldn’t handle that level of awkwardness, especially not when she had still not even sat down to have a proper introductory dinner with the seemingly brooding and cold man.
Kory closed the door cautiously and softly placed the cake on Dick’s desk, on top of which she noticed a wide arrange of polaroids of the two of them together- taken with the little camera Donna got him for his last birthday. She smiled as she noticed more pictures of his friends and family- ranging from Wally and Roy to Jason and Bruce. She couldn’t help but smile at the rare sight of the two latter smiling as Dick forced them into a hug with him.
Her boyfriend’s sudden snore startled her and she covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. She placed her index finger atop the candles in the funfetti cake, one by one, until they were all lit up, and as she did, she stared at her beautiful lover who shuffled under the covers of his king sized bed. She got lost in his face the moment he shifted around and faced her while he continued to sleep. His eyebrows furrowed and his lips moved absentmindedly as if he were talking in his sleep, but no sound came out.
Kory’s concern grew as she realized Dick was having a nightmare, and she proceeded to walk towards him. She glanced down at him for a split second before cupping his cheek on her exceedingly warm hand. She marvelled at how the pretty planes of his face immediately relaxed under her touch. She continued to trace the outline of his eyes, the freckles on his nose, the sharp line of his jaw, and then she brought her finger up to his bottom lip. In his sleep, he sighed in contentment and suddenly reached to grab Kory down with him to the bed. She tried to pry herself off his arms, but he only lowly whined and unconsciously tightened his grip.
She took this impasse as an opportunity to wake him up for his surprise. She glanced at the clock, realizing it was already past twelve, when she decided to lower her face near to his until her warm cheek was pressed to his. Dick stirred in his sleep as the sudden, yet comforting temperature rise slowly propped his bleary eyes open.
“Am I still dreaming?” He mumbled as Kory’s warm fingers ran through his hair and scratched his scalp.
“Happy birthday, love.” She held his chin up in her other hand in order to kiss his parted lips. Their lips melted into the kiss and suddenly Kory had forgotten about the burning candles. A frustrated groan escaped Dick’s throat when Kory pulled away from the kiss, only for her hands to pull on his hair to further expose his neck to them once again. His stomach was in knots when her tongue focused on one stress spot just above his clavicle. She seemed to have noticed this immediately, for she continued to undo him until he became a flushed mess.
“Kory…” He rushed to cover his mouth as her teeth sank down on his weak spot. Who knew who else was awake and able to hear them?
Her hands now slowly moved from his hair, tracing his spine all the way to rub deep soothing circles on his lower back.
“You’re cute when you’re flustered, you know.” She raised her face from his collarbone to admire the artful pattern she painted on his neck.
He took the only opportunity he had to properly breathe to tell her what he meant to say before, “Kory, the melting candle wax is ruining the cake.” He suppressed a laugh at his girlfriend’s sudden wide eyes. Kory quickly tumbled off the bed, accidentally dragging a part of the bedsheet with her. She cursed under her breath in Tamerean as she went to salvage the remaining icing.
“Richard Grayson! Why didn’t you warn me earlier?” She whisper-shouted at him as she began to remove the burnt icing to then cut a piece. She placed the remaining two inch candle on top of the salvaged slice.
“I was too distracted by a beautiful girl.”
“Can’t I get just one birthday of yours right?” She rolled her eyes at the flattery as she moved to sit next to him on the bed. She handed him the slice, but couldn’t help but notice his furrowed eyebrows.
“What are you talking about? Every birthday-” He started and shook his head in correction, “every day with you is great, Kory.” He cupped her face in his hands and felt how scorchingly hot they turned until he had to pry them away.
“But- oh I am being ridiculous.”
“Kory, say whatever’s on your mind.” He said reassuringly as he stroked her fiery hair.
She held his hands and averted her eyes. “You deserve everything good. You’re perfect. It seems like everyone’s trying to do something for you before I get the chance to and I… I don’t know. I just wanted to be the first to make your day great, as you always do with mine.”
After not hearing a word back from her boyfriend after some prolonged seconds, Kory turned to face him, who had the most adoring look on his face. “I love you and you truly are my favorite person, Koriand’r.”
She was startled by hearing him say her full name alongside his loving words. She hurried to shove the slice of cake into his mouth to erase his grin after noticing how flustered she got. “Stop being corny and eat your cake, Grayson.”
She kept feeding him spoonfuls while he laughed at her. After they settled back comfortably, Dick began to drift back into a deep sleep between Kory’s warm embrace like a personal heater. While she held him, she kissed the top of his head, and in the dead quiet of the end, whispered loving words only for her and the stars to hear.
“You are also my favorite person, every day.”