Work Text:
You scanned the room around you one last time, checking that everything was in place as planned.
Gold and white balloons adorned every corner, streamers hung off the ceiling, and a romantic candle-lit dinner was prepared on the dining table. The only thing missing was the subject of celebration, who you suspected should be arriving any moment now.
"Happy birthday!" You cried out as Vanessa finally stepped through the front door. She was immediately taken aback; however, her expression quickly became one of joy.
"What is all this, Y/N? You didn't have to!"
You knew that Vanessa didn't like to make a big deal out of her birthday. Hell, you weren't even sure if she remembered that today was her special day, with the way she never mentioned it (in fact, the only reason you knew her birthday was because of that singular time it slipped into the conversation when you were just a month into dating).
"Nessa, babe. I know you have a hard time celebrating yourself, but today is your day, so let me help you feel special, m'kay?" You helped her out of her work gear and guided her to the dining table. Arranged was a variety of all her favourite dishes, alongside a vase of roses. You gave a shy laugh; the food had taken you several attempts before it was satisfactory. "I'm not the best cook, but I tried my best."
"God, I don't even know what to say," Vanessa couldn't suppress the grin that stretched across her face. "Thank you so much, my love. You are the sweetest frickin' angel ever."
One hand cupped your cheek and the other found its home on your waist as she pulled you in for a kiss, her cherry flavoured-lips fitting perfectly against your own. She smelled amazing, like an elixir of vanilla and jasmine that you had now associated with warmth and comfort.
"How about we eat before the food gets cold, and continue this later?" You whispered when you finally pulled apart for air, your face a centimetre away from hers.
"You're right. I gotta see if I should make you do all the cooking from now on."
Dinner was filled with laughter, flirty exchanges, and your girlfriend complimenting your culinary skills. You swore that your face was bright red by the end of it, with her praises and the way she made you giggle till you couldn't breathe.
"Alright, alright, if you thought the steak was good, just wait till you see the cake," you got up and proudly made your way to the fridge.
"There's cake too? You're going to put me into a food coma!"
"Wouldn't be a birthday without a cake. Made it myself too," the excitement in your voice was evident as you set down a colourful cake on the table. Vanessa gasped as she took a closer look.
On the cake was your best attempt at drawing you, Vanessa, and the four animatronics in icing. You were definitely not a professional artist, but your years of art lessons as a kid paid off, if you said so yourself. It was a depiction of your girlfriend's favourite picture: one taken at the pizzeria while the six of you danced to music, Vanessa in your arms as the animatronics looked on with joy (as best as they could, in their robotic ways).
You looked to her for approval, but were alarmed when you were met with her tear-streaked face instead.
She caught you staring in concern and buried her face in her hands, shoulders trembling as she sobbed. You had rarely seen Vanessa cry like this, not even after almost getting murdered by her own father.
"Vanessa? What's wrong, sweetheart?" You wrapped an arm around her, thumb rubbing her shoulder comfortingly.
"I'm sorry," she lifted her head to look up at you with teary eyes. It was astounding how beautiful she looked, despite her smudged mascara and red puffy eyes. "I'm not sad, I promise. It's just, as cheesy as this sounds, no one has ever made me feel this important before. I think you're the first person in this world that has ever loved me like this."
"Baby," you kissed her forehead, on the verge of crying yourself.
"And I can see that you put in so much effort to learn all these little details about me, not to mention the time you must have spent putting this whole thing together. Y/N- fuck, I feel like I don't deserve you."
You rested your head on the nape of her neck, your hand finding hers to interlace your fingers together,
"The last time I had a birthday party, I was eight," she continued with a sniffle. "And,"
A sigh interrupted her sentence, and you could guess that this next part was hard for her to say:
"You know, when there’s a bunch of unsuspecting, innocent children around, my father...h-he takes advantage of that. I begged him to never have a birthday party again after that, because though I might not have been able to stop him, I couldn't bear to be an accomplice to his crimes."
Vanessa's father really messed her up----that much you knew----but it still broke your heart every time you heard her speak about it.
"What he did will never be your fault, Nessa. I love you more than you know, and I need you to know that you deserve nothing but the best."
She cracked a weak smile. "Okay, okay, enough sob stories. I want to be in a good mood when we cut this gorgeous cake of yours."
"You know what, I have something else that may be able to cheer you up." You shook your head in amusement. "Don't you wanna see the presents I got you?"
From behind the living room couch, you grabbed a large gift bag and presented it to her.
And oh did she love it. She couldn’t stop squealing in excitement as she opened your present: a book that was on her reading list, a candle with her favourite scent, a gold necklace that you caught her eyeing at the jewelry store, and a photo album filled with pictures of the two of you.
The cherry on top was a heartfelt card that brought tears to her eyes, once again.
“And also,” you began to unbutton the top of your blouse, allowing her to catch a glimpse of the hot pink lingerie underneath. “A bonus gift.”
“Holy shit, I really am spoiled!”