“It’s your birthday.” Henry finally decides, placing the newspaper he’d spent the afternoon reading on his lap. He’d come to your apartment unannounced and casual, the way he always does when you’re in this kind of a mood. You’d been quite mopey, to be completely honest. Sat staring out the window, watching the rain patter against the street below, and being far more quiet than usual.

You hadn’t told anyone about it, but every twenty minutes you’d received a call from some relative or other, and increasingly your mood worsened. “How did you..”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He asked, eyebrows furrowed, more in annoyance than anything. Maybe betrayal.

“I didn’t want a big fuss, you know, from you or the others.” You shrugged, avoiding eye contact, feeling like a scolded child.

He gets up quietly but methodically, putting on his large black wool coat, as well as his forest green scarf. “I’ll be back in a while. Stay awake.”

“Where are you..” But he was already out the door, and you could hear the creak of his heavy footing against the wooden steps.

He was only an hour or so, but you’d gotten yourself ready for bed, and were sat by the far with a cup of tea. When he stepped inside, his hair was wet and glossy from the rain, crystals of water on the shoulder of his coat, and a small, carefully wrapped box in his hands. He handed it to you. “What’s this?”

“Open it.”

Inside was a small, brown leather watch nestled on top of a satin pillow. You’d been saying you’d needed a watch for some time now, after you accidentally knocked your old one off your bedside table. “Henry, it’s beautiful, but..” It looked too expensive; real leather, delicate details.

“You needed a new one.” He said flatly, almost chidingly, “It’s not ideal. I would have chosen something more considered, had you told me it was your birthday. But you didn’t.”

“I didn’t need anything.”

He shushed you instantly, his expression sharpening in that way that always felt scarily stern. “Don’t diminish it. You hid the day; you robbed me of the chance to do this properly. I will not have you apologise for a gesture that is already too meagre for the occasion.”