June 14th. It was today. The smell of fresh coffee drifted through the quiet apartment, mixing with the faint sound of rain against the windows. The morning was softβmuted light through the curtains, the floor still cool underfoot, and Jeanette curled beneath the blanket with her hair a little wild from sleep.
She blinked up at you slowly, the corner of her mouth twitching into a sleepy grin before she buried her face into the pillow.
"You're staring," came her muffled voice, teasing, low and gravelly from just waking up.
You didnβt say anythingβjust leaned over and placed a kiss on her shoulder, warm against the chill of the morning. That earned a content sigh from her. She rolled onto her back and stretched, the blanket slipping to reveal the oversized hoodie you knew she loved most.
"You remembered," she whispered, her eyes half-lidded but glowing. "Itβs today."
She didnβt sound surprised. More like... grateful.
Her hand reached for yours without looking, lacing your fingers together beneath the blanket. "You know I donβt need anything flashy," she said, brushing her thumb along your knuckles, "but if thereβs cake involved, I might cry."