a/n: "should i do a canonverse oneshot or a coffeeshop au oneshot?" i asked myself, and then proceeded to do both

also kudos to the anon on tumblr who came up with reina's present

"Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday dear Kumiko, happy birthday to me!"

Kumiko hadn't been doing much that day - birthdays had stopped meaning much to her a while ago, and she was far more interested in the idea of a day of rest than celebrating with a fancy dinner. Still, it was a bit lonely, and she considered calling Hazuki or Midori just to hear the sounds of their voices. The mayflies swarmed outside, the sun peeking out from behind closed curtains, and Kumiko slammed her face into a pillow.

"Crap, it's hot out," she groaned. "What a birthday, huh?" She was just about to try and take a nap when an insistent, impatient knocking on the apartment's door snapped her from her thoughts, and she ran from her room to greet the newcomer.

"I haven't written down the wrong date, right?" Reina stood in the doorway, a small, neatly wrapped box in her arms, and Kumiko could've kissed her in that moment.

"Nope! It's, uh, definitely my birthday, yep!"

"Happy birthday, then. I suppose I should apologize for showing up without warning - my phone died." Reina stepped inside, setting down the present with a quiet hum. "If you're busy, I could just-"

"I'm not actually r-really doing anything right now," Kumiko admitted. "You can come in." Reina was already on the couch. Her presence had become somewhat of a staple in the apartment as of late - nobody questioned Kumiko about why she was there anymore, and both girls were happy enough with that.

"My phone went off this morning and I wasn't entirely sure if I should turn it off." Reina plucked absentmindedly at the frills of a pillow. "It sounded like an alarm going off, honestly. I was just about to ask my father if there was a fire in the house, but it turned out that I had just set the date on there a while ago." Kumiko could feel her cheeks turning red.

"You have my birthday on your, uh, phone?" she mumbled. Reina has my birthday on her phone. Reina cares enough to have my birthday on her phone. As accustomed as Kumiko had become to Reina's presence in the apartment, as much as the two shared reassuring looks when nobody else saw, she still found herself questioning the reality of their relationship (if, really, it could be called a relationship at all) and every one of her steps was plagued with doubt and uncertainty.

"Yes," Reina said, seeming not to hear any of the unspoken questions in Kumiko's words as she looked up at the flickering lights above. "You really should get that fixed."

"It's just the wind. It messes with the power sometimes."

"Hmm."

"W-well, anyway, you didn't need to get me anything." The box, gift-wrapped with green dots running along it, still sat on the table.

"It isn't much. I've never exactly prided myself upon being the best at picking gifts for people, so it might not be the best thing you've ever gotten."

"I'm sure it's fine, Reina." Kumiko tried to ignore the thumping in her chest as she picked the box up from the coffee table, half-expecting it to have some heartfelt note or memento inside. Reina bit her lip. Inside, two identical, note-shaped objects sat in crumpled white tissue paper. "Bookends?"

"Yes. They're durable, according to the website's description. I know that it's not quite as . . . sentimental as the things you might've grown to expect, but it's practical."

"I love them, Reina." Kumiko set the box aside as Reina looked back to the lights. "They're s-sorta like us, right? God, this sounds so cheesy, but we keep each other upright, y'know?" Reina turned to her with a smile.

"That wasn't quite the intention," she murmured, nonchalantly brushing a lock of hair out of Kumiko's face and tucking it behind her ear, "-but I suppose you could have a point, there." Kumiko could've sworn that her heart was just about to leap from her chest.

"Hey, Reina?"

"Yes?"

"I like you a lot, you know that?"

"Yes, Kumiko." Reina pressed a kiss to her cheek before standing up. "I know that." Kumiko would have passed out right there on the couch if it hadn't been for the bookends (which didn't really seem all that useful, for how fragile they looked) precariously balanced there. "In any case, I should go now. I've overstayed my welcome here, I think." Kumiko gingerly put a hand to her cheek as Reina started to walk out.

"W-wait!"

"Hmm?"

"This, uh, d-doesn't change anything between us, right?"

"Not at all, Kumiko." Reina was just about to close the door when she whispered four last words that would play over and over again in Kumiko's head for the rest of the day.

"I like you too."

This might just be the best birthday ever.