You are the love that came without warning

They had spent Rose's entire birthday together. He knew it'd be like that and he didn't want her to spend a day all about her just dancing. Giovanni tried to make the day as special as he could. He'd bought her a cake and decorated it with candles that he lit whilst he signed and sang (not quite in tune) 'Happy Birthday' to her. Giovanni bought her a bunch of roses, he thought it was a sweet and thoughtful gesture and the smile on Rose's face when he gave them to her made him confident it was. But Giovanni still wanted to celebrate her more. He made plans a week before her birthday at a restaurant he loved and wanted to share with her. They joked and laughed and ate all the food they possibly could. Neither of them stopped smiling the entire meal. Of course, he treated her to dinner and carried her bags out to the car, but she kept hold of the roses.

They were sat in the car together, Rose was sat at an angle facing him and she was laughing at her phone. She was watching the video of herself on his story. He liked seeing her laugh.

Giovanni tapped her arm to get her attention. "You've had a good birthday right?"

"Yes. It's been amazing! You were very thoughtful, I love my cake, and I love my flowers." She put a hand on the bunch of roses laid on the seat in between them. "And the food!" she said enthusiastically, "the food was the best part," they both laughed.

"That's good, it makes me happy that you've had a great day. You really deserve it," he said sincerely.

Rose smiled sweetly at him and leant forward, putting a hand on his right cheek and placing a soft kiss to his other cheek. "Thank you," she said whilst leaning back into her seat.

When the car arrived at her house, he took Rose's bags for her and walked her to her door.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" Giovanni asked, handing Rose her bags.

"Of course, I can't wait!" she said with a smile on her face whilst trying to find her keys in her bag.

"Good, we'll work on that posture," he said pointing a finger around her head and shoulders.

"What do you mean? It's perfect." She positioned her head and shoulders as if she was in hold but purposely made it wrong as she knew it'd bother him. "See, perfect."

Giovanni let out a dramatic sigh and lifted his hand up putting his index finger softly under her chin and tilting her head properly whilst his other hand came to her neck his thumb pressing onto her cheek to move her neck to the right position. "There we go, beautiful, much better. It was just a little bit wrong, little bit." The hand on her chin joined the other one softly on her neck when she tuned her head but he moved them down to her shoulders.

He realised her hands were on his waist but only when she lifted one up to mock him, "are you joking?" Rose's hand went right back onto his waist and he laughed at her too accurate impression of him. She laughed with him, her fingers pressing into his waist.

"You know, uh, you know you do this nose scrunch thing when you laugh."

"What? No I don't." Rose touched her nose as if to check.

"It's cute."

She shook her head and laughed again, slowly stopping when she realised he was staring. He was looking at her like that again. She'd noticed it a few times, only out of the corner of her eye, but now he was close and he was looking at her with those soft eyes and the little smile on his face, and he wasn't hiding it. He wanted her to see how he looked at her.

They stayed there for a minute, neither of them wanting to break this moment. She wasn't sure if she was imagining but it felt like he was leaning a little closer.

"Rose, I-" he paused for a second, unable to decide if he should say what he needed to. It could ruin their night. It'd been fun and easy and he'd never feel so relaxed around her than he had at dinner. Just the two of them. It was always just the two of them, but tonight he got to spend time celebrating her. And now he was stood closer to her than he'd been before outside of their dances. He wasn't quite sure what to do with himself, or what to say. He just knew he didn't want to ruin it.

"Rose, I need to tell you something. Can I tell you something?"

She looked back up after he finished talking, and she nodded her head yes before he stepped back and her hands fell from his waist.

He stepped back so he could sign to her, but she wanted him closer.

"You know how much I admire you, how incredible I think you are…"

She always found it hard not to smile when he said things like that.

"…But I think, I think it's more than that."

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking confused.

"I just mean, I just… I don't know. I don't know what I mean. I don't know what to think."

She took a deep breath and waited for him to continue. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

"Gio, what's going on?"

"Nothing. Never mind. Forget I said anything. I um…"

"No," she interrupted. "No you have something to tell me, just tell me."

"No. Forget it. It doesn't matter." He looked down to avoid her gaze.

"Giovanni, tell me. I want to know." Rose's hand landed on Giovanni's arm and she ducked her head so she could look at him. "Please tell me."

He looked back up and her eyes were soft and kind, she squeezed his arm and Giovanni put his other hand on hers, brushing his thumb back and forth.

"I think, no, I know that I feel something more for you Rose. I admire you so much but I feel more."

She took a few steps back. Whether it was shock or nerves she couldn't tell.

"You've done something to me Rose." He laughed awkwardly whilst shaking his head. "I can't explain it. I see you and I get this feeling."

For once he couldn't quite read how she was feeling. But he decided to keep going, he'd already come this far.

"To me Rose, you are more than just my dance partner, more than my friend. You make me happier than I've ever felt, and I just, I just want to make you feel the same."

"You do." she only whispered it, almost scared to admit it. Giovanni took a step towards her and she didn't move back.

"You mean more to me than I can explain Rose." He brushed her hair behind her ear and let his hand linger on Rose's cheek.

"This feeling, I didn't see it coming but I don't even want to try and stop it."

He moved a little closer putting his other hand on her waist. She was looking into his eyes but he saw her look down for just a second.

"Giovanni," her hand landed on his chest and she stepped back, "It's uh, it's late, and we have rehearsal tomorrow, I should get inside."

"Rose, I…"

"Thank you," she interrupted, "for today, the flowers, and the cake," she laughed thinking of the Frozen themed cake, "and dinner, thank you for treating me. I'll see you tomorrow. Get home safe okay." She rambled as she fumbled with her keys in her door and smiled at him before closing the door behind her.