Disclaimer: None of the Benedicts/the Savant World belong to me – all rights to Joss Stirling.

Chapter Seven

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday, dear Crystal! Happy Birthday to yooouuu!

Groaning loudly, I attempt to curl myself back into the warmth of my duvets and pillows but after peaking out of beneath the covers, I decide that being woken by my wonderfully handsome (& shirtless) soulfinder holding a massive chocolate cake isn't that bad after all. At least the chocolate part isn't.

"Morning" I croak and allow for my head to make contact with the freezing room temperature.

"Happy birthday, Cupcake" Xav places the cake on the chest of drawers and rushes over to me to give me a proper Happy Birthday. Just as our kisses grow more passionate and frantic, my stomach decides to ruin the moment by exclaiming loudly its need for food. Xav laughs loudly and reaches over for the cake.

"Dig in" he says and hands me the cutting knife.

Wishing for nothing else but happiness, I cut two pieces out of the cake, the bigger one being for me naturally. I know chocolate cake at 9.34 o'clock on a Saturday morning is probably really gross for most people but I have a sweet tooth…. Okay maybe more like sweet-jaw but it's my birthday – I'm allowed to have cake.

"So, what d'you want to do today?" Xav asks just as he's swallowing a massive piece of chocolate heaven.

"Dunno" I say, earning myself a very reproachful look. Sorry for having low expectations…

Suddenly, I realize what I should do today…

"Can we go to church? Maybe… find some place – uh – where I can talk... you know... with Dad" My voice breaks slightly on the last word but Xav just places his cake back on the platter and gathers me in his arms. Pressing a soft kiss against my tangled hair, he whispers, "I'd love to meet him"

God, I love him so much. In response, I cuddle myself closer to him and mumble those three words to him, carefully and quietly, as we're not the kind of couple who fling those words around as if they mean nothing.

I love you, too, Beauty.

For some reason, hearing those words floating along our link, built on friendship, love, fun, passion, trust and tons of other stuff, makes them feel so much more special.

"So, how about we shower, then go off to church and then tonight, I have something special planned for you."

The butterflies in my stomach start fluttering in response and I gaze up at him, pouting, "And presents?" I ask in my best puppy/bambi-voice and he laughs.

"First, we shower. 'Cause I smell of several bad baking attempts and you smell of sleep, soulfinder."

There are worse things to hear from your boyfriend….

Watching Xav close his eyes, steady his head in his hands in the pews of St. Andrew's Church, makes me realize how lucky I am. He never asked any questions as I sat down in front of the altar, closed my eyes and started speaking to Dad. After a while, I brought Xav into the 'conversation', introducing him as my soulfinder and boyfriend and Xav started talking to my Dad, praising me and I just love him more every day.

You ready to go? I ask quietly, not wanting to disturb his moment of peace in church.

He lifts up his head to look at me, a playful grin on his face. Can I kiss you in a church?

Have you ever asked my permission before? I say, remember the times when he would spontaneously lean over in the streets or while shopping to steal a kiss before I put the pasta in the shopping cart.

I take that as a yes?

Not answering, I give him a chaste kiss and take his hand, leaving the church together.

"So, what next?" I ask him and he chuckles at my excitement.

"Whatever you want"

I groan and Xav looks at me in alarm.

What?

You can't be so nice to me.

Why not, Cupcake?

Because it means I'll have to be equally nice to you on your birthday tomorrow.

Xav laughs out loud and swings his arm round my shoulders.

"Man, I love your logic, Cupcake"

"Ugh, fine. How about we go back to the apartment until lunch because in around ten minutes, the phone will start ringing from everybody wishing me a Happy Birthday."

"Then what?"

"Umm... I kinda have something in mind."

Xav gives me suspicious look before answering.

"What?"

"Steve's new film came out last Friday, so we could –"

I stop when I see Xav's expression go beyond sour.

"C'mon, Xav. You can't still be jealous."

"I'm not jealous, I just … don't want to give money to a cooperation that'll give him money that he will use to … buy him another helicopter with his name on it."

He's so adorable when he's jealous.

"I'll pay."

"Rubbish! It's your birthday. But can't we go see the new Scarlett Johansson movie?"

"So you can goggle at another girl's boobs for two hours? Uh-uh! We're watching Steve's movie! It's my birthday, my choice"

Xav groans over-dramatically and dumps his head on my shoulder as if it was unbearably heavy.

"C'mon, Kermit, it's got us kissing in it so it can't be that bad."

Xav drops his gaze to my mouth and after a moment of contemplation, groans a barely audible "Fine!" before dragging me back to the apartment. I'm so persuasive, my name could be Vic!

Steve's film turns out to be … really not so bad, partly because it had me fangirling slightly when we realized that our 'scene' (=us kissing in the background) hadn't been cut out. Xav does not seem convinced of Steve's acting talent but I ignore him or manage to shut him up with my tactics of distraction. Xav is being very mysterious about our evening plans and I hope it's nothing too fancy. Last time I celebrated my birthday in a posh restaurant it all went horribly wrong.

"Okay, Cupcake. You go to the bedroom, have a shower, get ready, I have the outfit laid out for you-"

I burst out laughing. "You? Telling me what to wear? And here I was, thinking I'd seen it all."
"That's where you'll always be with me. Now sssh, just do as I say. I'll call you when it's ready."

"Xav?"

"Hhmm?" He's already on his way to the kitchen and turns around to look at me.

"No fancy restaurant or? 'Cause I don't really –"

His expression changes to a very serious one as he says, "No fancy restaurant. I promise." Giving me one reassuring kiss, he ushers me towards the bedroom and disappears in the kitchen.

The outfit that Xav has laid out for me almost has me in stitches again. Simple black sweatpants, to be combined with a bright green T-Shirt that has Kermit ordering everyone to "Go Green!". It reminds me of the time when Xav and I did our scene for the film and he'd said that green would suit me. Taking the outfit as a guideline for how the rest of the evening will be, I tie my hair up in a neat scrunchie but keep the make up on for now.

"Cupcake! Dinner is served!" He sounds eerily like Alberto but knowing it's Xav, I can laugh it off.

Dinner ticks all of my boxes. Fattening, unhealthy and delicious. Though he does manage to sneak in a bit of salad before the lasagne. We spend the evening throwing sarcastic remark to and through, sometimes accompanied by bits of food, and after dinner, we move to the living room where all my presents are strewn over the coffee table, soon to be joined by Xav's.

"Thanks for today, Kermit." I say as I fling myself on the couch, absolutely full from dinner.

"You're very welcome, Miss Piggy." Xav quickly lifts me up so that he can sit where I'm lying and settles me on his lap.

"Just to let you know: The day I've got planned for tomorrow will totally beat this." I say and press a small kiss against his jaw.

"In your dreams. I'm better at organizing, anyway."
"Hey! It's not my fault the Contessa turned out to be such a neurotic hag."
"Just kidding" Xav mumbles as he pulls my face up for a kiss. "But I still have something planned for today, you know?" Some of his mental images float into my mind, making me blush.

"Well, we just cannot let all that organising go to waste, can we?"

"You bet" Xav says and picks me up to carry me to the bedroom. Most of the time, I have to admit, he really is an amazing person. Too late, I realize that I don't have my shields up, and judging by Xav's smug laugh, he's noticed it too. I take it all back. Sometimes he can just be an annoyingly confident twit.

"Why, thank you, darlin'. I love you, too."

So this was Crystal's 20th birthday – I'll probably be doing Xav's 21st birthday in later chapters because I've got something more serious planned for the next chapter!

I realize that this one maybe isn't as good as Chapter Six but this was written quite rushed because so many of you urged me to update soon and I can't disappoint :)

Please review!