Richelle Mead owns the VA and Bloodlines series.
This one's just a silly little scene that I came up with when someone asked for something, well, silly! Hope you enjoy it!
Also, I've started a new Post-TIS story if anyone wants to read something a little longer. It's called Through The Darkness, if you're interested :)
"Happy birthday, dear Sydney, happy birthday to you!" Adrian sang wildly out of tune, but I didn't mind. This was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for me.
His entire apartment was decorated in twinkling Christmas lights and candles. He'd gotten me flowers and made a picnic style dinner that we ate on the floor of his living room. And to top it all off, he bought my favorite pie from Pies and Stuff.
When he finished singing he cut me a slice and handed it to me. I took a bite, savoring this moment as much as I was the taste of the pie.
"I can't believe you went through all of this trouble for me," I said, leaning forward to kiss him. He tasted like the wine he'd gotten us to have with dinner.
"You have no idea the kind of trouble I'd go through for you," he said, smiling. "This is nothing."
"Well, thank you," I said, taking another bite of pie. "This is amazing."
Adrian grinned and leapt to his feet. "Just wait until you see your present," he said, hurrying into the bedroom.
"Oh, Adrian," I called after him, getting to my feet myself. "You didn't have to get me anything. Dinner was more than enough."
He came back a minute later holding a small square box. He shrugged and handed it to me. "It's no big deal. Just something I saw that reminded me of you."
I turned to put the pie down on the coffee table so I could open the box, but my heel tangled in the blanket Adrian had laid out on the rug for us to sit on. I lurched forward, certain I was about to fall on my face, but Adrian's arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me up against him.
"Thank you," I said, pulling away and putting the plate down on the table like I'd originally intended, along with the box. "That would have hurt if you hadn't been there."
When Adrian didn't say anything right away I turned around to see my pie splattered all over his silk shirt. He looked down at the shirt, then back up at me.
"Oh," I said, my hand coming up to cover my mouth in shock. "Oh, I'm so—" I tried to hold in my laughter, I really did, but it escaped anyway. I pressed my knuckles to my lips and took a deep breath. "I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to..." Again I trailed off in a fit of uncontrollable giggles.
"You think it's funny?" Adrian said, his voice calm and controlled. Too controlled.
"No," I said, straightening up and biting back a smile. "It's not funny at all..." Giggles again! What was wrong with me?
"Well," Adrian said, glancing back at his shirt. "If it's that funny on me, it'll be a million times funnier on you." Then he was moving towards me.
"No!" I cried, holding an arm out in front of me and backing up quickly. I was still laughing, but very aware of the imminent danger ahead of me. This blouse was new. And expensive. "Adrian, don't. I'm sorry. It was an accident. Can't we just let it go?"
He still didn't stop coming towards me. My back hit the wall. I was trapped.
"Adrian, please?" I all but begged. My hands were blocking him, but he was standing right in front of me. "For me? Truce?" I looked up and tried to do the pout thing he was so good at, but I wasn't sure if I was doing it right. He looked unaffected.
"Truce?" he asked. "Are we at war or something?" He smiled angelically and threw his arms to the side. "I just wanted to give you a hug, Sage. You don't want a hug?"
I made a face and glanced at his soiled shirt. "Take off your shirt and you can hug me," I said.
Adrian's lips quirked up at the corners. "My dirty girl," he whispered. "Trying to get me naked. I bet that's why you threw the pie at me in the first place, isn't it? Because you wanted to see how good I look shirtless." He grinned and started unbuttoning his shirt, ignoring my eye roll entirely. "It was a smart move. Wish I'd thought of it," he said with a wistful glance at my chest.
I crossed my arms, but couldn't help but smile. That smile got a little bigger when Adrian finally shrugged out of his shirt. His skin was pale and smooth. Taut over his lean, muscular frame. His abs weren't in the same realm as a guardian like Eddie's were, but they were well defined and very nice to look at. I bit my lip and Adrian laughed.
"If you keep looking at me like I'm a piece of meat, Sydney, I'm going to start getting uncomfortable," he said, but I could hear his smile.
I looked up and grinned. "It is my birthday..."
"And?" Adrian breathed, stepping closer. We were almost touching now. So close I knew he could feel my breath on his bare skin.
"And..." I blinked up at him, trying to remember what we'd been talking about. Oh, yeah, my birthday. "Don't I deserve something special?" I said distractedly. I couldn't quite keep my eyes on his face.
Adrian looked thoughtful for a moment and then, "I guess so. There isn't much out there more special than this," he said, gesturing to himself. I almost cracked a joke about that, but decided against it. "So this is our thing then? Our special birthday treats to each other?"
I looked up at him, confused. "What?"
He shrugged, smiling. "You know, the something special we'll give each other on birthdays, anniversaries, maybe on holidays."
"What is?" I asked, feeling even more confused.
"Seeing each other naked," Adrian said, as if it was obvious. He gestured to himself again.
I rolled my eyes. "You're not naked," I pointed out and then hurried on when I saw the glimmer in his green eyes. "And I don't want to see you naked. Not right now, anyway."
Adrian smirked, unbothered by my comment. "Half naked, then. I think it's a good present. It'll keep the passion alive. I hate to tell you though, Sage, but you didn't get me anything special for my last birthday."
"Your birthday's in August," I said. "I didn't know you then."
"That's why I'm willing to except a belated birthday gift," he smiled. His hand reached out and tugged on the hem of my blouse. "And, just so you know. I wouldn't mind seeing you naked. But half naked will work too, I guess."
I batted his hand away, but couldn't hide the smile on my face. "I don't give belated birthday presents," I said cooly. Adrian looked surprisingly disappointed, like he actually thought I might go along with this game. "But," I said slowly and watched him perk back up. "If I miss a birthday I always go overboard the next year."
Adrian grinned and stepped into me, his chest pressing up against mine. "Oh, yeah?"
I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck, tugging him down so he could meet my lips. I kissed him once, softly. "Yeah," I whispered against his mouth.
I felt him smiling. "Can't wait until next August," he murmured. And then his hands encircled my waist, pulling me impossibly closer until we were lost in each other, all thoughts of pie and tiny gifts shaped like ring boxes forgotten for the moment.