#also I've been posting too much Leona for someone with a Heartslabyul theme

[cardsweetheart]

Birthday Gift

Charlie content seemed to grab people's attention so here's him and MC being menaces.

(Aka self indulgent, slightly out of context stuff I want out of my drafts)

“But it’s my birthday”

“You know, you said that last year, and the year before that.”

“And every year you shove me in front of your brother.”

“Your boyfriend”

“One of them.”

“My brother.”

“I put glasses on him.”

Charlie pauses, the snappy back and forth coming to a halt at the comment. He shifts his weight on his hip, arms pressed closer to his chest now. The vision of his brother with glasses passed over his mind, but the pieces didn’t fit right. At least not with his frames. Another image flashes for a second before he mentally pushes it away.

“Do you, now?”

“Mhm. It’s part of my birthday present.” She continues to pick at the cake plate in her hand. 

“Bet he loves that.” 

“He likes what it does for me.” She brings the fork to her mouth and looks up at him through her eyelashes. 

She’s bluffing. She has to be. He wants her to be. The smirk at his contemplative silence makes him worry. His eyes wander to the dress they shoved her in this year and he wonders if she had any say in it. White and red, all ruffles, bows, and hearts scattered across the layers. He couldn’t deny how much the motif suited her, and he’s sure she knows it. The thought crosses again, flushed face and giggles. 

“You say my name too?” He asks, daring her to push.

“Charlie, come on. I can behave myself.”

“Can you?”

“Wanna find out?” 

He looks over her, scanning the courtyard for a familiar mop of red hair and comes up with nothing. He looks back at the prefect standing in front of him, all dressed up like a goddamn cake. Wrapped up in a bow for fucks sake. He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t thought of taking her up on it every once and a while. 

Sometimes when Ace drags her home for holidays, and he’s sat across from her. She doesn’t act like this in front of the rest of the family. He’ll catch her stealing glances but for the most part it’s subtle. Seeing her in casual clothes that aren’t the visual assault of the Heartslabyul uniform, led his imagination to wander. Sometimes he even waits in anticipation for the approach, instead of cuddling up to his brother on the couch after dinner. 

He looks her over again. Her eye line has begun to wander from him and that irks him. If she’s going to be tempting, she could at least commit to it. 

“Hey.’ He pulls her attention back.

“Yeah?” She feigns ignorance.

How easily he falls for it, “You’re a fucking tease.”

“Teasing only works if it’s causing a reaction.” She reaches up and adjusts the glasses slowly slipping down the bridge of his nose, “I’ll let you keep your 20 bucks.”

The older man sighs does one last once over of the crowd for anyone that would notice them missing. 

“I don’t know how long I’m going to be able to steal the birthday girl away before someone starts looking.”

“My record is an hour.”

“That’s it?”

“Is that a yes?”

He quickly wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her close, “You’re a pain in the ass.”

“That’s not a no.”

How was he ever going to be able to deny her. The way she leans against him so easily. The giddy smile on her face at finally getting what she wanted. He respected the hustle, the persistence. He’s not used to losing the chase. She smells like chocolate icing and the coffee he would down every morning. She felt right tucked up to him. 

In a swift motion, he grabs the corner of one of the dorm banners hanging near the pair. It swoops in front of them and she hears a snap. When the banner falls to the ground, all that’s left is a toppled over half eaten plate of red velvet cake.