Knock, knock.
"Come in?"
You lifted your head from the pillow and squinted your eyes at the door, trying to see who was cracking open the door. There was a plate being carefully held in the person's hand.
Sitting up fully, you stretched and wiped the sleep from your eyes. "Jeritza? It's so early, what are you doing here?"
The man hummed, not really answering your question, and closed the door and walking to your bed. "Don't tell anybody about this."
You and Jeritza were rather close- or, you'd like to think so. He wouldn't tell anyone that the two of you were. You'd been relentless in trying to befriend him, even during the academy days. He would constantly turn down your company but eventually sighed and allowed you to stay, as long as you weren't bothering him. He'd accidentally let it slip that Jeritza wasn't his real name once, which led to him kicking you out after you pestered him for the real thing. You hadn't asked again after missing him for the rest of the day.
Eventually he began to seek your presence as well, coming to you during the night to talk or sitting with you during meals. After the death of his sister, he laid with you on your bed. For once during your time spent together, you were silent. He was not.
But you wiped the tears away- sorry for him and yet grateful that the man trusted you enough to see him so vulnerable- and kissed his forehead as he dozed off on your chest. After that night, the butterflies in your stomach multiplied. You'd hoped he had at least one little creature fluttering around inside of him.
"Happy birthday, Y/N."
Your bedside candle was lit, as was the candle that rested atop pancakes on the plate. Jeritza laid your breakfast on your lap and sat at the foot of the bed, watching you as you smiled and blew out the candle and made a wish.
"You didn't have to, y'know," you laughed, "but thank you. You don't know how much this means- I didn't even think you'd remember my birthday."
Jeritza tilted his head. "Of course I would remember?" He seemed to question your thought process. "Why wouldn't I?"
You laughed and looked at your pancakes, not touching them. "You don't fool me, Jeritza. I know I bother you sometimes, you don't have to act like I don't. I know you tune me out."
"Y/N." Jeritza didn't really know what to do. He tilted up your head and cupped your jaw a bit to make you look up at him. "I'll admit. You used to bother me, yes. But you grew on me and I- I can't imagine a day without you by my side. Which reminds me-"
He pulled back again and reached into his pocket, pulling out two boxes. "These are for you."
You gasped lightly, taking the two boxes. Opening the longer one, you pulled out a gold chain with a tiny heart. You turned around and handed the necklace to the man in front of you, who pushed your hair aside and clasped the necklace on you. His fingers lingered on your neck and he leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to your nape. A shiver ran down your spine.
Turning back towards him, you then opened the smaller box. "A ring?"
"It's- it's not a proposal, yet." Jeritza turned a little red, "I wanted to wait until after the war to truly propose, but this is a promise. Look on the side."
You twisted the ring onto your finger and read the edge. Your initial + E. You cocked your head in confusion.
"It's for Emile. My real name."
Your eyes watered a bit. "Emile... I love you, Emile."
He smiled as you placed your pancakes beside you and leaned forward, wrapping your arms around him. He hugged you back, tighter, whispering those words back. "Thank you."