You'll Learn to Love Me

Chapter 56: We Hate Giant Turtles

A few days had passed since their trip to Venice. It was July 7th now, and Laylana was on the hunt for her boyfriend. She searched his room, then the engine room, then finally bolted up to the deck after not finding him. She finally laid eyes on him as he was hovered over the control panel of the ship, mumbling something to himself. Laylana carefully snuck around him, hoping her boyfriend was too entranced in what he was doing to spot her. She then dove towards him, wrapping her arms and legs around him. He stumbled, letting out a grunt in exertion and shock until he realized who it was.

"Good morning to you too," Leo chuckled.

"Happy birthday." Laylana kissed his cheek. 

"Oh God you remembered." Leo groaned. "We're not doing anything for my birthday, querida." 

"I wasn't going to do anything big." Laylana dropped down, coming around to her boyfriend's side. "But, I did manage to snag this before we left back in June." 

Laylana pulled out a small box from her pocket, wrapped in red wrapping paper with a dark red bow. Leo shook his head with a chuckle as he took it from her.

"You didn't have to get me anything, Lana. I'm perfectly happy with you here." Leo hugged her and kissed her cheek, trailing them down to her neck. "I would've been happy if you just kept me company tonight." 

"That sounds so wrong." Laylana laughed and kissed him again before pulling away from the hug. "Come on, open it." 

Leo smiled at her little bit of excitement and carefully unwrapped the gift. When he opened the box, he blinked in surprise at a silver bracelet. He pulled it up and read the engravings; March 12th was written on the inside of the bracelet. Then, on it's parallel side on the outside it had both his and Laylana's first names written with a heart at the end.

"It's not much. But that's the day you asked me to be your girlfriend." Laylana smiled sheepishly. "I didn't know if its something you'd wear but I thought out of everything a bracelet seemed like the most appropriate and thing you're less likely to lose and-" 

Leo cut off her rant by cupping her face and kissing her passionately. Laylana's eyes widened in shock before she closed them and kissed back, wounding her arms around his neck. For a moment, the world melted away and it was just the two of them. When Leo pulled back for air, he had a big smile on his face.

"I love it, Lana. It's perfect." He slid the bracelet on his left wrist. 

"I have one too." Laylana pulled up the sleeve of her jacket and showed Leo the matching bracelet she had on. "I thought we could be that cute, obnoxious couple that had matching jewelry or clothes or something. But not too obnoxious, right?" 

"It's the perfect level of obnoxious." Leo laughed and pulled her into another kiss. "You're too sweet." 

"I am the best, aren't I?" Laylana smirked. "And I'll sneak out after hours, I guess. No funny business Valdez, I get it's your birthday but come on." 

"Can't help it, I got a sexy girlfriend. What am I supposed to do?" 

"Control yourself." Laylana shot back. 

"Says the one who pounces on me anytime she can." 

"Shut up!" Laylana felt herself go red. 

"You're cute when you're embarrassed." Leo teased her.

"Oh my gods, I try and be nice for one time and..." Laylana swatted his hands as he picked her up with surprising strength and spun her around. She was a bit surprised that he was able to do that, he never had before. But she found herself giggling nonetheless.