The Gift

Rumors.

Birthdays.

Another year long trip around the sun and I still have yet to fully understand the joy of celebrating the moment in time where I was violently pushed out and right into this god-forsaken world.

There was nothing appealing about my birthday.

Not in the slightest.

It's honestly, just another random day in the month.

As my mind trails off into another benumbing rabbit hole, a slight knock to my office door took my attention away and instantly, I could feel that same suffocating feeling I get every year.

Nope. Not today.

Shoving the anxiety back down my throat, I pretend to busy myself with the small stack of paperwork on my desk.

"Whoever it is, now is not a good time!" I declared from the comfort of my seat, expecting it to work.

"Well make the time." An all too familiar sharp demand barged in, commanding my eyes to shoot up with reality settling in.

Of fucking course, out of all people, it would be König.

Crossing his arms over his tactical vest, I felt his pressuring gaze burn my ears. "Hiding away since you're too good to show up to our next mission's briefing?" He clipped with ice-covered eyes piercing deep into me, daring me to say the wrong answer - which was quite often.

"Trust me, König. I would've been more than happy to have attended. However, I have to catch up on some paperwork."

König scoffs with underlying disappointment churning.

"Wie du solltest. But, to spare myself precious time, I overheard a small rumor that today was your birthday?"

"That's all that it is at the end of the day. Up A simple rumor." I immediately interrupt before he can go any further. But as soon as I thought I was in the clear, he makes a stride closer towards my desk. Meticulously, König plucks one of the papers out from underneath my palm and casts an eye over my work. It wasn't long after until I caught the scent of aromatic woods, quickly replacing all the oxygen inside my lungs. If I could say one good thing about König; he always took pride in his fragrances.

Every muscle in my body tensed when his tone dips into a cool whisper. "Here's the funny thing about rumors, Y/N. There's always some sort of truth to it and I'll admit," König pauses and I practically can see a cocky smirk forming underneath his hood, "your mother was a very pleasant to talk to."

"Excuse me?" I retorted as perplexity seeps through my lashes with each blink. A part of me wants to deny the possibility, but I know my mother. I know her well enough that she more than likely yapped this poor man's ear off and I hate to admit, I'm more curious than suspicious.

"What exactly did my mother say to you?"

"Hmm? Oh, nichts, was dich betrifft." König goes to chuckle, but with the look I shot him made him reconsider that notion. "You don't need to worry, Y/N. It wasn't anything too bad. But, I do need you to make time for tonight."

"Tonight?" I repeat as my brows scrunched and watch him nod, eyes still lingering on my paperwork.

"Ja, tonight. I'm not taking 'no' for an answer either."

I was cornered and given the circumstances, I definitely wouldn't put it past König to come hunt me down. If he can take time out of his day to find me for missing a briefing, he would certainly search far and wide if I stand him up. So taking a minute or two to really think about my choices, small victorious smile lines decorate the corner ends of his eyes as I cave.

"Fine."

"Perfekt." He says, his attention finally on me. König straightens out his spine, handing me back my work and turns towards the door but appears hesitant to leave.

"Another thing, I have a few things I had sent over to your house earlier today, I would appreciate it if you would wear them tonight as well."

With that, König slips off into the hallway and the door clicks shut, leaving me with nothing but nerve racking thoughts. All I can do is cross my fingers and pray this isn't a big ordeal. Once 4:30 came around, everything was felt like a big blur as I  rushed home.

Pulling into my driveway, I promptly noticed a well wrapped gift-box, leaning against my doorframe. What stood out to me the most was the magenta laced ribbon, neatly tied as if someone took the time to tie it in a bow, instead of slapping a store bought one and calling it a day. Bracing myself, I carefully took ahold of the present and struggled to retrieve my house keys before I eventually made my way inside.

Not a minute into entering my bedroom, my personal cell phone lights up, followed by a few sharp pings, instantly sending my eyes to flip to the back of my skull with immense irritation brimming.

"So help me, God." I quietly muttered out my thought. That thing must have been going off all day. Hence, the reason why I left it here.
Dropping my items on my bed, I snatch my phone off the charger and began to scroll through the 60 'Happy Birthday' notifications from my friends and family. As I'm responding to a few messages, I stop and start to fixate when get a new text message from König.

'I'm picking you up at 8:00 pm. See you then, Birthday girl."

After reading that text, I caught myself cheesing at phone like I had gotten a 'Do you like me? Check the box; yes or no' note. Pinching the inner corner of my eyes to contain my giddiness, I send a thumbs up emoji, then carry on with getting ready for tonight. Normally, I would've done just the bare minimum - little to no makeup, brush my hair up into a basic ponytail and small spritz some body mist and deodorant.

However, something told me I should put in some effort.

When I go to open up my present from König, my jaw nearly falls off my face. It was an elegant cocktail dress, the neck draped down ever so perfectly and the material skin-tight, yet, breathable.

Color me impressed.

König has very good taste.

Delicately, I took my fingers and hooked the shoulder straps of the dress, lifting it in the air which then reveals a card underneath with my name written in cursive. It didn't take much for the corner of my lips to curl back into a girlish smile.

"Looking forward to seeing you wear this." - König