All Roses Must Wilt (a Tom Hiddleston fanfic)

Chapter 24- Birthday

I'm woken up when I hear the bedroom door open, though I don't move from my comfortable position. Then there's footsteps. I wonder what time it is..?

"Rose, I don't think I should let you sleep much longer," a voice gently says.

"I don't wanna get up..."

"Well you'd better. Are you aware what day it is?" He asks. I feel him sit on the edge of my bed, probably staring down at my wonderful, messy hair. I notice he's wearing a suit. Why a suit? And I'm already aware what day it is. My birthday. But I'll play along for his sake.

"What day?"

"It's your birthday!" He announces, shaking my shoulder lightly in excitement.

"Really?" I ask, sarcasm overflowing in my voice.

"Stop being like that," he scolds gently. "You should be excited. Come on. I'm going to make us some breakfast."

I weakly hold out my arms, sighing. "Carry me..." I mutter.

He chuckles lightly as he peels the warm blanket off of me. I don't object, even as the cold air hits me. Then he picks me up in his arm with no problem at all, if I were a small child. I gently wrap my arms around his neck, still half asleep.

I'm gently set on the couch, and I yawn lightly.

"So what do you want?" He asks, going into the kitchen.

"Food."

"Rose."

"What?"

"I'd like a serious answer, please."

"Surprise me," I say, using a nicer tone this time.

"Alright, fine. Would you like to watch?"

"Yeah, hold on. Five more minutes."

"Take your time," he says in that cheery tone of his.

I rise from the couch quite slowly, trying to rid the sleep from my eyes. Then I pull up a chair to the kitchen counter where I can get a good view of Tom while he begins to make breakfast.

Tom sends a grin in my direction. "Would you like to help?"

I snort lightly. "I'll end up burning myself."

"Alright, fine. But you are helping me with dinner no matter what, okay?"

"Sure." I knew that he'd ask me to help him, but I'll end up just handing him a few things every once in a while. I just didn't care to cook if I didn't have to. Tom, on the other hand, enjoys cooking. I think our roles are a little mismatched. Usually girls prefer cooking, don't they?

I watch as Tom gracefully does his thing, like always. I knew that if I were actually in the kitchen 'helping' him out, I'd certainly be in his way. I'd always be standing right in front of the fridge, or the drawer he needed to get to.

"So are you excited?" He asks, mixing something together. 

"For what? Breakfast?"

"No, for the day I have planned." He walks to me and kisses me lightly on the head, causing me to blush. He smiles in return. "You sure love using that sarcastic tone of yours. It's amusing."

I decide to ignore his last comment. "Oh, yeah. I guess I'm excited."

Returning to the stove, he glances at me. "We can always stay here if you'd like. You seem quite tired."

"I'm always tired. Believe me, I'll be in a better mood within the hour, I promise."

"I suppose I'll just wait until then to talk to you," he replies, smiling at me.