"All Hanni wanted was a good 21st birthday. Good thing she has you."
warnings - fluff, happy bday to my babe :(
now playing - Devotion, by Justin Bieber n Dijon
"I'd rather take the long way home, so we could laugh and sing a couple more songs"
The speakers in your car blasted beautifully with the melody and chords of the song Hanni had chosen on your phone. Your girlfriend grabbed your phone like an improvised microphone, singing every word of that song with all her heart and lungs. And the starry night was very beautiful, but nothing could be more beautiful than Hanni.
Her hair flying lightly in the open windows, the smile she couldn't contain as she sang the lyricsâwhich had become your song in recent weeksâperfectly, her eyes closed as she felt every word she was singing.
You were never a big fan of Justin Bieber, I mean, at least not as a crazy fan, you knew he was an excellent musician, but he was never present in the playlists you put together in the middle of the night, imagining scenarios when Hanni wasn't by your side.
But now you had to admit, you were playing his songs over and over again. There was something that grew inside you every time you heard Hanni humming âDevotionâ around the house you both shared. Something in you seemed more alive every time you heard her voice humming and clinging to you in the kitchen, or when she ran her fingers through your hair and hummed the melody until you fell asleep.
There was something about that song that perfectly described your relationship with Hanni.
âJagiya! You should have turned right. We would have gotten there faster!â Your girlfriend's sweet voice sounds like honey to your ears, and the smile on your face does not go unnoticed by her.
âI want to take the long way.â You took your eyes off the road for a moment, just to look into your girlfriend's eyes for a much-needed second. âI want to hear you sing longer.â
Rolling her eyes, Hanni laughed, throwing her head back in her seat with a disbelieving expression.
You admired her, devotedly.
The restaurant you had gone to earlierâto celebrate your girlfriend's twenty-first birthdayâwas crowded, but you did a great job reserving a private, special space. You spent the entire evening admiring her, her eyes, her smile slightly intoxicated with expensive wine, every time her nose wrinkled when she smiled.
You could watch her for the rest of your life.
âYou know, the faster we get home, the more time you'll have to cuddle with me...â Hanni's voice was slightly flirtatious, and you could recognize that tone a mile away.
You frowned playfully, turning the steering wheel to the right and finally entering the condominium where you lived, closing the distance between you and home.
âFirst, I can hug you for as long as I want!â You began, making your girlfriend raise her eyebrows in a funny way, just waiting for you to finish your sentence. âAnd second, it was just a quick detour. Just to make you bless my ears with your wonderful voice.â
The car stopped at your parking spot, and you felt a light pat on your chest from a red-cheeked Hanniâyou could never tell if it was embarrassment or if the wine had gone to her head. You got out of the car together, hands intertwined the second you closed the distance between your bodies.
The trip to the elevator was filled with giggles and kisses on the red cheeks of the shorter girl. You whispered silly declarations while Hanni giggled at the tickling sensation your lips were making on her ear. The sparkle in her eyes looked like the stars in the sky, and the look of adoration on her face was one of the greatest achievements you had in life.
You knew Hanni like the back of your hand. You knew she didn't look at everyone that way, you knew everything she had been through, you knew everything. The fear of loving her was never a real thing for you. Loving Hanni fit you like a glove, it was as if everything fell into place as it should, as if world peace was planted in your heart, as if you had planted a million trees in the world.
The air seemed pure, life seemed calm, the sky seemed bluer.
Both your shoes were left at the door, Hanni's purseâwhich you had carried all nightâwas now slung carelessly over the couch. The sleeves of your white shirt were rolled up to your elbows, and you were doing a great job opening another bottle of wineâat your girlfriend's request.
You didn't even make it to the balcony of your apartment before you heard the beat and melody that had been stuck in your head for weeks. There was Hanni, enjoying the view of the bustling city from the calm and comfort of the apartment you shared.
Enjoying the hustle and bustle of people while she was in the greatest calm that true love could offer.
The shorter woman heard you place the wine and glasses on the table near the small seats you had decorated on the balcony. But Hanni only smiled truly when she felt your arms around her waist. The sounds of cars and horns didn't reach the cloud of love you were both in.
The disaster of the world did not affect you two when you were together.
âI'd rather take the long way home...â You hummed.
Swaying your hips, you pulled Hanni with you, making her dance against you. Turning her back to the world, Hanni faced you. The sparkle in her eyes was still there. That same sparkle you saw when you kissed her for the first time.
Placing her hands on your neck, the shorter woman smiled once more before resting her head on your chest. The beat of your heart seemed to strangely match the song that was playing, and the smaller woman smiled against the fabric of your shirt. Breathing harder, Hanni softened in your arms as she smelled your scent, and while you were too distracted looking at the woman in your arms, Hanni rested.
âHappy birthday, Jagiya.â The soft tone of your voice made Hanni melt. She grabbed your neck more firmlyâalmost as if you would disappear if she blinked.
âThank you for today...â Her voice was low, muffled by the fabric. âI always have fun with you.â
Hanni lifted her head from your chest, just to look directly into your eyes. Her fingertips wandered across the back of your neck and tangled lightly in your hair.
âI didn't think we'd get this far. I always thought everyone around me was just a fame-fucker and that I was too complicated to love.â A single tear rolled down her cheek. âThank you for showing me otherwise, Jagiya.â
âI will always love you, Pham.â Hanni's smile appeared through her blurry eyes. âI will never leave you. I want you today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and forever.â
You kissed her cheek, stopping the tear that fell down her skin. The salty taste in your mouth was nothing more than the tears of a woman who had been through a lot.
âI love you,â you said.
Hanni's hands rose to your face, cupping your cheeks to pull you in for a kiss.
Love, passion, companionship, and devotion. Everything you had given each other over the years of your relationship. The ups and downs were never enough to drive you apart, nor was distance or any bad circumstances. You would always be there for Hanni, and she would always be there for you.
This is short, but that's only bc I MISS MY BABY SO MUCH!!!
Hanni just turned 21, and I didn't get to see her and the girls' birthday live. I just hate all those suits.
Anyway, I hope u're all doing well. I have some news. I'll talk to you soon.
Drink water and stay safe,
