The great thing about having the same anniversary as Gerome's birthday is that Cynthia only has to remember one day.
The problem is that she's not sure how to make it big.
Gerome doesn't like that much of a fuss, but Cynthia wants to make a fuss. It's their anniversary, they're engaged, and he's made it another year - really, not making a fuss is insulting.
There are plenty of times when one of them has to leave without the other: different missions call for different skills. Gerome left early today, and has therefore left Cynthia unsupervised, with brilliant ideas left to fester.
That’s why, when Gerome gets home, he’s greeted by an explosion of petals. A pretty literal explosion, because Cynthia’s magic ability is slim to none, so of course the magic she uses backfires, with a loud “WOAH!” as petals fly all over their room, coating Gerome’s hair in a flurry of dark petals.
“Okay, that totally wasn’t supposed to happen, er…” Cynthia laughs awkwardly. “I thought I had it just right but, eh, this is what happens when you don’t do practice runs.” She throws herself into his arms. “Happy birthday! Ooh, and anniversary. Birthaversary!” She kisses his cheek. “I got you some new saddle soap, and a whetstone, and- oh, wait, I should have let you unwrap your stuff, not just tell you. Sorry!”
It was no coincidence that Cynthia was left 'unsupervised'. He knew what today was by virtue of it being their anniversary. Even if he had trouble remembering his birthday, or even caring about it, he would never forget a date that mattered to them both. At the time, he hadn't even been thinking of his birthday, only of getting back to Cynthia and telling her the feelings he long held close to his heart. It was through her and his friends that he had even found a reason to acknowledge this day for any other reason.
And he also knows how Cynthia is. She would have found a way to do something for him. Better to give her the space and act as if he knows nothing, even if she catches on.
He doesn't know what to expect when he opens the door but a shower of petals was in his top 3 guesses. He doesn't flinch, not even at the sound backfired explosion. Gerome only has time to remove his mask before Cynthia throws herself at him and he wraps his arms around her.
Her 'sorry!' isn't met with anything other than a kiss pressed to her lips.
He's smiling when he pulls back, no mask to hide the way the expression travels to his eyes. "Thank you." What matters most to him is that she's here.
"I thought you might plan something," he continues, and as he does he pulls out a bottle of wine. "I bought us this to celebrate with. And ah..." a scarlet flush rises on his face, "I was thinking we could take a flight on Minerva later."
