As the gentle hum of conversation ebbed and flowed in the steaming warmth of the bath, the lighthearted teasing took a sudden shift toward a new topic: my upcoming birthday. It started innocently enough, with Liora mentioning it offhand as she floated lazily beside Aurora.
"You know, Rosé," Liora said, her teal eyes glinting mischievously, "your birthday's in just a few days. Have you thought about what you want?"
Her question, casual at first, caught the attention of everyone in the bath. Suddenly, all eyes were on me, and I could feel the growing smirks and the soft undercurrent of mischief spreading through the group.
"Well, I hadn't given it much thought," I admitted, glancing around. "Honestly, I've been so wrapped up in everything else I haven't had time to think about it."
Nadia, sitting closest to me, arched an eyebrow. "Oh, come on, Rosé. You're telling me you haven't been secretly hoping for something special?"
Mira, sitting on my other side, leaned in slightly, her lips brushing against my ear as she whispered teasingly, "Or maybe you're just waiting for us to surprise you…"
I chuckled, my breath catching just a little as the playful flirting ramped up a notch. "Surprises aren't exactly a bad thing," I admitted with a grin.
At that, Rosalia, who had been lounging comfortably nearby, grinned wickedly. "Speaking of surprises… why don't we make it interesting?"
"Oh?" I replied, raising an eyebrow. "What do you have in mind?"
Before she could respond, Selene chimed in, her violet eyes sparkling. "I think I know where this is going. How about we turn this into a competition?"
"A competition?" I repeated, my interest piqued. "What kind of competition?"
Aurora, always one to get on board with anything that involved a bit of fun, moved closer, her golden hair shimmering under the bath's light. "Simple," she said with a playful smirk. "Whoever gives you the best birthday gift wins."
The air seemed to shift slightly, the energy around us growing more charged as the others quickly caught onto the idea. There was a spark of competitive gleam in everyone's eyes.
"And what exactly does the winner get?" I asked, leaning back with a grin, already knowing that whatever they came up with would probably have me at the center of it.
"Hmm, good question," Eldara mused, her calm, knowing gaze meeting mine. "Perhaps… the winner gets to spend an entire week with you, without having to share you with anyone else?"
My eyebrows shot up at that. "An entire week?" I asked, pretending to be shocked.
"Oh, don't act so surprised, Rosé," Hestia interjected, her voice filled with amusement. "You know we all love our time with you."
Illyana laughed softly from where she was sitting, stretching her arms behind her head. "Sounds like a pretty tempting prize to me."
"Agreed," Autumn added, her soft smile deepening as she leaned forward. "But now we have to figure out what to give you that will outshine everyone else."
"I'm sure you'll come up with something," I teased, glancing around at the gathered women. "Though I'm not sure if I should be more excited or worried."
"Excited," Seraphina said, her voice soft but filled with confidence as she gently brushed her fingers along my arm under the water. "Definitely excited."
Cassie, who had been quiet until now, nodded in agreement, though her shy smile gave her a more bashful air. "I think we're all going to try our best… even if some of us aren't as bold as others."
"Oh, Cassie, don't sell yourself short," Rosalia said with a playful wink. "You've got a way of surprising all of us when you want to."
The water shifted around us as Liora moved closer, her eyes filled with challenge. "So, are we all agreed? Whoever gives Rosé the best birthday gift wins the prize."
"Agreed," Nadia said without hesitation, her gaze locking with mine, full of teasing intent. "And don't worry, Rosé. We'll make sure it's a birthday you'll never forget."
Aurora leaned in, her lips just inches from mine as she whispered, "But you're going to have to judge fairly, okay? No favorites."
I smirked at that, feeling the playful tension growing with each word. "I'll do my best. But I have to admit, it's going to be hard to pick a winner with all of you trying to outdo each other."
"That's the point," Selene quipped, her voice filled with amusement as she splashed me lightly with water. "We're going to make sure you're absolutely spoiled."
"And we're going to enjoy every second of it," Mira added with a smirk, her hand lightly tracing patterns along my back as the conversation continued.
"I can't wait to see what you all come up with," I said, my voice light but full of genuine excitement. "Though I have a feeling I'm going to be the real winner in all of this."
Illyana's eyes gleamed as she leaned back into the water, her body half-submerged as she gazed at me with a knowing smile. "Oh, you are, Rosé. Trust me, you are."
With the competition now officially set, the energy in the bath became even more flirtatious, the intimacy deepening with every teasing glance and playful touch.
Elara, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up, her voice soft but filled with affection. "No matter who wins, Rosé, just know that we all love you."
"That's the real gift," Autumn added, her smile warm and genuine. "Though… I have to admit, I'm pretty determined to win."
Everyone laughed, and I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with affection for these women who had become so dear to me.
"You're all amazing," I said, my voice filled with sincerity as I looked around at each of them. "I don't need anything more than what we already have."
"Well, too bad," Rosalia said, splashing me playfully. "Because you're getting much more than you bargained for."
And with that, the conversation continued to swirl around me, filled with laughter, teasing, and the undeniable warmth of family. The competition for the best birthday gift had begun, but in that moment, I knew I was already the luckiest man in the world.