It started off as any other normal day. Or, as normal a day you can have when living with your vampire roommate, Laura thought. She had just gotten back from her Lit class, and a well deserved nap was in order after the extremely awkward and energy draining two hours she spent trying not to look in her Amazonian TA's direction. Danny had kept to her word and, after their fallout, had not spoken to Laura unless it was absolutely necessary in class. A month or two ago, this change would have resulted in the binge eating of cookies and blaring of Taylor Swift to keep her mind off of things.

But a month or two ago, she didn't have Carmilla Karnstein as her roommate. And Laura Hollis will be damned if she lets that girl see her in any state less than stable; or at least presentable.

So she picked her chin up, stuck her chest out, and waltzed into her dorm like she ruled the world. Carmilla took one look at her and laughed.

"Cupcake," she started, throwing the same asinine book she read every day onto the bed, "You look like you just got out of hockey practice. What's with the face?"

It took about two seconds for Laura to deflate, grabbing the ever-present box of cookies from her desk and flopping onto her mattress. "Danny still won't talk to me. I think I have burns in my temple from where she was glaring."

Carmilla sat up, looked at her like she was debating something, before apparently thinking better of it and leaning against the wall. "Aren't you the one who told her to back off, though, sweetheart?"

"Well, yeah, but that doesn't make it any less uncomfortable!"

"Lawrence would have a fit if she knew anything she did was making her damsel uncomfortable."

A cookie was then promptly catapulted from the left side of the room to the right, but Carmilla didn't even flinch as the treat hit the wall by her bed and crumpled to the floor. "Gotta work on that aim, cutie."

All she got in return was an indignant huff as Laura pushed herself up and moved to her desk, popping her camera into gear. "In the meantime," she stated swiftly, "I can focus more on coming up with a plan-" she swiveled in her chair to face the vampire "-with you."

Said girl sighed and resumed her previous, uninterested position. She pulled the book onto her chest and glanced at the brunette. "I already told you, creampuff; we can't do anything about it. You and your little Dimwit Squad can plan as much as you'd like, you're no match against my mother."

Laura sat up straighter. "I'm not making any sort of plans with the 'Dimwit Squad'; I'm making plans with you."

Carmilla raised her eyebrows. "Me? Have you forgotten what happened last time you decided to make plans with me?"

"That was different. That was when you were the enemy."

"The enemy." She clicked her tongue and picked up the book, expression unreadable. "Does your plan include luring this enemy into a trap of false expectations and holding them hostage for nine days?"

The mortal girl bit her lip and rolled her desk chair as close to Carmilla's bed as she dared. "Don't be silly," she murmured, twisting the fabric of her shirt, "that plan wouldn't work on the dean."

The vampire laughed – actually laughed; a full blown, head thrown back, chortle. "At least you've got one thing right there, buttercup."

"So?" Laura drawled, attempting her best puppy dog pout as Carmilla's gaze finally met hers. The look the brunette was giving her sparked small flames inside of her chest, and she was suddenly reminded of the comment LaFontaine had made a few days prior.

'Uh, yeah. Crushes on vampires.'

Laura had denied it vehemently then - or, at least, attempted to. But right now, the idea didn't sound so crazy. Carmilla was looking at her with those stupid – how did LaFontaine put it, seduction eyes? – seduction eyes and it finally hit Laura full force how she got all of her 'targets' down.

But Laura wasn't a target anymore.

Laura was a girl who most definitely had a crush on a vampire, and who had scooted entirely too close to said vampire's bed for her heart rate to stay down in their current predicament. From the slight smirk starting to form on her face, Laura knew Carmilla could hear it.

The smirk never disappeared, not even as two pairs of brown eyes fluttered shut and their lips finally melded together.