Summary: "This is about him and her, and that's all that's mattered all along." Ross wants everyone to know about them, but Laura isn't so sure, so they make a bet about it. Raura. Established relationship. AU KCA 2015. One-Shot.
A/N: This is my first time writing about Ross & Laura and not Austin & Ally, so bear with me. It's not the best, I'll tell you that, but I don't hate it so much that I don't want to upload it. So yeah.
Disclaimer: I don't own Austin & Ally, the KCA's, or "Latch" by Disclosure ft. Sam Smith (title).
"So, have you thought about who you're going to the KCA's with yet?"
Laura looks up at Ross next to her on the couch in her dressing room, and she can see in his eyes what he's really trying to ask her.
She shrugs in response. "Vanessa, of course," she says casually, hoping it doesn't show in her voice that she knows that wasn't the response he was looking for.
He sighs, then slides closer to her. "Are you sure there isn't anyone else you'd rather go with?" he asks. Putting his arm around her shoulders, he says, "Like, I don't know, say...me?"
She laughs, but doesn't attempt to move his arm away. "I've told you, Ross, we can't. It's just not the right time yet."
"Not the right time for what?" he asks innocently.
She glares at him playfully. "You know what I mean," she says, but explains anyway. "It's not the right time to tell everyone about us."
Suddenly serious, Ross asks, "But when will it be the right time, Laura? We've been together for 6 months now; I think it's time we said something."
She sighs. This isn't the first time they've had this conversation, and she knows it won't be the last. But it's never felt like the right time to say anything to her. It's not that she's afraid it won't last or that the public's opinion will get to them; she just wants their relationship kept between the two of them (and their friends and family, of course), that's all.
Still, she asks, "But why now? We've been fine keeping it a secret for 6 months, haven't we?"
He nods in agreement. "I'm not trying to say I haven't been fine keeping this between us. But don't you think it'd be so much easier to be a couple if we didn't have to worry all the time about whether someone might see us together? I mean, I want to really be with you, Laur. I want to hold your hand when we're out together and I want to go on the red carpet with you. I want to take you out on a real date and not have to think twice about what we're doing because someone might see us." He leans in for this next one, smirking as he says, "And I want to be able to kiss you in public and not care that we're probably being photographed as we do." Then he proceeds to lean down and kiss her slowly.
She pulls back first. Smiling, she says, "How long have you been practicing that one?"
"3 days, but that's besides the point," he replies, causing her to laugh.
He leans back before continuing. "But I'm serious, Laura. Doesn't that sound at least somewhat appealing to you?"
She sighs. A minute ago she was dead-set on sticking to her side of secrecy, but now she's not so sure. Maybe that kiss is clouding her mind, but she can't help but think it would be nice to be able to be together without all the paranoia. Maybe he has a point.
She shakes her head. She's still undecided, and she doesn't want to make the wrong decision out of impulse. So she says, "I still don't know, Ross. I can't say I don't see your point, but I still can't let go of mine. I'm sorry."
He doesn't respond right away, thinking over what she just told him. But then he says, "What if we put this to a bet?" and she's lost.
She gives him a confused look. "A bet?"
He nods. "A bet," he repeats.
"Okay, about what?" she asks.
With a smile he says, "I bet that we're gonna win all 3 categories at the KCA's this weekend."
She chuckles. "Alright. And if you're right?"
"If I'm right, then we finally tell everyone that we're together."
Now she's confused again. "How are those things in any way connected?" she asks.
"They're not, not really. But I believe that if the world thinks we're deserving enough to win all 3 awards, then the world deserves to know the truth about us."
She nods in understanding. "Okay," she says. "And if you're wrong?"
"Then I'll never bug you about telling everyone again. I'll let you tell me when it's time. Even if that means waiting another month. Or a year. Or 5 years. Or -"
She laughs to cut him off. "Okay, I get it!" she says. "If we win, we tell, if we don't win, you let it go."
He nods. "That's what I'm betting."
She looks at him suspiciously. "You seem pretty confident that we'll win all 3."
He shrugs. "What can I say? I believe in our fans."
"And I do, too, but you know awards shows are usually rigged."
"Then you should have no problem agreeing to this."
"Fine," she says, then sticks her hand out. "I'll take you up on this bet."
He glances down at her hand and laughs. "Laura, you must know by now that shaking hands is not how I seal things," he says, then takes her hand and uses it to pull her closer to him and capturing her lips with his. He lets go of her hand and places it on the back of her neck to deepen the kiss before pulling away.
Smirking, Laura asks, "Is that how you seal things with everyone?"
He laughs. "No," he says, shaking his head. "Just you."
She smiles, then leans up to seal the deal once more.
They head backstage after Favourite Movie Actress is awarded to check out some of the things they have before any of their categories are announced. After catching up with some of their friends, Ross and Laura grab something to drink and stand a bit away from the crowd to talk.
"So, uh, I heard someone say they're gonna be announcing Favourite Kids TV Show soon," Ross says.
Laura looks down at her cup in her hand. "Really," she mutters.
"You know what that means, right?" he asks slowly.
She doesn't look up as she says, "What could that possibly mean, Ross?"
He opens his mouth the respond, then stops. She's not fighting back with her usual sense of energy. Instead, she sounds like she already lost.
He lays his hand on her arm, bringing her gaze onto him.
"We don't have to go through with this if you don't want to," he says.
"Go through with what?" she asks, but her tone implies that she knows exactly what he's talking about.
He tells her anyway. "This bet. If you really don't want to take the chances of having to tell everyone about us, we can call it off."
"Why, afraid you'll lose?" she asks. Her usual bantering attitude is starting to come back in the words she says, but he can see in her eyes that she's still not fully feeling up to an argument.
"I'm serious, Laura," he says. "We can wait. I probably shouldn't have even suggested this bet in the first place," he adds quietly.
She sighs. She can't say she's surprised when he suggests this. He's always been the type to put her and her feelings before his, and it's not like she's been doing a very good job at hiding how she feels about this bet. But as much as she appreciates this gesture, she's not sure she wants to give up so soon.
She takes his hand that's still sitting on his arm in her own and intertwines their fingers, then says, "Thank you for saying that, Ross. But...no." She pauses, trying to find the right words for what she wants to say next. "I-I should apologize, honestly. I know you've been wanting to say something about us for a long time now, but you haven't because of me. So, I have to put you first now and go through with this bet. Even if we don't win all 3, maybe I'll find it in myself to be okay with publicizing our relationship."
Now Ross sighs. Tightening his grip on her hand, he says, "You don't have to apologize for anything, Laur. I may not agree with the idea of keeping us a secret, but until the both of us are okay with telling anyone else, we shouldn't have to say anything. That's why I should be the one apologizing to you. I shouldn't have tried to push you into saying anything when you don't want to. So, I'm calling off the bet."
Her eyes widen at his last few words. As unsure as she is about this bet, she still wants to go through with it. She has to, for him.
She shakes her head. "You really don't have to, Ross. If you're calling it off because of me, then no. I don't want you to."
He's quiet for a moment before he says, "Are you sure?"
She nods. "Yes, I'm sure. I'm positive I'm sure."
This brings a smile to his face. "Okay. As long as you want to, then okay."
She nods. "I want to."
He chuckles, then leans in close by her ear and whispers, "I know we haven't said anything yet, so just act like I'm telling you a really funny secret or something," then presses a quick kiss to her cheek, causing her to giggle.
As he pulls back, one of the backstage workers comes in the room to tell everyone the show will back on soon, so if they want to get back to their seats they have to do so now, then walks back out.
Ross slips his hand out of Laura's, and she remembers that when they walk back they can't hold hands like they were. They probably shouldn't have been doing so now, with all the people wandering around, but no one was looking in their direction as they were talking to notice.
"We should head back now, huh," he says to her.
She hesitates before nodding, then quietly follows him back to their seats in the audience.
He honestly wasn't expecting it so soon until he hears the announcers say something about the nominees for Favourite Kids TV Show and Austin & Ally is the first one mentioned in the list. He's not even paying attention to the rest of the nominees, only waiting for the announcement of the winner, hoping it's their show yet prepared for it not to be.
But then he hears the unmistakable shout of "Austin & Ally!" from the stage and none of them can believe it. They actually won! The four castmates get up and quickly hug in the aisle between their seats before walking up to the stage the give their thanks - Laura thanking their families, Raini thanking Kevin and Heath, Calum thanking Disney, and him thanking the fans. It's only when he steps back and sees Bethany Mota approach the mic again does he notice they're holding two more awards. Then she announces that both him and Laura won Favourite TV Actor and Actress and he can't believe it. Because it means he won. He won the bet (and the award, of course). He won, and they can finally tell the world about their relationship.
He looks over at Laura beside him, and as his eyes meet hers she suddenly understands why he so badly wants to tell everyone about them. Because right now, she doesn't care that they're standing in front of thousands of people, plus millions more watching at home. They just won, and all she wants is to celebrate this win with Ross Lynch Her Boyfriend, not Ross Lynch Her Co-Star. So when he raises his eyebrows at her in question (because even though he won the bet, it was always going to be her decision in the end), she smiles and nods, because it's time.
He smiles back, and the next thing she knows he has his arm around her and he's leaning down and he's kissing her.
It's a very quick kiss, but it still manages to take her by surprise. Before she's able to properly respond (whether that's kissing him back or pushing him away, she doesn't figure out), he pulls back, then takes his award and makes some joke about trying to juggle all three, which brings her back to reality; she can't have him breaking the awards when they just got them! And as she gives her thanks, she can't help but smile a little - though whether that's about the win or the kiss, she's not sure. But she's not sure it matters, either.
They're only backstage for five minutes when he feels someone take him by the arm and drag him away from the crowd. Only when they stop does he see Laura was the one who grabbed him, and is currently standing in front of him with a glare on her face and her arms crossed in front of her chest.
Not sure why she's mad, he glares and crosses his own arms in an attempt to mock her. This only makes her glare more, so he drops his arms to his side.
"Okay, I give up," he says. "What did I do this time?"
She gapes at him for a second before going back to glaring, then says, "You know what you did."
He shakes his head. "If I did, don't you think I'd be trying to fix it right now?"
She sighs, and after a second drops her arms to her side. "I'm talking about this kiss, Ross. What was that about?"
Still confused, he says, "Uh, my way of telling everyone we're together?" But after he says this, he becomes worried. "Did you not want me to say anything? Because I swear I thought you nodded to let me know it was okay."
She takes a deep breath. "No, it wasn't that," she says. "You could say something - but that's what I was expecting, Ross. I thought you were going to say something, not do something," she explains. "I didn't think you were going to kiss me, that's all."
"Ohh," he says in realization. He takes a step closer to her and takes her hand. "I'm sorry, Laura. I just...thought it'd be easier than saying something, I guess. I didn't really see a way to fit saying we were together in a thank you speech. I just saw you nod and wanted to kiss you. But if that was too much, then I really am sorry."
Oh. She didn't mean to make him feel bad.
Laura smiles. "It's okay, Ross. You just really surprised me."
"Understandable," he says, but he's smiling again so she knows he's okay.
"So..." she starts, "now that everyone knows about us, what happens next?"
Ross takes another step forward and lets go of her hand, then wraps his arms around her waist. He says, "Well, I do believe I mentioned something about a first date for us. A real first date."
She wraps her arms around his neck. "That sounds kinda perfect," she replies.
"Kinda perfect?" he asks.
She laughs, which causes him to start laughing, too. As they do, she leans into him, and she's surprised to find herself comfortable being so close to him while in the public eye. But she also finds that, for the first time ever, she doesn't care what people might think. This is about him and her, and that's all that's mattered all along.
Once they've calmed down enough to speak again, she says, "A real first date sounds perfect, Ross." She then takes one of her hands away from his neck and hold it out in front of him. "Shall we shake on it?"
He just chuckles and says, "I have a better idea," then leans down and presses his lips to hers, smiling as they kiss. And if they are being photographed right now...well, she couldn't care less.
So, thanks for reading! Sorry if it sucked as much as I think it did. For some reason, I find it a lot harder to write about real people over fictional characters, but I tried. Anyways.
Reviews are always appreciated. :)