Lauren was laying on the couch at number 23, laptop (with essay saved) discarded on the floor, sketch pad on her stomach which she kept picking up to add details to her sketch but mainly she was just trying to stay awake until Joey came home. She didn't know where Kat was, Tommy was at Alfie's and Alice was asleep upstairs. Lauren herself probably should be at home but she couldn't bring herself to care enough to go home, she'd rather be with Joey.
The door slammed, and Lauren knew straight away something was up. He stalked into the living room, seemed surprised to see her there but carried on pacing, throwing his jacket on to one of the chairs. He looked tense, and pissed off. She stayed quiet, just raised an eyebrow next time he glanced at her. "Had words with Lucy" he muttered, sitting down next to her.
Lauren just rolled her eyes, she knew the peace couldn't last and hadn't been looking forward to the blow-up that was bound to come. She was surprised Lucy'd confronted Joey though; Lauren had been full on expecting a bitch-fight with her ex best friend. She leaned into him, putting her head on his shoulder, him automatically relaxing at her touch, even sub-consciously.
They both leaned back on the sofa, and sat in silence for a few minutes before Joey broke it. "You know you're better than her right?" Lauren let out a laugh, making him roll his eyes. "I'm serious Lauren." He said, making her smile more. "I know. that's what makes it better."
She threw her leg over his lap, rolling her body so she was sat on his lap. "Thanks for telling me I'm better than your ex baby" she teased, causing him to sigh. Lauren stopped laughing when she realised it was bothering him. She interlocked her fingers with his free hand; the other had automatically gone to her back when she'd moved. Her gesture made him speak again.
"Just hearing her speak..." he groaned. "Just what she thinks about us" he paused "And probably what other people think too" he shook his head. "It ain't true Lauren." He moved his hand across her back to her hip and tightened his grip on her hand. "Me and you. It's serious yeah?" she nodded, choosing not to speak and let him carry on. It was rare he spoke freely about their relationship, having hidden it for a period of time and then lied for a while about how he felt.
"Not gonna ditch you when things get tough" he pulled her close. "We're in this together, yeah?" She agreed with him, leaning more of her weight against him, smiling more as he spoke. He wasn't even really talking to her, more ranting about it all in her direction. "Not gonna get bored either" he muttered. "How could I?" he teased, running his fingers down her spine, making her shiver. It was his running insult that she was a drama queen; she usually just rolled her eyes.
"You ain't like no other girls." He said, causing her to let out a laugh. "Shut up, you know what I mean", her nodding her agreement. He paused before he spoke but she still laughed "You're just Lauren." He tilted her head and spoke softly, leaning in towards her. "You're mine, and that's what I want", pressing his lips to hers for a kiss, her smiling in to it before pulling away.
"So did you tell Lucy this then?" she said with a grin, leaning back, resting her weight on his legs. He nodded, raising an eyebrow when he saw her grin. "I wish I'd seen her face" she said, laughter evident in his tone, causing him smile too. As he pulled her back close to him for a hug, and they sat contently in the quiet of their embrace, Lauren thought that she'd actually been serious in wanting to see Lucy's face. Sure most people are okay with them on the surface, but Lauren knew under-neath they weren't, Abi and Alice being the exceptions of course, possibly Poppy and Fatboy too.
Lauren loved that he was willing to fight people for them; she fought for them as well and would again. She'd fought herself for a while, trying not to give in to her feelings, and then she'd fought him for a while, begging him to love her back, not knowing he did. After tonight's events, one more person in Walford knew that Lauren & Joey's relationship was serious and nothing anyone would say could change the way they felt about each other. So in Lauren's opinion, they should just give up already.