Also known as "Being oblivious and being in denial are two different things. And Carmilla is both of them."
So for those of you who want updates and all that my tumblr is tiny-gay-aurora and you can just ask or you can track the tag '#bittersweet updates'
Text to: Cupcake (7:10 am)
Creampuff, I'm on my way to your floor.
Text from: Cupcake (7:11 am)
Wait in the elevator. I'll be right there.
Carmilla sighed and leaned against the side of the elevator, the button to Laura's floor already lit up. She had spent her night tossing and turning (as usual), and it was obvious in the dark bags under her eyes.
Normally, on days like this (the days she knew she'd be a grumpy bitch all day), she'd call out sick. But Laura needed a ride, and she wasn't about to let her down.
The elevator came to a halt and the doors opened. Nobody was on the other side.
"What? No! There has to be some other way?" A voice drifted down the hall and Carmilla made sure the elevator stayed open by pressing the 'hold doors' button. A tiny blonde came into view – Laura – with a phone pressed firmly to her cheek. "No, I... Yeah, I understand. Yes, sir. Goodbye."
Carmilla took note of the not-as-bright smile Laura gave her and the strange look in her brown eyes as she stepped into the elevator beside the brunette.
"Bad news, cupcake?" Carmilla asked, hitting the bottom floor button.
"My manager says he needs the back office for something. We can't keep holding Mama and her kittens and the shelter says that they don't have a lot of room, and they don't usually keep kittens there..." Laura bit her lip worriedly.
"What's going to happen to them?" Carmilla wondered, genuinely worried for the little furballs.
She kind of really liked them. Okay, she really really liked them. After taking Laura to and from work for a few days, she had managed to help some of the kittens and in that short amount of time, she grew to love them just like Laura did.
"Finding someone to foster a mother cat and her five kittens is going to be hard. We're not really sure what to do." Laura sighed. "And I can't take them in for obvious reasons, which is also really bad because I'm their caretaker, and all."
"I could do it," Carmilla blurted before she could stop herself. "I could take the cats. I mean, I don't have a roommate, and I live close to you so you could come by and check on them whenever you want-"
Carmilla was cut off by a pair of arms squeezing her tightly.
Laura was kind of a big hugger.
(Carmilla should really be used to it by now, but the sparks of electricity that zip through her veins is always surprising.)
"Um. We're at our floor, cutie." The brunette managed to gasp out.
Laura was surprisingly strong. Like, really strong. It was kind of scary.
"Right." Laura let go of Carmilla and stepped back. "Sorry. But seriously, thank you. That would be amazing if you could... like, amazing as in someone who's really really sweet because it's not easy to take in that many cats, and I know you're not just doing it for me, but I just-"
"Breathe, creampuff. Geez, do you always babble like that?" Carmilla cut her off, teasing lightly. And yeah, Laura did always ramble like that. It was a nervous habit. Not that Carmilla made her nervous or anything.
"Sorry. But thank you."
They began to make their way to the parking lot.
"So, when am I supposed to pick them up, or whatever?" Carmilla asked, trying to sound indifferent (and failing).
"You have to fill out some forms, I have them in the back office. Then I'll show them to my manager when he comes by today, and then you should be able to take them today or tomorrow." Laura explained.
"Oh. Alright."
They slipped into Carmilla's car in silence and the brunette roared the engine to life before letting the car warm up.
"You can stop that whole 'tough girl' act around me, you know." Laura piped up after a moment.
Carmilla looked at her with a quirked eyebrow. "What?"
"That 'broody-girl-with-baggage' act. You're actually just one big softie, huh?" Laura grinned like she knew the answers to everything.
Carmilla scoffed and looked out the windshield, pulling the car out of its space and onto the road. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, c'mon. You act all scary towards other people, but whenever you're around me or the kittens I see how adorable you can actually be."
"Adorable, huh?" Carmilla smirked.
Laura's cheeks flushed. "I- did I say adorable? I meant, uh, y'know... nice. And sweet. And..."
"I am not nice or sweet or adorable." Carmilla muttered. "I am the night. Fear me."
That made Laura laugh. Hard.
The car filled with the musical sound of her giggles and, god, did Carmilla love that sound. It was cute – Laura was cute.
When the girl calmed down she rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, fruitcake."
"Fruitcake?!" Carmilla almost stopped the car entirely.
"Yeah. Hard on the outside, sweet and delicious on the inside."
Carmilla shook her head before chuckling lowly. "Delicious? You saying you wanna eat me?"
Laura let out a nervous squeak. "I- uh... nevermind. Let's drop the subject."
Carmilla snorted out a mix between a scoff and a laugh and continued to drive.
Text to: Carmilla (11:43 am)
Hey, when's your lunch break?
Text from: Carmilla (11:45 am)
12, as usual. Why?
Text to: Carmilla (11:46 am)
Wanna grab something together?
Text from: Carmilla (11:48 am)
Are you asking me out?
Text from: Carmilla (11:49 am)
Quit with the pouting. You know I can see you from here.
Text from: Carmilla (11:50 am)
It was a joke.
Text from: Carmilla (11: 50 am)
I'll be over in a few.
Laura's pout was one of Carmilla's weaknesses. It took the blonde only a day or so to figure that out.
She grinned at Carmilla, who, from her own shop, shook her head.
(The brunette pretended she wasn't smiling, but Laura knew she was.)
When Carmilla made her way over to the pet store, she gave Laura the papers the blonde gave her earlier that morning.
"Awesome!" Laura took them and placed them somewhere in the back office, a wide smile stuck on her face. "Let's go! I'm starving!"
She yanked Carmilla by the hand (lacing their fingers together, which was something that made both girls' stomachs flop) across the mall to the food court.
"What'll it be, then?" Carmilla asked, standing at the smaller girl's side once the tiny ball of energy calmed down.
Laura scanned each food place with determined eyes. "Hmmm..."
"No Cinnabon. Not until we have real food." Carmilla deadpanned and Laura groaned.
"But- ugh, fine." She sighed. "Ooh! Have you had SJ's sandwiches yet?"
"What?"
"Sarah Jane? She works at the sandwich shop? She makes the best sandwiches."
"If I hear 'sandwich' one more time..." Carmilla shook her head.
Laura dragged Carmilla to the sandwich place. (Their hands were still firmly locked together. It felt too natural to stop.)
"Laura!" A taller boy grinned from behind the counter. He had a dopey smile on his face.
"Kirsch!" Laura reached over to hug him. "What's going on? Why are you here?"
"Oh, I'm off duty so SJ asked if I could help her make some cupcakes." He turned to a brunette who was just placing a tray of brightly coloured cupcakes in the display window.
"Kirsch is gifted," the woman gushed. "He can literally make any dessert item. Have you even tried his molten chocolate soufflé?"
Kirsch looked away and – was he blushing? "Uh, it's nothing."
"Don't be so bashful, Kirsch!" SJ nudged him gently.
Laura smiled. "Hey, SJ!"
"Hi, Laura! Who's your girlfriend?" SJ looked at Laura and Carmilla's connected hands and both girls immediately turned red and pulled their hands away.
"I- she's not- we're not-" Laura sputtered. "She's just a f-friend."
"I'm Carmilla." The taller girl introduced, trying to regain her confident composure.
Relax, Karnstein. Why does it matter that she thought you and Laura were dating? I mean, you were holding hands, it's easy to point fingers... Forget it. Just friends. Just friends. Just friends. Carmilla told herself internally, though the sting from 'she's just a friend' was undeniable. But it was true. They were just friends.
"Nice to meet you! So, Laura, what can I get you today?" The other brunette asked, her smile bright and welcoming.
"I'll have the usual! Oh, and one of those cupcakes!" Laura looked at the desserts hungrily.
"One grilled cheese and a cupcake coming right up." Sarah Jane tapped the register's buttons before turning to Carmilla. "What about you, totally-not-Laura's-girlfriend?"
(That particular comment made Laura blush even more.)
Carmilla scanned the menu for a second. "Just a BLT's fine."
"You got it." SJ turned around and walked to the kitchen.
"So, I know you've got a good eye for hot chicks," Kirsch leaned over to talk to Laura quietly, "I mean, I learned that while you were dating Summer Psy- Danny. I meant Danny. But seriously," he eyes Carmilla up and down. "Nice."
Laura blushes and Carmilla's eyebrow quirks up.
"Kirsch!" Laura whines, her cheeks almost as red as the sign to SJ's.
"What?" Kirsch asked innocently before being moved aside by SJ.
"Kirsch, stop terrorizing Laura. Here," she handed the two girls their respective sandwiches.
Carmilla paid, ignoring Laura's protests ("I'm the one who picked! I should be the one to pay, Carm!), before following the tiny girl to a small table a little closer to the windows on the right side of the food court.
"So," Carmilla drawled after a few moments of silent eating. "Danny...?"
Laura gulped down a bite nervously. "Oh. She works at Summer Society Sports Gear. We had a thing when I first worked here. Turns out we're better at being friends than a couple." She shrugged.
"What does that even mean?" Carmilla pried cautiously.
(She didn't want to pressure Laura into talking about her love life, but she also wanted to make sure Laura was over the other girl. For science purposes. Nothing more. Just friends.)
"Well, we hung out a lot, went to sports games, saw a few movies, went to the zoo. But not much else happened."
"So you two never...?"
Laura's eyes widened. "H-Had... sex? No! Nope, I uh, nope. Just kissing."
Judging by the nervous look in Laura's eyes and the fact she wouldn't look directly at the brunette, Carmilla decided it was time to change the subject.
"Well, whoever she is, she lost a pretty good catch." She stated after finishing her food. "I mean, you're pretty cute and you're fun to be around."
It was Laura's turn to smirk. "Are you saying you think I'd make a good girlfriend?"
Carmilla's jaw dropped. "I-I never said-"
"You totally think I would!" Laura grinned ear-to-ear. "You're jealous of Danny, and that's why you were asking about her!"
Carmilla glanced at her phone. "Wow, it's almost 12:30. Gotta get back soon."
Laura chuckled and stood up, deciding to save the cupcake for later. (Later meaning as soon as she's back at her store.) "For the record, I think you'd make a great girlfriend, too."
She kissed the brunette's cheek before slipping into the crowd and heading back to the pet shop, leaving Carmilla behind to gape after her.
Just friends. Carmilla told herself. Just friends.
Seriously you guys I love all the feedback! I'm glad to know so many of you actually like this!
Also sorry for the random posting schedule, I'm trying to post at least twice every week but with the holidays, it's kinda hard. I promise I'll try to get a chapter up Tuesgays and Thursgays!