Also known as "Fourth Walls? What Fourth Walls?"

In case y'all didn't know (which you should, since I mentioned this a few chapters ago) I have a tumblr (tiny-gay-aurora) and I made a nifty little hashtag for you so you can see questions about my fic and also my thought process while writing it c: (it's #bittersweet updates)


Carmilla stepped into her apartment with Laura at her heels. Both of them had about eight bags each of Christmas stuff.

"Tell me again why you insist on decorating my apartment with... all this?" The brunette grunted as she set down one of the bags on the island counter.

"Because," Laura set the bags down, as well. "You did me a favour, so I'll do you a favour. That's how friendship works."

"You already did me a favour yesterday." Carmilla sighed.

"Yeah, but, it's December. And you haven't even put up a tree!" Laura seemed personally offended.

"Maybe I don't celebrate Christmas. Ever think about that, creampuff?"

Laura paused. "Oh... right."

Carmilla groaned. "Okay, okay, fine. I'll celebrate it this year. If only to see that cute little smile of yours."

Laura ignored the flutter in her belly at 'cute little smile' and grinned brightly at the other girl. "Awesome!"

About two hours or so later, both of them were on Carmilla's couch, exhausted. Mama was settled in Laura's lap, and the kittens were running wildly around the room, playing with all the shiny new toys (in other words: the ornaments).

Garland, a tree, several ornaments, tinsel, and other horrendous (in Carmilla's opinion) decorations were now strung about her apartment. Little snowmen figurines lined her shelves and intricate snowflakes were hanging from the ceiling in some places.

She had to hand it to Laura, that girl could decorate. Even though Carmilla wasn't particularly fond of the whole holiday thing, she had to admit that it didn't look awful.

Laura's stomach growled.

"Hmm, wanna order out?" Carmilla asked, her voice soft as she rubbed at Mama's head.

The two were rather close together – shoulder-to-shoulder, thigh-to-thigh – and, while they both (not-so-secretly) enjoyed the closeness, it also made them a little nervous. (Understandably so, since they were so close they could smell each others perfume and feel their steady breaths and oh god.)

"Wait, what?" Laura looked over at Carmilla (she may or may not have been too focused on Mama's purring and Carmilla's thigh touching her own).

"Want to order out? You know, food?" Carmilla tried to ignore the fact that, thanks to Laura turning to look at her, they were both about four inches apart, if that.

"Uh... sure." Laura had also noticed the lack of distance. Particularly in the mouth area. If she were to, say, accidentally fall into Carmilla's face, their lips would connect without a doubt.

Her eyes flicked down. Yeah. Accidentally fall. Oops, sorry, Carmilla, gravity accidentally pushed me into your mouth. What a coincidence. She could almost hear the word vomit she'd spew out.

She inched forward. Just a little. Not too much. Barely noticeable.

Well, Carmilla noticed.

It was a moment of clarity. Time seemed slow. Laura's breath ghosted over Carmilla's lips. What would they taste like, Laura wondered? Carmilla's thoughts were also focused on Laura.

Half of the brunette wanted to just kiss her already. But the other part, the smarter part, knew that she shouldn't. Not after what happened to...

She pulled back and took out her phone, putting a few more inches between them. "Pizza or Chinese?"


As soon as Carmilla's phone sang the Wicked Witch of the West theme from The Wizard of Oz, she knew who was calling.

She glanced at the clock (six in the morning? Seriously?!) before groggily picking up and answering with "Hello?"

"Carmilla." The authoritative voice at the other end greeted. "Did I wake you?"

"Does it matter?" The brunette sat up, her comforter spilling over her bare hips (she slept in a tank and underwear, she hated pants).

"Of course it does, sweetie." Her mother's voice was sickeningly sweet, meaning she either wanted something, or was about three seconds away from flipping her shit. Most likely the latter.

"What do you want, mother?" She sighed, slipping out of her room and quietly walking to her living room.

"I want you to tell me your plans for Christmas."

Carmilla picked up Bagheera, who had pawed at her ankle as she sat down on the couch. The tiny black ball of fur purred happily, nuzzling into her chest.

"I'm going to a party with a friend." She answered after a moment.

"Well, you have to cancel. There's a lovely young man I want you to meet, and-"

"Mother, we've talked about this." Carmilla's jaw set.

"You're still doing that 'lesbian' thing?" Her mother scoffed. "I thought after that one girl, you'd given up entirely."

"For the last time," Carmilla forced her voice to stay calm, despite the rage bubbling in her stomach and chest. "You drove her off. You are the reason she left. Not me."

"She left because she was nothing but a filthy bug, darling. She was a pesky little thing. But you, darling, you are a diamond. Stone cannot love flesh, you know."

"I. Am. Gay. Mother." Carmilla hissed. "I like girls. Not boys. Girls. I don't care how many stupid doctors or lawyers you throw at me. It won't change the fact that I don't want to marry any of them."

When her mother laughed on the end of the receiver, Carmilla could feel herself cracking inside. Literally. She heard her heart tear just a bit more.

"Please, Carmilla, this is for your own good."

"My own good? Since when is my own good you pushing away the only girl I have ever loved?"

"Since it saves your reputation!"

"I don't give a damn about reputation, mother!" Carmilla shouted, then instantly quieted her voice because she has neighbors and what would they think if she started screaming at six in the morning? "Look, I'm going to that party with Laura and I don't give a fu-"

"Who's Laura?"

Fuck.

"I- what?"

"Laura. Who is she?"

"A friend, mother. That's not the point-"

"Do I get to meet her?"

Silence.

"No."

"Carmilla Karnstein, as your mother, it is within my right to-"

A knock at the door caught Carmilla's attention. She held Bagheera in her hand as she stood up to answer it.

Huh. Speak of the devil.

"Morning Carm!" Laura greeted cheerfully. "I know it's early, but I got some doughnuts from down the street and I was wondering if maybe you'd wanna you know eat them... with me? Because a dozen is too many. I mean, for one person. Probably for two people, also. I also have coffee!"

Carmilla couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips as she opened the door wider, inviting the shorter girl in.

"Carmilla? Carmilla?" Her mother was still on the phone and the brunette let out a sigh of frustration.

"I have to go." She hung up without saying goodbye and joined Laura at the island counter.

"Who was that?" Laura asked, biting into a pink frosted doughnut.

"My mother." Carmilla muttered flatly, setting Bagheera down in the crate so he could join his sleeping family before grabbing a chocolate frosted doughnut and biting into it.

"Oh." Laura could tell the brunette didn't want to talk about it, so she changed the subject. "So! Betty called me and told me that I have the day off today, so I was wondering if you wanted to hangout?"
Carmilla quirked an eyebrow. "You mean, you're encouraging me to call out of work just so I can spend time with you?"

"Not encouraging," Laura bit her lip. "Just... suggesting. Unless you don't want to?"

"I'd pick a day with you over a day with those lackwits we call customers any time." Carmilla smirked, dialing Will's number.

"Dude, it's six-thirty are you on crack?" The groggy, sleepy voice growled on the other end of the receiver. Carmilla rolled her eyes.

"I'm not coming in today."

"Why the fuck not?"

"Because I'm sick." She made a fake cough sound and he sighed on the other end.

"Fine. You owe me." He paused. "Tell your girl I said 'hi'." He hung up.

Carmilla blushed a little and put her phone down. "So, what do you have planned for today?"

"How do you feel about Skee-Ball?"


Carmilla thought Laura was joking when she said they'd be going to the boardwalk to play Skee-Ball. But, honestly, she should know better than to question the blonde's actions by now. Especially with the dead-serious expression Laura gave Carmilla when the brunette laughed at the suggestion.

But, as she was dragged along the probably-not-as-stable-as-you-might-think wooden planks, it dawned on Carmilla that 1) Laura was not joking and 2) Laura would be the death of her.

"Come on, Carm! I just finished Christmas shopping so I have a crap ton of money to spend!" Laura yanked her into the arcade.

"Cupcake," Carmilla huffed because wow Laura could run a lot longer than she could. "Did it ever occur to you that it's December 24thand it's freezing out?"

"Freezhing shmeezing," Laura looked at her with a toothy grin. "The cold never bothered me anyway."

"I swear to god if you bring up that movie-"

"Too late!" Laura shoved dollar bills into the coin machine and behind the plink plink plink of coins dropping into the cup, Carmilla could hear Laura humming 'Let It Go'.

"You're insane." Carmilla groaned when the blonde gave her a few coins.

"You are grumpy." Laura retorted. "Besides, tomorrow's Christmas. May as well celebrate."

"We're celebrating tomorrow, remember? LaFontaine and Perry's party? Ring any bells?" Carmilla followed the tiny girl to the Skee-Ball machines and watched as she excitedly dropped coins into the slot.

"Well, I want to celebrate with you." Laura put some of Carmilla's coins in another machine. "Now shut up and play Skee-Ball."


"Why did you drag me out here?" Carmilla complained as Laura dragged the brunette onto the boardwalk's ice rink. It was only open this time of year, and Laura loved it.

"Because I want to spend time with you." Laura replied with a roll of her eyes. "Come on, don't you ice skate?"

"No. I don't. Ice skating is for penguins and other Arctic creatures, not humans." Carmilla clutched the side wall tightly as her feet slipped beneath her.

"Don't be such a wuss," Laura urged, tugging on Carmilla's hand. "Come on, Carm!"

"Fine. But when I fall, you'd better catch me, cupcake." Carmilla clutched Laura's arm tightly.

"I'll always catch you, Carm." Laura murmured sweetly. She could swear Carmilla was blushing, but she shrugged it off. She was probably just blushing because she's never been ice skating before and yeesh that's embarrassing. Like, did she even have a childhood?

Laura moved in front of Carmilla and took two gloved hands in her own. "Come on, it's not that hard."

"I beg to differ, creampuff." Carmilla let out a gasp when she almost slipped.

"It's like walking! Kind of." Laura pulled Carmilla closer and the brunette stumbled over her ice skates, tripping into Laura and causing them both to fall down.

Oh no.

This was not happening.

Okay. No. No no no.

Carmilla's chest was pressed firmly against Laura's and both girls were blushing so badly they were surprised the ice wasn't melting.

This was like the scene to some cheesy fanfiction. Except this is real life.

"So... you're not very good at this ice skating thing, are you?" Laura murmured gently.

Carmilla ran her tongue along her lower lip (an action that Laura was unashamedly transfixed by) and lifted herself off of the poor girl. However, both ended up falling and giggling like idiots again. And again. And again.

"Okay, okay, just- stop- stay still." Laura ordered around a hard laugh. "Okay, now, grab- no, Carm, grab the wall. The wall. Okay. Good. Okay pull with your arm not your body. Okay!" Laura was finally on her feet.

"Sorry, buttercup, it's just so lovely seeing you under me," Carmilla winked. Laura blushed.

"Uh. Um. Yeah I uh... right." The blonde sputtered.

"Kidding, kidding." Carmilla took Laura's hand. "Now, let's try this skating thing again."


"Well, today was pretty great," Laura gushed with a wide grin, trailing a giant stuffed pig that she had won at the arcade behind her.

"Any day with you is a great day, cupcake." Carmilla smiled warmly.

"That was so cheesy." Laura commented, unlocking the door to her apartment.

"What can I say? You bring out my inner romantic side." Carmilla shrugged.

"So I make you want to be romantic, huh?" Laura teased.

"Don't get cocky," Carmilla rolled her eyes, but her smile widened.

Laura's door swung wide open and – POOF a wild LaFontaine appeared. And Laura blushed immediately.

"Laura! You're home from your date!" LaF exclaimed excitedly.

"I-it wasn't a-"

"Get your butts inside I have to ask your opinions on a thing." LaF yanked both girls in by their arms and slammed the door shut.

"Okay. Rude." Carmilla muttered.

"It wasn't a- a- you know." Laura sputtered, still kind of flustered. "We just- we just hung out is all."

LaFontaine rolled their eyes and hummed. "Whatever you say, Hollis. But that's not why I'm here." They turned to grab something off of the counter and presented it to Laura and Carmilla. An engagement ring. "I'm gonna ask her to marry me. At the party. Tomorrow."


Oops?

See you Tuesday~ c;