Things haven't been smooth this year. First, Lana's... second divorce, something that makes Tamina roll her eyes every time she thinks about it, then Rusev and Aiden English getting fired on the same day, which had affected Lana, whether she'd want to admit it or not. And... well, everything with Nia Jax. Tamina had tried talking to her cousin, had even paid her a couple of visits, but the woman was stubborn and wouldn't listen to anyone. Even when Tamina had tried to take the fun out of it by getting ahold of Lana herself and taking care to carefully try to extract the woman from a situation during the battle royal they were all in, Nia had waited until Tamina's back was turned to send her through a table anyway.
Yeah, the holidays weren't going to be a lot of fun this year. So, here Tamina is, waiting for the oven timer to go off while she watches haupia set, trying to ignore the smells as her stomach rumbles warningly. She'd barely stopped to whip together a quick sandwich while working on this, and now she's paying for it. But she knows it'll be worth it as she gingerly takes the pan out of the oven and turns to set the vanilla cake onto the counter across from her. So far, everything was coming together nicely, but she only has so much time before Raw ends and Lana will return, sore and somewhere between pleased and sad because she's had some success lately, but also. Why does your cousin hate me so much?
Which Tamina isn't sure why, either, but she's caring less and less for Nia's excuses and reasonings as time goes by. She is well aware of Tamina's relationship with Lana, how it's spread for years, and through hardships, and they always come out the other side, so... there's really no excuse. She suspects, sometimes, it's partly because of those months when Lana had been married to Lashley and Tamina had been stuck watching Lana go through all of this ridiculous drama from afar, but they'd worked it out, things had returned to normal early in the new year, and ... well, if Tamina could put it behind her, she'd have assumed her family would just fall in line eventually. Apparently she was wrong.
Shaking her head to get these thoughts to stop dominating her mind for awhile, she looks at the clock once more and then tenses, scrambling to finish up what she can. The haupia definitely is set, she breathes in deeply once she's sure everything will be ready in time, setting it aside to wait until she hears Lana arrive to do more with. For now, she ventures into the living room and looks over the small picnic she'd set up in the middle of the room, at the foot of the huge tree she'd set up with Lana by her side in oversized pajamas giggling and eyes bright as she took in the massive size of the thing. It had been a pain, but absolutely worth it to see how her face lights up every time she looks at their handiwork.
Sighing, Tamina settles in on the couch to wait, which doesn't take too long until she hears Lana's car pull up, and keys in the front door. Standing, she tucks her hands behind her back and looks her outfit over once more- the apron had done its job, thankfully, and her pale brown dress with bright green holly and red berries sprawling over it still looks pristine. She exhales slowly, eyes lifting to rest on Lana's face just as she walks in and takes it all in with wide eyes and a slow blush spreading over her cheeks. "Tamina," she breathes in. "What's all of this?"
Tamina smiles weakly and scratches at the back of her head. "Well, I know things have been hard this year, especially for you." She fumbles for a minute. Finally walks over, and takes Lana's hand from where it's hovering helplessly midair. "I thought I'd do something nice for you tonight."
Lana exhales shakily and looks up at her with a small smile. "A picnic under our Christmas tree? I love it."
Tamina smiles back and grips her gently around the waist, guiding her into the kitchen so she can see. It takes a moment but things click into place as she sees and smells everything. "You made haupia?!" She stares for a moment at the cake before twisting around to throw her arms around Tamina. "I love it," she whispers into the other woman's shoulder and Tamina smiles.
"Come here." Once more sliding her fingers into Lana's, she guides her into the living room, and Lana frowns, glancing back at the cake, but Tamina ignores this for a moment, leading Lana over to settle down on the floor under the tree, where she can properly take in the lights and the ornaments and everything else. She's so distracted by it all that she barely notices as Tamina eases her coat off, and it takes her by surprise when Tamina touches her, hands warm and slick with softly scented massaging oil. "Oh," she gasps, trying to turn to look but Tamina holds her in place with a tsking noise and Lana quickly gives in to the brisk but gentle rubbing of Tamina's hands- before she starts to work up to really digging in, and Lana groans deep in her throat as her shoulders slump and her head dips forward, the pain ratcheting up before slowly, agonizingly drifting away. "Mmmmph," she sighs out, breathing shakily as Tamina's fingers trail lower, then ease back up, taking the last of Lana's stress and soreness with them.
"Good?" she whispers and Lana trembles at the sound of her voice so close to her ear, how her breaths feel against her skin.
"Yeah," she murmurs, unable to figure out any more indepth descriptions for everything right now, her brain absolute mush under Tamina's ministrations. "Really good."
Tamina chuckles softly, then slowly eases away- Lana lets out a protesting noise, and Tamina pauses, leaning back in to tip her face up with still glistening fingers. "I'll be back in a minute. You would like some cake soon, wouldn't you?"
God, a massage that Lana thinks she's still feeling all the way into her toes, and now some cake. She nods, eyes fluttering, and Tamina leans in and kisses her then, soft and slow and hot, and Lana moans into her mouth, Tamina humming back. The loss is even worse when Tamina pulls away this time, but Lana forces herself to just sit and relax, listening as Tamina wanders from sink to wash her hands, then from stove to cupboards, then back towards the living room. She inhales the soft scents- vanilla and coconut- but can't find the energy to open her eyes or verbally observe Tamina's presence.
Until a forkful of soft, vanilla cake is pressed against her lips and Lana automatically parts her lips for it, sighing as the first burst of it melts against her tongue. "Oh God," she moans, her eyes fluttering open then to gaze upon Tamina, face pleasantly flushed under the gleaming lights of their Christmas tree, sitting across from her on the blanket she'd set up for this moment, slicing into the cake with her fork once more. Their eyes meet and Lana smiles. "I love you," she breathes out. Not the first time, but absolutely something she thinks she needs to say more.
Tamina sits for a moment, still staring at Lana with wide, dark brown eyes, and then whispers back, "I love you too."
Lana smiles. Thinks this is even further proof that 2021 is going to be monumentally better than the year prior. After all, she has a beautiful woman feeding her cake and giving her massages, and there's a chance she may be women's tag champions with Asuka in a matter of days. It makes everything else feel like a distant memory, the weight of it all off of her shoulders, even for just this night.