A/N: Thanks to two guests, sabrina bayonet, ThatGayDork and isaatiragram for their reviews on Chapter Twelve.
I'm sorry for taking ages to update, but I wrote a long chapter as an apology :)
You knew that Carmilla had had a succession of bad days recently. You knew that her dead family were everywhere and anywhere she looked, standing around her as accusing spectres.
She'd dealt with it as best she could; putting on a brave face and pretending it didn't hurt her as much as you knew it did.
(She hadn't called you in desperation and grief again and it made you worry what she was doing when you weren't with her. It made you worry what thoughts were dancing around in that intelligent mind of hers.)
Sometimes you'd catch such a look of weariness on her face, such a look of defeat and you couldn't help but worry. Everyone grieved in their own way, you knew that from experience, and so you didn't know if Carmilla would ever truly be able to move past the accident that had stolen so much from her.
(And you didn't know how long the two of you could last until something had to give.)
And so Danny's party provided a welcome distraction for the both of you, an occasion for both of you to be a couple, do stupid couple-y things and have fun.
Maybe you'll be able to ignore the apprehension crawling behind you, breathing down your neck. Maybe you will be able to ignore the certainty that something is going to give, the certainty that the two of you couldn't go on pretending that everything was alright, but then again- surely Carmilla was fine? She loved you and you loved her and that had to be enough…
(Something has to give Laura.)
Danny was celebrating her 21st birthday and had invited you to come to her party. You'd run into her after your last lecture when you'd been returning a copy of Twilight that you'd taken out from the library.
(In an odd attempt to cheer Carmilla up, you had taken to quoting particularly bad sections to her and watching her laugh at the stupidity of it all.)
After Danny had stopped shooting you odd looks over the Twilight book, she had extended an invitation.
"Do you want to come to my 21ston Saturday?" And then she had rolled her eyes, sighed and muttered reluctantly: "And bring snarky little Mortica as well."
It had been your turn to roll your eyes then. Carmilla was Danny's best friend, of course she wanted her at the party, hell, Carmilla had probably organised half of the party for Danny- and yet both of them insisted on continuing to pretend to hate each other.
It was enough to drive you mad.
But you put up with it, because they were both ridiculous dorks, and Carmilla had smiled when you had told her about the invitation, one of her first genuine smiles since Will's Birthday.
And something swooped in your chest at that smile, and the past few weeks were forgotten in an instant. It's difficult to put it into words sometimes, that feeling that you get when you look at her, that swells in your chest, threatening to burst its banks and overwhelm you in glorious happiness.
(It's indescribable and can surely only be called love.)
/
"What's up, Hagrid?" Carmilla has to yell to make herself heard as Danny rolls her eyes and walks towards yourself and Carmilla, pushing her way through the crowd to reach the two of you.
(Her ridiculous height thankfully makes it very easy for her to part the throng of drunken people who are happily 'dancing' to a mechanised beat.)
"Hi Laura, you made it." She smiles a big, goofy grin at you and you smile politely back. Danny cuts her glance to Carmilla, her look less friendly. "And nice to see you managed to pull yourself away from all the brooding to make time for your favourite ginger."
"Oh well I just couldn't resist the thought of watching lackwits celebrate your birthday, I mean it's just such an auspicious occasion isn't it?" Carmilla smirks at Danny. As she does so, she reaches her hand down to yours and gently intertwines her fingers with yours.
"Yeah it really is, isn't it? I mean, obviously it can't beat stargazing or reading Wollstonecraft…"
"You forgot, 'contemplating my own insignificance,' beanstalk."
"I was getting there."
The two of them both grin at each other for the briefest of seconds before they both look away. A tall, presumably drunk young man begins to 'sing' along to Taylor Swift.
"SCREAMING, CRYING, PERFECT-"
"Anyway I have to go mingle I'll see you guys for the cake and the speeches about how much you love me and how much-"
"ROSE GARDEN FILLED WITH THORNS-"
"-you wish you were me! Catch you later!" Danny has begun to glare off in the direction of the Swift fan and she strides purposely towards him. You gulp on the boy's behalf- somehow you don't think it would be fun to be on the receiving end of the Jolly Ginger Giant's anger.
Oh my god I'm starting to use Carmilla's nicknames now…I'm in way too deep…
"Do you want to go play beer pong, cupcake?" Carmilla murmurs in your ear, her voice a soft brush against your skin.
(Cupcake. She called you cupcake…It's the first time she's called you an edible treat nickname in a week. Those names used to annoy you to no end, but now they make you giddy with joy.)
"I didn't realise there was a game of beer pong going on."
"There isn't."
"Carmilla." You shouldn't even be surprised anymore.
"Yes, I did bring supplies. This night just got a whole lot better than jumping up and down to Taylor Swift and trying to avoid the BFG. You're welcome creampuff."
You actually manage to glare at her for longer than a few moments, although it is extremely difficult. She's wearing a lacy white top and those infamous leather pants and dear Lord in that moment you just want to jump her, right then and there, in front of the many enthusiastic frat boys dancing to Taylor.
She meets your glare unflinching, smiling a fey grin at you.
You abandon your glare, mentally kicking yourself as you relent. "Fineee Carmilla, I'll play your stupid game with you."
"Sundance, beer pong is not a mere game…"
/
You wonder vaguely where Carmilla was hiding all those ping pong balls, but not for long, as your entire attention becomes focussed on the game. You and Carmilla are playing against Danny and the large Taylor Swift fan (whose name you've learnt is Brody Kirsch) and both have pretty good aim.
So of course you're already a little tipsy having had to constantly down small cups of beers.
(Being a lightweight really sucks sometimes.)
You screw up your face, lining up the ball carefully. You try to remember your twelfth grade physics but beer has made your thoughts slippery and every time you try to think of trajectories you get a headache- perhaps foreshadowing the hangover you will surely have tomorrow morning.
Carmilla murmurs something beside you and you cut her an annoyed look. She's right- beer pong is not a mere game; beer pong is a way to prove yourself to your friends- a way to show them that you were a winner.
And so throwing caution to the wind you slam the ball down on the table, hoping to God that it will land in one of the cups. Unfortunately, the ball bounces wide and hits Kirsch right between the eyes. Danny and Carmilla both burst out laughing as Kirsch pouts and clutches his face.
"Are…you olay?" You slur out to Kirsch, covering your face with your hands in a mixture of shame and embarrassment.
Getting drunk when you're a klutz really isn't a good idea…
You've obviously had more to drink then you'd thought and Carmilla and Danny begin to direct their laughter towards you.
"Man, I wish I had a sombrero or something right now." Danny says through her fits of laughter. "Can you imagine Laura wearing it and bumping off walls and saying ole to everyon-"
"-Or getting into a rage and pelting random people with ping pong balls…" Carmilla smirks.
"Oh no, I'm fine," Kirsch exclaims loudly, drawing the attention back to himself. "I mean you're a total bro Laura, but that hurt like a b…bad thing."
"I'm so sorry Kirsch! Here maybe if I try again I'll be able to get it in the cup and win!"
Kirsch rubs his face distractedly and says, "Look I'm going to go find some bros. I'll catch you hotti- girls later." He wanders off to sulk, zigzagging in a worrying fashion.
Danny sighs loudly, watching him leave. With a resigned look she rolls her eyes heavenward and makes to follow him.
"I better make sure he's okay." She tosses over her shoulder to the two of you as she looks over the crowd to find Kirsch.
Carmilla turns towards you still grinning and flushed with laughter. "Ok so cupcake, maybe beer pong isn't really your game…"
But you'd play it a hundred times more if it would make Carmilla look that happy, look that alive!
You giggle and Carmilla looks so cute with her flushed cheeks and tousled hair that you lean towards her and peck her briefly on the lips.
"I think beer pong turned out pretty well actually."
She slowly raises her finger tips to her mouth and touches her lips with a look of wonder on her face.
"Oh cutie…" She whispers.
/
The two of you end up curled together on a couch, Carmilla had had quite a bit more to drink at this point and seeing her tipsy would probably be more amusing if you weren't so smashed yourself.
She tucks a strand of hair behind your ear and gazes at you dreamily.
"Has anyone ever told you that you have golden flecks in your eyes?"
You giggle and blush and looking down shyly as you mutter: "They usually just compliment me on my keen fashion sense."
"That's definitely not what I'm talking about sweetheart." Carmilla says softly.
You look up then and see Carmilla looking at you hungrily, her eyes travelling over you slowly. Something ripples in the air between the two of you, and you press forward, eager to get as close to Carmilla as possible.
She licks her lips and your brain short circuits as her teeth catch on her bottom lip. She moves even closer to you, so close that you can see her eyelashes brushing against her cheeks. And then she kisses you softly on the nose, her lips a ghost against your skin.
"Got your nose, cupcake."
And before you know what is happening, the two of you are kissing, clumsy, open mouthed, drunken kisses that sing of your desperation and your love.
You tangle your fingers in Carmilla's black hair and you feel her smirk into your mouth as she deepens the kiss, moving forward so that she is on your lap.
Neither of you care that you are putting on a show for anyone who cares to watch at Danny's party. No, Carmilla's kisses are enough to wipe away any niggling concerns.
Her hand begins to travel slowly up your shirt as your hands roam down her sides, drifting towards her ass. You giggle as she brushes her tongue against yours
You're on the verge of dragging Carmilla into a bathroom and having your way with her, hell, you don't even know if you have the patience even for that- you just want to be with her right here, right now, in a blurry haze.
But alas, good things must come to an end and as you emerge to take a brief breather (seriously Carmilla's kissing should be illegal), you notice that wide-eyed attention that you are getting from some of Kirsch's "bros."
And you hear the wolf whistles and cheers.
("Whew! Yeah chicks on chicks! This is hot dude, come check it out!")
Carmilla seems unperturbed, looking up at you from the couch that you had pinned her to, with tousled hair. She raises an eyebrow as if to ask: "Why did you stop?"
Blushing furiously once more, you crawl off her. "Rat boys." You slur, shaking your head in embarrassment.
Carmilla blinks, confused. You're glad to see that you're not the only one dazed by all the kissing- obviously you were doing something right as well!
(Then again, it might just be the copious amounts of shots she had downed.)
She shakes her head and moves off the couch, untangling herself from you with elegant care.
"Nothing to see here boys. Why don't you go jerk off alone in a room now because you have small penises and can't get laid?"
And with that she turns smartly on her heel and walks out of the room, leaving you alone on the couch, staring after her with open-mouthed admiration.
It's amazing how Carmilla manages to come up with insults such as those, you honestly think that she must dedicate at least 50% of her so called "brooding time" to thinking up witty comebacks for all situations. Honestly how did she do it? You had enough difficulty not wordlessly exclaiming at people you found irritating and resorting to Krav Maga and bear spray.
And of course, sometimes you resorted to punching people in the face. Maybe you should take an insult course from Carmilla, because that honestly had not been a good move.
Shaking your head in wonder, you stumble off the couch and push through the dumbstruck boys, off to find your wayward girlfriend.
/
"You guys are like bunnies. I need to hose the two of you off each other or something!"
Danny interrupts Carmilla just as she was pressing you deeper against a tree the two of you were hidden behind as you made out like horny teenagers. In fact, she had just performed a particularly skilful manoeuvre with her tongue and you feel a flicker of annoyance at Danny for interrupting.
Somehow, you manage break away from Carmilla to try to give Danny your attention. Carmilla however, seems to have no qualms about continuing to kiss you, and she begins to press light, open-mouthed kisses down your neck.
You're dazed once again, and you blink blearily at Danny trying to focus and ignore Carmilla. The combination of Carmilla and beer has made you inarticulate and it takes you a while of blinking at her in a dumb founded manner before you remember how to speak.
"Wha…is it time for the speeches?"
(Carmilla has reached your ear now and nibbles on it gently.)
"Yes Laura, and you're welcome to make one if you possibly can in your condition…"
"I can…ahh… speech."
"Sure you can, shortie. C'mon Mortica, get off your girlfriend and come and get cake." Danny tugs on Carmilla's arm lightly, smirking.
(You realise that Danny is probably delighted to see Carm so happy and that makes you even happier and that makes you want to pull Carmilla down for another kiss, and then another-)
"LAURA. SPEECH. NOW." Danny talks to you very slowly, rolling her eyes. "You two will be the death of me I swear to God…"
/
"-And she gave me a snozzcumber and said that she caught dreams and had rescued me from evil cannibal giants. I can't believe the Big Friendly Giant is finally 21, but honestly I don't know where I'd be without her." Carmilla had grabbed the microphone off Kirsch and was now concluding a very 'heartfelt' speech about her best friend. "Seriously Danny, I wouldn't say this if I wasn't so utterly drunk, and I hope no one is recording this because I will deny this to my grave but…you're alright Xena. Happy 21st!"
Carmilla takes a wobbly bow then, drops the microphone with a clatter, raises her champagne fluke to Danny and stumbles back into the crowd towards you, cackling with mirth.
The crowd is silent for a few moments before people burst into raucous rounds of applause, laughing at Danny's face, which has turned as red as her hair.
(She definitely regrets pulling Carmilla away from you now, that's for certain.)
The crowd is restless for a few minutes before Danny's head pops over the crowd and yells:
"WHO WANTS CAKE?"
There's a roar of answering happiness from the crowd, and what happens next you can only describe as a mosh, friends pushing friends in rabid desperation to reach the holy grail that was Danny's birthday cake.
Carmilla disappears from your side for a second, lost in the violent hoard. You try and stay away from the chaos, looking around for her in drunken confusion. Where could she possibly have gotten to?
And then you feel a light tap on your shoulder and turn to find Carmilla, panting and flushing and smiling.
"Look what I have!" She says delightedly, producing a squashed piece of cake from behind her back.
"How did you get that?" You gasp in amazement and joy, because god almighty Carmilla must love you to have braved that battlefield.
"I have my methods." She grins at you. "Go on, eat it- a cupcake for my cupcake."
"It's not even a cupcake Carm, it's a chocolate cake." But you smile and lean forward and take a delicate bite from the cake on her hand.
It's amazing to say the least and you lose yourself in a chocolate-y delirium. How is the chocolate and icing in such perfect ratio? How is the texture so amazing?
You look up to see your girlfriend watching you with amusement.
"You know, you're not too bad to spend time with Carm." You whisper through a mouthful of cake crumbs. She looks at you then, with something beautiful in her eyes, something soft, and loving and gentle. You lean over to kiss her on her smiling cheek and her skin is gloriously soft against your lips.
She takes a bite of cake to hide her smile and you swear you have never seen someone so beautiful, so perfect, so adorable, in your entire existence.
/
After Danny's party the two of you walk to your apartment and curl up together on your bed, Carmilla the big spoon to your little, her cheek resting against your shoulder as she sleeps.
And when you wake in the morning, everything tastes of chocolate and Carmilla and her head is resting against yours. And you know for certain now, that this is how you want to wake up every morning for the rest of your life- with the taste of chocolate floating in the air and with your girlfriend beside you.
A/N: I hope you liked that! School has been really intense so I haven't had much time for fic writing, but I promise that I'll update as soon as possible!