Work Text:
It all started out innocent enough. Or, at least, that's what Carmilla would tell herself as she lay awake in her apartment.
It was casual, unimportant, forgettable even; but that was all before.
It was simple before the first nickname slipped past her lips:
"Don't forget your cookie, cutie."
The word fell out of her mouth easily, without thought. The caramel haired girl paused as she sipped her hot cocoa, clearly startled by the sudden informality, but recovered nearly as quick.
"Thanks." She'd smiled, taking the baked good from Carmilla's hand. She'd held her gaze a second too long, long enough for Carmilla to feel her insides twist in an unfamiliar tension, and then she was off, trotting out the door like a woman on a mission.
It was simple before she'd learned her name:
"Hot cocoa for Laura." Carmilla shouted over the din of the café. It was especially busy and she'd been pulled from the back to help fill orders. She hated restocking, so honestly she couldn't complain.
"Laura. Hot chocolate." She called again, raising her voice in exasperation.
"Here!" Came a high voice, along with a hand darting between the throngs of people waiting for their coffees.
It was the caramel haired girl again, with her wide eyes and easy smile. Carmilla felt her own lips tug upward at the sight of her.
"Here you go, Laura." She felt her voice say.
The girl grinned, fingers brushing against Carmilla's as she took the hot cocoa. "Thanks…?"
"Carmilla."
Laura's smile widened, which seemed impossible and yet it happened.
"Carmilla." She repeated.
And then she was off again, darting out the door like someone was chasing her.
It was simple before Carmilla had come to expect her:
Laura came in every Thursday and Friday morning, before her Journalism class. Then, she'd come again on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, around lunch, and sometimes, if she was pulling a ridiculous all nighter, Sunday evenings. Carmilla learned the patterns and came to keep hot chocolates ready for when Laura arrived. She told herself it was efficient this way. Even to herself, it felt like a lie.
The door would open with an overly cheery ding and there Laura would be, in all her sunshine and determined glory. Carmilla handed her hot chocolate after hot chocolate, indulged her selfish desires of gentle flirting, grew addicted to the deep stain of blush that colored Laura's cheeks…
And then Carmilla realized it wasn't simple anymore. Through all the day in and day outs, Carmilla hadn't just fallen for tiny, upbeat Laura. She'd gone and gotten herself an addiction.
She realized how deep she was when she sprang out of bed at the sound of her first alarm one random Thursday. She was halfway through brushing her teeth when she noticed it hadn't taken all eleven of her increasingly annoying alarms to wake her.
But, it was Thursday. Thursday was Laura day. And Thursdays usually weren't busy, which meant there was more potential for talking and flirting and maybe a bit of banter if -
Carmilla felt that strange tension in her stomach, like a knot but not painful. It was almost nice.
She was so screwed.
-
It was 8:13 when the door bell jangled as someone walked into the shop and Carmilla had to fight the way her heart leapt into her throat. She turned, failing to tramp down the excitement and hope blooming like flowers in her chest, just as Laura sidled up to the counter.
Carmilla smirked as she leaned forward against the register.
"Well, Miss Hollis, what'll it be today? Cupcake? Hot chocolate? Or, let me guess…" Carmilla tapped her pointer finger against her chin in mock thought. "You're finally going to buy a coffee from the coffee shop."
Laura laughed lightly, the sound ringing in Carmilla's ears like music.
She shook her head, her long hair swishing about her slim shoulders.
"Not today, I'm afraid. Sticking with old faithful."
Carmilla nodded, punching the register screen. "One hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookie coming right up, cutie."
The familiar blush rose to Laura's cheeks as a shy smile played on her lips. "Thanks, Carm."
Carmilla tried and failed to hide her smirk at the nickname as she got Laura's order ready. As the cocoa was pouring into the cup, she glanced back at the tiny girl. Laura's eyes were on her, staring at her like she was trying to figure out a riddle, and her head sharply jerked away when Carmilla's eyes met her own.
A snicker slipped out from Carmilla's mouth and she could feel her own cheeks heating up at the idea of Laura looking at her.
Wait.
Laura was looking at her.
Carmilla felt the earth shift beneath her as she snapped the cap onto the hot chocolate. Laura wasn't just looking at her…she had been staring; staring at her like Carmilla had seen her look at one of her cookies. Like she was going to…Carmilla swallowed the thought.
Could there be some possibility that…Laura may actually like her back? The idea was intoxicating. That now familiar tension in her stomach was back, this time accompanied by a fluttering she didn't know how to cope with. She hadn't even entertained the thought that Laura may be interested in her too; luck usually didn't fall in Carmilla's favor that way. But…the blush, and the banter, and now the staring…
As she pulled a cookie from the freshly made tray (yeah, okay, maybe she made sure there were fresh cookies on the mornings Laura came in…), Carmilla made a decision.
It had been months and months of this slow and steady falling. Maybe she should just give in to it. She wanted to. God, how she wanted to. So, today was the day.
Carmilla was going to ask Laura out. Consequences be damned. If there was even the slightest chance that Laura could want her too, then hell, Carmilla was going to take it.
Slipping an extra cookie into the paper pouch, Carmilla turned with hot cocoa and treats in hand, ready to woo her adorable, tiny crush.
She placed the pack of cookies and drink on the counter, tapping out a few buttons on the register. Laura fumbled in her purse for her wallet, her honey colored hair falling over her shoulder. Carmilla swallowed. Now or never. Just do it, Karnstein.
"Laura," Carmilla started, "this might be totally wrong, and let me know if it is,"
Laura pulled her wallet out of her bag and met Carmilla's gaze. The two just looked at each other, frozen. Laura's hand holding her wallet hung in the air, her bottom lip secured between her teeth in a way that made Carmilla sweat. If it was possible, the pounding of Carmilla's heart increased tenfold when she looked into Laura's eyes. The girl looked wide eyed, almost (dare Carmilla even think it) hopeful. She took a steadying breath and could see Laura take one too. Now or never.
"What I'm trying to say is, if you were interested, is, uh, would you maybe-"
"Laura!"
A voice sliced through Carmilla's words. Laura jumped, her wallet falling to the counter. Her head turned and that familiar grin slipped across her face. Carmilla followed her eye line and landed on the tallest ginger she had ever seen.
The string bean lumbered over, throwing an arm over Laura's shoulders in such a casual way that Carmilla gripped the register screen so hard, it almost cracked. A hot flare of embarrassment seared up the back of her neck at the pair of them. They were talking quickly to each other, Laura's animated hands accidentally brushing the taller girl's stomach as she spoke. They were clearly familiar. Too familiar. Dating familiar.
Carmilla couldn't hear the words they were saying, it was all white noise as the ginger threw her head back in a laugh. Of course. Why wouldn't Laura be dating some redheaded Amazon? Why would anything ever work out the way Carmilla wanted? How had she been such an idiot?
"Carm, can you add Danny's latte to my order?"
Laura's voice hit her like ice water. She tried not to be bitter about the lightness of it, how that ginger made Laura's voice brighter somehow. Laura and the newly labeled Danny both looked at her, worried.
"Carm?" Laura's hand reached out to brush Carmilla's, but Carmilla jerked away at the last second.
"I heard you, damn it, give me a second."
She stormed to the machines and threw together the sloppiest and fastest latte of her life, all the while she could feel Laura's eyes burning into her back. Without looking up, she slammed the drink on the counter and grit her teeth.
Laura's brow furrowed at her and Carmilla rolled her eyes. She punched the screen, exiting the order, as Laura tried to hand her a debit card.
"Don't worry about. On the house."
"Carmilla are you-"
"I said don't worry about." Carmilla's voice came out loud and harsh. She didn't stay to see Laura's response. Instead, she ripped off her apron and sauntered into the back, forcing her manager Perry to work the counter under the guise of having a headache.
As she flopped down onto an old library couch they had commandeered for the café break room, Carmilla tried to understand what part of her brain thought someone like Laura Hollis wouldn't already be taken.
-
Two weeks of absolute hell followed that particular humiliation. Perry had been more understanding than anyone should have been. She'd let Carmilla scare customers and brood quietly without pestering her. Someday, Carmilla wanted to thank her for it. But, for now, she'd continue her silent fury.
Gigantor and Laura made the coffee shop their new hang. Danny would always come to order for them both, which set Carmilla's teeth on edge. Laura would stop by the counter and try to talk, maybe joke around like they once did, but Carmilla couldn't do it anymore. Not with Ginger Giant looming over them both like a watchful labrador.
It was closing in on the third week of torture when Perry asked Carmilla to close up shop.
"I know you usually don’t, but Laf got these tickets to some show, something about space I think and why we matter? I don't know but I promised I'd go and I never have enough time for them these days and please if you could, just this once-"
"Perry, seriously, slow down before you hurt someone. I can do it. Get out of here."
Carmilla found herself wrapped in a hug before she could protest.
"You are the best, Karnstein. I'll pay you overtime. Double. Triple even!"
Her words were fading as she trotted to the door.
"I'll hold you to that!" Carmilla shouted after her, but the door was already shut and the curly haired girl was gone.
Carmilla glanced at the clock hanging across from the register. 11:27. She still had roughly an hour and a half to go. One look around the place could tell that it was deserted. No one holed up in the café on Friday nights. Shuffling to the back, Carmilla grabbed her worn copy of Jane Erye and propped herself up on the counter by the register.
No sense in wasting time by standing around, if she could wander in the pages of a book for a while.
An hour had passed before the familiar chime of the entrance bell rang through the room. Carmilla looked up, shocked by the sound, to see adorable Laura Hollis walking up to the counter.
The bloom of affection in her chest stung at the sight. She shouldn't feel this way; not after her botched attempt at asking her out, not after watching the Jolly Ginger Giant tuck hair behind her ear, not after Laura stopped blushing when Carmilla looked at her.
Carmilla hopped off the counter, sauntering to make a hot chocolate without waiting for Laura to order. The sooner the girl was gone the better. Just because she shouldn't still have a crush on her didn't mean that she didn't still have one. The quicker the interaction was over, the faster Carmilla could sink back into her book and pretend she had someone else's life.
"Carmilla?" Laura's voice was soft. Carmilla didn't glance back, just hastened in her drink making.
"Carm? Please, can you look at me?"
There was a desperation in Laura's voice. Or, Carmilla thought there was. She wasn't sure.
Carmilla sighed and turned, hot cocoa in hand.
"What, cupcake? You gonna switch your order up?"
Her words came out harsher than she meant, but damn it she was pissed. Pissed at herself for not thinking when she fell head first for the girl in front of her. Pissed that she ever thought someone as bright and shiny as Laura Hollis would like someone as dark and broken as her. Pissed that after three weeks, she still wanted to throttle the ginger that got to drape her arm around Laura as if it was nothing special.
Carmilla waited for Laura's response, refusing to look her in the eye.
"Why won't you look at me anymore? Is it something I did? If it is, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…I don’t know. I…Carmilla, I don’t know what's going on but you're killing me."
At that, Carmilla's eyes snapped up.
"I'm killing you?" She balked.
Laura nodded, her eyes concerned. Carmilla laughed. The hurt in Laura's eyes deepened.
"Well, I'm sorry, cupcake, I didn't realize we were friends."
Carmilla could feel the venom in her words, taste it in her mouth, and it made her sick. This was why she didn't deserve good things. Why she didn't deserve Laura. She was punishing her for her happiness. But Carmilla couldn't stop. Her anger was here and Laura was here and the dam was breaking.
"You know, if we had been, maybe I would have know you were dating the Ginger Giant. Friends tell each other shit like that."
A flicker of something unnamable washed over Laura's face and then it was gone; in its place was something akin to rage.
"Oh my god, this is about Danny?"
Carmilla rolled her eyes.
"I don't give a shit about Danny."
Laura shook her head, her arms crossing over her chest as her eyes narrowed.
"I can't believe you. You have no reason to dislike her."
Carmilla groaned, closing out the order on the register and walking out from behind the counter. She moved to the tables, lifting the chairs and placing them upside down on the table tops. Laura watched her, incredulous.
"Don't ignore me."
Laura's voice was getting louder, her hands now balled into fists at her sides.
"I still need to pay for my drink." She called as Carmilla slammed another chair on a table.
Carmilla didn't look back. "On the house. Now, run back to your girlfriend so I can close up."
There was silence for a few seconds and Carmilla thought, briefly, that she'd won. Maybe Laura would just leave her and her wounded pride to stack chairs in the dark.
Wrong.
Suddenly footsteps pounded behind her, a hand landed on her shoulder, and Carmilla was spun to face Laura; two lips planted themselves against her own and she was gone.
There was a second, a brief and painful second, where Carmilla thought she was hallucinating. Laura kissing her was the stuff of her nightly fantasies. Yet, her lips were moving against her own; this was real.
Carmilla's hand slid into Laura's hair, tugging her harder against her mouth. Laura gasped, her lips parting just enough for Carmilla's tongue to tease the soft inside of her lip, and a whining moan bloomed in the back of Laura's throat. Laura's hands fastened themselves to the back of Carmilla's neck, her blunt nails digging into the tender skin with a delicious sharpness.
A step forward and Carmilla's body was pressed full against her, the thick fabric of her apron inhibiting the friction her body desperately wanted. Without thinking, Carmilla spun them and slammed Laura's body into the nearest wall. The smaller girl let out a surprised yelp, but arched her body forward and ran her hands down Carmilla's tense back.
Their lips surged together, breaths passing between them like it was the only air in the room. Small sighs and high whimpers echoed in the empty coffee shop and Carmilla was hard pressed to say who they belonged to. Kissing Laura was so much more than she ever could have imagined. Reality obliterated every fantasy and if she wasn't so preoccupied with the delicious taste of Laura's mouth and the insistent press of Laura's body, Carmilla was certain she would collapse.
How the hell had she gone this long without kissing her? As Laura's lips moved to her jaw and down the side of her neck, Carmilla's mind short circuited and she stopped questioning.
Laura left hot, open mouthed kisses down one side of her throat before moving to the other. She reached the crook just beneath Carmilla's ear and bit lightly. Carmilla grabbed Laura's shoulders, unable to stop the cry that flew out of her. Laura nibbled the spot until Carmilla was shaking. This girl was going to kill her. But, damn, what a way to go.
"Laura…" Carmilla breathed.
Laura's mouth moved to her earlobe, tugging at it with her teeth. Carmilla panted as Laura's tongue flicked against the soft flesh.
"Laura…" Carmilla tried again, but Laura's mouth was busy sucking now and Carmilla was struggling to remember her own name.
Hands slid around Carmilla's middle, tugging her body tighter against Laura's. Without meaning to, Carmilla grinded gently against her and Laura released her ear, a moan tumbling out of her mouth as her head fell back to the wall.
Carmilla pressed forward, her mouth sucking a bruise against one of Laura's collar bones. She bit down lightly, her hands tightening around Laura's hips as they bucked upward.
"Carm…" Laura murmured, and as her own name hit her ears, Carmilla snapped out of it.
Her mouth pulled away from Laura with a pop as she jerked back. Both girls were breathing heavily, each slowly reaching up to press fingers at their mouths as if they couldn't believe what they had done. Carmilla took a stumbling few steps back, her body bumping into the checkout counter.
"Cupcake, I'm so-"
Laura held up a finger, immediately silencing her. "Don’t you dare apologize to me." She puffed out.
Carmilla could only huff in deep breaths. Laura shook her head, a small smile taking over her face, bowing her kiss bruised lips upward.
"You are the biggest idiot, did you know that?"
Of all the things Carmilla expected to hear from Laura's mouth after arguably the greatest kiss of Carmilla's life, that was not it.
"Uh, yeah. I mean, I know I'm an idiot. Uh. But…um…why do you think I'm an idiot?"
Laura's eyes softened as Carmilla's voice petered out. She pushed off the wall, a move that made Carmilla's body throb to be next to her again. Instead, she pressed her body back further into the pick up counter.
Laura tucked her ruffled hair behind her ear. "You're an idiot because you didn't ask me out."
Carmilla shook her head. "I tried, but your girlfriend-"
Laura shook her head, a soft laugh passing her lips. "I don't have a girlfriend."
Carmilla felt the world slow. Did she hear her right? No girlfriend? That couldn't be right. This was a dream. This was all a big fever dream. But Laura was there, in front of her, with her swollen lips and tussled hair and Carmilla couldn't stop the words coming out of her mouth if she tried.
"But the giant ginger-"
"Danny is my friend."
Carmilla must have looked skeptical because Laura took a step forward as she continued.
"She asked me out, a few weeks ago. But I told her no. Because I like someone else."
With each sentence, she took a step closer. Carmilla was still reeling. She glanced up, eyes locking on Laura's. The smaller girl paused, as if Carmilla's gaze pinned her to the floor. A flick of something crossed her face; uncertainty, hope, desire. Carmilla couldn't name it but it made her breath shallow.
"You don't have a girlfriend."
Laura shook her head.
"You don't like Danny."
Laura smiled and shook her head again.
Carmilla didn't need anymore information.
Her hands flashed out and grabbed Laura's waist, hauling her in. Laura let out a surprised yelp but recovered quickly, latching her mouth onto Carmilla's. Her hands slid up Carmilla's neck and lost themselves in her dark hair. The action made Carmilla groan, her mouth opening beneath Laura's.
They pressed against each other, Laura leaning her body in Carmilla's like it was the only thing keeping her standing. Carmilla's arms wrapped around her torso, hugging her as close as possible. She almost missed her chance with this little ball of sunshine once. She was not about to let her go again. Not after she knew what her mouth tasted like and how her body felt and how she sounded when she moaned.
At the thought, Laura let out a low whimper and Carmilla could feel her temperature sky rocket. Laura's hands gripped in her hair, sending shocks down her spine straight to her stomach. Unable to stop herself, Carmilla's hands slid across Laura's back, down her sides, until she was tugging at the backs of her thighs to bring her closer.
Laura nodded, her mouth slipping against Carmilla's as their hot breaths mixed. Without warning, Carmilla flipped their positions, and hoisted Laura onto the pick up counter. She slotted herself between Laura's legs and pressed against her. Laura's head fell back, a groan rumbling in her chest.
"Oh my god, Carm." She panted and Carmilla couldn't keep her smirk hidden as she kissed down the sweet column of Laura's neck. She suckled against the spot right where her jaw met her throat and Laura was nearly clawing at the rough fabric of her apron.
"Take this off, I am begging you." Laura nearly growled.
Not needing to be told twice, Carmilla pulled just far enough away to yank the cheap material off her body. However, Laura wasn't satisfied with just that. Her small hands flew to Carmilla's shirt, popping the buttons open faster than Carmilla had thought possible.
"Cupcake, are you sure?" The last shred of Carmilla's restraint was being tested. The girl she had wanted for so long wanted her back. But she needed to know for sure.
Laura paused, locking her eyes with Carmilla's. The flicker of doubt was back and Carmilla wanted to immediately suck her question back into her mouth; anything to take away the fear slowly working its way across Laura's features.
The girl's voice shook as she spoke, her hands still clutching the fabric of Carmilla's work shirt.
"I've never been so sure of anything in my life. If it wasn't clear, I like you. A lot. Too much probably for how much we've interacted. And all I know is that I want to kiss you, a lot, for a long time, maybe forever, and if you don't want that, I totally get it and I'm maybe realizing now I should have asked that before I ripped your shirt open but you're really good at kissing and I've been imagining this for so long and-"
Carmilla's hands gently cupped the sides of Laura's face as she leaned in to cut her ramble off with a kiss. It was different than before; there was nothing frantic or desperate. It was slow, strong, earth-shattering. Carmilla could feel Laura shiver as she pulled back. She kept their faces close, their lips brushing just barely as they both huffed in breath.
"I'd like to kiss you forever too, creampuff."
Laura sighed out a laugh, her forehead leaning gently against Carmilla's. Carmilla couldn't keep the smile from playing across her lips, closing her eyes as she just breathed close to Laura, her heart still thundering in her chest.
"Wanna go get a coffee some time?" Laura finally offered to the quiet.
Carmilla couldn't contain the barking laugh that ruptured out of her. She shook her head, leaning forward to kiss Laura once, twice before sucking her bottom lip into her mouth and nipping at it gently. Laura melted against her, sinking into the kiss for a breath, before pulling back.
"Was that a yes?" Laura whispered against Carmilla's lips.
Carmilla grinned. "Laura, you don't drink coffee."
A blush worked it's way up from Laura's chest, creeping up her neck and taking hold in her cheeks. She ducked her head before leaning up and brushing her nose against Carmilla's. She leaned up, letting her lips brush softly against Carmilla's.
"Hot chocolate then?"