Afterglow || Foxxay AU

26: This Love Left a Permanent Mark

Misty woke up a nervous wreck. She felt Cordelia's arms loosely wrapped around her waist still. She slowly pulled away from the grasp to go to the bathroom to take care of her needs. Once she was done, she wrapped one of Cordelia's robes around her body and made her way downstairs.
In the kitchen, she started a pot of coffee and looked through the cupboards for something to make. If she could distract herself, then she wouldn't have to think so much about the previous night's words.
It wasn't long before her lover was coming into the kitchen with a sweater and matching pants. Cordelia was just as quiet as Misty had been all morning as she moved throughout the kitchen to make a cup of coffee. She rested her hip against the counter as she took a sip. When she set the mug back down, she looked over at Misty who was nervously staring at her. "Do you want to talk about last night?"
Misty let out a heavy breath, one she didn't know she had been holding. She just gave a small nod. She looked down at her cup of coffee and started to stir it again. She bit her lip as Cordelia walked over to her, sitting across from the other blonde at the kitchen table.
Cordelia reached a hand across the table, grasping Misty's free hand. She gave it a gentle squeeze. "Will you look at me, please?"
Blue hues looked up timidly.
Cordelia gave her a gentle smile. "I don't regret anything I said last night, I want you to know that, baby. You don't have to be worried. I just think we should talk about it."
Her nerves let up just a little bit, as Misty nodded her head once again.
"Use your words, doll."
Misty licked her dry lips. "Okay..." she took a deep breath before she continued. "I don't regret it either. I just—I've never said that to someone before and... meant it." Her eyes dropped again. "I've never felt this way 'bout anyone before, an-and that's scary."
Cordelia squeezed the younger woman's hand. "That's okay, baby. It's... it's scary for me, too. If that makes you feel any better, I don't know if it does. But, I haven't said those words since I was married, and we both know how that ended."
Misty found herself nodding again. "That's why I said ya ain't gotta say it back if ya don't want to... I understand."
Cordelia got up from her seat, rounded the table, and gently cupped Misty's cheeks. "It's not that I don't want to." She pecked Misty's lips. "It's just something I have to work on. So, when I say you're my everything, know I mean it and so much more."
Misty pecked Cordelia's lips this time. "I do," she said with a small smile. "We can make up a new word for it if that makes it easier."
Cordelia grinned this time. "That sounds good to me."
The two shared another kiss before finally pulling away from each other. Cordelia sat back down in her seat and grabbed her coffee, while Misty did the same and took a sip with a smile on her face.
"What time do I need to take you home?"
Misty sighed softly and pouted. "I work the dinner shift again, so around three."
"You can always come back here after work, you know? I'm still getting you a key made."
Misty flashed a shy smile. "Thank ya, but I feel like it's too far... that late."
Cordelia raised a brow as she got back up from the table. She went over to the counter where a plate sat for her, ready with food. "And how late would I send you home from the club?"
The younger woman bit her lip as she nodded. "Yeah, but... ya won't even be here when I get off."
She opened the microwave and furrowed her brow. "You made pasta last night?"
"Shit, I forgot all about that." Misty was quick to get up from the table.
Cordelia shook her head as she pulled the dish out. "It's okay, baby. We were preoccupied."
Misty let out a small chuckle as she reached the counter. "Thank ya."

After putting her food into the microwave, Cordelia turned to face her girlfriend. She pulled Misty close to kiss her gently. "No need to thank me, okay? I'll get you a key before I drop you off later. That way you can get in when I'm not here."

"Ya sure?" Misty asked as she wrapped her arms around the shorter woman.
"Positive, doll." Cordelia kissed her once again. "Bring some clothes with you. I can empty a drawer of the dresser."
Misty felt herself grinning like a madman. "Really?"
Cordelia smiled back. "Yes, and if you want to bring Tom with you, you can. Just let me know so we can get a litter box."
The taller woman's grin only grew. "Are ya askin' me what I think ya are?"
"Not just yet... but I want you to be comfortable here. I want you to have your things and your pet when you're with me. I want to see how this goes before we take that step, okay, baby?" Cordelia asked in a gentle tone.
Misty nodded her head softly, all the while she kept smiling.
"Use your words, doll. I want to know what you're feeling about this."
"Sounds perfect to me. Sorry, I'm just really excited how." The younger woman said. She leaned in to peck Cordelia's lips once again. "Ya make me so damn happy."
Cordelia was the one who was smiling this time. "You make me happy, too. I haven't been this happy in a long time."
"Really?"
"Yes," the older woman said in a timid tone. She only pulled away when the microwave started to beep, letting her know that her breakfast was reheated and ready to go.
____

"You said I love you when she came?!" Mallory squealed as she followed Misty down the hallway. 
"No, well... yes and no. I also came..." The taller friend grabbed her work uniform out of her closet and started to get dressed.
"At the same time? Damn," Mallory smirked as she sat down on Misty's bed. Her brow raised when she saw a new necklace around Misty's neck. "What's that?"
"Huh?" Misty looked down at herself. "Oh, it's a key for her townhouse. She got it for me on the way here, so I can go over whenever I want now."
"Holy shit, babes. I love yous and a key? Is she down bad as hard as you are?"
Misty found herself smiling shyly as she pulled her shirt on. "I think so... I didn't even mean to say it last night, Mal... ugh, I was so fuckin' nervous."
"Did she say it back?"
"Kinda..." Misty walked over to her closet and got out a pair of black sneakers.
"Wait, what do you mean kinda?"
After Misty put her shoes on, she walked over to her bed and sat down next to her friend. "I never told ya, but she was married before... I haven't heard a lot 'bout it yet. I just know it wasn't good. She said it's gonna take time for her to feel comfortable saying the l word. I get it, though. Shit, I never meant it with my ex, and last night it just slipped. She does however say other things in substitute."
"Hold up, Mist. You just gave me a whole ass new chapter of her life. How long were they married? What did she say instead? I need to know everything." Mallory grabbed Misty's arm playfully, trying to lighten the mood.
"Just a few years. They ended up gettin' divorced because Cordelia's infertile and had a few miscarriages... I guess this guy was set on having kids, so it was a deal breaker." Misty shook her head. 
"Why are guys the fucking worst? It's not her fault her body couldn't do that. It doesn't mean she's unworthy of happiness in other ways. I'm glad she left this dude." Mallory was quick to say.  "That's what I told her, too... we haven't talked a lot about it, but I can tell it really bothers her still."
"That's a shame, I'm sorry." "It's okay. I'm sure we'll talk more about it when she's ready. I mean, shit there's still things I haven't told her yet, but that's a story for another day. Instead of I love you, she said I'm her everythin'." Misty was grinning like a fool. "And when she dropped me off a little bit ago, she said that I was the best thing that's happened to her in a long time."
"Awe," Mallory cooed. "That's so cute, babe. Are you going back there tonight? I don't mind if you do, I can watch little Tommy for you."
"Ya sure?" Misty asked.
"Positive," Mallory got up from the bed. "How many times have you taken care of the girls for me? It's the least I can do. Just let me know when you're coming back home, okay? I need to make sure all the toys are put up."
Misty shook her head with a laugh. "Okay, thank ya. I'm gonna pack my bag for a few days, and head to work."
Mallory walked to the door of the bedroom. "Okay, be safe. Take the cart if you need to. Or Coco made some edibles last night."
Misty's eyes lit up. "Her special brownies?"
"Yup."
"Can you put two in a bag for me?"
"Yeah, I'll leave them on the counter," Mallory said before leaving the room.