you make me sick (for being so perfect)

Fifty Three.

"Hey, Lolo?" Camila picks up a VHS tape as she digs through the drawer for Lauren's copy of The Lion King. "What's this?"

Lauren glances at her, but doesn't move from under her blanket. "I don't- it's a home movie, I think. All of our home movies are on VHS, so it's probably that."

Camila looks at the tape like she's won a million dollars. "Does that mean that this tape holds footage of baby you? Because if so... fuck The Lion King. We're watching this."

Lauren blinks in surprise. "But I don't want to watch home movies."

"Too bad," Camila laughs as Lauren shifts on the couch and Dash jumps off her, smiling when the puppy runs over to her. "Look, Dash agrees with me. We should watch home movies. There's more in here. I can't believe you didn't let me watch these before."

"But..." Lauren frowns and sits up, stretching a little and pulling her blanket up to her chin. "I don't want to. I want to watch The Lion King."

"We watch that like, every day," Camila points out, thanking whatever powerful force she can think of that Lauren's DVD player has a built in VHS slot. She puts the tape in, picks Dash up, and walks back over to her girlfriend, getting under the blanket with her and sitting Dash on top of them. "We're watching this. But I'll give you tummy rubs the whole way through if that's a good enough compromise."

After a moment's silence, Lauren nods. "Alright then. We can watch the VHS."

As it starts up, Camila tries and fails to hold back her aw when it cuts to Lauren – who looks to be around three or four – cuddling with Nala. "Oh my god. You were the cutest."

"I- thank you?" Lauren frowns and bites down on her bottom lip. "I don't think that- I wasn't that cute."

Camila rolls her eyes in response, watching as Mike angles the camera towards Lauren and says, "Lauren, say hi! This is going to be a little film you can look back on when you're older!"

Little Lauren stares up at the camera for a moment, sending her dad a disinterested look before turning back to the TV, which is naturally playing The Lion King.

Camila snorts with laughter. "Wow, Lo. You're so cooperative."

"I was- I was busy." Lauren defends herself, biting down on her bottom lip. "I was trying to watch my favourite movie and my dad was annoying me."

Apparently, Mike isn't letting little Lauren get away that easily. "Lauren, I'm not leaving until you say hello to you in the future. Don't you want to look back on happy memories when you're a big girl?"

Lauren looks back at her dad again and frowns, mumbling something that Camila doesn't pick up on. Mike doesn't seem to either, because the camera ends up at eye level with Lauren, showing that her dad has crouched down next to her. "What was that? Did you say hello?"

Little Lauren shifts on the couch and her hands reach out to grab the camera. Mike laughs. "No, Lauren, you can't grab at that. This is very expensive, it's not for little kids."

After a few more attempts to take the camera, Lauren stops and fiddles with Nala's ears. She stares up at her dad again, before clapping her hands three times and giggling, then turning back to The Lion King again.

"Say hi, Lauren," Mike persists, "you're not getting away with being all quiet. We know you can talk now, kiddo. Just say hi."

Lauren looks up at her dad with a frown and pats her legs with her palms. After a few moments of silence, Lauren finally speaks. "Hakuna matata!"