Bound To You (camren au)

love (for the first time), part 1

"Because of the sex?"

"Because you're goddamn annoying."

Lucy shakes her head at her like she's still Camila's boss. Old habits die hard. You'd think after Camila quit working at House of Hernandez and started living with Lucy as her best friend with occasional benefits, she'd stop scolding her like she's her employer, but no dice.

Camila doesn't mind. Sometimes she likes being told what to do. Hence the occasional benefits.

Camila sniffs. "Did you make breakfast?" Jeez, this really is a suspiciously good morning. Also, Camila's a better cook than Lucy and pretty much always has been, but it's the thought that counts. Well, depends on what the thought is, really. "Am I missing something? Is today our anniversary of becoming roommate fuckbuddies and I missed it?"

Lucy pretends to throw up. "Ew. God. Don't use that word."

"Roommate?"

"I will fucking evict you."

So - things have certainly changed.

Camila dresses in her usual work clothes - black pants, one of her navy button-ups - and a little bit of makeup before she heads downstairs, where Lucy is already at the kitchen counter, sipping on her coffee. She's dressed for her own work - high heels, tight dress, looking like she just stepped off the runway, as per usual.

Camila smiles at the sight of her. Hey, if Camila felt comfortable wearing stripper heels to her current place of work, she would. Alas - sometimes growing up makes you realize that you don't want to do things like dance and take off your clothes in front of a crowd of grown men for the rest of your twenties. Sometimes, even though you love to sing, it doesn't feel right to do it like that anymore, at least not in that present moment.

Even though you're the top girl and most popular performer, and everyone freaks out when you tell them you want to quit. You just have to do what's right for you. What you know is right, deep down.

Camila hasn't worked at House of Hernandez for four years now. It didn't feel the same after Lauren quit, even though she was earning more money than ever, even though everyone loved her. She did it for a year after Lauren left and then she couldn't handle it anymore.

And now, well-

Lucy looks up at her over her coffee and grins approvingly. Somehow she always thinks Camila looks hotter in her more formal clothes than in the lingerie she used to see her in every day, which Camila will never understand.

"Nice," says Lucy, all faux-noncommittal. Then she slides a coffee cup over to Camila. "You have a lot of clients today?"

"Nope. Pretty light day." Camila sits beside her at the counter. Almost immediately Lucy stands and starts fussing with Camila's hair, pulling it back into a ponytail, so much gentler than Camila would've if she'd done it herself. Camila drinks her coffee and lets her. It's part of their routine.

"So," says Lucy, as she takes the hair tie off her wrist and secures it in Camila's hair, "I wanted to ask-"

Camila snorts and covers her mouth so she doesn't spit her coffee out. "Oh, now I get it."

The breakfast, the waking her up - Lucy wants a favor. The same favor she always wants, actually, so Camila shouldn't be surprised. "I get off work at two. You want me to come to the club after?"

This is a semi-regular thing, but usually Lucy doesn't bother buttering her up first. Camila loves to come to the club to see all the girls: her old friends, the new hires. She's sat in on every single audition since she quit just because Lucy trusts her implicitly when it comes to ideas for the clubs. Lets her pitch new songs, choreography, ideas for outfits - Camila doesn't perform there anymore, but she might as well be, like - something akin to an expert consultant, probably.