I will never stop (Camren)

Five

Lauren's P.O.V.

Date.

The word lingered in Lauren's head for the reminder of the time she spent apart from her newly wedded wife. The rest of the night, they had tended to their own needs, living beside each other peacefully. It was exactly how Lauren imagined marriage to be; and every time she just felt like glancing over to Camila, to admire her, she just did. Far more than once, did their eyes cross paths, and small smiles were shared with each other.

Lauren dutifully worked on her party that was due to be held in her house in a few weeks, finalizing the caterer, whom she would be meeting with in two days.

What Camila was doing, she did not know. The woman was writing down on a pad, the tip of her tongue occasionally peeking out as she concentrated. Lauren found it all too endearing and grinned to herself when she saw it.

All too soon, the green-eyed brunette was yawning almost non-stop, and decided that bedtime was due for her. It was well after midnight now, too, she realized. Quietly, she bade her wife a good night, padding over to press a kiss to her cheek.

Only when she reached her bedroom door, did she realize that she just had casually kissed Camila on the cheek, without a thought, and just left the room without looking back. Her cheeks reddened instantly, but not because she regretted it; because she had loved it.

Sleep came soon that night.

--

Her alarm clock blared at six in the morning, and just as the past few mornings, since she and Camila had actually started getting along, Lauren got out of bed with a smile. It's wasn't a stupid, dopey smile. More a small, warm smile. As if she had something brewing inside of her.

Her feelings for Camila felt exactly like that, simmering in her heart, waiting to boil over.

They reminded her of her other life, when she had watched Camila wait the restaurant, secretly admiring her from afar. At least, she was a little closer to her now.

This morning, she decided she would whip up some pancakes for her wife, complete with a smiley face on them and her regular 'Have a nice day!' note next to the pancakes.

She then left for another work day, spent away from the woman she'd rather get to know. The record company, she knew by heart now. Her heart wanted to know something, someone, else now.

Patience, she told herself, as she took place behind the wheel of her car and started the engine. Eyes focused on the road, her smile was ever present. Tonight, she mused, was their date. Not too long.

--

When Lauren Jauregui finally parked her car in the driveway in front of her house that night, she was both excited and nervous. Even though she had asked Camila out on a date, her wife had called her that afternoon to ask her what she wanted ordered in. Her heart skipped a beat again when she thought back to her wife being so considered.

She couldn't be out of the car and inside the house quickly enough.

But finally she made it, and she placed her laptop and briefcase in the hallway. She would not be doing more work tonight.

Her eyes widened in amazement as she entered the living room. Outside, it was getting dark, but still the lights were off. Everywhere, candles were lit so that the room felt warm, cozy, and Chinese take-out was set ready on the living room table, the TV paused on the beginning credits of a film.

Camila was fidgeting next to the couch, visibly nervous, and Lauren found her incredibly beautiful.

"Camila..." She murmured softly, her emerald eyes darting over the room over and over again. "This is... No one's ever done this for me."

The admission fell hard on Lauren. Never had she admitted just how lonely she had been, but now there was Camila, for some absurd reason, her wife – trying to make her feel special by doing something like this. Making her home feel warm (literally and figuratively).

"Thank you."

Lauren's eyes flitted back to the woman, who had now stopped fidgeting.

"Don't thank me, Lauren," She heard the woman say. "Not tonight. It's just us. Just be, Lauren."

This prompted tears to appear in the older woman's eyes, and firm steps brought her closer to the Cuban so she could wrap her arms around her and pull her into her. She reveled in the hug, and when she pulled back, it was reluctant. She felt the hesitation coming from the other, too, so instead of breaking apart, she pulled Camila to her again for a second embrace.

And so they stood there, finally letting each other in.

The kiss that followed was inevitable, Lauren thought, her lips softly pressed to Camila's. Something told her this wasn't the first time she had felt those lush lips, but she couldn't recall when. She concluded that this feeling must mean that they were meant to be here, interlocked in any way.

The kiss was far shorter than the hug had been, but tenfold more satisfying.

Finally, Camila took Lauren's hand in hers, and they took place on the couch, starting their date on the best note.

"How was your day?" Camila asked after they had divided the food amongst each other – during their phone call earlier, they had discovered they loved the same Chinese food.

"Stressful," Lauren said with a small sigh. She never liked talking about work with her significant others – her ex never asked her about it, anyway – but with Camila she didn't feel the reluctance.

"The party's not coming along well?" Camila inquired softly, her brown eyes searching for signs of distress from Lauren. The emerald eyes shone brightly, though, even though they had looked tired a second ago.

"It is," Lauren clarified. "It's just a lot of work."

Camila nodded once and they finished their dinner in silence.

When it was time for the film, Camila sought Lauren out first. She sank into the older woman's side and allowed Lauren to wrap her arm around the Latina's shoulders. A content sigh escaped from her lips.

They never got to finish the movie though, because Lauren found those lips a little too enticing. She sought them out ten minutes into the movie, and kept them on hers for the remainder of it.

She's never had a better date, Lauren thought to herself. And this time, she actually meant it.

When the time came to go upstairs and go to sleep, they said good night to each other at Lauren's bedroom door. Lauren lingered a little, watching Camila's back disappear up the stairs to her own room, her heart aching a little because she hadn't invited the younger woman in.

But her heart also felt warm, because she knew she had all the time in the world to invite Camila in.

--

A/N: So, it's been a while, huh. I saw your comments, likes, messages, and here is my update. It's super short, but super fluffy, to get myself and you all back into the story.

I have a new tumblr, so follow me on there: fullyvalianttidalwave.

Leave me comments and likes, so I don't disappear from this story again!

Love,