"Oh, shit, is that the time?" Kaia exclaimed when her phone lit up with a notification. She hadn't noticed just how fast time had passed while helping Jules pick an outfit for an event she had that weekend.
"What's that?" The model asked from behind the dressing room curtain.
"It's one o'clock and I need to go home and change!" Kaia shot back, opening her chat with Taylor, but the last text the singer had sent her was just a sarcastic spam of heart emojis after Kaia had sent her a meme that reminded her of her. In retrospect, it was a little mean to tease her like that, but it was all in good fun. She would have to make it up to her girlfriend with a very fun night of naked cuddles, which she really didn't mind at all.
Maybe Taylor was running late as well. That, or she must have completely forgotten that they had promised to meet Layla at two. Either way, she didn't seem too concerned that Kaia was late.
"What do you have?" Jules asked, poking her head out from the side of the curtain. "I thought we could grab lunch and check out some other stores!"
Kaia winced, shaking her hand to push her watch back down to her wrist before leaning her chin over her knuckles.
"Ah— Tay and I promised Layla we'd help her out with the new flat. You wanna come?"
Jules scrunched her nose and ducked back behind the brick red curtains. "No, thank you. I'm sure it's going to be a mess."
"It will be, yeah," Kaia chuckled. "Come on, then. How's that dress looking?"
Jules was quiet for a moment before letting out a strangled grunt. Kaia heard a bit of shuffling before the dark-haired model stepped out of the dressing room, and turned her back to Kaia. "Mind zipping me up?"
"Sure," she hummed, getting up and walking up to her friend. She pulled the zipper up, pushing Jules hair over her shoulder to avoid a painful hair-pulling problem when she tried to get out of it. Kaia dropped her hands on Jules's shoulders and gave them a tight squeeze. "Dude, this is one!"
"Are you sure...?" Jules frowned at the mirror, standing up on her tiptoes and turning a little to the side, the silvery dress flowing. "It's not too much?"
"It's perfect! You look stunning!" Kaia told her with a genuine beam. "You'll be the star at that gala."
"Thanks," Jules chuckled, her cheeks turning red. She turned back around, stepping down to her real height, and planted a kiss on Kaia's cheek. "All right, then, I'm going to get out of this one and then we can go!"
"Sure, I'll be waiting outside!" Kaia sighed, making her way through the store and waiting on the sidewalk near the door.
She glanced up when the door to the shop opened and Jules walked out, shiny bag in hand. "Shall we?" She asked, locking her elbow with Kaia's, her sunglasses dropping over her eyes.
They started walking down the street toward Jules's rented car, arms linked together.
"Oh my god!" Jules exclaimed out of the blue. Kaia stopped and turned to look at her in alarm.
"What? What's wrong?!"
"Look at that dress!"
Kaia raised her eyebrows, before narrowing her eyes at her friend. "Julianne, you really have to stop giving me mini-heart attacks like that!"
"Oof, did you just Julianne me?" She mumbled, before turning them both around to face the glass window of yet another store. "Look at it! It's beautiful!"
"It is... but it's not appropriate for a gala, is it?" Kaia asked, wiggling her nose up at Jules.
"No, I meant for you! You'd look so good in it, Kibs."
Kaia opened her mouth to protest, turned to look at the dress again, and closed it. It was beautiful.
Jules gasped dramatically again and pointed eagerly at the glass. "Look, it's on sale! Kaia..."
"I— no! Don't tempt me! I'm already late as it is!"
"It's Layla! When is she ever on time?"
Okay, Jules made a good point. But, Kaia liked to be on time!
"Come on, it's just ten minutes. Just pop in, try it on... I bet it would look great. I know you'll look dropdead grogeous in it. And it's blue! No one can pull off blue as well as you can."
Some very compelling points were being made there...
It really was gorgeous. Kaia could imagine what Taylor's reaction would be if she saw her wearing it. When she saw her wearing it...
"I– okay! Fine, ten minutes!"
Jules squealed excitedly and dashed to the store, opening the door for Kaia.
Thirty minutes later, Kaia was dashing to the rental, bag in hand, Jules laughing behind her. They stepped inside and as Kaia was closing the passenger door, she glanced outside her window just in time to see a photographer snapping a picture of them.
She had to use all of her willpower and then some to stop herself from flipping him off. "Smile for the cameras," she said sarcastically, shaking her head in frustation.
"Huh?" Jules looked up in confusion as she was starting the engine and then scowled when she saw the man with the camera. "Oh, shit. Seriously, how the fuck did they find us?"
"Someone must have recognised us earlier," Kaia sighed, leaning back against the headrest and closing her eyes.
"Am I dropping you off home?" Jules asked as she backed out of the parking space and continued down the street.
"Yes, please. I've got to change my clothes first," Kaia responded, pulling her phone out to send Taylor a quick text.
Kibbles💗: Hey babe! Im on my way home. You there yet? x
Taylor didn't respond to the message immediately so Kaia went to text her sister next.
Kibs: slt, on va tarder un peu bisou [hey, we're gonna be a little late, kisses].
Layla's response on the other hand came only mere seconds later.
Loulou: NOOOOOOOOON
Loulou: chiante [annoying but vulgar]
Loulou: i cant believe Mica is here already and ur not???
Kibs: ooops???
Kaia smirked amusedly, though she still felt a tiny bit guilty, and slipped her phone into the pocket of her jacket. She went to turn on the radio, flipping through the stations when she landed on one that was playing the bridge of Look What You Made Me Do. She let out a small chuckle, leaning back in her seat when the song changed and some radio pop song she had never heard before started playing.
Kaia looked up at Jules with an eyebrow raised and a bemused smile. "Why d'you change that?"
Jules's thumb moved to tap on the steering wheel. She shot Kaia a quick glance and returned her attention back to the road a second later. "Hm?"
"You changed Taylor's song," Kaia laughed, changing the stations back.
"Oh, did I?" Jules simply shrugged and smiled sheepishly at her. "I'm not used to all these buttons work on this steering wheel."
"Do you not like my girlfriend's music?" Kaia gasped, poking her friend's side teasingly.
Jules squirmed away, coughing out a soft laugh. "No, I just didn't notice it was her song."
Jules rolled to a stop outside the building on Franklin Street, leaving the car right behind a large SUV.
"Do you mind if I come in for a second? I really need to use the bathroom."
Kaia chuckled, unbuckling her seatbelt. "Yeah, 'course. You can park in the underground garage, actually, it's just through there." She rummaged through her bag for the remote control as Jules inched the car closer toward the gates.
"Huh, sneaky," she hummed as she drove in and the doors closed behind them. "I never would have noticed it."
"That's the whole point, I believe," Kaia laughed, pointing at an empty spot for guests. "Makes for easy getaways without being noticed."
"Makes sense," Jules chuckled as she came to a stop and pulled the keys out of the ignition.
They were greeted by a very whiney Meredith standing right by the door. Kaia pouted at the kitten, picking her up in her arms and scratching the spot behind her ear. "I'm going to head upstairs and change real quick. Bathrooms are just through there. Second door to your right!"
Kaia rushed up to the master bedroom, dropping Meredith on the bed before heading to the closet to pick out a tattered pair of jeans and an old t-shirt. She was slipping on her sweater when she heard the elevator in the foyer downstairs ding. She grabbed her purse and ran downstairs to meet Taylor, only she found Tree, slipping off her heels and putting on the pair of slides she kept there because she absolutely refused to walk barefoot and she respected Kaia's house rules enough to take her shoes off every time she was over.
"You're not Taylor," Kaia sighed, slowing down as she reached the final step and jumping over Dibbles who was sprawled in her usual spot down there.
"Neither are you," Tree retorted, hanging up her coat and purse. "You got any caffeine?"
Kaia just pointed at the kitchen. Tree knew her way around the New York flat a lot better than she did. "Did you guys have a meeting or something? We're already pretty late."
"Don't worry, I won't be long. I just have some information. You might want to hear this too, actually, since it concerns you as well... whenever my dear client decides to show up!"
Kaia chuckled, following the red-haired woman around the penthouse. "She probably stopped to get the cats some more toys or treats. Have you seen the closet dedicated to them? They have more snacks than us in there."
Tree actually laughed as she moved toward the espresso machine and inserted a capsule. "That's very possible. How are you doing, hon?"
"Oh, really well, actually, yeah... I've been feeling a lot better since the surgery."
"That's really great to hear!"
"Hey, Kibs, what's with all the cat paintings?" Jules asked as she found her way back into the kitchen. She stopped when she saw Tree and then smiled at her. "Hey, I'm Jules Kent."
"Tree Paine," the publicist replied rather drlyly and Kaia had to bite back a little smile at her abrasiveness.
Right on cue, the elevator dinged again and a few moments later, Taylor's voice was ringing through the house.
"Sorry I'm late, babe! I got a teeny tiny bit sidetracked— is Tree here? Where are you?"
"In the kitchen!" Kaia called back, playing with the large buttons on her baby blue cable knit sweater.
Taylor's head popped in a moment later... hiding behind a fishbowl. Kaia raised her eyebrows as the blonde set it down on the kitchen counter and rushed to her side, leaving a kiss on her cheek.
"I can explain," Taylor said before Kaia had even spoken but she must have concluded the girl had a thousand questions based on the look she gave her. She met Jules eyes, eyebrows raised. "Hey, Jules! Didn't know you were here."
"Mhm, yeah, I was just dropping Kibs off," she explained, clapping her hands together. "Kaia, I'm going to head out. Are we still on for dinner tomorrow?"
"Yes! I'd never miss out on sushi."
"Great," Jules chuckled, reaching for Kaia and kissing her cheek before turning to leave. "See you tomorrow, then. Bye, bye!"
Kaia turned to Taylor when her friend was gone and raised her eyebrows questioningly in the direction of the bowl. "Why do you have two goldfish?"
"Well, it's symbolic. This one is you, and that one is me," she started explaining, pointing at the two fish swimming aimlessly around. "Uh... no, wait. That one is you and— okay, wait—"
"Espresso?" Tree offered, but Kaia shook her head in response.
"Oh, no fucking way. Can't you see she's already buzzed out of her mind?"
Taylor grinned sheepishly. "I've already had two lattes. Look, it's Kibbles and Tibbles junior!"
Kaia turned to look at the two fish, still confused as to what they were even doing in their kitchen right now. "I'm going to need a little more than that, babe," she chuckled.
"You know how sometimes it feels like you're living in your own bubble, right? So, it's kinda like this fishbowl is my life, and I'm that fish, and like I was just swimming around like all alone, but then you came around, and you jumped in that fishbowl with me, so now, we're just two fishies swimming in the fishbowl together!"
The two other women blinked at Taylor for a good thirty seconds. Kaia was the first one to break the silence with a snort and she couldn't help but smile amusedly at her girlfriend. Tree, on the other hand, as usual, looked completely done.
Kaia walked over to Taylor, grabbed her face in both hands, and pulled her toward her so she could kiss the top of her head. "I really, really, really love the way your brain works sometimes."
"Thank you? I think?" Taylor laughed, wrapping her arms around Kaia's waist and leaning into her side.
The brunette could feel a pair of eyes watching them carefully, but she focused on Taylor instead, glancing up to meet her gaze.
"Are you ready? We're really late. Layla's been texting me all morning."
"Oh, crap... Didn't we agree on two?" Taylor wondered, reaching for her phone in her back pocket. She let out a little hiss, grimacing as she saw the time.
"It's two-thirty," Kaia pointed out with a chuckle.
"Okay, well, in our defence, Layla is always late!" Taylor defended herself, making the same point that Jules had made earlier. She wasn't wrong, but still... it was a matter of principle, and Kaia hated being late. "Just let me head upstairs and change real quick— sorry, Tree, one second."
"I'm actually here for a reason, by the way," she pointed out with a dry chuckle, holding up the espresso to her mouth. "I'm not just here to drink your coffee."
"What's up?" Taylor asked, turning to face her publicist, slinging her arm loosely around Kaia's shoulders.
"We've got news on who's been leaking all those pap photos, the insider information, all that," Tree started.
Kaia frowned a little and turned back to Tree. "Are you saying it's not the paparazzi?"
"That guy who leaked the pictures from that New Year's Eve party has been really busy, apparently," Tree chuckled dryly, setting the small cup of coffee on the counter.
"It's the same guy who's posting all these pictures?" Taylor asked, one single eyebrow arched up.
"Yeah. He's been selling them to magazines and websites and stuff left and right! The pictures from the hospital, the pictures from that dinner a few weeks ago. The pictures from your birthday, Kaia, the rumours about you guys, all that," Tree explained, wincing a little at the next piece of information she had to deliver but Taylor beat her to it. "Tipping off the paps as well about your whereabouts."
"It's another stalker," she deadpanned, her grip around Kaia's waist faltering.
"We think so," Tree sighed heavily. "We have no idea who that guy is, only that he's been stalking you two... specifically whenever you're together."
"Shit," Kaia breathed out, leaning over the island counter and dropping her head into her hands. "So... what do we do now...? Is it— are we in danger?"
Taylor dragged her hand down Kaia's arm, finding her fingers and giving them a small squeeze. Kaia squeezed back, almost strangling Taylor's fingers, but Taylor didn't pull away, using her thumb to rub Kaia's knuckles.
"Are we?" the blonde asked, looking up to meet Tree's eyes.
"I— I'm not sure. We have no idea who that guy is or how he's doing whatever it is that he's doing. As far as we're concerned, security has never sensed any danger or they would have surely acted on it. It could just be someone trying to make money fast or it could be some crazy person, either way, we can't take any risks. We're going to have to make sure you're safe at all times. Up the security. Greg's already on it. And please, for the love of everything sacred, Taylor, do not go out without security. Same goes for you, Kaia. In the meantime, your security team is going to be dealing with the authorities to try and catch whoever it is, but from what I've heard it might take time and all we can do for now is be extra careful."
Kaia frowned deeply, reaching with her hand to rub the back of her neck. "I'm starting to think maybe we shouldn't be going out at all."
Taylor gave her hand another comforting squeeze, planting a kiss on her temple. "No, don't worry about it. We'll be safe. I do trust Greg with my life. I trust him with your life."
"We're going to be keeping an eye out at all times, but, it doesn't look like it's going to be easy," Tree let out a heavy breath and downed the rest of her shot of espresso. "I'm going to leave. If there's anything at all, just call me. Take care, you two."
"Thanks, Tree. You, too!" Taylor replied. She gave Kaia another kiss on the side of her head and went to walk Tree out.
She returned a minute later, her hands clasped in front of her. She gave Kaia a tight smile and pointed with her chin toward the stairs. "I'm just going to change really fast and then we can go? I'm sure your sister is going insane right now."
"She's got Mica entertaining her and her boyfriend," Kaia chuckled softly, no longer all that concerned about being late. She had bigger issues to worry about.
Taylor started to head upstairs when she stopped, turned around, and sent Kaia a little smile. "Hey... we'll be okay. I promise."
Kaia managed to smile in return, scratching her shoulder through her sweater. "I know. Go on, now. I'll be waiting in the car."
Kaia slipped on her sneakers and her coat before she headed to the SUV waiting downstairs with Greg in the front seat. Taylor appeared less than ten minutes later, dressed similarly in a pair of jeans and an old hoodie. She sat in the back next to Kaia, grabbing her hand as soon as her door closed.
When Layla opened the door to her new house, she only looked mildly pissed off.
"What happened to early is on time, on time is late or whatever?" She said as Kaia pushed past her and kicked her shoes off near the door.
"Hey, Layla," Taylor laughed softly, giving the older Browne sister a quick hug. "That's my fault, I got sidetracked and bought some goldfish."
"Like, the crackers?" Layla asked with her eyebrows raised. "Do you have some? Because we're starving and we haven't stocked up on snacks yet."
"No, she bought real goldfish. The kind that you need to feed," Kaia explained and before Layla could ask more questions, she added, "and please don't ask why."
Taylor grinned sheepishly, closing the door behind her. "Should we order pizzas, then? On me."
"Well, as long as you're offering," Mica appeared into the hallway, a streak of white paint in his otherwise strikingly red hair. He had taken the "painting" role quite seriously, donning a pair of overalls that were splashed with the paint as well.
"On it!" Taylor already had her phone out and opened the delivery app. "Anything specific?"
"Connell will not eat a pizza without—" Layla stopped and walked up to her sister, placing her hands over her ears. "Without olives."
Kaia shoved Layla's hands off, making a gagging face. "Absolutely fucking disgusting."
"I've already got your lame 'cheese only' pizza added, babe," Taylor told her, shooting her an amused smirk.
"Thanks," Kaia huffed, slipping her coat off and hanging it behind the door. "And if anyone tries to steal a slice, I will not hesitate to bite your finger off."
"She's not kidding, she does bite," Taylor muttered, too focused on choosing the toppings for the other pie to have noticed just how weird that had sounded.
"Jesus fucking christ," Mica groaned, turning around with his hands in his hair and walking back inside the room he had come from.
"I did NOT need to know that!" Layla frowned, her face twitching in disgust.
"I don't— thanks, Tay," Kaia sighed, though she couldn't help but smile when Taylor looked up in confusion.
"What?" She asked cluelessly. Kaia grabbed her chin and pressed a quick kiss on her lips before heading after Mica.
"Hey, Connell," she greeted Layla's boyfriend who was perched up on a ladder, trying to paint the ceiling. "How's it going?"
He turned to greet her when the ladder started wobbling and Kaia's heart almost dropped to her ass but Mica was quick to grab the edges and Connell caught his balance at the last second.
"Ah, fuck, that could've ended really badly," he breathed out a laugh, rubbing his forehead with his arm.
"Careful up there, mate," Mica exclaimed, his voice going up a whole pitch higher.
"The place is starting to look really awesome," Taylor was saying as she joined them in the room with Layla.
"Yeah! We got the outdoor furniture delivered this morning and they're gorgeous. I might be willing to freeze to death just to sit out there," Layla laughed, holding her waist and craning her neck back to look at the ceiling. "Oh, you're almost done here."
"Great! So, you don't need our help anymore?" Kaia said with a wide grin even when she knew Layla was definitely going to disappoint her.
"There's the upstairs bedrooms left. I need the room to be done by tonight. The furniture should be here in the next two days."
Taylor laughed and slung her arm through Kaia's, leading her out into the hall. "You know, for someone who goes insane whenever you stay still for too long, you sure are lazier than fricken Meredith."
"Are you seriously comparing me to your cat?" she grumbled while they climbed up the stairs, followed by Layla.
"When you're going to be so sour and complain all day long? Yeah, I am."
Kaia grumbled incomprehensibly, following her sister as she led the way to the bedroom. The hardwood floor was covered in plastic and there were tubs of blue paint and other painting equipment on the side by the windows. They each grabbed a roller, chose one of the four walls and started painting. Layla had her phone connected to a small Bluetooth speaker, playing some random songs, many of which were in French. Kaia was humming under her breath whenever a familiar song played until one specific record had her bopping her head excitedly and tapping her foot. Slowly, she started singing louder, meeting Layla's eyes across the room and grinning widely.
"Is that— Céline Dion?" Taylor asked, looking over her shoulder at the two sisters.
Kaia nodded, her grin widening as she sang with all her power when the chorus came. Taylor's eyes widened and she giggled softly. "I had no idea you had pipes that strong, babe."
Kaia rolled her eyes, swaying over to Taylor's side.
"Just play some French classics from the 80s or something. She'll belt out the lyrics at the top of her lungs!" Layla offered before joining her sister.
Kaia nodded affirmatively, dropping her roller in the bucket of paint near Taylor's legs and grabbing her hand, forcing her to drop her brush as well. She placed her hand on Taylor's waist, swaying them from side to side to the song's rhythm. Taylor scrunched her nose, Kaia's hands slimy with paint, but she laughed anyway, letting her twirl her.
"What is this song even about?"
Kaia cringed, hesitating in her steps for a moment. "Pretty sure it's about her dad who passed away, but it's a banger, innit?"
Layla snorted loudly behind them and Taylor let out a small, awkward laugh. "I— yeah, it's a great song!"
Kaia left a kiss on Taylor's cheek and went back to painting.
"You got paint all over my hoodie," Taylor whined, a small pout playing on her face. She unzipped it and hung it on the door handle as Kaia simply shrugged apologetically, still singing along to the song.
Mica joined them sometime later, camera in hand. He really never went anywhere without it.
"Smile!" He said, though he didn't give them any time to pose before he snapped the first picture, snickering to himself when he looked at it. "T, if I posted this on my Instagram, would you send your lawyers after me?"
Kaia stood behind him, looking over his shoulder at the picture of Taylor with one eye halfway closed and the other one going cross-eyed. She joined Mica in his laughter as he turned his camera around to show Taylor. A warm blush crept up her neck, shaking her head at him.
"The internet has seen worse, but I'd really appreciate it if you deleted it," she replied, turning back around to focus on the wall.
Mica didn't delete it, at least not before Kaia had pulled her phone out and taken a picture of it to preserve it forever. He went around the room, documenting the whole process until Connell came up with all the pizzas, a bottle of wine, and some red solo cups. They all sat in a circle on the floor, sharing the food except for Kaia who was holding the Margheritta pizza in her lap, earning a few jabs here and there but she didn't care. Pizza toppings were overrated, anyway.
By the time the sun had gone down, there was still the ceiling left to paint, but they were all too tired to get all the way up, leaving it up to Connell who had the longest arms. The girls were laying on the plastic sheets covering the floor, giggling about something Taylor had mentioned, probably a little more than just tipsy, when suddenly, Kaia felt something cold spray her.
She sat up fast, running her hand down her face only for her palm to come back wet and blue. What the hell?
She looked at the door only to find Mica standing there with a watergun in his hands except he had apparently filled it with paint.
"Oh, fucking hell— Michel bloody Langford, you better start counting your last breaths!" Kaia yelled, shooting up to her feet and lunging at him.
Mica squealed loudly, dashing down the hall, holding his weapon close to his chest. They ran downstairs, followed closely by Taylor and Layla only to be met by Connell holding a watergun in each hand.
"No!" Layla yelled, looking around the freshly furnished living room.
"But—" Connell started complaining but Layla forcibly grabbed one of the two guns from him and then pointed at the sliding glass doors.
"Outside. Then, it's war."
"Oh my god!" Mica cried out excitedly, the first out into the backyard.
"No fair! Where's my weapon?" Kaia called out, still trying to wipe the paint off her face, using the sleeve of her shirt. It was completely ruined anyway.
"There's a bunch outside. Literally the first thing that Con packed was his water gun collection," Layla explained with a laugh.
"Smart man."
They made their way outside, standing in the backyard in a circle, guns filled with paint and pointed at the target they were facing. It might have been cold enough for their limbs to fall off but with the adrenaline coursing through their veins and all the wine they had been drinking since lunchtime, the icy breeze barely pricked their skin.
"Now what...?" Mica asked, adjusting his grip on his gun.
"Now, it's war," Kaia yelled dramatically, running at full speed toward him. She held her weapon tightly, aiming for his face, and pulled the trigger. Blue paint hit him right in the face before he could react but soon enough, he was shooting back at her, letting out an ear-splitting war cry that was bound to have the cops called on them by concerned neighbours.
"Oh, jeez," Taylor spluttered when some of the paint hit her in the face. She glared right at her girlfriend who managed to send her a sheepish grin but now, it really was war.
Suddenly, all five of them broke into a full-on battle, no teams, just pure chaos. There were no rules, but there didn't need to be when Kaia found herself straddled by Taylor who was spraying paint right into her shirt, because it only meant she could wrap her leg around Taylor's and flip them around. Taking advantage of Taylor's moment of stupor, Kaia pulled her sticky shirt off, remaining in just her sports bra and smothered Taylor's face with the blue paint that drenched her t-shirt.
"Uncle!" Taylor cried out, her words muffled by the fabric. Kaia grinned down at her, but she couldn't help but burst out laughing when she saw the Taylor-shaped stain on her t-shirt, and Taylor's Smurf-like face.
"Oh my god, you look amazing!" Kaia wheezed, rolling next to Taylor on the grass.
"You don't look any better," Mica noted, smirking at Kaia. She could feel the paint splattered on her face and in her hair but at least she knew she didn't look like Smurfette.
Kaia pulled her phone out from her pocket and leaned her head against Taylor's shoulder, snapping a selfie of them with her tongue poking out and Taylor's eyes glaring at her.
"I'm beat," Connell sighed, holding his hands up in defeat and laying down next to Kaia. Layla came over, laughing softly to herself and flopped halfway over her boyfriend's frame.
Mica smiled down at the four of them before holding his finger up and running back inside. He returned a second later with his camera in hand and fit himself next to Taylor, arm stretched out as far up as he could.
"Smile, you guys," he exclaimed before blinding them all with the flash.
"Dude!" Kaia groaned, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand.
"Sorry," he laughed, taking a second to adjust the settings on his camera. He held it up again a moment later and Taylor leaned into Kaia's side, playfully glaring at her, but her lips still spread into an adoring beam just as the camera took the picture.
"Are we still going to paint the ceiling tonight?" Kaia asked no one in particular, eyes following the constellations up in the sky. She couldn't tell which was which, but it was pretty nonetheless.
"Yep," Layla replied, earning a groan from everyone else. "What? You guys promised!"
"You kinda did," Connell agreed, earning another groan from everyone else and a playful, loving smack on the cheek from Mica.
"All right, then, let's get it over with!" Mica still said, standing back up again.
"Do you think we might get the job done any faster if we use these guns?" Kaia asked, making Taylor giggle softly next to her as she got up as well.
"I'm not sure that's going to be helpful, honey."
"It would be fun, though."
"No," Layla grumbled, the first one to walk back inside.
Kaia turned to beam sheepishly at Taylor, holding her blue hand out and wiggling her fingers. "Shall we?"
"Let's," Taylor laughed, lacing her own paint-stained, alieny fingers through Kaia's to head back inside.
———
a little filler with a bit of ✨hints of drama ✨ and lots of fluff. i hope you enjoyed! happy wednesday :)