"I see Canola."
Camila whispered softly and pointed up at the sky, tracing the pathway from the north star to the small, almost invisible star that they'd come to recognize. The two girls now sat on top of the parked car, taking the time to appreciate the first few hours of quiet in the morning. They hadn't had much time together the past few days.
"Where?" Lauren asked, leaning forwards and following Camila's gaze. The smaller girl reached over, gently tilting Lauren's head upwards. Pointing to the star, the smaller girl giggled when a soft 'oh' escaped past Lauren's lips.
"Wait, that reminds me!" Lauren gasped, startling Camila beside her. The green eyed girl quickly moved to scramble off the top of the car. Camila watched her in confusion, but Lauren was already digging around in the car before she could ask any questions.
"What are you-?" Camila was cut off when Lauren hopped back up to her feet, hiding something behind her back and holding out her hand to help Camila down from the roof of the car. The brown eyed girl raised a questioning eyebrow, hanging her legs down from the edge and allowing Lauren to help her hop down to the ground. Brushing off her hands, she turned to her wife with a confused look on her face.
"Okay, so... I, uh, I don't really like giving presents in front of everyone," Lauren stumbled over her words nervously. "I just-I'd rather have it be more private. I don't feel the need to show off... I mean, I want to show you off, but I just-," she grew frustrated with her inability to express herself and blushed nervously.
"I just wanted this to be an us kinda thing, if that makes sense," Lauren laughed, rocking back and forth on her toes. Both of her hands were holding something behind her back, and Camila gave her a comforting smile. "I, uh, this is for you," Lauren added after a few moments of silence, holding out a small box between them.
It made an odd rattling noise, and Camila tilted her head to the side out of curiosity. Carefully, she took the box into her own hands, growing even more perplexed by the odd weight inside of it.
Lauren bit her lip and watched nervously as the smaller girl pried the flaps of the box open with one hand. Camila's face distorted slightly when she peered inside, finding only pieces of shattered glass. She looked up, tilting her head to the side once more. "I-I think it is broken, Lo," she said softly, not wanting to disappoint the older girl.
"Oh no, babe," Lauren quickly shook her head and took a step forward, opening the box more and glancing back up at Camila. "It's supposed to be like this. Do you know what it is?"
"Broken glass?" Camila tried her best not to act confused, but she had no idea what was going on.
"Well, yeah," the green eyed girl laughed. "But it's more than just that. Do you know what it's from?"
Camila simply shook her head.
"Okay, well, do you remember what we did after the wedding?" Lauren asked, biting her lip and shaking the box slightly. The glass rattled around and Camila studied it carefully.
"We did a lot of things, Lo," Camila laughed quietly, reaching into the box and holding a piece of the glass up to the light carefully. Lauren watched her with a soft smile. "I do not know."
"Think, Camz. On top of the mantle in the living room," Lauren reminded her, watching as Camila's face softened slightly.
"You broke the honeymoon jar?" Camila's eyebrows raised and she looked at her wife in shock. "But I thought that is where we put the money for the honeymoon?"
"I broke it," Lauren nodded slowly. Camila's eyebrows furrowed together.
"Why would you do that?" the smaller girl asked, utterly confused and somewhat concerned that all the hours she'd spent counting coins had gone to waste.
"To get these," Lauren struggled to hide her smile as she pulled something from the waistband of her pants and handed it to Camila, taking the box from her hands and setting it down. When she stood back up, the girl's brown eyes were carefully scanning what she'd been handed.
"I... Iceland?" Camila looked up at Lauren. "What?"
"They're plane tickets," Lauren laughed and flipped over the small papers in Camila's hands.
"Wait... for us?" Camila's eyes widened. "Plane tickets... for us... for Iceland?"
"There we go," Lauren giggled and nodded. "I know Iceland sounds weird, but... I've kind of had this obsession with the Northern Lights ever since I was little... and, well, it's the perfect time to see them right now. And I really wanted to share that with you," she nodded quickly. "So I pulled a few strings...I just... the place I booked for us is absolutely incredible. There's so much to do and see. But if you don't want to, I can always f-,"
"Holy shit."
Lauren's head shot up when she was interrupted, locking gazes with Camila who was looking at her with wide eyes. She struggled to read her wife's expression for a few moments, and grew concerned when the smaller girl brought one of her hands up to press against her forehead.
"What's wrong?" Lauren quickly stepped forward and placed a hand on Camila's arm. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I... I think I..." Camila paused, shaking her head and looking back at Lauren with a look of awe on her face. "Sometimes I still remember things," she explained, rubbing her forehead and shaking her head. "You... you did a project on Iceland."
"I... yeah, I did," Lauren laughed. She had completely forgotten about that small detail.
"I remember," Camila smiled softly. "You said you wanted to go there more than anything."
"Yeah..." Lauren bit her lip and looked down slightly. "I mean, I wasn't trying to be selfish by doing this... I just really wanted to surprise you, and I thought it'd be perfect for the both of us. I-,"
"Shh," Camila giggled, placing a hand on Lauren's arm. "Stop doubting yourself."
"So you like it?" Lauren looked up hopefully.
Camila couldn't help but laugh. "I love it."
"Even if I've wanted to go there forever?" Lauren tilted her head to the side.
"Your dream is my dream," Camila smiled softly and squeezed Lauren's hand. "It is perfect, Lo. Absolutely perfect. Positive."
"In that case, there's one more thing," Lauren bit her lip, taking the tickets from Camila's hands and flipping them over.
"What?" the smaller girl raised an eyebrow.
"We leave tonight."
"What?!" Camila gasped, her eyes darting up to meet Lauren's as the green eyed girl bit her lip worriedly. "Tonight? But what about Presley?"
"I've got it all under control, babe," Lauren laughed. "We already have our stuff with us. We leave tonight after Presley goes to sleep. Dinah and Mani is down here visiting their family, too, so they're gonna fly back up with Pres and watch her until we get back. She can't wait."
"You told Presley?" Camila gasped.
"She's a good secret keeper, what can I say?" Lauren raised a playful eyebrow. "Is that okay with y-?"
"I can not wait!" Camila squealed, engulfing Lauren in a tight hug. "We are finally getting our honeymoon, Lo."
-
It was already 6am by the time the two girls quietly snuck back in the house. Struggling to hold in their laughter, they hurried back up to Lauren's bedroom and burrowed back under the covers.
This didn't last long, though. Because only a little over an hour later, soft footsteps padded into the room and paused in front of the bed.
"Mommy?" Presley whispered, tapping Lauren's shoulder.
Green eyed fluttered open and adjusted to the light, quickly realizing who had awoken her. Even on just a few hours of sleep, Lauren's mood was through the roof. She smiled at the smaller girl and sat up slightly. "Morning, lovebug."
"Did Santa come?" the smaller girl's voice was soft, and she carefully climbed on the bed beside Lauren.
"I bet he did," Lauren giggled. "Once mama wakes up we can go and check."
Lauren immediately saw the longing in Presley's eyes. Laughing, she shook her head and gave in. "Fine. Just this once we can wake her up, okay?"
Giggling, Presley nodded quickly and hurried off the bed, circling around to Camila's side and looking at Lauren once more. "Mama," she whispered, tapping Camila's shoulder and tilting her head to the side. When Camila remained fast asleep, Presley nudged her shoulder once more.
"It's gonna take more than that, kiddo," Lauren laughed. The green eyed girl moved to kneel next to her wife, looking at Presley mischievously. "On the count of three, we tickle her. Okay?"
Presley nodded, giggling quietly when Lauren held up her fingers and counted down softly. "Three, two... one!"
Within seconds, Camila was squirming awake, looking at Lauren in complete shock. Just as she was about to snap at her wife for waking her up so abruptly, she noticed the smaller girl giggling beside her and bouncing up and down in excitement.
"She's awake! Now we can go see if Santa came!" Presley squealed, hurrying towards the door. Lauren shot Camila an apologetic look.
"It was all her idea," Lauren teased, kissing Camila's cheek before slipping out of bed. "C'mon, babe. Santa came while we were asleep."
Soon enough, Lauren, Camila, Presley, and the rest of Lauren's extended family were seated around the tree. Everyone was already passing around presents, and Lauren had been extremely grateful when she realized even her aunts and uncles had placed a present under the tree for Presley.
Presley currently sat in Camila's lap, flipping through a large sticker book she had gotten. Noticing this, Lauren smiled softly and leaned over to whisper something in the smaller girl's ear. Immediately, Presley's face lit up and she hopped to her feet, giving Lauren a thumbs up before scurrying out of the room.
"Wha...?" Camila tilted her head to the side and looked at Lauren in confusion. The green eyed girl simply signaled for her to wait, letting a few seconds of silence pass before she heard Presley's tiny footsteps reproaching down the hallway.
"Happy Birthday!" Presley smiled excitedly, hopping down beside Camila and handing her a present wrapped in bright yellow wrapping paper. Lauren leaned down and whispered something else in her ear.
"Happy Christmas!" the smaller girl giggled softly and looked at Camila hopefully. "It's your present," she whispered.
"It is?" Camila tilted her head to the side and looked to Lauren, who simply gave her a soft nod.
"From me and Presley," Lauren smiled, kissing Presley's forehead and pulling her into her lap. "Go ahead, babe. Open it."
A small smile spread across Camila's face, and she carefully tore through the wrapping paper. She raised a curious eyebrow and studied the book in her hands. As soon as her eyes scanned over the title, she looked up at Lauren in shock.
"What's it say?" Lauren laughed softly and raised an eyebrow. Camila bit her lip to try and hide her smile.
"The Adventures of Wolf and Flower Princess," Camila giggled, running her fingers over the cover and looking at Lauren in shock.
"Hey, don't look at me," Lauren laughed and nodded to Presley. "This one was the creative genius behind it all."
Camila flipped through the pages, giggling at the illustrations that were a mixture of Lauren and Presley's handiwork. "I love it," she smiled. "Thank you," she leaned down and kissed Presley's cheek, ruffling her hair before moving up to cup Lauren's cheek and place a gentle kiss to her lips.
"You have to open yours, now," Camila nodded, setting her book down carefully and crawling over to retrieve something wrapped in silver wrapping paper and tucked underneath the tree. Lauren watched as Camila hurried back over to her and placed the small, rectangular box in her lap.
The two girls now sat alone in the back of the room, for Presley had been distracted by Maggie handing her a self-wrapped present. Lauren smiled softly, turning the box around in her hands. "I thought we said no presents this year?"
"I have to get you a present," Camila rolled her eyes. "You did not follow that rule, either."
Laughing softly, Lauren reached out and squeezed Camila's hand before carefully tearing at the wrapping paper. Camila watched nervously as Lauren opened the small box, becoming confused at the contents inside.
The green eyed girl carefully removed the silver flower, studying it in her hands and realizing it was a daisy.
"It is a flower," Camila whispered with a soft nod. "For us."
"For us?" Lauren tilted her head to the side.
"Yeah. For us," Camila carefully took the metal flower from Lauren's hands and studied it. "It... it is made out of titanium. Nothing can break it. Like us." Her eyes flickered up to meet Lauren's hopefully. "Nothing can break us."
"Oh my god," Lauren whispered, suddenly understanding the meaning Camila had placed behind the flower. She took it back into her own hands, a bittersweet nostalgic feeling washing over her. "That's so... perfect."
"Really?" Camila's eyes filled with hope and Lauren laughed softly.
"Of course it is," she whispered. "How'd you find this?"
"I did not," Camila shook her head. "I made it."
"You made it?"
"Yeah," Camila nodded. "Maia and Toby helped me. It took a long time," she laughed softly.
"No one's ever done something so thoughtful for me," Lauren whispered. Even if it was just a metal flower, the meaning and effort behind it made her heart swell. "Thank you."
"I wanted you to know," Camila shrugged. "And this can help remind you. So you never forget."
"Thank you," Lauren whispered, leaning over and cupping Camila's cheek. "I love you."
"I love you too, Lo," Camila giggled, kissing her quickly before they were interrupted by Presley hurrying over to show them the new stuffed animal she'd gotten.
--
"And you'll take lots of pictures for me?"
Lauren and Camila lay on her bed with Presley sandwiched in between them. All three girls were exhausted after the usual Christmas festivities. Now, they were spending time with Presley before they had to leave. Both girls were absolutely giddy with excitement over their honeymoon.
"Of course, goofball," Lauren laughed, rolling over on her side and poking the tiny girl's nose. "Mama and I will call you every morning and tell you all about it."
"But not too early, right? Cause' Auntie Mani says China sleeps a lot," Presley giggled, crinkling her nose and playfully pulling the covers up to hide her face.
"Not too early," Lauren nodded, glancing at Camila who was struggling to keep her eyes open. "Got it."
"You have to go on a plane in the dark?" Presley asked, tilting her head to the side.
"Yes ma'am," Lauren nodded softly. "And when you wake up, Dinah and Normani will be here to pick you up. You'll have tons of fun with them."
"Yeah," Presley's face lit up. "They're super fun. China says I get to paint her nails. And that we're gonna have ice cream sundaes and watch movies all night."
Lauren couldn't help but laugh, knowing that was exactly what Dinah would do. She reached out, smoothing Presley's hair out of her face. "That sounds like so much fun, babes."
"You're gonna come back for me, right?"
Even Camila, who had been half asleep, raised her head upon hearing Presley's question. Immediately, she exchanged glances with Lauren, who looked just as confused.
"Of course we will, Pres. You're our daughter," Lauren laughed nervously. "We're always going to come back for you."
Camila nodded in agreement. Both girls were taken by surprise when Presley shot up out of bed and looked back and forth from the two girls. A few seconds of silence passed before she finally turned back to Lauren and tilted her head to the side. "I am?"
"Huh?"
"I'm your daughter?" Presley glanced back over at Camila, who glanced at Lauren. They both nodded.
"Well, yeah. That's you, kiddo," Lauren laughed, reaching out and ruffling the smaller girl's hair. "You were meant to be with us. I have no doubt about it. We've just gotta wait a few months before it's official."
"For real?" Presley's eyes widened.
"For real," Camila rasped, speaking up for the first time since they'd come into the room.
"Yeah, you're stuck with us," Lauren giggled and proceeded to tickle the smaller girl until she fell back onto the bed.
"Now get to bed, little flower," Camila whispered, pressing a kiss to Presley's cheek. "You have a busy day tomorrow."
"You should sing a bedtime song," Presley yawned, moving under the covers and looking up at the two girls hopefully. "I really like it when you do that."
Glancing over at Camila and lacing their fingers together, Lauren nodded softly. "Only for you," she said, almost inaudibly, so only her wife could hear her. Camila struggled to hide her smile.
Baby let me be,
your lovin' Teddy Bear
Put a chain around my neck,
and lead me anywhere
Oh let me be
Your teddy bear.
I don't wanna be a tiger
Cause tigers play too rough
I don't wanna be a lion
'Cause lions ain't the kind
you love enough.
Just wanna be, your Teddy Bear
Put a chain around my neck
and lead me anywhere
Oh let me be
Your teddy bear.
--
A little less than an hour later, Camila was coaxed awake by Lauren. Both girls had ended up falling asleep alongside Presley. Luckily, Lauren had woken up with more than enough time for the to make it to the airport.
"Babe, c'mon," Lauren giggled when Camila groaned and rolled over to hide her face in the pillow.
"Camz, babe, we have a plane to catch," Lauren sat down on the edge of the bed and gently brushed her wife's hair out of her face. "Remember?"
Lauren rolled her eyes half heartedly when she heard muffled laughter against the pillow. Sighing, she stood up and scooped Camila up into her arms. The smaller girl squealed, quickly clamping her mouth shut when she realized Presley was still asleep.
Carrying her wife bridal style, Lauren set Camila down on the hallway and gave her a soft smile. "C'mon, sleeping beauty, I have a honeymoon to attend. Care to join me?" she raised a playful eyebrow and held out her hand.
"It would be an honor," Camila giggled, playing along and taking Lauren's hand.
And so on that night, in the chilly winter air, Camila and Lauren disappeared down the hallway and down the front walkway to yet another adventure they'd never forget.
--
a/n: yay today's chapter was a little longer than usual
ily babes. have a wonderful wonderful day. be nice to yourselves
- lena (lenajfc on twitter, txrches on tumblr)