Work Text:
The bed was so warm and comfortable that Kat didn’t want to move, but she couldn’t help reaching her arm over to Adena’s side of the bed for some always needed cuddling. When she found the place empty and cold, she knew immediately what her girlfriend was doing.
“You’re leaving again?” Kat asked, sitting up and stretching. “You just got home two days ago.” Kat put her hands in her lap and pouted as she watched Adena pack.
“I know, I’m sorry.” Adena looked up sadly at Kat. Looking into Adena’s dark eyes, Kat knew that she was genuinely sorry to be leaving again.
“They need me back in LA for reshoots of my new installation.” Adena threw the shirt she was folding into her open bag on the ground. She walked over and sat next to Kat, leaning over to kiss her neck softly. “You should come with me. Keep me company.”
“You know I can’t. Scarlet is pushing out new ‘Women in Power’ segments all month. We have women from all over the country contributing to our digital space.”
Adena’s lips brushed across Kat’s skin. “Couldn’t you do that remotely?” Adena murmured, “Poolside, with a drink in one hand?”
Kat closed her eyes and lifted a hand to cup the back of Adena’s head gently. “I wish,” she sighed. “Jacquline needs me onsite to make sure the launch gives us the right impact.”
Adena moved so she could press her forehead against Kat’s, moving her hand to run a thumb lovingly over her cheek. “I promise I’ll get back as soon as I can. Maybe when everything settles down, we can go on a real vacation. Just the two of us.”
Kat moved away so she could look into Adena’s eyes. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
“As long as I get to hold you.” Adena smiled and pressed a quick kiss on Kat’s lips before getting up to continue packing.
Kat flopped back into the bed and grabbed her phone from the nightstand next to her. She scrolled through all of the Scarlet social media to make sure nothing had collapsed in the five hours since she last checked. She loved her job, but sometimes she felt exhausted before she even got dressed for the day.
“Anything happen on Twitter while you were away?” Adena teased with a smile, not looking up from her folding.
“Our latest ‘Day in the Life’ vlog from the female CEO of a coffee start-up has gotten us a lot of traffic.” Kat nodded, not noticing Adena’s expression as she scrolled through some of the comments. “It follows her through her day and she gives some really good advice about standing up and being heard in a world filled with men in bad suits.” Kat let out a breathy laugh through her nose. “She tells the story of when she and her brother went to the bank to ask for the loan for her business and the man talked to her brother for ten minutes before letting her speak.”
Adena slowly shook her head and bent down to zip up her bag. “Art directors have thought I was everything from an intern to a secretary.” She grabbed her bag and put it on the bed. “Isn’t that what we’re working toward, to be taken seriously?”
Kat rolled out of bed and threw her phone onto her pillow. “We shouldn’t have to work five times as hard for the same amount of respect a man gets just because he shows up.”
Adena smiled sweetly at Kat’s passion; it was one of the many things they had in common. “Do you know I think you could single-handedly change that with that determination you have?”
Kat walked over and let Adena wrap her in a tight hug. Adena always encouraged Kat’s dreams of changing the world. In turn, Kat had encouraged Adena to pursue her photography career through all the obstacles she faced. She wrapped her arms around Adena’s waist and just held her in the peaceful silence of the bedroom.
Adena’s phone ringing brought them back to the reality that they had a clock ticking and counting down Adena’s departure. Both girls froze, not wanting their moment together to come to an end.
“That’s my ride,” Adena finally spoke and Kat knew the countdown was now flashing a bright red zero right above their heads. They reluctantly broke apart and looked into each other’s eyes.
“I’ll be back soon,” Adena smiled sadly, taking Kat’s face in her hands. She leaned forward and pressed a lingering kiss onto Kat’s lips. Adena’s phone rang again, causing her to move away and grab her bag from the bed. “I’ll call you when I land.”
Kat nodded and put a small smile on her face. In the six months they had officially been together, it didn’t suck any less to watch Adena leave for work.
She stood in the middle of the room and stared at the door, part of her wishing Adena would come back and sweep her off her feet and back into bed. They would shut off their phones and shut out the world, even if it was just for a day. The other part of her knew that wasn’t realistic for either of them. They each had their careers and both were too driven to stop long enough to realize they had become passing ships in the night. She had never been in a real relationship before so all of these emotions were terrifying.
When Adena was gone, which was becoming much more frequent, it felt like her day just wasn’t complete. Kat started getting dressed, realizing as she did that most of her clothing had ended up at Adena’s apartment over the past few months. Her phone went off just as she finished getting ready. It was Sutton.
‘Hey, coffee?’
Sutton and Jane both knew Adena’s schedule had left Kat feeling slightly off.
‘Yes please. She just left for LA.’ Kat quickly replied back, thankful now more than ever for her two best friends and how much they cared for her.
‘If you want to stay with us until she gets back you can.’ Sutton texted back as Kat grabbed her purse and walked out of the apartment.
Kat walked into the Scarlet building twenty minutes later and saw Jane standing next to Sutton, holding a cup of coffee.
“Is it time for lunch yet?” Kat sighed, taking the cup Jane offered her.
“How long is she gone this time?” Jane asked sympathetically as they walked toward the elevator to take them up to the Scarlet offices.
“She’s not sure. It’s just some reshoots, so hopefully only a few days.” They got into the elevator and Kat jabbed the button to take them to work.
“You know, in the six months we’ve been dating, I’ve only seen her about half that time.” Kat sighed and took a sip of the hot coffee, willing it to wash away the pang of sadness in her chest. The elevator doors slid open, revealing an already busy Scarlet floor.
“Guess that’s the downside to dating one of the hottest photographers in the country,” Jane paused to take a sip of coffee before continuing, “Not a lot of intimate time.”
“Look who is Miss Know-It-All about ‘intimate time’ now that she’s experienced an orgasm.” Kat bumped her hip playfully into Jane’s as they walked to her desk.
Jane laughed and rolled her eyes. “It doesn’t take an expert to know it can be tough to be in a relationship when half of your kisses are when you’re saying goodbye.” Jane shrugged and looked at her two friends.
Sutton shot Jane a warning look and Jane’s mouth opened and shut a few times before she could get out a stammered apology to Kat.
Kat waved her hands in front of her and shook her head. “It’s alright. I mean, it’s true… I didn’t think falling in love would be this complicated.”
Jane and Sutton’s eyebrows shot up, matching expressions of surprise on their faces.
“In love?” they said in unison, now wearing nearly identical smiles.
Now it was Kat’s turn to roll her eyes at her friends. It was the first time she had admitted out loud how she felt about Adena, though she had been thinking it for a while now.
“Adena’s special.” Kat looked down bashfully. “I think I knew that the minute I met her.”
Her two friends let out quiet squeals of delight and reached out to take Kat’s hands.
“Our little Kat’s in love,” Sutton cooed.
“Alright,” Jane finally composed herself. “Wine, movies, and take-out at our place tonight?”
Kat and Sutton nodded their heads before breaking away from each other with one more excited glance.
The rest of Kat’s day seemed to go by as slow as a sloth stuck in the mud. The highlight was getting a phone call from Adena while she was in her car on her way to the studio. They were only able to talk for a few minutes before Kat had to run into a meeting. By the end of the day, Kat was holding her black heels in her hand and waiting for her two best friends in the fashion closet where they always met up.
“Hey,” Sutton walked into the closet with her phone in her hand. “Jane’s going to meet us at the apartment.”
“What’s going on with her?” Kat asked, slipping her heels into her bag and putting on comfortable boots she had stashed in the closet a few days earlier.
“She’s finishing something up and didn’t want to keep us waiting,” Sutton replied, not looking up from her phone. “Ready?” she asked, putting her phone into her bag and smiling at Kat.
“Sure,” Kat shrugged and followed Sutton out of the closet and toward the elevator. She craned her neck to try and see Jane so she could wave goodbye, but her desk was empty and her computer was off. She was probably meeting up with Pinstripe, Kat thought to herself.
The minute Sutton and Kat got to the apartment, they ordered so much Thai food it covered the coffee table in front of them. They picked out a lineup of rom-coms and trashy television to watch. Jane walked in the door an hour later and smiled at her two friends who were cuddled on the couch, each with a tall glass of wine in their hands.
“Hey sexy lady,” Sutton smiled, and leaned forward to pour Jane a glass of wine. “How’d everything go?”
“Perfect.” Jane nodded and reached down to grab the glass from Sutton.
Kat wondered if Sutton had any idea if Jane may have spent the last hour with Pinstripe. She thought about mentioning not seeing Jane at her desk when they left, but stopped herself. Tonight was supposed to be relaxing and the last thing Kat wanted was to talk about anyone’s relationship.
Jane settled in with her two best friends and they all got lost in the television while sipping their wine and unwinding from the day. They were just starting the second movie when Kat’s phone buzzed. It was a message from Adena.
‘Hi darling, would you mind checking to see if my extra charger is at the apartment? I want to make sure I didn’t leave it at the airport. I miss you.’
Kat looked up at Jane and Sutton, who were both scrolling through their own phones.
“Do you guys want to go with me to Adena’s really quick?” Kat asked, not wanting to walk on her own.
Sutton and Jane looked at each other before turning to Kat and nodding. “Sure, we can do that.” They got up from the couch and turned off the television.
‘I’m heading there now. I’ll text you after I’ve checked. Miss you too.’ Kat quickly typed before getting up and putting on her shoes by the door.
The three girls walked down the street, laughing and talking about their days and the latest Scarlet gossip. Jane’s phone rang just as they got to Adena’s building. All three of them stopped, Kat with the key halfway turned in the lock.
“I’ve got to take this. Sutton, will you stay down here with me?” Jane asked.
“Sure, we’ll buzz when she’s done.” Sutton smiled at Kat and walked a few steps away with Jane so she could take her call.
Kat opened the door and quickly climbed the two flights of stairs to get to Adena’s door. She tilted her head to the side in confusion, thinking she heard soft music playing from the other side of the door. She moved to unlock the apartment door, but before she could, the door opened slowly. Kat gasped and took a quick step back, not sure who would be on the other side of the metal door.
“Adena!” Kat exclaimed, now even more confused. “What are you-how-I thought…” Kat kept trying to sort out her thoughts, there were too many questions racing through her mind.
“Hello beautiful,” Adena smiled and reached out a hand for Kat to take. “Care to join me?”
Kat, still very confused, reached out and let Adena lead her into the candlelit apartment. “What’s going on?” Kat asked, taking in the candles and soft music. She saw flowers spread around the room and petals scattered on the ground.
“I didn’t go to LA. I wanted to arrange a surprise for you, to thank you for being so patient with me. You have been so supportive through all of this and I couldn’t ask for a better girlfriend.” Adena stopped in the middle of the living room and turned to take both of Kat’s hands in her own. “I asked your friends to keep you busy tonight so I could get everything ready.”
“Ready?” Kat felt her breath catch in her throat, her skin tingled like there was electricity shooting through it. Everything in the room seemed much sharper and yet she felt like she was watching the entire scene unfold from far away.
“Kat, the moment we met I knew there was something about you that completed who I am. We were both unsure and the timing wasn’t right, but here we are and I have never been happier. I don’t want to ever lose this feeling because it has become the light that keeps me on my path. You have become the strength that lifts me up when I need to keep going. Now, I am asking you for a lifetime of moments where we can continue to complete the other.”
Adena slowly dropped onto one knee and pulled out a beautiful ring with a sapphire stone shining in the center. “Will you be my wife? My partner in this journey through life?”
Kat’s mouth dropped open and she felt the tears brimming and finally slipping from her eyes. She stared down at Adena and she knew there was no doubt this woman was her forever.
“Yes, forever somehow doesn’t seem like long enough,” Kat whispered and knelt down so she was face-to-face with Adena. “But we’ll make it work.” She smiled and let Adena slip the ring on her finger before leaning forward and kissing her lips softly.