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Romelle’s hand was damp, and steadily growing cold from the condensation of the thin plastic cup in her grip, but it was easy not to notice when her mind was altogether occupied elsewhere.
“I swear I reorganized that essay thrice over and it still didn’t flow right,” Allura said, voice like a song to Romelle’s ears. She flicked a hand, swishing a lock of frizzy white hair back behind her ear, and Romelle imagined her own fingers there, tracing the shell of her girlfriend’s ear, caressing Allura’s beautiful hair. “The teacher said it was fine, but I just know there was something off about it,” she gave an agitated huff, resting her chin in her hand, colorful eyes shining under the rather horrible mall lighting. “I suppose I still got a good grade, so I guess it shouldn’t matter.”
“Mmhmm,” Romelle hummed, the words, unfortunately, not having much of an affect on her entranced state. Allura’s eyes flickered over, puzzled, then amused. She raised an eyebrow.
“You didn’t hear anything I just said, did you?” she asked, voice full of tease. “Some first date,” Allura smirked, and this was enough to jog Romelle out of it. She sat up, blinking and trying not to look guilty. She shook her head.
“I heard!” she protested. Allura, thankfully, decided to leave it at that, reaching across the table to take her hand.
“You’re lucky you’re cute,” she said. Heat immediately went to Romelle’s face and she turned to the side, trying to hide her face in her other hand. Her other hand, however, was cold and wet. How had that happened?
Romelle sputtered, yanking her face away. Allura laughed and, when Allura laughed, it was contagious. Romelle chuckled too, the two bending over the table to giggle as closely as they could. At this distance, Romelle could almost feel the touch of Allura’s breath against her face, against her lips. If she just leaned the slightest bit forward-
“Oh, watch-” Allura exclaimed suddenly, and Romelle flew back. Allura’s hand darted out to save the cup of strawberry tea, Romelle’s, which she had apparently been knocking over in her attempt to get closer. There was no possible way for Romelle to go any redder.
“Sorry!” she squeaked. Her hands flew up to cover her mouth.
Allura shook her head. “So clumsy, Rom,” she grinned, then she picked up her own drink and stood. Romelle watched her, her ease and grace, her radiant smile, and the way she would always reach back for her, always ask silently for a hand to hold as they walked.
Romelle accepted the hand and stood with her girlfriend, only just remembering to take the saved drink from the table before they went. Allura took a sip at her own drink as they left the food court, approaching rows of shops and the weekend crowd of the busy mall.
They walked easily, side-by-side, pointing to windows of shops and giggling at small anecdotes they told each other as they decided where to go. For a first date, it was considerably normal, and a lot easier than Romelle had worried over the entire week prior. It was like any other day they would have hung out; just, now they were girlfriends.
Romelle was the first to drag Allura into one of the stores, one full of weird t-shirts she couldn’t wait to have her girlfriend try on. A thousand photos later of the two in the weird, bright, awfully random t-shirts, Allura eventually managed to get them out of there.
Then, there was the candle store Allura loved, where they offered each other their favorite scents of the day to smell, eventually reduced to racing around to find the most awful ones there. Then there was the bookshop where Allura traced the spines of books as they passed, and the candy store, where she called Romelle “sweeter than them all”, and, ultimately taking Romelle out of commission for the rest of that store and many after. Eventually, they had gone around to so many places that they had exhausted themselves back to the food court, where they promptly collapsed into one of the booths.
“You should have gotten that shirt, ‘Llura,” Romelle laughed, leaning on the table with her elbows, a lot more tired than when she had done the same before. She rested a cheek in one palm, smiling up at her girlfriend. Allura rolled her eyes, but couldn’t stop herself from smiling too.
“It was a monstrosity, Romelle,” she said. Romelle pouted.
“I thought it looked good.”
“Well, you would look good in anything,” Allura said flippantly, and Romelle froze.
And, damn it, she wanted to kiss her again. She wanted to so bad.
Damn it.
“Romelle?” Allura asked, looking concerned.
“Huh?”
“Are you okay? You zoned out there for a second,” Allura asked, and Romelle had to fight to keep her cool. Why was it always like this around Allura? She was so giddy, even still, now that they were officially together. She couldn’t quite wrap her head around it.
“Fine! Fine!” Romelle answered quickly, looking about; anywhere but at Allura. She wasn’t sure what she would do right then if she looked at the most beautiful person in the galaxy. Possibly puke. Probably say something she shouldn’t - something very sappy and not at all appropriate for a couple who’s only been together for a week and two days.
That’s when her eyes fell on the spinning horror across the room. Bright bulbs of light danced across the reflective surfaces of mirrors and worn bronze-colored metal. An intricate painting replica covered its top with cherubs and green branches. It went round and round at a steady, if slightly rapid, pace, decorated with gilded coaches and decorated horses.
It was a classic carousel, and it was perfect for the non-existent dilemma Romelle thought she had to escape. She stood quickly, pointing over at it.
“Let’s ride the merry-go-round!”
“What?” Allura asked, sounding somewhat alarmed, but Romelle was already grabbing her girlfriend’s hand and walking toward the thing, eyes set on the dancing lights and honestly sad-looking ticket booth.
As soon as she got to the booth, she slapped some money down. “Two tickets, please!”
When the tickets were handed over, she dragged her girlfriend onto the machine, skipping and weaving through the models and looking for the perfect spot, relieved with the distraction.
She found it, two beautiful horses standing side-by-side, and bolted toward them, whisking her hands back as if to put the steeds on display for Allura. Allura looked all sorts of amused and uneasy. Noticing this, Romelle, dropped her hands, eyes and frown troubled. She stepped towards the other girl.
“What’s up?”
Immediately, Allura dropped her apprehension, collecting herself as she usually did. Allura tried to never show weakness; she was the calm and confident face of the Altea family, after all.
“These are the two we will ride?” Allura asked, zoning in on the task, and stepping up to the plate. Romelle nodded, and watched her girlfriend go over to one of them, one hand on the worn metal pole that kept the structure errect. She put her foot in the stirrup and elegantly mounted. Looking back, she regarded Romelle, asking, “Well?”
Romelle nodded, taking to her own horse and swinging up. As she looked from the view atop the plastic steed, she began to grow excited again. She felt like she could see so far! Romelle saw above the crowds of mall-goers, she saw the fountain in the middle of the room, bubbling with water and glittering with coins. She only came back to herself when the ride suddenly jerked underneath her. She heard a high yelp.
She turned back around to observe her girlfriend, desperately clinging to the pole in front of her, holding on for dear life. Romelle burst out laughing. Almost immediately, Allura sat back up, steadying herself carefully, and attempting to look unphased by the ride. It was too late, however, for Romelle to see.
“Have you never been on a carousel before?” she asked, voice carrying over the distance which separated them. Her head went up and down as their horses carried them oppositely, watching Allura’s face be the one to blush for once.
“And what if I haven’t?” she asked.
“It’s cute,” Romelle said, smiling up at her girlfriend, then down in the next second. Allura shot her a look, still holding on tightly. With how poised and self-assured she sat, though, Romelle was probably the only one who could tell.
They rode around and around, Romelle cheering for her girlfriend and Allura trying to cover her face with her shoulder because she didn’t seem to want to let go. Slowly, Allura seemed to grow legitmately mroe comfortable as they went along, stretching to look out and around the ride, taking in the gilded decorations, the aging mirrors and whirling lights.
And Romelle- Romelle couldn’t take her eyes off of her. Off the way her eyes lit up to the strange beauty around her and the cheery tunes from the speakers above. Off the way her hair fell in her face and she laughed. Off the way she didn’t even think to push it back, taking her hands off the security of the pole almost unconsciously, already accustomed to the odd experience and with that steadfast bravery she’d always had.
When the ride ended, they both looked rather disappointed. Romelle forced her eyes away and slid off her horse, turning around to ask Allura how’d she liked the ride.
But Allura hadn’t gotten down yet. Romelle approached, reaching up a hand. “My lady,” she teased, and Allura rolled her eyes. Still, she took the hand, and Romelle was allowed to help her down.
When Allura reached the ground, it seemed like the ride had taken more of a toll than she’d thought, and she lost her balance, stumbling forward… right into Romelle’s arms.
Romelle caught her breath. Allura seemed frozen too, before laughing slightly and murmuring a soft, “Sorry.” However, she did not move away. They stood there, as if on pause, for what felt like an eternity before Romelle’s brain short-circuited for the last time and she leaned forward, caught in those eyes, trapped by the line of that jaw and sweet breath of candy from those lips.
Their lips met and Allura gasped before leaning in, pressing closer. Romelle pulled her in by the waist, where she had caught her, and felt her hair come loose from behind her ear, probably tickling Allura’s cheek. The other girl didn’t seem to mind though. In a breath, they had kissed like no kiss Romelle had ever experienced before, and, in another, they were apart again, looking into each other’s eyes. They both looked as if they didn’t know if they should believed that had just happened. Allura’s eyes blinked a few times, eyelashes batting in a mesmerizing way. Romelle sighed.
“Ladies,” the amused ride attendent suddenly said behind them and they both jumped. Romelle looked into Allura’s eyes, which shined half embarrassed from the PDA, and half on the edge of laughter.
“Oops,” Romelle whispered.