Work Text:
Laura is nervously optimistic, as usual. If Carmilla wasn’t so sickeningly anxious she would probably be making fun of her for it. But her cheeks burn almost as hot as when she used to get scolded by the Dean…she’s never done this before. She’s never had this before. And she thought they had conquered everything standing in their way, but now…Mr. Hollis just stares down at them, disapprovingly. How could he ever be ok with this after what she dragged Laura into?
Finding herself unable to form words, Carmilla looks helplessly at her girlfriend. Never the one to be left speechless, Laura is about to start in on a rant about why this should be ok when Mr. Hollis solemnly holds his hand up to silence her. All the while staring intently at Carmilla.
"I made it my life’s work to protect my Laura from anything and everything I saw as a threat. Even when she was older. It made me feel like she needed me to be there, always. When she went off to college, I wasn’t scared that she would need me and I wouldn’t be there, I was scared she would realize that she never really needed me to begin with."
Carmilla hears a unintelligible noise escape her girlfriend’s lips, and she feels Laura squeeze her hand. Taking in a breath, she gathers her courage and looks up, directly into Mr. Hollis’ eyes. They’re misty, and his face is red, like he’s putting all his effort into maintaining his composure.
"As it turns out, she did need me. And I wasn’t there." His voice catches. "But you were.”
A dumbfounded look passes over Carmilla’s face as she catches a glimpse of Laura’s now beaming smile. She is caught off guard when Mr. Hollis grabs her shoulders and looks at her, really looks at her.
"You brought that mess into my daughter’s life. But then you saved her from it. You protected her when I couldn’t. You sacrificed yourself for her. In other words, you did exactly what I would have done if I had been there. In my book that at least deserves my blessing.”
Carmilla watches a smile break onto Mr. Hollis’ face, and she can feel Laura literally bouncing up and down next to her. She’s still speechless as Laura throws her arms around her father and thanks him profusely, promising him everything will be just fine. She braces herself for impact as Laura bounds back to her. Before she knows what’s happening Laura’s mouth is on hers and fireworks of joy are going off in her head. Everything is just as it should be. They’re finally together. They’re finally happy. She feels Laura smiling, and she breaks away so she can look down at her love. She’s lost in Laura’s eyes when she suddenly remembers Mr. Hollis standing there and becomes embarrassingly self-aware. He clears his throat.
"One more thing Carmilla. You may be a ‘centuries-old badass’, but I’m a father. If you ever hurt my daughter I will not hesitate to stake you.”
Without even taking her eyes off Laura, Carmilla responds.
"Trust me sir, I would rather die than ever hurt her again."