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Soft light poured in through the window in their bedroom, and Sara stretched lazily, curling closer into the warm body of her wife. She sighed, burrowing further under the blankets in hopes of going back to sleep for a few more hours, her thoughts already growing fuzzy and incoherent as she slipped deeper into her warm slumber.
She felt her wife's long fingers run through her hair, massaging her scalp, and she hummed contentedly. Mornings like this were her favorite, when she and Ava had nowhere to be and nothing of great importance to do, when they had the chance to sleep in, and stay in bed as long as they pleased. Sara was the first to admit (though only to Ava) that she loved their morning snuggles, when her only concern was just staying wrapped up in her wife's arms for as long as possible, until nature finally called and forced them to get out of bed.
"G'morning, my love," Ava murmured, pressing a soft kiss to Sara's forehead as she continued to card her fingers through her sleepy wife's hair.
Sara stretched again, pulling herself somehow closer. Her fingers played idly with the hem of Ava's sleep shirt as she laid there quietly, basking in the comfort and safety of this room, of their bed, of Ava's arms wrapped securely around her.
"Morning, wifey," Sara breathed softly, eyes still closed, as a small smile made its way onto her face.
"Sleep well?" Ava asked, trailing her fingers up and down Sara's back.
"Always, when I'm next to you."
"We both know that's not true."
"I know," Sara said, "but last night I did."
"That's good, I'm glad," Ava said, squeezing Sara gently and pressing another kiss to her forehead.
Sara smiled, pressing her face into Ava's chest.
"Any chance I can convince you to stay in bed and snuggle for a few more hours?" she murmured, voice soft and breathy in her now-half-asleep-again state. Of course, Sara would stand by the fact that, really, it was mostly Ava's fault anyway, because they both knew that there was no single more effective way to lull Sara to sleep than to play with her hair and rub her back.
"Hmmm, I don't know," Ava teased, grinning as she scraped her nails lightly across Sara's scalp, earning a half-moan, half-hum from her wife, "What's in it for me?"
"Your hot wife," Sara mumbled almost incoherently, "still half-naked up against you in our bed. What more could you want?"
"A very tempting deal, my love," Ava chuckled, pressing a kiss to Sara's head and smoothing her hair back, "Alright, I've been convinced. You've earned yourself a few more hours of stay-in-bed-and-snuggle time."
Sara hummed, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she fully sank into Ava's side again, "Love you."
"I love you, too, baby. Go to sleep. We've both earned a lazy morning in."
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It was nearing noon by the time Sara stirred again, Ava having lulled her back into one of the deepest sleeps she'd ever had. She stretched slowly, her tired limbs reaching out and latching onto Ava like a koala bear, pulling herself impossibly closer.
"Hey, sleepyhead," Ava smiled. She kissed Sara's head and tapped her wife's nose lightly with her knuckle.
"Time 's it?" Sara mumbled, slowly blinking her eyes open and looking up to find Ava's warm ones looking down at her.
"Quarter till noon. You looked so comfy and peaceful, I didn't want to wake you up."
"Thanks. 'S 'cause I know 'm fully safe with you."
"You are. You so, so are, my love," Ava whispered. She kissed Sara's head again and moved her hand down Sara's side and past her hip before gliding it back up again, "You hungry? We could do a small brunch and then go for a walk if you're up for it?"
"Sounds perfect," Sara said, rolling onto her stomach and leaning up to give Ava a proper kiss, their lips moving together in perfect harmony.
Sara sighed. Kissing Ava was perfect. It was soft and warm and it always felt like coming home. It was only when her stomach grumbled loudly that she pulled away, dragging herself out of bed and throwing on a pair of shorts and one of Ava's t-shirts so that they could go downstairs and make themselves brunch.
○○○○○○
They flowed easily throughout the kitchen together in a practiced routine as they made themselves coffee, french toast, hashbrowns and bacon. When it was done, they sat at the kitchen island across from each other, and Ava bumped her foot against Sara's. Sara grinned widely and held her hand out for Ava to take as they both ate their food.
"What're you thinkin' about?" Ava asked.
Sara shrugged nonchalantly, but her smile widened almost imperceptibly.
"Just this. Us. How much I love every lazy morning and afternoon I get to spend with you," she said, pulling Ava’s hand to her lips and giving each knuckle a kiss in turn. Upon reaching the last knuckle, she simply held their joined hands up, leaning her cheek against them and looking at Ava with the ultimate heart eyes. In a voice little more than a whisper, she continued, “I love you so much. More than I ever thought a human being could love another human being.”
“Technically you’re a half-human, half-alien hybrid clone who’s come back from the dead more times than either of us could count on two hands,” Ava said lightly, gently pushing Sara’s foot around with her own underneath the kitchen island, “But who’s really counting?”
“Okay, dork,” Sara laughed, poking Ava’s shin with her toe as Ava giggled. She softened, then, simply content to stare at her wife as long as she’d let her, “Seriously, though. I love you so much more than I ever thought I was capable of loving another person. You… are the best thing that’s ever happened to me, the best thing that’s ever been mine, and I—”
She broke off, her words getting stuck behind the lump in her throat that had formed when she wasn’t paying attention. She felt the tears well up in her eyes, and she wasn’t sure how to convey to Ava that they were the best kind of tears to ever fall from her eyes. She took a deep breath in and blew it out in a laugh— more of a huff than anything, really— shaking her head as she tried to get the rest of her words to come out.
“I love you so much that I don’t know what to do with it all. Like it could just explode from my chest at any minute, like it could all spill out in an instant and my heart would still be overflowing with love for you. You are my heart, Ava, and God, I don’t think I could ever love you any less if I tried. You’re everything. My forever and my always.”
Ava laughed, wet and watery, and it was Sara’s favorite sound in that moment. She took Sara’s hands in hers, running her thumbs gently over the rolling hills and valleys of Sara’s knuckles.
“I love you too,” Ava whispered, “So fucking much. More than I could ever put into words, more than I could ever possibly tell you. You did a pretty good job of that, though.” She winked at her, pressing a kiss to the back of Sara’s hand before lowering it back down and continuing, “You’re my world, my infinity, and you will forever be my always.”
“God, I love you,” Sara said, voice strained and remnants of tears still clinging onto her eyelashes, “Come here, you.”
She tugged Ava towards her, waiting (mostly) patiently as Ava made her way around the kitchen island, their hands still joined together. Sara stood when Ava reached her, breaking apart their hands only to wrap her arms loosely around Ava’s neck, while Ava settled her hands around Sara’s waist. Ava drew her closer and closer, slowly, until all of a sudden Sara’s feet left the kitchen floor. She squealed delightedly as Ava lifted her up and twirled her around. She wrapped her arms tighter around Ava’s neck, hugging her close as Ava continued to spin them around their kitchen, breakfast long forgotten and getting cold as it sat untouched on the kitchen island.
Sara wrapped her legs around Ava’s waist, pulling back ever so slightly to cup Ava’s face in her hands. She looked at her for a moment, drinking in Ava’s each and every feature before leaning in for the softest kiss they’d ever shared, lips moving languidly against each other, neither in any hurry to move from where they were.
When they finally did break apart, Sara leaned her forehead against Ava’s, closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath, surrounded by all things distinctly Ava — her touch, holding her up; her scent, all-encompassing and intoxicating; the soft sound of her breathing, the small puffs of air that fell from her slightly-parted lips; the taste of her lips, still lingering from the kiss they shared. It was overwhelming in the best way possible, and Sara never wanted to move. She opened her eyes once more, pupils dilating as she looked at Ava, eyes roving over every inch of her face.
“You fill my life with so much light and joy,” Sara breathed, eyes scanning over Ava’s face as if committing every detail to memory, “I’m happiest whenever I’m with you.”
She leaned in again, kissing Ava soft and sweet. It was as easy as breathing for her, and it felt just as vital, too.
“Has anyone ever told you that you can be very sappy when you want to be?” Ava asked teasingly, lips still brushing lazily against Sara’s as she walked them back towards the kitchen island.
“Only you,” Sara murmured, tucking a strand of hair behind Ava’s ear as she kissed her, “Always only you.”
“I’m flattered,” Ava whispered against Sara’s lips, “I like that I’m the only one who sees you like this. I like that I’m the only one who gets to experience all of you.”
“All of me,” Sara hummed, “I’m all yours. Only yours.”
“And I you,” Ava said simply, punctuating her statement with a chaste kiss as she set Sara down on the kitchen island, her hands immediately moving to cup Sara’s cheeks, pulling her swiftly down into another kiss, this one firmer and longer than the rest.
It was then that Sara’s stomach grumbled loudly, and they broke apart, bursting into a little fit of giggles at the interruption. Ava’s hands wandered down, trailing lightly over Sara’s sides before coming to rest over her still-growling stomach.
“I think we might’ve forgotten about our brunch,” Sara pointed out sheepishly, pulling Ava closer to her, “It’s probably cold by now.”
“Well, if someone hadn’t gone into full sap mode earlier…” Ava teased, smiling brightly as she tickled Sara’s sides mercilessly, earning another fit of giggles from Sara. Her smile widened even more as Sara clung to her to keep from falling backwards into their still-untouched plates of food. She stopped her tickle attack on Sara’s sides, letting her wife catch her breath for a moment before she continued, “Come on. Let’s get dressed and go on that walk we talked about. We can pick something up while we walk.”
“I like the way you think, babe,” Sara said breathlessly, hopping off the island and pressing a quick peck to Ava’s cheek before grabbing Ava’s hand and prancing off towards their bedroom.
The only thing that Ava could think of as she watched from behind, being dragged along by her energetic wife, was that mornings like these were by far her favorite as well.