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Allison presses the palms of her hands into her eyes, rubbing away the blur of sleep from them as she drags her bare feet down the hallway towards the kitchen where the smell of brewing coffee and frying potatoes beckons her.
Sun rays peer through the windows, lighting the small space of the apartment in a soft amber glow. The warmth of the morning light brings an equally warm– and still sleep-dazed smile to Allison’s lips the moment her eyes land on Lindsey. She stands with her back turned to Allison, focusing solely on stirring whatever she has cooking in a pan on the stove.
With the slight advantage of not yet being noticed, Allison slowly pads across the kitchen and immediately presses her body against Lindsey’s back upon reaching her. With the sudden contact, Allison feels Lindsey tense up with alarm before relaxing again only a second or two later.
Allison softly chuckles as she presses her cheek flat against the small dip between Lindsey’s shoulder blades while wrapping her arms around her body until they rest on her stomach to properly hug the woman from behind. “Sorry,” Allison murmurs the apology for causing the initial startle as she relaxes against Lindsey’s body.
“Morning, angel,” Lindsey greets her, gently shifting as if to try and look at Allison but Allison doesn’t budge. Instead, she stays firmly pressed against Lindsey’s back with her eyes fluttering shut for a moment just to fully give herself into the embrace. “Sleep well?” Lindsey questions then, chuckling softly at Allison’s determination to keep her trapped in the reverse hug.
Still in a sleepy haze and her eyes shut, Allison can only muster up a soft hum of confirmation. Truly it was some of the best sleep she has probably ever gotten, and it’s all thanks to Lindsey and the eventful night in bed leading up to that sleep.
“It’s the waking up part that sucks,” Allison finally manages to mumble out, and as if to get her point across she lets out a long yawn. Hugging Lindsey a little tighter, she adds, “especially when you’re not there to wake up next to.” Judging by the way she feels the vibrations of a laugh against her body, Allison guesses that Lindsey can clearly hear the pout in her voice and is probably even envisioning it now.
“I thought I’d let you sleep in a bit.” Lindsey’s voice is soft and filled with so much care. “You had a pretty busy night and passed out before I could even get you fully cleaned up.” There’s a hint of teasing in Lindsey’s voice now as she turns her head to try and catch a glimpse of Allison still pressed against her back.
Allison lets out another soft hum. “Shouldn’t you be sleeping in, considering you’re the one who did most– if not all – the work?” She now matches the teasing tone that her girlfriend had given her just moments ago.
As Lindsey chuckles at the response, Allison slightly loosens her hold around Lindsey’s stomach and adjusts them so she is gently holding onto her hips while she moves to rest her chin on her partner’s shoulder to overlook what she’s doing. She watches as Lindsey continues to stir around some hashbrowns in one pan while simultaneously keeping an eye on the omelets stuffed with crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese, and peppers cooking in a larger separate pan.
Just the look of the breakfast alone is enough to have Allison’s mouth-watering while the savory aroma of fried shredded potatoes and the subtle wood-smoked scent of bacon mixing harmoniously has her stomach rumbling.
The eagerness to sit down and enjoy the meal is almost enough for Allison to forgive waking up next to an empty spot on the bed where her girlfriend is always there to greet her with a kiss on the forehead and the obligatory morning cuddle– which really is just Allison latching onto Lindsey like an octopus and refusing to let go until she inevitably needs to get up and use the bathroom.
“It’s almost done if you want to go and get the table ready.” The softness in Lindsey’s voice compliments the quiet comfort of the morning air.
Allison gives a sleepy hum in place of an actual response saying that she will. She doesn’t move right away though, instead she holds onto Lindsey just a few seconds longer as she finds comfort in the simplicity of being able to cling to her girlfriend.
It’s only when Lindsey turns off the burner that was cooking the omelets and gently taps Allison on the arm as a silent indication that she needs to move does Allison then presses a kiss to Lindsey’s shoulder before finally pulling away.
Despite the small space of their galley-style kitchen, the two move around each other so effortlessly. They never run into each other or get in the other’s way, maybe a shoulder brush here and there and the occasional hand on the hip or small of the back when moving behind the other but still they find perfect sync in their movements like they already know each other’s next move before even making it.
It’s been less than two years since Allison had moved into Lindsey’s apartment and still not a day goes by where she is almost shocked to her core with their life. Never had she thought that she would find it to be so easy to be intertwined with another person, or that she’d actually find peace in the simplicity of existing together. Despite there being times where it feels like she and Lindsey seem to be on different wavelengths they still move together with such remarkable harmony that would have an entire orchestra envious of Lindsey and Allison’s effortlessness in being so idealistically coordinated.
Allison finishes setting the small square table that is comfortably tucked in the corner by the entrance point of the kitchen. She even takes the time to prepare Lindsey’s morning coffee the way she has come to learn that her partner likes before finally settling herself on her designated chair.
From where she sits, Allison gets a perfect view of the entire kitchen along with the way Lindsey moves around the space. The soft light of the morning sun pouring in through the windows warms the comfortably small space where Allison sits and travels into the kitchen where the sunbeams radiate off of Lindsey, giving the illusion of a golden halo encircling her figure.
Allison simply watches as her girlfriend finishes preparing their breakfast. Despite the fact that Lindsey has been awake longer than Allison, she still looks so soft with sleep. Her tight curls are free and fall right down and past her shoulders, her oversized sleep shirt covers her body down to just a little past mid-thigh, showing off her long legs, and her soft brown skin is illuminated by the morning sun shining through the apartment.
Propping her elbow on the tabletop and resting her chin on the heel of her hand so she can cradle her own cheek in her palm, Allison is completely clueless as to how genuinely smitten she looks as she continues to admire the sight of Lindsey moving around the kitchen. Though she can definitely feel it.
She can feel the sheer uninterrupted infatuation beating straight out of her heart and coursing through her entire body as if every last ounce of blood, all the marrow deep within her bones, and oxygen filling her lungs is made purely out of the love that she holds so dearly for Lindsey.
It’s something that took a long time for Allison to get used to. Living so long with such strong emotions outpouring for anyone who had even the most minuscule effect on her life only to be met with apathy and selfishness. She always cared so much, loved so hard, and yet has always been hard to love in return.
Then came Lindsey– fierce, admirable, gorgeous Lindsey who makes Allison feel like she truly is deserving of more than just love but actually the whole world. It was a huge change to go from being involved with people who never would break even a sweat for her to loving someone who would happily worship the ground she walks on if given the chance.
She has had to unlearn a lot of things, especially when it comes to feeling as if she isn’t deserving of this kind of love she now has– and truly she is still working on it– but having Lindsey by her side through every single step of the way has made an extremely messy journey worth every last second of work put into it.
Especially when there are little moments like these that Allison gets to bask in after she has finally allowed herself to heal.
Lindsey makes her way out of the kitchen with a pan in hand. Allison cannot help but stare at the way Lindsey’s collarbones are exposed from her sleep shirt being a size or two too big and the way just the tiniest bit of her thighs are exposed at the hem of the shirt. It’s also not hard to miss the way the color in Lindsey’s cheeks slightly deepens when she catches Allison shamelessly staring.
It’s funny that even after years of being together now both of them have this sort of effect on each other that makes them feel all gooey inside like they are some school girls getting attention from their crush for the first time instead of being an actual couple of nearly four years now.
Lindsey transfers an omelet from pan to plate then does the same with a pan of hash browns before finally sitting down across from her girlfriend. Allison, finally breaking her love-stricken, looks down at her own plate of food that has her mouth already watering.
“Love, can you–” Allison cuts herself off as she looks up to see Lindsey already handing her the small bottle of hot sauce. She gives a small thanks and takes the bottle while simultaneously ignoring the heat rushing to her cheeks from Lindsey knowing her so well that she doesn’t even need to ask.
Once drizzling her preferred amount of the hot sauce on top of her omelet, Allison finally takes the first bite of the breakfast that she didn’t even know she was craving. Just the first taste has Allison practically rolling her eyes in the back of her head as she lets out an elaborate satisfied moan.
“That good?” Lindsey questions with a surprised raise of her eyebrows. It sort of annoys Allison how Lindsey doesn’t realize how good her cooking actually is or at least she’s way too humble about it.
Allison nods as more delighted hums get pulled from the back of her throat. “If taste buds could have orgasms this would definitely cause them.” She then shovels more forkloads of egg and potato in her mouth as Lindsey fondly rolls her eyes at her girlfriend’s choice of words.
It takes Allison every last bit of strength in her to all but devour her breakfast. It’s hard not to when she is entirely sure that Lindsey makes the best omelets in the entire world. Every bite oozes with the perfect amount of melted cheddar and has the savory flavor of crumbled bacon infused with the egg. Even the fresh bite of peppers compliments the heated kick from the drizzle of hot sauce.
It’s not necessarily just the taste that has Allison practically high off of the dopamine release either. The way the egg is so perfectly fluffy and folded always throws Allison for a loop. She truly does not understand how someone can make an omelet so perfectly every single time . Never a break in them or even the slightest bit under or overcooked. Lindsey always somehow manages to make them flawless.
“Seriously, Linds,” Allison says, quickly swallowing her mouthful of hash browns, “I think the whole FBI thing was a mistake, you truly missed your calling here.” She emphasized by pointing her fork down at her already half-eaten breakfast.
Lindsey lets out an amused-sounding exhale from her nose then says, “I’d hardly say folding an egg is my calling.” She then fills her mouth with another forkload of the breakfast.
Allison could argue all day about this. She truly believes that her girlfriend is one of the best cooks that she has ever met, and it all stems from Lindsey coming from a family that expresses a main form of love through food. Perhaps that’s why Allison feels as if she is transcending to another plane of existence when it comes to trying the meals Lindsey makes, she can taste every last ounce of love poured into every bite.
As Lindsey takes her last bite of breakfast, Allison leans back in her chair and rests her palm on her belly already having cleared her own plate, and now letting herself relax as the meal settles. There’s a tranquil moment of silence between the two as they simply bask in the soft glow of the morning light in the comfortable space around them.
Allison favors mornings like these, slow without any urgency to be anywhere. She and Lindsey simply stay in their little bubble they create while the rest of the world moves around them outside of the walls of their apartment.
Lindsey lets out a content sigh as she begins to stand from the table, collecting both hers and Allison’s plates as she does so. “I’m gonna get some laundry done,” she states as she places the dirty plates in the sink for Allison to clean up when she gets the chance. It’s sort of the silent agreement they’ve always had; Lindsey cooks and Allison takes care of the mess left over. It works for both of them.
Coming back over to the table, Lindsey leans down slightly just enough to meet Allison in a tender kiss. She tastes of coffee and the tiniest hint of smokiness from the bits of bacon crumbled into her omelet, and yet the one thing Allison notices the most is how sweet Lindsey always seems to taste. No matter what the day brings or what the occasion is, Lindsey has always kissed her so sweetly that Allison swears one day she’s going to get a toothache from it.
Allison then watches as Lindsey leaves to return to the bedroom to collect their basket full of dirty laundry. Once finishing her coffee, Allison begins to clean up the mess from the amazing breakfast. It’s a fairly quick task that goes by even faster as she hums random tunes to help pass the time.
By the time Allison is turning off the faucet and drying her hands, she hears a loud bang followed by a string of profanities leaving Lindsey’s mouth. She tosses the hand towel onto the counter and makes her way across the apartment to where their washer and dryer are tucked away inside of a cramped closet.
“Not working again?” Allison questions as she watches Lindsey bang the top of the washing machine again.
A frustrated exhale blows past Lindsey’s lips as she nods. “I’ve called maintenance about this like four times now, and yet here we are still stuck with a washing machine that won’t start unless you take a damn sledgehammer to it.” Allison lets out an amused chuckle as she gently hip bumps Lindsey to the side.
“Here,” she starts softly as Lindsey moves back to give her some space, “Usually I find it works when you hold down the start button and kick the center of the bottom at the same time.” As she demonstrates the words that had just left her lips, the washing machine then suddenly turns on and begins its cycle.
Lindsey shakes her head with a disbelieving smile, “I cannot believe that the appliance I’ve had for longer loves you more.” Her tone is lighthearted yet still with a tiny twist of bafflement.
The smirk that Allison responds with is one of a teasing nature as are the words that are paired with it, “maybe because I don’t threaten violence via sledgehammer.” She steps closer to Lindsey, now wrapping her arms around her waist and pulling her closer.
“How about,” Allison starts slowly in a half-whisper as she presses her lips to the corner of Lindsey’s mouth, “I buy you a new unit,” another kiss to her cheek, “or better yet,” a long soft press of lips to Lindsey’s jawline this time that has the woman tilting her head back slightly to give her girlfriend better access to her soft skin, “We get out of this shithole and find a better place with an actual laundry room.” Allison continues to pepper kisses along the slight curve of her girlfriend’s jaw.
Lindsey lets out a soft satisfied hum as she wraps her arms around Allison’s neck. “Now you’re talking,” she pauses in favor of letting out a shaky breath as Allison nips at a sensitive spot under her ear, “move out of the city, away from the people. Maybe somewhere near the ocean.” At that, Allison perks up.
She lifts her head to meet Lindsey’s gaze with a curious raise of an eyebrow. “The ocean?” It definitely piques her interest considering that this seems like something Lindsey has thought about before and yet has never mentioned, not even in passing.
Lindsey bites her bottom lip almost timidly as a soft flush spreads across her cheeks. She nods with a shrug, “I’ve always wanted to live near the beach. It’s quiet, peaceful, kind of like a vacation but every day.” There’s a dreamy look swimming in her eyes as she envisions a life she has clearly longed for.
Allison pictures it; just the two of them living in a comfortable bungalow on the beach, their early mornings spent watching the sunrises, and their late evenings filled with dips in the ocean underneath the stars. She can see the rainy days listening to the raindrops pattering against the open windows as the scent of the saltwater air wafts through home.
Just imagining their life living like that has a dreamy sigh of her own slipping right past Allison’s lips. “Sounds perfect, actually.” The way Lindsey’s whole face lights up has Allison feeling all warm inside as her heart feels as if it’s exploding with an overwhelming amount of love for the woman.
It truly does sound perfect, then again any life shared with Lindsey is enough for Allison to feel like she’s living in a never-ending daydream.