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You look down at the box in your hands. The box containing the last of Ell’s things. The last remains of your latest relationship.
You linger outside her door, not knowing exactly whats stopping you from knocking. Its dark and cold and you’re hanging out in your exes yard like a creep.
Taking a deep breath you step forward. Your hand reaches out to knock but before your fist connects with the wood of the door, you hear a soft thump and a quiet fuck coming from behind you.
You jump back in surprise, looking around wildly for the source of the noise. You don’t have to be an investigative journalist to find it.
There's someone laying in the grass who, by the looks of it, had just fallen out of the large oak tree. Normally you would be delighted to find beautiful women literally falling from the sky, but there's something extremely suspicious happening here. You approach her cautiously.
“What exactly are you doing?”. you demand in a whisper.
She glares up you. In different circumstances it would probably be intimidating but with her dark hair ruffled and full of grass and the streak of mud on her chin she just looks like a pissed off 3 year old.
“I really don’t think that's any of your business” she bits back.
You narrow your eyes, unimpressed.
“Oh really? Because if you were doing what I think you were doing, then it kind of is my business”.
The woman stands and dusts off her clothes before replying.
“Yeah? And what is it that you think I was doing, cupcake?” She drawls. Shes starting to annoy you.
She steps closer into your space, probably trying to scare you off but you stand your ground. Looking her directly in the eye.
“I think you were trying climb that tree and use branches up there to get in through the bedroom window. Am I wrong?” You say.
Instead of answering you, she gives you a long and intense look that makes your cheeks warm. Your words don’t seem to have had as much impact as you’d hoped because she remains relatively unaffected. Her attention flickers to the box you’re still carrying.
“Is that for Ell?” She asks.
“You know her?”.
She gives you a look that says duh.
“I’m her ex, sweetheart. And you” she drags her eyes down the length of your body “must be the new girlfriend”.
You shuffle uncomfortably.
“Not anymore” you mutter under your breath.
You’re not sure why you’re even telling her that.
“Huh, so you and I have something in common after all. Say what you will about Ell, she has excellent taste in women”.
You blink in surprise at her sudden flirtatiousness. You try not to let it get to you, for all you know she was just talking about herself.
“Don’t think that flattery is going to distract me from-” you gesture roughly between her and the tree “- whatever the hell this is!”.
“I wouldn’t dream of it, cutie” she throws you a wink and turns back to the tree.
“Oh no you don’t! Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t call the cops” you whisper angrily.
She spins around.
“You wouldn’t”.
You fumble, balancing the box on your hip as you struggle to extract your flip top phone from your pocket.
“Think I won’t?”.
She sighs as though you’re being extremely unreasonable.
“Fine. If you really must know, I’m here on a rescue mission”.
You hadn’t expected that.
“Right. And who exactly are you meant to be rescuing?” You ask suspiciously.
“Camus” she says simply.
You furrow your eyebrows.
“you’re here to steal …Ell’s cat?“.
In the short time you’ve known her, shes never looked quite so offended.
"Ell’s cat? Camus is my cat!”.
“Why should I believe you over her?I just met you, I don’t even know your name”.
“It’s Carmilla, and isn’t there anything of yours that's mysteriously vanished since you broke up with her?”.
Your mind jumps automatically to your Buffy the vampire slayer box set that Ell “just couldn’t find”.
“Fine! Lets say I was to believe you. I still can’t let you climb in through her window” you hiss.
“Why not?”.
“She could be up there! Do you want to be arrested”.
“And what do you suggest I do instead?” She asks.
You think for a moment, barely believing you’re getting yourself involved in this strangers shenanigans.
“I’ll distract her, you sneak in through the back door”.
“You know I could kiss you right now” she says.
You’re glad the darkness hides your blush.
“When this is over, provided that you don’t end up in jail, I want visitation rights with the cat”.
“I'm sure that can be arranged”.
She gives you a small, genuine smile that makes your heart flutter.
Without another word she slips off behind the house and you finally knock at Ell’s door.
She answers almost immediately, with her blonde hair in the perfect messy bun and wearing a white silk robe. Her eyes widen, you think she must have been expecting somebody else.
“Laura? What are you doing here?”.
“Um, I just - I wanted to give you back the rest of your stuff. You know in case you needed it or something” you say awkwardly.
Before you’d run into Carmilla you had had this moment perfectly planned out in your head and it hadn’t involved turning into a stammering mess.
“Oh, thank you. Aren’t you sweet?” She says in a slightly condescending voice.
She takes the box out of your hands.
“It was no trouble” you sound colder than you intended.
“Well, goodnight then".
She starts to turn around but over her shoulder you can see Carmilla with an arm full of cat, still in the house.
“Wait! Uh, can I get a goodbye hug?”.
Ell gives you a charitable, somewhat pitying smile before nodding and pulling you into a loose hug. You keep holding her until the back door is closing behind Carmilla. You pull back abruptly and give her an awkward pat on the back.
“Better get going then, nice to see you Ell!”.
“Uh yeah, you too” she gives you a perplexed wave and closes the door behind her.
Carmilla slinks back into your line of vision carrying a very fat, very familiar black cat and grinning triumphantly. You can’t keep a smile off your own face.
“I guess I’d better get out of here before she realises he’s gone. Thanks for being my partner in crime, cutie”.
She adjusts the enormous cat in her arms and you have the sudden feeling you don’t want her to leave.
“Um, do you need a ride? Because I could drive you home” you ask uncertainly.
Her eyes soften.
“I think I might like that very much”.