Work Text:
Laura’s POV
I turn off the webcam for now, as everything has been status quo for the past couple days. I should probably take advantage of the rare moment of downtime. I open up my history homework and groan, realizing I have to write yet another stupid essay. What did I do to deserve this punishment?! I shake my head to clear my thoughts. I’m not giving into the “woe is me!” mindset again. I can do this, I’m an independent and intelligent young woman.
“Whatever you gotta tell yourself, cupcake,” Carmilla’s snarky reply rings in my ears and I giggle at the thought. I open up a blank document and start doing the research for my assignment. I take a break after typing a whole two pages and check the time. I groan, noticing it’s only been an hour since she left. Mattie had invited her to go out for “drinks” and Carm eagerly accepted the invite, wanting to spend time with her sister. I couldn’t blame her, I’d do the same if I were in her place. She promised to be back by midnight at the latest, and that was when they left at dusk, which was around 6:30. Not that I’m counting down the hours until she comes back. I get up from my chair with a stretch, deciding to grab a snack to distract myself. I ended up making myself a cup of cocoa, because the call of chocolate was too tempting to resist. I set my Tardis mug down on the desk then continue working on my essay, determined to clear my thoughts of a certain broody vampire. A vaguely familiar fuzziness starts tickling the edges of my brain in between sips of the warm beverage. I don’t really think anything of it. I drain the final drops from the mug after finishing the third page. I set it down on the desk and attempt to continue writing, but my body won’t listen. I’m engulfed by the fuzziness as weightlessness spreads through my limbs. I take a minute to flex my fingers and panic at the extent of my hazy discoordination. I haven’t dropped since Carmilla went to retrieve the god-killing sword. Which was before the whole fish fiasco. No, I haven’t told my girlfriend about my coping mechanism. How would I even go about that? “Oh hey, by the way, sometimes my brain reverts to that of a toddler and I’d love it if you would take care of me when it happens.” God knows she’d probably make fun of me. I check the time and breathe a sigh of relief, noting there’s still plenty of time before she gets back. There’s still an opportunity for me to enjoy my regression before having to force myself to age back up. During the last semester, I’d text Danny and ask her if I could chill in her dorm until I aged up again. The only reason she knows about it is because I had slipped after the whole town hall thing. I wasn’t fully regressed, but it was just enough for her to notice a change in my behavior. I took special care to hide this habit from the broody vampire when we were roommates. Don’t get me wrong, I do miss Carmilla but I don’t want my girlfriend to see me like this. When we moved into the dean’s apartment, I had Lafontaine take my gear with them to their room to ensure that Carm wouldn’t accidentally stumble on it. There isn’t much in there. Just my childhood plushie, a dog named Davey, a soft yellow baby blanket from Danny, and the pacifier I bought during my sophomore year at high school. I contemplated going to get my stuff, but I didn’t want to bother Laf. The only thing that really appealed to me was curling up with my girlfriend.
Maybe if I dress up in her clothes, I won’t miss her as much?
Yep, rational thinking has left the building so I let myself truly sink into the haze. I make sure to save my homework before closing out of the window. I turn the webcam back on just in case Carm and Mattie have a conversation when they get back, then retreat to the master bedroom on the first floor. I have never been more grateful for a ground floor bedroom. I don’t have to worry about trying to climb the stairs with my ungainly limbs. I shed my jeans and somehow manage to slip on my plaid pajama pants without tripping over my own two feet. I pull my t-shirt off and choose one of Carm’s black tanks to wear, alongside my plaid button up which she insists on stealing. I climb into the huge bed and start to curl up under the blankets, but a frustrated huff escapes me when I can’t quite get comfortable. I realize something’s missing, and I scan the room trying to figure out something else I can use. My eyes land on the robe Carm uses after she showers, and I bolt out of bed to retrieve it. I reverently remove it from the hook and skitter back into bed. I hold the fabric close with a pleased sigh, basking in her scent. I burrow further under the covers before my eyes slip shut, feeling safer than I have in a long while.
Carmilla’s POV
“I haven’t had fun like that in years, kitty,” Mattie comments as we stop in front of Maman’s apartment. To my surprise, my sister had agreed to the timeframe I proposed. True to her word, she had brought me back a few minutes before midnight.
“Is that your way of saying you missed me?” I inquire, quirking an eyebrow. Mattie simply chuckles and shakes her head.
“You know me, I’ve never been one for…sentimentality,” she responds, “Though you clearly haven’t developed the detachment it takes to survive.”
“Laura is–!”
Mattie cuts me off with genuine laughter. Something I haven’t heard from her in years. I’m glad I’m dead, because I’m sure my face would be red from anger.
“There’s no need to get upset, kitty. I know she’s under your protection, and I wouldn’t dream of messing with your possessions. So long as you keep her under control, of course.”
“God, you always know how to get under my skin. I fucking hate it,” I grumble.
“I’m your sister, it’s my job to tease you,” she argues lightly, and I roll my eyes, smiling at her antics. She checks her phone and sighs. “Of course, duty calls. Ta ta, darling.”
“Bye Maddie,” I say, offering a little wave as she disappears in a puff of black smoke. I quickly swipe my thumb across the corners of my mouth, cleaning any remainders of my night out. I didn’t kill anyone outright, though I can’t say the same for Maddie. However, that wouldn’t stop Laura from jumping to conclusions. I stroll through the front door, making sure to deposit my boots on the doormat so Curly Sue doesn’t screech at me for tracking anything in the house. Laura hasn’t rushed in to hug me, so I figure she’s probably focused on schoolwork.
“Hey, creampuff, I’m back,” I announce, poking my head into the study but it’s unoccupied. I glance at the clock, confirming it’s only a couple minutes past midnight. She’s usually at her laptop until at least one in the morning, so the deviation from her routine catches me off guard. I notice the little webcam light on and scurry over to the laptop. I hover the cursor over the “end recording” button but decide against it, just in case Mattie decides to go bump in the night. Looks like it started at around eight, which is pretty early for Laura to be done with schoolwork. There’s already a good chunk of video, and I know I can check the playback. I pause the recording and rewind it to the beginning. I was correct in assuming Laura started the webcam, but something is different about her. There’s an unfamiliar haze in her eyes, yet she almost seems…lighter? I decided not to pry any further, just in case she didn’t want me to know about it. I resume the live recording and grab her empty mug from the desk. I catch a whiff of chocolate and smile, knowing she tried to distract herself from my absence. I place it in the sink, knowing Perry would take care of it in the morning. Laura wasn’t in the kitchen, and I don’t hear any indication of her being upstairs with the Ginger Twins. Which means the only place left to check is our bedroom. I slink down the hall, taking care to keep my footsteps quiet, just in case the cutie is asleep. She gets pretty cranky if her sleep is rudely interrupted. I peer into the dark and spot the blonde girl curled up on the bed. I can just barely see her nose poking out from how far she’s burrowed under the blanket. I kneel in front of her and brush the hair out of her face, gingerly tucking it behind her ear. She sighs, subconsciously leaning into my touch despite being dead to the world. I can’t stop the smile that splits my face like the lovesick idiot I am. I pull my hand away only to be met with a pitiful whimper in response. It’s not too dissimilar to that of a kicked puppy. It’s also a sound that I didn’t know my girlfriend was capable of making, and I would do anything to ensure I never have to hear it again. I get up from the floor and turn to change into more comfortable clothes, only to find them in an unusually messy state. Like, I know I’m messy, but I am at least somewhat neat when it comes to my clothes. I shrug, figuring Laura probably stole one of my sweaters again, and set my phone on top of the dresser. I change into my black pajama shorts and a tank top, tossing my dirty clothes into the hamper Laura insists we use. I mean, I won’t complain, it makes laundry day much easier. I turn around to grab my robe, only to find it missing. I search through the dirty clothes hamper, but don’t find it in there. I check Laura’s closet, just in case of a prank. No luck. I know neither of the Ginger Twins would’ve touched it. I pace the room, nearly turning it upside down looking for it. Another minute passes by before I finally give up, stifling an annoyed growl. I glance over at the sleeping girl to find that her hands have traveled up to rest near her nose. I notice her tightly gripping onto something. On closer inspection, I discover her hand is curled around my robe like it’s a lifeline. Okay, now that is definitely not normal Cupcake behavior. It almost reminds me of a child clinging to a mother’s shirt. I try to pry it from her hands, but her grip on it only tightens as another whimper escapes her. The sound causes my cold dead heart to ache a little. I realize I have to try a gentler approach. Or I could risk her wrath by waking her up. I check the alarm clock on the nightstand, surprised it’s only twelve thirty. Strangely enough, my intuition is telling me that I should wake up the sleeping beauty. I turn on the dim bedside lamp. It’ll help if she sees that it’s me, not someone out to get her.
“Hey, cutie,” I murmur, gently running my knuckle down the bridge of her nose. Mattie would laugh at me if she saw how soft I’m being with Laura, but I don’t think I’d care at the moment. The girl’s eyes flutter open and it takes a moment for her eyes to adjust. The second her gaze lands on me, she lets go of my robe in favor of reaching out to me with both hands. She repeatedly grabs at thin air with an anguished expression, and I somehow understand what she’s trying to convey. I hastily slip on my robe then cross over to my side of the bed, aware of her watching my every move like a damn hawk. Once I’m seated, she wastes no time clambering into my lap and curling her limbs around my torso. Does she think she’s a damn koala?
“Kitty,” she mumbles against me and my heart drops. Mattie’s the only one who ever calls me that. I pull away and gently tilt Laura’s chin up, forcing her to meet my eyes despite her whines of protest. I study her gaze for a moment and breathe a sigh of relief when I don’t notice any signs of possession. Though her eyes are still glazed over with the unfamiliar haze from before. I let go of her chin, and she immediately drops her head onto my shoulder, nuzzling into the crook of my neck. Her cuddliness isn’t abnormal, but it’s not usually this intense. I’ll play along with her strange behavior until I can figure out what’s going on. I could text the mad scientist, but I realize my phone is still on top of the dresser. There was no way I’d be able to get it with Cupcake clinging to me. I heave a sigh, running a hand through my hair. One thing at a time.
“Think you could call me something else, cupcake? I’d rather not be mocked by my girlfriend,” I tease, doing my absolute best to keep a mellow tone. It’s difficult to maintain, considering my usual settings are either snark or indifference. Laura startles and looks up at me with wide eyes, an unspoken apology in her expression. “Yeah, my sister insists on calling me that. But you didn’t know, so don’t worry about it.”
“Mkay,” she agrees, though her downtrodden expression brightens a moment later. I brace myself for whatever childish nickname she came up with this time. “Batty?”
The combination of her hopeful doe-eyed expression and the absurdity of the stereotypical inspiration pulls a bark of laughter from me. I shake my head at her antics, and clearly that was the intent as the creampuff quietly giggles. My heart melts at the carefree sound, and I crave to hear more. I don’t care if I wake the others in the process. What is this girl doing to me? I don’t do soft, yet it almost feels second-nature while I’m with her. I’m not even playing along at this point, I’m just following my instincts.
“Really? That’s the best you’ve got, cutie?” I inquire, skittering my fingertips along her sides. She squeals and wriggles away from me, falling back onto the bed. I settle on top of her and press the attack, relishing the peals of childish laughter filling the room.
“I sorry! Stop, pease!” She pleads breathlessly, trying to squirm away from my touch. I reluctantly comply, pressing a kiss to her forehead before getting up. I take the opportunity of hard-earned freedom to grab my phone from the dresser. I plop back down onto the bed and I’m about to text Lafontaine when I feel Laura tug on my sleeve. I glance over my shoulder at her and acknowledge her presence with a soft smile, turning to face her.
“What’s up, cutie?”
“Is Sunny okay?” She inquires timidly, staring up at me with that same doe-eyed expression. The irony of the name is not lost on me. I chuckle, and she perks up a little at the sound. It’s not the worst name Laura could come up with, and it’s certainly better than Batty. Fuck it.
“Sure, you can call me that,” I concede, and she beams, her eyes alight with joyful sunshine. She wraps her arms around my neck in a brief hug, and I roll my eyes at the affectionate display. When she pulls away, my eyes flick back to my phone and she follows my gaze. She tilts her head, probably wondering why I need it.
“Who textin?”
“Oh, um…I’m not actively talking with anyone right now,” I explain, watching her sag with relief, “But I’m kinda grasping at straws here, cupcake. I don’t know what’s going on with you, or how to really help you. Has anyone helped you with this before?”
“Mhm! Sparky helped me out a lot last semester,” she chirps, and I suddenly have so many questions. Who the hell is Sparky? Why does she know something about my girlfriend that I don’t? How long have they been meeting? Is she—
“OW!”
A sharp pain interrupts my spiraling thoughts. I spot a bite mark on my arm that definitely wasn’t there before, and Laura is holding my hand with a concerned expression. It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together. I take a moment to calm down before addressing the situation. I don’t want to accidentally snap at Laura and shatter the fragile trust I’ve established with her.
“Care to elaborate, creampuff?”
“Sunny think too hard, an I try help but nothin work. Teefies are my last resort,” she informs me. I groan, tangling my fingers through my hair, frustrated with my insecurities. “Did I do a bad?”
Laura’s voice is barely above a whisper when she asks the question. I wrap her into a hug, hating how small she sounds. She presses her face against my neck, leaning into the provided comfort.
“No, cutie, you didn’t do anything wrong,” I reassure, and she nods, acknowledging what I’ve said. “You were just trying to help, even if your methods were unconventional. Thank you for bringing me back.”
“I can call Sparky if you wanna ask about stuffs?” Laura offers, and as much as I don’t want to admit it, I’m out of my depth. It might be a good idea to talk to Sparky, even if I didn't like the thought of it.
“Will she be awake?” I ask, noticing it’s half past one in the morning.
“Mhm!! She always has lotsa work to do, an she also tol me I can call her if important,” she assures, and I sigh. Might as well get this over with. I help Laura retrieve her phone from the nightstand and she scrolls through her contacts. She taps on “Sparky 🧨” and presses the call button, making sure to put it on speaker. “Lemme talk firs so she don get mad at you.”
I nod, bracing myself as Sparky picks up after the third ring.
“Hello?” A familiar voice crackles through the phone, though I can’t quite figure out who it is.
“Hi Sparky!” Laura greets brightly, and I don’t miss the smile that crosses her face. I quickly stomp down the pang of jealousy, not wanting to upset anyone in this situation.
“Isn’t it way past your bedtime, little star?”
“Um…no?”
Fond laughter is interrupted by a yawn on the other end.
“Can’t sleep again?” Sparky asks and Laura shakes her head before remembering the other person can’t see her. I stifle a chuckle, receiving a rather icy glare in return.
“Kinda…but tha’s not why I called. I gots to talk bout somethin serious.”
“What have you done now?” There’s still the lingering endearment in the other girl’s tone despite sounding accusatory.
“I need help explainin what to do for me when I’m small…Carmilla found me—”
“I swear, if she hurt you in any way, there will be hell to pay,” Sparky replies and that’s when it clicks. I know who that voice belongs to.
“Relax, Xena, I just need a couple of pointers to make sure I don’t hurt her,” I retort, cringing at my tone. I am not helping my case. “Sorry, I'm still a little on edge because I’m not used to…” I trail off and Danny chuckles, understanding the unspoken words.
“Yeah, it’s a lot at first but you’ll get the hang of it. You know what you’re signing up for, right?”
“No…that’s actually part of the reason why I had Laura call you. I have no clue what’s going on with her,” I admit and the line goes silent. I can almost hear Danny’s eye twitching through the phone.
“Laura Hollis,” Danny’s tone is eerily calm, “you mean to tell me that you still haven’t told your girlfriend about your coping mechanism?”
I watch the color drain from Laura’s face as she hears her full name. Clearly they’ve discussed this before. There’s genuine fear in her expression as she looks to me for help. I hold my hands up in surrender.
“Hey, don’t look at me, I’m not bailing you out of this one, cupcake,” I tease, wincing as Laura’s eyes fill with tears.
“Take me off speaker, tiny star,” Xena instructs and Laura nods, following the other girl’s instructions.
“Is just me now,” Laura affirms and I try not to listen in. Yet my curiosity gets the better of me. Besides, there’s only so much I can do when I have heightened senses.
“Good. I assume you haven’t told her because you’re still scared of her leaving?”
“A little,” she confirms, “Buh that not the only fing buggin me.”
“Ah, scared of being a burden or being too much?”
“Bof are buggin me,” she confesses, and Xena hums sympathetically. There’s a beat before the older girl responds.
“Listen to me, little one. If Carmilla–”
“Sunny,” Laura immediately corrects her, and the other girl chuckles fondly. I could absolutely get used to hearing that name.
“Y’know what, it suits her,” Danny replies and I have to fight to keep my face neutral. “But in all seriousness, if she leaves you because of this, it just means she wasn’t cut out to be in a relationship with you, much less be your caregiver. However, in the case she does agree to take on that role, you’re aware you’ll have to teach her how to do this, right? You got lucky with me. I at least knew the basics and you just had to tell me the specifics of your headspace. Sunny has zero idea what she’s doing, so you’ll be starting from scratch. You’re absolutely sure you want to go through with it?”
I have no idea what the hell Carrot Top is talking about, but the idea of…whatever this is not being a one time thing is more appealing than I’d like to admit. It’s true that I’m soft with Laura. But this is a different type of softness, one I can easily see myself getting addicted to.
“Mhm! I already know how ima teach her stuffs, the scary part is just asking her about it.”
“Do you want me to explain it to her? I don’t mind if it’ll help things go a lot smoother.”
“An coach her, jus for tonight?” Laura pleads, and I gently take her hand, tracing circles on the back of it with my thumb. She squeezes my hand to silently thank me. There’s a moment of silence before an exasperated groan crackles through the phone.
“You are so lucky you’re cute, missy,” Xena grumbles, causing Laura to giggle.
“You looooooove meeeeeeeee,” Laura teases, and a scoff sounds from the other line.
“Yeah, yeah, just put me back on speaker.”
The blonde pulls the phone away from her ear and puts the call back on speaker. The exchange between them has only raised more questions without giving me any answers.
“Before you get your panties in a twist, there’s nothing going on between Laura and I. Well…there is, but not in the sense you’re thinking,” the redhead assures me. “Laura, honey, why don’t you go get your stuff while Sunny and I chat?”
“Kay!!”
The shorter girl places her phone on the bed then races out of the room, grinning from ear to ear. I watch her go and wait until she closes the door before picking up the phone. I take it off speaker and hold it up to my ear, taking a breath to ensure I keep my temper under control. I adjust myself so I’m sitting cross-legged, which is a lot more comfortable than letting my legs dangle off the edge.
“Okay, start talking before I–” I pause, forcing myself to shove my insecurities to the side. “Sorry, I’m genuinely trying to be at least civil about this.”
“I appreciate that, Carmilla. I really, truly do,” Xena replies, pausing a moment to collect her thoughts. “You ever hear of age regression or agere?”
“I think maybe once or twice in passing, but I’ve never actually looked into it. There’s still a lot I’m unfamiliar with despite being around for a couple centuries,” I quip, effectively drawing a bark of laughter from the other girl.
“Y’know what, that’s fair. Okay, so the dynamic Laura and I have is actually based around agere. So it’s similar to an older and younger sibling if that makes sense.”
I breathe a sigh of relief, causing Carrot Top to chuckle. But Laura’s unusual behavior still doesn’t make sense.
“I’ll admit, that does make me feel a bit better. But I’m still struggling to understand why Laura’s acting so…childish? I don’t really know how else to describe it,” I clarify, not wanting to cause any misunderstandings.
“No, it’s okay, because you’re right. Laura is acting childish. But it’s her coping mechanism. Her brain essentially reverts back to a child-like state. It gives her brain a break and allows her to forget about the stress of being an adult for a little while. She’s been doing it for years though I’m her first caregiver in a long time. A caregiver is–”
“Someone who essentially acts a guardian figure while she regresses?” I hazard a guess, pleasantly surprised when Xena hums affirmatively.
“Correct, their job is to keep their little one happy, healthy, and safe. The importance of having one depends on how young someone’s headspace is. The younger an individual is, the more vital it is that they have one. Headspaces vary from person to person, and usually have an age range. I have a friend whose headspace ranges from infancy to around seven years old. I’ve also heard of people regressing back to their teenage years,” she informs, pausing to give me a moment to process the new information. “Luckily for you, Laura has a pretty small range of three to six years old. There’s times where she slips down to roughly two and a half, but that’s only been on particularly rough days.”
“That’ll be handy for the intensive research I’ll do later,” I joke, drawing another genuine laugh from the other girl. “With everything in mind, what’s my role in the grand scheme of things?”
“Well, ideally you’ll be my replacement. That’s if you’re willing to put the work into learning how to take care of Laura. I wouldn’t completely step away though. I’d essentially serve as a babysitter. I’ll also do my best to offer you advice when you need it,” Danny clarifies, and I’m honestly relieved. From the sounds of what’s expected of me, an advisor would be extremely helpful. “I know it’s asking a lot from you. There’s a lot to learn at first, but you’ll get the hang of it. I know the little one would be elated if you agreed to it, but that would also require talking to adult Laura about it too. Communication is such an important part of the dynamic, despite the conversations occasionally straying into awkward topics.”
“I think I kind of subconsciously fell into the role earlier,” I realize, recapping the events from earlier that evening. There’s silence on the other end when I finish. It’s times like these where I wish I could see facial expressions on a phone call.
“That was, in fact, your first taste of being a caregiver,” Danny confirms and I can’t stop the grin that splits my face. “It’s impressive how well you handled the situation without having any prior knowledge of it.”
“Yeah, well, I’m kinda used to flying by the seat of my pants by now,” I respond, chuckling at my own joke. I snap to attention as the bedroom door creaks open and Laura peers at me through the crack. I gently pat the bed, inviting her back into the room and she quickly scurries into the room. I put the call back on speakerphone then set the phone down. “Welcome back, cutie.”
“Perfect timing, little star. Sparky and Sunny just finished up their talk,” Danny comments as Laura climbs back onto the bed. She sets the compact box next to the phone and hesitates, worrying her lip. She opens her mouth to ask me something but promptly shuts it, choosing to settle next to me. I gently lift her into my lap, making sure she’s facing forward so she can still talk to Carrot Top.
“No fightin?” Cupcake questions, and I jump at the opportunity to assuage her fears.
“Nope, we made sure to be extra kind to each other. Right, Xena?”
“That’s right,” Danny confirms, muffling a yawn. “Listen, little star, Sparky’s exhausted. I don’t think I can coach Sunny tonight. But I don’t think she’ll have any problems helping you get comfy. From what I heard, she handled herself pretty well earlier. You’ll be okay, little one. I pinky promise you’re in good hands, okay?”
“Mkay…ni ni Sparky,” Laura mumbles, leaning her head back onto my shoulder.
“Good night, starshine. The earth says sleep well,” Sparky replies before the line goes dead. I set Laura’s phone back onto the nightstand then rest my chin on her shoulder and wrap my arms around her waist. We sit there in silence for a moment before Laura starts to squirm a little. I let go of her and she slips out of my lap, choosing to sit on the bed facing me. She picks up the mysterious box and holds it out to me. Upon closer inspection, I notice it’s covered with bright clumsy doodles and stickers that have faded with time.
“Open, pease,” she requests and I unlatch the lid for her. Once the box is open, she turns her back to me. I attempt to peer over her shoulder but my view is quickly blocked as a blanket is thrown over my head. “No peekin!”
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry, cutie,” I laugh, removing the blanket and instead draping it over her shoulders. I marvel at how soft the material is, and how it almost seems to swallow Laura’s body. It makes her seem smaller than she already is. When she turns around, the lower half of her face is hidden behind a well loved dog plush. She’s clutching it close to her chest, though I can spot the corners of a timid smile peeking out from behind its head.
“Well, someone’s comfy,” I tease, eliciting a giggle from the tiny girl. Yet her smile quickly fades as she shakes her head.
“Not fully,” she mumbles, lifting her head to look at me. There’s a semblance of clarity in her gaze, and I notice a bit of the adult Laura has broken through. I can tell she’s fighting tooth and nail to combat the haziness, and I quickly cup her cheek.
“Hey, cutie, don’t force yourself to come back if you’re not ready yet. We can have an adult talk tomorrow, okay?”
“I know, and I appreciate that, but…” she trails off, glancing over her shoulder at the box still behind her. “I just don’t want to scare you away with too much too fast.”
“Cupcake, it’s gonna take a lot more than a couple of stuffed animals and a pacifier to scare me off,” I tease, and she searches my expression for any signs that I might be lying.
“And if I have one?”
Shit, is she actually serious?
“Do you?”
Laura nods and places the colorful box into my lap. I let go of her face though she’s quick to interlock our hands. I peer into the box and find two items still inside: a white strap with a purple clip on the end of it, and an opaque white case. I pick up the case with my free hand and turn it over, trying to figure out how to open it. Creampuff laughs at my confusion, and taps the small divot on the front. I attempt to flip the lid back with my thumb, pleasantly surprised when it opens. I’m half-expecting this to be an elaborate prank but nope. Sitting in the case is one, very real pacifier. It’s a pastel lilac color, and there’s a white butterfly silhouette printed in the middle. The first thought that crosses my mind is how it practically screams Laura. The second thought is an idea to help solidify the fragile trust between us.
“It’s very you,” I comment, watching a bashful smile unfurl across her face. “Can I have my hand back now, cutie? I kinda need it for this next part.”
She reluctantly releases my hand from her grasp, and I set the case back into the box. I pick up the strap and grab the pacifier from its case, attempting to puzzle out how to secure one to the other. Once I successfully attach the two objects, Laura reaches out to take it, but I gently swat her hand away.
“Open,” I instruct, and she blinks, tilting her head like a confused puppy. It takes a minute before the request clicks and I watch her visibly tamp down her excitement. She complies, allowing me to slip the pacifier into her mouth. “Such a good girl, thank you, cutie.”
The tiny girl squeaks and hides her face behind the dog, her face turning a rosy pink. I’m startled by my words, though I can’t help chuckling at her reaction. I get up and set Laura’s box underneath the bed before quickly securing the clip to the collar of her top. I crawl back onto the bed and pull Cupcake into my lap, feeling her fully relax against me. She fidgets, trying to get comfortable but is ultimately unsuccessful and whines in displeasure. I wrap an arm around her waist, keeping her close as I carefully lie back. This results in her lying on top of me, straddling my hips which is exactly what I wanted. She turns her head so her ear rests where my unbeating heart sits and I pull the fluffy blanket up so it fully drapes over top of her.
“Ni ni Sunny…lub lots,” the little one mumbles as her eyes flutter closed.
“Good night, little love. Sweet dreams,” I murmur, kissing the top of her head. Yeah, I could definitely get used to this.