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Lara Raj was having a pretty good day today. She had the day off from tour prep, so she got to sleep in a bit. She then had an excellent yoga class with her sister and mother, followed by a delicious breakfast at home. The only thing that would make her day better is if Manon were with her. Like Lara is about to lie down for a nap after hours of shopping, and she would enjoy it twenty percent more if she could cuddle her light-skinned queen as she slept. They aren't one of those co-dependent couples, and if they weren't already used to it, they wouldn't spend all their time together. That's what you get for falling in love with your bandmate while you take the world by storm. The farthest away you can get is a separate room and a pair of noise-canceling headphones.
Anyway, it's not as if Manon has been radio-silent all day, avoiding her. She did her own workout classes and private training sessions when there were no performances or travel on the horizon. The next six months will be hectic for the group, with their tour and prep for bigger stages they've already booked in 2026. Coachella and Best New Artist performance at the Grammys, anyone? The girls were holding onto the last bits of normalcy they could before it really got wild. Manon also has a doctor's appointment today to refill her medication and vitamins for her immune system, and while she loved the older girl, she'd only feel in the way in that setting.
They texted throughout the day, sharing random thoughts or jokes they thought their present company wouldn't get. There was always the Katseye group chat, active even if it was mostly Sophia telling Megan and Yoonchae they couldn't stay inside all day, playing video games, and eating junk food. The last message she had received from Manon was a selfie showing her in the car with Sophie, on the way to her braiding appointment. Lara knew she had to pick her up later, but she knew from experience that Manon could hang out at her braider's place all day if she had the time. She's an older black woman, by their standards, at least she's thirty-five, and Manon treats her salon like a second home. With that knowledge, Lara strips and lies down for her much-needed nap because she won't have to be anywhere for a while.
At least that's what she assumed because not even an hour into her nap, Manon is calling her, way earlier than she expected. Lara wakes with a start, her ringtone blaring in the quiet room, and looks around, confused. Picking up the phone and seeing it's Manon wakes her up a little more as she answers.
"Hello?"
"Hey, baby, thank god you picked up. I didn't want to bother Meg and Yoonchae with this."
"Is everything okay? You done already?"
"No, actually, I need you to go to my place and get my durag from home. I thought I packed it, and I didn't."
"Don't you have a hat with you? I'm so sure I saw that Dodger hat in Sophie's backseat on her story."
"You did, but Vanessa has informed me, very violently, that the hats are doing worse things to my hairline than the boho braids were. So I need to lay off wearing them so much, at least with my protective styles."
"Well, we can't have your hairline receding before you turn thirty. That would ruin the group! What do you need me to do, Baba?"
"I have a plastic bag with all my hair stuff in it on my bed that I was supposed to bring with me. My durag is in it, so grab the whole thing and get it to Nessa's."
"Okay, but why didn't you call Dani?"
"Oh, I woke you up from your nap, didn't I? I tried to baby check the group chat. I didn't want to wake you, but you're the only other person with a key. Dani would've taken too long."
"Glad to know you feel bad about it. Okay, let me get dressed and head over there. See you in a little bit."
Thank you, Mama. Love you."
"Love you too."
Lara rolls her eyes fondly at her girlfriend as she puts her phone down and gets dressed to go out again. She yells that she's leaving, so her parents don't worry any more than they already do. The last thing she needs is ten missed calls because they saw the car gone and didn't check her room first. As she drives to their complex, Lara wonders whether Manon thought she was at her parents' house instead of the apartments. Manon knew she was with her mom and sister, but never said whether she went back to her place afterward. It probably didn't cross her mind because Lara was going to pick her up from her hair appointment anyway. She's not angry, just mildly annoyed at the sudden end of her nap.
Pulling up to the apartments, Lara goes to her place first to put the things she got shopping with her mother away. HxG thought it was for the best that even if they didn't live in the group house, they should still live together in some capacity. Their team found them three two-bedroom luxury apartments in the same building and set them loose. They kept the same roommates; legally, Yoonchae couldn't live with anyone else but Sophia until 2026, but the others could switch if they wanted. Dani and Megan seriously considered it since Lara and Manon had just started dating around the time of the move. Neither of them wanted to be kicked out constantly, so the couple could have 'alone time' even though they no longer shared rooms. It took a lot of communication and some brand-new noise-canceling headphones for both girls to keep their roommate situation as it was. Ultimately, they didn't go through with the switch because Manon and Lara weren't ready to live together so early into their relationship. Maybe next year, but not now.
As if she knows that she just walked into her place, her phone starts ringing in her purse. Lara pulls it out to see "La Loca' light up her screen and answers to see what Dani could need.
"What's up, D?"
"Hey, you're taking Manon her stuff, right? You never checked in with the group chat."
"Yeah, I am my bad. I was knocked, Manz called me, and I never even checked the chat. I got her covered, you can stay where you're at, sis."
"Since you're going to our place, can you get out my slow cooker? Yoonchae was craving ropa vieja, I said I would make it, and I forgot to start it before leaving. All you have to do is put the meat in and set it to high. When Manon gets back, she can do the rest until I get home. Everything is already prepped and marinated; you don't even have to do much but put the meat in and turn it on."
"Ok, stop begging, jeez, you could've stopped at it was for Chip. I'm stopping at my place, then I'll head to yours and do whatever. Also, I'll respond to the group chat since it's so damn dire that I do so."
"I'm so happy Manon is in love with you enough to give you a spare key to our place. Talk to you soon, love you. Mwah!"
"Yeah, yeah, love you too, and I'd better get some food out of this. Bye."
Lara rolls her eyes as she looks at her now dark phone screen. Typical of Dani to use the fact that she's at the apartments to her advantage because she was forgetful. Daniela probably takes advantage of Lara having a spare to their place more than Manon does. It reminds her of that TikTok meme she saw the other day. They're not friends anymore; it's worse, they're sisters now. At some point, Lara should check the group chat to see what the fuck she missed, but she's a woman on a mission. An almost pointless mission that could have been a text and not two separate phone calls, but whatever, this is the life she wanted for herself.
After doing all her tasks for Dani and grabbing Manon's hair bag, she makes herself a cold brew as payment. Manon doesn't drink coffee much, but as the group's barista, she always has everything she needs to make a perfect latte on hand at home. Between Sophia and Manon, Lara has almost stopped buying coffee altogether and just goes to them for lattes and matchas. She sends a picture of her finished drink to the group chat as proof of life, so she doesn't get another stupid phone call, then heads out.
Siren: on the way
My Manz My Manz My Manz: Im in the chair right now should be finished by the time you get here
Lara arrives in about fifteen minutes and walks in, holding her drink in one hand and the bags in the other. She spots Manon right away in the back of the salon and heads straight there. Watching Manon's face light up at the sight of her as she walks up never gets old. Her smile starts in her eyes and spreads across her face, ending in that grin that makes so many people lightheaded around the world. Lara can admit she's not immune to the Swiss woman's charms and looks; in fact, Megan and Sophia will tell you she was probably her first victim. It was devastating how fast her crush on Manon hit her in DA.
She begged any deity who would listen, hoping the black girl would be nothing more than her looks. Or was secretly a terrible person so that she wouldn't fall deeper. And it almost worked, her crush was practically gone, then Mission three happened. She apologized for every reason Lara had to push the lighter-skinned girl away. Luckily, they didn't have to work together that week, but it was only a matter of time before Lara's luck ran out. Lara never stood a chance against Manon Bannerman, especially once she really got to know the older girl.
"Ness, look who's here to save me from your heavy hands. It's Mah Baby!"
"For someone who is always in braids, you're such a tenderheaded crybaby getting them. Lara, you're not saving her, you're saving me!"
"You hear how she treats me, baby, so rude. I'm gonna stop coming here."
"Don't act all big and bad now because your girl is here. You already booked your appointment for Christmas, lil girl, and you'll be back for your install. I'll be seeing you in a week."
"That was before the verbal abuse, clearly!"
"So do you want your cecred drops and Durag? Or did you want me to show up early because you missed seeing your pretty little thing all day?"
"¿Por qué no los dos, mi amor?"
"I'm leaving."
"Y'all are a mess! Lara, hand me that so y'all can get on with your day and I can get on with mine."
As Lara hands the bag off to the stylist, Manon swipes her drink from the other hand with a kiss on the cheek. Lara wants to be put out by it, but all the contents of her drink came from Manon's place, including the cup, so she's technically taking her drink back. Manon nods in approval at her drink, quietly complimenting the flavors, then hands it back while taking her hand. They don't talk while Manon sits in the chair; the two of them are literally on the way out the door, and they can wait six minutes until they're alone. Vanessa finishes, and the girls both hug her on the way out. Manon grabs all the bags, including her workout bag, from behind Ness's station, and Lara puts on the Dodgers hat while she's not looking. It doesn't exactly fit her head because it's a fitted cap, but damn if it doesn't look good on her, too. Besides, why would she allow Manon to cover herself while she's in her durag? It's one of her favorite versions of her pretty boy.
Manon doesn't notice right away; she's paying and putting her things in the trunk while Lara gets straight into the car to look up a lunch spot, knowing Manon hasn't eaten much since breakfast. She has her face in her phone as she pulls up the restaurant's address, not paying attention when Manon brings it up.
"Now, who said you could wear my hat? Because you did not ask."
"Are you not mine?"
"I am. -"
"And is this hat not yours?"
"It is but -"
"So by the transitive property of the law of possession, what's yours is mine, and what's mine is also mine. Simple."
"You aren't even wearing anything blue."
"I've actually been to a Dodgers game, though, you transplant."
"I haven't had time to see a game, I was too busy Training to be in a global girl group. Didn't have too much off time for baseball those two years."
"Ask any anti, and they'd say the opposite!"
Manon groans from the passenger seat like she's been punched in the gut.
"Low blow, baby. Low blow."
"Aww, come here, light bright. Let me kiss your invisible wounds better."
"I'm starting to think this is a toxic relationship…"
"Yeah, but I'm hot, so it balances out."
"I'm walking home."
Manon reaches for the door, but Lara grabs her arm and pulls her in to kiss the older woman, making her fold instantly. As they kiss, Lara is pulled into a memory of Yoonchae, when she once asked her what it was like to kiss the older girl after being friends for so long. Lara didn't have an answer at the time, too in puppy love to tell the baby of the group an answer that didn't sound like a cliché love song. The truth is, kissing Manon felt like coming home after the longest day of the year. It settled the anxious thoughts that rattled around in her brain constantly as if Manon were transferring her natural calm to her with every touch of their lips.
Pulling back, Lara watches Manon chase after her lips when she realizes that the younger girl has stopped kissing her to take a breath. For a moment, Lara just memorizes Manon's face, counting the freckles on her nose, one of her favorite things to do. She runs her thumb across Manon's jawline, just feeling the skin heat up under her touch, as Manon opens her eyes to gaze lovingly at her girlfriend. Lara sneaks one more kiss, then pulls back to start the car.
"Come on, let's go get some lunch. I know you haven't eaten since breakfast, pretty boy."
"On second thought, keep the hat, you look so fucking good in it, Mama."
"You didn't hear a word I just said, did you?"
"Something about eating?"
"Yeah, food, not me, you damn Munch. Love that you're insatiable, but Down Boy!"
"But baby, you're my favorite thing to eat! We can go to my very empty apartment right now!"
"And no food would be touched. You need to eat real food, you unserious Swissman, not just me!"
"But Indian is my favorite food!"
"Ooh, don't let your white side get you in trouble now. That was a little too close!"
Both girls burst into laughter, trying and failing to keep up their conversation after the kiss. Sophia never understood how they could drag each other over the silliest things one moment and make out the next. Lara just called it balance because they didn't know either. It just worked because it was how their friendship worked. 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.' is all Manon would say when Sophia would look at them funny. It never crossed her mind that people found her brand of affection weird, because it was just their friendship, with a different kind of touch. Cheek kisses goodbye turned into light pecks. Light hugs in greeting transformed into cuddles in front of the espresso machine. The jokes came from knowing and being comfortable with each other before they started their relationship. It also helped that while Lara had feelings for Manon since DA, Lara knew she wanted to grow as a person before pursuing the older girl.
"So, lunch?"
"Yeah, let's get some food. I'm starving. Sophie took me to her place to shower, and there were no groceries. I couldn't even make a bowl of cereal, love."
"My poor baby, let's go get you fed. Otherwise, you're gonna eat all of the ropa vieja before Yoonchae can have any."
"I forgot Dani was cooking tonight, hell yeah! I should go to the store to get something to go with it. Say I contributed in some way, you know?"
"After lunch, we'll go to the store, but first food. Ready?"
"Let's hit it."
They pull off, seatbelts on, obviously they're not stupid, and after about five minutes, Lara feels Manon take her right hand off the wheel to hold it. She intertwined their fingers and placed their joined hands in her lap the entire drive. Throughout the trip, she'll kiss her hand or rub her thumb across her knuckles while controlling the music in the car. Every brush of her skin against hers makes her heart flutter. She only lets go to park the car at the brunch place and at Erewhon, but as soon as they're out of her truck, Manon reaches for her again. Quiet and constant affection, 'as easy as breathing,' she had said to her once on a date. One day, Dani asked her what kind of relationship she wanted for herself in their room, and later realized she was doing recon for Manon. At the time, she had said something cliché about meeting her halfway and was utterly ignorant of real love, trying to sound more mature than she was. Manon showed her in real time that love was not one thing but a collaborative effort. When Lara was bouncing off the walls, Manon would catch her on the come down. They knew how to be what the other needed without losing themselves in each other.
While they wait for their food, Lara looks at the lip print she left on the older girl's cheek, one she hasn't wiped off and probably isn't planning to, knowing her. She sneaks a candid and sends it to the other girl, hoping she'll post it, because she hasn't posted anything on her story all day. Not even thirty seconds later, she gets a notification that she's been tagged in Manon's story because she posted the photo immediately. Lara shares it to her own story and adds the song Lover Girl by Megan Thee Stallion, making sure to get the 'My man, my man, my man' lyric. She adds the caption "*My Manz" and sends it off, locking her phone right after. Hearing Manon laugh at her version of the post makes her afternoon.