Work Text:
Night before the ring ceremony
Azzi: wru
Paige: ntm on me
Paige: im otw princess, dont worry
Azzi dropped her phone on the couch with a long, exaggerated sigh. Kelis, who was definitely not her roommate, looked up from where she was seated at the edge of Azzi's bed.
"What's happening?" Kelis questioned. Sarah, who also wasn't her roommate, didn't even look up from her seat at the counter.
"That's her 'I miss Paige' sigh. I wouldn't worry too much about it." Sarah said boredly.
"Oh, okay." Kelis nodded like it was the most normal thing in the world and carried on scrolling on her phone.
"Wait." Sarah paused, turning and looking at Azzi. "Didn't you say she's coming in, like, 10 minutes? Why are we doing the 'I miss Paige' sigh if Paige is coming?"
"10 minutes too long. You don't get to talk, you've never had to go months without seeing your girlfriend after being together for 4 years." Azzi glared at Sarah, who raised her hands in defence.
"Just stating the obvious. Also, you should probably tell the others to come over if Paige is visiting." Sarah pointed out.
"Can you do it? I don't wanna move." Azzi asked, and Sarah rolled her eyes, but Azzi saw her open iMessage anyways. "Thank you, Sarah." Azzi beamed, dragging her words out.
"Whatever, bro." Sarah muttered, "It's sent." As if on cue, Azzi felt her phone buzz. She thought was just Sarah's message getting through, but when she really thought about it, she remembered only 4 people could get through—Paige, her mom, her dad, and CD. (she learned her lesson about not letting CD through.)
She leapt up, grabbing her phone.
Paige: im 5 minutes away princess
Paige: whats ur flat number again
Azzi: 302
Paige: got it
Paige: be there in a few
"She's nearby." Azzi got out from her the blanket, which caused Kelis to protest. "I'm gonna go pick her up. If the others arrive, let them in." Sarah flicked her a thumbs up. Azzi grabbed the key card and her phone before walking out.
She went all the way down the hall to the staircase and went to the ground floor. She didn't even mind that she was in pajamas, or that the wind blasting through the automated doors made her shiver.
Her eyes were set on one target.
She saw Paige before Paige saw her. She walked over, as calmly as she could—if she ran, CD would kill her. (Something about rehab—Azzi stopped listening the third time she received that talk.)
"Paige." Her girlfriend whipped around, smiling so wide Azzi swore her cheeks would burst.
"Hi." Paige whispered, not wasting a second to hug Azzi tightly.
"C'mon, let's go up." Azzi murmured, and Paige nodded.
They were alone in the lift, thankfully. Their pinkies grazed as the elevator lurched into motion, and Paige sighed, leaning against Azzi.
"Missed you." Paige hummed, and Azzi gave her hand a small squeeze.
"Missed you too." Azzi smiled, head tilted to kiss Paige on the cheek.
"We're still kind of in public, and you're still very much under CD." Paige reminded her. The lift rang out, letting them know they'd reached their floor.
"Eh. Princess privilege." Azzi shrugged, grabbing Paige's hand and leading her down the hall.
"Just a warning," Azzi started before unlocking the door, "a lot has changed in the past 3 months."
"Can't be that bad?" Paige asked nervously.
"I—Just look." Azzi sighed, unlocking the door and walking in.
"MOM'S HOME!" Kelis yelled, flying to the door and barrelling into Azzi's side. Azzi had already braced for impact, barely moving an inch.
"I was here 2 minutes ago, Gup Gup." Azzi said dryly, and Kelis just shrugged, gripping onto Azzi like she was oxygen.
"This is your new kid." Azzi explained to Paige, gesturing down at Kelis.
"I…can see that." Paige blinked, staring at Kelis like she was a museum exhibition.
"Your other new kid is somewhere…there." Azzi waved her hand in the general direction of the crowd. "Kelis, get off me."
"Nope!" Kelis grinned, and Azzi sighed, walking on anyways with Kelis still glued to her hip.
"KK!" Azzi yelled. The girl in question turned around, abruptly halting her argument with Ice.
"DAD'S HOME!" KK shrieked, jumping over. Paige caught her with an "oomph", laughing as KK jumped around her like a feral dog.
"Hey, kid. You give your mom any issues?" KK shook her head, twists flying all over.
"Nope!" Then, in a dramatic whisper," I even ate the cottage cheese eggs." Paige gasped.
"They grow up so quick." Paige pouted, squeezing KK's cheek and laughing.
"Kayleigh!" Azzi called out sharply. Kayleigh turned around.
"Yeah?" Kayleigh asked.
"Why are you holding on to Morgan like a hostage?" Azzi asked, incredulous. Kayleigh looked down and realised she did, in fact, have Morgan's wrist in an iron-tight grip. She let go sheepishly.
"Sorry mom." Azzi just shook her head. Paige turned to face Azzi.
"How many did you adopt, exactly?" Paige stared, wide-eyed and jaw dropped. She was mildly scared of the answer she'd receive.
"Just Guppy and Kayleigh." Azzi reassured her. "To be fair, I couldn't not adopt Kay. I mean, look at her!" Azzi gestured vaguely in Kayleigh's direction. Kayleigh just waved, smiling.
"Thank God you won't be able to adopt any more of them after this year." Paige muttered. "Seriously, child support is not cheap."
"…You pay child support in coffee orders and flowers. And groceries." Azzi blinked.
"Yes." Paige agreed solemnly. "It's a difficult life over here."
"Paige, I love you so much, but you have it so easy. You could never raise all of these children on your own if you were in my position." Azzi laughed. Paige gawked.
"I could!"
"No you couldn't." Sarah and Ice called in unison with the same, bored tone.
"Y'all don't have any faith in me." Paige pouted. "C'mon KK, surely you think I can do it."
"If you were in Azzi's position, we would be dead by now." KK grimaced. Various murmurs of agreement rang out—mostly from old faces.
"Okay, that's a little dramatic, surely." Paige protested.
"It's really not. The only person on this team who would live is Sarah. She can cook." Jana called out, and Sarah reached over to give her a high five.
"See, Jana gets it." Sarah grinned.
"Yanna could survive too. Where is Yanna, anyways?" Azzi glanced around.
"Her and Carol went on a food run. I think they said something about tacos." Kelis informed her.
"When did I agree to adopt so many kids?" Paige hissed.
"You didn't adopt them. I did."
"Yes, but that means they're mine too." Azzi raised an eyebrow.
"You've contributed nothing to my parenting." Azzi reminded her.
"I raised KK for, like, 2 years." Paige tried.
"And after this, I'll have raised her for 3. What's your point?" Azzi shot back.
"Oop, not mom and dad fighting…" KK whispered dramatically, slowly backing off from Paige as Kelis did the same to Azzi.
"I'm obviously the better mom. I can keep them alive and healthy." Azzi added.
"I can keep people alive and healthy! I know how to cook. I literally taught you to make pancakes, Az." Paige's mouth was agape, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Yes, but you also bribe children with candy. I just found out KK was capable of being calm this year, because no one's been sneaking her candy past her bedtime." Azzi stressed.
"Oops." Paige flushed.
"Yeah. Oops." Azzi mocked.
"Whatever. Have you lined up a backup parent for next year yet?" Azzi nodded.
"You think I'm stupid? Course I did. Yanna will be holding the fort down, with KK ready to step in as needed. Sarah says she can do it, but I saw her hit her guitar against the wall the other day, so she's on probation." Azzi listed off. Every mentioned person nodded, with Sarah grimacing at the last part.
"Accidents happen." Sarah defended.
"I know, but actions have consequences, kiddo." Azzi chided, and Sarah sighed. slumping into bed glumly.
The door clicked open, and everyone turned. Caroline and Ayanna walked in with two bags of tacos.
"Hey g—oh, hey P. We bought tacos." Caroline and Ayanna each lifted one bag each as proof.
"You guys have a key?" Azzi frowned.
"I passed them mine." Sarah explained, and Azzi made an 'o' with her mouth.
"C'mon, y'all, hurry up, I wanna eat." Kelis groaned. Azzi laughed.
"Fine. Let's eat."