Work Text:
Pop.
Pop.
Crack. Pop-pop.
Pop-pop. Crack. PopPop.
Carmilla sighs, lifting herself up to wait on the counter as she waits for the buttery kernels to finish cooking. The TV rumbles on in the background, high pitched slasher girl screams seem to echo around sharp screeching suspenseful music. She can tell, just by the muffled audio coming from her living room, that this movie is near over. If there is a chainsaw revving and some girl is crying for her boyfriend while another attempts to pull her away from what Carmilla assumes is his dead body, then yeah, they’re nearing the end of their run. She’s in no hurry to get out there, though. It’s Halloween, she’s home alone and there’s always a horror movie marathon going on pretty much any channel in the month of October, which means the minute this one ends another shitty slasher should start, allowing her to zone out and ignore everything she’s missing.
She glances back at the microwave. A minute and a half. She spots a big bag of Peanut Butter M&Ms (that she’s sure are Mattie’s) across the counter, she leans over the space to pull them over to her, making sure it crosses the pristine counter carefully, not wanting another lecture about cleanliness followed by another two-month grounding from her mom.
The chocolate crunches savory in her teeth, consoling her disappointment.
She’d wanted to go to Laura’s Halloween party. Hell, Carmilla was hesitant to even call it that. It wasn’t going to be a rager or anything. Just a tradition between Laura and her dad, where every Halloween they’d invite some friends over to watch the Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride and Monster House while making some downright unhealthy snacks.
Carmilla had seen the photos from previous years. The orange fairy lights they’d hang around the borders of the Hollis house, green jello shaped like brains, the ice hand made with a rubber glove floating in grape punch. LaFontaine’s constant mad scientist costume that seemed to get more extravagant with each year, especially after JP showed up to be her experiment, Laura’s cute nerdy get-ups that seemed to get more adorable with each passing year (the younger girl had refused reveal what she was being this year as she wanted it to be a surprise for the party). Perry and her cleaning supplies following after everyone else. Sherman’s warm smile as he made sure everyone was safe and that they wouldn’t turn into the plot of one of the shitty horror movies Carmilla was currently stuck with.
Carmilla sighs.
Her mother had forbidden her from attending Laura’s celebration. She’d taken Will and Mattie to her school's own much more conservative Halloween Party. Leaving Carmilla at home to watch the house and hand out candy.
She really should be less surprised, mother had never let her participate in any Halloween festivities. She shouldn’t have expected it to be any different now that she was a senior, especially not if it involved Laura, who Lilita seemed to hate more than Carmilla herself.
For now, stealing her sister’s M&Ms to poor into her popcorn and a marathon containing more corn syrup than Laura’s diet would have to do.
Beep-beep-beep.
Carmilla snaps back to attention at the alert that her popcorn is ready. The steaming hot bag nearly burns her as she drops it on the counter to fetch something to put it in. She pours the bag and half of the chocolate together, jerking the bowl around to mix it up.
She flops down onto the maroon couch, curling her feet beneath her as the credits roll, loud screeching guitar blasting over it.
The next movie starts with a long shot of a lone cabin in the woods.
Then the camera follows a girl, focused on her ass, of course, through the house. The sound of a knock at this door results in a boy peaking out from a doorway. He flips his hair greasy hair away from his face.
"Who's that, Babe?" He asks the blonde. He grabs a handful of her ass and she laughs dumbly. Carmilla feels herself losing brain cells at this protrayal of women.
"No idea, Jesse."
Of course that's his name. He smirks at bites at her neck and she giggles, pushing at his chest.
Then the knock comes back and he releases what Carmilla knows would be a humid sort of exhale against her skin.
"Be right back, babe. I'm gonna go check that out."
“Don’t answer it,” Carmilla scolds, scoffing at the idiocy of these one-dimensional characters just made for stabbing.
Ding-dong.
The sound rings through the empty house, bringing Carmilla’s back into reality. She can hear cheers and cries from outside with laughter and muffled stereotypical Halloween music from a few houses down. She glances around, eyes roaming across the living room to the brightly lit hallway.
Ding-dong, the doorbell rings again. She groans and flops back, letting her head hit the back of the couch, then sighs and sits herself up, boots thumping against the dark wood floors as she goes to stand.
She switches her bowl of popcorn for a bowl of candy out of the dining room as she makes her way to the front door.
She is half expecting it to be a mask wearing creep with a knife when she opens the door, not that she couldn’t handle it, but it’s just the kind of luck the world likes to give her.
But no, it’s not a serial killer or even a kid in a pirate costume.
Both girl’s eyes widen as the recognize one another.
Danny Lawrence. Carmilla knows her vaguely, through Laura and her friends along with the general buzz amongst school about her being the only girl on the lacrosse team.
Carmilla is surprised for more than a few reasons to see the girl standing on her porch. She’d expected her to be with Laura, a fact that contributed a lot to Carmilla’s discontent at not being able to go.
Moments pass as they both try to figure out what question to go with first.
“Aren't you a little old to be trick or treating?” Carmilla purrs, starting the conversation with her hand resting against the edge of the door as she stares condescendingly at her classmate.
The ginger girl's grin is automatic and toothy and her eyes light up like bright blue Christmas lights. "Probably. But my siblings are making it their mission to haul as much candy as possible home tonight. A lot of them are starting to get to be too old for this now so they want to get enough to make it last. I kinda doubt it will be around more than a week in a house of six kids. Especially if my older brother comes around…” Danny chuckles, looking down at her ratty converse. She shuffles one shoe against Carmilla’s mom’s pristine light gray doormat. It leaves a dark patchy stain against it and Carmilla’s lip tips up a little even though she knows the blame is going to be placed on her. “So, they decided to make this year a family affair. Although, that's probably more just because of the fact that we all have long legs. Easier to cover more ground with a lot of us. That and the fact that I can drive… So, candy?” Danny holds out her old worn pillowcase, shaking it for emphasis on how little candy she has.
Carmilla can't help but huff a laugh at this as she leans against the doorway. "Okay... Fine. You're gonna have to work for it then. What are you supposed to be?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
Carmilla raises an eyebrow like that's a silly thing to ask and Danny sighs dejectedly at her.
“I’m a frat boy.”
Carmilla’s eyes go from the backwards blue flat brimmed baseball cap, to her big striped muscle tee (that shows off her well worked biceps) with a pair of plastic sunglasses tucked into the neckline, black basketball shorts and socks that go to her mid-calf (covering her toned track and field muscles, which Carmilla, is ashamed to think she would kinda like to see). She wouldn’t look half bad if the whole ensemble was less douchy.
“Oh really?” She asks, as though it’s not a surprise. “That’s not a costume. You’re always an asshole.”
Danny rolls her eyes but her teeth dig into her bottom lip as she nods her head in slight respect at the insult.
"Oh yeah? Who are you supposed to be? Drusilla?" Danny gestures to the leather pants.
Carmilla can’t help but let out a small chuckle at the reference. “You know these are my normal clothes, Lawrence.”
“Yes… But maybe she’s your style inspiration, I don’t know. No judgment here.”
“Oh shut up.” Carmilla groans, smile in her voice as she holds out the candy. “Here, take a handful. I won’t look.”
The tall girl grins cautiously back at the brunette. “Thanks. A much-appreciated donation to the Lawrence Candy Foundation.”
“Get out of here,” Carmilla rolls her eyes, shoulder rolling against the doorframe as she adjusts.
Danny pauses on the porch, staring at the tiny girl. The crickets chirp around them and Carmilla vaguely recognizes the sound of leaves rustling under the echoing shrieks and giggles of happiness through the night. “Why aren’t you at Laura’s?” She asks suddenly, as though it’s just dawned on her.
“I uh… Couldn’t get a ride,” Carmilla lies and Danny seems to understand that that’s not exactly the case.
“You could always come with me, you know? I’m just doing this until ten, then I’m heading to the party.”
“Can’t.” She lifts up the plastic dish in her hand. “Candy duty,” and a movie marathon with her unfortunate exile written all over it.
“So?” Danny scoffs. “Put the bowl on the porch.”
“So one punk kid can come and dump it into their bag?” Carmilla asks skeptically, attempting to hide her fear of what would happen if her mom found out she left.
“Like you totally weren’t that kid?” Carmilla shuffles her feet. She’s never really been any kid on Halloween. Lilita never let her participate. “Come on. Live a little,” Danny smiles, big, bright and inviting, like a blanket on a rainy day.
“I don’t have a costume…” Carmilla tries to excuse herself from the situation.
“Got an eyeliner pencil?”
The dark haired girl gives her a skeptical look but she turns around to locate one in the nearby hall bathroom. When she gets back she hands it over, slightly concerned about what it’s for.
“Can I?” Danny questions, leaning towards her slightly.
Carmilla doesn’t know what makes her say it, but she replies, “Sure.”
Then, the cap is being jerked off, Danny’s freehand is on the back of Camila's neck to keep her head steady and the tip of the pencil finds her nose. It stays there, making a large circle that Danny fills in quickly. Then it moves to her cheeks and Carmilla can feel Danny carefully dragging it out to make even lines.
“There,” Danny states, clicking the cap on over the pencil, “You’re a black cat.”
“Thanks,” Carmilla replies sarcastically.
Danny’s proud expression doesn’t falter. “You’re welcome. Come on.”
She doesn’t even know what makes her do it, she shouldn’t even do it. Her mom will kill her, but something about the way Danny is looking at her and how nice she’s being, despite their differences, has her locking the door behind her, pillowcase in hand as she sets the bowl down with a note attached that reads 'you’re welcome,’ and abandoning her freshly made popcorn.
She can’t help but glance around as they walk down the sidewalk, waiting for her mom’s car to come speeding by and see her. Her feet feel loud against the concrete and she feels like she sticks out like a sore thumb.
When they get to their first house together Danny pushes the doorbell, glancing over at Carmilla. “You gotta say it.”
“Say what?”
“The thing,” she urges, as though it’s the most important thing they could do right now. “Be enthusiastic. Trust me. If you’re excited about this they’ll think it’s charming and give us candy.”
Then the door opens.
“Trick or treat!”
The woman in the house laughs. “Oh wow! Awww. How fun! I love your costumes!”
“Thanks,” Danny answers for the both of them.
“What a cute date idea.”
“What?” Carmilla snaps but Danny ignores her and continues on.
“Yeah. I try to be original. We’re out with my brothers so it’s also getting her used to the family.”
The talked about girl gags a little for emphasis and Danny pinches her arm.
“So that’s why she’s pouty. It’s hard to make a good impression, huh? You two are sweet. Here,” the woman drops multiple pieces of candy into each of their bags.
“Thank you!”
“Thanks,” Carmilla grumbles when Danny gives her a look.
Danny hops down the walkway from the door. “Please at least try to have fun. Stop pouting. Your costume isn't supposed to be grumpy cat.”
“Okay, okay.”
“Why are you being so weird about this anyway? It’s like you don’t know how to trick or treat.”
The shorter girl walks faster, refusing to look at her.
“Oh god. No… Really?” when she doesn’t get a response, she gasps. “No way.”
“Yep.”
“Well then this night has to make up for the seventeen years you’ve been wasting.”
“Oh wow. Thanks, Lawrence,” she snarks.
“Just… Please? Try?”
Sigh. “Fine.”
When the next person answers Carmilla plays along. She does what she would’ve as a kid. She shouts it in chorus along with Danny, doing her best to smile and take compliments on her makeshift costume. When they walk away, their bags a little heavier, she has to admit it is kind of a nice feeling.
They move from house to house, some people turn them away because of their age, which, kinda makes Carmilla ache a little, wishing she had just gotten to do this as a child, but before she can go too far down that train of thought Danny nudges her with her elbow.
“Boo.”
“What?”
“Boo them. They’re no fun. Not like us.”
“We’re an us?”
“Of course!We are a candy collecting team.”
“Shut up,” Carmilla laughs, nudging her back and trying to ignore the tingle as the uncovered skin of their arms brush.
“It’s for the children.” They shuffle along the sidewalk further, kids run between them and around them, leaves rustle under their feet and Danny looks nice under all the varying little lights strung to the houses and trees they pass.
Carmilla doesn’t remember the last time she’s had to fight a smile so hard. Over the course of the night, they hadn’t gotten too much candy, but Carmilla doesn’t mind. Something about just wandering the neighborhood with Danny by her side is enough. Danny does everything in her power to keep the smile coming back on Carmilla’s usually unimpressed face.
To Carmilla, it more than makes up for the time she’d missed out on. Having someone around who treats you like it’s their sole focus is to keep you happy… It’s a nice feeling. Which is why it feels akin to what Camilla thinks taking candy away from a baby would feel like when Danny stops in her tracks.
“Oh shit.”
An edge of nervousness creeps up on Carmilla. “What?”
“It’s almost nine-thirty.”
“And?”
“I’m supposed to have the kids home by ten.”
Carmilla stares at her through the dark as her thumbs speed over her keyboard, probably texting said siblings. Finally, Danny slides her phone shut. “Okay, come on. I gotta go get them.”
Carmilla slowly moves after her, not ready to let go of the most fun she’s had in years.
“Hurry it up. My mom’s gonna be upset if they-” She turns around and catches the brunette’s apprehensive expression. “Carm?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, sure. I’m fine.”
Danny doesn’t look convinced, still seeming to be analyzing her as she nods steadily. “Good because we gotta get to my truck and pick up some kiddos.”
“We?”
“Duh. You are my partner in crime, remember? No way you are skipping out on this one. I have to manage seven children, okay? I need backup. You are coming whether you like it or not.” Then Danny’s hand suddenly finds hers, fingers lacing together automatically.
There is a sigh of relief and the shorter girl picks up her pace to keep up with the ginger’s long legs.
They walk a few streets back until they come upon an old parked truck the same color as Danny’s hair. Carmilla is grateful that they didn’t have to walk back by her house. Danny opens the door for Carmilla, standing to the side to allow her to step up. It’s a stretch, Carmilla’s legs are nowhere near that of the average Lawrence but she makes it work.
Danny shuts the door gently behind her and Carmilla doesn’t miss her grin as she walks around the front to the driver’s side.
“So,” Danny swings herself into the cabin, “We’ll get the youngest first, then we’ll come back for the rest.” She shifts the car into gear and safely pulls out of her parking place.
Carmilla watches out the window as they drive by her house and sees that her mom's car is still absent from the driveway. She heaves a sigh of relief and sits back in her seat. Resting her arm against the window she grips her hair in her fingers, willing herself to forget about what’s to come when she gets home.
“Whatcha thinking about?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Carm, come on. I think we’ve bonded enough that you can tell me.”
“Maybe another time,” she replies, and the dangerous thing is that she means it.
“Okay,” Danny doesn’t dig and it’s a nice contrast to Laura, who never seems to stop trying to figure out why Carmilla’s home life is less than perfect.
The car pulls up against a curb, a tree looming over the roof of the car. That’s when Carmilla notices some figures approaching from under it. One tall, three tiny and obviously children.
When the tallest one gets to the truck, pulling the door open, he starts a little in surprise and his blue eyes go from Danny, Carmilla and then back to Danny.
“Pick up someone along the way did we?” He grins at the other redhead before pulling the back door open as well.
“Yep. Sorry. Do you mind if Sophie sits on your lap?”
“Not at all,” he smiles at his sister, beginning to lift the younger Lawrences into the seats. He starts to hops in after the first two
“I can get in the back if you-” Carmilla tries to switch with the taller man, attempting to give him more leg room since she’s so beyond last minute and inconvenient.
“Hey, it’s okay. I’ve got this,” he squeezes himself into the already crowded interior and pulls the third child into his lap, giving her a big happy grin as he tickles her tummy.
Carmilla turns to give Danny and insisting look but the other girl just looks incredibly pleased as she shifts back into gear and pulls away.
“You going to introduce us, Dan?” Carmilla hears the deep voice speak up from behind her.
“Uh sure-”
She turns around in her seat before Danny can continue. “Carmilla. Carmilla Karnstein,” she informs him, shaking his hand firmly, even with the awkward angle.
“Charlie,” he beams at her, nice and pleasant before taking his hand back and pointing to the girl he’s holding. “Sophie,” he moves his hand again, to the little boy sitting in the middle, “Owen,” the boy waves quickly, a small blush forming on his chubby cheeks, “and this here,” Charlie ruffles a hand to the third boy’s hair, “is Liam. He’s the youngest.”
Liam hides his face in his hand, taking tiny little glances between his fingertips every few moments, just to jerk away when he sees Carmilla still watching.
“Hey,” is the only thing she can really muster up in response, which sets off a chorus of giggles amongst the kids.
“So… How do you know our sister here?”
“We have a few classes together.” The girls share a glance.
“And how have you become a part of tonight’s festivities?”
“Danny convinced me to get out of the house.”
“I had to. It was my duty considering you’ve never been trick or treating.”
There comes a chorus of “ what? ” from the back seat and she can practically feel all of their light eyes on her.
“Never…” Charlie drifts off. “That’s a fucking injustice.”
Danny jokingly scolds him, taking a look in the rearview as the kids laugh. “Charlie.”
“Sorry kids,” he apologizes before turning back to the front, “really? This is your first year?”
“I wasn’t even going to start today but… Danny forced me into it.”
“Yeah well, you needed forcing.” Danny retorts,giving her new friend a pointed look.
Then a small voice asks, “how old are you?” and Carmilla turns back to see Sophie staring at her boldly.
“Seventeen.”
“So you’re Danny’s age?”
“Uh,” Carmilla doesn’t know how to talk to kids. “Yeah?”
The girl raises one of her tiny eyebrows smartly. “Hm.”
It scares Carmilla a little how knowing she sounds.
Charlie wraps his arms around her a little tighter, trying to hide an amused smile behind his sister’s back. “So, have you been having a good time tonight.”
“No. No. Just awful. Xena over here is just terrible.”
“Shut up,” she says using one of her large hands to nudge Carmilla by the shoulder, both of them looking fond as they turn their faces away from one another.
“So terrible,” Charlie agrees.
“At least I’m not as bad as you,” Danny claps back, sharing a glance in the rear view mirror with her sister as the older Lawrence rolls her eyes, which causes a loud eruption of giggles from the younger sister, freckled cheeks pulled up into a smile almost as charming as Danny’s own.
That’s when they pull down a crumbling driveway and up to a small house.
Carmilla had not even noticed how far they’d gone from her neighborhood.
“What do you say, kids?”
“Thank you!” Liam, Sophie (who still is looking at Carm a little judgmentally) and Owen answer. As they crawl out she gets another shy wave from Liam, Owen shakes her hand and tells her it was nice and Sophie says “I’m watching you,” which, should not unnerve Carmilla as much as it does.
“Bye, Carmilla. Have a good rest of your night, okay?”
“Sure thing, Charles.”
He scoffs, bumping the back of her chair a little with his knee. “Don’t get smart, kid.”
“Here,” she tries to hand her pillowcase of snacks back to him for his siblings, ignoring the gnawing sense of worry in her stomach, hoping her mom won’t notice it’s missing.
“Oh no,” he pushes it back at her. “This is all yours. It’s your first year. You get to enjoy every last piece. Danny, you make sure she eats some of that.”
Carmilla doesn’t really understand the sudden intense urge to thank him, but she does and his accepting look lifts a weight off her shoulders.
“You’re welcome.” He turns to Danny. “You, on the other hand, are not so lucky. Hand it over.”
Rolling her eyes, Danny swings the bag back at him, making sure to whack him a little.
She steps out of the car after him, losing the door part way as she hugs her brothers and sister.
Carmilla doesn’t miss Charlie telling Danny, “I like her,” in a hushed sort of tone as he walks away, a hand clapping down on his little sister's shoulder. The girl nods at her feet and Carmilla can see her dip her head, laughing a little to herself before getting back in beside the black-haired girl.
Carmilla uses her hand to conceal the quiet joy on her face, Danny doesn’t need to know she actually likes her.
“Okay,” she sighs, hand running through her locks, “three more.”
“Three more?”
“House of six kids, remember?”
Danny rolls her crank windows down, allowing the wind to come flowing through the cabin, spreading the smell of Danny around them. Woodsy and clean. Natural. Carmilla feels like she could wrap herself up in it.
“Here,” Danny holds out her hand. “You need to share. Give me some candy.”
“Are you going to ask nicely?” Carmilla taunts and the other girl laughs and rolls her eyes.
“Pleeeeaaseee?” Danny drags out, looking at Carmilla charmingly.
Carmilla sigh, it’s fake because she enjoys it all a lot more than she would ever admit, but she still has to keep up appearances. “Fine. What do you want?” She pulls open the bag and digs through a few levels.
“Surprise me?”
Carmilla shuffles through it for a few more seconds before handing over an apple lollipop covered with caramel.
“Nice.” Danny unwraps it quickly and pops it in her mouth. “What about you? You heard the man. Eat some.”
She rolls her eyes but does as she’s told, finding a tiny snickers and chewing on it tentatively.
Danny looks proud of herself and it’s enough to keep Carmilla going through the pillowcase for the two of them.
It’s easy to spot Danny’s last few siblings as they drive up to the meeting place. Their red hair sticks out in the headlights and Carmilla recognizes the third figure easily after going to school with him every day of the past three years.
She narrows her eyes as he comes up to the window, leaning in to look at the two girls.
“Scare-hottie!” he exclaims, sounding genuinely excited to see her.
“Do I need to remind you what will happen if you continue to call me that?”
He pales, obviously remembering the time she’d held his arm behind his back and threatened to break it sophomore year after he’d used the misogynistic nickname towards her to the umpteenth time. Laura had explained that he meant no harm by anything he said, just ignorance and his friend group lead to him picking up some not so spectacular habits.
“So…” he pats the window frame and looks from Danny to Carmilla like heś expecting something.
“You’re in the back, Kirsch,” Danny seemingly reads his mind.
He bends his knees, rolling his eyes as he groans and looks up at the sky. “But my legs-”
“Back, Kirsch,” Danny says, smiling at Carmilla as he smacks his head against the metal roof.
“Back, Kirsch,” the two other boys drone in unison, snarking at him as they move around to the other side.
“I’ve got it! I’ve got it!” he defends, whining under his breath like a disappointed puppy as he shuffles into the back.
This is when Carmilla really takes in the other two boys. Both are tall and wiry, one of them, despite his height being near Danny’s, is definitely on the younger side, baby fat preventing him from looking as statuesque as his other older siblings. The second boy is familiar, Carmilla is pretty sure she’s seen him around school, maybe even in one of her classes. He and Danny have the same abrupt angular cheekbones, but instead of Dany’s usual warmth, he wears a sort of sharp indifference across his features.
“Who’s this?” the younger boy asks, leaning forward to look at his sister in the front seat.
Kirsch answers for her. “Carmilla.”
“Wait, don’t you like… Hate he-” A hand comes off the wheel and goes flying towards his face before he can finish the thought.
Carmilla shifts uncomfortably, reminded about their previous disposition towards one another, the one people have come to expect from them. How Danny must have talked bad about her to them. Even the people that don’t know them. If this sort of relationship continued on to school, people wouldn’t understand why all of the sudden the two of them seemed friendly.
At this thought, Carmilla cuts off Danny’s answer. “We do hate each other. I’m just here for the ride.”
The Lawrences go silent. Carmilla fills with guilt as Danny slumps, looking disappointed and… Carmilla aches to say she can sense hurt in the blue of her turned away eyes.
“A ride where?” the one that closely resembles Danny asks, brows set low as he stares at her.
She want’s to flinch away from the angry judgmental look because she doesn’t mean it but she answers him anyway. “Laura’s party.” She can tell he’s about to rip into her before she stops him. “And who, are you ?”
“Shawn,” he counters, still staring at her like it’s a challenge.
The other one lifts two fingers, as if reminding them he’s there.“I’m Nick.”
“Calm down, Shawn. Carmilla is fine,” Danny sounds tense and her voice is steely, cold in a way Carmilla hasn’t heard it all night. She wants to speak up, say it’s not true and that she wants to be here, but she knows how that changes things and she can’t bring herself to turn back around to change what she’s said.
“Don’t you think that’s a little... rude?”
“To use your darling sister here for a ride?”
Danny’s hands tighten on the wheel at the sarcasm that comes so naturally.
Everything inside Carmilla screams for her to stop. “She’s helping Laura out.”
The boy softens at the name and she turns back around at the obvious favoring of the sophomore girl. The bitter feeling that pushes through Carmilla feels like vomit. All this time they’ve both been paying attention to Laura… And there the two of them were, hating each other and constantly arguing. They could’ve had… Whatever this is going on the whole time.
“Actually…” She doesn’t know what makes her do it. “I’m messing with you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. Danny over here is actually pretty cool.”
The car swerves a little and everyone braces, followed by profuse apologizing on Danny’s part.
The boy looks unsure but Kirsch jumps in to save her. “Woah. I don’t think I’ve heard you say anyone but Laura’s actual name... Ever,” his dudebro awe seems to sedate Shawn, and he sits back in his seat, eyes still trained on the brunette.
She sighs, feeling a small stress lift off her at the resolution of the budding argument. Then she glances over at Danny.
Her mouth is hidden behind her hand but Carmilla can tell that she’s attempting to conceal her smile. Carmilla can't help but do the same as she watches her turn down the street to the Lawrence house.
As their passengers leave the truck, Carmilla checks her phone, finding multiple texts waiting for her.
Will [10:15]:
You’re in deep shit, Kitten.
She can practically see him smiling about it and she hates the way they’ve been driven apart by Mother, she wishes she’d caught on to what was happening before it was too late. Before Will chose his side with their mom. Mattie, on the other hand, is ever the loyal sister.
Mattie [10:23]:
You might want to be ending your little escapade right about now.
Mattie [10:37]:
It’s bad, Carm.
After everyone is out Danny turns back to Carmilla. “So, the party?”
“Wasn’t the oversized mutt invited too?” she questions, trying to distract Danny as she types out a quick response.
Carmilla [10:42]:
On my way back.
“He was, but I think Shawn and Nick have kidnapped him for some sort of movie or gaming marathon. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are using him for bait in some zombie game, Scooby Doo style.”
Carmilla hums, shoving her phone back into her pocket, refusing to look up at the taller girl.
Danny seems to think about it before interjecting: “He’s like my brother.” It’s like she’s trying to defend herself.
“He doesn't have the hair for that.”
She laughs. “No. No, he doesn’t, but… We all love him, you know? He’s one of us. An honorary Lawrence.”
“An honorary Lawrence?”
“Yeah… My family has this habit of sort of adopting my friends.”
“Adopting?” Carmilla questions, leaning back to look at Danny better.
“They just kinda take in all the people who need better family.”
Carmilla can feel something akin to hope light up in her chest at these words.
“Kirsch was kinda the first. He doesn't exactly have the best home life, his mom drinks because his dad left them a few years ago... She loves him but it's just hard for her to keep it together. Nice lady, bad experiences.”
Carmilla doesn’t even like Kirsch, but she can sympathize with a troubled home life.
"Laura and Sherman are the other examples of this."
"Sherman?"
"Laura's dad. The thanksgiving after their mom died Papa Hollis couldn't get through cooking and it was... Honestly a complete mess , so... We ended up taking them in. That Christmas too. And everyone since. They deserve to have a big family, especially during the holidays, they are just those kind of people... So we're their extended family."
“That’s sweet,” there’s no sarcasm in her voice.
Danny nods, looking happy and content in this moment. There are some beats of silence before she seems to realize they can’t just sit in her driveway all night. “Still wanna go to the party?”
Carmilla thinks about it for a second, and she wants to, she wants to stay with Danny every last moment of tonight she can, but there is a worry in her chest. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”
There is a sort of regret and worry that plagues Danny’s features, but Carmilla knows she’s already in enough trouble, so she doesn’t say anything as Danny shifts into gear and pulls away from the house.
“Tonight has been fun.”
“Hell frickin’ yeah it has,” Danny nods approvingly, driving carefully through the inhabited dark street.
“Thank you.”
“Nah. Don’t thank me.” Danny parks.
“No really. I think it made up for a lot,” by a lot she means years and years of missing out on holidays, friends… years and years of missing out on this bubbling overflowing feeling brewing inside of her.
“We should definitely do stuff together more often.”
Carmilla smiles, shaking her head a little as she hops out onto the sidewalk. She’s not expecting it, but she hears a second door slam and sneakers following her up the steps to her house. The porch is dark but she can see light through the glass in the door, so she knows they are up and waiting for her.
The porch creaked beneath her feet and she winces, hoping to god nobody inside heard it. Then comes a small shove to her shoulder followed by a laugh as Carmilla tries to shove back.
They swat a little at each other in the dark, Carmilla using her pillowcase to help her reach farther laughing quietly as they stumble around. After a minute or so Carmilla’s concern comes rushing back and she pauses watching the other girl’s carefree expression.
“You sure you’re okay?” Danny looks suspicious.
The crickets are loud around them, a sort of noisy silence that is quiet but surrounding all at once.
She’s tired of lying. “Danny… I can’t... I can’t get into it.”
The girl nods, looking worried but understanding. “Anything I can do to help?”
Carmilla turns and sees all of the care and sudden fondness over Danny’s features. She never thought she would want to see Danny looking at her like that, but it makes everything inside her feel much more full.
“Come here, you fucking asshole.” Her hands go to Danny’s shirt, pulling her face down to the same level.
Hands skate over the soft skin of Danny’s neck as their lips press together.
There is a pause, where they pull back just enough to breathe each other’s air.
Everything waiting inside is going to be unpleasant. There’s no telling what her punishment will be or if she will ever even get to hang out with Danny again.
So, she allows herself this little escape, this freedom.
She reconnects their lips harshly, finger’s tangling in the taller girl’s long auburn hair.
Danny backs the two of them against the shadow shrouded wall of the porch. It’s rough, both of them pushing hard against one another, fighting differently than they normally would.
Danny tastes sugary like apples and chocolate and preservatives, but there is a tiny hint of something else that Carmilla figures must just be Danny.
She pulls back for a moment resting her forehead against the taller girls. She doesn’t want this to end. She wants to be able to drag Danny inside, tug her in and up the stairs, push her into her room and onto her bed. Keep the night going, with movies and candy and kisses. Carmilla brushes her fingers across her neck and lets her own head lean against the wall. Danny holds on her hips, keeping them pressed close.
They lean in again, noses brushing softly as they ease back into the kiss. Danny’s lips are softer now, the press less harsh. Having Danny’s smell is pressed close to her is remarkably calming, the pine and woods and the general freshness grounds Carmilla to the current moment wipes her worries away for the time being.
She can feel Danny’s heartbeat increase under one of her palms as she slides her tongue along her bottom lip.
Hands move from Carmilla’s hips to beneath her thighs and then she’s being hoisted against the wall, trapped under Danny’s warm body. Then her breath hitches as Danny moves her mouth to her neck. “Fuck. Danny. Fuck.”
“Carm.”
She groans at the nickname, letting her head hit the barrier behind her. She runs her hands back through Danny’s gorgeous locks, completely lost in the feeling of her ex-enemy against her.
There doesn’t seem to be any sign of stopping between them, Danny’s hands are slowly making their way up Carm’s shirt and Carmilla is keeping Danny as close as possible with her legs. Then-
Carmilla’s phone vibrates.
The pause for a moment, allowing their skin to brush for a few moments before starting back into it with a slow graze of their lips.
Her phone goes off again. She grunts, taking one hand away from Danny to shove it back into her pocket.
Mattie [11:20]:
You’re making it worse for yourself.
Mattie [11:20]:
Where. In. The. Hell. Are. You.
Carmilla exhales shakily, a surge of emotions overwhelming her. Her mom can’t just let her have one goddamn good night. She leans her head into Danny’s shoulder, taking a deep inhale of her scent.
“I’m sorry,” she murmurs, letting their lips touch one more time. Danny sets her down gently. “We are going to pick this up later.” She pokes at Danny, taking note of her blown out pupils as she goes to the door.
Danny grins, looking a mess as she jogs down the steps, then she turns and walks backward to watch Carmilla as she’s leaving. The girl doesn’t even take her eyes away when she kind of trips, or when her back hits her truck and she has to move around to the other side. “I’m into you!” she calls out as she opens the driver’s seat.
Carmilla shakes her head at the shenanigans, her cheeks aching from a number of times she’d smiled in one night.
“Bye! I’ll get your number from… Somebody.”
Carmilla doesn’t bother calling back that she might not have a phone for much longer, she just watches Danny’s old orange truck pull away, a hand waving at her from inside.
“I’m into you too, Danny,” she whispers to no one, staring after her longingly.
Then, she steals herself, pulling out her house key and turning to unlock the door. It pops open easily and despite knowing that nothing good will happen inside, she can’t help but think this has been one of the best days of her life and that somehow, more will follow.