Irhaboggle Pride (2022) Gaylor Swift's Version

Untouchable, Breathe, Come in With the Rain

Laura's eyes opened and she saw a pair peering back down at her. They seemed to shine in the starlight, as if twin flames themselves. Ordinarily, she would've been afraid, but she knew who it was looming over her bed tonight. She was silent; the smile curving on her face said it all. The eyes drew closer, then she felt a weight on her body. The person, the woman, was straddling her. Laura reached up and cold, smooth skin met her palm. Even though her lover's skin was almost icy, heat rose between them, burning brighter than the sun.

Now that her lover was close, Laura felt herself coming undone. Finally, she whispered a single name into the night. "Carmilla."

"My beloved," Carmilla's voice was low, soft, and silky, like her touch. She dragged a finger down Laura's cheek, reveling in the feeling of her.

"Kiss me," Laura instructed, unusually bold tonight. Carmilla even quirked an eyebrow, but rather than chide her sweet little Laura for trying to tell her what to do, she decided to comply, lowering her face until it was inches away from Laura's... centimeters... millimeters...

Hands became more insistent, wrapping around bodies with more gusto than before. Maybe they were crazy to think that this could work, but all Laura could remember was what Carmilla told her only a few nights ago: "I live in you; and you would die for me, I love you so."

"Come on, come on, say that we'll stay together!" Laura pleaded, encouraged, between the kisses. Maybe they could get away with this...

"Shhh," Carmilla whispered against Laura's lips. "Quiet, my love. Let us enjoy the night while it lasts." She may have been a vampire, a damned soul, but in moments like this, she was back in Eden. Laura, of course, was her forbidden fruit. Religion was in her lips and the altar was her hips.

Laura smiled up at her dreamily, reveling in the feeling of Carmilla hanging over her lips like the Gardens of Babylon. She felt the same way Carmilla did. She would worship this love even if it was a false god. She lived for nights like this when Carmilla would fly to and lie with her.

"I'm only half satisfied, and you were so cruel as to keep me waiting all day, even though I told you I didn't want to," she teased.

"I said I would be awake as soon as I could," Carmilla retorted, but even though her words and voice were a little sharp, her kisses were soft. Her dear, sweet Laura could not know the way the sun burned her, and kept Laura untouchable during the day. But at night...?

Laura laughed into Carmilla's kisses. She knew Carmilla said she'd be here anyway, every day, as soon as possible. And she knew her strange, dearest love had the most peculiar of habits when it came to sleep. She was a night person. But that was fine, so long as Laura got to enjoy her eventually. Now that Carmilla was finally close, Laura was coming undone. As if in poetic contrast, though, Laura was a day person, rising with the sun even though it was seldom planned. She woke from her pleasant dream, regretful that Carmilla was no longer by her side, lying next to her. But she knew Carmilla was tired from the long night, wonderful though it had been.

ooo

Then Laura woke from another dream, tired, almost sickly. She wasn't sure when untouchable became unreachable, unbearable, but it did. Carmilla was gone, lost to the night, fled after her treachery and true nature were revealed. But even though she was gone, she still haunted Laura's dreams, just like before, but they were no longer so sweet.

Laura hated them because she couldn't talk to Carmilla when she was like this, just a phantom staring out the window, but she wouldn't look at Laura anymore. She wanted to dare Carmilla to leave, just to try to scare some life into her, but because it was just a dream, the hazy vision of Carmilla remained unresponsive. That scared Laura more than anything.