Limerence • Auli'i Cravalho (gxg)

new year's

"Have you lost your damn mind?!"

"What?" You asked, annoyed.

"You were out the whole night and didn't bother to call or even just text me? I was literally calling everyone we knew to ask where the hell you were."

"I can take care of myself. I'm standing right here, aren't I?"

"Barely. How drunk are you?"

"I dunno." You slurred, chuckling as you flopped down onto the couch. "Not that drunk."

"What on earth were you doing all night?" She asked, her voice laced with a tinge of concern as she sat down beside you.

"I had lunch with my Mom. Terrible choice. Did not go well." You sounded ridiculous. You were saying something negative but you were practically grinning like a kid who secretly ate a bunch of candy. "I walked out of that fucking diner so fast. But well, at least she won't be coming to our wedding."

'Oh, crap.' Auli'i thought to herself, 'I knew I should've insisted she didn't go to lunch with her Mom or I could've at least went with her.'

"I'm sorry, I should've went with you."

You scoffed, "It's fine. I finally got the guts to leave her with she was yelling her ass off at me in front of the whole place. Made a damn fool of herself."

"I'm sorry." She apologizes, pressing a kiss onto your forehead, "Is there anything I can do at all to make you feel better?"

"You being here with me- That's more than enough." A smile tugs at your lips.

"Wait..." Her smile fades, "How'd you get home?"

"I took a cab." You told her, "Seriously."

"Good. Because it's nearly three- well, four in the morning and I was scared to death that something terrible had happened." She slung her arm around your shoulder.

"I should've called. But I was just in such a bad mood that I wouldn't be saying anything that would do any good."

"I get that. But if you're ever out late in the future, especially when you're alone- please, please: no matter what. Let me know where you are, just in case."

"I will, I promise."

"You wanna go upstairs, get some sleep?" She asked.

— • —

You guys didn't go to bed. No. She ended up driving the two of you to Venice Beach, just in time to catch the sunrise.

"Shit, how long have you been up already?"

"Almost the 24 hours, actually. You?" You asked her back.

"I think me too." She laughs, "Oookay, wanna go grab some food on the way back home then we can go straight to bed?"

"Sounds like a plan." You shrug. "I needed this, thank you."

She gives your thigh a squeeze, and from the corner of your eye you saw her smiling. "Not a problem, my love."

After having breakfast while on your drive back, you two were quick to head upstairs and to bed for the rest of the morning. While you were then up answering some work emails, Auli'i was in the other room doing Zoom interviews for a good while. Eventually, you were both free. "Hey, babe?" You heard her call for you from the office, "Could you come in here for a sec?"

"Sure, baby." You answered while walking to where she was. "What's up?"

"Pack your bags, we're going to New York tonight."

You gulped, eyes wide. "Uh- New York. Tonight."

"Yep."

"Wow, shit. Really?"

She nodded, biting back a grin, "Tomorrow's New Year's Eve. I wanted to do something different."

"Alrighty then." You chuckled in disbelief, "I will get packing. And you- you please, no more surprises that'll cost you an arm and a leg."

"Okay, no promises." She replies in a singsongy tone. You sighed, making your way to your shared bedroom and pulled out a suitcase to start packing.

"I'm not going to be standing in Times Square to watch the ball drop." You said when you saw her enter the room.

She laughs, "Don't worry. I'm not keen on that, either. And I'm pretty sure we'll get just as good a view of it from our hotel room."

And so, that was the plan. You and Auli'i were in New York by the time it was December 31st. Plus, you'd slept for most of the flight so you definitely felt pretty great. Oh, and thank goodness for 24-hour check ins. "I'm not tired." You walked out of the shower and sat down in bed to watch reruns of SVU on TV. She sits with you, her head leaning on your shoulder as the theme tune played.

"This year's been tough, Auli'i. Thank you for this. And always being here for me no matter what."

"It's always gonna be you and me, my love. We got this."

— • —

You woke up at about half past nine in the morning. Turning your head, you realise that Auli'i was still asleep so you quietly got out of bed and went to wash up and get dressed for the day. While you were in the shower, you heard the bathroom door creak and shut. But you didn't pay much attention to it- you knew it was Auli'i. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Auli'i." You grinned.

"You been up long?" She asks.

"No, just about half an hour." You reply, turning the water off, "We'll go for breakfast at Liberty Bagels after you're ready?"

"I'd like that." She smiled.

While you got dressed, she quickly washed up and brushed her teeth then did her hair and makeup. "You know I can wait for you if you wanna take a shower right?"

"I know." She nodded, "Just want to have a bagel more than I wanna shower right now."

"Alright then, let's go get you that bagel."

After breakfast, the pair of you spent the day together doing touristy things all around the city. After sunset watching and a scrumptious dinner at one of Auli'i's favourite spots in town, you two slowly made your way back to the hotel...all ready to ring in the new year.

Auli'i went to take a shower, and joined her. The TV was first turned back on - you were debating between watching some TV first and joining her for a shower. Clearly, you went for the latter.

"Is it my turn to choose what we watch on TV next?" She asked playfully.

"Make me." You grinned.

"Challenge accepted." She leaned in to give you a lustful kiss.

— • —

Unedited. Published: Monday, 01 January 2024

Happy new year, everybody. Thank you for all your support thus far. It truly means the world to me to see that there are people who enjoy my work🤍