Never Not You

We're actually doing this?

Leah and Aurora lay intertwined together on their bed. Leah's face was pressed against Aurora's chest, her breath warm and steady as she rested in the familiar comfort of Aurora's embrace. Aurora's fingers trailed gently along Leah's bare back, nails lightly scratching in a way that made Leah's body respond with small shivers of pleasure. Every now and then, a soft sigh would escape Leah's lips as she melted into the touch, completely at peace in the quiet moment they shared.

"Le," Aurora's voice was soft, almost hesitant, breaking the stillness of the room.

Leah hummed in contentment, her eyes closed, not wanting to move from her spot. Aurora's voice always calmed her, but this time there was something in her tone that made Leah's heart skip just a little faster.

"Mi amor, look at me, please," Aurora said, her fingers stilling as she gently urged Leah to lift her head.

With a small, reluctant sigh, Leah shifted, lifting her head from Aurora's chest, her chin now resting against it as she blinked up at her. Leah's hair was slightly messy, her face warm and relaxed. "What's up?" she asked, her voice soft, still filled with the contentment from moments before.

Aurora took a deep breath, her eyes locking with Leah's. She brushed a stray piece of hair behind Leah's ear, her hand lingering on her cheek. "Should we just... elope?" Aurora asked, her voice soft but certain.

Leah blinked, her heart skipping a beat as the word sank in. She stared at Aurora, her lips parting slightly in disbelief. "You want to... you want to..." she stuttered, unable to finish the thought, still trying to comprehend what Aurora had just said.

Aurora's hand never left Leah's cheek, her thumb tracing a slow circle. "I don't care how we do it, amor," Aurora said, her voice gentle but filled with conviction. "I just know I want to be with you. If that means we skip all the drama of wedding planning and just go elope, then I want to do that. I just want us."

Leah was still in shock. The idea of eloping had never crossed her mind—not once. And more than that, she never imagined Aurora, who had always been so excited about the idea of a big wedding, would suggest it. Her heart raced as she tried to process it, her mind flickering through everything she thought she knew about what Aurora wanted.

"You'd really want that?" Leah asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Just... us and Teo?"

Aurora nodded, her dark eyes shining with sincerity. "Yeah," she said simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Leah shook her head slightly, her voice still shaky with disbelief. "But... you've always wanted the big wedding, Rory. You've had it planned out since you were a kid. I mean, you've talked about it for years."

Aurora shrugged softly, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, and?" she asked, her tone playful but her eyes serious.

Leah's heart was pounding in her chest, and she searched Aurora's face for any sign of doubt. "Rory, baby..." she began, her voice trailing off as she tried to wrap her mind around the idea.

Aurora's confident smile faltered just slightly, the edges of uncertainty creeping in. Her hands stilled on Leah's skin, and for the first time since she'd spoken, Aurora looked a little unsure. "Do you not want to?" she asked, her voice quieter now. "I mean, we don't have to, Le. I just thought... I don't know. Forget it."

Leah could see the nervousness in Aurora's eyes now, the way she was starting to doubt her own suggestion. She immediately felt guilty for her own hesitation. It wasn't that she didn't want to be with Aurora forever—of course she did. It was just the suddenness of it all, the shift in what she thought they had both wanted. But as she looked at Aurora, her heart softened, realizing that the "how" didn't matter. What mattered was that Aurora wanted her, always, no matter what.