Fallen (Lingorm)

Chapter 32

| Thursday|

"You first," Orm murmured softly, her fingers tightening around Ling's hand.

"No, you first," Ling replied, a teasing smirk playing on her lips as she met Orm's gaze.

"You first."

"You first!"

The words ping-ponged between them, escalating in volume and stubbornness, though the smiles on their faces betrayed the mock-seriousness of their argument.

"Are we really doing this?" Ling finally asked with a dramatic sigh, though her forehead stayed pressed gently against Orm's.

Orm nodded, her pout deepening. "Hmmm We are doing this."

Ling chuckled under her breath, squeezing Orm's hand. "Okay, princess. We're already super late, and I still have to grab coffee to shut Sarocha up before she goes full dragon mode on us. So how about you hop out first?"

But Orm didn't budge. She stayed in her seat, crossing her arms and fixing Ling with a look that could rival a stubborn toddler's. "Nope. You first," she said, her voice laced with defiance.

Ling groaned, leaning back in her seat before turning back to Orm, her hand reaching out to gently cup her cheek. " Baby, it's right there across the street"

Orm's pout only deepened as she leaned into Ling's hand. "You won't take long?" she asked, her voice soft but suspicious.

Ling grinned, leaning in to press a soft kiss to Orm's lips. She lingered there for a moment, savoring the warmth before pulling back just enough to whisper, "Seven minutes. That's all I need."

Orm squinted at her, clearly unconvinced. Her brows furrowed as she tilted her head, studying Ling as if trying to catch her in a lie. "Seven minutes, huh?"

"Seven minutes, I swear," Ling promised, her voice soft as her thumb stroked Orm's cheek. "Any longer, and you have full permission to kick my ass." 

Orm narrowed her eyes, holding Ling's gaze. "Oh, I will kick your ass if you're even one second late." 

Ling laughed, her eyes crinkling with amusement as she leaned in for another quick kiss. "Deal. Now, go. I'll meet you upstairs, princess."

Orm sighed dramatically, finally reaching for the door handle. But just before stepping out, she spun back around and pointed a finger at Ling, her voice firm and playful. "Seven minutes. Not eight. Not seven and a half. Exactly seven."

Ling saluted her, her grin wide and teasing. "Got it, boss. Seven minutes. You're so damn cute when you're bossy, you know that?"