Drabbles. {Fifth Harmony}

7. Hopeless Romantics {Normally}

"Baby, hi, I'm sorry I'm late," Normani called hurriedly as she closed the door to Ally's apartment behind her, tossing her keys onto the table in the entryway, then pulling off her coat and hanging it on the hook by the door.

The lights were dimmed in the dining room, and the table was set with two plates and wine glasses, old r&b music playing softly on the stereo, three candles lit on the table. Normani smiled slowly, feeling her heart jump a little bit at the image.

It was straight out of a movie, the perfect intimate date. She'd seen it a million times before, but she didn't think it could actually happen in real life - until now, at least. It started with someone beautiful in an apron, looking like the perfect romanticized image of domesticity, and ending with the person invited over deciding not to go home and the two of them falling asleep naked and tangled together, happy and complete and in love.

Ally was her someone beautiful, and although Normani spent an unreasonable amount of time in her girlfriend's apartment already, she felt almost like this was the first time, and for a moment, she let herself pretend that it was.

Maybe she'd even pretend to be a virgin, or to have never seen Ally naked before, when they inevitably ended up tumbling into Ally's bed. It wouldn't make that much of a difference, though, because Ally had this way of treating every time like the first time, looking at every inch of skin she uncovered on Normani's body like it was something new and wonderful. Like she hadn't touched all of it, over and over again.

Normani was a hopeless romantic, always had been, and so was Ally. It was times like this that Normani counted herself lucky to have found her.

Sighing contently, Normani walked quickly around the corner and into the kitchen in search of her perfect, romanticized girl. Tugging her gloves off, she laid them on an empty counter, and turned around.

"It smells really good in here, what are you -" Normani stopped short as she saw her girlfriend, and it was as if the record scratched, the rose-tinted fantasy fading away. Ally was wearing a shell-shocked expression that didn't match well with her apron and the silky curls in her hair, and there were tear tracks on her pretty face, her hands were shaking as she held them under the running water. "Ally?!"

Ally looked at her, startled, and shut off the water. Even from across the kitchen, Normani could see that Ally's palm was smeared with blood, and she rushed over, grabbing Ally's hand in both of hers, her stomach twisting almost painfully with worry.

"Why the hell are you bleeding?!" Normani demanded, trying not to panic as she covered the bleeding gash with her own palm and pressed gently. Ally winced, another tear falling down her cheek.

"I - the knife," Ally stammered, blinking hard. "I was cutting the bread, and it slipped, and it doesn't hurt, but it's kinda big and really scary looking, Manibear, and I -"

"Shit, Ally, you said you'd cooked a lot before," Normani said quickly, biting her lip and shaking her head, eyes squeezed shut. "I thought you'd be okay, I didn't - I should've been here to help you, shit, I'm sorry."

"Not your fault," Ally said immediately, her lower lip trembling. Normani opened her eyes, and almost started crying herself at how distraught her girlfriend looked. Ally's breaths were coming short and fast, her normally gentle eyes panicked. "M-Mani, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, I...I probably overcooked the pasta, too, and I froze up after it happened, I hope I didn't lose too much blood..."

They both couldn't be frantic. With effort, Normani took a deep breath, and leaned forward, nudging Ally's nose with her own, needing to show Ally physical affection somehow, to comfort them both, while her hands were occupied with trying to stop the bleeding.

"Ally, baby," Normani soothed, barely managing to keep her own voice steady as she pressed her lips firmly to Ally's forehead, glancing down to see that the blood was still coming, despite the pressure from her hand. "It's alright, love. I'm here, I'll take care of everything, okay?"

Ally nodded, swallowing and blinking rapidly.

"Breathe, baby," Normani murmured, ducking to meet Ally's gaze.. "I need you to breathe for me, try to relax."

Normani took deep breaths, keeping her eyes on Ally's, and after a few moments, Ally started breathing with her, shaky but relaxing slightly.

"It hurts," Ally said softly, flinching as Normani pressed harder on the cut. "It hurts a lot now, Mani, I think the shock was stopping me from feeling it."

"Okay, alright," Normani murmured. "In a moment, after you breathe a little longer, you're gonna take over putting pressure on it, while I get your first aid kit. And then I'm gonna patch you up, antiseptic and butterfly stitches and a bandage, and we're gonna order pizza and drink wine and everything will be okay. You got that?"

"I got it," Ally replied, smiling weakly. "I love you."

"I love you too, baby," Normani said, kissing her gently. "Now breathe with me, okay?"