circles // laucy

with heart

Lauren wakes up to Lucy's face right in front of her.

The thing she notices, besides the stiffness from sleeping on an airplane all over her body, is Lucy clasping her seatbelt, lightly touching her waist in the process.

The feelings that arise make Lauren come to the conclusion that yeah, her methaphorical dick will probably get her in trouble some time during this trip.

"We're about to start landing. You slept through the announcements." Lucy smiles at her innocently and she sits back and clasps her own seatbelt as well.

"Thanks." Lauren croacks before yawning and running a hand  through her hair, "Did you have a good flight?"

Lucy nods, "Thank god these two slept through every thing." She quickly glances at the row of seats behind them, implying she's talking about her younger siblings. "Otherwise we'd all be dying right about now."

Lauren chuckles, "You really love them though. I can tell."

"Of course."

"I'm sad I missed that, seeing them grow up."

Lucy clears her throat as she turns her head away from Lauren's gaze, she mutters, "Yeah, me too."

The plane starts its landing and the girls connect hands automatically as the plane speeds up.

Half an hour later they're waiting for their luggage, each with drowsy eyes and an asleep toddler in their arms.

Another 2 hours later and the cab that feels more like a boiling oven finally stops driving. They're immediately welcomed by a hurdle of Vives men and women of which Lauren only recognizes about 10%. Lucy and her family however start greeting and hugging as many people as they can.

Lauren soon finds Lucy's abuela in the crowd and when their eyes meet the woman smiles at her. And it's so kind and welcoming Lauren lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding as the woman approaches her.

"Hola mijita," the croaky voice jumps out in the crowd soft hands take her by the arms and squeeze them softly. For a second Lauren thinks of her own grandma she has yet to come out to but she quickly shakes herself out of it and kisses the lady before her once on each cheek.

"Hola señorita."

"For you it's abuelita," she corrects in English.

Lauren sighs happily once more as she spots Lucy approaching them, "Gracias."

Lauren patiently observes the sweet exchange between grandmother and granddaughter before Lucy turns to her - her heart speeds up - and kindly gestures for her to follow, "Let me show you your room. I know you hate the crowdedness. You'll meet everyone at dinner."

Lucy keeps reminding her how good she is for Lauren and how good she knows her whenever she's near and even when she's not and Lauren accidentally realizes she can't wait to grow old with this girl.

Once alone and in her room she sleeps until the sound of a big bell wakes her up.

Lauren hears a small group of children run down the hall, repeatedly announcing that it's dinner time, some in Spanish, some in English.

She runs into Lucy in front of the stairs and stops in her track to let Lucy go first, awkwardly taking a little bow. As she walks downstairs she has to refrain from face palming as she hears Lucy chuckle.

The table is set outside and she's next to Lucy's niece and her grandpa and across from Lucy herself. She's lovingly mentioned during a prayer led by abuelita - Lucy kind of looks like she's blushing just a little, Lauren only peaks for a second - and there's enough delicious food and white wine to last for days.

During dessert is the first time Lucy isn't attracting attention by being her vibrant, social self the way she is around the people she loves. Lauren can tell the socializing has tired her out the way it's always done and the older girl's quietly sipping her salpicón, cheeks rosy and a little freckled.

"I'm so happy to be here."

They're the first words Lauren's said to Lucy all dinner and as she smiles her face is a little hot from the Colombian evening sun and maybe also the alcohol.

"Me too."

"Well duh, of course you are. I know how much you love your family. It's so-"

"Lauren," Lucy chuckles lovingly as she interrupts her, "I meant I'm happy that you're here."

"That's a relief." She croaks more than says it and she immediately feels embarrassed.

"Still thinking I'd regret it?" Lucy almost rolls her eyes.

"Still feeling like I don't deserve to be here."

"I guess you don't."

Lauren's heart stops as Lucy shrugs.

"But I still want you here."

Thank God.

"Everyone wants you here, Laur. My family loves you."

"That's good." Because I wanna marry you one day. "I love them too. A lot."

Lucy's about to respond but is interrupted by a little cousin pulling at her shirt. The little boy asks her to play soccer with them on the street.

Lauren can see her hesitate and she catches the girl's eye before nodding. "Go." she mouths, and prepares to join in on the conversation as Lucy's chair scrapes against the ground when she feels something pull at her dress. Lucy's little brother, "Come with us too. I like you."

Lauren smiles down at the boy, "Why's that?"

"You're pretty and your accent is funny. Also Lucy's smiling so much again."

If only he knew Lauren was the reason Lucy wasn't smiling as much before.

"You make an excellent argument."

When she stands up she gets that funny feeling you get the first time you get up after drinking but she quickly steadies herself to follow the little boy to the street.

And then she's smiling again because she knows who's around the corner, making teams or doting one of her young family members. Everything with heart.

They stay out until all the kids are sent to bed and a little longer and Lucy walks her to her room and leaves her a kiss on the cheek goodnight

When Lauren's in the shower that night she scrubs her dirty knees and purposely - she knows it's gross - leaves her face unwashed.

She sleeps in the sweater she let Lucy borrow, hoping the girl's scent will linger till morning.

-

A/N: they're still soulmates in my eyes. time will tell.