(Being Rewritten) Housemates || [FNaF SL Fanfic]

Change of Pace

It was around eight in the afternoon when Francis and Frederick came home, finding Claudia's car and shoes not there and Lorraine in their bedroom, fast asleep. There was a note left on the counter saying that Claudia had gone out for a drive.  Francis stayed in his room after making himself a bowl of cereal while Frederick stayed in the living room to catch up on his cartoons.

The house was rather quiet while he did so. 

Claudia came home late that night.  Later than she normally would.  It was over an hour passed midnight.  It was dark in the garage, the bedrooms, the kitchen, and the dining room.  The only light came from the tv as it was set to fuzzy black and white feedback.  Like a connection was out.

Lorraine was sat on an ottoman that was facing the entrance hallway.  It looked like she had fallen asleep when Claudia walked in.  Her eyes were closed, her head was downcast and her arms were folded as she leaned back.

Claudia closed the door as quietly as she could, shedding her coat and kicking off her shoes.  She made her way into the kitchen where she fixed herself a cup of water.

"Where were you?" Lorraine's voice cut through the quiet.

Claudia turned off the tap before she spoke.

"Out."

"'Out'? From three in the afternoon to almost two in the morning?!" Lorraine stood up, the tv lighting her from behind.

"Where did you go, Claudia?! Lois said you weren't at the office, Bonnie didn't see you go by, Wesley said you wouldn't answer any of his calls-- they were all worried sick!  I, was worried sick!" Lorraine took a step forward.  Her voice was shaking.

"So I'm the one whose supposed to communicate back when you're the one who pushed it all down?  I have to answer when I was the one who called?" Claudia didn't face Lorraine, setting her cup down on the counter.

"Have you stopped to think that maybe that isn't the biggest problem right now?!  None of us knew where you were, you could've gotten hurt or lost for all we know!" 

"That may be your biggest problem, but my biggest problem is that you won't talk about things or at least give some form of signals when something isn't right." Claudia shot a short look over at the other woman.

"We have voices for a reason.  I'm not some 1980's robot with 'auto-piloted feelings'. I have a brain, I have emotions, and I have a heart that I know is too big for my own good."

"I didn't mean that, I didn't mean any of what I said earlier Claudia." Lorraine furrowed her brows, even though the other woman couldn't see it.

Claudia finally turned to face Lorraine.  There was a streak of pain across her face as she spoke.

"So are you saying you didn't mean it when you said 'I love you.'?  Because I meant it when I said 'I love you too.'"

Lorraine swallowed.  She went quiet.

"I knew it." Claudia muttered more to herself than Lorraine as she blinked. She grit her teeth and continued on.

"I know something is up and I know that it's hard to talk about it.  Scott I know how hard it is to talk about something so bad, and about the constricting, uncomfortable feeling of having to push it down to have a 'normal' day without the paranoia that follows the initial trauma.

"I know I said we would talk when you were ready, but I don't want this to get worse to the point where you completely shut down from the pressure.  Before everyone starts suffocating you with questions and repetitively asking if you're okay when they know you're not but they don't know what to do to help you.  It only gets worse if you leave it brewing."  Claudia crosses her arms and gripped at her upper arms as she did.

Lorraine took a breath.  It hitched as she inhaled, causing a sniffle to come out as well.

"Give me... until next week.  I... I can't face you... right now." She said, turning her head to the side.

There was something dripping from her chin.  It stung Claudia hard, seeing it fall off the woman's face.  It was like someone slammed a Harley-Quinn-sized mallet with over a hundred bees and wasps to her back fifty times.

The redhead knew she couldn't do anything that she wanted to in order to comfort the other woman properly.  She just wanted to apologize and hope everything back to the way it was. But she just couldn't buckle, especially now.

"I will.  You go and get some rest now, I still have work to finish." Claudia said, downing the water in her cup in one go.

She walked passed Lorraine to get to her study.  Lorraine then quickly wrapped her arms around Claudia from behind.  She buried her face into the redhead's back letting out quiet sobs.

Claudia stood frozen.  Her fists clenched as well as her jaw. 

"I h-ave to go, L-Lorraine." Claudia stammered out.

The shorter woman shook her head into Claudia's back.  She hiccuped.

"Please don't ever do that again.  Please don't leave me.  I can't lose you Claudia."  Lorraine mumbled.

Claudia was quiet for a moment.

"I won't, if you won't."

"I would never dream of leaving you."

"We'll see what the future holds then."  Claudia's lips twitched up into a barely there smile.

"Now go and get some sleep Lori,  it's too early for tears." Claudia said, an edge of playfulness in her voice.

That made Lorraine smile.  Claudia could feel it growing slowly against her back.  Before Lorraine had the chance to let go, Claudia whirled around and put her hands to the sides of the shorter woman's face. 

The redhead smashed their lips together, not giving Lorraine time to accept or object.  It sent a wave of relief over both of them, feeling the other as close as they were again.

And then, just as quickly as it was initiated, Claudia pulled away. 

Lorraine felt an immediate and draining cold at the lack of contact, slowly staring up at a flustered Claudia with a dazed glance.  The redhead nearly melted into another kiss but she bit her cheek just in time to shock herself out of it.

She turned and quickly walked off to her study, leaving Lorraine to stand there with her mouth ajar and her fingers feeling her burning lips. The shorter woman couldn't help but smile through her tears as she went to find the TV remote to turn it off and head to bed.

——

Hey my dudes, I just wanted to let y'all know that the updates for both 'Housemates' and 'Love Her' are going to be spaced out more, just for the fact that my all is being stretched between the lines right now. 

I just thought I'd put this out here, things will now be updated every two weeks until further notice, and I hope you all understand.

Peace, RJ