Chapter Text
The first few nights that Carmilla spends back in Mother's apartment, she sleeps on the couch. Though it's not like she does a lot of sleeping. Mattie occupies most of her nights, trying to draw Carmilla out of the slump she's gotten herself in to. They drink themselves in to a stupor, making the most of Mother's extensive wine cellar. That's not all they drink.
On the fourth night, Carmilla lies on the couch in a lethargic stupor, her stomach full and her eyes heavy. Carmilla can usually fall asleep just about anywhere, but not tonight. Her eyes fall on the luminous tape that blocks her half of the room off from Laura's. It's like a slap in the face every time she looks at it.
She's tried rolling this way and that way, but it always ends the same way. Carmilla rolls back over and glares at that damn tape. “Humans...” She mutters with a shake of her head, wishing she could just switch off and fall asleep.
Her body is exhausted from days of endless partying, like she's been trying to catch up on the last eighty years. She's tired and restless at the same time. Her body just can't seem to relax. It craves something that no amount of blood or wine can replace.
“Fuck...” Carmilla lets out a frustrated groan. She can hear each and every breath that Laura takes. Her breathing is slow and monotonous. The human girl is sound asleep. As least that makes one of them. Carmilla's vindictive streak rears its ugly head as she pushes the covers away from her. Why should the Cupcake get to sleep when she doesn't?
Carmilla waltzes over to the other side of the room, throwing on the lights as she slides through the green curtain that separates the bed from the rest of the room. “Carm?” The human girl lying in the bed stirs at the sudden intrusion. For a few fragile seconds, each time she wakes, Laura lives in that blissful limbo between dreams and reality.
Reality comes crashing down as Carmilla claps her hands together loudly. “I've decided I'm taking the bed. You can have the couch, Short-Stack.”
“Buzz off.” Laura grumbles, pulling the covers up over her head. Carmilla snorts at her futile attempts at ignoring her.
“Newsflash, Pumpkin. You're not five, and I'm not the monster hiding under your bed. You can't just pull your blanket over your head and expect me to go away!”
“If only it were that easy...” Laura huffs. She finally sits up, rubbing at her eyes. She makes no attempts to move though, much to Carmilla's chagrin.
“Move it, Pipsqueak! The bed is mine.” Carmilla is quickly losing what little patience she possesses; which isn't a lot to start with. The vampire just wants to crawl in to her bed and sleep. That's hardly too much to ask for. It was her mother's apartment after all. Carmilla has more claim to the place, and everything in it, than anyone else.
“Looks like I'm already in it, so it's mine. Sorry, Cutie, that's just the way the world works.” Laura throws back at the vampire. She flops down on the bed again, rolling on to her side and turning her back to the other girl.
“Fine.” Carmilla hisses. If that was how the annoying little freshman wanted to play it, then Carmilla was more than happy to oblige. She pulls the covers back on the empty side of the bed – Carmilla's side – and climbs in.
“What the...” Laura suddenly sits bolt upright, like she's just discovered a snake has slid in to bed with her. “What the hell are you doing?”
“What does it look like, Cupcake?” Carmilla smirks at the flustered younger girl. She's crinkling her nose in that way that is so damn adorable. “I'm sleeping in my bed. You don't like it? Then you're welcome to take the couch. 'Night Sweet-pea.” The vampire blew her ex a kiss and then rolled over on to her side, mimicking Laura's earlier actions.
“Great... Just... great!” Laura flops back down with a huff. It's going to be a long night.
The numbers on the clock beside the bed glow red, like the eyes of a feral demon. They stare back at Laura as she watches them closely. Sleep is next to impossible, at least it is for Laura. Carmilla is spread out on her back, taking up more than her fair share of the bed.
Less than a week ago, Laura wouldn't have minded feeling the other girl's foot brush up against her calf. Having Carmilla's warm breath at the back of her neck had once been comforting. Now it's just down right annoying. She's pretty sure Carmilla is breathing louder, like she's doing her very best to even piss Laura off when she's sleeping.
The final straw comes when Carmilla lets out a grunt and rolls on to her front, throwing her arm over Laura's side. “That's it! Wakeup!” She shouts at the top of her voice, shoving at the vampire until she rouses.
“Enough!” Carmilla growls out, without even bothering to open her eyes. Her fingers snap around Laura's wrist with the fierce tenacity of a Venus Fly Trap, and the younger girl finds herself struggling against the vampire as she's pinned to her chest. “Go back to sleep, Creampuff.” Laura freezes as she feels soft, warm lips at the back of her neck.
Carmilla's arms are wrapped around her waist, keeping Laura pressed flush against her front. For the first time in days, Laura finally feels at peace. It would be so easy to take advantage of Carmilla's sleep addled state, and just lie there a little longer.
Too easy.
“Carm, wake up. You don't know what you're doing...” Laura sighed, tying to push Carmilla's hands away from her stomach. They didn't budge. If anything, Carmilla just held on to her even tighter.
“Yes. I do.” The vampire's voice sounded even huskier than normal as she muttered right in to Laura's ear. “Do us both a favour, Cupcake. Just shut up and go to sleep.”