#my throat mostly calmed down once i got back upstairs but now my tummy hurts more than usual >:|

[wryn-redacted-thrives]

what better way to start your day than with a little throat swelling 😊 (i am enraged)

[moonxvxsun]

What about Lelani, Kai and Avi? It'd be interesting if the two of them have to deal with period cramps (considering they're afab) simultaneously and he has to take care of them both! :D

i love this so much thank you so much love

please feel free to send me as many requests as you want! everyone else, please send me requests as well! also you guys can send me asks about my oc's

------------------------------

Lelani was at work, her shift had just started about an hour ago but something felt wrong. She had been awful at taking her birth control recently, she had been so focused on work and art that the fact she was on the pill had just slipped her mind. But right now was all the reminder she needed, she was standing behind the counter, no one was currently there; thankfully. She quickly pulled out her phone to text Avi.

Avi, I just got my period at work, can you please bring me something?

Of course, be there soon.

Avi sent a message back to Lelani, though they were masculine and didn't use she / her pronouns they still got their period because they were born female. They had been laying in bed all day, they didn't have the energy to go to class today because of how awful they felt. No one else in their home knew though because their classes started after Lelani went to work and Kai had a business meeting earlier. Despite the amount of pain they were in due to their period starting, they knew they had to go give stuff to Lelani.

Actually, I'm feeling really sick. My boss is letting me come home. Thank you though.

Lelani sent the message, their stomach was cramping terribly. They didn't wait for a text back from Avi before they hurried out of the cafe and back home. Both Avi and Lelani had terrible periods, there was a time a few months ago when Avi passed out from the pain, and that same month when Lelani got hers, she was getting sick for two days.

Luckily for all of them, they usually didn't have their periods at the same time. But of course this month they seemed to be in sync. Kai had just started their relationship with Lelani and Avi and hasn't had to take care of them during their periods before. He was in for a rough few days.

"I'm home..." Lelani said weakly as they opened the door, they looked pale and weak.

"I'm in our room and Kai is at a meeting," Avi yelled back but something was different in their voice. Lelani didn't bother to respond, they just walked into the bathroom to place a tampon in before grabbing the heat pad and going to join Lelani in the bedroom, but the heat pad wasn't there.

"Lelani...why are you home?" It had just to occurred to her that they shouldn't be home.

"Period." That was all they said weakly and lifted the blanket to show off the heat pad placed on their lower stomach. "I see ours are synced..."

Lelani just nodded in sympathy knowing that Avi also got terrible periods. She just grabbed the garbage by the door and joined Lelani on the bed.

"Are you feeling sick?" Lelani nodded and just sat up, her stomach gurgling as if to confirm how nauseous she felt. After a few minutes she began to deteriorate, muffling burps into her fist.

"God...my stomach..." Avi mumbled and sat up slowly. "Can-" They started before grabbing the bucket from Lani and immediately gagging. They hadn't eaten much, but what they did eat for breakfast was coming back up barely digested. "God..." They said softly as they coughed. Their stomach was cramping and there was saliva hanging from their mouth.

Lelani knew it wasn't too long before she was going to get sick, she could feel her breakfast rising in her throat. "I-I'm calling Kai..."

Kai, I'm sorry-... they burped into the phone, turning red from embarrassment. Avi and I...have our periods and we're-

She quickly pulled the phone away from her face dropping it on the bed and stealing the bucket from Avi and without a second to waste her breakfast was coming back up. However, this wasn't as easy as Avi, Lelani had eaten much more.

Her stomach was killing her, and the food just wasn't coming back up. No matter what she did after that first wave, she felt miserable. She was gagging and coughing over the bin but nothing would come up. She picked the phone back up to finish talking with Kai but Kai was panicking on the other end.

I'm coming now.

Once Kai arrived home he could hear retching coming from the bathroom. He hurried upstairs and found Lelani throwing up into the toilet. "Oh, Lani..." He said softly, but the younger just burst into tears. Once she was done she took a piece of toilet paper and wiped her mouth before turning around and collapsing into Kai's arms.

"Kai, it hurts so bad...my tummy hurts..." She cried and burped softly. "I wanna lay down... it hurts so bad."

"Okay, okay, let me carry you back to bed and I'll rub your tummy and you can try and sleep, okay? Where's Avi?"

"Bed..." Lelani said softly as Kai picked her up and carried her to bed. However, the scene got worse when he walked into the bedroom and saw Avi. Avi was laying on the bed, on their stomach hanging half off, with saliva dripping from their mouth into the garbage can on the floor.

Kai was at a loss for what to do. He laid Lelani down on the bed but she was still bawling and holding her stomach in pain. he wanted to focus on both but it was just so difficult. "Avi! Are you okay?"

Kai hurried over to Avi who just threw up into the garbage, or mostly. Their whole body jerked and they weren't moving. "Avi, Avi?" Kai sat them up and leaned them against the headboard. "Are you okay, what can I do?"

"I feel sick..." They moaned weakly, "And cold."

"Are you both empty?" Kai asked and they both nodded slowly, that was a good sign. He sat down in the middle of the bed and pulled both of them close to him.

"Come here my loves," He placed a hand on each of their lower stomachs and rubbed them gently as they both cuddled up to him.

"Can you guys try and sleep, when you wake up I can go get you guys some medicine." They both nodded, they were in a lot of pain but they didn't want to try any medicine now anyway, afraid it wouldn't stay down and they already had the best medicine, Kai's cuddles, and love.

"My wonderful loves," Kai smiled as he felt their breathing calm down which meant they were falling asleep. Kai was in for a rough couple of days but he didn't care. If anything he felt lucky that he got to take care of both of these amazing humans.

Kai had so many failed relationships never being able to find the perfect person, but now he had found two perfect people. He felt so lucky that he had the most amazing people in his life and that he was welcomed with open arms into a two-year-long relationship. He never felt like an outsider, he found his people. And if he had to deal with their synced periods, it was something he was happy to do to keep his people happy and by his side.

"Rest well my lovies," Kai smiled as he continued to rub their lower stomachs as they slept.

[5hfanfiction]

Why Did I Get Married?

Chapter Four: Sister In Law

Lauren grumbled at the sound of her alarm clock going off. She mentally gave herself a few seconds to brace for the upcoming day. It had been three days since they’ve been to couple’s therapy and Lauren stupidly assumed that things would’ve been better by now. Yes. she knew that even though it was only one session; which managed to get her and her wife, to spend quality time together, she thought that maybe, they’d be able to have a conversation at least. But all that happened, seemed to be Camila avoiding her, getting mad at her or bringing up the topic of Hailee.

She shivered when she threw the comforter off her frame. Grabbing the phone and switching off the alarm, Lauren headed into the bathroom to prepare herself for another day at the studio. She didn’t plan to head into the studio today, given that Isabella had gotten sick; after the mother-daughter rendezvous in the rain yesterday. Obviously, Camila had been out running errands; because Lauren knew she could not have done that with her wife around. When the brunette came home, she was greeted to the sight of her wife and daughter frolicking in the rain.

As Lauren stepped out of the shower, she dried her skin and made her way to the walk-in closet that she and her wife once shared, when they were sharing the same bedroom. Before Lauren had to be stupid and make a mistake that she’d regret from the moments her lips touched Hailee’s. They both agreed that it shouldn’t have happened and the green eyed woman told her wife that when she walked in on them, but from that moment on, Camila did not trust her.

Once the photographer picked out a shirt and slipped her hands through the sleeves, Camila entered the room. Seeing the appearance of her wife; a open shirt clad Lauren with only her underwear and bra showing through her shirt, the brunette knew she should’ve knocked.

Camila turned her back towards her wife; blushing profusely. “I..um..sorry. I should’ve knocked.”

Lauren smirked as she continued to button up her shirt. “You’ve seen me naked countless of times, Camz. It’s okay to look.” The woman blushed again. It had been almost a year since the couple had been intimate and that had taken quite a toll on the women, but neither chose to say anything. There were many times the couple were caught ‘doing the nasty’ as their friends called it in high school and it got worst when the two attended the same college. They chose to get an apartment rather than live on campus, which gave the couple a lot of time to be intimate.

Clearing her throat and trying to calm down her heart rate, that even though they weren’t exactly on good terms, constantly sped up whenever she was around the green eyed woman. “I wanted to know if you were going to work. But I can see that you are.”

“You can turn around now. I’m…decent,” Lauren said as she finished putting on her clothing. “Did you want me to stay home?”

Camila nodded. “I..I can’t take care of Izzy on my own. She’s cranky when she’s sick and you know her a lot better than me…” she trailed off. Truth be told, she didn’t want to upset the child or hurt her. Who knows? What if Camila accidentally gave her medication and she had an allergic reaction to? Why would there even be medicine like that in their house to begin with?

“You’d be fine, Camz. She’s basically sleeping all day,” Camila huffed. “Would it make you feel better if I called my sister to help you out? I know that she’d jump at the opportunity to not go to work.”

The brunette nodded happily. “Really? She doesn’t hate me or anything right?”

Lauren sat on her bed and slipped on her Louis Vuitton’s. When she was done, she stared at her wife with furrowed brows. “Why would my sister hate you? If anything, she hates me.”

Which actually wasn’t far from the truth. The younger Jauregui didn’t exactly hate her sister, but she was rather disappointed in Lauren at the way she treated Camila. She had been super supportive of their relationship from the start, especially when the Jaureguis didn’t approve of Camila and Lauren’s relationship. Though over time, they grew to love Camila and accepted her as they fondly stated, 'the daughter they always wanted but never had.’

“Oh..well..okay. You can ask her to come over then,” Camila said awkwardly. “Do you want any breakfast?”

Lauren shook her head 'no’. “I’ll just have some coffee. I’d check on Izzy first before I head out.”

Camila nodded and went downstairs. She turned on the coffee maker and filled the filter with Lauren’s favourite blend; which also became Camila’s. She decided to have some cereal and grabbed a bowl from the cupboard above the stove and then looked for her choice of cereal. Torn between Honey Nut Cheerios and other irrelevant options, she decided to pour a little bit of each into her bowl.

She fixed a cup of coffee for both herself and Lauren, before digging into her breakfast.

“Izzy has a terrible fever. I just gave her some medication,” Lauren took the cup of coffee from her wife. “Thank you.”

Camila sent her a small smile; the only smile Lauren got these days from her wife. “Is she going to be okay? Or should I take her to the hospital?”

“She’s going to be fine. Kids get sick all the time. But if it does get worse, call me and if I don’t answer, take her to Doctor Hernandez.”

Lauren looked up from her coffee mug when Camila didn’t answer. Her eyebrows were furrowed over her bowl of cereal. “Doctor Hernandez?”

“Yeah…Izzy’s Paediatrician? You don’t remember her?” The brunette shook her head 'no’. “Oh. Yeah. My bad. She only gets sick occasionally and that’s mostly when you’re on tour. I’ll leave her address and number near the house phone okay?” Camila nodded. “Well I have to head to work now. Call me if you need anything. My sister should be here soon.”

Lauren stood up from the stool and slipped her mug into the sink. Again, she didn’t know how to tell her wife goodbye, so she settled for gently clasping her on the shoulder and then she walked out the door.

Camila didn’t fail to notice just how amazing her body looked. How perfect her clothing looked on her, but what always caught her attention was her painted red lips. They were so damn kissable, but she knew she wasn’t ready to kiss her. The last woman, that she knew of at least, who kissed her wife was Hailee, and she wasn’t ready to touch her tainted lips as she saw it.

She sighed heavily and tore her eyes away from the door. After finishing up her breakfast, she did the dishes and headed back upstairs to brush her teeth and check on Izzy, who didn’t seem as though she was going to sleep anytime soon.

“Mummy?” she mumbled out weakly. “Hold me,” sticking out her arms, lazily towards her mother, Camila gently picked her up and wrapped her in a blanket. “Where’s mama?”

“She had to work. It’s just you and me. And your aunt is going to be here soon. Do you want to see her?” Camila asked as she rubbed circles into her daughter’s back. She felt Isabella nod against her neck and headed downstairs.

There was a knock and the door and before the brunette had any time to react, it flung open and revealed the younger Jauregui sister. She had a huge smile on her face, bags in each hand.

Camila hadn’t seen her in quite sometime, but the woman did not age. She was as effortlessly beautiful as she remembered.

“You dialled for an escort?” She beamed when she saw her sister in law and niece.

Camila chuckled and shook her head. “Always so extra, Maggie. It’s nice to see you again.”

She stepped inside and wrapped an arm around the woman and kissed her niece on top of the head.

“Aw, mini me. Come here,” she took Izzy out of Camila’s arms. “How are you feeling, mi amor? Did your mummy do this to you?”

Camila scoffed. “It was your sister actually. It’s like I have two kids.”

The younger Jauregui laughed. “Poor, Camzii. She’s shivering though. Did you give her any medicine? Did she eat?”

Camila shook her head 'no’. She had tried to feed Izzy, but she kept refusing the food. So she didn’t want to force her because she was afraid that she’d start to cry. And god alone knew how she was going to calm down her daughter.

“She has to eat, Camila,” Maggie felt Izzy shake her head.

“No I don’t want any food,” she said weakly. “My tummy hurts.”

Maggie ignored what her niece had said and directed Camila as to what to give her to eat. Ignoring Isabella protests, her aunt fed her small amounts of soup. They managed to finish at least half the bowl until she refused to open her mouth.

Sighing, Maggie gave Camila back the bowl. “I think that’s enough anyway. As long as she has something in her stomach.”

“How are you so good with kids?” The young mother asked when her sister in law laid Izzy down on the couch to nap. She didn’t want the child out of her sight because as Maggie said 'You never know what’s going to happen. What if she stops breathing?’

The younger Jauregui sister shrugged, “I don’t know to be honest. And to be frank, I don’t even like kids,” Camila kinked an eyebrow at her. “Well I do. But not enough to have them of my own. I do fancy people’s kids though. Want to know why?” Her sister in law nodded. “It’s because at the ending of the day, I can give them back and go on living my single, free, and unattached lifestyle.”

Camila threw her head back laughing along with the other woman. “I really missed you, Maggie. You have no idea.”

The younger woman aww-ed and threw her arms around the young singer. “I know you love me. I love you too.” She placed a wet kiss on Camila’s cheek.

The brunette playfully wiped at her cheek and shoved the woman away, “You’re so gross. My god.”

Maggie laughed and shook her head. She excused herself and went into the kitchen, to rummage through the bags that she brought along with her. She poured some alcoholic beverage into two glasses, before entering the living room again and handed Camila one.

“What’s this?” The young mother asked as she surveyed the glass. “I’m not going to drink in front of Izzy.”

Maggie took a sip as she threw herself onto a chair. “It’s Ron Santiago de Cuba. And technically, Izzy is all the way over there and asleep, so you won’t be drinking in front of her,” Camila rolled her eyes as she took a seat next to the woman. “It’s something to loosen you up so we can have some girl time.”

The singer hesitated for a moment before taking a sip. She sighed as the liquid made its way down her throat. It had been quite some time since she had any alcohol to drink. Since the incident with Lauren and Hailee, she had sworn off drinking, because she didn’t want to do the same thing her wife did. Though, Camila knew that she would do no such thing.

“This tastes really good. How much did it cost?”

Maggie shrugged. “I have no idea. I stole this from my one night stand before coming here.” She laughed. “I don’t think she’d notice though.”

Camila kinked an eyebrow at her. “She? Since when did you join the dark side, Mags?”

She sent the brunette a wink. “I mean, pasta is straight until it gets wet.”

“Oh my god,” Camila faced palmed. “You didn’t just say that.”

Maggie took another sip of the rum. “Oh my god, I just did. She was hot and I was lonely. So why not give it a go?” The brunette laughed out but quickly shut her mouth, hoping that the noise didn’t wake her sleeping daughter. “So speaking of love lives…how are you and the green eyed goddess?” She placed her glass on the centre table and look at Camila intently.

Sighing heavily, the brown eyed woman ran her free hand through her hair and turn in her seat to look at her sister in law. “I…don’t know. It’s the same way I guess.”

“Sooo…no sex?” Camila shoves her gently and laughed. “Lauren tells me that you two started going to couple’s therapy. How’s that working out for you?”

Camila ran her index finger along the rim of the glass. How was couple’s therapy anyway? It didn’t make her feel any different when it came to her wife. Yes, she still loved the woman, but she still couldn’t stand or trust her.

“I…I don’t know honestly. It did get us to spend some time together, so that must count for something.”

Maggie nodded and grabbed her glass of rum and chugged it back. “Sorry, I couldn’t continue acting like I didn’t want to do that all along.” Camila snorted. “But anyways, back to the matter at hand. Lauren is my sister and all, and I’m not gonna defend her and say that she didn’t fuck up, because hell, she did. But you guys have been together for almost ten freaking years, Camzii. You guys care about each other a lot. And you,” she pointed at the brunette. “You’re afraid of getting hurt by her again. Which is understandable. But, you need to try to let her back in for this to work out. Do you still want to be with her?”

Camila’s mind went back to all the good times she and the raven haired woman once shared. Leading up to the act of infidelity, things had been okay. Their marriage was amazing, until Camila’s career started to ruin it. She loved, Lauren. She knew that. “I do. I can’t see myself without her, Mags. I want her more than anything. But I can’t find it within myself to trust her.”

The other woman nodded in understanding. “I get that, Camzii. I’m going to state the obvious here, couple’s therapy would be good for you. You just need to hash things out and hopefully by the end of all the sessions, everything will be okay.” She took the singer’s hand in hers. “Camren is my ship and I will go down with it.”

“Why do you even like me, Maggie? Lauren is your sister. You should support her,” Camila pulled her hand away from the woman and stood, then headed into the kitchen.

Maggie trailed behind her, “Didn’t you hear me? I’m not blind. Lauren fucked up. I’m not gonna stand for that bullshit.” She pulled a straw out of her jacket pocket and slipped it into the bottle of rum and began drinking. She clearly seemed to have an alcohol issue. Or did alcohol have an issue with her? “I care about you, Camzii. Not just Lauren.”

Camila shook her head with a small smile and leant against the sink. “You never called me though. I thought you hated me for treating your sister like that.”

“Hm?” Too engrossed in the alcohol, she forgot she was talking to her sister in law. “I called and texted you, Camila. A lot actually. I thought you didn’t want me in your life. So I stopped.”

“I never got anything. I wanted to call you. You’ve been my best friend since we met. I just thought you picked sides and forgot about me,” she stated sadly. It was true, Maggie and Camila had a strong bond ever since they met. And the bond grew even stronger when Camila started dating the older Jauregui.

Maggie stopped drinking to look at the woman in shock. “How can I forgot about you, Camila? I love you. We’ve been through hell and back together, I’m not going to let some shit my sister did get between us. You ma fave Cuban.” She stretched out her arms signalling for Camila to give her a hug. “Never think otherwise, Camzii. We’re friends for life.”

“I love you too, Maggie,” the singer said as she pulled away from the hug.

The other woman smiled. “Even in an alternate universe where you run away from home, get into a car accident, end up in the hospital, go into a coma for say…three years and when you wake up, you pretend to lose your memory and end up on my doorstep, I’ll always be there for you. No matter what.”

Camila laughed. “That’s pretty detailed.”

Maggie shrugged. “I mean…you never know what can happen right?”

Cries coming from the living room broke the two out of the their little moment.

“Mama?” Izzy’s tiny voice squeaked out.

Camila didn’t realise that the child had called out for her wife, instead, she practically sprinted towards her daughter. “Are you okay, baby? What’s wrong?”

“She’s sick, Camila. You know this,” Maggie said sarcastically from behind the brunette.

Ignoring the woman’s statement. “She feels hot. Like really hot,” Camila had her hand on the child’s forehead. She threw off the blanket and realised that she was sweating profusely. “What do I do?” She picked up her daughter, who clung to her immediately, then she looked at Maggie, who had her eyebrows furrowed together.

“Check her temperature, then get her some medicine.”

“Can you take her for a second?” Izzy tightened her grip on her mother. “Izzy, please.” The little girl shook her head 'no’. “Fine. Can you find me a thermometer? And her medicine?”

Maggie shook her head. “Camila I don’t live here. I don’t know where anything is.”

The singer groaned and went to look for what she needed, with Izzy constantly squirming in her arms, and the heat radiating off the child’s body was not comfortable either.

“Hm,” was all Maggie said when she observed what was going down. Camila may have loved her niece, but she didn’t seem to be an efficient mother. She didn’t blame her because the woman wasn’t around much, but shouldn’t she at least know how to take care of her child?

Camila descended down the stairs after a few minutes with some medicine in her hand, and Izzy still in the other. “Her temperature is 127F. Is that high?”

“No shit, Sherlock. It is. But give her some medicine. Let me hold her, and you’d give it to her,” Maggie stretched her arms out for her niece, but again, the child refused. “Mini me, come here, mummy has to give you your medicine.”

Reluctantly, the child released her hold on her mother and went into her aunt’s arms.

“Which one do I give her?” Camila held up various medication. “The children’s panadol, right? That’s what I saw Lauren give her,” she examined it closely. “Well I think that’s what she gave her." 

Maggie nodded.

"Open your mouth, princesa,” Camila tried to coerce her daughter so that she could feed the child, but she refused to budge. “Izzy, please,” she begged.

“Put it in some juice. She’d drink it like that,” Maggie suggested. After doing so, Izzy did in fact drink the juice. “See? That wasn’t too bad, right, mini me?”

Izzy nodded and wrapped her arms around her aunt, who paced around until she fell asleep.

***

“I’m such a horrible mother,” Camila groaned when Maggie reentered the living room. “I don’t even know how to take care of my child. I told Lauren not to leave me alone, but yet she did. I’m hopeless.”

Maggie clasped Camila on the shoulder and nodded. “That you are, my friend. That you are,” the singer groaned. “But! There’s hope for you, yet. You’d learn. Motherhood takes time. We all don’t know everything.”

“But I’m her mother, Mags! I should know how to do these things. I didn’t even know what medicine to give her,” she threw her hands up in frustration. Camila had always been the one, between the two who wanted kids. She had been a fine mother during the early stages of Isabella’s life, but when her career took off, she wasn’t around the child much, so she didn’t have much mothering skills.

Before Maggie could’ve responded, the house phone rang, “Jauregui-Cabellos residence. The owner of the manor speaking.”

Lauren snorted. “Really now? Didn’t know you owned the place, you culo.”

“Ah ah ah. Mother wouldn’t be happy with you using that hurtful word against me,” the photographer sighed. “But what’s up? Wanted to chat?”

“How’s Izzy? Is she doing okay? And Camila?”

Maggie shrugged.

“Hello? Maggie?”

“Oh shit, my bad. I forgot we were speaking over the phone,” the elder sister laughed. “Izzy is fine. Just gave her some medicine. She had a temperature of like 120 something. And Camila is okay. Hopeless. But okay.”

The said brunette smacked her sister in law, “Hey! I’m not that hopeless! Give me the damn phone.”

“Fine, fine. You bitch,” Maggie grumbled and walked out of the room.

“Hey, Laur. When are you coming home?” Camila asked as soon as she got the phone.

“A bit eager, aren’t we?” Lauren’s husky voice flowed out through the phone. Camila couldn’t help but swoon. Just hearing her wife’s voice was enough to make her feel better. “I’m a little swamped with work right now, but I’d be back soon. Does Maggie have to leave soon?”

“Wait, let me check,” Camila pulled the phone away to yell for Maggie. “Are you going to leave soon, Mags?!”

The woman stuck her head into the room. “Jesus woman, stop yelling. Izzy is asleep. And no, as long as you order some Chinese food, I’d stay.” She then disappeared.

“No. She said she’s going to stay…but um can you try to come back soon?”

Lauren picked up on her wife’s tone. “Why? What’s the matter?”

Camila sighed heavily and ran her fingers through her hair. “It’s just…I don’t know what to do. I’m hopeless as Maggie said. And don’t tell me I’m not, because I am.”

“And why do you think that?”

“What kind of mother doesn’t know what to do when her child doesn’t want to take her medicine?! What kind of mother doesn’t know what to do when her child has a high fever, Lauren?!” She bit out harshly. “I’m such a shitty mother. Izzy deserves better.”

It was Lauren’s turn to sigh now, “Just because you don’t know how to do these things, it doesn’t make you a shitty mother. These things take time, Camz.”

“I just feel so hopeless, you know?” Tears glistened her eyes as she tried to blink them away. “She cried out for you, you know? Not me. She doesn’t want me.”

“Camz..” the green eyed woman started but Camila cut her off.

“No, Lauren. Nothing you say can make me feel better. I am a shitty mother. I’ve accepted it. I just need to learn how to make it better. Izzy deserves that at least,” the singer said with finality. “I just…I just need to try. For her.”

“Okay, amor. If that’s what you decide, then I’d be here to help you.”

Camila smiled slightly, “Thank you. But I don’t want to keep you back from your work. I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Okay. Call me if you need anything. Bye, Camz.”

After telling her wife goodbye, she hung up the phone. Shutting her eyes tightly, she leant back on the couch. It was a start, she knew she needed to be a better mother, and Camila was going to try to be one for Izzy. She may not end up being the best, but she was willing to try.

***

Ayyeee. So the queen has arrivedddd! For y'all who read my other story, you’d know that I love Maggie Lindemann 😫 cause she’s life and I just needed her to hop over into this fic too.

This chapter was basically to introduce Maggie’s character and to show the type of mother Camila is. Obviously not a good one because she hasn’t been around much.

PS!! I’m not sure if I used 'culo’ correctly. So yeah 🤷‍♀️

But anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter.

Wattpad: Commander_Camren

[msviolagreene-blog]

Backpara: Santana and Vi.

Who: Santana and Vi. What: Exchanging Gifts. Where: Santana’s Christmas Party at Club UNOH When: Friday, December 23rd.

Vi was having the best birthday, even if the party she was attending was a holiday party and it wasn’t for her birthday. She had taken an Uber with Brody and brought along her Christmas gift for Santana. She was nervous and excited to be here. She wouldn’t be putting in for the auctioned vacations because she certainly couldn’t afford them, she was pretty sure. But she was having lots of drinks and getting pretty drunk, which helped to cause those nerves to ebb away. Vi had stared at Santana a lot in that outfit she was wearing. She couldn’t not stare. And after her fifth rum and coke, she asked Santana to meet her upstairs on the mezzanine, where it was a little quieter and a little more private because she wanted to give her the gift she got her.

She chose to go towards the back corner where it seemed most private and waited for Santana to join her. She pulled the wrapped gift from the bag she had been carrying all night, and she was glad too, so that she could toss the bag away and not have to be responsible for it for the rest of the night. The butterflies started to return to her tummy and she rocked on the spot, trying to stay calm, cool, and collected.

Santana really loved Christmas. She always had, and why shouldn’t she? She was her parents only child, and with her parents being divorced, they each seemed to love to “go overboard” with her presents. She got to eat delicious food, and now that she had her own house, she got to go all out and decorate. Now, she had this party she hosted annually. It was a fairly big turn out, and so many people had bid on her vacation giveaways that she had enough to buy even better vacations next year and still have plenty to donate after.

Tonight, she’d really outdone herself. It looked just like Santa’s workshop. The food was amazing. People were dancing. The alcohol was flowing, and Santana had pre-hired a few Uber drivers to be available just in case her guests were too drunk to drive. She, herself, wasn’t partaking.  She was the hostess. She couldn’t get sloshed. It just wouldn’t be right. She needed to make sure no one got too rowdy or something. She did not want to have to pay for any kind of damages, not that he didn’t trust the people she’d invited.

This year was the first time she’d invited as many of her coworkers as she had, and it was the first year she’d invited Vi. They’d never been particularly close, but she’d always liked the other woman enough. She wasn’t like a weirdo art teacher like Santana’d had in high school, and she was gay, but not stereotypically so. Only Santana thought things had gotten a little different after Vi’d driven home with her for Thanksgiving. At the time, she hadn’t thought it a big deal that Vi had gone, but maybe she’d been wrong. Now there was flirting and stuff, and she didn’t know what to make of that. It felt very real, like maybe Vi meant it, and Santana didn’t know what to do with that. She didn’t know how to feel. She didn’t know what she felt, but she wasn’t put off, and that was something she didn’t want to look at too closely. She certainly didn’t know why she’d taken Vi from Jake as a Secret Santa when he couldn’t do it or why she’d spent so much money on the gift she’d gotten Vi for her birthday. She’d also put something extra in her Christmas giftbag, but Vi wouldn’t know that.

When the other woman has asked her to meet her up away from the party, Santana should’ve been wary, but instead, she was curious. She stepped towards the mezzanine after grabbing Vi’s birthday present. She looked around when she reached the top floor and found Vi tucked into the corner waiting. “Not for nothing, but it’s creepy that you’re waiting in the shadows,” she joked as she walked over to the other teacher.

Vi perked up when she saw Santana at the top of the stairs and her tongue slid over her lips as she waited. God, that outfit, seriously… Vi couldn’t get over it. She wondered if it was something Santana would keep after this party tonight. “Well you’re the one agreeing to meet in them so…” Vi replied and was still trying to act so cool but she felt like she was out of her element. She just wanted Santana to like her back. “I, um, I just wanted to steal you away for a second so I could, um, give you this.” She held up the wrapped gift to Santana and offered a smile to her.

Santana looked down at the present in surprise then back at Vi. “You got me a Christmas present?” she asked as she reached out and took it from the woman’s hand. She made sure not to get Vi a Christmas themed bag for her birthday, picking one that clearly denoted a birthday. She handed it over so that she could cradle her present in her hand. “I got you...well the Christmas present is in the gift bag you get at the end of the night, but I got you a birthday present. Happy birthday, and all that,” she finished quietly, feeling uncharacteristically nervous. Her heart beat a little faster in her chest, and she felt really lame for a moment before she pushed the feeling away.

“Well of course. We’re at a /Christmas/ party,” she replied and grinned even more and she was hoping so much Santana would like it. “Ah! A birthday present!” Vi was really glad that Santana had placed it in a birthday bag. She had received so many presents over the years that were wrapped in holiday wrap and while she tried not to care because it was the thought that counted, it still kind of sucked because sometimes those people handed her the gift and it counted for both her birthday and Christmas. Santana had been thoughtful to put it in a birthday bag. Vi pulled the present out and gasped, staring at it, then up at Santana, slack jawed, before looking back down at the 3D pen. She couldn’t /believe/ it. “Santana…” She was stunned a moment and then she came to. “Holy shit.” Her grinned returned and her gaze went back to the other woman. “Holy shit, this is amazing. Holy shit. Thank you. This is… wow, thanks, really, Santana.” Vi still couldn’t believe Santana had given her such an awesome gift, and one Vi knew had to have been a little pricey.

As much as Santana liked receiving presents, she liked giving them as well. That mostly had to do with the fact that she was really awesome at giving the “perfect” gift. Usually it was just her parents and abuela that were on the receiving end, but it was nice to have a challenge of someone she didn’t know as well. The fact that Vi seemed to genuinely like it was just a bonus. She smiled wide. “Yeah, no problem. There’s some extra of those...plastic things you need in there.”

Vi checked the bag to see that everything was in there. “Thank you.” She placed the pen back inside the bag and looked up at Santana. “I got to play with one of these once and I wanted one ever since, I just couldn't justify myself buying one cuz, you know, bills.” She laughed lightly. Really, she wasn't hurting for money or anything but she didn't often buy herself a lot of things. Mostly she used her money on paints and canvas, video games, and eating out. She hadn't yet saved enough to allow herself to get something as cool as this pen. “It totally means a lot that you got me anything at all even.” And Vi wondered if Santana could like her too, that maybe she did like her, a little bit, but that just didn't seem likely. Which was a shame because Vi thought she looked really hot right now and she certainly wouldn't have minded to be able to kiss her. She wondered if there was mistletoe anywhere.

“I thought it was pretty unique but fun when I found it online. You’ll have to make me something so that I can see it in action,” Santana replied with a little chuckle. “And now you don’t have to justify the purchase. Even though a part of me wants to encourage you to treat yourself.” She shifted on her feet and took in Vi’s outfit for the first time that evening. She looked really good, but Santana kept that to herself. “I mean...you did buy me that awesome birthday present. It would just be rude if i didn’t.”

“Oh, yeah, once I get the hang of it, I’m totally gonna make you something.” You know, ‘cause Vi totally wanted to be around Santana and do things for her and kiss her. “Oh I do treat myself. Like, I eat out and go out and buy my art stuff so I totally do do things, but, really thank you so much.” She grinned at Santana and nodded. “True. I did buy you that /really/ awesome gift so you totally owed me,” she joked.

Santana laughed again. “You eat out…wanky…” she teased before looking down at the present in her hand then back at the other woman. “I did owe you, and now we’re even...though I have no idea what’s in this box. So it better not be something expensive.”

Vi’s cheeks reddened at Santana’s words but mostly because her intoxicated mind thought about eating out… with Santana. But she laughed and tucked her hair back behind her ear and tried to stay cool. “Oh. Um. Just open it and find out.” She grinned.

Shaking her head, Santana cleared her throat. “I think I wanted to save it for Christmas Day. My dad sends me stuff, and my mom’s driving in tomorrow, but...I don’t have a lot of things to open on Christmas that aren’t from my parents. So this...is nice. So thank you…”

“Oh. Okay.” Vi was having doubts suddenly, like, did Santana somehow know what she got her? Had Brody told her and did she know she wouldn’t like it so she didn’t want to open it in front of her? But her reason seemed legit so Vi tried not to get in her head about it. Why did she care so much? It had been such a long time since she felt this way. “Tell your mom I said hi,” she told her with a slight laugh. “That’s cool she’s coming in. And it’s cool you throw this party every year. Like, it’s awesome of you. I’ve been having a good time. So thanks for inviting me.”

Santana wondered at the change in Vi’s demeanor, but she didn’t ask. She just focused on the other things the woman was saying. “Well, yeah, I like my house, and she likes coming to me for the winter break.” She had no idea why she was sharing any of this, but Vi knew her mom. So she just reasoned that it wasn’t weird to talk to her about it. “Christmas is kinda my thing. You don’t have to thank me. We’re clearly friends. I mean...you met my mom. That doesn’t happen often.”

“True, friends,” Vi agreed and goddamn why was she now looking down at Santana’s breasts. She tore her gaze away before she hoped Santana noticed and a smile was back on her face. “We gotta be friends if I met your mom.” She laughed lightly again and then licked her lips. “I think Halloween is my thing.” She nodded. “Definitely.” She didn’t want to keep Santana long, she knew she had to get back to her party, but she kind of wished they could go somewhere more quiet, more alone. But, she figured, she would have Santana’s time and attention tomorrow for sure.

It was at that weird moment in an interaction with another person where Santana could tell that the conversation was winding down, but she wasn’t sure how to end it. It felt like they were both still kind of lingering and she didn’t understand why. She ran her tongue over her lips in and nodded. “Well, maybe you should do it up for Halloween next year. People love a good Halloween party.”

Vi perked up a bit at the thought and nodded. “Yeah, I could throw a killer Halloween party.” She smirked. “Get it…?” And then she laughed. “But um, I should totally let you get back to your party. We're still on for tomorrow thought, right?”

“I got it…” Santana answered in an amused tone. “You’re such a dad and you don’t even have kids.” Only she wasn’t put off by Vi’s jokes. She thought it was cute, and that meant that she needed to walk away. “Yeah...can’t have anyone thinking I just disappeared…” She cleared her throat, her smile growing. “Yeah, we’re still on. So dress nice. I’m taking you somewhere a little fancy.”

Vi laughed at that. “God, I’m gonna be the best dad one day…” She smirked at Santana then nodded along with her. She didn’t want to hold Santana up too much, even though she really did. “Oh shit,” she commented and then laughed. “I mean, okay. I will dress nice. You totally didn’t comment on my digs tonight though,” Vi said and then just had to pose.

“Yes, best dad ever, I’m sure.” Santana’s eyes scanned Vi’s outfit again. “You clean up nice,” she complimented. “I’d even venture to say you look hot, but I don’t want you to get even more conceited.” She laughed and realized she was suddenly really looking forward to the next day.

“Guess I’ll get one of those number one dad mugs,” Vi told her with a slight laugh again. Santana’s words totally went to her head anyway. She basically said she looked hot, which gave Vi hope. But… she wasn’t after just sex here so… it was still uncertain territory. “Thanks. Yeah, my head was swell, I think.” She grinned. Fuck, she was so happy right now. “Okay. You go back to your thing. And I’m gonna go grab another drink. And… find Brody, I guess…” She laughed lightly.

Oh, this was what was happening, Santana thought. Vi was drunk. It all made more sense as to why she was being slightly weirder than normal. She laughed and nodded a little. “Yeah, I should get back.” She glanced at the gift bag. “Don’t lose that,” she joked. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Oh, I won’t,” Vi reassured her. “This is like the best gift ever. Thank you, Santana.” And then she did it. She went in for a hug, slipping a hand to Santana’s back as she gave a squeeze and she was able to smell her perfume or hair stuff or something and fuck, did Santana smell good. She pulled back just as quick. “See you tomorrow.”

She hadn't been expecting a hug, but Santana didn't mind it. She hugged Vi back for a moment then pulled away. “Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow,” she mumbled before turning on her black boots and headed back towards the stairs to head back to the party.

Vi watched her go, and looked at her ass, and let out a breath. Fuck, she really did have it bad, but she still wasn’t getting the signs that Santana was definitely not interested. Of course, there weren’t any signs that she /was/ interested, but Vi thought she wasn’t in a bad place to be right now, and she’d take it.