#calvak

Her eyes cracked open, nearly wincing, blinking a few times as they adjusted to the morning light and she couldn’t hold back a small yawn. She didn’t want to move her hand from Casey’s, nor jostle the bed and end up accidentally waking her, so she stretched out her body the best she could without really moving. When she nuzzled back into her pillow her gaze landed on Casey, who was still asleep on her back, ginger hair splayed across her pillow, her face turned towards Rita. The sun cascaded across her porcelain skin, sparkling in her hair, catching the sapphire gems of her earrings and bouncing the light throughout the room. Rita couldn’t help but smile, resisting the urge to reach out and trace the outline of her features while she slept.

Casey brought a sense of calm to her life that she’d never once had before, one that made her actually slow down and smell the flowers, enjoy her surroundings and breathe in the small moments rather than racing through life. Normally once she woke up in the morning that was it, no hitting snooze, no rolling over or closing the drapes to be engulfed in darkness, it was shower, dressed and coffee time. It was the first time in years that Rita felt adequately rested. She relished the nights Casey stayed over, encouraged to bed at a reasonable time, lulled to sleep by the strum of the other woman’s heartbeat with her sturdy arm wrapped around her waist. The smell of her shampoo embedded into Rita’s pillowcases so even when she wasn’t there, the reminder still was and Rita was drawn to staying in bed longer than she normally would. It was as if Casey had brought an entire new light into her life, one she hadn’t even realized she had been missing out on until she’d become involved with the younger woman and a day wouldn’t pass that she wasn’t eternally grateful for all of it, though she was most grateful for Casey herself.

Rita caught herself falling early, Casey’s playful energy making her laugh harder than she had in years, the way the other woman wore her heart of her sleeve was so drastically different to Rita and she was amazed by it with each day that went passed. Casey was strong, brave, incredibly empathetic and had the perfect amount of stubbornness, knowing exactly when to stand up for herself or her people and Rita admired that beyond all belief. Then there were the sly smiles, the lingering glances with a sparkle in her eye that made Rita’s heart race, the husk of her voice or the way her lower lip would pout just the slightest and she had Rita completely wrapped around her finger. She was down bad from the start and now she was totally in love and wouldn’t change it for anything in the world.

“You’re staring again…” Casey’s voice, thick with sleep, broke through Rita’s stream of memories and the older woman chuckled softly, her hand finally reaching out to smooth back a few pieces of her hair.

“You’re breathtaking… I could stare at you forever.”

“Creep.” Casey teased, her eyes finally fluttering open as she smiled across at Rita. She found their pinkies still linked together and brought Rita’s hand up to her lips, leaving a tender kiss on the back of it that made the brunette’s heart swell. “How long have you been awake?” She asked, rolling onto her side as she adjusted the blanket, shifting closer to her girlfriend.

“Not long.” Rita replied with a small yawn, stretching out the remainder of her body.

“And you figured you’d just watch me sleep?” She raised an eyebrow with a playful grin and Rita scoffed.

“I didn’t want to wake you.” Her hand caressed her cheek gently before she pressed a kiss to her lips, “you looked so peaceful.”

“Mmm.” Casey nuzzled her nose against her girlfriend’s, “I do always sleep better when I’m here.”

“Could be the thread count.” Rita teased, earning a playful scoff.

“Nope.” She smiled, gazing across at her, “sleep pretty good when you’re at my place too.” She yawned, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, “though… your bed is far comfier than mine.”

“I think it has much more to do with the company than the environment.” Rita offered up, her thumb soothing across Casey’s cheek, who smiled in return, turning her face to press a kiss to the other woman’s palm.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She smiled, “I adore waking up with you.”

“You’re such a sap.” Casey teased, kissing the tip of her nose, “no one would ever believe me if I told them.”

“Well that might just be because I’m not totally head over heels in love with anyone but you.” Rita’s fingers tickled down her cheek, pulling her to her for another kiss, lips brushed against each other as they curved up into grins.

“I love you too.” The redhead murmured back, unable to contain the smile on her face or the love in her eyes, “waking up with you is extremely easier.” She watched for a moment as Rita’s smile reached her eyes, then she suddenly ducked her gaze before looking back up at her with a near hesitant look on her face, “what?”

“Move in with me?” The older woman asked quietly and the hand Casey had twirling in her hair stalled slightly before her fingers trailed down Rita’s cheek, tilting her chin up to catch her gaze.

“Really?”

“Yes.” She half laughed, “I love it when you’re here so much that I’ve come to hate it when you’re not.”

“But you live for your alone time.”

“I know.” Rita sighed happily, “but I’d rather have you. You’re this burst of energy, sunshine and love that I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life for and I don’t want to waste another minute by myself.”

Casey’s hands came up to cup her cheeks, a bright smile on her own as she leant in to kiss her, “you sure you’re ready to share your home office?” She half teased and Rita huffed.

“We can talk about shared custody.”

“Sounds like a deal to me.” Grinning, she stole another kiss, one that Rita pulled back from after only a minute.

“Really?”

“Of course!” A bright smile overtook the redhead’s face as she cupped her face, “any day I spend with you is far superior to one that I don’t, so why wouldn’t I want to get to wake up with you every morning and go to bed with you every night?” She laughed softly as Rita peppered her face with kisses, “besides, think about what you’ll save on take out bills. Wait.. your stove does actually work, right?”

Rita scoffed, swatting at Casey’s chest as she shot a glare in her direction before both of them burst into a fit of giggles, interrupted by kisses, each one a little bit longer than the last.

“I love you.” Rita murmured, her breath catching in her throat as Casey suddenly rolled her onto her back, straddling her hips.

“I love you too.” She replied, a wicked grin on her face as her eyes darkened, “and now I’m gonna show you what you have to look forward to every Sunday morning from now on.”

Rita’s head fell back into the plush pillows as Casey’s lips began leaving a trail down her neck, her hands ghosting over her body and a sheer sense of happiness and love washed around both of them. There was no doubt that this was exactly where they wanted and needed to be, and that yes, this certainly was the perfect way to spend a Sunday morning with the person they loved the most.

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