#caruliaweek

"Evening, Carmen."

Carmen doesn't move. "Evening, Jules. It's late."

"It is," she agrees.

Her eyes don't move from where they're fixed on the skyline, following the route she always takes across the rooftops. "You should probably be sleeping, you know."

"I do know. But you looked lonely."

Carmen shrugs. "It's nothing I can't handle."

"I don't doubt that," she says, and sits down next to her, ignoring the sudden drop immediately beneath her feet, which is pretty brave of her. "It's very..."

"Quiet?" Carmen suggests gently, and turns to her, flicking her hair out of her eyes (Julia tries her best not to stare too hard)."That's why I like it. Lots of space to think. Nobody to have to think around. It's nice, sometimes."

"And other times-"

"It's just... empty." She sighs, pulling her knees up to her chest. "Beautiful, but empty."

(Beautiful, Julia repeats to herself, and doesn't let herself continue that train of thought.)

They both fall silent for a moment. Carmen keeps staring at the skyline, tracing aimless patterns on the fabric over her knees - something Julia has only ever seen her do when she thinks she's by herself (She's not really sure what it means, but there aren't many things about Carmen Sandiego she understands, anyway, and sometimes it's refreshing to meet someone she can't figure out).

"Carmen?"

"Jules."

"Do you want a hug?"

She hesitates for a moment, glancing down at her lap (and Julia feels herself tense in response).

"... Yeah. Please."

And before she knows what she's doing, Julia pulling her into her arms, guiding her away from the edge of the roof and back up onto the slates, and Carmen swings her legs out of the way and buries her face in her shoulder.

They're both silent for a moment. Julia pretends not to notice the way she's trembling, even if it makes her heart lurch in her chest, and resolves to ask her if she needs a hug more often.

"... Carmen?"

"Mm."

Julia slips her hand into hers. "Do you want to go inside?"

She shrugs, turning her gaze to the view from the rooftop again. Her hand is surprisingly warm, given the temperature, and she laces their fingers together almost immediately (and Julia has to stop herself from gasping out loud). "I... don't think so. Not now, at least. Do you?"

Julia shrugs as well. "I'm happy to stay out here with you. If you'd like," she adds, and it comes out much softer than she wanted it to. If Carmen notices, she doesn't point it out, which is a relief.

This time, it's Carmen who bridges the silence. "... Jules?"

"Yes?"

"Can I tell you something?"

She nods, propping her chin on the top of her head. "Of course. That's what friends are for, right?"

And Carmen... Carmen lets out a nervous laugh, leaning back out of Julia's arms. Her hand finds the hem of her shirt and starts playing it through her fingers, which is something she's never seen her do before. "Yeah. Um. About that."

Julia raises her eyebrows. "Carmen Sandiego, are you nervous?"

She laughs again (so the answer is yes, obviously) and glances away, swallowing. "No. No! I just, uh- I wanted to say- something. Important."

"Are you blushing?"

"What? No! I'm not- I don't-"

Julia stifles a laugh. "I'm just teasing you. Whatever it is, I'm not going to judge you, Carmen."

"... Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't say that if I didn't mean it," she says softly.

Carmen pauses, and looks back up at her. Her eyes are wide, filled with some sort of emotion Julia doesn't know how to place, and it makes something warm bloom in her chest.

"Okay. Okay."

She removes herself from Julia's arms entirely, rocking back on her heels to face her fully, and Julia remembers what it was like to fall in love with her for the first time, what that quiet, internal oh felt like against her ribcage, how it came rattling up through her lungs and settled somewhere deep within her, and how she felt that weight lurch up into her mouth whenever she saw her, smiled at her.

Carmen swallows, avoiding her eyes. She looks so... small, framed by the flickering city lights. She is small. Sometimes Julia lets herself forget how young she is - how young they both are.

She looks down at her hands. "Jules?"

"You've said that," she teases, and Carmen huffs a laugh, biting her lip.

"I have. I just- Jules, I'm in love with you."

Oh. Oh.

"Carmen..."

"You don't have to- I mean, I just- I just wanted you to know. I... I don't know, it's just been on my mind a lot." She laughs again, twisting the hem of her shirt in her hands, and all Julia can think about is how she's never seen Carmen this tongue-tied before.

"Oh, Carmen," she breathes, and reaches out to take her hand before she registers what she's doing, before she can stop herself. "Carmen, I love you too."

Carmen stares at her for a moment, eyes widening, and she can hear her heart beating in her chest, and-

She laughs, bright and clear, and Julia feels herself smiling back. "Well, I'm glad we've got that out of the way," she grins, and throws herself back into her arms again.