#starmothfirsts

Charlie wasn’t sure if Vaggie was acting this way because she’d been the one who nursed Vaggie back to health when she was teetering on the brink of death, or if it was because Vaggie might be harboring some deeper feelings for Charlie.

At least, that’s what Charlie was hoping was the case.

She’s been aware of her own feelings towards Vaggie for what's felt like forever now. After all, she did totally like, find her completely attractive when she’d first stumbled upon Vaggie and blushed when Vaggie smiled at her and did her little hair tuck behind her ear thing. And when Vaggie started hanging out with her and smiling at her and comforting her and helping her and supporting her dreams and believing in her, well, it’s no wonder Charlie became so smitten so quickly.

The trouble was, Charlie had no clue if Vaggie felt the same. Vaggie didn’t outwardly express her emotions as much as Charlie did, at least, not the ones that would make her vulnerable, and—in her words, not Charlie’s, never Charlie’s—make her appear weak to others.

However, she was very good at expressing her annoyance and anger and the even concern when she felt Charlie was working herself too hard or when Charlie was on the verge of a breakdown from stress and frustration.

But anything other than that, Vaggie’s lips were sealed.

Charlie had no clue how Vaggie felt about her, but she wished and hoped more than anything that Vaggie felt even remotely similar to Charlie.

~~~

Vaggie had developed feelings for Charlie. Not friend feelings, but I-want-to-hold-your-hand-and-kiss-you-whenever-I-want-and-call-you-my-partner feelings.

She groaned aloud to herself, her arms crossed over her stomach, pacing back and forth in front of the bed of the guest bedroom that had become her room, anxiously gnawing on her bottom lip, one of her hands occasionally leaving her stomach to tug at her hair.

Vaggie’s been feeling like this around Charlie for a while now.

Whenever Charlie looked at her, she blushed. Whenever Charlie touched her, whether it was linking their hands together or giving her a hug, it sent warmth and sparks shooting through her body. Whenever Charlie was sad, she wanted nothing more than to hold the blonde in her arms and shower her with affirmations, while simultaneously thinking of ways to tear apart the hijo de puta that had caused Charlie to feel sad in the first place. Whenever Charlie sang, it filled Vaggie with a feeling of happiness and peace. Whenever Charlie started talking, she found herself thinking of how soft Charlie’s lips would feel against her own and if her kisses would be as sweet as her.

She groaned again, now raking both hands through her hair and clutching at large chunks intermittently. “Fuuuuuuck, fuck fuck fuck,” Vaggie said, sighing as she fell back against her bed with a ‘thump’, feet dangling and kicking in the air before hitting the side of mattress, repeating the motions mindlessly as her thoughts continued to stray to Charlie.

Charlie must have been pretty oblivious to not have noticed even one of the longing stares Vaggie directed her way. But if Charlie wasn’t looking for Vaggie to look at her that way, then it’d make sense that she hadn’t noticed.

That was another thing. Vaggie had been studying Charlie for a while now, and not once had she caught the Princess looking at Vaggie the way she looked at Charlie. Usually, Charlie was an open book to Vaggie, but if Vaggie didn’t see it, it more than likely meant Charlie didn’t like Vaggie in that way.

With a sigh, Vaggie adjusted so she was curled up on her side, arms curled around herself as if trying to protect her from the inevitable truth.

Charlie didn’t like her, not in the way Vaggie wanted her to.

And she never would.

~~~

Charlie couldn’t believe she had just done that. One moment, she was seated at the dinner table, aimlessly chatting with Vaggie, and the next, she was covering her mouth in shock, eyes wide in horror as Vaggie merely stared at her. “Ohhhh my gosh, I’m so so so sorry! I didn’t mean to say that! No, wait, I meant to say it! I just, I had this whole thing planned out. I was gonna get flowers and make a cake and put up a banner and everything! It was going to have glitter and—”

As Charlie continued to ramble, Vaggie continued to stare at her, a blank expression on her face, processing what Charlie had said.

They’d sat down to eat, Charlie instantly diving into conversation about the newest updates to her Happy Hotel project. Vaggie was watching her with a fond smile, her singular eye shining with adoration as Charlie frantically waved her hands about to emphasize her point.

When Charlie finally met Vaggie’s gaze, she tucked her hair behind her ear, something Vaggie knew she only did when she was flustered. Vaggie couldn’t bring herself to look away from Charlie, even as her own cheeks began to heat the longer her eye remained locked with both of Charlie’s.

Charlie broke the tension by blurting out the first thing that came to mind. “Would you want to go on a date with me?”

And that’s how they got to this moment, with Charlie now on the verge of tears as Vaggie still hadn’t responded to anything Charlie had said, including her admittance of her feelings towards the other woman.

“I-If you don-don’t feel the same, I understand. I just hope we can s-stay friends,” Charlie sniffled, wiping the wetness staining her cheeks with the arm of her suit jacket. “I’ll leave you alone. I’m sorry.”

Vaggie finally managed to snap out her trance as Charlie stood up from her seat, the chair screeching against the floor at the force that Charlie pushed it back with. She stood up as well and quickly walked over to Charlie’s side of the table, stopping Charlie’s retreat when her fingers wrapped around Charlie’s slender wrist. “Wait,” she pleaded.

Charlie stopped in her tracks, taking in a deep breath before hesitantly looking over at Vaggie.

“Charlie, I—” Vaggie started, exhaling slowly as if that would get rid of the jitters that had taken over. “I like you. As more than a friend. And I’d love to go on a date with you, if you still want that.”

Charlie’s expression morphed comically from sadness and fear and hesitation to disbelief to sheer, unadulterated joy, all within seconds. She squealed, wrapping her arms around Vaggie’s waist and picking her up, spinning them around in circles as she giggled excitedly.

Vaggie wrapped her arms around Charlie’s shoulders instinctively, her panicked yelp quickly giving way to laughter.

“Really?! You mean it?! You want to go on a date with me?!” Charlie asked once she had set Vaggie down, only slightly breathless, hands still resting on either side of Vaggie’s waist, beaming down at Vaggie as if she held the key to happiness in her hands.

“I mean it,” Vaggie confirmed, smiling brightly as Charlie dove forward for a hug, one she eagerly reciprocated. She buried her face in Charlie’s shoulder, inhaling deeply, that familiar, wonderful apple scent making her feel a litany of feelings all at once.

Both of them were overly relieved that the other felt the same, and they couldn’t wait for their first date to commence.

~~~

“Are you sure I look ok?” A frazzled Charlie asked a very exasperated Razzle and Dazzle, who had laid down on her bed after Charlie had reached outfit number six.

“Baa,” they responded in unison, Razzle closing his eyes and resting his head on his crossed hooves while Dazzle stared at her, unimpressed.

“You’re right. It’s Vaggie, she’s not going to care about what I’m wearing,” she said in an attempt to reassure herself as she fussed with the cuffs on her jacket, looking herself over in the mirror for the umpteenth time, quadruple-checking that her mascara hadn’t smeared.

Charlie was wearing a black multi-layer ruffled skirt that fell to her upper thighs, a black shirt that was tucked neatly into her skirt with a white collar, a white tie with black stripes, and a black suit jacket that had padded shoulders. It also sported gold-colored buttons and a white trim along the hem, all the way around from the lapels to the angular-shaped bottom. She’d redone her black nail polish, and ultimately decided to leave her hair in its normal braid, choosing to go with a pair of small, strappy black heels.

Straightening up her tie, Charlie couldn’t contain the excitement that was bubbling up, nor the accompanying ear-to-ear smile. “I still can’t believe she said yes! It’s a dream come true! I’m the luckiest girl in the world!”

Razzle and Dazzle shared bemused glances as Charlie began twirling around the room, humming to herself in delight as she swiped her wallet off the nightstand, tucking it into her inner coat pocket.

“I bet Vaggie’s going to look amazing! Not to say that she doesn’t always look amazing, because she does! But seeing her all dressed up is going to be a whole ‘nother level of amazing!”

“Baa!” Dazzle bleated, Razzle pointing to the clock.

“Oh, shoot! You’re right! I gotta go get Vaggie! You boys got the limo?! Vaggie deserves the absolute best for our date!”

“Baa! Baa!” Razzle responded, flying up from the bed and nudging Charlie towards the door while his brother grabbed the bouquet of roses Charlie had bought for Vaggie and handed them off to her.

“Right, I’ve got it! Thanks boys, I’ll see you in a bit!” Charlie hollered, practically skipping down the hall, the bouquet clutched tightly in her hands.

She skidded to a halt when she reached Vaggie’s bedroom door, and once she had gathered up enough courage, she knocked.

“I’ll be out in a couple of seconds!”

Charlie didn’t have to wait for even a second. The door swung open, revealing Vaggie, and Charlie’s mouth went dry, eyes becoming as big as saucers. “Vaggie—I—umm—you look—wow—I—you’re—you’re stunning,” Charlie stuttered as she held out the flowers to Vaggie. “I brought these, for you, but now I don’t even know why I bothered because they don’t even begin to compare to you.”

Vaggie blushed, taking the roses from Charlie while shuffling nervously from foot to foot at Charlie’s sweet compliment and her earnest gaze. “Let me just put these down, and then we can go.”

Charlie nodded, watching Vaggie walk away, mind reeling from how a woman as beautifully breathtaking as Vaggie wanted to go out with her. Not because she was Charlotte, the Princess of Hell and heir to the throne, but Charlie, the goofy blonde filled to the brim with enthusiasm and dreams that others were determined to crush under the heels of their boots.

“Ready?” Vaggie asked.

“I am,” Charlie said, holding her arm out for Vaggie to take, heart flipping and flopping in her chest as Vaggie daintily looped her arm through Charlie’s, smiling bashfully at her. “I meant what I said, you know. You look absolutely amazing.”

Vaggie’s hair was pulled back into an elegant bun, her bangs covering the eyepatch with the red X Charlie had painstakingly made for her. On her neck sat a small, diamond necklace that resembled a choker in Charlie’s eyes. She had picked out a dark red, sparkling pantsuit for the evening, the spaghetti straps resting on her shoulders a lighter shade of red. The top half dipped down just low enough to tease, but not overwhelmingly so. There was a cutout in the middle, connected to the bottom half of her suit by light red straps, exposing Vaggie’s skin all around. Most of Vaggie’s upper back was exposed as well due to the way the top half of the suit tapered off as it reached Vaggie’s back. She, like Charlie, was wearing a small pair of heels, only hers were white instead of black.

It was a lot more skin than Charlie was used to seeing exposed on Vaggie, and it was honestly making her dizzy with how breathless she was becoming and how much she wanted to run her hands over it all. She was also filled with pride at Vaggie, for being comfortable enough with Charlie to have the scars on her back out in the open.

“Thank you, Charlie. You don’t look too bad yourself.”

Charlie acted offended at the barb, and Vaggie’s resulting giggle only made her that much more beautiful in Charlie’s eyes.

“So, are you ready to tell me where we’re headed?” Vaggie asked conversationally as they reached the limo, thanking Charlie for holding the door open, rolling her eye fondly as Charlie bowed at the gratitude.

Since Charlie had grown up in Hell and Vaggie had only arrived a couple of months ago, she’d allowed Charlie the liberty of planning out their evening. The only information Charlie had given her was to dress as though she were heading to a black-tie event.

“Not yet. Guess you’ll just have to wait and see,” Charlie replied as she clambered into the limo, shutting the door behind her and signaling to the boys that they could begin driving. She settled back in her seat, adjusting herself so she was facing Vaggie, reaching over to link their hands together, humming to herself as she traded from staring out the window for some time to staring at Vaggie for some (a much longer) time.

Charlie’s touch sent a tingling sensation shooting through her, quickly followed by warmth, which Charlie seemed to simply radiate.

While Charlie was occupied with the window, Vaggie took the chance to admire Charlie’s outfit, seeing as she hadn’t been able to earlier, and how the fuck Charlie managed to pull of a suit with a ruffled skirt was beyond her. Though she didn’t mind the skirt, not at all. The way the garment fell as Charlie sat down made it ride up even higher than it had before, exposing even more of Charlie’s thighs, not to mention the way the suit emphasized each one of Charlie’s curves and highlighted the angles of her body. The sight made Vaggie’s breath hitch in her throat, and it took her a while to gain any semblance of control over her thoughts.

A smirk overcame her face as an idea flashed in her mind. She tugged on Charlie’s hand, causing the Princess to look over at her in confusion. Vaggie tugged on her hand again, and once Charlie moved, scooting close enough to Vaggie that their thighs were touching, Vaggie leaned against Charlie’s side, throwing one of Charlie’s arms around her shoulders while her own wrapped around Charlie’s waist. With a content sigh, Vaggie allowed her head to fall against Charlie’s shoulder, looking up at Charlie and batting her eye innocently even as she fought against her smirk, which wanted to make itself known once more. “Is this ok?” Vaggie asked, intentionally fanning her breath against Charlie’s neck and watching as goosebumps instantly appeared.

“Yeah! Yes, yeah, this is ok! This is great!”

Vaggie allowed her eye to flutter shut, snuggling deeper into Charlie’s side while being wary of smearing her mascara.

Charlie gulped as her hand hesitantly rested on Vaggie’s shoulder, stroking the skin there softly, heart pounding rapidly against her sternum as her thoughts ran rampant. Oh my gosh I can’t believe this is happening! Her skin is so much smoother and so much softer than I imagined and she looks so breathtaking and she fits so well against me! How am I going to survive dinner if I can barely even stand the ride there?! Please please please let us arrive soon so I’m not tempted to do something I’ll sorely regret and something that will definitely ensure Vaggie won’t want to go out with me ever again. Gosh she’s so beautiful I can’t get over how well the color red suits her and her eye is so pretty and she looks so good with her hair tied back. Not that she doesn’t look good with her hair down! Because she does! She looks good with both! Oh geez I’m rambling inside of my mind, how do I always manage to do this to myself?!

“Charlie?”

“Hmm?” Charlie responded mindlessly, too busy scolding herself internally for going off on a tangent.

“Can’t you at least give me a hint as to where we’re going? Please?”

Charlie bit her lip, eyes falling down to Vaggie’s lips as she pouted playfully. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt.”

“Yes, thank you!” Vaggie exclaimed, reaching up to press a light, fleeting kiss to Charlie’s cheek, pulling away as she looked at the woman eagerly, who appeared to be frozen in place, like a deer in headlights. “Charlie, hun, are you ok?”

If it was even possible, Charlie stilled even more. It took Vaggie a moment to realize, and when she did, a blush instantly sprouted to her cheeks.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. It sort of just slipped out. This is only our first date and it’s a bit much to be calling you by any nicknames or anything. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I’d never want to do that to you. It won’t happen again, I promise. Gah, I’m such an idiot!”

“Don’t say that!”

Vaggie looked at Charlie in surprise, her blush deepening as Charlie lifted their intertwined hands to her mouth and kissed the back of Vaggie’s.

“Don’t you ever call yourself an idiot again, ok? You’re the opposite of an idiot. You’re a genius. You’re smart. Intelligent. Sharp. Brilliant. Clev—”

“Ok!” Vaggie interrupted, placing a hand over Charlie’s mouth through her giggles. “I understand. I promise.”

“Good, and don’t apologize for the nicknames either. I think they’re cute, especially when they’re coming from you.”

Warmth blossomed in Vaggie’s chest, spreading throughout her entire body. “So you think I’m cute, huh?”

Charlie’s hair tuck was all the answer Vaggie needed.

“I think you’re cute too, in case that wasn’t obvious.”

Charlie beamed down at Vaggie, and without thinking, she pressed a kiss to Vaggie’s forehead.

Vaggie’s heart pounded even fiercer at the feel of Charlie’s lips on her skin. She squeezed Charlie’s hand in reassurance before she could freak out too much about the action. “Now, would you care to give me that clue you promised me?”

“Alright, hold on! Ummmm, let’s see,” Charlie mumbled to herself, eyes narrowing as if searching through her mind for the perfect clue. “Hmm, ok. Yup, I’ve got it! It’s to die for!”

Vaggie studied Charlie curiously, her proud smile and sparkling eyes and those adorable red circles on her cheeks. “Charlie.”

“Yes?”

“Are you seriously telling me you got us a reservation at ZoZo’s Palace?!”

Charlie deflated like a balloon, a pout settling on her lips. “Aww man, I didn’t think you were gonna guess it!”

Vaggie snorted. “Charlie, they’ve got advertisements 24/7 about how the food there is ‘to die for’. I may not pay much attention to the TV, but I’ve heard it enough times to recognize it. How did you even get reservations? From what I’ve heard, that place is booked months in advance.”

Charlie scratched the back of her neck, smiling at Vaggie sheepishly. “Well, I sort of am the Princess of Hell. I don’t use the title a lot, but I really wanted to do this for you. I wanted to make tonight special.”

“Charlie,” Vaggie said softly, adoration sweeping across her face as she cupped Charlie’s face in her hand, forcing Charlie to look at her. “You didn’t need to go through all of that trouble for me. Tonight was going to be special no matter what, because I’m with you. That means more to me than anything, even a fancy restaurant.”

Charlie nuzzled into Vaggie’s hand, eyes brimming with happy tears as she stared at Vaggie in awe. “You mean that?”

“I do.”

A smirk formed on Charlie’s face. “So, should I cancel our table?”

“Umm, fuck no.”

“But I thought being with me was more special than anything?”

“It is, but you can’t tell a girl you got her a table at ZoZo’s and not expect her to want to go.”

They looked at one another seriously. It only lasted for a few seconds before they burst into a fit of giggles, the limo rolling to a stop shortly after.

“Baa!” Razzle said, pointing out the window.

“Looks like we’re here,” Charlie said, opening the car door and stepping out before turning around, offering her hand for Vaggie to take.

Vaggie did, allowing Charlie to assist her, and once she was out, she interlocked her fingers with Charlie, squeezing Charlie’s hand in excitement as she stared at the restaurant before them in complete and utter wonder. “Charlie,” she breathed out, and the smile she shot Charlie was so brilliant Charlie felt her knees go weak.

“Come on,” Charlie said, reluctantly removing her hand from Vaggie’s so she could wrap her arm around the backs of her shoulders, hand resting on the bare skin of her upper arm.

Vaggie slung her arm across Charlie’s waist in return, fingers absentmindedly stroking up and down Charlie’s side as they walked, a tingling sensation shooting through Charlie each time.

They chatted aimlessly as they waited in line, and once they reached the front, Charlie spoke up. “Reservation for two under Morningstar.”

The host’s eyes widened in recognition, but otherwise kept his cool. “Of course, Miss Morningstar. Right this way.”

Charlie watched Vaggie as she looked around at everything in awe, smile widening everytime Vaggie gasped softly if something took her aback. Her cheeks were hurting by the time they got to their table, but she couldn’t bring herself to care.

“You got us a private dining room?”

“I know you still tend to get anxious around large groups of people, so I thought this would make you more comfortable.”

Vaggie was overwhelmed by Charlie’s consideration for her and her feelings. Unable to find the words to express her gratitude, she leaned up and kissed Charlie’s cheek like she had in the limo. Charlie’s giddy smile at her actions only served to make Vaggie smile like an idiot in return.

“Ladies first,” Charlie said, reaching for the chair and pulling it out, gesturing for Vaggie to sit.

“My my my, what a gentleman,” Vaggie teased as Charlie pushed her chair back in before Vaggie had fully sat down.

Charlie smoothed out the bottom of her skirt before she sat down, pulling her chair in so she could be as close to the table (and Vaggie) as possible.

“Charlie, this is incredible. I can’t believe you did all of this for me.”

“It wasn’t that much trouble, really. But even if it had been, it would’ve been well worth it if it meant I got to see you smile the way you are right now.”

“A gentleman and a charmer, who would’ve thought?” Vaggie asked despite the color that was painting her cheeks at Charlie’s words.

“Hey, there’s a lot you still don’t know about me.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because you’re an open book, Charlie.”

“That’s simply not true.”

“Oh, really?”

“Really!”

“Do tell. What do I not know about Miss Charlie Morningstar, the ever so darling Princess of Hell?”

That’s how they spent most of their evening, discussing the things they knew about one another and learning about the things they didn’t know. They only stopped when they’d ordered their drinks and food, diving right back into their conversation as soon as they’d finished placing their orders.

“I can see why people say this place is to die for,” Vaggie said after they’d both finished off their plates, using her napkin to wipe up any excess food that may have been lingering on her face, Charlie doing the same across the table.

“Me too. I’ve been here a couple of times with my parents when I was younger, but I never really liked the food much at the time.”

“Oh? Was little Princess Charlie too much of a snob to even eat at a place as fancy as this?”

Charlie shook her head through her giggles. “No! It was nothing like that!”

Vaggie laughed as well, tilting her head when she noticed Charlie had some sauce smeared on the corner of her mouth. “Char, hun, you’ve still got a little something,” she said, pointing to her own face to indicate where it was on Charlie’s.

“Did I get it?”

“No, hold on, lemme just,” Vaggie said as she reached out, wiping the sauce off with her own napkin, freezing as she realized just how close her face was to Charlie’s. Close enough that she could feel Charlie’s breath fanning across her face, close enough that if she leaned forward just a bit she could narrow the distance between them, see how those black lips felt against her own, if they were as soft as Vaggie imagined, if they would taste like apples, if—

Vaggie cleared her throat, averting her eye from Charlie’s as she hastily sat back in her seat, blushing heavily.

Charlie had never been so tempted to screw proper date etiquette than at that moment. Vaggie had been so close, and her lips had looked so inviting, so plump, so kissable, so delectable. She had been in the midst of wondering how Vaggie would react to Charlie biting down on her lip, if she’d sigh or let out a moan or whimper in pleasure, when Vaggie had abruptly pulled away. “All gone?” she asked, a bit breathless.

Vaggie nodded. “Yup! All gone. You’re all good now.”

“I guess you can’t take me anywhere, huh?”

Vaggie smirked at that. “I guess not.”

She asked Charlie about how the Hotel was coming along, her chin resting in her hand as she admired the woman in front of her. How passionate she was, how determined she was, how enigmatic she was, how beautiful she looked in the candlelight. Vaggie had never felt more smitten with Charlie than right now.

Here she was, all dolled up, sat in the most upscale restaurant in Hell, with none other than the Princess herself.

Not that Vaggie liked Charlie because she was the Princess. She could care less about that. She was with Charlie because she liked hearing her sing whatever tune came to mind, she liked the way Charlie would become all flustered when she complimented her, she liked seeing Charlie bounce up and down in her seat whenever they were watching something together, unable to sit still even in the calmest of moments. She liked how caring Charlie was, how she was willing to do anything and everything for those she held near and dear, how her nose would crinkle when she’d get overly excited, how she was always so optimistic despite being in Hell, how touchy-feely she was with Vaggie.

Vaggie could go on and on about everything she liked about Charlie, but that would take up the rest of eternity. She had it bad for the other woman, and while that scared her, it also thrilled her.

Because Charlie, the literal Angel of Hell, felt the same way about Vaggie as Vaggie felt about her.

“Vaggie?”

Vaggie snapped her attention back to Charlie, who looked uncharacteristically nervous, twisting her skirt in one of her hands as she fidgeted in her seat while the other was tapping on the table. “Yeah, hun? Is everything ok?”

“I was just—well I was wondering—I know this is a big thing—and I—ughhh ok—umm—I dunno—I was thinking—”

Vaggie smiled softly, reaching over and placing her hand atop Charlie’s. “Breathe, Charlie. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. There isn’t anything you can say to me that will make me want to leave you.”

Charlie nodded jerkily, inhaling and exhaling as she gathered her thoughts. “I know this is a big ask, and there is no pressure on you to say yes! I was just, ever since I met you, you’ve stood by me like nobody else. You’ve supported me through everything, and you believe in me. You believe in my Happy Hotel, and you believe in my idea that sinners can be redeemed. So, if it’s not asking too much, I was kinda, sorta, mayyyybe hoping you’d want to be my partner in running the Hotel, like maybe you could be the manager or something. I haven’t figured all of the logistics out yet. But you totally don’t have to say yes if you don’t want to! Or even answer right now! I can definitely wait, I don’t want to make you feel like you owe it to me to say yes or force you into it if you don’t—”

“Charlie,” Vaggie interrupted, squeezing the other woman’s hand as Charlie blinked at her. “I’d be honored.”

“Wait, really?! You want to?! You want to run the hotel with me?!”

Vaggie nodded, returning Charlie’s ear-to-ear-grin. “Really. I care for you, Charlie, and I care about your dream. I want to do whatever I can to help.”

“Oh, thank you thank you thank you!” Charlie gushed, bringing Vaggie’s hand up to her mouth and pressing a flurry of kisses to the back of it in her excitement.

Vaggie’s cheeks heated up from the attention, but she made no move to stop Charlie. After all, she adored her and her antics. “There’s no need to thank me, mi querida.”

Charlie tilted her head at Vaggie. “What does that mean?”

“What, mi querida?”

She nodded.

“Oh, it’s Spanish for ‘my dear’,” Vaggie explained as her blush deepened.

“Could you speak it to me more? It makes me feel, I dunno, special.”

Vaggie smiled. “Lo que quieras, princesa. Pero siempre serás especial para mí, no importa qué.” [Whatever you want, princess. But you will always be special to me, no matter what]

“That’s—umm—I—wow.”

Vaggie laughed at the fact that she had managed to render Charlie speechless, a feat she was sure was not easily accomplished.

Charlie smiled softly, admiring the woman sitting in front of her. “How did I get so lucky?”

Vaggie turned her head away bashfully, though Charlie could still see her mouth turning up in a pleased smile.

Charlie’s own smile brightened as Vaggie’s thumb began tracing random patterns across the back of her hand, sparks skittering up her arm and warming her heart. She nodded to their waiter, thanking him for his service as she paid for their meal.

“Of course, Miss Morningstar. We hope you and your date had a splendid evening. Thank you for dining at ZoZo’s Palace.”

“All set?” Charlie asked once he’d left, to which Vaggie nodded.

As soon as they were side by side, they both reached for the other’s hand, matching grins adorning their faces as their fingers interlaced with one another.

Charlie held the restaurant door open for Vaggie, blushing as Vaggie’s body brushed up against her own as she exited. She quickly joined back up with Vaggie, lightly swinging their hands between them as they walked.

“I’m not ready to head back yet,” Vaggie admitted, looking up at Charlie with a hesitant smile. “Do you think we could go for a walk?”

“Of course! I know just the place,” Charlie replied, relieved to find out Vaggie didn’t want the night to end any more than she did.

As they strolled along the street, Vaggie couldn’t help but notice how much more orderly and peaceful this part of the city was. She supposed that was because this area housed more upscale and upper class citizens. It made sense considering ZoZo’s was located in this area.

That’s not to say there wasn’t still fighting and blood and debauchery and fire, but there wasn’t as much as Vaggie had grown accustomed to seeing, and it made the atmosphere surprisingly peaceful. It also made it cooler than normal, which given that this was Hell, was very much not the norm. She couldn’t suppress the shiver that spread through when a breeze came their way, and Charlie noticed.

“Are you cold?”

“A bit,” Vaggie said, and before she knew it, Charlie had taken her suit jacket off and was handing it to her.

She quietly thanked Charlie as she slipped it on, Charlie’s apple scent so prominent and rich it made her dizzy with warmth and comfort. It was very loose on her and so comically large it reached her thighs, and yet, she had never felt safer.

“It’s so big on you,” Charlie giggled.

“It’s not my fault you’re so tall!” Vaggie argued.

“I’m not that tall, you’re just short.”

“Hey!”

“What? You can’t seriously be telling me I’m wrong about this.”

“I’ll have you know I’m a perfectly average height. You’re the one that’s built like a giant.”

“I—wha—that’s not true!”

“Oh, but it is. Look at the people around us, then go ahead and tell me I’m short.”

“...You’re lucky I like you.”

Vaggie looked over at Charlie, tone switching from teasing to something more serious. “Yeah, I really am.”

A comfortable silence lapsed between the two of them, and Vaggie took the opportunity to nestle closer to Charlie. The blonde slung an arm around Vaggie’s shoulders, tucking Vaggie closer into her side, and Vaggie reached up to intertwine her hand with Charlie’s while her other hand settled across Charlie’s waist, fingers resting on the little divot of her hip.

“Here we are,” Charlie said as she pushed open a gate and led the two of them through, the gate clanging shut behind them as Charlie let go of it once they were inside.

“What is this place?” Vaggie asked, looking around the dimly lit, unoccupied park.

“It’s one of my dad’s establishments. He owns a couple of businesses, one of the more commonly known ones is LuLu World. He had this specific park built for my mom, so they could reminisce about their time in Eden. We used to come here as a family a lot when I was a kid. It’s one of my favorite places to visit in all of Hell,” Charlie explained wistfully.

“It’s beautiful,” Vaggie said as she looked around, multiple different colors and types of flora—flowers, trees, plants, etc.—sprouting everywhere and going as far back as the eyes could see. “Thank you for bringing me here. I know it can’t have been easy.”

Charlie shrugged, tipping her head until it was resting against Vaggie’s, a happy sigh escaping as she did so. “Everything seems to be easier when I’m with you.”

They took multiple laps around the well-worn, slightly overgrown path, Charlie pointing out all the plants she could remember, Vaggie listening to her with an adoring smile and a softness in her eye that was reserved for Charlie and Charlie only.

Vaggie didn’t know how long they’d been there, but when she saw Charlie try to stifle a yawn for the third time in a row, she took pity. “As much as I hate to put an end to this, my feet are really starting to kill me.”

“Alright, let’s get you home,” Charlie answered without any hesitation, steering them back towards the gate they had entered the park through.

It was a short walk back to the restaurant, where Razzle and Dazzle had been waiting in the limo. Charlie allowed Vaggie to slip in ahead of her, instructing the boys to take them home when the door closed behind her.

Vaggie immediately melted into Charlie’s side, eye fluttering shut as she rested her head against Charlie’s shoulders, their intertwined hands resting on Vaggie’s lap. “I’ve had an amazing time tonight, Charlie.”

“So have I,” Charlie agreed, resting her own head against Vaggie’s while her eyes shut in content. “Thank you for coming out with me. I’d love to do it again sometime. Only if you want to, of course.”

“I’d love nothing more.”

Vaggie’s answer cut Charlie off before she could begin to ramble, something she suspected Vaggie knew based on how quickly she’d answered her question. “Me too.”

The two of them remained side-by-side for the entirety of the ride, and it took everything in Vaggie’s power to stay awake. But she was just so comfortable, and Charlie was so cozy, and she was surrounded by Charlie’s warmth, and her apple scent that Vaggie adored, and the last thing she recalled as she laid there was how tonight was the best night she’d ever had.

Charlie looked down in surprise when she felt Vaggie’s grip on her hand go lax, biting her lip to contain her squeal at the adorableness when she realized the cause was that Vaggie had fallen asleep. She did her best to remain completely still so she didn’t disturb her sleeping beauty, quietly telling Razzle and Dazzle to be as careful as possible so they didn't startle Vaggie awake with driving over any of the usual clutter that littered the streets.

She moved her hand up to gently brush some loose strands of Vaggie’s bangs back into place, leaning down to press a light, lingering kiss to the top of Vaggie’s head afterwards, her own eyes drifting shut as she thought about just how perfect tonight had been, though not to the point where she fell asleep as well.

The limo rolled to a stop in front of the house, Razzle getting out of the vehicle so he could open the door for Charlie and Vaggie while Dazzle stayed situated behind the wheel, ready to properly park the car after dropping the women off.

“Thanks for all your help tonight, guys,” Charlie said as she gathered Vaggie in her arms, stepping out of the vehicle once she had a secure grip on her.

Charlie followed Razzle into the house, thanking him as he held open the door for her. She started the walk to Vaggie’s room, being sure to keep her footsteps as light as possible so the echoing clacks of her heels wouldn’t cause Vaggie to stir. When she reached the door to Vaggie’s bedroom, Razzle opened the door and got to work undoing the painstakingly made bed, nodding at Charlie once he was done and making a beeline for the door, wanting to give Charlie and Vaggie some privacy.

Sensing she wouldn’t be able to get Vaggie into something more comfortable without awakening her, Charlie laid her date down on the bed and, with a reluctant sigh, started stroking Vaggie’s cheek until the woman started to rouse.

“Mmm, Charlie? Wha’s happenin’?”

She chuckled at Vaggie’s half-asleep, raspy tone. “You fell asleep on the ride home. You’re in bed now.”

Vaggie snuggled deeper into Charlie’s jacket, burying her face in her pillow as her eye shut sleepily. “Don’t wanna move. ‘m comfy,” she slurred out.

“You aren’t going to be comfortable sleeping in your clothes. I can help you change into some pajamas so you can get out of this.”

Vaggie whined, shaking her head. “‘m comfy,” she repeated.

Charlie’s grin was nothing but fond as she tugged Vaggie into a sitting position, giggling as Vaggie merely slumped into her side and fell asleep almost instantly. “Come on, it won’t take long. I promise.”

Vaggie, half-asleep, reluctantly allowed a now fiercely blushing Charlie to remove her clothes, leaving her in her undergarments.

Charlie quickly grabbed the baggy t-shirt sitting on the edge of Vaggie’s bed and slipped it over the woman, unclipping Vaggie’s bra and tossing it to the floor once the shirt had completely covered her chest. She then helped Vaggie slip her arms into the sleeves, urging her to lay down so she could pull the covers over Vaggie, lips quirked up in amusement as Vaggie grabbed Charlie’s jacket from where it was strewn across the pillows and tucked it close to her chest, nose pressed so deeply into the fabric Charlie would’ve been worried about her suffocating if her breathing hadn’t remained the same.

“Goodnight, Vaggie. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Charlie whispered, leaning down to kiss Vaggie’s forehead, hand cupping Vaggie’s cheek as she did so.

“‘night hun,” Vaggie murmured, smiling sleepily up at Charlie through a half-lidded gaze.

Charlie’s heart seized in her chest at the sight, and it took everything in her not to just clamber into bed with Vaggie and fall asleep with the woman wrapped up in her arms. “Sweet dreams,” she settled on saying to a now fully asleep Vaggie, switching off the lights.

Only when the door shut behind her did Charlie allow her emotions to bubble up. She danced and twirled down the hall to her own room, squealing in happiness when she entered.

Razzle and Dazzle looked at one another bemusedly as Charlie babbled to them about her evening while she got herself ready for bed, talking so much about Vaggie that they were learning more about what Charlie thought about her than about their actual outing together, which they took as a sign that the date had gone extremely well. They couldn’t contain their bleats of excitement when Charlie revealed that Vaggie had agreed to be her partner for the hotel.

“I’m just, I’m so happy I feel like I could pop!” Charlie exclaimed as she fell back onto her bed, her smile having been plastered on her face from the second she left Vaggie’s room. It only widened when Razzle and Dazzle flew over to lay down on either side of her, heads resting on her stomach as they looked at her happily. “I can’t believe she said yes to another date! With me!”

“Baa! Baa!” said Razzle.

“Baa!” Dazzle added in agreement with his brother.

“I can’t wait,” Charlie sighed.

That’s how she fell asleep; bracketed by her two most trusted companions in the world, a smile on her face, with sweet dreams of Vaggie, her best friend and hopefully future girlfriend.

Thank you for reading! P.S.— Their date outfits were inspired by an amazing artist here on Tumblr. I highly encourage you all to check it out if you haven't! Also the AO3 link is here as well!