The Pretty One {Alren}

The Pretty One

The breeze off the river was warm, blowing through Lauren's dark hair and making her look unfairly elegant as she leaned against the railing.

She was focused intently on the little screen as she clicked through pictures on her camera, and Ally wished briefly that she was the one holding it so she could take a photograph of the way Lauren stood out against the gently moving water in the distance.

"Lauren," Ally said. Lauren's eyes narrowed, and she pursed her lips and tilted her head, looking more closely at something on the screen.

Ally sighed, crossing her ankles as she stayed perched a few feet away on the same railing, feeling slightly precarious.

"Lauren, honey," she tried again, louder this time.

"Come look at this one, babe," Lauren said, her lips slightly parted, tongue poking out between them. "The lighting is like magic."

"I would, but," Ally paused, letting out a short laugh under her breath. "I don't think I can get down without breaking a heel," she continued sheepishly. "Or maybe even an ankle."

At this, Lauren looked up, finally, her green eyes flicking up to where Ally was balancing on the rail. Ally pressed her lips together, swinging her ankles a little bit and shrugging. The action set her off balance, and her stomach dropped.

Gasping, Lauren jumped to action, almost dropping her camera in her haste to rush over to Ally, her palm landing on a bare thigh in an attempt to steady her.

After a moment of terrifying limbo, Ally managed to hook a foot around one of the supports holding up the rail, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the wood tighter.

"Shit, Ally, I'm sorry, I got distracted," Lauren said quickly, hooking the strap of the camera over her shoulder and resting her now free hand on Ally's other thigh. "It's the new camera, I'm kinda obsessed."

"I know, love," Ally said, smiling warmly and letting go warily with one hand to run her thumb over Lauren's cheekbone. "That's why we're out here, remember? It's okay."

Fingers dug gently into Ally's thighs, as if to reassure her that Lauren was there, and Ally's smile widened. It seemed like Lauren was always reminding her of that, with careful eyes and firm touches, with parted lips and open arms that meant she was devoted, she was listening. She was always around if Ally needed her.

Ally brushed her fingers across Lauren's temple gently, and Lauren blinked up at her, her gaze intense and earnest, filled with all the things that she left unsaid.

Sometimes Ally wished she would just say them already and push whatever the two of them had far enough that it had no choice but to grow into something real or break into pieces and ruin everything.

But, she supposed, there was something beautiful in the way that the words constantly hovered on the tip of Lauren's tongue, at the edge of her breath. Something beautiful in the way Lauren's eyes spoke every single one of them, each time she looked at Ally.

Stolen kisses and almost dates like this, they were enchanting and easy to get swept up in, particularly for a hopeless romantic like Ally. But despite that, she had never been the kind of person to put energy into something other than forever.

If this was the only way she could have Lauren, though, at least in this moment, then she would have to make an exception. It would hopefully develop into something more, with determination and time, and Ally was nothing if not determined.

"Can you lift me down, or do I need to call someone with arm muscle?" Ally asked affectionately, her voice soft, so as not to ruin the moment.

"Are you insulting me, Allyson?" Lauren asked, tilting her head.