Finally Us

Permafrost

"Hey, what do you want for your birthday?"

Ross stopped reading the script in his hands and looked over at Laura, who had her legs stretched out on the sofa as they chilled out in the game room at his parents' place. It had been a week or so since she returned from fashion week, and spent most of her actual free time with Raini, and after having slept for ten hours straight, met back up with him at the studio where he watched her record her half of the song for Calum's show. During that time, he'd been in and out of auditions while still being in talks with CBS about their new drama show that he really really wanted to get. "Where did that come from?"

"I was thinking about it the other day. Do you know what you want?"

He raised his eyebrow even higher than it had been before. "You do remember that my birthday is after yours and, oh, I don't know, three months away. Right?"

Laura pushed his leg playfully with her foot and poked her tongue out. "Yes, I know that. I don't think I could forget when your birthday is, and your fans wouldn't let me either."

"But three months..."

"Which is why I'm asking now. It's your 25th. Do you want to go big, small, somewhere in between? Do you want to take a trip or make a big splurge? Give me ideas here."

Ross laughed at her and set aside his script and scooted one cushion in, pulling most of her legs over his lap as he did. "What do I want...what do you want? It's your 25th before it is mine."

"Nuh uh," Laura swung her index finger back and forth in front of him. "No switching this around. I asked first."

"I honestly haven't thought about it, but since you mentioned it, a trip does sound nice." Ross leaned his head back against the upper cushions and started to rub the smooth skin of her legs. He looked over at her and as soon as she was about to say something else, he cut her off. "And I don't know where."

Laura's pout came out to play then and it took a lot for him to not lean forward and make it disappear. He could see her mind over working and over thinking about something that would happen in three months. That was three whole months; ninety days filled with so many other things to worry about than just his, or her birthday.

"Did you have any ideas about yours?" he questioned.

She shook her head. "Not one. I remember having this big plan when I was younger, but now it seems like the worst idea."

"What was it?"

"Don't judge me okay?" He nodded at her words. "Going to Disneyland and actually scaring the crap out of every cast member there."

Ross didn't judge, but he did laugh. And laugh. And laugh, and laugh some more. There was a point after she said her once upon a time birthday plans that he was keeling over and imagining her trying to scare anyone in the park let alone every single cast member there. How on earth would she scare the Evil Queen anyhow? Or Donald Duck?

"I said no judging," Laura slapped him.