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Last scaremester, Draculaura found herself with a crush on Lagoona Blue, her most fearsome friend, after they opened up to each other about things they had kept secret. After a failed attempt to cuddle with Lagoona without waking her, Draculaura and Lagoona became girlfriends. The two ghouls have since gone on several dates and spent plenty of time together, becoming more dear to each other over time.
Lately, Dracula—Draculaura's dad and The PFFT (Premiere First and Foremost Top monster)—has been talking about bringing his daughter with him on his latest business trip during the upcoming long weekend, both as an opportunity for Draculaura to prepare to be the next PFFT, and for some extra daddy-daughter time.
Draculaura doesn't really... Want to be the next PFFT, this will only remind her that what is expected of her is something she doesn't wish for.
Usually getting to spend time with her dad would be a silver lining, but ever since she accepted her identity as a witch it's made things awkward for her, the weight of her secret extra heavy on her shoulders.
She was also looking forward to spending the break with her friends—especially her roommates.
And of course, Draculaura was planning on spending plenty of time with Lagoona. this will be the longest time the girlfriends have gone without seeing each other since their romantic relationship started.
Draculaura could say no to going but... She's expected to want to go. It feels like she can't say no, like it's too important. So she won't say no, even if she would rather not go.
One day after classes, Draculaura returns to her dorm room after a call with her dad, and sits on her bed looking down at the floor.
Draculaura feels sad that she won't be able to spend her long weekend with her friends. she's both excited and anxious about spending time with her dad, and she knows she's expected to be excited about the business trip—but she's not, and she feels guilty about it.
"What's up, Draculaura?" Clawdeen asks from the couch.
Draculaura looks over at the couch and sees Clawdeen and Frankie cuddling. They're sitting next to each other on the couch with Clawdeen's head on Frankie's shoulder while Frankie is hugs Clawdeen, their unconnected head in Clawdeen's lap as she strokes their hair.
"Is it about the long weekend?" Frankie adds sympathetically. they're clearly enjoying their position but are more focused on how Draculaura is feeling.
Draculaura sighs and looks to the side. "The business trip with my dad will take the entire long weekend... I won't be able to spend any of the break with you two... Or Lagoona..."
Frankie pats the couch next to Clawdeen. "Come here."
Draculaura stands up from her bed and walks over to the couch, sitting down next to Clawdeen and leaning into her side. Clawdeen brings her free arm around to hold Draculaura in a hug and Frankie holds Draculaura's hand.
"I'm sorry. That sucks." Clawdeen says, "We'll miss you."
Frankie speaks as well, "Don't forget you can text us whenever!" Clawdeen continues, "We'll make sure to answer quickly."
Draculaura smiles weakly, "Thanks, I should text Lagoona soon."
Clawdeen chimes in, grinning. "After some more cuddling!"
Draculaura giggles, and nods. "After more cuddling."
Draculaura lays her head on Clawdeen's shoulder and puts her free hand on Frankie's head, stroking their cheek.
Frankie's eyes flutter shut, smiling blissfully, "You two are going to make me fall asleep..."
It's the first morning of the long weekend.
Draculaura is sitting on the floor of her dorm room next to her suitcase going through her mental list of things to pack.
A little ways away stands Clawdeen, working on removing all of her fur that's gotten stuck to Draculaura's blanket.
Frankie returns from their shower, hair still wrapped up in a towel. "How's packing going?"
"We're almost done!" Clawdeen replies.
Draculaura sighs, "Well, as soon as Clawdeen finishes with my blanket."
Clawdeen looks a little embarrassed, "Well you're the one who asked me to cuddle in your bed multiple times! If you hadn't, my fur wouldn't be everywhere on your blanket!" Frankie laughs, finishing up their hair.
Draculaura giggles too, "I guess we'll just have to cuddle in your bed instead, unless Frankie wants to host?"
Frankie puts their hands up and giggles, "No thank you!"
Clawdeen chuckles, "I'll remember that for next time. also, your blanket is done." Clawdeen folds the blanket and hands it over to Draculaura.
Draculaura takes her blanket, puts it into the empty space in her suitcase, and zips her suitcase closed.
"So that's all of it?" Clawdeen asks.
Draculaura nods and stands up. "That's everything, thanks again for your help."
Clawdeen walks over and hugs Draculaura. "Of course!"
Frankie moves and joins the hug. "I hope you'll enjoy the time with your dad."
The three friends hug for a while longer before they part.
Draculaura grabs her bag and suitcase, walks to the door, and puts her hand on the handle.
And amongst a chorus of "We'll see you later!!!!!", "Good luck!!!!" and "Bye!!!!!", Draculaura leaves to go on the business trip with her dad.
As soon as Draculaura closes the door to her dorm room, she immediately sees none other than Lagoona, holding a bag and appearing to hype herself up.
She immediately notices Draculaura. "¡Oh! ¡Uh, hello, Draculaura!" she chirps, playing the edge of the bag with her free hand. "¡I brought something for your trip with your papá!"
Draculaura smiles softly, "Thank you, that's really sweet of you."
"I know it will be fine because you're caring, and kind, and sweet, and gentle, and," Lagoona continues listing, putting up a finger with each trait she lists, before realizing she's gotten off-track.
"Ah, lo siento. The gift. I already know you will, but please take care of it. He means a lot to me." Lagoona holds the bag out towards Draculaura, looking away as she does.
Draculaura grabs the bag, taking note of the word 'he', she goes to grab what's inside. as soon as she feels familiar rubber, she gasps.
Draculaura lets go of the rubber and grabs both sides of the bag to peer inside, confirming that it is indeed Señor Squeaky—Lagoona's precious rubber piranha—inside the bag.
Draculaura blushes and looks at Lagoona with wide eyes. "R-Really!? Are you sure!?"
Lagoona meets Draculaura's eyes and nods.
"Señor Squeaky made me feel less alone in the castillo. I don't want you to ever feel alone, either. If I can't be there... ¿Maybe he can help?" Lagoona flashes a hopeful smile at Draculaura.
Draculaura nods, carefully wrapping up Señor Squeaky in his bag, she makes space for him in the bottom of her bag, trying to make sure he won't get damaged while staying hidden.
Draculaura looks back at Lagoona and swallows, hoping her voice doesn't come out shaky. "I... Thank you. So much."
Draculaura walks over—hoping her legs aren't too shaky—and hugs Lagoona tight, "Thank you."
Lagoona wraps her arms around Draculaura and squeezes her in return, rubbing small circles into Draculaura's back.
The two girlfriends hug for a while longer, until Draculaura is completely confident she can stand.
Draculaura steps back. then steps forward, and kisses Lagoona on the cheek, muttering "Thank you, I'll take good care of him." against Lagoona's cheek.
Warmth blooms in Lagoona's cheeks as she leans into the kiss.
"I know you will, mi corazón," she replies.
Draculaura then fully steps back and turns to leave, waving behind her while walking. "I'll text you!!! See you later!!!"
Draculaura finishes switching into her sleepwear.
It's the first night Draculaura is gone from her dorm room.
This is the room that Draculaura will be staying in for the rest of the business trip, so she's already fully unpacked.
Draculaura sits down on what will be her bed for the week, she then grabs her bag from the nightstand and pulls out Señor Squeaky.
Draculaura hugs Señor Squeaky as hard as she can—while still being careful to not potentially damage him.
Doing this reminds her of Lagoona, it helps Draculaura feel better, though it also makes her start to miss her girlfriend more, it's nice.
After a minute, Draculaura sighs and sets Señor Squeaky down on the nightstand. She needs to brush her teeth before bed after all.
Her hotel room is extravagant but fails to feel like home, it only reminds her of why she's here. maybe that would be fine if one of her friends was here, but they're not.
Draculaura walks over to the bathroom. she's already got everything set up in here so all she has to do is take off her toothbrush cover, rinse her toothbrush, grab and use her toothpaste, and start brushing.
It quickly starts to feel too quiet with no sounds of anyone else brushing their teeth, no water running from someone finishing before her, none of the music Frankie or Lagoona listens to, none of Clawdeen's humming.
The quiet isn't the only notable thing, there's also none of her friends just, touching her. No getting bumped by Frankie, no swaying into Clawdeen, no linking arms with Lagoona.
Draculaura spits the toothpaste out, grabs her water cup, fills it up with water, rinses her mouth, swishes it around, gurgles, spits the water out, rinses her mouth again, swishes it around, gurgles, spits the water out, rinses her toothbrush, and puts her toothbrush cover back on.
Draculaura has been wondering which day will be the worst—the last day when she's exhausted but there's not much left? The first day when the whole trip is ahead but she's the most prepared? Or the middle when she's running low on energy and the end is still far?
She hasn't come to a conclusion yet, but she'll know soon enough.
Draculaura walks over to the bed and lays down underneath her blanket, trying to sleep.
...
.
.
.
But sleep doesn't come.
It feels weird to try to sleep without anyone else around, with none of the sounds, none of the touch, even none of the smells.
Draculaura opens her eyes and she considers messaging one of her friends, but as she opens Lagoona's contact she realizes there's something else she can try.
Draculaura grabs Señor Squeaky and holds him to her chest, curling around him.
Draculaura thinks of her friends, of how much she loves them, and how they keep showing that they love her too. Lagoona gave Draculaura Señor Squeaky for this trip, Draculaura knows what it means to Lagoona, and so it means just as much to Draculaura.
And it's with these thoughts in her head that Draculaura falls into sleep.
It's the fourth night of Draculaura's business trip with her dad.
Draculaura is laying down in bed, messaging Lagoona with Señor Squeaky held in her arm.
Draculaura shifts, laying on her left side and holding her iCoffin above her with her right hand, with Señor Squeaky held to her left cheek with her left arm, Draculaura has a tired expression but she smiles happily, she takes a couple photos and quickly chooses the best one and sends it to Lagoona.
It's the seventh and final night of Draculaura's business trip with her dad, she'll be returning to Monster High tomorrow morning.
Draculaura just finished packing everything she can before tomorrow, it's just her blanket, a set of clothes, and Señor Squeaky that hasn't been packed.
She sits down on the hotel bed and with Señor Squeaky in her arms, starts messaging Lagoona.
Draculaura turns off her iCoffin and puts it on the nightstand, she lays underneath her blanket holding Señor Squeaky.
Draculaura thinks about her friends, about how eager she is to see them, how much they mean to her, and how excited she is to do witchcraft again.
Holding Señor Squeaky, she falls asleep in this hotel room for the final time.
Draculaura is so happy to be back in these woods, back on these grounds.
She's finally back at Monster High.
Draculaura opens the front door to Monster High and immediately sees Clawdeen and Frankie grinning wide.
"WELCOME BACK, DRACULAURA!!!!" Clawdeen and Frankie say in unison.
Draculaura beams and runs forward to hug her friends, letting go of her suitcase when she reaches them.
"I'm so happy to be back." Draculaura says once she's in her friends' arms.
"And we're happy you're back." Clawdeen follows up.
Frankie lowers their voice to a whisper, "All of your witch stuff is safe and wasn't found by anyone."
Draculaura tightens the hug. "Thank you so much."
The three friends hug for a while longer before separating.
Draculaura smiles, "We have a lot to catch up on."
"Let's talk while getting you unpacked." Frankie suggests.
There's a certain relief to being finished unpacking, Draculaura thinks.
She's talked a lot with Clawdeen and Frankie and now things can get back to normal.
Well. Almost.
There's one more thing Draculaura needs to do before she's fully unpacked.
She needs to return Señor Squeaky to Lagoona.
So with Señor Squeaky's bag in hand and him secured and hidden inside, Draculaura visits Lagoona's dorm room.
But before Draculaura is able to knock on the door to Lagoona's dorm room, Lagoona herself opens her door.
"¡¡Hello!! ¡I heard your footsteps on my pipes! ¿How was your trip?" Lagoona asks excitedly.
Draculaura smiles, "It was a lot better than it could have been, thanks in part to him." She holds up Señor Squeaky's bag.
Lagoona's face lights up at the sight of the bag. She rushes over and grabs it, taking Señor Squeaky out. Beaming, she presses him against her cheek.
"¡I'm so happy that he helped! ¡He is such a good companion!" she says.
Draculaura's smile widens, her fangs visible. "He really is, thank you once again. It means a lot to me."
Lagoona scoops Draculaura into a hug. After a moment passes, she sets her back down and opens the door to her room wider. "¿Do you want to come in? I actually have... Something to show you." Lagoona says.
Draculaura nods, "Of course!" She walks into Lagoona's dorm room, very familiar with the interior. "What is it?"
After closing the door behind Draculaura, Lagoona walks over to her tank and leaps in with barely a splash. She swims over to her desk and grabs a bag leaning on one of its legs. She swims up and flies out of the tank again, landing next to Draculaura and holding the bag out.
"Here, ¡here! ¡It is for you!"
Draculaura grabs the bag—she's long since stopped caring about any water left over after dating Lagoona for this long—and reaches for what's inside. Feeling almost-familiar rubber, Draculaura pulls it out and gasps.
What was in the bag is a rubber piranha, very similar in appearance to Señor Squeaky, but with a slightly different shade of pink and sporting black stripes. Draculaura holds it tight to her chest, it feels both like and unlike Señor Squeaky.
"¡I hope you will like it!" Lagoona says, bright eyed. "Señor Squeaky helped you so much, ¡I thought you might like a rubber piranhie of your own!"
Draculaura hugs Lagoona tightly, still holding her piranha, she feels choked up. "Thank you so much..! This is such an incredible gift, I love it..!"
Lagoona squeezes Draculaura back, twirling her around once. "¡I'm so happy you love it! And..." Lagoona hesitates for a moment, pulling back and looking at Draculaura. "And I love you, Draculaura." She blushes as she says it, her eyes darting to the ground.
Draculaura's heart skips a beat, neither of them had said that before, at least not since they started dating, however.. "I know." Draculaura says, smiling with incredible fondness. "I love you too."
Lagoona meets Draculaura's eyes and seems to get lost in them for a moment. "Thanks for coming by," Lagoona says. "It was nice to see you again."
"Of course. I missed you." Draculaura says, and pauses, she quickly looks at Lagoona's lips, then looks at her eyes, "Do you want to kiss?"
Lagoona nods, "¡Yeah!"
Draculaura and Lagoona lean forward at almost the same time, Draculaura tilting her head slightly, it's just a simple kiss, held for only a second, but it's nice, really nice.
Draculaura rests her head on Lagoona's shoulder. "Thank you so much for this rubber piranha, it's so nice being back."
As Draculaura lays in her own bed, with the familiar sounds of her roommates sleeping nearby, she holds her rubber piranha close to her chest, and thinks about how much she is loved. As she drifts off to sleep, loved for who she is.