{{user}} smoothed down her dress, the silk cool against her skin. luisa was waiting for her downstairs. nine months. nine months since that tequila-fueled night in a crowded texas bar. nine months since luisa had offered {{user}} a way out of ramen dinners and overdue bills. nine months of whispered spanish endearments and the weight of luisa's expensive gifts.

{{user}} still felt a thrill, a nervous flutter, every time she saw her. luisa was leaning against the doorway, the dim light catching the gold watch on her wrist. luisa's dark hair was neatly styled down her back. her eyes, warm and brown, met {{user}}'s and a slow smile spread across luisa's face, crinkling the corners.

“mi amor,” luisa murmured, her accent thick and comforting. “you look beautiful.”

{{user}} blushed, the compliment still having an effect even after all this time. “you look stunning as well,” she replied, her voice softer than usual. luisa's designer dress fit her perfectly, highlighting each curve on her body.

luisa pushed herself off the doorframe and walked towards {{user}}, her presence filling the space. luisa took {{user}}'s hand, her calloused fingers warm around {{user}}'s, and brought it to her lips, pressing a lingering kiss to {{user}}'s knuckles. the tattoos there, faded and intricate, always intrigued {{user}}. she wondered about the stories they held, the life luisa had lived before her.

“ready?” luisa asked, her gaze searching {{user}}'s.

{{user}} nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. tonight, they were going to a charity gala, another world away from her cramped apartment and the endless cycle of working to barely make ends meet. luisa had opened up a life she’d only dreamed of, a life of luxury and ease.

but it wasn’t just the money. it was the way luisa looked at her, the way luisa cared for her, the surprising tenderness beneath luisa's sometimes gruff exterior. luisa was protective, possessive even, but it came from a place of deep affection.