Arranged in Chaos || lingorm ff

The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. Orm stirred, slowly waking up. For a moment, she felt the familiar weight of blankets and warmth beside her—Lingling. They had both fallen asleep on the couch, curled up together after the emotional exhaustion of the night before.

Lingling's presence was a quiet comfort, her soft breathing blending into the stillness of the apartment. Orm stayed still, not wanting to disturb her, but her mind wandered back to the events of the previous night. Lingling's vulnerability, the way she had opened up—it was a side of her that Orm was still wrapping her head around.

A faint rustling sound broke the silence, and Orm's eyes fluttered open fully. Lingling was no longer beside her. Instead, the sound came from the kitchen. Orm turned her head, her gaze following the source of the noise. There, through the doorway, she could see Lingling moving quietly, her back to the couch as she worked on something—probably tea or breakfast.

Orm stretched, the stiffness of the couch reminding her of their impromptu decision to stay here for the night. She sat up slowly, blinking away the remnants of sleep. Lingling seemed to sense the movement and turned around, her eyes meeting Orm’s.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Lingling said with a grin, not looking up from her screen. “I almost thought you’d sleep through lunch.”

“Morning,” Orm murmured, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She caught sight of a steaming cup of tea waiting for her on the table. “Did you make this?”

“Sort of,” Lingling said with a mischievous smile. “I went out to get breakfast while you were still dreaming about cake battles.”

Orm blinked. “Cake battles?”

Lingling shrugged, her grin widening. “You know, you versus Kai, round two. Winner gets to clean up the mess.”

Orm groaned, leaning back into the couch. “You’re really not going to let that go, are you?”

“Not a chance,” Lingling said, laughing. “But hey, I had my own little adventure this morning.”

Orm took a sip of tea, her curiosity piqued. “What happened?”

“Well,” Lingling began, leaning back with a playful glint in her eye, “I went to that bakery down the street to grab these pastries. You’d think it’d be a peaceful morning, right? Nope. Two uncles started arguing over who got the last loaf of bread.”

Orm raised an eyebrow, already amused. “Seriously? Over bread?”

“Dead serious,” Lingling said, nodding. “One guy even tried to sneak it into his bag when the other wasn’t looking. The baker had to step in like a referee at a wrestling match.”

Orm chuckled. “And what happened to the bread?”

“Oh, the baker split it in half and gave each of them a piece. They both walked away grumbling like kids forced to share.”

Orm burst out laughing, nearly spilling her tea. “That’s so ridiculous!”

“I know, right?” Lingling said, shaking her head. “And here I was, just trying to pay for these pastries while avoiding the crossfire. It was like a breakfast soap opera.”

Orm laughed harder, her shoulders shaking. “Only you could witness something that dramatic before 9 a.m.”

Lingling smirked, satisfied that she’d brightened Orm’s mood. “Well, it makes for good storytelling, doesn’t it? And now you’re smiling, so my mission’s complete.”

Orm smiled, warmth spreading through her chest. “Thanks for this, Lingling. Really. You didn’t have to.”

Lingling waved her off. “Hey, that’s what friends are for, right? Plus, after everything yesterday, you deserve a little pampering.”