They spent the rest of the evening in a similar state of blissful relaxation. After deciding that neither of them felt like cooking, they ordered takeout and ate it together on the floor of the living room, laughing and talking about anything.

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The apartment was drenched in golden light, the late afternoon sun filtering through the half-open blinds and casting long, lazy beams across the living room. Billie lay sprawled on the couch, her head propped up on a pillow, staring at the ceiling as she twirled a strand of hair around her finger. The air conditioner hummed softly in the background, a welcome relief from the summer heat, though the room still felt thick with warmth.

It was one of those rare afternoons where there was nothing pressing to do, no urgent emails or rehearsals or meetings. Just a long, unbroken stretch of time that could be filled with whatever she wanted — or nothing at all.

Daphne was sitting cross-legged on the floor, thumbing through a magazine she'd picked up at the grocery store earlier that week. The quiet rustle of pages turning was the only real sound between them, the soft rhythm of their lazy afternoon.

"Hey," Billie called lazily, without moving.

"Hmm?" Daphne responded without looking up, clearly absorbed in whatever article had caught her attention.

"What do you think about escaping the city for a while? Like... just getting away." Billie's voice was dreamy, almost as if she was speaking to herself as much as she was to Daphne. "Somewhere quiet. No people. No noise."

Daphne glanced up from her magazine, a teasing smile curling at the corners of her lips. "Are you talking about a cabin-in-the-woods kind of escape or a fancy-beach-resort-with-no-wifi escape?"

Billie grinned, shifting to look at her. "I don't care, as long as it's quiet and I don't have to wear shoes for a week."

Daphne laughed softly, setting the magazine aside and stretching her arms above her head. "I like the sound of that. We could do both, you know. One week in the middle of nowhere, and then finish it off somewhere with a view of the ocean."

"That's exactly what I'm talking about." Billie pushed herself up to a sitting position, her legs crossed beneath her. "Disconnect from everything for a bit. It's been too much lately, you know?"

Daphne nodded, her expression softening. She knew exactly what Billie meant. Their lives had been a whirlwind of activity for months, between Billie's career and Daphne's increasingly hectic schedule. The idea of escaping, of being somewhere where they could just breathe, seemed like a dream.

"What would we even do with all that quiet?" Daphne mused, her voice teasing but her eyes warm.

Billie thought for a moment, her gaze drifting toward the window, where the sunlight was slowly beginning to fade into the soft orange hues of early evening. "I'd probably sleep for a week," she said with a laugh. "And then... I don't know. Read. Cook. Go on walks. Just... exist, I guess."

Daphne leaned back on her hands, her head tilted as she considered Billie's words. "That sounds kind of perfect. We could rent a cabin. No one around for miles. Just us, some books, and maybe a couple of good bottles of wine."

Billie's face lit up. "Yes. Exactly that."

The conversation settled into a comfortable silence, both of them content with the idea, even if it was still just a fantasy. Billie slid off the couch and stretched out on the floor beside Daphne, her arms reaching up above her head as she let out a long, contented sigh. The cool hardwood felt good against her skin after the warmth of the couch.

Daphne glanced down at her, an amused smile playing on her lips. "You're really committed to this whole 'relaxation' thing today, aren't you?"

"Yep," Billie replied, her eyes closed now. "I'm not moving unless it's to pack for our imaginary vacation."

Daphne chuckled softly, leaning back against the couch as she watched Billie stretch out next to her. There was something about the way Billie fully embraced these rare moments of stillness that made Daphne's heart ache with affection. She knew how hard Billie worked, how much she gave to everyone around her, and seeing her like this—completely at ease—was a reminder of how much she deserved these quiet moments.

"You know," Daphne said after a moment, her voice soft, "we don't have to wait for some big trip to take a break."

Billie cracked an eye open, glancing up at Daphne. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Daphne continued, shifting so she was lying on her side next to Billie, her face propped up on one hand, "we could make a little escape right here. Just for today. No phones, no emails, no responsibilities. Just us."

Billie smiled, her eyes fluttering shut again. "That sounds perfect."

Daphne grinned, reaching out to playfully poke Billie's arm. "Of course, that means we'll need to move at some point. I'm not making dinner on the floor."

Billie groaned dramatically, throwing an arm over her eyes. "Fine, but only because I'm hungry."

They both laughed, the sound filling the room, light and carefree. Slowly, they got up from the floor, their limbs heavy with the pleasant weight of a lazy afternoon. In the kitchen, they moved easily around each other, Billie gathering ingredients while Daphne dug through the cabinets for pots and pans.

"What should we make?" Daphne asked, glancing over her shoulder at Billie, who was already rummaging through the fridge.

"I don't know," Billie replied, pulling out some vegetables and placing them on the counter. 

"Something simple. Pasta?"

Daphne nodded. "Perfect."

The next hour passed in a comfortable rhythm, the two of them chopping vegetables, boiling pasta, and sharing quiet conversation. It wasn't anything elaborate, but there was something soothing about the process of cooking together, the familiar ease of being in each other's company.

As they sat down to eat at the small kitchen table, the last light of the sun dipping below the horizon, Billie glanced over at Daphne, her heart swelling with quiet contentment. This was what she needed—a day where the world outside didn't matter, where it was just them, together.

Daphne reached across the table, her fingers brushing against Billie's. "I think we're pretty good at this whole 'escaping' thing," she said with a smile.

Billie smiled back, her thumb tracing gentle circles on the back of Daphne's hand. "Yeah," she agreed softly. "We really are."

They lingered at the table long after the plates had been emptied, the conversation flowing easily as they talked about everything and nothing. The city outside their window carried on, busy and loud as always, but inside their little apartment, time seemed to slow down.

Later, as they curled up on the couch together, blankets pulled up around them and a movie playing quietly in the background, Billie felt a deep sense of peace settle over her. She glanced at Daphne, who was already half-asleep, her head resting on Billie's shoulder, and smiled.

Maybe they didn't need a cabin in the woods or a beach resort to escape. Maybe all they needed was each other and a quiet afternoon.