Work Text:
Caitlyn had been lying awake for what felt like an eternity at this point. This is the first opportunity of sleep that they have gotten in over 24 hours, yet her exhausted body still refuses to succumb to slumber. Vi is, presumably, out cold, if her intermittent snoring was anything to go by.
Caitlyn was not usually one who had trouble sleeping, yet so much has happened in the past day that her brain was still working overtime to process all of it. She was also used to falling asleep to white noise; the cacophony of random noises from the city above them combined with Vi’s snoring is evidently not a good replacement.
The two had been moving along on their adventure before ultimately deciding it would be best to find somewhere to rest before continuing. Vi led them to a secluded opening, covered by pieces of broken building and debris. They had taken off the outer layer of their clothes to use as mattresses, however Vi had given her jacket for Caitlyn to use as a pillow after the dark haired girl had complained about how uncomfortable it was. She felt bad, but Vi had stated that she “was used to sleeping on concrete” and insisted that Caitlyn keeps it. How chivalrous.
Caitlyn’s feelings toward Vi were complicated, to say the least. Her snarky and cynical attitude when they first met at Stillwater gave her a bad first impression, but now, Caitlyn was realizing how strong and kind hearted she was. Or maybe being pinned against the wall had just completely scrambled her brain. Probably that.
As Caitlyn was finally beginning to drift off to thoughts of her pink haired companion, the girl in question began to stir. It wasn’t noticeable at first, but when Vi began thrashing wildly, Caitlyn’s head snapped up in confusion. She stared at the other girl, trying to figure out what was happening, but when she heard her making pained whimpering sounds her stomach dropped in concern.
“Vi… Vi, wake up,” Caitlyn whispered cautiously. She reached over to shake her, but as soon as her hands made contact with her body, Vi’s eyes snapped open.
“Get away from me!” Vi snarled, a panicked and desperate inflection present in the hostility. She shoved herself and Caitlyn far away from each other. The two girls stared at each other for a good while; one panting in fear, and the other still and quiet.
Vi’s breaths slowly began to calm down in to a much more normal pattern. Her head felt fuzzy and tense. All that was running through her head was images of Silco standing over Powder, Silco grabbing Powder’s throat, Silco—
“Vi, are you alright?” A soft, concerned voice cut through Vi’s thoughts like a butter knife, precise yet smooth. Vi tried to focus on the figure in front of her.
“…Caitlyn?” Vi hated how small and meek her voice sounded in that moment.
“Yes, it’s me.” Caitlyn’s voice was as unwavering and blunt as always.
Vi cleared her throat and ran a hand down her face briefly. “I’m sorry for pushing you. I was just… I don’t know.”
“It’s alright. Were you having a bad dream?” Caitlyn questioned. Her voice had taken on a comforting, saccharine lilt that Vi wasn’t sure if she loathed or adored.
“I guess so.”
”Do you want to talk about it?”
“…It was just about my sister.” Vi’s tone left no room for questioning, so Caitlyn didn’t pursue. She was silent again, and Vi was left to stew in her thoughts. She felt the shakiness and disorientation come back, even though the images she had seen in her dream were already fading out of memory.
I didn’t mean to leave her. I didn’t mean to leave her. Why did I leave her? I didn’t mean to. I’m such a—
“Vi, may I touch you?” Caitlyn’s voice yet again invaded and interrupted her train of thought. She sounded slightly impatient, as if this wasn’t the first time she had asked. It probably wasn’t.
Vi nodded hesitantly, not sure what else to do. Right after that, a warm hand cupped her cheek, and was brushing away tears that had gathered in the corners of her eyes. When had she started crying?
“Are you alright?” Caitlyn asked.
“I don’t know why I’m crying,” Vi said dumbly, even though she definitely did. Her throat began to close up and her vision began to blur. Please not in front of her… Vi shoved her head down to her knees in embarrassment.
“Vi…” Caitlyn tucked hair that had gotten loose from the movement back behind her ear. The gesture was familiar; one that Vi had experienced by so many loved ones in the past. It made her cry harder.
“Oh, Vi,” Caitlyn sighed, but not in exasperation. Suddenly, Vi was being pulled in to the arms of a girl, a girl that she barely knew yet somehow trusted with her life. That was a feeling that Vi was not quite ready to confront yet.
Nevertheless, Vi melted in to the hug, burying her face in Caitlyn’s chest as she sobbed. Vi was confused and put off by how readily she accepted comfort from Caitlyn; why it was so easy to be vulnerable in front of her. Maybe it was because that was just how Caitlyn was— she was very physically affectionate, and almost nurturing. Or maybe it was something else. One of Caitlyn’s hands was pressed securely to her back, while the other was softly petting her hair. Vi felt safe. During a few minutes that felt like hours, Vi’s sobs turned in to soft sniffles.
“I am not going to pretend that I understand what you’re going through,” Caitlyn spoke up after a while. “But I am always willing to support you, Vi, even if you would rather wail into my arms instead of talk.” Vi scrunched up her nose and pinched Caitlyn’s side in annoyance. Caitlyn yelped in surprise, and started to fucking giggle— Vi was too soft to pretend to be mad at all, and she laughed along with her.
-
The two girls eventually slid apart from each other and back on to the ground, although they were lying much more close than before. Vi could see light freckles dusting Caitlyn’s cheeks. She was already asleep, breathing quietly and evenly. Vi’s chest ached.
“Thanks, cupcake,” Vi murmured, as her eyes slid shut as well; warm feelings of safety warding off any more nightmares.