Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Caitlyn couldn’t help but notice something off about her girlfriend, a sudden noticeable distance that had never been there before. It was made even weirder given she knew for a fact Vi had been nervously working up the will to finally present the engagement ring she’d tucked away in her closet. A terrible hiding place that Caitlyn hadn’t had the will to comment on after almost immediately finding it.

She had first picked up the problem when Vi had come home after a sudden phone call had brought her rushing out of their apartment with little in the way of explanation. Her face was a stormy sea of emotions, hunched over on the couch completely blind to the fact Caitlyn had even been in the room.

Even when she’d asked, Vi had offered little in response, not bothering with a lie knowing that Caitlyn would have seen through it instantly. Vi had never been the best at lies, but Caitlyn’s focus in criminology certainly didn’t help, leading to her picking silence when possible. She’d thought, if given enough time, Vi would eventually open up about whatever the problem was herself.

But, like usual with the emotionally constipated Vi, it fell on Caitlyn to get her talking about what was bothering her. Knowing that Vi would flee if an escape route presented itself, Caitlyn ambushed her in one of the few locations she was loath to leave, the bedroom. Locking her into a false sense of getting lucky that evening, Caitlyn pinned Vi underneath her, trapping her between her arms. Realisation appeared far too late on Vi’s face to do anything about it, annoyance quickly replacing it.

“Cupcake, I love you, but you gotta stop playing with my emotions like this.”

“Maybe I wouldn’t have to leave you high and dry if you’d actually sit and discuss your feelings without me having to do this every time.”

Vi grumbled, but did nothing to push Caitlyn away even if she easily could, not when she got that look in her eyes. Working something over in her mind she finally began to speak, voice practically a whisper.

“....Mel finally found Powder.”

Powder. The baby sister that Vi had been desperately looking for since even before they’d met, lost in the disorganised mess of the foster system. She had only been a baby when their parents had died, too young to be adopted alongside Vi, Vander’s home determined as unsuitable. Instead, they were separated and by the time Vi was old enough to begin her search, Powder long lost.

It should have been something to celebrate, finally finding her after so long, yet Vi looked miserable. 

“From Mel’s research…..the system wasn’t…. kind to Powder. A heavy investment was the kindest way she could put it when telling me.”

“....Is that why you’ve been putting off asking me to marry you?”

“H-How did–”

“Vi please , you haven’t been subtle in the least. Everyone knows, even my mother.”

Her gaze wandered to the side, cheeks flushed in embarrassment as she eventually nodded.

“There’s no way I can leave her, not after finally finding her after so long , but I also don’t want to burden you with something like that. You’re already so busy working on your thesis and I–”

She stopped Vi’s words with a soft kiss, pulling back with a warm smile.

“ Nothing about you is a burden Vi, not you or your sister. I wouldn’t stop loving you over the fact you want a better life for your sister. Certainly the both of us will be able to offer her that."

Vi visibly relaxed at the encouraging words of Caitlyn, making clear she had full intentions of supporting her no matter her decision.

"Did I ever tell you how sweet you are to me?"

"Constantly, but please do tell me again."

This time Caitlyn placed a kiss slightly lower, locking Vi with a playful look that let her know tonight she wouldn’t be left high and dry .

—--------------------------------

Several days later

It had taken some convincing, Vi worried about cutting into Caitlyn’s prep time for her upcoming thesis presentation, but eventually she’d worn her down enough to bring her along to pick up Powder. Seeing how nervous and twitchy Vi was during the car ride there it had probably been for the best, she doubted greatly she’d have been even able to drive in her current state.

That point was made even clearer after having sat in the car in front of their destination, Vi needing the chance to calm down. A jitter mess was how best to describe her, Caitlyn waiting patiently in the driver's seat going over her thesis presentation notes. Only after hearing a sigh from beside her did she look up.

"Ready to go?"

"As I'll ever be."

Caitlyn stuck close to Vi as they walked into the building, a rather neat looking place that perfectly fit her image of Mel Medara. A city councillor that had taken a keen interest in Powder’s case and had personally helped immeasurably much to both of their confusion. She never had given a clear answer as to why, simply leaving it with a joking proclamation of wanting to secure a lifetime voter.

They were quickly whisked through to Mel's office, her secretary having known of their arrival in advance. Mel sat at her desk, whatever file she was reading creating deep creases on her face. From the way she looked up a Vi, Caitlyn had an unfortunate idea as to whose it was.

"Before we get into anything I know it means little, but I'd like to offer an apology on behalf of the city for the gross negligence regarding Powder’s care."

She placed the file down with a severe look.

"I can also personally guarantee that I'll be launching a thorough inquiry as to how something like this even happened in the first place."

Both were aware, based on the simmering heat each word gave off that Mel was pissed, almost making them sorry for whoever she ended up going after. 

"Ummm, Vi hasn’t told me very much about what Powder has gone through, just that the system was… unkind. "

“....I’m only getting the full details now myself, Jayce was nice enough to come run an unscheduled examination on Powder as a favour and his report paints a rather severe picture. Though most of it were his own observations as Powder offered incredibly little herself.”

That set off alarm bells for Caitlyn, knowing how typically good Jayce was when dealing with children as patients, making even the shyest open up to him. Quietly she took hold of Vi’s hand, noticing the bubbling anxiety of her partner and helping her relax with the familiar touch.

“What did Jayce’s report say?”

Mel silently stared at her desk.

“Extreme aversion to physical contact, severe anxiety, unable to settle while others are around, aggression….the list goes on. Of special note however is that she didn’t speak one word the entire session and hasn’t for a while given these records.”

Vi stiffened as Mel’s clinical tone washed over her, Caitlyn taking the lead in asking the questions she knew were boiling underneath her frozen exterior.

“Does that mean she’s mute ? From birth?”

“No, Pow-Pow was always chattering away….it’s where she got the nickname from since she had trouble saying her own name every time I played with her....”

“Jayce thinks it’s a case of severe selective mutism, likely caused by the hostile environment she found herself in from a young age. He believes while it might never fully go, there is definitely the possibility of it becoming less severe."

She sent the pair a hard stare as she continued.

"What she needs for that is a stable loving environment that she can feel relaxed in, something she hasn’t had . I want to make sure that, even after hearing this, you’re still dedicated to that despite the hardship it might bring.”

Caitlyn simply looked to Vi, making clear she would go with whatever she decided, already knowing what that was. Her nervous energy disappeared, replaced by an unwavering determination that set in on her face.

“ Please take us to see my baby sister.”

That was enough for Mel, releasing a breath quietly held.

“Follow me.”

—--------------------

The first thing that came to mind when she came face to face with Vi’s younger sister was a simple observation.

A stray cat.

One that had long grown weary of humans, hurt too many times by the illusion of their kindness and unwilling to let themselves fall for it again. She eyed them from the corner of the room, farthest she could possibly get from the door, bristled and ready to attack.

Her blue hair was cut short, done with angry cuts that betrayed a lack of care, but every part of her screamed that. From the pale gaunt frame to the old ill-fitting clothes, there wasn’t a single hint of warmth from those that had previously housed her. Caitlyn felt her stomach twist at the clear neglect of someone who couldn't have been more than ten, even that hard to tell with how malnourished she likely was.

Powder’s gaze had stopped on Vi, a brief flicker of confusion lasting mere seconds before being locked behind her ever present scowl. It was a look neither missed, Vi taking the opportunity to slowly crouch down, giving a smile previously reserved only for Caitlyn that gave away how deep her affections ran, causing a second flash of confusion on Powder’s face.

“Hey there Pow-Pow.”

She twitched at Vi’s warm words, scowling further as her confusion made itself clear, unable to understand the likely nostalgic feeling they brought. 

“You might not remember me all that well, we got separated when you were just a baby after all, but I’m Vi, your big sister. It’s been too many years of searching, but I’ve finally found you Pow-Pow.”

Caitlyn could see Powder waver at Vi’s words spoken without any hint of trickery, torn between a desperate desire to believe them and years of experience telling her not to. For such a small child, the tiredness radiating from her made one's heart hurt, born from too long  being stuck on high alert. She wanted desperately for Vi’s words to be true, to finally get a happy ending where she could rest, yet her instinct stood strong protecting her from more pain.

Crouching down beside Vi, Caitlyn gave her a light poke and a look that asked for her introduction. She was too worried of Powder snapping shut the small gap she’d opened in her defences if she suddenly spoke, Mel had likely realised that too given she’d quietly left at some point to just outside the door.

“Pow-Pow I want to introduce you to my…..girlfriend? U-Um, I guess f-fiance once I– Ouch –This is Caitlyn Kirammen, my partner, we live together.” 

A sharp elbow snapped her wandering focus back, gesturing towards Caitlyn with an apologetic look. She waited a beat to gauge Powder’s reaction, only beginning to speak after noticing the inquisitive glimmer peeking out from behind her blanket of suspicion.

“It’s nice to finally meet you Powder, Vi has told me a lot about you over the years, nothing but flattery I assure you. I hope to get along well with you."

"Woah Cupcake, what's with the super formal speech? Did your mom Astral project into you or --Ouch."

Another deserved blow landed onto Vi’s side from a rapidly ripening Caitlyn, about to offer some form of chastisement until the incredibly soft giggle from in front made that irrelevant. Slowly, as to not startle her, they both turned to watch the last traces of laughter be replaced in a panic.

Powder observed them nervously, scanning them for any sign of movement closer, only relaxing again when she noticed none. Vi’s hands were clenched into tight fists, her rage at whoever had ingrained that behaviour barely contained for her sister's sake. Giving her partner a chance to calm down, Caitlyn took the helm of the conversation again.

“Powder, I know it might be hard to trust us at first. I only ask that you give us some time to show you we are serious about taking care of you and giving you the happiness we both know you deserve.”

Slowly, making sure to not scare her, Caitlyn held her hand out still crouched down to Powder’s eye level. Catching on to what Caitlyn was trying to do Vi mirrored her position, her expression one of deep love as she asked a question

“Would you give us a chance Pow-Pow?”

They waited quietly for Powder, her eyes darting between their outstretched hands and faces, searching for the trap she had learned to anticipate. Her steps forward were slow, a constant series of stopping and starting, but eventually she drew close enough to tentatively take their hands.

Cold and clammy, desperate for the warmth of their hands as she tightened her grip, her nervous gaze locked on them. Powder only relaxing slightly at the returned squeeze from them, wrapping her hands in their affection.

“Let’s go home shall we?”

Chapter Text

It had been a rough several weeks for the pair as they slowly grew used to their new everyday life with Powder, facing challenges right from the get go. Before picking up Powder they had repurposed the spare bedroom, at first having been Vi’s until she decided Caitlyn’s room was a much better fit for her, but not knowing what the girl would like, it was rather sparsely decorated.

The problem was, she didn’t seem to like being there all that much and would instead sit in a corner of the living room that gave a clear view of every entry point. That was how she spent the bulk of her time for the first couple days, warily observing them and lashing out rather violently if either tried to move her from it.

Food had to be placed down near her and even then she’d only eat when the pair were out of sight, as if scared they would take it back. 

Even at night, Powder showed no signs of leaving her corner, the only time she ever did was to make a mad dash to the bathroom when it was needed. They had simply had to place down a blanket and pillow for her, much to Vi’s frustration at seeing her sister like that.

Only after a week of this did Powder finally seem to recognize they had been telling the truth, that they weren’t going to betray the small amount of trust she’d given them. She still didn’t let them get too close to her, but at least now she left that corner to explore her new home a bit, even adventuring into her room a couple times.

She would always disappear around a corner or behind something if one of them met her while wandering, not leaving that spot until they had gone. It had hurt at first, but they had taken it as a small victory when Powder began to respond to their greetings with a small nod whenever they did encounter each other. 

Communication had also been a challenge that they had to work around, Powder still having not said a single word. Multiple frustrated fights had broken out if they tried asking her anything too complex that couldn’t be answered with a simple yes or no, which had lessened only after Caitlyn had worked out a system of sorts.

They would try sticking to asking yes or no questions when possible while making use of gestures or pointing to make specifics easier to understand. It didn’t take very long for Powder to catch onto the system herself, quickly beginning to make use of it much to their relief.

Their first real breakthrough however came from the most unexpected source, happening on the evening of a very upset Vi having to leave for the evening for a shift at her step-father’s bar. He had been nice enough to give her several weeks off after telling him about Powder, but had called in a panic, practically pleading with her to come in. It seemed that his son Mylo while out with his other one Claggor, had gotten in an accident that while non-life threatening landed him in the hospital.

Vander had to help pack for an extended stay and keep him company, leaving just Claggor who wasn’t confident running everything himself. Vi of course couldn’t say no, not after everything he’d done for her regarding Powder and reluctantly said she’d help run the bar each evening until he was able to come back. 

“Pow-Pow, I’m so sorry, okay? Caitlyn will be still here alright? Oh man, Cupcake she looks so upset!”

“That’s because you’ve been saying the same thing for the last 10 minutes. Please Vi, I have this so get going for Claggor’s sake.”

“Y-You sure?”

“Yes, I’ll do my research in the living room rather than my study, so Powder won’t be alone okay?”

“O-Okay, Pow-Pow love you lots!”

Caitlyn practically had to shove Vi out the entryway as she waved at Powder, blowing kisses until the door shutting cut her off. She looked down at the scowling Powder, having grown irritated rather quickly at the constant nodding she’d done to Vi’s barrage of statements, staring up at her.

“She can be quite a handful sometimes don’t you think?”

Powder gave a tired nod, quickly leaving for her room that she finally actually used, even if she never shut the door to it. She plopped down beside her bed and got back to reading one of the many books that her mother had gifted them upon being told about Powder. One of the many things her mother had given them after finding out, seeming rather excited about the whole thing even if she tried to hide it.

All of them were the old books Caitlyn remembered reading as a child, apparently her mother having tucked them away in storage rather than getting rid of them. She was slightly concerned that the ones Powder seemed to enjoy the most were the crime stories, that and the scary ones. They were all still appropriate for someone her age, but still .

‘Well, I guess I grew up reading them and turned out just fine…’

She gathered her piles of notes from her study, laying them out onto the coffee table before quickly making herself a pot of coffee to keep herself awake. Unlike in her study, which featured a radio she could turn on for background noise, she had to resort to flipping on the television. Unable to stand most of what was aired she settled on a channel that seemed to specialise in old movies and let it play at a low volume. 

Using that as white noise to focus seemed to work out great, since it took her a great deal of time to notice the presence of Powder slowly growing closer, startling slightly as she looked up to spot the girl sitting on the sofa. She was still as far as possible from Caitlyn’s curled up figure, but the fact alone she was that close surprised her.

Her eyes were glued to the screen, making Caitlyn curious as to why and looking over herself, noticing an old black and white crime film was playing.

‘What were those called? Ah, film noir.’

Quietly she turned up the volume for Powder’s sake before getting back to work, only stopping again after feeling a soft tug on her sleeve. She looked down to spot a confused looking Powder, pointing at the screen that was showing a scene of what appeared to be the main character talking with a woman.

“Hmmm? What is it Powder? Are you wondering who she is?”

A quick nod. Powder had shown up after the film had already started and likely had missed her introduction.

“She’s the older sister of the one that detective has been hired to trail, she’s scooping him out at the moment to see what kind of person he is.”

Powder gave a look of understanding, hand retreating back to her lap as she went back to quietly watching. It didn’t take very long for Caitlyn to feel another tug on her sleeve, Powder once again seeming to want her explanation.

For the rest of the movie's runtime and well into the next, Caitlyn found herself actively watching it with Powder rather than researching, only returning once sleep finally knocked out her tiny partner. Her eyes had struggled to stay open for a while, eventually drooping entirely and letting herself curl up on the arm rest next to her. Careful, as to not wake her, she gently lay a blanket on top of the girl smiling as she cuddled into it.

—-----------------

Since that evening, Caitlyn had found that Powder was greatly enthralled by the movies they played late at night. Always coming out to watch them while Caitlyn worked. Bouncing along to musical numbers, sitting rigid during tense scenes, and quietly giggling at comedic moments.

It had all made Vi rather jealous upon telling her, missing out on her sister’s reactions, so much so that she’d returned one day with an armful of old movies she’d borrowed from the library. Powder had quickly raced from her room after noticing the stack a very cheerful Vi had dropped down onto the coffee table, pawing through them with a rare smile.

“I got them to help me pick out a bunch of different kinds to watch since I have no idea about movies, especially not old ones.”

Almost immediately Powder honed in on one sporting a mean looking detective, eagerly holding it up towards Vi. 

“That one first huh? How’d I know it’d be that?”

Vi took the case from Powder, sending a playful look over to Caitlyn that foretold her doing something annoying. 

“Y'know, Caitlyn over here is studying to be a detective just like in these kinds of films! Outfit and all!”

Caitlyn immediately gave her a light sock on the arm, to which Vi just laughed, about to correct her until she spotted the adoring look Powder was sending her that made it incredibly hard to burst her bubble. Carefully she crouched down, noting in the back of her mind just how close Powder was to the both of them without seeming to care, trying her best to explain in a way that wouldn’t hurt her.

“While I am studying to be a detective, modern ones aren’t as ….. cool as those portrayed in the films. When I become one I wouldn’t be wearing such an outfit….m-much to my regret of course!”

Powder’s wide eyed excitement had slowly dipped as she learned the truth, Caitlyn unable to tell her that she wouldn’t be caught dead wearing something so embarrassing while working. She looked despondently back at the case once more as it sunk in that Caitlyn wouldn’t dress like that, turning back to send a pitying stare.

"A-A shame really."

She gave a solemn nod of agreement at Caitlyn’s hurried words, the sound of Vi fiddling with the movie player thankfully refocusing Powder’s attention away. Eagerly she hopped onto the couch, of course in the spot she always sat, impatiently waiting for Vi to figure out what she was doing.

"Why the heck ain't it showing up? Players on and the disk is in…."

"Wrong input dear."

Vi sent Caitlyn a baffled look at her side comment.

"What the heck is an input?"

".....Give it here and go make the popcorn.”

Without any protest she handed over the remote to do as told, only taking a couple moments of cabinet opening from the kitchen for the sound of their air popper coming to life filling the air. It took Caitlyn little more than a couple clicks to get everything ready, letting it idle on the main menu instead of starting it, knowing Vi would throw a small fit if she didn’t .

“We’re all good to go Cupcake!”

Hearing the excited strides of Vi returning from the kitchen Caitlyn dropped onto her typical viewing spot on the other arm of the couch. Watching as Vi froze right in front she realised they might have a problem, given that the size of the couch meant the three would have to cuddle rather close to fully fight, both looking to Powder.

“U-Ummm, Pow-Pow is it–”

Powder just smacked the spot beside her with an annoyed look up at Vi, seemingly upset about her dawdling more than any close contact.

“R-Right.”

Tentatively she slotted herself down beside her, looking ready to bolt back up at the slightest sign of discomfort from Powder, but when none came a wide content smile spread across her face.

“Here ya go Pow-Pow, fresh popcorn!”

She took a small handful at Vi’s encouragement, sending Caitlyn a look begging for her to start the film, something she did with a soft chuckle. Almost immediately loud gunfire blared as the screen filled with an immediate massacre, bodies dropping like flies as a lone shooter let loose on an unsuspecting group.

Caitlyn watched Vi pale at the level of violence she hadn’t expected, turning a nervous look to her as if asking what to do. She simply pointed towards Powder, who wore an incredibly excited face while happily eating away at her small hoard of popcorn, entirely unfazed.

Light slapping on her leg brought Vi’s attention back over to Powder, who had begun eagerly pointing at the screen with her attention focused on one particularly sloppy looking man. Vi wasn’t exactly sure why Powder felt it so important to point at him in particular, once again sending Caitlyn a pleading look.

“She wants you to know that’s the main character Vi, in case you were confused, likely she can tell given that the actor typically plays the leads.”

“....That it Pow-Pow?”

Powder gave a nod, pointing again at the man before making a little heart shape with her hand, a hand gesture they’d worked out to mean Love . Vi quickly smiled in understanding, realising she was fond of the actor as well and wanted them to know.

“Looks like I picked a good movie then, even has your favourite huh?”

She gave one final happy nod before turning her attention back to the movie, intent to not miss anything. Caitlyn took the chance to cuddle next to Vi, leaning in to whisper so as to not disturb Powder.

“I’ll let you know what some of her other favourites are after this, along with what other genres she likes. Hope you enjoy musicals.”

“Ugh…for Pow-Pow’s sake I will…”

“Thatta girl.”

They watched the rest of the film in relative silence, only sometimes did Vi interrupt to get an explanation, Caitlyn seeming to have endless knowledge which she attributed to researching for Powder’s sake to prepare. Though she had to admit, she was beginning to become a fan herself in the detective focus of the films, even if she still couldn’t get over the outfits.

Chapter Text

After the pair realised how much Powder enjoyed movies it became a common activity for the three of them to sit down and watch one together. Caitlyn had rather strongly enforced a hard limit on how many they could watch at once, something Powder wasn’t too happy about, but begrudgingly accepted. It had been for Vi’s sake if anything, clear that her mind could only take so many musicals, caught off guard by how much Powder liked watching them.

Upon her mother finding out about this she, of course, began sending over piles of movies that she believed Powder would enjoy. Her gifts had become so known by Powder that every time a new package showed up she’d always excitedly tear it open to see what goodies had been given to her this time.

“Vi, we’re going to have to pick up another shelf at the rate mother is sending Powder movies….”

“She’s gotten real into spoiling Pow-Pow hasn’t she? Kinda surprised given how she typically acts y’know?”

They were currently having a soft conversation in the kitchen while Powder sat agonising over which movie she wanted to watch for the evening in the living room, having to narrow down from a rather large stack. As soon as she’d finished supper, something much to their delight she’d now sit and eat with them, Powder had bolted from the table to end up in her current situation. Caitlyn and Vi had then been left with the clean up.

“Most of her calls to chat are asking more about how Powder is doing than anything else….”

She snuck a peek over at Vi, busy putting away the leftovers and cleaning up the cooking area.

“Vi…..”

“Hmmm? What’s up Cupcake?”

“It’s just….. when do you think it’ll be okay to start introducing more people to Powder?”

Her words caused Vi to freeze mid-scrub, now wearing a conflicted look.

“Pow-Pow only just seems to have started liking us Cupcake. Don’t really know how introducing others too soon will go. What’s brought this up? Your mom started pestering you?”

“There’s that….but mother knows well enough not to push for it too hard. I’m just worried we might run into a snag if we don’t prepare in advance…”

Vi looked confused until her eyes landed on the calendar with a directed point from Caitlyn, realisation dawning with a groan.

“Your trip……”

Her thesis presentation wasn’t just some small event that could be taken care of in a day, rather it was the opposite, where a solid week of her time would be consumed. That wasn’t even counting the days spent flying back and forth, ballooning it to roughly two weeks. It came with the territory of attending one of the top universities in the country that they make a big deal out of such things, used to help get everyone mingling early with titans of the field and secure future opportunities. 

“It’s not for a bit, but who is going to be looking after Powder while I’m gone and you’re away at work.”

“I-I can get them to shift my hours so I’m opening in the afternoon and get off not too late at night…”

“Then what about for the afternoon? Powder hasn’t been truly alone since we brought her in Vi.”

“Mmmmm….you thinking of introducing Pow-Pow to your parents?”

“Out of everyone they seem like the best bet, but I’m also worried about it…”

Vi scratched the back of her neck in thought, staring over at Powder still busy picking a movie.

“How about…we try asking her what she thinks about it? Give her the final say.”

“Are you sure?”

She just nodded, motioning for Caitlyn to follow while making her way over to Powder, quickly acknowledging the pair with a curious look. Vi crouched down, still careful not to crowd too close even if her sister had gotten better with it.

"Hey Pow-Pow, we got a question for you. Would you be okay meeting Caitlyn's parents? They're the ones always giving you all these gifts."

They both nervously watched in silence as Powder’s eyes went wide, then squinted in clear thought. Her gaze turned to Caitlyn, taking her a little while to realise why .

"Um, my mother has been rather eager to meet you since I first informed her. As for my father, he's a rather gentle soul, but I heard he's the one mother is getting movie recommendations from."

Gesturing towards the stack of movies, Caitlyn gave the killing blow.

" Those are likely all from father's personal collection, at least the ones he's willing to give away. He has an entire room of the house dedicated to them and I know for a fact he's been pestering mother to build a home theatre in the basement for quite some time ...."

Powder bolted upright, her previous hesitation gone at her current interest being perked. Vi gave Caitlyn a subtle side squeeze, relieved that it looked like Powder didn't mind.

"Just to make it less stressful we'll have them come to our place and we'll get them to leave if you ever get overwhelmed alright?"

"You tell us the second you want them gone alright Pow-Pow?”

Their doubled question received a rather slow eyeroll out of Powder along with her nod of acknowledgment, even without words it was clear she thought they were being worrywarts. Having decided she was done with the conversation, Powder eagerly held up three movies to the pair, wanting them to give their opinion. 

All three were musicals.

Caitlyn watched Vi’s relieved expression slowly drift into one of subtle mourning, sending those sad puppy eyes in her direction as a desperate plea for mercy. It was hard not to oblige, Caitlyn spotting a name among the piles of movies that gave her an idea.

“....Powder those are all lovely options, but I’m wondering if you’d like a suggestion of something outside those.”

Before Powder had a chance at growing upset in thinking they were rejecting her options, Caitlyn hurriedly picked up the case she’d been eyeing and began to explain.

“You see, my father is a rather big fan of early cinema and recently has begun getting into the very beginning . I’m completely clueless about it all, but my father recommended this man’s comedies as a good starting point.”

She tapped the stone-faced man on the front cover, relaxing somewhat at Powder showing interest over upset.

“I’m just curious myself, it’s supposed to be rather different, practically its own genre as my father puts it. It would definitely give the two of you something to discuss when he comes over. How about trying something a little outside your comfort zone?”

Letting her question hang, Caitlyn held out the case to Powder, waiting patiently for her to give a yes or no. She had no desire to force her hand, knowing that Powder needed the final say, but at least she’d hopefully potentially saved Vi from musical hell.

Gingerly Powder accepted the case, giving a small nod of acceptance before rushing over to set it up. Vi took the opportunity to mouth a quiet “You are a Goddess,” leaving to prepare the popcorn the second Powder turned back. 

Settling down in her designated spot Powder kicked her legs in anticipation, having no idea what to expect. Caitlyn sat down soon after, with Vi only taking a couple moments to saunter over with fresh popcorn, Powder hitting the play button the second she plopped onto the couch.

Her confusion was almost immediate, sending a look over at Caitlyn for some form of explanation. After all, there was no sound past the classical music that seemed synced to the action.

“Powder, these films are referred to as silent films because they don’t feature any sound. That music is put in after the fact.”

Powder’s eyes widened, head pivoting back to the screen with a hard to describe expression. It was rather different from the films they’d watched previously, but none of them found it bad, enjoyable if anything. Vi especially seemed to be having a good time, uproarious laughter escaping her at every visual gag or stunt, Powder quickly joining in with small chuckles of her own. Even Caitlyn couldn’t hold back, the three of them ending up a giggling mess by the time the credits rolled.

Vi composed herself first, looking rather sad it had ended so soon.

“That it Cupcake? Wasn’t even long ....”

“It’s a shorts collection, I think I saw some of his feature length mixed in…”

Drifting over to the stacks of movies, Caitlyn began surveying for the familiar name, trying to recall which ones her father had mentioned, eyes stopping on one particular title. 

“ This one is rather famous I think, at least that’s what father told me.”

Showcasing the cover to the two, featuring that same stone-faced man sitting on the front of a train cradling a long piece of lumber, Powder gave a clap making clear she was interested. With a chuckle, Caitlyn switched the discs and sat back down, letting Powder click play.

This one had far more in the way of story than the shorts they’d grown familiar with, but even then it was rather simple. That didn’t make it any less enjoyable however, the trio laughing just as much as they had before and marvelling at the stunts. When they got to a scene of a bridge coming down with a train on it both Powder and Vi released noises of praise.

“Hey Cupcake, was that like a model or legit?”

“Hmm, from what I recall father saying it was a real train used. That shot was apparently the most expensive in silent film history too.”

“Dang.”

Caitlyn turned to send a look over to Powder, catching her attention after a moment.

“How was that Powder? Did you enjoy trying something new?”

Powder gave an enthusiastic nod, spreading her hands wide in a cheering motion.

“It looks like you’ll have a lot of fun with my father then, so much so I worry mother might feel left out. I think you’ll get along with them Powder….I really do.”

The assertiveness of her tone caused Powder to nervously fidget before giving a small nod, likely the best either would get, but it was enough to make them hopeful for the eventual meeting.

Chapter Text

"Alright, mother, father, I would like to remind you again that–"

"Caitlyn please, you've been repeatedly telling us the entire way up. Neither of us have such poor memories we would forget at this point."

Cassandra's cool tone cut off whatever Caitlyn was about to say as the three of them stood in front of the door to their apartment, having been there for several minutes by this point. Seeing how little that did to soothe Caitlyn’s nerves, her mother's expression softened.

"We know you're just looking out for her, I understand the fear that something as simple as a meeting gone poorly may reverse whatever progress you've accomplished. But Caitlyn, please trust us that we know what we're doing."

".....Sorry, it's…. she’s only just gotten comfortable with us and the thought that we might be rushing because of that…."

Tobias placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Your mother and I have done our due diligence by conducting research on our end on how we should best behave. Plus, we’ve prepared some icebreakers that should hopefully ease her worries.”

With a soft chuckle he lifted up the bag they’d brought along from home, giving a smile as Caitlyn finally relaxed.

“We want this to work just as much as you do dear. Just trust us.”

“.....I do. You two were my first choice for introducing new people to Powder after all.”

Feeling her nerves settled enough and not wanting to lose them again, Caitlyn pulled the door open after giving a soft knock of warning for Vi. What greeted her was the interesting sight of Powder standing behind Vi, but with still some distance between the two of them, curiously staring passed Caitlyn at her parents.

“Powder, these are my parents, Cassandra and Tobias. They’ve been really excited to meet you and I’m hoping you’ll get along with them…”

She just gave a nervous nod at Caitlyn’s short introduction, eyes still locked on her parents, wariness clear underneath her curiosity. For their part, her parents made no attempt at getting closer to her, having likely realized that was the distance Powder had decided was the limit. Instead, her mother crouched down with a warm smile directed her way, one that seemed to shock Vi more than Powder.

“Hello there Powder, my name is Cassandra. Caitlyn tells me you’ve been enjoying the movies I’ve sent your way which makes me rather glad to hear. I was worried you’d find them boring, given they’re mostly old ones. Tobias and I haven’t been to the theater in a while, so we aren’t the most up to date ....”

Powder seemed to perk at the mention of the movies, now putting it together in her mind that they were the faces behind the gifts. She shook her head at Cassandra’s worries, mulling something over in her head, but giving no indication of what that was.

If Caitlyn had to guess it was Powder dealing with the conflicting feelings of wanting to show off her movie collection, but also her extreme wariness that told her not to. Even if she’d gotten fairly used to Caitlyn and Vi, knowing they wouldn't do anything to her, the same didn't extend to her parents.

Likely, it was only due to her trust that either of them would jump in if needed that she was even okay being in the same room as her parents. It was somewhat heartwarming to think they held such a position in her mind, but it did lead to a rather awkward silence. Powder’s gaze nervously danced between her parents and the two of them standing closeby, frozen in place by her own ingrained instincts that their short time together had no way of making go away just yet.

A light cough from Tobias brought her focus back, watching warily as he motioned towards the bag he’d held tight up until then.

“I know it can be rather nerve racking to meet someone new for the first time, so I thought to bring some ice breakers.”

Rustling around inside the bag for a bit, Tobias finally pulled out several movies, all appearing to be animated features. Powder raised a single eyebrow, almost appearing insulted that he’d brought out films for children when she was already watching mature ones. He only released a chuckle, clearly understanding her contempt.

“From what I heard from Caitlyn you haven’t really explored much of these have you? I think that’s rather a shame, some of my favourites are animated ones you know? Why, I still like to watch them every so often and they all hold up rather well.”

His admission got a surprised blink out of Powder, likely not thinking her father, far older in years than her, would praise them so highly. Her interest now perked, she pulled herself closer ever so slightly to get a better look at his offerings.

“I brought some of my favorites along with some I remember Caitlyn simply adoring, plus a few I had thought you’d like yourself. What say you Powder? Are you up to watch some animated movies with us?”

She shifted her gaze between him and Cassandra, only giving a stiff nod after several moments, making a smile appear on both of her parents' faces. Of course, Vi felt the need to ruin the moment by pulling close to whisper in her ear.

“I’m not the only one freaking out over how much your mother has been smiling right? What’s with that? She getting soft in her elderly ye–”

“I can hear you Violet, my hearing is still just as sharp, even in my decrepit state.”

The glare her mother sent back at Vi made her clamp up immediately, getting a soft giggle out of Powder that wasn’t missed by Cassandra.

“Your sister is such a troublemaker, I have no idea where the confidence to say such things comes from when she can’t even work up the will to propose to my dear Caitlyn.”

“M-Mother!”

“What is it Caitlyn?”

Her clear panic got a single eyebrow raise from her mother.

“.....We hadn’t mentioned that to Powder yet….”

“Oh my…”

All eyes turned towards Powder, who just seemed confused at the attention, likely not really processing the whole proposal part. Cassandra knelt down again to catch Powder’s gaze, sporting a rather amused look.

“Do you know what a proposal is, my dear? I’m almost certain it's in one of those movies you’ve seen.”

Powder gave a stiff nod.

“Your sister wants to do that to Caitlyn, though I doubt it would have even half the flair of how it’s done in the movies. She wants to marry Caitlyn.”

Vi feigned a hurt look at her clear jab, while Powder appeared to grow nervous about the whole idea. Her mother immediately knew just what to say.

“Nothing will change Powder, for all intents and purposes they’re already married in their behavior, all they lack is the official paperwork. Do you like how things currently are with them?”

Her nod was immediate, much to her and Vi’s relief.

“Then you’ll have nothing to worry about and if anything does cause you to, you come straight to me and I’ll set Violet straight with a stern scolding.”

“....Why just me and not Caitlyn?”

“Because I know my dear Caitlyn wouldn’t be the one causing problems…”

“.....Do you actually even approve of me?”

“If I didn’t approve of you we wouldn’t even be having this discussion in the first place, which would be a shame since Powder is rather lovely, isn’t she dear?”

Ignoring Vi’s frown, Cassandra turned to the quiet Tobias who enthusiastically agreed.

“Incredibly so!”

Powder, looking like she was unsure about what to do about the overwhelming praise, shifted her gaze down to her feet as an almost invisible blush appeared. Thinking it was best to change the subject, Tobias moved towards the coffee table, maintaining his distance from Powder as he did so. Removing the movies from his bag onto the table he gestured towards Powder with a wide grin.

“Now how about we pick out some movies to watch? Since this is a special day, how about we order whatever you want it to go along with it? Our treat of course.”

Cassandra nodded along to his words, sending a gaze over towards Caitlyn and Vi.

“Does she have any favourite foods we should know about? I don’t mind ordering junk food in this case either.”

“ Gods, you’re turning right into a doting gran–”

“ Silence, Violet.”

Vi’s mouth instantly sealed at the steely glare she received, Caitlyn quietly agreeing with her even if she’d never let her mother know that. Instead, upon her mother’s gaze landing on her while ignoring Vi, she gave the answer she wanted.

“We haven’t really ordered in that often, unless one of us is able to go pick it up rather than have a delivery person, but she really enjoyed the food from Jericho’s Pizza. He always makes Powder a little dessert not on the menu whenever we order ever since we gave him the picture she drew of him as thanks.”

“Well then we shall order from there, Violet of course will go to pick it up for us.”

“Why–”

Her mother didn’t even need to say anything this time to get Vi to stop, just her signature look that would make even the most asinine politician shut up and behave. Without a word she pulled her card out from her wallet and handed it to Caitlyn.

“Place an order for whatever Powder’s favourites are, make sure to leave a generous tip on our behalf as well.”

“Right…”

Getting busy with that, Caitlyn left for the kitchen where they kept the menu pamphlet, still keeping an eye on her parents near Powder just in case. She seemed to be fully absorbed in agonizing over which one to pick first, her father being completely unhelpful by hyping up each one going off his hand gestures, Powder’s brow just scrunching more. Her mother quietly said something to Powder, which apparently helped her make up her mind, picking one up before racing towards their player.

“I expected your dad to behave like this, but your mom too? Strangest thing I’ve seen all week.”

She turned to watch Vi shuffle into the kitchen beside her, wearing a completely baffled look that quickly changed to a sheepish one.

“Being honest Cupcake, I thought your mom would cause problems with Powder given how rigid she usually is.”

“I’m slightly surprised too if I’m also being honest, but it seems mother and father took my opinion seriously and did their due diligence on researching how best to behave around her.”

Leaning against the counter, Vi brought her eyes down to the pamphlet Caitlyn had laid out on the counter.

“Whatcha thinking of getting?”

“ That’s the tricky part. She seems to like everything we order from there, so I’m unsure what her favourite would be. They all get her excited and act like it’s the best thing she’s ever eaten….. Gods, she does the same for anything we cook and I just–”

A comforting back rub put an end to those depressing thoughts about what her previous environment had been like for her to act like that for everything she ate while living with them. Powder seemed to hungrily devour whatever was given to her with no preference, if she had any dislikes they wouldn’t know when it came to food. Like she was scared they’d take it away from her if she showed any negative reaction to what was given to her.

“I’m sorry….”

“There’s nothing to apologize for Cupcake, it just shows you care a lot about her, something I couldn’t be any more grateful for. Even I sometimes fantasize about giving whoever did any of that to Pow-Pow what they really deserve.”

She wrapped Caitlyn in a hug, one gladly leaned into, as a smirk appeared.

“Hearing of the warpath Mel’s been on regarding the situation has helped scratch that itch though, it’s pure scorched earth where she’s concerned.”

Mel had been sure to keep the two of them up to date with her progress into investigating exactly what had gone wrong surrounding Powder’s care, alongside who would be held responsible. She was leaving no stone unturned when it came to rooting out the corruption as she put it, the entire department and all related ones being torn to pieces as she cleaned house. There had even been a court case started against those neglectful of Powder’s care.

Of course, under Mel’s insistence they wouldn’t have to raise one finger in that regard. Her office put their top people on it free of charge, the few times Vi had gone in to provide details she had been greatly reassured by the pure rage that seemed to fuel all their actions. It had been rather jarring to have an older guy wearing an incredibly expensive looking suit assure her they would “ Nail them all to the fucking wall and bleed the scum for all they’re worth,” but it had also proved soothing.

Caitlyn couldn’t help chuckle at recalling the details, still unclear why Mel was so interested in Powder’s case specifically, but found no reason to complain.

“How about going with the Jericho Special? He always puts his all into making it delicious and I’ve seen Powder’s eyes gravitate towards it the last couple times we’ve ordered in from there even if she didn’t say anything.”

“Now look who’s growing into a little detective?”

“All your influence, Cupcake. Just let me know when I should head out to pick it up.”

Leaving Caitlyn with a peck on the cheek, Vi moved back towards the living room, leaning against the wall to keep watch while her parents happily watched whatever movie Powder had picked alongside her. It seemed to relax Powder ever so slightly when she did a quick look back to spot Vi there, before she refocused on the conversation with Caitlyn’s parents. Father was of course actively giving commentary about the behind the scenes while mother focused her comments on the actual movie and personal anecdotes.

 “You see, here they had to invent a whole new technique given the complexity of the scene, making use of computers to help the traditionally trained artists have an easier time when it came to painting while using more complex camera movements.”

While her mother….

“My, that is a lovely dress she has on, reminds me of one I used to own in my younger years. It was such a pain to put on, but it looked rather nice on me. Don’t even think about making a comment Violet.”

Her eyes naturally shifted to Vi, mouth half open, ready to say something snarky no doubt until being stopped by mother without her even having to look. Vi gave a cough of defeat, once again slouching quietly onto the wall to maintain her watch. Cassandra scoffed, her focus never leaving the film outside of the odd look down at Powder.

Surprisingly she had allowed them to sit on the couch with her, but both still maintained a close eye in case she grew uncomfortable with them being there.

Finally she let her focus return to the menu in front, taking Vi’s suggestion as she placed her order. Jericho had erupted into a fit of belly laughs upon realizing it was her that called, Caitlyn finding herself chatting with him for a little bit while noting her order, always so eager to hear how things were going for them.

He assured her it wouldn’t take very long at all, even after she told him to take his time as they were in no rush. Jericho happily mentioned figuring out a special new treat he believed Powder would like, asking her to tell him how it went over the next time she came in.

 With that settled she went to stand beside Vi at the wall, not wanting to interrupt her parent’s chatter with Powder.

“Jericho said to come by in around 30 minutes.”

“Mmmm…”

Vi was only half paying attention, though Caitlyn couldn’t fault her, her focus locked onto the soft smile that Powder wore. Seeing her being happy around people outside of just them seemed to put some of worries to rest, even if it was just when it came to her parents.

“.....There are so many people I wanna introduce Pow-Pow to, but I was always too scared thinking about how she might react. Now, I feel like there’s a chance y’know?”

“I feel the same, though we still have to remember not to rush into anything.”

“Yeah.”

They continued to watch, Vi leaving to grab the food and returning with arms bursting with bags, Jericho having gone overboard being her only comment. Thankfully, Powder didn’t mind pausing the movie when it was mentioned it was from Jericho’s Pizza, happily approaching the dining table where Vi was unpacking.

Caitlyn was ready with plates, portioning the containers out to each before handing them over, giving her parents the first plates. It was slightly amusing to see them eating junk food as her mother liked to refer to it as, but they showed no issue with it, seeming to like it even. Powder was eagerly watching their reaction, wanting to know what they thought of her apparent favourite.

“It’s very good Powder.”

“I think I’m a fan, just the right level of spice to not be too overpowering.”

Her mother’s comment was short and to the point while her father, the chef of the family, went into somewhat more detail. Both seemed to please Powder, giving a knowing nod before setting in to devour her food. Caitlyn at first thought her mother would make some sort of comment about the messy display, having always done so with Vi, yet she only sent a soft smile down Powder’s way.

“....I can tell who the favourite is….”

Vi’s quiet mutter sent Caitlyn into a soft fit of giggles, made even worse with the mock look of sadness that she had taken to staring at her with. Batting her lightly on the arm only seemed to provoke her to lean further in with that dumb puppy dog look, fluttering her eyes up at Caitlyn to show how truly sad she was.

“Cupcake, I’m so devastated, please comfort me. I’m gonna cry, look, you can see ‘em if you squint.”

“Stop it you.”

“No look serious, I’m crying Cupcake, you just gotta look real close.”

Their little side conversation was eventually noticed by the others, Cassandra rolling her eyes at Vi’s mock sadness, Powder too busy digging into the special treat Jericho had made her to really care.

—-----------------

When the food was eventually finished their movie watching was immediately resumed, Caitlyn and Vi taking care of the clean up. Powder seemed to have unending energy no matter how many movies they sat through, that was at least true for the next several, now she was barely able to stay awake. She fought valiantly, but eventually sleep won out, slumping her back into her seat.

Before her parents could panic over what they were supposed to do, Caitlyn whisked the blanket they kept handy over her, Powder curling into it with a content look. Trying their best not to disturb Powder, her parents quietly got up and collected their things, only daring to speak when the four of them were huddled by the door.

“I’m really glad you let us meet her, Caitlyn, she’s a sweet girl.”

“I’m just glad everything went well, you wouldn’t believe how nervous I was about this meeting.”

Cassandra laughed.

“Oh, I could tell by how long you held us hostage with your repeated warnings.”

“ Mother!”

She simply waved off Caitlyn’s concern.

“Once you think Powder is comfortable enough with the idea I’d love to have her over at the house. I think she’d love Tobias’ movie room.”

Caitlyn watched a glint appear in her father’s eyes as he gave a light cough to draw her mother’s attention.

“Cassandra dear….about that home theater I wished to build. Wouldn’t that be practically perfect for whenever Powder comes over? I bet she would simply love it, watching a movie in such an environment. We could even run private screenings of new movies for her while giving her the true theater experience. Doesn’t that sound lovely?”

“.....You think Powder would like that?”

“Oh absolutely! ”

It was clear to Caitlyn that her father had realized mother was weak to Powder, using it as a way of getting that extravagant home theater Cassandra had always denied as being frivolous. Her mother sported a serious look of thought before giving a nod, seeming to no longer see it as such if it meant Powder would enjoy it.

“Do you–”

“I already have a contractor in mind along with a rough estimate of the cost.”

“No skimming on the equipment now, Powder must have the best viewing experience while under our care or else it will be a stain on the Kirammen name.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t even think of it! Only the best for our dear Powder!”

“ Good.”

Giving one final nod at the idea, the pair choosing to say nothing about the whole thing, Cassandra gave Caitlyn a goodbye hug while simply giving Vi a nod, getting ready to leave.

“Have a good evening you two, I’ll call in the morning.”

“R-Right.”

It was only once Cassandra’s back was turned that Tobias sent them a devilish wink, having so easily secured something he’d been wanting for the last several years. The pair exiting without another word, leaving them to stare at the door in silence.

“....Didn’t think your dad had that in him….. completely played her.”

“....Father gets like that sometimes, practically the only one that can do that to mother without her noticing.”

“And I thought your mom was scary…..”

“Mmmm.”

Knowing her parents that private theater was going to end up more extravagant than even the most high end of local ones, cost was not an issue for them.

……At least Powder would probably love it.

Chapter Text

“Whatcha working on there, Pow-Pow? Another letter for Caitlyn’s parents?”

Powder didn’t even bother looking up when giving her answer, a quick nod being all Vi received in response, her sister’s focus never leaving her work. She gave a quiet hum of understanding, slowly sitting beside Powder at the kitchen table she’d ‘captured’ and covered in writing equipment. Her action got little reaction, not even the almost instinctual tensing her sister had done for the longest time, causing a smile to naturally spread across Vi’s face.

The letters back and forth had been something suggested by Caitlyn’s mom as a way for her to both ‘talk’ with Powder while also letting her practise her writing skills. Powder had been surprisingly interested since the beginning and had quickly taken to their written conversations.

She refused to let either of them read their correspondence….. until she came looking for an explanation of what a word meant or sometimes wanting them to check over her letters back before they were sent. Neither would comment on the fact, but both found it pretty funny.

Vi watched Powder make a grab for her crayons, now  the part of the letter where she doodled something. From what Caitlyn had mentioned, Cassandra made a point of getting each and every picture professionally framed. Apparently even hinting at wanting an art room to specifically house them as their numbers grew, which Tobias was more than happy to oblige after getting the home theatre he’d wanted.

‘She’s so doting on Pow-Pow it’s almost scary….’

Filling away the idea of having Powder ask when they wanted something specific from Cassandra she continued to observe her sister's careful drawing. What appeared to be a picture of all of them huddled on a couch watching a movie, having to stop herself from giggling as its length steadily increased to ridiculous levels to accompany all of them. 

Powder, of course, sat in the middle while her and Caitlyn sat on her right with wide smiles. Caitlyn’s parents sat on the left, with Cassandra being right next to Powder mirroring Vi’s position. Vi could almost picture what Cassandra’s reaction would be upon seeing it along with her gushing letter back about it.

Giving a satisfied snort, Powder quickly folded it and the letter into the envelope prepared in advance with the address already written in Caitlyn’s fantastic handwriting. It hurt a bit to say, but if Vi wrote it there was a high chance it’d somehow get lost along the way or something Cassandra would just toss on sight.

“Ready for me to drop it off?”

Vi held out her hand in waiting, only to give a soft hum as Powder held the letter with an intense stare. She had always handed over the letter and then waited impatiently for Vi’s return, only relaxing upon seeing her hands were empty, yet here she wasn’t.

“Pow-Pow?”

Her call only made Powder’s look grow more determined, bolting from her chair with incredible vigour. Vi could only watch in a stunned stupor as Powder marched for the door to their apartment.

“.....Do you want to deliver it yourself this time Pow-Pow?”

An amazing sound of clatter echoed out from Caitlyn’s study, quickly followed by the person herself, eyes darting between Powder at the door and her still seated at the table. Powder had begun writing her letters at such a set schedule that Caitlyn didn’t even need to ask for context to know what Vi’s question had been referring to.

Powder shuffled nervously while maintaining her gaze on the door, giving a quick nod as her determination steeled. A small gasp from Caitlyn drew Vi’s attention, unable to comment how close to tears she looked since she was also feeling pretty emotional about the whole thing.

Slowly she got up to stand beside Powder, noting just how much she was shaking about the idea of leaving the safety of the apartment. Since her arrival she’d never left it once, the idea seeming to terrify her the couple times Vi had mentioned it and had become something they didn’t comment on. 

Yet here she was wanting to leave by her own will, even if the idea was clearly still terrifying. Vi carefully pulled her shoes on while continuing to watch Powder’s frozen figure, not having moved one inch to put on the brand new untouched one’s they’d bought her.

Long after Vi had gotten ready to go Powder still remained frozen, even as her determined look never faded. She went to see what Caitlyn wanted her to do only to notice she’d disappeared at some point, leaving Vi to figure something out by herself. It wouldn’t be helpful to ask Powder if she was sure she wanted to leave, likely enough to break her already shaking determination, but she also couldn’t force anything.

Vi quietly knelt to match Powder’s eye level.

“Hey Pow-Pow……Would you be okay with me carrying you to the mailbox? Nothing bad can happen to you with me doing that right? Anyone tries anything and I’ll lay them flat!”

Her suggestion was met with a strained silence, not at all sure if it would be accepted given Powder still didn’t like being touched. She could now be around them without much trouble, but they still had to be painfully aware of not initiating any contact in fear of scaring her. 

She just had to patiently wait without making any movement, letting Powder think it over by herself without prodding her. It was at that point Vi noticed Caitlyn’s reappearance, now having a hushed conversation on the phone, no doubt with her mother.

‘Caitlyn’s getting just as bad as Cassandra without even noticing it…..’

A tug on her pant leg brought her attention back, staring down at a pale looking Powder tightly holding onto the clothing. Her stiff nod was enough for Vi to slowly pick her up, having to ignore the excited chatter from Caitlyn being whispered behind her that was kinda ruining the mood. 

Holding her sister tight she waited for her to get comfortable, not making any movement in case it turned out to be too much for Powder and she needed to be let down. Only after another tug, this time on her shirt, did Vi begin to leave the apartment. 

Their trek down was a slow one, not wanting to rush it for the already nervous Powder who was now stiffly grasping her shirt, letting her take in everything. No one was really out at this time of the day, which was a blessing in disguise, Powder unlikely to be able to deal with any more stimulation at the moment.

The entire way down she could hear Caitlyn giving a play by play to her mother on the phone, likely on the edge of her seat back at her mansion. She really wanted to tease Caitlyn about how she was currently acting, but thought better to leave it till later, keeping her focus on comforting Powder.

“How you doing Pow-Pow? Hasn’t been too bad has it?”

Giving a slow nod Powder cuddled closer, uncaring of their contact in the face of her nerves. It warmed her heart a bit to see, even if it was a miserable reminder of how far Powder still needed to go.

This at least was a good first step in the right direction as far as Vi was concerned. Taking a small chance she began gently patting Powder’s back as a form of reassurance, giving a soft smile at her initial shock quickly disappearing. Her nervous shaking seemed to subside somewhat at it too, much to Vi’s relief.

"We're almost there Pow-Pow, just a little bit longer and then we can go home. I just bet Cupcake is going to spoil you rotten when we get back. Maybe she'll even put aside her study for the night and watch that detective film you've been wanting to watch with her!"

Powder immediately seemed to perk at Vi’s words, spoken loudly enough for Caitlyn to hear too. She'd known Powder liked to hold off on watching certain types of films if she couldn’t get the 'right' person to sit down with her. While Vi was pretty free, Caitlyn was not, a fact that Powder didn’t raise a fuss about since she knew why . 

Her 'Caitlyn' pile had quickly grown as Powder continued to wait for a free moment to crop up with her. It somewhat hurt watching her quietly wander towards Caitlyn’s study for a peak only to soon return with a dejected look, not able to will herself to burst in for attention. Vi knew Caitlyn would have dropped whatever she was doing if Powder asked, but it seemed exactly for that reason her sister never did. They hadn’t explained exactly why she was always buried underneath books, but Powder had come to believe that whatever it was would be how Caitlyn would become a detective.

There was no way she would distract Caitlyn from becoming something she adored just to watch a movie with her. At least, that’s what Vi had come to believe Powder thought about the situation. Even without words she could understand her baby sister's line of thinking with the time they’d spent together.

“Maybe we’ll even order some Jericho’s to celebrate too! I heard he’s got a seasonal selection going on right now, lots of tasty fall goodies! Especially in the desserts.”

While continuing to idly chatter to distract Powder from her nerves, a success going off the colour returning to her cheeks, they arrived at the main lobby where the mailboxes were.

“Look Pow-Pow, we did it! Now we just gotta drop it off and we’re good to go! See, just push it through the slot there and the mailman will handle the rest. They take their job super serious, so there’s no chance of it getting lost.”

Holding her up towards the slot she waited patiently for Powder to hesitantly push the letter through, pulling her back into a secure hold the second she heard the thunk.

" There we go Pow-Pow, you did such an awesome job!"

Her praise made Powder relax a bit more, going so far as to give a quiet snort at her words. It was then, while letting her attention finally drift around the room now that her important task was complete that her sister’s focus settled on the community notice board. Mostly it was full of people listing their side jobs or local events, stuff that she didn’t really pay much attention to, but something about what was up there seemed to intrigue Powder.

Giving a tug on her shirt to get Vi’s attention, Powder pointed up towards one poster in particular, a bright orange paper in the shape of a giant pumpkin.

“Hmmm? It’s talking about some of the Halloween stuff they’re running locally, stuff like a haunted mansion and a corn maze.”

Powder’s immediate head tilt at the word Halloween caught her a bit by surprise.

“Do you not know what Halloween is Pow-Pow?”

She had to fight back her frown at her sister’s head shake, thoughts once again return to the years of gods knows what had happened to her during the time she’d been lost to the system. Instead, she focused on giving an explanation that Powder clearly wanted after her interest had been perked.

“It’s basically a chance for people to celebrate spooky things and watch scary movies. For kids, it’s a chance to go trick-or-treating where you go door to door dressed up and get candy.”

It was an incredibly rough explanation, but Vi hadn’t really done it herself when she’d been younger, far too busy helping out Vander. Her desperation over trying to find Powder for all those years had also largely limited her interest in activities she’d considered a ‘waste of time’ that could be better spent elsewhere. 

‘One of the reasons I’m still surprised I even got together with Caitlyn…..’

Repeated smacks against her chest brought her wandering focus back, staring down at an incredibly excited looking Powder pointing towards herself. 

‘Oh shit…..’

Vi could clearly tell what Powder was trying to get at and while it was really cute to see her excitement blow away her nerves, it also made a feeling of guilt well inside her. Powder was visibly excited about the idea of Trick or Treating, but there was a massive problem.

Their apartment complex didn’t participate.

Mainly, it was due to the general makeup of those that lived there, none having young enough kids to feel it was necessary. At one point they had, but after they’d grown out of it and no new kids had moved in they collectively agreed to stop.

There was also the fact that the surrounding area didn’t either since it was mostly an industrial area and Vi wasn’t even sure Powder would have been okay going out to Trick or Treat if they could. If it was already stressing her out this much just to leave the apartment going outside to explore an entirely unfamiliar place at night no less would be way too much.

Powder continued to excitedly wait for Vi’s answer that was getting harder to give the more time passed, the thought of ruining that good mood by telling her she wouldn’t was too much for her to bear.

“......Totally Pow-Pow.”

The second the lie left her lips she immediately regretted it, but seeing the enthused fist pumping from Powder made it clear that anything else would have been an awful choice. Naturally, her attention shifted back towards Caitlyn who was giving a similarly conflicted look, unsure on what they were to do. Unlike Caitlyn, Vi knew exactly what she had to do, even if she wasn’t looking forward to it one bit.

She needed to talk to the superintendent. 

‘Ugh…..for Pow-Pow’s sake.’

Sure, they could try getting people involved without her, but it might cause problems doing it behind her back. She wasn’t known for liking tenants that did that and Vi was already on her shit-list for various reasons. Plus, getting her agreement meant a lot more people were likely to get involved given most didn’t want to join her on that shit-list by doing something unapproved of.

As if reading her mind Caitlyn shifted to a sympathetic smile, knowing it was likely to be a painful conversation, all while Powder continued to buzz with excitement. Slowly she approached the two after giving a hushed goodbye to her mother, blessing Vi with an encouraging pat on the shoulder.

Powder jumped slightly at her arrival, having not noticed they were being trailed with all her nerves and only relaxed again after spotting it was Caitlyn. She knelt slightly to capture Powder’s gaze, giving a heartwarming smile.

“You were wonderfully brave today Powder and I think that deserves a reward. How about we watch a movie together when we get back?"

Her words made Powder perk up, only to slump immediately afterwards. The reason was incredibly obvious to both of them.

"You don't have to worry about this getting in the way of my studies, Powder. Spending a couple hours together watching movies with you is a lovely break, something I need to get in the habit of. In fact… "

Caitlyn rustled around in her pocket for a moment before pulling out a small laminated red card, holding it up in front of a very curious Powder.

"I'm hoping to get your help with that. I have a problem of putting far too much focus on my studies, taking breaks is hard for me to initiate. So that's where you come in with this card."

Flipping the card around it revealed the words [Break Time] alongside a terrible drawing of what Vi could only assume was supposed to be an assertive Powder blowing a whistle. Likely noticing where Vi’s gaze lingered a rapid blush spread across Caitlyn’s cheeks.

"D-Drawing isn't a talent I possess, but that isn't important right now."

Powder carefully took the offered card, shifting her gaze between it and Caitlyn.

"You know how Vi is going to start taking earlier shifts for a bit right?"

Her question received a quick nod in response. It was something they had both decided on just to test the waters on how Powder would react to Vi being gone in the afternoons, all in preparation for when Caitlyn had to leave for her presentation. 

First to get her used to Vi not being around during that time with the next being to introduce the idea of Caitlyn’s parents being there. Then after getting her acclimatised to them with just Caitlyn around they would try without her entirely. Both of them were stressed about the whole thing, but knew it was something they had to properly prepare for.

"Usually Vi is the one to force breaks upon me, but with her not there I need someone else up for the task. Making sure I take breaks to eat, along with spending some much needed relaxation time where I’m not focusing on my work.”

Caitlyn’s elaboration made Powder radiate a nervous energy at the idea of such a responsibility, but reassurance wasn’t far behind. Drawing even closer to once again capture her faltering gaze, Caitlyn gave a soft chuckle.

“You may worry about not being up for the task, but I know you are. If I’m to be an ace detective in the future I’ll need a lovely assistant to make sure everythings running smoothly correct? Someone to give me a good smack when I grow too focused and miss the bigger picture.”

Vi startled somewhat at Powder’s aggressive poking of her, signalling to Caitlyn that was her role instead. Now it was her job to jump in to help seal the deal.

“Pow-Pow, I’m the muscle that makes sure nothing happens to either of you two. The one in those noir films that always tags along with the detective to bail them out of trouble and have their back.”

After a moment of thought Powder seemed to fall into agreement, gripping the small red card even tighter with a serious look. Technically , this would be her first major responsibility given, not counting her need to clean up after herself and help with chores. Vi mouthed a soft “Good Job, Cupcake,” which was accepted with a smile, both knowing that it was a step in the right direction for Powder.

“Shall we all head back up then? I’m rather excited to see which movie we’ll be watching.”

The gentle prompting of Caitlyn’s words made Powder refocus on the present, giving an excited nod while carefully tucking the card into her pant pocket. Unlike her nerves while coming down, she seemed much less stressed about the idea of going back up. Part of it was helped by their constant attention to keeping the conversation going as a good distraction, Caitlyn loudly chattering about her experiences going out for Halloween as a kid and the various costumes they could pick out for Powder.

Even if there was a headache waiting for her in the future, Vi could only smile at the joy it brought her sister in the present, knowing it was worth it all in the end if something so little could bring out so much happiness.

Chapter Text

"Alright Vi, you got this! Keep it cool, don't let that bitch get to you, it's all for Pow-Pow’s sake!"

Her attempts to hype herself up with a quiet pep talk did little to bring her raised hand any closer to the looming door in front of her. She had decided to get it over with while Caitlyn had Powder distracted with a movie, which meant she only had maybe an hour or so, but even that time limit wasn’t speeding up the process.

She had never gotten along with the superintendent in all her years living here. Sure, once Caitlyn had moved in the number of incidents had largely dwindled to nothing, but their shared history didn’t just go away. Frankly, she couldn’t understand why she hadn’t been kicked out a long time ago, but it likely had something to do with the shifty rat-faced bastard she called her boss stepping in.

Just thinking about him caused a shiver to run through her, hating the idea of him of all people looking out for her. That smug look he always wore whenever she had the misfortune of meeting him or that tone dripping with sarcasm. She didn’t care how much Cupcake said he acted the perfect gentleman whenever they’d crossed paths, she knew what he was really like.

A scheming little rat named Silco that had almost cost Vander his business and had been a sour spot ever since with him. He had frequented the Last Drop often when she’d been younger, able to remember how many times she’d catch a glimpse of him having a hushed conversation with Vander. The last night she saw him come in, asking to talk with Vander in private, had ended in an argument that had quickly turned violent. Silco had left looking like a drowned rat and never returned. 

Vi had grown so used to his presence that suddenly not seeing it had come as a great shock, so much so that she’d even asked Vander where he’d gone. Yet, the only answer he’d ever given on the matter was a strained look and a gruff frown. The financial hardship that had followed, almost taking the place under several times before eventually somewhat becoming stable, she couldn’t help but link to him. 

Multiple theories had been bounced around between her, Mylo, and Claggor though none could really be confirmed. What they had mainly agreed upon was that Silco must have asked Vander something awful and that when he rightfully grew upset, his business got caught in the crosshair. It was at least the most likely theory going off of what they knew, forever painting Silco with the nickname “ One-eyed Rat” among the siblings.

Her attention had drifted so far in an attempt to escape the situation at hand that the sudden opening of the door made her jump.

".......The fuck are you doing outside my place? Did you break something again you bitch? Thought you were finally house trained with Caitlyn."

There, staring down at her in clear annoyance was Sevika the superintendent, chewing on one of her cigars even though smoking was technically banned inside their complex. Not that the rules had ever stopped Sevika from doing as she liked. Going off the absence of her prosthetic arm it was likely Vi had caught her right in the middle of cleaning it, meaning Sevika was likely in an even worse mood than normal at being interrupted.

"....Good to see you too Sev–"

"No it ain't, cut the bullshit, what are you doing here?"

She had to will back her mounting annoyance with a mental chant about whatever she had to take was worth it for Powder’s sake.

".....I came to ask a favour."

"Eat shit, not doing you any–"

"It’s not for me, it’s for my sister!"

Sevika’s eyebrow twitched at her short outburst, but for once didn’t make a snarky comeback. She was one of the few privy to the situation, along with likely her boss since she always told him everything. It wasn't every detail, but enough about Powder’s general 'situation' had been explained to nip any potential problems her move in could have caused.

She hadn’t met Powder, but did at least know what she looked like for security sake in case anything ever happened. Her only reaction to having been shown said photo was a deep scowl she didn't elaborate on before handing it back.

Taking to leaning against her door frame, Sevika wore a look as if telling her to get on with it.

"......Powder got really excited about the idea of Halloween and going out to trick-or-treat….I didn’t have the heart to tell her we don’t do it. She’s been spending the last several days drawing up different costumes….”

“......”

“....She didn’t even know what Halloween was until I explained it and now she’s so in love with the idea I–I don’t know what favour I need to owe you, but I’ll do anything to–”

“Alright.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll let people know we’re doing Halloween this year given we actually have someone young enough for it to make sense. Won’t take much effort to add a line or two about it for the weekly newsletter.”

Her likely lost look got a gruff sigh out of Sevika, taking a long drag from her cigar.

“ You’re on my shitlist, but that sister of yours ain’t, why should she have to suffer because of you?”

“Th-Thank–”

A quick jab to the chest cut of any thanks she tried to give.

“I don’t need your thanks, next time I come around to the Last Drop all my drinks are on you, got it?”

“.....Right.”

“.....Make sure to bring her here first the day of, I’ll give a map of who agreed to it so you don’t annoy uninvolved people.”

Without leaving room for any more discussion Sevika slammed her door shut, leaving a slightly stunned Vi to stand there awkwardly for a moment. It had all gone surprisingly well if she was being honest, not nearly as painful as expected. She’d thought it would have been a long back and forth, with her basically ending up Sevika’s slave for the forseeable future, but just having to cover a single night of drinks?

‘I mean it won’t be cheap, but still…’

The entire way up to their apartment was full of time spent trying and failing to understand what had just happened, only pausing upon finally arriving in front of their door, any thought other than excitement blown away.

With a wide grin taking the place of her confused frown she swung the door open with probably more force than needed, the sound of Powder scampering from the living room immediately greeting her. Her sister looked upset, likely about Vi sneaking out without telling her after making a habit of always letting her know.

“Pow-Pow I’m–”

Before she could even get an apology started, Powder tackled her with a tight hug, burying her head into her waist. She didn’t even know how to respond to the completely unexpected reaction, growing even more frantic at hearing the soft beginning of muffled tears from below. Without thinking she knelt slightly to return the hug, trying her very best to offer some form of comfort.

“Pow-Pow, it’s okay, I’m back. I should have told you where I was going, I’m so sorry, I just…wasn’t thinking…”

Powder only nuzzled closer, never loosening her tight grip as if worried Vi might disappear again. A quiet throat clear brought her attention back up towards an apologetic Caitlyn, holding up a movie case.

“I think I picked the wrong movie….”

She couldn’t tell what exactly was wrong just going off the case, an animated movie featuring a young girl and some alien on a surfboard. Powder had gotten a lot more into animation after Tobias had begun recommending them, which Vi hadn’t minded, even if a lot of them were musicals. They somehow were easy for her to deal with….

Caitlyn motioned towards the living room with her head, Vi being forced to pick up a still sobbing Powder too upset to care. 

“We didn’t even get to finish the movie before it became too much for her and then she noticed you weren’t here….”

Careful to not disturb Powder she took the offered case, flipping it over to scan the back, but ended up just as lost until Caitlyn began to quietly explain.

“....The story focuses on two sisters whose parents recently passed away, with the older sibling taking on the role of the parent. An incredibly rocky situation, but Powder didn’t seem to mind it and in fact was quite taken by it…..it’s just that…”

Caitlyn motioned towards the TV screen, frozen on a still of what Vi guessed to be the sisters sitting together in a hammock. 

“We got to the point where they were about to be separated….by the state, then Powder couldn’t handle anymore and went searching for you, but when she couldn’t find you….”

Now she understood what the problem was, why Powder ended up in her current state. She had seen the two of them in the main characters and had grown terrified of the idea of them being separated, leaving her to no doubt imagine herself returning to the situation she’d been stuck in for all those years. 

Powder’s ability to really connect with the movies she watched had ended up backfiring in this case, making her think of things she’d rather not.

‘But there’s no way a film like this would end like that…..’

The back hadn’t made it seem like that at all, but there was only one way to figure it out. She couldn’t let something that brought her sister so much joy create such a sour point, especially if it was entirely based on assumptions a part of Powder’s brain had scared her with.

“.....Let’s finish the movie now that I’m back, okay Pow-Pow?”

Her only response was to rapidly shake her head in disagreement, not even removing it from its position against her chest.

“Pow-Pow, I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere. It’s just a movie alright and I have a feeling it’s not going to end like you expect it will. I’ll hold you like this the entire time, I won’t move an inch, I promise .”

As if to confirm that she took her spot on the couch, leaning back into it while continuing to hold Powder tight. Caitlyn quietly came to sit beside her, hand on the remote just in case. They both sat in silence, waiting for what Powder’s answer would be, it eventually coming with an incredibly stiff head nod.

That was all Caitlyn needed to flick the movie back on, Powder only peeping a single eye out every-so-often while keeping the rest of herself firmly attached to Vi. All she could do was pray she was right about her instincts regarding the movie and that it would end off on a happy note.

Slowly, as the film drew to its conclusion, she was proved to be right much to her own relief. Powder uncurled more and more, until eventually returning to watching the end of the movie with her typical levels of attentiveness. Except she still kept her perch atop Vi’s legs, holding tight onto one of her arms so that it wrapped around her in a secure hug.

‘Better than before at least…..’

It was only as the end credits rolled showing the sisters and their new family happy together that Powder fully relaxed, slumping into Vi with a look of relief.

“.....Didn’t I tell you Pow-Pow?"

Though that said , it felt like her and Caitlyn now had something to look out for when picking films, Powder was far more affected by them than originally expected. She hadn’t thought it would be an issue, but seeing Powder’s reaction today…..

'Maybe I’ll try asking Jayce for an opinion…..'

Caitlyn seemed to be on the same page as her, getting up with phone in hand while making sure Powder knew she was just going to the kitchen. Even with that reassurance it didn't stop Powder from following her there with her eyes, only once again relaxing at confirming Caitlyn had been speaking the truth.

'Definitely something we need to look into…'

Attempting to give Powder something more positive to think about, she got her attention with a light tap on her leg. Where before they had to be incredibly careful how they got her attention, now she didn’t mind as long as they were light telegraphed gestures.

"For Halloween we have to stop by the superintendent's place first, she said she’d give us a map of who's participating this year."

Powder jumped from her perch at the mention of Halloween as if just remembering something, aggressively smacking Vi’s legs with a determined look.

"Woah! What's up Pow-Pow? You're gonna smack my legs off!"

She was joking of course, barely able to feel it, but it was enough to get Powder to pause and explain herself. Gesturing towards her room she then mimed covering her eyes while pointed up towards Vi.

“....You want me to cover my eyes while you grab something from your room?”

A thumbs up let her know she’d guessed correctly, leaving a now impatient Powder staring up at her.

“Alright, alright! ”

Doing as told she covered her eyes, Powder no doubt waved a hand in front to double check before the sound of her scampering off was quickly followed by her rushing back, once again smacking her leg to let her know she could look. She was greeted by a held up drawing, another of her costume designs, yet this time there were two other figures on either side of her all dressed up as well.

“.....?”

It took her a moment with the costumes, but eventually she figured out who they were supposed to be.

Her and Caitlyn, dressed up as a werewolf and vampire respectively with a small ghost in the middle meant to be Powder.

“.....Costumes for us too?”

Powder nodded, clear from her expression she was proud of her work, tapping a scribbled [ Final] in the corner.

“You want to go as a….ghost, but with us also dressing up?”

The confusion in her voice made Powder tilt her head, not seeming to understand what the problem was.

“P-Pow-Pow, only the kids dress up and go out to–I-I mean, yeah, we’ll totally do that! W-Wow, you’ve even given us such cool costumes to put together too, we might need the help of Caitlyn’s mom on that front….”

Seeing how her sister’s face dropped with every word of reality Vi spoke she couldn’t bring herself to continue, easily caving into the fantasy Powder had envisaged. They would all go Trick-or-Treating together, all in costume no less. It wasn’t what she’d expected at all, having thought her and Caitlyn would simply hang back while letting her have all the fun.

‘Guess she wants to include us….I’ll have to talk with Caitlyn about it.’

Caitlyn would cave immediately to the idea, likely willing to wear whatever costume Powder wanted if met with anything close to a sad look at any refusal and if she caved….

‘Why a werewolf? Like I get Cupcake as a vampire because they're super cool and suave, but me as a werewolf?’

Her best guess at where the idea came from was a specific photo of Vi pouting next to Vander that she’d caught Powder staring at. It had been taken during a Halloween event several years ago where Vander had brought in wolf ears for everyone to wear while serving the guests. She’d thought it was embarrassing, but was unable to win out against Vander, wearing them with a frown the entire night that he’d gotten great amusement out of. 

‘Caitlyn too after seeing the photo…..’

It reminded her that someday she wanted to introduce Vander to Powder, but knew it would be awhile. He was a much gruffer person than Caitlyn’s parents and she couldn’t help but feel Powder might get scared by him.

‘Even if he’s a big softy on the inside….’

He just wasn’t the best at expressing it, much better with the rough and tumble style of raising two boys that Vi herself had needed to get used to. She knew the same wouldn’t work with Powder, not in her current state. Even if he meant well, she could only see his style of interaction as too aggressive for her baby sister as she currently was.

"......Have you shown Caitlyn yet?"

"Shown me what ?"

Caitlyn’s voice drifted down from behind her, leaning against the couch to get a better look. 

"Oh, Powder that's wonderful! Are they supposed to be us?"

A quick nod was her answer, Caitlyn taking to sending Vi a side look for an explanation.

“....There our costumes when we go with Pow-Pow….those are the final designs she wanted to show us.”

“O-Oh, that’s…..simply wonderful! I’ve never dressed up as a v-vampire before, but I can’t wait for the opportunity!”

‘Like I thought, what a softie….’

The second Caitlyn had seen Powder’s beaming smile falter she had immediately changed her tone to a positive one, desperate to stop it from falling anymore and meeting with a welcomed success. 

‘Though I’m just as big a softie….’

Seeing how happy the whole idea made her sister, it simply wasn’t possible to say anything that could ruin that, not after everything she’d been through. They would make this Halloween, possibly her first, the best they could. One she would look back on as a fun time, a hope inside her that if they helped give her enough of those to think of it would make her years spent in the system fade slightly. 

They would never leave her, but at least they could try to lessen their lasting impact by making her the happiest they could now. A way of making the good outweigh the negative inside her, to let her know she wasn’t trapped anymore.

She was free.

“....You excited Pow-Pow? Have you tried writing to Caitlyn's parents about what we’re doing? They probably have a bunch of Halloween movies they could send–”

She didn’t even get to finish speaking before Powder bolted in the direction of her letter-writing supplies, the loud rummaging letting the pair know there’d soon be another letter to send.

“Mother will be happy with another coming so soon…..”

“Bet she would, she’s totally hooked.”

“That leaves us with trying to get costumes prepared….we might be cutting it a bit close…”

“Cupcake c’mon, we don’t have to worry about the costume.”

Caitlyn’s clear confusion got a chuckle out of her, leaning back to deliver her answer of pure confidence.

“Cupcake, your mom. There’s no way she’s not going to step in. I can already see the reason being not wanting to ruin Powder’s first Halloween with a terrible costume. Just wait for her letter back, you’ll see.”

“.....I suppose.”

While she wasn’t fully convinced nothing more was said on the topic, Caitlyn took a wait and see approach. Not that they had to wait that long, their answer coming express in a large cardboard box housing 3 expertly crafted costumes alongside a short note.

[I couldn’t stand the idea of Violet ruining Powder’s fun with terrible costumes so I took it upon myself to nip that problem in the bud by supplying them myself. Make sure to record the affair Caitlyn, I don’t trust Violet to handle it properly given the nausea-inducing video she last sent us.]

[While we do wish to be there for the actual event my schedule does not permit it, but let Powder know I shall do my best to make up for it at a later date, all she must do is state her terms.]

[-Cassandra]

[P.S. - Hello this is Tobias! I’ve included some age appropriate Halloween movies for Powder along with a small bag of candy! I do hope she likes both, please give her our regards :)]

“.....He actually drew a smiley face.”

“What’s with your mom sounding like she’s negotiating an important trade deal and one where she’s on the backfoot at that. Probably the only time in history that’s happened. Hey Pow-Pow, how do you want to milk this?”

“ Vi.”

Raising her hands in defeat at Caitlyn’s strict tone she went about excavating the box, making sure to place the small candy bag she found into the hands of an eager Powder, standing motionlessly until the pile of movies was handed over as well. They both watched as she bolted for the living room to shuffle through her new selection, munching on the candies as she went, before eventually focusing on the sweets entirely.

Chapter Text

The day of, Powder was a barely contained ball of energy in her enthusiasm. Not once did she go more than a couple minutes without checking the time, her mind clearly wanting it to be far later than it was. Even putting on a movie, Halloween themed of course, couldn’t hold her attention as much as usual.

She practically exploded upon Vi finally saying it was time to get ready, bouncing so excitedly it made actually putting on her ghost costume a struggle. Eventually, Powder was fully decked out in her incredibly simple looking ghost costume that was actually the farthest from that.

‘Is this made of pure silk? Feels so nice….’

Not only was the fabric nice, but so was the stitch work around the large black mesh eyes and the way they’d somehow made it stay perfect looking no matter how much Powder zoomed around was almost terrifying.

“Like how much did your mom spend on this….did she actually go to a tailor for this….”

“Vi, do you need help with your costume?”

“No way Cupcake I got— Woah, you look really….l-lovely in that!”

Catching herself before saying something she’d likely regret in front of Powder, helped by the quick eyebrow raise from Caitlyn, Vi took in the extravagant costume she’d gotten decked out in. A silk blouse with elegant ruffles down the front and along the shirt cuffs, which looked tailored exactly to her size, sat snug underneath a gold-trimmed black vest. Small vampire fangs poked from in between Caitlyn’s blood red lips, equally red slitted contacts put into her eyes.

A bellowing black cape with a red interior and pointed collar completed the look of a very convincing and, if Vi were being honest, sexy vampire.

“....Your mom really went all out for the costumes….”

“Enough ogling you, it’s time for you to get dressed as well.”

“Right, Right.”

Powder helpfully handed her the various pieces, while Caitlyn took her time properly attaching each one of them. Her hands were covered in large furred claws, practically gauntlets that went all the way up to her forearm to attach to rugged looking leather. It seems she was more based around a fantasy styled werewolf given the semi-armoured appearance with the breast and shoulder plates that layered on top of the leather.

Thankfully, instead of a full face mask, a simple pair of fangs and wolf ears were what completed it. 

‘Can’t stand helmets blocking my vision.’

Light prodding from below brought her attention to Powder holding up one final piece she hadn’t noticed.

A dog collar.

“......?”

‘Do I….have to wear that or is Cassandra just fucking with me? I can’t tell with her…’

The sad look Vi could feel Powder giving from beneath her ghostly appearance made her finally reach for the collar after a resigned sigh, knowing she wanted the complete look.

‘For Pow-Pow’s sake….’

Repeating that to herself she put the collar on, feeling an immediate prickle at the back of her neck alerting her to Caitlyn’s gaze. It had taken a very…… interested shade at the sight of the collar around Vi’s neck, as if it had given her an idea for something.

It was gone almost immediately, replaced with a warm look of enthusiasm to match Powder who’d hopped over next to her….but Vi hadn’t missed it. She couldn’t tell if she really wanted to know what sort of idea she’d gotten, that was until Caitlyn sent her a playful wink.

‘........! Focus Vi! This is Pow-Pow’s day!’

Giving a quick headshake Vi refocused her attention on making it the best Halloween Powder could ever ask for.

“Enough wasted time, let’s go everyone!”

Her declaration got an excited fist pump from Powder who raced for the door with none of the nerves she’d previously shown……up until actually going to open it that was. Nervously she turned towards them, unable to go any further by herself.

“We’re coming Pow-Pow…..do you want me to carry you like last time?”

She received a single shake in response, Powder holding up one of her sheeted hands in her direction with another directed towards Caitlyn. It took her a moment to figure it out, but Caitlyn taking hold of the offered hand with a smile made her realise what she needed to do, gingerly gripping the one held out towards her.

Only then, ‘protected’ at both sides with the comforting support of their shared grip did Powder regain some of her energy.

“..... Now we’re good right?”

Powder’s nod came after a moment's delay.

—------------------------

Even with her gained confidence it still took longer than normal to navigate their way to Sevika’s apartment, the pair taking it slow for Powder’s sake. Her nerves were still incredibly high, but at least this time she felt good enough to walk around herself, even if her grip had grown tight.

By the time they eventually arrived in front of that door, Vi had grown just as nervous, unable to tell how the meeting with Sevika was going to go. Not only was her appearance pretty ogrish, but she had a personality to match…..at least in Vi’s mind.

‘Hopefully Pow-Pow doesn’t get too scared….can’t have this night ruined before it even begins.’

To catch Powder’s attention she knelt slightly.

“Alright Pow-Pow, you’re about to meet our Superintendent, don’t let her appearance get to you okay? She’s….just dressed up as an Ogre for Hallow–”

Before she could even finish her sentence the door in front burst open to reveal a Sevika frowning worse than normal.

“What are you teaching her, Idiot?”

“W-Well I–”

“Hmph.”

Ignoring whatever attempt at backtracking Vi tried to accomplish she fixed her gaze down on Powder instead.

“You’re Powder right?”

After a moment’s delay Powder gave a stiff nod which Sevika returned in kind, slowly kneeling to match her sister’s line of sight.

“See, we do Halloween a specific way here, so I’m going to teach you that now. Doors that have this little pumpkin by the number are taking part.”

She pointed up towards a small paper pumpkin besides her number before pointing towards her door.

“You gotta knock three times, that’s the secret code, then when they open the door you have to give the password.”

Vi was starting to get a bit weirded out by how strange Sevika was being, her tone far less…..annoyed then normal, even… warm somewhat. Any itch to comment evaporated at the sudden look Sevika sent her before pointing up towards her.

“But since you got a lackey tonight you make her do it.”

“What are you–”

“Lackey’s don’t speak outta turn.”

The frigid tone shut her mouth tight, Sevika not even looking up from her position.

“You make your lackey say ‘Trick or Treat!’ like it’s a shakedown. They either give you the ‘Treat’ which is the candy or you give them the ‘Trick’ which will put your lackey’s stupid muscles to use. You get it so far?”

As if to ask a question Powder pointed towards Caitlyn who’d been watching with an amused look.

“She holds the bag, it’s gonna get pretty heavy with all the extortion.”

With a satisfied huff at no further questions she stood back up.

“Let’s do a trial run then.”

Sevika quickly stepped back, shutting the door in their faces, no one doing anything for a moment until Powder nervously stepped up to give three shaky knocks. Half a beat later the door swung open to once again reveal Sevika, except this time without her typical scowl, just a faked curious look.

“Whatdja want?”

Powder fidgeted in her spot until Sevika motioned towards Vi with her eyes, letting her know to quickly tug at the hand she still held tight.

“U-Uh…Trick or Treat?”

“Treat it is, I don’t want to deal with some rabid dog.”

Reaching into her pocket she pulled out several suckers, holding them out slowly before dropping them into the bag that Caitlyn held out.

“ There, your first shakedown is a success. Ain’t you a natural? Maybe I should try getting your help when I come knocking for rent.”

The strange…. praise that came from Sevika seemed to make Powder happy…. somehow, giving an incredibly soft giggle in response. For the briefest of moments, so quick that Vi doubted her eyes, a warm smile flashed across Sevika’s face. It was replaced by that typical scowl just as quickly, except it was definitely smaller than normal much to Vi’s confusion.

“If you go floor by floor you’ll be sure to gather enough candy to feast on for months, ain’t nobody cheaps out for Halloween treats around here.”

Sevika’s words got a nod out of Powder, who seemed to stop in thought for a moment before turning towards Caitlyn. 

“What is it Powder?”

Gingerly she released their shared grip again, pointing towards her treat bag before raising a single finger, then gesturing towards Sevika. Caitlyn seemed to immediately get what she wanted, even if Vi was struggling, softly smiling as she pulled out a single sucker from the loot.

“There we go.”

Handing it over to the cloaked Powder it was only a single hesitant pause before she turned her attention back towards a curious Sevika, offering up the sucker. Sevika’s eyes widened slightly, not seeming to fully understand.

“....You giving some of your spoils to me? You don’t gotta share….”

Powder continued to stubbornly hold up the sucker, unmoving until Sevika eventually took it from her, returning her hand to the waiting Caitlyn. Sevika looked lost in thought as she stared down at the candy, resolving whatever she was thinking of with a chuckle. Unwrapping with a strangely practised hand, Sevika made a display of placing it into her mouth, crossing her arms soon after.

“Thanks kid, I’ll take that as payment for teaching you. Now go have some fun at others expense, make sure that lackey of yours doesn’t slack off either. If she does, you get Caitlyn to whip her into shape….that’s what I did anyway.”

“I feel like you’re teaching Pow-Pow bad things….”

“I only teach the best things, shut it lackey.”

“Mmmm….”

Again, a soft giggle escaped Powder who had noticeably relaxed since they’d begun chatting with Sevika, Vi once more noticing that soft smile flicker across her face in response. She didn’t think in all her years of having known the Superintendent she’d seen anything but that scowl of hers, making anything else incredibly weird to see.

As they turned to leave, Powder gave a large wave goodbye, surprising both Caitlyn and Vi given how typically reserved she was with others. Something about Sevika seemed to have made it quicker to relax her guard than normal.

‘Though the same could be said for Sevika….what’s with that attitude?’

Adding to the list of strange behaviour was the small handwave Sevika gave in return from her lounging position against the door frame, watching them leave for a little longer before retreating back into her apartment.

“Cupcake, I wasn’t the only one weirded out by that right?”

“She was incredibly nice wasn’t she?”

“That’s the weird thing.”

“Vi, Sevika can be nice when she wants to.”

“When’s that ever happened?”

“.......”

Caitlyn’s lack of response felt deafening as they slowly made their way to the first floor apartments, as if even she struggled to remember a time she’d seen Sevika be nice.

“......Maybe she likes kids?”

“Cupcake c’mon, remember how I told you back when Ekko was around Powder’s age she made him cry with that glare of hers?”

“......Well–”

Her attempt at a rebuttal was cut off by the rapid tugging that came from Powder, pulling both of their attention to the sea of bright orange pumpkins that lined the various number plates besides the doors.

“.......The heck, that’s way more than I expected…..what’d she do, threaten them?”

“I’m glad I brought some extra bags just in case….”

As if to complain about their slowness, Powder once again tugged at their hands, even stamping one foot in impatiences.

“Woah Pow-Pow, what happened to all the nerves from earlier? You’re raring to go now. ”

“Sevika’s trial run and explanation must have helped it seem less scary.”

“Now I’m more scared at the thought of her doing that on purpose like she knew it would help…..”

“......”

It was just a weird coincidence right?