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Mel makes a sound like a whispered sigh, all soft and barely audible, tinged with a mix of exasperation and contentment. Caitlyn presses another kiss to the corner of her jaw, her hand continuing to rub small circles in the skin of Mel’s hip. The room is otherwise quiet.
There's something to moments like this, Caitlyn thinks. These soft moments on the cusp of sleep where the stresses and complications of their jobs are as distant as they can be; where the steel of Mel’s spine has turned to wax and she allows herself to be molded to Caitlyn; where Caitlyn can fit her body into the spaces only available when Mel is at her most relaxed.
In this moment, Piltover is quiet and Zaun isn't a problem of now but later. There's no worry about scientists or terrorists or revolutionaries. There's no sins of the mother passed onto their shoulders, driving them to do more, guilting them into trying to be better… to be worthy.
"I can hear you thinking too loudly," Mel says, and Caitlyn’s vision snaps into focus. The other woman's eyes are still closed, but there's an awareness to her that wasn't there before.
"Sorry," she murmurs into the cleft of Mel’s neck. Her thumb still rubs circles into her hip and Caitlyn briefly wonders if it is even half as soothing for Mel as it is for herself. She hopes it is.
She can feel the deep breath Mel takes, her diaphragm lifting and lowering under Caitlyn’s arm.
"I thought you'd fall asleep instantly with how tired you were when you came home."
"I thought so too."
The words are slow, lazy. There's no one here but them and yet they're whispering. Darkness does that, Caitlyn thinks. It makes everything feel like a secret.
Mel shifts and Caitlyn pulls away a bit, stops trying to bury her face in the other woman's neck. She looks up and meets Mel’s half lidded gaze and feels her breath catch. Mel is beautiful, always, but there's a transition that happens at night, when Mel is lit by moonlight and the diffused glow from the city below. She looks like a goddess come down to earth. It's a shame Mel wouldn't appreciate the comparison, always too aware of her perceived flaws.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Mel asks.
Caitlyn hums. Blinks away her stuttering heart. Reminds herself how to breathe. When she's reasonably sure her voice will be steady, she responds. "I love you."
Mel blinks with visible surprise. "I love you too." Her hand lifts to caress Caitlyn's cheek. It lifts away all too soon, Caitlyn’s lips glance against a retreating thumb as she turns to try and kiss it. "I'm reasonably sure that's not all that was on your mind though."
The night is quiet, peaceful. Caitlyn shakes her head. "The rest of it doesn't matter." They can face it all tomorrow.