Work Text:
"You can't go," you plead, tears stinging in your eyes. It was around 5 in the morning. Soft pellets of rain hit and ran down the glass window while the orange haze of the light strained your eyes. This morning was cold, the air nicking your skin and rattling your bones.
Your socks, thick comforter, and heater were doing nothing to keep you warm. Only your partners can keep you warm.
"Muffin," Vi sighed. She tore your hand off her sleeve. It was too early for this. Every morning you cling to her and Caitlyn as if you'll never see them again. She didn't get it. Every morning they'd leave and every night they'd return. It was like you had some sort of separation anxiety.
"We'll be back before you know it," Caitlyn's voice soothed the heartache in your chest. Vi's thick boots sloshed together as she met Caitlyn near the en suite's bathroom. You sat in the middle of the comically large and now empty bed.
"I just-- I don't understand why you have to go so early. Can't you go at a later time?"
Vi closed her eyes to suppress an eye roll and a groan. You warned them before you three started dating that you were clingy, but she never thought it would be this much. It annoyed her how much you thought of the worst. She's proved herself over and over that she'll come back; Caitlyn too, so why can't you ever believe them?
Caitlyn put a patient hand on Vi's shoulder. "You know we can't. We're going to be okay, darling. I'll check in at lunch." She then leaned over to Vi's ear. "Come on," she whispered, "let's go."
The two of them left the room, giving you soft smiles.
The tears that have been threatening to fall finally do. The hot liquid rolls down your cheeks and the strain of the light is no longer.
You're now alone in your room, sitting in the dark while the rain clatters down your windows.
-
"I just don't get it," Vi huffed, throwing her hoodie over her head. Caitlyn offered her umbrella, but Vi pushed her hand away. "Every morning it's the same exact thing. The tears, the clinging. It's getting too much for me."
"Vi, now come on. You don't know what they went through."
"Oh, what, and you do?" Vi scoffed. She sharply turned her body towards Caitlyn, blocking the woman from walking. Caitlyn sighed. With the readjusting grip of her umbrella, she vaguely moved her shoulders.
"That's not what I meant."
Vi rolled her eyes. "Wow, okay. What a morning for me, huh, Cupcake? I'm not already annoyed that I have to come in early, but then I have to find out my partners are keeping secrets from me!"
Caitlyn thinks this could've been due to the weather, but she swore she saw Vi's eyes darken in color.
"Vi, let me explain--"
"And it's fucking raining too!" Vi barked. She stormed to the curb to violently kick her foot through the puddle of water. The disturbed water further soaked the concrete underneath the two women. "I fucking hate the rain."
"Violet!" Caitlyn shouted. Another eye roll came from the pinkette. She squared her shoulders to Caitlyn and gestured, saying "Now what?" with her body.
"You need to calm down," Caitlyn's voice calmed down as she eased towards Vi. "It's nothing personal and no one is keeping secrets. You also wouldn't be soaking wet if you got under the umbrella."
"I don't need no umbrella."
"Right. I'll be sure to remember that when you're ill on the couch, claiming you're dying when you have the common cold." Caitlyn motioned to the spot beside her. "Come on."
Vi huffed. "There's no point of me being under the umbrella anymore. I'm soaking wet," the woman complained, yet found herself beside the taller woman.
Caitlyn's face lit up with a warm smile and squinted eyes. "We'll get you fresh clothes back at the office. For now, listen to me with your head, not your heart."
On the walk to work, Caitlyn explained to Vi the reasons behind your clinginess. At first, Caitlyn was hesitant. It wasn't her business to tell, but your lack of storytelling was putting a wedge between you and Vi. Caitlyn didn't want her partners to hate each other. You were meant to love each other and her.
Throughout the work day, Vi spent most of her time processing the information Caitlyn told her and reflected on her actions. God, I'm an asshole.
Honestly, Vi should've known. She went through something similarly traumatic with her parents and even her sister. You would think going through such events would make her more emphatic, but nope. Instead, the past created a hothead with a big head and thick skull.
As Caitlyn promised, she checked in at lunch, but in a different way than she was planning...
"This is ridiculous," Caitlyn pouted at Vi. They were at your shared doorstep dressed in cheesy costumes they found at various stores.
Caitlyn was dressed in a red and shiny halter top with a Barbie pink mini skirt. She had black straps around her shoulders that held up white angel wings. She also wore a headband halo, white garters, white and lacy thigh highs, and finally, oh finally, cheesy ass face paint with hearts and "I love you" plastered all over her face.
Vi grinned. "I think you look hot, Cupcake."
Vi herself was wearing a red tank top, a doctor's coat, and black jeans. She also wore "hipster" glasses. Whatever the hell that meant.
"Of course you do," Caitlyn scoffed. "What is the point of this? We're supposed to be delivering lunch and we have," she stopped to check her watch, "30 minutes until our lunch is over."
"Oh, come on! That's plenty of time!" the pinkette beamed.
Caitlyn sighed, fixing the hold of the basket she was carrying. At least Vi had the smart to pick up lunch before forcing Caitlyn into this ridiculous costume and painting her face with childlike mischief. "What the hell are we supposed to be anyways?"
Vi's grin hasn't left her face once. She was enjoying this so much, the joy she felt overlapped the pain she was feeling in her cheeks. "I'm glad you asked. We're Dr. Love," Vi gestured to herself, "and his Cupid! Tada!" She gestured to Caitlyn who wore a stoneface.
"Who the hell is Dr. Love?!"
"I don't know!" Vi pouted, bringing her shoulders to her ears. "Look, I only had a few minutes to put this together and I really want to make it up to Muffin for being an ass, so, if you won't do this for me, do this for Muffin. Please?"
Vi's gray eyes stared into Caitlyn's blue. Her pupils were large and her bottom lip protruded from her mouth. At work, Vi was distant and closed-off like her mind was somewhere else. She had a permanent frown on her face and this was the first time all day Caitlyn saw joy in her eyes.
With a heavy sigh, Caitlyn pressed the doorbell to the house.
"Yes! Oh, yes, yes!" Vi grabbed Caitlyn's face, careful to mind the paint, and pressed a big kiss to her cheek. "I owe you one."
Caitlyn shrugged with a bashful smile, her cheeks matching the color of her top. "Oh, well..."
The dark wood door creaked open, revealing your frame. You didn't look much better from this morning, but at least you were dressed. "Hello?--" you blink at Caitlyn and Vi. Vi grinned proudly, holding her hands in front of her while Caitlyn shyly smiled.
"We brought you lunch," Caitlyn said.
With your eyes shifting between the two of them, your heart couldn't help but skip a few beats at the gesture. You had no clue what the hell they were dressed as, but the colors hinted towards something with love. "Okay," you said dragging out the word. You stepped aside and invited Vi and Cait into their own home.
"Why the getup?" You finally ask them once they settle themselves on the couch. Caitlyn was peacefully sitting with her legs crossed at the ankle. With her perfect posture and angel wings, she looked something short of ethereal. With her outfit, however, she looked like a drunken college student on Halloween night.
"I wanted to do something special for you," Vi explained. She was setting up the arrangement of your favorite treats and lunch foods on the coffee table. She was comfortable sitting on the floor while she did this. "Especially after this morning."
"Oh," you pursed your lips to the side. You sat on the opposite side of Caitlyn. "That? I don't even remember," you say as if you didn't cry for 2 hours after they left.
"Yeah, you do," Vi and Caitlyn said in unison.
You shrugged. "Who's to say?"
With a soft chuckle, Vi turned herself around to look you in the eye. "Muffin," she took ahold of your hands. "I love you. I love you more than I can put into words. Never, ever, in my life, will I abandon you. Never will I say one thing yet mean the other. Never will I say one thing and do another. You," she pulled herself off the floor. She situated herself between you and Caitlyn. "are my life," she continued. She turned to place a hand on Caitlyn's knee. "You both are."
Just like this morning, tears stung your eyes. Your heart ached and wept, yet unlike this morning, for a happy reason. Someone took the time to understand you, to get you, and to apologize for what they've done to you.
You don't know how Vi came to this realization, but you're thankful to any force that helped her along the way.
"I love you," Vi said, her eyes on you again "and I'm sorry."
A sob broke past your chest as you threw yourself onto Vi. You wrapped your arms around her shoulders, sobbing into the nape of her neck.
"Oh, hey now," Vi whispered, wrapping her arms around you. Her heavy and comforting hand rubbed your back. She closed her eyes, taking in your scent and feeling you sob and break down against her chest. "It's okay. It's alright."
Caitlyn frowned at the sight though her heart was smiling. You were allowing yourself to be vulnerable with them, something she knew was hard for you given your past with your family. You trusted them. Finally, your heart knew you were safe with them.
Caitlyn reached to wipe away any tears she could see.
Snotty and emotional, you pulled yourself off of Vi. "I forgive you. Th-Thank you for apologizing to me."
"Hey, don't thank me for the bare minimum. I upset you and apologizing should naturally be the next step. I don't want to lose you, Muff." Vi held your face between her hands. Her eyes danced around your face, taking in your features as her heart broke to see tears. She kissed them away, licking off the saltiness left on her lips. "Now, tell me," she whispered, a smirk showing on her lips. "How hot does Cupcake look right now?"
"Hm?" you peered from behind Vi. There, you see Caitlyn with her legs still crossed at the ankle. Her posture was still perfect, her wings and halo standing tall, and you didn't notice it before, but her top had a heart-shaped boob window. You snickered. "Very," you whispered back to Vi.
Seeing your lips move but not hearing you, Caitlyn raised a brow. "Hey," she pouted. "What are you talking about? Why is Vi laughing? What's so funny?"
"Nothing, Cupcake!" Vi laughed. "Let's just eat lunch, okay?"
Caitlyn pouted but complied nonetheless. They're running out of time to be with you anyway and she's hungry. She grabbed a tea sandwich and nibbled on it.
Vi grinned at you. "We good?"
"We're great."