Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Powder I swear to god if you don’t get your ass down here in 2 minutes—I’m going to confiscate those damn headphones.”

Violet Lanes was in a sour mood. She woke up 20 minutes after her alarm—10 minutes later than usual, and it had messed up her whole schedule. She was waiting for her younger sister, Powder, to finish the girl’s extensive morning routine. After checking the clock on their microwave, she cursed at its ever-changing state.

Powder could not care less about getting to school on time, finding the whole curriculum a waste of her time—excluding the science department. Yet, she heard the threat of her headphone’s potential confiscation—her body went into hyper-speed.

“I’m coming! No need to be so bitchy.” Powder cried from upstairs, yelping in pain as she bumped her head on her bathroom cabinet.

She cursed under her breath as she paused her music, her statement coming out more squeaky than intended. Running downstairs, she grabbed a piece of toast Vi had so graciously laid out for her on the kitchen counter. She stuck it into her mouth, theatrically bowed at Vi, and skipped over to put on her shoes.

Vi rolled her eyes at her sister’s unimpressive performance as a slight smile appeared on her face.

“C’mon. Mylo and Claggor are waiting outside.”

The two sisters made their way out the doorway of their quaint house, with Vi making sure the door was locked before they left. She waved at Mylo and Claggor, who began to make their way towards the bus stop. Mylo rolled his eyes at the sight of Powder, a frown appearing on his lips.

“Of course, it’s up to Powder to make us late. Again.”

Powder scrunched her face at him as she defiantly stuck out her tongue. Although she was 15, she tended to cling to a couple of child-like expressions.

“Shut up, Mylo.” Vi said while shooting him a glare, “Being pissy in the mornings is not a good look on you.” Mylo opened his mouth to protest, but Vi cut him off before he could speak. “—And don’t act like you don’t take 5 million years in the morning to do—what exactly? Half-Ass brush your teeth? ‘Cause I can still smell your stink from over here.”

Claggor chuckled at her jab as Mylo shot them both a scowl.

“Whatever.” He muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets.

On the bus, Vi glanced out the window of her neighborhood. It wasn’t the prettiest place, as most houses had an abundance of graffiti on their garages or walls, but it was home. Although it was slightly embarrassing that she, as a senior, was still riding the bus to school, she had no choice. Vander could barely afford his run-down truck, let alone a car for her.

“…And then he was like—‘I’ve worked so hard for this award and blah blah blah, and I thank my mother and whatever,’ even though we know—”

Powder looked up at her sister’s face with a frown. “Are you even listening?… Earth to Bimbo?…” She tapped her freshly painted nails on top of her sister’s scalp.

“Huh?” Vi turned her head to face the menace and was met with blue eyes squinted in annoyance.

“I was talking about the science geek that’s in your year. He had a dumb speech at this festival, and it’s infested my YouTube feed all week.”

Vi stared at Powder blankly, not grasping who this ‘Science Geek’ was—but nodding anyway.

“Whatever.” Powder muttered in exasperation, mirroring Mylo’s tone earlier that morning. Her body slouched into the bus seat as she began to pout.

Vi sighed in response, ruffling her little sister’s shoulder-length hair.

“Sorry, Kiddo.” She muttered with a faint grin. “I’m out of it this morning. How about you tell me more about it over lunch?”

Powder’s eyes immediately lit up with newfound excitement as she shot back up in her seat.

“Alright. But only if you promise to not space out this time.” She warned, her pinky finger held out expectantly.

“Deal,” Vi replied, clasping Powder’s pinky firmly.

Violet walked through the clean floor of her school building, squinting at the pristine lockers shining in the bright daylight. Although her school did have some kids from the less fortunate parts of the city, it mainly consisted of middle to high-class areas, which led to better funding and an influx of stuck-up students.

Her 1st period was PE—which she probably should’ve taken in her 1st year of high school. She put it off ‘till she couldn’t anymore because she wasn’t exactly thrilled to be sweaty all day. Most of the kids in her class were either in 9th or 10th grade—as well as the occasional junior, except for one.

Caitlyn Kiramman.

Caitlyn Kiramman was the princess of the school, with perfect hair and perfect grades and all that crap that the average peasant like Vi never had time to worry about. Because of those facts—and a couple of other gripes, Vi wasn’t too fond of Little Miss Perfect. Fortunately for her, the spoiled brat didn’t seem keen on talking to people anyway, especially not kids like Vi. She assumed that Princess Piltie thought she was too good for other people.

And even if that wasn’t the real reason, why should she care?

Caitlyn hated her PE class. It was right in the morning—which ruined her entire day because she barely had any energy to begin with. She didn’t even have any friends in her class, although that was generally the case. Her counselor had messed up her schedule for the past 3 years and managed to avoid the topic of her physical education credit entirely. Now she was stuck in this idiotic position with even more idiotic people.

Usually, she would just go through the warm ups and play whatever stupid sport tactics they were going over that day, but today didn’t have much of a lesson. The weather outside was perfect, so her teacher had dragged their class to the fields at the back of the school to do any kind of physical activity. Some students chose to play soccer—some chose to play basketball. Caitlyn Kiramman, on the other hand, decided to sit at the foot of the tree and people watch. It was one of her favorite activities, just observing how others interact with their environment.

As she stared at a group of girls in the distance walking around their school track, a ball came barreling toward her face at approximately 30 miles per hour.

“Sorry!” A faraway voice shouted out, not a hint of empathy in their tone.

The soccer ball hit Caitlyn square in the nose, and in shock, she sat frozen and attempted to process what had just occurred. Blood began to stream down her face before she could process it, dripping upon her perfectly ironed white blouse and navy blue skirt.

Caitlyn glanced at the group of boys in the direction where the ball supposedly came from. She could hear their voices and ecstatic cheers, clearly celebrating their direct shot.

Sighing, she unsteadily got up from her previous position, cupping the blood from her nose with one hand while regaining her balance with the other. As the world grew too bright for her head to handle, a tall figure with swooped pink hair began to jog in her direction. The girl wore a red hooded jacket with a white tank top underneath—and a pair of black gym shorts that looked fairly used.

“You good?” The girl asked in a casual tone. Her shoulders rolled back, exuding an air of confidence from her stature. Slightly intimidated, Caitlyn looked up to see a hint of concern plastered on the girl’s face as she shielded her eyes from the sun.

Caitlyn slowly nodded and lost her grip on the tree. The action managed to get more red on her already blood-soaked sleeves.

As the other girl walked into the shade of the tree, her eyes widened as she took sight of the damage. “Damn, they fucked you up.” She muttered as she ran her fingers through her hair. “Are you gonna go to the nurse's office?” Her eyebrow raised, with her arms crossed over each other.

“I-“ Caitlyn paused. She knew that her nosebleed was relatively severe—her father had debriefed her on the signs a couple of years ago—but she also didn’t want to go to the nurse’s office. In her sophomore year, she excused herself to go to the nurse's office due to a migraine. She had expected to be there for a few minutes to escape the bright lights of her 4th-period history class. She had never expected the nurses to refuse to accept her request to turn the clinic lights off. They instead sent her off immediately after claiming that she was entitled to think that her ‘slight headache’ warranted a significant disruption to their day. Apparently, it wasn’t only her classmates who resented her for her status.

“It’s fine. I’ll head to the restroom.” She stated in confidence. From a young age—Caitlyn Kiramman had been instructed to speak with confidence. Speaking with apprehension demonstrated weakness and susceptibility to scrutiny.

The intimidating girl gave her a hesitant stare but didn’t argue further.

Caitlyn attempted to take a step forward but was sent tumbling towards the ground. Unbeknownst to her, getting hit square in the face with a ball also affects your balance capabilities. That was a miscalculation on her part.

“Woah there.” The girl said as she crouched down beside the defeated girl. “You need some help?” She asked, holding out a hand.

Usually, Caitlyn Kiramman did not pay much attention to the people around her. They generally only talked to her to climb up the social ladder of high society or were waiting for the opportunity to squeeze her money out of her.

But as this random girl—who seemed to be in the same year as her, crouched down and looked at her with the most beautiful huh? grey eyes she’d ever seen, she began to focus on the details. She noticed a faint scar on her lip, a tattoo of the Roman numeral ‘6’ on her left cheek, slight freckles dusting her face in the most perfect of places, and her lashes that were so thick and soft looking that she just wished she could reach out and touch—wait .What was she thinking? Did the girl in front of her say something?

“…Kiramman? You still in there?” The girl pursed her lips and put her hand under her chin.

“Ah—sorry, I was spacing out. What did you just say?—Wait. How do you know my name?” Caitlyn tilted her head—but quickly remembered her nose was still bleeding profusely and hurriedly adjusted her hand’s position.

The girl chuckled. “Who doesn’t know your name? You’re practically a celebrity—even I know that.” She pushed off her knees and dusted them off.

“So, are we gonna clean you up or not? You look a little pathetic just sitting here.” The girl said with a grin as she held out her hand for the second time.

Caitlyn, stunned by her newfound acquaintance’s brutal honesty, hesitated.

“I-…Alright.” She took the calloused hand hovering in front of her and pulled herself up, cautious not to spill the massacre in her other palm.

“Before we go, I have to ask, what is your name?” Caitlyn questioned, a curious look appearing on her bloodied face.

“Oh—right.” The girl chuckled, an awkward smile flashing on her face.

“It’s Vi.”

Chapter Text

Violet Lanes wasn’t sure how she got into this situation. Well, she got the general gist of it, with her jogging over to the prissy rich girl after some underclassman brats sent a ball flying her way, but she wasn’t expecting to spend the entirety of her 1st period helping out that same girl in the bathroom.

She hadn’t thought about her actions all the way through, going all ‘Big Sister Mode’ when she walked over to the girl on the ground. Powder had experienced her fair share of bullying, so Vi was accustomed to helping people when they were down. But this was different. Vi had never met Kiramman—only hearing rumors about how much of a social recluse she was. So it was strange as to why she felt terrible as tears threatened to spill from the injured girl’s eyes.

“Hey—you’re okay. It’s okay,” Violet whispered as she grabbed more paper towels from the container.

Caitlyn hung her head over the sink, the blood flow reducing but relentlessly dripping down nonetheless. Washing her face and hands for the 6th time now, she began to feel a throbbing sensation in her head.

“I’m sorry you have to witness this…I look horrible.” She muttered, her voice cracking ever so slightly.

Vi glanced at her with a thoughtful expression as she held out a handful of paper towels for the taller girl to grab.

“I mean, I don’t care—“ She paused, realizing midway through talking how bad her statement sounded. Red gradually tinted her cheeks as she struggled to find the right words. “…I mean—I do feel bad for you…of course, I would.—I’m just not all about that pity stuff.”

Perfect comeback She thought as she mentally kicked herself. Vi crossed her arms, a reassuring smile flickering throughout her face to further prove her point.

A giggle escaped Caitlyn as she took a paper towel to dab at her face.

“Well, that’s good to know.” She said with a grin.

The bell rang obnoxiously loud, echoing throughout the empty bathroom stalls and breaking the girl’s moment of tranquility.
Caitlyn’s eyes widened with anxiety, wiping her face hurriedly with her paper towel and shaking her head. She snatched up her bag from the floor and began to walk towards the exit, not even sparing Vi a glance before scurrying off into the sea of high school students outside.

“Huh.” Vi scoffed as she grabbed her bag off the floor. “That bitch didn’t even say thank you.” She muttered to herself as she made her way to her next period.

Vi walked down to the lunchroom at around 12:30, grabbed a lunch tray, and walked over to her usual table. Powder, Ekko, Mylo, and Claggor were sitting at their typical spot, with her little sister and their friend already in deep conversation. Powder was tinkering with one of her new and improved mouser gadgets, working on its new glitter mechanic.

“Hey, Little Man,” Vi exclaimed, holding a fist bump out towards the boy. Ekko returned it with a goofy grin and a shake of his head.

“You don’t gotta call me that anymore, Vi. We’ve been over this. I’m almost 16 now—don’t you think I’m a little too old for that?”

Vi chuckled at his absurd argument.

“Some things you just don’t grow out of.” She replied, gesturing towards Mylo with a smirk. Her brother had been infatuated with the same Gameboy he’s had since he was 9.

Mylo, oblivious to her comment, was determined to pass the next Super Mario Bros level, his tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth. Claggor was hovering over his shoulder, just as engrossed in the game as his brother, anxiously watching as he made the next jump.

“Damnit,” Mylo shouted as he smacked his Gameboy on the table. Vi shot him a glare, her stare scrutinizing as much as it was disappointed. She glanced around the tables nearby, ensuring his outburst didn’t draw negative attention.

“That level was a bitch to beat,” Claggor remarked sympathetically. He patted Mylo on the back, attempting to console the ticking timebomb. Mylo shrugged Claggor’s hand off, sinking into the lunch table and stabbing his fork repeatedly into his radioactive-looking mac and cheese.

An awkward silence settled across the lunch table, Mylo’s pissed-off mood putting a damper on the group’s spirit.

Vi sighed, twirling her plastic fork between her fingers. “I have something that’ll cheer you up, My,” Claggor’s attention turned to her, a curious expression developing on his face.

Her sibling’s feelings about topsiders were less than superb. Vi undoubtedly believed learning about Kiramman’s little fiasco earlier that day would give her siblings some much-needed amusement. Besides, it’s not like that stuck-up Piltie cared about a few rumors spread. She probably forgot about Vi’s existence by the end of the day.

Powder peeled her eyes away from the gadget she was fidgeting with and scanned her sister’s expression. Whatever Vi was excited to share seemed entertaining.

“Kiramman took a soccer ball straight to the face during PE today. I tried to help her out with the nosebleed, but she blew me off last minute.” Violet stated as she took a bite of her red crunchy apple.

Powder’s jaw hung agape, the whole table speechless.

“You spoke to the Caitlyn Kiramman? The governor’s daughter? The loner whose parents own, like—half of Piltover?

“Yep,” Vi replied with a pleased expression. Now, she’s got everyone’s attention. Mylo’s head shot up, his eyes widening in amusement. He began to cackle as he slammed his palm on the table.

“Ha! That Piltie didn’t see that coming! Probably too busy thinking about what lavish gala she was attending next.”

Ekko rolled his eyes, clearly uninterested in the unsavory subject.

Powder joined in on the slander, darting up with her pinky finger raised while butchering a posh accent.

“I wonder what caviar my 50 or so maids will spoon-feed me for tea today.”

Claggor snickered at Powder’s terrible rendition and put a hand on her shoulder to pull her back into her seat.

“Great accent skills you got there.—Maybe you should keep that hidden talent…hidden.”

Powder jokingly scrunched her face while pointing her middle finger between his glasses. “Shut up, Clag.” She hissed as she rested her head on her arms, sprawling against the table.

Vi observed her sibling’s back-and-forth bickering, Mylo and Ekko soon joining in. What am I going to do with them… she mused with a sigh.

Caitlyn let out an exasperated sigh as she hopped into her car. The engine had already started, and the vehicle was high-tech enough to turn on once the keys were in the interior. Her day had been utterly exhausting—all she wanted to do was cry in her room.

Caitlyn had been humiliated—during 1st period of all times—with an extensive nosebleed that lasted well over 30 minutes. The girl that helped her in the bathroom—Vi? Yes, Vi.—had to deal with her pathetic state for the rest of the period. Of course, 2nd period had started before Caitlyn could even thank her. There was no use reflecting now—she would find another time for that once she got home.

When she made the right turn out of the school parking lot, Caitlyn winced at the excess of bright light flooding her vision. Her migraine hadn’t gotten any better during the school day and wasn’t the best thing to have when you were driving. Her father was most likely working another shift at the Kiramman hospital because, of course, they had a hospital with their name plastered on it—and her mother was most likely at another drooling head of the state meeting, talking about the latest riot and whatnot in the poorer neighborhoods. In summary, Caitlyn had no safer mode of transportation to her house. Unless she wanted to leave her car and take the bus.

Caitlyn did not want to take the bus.

When another dull ache resonated between her eyes, she picked up her water bottle and took a long sip. The icy water trickled down her throat, the buzz of the sudden chill making her feel fuzzy inside.

“When was the last time I drank water?” Caitlyn whispered to the empty car, setting down her water bottle. She probably forgot about hydrating throughout the day because of her coursework. If she finished the contents of her bottle by the end of the day, it should balance itself out.

Hopefully.

The steel gates preserving the Kiramman estate opened automatically with Caitlyn’s car pulling up to the driveway. Her parents had installed sensors to instantly recognize her vehicle when it was in a 5 ft radius. She noticed her doorman, Barnaby, in the distance. He had a kind smile on his face—just as he always did. Sometimes, she wished that his smile directed at her was genuine and not just a result of extensive training.

The engine hummed to a stop, and Caitlyn hopped out of her car, taking a long breath of the crisp air. Her favorite season was autumn—the leaves falling from the trees, swishing through the wind delicately.—It was the perfect weather.

It also happened to be the best time of the year for shooting.

She grabbed her backpack from the passenger seat and slammed the door, leaving the weight of the day behind her. Caitlyn briskly made her way up her walking path, giving Barnaby a polite smile before dashing inside and taking off her shoes. Her feet took her up the stairs in record timing, and she threw off her backpack by her bed without didn’t bothering to check her appearance in the mirror. She didn’t have time for that—she had to get out before dark.

Putting on her leather gloves and tying her hair into a half-assed ponytail, she ran back downstairs to get her rifle and boots. Finally free from all the burdens of the past 24 hours, she ran to her second home—her private shooting range.

Whenever Caitlyn had a hard day, a difficult assignment, or even a quarrel with her mother, she would find her escape at her private shooting range. Through rain and shine, the girl would listen to the rushing river that flowed through the ground, and leave all her troubles at the foot of the entrance.

Today was no different, her rifle firmly in her grip. The weight was familiar—comforting, as the bends of the gun slipped perfectly in the slots of her hands. She set her aim to the black dot in the middle, inhaling steadily as she prepared to make the shot. A satisfying crack rang through the woods—and as expected—Caitlyn hit a direct bullseye. Just as she always did.

She went around the grounds methodically, practicing through her usual route. Some targets were more difficult than others, but it was nothing that Caitlyn couldn’t handle. She was the best markswoman in Piltover after all.

Before Caitlyn could register the passage of time, the skies began turning a brilliant orange. She treaded to a nearby ledge, the white marble cooling her skin. As she set down her rifle beside her, Caitlyn pulled out her phone to verify the time.

“6:46..” She mumbled to herself. Her curfew was an hour ago, but it’s not like her parents noticed anyways. Sighing, she hopped off the steps she was sitting on. Staying out ‘till dark wasn’t a wise decision, and she still had schoolwork from the previous day to complete. Caitlyn jogged back to her estate, neatly putting away her boots and her rifle in their proper places.

Mindful to avoid getting dirt on the floor, she slipped off her gloves and brought them up to her room, meticulously placing them in the same spot as she always does. She stretched her arms and plopped down in her bed, curling up into a ball around one of her pillows. Her stomach let oit a groan, but she didn’t feel like going out of her way to make dinner. It’s not like her parents were home to have it with her anyway.

Her attention zeroed in on her laptop—the sleek object sitting on her desk undisturbed.

Although all Caitlyn wanted to do was laze in bed for the rest of the night, the desire for a outstanding GPA overpowered her exhaustion. Reluctantly, she got up from her bed—gliding towards her desk, and got to work.

In the stillness of Caitlyn’s room, a faint hum from a laptop could be heard. It’s pale screen illuminated the otherwise unlit room it was in. Caitlyn jolted awake, her eyes reflexively narrowing from the excessive of light of her laptop scresn. As her pupils adjusted, she wiped a small bead of drool from the corner of her mouth.

“What time is it?…” She muttered to herself, her voice raspy and faint. After rubbing her eyes, the girl’s gaze fixated on the numbers in the corner of the laptop screen.

‘1:27’

Caitlyn groaned at the sight, nerves filling her body. She had hardly got any work done before she passed out on her desk. The situation was not a rare occurrence, but still managed to surprise Caitlyn every time it happened. How does one fall asleep in the middle of a task?

Maybe going out to the grounds wasn’t the best idea. She reflected as she gently shut her laptop.

Her throat was thouroughly parched, the dry texture scratching at her vocal cords. Caitlyn rose gradually, dragging her body to the head of her stairs. The large marble staircase that adorned her house was extravagant, but also irritatingly cold. She had to tiptoe down the steps to make as little contact as possible. Peering out the front window, she noticed neither of her parent’s cars in the driveway. Irritation simmered at the pit of her stomach. She did this every time—hoping her parents would be there, checking to see, and then being proven incredibly wrong.

They didn’t need to be there all the time, Caitlyn was more than capable of taking care of herself.

She trudged to the kitchen, picking up a small glass and filling it with a decent sum of cold water. Caitlyn hummed as she sipped it, her throat returning back to its preferred state.

After washing her used cup, her half asleep consciousness took her upstairs to her bedroom. Her offensively large bedroom. She wished she had someone to wish her goodnight, or someone to ask about her day, but instead was met with silence. Well—silence and the sound of pesky crickets in the tree outside of her room.

Their joined song mocked her relentless solitude.

She wished they would just shut up.

Chapter Text

Walking home from a long day of school was always a challenge with the Lane family. Powder had made it a tradition of doing a cute little handshake with Ekko before they left to go home; they had to do it every single time they got off the bus or else Powder would throw a tantrum. Afterward, the Lanes kids, (Vi, Powder, Mylo, and Claggor) would head to their run-down house in the middle of the Zaun section of Piltover.

“Ugh,” Powder groaned, dramatically whipping her head back and putting the back of her hand to her forehead. “Why is our damn house so far from the stupid bus stop. I thought the whole point of the bus was so that we didn’t have to walk for like an hour…”

Mylo gave her an irritated glare but she didn’t notice it—much to Claggor’s delight. He didn’t feel like trying to break up another brawl between them.

“It’s only a 15-minute walk…you do more than this just running around in your room while you’re working on another one of your ‘projects’” Vi replied with a deadpan tone.

Powder adjusted her body, making sure it is entirely aligned before ambushing her sister’s shoulders—grabbing them with her thin fingers.

“Can you carry me” She whined in her older sister’s ear as she widened her already wide blue eyes.

Vi scoffed at the idea. “No I’m not going to carry you, it’s only 10 more minutes”

Powder huffed in annoyance. “Please”
She countered, spinning around Vi to be in front of her and facing her. She pressed her hands together and shut her eyes.

“You know you can lose your legs—“
Mylo called out smugly as he crossed his arms.

“Shut up Mylo.” Vi interrupted, more annoyed at his interference than at her little sister. “No. I’m not Picking you up Powder.” She exclaimed as she began to walk away.

Vi had carried Powder the rest of the way home. She started being whiny and pouty and Violet could not deal with that today—She already had too much shit on her mind.

When they got to their humble abode, Mylo and Claggor rushed ahead to get in first, Mylo immediately hopping straight in front of the TV, and Claggor holding open the door for Vi and her rag-doll of a sister to get inside.

“Thanks, Clag” Vi muttered as she flashed him a smile.

Powder immediately jumped out of her arms as they got inside and retreated to her room, most likely aiming to finish designing another component to mouser before the next day.

Vi sighed as she followed after her sister upstairs, dropping off both of their backpacks in their shared room before returning downstairs. Mylo had already pulled out a controller and set up a game on the TV, convincing Claggor to play with him as he shoved another controller in his hands. Vi thought back to the time they got that console.

It had been Christmas day, and a gigantic box appeared under the tree, the presents surrounding it being scarcer than usual. Although they weren’t the richest of Zaunites, Vander had always insisted on going all out for Christmas time, especially since his adoptive kids didn’t have any other family to give them anything. The box’s bow had a tag attached to it that read “From Santa” in red cursive writing—and because her siblings were young enough at the time to believe in Santa—they were jumping off the walls. Benzo and Ekko arrived around 8 AM with a couple more gifts in hand, one present for each of the people in the Lane household as they sat down in their living room. As everyone gathered near the balding tree, Vander finally proclaimed that it was time to open their presents. Mylo shot towards the big box, all 3 of his siblings (and Ekko of course) waiting enthusiastically behind him.

As he opened it, all their faces lit up with excitement. It was a brand new Playstation, its black exterior gleaming from the multicolored Christmas lights that surrounded it. They started to argue amongst each other to see who would play first since there were only two controllers, but Vander stopped them—insisting they open their other gifts before getting carried away. The kids spent the rest of their day playing with their new console and the rest of their gifts, surprisingly containing their quarrels by taking turns every once in a while. Filling their stomachs with hot cocoa, and Christmas cookies, they went to bed warm and fulfilled—the Christmas lights outside shining through their window in the cold winter air.

Vi selfishly longed for her earlier years, gleeful innocence clouding her mind and judgment. Although she was never a sheltered child, when you’re younger, hope is much easier to reach.

Mylo glanced towards Vi, his sister staring into space by the stairway.

“Wanna play?” he called out while picking up the third controller.

Vi blinked rapidly, Mylo’s question pulling her out of her trance.

“Yeah, sure.” She murmured as she walked over and plopped herself on the couch. Grabbing the controller, she quickly activated it and joined in on the fun. The sunset could be seen in the distance through their window, the TV screen illuminating the 3 sibling’s grinning faces.

Vi crept up the stairs, attempting not to wake Mylo and Claggor who were knocked out on the couch.

They had gotten carried away with their little gaming session, playing late into the night until Violet realized her two teammates were drifting off into sleep. After she covered them with a cozy blanket, she checked the time, the microwave reading 1:27 AM.

’I’m gonna hate myself in the morning.’ She thought to herself as she rubbed her temple.

Violet opened her bedroom door, surprised to see her little sister still awake. Powder had her hands gripping her hair, her knees brought up to her chest and her face maintaining a terrified expression. She seemed to be muttering incoherently as she rocked back and forth.

“Oh shit…” She whispered out as she rushed to her sister’s side. It’s like Powder couldn’t even see her, continuing her rambling and anxious behavior.

Powder had experienced episodes like this before, usually when there were a lot of stressors at school or just around her, but usually Vi was right around the corner before she fully broke down.

Biting her lip in guilt, Vi hesitated to reach out her hand to Powder but followed through nonetheless.

“Hey PowPow, it’s me, Vi, your sister.” She spoke as softly as she could, gently placing her hand on her little sister’s shoulder,

Powder’s eyes rapidly shifted to peek at Vi’s hand, widening with fear at the sight. She frantically crawled backward into the wall connected to her bed, tears forming in her eyes.

“Stay away from me. You’re not my sister. You’re a Monster.” Powder paused, a quizzical expression appearing on her face.

“…You want me to hurt them don’t you?”

She let out a sinister laugh. “Well guess what? I’m not falling for your tricks. Not anymore.” Sinking farther into her delusions, Powder tapped her lip rhythmically, seemingly contemplating something.

Vi froze for a good second, panicking as she thought over what she was about to say. Deciding to wing it, she cautiously inched towards her sister, her hands raised to her sides.

“Powder, It’s me. Violet. Your sister. I promise.” She made sure to keep her voice sounding calm and collected. “Look,” She said as she took Powder’s hand gently, feeling a slight tug but no adamant resistance. She rubbed her thumb in circles over her sister’s slim knuckles. “See? I’m right here”

Powder’s expression softened, tears suddenly streaming down her face.

“Vi?” She whispered as her voice cracked, her previous tense body language collapsing into itself.

Vi lunged forward and wrapped her sister’s small frame in her arms, pulling her closer as her sister’s hands clung to her shirt.

“I’m right here Pow. I never left. I would never leave you.”

Powder’s body shook with sobs in her sister’s embrace, muttering apologies repeatedly.

“Hey, hey, look at me.” Vi cooed as she untangled her arms and lifted Powder’s face. Her eyes were red and puffy, and tears rolled continuously down her cheeks.

“There’s nothing for you to apologize for. I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you when you needed me. That won’t happen again.” She assured her as she wiped away another tear from her sister’s pale face.

Powder crashed into Vi as a response, wrapping her arms around her waist. They stayed like that for a while, Vi playing with her sister’s light blue tufts of hair until the girl fell asleep in her lap.

Tucking Powder into her bed, Vi turned off the pink lamp by their bedside and laid down in bed.

She stared at her tattered ceiling, the cracks creating an intricate pattern before her. Following the lines, she reflected on how long of a day it had been.

Sighing from exhaustion, Violet turned to the side to catch a glimpse of her sister—her breaths causing a strand of hair in her face to flutter up and float down in a steady pulse. Tear lines still were prominent on her face, the previous events not fully forgotten.

A hidden desire popped up in Violet’s head, one that yearned for a break from her mentally draining family. She pushed it aside as she rolled back over, scowling at herself for even thinking of such a horrific concept. Her family was her everything, and it was her job to take care of them—regardless of how much it was at her own expense.

Chapter Text

Leaves crunched loudly under Caitlyn’s boots as she strutted down the pavement. A chilly breeze whisked by, tossing her blue locks into her face. She huffed in annoyance, picking the individual strands stuck in her lipgloss off her face and regretting not putting on a lip stain.

Arriving at her location, she removed her leather gloves and attached them to her belt loops, stepping inside confidently. As the door swung open, a small bell jingled, the officer at the front desk glancing up at Caitlyn in the doorway. Usually, there were 2-3 secretaries at the front desk, but it was also 7 in the morning, and traffic is generally annoying on Saturdays.

“Good Afternoon Officer Harold.”

She flashed him a polite smile, strolling towards the file cabinets next to the front desk. She grabbed a key from her pocket and inserted it into the keyhole in front of her, the drawer making a satisfying click and a loud screech as it opened.

Caitlyn grabbed a navy blue folder, cautiously opening it to skim over her weekly to-do list. She had been volunteering at the Piltover Police Department for the past 3 years, inspired by the former police chief, Officer Grayson. She had given Caitlyn a reason to shoot, showing her that the badge was not just a form of recognition, but a oath of responsibility to protect the people of her city.

Although she would not be able to get a job there until after she moved out of her parent’s house; Her mother being completely opposed to the idea of her daughter joining such a dangerous job as a police officer—she still wanted to learn the ropes of the force. She only convinced her mother to allow her to volunteer there after spending hours upon hours assuring her that the only tasks she would be completing were related to paperwork, as well as the bonus of volunteer hours looking good on her college resume.

The writing on the to-do list was neat in black ink and had 7 items on it. Most of the tasks were the usual; Sorting through new case files, reviewing criminal reports, plus gathering lunch preferences for a party in the upcoming weeks. But, one line in particular caught her eye, causing a small grin and a flutter of excitement to resonate throughout her body.

The head officer of the department had asked for her, Caitlyn Kiramman, to show around and train a new employee. She had never been trusted with such a high honor before—making her anxious about how the interaction would go.

Even though most of her childhood was spent training her to talk to people, 95% of those lessons were spent teaching her about formal conversation. To the average individual, Caitlyn was a pretty socially awkward person—only feeling comfortable talking freely to her parents and her best friend Jayce, who was practically a brother to her.

She pushed her concerns aside, shaking her head as she placed the list back into the folder. She decided to get started on the first task on the list, making a mental note to ask the secretaries during their lunch break what day the new hire was arriving. Fortunately, she had loads of time to plan what to say before that. Right?

Vi had on the nicest pair of clothing she owned—relatively unripped jeans and a white dress shirt—while she walked down to the Police Station. After Powder’s episode earlier that week, Vi had decided that it was time to get a good-paying job. She had taken on gigs here and there when they were low on money, but had never managed to maintain a steady pay. The extra money would not only help with getting more food on the table for her siblings, but could also possibly help pay for some psychiatric care that she knew her sister was going to need. They couldn’t carry on like this, and they definitely couldn’t afford to lose Powder to her delusions. Vander had some connections to the old sheriff of the police department—and although Vi couldn’t stand the police, she put her issues aside for the overall wellbeing of her family. The former sheriff put in a good word for her, one thing led to another and now she’s here at the front doors of the station. The outside of the office was intricately designed, with golden and blue accents lining the windows and doors, and quartz floor tiles shielding the ground inside.

“Well, shit…” She mumbled to herself in awe. “Now I know where all our tax money goes…”

As she walked into the main office, she noticed 2 secretaries at the counter. There was a ginger girl around her age and a slightly older man with tan skin and brown hair. They were both focused respectively on their computers in front of them, not bothering to look up at Violet when she entered.

“Hey..” She called out awkwardly as she made her way to the front desk, laying her elbow down on the and leaning on it, a slight grin appearing on her face. “I’m the new hire and I was wondering who was gonna show me the ropes around here.”

The ginger girl looked up at her cautiously, processing what she had just said before her eyes widened knowingly.

“Right.” She said in a chipper tone, her accent seeming to be from middle-class Piltover. “I’ll lead you to the volunteer who will be showing you around. I assure you she’ll help you feel just at home here.”

The short girl got up from her desk chair, waving to the other secretary as she walked over to Vi. She gave her a well-mannered smile as she stuck her hand out. “I’m Maddie Nolan. As you can see, I work here at the department as a secretary. You must be…Vi Lanes?”

Vi shook her hand, a look of surprise on her face. “How do you know my name?” She questioned with an upturned eyebrow.

“Well, I was told that we were receiving a new hire today—And uh…” She chucked as she gestured to her left cheek. “…it’s written on your face”

Violet scoffed at her stupidity, massaging her temples with her fingers. Her tattoo on her left cheek had the Roman numeral 6 on it, a body modification she had started begging Vander for at the ripe age of 9. On her 15th birthday, he finally allowed it, accepting the notion that she deserved some more autonomy. What he didn’t realize, is that it would be plastered straight on her face. Admittedly, he was a little irritated at first, but got over it as soon as he saw his daughter look in the mirror and beam at it; A child-like grin plastered on her face for the rest of the day.

Vi looked back up at Maddie, a smirk creeping to her face. “Sorry sweetheart, your voice’s just so cute it’s got my head all mixed up.” She winked at the shorter girl, watching as her cheeks and ears tinted a shade of pink, her eyes widening in embarrassment.

“I- ehm…” She paused, attempting to not stumble over her words. “Please follow me.” She blurted out as she spun on her heel, marching down the hallway at quite a quick pace.

Vi chuckled to herself at Ms. Nolan’s reaction, following behind her at a steady pace as she shoved her hands into her jean pockets.

Caitlyn was sorting through case files, putting them in alphabetical order in the police archive when she heard a sudden knock on the door.

“Caitlyn? You in there?” Maddie called from outside.

“Mhm! Just give me one second” Caitlyn called out as she began to pick up the papers from the floor. She didn’t need her superior to see the mess she had created, even though it was organized chaos to her, that doesn’t mean that anyone else thought of it that way. Outside, she could hear muffled speech, the voice other than Maddie’s seeming surprisingly familiar. Maybe the other secretary was there with her? What was his name? Josh?

She scrambled towards the door, putting on a sweet smile before turning the knob. Maddie was not with John unless John suddenly turned into a 5’8 girl around her age with an extremely muscular build, a charming smile, and swoopy hair.

“Vi?” She blurted out, not realizing how impolite she probably sounded.

“Oh!” Maddie exclaimed with a grin. Her face was tinted slightly pink, a hint of embarrassment lingering in her expression. “You already know each other! Wonderful. If you could be a dear, please show this lovely new hire around. Thank you!”

The young woman scurried away before Caitlyn could say a word, leaving Vi standing in front of her—the air becoming heavier between them.

“I like your work outfit,” Vi muttered, breaking the silence. “It’s very…officer-y” she added while tilting her head.

Caitlyn giggled at her comment, slightly shaking her head. “Unfortunately, I don’t work here. I’m just a volunteer. My parents would never let me join the force under their roof.”

Vi frowned, sensing the longing in her tone. “That’s a shame.” She wanted to make a ‘rich people’ joke but sensed that it probably wasn’t the best thing to say at the moment.

Sighing in reply, Caitlyn stood taller and adjusted her posture. “It’s alright. Now, what would you like to see first?”

Through the next hour, Caitlyn showed Vi all the different spaces in the police department and explained their uses in excellent detail. Their first meeting didn’t allow Caitlyn to present herself in the best of lights, but it still made her more comfortable around Vi compared to a stranger. Vi listened quietly, making a couple of snide remarks and grunts to let Caitlyn know that she was still listening and not zoning out.

Before they knew it, their tour was over, Caitlyn leading Vi back to the front office.

“Any questions?” She asked as she raised her eyebrow.

“Nope,” Vi said popping the ‘p’. Unfortunately for her, her stomach decided that moment was the perfect time to grumble the loudest it had ever growled before.

Caitlyn glanced over to the clock on the wall, it reading 12:34.

“It’s almost lunch break if you’d like to go out and get something. I’m sure nobody will mind if we leave a few minutes early.” She smiled at Vi.

Vi looked up at her, a curious expression on her face. “Sure, but only if you pay?”

Smiling at the request, she held out her hand. “Deal”

Vi grabbed her hand eagerly, a shit-eating grin erupting across her face.

They arrived at a fancy-ass lunch place that sells whole steaks. Vi’s jaw dropped when she saw the cheapest price on the menu 8 dollars for a bottle of water.

The waiter came around to their table about 5 minutes after they were seated with a hearty serving of ‘complimentary bread rolls’. (Whatever that meant) Vi grabbed 3 at once, promptly shoving her face as the waiter watched with a tight smile, glancing and Caitlyn’s horrified expression.

“I’ll come back in a few minutes…” She whispered as she scurried away.

“Violet.” Caitlyn hissed under her breath, dipping her head down as she looked around to make sure nobody was watching the catastrophe at her table.

“What” The girl replied with an innocent expression, her mouth still stuffed with 5 too many bites of bread rolls. “They’re good bread shit.”

Caitlyn scoffed at her absurd statement. “Do you not realize that you just scarfed down 5 bread rolls in the time frame of 2 minutes?! And please don’t talk with your mouth full. You have the table manners of a baboon.”

Vi glared at her as she crossed her arms, popping the last bread roll in her mouth. “Well, I’m sorry that not everyone was raised in a castle princess.”

Just before Caitlyn was about to bite back, the waiter came around the table.
The blue-haired girl adjusted her scowl into a sweet smile and gestured towards Vi to order. Vi eventually got the hint and got a slab of fancy steak and deluxe fries. The waiter, still shaken from their previous encounter, quickly took their order and menus and was off to the back before Vi could even finish her bread roll.

“Hey, how come you’re not getting anything?” Vi asked with an eyebrow raised. “Only eat caviar or smth?..” She continued as she picked at her teeth with her fingernails.

Caitlyn cringed at the sight but kept her composure. “No, I’m just not hungry.” She replied quietly.

“‘Kay Princess, you better not steal any of my fries though,” Vi mumbled jokingly as she flicked a piece of food stuck in between her teeth.

After Vi finished her lunch, they began to walk back to the office when they saw a pastry shop. It was the cutest little place Violet had ever seen, her eyes wandering for a little too long at the various sweets.

“Can we go in? For just a second?” She felt like a child again, begging Vander to buy her a new cool toy even though they already had more than enough at home.

Caitlyn hesitated, checking the time on her watch. They had around 15 minutes to get back, and she could tell that trying to convince her of it would take longer than just stopping by.

“Fine, but we have to be quick.”

As they walked in, Vi went straight to the sweets section, drooling at the food like she hadn’t eaten in years.

“Kiramman get over here. You’ve got to see this.”

The baker behind the counter stared curiously but didn’t say anything, observing Caitlyn peer into the glass.

Vi was pointing at a vanilla cupcake that had a navy blue wrapper and matching colored buttercream.

“It looks just like you!” She said with a grin.

Caitlyn huffed at her accusation, facing Vi with a frown. “It does not!”

“I’m serious, it’s perfect. I need to try it.” She hopped towards Caitlyn and gave her a desperate stare, the other girl rolling her eyes as she reluctantly paid for the cupcake.

With the sweet in hand, Violet took a good-sized bite, making a satisfied him as she chewed. They began their trek back to the office side by side.

“Just as I thought.” She murmured.

Caitlyn looked over at her expectantly. “What?…”

“Not as sweet as you, Cupcake.” She winked.

Caitlyn’s cheeks tinted red. “Don’t you dare call me that?” Emphasizing dare an excessive amount.

“But you’re so sweet,” Vi replied in between bites. “—Like a cupcake” She concluded as she licked her fingers, shoving the wrapper in her jean pocket and flashing Caitlyn a charming smile.

Chapter Text

Caitlyn stared at herself in the vanity, inspecting every imperfection with a laser-like gaze. She was still in her sleepwear, a frilly navy nightdress with gold accents, and big dark eye bags. She sighed as she pulled at her face, her cold fingers stinging her skin. Noticing a nest of untamed hair atop her head, She gracefully picked up her hairbrush. She started to comb her hair methodically as she reviewed the day prior.

She had shown Vi—the girl who she had only recently met this past week—around the police station. It had been fun to talk casually with someone for once, not caring for formality or hidden agendas. She liked that about Vi; She was pretty straightforward and didn’t take part in the antics of the higher classes in Piltover.

She drifted further into her mind, her focus traveling from the girl’s intriguing personality to her appearance. Vi had seemed to work out regularly, the bandages on her forearms outlining her muscles flatteringly. And her eyes—gods her eyes, Caitlyn could stare into those for hours…

Wait. What the hell was she thinking? She shoved her bizarre thoughts aside while she got up from the stool she was sitting on.

Caitlyn picked out a long-sleeved dress shirt and a matching pair of dress pants, making sure to check for any wrinkles before getting changed. She did her makeup routinely—accentuating her features without adding on too much—and then began to head out the door. She left a little earlier than usual, meaning to get Vi a gift for helping her out the first time they met. Caitlyn had felt guilty for the whole fiasco, and her gift-giving abilities had always been appreciated by any recipients.

Caitlyn strolled past the shops in the main square of Piltover, peeping through the windows when passing by and searching for anything that caught her attention. She stopped at a trinket shop, the displays in the window seeming promising.

The scent of cinnamon and nutmeg flooded her senses as she stepped in, a kind-looking woman at the counter politely smiled and welcomed her to the store. She began to search through the aisles—attempting to find something desirable for a girl she knew such little about—when she stumbled upon a stunning moonstone ring. The opalescent shimmer of the jewel complimented its simple silver band; Its shine in the sunlight created a rainbow of color on the shelves surrounding it. Vi didn’t seem to be a jewelry person, but the gem was so gorgeous that Caitlyn couldn’t resist getting it. She picked the box up with care, bringing it to the register to pay for it.

The woman at the counter gave her another warm smile, gently picking up the box and scanning it.

“That sure is a lovely stone. It had just arrived today” She placed it back down as Caitlyn handed the woman her credit card.

“What are the odds?” Caitlyn grinned as she took her card back after the transaction had been made. Grabbing the ring, she made her way to her “job”, praying that Vi would like it.

Vi slowly woke up to the end of the annoying blaring sound interrupting her sleep. She then felt a rhythmic jab to her cheek, the sharp object pressing hard into her skin.

“G__ __e fu__ __”

A familiar muffled voice called out to her, but she couldn’t quite recognize it because was still half asleep. She rolled over to see what was happening and noticed her little sister looming over her, an irritated expression encapsulating her round face.

“Vi!” She yelled impatiently as she crossed her arms, Vi’s phone in her right hand. “Get up! Your alarms have been going off for like—20 minutes and I have gotten bo sleep whatsoever because of it. Last time I checked, Sunday was my day to sleep in. So get out and take your stupid phone with you.”

After her declaration, she threw the phone at her sister, effectively hitting the semi-conscious girl straight in the noggin.

“Ow…what the fuck.” Vi muttered while sitting up and rubbing her temple. She glanced at her phone screen, the time reading 6:02 AM.

“Shit.” She exclaimed as she jumped out of bed, Powder giving her a glare from her bed before rolling over and attempting to drift off back to sleep.

Vi was supposed to be out the door at 5:50, getting to the station at 5:59 to start her shift at 6. It was her first day doing her job as a dispatcher—after being shown the ropes the previous day by Kiramman. She meant to get there on time, setting 10 alarms every minute so that she’d be able to get her ass out of bed, but her body had different plans.

She put on the nearest pair of clothes, quickly sniffing them to make sure they smelled relatively fresh, grabbed her phone, and ran downstairs. She glanced at a note left on the fridge, presumably from Vander, before hastily throwing on her shoes and sprinting out the door.

By the time she got to the station, she was already 16 minutes late. She barged through the doors heavily breathing as she stepped inside.

Maddie and the other receptionist—Vi thought his name was Josh or something—
both looked up at her at the same time.

Realizing who entered, Maddie’s eyes flickered down in shame, clearly still embarrassed by their conversation on Saturday.

“You’re late.” Josh? Stated blankly as he averted his eyes back to his computer, bringing his attention back to whatever spreadsheet he was working on.

“Sorry,” Vi muttered sharply in between deep breaths. She sped to the dispatcher's room, sitting down at her assigned desk and laptop. She put on her headphones—adjusting the mic to make sure it was in front of her mouth—and quickly got to work.

Caitlyn had just finished sorting her last set of files when she noticed that her lunch break was on. Normally, she would just skip it—but she had to meet up with Vi to give her the gift. She grabbed a sweater and strolled out of the file room, walking towards the dispatcher's room. Waited by a window, watching a couple of people who were already making their way out of the room.

After a few seconds, she saw an individual with a familiar pink haircut walk out of the room.

“Vi!” She called out as she dashed closer towards her.

The girl’s head whipped towards the sound of her name, her expression irritated at first, but softening as she saw who called her. She strolled towards Caitlyn who stood eagerly by the left window of the main office. She was holding a strange-looking boss with a delighted smile on her face.

“What’s up Kiramman? Wanna pay for my lunch again?” Vi joked as she crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow curiously.

Caitlyn chuckled, “I mean—if you’d like to get something…it is our lunch break. But, that isn’t exactly why I called you over.” She opened the box she had and showed it to Vi, her eyes widening in response as a shocked expression flickered across her face.

“I got this for you,” She said shyly as she held it out, the moonstone shining remarkably.

“Damn Cupcake you’re trying to propose to me already? You haven’t even met my dad” Vi smirked as she put her hand to the nape of her neck and looked at Caitlyn in the eyes.

Caitlyn blushed furiously in response, quickly shutting the box and whipping it to her side.

“Of course not!” She exclaimed as she rubbed her temples. “I—had just wanted to get you a gift because of your help on Tuesday” Her cheeks increased in saturation the more she spoke.

Vi burst out in laughter in response, hunching over to catch her breath afterward.

“Sorry, Cupcake.” She uttered as she regained her composure, Caitlyn still fuming in front of her. “Thank you for the ring, it’s lovely.”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes and handed the ring to Vi with a small smile plastered on her face.

“Wanna get lunch? I’ll pay” Vi asked as she slipped on the ring.

“Sure.” Caitlyn chuckled, throwing her sweater on to prepare for the chilly weather.

Chapter Text

Vi strolled through the set of streets on the cusp of the wealth divide in the city of Piltover, Caitlyn walking hesitantly behind her. The blue-haired girl had never really been in this area, only passing by it occasionally on her way to work. There were a bunch of people out at the time, most likely because it was the middle of the day.

In all honesty, she was quite nervous about being there. Her mother had warned her about this part of town—detailing the horrifying amount of city council meetings discussing the violence that took place in the vicinity.

“Loosen up Kiramman,” Vi called out, her body spinning around to face Caitlyn. “Nobody here bites…” She paused, reconsidering her statement. “Well—I won’t let anyone here bite you. You see, I doubt anyone’s gonna mess with us when I’ve got these big guns” She continued, smugly flexing her muscles while continuing to walk, but backwards.

Caitlyn stared at her unamused. “Where exactly are you taking us?… We have to be back at the station in half an hour.”

Vi sighed, slapping her arms down, defeated. She turned back around and ran her fingers through her hair. “I know a good lunch spot. I’m sure you’ll like it, they have pretty much everything on the menu.”

Caitlyn eyed the girl suspiciously but didn’t make any further remarks as they continued to walk through the convoluted streets. She felt out of place here, everyone around her so expressive in their style and mannerisms. Caitlyn had a fashion sense, but it was much more bland compared to many of the individuals on the streets surrounding her. She had a reserved aspect to her, which did not help her feelings of standing out.

Vi paused in front of her, staring at a large sign that read ‘Jericho’s’ in the front of an unsanitary-looking…establishment. (It did not even resemble a restaurant)

“We’re here” She exclaimed proudly as she walked in the door, beckoning Caitlyn to follow.

Caitlyn debated whether it was too late to go back to the station and ditch this lunch idea entirely, but she soon realized that she had no idea where they were. She also probably shouldn’t abandon the only person who would be willing to help her if she were to get in a bad situation. With all that in mind, Caitlyn decided to take her chances, following Vi inside.

The interior of the ‘restaurant’ wasn’t much better than the outside, a mountain of grease and possibly blood staining the aprons of the two workers there. Vi waved to a tall thick man in the back, sighing contently as he waved back with a wide smile.

“Are you sure this place is up to code?…” She whispered to Vi with a concerned expression.

Vi chucked in response, putting a hand on the anxious girl’s shoulder.

“Definitely not.”

She guided Caitlyn to a two-seat table in the back corner of the small restaurant, wiping off the crumbs from the table and grabbing a stained menu from a nearby table. She sat down and handed it to Caitlyn; A stupid grin plastered on her face.

“Here’s the menu. Remember Cupcake, it’s my treat” She mentioned as she wiggled her eyebrows.

Caitlyn shot her a playful glare as she cautiously took the menu in her hands, the strange film coating it making her skin crawl. She inspected it, hoping to find a lighter food option, like a salad or a small bowl of soup, but to no avail. Every single thing on the menu was drowned in either cheese, grease, or deep fryer oil. The back of her throat began to feel funny as she noticed the lack of nutritional information attached to the menu. She could not eat anything on here; It would ruin everything, possibly setting her back weeks.

She sighed, looking up to see Vi absentmindedly picking at her nails.

“I’m sorry Vi, I can’t eat anything on here” She mumbled, suddenly feeling incredibly small.

“What? You have allergies or something?” Vi questioned while she curiously looked across the table.

Caitlyn paused, thinking over how she should phrase her next words.

“No it’s just the food—“

Vi scoffed, a hint of bitterness in her voice, interrupting Caitlyn’s statement. “Do you think you’re too good for poor people food? Damn Kiramman, I knew you were stuck up but I didn’t realize how bad you were.”

Caitlyn’s mouth hung open, shock plastered on her face.

“I- didn’t mean it like that, The menu and the setting are just—not to my taste. I just think I would be sick if I tried most of the dishes served here.”

Vi’s eyes widened in disbelief, her arms crossing defensively.

“Well, I’m sorry that this isn’t the Michelin-star restaurant you were hoping to go to. Unlike you, I don’t have daddy’s money to waste on bullshit like that.” Her tone was entangled with a complex range of emotions that Caitlyn couldn’t quite unravel. Caitlyn stared blankly in response, which seemed to make the irritated girl in front of her even more aggravated.

Vi got up, aggressively pushing her chair back under the table as Caitlyn watched with a stunned expression.

“Thanks for ruining my appetite.” She hissed as she stomped out the door, not even glancing back at the girl left alone at her table.

The entirety of the customers at the restaurant were staring at Caitlyn, clearly overhearing the entire conversation. An embarrassed blush erupted over her face, her eyes pointed solely towards the floor as she exited the setting.

When Caitlyn rushed outside, she scanned around the area to see if Vi was anywhere nearby, only to find that she wasn’t. Tears pricked at her eyes, her anxiety setting in from the realization that she had no clue how to get back to the department. She cursed her past self under her breath for not being more observant on the way there.

Her hands swiftly pulled out her phone, her fingers trembled while tapping the screen. It was only 12:46, which meant that she still had 19 minutes to get back. ‘Everything will be alright, I’ll just get an Uber and ask them to drive me to the station’ she assured herself, her panicked breathing finally slowing. Well, that’s what started to happen, before she realized her phone was at 1%. She never bothered to bring a charger with her because she always had one in the office.

The world began to seem too loud, people shoving by her as she dashed to take shelter in an empty alleyway. With tears streaming down her cheeks, Caitlyn crumpled into a pathetic ball, shrinking her person into herself as much as possible.

What the hell was she going to do?

Vi threw herself at her assigned desk, ripping off the ring Kiramman obnoxiously bought her with her irritatingly excessive amount of money. She was fuming the whole 15-minute walk back to the station, grumbling to herself about how trying to befriend a Piltie was a terrible idea.

She sighed to herself, glancing over at the time. She still had a of couple minutes left till the rest of her shift—she might as well get something from the vending machine. Besides, while she was in the main lobby she could give Caitlyn a glare when she walked back to her shitty file office.

Vi jogged out of the dispatcher's room and over to the vending machine, eyeing a delicious-looking chocolate bar for 1 dollar. As she inserted a tattered bill from her pocket into the slot, she noticed some gummies in the corner that Powder had been raving about for months. She decided to splurge, buying the bag of gummies as well and stuffing them into her pocket. Surprisingly, Caitlyn still hadn’t walked through the front doors yet, the only people in the lobby being Josh. (At least she thought his name was Josh. She had never bothered to ask.)

She shrugged her shoulders, shoving the girl out of her mind. Why did she care where she was? Caitlyn clearly didn’t give a fuck about any of her kind, why should she give a fuck back? She strolled back to her desk and put on her headset, carelessly opening her new chocolate bar. All Vi needed to do was finish her shift and then she could forget this afternoon ever happened.

Unfortunately, Vi could not forget the previous afternoon, even though it was almost 3:45–which was the end of her shift. As the hours passed she realized that she had kind of overreacted and felt increasingly guilty in the process.

When she clocked out, she headed to the front desk, grabbing (maybe) Josh’s attention with an awkward wave. He looked up unamused, stopping the constant clacking of his keyboard and pressing his lips thin.

“What do you want?” He asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Vi wanted to scowl at him but resolved that making enemies of your coworkers on your first day was probably a bad idea. She opted instead for a strained smile.

“Did you see where Caitlyn went after lunch was over?”

Josh raised an eyebrow, pausing to comb through his memories of the afternoon.

“I don’t think I’ve seen her since this morning. I’m pretty sure she hasn’t been here since lunch.” He stated matter of factly as he rearranged his keyboard.

Vi’s heart dropped to her stomach, a sense of understanding creeping into her mind. Of course she hadn’t come back, Caitlyn had no idea where they were—let alone any idea how to get back to the police department.

“Fuck.” She muttered to herself. (Maybe) Josh looked up at her in curiosity.

“Excuse me?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Vi’s eyes widened in embarrassment. She placed a hand on the nape of her neck and began to massage it, attempting to not intensify her flustered expression.

“Sorry, I was talking to myself.”

Possibly named Josh gave her a suspicious stare before resuming his typing.

“Is that all?” He mumbled, clearly uninterested.

“Actually—No. Could I have Caitlyn’s Phone Number?” Vi asked hesitantly.

Josh??? Stopped typing for the second time, narrowing his eyes.

“Why?…”

Vi racked her brain for an excuse—only to end up blurting out ‘work stuff’ while shoving her hands into her pockets.

“…Okay. Just don’t share it with individuals outside of the workspace. The sheriff will not hesitate to fire you if there is an incident” He replied unenthusiastically as he pulled up a spreadsheet on his computer. Probably-Josh sloppily wrote down a set of numbers on a post-it note and handed it to Vi, quickly getting back to work.

“Thanks” She mumbled as she made her way out of the building.

She attempted to dial the number on the paper when she got home, but there was no answer. She decided to apologize in person tomorrow at school, hoping her guilt would subside then.

It was around 3:30 PM when Caitlyn finally got home. After her small moment of panic, she attempted to use her phone, but it immediately died right when she powered it on. That, compiled with the rest of her situation, caused her small mental break to spiral into a full-on meltdown.

After sobbing pitifully for about 20 minutes, a kind man came up to her and asked her what was wrong. She explained her situation in between sobs, and the man led her to a nearby bus stop around 5 minutes away. He graciously gave her a portable charger, refusing payment in return, and sent the sniffling girl off with kind regards.

A pang of guilt echoed through Caitlyn’s body, realizing that through all the chaos, she had never asked for the man’s name. The bus ride had taken about an hour, stopping at every possible destination before Caitlyn’s neighborhood. She sighed, the charger still in her pocket from when she was using it. She traveled upstairs after graciously taking a strawberry tart from her private chef, Elizabeth.

Tossing her phone onto her bed, she jumped to her computer, swiftly drafting an email apologizing to Sheriff Marcus for leaving early without prior permission. She reread the message at least 15 times, cutting out any errors or phrases that could be misinterpreted as offensive. After careful examination, she sent the email, closing her laptop afterward and plopping on her bed as a reward.

She looked towards the ceiling, cringing at the previous events of the day. Although she hadn’t meant any harm when declining the food at the place that Vi brought her to, she still managed to insult her.

‘Way to go, you screwed up yet another attempt to finally make a friend.’ She thought to herself as she turned to her side. Wrapping herself up in her blanket, the warm and fuzzy fabric bringing her some much-needed comfort, Caitlyn thought of ways to possibly redeem herself.

Although she had only really talked to Vi for 1 and 1/2 days, she had appreciated her company. The following day was Monday, so she could possibly meet up with Vi at school and apologize, offering to make it up to her sometime in some way.

The events of the day finally caught up to her body, her eyelids suddenly feeling heavy and her body seemingly floating through time. Caitlyn closed her eyes, embracing the rest that overtook her. In her last remaining string of consciousness, she could’ve sworn she heard her phone ring, but she didn’t have the energy or willingness to check.

Chapter Text

Vi restlessly fidgeted with her pen, her leg bouncing up and down against the hard wooden floor. She had avoided Caitlyn all of PE, dodging her hesitant glances and slight waves. She wanted to apologize already and get it over with, but she just had no idea what to say. ‘I’m sorry I was a bitch to you—but also you made me feel like shit.’???

She had planned to hopefully figure it out by lunch, but the lunch bell was about to ring and she still had nothing. As she shoved her pencil and half-completed Pre-Calc assignment into her bag, she impulsively decided to just wing it.

Not even 2 minutes later, the lunch bell rang and she rushed out of the classroom, trying to get to the front of the cafeteria line as quickly as possible. She had to get a tray fast, so she could drop it off at her table and go off to find Caitlyn.

She swiftly made her way to the register, thanking the ladies at the front computer before plowing through a sea of students in the cafeteria. Finding her table, she gave Powder a slight smile before dropping off her tray and rushing away.

“The fuck was that about?…” Powder mumbled to Ekko, the boy beside her with a dumbfounded expression.

“No idea…” Ekko muttered back as he eyed the frantic girl pushing her way through the lunchroom.

Caitlyn found herself in the corner of the lunchroom, where she always sat with her best friend, Jayce. They had been inseparable ever since she was 7, Jayce being a family friend and a Kiramman-sponsored individual. They would always go over to each other’s houses and find a way to comfort one another when needed.

Except—nowadays, her best friend didn’t seem as interested in talking to her as he did to his ‘lab partner’. They had met in chemistry last year and had somehow managed to become closer to each other than Caitlyn had ever been with Jayce in her entire 9 years of knowing him.

Her best friend’s golden eyes lit up while talking to the frail boy next to him, both individuals delved into the contents of their shared science notebook. As Jayce talked, Viktor nodded intently, writing down equations that Caitlyn didn’t even feel like thinking about at the moment. They had always said they were going to change the world together one day, and honestly, Caitlyn didn’t have a hard time believing that.

She put her head down, the overwhelming smell of the lunchroom making her feel nauseous. Closing her eyes, she felt the soft fabric of her sweater on her arms and suddenly felt the need to drift off to sleep.

—Until she abruptly felt an uncertain tap on her shoulder.

“Hey Cait, you good?”

She groaned in annoyance, her peacefulness drifting away from her just like her patience.

“I’m fine.” She mumbled through gritted teeth, unfeasibly attempting to force herself back into her place of solace.

“Uh…Cait?” Jayce whispered hesitantly.

She was about to yell at him when she heard a thunk and a cry of pain from the pair’s direction. Lifting her head, Caitlyn observed her best friend pouting while rubbing the back of his head. Viktor lowered his cane, a hint of amused irritation on his face.

“Just get to the point you bonehead,” Viktor murmured as he rested his head on his hand.

“There’s someone here for you Cait.” The boy motioned with his chin, his eyes wandering to the space behind Caitlyn wearily.

She whipped her head around, lifting it to view the person standing behind her. It was Vi, a hand behind her head and her eyes glued to the floor.

“Can we talk?” She mumbled, the bottom of her lip confined by her front set of teeth.

Caitlyn eyed her curiously, a range of emotions whirling through her mind. She was angry. Well, of course she was angry—the girl had left her stranded in the middle of nowhere for hours. But then again, she saw the pained expression on Vi’s face, the guilt, and she couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

She sighed, nodding her head and standing up. Vi’s powder blue eyes flickered up to Caitlyn’s, her hard expression softening.

They walked to the library in an awkward silence, both girls keeping their heads down. The smell of chamomile tea wafted through the air as they stepped into the large space, direct sunlight pouring harshly through the windows. There were a couple of freshmen and sophomores talking in the back, but the noise wasn’t loud enough to be bothersome.

Vi led Caitlyn to a set of couches in a nook between bookshelves, gesturing to the seat on the left. She sat down and Caitlyn followed suit, grateful to rest her legs and calm her pounding heart.

For a moment, they didn’t speak, both girls finding solace in the quiet.

After a few seconds, Vi mustered up the courage to say something, standing up and pacing in front of the couches.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get that angry—and I shouldn't have left you. That was a really shitty thing for me to do—I’m so fucking sorry Cait—“

“Wait—please.”

Caitlyn spoke softly, her eyes squinted in a pained expression. Vi stopped treading in response, her feet planted firmly on the floor as she listened to Caitlyn.

“I wanted to apologize too. I didn’t think before I spoke and in the process, I upset you. So, I’m sorry too.”

Vi blankly stared at the girl in front of her. This is not how she expected this to go. She had expected Caitlyn to scoff—maybe curse her out—and storm off. At least, that's what she seemed like she would do from an outsider’s perspective.

But here she was, looking so utterly deflated. She was nervously picking at her turtleneck sleeve, her eyes sneaking glances at Vi while anxiously awaiting her response. Vi noticed that her brows were slightly furrowed, creating soft creases on her forehead and under her eyes.

The old couch squeaked in surprise to Vi plopping herself on it, the red leather worn out and beaten up.

“You’re a strange one, huh Cupcake?”

Caitlyn looked up to her, a slight hint of amusement sliding across her sharp features. She couldn’t stop the mix of shock and relief escaping from her mouth; A strange-sounding giggle escaped from her mouth.

“I thought we were having a serious conversation” Caitlyn questioned as she pushed one side of her hair behind her ear.

“We are, I just wanted to make an observation.” Vi mumbled smugly, with the same dumbass grin she always had on her face.

Caitlyn couldn’t help herself from laughing again, this time much louder and horrifyingly less refined.

Vi put on an exaggerated frown, crossing her arms.

“Kiramman. This is a heartfelt moment we’re supposed to be having. Not a giggle fest.”

Caitlyn looked up at her, giving her a toothy grin. “Sorry Miss Lanes, I’ll get back to that in a second.”

Vi smiled at Caitlyn, instantly forgetting all her feelings of resentment towards the girl in front of her. She wasn’t a stuck-up bitch, just a human. Vi fucked up all the time and has gotten at least a million-second chances in her lifetime; Why not give Kiramman the same treatment?

Vi walked back to the lunchroom, her shoulders feeling light and airy for the first time in weeks. That damn rich girl was starting to grow on her.

“Hey Vi, where have you been?” Claggor called out as she sat down.

Vi shrugged, attempting to act as nonchalant as possible. “I was just at the library looking at some books.”

“Damn, I didn’t know you were literate!”

Ekko exclaimed with an overemphasized shock in his voice.

Mylo cackled, giving Ekko a proud high-five. “That’s some good shit little man.”

Ekko rolled his eyes, clearly weary of his old nickname but accepting his fate.

Powder sat scrunched up on the other side of Ekko, opposite to where she normally sat.

“PowPow you okay?” Vi called, poking her head out behind Powder’s human barrier.

“I’m fine. Thrilled actually. So happy that my sister can’t hang around for 5 seconds without disappearing to who knows where.” Powder hissed in response, her words muffled by her arm in front of her mouth.

“Powder, Don’t be that way.” The pink-haired girl responded, her lips pursed with a slight frown.

“I can’t deal with your shit today.” Powder bit back, huffing as she got up from the lunchroom table.

Before her sister could call for her, she stomped away, her short blue hair disappearing in the distance.

The table's gaze fell from the door Powder stormed out of to each other. An uneasy expression plastered on all of their faces.

“Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning,” Mylo mumbled, taking a bite of his repulsively warm lunch corn. He made a disgusted face soon after, spitting the corn back in his tray.

“Shut up Mylo.” Vi scoffed, getting up to throw her tray out and charging out of the room.

She had lost her appetite. Again.

Caitlyn was still in the library, spending her free period catching up on her studies, when she saw a familiar figure brooding outside the cafeteria. She noticed her tense shoulders and clenched lip, her fingers aggressively tapping her phone screen. Caitlyn put down her pencil, placed it neatly to the side of her notebook, and strolled outside the library.

“Hey Vi, you alright?” She called out, stepping close to the girl and leaning on the wall next to her.

Vi groaned, shoving her phone in her pocket before dragging her back on the wall and sinking to the floor.

“What do you think?”

Vi’s head was buried in her arms, creating a muffled filter to her bitter tone.

Cait sat down next to her with her back to the wall. She attempted to ignore the dirt and grime covering the school’s hallway floors; Which was inevitably coating her clothes now. She wanted to put a hand on Vi’s shoulder but stopped herself. That would probably be strange. Instead, she opted for words.

“What happened?”

Vi turned her head, looking at Caitlyn beside her. Her eyebrows were furrowed with concern and her eyes held a slight glimmer of curiosity.

“It’s just family shit. I’ll live.”

Caitlyn frowned in response. She laid her head back on the wall and gazed at the ceiling.

“Don’t diminish your problems, that doesn’t help you or anyone else.” A sense of understanding and regret enveloped her voice.

Vi sat up and crossed her arms, balling her hands into fists.

“Unlike you Kiramman, I have a family that I have responsibility for.” She growled in response and stared at the wall.

Caitlyn’s eyes flashed with pain, her thin bangs falling in front of her face as she looked down.

Vi glanced at Caitlyn, guilt entering her stomach as quickly as her anger dissipated away.

“Sorry. That was an asshole thing to say.”

The other girl stared distantly, leaving a heavy silence between the two.

“No, you’re right. I don’t understand.”

The afternoon sun illuminated the dust in the air creating a hazy atmosphere. The two girls—parallel to each other—stared into space on in front of them. For a moment, not one of them said a word. They just stayed in the moment, the world feeling as though it had paused just for them.

Caitlyn got up steadily and stood in front of Vi, looking down at the girl. Her tough exterior was intimidating, her face battered at hardened by the harsh realities of her life. As Caitlyn looked at her, she realized that underneath her tough outward appearance, Vi seemed to have a good heart.

“That doesn’t mean I can’t try.” She finished with a slight smile, holding out a hand for Violet to take.

Chapter Text

Caitlyn’s heart was beating at a rapid pace; Her hands shaking and her head spinning. She had planned to have a little more time before Vi arrived, but apparently, things never went to plan when she wanted them to.

It was the first time that Vi was going to come over to her house, and it stressed her out way more than it probably should. She didn’t understand why her breath felt so short, or why her face was so flushed, but just passed it off as the beginning of a cold.

They had started hanging out pretty often after Vi had sent her a frantic message asking how to do her English homework (Caitlyn had no idea how she got her number). According to Vi, Caitlyn was ‘The only word nerd she knew’—whatever that meant.

Caitlyn was then unofficially assigned to help Vi with her schoolwork—even though she was pretty sure that the girl didn’t even need it further down the line. Their study and homework sessions slowly morphed into fun hangouts at the library, notebooks and pencils replaced with board games and Pictionary. The other day Caitlyn had suggested that they should hang out at her house since it was less crowded and had fewer restrictions. Vi eagerly agreed—mentioning something about how she’d always wanted to look inside a mansion—and this is how she got into this nerve-racking position.

In her room, Caitlyn fluffed her pillows for the 7th time now, making sure that they looked perfectly soft and inviting. Beforehand, she had cleaned every inch of her room to create a welcoming space for her new guest. She never really had friends over besides Jayce, so she concluded that first impressions were everything. She made sure to put on her most informal pair of clothes she had, slightly scuffed jeans and a tank top with a sweater. She didn’t want to scream ‘I’m extremely wealthy’ any more than usual.

A knock on the door echoed through the house, reaching Caitlyn’s ears devastatingly fast. The tall girl scrambled down the stairs, fixing her shirt straps and adjusting her high ponytail before opening the door.

“Hey Vi!” She exclaimed as she shuffled aside to leave room for her to get in.

Vi flashed her a smile before stepping inside. She looked at the ceiling in awe, spinning slowly around to take in more of her surroundings.

“God damn Cupcake…” She muttered, her eyes glued to the Kiramman crest intricately painted on a wall by the kitchen.

Caitlyn laughed nervously in response.

“I thought told you to stop calling me that…”

Vi turned around, looking at the girl in front of her with a childlike expression.

“Your parent’s car looks so cool.”

“—The color is gorgeous, kind of reminds me of your hair.” She added, tilting her head slightly.

Caitlyn giggled softly, her brows slightly furrowing and her face scrunching into a smile.

“My parents actually aren’t home right now—that’s just my car.”

Vi’s eyes widened as her eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“Oh.”

Caitlyn hummed quickly in response, grabbing Vi by the hand and dragging her to the kitchen. The pink-haired girl didn’t protest, and instead took in the view of the rest of Caitlyn’s ginormous house. She watched as Caitlyn strolled to her fridge, looking through it methodically.

“I had asked Elizabeth earlier to prepare some snacks.”

“Who’s Elizabeth?” Vi’s eyebrows raised with her question.

“Aha!” Caitlyn exclaimed as she pulled out two neatly arranged containers from the fridge. One seemed to contain an assortment of green leaves, and the other had an array of cheese and crackers. She placed them on the counter, putting her hands on her hips in satisfaction.

“Sorry, what did you say?”

“Just askin’ who ‘Elizabeth’ is. She one of your maids or something?”

Caitlyn took the top off the container of the food that Vi had assumed was hers.

“Ah, she’s our chef. She’s been a friend of our family for years, and since she needed a job, we hired her. She’s a very talented cook.”

“Huh,” Vi said, wandering over to peak at the food that had been prepared.

“What’s that?” She gestured with her chin over to the crackers and cheese.

“A charcuterie board. It’s just a selection of crackers and cheese that you can pair together however you’d like.”

Vi eyed the food hesitantly, inspecting it under a scrutinizing gaze.

“I don’t know if I trust the taste of rich people food.”

Caitlyn scoffed, scrunching her nose in response. She turned around and put the other container back in the fridge.

“Oh my god, just try it.”

Vi gave her an exaggerated look of disgust while picking up a pair of cheese and crackers. She popped it in her mouth, a hesitant smile slowly appearing on her face.

By the time the two girls had gotten up to Caitlyn’s bedroom, Vi had already finished her snack. She licked her fingers in satisfaction and plopped on Caitlyn’s bed, taking in the unbelievable comfort of the mattress.

Caitlyn giggled in response, laying down on her bed to face Vi.

“I assume from your reaction that you’d like to stay here for now?”

Vi smiled, reaching over to some pillows and grabbing them tightly.

“Yeah. That’d be nice.”

Caitlyn stared at Vi, her pink hair illuminated by the sunlight from her bedroom window. Her appearance was soft and content as she bathed in the warmth. Caitlyn took a peek at her outfit—her signature red jacket that she seemed to never take off—layered atop a slightly stained white shirt and baggy jeans. She couldn’t help but notice how her jacket sleeves fitted her biceps in quite the flattering way.

“My sister and I used to share a bed like this. Only maybe—half the size.” Vi mentioned fondly.

Caitlyn’s attention snapped to Vi’s face, observing her wistful gaze as it wandered to meet her eyes.

“Do you still have something like that now?”

Vi grinned in response, slightly tilting her head.

“Kinda. We just share a room now. We have separate beds unless Powder is in a bad mood—“ She chuckled. “…Then my bed is hers too.”

Caitlyn hummed softly, gazing at Vi’s icy blue eyes, her cold stare melting as her protective walls began to tumble down. Caitlyn realized how little she knew about the girl in front of her. She didn’t talk much about herself—letting Caitlyn do most of the rambling—and deflecting with poor attempts of friendly flirting if things got too personal.

“How come you talk about your sister as if she’s your child? I know she’s younger than you, but isn’t raising her your parent’s job?”

Vi’s lips pressed together as her eyes shot sideways, seemingly uneasy.

“My parents were killed when I was younger. It was a police brutality case.” She inhaled deeply, pulling her legs closer to her body. “I bet it makes more sense as to why I’m so opposed to working at the station now huh?”

Caitlyn’s gaze softened, a heavy feeling of shame and compassion hitting her like a brick flying 60 miles per hour.

“I’m so sorry. That’s terrible. God, why did I ask that?—“ She stopped herself, realizing she was thinking out loud.

“It’s alright,” Vi replied reassuringly. “It’s been a while.”

“—Anyways. Back to what I was saying. After my parents were gone, Powder and I went through foster care for a little while. We bounced from house to house…some better than others. That’s really where I learned that she’s my responsibility. Whatever happens to her is on me, so I have to take care of her the best I can.” Her voice faltered at her last sentence, her eyes subtly turning glossy as they shut.

Caitlyn had no fucking idea what to say in that moment. The deepest conversation she had experienced with another person was when Jayce’s father died when they were kids. At least in that situation, she knew how to comfort him. Vi was a completely different story.

Without thinking, Caitlyn brushed Vi’s cheek. The girl grasped her hand in response, holding it close against her skin. She opened her eyes and looked up at the blue-haired girl in front of her. She radiated warmth, her usual sharp features softened, leaving a look of sweet concern on her face.

“…Do you ever wish you didn’t have that amount of pressure on you?” Caitlyn whispered, her hand gripping Vi’s tighter as she spoke.

Vi’s mouth opened, but the words she had wanted to say slipped through her fingers. She shrugged, attempting to regain her train of thought in the process.

“I guess it’s hard sometimes. Pow has some mental things to sort out, so that is a lot to deal with. But, we have Vander now. He adopted us, along with Mylo and Clagg further down the line, and has been taking care of us ever since. I couldn’t ask for much more than that.”

Caitlyn gave the toothy grin that she always tended to do, her voice barely a whisper at this point.

“He sounds like a good man—maybe you could introduce me one day.”

A soft laugh escaped Vi’s lips.

“Yeah, sure thing Cupcake.”

The two girls spent the rest of the afternoon together, talking about their hobbies, hopes, and dreams. Vi dared to question Caitlyn’s marksmanship skills—even after seeing the plethora of awards placed around the Kiramman estate.

To defend her honor, Caitlyn decided to take Violet out to the range. She brought her rifle, a pair of gloves for the both of them and protective goggles for her little observer.

As expected, Cait hit every target straight in the bullseye, pausing every so often to witness Vi’s reactions. Most of faces the girl made were of utter shock, especially after particularly impressive shots.

“Damn Kiramman…you weren’t kidding when you said you were a good shot.”

Caitlyn grinned smugly, swiftly collapsing her rifle after her final fire.

“I’m an excellent shot.” She corrected. She tapped Vi’s shoulder and gestured to her house, jogging ahead at a steady pace.

Icy air entered and exited Caitlyn’s lungs at a regulated rate, her legs feeling strong and steady. Well—it started that way—until her breathing became increasingly inconsistent and her legs began to buckle under her. Her whole body felt like it was dragging her down and she stopped jogging, reverting to walking until she regained her usual rhythm. She could hear the crunching of leaves under shoes somewhere distant, and maybe a voice, but she realized that all the sounds besides her ears ringing started to feel muffled.

Her confusion only amplified as her vision became blurry and her brain foggy. The crunching—from maybe her shoes or someone else’s—and the other now incomprehensible sound started to get closer (at least she thought). Caitlyn couldn’t do anything now, her legs finally giving out from under her as she blacked out.

The only thing that Caitlyn could think about after she collapsed on the ground was that her head hurt like hell. She noticed that she couldn’t remember much of the previous events, which was strange because she usually had a decent short-term memory. She slowly opened her eyes, stunned by the brightness stinging her pupils.

She could see a figure that resembled Vi in front of her face and smiled, grateful that there was at least some source of comfort. The girl seemed to be upset, her expression a mix of anxiety and unease.

Vi’s eyes widened as she processed that Caitlyn was awake.

“Damn Caitlyn. You scared the shit out of me.”

“You feeling alright?”

Caitlyn looked up at her drearily, still attempting to figure out what was happening.

“What do you mean? I’m clearly fine.” She insisted, pushing herself up from Vi’s lap.

A wave of nausea and a pang of head pain crashed over her, her eyes squeezing shut.

‘Way to go dumbass. You’ve done it now.’ She reflected, putting her hand to her temple.

“Take it easy Cait, you just got back up. You collapsed on the floor around 5 minutes ago; I didn’t know what to do but I didn’t want to leave you alone so I just stayed with you.”

Caitlyn opened her eyes. They fluttered as a pang of guilt hit her heart.

“I’m sorry I’ve caused you so much trouble. I can assure you I’m fine now.” She proclaimed, slowly getting up and brushing off her knees.

Vi looked up at her unconvinced, concern lacing her speech.

“Whatever you say Cupcake. Just don’t push yourself.”

Caitlyn held out a hand for Vi to grab. The shorter girl gave Caitlyn a small smirk before pulling herself up off the ground.

They began to walk back to the Kiramman estate, Vi sneaking glances at Cait before ultimately blurting out what she had been meaning to say.

“So…What happened there?”

As she heard the question she was so desperately trying to avoid, Caitlyn could feel her heart tense.

“Something happened?”

Vi narrowed her eyes at Caitlyn’s oblivious response.

“Seriously?” She stopped walking, her arms crossing over each other.

“You fucking fainted Cait, don’t play dumb. We both know you’re smarter than that.”

Caitlyn stopped in her tracks, slowly turning to face Vi.

“I-Fine. It was nothing. I just didn’t get good sleep last night, that’s all.”

Vi eyed her suspiciously, her lips turning into a disapproving frown.

“Normally, people don’t pass out just because they didn’t get their daily beauty rest.”

The taller girl glanced down, her arms hanging to her sides. At that moment, she looked almost—delicate; As if a harsher tone would shatter her into pieces.

Violet’s features slowly softened, grabbing Caitlyn by the arm and pulling her into a hug.

“Look…all I wanted to say is—I’m here for you if you need anything.”

Caitlyn hesitated—stunned by Vi’s directness. She then settled into Vi’s embrace, her face buried in the nook of her neck.

“Thank you.” She whispered. Nothing else seemed to matter at that moment. She realized that the only thing stopping her world (and her body) from crashing down now was the girl she was clinging to for dear life.

Chapter Text

The atmosphere of the ballroom was dull and gray. Classical music danced through the air, many patrons holding glasses of champagne or sparkling water. It was a Saturday night, and here Caitlyn was sitting at an empty table with her untouched wine glass of apple juice sitting atop it. Her mother had forbidden her from ever touching alcohol until she was 21–because god forbid it ever got out that the Mayor’s daughter had illegally drunk some champagne.

She was mindlessly twirling her hair while staring at Jayce, his confident stature drawing in cooing girls left and right. His attention was only drawn to one individual; His retired-lab-partner-now boyfriend, Viktor. They wore matching black suits, the gold accents on their vests complimenting each other flawlessly.

Jayce had come to Caitlyn frantically in late November, freaking out about ‘screwing everything up’. Apparently, he had said some stupid shit about where Viktor was from, and he needed her help to fix his fuck up. They formulated a plan in under a day, with Caitlyn relentlessly teasing him every once in a while for being such a dumbass. He went to Viktor’s place with an apology that was rehearsed a thousand times and a flower bouquet. The rest was self-explanatory. Jayce confessed they started dating, and now Viktor’s his plus one everywhere.

Although having a plus one was great news for her best friend, it was less of a thing to celebrate for Caitlyn. Normally she’d be spending her time hovering around him, letting his charismatic demeanor draw attention away from her. But now he was across the floor, and she was sitting here bored out of her mind.

She tapped her heel on the ground, attempting to give herself some form of stimulation when a man walked up to her.

He was the fourth guy of the night to approach her. She didn’t even like guys. He looked about 18 years old, maybe 19, and he had a confident smile plastered on his face.

“Hello, Ms. Kiramman. I am Claude Ferros, from the house of Ferros. I was wondering if you’d like to dance with me.”

Caitlyn did not want to dance with him, but to follow common courtesy, she smiled politely.

“Of course.” She replied, grabbing her small clutch containing her phone and standing up to walk with him.

As they made their way to the ballroom floor, Claude managed some average conversation.

Caitlyn answered his questions almost automatically, having heard the same type of small talk for years now. Smiling at the right times, and nodding to show she was listening, she had seemed to perfect her model persona.

That was until he had asked a question out of the ordinary.

“Do you have a suitor?”

Caitlyn’s eyes flickered in response, utter shock spreading across her face. She had gotten a fair share of romantic pursuits, but never one this straightforward.

She cleared her throat politely, nervously tucking a tuft of hair behind her ear.

“Ehm. No, I haven’t been very interested in finding a suitor. I have a great focus on academics, and would like to pursue that.”

She thought that would shut down any of Mr. Ferro’s further advances, but unfortunately, she was wrong.

“That sounds very intriguing. Although, with a woman of your caliber, one should believe that finding a potential spouse is necessary. Just in case your endeavors are—unsuccessful.”

Caitlyn chuckled nervously in response, her fingers anxiously fiddling with her pearl bracelet. She could tell where this conversation was going, and it was a place she’d rather not travel.

“Of course. I’m sorry if you will excuse me, my throat is feeling quite parched. I think I’m going to head to the bar to get a drink of water.”

She kindly bowed her head before turning her heel around, attempting to quickly scurry away from the situation.

Unfortunately for her, Claude had extremely fast reflexes. He grabbed her wrist firmly, stopping her from getting any farther than half a foot.

“Miss Kiramman. If you’ll just listen for one moment. I’d like to propose that I be your suitor. I know we don’t know each other very well, but I feel as though we could get along splendidly.”

“—I’m sorry Mr. Ferro but I’d prefer to not have this conversation at the moment. I would still have to talk to my mother about this.” She attempted to release her hand from the boy’s grasp, but his grip crushed her wrist like a monster truck.

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. I’ve already spoken to Mrs. Kiramman, she assured me that I would be a lovely addition to your family.” He announced proudly.

Caitlyn stopped pulling away, replaying the words that he had just said over and over again in her mind. Her mother hadn’t even spoken to her once tonight, and she was already trying to marry her off to some random house. What the fuck was she thinking?

“Claude, please let go of my wrist.” Caitlyn hissed through gritted teeth.

“But Miss Kiramman, please. You have guaranteed me a dance.”

Caitlyn could feel the stares of the patrons surrounding her. They were burning holes through her back, their hushed whispers slicing into her skin like knives. Her irritation with her mother and this idiotic boy combined, lacing her voice with rage.

“I told you to unhand me.” She exclaimed as she yanked her arm from his hands. She rubbed her wrist where his hands once gripped, looking down to see the nasty red outline left by his fat fingers.

Claude looked down at her in irritation, his fake smile turning into a scowl.

“You bitch.” He muttered, stomping away to the bar.

Caitlyn took a deep breath, closing her eyes to attempt to regain her composure. She tried to ignore the crowd’s nosy gaze, scanning the area for her mother. After a moment, she found her. She was talking to a woman from the Merchant Guild, Caitlyn believed her name was Amara. She strutted over to her mother’s vicinity, ignoring various attendees calling her name as she passed.

When she arrived, Cassandra Kiramman glanced at her before continuing her conversation.

“Mother. I’d like to have a word.”

Cassandra paused, her eyebrows raising as she slowly turned to her daughter. Her expression was contained—but Caitlyn could tell that under her facade was a hint of irritation.

“Caitlyn, I am talking to Amara at the moment.” Hearing her name, Amara gave a brief smile to the girl. “We can discuss whatever you need later.”

“It’s urgent.” She expressed, her lips pressing thin.

Cassandra gave a wide smile in response. She was furious.

“Alright then. If you’ll excuse me, Amara, I will be right back.”

As they walked to a private drawing room, Cassandra slightly loosened her grip on her charade.

“This better be worth my time, Caitlyn. It was extremely ill-mannered of you to interrupt our conversation like that.”

Caitlyn sighed, her pace accelerating.

“I know, Mother.”

Cassandra huffed at her response, the pair hurriedly entering the space. Cassandra closed the door with a clunk and turned over to face Caitlyn with her arms crossed and lips pursed.

“Unacceptable. Your behavior is unacceptable. Had I known you would have been so difficult tonight, I would’ve asked your father to call off his shift at the hospital.”

Caitlyn scoffed, throwing her arms up in the air.

“You know what’s ‘unacceptable’, Mother? The fact that you tried to set me up with some random guy from house Ferros.”

Cassandra’s eyes narrowed as she analyzed her daughter.

“So that’s what this is about? I have no clue why you are making such an absurd deal about this. He seemed like a pleasant young man, I don’t see the problem.”

Caitlyn’s hands balled into fists at her sides. She felt sick; Nauseated just by the sight of the woman in front of her, an unapologetic expression plastered all over her face.

“The problem is that you never once asked for my opinion. You don’t care about what I think, my perspective on things, my feelings. You just ignore me, downplay my emotions for your own personal gain, and hurry off to work if a single thing goes wrong.”

She couldn’t stop her voice from cracking at the last sentence. She could’ve used that trip to the bar for some water. At the rate this was going, her vocal cords would be in for a long night.

“I’m sorry I don’t report to you for every single action I take. I am a grown woman with real responsibilities, I can’t just dilly dally at a police station with street trash all day.” Cassandra hissed.

Caitlyn’s eyes widened after the woman's final statement, anger filling her entire being. Most of her mother’s insults didn’t hurt, many being minor jabs, but this had gone too far. She just slandered the only person who had actually cared about Caitlyn for the past 3 months. The only person to be there for her, comfort her and genuinely care about what she thought. So unsurprisingly, she was not about to tolerate any more of what she said.

“Oh my GOD mother. You are so full of yourself. Do you truly believe that anyone gives a fuck about your fancy mayor job? All you do is put on a fake persona and parade around town acting like you are better than the very ground you walk on--Well guess what? You aren’t. You can’t even take care of your own daughter properly.”

Cassandra opened her mouth to speak, her face seething, but Caitlyn interrupted.

“I am not done. Do you know the last time we ate together as a family? Do you remember? It was three FUCKING years ago. I am now 17 and haven’t had a proper dinner with my mother and father since I was 14—Do you even know the last time I’ve eaten something? It’s been a couple of days. Sometimes I’ll go over a week without eating just to see if you’d notice--Guess what? You don’t. You never have, you never will.”

Tears were streaming down her face at this point, the liquid obstructing her vision. She thought her mom was frowning, but she couldn’t tell. The air surrounding her felt like toxic fumes, her lungs struggling to draw in enough air.

“At least Dad makes an effort sometimes; Sending me texts during his shifts or visiting my bedroom before he leaves for work. You don’t even try. It’s like I don’t have a mother at all.”

After receiving no response, she rushed past Cassandra, not looking back at her face.

“Caitlyn, where are you going? Caitlyn!”

Her voice sounded hoarse, but Caitlyn couldn’t give less of a damn.

She aggressively wiped the tears still pouring down her face, grabbing her keys and pushing the front doors of the house open. She hurried to her car parked near the sidewalk, slamming the door as she sat down. She desperately opened her clutch and ripped out her phone, dialing the only number she ever called nowadays.

Vi was half asleep when she heard her phone ring. She groaned, rubbing her eyes before grabbing it from the table next to her bed. Her vision took a moment to focus on the contact on the screen, but immediately after she read it, she sat up in bed and accepted the call. Luckily, she didn’t have to worry about waking Powder up. She was still downstairs watching TV while working on a doohickey of hers.

“Hey, Cupcake! How come you’re calling me at—“ She checked the time on her phone screen, the blue light illuminating her dark room. “—10 pm?”

She heard a soft sigh from the other side of the line before hearing Caitlyn’s voice. She sounded like she had been crying, her voice broken to pieces.

“Hi, Vi. Sorry for bothering you so late at night; I just need someone to talk to.”

Vi gripped her phone tighter, troubled thoughts flashing through her mind. ‘Is she hurt? Is she in danger? Does she need help?’

“Are you okay?”

Caitlyn sniffled, the sound amplified over her phone speakers.

“No. Actually—can you meet me at Sun Gate Park?”

Vi paused, taken aback by the sudden request.

“Sure…but–what happened?”

Vi could hear keys jangling and a car engine humming from the other line

“I’ll tell you there. Meet you in five.”

Caitlyn hung up the phone, leaving Vi with a bunch of questions and no answers in sight. 

Caitlyn slammed her car door shut, triple-checking that her car was locked before exiting the small parking lot. Sun Gate Park had a playground section with a bunch of places to sit, so she headed towards there. She could use some rest.

The cold winter air bit at her skin, her arms instinctively crossing over together to warm her shivering body. ‘I should’ve brought a sweater,’ She thought to herself as she sat down on the swing set.

She looked a bit out of place; A 17-year-old girl on an otherwise vacant swing set in a wide strapped navy blue dress glimmering in the moonlight. Her feet were numb to the pain of her heels, even though they were red and slightly swollen. She grabbed the metal chains on the sides of her swing and rocked her legs to rock faintly. It was quite calming, just feeling her body sway back and forth, not a worry on her mind. She imagined herself somewhere distant, just swinging mindlessly forever. That would be nice right now.

She heard her name called in the distance, bringing her back into reality. She whipped her head towards the sound’s direction, noticing Vi jogging towards her. She still had on her signature red jacket–but had on a black long-sleeved shirt and a baggy pair of black jeans.

Caitlyn dragged her heels into the mulch, slowing down her seat so she could get a better view of the girl approaching her.

Vi’s eyes widened as she saw Caitlyn's attire, her face amused. Her pace slowed as she approached the girl in front of her less hurriedly, casually shoving her hands in her pockets.

“Damn, Cupcake…You look good. You got a banquet to go to after this or something?”

Caitlyn looked down, her hands sliding down the chains. Feelings of guilt crept into her heart like an unwanted guest. She still believed in what she said to her mother, but she wished she had phrased it differently.

“Luckily, I don’t. I just came from a gala. I had a horrific time there and got into an argument with my mother so I just left.” Her voice was unsteady and defeated, more tears falling from her eyes.

Vi finally got up to the swing set, the smug look on her face morphing into one of concern. Caitlyn probably looked like a mess, her makeup most likely dripping down her face in the form of tear stains. She was in a desperate rush to leave–so she didn’t bother to check.

“Awh Cait…” Vi choked out, her eyes becoming ever so glossy. She got down to her knees to get at face level with Caitlyn, cupping her cheek in her hands and wiping a stray tear rolling down her cheek. “Why are you crying?”

The taller girl leaned into her touch automatically, her eyes closing to prevent further tears from spilling. She folded into herself, her hands letting go of the swing chains, and inhaled shakily.

“…At the gala, this man tried to pursue me.” She opened her eyes and was pleasantly surprised to see Vi’s face scrunched up in disgust. Her hands were now folded over Caitlyn’s, her warmth radiating through the icy air.

“He grabbed my wrist and wouldn’t let me go just because I didn’t want to date him. He then mentioned that he had already gotten permission from my mother—“

“—I’m sorry what the fuck?” Vi interrupted, bitterness biting through her words. “Did he hurt you?…” She followed hesitantly, moving her hands to inspect Caitlyn’s wrist.

“I don’t know. To be honest, I didn't feel anything when he was grasping it.” She mumbled.

A spike of pain ran down her wrist as Vi picked it up, causing the girl to wince.

“Shit. Sorry.” Vi whispered, her lips turning into a frown. She inspected the damage–an oval-shaped bruise on the underside of her wrist that was slowly turning purple. “That Bitch.” She muttered, placing down Caitlyn’s wrist gently and standing up straight.

“Need me to fuck him up for you?” She questioned as she fixed her posture into a fighting stance.

Caitlyn looked up at her and chuckled, her arms crossing over her torso.

“No, it’s alright.”

Vi raised an eyebrow, but her lips slowly turned into a smile as she saw Caitlyn’s face. She walked over to the swing next to her and took a deep breath of the cool air.

“So, how’d you get into a fight with your mom?…”

Caitlyn curled her fingers, her nails digging into her skin ever so slightly.

“I confronted her about the ‘pursuing thing’. I was so…angry. She didn’t even seem to care when I told her how I felt.” Her speech diminished as her voice began to crack. “I told her about how she was never there for me, how I felt ignored–all of that. And she just…stared coldly. She said something about you and—I just—“ She increased her grip on her arms, her nails digging further into her skin.

Vi stopped swinging her legs and turned her head towards Caitlyn. She seemed to notice her distressed expression, and slowly but surely realized she was about to burst into tears again. She hurriedly got up from the swing and grabbed the girl’s hands, looking up at her apprehensively.

“Hey hey hey, I’m right here. It's okay. You’re not dealing with your mother’s shit anymore.” Her thumb ran circles around the knobs of her fingers, sending shivers down Caitlyn’s spine.

“I just wish she would act like—I don’t know, a real mother? Is that so hard? I feel like I’m just a burden in her life.” With that phrase, she slid off the swing, slumping into Vi’s arms.

Vi hesitantly put her arms around the girl, pulling her into a warm embrace.

“I’m sorry Cait. I can assure you that you deserve so much more than that.”

Caitlyn buried her head into the girl’s chest, wrapping her arms around her torso. It was pretty nice to be hugged by someone; Vi had the best hugs.

“It doesn’t feel that way.” She muttered, her voice muffled by the fabric.

“What did you say?” Vi questioned, her arms loosening their hold.

Caitlyn backed away from Vi’s chest, sighing before looking at her in the eyes.

”I said, it doesn't feel that way.” Her voice whispered as her arms slid up to hug her sides.

Vi frowned, her head shaking. She got up from the floor, carelessly dusting off her knees before gently pulling Caitlyn up.

“Cmere. I wanna show you something.”

She started to walk to the left of the playground, towards the woody area. Caitlyn followed skeptically, looking towards the night sky. The stars were dull–leaving the moon to outshine its counterparts. She caught up to Vi, a position now shoulder to shoulder.

“So…where are you taking me? Someplace to murder me without anyone noticing?”

Vi chuckled in response, shaking her head as a grin spread across her face.

“I could never. Not to you.”

Caitlyn smiled, clearly entertained by her answer. A cold breeze whisked through the air, causing her to shiver and wrap her arms tighter around herself.

“Shit. I should’ve asked; Do you want my jacket?”

Caitlyn shook her head almost immediately, biting down on her lip.

“No it’s alright, I’ll survive.”

Vi slowed her pace, eyeing the girl doubtfully.

“You’re telling me you don't want it even though the entirety of your arm and half of your legs are fully exposed to the freezing winter air?”

Cait hesitated, mulling over her reply.

“I guess I am a bit cold—but it’s okay. You need it more than I do.”

Vi just sighed in response, tossing her jacket over the stubborn girl’s head before strolling further onto the wooded path.

After a couple more minutes of walking and Caitlyn wrapped in Vi’s red jacket, they arrived at a bench on a lone hill.

“This is it.” Vi proclaimed, gesturing towards it with her arm enthusiastically.

Caitlyn raised her eyebrow, undoubtedly unimpressed.

“…This is what we walked 10 minutes for?”

Vi sighed contently and gently took Caitlyn’s unbruised hand, guiding her to the bench. They sat down next to each other, Caitlyn huddling fairly close to Vi. She convinced herself that it was just for warmth purposes–but a little voice inside her heart knew otherwise.

Now that they were actually at the top of the hill, she noticed the gorgeous view of the city that the bench provided. It looked like that scene out of La La Land or something—but better, because it was with Vi.

“This is a pretty nice view,” She said softly, her lips forming a calm smile on her face.

Vi hummed, a shit-eating grin spreading across her face. She theatrically got up and turned towards the girl in front of her on the bench. She had mentioned that Powder was dramatic—Caitlyn assumed it ran in the family.

“You see this right?” She gestured towards the city.

Caitlyn nodded suspiciously, quietly longing for the warmth that Vi’s body provided her.

“In my humble opinion, you deserve all of that and so much more.”

The blue-haired girl could not help herself, bursting out in laughter in response. This sweet ass idiot had done a 10-minute trek to this random hill just to tell her that?

“I’m serious. Caitlyn Kiramman, You deserve the world. You’re possibly the best person I know—besides myself of course.” She said the last phrase with a wink and finger guns.

What a nerd.

“If your mother can’t see what a treasure her daughter is, then—excuse my language—fuck her” She then walked up to Caitlyn, holding out a hand for her to take.

Caitlyn couldn’t help but feel endeared. She had never in her life had someone say things like this to her. She usually pushed people away when she was upset, so finding the comfort and validation she had been craving for once was a nice change of pace.

Inevitably, she didn’t hesitate to take the hand in front of her.

“What is something we could do right now that would make your mother pissed?”

Caitlyn chuckled, putting one hand over her arm.

“She’s already pretty pissed.”

“—Exactly!” Vi interjected. “So it couldn’t get any worse, right?”

The other girl shrugged, accepting Vi’s peculiar way of thinking.

“I mean–she would hate it if I ruined this dress. It wasn’t very expensive, but bringing it to the dry cleaners is tedious.”

Vi glanced towards the end of the hill in front of them. Her eyes lit up and her grin grew even wider—it was like a lightbulb popped up at the top of her head.

“What if we rolled down that hill?”

The hill wasn’t too steep, inching down at a moderate rate—and it was relatively clear of trees and bushes. Caitlyn was unsure that it would be the best idea; She had never rolled down a hill before. As a child, she had watched movies and shows of people doing it, but her mother would’ve been pissed if she had ever tried. Grass stains are a bitch to get out.

She was about to decline when she saw Vi’s face, filled with excitement and anticipation. She had never seen her so childlike, carefree from all her burdens and the worries of reality.

“…Alright” She sighed exasperated, stepping closer to the edge of the hill.

“Okay, so what you’re going to do is pretend like you’re a log. Keep your arms and legs as close together as possible, and use the momentum of the hill to your advantage.”

Caitlyn giggled. “I’ve never heard you sound so well-versed in a subject before”

Vi scoffed playfully, giving a lopsided smirk. “I am an expert in my craft”

Caitlyn followed her instructions, lying on the ground just like how Vi described. The grass tickled her legs and dirt mixed with sand covered her once pristine heels.

“Listen, I’m going to push you down the hill on the count of three. Just keep going in the same direction and you’ll be alright.”

“Okay,” Caitlyn said confidently. She was the opposite of confident at the moment, slowly rethinking her decision. There was nothing she could change now–she was already committed.

“1…”

Caitlyn braced for action, pulling her limbs tighter together. The suspense was getting to her, her excitement mixing with her anxiety.

“2…”

She looked up at Vi’s face, her playful features beaming in the moonlight. The girl gave her a reassuring smile, placing her hands on Caitlyn’s side.

“3!”

Caitlyn felt a push and suddenly she was off. The night sky and ground blurred together, her eyes widening the faster she spun. She was sure she tumbled over a couple of rocks and pebbles—but she couldn’t actually tell. As she barreled down, her heart swelled. She had never done something this exhilarating in her life. Her wrist ached, the impact of slapping into the ground probably not helping her case, but her endorphins lessened the pain the faster she rolled.

She came to a slow and eventual stop at the end of the hill. Her world was still spinning when she called out that she made it, thrusting her arms and legs out in victory. As the night sky stopped twirling in circles, Caitlyn smiled to herself, proud that she didn’t let her fear control her for once.

She had sat up just in time to see Vi shoot down the hill. A blur of pink and black whooping as she tumbled towards the bottom. The girl’s body accidentally changed her direction, causing her to crash into a fallen tree trunk.

“Oh my god Vi are you alright?” Caitlyn cried out, her voice wavering.

Vi sat up instantly, bursting out in laughter. She wiped her eyes and brushed her hair out of her face, looking over at Caitlyn gleefully. Her hair was a mess, and her face was covered in dirt, but she didn’t care.

Caitlyn let out a relieved sigh, getting up and walking to the disaster of a girl before her. She helped her up and motioned her head towards the top of the hill.

“Cmon we gotta go back up”

Vi groaned, using her fist to attempt to wipe some sand off her face.

“This is the worst part of rolling down a hill, climbing back up it.”

The taller girl laughed, walking up to Vi with a teasing grin. Vi smirked back, eyeing her suspiciously. Caitlyn wiped the dirt that Vi had missed with her thumb, her hand hovering over her chin.

She felt her heart racing, Vi staring straight into her eyes. The girl’s pupils were dilated, her smug smile intensifying.

“What’s on your mind?” Vi teased, leaning closer to Caitlyn’s touch.

“The fact that we should probably go soon,” Caitlyn mumbled, dropping her hand to her side. She analyzed Vi’s expression, a hint of disappointment flashing across her face.

“The real question is—what’s on your mind?” She stepped forward and crossed one leg over the other, swinging her hands to her back; Her nose almost touching the girl in front of her.

Vi’s eyes widened in astonishment, biting her lip.

“The only thing on my mind is that you look undeniably hot right now.”

Caitlyn was speechless, her face tinting red. She carefully brought her hands to Vi’s cheeks, the girl leaning into her touch. She shifted herself closer, leaning in until her lips almost grazed Vi’s, hesitating before going through with her plan.

Vi severed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around Caitlyn’s waist. Caitlyn closed her eyes, taking in the girl’s embrace. Their lips collided softly, fitting like two fated puzzle pieces. Vi’s hands felt like electricity on Caitlyn’s skin, each press on her body an invitation to continue. Their hurried breaths synchronized with each other, their chests rhythmically rising and falling.

Caitlyn slowly pulled away, giggling as she rested her forehead on Vi’s.

“That was…really nice” She whispered, her front teeth peeking out as she grinned.

“Caitlyn,” Vi said, looking up at her. “You’re…stunning” she uttered, grabbing Caitlyn’s hand that was still on her cheek.

Caitlyn squeezed her fingers in response, taking Vi’s hand as she put her arms down.

“C’mon player,” She giggled. “Let’s get you home.”

Her fingers slipped out of Vi’s as she began to trek up the hill.

“Wait up Cupcake!” Vi called out, jogging to catch up to her new….situationship.

Caitlyn closed her bedroom door, sliding down the frame and letting out a content sigh. The car ride to Vi’s house was perfect, the two girls reminiscing about their childhoods and dreams for the future. As Vi left, she held up her thumb and pinkie and put her hand to her ear, mouthing ‘Call me’ with a grin.

As she gripped the fabric of her bedroom carpet, reality set in. Caitlyn Kiramman had kissed the girl she had been secretly crushing on for months. Her brain had kept the notion so confidential, that Caitlyn hadn’t even realized it until today.

She touched her lips, her face still buzzing from excitement. She giggled to herself about the evening’s previous events. It was possibly the best night of her life, even outplacing her 16th birthday ball.

Vi made her feel like a regular person. No strings attached, no family name, no high standards, just Caitlyn. Well, since it’s Vi, ‘just Cupcake’ would be more fitting.

She would never admit it to Vi’s face, but god did Caitlyn adore that nickname.

She got up and stared at herself in her vanity. Her hair was knotted, and filled with various leaves and clumps of dirt. Her dress had been seen better days, green and brown patches littering the bodice and skirt.

She fiddled nervously with her bracelet; Her mother was certainly going to kill her.

She pushed that thought aside, wandering to her bed and plopping herself down on her mattress. She took a look at her phone, her most recent pictures taking her by surprise.

She and Vi had taken a photo together at the top of the hill, commemorating their moment together. But, unbeknownst to Caitlyn, on the way to the car Vi had pocketed her phone and taken a couple of pictures herself,

One was of the girl flexing, Caitlyn distracted behind her. The next one was her in the car, grinning as she winked at the camera. The final one was of Caitlyn driving her home, the composition and angle painting Caitlyn beautifully.

She smiled at the images, her heart filling with warmth. She realized that she didn’t actually care whether her mother was mad at her or not at this point.

She had finally found someone worth bending the rules for.

Chapter Text

Vi’s focus was drifting off into space while Ms. Elora was saying something about derivatives—whatever the hell that meant. Generally, Vi endured the average amount of listening to her teacher; Afterwards, doing half her work and then messing around for the rest of class. Today was different though—in the way that it fucking sucked.

She hadn’t heard from Caitlyn since Saturday night. She passed it off as her just being busy, but when she hadn’t come to school for the past 2 days, Vi began to panic.

Caitlyn had never missed a day of school before, even coming back to class after she had 2 different appointments in one day. She had told Vi something about keeping a good reputation, but Vi hadn’t paid too much attention to her words—checking out of the conversation once it began to be about school.

Maybe Caitlyn had decided that she hated her? Maybe she got into an insane amount of trouble with her mom and she was forced to switch schools? Maybe her mother blamed Vi for everything that went wrong and banned her from seeing her again.

Vi had no clue what happened and hated the fact that she needed to wait for the answer. She had never been a patient person, no matter how hard Vander tried to raise her to be.

A name flashed across her mind—Jayce. He would know what was up, right? He had to, he was the closest thing Caitlyn had to a brother.

Although Vi kind of hated his supposed demeanor, his ego seeming bigger than the sun, he was probably the only way she was going to get information about Cait.

Vi was snapped back into reality by the sudden calling of her name.

“Violet, What is the answer to question 5?”

She quickly looked up at her math teacher with a sheepish expression, combing through the hair at the nape of her neck. She glanced over to the equation and frowned, clearly unaware of the answer.

Ms. Elora gave her a disappointed look, shaking her head and looking at the class.

“Now, let’s pay attention, everyone. This unit is essential for your understanding of what we learn in the spring.”

She chose another victim to answer the question, smiling softly as they got it correct. Vi brought her hands to her desk, picking at her calluses as she thought to herself.

She really shouldn’t feel this anxious about a girl. It was just a fling—they didn’t even kiss more than once.

It shouldn’t mean anything.

It really shouldn’t.

So why the hell did it feel like it meant the world?

Her crush on Caitlyn had begun to simmer after she had taken her out to lunch on her first day at the department. She was polite, seemed sweet, and was pretty damn hot. Her feelings inevitably grew stronger as they started to meet up more often. She began to catching herself gazing at the girl for longer than necessary—or feeling fuzzy inside when they brushed hands.

It all had boiled over last Saturday; She had never seen her so vulnerable before. Vi seemed to be the first person Caitlyn thought to call, which was really sweet.

If it was any other person, she would’ve left the moment they started crying, claiming that she had better things to do. But it wasn’t just any other person, it was Caitlyn.

Caitlyn, the girl who went out of her way to help her with homework even at 3 am on a school night. Caitlyn, the girl who talked to her for hours about the importance of weather conditions when shooting. Caitlyn, the girl who comforted her when she just couldn’t deal with all the shit happening at her house. Caitlyn, the girl who she had spent all her time with for the past few months.

She couldn’t understand why she was so infatuated with this particular girl. She seemed to be everything against what Vi had been raised to stand for; Caitlyn followed the rules religiously, aspired to join the police force, and was appallingly rich.

Even through all that, Vi still couldn’t get her off her mind.

Why did Caitlyn kiss her? She didn’t know. It’s not like she was complaining. In all honesty, she had loved it. In the past, Vi had dated a handful of girls before—her build and charisma landing her a couple of brownie points in the dating pool—but nothing had ever felt as thrilling as what she had just experienced that weekend.

She planned on telling Caitlyn how she felt yesterday, maybe getting a clearer insight into what the girl’s intentions were when she kissed her. But it clearly didn’t work out that way.

Sighing softly, she gave herself a single objective; Find the Talis boy and find out what the hell was happening.

Powder noticed something was up with her sister about 3 months ago. Vi seemed distant…distracted…and it was all after that day she ditched their lunch table without a word.

She had apologized—making an excuse about how she had an assignment due next period and that she was copying off of someone else’s. But Powder didn’t buy that one bit.

Powder had convinced Ekko to follow Vi with her last week when the girl was going out. Her sister claimed that she was heading off to the gym, but from her outfit choice…it was clear she wasn’t. They tracked her inconspicuously, making sure to stay at least two blocks behind as they made their way there. Ekko was complaining about how it was wrong to follow her around and how Powder should just talk to her, but the girl just shushed him in response.

They ended up at their local library—possibly the last place Powder would’ve expected her sister to be sneaking off to. As they cautiously made their way inside, they saw Vi take a seat at a two-person table. There was another girl there, she had navy blue hair, light skin, and was well-dressed. Vi’s face lit up instantly as a grin beamed on her face; And suddenly, everything clicked into place.

She was skulking around with a Piltie girl.

And this whole time, Powder thought she was selling drugs or some shit. It was just a fucking girl. Of course, it pissed her off that she hid it from her, but it wasn’t that big of a deal. Right?

Ekko and her wandered home shortly after; The two girls weren’t doing anything interesting—just playing what looked like Battleship.

Powder sighed, staring down at her feet and kicking a rock in her path. She sent it flying 12 feet away, the pebble landing in a crack on the sidewalk.

“What’s up?” Ekko questioned, nudging her forearm with his elbow. He had a smile on his face, but his eyes were laced with concern.

“Nothing.” She mumbled running her fingers through her hair.

Unfortunately, something was bothering her. She couldn’t shake the feeling of betrayal from her mind. The more she thought about it, the more it angered her. Did Vi not trust her? Was there something more going on?… Was she going to leave her?

“I just…don’t get why she wouldn’t tell us.” She scoffed, biting her lip. “I mean—she’s had whores before, what makes now any different?”

Ekko shrugged, his face morphing into a wince.

“Maybe it’s ‘cus the girl she’s with isn’t exactly…our type of people.”

Powder frowned, confused by his explanation.

“I guess…but—some people from that neighborhood aren’t that bad. You know—there’s this guy in my class, his name’s Viktor. He’s super smart and pretty chill.” She huffed, digging her fingernails into her palms. “I’ve told her about him—so I still don’t get the whole tiptoeing around the truth.”

Ekko chuckled in response, shaking her head.

“You do realize the girl she was with is like, the richest of the rich in Piltover right?”

Powder curiously raised her eyebrow.

“…What do you mean?…”

Ekko sighed, massaging his temple.

“…What am I going to do with you? The girl we just saw is Caitlyn Kiramman. The mayor’s daughter. God, with your impression of her I thought you met her already.”

Powder stopped in her tracks, glancing at Ekko with her eyes wide.

Her sister was going out with Caitlyn fucking Kiramman. Possibly the most well-known teenage millionaire in all of Piltover. Powder had never cared to search up an image of the girl, her only source of information being hushed rumors passed in school.

“Shit…”

The boy next to her groaned and shook his head.

“Sorry to break the news to you. Just remember, if you’re pissed, don’t take it out on me.”

Ekko was right, Powder was pissed—and she knew exactly who to take it out on.

Vi sped to the lunchroom, hoping to get there as quickly as possible. She had been waiting all day for some clarity on her situation and now she was so close she could almost taste it.

That was—until she heard Powder calling her name from behind. She turned her head slightly, viewing her sister in the distance, slowly barreling closer.

“Vi!” Powder rushed forward, nearly crashing into her before stopping abruptly.

“Where are you in a rush to?”

Vi cleared her throat, slowing her pace.

“I’m just trying to get to the front of the lunch line.”

Powder eyed her suspiciously.

“…Uhuh….You do know the lunch line takes a maximum of 3 minutes to filter out right?…”

Vi shrugged and averted her gaze to the floor. If she let anything slip, her whole mission would go to shit.

“Are you lying to me?”

Vi cursed herself in her head. Why was this happening now? With Powder up her ass, she was never going to be able to go anywhere near Jayce.

“No.” She muttered back, a little too quickly.

Powder forced a grin, her thin fingers possessively wrapping around Vi’s wrist.

“I’ll come with you then.”

‘Well, there goes that plan.’ She thought defeatedly, flashing Powder a smile before trudging towards the lunchroom.

“So what’s up with you and your girlfriend?”

Powder asked nonchalantly. She was popping grapes in her mouth, her chin on the back of her hand and her head tilted to the right.

Vi almost choked on her apple. She had a coughing fit before grabbing her water bottle and taking a good sip. The entirety of her lunch table was looking over in curiosity—except for Ekko who seemed uninterested.

“—What the fuck do you mean ‘girlfriend’?”

Vi scowled, wiping her chin and screwing back on her water bottle cap. Her nerves were bubbling in the pit of her stomach, threatening to expand.

“The Kiramman girl.—Why exactly are you hiding her from us?”

Vi scoffed as her lips morphed into a frown.

“She’s just a friend.” She muttered, looking down at the table. Her leg was bouncing uncontrollably and she could hear her heartbeat in her ears. Damn nerves.

“No way…Vi is friends with a Kiramman? That was not on my bingo card this year.”

Mylo cackled, slapping the table in astonishment. Claggor elbowed him, chastising him under his breath as he glanced at Powder’s face.

She was attempting to keep her composure—she just wasn’t very good at it.

Her hands balled into fists and her smile got thinner. Her sharp nails dug into her skin, the patches of skin surrounding it turning a soft red.

“Vi, if you want to fuck a Piltie bitch, be my guest. Just stop hiding things from me. It’s really pissing me off.”

Vi’s eyes widened with irritation.

“GOD Powder. I’m not fucking anyone—and Caitlyn isn’t a bitch. She’s a good person and a good friend. You need to mind your own fucking business and get your nose out of mine.”

Powder receded, her once accusatory stance reforming into a wounded one.

“Fine.” She choked out, her eyes coated with tears. “Be that way, Sis.”

She got up from the table, grabbed Ekko’s arm, and dragged him away. He seemed to be doing his best to comfort her, miserably failing for the time being.

Claggor and Mylo looked at each other awkwardly, not sure what to say. They finished the rest of their lunch in silence, Vi picking at her hands as she sulked.

The lunch bell rang and Vi got up from her seat, tossing her tray away and stomping out the door. ‘There’s always tomorrow’ she thought to herself, gritting her teeth and sighing.

It was 10 pm and every one of the Lanes kids was in their respective rooms, except for Vi. She couldn’t stand the tension of being alone in a room with Powder at the moment, so she searched for refuge on the living room couch instead. At least video games wouldn’t tell her to fuck off 6 times in a day.

Vander was home today, so he had made the family his signature spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. The food was delicious but the atmosphere was…off. Vander tried to engage in conversation, asking everyone how their day was and what they had been up to. Unfortunately, the table had retreated to an uncomfortable silence after each child’s two-word response.

“Okay, what’s going on?” Vander called out from the kitchen, cleaning a glass from dinner as he gazed at Vi’s direction.

Vi continued mashing her controller, attempting to reach her high score in the platformer she was playing.

“What do you mean?”

Vander huffed in amusement, setting the glass down on the counter and strolling over to the living room. He sat on a tattered armchair on Vi’s left, the chair wheezing out a puff of air as it deflated.

“None of you were acting normal when we ate dinner—or anytime after that.” He massaged his wrists, looking up at Violet with a worried look in his eyes. “I know I don’t have to know about everything going on in your lives, but I don’t want to ignore things when something is clearly wrong.”

Vi gave out a defeated groan, shutting off the TV and throwing her head in her hands, Her pink hair covered the right side of her face, leaving her other vulnerable to Vander’s investigative gaze.

“I met this girl.”

Vander raised an eyebrow, his head perking up.

“Not like that, she’s just a friend. Well…at least she was—“ She trailed off, a frown creeping onto her face.

“What do you mean ‘she was’?…” He questioned, his expression softening.

“I’ll tell you later, okay?—That’s not the point of the story. Powder got…upset—I don’t know why—but she confronted me during lunch. I was already having a pretty shitty day—and she cursed out my friend—so I responded pretty horribly and she stormed off with Ekko. Mylo and Clagg witnessed it, so I assume they’re just trying to avoid an all-out war.”

Vander stared hard at Vi, seemingly contemplating the events his daughter had just described. His head was resting on his knuckles, his relaxed body position contrasting with their tense conversation.

“I think you need to give Powder some space. She’s not used to sharing you with other people.”

Vi frowned, bringing a leg up on the couch. She rested her left arm on it and sighed deeply, the weight of the day melting off her shoulders.

“Look—I know it’s gonna be difficult, but Powder needs to learn that this codependency relationship you lot have going on isn’t going to work.”

His voice was hushed when he spoke, assuring that no eavesdroppers could hear his words. “—And what’s it with this girl? How come she ‘was just a friend’?…”

Vi paused, mulling over what her dad had just said. Was Powder too dependent on her? She hadn’t thought of that. She thought little siblings were supposed to lean on their older ones. She pushed her thoughts aside, she would focus on that later.

Her mind reared back to Caitlyn again—the thought making her feel sick to her stomach as anxiety and guilt churned in it.

“I met her at the beginning of this year.—She’s the police department girl I was telling you about.”

She bit her fingernails as she spoke, the methodic action easing her anxiety a bit.

“We started to hang out more and I thought she was pretty cool…then I realized had a crush on her. We met up Saturday night and she told me some shit she was going through. After I comforted her she kissed me and I kissed her back. It was—really nice.”

Vi pressed her head into her knee, her slight smile from her previous sentence fading as she faced reality.

“—But now she hasn’t texted me since Saturday, and hasn’t been at school for the past few days. I don’t know if she’s okay. Maybe she’s just avoiding me—which is fine but…the ‘not knowing’ part is killing me.”

Vander frowned.

“I’m sorry kiddo.” He stood up from his seat, sitting next to Vi and putting a hand on her shoulder. He squeezed it comfortingly, pulling her close.

“Just give her some time, alright? She’ll come to.”

Vi crumpled into herself. She wanted to follow her father’s advice—she did—but at the same time, she was desperate to know what was up as soon as possible. She leaned on Vander, colliding into his torso. At least she didn’t have to figure this out all by herself.

“Thanks, Dad.”

Vander chuckled, staring into the distance with a grin.

“Of course, Vi.”

Vi was in the hallway when she noticed ‘Science Geek’. A couple of weeks ago, Caitlyn informed her that her best friend, Jayce, had a YouTube channel where he discussed various scientific concepts. Coincidentally, it was the same channel that Powder watched when she was bored at home, having a field day making fun of him as he nerded out.

That was the only reason Vi could recognize him from across the hallway, her eyes lighting up in the process.

“Jayce!” She called out, pushing through a group of girls gathered in the hallway.

Jayce’s head whipped around to the source his name, the sickly boy next to him—which Vi assumed to be the boyfriend that Caitlyn had mentioned—ceasing conversation as he glanced at her curiously.

“What do you want?…” Jayce asked hostilely, his eyebrow raised and his lip curled into a sneer. The boy next to him gave her an icy stare, sending chills down her spine.

“Woah—chill out. I don’t bite.”

She held up her hands slowly, moving out of the way of people walking past.

“I just want to know if Caitlyn’s alright.”

A look of pain flashed on Jayce’s face—not a good sign. He sighed, massaging his temple.

“Wait—are you Vi?”

“…Yeah. Why?”

The girl felt scrutinized as the two men studied her. Jayce’s body tensed, and the other guy was still looking at her funny.

“Shit—okay.”

Jayce looked hesitantly towards the boy beside him. His boyfriend gave him a knowing nod and squeezed his hand.

Vi was standing in front of them stupidly, glaring at Jayce as she crossed her arms.

“Seriously. What? Why are you both staring at me like that?”

Jayce looked her in the eyes. She could feel the atmosphere drop, his demeanor dragging her mood down.

“—Sorry. Caitlyn’s fine.”

Vi eyed him suspiciously, not believing his claim for a second.

“Yeah that’s real convincing…so why the hell hasn’t she been at school?”

His gaze flicked down at his feet, an exasperated sigh escaping his chest. The boy next to him was still holding his hand, giving Vi a pitying look as he glanced at her face.

“She hasn’t been at school—“ He paused, his voice shaky.

“…Because her mother’s dead.” He choked out, his eyes shutting closed.

Chapter Text

Caitlyn woke up to the sun beaming straight in her eyes. She groaned, realizing that she had forgotten to close her curtains.

A pang of panic struck her heart as she groggily glanced at the window. It was bright outside, which meant that she was definitely late for school. She snatched her phone and checked the time. It was 7:50, so if she got dressed in under—

Oh. It was Sunday.

Caitlyn sighed in relief, melting back into her bed and tugging her blankets up to her collarbone. She turned to her side and looked through her phone, scrolling between the 4 photos taken during her adventure with Vi last night. A fuzzy feeling resonated through her chest. It seemed to fill her whole body with warmth…or maybe that was just her duvet.

When a sudden cough escaped her throat, she realized that her throat was extremely parched. Caitlyn had been out all night and had forgotten to drink water, so she decided to head downstairs and get some from her kitchen.

Hopping out of her bed, the girl folded her sheets neatly and fluffed out her pillows. She put her hands on her hips to observe her work, nodding to herself before putting on her slippers and heading downstairs.

As she frowned at the stairs creaking unnecessarily loud under her weight, her attention turned toward the curtains in her living room. They were half open, pure sunlight spilling out on the carpet.

She was about to mentally chastise herself for being so careless about closing them last night when she saw her father, Tobias, sprawled on the couch.

Her father was passed out, an empty bottle of liquor sideways on the floor next to him. His hair was a mess, his greasy white and blue strands a bird's nest atop his head. He looked exhausted, even more than he did while he was working. He would usually be clocked in at the hospital at this time, but Caitlyn assumed that he was just taking a day off for some rest.

She softened her steps down the stairs, careful not to wake him. She began tip-toeing to the kitchen when she heard her name called out from behind her.

“Caitlyn?”

Caitlyn turned on her heel to face her father standing in the doorway. His skin was unusually pale and she noticed that his eyes were tinted red, appearing bloodshot.

“Dad…” Her voice faltered.

She had never seen her father in such a sorry state. At first, she thought that he just had a bad day at work, but this seemed more than just an operation gone wrong.

“…What happened?”

His shoulders slumped as he looked down, his voice barely a whisper.

“Come to the living room Caitlyn, please.”

She followed her father hastily, a million thoughts flashing through her mind all at once. Did he lose his job? Did they lose the house? Did something explode?

She plopped down on her sofa, her mind wandering for just a moment. Her couch was possibly the softest thing she had ever sat on—besides her mattress of course. Her mother had gotten it custom-ordered, the intricate design on the fabric intricately painted by hand.

“Where did you go off to last night?”

Caitlyn froze, her body stiffening. To avoid an hour-long lecture, lying was her only option.

“I left the party early and went home.”

“No, you didn’t.” His voice broke. “Cassandra called Barnaby, and Elizabeth, they both confirmed that you weren’t home.”

Caitlyn sighed, glancing at her slippers. Lying any more would just create more problems.

“Okay, I was out with a friend. I’m sorry.”

Tobias looked at her distantly, his expression unsettled.

“Caitlyn, it was 11 pm. Where were you going at that hour?…”

Caitlyn crossed her arms defensively, looking to the side to avoid his gaze.

“Well, there’s nothing I can do now except apologize. Again, I am sorry. Do you and Mother plan to ground me?”

Her father wiped his face with his hands,
a groan escaping him. Caitlyn watched in uncertainty as tears began to stream down his face. She reached out to console him, but he flicked her hand away.

“Your mother left the party. She went out to look for you, saying she would be back at the house once she had found you.”

A feeling of dread took hold of Caitlyn’s heart, the overwhelming sensation causing her to feel nauseous.

“What are you trying to say?—Is she hurt?”

“Your mother is gone, Caitlyn. They found her dead at Piltover Gardens,”

He shakily gasped for air, grabbing the fabric of his pants so rigidly that his knuckles became white.

“She had heart failure. They wouldn’t let me in the room…they said she…I wish…”

Everything around Caitlyn seemed to freeze in time. She stopped listening to her father, his speech didn’t seem to make much sense regardless. She just sat on her couch, staring at the design on the cushions.

She had always loved her living room. When she was a child, her mother used to have pretend tea parties with her at the coffee table. She would order her signature cup of black tea with a side of biscuits. Caitlyn didn’t realize it then, but Cassandra had used that time to teach Caitlyn proper manners outside of her general classes.

“Sit up straight, always say thank you, sip your drinks quietly, and give polite smiles to your host.” She would say, modeling the described behavior flawlessly.

When Caitlyn was that age, all she yearned for was to be like her parents. Her father was kind, her mother strong. They were her heroes.

Her mother was the one to introduce her to marksmanship. They had been at a gala, and Caitlyn was tremendously bored as always. No kids her age ever attended their events, normally staying at home while their parents mingled. Caitlyn’s appearance was required anyway, as The Kirammans were the hosts for most of their gatherings.

“Caitlyn, stop slouching.” Her mother chastised, frowning in disapproval.

10-year-old Caitlyn reluctantly fixed her posture in her seat, her eyes welling with tears.

“I don’t want to be here. This party has gone on forever…I’m exhausted.”

Cassandra placed her drink on the table in front of her and sat down, giving polite smiles to various patrons as they passed.

“It’s only 7 pm. If the time you went to bed was up to you, you’d stay up ‘till midnight reading our whole library.”

Her mother was undeniably right—Caitlyn was going through a major reading phase. However, her accuracy didn’t change the fact that Caitlyn was still stuck at this idiotic party. She couldn’t even bring a book to read because that is something “impolite” to do while you are hosting.

“Look, I’ll tell you this; If you survive this dreadful function, I will take you to watch me at our shooting range.”

Caitlyn’s icy blue eyes lit up in excitement. She had never been allowed in their private shooting range before, her father claiming it was too dangerous for a young child. All the secrecy behind the area made her want to explore it even more.

She nodded her head instantaneously, making her answer extremely clear before the opportunity slipped away from her.

“Good. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go talk to more insufferable drunk men.”

Caitlyn giggled at her quip, looking up at her admirably. When she was that age, her mother seemed to be the greatest woman in the world.

That was until she realized Cassandra wasn’t as wonderful as she had once believed.

Caitlyn had her first big fight with her mother when she was 12. Cassandra had banned her from ever seeing her best friend again.

Caitlyn thought the notion was absurd, even if the reason was because he accidentally set fire to a building.

Jayce was experimenting with the temperature that cooking oil burned to but hadn’t thought of the fact that the material was highly flammable. Flames spread to his apartment walls almost instantly, charring his belongings a nice shade of black.

Caitlyn was outside his apartment door when it occurred. She was just going to drop off some gifts for his mother. After she knocked on the door, dark smoke began to pour out of the crack at the bottom. In a panic, she opened it.

Once inside, she grabbed a startled Jayce and pulled the fire alarm before sprinting out of the building. Luckily, nobody was hurt—save for Jayce who maintained a few burn scars on his fingers.

“Caitlyn, that boy is clearly dangerous. I know you two have been friends for some time, but I’m sure you can make plenty of others.”

“Mom, could you just listen to me? It was an accident. He just did something stupid—and no one was even hurt.”

Tears welled in the girl’s eyes, desperate for the miracle that her mother would understand her perspective.

“He’s my only friend.”

Cassandra gave her a look of pity. She hated seeing her daughter so anguished, but she stood her ground. Caitlyn needed to learn what was good for her.

“No. I will not have you in danger because of some —childish endearment.”

Caitlyn replied with a huff, stomping away in a fit of rage. She shut the door to her room and sobbed her eyes out, crying until an ungodly hour of the night.

After some time, her mother wandered into her room. As Caitlyn stifled her wails, Cassandra entered the room, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

“Caitlyn my dear, why are you still awake?”

Her daughter pitifully glanced up at her, her thin frame clutching her purple stuffed bunny.

Her mother wandered over, petting the stuffie before sitting down next to her daughter. Caitlyn’s eyes were red and puffy from the intense round of crying she had undergone.

“Jayce is my only real friend. I like him. He’s funny—and smart. I know he can be a bit stupid sometimes, but his heart is in the right place.”

She spoke in between sniffles, wiping her nose with the back of her hand.

“Mom. Please.”

Cassandra stared at her daughter, combing through the girl’s hair with her fingers before pulling her into a hug. She wasn’t a woman easily broken, but she had a soft spot when it came to her family.

“Fine. I’ll allow it.”

Caitlyn looked up at her, the girl’s tear-stained cheeks rising as she smiled hesitantly.

“Really?”

Cassandra sighed, wiping her daughter’s tears from her eyes and squeezing her cheeks. A playful grin appeared on both of their faces, the previous heavy atmosphere floating away.

“Yes, my love. Now, go get some sleep before I regret my decision.”

Caitlyn squirmed out of her mother’s grasp, throwing her covers on and shutting her eyes hurriedly. Her mother placed a kiss on her forehead before strolling to her bedroom light.

“I love you,” Cassandra called out to her daughter as she shut the lights off.

She received no response as the girl was already peacefully asleep, hugging her bunny to her chest as it steadily rose and fell.

“Am I not good enough?” Caitlyn whispered to her mother, staring at the grand structure in front of her.

They had gone to the gardens together after Caitlyn’s 3rd annual shooting competition. She had gotten second place, bested by one shot where she hadn’t hit the bullseye.

“Oh Caitlyn,” Cassandra cooed, kneeling in front of her daughter.

“Whatever do you mean?”

Caitlyn sighed, gripping the edges of the concrete bench she was sitting on.

“I got second place—I’m practically a failure.” She stated bluntly. She glared at her silver trophy, the “#2” next to her name taunting her.

“My love, you are not a failure. You did the best you were able to do, and that’s all that matters. It holds no significance that someone did better than you.”

Caitlyn shook her head and crossed her arms, shivering as a breeze whisked through the air.

“If I didn’t do so terribly, maybe I would have gotten first.”

Cassandra chuckled, getting up to her feet and motioning Caitlyn to join her.

Her daughter unwillingly got up and grabbed her trophy, following her mother to the huge tree in the middle of the park. Caitlyn loved that tree in the spring. It would rain violet petals throughout the season, leaving many for her to collect and put in her scrapbook.

“This tree is your favorite part of the park, correct?”

Caitlyn nodded, unamused.

“It doesn’t look like much now, its leaves and branches all shriveled up; But after winter passes, the tree will bloom in the spring, blossoms of Violets and leaves filling it with life.”

Her daughter raised her eyebrow, not getting the point of her lecture.

“Caitlyn, my daughter, you are my tree. You will bloom into a beautiful young lady one day. It takes time to develop skill, but with the way you’re headed, I am confident that you will be the greatest markswoman in all of Piltover.”

Cassandra turned to her daughter, her eyes scrunching with pride. She got down to her level and cupped her cheek, Caitlyn leaning into her touch.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself my love, springtime will come soon.”

Caitlyn dropped her trophy on the ground, wrapping her mother in a big hug. Cassandra returned it gingerly, placing a hand on the back of her daughter’s head.

They stayed there for what felt like a lifetime, indulging in the shelter of the Piltover Gardens. The sun warmed their skin, the air was perfectly crisp, and the mood was the definition of bliss.

The gardens were the only place where Caitlyn and her mother had never fought.

The Piltover Gardens…

Wait—what did her father say about the gardens?

Caitlyn’s vision became blurry, a single tear dropping to her lap as her brain processed what her father had told her.

It didn’t sound right, it couldn’t be right.

“Where is she? In a hospital room? Can I go see her?”

Tobias stared at her with an injured expression. He took in a deep breath before speaking, attempting to stay calm.

“She’s in the morgue until further arrangements can be made.”

Caitlyn laughed, running her fingers through her hair.

“Dad, I’ve learned my lesson. I won’t sneak off from your parties anymore. Now seriously, where is my mother?” Her voice cracked, seeing her father’s broken posture.

“Please. Stop torturing me like this. I can’t say it again.”

She had finally registered that what he was saying was reality. It wasn’t a sick joke, or some poor attempt to teach her a lesson.

Her mother was dead.

The weight of those words sat on her chest, weighing it down until taking in a breath itself felt far too difficult. She tried to speak, but the only thing that left her mouth was a heartbreaking sob. She folded into herself, tears streaming across her face. She couldn’t think, see, or hear anything.

The only thing filling her brain were those four words repeating over and over again.

She didn’t feel her father hold her, she didn’t feel her nails digging deep into her skin, she didn’t feel herself ripping out her hair.

All she could feel was the agony of her mother being out of her life. There was no going back.

Death is permanent.

She would never see her mother cut another ribbon, pass another bill, or host another event. She would never hear her mother say another speech, hum another song, or give her some advice.

No comforting hugs when she had a bad day, no more sympathy or praise, just the hole that her mother had left.

Caitlyn felt like she was drowning in her thoughts.

It’s as if she was in quicksand and if she moved ever so slightly, she would be swallowed more and more. The problem wasn’t that she didn’t want to go under—she was already under. She just didn’t want to sink so far that she couldn’t see any light.

Caitlyn didn’t know how long she sat there, crying. Her voice was hoarse and her hands were violently shaking when she realized she couldn’t cry anymore. Her father had left sometime before, a small dent in the couch acknowledging his prior presence.

The girl stumbled up her stairs, locking the door to her room before lying on her bed.

It was a perfectly sunny day outside, and Caitlyn hated that. To the average person, it was just an ordinary morning, even though Caitlyn’s world was falling apart. It truly wasn’t fair.

She felt like she was going to vomit, but she hadn’t eaten anything so it wasn’t much of a problem. The girl lay in bed just staring at the ceiling. She thought to herself how crazy it was that her ceiling had seen all of the things in her room all of the time.

She gazed over to her blue dress on the floor. The day prior felt like ages ago, Vi’s laugh and warm embrace far away. It was selfish of her to leave the party, and now she paid the price.

Her mother was dead because of her.

The realization brought forth another round of sobbing, with only her ceiling to watch her.

Caitlyn woke up feeling like shit. She sat up and grabbed her phone, checking the time; It was 4:36 am. She didn’t remember much of yesterday. The week had been a miserable blur. Somewhere in her memory, she saw her father, Elizabeth, and Jayce checking in on her, but she wasn’t sure if that was yesterday or the days before.

It had been 5 days after she had found out her mother was dead. She couldn’t bring herself to cry anymore, her eyes too dry and her body too weak. Her eating habits had just gotten worse. In all honesty, she had just stopped eating entirely, a pile of untouched meals in her trash can on the side of her bed.

She didn’t deserve to eat. Not when she was the reason her mother would never eat again.

The few things going through her mind were feelings of anger, grief, and shame. She had already imagined dozens of alternate scenarios where she didn’t leave the party. Maybe someone could’ve noticed something was wrong, her mother could’ve asked for help, and she could’ve at least been there for her final moments.

But that wasn’t reality. And she hated herself for it.

The last time she had stepped out of her room was Sunday, spending the rest of the week wasting away in bed. Over her time in her room, she found her childhood bunny, who was funnily enough named after her favorite flowers—Violets.

The fucking universe always found a way to cruelly remind her of her mistakes.

Her mother had given her that bunny. It was for her 5th birthday, and she remembered it vividly.

She was sat at a table with her parents on either side. She had already opened a plethora of gifts from family friends and relatives, mostly getting little books and puzzles. Her mother mentioned that she had one more surprise, revealing from behind her back the cutest little bunny stuffie imaginable. It was purple, with extremely soft fur and a cute button nose. She kept it with her for most of her childhood. Violet was a friend who wouldn’t leave.

Caitlyn turned on her side, hugging the bunny close. She felt exhausted, the world fading in and out of focus.

So she went back to sleep.

A soft knock at her door lulled Caitlyn out of her rest, the rhythm seeming to match Elizabeth’s usual pattern. Caitlyn slowly sat up in bed, pulling up her covers to her lap. It seemed to be midday, the sun high in the sky behind her closed curtains.

“Yes?” She called her voice barely a whisper.

“Good afternoon Caitlyn,” Elizabeth replied from the other side of the door, her voice hesitant.

“Your friend is here for you. Should I let her in?”

A ‘friend’ is here for her?

…Who the hell could that be? The only friend that Caitlyn could think of was Jayce, but he stopped by her house the other day. The bouquet he had brought her was still sprawled on the floor; She was too fatigued to take care of flowers. Why would he visit her two times in a row? Who else would come to see her?

Wait.

Her body tensed, a stab of guilt ruminating through her body.

“Her.”

Vi.

Chapter Text

Vi nervously stood outside the grand doors of the Kiramman mansion, her palms slick with sweat. She placed the box she was holding in her other hand, wiping the sweat on her pants. Her nerves were on high alert because hadn’t seen Caitlyn since—well, Saturday night.

She hadn’t visited earlier in the week, concluding that giving the girl some space was best. After all, she had been with Caitlyn on the night of ‘the incident’.

It had been a couple of minutes since she had rung the doorbell, her anxiety increasing as every second passed. She was about to leave when the woman who she thought’s name was Elizabeth opened the door again.

“You may come in, I do apologize for the wait.”

Vi gave the girl a small smile, walking inside.

“Miss. Kiramman should be ready for you in a few minutes. If you don’t mind, you can wait down here or outside her bedroom until she calls you in.” Elizabeth said softly, smiling as she spoke.

“M’kay, thanks,” Vi responded casually, giving a salute before taking off her shoes. She had learned over the last couple of times she had come over that wearing shoes inside their house was a no-go.

Vi traveled upstairs, quietly rehearsing to herself what she was going to say. She definitely shouldn’t ask how her mom’s doing, she shouldn’t ask what happened—she already knows, and she shouldn’t make any bad jokes. This was serious, she reminded herself.

As long as Vi stuck with that, everything should go relatively smoothly.

After a couple of minutes of waiting outside the door of Caitlyn’s bedroom, she heard a voice call out that she could come in. Vi didn’t even recognize the voice, let alone think it was Caitlyn’s; Its hoarseness and lack of life were a dark contrast to Caitlyn’s usual quippy and well-mannered tone.

Vi opened the door, taking in the look of the girl’s room. She had never seen it in such disarray, old laundry in a pile tucked away under Caitlyn’s bed, a mountain of trash overflowing in the corner, and a bouquet of flowers a scattered mess across the floor.

Although that kind of state would be normal for something like Vi and Powder’s room, it was extremely unusual compared to Caitlyn’s typically organized setup.

Then again, her mother just died, so it made sense.

Vi’s gaze traveled up to Caitlyn, her heart sinking to her stomach. The girl looked like she hadn’t slept in weeks, her eyes puffy and sunken. What was even more disturbing was the state of her body; Her collarbones were significantly more visible than usual, and her skin was sickeningly pale.

“Sorry.” The girl muttered, sitting on her bed defeatedly.

“I had meant to clean up more, but I didn’t want to keep you waiting for too long.”

Vi’s gaze softened, sauntering up to Caitlyn. She calculated every movement, worried that if she did anything too careless, it would cause the girl to shatter in front of her.

Caitlyn’s eyes wandered to the box in Vi’s hands, her head turning curiously.

“What’s that?”

Blush crept up Vi’s cheeks as she sat down to face Cait on her bed. She put a hand to the nape of her neck, smiling earnestly as she spoke.

“I bought you something. I saw it in a store window and thought you’d like it.”

She hesitantly opened the box afterward, analyzing Caitlyn’s expression as the girl’s gaze lingered on what was inside.

The box contained a dainty silver bracelet, a simplistic cupcake charm in the middle shining subtlety in the dark room. Caitlyn smiled fondly, pleasantly surprised by the gesture.

“Thank you, Vi. That was very sweet of you.” She murmured, gingerly taking the box and placing it on her bedside table.

An awkward silence fell upon the two girls, both avoiding each other’s gaze.

Vi knew that she probably shouldn’t say anything, but she broke the silence anyway; The rational side of her brain had been on vacation for a while now.

“How have you been….uh…feeling lately?”

After she asked the question, she realized how stupid it sounded.

She wanted to disappear right then and there to save herself from the hole she just dug. Why the fuck did she have to be such a screw-up all the time?

Caitlyn chuckled dryly, hugging her knees.

“To be honest, pretty shit.” She smiled bitterly, digging her nails into her flesh.

“What about you?”

Vi’s eyes lingered on the girl’s fingers, their grip tight on her skin. She frowned, contemplating whether or not she should intervene.

“Been alright I guess. I’ve missed you.”

She gently placed her hand over Caitlyn’s, causing the girl to release her arm from her grasp.

“—A lot, actually.” She added, a sad grin appearing on her face.

Caitlyn stared at the girl in front of her. Vi had been the only person to ask about her. No unnecessary apologies, no self-centered rants, just concern for her. Caitlyn.

Before she could stop them, tears rolled down her cheeks. She attempted, and failed, to conceal the fact that she was crying by hiding her face with her hands.

“Shit—“ Vi muttered under her breath, her eyes widening in concern.

“Cait, please don’t cry.”

She adjusted her position and moved closer to the girl in front of her, wiping away her tears with her thumb. Caitlyn stared into her eyes and moved her knees to the side. She fell forward, collapsing into Vi’s arms.

“—It’s all my fault. Everything is my fault. I—I should’ve stayed, but I didn’t—and now she’s dead. Oh my god, she’s dead.” Caitlyn rambled in between sobs.

A twinge of guilt stabbed her heart. Vi understood that type of feeling well, having her own unfortunate childhood memories. She began to do what she could wish someone had done for her when she was little; Pulling Caitlyn closer and firmly holding her in her grasp.

“You’re okay Cait, let it all out.” She whispered into her hair, her lips grazing the top of her head.

Caitlyn wept into Vi’s chest, her body trembling with every breath. The two girls stayed in that position until Caitlyn’s breathing steadied and her tears came to a stop.

“I’m sorry.” She whimpered, her voice breaking slightly.

Vi pulled back slightly, cupping the girl’s face in her hand. A patch of tears and snot was probably visible on her shirt, but Vi couldn’t care less.

“There is nothing you have to apologize for, you’ve done nothing wrong.”

Caitlyn hummed in response, welcoming her touch. She couldn’t think clearly at the moment, her emotions overwhelming her. Although she hated to admit it, she resented Vi. It wasn’t because of anything she did, but because she was the reason Caitlyn dared to leave that day. Her presence in Caitlyn’s life had inspired her to live her life a little more, although her decision may have just made life worse.

Alas, for the same reason, she loved her. She loved her gentle touch, her consoling words, her comforting presence. It made her feel all the more guilty about her conflicting feelings.

“Cait.”

Vi’s voice broke her out of her thoughts, her tone barely a whisper. She looked into Caitlyn’s eyes. They were filled with a jumble of emotions; Love, anguish, grief.

She continued to speak.

“It wasn’t your fault. It has never been your fault. You couldn’t have done anything to change what had happened, it was a health issue.”

A sob threatened to escape Caitlyn’s mouth, but she restrained herself. She had forgotten about the plethora of news outlets covering her mother’s passing. They were the only reason her mother’s cause of death was available to the public.

It made her sick.

“Maybe if I had done something differently I could’ve—“

“Stop.” Vi interrupted, dropping her hands down to Caitlyn’s arms.

“Don’t torture yourself like that. You’re going to blame yourself for the rest of your life if you keep saying shit like that.”

“I deserve it.” She stated bluntly as her face scrunched up into a pained expression.

Vi sighed softly in response. She could hear the ocean of pain plaguing Caitlyn’s mind.

During the pause in the conversation, Vi noticed the sweater Caitlyn was wearing ran up on her arms ever so slightly, revealing an unsettling array of scratches on her skin. Some seemed new—some seeming older, dried and reformed scabs littering her arms.

Caitlyn followed her gaze, cursing to herself as she pulled down her sleeve.

“Did you do that?” Vi whispered shakily. Her eyes trailed from Caitlyn’s now-covered arm to her eyes.

Big, blue, and terrified.

Caitlyn nervously bit her lip, pulling her arms away from the girl and wrapping them around her torso. There was no denying what Vi had just seen, and no point in lying about it either.

“…Yeah” She replied under her breath. She didn’t look Vi in the eyes, she couldn’t.

“Caitlyn…”

Vi’s voice faltered as she said her name. All Caitlyn could feel was a shame. She hadn’t meant to go that far, originally just absentmindedly scratching her arms while staring off into space in her room. The action had only changed when the burn of her scratching became an escape from her emotions, an escape from her grief, an escape from reality entirely.

Caitlyn mustered up the courage to look at the girl in front of her, only to notice a tear falling down her cheek. Her expression was a mix of understanding and misery.

“You need to get help,” Vi stated firmly.

A scoff escaped Caitlyn’s mouth, her face twisting into a look of disbelief.

“I don’t need ‘help’, Vi. What I need is a fucking parent.” She bit back, her fingers balling into fists.

Vi paused, glancing at the girl in front of her. She looked so small, so anguished, so angry. It killed her inside. Vi had people there for her when her parents died; Powder, her foster parents, and eventually Vander. Caitlyn had no one. She had mentioned that her father used work as his escape, leaving whenever things got bad; That seemed to be what was happening now. Her pain was the result of nobody caring, no one being there for her.

Vi hated that.

Caitlyn looked exhausted, but even more so unwell. It clearly wasn’t good for her to stay in this room alone for the rest of the day. Vi didn’t want to know what would happen if she left her in this state.

Just then, an idea popped into her mind. Vi placed her hands over Caitlyn’s, speaking without thinking.

“Let’s go somewhere.”

Caitlyn huffed, raising an eyebrow with a shocked expression. Her body was still rigid from their previous topic, her shoulders and jaw stiff.

“What are you talking about?”

Vi grasped her hands firmly, a hesitant smile appearing on her face.

“You seem miserable in your house—stuck in your room. Let’s just leave.”

Caitlyn stared at Vi curiously, her eyes drifting from the girl’s face to her hands. She seemed hopeful, exhilarated; Feelings that Caitlyn had thought were impossible to reach through her sea of grief.

She felt a small smile tugging at her lips. Miraculously—this dumbass in front of her was her lifesaver.

“Alright.” She sighed softly, getting up from her bed. She began to stroll towards her wardrobe, presumably looking for a change of clothes.

“I’ll be out in 5.” She called out, giving Vi a grin before disappearing behind a privacy screen.

Vi nodded in response, standing up and making her way to the door. Maybe she hadn’t screwed this up as much as she thought.

Chapter Text

The winter air bit at Caitlyn’s nose, a shiver running down her spine. She had no idea where Vi was taking her, and frankly, she didn’t care. She was just grateful to get out of bed.

Although it was only 6 pm, the sun had already hidden away from the Piltover’s line of sight, the quiet city enveloped in brisk darkness. The girl next to her had her hood on and her hands in her pockets. Streetlights illuminated their faces as they walked, a soft buzzing noise filling the atmosphere.

It was nice to have a breath of fresh air after almost a week of isolation. Caitlyn smiled to herself, making a mental note that she would have to thank Vi properly when she had the energy to do so. Caitlyn’s body felt heavy, most likely from exhaustion, but she pushed the feeling aside; Right now she needed a distraction, and what better distraction than the girl that she was undoubtedly enamored with?

“Almost there,” Vi declared, a grin tugging at her lips.

Abruptly, her face dropped. She seemed to have remembered something important and stopped walking to look up at Caitlyn anxiously.

“—You have socks on…right?”

Unsurprisingly, Caitlyn did have socks on. She hadn’t registered why Vi had asked until they arrived at the long-awaited location. It was a public skating rink.

“Here we are!” Vi exclaimed proudly. A smile flashed upon her face as she walked over to the worker at the skate rental entrance. She turned her shoes in almost automatically, clearly having done this before.

Caitlyn chuckled nervously to herself, biting her lip ever so slightly. Laughing when her nerves were high was a bad habit she developed, especially awkward when she would get into trouble as a child.

She had never properly gone ice skating before. Well—maybe she had when she was little, a faint memory flashing across her mind—but no experience anytime recently. She obviously couldn’t tell Vi that though, she had already gone out of her way to take her there.

Sharply inhaling, she walked up to the rental booth, smiling politely at the boy at the counter. She noticed his nametag at the top corner of his shirt that read ‘Atlas’ in a cute bubble font.

Caitlyn was about to pull out her wallet when Vi put a hand on her shoulder.

“Let me spoil you, babygirl.” She said teasingly, handing her card to Atlas at the register.

“Just put her skates on my credit as well,” She said slyly, winking at Caitlyn before slinking away, her skates adding a couple of inches to her stature.

The girl shook her head, her eyes trailing Vi unamused. What the hell was she on about?

“Excuse me, Miss.”

Caitlyn turned around swiftly, tilting her head as she faced the boy at the counter.

“I’m sorry, I was…distracted. Could you please repeat that?”

Atlas flashed her an understanding smile.

“Of course. I was just going to ask for your shoe size—and if I could take your shoes afterward.”

“Ah. I’m a 6 and a half.” She stated, her face becoming flushed from embarrassment.

Atlas replied with a quick thank you and headed off to the back, searching for the right size of skates. While he did that, Caitlyn nimbly pulled off her boots and brought them up to the counter, mirroring what she had witnessed Vi do a few moments before.

“Here you go.” He chirped, placing a worn pair of skates on the counter and taking her shoes.

“—Also, your friend left her card. Would you mind taking it back for me?”

Caitlyn chuckled at his request.

“Of course.” She responded, gripping the card between her fingers, her skates in her other hand.

‘That doofus’ She muttered under her breath, sitting down to put on the tattered skates. It’s as if Caitlyn summoned Vi to her, the girl beginning to waddle towards her across the seating area floor.

“You need help tying ‘em?” She questioned, plopping down next to Caitlyn with a thud.

Cait looked down at the mess of tangled laces on her skates and nodded, a look of relief glinting across her face. Vi got the laces undone in under a minute, kneeling in front of Caitlyn and slipping them on.

“I feel like Prince Charming right now.” She muttered, lacing up the skates just tight enough.

Caitlyn giggled, looking down at Vi’s face. The girl’s tongue was stuck out to the corner of her mouth, her gaze focused and steady.

“Well—if the shoe fits,” Caitlyn teased, her tone light and airy.

It took a moment for Vi to laugh, not fully getting the joke until after she had tied both skates appropriately.

“You’re funny.” She remarked with a smug expression, pushing herself off the ground with her hands.

Caitlyn looked up at her with an amused grin.

“By the way, you left your card with the guy at the front desk.”

Vi’s eyes widened, lowering her head to face Cait with a stunned expression.

“Oops.” She mumbled, averting her gaze.

Caitlyn chuckled, handing the card to Vi as her grin began to reveal her top teeth.

“Thanks, Cupcake. You saved my ass there huh?” She noted, shoving her card in her back pocket. She attempted to hide how flustered she was at the girl’s cute-ass grin.

Caitlyn shrugged humbly in response, absentmindedly kicking her legs back and forth.

“Now, shall we?”

Vi held out a hand expectantly.

The girl nodded and grasped the hand in front of her, unintentionally crashing into Vi as she yanked her up.

“Woah there,” Vi exclaimed, catching Caitlyn in her arms to stop them both from crashing into the floor. Cait glanced up at her, her face flushing in embarrassment.

“Shit sorry.” She muttered, quickly getting back on her feet.

Vi just let out an entertained huff and grabbed Caitlyn’s hand, leading her to the rink.

The girl’s touch made Caitlyn’s heart flutter, but she didn’t say anything as she was dragged up to the ice. Vi let go of her hand when she stepped in, speeding ahead on the rink.

Caitlyn felt like a fish out of water as she slowly navigated the ice, her legs relentlessly drifting off in different directions.

After Caitlyn’s pathetic attempt to keep up with the people around her, she stepped over to the wall sighing defeatedly. Vi dashed from behind her, spinning to face the discouraged girl. She eyed her suspiciously, her gaze narrowing.

“Have you…ever skated before?”

Caitlyn scoffed, grasping for dear life to the side walls for balance.

“I have! When I was around…5.” She responded, slowly losing confidence in her statement the longer she spoke.

Vi cackled, swiveling over to the pathetic mess of a girl in front of her and grasping onto both of her hands.

“I guess I can show you the ropes.” She announced, giving Caitlyn a half smile.

“So, the first thing you’re going to do is pretend like you’re walking on the ice…”

Vi explained the steps of learning how to skate in great detail, pausing and correcting when necessary. Surprisingly, she was very patient with Caitlyn, even after the girl’s abundance of screw-ups.

What frustrated Caitlyn the most was the amount of times she fell. Her pants were persistently damp because of how often they made contact with the ice. It was chilling her to the bone, her skin clammy and filled with goosebumps.

After an hour of working on it, Caitlyn was finally able to kind of skate on her own. She wasn’t very fast, or the most graceful on the rink—but she was moving! That was an improvement.

“How are you so good at this?…” Caitlyn questioned exasperated, watching as Vi zoomed past her for the 5th time; Caitlyn had only gotten halfway around the rink since the first time Vi had done so.

“Eh.” Vi shrugged her shoulders, putting her hands in her pockets as she skated in front of Caitlyn to face her.

“I dabbled on the hockey team at our school.”

Vi didn’t just ‘dabble’ on the team. She was their team captain from freshman to junior year, only quitting because she had gotten a job recently.

She didn’t feel like telling Caitlyn that, she had already been enough of a show-off for one night.

“Come on, I’ll help you go fast.” She said, spinning next to Caitlyn and grabbing her hand. Caitlyn looked at her cautiously, anxiety written all over her face.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

Vi laughed, intertwining her fingers with Caitlyn’s and gradually speeding up.

“Nope!”

“Jesus!” Caitlyn exclaimed, her balance becoming shaky. They were skating 10x faster than Caitlyn was going a few moments ago, and Vi was still steadily increasing their speed. They raced around the rink, the people beside them blurring together as if they were smudged paintings. Vi’s deep pink hair flowed behind her, whipping in different directions as they made swift turns.

After the initial shock wore off, Caitlyn realized she surprisingly liked going this fast. Maybe it was the way the wind slightly numbed her cheeks. Maybe it was the way the stars looked—unchanging, bright, hopeful. Maybe it was the way Violet held her hand, gentle but firm, causing butterflies to migrate all over Caitlyn’s insides. Or maybe it was a combination of all of those things; She didn’t need to have one reason to savor this moment.

Vi looked back at her, a shit-eating grin all over her face. She could tell Caitlyn was enjoying herself, and was probably flaming her ego for it. Caitlyn squeezed her hand teasingly, causing Vi’s face to flush and turn away.

An unforeseen dip in the ice caused Caitlyn to lose her formerly attained balance. The loss not only sent Caitlyn tumbling down but Vi as well. They crashed into the ice together, with Caitlyn bumping into Vi simultaneously.

Now on the floor, Vi let out a howl of laughter, Caitlyn still dazed from the impact. People skating past them gave curious stares but didn’t say a word to them.

“Cupcake, you’re gonna be the death of me.” She remarked as she wiped the tears pricking at the corner of her eyes. In that moment, Vi looked unburdened by the world, and that made Caitlyn’s heart swell.

“You were the one skating us 100 miles per hour!” She bit back, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Vi effortlessly stood up from the ice, hauling Caitlyn up with her.

“Well maybe if you could keep up, I wouldn’t have to lug you around.” She stated plainly, a small smile hinting that she didn’t actually mean it.

Caitlyn huffed, crossing her arms.

“You’re impossible.” She muttered, a grin threatening to tug at her lips.

“Only for you,” Vi purred with a wink before disappearing, her hands in her pockets as she sped on the ice.

‘That is definitely not safe’ Caitlyn thought to herself, shaking her head before making her way back to the main ring of the rink.

Caitlyn watched her breath dance in the air as she shivered from the frigid temperature. She was huddled next to Vi on a bench with their heads rested together near the skating rink, entirely worn out. Caitlyn had used the last of her energy skating, and the fact that she hadn’t eaten for the past week didn’t help.

“How are you feeling?” Vi asked softly.

Cait looked down, letting out a deep exhale before responding.

“Better. Tired, cold—but better.”

Vi chuckled, taking Caitlyn’s hand and rubbing it gently with her thumb.

“I’m glad.”

Caitlyn smiled at the gesture, the rhythmic movement calming her mind. She wished she could stay in that moment forever; Until she remembered the last time she felt that way.

In a flash, she was repulsed with herself, pulling her hand away from Vi’s grasp. She couldn’t let her guard down again. What if something else happened? What if she somehow became the reason Vi got hurt? She would never be able to forgive herself.

“Sorry.” She muttered, suddenly feeling on edge.

Vi noticed the way Caitlyn’s body tensed up as she slowly began to lean away from her. Vi put her hands back into her lap, staring down at her calloused hands. A pang of guilt hit her heart, but she couldn't exactly pinpoint why.

Caitlyn’s exhaustion was getting to her, clouding her better judgment and letting honesty seep out of her words.

“I’m just scared.” She whispered as she bit her lip. A metallic taste filled her mouth, but she couldn't care less at the moment.

Vi frowned, her eyes scrunching in concern. She could hear the fear in Caitlyn’s words; The girl’s voice trembled when she had said them.

“Scared of what?”

Caitlyn paused. She knew she shouldn't be saying this—she was practically asking for more problems.

But a small voice in her heart was begging her to admit it, just to be free of the weight of carrying it alone. So—against her better judgment, she replied truthfully.

“Of losing you.”

Chapter Text

“Are you sure I’m allowed to just stroll in? Unannounced?”

Vi grinned at Caitlyn’s nervous expression, grabbing her hand reassuringly.

“Don’t worry, My dad’s super chill. Besides, I’ve come home with plenty of girls before—“

She paused, realizing the connotations of her phrase.

“I mean—not that you’re—“

Caitlyn giggled as she looked over to Vi.

“I get what you mean.”

Vi thanked the universe that it was dark outside, the shade concealing the bright red color that her face was turning.

It had been an hour since Caitlyn’s slight breakdown. Vi had wrapped the girl in a tight hug in response. Admitting that she was certainly afraid of losing Caitlyn too.

They remained in their embrace until Vi said something that Caitlyn had been dying to hear her whole life.

‘I’ll never leave you.’

Afterward, Vi had gotten the idea to bring Caitlyn to her house. She insisted, claiming she didn’t want to leave the girl alone. Caitlyn reluctantly agreed, too fatigued to protest.

And so, the Impromptu Sleepover began.

Violet let out a sigh when she noticed the lights were off on her first floor. It implied that Vander was still at work, which meant she had to explain herself in the morning.

She crept up to her front door cautiously, looking around for any sign of nosy neighbors. Gossip spread fast in her tight-knit area.

“Vi. You’re making us look like we’re breaking into your house.”

Vi looked over to Caitlyn and adjusted her suspicious-looking posture.

“Nuh-uh,” She protested, her arms crossed.

Caitlyn narrowed her eyes, inspecting Vi up and down before nodding hesitantly.

“Sure…—Let’s just get inside. It’s freezing.”

Vi scrunched up her face, giving Caitlyn an amused glare before grabbing her keys out of her pocket. She fiddled with the door, turning the handle quietly and gently guiding Caitlyn inside.

“I don’t know if my siblings are asleep yet—“

Vi was interrupted by an influx of light. The two girls squinted, their pupils shrinking from the sudden shift of light intensity. A figure with a towering physique stood at the light switches near the living room, arms crossed impatiently.

“Where the hell have you been?”

Vander looked his daughter up and down, inspecting her thoroughly. His gaze then wandered over to Caitlyn.

“And who is this?” He added, raising an eyebrow.

Vi felt a hint of anxiety bubble in her stomach; It felt like she was getting interrogated.

“Dad, this is Caitlyn. The girl that I hang out with at the library. Caitlyn, this is my dad.—You already know his name.”

Caitlyn looked up at the tall man that Vi said was her father. He looked extremely intimidating, his rugged demeanor causing goosebumps to prickle up Caitlyn’s arms.

“Good evening, Sir.” She declared with a polite smile.

Vi’s father stepped closer to the light, his appearance much less menacing the more illuminated it was. A warm smile appeared on the man’s face, his tense body language slowly dissipating.

“Good evening. It’s nice to meet one of Vi’s friends.”

He turned his head to his daughter, a faint frown forming.

“Now, would you care to tell me why you were out at 10 pm without even calling me?”

Vi shoved her hands into her pockets, shrugging her shoulders defensively.

“I didn’t think it was that serious.” She mumbled as her gaze wandered to the floor.

Vander huffed, clearly unsatisfied with her answer.

“You do realize it isn’t safe for two teenage girls to be walking around the streets at night? What if something had happened to you?”

Vi muttered a response, avoiding looking him in the eyes.

Caitlyn wasn’t paying much attention to their conversation, staring at the man curiously. The girl swore she recognized him from somewhere, she just couldn't think of where she had met him.

When she took another look at his face, it clicked.

“I have your charger.” She blurted out.

Caitlyn immediately regretted thinking out loud as the two individuals in front of her turned their heads almost simultaneously. They had the same quizzical expression on their face—Like father like daughter, she supposed.

“Ah—sorry for interrupting.” She muttered quickly, digging through her purse.

“I just recognized you—You were the man that helped me when I was stranded in the city. I had been carrying your charger around, hoping to run into you, but the opportunity had never presented itself.”

Caitlyn held out the charger, the cord kept in mint condition.

Vander chuckled to himself, grabbing his charger cautiously.

“Huh. I kept telling myself I would have to go out and buy a new one; I guess I don’t need to anymore.”

Vi’s eyes flickered back and forth between her dad and Caitlyn, confusion still plastered on her face.

“Why were you ‘stranded on the street’?…” She asked hesitantly.

Caitlyn glanced over to Vi, an embarrassed blush tinting her features as she spoke.

“Ehm—It was when you had walked out on me during our lunch break.”

Vander shifted his weight and gave Vi a disapproving frown.

“Vi—you bonehead. How could you leave a Piltie alone in The Lanes?”

Vi bit her lip, mumbling a shame-filled sorry before rolling onto her couch in the living room. She looked up at the ceiling and sighed contentedly. It was good to be home.

“Oh—Yeah. Can Caitlyn stay over tonight?”

Caitlyn was still standing awkwardly by the door. The floor mat was a comfortable spot to stay in. It seemed separated from the rest of the house; —It didn’t have the excess weight of fully committing to her plan attached to it.

“Hm…That sounds alright. Do your parents know?” Vander questioned, raising an eyebrow at the girl in front of him.

Caitlyn’s eyes flickered to the floor, a wave of sadness washing over her. She refused to cry right now. Not in front of them.

Inhaling sharply, she answered.

“My father isn’t home right now; He won't mind.”

Vander’s eyes narrowed slightly but he didn’t press further. Instead—he strolled to the kitchen and grabbed a glass, filling it with water.

“Would you like some water?” He called out, grabbing another cup and placing it on the counter.

“That would be lovely,” Caitlyn responded with a well-mannered grin.

Caitlyn examined the rest of the house. It had a cozy feeling attached to it, most of the furniture inside looking tattered and well-loved. A staircase was to the left of her, which she assumed was where Vi and her sibling’s bedrooms were. There were boxes stacked in the corner of the living room for storage, and various pictures framed on the walls.

Caitlyn noticed one by the stairwell and walked closer to inspect it. It was of Vi—when she was probably elementary school age. The girl was wearing boxing gloves that were ten sizes too large for her hands, the ends coming up to her arms. On her face was an adorable toothy grin—with the addition of a missing tooth at the top.

The girl giggled softly at the photo. Vi looked like such a charming little kid.

“What are you laughing at?”

Vi sat up on the couch. She had the same toothy grin as the one preserved in the photo. She noticed what Caitlyn was staring at, and her eyes widened in horror.

“Oh my god—don’t look at that!”

She scrambled over the couch, thumping on the floor before frantically covering the photo from Caitlyn’s line of sight. Her cheeks were red as a tomato, embarrassment written all over her face.

“Why not?… You were so cute.” Caitlyn teased, a smile tugging at her lips.

Violet groaned, dragging Caitlyn into the living room. She plopped herself down in an armchair and sat with her feet planted firmly on the ground.

“My house? My rules.” She grumbled.

Vander scoffed from the kitchen, bringing two glasses of water to both girls.

“Your house?… Who pays the mortgage around here?”

Vi huffed, running her fingers through her hair and taking a chug of her water.

“Whatever.”

Vander tussled her hair and slipped a smirk to Caitlyn, who was sitting down on the sofa.

“You—my dear, can look at as many framed photos as you want.” He declared with a wink.

“I’m going to go check in on the bar,” Vander exclaimed, sauntering towards the front door. “I left Huck in charge so…wish me luck.”

Vi hummed in response. She was still fixing her hair after her dad had messed it up, cursing under her breath as one strand kept turning in the wrong direction.

Vander grabbed a coat and walked out the door, shutting it behind him with a click.

Caitlyn gazed at Vi as she sipped her water. She seemed less animated after her dad left—Caitlyn couldn’t tell if that was a good or bad thing. Abruptly, she felt a pang of guilt for intruding into Vi’s house.

“Thank you for letting me come here,” Caitlyn stated. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if I had just gone home.”

In reality, that statement was half true. The girl had a rough idea of what she would’ve done if she had gone to her house; Moped, cried some more, and then fallen asleep in an eerily silent house—For the 6th time that week. Luckily, that didn’t happen.

“It’s no problem Cait. I know this week has been…rough.” Vi replied softly, giving her a sympathetic smile.

The generally quiet atmosphere was interrupted when stomping came from the vicinity of the stairs.

“Dad, do you know where my charger is? I think I lost it—“

Powder gained sight of the first floor of her house and looked around for Vander, only to see Vi and a familiar blue-haired girl.

She grimaced at the sight of the girl’s face, slowing her pace down the final steps.

“What is she doing here?…” She questioned, a sneer forming on her lips.

Vi bit her lip, letting out a sharp exhale before speaking.

“Caitlyn, this is Powder, my sister. Pow-Pow, this is Caitlyn, my friend.”

Vi emphasized the word ‘friend’ to make the situation apparent.

Caitlyn stood up, walked over to Powder, and stuck her hand out for a handshake.

“It’s nice to meet you. Vi has told me so much about you.” She said with a friendly grin.

Powder swatted her hand away, a disgusted look remaining on her face.

“I know who you are.” She spat bitterly, charging into the girl’s shoulder as she stormed past her.

Before Vi could protest, Powder yanked her sister off the couch and upstairs, leaving Caitlyn alone awkwardly hovering near the living room.

“Ow. Powder, your nails are sharp.” Vi whined as her sister grasped her arm. The young girl released her grip and slammed their bedroom door behind her, a frown on her face.

“Why is that Piltie girl in our house?” She hissed. Powder had spat out the word ‘Piltie’ as if it was venomous.

Vi looked down at her sister, sighing.

“Look, I know you don’t like her, but she’s been having a rough time at home. She’s just staying over for tonight.”

Powder groaned, her hands clenching into fists.

“The whole night?! I want her out. She pisses me off.”

Her eyes were shaky, frantic. Powder seemed to be trembling in her uneasy stance. From anger? From fear? Vi couldn’t tell.

“Powder, it’s just for one night. You won’t have to talk to her—and she’ll be gone by the morning.”

Powder growled, pulling at the short blue hair on her scalp.

“Wh-Why do you even like her so much? She’s not anything special. Just another rich kid in fancy clothing.”

Vi began to inch towards her sister, her hands up in the girl’s line of sight. Powder seemed to be going off into a spiral.

“Powder…” Vi cooed. “Don’t do that to your hair—just calm down.”

“I am calm!” Powder yelled, her voice strained and shaky. Vi stopped in her tracks, worried that getting closer to her sister would escalate the situation.

“I will be fine once she’s gone. Just make her go away—and everything will be alright.” She murmured in between erratic breaths.

“Pow…you know I can’t do that. It’s late—Vander will kill me if I go out no—“

“Don’t you start making excuses Vi…I know you want to replace me with her.” Powder’s eyes widened, staring straight at her sister and giggling bitterly.

“That’s what you’ve been doing all along. Hasn’t it? Just leaving me behind, and I was too stupid to notice.”

Vi dropped down her hands and wrinkled her nose. Powder was having another breakdown, and she had no idea what to do.

“I would never replace you Powder.—I could never. You’re my sister.”

Powder’s upper lip curled, her eyebrows heightened in disgust.

“If she stays in our house…then—you’re proving me right.”

Vi stared at her sister, unable to speak. She wanted to tell Powder how wrong she was, how much she wanted to do what her sister had asked of her. But that would be at Caitlyn’s expense.

Caiglyn was evidently unwell— and to leave her in that enormous house all alone? What if she fainted? What if she hit her head? What if she died? Vi wouldn’t let the girl be in potential danger if she could’ve done something about it.

With all that in mind, she stayed silent. Staring into Powder’s harsh glare.

“I guess that’s my answer.” Powder muttered. Pain leaked through her tone, spilling onto the floor and drowning Vi’s entire being.

“Powder I’m s-“

“Get out.” The girl interrupted, not looking her sister in the eyes. She spoke through gritted teeth, her jaw locking in anguish.

“Just let me-“

“I said—Get. Out!” She howled. Tears fell from her jaw to the ground, but Vi could do nothing but stare as she rushed to the door. She exited her room as quickly as Powder had entered and stared at the floor.

Mylo and Claggor were posted outside the girl’s bedroom, blatantly eavesdropping on their conversation.

“The fuck was that about?” Mylo whispered. He and Claggor wore matching expressions; Their brows furrowed and eyes wide.

“Nothing,” Vi muttered. “Just leave Powder alone, and don’t you dare come downstairs.”

Vi didn’t need any more of her other siblings protesting Caitlyn staying the night.

Mylo opened his mouth to argue back, but Claggor glared at him. Vi was clearly pissed, and defying her would only make things worse.

Vi grumbled a goodnight and stomped down the stairs. She’ll figure that mess out tomorrow.

Caitlyn was sitting on the Lanes family couch, patiently waiting for Violet to return from upstairs. She was rather nervous, having heard arguing from upstairs, but pushed the thought aside in her brain.

The girl heard a thumping down the stairs and turned her head to see Vi at the bottom of the steps. Her lips were pulled into a deep frown, the girl looking significantly more exhausted than she did a few minutes ago.

“Is everything alright?..”

Vi gave her a strained smile in response.

“Yeah, everything’s fine. Powder’s just a little upset with me.”

She made her way over to the couch and sat next to Caitlyn, their shoulders nearly touching.

“Do you mind sleeping on the couch? We don’t have an extra room.”

Caitlyn shook her head softly, shrugging her shoulders.

“I don’t mind. It’s better than the floor.”

Vi chuckled, springing up and walking towards a small closet near the back of the floor.

“Alright. The couch it is.”

Vi grabbed two blankets from the closet in addition to a couple of extra pillows.

Caitlyn stared at the girl, her heart filling with warmth. Vi had gone above and beyond for her today. She had not only gone out of her way to visit her but then went 10 steps further by keeping her company and letting her sleep over without even stopping to think about it. She couldn’t tell if it was the girl’s compassion—or just plain stupidity. Maybe it was a mix of both.

Vi walked over with the bedding she had gathered and tossed Caitlyn the thicker blanket of the two—In addition to three pillows.

“Wait—where are you going to sleep?”

Vi looked at her incredulously as she dropped the rest of the contents in her arms on the ground.

“…On the floor?” She stated hesitantly.

Caitlyn shook her head, a frown forming on her face.

“That’s not fair. It’s alright, I can sleep on the floor. You sleep on the couch.”

Vi laughed at her gesture, sitting on the floor with her legs cross-legged.

“Nah, don’t worry about it Cupcake.—I’m good on the ground.”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes at the ever-occurring nickname, standing up from the couch and kneeling. Vi was the definition of too stubborn for her own good.

“Come on,” She ordered, picking up the fallen pillows and blanket.

“The couch is large enough for the both of us.”

The house was dark as a gentle hum echoed throughout it. Although the arrangement of the girls was quite awkward, both of their bodies squished together on the couch, it was admittedly better than the floor. The two lay back to back, which was the least awkward position to be in when you’re in a compact area with a ‘friend’.

Vi lay quietly behind her. Caitlyn couldn’t even tell if she was awake, and was too afraid of the possibility of waking her up to check.

Luckily, Vi did it for her by breaking the silence.

“Hey, Cait?”

Caitlyn could feel the girl turn over, facing her back as she spoke.

“I know you have a lot going on right now, but I haven’t been able to get this question off my mind. Did our kiss—mean anything to you?”

Caitlyn could feel the heaviness of Vi’s words, and it weighed on her heart like a truck. On one hand, she knew she had put her whole heart into the things she said the previous weekend. Vi was all Caitlyn ever wanted—a wonderful girl with a gorgeous smile who would love her unconditionally. But on the other hand, she was hesitant. They already had something good going. What if she somehow messed it up? Grief is unforgiving—what if she took it out on Vi?

Caitlyn turned over, facing Vi on the couch. She looked sad for a reason that Caitlyn couldn’t quite understand. It made her heart ache.

“I…” Caitlyn trailed off. She didn’t know exactly how to express her emotions right now.

“It’s fine if it didn’t. I mean—it wouldn’t be the first time.”

Vi smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Caitlyn decided that it was better to say anything rather than nothing at all at this moment.

“I liked it. I did—I just…I don’t know how to feel right now. There’s so much happening I—“

“Cait.” Vi interrupted, her powder blue eyes staring directly at the girl in front of her.

“It’s alright. I can wait.”

The sentence registered in Caitlyn’s brain too slowly, the words blurring together strangely. Once she could decode Vi’s statement, a warm smile appeared on Caitlyn’s face.

She was willing to wait for her. Vi was by no means a patient person, and just the same, she wanted to wait for Caitlyn.

Caitlyn smiled, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

“Thank you.” She whispered, taking Vi’s hand and grasping it.

Vi never wanted her to let go.

Vander creaked open the door, cautiously entering his house. He dreaded waking up any of the 5 teenagers sleeping underneath his roof; That would be a disaster.

He took off his boots, setting them to the side when he glanced over to the living room. He noticed a particular girl with pink hair, his daughter, and her aforementioned friend on the couch.

They didn’t seem very ‘friendly’ lying fast asleep wrapped in each other’s arms, but then again, who was an old man like Vander to judge?

Maybe that’s just what teenage girls like to do nowadays.

Placing a blanket over two of them, he whispered a hushed goodnight to the girls before he made his way upstairs.

He smiled to himself, glad that Violet had finally found someone to spend her time with that wasn’t just her family.

This girl, ‘friend’ or not, would be good for her. He hoped.

Chapter Text

Two weeks.

Powder hadn’t said a word to Violet for two fucking weeks. No matter how many times she would try to talk to her in class, at dismissal—even in their shared bedroom. Powder refused to utter a word to her.

Vi had known Caitlyn staying over would have caused some conflict, but nothing like this.

It was exhausting.

When Vi sat at her usual lunch table, Powder would drag Ekko away and run off to who knows where without even saying goodbye. Luckily, last week Caitlyn asked her to sit at her lunch table. Vi eagerly accepted the offer, as Caitlyn’s comforting presence gave her some peace during the current fiasco. Besides, there was also the bonus of hanging out with Jayce and Viktor.

The first day she sat there was awkward—after all, it was Vi’s first conversation with Jayce since he had told her Cait’s mom had died.

Viktor and Caitlyn were talking about some high-level college class they were taking when Vi noticed that Jayce had an entire full-course meal for lunch. It was a steak and salad with a side of chicken. Who needed that much food for lunch?

She gave him a weird look, and he started talking about how he had to reach his protein goals. Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted, Vi’s nervous energy forming into electric excitement. Someone was finally talking about something she enjoyed.

The pair spent the rest of lunch going back and forth about workouts they had done, what worked and what didn’t. They ultimately agreed to be gym buddies, making plans to work out together by the end of the period.

Today was their third daily meetup at the gym. Working out with someone had served as a good distraction from family—and was a great way to maintain Vi’s stellar physique.

After all, she had a girl she was waiting on to impress.

Vi picked up her water bottle and walked over to Jayce. The boy was already getting started by doing some warm-ups on the ground.

“You know—when I first met you, I thought you were kind of an ass.” She said with a shit-eating grin.

Jayce glanced up at her mid-stretch.

“How flattering.” He mumbled, sarcasm seeping from his voice.

“What about now?”

The girl shrugged her shoulders, setting down her water bottle. She fixed her hair and began to stretch next to him.

“Same opinion—I’ve just learned to tolerate it.”

Jayce prevented a smile from appearing on his face as he shook his head.

“You’re funny.”

Vi chuckled, flexing her muscles not-so-subtly.

“That’s why they call me ‘The Jokester’.”

The boy rolled his eyes, getting up from the floor.

“Nobody calls you that.”

Vi shot him a glare, a frown scrunching on her face.

“Whatever…” She mumbled, slowly strolling over to an empty Lat Pull Down machine. Jayce followed her, placing his stuff next to hers and setting up her desired pull weight. They usually alternated when using the machines, keeping track of each other’s forms as they exercised.

“So—How’s Cait doing? I haven’t been able to talk to her much since I’ve been pretty busy.”

Vi rolled back her shoulders, recollecting the past couple of weeks. Caitlyn had been slowly returning to her usual behavior—catching up on her grades unexpectedly quickly. Well, at least it would be unexpected if it were anyone other than Caitlyn. She had also seemed to be mentally improving, Vi finally convincing her to eat at least one meal a day.

“She’s alright.—Better.” She responded, sitting down on the machine.

“It’s kind of cute, she’ll send me photos of her meals every so often to let me know she’s eating.”

Jayce looked up at her, his eyebrow raised quizzically.

“Why wouldn’t she be eating?…”

Vi froze, her previously relaxed stance faltering. Jayce hadn’t known.

“Well—Uhm. Cait has been skipping meals pretty often. I don’t know how long it’s been going on. I’ve just started to notice recently.”

Jayce stopped adjusting the weights, biting his inner lip as his brows furrowed.

“Shit.”

He groaned, nervously running his fingers through his hair.

“She promised she wouldn’t do that anymore.”

Vi looked at him in disbelief, her eyes widening. There was an awkward pause, both parties trying to register what the other had said to them.

“…What do you mean ‘anymore’?” Vi questioned, her voice low and hesitant.

Jayce stood up and sat next to Vi. He didn’t feel like kneeling on the floor for the duration of this conversation. He exhaled deeply, taking in a shaky breath before answering.

“When Cait was around 13, there was this period of time where she’d just refuse to eat. She was unhealthily insecure about her weight. It had morphed into an obsession.”

He gazed at the floor, his words weighing heavy in the air.

“It got so bad she ended up in a hospital, an IV attached and everything.”

Vi stared at him, barely believing the words he was saying. She could tell that Caitlyn didn’t take good care of herself, but she had never expected the girl to take it that far.

Jayce folded into himself, his elbows digging into his thighs as he put his head into his hands.

“Is it bad? How often is she eating? God, how the fuck did I not notice?”

Jayce was spiraling in guilt. Vi put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly.

“Hey—calm down. It’s alright. I’ve had a few conversations with Cait about it, and I can assure you she’s getting better.”

The boy cautiously raised his head, worry still etched on his face.

“Are you sure?”

Vi analyzed his expression. His jaw clenched, and his lips took the shape of a frown. Wrinkles were all over his forehead—his furrowed brows caused him to look aged.

She could tell the boy cared deeply for Caitlyn—and it wasn’t just because of his anxious reaction. Jayce’s voice always had a hint of fondness whenever he talked about the girl.

“I’m sure.” She affirmed, a comforting smile appearing on her face.

It was a Thursday, and the final minutes of the school day were ticking closer. Caitlyn was not ready for it to end. After school was her first volunteer shift at the department after weeks of absence. She hadn’t gone anywhere besides school or her house since her mother had passed. She had only taken the shift because she didn’t want to ruin her good reputation at the station.

The one problem was that the staff was incredibly nosey, and her mother’s death was all over the news.

Hopefully, her coworkers would have some social awareness—and know better than to pry.

At dismissal, Caitlyn saw Violet’s sister and what seemed to be her friend walking on the sidewalk. She watched as Powder’s phone fell out of her pocket and to the ground. She watched as the girl didn’t falter in her conversation. She watched as nobody else around her noticed the scene as the pair walked away.

Vi had told Caitlyn that her little sister did not like her very much. She hadn’t explained why, saying it was ‘complicated’—but had warned her to avoid her at school.

Caitlyn yearned to go to her car, change into her work clothes, and lay in bed for a couple of minutes before her shift. Unfortunately, ignoring what she had just witnessed would make her feel guilty for the rest of the day. And so, against her better judgment, Caitlyn walked over to where it had dropped and picked up the phone.

She dusted it off with her pants and called out to Powder, jogging towards her to return the fallen item.

Powder’s head whipped around mid-conversation as she heard her name. When she recognized who called her, a frown settled on her face. She stopped in her tracks, elbowing her friend in the arm to get his attention before turning around.

“What do you want?” Powder hissed, barring her teeth like a snake with its fangs.

The boy beside her didn’t seem any friendlier, his gaze hostile and hesitant.

Caitlyn held out the girl’s phone, giving her a half smile.

“You dropped your phone.”

Powder narrowed her eyes, snatching her phone from Caitlyn’s hands before inspecting it for visible damage.

“Great. Now I have to wash it when I get home because you touched it. Thanks a lot, Kiramman.”

Powder’s tone was harsh and irritated. The girl spat out Caitlyn’s last name like venom—as if saying the word disgusted her. Caitlyn wasn’t sure what she had done to make her so angry, but maybe being nice would help her case.

“I..uhm—like your skirt. It’s cute.”

Powder rolled her eyes.

“Stop trying to be nice. It won’t change the fact that you fucking brainwashed my sister.”

Caitlyn couldn’t tell if the girl was being serious.

“Excuse me?”

Powder groaned, her hands balling into fists at her sides. Her friend next to her motioned for them to leave, realizing the escalating situation, but Powder ignored him.

“Don’t act stupid. You know what you did.”

The girl was practically fuming, her gaze unfocused, sporadic. Caitlyn was speechless; She didn’t understand what Powder was so upset about.

Her lack of a response only made Powder get angrier.

“SHUT UP.” Powder screeched, glaring at the girl in front of her.

“I—I didn’t say anything.” Caitlyn scoffed, her brows furrowing.

“Smart ass.”

Caitlyn frowned. This girl was just relentlessly insulting her. She was not one for confrontation, but this was just getting ridiculous.

“Would you please stop hurling insults at me?”

Powder groaned in response. She smacked her friend’s hand as he reached out to her arm.

“Not now, Ekko. This girl won’t get what I’m saying through her thick-ass skull.”

Ekko frowned, huffing before walking off in a different direction.

Powder inched closer to Caitlyn, her nostrils flaring.

“Vi’s never home anymore. She doesn’t talk to me—she can’t even look at me in the eyes all because of you.” She spat bitterly.

Powder’s pale face was tinted red, her high anger levels causing blood to rush to her face.

Caitlyn stepped back, growing increasingly irritated with the girl facing her. The girl was blaming Caitlyn for the things that only Powder had caused.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. I have nothing to do with your issues. You’re the one who has been ignoring Vi—not the other way around.”

Powder stood fuming in front of Caitlyn, her breathing heavy and irregular.

“Fuck. You.” She yelled, slapping Caitlyn straight across the face.

A few onlookers gasped quietly, the scene attracting a lot of unwanted attention.

Caitlyn was not expecting a smack from a frail 15-year-old girl to hurt as much as it did. Her ears began to ring from the impact, the sound tickling her brain. She could feel her cheek stinging as the buzz warmed her cold skin. The world was slightly darker than a few seconds prior—she couldn’t tell if it was from the force of the slap or just the shock.

She turned her face towards Powder, tears pricking at her eyes.

“What the fuck.”

Powder exhaled shakily. She had surprised herself as well. She was about to say something when a voice called out from the distance.

“Cait!”

Both girls’ heads turned, watching as Vi and Ekko ran towards the scene. Violet’s breathing was steady as she caught up to them, her gaze alternating between Caitlyn and her sister. Her eyes widened when she noticed the fresh red hand imprint on Caitlyn’s face.

“Powder…did you do this?…”

Caitlyn glanced over to the younger girl. Powder looked terrified, her eyes glassy.

“No—I mean, yes. It doesn’t matter! She deserved it.”

The look on Vi’s face was of unfiltered anger.

“She… ‘deserved’ it? Powder, are you even hearing yourself?”

She walked towards Caitlyn, hesitantly putting a hand on her cheek.

“Are you okay?…” She whispered, her touch stinging the area.

Caitlyn could only nod in response, too frazzled to say anything. Vi turned to Powder, a disappointed frown on her face. She was attempting to stay calm, inhaling deeply before speaking.

“Why would you do something like that Pow?”

Powder scoffed.

“Jeez, you’re acting like I killed her mother or something. I just slapped her—it’s not that deep.”

Caitlyn winced at the mention of her mother, the reality check stabbing in her heart. She had done so well building a facade of normalcy, burying herself in her schoolwork as a distraction. Powder had just destroyed the entirety of her efforts in one simple phrase.

“Powder!” Vi exclaimed as she threw her arms out.

“What is wrong with you?”

Caitlyn stumbled back. She needed to leave. Now.

“Cait? Wait a minute.”

The girl shook her head—she could feel tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

“It’s okay, Vi. I understand. Your psychotic sister has made her opinion of me fairly clear” She hissed, her nails digging into her palms.

“God, Cait. She’s not ‘psychotic’ she just—“

Caitlyn huffed, her eyes flicking to Vi’s face.

“You’re actually defending her?”

Vi stuttered over her words. She attempted to say something, but ultimately ended up staring Caitlyn sympathetically in the eyes.

Her silence was enough of an answer.

Caitlyn clenched her jaw and walked away. She couldn’t think, she couldn’t breathe. The air was suffocating.

“Caitlyn, stop! I’m sorry.” Vi called, running up to her and grabbing her arm.

Caitlyn whipped her head around and turned to Vi, the girl’s eyes sending shivers down her spine. She had once looked at those eyes with such love, such care.

The only look she could give her now was one of disgust.

“Get off of me.” She spat, yanking her arm out of Vi’s grasp.

“I should’ve known this was never going to work.”

Caitlyn stormed to her car, adrenaline pumping through her veins. Her hands were shaking as she clicked the keys and got in. She slammed the door behind her, attempting to breathe in enough oxygen for her body.

Tears poured down her cheeks, sobs escaping her lips before she could contain them. All of the events from the past month came crashing down on her, leaving Caitlyn smothered in all of the grief and anger she had suppressed.

She never made it to her shift, not leaving the parking lot until the sun went down. Tear marks of mascara stained her cheeks as she began to drive away.

There was only one thought on her mind when Caitlyn gazed into her car mirror:

‘I’ve somehow managed to fuck everything up. Again.’

Chapter Text

When Caitlyn was 8, she began to notice her doctor’s frown when she weighed in for yearly appointments.

When Caitlyn was 10, she realized that people would stare more at her body than her face when they spoke to her.

When Caitlyn was 12, she had already heard about a thousand snickers from kids in the hallways. People called her fat, ugly—an eyesore.

The girl had thought she was none of those things. She had thought that they were saying it to spite her. Maybe it was because she was rich or because she was intelligent. Either way, they had only said those things to get under her skin.

She had never thought their insults were accurate to reality.—Until they began to seem like they were.

The hospital was nauseatingly bright all the fucking time. The overhead lights in the hallways were pure white. Even if the staff turned the lights off in her room, a sliver of light would still slither in through the crack in her door. It made Caitlyn want to vomit, but it’s not like she had any food in her to do that.

Beep

The heart rate monitor was driving her insane, the beeping consistently preventing her from getting any rest.

Beep

Every rotation, a nurse would check in on Caitlyn to see if she wanted a meal. And every rotation, she would send the nurse away, insisting that she didn’t want anything. It was baffling how nobody looped them in on why she was stuck in this damned place, to begin with.

Beep

Her parents had found her unconscious in their living room. Apparently, the middle of the carpet wasn’t usually where Caitlyn was resting at 2 pm. She had woken up in a hospital suite with her mother asleep at her bedside. Tear stains ran down the woman’s cheeks, her eyes red and puffy. Caitlyn hadn’t even realized that her mother cared that much.

Beep

Her father explained that she was dangerously underweight for a 13-year-old girl. He detailed why she fainted, hopefully making the situation easier to understand. Her father had failed to realize that Caitlyn understood what had happened quite well. Weeks of consistently not eating can do this shit to you. The risk was obvious, but the reward was imperative.

Beep

When the doctor told Caitlyn that her heart was unfit to handle the stress of not eating, she shrugged. She didn’t care anymore—the only thing that mattered to her at the moment was what she saw in the mirror. She wanted to look pretty. She needed to look pretty.

Beep

Jayce had visited her twice this week. Ironically, he looked worse off than her, his eye bags prominent and his face pale. Ximena explained that the boy was terrified when he learned that Caitlyn had been admitted to the hospital. Caitlyn felt guilty for making her best friend worry so much but tried to explain that what she was doing was necessary. No matter how much she demanded that starving herself was essential, Jayce refused to believe her.

Beep

Caitlyn had checked her phone after being woken up by the monitor. It was 12:08 am. Her throat was parched, her body ached—but she didn’t feel like doing anything about it. She tried drifting back to sleep, but the stupid fucking heart monitor would not shut up.

Beep

She was so close to finally getting some rest.

Beep

Just one more second. One more second of quiet would allow Caitlyn to fall asleep.

Beep

She could feel every molecule of the IV in her arms, pain pulsating from her veins. The wires attached to her body itched at her skin. All she wanted to do was go home.

Beep

She hated her father for not noticing. She hated her mother for not caring. She hated this hospital. She hated this private suite. She hated this goddamn heart monitor.

Beep

A scream escaped her lips before she could stop it.

Beep

Beep

Beep

Caitlyn’s alarm for school was going off. She grabbed her phone, tapping the stop button before throwing it across her bed. It wasn’t like she was going to school today.

Her father wouldn’t notice—or care, for that matter.

The back of her head was pounding, the pain intensifying whenever she craned her neck. Just how long was she sobbing for last night?

Caitlyn had realized far too late yesterday in the evening how badly she had screwed up. She messed up her only chance at being happy. Vi had never faltered—never backed down when things got dark. She was the only person to check in on her consistently, genuinely asking her how she felt. All Caitlyn repaid her with was hatred. A hatred that never should have been directed at Powder or Vi—but herself. Caitlyn was the individual at fault for her mother’s death. She was the person who was taking Vi away from her sister. She was the idiot who had called a child psychotic.

There must be something wrong with her.

During her overthinking in the previous night, she broke into tears. It was pathetic to admit that she had sobbed so hard that she vomited, her pristine bathroom floors tainted with her stomach contents. She was still crying as she cleaned it up, the chemicals making her eyes redder and breathing more difficult to achieve.

She had passed out on her bed sometime after that, her body exhausted from the day prior.

‘If only Vi were here.’ Caitlyn thought to herself, her nails digging into her skin. That’s what she always thought nowadays. She had become reliant on her, like a child to their mother. Or, at least in this situation, a parasite to its host.

She could still taste the bile in her mouth—it was repulsive. She had to get up from her bed to wash it out, which was a challenge alone.

Caitlyn peeled herself off her mattress, her hair sticking to her skin. It was all greasy because she hadn’t had the motivation or time to wash it. It felt disgusting. A wave of nausea hit the girl as she stood up. Her body seemed to hate her, it was shutting down all too quickly.—Maybe she deserved it.

Caitlyn started walking to her bathroom, gazing around at the state of her bedroom. She tried to clean it up over the past two weeks. Vi had come over a few times to assist with the strenuous task.

She doubted the cleanliness would last much longer.

The cold bathroom tiles stung her skin as she flicked on the lights in the room. She didn’t have many mirrors in her room, except for one on her vanity and the one covering her bathroom wall.

Caitlyn didn’t like mirrors.

They reminded her that people had to see her face, her body. It made her cringe.

She couldn’t recall what she had gone into her bathroom for. She was too distracted by her reflection in the mirror. Every imperfection screamed at her through the glass, pleading to disappear. The only action she could take currently was to stare at them. Stare at them and simmer in self-loathing.

She needed to get out of there.

Caitlyn stumbled out of her bathroom, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She couldn’t even handle the sight of her reflection—how pitiful could she be?

The girl collapsed on her bed, staring at her bunny plush. She hadn’t put it away, too afraid to be completely alone at night.

Her hands drifted to its ears. The fabric was still remarkably soft, even after years of washes. She smiled to herself. Violet was the only friend who never left her.

If only Caitlyn hadn’t messed up so badly with the person named Violet. Maybe she could’ve been the second friend who never left her.

Her colossal room made her feel so small—so lonely. She couldn’t stand it. Loneliness was possibly the worst feeling in the world. That, and regret. Both feelings that Caitlyn was experiencing heavily at this very moment. It was impossible to think of anything else—as if her brain was trying to sabotage itself.

If she wasn’t feeling regret towards what happened with her mother, it was regret about what she did to Vi. If it wasn’t regret about what she did to Vi, it was regret about how she looked. It was an infinite loop of sadness and anger. She was suffocating in her own fabricated self-pity. She couldn’t stop the feeling from restricting her further.

Why did she have to walk away that day? What had possessed her to walk away from her mother? What had possessed her to walk away from Vi? Why is she so helplessly stubborn that she always walks away from people who care for her?

The only common denominator in all these problems was Caitlyn. No matter what she did—no matter how hard she tried to think things through, she always made the wrong decision.

She was a failure—a screw-up—all the things she had feared to become.

Nobody was even there for her to tell. The weight of the world would stay on her shoulders for eternity because the people who loved her either left or couldn’t care less. Her father was too busy drowning himself in work and alcohol to realize that his daughter needed him. Her best friend was too busy with things more important than her;
School, and his boyfriend. She had driven her mother to her death and her one and only other friend away.

Caitlyn had no one, nothing.

The feeling clawed at her heart and her lungs—scraping against all of her insides. She hadn’t even realized she was crying until she felt her bedsheets damp across her skin. Her vision was blurry with tears—she couldn’t fully breathe through her nose.

‘She didn’t deserve to breathe.’

The belief that had just popped into her brain made her frown.

Did she deserve to breathe?

Every person by birth has designated the right to breathe. They should be—Everyone’s a blank slate when they’re born.

But what about now?

Caitlyn had caused so much pain to the people around her. Now, she wasn’t sure if the answer to that question was as straightforward as it should have been. Do your actions make it justifiable to take away your right to breathe?

Well, of course, that’s how it worked. People had gotten the death sentence before, generally for crimes so unspeakable that it was for the greater good. The real question was: Would Caitlyn’s death be for the greater good?

She sat upright, gripping her sheets. What was she thinking? She didn’t have a difficult enough life to have thoughts like that.

She had a loving family.

She had a loving family until it all fell apart.

She had friends at school.

She had friends at school until she pushed them away.

She had good grades.

She had good grades until they began to slip.

She had all the things she could ever need.

Except for any form of comfort because she had ruined that too.

The voice in her head had just disproved the entirety of her positive points.

Was she ever really made to live past high school? She had cheated death at 13 only because her parents could afford the most prestigious of doctors. Maybe she should’ve just died right then and there.

Maybe if she had—her mother would still be alive today.

What if she was just a curse? A jinx to the people around her?

If that truly was the case, Caitlyn needed to get rid of it. Permanently. There was no telling what she could cause next.

Another death?

Another tragedy?

Who knows?

She wouldn’t allow that to happen.

Her brain formulated a plan—but it would need to occur after their house staff had left. Caitlyn wasn’t worthy of them attempting to save her.

Caitlyn had always wondered what people experienced after death. Was there a heaven? Another afterlife that your soul would travel to?—Or would it be more like falling asleep? The darkness surrounding you as you faded out of consciousness?

Caitlyn would like to think that death was like the end credits to an old movie. You would sit down and watch the best scenes from your life, reminiscing those memories before your soul fades to who knows where. Another nice thought was that death was an area where everybody who had died appeared. It didn’t matter if they were good or bad in their life—death was their fresh start. It would be a place where there was no conflict, no wars, and no poverty.

Her scariest interpretation of death was that after you died—it was just nothing. A ‘nothing’ incomprehensible to the human mind. Not darkness, not silence—not numbness. Death could be pure, unfiltered ‘nothing’

She hoped that death wasn’t like that.

That sounded terrifying.

Caitlyn watched as Elizabeth’s car rolled away. She had hugged the woman before she had left. She couldn’t tell if it was more for Elizabeth or herself.

Over the years, ending her life had crossed Caitlyn’s mind about a thousand times. She had never acted on it, always finding some obscure reason not to. Except—now there were none left for her to search for. Jayce would be fine without her—he had never really needed her to begin with. Her father had his work to distract him—he was already doing that anyway. And Vi—

Well—she wasn’t sure if Vi would even look her in the eyes anymore. Caitlyn had acted like such a bitch—she wouldn’t be surprised if Vi had hated her by now.

Either way, she had written a letter for each of them. They were the only people in her life that she thought had genuinely cared for her, so if they wondered why she did it, they would at least have an explanation.

She placed each envelope on her counter, spacing them out evenly. They had each of the recipient's names written out neatly in cursive. Caitlyn had loved to practice calligraphy as a child.

Caitlyn grabbed her handgun from her gun cabinet, the metal cool on her skin. The custom pistol had been her baby for the past few years. She had gotten it for her 13th birthday to practice her aim until she was advanced enough for a shooting rifle. She had practically exploded with excitement when she first saw it.

It was ironic how something that had once brought her so much joy was now about to end her life.

She decided to go through with her plan in her bathroom. She didn’t want to die outside and get eaten by scavengers—besides, the bathroom was an inconspicuous area to have the door locked. Earlier that day, she had been sure to clear the area—so the blood splatter would only get on things easily washable.

Caitlyn’s heart was pounding in her ears, her hands shaking from the pure adrenaline in her body. After checking if the gun was loaded, she took a deep breath.

Was she sure of this? Not entirely. She could be wrong about causing anything awful to happen in the future.—It was also plausible that her life would’ve worked out after a few years.

But then again, what did she have to gain from living? Caitlyn’s future with the police force was in disrepair. She hadn’t gone to a volunteer shift in an unbelievable amount of time. Her only other job options would be soulless, either behind a desk or taking her mother’s place in politics.

She hated politics.

The benefits outweighed the drawbacks. So what if Caitlyn died? People die every single day. It’s completely normal to die. She was going to eventually. If anything, she’s just speeding up the process. Caitlyn was facing the inevitable head-on.

She closed her eyes, raising the gun to her head. The object was relatively heavy, the weight bringing a feeling of comfort to the grim situation.

Caitlyn thought back to her parents. They had tried their best to raise her, even through their shortcomings. She thought back to Jayce. She hoped that the boy would find happiness with Viktor—and that they would achieve something great together one day. She thought back to Vi. She prayed that—eventually, the girl could forgive her.

She had sincerely loved Violet Lanes.

She just realized it too late.

Her finger was on the trigger, her body trembling. Tears were streaming down her face and dripping onto the hard tiles—she didn’t bother to wipe them away. It didn’t matter at this point.

She closed her eyes and braced herself, counting down from 10.

10…

9…

8…

7…

The doorbell rang. It made Caitlyn jump, interrupting her out of her countdown.

“Shit.” She muttered under her breath.

It was probably just some junk mail or something.

She restarted her countdown.

10…

The doorbell rang again.

What the fuck was wrong with this postal worker? Does nobody leave packages in the mailbox anymore?

Caitlyn waited for a few seconds, listening for another ring, but the individual at the door seemed to have left.

Finally, she could finish in peace. Taking a deep breath, she restarted her counting.

10…

9…

8…

7…

6…

The doorbell rang 3 times consecutively.

Caitlyn groaned, throwing her handgun to the floor in frustration. She couldn’t even try to kill herself without something going wrong.

Unfortunately for her, whoever was at the door was not a damn postal worker.

“Probably just some shitty loiterers.” She grumbled under her breath—stomping out of her room and down the stairs. She was about to press the call button for the outside gate when she realized nobody was there. The person ringing the bell was directly outside her front door.

Who the fuck would be insane enough to hop over the gate?

It wasn’t her father, or Jayce for that matter—they both had spare keys and would’ve just walked in by now. Maybe it was Elizabeth? Had she forgotten her keys at home?

Caitlyn walked over to the door, keeping her composure. If it were Elizabeth, she would hand her the keys quickly and turn her away.

If it was somebody else?… She’d figure it out.

She unlocked the door handle, her voice hoarse. She was too irritated and exhausted to put on a fake smile.

“What do you need—“

She stopped in her tracks as she recognized the person before her. The girl’s pink hair seemed unkempt and frazzled, her skin gleaming in the moonlight. She frowned as she saw Caitlyn’s state, a look of concern appearing on her face.

“Cait…”

Everything around Caitlyn crashed into itself. Her thoughts all turned to mush, her insides melting into a stew. She couldn’t utter a word, staring dumbfounded at the girl at her front door.

She had thought she would never see Vi again.

Instead of saying anything, a tear rolled down her cheek. She collapsed into Vi’s arms, her body being the only thing tying Caitlyn to reality.

Chapter Text

A feeling of dread had plagued Vi’s mind for days now, and what just happened yesterday only affirmed it.

She had been strolling home with her headphones on—the breeze had made it the perfect weather to walk. Out of nowhere, Ekko came running over to her. He sputtered frantically about how Powder and “Vi’s Girlfriend” were fighting. Although Caitlyn wasn’t her girlfriend, Vi quickly realized who he was talking about.

When she had rushed over, the first thing Violet felt was pure rage towards Powder. It made sense; The girl had slapped Caitlyn for seemingly no reason. The situation began to escalate further when Caitlyn got more upset and called her sister ‘Psychotic’; Vi didn’t know what to do in that situation.

The main problem was—that Violet didn’t feel a sliver of anger towards Caitlyn after she said that. She should have—but she just couldn’t.

The realization made her feel frightened.

Still—Violet refused to show how she really felt. Vulnerability was not one of the girl’s strong points.

Unfortunately, Vi’s stubbornness only caused more problems. She ended up with both girls infuriated and had to walk home with a ticking time bomb. Ekko had attempted to talk to Jinx, but the girl didn’t even want to look at him. If Ekko couldn’t calm her down, there was no saving the situation.

Powder spent the rest of the day in her room doing who knows what—and Vi slept on the couch. She had tried texting Cait to apologize—but gave up on a response after checking for the 100th time at 2 am.

Now Vi was stuck with two of her favorite people livid with her.

When Vi went to school the next day, she noticed that Caitlyn hadn’t been in class. It sent a spike of worry down her spine.

She tried to get that stupid girl off her mind, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t. The only thing occupying her brain were those icy blue eyes that had stabbed straight through her heart the day before.

Those words Caitlyn had spoken that shattered Vi’s soul;

“I should’ve known this was never going to work.”

All of yesterday, Vi had tried so hard not to sob. She had succeeded, but only temporarily because now the pain was too much for her to shoulder alone. She needed to get it off her chest somehow, or she would lose her fucking mind.

The last time Violet had ‘exploded’, a drunk man at Vander’s bar had gotten his nose bashed in. The aftermath was less than preferable, with Vander giving her a long lecture as he tended to her knuckles.

No matter how many times she roughed up her face, got fucked up in bruises, or littered with cuts, Vander was always there to patch her up. His actions were a wordless vow he had made to his daughter—that he would care for her even in her lowest moments.

That was the case currently, the man in front of her tending to her battered knuckles.

“How’d you get these?” He questioned wearily, picking up her hands cautiously.

Vi shrugged, biting her lip as her father began to dab the bloody mess with disinfectant.

“I was punching a brick wall and didn’t realize how hard I was hitting it.”

Her father looked her in the eyes as he raised an eyebrow, clearly expecting further context.

“It’s nothing.” She huffed, averting the man’s sharp stare.

Vander shook his head, looking at his daughter with a hint of concern. It was clear from his expression that he knew that there was more going on than just ‘nothing.’

He sighed, continuing to disinfect her wounds—the same way he had done it hundreds of times before.

“Vi, what have I told you about doing shit like this? You can’t punch away your problems, kid. You’re just hurting yourself.”

A sting of pain shot up Vi’s arm, making her wince as her eyes remained glued to the floor. She didn’t want to respond, fearing she might let her real emotions slip out of her firm grasp.

Vander took out a roll of bandages, carefully wrapping them around his daughter’s right hand. His grip was firm but gentle, making sure to maintain a consistent tension with the gauze. Her father’s care for her almost sent Violet over the edge—her emotional state was beyond repair at this point.

“So, are you gonna tell me what’s up? Or do I oughta squeeze it outta Powder?”

Violet was stunned by the confrontational question, grimacing at the mention of her sister’s name. She didn’t want to discuss this right now, but it was certain that Vander talking to Powder about it would make everything a thousand times worse.

“I…messed up.” The girl grumbled, flexing her freshly wrapped right hand. Her knuckles buzzed slightly from the motion. She didn’t mind. Her hands usually felt numb after she punched something.

“How did you ‘mess up’?” He probed as he moved onto her left hand.

Vi folded into herself, her posture making her seem smaller than before. Vander was one of the only people allowed to see Vi with her walls down.

He was her father after all.

“Powder slapped Caitlyn and I…I didn’t say anything.”

Vander stopped bandaging her hand and met Violet’s eyes. His expression was one of disbelief—as well as disappointment. The man’s first impression of Caitlyn was nothing but pleasant—what could she have possibly done to deserve a slap from Powder?

“Well, why the hell did Powder slap her?” He muttered with his brows furrowed.

“I don’t know! I haven’t spoken to Pow since. She’s been ignoring me.”

It was unusual for Powder to go a day without speaking to Vi unless she was enraged about something. That only made Vander more intrigued—and concerned.

“How did your friend react to your lack of action?”

His tone was soft, making sure to avoid sounding accusatory. He didn’t want to scare off Vi with an interrogation. Violet huffed, looking back to the floor as she clenched her jaw. She had been trying so hard not to cry it hurt.

“Cait was royally pissed. She stormed off to her car. I waited to see if she’d come back, but she never left the parking lot. It was weird.”

Vander frowned, finishing the bandages on Vi’s left arm. Vi’s voice sounded tired—broken. The poor thing had just argued with two people she cared immensely about. No wonder she fucked up her knuckles so much.

Vander held his hands out, motioning for his daughter to come to him. Violet looked at her father, really looked at him, and saw no judgment in his eyes. All she saw was love.

Vi barreled towards Vander, semi-knocking the wind out of him in the impact. She started to break down, finally letting all her emotions topple off her shoulders.

“Dad…she broke my heart.—I didn’t even feel mad at her…” Vi admitted in between sobs. Vander’s hands rubbed circles around her back, his head nodding in response.

“I know Kid, I know.”

Vi didn’t care when Mylo and Claggor peeked out to see what she was crying about. It didn’t matter. She was tired of being strong. Tired of bottling up her emotions just for other people. It was exhausting, slowly sucking years off her life. The girl gratefully accepted Vander’s warm embrace, comforting words, and caring presence.

Finally, she had a moment where she didn’t have to pretend she was invincible. Violet could just be herself—a teenage girl dealing with a lot of shit.

“Hey, Kiddo?”

Vander murmured to his daughter, who remained coddled in his arms.

“Yeah?” Vi croaked out. Her voice was still incredibly hoarse from sobbing for who knows how long.

“Do you…think you love her?” He asked hesitantly.

Vi looked up to her father with a confused expression.

“Of course I do. Powder’s my sister. I’ll always love her.” She responded adamantly.

Vander chuckled, ruffling his daughter’s hair with a grin.

“Not Powder—Caitlyn.”

Vi stared at him blankly—her brain attempting (and failing) to register what Vander had asked. She finally understood almost a full minute after he had said Caitlyn’s name. It sent her down a rabbit hole.

Did Violet love Caitlyn?

She obviously liked the girl—for God’s sake, she had kissed her. But love was an entirely different story. Loving someone doesn’t just come from fuzzy feelings and fleeting moments. Loving a person comes from your soul. It was a privilege reserved for your family, a select amount friends, and possibly another individual. The only individual that came to mind when Vi thought that was a certain blue-eyed dork.

Shit. Vander asked a good question.

At first, she thought to refute the idea entirely. There was no way she loved Caitlyn Kiramman. There were so many things just plain wrong about that statement. Vi had dated plenty of girls before—Vi and Caitlyn hadn’t dated at all.

How could she love someone who she had barely even known?

She began to think about Caitlyn’s laugh, her smile that was so infectious that it hurt. The girl’s compassionate words and patient demeanor. Her capacity to understand—and her willingness to listen. Vi recalled the little details about Cait. The adorable tooth gap when she grinned, the one strand of hair she always had to tuck behind her ear, and the way her nose scrunched when she smirked.

Did Violet love Caitlyn?

Vander chuckled, wiping a tear resting on Vi’s cheek.

“I assume that’s a yes.” He concluded with a grin.

Violet’s cheeks flushed, her eyes widening.

“—I don’t know. Why does it even matter anyway?” She grumbled, averting Vander’s knowing stare.

Her father’s grin widened, his gruff hands holding Violet’s face.

“Because I wanted to tell you to go for it. Go apologize, talk it out, and tell Caitlyn how you feel.”

Vi looked up to meet Vander’s gaze. His face scrunched into a fond smile, his eyes glimmering.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I’ll be proud of you either way. Just remember, I’m always here for you Kiddo.”

Vi nodded, giving Vander one more squeeze
before rushing towards her front door. His encouragement boosted her motivation like a spark to a flame. She threw on a sweater and slipped on her shoes hurriedly. Although there was no real reason to rush, a voice in her head insisted that she needed to do this.

Immediately.

Powder was curled up on her bed when she heard a knock on the door. Assuming it was her bitch-ass sister, she bared her teeth.

“Go away, Vi.” She growled, her hands clenching into fists.

“It’s not Vi—it’s Vander.”

Her expression softened, her body slowly losing its previous tense demeanor. She hadn’t had a conversation with Vander in a couple of days. He had been busy with the bar, and Powder had been busy hiding in her room. Her father never knocked on her door like this if Vi wasn’t around. It was a bit jarring to think that he came for her.

“Come in.” She muttered.

Vander opened the door softly, closing it behind him so that his nosy sons wouldn’t eavesdrop. He knew the thin walls wouldn’t stop them from hearing the conversation—they would at least provide a sense of privacy. He walked over to Powder’s bed, sitting on the mattress a few feet from the frail girl.

Powder looked up at him expectantly, unmoving from her position. Her spot was too comfortable to move from right now—and it’s not like she had the energy or willpower to either.

“What’s up, Dad?”

He glanced at his daughter. She looked tired—more so than usual. Powder hadn’t had an easy life, and her mental health challenges only became more and more visible as she got older. In all seriousness, it worried him.

“Hey Pow. I wanted to talk to you about something.”

The girl’s eyes narrowed, turning to face her father on the bed. What would Vander have to talk to her about? Did she do something? What in the world had she—

Oh.

Shit.

“Look—Dad. It’s not my fault she—“

Vander held out a hand, motioning for her to pause. Now was not the right time to bring that situation up.

He sighed, not sure how to put what he planned to say. Touchy subject matters caused difficult conversations. Vander was not a huge fan of difficult chats, especially if they involved people he cared about.

“Powder—I’m going to look into getting you psychological help.”

His daughter froze, her breath hitching.

“I know you think I’m oblivious to your actions, but I’m not stupid. I’ve noticed your refusal to wear short sleeves even when it’s melting outside. I’ve seen your lack of energy and decreasing patience with the world.” He paused, inhaling sharply.

“I idiotically thought that it would disappear one day. I had even convinced myself that I was imagining things. But it didn’t disappear, and I wasn’t imagining one bit of it. I’m so sorry that I’ve let you get to this point. I have failed you as a father.”

Vander’s voice was shaky by the time he had finished, his knuckles white from the tension of him clenching them. His blatant mistakes had been eating him from the inside. How could he have been so stupid? He had paid so much attention to the bar that he neglected his own daughter’s decreasing mental state. He hadn’t just failed Powder, but Vi as well. The poor girl practically raised her younger sister and herself—all Vander had done was provide them with a roof over their heads.

Powder looked up at him, a pained expression on her face. She slowly got up and hugged her knees, fear and guilt clouding her brain. The concoction swirled into chaos, leaving the girl a crying mess.

“I…thought you wouldn’t notice. I thought you wouldn’t care.”

Powder’s words shattered the man’s heart. Tears were flowing down his cheeks before he could even register it.

His daughter looked at him in utter shock—she hadn’t seen him cry in years.

“How could you ever think that? Powder. You—you kids are my world.”

The sight of her dad crying made tears stream faster down her face. Vander wrapped Powder in a hug, years of unresolved conflict finally catching up to them. The man wasn’t one to shed tears over most things, but the fact that his daughter had thought he wouldn’t care about her deteriorating mental state was something even he couldn’t stomach.

“I will always care about you Powder. Everything you do, good or bad—hurtful or helpful.”

He held his daughter tightly, fearing that if he loosened his grasp, she would shatter in his arms. He knew that he should be talking to her about the whole process of getting a professional. He knew that he should be researching it. He knew he should be working through the eventual bill situation—and then planning his schedule.

But just for this moment, he allowed himself to ignore everything else. His daughter was the only thing that mattered now, and Vander would ensure that Powder knew that wholeheartedly.

Chapter Text

Something felt very wrong. Violet couldn’t pinpoint exactly why she felt that way—but the thought tremored through her bones. After a missed bus, five taxis zooming past her, and an embarrassing amount of wrong turns, Vi finally got to Caitlyn’s house at around 8 pm. The mansion was pitch black except for a faint ray of light shimmering from Caitlyn’s room.

The whole scene looked ominous as fuck.

Vi was debating whether to ring the front gate— but inevitably decided to jump the fence.

It couldn’t be that hard.

Jumping the fence was, in fact—hard. Vi was panting on the other side, her whole body shaking. She had tried to squeeze through the gate at first but quickly realized it wasn’t humanly possible. The girl then attempted to reach and pull herself up from the top bar, but even at a height of 5’8, it was no use. She had managed to pull herself up onto the concrete pillars attached to the fence and promptly flopped over it. The sudden impact of her body hitting the ground sent a ripple of pain up her spine.

The lengths she’d go to for this girl were insane.

Violet scrambled to her feet, hurriedly fixing her hair before running up to the doorstep and ringing the bell. She checked if Cait had seen her text about stopping by her house.

She hadn’t.

The girl sighed, shoving her phone in her pocket and tapping her foot on the ground. Was it that difficult to hurry up and answer the door? Caitlyn was clearly there; Her room light was on, and her car sat parked in the driveway.

Vi rang the doorbell again, crossing her arms to stop herself from anxiously picking at her nails. It was a bad habit that she’d been desperate to nip in the bud for a while.

Caitlyn’s absence made Vi’s nerves increase tenfold. She had wanted to apologize—maybe even tell the girl how she truly felt. But after standing outside for 5 minutes, all she wanted to do was run away.

It wouldn’t have been the first time Violet ran away from her problems. She ran away from almost everything in her life; Her emotions—family, even past relationships. It never ended well—usually having similar consequences to the situation she was in now. Vi somehow managed to make everyone pissed at her, no matter what she did.

‘This time will be different.’ She reminded herself. Her conversation with Vander had given her a much-needed confidence boost in her ability to change. Violet was not going to run away this time—she was going to face her mistakes. She had to. Not just for herself—but equally as much for Caitlyn.

Cait deserved better than a half-assed apology; If she would only open this damn door.

“Caitlyn?” Vi called out, knocking firmly.

No answer.

She was getting increasingly impatient and had to restrain herself from entirely breaking down the Kiramman’s front doors. Instead, Vi rang the doorbell three times with not a second between them. If this didn’t work, her only alternative options were to break in or leave—neither of which sounded like something she’d like to do.

Just as she was about to ring the bell a fourth time, the doors swung open. A familiar voice could be heard from the other side as an exhausted figure stepped out to the cold.

Caitlyn looked shocked to see Vi standing in front of her, and Vi had a similar expression on her face. Caitlyn looked like she had gotten hit by a truck. Her navy blue hair went in all different directions on the top of her head, its limp frame making it seem lifeless. Cait’s face didn’t look very lively either, with dark circles underneath her eyes depicting a lack of quality sleep. Vi’s eyes trailed to the girl’s clothes, noting that she hadn’t changed them since the last time she saw her. Her sleeves rolled up slightly, revealing fresh red scratches littering her skin.

Before Violet knew it, she whispered the abbreviated version of Caitlyn’s name. It was a nickname Vi reserved for more serious conversations—in contrast to her usual flirty pet names for the girl.

Caitlyn gazed into her eyes absentmindedly, her body faintly swaying in the breeze that whisked past the doors. She then collapsed forward in Vi’s arms.

Vi stumbled back, nearly sending the pair tumbling down the stairs. Luckily, she stood her ground and slowly lowered herself and Caitlyn to the floor. A blaze of guilt burnt through her chest when she noticed tears fall from the girl’s face.

“Caitlyn, I’m so sorry. I should have never—“

“Stop.” Caitlyn interrupted, her voice cracking slightly. She inhaled shakily, attempting to regain her composure. Caitlyn’s tear-filled eyes met Vi’s with a hint of desperation.

“Please don’t apologize. It wasn’t your fault. I was the one who had messed everything up.” She sputtered, sharp inhales littering her declaration.

Violet couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She had thought that Caitlyn was upset with her, not herself.

“Cait…you hadn’t done anything wrong you just—“

“—But I did. I came into your life, turned it upside down, and then bothered you with all my shit. I ruined everything with Powder—I ruined everything with you—“

Violet shook her head, pulling Caitlyn in her arms before the girl could utter another word—She refused to listen to the nonsense that Cait was spewing.

“That’s absolute bullshit, Caitlyn—and you should know that. You didn’t ruin anything. You have just been dealing with a lot of shit. I chose to help you work through it, I chose to be there for you, and I would do it all over again.”

Caitlyn couldn’t help but melt into Vi’s embrace, her body refusing to push something so valuable away. Vi’s words tugged at Caitlyn’s heartstrings. Her voice sounded so genuine, so adamant. It gave her hope that she didn’t entirely wreck what they had.

Her breathing had finally slowed, her heartbeat steadying to a normal pace. Cait looked up at Vi with her stunningly blue eyes and smiled softly. It was the first genuine smile she had felt tug at her lips in almost a month.

“Thank you, Vi. For everything.”

Vi beamed back at her in response and led her fingers to intertwine with Caitlyn’s with a squeeze.

“Of course. Now, do you want to go inside? You’re probably freezing in that thin-ass sweater.”

“—No.” The girl exclaimed—a little too quickly. Caitlyn’s eyes had widened with Vi’s suggestion, her body tensing slightly. Cait’s reaction was definitely strange, but Vi decided not to push. It was enough that the girl was willing to talk to her after the Powder fiasco almost ruined her chances.

Vi wracked her brain, trying to make a list of options they had. They couldn’t just stay on the Kiramman’s doorstep, and Cait didn’t want to go inside, but there weren’t many places to hang out at 8-something pm.

“Do you want me to leave?” She asked hesitantly, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

Caitlyn shook her head vigorously, desperation written on her features.

“No, please don’t.” She pleaded, grasping Vi’s hands tighter. The girl paused, slightly biting her lip with a thoughtful expression.

“Could we go to Sun Gate Park?”

Violet was stunned by Caitlyn’s request. The last time they had gone to that park, although fun at the moment, was the start of this downward spiral of events. She shrugged, attempting to play it cool. If Caitlyn was okay with it, so was Vi.

“Sure—If you want.”

Caitlyn nodded, slowly lifting herself and Violet off the ground. She fixed her hair and her jeans before flashing Vi a slight smile.

“I’ll go get changed upstairs. You can wait here, near the door.” Her tone made it sound more like an order than a suggestion.

Vi followed Caitlyn inside, shutting the door behind her and stepping alongside the wall. She watched as the girl scurried upstairs, her movements livelier than a few minutes ago. It made Vi smile.

She would still never get used to the inside of Cait’s house, even if she had hung out there a minimum of 10 times by now. The front doors were enormous—and heavy, for that matter. An intricate design snaked up the gorgeous wooden frames, the doors a shade of dark brown. Violet couldn’t tell what kind of wood it was, but it was most likely the irrationally expensive type.

It was absurd that Caitlyn grew up in a gigantic house with only two other people. Violet would’ve killed to have at least 1/100th of the space in here for Powder and herself growing up.

Shit. Powder.

Vi still had to sort things out with her sister. She was looking towards an exhausting night.

At least she got to spend a couple of hours of the evening with Caitlyn—The girl she thought would’ve absolutely hated her by now. Vi didn’t believe in a higher power, but if there was one, they seemed to be rooting for her and Cait to work out. What she planned to be an hour-long conversation of her apologizing repeatedly—ended up being a glorified hug with whispered sorries between the two girls. Maybe the strings of fate just really liked gay teens—she didn’t know.

A flash of blue hair rushing down the stairs brought Vi to reality. Caitlyn wore a black fuzzy turtleneck with a navy knitted sweater on top. She also had a black skirt with tights and the cutest fuzzy cream socks known to man. Violet cleared her throat to distract from the glaringly obvious bright red creeping up on her face.

“Okay—we can go now,” Caitlyn said with a subtle grin as she slipped on her boots. She grabbed her car keys and opened her front door, a gust of wind tussling her hair.

Why did Caitlyn dress up to go to the park with her? Violet had no idea. Though—she wasn’t complaining.

Snowflakes fell from the sky, the crystals dancing in the wind. Caitlyn trailed them with her eyes, her gaze slowly becoming unfocused. It was pretty nice outside, the weather just cold enough to snow but not unbearably freezing. The world faded away, Cait’s brain begging to think of everything and yet nothing at all.

“You okay?”

A hand on her thigh brought Caitlyn back to reality. It was firm—warm and sent shivers down her spine. Her eyes faintly widened in embarrassment as she quickly looked at Vi sitting beside her on the bench.

“Yeah, sorry. I just zoned out.” She murmered, her eyes fluttering in response to Violet’s touch.

Vi nodded hesitantly, looking back at the city in silence. She rested her head on Caitlyn’s shoulder, intertwining their fingers before giving them a reassuring squeeze. The girl leaned into Vi, their weight readjusted to be balanced comfortably in the middle. Nonverbal gestures were Cait’s favorite type of communication. They were simple—yet they conveyed more than words could ever say. The pair were on the same bench they had sat on around a month ago. However, after everything that had happened—last month’s night of bliss felt like years away.

Caitlyn inhaled sharply, grasping Vi’s hand tight.

“I was right here while she…” Her voice trailed off—finishing the sentence would’ve been too much for her heart to handle.

“I know, Cait.” Vi hummed softly and pulled the girl closer by her waist.

Caitlyn paused, looking down to the floor. She knew that continuing to talk wouldn’t end well, but she needed to tell someone about the weight on her shoulders. If not, she feared being dragged even further into the hellish pit that’s known as ‘grief.’

“I just wish things could’ve gone differently. I wish I could’ve told her how much I loved her before—she…”

Tears began to roll down Caitlyn’s cheeks onto her lap. The world became blurry as her emotions weighed on her chest. This was the second time she had cried in front of Vi today. She must be breaking some kind of record.

Violet noticed Caitlyn’s cries and stood up, walking around so she could kneel before her. Violet wiped a tear from her jaw, delicately tracing the side of her face. The absence of Violet’s hand on Cait’s waist was disappointing—but manageable. Caitlyn looked down into Vi’s beautiful grey eyes and only sobbed harder. Her pathetic wails were ruining the moment. The park was supposed to be a distraction—not another reason to cry.

“She knew you loved her.”

Vi’s voice was barely a whisper as she brushed her thumb on Caitlyn’s cheek. She paused ever so slightly to meet Caitlyn’s gaze.

“Although you guys did fight—you were usually right, by the way—“

Caitlyn giggled at Vi’s comment, a faint smile flickering across her lips.

“At the end of the day, you were her daughter. You loved her through the fights. Through the tears, through the disagreements, and she saw that.” Violet smiled before adding, “You have a way of letting people know you love them.”

Caitlyn released a shaky breath, taking Vi’s hand on her cheek and holding it. The fact that the girl was here, in front of her—saying all the words she needed to hear, was a miracle. Violet was a miracle.

The next time Caitlyn saw those freshmen in her P.E. class, she’d have to thank them.

“I love you, Violet.”

The words came out of her mouth before she could stop them, and honestly, she didn’t care at this point. She was probably going to get rejected anyway; What Caitlyn had said about Vi’s sister was terrible, and she hadn’t gotten to entirely apologize for her actions.

That was a task to complete after she got over the rollercoaster of emotions she was on currently.

Vi examined Caitlyn’s face for any hint of a joke. Maybe she was awful at reading facial expressions, but she couldn’t find anything. Her tone felt too genuine to mark it off as just a friend thing, but it would be impossible for Caitlyn to confess to her now—after everything she did. Right?

“I—uhm.” Violet’s brain was short-circuiting, and her capacity for speech suddenly significantly diminished.

“You don’t have to say anything,” Caitlyn muttered, her hand falling to her lap. “I know you don’t feel the same—I’ve probably ruined my chances already. I just wanted to tell you.“

There were plenty of things that Caitlyn had predicted to happen after she had confessed. Most of her thoughts were pessimistic, with Vi rejecting her and possibly even leaving on the spot. One outcome she never saw coming was Vi rising from her kneeling position and pulling Caitlyn up with her, their faces almost touching while they stood.

“I’ve never been very good with words, but I try to be decent when it counts.” Vi’s eyes were glimmering with eagerness, her hands slightly trembling. “I love you, Caitlyn. I love you so much—“

Before Vi could finish her admission, Caitlyn’s lips had already crashed into hers. The girl’s hand grasped the scruff of Violet’s neck, pulling them closer together. A buzz of heat trailed through Vi’s body as she returned the gesture and wrapped her arms around Cait’s waist and back. Caitlyn’s heart was pounding out of her chest. The excited energy bouncing off the two enveloped their bodies in warmth. The word seemed to melt away, the city lights, starry night, and illuminated grass fading into the background. Violet was the only thing that mattered to her at the moment—their kiss was infinitely better than anything else she could think of. Caitlyn’s hurried breaths overlapped with Vi’s, their desires finally interlacing.

Vi was all Caitlyn had ever wanted—someone who cared, a place of comfort, a person to listen. The girl was more of a home than her stupid mansion could ever be. Caitlyn felt guilty for being able to enjoy this moment when she knew she didn’t deserve it—but she shoved that thought aside. She couldn’t overthink this right now—no anxious spirals, self-deprecating thoughts, second guesses—just Violet’s lips on hers. Two broken teenagers intertwined in an embrace underneath the moonlight.

Their imperfections made them whole; Every scar, visible or not, brought them to who they were today. Their endearment was inexplicably passionate while also innocent. Graceful as well as uncoordinated. Idyllic, but also hesitant.

Caitlyn accepted it all—no matter how contradictory it may have sounded. After all, two things could be true at once. The universe didn’t have a set of rules to follow—or standards to achieve. Life led to an endless ocean of possibilities, and Caitlyn was finally ready to jump straight into the
sea.

Chapter Text

Caitlyn was staring in the mirror, her reflection glaring back at her. Her hands were shaking with agitation, her face twisted in nerves. She had never struggled this much with such a simple task—and that was saying something. She combed through her hair for the 50th time, attempting to create the perfect bun—but failing miserably. She groaned, throwing her hairbrush across her room. The brush slammed against her wall, the pointed end creating a dent in the plaster.

‘Shit.’ She muttered, biting her lip and rushing over to assess the damage. It was barely an inch deep, but the mark showed clearly in the brightness of her overhead lights. Stupid fucking walls are so damn dentable.

“Caitlyn? Is everything alright in there?” Her father called from outside her door. Tobias wasn’t home very often—but this evening was special.

“I’m fine! Sorry.” Cait exclaimed, picking up her hairbrush and rushing back to her vanity. She had never excelled at styling her hair. When she would go to events, Caitlyn’s mother always did her hair for her. Unfortunately, that was impossible at the moment—and she didn’t feel like asking Elizabeth for fear of the pitiful glances she may receive.

She took a deep breath, attempting to dissipate the trembling that her body was partaking in. She had two more hours before Vi had agreed to pick her up—and she still had to figure out what the hell she was going to do about her makeup. As if Violet could sense that Caitlyn was thinking about her, a text buzzed onto her lock screen from her nightstand. She got up hurriedly and unplugged it, reading the message as she scurried back to her vanity.

Vi: hey cupcake

Vi: you ready for tn? ;)

Cait giggled as she read the messages, a grin on her face. Even if they were miles apart—Vi knew how to make her smile.

Caitlyn: In all honesty, not entirely. I still haven’t finished my hair—or makeup. And I still have to put on my dress afterward.

After a few seconds of the typing bubble appearing and disappearing, Vi replied to her text.

Vi: :(

Vi: no rush babe

Vi: youll be gorgeuos either way

Caitlyn: It’s *gorgeous, love. But—thank you.

The girl set down her phone where she was sitting—just in case Vi texted again—and promptly got to work. She decided to do her makeup first—she could figure out her hair later.

Humming to herself, she grabbed some foundation and concealer. After Vi had texted, her nerves had diminished but not dissipated. However, who wouldn’t be nervous on Prom Night?

Caitlyn had never really gone to the big school dances before—minus that one time Jayce dragged her to Homecoming their Freshman year. Bodies crowded in a small area gave her mild anxiety, and she didn’t have anyone to go with. When she had gone with Jayce, the moment they had entered, the boy was whisked away by a group of girls and a couple of guys on the football team. He was too nice to ignore them—and too eager to make friends to excuse himself. Unfortunately for Caitlyn, his absence left her stuck at the dance without anyone to talk to.

She ended up waiting outside for her father to pick her up, crying the whole drive home—though she left out that part when telling Jayce about it when he had asked.

Caitlyn had to set past experiences aside—this year was bound to be different. Even with the blaring music, stuffy crowd, and awkward conversation, she still had hope that it would be a pleasant night. That was because, this year, she had Violet as her date.

Vi had asked her a few weeks prior, and it hadn’t been much of a surprise. Leading up to the occasion, the girl asked Caitlyn some not-so-subtle questions about her plans for the big night. She played along, not wanting to spoil her girlfriend’s fun.

On the fateful day, she was about to go to the library for her free period when she felt a sharp tap on her shoulder.

“Hey—Dork.”

Caitlyn’s body tensed as she swiveled around to face the person behind her. Her eyes met with Powder’s, and she gave a nervous smile. She was still getting used to Vi’s sister being civil with her.

After Vander had gotten Powder some much-needed mental support, the girl’s psychological condition gradually improved. She was significantly less hostile to Caitlyn—even letting her in on some inside jokes within the Lanes family. Cait appreciated Powder’s attempts to make amends, even if it was probably only because Vi had asked her to.

“Hello Powder. Do you need something?”

Powder glanced around, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.

“Right on the money, Beanpole. Follow me.”

Before Caitlyn could inquire further, the small girl was already dragging her in another direction. She was led to the Home Ec hallway, where the two girls were met with a suffocating stench of burnt—something.

“Oh shit. Stay here.” Powder muttered, her lips turning into a frown as she let go of Caitlyn’s hand. The girl ran into the classroom that had a trail of smoke wafting out of the doorframe. A series of cursing and frantic shouts followed her departure, which made Caitlyn eager to investigate.

When Cait got closer, muffled voices could be heard from the suspiciously dark classroom. Where was the teacher? Caitlyn had no idea. She tilted her head to listen to the commotion inside, hiding near the doorway.

“Mylo! You were supposed to take them out 5 minutes ago.” Vi spat, irritation lacing her tone.

“I forgot to set the timer—It’s not my fault. You should’ve done it.” He whined back.

“Stop bickering, idiots.” Powder hissed as a metal crash echoed from the classroom down the hallway.

“Try to salvage as many as you can.”

“Clagg, take this bag and help me ice these damn things,” Vi grumbled, still clearly agitated. Claggor’s hurried footsteps were audible from outside the room.

“Hey—Pow, can you check in on Cait?”

After overhearing Vi’s request, Caitlyn scurried down the hallway to her original position. She leaned on the wall, scrolling on her phone to act like she hadn’t been eavesdropping.

Powder walked over to Caitlyn with a casual smirk—her poker face was well-rehearsed.

“Sorry, technical difficulties.” She whispered, twirling over to the spot next to Caitlyn.

Cait nodded, a grin pulling at the corners of her lips.

“I can wait.”

She slipped her phone in her jeans pocket, crossing her arms. Since she had time to spare, there was something she had been meaning to ask Powder for a while.

“So, how come you seem to like me now?”

Powder looked over at her, a cackle escaping her lips.

“I don’t know if like is the right word. It’s more of—a tolerance.”

Caitlyn let out an amused huff, tilting her head slightly.

“Touché”

The younger girl reached for her hair, twirling it around her fingers.

“But—that’s not my answer. I tolerate you for the sole reason of my dumbass sister. Ever since you came into her life, she’s less—angry. Like, she doesn’t want to bite everyone’s head off all the time anymore. You seem to make her happy—so I endure it.”

No matter how hard Caitlyn tried to stop them, butterflies fluttered throughout her stomach. Powder’s shockingly honest confession had made her feel all fuzzy inside. A wide grin spread across her face as she looked at Powder.

“Well, thank you for putting up with me.”

A tint of blush appeared on the younger girl’s cheeks as she averted Caitlyn’s gaze.

“I—It’s whatever.” She murmured, tilting her head down to cover her flustered expression.

Claggor peaked out of the doorway, looking across the hall and finding the two girls standing by another door. His eyes widened slightly, giving Caitlyn a small wave before motioning Powder to come over. Caitlyn waved back as Powder skipped away, her curiosity only heightening.

‘What were they being so secretive about?’

After a few seconds of the two siblings disappearing back into the classroom, a familiar face peeked out the doorway, her blue eyes lighting up as she met them with Caitlyn’s.

“Hey, Caitlyn. Sorry to keep you waiting.” Vi chuckled, combing through her undercut as she walked closer to Cait.

Caitlyn pushed off of the wall, meeting Violet in the middle of the hallway.

“It’s alright. I didn’t mind. Now, why did your little sister drag me over here?” She questioned, crossing her arms with an amused smirk. Her eyebrow raised slightly—she could tell Violet was getting increasingly nervous under her stare.

“I—uhm. I’ve been thinking about you a lot.”

Caitlyn giggled at her statement. “Well—duh. We are dating.”

Vi bit her lip, lulling her head back.

“Yeah, but—that’s not what I meant.”

Her whiny tone made Caitlyn more inclined to tease. She leaned forward, tucking a tuft of hair behind Vi’s ear.

“So, what did you mean?”

Vi’s face erupted into a crimson array, her eyeballs practically popping out of her sockets.

“I—uh—wanted…to ask—….shit.” The girl brought her hand to her face, attempting to wipe off the pathetic expression on her face.

“Move out Soldiers!” Powder called from the classroom, promptly shoving her two brothers out of the door. The siblings appeared in a line behind Violet, each holding out a plate of cupcakes to Caitlyn. Before she could get a good look, Powder whacked Mylo in the back of the head.

“You go in the middle. Dumbo.”

Mylo rolled his eyes and groaned, scratching his scalp before switching spots with Claggor. Now that the group had settled, Caitlyn could see the phrase, ‘Prom With Me?’ written in red icing atop the cupcakes. The letters were a mixture of neat print, which Caitlyn assumed was done by Claggor—and chicken scratch, which she concluded was done by Vi.

Vi was still a flustered mess in front of her siblings, avoiding Caitlyn’s gaze as she began to talk.

“I…didn’t know how to ask, but—I found this cupcake recipe—and I thought you’d like it…so…”

Caitlyn tilted Vi’s chin up to look at her, a sparkle in her eyes. The lengths she had gone to ask a simple question were undeniably adorable.

“Of course, I’ll go with you, darling.” She said with a kind smile, planting a kiss on the bridge of Violet’s nose. Vi looked up at her earnestly, a wide-ass grin on her face.

Well—it was there for two seconds until she heard a plethora of fake gagging erupting behind her.

Vi stuck up her middle finger at Mylo and Powder, grabbing a cupcake from Claggor, her only sibling who wasn’t dramatically retching in the background. She turned around, proudly holding the treat out to Caitlyn.

“A cupcake for my Cupcake,” Vi stated with a smirk. Even Claggor laughed this time, earning himself a glare from Violet.

Caitlyn gently took the cupcake, carefully taking a bite. She was still pretty afraid of foods with such a high sugar content, and the burnt smell lingering in the hallway worried her a bit—but it was only courteous to eat a little. Vi’s happiness was worth a couple of seconds of discomfort.

To her surprise, the cupcake was undeniably delicious. Even though it looked almost inedible—with icing beginning to melt into the strangely colored baked good—it tasted spectacular.

She took another bite as Vi looked up at her in anticipation.

“This is the best cupcake I’ve ever had,” Caitlyn exclaimed, a content smile spreading across her features.

Vi wiped off a bit of icing from the tip of Caitlyn’s nose, a chuckle escaping her.

“You sweet-talker.”

Caitlyn giggled, taking another munch of the sweet in her hands. Violet would never admit it, but Caitlyn’s sweet-talking was indefinitely working on her.

The smell of mouth-watering chili filled the Lane's house and drew the attention of each of the four teens. The kids gradually made their way to the table, grabbing their plates and forks as they sat down. Vi was the last to arrive, walking up to Vander in the kitchen before she took a seat.

“Can I help with anything?”

Vander chuckled lightly. “It’s a little late for that kiddo.”

A pang of guilt hit Violet’s chest as she lowered her gaze to her plate.

“Sorry.” She mumbled, her shoulders sagging. She had been so busy in her head about Prom that she hadn’t even thought to help her dad with dinner.

A warm hand gripped her shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze of reassurance. Vi glanced up to see Vander smiling down at her.

“It’s alright, kiddo. I know it’s a big night for you.”

He lovingly tussled her hair before continuing to stir the pot of chili. Dinner was getting served early that night because Vi had to leave the following hour. She sat in the seat she always did, sipping a glass of water and drumming her fingers on the table. She felt pretty nervous—it was her first school dance without her siblings to hang out with.

“Chill out, Sis.” Powder huffed, leaning her body on Vi’s shoulder. Vi shrugged in response.

“I am chill.”

Her sister raised an eyebrow and turned to look her in the eyes.

“Uhuh.—And I’m The Pope.”

Violet shrugged the girl off of her, folding her arms over each other.

“Sit in your own seat.”

Powder scrunched her face, sticking out her tongue before hugging her knees in her chair.

“You’re no fun.” She whined, her lips forming a pout.

Mylo looked over and couldn’t help himself from snickering, nudging Claggor in the arm before speaking.

“Hey Clagg, how much do you bet Vi’s gonna score one tonight?”

Vi gave him a hard stare and was about to protest before Vander interjected.

“We will be having none of that talk at the dinner table.” He declared as he placed the big pot of chili down on the table. The table immediately hushed, staring at the food like wolves hunting prey.

Vander turned to put away his hot pads, giving Violet a subtle wink.

Each of the Lanes kids grabbed a serving, the food serving as a great distraction from the furious blush growing on Violet’s cheeks.

‘Stupid Mylo and his stupid sex jokes.’ She grumbled, sinking further into her chair.

Time was passing far too quickly for Caitlyn to keep up. In the past two hours, the girl had finished her makeup, put on her dress, and somehow fixed her hair—but had forgotten entirely about dinner. She knew Vi was probably going to chew her out for it, but if she ate anything now, she was sure to throw up. She had been checking her phone practically every two seconds, her nerves at an all-time high. Vi was supposed to come any second now, and the terrifying reality of the night caused Caitlyn’s panic to settle in.

‘What if Vi hated her dress? What if she thought Caitlyn looked ugly? What if Violet decided to ditch her because she’s just fucking annoying?’

Her father’s voice called out from downstairs, interrupting Caitlyn’s unproductive thought spiral.

“Caitlyn! Violet is here!”

The girl grabbed her phone and pearl clutch, slipping on her heels before rushing towards the stairs. She slowed down as she got to the edge of the stairwell, narrowly avoiding breaking her ankles down the steps. Her father stood at the front door, welcoming Violet in with a polite smile. Tobias seemed to like Vi, but Caitlyn couldn’t tell how genuine his feelings towards the girl were.

Vi gave Tobias a diligent nod, thanking him before looking up at Caitlyn in awe. Her expression resembled a 5-year-old opening their favorite toy on Christmas.

“Cait—you look…stunning.” She stuttered, the grin on her face practically reaching her ears. Caitlyn giggled in response, tucking a loose hair behind her ear before responding.

“You don’t look so bad yourself.”

Violet donned a black suit, her navy undershirt and tie complimenting the color of Caitlyn’s dress. She certainly looked handsome, her hair styled neatly in her signature swoop. As Caitlyn got closer, she noticed a tint of red blush on Vi’s cheeks.

“Oh? Did you do your makeup?” The girl questioned, a teasing smile spreading across her face.

Vi’s blush became more prominent on her face, her hand instinctively drifting to the nape of her neck. Violet always did that when she was nervous—the repetitive motion of raking her hands through her hair provided a sense of comfort.

“Nah. Pow-Pow did it for me. She bullied me the whole time about my clogged pores—saying something about how I should invest in skincare and shit.” Vi grumbled in response, rolling her eyes.

Caitlyn giggled, her hand brushing against Vi’s cheek.

“I mean, washing your face every once in a while can’t hurt.” She mumbled, biting back a smirk.

Vi met her gaze, stumbling back while clutching her heart. She turned her head, putting a hand on the wall as she dramatically squeezed her eyes shut.

“How could you?… Taking my little sister’s side over your own girlfriend’s…” She cried in a fraudulently offended tone.

Caitlyn rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

“You drama queen.”

She stepped over to Vi and grabbed her wrist, dragging the theatrical girl to the stairs.

“Come on, my father wants to take photos of us before we leave.”

Hearing his name mentioned, Tobias smiled softly, adjusting his professional camera. Although the man loved nursing, his second passion had always been photography. Many of the framed portraits in the Kiramman household were photos he had taken that the family had commissioned to be painted.

“Alright, girls. I only want a few photos. Please do a formal pose for the first two—then you can position however you want for the last couple.” He stated, stepping backward so that the two girls were in the frame.

Caitlyn stood next to Vi on the stairs, her stance exuding confidence. She had done hundreds of photography shoots like these with her father, so she knew what to do in this situation. Her gaze wandered to Vi, realizing that the girl didn’t have much experience with professional photography. Her shoulders were tense, her smile significantly strained.

“Darling, relax.” She whispered, her hands squeezing Vi’s arm reassuringly.

Vi gaped at Caitlyn, an embarrassed crimson appearing on her cheeks before nodding. She relaxed her shoulders and brought Caitlyn closer to her.

Violet’s touch sent shivers down Cait’s spine—it was an exhilarating feeling, to say the least.

The pair finished Tobias’s photoshoot, a fuzzy feeling radiating off the girl. Their final picture had been a blur—Vi hastily pulled Caitlyn into a kiss.

Caitlyn’s father gave an approving nod, placing down his camera. He walked over to his daughter, giving her a firm hug before stepping back. He shook Vi’s hand, a proud smile on his face.

“Please keep Caitlyn safe for the night.—I know she can be…” He paused, tilting his head. “…impulsive at times.”

Caitlyn scowled, crossing her arms.

“I am perfectly capable of keeping myself safe, though I appreciate your concern.” She snapped back, genuine malice lacking from her tone.

Vi observed Caitlyn and her father’s banter, wiping her clammy hand on her dress pants.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Kiramman. Your daughter is in safe hands.”

A scoff escaped Caitlyn’s mouth as she attempted to restrain a grin.

“You are insufferable.” She muttered to Vi, waving goodbye to her father before wandering to the door.

Vi shrugged and twisted the door handle, allowing Caitlyn to leave the house first.

“According to you, I’m an insufferable—impossible idiot. I feel like you just like insults that start with ‘I’…You’re gonna run out of words at this point.”

Caitlyn gently flicked Vi’s forehead as she walked through her front doorway.

“Whatever, Violet. Just get in the car.” She muttered, dragging her girlfriend down the steps. She couldn’t prevent a smile from appearing on her face this time, the lightness of the atmosphere dispersing her previous anxiety. Prom was just a regular school dance, nothing different from any other she had attended.

Except this time—it would be better because it was with Vi.

Much to Caitlyn’s dismay, Vi’s presence alone did not quell her jitters in the ballroom. She absentmindedly sipped a glass of water, attempting to distract herself with mindless activity, but the atmosphere was overwhelming. Crude pop music blared from the speakers at the front of the dance hall—some of which Caitlyn enjoyed for the first few minutes of the event. After an hour or two, the jumbled clatter of noises just began to irritate her. She was now socially drained, having talked to too many people people she hadn’t seen since freshman year, and physically exhausted.

Vi observed Caitlyn’s behavior, attempting to decipher what was on in her mind. They were sat at an empty dining table, a wide range of individuals passing by their area.

“Cupcake, you good? You’re not looking so hot.”

Caitlyn snapped back to focus, meeting Vi’s stare. She put her hand to her heart, feigning offense with a smirk.

“Are you insulting my appearance?” She questioned, her eyes widening excessively.

Vi rolled her eyes, frowning. “Haha. Very funny.” She mumbled unenthusiastically.

“I’m serious, though. Are you okay?” Her tone was harsh, leaving no room for smart-ass replies.

Caitlyn sighed, her smirk wavering. Quippy comebacks were Vi’s thing, anyway.

“I’m alright—I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed by everything happening.”

Vi nodded sympathetically, taking her hand and gently squeezing it.

“If you want, we can head outside for a bit. There’s a bunch of outdoor seating around back.”

Caitlyn’s eyes lit up with Vi’s suggestion, the knot in her chest gradually unraveling.

“That would be lovely.”

The air outside was at least 30 degrees cooler than the temperature in the ballroom. Leaving the hundreds of teenagers in an enclosed space made a world of a difference in Caitlyn’s mood. She sat on one of the outdoor chairs, resting her heels on the concrete. Vi had gone inside to get her some food. She had insisted on it after learning Caitlyn hadn’t eaten anything.

Her concern was mildly entertaining—even if it was after Caitlyn had assured Vi that she was alright.

The stars were shining bright in the sky as there were no clouds to hide their glow. The dazzling atmosphere cleared out Caitlyn’s remaining anxiety about the dance—it had turned out to be a pretty perfect night. Her phone suddenly began to buzz beside her, averting her attention from the stars. She picked up the call with a smile after briefly reading the contact calling her.

“Jayce! Where are you?”

Loud music blared from the other side of the phone, causing Caitlyn to pull it slightly away from her ear. Jayce’s voice cut through the noise, his speech grainy over the phone.

“Hey, Sprout. We’ve been trying to find you. I’m near the dance floor.”

Caitlyn grinned, raising her voice so Jayce could hear her over the song in the background.

“I’m waiting for Vi at the outdoor tables.”

A yelp came from the call, Viktor’s irritated tone leaking out of the speakers.

“I told you, dummy.”

Jayce whined over the phone, the pitch of his voice alluding to exactly what face he was making. Caitlyn envisioned his signature pout, a slight tint on his cheeks, and his brows furrowed. That man acted like a foolish puppy when he was with Viktor.

The boy cleared his throat, the music in the background gradually decreasing in intensity.

“We’re coming.”

Caitlyn muttered a hurried, ‘See you soon’ before hanging up the call. Hopefully, the pair would get there sooner rather than later. Cait was beginning to feel lonely without anyone to talk to.

Though—truthfully, the loneliness Caitlyn was feeling wasn’t so bad. It wasn’t the crushing feeling that she felt when her mother died—or the heartbreak when she had that argument with Vi. The loneliness felt now was just—less exciting than being with the people she loved. Maybe Caitlyn had finally learned how the hell people keep themselves company without going insane.

Being alone was decently peaceful when it wasn’t sucking the life out of your soul. It’s a little embarrassing that it took Caitlyn 18 years to figure that out, but—better late than never?

Jayce and Viktor arrived a few minutes after they called. Jayce had led them in the opposite direction of the outdoor section. Caitlyn wasn’t surprised—Jayce was extremely book-smart but lacked intelligence in anything other than that.

“Sprout! You look fantastic.” He said with an earnest smile. A grin spread across Caitlyn’s face as she sat upright—That boy could be such a sweetheart sometimes.

“You two look great. I love the brooches,” Caitlyn chirped, her gaze flickering between Viktor and Jayce. They had matching burgundy suits, each with a light blue brooch on the left lapel.

Jayce chuckled, a hint of blush tinting his features. He adjusted his brooch so that it was upright as he spoke.

“Yeah—they’re inspired by the project we’re working on right now.”

Caitlyn’s eyes widened curiously. The partner’s experiments were always incredibly brilliant, whether big or small.

“What is it about?”

Viktor sat in the seat next to her, resting his cane on the side of the chair.

“It’s still in development, so we’re not sure where our research is going at the moment.” He replied with a soft smile.

“Oh, alright.” Caitlyn nodded, crossing her legs over each other. She glanced around, taking in the rest of her surroundings, when she noticed a certain pair of blue eyes peeking out from the crowd of teenagers inside. Her face lit up, causing Viktor and Jayce to follow her gaze towards the entrance of the outside area.

Vi made her way over, a plate of pasta and bread in her hands. Her face beamed in pride as she set the plate down, waving to Viktor and Jayce before speaking.

“I got Chicken Alfredo—your favorite. Sorry, I took so long. The line was insane.”

Caitlyn gave her a grateful smile, motioning for the girl to sit in the other seat next to her as she took her utensils. Vi gave Jayce a fist bump before sitting down next to Caitlyn. Clumps of hair stuck to her forehead, attaching to the beads of sweat rolling down her face.

Caitlyn took a bite of her food and chuckled, placing down her fork and wiping Vi’s forehead with the back of her hand.

“You’re all sweaty.” She muttered, removing the excess sweat off her hand with a napkin.

Vi averted her gaze, shrugging.

“It was worth it.”

Jayce wandered over to the girls, a knowing smirk on his face.

“Okay, we’ll give you two lovebirds some privacy.” He declared, motioning for Viktor to come with him.

Caitlyn looked up to Jayce, rolling her eyes.

“Are you sure you’re not just trying to get Viktor all to yourself?” She murmured wearily. Viktor chuckled in response, swiftly getting up and taking Jayce by the arm before he could respond. The man was helplessly flustered with a wide-eyed expression on his face. He shook his head, attempting to regain his composure.

“H-have fun, Cait. Be safe!” Jayce called out, allowing himself to be dragged back inside the ballroom by his boyfriend. Caitlyn waved, averting her attention back to Vi as she continued to take bites of her pasta.

“How is it?” Vi questioned, tilting her head. Her chin rested on the back of her hand, her grey eyes staring up at Caitlyn expectantly.

Caitlyn hummed, shrugging her shoulders.

“Not the worst Alfredo I’ve had.”

Vi nodded, her eyes lingering on Caitlyn’s face.

“You are so gorgeous.—Did you know that?”

The compliment made Caitlyn’s pulse quicken—her body temperature increased from Violet’s genuine compliment. Vi’s soft eyes looked at Caitlyn with such care—pure, unadulterated love.

It was enchanting.

“You flatter me.”

Vi shook her head, leaning further onto her hand. She stared dreamily at Caitlyn, her lips tugging into a smile.

“I’m just saying the truth.”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes, a giggle escaping her lips.

“Now, I don’t know about you—“ Vi paused, glancing around before bringing her voice to a whisper. “But I’m sick of watching horny teenagers grind on each other for the 50th time tonight.”

Caitlyn raised an eyebrow, amusement in her voice. “Well, what do you presume we do about it?”

Vi averted her gaze, sitting back as she shrugged her shoulders.

“I don’t know, Cupcake. You’re the one with the big ideas here.” Her smile widened on her face. “Though I wouldn’t mind changing the setting.”

Caitlyn narrowed her eyes, leaning closer to Vi’s face.

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

Vi scoffed, leaning closer to Cait as well. She held a challenging stare at the girl.

“What? Me? Say something? I would never.”

Caitlyn scoffed, pulling back.

“I suppose we can leave if you’re up for it.”

Vi threw her fist in the air, crying out a celebratory ‘whoop’.

“—You’re driving, though,” Caitlyn added, taking a final bite of her pasta. Vi’s resolve faltered, a pout settling across her features.

“Fine. But you owe me a dance, Ms. Passenger Princess.”

Caitlyn hummed, taking Vi’s hand and pulling her inside the noisy entrance.

“Two steps ahead of you.” She shouted with a giggle, stepping towards the dance floor.

A pop song was blaring from the DJ set up as the multicolored lights flashed rhythmically. A large disco ball shined in the center of the ceiling, sparkles of light shining across the dance floor. Vi attempted to find the rhythm, dancing slightly offbeat to the music. Caitlyn was sidestepping, snorting at Vi’s horrible tempo.

“I hope you know you’re terribly offbeat.”

Vi rolled her eyes, grabbing Caitlyn closer by her waist.

“I hope you know you’re terribly stiff.”

Caitlyn looked down to Vi’s eye level, the distance between them barely a few inches. She could see all the little details she loved on Violet’s face—the dust of blush on her cheeks, her adorable freckles, the hypnotic smile she wore so fittingly.

“You need to loosen up, Kiramman.—This isn’t one of your fancy galas,” Vi murmured, swaying side to side to the melody. The pair were finally on beat with the music, the songs shifting from fast-paced to one with a slower rhythm.

Caitlyn bit her lip, wrapping her arms around Vi’s shoulders. She pulled closer, hovering over Vi’s ear before speaking.

“You’re stepping on my feet.” She whispered with a smirk.

Vi’s eyes widened, clumsily shuffling her feet back. She muttered a quick ‘sorry’—raising her shoulders apologetically. Caitlyn giggled, leading Vi to chuckle back. The pair turned into a laughing mess, attracting antagonistic stares from their peers surrounding them.

“C’mon, let’s get out of here.” Vi purred, her hands drifting up to Caitlyn’s sides. The girl nodded, spinning around towards the exit and grabbing Vi’s hand.

She loved holding Vi’s hand.

Prom Night hadn’t gone as catastrophic as Caitlyn had predicted. It was pretty enjoyable to have a few hours of uninterrupted fun. Although, her enthusiasm was less about the occasion and more about the people surrounding her. Caitlyn could enjoy watching the paint dry if Vi were beside her. The pretty decorations had faded into the background—the dining service and music an afterthought. Caitlyn’s strongest memories of the night were of her ravishing girlfriend—Her smile, her laugh, her voice.

Vi.

“So—did you like it?”

Caitlyn scoffed, nudging Vi gently with her elbow.

“Of course I did.”

Vi smiled to herself, fidgeting with her fingers. She was glad Caitlyn enjoyed herself, even if she knew big crowds weren’t really her thing.

Vi had insisted on paying for both of their tickets, even after Caitlyn’s ceaseless protests. She had saved up her money from working at the department, taking extra shifts to meet the deadline. She surprised Caitlyn with them the week after she had asked her to go to prom.

The following week—Caitlyn attempted to slip the money back into her wallet, but Vi always caught her red-handed. Violet would never admit this—but she saw buying the tickets as her one chance to prove that she deserved a girl as lovely as Caitlyn. Making her happy with some tickets was the least she could do.

Caitlyn leaned into Violet’s body, her long navy hair tickling Vi’s neck.

“What about you? Did you enjoy it?”

Violet nodded and intertwined her fingers with Caitlyn’s, squeezing her hand tight.

“I liked it more than I thought I would. Though, you made it a thousand times better. I probably wouldn’t have gone without you.”

Caitlyn gave a gentle squeeze back, humming softly in response. The girl seemed to be drifting off in her thoughts, her gaze observing the city before them. A comfortable silence danced between the two of them, distant car honking and bird calls being the only noises flowing through the air.

Caitlyn sighed, her grip on Vi’s hand faltering before she spoke.

“There’s been something I’ve been meaning to tell you—for a while now. I’ve never found the right time to say it.”

Vi glanced over to Caitlyn, a curious look on her face.

“What is it? Do you want to get married or something?” She questioned with a cheeky grin.

Caitlyn giggled at Vi’s quip, meeting the girl’s gaze.

“Well—I’d be interested in that too, but that’s not what I wanted to say.”

Vi raised an eyebrow, her smile gradually fading as she noticed the girl’s tone. Caitlyn seemed—off somehow. She couldn’t tell why exactly, but it began to gnaw at her insides, a pit forming in her stomach.

“So…what is it?”

Cait averted her gaze, looking back toward the array of city lights before them.

“You know how you jumped my fence a few months ago? And then rang on my doorbell almost 500 times?”

Vi huffed, nodding proudly.

“Duh.—And I’d do it again. Not even metal bars can keep me from you, Cupcake.”

Caitlyn chuckled softly, her grip fully loosening from Vi’s grasp. The atmosphere suddenly became heavy, like a dark storm cloud covering the sun.

“If you hadn’t come for me that night—I wouldn’t have been here today.” She choked out as she lowered her head.

Caitlyn’s confession confused Vi, her brows furrowing.

“What do you mean?—Like, we wouldn’t be dating? Because I guess that’s true—“

“No.”

Caitlyn cut Vi off as she bit down hard on her cheek.

“I wouldn’t—“ Her voice was unsteady, as if she was afraid of finishing her sentence. “—have been alive had you not come that day.”

Violet’s eyes widened in shock, her jaw dropping faintly. There was no way she heard that right. What the fuck did she mean by that?

Caitlyn hesitantly glanced over to the girl beside her. She recognized the uncertainty in Vi’s expression and clenched her jaw.

“I had been planning to end it all.” She stated bluntly. “I wrote you a letter—“

“Stop.” Vi cried out, her eyes analyzing Caitlyn’s face. Surely, she had to be joking.—Exaggerating, even. Maybe Vi’s ears were playing tricks on her? They must be. The girl she was so infatuated with could not have been that close to slipping out of her fingers just a few months ago.

Had she?

No matter how desperately Violet searched, there was no crack in Caitlyn’s resolve. It was horrifying.

“Cait…” She whimpered, her voice cracking.

Caitlyn gazed into Vi’s eyes, a sigh escaping her lips.

“I’m sorry—I should’ve told you earlier,” She began to pick at her nails, her hands shaking.

“Fuck. I’ve probably ruined the night for you.—I’m so sorry.”

Vi shook her head, her eyes glassing over. She reached out to cup Caitlyn’s cheek, but her motions were hesitant—afraid. It was as if she was worried that the girl would disappear at this very moment.

“Oh god—no, don’t worry about that. Caitlyn, do not ever apologize for that kind of shit.” Her hand was trembling as she ran her thumb over Caitlyn’s cheek.

“Cait…I can’t believe I almost lost you.” She whispered, her voice hardly audible.

Everything around the girl seemed to freeze in time, reality dawning on the both of them. Vi wanted to cry, yell, punch something—anything but stare helplessly at Caitlyn. But she didn’t do any of that. None of those things would’ve helped in this situation. Frankly, Violet didn’t know if anything would help in this situation. She just sat there, her heart shattering into pieces each time she met Caitlyn’s eyes.

Caitlyn gripped the hem of her dress, her knuckles turning pale as the moonlight reflected on her skin.

“I couldn’t think of another solution.” She admitted, her voice cracking.

Vi bit down on her lip. Her chest felt like it was about to explode. Violet had been in a similar position before—with Powder. But Powder was different. She was her sister. Violet knew what to say to Powder, knew how to convince her that life was worth living, and eventually, she had gotten better.

With Caitlyn, it was more of a challenge. Violet felt like she had known the girl for her whole life—but at the same time only a few days.

Vi clawed at her brain for anything, just a few simple words to show the girl she cared—that she understood. Her mind begged her to tell Caitlyn how much she loved her, explain how devastated she would’ve been—say anything.

But all she could think about was what could’ve happened had Caitlyn gone through with it.

And that stopped any words from coming out of her mouth.

Instead, she lunged towards Caitlyn, clinging onto the girl as if she was her lifeline. Her body shook with sobs, tears streaming down her face into Cait’s shoulder. Violet was the one who led her down that path. If one more thing had gone differently that day—whether it had been Vi putting off her apology till the morning—or just a bit of traffic, her whole world would’ve collapsed. The fact that her reality could’ve ended up like that sent panic through her body.

She felt a gentle hand running through her hair as the phrases ‘It’s okay.’ and ‘I’m right here.’ echoed in her ears.

Vi held Caitlyn tighter, terrified to let go. Caitlyn had almost died and Vi had almost let it happen.

Caitlyn lifted Vi’s face to meet hers. Her hands were tender as she wiped a stray tear off Violet’s cheek, a sad smile spreading across her face. Mascara ran down Caitlyn’s cheeks—a signal that Vi wasn’t the only girl who had been crying.

A pause settled between the two girls, Caitlyn gazing into Violet’s eyes.

“How do you manage to still look handsome even after bawling your eyes out?” Caitlyn blurted as she burst out in stifled laughter.

Vi snorted, stunned by the sudden change in tone.

“I could say the same for you.” She remarked, her eyebrows wiggling to emphasize her point.

Caitlyn’s lips pressed together as she searched for the right words to say. Her hands drifted down Vi’s face—her fingers tentatively tracing her jaw.

“If it makes you feel better, I’m glad you stopped me. Even if you didn’t realize what you had done.”

Vi leaned into Caitlyn’s touch, her expression hardening.

“Don’t ever try to pull that shit again. I can’t imagine a world without you in it. My life would be like hell.”

Caitlyn hummed gently, placing a kiss on Vi’s temple before flashing her a smile.

“I won’t. I can’t leave you alone—you have no sense of self-preservation.”

Vi scoffed, her nose scrunching faintly.

“Alright, alright.”

Vi’s eyes fluttered, her expression unreadable.

“Hey, Cait.”

“Yes, Vi?”

“I love you.”

Caitlyn paused, pulling Vi into a tight hug.

If that night had gone as planned, she wouldn’t have ever been able to experience her beautiful girlfriend. She would’ve missed out on so many experiences, opportunities, and precious memories.

It would’ve all been because of her inability to look past her mistakes.

Mistakes are inevitable, but you can fix them—or their eventual outcome. Caitlyn wasn’t the only person to mess things up—everyone did. If other people deserved to live—if they deserved to be loved, happy, and even forgiven.

Maybe Caitlyn did too.

“I love you too, Violet.” She whispered, burying her face in Vi’s neck.

Vi’s hand wrapped around her head, grounding her in reality. Caitlyn released a breath she hadn’t even realized she had been holding, fully melting in Vi’s warm embrace.

Violet loved her.

Through all her mistakes, all her flaws, and all her problems—Violet loved her. And that was all that really mattered.

Chapter Text

Vi made her way to her kitchen, pouring some Fruit Loops and an equal serving of milk into a bowl. Caitlyn kept telling her to ‘stop eating that crap’—saying it was “hardly a nutritious breakfast”—but she bought them anyways. It reminded her of home, in a way. Just a memory could never truly bring her back to the past. She was humming a lullaby her mother used to sing to her, the sunlight seeping from the curtains and heating the wooden floors. Memories of her and Powder sitting on their old couch on the weekends flashed across her mind; Her little sister sprawled across her lap as they watched a new episode of their daily scheduled cartoon. Those were the days. When they didn’t have to worry about their future, had no responsibilities, and had loads of time to spare. The wave of nostalgia sent a shiver of warmth down her spine, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

Although she missed those moments in her childhood, her current life was certainly one to celebrate. Vi grabbed a spoon from her drawer, the cutlery softly clattering inside as she closed it.

Before she could turn around, long arms wrapped around her waist, enveloping her in a soft embrace as a head rested on her shoulder. She chuckled, placing her breakfast down before taking one of Caitlyn’s hands.

Vi caressed the back of Cait’s hand with her thumb, rubbing it in a circular motion. “Good morning, Love.” She whispered, her voice still hoarse from waking up a few minutes ago.

Caitlyn hummed in response and burrowed her face in the crook of Vi’s neck. She assumed that Caitlyn had just woken up, judging by her quiet reply. Her girlfriend was a morning person—but it took about 5 minutes of her being awake for the working gears to click into place. Vi spun around, planting a kiss on Cait’s forehead before pulling her into a tight hug. She loved these quiet mornings between them. They were beginning to be her favorite time of day. However, their clinginess didn't cease when the sun rose higher in the sky. Because they shared an apartment, Vi followed Caitlyn around like a lost puppy dog. She would complain whenever her girlfriend left her line of sight or her physical vicinity, even if it was just for a few minutes.

She knew Caitlyn would never admit it, but it was apparent that the girl didn’t mind Vi’s relentless need for attention. In fact—Vi would like to think that she enjoyed the constant company. Albeit, she may be a bit biased.

Vi ran her fingers through Caitlyn’s hair, pulling back from their hug and holding the girl’s jaw. Caitlyn’s eyes steadily met Vi’s gaze, her brain not quite awake yet. The girl’s hair was a bit of a mess, and her clothes were slightly disheveled from a long night of rest, but she still looked effortlessly stunning. Vi bit back a smirk and brought her free hand to Caitlyn’s waist.

“How was your sleep?”

Caitlyn grinned, her endearing tooth gap on display. “It was alright.” She paused, narrowing her eyes slightly. “I would’ve rested better if you hadn’t relentlessly crushed my chest with your skull.”

Vi pouted and furrowed her brows, her forehead creasing dejectedly. “But you’re so comfortable…” She whined, her thumb resting on Cait’s cheek.

Caitlyn’s eyes narrowed as her cheeks flushed to a rosy hue. After years of dealing with Violet’s relentless attempts at flirting, she never managed to attain indifference. Vi was undeniably charming.

“Whatever.” She muttered, shutting her eyes and leaning further into Vi’s touch.

Vi smiled and pressed another kiss on Caitlyn’s forehead before she turned back to her bowl of cereal. She picked it up and faced Cait, leaning on the counter casually as she scooped up a few pieces with her spoon.

“Want some?” She muttered, holding out her spoon while chewing her last bite.

“…No thanks..” Caitlyn responded, her voice distant as her expression gradually became more awake.

Vi shrugged, shoving another spoonful of cereal in her mouth. The girls strolled to their living room and sat beside each other on the couch. Caitlyn snuggled up next to Vi, resting her head on the girl’s arm. It was peaceful, quiet, and slow. Just how they liked it.

Caitlyn pulled out her phone, the blue light illuminating the dimly lit area. They hadn’t bothered to open the blinds yet—the little bit of sunlight seeping through the curtains was enough light for their early morning activities. Caitlyn’s eyes wandered down to her list of notifications, scrolling through the various alerts. Vi saw a couple of Pinterest links, unopened text messages from herself, and too many work emails.

Caitlyn suddenly stopped scrolling, her fingers stopping on a notification from her calendar app. She cursed under her breath, her body immediately shooting up from the couch before Vi could read what it had said.

“Oh my god. It’s the 30th.”

Vi raised an eyebrow, observing Caitlyn’s frantic expression. What was so special about the 30th?

As if Cait read her mind—the girl whipped her head to face Vi. “Powder’s graduation is in less than an hour.”

Vi’s face dropped, her brain short-circuiting. How could she have forgotten the day of her own sister’s graduation?

“Well shit—We’ve got to go.”

Caitlyn stood upright, hurriedly pacing in front of the couch. Her fingers ran through her hair as her body began trembling.

Her voice rose in pitch as she spoke, words shooting out of her mouth at the speed of light. “We’re almost an hour away from the venue. If we leave now, we will barely get there in time. Then we have to find parking and seats and—“

Vi placed her cereal down, walked up to Caitlyn, and grabbed her wrists to stop her relentless pacing.

“Cait—breathe.”

Caitlyn met Vi’s gaze, her icy blue eyes softening at the sight of the girl’s concerned expression. She inhaled sharply and shut her eyes. Vi started to count down from ten, the two breathing in sync. Steady breathing helped Caitlyn’s mind from overloading—Vi was always willing to do it with her.

Once she finished counting, Vi slid her hands down to hold Caitlyn’s. “It’ll be okay. Even if we’re a little late, Pow-Pow’s gonna be near the middle. If we get ready promptly, we should be out the door by 9.”

Caitlyn nodded, her eyes glassy. She hated freaking out like that but had a hard time avoiding it. Life was stressful.

“I’m gonna put my dishes away—you go get changed.” Vi paused, squeezing Cait’s hands. “Is that okay?”

“Yeah.” Caitlyn sighed, blinking away her tears. She grasped Vi’s fingers, a faint smile on her face. “Thank you, Love.”

Vi nodded and gave her girlfriend a sweet smile in return before leaving to collect her cereal bowl from the couch. Admittedly, she was nervous to see her little sister graduate. Vi was still getting used to Powder being 17 instead of the young teenager she remembered so fondly, but it was also a good wake-up call. Time was precious as much as it was fleeting—so Vi had to savor every moment she could.

Caitlyn anxiously drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. She glanced at her car clock that read 9:45 in big bold letters. She wished that time would slow down temporarily—Powder’s graduation ceremony had started 15 minutes ago.

Then it turned 9:46.

She exhaled sharply, her eyes flicking back to the light before her. It was still red—they were wasting time. Why didn’t she check her schedule that morning? She shouldn’t have woken up so late. Caitlyn was supposed to be the one who kept track of things. It was the only thing she was good at.

“You good?” Vi called, breaking Caitlyn out of her self-pitying spiral.

Caitlyn glanced over to Vi, an unconvincing smile flashing on her face.

“Yep.”

Vi eyed her suspiciously but dropped it. Talking about her anxiety would only stress Cait out more. That was not something she wanted to do.

“Alright. Let me know if you need anything.”Vi put her feet up on the dashboard, earning herself a glare from Caitlyn.

“Put your feet down. Now.” Cait hissed as she let out a huff of disbelief. Vi pouted and kicked her feet back to the floor with a whine.

Caitlyn shook her head, pressing the gas pedal as the light finally turned green. “Honestly—Do you have any regard for your safety?”

“If you had just let me drive us, I wouldn’t be able to put my feet up,” Vi muttered bitterly, her tone laced with amusement. It was entertaining to rile up Cait like this.

Caitlyn shot another glare at Vi, this time paired with a charming scoff. “The last time I let you drive, you and Jayce almost sent us flying off a bridge.”

From the corner of her eye, Caitlyn observed Vi frown as she sunk further into the passenger seat.

“That was only one time. It’s not my fault he’s so distracting.”

“Vi. You agreed to arm wrestle him—while driving, after Viktor and I both had begged you not to. It is entirely both of your faults.”

Even if the memory was semi-horrifying, the absurdity of the situation was hilarious. There were times when Caitlyn wondered if Vi and her best friend had anything going on in their brains. Both individuals were intelligent when they wanted to be, but other times, their minds were filled solely with white noise—especially when they were together.

“You just don’t get our bond, Cupcake. Car rides are temporary—gym bros are forever.” A wide smirk spread across Violet’s face as she flexed her arm muscles. Caitlyn chuckled at the ridiculous sight, her anxiety melting away from her body.

If Violet was trying to cheer her up, she was succeeding.

Vi’s phone buzzed with a text message popping on her screen. She cackled at the photo before holding it out to Caitlyn.

“Look what Powder sent me.”

“Can’t really look at the moment. I’m trying to keep us from getting into a car accident.”

Vi retreated setting her phone down with a disappointed frown. Caitlyn noticed her somber expression and sighed, gripping the steering wheel.

“Just tell me about it.” She mumbled. An ecstatic expression returned to Vi’s face as she whipped back out her phone.

“Okay, so the caption is: ‘Waiting 4 you two’ and she’s next to Ekko and they have on the stupidest grins. The worst part is—one of them is definitely in the wrong seat because that is not alphabetical order.”

A stifled laugh escaped Caitlyn before she spoke. “I’m willing to bet it’s Powder.”

Vi slipped her phone back into her pocket, sighing contently. “Yeah…probably.”

They arrived at the ceremony at 10:14, beating their arrival predictions by 16 minutes. As they rushed out of the parking lot, Vi whisked out her phone and started texting Vander.

“He said he got us two seats in row…7.”

A wave of relief washed over Caitlyn. Thank god for Vander—they would’ve had to stand for two hours had he not saved them seats.

“Okay. Good.” She muttered, attempting to catch her breath. They were walking at a brisk pace, and adrenaline was pumping through her veins. As they approached the sea of audience viewing the ceremony, Caitlyn and Vi scanned the crowd for any familiar faces in the front. Whether it be Claggor, Mylo, Benzo, or Vander, seeing their faces would lead them to the rest of the group.

Unsurprisingly, Violet found her family first, her face beaming as she grasped Caitlyn’s wrist. They bowed their heads down as they walked down the aisles, attempting to keep the spotlight on the seniors on stage who were accepting their diplomas. Vander noticed the two girls first, his expression lighting up at the sight of them.

“You made it!” He exclaimed, beckoning them over.

Vi sat down in the seat next to him, Caitlyn promptly following suit beside her. Their eyes surveyed the seated graduates, searching for Powder and Ekko among the masses.

“Don’t worry, girls. You haven’t missed ‘em. The principal is only on the C’s right now.”

Vi let out a sigh of relief and the anxiety in her chest finally dissipated. By some miracle, they had gotten there in time. Claggor peeked out to wave at Cait, Mylo giving a sideways glance to Vi as he smirked. The two seemed much older than when Caitlyn had last seen them, even though it had only been a few months. They enrolled in a community college last year and planned to continue at a university once they scrounged up enough money. Although it wouldn’t seem it, the brothers were pretty intelligent. They were developing all sorts of ideas to help clean the streets of their hometown and make the neighborhood a more pleasant place to live in.

Caitlyn aimed to do that as well but with the police force. Vi had told her many stories of her years in foster care, the horrors she had to witness, the trauma she had to endure. It was unbelievable how preventable those experiences could have been had an officer stepped in, or better yet, stricter rules set in motion. That only further increased Caitlyn’s desire to make a change in the police force—to dissolve the common corruption it faced—and to ensure that children like Vi in the future would never have to go through things as horrific as the girl had described.

Vi was unconvinced that they would make a difference in the system, claiming they were two against a mountain of bribery, but Caitlyn refused to give up.—If there was even a faint chance to help someone, whether a child or an adult, their work was worth the effort.

Vi brought Caitlyn back to reality as she stood up from her seat, waving excitedly at Powder in the middle rows. Their eyes were locked on each other’s, both sisters beaming in pride. Caitlyn couldn’t help but smile at the genuine endearment on their faces, a warm feeling filling her heart. Not only had she been able to view that love from an outsider's perspective, but she got to be at the receiving end of that love whenever Vi looked at her.

After receiving irritated glares from the people around her, Vi sat down again with a content sigh. “I can’t believe she’ll be going to college this year.” She muttered with a reminiscent frown.

Caitlyn glanced at Powder, who was excitedly cheering for a blonde girl who had just walked on stage.

“Yeah—It’s good, though. Your sister is too intelligent to stop at a high school diploma.”

Vi nodded, her voice filled with pride. “Hell yeah, she is. I’m just sad she won’t get to crash over anymore.”

Caitlyn huffed, a smile tugging at her lips. Powder slept on their apartment couch at least once a week—Cait was contemplating getting a new one just for a spare bedroom for the girl. Before she left, Powder would raid their flat of all foods with a moderately high sugar content. The only evidence of the weekly crime would be a small hand-drawn monkey symbol on a post-it note atop their pantry door.

“I don’t know…our pantry would be of better use if it had food in it.”

Vi shrugged, a crooked smile flashing onto her face. “I guess.”

“I’m impressed you didn’t trip on the way to the podium with those ridiculously high boots you’re wearing.”

Powder scoffed at her sister, her cheeks and ears flushing. “They’re platforms, not just boots.—Besides, at least I didn’t drop my diploma, unlike someone…”

Vi rolled her eyes as she tussled Powder’s hair. “Okay, Ms. Smartie Pants. Bringing up past slip-ups? That’s low. Even for you.”

The shorter girl huffed, swatting Vi’s hand away from her scalp. “Whatever Fathands.”

An offended gasp could be heard from Vi, her hand shooting to her heart. “How could you say that to your wonderful big sister?” A mischievous grin flashed onto her face. “Do you wanna fight right now?”

Caitlyn flicked Violet in the head, a disapproving frown on her face. “Do not fight your sister right now. Can we walk to an ice cream parlor for two seconds without you threatening violence?”

Powder slipped next to Caitlyn, patting her shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Caity. I can take her.” She whispered as she put on a confident smirk.

Before Caitlyn could respond, Vander stepped in.—Both literally and figuratively.

“Caitlyn’s right. No fighting, or we’re all heading home.”

The rest of the group whined in response, Mylo huffing out a ‘c'mon’ as he threw out his hands. Even if they were all entering the age of adulthood, nobody would pass up free ice cream.

The two sisters wore similar expressions of disappointment—their previous challenging appearances fading into resignation. A peaceful bliss danced through the air as they walked down the streets, the afternoon sun shining on their faces. Vi glanced at her sister, the former defiant pout absent from the girl’s face. She talked animatedly to Ekko about a gadget she was working on, excited energy radiating off her.

Caitlyn nudged Violet’s forearm, her voice lowering to a whisper in Vi’s ear. “I don’t know about you, but I believe that Ekko may be a little head over heels for your little sister.”

Vi narrowed her eyes at Caitlyn, scowling. “Yeah, sure.” She grumbled.

Caitlyn giggled at her response, looking back at Powder and Ekko. The cheery energy was a pleasant contrast from her prior morning jitters. Surrounded by so many people who loved each other—who seemed to care for her—was exhilarating. Her life had never felt so hectic, so lively before. All those years spent alone in her house, all those days wishing for just one person to talk to—and now she had it. She had it all.

And it was remarkable.

They ate their ice creams swiftly, leaving plenty of time to wander around the quaint pocket of shops they found themselves at. Caitlyn enjoyed the food for once. She didn’t think about the calories or the sugar content—not even what she had eaten the previous day. The girl allowed herself to enjoy the moment—and experience everything to its fullest. Maybe she needed to let herself do that more often.

Vi held her hand as they walked down the streets, a firm grasp—but not possessive. Just reassuring, dependable, and comforting. Just as Vi always managed to be.

Quite a bit of time had passed, and the sun began to set on the horizon. She hadn’t realized how long they had been out—but it didn’t matter much. Vander started to seem worn out, so he went out for a drink with Benzo, leaving the six other individuals to their own devices.

As the sun disappeared, the streetlights turned on with a clink, the low hum of electricity filling the cool spring air.

“Hey…aren’t we near a playground?” Powder questioned, peering around as the visibility of their surroundings decreased.

Mylo cackled, slapping his knee obnoxiously loudly. “Powder—you just graduated high school. I thought that meant you finally grew out of shit like that.”

Claggor knocked him in the head, leading Mylo to let out a yelp. Even as they got older, old habits never seemed to change.

“Shut it, My. —Or I’m not driving you home.” He grumbled. Claggor’s chastising tone sounded a bit too much like Vander’s. Like father, like son, Caitlyn supposed. Vi snickered, letting go of Caitlyn’s hand to hug around Ekko and Powder’s shoulders.

Admittedly, Caitlyn’s heart panged a little when Vi had left—but the absence was bearable.

Only temporarily, of course.

“There is a playground over there. It’s kind of me and Cait’s spot, but I guess you guys can tag along.—Just this time, though.”

Powder rolled her eyes and wriggled out of Vi’s hold, dragging an unbothered Ekko with her. “You’re gross, Sis. Who knew you’d become such a softie?” She mumbled in her signature whiny tone.

Caitlyn observed as Vi crossed her arms, her ears practically fuming as she argued that she was ‘not a softie.’ Before the situation could escalate, Powder and Ekko fled towards the park entrance—with Mylo and Claggor following suit.

Oh right.

Sun Gate Park.

Theirpark.

Vi attempted to chase after her sister—but gave up halfway, slowing down to a jog and eventually a stroll to sync her pace with Cait.

“Hey—Cupcake, if you’re tired, we can start heading home. I know it’s getting pretty dark.”

Caitlyn smiled, touched by how considerate Vi was being. “It’s alright—I can stay out for a bit longer. It’s not like we’ve ever limited ourselves to a curfew before.”

The girl’s melodic laugh sent an arrow straight through Caitlyn’s heart. Even when she wasn’t trying, Vi made Caitlyn fall in love with her all over again.

“Alright.” Vi paused, bumping shoulders with the girl beside her. “Wanna ditch these losers, though? We can head up to our secret spot.”

Caitlyn glanced over to the rest of their group. Claggor observed as Mylo hung on the monkey bars, gleefully swinging back and forth between the poles. Powder, on the other hand, was swinging beside Ekko on the swing set. Her blue hair whipped through the wind behind her. They seemed to be entertaining themselves—what’s the worst that could happen in the few minutes they were gone?

Knowing the Lanes kids—A lot.

But Ekko’s got them.

…Hopefully.

The trek up to their hill was pleasant enough. The stars were out, though most tree branches covered most of their view while they were on the path. Their shoes crunched on the ground, the damp grass filling their senses. The familiar scent made it all rush back, the late-night talks, the tears shed, the kisses shared.

“I bet I could tackle you right now,” Vi exclaimed out of nowhere, her voice determined.

Caitlyn raised her eyebrow cautiously as her face lost any hint of reminiscence. “What in the world would posses you to—“

Before she could finish her statement, Violet pounced on her. The impact sent both girls tumbling to the ground. They landed in a patch of grass near the hill, with a clear view of the sky above them. Vi was a cackling mess, a contagious smile on her face.

“Violet!” Caitlyn screeched, giggles escaping her mouth before she could help it. Vi’s weight slightly crushed Caitlyn underneath her, but it wasn’t uncomfortable—it was quite the contrary.

“What, Cupcake? Can I not enjoy the view?”

Caitlyn shoved Violet off of her, rolling to her side. “The view is up there Lanes.”

Vi feigned offense, turning towards her. “You’re so cruel, Ms. Kiramman.” She paused, attempting to gain composure of herself. “And how dare you assume I was talking about the sky.”

“You’re insufferable.”

“—Just when I’d thought you ran out of ‘I’ words to call me.”

Caitlyn shot Vi a playful glare. The girl returned the gesture with a smug smirk. That smile could win any petty argument they ever had. Caitlyn turned to her other side, attempting to hide the furious blush buzzing on her cheeks.

“Come back…” Vi whined as she rolled closer to Cait. Her breath was warm on Caitlyn’s back, sending shivers down her spine.

Reluctantly, she turned her body to face Vi, a smirk on her face. Vi’s gray irises were wide, her eyes gleaming in the moonlight. She was so beautiful.

“Cait—do you ever think back to the day we met?”

Caitlyn groaned in response as she reached up to massage her temple. “Yes. It was humiliating.”

Vi huffed as she shrugged her shoulders, her head cocking at the motion. “Eh. I thought your reaction was endearing. You tried so hard to play it off as it wasn’t a big deal.”

“Well—maybe it was because I barely knew you.”

“I’d like to think it was because I was so hot you were speechless.”

“You’re so supercilious,” Caitlyn muttered, averting her gaze.

Vi snickered, intertwining her fingers with her girlfriend’s. “Okay, now you’re just making words up.”

“I’m not,” Caitlyn argued, her eyes flicking back to Vi’s. “I just know how to use Google.” She muttered.

Their bodies radiated warmth as they lay on the cool ground, their figures barely noticeable in the dense forest. It felt like they were isolated from the rest of the world—the two lovers in their own little universe. Violet hummed as a grin spread across her face.

“What are you smiling for?” Caitlyn questioned, her face uncontrollably beaming as well.

“I’m just—glad I met you. Like, really glad.” Vi’s voice cracked as her eyes turned glossy. Her face was a combination of pride, fondness, and a hint of gloom. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without the love of my life.”

Caitlyn squeezed her hand, shuffling closer to the girl next to her. “I’m glad I met you, too. You’re the best thing to ever happen to me.”

Electric currents bounced between them, a complex blend of emotions flowing through their veins. There were so many things the two women wanted to say to each other at that moment—but they were hesitant. Doubts always lingered. They just had to figure out how to move past them.

“Want to hear something funny?”

Vi hummed in curiosity, her fingers circling Caitlyn’s knuckles.

“Whenever we came here, I felt like I was running away from the things I couldn’t handle.” She pressed her lips into a thin line. “It felt more like an escape from my problems than anything else.”

Caitlyn looked back to see Vi’s eyes focused on her. The girl looked concerned, her eyes slightly furrowed as she slowly nodded.

“But now I don’t have to run away anymore. I have you, my dad, Vander.—Even Ekko and your siblings if I’m lucky. You all make the problems easier to manage.”

Abruptly, Vi pulled Caitlyn in closer by the waist, their foreheads touching.

“I’m glad we can do that for you.” After pressing a kiss on Caitlyn’s forehead, Vi pulled back to meet her gaze. “If any problem ever gets too much…you’ll tell me, right?”

Years ago, Caitlyn would’ve lied if Vi had asked the same question. She would’ve plastered on a polite smile—the one she had been classically trained to achieve, and responded with a confident yes. But that was before she realized that she wasn’t alone in this world. That was before she fully understood the beauties and the injustices in the world. That was before she realized she could make a difference in someone’s life—a difference to society.

That was before she met a singular pink-haired woman who made life worth a try.

She gazed at Violet—her effortlessly perfect lips. The freckles on her face that Caitlyn had counted at least a hundred times. Her hair was now down to her shoulders but still tossed to her right.

And her eyes.

Her gorgeous eyes.

“I’ll try,” Caitlyn whispered, a warm smile flickering on her lips.

Vi chuckled, resting her forehead on Caitlyn’s as she shut her eyes. “That’s all I needed to hear.”

Everything around Caitlyn seemed to freeze in time. It wasn’t panic or dissociation—it was just pure bliss. The weather was divine—the moonlight illuminated the dense patch of forest surrounding the hill.

It was perfect. Even though their clothes were soaked and their bodies were exhausted, it was perfect.

Because—she was with Vi.

Someone who she always felt loved with. The girl who brought so much joy into her life. The one person who would build her back up again, no matter how many times she fell apart.

“I love you, Violet.” Caitlyn blurted out.

Vi raised her hand to brush over Caitlyn’s cheek, a slight grin on her face. She cupped her jaw, leaning in for a kiss.

“I love you too, Caitlyn.”

Their kiss was sweet, innocent, resemblant of their first ever evening at the park. Vi ran her fingers through Caitlyn’s hair, which caused her body to shudder. She felt Violet’s rough lips—her calloused hands and firm grip. Caitlyn couldn’t help but be amazed by how gentle the girl always managed to be. Violet could never cease to amaze her.

The only thing she could think of was how much she loved Vi. The singular phrase was unwavering in her mind like a broken record. She loved her faults, her flaws, her imperfections. She loved her promises, her actions, her stories. She loved her beliefs, her courage, her strength.

Caitlyn was never truly alone anymore. She didn’t want an escape from her house. She didn’t have to deflect any more of her struggles. She didn’t need any distractions from any pain. She just needed to be home. Her home was with her right now—a pink-haired girl with the Roman numeral ‘6’ on her cheek.