Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Katrina stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at the crowd of people. Her dress swishes around her as she hands her name to the announcer, a teen not much older than fifteen, who reads it shakily into a horn. 

“Presenting Katrina Viande!” 

Kat knew her mask would protect her, and she gave a fake last name, hoping Katrina was common enough that no one would recognize her. 

She walks down the stairs, holding her dress up so she wouldn’t trip and locates the nearest server, grabbing a glass of champagne and moving to the wall, leaning against it and watching. 

Violins play softly in the background, accompanied by a piano as the people dance, spinning in sharp choreography. 

She regrets coming, regrets letting Josh talk her into it. 

“It’s only one night!” He said, glittering drifting off of him as he paced. “You have to go!’ 

She tips the glass back, emptying it and setting on another tray, eyeing the room, when someone taps her shoulder. Kat jumps and turns, her dress hitting the person. 

“Oh, sorry!” The woman holds her hands out, an apology written over her face. “I was just wondering if you would dance with me?” She holds out a gloved hand. 

Katrina stares at the woman, her short hair slicked back, a tailored red suit contrasting the bright blue of her eyes hidden behind a red and gold mask. Katrina breathes out and smiles. 

“Of course.” Kat takes the woman’s hand and lets her lead them onto the dance floor where other couples are pairing up. 

Katrina curtsies, head dipped low and the woman bows, before extending both hands, letting the woman lead the way, spinning under the glowing lights of the chandelier. 

Chapter Text

It wasn’t a crush. Jenny’s had crushes, she knows how they feel. They’re quick and unimportant and she gets over it. Like Clark. He’s cool, he’s nice, and when they went out, it was okay, but that’s it. 

It wasn’t a crush, Jenny was just excited to see Kirsten, to see her friend, because that’s all it was. Kirsten was her friend, just like Carson and Marshall were her friends. 

The voice in the back of her head whispers that she doesn’t feel the same fluttery feelings in her stomach when Carson laughs at her jokes or when Marshall falls asleep on her shoulder.

“Jenny?” Kirsten pokes her shoulder, jolting her out of her thoughts and back to the hallway of their high school. “You good, you just spaced out for like five minutes.” 

“Hm? Oh, yeah, I’m good. Just tired.” 

Kirsten frowns, concerning obvious in her eyes, but she doesn’t say anything else, content to let Marshall and Carson steer the conversation back towards the fair that’s coming to Mountport in a week. 

She relaxes her shoulders, leaning back into the metal of the lockers and tries not to think about Kirsten next to her, their shoulders brushing. 

.

“So, what’s going on with you?” Carson asks, flipping through one of his comic books, feet dangling off the side of his bed as he kicks Jenny’s shoulder. Jenny’s on the floor, Carson’s sheepdog Harley’s head in her lap. 

“Nothing, I’m very good.” 

“Mhm, and that was super convincing. C’mon, spill. We don’t keep secrets. I told you about my crush on Marshall, you have to tell me whatever the fuck is going on with you.” 

Jenny grumbles, burying her face in Harley’s fur. “I think I like Kirsten.” 

The bed rustles and Carson’s head appears next to hers. “I didn’t understand a single word of that. Stop eating my dog's fur please.” 

Jenny sits up, wiping dog fur off her face. “I think I like Kirsten.” 

“I could’ve told you that!” Carson exclaims, slapping her on the shoulder. “You were so excited to introduce us to her, it felt like we were the parents you were introducing your girlfriend to.” 

“Oh.”

Carson taps his head to hers. “You okay?” 

Jenny bobs her head. “Yeah. Yeah, I think so.” 

“Do you want to talk about it?” 

“Should I tell her?” Jenny asks, bypassing Carson’s question entirely. “Like, should I ask her out? Oh, god, what if she says no? What if she says yes? Should I plan a date before I ask her? Should I tell her I like her before I plan a date? How do people do this? I’ve dated before, why is this so much harder-” 

Carson slaps a hand over her mouth. “I am begging you to take a second and breathe.” 

Jenny inhales, before licking Carson’s hand. “Ew, who raised you!” 

She grins at him, feeling some of the tension leak out of her. He reaches down, wiping his palm on Harley. 

“Thank you.” Jenny says, leaning back so her head is resting on the bed. Carson flips so he’s laying on his back, and knocks their heads together again.
“Anytime. Well, most times. Please don’t call me at four am because you’re being gay, I will be asleep.” 

Jenny snorts. “I’ll try.”

Chapter Text

Kirsten wasn’t blind, nor was she stupid. She knew that she liked Jenny, she knew that Jenny had started being weird around her, she just… didn’t know why. 

She slumps down in her seat in English next to Carson, resting her head in her arms.

“Oh god, not you too.” Carson groans, mimicking Kirsten’s pose and looking at her. She turns her head to meet his eyes. 

“God forbid I’m going through it.” She pouts. “Wait, who else is going through it?” 

“Not important. What’s up?” 

“I think Jenny hates me.” Kirsten grumbles. “Or she’s uncomfortable around me.”

“Why would she be uncomfortable around you?” 

Kirsten does her best approximation of a shrug. “Dunno. She found out I like her and doesn’t feel the same? Maybe I made another orphan joke and she didn’t think it was funny? Could be anything.” 

Carson groans, hitting his head lightly on the table. “Simply begging you to talk to her.” 

“The sympathy you’re giving is overwhelming.” Kirsten deadpans, sitting up. “I’m going to Marshall with my gay struggles from now on.” 

“C’mon, Krissy, just ask her. You know it’ll be easier.” Carson sits up, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“You’re the worst.” 

Carson just grins brightly as the class quiets down to begin and Kirsten gets to ignore her own problems for the next hour. 

.

Unfortunately an hour is all Carson gives her, since the moment the bell rings and school is out, he’s pushing her towards Jenny and walking away. He points two fingers at himself then at Kirsten, before going to find Marshall most likely. 

“What’s up with him?” Jenny asks, bumping her shoulder against Kirsten’s in greeting. 

“I- no clue.” 

“His loss. You doing anything right now?” Jenny asks, twirling her car keys around her finger. 

Kirsten shakes her head. 

“Great. I want to show you something.” Jenny grabs Kirsten’s wrist and pulls her to her car. Kirsten’s face heats up and she turns back once to see Marshall and Carson giving her thumbs up. 

Jenny hands her the aux cord as she starts up the car. 

“So, where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise!” Jenny grins brightly, a hint of mischief in her eyes, almost matching Carson’s. 

Kirsten hums and leans back in her seat, watching as skyrises and suburban houses give way to winding lakeside roads. Jenny taps on the steering wheel rhythmically, flicking on her blinker and pulls over to a small lookout area. 

“Are you taking me out here to kill me?” Kirsten asks, mostly joking, but with the slowly setting sun and being in the middle of nowhere, the vibe was questionable. 

Jenny laughs. “No, no, promise.” She turns the car engine off and leads Kirsten down a small path which leads to a secluded beach, soft sand giving way to lapping water. Kirsten gasps. The near still water a mirror to the darkening sky. 

Jenny pulls off her sneakers and shoves her socks into them, walking down the beach and sitting down, letting the water gently wash over her feet. She waves for Kirsten to follow her, and Kirsten does, taking off her shoes and sitting next to Jenny.

“It’s so pretty. How’d you find this place?” 

“Tyler and I have a lake house that’s right over there.” Jenny points across the lake, which Kirsten assumed a house was, but she could not see it. “One day we were kayaking and we found it. It did take more time to figure out how to get here without kayaking for a little under an hour, but it was so worth it.” 

“Thank you for bringing me. And for not killing me.” Kirsten says, nudging Jenny, who grins brighter than the setting sun. 

“Always.”

Kirsten’s face heats up and she looks back at the water. “I-hrm. I wanted to tell you something.” 

“What’s up?” Jenny asks softly. She covers Kirsten’s hand with her own and Kirsten flips her hand to interlace their fingers. 

Kirsten takes a deep breath and squeezes her eyes shut. “I like you. I have for a while, but you’ve been acting weird lately, and I’m sorry if I did that, if I messed up our friendship and if you think I’m weird or that this is uncomfortable, then I’ll give you space, and-” 

Jenny, with her free hand, covers Kirsten’s mouth. “You like me too?” Kirsten opens her eyes and finally looks at Jenny, smiling wide, the lines around her eyes crinkling. 

“Yeah, that's why I brought you here, I was going to ask you out on an actual date, but you had to beat me to it.”
Kirsten giggles, squeezing Jenny’s hand softly, feeling the stress from the day melt. “Technically, I just told you I liked you, I didn’t ask you out.” 

“Well, in that case- Kirsten Ophelia Holloway, will you go out with me at some point in the foreseeable future. Hopefully sooner rather than later.” Jenny asks, puffing her chest out and holding her free hand to her heart. 

“You’re an idiot. Yes, I’d love to.” 

Jenny lets go of Kirsten’s hand for a brief moment before wrapping her arms around Kirsten and pulling her close. Kirsten rests her head on Jenny’s shoulder and even as the sun sets and the cool night air whistles through the trees, Kirsten feels warm.

Chapter Text

Kat was not running across campus no matter how late she was going to be. She would speed walk and regret letting Josh talk her out of getting an electric scooter. 

She pulls open the door to the Science building, her shoes squeaking on the linoleum as she moves through the halls, looking for the classroom. 

Kat slows to a stop before opening the door and scanning the classroom. The professor stands at the front of the room, whiteboard marker in hand as he hums in displeasure. 

“So sorry, professor, I got lost.” Kat finds a seat in the back next to a woman, short hair pulled out of her face with a red baseball cap. Kat’s breath hitches as she sits next to the woman, the professor’s voice continuing as she pulls out her laptop, attempting to listen to the syllabus. 

As class starts to wind down, Kat feels a tap on her arm as a piece of paper is slid her way, like they’re in a teen romcom. Hiding the note behind her laptop, she unfolds it. 

Wanna grab coffee after class? 

Yes or No? 

Kat feels her smile widen. She pulls a pencil out and circles ‘yes’, passing the note back to her deskmate. 

Luck was clearly in her favor, because the professor dismissed class ten minutes early, and as the students packed up their stuff and sped out of the classroom, eager to be anywhere but there, Kat turned to introduce herself. (Something she should’ve done before agreeing to go get coffee, a voice murmurs, one that sounds annoyingly like Josh.) 

“So, coffee?” Katrina asks, catching the woman’s eye. “I’m Kat, by the way.” 

“Janice.” Janice holds out her hand and Kat takes it, reveling in the way they fit together, Janice’s calluses scraping against Kat’s palms.  

Heat rushes to Kat’s face as Janice switches hands, interlacing their fingers softly. “This okay?” 

Katrina nods, unable to fight the wide smile breaking across her face as Janice leads her out of the classroom and out into the sunlight.

Chapter Text

Vanessa had been over to Brittany’s house many times. She basically went there every day after school, she knew it as well as she knew her own house. And she’s had sleepovers at Brittany’s house before. 

It didn’t explain why she was so scared. 

Everytime she tried to close her eyes, something would creak, a shadow would flicker in the corner of her vision, and Vanessa’s heart would start pounding. 

She inches closer to Brittany, the two squished into Brittany’s single bed, not wanting to be too needy. She was Vanessa Travers, she was the loud one, the ideas friend, she wasn’t scared of the dark! 

And yet…

It was nearing 3 am. Vanessa had never stayed up this late before. 

Something slams into the window and Vanessa yelps, burrowing her face into Brittany’s shoulder, her heart pounding in her ears. 

Brittany stirs. “Nessy?” She asks, her voice thick with sleep. 

“M’sorry.” Vanessa mumbles.

“You’re shaking.” There’s no judgement in Brittany’s voice, just a statement. “Are you okay?” 

Vanessa thinks about lying to her, considers saying she’s cold and accusing Brittany of hogging the blankets, but she peeks up at Brittany, concerned eyes peering down at her, and she can’t lie. 

“It’s dark.” Vanessa admits, her face flushing. She’s ten, she shouldn’t be scared of the dark, she shouldn’t need a nightlight to sleep in her own room, let alone struggle to sleep in someone else’s house. 

“Aw, you shoulda said something. I would’ve turned the Christmas lights that mama got me on! They’re so pretty, look.” Brittany reaches an arm out to blindly pat at her bedside table until she finds what she’s looking for, keeping an arm wrapped around Vanessa. The lights turn on, a soft yellow glow filling Brittany’s room and Vanessa lets out a sigh of relief, her heart rate slowly returning to a normal pace. 

“Pretty.” Vanessa echoes, fighting a yawn. Her eyes feel heavy and she tugs at the blanket she and Brittany are sharing, pulling it up to her chin and letting herself relax under the twinkle lights, keeping the shadows at bay.

Chapter Text

Janice and Kat were on the same page about kids. They didn’t want them. They were content with their lives, with their corn snake named Tabitha. 

That didn’t mean they didn’t like kids. One of Katrina’s favorite ren faire stories is a seven year old coming up and asking about her sword, and Kat shows her, before giving her a small crystal unicorn. The kid had lit up, running off to show their parents and Katrina had a soft smile on her face the rest of the day. 

Janice never wanted her own kids, she was gone too much and she didn’t want to put Kat in the position of being the only parent during that time. However, she was built for being the cool aunt. She babysat for Cherise’s kid whenever she could. 

When she introduced Kat to her sister, it also meant introducing Kat to Vanessa, and in turn meant that she could drag Kat with her to babysit together. Janice loved her niece, but she was just turning five now, there wasn’t much she could do with her until now. 

Cherise had texted her on Thursday that she and her husband (who Janice still wasn’t sold on) were going out for the weekend and they needed someone to watch Vanessa. Janice agreed easily, texting Kat first to make sure it was okay. 

Vanessa was dropped off at Janice and Kat’s apartment at noon on Friday.

Janice opens the door, grinning as Vanessa barrels into her legs, wrapping her arms around in a makeshift hug. 

“Hey, Nessie!” Janice crouches down to Vanessa’s eye level, greeting Cherise while keeping her attention on her niece. “Are you excited to spend the weekend with Kat and I?” 

Vanessa nods vigorously, pigtails bouncing up and down.

“Hey, Cherise.” Janice hears Katrina enter and lean against their entryway doorway. “Do you and John have fun plans this weekend?” Janice grins up at Kat as Cherise goes off, rambling about the hotel and the spa and the complimentary breakfast. 

Vanessa sticks out her tongue and Janice grins. “Don’t be rude to your mom, Nessie.” Janice teases, no heat behind her words. Vanessa giggles, the sound causing Cherise to realize the time. 

“Oh god, I have to go.” Cherise kneels down, pulling Vanessa into a hug. “Be good for Auntie Janice and Katrina, okay?” Vanessa nods solemnly. Cherise stands back up, pulling Janice and Katrina into a quick hug. “I’ll text when we’re driving back. Love you!” 

“Love you too!” Janice calls, shutting and locking the door behind her. She turns around to where Kat is holding out a small carved amethyst that Janice doesn’t recognize. 

“Here, I got you something.” Katrina murmurs. “Because purple is your favorite.” 

Vanessa jumps up and down before wrapping her arms around Katrina’s neck. 

“Thank you thank you thank you!” 

“Of course. Now, Janice and I have some fun things planned. First things first, pancakes.” 

Vanessa gasps, eyes wide and sparkling. “Can we put chocolate chips in it?” 

Katrina scoffs. “Can we put chocolate chips in it?” Kat reaches down and picks up Vanessa. “Why would we make it any other way?” Vanessa giggles, wrapping her arms securely around Katrina’s neck. 

Janice feels her chest warm as she follows Kat into the kitchen. Katrina sets Vanessa on the counter and hands her a bowl of chocolate chips. Vanessa giggles and kicks her legs against the cabinets as Katrina moves around their kitchen, grabbing flour and sugar and a bowl and setting them on the counter next to Vanessa. 

Janice grabs a stool and sits across from the two of them, watching Kat and Vanessa with a soft small on her face. 

Soon the apartment is filled with the scent of pancakes and laughter as Katrina attempts to make heart shaped pancakes, the afternoon sun spilling through the window and casting a golden glow over the three of them. 

Janice might not want kids, but she wouldn’t trade her family for anything.