Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was a normal Thursday morning and you were on your way to your chemistry classroom, already late to prep for your first class when your phone beeps. Hearing the tell-tale ring of Outlook, you know it’s something important so you pull it out of your pocket and see that the school secretary has emailed you.

‘New student being added to your first period, updating your roster now.’

You internally groan, you’ve officially hit max occupancy for the year and it’s only the first week of October.

Taking a deep breath, you reach your classroom and quickly start to put your things in the corner behind your desk before your students start arriving.

Hearing footsteps, you look up and see one of your favorite students, Ekko, walking in.

“Hey dude, ready for today’s quiz?”

He smiles at you, both of you already knowing the answer. Ekko is the top student in your class by a mile, you’ve got no worries when it comes to him.

“Of course, teach, when have I ever let you down?”

You laugh and go back to pulling out your materials for the day.

The rest of your class files in within the next few minutes, and you’re just about to start the day’s lesson when there’s a gentle knock on the door.

Walking over, you open the door confused and see a blue haired girl standing there, nervously twiddling with the straps of her backpack.

“Hi, I’m Powder, they told me this was my first period…?”

You school your face and usher her inside, smiling as she stands at the front of the class, unsure of what to do.

“Everybody, this is Powder, our new student. Make sure you help her out if she needs it, alright?”

Murmurs of agreement float around the room as you turn to Powder.

“Follow me, I’m gonna introduce you to your lab partner.”

You walk her to the very back row of tables and stop next to Ekko’s station.

“Powder, meet Ekko. Ekko, meet Powder, your new lab partner.”

Ekko looks up from where he was writing in his notebook and furrows his eyebrows.

“…What do you mean, my new partner? I thought you said I could go without one this year.”

“I did, before the district filled up my class and left me no choice.”

“That’s not fair! A partner is just gonna slow me down, I’m gonna have to help her and do my work!”

Ekko starts to plead his case with you, but you hear Powder shuffle behind you and you’re not having it.

“Hey. I know it’s not an ideal situation, dude, but we’ve gotta work with what we’ve got. Give her a chance before you say anything else, alright?”

You raise an eyebrow at him and his shoulders slump, knowing you’re right. He never could really be mad at his favorite teacher.

“Okay, teach, my bad.”

He clears his stuff off of the chair next to him and you gesture for Powder to sit down.

“I’ll be right back with an assessment, okay? Let’s see where your chemistry skills are at.”

You leave the two of them and walk back to your desk to grab a general knowledge test so you can gauge where Powder sits in relation to the rest of your class. You hope she’s at least got the basics down or you’ll really feel bad for making her Ekko’s partner.

Heading over and giving it to her, you tell her to take as long as she needs while you hand out the planned quiz to everyone else.

While the kids are doing that, you sit at your desk and start grading assignments from last class. You’ve barely gotten through a handful when Powder walks up to your desk. Assuming she needs help, you look up at her and smile.

“What’s up Powder?”

Her eyes flicker between you and your computer as she chews on her lip.

“Um, I…finished my test.”

You blink at her. Glancing at your clock, it’s barely been fifteen minutes when it should’ve taken her at least thirty, and that’s comparing it to your brightest students.

Smiling softly to not make her so nervous, you put your hand out and ask to see it.

Scanning it over, you’re in shock. Every answer seems correct so far and all her work is accounted for. You wonder for a second if Ekko had helped her but quickly shot down that thought when you remember how reluctant he was to have a lab partner.

“Powder, this looks…perfect. Have you taken chemistry before?”

She lets out a shy smile as she answers.

“No, I just really like math.”

The gears in your head begin to turn as you realize you may have a star student on your hands.

“That’s great to hear! You think you’d feel comfortable taking today’s quiz? It covers the last couple units we’ve been working on.”

Her smile broadens at that.

“Yeah, that sounds okay.”

By the end of class, Powder’s successfully caught up to the rest of the kids and is starting to become an active participant, much to Ekko’s chagrin.

The next couple weeks of classes pass by quickly, and a new rivalry begins to bloom between Ekko and Powder.

At first, you thought it was just friendly competition between partners but you soon realize it’s more than that.

One day, you hear bickering from the back of the classroom and see Powder trying to reach for a test tube Ekko is holding.

The closer you get, the better you understand them when you hear Ekko yell, “I don’t need your help with this, you’re just gonna jinx me!”

As he says that, he leans back and begins to tilt the test tube directly over the boy standing at the next station.

Almost as if in slow motion, you immediately leap forward and push him out of the way as the liquid pours onto the ground and sizzles.

The entire class goes silent as you stand there staring at your two best students, feeling the smoke pour out of your ears.

The dam finally breaks as you loudly scold them both about safety guidelines and the hazards of the chemicals they’re dealing with.

They have the decency to look embarrassed and apologize to their classmate when you tell them that you’ll be contacting their parents.

Both of them look at you in horror and beg you not to, but your mind is already made up and you head to your desk to email their parents about a conference as soon as possible.

Ekko’s parents are able to meet that evening, a lovely couple that you met at Back To School Night, who apologize profusely for their son’s actions.

You tell them how you’re not going to go too hard on their son because he’s usually your best student and you know this isn’t typical behavior from him, although you do expect him to clean up his act.

Ekko sincerely apologizes and you nod, shooting him a quick smile to let him know you accept.

They thank you for your time and promise that he will no longer be a problem in class, whisking him out of the room with a large hand gripping the back of his neck.

The next night, you’re set to meet Powder’s mom as she was busy the previous one.

Having zero idea what to expect, her very curt reply to your email asking to meet didn’t leave you a whole lot to work with.

You just hope she’s not one of those parents who expect the teacher to be their kid’s only disciplinarian, you have enough of those already.

It’s nearing five o’ clock, the designated time for your meeting so you start organizing your desk a bit, not wanting anyone to think you’re a slob.

As you’re facing away from the entrance, you hear a gentle knock from the doorway and as you turn around to face your visitors, you wish you had googled the name from your email.

The last thing you’d imagined Powder’s mom to be was the hottest woman you’d ever seen, but you remind yourself she was still a parent you needed to talk to, so before you think about it too much, you wave them over.

“Please come in, both of you.”

Powder walks in first, sheepish with her hands behind her back.

Her mom follows, and your eyes trace over her face, having to look up the closer she gets.

You notice her thick eyebrows, slightly furrowed at the moment, framing her daunting grey eyes. Short black hair caresses her face, threatening to hide it from view. Her nose is prominent, and you decide how well it suits her. She also has a labret piercing, which draws your attention to her thick lips, currently situated into a closed half smile.

You don’t even realize you’re looking at her mouth until she starts talking.

“Sevika, Powder’s mom.”

Her large hand stretches out towards you and when you slip your hand into hers, it takes a good amount of effort to not shake it for longer than necessary.

It’s surprisingly soft, even with all of the calluses you can feel, and pleasantly warm. You wonder if she was wearing gloves to protect them from the chilly fall air outside or if she's just blessed with good genes.

Introducing yourself as well, you remove your hand from hers and drop it to your side, already feeling like you’re missing something.

Now looking between the two, you think that Powder is maybe adopted – or looks like her dad, you dreadfully think to yourself – because she doesn’t bear any resemblance to the Amazon in front of you.

Before you can say anything else, the woman in front of you takes a step back and nudges Powder’s shoulder before stuffing both of her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket.

“Go ahead, tell her.”

Your eyes flick up to Sevika, who’s smirking at her daughter and you quickly look back down before you catch her eye.

“I’m sorry for how I’ve been acting lately, I never meant to let it go that far. I promise to lock in and be the student you deserve,” Powder declares with watery eyes, looking down at the floor when she’s done talking.

Pressing your lips together to contain your laugh, you close your eyes for a couple of seconds to gather yourself, finally opening them to see that Sevika is looking right at you.

Breaking the eye contact and clearing your throat, you look down at the girl in front of you and lay your hand on her shoulder.

“Thank you for apologizing Powder, it means a lot. I know you have what it takes to be an amazing student, you’ve been doing it this whole time. You just gotta quit the stuff with Ekko.”

She looks up at you at that, a defiant glint in her eye.

“You got it, teach,” she tells you through gritted teeth.

You giggle at her response, and then remember something else you wanted to bring up in this meeting, gesturing for both of them to sit at the station in the front row.

Grabbing a flyer from your desk, you walk back over and set it down in front of Sevika.

“So there’s a science fair coming up in the spring, and I think Powder should enter.”

Two pairs of eyes look up at you with matching lifted eyebrows, and for the first time tonight, you see a resemblance.

After laughing in your head, you continue on with your explanation.

“It’s open to all high schoolers in the state, and there’s a cash prize for the top three students; $10,000 for third, $25,000 for second, and $50,000 for first.”

Sevika’s eyes widen, letting her stoic mask slip for the first time tonight.

“The idea is to give them a head start on a college fund, but because the prize pool is so large, they require applications to even be able to conduct an actual project. They only accept the top 1,000 submissions, and then they cut it down to 100, but I really feel like Powder has a shot.”

You look between the two sitting in front you, gauging reactions.

Sevika chews the inside of her cheek as she glares at the flyer in front of her.

The first thing that enters her mind is just how life changing that money would be.

Powder's never wanted for anything, but it's also been a struggle to give her the best life Sevika feels she deserves, especially being a single mother.

'...50 grand for first place, huh?"

Sevika looks over the flyer skeptically for a few beats longer before passing it to Powder, who looks like she's about to faint from excitement.

You rub your hand on the back of your neck, suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed for just throwing the idea out there like that.

Sevika's grey eyes flick back over to you after observing her daughter for a couple seconds.

"How much work is a project like this gonna require?"

Breathing an internal sigh of relief, you feel like you have a shot to convince her.

“It is gonna take up most of her free time, until the spring, I won’t lie, but if she can pull this off, it’ll all be worth it.”

Sevika lets out a scoff at that, crossing her arms over her chest as she leans back in her chair.

"So I'm just supposed to let her spend months at your beck and call? No way, I-"

Powder suddenly slams her palm on the table before Sevika can protest further.

"Pleaseee, mom?”

Sevika looks down at her daughter, eyes narrowing at being cut off.

"This could seriously change my life, our life, and I promise it won't get in the way of my school work. I won't let you down.”

Sevika’s demeanor softens at that, seeing Powder’s determination reminds her of herself in a way.

After a few seconds of silence, Sevika turns back to where you’re standing and pierces you with a look.

“I’m not saying yes. I’ll think about it, but I do want you to send me more information about this thing.”

You nod fervently, grabbing the flyer and ripping a piece off the bottom to jot your number onto it.

Passing it to Sevika, you smile warmly.

“Of course, that sounds great. You’ll have my number if you need anything.”

She takes the slip, briefly touching your fingertips as she pulls it away, your cheeks heating up at the contact.

You look down at Powder, and she’s almost in tears with excitement.

Sevika rises from her chair and motions for Powder to follow as she stands in front of you.

“I’m serious about what I said. I want every bit of information you have on this, and then I’ll consider my answer.”

To punctuate her sentence, she sticks her hand out for another handshake, and this time, you grip her palm with the same energy she’s giving you, determined to show her that you’re serious about this.

“Of course, Sevika. You have my word.”

Her mouth twitches up into a small smile when you say her name, deciding she likes the way it sounds.

You notice her small gap for the first time, and feel a little swirl in your stomach.

“We’ll be in touch then, miss. Powder, let’s go babe, I gotta grab your sister and get dinner started.”

She drops your hand – slowly, you realize – and the two of them leave out the way they came, Powder clutching the flyer in hand and waving at you as they disappear from your sight.

Taking a seat in your desk chair, you start drafting up an email with more information about the science fair to Sevika, not wanting to waste any time.

It's almost an hour later when you're finally done detailing everything Sevika needs to know, and once you hit send, you lean back in your chair and finally let out the breath you'd been holding in.

The whole interaction left you feeling a bit frazzled, but not in a bad way.

You couldn't stop thinking about Sevika's face, the crinkle in her eyebrows whenever she looked at you, her eyes boring holes into your very soul.

Really, you can't help but be a bit frustrated at the fact you hadn't been able to stop staring at her the entire time, wondering what's wrong with you for thirsting over one of your students' moms.

With an annoyed groan, you rub your face to hopefully snap yourself out of it and pack up your things to leave for the night, thoughts occupied by this new character in your life.

Chapter Text

A week goes by and you’ve yet to hear from Sevika, by email or text, and you’ve pretty much given up on the situation.

You’ve even asked Powder if she knows anything but all you get is a sad smile and “Nothing yet, miss.”

It’s finally Halloween, so you try to put it out of your head and enjoy the holiday, it’s your favorite and you always give your classes a pass that day.

The day passes quickly, you let the kids watch movies and exchange candy they brought, some even bringing enough treats for their entire class.

That night, you’re passing out candy with your housemates, a yearly tradition while the rest of your friends are over, drinking and hanging out.

Everyone's already a few drinks in, and the doorbell rings for the umpteenth time and you pass off the candy bowl to your friend at the front door, telling her you'll be right back.

You head to the bathroom and when you’re done, you check yourself in the mirror, happy with your costume choice and fixing your shirt when you hear the doorbell ring again.

With a hum, you make your way to the front door to grab the bowl again, opening the door when you're suddenly met with a familiar face.

"Powder?"

You barely have to time to register that she’s standing in front of you when you feel something push past you into your house.

Looking down, you see a little girl about eight years old waltzing into your front room, glancing around like she belongs there.

“Isha, get back here!”

Hearing a voice you recognize, you turn back to the front door just in time to see Sevika brushing past you, placing her hands on your waist to gently move you out of the way.

She quickly runs after the little girl and grabs her by the shirt, walking her back out to your porch and pinching the bridge of her nose.

Still not fully processing what just happened, you stand there blinking, body hot where Sevika’s hands were just touching you.

“I am so sorry about that, she’s stubborn about boundaries and not entering stranger’s homes,” Sevika sighs.

“That’s the fourth time tonight.”

At this point, a line starts to form so your housemate is standing on the other side of the doorway handing out candy as fast as she can to get them on their way.

You barely register them as you subtly check Sevika out, her costume making it extremely difficult.

She’s dressed up as a cowboy, and it’s taking everything in you not to stare too long.

A large black stetson sits atop her head, the wide brim shading most of her face from the porch lights, besides the strip of her face you can make out around the edges.

Her dark blue plaid dress shirt is unbuttoned just enough to see the top of her cleavage, tucked into a pair of black bootcut jeans that are covering some worn cowboy boots. Her black leather gloves cling to her like a second skin, and you can see her hands flexing at her sides.

You let your eyes roam back to her face, feeling your mouth dry up.

Sevika turns to you, an apologetic look on her face accompanied by her signature furrowed brow, when her eyes widen and start to roam over your body.

Her gaze lingers on you, taking in the view until her eyes land on your face again, eyebrows raising at the smile you try to hide.

"You, uh—"

Coughing into her hand, Sevika looks over her shoulder and yells for Isha to come over before turning back to you and gesturing over your body.

"Nice costume...You going to a party or somethin’?"

You feel a bit proud and maybe even flattered knowing that you were able to fluster Sevika, and you lean against the doorframe, crossing your legs.

"Thanks, it's uh-"

You clear your throat and wave a hand in the general direction of your clothes.

"It's a character from my favorite show."

Your cheeks start to burn, and you can't tell if it's from the alcohol or from Sevika's gaze.

"And nah, just the usual Halloween hangout with my roommates and some friends. No big deal."

You shrug, gently chewing on your bottom lip.

"What about you guys, how’s trick or treating in this neighborhood?"

Making sure to look at all three of them when you say that, Powder lights up and starts telling you how their night has been, and you notice your previous intruder is quiet.

Glancing at Sevika, you lean in to ask her something.

“Hey, is Isha okay? She hasn’t said anything since you guys got here.”

Sevika’s mouth twists as she answers you.

“Oh, um…she’s nonverbal.”

You feel like face palming yourself for being so insensitive but instead you nod and ask if she signs.

When Sevika tells you yes, you light up and tune back in to Powder’s story, laughing as she says something about getting full size candy bars for the first time.

Looking at Isha, you sign and ask what her favorite candy is.

She blinks at you and glances over at Sevika, who looks equally surprised but smiles and nods at her to answer your question.

Isha smiles when she realizes you can sign, her face taking on a shy grin at having your attention and at being included, which makes your heart melt.

"Reese cups!" She signs, her face lighting up at being able to communicate with you without having to rely on someone else and you grin back at her.

You notice Sevika watching the two of you out of the corner of your eye, her eyes flicking between Isha and your signing.

You continue talking to the girls, signing and laughing at their stories and jokes, and Sevika lets them take the lead for a couple more minutes before gently interrupting.

“Alright girls, we’ve gotta keep going. We’re on a schedule here,” she tells you apologetically, ruffling Isha’s hair.

“Say goodbye, we don’t wanna be too late.”

Isha pouts but waves at you before taking Sevika’s hand in hers, Powder still glued to their side, waving to you as well.

You move to close the door before you feel a hand gently holding it open.

“Actually, there was one more thing.”

Sevika is standing there, rubbing a hand on her neck, looking a little nervous.

“I’ve been thinking about it, and…I decided to let Powder enter the science fair.”

Your eyes widen slightly in shock, you had thought by now that she had decided against it so you were pleasantly surprised.

Powder apparently hadn’t known her answer either because she threw herself into Sevika’s side, engulfing her in a hug and almost toppling her over at the same time.

“Oh my god, thank you, thank you, thank you!”

You laugh at the interaction even more when Isha hugs Powder, clearly wanting to be part of the moment.

When they separate, you smile at Sevika and reach your hand out for a handshake, much like your first meeting.

She shakes your hand and you savor the feeling of her palm in yours.

Her eyes bore into you as you say, "That's wonderful, Powder's gonna do great, I know it."

You let your hand linger until Sevika slowly pulls hers back, leaving you feeling a bit cold without the touch.

She clears her throat and jerks her head towards her daughters, still clinging to her side.

"Well um…we better get to the next house."

You nod and say your goodbyes, reluctantly closing the door as the three of them walk down the porch steps.

You lean your head back against the door as you close your eyes and sigh, the alcohol from earlier settling in again as you replay the entire interaction in your head.

A few seconds later, you open your eyes to see your roommate staring at you with a gleam in her eye.

"So…”

She smirks, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow.

“Was that the mom you were telling us about? Your jaw was almost on the floor.”

You feel your face warming up, knowing you’ve definitely been caught, and you walk over to the couch to take a seat.

"Yeah…" you laugh, unable to form any words when you think about Sevika’s eyes glued to you.

“She’s hot.”

Your friend nods her head, having also appreciated the view.

A whistle from opposite you has you looking up, seeing that your other housemate has stopped her conversation and joined the group.

Rolling your eyes, you lean your head back again and cover your face with your hands.

You let out a groan and let your hands drop to your sides as you sit up.

“It doesn’t matter though, she’s Powder’s mom, that would be so inappropriate.”

“Oh come on,” your friend whines. “You don’t want to bag the hot mom of one of your students?”

You grimace, smacking her with a pillow.

“No, I don’t want to bag a parent, what’s wrong with you?”

She cackles at that, taking a sip of her drink.

“You’re telling me that if she asked you out, you’d turn her down? Girl, please.”

You can’t deny that, so you try to change the subject.

“That would never happen, so it doesn’t matter! She’s probably not even single anyway, you saw her.”

She grins in response, leaning forward and wiggling her eyebrows.

“Oh I did see her, that’s why I’m betting she’s single. She was checking you out just as hard as you were checking her out, dude. You’re just too much in teacher mode to make a move.”

You huff at that, rolling your eyes at her but knowing she’s not entirely wrong.

You think back to the way Sevika’s eyes slowly raked over your body, the way they lingered longer than necessary to take in your costume, and how you did the same.

“I could lose my job.”

Both your friends burst out laughing at your statement, even you didn’t believe that.

“No one is gonna give you a hard time, I promise, you’re not doing anything illegal, and she’d be the one asking you out.”

You look down and start picking at the skin of your cuticles, suddenly shy.

Seeing your change in demeanor, one of your friends comes and sits down next to you, nudging your shoulder with hers.

“What’s up? Why are you so against believing this chick might be into you?”

“It’s not that I’m against it, I’m just being realistic. No one’s beating down the door to take me out.”

Your friend slaps you lightly on the thigh, her expression hardening.

“Dude, what are you talking about? Anyone would be lucky to date you, you’ve just got no confidence because your ex was a dickhead.”

You bite the inside of your cheek.

The break up with your ex had really messed with your self confidence, it’s been a constant process of trying to get it back, and most of the time failing.

At this point you’ve got a bit of a complex, always doubting someone’s intentions if they flirt with you, wondering if they’re just trying to use you.

“I don’t know, I guess I’m just still messed up about it.”

Your friend puts a hand on your thigh and squeezes, tilting her head so she’s in your line of sight.

“I get it, she was a huge bitch, but not everybody’s like that, okay? You’re a catch, and I’m gonna keep saying it until you believe me and get out there and start dating again.”

You huff again, turning your head to look at her and smiling softly.

“Thanks dude, I know I just need to get out of my head and start putting myself out there more.”

“Wait, that’s the first time you’ve actually agreed with me. I hope this means you’re gonna start doing it, which better include that sexy mom, by the way.”

You push her off the couch, a smirk on your face.

“Alright fine, you win. It’s a maybe for her.”

Both your friends squeal in excitement, now satisfied that you’ve entertained their ridiculous fantasies.

With the attention off of you, you let the thought of pursuing Sevika run through your mind, a small flutter starting up in your stomach at the idea of it actually being possible.

She was extremely attractive, obviously, but trying to picture it, you don’t know if it would ever work out.

Putting that out of your head, you follow the two girls into the kitchen and grab another drink, deciding to enjoy the rest of your night with your friends.

Unbeknownst to you, Sevika is at home in a similar situation.

After getting home with the girls and making sure they were both bathed and tucked in, she’s sitting in the living room with some jazz emanating from her record player and a drink in hand.

Taking a small sip, she closes her eyes and leans her head on the wall behind her, thoughts drifting to the events of the day, eventually landing on you.

At first, your costume was what got her attention, she won’t lie, you looked…good.

She’d thought you were attractive during the parent/teacher conference, but she had been there for more important reasons so she didn’t dwell on it past that night.

But once she saw how you interacted with her girls, especially how you were signing with Isha and including her in the conversation, she’d felt something else, something softer.

Endearment? Affection, maybe?

Isha usually had a bit of trouble making friends, she was shy, and people reacted strangely to her not talking, so to see how easily she took to you affected her a lot.

Sevika smiles into her glass as she thinks about how warmly you welcomed them.

Definitely endearment.

She thinks about how none of the women she dated in the last few years cared that much, barely wanting to get to know them at all, and so Sevika had kicked them all to the curb.

Her daughters were her number one priority, and somewhere along the way, she’d forgotten that meeting someone who also cared about her kids was possible.

Meeting someone, what is she talking about.

You’re Powder’s teacher, not someone she met at the grocery store.

She shakes her head, clearing her mind of those thoughts.

Sevika sighs and finishes her drink, rubbing her temple as she tries to think about anything but you.

Deciding that was her cue to head to bed, she sets her glass in the sink and makes her way to her bedroom.

She strips down to nothing and puts on a pair of sweatpants and a loose white tee, heading into her attached bathroom to do her nightly routine.

As she does her skincare, she thinks about how Vi, her oldest, took her shopping a couple years ago and told her she needed to start taking better care of her skin or she “wouldn’t be a MILF anymore.”

Laughing at the memory, she brushes her teeth and turns off the light, walking to her bed.

Slipping between the sheets, she settles in and grabs the book off her nightstand, setting her reading glasses on her nose as she leans her head back against the pillows.

She’s only a few pages into the autobiography when she finds her eyelids getting heavy, the day’s events starting to wear her down faster than she’d anticipated.

Sevika slips her bookmark in and sets the book aside, turning off the lamp as her eyes flutter shut and she drifts off to sleep, thoughts on one certain teacher.

Chapter Text

Over the next few days, you and Sevika start emailing back and forth about the competition, eventually graduating to text when she finds the slip of paper you left your number on.

That lasts for less than a day when one night, Sevika asks if you can call her because “she likes to talk on the phone like a normal person.”

You chuckle a bit at her age showing but you agree and a couple of minutes later, your phone starts vibrating.

Picking up the call, you hear a gentle hey.

You immediately notice how much her voice changes over the phone, the rasp from the few times you've talked to her in person replaced by a much softer, lower tone.

She must be tired.

Sevika continues your earlier conversation about the science fair, and it makes you smile to hear just how invested she is in Powder succeeding.

A lot of parents you deal with couldn’t care less about their child's education and you’re glad that isn’t the case here.

You speak cordially with each other, covering lots of possible topics that Powder could work on and the girl in question occasionally chimes in with her ideas, Sevika having put her phone on speaker as she cooks dinner.

Eventually, she tells you it’s time for them to eat but she’ll call you back when they’re done, and you agree before hanging up and heading to the kitchen to have your own dinner.

You’re heating up your leftovers in the microwave when you hear your roommate walk in and you turn around to greet her.

She’s on her phone as she passes you, only raising her free hand in a quick greeting before she plops down on the couch, still texting.

The microwave finally beeps so you grab your food and sit down next to her, grabbing the TV remote and putting on the reality show you watch together.

You’re almost done with your meal and the episode when your phone starts to buzz on the coffee table in front of you.

Leaning forward and seeing Sevika’s name, you look at your roommate apologetically.

“I have to take this, it’s about the science fair.”

“Ooh, hot mom’s calling?”

Your friend laughs and you give her a playful elbow to the side before answering.

“Stop, we have a lot of work to do before the first deadline.”

She smirks, not even looking at you as she changes the channel.

“If you say so.”

You put the phone to your ear and get up to put your plate in the dishwasher, greeting Sevika as your roommate yells after you.

“Don’t take too long, we still have another episode and the reunion!”

Yelling back over your shoulder as you cover your phone with your hand, “I won’t!”

Putting your phone back to your ear, you can hear Sevika chuckling and the sound alone has you fighting back a smile.

“Sorry about that, we’re a couple episodes behind on our show.”

You hear the gentle clinking of ice in a glass and a small gulp as you wait for Sevika’s reply.

“We can finish this another time if you’re busy, I don’t wanna interrupt.”

Walking into your room and sitting on your bed, you start to shake your head before you remember she can’t see you and verbalize your answer.

“No no, it’s fine, those housewives can wait.”

This time, you hear an inhale and subsequent exhale and wonder what it is she’s smoking.

A cigarette? A cigar? A joint?

“Housewives, huh? Didn’t take you for a reality TV junkie.”

You slide a hand over your forehead, unsure of how to take Sevika’s tone.

“Yeah…sometimes it’s nice to watch other people’s problems for once, you know? Just check out of my brain for a little.”

She hums in response.

“I can understand that. I like to read biographies for the same reason. Makes me realize I’m not the only person in the world going through something.”

This is really the first time Sevika’s volunteered information about herself and your ears perk up instantly.

“Oh really? What are you reading right now?”

Sevika realizes you’re not on the original topic of why she called but it’s getting late and it’s been a long week so her defenses aren’t as high as they usually are.

Deciding that she feels comfortable telling you, she takes another sip of her drink and answers your question.

“It’s about a man who applied to this big law firm over 20 times and was never accepted, but he met his wife when he came into their office and she was a secretary there. She ended up passing from cancer 10 or so years ago and her dying wish was for him to write the book he always talked about, so he did. But the entire thing is really just a love letter to her and how much he misses her.”

You don’t even realize how intently you’re listening to her talk until she’s done.

“Wow, that’s…so sad.”

Sevika takes another drag and exhales deeply before answering.

“In a way. But he talks about how lucky he feels to have had her in his life for so long and how he’d rather spend every day grieving her than live a life never having met her.”

You’re unsure how to respond to such a heavy statement, registering her almost longing tone.

Sevika continues when you don’t immediately say anything, not letting herself think about the fact that she’s rambling to her daughter’s teacher who she barely knows.

She tells you more anecdotes from the book, about the man and his wife, and you listen to every word.

So focused on the story and reminiscing, she doesn’t catch herself until she’s finished and you finally speak.

“That sounds beautiful.”

Your response jolts her back to reality and she awkwardly clears her throat.

“Sorry, that was a lot.”

“No, oh my gosh, it sounds like a really good book. I might have to check it out sometime.”

That gets a genuine smile from Sevika and she replies before she can think about it.

“You can borrow my copy if you want, I’m almost done with it.”

Realizing what she said, she squeezes her eyes shut and leans back in her chair, hoping she didn’t sound eager.

Or “thirsty”, as Vi and Powder would say.

Little does she know, you’re on the other end of the line grinning like a fool, trying to keep it out of your voice.

“That sounds great. I look forward to it.”

Choosing to ignore the fact that she basically explained the entire book, a small smile adorns Sevika’s face and she lets out a small sigh of relief.

“I can send it with Powder on Monday if that works for you.”

Smile dropping slightly, you don’t know why you thought she’d hand deliver it when her daughter is literally in your class but you try not to let the disappointment seep into your reply.

“Yeah! Monday, that works.”

Sevika is about to reply when you hear a door slide open and Powder’s voice in the background.

“Are you coming in soon? You said we could watch a movie when you were off the phone and Isha’s starting to fall asleep.”

Sevika’s eyes widen, surprised at the amount of time that’s gone by since the beginning of the call and she looks at the clock on her phone.

It’s been over an hour?

Her head drops, partly in embarrassment at being caught by her daughter and partly because she’s sad her conversation with you has come to an end.

Huffing slightly, she rubs her face with her free hand and nods at Powder.

“Alright, let me finish up here and I’ll be in in a couple minutes, baby.”

She turns her attention back to you, her normal stoic tone returning, and your heart skips against your chest without your permission, upset that it's time for your goodbyes.

“I uh…I gotta go. The girls are waiting on me for movie night.”

You have a sudden urge to try and keep her on the line but you quickly squash it.

Knowing it’s ridiculous to think that just because Sevika is having a nice conversation with you, she’d want to stay on the phone instead of spending time with her daughters.

You take a breath and give her a smile, even though she can’t see you.

“Yeah, of course. Say hi to them for me.”

“I will. Good night.”

“Good night.”

You hang up the phone, leaning back against your pillows as you bring your hands up to your face and groan.

That conversation did not help your situation.

After you hang up, Sevika runs a hand through her hair, annoyed at herself for not even considering the amount of time that had passed while talking with you.

Getting up and walking into the living room, she sees Powder sitting upside down on the couch and Isha in her usual spot, curled up on a pillow with the TV waiting to be played.

“Sorry, girls, I lost track of time.”

Sevika sits down on the couch, hitting play on the movie as Powder sits up and glances over at her.

“Who were you talking to?”

Sevika looks over at her daughter and answers her honestly, never one to lie to her girls.

“Your chemistry teacher, we were going over some stuff for your project.”

Okay, maybe a half lie.

Powder nods, accepting that response easily and turning to watch the movie.

Sevika tries to pay attention but she keeps getting distracted by the memory of your voice through the phone, wondering if you always sounded so soft or if she was the exception to that.

That weekend passes quickly, neither of you reaching out as you were both extremely busy with your lives and Monday morning rolls around sooner than you expected.

You’re at your desk, getting ready for the day when you hear footsteps walking in.

Not bothering to look up, you greet your early bird like you do every class.

“Good morning Ekko.”

“Um, it’s Powder actually.”

You pause your typing and turn your head to look at her, not anticipating her to be the first one to arrive.

“Hey Powder, sorry, I wasn’t expecting you so early.”

She smiles softly at you and reaches into her bag, looking for something.

“My mom wanted me to give you this?”

Pulling out the biography you were talking about a few days before, she hands it to you and you have to stop yourself from smiling.

She remembered.

“Oh yeah, she mentioned this was a good read and offered to let me borrow her copy. Thanks.”

You take the book and look back at your student, a hint of a smirk on your lips.

“I heard she’s quite the bookworm.”

Powder laughs at your comment and nods her head, her hair bouncing adorably.

“Yeah, she has a library in her room. Just shelves and shelves of books.”

You tilt your head in thought, picturing Sevika surrounded by books everywhere.

It’s not an unwelcome visual.

Powder continues standing in front of your desk, telling you more random tidbits about her family; how they have movie nights every Friday, that she has an older sister in college, how Sevika loves to cook and the girls try to help but she always shoos them out of the kitchen.

You soak it all up, pleasantly surprised that Powder feels comfortable telling you so much information.

She’s just getting to the topic of the girls’ favorite movies when Ekko enters the room, interrupting Powder’s rant, and he says a quick hello before sitting down at his seat.

You smile at him and wave as you turn back to Powder, who suddenly remembers where she is and stutters out a quick “I better get to my seat.”

Letting out a small laugh, you watch her walk over to her station and sit down next to Ekko.

They’re not trying to tear each other’s heads off like they used to, but they’ve settled into this awkward agreement where they don’t speak unless it’s necessary.

You’d be worried if they didn’t get their work done, but this silent partnership is working in their favor so you leave it alone for the moment.

The next few weeks are a blur, finals are approaching and so is the first submission deadline for the science fair.

You and Sevika are back to communicating often, she lets Powder stay after school most days to work on her project, always picking her up with a homemade meal or dessert for you to take home.

The first time she does it, you almost drop the Tupperware container, frozen at the realization that she cooked with you in mind.

After she sees the grateful look on your face, and how you text her your thanks that night, she makes it a point to have something for you after every session.

Another Friday rolls around and during class, you text Sevika and ask if it’s okay for Powder to take home her science project so she can work on it over break.

“If you can’t, no worries, I can move some stuff around and take it home with me.”

She responds a few minutes later with a voice note – she says they’re faster than texting – and the message makes you swoon.

“No she can bring it here, I have a couple projects in the garage but I’ll make room.”

Between what she says and the metallic noises in the background, the image of Sevika in her element springs into your mind.

The way she would look bent over the hood of a car, her oil covered muscles flexing as she tightens a screw, her hand wiping sweat from her brow—

You jump back in your chair, phone still in hand and a couple students in your front row look at you in confusion.

Giving them a tight smile, you quickly send her an “Ok” to Sevika and put your phone in your desk drawer.

Sevika quirks an eyebrow at your unusually blunt message, normally you reply with an exclamation point or an emoji or something.

Once she gets off work, she heads home and sets up the garage for Powder’s project, moving her own stuff and setting up a mini workstation in a corner with a tarp down.

The garage definitely looks like it belongs to a mechanic, she’ll say that.

Getting a message from you that Powder’s project was ready to be picked up, she hops in her truck and heads over to the school, parking in the back by your classroom.

Sevika calls you when she arrives, and you quickly answer to let her know you’re on your way to open the back door for her.

Hearing a creak, she looks over and sees your smiling face, a similar one blooming on hers.

“Hey.”

You wave her inside as you respond gently.

“Hi.”

The two of you stand in front of each other for a couple seconds before Sevika coughs into her fist, breaking the trance that you were both in.

“Lead the way, miss.”

Sevika holds the door open and gestures for you to walk in first, and you have to look down to hide your giggle from her.

You notice how she always calls you that when you’re on school grounds, but you definitely don’t mind it, even finding it sweet.

Walking into your classroom, you go over to Powder and help her grab the boxes that her project was divided into.

You’re headed for the biggest ones when Sevika rests a hand on the small of your back and walks past you.

“Let me grab those.”

All you can do is watch as Sevika grabs the heaviest two, throwing one on top of her shoulder and settling the other against her hip.

She turns around to face you and Powder as she nods her head towards the door.

“Gonna toss these in the truck, be right back.”

“Not toss! Gently place."

Powder makes sure to clarify, and Sevika laughs as she kisses the top of her head on her way out.

“My bad, gently place.”

You wistfully watch Sevika leave the room, seeing her easily lift those boxes and then be so gentle with her daughter in the span of 30 seconds makes you feel things you didn’t know were possible.

Shaking yourself from your daze, you grab one of the smaller boxes and Powder grabs the last as the two of you head out to the back door into the parking lot.

You see Sevika walking towards you two when she looks up and stops in her tracks.

“What are you guys doing? I said I could grab the last boxes.”

An answer slips out before you can think about it.

“We didn’t want you making two trips.”

Sevika’s mouth opens to reply when you gesture at your classroom with a nod.

“It’s not that far, plus we’re just strong like that.”

You instantly regret your choice of words as she quickly looks you up and down with an assessing eye.

“I guess you are.”

A shiver threatens to run up your spine but you’re somehow able to contain yourself. Mostly.

Thankfully Sevika doesn’t acknowledge your reaction as she reaches out to place her hand on Powder’s shoulder.

“Look how strong my baby is.”

Powder rolls her eyes in embarrassment and shrugs her off.

“Mommm!”

Sevika throws her hands up in surrender and laughs, very well aware of her teenager’s antics.

“All right, I get it. You’re too cool for me now.”

She walks over to her truck and opens the back door, grabbing the box from Powder and sliding it in before turning to you.

You lift the box towards Sevika at the same time she reaches for it, and her hands basically engulf yours as she takes it from you.

The feel of your hands together renders you speechless, your breath feeling a little short in your chest.

You think you see a hitch in her face as well but before you can look any longer, she’s already facing the the truck, her broad back blocking your view.

Snapping yourself out of it, you watch her carefully load the last box in, moving it around until she’s satisfied that it’s as safe as possible.

The door is shut with finality, Sevika facing you again as she shoves her gloved hands in her pockets.

Her trusty leather jacket covering her, the slight fall breeze blowing her short hair out of her face, it’s all too much and you have to look away before you start staring.

She breaks the silence before you can say your goodbyes.

“I didn’t bring you anything today, my apologies.”

You face her again to respond, but she narrows her eyes at you to let you know she’s not done and you close your mouth immediately.

“But as a thank you for helping Powder these past few weeks, we’d love to invite you over for dinner tonight. My cooking tastes much better fresh, I promise.”

That’s not at all what you expected her to say, and Sevika takes your delayed response as rejection.

“Only if you’re free of course, it’s short notice and a Friday night, so you probably have plans—“

“I’d love to!”

Interjecting before she can take back her invitation, you smile at her, and then Powder, who’s absolutely beaming at you.

Sevika’s relief is immediate and she clears her throat, doing everything in her power not to look too eager.

“Great! We should be done in a little over an hour, I can send you the address and you can come over when you’re ready. Does that work for you?”

You nod your head gently, just enough time to go home and spruce up.

“That’s perfect. I’m gonna head back inside and grab my stuff and I’ll see you in a bit!”

Sevika gives you a small smile, and you could’ve sworn the look lingered slightly before she got in her truck and left, Powder waving from the window.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out as you walked back to your classroom, a sudden anxiety ran through you.

You were having dinner with Sevika.

And her daughters.

At her house.

It was both exciting and terrifying.

It was the first time you would see the inside of her home, which is such an intimate thing, inviting someone into your personal space.

Catching yourself starting to freak out, you take a deep breath to calm down, not wanting to get too ahead of yourself.

You gather your things as quickly as you can and head home, silently hoping no one is there so you don’t have to explain where you're going.

When you arrive, you’re met with an eerily silent house and you breathe out a sigh of relief.

Kicking off your shoes, you bee-line for your room, checking yourself out in the full length mirror and deciding if you should change or not.

You decide against it, you don’t want to seem like you’re trying too hard but you do grab a thicker jacket, thinking of the chill coming later.

Your phone buzzes and you see the text preview from Sevika with an address listed.

Suddenly, you remember something that makes you pause on your way out of your room.

What the hell do I bring……

You start pacing back and forth, trying to think of something that says you’re grateful for the invitation but not overstepping your bounds.

Flowers? A bottle of wine? Some kind of dessert?

Remembering a comment Sevika made a couple of weeks ago, you quickly reapply your favorite body spray before grabbing your keys and setting off to the store.

After grabbing what you need, you arrive at Sevika’s house and give yourself one last look in your rearview mirror, checking for any imperfections.

You realize how ridiculous you’re being and try to snap yourself out of it.

“Relax. This isn’t a date, it’s a friendly dinner with your student’s family, nothing else. Just be calm.”

Shaking your head, you grab your items from the passenger seat and get out of the car, wrapping your coat a little tighter around yourself as you walk up the driveway.

Your hand is just about to press the doorbell when the door swings open and a waving Isha reveals herself.

Smiling at her, you ask her where Sevika is, and she points inside.

Before you can say anything else, a voice rings out, and a figure emerges from around the corner right after.

“Isha, I told you about— Oh.”

Sevika enters your line of sight as she approaches the front door and you have to stifle a giggle.

She’s wearing a black apron that says “Kiss The Cook” in bold white letters with a red lipstick mark replacing the dot over the I, over a plain white tee that’s surprisingly spotless.

As you take in the rest of her look, you see something you don’t remember noticing before.

Her left arm is completely made of metal. A prosthetic.

Realizing you’ve never seen her without a long sleeve or jacket and gloves, it clicks and you feel your mouth open slightly before shutting it, deciding that it’s none of your business.

Your gaze roams back up to her face, seeing her smile decorated with that adorable gap as she motions you inside.

“Please, come in, it’s freezing out there.”

You cross the threshold, taking off your shoes, and Sevika reaches behind you to close the door and lock it.

“Glad you could make it, I was starting to worry.”

“Yeah, sorry about that, I had to stop on my way to grab these.”

You grab the items from under your arm and raise them for her to see.

A bag of cherry sours and a bottle of whiskey.

Laughing out loud, Sevika covers her mouth in recognition.

She mentioned that those were the girls’ favorite candy but were hard to find and somehow you managed.

“Where did you find those, I looked everywhere!”

Smiling back at her, you let her in on your secret location.

“There’s this corner store by my place, it’s run by an older man and his daughter and they have a bunch of super hard to find candy, even ones that have been discontinued.”

Isha reminds you of her presence as she squeals next to you and looks up at Sevika with puppy eyes.

Sevika laughs at her youngest’s antics and glances back at you.

“What do you say, Isha?”

The little girl quickly signs thank you and you giggle, the look on her face completely worth it as you hand her the bag and she runs into the kitchen.

“None ‘til after dinner, I’m serious!”

Sevika yells after her, turning back to you as you lift the bottle of bourbon in her direction.

“A little birdie told me this was your poison.”

Her eyes flicker up to yours, a glint of something you can’t quite place in them.

She looks back down at the bottle as she takes it in both of her hands, her mouth slightly open.

“Oh wow, thank you, you didn’t have to bring me anything…”

“Of course I did, I know better than to show up at someone’s house empty handed. Especially after all the food you’ve brought me, are you kidding? I’d never forgive myself.”

Sevika chuckles at that, looking down at your coat and gesturing towards it.

“Let me take that from you, it’s a lot warmer in here than it is out there.”

You start to slip it off yourself when you feel a warm hand reach under your collar and pull it off the rest of the way, hanging it on the coat rack next to the door.

Looking up at Sevika, she gives you a small smile and nods her head towards the kitchen.

“Come on, dinner’s just about ready.”

You follow her inside and the wonderful aroma you smelled earlier gets stronger, your eyes closing on instinct.

“It’s my mom’s recipe, hope you like Indian food.”

Opening your eyes, you smile at her, nodding your head.

“Sounds amazing.”

Sevika stands at the stove, serving the food into bowls as she yells over her shoulder for the girls to sit down, nodding at you too.

“Take a seat, I’ll bring the food right over.”

As you move towards the table, you hear a “Hi, teach!” and suddenly Powder is hugging your side.

“Hi Powder.”

You smile at the girl and squeeze her back as she lets you go and takes her seat at the table, Isha appearing and following right after.

You look at the two empty seats left and take the one that doesn’t face the kitchen, assuming that spot is Sevika’s.

Glancing around the room, you take it in for the first time.

It’s not huge, but it’s cozy. Pictures of their family adorn the walls here and there, you see Isha and Powder and another girl you don’t recognize, their various milestones growing up, and they look happy in every single one.

Looking next to the pictures, you notice a few medals and trophies, some with Powder’s name on it, those are science related, and there’s a few sports ones in there with another name.

Violet.

Sevika comes over soon after and sets bowls in front of everyone, sitting down in her spot, smiling at you.

“Alright guys, let me know how it tastes, I haven’t made this in a while.”

The girls immediately start eating, giving their comments and compliments about the food.

Grabbing your spoon, you dig in too and the second the flavors hit your tongue, you hum in pleasure.

“Sevika, this is delicious!”

She has the audacity to look bashful, lowering her eyes for a second before raising them to meet yours as a gentle smile graces her face.

“You like it?”

“I love it, you were right about your cooking tasting better fresh.”

She laughs, and Powder starts telling you all about how her classes went that week.

Eventually, Isha joins the conversation and starts telling you about her best friend at school and you smile, laughing at her stories.

You don’t see Sevika’s eye on you as you talk enthusiastically with her daughters, but you feel her gaze the entire time.

Chiming in occasionally, she mostly just watches how easy the conversation flows, like you’ve known them for ages, and she starts to feel a warmth spread through her chest.

Once you’re all done eating, Powder starts clearing the table and you walk over to the sink with her and start pulling up your sleeves.

Whispering to her so a certain someone can’t hear you, you ask her a question.

“Where do you guys keep your dish soap?”

Before Powder can answer, a voice rings out behind you and the two of you spin around like you’ve been caught with your hand in the cookie jar.

“What are you guys– Are you doing the dishes?”

Sevika looks at you in shock and starts walking over, shooing Powder out of the kitchen and eventually standing in front of you, arms crossed.

“Guests don’t do chores in my house.”

You look at her with a sheepish smile, nodding your head as you rub your neck.

“Right, I just thought I’d try and help out, you cooked and the girls are handling the table so I felt like I should do something…”

Sevika cracks a smile and lets out a short laugh.

“Don’t worry about it, that’s what the dishwasher is for.”

From the living room, you hear shocked gasps.

“I thought you said it didn’t work! That we could only use it as a drying rack!”

Powder looks confused, and Isha is right next to her with a shocked expression.

“I don’t let you girls use it because the first time Vi tried, she added too much soap and flooded the kitchen. Plus, too much technology makes you lazy, a little elbow grease goes a long way.”

Chuckling, she turns back to the sink and loads the dishes into the dishwasher.

The girls groan and go back to quietly complaining to each other while you face Sevika and glance up at the clock on her kitchen wall.

“So…I should probably head out soon, I don’t wanna overstay my welcome. Dinner was wonderful though, thank you so much for inviting me.”

Sevika pauses as she closes the dishwasher and stands back up, leaning against the edge of the counter.

“You’re welcome, I’m glad you could make it.”

She glances out into the living room, seeing that the girls are distracted with finding a movie to watch.

Turning back to you, she chews on her lower lip, knowing that she’d rather you not leave, but isn’t going to ask you to stay.

“The girls really enjoyed themselves, I haven’t seen them talk that much to someone who wasn’t family…maybe ever, actually.”

Not holding back the grin adorning your face, you nod and glance over at them.

“It’s easy to get along with them, they’re amazing kids.”

You look back at Sevika, locking eyes with her and letting yourself get lost in them.

“You’re doing a great job.”

Sevika’s heart skips a beat and she gives you a soft smile.

“Thanks, I….yeah, I hope I am.”

The fact that you said that to her, something she’s insecure about, the thought of her failing at being a parent always floating in the back of her mind, means a lot.

She’s snapped out of her thoughts when you begin pushing yourself off the counter, signaling that it really is time to go.

A tiny frown appears on her face, but she tries to cover it as she moves to walk you to the door.

When you reach the doorway, Sevika passes you your coat as she yells over her shoulder.

“Come say bye, girls!”

Powder immediately jumps up from her place in the living room and runs over, sliding the rest of the way in her socks when she reaches you.

“Wait, you’re leaving already?”

Isha walks over with a curious look on her face, eyes bouncing between you and Sevika.

They finally land on you and she signs, you’re not going to stay for movie night?

Your heart squeezes at the fact that she wants to include you in their family tradition, and you glance up at Sevika, mouth slightly open.

“Um, I’m—“

Powder cuts you off before you can get anything else out.

“Please stay, we were gonna watch that movie you told me about in class yesterday!”

Sevika’s lips are pursed together, trying to hold back a smile as she looks at her girls.

“Hey, if she needs to leave, don’t try to guilt her into staying, come on.”

Eyes bouncing between the three of them, you let out a small smile.

“I don’t mind staying, if it’s okay with you, Sevika.”

She lets out the grin she was holding back and nods her head gently, silently thanking her daughters.

“That’s fine with me.”

The girls cheer and Isha grabs your hand, leading you into the living room, to the couch and sitting next to you.

Powder grabs their snacks, including the cherry sours you brought, and puts them in a bowl on the coffee table, taking a seat on the floor in front of the couch.

You hear some shuffling in the kitchen and look over to see Sevika tidying up before walking over and sitting down on the other side of Isha.

Realizing the little girl is the only barrier between you two, you clear your throat and shift in your seat, suddenly nervous.

Sevika’s eyes are immediately drawn to you, catching the movement and she realizes you’re trying to keep your distance.

Her attention is quickly stolen though as Powder turns on the movie and Isha makes herself comfortable, crossing her legs and leaning into you.

The opening credits start playing and Sevika relaxes in her spot, trying to keep her focus on the screen. It’s hard to though, knowing you’re this close.

Eventually, she feels the need to move and leans back into the couch as her right arm stretches along the top of it, flexing her fingers when they lightly bump into something.

You snap your gaze in the direction of whatever just touched your head, seeing an embarrassed Sevika looking at you.

She mouths a sorry and you giggle, responding with an it’s okay and turn your head back towards the TV, covering your mouth to hide your smile.

Sevika is relieved when you’re quick to reassure her, she was worried that you wouldn’t take the contact as the innocent mistake that it was.

Hearing you giggle makes her heart flutter and it helps in calming her down, a smile appearing on her face.

You end up making it through the rest of the movie without incident and it’s almost midnight when Sevika turns to the girls, ending credits rolling on the screen.

“Okay guys, it’s time to head to bed.”

Groaning, Powder sits up and looks at her mom with puppy dog eyes.

“Aww, but we wanted to watch another movie…”

Isha yawns and rubs her eyes, only proving her mom’s point.

Sevika tilts her head at her daughter, quirking an eyebrow.

“That was the deal babe, we have plans tomorrow, remember?”

“Fiiiiine.”

Powder throws herself back onto the ground for dramatic effect, making her mom laugh.

“You’ll live, come on.”

Sitting up again, Powder goes over and gives you a quick hug.

“Good night, teach.”

Then she plods over to her sister and pats her leg.

“C’mon Ish, you too.”

Isha stands up and signs goodnight to you, giving you a big hug that warms your heart.

Sevika rubs her back and motions to their rooms with her head, telling them to go on.

“I’ll be there in a bit to tuck you guys in.”

The girls round the corner and disappear down the hallway, leaving you to turn back to Sevika, leaning your head on your propped up fist.

Your breath catches in your throat as you take in the sight before you.

Sevika’s head is tilted back against the wall, eyes closed and hands rubbing her face, eventually interlocking and settling on top of her head.

Short hair framing her chiseled features, a soft expression replacing her usual stoic one.

Your eyes wander to the white tee stretching over her broad shoulders, her bicep lightly flexing.

Lowering your gaze, you see that her shirt has slightly ridden up and a hint of her lower stomach has exposed itself to you.

Doing a double take, you notice a trail of hair from her belly button that disappears into her waistband.

You quickly look back up to her face, afraid you’ve been caught.

Thankfully, Sevika is blissfully unaware, her eyes still shut as she mentally prepares herself to get the girls settled for bed.

You let out an internal sigh of relief and start thinking about how tonight went, how easy it felt talking to the girls and laughing with them.

Sevika opens her eyes once again and drops her hands into her lap, turning to find you already looking at her.

She suddenly feels self conscious, thinking that you’ve been studying her without her noticing, and her body stiffens.

Were you looking at her arm? Did it freak you out? She should’ve casually mentioned it before, or put a jacket on when she came to the door—

She clears her throat and looks down at her sleeve, picking at the cuff of her shirt.

Realizing that she’s uncomfortable, you let her know what you were thinking to ease her mind.

“Tonight was really fun, I’m glad I stayed. I haven’t had a night like that in a while.”

Relaxing a bit, Sevika meets your eyes again.

“I’m happy to hear that, I’m sure the girls are too. They really like having you around.”

Looking at her sitting there, you’re once again struck by how beautiful she is, but also by how vulnerable she seems right now. A complete switch from the tough front she normally puts up.

She shifts to face you, bending one leg onto the couch as she lays her hands in her lap.

Your knees are now a hair away from touching, and you can feel the tension in the air.

Gazing into each other’s eyes for a couple more seconds, you open your mouth to say something when a buzzing in your pocket announces itself.

The bubble you two were in now broken, you mumble out an apology as you fish your phone out and see a text from your roommate.

Are you coming home tonight so I can put the top lock on?

Sighing, you shoot her a quick reply letting her know you’re on your way and look back up at Sevika, her gaze flicking from your phone to your face.

“Time to go?”

You nod and send a sad smile her way, standing up from the couch and stretching, having been sitting for a couple of hours straight.

Sevika stands up as well and follows you to the front door, watching as you grab your coat and move to put it on.

Suddenly, you feel her standing behind you, moving into your space to help slide it the rest of the way.

Her hands rest lightly on your shoulders, the contact making your breath hitch for a second as her warmth seeps through the fabric.

Clearing her throat, she takes a step back and puts her hands in her back pockets.

“Let me know when you get home.”

Looking up at her, you see a faint hint of worry in her eyes.

You smile warmly at that, knowing it’s the mom in her but also at how cute her expression is.

“I will.”

Sevika lets out a breath that she was unconsciously holding, a small smile appearing on her face as she opens the door for you.

“Drive safe.”

"Will do."

You take a step over the threshold and pause, unsure if you should hug her or just leave.

She seems to sense your hesitation and closes the distance between you, pulling you into a brief but firm hug.

Her scent envelopes you, bringing an inexplicable sense of comfort, and you start to lean into her before she gently pulls away.

She pats your arm before shoving her hands back in her pockets and clearing her throat.

“Night.”

You want to laugh at her sudden awkwardness but walk out instead, looking over your shoulder and lightly waving as she watches you the entire way to your car.

Not until you finish warming it up and drive off a couple minutes later does she finally close the door.

Slumping against it, Sevika takes a deep breath, groaning as she realizes how she reacted to the hug.

Shaking her head, she moves away from the door and walks towards the girls’ rooms, wanting to tuck them in so she can head to bed.

She knocks on Isha’s door and steps in, seeing her curled up on her side, already asleep.

Kissing her forehead, she closes the door to her room and walks into Powder’s, who’s on her phone watching a video.

“Time for bed.”

Powder looks up at her and nods, locking her phone and putting it on her nightstand.

“We should have her over again, that was fun.”

Sevika laughs softly and sits down on the edge of the bed, smoothing out any wrinkles in Powder’s comforter.

“Ok, kid.”

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, she switches off the bedside lamp and walks to the door, grabbing the handle.

“Night, babe.”

“Night, mom.”

Sevika closes the door gently and heads to her room, yawning on the way.

Pieces of the evening flash through her mind as she goes through her nightly routine and she catches herself, suddenly getting worried.

What am I doing? It was just a friendly dinner.

Shaking her head, she tries to clear her thoughts of you as she climbs into bed, hoping she has a dreamless sleep.

When you arrive home, you make sure to fully lock the door as you kick off your shoes, the exhaustion finally creeping in.

You whip out your phone to let Sevika know you made it safely and she hearts the message immediately, causing you to smile.

Hearing noise coming from the living room, you walk in and see your roommates all there watching TV.

“There you are! We didn’t think you were gonna be out this late.”

You wave at them and walk over to the couch, plopping onto it as they look you up and down.

“Had a good night?”

Giggling, you nod and lean back into the couch, debating on how much to tell them.

“I had fun, yeah.”

One of your roommates raises an eyebrow at you, poking your leg.

“We need a little more than that. Spill, were you on a date or something?”

You smile at their prying and let out a short laugh.

“No, no, it was just a dinner thing.”

They share a look at your denial, not buying it.

“Mhm, sure it was. Just a dinner thing that lasted for…” one of them looks at the clock, “how many hours?”

You roll your eyes at her and poke her shoulder.

“It’s really not a big deal, we just watched a movie and hung out. The kids wanted me to stay longer.”

The room suddenly turns silent and you realize what you’ve said when everyone turns to look at you.

“What do you mean, ‘kids’? Where were you?”

Not able to lie your way out of this, you decide to just tell them where you were but omit any other details, knowing they’ll blow it out of proportion.

“Sevika’s…”

The second her name leaves your mouth, your roommates start squealing and cheering.

“Hello?! How the hell did that happen?!”

You try to hide your smile at their reactions, feeling heat creep up your neck.

“It wasn’t like that, she invited me over for dinner as a thank you for helping Powder with her project, and then her girls wanted me to stay for their movie night, so I did. No biggie.”

“What do you mean ‘no biggie’, you had a whole domestic ass night with them!”

At her words, you suddenly freeze, realizing that’s exactly what happened.

You spent the entire night practically as a member of Sevika’s family.

Seeing your reaction, your roommates try to diffuse the situation as gently as possible.

“I mean, um, it wasn’t really that domestic, like you said, it was just dinner and a movie, super casual.”

You nod your head, barely listening to what they’re saying, suddenly deciding that you need to be alone.

“Yeah…I’m gonna head to bed, I’m pretty tired from the day, see you guys tomorrow.”

As you get up from the couch, your roommates all quietly tell you good night, and you vaguely hear a light slap and an ow behind you.

Reaching your room, you close the door and stand there, thinking about your roommate’s words.

Did Sevika also think about tonight that way?

Sighing, you change into your pajamas and brush your teeth, ready for this day to be over.

You drag yourself into bed and climb under your covers, hoping sleep will overtake you as soon as possible, but one thought bounces around your head unrelentingly.

You have a crush.

Chapter Text

The next time you see Sevika, it’s a little awkward, you’ll admit, but you can’t help the thoughts running through your head.

Should you hug her as a greeting now? Are you looking at her differently? Oh god, did she feel the same?

Overthinking was always an issue for you but you feel like this situation has made it so much worse. You haven’t talked about it with your roommates much, partly because they’d ask more questions, but mostly because you weren’t sure it was even worth discussing. Okay, yeah, you’ll admit, you had a teeny tiny schoolgirl crush on Sevika, but wouldn’t anyone? If anything, that just proves you’re human.

And maybe a little horny, it has been a while, actually…

As far as you can tell, Sevika hasn’t been acting any different around you, and you’ll take that as a positive sign, at least your crush isn’t obvious and creeping her out. Although, as much as you want to believe that’s a good thing, a small part of you is hurt. One sided feelings were nothing new to you, but it was a bit soul crushing that you were still going through this as an adult.

Sevika’s internal struggles are mirrored in yours, with the addition of one other thing: her denial.
She’s been trying extremely hard to tell herself that it was nothing, just a friendly little dinner.
Maybe if she keeps telling herself that, it’ll drive away the memories from that night, how you were sitting on her couch, so close, the soft smile on your face when talking to her girls. She’s annoyed that she can’t look at you without a warm feeling filling her chest or her thoughts running a mile a minute.

Groaning, she slams the hood of her car shut, not being able to focus on what she was working on.

“Everything okay, Sev?”

Refocusing her eyes and looking over her shoulder, she glares at one of her oldest friends before remembering he’d been there a while and schools her face into something more neutral. Seeing her expression, Vander chuckles, being on the receiving end of Sevika’s death stares was nothing new to him.

“Um, yeah. Just thinking, I guess.”

“About what? I thought you were gonna break the damn hood off closing it like that.”

A smile threatens to break through Sevika’s expression but she’s able to contain it.

“Mm, just this project Powder’s been working on, the one she was telling you guys about the other day.”

Vander raises an eyebrow at that. He knew Sevika had a lot on her plate, but a science project that wasn’t even hers didn’t seem like reason enough for her sulky mood.

“Right…it’s been that stressful?”

Sevika’s mouth twitches at that, almost opening her mouth to tell Vander the truth but deciding against it. Vander sees the internal struggle written clearly on her face and decides to call her out on it. Their friendship is nothing if not brutally honest, and he’ll be damned if they start keeping secrets now.

“Sev, what’s going on? You’ve been acting weird the last couple weeks, especially when Powder talks about her project. You’re not as good of a liar as you think, at least not with me.”

Sevika lets out a quiet sigh at that, knowing she’s been caught. She doesn’t really know why she’s been hesitant to tell Vander about you, hell, he’s heard all the details about her past relationships, even the ones he’d rather not know. That’s just how close they are. This time just felt…different. More important, somehow? She didn’t know how else to describe it.

The longer Sevika takes to respond, the more worried Vander gets, and his mind starts drifting to bad scenarios.

“Wait, it’s nothing to do with the girls, right? Or you, you’re not sick or something?”

That instantly snaps Sevika out of her thoughts.

“No! It’s nothing bad, nothing like that, we’re all fine. It’s just, um…I…”

She pushes past Vander to make sure the door to the house is closed, the last thing she needs is her girls overhearing this conversation. Walking back over to him, she takes a seat on her work bench and Vander does the same, patiently waiting for her to finish her thought.

“I might have a thing for Powder’s teacher. The one helping with the science fair thing.”

Sevika rubs a hand over her face at that, she can’t believe she said that out loud. After a few seconds of silence, she looks over at Vander, who has a shit eating grin on his face.

“No fuckin’ way. I wanna talk shit but you look embarrassed enough.”

Sevika punches his shoulder at that, Vander only slightly flinching but laughing regardless.

“Fuck off…”, she grumbles, heat starting to creep up her neck.

Vander gets up from the bench and walks over to the fridge in the corner, grabbing two beers and handing one to Sevika as he sits back down. The two of them open the beers bare handed, clinking them together before taking a sip. Vander decides to broach the subject again, hoping he’ll get a better result.

“So, what’s she like? Better yet, you got a picture?”

Sevika just shakes her head, laughing. Her first instinct was to shrug the question off, but then the image of you popped into her mind and she couldn’t help but smile.

“She is…so smart. Like obviously she’s a teacher, but we’ve talked about a lot of things and she knows a little about all of it. Really nerdy too, but I also kind of expected that.”

Memories of you float through her head and she just lets herself ramble, much to Vander’s amusement.

“She’s well read, we’ve swapped books a couple times now and we always have long discussions after. Big on sci fi movies too, she stayed for movie night not too long ago after we had dinner here and it was really nice, the girls adore her.”

Vander takes a pause from drinking his beer and turns to look at Sevika.

“Hold on, she had dinner here and you didn’t tell me anything? Was this before or after Silco and I came back from our trip?”

Sevika clears her throat, side eyeing Vander sheepishly.

“After…”

Vander scoffs, jaw dropping as his eyes widen.

“Sev! How long has this been going on, you haven’t told me shit!”

She rolls her eyes at that, gay people are so dramatic.

“We officially met a couple months ago when we first moved here, Powder was having some trouble with a kid in her class and we had to have a parent/teacher conference. And then she asked Powder to join this science fair thing and it’s a full time project so we have to meet up almost every day, it’s been a lot.”

She eventually just spills everything, from Halloween night to how she started giving you food to take home to how she’s caught you looking at her before. Vander is shaking his head the entire time Sevika is talking, he can’t believe his best friend has been withholding all of this information from him.

“Wow, I’m hurt. You finally meet someone half decent and don’t tell me about it, I thought we were closer than that.”

Sevika cackles at that, elbowing him in the ribcage.

“Don’t even, I barely admitted it to myself. I can’t go around having a crush on my kid’s teacher.”

“And why not?”

Sevika pauses, beer halfway to her mouth before she lowers her hand and turns towards Vander.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, why can’t you have a crush on her? Or heavens forbid, ask her out?”

She starts sputtering at that, half baked excuses spilling out of her mouth.

“Well— because— that wouldn’t be right—“

“And why not? You’re both two consenting adults, and from everything you just told me, she’s got a crush too.”

Sevika’s ears burn at that, there’s no way that’s true. Who would want all the baggage she comes with, especially someone like you, you could have anyone you wanted.

“You don’t know that, she’s probably just being nice. Probably talks like that to all the parents or whatever.”

Vander laughs at her again, shaking his head in disbelief at the woman in front of him. Sevika’s frown just deepens as he continues chuckling.

“Do you know how ridiculous you sound right now? I haven’t seen you talk about anyone like this since…”

He bites his words, catching himself before he brings up something he’s sure Sevika doesn’t want to talk about.

“Sev, I didn’t mean to—“

He’s cut off by Sevika shaking her head and sighing.

“Don’t, it’s fine. I just….fuck, it’s really been that long?”

Vander nods at that, realizing that she hadn’t dated anyone in a couple of years.

“Yeah, it has. You haven’t even hooked up with anyone, you’re basically a nun.”

Sevika playfully glares at him, flicking him on the ear.

“And what’s wrong with that? I’m focusing on myself and my girls, that’s all I need to be happy.”

Vander gives her a dubious look at that, knowing her well enough to know that it was bullshit.

“Oh really? So you’re trying to tell me you don’t miss any physical affection? Not even a little?”

Sevika bristles at that, trying to deny the truth in his words. She was never an overly affectionate person, and didn’t mind going without it for a while, but lately it was starting to bug her.

“I’m doing fine, don’t worry about it.”

The dismissive tone in Sevika’s voice just made Vander roll his eyes, no way was he buying that lie.

“Oh come on, don’t give me that bullshit. I know you’re a damn good mom, but I also know you’re not a robot. You still have needs.”

Sevika sighs at that, taking a swig of her beer before responding.

“And? I’m not gonna go out and look for a one night stand just for that, I’m not that desperate.”

“No one is saying that, but if you hit it off with this woman, then you can get the emotional and the physical together, it’s a win-win.”

Sevika rubs the back of her neck, the mental image of you and her together suddenly popping up in her head, completely involuntarily.

“I don’t know. It’s not that simple, we’re both too old to be acting like this.”

Vander rolls his eyes at that, once again wondering how the hell this woman could be so smart yet so damn oblivious.

“Too old to be acting like what? To go after something you want?”

Sevika sighs and rubs her forehead. She knows she’s going to lose this argument, but still she pushes on.

“It’s a terrible idea, she’s my kid’s teacher for fuck’s sake. If she’s not interested, we’ll still have to be around each other the rest of this school year, and maybe the next, Powder’s only in eleventh grade. Not to mention when Isha gets to high school–”

Vander scoffs at that, shaking his head in disbelief.

“You’re making so many assumptions right now, how the hell do you know how she might react? Also, how is any of this a bad thing? A woman who’s good with your kids, who you're attracted to, who you say seems just as interested, how could you pass that up?”

Sevika’s mind reels as she tries to think of a rebuttal, but all she can think about is you, how sweet you are to her girls, how your conversations seemed to last hours without her noticing.

Vander frowns at Sevika, seeing the battle in her eyes as she tries to rationalize her thoughts. He leans back in the chair, sipping on his beer before speaking.

“You’re really scared to take a chance, huh?”

Sevika drops her head and sighs, her whole body suddenly feeling tired.

“I just don’t have another failed relationship left in me. Every time I decide to give someone a chance, they show me exactly why I shouldn’t have. I’m getting too old for this.”

Vander’s expression softens at that, hating how her heart had been repeatedly broken.

“Sev, you’re not too old for anything. Yeah, you’ve had some bad exes, but you can’t let them stop you from trying again.”

Sevika just rolls her eyes, downing the rest of her beer.

“Easy for you to say, you and Silco have been together for years.”

“And it didn’t happen by chance that we ended up together. I’m the one who made the first move, remember?”

Sevika remembers that day very clearly. Vander and Silco’s awkward flirting, her eventual eye roll that got them to just get it over with and get together was one for the books. Vander catches Sevika’s look and smirks at her, leaning forward.

“Don’t you ever get tired of waiting for something to happen on its own? It’s never gonna pan out that way, you know this.”

Sevika lets out a shaky breath, her mind playing a cruel, torturous movie in her head. All of her previous relationships flashed before her, with each ending in pain and anguish. She clenches her hands, her jaw, every part of her body suddenly tense. Vander sees the pain in her eyes, but refuses to let up, knowing that she needs the push. He knows she won’t admit to it, but she’s been lonely. And she deserves to be happy.

“C’mon, even you have to admit that she’s different. You said it yourself, she’s smart, caring, and she’s been helping out so much with Powder.”

Vander may not have met you yet, but Sevika has never talked about anyone this fondly, and that says enough to him.

“You can’t tell me that it doesn’t mean anything to you, how she seems to care about the girls. I seriously doubt they would like some random teacher this much.”

Sevika slumps in her seat, completely defeated. She knows he’s right, every single point he made was correct. Sighing and looking back up, she sees the smug smile on Vander’s face.

“I hate you.”

He just chuckles at that, patting her on the shoulder.

“Yeah, you love me. You know I’m not trying to give you a hard time, you just need a kick in the ass to get on with it sometimes.”

Sevika opens her mouth to give a sarcastic reply when the garage door opens and Isha pops in, running to her mom and climbing onto the bench.

Uncle Silco said dinner’s ready.

Vander scoops her up before anyone can react, and Isha’s laughs can be heard the entire way he carries her inside.

Taking a moment longer to gather her thoughts, Sevika lets out a sigh and stands up, heading inside to have dinner with her family.

The next week at school is finals week, and you’re definitely feeling it. Between tests and projects, you’re swamped with grading, and Powder and Ekko’s science fair submissions are also due at the beginning of next week, so you’ve gotta look over those to make sure they’re up to standard.

You’ve barely had time to eat or sleep, so you haven’t been in contact with Sevika as much as usual, much to her dismay. Powder keeps her in the loop so she knows it’s a busy time at school, but still, after her conversation with Vander, she was eager to see you in person, or at least talk on the phone.

Opportunity finally knocks on a Friday morning when you text her after days of radio silence.

“Hey, is it okay if I swing by after school to check on Powder’s project? I wanna make sure it all looks good before submissions on Monday.”

The grin that threatens to split her face catches the attention of none other than her best friend, and he walks over to see what’s got Sevika so giddy.

“Teach finally get back to you?”

She looks up from her phone, becoming aware of the expression on her face and dissolving it immediately.

“Yeah, she wants to come over tonight to look at Powder’s project.”

Vander’s eyes shine with a mischievous glint and one eyebrow slightly raised as he responds.

“Oh? What time, me and Silco were planning on coming over for dinner.”

Sevika huffs at that.

“Since when? I thought Fridays were date nights for you two.”

“Since right now. I wanna meet this elusive woman.”

With a roll of her eyes, Sevika just gives your message a thumbs ups and slides her phone into her back pocket. She’ll text you a specific time later.

“You make her sound like she’s a figment of my imagination.”

“Well you still haven’t shown me a picture of her, so for now, that’s exactly how I’m picturing her.”

Vander has a smug expression on, but Sevika refuses to give him the satisfaction of showing what you look like. Not that she has any pictures anyway, all your social media accounts are private, and she barely knows how to Google so that’s out of the question.

“And that’s how I like it. Get back to work, that engine’s not gonna fix itself.”

Sevika walks into the office and sends you a message telling you to come over between six and seven.

Maybe she’ll be able to convince you to stay for dinner again.

You’re in the middle of scarfing down your lunch when your phone buzzes and you see that Sevika responded to you. Hearting the message, you finish your food and get back to grading final tests, hoping to be done by the time you have to go over.

That evening, around five, a knock at the front door resounds throughout the house, and Sevika pokes her head out from the kitchen. Looking over her shoulder, she sees Silco and Vander sitting in the living room with Isha and Powder, playing some board game they brought with them from their last vacation.

Walking to the front door, she’s a bit confused, you’ve never shown up an hour early, and you didn’t text her you were on your way like you usually do. Not bothering to look through the peephole, she opens the front door and her jaw drops.

“Vi!”

She reaches out and engulfs the girl in a hug, lifting her off the ground in the process.

“Hey Sev.”

The muffled reply makes Sevika laugh, and she puts Vi down, grabbing her shoulders so she can get a better look at her.

“What are you doing here, I thought you weren’t getting back ‘til next wee— Did you cut your hair?”

Sevika brushes her hand onto the side of Vi’s head, feeling the prickliness there.

“It suits you.”

“That’s what I said.”

A voice Sevika doesn’t recognize speaks up, and she slowly turns her head towards the source. A girl stands there, the same age as Vi, wearing a coat way fancier than anything she’s ever owned. The moment Sevika makes eye contact with her, the girl’s smile drops and an air of nervousness surrounds her.

“And who might you be?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I’m Caitlyn, Kiramman, I’m Vi’s fr—“

“Girlfriend. She’s my girlfriend.”

Sevika glances back towards Vi, eyebrow raised. She’s never mentioned a girlfriend in all the phone calls and video chats they’ve had this year.

Looking back towards the girl, Caitlyn, she decides to ask her the questions running through her head.

“Since when?”

Caitlyn starts rambling, reeking of anxiety.

“Well, um we started talking at the beginning of this year, but it didn’t get serious until the spring, and then over summer break we made it official—“

Sevika cuts her off, just wanting a straight answer.

“Months. How many months?”

“Oh! Um, six? Six.”

A nervous smile creeps onto her face, and her eyes bounce back and forth between Sevika and Vi, the latter pinching the bridge of her nose in embarrassment. She knew the introductions would go like this.

“Right…and you two are official enough to start meeting each other’s families?”

That’s when Vi steps in, moving to stand next to Caitlyn and interlock their fingers.

“Yeah. I’ve already met her family, and they like me.”

“Hm.”

Sevika’s gaze flits back and forth between the two teenagers, deciding how to go about this.

Obviously Vi is serious about this girl if she’s bringing her home, but the fact that she just sprung this on her without any warning warrants a conversation.

Later though, it’s cold and Sevika didn’t grab a coat before opening the door.

“Well… Caitlyn?”

The girl nods, an actual smile gracing her face now, and even Vi’s mouth quirks up.

Sevika sticks her hand out in greeting, now that the shock has worn off.

“It’s nice to meet you, you can call me Sevika.”

Caitlyn’s eyes widen at the sheer size of her hand, but she takes it in her own, making sure to firmly shake it and keep eye contact with Sevika while doing so.

“Pleasure to meet you, as well.”

Sevika nods, maybe this girl isn’t as meek as she looks.

“Let’s head inside, it’s cold out here.”

Sevika steps aside and lets the two girls walk in first, helping with their bags before shutting the door and walking over to the living room, noticing the concerned looks Silco and Vander are sending her over the now forgotten game.

“Relax, everything’s fine.”

She smiles big.

“We just had some unexpected guests.”

Moving out of the way so everyone can see who was at the door, Powder and Isha run to Vi, crushing her in a hug on either side.

“No way, I thought you weren’t getting here until next week!”

Vi hugs her sisters back with equally as much enthusiasm, even lifting Isha up into her arms.

“Yeah, I took my finals ahead of time so we decided to head down early.”

At that very moment, all eyes in the room realize there’s another person there, and it goes silent.

“Um, hi everyone, I’m Caitlyn, Vi’s fr— girlfriend.”

She lightly waves, unsure of what else to say. Sevika takes the opportunity to stand next to her and clap a hand on her shoulder. The girl is just as tall as her, she realizes, but that doesn’t change her approach.

“Yup, her girlfriend, so Powder, why don’t you set an extra place for her at the table?”

Forcing a smile, Powder laughs and walks into the kitchen, grabbing one more of everything.

Making sure none of the adults can see her, she catches Vi’s eye and mouths I thought you guys broke up?

Vi replies long story, I’ll tell you later to which Powder just chuckles to herself and walks back to the couch.

“I’m gonna go finish dinner, girls, why don’t you join everyone in the living room? I’ll call you when the food’s ready.”

Sevika makes sure to give Vander a look that says keep an eye on them and he nods with a smile, knowing exactly what she means.

Almost another hour passes, and Sevika’s just about to start serving the food when the doorbell rings. She quickly checks her phone, and yup, you text her that you were on your way a few minutes ago.

“I’ll get it!”

Letting out a sigh, Sevika checks herself in the mirror in the entryway, making sure no messy hair or stray food crumbs are visible, and answers the door.

“Hey.”

Your usual beaming smile is instead replaced by a tired one, and it’s not reaching your eyes the way it normally does.

“Hi.”

Sevika’s mouth twists into a slight frown at the sight of you.

“Rough day?”

You let out a weary sigh and nod, rubbing your eyes.

“Yeah, this week’s been hell. I don’t think I’ve slept more than five hours combined in the last few days.”

Seeing you like this doesn’t sit right with Sevika. She’s never seen you so run down before, and she wishes she could do something about it.

“Sounds about right, but on the bright side, it’s all over after this weekend.”

This gets an actual smile out of you, the first one of the day.

“That’s pretty much the only thing keeping me going.”

Sevika chuckles and stands to the side, gesturing you inside.

“Come on in, I’ve got food on the stove but I’m sure the girls would be happy to see you.”

You give her another smile and walk through the doorway, Sevika not realizing that she was holding her breath until you’re all the way in.

After kicking your shoes off and placing your bag in the corner, Sevika guides you over to the couch where Silco, Vander, and the two younger girls are sitting.

Hearing footsteps, Powder and Isha turn around and jump up immediately upon seeing you.

“Teach, hi!”

You give them each hugs, seeing them definitely boosts your mood and Sevika notices.

Upon hearing someone clearing their throat, you and Sevika both look over at the two men sitting on the couch, wearing matching grins.

“Oh right, this is Vander, my best friend and coworker, and next to him is Silco, my other best friend and Vander’s husband and our boss.”

The two of them stand up and make their way over to you, shaking your hand as you introduce yourself.

“Nice to meet you both, it’s good to know there’s even more adults in the girls’ lives. It truly takes a village.”

That gets a chuckle out of them, and they nod as Vander answers you.

“It definitely does, especially when Sevika first took the girls in, it was all hands on deck. But I’d say they turned out all right.”

He punctuates his sentence by clapping his hand on Sevika’s shoulder and winking.

She rolls her eyes at him, looking at you to say something snarky about him, but it gets caught in her throat when she sees that you’re already looking her way, eyes locked onto hers, a curious look in them.

First took the girls in?

Sevika quickly looks away and clears her throat, scanning the room and looking for a change in subject.

“We should go check on Powder’s project! Don’t wanna keep you here longer than you have to be.”

You nod your head at that, remembering what you came over for.

“Yeah, of course.”

Vander and Silco sit back down on the couch, Isha following, continuing their game from before.

“I’ll show you, teach.”

Powder leads you into the garage, Sevika starting to follow behind until a realization pops into her head.

“Where’s Vi?”

“Oh, she said she had to grab something from her room.”

Vander replied nonchalantly, but something doesn’t seem quite right.

“And the girlfriend?”

“She— oh.”

Sevika groans, heading down the hallway to Vi’s room, turning the handle to open the door, but it’s locked.

Sevika grumbles and starts knocking, loud enough to alert the entire neighborhood if need be.

“Vi!”

A couple seconds pass and there’s no response. Sevika knocks again, even more loudly.

“Vi!”

Sevika presses her ear up to the door to hear a shuffling noise on the other side, but nothing else.

Gritting her teeth, it takes everything in Sevika to not knock the door down, knowing you’re in the house.

She’s been through this with Vi before, her rebellious phase in high school cost Sevika more than a few grey hairs.

“Vi, open the damn door, now!”

There’s another shuffle on the other side, but nothing more after that. Sevika’s just about to try the door again when it finally opens, revealing a sheepish looking Vi.

Sevika crosses her arms and glares daggers into her daughter.

“Mind telling me what you’re doing in there?”

Vi winces, she knows what it looks like, but she scrambles to explain herself.

“Caitlyn was taking a nap! That’s all it was, I swear. Well, we were taking a nap, I guess, but I locked the door out of habit, not because we were doing anything. We just had a long drive.”

Sevika’s eyebrow is arched, and she peers into the room to see Caitlyn laid on the bed, soft snores coming from her.

“That girl must be one hell of a heavy sleeper, I was knocking on the door good.”

Vi nods in agreement.

“She is, she sleeps through all the fire alarms at school.”

As soon as the sentence escapes her mouth, Vi squeezes her lips together and Sevika just sighs.

Remembering how she acted at this age, she couldn’t fault Vi too much, but she was still going to set boundaries.

“Look, Vi…if you’re both gonna stay here, we need some ground rules. You guys don’t sleep in the same room, she can stay on the pullout couch for the time being, and if the two of you are gonna hang out, it needs to be where I can see you, with the door open.”

Vi sighs, knowing that she’s being completely reasonable, especially with her history.

“Yeah, that’s fair.”

Sevika puts a hand on her hip and raises an eyebrow.

“I’m trusting you, kid. Don’t make me regret it.”

Sevika walks back into the living room, but not before making sure Vi’s door is wide open.

Heading into the garage, she sees you and Powder looking over her project, using scientific terms that are lost on her.

You hear Sevika walk in and look up, shooting her a warm smile. She stands over the two of you, watching the project closely.

Feeling her presence, Powder looks up at her, but there’s a mischievous glimmer in her eyes that she hides when the two of you look at her.

“I need to go ask Vi something, I’ll be right back!”

Powder leaves before either of you can say anything, and you realize you’re alone with Sevika for the first time in a while.

Sevika can practically feel the weight of being alone with you, it’s making her heart thrum with such intensity, she wonders how you can’t hear it.

Clearing her throat, she nods at the project.

“It looks really good.”

You let out a content sigh, staring at the piece in front of you.

“Yeah, it looks even better than I imagined, she’s really talented. As long as she nails the oral presentation, I think she’s in.”

Sevika nods, crossing her arms, not knowing what else to say. She steals a quick glance at you and is stunned by how amazing you look even under the fluorescent lights of the garage.

She quickly looks away, heat crawling up her face. Her thoughts running all over the place, the silence in the garage is deafening. It’s never been this awkward with you, but she’s too in her own head to relax.

Sensing the anticipation in the air, you turn towards her, but Sevika quickly looks away. You realize that there’s been an underlying level of tension between the two of you, one that you’ve been trying to justify, but it’s suddenly become hard to do so now that you’re standing next to her and the tension is permeating the room.

Taking a step towards her, unable to help yourself, her eyes dart up to yours, unsure of what you’re doing.

“You sure? You seem…off.”

Reaching out and putting a hand on her shoulder, the feel of her muscle under your palm sends a jolt of warmth through your system.

Sevika’s cheeks begin to heat up, and she’s suddenly thankful her blush isn’t visible.

She feels like she’s burning under your touch, the feeling sending her mind into a whirl, and before she can think, she reaches up and covers your hand with her own.

“I’m fine, I swear, I’m not sick.”

You open your mouth to say something when the door opens and the two of you break apart immediately.

“Hey, Sev—“

A girl you don’t recognize walks in, but you see a resemblance to Powder, so you assume she’s the oldest daughter you’ve seen in pictures around the house.

Sevika curses under her breath, and her skin is still on fire from your touch.

“What is it, Vi?”

She rubs her forehead, trying to bring her heartbeat down to its normal rate.

“Uncle Silco’s asking where the extra chairs are…who’s this?”

Sevika’s mind takes a second to catch up to the conversation before answering.

“This is Powder’s teacher, she was just finishing up looking over her project—“

Vi’s eyes widen and her lips curl into a smile, she’s heard all about you from both her sisters.

“Ah, okay. Nice to finally meet you, Powder talks about you a lot.”

You smile at that, albeit a bit nervously.

“All good things, I hope.”

Vi just nods, not giving you much to go on.

“Yeah. You know, you look really familiar.”

Suddenly, she cocks her head and you’re unsure if you like her tone.

“Oh?”

Eyebrows furrow at that, you don’t know where you’d know each other from considering you never had Vi as a student.

And she’s definitely too young to hang out at the lesbian bar you like.

She shrugs, giving an air of nonchalance but there’s something in her eyes you can’t quite place.

“I’ll figure it out eventually.”

Sevika looks between the two of you, confusion laced in her features. The air feels stuffy, and she feels the need to break the sudden tension.

“Dinner’s about ready guys, we should head in.”

The unofficial staring contest between you and Vi is broken and you both look at Sevika, Vi nodding and you giving her a small smile.

Vi heads in first, with you following and Sevika bringing up the rear.

Once you’re all in the kitchen, you see another girl you don’t recognize talking with the two men you met earlier.

“Guys, come sit down! You too, Caitlyn.”

Sevika calls everyone over to the table, and she introduces you to the unfamiliar face when she gets close enough.

“Oh, sorry, this is Caitlyn, Vi’s girlfriend.”

You smile at the teenager, shaking her hand in a polite manner and introducing yourself as well.

You’re about to tell Sevika that you’re going to head out when Powder asks if you’ll be staying for dinner.

Truth be told, you’d never turn down Sevika’s cooking, but with the addition of their two uncles and Vi and her girlfriend, you don’t feel like adding to the crowd.

“I would, but I’ve got to finish grading finals by this weekend and—“

“They’ll still be there when you get back, we’d love to get to know you better.”

Your eyes flick over to the taller of the two men, Vander, you remember. Silco sitting next to him smacks his arm, reminding him of his manners.

“Don’t cut her off, babe, that’s rude.”

Vander just chuckles and lays his arm on the back of his chair, squeezing his shoulder.

“My apologies. I just meant, we’d love for you to stay but if you have work to get back to, we understand.”

Flashing him a tight smile, you open your mouth to answer when another voice speaks up.

“You should stay. Seriously.”

Vi’s sitting at the table pouring herself something to drink when she looks up at you expectantly. For some reason, her asking feels more serious and you feel obligated to say yes.

Vander sees the surprise on your face at Vi’s request and tries to keep the curiosity off his own. Sevika can’t help but mirror his thoughts, finding it surprising that Vi seems to want you to stay. You look around the table, seeing all eyes waiting on you to answer.

“Well, I guess I’ll have time tomorrow…”

“Great, glad to have you.”

Sevika says it louder than she intended to, but seeing the smile appear on your face makes her regret it less. Powder grins from across the table and gets up to set an extra place for you. You’re seated directly across from Vi, which makes you a bit nervous but you try to brush it off.

Despite the initial awkwardness between the two of you, there’s a lot of chatter during dinner.

Silco and Vander get into a heated debate over some new law the city council is proposing. Powder is explaining to Caitlyn why her project works the way it does and gets lost in the technical jargon, Isha asking questions once in a while.

Sevika and you spend the entire dinner in your own world, the time spent apart catching up to you both and you’ve almost forgotten how much you enjoy her company. Vi watches the two of you engrossed in each other, but she stays silent.

That changes towards the end of dinner when she directs a question towards you that makes you wish you’d never accepted the invitation tonight.

“Wait, I think I remember where I know you from. Do you know someone named Gert?”

You almost drop your fork. There’s no way she’s talking about the same person you’re thinking about, right?

“Gert…?”

Vi goes on to describe exactly who you were dreading she meant, and it makes you feel sick. You try to swallow down your nausea and figure out where this conversation is going.

“What about her? How do you know her?”

Your answer sounds a bit more defensive than you meant it to be, but Sevika hears the slight shift in your tone.

Vi picks up on it as well, and a look you can’t read flickers across her face. She shrugs and replies nonchalantly.

“Oh, me and her daughter are close friends, we used to go to school together.”

Shifting in her chair to lean forward a little, Vi locks eyes with you to see how you’ll react.

“Is that right?”

You don’t like where this is going, but with all eyes at the table on you, choosing your words carefully is important.

Breaking eye contact with you, Vi starts scraping her fork on her plate.

“Yeah, I remember her telling me about someone her mom was dating a few years back. A teacher, chemistry teacher, actually.”

Your breathing starts picking up, but you try not to let any emotion show.

“They even ended up getting engaged. But right before the wedding, the woman called it off. No explanation, nothing.”

Your eyes close in frustration, that is not what happened but of course that’s what Gert told people. At this point, everyone else’s conversations have slowly faded away and they’re all tuned into this one.

“Not until later on, people found out that Gert’s fianceé was having an affair and that’s why she called off the wedding.”

Eyes snapping open, your jaw clenches but you can’t bring yourself to say anything, frozen in shock and anger and sadness. You’ve spent years trying to heal from that event in your life, and now it’s being brought up with no regard for the truth.

“So that’s why you ended up moving here? To get away from what you did to that family?”

That causes Sevika to break from her trance and she speaks up.

“Vi, what are you talking about?”

The teenager ignores her, opting to lean back in her chair and cross her arms, locking eyes with you.

Your mouth is opening and closing like a fish gasping for air. You can’t get out the explanation you want to give, the truth.

It was the other way around, Gert cheated on you and you called off the wedding when you found out. You only moved because you couldn’t take seeing her around town, surrounded by the memories of your former life. But the panic settling in your chest prevented you from saying any of that.

“Um, I…”

Your fight or flight kicked in, and for the first time in your life, you didn’t choose fight.

Maybe it was because you were caught off guard, or because it was in front of people you cared about, but you just couldn’t take it anymore.

“I need to go, I’m sorry.”

Scrambling up from the table, you shoot Sevika an apologetic look and rush to the door, grabbing your things and slamming it on your way out.

The entire table is silent, and Sevika is fuming.

“Everyone out.”

Sevika keeps her tone level, but her look is hard enough to have even Silco and Vander standing up without question.

“Um, girls, let’s go to the store and get some dessert, yeah? You too, Caitlyn.”

They rush out the door with the girls in tow, leaving Vi and Sevika in a silent staring contest.

“What in the hell was that about?”

Sevika didn’t like cursing at her daughters, but it was taking every ounce of self restraint to not blow up right now.

Vi just scoffs.

“Do you think I’m stupid? I’ve been watching you two all night, plus all the stuff Powder’s been telling me. You like her.”

Now it’s Sevika’s turn to scoff.

“First of all, I don’t like her, she’s Powder’s teacher and she’s been helping out with her project. Second of all, and more importantly, what do you think you’re doing dropping a bomb like that during dinner?!”

Now Vi has an incredulous look on her face, how did Sevika not get it?

“She’s a cheater! And a liar! I was trying to open your eyes before you get hurt again.”

Sevika freezes at that, now she understands the teenager’s motives.

“Vi…”

The girl cuts her off before she can say anything else.

“I know how much you got hurt last time, Sev. And I talk to the girls, they really like her too, but it wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t tell you what I know.”

“And you thought the best way to do that was in front of everyone at dinner?”

Vi shrugs a bit, a small scowl gracing her features.

“I didn’t really plan it that way, it just happened.”

Sevika sighs, leaning back in her chair.

“How sure are you that that’s what even happened?”

Looking back up at her, Vi’s mouth twists a bit.

“100%. My friend told me all the details when it happened and her mom was really torn up about it for a while. I put it all together when I saw her in person. You deserve someone better than that.”

Sevika’s eyes narrow in annoyance.

“It’s not your job to protect me.”

Vi lets out a bitter scoff.

“No? Then who’s supposed to?”

At this Sevika’s face softens, but she doesn’t have an answer for her.

She starts rubbing her face, this whole situation was fucked now.

“I know you meant well, Vi, but that was not the way to go about it. She’s still Powder’s teacher, and if your sister goes to the next round of this competition, we both still have to be in contact with her.”

Vi hadn’t thought that far, and now she feels guilty for putting them in that position.

“Oh…I didn’t realize that.”

All Sevika can do is groan, rubbing her forehead as she feels the beginning of a headache coming on.

“Exactly. I know you think you have to be an adult, but you don’t. Just…be a kid, and leave the rest up to me, okay?”

Vi finally makes eye contact with Sevika, eyes slightly watering as the gravity of the situation settles on her shoulders.

“Okay.”

“Go hang out in your room or something, okay? I need a minute.”

Vi gets up from the table slowly, walking into her room and shutting the door. As soon as she’s alone, Sevika lets out a heavy breath.

Seeing the look on your face combined with the fact that you didn’t deny it…it didn’t bode well, she’ll admit. Sevika’s mind is racing, trying to process everything that’s happened in the last thirty minutes. Hearing that you cheated on someone you were with, let alone engaged to is hitting her hard. Of course you have a past, but that was always something she never tolerated in a relationship, and this has her rethinking the fact that she wanted to pursue you.

Sevika gets up from the table and walks over to the kitchen window, looking out at the night sky, trying to find some clarity in her thoughts.

She wonders if she should even bring it up to you, but she’s terrified of what she’ll find out. Sevika always prided herself on being a great judge of character, never trusting someone unless they’ve earned it. She can’t help but wonder where things went wrong regarding you.

Walking into the kitchen and pouring herself a glass of bourbon, she heads into the garage to listen to her music as loud as possible to try and drown out her thoughts.

That doesn’t last long as her mind immediately drifts to you and how you’re doing. She even pulls out her phone to call you, staring at your contact card for what seems like ages but ultimately deciding against it.

Not that you would’ve answered even if she had, as soon as you got home, you ran into your room and dove under the covers, crying your eyes out.

You had done so much work to heal from that relationship, and to hear how she lied to everyone to make herself the victim made you sick. It shouldn’t surprise you, she was always selfish like that, you just wish you had realized it sooner. What hurt more was that her daughter believed it all too, but why wouldn’t she take her mom’s side?

That was a big reason why you were hesitant to approach anything with Sevika, the fact that she had daughters who were attached to you would make a breakup that much harder.

The tears came faster at that realization and you cried yourself to sleep soon after that, finally escaping the emotional turmoil of the night.

After a couple hours of trying to think of anything else at all, Sevika decides to grab a quick shower. As she undresses, her mind replays the last couple hours. She can’t help but linger on the last look you gave her before you left, the betrayal and pain on your face.

Stepping in the shower, Sevika lets out a sigh relishing the way the hot water feels against her skin. Eventually the water runs cold and she realizes how long she’s been in there, quickly jumping out and wrapping a towel around herself.

Feeling sluggish now, she puts her pajamas on and slides into bed, unable to close her eyes even though her body is begging for sleep. A million thoughts running through her head, she decides to go on her phone for a little, hoping that’ll help. Eventually, she sees a notification for a suggested friend, and it’s you.

Clicking on the same profile she’s seen a thousand times, she stares at your profile picture until she feels the need to talk to you.

Sevika opens up her text messages and clicks on the tab with your name, starting to type out her thoughts. She pours everything she’s been feeling, about tonight, the last couple months, everything. It’s more therapeutic than she expected, and by the end of her lengthy message, she actually feels relaxed.

Suddenly feeling vulnerable, a wave of panic washes over her and she deletes everything she had typed out. No, it’s better this way, she tells herself. A relationship with someone who cheated in the past isn’t something she’s interested in at this stage in her life, for herself or her girls.

Putting her phone down, she closes her eyes and tries to forget about how your face looked tonight, never wanting to see it that way again.

Little does she know, you’ve woken up from your dreamless slumber and had the same idea to reach out, so you’ve been staring at your screen with bated breath. After what feels like ages, you’re expecting a book length text when all of a sudden, the bubble disappears.

Sitting up in bed, you wait for it to pop back up, but after a few minutes of staring at your screen, you realize she’s not going to send it and crumple into your sheets. Feeling a new wave of sadness take over you, a fresh set of tears brim behind your closed eyelids, and you try to resign yourself to sleep yet again.

Chapter Text

The next morning, your alarm blaring wakes you up and you feel like you have the world’s worst hangover. For a few blissful moments, the only thing you could think about was the pounding in your head and what you did to deserve it.

Then, by some divine punishment, the events of yesterday come flooding back, minute by excruciating minute. Vi exposing a twisted version of your deepest secret, Sevika’s face as she took it in, the way you left her house like a coward. You don’t even want to think about the conversation that took place after.

Dragging yourself out of bed, you decide on a shower to wash away yesterday’s tears, and hopefully, shame. Turning the water as hot as you can possibly stand, you slowly step under the stream and let the scalding liquid pour over your body, not moving a muscle as a few stray droplets escape your eyes. They eventually make their way down your neck and blend in with the water, and it almost makes you feel like you’re not crying.

Once you convince yourself to leave the comfort of the shower, you wrap yourself in whatever towel was closest to you and dry off, still feeling sluggish. Wiping the steam off of the mirror, you’re met with tired, puffy eyes and you hang your head in exhaustion. Deciding to just head into your room, you lay down on your bed, not even attempting to put clothes on.

By the grace of whatever is out there, today is Saturday, and the first official day of winter break, which means not only do you not have to go to work, but you can stay in your room and wallow as long as you want. As long as you finish grading the finals sitting on your desk.

Deciding you should get food before you lock yourself in all day, you throw on your comfiest robe and slippers and head to the kitchen to grab something quick. Poking your head in to make sure that no one is there, you make a beeline for the pantry, grabbing a random selection of snacks that should tide you over for a few hours. As you’re about to run back to your room, your housemate walks in and you almost crash into her.

“Oh shit.”

She catches you right before you make contact, taking in your entire look and raises her eyebrow at you.

“You look like hell. You okay?”

Not really in the mood for a conversation, you try to quickly slip past her but she’s quick to block your way.

“Dude, seriously, I heard you come in last night and it sounded like you were crying. Was it the mom, do I need to beat her ass?”

The mere mention of Sevika has your eyes watering again and you have to look down, blinking the tears away before answering.

“I just…wanna be alone right now, no offense. Thank you for checking in though.”

Glancing at her, you give her a tight smile and brush past, heading straight into your room and shutting the door. Leaning against it, you let out a deep breath, heart racing a bit. Walking over to your bed, you throw on some comfy pajamas and decide to start grading those finals, maybe that’ll distract you.

Putting your snacks within reach, you hunker over the desk and get to work. A while later, you hear a gentle knock on the door and as your eyes adjust to how dark the room is now, only then do you realize how much time has passed. Rubbing your eyes, you tell whoever is on the other side to come in.

Your housemate you ran into earlier peeks her head in, looking gently at you.

“Hey. The other girls were thinking about ordering in and wanted to know if you wanted to pick the place. We haven’t ordered from that restaurant you love in a while.”

That causes you to chuckle, they’re definitely trying to make you feel better.

“Everyone knows then?”

Her mouth twists as she thinks about what to say next.

“Well, none of us really know what happened, just that it wasn’t good, and we thought this might cheer you up.”

Sighing, as much as you wanted to wallow in self pity all day, the fact that they’re reaching out does bring up your mood a bit. And the mention of food makes your stomach growl embarrassingly loud. The two of you have a little giggle at that, and you lean back in your chair, stretching in the process.

“That sounds really good, actually.”

She smiles at you, clearly happy to hear you say that.

“I’ll go let the girls know, the usual order?”

You nod, knowing that you’re going to have your favorite food in just a short while.

“Yeah, thanks.”

Her smile widens as she swings the door shut, leaving you alone in your room again. You’re able to get a few more tests graded before you hear the doorbell ring, heralding your salvation in the shape of takeout boxes.

“Food’s here!”

Your housemate’s voice rings out and you close your laptop, stretching as you get up.

Making your way into the living room, you see your other housemates digging into the boxes eagerly, your food sitting off to the side. Taking a seat in between them, you crack open one of your favorite drinks and start digging into your meal. They start talking about their personal lives, even revealing some new information you’d been too busy to hear about. You’re thankful that they don’t try to pry into your business, the normalcy of the conversation setting your frayed nerves at ease.

Once it’s quieted down a bit, you finally feel comfortable telling the girls about the night before.

“So, um…the reason I came in crying last night is cause, uh…I was at Sevika’s yesterday.”

Hums of disapproval come from the girls at that, they liked her well enough for never having met her but they were always going to have your back first.

“You know, to check on Powder’s project. And after I was done, she invited me to stay for dinner. Well actually, her daughter did, the oldest. She showed up before I got there as a surprise for the girls and she was kinda giving me a weird look, but I ignored it. And then,” you sigh, “while we were eating, she says she knows me from somewhere. And she fuckin’ brings up Gert.”

“She what?! How old is this kid?!”

“Around nineteen probably. She said she’s close friends with Gert’s daughter and she told her everything that happened with the wedding and the break up and all that. But she got it backwards, she told Sevika that I’m the one that cheated and that’s why I moved here, because I ruined their lives.”

Your friends are losing their minds at this point, but you start shaking your head and that gets their attention.

“But the worst part is that I didn’t even correct her. I froze like a fuckin’ coward and left. The whole time she was talking, all I could think about was how wrong she was, but I think just hearing about that whole situation from someone else, someone I don’t even know, was just validation that I’m never gonna be able to fully separate myself from that. It’s always gonna follow me, no matter how far I run from it.”

Tears are steadily streaming down your face now and your roommates all engulf you in a hug, one of them gently rubbing your back. Letting yourself go, you start crying in their arms, knowing they understand.

This is the first place you moved in after breaking it off with Gert. You had never lived with roommates before, on your own from the time you graduated high school but it was the first available spot you found and you jumped on it. Luckily, you got along with all of them and they became your friends over time.

Your roommates sit there with you for what feels like forever, letting you get it all out of your system. When you finally get your breathing under control, it’s one of them who speaks up first.

“If I ever see that kid, just say the word and we’ll let her have it.”

One of the others chimes in.

“Yeah, who the hell does she think she is? She wasn’t even there when it actually went down.”

You chuckle, wiping your face with the back of your hand.

“Guys, she’s just protecting her mom. If I were in her shoes, I’d have done the same thing.”

“Eh, still. She’s old enough to be able to think a little bit.”

Shrugging, you’re over the conversation now, glad to have gotten it all out of your system. A big yawn escapes from your mouth and you decide it’s time for bed.

“I think that’s it for me, guys, it’s been a long day.”

They nod, knowing that having to relive that took a lot out of you. They each hug you again, letting you know that they’re there if you ever need to talk. With one final swig of your drink, you get up and throw away your containers in the trash, telling the girls good night and retreating back to your room.

By the time Monday rolls around, you and Sevika haven’t talked at all and it’s almost time for Powder’s project to be presented. It’s over Zoom with one of the members of the science fair committee and you’ve been prepping her for days beforehand so your nerves this morning aren’t because of that.

Initially, you had told Powder that you’d come over to run through it one last time before the official presentation but after that debacle a couple days before, you were sure Sevika wouldn’t want you in her house. Luckily, technology has advanced so you let Powder know you would FaceTime her instead and stay on through the Zoom call for moral support.

She was upset you weren’t going to be physically present but she understood the circumstances and you assured her that you’d always be there for her when it came to school. You texted Sevika the same this morning so she was kept in the loop and all you got back was a thumbs up on the message. It shouldn’t have stung the way it did but you tried your best to shove that feeling down for the time being, there was a more important issue at hand.

About an hour before her video chat, you call Powder from your desk, writing down the key points you want her to hit as your laptop rings. She answers with a smile and a “Hey Teach!”, causing you to let out a genuine smile for the first time in days. This is why you chose teaching, you remind yourself.

After quick hellos, Powder sets the phone down and the two of you start going through the presentation. A couple minutes into it, Sevika walks into frame, cleaning up the area that will be visible on the Zoom call. Putting aside your personal feelings at the moment, you greet the woman and only receive a curt nod in return.

Deciding not to dwell on it, you continue talking to Powder, making sure she’s using all of the correct terminology and engaging with you while doing it. Once you think she’s got it down, you give her a pep talk, reminding her of how smart and talented she is, and how even if this doesn’t pan out, it doesn’t mean she should give up on her work.

Little do you know, Sevika is listening intently to your conversation, trying her hardest not to turn around and say something. The way you’re talking to Powder with such sincerity makes her chest warm, you really do care about her, not just as a student, but as a person. She wishes your guys’ situation wasn’t in the place it was, but for now, all she can do is silently agree.

Eventually, it’s time for the official presentation and Powder sets her phone off to the side before answering the other call, smiling at you while you give her two big thumbs up. The committee member greets her, sounding bored as ever but you know she won’t let that discourage her. Starting off strong, she takes all the notes you gave her during practice and puts them into motion, painting an amazing picture and bringing her idea to life. You even hear an intrigued “Hmm” from the woman in the computer and hope that bodes well for Powder.

She finishes the demonstration with a flourish and a smile, proud of herself just like you told her she should be. The board member doesn’t give much away, just telling Powder that they’ll be in touch, and ends the call. You let out a loud cheer, telling her how amazing she did. Sevika scoops her up into a hug, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, letting her know how proud she is of her.

Walking over to the phone, Powder picks it up and you can see how pink her cheeks are, nerves finally showing.

“Man, that was intense. A couple times, I thought I was gonna pass out,” Powder giggles, grabbing her forehead for emphasis. Laughing with her, the two of you chat for a few minutes before you remember something.

“Hey, can you pass the phone to your mom? I need to talk logistics with her.”

Powder’s eyes widen a bit, looking off to the side before answering.

“Uhh, yeah, here.”

The phone moves back and forth before a familiar face shows up on screen.

“Hey.”

You take a second to look at Sevika before responding. She seems tired, and you’re sure you’re not faring much better.

“Hi. So I just wanted to go over the next steps really quickly. The committee is gonna email me directly with their decision, whether she makes it to the next round or not. It’s gonna be about two weeks, so beginning-ish of January most likely, and I’ll let you guys know as soon as they tell me anything.”

“Wait, so they’re not gonna reach out to us?”

Sevika can’t help but be surprised, they already have her contact information, why wouldn’t they just email her?

“They do it by school because sometimes there’s multiple students submitting so it’s less emails for them to send. And sometimes parents get pretty pissed their kid doesn’t get picked and send their own emails back.”

“Oh. Well, that makes sense.”

Sevika was just hoping she wouldn’t have to rely on you for an answer. Not that she didn’t trust you, but now she still had to be somewhat in contact with you for at least two more weeks.

“Okay, then. We’ll wait for their answer, I guess.”

You nod, unsure of what to say now. You’re still not used to being awkward with Sevika.

“I gotta go prepare for another student’s presentation, but I’ll give you a heads up when they give me an answer. Bye, Sevika.”

Hearing her name in your mouth causes her heart to twinge a little, but she doesn’t show it.

“Goodbye.”

Hanging up, she closes her eyes and lets out a sigh. A noise behind her startles her and she suddenly remembers where she is. Looking around, she spots Powder in the corner near her project, looking like she’s been caught.

“C’mon, we need to clean up.”

Powder starts gathering some of the supplies off the table while Sevika starts wrapping up the wiring.

“Mom?”

Sevika looks up from her task, noticing Powder’s contemplative expression.

“Hm?”

“Can I ask you something?”

Pausing her movement, Sevika turns her body towards her daughter.

“Sure, what’s on your mind, babe?”

“Do you…” Powder’s words trail off, trying to figure out if she should even ask this. Sevika stays quiet, letting her sort out her thoughts on her own accord. After a moment, she finally speaks.

“Do you like Teach?”

Sevika’s mind freezes, trying to understand how to approach this question.

“Well, of course I like her. She’s a great teacher, I heard her talking to you earlier before your presentation.”

Powder is unconvinced by that answer and crosses her arms.

“That’s not what I mean.”

Feeling her neck heat up, Sevika doesn’t know what to say and tries to redirect her line of questioning. Her honesty policy might have to take a backseat this time.

“Powder, what’s this about? Why are you asking me this?”

“I’m not blind Mom, I know what a crush looks like.”

Sevika’s eyes widen, she wasn’t expecting this turn in the conversation.

“It’s not that simple—”

Powder cuts her off, her voice becoming firm.

“It is that simple, you either have that kind of feeling for someone or you don’t.”

A glare from her mom causes Powder to reel in her attitude, just wanting her to understand where she’s coming from.

“Look, I can tell there’s something between you guys. And I know that people can be just friends, but this doesn’t seem like that.”

Sevika lets out a sigh, rubbing a hand over her face.

“Powder, even if I did have feelings for her, it still would be complicated.”

Powder raises an eyebrow, waiting for her mom to elaborate. Sevika struggles with the proper wording, she never wanted to have this conversation with her if there was nothing to really say, but she can clearly sense whatever’s been going on, and she deserves as much of the truth as she can give her.

“What your sister brought up the other day was a valid point. I don’t agree with the way she did it, but if that’s true, and it seems to be, I have to take that into consideration.”

“But why, that’s in the past!”

“Because Powder, if she cheated on someone with kids before, who’s to say she won’t do it again?!”

The air in the room vanishes at that, both of them with pained expressions on their faces.

“Look,” Sevika sighed, “there are things I have to think about because I have you girls. You three will always be my number one priority above everything, no matter what.”

Powder looks down at that. She can understand where Sevika is coming from, but she’s seen how much she’s sacrificed for them and it doesn’t sit right with her.

“But Mom, you deserve to be happy too. I just think you should talk to Teach about what happened, maybe she had a different reason to break up with that lady.”

A short laugh leaves Sevika’s mouth, she wishes she still had that innocence. Letting her features soften, she walks over to Powder and places her hands on her shoulders, crouching down so they’re eye level.

“I appreciate you caring about me so much, I really do. But you’re young, and you haven’t experienced all the things I have yet. Sometimes…things don’t work out the way you want them to.”

Sevika continues, not wanting to just bash you knowing how much you mean to her.

“She’s still an amazing teacher and mentor to you, and for that I’m grateful. But anything else is out of the picture for me.”

Powder frowns, nodding as she takes in what Sevika is saying.

“Okay, if you say so.”

Hugging her daughter, Sevika sighs, she wishes things hadn’t gone this way, but as usual, she makes do with what she’s been given.

“I meant it earlier when I said how proud of you I am. That project is insane, I can’t believe you did all that.”

Looking up at Sevika, Powder grins.

“Right?! I was so scared it wasn’t gonna work out how I wanted but it did. I really hope I get into the next round.”

Sevika can’t believe how much she lucked out with this kid. Brains and compassion.

“You know what? Let’s do something, I’ll make your favorites for dinner and dessert tonight, how about that?”

“Yes! O-M-G, you haven’t done that in forever, thanks Mom!”

Powder runs inside to tell her sisters how the presentation went and Sevika heads in a bit after, putting thoughts of you out of her head and remembering everything else she has to be grateful for.

Winter break comes and goes without you or Sevika reaching out a single time. She takes the girls on vacation to see some family they haven’t visited in a while, and you occupy yourself with catching up on your reality shows and prepping for the new semester.

That doesn’t mean you’re not constantly reminded of each other, though. A song on your playlist that you introduced Sevika to will start playing, Powder or Isha will want to watch a book turned movie you mentioned to her, etc. It makes it impossible not to think of the other and how close you were starting to get.

One night after having a wine and spa day with your roommates, you even got drunk enough to download a dating app to try and see what else was out there. That only lasted until the next morning when you remembered it existed and promptly deleted it.

The most embarrassing part is that you were treating this like a breakup when you were never even dating her. Your roommates tried making you feel better, having been in your shoes before, but nothing helped. Now that your window had closed, you wanted nothing more than to have a normal conversation with her, like you did before.

Sevika had it worse, not only were her own thoughts constantly reminding her of you, so were her kids. When they went to the aquarium, Isha brought up fun facts you had told her about certain fish. When they visited a major landmark, Powder bought a keychain to bring back to you because you liked to collect them. You were inescapable. She almost couldn’t wait for them to go back to school just so she could have her own thoughts back.

The only one who didn’t bring you up was Vi, for obvious reasons. Every time her sisters did, she would roll her eyes and try to change the conversation, sometimes successful, most times not. She hadn’t realized how important you had become to her family in the seemingly short time they had been living there, and if it wasn’t for what she knew, she’d have loved it, she was always hoping Sevika would meet a decent woman and settle down.

Thinking about it irritated her all over again, and she groaned, catching the attention of both Powder and Caitlyn. The three of them were spread out on beach towels as Isha dragged Sevika down to the water, wanting to collect seashells.

“What, Vi?”

Powder glances at her sister over her sunglasses, she was trying to take a nap but she was being dramatic as usual and making it impossible.

“Nothing, just thinking.”

“Obviously it’s something if you keep moaning and groaning. Just spit it out.”

Vi flips her sister off and Caitlyn looks towards the water to make sure Sevika isn’t seeing this.

“Back at you, bro.”

Powder sticks a perfectly painted middle finger up at Vi and the two begin bickering, much to Caitlyn’s amusement.

“You’re okay though, right? It’s not anything bad, like, failing a class, or whatever?”

A gentle voice speaks out a couple minutes later and Vi looks over at her little sister who has an apprehensive look on her face. Slightly frowning, Vi reaches out and lightly ruffles Powder’s hair, much to the younger girl’s annoyance.

“No, I’m fine, don’t worry. I was just thinking about Sev and…your teacher.”

“Oh.”

The confession brings about an uncomfortable air between the two sisters, unlike anything they’ve experienced before. In the past, if they ever disagreed on something, they would try to convince the other why they were right or at least have a conversation about it. When it came to you, however, a dialogue felt unapproachable.

But today, that would change.

“Vi—“

The teenager whips her head around to look at Powder, narrowing her eyes as if to say ‘don’t try to convince me’. Undeterred, Powder continues.

“I know your friend was there when all that stuff went down between her mom and Teach, but I don’t know, that just doesn’t seem like something she would do.”

The older of the two scoffs at that.

“Right, cause you met this lady when, a couple months ago? You don’t actually know her, you know that right?”

“Okay but Mom’s known her the same amount of time and she trusts her, so doesn’t that say something? And also, I can tell when someone’s cool or not, thank you.”

Shaking her head, Vi looks out towards the water before she refocuses back on her sister.

“You’re a kid Powder, you wouldn’t get it.”

“Oh fuck off, you’re only three years older than me, calm down.”

Powder rolls her eyes at her sister, she always had to act all dark and mysterious but she could see right through it.

“What, just cause your girlfriend’s here, you’re gonna act like you’re hot shit? Does she know you still sleep with your blanket?”

A giggle sounds out on the other side of Vi and the tips of her ears start turning red.

“That’s not the point. The point is, I know what that lady did once, and that’s enough for me. Sev can do way better.”

Powder kicks her foot out, sending a small flurry of sand up in the air.

“I get that, but I’m telling you, I know Teach, and I don’t believe that’s exactly what happened.”

“Look, if I’m wrong, I have no problem admitting that, but I’m telling you that I trust my friend told me the truth.”

Vi starts to get frustrated that her sister isn’t taking her side on this and takes a deep breath to calm down.

“I hope you’re right Vi, otherwise Mom’s missing out on a really cool person.”

With that, Powder stands up, adjusts her sunglasses, and starts walking down to meet Sevika and Isha where they’re dipping their feet in the ocean.

Laying back with a sigh, Vi closes her eyes and rubs her forehead with the heel of her hand.

“Did I fuck up? What if I am wrong and that’s not what happened, do you think Sev would ever forgive me?”

Unsure of how to respond to that, Caitlyn puts her hand on Vi’s propped up leg and squeezes it.

“I think…you did what you thought was best for your family. Whether you were right or not.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?!”

Propping herself up on her elbows, Vi squints at her girlfriend.

“I need honesty, Cait, not poli-sci major answers. I might’ve ruined a future relationship, this is real shit.”

Knowing how much her girlfriend can beat herself up over things like this, Caitlyn looks into her eyes, her expression turning firm.

“What I’m saying is you can’t control how events unfold, you can only control your actions in the moment. What’s done is done. All you can do now is support your family the way you’ve been doing.”

That brings about an even deeper frown on Vi’s face, but it’s the truth and she knows it. She only ever has their best interest at heart, but sometimes it bites her in the ass, like this. Throwing herself back on the towel, she covers her face with both hands.

“Fuck.”

Later that night, Sevika and the girls are watching a movie, but everyone except her and Vi has fallen asleep at some point. She also begins to nod off just as Vi asks her a question.

“Hey Sev?”

Blinking herself awake, Sevika looks toward the teenager sitting beside her, seeing the serious look on her face and sitting up.

“What’s up, kid?”

“Would you ever get mad at me? Like so mad you’d never talk to me again?”

Now Sevika’s worried, and potential situations start running through her head.

“What do you mean? You didn’t fail a class or something right?”

“No! Why does everyone keep saying that…”

She lets out a sigh of relief at that, she was barely able to afford Vi’s schooling as it is.

“Okay, what is it then?”

“Just…if I ever said something to protect you or the girls and I turned out to be wrong, would you be that mad at me?”

Sevika has a feeling she knows what this is about but chooses not to say anything at the moment.

“Kid, you’d have to do something pretty insane for me to never talk to you again.”

The teenager is visibly relieved and Sevika knows she should elaborate.

“I know you carry a lot on your shoulders as the oldest, and I wish I could say I can relate or know what it’s like, but I don’t. What I do know is that you’ve done the best you can given the circumstances. Neither of us chose this situation and I don’t mean this in a fucked up way, but I’m proud to be raising you.”

Vi’s holding back tears at this point, both from the anxiety of potentially being wrong about your past and the fact that Sevika said she’s proud of her. Engulfing the woman in a hug, she shoves her face into her shoulder to muffle her cries.

Surprised at her reaction, Sevika returns the embrace and gently rubs her back, knowing this has been building up over time. Vi’s never one to cry easily so she doesn’t push her for an explanation. After a few minutes, she calms down and now looks embarrassed at the fact that she fell apart so quickly.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to do all that.”

Sevika hums, even after all these years, Vi is still reluctant to show emotion in front of other people.

“It’s okay, kid. Seems like you needed it.”

“Yeah, I, uh, didn’t realize I was holding that much in.”

Frowning at that, Sevika decides if she should ask for more information or see if Vi will volunteer it herself. Turns out, neither happens.

“Thanks for this, Sev. I know it hasn’t been easy raising all of us. Especially me.”

The woman softens at the shift in conversation, Vi always knew what spots to hit.

“I do what I can, you kids deserve it.”

Nodding, Vi stands up and stretches, waking and gathering the other girls that were sleeping. They all sleepily stumble to the room they’re sharing, bidding Sevika good night and shutting the door quietly. Thoughts now on the conversation her and Vi just had, her mind wanders to their journey to this moment. She doesn’t find much sleep that night.

The evening before school starts back up, you’re once again at your desk, getting all your supplies ready for the new semester. You’re just about to shut your laptop and head to bed when a new email notification pops up and the subject line forms a pit in your stomach.

Results of first round submissions for…

Oh shit, it’s time.

Taking a deep breath, you click on the email and prepare for either good or bad news. Best case scenario, both Ekko and Powder make it through, worst case, neither of them do. Speeding through the unnecessarily long message, you get to the end and find what you were searching for.

”We have decided to submit both of your students, Ekko…Powder…to the next round—“

“Yes!”

You jump out of your chair and clutch your head, you can’t believe this is happening. Your roommate happens to be walking by at that exact moment and you run out to hug her, excitement taking over as you spin her around.

“Whoa, what’s the good news?!”

“Both my kids got accepted into the next round of the science fair!”

Feeling like you’re walking on air, nothing could bring you back down to earth right now.

“No way, that’s amazing dude! I’m so happy for you. Have you let them know yet?”

Except that.

“Oh…right. Not yet, I literally just read the email. I should probably go do that.”

Awkwardly smiling at her, you spin on your heel and walk back into your room, closing the door behind you. Sighing heavily, your victory feels short lived as you think about having to write a work email before school is officially back.

Opening up a new tab, you write a congratulatory message to Ekko and his parents, letting them know that you’ll be passing along the new deadlines and requirements when you’re made aware of them, and that you’re excited for the new semester as well. Sending that, you open another tab to fire the next one off, starting to type the receiving address and you freeze.

You haven’t spoken to Sevika in weeks now and though you promised to let her know the results as soon as you found out, an email just feels so impersonal, especially considering how close to Powder you are. Swallowing your nerves, you pull out your phone instead and open your text thread with her.

Can you meet me at the school tomorrow when you pick up Powder? It’s important.

Less than a minute later, your phone vibrates and you see that Sevika just gave the message a thumbs up. Again. Sighing, you guess that’s better than being ignored.

Plugging your phone in, you go through your bedtime routine before sliding under your blankets, ready to fall asleep. Unfortunately for you, your thoughts keep drifting to the fact that you’re going to see Sevika in person again, butterflies showing up in your stomach uninvited.

Trying to remind yourself that you’re not exactly on good terms at the moment, images of her quickly start flashing through your mind. Even thinking about the fact that this was actually about Powder and not the two of you didn’t help. Fuck.

You couldn’t wait to get to school tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Monday morning, your eyes spring open before your alarm can even do its job, and you waste no time getting ready. Putting more effort than usual into your look today, you try at least four different outfits before deciding on one that’s a perfect balance between eye catching and comfortable.

Loading your things into your car, you put on your feel good playlist for your drive to work, determined to have a great day. Once there, your nerves start to creep in, but you do your best to settle them and remember that there’s no stakes involved with your announcement later. Sort of.

As usual, Ekko is the first one to arrive to class and he walks right up to your desk sporting a huge grin.

“Who has two thumbs and is going to the next round of the science fair?”

Pointing to himself, you match his smile and round your desk, hugging the boy.

“So proud of you dude, you have no idea how happy I was when I read your name in the email.”

Ekko had submitted this same project the previous two years but failed to make it past the first round each time. You had suggested doing something different this year but he stuck to his gut and it paid off.

“Thanks Teach, I couldn't have done it without your support, though.”

Letting him go, you place your hand on his shoulders and shake your head.

“That’s all you kid, from the idea to the execution. I was just a sounding board.”

Smiling, you walk up to the whiteboard and start writing the topic for today’s lesson, conversing with Ekko about what he did over his break. A few minutes later, the conversation ends when students start filing in and he turns around to walk to his desk, you doing the same. Pausing when you remember something, you spin around and call out to the boy.

“Hey! Um, Powder doesn’t know that she got in yet, so if she asks you about it, just say I haven’t said anything, cool?”

“Wait, she passed too?”

Nodding, you see his eyes light up as he fights back a smile and you quirk a brow. Interesting.

“Yeah, I forgot to email her mom when I told your parents,” you lied.

“Cool. I won’t say anything then.”

Schooling his face back into a neutral expression, Ekko continues his journey to his workstation and you face the whiteboard once again. You thought he would have been annoyed at best that Powder was also accepted, his lab partner being his competition for such a prestigious prize seems like it would be a nightmare.

Starting to think about it, the two have had tension between them since they met, but you honestly thought it was because they just didn’t get along. Smiling to yourself, you think, could there be a little crush there?

A couple more kids arriving brings your attention back to what you were doing, and you quickly finish writing what you had to on the board. Eventually, most of the class is in their seats, and when you glance up from your computer, you see Powder walking up to you.

“Hi Teach,” she says, unusually shy.

Smiling at the girl, you realize that you know nothing about what her last couple weeks have been like and it tugs at your heart.

“Hi Powder, how was your break?”

Beaming, Powder starts relaying everything she did, the girl’s animated storytelling making you laugh several times. She sees how your expression slightly changes every time Sevika is mentioned, and it almost makes her frown.

“So, I brought you a little something back. Or a couple somethings, actually.”

Reaching into her bag, she pulls out three keychains and raises them in your direction. You instantly pout, not expecting the gesture at all.

“Powder, you didn’t have to get me anything.”

Taking them in your hands, you look at each one in detail, loving them instantly.

“I wanted to though, these last few months would’ve been a lot harder without you.”

Looking up, you see the vulnerable look on the girl’s face and it almost brings a tear to your eye.

“Plus they were too cute to pass up, look at the dolphin one.”

To prove her point, she flicks one of the keychains, causing it to spin in circles. Setting them all down on your desk, you walk to stand in front of her, engulfing her in an embrace.

“This was so nice of you Powder, thank you. It means more than you know.”

She returns the hug, giving you a quick squeeze. No matter what her sister said, she believed you were a good person, and conversations like this only proved that.

“You’re my favorite teacher, I had to.”

Pulling apart, you thank her again and Powder begins heading to her seat. You catch Ekko’s eye, nodding your head to remind him of what you said earlier. Once everyone else arrives and the bell rings, you get their attention and begin the day’s lesson.

Soon enough, the end of the day rolls around and Sevika will be arriving shortly for your impromptu meeting. You’ve somehow managed to not think about it since the morning but as the clock ticks by, your nerves return. Busying yourself with organizing your classroom as if it’s something she’ll care about, you flit about from corner to corner, tidying up.

You hear footsteps in the hallway and almost sprint to the front of the room, cleaning off the board in an attempt to look casual when your visitors walk in. Hearing a knock from the doorway, you slowly turn around, instantly making eye contact with the woman who’s been plaguing your thoughts.

Neither of you say anything for a moment as you observe each other, and your stomach does a little flip when you see Sevika look you up and down. All that time picking out my outfit was worth it, then. You notice that her skin is a bit darker than the last time you saw her, and you mentally thank the beach Powder was telling you about this morning. She’s wearing a boxy work jacket you’ve never seen before over her signature plain white tee and dark jeans and though it’s simple, it brings a tingle to the back of your neck. She looks good.

“Hey Teach.”

Powder is absolutely beaming when you look over at her, recognizing her presence as well. Knowing you’ve been caught, you clear your throat and straighten up your posture, welcoming them in.

“Hi Powder. Sevika. Please, come sit down.”

The two of them move into the room and you allow yourself to stare at Sevika’s profile while you can, taking in every detail. It gives you deja vu, but there couldn’t be a bigger difference in your situation from then to now. Once they take their seats, you walk over to them, leaving a healthy distance between you.

“So, I received an email from the science fair committee last night regarding their decision. And I know I said that I would let you know as soon as I heard anything, but this felt important enough that I had to give you the results in person.”

A sharp inhale catches your attention and your gaze shifts to Powder, looking like she’s about to faint.

“Oh jeez.”

Sevika glances from Powder to you, an expectant look on her face. She didn’t show it, but she was actually nervous, and your tone wasn’t helping.

“What did they say?”

Taking a deep breath, a smile spreads onto your face as you tell them the news.

“Congratulations Powder, you made it to the next round.”

Jumping up, the girl immediately runs over to you, shoving her face into your chest as she wraps her arms around you, eyes welling with tears.

“Really?!”

At the same time, Sevika leans back in her chair as she brings both hands to her face, letting out the breath she was holding. Once you and Powder separate, she stands up, speed walks over to the two of you, and picks her daughter up, spinning her around.

Before you can blink, Sevika puts her down and embraces you next, catching you off guard. Immediately melting into her, you hug her back, feeling the muscles rippling underneath your fingertips while her cologne fills your nose. You vaguely hear a sigh, and you’re unsure of who it comes from.

Once Sevika realizes what she’s done, she straightens up and lets her arms fall away. Clearing her throat as she takes a step back and runs a hand through her hair, the tension hangs between you.

“Um, wow, this is amazing news.”

Nodding, you take a breath to try and clear your head of the Sevika induced brain fog. Itching to reach back out for her, you settle your hands on your hips in an attempt to keep them occupied.

“Absolutely, it’s well deserved too, her presentation was amazing.”

You then begin discussing what will likely come next, hearing from other teacher friends of yours who have been through the process before. The entire time, Powder’s eyes are bouncing back and forth between the two of you, a smirk plastered on her face. She knew Sevika still had a thing for you, and you clearly returned the feeling.

“And I’ll email all of this to you too, it’s best to have it in writing.”

Looking at Sevika, you try your best to keep a neutral expression as you talk, but a smile is fighting its way out the entire time.

“Like before, Powder will have to start staying after school again to work on this, and even though she’s up against less kids than before, attention to detail is going to be incredibly important and what’ll make her stand out from the rest.”

Nodding along, Sevika is absorbing everything you’re saying and reality starts settling in. The two of you will be back in constant communication, and as much as she thought she’d be upset about it, she actually feels a bit…happy. Yes, she had sprouted a little crush on you, but more importantly, you had begun a friendship, and she missed that more than anything. She decides that that’s a problem for later, and by the time you wrap up the meeting, her discomfort has subsided and she actually smiles.

You end your spiel with a nod and a smile, confident that Powder has what it takes to get to the next level.

“Take tonight, celebrate, and tomorrow, we’ll talk about when to start up again.”

“Sounds good.”

Sevika moves to give you a handshake, debating if she should say what else is on her mind. Not seeing any reason not to, she continues.

“And thank you for everything you’ve done for Powder, it means more than you know.”

Shaking your head, you tell her it’s not a big deal and Powder gives you another quick hug, waving as the two of them begin making their way toward the exit. Sevika then turns around, giving you a quick smile before she disappears through the doorway. You can tell it’s genuine, and a feeling of joy bubbles up in your chest.

Arriving home, Powder sprints out of the car to tell her sisters the news, leaving Sevika alone to take a breather. It was so nice seeing you in person again, even if she wouldn’t admit it to anyone.

She missed the way you brightened up a room with your positivity, always making her feel comfortable. It was so easy to talk to you, she never felt like she had to force anything, and though she had other friendships, it was different with you. Shaking her head, she gets out and walks in the house, thinking about what to cook for dinner.

By this time, Powder is already relaying what happened to the other girls, bouncing with excitement. They immediately congratulate her, Vi giving her a noogie, causing Powder to chase her around the house until Sevika walks in and Vi takes refuge behind her.

“Mom, Vi keeps messing with me!” Powder whines as Vi sticks her tongue out from behind the woman.

Taking no time to assess the situation, Sevika groans and pushes the two girls apart.

“Come on guys, we just got home.”

The two teenagers start bickering when Sevika claps her hands once, the noise silencing the room.

“Enough. We just got some great news, you guys should be happy.”

Caitlyn and Isha only look at each other, containing their laughs as the two get scolded.

“Anyways, I was thinking, you guys feel like going out to dinner tonight? We should celebrate.”

All the girls cheer at that, eating somewhere outside their home was a rare treat. Not that they had many meals that could top Sevika’s cooking, but it was always a fun experience. Looking towards Powder, Sevika asks her if she had any place in mind and her eyes light up immediately.

“Hibachi! I wanna see if I can catch more shrimp than last time.”

Of course, Sevika thinks. Leave it to her middle child to choose somewhere they play with your food and light it on fire.

“Okay then, give me a bit to shower and change and we’ll leave.”

Heading to her room, Sevika hears Powder and Isha grabbing snacks to practice for the restaurant, making sure to tell them not to fill up before dinner.

Once they arrive at the restaurant, Powder chooses the middle seat directly in front of where the chef will be, leaving everyone else to fill in around her. Sevika chooses to sit two seats down from her, putting Isha in the middle of them, and Vi and Caitlyn take their seats on the other side of Powder.

A little while later, almost all of the seats around the grill are filled and Powder can't wait for dinner to start. Her and Isha are going over strategy when she sees someone stop in their tracks behind Sevika and looks up, eyes widening.

“Teach!”

As soon as your meeting with Sevika and Powder ended, you were in a happier mood and it took you no time to pack up and grab your things.

You didn’t feel like staying home, though the weather outside was miserable, and texted your roommates if they were free to go to dinner with you. Two of them said yes, the other was at work and wouldn’t be home until later so she declined. Hearting all of the responses, you drove home and thought about where to go.

Once there, your roommates were almost ready to leave, and when you saw their outfits, you decided to upgrade your look into something a bit nicer than what you had on.

When you all finished, you piled into your car and put on a relaxing playlist for the drive. The three of you started talking about your days, and eventually the conversation landed on Sevika and the meeting. You confided in them how seeing her in person made you feel, and after they exchanged glances, they asked you what you planned to do moving forward.

At that question, you paused and thought of your answer carefully.

“I’m not sure, there was a little bit of a moment when she hugged me, but that could’ve just been excitement, and because she doesn’t want it to be awkward. The next deadline is in a month, so we’re gonna be around each other until then.”

You swear you could’ve heard a record scratch at the casual confession.

“Wait, back up. She hugged you? Like a full on ‘arms wrapped around you’ kind of hug?”

Sheepishly glancing at your friends, you nodded.

“Yeah, she was happy about the news, it’s understandable.”

“Right, I’m sure she goes around doing that to all her kids’ teachers.”

Exhaling harshly, you attempted to gather your thoughts.

“Honestly, I’m trying not to think about it too much cause I don’t wanna get excited over something that isn’t concrete.”

Your roommates nodded in understanding and one spoke up next.

“Well, we’re always here for you, no matter what happens.”

You looked at her through the rearview mirror and smiled in gratitude, they really did always have your back.

When you walked into the restaurant, your two roommates continued their conversation behind you as the host led you all to your table. As you made your way over, you saw a familiar silhouette sitting towards the corner of it and your stomach sank as your fear was confirmed.

So now here you are, standing in front of the woman you were just thinking about, eyes locked with a tension so palpable you can’t tear your gaze away. Her eyes look you up and down, even more intensely than earlier, and heat begins crawling up your back before spreading throughout your body.

Remembering you still haven’t responded to Powder, you snap out of it and say hello, looking at everyone else sitting with her. When Vi catches your eye, you see the scowl etched on her face and she looks away, ignoring you.

Isha leaps out of her seat to give you a hug, arms wrapping around your waist. You return the gesture and let her go as she signs that she’s happy to see you. Meanwhile, your roommates are behind you, watching this entire interaction with curiosity.

Standing back up, you glance around the table and see that the only empty seats are next to Sevika.

Just your luck that it would be fully packed on a Monday.

“Do you mind if we take these?”

Looking back at the woman, she quickly shakes her head as she extends her hand out towards them.

“No, of course not, go ahead.”

You, being the closest to her, take the seat right next to Sevika as your roommates sidle in beside you. Your heartbeat is thrumming by now, hyper aware of your movements and how close the two of you are.

Turning away from her, you see the looks on your roommates faces, slight frowns as they glance over at Sevika. Mouthing stop it, one of them rolls her eyes as the other looks at the menu in front of her. A waitress then comes by and quickly takes your orders before leaving you alone with your thoughts again.

Now you’re stuck. You’re not sure if it’s rude to ignore Sevika, while also feeling like you’re obligated to talk to her because you’re sitting next to each other. Rubbing your temples, you hope the chef comes out soon so you can have some sort of a distraction.

Your prayers are shortly answered when she arrives a minute later, immediately throwing food on the grill, causing Powder to cheer. You watch as her and Isha are enraptured by the flames, bringing a smile to your face. Those two may usually be shy kids, but seeing their personalities surface like this warms your heart.

Hearing your name, you turn around and see your roommates engrossed in a conversation, one of them catching your eye and leaning in towards you, whispering.

“That’s the oldest daughter? The one at the end?”

You try to recall the seating order from memory, not wanting to turn around and have someone catch you looking.

“The girl with the red hair, yeah, next to her is her girlfriend.”

Seeing her glance over, she looks up and down, assessing Vi, you assume.

“Hm. Okay.”

“Stop looking, I don’t need to give her another reason not to like me.”

Looking towards the chef, you watch her for a few seconds before your attention is brought back to your roommate.

“Hey, why don’t you just tell her what really happened? Clear the air and let her know that’s not the person you are.”

At her comment, you slowly shake your head, knowing Sevika wouldn’t go for that. Why would she believe you over her own daughter?

“I think it’s too late for that. She didn’t reach out the whole two week break, that says enough.”

Looking at Sevika from the corner of your eye, you see her staring at the fire with a blank expression, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.

“Wait, didn’t you say you had copies of all the texts between Gert and the side bitch?”

Suddenly, old memories come flooding back. You had emailed yourself screenshots of Gert’s cheating when you were still deciding whether you should leave her. That was only meant for your eyes though, showing them to someone else who wasn’t involved didn’t seem right.

“I don’t know, that feels…wrong.”

Sighing, they look at you with exasperated looks on their faces before one of them speaks up.

“Look, I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but if you like this lady, you have a way to clear your name, that’s all I’m saying. Don’t keep letting your old shit get in the way of something new.”

Leaning back in her chair, she turns to watch the chef tossing shrimp to people at the table, ending the conversation. Sighing, you know she’s right, and you needed the tough love, it was just the idea of exposing how badly someone treated you that made you apprehensive.

You hear Powder’s voice next to you, turning your head and seeing her almost stand up from her chair to get the cook’s attention. Everyone cheers when she catches a piece, and you clap for her, setting your hands on the table when you brush something. Looking down, you see that Sevika also has her hand laid on the table and you freeze.

How had you not noticed it was so close to yours until now?

You were suddenly extremely aware of her, realizing the woman was sitting closer than you thought. Sevika must have noticed too, because her hand twitched and pulled away, moving to lay on her thigh instead.

Before you could react, the chef calls out and you look back toward her to see what she’s talking about. Holding a piece of shrimp on her spatula, she gestures towards Sevika, who sternly shakes her head, much to the disappointment of her daughters. Powder and Isha start jeering before she quiets them with a raise of an eyebrow, reminding them of where they’re at.

The chef then turns to you, and your eyes widen. Opening your mouth to tell her no, you hear a “Yeah, Teach!” to your left and see Powder smiling at you. Isha gives you two thumbs up and even your roommates start quietly cheering you on. With so much attention directed your way, you feel obligated to say yes so you look back towards the chef and nod.

Watching the shrimp fly through the air, you can tell you won’t catch it unless you move, so you lean back just a bit further in your seat, or so you think. It feels like everything is moving in slow motion as your feet leave the ground and your chair starts tipping back, the feeling of falling settling in your stomach. Hearing gasps from around the table, you brace yourself for impact, praying your ego will recover from what’s about to happen.

Suddenly, your chair stops moving and you fly forward, all feet planted back on the ground. Glancing around, you then see Sevika’s arm wrapped around the back of your seat and a worried look on her face. Clearing your throat, you scratch the back of your neck and tear your gaze away from her, knowing your entire table, and maybe the whole restaurant, just witnessed you almost falling on your ass. Powder and Isha look shocked, and behind them, Vi has a smirk plastered on her face, clearly enjoying your misstep. You hear your friends asking if you’re okay, and after slightly nodding, you face Sevika to give her your gratitude, fighting through your embarrassment.

“Um, thanks. That could've been really bad.”

She only nods, looking at you with an understanding gleam in her eye.

“Don’t mention it, I’ve seen my fair share of falls with those three.”

She points her head in the girls’ direction, and you know she has stories. Holding back a smile, a vision of a tired Sevika protecting her rowdy girls springs to mind, and it’s adorable.

“Yeah, I bet they keep you on your toes.”

You look over at the girls, who are talking amongst themselves, no doubt about what just happened, and let out a small chuckle. It’s not hard to imagine them as little runts, constantly running Sevika ragged. Thinking about what an amazing parent she is, your gaze returns to the woman to see her already staring at you.

Her gaze catches you off guard, and she breaks eye contact right away, turning back towards the flame. Looking down towards your hands in your lap, you smile to yourself, starting to watch the chef again before hearing her voice cut through the noise of the restaurant.

“The girls missed you.”

Whipping your head towards her, you see that Sevika isn’t looking at you but straight ahead. You weren’t expecting her to strike up a conversation at this point in the night but you take advantage of the opening.

“I…missed them too.”

A sad smile adorns her face at that, and you get the urge to kiss it away. Thankfully, she speaks before you can embarrass yourself further.

“They didn’t stop talking about you our entire trip. Did Powder give you the keychains she bought?”

Slowly nodding, she turns her head towards you and lets her eyes flicker between yours, giving you the chance to do the same.

God, she’s beautiful.

“Good. She was really excited about them.”

The two of you make small talk from there, talking about the restaurant and the weather. After a few minutes, the conversation naturally ends and you no longer feel the awkward tension from earlier. You pick up your glass to take a sip when your attention is grabbed once again.

“So…when should Powder bring her project back to school? I get off early tomorrow so I can bring it with me when I pick her up.” She clears her throat, “If that’s okay with you.”

Looking over at her, you see the apprehension on her face and let yourself smile this time.

“Yeah, that works. You know where to park.”

The two of you get pulled into other conversations but the thought of seeing each other the next day carries you through the rest of the evening.

Eventually, dinner comes to an end and it’s time to go your separate ways, all of you standing up to leave.

Powder and Isha are the first ones to say goodbye, hugging you and telling you they missed you. Hearing them echo Sevika’s words from earlier warms your heart and has you squeezing them a little tighter. Sevika follows behind them, bidding you and your roommates good night with a tight lipped smile, and you return the gesture, albeit with a genuine one. Vi brings up the rear, dragging Caitlyn past you, but not before Caitlyn can sneakily wave at you behind her girlfriend’s back.

Not until they leave and you start your own journey to the exit do you realize that you failed to introduce everyone. Thinking about it, it probably wouldn’t have gone well so you decide it was for the best. Your roommates then pipe up behind you as you all reach the car.

“The girls were so cute saying bye to you, they seem really sweet.”

You beam as if they were your own, getting in and buckling up, checking all your mirrors.

“Yeah, they’re really good kids. Sevika’s doing a great job with them.”

The two of them exchange a knowing glance but say nothing. The drive home is filled with jokes and banter, and once you arrive, you see that your third roommate is in the living room on her laptop. Skipping hellos, your other two friends immediately start telling her about how the night went, not leaving out a single detail. When they get to the part where you almost fell and Sevika caught you, her mouth is agape and she starts laughing.

“Listen, I’m not her biggest fan but that was smooth, I’ll admit.”

They then tell her about how you two started talking later on, and they ask you what the conversation was about.

“Literally just the weather and how dinner was. And that she could bring Powder’s project back to school tomorrow.”

“So…that means you guys have to talk again?”

Biting your lip, you think thankfully.

“Well yeah, it’s the same schedule as before. Except now we have less time before the next deadline.”

Your roommate only nods at that, hearing the slight nerves in your voice, and you change the subject, afraid of getting your hopes up.

An hour later, you all decide to head to bed, tired from the day. Gliding through your bedtime routine as if on autopilot, you climb under the covers and wrap them tightly around yourself. That night, you dream of grey eyes and steady hands.

The next day passes by uneventfully, and after the final bell rings, Powder walks in, holding onto her backpack straps with a smile.

“Hey, Teach.”

You turn around and wave her in, clearing off your desk. Sevika had texted you a few minutes ago that she was on her way with Powder’s project so now the two of you are waiting for her, talking about a new movie that’s coming out soon. Your phone buzzes in your pocket, and when you check the screen, you see a text simply saying “Here”.

You both walk out to the parking lot, propping open the main door as you make your way over to the truck parked nearby. Sevika’s already grabbed the two biggest boxes, hauling them with no effort and the sight never fails to make you swoon.

“The smaller two are in the backseat, you guys can grab those.”

Breezing past you, you’re able to stop yourself from looking directly at her, but the little bit you catch in your peripheral has you smiling. Snapping out of it, you remind yourself that you’re only trying to be cordial with her, nothing else.

Picking up the remaining boxes, you and Powder quickly follow Sevika inside to your classroom, setting them down in the corner. Looking around, you try to decide between asking if Powder can start working on it now or letting her go home for the day.

Sevika watches you walk in with an indiscernible look on her face, arms crossed over her chest as she waits for your direction. As the boxes are set down, she takes her phone out of her pocket, looking at something and making the decision for you.

“I’ve gotta head back to the shop real quick, but I can leave Powder here if you guys want to get started.”

Shifting her gaze towards you then Powder, you tell her it’s fine and she puts her phone back into her pocket, kissing her daughter on the head as she heads towards the door. Turning around, she calls out to you.

“Be back in a bit!”

As soon as she’s out the door, Powder starts to work, taking out the supplies she needs before placing them on the table. Watching her for a moment, you decide to start some grading at your desk, turning on your computer and pulling up the stack of papers.

Time seems to blur as you’re distracted by the numbers and comments you’re putting on the tests. Glancing back up, you see that Powder is still working diligently. You’ve come to appreciate how good she is at staying focused.

A rough knock at the door breaks you out of your thoughts, your head whipping towards the sound. You call out to let the person come in, assuming it’s Sevika.

When the door opens, you’re surprised to see Vi standing in the doorway. Her eyes flick around the room, a curious expression on her face when she sees Powder working, but a scowl replacing it as her gaze lands on you.

“Sev got caught up with something else, so she sent me to pick up Powder.”

You murmur out a stern okay, watching Vi stroll over to her sister as she looks over her shoulder at the project.

“What is it?”

Powder looks up, eyeing the girl.

“If I explain, will you understand what I’m talking about?”

“No.”

“Then why would I?”

The interaction causes you to hold in a smile, careful not to let them see you. Powder is feisty when she wants to be.

After a couple minutes, Powder grabs her things and walks over to your desk, Vi a few steps behind her. She lets you know what she worked on today and you smile, telling her you’ll look it over and give her your notes tomorrow. Telling you goodbye as she walks out, Vi follows, giving you a once over but not saying anything.

A few minutes later, you’ve written down your notations for the project, sliding them into your desk. Letting out a sigh, you gather your belongings, shoving your laptop inside, deciding you’re also done for the day. You’re ready to go home, eat your leftovers, and numb your brain with as much reality television as it will let you.

That week, you and Powder get into the swing of things with no problem, back to how they were before break. The only thing that was missing was Sevika’s homemade cooking waiting for you when she picked Powder up, and you missed it more than you realized.

On the bright side, you and Sevika were back to talking on a regular basis, which you were ecstatic about, even if it was only about Powder’s schoolwork. Two weeks of no contact didn’t sound like much, but you had grown accustomed to hearing from her daily and you missed your conversations more than anything. It was hard to find real connections as an adult, and if friendship was all that was in the cards, then that was good enough for you.

The comment from your roommate about showing Sevika the texts replays in your head the next few days, and you decide to go along with her idea. More than once, you almost had a chance to bring it up to Sevika, but something always interrupted the moment. A couple times, it was a work call she had to take, but most of it was by way of Vi hanging in the background, always watching you.

She had decided to start accompanying Sevika to pick Powder up after school, surprising all of you. You learn that she doesn’t have to be back at school for another month, and with nothing else to busy herself with, she decides to become Sevika’s personal chaperone. Knowing the reason why, you can’t blame her but you still wished she’d leave the two of you alone long enough to let you rectify the situation.

Another week passes, and your frustration starts to build. Sevika is still keeping your discussions very surface level, and you feel less and less confident about explaining your side. Even Powder has started to notice that something is wrong. She’s a very perceptive kid and sees the way that your shoulders have slumped, interactions with Sevika more reserved from your side.

As she works on her project, you sit at your desk, pretending to look over some papers so you can watch the door. Today, your eyes are glued to the clock, the seconds ticking by like hours.

As if you summoned her, a familiar figure steps into the room. Sevika, dressed in her work coveralls, glances over at Powder before her eyes catch yours. Giving you a small nod, she smiles faintly but her eyes still hold that weary look you’ve grown used to.

As usual, Vi is right on her heels, walking over to lean against one of the desks, propping her hands on top and crossing one leg over the other. They both watch Powder start to pack up her things, the three of you waiting for her to finish.

“How’s she doing?”

Sevika glances over at you, expectant.

“Really good. We’ve tweaked a couple things so she’s in the process of testing the new model but I have high hopes.”

You smile softly at the woman, sincerity laced in your voice. She grins back and her gap makes an appearance, causing you to look down at her lips. Luckily, Powder starts walking over that very moment and grabs everyone’s attention, causing Sevika to speak up.

“Ready, kid?”

“Almost. There was something I wanted to show Vi in the gym.”

The teenager in question looks up from where she was texting on her phone with a puzzled look.

“What?”

Sevika’s gaze flicks between Powder and Vi, looking as if she’s about to protest. Her hand even reaches out, just a fraction, but Vi is already putting her phone away and standing up as she groans.

“Fine, make it quick though, I got things to do.”

“What, like your girlfriend?”

Powder whispers that part, but in the quiet room, it reaches everyone’s ears. Seeing the angry look on Vi’s face, she sprints out of the room and down the hallway, her sister following close behind. Sevika can only sigh, closing her eyes as she rubs her forehead.

“Those girls are going to be the death of me, I swear.”

You stifle a snicker, taking the opportunity to fully stare at Sevika. Her uniform is old, covered in stains and the occasional frayed tear. It’s slightly unbuttoned at the top, leaving her throat and the middle of her collarbones exposed. The hand on her face is smeared with oil, and you think this might be your new favorite look of hers.

She shifts to stand up, and you realize the two of you are alone for the first time in weeks. A weight settles in your chest as you register that this is the chance you’ve been waiting for.

“Hey, can we talk?”

Chapter Text

Sevika’s hand drops from her face, revealing eyes that now roam over your figure with a wary gaze.

“Everything ok?”

She looks at you expectantly and while you thought you were prepared for this conversation, there’s no way to predict how it will actually go.

You take a deep breath and decide to rip the band-aid off.

“I need to…tell you something. About what Vi said at dinner that day.”

Sevika’s expression immediately shifts to one of scrutiny as she raises an eyebrow at your bluntness.

“Okay.”

The two of you are only a few feet apart, but it suddenly feels like there are miles of space separating you as Sevika waits for you to continue, arms crossed over her chest. Her curt answer does nothing to quell your nerves but you push on, determined to see this through.

“Part of what she said was true. I was engaged, and it did end very messily, but because my fianceé cheated on me, not the other way around. I’m sure that’s what she told people to keep her reputation intact, but that’s not what happened.”

You watch the woman as you speak, her eyes slightly narrowing while she absorbs the information. Her stoic façade remains intact though, making it impossible to know how she’s taking it. As you’re talking, she continues to stare at you, your stomach twisting in knots as her gaze bores into you, searching for some sign of deception. The truth begins tumbling out and you couldn’t stop yourself even if you wanted to.

“One day a couple weeks before the wedding, I got an email from the planner pretty late, and I thought it was kind of weird, so I opened it.”

“It was,” you clear your throat to keep it from cracking, “a really long letter telling me that her and Gert were in love, and how she had been telling her for months that she was going to break off the engagement with me but she was waiting for the right time. The planner finally had enough and told me everything.”

Scoffing at how brazen the woman was, you continue.

“I emailed her back immediately saying she was lying and just trying to break up a happy home, and then she sent me screenshots and screen recordings of their conversations.”

At this point, your eyes are starting to water and Sevika looks concerned but doesn’t interrupt.

“Like that wasn’t bad enough, she sent me…pictures, of them together, over a year’s worth.”

The anger in your voice is apparent, your volume increasing as emotion starts to get the better of you. You don’t even notice how tight your fists have clenched until you try to take a breath to steady yourself. Sevika does notice though, her eyes drifting down to your shaking hands, before returning to your face.

“Turns out, she was having an affair with that bitch the entire time. They were already sleeping together before we even got engaged, but Gert had the balls to tell me they were old friends and hire her for our wedding.”

You’re suddenly overly aware of Sevika’s eyes on you, knowing that she’s analyzing every word and movement. She’s yet to say anything, the silence feeling like even longer than it actually is. You press on, knowing it’s too late to turn back now.

“I was a mess after that, I couldn’t even think straight, I locked myself in the guest bedroom and didn’t come out for hours. My friends kept calling, asking me if everything was okay, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell them.”

Wiping a tear away, you look down at your feet, willing yourself not to cry.

“I confronted her with the evidence, and she didn’t even deny it. She told me it was a mistake and that she regretted it, but that was obviously a lie.”

Pulling out your phone, your hands are trembling as you unlock it and log into the email account you haven’t accessed in years.

“I kept all of the emails to this day, I’m not even sure why. No one besides me has ever seen them but I feel like this is important enough to show you.”

Handing the phone to Sevika, she grabs it gingerly as she begins to scroll, absorbing every word on the screen. As she reads over the long-winded exchanges, her face betrays nothing, hard lines and slight wrinkles unmoving. Her eyes burn into the screen, taking in the words as your entire body tenses up. You’ve never felt this vulnerable around anyone, and the thought of her not believing you causes your chest to ache. Luckily, the photos were in a separate thread but this one had all the initial exchanges, including the texts.

Finally, Sevika raises her gaze to you, the eye contact making your heart pound furiously in your chest. She sets your phone on the desk next to her slowly, the metallic sound reverberating through the silent room. Anxiety gets the better of you and you continue spilling all of your thoughts.

“I wanted to explain why I left to her daughter at least, but Gert obviously wouldn’t let me, and what hurt me the most was to have to leave a girl I basically helped raise. She was a little older than Isha when I came into the picture, and we were glued at the hip from the first time we met. Walking away from her was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

Her eyes flick between yours, the exact grey of a cloud on the precipice of a storm. You feel as if she’s reading your very soul, everything she needs to know displayed in your desperate face. Taking a deep breath, you look directly at Sevika and let a final sentence fall from your lips.

“I hope you understand that even though my past is complicated, I’m not someone that you or your girls have to keep your distance from.”

Letting out a long sigh, Sevika’s gaze remains firmly planted on you. She knows the look of a heartbroken person well, and she can see the emotion clearly in your eyes. Coupled with the date stamps on those emails, she knows you’re telling the truth. She begins walking over and your anxiety builds until you feel something press into your palm. Looking down, you see that she’s given your phone back but your stomach squirms when she makes no move to distance herself.

You don’t know how to describe the look in Sevika’s eyes but whatever it is causes your stomach to flutter and your spine to tingle. Her hand remains on yours as she speaks, the touch electrifying, causing currents of energy to run through your body.

“You didn’t deserve any of that. If your ex couldn’t see what she had right in front of her, then that’s her loss.”

You open your mouth to speak but words fail you, a shaky breath leaving your chest as you take in what she said. You’ve heard similar statements before, from friends and family, but it felt different coming from Sevika. Everything did.

She continues staring at you intensely, and for a moment, you’re stunned by her focus. She notices your expression and her lips quirk slightly, the most she’s smiled this entire time, causing your heartbeat to quicken.

A heavy thud in the hallway causes both of your heads to snap in the direction of the noise, Sevika taking a step back from you and the bubble of tension now broken.

Powder and Vi walk into view shortly after, sporting matching blushes and nervous smiles.

“Hey guys…”, they say simultaneously.

Sevika shifts to look at the two girls and arches an eyebrow at them, knowing her daughters well.

“How much of that did you two hear?”

Both of them remain silent, shuffling awkwardly and refusing to look at Sevika, or you. The woman next to you sighs and shakes her head, crossing her arms across her chest as she waits for an answer, the two girls giving up once Sevika clears her throat. Powder speaks up first, shifting her weight and turning to look at the ground.

“A lot…”

Sevika is scowling now, irritated that they were both eavesdropping on her conversation and ruined the moment you two were having. Anger laced in her voice, she starts scolding them.

“What have I told you about listening in on my private conversations? We’ve talked about boundaries plenty of times before!”

Vi is now looking up at Sevika nervously and responds with a pleading tone.

“I promise it wasn’t on purpose! We were coming back and heard you guys talking and I was gonna walk in like normal but then Powder put her hand over my mouth and pulled me toward the wall cause she wanted to hear what you guys were saying, and then—”

“That’s not true! I grabbed you because I wanted them to keep talking, and good thing I did because I was right, Teach isn’t a cheater!”

Powder rolls her eyes at her sister while you’re standing there dumbfounded and Sevika is fuming. She looks like she’s about to explode, clearly not in the mood for excuses when your voice cuts through the tension, saving the two girls from receiving her wrath.

“It’s alright!” You rush out, holding your hands out as a sign of peace. Sevika’s gaze flicks over to you briefly, a look of confusion flashing on her face, before staring at her daughters again, clearly upset.

“I was hoping to also tell you girls eventually,” with a lot less details, you think, “but you know now, so…it is what it is, I guess.”

A nervous smile spreads across your face as you look between the three of them, hoping this would calm things down between Sevika and the girls.

Sevika’s eyes sharpen at your words but she takes a deep breath, reigning in her temper. It looks like she’s going to say something but decides to remain silent instead, her attention now focused solely on you. Powder and Vi look properly reprimanded, not wanting to cause any more trouble. They exchange a look between each other before Vi speaks up again, her guilt getting the best of her.

“So…Gert was the one that cheated on you.”

Your mouth twists at that, thinking of how to respond. You had planned a very watered down version of the story in case you ever told the girls, exactly because of this. Vi being friends with Gert’s daughter complicated things tenfold, and even though you hated the woman, you would never speak about her to Vi the way you did to Sevika. With the cat now out of the bag, you have no other option but to tell the truth.

“Yeah. I didn’t talk to her friends or family after everything happened, so she must’ve told them a version that didn’t paint her as the bad guy.”

Vi’s head drops to look at her shoes, a shaky exhale leaving her body. She takes a moment to collect herself before looking back up at you, eyes faintly glistening with unshed tears.

“I’m…so sorry. Powder was telling me since the beginning that I had it wrong but I didn’t wanna believe that. I accused you of something you didn’t do and almost ruined your relationship with Sev, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

At the mention of the word relationship, you look around embarrassingly, fidgeting with your clothes while Sevika begins to cough, turning away as she gets it under control. You walk up to Vi and awkwardly place your hand on her shoulder, forcing a smile as you pat it.

“I get it, you were just protecting your family, I would’ve done the exact same thing if I were in your shoes. No hard feelings, I promise.”

The girl nods and shoots you an appreciative half smile before you step away and slide your hands into your back pockets. Powder speaks up a moment later, feeling out the now calm vibe of the room.

“So…does this mean you’re allowed to start coming over for dinner again?”

Glancing at Sevika in your peripheral, your mouth opens before your brain can catch up, heat creeping towards your face.

“I mean, um, that would be more your mom’s decision, so—“

“That’s fine with me.”

Three pairs of eyes dart over to the woman next to you, one with surprise that she answered so quickly, and two with a knowing look at why she did. Sevika’s gaze bounces between all of you, clearing her throat before trying to explain.

“The girls really missed you and they’ve been saving movies to watch in case you came over, so, it only makes sense.”

A bashful smile now adorns your face as you slowly nod, a warmth spreading throughout your chest. You had missed Sevika, of course, but you longed for the days when you felt like another member of her tight knit family. Looking at the woman with a sparkle in your eye, you respond happily.

“Great, that sounds…great.”

Now that the conversation has died down, a bit of an awkward air settles among the room as all of you think about how to segway to another topic. Sevika breaks the silence first, deciding she needs to have a moment to herself after such a heavy conversation.

“So, we should probably head home, Isha’s definitely tried giving Caitlyn another makeover by now and it’s only a matter of time before she wears her down.”

You chuckle at that, imagining the scenario and remembering when Isha did something similar to you.

“Yeah, of course. See you guys tomorrow then?”

Sevika weakly nods as Powder walks over and hugs you tightly, glad that everyone now knows what she felt all along.

“Come over soon, okay?”

Pulling back from the hug, you look at Powder and smile.

“You got it, kid.”

The teenager squeals as she moves towards the door where Sevika and Vi are now standing. You look at both of them before landing on Sevika who has a ghost of a smile on her face as she tells you “Have a good night, miss.”

Smiling, you return the gesture before she walks out, Powder and Vi following, the older of the two smiling at you and sheepishly waving before disappearing.

Now alone, you let out a deep sigh, your body suddenly feeling tired. The conversation went better than you expected, minus the girls overhearing, but all of the anxiety surrounding the situation left you exhausted. You slowly gather your things, thinking about where things are headed from here. Sevika was okay with you coming around them again, and as much as you wished you could be satisfied with that, you wanted…more.

Groaning, you start rubbing your temples, feeling a headache come on. Telling yourself you only wanted to be friends worked when you were unsure if she would believe you about the Gert situation, but now that she had, it was only going to get harder and harder to fool yourself. You decide to head home and see if your roommates are there for you to bounce your thoughts off of, needing to know if you are as crazy as you feel.

Your drive home is short and blissfully quiet, with your thoughts beginning to run amok. You think about what Sevika told you, about your ex not deserving you, and your mind desperately tries to not get ahead of itself. You can’t go a second without thinking about the soft expression on her face, your feelings threatening to overwhelm you.

Unfortunately, the house seems to be empty when you arrive. Tossing your keys into the bowl, you kick off your shoes and walk into the living room, collapsing face first into a couch cushion. You roll onto your back, clutching a pillow as you replay the entire afternoon in your head. Would something have happened if the girls hadn’t walked in? Sevika was never one to do something accidental, she was a very deliberate woman, and the way she was touching your hand…

Your thoughts are interrupted by soft footsteps approaching the living room. You sit up slightly to see your roommate walking in with headphones on and looking down at her phone. After yelling her name a couple of times, that fails to get her attention so you decide to throw a pillow at her.

“Holy shit!”

She screams as she yanks her headphones off and clutches her chest, breathing heavily.

“I didn’t see you under all that, what the fuck!”

You’re laughing now, hands up to show her you meant no harm.

“I’m sorry! I was calling you but I guess you couldn’t hear me.”

She playfully rolls her eyes as she plops down next to you, leaning her head back on the couch and clutching her forehead.

“You almost gave me a heart attack.”

“My bad.”

Leaning your head on her shoulder, you squeeze her thigh apologetically. After a minute, you sit back up and turn your body towards her.

“So…I did what you said and showed Sevika the texts.”

Her eyes widen as she puts her phone down, giving you her undivided attention.

“Oh shit, how did that go?”

“Really well, actually. She didn’t say anything when I was explaining, even when I showed her the emails, but at the end, she told me that I didn’t deserve what happened and that if Gert couldn’t see what she had, then it was her loss.”

Your friend gasps as she clutches your hand.

“Wait, that’s really good!”

You look down at your lap bashfully, absorbing her excitement.

“And then she kind of held my hand when she gave my phone back.”

That gets a very excited scream from your friend.

“Girl, this is great news, she wants you!”

Scratching at your neck, you continue explaining what happened after that.

“The only thing is, her daughters overheard our conversation.”

That instantly calms her down and she’s now looking at you with a confused expression.

“What?! How?”

“They had left to go look at something and when they got back, Powder kept Vi in the hallway so we could keep talking, then something must’ve fallen cause there was a loud noise and they walked in all embarrassed.”

At this point your friend’s eyes are wide with surprise, not expecting your conversation to end like that. She sits in silence for a second, mulling over everything you said before raising a questioning brow at you.

“So, they know everything?”

“Most of it,” You shrug, now biting your lip.

“More than I would’ve liked them to find out, for sure.”

“Well, maybe it's a good thing, right? They’re old enough to understand things like that.”

Your friend tries her best to reassure you and you’re grateful for it, knowing how you can sometimes spiral.

“Yeah, I guess.”

The two of you continue talking for well over an hour, your friend eventually grabbing two glasses of wine to relax among all the news. You vent about how nervous you were showing Sevika the emails and both of you rehash old relationship worries. By the end of the conversation, you feel a bit more confident about the situation.

“So you’re definitely in the clear to get in with her now.”

Blowing out a puff of air, a smile cracks through your attempt at nonchalance and you attempt to hide it by covering your face.

“Ugh, it’s been so long since I’ve had a crush, I feel like a teenager again.”

“Isn’t it kind of fun though? Especially with someone that looks like her.”

You push her shoulder at that, both of you laughing.

“I tried for a while to tell myself friendship was enough, but…I like her.”

“Aww, of course you do!”

She wraps you in her arms, rubbing your back.

“I’m so happy for you, I know this weighed on you a lot. You deserve to be happy and I’m glad it’s finally starting to happen.”

Tucking your face into her shoulder, your eyes begin to get misty. As much as you’ve tried telling yourself that over the last few years, it feels like it’s starting to become reality.

“I really hope so.”

At her house, Sevika is having a similar conversation on the phone with Vander. Standing in the garage, she’s smoking a cigaratte and blowing the smoke towards the cracked garage door as her best friend is giving her his thoughts on the situation.

“It sounds bad to say, but I’m glad Vi was wrong. I really like that girl for you, Sev, I got a good feeling about her.”

Chuckling, she shakes her head as she brushes her hair out of her face. She didn’t tell Vander any details out of respect for you, only that the situation’s been cleared up and you’re back in her good graces.

“God, I thought I was out of the game for good. I’m too grown for shit like this.”

Vander belly laughs at that.

“These things happen when you least expect it, Sev. Take it in stride.”

Putting out her cigarette, she mumbles an agreement and ends the call a few minutes later, deciding she wants some reading time before bed, thoughts of you plaguing her mind the entire way.

That week ends up being extremely busy for you and Sevika, so much so that you haven’t been able to have dinner at her house. That changes Friday afternoon when you get a voice note from her asking if you’d like to come over later for dinner. It takes everything in you not to answer too eagerly, replying with a calm That sounds good :).

Now with that to look forward to, the rest of the day breezes by and eventually it’s time for Powder to get picked up after working on her project. Right on cue, Sevika walks in, and you have to fight to keep your eyes in your head.

Her trusty leather jacket makes a reappearance, over a fitted white henley you’ve never seen, buttons undone just enough to tease a perfectly sculpted clavicle. Paired with a loose fit pair of jeans and black combat boots, she looks the very picture of heartthrob.

Powder drops something on the floor and it’s then that you realize you’ve been staring unabashedly. Clearing your throat, Sevika walks over to you unexpectedly, carrying something in her hand. When you see that it’s a helmet, you swear you almost faint. Of course she has a goddamn motorcycle.

“Hey.”

“Hi.”

Sevika is wearing a mostly neutral expression, only a hint of a smile playing at her lips, and you’re trying your hardest to match it.

“I know I invited you for dinner tonight, and that’s still on, but me, Vander and Silco were gonna have our poker night afterwards. If you’re interested.”

The moment hangs in the air as she waits for your answer. You’ve never mentioned being into cards or anything like that, but she hopes you’ll accept the offer anyway.

“I’d love to.”

A smile lights up your face, your hands clasped in front of you as you continue. So much for keeping it cool.

“I’m not very good at poker, but that sounds like fun.”

Sevika lets out an internal sigh of relief, even though you hadn’t yet turned down an activity she mentioned, she was still nervous, especially because other people were involved.

“Great. We’re gonna head to the house from here, but you come over whenever you’re ready. And you don’t have to bring anything this time, really.”

You cluck your tongue, looking at her with a mischievous expression.

“I’ll see about that.”

Sevika bites her lip, looking away from you but the action captures all of your attention. When she turns back to you, your staring contest with her mouth ends and you suddenly become interested in something on the wall.

Powder walks over at that very moment, a knowing glint in her eye that you and Sevika both pretend not to notice.

“I’m ready, mom.”

Nodding at her daughter, Sevika moves to step towards you before correcting herself and pretending she was just shuffling her feet.

“Right. So, we will see you in a bit?”

“Yup! I’ll walk with you guys, I’m ready to head out too.”

Truthfully, you could’ve stayed a few more minutes to organize your desk before Monday but the chance to see Sevika drive off on her motorcycle was too enticing to pass up.

You walk towards the door with your bags, shutting off all of the lights and holding it open for Powder and Sevika to walk out, locking it behind you. When the three of you reach the exit to the parking lot, Sevika pushes it open and stands off to the side.

“After you.”

Powder can only shake her head, heading out first before you brush past Sevika, eyes almost fluttering shut at her aroma. Once in the lot, you see that she parked directly next to you and walk up to her bike, admiring the way it shines.

“It’s beautiful.”

You look back at Sevika, who looks very proud.

“Thank you. Finished fixing her up a month ago, but it’s been raining too much to ride until this week.”

She walks over to the back of the motorcycle and pops the seat, grabbing another helmet and placing it on Powder’s head. As she does, her jacket lifts and a sliver of her toned lower stomach is exposed where her shirt folded under itself.

After situating her own helmet, Sevika turns to you to say goodbye when she sees the dazed look on your face. Still staring, you’re playing with the car keys in your hand, the most distracted you’ve ever been.

“You okay?”

That instantly snaps you out of your daze, flames licking at your face.

“Yeah! Just thinking about something I have to do before going over.”

You smile at the woman, hopefully distracting her from the fact that you were just openly ogling her. Again. Behind her, you see Powder covering her mouth, most likely hiding a laugh, and groan to yourself.

“Okay then, drive safe.”

She swings her leg over the seat, Powder getting on behind her as Sevika turns the bike on and revs the engine. Nodding at you once, she pulls the visor of her helmet down and drives off, leaving you behind to collect yourself.

“Shit.”

When you arrive at her house a short while later, you make quick work of getting to the porch, eager to get out of the cold. Ringing the doorbell once, only a few seconds pass before the door opens and Vi is standing before you.

“Oh, hi Vi.”

You smile at the girl before she ushers you inside, offering to take your coat. After handing it to her, she sees the bottle in your hand and asks if you want her to grab it from you.

Laughing lightly, you tell her, “No, that’s okay, I don’t want your mom to think I’m giving you something to drink.”

You quickly add on, “We’ll wait until after she goes to bed,” with a wink.

Vi actually chuckles, and you feel proud. You definitely have to build a rapport with her the way you have with her sisters, but you decide to start right away. She leads you into the kitchen where the table is fully set, and a memory of the last time you were here hits you like a train. Clearing your head, you look around for Sevika before seeing her walking in your direction.

Before she can reach you, you extend your hands, presenting her favorite whiskey.

“You didn’t.”

A smile disguising itself as shyness spreads across your face as you reply.

“Of course I did, I never agreed to come empty handed.”

Shaking her head as she takes it from you, Vander and Silco walk over, shaking your hand as you greet each other.

“Good to see you again— Oh!”

Vander reaches for the bottle that Sevika is cradling, grabbing it and inspecting the label.

“Sev, you didn’t say she had such good taste.”

He smirks at her and you pretend not to notice the way she looks down, avoiding your eyes.

“Easy, babe.”

Silco rubs Vander’s shoulder as he directs him towards the table where the girls are starting to sit down. When they notice you, they greet you with hugs, Isha pulling you to sit next to her. Even Caitlyn openly waves to you, no longer worried about Vi’s glare.

Everyone takes their places and starts serving themselves, conversation flowing easily. You spend the first few minutes a bit anxious that something similar to last time will happen, but eventually, that feeling is replaced by a relaxed one.

When dinner ends, the girls head to Powder’s room and you head to the couch, chatting with Vander and Silco as Sevika cleans up the kitchen. A few minutes later, she walks over holding the bottle you brought and a deck of cards.

“Who’s ready to lose?”

Smirking at her two best friends, her eyes land on you and her gaze softens just enough to be noticeable. You stand and lightly stretch your limbs, trying to expel a bit of nervous energy that returned with Sevika’s presence.

“Take it easy on me, okay, public school teachers don’t make much, I promise.”

Vander cackles like that’s the funniest thing he’s ever heard and the two of you follow Sevika and Silco to the garage where the table’s already set up. Taking your seats, the two husbands sit across from each other, already sizing each other up and trying to psych each other out.

Hearing music suddenly playing, you turn around to see Sevika fiddling with a stereo system, holding a CD case. When she’s done, she strolls over and takes her seat across from you, reaching behind herself to set the case back on the shelf.

“Hope you like Coldplay.”

“You a big fan?”

Two groans come from the men on either side of you, confusing you.

“Please don’t get her started. She’s dragged us with her to see them live six different times. I like them, don’t get me wrong, but six is excessive, they only have so many songs!”

Silco’s explanation makes you giggle while it gets an eye roll from Sevika. Looking towards her, your curiosity begins to grow.

“You like them that much?”

The woman splays her hands across her thighs and shrugs.

“Their music’s gotten me through a lot. I haven’t been able to see them the last few times they were here, but I still listen to them all the time.”

Bobbing your head, you think it’s endearing how much she likes them and decide to indulge her.

“That’s really nice, actually. I’ve never been able to see them live, but I’ve heard great things.”

Her gaze flicks up to you, a hopeful look in it.

“You’re a fan?”

Shaking your head side to side, you tell her, “Not as much as you, but I listen to them often enough.”

A shy smile creeps up her face and she looks down at her hands as she begins shuffling the cards.

“That’s cool.”

Vander and Silco are watching the entire interaction with rapt attention, they knew Sevika had a thing for you, but this was more than they expected. Standing up, Vander grabs the whiskey from behind you and raises it to get everyone’s attention.

“Drink, anyone?”

Sevika and Silco both nod and Vander shifts his gaze to you. Deciding it’s a special occasion, you agree and he heads to the bar next to the fridge to retrieve some glasses. When he returns, he sets one down in front of each of you, pouring a generous amount in the others until he reaches you. He gets to less than half of what’s in the other glasses before Sevika cuts him off.

“Not too much, Van, you trying to kill her?”

Looking at your drink, it’s definitely more than you would’ve poured but you know you can handle yourself.

“Sorry! I forget not everyone drinks like a mechanic.”

Smiling apologetically, Vander caps the bottle and puts it away, sitting back down and looking at Sevika.

“Alright, let’s get started then.”

Sevika looks up at you through her bangs as she deals the cards.

“How much you know about poker?”

Glancing around, you clench your hands, trying to not seem nervous.

“Mm, not much, to be honest. There’s 5 cards per player, right? And the goal is to have the best hand possible.”

The three other people at the table internally chuckle at your naivety. They're going to eat you alive.

Sevika agrees to let you have a couple practice rounds so you can get a feel for the game, and only when you insist on playing for real does she stop holding back.

“If you say so.”

She smirks as she deals again, she almost felt bad for how this was going to go, but this was your choice and she was going to give you what you asked for. You end up with a straight, and though it was better than everyone was expecting, it wasn’t good enough to win. Huffing, you sit up in your chair as you take a swig of your whiskey, the burn in your throat only spurring you on.

“I think I got the hang of it now.”

Laughing under her breath, Sevika thinks the determination on your face is adorable, and the alcohol in her system isn’t helping. Going again, you end up with the same hand as before, more and more chips slowly disappearing from your stack.

The drinks are serving their purpose now, jokes and laughs coming out much easier than before. You find out that Vander and Silco have been together almost ten years, their anniversary coming this summer. They tell you the story of how they met at work, and you coo as they relay the details of how it was mainly Sevika’s doing. She makes a couple comments towards you that could be taken as flirtatious, but you pass them off as effects of the alcohol.

When your foot bumps hers, you shoot her a quick apology, and she accepts it with a small smile. When it happens again a couple of minutes later, you apologize again but she only nods, pinning you to your seat with her gaze. You try to focus on the story Silco is telling, something about a vacation, but your breath catches in your throat when you feel two legs slide on either side of yours, trapping your calf between them.

Quickly glancing at Sevika, she’s no longer looking at you but at Silco, fully engaged in his story. You move to pull away from her, sure it was an accident, when her grip tightens and she hooks one foot behind yours, leaving no room for doubt. She’s definitely flirting with you.

Alarm bells start going off in your head, you never considered what you would actually do in the event that Sevika returned the sentiment. The two men are seemingly unaware of what’s going on under the table and you’d like to keep it that way. You turn your leg to the right, pressing it into Sevika to test out her reaction. You’re rewarded with a sharp inhale that you only notice because your eyes are locked onto her full lips.

The moment unravels when you hear Vander call your name, forcing your gaze to the expectant look on his face.

“Sorry, what was that last part?”

“I was asking if you’ve ever ridden a motorcycle before.”

Sevika suddenly notices the lack of music playing and gets up to change CDs, taking the warmth against your lower half with her.

“Oh, yeah, um, no, no I haven’t.”

Giving him a tight smile, Sevika returns with a cigar between her lips, offering the box around the table while Vander keeps talking.

“Ah, it’s amazing. The three of us used to do an annual bike ride through the country, just us and the open road for weeks. Nothing like it.”

After everyone but you takes one, she walks over to the garage door to crack it open, making sure to turn up the space heater before sitting back down. Sevika clips her cigar and lights it, blowing a perfect ring on the first try. The alcohol is definitely affecting you now because as you watch the smoke leave her mouth, you wish you were in its place.

You decide you need to sober up a bit before your inside thoughts make their way out of your mouth. Standing up with the slightest wobble, the entire table stops what they’re doing and looks at you with varying degrees of amusement.

“I need to use the ladies’ room, be right back.”

Walking into the house and heading straight for the bathroom, you shut the door and lock it before turning to the sink and pulling the handle for cold water. Cupping your hands under the faucet, you rub the cool liquid over your face and take a deep breath. You look at yourself in the mirror, seeing the slight glossiness in your eyes and giggle to yourself. Was this really happening?

After a few minutes of breathing exercises, and actually peeing, you feel a bit more yourself, opening the door before immediately running into something.

“Oh shit, sorry, I was just about to knock.”

You step back in a daze before your eyes focus to see a sheepish Sevika standing in the doorway.

“You’ve been gone for a bit so I just wanted to check and make sure you were okay.”

Her hands are stuffed into her pockets and she’s looking at you with worry etched into the slight crease between her brows. You start to feel unsteady again, but it has nothing to do with the alcohol.

“I’m okay, just needed to wake up a little. That whiskey is stronger than it looks.”

A chuckle escapes her parted lips and the piercing underneath them suddenly looks enticing. Stepping forward to place a foot between hers, mirroring her move from earlier, you lean in the slightest bit before watching her eyes drop to your mouth as she replies.

“Yeah, it’s kicked my ass more than once…”

“Mm, I thought you could handle your liquor.”

Both of you continue to lessen the gap, pulled together as if by magnets.

“I can, but sometimes I like to test my limits.”

“Is that so?”

Your chests are almost touching, heavy breaths mixing into the space between you. Right when you’re about to close the distance, a door down the hall creaks open and you hear giggling, footsteps coming closer until they stop right outside the bathroom.

“Oh shit.”

Standing straight up, Sevika is glaring at Vi and Caitlyn as you lean your forehead against the doorframe, sure this is some sort of punishment from a past life.

“Where do you girls think you’re going?”

It’s then that you turn to see the keys dangling from Vi’s hand.

“Uh, we were just gonna go to the store for some snacks. For the movie we’re all watching?”

Both pairs of eyes flicker between you and Sevika, cogs turning as they realize they just walked in on something.

“But we can head back to the room, no worries, we can watch the movie without them.”

They turn back the way they came, mumbling apologies as Sevika hangs her head and groans.

“I just want five minutes without interruptions, that’s it.”

You giggle at her confession, though you wished for the same. Taking it as a sign to head back to the garage, you squeeze past Sevika, fingers brushing hers and you could almost swear you feel them twitch.

Walking back to the table, you feel Sevika’s eyes on your back the entire way and only because you reach Vander and Silco’s line of sight do you not turn around and pull her towards you. She slowly takes her seat in front of you, making a show of it because she knows you’re watching.

“Last round before we call it a night?”

Vander looks around the table to sense the vibe. He and Silco have been waiting for an opening to leave without interrupting whatever was going on with you and Sevika for over half an hour. You smile and nod, thinking it’s probably late for them to still be awake. Sensing that it’s finally time to execute your plan, you calmly call out, “Winner take all?”

You’re met with three confused glances. The girl who’s been losing all night wants to bet everything she has left? It isn’t a lot, they’ll admit but never one to pass up an opportunity to make some money, they all agree.

Sevika deals, a curious gleam in her eye as she watches you. Not seeing any tells, she focuses on her hand and looks around the table, confident with what she has.

“Fuck.”

A groan leaves Vander as he pushes his cards into the middle of the table.

“Fold.”

Crossing his arms and finishing his drink, he sets it onto the table with some force, more annoyed that he lost to his husband than anything. Silco grins, even if he doesn’t win the hand, beating Vander is enough for him. He lays his cards on the table with a flourish, calling out “Full house, baby.”

A huff escapes Sevika as she looks down at her hand.

“Damn. I only have a…” setting down her hand slowly to build suspense, “straight flush.”

Once you suck your teeth and sigh, Sevika grins and starts collecting the chips on the table, pulling the piles towards herself before asking what you have.

“Ugh, I don’t remember what it’s called.”

Setting down the cards one by one, each reveal causes everyone’s jaws to drop a little more as realization settles in.

“A royal flush?”

A wicked smile spreads onto your face as you sit back, absorbing the big reveal. Exhaling dramatically, you lean forward after a moment and start grabbing your winnings, the only noise in the room being the clack of plastic chips and the muted soundtrack of Coldplay.

“I can’t believe you just hustled me.”

Sevika is looking at you with a shocked, yet proud, look on her face and all you do is shrug.

“I can’t believe you just let it happen.”

A low chuckle leaves Vander as he scans his best friend’s face, thinking She may have finally met her match.

As you all stand from the table, he pulls out his wallet, grabbing your winnings and handing them to you before you raise a hand up, declining.

“No need. Seeing the look on all of your faces was payment enough.”

He claps a hand on your shoulder, peering past you before speaking.

“I really do like this one.”

He finishes his sentence with a pointed look towards the woman, emphasizing his comment from their earlier conversation.

“We’re gonna head out, don’t worry about locking up Sev, I still have my key. You two have a good night, now.”

Shaking his head and laughing to himself, Vander walks inside, closely followed by Silco, the two of them discussing their admiration for your style of play. Once you and Sevika are alone, you swing back to face her, much more confident than you were upon arriving earlier.

“Next time, we’re playing for real money. Now that you know how good I am and all that.”

Grinning at the woman in front of you, the look on her face can only be described as awe.

“I don’t enjoy being tricked, you know that?”

Glancing around the room, you purposely avoid eye contact for a few seconds before looking at Sevika.

“I get that, but I think you like a challenge.”

A sharp exhale is the only response you get before you reach out, hand grazing hers with a purpose. You were just full of surprises today.

The door to the house suddenly opens, revealing a tired Isha who's rubbing her eyes and carrying her stuffed monkey towards you both. Trying to blink away the sleep, she looks toward an exasperated Sevika, no clue what she’s just done. When she signs Can I sleep with you? I had a bad dream, the woman can only sigh. Isha’s nightmares could get pretty intense so she instantly feels bad and scoops the girl into her arms.

Are the others asleep?

After nodding, the girl tucks her face into Sevika’s neck, already starting to doze off.

“That’s definitely my cue to leave.”

You step towards the two and gently lay a hand on Isha’s back, feeling the warmth exuding from her small frame. Looking at Sevika, you give her a small smile before telling her you’ll see her later and moving in the direction of the door. She vigorously shakes her head before stepping into your path.

“Let me walk you out, at least.”

Agreeing to that, you make your way inside to the front, slipping your shoes on, then your coat, before facing Sevika. She’s sporting the slightest pout and you almost reach over Isha to kiss it away.

“See you next week, yeah?”

Nodding with a tired sigh, she looks at you before moving to embrace you as best she can. You take what you can get, wrapping one arm around her neck and the other around Isha, reaching for the woman's shoulder. After reluctantly letting go, you open the door, Sevika holding it as you walk out and angling her body to shield Isha from the cold.

“Text me when you get home, please,” she calls out as you head down the driveway.

Turning around, you give her a thumbs up, too wired to give her a verbal response. Once you’re in the car, Sevika closes the door but continues to watch from the window while you warm up your car, taking off a couple minutes later with a frazzled wave.

The drive home is silent. You couldn’t even bring yourself to play any music, the replay of the night making plenty of noise in your head. Only realizing how late it is when you arrive and see the lack of any lights inside, you tiptoe through the quiet house, reaching your room and closing the door as gently as possible.

Leaning against the door, you let out the breath you’ve been holding since leaving Sevika’s house. We almost kissed. Twice. You cover your face with your hands as you let out a muffled shriek, giddy and excited for what’s to come for the first time in a very long while.

Chapter Text

As much as you had hoped you'd have time to explore this new avenue with Sevika after poker night, the science fair's second deadline was quickly approaching and all of your energy was focused on making sure Powder and Ekko were on top of their projects. You felt it in your gut that they both had a fighting chance and you were doing everything in your power to make sure they had the support they needed.

Sevika completely understood, of course, but a small, selfish part of her wished that you two could pause it all for one day and spend some time together. Between work and the girls, you two were like ships passing in the night, never able to grab a moment to do anything but send the occasional check in text.

She felt as if she was starting to go insane without you around, her thoughts filled with memories of the last time you were at her house. That night was constantly running around in her mind, as if it were a favorite movie of hers. The memory of your leg pressing against hers, and how she had to fight the urge to caress it. Or how she so badly wanted to slide her knee even further up between your thighs. These were the thoughts Sevika would lose herself fantasizing about when work got slow, but right now, she had to stay distracted or else she’d show up at your place unannounced and possibly embarrass herself.

So, for the next few days, that was your new normal. The occasional good morning message and seeing each other for a minute or two when Sevika picked Powder up, before you scurried off to check on Ekko's progress. Reminding herself this was only temporary, she bid you goodbye with a smile every single time, only letting it fall once you were out of sight. She had to be patient, you would both be able to continue this...thing that you had started soon, or at least that’s what she was hoping for. The thought of having you over and picking up right where you left off was the one thing keeping her mind in check through this seemingly endless stretch of separation.

The finish line finally comes into sight the day before the presentation when Sevika comes to pick Powder up and the girl heads to the bathroom. It's the first time in what feels like forever that you don't hurry out the door when she shows up, instead leaning against your desk with your legs crossed and your fingers interlaced. You ask Sevika permission to come over and coach the girl through it in person, since the circumstances from before didn’t let you be there physically. Letting out an internal sigh of relief, she tells you yes while holding back her grin from being too obvious, or at least she thinks she does. You see right through it, that telltale sparkle in her eye giving her away.

"Perfect. Since her presentation is at noon, I can be there around 11 if that works for you guys?"

Nodding, Sevika lets herself fully smile, having missed the unexpected confidence you exude around her. “We’ll be home. I'm helping out a friend with his car early in the morning, but I’ll be back by then. Could even whip something up if you're able to stick around for lunch.”

Hearing that Sevika was planning on cooking made you want to do a victory lap, and you can’t help yourself from letting her know just how much the thought excited you.

"Sounds great. I don't have to be at Ekko's until later in the afternoon, so I'll be all yours until then.” Sevika’s knees nearly buckle when you say that, trying her damnedest to act normal about the implication, and she takes a couple of deep breaths before answering.

“Good. I’m looking forward to it then.” And, because she can’t help herself, one more comment. “And you better bring your appetite.”

"I always do." You tilt your head slightly while giving her a once over to drive home the double entendre, and Sevika’s skin breaks out in goosebumps, mouth parting as she fumbles for a reply.

Your eyes settle their gaze pointedly on her lips before a pair of footsteps in the hallway bring you both back to reality. Looking away, you see Powder cross through the doorway and glance between the two of you, feeling the slightly charged atmosphere in the room.

“I'm ready, Mom.”

Sevika’s attention snaps to her daughter, her mind clearing just in time to respond. “Alright, let’s go then.”

You say your quick goodbyes, promising to see them the following day. Powder gives you a bright smile before disappearing back into the hallway, and Sevika shoots you one last look before leaving you alone with your thoughts. Once they’re out of sight, you lay back on your desk, body slumping as you groan into your hands. Tomorrow can’t come soon enough.

After a pleasantly restful night, you're springing out of bed, ready to take on the day. Setting your outfit aside before you head to the bathroom and get ready, your roommate texts you that breakfast is ready a short while later.

Heading to the kitchen, you see that everyone is there, and you smile at the fact that you’re all able to spend time together. They of course tease you about the fact that you’re going over Sevika’s later, knowing all the details about what happened at poker night the previous week. Your face heats up but you brush them off with a nonchalant shrug of your shoulder, though your internal monologue is squealing. Eventually, you have to head back to your room and finish getting ready, and when you do, you bid your roommates farewell, strolling to your car with an extra pep in your step.

Sevika woke up that morning with a start for the fourth time since her head hit the pillow hours ago. Rolling over to look at the clock, she was surprised to see it only read 6am. Not able to go back to sleep, she sat up and swung her legs out of bed before she headed into the kitchen for coffee.

While the pot percolated, she began planning out the first half of her day in her head. A quick shower and breakfast, then a couple hours spent working on her friend’s engine, and time to return home before you make it over. Speeding through her routine, she headed out after kissing both of her daughters goodbye and letting Powder know she’d be back by lunch. Her morning passes by quickly, the engine taking up all of her attention as it needed more work than she previously thought, so she's on her way home a little later than planned.

When Sevika arrives, she pulls up the garage door and begins taking off the sleeves of her dirty coveralls before seeing you sitting on the floor next to Powder. She instantly freezes when you look over at the interruption, eyes taking in her disheveled look; oil smeared on her face and undershirt, shoulder muscles and bicep bulging, plump bottom lip caught between her teeth.

The two of you stare at each other before Powder knocks something over and you blink away the haze before giving Sevika a tight smile. "Hey. Sorry I forgot to text you when I got here, Isha let me in and she was telling me about school."

The woman nods in agreement before walking over and placing a soft kiss to the top of Powder's head as a greeting. Shucking off the rest of her outer layer, she throws them into a hamper in the corner before standing next to the workbench and responding, “It’s all good. No harm done.”

That leaves her in just a t-shirt and cotton shorts, leaving plenty of skin for your eyes to rake over. You don't though, remembering that Powder's presentation is in less than an hour, and she still needs to go through her practice run. Turning away from Sevika, you begin asking the girl questions to double check her knowledge, and the older woman stands there watching you two for a moment in silent admiration.

She continues to take in the way your hand casually touches Powder’s shoulder every time you praise her for a correct answer or how your encouraging smile always lights up when she’s on the right track. It’s clear how much you care about her learning, and it pulls at something deep within Sevika’s chest, feeling grateful you're in their life.

"I'm gonna go take a shower, but I'll be back in time for the call."

Both of you murmur in agreement as Powder continues to run through the exercise, your eyes now tracking Sevika as she crosses the room to the doorway. She can feel your gaze following her the entire time, and it takes everything within her not to smirk at how your stare feels like a caress against her skin.

Half an hour later, Sevika rejoins the two of you in fresh clothes and all traces of dirt and oil wiped away. You take in the sight of her out of the corner of your eye, not trusting yourself to keep from staring yet again, and check your notes to make sure Powder hit all of the key points. Turning to the girl, you ask, "You wanna show your mom the whole thing before they call?"

Powder looks at you first, an excited smile taking over her face at the prospect of getting to see the look on her mother's face, before she shifts her gaze to Sevika, silently asking permission. Sevika nods once, a small grin appearing in the corner of her lips and a soft look in her eyes as she motions for her daughter to begin.

The girl fully dives in, going through the presentation with ease and answering all of the questions asked to the best of her ability. It takes a few minutes before she's finished, and Powder looks between you and Sevika with shining eyes, awaiting your validation.

"You did amazing, babe," Sevika praises warmly, bringing her into a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you and all your hard work." Pulling apart, she turns to you with a grin. "And you. Powder is so lucky to have you as a teacher."

As you shyly brush her off, Powder walks over to her project and begins arranging it for the official thing. Sevika then leans over to you and whispers, “You should be proud too. It’s obvious she learned a lot in your class."

“Thanks, but you should be taking most of the credit.” Sevika’s eyes crinkle at the praise, her expression clearly showing how much it means to her to hear the words spoken out loud.

You sit next to each other on the couch as Powder puts the finishing touches on, both of you watching with identical grins. You then glance at Sevika and take in the slight differences between her appearance from earlier in the day to now, your eyes lingering on a scar on her right forearm and a small bruise on her cheek. Every new thing you realize about her only endears you more and more, but it doesn't scare you as much as it normally would.

The ringing from the computer catches your attention and soon after, Powder is answering the board member with a polite smile. After exchanging pleasantries, she begins explaining her project, much like the first time several weeks ago, but with more conviction. She breezes through the first half with no problem, but after the first question the interviewer asks, Powder's gaze flicks toward you and you mouth the answer. It takes her a second to process it and your hands fidget in your lap as she does.

She's finally able to get the sentence out and when your hands wring together, Sevika places her own over them, calming you down for a second before your heartbeat picks up again. The woman keeps a gentle hold on you the entire time, her thumb rubbing over your knuckles in an attempt to soothe your nerves, but your attention is fixed on Powder. Even though you can see her falter ever so slightly, her answer is so well thought out and articulate, and the words just seem to flow from her mouth effortlessly.

With Powder near the end, Sevika tightens her grip on your hand as her nerves also make an appearance. The girl then begins her closing statement, her shoulders squared and pride gleaming in her eyes. After the presentation ends, you and Sevika wait in bated breath for the feedback. Although this board member was different than the last, they give the same cut and dry answer as before, only letting Powder know that her performance was satisfactory and they would reach out to her teacher with a decision in a week.

Even though she wished for more detailed feedback, Powder was still satisfied with the outcome, taking the result in stride. She turns to you, hands now separated from Sevika's, and hugs you tightly once you stand from the couch. "That was exciting! Kinda killed my vibe at the end when he didn't say much, but I think it went okay."

"It definitely went better than okay," Sevika reassures, patting her daughter's hair. "You kept your composure the entire time, even when he asked you that question you had to think about. That was the best part."

Powder eyes bounce back and forth between the two of you, a pink tint coating her cheeks.

"I couldn't have done it without either of you guys. I'm glad you're in my corner."

She then pulls you both into a group hug, squeezing tight as you and Sevika each wrap an arm around her. After a couple seconds, she releases you from her grip and stands back, patting her stomach. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving."

You both laugh at the girl's shift in mood, her appetite now taking over her thoughts, and you all make your way to the kitchen. Sevika had already started prepping before she joined you earlier, so she was now focused on finishing up as you sit in the living room with the girls. She watches as you easily slip into the conversation, switching between talking to Powder and Isha, then Vi and Caitlyn.

Calling everyone over to the table, Sevika wipes a hand on her Kiss the Cook apron you've come to love before pulling it off and taking a seat. All of you settle in front of the meal, the girls happily going straight for the food as you and Sevika both take an extra moment to soak everything in. Sevika takes notice of how at ease you are around the girls, watching you and Powder's playful banter and how you jokingly chastise Vi for trying to sneak food before everyone has been served.

Sevika feels her chest bloom with each glance in your direction, finding it hard to stay silent every time you throw your head back and laugh, the sound wrapping itself around her heart and making a home. Once everyone has finished eating, the girls all excuse themselves to the living room, leaving the two of you in easy conversation. Sevika stands and begins gathering the leftovers to put away, and you stand up to join her in clearing the table.

Now you’re both standing next to the sink, scrubbing dishes in comfortable silence while the girls chatter amongst themselves, and you let yourself relax in the moment. It’s familiar and domestic in the best way, and you find yourself wishing it could be like this all the time. When you look over at Sevika to make a comment about her fork collection, you see the clock on the wall behind her and let out a small sigh. It catches her attention and she turns to you with a slight furrow between her brows. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," you smile. "It's just that I told Ekko I would go over to rehearse before his presentation, so I should get going." Sevika's face drops and a pang of disappointment shoots through her core, but she's trying her best to maintain normalcy. "Oh, right."

"Thank you for lunch though, it was delicious, as always." You turn around and lean your back against the counter before nudging her shoulder with yours. "The company wasn't too bad either."

The small contact of your shoulder against hers snaps Sevika out of her mini internal crisis, and the smirk you give her makes her chest loosen up a bit. "You're just buttering me up to mooch off my cooking again, aren't you?"

"Maybe. Is it working?"

She can’t help but let a laugh bubble up in the back of her throat. "Annoyingly so."

“Mission accomplished then,” you reply with a beaming smile.

She rolls her eyes before shoving your shoulder with her own, a smirk taking over her features. “Yeah, yeah, you little charmer.”

Sevika then pushes away from the counter, throwing a clean kitchen towel so it hits you in the face. “I bet you sweet talk all your friends that way.”

Pursing your lips as you lightly shake your head, you tell her in a quieter voice, "Only the special ones."

Sevika’s eyes take on a different look when you say that, becoming just a little softer. "I'm honored, then."

You’re both smiling at each other, a slight bit of tension filling in the sliver of space that still remains between you, until a shriek of laughter from the other room reminds you of where you are. Sevika lets out a sheepish chuckle before clearing her throat and nodding towards the living room. "I’m sure the girls will wanna say bye."

The pair of you make your way to the couch, finding Vi and Caitlyn cuddling on one end while Isha and Powder are sitting on the other. "Hey you guys, sorry to break up the party but I have to head out."

This elicits various groans from everyone, but Powder is the first to respond. "Already? But you just got here."

Chuckling, you tell the girl, "I've been here for over two hours, I have to head to Ekko's now."

"I know,” she whines, “it just feels like you just got here." Powder then stands to give you a hug goodbye, thanking you for all your help that day. Isha's next, sending you puppy eyes that threaten to break your resolve. You almost giggle at the look in her eyes, giving her a heartfelt farewell before turning to Vi and Caitlyn. They both wave before the younger of the two gets up and begins walking over.

“It was good seeing you, me and Caitlyn are driving back to campus tomorrow morning so we probably won’t be home again until the summer.”

“Oh! Right, I forgot you had to go back eventually.”

Vi lets out a chuckle and glances back towards the girls on the couch, smiling fondly.

“Me too. I hate having to leave them.”

She looks back toward you and Sevika, eyes bouncing between the two of you with a look in them that you can’t quite place.

“But they’re in good hands.”

Vi then reaches towards her shirt sleeve, adjusting it as she lets out a small yawn.

“Plus, someone’s gotta be the first one in this family to graduate college, so, y’know.”

Sevika scoffs at that, ruffling Vi’s hair with a smile. “Okay, smartass, I went to trade school.”

“Ugh, Sev, I just finished styling it!” The teenager runs a hand through her locks, trying her best to bring it back to its previous state.

The two of you stand there giggling as Vi fixes her appearance, standing up straight and facing your direction when she’s done. You can see her hands fidgeting out of the corner of your eye, and you brace yourself for what she’s going to say.

“It was really nice to get to know you. And again, I’m so sorry about everything, pretty sure Powder’s never gonna let me live that down,” she sighs.

You crack a smile, patting the girl on the shoulder and looking her in the eye.

“I appreciate that, Vi. It takes a really mature person to admit when they’ve done something wrong, especially when it comes to the people they care about. Hopefully we can get to know each other even better the next time you’re here.”

The teenager sheepishly nods at that and sticks a hand out in your direction. Instantly grasping it, she pulls you into a hug and you let out a noise of surprise before embracing her back. As she pulls away, she stops next to your ear so only you can hear her and whispers, “Take good care of her, okay?”

A shocked look settles on your face but you quickly school it before Sevika can see you, and you give Vi a single, firm nod, stomach twisting at the implication. She shoots you a satisfied grin before turning back to the living room and leaving you and Sevika standing together. The other woman clears her throat and looks in your direction before gesturing to the doorway.

Shooting one final glance towards the girls in the living room, you follow Sevika to the front door, slowly slipping your shoes on as she stands there holding your coat and bag. The look on her face mirrors the one her youngest just gave you, but your other obligations are calling your name. As you grab your jacket, Sevika wordlessly helps you put it on as if this was something you two did often. Once you’re all set, she stands there with her thumbs hooked into her belt loops, looking as adorable as ever. There’s no hesitation this time as you slip your arms around her and settle into her chest, feeling her muscular arms embrace your frame. The two of you stay that way for a long moment, simply enjoying the way the other feels.

Your phone buzzing catches your attention, and when you look down at it, you see that it’s just past the time you said you’d be at Ekko’s.

“Shit, I have to go. I was supposed to be there already.”

Looking at the other woman, you give her a sad smile as she slowly nods, knowing your time together has officially come to an end. “Of course, I hope it goes well.”

“Me too, I really hope both of them get through.” Hoisting your bag higher onto your shoulder, you turn towards the door and turn the knob before opening it. A nervous feeling settles into your stomach as you decide whether or not to turn back around, but before you can talk yourself out of it, you spin towards Sevika and press a soft kiss to the corner of her mouth, surprising you both.

You whisper a “See you Monday” against her lips before scurrying off to your car, tossing your things on the passenger seat and driving off without looking back.

Sevika is still standing in the doorway, stunned as she holds a hand to her mouth. Lost in a daze, she finally comes back down to earth and shuts the door before leaning her forehead against it. If only she had realized what you did faster, she would’ve caught you and gave you a proper sendoff. Sighing, she presses a hand against her chest and feels the way her heart is beating faster than before, like a schoolgirl on the playground. She laughs to herself before walking back to the living room, shaking her head at the fact that you beat her to the punch.

You arrive at Ekko’s house in a trance-like state, stunned at your own actions. Yes, you had openly flirted with Sevika before, but not only was it usually under the influence of alcohol, it was much easier to say all those things when you weren’t feeling her warmth underneath your fingertips like that. Your mouth hasn’t stopped tingling since you left, the sensation of her soft skin replaying over and over in your head. Once you reach the front door and Ekko’s mother lets you in, you snap yourself out of it and tell your mind to focus for the next couple of hours before you can go home and bask in the memory.

Thankfully, the practice and the presentation both go smoothly, leaving you and Ekko both optimistic for the results of their decision. His parents thank you profusely for your time and effort, and you promise to let them know as soon as the board alerts you of their decision. Making your way back to your car, you settle in and take a deep breath before turning the engine on and begin driving home, eager to let yourself fully revel in the echo of this afternoon.

The rest of that weekend passes by without a peep from Sevika and you’re now worried that the kiss upset her. Little do you know that it's been on a 24/7 loop in her head, leaving no room for any other thoughts.

Monday morning comes with a quickness, and you’ve decided to not reach out to the woman for fear of pushing her further away. Sevika’s in a similar boat, the kiss never straying too far from the forefront of her mind. She’s unsure of how calling or texting would come across, so she’s simply waiting until the afternoon when it's time for her to pick up Powder.

Since you're waiting to hear back from the committee, there's no more after school sessions unless she moves on to the next round, so you're surprised when Powder walks into your room after the end of day bell rings. "Hey Teach."

"Powder! I wasn't expecting you today."

She grins, rubbing a hand on the back of her neck and looking sheepish before glancing over her shoulder and closing the door. "Yeah, I actually wanted to talk to you about something. Do you have a few minutes?"

You round your desk and lean back against it with a gentle smile. "Of course. What's up?"

"Well, um..." The girl sighs and closes her eyes. "This is so embarrassing to say."

You wait for her to continue, curiosity now piqued. Her next sentence rushes out all as one word and it takes you a second to decipher what exactly she said.

"I have a crush on Ekko and I wanted to know if he's said anything about me to you."

After the words process in your brain, you have to bite back a smile before you choose how to reply. "Well, Ekko hasn't said anything to me exactly, but I can see the way he acts around you, and I'd bet he feels the same way.”

Powder lights up almost instantly at that, her cheeks tinged pink. "Really?"

"Yeah, really. Actually, when I told him you also got accepted into the second round a month ago, he seemed pretty happy about it."

The girl bites the inside of her cheek at your explanation, and you think it's sweet that she came to you to talk about it. She really trusts you.

You cross your arms and shoot her a smile, tilting your head a bit. "So, are you going to ask him out?"

Her eyes widen and she quickly shakes her head. "No! No way. If he likes me, he has to say something first."

Because Powder had closed the door and you had music playing before she arrived, you don’t hear the two pairs of shoes in the hallway approaching your room. Right as she reaches for the door handle, Sevika hears your voice and something in her gut tells her to wait, so she holds Isha back from the door. She listens as you explain to Powder how having feelings for someone feels, and how to go about approaching them, if they choose to. A small smile graces her lips as you describe exactly how she feels, down to the last detail.

"You know, sometimes both people are waiting for the other to say something, and then no one ever does and they move on without ever knowing. I would say it's better to get rejected than live in that doubt."

Powder looks deep in thought for a second before letting out a sigh. "I guess you're right. I'm just really nervous, what if he doesn't like me, y'know?"

A small smile cracks through, and you lean your head back before looking over at the teenager. "Believe me Powder, I have been there. More times than I'd like to admit, but I always felt better after having a solid answer, even if it wasn't the one I wanted."

“It doesn’t have to be right away, either. You can feel the situation out for a bit before deciding.” You continue, easing the girl’s nerves, and Powder lets out a noise of relief as you talk, a weight slipping off of her shoulders.

She then rubs a hand across her forehead. "Yeah, I think I'll just try and do that. It kind of feels better to have said it out loud, y'know?"

"Yeah, I definitely do. It's like all those thoughts are bouncing around your brain and it's hard to make sense of them until you tell someone else about them, right?"

The girl chuckles and looks down at her feet before looking back at you with a smile. "Yeah, it is. Thanks for this, by the way. I don't think I would've said anything for a long while."

"Anytime, kid. I know plenty about that kind of stuff, the good and the bad, so if you have any more questions, don't hesitate to come ask me, alright?"

She nods along, a look of utter relief on her face now.

"Yeah, I think I will."

At that, the girl finally begins to step away from your desk, clearly feeling more confident now than at the beginning of this talk. At that moment, Sevika decides to make her presence known and knocks on the door before opening it and crossing over the threshold.

"Hi..."

You freeze upon seeing the woman in front of you, immediately thinking about the last time you saw her. Isha rushes in and hugs your legs, causing you to bend down and embrace her. Before you or Sevika can say another word, Powder breaks the silence.

"Hey guys! I was just telling Teach about my...project."

Sevika slightly raises a brow at her daughter, deciding not to give away that she heard a large part of the conversation. "Right."

The woman then looks over at you and a nervous feeling settles in your stomach, not knowing what to expect. You both stand there unmoving, and Powder's eyes flit between the two of you, feeling the shift in the room. Thankfully, Isha lets Sevika know she has to use the bathroom and Powder takes advantage of the opportunity to take her, leaving the pair of you alone.

"Look, about the other day–"

"I meant to call you–"

Both of you begin speaking at the same time, and you gesture for the other to speak first before Sevika insists you go. You take a deep breath and gather your thoughts, still feeling anxious about what might have happened.

"I just wanted to apologize. I don't know what came over me but I shouldn't have just kissed you like that, I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable."

Sevika furrows her brow and looks at you for a moment in disbelief before letting out a soft laugh.

"Uncomfortable is actually the last word I'd use to describe how I feel about that."

You blink a couple of times, thrown off by Sevika's response.

"Well then…what would you say?"

Sevika rubs a hand on her thigh and sits atop one of the tables, avoiding your gaze.

"A bit unexpected," she looks up now to catch your eye, "but definitely something I'd be interested in experiencing a few more times."

Your throat bobs as you register what she's telling you, and suddenly the room feels very warm. "Oh."

She gives you a cheeky smirk and crosses her arms, still leaning against the table. "Yeah, oh is right. That kiss definitely had me thinking about it for a while." Now it's your turn to avoid eye contact, and the both of you sit there in a semi-awkward silence for a few moments. Sevika then finally gets up and walks closer to you, a sly smile on her face.

You can feel your heart beginning to race from the way she’s looking at you, and you let out a breath of air as she leans closer. "I-"

She brings a hand to your hip and you let out a sharp gasp. Sevika grins at the sound, her thumb rubbing a small circle there. "See? You're not the only one who can play dirty."

A familiar voice down the hallway alerts you that your timeframe is running out, but before you can move, Sevika swoops down and presses a firm kiss to your cheek, causing your eyes to flutter shut. She pulls away just in time for the girls to enter the room, stepping back just as the two of you enter their line of sight.

Powder gives the two of you a look, a wary but knowing expression on her face before she turns and walks over to her bag. Sevika catches your eye and winks at you while her daughter's back is turned, a blatantly smug grin on her face. When Powder turns back to face your direction, she grabs Isha's hand and clears her throat, waving to you.

"Thanks for the advice, Teach, I'm definitely gonna apply it to the…experiment.”

You try your best to compose yourself before sending Powder an encouraging smile. "Of course, anytime. Good luck with the presentation." With that, your student shoots you one last nod before she and Isha leave the classroom, Sevika trailing not far behind them. She stops once the girls are outside, turning around and looking over her shoulder at you. "I'm sure I'll see you around."

Shaking your head at her, the woman lets out a small laugh and disappears down the hall. You throw your head back and groan, in disbelief that Sevika managed to turn the tables on you for once.

That week passes by without any more appearances from Sevika as she decided to pick Powder up on time, so all you have to go off of are the occasional voice note or picture of a book she recommends. Friday afternoon, as soon as the final bell rings, so does your phone, and the name on your screen causes your heart to skip a beat.

Pressing the green button, you raise the phone to your ear and answer the call. "Hello?"

"Hi. I called to ask what you were doing tonight." Sevika's low drawl fills your ear and your heart picks up the second you hear it. "The girls wanted to know if you were free for dinner and a movie at the house, it's been a while."

You try to hide the smile in your voice, not wanting to give Sevika the satisfaction, but it seeps through anyway. "Yeah, that sounds nice actually. It'd be nice to get a break from grading for a bit."

Sevika lets out a low hum and you can hear the cheerfulness in her voice.

"I bet. It's homemade pizza and ice cream night, so you're in for a real treat."

You laugh out at the end of that, thinking about just how domestic this situation is becoming between you two, and Sevika continues.

"Come over around 6, okay?"

"Okay, see you then. Bye."

"Bye, miss."

Looking at the clock on your laptop, you see that you have a couple of hours to finish your work before it would be time to head home and drop your stuff off. The time flies by and before you know it, you're in your car headed over. It feels juvenile, but the entire drive over your mind is playing out every possible scenario, trying to prepare for any situation that could arise. When you pull up to the familiar house and take in the sight of a light on in through the living room window, you can't help the giddy feeling that swells up in your chest as you get out and walk up to the door.

The sound of the doorbell rings throughout the house and you hear the padding of feet approaching the door. Powder opens it with a wide grin on her face, the excited teen bouncing from side to side in her pajamas. "Hi Teach, come in."

Entering the house, you're immediately greeted by a wonderful smell coming from the kitchen, and you notice how the entire house is spotless as you slip off your shoes. Powder shuts the door with a click and the two of you head towards the back of the house.

You see Sevika standing at the stove wearing her signature apron over a tight t-shirt and grey sweats that hang low on her hips. She has a look of concentration on her face as she inspects a tray of pizza she just pulled from the oven. Turning around to look over her shoulder, Sevika grows a smile at the sight of you. "You made it."

"Barely," you say playfully as you walk up behind her. "Traffic was a nightmare on the way over." Sevika gives a small hum of acknowledgement, eyes running over you quickly, taking in your outfit before she places the pizza back on the rack.

"You look nice." She lets her gaze linger on your form, and it suddenly feels much hotter in the small kitchen. Clearing your throat, you give your attention to the tray of food instead. "Thanks, I didn't realize everyone else would be so casual."

Sevika actually giggles at that. "Yeah, I guess I forgot to mention the dress code."

You can't help but smile at the sound of her laugh, and you take a moment to enjoy the rare reaction. "If I had known, I would have come in sweatpants and a stained t-shirt like a reasonable person."

Sevika lets out another soft laugh and turns around. She leans her hip back against the counter, giving you a full view of her casual outfit and the way it hangs off of her body.

A ding from the oven rings out right then, announcing that dinner is ready, and the two girls stroll into the kitchen with wide grins on their faces, hungry and ready to eat. Sevika starts moving the pans to the table and you begin grabbing plates and glasses for everyone. Isha and Powder sit down, conversating amongst themselves before the two of you join them.

The entire time, Sevika steals glances in your direction, taking in every aspect of you while making sure everyone has pizza on their plate. You glance up at her, catching her in the act halfway through serving Isha and she shakes her head before looking away, ignoring your knowing smile.

Once dinner is over, Sevika makes quick work of clearing the table, sending the girls to the living room to pick a movie. When you see her grabbing multiple bowls from the pantry, you hurry over to help her before she drops something.

"You really didn't have to–" Sevika looks up, seeing you grab the rest of the dishes from her, and shoots you a look of mock frustration. "Oh whatever, I'm not going to turn down the help."

You laugh and give her a sly smile. "I thought you enjoyed being the tough one?"

Sevika snorts at that, nodding her head towards the fridge. “Gonna grab the ice cream.”

Once she pulls the freezer door open, she continues on with her previous thought. "I never said I had a problem receiving help, I just don't like to ask for it."

Surprised at the slip of information, you simply hum and hand her bowl after bowl to scoop the dessert into, conversation lulling into a comfortable silence. When the final bowl of ice cream is filled, Sevika moves to put the container back in the fridge and you both carry the food over to the girls, who are sitting together on the floor arguing about what to put on. Setting the dessert down on the coffee table, Sevika clears her throat to grab their attention, and the girls look up at you two.

"Alright, so what are we watching?"

"I wanna watch an action movie." Powder states, leaning back against the couch.

Isha shakes her head firmly and signs to her mom I want to watch a cartoon.

Sevika looks amused, resting her weight against the wall and folding her arms.

"Why don't we watch a cartoon first?"

Powder begins to protest before Sevika signs behind Isha's back so the girl can't hear her. Just wait until she falls asleep and then put on the other movie.

The older girl lets out an Ohh, okay before turning back to the TV and scrolling through the cartoon options as you and Sevika take your places on the couch. Once she lands on something Isha agrees to, the movie begins playing and you settle into your seat, getting comfortable when you feel warmth pressed into you.

​​Sevika is sitting right next to you, her knee pressed against yours as her body relaxes. She's doing her best to focus on the screen but finds herself drifting closer and closer towards you. The warm weight of her hand suddenly landing on your knee startles you for a second, but you quickly relax into it, letting her thumb run over it in small circles. Isha sits on the floor, curled up onto a pillow as she begins to doze off with the sound of the TV playing softy now.

Right on cue, not even fifteen minutes into the movie, Isha's soft snores can be heard over the movie and Sevika pauses it before scooping the little girl up in her arms and carrying her to her room. When she returns, Powder's already switched it to her choice and is glued to the screen, much to Sevika's amusement.

As she sits back down, Sevika notices you’re scrolling on your phone and right when she opens her mouth to jokingly tell you no phones during the movie, you turn towards her with a nervous look on your face.

“Um, they emailed me with the results.”

Suddenly, Powder whips around with a frantic look on her face.

“What did they say?”

Looking between her and Sevika, you gulp lightly before shaking your head.

“I haven’t opened it yet, we should all look together.”

Sevika’s jaw clenches as she takes a deep breath. “Yeah, okay.”

She gestures for you to move closer before you hand the phone to Powder, understanding this is her moment. On your other side, the girl in question scoots closer to you as she taps on the email, preparing for the answer that can potentially make or break her future. She skims through it, reading the message aloud before the phone slips from her hand and she cradles her head in her hands.

Your heart is in your throat at her reaction and Sevika speaks up with nerves lacing her throat.

"Well what did they say?!"

Sevika reaches for your fallen phone, finding it and raising the screen to her face right as Powder speaks up.

"I...I got in."

Letting out a shaky sigh of relief, Sevika leans her head back against the wall and you look over at the girl next to you to find that she's crying. Before you can say anything or even move, Powder’s throwing herself at you in a hug, squeezing tightly as she buries her head into your shoulder. You can barely make out the words she speaks through her tears, but you feel her grip tighten with the next few words. “Thank you. So much.”

Suddenly, you feel two strong arms envelop you both as Sevika pulls the both of you into a tight hug, a rush of emotions coursing through all of your veins. You hold onto Powder, both of you crying as Sevika takes a deep breath, attempting to calm herself down. Eventually, you all pull away, Powder letting out a shaky laugh before wiping at her face. "Sorry, I just...man, I didn't expect to get this emotional about it."

Sevika pats the girl on the shoulder, a warm but watery smile on her face. “Don’t apologize, this is a huge deal, you have the right to react however you want.”

A fresh set of tears appear in Powder's eyes as she collapses into her mom's arms, the two of them embracing as you watch with a heart full of emotion, wiping the tears from your eyes. After a minute, the teenager pulls away with a start before jumping up from the couch and snatching her phone from the floor.

"I have to go call Vi!" She then sprints in the direction of her room, leaving the two of you behind.

Before Sevika can say anything to you, you're scrambling for your phone until Sevika hands it to you with a questioning look.

"Ekko, I have to see if he made it through."

Scanning the email for names, your chest swells as you read his name alongside Powder's, a choked sob escaping your throat as you drop your face into your hands, exhaling shakily.

"He got in."

Sevika's heart constricts from the sound of joy and relief in your voice and without hesitation, she pulls you toward her, wrapping her arms securely around your body. A soft chuckle leaves her mouth as she holds you tightly, her head coming to rest against your shoulder, taking in the moment of triumph.

"Oh thank goodness."

Before she realizes what's happening, you're cradling her face with both hands and pulling her into a kiss, tasting salt from the tears falling down your face. As soon as your lips come in contact with hers, Sevika melts against you, hands wrapping themselves around your waist and pulling your bodies flush together. She’s unable to describe the feeling in her chest, a combination of relief and excitement bubbling up with something else.

As soon as the kiss starts, it ends with a gasp and wide eyes as you pull away, a shaky hand covering your mouth.

"Sevika, I am so sorry–"

"Stop apologizing."

She cuts you off before pulling you back in, claiming your mouth in a bruising kiss, the floodgates of her emotions finally bursting open and leaving her inhibitions behind. You’re immediately lost in the kiss, unable to stop yourself from responding with just as much fervour. The hand on your waist squeezes you close, and she pushes against your lower back, wanting to press into you that much more. Only once a soft moan slips out from between the pair of you do you separate, matching dazed expressions on both of your faces.

You’re both trying to regain your footing, chests rising and falling with heavy breaths. Sevika looks down at your lips, the swollen shape of them a result of her own doing. Her hands slide from the small of your back to your hips, holding you tightly in place. She looks at you for a moment, wide eyed, until a smirk worms its way across her face, and then she can't help the laugh that bubbles up.

The sound rings throughout the room and you can't help but laugh alongside her, completely bewildered by the fact that you're sitting here with this woman, in this position. You can feel her eyes roaming your features at the same time she begins to run a hand up and down your back, and you can't help but lean into the touch.

"I've wanted to do that for a bit now," she whispers into the space between you.

Your heart flutters and you gently nod, bringing a hand up to run it over her jaw.

"Me too."

Sevika captures your hand in hers, bringing it to her mouth to press a kiss against your knuckles. She's openly staring at you now, completely entranced, and you can't help the soft inhale from the way her gaze is making you feel.

She takes her time tracing the lines of your palm with the gentle pad of her thumb, her other hand trailing across the soft fabric of your shirt, coming down to rest on your thigh. Her eyes dart between both of your hands, and she suddenly speaks up, eyes flicking up to yours with a forced smile as she does so. “This...we can continue this after tonight, right? You're not gonna wake up tomorrow and decide you're over it?" Over me.

Shaking your head with a frown, you can see the hurt flash through her eyes before you cradle a scarred cheek in your palm, seeing right through the mask she tries to slip back on.

“Of course not.”

A choked laugh slips from her lips and she tries to lighten the mood with a joke.

"Good, cause that would be pretty embarrassing, to be honest."

You don't like how she tries to brush off her vulnerability so easily, but she cradles you in her arms before you can protest, feeling a soft kiss pressed against your forehead. The two of you sit like that for a while longer, stealing kisses every now and then. Finding a good moment to bring up what's on your mind, you break the silence with a gentle tone.

"Sevika."

"Hm?"

"Can you look at me really quick?"

The woman tenses up before releasing you from her hold and shifting to face you. Her hands are fidgeting in her lap and you grab them softly, causing her to make eye contact with you.

"I don't think we should try to figure us out or define it right now."

A wounded look briefly crosses her features but you squeeze her hands to keep her from moving away.

"But...that doesn't mean that I don't plan on sticking around." You exhale deeply before running a thumb over her knuckles in a soothing manner.

"With the finals now coming up, all of my extra time and energy is going to be focused on that, and it wouldn't be fair to you or me to try to add this dynamic in the mix."

Her head drops and you instantly cup her chin to pick it back up and look into her eyes.

"But once it's over, you will have my full attention, I promise you."

Thinking about your statement for a second, you quickly correct yourself. "Well, as much as I can give you while still being there for my students, but you know what I mean."

That finally pulls a genuine smile from her, and she straightens up before cradling the back of your neck with a firm hand, sparkling eyes bouncing between your own.

"Sorry for all the melodrama, I just..." she exhales deeply, "Fuck, I was not expecting you at all."

"I know exactly what you mean."

Tapping the screen of your phone and seeing the time, you sigh and begin moving away from Sevika, knowing you should head home before you take this any further. Her jaw clenches but she lets you go anyway, watching you stand up and begin searching for your belongings while she watches. When everything is in order, you approach her and she rises to meet you, expression slightly guarded despite her best efforts.

"Walk me out?"

Sevika nods and does her best to compose herself. Her heart rate is elevated, but she can't find it in herself to be upset with you. You want to be sure of this when the time comes, and she understands that more than anyone. Following behind you, she keeps her hands in her pockets, shoulders slightly slumped. Once your shoes and coat are on, you face Sevika again with a lopsided smile, trying to cover up the sadness you feel at having to leave.

"See you next week?"

Sevika nods again, her jaw twitching as she stuffs down the anxious feeling settling in her chest.

"Yeah, okay."

After giving her a sympathetic look, and before you can think twice, your hands are on her cheeks and you're pulling her face to yours. Sevika lets out a quiet gasp, but she doesn't hesitate to lean into the kiss, her body coming to envelop you as if to keep you there. When you finally part, the both of you are panting, and you take a moment to rest your forehead against hers.

"I have to go."

"Uh huh, you said that already."

Sevika's voice is a bit hoarse, but she does her best to keep composure, not wanting to lose control of her emotions again. She moves away and holds the front door open for you, the brisk night air rushing in. You give her a final glance, and she tries to memorize the way you look, wanting to engrave this moment in her memory. But before you can fully cross the threshold, Sevika catches you by the wrist, pulling you back to face her.

"Hey."

The serious expression on her face catches you off guard, and you cock your head to the side with curiosity. She takes a step forward, crowding you against the cool door frame, and she keeps your gaze locked with her own. One of her hands rests on the wood behind you, trapping you there with her, and she takes the opportunity to lean down and bury her face into the crook of your neck. Sevika takes a deep breath and leaves a kiss over your pulse point, the fluttering of your heart causing her to smirk against your skin.

"I know you have to leave but...I just needed to do that."

After another moment, she lifts her head back up to look into your eyes again, and you can see the emotions shining through her gaze.

"Be careful driving home, okay?"

Sevika lets the hand trapping you drop and places it over your lower back, keeping you pressed between her and the wall as she leans in and presses a light kiss to your forehead. You don't say anything, not trusting yourself to speak, and just nod in agreement, fighting the urge to stay right there with her. Sevika sighs before stepping back, her hand leaving your body and falling to her side, empty.

With a shaky inhale, you step off the front porch and look back at her with a small smile before getting into your car and pulling away. Sevika stands there for a moment longer, listening to the sound of the engine fade into the night before closing the door and turning around to rest her back against it, sinking to the floor.

She is so completely fucked.

Chapter Text

As promised, you relay all the information you receive about the final round when you receive it a few days later. You had called Ekko's parents first thing the morning after the email to let them know the great news, unwilling to wait until you could see them in person. They were ecstatic, of course, singing your praises and thanking you for all of the support you provided their son these past three years. You insisted that it was mostly Ekko's doing and you were just a guiding hand, but they wouldn't hear it, stressing that they wanted to take you to dinner as a thank you. Eventually, you conceded and accepted the invitation, opting to decide at a later time as you had more pressing things to deal with.

Now, it's Monday morning, which means you officially have two and a half months to make sure both Ekko and Powder have their projects down to the smallest detail. There's zero room for error now, and you're feeling the pressure. The next few days are a blur, each lesson with both of your students leaving you exhausted at the end of the day. The pair of them are so focused on their respective projects, not even their excitement for each other's accomplishment is enough to distract them.

You're beginning to wonder how long you'll be able to keep this up without a break as another day comes to an end with you seemingly repeating the same points. Your brain is already beginning to numb by now, and you're starting to miss the lively energy you've gotten used to during your sessions.

The one bright spot you have to look forward to is when Sevika calls you before bed. Though you're unable to see each other during the day, she had suggested talking on the phone when possible just to keep your connection from fizzling out. As exhausted and out of it as you are, the sound of Sevika's voice is more than enough to perk you back up. Every night, she helps pull you out of your slump, and you find yourself craving more and more of her attention. She surprisingly doesn't bring up anything romantic, and seems to be more than content to just listen to you vent about how your meetings are going.

The lack of pressure on her end ironically makes your feelings grow even more, feeling understood and cared for all at once. During every conversation, Sevika does her best to ease your worries, and her concern for you becomes more and more apparent each time. She's always quick to reassure you on her end when you mention how tired you are and how stressed you are, even going so far as to give you tips on how to get better sleep.

Not being able to be physically near her is beginning to drive you crazy, but you have to remind yourself that this is only temporary. That, and the fact that you're the one who insisted on not labeling or forcing your connection until after the finals. It doesn't make it any easier, but you make an effort to keep yourself accountable and not waver on your decision.

Prepping for your travel alongside the actual projects has been able to take your mind off of things the slightest bit, of which you're grateful for. As per the organization's participation guidelines, only the student, their parents, and their teacher are allowed to attend the event. With Isha unable to go with you all, she would stay behind with Vander and Silco for that entire weekend.

After another week passes, you mention something about the flight to the competition grounds on one of your nightly calls, an offhand remark about paying for assigned seats, and that opens up an entire can of worms you were unprepared for.

"I hate that you have to pay for so many things nowadays, even to sit together if you're flying with multiple people. It's such an inconvenience."

"Oh, I didn't know that."

Your eyebrow pops up at her response as you purse your lips in confusion. "What do you mean, have you not bought your tickets yet?"

A long beat of silence passes before Sevika replies, clearing her throat in the meantime.

"No, not yet. It's been a bit slow at the shop lately so my hours haven't been where they usually are."

Biting the inside of your cheek, you understand what the woman means by that, and try to figure out how to broach the subject without offending her.

"Ah, okay, that makes sense. So I assume you haven't booked your hotel room, either?"

Getting uncomfortable about where this conversation is heading, Sevika shifts in her seat, huffing quietly. "I'm waiting until I can pay for everything at once, it'll be more convenient that way."

You only hum in response, now a bit nervous because you know from a teacher friend of yours that the space in those locations tend to fill up fast and the sooner you get a move on, the better.

"I see." Taking a deep breath, you continue on, hoping that Sevika will be open to what you have to say. "If you'd like, I can help you out with those. I get a monthly stipend from the state for being the head of the school's science department, so I've got some extra cash set aside."

The lack of a response on the other end causes your nerves to make an appearance, and you press on anxiously. "I just want to make sure you two will be settled, I can re-forward you my flight information if you need it, with the hotel booking."

"No, that's fine, I have it from the first time you sent it." You can hear the annoyance in her tone, causing you to wince as she goes on. "I appreciate the offer, but I've got it covered. Powder is my responsibility, and I'll figure it out like I always do."

Her answer tugs at your chest, knowing she's likely used to handling things alone and doesn't want to accept your help. You don't blame her whatsoever, but you do feel the need to let her know you're available for support.

"I understand. But Sevika...You don't have to do this alone. I'm here to lean on, for whatever you need."

The other woman almost scoffs at that, taking your sincerity as pity and feeling her pride overshadow everything else.

"I'm not a charity case, as much as it might seem like it. I said I'll handle it and I will. Thank you, but no thank you."

Now you're scrambling to correct the situation, an uneasy feeling settling in your stomach.

"No, that's now what I was s–"

"The girls are calling me to tuck them in, so I have to go. Good night miss, talk to you tomorrow."

You sigh in defeat, quietly echoing her goodbye before hearing the beep signaling that she ended the call. Throwing your head back against your headboard and groaning, your hands come up to cover your face as you think about what a horrible turn that conversation took. You had no intention of making Sevika feel as if you were shaming her, you had actually meant to do the opposite and make her feel supported, but having it blow up in your face that way told you that was something she wasn't used to.

Your mind spins as you reflect on the way that phone call ended so drastically different to how it had begun; the way Sevika had sounded at the end of it made your heart sink, and you wish you had a way of talking to her in person as soon as possible to smooth things over. Feeling the way your heart clenches up at the memory, you grab the nearest pillow, rolling over to faceplant into it as you let out another annoyed groan. While you know Sevika is perfectly capable of taking care of herself, you didn't like the idea of her struggling alone.

For what it's worth, Sevika feels even more horrible and is silently cursing herself as she gets up from her seat in the garage. Her mouth moved faster than her brain and she had gotten so used to doing everything solo that her reply was second nature, not only protecting her girls but also herself. The guilt begins to eat at her immediately, but her ego keeps her from calling you back and apologizing, convincing herself that you didn't want to hear from her just yet.

Sevika was used to having a wall separating who she was from any type of relationship –be it work, romantic, or otherwise– and while talking to you was an exciting change from the norm, the prospect of needing someone else was so foreign to her that the only thing her mind could do was panic, her first instinct being to push back and shut you out. She was used to people needing her, used to being the one someone could depend on and rely on, and she was proud of that. She was strong, and she was independent, and the idea of someone else carrying her burden, even for a moment, was an alien concept.

The regret continued eating away at her as she tucked the girls in, kissing them both on the head before turning off the light and walking out. Now sitting cross-legged in the middle of her bed, she buries her face in her hands and digs the heels of them into her eyes, beyond frustrated at herself. Sevika wasn't sure how long she sat there, alternating between standing up and throwing herself back against the bed. The longer she laid staring up at the ceiling, the more she berated and cursed herself for reacting so stupidly, your words of support still ringing loud in her ear. Your voice had been so sincere, so unlike anyone she was used to dealing with, and she had treated you so poorly.

Again, she thought about calling back, trying to make sense of her thoughts and express her apologies properly, but the thought of you not answering out of disdain made her back down, a pang of hurt shooting through her chest. She's unsure as to whether you're angry, hurt, or both, and decides to just keep her mouth shut for the night for fear of saying the wrong thing.

The entire day following the conversation, you're on edge and anyone could tell you're distracted from your teaching duties. You want to reach out and say something to Sevika, but you decide to give her some space for the time being. Not wanting to pile on top of the guilt you're wrestling with, you try to ignore the knot forming in your stomach, believing that she'll come around eventually, reminding yourself that she intended to talk to you that night.

Sevika's mood is just as off as yours, her attention flitting about every which way as she tries to work but can't focus. It's a long, slow day for her and she can't help the way her brain drifts off to think about what she'll say when she calls you later, going over a thousand apologies in her head.

You've just finished dinner with your roommates, who picked up on your somber mood but didn't ask any further questions after you said you didn't want to talk about it. As much as you'd told them about your problems with Sevika before, you decided to keep this to yourself, the quarrel being more about her than you.

The sun had set long ago by the time your phone rings, and your entire body tenses up as you read the name on the screen. After a deep breath, you answer, not knowing what to expect.

"Hello?"

Your voice is a mumbled whisper and you hear Sevika's voice respond with a quiet "Hi."

The silence hangs heavily between the two of you but she's the one who speaks first.

"I'm really sorry about last night. My own insecurities showed up and I shouldn’t have taken it out on you when you were only trying to help."

A sense of relief washes over you, an apology being the first thing out of her mouth already dispelling some of the tension from your body.

"Thank you for apologizing, it means a lot," you tell her, closing your eyes momentarily. You didn’t want to brush this under the rug just to be back on good terms, it was important for both of you to address this properly. "I also kept pushing the subject after you told me no the first time, so I'm sorry for that too. Just...don't shut me out, please."

There's a pause, and then, "Easier said than done." The words sound like they come with great difficulty, her pride still trying to hold the line, and you can't help the sad chuckle that escapes you before she keeps talking. "But I can promise you I'll try."

Her honesty eases some of the friction between the both of you and you're able to relax a bit in your seat, voice coming out in a relieved tone. "Thank you, that's all I can really ask for."

Sevika's shoulders relax slightly and more silence blankets over the two of you for a moment before she speaks up. "Look, I...just give me some more time to get my situation together, and if I really can't do it, I'll...take you up on your offer," the woman replies through gritted teeth and a scowl on her face, pinching her nose as she forces the words out of her mouth. She doesn't fully believe herself when she says it, but she thinks that maybe saying it to you will hold her accountable should the time come.

You can sense her struggle to keep her walls up, but you don't say anything about that, knowing that she's trying her hardest to be vulnerable. "Okay. I trust you will."

Sevika doesn't say anything else but the sound of her even breathing soothes you, and just the fact that there is no fighting at this point is enough for the time being. She's still guarded but the ice is starting to thaw and part of her is beginning to open up again, just a bit. The other woman decides to change the subject, opting for something lighter, as she still misses you and wants to keep talking.

"So...tell me about your day today?" Sevika's body is still tense, hoping you won't want to end the conversation, but your voice is much calmer when you answer. "Well, I was feeling a bit out of it this morning, so my teaching was kind of..." you trail off as you let out a laugh and Sevika can't help but mirror you, elated to hear the sound.

"Ah, that makes sense." She scratches at the back of her neck, a prickle of embarrassment making itself known.

You shrug before remembering that she can't see you. "Yeah, it was fine though, the kids didn't bother me too much, so I had time to catch up on some grading."

Sevika hums and you hear the sound of her shifting on her end, probably lying down, and a pang of yearning shoots through your chest, wishing she was closer. "That doesn't sound so bad."

"It wasn't. But...this is easily the best part of my day," you reply barely above a whisper.

Her throat tightens at the sincerity of your statement, and she can't help the sharp inhale she takes, suddenly more aware of the distance between you than she was just moments ago.

"Really?"

Letting a giggle fall from your lips, you shake your head at the woman before telling her, "Of course it is. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids, but...you're my favorite person to talk to."

Your confession makes Sevika's heart swell, butterflies erupting in the pit of her stomach and her mind beginning to fog up with every passing thought of the two of you together. She tries to brush it off, still not used to such straightforward affection, but after a terrible attempt at a scoff, she murmurs a simple, "Oh."

"That's all I get? Normally, the other person says the same thing back," you tease, trying to cover up your nerves that you might've said too much too soon.

Sevika is glad the conversation has taken a playful turn, as it lets her relax a bit and slip back into more comfortable and familiar territory. "Ah, you just want me to stroke your ego, is that it?"

"Maybe a bit. Is that so bad?"

You hear a breathy chuckle through the phone, the sound making you shiver for some reason. "No, no. It's not bad at all." You can tell that she's trying to maintain the lighthearted banter, but there's an undercurrent of something else in her tone that causes the hair on the back of your neck to stand on end.

Deciding to push her just a touch farther, you ask, "Say it then."

Sevika lets out a low exhale, but plays into your game nonetheless. "Say what?" You can hear the smirk in her voice, and it makes you want to both roll your eyes and squeal at the same time.

"Say that I'm your favorite person to talk to."

Licking her lips, the other woman takes a beat before responding, but she doesn't tell you what you want to hear just yet, opting to drag this on as long as she can. "And why should I do that?"

The words send a jolt up your spine but you hide it well, keeping your tone even as you reply. "Because it's true."

"And how do you know that, hm?"

"Are you going to keep questioning me?"

"I might. I want you to prove it to me."

"And how exactly should I go about doing that?"

"Come over tomorrow." Her response is short, simple, and to the point. It catches you a bit off guard, but you can't deny the twist in your stomach at her urgency.

Your hand tightens around the phone subconsciously, and the room feels a bit warmer all of a sudden. Sevika's words, her voice, her demeanor is just so...intoxicating.

"Um, I..." She's spun the situation in her favor, causing you to stumble over your words, and though you know you have more pressing things to do, you can't help but want to give in to her.

Opening your mouth to speak, she presses on before you can answer in an attempt to convince you. "Please."

The desperate edge in her voice has your nails digging into your thighs, eyes fluttering shut as you take a deep breath. You're meant to be taking it slow, but now you want nothing more than to drive over there and throw yourself into her lap.

"Sevika..." You breathe her name out like a prayer, all of your willpower slipping away as her pleading begins to take hold. You're already calculating time in your head, almost debating if there is any feasible way to see her right that second. "I can try, but–"

"Just for a little while." A beat passes. "It'll give me a chance to apologize in person."

That's the nail in the coffin, your resolve completely destroyed as you sit up and mentally go through your schedule. "Okay. I can be there tomorrow. It might be a little late if that's okay, I've got some stuff to do beforehand."

Sevika finally lets out the breath she's been holding, her body going slack and completely relaxing against the bed. "That's fine. Doesn't matter what time, I'll wait up for you."

"Alright..." You suddenly need time alone to digest the conversation and get a head start on tomorrow so you'll have time to go over. "I still have some tests that need grading, but I'll see you then. Goodnight, Sev."

It takes her a moment to even register your farewell, but she quickly recovers to return it.

"Goodnight." Her cheeks feel like they've been set aflame, but she feels more whole now that you've agreed to see her. "Sleep well."

"You too."

Your own face feels feverish but you manage to sound calm, albeit slightly distracted. You end the call, finally closing your eyes and letting your head fall back as you attempt to regain composure. Your mind starts reeling, a flurry of thoughts and anxieties taking over as Sevika's voice rings in your ears, along with the promise of meeting in person.

Standing up from your bed, you make your way over to your desk to start cutting down on your work, putting on some relaxing music and letting the thought of seeing your favorite person carry you through the night.

The following morning, a trace of nerves seeps through everything you do. Unsure if it's the prospect of seeing Sevika after so long or the thought of your previous argument lingering, you're restless through the entire school day, constantly checking every clock and counting down the minutes.

Your after school sessions go by smoothly thankfully, no explosions or meltdowns to clean up today. That causes time to pass by a bit faster, the evening arriving before you know it. Scarfing down your dinner as you prep your material for the next unit, you're able to keep your mind off of tonight, too busy thinking about electrolysis and electroplating.

By the time you glance at the clock, its past ten and your eyes widen. You knew you had a lot to do, but this is even later than you had anticipated. Chewing on your lower lip, you scoop up your phone and open your text thread with Sevika. Hey, I just finished and I didn't realize the time. If it's too late for me to come over, we can reschedule for another day. As soon as you send the text, you see that Sevika's read it, and immediately after, her name pops up on your phone as an incoming call. You take a second to answer, thumb hesitating over the green button before finally pressing it.

"Hey."

"Hi. It's still fine for you to come over, I was actually just cleaning."

You can hear her shuffling around as she talks, causing a small smile to grow on your face at the thought of her getting ready for you.

"Are you sure? I don't want to keep you, I know you get up early for work."

"Don't, I invited you knowing you'd be coming over late. The girls are heavy sleepers so you don't have to worry about waking them if that's what you're thinking."

Your heartbeat flutters at the implication, hands involuntarily clutching at your desk.

"Oh, no, I wasn't thinking of– Alright, I'm leaving now then." Before you can fumble your words any more, you're up and heading to the front door to put on your shoes. "I'll see you soon."

After she tells you to drive safely, you hang up and jump around while trying to slide your shoe on, catching the attention of your roommate who was on her way to bed.

"And where might you be going at this hour?"

Freezing, you slowly spin to face her, a sheepish expression plastered on your face. "Um, Sevika's..."

Her jaw drops and she straightens up from the wall she was leaning against, rushing over before lightly smacking you on the arm.

"Oh my god, you guys are at booty call status already?! You didn't tell me anything!"

Your face heats up, mouth agape as you quickly correct her. "No, no, no, it's not like that! I'm just going over so we can see each other in person, it's been a couple weeks."

Scratching your neck in shame, your roommate laughs and cocks her head at you before shaking it.

"So you're going over to someone's you like's house, late at night, and you're not going to do anything?"

"Well, that's not the plan, but..." You trail off, knowing that you're definitely hoping to kiss her.

"My point exactly. That's a booty call, girl."

She pats you on the shoulder before walking towards her room with a smirk. As you turn around to open the door, she calls over her shoulder, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Letting out a sharp laugh, you can't stop smiling as you lock the house behind you and hastily make your way to your car.

Sevika's wiping down the countertops when she hears a firm knock echo through the house, pausing before a smile breaks out on her face. She does her best to dampen it, not wanting to look like a fool when she answers the door.

Taking a deep breath and smoothing down your clothes, you wait nervously for Sevika to appear. It feels like your heart is about to burst through your chest when the sound of the lock clicking reaches your ears, the door slowly opening to a familiar figure and you lose the ability to breathe for a moment. She just looks so...good. You weren't expecting the sight of her to have this much of an effect on you after only a couple of weeks apart, and the pull in your stomach is not helping.

"Hi..."

"Hey."

Sevika is equally as affected, drinking in the sight of you in the low light of her porch, feeling a familiar fluttering in her gut. She opens the door wider, one hand resting on the door frame and warm eyes roaming over your figure.

After a moment of silence, you take a nervous gulp when suddenly her hand is cupping your face, thumb lightly tracing over your lower lip, eyes now drawn to your mouth. Her touch is sending pleasant tingles through your body and you can feel yourself leaning into her palm, almost forgetting that you're still standing outside. A slow smirk quirks the corner of Sevika's mouth as her lidded gaze flicks up to yours, amused by how obviously affected you are by her.

"You gonna come in or just stand on my doorstep all night?"

Lightly scoffing, you roll your eyes as she drops her hand with a quiet laugh, stepping aside to let you in. Taking a moment to brush some invisible dust off your clothes, you walk in as Sevika shuts the door behind you, the room instantly getting darker. Your eyes adjust to the new lighting and you don't get much time to look around after taking off your shoes before a hand captures your own. Sevika slowly leads you over to the couch, tugging you down to sit next to her.

You can feel a warm flutter in your chest from the skin to skin contact, and you're hyper aware of how her arm now wraps across your shoulders, tugging you in closer until you're nestled into your chest. The feel of her body pressed against you helps calm your nerves, and you let your head drop against her shoulder, breathing in her scent. A content hum fills the room, and you bring your hand up to rest on her thigh, absentmindedly rubbing a thumb over the seam of her shorts.

"I missed you, y'know."

Sevika's words cause your breath to catch in your throat, heart stuttering in your chest. It only increases when she reaches up to rub a calloused hand over the nape of your neck, sending the smallest shiver down your spine.

"I missed you too."

The two of you stay in that position for what feels like hours, breathing in sync and enjoying having a moment to yourselves. After a while, Sevika's hand drifts from your neck to your shoulders, tracing circles into the flesh. Her voice is quiet when she speaks up again, words barely above a whisper. "You've been staying up late, haven't you?"

"That obvious, huh?" Your reply is muffled, face pressed into pleasantly warm skin.

Sevika chuckles, slipping her hand under your chin and raising your head to look at her. "Very."

She takes in the tired look in your eyes, a slight frown gracing her features as she sees how they're missing their usual spark. Her concern is palpable and you reach out to gently cup her face, brushing your thumb across her cheek in an attempt to reassure her that everything is okay. She relaxes a fraction, but continues to look you over, silently assessing your state of being.

"You really need to take better care of yourself."

"I'm here, aren't I? This is the most self care I've had in weeks."

The other woman chuffs at your attempt to lighten the mood, going into mom mode immediately. She takes your hand from her cheek and intertwines your fingers, rubbing a thumb over your knuckles gently. Sevika's voice is stern when she speaks again, but you can hear the fondness peeking through. "You know that's not what I mean. The bags under your eyes are basically suitcases at this point."

The attention makes you uneasy, so you decide to try and change the subject, a teasing tone in your voice. "I came over to see you, not to be lectured. I promise I'm fine, but I'll do a better job at getting more sleep, okay?"

Getting the hint, Sevika backs off, not wanting to stir up another disagreement. "Whatever you say." She clears her throat a bit to break up the tension. "At least let me get you some water."

Getting up from the couch, she walks over to the kitchen cabinet and grabs a glass before hearing your voice from across the room.

"Mmm, do you have coffee actually? I don't want to fall asleep on your couch."

A knowing smile stretches across her lips as she turns back to face you. Leaning back against the counter, she crosses her arms and gazes at you through the hair framing her face.

"Hot or cold? I made both."

Sevika's then rewarded with a look of surprise, your eyes softening as you realize she had anticipated this.

"I'll take whatever you're having."

"Hot it is, then."

Pivoting back to make both your drinks, you watch her with an affectionate stare, the way she moves around the kitchen so effortlessly endearing you to no end. She returns to the living room with a tray covered in two mugs of coffee, multiple kinds of sugar and creamer, and a tall glass of water. Sevika reclaims her seat next to you, setting the tray down on the coffee table before grabbing a mug and taking a sip. You stare at her in confusion before leaning forward and assembling your own drink.

"You take your coffee black?"

Sevika’s eyes sharpen at you over the rim of her mug, silently enjoying the way you look at her.

"Yeah. I find all that extra stuff unnecessary. That's the whole point of coffee, right? A shot of caffeine?"

"True. It's not all that surprising, actually."

The other woman quirks an eyebrow at your reply, amused now. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing much, just..." You gaze around the room before looking at her with a mischievous glint in your eye. "It suits you."

Sevika's smirk widens, interest piqued as she cocks her head at you. "Oh? And why is that?"

Shrugging nonchalantly, you explain your reasoning as you look down and leisurely run a finger along the rim of your mug. "You're both strong, to the point, don't need anything flashy to hide behind. And you're both an acquired taste," you finish off with a chuckle as you raise your head to make eye contact.

The smile on Sevika's face deepens, a soft laugh in her voice, and you can see the affection swimming in her eyes as she leans towards you. "And you'd say that you have this 'acquired taste' then, huh?"

At this point, you can feel the heat pooling in your cheeks, but you maintain your composure and hold her gaze, answering with a nonchalant nod. "Yeah, I'd say I have a pretty diverse palate."

"Oh, is that right?" She puts her mug down and shifts closer to you, draping a muscular arm across the back of the couch but not quite touching you. "So you consider yourself an expert then?"

Biting your bottom lip without thinking, your gaze drops to her curved lips, her adorable gap on full display and you can only shrug. "You could say that..."

"Well, I'm more of a hands-on learner, so..." She leans in until your noses are a hair apart, holding herself back in case you need an out, "Maybe you should show me."

You close the gap without thinking, no longer caring about having the upper hand and just needing to feel her lips on yours. The moment you both kiss, you melt into her completely, her hand coming up to cup your face and pulling you flush against her. The kiss is sweet, her lips tender against your own, and your eyes flutter shut as your body hums in satisfaction. You lose all sense of time as your combined warmth envelopes you and your hand comes up to grip Sevika's shirt without you realizing it.

A couple of minutes later, something in you needs more and you let your tongue dart out, gently tracing across Sevika's lip, asking for entrance. She wastes no time in opening up for you, her own tongue slipping into your mouth in return. The tastes of coffee and peppermint fill your senses but you can't get enough, suddenly desperate for more contact.

Your bodies gravitate toward each other, Sevika's hand at your cheek now gripping the back of your neck, angling your face to go deeper. You can feel a groan rising up in her chest, and it sets your blood alight just having such an effect on her.

After a few more moments, you both reluctantly pry yourselves away to breathe, chests heaving and foreheads pressed together. Sevika's pupils are blown, leaving only a sliver of that beautiful grey and staring into yours with an intensity that has your heart racing. She's the first to speak, voice slightly hoarse as she huffs out, "You're right. Definitely an expert."

Giggling into her mouth, you jokingly push at her shoulder, leaning back against the couch and trying to catch your breath. This is why you had been avoiding her, being around her was intoxicating and though you were determined to keep your boundaries intact, it was easier said than done.

Sevika watches you with amusement, feeling the familiar fluttering in her stomach at the sight of your swollen lips and that adorable laugh. She's suddenly reminded of how ethereal you are in low light, the way the glow of the table lamp highlights your features and brings out that sparkle in your eye. This isn't the time for that, she thinks. But those thoughts slowly start to fade the more she looks at you and before she knows it, she's leaning into your space for another kiss.

Her metal hand finds its way to your lower back, pulling your chests flush together. You go pliant in her hold, wrapping your arms around her neck and opening up to her right away. This kiss is slower, not as urgent but no less intense and it steals all of the air from your lungs. When her free hand starts trailing down your side lightly, nails scratching softly over your shirt, a gasp catches in your throat, causing you to pull away. Her eyes dart over your face, studying you as that same hand comes to rest on your hip.

"Was that too much?"

Shaking your head, your lips part but nothing comes out at first as your brain tries to clear itself of the Sevika induced haze it's in. "No, not at all, I just, um..." You try to think of how to tell her she makes you feel like a horny teenager without sounding so crass.

"You're really good at kissing."

Internally face palming yourself, the other woman's face lights up as she processes the insinuation, reaching for her forgotten coffee to busy her hands. She hides her face behind the mug, raising the cup to her mouth but failing to hide the smug smirk playing at her lips. "Oh, am I?" Her tone is teasing and you can tell she's getting a kick out of your awkward attempt at a proper compliment.

"Whatever."

You take a sip of your own drink, busying your hands before you reach out for her again. The silence is broken when Sevika quietly speaks.

"I really am sorry about the other day."

Pausing for a moment with your cup to your lips, you slowly lower it back down as you look at her. There's a sincere look of remorse on her face, and she won't meet your gaze, still staring down into her drink. You shift to angle yourself more towards her, knee brushing up against her thigh as you reach out a gentle hand.

"I know."

"You don't, though. I've been doing this alone for so long, accepting help doesn't come easily to me. Even with Vander and Silco, I always make sure I've tried everything before reaching out to them. And in my past relationships..." She doesn't finish that sentence, not wanting to dive into that when this conversation is about you two.

"The point is, I come with a lot of baggage. And that's not an excuse for the way I acted, but if we're really going to try this out, it's something you should know."

Giving her a small smile and rubbing your thumb over the back of her hand, your eyes scan over her face, taking in every little detail. "Sevika, I completely understand that. After everything that's happened with us already, you think I wouldn't?"

The muscles in Sevika's shoulders slightly relax at your response and she finally turns her gaze to you, eyes softening at the gentle expression on your face, all traces of earlier cockiness leaving her as she returns your smile with a small quirk of her own. "Guess not."

"At our age, it's almost impossible to not have baggage, I knew that when we agreed to this. I'm here because I have every intention of giving this my best shot, no matter how it goes, okay? You don't have to worry about scaring me off, just be honest with me and I'll do the same."

Sevika lets out a long and heavy sigh, taking her time to mull over your words before giving an earnest nod. "Okay."

"Good."

You bring her hand up to your lips and press a soft kiss to the back of it, causing her breath to hitch. There's a fluttering in her chest, the gesture so simple yet so intimate. The way you're handling her with so much care feels so foreign yet so right, stirring up a whirlwind of emotions in her. She can feel herself slipping more and more under this haze you put her in, like you were weaving an exhilarating web and she was willingly getting caught in it. She's never had anyone be this earnest and kind to her, and you're not even officially together.

The thought is a bit sobering, and she moves her hand to interlock it with yours. "You keep finding new ways to surprise me."

It makes you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside when she laces your fingers together as if to hold you closer. You tilt your head, an amused smile on your face when you question her, "How's that?"

Sevika's expression softens, her gaze drifting to your lips before snapping back to your eyes. "You're just so...gentle."

Your eyes drop to your lap as a bitter laugh leaves your lips. "Yeah, well it took a lot of work to get here, that's for sure."

There's a moment of hesitation before Sevika gently tugs at your hand, drawing your attention back to her. She has a contemplative look on her face as her thumb rubs mindless circles over your knuckles, thinking over her words carefully.

"I'm here for you too, I want you to know that. This is a two way street, yeah?"

"Yes. It is."

You squeeze her hand reassuringly, leaning over to lightly nuzzle her shoulder, and she takes it as a sign to pull you closer, tugging on your hand to place you half in her lap, your head resting on her chest. You can hear her heart beating steadily as she wraps an arm around your waist, the other arm draping across your lap, and she suddenly realizes that this is the closest she's let herself be to anyone in a very long time. Rather than let it scare her off, she sits there and cherishes the moment, light conversation picking up after a beat.

About an hour later, you happen to check your phone and see that it's nearing midnight and you should really get home. Sevika catches your movement and she can't hide the disappointment that starts to settle in.

"Time to go?"

You hear the thinly veiled sadness in her voice but you're starting to feel the weight of your exhaustion and know that tomorrow will be worse the longer you stay.

"Afraid so."

"Okay."

A heavy silence blankets the room as Sevika reluctantly detangles herself from you and stands up, watching as you follow suit. Walking to the front door hand in hand, she helps you into your jacket, adjusting your collar and smoothing out the wrinkles, her fingers slightly lingering against your skin. You spin around to face her and she's much closer than you realize, your chests brushing together.

Gulping, the proximity causes your heart rate to pick up and Sevika can sense it, placing a hand on your chest to feel the quickening pulse underneath. The action is so tender that it makes you want to throw caution to the wind and stay a little longer, but the rational part of your brain reminds you that you'll regret it if you don't get enough sleep.

"Can I get a good night kiss?"

The request almost causes your knees to buckle, just when you think you've gotten used to her, she does something else to take your breath away. Sevika's hand is still resting on your chest, you can feel the heat from her palm through the layers of clothes. Her fingers lightly tap out a rhythm and she takes a step closer, invading the last of your personal space but waiting to see what you'll say.

A heavy swallow and a nod of your head is all it takes for her to pull you in. Her grip is gentle, but firm, her other hand coming to cradle the back of your neck, fingers lightly digging into the skin there. Your own hands fly to her shoulders to ground you, her lips soft and molding to your own perfectly. You're becoming addicted to the feeling, unable to stop yourself from pressing closer as you start to lose yourself in the kiss.

Sevika gently steers you back until you're flush against the door, her body pinning you in place. Your entire being is starting to vibrate as you run your fingers up the back of her neck into her hair, pulling lightly at the roots. She groans, her hands roaming down to your hips, lightly gripping as she deepens the kiss, slipping her tongue into your mouth. When you nibble on it, she lets out a quick moan, causing you to shoot back and accidentally slam your head into the door.

"Shit!" You whisper, cradling the now sensitive spot as a flash of pain shoots through your skull.

Sevika panics, immediately concerned for your wellbeing as she grabs your head in her hands to assess the damage. "Are you okay? Let me see."

She moves your hand out of the way in an attempt to feel where you hit, but you grab it before she can and cradle it in your own. "No, it's okay, I'm fine, just...mostly embarrassed."

"Embarrassed?" The concern doesn't leave her face, but she does let you hold her hand. "You don't need to be embarrassed. I'm the one who, you know, pushed you against the door in the first place."

Suddenly, the moan that caused all this comes back to you, and you feel heat pool low in your stomach. "Right. No worries though, I should get out of here anyway, beauty sleep and all that." You need to leave before you jump her bones once and for all.

Sevika takes a moment to collect herself, your words suddenly reminding her of the position you're in now and how easy it would be to turn this into something else. Taking a deep breath, she lets go of you and steps back, taking a few seconds to appreciate how disheveled you look and the way you bite your lip.

"Yeah, of course, let me know when you get home, okay?"

"Mmhmm." Your voice is hoarse and the other woman has to fight back a smile as she nods. The two of you stand silently for a few beats before Sevika breaks, opening the door behind you to let the cool night air in.

"See you later."

Stepping over the threshold, you suddenly pivot back and press a quick peck to her lips, catching her off guard before doing it two more times. Scurrying off before she can pull you back for more, she calls after you, "Tease!"

You can hear the fondness in her tone and it brings a grin to your face as you wave over your shoulder. Sevika stands there, leaning against the door with the memory of your lips on hers on replay as she waves back, taking in the sight of you getting into your car and disappearing around the corner.

After you're long gone, Sevika finally closes the door and heads to her room, floating through her bedtime routine. She slips into bed and stares up at the ceiling, feeling lighter than she can remember, still processing all the new emotions running through her body and the way you managed to slip under her skin. Pulling the blankets up to her chin and burrowing her face into a firm pillow, she breathes in deep and finds your scent lingering in the air. That eventually lulls her to sleep, a small smile adorning her face as she does.

Chapter Text

Two months have flown by in the blink of an eye, and before you know it, it's the morning you're set to leave for the competition site. You woke up feeling well rested for once, but the nervous excitement that's been building up the last several weeks suddenly hit you like a ton of bricks. Your stomach is now churning with anticipation, butterflies and anxiety warring in the pit of your gut. Shaking your head, you remind yourself that Powder and you have done everything you can to prepare, and she’s going to do the best job she can. Thinking of the girl also brings thoughts of her mom and how the other woman is feeling.

Sevika never took you up on your offer to help her pay for the hotel and plane tickets because, unbeknownst to you, she borrowed the money from Vander instead. She'd never been one to easily accept assistance, even if it was from someone that she trusted. Her prideful tendencies have worked against her in the past, her stubbornness often leading to more headaches than it was worth. She felt that same stubborn pride in this situation, not wanting you to give her what she felt was a handout, even if she was going to pay it back. Vander didn't question it when she approached him about the situation, knowing that if Sevika was asking for help, she really needed it.

When you hear the knock on your front door, you rush to open it before your roommates can, wanting to avoid their teasing this early in the morning. Sevika stands on the other side, dressed casually with her hands in the pockets of her worn blue jeans. You can see that her hair is still damp from her shower and she looks as gorgeous as ever, tired eyes brightening the moment she catches sight of you. As she takes you in, her eyes rake over your form, gaze traveling south to the bag by your feet before it drags back up to your face accompanied by a shy smile.

"Morning."

Returning her grin tenfold, you close the distance and wrap your arms around her waist in a tight embrace, letting her warmth seep into your bones. You hear a content hum above you before strong limbs wrap around your neck, eventually pulling away and leaving you to stare into expressive grey eyes. Sevika's hands slide to the sides of your neck, her thumbs rubbing gentle circles under your jaw in an affectionate manner.

“Sorry we’re a little late, I was…having a hard time saying bye to Isha before we left.”

Your eyes take in the way the other woman’s hold a sad appearance to them, rubbing her back gently as she explains.

“I’ve never spent more than a night apart from her, and that’s only when the girls sleep over Vander and Silco’s across town. I almost brought her to drop us off, but I don’t know if I would’ve been able to leave if I did.”

“That makes sense,” you whisper, seeing how affected Sevika is by having to leave her youngest behind. You already knew how amazing of a mom she was, but the more she drops her guard around you, the more you can feel yourself falling for her.

“Anyways,” the older woman clears her throat, slightly embarrassed at how vulnerable she just was, "You all set to go?"

Nodding once, you grab your carry-on and backpack and drag them over the threshold, turning back to lock the front door before following Sevika to the truck parked along the curb.

“Powder would’ve come down to grab you too, but she knocked out as soon as we left the house.”

A slight pout settles on your lips when you think about how exhausted the girl must be. Once you're close enough to see the shape sitting in the driver's seat, the passenger window rolls down to reveal none other than Vander. He quickly looks you both up and down before giving you a subtle wink.

"Well, don't you two look cozy this morning."

Warmth begins to spread onto your cheeks as you gear up a reply, ignoring the knowing glance he sends your way.

"Good to see you again, Vander. Sorry I've been too busy for poker night, I've really missed making easy money."

The man guffaws before hopping out and rounding the truck to help you with your luggage, hoisting it up and gently placing it in the bed.

"When you all get back from your trip, we're going to have to find a night for a rematch. Silco hasn't let me live it down since."

"Yeah, and I'm sure you let him know just how annoying that was."

Sevika's tone is dry and she rolls her eyes when he shoots her a cheeky grin, and you can see the subtle banter for what it is; a sign of familiarity and affection. She opens the back door for you to slide into, feeling the tingles spread up her arm when you gently brush her hand over hers.

The other woman snickers to herself as she climbs up into her seat, listening to the two of you continue to go back and forth with a slight shake of her head. She can't keep the warm smile off of her face though, the sight of your friendly relationship with one of her oldest buddies making her heart do back flips. Sevika cracks a window as you all begin your journey to the airport, spring leading towards summer and bathing the car with a comfortable breeze.

An hour later, the group of you arrive, Vander pulling into the drop off lane and causing Powder to finally wake up.

Rubbing her eyes, she mumbles, “Where are we?”

"Airport, sleepyhead."

Vander glances back at the teenager in the back seat, amused as she slowly shakes off the grogginess and focuses on her surroundings, confusion still clouding her expression as she processes where they are.

"Why are we..."

Powder's question dies on her lips as she finally turns around and sees you, the events of the morning suddenly clicking in her sleep-addled mind. Her drowsy expression is quickly replaced by excitement as her head perks up, wrapping you in a tight hug and squealing into your ear.

Sevika's lips twitch into a half smirk and she shakes her head, amused by her daughter's enthusiasm. "Easy, Powder. No need to bust any eardrums."

Powder's grip on you tightens briefly before she reluctantly peels herself off, sitting back in her seat. "Oops, sorry."

"It's alright, kiddo. I'm happy someone's excited about getting on a plane." Sevika reaches over and tousles her hair affectionately, earning a huff and a whine as the girl tries to fix her locks into an acceptable manner. Hopping down from the front seat, Sevika opens the back door to let you and Powder out while Vander begins grabbing the luggage from the back.

It doesn't take long for the group of you to make it inside, and the sound of hundreds of conversations fills the air, the noise of people chatting mixing with the overhead announcements. Powder’s eyes are wide as she takes in the busy environment, her neck craning in all directions as she tries to observe everything all at once. Sevika places a steadying hand on her back in an attempt to keep her from wandering off.

"Well, I should leave you all here, don't want to get a ticket for leaving the truck by itself," Vander announces.

"Probably a good idea."

Sevika nods her head in agreement, amused by Powder's awed expression as she looks around.

"We'll text you when we land. Thank you again for the ride."

Sevika gives Vander a firm hug, the both of them separating after a moment to mirror a rigid nod of their heads before stepping back. Powder throws her arms around the man next, telling him she'll send every update about the competition she can. When they pull apart, Vander pulls you into an unexpected embrace, slightly lifting you off of the ground, causing you to let out a surprised squeak. You hear Sevika call out "Vander, be careful!" behind you before he gently places you back on the ground, laughing at your reaction.

"What can I say? I like to keep people on their toes."

Winking in a playful manner, he claps a hand on your shoulder before looking at Sevika. A silent conversation transpires between them as each of them assess the other's expression. Whatever is communicated must leave them satisfied, because after a split second, he pats her on the arm and sends her a small smile. "Keep an eye out for trouble, yeah?"

Sevika's lips quirk up into a smirk, a familiar look crossing her face. "I always do. You watch yourself."

Vander huffs a laugh at the sight of it, giving her a lazy salute before turning away to head back towards his truck with one last wave. Sevika stares after him until he reaches the door before spinning around to you and Powder, her smile softening.

"Let's do this, then."

The three of you make your way to the security line, breezing through as you all brought carry-ons to make the process easier. Once on the other side, you quickly find your gate and settle into the first empty seats you find. Powder plops onto one of the waiting chairs, letting out a sigh of relief as she pops in her earbuds and pulls her phone out to start playing a game. You take your seat next to her, and Sevika takes the space to your right, her leg pressed against yours as you all get comfortable.

"Did you eat breakfast?" Sevika questions, loud enough for only you to hear.

Looking up after taking your phone out to look at the time, you shake your head. "No, not yet. I didn't want to get up any earlier than I had to."

Sevika hums sympathetically and reaches into her bag, pulling out a package of small muffins. "Well, you should probably eat something then. I don't want to deal with you fainting halfway there."

You can't help but let out a snort at the comment, even more amused by the fact that she's already so aware of your habits. "You're one to talk, you act like you run on coffee and pure adrenaline half the time."

"Touché."

She smirks and bumps her shoulder into yours in retaliation as you open up the muffin. A comfortable silence sets over the group as everyone gets lost into their own thoughts; the only noise coming from the occasional announcement and Powder sighing. You're snapped out of your daze when Sevika shifts next to you, her shoulder and leg pressing more firmly against your own. You look over at her curiously, only to see a slightly nervous expression adorning her features as she eyes Powder. The younger girl is oblivious to the looks, still intently focused on her game, and it piques your curiosity even more when Sevika leans closer.

"Hey, um, have you," the other woman takes a deep breath before continuing, making you a bit nervous, "ever been on a plane before?"

Your eyebrows raise as you process her words, taken aback by the random question. "Yeah, a few times." Your mind swirls with curiosity, wondering what the woman is leading up to. "Have you?"

"Never." She responds simply, fidgeting with something in her pocket. Your intrigue heightens as she looks away, now nervous and on edge. You watch the way her eyes flick back to Powder, the teenager completely oblivious to the conversation taking place right next to her as she continues to focus on her phone. She looks like she wants to say something else but is hesitating.

"Neither of us have, and I know Powder is excited about it, but to be honest, just the thought terrifies me. I keep thinking about the fact that we could just fall out of the sky."

Suddenly, understanding clicks in your mind and you can't help but reach out and touch the hand in her lap, the action causing Sevika to finally look you in the face. You give her palm a reassuring squeeze, trying to convey an air of comfort. "The chances of that happening are so incredibly rare, we're going to be okay."

The older woman tries nodding her head but the bouncing of her leg gives her away. "I know, I just–", she clears her throat in an attempt to stabilize her voice, "If something happened to me, the girls, they– they shouldn't have to go through that again."

The sight of her so vulnerable and uncertain causes your heart to clench, a flood of protectiveness washing over you. You scoot closer and gently tug on one of her wrists until your hands intertwine. "Hey," you start softly, waiting for her to look at you before continuing, "nothing is going to happen to you. Or Powder. We're going to get there just fine, I promise."

Before you can ask her what she meant by 'again', your group is called to begin boarding and Sevika pops up from her seat, nervously at attention. She grabs her bags and taps Powder on the shoulder, gesturing her head towards the ticket counter to start moving.

You make your way forward as the line in front of you moves slowly, stealing furtive glances at Sevika every so often. There's a stiffness to her shoulders that betrays her calm facade, and you can see her hands clenching and unclenching as she walks. Powder, for the most part, remains oblivious to her mother's uneasiness, her attention completely absorbed by the planes on the tarmac and blissfully ignoring the world around her.

After what feels like forever, you reach the front of the line and the person checking tickets scans all three with no issue, sending you down the tunnel towards the plane. Sevika's doing a good job of concealing her anxiety, but because you know what to look for, you keep an eye on her the entire walk down.

You can see the tension in her steps, her shoulders still held taut, and her grip on the handle of her carry on tight. Her gaze darts about, observing the people around her with hyper focus, and it's starting to set you on edge. You want to reach out to her again, try to ease some of the tension, but the bustle of the crowd makes you hesitant to attract any further attention.

Powder, on the other hand, is still completely unaware, eyes wide with excitement as she takes in the whole environment. She looks like an over excited puppy, her head moving back and forth so fast you think you get whiplash just by watching her. You can at least take comfort in the fact that she doesn't seem to be picking up on the anxiousness radiating off of her mother.

When you finally board the plane, you're all seated together as Sevika paid to have the spots next to you, fearing this exact scenario would happen. Powder takes the window seat, wanting to see everything she can, which leaves you sandwiched between her and Sevika next to the aisle. The older woman drops her backpack under the chair and puts her carry-on in the overhead compartment before grabbing yours and Powder's and sliding them next to hers.

Rolling her shoulders, she settles into her seat and tries to get comfortable. You watch as her jaw tenses and her leg starts bouncing again, eyes darting out all around the plane as if watching for threats. Once everyone is boarded, the captain begins speaking overhead, going through the safety protocols and what to do in the event of an emergency. This only causes Sevika's anxiety to spike, leaning her head back against the seat and taking deep breaths as she closes her eyes.

She's doing an almost convincing job pretending she's fine, but you can see through it, her leg bouncing even faster now and her fingers tapping out a rapid rhythm in her lap. You can see a muscle in her jaw clenching and unclenching, trying to will herself to remain steady and collected. You wish you could do something, anything to help her, but until the plane takes off, your options are limited.

As the plane jolts into motion and begins rumbling, you slide your hand into hers and whisper for her to squeeze as much as she needs. She startles slightly at the contact but responds immediately, lacing your fingers together with hers tightly. Her grip is almost bruising but you don't pull away, trying to show that you're not going to let go. As the plane moves down the tarmac to take off, she takes a shuddering breath, the anxiety in her spiking immensely.

Leaning in close so only she can hear, you begin to whisper words of encouragement in hopes it will help. "Hey, focus on the sound of my voice, okay? Everything is going to be okay, I'm right here with you, I'll be here the whole time."

Her breathing gradually slows, eyes still screwed shut as she tries to concentrate on your words. Her hand is still clamped around yours like a vice, your fingers beginning to tingle from the lack of circulation.

"Keep talking, please."

You nod even though she can't see you and keep whispering reassurances, continuing to rub soothing circles into her hand. "You're okay, you're gonna get through this. We're all gonna be fine, I swear, nothing is going to happen to us. Just keep taking some deep breaths, okay? I'll even do it with you. Ready?"

You place your free hand on her forearm gently in hopes of grounding her to you.

"Inhale, one, two, three," you hold your breath as Sevika does what you tell her, "Exhale, one, two, three." Repeating the process as the plane pulls up and climbs higher and higher into the sky, Sevika's grip doesn't waver but you see the crease between her brows lessen bit by bit.

When the aircraft reaches a safe height, the pilot announces to the plane that passengers may begin to roam around the cabin, to which Sevika immediately unbuckles herself and quickly stands up.

"Be right back."

You nod, watching as she disappears into the small bathroom a few rows behind you and hoping you were able to help her even a little bit. In her absence, Powder turns to look at you, a curious yet concerned expression on her face.

"Is she okay?"

"Yeah, I think she just needed to use the bathroom, she should be back soon."

Powder accepts your explanation with a small smile, plugging her earbuds back in and taking photos out of the window.

After a few minutes, you realize Sevika still hasn't returned, so you turn around to look down the aisle and see if you can catch a glimpse of her. There's no sign of the woman, and with a slight sense of unease, you make a split second decision, gently touching Powder on the shoulder.

"Hey, I'm gonna go check on your mom, okay? You stay here and I'll be right back."

After the girl gives you a quick thumbs up before going back to her phone, you get up from your seat and make your way to the bathroom, gently knocking on the door and softly calling, "Sevika? It's me, can I come in?"

After a beat of silence, you hear her voice respond, sounding much weaker than usual, and then a click of the lock.

"Yeah."

When you push the door open and walk inside, you find her with her back to you. She's bracing against the sink with her head hanging low, hair hiding her face from view and shoulders tensed.

Being careful to approach the subject, you close the door behind you and make sure not to touch her before you ask, "How are you feeling?"

A wry laugh escapes her lips, and you wince at the sound.

"Tired, honestly. Freaked out. But mostly embarrassed."

You shake your head, stepping closer and standing directly next to her, not saying anything and just letting her speak.

"I know it's ridiculous. I just didn’t expect it to be so…intense."

Sevika finally turns to face you, leaning back against the sink, and you're suddenly struck by how tired and worn down she looks.

That finally gets you to speak up.

"Hey, it's not ridiculous. I'm not going to pry, but this seemed like something else, not a regular fear of flying. Are you going to be okay the rest of the flight? I might have some Benadryl you can take to sleep through it."

Sevika shakes her head, not wanting to cause you any more trouble. "No, no, that's– you've done enough, thank you. I..." She trails off before locking eyes with you, her glossy ones staring into your concerned ones. "Can you just…hold me? For a bit?"

Your expression softens at the request, the desire to help the woman outweighing any other thought in your mind. "Yeah, of course."

Slowly reaching out and wrapping your arms around her neck, you pull her tightly against your chest and rest your chin atop her head, feeling the subtle tremors shaking her body.

"I'm here, I've got you."

Her arms wrap around your midsection, hands bunching the fabric of your shirt as she takes deep breaths, inhaling your scent and letting it soothe her nerves.

A few minutes later, Sevika leans back and looks up at you with an expression like you hung the moon in the sky. You reach out to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear affectionately, the tender moment causing your heart to skip a beat when she leans her head into the touch.

"Feeling better?"

She gives you a small smile before nodding, the grip on your shirt slackening as she straightens up. "Yeah. I think so."

"Good."

You barely take half a step back before she's pulling you back to her for what you assume is another hug, before feeling a pair of unbelievably soft lips cover your own. Your eyes flutter shut at the sensation, breathing into the minimal space between you as your mouths slide together in a gentle dance.

The kiss is chaste and sweet, lasting for only a few seconds before breaking apart, a small gasp falling from both of your lips as you look at one another. Sevika's arms remain around your waist, not willing to let go just yet, and her eyes search your face almost reverently, like you're the only thing anchoring her to Earth.

"Thank you. For everything, I...don't think I could've gotten through this without you, honestly."

You pull her closer with a soft smile, gently rubbing your nose against hers.

"I'd do it again if I had to." There's no hesitation in your voice, and you mean every word. "Now, c'mon, Powder's gonna start to worry if we're gone any longer."

Sevika rolls her eyes with a hint of fondness, giving your waist a squeeze before finally relinquishing her grip.

"She’s probably too into her game to realize how long it’s been."

"Yeah, you're right."

You move back and make sure you look presentable before unlocking the door and leading the way back into the aisle. Sevika falls in line beside you, and even if her steps are still a bit unsteady, she looks infinitely better than her state just minutes before.

When you reach your seats, you notice that Powder never even looked up from her phone and you can't help but shake your head fondly and suppress a small laugh. Sevika catches your gaze and quirks an eyebrow, looking almost like her old self as she murmurs, "See? Told you she wouldn't notice."

As the two of you settle in, Sevika silently slips her hand into yours before leaning her head back against the seat and letting her eyes droop shut, exhaustion finally getting the best of her. Not wanting to do anything that could possibly disturb her, you settle into your seat and watch as her breathing eventually evens out, the lines of tension on her face finally smoothing out as she relaxes in her sleep. You gently brush her knuckles with your thumb as the faint sound of the engines continues and the aircraft rumbles on, time slipping by and bringing you ever closer to your destination.

Minutes begin to pass, and you can't help but start feeling sleepy yourself. The stress of the day begins to catch up to you and the steady movement of the plane combined with the warm, comfortable feeling of Sevika's hand in yours makes it almost impossible to keep your eyes open. Before you can stop yourself, you find your head tipping to the side and resting on the other woman's shoulder, her warmth against your face and the rhythmic rise and fall of her breaths lulling you into the most peaceful rest you've had in ages.

A while later, you slowly begin to stir, shifting against the seat and subconsciously clinging to the fingers still in your grasp. Your eyes flutter open, bleary with sleep, and it takes you a few seconds to realize that your head is still on Sevika's shoulder, the two of you still holding hands. When the captain begins telling the plane that you'll all be at your destination soon, you perk up and start stretching before sitting back against your headrest.

The familiar rumble of engines almost lulls you back into a nap, but you feel the shoulder under your head move and look up to find Sevika watching you with a small smirk.

"You're actually pretty cute when you sleep, you know that?"

Heat immediately rushes to your face, and you pull yourself upright with a huff, trying to save some of your pride.

"And how long were you watching me, creep?"

She lets out a soft, short laugh, her eyes glimmering with slight mischief. "Not long, I promise."

You eye her skeptically and she relents after a few beats, holding her hands up innocently. "Maybe a few minutes."

A minute shake of your head and a quiet hmph is the only response you give Sevika, opting instead to check your phone and see if you have any service yet.

She doesn't say anything else, leaning back in her seat, silently amused by your reaction as a small smile graces her features. You can feel her gaze occasionally flick over to you, but every time you look at her with a quirked brow, Sevika quickly averts her eyes.

Your phone suddenly makes a familiar sound when it finally connects, and you see several notifications pop up on your screen. Seeing emails from the organization about check in, you begin to go through them, ignoring everything else until you feel the plane begin to descend and Sevika's hand shoots out to engulf yours.

Looking up at her, she's giving you a small smile, a silent plea for reassurance, and you immediately give her your full attention, covering her hand with your second one, rubbing over her knuckles with a soothing touch. She does much better during the landing, only squeezing your hand painfully once when the plane bounces as the wheels touch down.

Once you all pull up to the gate, she sighs deeply, finally accepting that the most anxiety inducing part of this journey is over. You turn to your side to gently wake Powder up, laughing to yourself that the girl has managed to fall asleep during her first plane ride ever. Once she jolts awake, you tell her to relax and inform her of the process of de-boarding, knowing it'll be a bit before you're allowed to stand up and grab your luggage.

Your turn arrives a few minutes later, Sevika shooting up and grabbing all three carry-ons from overhead and passing them to you. She quickly leads the three of you off of the plane, telling the flight crew thank you as she practically sprints down the tunnel to the main waiting area. You all step in the direction of the escalator and make your way towards the pick up area of the airport, Powder skipping next to you as she chatters away excitedly about the experience. Sevika lags behind a bit, but you can see the way her shoulders slowly relax once she's on solid, unmoving ground again.

Looking out for the shuttle the competition has allotted for participants, it doesn't take long to spot the vehicle amidst the taxis and regular cars, the sign on the outside displaying the event name clearly enough to see. You all approach and get settled in, Powder immediately taking a seat by the window, her enthusiasm contagious as she presses her face to the glass. Sevika sits down next to her, giving you another smile, this one brighter than the others since she now feels much more comfortable than earlier.

A couple more families board in the next few minutes, Powder eyeing the children warily before you introduce yourself and your group, not wanting there to be any awkward tension during the drive. On the journey there, conversation flows a bit more easily, Sevika joining occasionally, not wanting to seem standoffish to the other parents.

Once you reach your destination, everyone exits the vehicle in awe, the sheer size of the hotel capturing everyone's attention. Leading the other woman and teenager to the lobby, you begin to check in first, Sevika getting waved over to another employee. After you're both given your room numbers and keys, you all walk over to the elevator and enter the metal box, excitement beginning to brew in your stomachs.

"What room are you guys in?" You question, peeping over Sevika's shoulder at the fancy card sleeve in her hand.

"303?"

"Oh, I'm in 305! Just down the hall, what a coincidence."

"Seems like we got lucky."

You grin at the woman and turn to Powder, who's currently bouncing on her toes at the thought of finally getting to see the inside of the their room.

"You ready to see your digs for the weekend?"

Powder nods and practically bounces in place, her energy reaching a whole new level. You giggle at the teenager, her energy is so infectious that it momentarily distracts you from your nerves. The elevator finally dings on the third floor and you step out, following the signs on the wall until eventually reaching the section of your rooms. Sevika gets her own key out and unlocks her door, pushing it open to reveal an elegant looking room, complete with a large queen bed, a desk in the corner, a small kitchen, and a gorgeous bathroom.

The woman is slack-jawed as she takes in her new surroundings, suddenly glad she decided to book this hotel instead of one of the further, cheaper ones. Powder immediately takes off towards the bed, jumping up to land on the soft sheets before Sevika catches her mid air and sets her back down on the floor.

"Plane clothes, Pow, ugh. Shower first, then you can lay on it."

The girl giggles before nodding at her mom.

"Oh yeah, forgot about that."

She takes her carry on to the corner of the room before laying it down and popping it open, grabbing her toiletries and a change of clothes and heading to the bathroom. Once the door is locked and you hear the water turn on, Sevika turns to you and begins slowly making her way over, grabbing your hand with both of hers and lazily playing with it.

You lean against the wall and watch her with a curious smile, the sight of her being so relaxed putting you at ease. She looks into your eyes with that same fond look from the plane, leaning in until her body pins you to the wall gently.

"I have a question," she says softly, placing a hand on your hip.

Your heart skips slightly at the contact and you arch a brow, giving her your full attention. "Shoot."

She pauses, looking you over again as if to make sure it's okay to say what comes next. You hold her gaze, silently reassuring her.

"I know we're here for the competition, but..." Sevika continues, her thumb now rubbing over the fabric of your shirt. "You're gonna have some free time, right?"

Cocking your head slightly, your eyes rake over Sevika’s face before you respond. "Free time how? Like, to spend with you?"

"Yeah," she breathes, her hand on your hip tightening just a bit as she presses just a few millimeters closer. "I know you're going to be busy most of the time but..." She trails off, the nerves she felt earlier returning as she struggles to find her words.

"I don't know, it was just something on my mind," she shrugs, searching your eyes for even an ounce of rejection.

You have to suppress the urge to squeal, the vulnerable look in her eye pulling at your heart strings. "Yeah, I can definitely carve out some space in my schedule for you."

The tension drains from Sevika’s body almost instantly, something that seems to be a constant pattern between the two of you. She lets out a small huff of a laugh and rolls her eyes, trying to cover up the amount of relief she's feeling.

"You don't have to sound so excited." There's a teasing grin on her face, letting you know she's kidding.

You laugh in return and now roll your eyes, pretending to be affronted.

"You're right, how silly of me," you say, the sarcasm oozing from your voice, "Who wouldn't want to spend all their free time with the biggest grump in the world?"

She lets out a gasp, mock-affronted. "Hey, I am not grumpy!" The other woman’s hand shoots out to pinch your side in retaliation.

You laugh at the action, smacking her hand away playfully.

"You so are, always so broody," you tease, lightly pinching her bicep in return.

"I'm not broody," she retorts, "I'm just...introspective." You snort and squint your eyes, the sound causing her to huff and reach out to pinch you again. Quickly evading the attack, you catch her hand and pin it against her side to keep from any more surprise assaults. This puts her in close proximity again, and you can see the way her gaze locks onto your mouth for a fraction of a second before her eyes snap back up to yours.

There's a beat of silence, the two of you standing close enough to feel each other's breath. Sevika opens her mouth like she's getting ready to say something, but before she gets the chance, the sound of the shower turning off reaches your ears and Sevika takes a half step back, clearing her throat awkwardly.

"Guess Powder's done."

You pull back your own hand reluctantly, missing the feeling of her skin immediately. "Yeah, guess so," you say, trying to sound casual and hoping your voice doesn't give away how affected you are.

Standing up straight, you pull your phone out to check the time, seeing that there's a couple of hours before the first event. "The welcome banquet starts at five, so I should head to my room and unpack first."

The disappointment is obvious on her face, even if only for a moment, but she tries to cover it up by putting on a nonchalant expression and nodding.

"Yeah, right," she pauses, almost as if she was about to say something else, but just takes a deep breath instead. "I guess...I'll see you at dinner, then," she says, giving you a half smile.

You match her expression before hesitating a moment, opting to go with your first instinct and lean in for a quick kiss. Her mouth immediately relaxes beneath yours and she leans forward into it, wanting the contact as much as you do. When you finally pull back, her eyes are shut and it takes a few seconds before she opens them slowly, breathing slightly more labored than usual. Her lips form a small grin and she nudges her nose against yours briefly, making contact one last time before fully pulling away.

"Get out of here before you get me in trouble."

Biting your tongue at her remark, you shake your head with a quick laugh and slip out from under her, grabbing your carry-on and heading to the door.

"I'll come get you two a little bit early so we can all walk down together, okay?"

Sevika gives a small nod in affirmation, running a hand through her hair. "Yeah, sounds like a plan." She looks like she's itching to pull you back into her space, but manages to refrain herself, shoving her hands into her pockets to keep from doing so.

You linger for a few more moments, savoring the sight of the other woman before reluctantly tearing your eyes away and exiting the room. She watches you the whole time, shutting the door once you fully exit into the hallway. You walk the rest of the way to your own room in a daze, a little thrill of anticipation going up your spine at the thought of the night to come.

After a shower of your own, you unpack a bit and set aside your outfit for the evening. The dress code for dinner was cocktail attire, and though you didn't own anything exactly fitting for that, you managed to scrounge together something acceptable from your closet. Doing one last check in the full length mirror by the door, you deem the look worthy and head out into the hallway.

Making your way to Sevika's room, you lift your hand to the wooden door and give it a few raps. It swings open a few moments later to reveal the other woman, her gaze sweeping over you and eyes noticeably widening. Her hair is freshly combed and she's changed into a white dress shirt tucked into slim fitting navy slacks, the first two buttons of her top undone to show off the supple skin of her neck and collarbones.

"Hey." she says, her eyes still trailing over your figure, "You look...really good."

You can't help the warmth that immediately rises to your cheeks at the compliment, her gaze causing a bit of heat to begin blooming in your stomach.

"Thanks," you manage to reply, your eyes roaming over her form as well, the tight shirt clinging to her figure and showing off her physique perfectly. "You don't look so bad yourself."

"Get a room already!" a voice suddenly yells from the back of the room.

Peering past Sevika, you see Powder sitting on the bed laughing to herself while looking at her phone. Before Sevika manages to scold her, she flips the device around and you can faintly make out a tuft of red hair on the screen. "Vi says hi, by the way."

You can't hold back a laugh at that, amused by Powder's antics. "Hi Vi," you reply back with a grin.

Sevika just rolls her eyes and shakes her head at her middle child. "Don't make me take your phone."

That quiets Powder right away, telling Vi they've got to leave and that she'll call her later. Locking the phone and putting it in her purse, she hops off the bed and makes her way over to the pair of you. Sevika looks over at her daughter as she approaches, giving her an amused look.

"Ready to go?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

Powder nods, slinging her small bag over her shoulder. "Yeah, I'm starving."

"Well, then what are we waiting for?"

Grabbing her matching navy suit jacket from beside her and slipping it on, Sevika steps out of the way for Powder to walk through, shooting you a small wink when the girl isn’t looking.

Once in the hallway, she falls in step beside you, shoulders squared and looking every bit as confident as you've ever seen her. Knowing how important it is to make a good impression on the committee members, and even the other parents, she's determined to put her best self forward. Entering the elevator to head to the lobby, all you can think about is how lucky you are to know such an amazing woman.

As the seconds tick by, there's just the faintest hint of nerves in the other woman's stance, fingers lightly drumming against her thigh. You discreetly brush your pinkie against hers, hoping the small gesture will give her some reassurance, and you softly bite your bottom lip when she intertwines it with her own.

Soon after, the elevator dings, signaling you've reached the lobby. You step out and head towards the banquet hall, hearing the soft sounds of conversation and the clink of glasses coming from the large room. There are quite a few people from other districts already gathering, all dressed appropriately and beginning to mingle. Sevika's stride slows slightly as she takes in the scene, her eyes sweeping over the room in a way that can only be interpreted as calculating.

There are easily a hundred people already in the room, undoubtedly not everyone who will be attending. When you see the way the other woman is observing the crowd, you lean in to tell her and Powder, "Let's go find our table, yeah?"

Quickly checking the email on your phone, you see the number you've been assigned and head in that direction. Coming upon the right one, you begin to set your things down, looking around the room for the rest of your party. Finding who you're looking for a few seconds later, a bright smile blooms on your face as you walk towards the approaching trio.

"You guys made it!"

Ekko matches your grin before engulfing you in a bone crushing hug. After the boy releases you, you greet his parents with less intense embraces as he notices that Powder and Sevika are also standing there.

"Um, hi Powder."

The two teenagers stare at each other before deciding to share a brief hug, awkwardly shuffling on their feet before Sevika reaches a hand out in Ekko's direction.

"It's good to finally meet you, Ekko. I’m Sevika, Powder’s mom."

He takes the woman's hand in a firm grip, giving it a sturdy shake.

"Likewise ma'am," he says with a confident smile, releasing her hand before standing up straight.

Powder's entire demeanor is a stark comparison to Ekko's, her entire body language shy and reserved. Ekko seems to pick up on this right away, his own smile turning into a kind, almost protective one.

His parents come over a moment later and introduce themselves to Sevika and Powder, chatting about how amazing it is that each of their children made it this far. All of you converse amongst each other for a few moments, the parents expressing their excitement and pride. Soon enough, the sound of a microphone being adjusted breaks up the conversation, catching everyone's attention as you all turn to look towards the front of the hall.

"Good evening everyone, I hope you've all had a pleasant journey to be with us here tonight. I am the president of the fair's board..."

The man continues to speak about how excited all of the committee members are to witness the presentations this weekend, setting an animated atmosphere amongst the room. When he concludes his speech a few minutes later, he welcomes everyone to take their seats as dinner will be served shortly.

The room is quickly filled with the scraping and scuffing of chairs against tile as everyone finds their assigned places, the buzz of excitement for the food palpable. You all sit down and begin waiting patiently, your stomach beginning to grumble slightly at the thought of eating. The sound doesn't escape Sevika's ear, and you see her lip quirk upward in a subtle smirk out of the corner of your eye.

The six of you continue to talk across the table as servers begin bringing plates out, being served a short while later. Dinner is delicious, and Sevika and Ekko's parents get along quite well, much to your relief. Glancing to the side, you see Powder and Ekko engrossed in a private conversation, animated facial expressions and boisterous laughter spilling over to the adults' discussions. You realize that this is what it’s all about; no matter the results of this weekend, these are the memories that the kids will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Once the meal has concluded, the reception begins, the music turning to something a bit more upbeat but still family friendly. After a short while, Ekko stands up and looks toward Powder, an almost goofy grin on his face.

"Wanna dance?" He asks, and after only brief hesitation, Powder nods lightly and stands, flashing a small look to her mom.

Sevika gives an encouraging nod, and just like that, the two teenagers are off towards the small dance floor. The adults watch them go before returning to their conversations, though you notice the woman’s gaze following them closely. Lightly nudging Sevika's hand with yours under the table, you wait until she makes eye contact with you before speaking.

"She's okay. I promise."

She maintains your gaze for a moment before nodding, letting out a breath she hadn't noticed she was holding and forcing the worry from her gaze.

"I know, I know," she mutters, reaching up to rub some of the tension out of her neck. "Realistically, I know she's fine. But the mom part of my brain just won't shut up about it."

At that, you can't help but smile softly and reach over to give her a gentle squeeze on the knee.

"That's completely understandable. Looks like she's having fun though."

Sevika looks back towards where the teenagers are and sees her daughter laughing as Ekko spins her around, the two of them clearly enjoying themselves. It makes the tension in her shoulders loosen even more and she lets out another deep sigh, the tiniest smile pulling at her lips.

"Yeah, she is."

About a half hour later, the event comes to an end, and the president from earlier grabs the mic once again.

"Thank you all for joining us tonight. We are wishing all of our participants the best of luck this weekend, and we look forward to seeing what you have to show us. For the students, we are going to have a more official 'prom' style dance for two hours in the next room if you'd like to move there, with your parent's permission of course."

As the teenagers make their way back to your table, the adults all stand up and begin grabbing their things before Ekko and Powder ask to go to that party. You see a bit of wariness flash across Sevika's face as she looks down at her daughter, clearly conflicted. After pausing for a moment, a tight smile appears and she sighs.

"Alright, you can go. Just be safe, okay? No wandering off by yourself, stick together."

Right when you look at Powder to give her a thumbs up, a figure behind her captures your attention.

"Genevieve?"

The girl in mention freezes and slowly turns around, jaw dropped and wide eyed. The beginning of tears begin to well in your eyes, the little girl you once knew now standing before you, a young woman.

"What are you doing here, how–"

Your heart begins to hammer in your chest as the initial shock wears off and you realize what this means. If she's here, then...

"Well, well, well. What's that old saying? 'Speak of the devil and she shall appear?'"

Focusing your eyes to the side, you finally see the person you've been dreading running into for years, the reason you moved away to start a new life, the cause of your miscommunication with Sevika.

A wicked smile stretched across her lips, the woman takes a step forward as you take one back, willing yourself to wake up from whatever horrible nightmare this is.

Gert.

Chapter Text

You can feel the instant change in atmosphere as the entire group goes from lighthearted and cheerful to suddenly on edge in a heartbeat, gazes immediately flitting to the newcomer. Spine rigid, your fight or flight instinct kicks in immediately, but you know there's nowhere to run. Swallowing harshly, you take a moment to collect yourself before addressing the woman in front of you while trying to ignore the stares boring into your back.

"Gert. I didn't expect to see you this weekend."

Your throat is tight, voice is clipped. You can feel Sevika's gaze on you, the rage and worry radiating off of her, but you don't turn, not wanting to meet those eyes just yet. Instead, your attention is focused on your ex and trying to convince yourself that she's not going to say or do anything irrational in front of the kids.

All you can hear is the sound of your heartbeat thudding in your ears as Gert takes a small step closer, that same sickeningly sweet smile still on her lips. "Neither did I, but I guess the universe has its reasons for everything."

That causes Sevika to finally move forward but the hand rubbing your legs shoots out low enough to stop her before she can do anything drastic. The motion catches the intruder's eye, gaze flickering with amusement as she puts the pieces together.

"Well, we should go, Genevieve presents tomorrow and needs her rest."

Gert then moves to place her hands on her daughter's shoulders, the teenager looking extremely uncomfortable with the situation at hand.

"Maybe we'll run into you again before the weekend's over."

Not waiting for a reply, the woman turns around to exit the ballroom, her daughter following right behind her without sparing you a second glance.

Once they're gone, you finally let out the breath you were holding in, body immediately deflating now that the immediate danger is gone. Your shoulders slump as you try in vain to get your heart rate back to normal, hands noticeably shaking. The other patrons in the room mill about like they were before the encounter, but the slight ringing in your ears is all you can focus on at the moment.

"I, um..."

Finally breaking your silence, your eyes flick around to the face of every person in your group, a varying degree of concern in all of them. "I think I'm gonna head up for the night."

Giving Ekko's parents a tight smile, you tell them you'll meet them in the lobby in the morning as previously discussed, before turning to the two teenagers and telling them to have fun at the party. Once you face Sevika, you can see in her face that she wants to say something, but you interrupt before she can get the chance.

"I'll call you later."

Ducking your head and hastily walking towards the elevators, you leave everyone behind in an awkward state, unsure of what to do. After a long moment, Sevika and Ekko's parents politely say their good nights to each other and tell their respective child to be safe at the party and when to be back at their room.

Kissing Powder on the head, the older woman watches the girl leave with her classmate, staying at the table far after they've left her sight. The last few minutes replay in her head as she begins to get upset with herself for not saying something to Gert, but she reminds herself that it was your situation to handle and not her place to jump in. Sighing deeply, she begins making her way to her room upstairs, thoughts of you still on her mind.

When Sevika reaches your shared floor, she walks up to her door before stopping in front of it and glancing over at yours down the way. Tapping her room key against her other hand, she debates whether to wait for your call like you said or to check on you now. After a few long moments, her concern wins out and she heads over to yours before lifting her hand and gently rapping her knuckles against the wood.

You've already removed your shoes and flopped down in the center of the bed when you hear the knocks, lifting your head to see if you heard right. Part of you wants to ignore it, pretend that you're already fast asleep, but you know that she won't leave until she's at least seen you. With a reluctant sigh, you push yourself up and swing your legs off the bed before padding over to the door and opening it.

Your face must look more tired than you thought, as the sight of it causes her expression to soften. It's quiet for a moment before she speaks.

"Can I come in?"

You don't protest, only moving aside to let her enter, closing the door as she walks past you and taking a few beats to collect your thoughts.

"How are you doing?"

You give a noncommittal shrug, walking over to sit down on the bed where you'd been before. "I've been better," you reply quietly, keeping your head low to avoid making any eye contact.

Sevika comes to sit down next to you, staying a few inches away to give you the space you seem to be silently asking for. The other woman fidgets with her fingers, not wanting to push you but also not wanting you to bottle your feelings up, especially when it comes to this situation. She's just about to say something when you break the silence, voice barely above a whisper.

"I didn't think I'd see her ever again, let alone this weekend. I just...wasn't prepared." You bite your bottom lip before finally meeting her gaze, trying to keep your expression neutral but failing when you see the worry in her eyes.

"And not just that, but seeing Genevieve so grown up now, I..."

The other woman gives a small nod and hesitantly lifts a hand, pausing before gently rubbing your back in a soothing motion.

A shaky breath leaves your lips as you feel the contact, leaning into her touch and subconsciously shifting closer until your shoulder bumps into hers. Her hand starts to move in firmer circles, the motion surprisingly helping to ease some of the tension in your muscles. You're surprised she's able to read you so well, but you're thankful for it.

After another few moments, you manage to speak again. "I'm just so tired. Every time I think I’ve healed and moved on, I’m pulled right back in."

Sevika continues the impromptu massage, a small sigh falling from her lips at your divulgence. "Some wounds never completely heal," she tells you, her voice quiet but steady. "They just become more manageable as time goes on."

Her palm presses down on a particular spot of your lower back, making you release a small groan as tension you didn't know was there eases, your body unconsciously curving against her. Feeling you relax under her touch emboldens her slightly, pressing her hand in between your shoulders and working out even more of the knots in your back.

"You can't keep holding everything in, you know," she murmurs, shifting to push her prosthetic thumb against a stubborn muscle and drawing a sharp inhale from your throat. "At a certain point, you're gonna break."

Nodding slightly, you exhale before replying, "I know, it's just that...I've worked so hard to get past it, I feel like I'm going backwards." With a slight shake of your head, you feel the emotions rising to the surface, but you finally let yourself embrace them, feeling safe in Sevika's presence. With a crack in your voice, you tell the woman, "I just want to be happy."

The movement against your skin stills, your words hitting her right in the heart as she hears the waver in your voice. Her warm hand then lifts to your chin, gently cupping it and turning your head to face her. "Hey, look at me." When your eyes meet her own, she sees the unshed tears that have collected, feeling her chest clench at the sight. "You will be."

With me, Sevika thinks to herself. Seeing the pain in your eyes, she pulls you in and wraps a strong arm around you as if to tell you so without words. You all but melt into her, hands clutching her shirt tightly as your shoulders begin to shudder. Her grip tightens as she continues to rub your back, silently letting you know she's there. The dam that’s been holding everything back finally breaks, tears streaming down your face and dampening the soft fabric of her top, each breath coming in short gasps accompanied by a hiccup. Sevika simply holds you through it, murmuring little nothings in a soothing manner and rubbing your back while you let it all out.

You cling to the woman, the anguish intensifying as your shoulders start to shake. "I don't want to feel like this anymore," you sob, burying your face in her shoulder and squeezing fistfuls of her shirt. Her arms tighten around your frame, a large hand smoothing over your back to try and calm you as you allow the emotions to take over. "Shhh, I got you," Sevika whispers, resting her chin on the top of your head. "I got you."

Eventually, your breathing begins to even out and the tears slowly come to a stop, the only sound in the room being the steady thumping of the other woman's heart against your ear. Your grip on her shirt loosens and you pull back, lifting your face to reveal the tear tracks on your cheeks and bloodshot eyes. Her heart breaks at the sight of you but your expression is noticeably more relaxed than when she came in, which gives her a small amount of solace. She reaches up to gently wipe underneath your lashes, softly telling you, "You're okay."

Giving her only a slight nod and a half smile, you feel a little embarrassed about the breakdown. "Sorry," you offer softly, averting your gaze entirely.

Sevika tuts quietly and hooks a finger under your chin, forcing you to look at her. When your eyes meet again, she gives you a small grin and whispers, "What have I told you about apologizing for everything?"

That gets a small giggle out of you, remembering the conversation she's referencing from a few months prior. It seems like so long ago now, and you think about the progress you've made since then, the walls you've started to let down. Without warning, you swoop in and press a gentle kiss to Sevika's lips, pushing everything else out of your mind and simply letting the other woman consume your senses.

The motion catches her off guard, her entire body going rigid for a split second before softening considerably. Her hand slides to the back of your neck, thumbing over the soft skin as she returns the affection, eyes sliding closed as she loses herself in the moment. You gently bite her bottom lip, causing her to release a small sigh in the back of her throat, and you smile against her mouth. The kiss stays slow and gentle for the next few minutes, not in search of more, but instead a bubble of comfort.

When you finally part, you remain close enough to exchange breaths, foreheads resting gently together. She slowly opens her eyes and you stare into them, taking in the sight of her so close. Her thumb rubs gently over your separated lips, breaking the silence with a soft, "Better?" You give a small nod and affirmative hum, reaching up to cradle her cheek in your palm in return. "Good."

The corner of her mouth twitches upwards slightly at your behavior, eyes still studying your face and scanning over your expression as if to make sure you're actually okay. When you don't break her gaze, she lifts her hand and places it over the one on her cheek, leaning into it as she closes her eyes and lets out a deep sigh. Something in her chest twists as a realization hits her in this moment, but she pushes it back down, not ready to voice it just yet.

Sevika changes the subject to something lighter, sensing that you're done talking about the Gert situation, which you're thankful for. As the two of you talk, the thought of her knowing you this well plays on a loop in the back of your mind, exciting and terrifying all at once. Almost two hours later, Sevika happens to see the clock on the wall behind you and checks her phone, pursing her lips as she realizes the time.

"I should get going, Vi's gonna be back from that dance soon."

You nod in acknowledgment, knowing tomorrow will be a long day. As she stands up from the bed, you follow and stretch your arms above your head with a groan, the fatigue finally hitting you. When you lock eyes, she asks, "We’ll grab breakfast in the morning?" You give her a small smile and nod, your eyelids feeling heavier by the second. The older woman has to stop herself from actually cooing at the expression you're wearing, instead opting to wrap you in a warm embrace that you reciprocate right away.

Pressing yourself against her, you inhale deeply and get a whiff of her familiar scent. She tucks your head into the crook of her neck, placing a kiss on your head before murmuring, "Get some rest, okay? I'll see you tomorrow." You nod against her, not wanting to let go quite yet, but your tiredness wins out as she gently detangles herself and heads to the entrance. Before leaving, she flashes a tender smile and closes the door behind her.

When the door finally clicks shut, you feel a wave of exhaustion wash over you that nearly makes you dizzy. You barely remember to set an alarm before slipping into your pajamas and crawling under the covers. Drifting off into a somewhat fitful sleep, thoughts of the woman down the hall dance through your dreams.

Sevika is fresh out of the shower when she hears the room door open, signaling that Powder is back. After drying off and throwing some comfier clothes on, she heads out to the living area and sees the teenager grinning at her phone and typing away.

“You have fun?”

Powder looks up from her phone and purses her lips, cheeks brightening to a noticeable shade of pink. "Yeah, a lot. Ekko's pretty cool, actually."

Sevika hums quietly, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "Is that why you're smiling so hard? Texting him?" The question is mostly rhetorical as she takes a seat on the couch next to Powder.

"Yeah..." Powder lays her phone face down next to her as she fidgets in her seat before facing the woman. "He asked about hanging out when we get back home."

At that, a brow lifts curiously, the older woman turning more to face her daughter. This was news to her. "Oh? And what did you say?"

Powder shrugs casually, playing off just how giddy the suggestion made her feel. "I said I'd ask you, and we talked for a bit more after that before the party ended and we had to go back to our rooms."

"I see." She doesn't miss the excited look in her daughter's eyes, deciding to take the conversation more seriously rather than playfully teasing her. Leaning back into the couch, the woman considers her next statement. "And you want to hang out with him again?"

Powder nods enthusiastically, biting her lip to try and contain her excitement. She knows her mom isn't against her having crushes, but she's also not the most relaxed person when it comes to it either. "Yeah, I do. He's really nice and pretty fun. And..." she trails off before mumbling, "he's kinda cute."

Sevika lightly bites her tongue, running it over her top teeth before replying. "I see." She's still getting used to having a teenager that asks permission before doing things and not one that she has to hunt down after doing what Sevika told her not to. "He seems respectful from the time we talked at dinner."

"He is, really," Powder affirms quickly, the eagerness in her voice quite obvious. Sevika's heart melts just a bit at the look on her daughter's face, a small sigh leaving her mouth at how much like a little kid she still manages to look sometimes, even with all the effort the teen puts into looking tough. Sevika hums in contemplation for a couple moments before saying, "I don't see a reason to say no, but we'll talk more about it when we get home, okay?"

Powder's eyes light up at that, a grin overtaking her features as she nods vigorously. "Okay, sounds perfect," she replies, trying her hardest to sound as mature as possible about the situation. The expression makes Sevika laugh softly, shaking her head at how adorable her daughter looks right now. "Alright, now tell Ekko good night and start getting ready for bed, we have to be up bright and early tomorrow."

The teenager pops up from the couch and salutes vigorously before grabbing her phone and heading to her suitcase to begin pulling her toiletries out. That gets a chuckle out of the older woman, shaking her head once again at the theatrics. She watches her daughter move around, a strange feeling blooming in her heart. It was almost bittersweet, seeing Powder begin to grow and blossom into a young woman as opposed to the little girl she used to be. The thought makes her chest ache slightly, but a happy one, the kind that comes with pride.

After Powder heads to the bathroom to change, Sevika strolls over to the decently sized fridge in the kitchen and opens it, curious if it's stocked with anything. To her pleasant surprise, there are a couple rows of water bottles on the middle shelf, labeled with the hotel's logo. Opening it and taking a sip, she notices that it's decently cold but still not to her liking. She searches the freezer before moving to the cabinet above the sink and finds several glasses along with a small metal bucket. Bingo.

After knocking on the bathroom door, she asks, "Hey Powder, I'm gonna go get some ice from the machine, you want anything from the hotel store?"

Powder pokes her head out of the bathroom before opening the door completely and tapping her finger on her chin. "Hm, something sweet would be nice, if that's okay." Sevika smiles at her before replying, "I guess I could bring you some chocolate." Powder grins and begins walking over to the double sink with a "thanks", allowing Sevika to slip on her shoes and exit the room with her wallet and bucket in hand.

She stops by the candy shop in the lobby first, already knowing Powder's taste in sweets, before heading back up to grab the ice. The machine is on the opposite end of their floor, tucked away in its own private corner, and Sevika almost gets turned around a couple of times due to the sheer size of the place. When she finally locates it, she sets the bucket in the designated spot under the dispenser and presses the large button on the front of the machine. The bucket is about halfway filled when she hears soft footsteps walk up behind her and calls over her shoulder. "I'm almost done, it should be just a minute or so."

"Oh, take your time, I've got all night."

Sevika freezes instantly, releasing the button and dropping her hand to the bucket's handle. She's only heard that voice once before, but it instantly raises her heartbeat, a scowl already forming on her features. Slowly turning around with the ice in hand, she comes face to face with Gert, a smug look dancing across her face, arms crossed and eyebrow quirked like she knows a secret Sevika doesn't.

Every muscle in Sevika's body tenses, eyes narrowed as she takes in the woman standing in front of her. She can already feel her blood begin to boil, but she keeps her composure, not wanting to allow her the satisfaction of knowing just how much she gets under her skin. "You're staying here?"

"Yes, actually, on this very floor. Isn't that a funny coincidence?"

Sevika can hardly believe the audacity of the woman trying to get a rise out of her, but as much as the thought of physically retaliating plays in her mind, she does her best to appear calm. "Hilarious," she grits out.

As she moves to walk past Gert and back to her room, the other woman makes a comment that stops her in her tracks.

"Good luck this weekend. Especially with that one."

Sevika's teeth grind together as she comes to a standstill, a sharp inhale of breath audible in the sudden quiet of the hallway. She can only stand there seething for a moment longer before turning back around, unable to stop herself from snapping, "What did you just say?"

'What you heard," Gert replies nonchalantly, shrugging a single shoulder. "I know how overly sensitive she can be, and I know running into me probably sent her into an episode. Typical."

That sends Sevika over the edge, and she steps forward until the two of them are chest to chest, smoke practically pouring out of her ears. "Don't you dare fucking speak about her. After all the bullshit you put her through, you get zero say in how she heals, you hear me?"

That pulls a wicked smile from the younger woman, but Sevika doesn't miss the flash of nerves in her eyes, gone as quick as it arrived, but still noticeable. "Oh, are you her bodyguard? How long have you known her, a few months maybe?" Gert puffs out her chest in an attempt to look more menacing, but Sevika couldn't care less, rage coursing through her veins. "We were together for years, you don't understand her like I do."

Sevika barks out a laugh at that, narrowing her gaze as she does. "Right, you understand her so much that you still went and cheated on her."

"Is that what she told you?"

"That's what she showed me. I saw the texts between you and the wedding planner, you went behind her back for over a fucking year, and she broke it off when the planner told her everything. So don't try to spin me the same shit you're telling everyone else, I know exactly what you are."

Gert's jaw tightens at the words, but she stays quiet for a moment before a scoff leaves her lips and she replies, "You think that's the whole story?"

"I think it's the truth."

"Funny how you think that you know her so well based on the one side she told you. Did she also tell you about her panic attacks? The trust issues? The constant clinginess?"

"So your answer was to go and have an affair, and then lie to everyone about who actually cheated? That's an asshole move however you tell it."

"I was in a loveless relationship, what was I supposed to do? Let her take her time with her issues while I just sit and wait for something to happen?" The words come out before Gert can stop herself, but she doesn't regret them, not when it finally gets Sevika's expression to falter slightly. The older woman's jaw clenches tightly at hearing them, eyes hardening in a heartbeat. "She was struggling so badly for months before I even started looking elsewhere. I got tired of trying to fix something that wasn't there anymore, is that such a crime?"

"So you break up! Holy shit, how hard is it to understand that you don't cheat on the person you love?" Sevika's chest is heaving at this point, several emotions swirling in her chest the more Gert tries to explain herself.

Gert scoffs, rolling her eyes like the other woman is being ridiculous by reacting this way. "Right, because she could really handle a break up in addition to the panic attacks she was already having. She could barely be alone, how do you think she would've reacted to the only person she had leaving her? She would've spiraled and you know it."

Sevika's fingers itch at her side at how indifferently the other woman says that, a scoff of her own leaving her mouth before she replies. "You say that like you were doing her a favor, how noble of you. If you were so worried for her, why didn't you suggest therapy? Why didn't you talk to her about how you felt before going behind her back and doing what you did? You have some balls to try to paint yourself as some self-sacrificing saint."

"Oh, please. You have no idea what it was like being trapped with her, watching her fall apart at the smallest thing. It's not like it was the first time she pushed me away, I was sick of being treated like an afterthought, I had needs and she wasn't giving them to me, so I found them elsewhere. And frankly, it was the best decision I've ever made."

The sound of the ice bucket dropping to the floor reverberates throughout the hallway as Sevika grabs Gert by the front of her shirt and pins her against the wall. To her credit, Gert doesn't cower at the motion, keeping her chin lifted and refusing to back down.

Sevika's face is only a couple inches away, eyes narrowing further as she snarls, "You're a selfish, heartless, lying, manipulative, egotistical snake. Count your blessings that I love my daughter enough not to jeopardize her place in this competition, but let me see you any place else outside of this hotel, and I won't be as kind."

Taking a step back, she adjusts her clothes and picks up the previously forgotten ice bucket before casting a threatening look towards the woman against the wall. "Keep her name out of your mouth and stay away from her." With that, Sevika marches off down the hallway, disappearing from the younger woman’s line of sight and leaving her to exhale deeply.

Throwing her head back, Gert closes her eyes and quietly curses herself for acting the way she did, so used to being on the defense, even when she's in the wrong.

Unbeknownst to her, Genevieve was right around the corner, listening to the entire conversation. What had started as her going to ask her mom a question after she left her phone in the room ended in a revelation of biblical proportions. The teenager then scurries back to their room, hopping in bed and pretending to be asleep by the time her mom walks back in. For the rest of the night, she can barely sleep, the discoveries of the hours before bombarding her thoughts.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Sevika is lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling when her alarm goes off, signaling the start of a new day. Letting out a quiet sigh, she turns it off and looks over at a sleeping Powder. A small smile adorning her face, she rises to her feet and begins making her way towards the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later, she emerges from the shower, drying off her hair with the towel around her shoulders before checking the time on her phone. Shuffling over towards the bed, she comes to a stop next to her sleeping daughter before gently nudging her awake.

Powder stirs and yawns widely, blinking her eyes in an attempt to clear her vision before her gaze focuses on the person standing over her. Seeing her mom partially dressed makes her brows furrow in confusion, sitting up in bed and rubbing one eye with her knuckles. "You're already..." she lets the sentence trail off, not awake enough to finish the thought. Sevika smiles at the sight, sitting down on the edge of the mattress as she replies, "Time to get up, sleepyhead. Today's gonna be a long day."

It's then that realization sets in and Powder freezes momentarily before scrambling out of bed, sheets trailing behind her as she reaches her backpack. "I forgot to look at the presentation schedule for today!"

The older woman stifles a laugh at the teenager's actions, rolling her neck as she stands back up. "Calm down, you're only going to stress yourself out if you rush around like that. Remember what we talked about." Powder pauses, looking at Sevika in the eyes before taking two deep breaths to steady herself and beginning to pull out a change of clothes instead. The woman lets out a proud smile before looking at the clock on the wall. "Good. Just finish getting ready and I'll check the schedule for you."

Once Powder heads into the bathroom, Sevika takes the opportunity to put on her prosthetic and the rest of her outfit before pulling out her laptop and looking over the day's presentations. When she hears the door open and footsteps padding over to her, she looks over the reading glasses perched on her nose before focusing on the screen again and scratching her chin. "There's a few of the ones we talked about happening today, so you should bring your notebook in case." Scrolling down further, Sevika skims over the students' names and schools until she comes across one that causes a vein in her cheek to twitch. She shuts the laptop before Powder sees it and quickly stands up, confusing the teenager. "Hey, I was still reading that!"

Sevika's expression is difficult to decipher for the girl, her face unreadable as she takes off her glasses and sets them to the side. "Sorry Pow, but you should finish getting ready, it's almost time to leave."

Powder pouts, furrowing her eyebrows and muttering something under her breath before giving in and trudging over to the sink mirror. Sevika's eyebrow quirks upwards before she speaks again. "The breakfast buffet will be opening soon, we can head down once you're done."

Powder perks up at the thought of food, looking at her mom through the reflection as she begins brushing her teeth. "Okay, I'll be quick, promise," she mumbles through a mouthful of toothpaste foam, causing Sevika to chuckle at her antics. The teenager finishes her routine in record time, changing into her outfit for the day and grabbing her bag before looking up at her mother expectantly.

Sevika takes one last look around the room to make sure they’ve got everything before grabbing her key card and opening the door. "Alright, let’s go see what kind of fancy hotel pancakes we’re in for." Powder giggles and bumps her shoulder playfully as they walk down the hall towards your door, already buzzing with nervous excitement for the day ahead.

The telltale knock ringing through your room brings a smile to your face as you slip the last of your necessities into your bag before sliding it onto your shoulder. "Coming!"

You open the door to find Sevika and Powder waiting on the other side, the latter bouncing on her toes. "Good morning!" she exclaims brightly, her excitement evident. The older woman beams at her daughter before giving her regards as well, a look in her eye that she reserves specifically for you. Biting the inside of your cheek, you step forward and let the door close behind you as you address Powder.

"Good morning, kid. You ready for a long day?"

"Born ready!" Powder grins, throwing a playful salute before linking her arm through yours. "And don’t worry, I’ve got my game face on."

Sevika hums at the theatrics, falling into step as the three of you head toward the elevators. Her shoulder lightly brushes yours, just once, but it’s enough to send a quiet spark through your morning haze, and you feel ready to face the day ahead.

Once you reach the lobby, you're immediately greeted with the most enticing smells you've ever experienced, and you follow them to the dining hall you had dinner in the night before. Spread before you across multiple tables is an array of breakfast food, sweet and savory alike, and it's evident how the convention is sparing no expense on any detail of this weekend.

The three of you load up on food, making your way to an open table and sitting down. Powder digs in like she hasn’t eaten in days, causing her mom to raise an eyebrow at the sight before shaking her head fondly. "Slow down, you're going to choke like that," she chides, though there’s no real heat behind it. Powder hums, swallowing a mouthful of food before mumbling, "Sorry, it’s just so good."

You laugh softly at the interaction, taking a more measured approach to the food even with the aroma making your mouth water as well. "I have to agree with her, though. Everything looks amazing."

As you all continue to eat through comfortable conversation, other students and their families continue trickling in, taking their own seats throughout the hall. Sevika lets her eyes wander around the room, a small scowl forming as she catches sight of Gert sitting with Genevieve and presumably her teacher at a table on the opposite side of the room.

She says nothing as she faces the two of you again, bringing her coffee mug to her lips and taking a slow sip. The last thing she wants right now is another confrontation with that woman, especially in a public setting like this. You don't seem to notice, thankfully, and you all finish your meal soon after, exiting the room without incident as you head to the presentation hall to begin your day.

The area is already buzzing with activity when you arrive, students and parents settling into their seats and some of them side stage going over note cards. Powder sticks close to your side, her earlier bravado now replaced with quiet nerves as she scans the room. Sevika notices immediately and gently places her hand on her daughter's shoulder. “Hey,” she says low, “This is just a reconnaissance mission, no pressure, okay?”

Powder glances up at her mom, then at you, and manages a small nod. “Yeah…yeah, okay.”

You give the girl's arm a quick squeeze before turning toward the schedule board. That’s when you spot it; Genevieve...Lanes High School...Tracking Genomic and Clinical Evolution. You frown slightly but don’t say anything—no need to ruin the positive atmosphere you've been curating all morning. Instead, you turn back with a calm smile and say, “Alright team, let’s go what these other kids have in store for us.”

The first few hours go by smoothly, with Powder taking lots of notes and inspiration for future projects, much to your encouragement. Some of the more scientific terms go over Sevika's head, but you never fail to explain what they mean, and it warms her heart whenever you do.

You lean in as Powder observes a presentation on neural pathways, quietly explaining synaptic transmission like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Meanwhile, Sevika watches you; the way your eyes light up when you talk in depth about these topics, how animated your hands get when you're passionate. A small smile tugs at her lips before she catches herself and looks away, sipping her coffee to hide it.

When Powder finally turns to you with wide eyes and says, “That was so cool,” you. simply grin and push a piece of hair back from her forehead. “Just wait ‘til we see what you can do next year.”

Sevika’s gaze softens, just for a second, before she straightens her posture and slings an arm around her daughter's shoulder. “If she keeps this up? World better watch out.”

The hour long lunch break comes and goes, everyone visibly more refreshed and energized, ready to tackle the rest of the day.

You stretch your arms above your head as three of you finish your shared meal, groaning lightly. "Alright, back to it. We've got two more hours before the day wraps up."

Powder gives a determined nod, already flipping open her notebook. Sevika watches her daughter with quiet pride before catching your eye and offering a small, reassuring smile. That tiny spark between you crackles again, subtle but present, as you return it and lead the way back into the hall.

You're only through the first couple of presentations when the student on stage concludes their demonstration and walks down the stairs to a quiet amount of applause as a board member takes center stage. Sevika and you both tense up, knowing who's next, and Powder quickly catches on when she sees Gert standing off to the side.

"And for our next presenter, please give your attention to..."

Everything else fades away as Genevieve struts out while the screen behind her lights up with the name of her project. Over the next 5 minutes, she is the epitome of cool, calm, and collected, efficiently explaining her findings and captivating the audience. When she finishes, the crowd claps moderately, many of their faces now looking nervous.

The teenager then thanks everyone for their time and walks off stage, to where Sevika can see that Gert immediately hugs her and they disappear arm in arm. She glances over at you to see how you're doing, but you give nothing away as you stare straight ahead and wait for the next presentation to begin. Squirming in her seat, Sevika crosses her arms and faces forward, paying attention to the next student speaking.

Towards the end of their demonstration, three figures appear from backstage, now walking towards the crowd, and you catch Gert's silhouette in your peripheral vision. She's talking to Genevieve's teacher when she glances your way before quickly looking over at Sevika. If looks could kill, she'd have been eviscerated on the spot, and she seems to realize that as she moves her eyes back to the woman beside her and continues walking past like nothing happened.

Neither you or Sevika say anything, but she does reach around Powder to briefly brush the back of your neck with her thumb before settling her arm behind your seat. The gesture causes your cheeks to warm, and though it almost breaks the no PDA rule the two of you set in place, you can't deny it does soothe your nerves a bit.

The rest of the presentations pass like this, every so often making small observations or sharing a look with one another. The time passes by more quickly than expected, and when the day finally draws to a close, you stretch like a cat, the tension draining from your limbs.

"Well," Sevika comments, looking around the now mostly empty hall, "that was something."

"Yeah," you agree, a small smile on your face, "but I think it was a good something." Powder has her back turned, busy gathering her belongings, so you take the opportunity to lean closer and say lowly, "All things considered."

Sevika meets your gaze, giving you a barely perceptible nod, an unspoken understanding passing between you before she looks off in the direction of where Gert and Genevieve sat down hours ago. The short haired woman opens her mouth to say something else when an audible growl rings out and you both look down at the now sheepish teenager sitting between you.

"Oops," she chuckles awkwardly, rubbing her stomach, "guess I'm hungrier than I thought."

The older woman huffs playfully and stands up, hoisting Powder's backpack over her shoulder. "Well then, let's go see what's for dinner tonight."

You and Powder both follow, feeling the slight ache in your legs after sitting for so long. As you're about to pass the threshold of the room and finally get something in your stomach, you hear someone call your name and quietly sigh before putting on your best teacher smile and turning around, already recognizing the voice.

"There she is! We were just talking about you."

Walking closer, you approach the council member who was moderating the presentations earlier, a man you've become familiar with over the last couple of years due to Ekko's previous applications. "Hello Mr. Heimerdinger, it's good to see you."

When you come to stand in front of the man, the person he was talking to steps away from him but into your line of vision, and your heart drops.

Gert is standing there as stiffly as you are, and you then take in Genevieve and her teacher completing this half circle arrangement, now calculating how quickly you can make your escape. After brief introductions are made with the other teacher — a Mel Medarda, she says, but blood is rushing in your ears so you may have misheard — Heimerdinger begins explaining how he was most intrigued by Genevieve's and Powder's projects, and though he's "not allowed to pick favorites", he's keeping an extra close eye on them.

By this point, Sevika and Powder have walked over once they saw who you were talking to, and have also been greeted by Ms. Medarda and Mr. Heimerdinger, much to Sevika's irritation.

"I was talking to Gert here about the similar passion in these two girls' projects, and to my surprise, she says you two know each other!" He looks at you with an impossibly bright smile, somehow oblivious to the tension enveloping your little group, and your brain takes a second to come up with a response appropriate enough for a public setting. "Yes, we are...well acquainted."

Gert visibly swallows at that, purposely avoiding eye contact with both you and Sevika, who is standing beside you with her hands clenched in her pockets to keep from wrapping them around Gert's throat.

Every second Heimerdinger drags on the conversation is another second you feel like screaming at the top of your lungs. Under other circumstances, you would have loved to chat with him, and even Mel, and though you do feel bad for being short with them, at the present moment, you would rather be literally anywhere else.

Like a knight in shining denim, Sevika clears her throat, effectively pausing the conversation as all eyes turn to her. She plasters a fake yet polite smile on her face, making up some excuse about low blood sugar and needing to eat soon.

"Oh yes, of course! My apologies for keeping you all so long, I just get so impassioned when speaking to the future scientists of the world," Heimerdinger explains with a hand to his chest in emphasis. Nodding in understanding, the older woman says her goodbyes before you quietly follow suit and she hastily ushers you and Powder from the room.

The walk to the dining hall is silent, and you can practically feel Sevika's stare burning a hole in the side of your face, but she doesn't say anything. Once you've all grabbed your food, you snag a table in the corner of the room and slowly begin to eat.

Out of the corner of your eye, you catch Sevika's leg bouncing up and down, and you also notice the way her jaw clenches more than normal as she chews. You've picked up on a few of the other woman's tics over these last months, and you can tell how upset she is at the moment, but you don't have the energy to talk about it.

Pushing the little bit of food on your plate around, you finally give up after a few minutes, sliding your bag onto your shoulder as you stand and pick up your plate. "I have a headache and...not much of an appetite, so, um," you scratch your temple with your free hand, "I'm gonna head up to my room and lie down." Catching the worried look on Sevika's face, you continue before she can say anything. "But you guys stay here, enjoy your dinner, I wish I could," you add with a laugh, attempting to lighten the mood.

Looking towards Powder, you place a gentle hand on her shoulder before telling her that you'll be by in the morning for a final run through before her presentation and to get a good night's rest. She replies with a quiet, "Okay, you too," before you shoot her the most reassuring smile you can manage.

Facing Sevika, the concern in her eyes and the way she's chewing on her bottom lip causes your heart to flutter, but you simply say that you'll see her in the morning and turn on your heel to walk away. The older woman watches you place your plate with the other used dishes and walk further and further out of the room until you disappear around the corner.

Once you're gone, Sevika exhales deeply through her nose like she's been holding her breath, the tension in her shoulders almost painful now. Powder turns her head, watching the expression on her mom's face intently before speaking. "Is...she okay?"

Sevika's gaze snaps back towards her and she forces a smile, nodding and smoothing the teenager's hair. "Yeah, she just needs some time to herself, don't worry about it." Powder seems unconvinced, her frown deepening before Sevika pats her leg. "I promise. Now finish your food, I know you're hungry."

Once Sevika asks the girl about the presentations they'd seen earlier, she opens up and begins listing her favorites, going into such deep detail that the older woman occasionally has to ask for explanations. Eventually, they finish their meal and walk over to the elevators, but not before Sevika grabs some food to take up to you.

At the same moment, you're splayed across your bed, three mini bottles of tequila keeping each other company in the trash can next to the door. After you had gotten back to your room, all the energy from earlier in the day had been siphoned from your body, and the first thing you thought to do was rifle through the mini bar.

You didn't take more than you could handle — or afford — but the effects of the alcohol took hold the moment it hit your tongue. Being on an empty stomach sped up the process, and your exhaustion took hold of you soon after downing the containers.

Rolling onto your back, you hear three gentle raps at your door and a subsequent, "It's me." Lying there for a second, you debate whether to open the door, not wanting to talk to anyone at the moment but also knowing Sevika doesn't deserve to be ignored.

The logical part of your brain wins, so you drag yourself from the comfy mattress and trudge over to open the door, the puppy eyes of the other woman greeting you immediately. "Hey. I wasn't sure if you were even awake, but um," she brings the arm behind her forward, revealing a paper take out container, "I brought you some dinner. The granola bars in the welcome baskets aren't as filling as they look."

Her attempt at a joke doesn't go unnoticed, and you crack a hint of a smile, much to her relief. "That was sweet of you, thank you." You take the container from her, hands brushing and warming your skin up.

Sevika tells you it was no problem and scratches the back of her neck, unsure of how to approach the subject she wants to. "I'm not trying to push, I swear, but...I just wanted to see how you were doing. After earlier."

Biting your tongue, you look into the other woman's eyes, every emotion she's feeling on display for you to take in and pick apart. Exhaling through your nose, you look down the hall before reconnecting your gazes and leaning against the door frame. "I'm okay. Been better."

She nods slowly, having expected more of an explanation but still glad you don't seem too upset. "That's good."

At that moment, you begin feeling pressure in your temple and know that you'll have a full blown migraine soon. "I don't mean to be rude, but I can feel a headache coming on, so I think I'm gonna go eat and then try to get some sleep, it's been a long day."

Her lips slowly part before she licks them and gives you a closed mouth smile. "Of course, we have a long day tomorrow, so..." She straightens up and wrings her hands for a moment before sliding them into her back pockets and shifting her weight. “Get some rest,” she murmurs, voice low and warm. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

You nod, already feeling the weight of exhaustion pulling at your limbs. “Yeah, good night.”

The door clicks shut softly behind you, and Sevika lingers for a moment in the quiet hallway, listening to your footsteps fade before turning to walk back to her room. Her jaw unclenches just slightly, but her mind’s still racing; half worried about you, half still upset over Gert’s constant presence, both physically and emotionally. She takes a deep breath before opening her door and strolling in, not wanting Powder to think anything is wrong.

Back inside your room, you eat a few bites of the food she brought — warmed to the perfect temperature — and set it aside before brushing your teeth and crawling under the covers. The alcohol hums quietly in your veins, softening the edges of your thoughts just enough to let sleep tug at you.

But, even as your eyes drift shut, her face is there.

That wicked smirk, judgmental look in her eyes, condescending tone. Try as you might, nothing pushes that image out of your head, even as you toss and turn and change positions. After you throw the covers back to grab your emergency sleeping pills, you finally fall asleep soon after, scenes from your past chasing after you.

Chapter Text

After a night of restlessness, you're standing over your sink, splashing water on your face to both calm your nerves and fully wake yourself up. "Just relax, after this weekend, you'll be home and you'll never have to see her again." Repeating this a few more times in your head, you finally feel settled enough to begin getting ready, pulling your clothes on while ignoring the anxiety tingling at the base of your spine.

Sevika wakes to the alarm on her phone blaring and groans loudly, reaching to turn the god awful noise off before sitting up on the edge of the bed and blinking to clear her vision. She stretches her arms and looks over her shoulder, a small smile spreading on her face when she hears Powder's gentle breathing, her daughter buried under the covers, head nestled into the pillow. Standing and cracking her back, she walks over to the teen and gives her shoulder a gentle nudge, voice soft as she murmurs, "Hey, kiddo. Time to get up."

The two of them going about their morning is a stark contrast to yours; soft giggles and positive affirmations versus biting cuticles and pacing the room.

Sevika watches as Powder ties her hair into two small pigtails, laughing at something the younger girl said before grabbing her prosthetic and sliding it on. "You ready to go crush it today?" she asks, voice warm with pride. Powder beams up at her mom before nodding vigorously, shrugging her jacket on and grabbing her bag.

Meanwhile, you’re standing in front of your mirror again, adjusting your shirt for the umpteenth time even though it’s perfectly fine. You force a smile that doesn’t reach your eyes and whisper to yourself: "Just get through today.”

By the time you're knocking on Sevika's door, you've plastered on your best smile, shoulders squared and head held high. Even if you don't feel your best, you'll be damned if you show it.

The door opens seconds later to reveal the older woman, and the look she shoots your way is enough to put the smallest crack in the armor you're sporting. She takes in your appearance for a moment, gaze lingering on the outfit you've put together before bringing it to your eyes and flashing a crooked grin. "Morning," she murmurs, holding the door open further.

Brushing past her with a simple nod of your head, a thick eyebrow quirks upwards at your lack of a reaction.

"Hi Powder, you all ready for your big day?"

Powder, already bubbling over with excitement, bounces on her toes and nods energetically. "Never been more ready!"

You and Sevika both chuckle at the sight of the teen's enthusiasm, and though your smile is seemingly genuine, the other woman is watching you carefully, concern creasing her brow. She senses you're not as fine as you're letting on, but she also knows that pushing you will only make you push back, so she stays quiet for the moment.

Sevika grabs her keys and gives you one last glance—soft, searching—before nodding and falling into step beside you. “Lead the way,” she murmurs, close enough that her shoulder brushes yours. Powder skips ahead, already chattering about Ekko’s reaction to her presentation prep, but Sevika keeps her attention on you—the set of your jaw, the slight tremor in your hands you think no one sees.

You don’t notice how she subtly shifts to walk between you and the rest of the world. You don’t see how her fingers twitch like she wants to reach for yours.

Upon reaching the lobby, Powder immediately spots Ekko through the crowd, speed walking over before standing behind him and tapping his shoulder. "Excuse me, sir."

He turns out with a confused expression until he sees the girl before him and a wide smile overtakes his features. "Oh, hey Powder. I didn't recognize your voice."

The blue haired teenager giggles at nothing in particular before seeing his parents walking up at the same as you and Sevika. After exchanging pleasantries, you all begin walking over to the breakfast buffet and going over last minute notes while you grab a table.

"So just remember to smile as you speak, making eye contact with the judges every so often, they like that." Looking over at Powder, you smile gently before telling her, "And take a small pause after every couple of sentences, you don't have to rush through the presentation to make the time limit." That gets a stern salute from the girl, causing you to shake your head with a smile before everyone wraps up their meals and sets out for the main hall.

Once inside, you take in the amount of people already seated and inhale deeply before letting it out through your nose. Turning toward your two students, you place a hand on each of their shoulders before looking between each of their eyes. "Listen guys. I just want to say..." You feel yourself getting a bit emotional and have to swallow the lump forming in your throat. "I am beyond proud of the both of you. Powder, for making this far your first try, and Ekko, for never giving up and sticking to your guns, you guys are extremely special kids. No matter what happens out there today, this is just the beginning for you both, and I'm so grateful to have been a part of it."

Both of their eyes are misty by this point, and you pull them into a group hug, feeling the way their arms wrap around you tightly. "Thank you for everything Teach, we couldn't have done this without you, not even close." Powder speaks up first before you feel Ekko nodding and agreeing shortly before the three of you separate. "Yeah, no one else would've let me submit the same project three years in a row and not convince me otherwise." You laugh at that, patting his shoulder in agreement before turning to their parents and telling them it was time.

Sevika observes this quiet exchange with a growing admiration, how gently yet confidently you speak to the children, how at ease they are in your presence. She watches as you embrace the teenagers and feels a stirring in her chest, the corners of her lips tugging into a fond smile.

"You've got this, baby. Just breathe, speak from your heart, and remember—no matter what happens up there, I’m so damn proud of you." Her voice is low but firm, eyes glistening with the kind of love only a mother could carry. She pulls back and cups Powder’s face for a second, thumb brushing her cheek before letting her go.

Powder nods quickly, swallowing hard but smiling through it. “I love you.”

“Love you more,” Sevika whispers. "Now go kick some ass." Winking

As the students are called to line up backstage with their presentations ready to begin shortly, Sevika stops you from walking away with a light hand on your elbow. "I, um...just wanted to say thank you. For everything you've done for Powder, but also..." Her eyes search your own with a look that feels much too intimate for a public setting, but you can't bring yourself to look away. "Everything else." She clears her throat. "You know."

You do know, and the thought brings a specific warmth coursing through your bones that you haven't felt in ages. Bringing your bottom lip into your mouth in an attempt to hide a face splitting smile, you tell her, "Of course, Sevika. It's been an honor."

She steps back with a polite nod and closed lip smile, sliding a hand into her pocket and giving you a small wave with the other. Returning the gesture, you turn around and begin following your students backstage, stomach flipping with anticipation.

The hall hums with nervous energy as presenters take their turns, names called one after another. You stand slightly off to the side, hands clasped behind your back, watching Powder pace quietly in place and Ekko shake his nerves out.

Sevika is near the middle of the room, just far enough that she won’t distract but close enough to see every second of her daughter’s moment. Arms crossed, jaw tight, but her eyes never leave the stage.

When the girl's name finally echoes through the speakers, a hush falls over your corner of the crowd.

She takes a deep breath and looks at you for a heartbeat.

You nod once, and she walks out.

Taking center stage, Powder plants her feet and takes a deep breath before surveying the crowd. She doesn't speak for several seconds, and you're just about to whisper her name when she brings the microphone to her lips and introduces herself. "Hello everyone, my name is Powder..."

Breathing a sigh of relief that she didn't freeze on the biggest stage of this competition, you step back and stand next to Ekko, who looks just as nervous as you feel. Over the next five minutes, the blue haired girl clearly and concisely presents her project, captivating the judge's and audience's attention alike. Even you, who has seen this demonstration more times than you can count, are enthralled with how confident she seems, feeling a sense of pride swell in your chest. When she finally finishes, it's to thanks from the judges and moderate applause, but one person is easily heard above the rest.

"Powder, that was incredible!" Unable to keep your volume at an appropriate level, the teenager runs into your arms and hugs you before pulling away and covering her cheeks with both hands. "Oh man, I can't believe I just did that!"

You smooth her hair gently, smiling wide. "I can. Like I said, you've been ready for this, all you needed was a little confidence. And just now, you were unstoppable."

Powder's cheeks flush at the praise, glancing behind you and waving to Ekko as he steps up to give her an equally big hug. "That was incredible, Pow, you killed it."

From this angle, only you can see the way she lights up at the compliment, and you send her a knowing smile when your eyes briefly lock.

The two separate when Ekko's name is called, the boy then turning to you to do the handshake you crafted together almost three years ago. "Go get 'em, kid."

Dusting off his shirt, Ekko strides forward and takes his spot in front of the judges table, the epitome of confident.

You watch as he launches into his presentation with the same precision and quiet fire he’s always had—the way he pauses just right, how his hands move like he's conducting science itself. Emotion pricks at the corer of your eyes, bittersweet; you’ve watched this boy grow from a nervous freshman into this young man—calm, capable, unshakable.

And when he finishes to quiet, nervous applause and impressed looks from the council members, you know he executed exactly what he came here to do.

Powder grabs your arm and jumps once, squealing. “He killed it!”

You laugh breathlessly. “Yeah…he really did.”

Once he walks back over to the two of you, you lead them both down the stairs and into the audience to watch the rest of the presentations.

The next couple of hours are torture.

The judges shuffle papers. The audience murmurs. The pit in your stomach grows.

Finally, you see Heimerdinger taking center stage before clearing his throat into the microphone. "Hello students, teachers, parents. Firstly, the board would like to thank you all for your participation this weekend..."

Out of the corner of your eye, you see Sevika's knee bouncing uncontrollably, and without thinking, you place a gentle hand atop it and squeeze. The gesture causes her to stop the motion, but simultaneously blanket her stomach with warmth. Sliding your hand off of her leg and back into your lap, you purse your lips in anticipation as you tune back in to what the council member onstage is saying.

"...And with that, we will now be announcing the top ten presentations before declaring our top three winners! Students, when you hear your name, please walk up the stairs and join me on stage in a single line."

Your pulse hammers in your throat as Heimerdinger begins reading names—each one sending a jolt through the crowd.

Powder’s hand finds yours, small and trembling. You squeeze it without looking over. You can’t.

"From Zaun High School, Ekko...”

Quiet gasps. Ekko hugging his parents.

Then—

“From Zaun High School, Powder...”

The girl's head is instantly buried in Sevika's neck, turning around to hug you quickly before letting go as you whisper, “Go on,” both students rising with wide eyes and shaky legs. They turn to you and you give them each a nod that says everything: I knew you could do it.

They walk up together, beaming smiles and trembling hands.

You watch from your seat like they’re stars taking their place in orbit.

The moment is briefly disturbed when you hear Genevieve's name called, but it's instantly replaced with joy at the realization that the girl you helped raise is being recognized for her brilliance. Even when you briefly catch Gert's eye, your smile doesn't falter.

Once all ten students are standing on stage, Heimerdinger asks for a round of applause to commend their hard work, and the audience erupts into cheers and whistles.

The sound wraps around you like a wave—pride, relief, joy—all of it threatening to spill over. You clap hard, hands stinging, eyes locked on Powder and Ekko as they stand tall among the best of the best.

Sevika leans in, voice low but clear despite the tremor beneath it. “They did good.”

You turn to her and smile, wide and unguarded. “They did amazing.”

She doesn’t look away, and for just a heartbeat too long, the noise fades again—the crowd fading into a background hum as you hold each other’s gaze like its own kind of declaration.

Then Heimerdinger clears his throat again.

“Now… for our top three.”

Gripping the armrests of your chair, your knuckles burn as Powder and Ekko stand a little straighter, shoulders back, faces surprisingly neutral. You find Sevika holding her breath as the silence stretches on, the air in the room buzzing with suspense.

Finally, the moment arrives.

"In third place..."

Chapter Text

"In third place..."

Mr. Heimerdinger pauses again, and you're about ten seconds away from rushing the stage and grabbing the card from his hand to announce the name yourself. Sevika looks even more impatient, the noticeable vein in her neck pulsing with her erratic heartbeat. Discreetly sliding your hand into hers to ground the both of you, you take a deep breath as she lightly squeezes it.

"The student who will win $10,000 in scholarship funds…"

You have to cover your mouth with your free hand to stop from blurting out something that will get your students disqualified and you dragged out of the hall. Heimerdinger then waves his hand in the students' general direction as he continues.

"Congratulations to Genevieve…"

Freezing in place, you can see the girl's eyes widen momentarily, almost in disappointment, before she walks forward to take her place at the front of the stage. She shakes the professor's hand and accepts the trophy he passes onto her, waving to Gert and Mel, who've made their way closer as the former is beaming with tears in her eyes.

Watching the scene between them unfold brings a watery smile to your own face, the realization that had everything not happened the way it did, you would've been standing over there too. You have to look away and blink your brain back into focus, willing yourself to keep your eyes on the short man on stage announcing the next winner.

"In second place, and the recipient of $25,000…"

Another pause for effect.

"Congratulations Powder—"

That's all that leaves Heimerdinger's mouth before you and Sevika are launching to your feet and cheering at the top of your lungs, the woman's large arm wrapping around your shoulders as she pulls you in for a tight hug.

"That's my daughter!" Sevika shouts, voice cracking on the last syllable, and a small lump forms in your throat to match.

Powder still hasn't moved, rooted to her spot as Ekko nudges her forward with a smile and a whisper of something you can't make out. That seems to get her moving, cheeks pink and eyes wide as she rushes to take the professor's outstretched hand. She then shuffles forward to stand next to Genevieve, turning the slightly bigger trophy over in her hands with a grin of disbelief.

"And finally! For our first place winner, who will be also walking away with $50,000 to apply towards the university of their choice…"

The nervous feeling from only moments ago returns, growing even bigger than before as your eyes dart to your other student on stage. Ekko is the complete opposite of you at the moment: face stoic, hands in his pockets, glancing around with the faintest hint of a smirk. A quick huff leaves your mouth as you shake your head in amusement.

As least one of us isn't freaking out.

"Congratulations to…"

You could hear a pin drop with how silent the hall is. Some students up front look sick to their stomachs, others look annoyed with how long this is dragging on. One even looks close to fainting.

"Ekko—"

"Oh my god!" You and Ekko's mom yell simultaneously before the woman stands and squeezes you in the tightest hug you've ever gotten from her, his dad whistling as loud as he can with his hands cupped around his mouth.

The boy's eyes slide shut and his head drops forward, staying that way for a few seconds before he raises it high and strolls forward to the man with the microphone. Shaking his hand firmly, Ekko suddenly lets out a whoop of his own as he walks over to Powder with his large trophy, the girl wrapping him in a crushing embrace.

Confetti starts to fall from the ceiling as Heimerdinger's voice rings through the speakers, once more thanking all of the students involved and asking for a final round of applause. Every parent, guardian and teacher in the hall erupts with cheers, the three teenagers at the front being showered with congratulations.

Heimerdinger catches your eye and subtly nods his head in the direction of your students. You waste no time telling Ekko's parents and Sevika to follow you, and you lead the small group up the stairs onto the stage. Powder and Ekko embrace their parents right away, showing off their trophies and talking animatedly about how it felt having their names called.

You're standing a bit off to the side, watching everyone interact when Powder calls you over. "Teach! C'mere!"

Making your way over, the girl gives you a huge hug that you return, lips trembling when you feel Sevika wrap her arms around you both.

When you all separate, the blue-haired teenager raises her trophy in your direction. "This is yours too. I couldn't have done this without all your help."

"Powder…" you pout, letting out a choked laugh as you tip your head back to keep your tears from falling.

She giggles at your reaction before pulling her phone out and waving it animatedly. "Picture time!"

You all manage to get ones together; you with both of your students, the kids with their parents, one of all of you that another student's parent takes.

Right when you finish taking some with Powder and Sevika—who boldly slid her hand around your waist—you hear a voice pipe up from behind you.

"Can I get one with you?"

Whipping around, you find a very nervous looking Genevieve and your eyes widen. "H-Hi."

She glances at the two figures beside you and nods in acknowledgement, receiving the same in return before they look at you in confusion.

"I actually didn't want a picture, but uh, I was hoping I could talk to you."

Your eyes instantly search the space behind her but she already knows what you're looking for. "Don't worry, I sent my mom on some random errand so she'd be busy for a while."

Taking in the girl's expression, you brush Sevika's hand before looking at her and Powder with a close lipped smile. "I'll be right back, okay?"

The older woman doesn't look happy, partially worried this is a trap set by Gert, but she knows how much you care about Genevieve so she doesn't try to stop you.

"We'll be right here if you need anything, okay?"

You thank her quietly before following your former stepdaughter backstage where it's quieter. Hidden behind a heavy curtain, the girl stops and looks around to make sure no one else will be able to hear this conversation.

"I'm not really sure how else to say this, so…" she licks her lips, "…I know what happened between you and my mom."

In a split second, your heart drops to the floor and your lips part in surprise. "What—What do you mean? How?"

She avoids eye contact for several seconds until she finally looks over while wringing her hands together.

"I heard her talking to someone about it, like, a couple days ago and—that's…I know she's the one that had the affair. Not you."

"I…"

You're at a loss for words. You had always wanted to be able to tell Genevieve the truth, you've thought about it for years, but now that it's happening this way, you're not sure what to say.

"When my mom said she started dating Lest after you and her broke up, I always had, like, a weird feeling about it, and now I know why. And there was something about texts between you guys but I'm not sure what that part was about," she adds.

Hearing that name raises your blood pressure through the roof and a bitter laugh leaves your lips. "That…that is something you don't need to worry about, trust me."

Genevieve then shuffles closer, hands twitching like she's waiting to say something else. After a long glance between your eyes, she finally speaks.

"Look, I know that I was just a kid back then and everything that was happening was obviously adult stuff, but…I really missed you. Even though I was so mad 'cause I thought you messed things up with my mom and left us behind, I thought about you, like, all the time."

A quiet sob leaves your chest as your vision blurs and you hold your breath to not scare her off. "Really?"

She nods solemnly, lips quivering as she rushes forward to circle her arms around your waist, just like she would when she was little. The sensation opens the floodgates and both of you start crying into the embrace, bodies shaking as you hug her tighter than you've held anyone in years.

"I'm sorry," she mumbles into your chest, and you shake your head as you run a hand over her hair.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, you hear me? None of that was your fault."

"But if I had asked earlier, maybe—"

"No. I promise you, you wouldn't have been able to change anything."

You feel her nod and let out a shaky breath, and you hold her even tighter. After a few minutes, both of you are back to yourselves and you're wiping her eyes with a pack of tissues you stashed in your pocket specifically for today.

Soon, you two are cracking jokes and she's catching you up on what she's been up to since you saw her last. Then, her phone starts ringing and when she looks at the screen, she sees her mom's name scrolling across the top.

Wincing, she shows you before answering the call.

"Hi, mom…Yeah, I'm just with a friend right now…Okay, I'll meet you there."

She hangs up and lets out a deep sigh, looking at you with a sad smile. "It's been so tense since I found out, I don't know how to tell her I know."

"Wait, what?" you blurt.

Shrugging one shoulder, she looks at you timidly and you see the little girl you met so many years ago.

"Well, just…I don't want to tell you what to do, but maybe it should be sooner rather than later, the last thing I'd want is for you to build resentment towards her. Or if you want to wait until after you leave for college, you can do that too. Wait, where are you going to go?"

That starts up another conversation and Genevieve soon gets a new text from Gert again asking where she is.

"Okay, I really have to go now, but I wanna stay in contact. Would it…be okay if I got your number?"

"Of course! Here."

The two of you exchange information and you give the girl another long hug before she scurries off to wherever she has to be. Checking yourself in your phone camera, you try to fix yourself up as best you can before you head out to everyone.

When you get back to the group, Heimerdinger has now joined them and you walk over to greet him. Before you can, a warm hand reaches out to yours and you find Sevika looking at you with concern written all over her face.

"How did it go? You were gone a while."

You give her a nod and a wide smile, still on cloud nine from the reconciliation. "Yeah, it went really well actually, we talked it out and have each other's numbers now so we're going to talk soon. I'll tell you about it later."

A crooked grin greets you in return and both of you turn to face the professor speaking to everyone, the man's eyes instantly landing on you. "Ah! There you are, I was just singing your praises."

One of your eyebrows quirks in curiosity. "You were?"

"Yes! I was telling them all how we've never had a teacher with multiple students placing in the top ten, let alone taking the top two spots." He clears his throat. "Have you ever thought about taking on a role with more responsibility, perhaps…this fair's committee?"

The question catches you completely caught off guard, feeling the way everyone's eyes settle on you, and when you catch Sevika's confused frown, your skin starts to feel too tight for your body.

"Oh, I don't—I've never, um—"

He cuts you off before you're able to fully turn him down, declaring, "Just…think about it, hm? I can send you more details in the coming days."

Leaning closer so only you can hear, he whispers, "Between us, one of the board members is contemplating retirement and we could really use someone of your talents in her place."

He takes a small step back to invite everyone back into the discussion, sending a private wink your way. "Well, I shall let you all get back to celebrating, I know the students are itching to do so, and congratulations once again!"

Nodding at the two winners among the group, he pats their arms as a final goodbye before shuffling away and disappearing down the stairs. You stare after him, actively chewing your bottom lip in contemplation.

Only when Powder and Ekko hold up their trophies and let out matching laughs do you snap back to reality. Just a few minutes ago, Genevieve told you she wanted you back in her life and now Heimerdinger was basically offering you a job? It was enough to give anyone whiplash, and you take a deep breath to keep from getting overwhelmed.

"Hey. You okay?"

Turning towards the owner of that husky voice, you find Sevika with a look of concern, and you have the urge to kiss away the crease between her eyebrows. Instead, you give her a reassuring smile and nod gingerly. "Yeah, I'm good, just…feels like things are finally turning around. Y'know?"

She matches your expression and her eyes bounce between yours as she tilts her head. "Yeah. I do."

Right after, Powder rushes up to the two of you, bouncing on her feet as she gives Sevika a dramatic bat of her lashes. "So. Mom."

The older woman narrows her eyes. "Yes, daughter?"

"Ekko just reminded me that there's gonna be a final goodbye party thing for the students after dinner. His parents said he can go if I can, so…can I?"

Powder's sporting her biggest possible smile, silently pleading for Sevika to say yes.

"Uh, what time does it end? We have to check out pretty early to catch our flight home." She rubs the back of her neck as she speaks, not wanting to dampen her daughter's mood, but also knowing that the girl normally has a hard time getting up in the morning as it is.

"Not too late! I think. Please, Mom, it's our last night."

The teenager adds a pout in to the mix and you let out a quiet laugh.

"Not to add my two cents—"

"Yet you are," Sevika grins.

"Yet I am," you nudge her arm, "but I think you should let her go. She just took second place in the whole competition, and you can both sleep on the plane. Let her live a little."

"Yeah Mom, let me live a little," Powder giggles.

That earns her a quirk of a dark eyebrow, and she tucks her lips into her mouth in return.

Sevika glances between both of you until she sighs and slides her eyelids closed. "Okay, you can go."

Powder cheers, throwing her arms around the woman's waist in gratitude. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"But…" Sevika continues when the girl pulls back, "you have to stick with Ekko the entire time, okay? I mean it. And don't go wandering after it ends, come straight back to the room."

"I don't think she'll have a problem with that," you mumble, and Sevika looks over her shoulder at the same time Powder quickly shakes her head.

Running your tongue over your teeth, you wink at Powder when the older woman turns back around, and she ducks her head to cover her blush.

A few minutes later, the three of you, along with Ekko and his parents, are walking over to the dining hall to enjoy the last banquet meal of this trip. As you're all filling your plates, you can't believe that the weekend's already come to a close; months and months of preparation paid off in the best possible way, and both of your students will be going home winners.

Sliding into your seat at a table in the middle of the room, you join the conversations that end up flowing naturally for the next two hours. When everyone is finished and you're some of the last people left, you all stand to say your goodbyes.

Ekko's mom is the first to hug you, already sniffling by the time you pull apart.

"Thank you so much for everything you did for Ekko these past three years. Any other teacher would've told him to try something new, but you," her voice quivers, "you believed in him and dragged his stubborn behind to the mountaintop."

"Mom…" Ekko grumbles in embarrassment.

"Oh, stop, it's true!" She turns to him and pinches his cheek for good measure, causing everyone to laugh.

"So, the board will reach out with how to set up the fund with his winnings?"

You nod once, straightening up a bit as you slip back into teacher mode. "Yes, Mr. Heimerdinger and myself and are very well acquainted by now and he's assured me that all of the necessary information will be passed on this week."

"Ah! That's perfect." She gives you another brief hug before stepping back so her husband can show his thanks.

Your exchange with him is shorter but still full of gratitude, and you're then scooped up in a sneak attack by Ekko.

"Hey, be careful!" His mom shouts.

Ekko laughs before squeezing tighter and letting go altogether. "I really couldn't have done this without you, Teach." He claps his hand on your shoulder. "Thank you for everything."

Your own eyes start to mist up as you look at him. He's no longer the quiet, shy boy you met the first week of school almost three summers ago; now he's an older, wiser, young man that you're so proud to call your student.

"Are—are you…crying?"

His remark makes you notice the tears threatening to spill down your face, and you look away with a laugh as you choke out, "What, no! It's just…ugh, allergies."

Ekko chuckles at that, and you discreetly wipe your eyes as his parents say their goodbyes to Sevika and Powder. The two teenagers get their reminders about tonight from their parents before they walk towards the large doors of the room and turn the corner.

The boy's mom is the first to speak. "We'll be in touch back at home then, have a safe flight all of you!"

She walks away hand in hand with her husband, all of you waving until they turn around and exit the room.

In your peripheral vision, you see Sevika turn towards you with her hands in her back pockets. "So, did you maybe, have any…plans for the rest of the night?"

You spin to face her, clutching the edge of the table in both of your hands. "Hmm, not really. Did you have anything in mind?"

She tries to keep eye contact with you but fails after a few seconds, dipping her head with a nervous laugh and rocking forward until her bangs brush your cheek.

Leaning back, Sevika stands tall and shrugs nonchalantly. "I did, if you were interested in conversation and maybe a mini bottle of champagne back in my room?"

The hopeful sparkle in her eyes causes a flutter in your chest, as if you'd ever dream of turning her down. "Yeah, I think I can handle that."

A wide smile blooms on her lips, and she gestures an arm outwards. "After you, then."

Her almost goofy charm has you biting your lip to keep from squealing as she falls into step beside you on the way to the elevators. Pushing the button to your floor, the two of you walk further in and stand on opposite sides of the space, content with simply staring at each other in the comfortable silence.

When the doors ding open, she lets you walk out first but quickly catches up, arm brushing yours through the fabric of your clothes. She speeds up to reach the door first, sliding her card in the designated slot until it unlocks and slowly pushes forward.

It barely opens a few inches before she yanks it shut and whips back around with her lips pursed.

"Everything okay?" you ask with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, it's just…" She looks embarrassed. "Powder left the room a mess this morning and you shouldn't have to see that."

You giggle at her explanation, fully believing it by how you've sometimes seen the teenager's room at home. "Of course."

"But we can go to your room if you want, and I'll take care of the bill from the mini bar. Obviously," she offers.

Jerking your head behind you, you lead the woman on the short walk down the hallway and open your own door, propping it open for her to walk in. "Ladies first."

That rouses a deep laugh from her, and she ducks her head in thanks as she brushes past you. Once inside, you lock the door and toe your shoes off next to Sevika's, groaning as you stretch your arms above your head.

"Tired?"

Blinking at the other woman, you nod in agreement and drag yourself over to plop down on the couch. You can see she's looking at something on the table, but the width of her back is blocking it from your view.

"What's that?"

She turns around holding an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne in one hand and a handwritten note in the other. "I guess the board decided you deserved more than what the mini bar had to offer."

Quirking your lips, your eyes flick from the paper to the bottle to the flutes propped on the table. "Can you bring that over here, please?"

Sevika obliges, strolling over and taking the spot next to you as she hands the note over while placing the bucket on the floor. Reading the letter, your lips form into a pout as you take in the kind words the committee members had to say about you.

"Well, that was nice of them."

"Very." She looks to you for confirmation to open the bottle and you nod, wincing at she points it away from you both and opens it with a loud pop.

Waiting to see if anything will spill over, Sevika grabs the flutes and pours equal amounts of champagne into both before handing you one. You raise them together and she fixes you with a curious expression.

"Time for a speech, I think."

Blinking once, you wrack your brain for something that could even come close to describing the whirlwind that was this weekend. After a few seconds more, you decide on something short and honest.

"To new beginnings and clean slates. For all of us."

Sevika's glowing smile is infectious and you hold her gaze as you thread your arm around hers before raising your glass to your lips, letting the bubbly liquid slide onto your tongue. She does the same, your forearms looped together as she seems to follow suit but instead finishes her entire glass in one long gulp.

"Ah. That's good stuff."

"Apparently," you tease.

"Hey, you can't blame me. I've barely slept in days cause of this damn competition, worrying about you two."

That catches your interest and you noticeably perk up. "Me too?"

Sevika looks sheepish now, like a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar. "Yeah, you know, this was obviously a lot of pressure for you, having to make sure both the kids were doing okay, among—"

She thinks about her run in with Gert the first night here and how you know nothing about it, making sure to keep it that way.

"—everything else, and I would stay up late thinking about how you were doing."

She attempts to muffle the last part of her sentence by drinking from her glass, but she's already forgotten that she finished it. Smacking her teeth in slight annoyance, she places the flute back on the floor.

"Sevika…" you whisper.

Leaning over, you cup her scarred cheek and her eyes instantly flutter shut. She nuzzles into your skin and you slowly look over her features in silent admiration.

"You don't have to worry about me. I'm an adult, I can handle my own messes."

Her head turns to give your palm a featherlight kiss before her eyelids slide open. "I know, but it doesn't bother me. I enjoy it, even."

Huffing out a noise of disbelief, you retort, "Oh, so you actually like having another person to stress over?"

Without hesitating, she responds, "If it's you, yes."

The air in your lungs disappears all at once as you stare at the woman with parted lips and raised eyebrows. "Oh…"

You're both stuck like that for several moments; Sevika holding herself back from making a joke to cover up what she said, and you sitting there in awe that she admitted that so openly.

Suddenly, you're surging forward to connect your mouths, arms wrapped around her neck as hers encircle your waist. The kiss is surprisingly slow, more of a declaration of feelings than anything else.

Two pairs of lips slide together languidly, soft breaths escaping in between, and your heartbeats eventually sync up without either of you realizing. Eventually, you pull apart and Sevika rests her forehead against yours as she smiles with her eyes still closed.

"You taste like champagne."

The comment is unexpected, and you double over in laughter. "You—I," a wheeze, "Yeah, I guess so?"

She huffs in return, nudging her nose against your neck until you sit sideways against the back of the couch and tangle your legs with hers. Raising your hand to her thigh, you drag it up over her ribs until you reach her shoulder and repeat the process but down her prosthetic.

Sevika watches as you grab it in both of your hands and inspect it—not with the disgust or morbid curiosity she's grown used to, but with affection. You then intertwine your fingers with her metal ones and bring them up to your lips to press a kiss to and she feels her eyes start to well up.

When you see her face, yours instantly drops and you squeeze her hand in fear you did something wrong. "Oh, I didn't—I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to—"

You start rambling in an attempt to fix the situation, but Sevika's shaking her head as a watery laugh escapes her lips and she quietly cuts you off.

"You didn't do anything wrong, it's…me."

A sigh fills the space between your bodies, and you can only watch as her shoulders rise and fall with the deep breath she takes.

"It's just that…no one else has ever treated this," she gestures to her prosthetic with her free hand, "part of me with the care you do, and it," her voice shakes, "it got to me a little."

She looks off to the side and attempts to wipe her eyes with her sleeve but you gently turn her to face you. Sevika casts her eyes downward to avoid looking at you directly, but that doesn't deter you.

"Whoa, hey." You run a thumb over her warm skin. "Can you look at me, sweetheart?"

It takes a second, but she ultimately does, and the emotions swirling in those gray pools have you wanting to track down every single person who ever made her feel ashamed about this and send them straight to hell.

"I treat it like it's part of you because it is. I may not know the whole backstory, and that's for you to tell me if and when and you're ready but," you lick your lips, "Sevika, I care about you. Every single part of you, whether it's…flesh and bones or, or steel and pins."

That gets a real laugh out of her and you smile. "Now pardon my French, but fuck whoever was immature enough to not love you the way you deserve, okay? That's their loss and something they have to work on themselves, but don't ever think that this is something to be insecure about. It's just as beautiful as the rest of you."

The use of 'love' causes her heart to skip a beat but she nods nonetheless, pressing a firm kiss to your lips as a tear finally slides down her cheek. You taste the salt and soon pull away to wipe her face, lying back against the arm of the couch and pulling her to lie on your chest.

Running one reassuring hand up and down her back and the other over her undercut, she tucks her head against your shoulder and you can feel her heartbeat through her shirt. A few minutes of silence tick by before she speaks up again.

"I do want to. Tell you about my arm, I mean."

You're a bit shocked she's willing to but you know this means a lot to her so you're determined to listen. "Okay. I'm all ears."

Her mind races about where to begin and finally lands on the beginning. For a second, she thinks about sitting up to tell you this but she knows she'll lose her nerve if she sees your face.

"One night, almost a decade ago…I was on my way home from a bar I had dragged two of my best friends to."

Sevika goes on to explain that they hadn't gone out with her in months, too busy with their newborn baby. She understood, of course, but it was getting closer to the time of her birthday and they had already told her they'd probably miss the actual event so she joked around until they finally gave in.

"It was so stupid of me," she huffs out, shaking her head. "Obviously they weren't worried about hanging out at some dumb ass bar, they had kids at home."

As she goes on, she says that she got drunk enough that she couldn't drive home, so her friends offered to take her, and then bring her back in the morning to pick up her truck.

"They put my wasted ass in the back and we took the shortcut home cause they didn't want me puking in their brand new car."

She lets out a wry laugh before she continues.

"They start arguing a little because they stayed later than they agreed to and the kids were still with the babysitter. So now, we're on this super long road with hardly any streetlights and almost a mile down, there's another car driving in the opposite direction."

Your heartbeat starts to pick up as you have a bad feeling where this story is headed.

"I'm trying to focus on not getting sick, but I can tell the other car is kind of swerving and I try to tell my friends but every time I open my mouth, I gag. And the whole time, this car is getting closer and closer and my friend driving is looking at my friend in the passenger seat, his wife, and—"

She stops to take a deep breath.

"Right before I could tell them to watch out, the…other car ends up in our lane and slams into us, head on. He was wasted and going so fast that we ended up flipping a few times and wrapping around a telephone pole 100 yards away."

You squeeze your eyes shut as she says, "The only reason I know that is because the cop in the hospital told me. That asshole wasn't wearing his seatbelt and ended up flying through the windshield so he didn't even get the punishment he deserved."

In shock, the only thing you manage to whisper is, "I'm so sorry."

Sevika nods against your chest and you feel moisture start to seep into your shirt.

"My arm ended up getting pinned between the pole and the outside of the car when the window next to me shattered. All I remember is screaming in pain and not hearing anything from my friends but I was hoping they were just knocked out."

Another shaky sigh.

"Both of my friends died on impact, something about human bodies tensing up in a fight or flight reaction. The only silver lining was that at least they didn't feel any pain."

Her body starts to shake with the force of her crying and you hold her through it.

"I passed out some," she hiccups, "sometime before another car drove by and saw everything and called the paramedics, they got me to the hospital before I died from the blood loss but they couldn't s-save my arm."

She has your shirt in an iron grip and your hand is rubbing her back as consistently as you can manage, but tears are running down your face now, too.

"When I woke up two days later, the doctors told—told me they had to amputate it at the shoulder but I c-could barely focus from all the pain medicine they gave m-me. I remember asking for my friends o-over and over and over but no one would tell me anything. For a full day," a sharp gasp, "I was in and out of consciousness and when I could finally feel the, the pain, all of it…I cried more than I had in years."

By now, you have to hold your breath to keep from sobbing with her.

"They told me neither of them survived the accident when they thought I was s-stable enough to handle the news, but I, I tried to pull all the wires off and they had to strap me d-down to the bed. It felt…"

She doesn't finish the sentence and instead turns her head to bury it in your neck.

"But the worst part about, about everything, was…" she chokes out, "was having to see the looks on the girls' faces after. Vi was only 11, Powder was 8. Th-They were so young. And Isha—she, she never even got to know them, not really."

That makes her cry harder while you're sitting there stunned at what exactly this means.

"We had talked about who," a shuddering breath, "who would t-take them in if something ever happened, but I, I didn't ever think something would."

She can't continue after that, being reduced to incoherent sounds and sobs wracking her entire body. You hold her as tightly as possible, almost an hour passing by until she calms down and is only sniffling occasionally, mumbling into your skin.

"That's why Vi calls me by my name and Powder and Isha don't. And why I had so much trouble with Vi when she was younger, she didn't see me as a parent, because I wasn't really, I-I'm still—"

A deep sigh.

"On the two year anniversary, poor Powder asked me if she could call me mom and Vi yelled at her that only their mom could ever be called that. It caused a huge fight between everyone and the girl's didn't talk for days. Even 'til now, it's the longest fight they've ever had."

Sevika roughly wipes her eyes, scoffing.

"Having to deal with the death of two people I loved while also raising their kids took so much of my focus that I didn't have the room to adjust to my new body for close to a year. One day, I was trying to take my arm off to get ready for the shower but I couldn't get a grip on it and I fell and everything hit me all at once, all the grief I had stored just…"

You feel her inhale deeply.

"And then part of me didn't feel like I was allowed to mourn my arm when the girls had lost both of their parents. It seemed so…small, in the grand scheme of things. There I was, walking around mostly in one piece when they would never get to again, so I wasn't going to complain, I couldn't."

"Sev…" you try, but she shakes her head.

"I know that's not the case now, but back then…when I snapped out of being on autopilot, I thought it'd get better but it got worse. I…" A shudder. "…I didn't think I deserved to live, like why them and not me? It was really bad, I hardly ate or slept for months. I would only get out bed to feed the girls. One night it got really bad and I got in the car and just drove and drove and ended up at some bridge I'd never been to. I got out and just stared, thinking if I really had the balls to do it. And right when I decided I'd had enough, my phone buzzed and it was Isha's baby monitor. I opened the app to see if she was okay 'cause it was only supposed to go off if she was crying, but there she was, just staring right into the camera, giving me a huge smile and babbling away."

A fresh set of tears fall onto your neck.

"I got back in the car and drove straight home, was there before they even knew I was gone. After that, every time I thought about trying something again, I would just remember that I had three little girls relying on me and that they didn't deserve to lose someone else."

Pressing soft kisses to the crown of the woman's head, you bury your face in her hair and whisper reassurances as her breathing evens out. A few minutes later, she slowly props herself up onto one elbow to look you in the eyes, her own red-rimmed and puffy with sorrow.

"I…" she starts, swallowing hard. "I know this isn't what you signed up for, and this is about the point where my baggage gets to be too much for people, so—"

"Sevika," you try to tease, but your eyes water, "you think I'm like everyone else?"

She lets out an unsteady laugh as she shakes her head. "Never."

Her hand lifts yours to run your knuckles over the scars decorating her cheek. "But if this is more than you want to take on, I...I'll understand."

A look of incredulity crosses your features and you stare at her, slack-jawed. "What are you—What?"

You have to sit up now, cupping her face with both hands. "Listen to me, Sevika. Your past doesn't define who you are. Life deals shitty cards sometimes, but what matters is that you chose to stick around for your girls. I see that clear as day, and I'm sure their parents were amazing, but you're doing the best you can with what you have."

The look on her face is so dejected, you press a quick kiss to her lips. "Which is really fucking good, by the way."

She rewards you with a sad smile and a slow blink, reminding you of a stray kitten. "You're too good to me, you know that?"

"You deserve all of it and more," you whisper while leaning back and tucking a dark strand of hair behind her ear.

Luckily, there's a box of tissues within reach and you offer it to her before taking a couple of your own and cleaning your face of tears.

The two of you then hold a staring contest for a few minutes, silently regarding the other with admiration. Eventually, the woman nudges her head forward to brush your noses together, and the hair on the back of your neck rises.

Eyes flicking back and forth between hers, your gaze drops down to her lips for a moment before moving higher. The question in your mind is answered when she gingerly connects your mouths, leaving room for you to pull back if you want to.

Instead, you sigh into hers and let her take the lead, feeling her push up onto her knees and hover over you. The kiss is tender and full of emotion, her prosthetic sliding around the back of your neck to hold you close. Your arms wrap around her waist and draw light circles over her shirt, causing her to shudder against you.

Several minutes later, your legs are tangling with hers and her chest pressing into yours has your heart beating faster, the temperature of the room rising noticeably. Sevika grinds down once, experimentally, and the gasp you release has her groaning into your mouth.

She moves to start pressing kisses against your cheek before moving down to your jaw, and then your neck. Her right hand presses flat over your stomach, fingers digging in through your clothes, and your back arches just slightly.

A taut thigh slips between your legs and you let out a noise of surprise, so her head shoots up to make eye contact. "Sorry, is that okay?"

The care in her voice wraps around you like a blanket and you roll your hips upwards to reassure her. "Y-Yes, it's good."

Grey pools visibly darken and her eyes roam your face before leaning in for another soft kiss. You lick along her bottom lip to request access and she grants it right away, moaning when your hands slide under her shirt and lightly scratch down her back.

Sevika starts grinding down more often, the friction between your clothed centers igniting a delicious flame in your lower stomach.

"Ugh, feels…good…" she grunts against your neck, and your eyes roll back at the strain in her voice.

"Uh huh," you whine.

Normally, you'd be embarrassed about being turned on by something as minimal as this, but everything about Sevika heightens your senses. When she reaches the hem of your shirt, she pulls back to ask, "Can I?"

You nod slowly, chest pounding at the fact that this is actually happening. Sitting up to give her space to tug it off, she does so with the most gentle touch and you stare up at her with pleading eyes.

Her hands roam over your ribs, the contrast between warm flesh and cool metal causing goosebumps to break out under her touch.

"You're so beautiful…" she murmurs, and you force down the part of yourself that wants to wrap your arms around your torso and hide.

"So are you," you reply instinctively, but she doesn't go for that.

"Tsk, we're talking about you right now. I know that's hard for you to do, but—"

Your hand connects with her shoulder in a soft smack before you huff in faux annoyance, and she laughs.

"That's rich coming from you, actually," you retort with a playful roll of your eyes.

Sevika's wide grin is on display as she leans in close, stopping a few centimeters short of your mouth. "How about we both work on that, hm?"

"Deal," you sigh before connecting your lips once again.

You don't think you'll ever get used to the feeling of her kisses, and you don't want to; how she teeters between affectionate and teasing drives you crazy in the best possible way.

Pulling back to sit on her haunches, the woman starts to slowly unbutton the top of her shirt and you squeeze her trim waist as you watch. You can't help but bite your lip with anticipation, taking in the jaw dropping sight before you and thinking about how lucky you are.

When she undoes the last button, you drag your nails down her torso in awe. The trail of hair the starts under her bellybutton and disappears into her pants is too enticing not to touch, so you do. Sevika shudders at the feeling of your fingers tracing her skin, and her eyes lower when you run one along her waistband.

Grabbing her by the collar, you gently pull her down for another kiss, this one growing hungrier than the others earlier. Your tongues tangle together with intensity and she braces her arms on the arm of the couch behind you.

She's just started to cup your chest when the voice of someone humming in the hallway reaches her ears. Thinking nothing of it, she starts nipping at your neck, dragging a sharp moan from you when the sound of a phone beeping twice goes off.

Pulling off of you with a quiet gasp, Sevika drops her head to your shoulder dramatically before sighing. "Damn it."

You're lying there in a daze, trying to catch your breath as you rub your forehead. "Is, uh, is everything okay?"

Feeling her nod against you, she then sits up with a shaky laugh, clearly as affected as you. "Yeah, that's just—that's Powder's ringtone, I told her I'd be in the room when she got back so she's probably wondering where I am."

"Oh damn," you say, giggling as you realize how much you two lost track. "What time is it?"

Sevika reaches into her pocket to grab her phone and check. "Shit, really late."

She stands and begins turning around in search of something. "It's way past the end of the party thing. We have to check out in a couple hours, and she should've been back hours ago, I'm going to have to talk to her about this—"

Seeing the whirlwind she's spinning herself into, you reach out and catch her hand in a gentle embrace. "Hey."

The low tone of your voice brings her back to earth and she turns to look down at you.

"It's okay. She was probably having too much fun with Ekko and didn't realize how late it got."

Plopping down next to you, she cups your face and you nudge her nose with yours. "Like us."

She nods. "Yeah. Like us."

The moment your lips connect, she shoots back. "No! Not like us, she's—she's too young!"

Breaking out into laughter, you lean your forehead on her shoulder as she looks at you in horror. A few seconds later, you sit back up and run a hand through her hair.

"I didn't mean exactly like us, just in the sense of…spending time with someone you enjoy being around."

That finally gets through her and her eyes soften considerably. "You like spending time with me?"

Huffing in amusement, you sometimes can't believe how cute the woman could be. "Yes, I like spending time with you, Sevika."

Her face is barely able to contain the smile on it and she places her hands on your thighs before giving you a sweet kiss.

You end up buttoning her shirt for her as a way to keep physical contact, a little sad she has to go back to her room. When you finish, you rise to your feet and hold out a hand to help her up. She takes it and pulls you flush against her, wrapping her free arm around your waist and gently rubbing your side.

"We can put a pin in this until we're back home. I don't like to leave anything unfinished, and you deserve better than a hotel couch, honestly."

The blunt statement leaves you flustered and you nod absentmindedly, mind already racing towards the day she makes good on her promise.

Sevika holds your hand as she walks toward the door, making sure she has her phone and room key in her pocket. When you reach for the handle, she spins you around to press you against the wall next to it.

"I know I've said this before but, you mean a lot to me, and I—" she clears her throat before continuing. "I really care about you."

Not getting a chance to answer, full lips cover your own and you fall into her immediately, repeating the pattern you've followed all night. You're about to pull away when she whimpers into your mouth and the sound sends a shock down your spine.

She bites your lip with more force than she ever has, and you know if you don't stop her now, you won't be able to later.

Covering her face with your hand, you force her backwards until she stumbles away and you lean your head against the wall behind you, taking a shuddering breath. "You're going to actually kill me one of these days, you know that?"

She only chuckles, moving forward to murmur over the skin in the middle of your chest. "Trust me, I feel the same way."

Eventually, she does leave—after a couple more 'goodbyes'—and you're left pressed against the door, hoping the throbbing between your legs will subside enough for you to get some sleep.

When Sevika opens her door, she's greeted by a sleeping Powder, bedside lamp still on and phone in hand. Chuckling to herself, she presses a kiss to the girl's forehead and turns the light off, getting ready for bed in the dark.

Once she lies down, the rollercoaster of today plays in her mind on a loop. It's not until she sees the sun rising through the curtains that she realizes she still hasn't slept, but when she remembers you all go home today, that eases her mind just enough.