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“Congrats, long legs. You’re just a walking target.” Powder rolled her eyes, folding her arms across her chest. The argument had already lasted too long. The only person who wasn’t exhausted by it was the blue-haired, skinny woman with a confident swagger in her step. Caitlyn opened her mouth and closed it again, but instead of a verbal defense, she shot Vi a glance, raising her eyebrows.
“What? You choked on your own words, Kiramman?” Powder scoffed, but she clearly enjoyed the tease.
“Well, at least I don’t look like a half-eaten tent.” Caitlyn braced her arms on her hips, waiting for a retort, but it was Vi that stepped between them.
“Ugh, can we at least pretend we’re totally normal about all this?” She sighed, but a barely visible smile skimmed her face. This was a terrible idea. How could she be so stupid to think that these two could survive longer than five minutes together? They got off on the wrong foot in the worst possible setting.
Well, not every day your girlfriend’s sister kills your mother, huh?
“It’s not me who wore a fucking cape, bitch!” Powder wasn’t going to give up so easily. No. She would never. She stepped closer, ignoring Vi, who tried to stop her before this farce went too far. The glove was thrown, though. She looked Caitlyn up and down slowly, deliberately, narrowing her eyes. “You act like the air needs your approval, two seconds away from demanding the street’s permit.” Powder shot back, shifting her weight onto one leg, hip cocked, arms folded tight across her chest. “Just walk, Kiramman. Nobody’s grading you.”
“Alright, that’s enough.” Vi raised her voice slightly. “We were supposed to have fun. Not turn this into round eight of whatever the hell this is. You.” She pointed her finger at Powder with a serious expression. “Stop poking the bear.” Then she turned to face Caitlyn. “And you can relax, Cupcake. The bear doesn’t need paperwork. Keep that fire for later.” She finished, lowering her voice.
Caitlyn’s breath caught when Vi’s stare turned mischievous. She swallowed and nodded, lips parting.
“Ugh, gross. Get a room or something.” Powder peeled away from them, head leading the motion, the rest of her trailing behind in an exaggerated, lazy sway. In another ten minutes or so, they should be there. They would survive that.
Right?
“Good. Now, where’s—” Vi grabbed Caitlyn’s hand and pulled her out of her stupor to follow Powder.
“Yo, sorry I’m late!” Powder froze for a split second and looked up from her pebble-kicking feet. Ekko skidded toward them, a wide smile plastered to his face. “Jinx, missed me, miss trouble?” He winked affectionately at her, falling into step next to her, shoulder bumping hers playfully.
“Yeah, miss trouble, did you miss your Boy Saviour?” Vi tried to hold back a laugh, yet she failed and let out an amused snort. By now, their teasing was practically a ritual.
“No need to act like you’re not affected, Powder,” Caitlyn joined, clearly happy about the turn of events. But Powder shot back a finger at her abruptly, words at the end of her tongue, only to be held back by Ekko’s hand.
“What did you call me?!” Thank Janna for Ekko being there on time. Otherwise this would’ve ended badly. Powder had been adamant about her name down in the Undercity.
No Powder. Just Jinx.
No wonder everybody struggled to remember how to address her dual personality.
“Hey, no need to get all defensive, gorgeous.”
“What the fuck, Ekko?!” Powder yanked her hand out of his grasp. She measured him with a furious, wounded glare. “You’re siding with them now?!” Both Vi and Caitlyn shared a short, knowing look and doubled over laughing.
“What?” Ekko seemed genuinely surprised. “Of course not. I’m always on your side. Like I could say no to that pretty face.” He pulled her stiff body into a tight embrace as she struggled to stand her ground with the growing laugh behind her back.
“Absolute cinema,” Vi muttered in between uncontrolled chuckles.
“Let go of me, Ekko! You’re not…” Midway through wrestling against his hold, Powder seemed to realise how close she was to his face. “...helping…” she lost her breath all at once, the word exhaled against his mouth, soundless.
“Aren’t I?” He smirked back at her and a single flicker of her eyes at his lips was all it took.
With one last tug, she freed her hands and clasped them around Ekko’s head, her lips immediately crashing into his, before he could react. The initial shock nearly sent them both onto the ground. Ekko staggered a few steps back, hands flying to hold onto Powder’s waist. Their teeth clashed once, clumsy and reckless. Neither of them slowed down. There was no point to prove. No audience they would care about. Just the desire that sparked between them, electrifying every sharp breath they tore in between frantic kisses.
Powder shoved him hard, but her hands never left his collar. The shove turned into a pull, fingers fisting the fabric as she pressed them into the wall. Their bodies crashed against cold bricks with a dull thud. She let out a breathless laugh that turned into another kiss.
“Oh my god.” Caitlyn stared at them with raised eyebrows. “Please tell me we don’t look like this.”
“No,” Vi stalled the word, leaning into the woman’s ear. “We’re hotter.” Her voice was impossibly low. She stepped closer and cupped Caitlyn’s jaw to make the Enforcer look at her. “Especially without the clothes on.”
“Vi…” It was meant to be a warning, but it came out more as a surrender, as Vi’s other hand traced the line of golden buttons on the woman’s chest. Fingers travelled down the uniform, slowly and deliberately, making Caitlyn close her eyes. Her knees buckled slightly when Vi’s lips brushed her neck. With a sigh, her eyelids fluttered open to meet the other pair’s gazes in front of her. She froze immediately, elbowing Vi sharply. Rose red blush covered her cheeks. Her shoulders tensed.
“Ouch, what was that for?” Vi pouted, taking one step back. She seemed to be less affected when she finally noticed the reason for the taller woman’s rigid posture.
“Oh no, please continue,” Jinx sing-songed, waving her hand. “We were supposed to have fun, right? Vi?”
~
The walk to Jericho’s went faster than any of them would’ve thought. No interruptions and heated exchanges. There was tension in the air, though. Restraint made Vi and Caitlyn walk much closer to each other than before. Their own world, the feelings they shared, sometimes spilled for the outside to see. It wasn’t that they were ashamed of being exposed publicly. But the stakes were totally different when there were people they actually knew involved. Unlike them, Powder and Ekko would’ve fucked themselves anywhere. Just to blow off steam and be present in the moment. Vi always thought it was insane. But… She also admired the spontaneity of it.
Caitlyn on the other hand would love to overcome her fears, but being observed for her whole life had its impact on her. Sadly.
Jericho’s looked completely different from when they last saw it. A year after the war, the place had grown beyond its bones. It seemed they weren’t the only ones who enjoyed the food there. A single counter wasn’t enough to maintain the growing demand. There were tables with actual chairs, mismatched, but not broken at least. The only thing that seemed to stay just the same as before was the smell, drifting all over the place. All of them halted at the unusual sight.
“What the hell happened here?” Vi looked around the cozy, lively place with disbelief. Powder seemed just as surprised, shooting a glance over her shoulder at Ekko. He only shrugged, hands in his pockets, like it was obvious. Maybe for him.
“It’s not… what I remember.” Caitlyn murmured, scanning the place with careful curiosity.
“Ah! My favourite customers!” Jericho appeared out of nowhere, with a broad grin spread on his face, hauling them all further into the literal garden, despite their minor protests. “I’ll get you some menus.”
Powder blinked suspiciously. “The menus?” she whispered to Ekko, covering her mouth dramatically. Better not to accidentally insult the host, who was herding them toward the table.
“Make yourself comfortable, I’ll be right back. You take off your coats.” He spun around and disappeared into the kitchen, leaving them quite stunned.
“That applies to you, toots.” Powder jabbed a finger at Caitlyn, slouching down in a chair comfortably next to Ekko.
“Me?” Caitlyn stiffened instantly. “I, uh, I can’t take that off!” Her hands rose to her chest instinctively, fingers brushing the buttons as if they were about to accidentally open on their own.
“Seriously?” Ekko leaned forward, squinting. “You’re going to boil yourself in…” He gestured vaguely at the thick fabric. “This.”
“Not to mention that fancy Enforcer attire…”
“They’re right, Cait,” Vi added, already shrugging off her own jacket. “Just take it off, Jericho hates when guests look like they’re about to leave. Makes him nervous.”
“Vi,” Caitlyn whispered urgently, leaning in. “I only have a tank top undern—” The words were meant only for Vi to hear, but Powder’s laugh cut through the space before she even finished.
“So what?!” She gestured broadly at her own chest. “Bitch, I’m wearing a crop top, no bra, and half my tits are visible from the right angle.”
Ekko hummed thoughtfully and tilted his head to evaluate the angle. “No one will even bat an eye on you,” Powder continued, leaning forward across the table. “Oh, Vi will for sure. But isn’t that what you want?” She shot them a wicked grin and Vi coughed into her fist, trying very hard not to smile.
Caitlyn looked from Powder to Ekko to Vi.
Then to the surrounding tables.
Then back to Vi.
“This is absurd,” she muttered under her breath and exhaled sharply through her nose, shoulders rising with the breath. Vi was already watching her far too closely. It wasn’t a challenge. She tried to find a valid reason to not take the damn thing off but found none. With a resigned sigh, she reached for the collar.
She slipped the coat off one shoulder, then another. The fabric slid down her arms and onto the back of the chair. She could’ve sworn that a couple at the next table stopped talking.
The only thing heard between them was Ekko clearing his throat abruptly and looking away toward the kitchen, as if Jericho himself might’ve saved him.
Vi’s eyes widened before she could stop herself and Powder… She did not look away. She leaned forward and blinked just once. Then twice.
“Well,” she said eventually, dragging the word out, “would you look at that.”
“What?!” Caitlyn’s back snapped straight as Powder made a slow, exaggerated gesture toward her chest, a wicked smile tugging at her lips.
“I didn’t realise the Kirammountains would block the view of the entire table for you.”
Ekko made a choking sound that was definitely not a laugh. Caitlyn’s pulse stumbled, and suddenly she was painfully aware of every inch of her own skin.
“The what?” she muttered, brows furrowing, even as she knew she would regret asking.
“The Kirammountains,” Powder repeated helpfully. “Majestic. Imposing. Slightly distracting.”
Caitlyn recoiled on instinct, arms crossing over herself in a flash. “Oh, for—”
“Don’t you dare, Cupcake.” Vi caught her wrists before she could fully retreat and grab her coat back. “You look fine,” she said quietly, thumb brushing over her knuckles. “More than fine.”
“There!” Jericho dropped the menus in front of them, followed by four steaming appetisers. “Let me know when you’re ready.”
The bowls hit the table with a loud thwack, snapping them all back into the present. Shaking their heads, they reached for the half-torn paperboards, scanning them as if it mattered. They all knew what they would like to order. Well, at least the locals knew. The courtesy applied mostly to the Piltie that happened to be quite picky.
Ekko and Powder compared the new listing, leaning into each other, their shoulders brushing as they tilted the menu closer.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the table, Caitlyn was staring at the menu absentmindedly. Vi didn’t even pretend she was reading through it. The thing hung loosely in her hand, tilted slightly too low.
Under the table though…
Well, it was a totally different story.
“Hey! Lovebirds!” Powder flicked her fingers a couple of times just in front of their faces. “You decided yet?” Caitlyn jolted, looking up, and Vi’s hand kept sliding slowly up her thigh and further between her legs, fingers brushing with infuriating patience.
“Uhm… N-no, I need a minute,” Caitlyn stammered, cheeks blooming pink all over again. Powder leaned sideways in her chair, raising her eyebrow.
Then lower.
Then she fully dipped her head under the table.
Caitlyn’s aghast expression turned a violent shade of red from her exposed cleavage to her ears. Powder resurfaced slowly, rocking back her chair slightly on two legs, entirely satisfied.
“Wow.”
Caitlyn opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She just watched, petrified, as Powder nudged Ekko’s shoulder. Some part of her wished for Vi to stop. The other… was too turned on to act on that.
“These two are definitely gonna fuck each other tonight.” Powder said once she got Ekko’s attention. She leaned forward and rested her chin in her hands. “Or maybe even earlier.”
“Jinx!” Caitlyn nearly choked on her own breath, shooting Vi a look, but the hand stayed exactly where it was and Vi just stared at her, her eyelids half-lidded.
Ekko just hummed around a mouthful of food. “Mhm.”
Powder pointed between them. “No, no, no, look at her. She’s two seconds away from forgetting how to speak.”
“I— I have no idea what you’re implying.” Caitlyn’s voice cracked, but she did absolutely nothing to break the burning touch underneath the table. Her fingers tightened around the menu.
“Oh please. The only thing that’s still hot here isn’t the food.” Powder tilted her head slightly, savouring the reaction. Vi didn’t even bother to look innocent. Her thumb just pressed higher.
“Jinx, your food has long been cold.” Ekko shoved the bowl straight under her chin, deadpan.
Powder didn’t even break eye contact with Caitlyn. “Worth it.”