Chapter Text
“Ready to go?” Trinity stopped behind Yolanda’s stool and let her head tip forward until it was resting on top of her shoulder. Her voice sounded small and worn.
Yolanda brought one hand up to Trinity’s head, delicately running her fingers through the strands that had come loose throughout the day. She massaged her nails gently across her skull and Trinity made a quiet noise somewhere between a sigh and a hum, leaning into the touch before she even realised she was doing it.
“I’m sorry, cariño, it might take me a while. I’ve got tons of charts to sort through right now. Some intern fucked up and I don’t know how long it’ll take me.” She turned her head and placed a soft kiss on Trinity’s temple.
Trinity sighed against her shoulder, “I’m so tired.”
Yolanda gently guided Trinity upright before pulling her into her arms. Trinity folded against her without hesitation, forehead finding its familiar place beneath Yolanda's chin. One slow hand travelled up and down her spine while soft kisses disappeared into her hair, each one lingering just long enough that Trinity seemed to sink a little further into the embrace. The surgery floor was basically empty by now, filled only by sedated patients in their beds. Even then, Yolanda didn’t care if someone was here and watching them right now; her wife needed some grounding after a long day and she was more than happy to provide.
“How about you take the car home? Go take a long shower, and by the time you’re done, I’ll be back with some pizza. How’s that sound?” Yolanda pulled back just slightly, taking Trinity’s face in her hands and planting a kiss on her forehead.
Trinity let her eyes close and sighed, “Sounds like the dream. But I’ll wait, I don’t want to leave you.”
“It’s okay, baby. Go, I’ll uber back. I don’t want you to stay so long.” Yolanda reassured and had to convince her some more, but Trinity finally agreed.
It was actually only 45-ish minutes later when Yolanda left the hospital. She was nowhere near done, but she kept thinking of Trinity at home, exhausted from her shift, and all she wanted to do was go back and hold her. When Yolanda reached the parking lot, she saw the car still standing where she parked it this morning. A quick pang of panic flashed through her head, Trinity hadn’t mentioned anything since she left the floor earlier. Yolanda paused for a second but before she could do anything else, she heard a slight whisper coming from the corner of the lot.
“Yoli, over here.”
Yolanda looked around, extremely confused, but as she walked forward, she saw Trinity sitting on the floor with a dark bundle curled up in her hands. She walked over tentatively. When she was close enough, she heard loud purring coming from the fluff in Trinity’s lap and bent down to join her on the ground.
Trinity was stroking a tiny little kitten and with every pat, the kitten snuggled further into her thighs. She was speaking so softly Yolanda could barely hear her, murmuring nonsense to the little thing as if they'd known each other for years. Yolanda extended her arm to pet it but the cat yowled before she had even grazed it, immediately pulling her hand back. The cat looked like a void between Trinity’s arms, fur a deep shade of black that was only distinguishable from her scrub pants by the stark green eyes flashing in the dim light of the parking lot.
“She was stuck in the engine. I was about to start the car but I heard a meow coming from the front, and it was the same one we had heard this morning. I don’t even know how long she's been in there. I felt so bad I cried for like 10 minutes. I’ve checked as much as I can for injuries but she seems okay.”
She looked at Yolanda with her emerald eyes bright, strikingly similar to the kitten’s, and a pout forming on her lips. Yolanda already knew what was coming. It was the same expression that had somehow convinced her to buy a five-foot skeleton for halloween because "he looked lonely," and a ridiculously expensive espresso machine because "we deserve nice coffee."
“Can we please take her home? We need to feed her something.” Trinity exaggerated her expression now, peering at Yolanda and silently pleading.
How could Yolanda ever say no to that look? But before she even opened her mouth, Trinity was already listing reasons why they “needed” to bring the cat back with them.
“We owe her at least one good meal and a bath. Who knows how long she was stuck in the engine of our car?”
“Okay okay, let me see if there’s a box or blanket we can find to keep her in. I don’t want the car to get dirty.” Yolanda stood, stretching her arms out for Trinity.
“You and your expensive leather seats.” Trinity rolled her eyes but took Yolanda’s hand anyway, letting herself be pulled up. She kept the kitten tucked close to her chest.
“You love it.” Yolanda squeezed her hand. “Go sit and I’ll head into the ED to check.” Trinity was cooing the kitten and Yolanda headed into the hospital. There must be something laying around. As soon as she entered, she saw some cardboard boxes piled up in the corner, and after checking if they were just going to head off to recycling, she grabbed one off the top.
Yolanda walked over to the car and glanced in through the window. Her heart instantly melted at the sight she saw: Trinity reclined in the passenger seat, the cat curled up in her lap. She had one hand draped over the kitten's tiny body, her fingers still wrapped protectively around it even in sleep, both of them snoring lightly.
Yolanda set the cardboard box down beside the car, there wasn't much point anymore. The passenger door was still cracked open, letting the cool evening air drift inside. Trinity had curled sideways in the seat, one cheek pressed against the headrest, the kitten tucked securely against her stomach. Sometime in the last few minutes, she'd slipped off her shoes, one lying haphazardly on the floor mat and the other half under the seat.
The kitten barely looked bigger than Trinity's palm. It slept without a care in the world, tiny paws twitching every so often as quiet purrs filled the otherwise silent parking lot. Even asleep, Trinity's thumb moved in slow circles through its fur, a subconscious motion that made Yolanda's chest ache. She wasn't even aware she was doing it.
Yolanda leaned against the open door and simply watched them for a moment. She'd always loved this version of Trinity, the one nobody else really got to see. Everyone at work knew the sharp tongue, the quick wit, the doctor who barked orders across a trauma room without hesitation. But beneath all of that was someone who cried over a frightened kitten trapped inside a car engine, who couldn't walk away knowing something was hungry or scared, who somehow managed to collect every wounded thing that crossed her path.
Most days, Yolanda suspected she'd been one of them once.
A smile tugged at her lips. She reached in carefully, brushing a strand of dark hair away from Trinity's face, "Cariño."
Trinity stirred almost immediately, brows pinching together before her eyes blinked open. It took a second for her to remember where she was. Her gaze drifted down to the sleeping kitten curled against her before lifting back to Yolanda.
Yolanda shook her head, unable to hide her smile. "I don't think we've had this cat for even an hour and she's already figured out which one of us she likes more."
Trinity’s face lit up and she beamed. “So, we’re keeping her?”
Yolanda leaned in for a soft kiss planted on the corner of Trinity’s mouth, “Yes, I don’t see how we can leave her. She obviously loves you.” She reached over and buckled Trinity's seatbelt around both her and the kitten before closing the passenger door.
By the time she'd walked around to the driver's side, Trinity was already on her phone.
"What are you doing?" Yolanda raised an eyebrow.
Trinity glanced at her sheepishly "...Nothing."
"What are you doing?"
"...Looking up kitten names." In the glow of the screen, Yolanda saw a small smile plastered on Trinity’s lips.
Yolanda sighed toward the roof. The cat hadn't even made it out of the hospital parking lot yet.
The kitten was definitely younger than 12 months so Trinity insisted they stop at the pet store on the way back and purchase some special kitten food. Of course, they had to spring for the expensive stuff, and of course, Yolanda paid.
By the time they left, they'd somehow accumulated far more than a bag of food.
A shallow litter tray balanced awkwardly beneath Yolanda's arm alongside a tiny bag of litter. Trinity carried a soft fleece blanket she'd sworn the kitten "looked at," a handful of toys, a ceramic food bowl shaped like a fish, and a bottle of kitten shampoo.
The second they stepped through the apartment door, Trinity crouched down and carefully placed the kitten onto the kitchen floor. The tiny creature froze.
Her ears flicked this way and that as she cautiously surveyed the unfamiliar apartment. After a few tentative sniffs, she padded uncertainly across the hardwood, stopping every few feet to inspect a chair leg or the corner of a rug before continuing on.
Trinity followed a respectful distance behind, crouched low with one hand resting on the floor.
"It's okay," she murmured. "Nobody's going to hurt you."
The kitten glanced back over her shoulder. Then, as if she'd reached a decision, she trotted straight back to Trinity and promptly climbed into her lap.
Yolanda laughed. "Well, that didn't take long."
The kitten stretched lazily beneath Trinity's hand before beginning to knead at her scrub pants with tiny paws, purring loud enough that Yolanda could hear it from across the room.
"Oh, sweetheart." Trinity scratched gently beneath her chin. "Were you just waiting for someone to fuss over you?"
Yolanda set the shopping bags onto the counter and disappeared briefly into the bathroom. When she returned with a large towel and a washcloth, she found Trinity exactly where she'd left her, still sitting cross-legged on the kitchen floor with the kitten sprawled upside down across her thighs.
"You know," Yolanda said, "she's going to have to move eventually."
"No, she lives here now."
"I meant for the bath."
Trinity looked down at the kitten dramatically.
"I'm so sorry." The kitten blinked. "You've been betrayed."
The bath went about as well as either of them expected. The second the kitten's paws touched the warm water, she protested loudly.
Tiny cries echoed around the bathroom as Trinity held her securely above the sink, one hand cupping her beneath the front legs while the other slowly worked warm water through the dirt caked into her fur. Grease and black grime streamed into the sink almost immediately, evidence of however long she'd spent tucked inside the car engine.
"Oh, baby," Trinity whispered, rinsing another handful of filthy water from her coat. "You must've been so uncomfortable."
Yolanda knelt beside them with a towel draped over one shoulder, carefully pouring warm cups of water over the kitten whenever Trinity asked.
"She's all right," she soothed. "Almost done." The kitten seemed unconvinced. Every few seconds she attempted an escape, planting impossibly tiny paws against Trinity's forearm before giving up and pressing herself back against the sink instead.
When Yolanda reached over to help rinse a stubborn patch behind one ear, the kitten let out the most offended little yowl she'd ever heard.
"Oh." Yolanda withdrew her hand immediately. "I see how it is."
Trinity bit back a smile. "I think she's holding a grudge."
The kitten narrowed her eyes. By the time they finally wrapped her in a towel, she resembled an indignant little puffball more than a cat.
Trinity laughed quietly as she rubbed the towel over the kitten's head. The tiny face disappeared entirely beneath the fluffy fabric before poking back out again, damp whiskers sticking in every direction.
"There you are."
The kitten answered with a dramatic squeak before promptly burrowing into Trinity's chest.
Yolanda reached over to stroke her back. Another warning yowl.
"Seriously?"
This time even Trinity laughed. "I don't think you're her favourite."
"I'm beginning to notice." Yolanda tried not to seem too offended.
The bowl of kitten food had barely touched the floor before the kitten buried her face in it. She ate so quickly that Trinity had to slow her down every few bites, gently sliding the bowl back whenever she started swallowing too fast. Every pause earned a complaint before she dove straight back in.
"Easy," Trinity murmured, running a hand down her damp back. "Nobody's going to take it away."
Yolanda watched quietly from across the kitchen. Something about the scene made her chest tighten. The kitten couldn't have weighed more than a couple of pounds, yet she ate as though she wasn't convinced another meal was coming. Here Trinity was, falling asleep in Yolanda’s arms an hour ago, now wide awake and alert, watching the kitten with an almost impossible amount of patience. She was resting her chin in her hand, absentmindedly smiling to herself. Yolanda had seen those same careful hands stop bleeding and restart hearts. Somehow, she thought this suited them just as well.
When the kitten finally finished, she licked the bowl spotless before wandering straight back to Trinity without so much as a glance in Yolanda's direction.
“What do you say we head to bed, hmm?” Trinity scratched gently beneath the kitten's chin, earning another rumbling purr.
Yolanda almost answered before she realised the question hadn't been meant for her. The voice Trinity reserved for animals was unlike any other she used. Gone was the dry sarcasm that kept the emergency department on its toes, the steady confidence she carried into every room. Instead, her words softened into something impossibly gentle, pitched just a little higher as though the kitten might understand every syllable.
Yolanda wasn't entirely convinced she'd been remembered at all. Jealous of a kitten? Now that was a new low.
She smiled to herself and crossed the room.
The kitten barely stirred as Trinity lifted her into her arms. Tiny paws hung limply over Trinity's forearm, her head tucked beneath Trinity's chin, purring uninterrupted despite being almost completely asleep. The three of them padded down the hallway.
Trinity crawled into bed with extreme caution, careful to not jostle her awake, settling against the pillows on her back while Yolanda disappeared into the bathroom to brush her teeth. When she opened the door a few minutes later, warm light came spilling into the room across the hardwood, stretching long golden rectangles into the dark bedroom. It only reached halfway across, but a sliver of a soft glow was illuminating Trinity and the kitten on bed, already snoring lightly, limbs loose against each other.
Yolanda paused in the doorway and silently took a photo; she had a suspicion this was about to become part of their daily routine. She eased down on her side of the bed and the mattress dipped. Beside her, Trinity shifted instinctively toward the movement.
"Yoli?" she murmured, her voice rough with sleep.
"Hm?" Yolanda smiled, opening an arm before Trinity had even fully woken. It was muscle memory by now. Trinity rolled into the space without hesitation, settling against Yolanda's chest with a sleepy sigh. They fit together as naturally as they always had, Yolanda's chin resting lightly atop Trinity's head while her fingertips traced slow, absent circles along her shoulder.
"Thank you." Trinity tilted her head back just enough to find her eyes.
Yolanda brushed a thumb across her cheek. "I haven't even done anything yet," she whispered. "I still have to convince her I'm worthy of existing in the same room."
Trinity huffed out a quiet laugh. "I think she's made up her mind."
"Oh, has she?"
"Mhm."
Yolanda leaned down to kiss her once. Then again, slower this time, because there was nowhere else either of them needed to be.
Trinity smiled into the second kiss before tucking herself back beneath Yolanda's chin.
"Don't worry," she mumbled, already halfway asleep again. "You're really easy to love."
The words settled somewhere deep inside Yolanda's chest.
Three years ago, if someone had told her she'd marry the snarky intern from the ED she'd have laughed them out of the room. If they'd told her that same woman would one day be asleep in her arms with a rescued kitten draped across her collarbone after spending the evening fussing over it, she might have laughed even harder.
Now, listening to two different sets of quiet snores fill the room, Yolanda couldn't imagine a life that looked any different. She reached over with one finger and gently stroked the kitten's tiny head.
One sleepy eye cracked open. The kitten regarded her for a long second before letting out the tiniest, most begrudging little mrrp and closing it again.
Yolanda smiled. "I'll win you over eventually," she whispered.
The kitten, unsurprisingly, offered no response. But she didn't yowl this time. Yolanda decided that counted as progress.