Chapter Text
Vi made her way to her kitchen, pouring some Fruit Loops and an equal serving of milk into a bowl. Caitlyn kept telling her to ‘stop eating that crap’—saying it was “hardly a nutritious breakfast”—but she bought them anyways. It reminded her of home, in a way. Just a memory could never truly bring her back to the past. She was humming a lullaby her mother used to sing to her, the sunlight seeping from the curtains and heating the wooden floors. Memories of her and Powder sitting on their old couch on the weekends flashed across her mind; Her little sister sprawled across her lap as they watched a new episode of their daily scheduled cartoon. Those were the days. When they didn’t have to worry about their future, had no responsibilities, and had loads of time to spare. The wave of nostalgia sent a shiver of warmth down her spine, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
Although she missed those moments in her childhood, her current life was certainly one to celebrate. Vi grabbed a spoon from her drawer, the cutlery softly clattering inside as she closed it.
Before she could turn around, long arms wrapped around her waist, enveloping her in a soft embrace as a head rested on her shoulder. She chuckled, placing her breakfast down before taking one of Caitlyn’s hands.
Vi caressed the back of Cait’s hand with her thumb, rubbing it in a circular motion. “Good morning, Love.” She whispered, her voice still hoarse from waking up a few minutes ago.
Caitlyn hummed in response and burrowed her face in the crook of Vi’s neck. She assumed that Caitlyn had just woken up, judging by her quiet reply. Her girlfriend was a morning person—but it took about 5 minutes of her being awake for the working gears to click into place. Vi spun around, planting a kiss on Cait’s forehead before pulling her into a tight hug. She loved these quiet mornings between them. They were beginning to be her favorite time of day. However, their clinginess didn't cease when the sun rose higher in the sky. Because they shared an apartment, Vi followed Caitlyn around like a lost puppy dog. She would complain whenever her girlfriend left her line of sight or her physical vicinity, even if it was just for a few minutes.
She knew Caitlyn would never admit it, but it was apparent that the girl didn’t mind Vi’s relentless need for attention. In fact—Vi would like to think that she enjoyed the constant company. Albeit, she may be a bit biased.
Vi ran her fingers through Caitlyn’s hair, pulling back from their hug and holding the girl’s jaw. Caitlyn’s eyes steadily met Vi’s gaze, her brain not quite awake yet. The girl’s hair was a bit of a mess, and her clothes were slightly disheveled from a long night of rest, but she still looked effortlessly stunning. Vi bit back a smirk and brought her free hand to Caitlyn’s waist.
“How was your sleep?”
Caitlyn grinned, her endearing tooth gap on display. “It was alright.” She paused, narrowing her eyes slightly. “I would’ve rested better if you hadn’t relentlessly crushed my chest with your skull.”
Vi pouted and furrowed her brows, her forehead creasing dejectedly. “But you’re so comfortable…” She whined, her thumb resting on Cait’s cheek.
Caitlyn’s eyes narrowed as her cheeks flushed to a rosy hue. After years of dealing with Violet’s relentless attempts at flirting, she never managed to attain indifference. Vi was undeniably charming.
“Whatever.” She muttered, shutting her eyes and leaning further into Vi’s touch.
Vi smiled and pressed another kiss on Caitlyn’s forehead before she turned back to her bowl of cereal. She picked it up and faced Cait, leaning on the counter casually as she scooped up a few pieces with her spoon.
“Want some?” She muttered, holding out her spoon while chewing her last bite.
“…No thanks..” Caitlyn responded, her voice distant as her expression gradually became more awake.
Vi shrugged, shoving another spoonful of cereal in her mouth. The girls strolled to their living room and sat beside each other on the couch. Caitlyn snuggled up next to Vi, resting her head on the girl’s arm. It was peaceful, quiet, and slow. Just how they liked it.
Caitlyn pulled out her phone, the blue light illuminating the dimly lit area. They hadn’t bothered to open the blinds yet—the little bit of sunlight seeping through the curtains was enough light for their early morning activities. Caitlyn’s eyes wandered down to her list of notifications, scrolling through the various alerts. Vi saw a couple of Pinterest links, unopened text messages from herself, and too many work emails.
Caitlyn suddenly stopped scrolling, her fingers stopping on a notification from her calendar app. She cursed under her breath, her body immediately shooting up from the couch before Vi could read what it had said.
“Oh my god. It’s the 30th.”
Vi raised an eyebrow, observing Caitlyn’s frantic expression. What was so special about the 30th?
As if Cait read her mind—the girl whipped her head to face Vi. “Powder’s graduation is in less than an hour.”
Vi’s face dropped, her brain short-circuiting. How could she have forgotten the day of her own sister’s graduation?
“Well shit—We’ve got to go.”
Caitlyn stood upright, hurriedly pacing in front of the couch. Her fingers ran through her hair as her body began trembling.
Her voice rose in pitch as she spoke, words shooting out of her mouth at the speed of light. “We’re almost an hour away from the venue. If we leave now, we will barely get there in time. Then we have to find parking and seats and—“
Vi placed her cereal down, walked up to Caitlyn, and grabbed her wrists to stop her relentless pacing.
“Cait—breathe.”
Caitlyn met Vi’s gaze, her icy blue eyes softening at the sight of the girl’s concerned expression. She inhaled sharply and shut her eyes. Vi started to count down from ten, the two breathing in sync. Steady breathing helped Caitlyn’s mind from overloading—Vi was always willing to do it with her.
Once she finished counting, Vi slid her hands down to hold Caitlyn’s. “It’ll be okay. Even if we’re a little late, Pow-Pow’s gonna be near the middle. If we get ready promptly, we should be out the door by 9.”
Caitlyn nodded, her eyes glassy. She hated freaking out like that but had a hard time avoiding it. Life was stressful.
“I’m gonna put my dishes away—you go get changed.” Vi paused, squeezing Cait’s hands. “Is that okay?”
“Yeah.” Caitlyn sighed, blinking away her tears. She grasped Vi’s fingers, a faint smile on her face. “Thank you, Love.”
Vi nodded and gave her girlfriend a sweet smile in return before leaving to collect her cereal bowl from the couch. Admittedly, she was nervous to see her little sister graduate. Vi was still getting used to Powder being 17 instead of the young teenager she remembered so fondly, but it was also a good wake-up call. Time was precious as much as it was fleeting—so Vi had to savor every moment she could.
Caitlyn anxiously drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. She glanced at her car clock that read 9:45 in big bold letters. She wished that time would slow down temporarily—Powder’s graduation ceremony had started 15 minutes ago.
Then it turned 9:46.
She exhaled sharply, her eyes flicking back to the light before her. It was still red—they were wasting time. Why didn’t she check her schedule that morning? She shouldn’t have woken up so late. Caitlyn was supposed to be the one who kept track of things. It was the only thing she was good at.
“You good?” Vi called, breaking Caitlyn out of her self-pitying spiral.
Caitlyn glanced over to Vi, an unconvincing smile flashing on her face.
“Yep.”
Vi eyed her suspiciously but dropped it. Talking about her anxiety would only stress Cait out more. That was not something she wanted to do.
“Alright. Let me know if you need anything.”Vi put her feet up on the dashboard, earning herself a glare from Caitlyn.
“Put your feet down. Now.” Cait hissed as she let out a huff of disbelief. Vi pouted and kicked her feet back to the floor with a whine.
Caitlyn shook her head, pressing the gas pedal as the light finally turned green. “Honestly—Do you have any regard for your safety?”
“If you had just let me drive us, I wouldn’t be able to put my feet up,” Vi muttered bitterly, her tone laced with amusement. It was entertaining to rile up Cait like this.
Caitlyn shot another glare at Vi, this time paired with a charming scoff. “The last time I let you drive, you and Jayce almost sent us flying off a bridge.”
From the corner of her eye, Caitlyn observed Vi frown as she sunk further into the passenger seat.
“That was only one time. It’s not my fault he’s so distracting.”
“Vi. You agreed to arm wrestle him—while driving, after Viktor and I both had begged you not to. It is entirely both of your faults.”
Even if the memory was semi-horrifying, the absurdity of the situation was hilarious. There were times when Caitlyn wondered if Vi and her best friend had anything going on in their brains. Both individuals were intelligent when they wanted to be, but other times, their minds were filled solely with white noise—especially when they were together.
“You just don’t get our bond, Cupcake. Car rides are temporary—gym bros are forever.” A wide smirk spread across Violet’s face as she flexed her arm muscles. Caitlyn chuckled at the ridiculous sight, her anxiety melting away from her body.
If Violet was trying to cheer her up, she was succeeding.
Vi’s phone buzzed with a text message popping on her screen. She cackled at the photo before holding it out to Caitlyn.
“Look what Powder sent me.”
“Can’t really look at the moment. I’m trying to keep us from getting into a car accident.”
Vi retreated setting her phone down with a disappointed frown. Caitlyn noticed her somber expression and sighed, gripping the steering wheel.
“Just tell me about it.” She mumbled. An ecstatic expression returned to Vi’s face as she whipped back out her phone.
“Okay, so the caption is: ‘Waiting 4 you two’ and she’s next to Ekko and they have on the stupidest grins. The worst part is—one of them is definitely in the wrong seat because that is not alphabetical order.”
A stifled laugh escaped Caitlyn before she spoke. “I’m willing to bet it’s Powder.”
Vi slipped her phone back into her pocket, sighing contently. “Yeah…probably.”
They arrived at the ceremony at 10:14, beating their arrival predictions by 16 minutes. As they rushed out of the parking lot, Vi whisked out her phone and started texting Vander.
“He said he got us two seats in row…7.”
A wave of relief washed over Caitlyn. Thank god for Vander—they would’ve had to stand for two hours had he not saved them seats.
“Okay. Good.” She muttered, attempting to catch her breath. They were walking at a brisk pace, and adrenaline was pumping through her veins. As they approached the sea of audience viewing the ceremony, Caitlyn and Vi scanned the crowd for any familiar faces in the front. Whether it be Claggor, Mylo, Benzo, or Vander, seeing their faces would lead them to the rest of the group.
Unsurprisingly, Violet found her family first, her face beaming as she grasped Caitlyn’s wrist. They bowed their heads down as they walked down the aisles, attempting to keep the spotlight on the seniors on stage who were accepting their diplomas. Vander noticed the two girls first, his expression lighting up at the sight of them.
“You made it!” He exclaimed, beckoning them over.
Vi sat down in the seat next to him, Caitlyn promptly following suit beside her. Their eyes surveyed the seated graduates, searching for Powder and Ekko among the masses.
“Don’t worry, girls. You haven’t missed ‘em. The principal is only on the C’s right now.”
Vi let out a sigh of relief and the anxiety in her chest finally dissipated. By some miracle, they had gotten there in time. Claggor peeked out to wave at Cait, Mylo giving a sideways glance to Vi as he smirked. The two seemed much older than when Caitlyn had last seen them, even though it had only been a few months. They enrolled in a community college last year and planned to continue at a university once they scrounged up enough money. Although it wouldn’t seem it, the brothers were pretty intelligent. They were developing all sorts of ideas to help clean the streets of their hometown and make the neighborhood a more pleasant place to live in.
Caitlyn aimed to do that as well but with the police force. Vi had told her many stories of her years in foster care, the horrors she had to witness, the trauma she had to endure. It was unbelievable how preventable those experiences could have been had an officer stepped in, or better yet, stricter rules set in motion. That only further increased Caitlyn’s desire to make a change in the police force—to dissolve the common corruption it faced—and to ensure that children like Vi in the future would never have to go through things as horrific as the girl had described.
Vi was unconvinced that they would make a difference in the system, claiming they were two against a mountain of bribery, but Caitlyn refused to give up.—If there was even a faint chance to help someone, whether a child or an adult, their work was worth the effort.
Vi brought Caitlyn back to reality as she stood up from her seat, waving excitedly at Powder in the middle rows. Their eyes were locked on each other’s, both sisters beaming in pride. Caitlyn couldn’t help but smile at the genuine endearment on their faces, a warm feeling filling her heart. Not only had she been able to view that love from an outsider's perspective, but she got to be at the receiving end of that love whenever Vi looked at her.
After receiving irritated glares from the people around her, Vi sat down again with a content sigh. “I can’t believe she’ll be going to college this year.” She muttered with a reminiscent frown.
Caitlyn glanced at Powder, who was excitedly cheering for a blonde girl who had just walked on stage.
“Yeah—It’s good, though. Your sister is too intelligent to stop at a high school diploma.”
Vi nodded, her voice filled with pride. “Hell yeah, she is. I’m just sad she won’t get to crash over anymore.”
Caitlyn huffed, a smile tugging at her lips. Powder slept on their apartment couch at least once a week—Cait was contemplating getting a new one just for a spare bedroom for the girl. Before she left, Powder would raid their flat of all foods with a moderately high sugar content. The only evidence of the weekly crime would be a small hand-drawn monkey symbol on a post-it note atop their pantry door.
“I don’t know…our pantry would be of better use if it had food in it.”
Vi shrugged, a crooked smile flashing onto her face. “I guess.”
“I’m impressed you didn’t trip on the way to the podium with those ridiculously high boots you’re wearing.”
Powder scoffed at her sister, her cheeks and ears flushing. “They’re platforms, not just boots.—Besides, at least I didn’t drop my diploma, unlike someone…”
Vi rolled her eyes as she tussled Powder’s hair. “Okay, Ms. Smartie Pants. Bringing up past slip-ups? That’s low. Even for you.”
The shorter girl huffed, swatting Vi’s hand away from her scalp. “Whatever Fathands.”
An offended gasp could be heard from Vi, her hand shooting to her heart. “How could you say that to your wonderful big sister?” A mischievous grin flashed onto her face. “Do you wanna fight right now?”
Caitlyn flicked Violet in the head, a disapproving frown on her face. “Do not fight your sister right now. Can we walk to an ice cream parlor for two seconds without you threatening violence?”
Powder slipped next to Caitlyn, patting her shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Caity. I can take her.” She whispered as she put on a confident smirk.
Before Caitlyn could respond, Vander stepped in.—Both literally and figuratively.
“Caitlyn’s right. No fighting, or we’re all heading home.”
The rest of the group whined in response, Mylo huffing out a ‘c'mon’ as he threw out his hands. Even if they were all entering the age of adulthood, nobody would pass up free ice cream.
The two sisters wore similar expressions of disappointment—their previous challenging appearances fading into resignation. A peaceful bliss danced through the air as they walked down the streets, the afternoon sun shining on their faces. Vi glanced at her sister, the former defiant pout absent from the girl’s face. She talked animatedly to Ekko about a gadget she was working on, excited energy radiating off her.
Caitlyn nudged Violet’s forearm, her voice lowering to a whisper in Vi’s ear. “I don’t know about you, but I believe that Ekko may be a little head over heels for your little sister.”
Vi narrowed her eyes at Caitlyn, scowling. “Yeah, sure.” She grumbled.
Caitlyn giggled at her response, looking back at Powder and Ekko. The cheery energy was a pleasant contrast from her prior morning jitters. Surrounded by so many people who loved each other—who seemed to care for her—was exhilarating. Her life had never felt so hectic, so lively before. All those years spent alone in her house, all those days wishing for just one person to talk to—and now she had it. She had it all.
And it was remarkable.
They ate their ice creams swiftly, leaving plenty of time to wander around the quaint pocket of shops they found themselves at. Caitlyn enjoyed the food for once. She didn’t think about the calories or the sugar content—not even what she had eaten the previous day. The girl allowed herself to enjoy the moment—and experience everything to its fullest. Maybe she needed to let herself do that more often.
Vi held her hand as they walked down the streets, a firm grasp—but not possessive. Just reassuring, dependable, and comforting. Just as Vi always managed to be.
Quite a bit of time had passed, and the sun began to set on the horizon. She hadn’t realized how long they had been out—but it didn’t matter much. Vander started to seem worn out, so he went out for a drink with Benzo, leaving the six other individuals to their own devices.
As the sun disappeared, the streetlights turned on with a clink, the low hum of electricity filling the cool spring air.
“Hey…aren’t we near a playground?” Powder questioned, peering around as the visibility of their surroundings decreased.
Mylo cackled, slapping his knee obnoxiously loudly. “Powder—you just graduated high school. I thought that meant you finally grew out of shit like that.”
Claggor knocked him in the head, leading Mylo to let out a yelp. Even as they got older, old habits never seemed to change.
“Shut it, My. —Or I’m not driving you home.” He grumbled. Claggor’s chastising tone sounded a bit too much like Vander’s. Like father, like son, Caitlyn supposed. Vi snickered, letting go of Caitlyn’s hand to hug around Ekko and Powder’s shoulders.
Admittedly, Caitlyn’s heart panged a little when Vi had left—but the absence was bearable.
Only temporarily, of course.
“There is a playground over there. It’s kind of me and Cait’s spot, but I guess you guys can tag along.—Just this time, though.”
Powder rolled her eyes and wriggled out of Vi’s hold, dragging an unbothered Ekko with her. “You’re gross, Sis. Who knew you’d become such a softie?” She mumbled in her signature whiny tone.
Caitlyn observed as Vi crossed her arms, her ears practically fuming as she argued that she was ‘not a softie.’ Before the situation could escalate, Powder and Ekko fled towards the park entrance—with Mylo and Claggor following suit.
Oh right.
Sun Gate Park.
Theirpark.
Vi attempted to chase after her sister—but gave up halfway, slowing down to a jog and eventually a stroll to sync her pace with Cait.
“Hey—Cupcake, if you’re tired, we can start heading home. I know it’s getting pretty dark.”
Caitlyn smiled, touched by how considerate Vi was being. “It’s alright—I can stay out for a bit longer. It’s not like we’ve ever limited ourselves to a curfew before.”
The girl’s melodic laugh sent an arrow straight through Caitlyn’s heart. Even when she wasn’t trying, Vi made Caitlyn fall in love with her all over again.
“Alright.” Vi paused, bumping shoulders with the girl beside her. “Wanna ditch these losers, though? We can head up to our secret spot.”
Caitlyn glanced over to the rest of their group. Claggor observed as Mylo hung on the monkey bars, gleefully swinging back and forth between the poles. Powder, on the other hand, was swinging beside Ekko on the swing set. Her blue hair whipped through the wind behind her. They seemed to be entertaining themselves—what’s the worst that could happen in the few minutes they were gone?
Knowing the Lanes kids—A lot.
But Ekko’s got them.
…Hopefully.
The trek up to their hill was pleasant enough. The stars were out, though most tree branches covered most of their view while they were on the path. Their shoes crunched on the ground, the damp grass filling their senses. The familiar scent made it all rush back, the late-night talks, the tears shed, the kisses shared.
“I bet I could tackle you right now,” Vi exclaimed out of nowhere, her voice determined.
Caitlyn raised her eyebrow cautiously as her face lost any hint of reminiscence. “What in the world would posses you to—“
Before she could finish her statement, Violet pounced on her. The impact sent both girls tumbling to the ground. They landed in a patch of grass near the hill, with a clear view of the sky above them. Vi was a cackling mess, a contagious smile on her face.
“Violet!” Caitlyn screeched, giggles escaping her mouth before she could help it. Vi’s weight slightly crushed Caitlyn underneath her, but it wasn’t uncomfortable—it was quite the contrary.
“What, Cupcake? Can I not enjoy the view?”
Caitlyn shoved Violet off of her, rolling to her side. “The view is up there Lanes.”
Vi feigned offense, turning towards her. “You’re so cruel, Ms. Kiramman.” She paused, attempting to gain composure of herself. “And how dare you assume I was talking about the sky.”
“You’re insufferable.”
“—Just when I’d thought you ran out of ‘I’ words to call me.”
Caitlyn shot Vi a playful glare. The girl returned the gesture with a smug smirk. That smile could win any petty argument they ever had. Caitlyn turned to her other side, attempting to hide the furious blush buzzing on her cheeks.
“Come back…” Vi whined as she rolled closer to Cait. Her breath was warm on Caitlyn’s back, sending shivers down her spine.
Reluctantly, she turned her body to face Vi, a smirk on her face. Vi’s gray irises were wide, her eyes gleaming in the moonlight. She was so beautiful.
“Cait—do you ever think back to the day we met?”
Caitlyn groaned in response as she reached up to massage her temple. “Yes. It was humiliating.”
Vi huffed as she shrugged her shoulders, her head cocking at the motion. “Eh. I thought your reaction was endearing. You tried so hard to play it off as it wasn’t a big deal.”
“Well—maybe it was because I barely knew you.”
“I’d like to think it was because I was so hot you were speechless.”
“You’re so supercilious,” Caitlyn muttered, averting her gaze.
Vi snickered, intertwining her fingers with her girlfriend’s. “Okay, now you’re just making words up.”
“I’m not,” Caitlyn argued, her eyes flicking back to Vi’s. “I just know how to use Google.” She muttered.
Their bodies radiated warmth as they lay on the cool ground, their figures barely noticeable in the dense forest. It felt like they were isolated from the rest of the world—the two lovers in their own little universe. Violet hummed as a grin spread across her face.
“What are you smiling for?” Caitlyn questioned, her face uncontrollably beaming as well.
“I’m just—glad I met you. Like, really glad.” Vi’s voice cracked as her eyes turned glossy. Her face was a combination of pride, fondness, and a hint of gloom. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without the love of my life.”
Caitlyn squeezed her hand, shuffling closer to the girl next to her. “I’m glad I met you, too. You’re the best thing to ever happen to me.”
Electric currents bounced between them, a complex blend of emotions flowing through their veins. There were so many things the two women wanted to say to each other at that moment—but they were hesitant. Doubts always lingered. They just had to figure out how to move past them.
“Want to hear something funny?”
Vi hummed in curiosity, her fingers circling Caitlyn’s knuckles.
“Whenever we came here, I felt like I was running away from the things I couldn’t handle.” She pressed her lips into a thin line. “It felt more like an escape from my problems than anything else.”
Caitlyn looked back to see Vi’s eyes focused on her. The girl looked concerned, her eyes slightly furrowed as she slowly nodded.
“But now I don’t have to run away anymore. I have you, my dad, Vander.—Even Ekko and your siblings if I’m lucky. You all make the problems easier to manage.”
Abruptly, Vi pulled Caitlyn in closer by the waist, their foreheads touching.
“I’m glad we can do that for you.” After pressing a kiss on Caitlyn’s forehead, Vi pulled back to meet her gaze. “If any problem ever gets too much…you’ll tell me, right?”
Years ago, Caitlyn would’ve lied if Vi had asked the same question. She would’ve plastered on a polite smile—the one she had been classically trained to achieve, and responded with a confident yes. But that was before she realized that she wasn’t alone in this world. That was before she fully understood the beauties and the injustices in the world. That was before she realized she could make a difference in someone’s life—a difference to society.
That was before she met a singular pink-haired woman who made life worth a try.
She gazed at Violet—her effortlessly perfect lips. The freckles on her face that Caitlyn had counted at least a hundred times. Her hair was now down to her shoulders but still tossed to her right.
And her eyes.
Her gorgeous eyes.
“I’ll try,” Caitlyn whispered, a warm smile flickering on her lips.
Vi chuckled, resting her forehead on Caitlyn’s as she shut her eyes. “That’s all I needed to hear.”
Everything around Caitlyn seemed to freeze in time. It wasn’t panic or dissociation—it was just pure bliss. The weather was divine—the moonlight illuminated the dense patch of forest surrounding the hill.
It was perfect. Even though their clothes were soaked and their bodies were exhausted, it was perfect.
Because—she was with Vi.
Someone who she always felt loved with. The girl who brought so much joy into her life. The one person who would build her back up again, no matter how many times she fell apart.
“I love you, Violet.” Caitlyn blurted out.
Vi raised her hand to brush over Caitlyn’s cheek, a slight grin on her face. She cupped her jaw, leaning in for a kiss.
“I love you too, Caitlyn.”
Their kiss was sweet, innocent, resemblant of their first ever evening at the park. Vi ran her fingers through Caitlyn’s hair, which caused her body to shudder. She felt Violet’s rough lips—her calloused hands and firm grip. Caitlyn couldn’t help but be amazed by how gentle the girl always managed to be. Violet could never cease to amaze her.
The only thing she could think of was how much she loved Vi. The singular phrase was unwavering in her mind like a broken record. She loved her faults, her flaws, her imperfections. She loved her promises, her actions, her stories. She loved her beliefs, her courage, her strength.
Caitlyn was never truly alone anymore. She didn’t want an escape from her house. She didn’t have to deflect any more of her struggles. She didn’t need any distractions from any pain. She just needed to be home. Her home was with her right now—a pink-haired girl with the Roman numeral ‘6’ on her cheek.