Chapter Text
Vi's not having a good fucking day.
Well, so far, at least.
And what sucks is that of all days, today's a Sunday when the morning shouldn't make her immediately clench her jaw and fist to keep her composure. She hoped lunch would change for her. It was bad enough that her alarm didn't wake her up, causing Powder to tackle her out of her consciousness per Vander's request.
But then again, she had to give it to her sister to ensure Vi kept her responsibilities in check. Being late for work would've been a pain in the ass. Traveling from Zaun to Piltover for half an hour was always the groggiest part of her weekend.
First of all, a client, Smeech, was such an asshole to her and Viktor this morning. Ever since she got a part-time job in this repair shop thanks to Viktor, she was destined to control any brewing anger towards careless clients who barely even gave a fuck before her mouth would even think of letting out a curse.
Honestly, fuck this guy for coming in, dropping off his laptop while unconsciously letting the smoke from the cigarette in between his lips surround their workspace. When Viktor started coughing, Vi was about to hit him knowing how her co-worker's heath isn't exactly supposed to be exposed to harmful substances like this.
Did the dude not see the no-smoking sign by the front?
God, what an asshole.
What's worse was that she was recognized.
("Hey! Vander's kid, right? Listen. Need ya to fix my computer AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! Got a meetin' in ten minutes and every time I use it, it's just sittin' there doing nothin'! This computer is a complete waste of time. It won't even turn on, and I have better things to do than deal with this garbage. I've already tried the button and I expect it to work immediately. It's also painfully slow—no idea what you did to make it this way, but fix that too. And don't touch my files, just find them and make sure they're all there. I don't care where they are; that's your problem to figure out. I don't want excuses, and I don't have time for questions. Just get it done already. Capeesh?")
Vi sighed, fighting the urge to say: Capeesh too, ya peesh of shit—
But alas, he left before she even got the chance to give him a mouthful and now her eyebrows were about to be as close as the pages in a book; patience quickly running thin. Bless Vander for always saying she has a good heart because damn, she really does.
"I'll handle it from here." Viktor had offered, placing a reassuring hand on his co-worker's shoulder which snapped Vi out of her frustration and cut her off from getting her hands on the device.
"You sure?" She looks at him, not wanting to give in almost immediately at how he just laid the offer out there. He must've seen how Vi was silently fuming; willing to help her against his will just to lessen her burden. "Viktor, it's fine. You don't have to-"
"It's the dust and debris in the vents again, I'm sure. Irresponsible of him as always. I can take care of this one." Viktor rolls his eyes as he guessed the problem at hand, the same one Vi had already figured out too just by the number of times Smeech came and approached them for the same damn reason.
The guy really doesn't know how to take care of his fucking laptop. Then again...
"Well, at least his carelessness is what's helping us pay our bills haha." Vi just chuckles, scoffing as she hands the laptop over to Viktor's palms. "Guess I can go eat lunch then, yeah?"
"Likewise. I'll be doing the same." Viktor agrees, giving Vi a nod before walking towards his work table with the small tray filled with an assortment of various tools: screwdrivers, a few flatheads, and a tweezer. "Jayce is waiting for me."
"Oh yeah? Your boyfriend that clingy, huh?"
"When was he not?" Viktor asked, proving Vi's question with the evidence. "Someone has to help him with his presentation."
"Well, aren't you both sweet?" They share a heartfelt laugh before Vi pats her hands on her pockets to get a feel of her phone and wallet.
"Guilty as charged." Viktor waves off a hand, chuckling.
Only one year left, Vi.
You gotta make it through this hellhole.
College fucking sucksss.
Fishing her phone out to check for anything, the woman's lips cracked an amused smile from how the mention of her best friend's name timed in perfectly with the messages that were sent her way.
[Caitlyn:]
Violet?
Where are you?
I've ordered already :)
Vi tries not to look smitten as she types with her thumb.
So clingy.
[Vi:]
lol, relaxxx
i'm still at work.
seriously, i'll be
there in a bit
[Caitlyn:]
Hurry up!
[Vi:]
Jesus
Alright
otw!
"Caitlyn, I'm assuming?" Viktor brings up, eyebrow raised while fidgeting the edge of his ID. She grows self-conscious the moment she realizes a smile comes into view, making Vi clear her throat and timidly rub the back of her nape.
"Ah. Yeah. She's waiting for me." she says, taking her eyes off the phone to look at him for a moment, feeling the way he observes her with obvious suspicion. "You know how she is."
"It's still a surprise you two haven't..." the tilt of his head indicated the word, "You know."
She feels herself glued to the ground, the implications of the same assumptions she'd heard occasionally causing her cheeks to burn.
Anyone with eyes and half a brain would immediately assume Caitlyn and Vi are a thing. Viktor, the best smartass that she knows, doesn't have half a brain but assumes anyway.
It would've been flattering if it weren't so sad.
"Oh, Cait and I? Nah." Vi shakes her head, furrowing her eyebrows from the implication, brushing it off with a nonchalant shrug to save her persona. "Cute that she misses me though, haha."
"Like all the time." there was a hint of tease to his tone, unconvinced with her whole thing with Caitlyn despite knowing them for years at this point. "Are you sure you two aren't dating?"
"Viktor, no."
"Well, okay, I believe you."
"No shit, I can see the smirk on your face. Cut it out." Vi clicks her tongue by the roof of her mouth, playfully pointing an accusing finger toward him from the growing embarrassment.
Viktor's chuckle proved he wasn't convinced along with the gaze that would've probably stabbed right through her. And even if neither of them spoke a word about it, there was an unspoken agreement that they seemed to have jumped on the moment it became painfully obvious.
So here's another thing.
Vi has a girlfriend.
Oh wait wait, no. Scratch that. That's a lie.
Vi has someone who she wants to be her girlfriend.
That's better.
And this someone? Ohoho, happens to be her sweet, just as also pathetically hopeless, fun to be around, nerdy, rich-as-fuck best friend.
It's a cautionary tale to be told among all ages.
Nobody in their sane mind should even threaten the beautiful lines of friendship just because of selfish desires whenever you look at your best friend and think of how much those lips would feel so good against yours. This curse in its cruel form? Vi lives a life with it. With her. A life with Caitlyn Kiramman.
And Caitlyn Kiramman is her damn roommate.
Isn't that great?
This was always the usual routine; meeting each other as much as they could over the weekend.
Vi always had to go home to Zaun by bus which takes roughly an hour and a half from the University to her hometown every Friday evening. It's important to visit the family for a day at least once as much as she could no matter the distance just to catch up.
And on Sundays, she'd be back in Piltover to resume her duties with her part-time job without getting fired because God knows how much she needs the money to pay the rent and her tuition at the same time.
Apparently, from Caitlyn's words: the weekends are torture without 'her'.
So Vi, like the woman that she is who couldn't say no to a stubborn match just like herself would always be there to accompany Caitlyn in whatever plan they'd set in mind for each other just to remain sane under these semesters.
Sundays are when they spend the most time together where the mention of essays and due dates wouldn't be involved as they relax and chill in their own little space. It's just them talking, doing whatever, hanging out with Jayce, Viktor, and Mel whenever they're available; you name it.
So could one blame her for eventually growing feelings for Caitlyn? Yes and no.
No, because Caitlyn was clingy.
And yes because she shouldn't have stopped this the second Caitlyn was starting to look kissable in more w(g)ays than one every day she sees her face.
It doesn't help that she sees her every day. That's a given.
And the grave she digs gets deeper when she realizes she loves seeing her every day.
But hey, it was sweet how Caitlyn valued Vi's company like this as if it was a need for her. It's almost like she couldn't be away from Vi like Koalas hugging their trees to keep themselves cool in hot weather.
Fuck, Caitlyn told her that fact about the Koalas. Of course her gay ass would remember all these minuscule details and drop them casually out of the box of her mind.
It all started with Vi, in her first year, walking around the campus and suddenly bumping into a shoulder that immediately caused her clothes to get stained with the brown, iced caffeine on her white polo shirt the first day during Freshers' Week as just plain random circumstance.
The moment she looked up and was about to throw into a fit, for some reason she couldn't when the woman's height intimidated her.
That's how she met Caitlyn; out of her klutziness.
When Caitlyn realized what she'd done, her apologies kept repeating everywhere Vi went and followed her for the whole day to make up for it, leading Vi to forgive her numerous times. (She forgot about getting mad in the first place the moment those cerulean eyes looked like they were about to cry haha.)
Caitlyn had offered Vi an extra t-shirt she just so conveniently had in her tote bag that morning.
And the rest was history.
The instant connection, casual banter, and playful arguments that made their noses scrunch created the foundation for their bond to be as tight as the knot on a rope. In that very same month, Caitlyn asked Vi to move in with her. She proudly said hell yeah to that and started packing her bags in an instant to move out of her cramped living space.
Her hand felt quick vibrations, suddenly reminded of the phone being clutched by her palm. She looks down again, her expression quickly changing when she now sees a couple of frantic texts from another sender. Her eyes scan them instantly.
[Loris:]
Vi
Where are you?
You gotta be here.
Caitlyn is here.
[Vi:]
Yeah? I know??
We always have lunch at your cafe.
[Loris:]
She's with someone
"Huh."
[Vi:]
Uh who? Her mom?
[Loris:]
No.
[Vi:]
Mel?
Loris:
No.
But it's a girl.
Oh.
[Loris:]
They came here. Together.
Didn't really have the time to ask
but she's waiting for you.
Think you can handle it?
'Think I can handle—'
A soft huff escapes her lips and she stuffs her phone back inside her pocket. Loris' message stung right where the heart probably bleeds the most.
Giving one good look of permission at Viktor, she jabbed her thumb towards the door to indicate her need to leave, receiving an approving nod back that signaled her to go without question.
"I'll see you later in a bit, Vik." the woman didn't waste any time to take her steps towards the door and acknowledge Viktor's: "Take care.", and walks out of the repair shop with her hungry curiosity.
[Vi:]
On the way.
Caitlyn's with a girl were the words that kept ringing inside her mind when she walked from the repair shop to the cafe, hands inside tight pockets with her back slouched; letting her moment of contemplation take over the reigns of what she should be expecting the second she arrives there.
Now, knowing her best friend, every time a girl would be in the picture hits the same way as your everyday local newspaper the grandmas read outside of their porch every day.
In short, this is a normal occurrence.
Cait had her fair share of ladies in her book.
Because come on, if anyone saw Caitlyn for the first time like a newborn opening their eyes for the light to enter their vision, they'd cry out of happiness because those tears should be shed for how beautiful she is.
Not to be biased or anything. Totally not biased at all.
Meeting her three years ago made Vi prone to the number of...well, interesting ups and downs of Caitlyn's relationships. Her love life was this poetic comedy. Watching her in the aftermath of her thank you next relationships and wallow ridiculously with her pint of ice cream on the couch was a tragedy of her charm.
The admirable part is, Caitlyn knows her worth; she knows what she wants, knows what terms she needs to memorize in a damn quiz nobody even prepared themselves for and she picks her women that should be compatibly aligned with that.
In short, Caitlyn wanted love.
The deadass: I'll be with you every step of the way, you and me against the world, and follow you to the ends of the earth kinda love.
She hasn't found that person yet.
Yeah, her best friend's a womanizer because of how ridiculously unfortunate her love life is, which wasn't willing to follow through with her favors and wishes.
Maybe this was why she stuck around with Vi the longest than any of these chicks to begin with.
Because they were friends. And only friends.
And it's a state Vi will have to not risk breaking apart.
She had walked long enough to reach the cafe and swung the door open with her shoulder, pushing through the doors to get a glimpse of Loris by the counter.
She approached the man who was scratching his chin and was so close to dozing off. Vi snaps her fingers in front of his face to jolt him up. So Loris opens his eyes, blinks twice to clear his vision, and stares up at a very expectant Vi.
"I'm here, Lor," she confirmed, slapping his shoulder as a brief greeting before Loris nodded at her, smiling tiredly. "So is Cait—"
"She's been looking for you. Lemme know how it goes hm?" He jabs his thumb in a certain direction and Vi's eyes instantly follow, only to be met by two pairs of eyes who now notice her presence.
If Vi was glass, she would've shattered on the ground right now; all smithereens turning into powder.
"Vi!" Caitlyn stood up from her spot, and ushered her to get closer to where she was settled along with the woman Loris mentioned that brought her attention minutes ago.
She finds it in her to smile. Vi had to. Fully aware of how she awkwardly approaches the table with her arms behind her, the woman (definitely shorter than she would've imagined) sends a timid wave on her way while her best friend's long arms wrap around her shoulders; warmth traversing her senses.
Cait is with a girl.
Cait's probably dating this girl.
But this isn't just any girl.
She stared at this girl way too long from her liking out of instant recognition thanks to the sharpness of her memory.
Orange, bob-cut hair. Freckles scattered the woman's cheeks like messy flicks of paint from a brush.
Hell nah, this is—
"Your food has gone cold, darling." Caitlyn pulled herself back to give Vi a disapproving look, still unhappy with her quote-unquote punctuality. "What happened to 'on the way?'"
"What happened to 'hello?'" the shorter woman remarked and immediately released herself out of the hug, wanting the moment to be decent, especially of what she had just found out minutes ago without any good warning if it wasn't for Loris.
She feels Loris' eyes staring holes right through her back so dammit, this is no good time for her to break.
"I missed you." Caitlyn nuzzled her nose into Vi's shoulder and then looked at her apologetically. "We had to eat. You were taking too long."
"Whoops, my bad. But good. You didn't have to bother waiting for me. I walked and you know...takes at least fifteen minutes to arrive here and all." Vi rolls her eyes and watches Caitlyn go back to her respective seat as she follows behind, occupying the vacant seat across from her beautiful-as-hell best friend and—
"It's nice having you, Vi." the woman beside Caitlyn finally spoke, accent rich and thick as whiskey from her obvious motherland.
She reached an open palm over in front of Vi, waiting for her to shake it, smiling brightly like the sun gave birth to a mortal and rainbows could possibly spew out of this girl's ass.
Are you who I think you are? the curiosity in her expression is as clear as day, Vi didn't even think of how judgy she appeared. To clear any sign of discomfort, she comes into the clutch to shake her hand.
"Oh wow, you know my name. Hi, hello." Vi doesn't ask for her name yet and fakes a smile that honestly still looks genuine, ignoring the rising implications of her company right beside Caitlyn. "What's your name?"
Caitlyn pursed her lips, eyes staring right directly at Vi to not miss any reaction to get whatever she could possibly decipher out of her. They released their hands and the woman talked again, to which her aura and personality robbed a drop from the morning sun.
"Maddie," she confirmed. "Nolen."
Vi had to restrain her inner crisis from slipping out in the open.
I fucking knew it.
No fucking way.
She suddenly felt underdressed for wearing her grey fit polo uniform with the word TECHNICIAN on the right side of her chest along with the ID around her neck with her poker face on it but you know what? Screw formality, this was something else.
"Yeah? I knew you were familiar. Cait didn't bribe you did she?" Vi's eyes quickly darted towards Caitlyn, eyelids adjusting wider from how this particular circumstance was out of her year's bingo card. "You're the uh—criminology student, right?"
It was almost laughable.
"Yes! I...didn't think I'd be recognizable." Maddie smiled, and then slightly nudged Caitlyn with a teasing elbow, looking at her bestfriend with those eyes that longingly begged for her to kiss her. "And no. Caitlyn didn't bribe me."
She was thankful she did not gag out of reflex and suddenly felt guilty about how offensive that had seemed.
Keep it together, Vi.
This isn't anything new.
Cait's hot, of course girls want to kiss her.
You're literally no different.
"How dare you think I'd bribe someone, Violet." Caitlyn accuses playfully, and Vi watches her breath be held when Maddie's hand wanders down to hold hers. The flickering flame of jealousy starts to burn a bit.
"Oh." Vi raises a curious eyebrow that wants to fly up high to the sky with the display right in front of her. Her lips slightly twitch before she chuckles it out with her (totally) convincing amusement that isn't fueled by her jealousy. "Are you two..?"
Dating?
Fucking?
Married—
The question doesn't complete itself, with Vi's own emotions getting lost to even react.
"Well, we're..." Maddie giggled, shyly.
Caitlyn coughed, pressing her lips against a fist. "We're getting to know each other."
"So a date. This is a date and you two are dating?" Vi smirks. Her insides were burning and Loris could definitely read her from the distance. "Listen, Maddie. I don't know how Cait got you but if you want me to warn you about a couple of things, let me know."
Yes.
Save yourself with your humor, bitch.
Chuckle it all out.
Your best friend's dating another girl.
It's fine.
This is to keep you in check, yeah?
She'll never date you.
"Not yet." Caitlyn clarified even without needing to. "What happened to the Vi that I love?"
Oh, now that's cruel.
But it did leave Vi satisfied.
It would've been sweeter if they were exclusive.
What happened? Psh.
The Vi she loves now wants to pull Loris out of here and get a few drinks to cope by laughing at her unrequited love, crash at his place for the night, and be carried home thanks to his strength that will leave her legs dangling off the floor with an arm gripping around his broad shoulders.
But Cait would scold her in seven ways to Sunday and that's a chance she isn't willing to take.
"Puh-lease, I'm saving your girl here." Vi looks at the food right in front, realizing it had been untouched so she grabs a fork to take a bite to occupy herself. "She's a lot, Maddie. It's not too late to run away."
She hated how that sentence was half-meant, the glimpse of her pride taking a toll on her words through the lens of her typical banter.
"Ah yes. This is my best friend." Caitlyn rolled her eyes, shooting a glare at Vi. "And apparently my best traitor."
"Hey, same difference." Vi shrugs and then looks at Maddie expectantly for a response. The woman delivered and giggled with the whole interaction, all authenticity seen in her eyes. "Just warning your girl here."
"I don't think I need that. She takes good care of me." Maddie leans herself to the side enough for her temple to rest on Caitlyn's shoulder, to which she notices the taller woman stiffen from the gesture but also retain her composure.
Flashes of how Caitlyn would treat Vi's wounds in her knuckles for hitting the punching bag too much after finishing her preliminary examinations came to mind, to which she immediately shuts those thoughts down in hopes she wouldn't be able to imagine how she takes care of...other women who were lucky enough to experience her care in other different contexts Vi craved.
"Damn. As she should." was all Vi could say, sweeping her bangs to the side while nodding.
"You're really nice, Vi." Maddie continued, tucking a strand behind her ear. "Thank you for...I don't know. I was worried about meeting you through Caitlyn. I thought you wouldn't approve of me."
It would've been easier if Maddie were one of the obsessed ones like the girls Caitlyn used to date; sending her death threats through Caitlyn's phone number in all caps and nonsensical grammar.
(She knew it wasn't her best friend when one of those texts went exactly like: ive seen the way you look at her u bitch. the way u hover like you belong there. u don't. im the one she fucks at night and not u. stay away from her n I swear your dead.)
For fucks's sake, it's you're not your.
Vi remembered the way her pride grew when Caitlyn found out and broke up with that girl IN FRONT OF HER.
She comforted her almost immediately while Caitlyn cried into her arms for not knowing and swore that it wouldn't happen again. Vi assured her that it was okay. It was funny how she was just minding her business and the girlfriend was more crazier in anger than she was ever crazy in love with Caitlyn.
After that, she never dated in a while for months now.
Until...this.
"My approval?" Vi furrows her eyebrows, her smile still present in the corner of her lip and scar.
"Well...obviously." Caitlyn disregards how odd it sounded. Vi pushes into it.
"I think you mean her parents' approval. Which, isn't really a problem so—"
"Vi, you're important to me." Cait stops her, rolling her eyes this time to point out the obvious. "I want you to like her."
"I mean, I do. I do like her. But come on, it doesn't matter if I like her or if Jayce likes her or whoever likes her." Vi lists on. "What matters is that you like her. Maddie here is cool, okay? Just to put it out there."
It wasn't a lie.
Maddie was different from the women Cait had sneaked her way into their hearts. For fuck's sake, from the months she never tried to date again and finally found someone after all this time felt different.
It's like...she's now set on this.
Like she's sure of Maddie.
Which is fine!
It should be!
"I...do." Caitlyn almost looked like she hesitated.
Vi figured it was from the nerves and vulnerability of the moment.
And Maddie over here listens.
Oh God, she listens and she's kind and there is no sense of animosity or negativity Vi thinks that Cait would get from her.
Fuck, is she actually witnessing her best friend's most probable, about to be, longest and serious relationship up to date?
Because Maddie Nolen is anything but a stuck-up jerk. Maddie Nolen is anything but a girl who would check up on Caitlyn with too many heart emojis in a good morning text instead of being busy sending Vi death threats on a Monday night.
Maddie's decent. She's good.
Great.
"That's all I want for you, Cait. Really. So you better take care of her, 'kay?" Vi gives a knowing look to Maddie, trying to let her selfish feelings pass. "I'm serious. Girl doesn't know when to sleep."
"I will! Again..." Maddie releases a huff of relief. "Thank you, Vi."
"I should be thanking you two. If only I knew this was a date, I wouldn't have...you know, showed up." Vi shrugged, munching on the bagel.
"I wanted to introduce you to her." Caitlyn waves her hand. "I do apologize for not telling this to you beforehand."
"Nah. I should've bought some wine to celebrate." Vi shields herself with her humor.
"Maybe at another time." Caitlyn bit her lip, loving the idea and keeping her eyes still on her best friend.
God, why does she keep staring at her like that?
A fake cough interrupts the wholesome moment, with Vi being the perpetrator of her own heart.
"A bit awkward if you guys watch me eat, don't you think?"
"Oh, please, you don't care how you eat around me." Caitlyn grabs a napkin and throws it teasingly towards Vi's face, catching her off-guard with the gesture. "She wouldn't mind."
"Shush. Let me have a good first impression." Vi pretends to not register Caitlyn's words by squinting her eyes and finishing her bite.
"You two are adorable." Maddie had to comment, laughing lightly.
That also made Cait laugh.
Vi plans to laugh later at her misery.
"Then my friend Steb just...encouraged me to do it. A few days ago, I went for it and hit her dm's and asked for her number. Thankfully, I didn't get rejected."
Maddie explained the story of how she got to get Caitlyn's attention. It was a small act of courage, starting from a crush to shooting her shot on the bullseye of a target.
Cait always liked the bold ones. Which could explain why most of her girlfriends had been bitches but she is not to blame for not expecting their ugly attitudes.
"Yeah, thank God. Would've snapped at Cait if she rejected you."
"You wouldn't even know!" Caitlyn says in her defense.
"Not my point," Vi replied, wiping her lips with a tissue while nodding at Maddie to continue.
"And, we just...hit it off." Maddie finished. "We've talked for a week and it's been amazing."
Caitlyn takes her time. And again, still looking at her best friend for her silence input in her expressions. Vi is almost tempted to just tell her off in the moment and focus on Maddie's longing look because dammit, why is she still staring at her as if the woman beside her is invisible?
Maybe Caitlyn heard her thoughts and finally looked away to acknowledge Maddie to vouch for the experience. "It's been...fun."
Huh.
Cait looks...unenthusiastic? She's smiling sure but her tone—
Dammit, Vi. You're nitpicking again.
Focus.
"Well, you two are cute. You two probably went on a few dates by now, right?"
"This one's actually...the first one," Maddie answered, and Vi had to react to that. The tissue slips away from her fingers, slowly falling to the ground.
"This is your first date? With me? Really?"
Caitlyn pursed her lips, hiding that timid smile behind the palms over her face.
"For the record, I didn't mind!" Maddie came into her defense. "It's okay, really!"
"Still—" Vi raises her index to make a point but the words just fail to come out.
You don't exactly bring your best friend along on a first date.
Was Caitlyn...getting rusty?
No. Fat chance. Her best friend could turn sixty and be able to seduce a really rich aristocrat.
Vi tries to reevaluate this later.
"Besides...she's told me how lucky she is to have you. And she wants me to meet this...hot-headed yet patient, caring someone who became so important to her. I had to agree if it meant getting to know Caitlyn more."
Vi blinked, questioning herself if she was hallucinating. "You feeding my ego, Kiramman?"
"I love you, don't I?" Caitlyn speaks, eyebrows curving with so much sincerity and longing that the absolute love and cherish of their friendship speaks volumes in her cerulean irises.
Dammit, stop ittt.
"Uhuh." Vi doesn't say it back, keeping it respectful. For Christ's sake; she brought a girl and hell nah will she say it back no matter how casual they are with it.
Because they do love each other.
Except Vi loves her to a degree where Caitlyn isn't on the same one she's at.
"I had to tell her that I live with a roommate, darling. Just to put it out there." Caitlyn reasoned. "I don't want any misunderstandings."
Oh.
For clarification.
Of course.
"You two sure you aren't a thing? Like, girlfriends?"
"Hopefully we will..." Maddie admitted in her mumble. Vi swallows the lump in her throat.
Ugh, can Loris save her already?
"Well, keep it at your own pace, yeah? You take care of this princess, alright?"
"I will." Maddie chuckled, sipping on her water.
They've talked for a long while. Less than an hour at that.
Until the couple had to go because Vi already expected Caitlyn to fulfill her duties of being...well, a lover.
"Vi, we have to go." Caitlyn stood up, and Maddie followed. She rubs her hand on Vi's shoulder, letting her know, and forces her eyes to look up at her in acknowledgment (all the while screaming internally with the way her thumb is rubbing circles against her shoulder.)
"Ah, yeah sure. Gonna take her home?" Vi was thankful she was calm, cheeks burning.
"Yes. You'll be back at the apartment this evening, right?" Caitlyn doesn't let go, proving once more that she is the clingiest person she knows other than her sister. "You need to help me review."
"You know it. Just gonna finish my shift. I'm gonna head back to work in a few too." Vi reassured her, patting her hand on Caitlyn's own to let go and plead to remember that Maddie is literally right there.
In some instances, sometimes she can't blame Caitlyn's exes for being infuriated at her. Caitlyn was touchy. And even if they didn't mean anything, some degree of their jealousy were understandable.
"I'll see you later, darling?"
"Yeah, see you." Vi nods and tilts her chin up to the woman beside her, taking ownership of her best friend by wrapping an arm around Caitlyn's own. "And nice to meet you, Maddie."
"A real honor, Vi!"
The two walk out, with Caitlyn turning her head slightly to get one last glimpse of Vi before heading out of the cafe, leaving her alone at their shared table.
Heavy footsteps from behind came for her and she instantly slouched her back to rest her head on the table's surface to groan loudly, all the while Loris' hand pats her back.
"So?"
"Fuck, mannnn. She's dating another one. Again."
"I can feel your jealousy over there." Loris chuckled, picking up the plates and glass the three had left off with on the tray, and settled it on the table, prioritizing Vi in her helpless state.
"Yeah well, thanks for pointing out the obvious. She's dating the last person I thought she would date for real. Fuck, it's funny though. Of all people?"
Loris hummed curiously, the lack of context implying some sort of history. "Am I missing something here?"
Vi didn't have it in her to explain and stood up, fist-bumping Loris. "I'll tell you tomorrow."
"Okay." Loris nodded, picking up the tray the moment Vi was set on leaving.
Before she steps out, she notices the "We're now hiring!" poster by the open window out on the front and asks him about it briefly.
"Found someone to hire yet, buddy? That's been out there for a while."
"We did. She's actually coming in to work in a few days. A student. Might be a batchmate of yours."
"The things we do for a living." Vi sighed, waving a hand to Loris as her hand gripped the handle of the door. "See you around, yeah?"
"Don't beat yourself up too much, 'kay?" Loris teased, voice as gruff as ever.
"I'm a tough girl. I can handle this." Vi scoffed with a smile and went out.
Work was finally done and Vi had a towel wrapped around her neck, placing the fabric to press against her skin to wipe off the sweat that glistened her forehead as she stood by her apartment's door.
She felt rather quirky to jog and walk at the same time to get some sort of exercise. Vi had been noticeably slacking off and she hasn't hit the gym for roughly a week thanks to the abundance of requirements that sucked the energy out of her.
Then she remembered Caitlyn's course, so she doesn't have half the right to complain as her best friend withstands whatever hell she was being put through by her professor, Ambessa Medard-ass.
Bless whoever raised Mel the way that she is because her mother was not it.
"Cait, I'm back." Vi opens the already unlocked door and walks to the kitchen, smiling at a resting Caitlyn wearing her tank top on the couch holding three reviewers in her hands.
Vi clasps her hands as she reaches the fridge, opening the lower section to grab a water bottle to press it against her neck and forehead. The woman turned around, closed it with her heel, and saunters to the other end of the couch.
Caitlyn's eyes followed her direction until she slumped her weight against the cushions.
"We have to talk," Vi says, opening the cap and gulping the water like a mad dehydrated woman. Sighing after quenching her thirst, she turns her body enough to face Caitlyn, wiping off the moisture from her lips with her knuckles to her forearm.
"You're giving me that look." Caitlyn points out, lowering her reviewers.
"Hell yeah I'm giving you this look. You think I wouldn't remember?" Vi teases, shaking her head as her shoulders start to shake.
"I was afraid you'd remember." Caitlyn sighs, groans in defeat, and covers her face with the papers in hand. "Violet, please..."
Now, Vi laughs when she hears this. She laughs a lot when she's feeling things.
She laughs at Jayce's face when he's being a damn idiot.
She laughs when she's sad, not wanting anyone to pity her when something fucks up her life like that one time she lost Scrabble to her sister.
She laughs when she's mad, all bold and sarcastic.
Right now? She's clutching her arms around her stomach, hoping her laughter would convince and hide the current emotion. Caitlyn's probably scowling at her right now which makes the moment all the while seem natural.
After all, she's laughing at her best friend.
For a really pathetic reason on both sides of the coin.
She's laughing because she's jealous.
"Cait-"
"Vi—"
"You're telling me-" Vi stands up straight (haha), her fist against the cheekiest grin she could ever fucking muster. "That you're dating Maddie fucking Nolen?"
"Like I said, we aren't dating." Caitlyn's eyes follow her while her best friend walks back and forth, with Vi's fingers resting under her chin, highly amused.
"I'm...taking it slow."
"You're taking it slow. With the Maddie Nolen." Vi repeats these established words. "Have you fucked her yet?"
"No!" Caitlyn stands up this time, tall and chin-up, crossing her arms to embrace whatever tease her roommate is cooking up inside her head.
Oh, thank God.
After handling a few clients along with her deep contemplation of a new girl in Caitlyn's life throughout the day, Vi felt relieved when she heard that.
It doesn't stop her from teasing Caitlyn though.
There's a memory here. A year ago. A game.
"Cait, I don't think you know why this is so funny."
Caitlyn raises an eyebrow, urging Vi to continue. "Tell me."
Vi stops in her place, hand on her hip and hand clasped over her mouth.
"Dude, Maddie is the girl you passed when we played Smash or Pass."
"I did." Caitlyn winced, the memory betraying her current decisions that reflected the irony of it all. "That's why you've been making those faces earlier."
"You're just seeing things."
"Darling, I know what you look like all the time. I can read you."
"Yeah, and you're telling me that you actually wanna date her? Cait, no offense. She's a nice girl. But are you okay?"
"Huh?"
"Are you running out of women to date? Because Maddie isn't your type." Vi says confidently, crossing her arms this time and approaching her roommate face to face, furrowing her eyebrows to crack a laugh out of Caitlyn and break whatever there is to break through.
"How would you know what my type is?"
"Cait, you literally said, 'Pass, I don't think I'd date her.' when her name came up in the game. Don't you dare tell me I'm wrong. Plus, she has had the biggest crush on you, I'm surprised she still has those feelings up 'til now. Like, what the hell."
"I did not say that!" The taller woman pushes Vi slightly by the front of her shoulders, scoffing at the accusation (which Vi remembers damn well in every shape and form possible.)
"You did!" Vi pushes Caitlyn enough for the woman to sit back down on the couch with an emphasized thump.
Shocked painted across her features and Vi knew she fucked up when determined vengeance flashed right through Caitlyn's eyes with that growing smirk.
"Oh sh— AHCK!"
Next thing she knew, with whatever fucking strength Caitlyn Kiramman possessed in her system, pulls Vi's arms so hard that she fell against her front, hands scrambling for support by gripping the couch frame in her grasp as she straddled Caitlyn with her knees for balance.
"Jesus, woman, what's wrong with you!" Vi huffs out a breath, and Caitlyn keeps her still with her hands on her hips to keep her best friend from falling as they laugh like idiots.
It was then the warmth of Caitlyn's hand that got them to stop laughing and feel the world pause, their focus in a trance in each other's eyes.
Oh, what the fuck.
She's straddling Caitlyn and her chest is inches near her face.
Without thinking and before things get weird, Vi's hands from the frame of the couch place themselves on Caitlyn's shoulders, using her knees to force the woman to lay down and push and let her back lay down on the cushions.
Fuck, she's still straddling her.
With Caitlyn, staring right up at her in a trance made Vi panic immensely. This caused her to struggle to get off and remove herself from Caitlyn which led to her falling off the edge, flopping her back on the rugged floor with a hard concerning thump.
"OW!"
"Vi!" Caitlyn tilts herself, looking at Vi from below and reaching her hand to cradle the back of her head on the floor. "Are you alright?!"
"Yeah, I'm fine—" Vi nodded, releasing a loud, audible sigh after such a moment. "Uh, next time you're gonna do that, please warn me?"
"You started it!"
"You made it worse!"
"Gods, I hate you..." Caitlyn's hand lets go of the back of her head and pushes her fingers on Vi's forehead to playfully thump her head back to the floor. And just when she thought she was done, with Caitlyn's other hand, she grabbed a nearby pillow and placed it on top of Vi's face. "Here."
"Okay, enough! I surrender!" Vi snatched the pillow away from her face and placed it behind the back of her head, thanking Caitlyn with her eyes for the offer of comfort.
They shared a comforting silence, cerulean eyes staring at welcoming, warm gray ones the other would always see every day.
Caitlyn couldn't help herself when nimble fingers ran along the strands of Vi's hair. Vi lets her, humming in the peacefulness of the moment.
It didn't last long when Caitlyn spoke again, breaking Vi from the bare fantasy and immersion.
"I'm...trying to take things seriously now, Violet. With her."
"Yeah?" Vi purses her lips while her focus just kept still on Caitlyn's wandering fingers that started to trace along her eyebrow with the slit. "You want this to work? Because I swear if you're dating someone you don't like..."
"No. I'm not. I promise. I just...are you okay with it?"
"Okay with what?"
"With me, finally dating someone seriously?"
No.
"You never asked me this before." Vi teased with a snort,
"Because my dating life was shit. And I'm trying to fix it." Caitlyn mused, rolling her eyes.
"Cait, like I told you. As long as you're happy, of course I am. Seriously. Again, I don't see why you even need my approval. If it's with Bobs then go for it."
"Bobs?" Caitlyn's confusion made her flutter, with the way her eyebrows started to stick together whenever she calculated something she didn't understand. "Who's Bobs?"
"Maddie."
"Bo— why Bobs?"
"'Cus of the hair, genius." Vi laughs again. "You're dating a freckled, orange onion."
"Oh screw you." Caitlyn pinches her cheek before glaring down at her at the joke. "She's nice, okay?"
"Haha! Just don't date yourself a bitch, alright? I know she's nice. You deserve nice."
"I'm...getting the hang of it." Caitlyn boops her nose, trailing along the bump to the tip and feeling the coldness of her nose ring. "It's...just about time, you know? To be serious. To be a stick-to-one."
"Good. Still funny that you didn't want to smash her in Smash or pass though. And here you are, you're dating her. Some red string theory typa shit."
"At least I don't lie to myself by saying pass to an ex that you're clearly still not over with." Caitlyn snaps back, with a smile that hits a really smart response that shuts Vi up upon the mention.
"The fu—you mean, Sarah? Jesus, Cait. I don't even-"
"Whatever. I know she's your first love." somehow, Caitlyn's mood changed? She was just smiling until an identifiable frown similar to how she scowled during the time Vi accidentally ate the last remaining cupcake on the fridge appeared.
"Bruh," Vi defends herself. "I'm the one doing the teasing here, not you."
Right.
They were so close. Of course she told about the time that Sarah Fortune, the last girl Vi ever dated, had broken up with her through text back in high school.
It didn't help that Sarah was also studying at the same University they were in so the teasing had never died down in their circle.
Screw the alcohol for getting that out of her but it was worth it when opening up about that kept her and Caitlyn inseparable.
But in all the teasing, Caitlyn would always be wrong about one aspect.
Because Sarah isn't her first love.
Never was.
"Uhuh. Changing the topic, I see." even the tone of Caitlyn's voice dropped into an octave.
"I'm not. Dude, why are we even talking about this? You have a test to review for, missy." Vi reminded her. "Come on, let's cut this out.
"Ah, right." that seemed to cut Caitlyn off her mood. She sits up and offers her hands to pull Vi up back again to the couch. "Come here, you."
"See? What would you do without me?" Vi finally sits her ass back again, resting her back with her arm on the couch frame to relax her muscles.
"I know, darling." Caitlyn held her reviewers and rolled her paper like a sword, letting the end of the paper poke slightly against Vi's nose. "What would I do without you?"
And so there they go.
Vi focused on helping Caitlyn.
And neither questioned why she didn't ask for Maddie's help instead.