Chapter Text
The morning sun shone through the small kitchen window and reflected off the toaster with a blinding glare directly at the kitchen table and into Vi’s eyes as she tried to eat her cereal. She squinted and shifted to try and hang her cropped side swept bangs as a shield to avoid the worst of it, hunched over the bowl and grumbling into her spoon. She could, of course, move to a different chair to avoid the offending light completely, but she preferred to be stubborn and try to move as little as possible.
Besides, this was ‘her’ seat.
“Mornin’ sis.” A perky voice chirped behind her, followed by a clatter on the table as her younger sister Powder walked past, placing her tablet down on her way to the coffee maker on the kitchen counter. “Didn’t expect to see you here.” She said with a cheery tone.
“Muhuh.” Vi shrugged around a mouthful of Honey Crunch. Her sister swept her long dyed blue hair up into a messy bun before grabbing the toaster to prepare her breakfast, pulling it out of the sunbeam’s reach. Vi sighed with relief.
“Finally.”
Powder turned slightly as she grabbed the bread bag and pulled out two slices to stuff into the toaster slots with a questioning look and raised eyebrow. Vi swallowed her food and gestured from the window to the toaster to explain.
“Light off that was in my eyes.”
The younger girl looked between her and the toaster back and forth a couple of times, then darted her eyes to the two empty chairs on either side of Vi before a smirk lit up her face. “For how long?” She asked, turning to grab a coffee mug out of the cupboard.
Vi didn’t reply and Powder snickered.
“You’re impossible.” She mixed her coffee together with a massive amount of sugar as she waited for the toaster to pop out her breakfast, humming to herself. Once the toast emerged, she went to the fridge to scrounge up some jam, emerged victorious and brought her plate and utensils over to the seat beside her older sister.
The two women could not look more different at first glance, Vi broad and muscular with short red pink hair and scars decorating her arms and Powder petite and willowy, with blue hair past her waist and wide eyes currently behind wire framed glasses, but their body language gave them away as comfortable siblings who’d stuck together through thick and thin. As Powder dropped into her seat she glanced over at her older sister, hunched over her bowl of cereal that Powder was pretty sure had gone stale, since she couldn’t remember when they’d last bought it.
“So… that bad last night, huh?” Powder asked as she opened the jam jar. Vi shrugged as she shovelled another spoonful into her mouth and spoke around it.
“Nah, he was fine, I just wasn’t feeling it. Plus his place kinda smelled like cat.”
“Hm.” Powder nodded as she finished scrapping the jam across her toast. “What time you get home?”
“2ish.” Vi stirred her cereal absently. “We were at the bar for a while, that part was fun. Then I went over to his and…” another shrug.
“He didn’t realize how buff you were? He chickened out over the tattoos?”
Vi rolled a buff shoulder with said tattoos subconsciously with a smirk but shook her head. “Nah, met him at the gym so he knew all about these babies. I called it off. We got as far as making out… but it was just boring.”
Powder made a thoughtful hum as she bit into her toast. “Man, you‘ve really been striking out the past while, hm?”
“Yeah, it sucks.” Vi stirred the remnants of her cereal milk idly. “I keep finding guys I like hanging out with, and they’re hot and we have fun and then,” she made a ‘thumbs down’ gesture while blowing a raspberry. “I dunno, maybe I’m too picky.”
“Nothing wrong with being picky,” Powder said around a mouthful, jam sticking to the corner of her mouth. “The whole point is having fun, you can’t force yourself to be into it.”
Vi leaned back in her chair, rubbing a hand through her magenta-hued bangs. She let out a heavy sigh.
“I just wish I knew what I was being picky about. Sometimes it’s obvious shit like ‘yeah he’s kinda too into gender roles or he’s shitty to the servers’ but most of the time it’s never anything specific, just, the vibe is wrong you know?” She lifted a foot to push against the table, balancing her chair on it’s back two legs. “I dunno Pow, it’s happened enough times that I know it’s gotta mean the issue’s me. Maybe I’m broken.”
Powder made a face around a mouthful of food, pouting a very stern ‘don’t you dare be down on yourself’ silent message to her older sister. Then she chewed thoughtfully, staring off in the distance at the light playing on the walls. She turned her gaze back to her sister, a more serious expression on her face.
“Vi,” Powder swallowed her bite, her brow furrowed above wide eyes. “Do you think maybe the problem- maybe what it is is that-“ she waved a hand in the air, trying to find the words. “Maybe you’re not broken but just… you know, not into guys? Like, that way?”
Vi paused, a puzzled expression on her face, before she burst out laughing, dropping her foot so her chair slammed back on all four legs. “What, because I have short hair and like to work out? Way to stereotype.”
Powder scrunched up her face before letting out a sigh. “That’s not- Nevermind. You’re impossible. I hate you.”
“Oh, and now you’re admitting to being homophobic, wow.”
“I’m ignoring you now.” Powder gave out a dramatic sigh and picked up her tablet, unlocking it to a screen of spreadsheets and graphs. She pointedly made a serious face down at it in mock concentration. “I have work to do. I’ve gone deaf.”
Vi laughed as she stood, carrying her bowl to the sink for a quick rinse. “And I have to hit the gym.” She paused, and then laughed again “since I’m such a lesbian.”
“Oh fuck off, you know that’s not what I meant.”
“Thought you weren’t listening?”
“I will move out, I swear to god.”
Vi ruffled her sister’s hair on her way out of the kitchen to the hall, still chuckling as she slipped on her shoes and grabbed her gym bag. “Have fun with work, love you! In a very gay way!”
“I hope you get hit by a bus!”
Powder drummed her nails on the glass of her tablet thoughtfully. It was early afternoon now at the office, and she was enjoying a coffee break in the atrium cafe, puzzling over a diagram. The midday sun shone through the leaves of the birch trees outside, spreading soft dappled shadows across the break room. Her tablet went black from lack of interaction and Powder let out a small annoyed huff as she turned the device back on.
“Is this seat taken?” A quiet voice broke through her thoughts. She looked up to see the gentle smile of her coworker, a reedy man in his late 30’s with a sophisticated cane. She smiled back, waving at the chair on the opposite side of her table.
“Oh, hey Vic. Yeah, take a seat. I just had to get away from my desk.”
“A change of location can be good for adjusting perspective.” Victor nodded as he sat down carefully, leaning to look over at Powder’s screen. “What’s troubling you?”
Powder clicked her tongue against her teeth. “Eh, just little stuff, details that aren’t exciting enough to motivate me to focus. I guess I’m just distracted.”
The two sat in comfortable silence for a second, Powder tapping her painted nails on the table, before she slapped her hand flat against the surface and leaned forward.
“Hey Vic, you’re gay right?”
“So the rumours would say.” Victor chuckled.
“How did you…” Powder made a face, hoping she wasn’t crossing any boundaries. She waggled her fingers in the air over her tablet screen as she formed the words. “Didja always know or like, how’d you figure that out?”
Victor’s eyes were gentle as he laid a hand on Powder’s, stilling her nervous waggling. “Is this something you are struggling with?”
“Not me,” Powder shook her head, “my sister. She’s been having trouble getting into dating lately, and I thought…” she trailed off with a shrug, staring at the table. “But you know what they says about an ‘ass of u and me’ right?”
Victor made a thoughtful frown, tilting his head as he nodded. “That is a hard thing gauge. We cannot know what others feel, nor force their journey. If that is what’s right for her, the best you can do is be supportive. She’ll figure it out in her own time.”
“Yeah, you’re right. She doesn’t have any- we don’t really know a lot of gay people,” Powder smiled sheepishly, shrugging, “So you know me, overthinking sister, just trying all my angles.”
“Well,” Victor tapped on his cane with a finger as he mused, “it wouldn’t hurt if she could talk to someone who might actually understand, get a broader perspective.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“Yeah?” Powder blinked. “You want me to set something up so you guys could talk?”
“Not me, but I may know someone.”
“Why am I doing this again?” Vi asked, as Powder adjusted the fit of her dress shirt and trousers like a fussing mother.
“Because I’m your only little sister and you love me.” The younger girl said with an exaggerated pout, clasping her hands and fluttering her eyelashes. Vi rolled her eyes and smiled.
“Alright fine, I’ll go on this ONE blind date. But just this one, got it?”
“Thank you-u.” Powder chirped in a sing-song voice, bringing a brush up to Vi’s hair. Half her head was shaved in an undercut, but the side swept bangs still managed to be unruly, to the younger sister’s constant annoyance. “I’m just looking out for my big sis! You’re 25, it’s about time you find someone.” She tapped her sister’s nose once with her finger before bringing the brush up to work back the stray hairs. Vi wrinkled her nose at the tap and snorted.
“I’m 24, dingbat.”
Powder shrugged, waving a hand loosely. “Rounding up.” Vi snorted again and Powder stuck out her tongue teasingly, as she put down the hairbrush and pulled out her makeup kit. Vi dutifully leaned forward on the kitchen chair, resting her arms on her knees as her sister pulled out the eyeliner brush.
“Who is this guy anyway, you said he was a friend?” Vi asked as Powder adjusted herself to hold Vi’s face still, uncapping the brush.
“It’s a friend of a friend, so almost. No spoilers.” Powder leaned back to mime zipping her lips, then forward again to begin to brush around Vi’s eye, tongue poking out the side of her mouth in concentration.
“Do I at least get a name?”
“No spoilers!” Powder pinched Vi’s jaw to turn her head to work on the other side. Vi had to fight rolling her eyes and messing up Powder’s work.
“A name isn’t a spoiler, how am I supposed to know who they are?”
“You’ll know. Aaaaand, your date has all the info.” Powder said cheerily, sticking her tongue out with a wink.
“So I’m the only one going in full blind.”
“You like a challenge.”
Vi frowned as her jaw was released and she sat back, then shook her head when Powder pulled out the lipstick. “Nah, not tonight.”
“It might help cover up that scar?” Powder said helpfully, pointing with her pinky to her own mouth to mirror the faded gash on Vi’s upper lip. Vi raised an eyebrow.
“Scar’s part of me, not going to cover it up.”
“You call the shots,” Powder shrugged, placing it back in the bag. “Earrings?” Vi shook her head. “Aw, put in a bit of effort!”
“I already let you dress me and paint half my face, that’s effort enough. I’m naturally hot.” This time Powder snorted and Vi grinned. “It’s a guy, Pow, I’ve never needed to do that much effort. Them rejecting me isn’t the problem.” Vi rubbed a calloused thumb over her chin. “Look, it’s not gonna be weird because you kinda know him, right? Should I fuck him just so there’s no hard feelings?”
“God Vi, don’t be so dramatic.” Powder rolled her eyes. “The whole point of this is to see if you make a connection, not a pity fuck. If nothing happens, then nothing happens.”
Vi squirmed, trying to loosen the shirt around her shoulders and Powder immediately fussed and readjusted the fabric Vi had just rumpled with a sigh. The older girl sighed out a short laugh “Fair enough. But if it doesn’t work out don’t get all weird.”
“Let’s be real, I’ll be weirder if it does work out.”
“Yeah,” Vi ruffled her sister’s hair. “You’re weird no matter what. I’ll see you after I strike out.” She turned and headed to the door to slip on her old worn shoes, tapping the toes against the ground to make sure they were on properly. Rolling her shoulders again in the front mirror to loosen the shirt, and hearing Powder’s frustrated huff at once again wrinkling her work, Vi grabbed her keys and gave her sister a wave. “Love you, nerd!”
“Love you too. Have fun!” Powder placed a hand on her mouth as if to blow a kiss, pulling it away to blow a raspberry instead, as Vi laughed and walked out the door.
The restaurant Powder had instructed her to go to was fancier than Vi was used to, being more of a dive-bar dweller herself. She and Powder had grown up in poorer conditions and it was only through Powder’s engineering degree that the sisters were able to afford anything even close to this, something Powder insisted she pay for because the blind date was her idea anyway. Still, after more than half her life with as little as possible, extravagant places like this made Vi uncomfortable. Meals that cost as much as three whole days worth of groceries, and a clientele that definitely knew she didn’t belong here, with her self-shorn haircut and three-year-old shoes made Vi want to leave. She didn’t know what kind of guy Powder was setting her up for - the girl worked with a lot of higher class tech folks who didn’t have to take scholarships or loans for their degree, and she was starting to think that no matter what she just wasn’t going to click with him.
Her date being late wasn’t helping the discomfort. Vi toyed nervously with the stem of her wine glass as the clinking of cutlery and murmurs of the other diners blended into white noise around her. She wondered how much longer she should stay; she’d never been stood up before. She tapped her finger rhythmically along the base of the glass and started slowly counting out the seconds, telling herself that in five minutes she would scram.
“Vi?” A voice behind her cause Vi to jump out of her thoughts. It was nothing what she expected, feminine with a lilt of an accent. As the speaker walked up around the side of her, smiling, Vi was even more shocked.
I’m going to kill Powder was the first thought that ran through her head, followed by this is one of Powder’s FRIENDS?
The woman pulling up a seat opposite Vi, saying something in that delicate accented voice about ‘sorry I’m late, parking this time of night is always a nightmare’, was stupidly beautiful. She looked about Vi’s age, maybe a couple years older, but from a completely different planet. Her black blue hair was pulled into a tight ponytail, with just a few strands loose on either side accenting a face with delicate sharp features, long nose and dark narrow eyes with a wingtip that looked expertly drawn. Her dark grey feminine suit outfit was perfectly tailored and accented her long legs and slender shoulders perfectly. Jewelry that looked like it cost more than Vi’s rent decorated the woman’s ears, wrists and fingers, and she wore a golden watch that looked like it cost more than a car.
Even if she were gay, Vi thought, this woman would be wildly out of her league. What the hell was Powder thinking?
The woman shrugged off her blazer jacket onto the back of her chair, the movement of her shoulders making her pressed white dress shirt tight enough against her chest that Vi had to quickly pull her eyes away in awkward shame for even looking, back up to the stranger’s face. The woman was smiling sweetly at her, expectantly, and that was when Vi remembered she had been talking and was probably waiting for a reply.
“Oh are you..?” Vi fumbled over the question. Was this a date? Did she misjudge what Powder had set up?
The woman’s poised demeanour slipped at Vi’s confusion, and she looked instantly concerned. “Sorry, are you not Vi?” She apologized quickly, “I was told to look for ‘pink hair in an undercut’, and you’re the only one, oh I’m so sorry for-“
“Vi, I’m Vi.” Vi cut off quickly. “I just wasn’t expecting- I thought I was supposed to have a blind da- I was waiting for a guy.”
The woman looked at her for a couple of seconds, blinking, before realization widened her eyes and she rested her head on delicate fingers with a heavy sigh towards the tablecloth. “I am going to kill them.” She muttered under her breath, before her eyes came back up to meet Vi’s and she gave an awkward apologetic smile. She straightened up and stood, removing her jacket from the chair. “I apologize deeply and sincerely for this, and for our friends wasting our time. I’ll just-“
“Hey!” Vi blurted, holding a hand out. The woman paused as Vi waved to the table with a grin, trying to hold back the laughter. “We’re here already, I’m hungry, you’re probably hungry, so sit down. We can have dinner together being pissed at the same people.”
The woman considered this for a second and then slowly sat back down, hands resting on the table. “I can’t argue that. I suppose since you weren’t expecting a woman then you weren’t told my name; please, call me Caitlyn.” She stuck out a well manicured hand. Vi grabbed it in her own rough one and shook it with a grin.
“Nice to meet ya.”
Caitlyn’s eyes flickered to their hands when they made contact and back up to Vi just as quickly, and her smile got a little tighter. Vi finished the shake and pulled her hand away, tucking it under the table self consciously.
Caitlyn flashed a quick grin, revealing a brilliant smile with a slight tooth gap Vi couldn’t help but be drawn too. Then it vanished under painted lips as Caitlyn tutted and reached for a menu. Vi shook herself from the realization that she was still staring at Caitlyn’s mouth and grabbed a menu herself, despite the fact that she had already stared at it a dozen times while waiting.
“So,” Caitlyn said with an amused tone, not looking up from her menu. “I was told you were at this dinner because you were questioning… but you were expecting me to be a man?”
Vi snorted, rolling her eyes at the realization. “Yeah, sorry, I thought this was a date. My sister- I’m really sorry you got tricked by this bullshit, Powder can be a brat but she usually doesn’t drag other victims in when she’s pranking me.”
“Powder is your… sister?” Caitlyn asked, and Vi automatically tensed, anticipating having to defend her sister’s odd name. But Caitlyn breezed past the topic. “She’d be the colleague of my friend then. She must be very persuasive if she managed to convince Victor to engage in this charade.”
“I don’t think she meant this to be mean,” Vi admitted. “Probably thought she was helping me.” She scratched her thumbnail on her lower lip, chuckling. “She’s convinced herself that I’m gay.”
Caitlyn looked at her with mild surprise. “That so? Any particular reason, or is just because you have short hair and terrible posture?”
Vi choked on nothing at the response, striking a fist to her chest as she morphed the coughs into laughs. “Ouch, goddamn. Alright, see, I think we’re still gonna have a fun dinner at least.”
Caitlyn smiled broadly, the corners of her nose wrinkling as she did. “Yes,” she said as she turned back to her menu, “I’m glad this isn’t going to turn out entirely disappointing.”
“So that’s my deal,” Vi finished her tale of Powder’s assumptions, poking at her overpriced penne with a fork. Caitlyn nodded, covering her mouth slightly with her hand as she chewed and swallowed her bite.
“That does sound like a dilemma, and I’ll admit, I don’t entirely disagree with your sister.” Vi’s eyebrows shot up into her hair as Caitlyn held a finger up to indicate she wasn’t finished her thought. “Not specifically gay, but there might be other reasons along the same line of thought if it keeps happening regardless of body type or personality.”
“Eh, maybe.” Vi muttered, stabbing a forkful of pasta. “What about you? You’re obviously hot, how are you still single?” She asked through her mouthful, hoping to change the subject. Caitlyn sipped at her wine thoughtfully, a light blush on her cheeks.
“Well,” she said carefully, as she placed her glass down. “I suppose I’m picky.”
“You haven’t been getting any either, huh?”
Caitlyn let out a short laugh, pursing her lips quickly to keep the noise in. She looked up at Vi, amusement sparkling in her eyes.
“That certainly isn’t my problem. But I don’t tend to keep them around for long.”
Vi raised an eyebrow, not expecting that answer. “So you’re a player?”
“More like… a hopeless romantic.”
“How’s that an issue?”
“Well,” Caitlyn tilted her head as if trying to find the right words, an embarrassed smile playing at the edges of her mouth. “It tends to be that while I like the, um, stress relief, I haven’t found anyone that I connect with…” she waved a hand in front of her airily “outside, you know. Bed.” She rested her chin on her hand, looking over at Vi. “Does that make sense?”
Vi couldn’t help the grin that spread across her face as she went over Caitlyn’s words. She dialled it back to a smirk, pointing an accusing fork over the table. “So you have commitment issues.”
Caitlyn made that wry smile again, before taking a bite of her food to avoid the question. Vi chuckled, shovelling another forkful of her meal into her own mouth.
“Hey, I’m judgement free.” She said as she chewed. “Is that why your friends set you up with me? To try and push you outta your comfort zone?” She could only imagine the type of woman Caitlyn normally dated, well groomed in pantsuits or cocktail dresses, their own gold and diamond accents.
Caitlyn just swirled the wine in her glass, a curious eyebrow raised. She smiled with a slight shake of her head as she raised the glass to take a sip. “Who says you’re out of my comfort zone?”
Vi laughed. “Look at us! I’m a dyed and tattooed kickboxing instructor who eats cereal for dinner, and you look like you visit the Louvre on weekends for lunch. We’re complete opposites, Cupcake.”
Caitlyn sipped at her wine again, muttering “Lots of sorts visit the Louvre on weekends for lunch.” Then, louder, “you may not be… exactly my type, Vi,” her eyes dragged up and down Vi’s body in a way that Vi didn’t particularly hate, it was nice to be appreciated by a woman as attractive as her, “and you may be the crudest woman I’ve ever dined with, and you eat like a starved toddler and-“
“I have terrible posture,” Vi offered with a grin.
“Astoundingly terrible for a fitness instructor,” Caitlyn grinned back with the alluring tooth gap. “But you would be surprised the limits of my comfort zone. Besides, we’re having a fun dinner together, table manners aside.”
“Oh?” Vi leaned forward grinning slyly. “So what you’re saying is you got a thing for the street rats?”
Caitlyn coughed, cheeks turning pink. It warmed something in Vi up, seeing the poised woman flustered. “Vi, you’re hardly a… street rat. And that’s not what I meant. You truly aren’t my usual type.”
Vi grinned, ignoring the odd sense of disappointment she felt at that. She didn’t want to date Caitlyn and she had no issues about her appearance, but being told she wasn’t the girl’s type dropped in her stomach all the same.
“Tell you what, how about we wrap this dinner up and go grab a beer at the edge of your vast comfort zone?” She asked, hoping Cait would say yes. She hadn’t had this much fun on a night out with someone who wasn’t Powder in ages, platonic or otherwise. She didn’t want this to end.
Caitlyn hummed for a second, taking a bite of her meal and chewing slowly, but maintaining eye contact to let Vi know she planned on answering. When she swallowed, and Vi certainly did not drop her eyes to watch the smooth skin of Caitlyn’s throat move with the action, she paused just a minute longer before nodding with a smile.
“Sounds delightful.”
“Alright, what’s their story?” Vi pointed, as they walked down the busy street. After a delicate argument over who would pay for dinner (Vi finally argued that Powder had agreed to pay for her, and this was Powder’s fault in the first place so she should cover the tab, and Caitlyn finally relented) they had walked a little ways closer to Vi’s end of town for after dinner drinks. The bars and clubs were only just starting to fill up, lines growing outside of waiting patrons chatting and laughing and jostling, and Caitlyn and Vi were inventing stories for the strangers as they made their way past.
Caitlyn followed Vi’s finger to a couple standing in the middle of a line, noticeably haggard. They leaned into each other, looking very much like they were finishing up a wild night, instead of starting it. The girl kept anxiously looking at her phone.
“Hmm,” Caitlyn frowned thoughtfully. “New parents. This is their first night out with a sitter, and they’re trying to recreate the nights they had before, but their inconsistent sleep schedules mean they’re already exhausted.”
Vi nodded, hands in her jacket pocket as she sidestepped to avoid a puddle. “I could see it. Smooth work, detective.”
Caitlyn chuckled, then narrowed her eyes as she looked around. “Hmm now… them?”
Vi squinted over to where Caitlyn was indicating at a trio of guys in large overcoats, despite the warm night. Their hoods were up as they huddled together, speaking with their heads close.
“Werewolves.” Vi said matter of factly. Caitlyn coughed with surprise, laughing. Vi grinned, waving a hand as she explained. “It’s a full moon, so they’re all covered up before they get inside to keep the light off them.”
“I wasn’t aware it was moonlight specifically that changed them.” Caitlyn mused. “I thought it was similar to the tide, gravitational?”
“Haven’t you seen a werewolf movie? They’re always fine until the clouds move to reveal the full moon and then shit hits the fan.”
“I’m afraid I haven’t seen a werewolf movie before.” Caitlyn admitted.
“Well, I’ll have to show you one.” Vi nudged her with a shoulder. Caitlyn made a ‘hm’ of acknowledgment, leaning into the nudge. Vi smiled, ducking her head as she felt her cheeks warm. She looked over and around, spotting a new target.
“Them,” she indicated over to a group of five girls excitedly fussing over a sixth in a tiara. “What you think? Birthday or bachelorette?”
“Oh,” she could feel Caitlyn stiffen beside her. Vi glanced over to see the anxious expression on the other woman’s face. Caitlyn noticed she was looking at her and flushed bright red. “Oh, I, uh, well I don’t see any embarrassing attire besides the ridiculous crown, so,”
Vi glanced with puzzlement between Caitlyn and the girls, back and forth a couple of times before her eyes widened and a grin split her face. “Oh, oh, Caitlyn! You slept with her didn’t you?”
Caitlyn’s ears turned redder. “It was a while ago but, shit,” she ducked down to try and hide behind Vi, “don’t let her see me. It wasn’t the most-“ she trailed off looking for a word.
“It was a bad breakup.” Vi nodded.
“In a way.” Caitlyn agreed, grabbing Vi’s elbow and tugging her. “Here, this way.” They ducked around a group standing in front of a restaurant, chatting and smoking, weaving past them on the inside of the sidewalk until Caitlyn was satisfied they’d put enough distance between. She was still holding onto Vi’s arm, not hard but the pressure still making the limb tingle.
“Sorry,” Caitlyn muttered quietly, ears still tinged pink. She let go of Vi’s arm and tucked her hair behind her ear, straightening herself back up to full height. “I just didn’t want her to ruin the evening.”
Vi glanced up at Caitlyn. She had noticed how tall the other woman was at the restaurant, but it hadn’t clicked in until they were standing side by side. Caitlyn was nearly a full head taller than Vi, accented by the heels she was wearing. It was an odd feeling to have to look up to a woman - Vi rarely had to do so at her own 5’9” height - and the thought popped into her head that Caitlyn would always have to bend down to give a girl a kiss. It made Vi’s stomach flutter oddly.
“No problem.” Vi said, voice cracking slightly. She coughed to clear it. “We’re not gonna have to run from more exes, are we?”
“She’s not really an ‘ex’,” Caitlyn made an embarrassed face, shaking her head, “we didn’t date, despite her best efforts.”
Vi snickered, “Oh, sorry, maybe I should phrase it as ‘are we going to have to run from more hearts you’ve broken’?”
Caitlyn smiled at that, tucking a loose hair behind her ear. “Now, when you say that do you mean that situation specifically or are you implying every girl I’ve slept with I’ve left broken hearted?”
“Both?” Vi snickered.
“A lady doesn’t kiss and tell,” Caitlyn said, with an airy wave of her hand and shrug, looking quite poised. “Besides, I’ve lost count.”
Vi’s step faltered and she glanced over at Caitlyn, who winked and kept walking. Vi broke out in a laugh. “Bullshit.” She grinned, picking up the pace to keep in step with the taller woman.
Caitlyn was clearly holding back a grin. “What makes you say that?” She asked with a casual air.
“You’ve had so many girls you can’t even remember the number? Who even says that?” Vi scoffed. “You’re just trying to impress me, aren’t you.”
“Am I?” Caitlyn’s coy smile stayed painted on her face. “Why would I want to impress you with my escapades?”
Vi didn’t have an answer at first. This was starting to feel too close to flirting, and she didn’t want to give Caitlyn the wrong idea. She tried to shrug it off. “You tell me, most of the time people brag about having game to impress.”
“I am not bragging,” Caitlyn looked aghast, hand to her heart, and the motion was just dramatic enough that Vi wasn’t sure if it was exaggerated for effect or earnest. “You asked me, and I answered truthfully!”
Vi laughed, and Caitlyn laughed along, until they rounded the corner and Vi’s mood changed instantly. She swore under her breath.
“Dammit, forgot it was college night.”
The usual dive bar she liked to frequent had a huge line of rowdy local students and exhausted regulars waiting to get in. From previous experience Vi knew it would take anywhere between 40min to an hour just to get inside, and then it would be cramped and loud and she’d get spilled on and crushed toes and paranoid about her things getting stolen, again.
Vi hated college night.
Caitlyn paused, looking from the scene to Vi and back. “Not a fan of crowds?”
“Not usually and not this kind. C’mon, wanna grab a coffee instead? We can at least take that to go.”
“Would it also be ‘out of my comfort zone’?” Caitlyn flashed her dazzling smile, and Vi once again was mesmerized by the little gap in her teeth. She shoved her hands in her jacket pocket and offered a half shrug.
“Could be if you let me order for you.”
“I’m sure it would be atrocious if you did.” Caitlyn’s eyes glinted mischievously. “Lead the way.”
“This is truly atrocious.” Caitlyn made a face at the cup she’d just taken a sip from as they sat on park bench a short walk away from where the dingy coffee shop was. “What on earth did you give me? I never thought something that looked so appealing could taste so disgusting.”
“That’s what she said.” Vi mumbled into her own drink. Caitlyn sputtered, quickly covering her mouth with a hand to hide the coffee she’d spat out, shoulders shaking with silent laughter.
“Vi!”
“What?” Vi grinned over her cup at the other girl. Caitlyn rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face persisted.
“You’re appalling. I have no idea why Victor and Jayce thought I would take to you.”
“Hey, I’m full of charm.” Vi said with a wink.
“And when do I get to see this ‘charm’?” Caitlyn bumped her with an elbow. Vi drew back with her own dramatic gasp, putting on a mock offended face.
“Speak for yourself cupcake! For such a heartbreaker, I’m not feeling very swept off my feet.”
Caitlyn blushed with eyebrows raised, bringing her coffee to her lips before remembering it’s flavour and lowering it with a frown at the cup. “I was under the impression that was unwanted tonight. Should I have been, ah, sweeping? I have no interest chasing a straight girl.”
This felt dangerously too close to flirting again. Vi leaned forward on the bench they were seated on, staring resolutely at her coffee. She always liked to tease, and with Caitlyn it felt fun and natural but it also felt like scratching at a scab, addictive in a painful way that she knew she had to stop but couldn’t. Maybe it was the fact that she didn’t have to commit to it that made it feel so fun.
“Are you always the one who does the sweeping?” She asked, trying to sound her normal casual confidence. “Kinda wouldn’t expect that, you seem, no offence, kinda reserved.”
The look on Caitlyn’s face as she watched Vi was unreadable. Vi swallowed, thinking she had finally pushed it too far when the taller girl relaxed, dropping the atrocious coffee into the garbage bin beside their bench and turning back to her companion.
“I’m the always one who does the sweeping.” She said, an extremely self satisfied smug look on her face.
She suddenly looked how Vi had first seen her at the start of the night, a confident high class woman ready to take charge of the situation instead of the more playful and shy girl she had been talking to all night. It occurred to Vi that platonic Caitlyn and romantic Caitlyn may be two entirely different people.
Vi chuckled aloud as a response before taking another sip of her coffee, trying to ignore the way her stomach had dropped. She grimaced.
“Yeah, this coffee’s shit. Sorry we couldn’t go get beers instead.”
“That’s alright,” Caitlyn crossed her ankles, sitting back in her seat. They sat in silence for a moment, the sounds of the city buzzing around them. It was comfortable.
“Sorry it’s not gonna end like most of your dates, ms ‘lost count.’” Vi snickered when she felt a need to break the silence.
Caitlyn let out a sound almost like a giggle, something Vi felt she would never get tired of hearing. A bold question popped into her head and out of her mouth before she could stop it. “So I gotta know, what’s your secret? Any signature moves?”
Dangerous.
Caitlyn was quiet for a minute, ears still red, and Vi’s heart clenched in panic.
“Sorry, was that over the line? Am I getting, like, invasive or-“
“No, it’s alright.” Caitlyn coughed and waved Vi’s apologies off. The taller woman was looking straight ahead at the street crowds, and bit her bottom lip thoughtfully. Vi couldn’t help glancing at it. “You’re fine. I do have a… a method that’s worked pretty well for getting what I want.”
“So you do have a signature move?” Vi asked, settling back on the bench, teasing, still touching the raw nerve.
Dangerous.
Caitlyn gave an amused smile, shifting in her seat and crossing her legs, angling so she could face Vi a bit more. She rested one arm on her lap and let the other draw over the back of the bench. She looked at Vi shyly before moving her gaze down, focusing on her long, well manicured fingers, running them against her thumb.
“It’s hard to explain…” Caitlyn began.
“You can just show me.” Vi interrupted. Caitlyn raised her eyebrows and Vi lounged further on the bench, shrugging, looking nonchalant, hoping she looked nonchalant.
Extremely dangerous.
“Well,” Caitlyn hummed with a thoughtful expression, like she was nervous. “For my dates typically we’ll have dinner or see a show, and then I take her out for ice cream.”
“Ice cream?”
“The little shop up on fifth that has the soft serve. It’s a little sweet treat, helps cleanse the palette, and we would walk around talking while enjoying it.”
Vi adjusted herself to face Caitlyn better, leaning over the side of the bench. “How does the ice cream help?”
“It’s, well ,” Caitlyn shifted a little, looking out to the street as she tapped her thumbnail against her ring finger. “It’s good cause for me to, well, so at some point in the conversation I would lean in and say-”
With that, Caitlyn was leaning in, suddenly very, too close to Vi. The shorter girl was stunned still, as the hand that was fidgeting on Caitlyn’s lap now reached up and delicately brushed against her jaw.
“You’ve got a little bit right here, darling.” Caitlyn’s voice, lowered almost two octaves, came out like a purr. Her thumb rose up and just ever so lightly brushed away and down at the corner of Vi’s bottom lip, just enough pressure to make Vi’s mouth part open slightly. Caitlyn, so close some of her loose whips of hair were brushing Vi’s forehead, was looking down at Vi’s mouth, her gaze hungry and focused. The whole world seemed to go silent, dark, just absolutely disappear as Vi felt frozen under the featherlight pressure of Caitlyn’s hand.
Caitlyn leaned in painfully slowly, just as their noses started to brush and Vi could feel the other woman’s breath warming her face, before she was giving Vi a light pinch on the cheek and sitting back with a playfully smug look on her face.
“Works every time.”
Vi’s cheeks felt hot as she struggled to keep her breathing even, heart pounding in her ears. “Damn.” She said a little too loudly, slapping a hand idly on a knee. “You’re pretty good at that.”
“I’m excellent at that.” Caitlyn corrected, winking before the shy smile returned and she let out a nervous chuckle, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Sorry, it’s a bit awkward to demonstrate but it really doesn’t translate well with just words.”
“Yeah, you definitely didn’t want to show off.” Vi snickered, before laughing fully.
Caitlyn joined, eyes crinkling at the corners as they both sat there, laughing in the cool early summer night. Vi drained her coffee as she shared a story of terrible pickup lines she’d been subjected to, Caitlyn shared a story of her inspiration for the ice cream move and Vi laughed and listened and told herself it was only the caffeine that was responsible for the warm nervous energy that buzzed in her chest for the rest of the night.