Work Text:
One moment, Vi was wrapped in the comforting warmth of sleep, floating weightlessly through her dreams. And the next, she was jolted awake by a staggering blow to the side of her jaw, the pain radiating through the bones of her face with a blinding intensity.
Her eyes welled with stinging saltwater as she jerked upright, adrenaline thundering through her veins. She blinked quickly, trying to clear her vision as her muscles tensed, preparing to fight. As many years as she had been out of Stillwater, that instinct remained. She didn’t know who was here, how they’d gotten in or what they wanted, but that didn’t matter. All that mattered was protecting herself and her family, keeping them safe.
Something was pressed against her collarbone, pushing in, and Vi’s heart stuttered in her chest. Her eyes slowly adjusted in the dim light, and she squinted, trying to make out what was shoved against her.
Five tiny toes digging into her chest, a toddler’s heel in perfect proximity to her pulsing jawbone. Understanding dawned on Vi, the puzzle pieces clicking into place.
No attacker. Just Cassandra and the gymnastics routine she was practicing in her sleep.
Vi exhaled shakily, letting out something between a chuckle and a sigh as she willed the drumbeat of her heart to slow down, her adrenaline to stop racing. As carefully as she could, she repositioned Cass’ sprawled limbs until she was out of kicking range. She cringed as she pressed her fingers against her sore jaw, rubbing circles on the bone in an attempt to soothe the throbbing ache.
The toddler assassin’s hair was sleep-mussed, her pajamas were bunched around her limbs, and a line of drool trickled from her open mouth as she let out a small, drowsy sigh. Her cheeks were pink from sleep, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, and Vi’s heart melted. For a moment, the pulsing pain in her face dulled, just a little.
In the soft morning light, she gazed fondly at her little family, trying to commit all of these small details to memory: Caitlyn, her face soft and unguarded as she slept. Corinne, curled up into Caitlyn’s side, her freckled nose twitching slightly as she dreamed. And Cass, sprawled out on top of Vi’s body, her sleep-tangled hair and her chunky toddler limbs.
Vi wouldn’t trade this for anything. She’d give up the world if it meant she could stay forever in these soft, slow moments, surrounded by the people she loved so dearly.
She wasn’t sure which of her daughters had ended up in their bed first—and really, it didn’t matter. When one stumbled in, bundled in a blanket or dragging a plush toy along the floor, the other quickly shuffled behind. They were like two little ducklings. Two adorable, gangly little ducklings.
Caitlyn shifted, her bright eye blinking open as she yawned, smiling when she caught Vi’s gaze. Her face was dappled in morning sunlight, and she looked impossibly beautiful.
“Morning,” she whispered, her voice raspy-edged from sleep, and Vi’s stomach fluttered with butterflies. All these years later, her wife continued to fluster her, particularly in the softest and quietest of moments.
“Morning, Cupcake.” Vi reached across the bed, taking Caitlyn’s hand and squeezing it in hers. “Sleep well?”
Caitlyn hummed in response, carefully untangling herself from Corinne as she sat up. When she looked back at Vi, her face fell, the scar across her eyelid shifting as she frowned.
“What happened to your face?”
“Our little boxer took me apart.” Vi bit back a laugh as she tilted her head in Cass’ direction. “What’s the damage?”
“It’ll definitely bruise.” Caitlyn ran her fingers across Vi’s jawbone, a soft and featherlight touch, and Vi shivered. “She did that in her sleep?”
“Woke me the hell up, that’s for sure.”
Caitlyn’s lips twitched, just slightly, and that was enough to set Vi off with a soft snort. And then they were both laughing, and Vi’s heart ached with so much warmth she thought it could burst right out of her chest. Smiling, Caitlyn ran her thumb across Vi’s cheek, and Vi couldn’t help but lean into the soft touch, bringing her own hand up to rest against Cait’s.
The morning light continued to creep into the room, warm summer air fluttering in through the open windows, and the floral scent of the gardens carried along a soft, wistful nostalgia. Vi had lived in the Kiramman mansion long enough to know her place in it, to feel settled, to call it home and mean it.
In the beginning, she was scared. She held this life in a loose grasp, waiting for it to be taken from her, waiting for things to fall apart like they always did. Never could she have imagined that her world would stay steady, that the rug wouldn’t be yanked out from under her feet, that she’d have the time and the space and the freedom to carve out her own life. To have something, to love something, and trust that it wouldn’t disappear.
And here she was. Here they all were, warm and steady and real.
“I didn’t even hear the girls come in last night.” Vi ruffled Cass’ thick hair, tugging a few sticky strands free from the mess of drool drying on her chin.
“This one had a nightmare.” Caitlyn stroked Corinne’s freckled cheek, pink from sleep. “She just needed some cuddles. And where one goes...”
“The other follows,” Vi finished with an affectionate grin. Little ducklings, indeed.
They stayed like that for a while, curled up and watching their girls as sunlight continued to creep through the room. Eventually, Caitlyn sighed, stretching her long arms above her head.
“I need to start getting ready.”
“Five more minutes?” Vi asked, squeezing Cait’s hand in hers. Sheriff’s duties waited for no one, but she would try, anyway.
Cait’s eye glinted as she smiled, soft and bittersweet.
“I wish I could, love.”
Vi rolled onto her side, propping her cheek in her palm, careful not to put too much pressure on her jaw.
“Meetings today?”
“Meetings today,” Caitlyn confirmed with another weary sigh. “What are your plans for the day?”
Vi hummed as she thought about it, a warm breeze from the window ruffling her hair and tickling her neck.
“Might take the girls downtown for breakfast. It’s a beautiful day, and they can burn some energy off.”
“That sounds so lovely.” Caitlyn gazed wistfully at their daughters. “Look at them, they’re so peaceful and beautiful.”
Vi grinned, about to agree, right as Cass exhaled loudly, flipping onto her stomach.
And flopping directly onto her sister, who woke with a start, limbs flailing in confused panic.
“Cass-and-ra!” Corinne shrieked in displeasure, emphasizing each syllable of her sister’s name.
“Whoops, sorry, honey.” Vi cleared her throat in an attempt to stifle her laughter as she lifted Cass off her eldest, freeing her from ensnarement. Cass, still soft and warm from sleep, tucked herself against Vi’s chest and curled her limbs up. “It’s the price of admission when you sleep next to your sister. You okay, Cori?”
“Yes, I was only startled.” Corinne sat up, rubbing her eyes as she leaned against Caitlyn. “Cass is lucky she’s so cute.”
Caitlyn chuckled, tucking a length of Corinne’s hair behind her ear.
“The same could be said about you my love.”
Cass shifted against Vi’s chest, yawning sleepily before tilting her head up, eyes sparkling as she gave Vi a huge, toothy grin.
“Hi, Mummy!”
“Good morning, you.” Vi kissed the top of Cass’ little head. “What do you girls say about a walk downtown this morning?”
“Oh, can we?” Corinne bounced up on her heels, all hints of sleepiness vanishing. Her wide grin revealed the adorable, cavernous gap where her two front teeth had yet to come back in. “Please, Mummy? And get strudel afterwards?”
“And who said anything about strudel?” Caitlyn teased, booping Corinne on the nose. “You’d get strudel without me?”
“Well, we’d bring you some, Mama,” Corinne responded quickly, nodding her head. “Of course.”
“Oh, of course.” Caitlyn laughed as she smoothed down Corinne’s rumpled hair. “Thank you, darling.”
“Can we go now?” Corinne asked, so bouncy and eager that Vi was worried she’d topple right off the bed. “Right now?”
“So that’s all it takes to wake you up, huh?” Vi shook her head with a dramatic sigh, even as she grinned. “All right, then, why don’t you start getting yourself ready while I get your sister dressed? Then I’ll come help you.”
“Okay!” Corinne slid off the bed, only the top of her head visible above the plushy mattress. “Please may I bring a toy?”
“Of course you can. But it’s your responsibility to carry it, okay?”
“Yes!” Corinne skipped to the door, a bright, beaming ball of purple. “Okay, thank you!”
“Hey, Cori?” Vi called out as Corinne’s little hand clutched at the doorknob. “One second.”
Corinne looked back, tilting her head quizzically as she rocked on her heels.
“You need to brush your teeth. And I’ll know if you don’t.”
Corinne blinked at Vi, contemplating her words. Then, with a loud, defeated sigh, she nodded, shoulders slumping as she disappeared out the door.
---
“You sure that’s not too hot?” Vi asked, peering down at her daughter.
Corinne gripped the to-go cup in her little hands, holding it close to her chest like it was the most precious of treasures. Her faded stuffed animal was tucked into the crook of her elbow, button eyes glinting in the light as she trailed along the cobblestone path.
“No, I’ve got it,” Corinne answered, holding her head up high as she walked. The honor of carrying her mother’s drink was clear in her bright, sparkling gaze. “And I won’t even spill a single drop, I promise.”
“I believe in you, sweetheart.” Vi winked at her daughter. “But it’s okay if you spill a bit. It just leaves your mama extra room for cream and sugar.”
Caitlyn’s plum streusel warmed Vi’s fingers through its paper packaging, oil seeping through the bag in faint splotches. With her free arm, she repositioned Cass against her shoulder, pins and needles crawling up her arm as the limb adjusted to blood flow again. After a busy, sugary morning, Cass had crashed phenomenally, warm cheek pressed against Vi’s shoulder as she dozed in the golden sunlight. The day would only grow hotter, and Vi was already sweating where her toddler’s limbs were draped across her skin, but she didn’t mind. How could she?
“Mummy?” Corinne skipped ahead of Vi as they rounded the corner toward the precinct, the huge building gleaming like a beacon.
“Hm?” Vi squinted against the light, her eyes stinging. She had lived in Piltover for many years, but on the brightest, cloudless days, when the whole city seemed to be bathed in light and every structure glittered beneath the sun, her eyes craved the darkness of Zaun’s alleyways.
“Can we have a picnic in the garden for lunch?” Corinne spun on her heels, walking backward as she spoke, and Vi nervously scanned the path ahead of her for obstacles.
“We just had breakfast, and you’re already thinking about lunch?” Vi chuckled as Cass shifted against her. “Of course we can, honey. Would you like to invite some friends to join us?”
Corinne beamed, squeezing her small stuffed toy to her chest, careful not to disturb the cup clutched in her grasp.
“Yes, please!”
One of Corinne’s current favorite pastimes was setting up her collection of stuffed toys and dolls (which were far too many for an accurate count) for a tea party. She would methodically set a place for each of them, tying napkins around their necks and encouraging them to mind their manners.
If that was Corinne’s favorite pastime, Vi’s favorite was to watch her girls, laughing and playing and growing. The passage of time was a bittersweet dagger to the soft part of her chest, but god, it was worth it. They were worth it.
When they reached the precinct, Corinne trailed ahead of Vi, hurrying up the large steps with impressive speed and agility. She paused at the top, turning and waiting patiently for Vi to catch up with her. She bounced on the balls of her feet, sunshine illuminating the spray of freckles across her nose.
God, Vi couldn’t believe how lucky she was to be a mom. To be their mom.
“We should hurry,” Corinne said politely when Vi reached the top, nodding her head toward the precinct’s large, heavy doors. “I don’t want Mama’s tea to get cold.”
“As the deputy orders,” Vi replied with a grin, readjusting Cass on her hip so she could pull open one of the doors. “After you, Officer Kiramman.”
Corinne giggled, hurrying beneath Vi’s arm and into the building.
They followed the long, winding hallways, climbing the stairs until they reached Caitlyn’s division. Corinne paused at the tall entrance desk, setting down the cup and standing on her tiptoes, little fingers curled around the desk for balance.
“Good morning!”
The officer stationed at the desk looked up from her paperwork, smiling affectionately when she saw Corinne’s head peeking over the desk.
“Ah, good morning, Corinne! How are you today?”
Caitlyn had brought the girls to her office since they were tiny pink infants, curled up against her chest in a carrier as she worked. As such, they were adored by the precinct’s staff, and were often spoiled with pieces of candy slipped into their little hands.
In so many ways, Vi’s life felt like a miracle. She could raise her daughters in a world where they could be children, could be cared about and watched over the way children should be. Corinne would never have to shoulder the burdens that she did, Cass wouldn’t have to feel the pain that Vi had tried so desperately to shield Powder from. They could just be sisters, with room to play and laugh and grow, open and unguarded, away from the burdens that no kid should ever be forced to carry.
It was such a gift.
“Good, thank you,” Corinne answered, her purple head bobbing. “And you?”
“Just fine, thanks.” The officer’s warm gaze fell onto a sleeping Cass, whose drool was now drying sticky on the strap of Vi’s vest. “Are you here to see the Sheriff?”
“We are.” Vi nodded, holding up the warm, sticky bag crinkled in her grasp. “We have a delivery for her.”
“She’s just in her office.” The officer nodded down the hall, where Caitlyn’s office was tucked away. “Should be able to catch her between meetings.”
“Thank you!” Corinne picked up the cup and waved over the desk. “Have a nice day!”
Cass had slumped to the side, her cheek sliding down Vi’s arm, and Vi carefully readjusted her toddler as she followed her eldest down the hallway toward Caitlyn’s office. Upon reaching the solid wooden door, Corinne carefully adjusted her grip on the cup and gave three quick, steady raps.
“Come in,” Caitlyn called from within, her voice muffled through the door.
Corinne looked back, giving Vi a wide, conspiratorial grin, her tongue poking through her missing teeth. Then she twisted the knob, pushing the door open and stepping into the office.
“Hi, Mama!”
“My girls!” Caitlyn was leaned back in her chair, her ponytail pulled mindlessly over one shoulder, a few strands pulled loose and pressed to her pink cheeks. When she waved at them, Vi saw that her hands were stained with ink from the paperwork piled on her desk. It was a mess of organized chaos, a vibrant still life painting. “What a surprise!”
There was a smudge of ink across her nose, just barely missing her eyepatch. She looked so beautiful, so powerful, and Vi’s pulse thrummed headily beneath her skin. There was something about seeing her wife so in her element that sent her embarrassingly aflutter.
“Mama,” Cass slurred, stirred awake by the lilt of Caitlyn’s voice. She twisted her body until she was practically horizontal, arms outstretched in Caitlyn’s direction.
“Hello, my sleepy little love.” Caitlyn laughed, taking Cass from Vi’s tired arms. Cass settled on her mama’s lap, cheek to chest, sighing in contentment as Caitlyn stroked her hair. “Vi, she feels...damp?”
“Just water, don’t worry.” Vi nodded at Cass’ pants, which had been rolled up to her knees. “She climbed into one of the fountains when I looked away for one singular moment. She’s drying quickly, though—it’s so sunny outside.”
“Ah, of course.” Caitlyn chuckled. “Our water baby.”
“I like fountains.” Cass looked up at Caitlyn, head tilted as she pondered the situation. “I don’t like wet pants.”
Clearly, cause and effect had not yet solidified in her little toddler brain.
“You can put on new pants when we get home, Cassie,” Corinne offered helpfully, and Cass nodded, seeming satisfied with this arrangement.
“So.” Caitlyn shifted Cass on her lap, freeing one of her arms and pulling Corinne in for a squeeze. “What do I owe the pleasure?”
“I told you we would bring you a strudel.” Corinne gestured to the bag in Vi’s hands before sliding the cup onto Caitlyn’s desk, carefully avoiding the stacks of paperwork. “Remember, this morning?”
“I do remember that.” Caitlyn smiled, taking the cup before Corinne accidentally pushed it into her lap. “And tea, too? You are too generous.”
“That’s okay.” Corinne rounded the desk, clambering into one of the chairs on the other side and perching up on her knees so she could see over it. “I didn’t buy it, Mummy did.”
Caitlyn laughed, lovely and lilting, the sound wrapping Vi’s heart in soft, honey-sweet warmth.
“All the same, thank you very much. All three of you.” Caitlyn’s gaze lifted, landing on Vi, and her eye sparkled as she mouthed a second, silent thank you. Vi nodded in response, grinning as she handed over the warm, sticky pastry.
“Just a little something to get you through the day.” Vi propped her hip on Caitlyn’s heavy wooden desk, leaning forward and resting her chin on her hand. The bruise had started to form, soft purple along the underside of her jaw, but she was able to hide it beneath her hair. “A reminder that we love you.”
“And miss you when you’re at work,” Corinne added from her perch.
“And miss you,” Vi echoed, smiling at Corinne.
“I miss you all so much, too.” Caitlyn tapped the framed photo on her desk. It was a family portrait, taken when Cass was still an infant and Corinne was a squirming toddler who refused to stay still for the camera unless she got to hold her sister. The picture captured her beaming, victorious smile as she pressed her cheek to Cass’. Cass herself looked puzzled, tiny brow furrowed, and Cait and Vi’s smiles were only slightly panicked as they held up both girls.
“I look at this picture every day, the whole time I’m in here at my desk. Thinking of you three. My heart.”
“But it’s okay, because you always come home.” Corinne leaned forward, elbows on the desk. “You always come home, Mama.”
It was a phrase they’d begun using when Corinne was only a toddler, knee-deep in the throes of separation anxiety. One day, she was cheerfully waving goodbye to Caitlyn from the window, and the next, she was sobbing and clinging to her mama’s leg as she tried to walk out the door.
“She’ll be back tonight, Cori,” Vi would whisper as she scooped Corinne up, rubbing her back and rocking her as she cried. “Mama always comes back.”
How impossibly strange and wonderful, Vi thought, to be able to say those words to her girls. How unbelievable it would have felt, years ago, to have built a life where those words could be true. To live in a world that wasn’t tinged with blood and loss and fear.
Man, was she ever feeling emotional today. She decided she would blame it on the morning’s abrupt awakening.
“That’s right.” Cait nodded, her eye glinting with tears as she smiled fondly at Corinne. “I always come home to you.”
“What are you working on?” Corinne’s gaze landed on Cait’s paperwork, and she squinted as she quietly sounded out the letters written in smooth ink. “In-infasc-”
“Infrastructure,” Caitlyn finished as she reached out and tucked a lock of stray hair behind Corinne’s ear. “That’s a tough one, hm?”
“What’s it mean?” Corinne asked, tilting her head.
“It means...” Caitlyn paused, her gaze flicking to Vi. “How would you explain it?”
“It means...um...” Vi thought about it, trying to find the right words to appropriately convey the meaning to a five-year-old.
“Structure means building.” Corinne pointed at the second half of the word. “So, is it about buildings?”
“Buildings, yes,” Vi answered, relieved to have a starting point. “Buildings, and roads, and all the things that make up a city.”
“And fountains?” Cass piped up from Caitlyn’s lap.
“And fountains,” Caitlyn confirmed, pressing a kiss to Cass’ forehead. Cass beamed, thrilled to be right.
“So you’re fixing the in-fa-structure?” Corinne asked, her eyes gleaming. “Ooh! Can you put in a new playground?”
Caitlyn chuckled as she shook her head.
“That’s not up to me, I’m afraid, Cori. My job is just to make sure that the infrastructure is safe for everyone in Piltover.”
“Oh.” Corinne deflated in her chair, as if this was the worst news she had heard in her short little life. Which, to be fair, it probably was up there. “That’s good, I guess.”
“Maybe when you’re older you’ll be on the council and you can put in that playground,” Vi suggested, and Corinne’s face brightened again as she sat back up.
“Yeah! I’ll make all of Piltover a playground!”
“Yeah!” Cass agreed, clapping her little hands with excitement as she giggled. The girls’ childish glee was infectious, and Vi couldn’t hold back her own chuckle as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“More meetings today, Cupcake?”
“Unfortunately.” Caitlyn sighed emphatically, leaning back in her chair. “I would much rather go home with you three. What are your plans for the afternoon?”
“Picnic,” Cass answered, toying with the wedding band on Caitlyn’s left hand, twisting it with her chubby little fingers. “With toys.”
“Oh, lovely.” Cait’s voice was tinged with bittersweet emotion. “What I wouldn’t give.”
“I’m down to smuggle you out, Cupcake.” Vi was only halfway teasing as she used her knuckles to swipe away the ink smudged on the bridge of Caitlyn’s nose. “We can figure something out, I’ve done much harder things in my lifetime.”
“Yeah!” Corinne giggled, bouncing in the chair as she nodded. “We can..disguise you, Mama! Or...I can stay here and pretend to be you! I’d be really good at it!”
Caitlyn laughed, the same melodic, sparkling laugh that Corinne had inherited.
“No one would ever know.”
“Unfortunately, the city needs Mama.” Vi gently ran her knuckles along her wife’s cheek before tucking a stray lock of dark hair behind her ear. “Apparently.”
“Apparently,” Cait echoed with a soft smile, but Vi could sense the pulse of sadness beneath, the soft undercurrent of guilt running beneath Caitlyn’s words. As often as Vi reminded Cait that she was a wonderful mother, that she worked so hard for their girls, to keep their home and their city safe, she knew that her words alone could never completely assuage the mixed emotions that lived in Cait’s chest.
But she hoped these small things helped, at least. If only for a moment, if only just a bit.
Caitlyn’s eye flicked to the clock on the wall, the soft lines on her face growing deeper as she frowned. It was almost the top of the hour; almost time for her meeting, almost time to return to her role as Sheriff Kiramman.
She’d let them stay all day, Vi knew. But maintaining order in a huge, sprawling city was already hard enough, and she didn’t want Caitlyn to have to split her focus. The evening would come soon enough, and they’d have Sheriff Kiramman all to themselves.
“We should get out of your hair,” Vi said, so Cait didn’t have to. She stretched her arms above her head, flexing her fingers in preparation to carry Cass again. Knowing their toddler, Cass would immediately start dozing again as soon as the sunlight hit her face. “Let you get to that stuffy old meeting.”
“Yes, I suppose so.” Caitlyn ruffled Cass’ thick head of hair before handing her back to Vi. “Thank you so much for coming, and for the treats. You three have brightened my day.”
“You’re welcome, Mama.” Corinne clambered off the chair, rounding the corner of Caitlyn’s desk. She stood on tiptoe, kissing Cait’s cheek beneath her eyepatch. “I love you.”
“I love you more, my darling girl.”
Cass wriggled in Vi’s arms until she was set down. She toddled past her sister, arms outstretched as she balanced on her own wobbly tiptoes. She huffed in frustration, bouncing up on her feet and trying to reach Cait’s face. Corinne bent down, grabbing her sister around the middle and hefting her up with a soft grunt.
“Bye-bye, Mama.” Cass held both of Caitlyn’s cheeks in her chubby, dimpled hands, leaning forward and pressing a clumsy kiss to the side of Cait’s nose. “Love you.”
“Goodbye, my loves.” Caitlyn kissed both of their foreheads, wearing the soft, tenderhearted gaze that was reserved only for the girls. “I’ll see you tonight.”
Corinne plopped Cass back down with a relieved sigh before taking her little sister’s hand and gently tugging her along in the direction of the door. Their shoes squeaked on the precinct’s old floors, the scuffled sound echoing against the walls of Cait’s office.
“Bye, Cupcake.” Vi leaned forward, palm braced flat against the desk, to steal a quick kiss from Cait. “Have a good day, I’ll see you later.”
“All right,” Cait murmured, her breath a warm tickle against Vi’s mouth. She ran her thumb gently across Vi’s bruised jawbone before dropping her hand back to her desk.
But when Vi stood to her full height, stepping back, Cait reached out and snagged her wrist, pulling her back until their faces were mere inches from each other.
“Thank you, Violet.” Caitlyn smiled, her scar crinkling, and Vi’s heart stomach dropped, worry flooding through her as she watched her wife’s bright blue eye well with shiny tears.
“For...” Startled, Vi swiped away the tears catching on Caitlyn’s eyelashes, rolling steadily down her cheek. “For what, Cait?”
“For this.” Caitlyn’s laugh was thick and watery, her eyelashes fluttering as she leaned into Vi’s touch. “For all of this. For us, for them. Just...thank you. I’m not sure I tell you that enough.”
It was hilariously jarring to hear Caitlyn’s words when Vi’s own mind had echoed similar sentiments all morning. To be thanked for something that she herself felt so impossibly lucky to have, the blessing of the life that the two of them had built together. It wasn’t perfect—there was joy and pain alike. But they had two beautiful daughters, who were the best parts of both of them. They had a family that meant everything to Vi, and she would give her life for them, over and over.
It seemed they were both feeling extra sentimental today. Something in the air, surely.
Thank you, Vi thought to herself as she wiped away the last of Cait’s tears, her thumb running slowly across her wife’s warm, sticky cheek. This was the woman she loved so dearly, the woman whose body had carried their children, the woman whose skin Vi knew as intimately as her own.
Caitlyn Kiramman, the love of her life. Her partner. Her soulmate.
This was better than anything she could have ever dreamed up within the damp darkness of her Stillwater cell. Even when she was small, nearly as small as Corinne was now, she couldn’t have imagined that life could ever feel this good. Not even with her eyes closed tightly, wishing on stray eyelashes with Powder, hoping that things would be okay. That someday everything would get better, that she would feel safe, that she would be loved.
This life was unbelievable. It was impossible.
And yet.
“Mummy?” Two little heads peeked back into the room, fingers curled around the doorframe. “Are you coming?”
“Yes.” Vi cleared her throat, trying to blink back her own tears. “Yep, I’m right behind you.”
Caitlyn looked past Vi, smiling at their girls peeking in.
“You know, I think the jar of sweets at the desk was refilled this morning. But you didn’t hear that from me.”
The girls looked at each other, wide-eyed, before breaking into a twin set of mischievous giggles.
“Okay, we’ll be out here! Take your time!”
Vi turned back to Cait, wanting to respond but not knowing how, because she simply didn’t have the words. How could she ever find the right ones to explain how she felt, the gratitude and the warmth and lovethat thrummed through her every day? The peace that she felt, or the contentment that settling down had given her?
There were no words, so she gave up trying to find them. Instead, she stroked Caitlyn’s cheek, the skin so soft beneath her scarred, calloused fingers, and watched as pink bloomed beneath her touch.
“Caitlyn Kiramman,” Vi whispered, leaning in. “You absolute sap, you.”
“Yes, it seems I’ve gone terribly soft today. I may just melt.” Cait laughed, warm and bright and full of heart. She took hold of Vi’s jaw, pulling her into a soft, warm kiss, and Vi’s heart surged, thrumming steadily against her ribs like she was a kid with a schoolyard crush.
All these years later, kissing Cait still felt like magic. It always had, and it always would.
“I like you melty,” Vi murmured against Cait’s lips.
When they pulled away, dizzy and breathless, Caitlyn brushed her thumb slowly across Vi’s lower lip, and Vi shivered as she fought to catch her breath again.
“I’ll see you tonight, then?”
“See you tonight, Cupcake.” Vi hesitated, not quite ready to pull away. The unsaid words were a heavy weight in her chest, and although she couldn’t figure out how to say them, she also couldn’t not say them. “And...you, too. For all of it. I mean, I...”
She faltered again, stumbling, the words tangling on her tongue. But Caitlyn seemed to understand, because she nodded, her gaze bright as she smiled, showing off the adorable gap between her teeth. It was the beautiful, beaming grin that their daughters had inherited, the one that Vi loved so much.
“I love you, Violet,” Cait whispered.
Then she reached back, sliding her hand into Vi’s back pocket and squeezing gently, just enough to startle Vi. Just enough to make her blush, the heat spreading all the way to the tips of her ears.
“See you tonight.”