Work Text:
The Kiramman mansion wasn’t a home as much as it was a portrait of wealth. From the inside out, it was a vision of marble, glass, and gold, with every furnishing and artifact in its proper place. Vi felt like she upset the balance by simply stepping through the gates. Nothing about it was familiar – no worn furniture, scribbles on the walls, clutter, stains, or anything. How Caitlyn had grown up in those sheltered walls and still turned out so warm, she couldn’t wrap her head around.
So even though Vi had been welcomed into the estate with open arms, she preferred avoiding those huge doors in favor of the windows connected to Caitlyn’s room. However, as Vi’s arms ached from pulling herself up the ledge, she thought maybe she’d been a little too stubborn on that.
Crouching in the shadows for hours on end last night had done herself no favors, and she didn’t even have anything to show for it. Well, some bruised knuckles, but that wasn’t even close to the goal. It was supposed to be an easy recon on the chembarons’ newest factory. Ekko’s source had claimed some big meeting was taking place, lots of juicy plans and shit being revealed, but only the workers had been in and out all night. Well, and one guard who’d looked up at just the right moment, but she’d taken care of that pretty quickly.
Finally dragging herself into the room, Vi flopped onto her back and took a moment to breathe. The afternoon light softened the space, turning it into a cozy oasis. If she was honest with herself, she knew it wasn’t the golden rays that made this the only room she felt comfortable in. But no need to dwell on that. More importantly, speaking of comfortable… Vi glanced at the bed, then pouted as logic caught up. Unless she washed off the fissure grime, getting in the clean bed was definitely a no-go. Too much work. Hefting herself up, she made for the corner instead.
Limbs heavy, she dropped into a plush armchair only to jerk to one side as a book dug into her back. “Damn bookworm,” she grumbled, but made sure to carefully set it on a side table so the owner wouldn’t murder her in her sleep. Speaking of, the clock by the bedside told her Caitlyn would be back in the next hour or so, which meant there was nothing else to do but wait.
After a quick, full-body stretch, she sunk into the cushions and kicked up her feet on a footrest. Vi had managed a light doze by the time the door finally opened, startling her back to reality.
“Oh, good, you’re here. I picked up some skincare products for you today,” Caitlyn greeted, voice too upbeat for just being at a boring council meeting. Vi only had the energy to crack one eye open as her head lolled to face her.
“You calling me ugly?” she quipped.
Caitlyn rolled her eyes and started towards the bathroom, leaving the door open behind her. Vi groaned as she dragged herself out of the chair, already sad to leave it. Damn, she was getting soft.
“Of course not,” Caitlyn said, waiting until Vi slinked into the bathroom and leaned against one of the walls. “On the contrary, your skin is infuriatingly smooth, but there’s always room for improvement.” Her mischievous gaze found Vi’s in the mirror, eyes a bright blue in the afternoon light.
Vi snorted and shook her head. Always bet on Ms. Forges An Official Document In Minutes to meet her toe to toe. “Sounds like a waste of time and money.”
“Oh, it is. The rich are fickle, so there are societal expectations that have no true weight on your character. But…” she smiled at Vi as she lined up two jars. “Routines can be nice. Comforting even.”
Vi yawned, one hand covering her mouth and the other waving the comment off. “Sure, yeah, I know routines.” She counted them on her fingers. “Get up, stretch, eat breakfast, and punch a couple people before noon. Done.” If her grin was a little wicked, well that’s just the perks of having a mean right and left hook.
Caitlyn scoffed, shaking her head with a wry grin. But she didn’t disagree, Vi noticed with some amusement.
A comfortable quiet settled over them as Caitlyn unpacked her bag and fussed over the contents, giving Vi the chance for a quick once-over. Caitlyn’s uniform was in perfect condition, not one hair out of place, which meant it had probably been an uneventful day. Her slender hands were clean, no gunpowder residue in sight, as they organized. Best of all, she seemed relaxed, not as quick to look behind her in the mirror.
Those first few days after the council explosion, it didn’t take long for Vi to notice the pattern. When Caitlyn shifted toward the bathroom connected to her room, something would click. Her breathing would quicken, fingers would twitch, and then she’d hastily leave the room. Sometimes she’d get a few determined steps away from the door, only to gracefully pivot away as if that was always the plan.
Maybe Vi should have noticed that for what it was, but she’d asked instead: “What’s the deal with you and the bathroom? Is there a fancier one I don’t know about?”
Stupid questions deserve stupid answers, she supposed. Caitlyn was snappy with her for the rest of the day, but Vi later learned it wasn’t because of her as much as it was a reaction out of frustration… and fear.
It took time, but eventually Vi got her to open up, and Caitlyn admitted to what happened the morning of Jinx’s dinner party. The details were fuzzier in her remembrance, tinted by a rushing fury. Vi’s clenched fists seemed to get impossibly tighter the more she spoke.
In those moments that anger seemed the only reliable thing in her life, Vi wondered how much of her good heart she had left. How much worth did kindness have when measured up against all that she’s broken? At least she could trust in one constant: a fierce need to protect the few people who snuck through her defenses. As Caitlyn started to stumble and backtrack on her story, still trying to save Vi from the worst parts of her sister, Vi had to accept that this bossy, heart-of-gold Piltie was becoming one of them.
“Well,” Caitlyn spoke up, bringing Vi back from her unfocused glare at the floor, “it’s your choice whether or not you want to use them. You seemed curious.”
It was unsettling how she never seemed to miss a thing. “I guess.”
“Would you mind if I showed you how?” There was something hesitant at the end as Caitlyn turned to face her. “Applied them to your skin?” she clarified.
Vi shrugged, a little lost. Indulging in this all felt strange, almost like a betrayal. Only topsiders were obsessed with this fancy crap. It was infuriating how little they wanted for when the people in Zaun barely had what they needed. But Caitlyn never pushed any changes on her – she simply let Vi experience them for herself. Even now she was waiting for a clear confirmation, so Vi gave a short nod.
With a returning gesture, Caitlyn left the room for a moment and came back with a wooden chair, placing it in front of the counter. “Please, sit.”
Now that she would gladly do. Vi practically collapsed on it with a small groan and let her head fall back. “Too tired to complain anyway.”
A delicate touch circled the bruise forming on her chin, too light to hurt. “Just recon, huh?”
“You know me. Where I go, trouble follows.” Vi closed her eyes and listened to Caitlyn move around her. “Took care of them but not before one got a hit in.”
A hum came from behind her, and then fingers were brushing through Vi’s hair and pinning it back. Almost unbearably gentle. Vi slowly exhaled and tried to give herself some mental space. It was so easy to lean into every touch and give herself away. Her hands gripped the seat, an anchor against the pull. Caitlyn’s footsteps moved in front of her, and the jars clinked against the counter. The water turned on, and Vi smiled as she counted to 20 in her head.
Since Caitlyn’s confession about the bathroom, Vi had taken to guarding the door or hanging out in the room while Caitlyn ambled around doing various things. How she could be a comfort, she had no idea. It was easy at least to push aside her own desires and help Caitlyn feel safe. In the time since, Cailtyn’s habits had become second nature: she’d wash her hands for 20 seconds, dry them, and make her way down the line of products carefully lined up on her counter.
A featherlight caress startled her, and Caitlyn murmured a quiet apology as she carefully started to spread something on Vi’s cheek. It was hard to describe the feeling. Caitlyn’s fingers easily glided from her forehead to chin.
“What’s this one?”
“An oil cleanser.” There was definitely a smile in her voice. “Thought you would be well versed in it.”
Vi groaned. “You’re never going to let me forget that, are you? It was a good metaphor at the time, okay!”
Caitlyn hummed. “If I could forget it, I would. It wasn’t the most pleasant of situations.” She began a repetitive motion over Vi’s brows and temple. It didn’t take long for her scowl to loosen, giving in to the soothing massage.
“I am sorry about that,” Vi murmured.
“I know. You’ve already apologized. The joke was too tempting, but I suppose it wasn’t in good taste.”
“I deserved it.”
“We all make mistakes, Vi,” she lightly scolded.
The water turned on again, sound muffled, and then a damp towel was wiping at her face. Caitlyn was back to business. “First, rub the cleanser on your face to help remove dead skin and makeup. That can clog up your pores over time, causing blemishes. Then rinse with water” – a dry, fluffy towel replaced the wet one – ”and pat your skin dry.”
“Pat?” Vi repeated, grinning. “Ah, yes. Wouldn’t want to bruise that delicate topsider disposit–”
A sharp pinch to the cheek interrupted her, and Vi choked out a laugh as she flinched away, stopping the offending hands on complete reflex. Eyes now locked, they entered a silent battle. In her peripheral, Caitlyn’s fingers wiggled as she strained to grab Vi’s face. Admittedly, Vi did have to put some strength behind her grip, but she still successfully kept the hands from moving any closer.
She smirked. “Ready to give up, cupcake?”
“Never,” Caitlyn huffed, looking flustered, but then her wrists went limp seconds later. Instead, she resorted to using her icy glare. “Release me, or I’ll replace your sugar with salt for the next week.”
A low whistle, and Vi carefully placed the hands back on her cheeks. “You’re ruthless, Cait.”
Caitlyn’s head cocked to the side slightly, fingers flexing for a second, as if she was seizing up a target. “Only when I want something,” she finally said. Vi blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift in the air, but then it was gone just as quickly.
Leaning back against the counter, Caitlyn grabbed the second jar, unscrewing the lid. “Last step: moisturizer.”
Vi’s eyes fluttered shut on instinct as the careful graze returned, swiping cold product on her forehead, cheeks, and chin. It had a pleasant but sharp citrus scent, like that first breath in after peeling an orange. She instantly recognized it as the same one Caitlyn used. The scent lingered around her when she hugged Vi or shifted closer in the night, curling to fit her face into the shorter woman’s neck.
Vi exhaled slowly as she slouched back, letting the lingering tension leave her shoulders. Caitlyn chuckled softly above her, one hand holding Vi’s chin up as she lightly rubbed in the moisturizer with the other. The urge to give into her exhaustion was strong, but Vi knew she’d be scolded for sleeping in this position. She could hear it now: That’s horrible for your back, Vi. Let’s get you to the bed where you’ll be more comfortable. Maybe that protective streak went both ways, even if it was just making sure that Vi lived in comfort as long as Caitlyn was around. My hero, she thought, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly.
“You have freckles.”
Once again caught zoning out, she noticed Caitlyn’s touch lingered on her upper cheek, feather light as it moved toward her nose.
“Yeah?” she muttered.
“It’s cute.”
Vi’s eyes startled open, mouth gaping for words. “Tha–whuh–cute?”
Caitlyn snorted at whatever Vi’s face was doing, cause she sure as hell had no clue. Her cheeks felt warm, dammit. Damn feelings.
“Cool off, hot shot. You’re all done.” Caitlyn flung the towel over Vi’s face as she laughed, letting her have a few moments to compose herself. But a trencher couldn’t be outdone by a topsider. It simply wasn’t done.
Spotting her mark under the towel’s edge, Vi reached out to very deliberately lace their fingers together. There was no resistance as she shifted their joined hands, lifting them to bring Caitlyn’s to her lips.
“Thank you,” she murmured against the warm skin. A couple beats of silence, and one of Caitlyn’s fingers uncurled to stroke her cheek, reminiscent of morning sun and talk of monsters.
“You’re welcome.” It was almost breathless, and Vi lost a little bit of her own courage at the sound. They never really discussed these charged moments, too afraid to disturb the calm waters they found themselves in. It had become an eb and flow between them, an equal pull of stolen glances.
Vi tightened her grip, lingering for one last moment, and then let go to drag the towel off her face. Their eyes met briefly before Caitlyn turned away, a flush already moving up her neck. Grinning, Vi picked herself up to lean closer to the mirror and evaluate. Alright, so maybe it wasn’t all complete bullshit. She didn’t look quite as dead-on-her-feet exhausted.
“Cleanser, water, and lotion, right? This shit’s easy.” Vi rubbed her face, a little pleased with the smoothness of it.
“Oh, so you can listen to me. Good to know,” Caitlyn teased, passing behind her to toss the used towel into a bin before grabbing another from the cabinet.
Vi laughed. “I always listen, cupcake. Doesn’t mean I have to do what you say.”
“You’re insufferable,” she returned, but the fond tone held no bite.
Shrugging off her jacket, Caitlyn draped it over the chair before going back to the sink to wash her hands. Back to familiar territory.
Vi shifted to face her, one hip leaning on the counter. “So how was your day?”
A long, suffering groan was the answer. “How some enforcers were instated truly astounds me, although it really shouldn’t when you look at their connections or affluence. I broke up some petty argument between two grown men today, and it was all over who got the easiest assignment…”
Moving the chair to give Caitlyn the room to gesture and pace all she wanted, Vi flipped it around to sit and continue resting her sore legs. With a content sigh, she settled in to listen.