Chapter Text
“And why can’t I take Vi?” Caitlyn demands, fork scraping along her plate before she picks up her mug.
“Because I have already said no,” Cassandra mutters, lifting her steaming cup of tea to parted lips.
“Mother, if you’re so adamant that I invite a guest then I choose her, and if I can’t take her then I simply won’t go,” Caitlyn says around her drink, setting it down to push the remaining crumbs of pound cake around on her plate, knows what’s coming before it’s even uttered.
“Caitlyn, I can’t have you skirt yet another gala. You are going, end of. Now, who you bring is an entirely different matter. You represent all of us, your family. Bringing someone like her–”
“Like what, mother? All she is a girl from the Undercity, what could she possibly do that could be seen as untoward?”
“She’s simply not like us, Caitlyn, she is not from this world, she will not thrive. I’m quite sure she’d find the event entirely unfitting.”
“And how would you know if you've not had a singular meaningful conversation with her.”
“I don't need to speak to the girl to know what someone from the Undercity is like. Inviting her to something like this would be like inviting a fish to swim outside of water; unnatural and suffocating. Do her, yourself, and me the favor of just taking someone from our circle. Why not invite Madeline?”
“Because I don’t want to take her! Maddie is my friend and I enjoy her company, yes, but I would prefer to take my girlfriend! Besides, Maddie is already on the guest list.”
“Did you say girlfriend? Now, Caitlyn, do not tell me you two are serious,” Cassandra says around an unsuspecting laugh. Caitlyn averts her gaze as she sinks lower into her seat, can feel heat rising up her neck. Her mother lowers her cup of tea onto its plate with a clatter. “You mean to tell me you’ve been seeing her this entire time? Just how serious is this relationship?”
“Quite serious, if what I’ve heard from my study on occasion late at night is anything to go by,” Tobias mutters, clearing his throat as he stirs his cup.
“Serious enough that I’d like to start introducing her to this world, my world. Why is that such a bad thing, I don’t…. wait, what?” Caitlyn says, turning to face her father, heat spreading over her cheeks. He waves her off.
“My dears, why don’t we just remember the entire point of the event. It’s a benefit to help the youths of the Undercity, ones just like our daughter's partner. Maybe Caitlyn bringing along– Miss Lane, is it?”
“Vi is fine, father,” Caitlyn says around a sigh.
“Right, well, as I was saying. Maybe Caitlyn inviting Vi can set a great example. Of our two worlds coming together, as one, so to speak.”
“How absurdly unnecessary,” Cassandra mumbles, taking a sip from her cup.
Caitlyn sighs again. “Mother, please.”
“Why is this so important to you? Why can’t you just bring Miss Nolen, she’d be great company and a great example.”
“I want it to be Vi. Mother, I love her and I’d like it to be her standing with me tomorrow night, not just a friend.”
“Love? My dear child, what on earth do you know about love?” Cassandra nearly balks.
Caitlyn stands, the contents of their long coffee table clattering with the movement. “Infinitely more than you if your tone and manners is anything to go by,” Caitlyn spits before turning on her heel to disappear into her room.
“Caitlyn Kiramman, you get back here, we are not finished!” Cassandra yells after her.
“Let her go, dear,” Tobias mutters, reaching a hand across the table to take hers. Caitlyn marches through the house to her room, making sure to slam her bedroom door for good measure.
“Didn’t go well, I take it,” Vi comments, head hanging upside down from the end of the bed. “Did you snag me anything?”
“I’ll send Matilda down for something later. And when does anything involving my mother go well,” Caitlyn sighs, sinking back against her door. Vi turns over, crawling off of the bed to slowly approach Caitlyn, her arms immediately going around her middle.
“What was it about this time,” Vi murmurs, placing feather light kisses along her collarbone as Caitlyn’s arms lightly fall on her shoulders.
“You and tomorrow's gala.”
“Me and the what now?” Vi pulls away, lips still pursed. Caitlyn leans forward to press her lips against hers, quick and chaste as she further wraps her arms around her neck, a sheepish smile pulling the corners of her mouth.
“Come with me. I can get you a suit and everything, you wouldn’t have to worry about anything except showing up,” she mutters quickly, closing the space between them before Vi can respond. Vi hums into it as Caitlyn attempts to deepen the kiss, her grasp on her waist going tight as Caitlyn’s tongue slips between her lips.
“Hmm, Cait– mhmm, Caitlyn I don't, aaa–” Caitlyn bites her lower lip, earning her a hiss. Vi presses into Caitlyn’s side, tickling her until she’s the one pulling away. “Babe, what gala?”
Caitlyn sighs as she pulls away entirely, leaning back against her door with her hands behind her back. “There’s a benefit. They’re collecting donations to give back to the Undercity, starting with your schools, then businesses, and so forth. It’s an event my mother insists I go to, and I kind of, sorta, basically fought to have you come as my plus one.”
Vi blinks, her hands going slack and pulling away from Caitlyn’s waist. “You want me to go to some fancy schmancy dinner in some fancy get up to schmooze money from donors who have more money then my entire family combined would see in our lifetime?”
“Well when you say it like that–”
“I’m in.”
“You’re what?”
Vi pulls Caitlyn back in, hands reaching down her back to grab ass as she slots herself between her legs, eliciting a breathy exhale. “I’ve been stealing from Topside since the moment I learned how to crawl. You’re telling me I get to go legit and help with Powder and Ekko’s future in the process? Cupcake, I’m in,” she breathes as she presses an open mouthed kiss to her lips.
“So you’ll come?” Caitlyn murmurs, moaning when Vi rolls her hips, giving her that just enough friction.
“After I make you come, sure.” Vi trails a hand around Caitlyn’s hip, slipping past her underwear to meet coarse hairs before slipping them between folds. She pulls her hand out and sucks two fingers into her mouth as Caitlyn pulls off her shirt, chest already bare underneath. Vi is quick to coat her fingers, hand already trailing back into Caitlyn’s underwear to sink spit slick fingers into her core.
“Oh gods,” Caitlyn cries, lifting a leg to spread herself, hooking her calf around Vi’s hip as she pulls her flush, lips crashing together roughly. “Harder, harder.”
Vi moans into her mouth as she obliges with three fingers, her free hand grabbing at the softness of Caitlyn’s chest, her lips traveling to the corner of her mouth to start marking her neck but Caitlyn hums a quick no.
“I’m wearing a strapless dress, no hickies,” she mutters, taking hold of her face to pull her back in. Vi moans into her mouth, fingers pumping in and out faster.
“Please tell me I get to fuck you in your dress. I’ll go packing, take you quick in some random closet. You’ll look so pretty bent over on my strap. Tell me you’re wearing lace– oh gods, please let me fuck you in your dress, ” Vi nearly whines as she finds that spot to make Caitlyn start to shake.
“Shit, I’ll let you have whatever you want, whatever– oh, you want– aaa,” Caitlyn cries as she’s pushed towards her end, her body shaking with each curl of Vi’s fingers. Caitlyn’s hand travels down Vi’s working arm, hand curling over her forearm as she presses down harder. “I’m so close.”
“Already?”
“Oh, oh!”
“Oh fuck,” Vi groans, working Caitlyn through her orgasm, relishes in her cries as her grip in her hair and arm go tighter with each racking wave. “Fuck, I love the way you moan.”
“I–”
The clearing of a throat followed by rapping along the door makes both women freeze. “Caitlyn, dear. I’ve spoken with your mother and she’s agreed to allow Miss Lane to accompany you. All that she asks is to properly meet her, preferably tonight at dinner. Can I, uh, count on your being here later tonight, Miss Lane?”
Vi’s eyes are as round as saucers, her lips parting but no words coming out. Caitlyn widens her eyes as she nods, dropping her leg from around Vi’s hip, motioning for her to reply.
“I– yes, sorry, I would love to stay for dinner, sir, thank you for the, uh, invitation,” Vi says awkwardly, her own face pulling into a wince as embarrassment eats away at her.
“Good, good. I, uh, do recommend some formal wear. And for you to come in through the front door for dinner.”
“Noted, yes sir, thank you sir. You have a lovely daughter by the way– ow,” Vi hisses as Caitlyn pinches her.
“May I ask what you’d like so I can let the chef know?”
Caitlyn puts a hand over Vi’s mouth then. “I’d do well with the usual and she really likes yanagidako, so if they could please make something out of it.”
“I’ll be sure to let them know. It will be nice to formally meet you later, Miss Lane,” Tobias says, footsteps soon retreating.
Caitlyn pinches Vi again around a giggle. “What was that!”
“What was what? Your dad just caught us fucking, we’re oh-for-three in meeting the parents for the first time, holy shit,” Vi says around a fit of laughter. Caitlyn can’t help but laugh with her as a hand comes up to hide her face.
“Oh gods, we really have been caught after the fact by every one of them, haven’t we? Do you think we have too much sex?”
Vi immediately stops laughing. “Don’t ever put those words together in the same sentence ever again,” Vi says, curling her fingers to make Caitlyn gasp.
“Okay okay,” Caitlyn says, gasping again as Vi starts moving her fingers, lips coming together. “Again?”
“Oh yeah,” Vi says around a grin.
“But we need to find you a suit, we can have something– oh, we can have something tailored by tonight, okay,” Caitlyn moans, reaching for Vi’s zipper, fingers quick to reach in to meet slick folds. “I need to put my mouth on you.” Caitlyn pulls Vi’s hand out from her pants before she drops to her knees, deft fingers working fast to open her belt and zipper before she pulls her pants down past her knees. Vi settles her hand against the door as she kicks away at the hem of her jeans, fingers carding through blue hair.
Caitlyn pulls one of Vi’s legs over her shoulder as she sinks her tongue between folds, earning her a groan as Vi’s forehead hits the door, mouth dropped and eyebrows perched. “Fuck, your mouth. You feel so good.” Vi rolls her hips, feels Caitlyn’s tongue go flat and it makes her keen as her knees attempt to buckle. Caitlyn hums as she sinks two fingers in, feels her head knock against the door as Vi pushes forward. “I’m sorry, oh shit, I’m– oh! Oh!”
Caitlyn hums again as she kisses over her core before she focuses on Vi’s clit, fingers working fast until they find that sweet spot to make Vi shiver as she continues to roll into her face. “You know what, I’ll wear whatever you want, I’ll, fuck, I’ll even wear a dress, heels, shit, fuckfuckfuck.” It takes a few minutes until Vi’s breath gets caught in her throat, her body going taut as her legs shake. She gasps when it starts to teeter close to too much, uses her grip in Caitlyn’s hair to pull her away.
“What did I just agree to?” Vi asks around an exhale, lowering her leg before she pulls away, hand reaching down to help Caitlyn up to her feet. “I started saying something and then I blacked out,” she says around a chuckle before they kiss and Vi hums at the taste of herself on Caitlyn’s tongue as she sucks it into her mouth. “I don’t care what I agreed to, it’s worth it.”
Caitlyn pulls away, a cheeky smirk pulling the corner of her mouth. “So you’ll wear a dress?”
“I’ll what?”
Vi fidgets in the button up Caitlyn offered, has opted to stay in her jeans and boots. She agreed to clean up a bit but only agreed to change out of her classic red jacket, nothing else. Once situated, Caitlyn follows her towards the window that Vi climbs out from, stopping for a moment to share a chaste kiss before Vi makes her way towards the front door.
Caitlyn is quick to change into a blue sundress, one to match the shirt that Vi left in. She applies a bit of blush, mascara and lightly tinted lip balm, hears the front door bell ring as she slips on some flats. She nearly trips as she makes a bolt for her bedroom door, wanting to be there when one of the maids opens the front door.
She’s descending the stairs towards the foyer just as the door closes behind Vi. Vi’s eyes widen when she spots her, can’t seem help but drag her eyes up and down her figure. Caitlyn nearly skips into her arms where a light oof escapes Vi as she catches her, her eyes still lingering over her dress.
“You look–”
“Like a cheeky sneak peak to tomorrow's big debut,” Caitlyn finishes, giving Vi a light peck before she wipes away the residue of her lip balm from her lips.
“Ladies, if you’ll follow me, dinner is about to be served. Your mother awaits,” Matilda says pointedly, tipping her head knowingly as Vi and Caitlyn separate, held together only by their intertwined fingers.
“This way,” Caitlyn stage whispers, tugging along Vi as they both giggle behind Matilda. They only stop and fully separate once they enter the dining hall, Tobias and Cassandra already seated at either head of the table, leaving two place mats on either side of the table perpendicular to them.
They take their seats, the maids ready to deliver everyone’s meal once everyone is settled. Caitlyn is quick to slip off her shoes and drag a foot up Vi’s leg towards her knee, making the other woman nearly tip over the glass she was reaching for. Vi gives her a pointed look but Caitlyn only turns her head innocently.
“Good evening mother, father. This is Vi, Violet Lane. Vi, these are my parents, Cassandra and Tobias Kiramman.” Caitlyn says smoothly as she further trails her foot up Vi’s thigh. Vi subtly takes hold of her ankle as she turns towards the two with a cool grin.
“Pleasure to finally meet you both, officially,” she says, breathing a quiet sigh of relief when Caitlyn pulls her foot back, but not without an uncontained chuckle.
“Is something funny, dear?” Tobias asks, leaning back as the maids and butlers approach them with their plates.
“Nothing father, just not used to such a formal hello from Vi, is all,” Caitlyn chimes, picking up her fork and moving around her risotto.
“I can be formal,” Vi mumbles around a grin, reaching a foot forward to wrap their ankles together under the table as she picks up her glass, her own plate of rice and garlic-style yanagidako being served.
“So. Violet. How exactly did you and my daughter meet,” Cassandra asks, lifting her glass of wine.
Vi lowers her own glass of sparkling soda, nearly chokes on it in a rush to reply. She wipes her lips with the cuff of her sleeve as she clears her throat. “It was after a soccer match. We played against each other like, man, how long has it been? Two months? Yeah, something like that. We, uhh, caught each other in the locker room and exchanged numbers,” she says in one breath, heat rising towards her cheeks.
“Right, that’s exactly how that day went,” Caitlyn says around her fork full of risotto, trying to hide the smirk that wants to overtake her lips. “But we don’t have to talk about–”
“You mean to tell me you’ve known each other for two months and you two are already saying I love you to one another? Quite the fast development.” Vi and Caitlyn share a look with each other from across the dining table as Tobias clears his throat.
“It’s as they say, to be young and in love. I think it’s quite sweet. I’m just happy our dear daughter has found someone worthy enough to feel such grand affections, aren’t you dear?”
“I suppose,” she breathes, fork scraping along her plate. Caitlyn fidgets in her chair, anxiety slowly starting to eat away at her chest. She feels the tip of Vi’s shoe touch hers and she relaxes, marginally. She clears her throat.
“Father, after dinner I was thinking about having Vi fitted in one of your old suits and have it tailored for tomorrow night, is that alright? I think the dark navy one, the one you wore to Amara’s showing last month.”
“Yes dear, that would be quite alright,” Tobias says around a grin, spearing a forkful of his salmon and asparagus.
“Violet,” Cassandra calls, folding her hands under her chin as she leans forward. “If memory serves, you were the goalie of your team. You made quite the save against my Caitlyn, not many can succeed at such a task. Can I ask what got you into the sport and position?”
“That would be Sevika and Vander, my coach and my adoptive father. Back when my parents were alive Vander–”
“I’m sorry for your loss, dear,” Tobias murmurs, tipping his head.
“It’s alright, it happened a long time ago,” Vi mutters, eyes bouncing between Cassandra and Caitlyn. “But yeah, Vander, my dad for all intents and purposes, he, uhh, he actually got me into boxing at first. I would practice a lot with him and at this abandoned arcade in the Lanes. Powder, she’s my genius of a sister, she fixed it up and I just fell into this one game in particular. There was this killer machine that you could spar with, I couldn’t stop until I was covered in sweat and filled up the entire leader board, then I had to work hard to best myself after that. But then I got myself into a bit of trouble, got into one too many fights, skipped too many classes. I was actually on probation when I started playing soccer. Think it’s been, what, six? No, seven years since I started, yeah.”
“Wow. Quite the change, boxing to soccer,” Tobias starts, motioning for a refill of his glass.
“I’m sorry, did you say probation?” Cassandra asks, features pinching together.
“Mother, please.”
“No, no it’s okay. It was academic probation. I was skipping out on too many classes, fell real behind, even for Undercity standards. Honestly I just fell in the wrong crowd, started fighting a lot. But then Vander and Sevika helped me channel all of it into soccer, figured I could use my fists to knock balls out of the net instead of knocking people out, so. Yeah. Don’t know where me and my brothers and sisters would be without Vander, Benzo and them. I really need to break that habit, huh? Dad and them.”
“I see. Well, that’s quite the journey you went on. Quite the common occurrence when it comes to what happened with your parents, I’m afraid,” Cassandra laments. “It’s truly tragic how often we hear stories much similar to yours. Parents taken by that poor air quality you all suffer in. It’s why the Kiramman family developed that air filtration system, to help minimize the spread of that toxic factory smog. 'The people of the Undercity deserve to breathe,' we say.”
“I didn’t… I didn’t lose them to the grey,” Vi mutters, eyes now locked on Cassandra. Caitlyn tenses, rolling her fork between her fingers, can sense a bubble threatening to burst around them, but Cassandra barrels on, oblivious.
“Was it gang violence?” She asks, unsuspecting as she forks another mouthful. “Seems quite prevalent, although not as much since we made that truce and started getting more involved with the communities–”
“They were killed by enforcers.”
A beat.
“Enforcers deployed on counselor order.”
Caitlyn drops her fork mid chew while Tobias chokes on his wine and Cassandra lowers her glass with a clatter.
“Ah,” Tobias breathes, lowering his glass.
“Vi, we don’t have to continue this conversation,” Caitlyn attempts.
“Well, I’m sure the enforcers had their reasons –” Cassandra starts.
“Reasons to orphan children?” Vi says evenly, her shoulders rising and falling with each hurrying breath.
“Vi, we don’t have to get into this now,” Caitlyn offers, extending her hand to take Vi’s but she pulls away from her touch, as if she’d been burned.
“I actually don’t know why I agreed to this dinner,” Vi mumbles, wiping her mouth, the chair scraping loudly across the floor. “This was a bad idea, I think I’m gonna go.”
“That’s really not necessary, my dear,” Tobias starts, splaying his hands across the table, trying to command calm.
Cassandra clears her throat as she motions for the maids that line the wall of the dinner hall. “That’s honestly probably for the best, Matilda, show her the door,” she calls.
“Mother–”
“I know where your fancy damn door is,” Vi scoffs. She shares a glance with Caitlyn and for a split second hesitation floods her features, but ultimately Vi turns away and leaves.
Caitlyn looks towards her father who only subtly tips his head when their gazes lock on one another as he brings his glass to his lips to take a rather large drink. Caitlyn barely excuses herself as she pushes back her chair to chase after Vi.
“Caitlyn, I’m sorry but–” Cassandra starts.
“You’ve said enough,” Caitlyn mutters before she runs out after her. The front door is just swinging shut when Caitlyn reaches the foyer. She curses under her breath as she continues to run, nearly colliding with the door. She opens it and steps out, focuses on not missing a step as she descends the stairs two at a time.
By the time she gets to the bottom Vi is nowhere to be seen. She pats her dress, remembers her phone was left on the nightstand in her room, didn't expect to need it as anyone she would care to contact were already home with her. She curses again as she runs for the gates, surprised to find it locked once she approaches. Did she jump the fence? she thinks. Then Caitlyn remembers the side garden. She bolts to the right, her flats slipping off her feet as she runs through the field. Then she sees her, at the foot of Caitlyn’s window, having just jumped out with her bag and board in hand.
“Vi!” She yells, fast approaching.
“Cait? What are you– oof,” she nearly topples over at the force at which Caitlyn collapses in her arms, Caitlyn’s arms going around her neck as her board and bag slip from her grasp as her arms slowly come around Caitlyn’s middle, but not to pull her in. She gently shoves her, her hands removing her arms from around her neck. At the look on Caitlyn’s face she takes her head in her hand and sweeps her thumb over cheekbones, a torn expression on her face as her other hand settles on Caitlyn’s waist.
“Vi, you don’t have to go,” Caitlyn starts, her hands coming up to hold onto Vi’s wrists. “My mother, she’s–”
“Your mom is your mom and I can’t do this right now, I can’t be here right now. I gotta go, I gotta clear my head because all that’s going through my mind right now are Mylo’s words and I don’t want them to, but I’m thinking about it and I can’t get it to stop.”
Caitlyn’s breath catches in her throat, her grip tightening on Vi’s wrists. “But you said it wasn’t true, that we shouldn’t listen to a thing he says–”
“I know, that’s why I have to– babe, I have to go.” She adds emphasis as she steps away, the hand she has at Caitlyn’s waist shoving her away. “Don’t call me, don’t text, just– give me a minute, cupcake, I need a minute.”
“And of tomorrow’s gala?”
“I… I don’t know, just let me go home for now, my dad’s probably waiting for me, I haven’t been home since last night. I’ll text you, no, I’ll call, okay? Just, can I get a minute?”
“Okay, if that’s what you need,” Caitlyn says, pulling her hands behind her back where she pulls on her fingers until they pop. Vi collects her stuff, approaches Caitlyn to pull her down and kiss her forehead before she makes her way across the garden. Caitlyn sighs heavily, deflating with each step Vi takes until she’s over the fence and gone. She considers going back to get her flats, to go through the front door, but the chances of running into anyone is high and she doesn’t want to chance it, so she follows in Vi’s usual lead and clambers through her own window to get to her room.
Once inside she sighs again as she walks towards her bed. She falls back heavily on it, feels the way it rattle her bones as she bounces against it until she's laid flat, unmoving. She covers her face with her hands before she’s swiping down harshly, lashes starting to dampen. There’s a knock at her door and she groans, sitting up on her elbows. “I’m retiring early, please let me be,” she calls, falling back down. They knock again before he clears his throat.
“My dear, if I could have just a moment.” Caitlyn sighs as she pushes herself up, making her way to her door. She opens it and gasps, surprised to see him there with the suit they’d talked about over dinner laid across his forearm. “I figured you two would want these–”
“I don’t think she’s coming,” Caitlyn says lamely, fingers extending out to touch the edge of a hem. She sniffs, can feel herself on the verge of tears. Tobias brings his free hand to cradle her face, thumb sweeping lightly across her lashes.
“Well, just in case, lay this out. Maybe she’ll change her mind, hm?” Caitlyn nods around another sniff as she takes the suit from him, her fingers dancing over the fabric before she blows a raspberry and deflates again. She tries to smile but can only muster a tight lipped grin. He takes it, smiles enough for the both of them as he steps away. “Good night.”
“You too.” Caitlyn shuts her door, lays the suit over the chair of her desk where she brushes away at the creases the movement caused. With a final sigh she goes through the motions and does her nightly routine, settles into a loose cami and shorts, decides to put on one of Vi's hoodies she long since left behind for her before she gets into bed.
And once there and settled, she finally cries.