Chapter Text
Dobermans have always found a home in their manor. So much so that for generations, giving a Kiramman child a Doberman puppy has become a tradition. One that Caitlyn is quite fond of. Passing by her childhood portrait that includes her four-legged best friend never fails to make her feel nostalgic.
She misses the tiny pup who quickly grew larger than any of them had anticipated. She misses his annoyed growls when dinner was a second too late. She misses how he would always howl when she snuck one of her trysts in her bedroom. She misses the affectionate way he would lay his head on her palms even during his final moments.
Caitlyn was glad that Vi got to meet him, even if it was just for a few years, but was heartbroken their daughter never got the chance to. Celeste would be ten years old soon though, so there would be another Doberman running around the manor again soon.
Light snores ripple across the room and Caitlyn smiles fondly at the duo sprawled out on the couch. Her wife was busy pouring over paperwork she grabbed from her and Buddy taking his rightful spot on Vi’s lap. Vi forewent with the usual Doberman as a wedding gift tradition and serendipitously took in the fighting dog rescue. She could always count on Vi to change things up in her life.
She was going to find out in a second just how much their daughter had taken after her wife.
“Mother! Mama!”
Caitlyn heard her footsteps before she heard the cries. Buddy must have smelled her approach, if the way he vaulted off the back of the couch was any indication. They never figured out what he was a mix of, but he was an excellent tracker. ‘It doesn’t matter what breed he is,’ Vi had said once. ‘He’s our dog and that’s enough, yeah?’
The little girl had come into the room, a box held with both hands and still in her uniform, with a smile that lit up the room. Whatever was in her hands was important enough that she skipped her routine when coming home.
“Hey there Muffin,” Caitlyn watched Vi follow Buddy to crouch in front of their daughter to ruffle her hair. “Whatcha got there?”
“Mother. Mama,” Celeste straightened her back and held the lid of the box, clearly trying to imitate Caitlyn’s serious work voice which was equal parts adorable and worrying for the shenanigans that might follow. “I’m turning ten soon in three years and that means I’m going to get a puppy just like mother did when she turned ten.”
Curiosity getting the better of her, Caitlyn stood from her desk and walked towards the little party in the doorway.
“Well what if I got something different instead-”
Buddy is by no means a lapdog. He was big and weighed more than Celeste just a few years ago and even though Vi was strong enough to lift all three of them at once; the speed at which she scooped up their dog and rocketed a few feet backward was nothing short of impressive.
Their daughter had just brought home a tiny white fluff ball of a kitten, no more than maybe two months old, that could easily be mistaken by Buddy as a late afternoon snack. Caitlyn could understand the reaction.
Their brown pooch was just happy getting hugs at the moment and not at all interested in snacking on their daughter’s apparent new friend.
“Where did you find this one, my darling?” Caitlyn said in a tone oh so sweet. Her mama’s reaction might be abrupt, but Celeste had to know she wasn’t in trouble.
“She was left in this box in the plaza.” Her face was scrunched up, as if the memory smelled foul. “There was a note in the box about how the owner had found a more exotic pet and didn’t want her anymore. Can you believe the nerve, mother?”
Caitlyn exhaled fondly. There’s no mistaking whose daughter this one is.
“And I couldn’t just leave her there! What if no one else came for her? She was left there with no food,” Celeste gasps. “She could become another animal’s food! Oh, we have to take care of her!”
“We have to now, do we?” Caitlyn couldn’t help her teasing tone as she spared a glance to her wife, still carrying their dog. “So I’m assuming we no longer need to take you to pick out a Doberman puppy?”
It took a small amount of effort to hide her disappointment. Caitlyn was looking forward to sharing her old dog training books with Celeste and goodness they knew nothing about cats. The couple’s feelings about cats were neutral at best and wariness at worst.
“It’s okay, my little sister can have the puppy.” If their daughter had found a way to pick up a cat and adopt a little sister for herself on her way home from classes, then she would truly be impressed. Caitlyn wasn’t given a second before, Vi dropped Buddy with an awe struck look on her face.
Buddy, to his credit, merely huffs off being dropped before taking a cautious sniff at the box in Celeste’s hands and drops to her feet to ask for head pats. So much for the snack allegations.
“Cait, are we having a baby?”
Her wife’s puppy dog eyes and hopeful tone disarms her enough to nearly get pregnant on the spot. “No?”
“No…?” Even Caitlyn was bafflingly disappointed now and she didn’t even know she wanted another child until Violet, sweet and darling Violet, expressed her excitement mere seconds ago.
“Oh for goodness- maybe not yet?”
“Did you hear that Duchess?” Naming the cat means there’s no turning back now. “I’m going to be a big sister!” She wonders briefly if her daughter’s swift declaration means she can’t back out of that one as well.
Caitlyn can’t say she’s completely worried. It might be nice having another little one running around the manor. Celeste gets lonely in this big house when all the adults are too busy and the idea has crossed her mind before today. Don’t even get her started on how Vi reacted and no she isn’t blushing at this moment in case anyone was wondering.
“Hey Muffin,” Vi spoke, affection dripping from her tone. “How’s about you leave Duchess here while you go change out of your uniform? We’ll take her to the vet after you get ready.”
She could tell Celeste was stopping her face from scrunching up again by the imperceptible wrinkle of her nose. It was understandable that she wouldn’t want her new kitty to leave her sight so soon, but their daughter was also smart enough to choose her battles.
“Alright,” Celeste carefully put the box, cat inside and all, on top of Caitlyn’s desk. “I’ll see you later, Duchess.”
After a tight hug to both her parents, Celeste exits the room and lets her mothers release the breath they didn’t know they were holding.
“So which did you want to talk about first?”
“Which one?” It was pointless to deflect. It was a conversation they were bound to have, but forgive her for trying to stall for ten seconds while she decides if she wants a second child or not. “Unless there’s actually two cats in that box, I believe there’s only one topic of discussion here.”
Vi shakes her head with a small chuckle and walks up to Caitlyn’s space like she belongs there. She does. Her hands find their place cradling Caitlyn’s scrunched up face, one their daughter definitely inherited, and slowly rubbing her cheek with a calloused thumb. The way Caitlyn leaned closer to Vi’s right palm was magnetic.
“One. I know we don’t… love cats, but we can handle this because we can’t find another home for it. Cel would cry for a week.” That teases a shy laugh out of Caitlyn. “Two. I don’t bring it up often but we’re not lacking in space around here, if you really want another Doberman in the house we could just get you one and don’t tell me it’s fine I know you’ve been looking forward to Celeste turning ten more than she does. We can get a whole pack of them if you wanted! And three-”
“I thought we were only talking about two things.”
“Three.” Vi emphasized. “If you’re not ready for another kid then I’m not.”
The connotation of being ready is heavier on Caitlyn’s side of the scale compared to Vi’s. Despite the matching stab wounds around their abdomens, Caitlyn was generally healthier on the inside so they both decided that any children borne from them would have to be carried by the Kiramman heir. Being healthier never made it easier though.
Failed attempts and heavy losses weighed down on them both, but Caitlyn more so.
‘I’d take the pain for myself if I could,’ Vi had said on a particularly restless night during Cait’s pregnancy when they were finally hopeful she could carry it to term.
‘My love,’ Caitlyn smiled as she was spooned by her wife from the back and kicked by their child at her front. ‘You’ve taken enough of your loved ones’ pain to last a lifetime. I think I can handle our child for a few months.’
“It’s not that I object to the idea,” Caitlyn begins before she turns to place a kiss on Vi’s palm on her cheek. “If anything the excitement is infectious, but the conversation about it has barely begun and I just need to think.”
“Take your time.”
“This isn’t a no. It’s a sooner rather than later sort of thing.”
“Take all the time you need.”
“But for sure it’s one day soon.”
“And we’ll be with you when the day comes.”
The growing smiles throughout the exchange make them both feel giddy.
“And if you’re still a stickler for your doggy adoption tradition, then we might as well practice having that kid tonight yeah?”
“Violet!”
That afternoon, they take Duchess out to get her shots and anything else they need for cat care. Cat care includes half a dozen books on cats that will end up in Celeste’s bookshelves. They put the new cat bed and various accoutrements in their daughter’s bedroom; put a pretty, pink bow loose around her neck and by the end of the night Duchess had become a Kiramman.
Life in the manor did not change as dramatically as Vi thought it would. She’s seen enough cats in her life to know how chaotic they are. Can’t even teach them tricks like a dog can. They knock shit down and scratch shit up just for fun. Getting some of the expensive, antique furniture covered in claw marks might be a pain, but what she’s more worried about are her daughter’s arms.
There were a lot of things Vander told her to remember when hitting the town and one of them was to strictly stay away from stray animals, especially cats. You never know when they’ll decide to take a swipe at you and they all (even Powder) understood how they did not have enough money for medication if they got scratched deep enough. Petting a random critter with a small chance of it acting cute was not worth the risk of a potential bill that came with it.
Sure, Duchess had all her shots and was more interested in napping than using their house as a scratching post, but that didn’t stop Vi from being around constantly when Celeste and Duchess played just in case. Her presence during playtime meant that she was the first to know if there was any progress on Duchess’ training.
Or if there was no progress at all.
“Sit!” Vi had lost count of how many times her daughter had tried to teach Duchess a new trick. She stopped counting after twenty five.
“You sure she can even learn that?” Vi nearly laughs. She’s never heard of a cat learning tricks, but she can see the scrunched up nose and determined face of her daughter. She looks so much like Caitlyn in these moments. If anyone can get a stubborn cat to listen, it would be her.
“It’s in-” Celeste taps a book on cat training in her hands with her pointer finger “-the book, mom.”
And just like her mother, Vi can tell when something is starting to frustrate the girl. Duchess, oblivious to her owner’s troubles, continues to swat at the bows on Celeste’s shoes. It’s cute, but clearly not what Celeste was going for.
“I don’t understand,” Celeste’s voice becomes quiet, her fingers gripping the book so hard her hands start shaking. “She learned her name and what her litter box was for in no time, but now she’s not listening to me and I’m following what the book says down to the letter mom, I swear but-”
Uh oh. Sniffle alert.
“Alright Muffin, let’s give Duchess a break. C’mere.” Celeste didn’t need to be asked twice. She carefully steps over the distracted kitten and runs straight to the couch and into her mom’s outstretched arms. “Let’s see that book. Between the two of us, she’ll be sitting like a pro in no time.”
Vi still isn’t keen on spending too much time with Duchess, but she’d gladly spend time with her daughter. It might not be so bad. She’ll teach the kitten a thing or two and over time she and Duchess will form an unlikely bond that the rest of her family will tease her for. She’ll act indignant and pretend she doesn’t like the cat but she does. Will. She reminds herself. She will like this cat in the near future and it all starts with teaching it how to sit.
“No,” her daughter says, finding her voice.
“No?” So much for that.
“I’m supposed to do this on my own and I want to do it on my own.” Sniffle alert has ended and made way for the Signature Kiramman Thinking Eyebrow Furrow Alert. “Mother taught her first pet when she was my age, so I should be able to do the same.”
Vi didn’t have the heart to remind her that Cait was three years older than Celeste is now. She also didn’t trust herself to not choke up if she said more than a weak “Okay.” She couldn’t believe how fast her daughter was growing; taking on this responsibility for herself because she wants to not because she has to. She’s going to be a great big sister whenever they get around to that.
They don’t get around to it just yet, but they sure can pretend they’re trying.
And sometimes their little sessions turn into real workouts. Which is why Caitlyn finds herself in one of the smaller kitchens getting water for the both of them while Vi is currently knocked out on their bed. Caitlyn will continue to be smug about it once Vi wakes up.
The kitchen is dark, which is expected this time at night, but Caitlyn has snuck into the kitchen enough times to not really need the light. Besides, the task is quick and blinding herself with the bright overhead lamp the kitchen has was entirely unnecessary.
She’s halfway through filling Vi’s glass when she hears the soft pitter patter of what could be steps behind her. The Sheriff might be two yawns and a warm embrace away from passing out herself, but even she isn’t daft enough to think an intruder is sneaking up behind her. She hasn’t done anything worth killing her for lately and there’s nothing valuable in this kitchen either.
The main culprits would be Vi trying to find her or Buddy doing his nightly patrol around the house.
So when she turns around and sees two glowing yellow eyes staring at her from the kitchen island, you can forgive her for throwing her full glass of water in its direction.
May she also be forgiven for the unholy shrieking that follows. How could so much volume come from such a small creature?
“Duchess?!” The matriarch realizes too late. The sopping wet cat was already out of the room to who knows where.
“Cait are you ok?!” And now she feels guilty for waking her wife up.
“I’m fine, darling, just-”
“Mooom!” She hears from down the hall. “I think Duchess fell in the fountain!”
Caitlyn could absolutely run with the fountain story and no one would be the wiser. However, honesty and integrity were values that their family held dear, so she makes her way to her daughter’s room and resigns herself to a day of dealing with her child upset at her.
“You need to apologize to Duchess, mother.” Caitlyn was very sternly instructed the following breakfast. Apologies took the form of scraps of fish and other treats which Duchess happily accepted sans the apology part if the hissing she does whenever Caitlyn comes close is any indication.
She’ll soon come to find out that their cat could hold one hell of a grudge.
Caitlyn is nothing if not determined once she has a goal (in this case: Feline forgiveness) and no obstacle (in this case: The feline) will get in her way until she reaches it. This leads to her joining her family in the living room during the weekends when Celeste is trying to teach Duchess new tricks.
Vi finds it adorable how her wife, for the life of her, cannot get this darn cat to like her. She watches from her usual spot on the couch how Caitlyn is on her knees, trying to get level with the cat as much as she can, as close as she can. Duchess apparently has decided on the acceptable distance Caitlyn can be around her. Five feet away is the estimate before the kitten starts swatting her paws with an angry hiss and her wife starts pouting. ‘No Vi ’, Caitlyn would say. ‘I’m not pouting, I'm concentrating.’
When her daughter gets her mother to stop teasing the cat for long enough so she can get on with training, Vi had to stop herself. Buddy was in his rightful spot at the foot of the couch in front of her, confused as all hell as he sat everytime Celeste said ‘Sit!’ and not being paid attention to. He would whine and lie down again after a while only to sit up again when Celeste’s command got extra loud.
Vi cannot believe her lucky stars that this is her life.
A warm home. Funny pets. A beautiful wife and child. Jericho’s being delivered to their house topside. In the earlier years of their little family, Vi was scared that she would wake up on the cold, damp floors of Stillwater and that every wonderful thing in her life was nothing but a cruel dream.
Lately it’s starting to sink in. It’s all real.
She’s safe and loved and comfortable.
Oh so comfortable. She could never imagine as a kid just taking a nap randomly in the middle of the day. They couldn’t afford to not do anything as they tried to live their day to day. Now, she could let herself rest. It’s been a busy week, both in the Undercity and up top helping Caitlyn, but she knows that nothing will break down anymore if she lets herself take a nap.
And most of all, if Caitlyn’s taking time to play with their cat and not being scolded to take a break on a weekend, what else does she need?
So she lets her eyes droop. She lets herself yawn. She clicks her tongue to call her dog over, because what’s better than taking a nap with your favorite fluffy Buddy?
And she lets herself sleep…
“Mom.”
Vi shakes awake. “Yeah? I’m up. I’m up.”
She yawns and tilts her head to investigate a small weight on her chest and looks at a pair of big ol’ eyes staring at her.
“Why’d you put Duchess on me?”
“She went up there on her own.” Her daughter says beside her on the couch. “She had to climb Buddy to do it. It was a little entertaining.”
“Alright then,” Vi nods, noting the wide-eyed incredulous look her wife is throwing her way. She knows what that means. It’s the ‘I’ve been trying to get that cat to like me all day and she still decides to go to you’ look. It’s a classic look. Or it will be in a few years, but now it’s just funny.
Duchess keeps her big ol’ eyes staring unblinkingly at Vi and it’s not as unsettling as Vi thinks she should feel. But her wife can be a jealous woman so she should extract the cat sooner rather than later.
She moves her arms to remove Duchess so she can sit up, but her daughter waves her arms in front of her frantically.
“NO!”
“No?”
“When a cat climbs on you, you can’t just move them. Those are the rules!”
“The rules huh?” She smirks, gently placing both hands on Duchess and pretending to lift her off. “I kind of have a knack for breaking those you know?”
Caitlyn rolls her eyes and walks to the back of the couch to rest her arms on top of it. “Should you really be saying that to your daughter?” Vi knows the ploy. Cait’s checking how close she can get to Duchess with the added variable of Vi in the mix. The answer is very close. Judging by the wrinkling of her nose, the answer doesn’t please Caitlyn as much as she thought it would.
“Mama’s right. You can break this rule later.” Celeste nods, leaving no room for discussion. “Besides I have something to show you!”
“Duchess.” The Kiramman voice reverberates throughout the room and Celeste flicks her pointer finger up and down in one fluid motion. “Sit!”
And wouldn’t you know it. Duchess stretches and sits down gracefully on Vi’s chest.
“That’s incredible! Good job Muffin!” Duchess meows. “And you too Duchess. What finally clicked?”
“Jericho’s.” They both say in unison.
Vi laughs, loud and genuine. Enough for Duchess to sink her claws a little deeper on her shirt so she doesn’t fall off from the sudden rising and falling of Vi’s chest. She can’t accuse the cat of having bad taste at least.
“I’ll give my regards to the chef.”
Celeste lifts Duchess to get her to stand again to show Vi it wasn’t just a fluke. Vi never doubted her, but she knows her daughter just wanted to show off a little.
Duchess does sit on command, of course, and seconds later curls up on Vi’s chest, purring all the while.
“Oh.” Celeste regards her kitten’s position. “I suppose you’re stuck there for a while longer mom.”
And Vi thinks that doesn’t sound so bad.