Chapter Text
Violet's Pov:
By the time I finally get home, the beach condo feels like a dream I just woke up from.
My room smells like...my room. The soft lavender candle that sits on my dresser scents the air even though it remains unlit. Then the clean purple sheets on my bed and the faint scent of Woody's hay from the corner where his little pen is set up.
Woody is back where he belongs, too. Louis had taken good care of him while we were gone. He even sent me a picture of Woody in a ridiculous tiny crown with the caption "All hail King Bun." I immediately corrected Louis to tell him that Woody would definitely make a better knight than a King. Plus I think he'd look amazing in a bunny sized suit of armor.
Now the little brown rabbit is happily hopping circles around my bed as I lie sprawled across it, phone in hand, hair still damp from my post-travel shower. My legs ache in that satisfied, we've-walked-too-much-on-vacation kind of way.
I watch Woody pause to sniff at my journal stack. Purple, black-and-white, and dark blue with the tree and stars, before settling next to the lavender one like he's standing guard. Woody tended to have that feel about him. He was one of my loyal protectors just as I was his.
I smile to myself and unlock my phone.
A new text from Clem is already waiting.
Clem: Made it home?
I grin and start typing back with one hand while I lazily reach over to scratch Woody between the ears. That little spot behind his neck and between his ears where the fur was a light brown color was his softest spot.
Me: Yep. Woody is back and judging me for leaving him.
The three dots appear immediately.
Clem: I'm sure he forgives you. Eventually. Probably.
I snicker silently to myself and type back.
Me: Maybe. He looks betrayed.
Clem: Don't worry. I still love you even if he doesn't.
I roll my eyes even as my cheeks heat up. She knows exactly how to make me blush even over text.
I type a reply slowly, thinking about how much I already miss her warmth beside me, her fingers tracing letters on my arm, her heartbeat under my ear.
Me: Miss you already.
It takes her longer to answer this time. For a moment, I stare at the three dots, half nervous and half impatient. It was a sweet mix of longing and love whenever I waited for her replies. I loved it but desperately wanted her next to me instead.
Then it pops up.
Clem: Miss you too, Vi. Bed feels empty without you.
I bury my face in my pillow in embarrassment, yet smiling like a total idiot. How does she always get to me with such ease? Woody twitches an ear at me like I'm disturbing his peace.
My phone buzzes again before I can reply.
Clem: I keep thinking about the balcony. And cuddling in bed. And the way you look at me like I hung the moon.
I cover my face with one hand and look away slightly, side-eyeing my phone in case she texts back again, my entire body warm. She's not even here and she's still doing this to me.
I type back in bursts, deleting and retyping three times before I settle on something that feels like me.
Me: ...You did though.
A beat later.
Clem: Oh my god Vi
Clem: You're gonna kill me one of these days
Clem: In the best way
Clem: You make me feel soft and small... like a...like...
Me: The first thing that popped into my mind was, yeah like a kitten
Clem: like...skçldgkfsdjgf
Clem: That-that works
I giggle silently at her reaction. I can picture her now. A blushing mess, barely able to finish her sentence.
I roll onto my back, letting Woody hop onto my stomach, his soft weight grounding me.
Me: So when can I see you again?
Clem: Tomorrow. I'll come over. I'll bring AJ. And snacks. And we can pretend we're still on vacation.
My chest tightens in that warm, fizzy way. I glance over at Woody, who's now contently grooming himself from on top of me.
Me: Perfect. Don't forget to pack cuddles.
Clem: Never.
I smirk as my fingers move to type my next words.
Me: It's a date then, kitten.
Clem: VIOLET!
I erupt into silent giggles as I set my phone on my chest and just stare at the ceiling for a while, listening to Woody's soft movements and feeling that post-vacation glow fade into something better. The comfort of knowing this, us, doesn't end when the vacation does.
The next afternoon I'm curled up on my bed with Woody in my lap, scribbling away in my purple notebook, when I hear the familiar knock on the front door.
Three quick taps. Pause. Two more.
Clem's knock.
My chest does that weird flutter thing as I scoop up Woody, placing him on my bed before I pad into the hallway and down the stairs. By the time I reach the door, AJ is already peering through the tiny decorative side window like an eager puppy.
When I open it, he bursts in with a loud, "Hi, Vi!"
I can't help smiling as I step back to let them in. Clem follows behind him, holding a grocery bag that crinkles as she lifts it slightly.
"Brought snacks," she says, grinning before reaching out to hug me. "And cuddles. Just as promised."
AJ's already kicked his shoes off and is bee-lining straight toward my room with his backpack in tow. "Woody!"
I glance at Clem amused, as we break away from our hug. "He didn't even acknowledge you." I sign.
She shrugs and steps closer, her hand brushing mine in that subtle, casual, way that always sets me off. "I'm used to it. I rank second to a rabbit now."
I smirk trying to hold back a chuckle as we follow AJ to my room where Woody is already wiggling his nose at him from the safety of my bed. AJ climbs up carefully, cross-legged, and starts offering Woody one of the little papaya treats Louis had given me. His Paw Patrol backpack full of shells from our trip already tossed to the side somewhere.
"He's so soft," AJ whispers like he's handling treasure. Woody nibbles the treat and then hops into AJ's lap, making him giggle.
I sit on the edge of the bed while Clem drops onto the floor with her back against it, pulling snacks out of the bag. Chips, chocolate, juice boxes.
"This is officially vacation mode," she announces, tossing me a chocolate bar.
I open it quietly, smiling as AJ starts a one-sided conversation with Woody about which shell was his favorite from the beach and how we made a sand castle big enough for him to fit in. Clem stretches out her legs and leans back until her head brushes my knee. I glance down, and she tilts her head just enough to smirk up at me.
"You're cute when you're watching them," she murmurs.
I roll my eyes but my face warms. "You're cute all the time", I sign lazily with one hand, and she grins like she just scored a point in some invisible game of Who's Cuter.
We stay like that for a while, snacking, listening to AJ chatter, occasionally helping him "decorate" Woody's cage with a couple of seashells he insisted the rabbit would like. In all honesty, Woody would probably end up picking them up and throwing them around angrily because they were in his space like he did with most things.
The sunlight through my window shifts into that soft late-afternoon glow, and it feels like the vacation never ended. Just...moved here.
Eventually, AJ's energy dips. He flops back onto the bed dramatically. "I'm tired," he mumbles into my pillow.
Clem chuckles, standing to scoop him up. "Come on, little dude. Couch nap for you."
She goes to carry him to the living room, and I quickly put a hand on her shoulder to stop her, Woody in my arms.
She turns to look at me and the worried look in my eyes. "What's up, Vi?"
I don't respond and stare at the doorway to the living room as my heart hammers in my chest at the speed of a hummingbird's wings. I feel my mouth go dry as Clem stares back at me then to the doorway then back at me before it finally clicks and I see her frown. "Fu- er, um...shoot. I'm so sorry, Vi. I forgot. I apologize."
I shake my head to snap myself out of my fear-induced trance before my expression softens into an apologetic one. I quickly signed to her. "It's okay. Bring him here."
Clem hefts AJ as I lead her in the opposite direction to the family room where we place him on a couch that sits in there. AJ is asleep before his head even hits the throw pillow. Clem tucks the blanket around him, presses a kiss to his forehead, and mouths, "out like a light" to me.
I nod as she moves next to me. I'm about to turn to leave when I feel her hand gently grasp mine. My gaze meets hers and I feel her give me a gentle squeeze. "You okay?" She mouths out as to not wake AJ.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath and just focus on my hand in hers. The fear of the living room melting away as I go to open my eyes.
I nod my head and send Clem a faint smile.
When we slip back into my room, the quiet feels...different. Softer. Private.
I set Woody in his cage and turn around to find Clem leaning against my doorway, hands in her pockets, just watching me.
My stomach does that flip again.
She pushes off the door and crosses the room slowly. "You know," she says, voice low, "I think I like this better than the beach."
I tilt my head. Really?
"Yeah." She stops close enough that I can feel her warmth. "I mean, I love the ocean. But this..." she gestures at the room, at me "...feels like home."
My throat goes tight. I look down at my hands, unsure of what to do with all the feelings in my chest.
She notices. Of course she does. She always does and it's one of the things that I love about her.
Her fingers brush mine before she gently takes my hand, tugging me towards the bed.
"Cuddle time," she says simply, and I don't even try to hide my smile as I follow.
We settle on the bed in our usual tangle, my head finding its familiar spot against her shoulder, her arm snug around my waist. Our legs intertwined and my hand gripping a fistful of her shirt since I currently didn't have Clover or Woody in my arms. The late afternoon light turns everything gold, catching on the edges of her hair.
"I missed this," she whispers into my hair.
I nod against her collarbone. I did too.
Her fingers trace lazy shapes on my arm, just like the hotel, and I feel that same deep, bone-deep comfort sink in. The kind that makes my chest ache in the best way.
I whisper, just for her, "I love you."
Her arm tightens around me. "I love you too, Vi. Always."
I close my eyes and let the soft rhythm of her heartbeat and the distant hum of the house lull me into the kind of peace that feels like forever.
It's quiet for a long while.
Clem's breathing is slow and even, but I can tell she isn't asleep. Her fingers still trace idle patterns on my arm. Spirals, little hearts, maybe letters. I focus on the rhythm of her touch, the weight of her arm around me, and the faint scent of sunscreen and aloe Vera shampoo that still lingers on her skin.
I could stay like this forever.
But the quiet makes the thoughts in my chest feel louder.
I tilt my head up a little, just enough to see her eyes. She's already looking at me, soft and patient, like she knows something's on my mind.
I swallow and sign slowly, hesitating between words. "I...have a hard time... " I pause, furrowing my brow, trying to gather the right signs. "...saying things out loud."
Her thumb brushes the inside of my wrist in that gentle, encouraging way she has. "I know," she says softly.
"But I want to", I sign, my hands trembling a little with the weight of it. "I want you to know...exactly how much you mean to me."
Clem's eyes shine, but she doesn't interrupt. She just waits, giving me the space I need.
I take a shaky breath and keep going, my hands moving slowly as I try to keep myself from shaking. "I think...before you, I didn't really know what it meant to feel safe. Or...happy. Not like this." I think back to my ex and how abused I had actually been in that relationship without realizing it. I hadn't known any better and I had let Minnie push me around and treat me like dirt while I only showed her love.
My fingers falter for a second as everything gets heavy, and I mouth the next part instead, my voice a faint whisper. "...You make me feel like I belong."
Her arm tightens around me, pulling me closer to her chest, but she still doesn't speak. She knows I'm not done.
"When I'm with you," I continue, signing carefully, "It's like everything I ever wanted is right here. I don't need anything else." My chest aches, and I press a hand over my heart. "I love you so much, Clem. I don't even know if the words are enough for it. There aren't words enough for it. And I..."
I stop. Because what I just said was true. My grip on her shirt tightens as my hands start to shake slightly.
She exhales shakily and finally speaks, her voice soft but firm. "Vi... I feel the exact same way."
Her hand slides up to cup the back of my neck, thumb stroking the sensitive spot she knows calms me instantly. "You're it for me. I don't care where we are. The beach, home, some tiny hotel room, it doesn't matter. As long as it's with you."
Tears prick at my eyes before I can stop them. I bury my face against her shoulder, clinging to her shirt like I always do when the feelings are too big to hold.
"I've got you," she whispers, rocking us gently. "Always."
I let out a soundless breath that's almost a sob, but it's full of happiness, not pain. And I just let her hold me close and let my heart do the talking. Each beat sending its own message of pure love and affection.
For a while, we just stay like that, tangled up, breathing in sync, the room quiet except for the soft rustle of Woody moving in his cage or chewing on his food.
Eventually, Clem leans down and presses a slow kiss to my hair. "You're everything to me, Vi. And nothing's ever gonna change that."
I close my eyes and whisper back against her collarbone, "...Forever."
Her chest rises and falls under my cheek. "Forever."
In that moment, with the last light of day fading through my window and the soft weight of her arms around me, I know I've never felt safer, or more loved in all my life.