Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Hey everyone!  

Since I’m still unable to upload my main fanfic, I figured I’d do this here instead! :)  

Drop your one-shot ideas in the comments, and I’ll do my best to whip something up for you! Just be sure to include some details so I know exactly what you’re looking for and can write it better 🤗  

The only no-go’s: Gore & Non-Con, No Grave Age Gaps (Minor x Adult) 

I wont be able to do every wish of couse, but i'll try my best to use as much as possible 🥹🙏

Chapter Text

Val had made many mistakes in her life.

That time she tried to dye her hair blonde and ended up looking like a burnt noodle? Mistake.
That time she bet Ellie fifty bucks she could outrun campus security? Huge mistake.
That time she let it slip to her mom that she had a girlfriend?

Biggest. Mistake. Of. Her. Entire. Existence.

Because that one offhanded comment—"Yeah, I have a girlfriend, so what?"—had unleashed a storm of chaos.

Her mom had gasped so dramatically Val thought she was having a medical emergency. Her dad had nearly dropped his plate of food. Her abuela had immediately begun demanding pictures, wedding plans, and the exact date Val was providing her great-grandchildren.

And her little sister? Oh, Vivian had smirked—because she knew what was coming next.

Val had barely opened her mouth to backtrack before the entire Ortiz family had collectively decided that Riley needed to be thoroughly inspected as soon as possible.

So here Val was.

Standing outside her childhood home, gripping Riley’s hand, praying for a Christmas miracle—that, for once in their chaotic, dramatic, over-the-top existence, her family could behave like a normal, functional group of humans.

She didn’t need them to be perfect. Just… less. Less of everything. Less yelling. Less fighting. Less random household objects being used as weapons—

But as she took a deep breath, mentally preparing for disaster, Riley glanced up at her and grinned.

“You look nervous.”

“I’m not nervous,” Val lied.

Riley gave her a pointed look. “You’re literally sweating.”

“It’s December.”

“And?”

Val exhaled sharply, adjusting her grip on their bags. “It’s just—look, my family is a lot. They get really… intense when they like someone, and I may or may not have accidentally hyped you up too much, so now they’re kind of—”

Before she could finish, the door flew open.

A plastic Santa launched through the air, missing Val’s head by inches before slamming into the wall with a dramatic THUNK.

“YOU’RE A MENACE, MAMÁ!” a voice screeched from inside.

“FIGHT ME, COWARD!” an elderly voice fired back.

Val squeezed her eyes shut. I swear to God, I will fake my own death and disappear into the mountains, so she thought.

Riley, still holding the doorknob, blinked. “So. Uh. Is this, like… normal?”

Val pinched the bridge of her nose. “Define normal.”

Riley was still standing in the doorway, blinking at the plastic Santa embedded in the wall. Val, meanwhile, was actively contemplating turning around and walking straight into oncoming traffic.

“I repeat,” Riley said slowly, gaze flicking between Val and the war zone inside, “is this normal?”

Val exhaled through her nose. “Look, I knew you were gonna ask questions. And I wanted to ease you into this. I really did.” She gestured vaguely toward the house. “But clearly, the universe hates me.”

“Or loves you,” Riley offered. “Depends on how you look at it.”, Riley said, clearly comming from another standpoint, since she herself didn't have any living relatives anymore.

Before Val could respond, a figure darted into the hallway, sliding across the floor in socks like an Olympic-level speed skater.

It was Vivian, her disaster of a little sister, wearing a Santa hat and wielding a large wooden spoon like a weapon.

“Val’s home!” Vivian announced dramatically, throwing herself at her sister.

Val barely caught her, staggering back. “Jesus, Viv, you've grown- You're gonna kill me one day if you keep jumping on me”

,,Yeah, yeah-",Vivian ignored her, stepping back to inspect Riley. Her eyes narrowed in an almost comically intense way before she turned to Val and whispered (loud enough for everyone to hear):

“She’s hot. How did you even—”

Val slapped a hand over Vivian’s mouth. “Don’t.”

Riley, completely unfazed, just smirked. “I like her.”

Vivian made a muffled sound of agreement, while Val sighed, removing her hand. “Where is everyone?”

A loud BANG came from the kitchen, followed by a triumphant yell from Abuela.

Vivian pointed. “Livingroom wars.”

Val groaned. “Great.”

By some Christmas miracle (or a temporary ceasefire), the chaos settled enough for Val to make introductions. She let out a breath of relief, guiding Riley further inside—only to immediately regret every life choice that had led her to this moment.  

Because the second they stepped into the living room, all conversation stopped.  

Every single Ortiz family member turned to look at Riley.  

Like wolves spotting a new deer in the territory.  

Val’s grip on Riley’s hand tightened. Abort mission. Abort mission-

But Riley, unbothered as always, just smiled and said, “Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Ortiz, it’s so nice to meet you—”  

“No need for any formalities, you can call me Papi Ernesto,” Val’s dad interrupted, puffing up like a proud rooster.   

“Oh.” Riley nodded, ever the respectful girlfriend. “Nice to meet you, Papi Ernesto.”  

Papi beamed, instantly delighted as he noticed how quick Riley adjusted to his wish. “I like her already.”, he wispered proudly to hid daughter.

Val’s mom, however, was not so easily swayed. She narrowed her eyes, arms crossed. “So you’re the one stealing my daughter.”  

Riley hesitated, suddenly sensing she might be in slightly dangerous territory. “I—I wouldn’t say stealing—”  

“She doesn’t even call home anymore!”  

“Mamá, I literally called you this morning.”, Val chiped in.

“She stopped coming home for my food”  

Val groaned. “That is not Riley’s fault. We both just always cook together nowadays after class”  

Mamá ignored her and turned back to Riley. “Are you hungry”  

Riley blinked. “Uh… yes?”  

“Good. Sit.”  

Riley barely had time to react before she was pushed into a chair and handed a plate piled high with tamales.  

Val sat beside her, rubbing her temples. “I told you this would happen.”  

Riley, already halfway through her first tamale, just grinned. “Worth it.”  

“So,” Papi Ernesto started, leaning forward with an eager glint in his eye. “How did you two meet?”  

“Oh, God,” Val muttered.“Do we have to—”  

“Yes,” Mamá, Vivian, and Abuela all said at once.  

Riley, clearly thriving in the chaos, smiled sweetly. “Oh, you know. It was super romantic. Val ran into me and spilled an entire iced coffee down my shirt.”  

Papi wheezed. “AY DIOS, Valentina!”  

Vivian clapped a hand over her mouth, already shaking with laughter.  

Mamá shook her head. “I raised you better than that! I always told you to look where you're going!”  

Val slumped in her chair. “Can I please get a different girlfriend? One who won’t embarrass me in front of my family?”  

Riley grinned. “Nope. You’re stuck with me.”  

Papi, still chuckling, wiped at his eyes. “So what happened next?”  

“Well,” Riley continued, “she panicked and tried to clean me up with the tiniest napkin known to man—”  

“It was all I had!” Val protested.  

“—while apologizing so fast I thought she might pass out.”  

Mamá sighed, like she was personally disappointed ,,I could swear I always told you to have decent napkins with you.”  

Val buried her face in her hands. “mamá-..”  

“But,” Riley said, glancing at Val with a soft smile, “she looked so guilty that I couldn’t even be mad. So I told her she could make it up to me by buying me another coffee.”  

Papi gasped dramatically. “A indirect date?”  

Riley shrugged. “She didn’t realize that it was a date.”  

Val groaned. “Okay, but to be fair, you just said, ‘ just buy me a coffee.’ That didn't sound like you wanted to go on a date with me.”  

Vivian cackled. “Oh my God. Were you accidentally flirting?”  

“Yes, she was!” Riley grinned. “And then we sat at that café for, like, three hours, and I kept waiting for her to make a move, but she didn’t.”  

Val scowled. “I didn’t know you liked me yet!”  

Papi shook his head, deeply disappointed. “Mija. Three hours? How could you spend so much time with a pretty girl without realizing that she's hitting on you?”  

Val threw her hands up. “I thought she just wanted free coffee!”  

Mamá sighed. “And you’re supposed to be the smart one.”  

Riley, smug as ever, laced her fingers with Val’s under the table. “Don’t worry. I made the first move.”  

Papi looked at her with newfound appreciation. “Good. Someone had to.”  

Abuela, who had been silent the whole time (too busy analyzing Riley like a detective with a suspect), finally spoke. “And when did you two…?” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.  

Val nearly choked. “Abuela!”  

Riley, unbothered, just took another bite of her tamale. “If you’re asking about our first kiss, it was on our fourth date.”  

Mamá nodded approvingly. “She made you wait?”  

“ I didn’t know if she liked me enough yet!” Val argued.  

Abuela scoffed. “Four dates? Por favor, in my day, we kissed before we even knew their last name!”  

Val groaned. “Okay, this is officially my worst nightmare.”  

Papi grinned. “Nah, mija. This is what love looks like.”  

Riley squeezed Val’s hand and smiled. “Yeah. It is.”  

Val glared. “You could pretend to be on my side.”  

“No.”  

Mamá, still eyeing Riley like she was an unsolved mystery, leaned in next. “How old are you?”  

“Uh, twenty-two?”  

“Do you want kids?”  

Val choked on her drink again. “Mamá!”  

“What?” Mamá shrugged. “I need to know if I’ll ever get grandkids.”  

Riley, somehow not dying of embarrassment, just smiled. “I mean, I wouldn’t say no to kids, but Val and I haven’t really talked about that yet.”  

Mamá nodded like she was mentally noting this down. “Good, good.”  

“Not good,” Val muttered.  

Vivian leaned forward, resting her chin in her hand. “What’s the most embarrassing thing Val’s ever done?”  

Riley’s eyes lit up. “Oh, so many things. But my favorite was the time she tripped over a bench while trying to flirt with me.”  

Papi practically howled with laughter while Mamá smirked. “Ay, Valentina. I think I really need to teach you to look where you're going again”  

Val slumped in her chair. “I should’ve just kept you a secret.”  

Riley patted her knee sympathetically. “But then who would tell your family about the time you got stuck in a locker?”  

Papi wheezed. “IN A LOCKER?!”  

Vivian had to physically wipe tears from her eyes. “How the hell did that happen?”  

Val, who had been mid-drink, violently choked. ,,Riley, No-"

Riley had to hold back a laugh and grinned. ,,Okay, okay- just let me say what happened after I got you out of there then! I remember how she looked up at me—dazed, sweaty, and freshly humiliated—and you wanna know the first thing she said?”

Riley cleared her throat, dropped her voice into a terrible imitation of Val’s deep tone, and said:

"So. Uh. You come here often?"

Val’s abuela wheezed.

Val covered her face.

Her dad actually had to wipe away tears.

And Vals mother?

She just completely ignored the suffering of her daughter and turned back to Riley with an amused look. “I see that you both have already known each other for a longer while, may I ask what your intentions are with my daughter?”  

Riley, ever the charmer, smiled. “To love and annoy her for the rest of my life.”  

The room went silent.  

Then Mamá nodded in approval. “I like you.”  

Val’s jaw dropped. “You like her now? That’s all it took?”  

Mamá just shrugged. “She has good answers. Look at me and your Papá, annoying each other is our happy secret to a fullfiled life together.”  

Vivian grinned. “Sucks to suck, sis.”  

Val shot her a death glare.  

Riley, smug as hell, leaned in and whispered softly into Vals ear: “Told you they’d love me.”  

Val sighed, already accepting defeat. “Yeah, yeah.” She squeezed Riley’s hand. “But don’t think this means you’re off the hook.”  

Riley smirked. “Oh? What else do I have to do?”  

Val glanced at the kitchen, where Abuela was currently sharpening a knife. “Survive Abuela’s questions.”  

Riley followed her gaze.  

Abuela smiled.  

Riley swallowed. “Oh. Fun-”  

“So, niña,” Abuelita began softly, her voice warm, “Where are your parents? Where do you all live?”, she asked while stepping slowly out of the kitchen.

Riley, taken aback by the question, hesitated for a second before answering. “Uh, well… I don’t have a Family anymore. They died through a car accident when I was younger, so It’s just me.”

Abuela’s face softened instantly. She gave Riley a look of understanding, and though her words were gentle, they were still probing. “Oh, cariño… that must be hard.” She placed a wrinkled hand over Riley's. “You know, family is everything. But don’t worry—this house is full of love. I’m sure you’ve got plenty of space here, too.”

Val, who had been trying her best to stay out of it, let out a long breath, feeling a little lighter. She hadn’t expected Abuela to be so… kind. Maybe this wouldn’t be the worst Christmas after all.

,,Now…'' Abuela trailed off, eyes narrowing slightly, as she shifted back in her chair, a glint of something mischievous flickering behind her glasses.

“I heard you two are sharing a room tonight, yes?” She asked innocently enough, but her tone suggested that she already knew the answer.

Val’s heart dropped. She shot Riley a frantic look, but Riley, of course, had the nerve to raise an eyebrow, clearly entertained by what was about to unfold.

Val opened her mouth to say something, anything, but Abuela, in her infinite wisdom, continued, “That’s only something for married people normally”

There was a slight pause. And then, with the speed of someone who had seen just a little too much of life, Abuela leaned in closer, lowering her voice to what could only be described as 'discreet' but was anything than that.

“And you know… you two are adults now, right? I don’t need to tell you what happens when you’re alone in a room together…” Her eyes twinkled with that devilish sparkle that only a grandmother could get away with.

Val’s face was now the color of a tomato, and she could practically feel the heat radiating off her. “Abuela!” she yelped, but Abuela only nodded sagely.

“I’m just saying, I’ve heard the whispers around here. All the youngsters know you two are getting cozy. No need to act all shy about it, though!”

Riley, whose face was starting to turn as red as Val’s, stared at Abuela like she couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry. “Uh, we’re just sharing a room. We’re—” she paused, her mind frantically trying to keep up with the very bold assumptions being made here, “—we’re just… sleeping.”

,,Hmm" Abuela raised an eyebrow. “Sure, sure. Sleeping.” She leaned back, folding her arms in a way that clearly said, “I know exactly what I’m talking about.”

“Abuela, stop!” Val groaned, sinking into her chair and hiding her face behind her hands. “I swear, we’re just sleeping. Nothing... nothing else.”

,,Hmmm" Abuela wasn’t finished, of course. Not by a long shot. After a dramatic pause and a sip of her tea, she leaned in a little closer, her expression turning from playful to oddly serious. The air in the room became thick with the kind of tension that only a very nosy grandmother could create.

,,But what else happens when you two are alone? Do you sleep together regularly?”

Val’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “Abuela! Oh my god, please!”

Riley, on the other hand, seemed to take it in stride, though she was clearly holding back laughter. “Uhh, well, we do, uh, sleep in the same bed sometimes on weekends, or when we had late classes..”

Val buried her face in her hands, unable to look at anyone. Riley was laughing softly, trying to remain composed, while Val’s mom seemed completely unfazed by this conversation. The horror.

Abuela raised her eyebrows like she’d just caught them both red-handed. “Aha! So you do sleep together! Regularly, you say?”

Riley quickly tried to cover herself. “I mean, it’s just that—uh, you know, when you’re dating and, uh, sharing a bed, sometimes, to cuddle-”

Abuela cut her off with a very serious face. “But do you sleep together in the way that married people sleep together?” she asked, looking like she had the full set of wedding rings on her mind. “Every night? Is it a regular thing?”

Val thought she might just die of embarrassment right then and there.

Riley cleared her throat and glanced at Val. “I—uh, we—yeah, we sleep in the same bed, but we don't ..uh...” she said, trying to maintain some semblance of dignity. “But I mean, it’s not like that- we didn't yet-"

“Oh my god, please stop Abuela. You're making us uncomfortable,” Val muttered, sinking lower into her seat.

Abuela raised a finger. “ I am sorry mija, but I just want to be sure you both know what you are doing since there’s the question of marriage. I mean, if you’re going to be sharing a room and sleeping together, we must be talking about marriage at some point. Right?”

Val’s eyes widened in horror. “Abuela, we’re—no, we’re not even—!”

“Not even thinking about marriage?” Abuela clucked her tongue disapprovingly. “You two are spending all that time together, and no thoughts about getting married? Tsk, tsk.”

Riley was blinking rapidly, clearly unsure if she should laugh or run out of the room to escape the wrath of Val’s grandmother. She gave Val a helpless look. “I—uh, I think we’re just taking it one step at a time?”

Just as Abuela was about to lean in for yet another probing question, Val’s Papa—finally stepped in. “Mamá, you’re embarrassing them!” he said, his voice light and teasing. “Come on, they’re not getting married yet! At least, I hope not, I didn’t sign up for a wedding this soon.”

Val’s face turned extra red. She tried to shoot him a grateful look, but also a "please don't make it worse" look at the same time. Papa, of course, pretended not to notice and continued.

“Riley, querida,” he said, turning to her with a twinkle in his eye, “I’m glad to see my daughter found someone who finally puts up with her nonsense. You have my full blessing. But don't worry," he added with a wink. "I’m not giving her away anytime soon. You’ll have to deal with her sass for at least another decade.”

Riley, who had been trying to recover from Abuela's line of questioning, was now laughing in earnest. “I’m definitely going to need some serious patience,” she joked, the tension in her shoulders easing.

Papa nodded sagely, as if imparting the most important wisdom of the night. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you! I’ve had years of practice.” He then shot Val a playful grin. “And you know, I think you two would make the perfect team!”

Val stared at him “Thanks Papá—”

“No, no, m’ija,” Papa said, holding up a hand, “I’m just saying, I know love when I see it. And this…” He gestured between the two of them. “This is definitely love. Love and… probably a lot of future awkward moments.”

Abuela, still undeterred, piped up. “Well, if this is love, then they should just go ahead and—”

“Mamá!” Papa cut in, his voice firm but light. “No more about the marriage talk, okay? Let them breathe. They’re not planning their wedding tonight, and we all know Riley’s just trying to survive her first Christmas with us without being eaten alive by your questions.”

Abuela huffed but nodded, slightly defeated, at least for the moment.

Papa clapped his hands and turned to the girls, grinning. “So, how about a toast? To love, to family, and to awkward holiday moments that we will definitely be talking about for years. And remember, you two—there's no rush. You’ve got the rest of your lives to get married.”

The room, once awkward and tense, lightened up instantly. Riley let out a relieved laugh, and Val shot her father a thankful smile, grateful that he’d swooped in to save them from Abuela’s interrogation.

“Alright, alright, Papá, enough with the speeches,” Val said with a smile, her tone still a little embarrassed but far less uncomfortable. “Let’s just get through this dinner, and please don’t mention marriage for the rest of the night.”

Papa raised his glass, grinning like a proud dad. “No promises. But we’ll try our best. Cheers!”

Val and Riley clinked their glasses together, both laughing now, and just for a moment, the stress of the evening seemed to melt away.

By the time dinner was over, Riley had been grilled by no less than four different family members, each of them with their own set of awkward questions—none of which she had been prepared for. On top of that, she'd been force-fed enough food to feed a small army. There were tamales, empanadas, some mystery casserole that Val was still too scared to ask about, and enough rice to fill an ocean. Val’s stomach felt like it was trying to escape through her ears, but she wasn’t sure which was worse: the food or the relentless questioning.

Now, as if it weren’t enough that she’d survived the inquisition, Riley was sitting on the couch—staring at a photo album like it was a criminal investigation. Val’s Papa, was holding up a picture of a very chubby, red-faced Val in a Santa onesie.

"Look at this one!" He said, his voice bursting with pride. "She was three and so utterly adorable."

Riley’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. "OH MY GOD."

“I was forced to wear it,” Val muttered, face as red as the onesie she had been forced to wear. “It was a 'gift' from my abuela.”

Riley clutched her chest as if she’d just seen the most precious thing in the world. “I LOVE IT.” She turned to Val, whose soul was practically fleeing her body in sheer mortification. “I can’t believe this is you. This is so cute. God, your Familys genes are incredible!”

Abuela, who had apparently been eavesdropping from the kitchen, leaned in and cackled. "Her beauty she got from me~"

Val closed her eyes and prayed for the sweet, sweet release of death. The old death—the one where you don't have to watch your life unravel in front of an audience. 

But it was too late. Papi had already turned back to Riley with a gleam in his eye. “I’ve got more, mi’ja. You’re gonna love this one. Here is one of her at her middle school graduation, and here is one in the bathtub with her favorite duckies…”

And that was when Riley—Riley, sweet, innocent Riley—did something that Val would never, ever forgive her for.

She turned to Papi, eyes wide and sincere, and asked,  "Papi Ernesto—can I get a copy of the graduation foto?”

Val’s heart stopped. It wasn’t just any picture she was asking for. She was aking for the one that Val personally hated the most.

“I—I—what?” Val stammered. She tried to burrow deeper into the couch cushions, but it was too late.

“I have to frame it!” Riley added, her tone one of pure joy, completely unaware of the devastation she was causing. 

Val’s mom walked in at that exact moment and caught the tail end of the conversation. “Oh, she wants a copy? We can do that.” 

Val buried her face in her hands. “No, please, not this picture.” She could feel her entire being evaporating into the ether.

Val died. Right then and there. She died. She died in a room full of relatives, all while Riley looked at her like she was a saint for being so charming.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of never-ending family bonding (and more food), Val and Riley managed to escape to Val’s childhood bedroom. Val flopped onto the bed, flinging her arm dramatically across her face as if she were auditioning for a role in a tragic soap opera.

“I’m never going back down again,” Val groaned into the pillow, her voice muffled by the soft fabric. “I can't—”

Riley, ever the optimist, sat beside her and began rubbing her back in soothing circles. “That wasn’t so bad.”

Val turned her head, deadpan. “They tried to adopt you and get us to marry at the same time. Don't get me started with my old pictures-.”

Riley grinned, clearly enjoying herself. “Your dad said I could come over whenever I want. He even hinted that there are some more old pictures of you somewhere!"

Val’s eyebrow twitched. “I heard.”

Silence.

Then, just as Val thought she was about to get a few seconds of peace, Riley, with that mischievous smile of hers, leaned in closer.

“So,” she began, her tone utterly casual, “Do you wish to marry me?” She raised an eyebrow, clearly teasing.

Val’s brain shut down for a full two seconds. “What?!” she gasped. “Riley! I—what—did you just—?”

Riley winked, knowing full well what she was doing. “I mean, your Abuela was all like, ‘When’s the wedding?’ and your mom was practically planning the reception, so I figured I’d get ahead of the game.”

Val grabbed a pillow and stuffed it over her reddening face. “Not. now.”

Riley laughed, leaning over to kiss the top of Val’s head. “I’m just saying… we already have some guests for our wedding photos.”

As Val muffled something into her pillow, Riley's laughter softened as she gently pulled it away from her face. She reached out, brushing a few strands of hair from Val's forehead. “Alright, alright, no more wedding talk,” she said, her voice soft and teasing.

Val sighed, her head still spinning from the absurdity of the evening. She sat up and turned to Riley, the playful glint in her eyes replaced by something more tender. She reached out, cupping Riley’s face in her hands, and without a word, she pulled her in for a slow, sweet kiss. It was the kind of kiss that felt like everything else in the world had disappeared. No chaos, no family, just the two of them, alone and finally away from the madness.

Riley's hands found their way to the back of Val's neck, her touch light but reassuring as she deepened the kiss, their bodies instinctively leaning closer. Val melted into her, feeling a warmth spread from her chest down to her fingertips. For a moment, everything felt just right. The chaos of the day was far behind them, and it was just them—perfectly imperfect, but undeniably in sync.

But of course, as if on cue, the universe decided it wasn’t time for them to be alone just yet.

The door swung open with a creak, and there stood Vivian, looking awkwardly between the two of them. “Oh, um…” She froze, eyes wide, her hands raised in a surrendering gesture. “Sorry, my bad. Just wanted to ask if you need more pillows”

Val’s eyes widened, and Riley pulled away quickly, as if the action itself could somehow make them invisible. “Vivian, seriously? Can't you just knock?” Val groaned, trying to sit up, but it was a lost cause. They were caught in a compromising position.

Vivian blinked for a moment, processing the scene, before her lips curled into a mischievous grin. “Well, sorry for interrupting,” she said, stepping backward, but before closing the door, she couldn’t resist adding loudly, “They’re making out, guys!”

There was a beat of silence from the other side of the door, followed by a chorus of laughter and cheers from the rest of the house. Val slapped a hand over her face, utterly mortified, while Riley just burst into giggles. 

“Vivian!” Val hissed, “I swear, I’m going to—”

“Don’t worry, it’s all good,” Riley said, still laughing as she flopped back onto the bed. “It’s just a little family bonding.”

Val threw a pillow in her direction. “They will never let me live this down.”

Riley caught it and threw it back. “Oh, come on, Val, it's endearing and just adding to your charm.”

Val scowled. “This isn’t exactly the kind of charm I was going for.”

Riley shrugged, winking. “Hey, at least now your family knows you’re serious about us.”

“I’m still gonna kill her,” Val muttered, but there was a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Riley reached for Val's hand, pulling her in for another kiss, this time a bit more urgent, as if to make up for all the interruptions.

And just as they were about to get lost in the moment once again, there was a knock on the door.

“Hey, before you get to round two of that make-out session, Abuela said I shall ask you if you need some sort of contraceptives” Vivian’s voice rang out, muffled through the door. “You know, just for safety and all.”

Val groaned into Riley's shoulder and just accepted that she wouln'd be able to have proper alone time with Riley as long as they were in this house. 

Chapter Text

Valentina Ortiz was a rule follower.  

Not in a hall monitor, 'I will report you for breathing too loudly' way, but in a 'this is my dorm, my sanctuary, and I refuse to let chaos in' way.  

College was already stressful. Between exams, group projects (the worst), and the occasional existential crisis, she didn’t have time for distractions. She had a system—morning coffee, classes, studying, then unwinding with music or a book.

Predictable. Peaceful. Efficient.

Riley Andersen was the opposite of efficient.  

She was loud. Chaotic. Quite literally a menace to Vals everyday life. She came home at random hours, tripped over her own shoes, and had a talent for knocking things over.  

So yeah, it really wasn’t just one thing. It was a series of things. A relentless, infuriating parade of things.  

Like the fact that Riley never used headphones. Val had suffered through an entire month of Riley’s chaotic playlists—jumping from punk rock to sad indie songs to an ungodly amount of 2000s boy bands. (Nobody needed to hear Backstreet Boys at full volume at 2 AM, but Riley disagreed.)  

Or the way Riley somehow turned everything into a conversation.  

Val would be making coffee?: "Oh my god, you take your coffee black? Are you okay? Do you need a hug?"  

Val would be reading?: "What’s that? Oh wait—don’t tell me, let me guess—something dark and broody? Classic."

Val would be breathing?: "Wow, intense breathing. Thinking about your tragic past or just really focused?"  

And don’t even get her started on Riley’s tendency to borrow things without asking.  

One fateful morning, Val had woken up, stretched, gone to grab her favorite hoodie—only to find Riley wearing it, sitting cross-legged on her bed, eating Val’s cereal like it was the most normal thing in the world.  

Val had stood there, horrified. “Are you serious?”  

Riley had just blinked up at her, spoon in mouth, and mumbled through a mouthful of cereal, “Mmm?”  

It was rage-inducing.  

So, yeah. Val had plenty of reasons to not like Riley.  

Which explained why they weren’t exactly friends, but they had found an unspoken agreement since two weeks: Riley did her thing, Val did hers, and they left each other alone.  

It was working just fine.  

Until the night Riley brought home trouble.  

Val had just turned off her desk lamp and was comfortably wrapped in her blanket when the door creaked open. She glanced at the time—midnight. Late, even for Riley.  

Weirdly, though, there was no loud entrance. No humming. No tripping over the rug.  

Suspicious, just what was this girl up to again? 

Val narrowed her eyes. “Riley?”  

Silence.  

Then she heard it—  

"Mew" 

Val shot up like she’d been electrocuted. " What was that?”  

In the dim glow of the hallway light, Riley froze in the doorway like a criminal caught mid-heist. In her arms? A tiny, jet-black kitten with wide, vulnerable looking eyes.  

Val blinked. “Is that ...a cat?”  

“No?” Riley tried, while she softly shoved the little furball under her hoodie.

The kitten just blinked and rubbed its head softly against Rileys hoodie from the inside, making it look like a baby alien was trying to gnaw it's way out of Rileys abdomen.  

“Mew.”  

Val groaned while she slowly sat up and massaged her temple. “Riley, pets aren’t allowed.”  

“I know...,” Riley whispered, stepping inside like she was smuggling a national secret. “But I found her outside! She was all alone, and it’s freezing, Val! She needs us.”  

“No, she needs to not be in our dorm- where did you even find her? Her mom must be looking for her already like crazy,” Val hissed, pointing at the door. ,,Just bring her back to where you found her!"

,,I can't- okay!", was all Riley could mutter, while the scenes of the night replayed before her inner eyes. 

---

She knew she wasn’t supposed to be out this late.  

She should’ve been in her dorm, just like Val, pretending to study while actually scrolling through nonsense on her phone. But the walls had felt too small, too suffocating. Val had been there, reading in bed, looking effortlessly pretty in the glow of her desk lamp, and it just had been too much.  

So Riley left.  

She wandered the campus streets with her hands stuffed deep in her hoodie pockets, her breath curling in the crisp night air. Walking helped. It made the restless ache in her chest a little quieter, like she could outrun the loneliness if she just kept moving.  

Then she heard it.  

A tiny, broken 'mew.' 

She stopped and listened.  

Another 'mew'—weaker this time. And something else. Laughter.  

Her stomach twisted. She turned the corner into a dimly lit alley near the back of campus, and what she saw made her blood turn to ice.  

Two guys. Smirking. And between them, a tiny, trembling ball of black fur.  

The kitten was so small, barely more than a handful of fluff, trying to press itself into the concrete like it could disappear.  

One of them nudged thr small cat with his foot, sending it stumbling. The other laughed. “Think she can swim?” he joked, gesturing to a trash-filled puddle nearby.  

Riley moved before she could think.  

“Hey!” Her voice was sharp, furious, echoing off the alley walls.   

The guys turned, startled. The one closest to the kitten straightened, looking Riley up and down like she was some mild inconvenience. “Relax, we were just—”  

Riley shoved him. Hard.  

He stumbled back, eyes flashing with irritation. “What the hell?”  

“Touch her again, and I swear to God— I'll call the cops on ya!” Riley’s voice cracked, her breath shaking. She didn’t care what these dudes would do to her- as long as she had a chance at rescuing this small cat.   

The other guy scoffed the moment he saw Rileys phone where the emergency number was only one click away from beeing dialed. “Dude, whatever. Let’s go-”  

They left, muttering under their breath, but Riley barely noticed.  

She dropped to her knees, heart hammering as she reached out with slow, careful hands.  

“Hey, sweetheart,” she whispered. “You’re okay now.”  

The kitten flinched at first—but when Riley scooped her up, cradling the tiny body against her chest, she felt it.  

The weak, desperate purr.  

Riley’s throat tightened. The little thing was so cold, her ribs too sharp under soft fur. She curled protectively around the kitten, shielding her from the night, from the cruelty of the world. 

-- 

Just like that, Riley ignored Vals words and gently held up the tiny furball. “I won't abandon her. Just look at her! She’s so small and helpless.”  

And Val did.  

Unfortunately, Riley was right. The kitten was tiny. Too tiny. Like, 'has-never-known-the-joy-of-a-warm-blanket' tiny.  

Val pursed her lips. “I really don't know why it's so important for you to take care of this cat, but you knpw that we’ll definitly get caught.”  

“Only if you snitch,” Riley shot back, cradling the kitten protectively. “Are you really going to kick her out? In the cold? With no home?”  

“Don’t guilt-trip me.”  

Riley gasped. “I..- would never.”  

Val raised a skeptical eyebrow.  

Riley leaned closer, dropping her voice. “Just one week. I swear. Just until I find her a loving home.”  

Val exhaled through her nose. She wanted to say no. She should say no.  

But Riley was looking at her with those big, pleading blue eyes, and worse—so was the kitten.  

She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Fine. One week. But she stays out of my stuff.”  

Riley beamed. “You won’t regret this.”  

Spoiler: She regretted it by morning.

Because when Val woke up all she saw was a carnage.  

Her socks? Scattered across the room like they had personally wronged someone.  

Her phone charger? Chewed beyond recognition—may it rest in peace.  

Her dignity? Shredded, much like the toilet paper roll now decorating their dorm like it was some deranged Halloween party.  

And in the middle of this crime scene, perched on Val’s pillow like she owned the damned place, was the tiny black menace responsible.  

Midnight, so as Riley had lovingly named her yesterday night, blinked at her. Tail flicking, seemingly innocent.

Val groaned, rubbing her face. “Riley.”  

No response.  

She turned her head and found Riley completely wrapped up in her blanket, face buried in her pillow, blissfully unaware that her demon child had just turned their room into a war zone.  

Val flung a pillow at her. “RILEY.”  

Riley let out a dramatic oof and groggily peeked over the blanket, blinking like a confused owl. “Hmm?”  

Val gestured wildly at the destruction. “Your spawn is ruining my stuff.”  

Riley squinted at Midnight, who was now grooming herself like a queen after a job well done.  

“She’s a baby,” Riley mumbled, stretching. “She doesn’t know any better.” 

Val pointed at her half-eaten charger. “She knew enough to just target my stuff.”  

Midnight, unfazed by this slander, yawned like the chaos she had unleashed was exhausting for her. Then, because she had no shame, she casually hopped onto Val’s chest and curled up like this was her rightful throne.  

Riley snorted. “She likes you.”  

“She likes to annoy me, big difference,” Val corrected, but even she couldn’t bring herself to push the kitten off.  

Riley grinned. “That’s what you said about me, and now look at us. Roommates who don’t actively wish each other dead.”  

Val rolled her eyes but didn’t argue.  

Because, annoyingly, Riley was kind of right.

Days passed, and Val started noticing things. 

Things she had no business noticing.  

Like how Riley talked to Midnight in a ridiculous baby voice—the kind of voice that should’ve been annoying but somehow wasn’t. Or how she would sit cross-legged on the floor, absentmindedly stroking the kitten’s soft fur while reading, completely lost in whatever world she had fallen into.  

Or how her hair was always a little messy in the mornings, golden strands falling into her face as she yawned. All that only because Riley magically stayed a lot more often with her in their dorm-

And the worst part?  

Val startet to like having Riley around more often- which was definitly a problem in itself. 

What was bothering her more, however, was how easily Midnight gravitated toward Riley.  

At every opportunity, the tiny traitor would curl up in Riley’s lap, purring like a lawnmower, nuzzling into her stomach like she was the only source of warmth in the room.  

It was ridiculous.  

Val had been the one who let her stay. Where was her appreciation?  

One evening, Val sat on her bed, trying to study. Laptop open, notes scattered—it should’ve been a productive night.  

Except it wasn’t.  

Because across the room, Riley was sprawled out on her bed, legs stretched out, her back resting against the side of her wall. Midnight was curled into her lap, swatting lazily at Riley’s fingers as Riley wiggled them in front of her.  

And Riley was laughing.  

Softly. Gently. It was so different from her usual loud, teasing energy.  

Val had never heard her laugh like that before. So carefree and softly...it sounded so beautiful.  

Something warm curled in her chest, unfamiliar and annoying.  

She quickly looked back at her laptop, forcing herself to focus.  

Except her eyes kept drifting.  

Because Riley’s head was tilted back slightly, exposing the curve of her neck as she giggled at Midnight’s tiny, clumsy swipes. Because there was a fondness in her eyes that made Val’s stomach do a weird little thing.  

Because, for the first time, Val was realizing just how pretty Riley was.  

Which was not something she needed to be thinking about. 

Too bad it seemed that she had starred to long, since Riley seemed to have caught her. ,,You’re staring,” Riley said suddenly, smiling shyly.  

Val blinked, caught completely off guard. “No, I’m not.”  

Riley’s smirk widened slowly. “Oh, you totally were.”  

“I was thinking,” Val corrected, shifting slightly. “It just looked like staring.”  

Riley hummed, unconvinced. “Uh-huh. What were you ‘thinking’ about then?”  

Val hesitated.  

She could say something safe. Something normal. Something that wouldn’t make her look like a total idiot.  

Instead, her mouth betrayed her.  

“…Why does Midnight always pick you to cuddle and play with?”  

Riley snorted. “Are you ..jealous?”  

Val scoffed. “Of you? No.”  

But even as she said it, Midnight stretched luxuriously in Riley’s lap, gave Val a single slow blink—like she knew exactly what she was doing—and then snuggled deeper into Riley’s hoodie.  

Val scowled.  

Riley grinned.  

“Oh my god,” Riley whispered, eyes twinkling. “You are so jealous.”  

Val groaned, throwing her head back. “I take it back. I am happy she rather annoys you.”  

Riley gasped dramatically. “How dare you say that?” She scooped Midnight up and held her protectively. “You hear that, sweet girl? The mean lady over there doesn't like you, but you know what? i love you even more.”  

Val pointed at the tiny feline menace. “She started it.”  

Midnight responded by yawning and promptly curling up against Riley’s chest like she had no worries in the world.  

Val folded her arms. “This is plain favoritism.”  

“Or,” Riley said smugly, “maybe you just need to be nicer to her. Just sitting there won't make her like you.”  

Val rolled her eyes but, for some reason, the words stuck with her, because ..they just made sense. Nothing happened for no reason.

That night, after Riley had fallen asleep, Val lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.  

She wasn’t sure why it was bothering her so much.  

She wasn’t jealous. That would be stupid.  

Right?  

…Right.  

Slowly, cautiously, she turned her head toward the small bundle of fur curled up beside Riley.  

Alright, you little traitor. Let’s see where your loyalty really lies, she thought to herself.

Moving as quietly as possible, Val stood up and walked over to Rileys side of the room where she reached out her hand and gently—gently—patted Midnight’s tiny head.  

Midnight blinked at her sleepily.  

Val held her breath.  

Then, to her absolute shock, the kitten stretched, wobbled to her feet… and then, instead of going back to Riley, she crawled onto Val’s arm and curled up on her instead.  

Val’s heart did something stupid.  

And then—because she was completely and utterly weak—she scratched Midnight behind the ears.  

The tiny menace purred.  

Val sighed, defeated.  

Before her Riley stirred slightly, shifting under her covers. In the soft glow of the moonlight, her lips were curved in a faint, sleepy smile.  

And suddenly, Val realized that maybe—just maybe—her heart was in trouble. But she was way to stubborn to just admit it.

Well, she had more other troubles to think about. As an example it was more trouble keping a cat hidden in a dorm. That was like trying to smuggle fireworks into a library—impossible, stressful, and bound to end in disaster.  

And that disaster nearly struck on a quiet Wednesday afternoon.  

Val was at her desk, pretending to study but really just watching Riley play with Midnight on the floor. Riley was lying on her stomach, wiggling her fingers as the kitten pounced at them, her laughter soft and ridiculously cute.  

Val hated how much she liked it.  

Then—the worst sound imaginable.

A knock at the door.  

Both of them froze.  

Their Resident Assistant, Emma, called from the other side. “Hey, I need to do room inspections real quick!”  

Pure terror.  

Val and Riley locked eyes in a single moment of shared panic before they exploded into action. ,,Uh- yeah! One moment, we're uh...not dresses yet?", was all that Riley shouted, while Val shot her a look, before she also stoop up.  

“Midnight!” Riley whisper-screamed, scrambling to grab the kitten, who—of course—thought this was all a game and bolted under the bed.  

“Get her, get her, get her!” Val hissed, frantically kicking their pile of cat toys under the blanket.  

“I’m trying! She’s fast!”  

Another knock. “Uh okay… everything okay in there?”  

Val cleared her throat, desperately trying to sound normal. “Yeah! Yeah, totally fine! Just—uh—dropped something!”  

Riley dove for Midnight, but the little menace zigzagged out of reach, her tiny paws silent against the floor.   

In one final, desperate move, Midnight darted toward the darkest corner of the room—behind Val’s laundry hamper—and vanished into the shadows like a tiny ninja. 

It was perfect. 

Riley flopped onto the floor dramatically, panting. “Oh my god. Thats good-”  

Val barely had time to glare at her before the door opened, and Emma stepped inside.  

She looked around, clipboard in hand, eyes scanning the room. “Just checking for anything against the rules.”  

Val forced a very unconvincing smile. “Of course! No rules broken here! Just uh...two girls having normal fun”  

Riley, who had zero chill, nodded way too quickly. “Nope! None at all! Totally normal, lovely girls room- for two girls who are like totally normaly hanging out...without clothes sometimes...yeah...”  

Val shot her a 'shut up before I throw you out the window' look.  

Emma raised an eyebrow but didn’t press. She did a quick sweep—checking for candles, extra furniture, anything that violated dorm policy—while Val and Riley stood there, completely stiff.  

Midnight, bless her tiny criminal soul, didn’t make a single noise.  

Finally, Emma gave a nod. “All good here.”  

Val nearly collapsed in relief.  

As soon as the door clicked shut behind Emma, the room erupted.  

Riley cackled, falling back onto the bed. “I can’t believe we actually got away with that!”  

Val groaned, sinking onto her chair. “I swear, I lost five years of my life.”  

Midnight, deciding she had earned her treats, casually strolled out of her hiding spot, tail high, completely unbothered by the near-death experience.  

Val pointed at her. “You are sneaky.”  

Riley scooped Midnight up and nuzzled her. “She’s a genius. My little criminal mastermind.”  

Val rolled her eyes—but when Riley met her gaze, still grinning, something warm curled in her chest.  

They were so stupidly in this together.  

And Val didn’t mind one bit because somewhere along the way, everything changed.  

At first, it was just about Midnight. Making sure she didn’t chew on wires, knock over Val’s coffee, or commit more tiny acts of terrorism against her belongings. But somewhere between the late-night study sessions, the coffee runs, and the lazy mornings where Midnight would crawl between them on the beds, Riley had somehow wormed her way into Val’s life too.  

And—annoyingly—Val didn’t hate it.  

She didn’t hate how Riley always made her laugh, even when she didn’t want to. She didn’t hate how Riley would steal her hoodie when she was cold, claiming it was "closer anyway”. And she definitely didn’t hate how, in the quiet moments, Riley would just be there—soft, warm, real in a way that was starting to make Val’s chest ache.  

One night, after a movie, they sat side by side on Val’s bed, the room bathed in the soft glow of string lights. Midnight was curled up in Val’s lap, purring contentedly.  

Riley let out a slow, sleepy sigh, and before Val could even register what was happening, she leaned her head against Val’s shoulder.  

Like it was the most natural thing in the world. Like she had done it a million times before and would do it a million times again.  

Val froze.  

Her heart tripped over itself, a stuttering, unsteady thing that made her breath catch in her throat. She didn’t know why it felt so different—why this simple, fleeting moment made her entire body go still, why it sent warmth curling in her chest like something delicate and new.  

She could feel Riley’s warmth seeping through her hoodie, the steady rise and fall of her breaths—calm, relaxed, completely at ease. Like she belonged there.  

And Val?  

Val didn’t move.  

Didn’t want to move.  

Instead, she let herself sink into the moment, let herself pretend this was normal—that it wasn’t making her pulse skitter out of control, that she wasn’t acutely aware of the way Riley’s hair smelled—vanilla and something soft and sweet, something Riley.  

A small, content sigh slipped past Riley’s lips, barely a whisper in the quiet of the room. “She really did bring us to be closer to each other, huh?”  

Val swallowed hard, forcing herself to focus—to breathe. “Yeah, she kinda did.”  

Riley shifted, tilting her head slightly, and suddenly—  

They were close.  

Too close.  

Close enough that Val could see everything—the very light freckles scattered across Riley’s nose, the sleepy warmth in her blue eyes, the curve of her lips, slightly parted like she was on the verge of saying something.  

The world tilted.  

Val hesitated, her thoughts tangling together, her pulse drumming an erratic rhythm in her ears.  

And then, softly—almost nervously—she whispered, “Hey, Riley?”  

Riley hummed in response, her voice drowsy, her gaze flickering up to meet Val’s.  

And Val—  

Val kissed her.  

Soft. Hesitant. It was Terrifying.  

For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. Val could feel the slight hitch in Riley’s breath, the way her lips parted in surprise. And just as doubt started to creep in, just as Val thought she had made a mistake—  

Riley softly melted into it.  

Her hand lifted to cup Val’s cheek, warm and certain, her fingers tracing the edge of Val’s jaw like she had been waiting for this—like she wanted this.  

And Val? Val was lost. Lost in the way Riley leaned into her, lost in the gentle press of her lips, in the way everything else faded into the background.  

Midnight, curled up smugly in Val’s lap, flicked her tail like she had known this was coming all along.  

Her job here was done.

Chapter Text

The final buzzer blared through the arena, and for a split second, there was silence—just the sound of Riley’s heartbeat pounding in her ears. Then the crowd exploded, a deafening roar of cheers and applause as the red light behind the goal flashed.  

Final shot. Final goal. Another win.  

Riley grinned, her entire body buzzing with adrenaline as she ripped her stick into the air, barely managing to turn before her teammates swarmed her.  

"That’s how you do it, baby!" Ellie whooped, slamming into Riley’s side with enough force to nearly knock them both over. "MVP again—you’re on fire, Andersen!"  

Riley just laughed, yanking off her helmet, her blonde hair damp with sweat and clinging to her forehead. "You just figured that out?"  

The team hollered in agreement, shoving her playfully, hyped up on the energy of the win. The ice was a blur of movement—sticks clashing together in celebration, gloves being tossed, the rival team slinking off in defeat. It was everything Riley had ever trained for, and yet…  

As the others started talking about hitting 'The Den' for celebratory drinks, her mind was already somewhere else.  

Someone else.  

She barely got a word in before Ellie looped an arm around her neck. "Come on, Andersen. Just one drink! One single drink!"  

"Yeah, what’s the deal, Cap?" one of the rookies piped up. "You never party with us after games."  

"Never," another one echoed dramatically. "Do you even like us?"  

Riley smirked, wiping her face with a towel before slinging it around her neck. "I like winning."  

Ellie scoffed. "We all like winning, but we also like celebrating."  

Riley just shrugged, already making her way toward the tunnel. "Sorry guys, I got somewhere better to be."  

A chorus of groans followed.  

"Better than drinking with us?" Ellie shot her a look. "Where the hell do you even go after games? You never say!"  

Riley just turned back slightly, grinning. "That’s ‘cause it’s a mystery. And mysteries stay mysteries~"  

Her teammates all groaned again, but Riley was already slipping into the locker room, ignoring their lingering stares.   

Riley was used to the noisyness. 

Infact, Riley Andersen was a name that echoed through every sports bar, every stadium, and every overly enthusiastic commentator’s microphone. She wasn’t just a hockey star—she was the hockey star. The golden girl of the league. Fast on the ice, deadly with a stick, and charming enough in interviews to have an entire nation wrapped around her gloved finger.

She was also an Alpha.

Which meant, according to society’s oh-so-traditional views, she should have been with an Omega—a delicate, soft-spoken, stay-at-home type who would wear her jerseys and cheer for her from the stands.

But Riley had never given a damn about traditions.

Because she was married to Valentina Ortiz, another Alpha—her fierce, stubborn, absolutely drop-dead gorgeous wife.

Not that the world knew any of that.

No one knew that after every adrenaline-fueled victory or bitter defeat, she didn’t go home to some glamorous, over-the-top, superstar bachelor lifestyle. No, she went home to Valentina Ortiz, her wife.

Not her fiancée. Not her girlfriend. Her wife.

If people found out? It would be chaos. The media would lose its mind, fans would go feral, and worst of all—Val would probably have to start fighting at least six crazed admirers a week. And Riley? She didn’t want their love story picked apart for entertainment.

So, they kept their marriage under wraps. Just for now. Just until Riley was ready to deal with the inevitable storm.

Which is why, after another victorious game, instead of celebrating with the team at some fancy bar, Riley was curled up on the couch in their shared apartment, her head resting on Val’s lap while her wife absentmindedly played with her hair.

"You crushed them,” Val murmured, fingers threading through blonde locks.

Riley smirked, eyes fluttering shut. “Obviously.” She lazily lifted her phone, showing Val a picture of herself mid-game, absolutely wrecking a guy into the boards. “Look at me. Tell me I don’t look like a badass.”

Val squinted. “You look like you’re about to be sued.”

“That’s just my game face.”

“Right.”

Riley hummed in contentment as Val’s fingers gently massaged her scalp. This—this—was heaven. It was warm, cozy, and completely different from the wild, high-speed world of professional hockey.

And then—

“I saw a tweet today,” Riley mused.

Val hummed.

“Apparently, I’m either secretly dating my teammembers, locked in an enemies-to-lovers drama with my biggest on-ice rival, or—” she grinned, “—and this one’s my favorite—I’m actually in love with hockey itself and will never love a human the way I love the sport.”

Val snorted. “Okay, but that last one is kinda accurate.”

“Excuse me—”

“You literally sleep with your championship ring next to the bed.”

“That’s just for motivation!”

“You kiss your stick before every game.”

“That’s called superstition!”

Val rolled her eyes, shifting so she was straddling Riley’s lap, arms draped around her shoulders. “Right, right. You love hockey so much. Good thing I’m not secretly your wife or anything. That would be awkward.”

Riley grinned, hands settling on Val’s waist. “Oh, so awkward.”

“Unbearably so.”

“Like, imagine if I was hopelessly in love with you and completely obsessed with our little secret life together.”

Val leaned in, noses brushing. “Good thing that’s not the case, huh?”

Riley shifted, turning so she could pull Val down into her arms, settling her against her chest. Val let out a content sigh, melting into her embrace as Riley pressed a kiss against her forehead.

They stayed like that for a moment, wrapped up in each other, their heartbeats steady and in sync.

“You know,” Riley murmured, her fingers tracing slow patterns on Val’s back, “sometimes I wish we didn’t have to hide this.”

Val tilted her head up, meeting Riley’s gaze. “Me too,” she admitted. “But I also love that we have this—just us, away from all the noise.”

Riley smiled, her grip tightening around Val. “Yeah. Me too.”

Silence fell between them again, but it was the warm, comfortable kind—the kind that only existed between people who knew each other’s hearts like their own.

Then, softly, Riley whispered, “I love you.”

Val leaned in, her lips brushing against Riley’s in a slow, lingering kiss—one filled with love, with quiet devotion, with the promise of always.

When they pulled away, Val smiled. “I love you too.”

And for once, there was no roaring crowd, no flashing cameras—just them, in the quiet, wrapped up in the only thing that had ever truly mattered.

Riley let out a content sigh, nuzzling into Val’s neck, completely at peace in their little bubble of quiet love. But as much as she wanted to stay curled up like this forever, there was one minor problem.  

“You reek of sweat,” Val murmured, scrunching her nose playfully.  

Riley groaned dramatically. “Babe, I just won a game. This is the scent of victory.”  

Val snorted. “This is the scent of ‘get your ass in the shower before I shove you off this couch.’”  

Riley grinned, pressing a quick, teasing kiss to Val’s jaw before dragging herself up. “Alright, alright, I’m going.” She stretched, rolling out the post-game soreness from her muscles.

As Riley stretched, letting out a satisfied sigh, Val smirked, leaning back on the couch with a lazy confidence.  

"You know," Val drawled, eyes trailing over Riley’s still-flushed skin, "I could be persuaded to join you in that shower. You know… to conserve water."  

Riley paused mid-stretch, raising an amused eyebrow. "Oh? And here I thought you just wanted me to shower because I ‘reeked of sweat.’"  

Val shrugged, utterly unbothered. "I do… but I never said I wouldn't enjoy the process of getting you clean."  

Riley grinned, stepping closer until she was practically straddling Val’s lap, her hands resting on Val’s shoulders. "Tempting," she murmured, leaning in as if considering the offer. "But if you joined me, we'd both be k.O."  

Val hummed, fingers settling on Riley’s waist. "You say that like it’s a bad thing."  

Riley chuckled, pressing a lingering kiss to Val’s cheek before pulling away. "Nice try, Babe. But I need a shower, and you need to sit here and think about all the ways you almost had me."  

Val let out a low whistle, watching Riley saunter toward the bathroom, her smirk growing. "Cocky."  

Riley threw a playful wink over her shoulder. "You love it."  

Val just shook her head, laughing to herself as she settled back against the couch. ,,Damn right, I do.''

Val watched her go, shaking her head fondly. She heard the water start running, followed by Riley humming some off-key song—probably a victory remix of whatever had been playing in the stadium.  

Smiling, Val stood and made her way to the bedroom, fluffing up the pillows and making sure Riley’s extra-soft blanket was in reach. The big bad hockey player would never admit it, but she had a deep love for snuggling up under absurdly soft blankets after a long day.  

By the time Riley emerged from the bathroom, her blonde hair damp and her face scrubbed clean, she looked exhausted but utterly relaxed. Dressed in one of Val’s oversized shirts—because, despite having plenty of her own, Riley always stole Val’s—she all but collapsed onto the bed.  

Val chuckled, shifting to make space as Riley immediately burrowed into her side. “Feeling better?”  

Riley made a soft, pleased sound, nuzzling into Val’s shoulder. “Mhm. So much better.”  

Val wrapped an arm around her, fingers absentmindedly running through Riley’s damp hair. “Good.”  

For a few moments, they just lay there, wrapped up in each other. Riley let out a happy sigh, tracing light patterns against Val’s arm.  

“You’re so warm,” she mumbled sleepily.  

Val smirked. “I’m a built-in heater.”  

“Perfect,” Riley murmured. Then, after a pause, she added, “Hey, if I’m ever trapped in an ice storm, promise you’ll use your body heat to keep me alive?”  

Val snorted, sensing that her wife was starting to blabber because she was clearly getting more tired by the minute. “Why would you be trapped in an ice storm?”  

“I dunno,” Riley yawned. “..Hockey-related incident?”  

Val rolled her eyes but pressed a kiss to Riley’s forehead. “Fine. If you ever find yourself in a hockey-related ice storm, I’ll keep you warm.”  

“Best wife ever,” Riley muttered, already halfway asleep.  

Val smiled, holding her a little tighter, letting herself relax into the steady rhythm of Riley’s breathing.  

She knew their life wasn’t always going to be this simple—there would be games, travel, media pressure, and the inevitable moment when they’d have to share their marriage with the world.  

But for now, in this quiet moment, it was just them.  

And that was enough.  

With one last, soft kiss to Riley’s temple, Val let her eyes drift shut, content in the warmth of the love they had built together.

Chapter Text

The lake looked like something straight out of a fairy tale.

Snowflakes floated gently from the sky, catching in the trees like glitter dust on old pine needles, and the forest surrounding the clearing stood tall and still—like it had been holding its breath, just waiting for this moment. The lake stretched out before them, a perfect sheet of shimmering ice kissed by winter’s magic. It looked like glass dipped in starlight, and it held something sacred beneath its frozen surface: memories.

This was the lake—the one Riley had skated on when she was just a kid, her boots two sizes too big and her pigtails uneven, falling every five minutes but always laughing. And now, here she was again, only this time she had five kids, a thermos of hot cocoa the size of a fire extinguisher, and a wife who still made her heart cartwheel every time she smiled.

“Alright, squad!” Riley called, stomping her skates on the frozen lake with a rhythm that echoed across the glistening white surface like an improvised drumroll. A flurry of snow kicked up around her boots with every stomp, and a playful spark danced in her blue eyes.

Her cheeks were pink from the cold, her blonde hair tucked under a fluffy white beanie, and her voice carried the same excited energy she’d had as a kid on this very lake. “Line up like little penguins!”

Valentina, crouched on the snowy bank with one knee in the powder and her long curls escaping from under her red knit cap, looked up mid-lace. Her gloved fingers moved at superhuman speed, yanking taut the last knot in Luna’s skate before grabbing the next pair. “They’re not penguins, love,” she said dryly, her tone a mix of affection and mock-exasperation. “They’re glitter-covered kids.”

“Semantics,” Riley shot back with a grin, raising both arms dramatically as if welcoming royalty. “Penguins. Kids. They all waddle when they’re learning.”

From behind her, a chaotic flurry of snowsuits and mismatched hats began to assemble. The kids emerged from their gear-up zone like a technicolor parade of mayhem. Their jackets were neon, their scarves trailing like tiny banners, and each one had some unique flourish—sparkly earmuffs, a cape made of tulle, glow-in-the-dark mittens—courtesy of Luna’s insistence that “we must look like warriors of the Ice Kingdom.”

They didn’t just step onto the ice. They marched, heads high, arms swinging, some with more confidence than coordination. The crunch of snow beneath their boots transitioned to the faint squeak of blades on ice, and one by one, they shuffled forward in their attempt to 'line up' though the line looked more like a wobbly zigzag. Nico tried to salute but nearly tipped over. Ami refused to take her hands out of her coat pockets. Laurie was already muttering a mantra under her breath, and Kai adjusted her helmet with the dead-serious intensity of a battlefield commander.

It was, without question, the most ridiculous and heart-melting penguin squad the lake had ever seen.

Kai, their oldest with eleven years - and the unofficial team captain and self-declared heir to Riley’s hockey legacy was the first one to move.

She stepped onto the ice like a soldier entering sacred ground, each movement calculated, each breath steady. Her jaw was set with a seriousness far beyond her years, and her eyes locked onto the frozen lake as if it had once wronged her in a past life and she was here to settle the score. She adjusted her elbow pads like armor, bent her knees into a perfect ready stance, and muttered, “Show no fear,” under her breath, like the ice might bite if it sensed weakness.

Then came Laurie, ten, stepping carefully onto the ice like it was a tightrope suspended over doom. She paused at the edge, took a long breath that fogged up her glasses, and whispered to herself with intense urgency, “You are the storm. You are the snow whisperer. You—will—not—fall.”

It sounded less like a pep talk and more like she was trying to cast a spell on her own knees to behave. She held her arms out like wings, face tight with nerves, and inch by inch, scooted forward, determined to stay upright through sheer willpower and whispered affirmations.

Nico, eight, had no such reservations. He launched onto the ice like a chaos missile, arms flailing, yelling, “STRIKE!” at top volume.

He weaved left, then right, then spun in what could generously be called a pirouette before hurling himself chest-first into a snowbank with a victorious howl. “I AM THE ICE!” he declared, muffled by snow. No one knew what that meant, but it felt right.

Ami, six, trudged forward next, every step laced with the betrayal only a deeply offended child could feel. Her beanie was crooked, her cheeks were puffed in disdain, and her expression screamed: Winter is a scam and I did not sign up for this. She gave Riley a long, flat look, then stepped onto the ice as if she were walking into a dentist’s office.

And finally, Luna, their youngest. Four years old, smaller than the rest and infinitely weirder—in the most magical way. She tottered out in her star-covered snowsuit, holding one mitten high above her head like a sacred offering. “I OFFER THIS TO THE ICE KINGDOM!” she proclaimed, voice ringing through the cold like a spell.

Riley blinked. Val, still kneeling with a skate in one hand, blinked too.

And that's when the rustling started.

There was a beat of silence.

Then, rustling, again.

From the edge of the forest came a sudden fluttering of snow. A blur—small, fluffy, and suspiciously magical-looking—shot across the lake at a speed entirely illegal for something with stubby legs. It looked like a living snow puff. It zipped in a tight circle around Luna, let out a high-pitched squeak that sounded like a fairy hiccup, snatched the offered mitten from her tiny fingers, and darted back into the trees, vanishing like it had never existed.

Val slowly turned to Riley. “Did she just ...summon something?”

Riley, eyebrows high, blinked. “She once told me the snow speaks to her in riddles. I—honestly just go with it at this point.”

Luna stared solemnly at the tree line where her mitten had disappeared. “You have my mitten. I trust you. Don’t betray me like the sun did.”

Val gave Riley a Look. “Cool cool cool... We’re definitly going to circle back to that in therapy- For now: let's have fun!”

The lesson began, as many did, in complete and beautiful chaos.

Riley skated backward with practiced ease, her skates cutting soft grooves into the ice as she held onto Laurie’s small, mittened hands. Laurie’s face was scrunched in intense concentration, like she was negotiating with the very laws of physics.

“You are a majestic snow bird,” she whispered to herself. “You are light as frost. You will not fall— you will not- AAAAAAH!”

With a startled squeak, she lurched forward and flopped face-first onto Riley’s chest like a winded penguin missile. Riley let out a soft “oof” and staggered just a little, then caught her balance and wrapped both arms around her daughter.

“Doing great, sweetie,” Riley said cheerfully, patting her like a snow-covered burrito. “Elite-level belly flopping. ”

Laurie groaned into Riley’s jacket. “I hate being as balanced as a bird.”

“Birds fall sometimes too,” Riley whispered conspiratorially. “But you know what? They also get back up and poop on statues, so really—it’s a power move.”

Just a few meters away, Kai was skating literal circles around the group, each lap a smug ribbon of perfect form and icy flourish. Her ponytail swung behind her like a victory banner, and the sigh that escaped her was the sigh of an eleven-year-old who knew she was better and hadn’t yet mastered the art of subtlety.

“Can someone not fall every ten seconds? It gives me a headache.” Kai said, arms flung out dramatically. “This isn’t a clown academy.”

Val, who had been tying Ami’s skates near the edge of the rink, looked up sharply. “Kai,” she warned, her voice just loud enough to carry but still calm. “Less diva, more sister.”

Kai groaned, flopping backward onto the ice without breaking her pose. “I am being a sister. A motivational one.”

Laurie peeked up from Riley’s arms, face pink from embarrassment and cold. “Well your motivation sounds like a mean tweet.”

Riley snorted, kissing the top of Laurie’s hat. “She’s just jealous because you have the best snowbird monologue out here.” to which laurie smiled softly.

Val skated over then, pausing beside them. “You okay, snowbird?” she asked, ruffling Laurie’s hat gently.

Laurie nodded, only a little watery-eyed. “My dignity’s broken, but the rest of me’s fine.”

“I see,” Val said, crouching to meet her eyes. “Have I ever told you how your Mom once took out an entire popcorn stand during practice and still got up. And you didn't even hit the ground like she did, so see that as a win.”

Riley gasped theatrically. “Excuse you—it was a very small popcorn stand. And it jumped in my way when i was hungry.”

Laurie cracked a smile.

Val gave a quiet, satisfied nod. “That’s more like it. Now go conquer the ice, little snowbird.”

In the meanwhile Nico tried skating backwards while spinning forward. It made no sense. He declared it “super special ninja technique” before face-planting with a muffled “I regret nothing.”

Val was busy with Ami, who had taken one step onto the ice and then sat down dramatically like a Shakespearean heroine in protest.

“No,” Ami said. “Ice is mean. Ice is cold. Ice can wait.”

Val knelt beside her. “If you skate to me—just once—you get to pick the car music on the way home.”

Ami squinted. “I want ‘Baby Shark.’ On repeat. For the entire ride.”

Val took a slow, resigned breath. “...Deal.”

Meanwhile, Luna had wandered off to make snow angels and talk to her snowman. She’d crafted him a twig crown and gave him her scarf.

“You’ll need this more than I do,” she whispered to him like a farewell speech in a fantasy film. “Rule kindly, my frosty prince.”

Eventually, the lesson gave way to chaos wrapped in giggles.

Riley spun Laurie in a wide, squealing arc while Laurie shrieked, “I’m flying! I’M FLYING! WAIT, NEVERMIND, I DON’T TRUST GRAVITY!”

Nico somehow managed to get both skates pointing in opposite directions. He called it “reverse turbo mode.” It was not successful.

Kai shouted “Amateurs!” with the energy of someone auditioning for a solo in a very judgmental winter musical, then launched into a perfect figure-eight that would've impressed any skating judge. But just as she completed the flourish, her blade hit a hidden patch of powder. Her arms windmilled comically, and she dropped into a very undignified squat.

“I meant to do that!” she announced as she popped back up, dignity mostly intact.

Val, chuckling, finally dragged out the oversized quilt—something between a picnic blanket and a tactical parachute—and spread it on the smoother part of the ice near the trees. The kids collapsed onto it like starfish, legs everywhere, scarves unspooling, cheeks red from wind and giggles.

Thermoses popped open, steam curling into the crisp air as cocoa made its way into tiny, mitten-clumsy hands. Val sat down beside Riley, their skates bumping, her fingers wrapped around a warm mug. Her voice softened with that private tone she reserved for post-chaos love confessions. “I love every second of this family trip, even when they’re chaotic, loud. Slightly spiritual—” She glanced toward Luna, who was currently whispering secrets to a twig-crowned snowman.

Riley leaned her head on Val’s shoulder, smiling into her cocoa. “They’re perfect and I think they like it as well, even if they don't directly show it.”

Val smiled softly, now watching Kai who showed Nico how to avoid a pirouette-induced wipeout, her tone half-sister, half-coach. “They all wanna be like us, you know,” she murmured. “Even Luna said she wants to be the ‘snow queen coach.’”

Riley chuckled. “Well… they’ve already got the best team", she murmurred while watching the kids interact with one another.

As the sun dipped lower, trailing gold across the lake like spilled glitter. The shadows lengthened, painting the snow in lavender and rose. Wrapped in their quilt cocoon, legs tangled and hearts full, they sipped cocoa while snowflakes clung to their hair like confetti from the world’s gentlest party.

No arena. No spotlight. No score to beat.

Just laughter, cocoa breath, and the soft thud of snowballs being sneakily launched behind them.

A family.

A beautifully chaotic, slightly mystical family.