Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“And you really didn’t think to ask my opinion?” Cassandra asked, her eyes scanning over Caitlyn’s outfit as she sipped her coffee. “I would’ve told you in a heartbeat that you need a blazer. Don’t you want to be taken seriously?”

Caitlyn suppressed a frustrated exhale, trying to convince herself to take a drink of her own coffee. She definitely needed it, the caffeine, before her first day. But nothing ruined her appetite like an unprompted and unnecessary lecture from her mother. “Mother,” Caitlyn started, controlling her tone to keep Cassandra from jumping on the defensive. “I told you, the culture at Zaun Tech isn’t the same as Progress Corp. I’ve already gotten the position, and I explicitly asked the hiring manager about dress code—”

“The documented dress code is always going to be more lax than the expectation,” Cassandra interrupted. Caitlyn clenched her jaw, eyes flicking over to the clock on the wall of the café. Five minutes. In five minutes, it would be an appropriate time for Caitlyn to finally excuse herself. “They’ll see who adheres only to the bare minimum, and those will be the first to go when layoffs come!”

She should’ve known that meeting with her mother before her first day was only going to add to her stress. Caitlyn took a deep breath. “I’m going to be a summer intern, mother, they aren’t going to lay me off.”

Cassandra tutted. “You know I’m speaking generally—in your case, why would you take any risk that they don’t offer you a full time position at the end of the summer?”

Caitlyn finally attempted to drink her coffee, if only to avoid snapping at her mother. It wasn’t even as though she were dressed casually—she was wearing a cream colored button-down and black slacks, both of which had been neatly pressed over the weekend. Her hair was framing her face in a perfectly straight curtain, she’d done her makeup with crisp professionalism. She’d gotten a manicure last Friday, so even her nails were in perfect condition. She was even wearing heels! She literally could not be dressed more business formal unless she’d worn the matching blazer that she’d never even taken out of her closet. Because her hiring manager had told her the office was business casual at best, but that unless high level executives were in the office, employees were welcome to dress even more comfortably.

Of course, the Kiramman family wasn’t familiar with the concept of business casual in a professional context, let alone dressing comfortably.

“You know I’m simply trying to help, darling,” Cassandra continued, her voice softening into that falsified sympathy that she always used to try to finalize her argument. It used to work on Caitlyn, too, even just a year ago. Age hadn’t been what gave her the courage to defy her mother’s particular expectations—it’d been finally moving out of her childhood home. She’d gotten her first apartment at twenty-one, just before the start of her third year of college. Now, nine months later, she felt brave enough to trust her own instincts on this.

“I know,” she said anyway, placating. “I don’t have time to go and get my blazer, though, I need to be in the office in fifteen minutes. I really ought to go, actually.”

Cassandra’s mouth opened like she was going to object—maybe to say that she had an extra blazer in her car, like she’d expected this to happen—but Caitlyn was already standing. She gave her mother a polite nod of her head and a, “have a lovely day,” before tightly gripping her cup and making a swift exit.

It was only a ten minute walk to the Zaun Tech office from the café, so she took off at a brisk pace and unlocked her phone.

Caitlyn

Why did I think it was a good idea to meet with my mother before my first day?

Please remind me never to do that again. Please. 😭

Mel

I did try to remind you, dear, but of course I’ll do so again next time, too.

Are you alright?

Caitlyn

I’m fine, just frustrated and a little anxious.

She thinks I should have worn the blazer.

Jayce

Don’t listen to her, Cait. The blazer would’ve been way too much.

Mel

You’re an adult, you don’t need your mother to dress you.

Although, someone should tell my mother that, as well.

Jayce

I totally would, but I’m pretty sure she would decapitate me. 🫣

Caitlyn

You’re right, though, Mel. We’re adults.

I’m 22 for Christ’s sake! I may never have had a corporate job before, but I know how to dress well, and I specifically asked the hiring manager!

It’ll be fine.

I’m sure.

Right? 😭

Mel

Yes, Caitlyn, it will :)

Jayce

You’ve got this! And you really don’t need it, but good luck today! 💟

Caitlyn took a deep breath, smiling down at the group text with her best friends. Jayce and Mel had their own internships this summer, but neither of theirs started until next week, so it was just Caitlyn feeling the stress today.

Well, not just Caitlyn, she was quick to discover. As soon as she walked into the skyscraper, she saw her hiring manager along with a few others next to a sign that said “Welcome Zaun Interns!” and a whole cluster of college students gathered around. She shouldn’t be surprised. Zaun Tech wasn’t the biggest company ever—certainly not as big as Progress Corp where her mother worked—but they had something like four hundred full time employees and they’d been growing rapidly since starting up just about six years ago. They’d been making headlines lately, too, about their approach to innovation and rapid technological advancement. Of course they would have a robust internship program, attracting dozens of hopeful students.

And to Caitlyn’s utter horror, she was severely overdressed.

It wasn’t to say that she was the only one dressed nicely, because she wasn’t. The hiring managers wore blouses or polos, and there were definitely a few other interns wearing slacks, or a button up, or a nice blouse. But no one matched the level of Caitlyn’s outfit. What’s worse was that Caitlyn was already tall and easily noticeable—wearing heels, though? She stood out like a sore thumb, and there was no possibility of blending in.

If there was one thing Caitlyn had learned growing up a Kiramman, though, it was to act completely unbothered in almost any uncomfortable situation. So she plastered on a professional smile and made her way toward her fellow interns.

Her hiring manager spotted her and grinned, beckoning her over. To Caitlyn’s relief, her clothing was not mentioned as the woman offered her badge and a small welcome packet. They’d be going up to the Zaun Tech floors in a few minutes, the woman said, encouraging her to mix and mingle in the meantime.

Caitlyn wasn’t the most sociable twenty-two year old in the world, and while she was adept at faking being comfortable in an awkward environment, that didn’t mean she could fake the social interactions themselves. The minute she scanned over her peers, and saw a few eyeing her with amusement or judgment, she felt her confidence melting, spiraling down a drain of her own making.

God, couldn’t she just be fucking normal for once? Why did she let her mother’s socialite advice invade her logical mind like this? She might be an adult, but everything her mother had drilled into her from the time she was a child still shaped her every decision.

She managed to suppress a sigh and made her way around to the back of the group, where she found some of the less talkative interns. At least it wasn’t just her, then, keeping to herself. She looked around the huge lobby of the building as she waited, eyeing the floor directory by the elevators. She already knew that Zaun Tech’s headquarters occupied floors fifteen and sixteen. There wasn’t much else to look at.

Then she overheard, “Ugh, there’s Jinx,” and she glanced at the person who’d spoken. It was a guy with a freckled face wrinkled up by a disgruntled scowl, his arms crossed as he talked, not very privately, with another guy. Both of them wore Southern Piltover University lanyards, and when she followed their gazes, she saw two girls walking into the building—both of whom were carrying SPU branded backpacks. One had blonde hair folded in a neat braid over her shoulder, and she was smiling and chatting happily with a girl with bright blue space buns. They both approached one of the hiring managers and accepted their badges and packets.

“I can’t believe she got the one R&D spot,” the other guy grumbled.

The first guy muttered, “Yeah, did no one think to tell the hiring managers how she blew up half of Hansen’s chem lab?”

A third person, who apparently also went to SPU, butted in to say, “You know her sister works here? I bet that’s the reason.”

“They’ll regret giving her special treatment when she burns the whole R&D department to the ground. She’s a literal health and safety hazard.”

At this point, the two girls were drawing closer as they also gravitated toward the back of the group, and the one with space buns immediately looked at the people gossiping. “Oh hey!” she exclaimed, in a sarcastic, overenthusiastic greeting. “I didn’t know Zaun Tech had janitorial internship spots!”

The freckled guy spluttered in a failed attempt to respond for a second and Caitlyn pursed her lips to keep from laughing as she watched on.

“We’re on the Z-Watch team,” one of the others huffed out, Caitlyn recognizing the name of the smart watch Zaun Tech had come out with last year.

“Oh,” the girl—who Caitlyn could only assume was the one called Jinx—intoned. “Not that different, is it? Cleaning up other people’s messes, working on other people’s ideas.” She shrugged. “Sounds boring. Well, I’ll make sure to tell you how it is in the R&D department—I mean, depending on how much the extra NDA lets me say.”

Caitlyn did huff out a quiet laugh at that point, and the three guys flashed her an annoyed look before muttering incoherently as they moved to the other side of the group of interns. Jinx, and the blonde with her, gave Caitlyn a curious look.

“You’re certainly not from SPU,” Jinx commented, looking over her outfit. “What, are you interning with the literal CEO?”

“No,” Caitlyn answered, face heating up. “I just… listened to the wrong person’s advice for my outfit today.”

Jinx snickered. “Yeah, you’re kinda giving pretentious. Name’s Jinx, this is Lux. Are you from some fancy, out-of-state school?”

“No,” Caitlyn denied again, “I go to Piltover’s University of Business.”

“Ahh, PUB. Fancy in-state school,” Jinx said through a chuckle, and Lux smiled with amusement. “And what’s your name, pub?”

“Caitlyn.”

“Are you interning with the finance department then, or something?” Lux wondered, her voice much gentler than Jinx’s.

“Human resources,” Caitlyn answered a bit shyly, knowing the kind of mixed responses she got when people learned her field.

The two girls didn’t look put off by it, but before either of them could say anything, the hiring managers were getting everyone’s attention.

It took two groups using the three elevators to get the twenty or so interns up to the fifteenth floor, and then the entire group was given a tour of the office. It wasn’t an old school, cubicle styled office, but this building wasn’t new either, so it wasn’t completely open air. It seemed like whoever had designed it had basically done anything they could to give it the vibe of an open air office while working within their limitations.

They were shown through the spaces of various tech departments and then the cafeteria style eating space before going up to the sixteenth floor, where all the business departments, plus the research and design department, were. They weren’t allowed to peek into the R&D space, which drew disappointed grumbles from a number of the interns, the ones from SPU flashing Jinx a glare. Jinx just gave them a slightly sinister smile, and Caitlyn had to suppress yet another chuckle.

When the tour came to an end, the group began to split up by department, and all but three of the interns headed back down to floor fifteen. Only Caitlyn, Jinx, and a girl with freckles and a strawberry blonde bob were left upstairs with two hiring managers.

The one who hadn’t coordinated Caitlyn’s hiring said, “Alright, Jinx, I’ll take you into R&D—your manager will meet with you and get you settled.”

Jinx nodded and then abruptly gave a friendly punch to Caitlyn’s arm. “See you ‘round, pub.”

Caitlyn and the other girl were led into the business offices. “I’m Maddie, by the way! Are you a finance intern, too?” Maddie asked, her grin and voice both overexcited.

“Caitlyn, and no. Human Resources.”

Maddie deflated a little, and their hiring manager said, “The business offices don’t always take interns, and not very many.”

“That makes sense,” Maddie said, her disappointment not well hidden. “Everyone eats downstairs, though, right?”

“Right! You’re always free to join the other interns during your lunch hour.”

Maddie perked back up at that, and when they reached their managers offices, she chimed, “Guess I’ll see you at lunch, at least, Caitlyn!”

Caitlyn offered a smile and then they separated to meet their managers.

Caitlyn’s introduced herself as Amara—a woman probably in her fifties with gray streaking her dark blonde hair. She seemed friendly enough, though she sounded a little impatient at having to talk to Caitlyn.

“You’ll be reporting to me,” Amara said, “and I’ll be the one giving you performance reviews throughout the summer, but you’ll be shadowing one of our senior HR Business Partners.”

“What kinds of responsibilities will I have while shadowing?” Caitlyn wondered, immediately worrying that she’d literally end up as a coffee runner.

“Well, you’ll get to sit it on most of the day-to-day stuff, help answer emails and whatnot. But we do have a couple of other projects going on this summer that you’ll be more involved in. We won’t throw you straight into those, though, so focus on learning all of the primary policies and getting used to the everyday work first.”

Amara walked her out of her office and around a corner, to a big open air room full of desks. “Legal shares this space with us,” Amara told her, “but the HRBPs all sit on the window side. You’ll be shadowing Violet, over at desk six. I’d introduce you, but I have another meeting in just a minute. She’s expecting you, so don’t be shy. I’ll check in on you at the end of the day.”

Amara offered what Caitlyn thought must be an attempt at an encouraging smile, but it looked more like a grimace. Then her boss was gone around the corner, and Caitlyn was standing dumbly at the entry of the office space. Almost every desk was occupied, and a few people were chatting with each other, but it was strangely quiet anyway. No one was really paying her any attention, which she appreciated especially after coming to the conclusion that she overdressed compared to these employees, too. Taking a breath, she started toward the side of the room with windows and glanced at the numbers on the desks until she found four, five, six…

Her breath caught in her throat when she saw the woman sitting at the desk. Well, the back of her anyway, which was enough to root Caitlyn to the spot. She stuck out just as much as Caitlyn did right now, but for the opposite reason. Her maroon button down had a folded down collar, but it had short sleeves, too, meaning that Caitlyn had a very clear view of the black ink tattooed along her arms. Her extremely muscular arms. The back and one side of her head featured her reddish pink hair shaved short, but the rest of it was a little longer, swooping down one side. The ear that wasn’t covered by it was decorated with a bunch of silver piercings.

She was tapping her fingers on the table as she read something on her computer. Caitlyn was a little afraid to speak, for fear of the woman turning around and revealing the frontside of her body. With how gorgeous the backside was, Caitlyn could only imagine what seeing her face and the rest of her muscular shape would do to her.

But—god, she needed to get her fucking shit together. This was her new coworker—her new mentor, really. This was Caitlyn’s new workplace, and Caitlyn wasn’t a horny teenager. She was a fucking adult. She could control herself, and keep from ogling her new mentor at her new place of work.

“Excuse me, are you Violet?” Caitlyn asked, though she had to clear her throat halfway through when her voice came out too scratchy and nervous.

The woman huffed in clear frustration, and Caitlyn couldn’t help but frown. “It’s Vi,” the woman—Vi—stated flatly.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Caitlyn rushed out quickly. “Amara didn’t—”

“Amara is still trying to get up to speed on preferred names,” Vi said, a little snappy, before she sighed and finally started to turn in her chair. “But it’s fine, not your fault. You must be—” Vi froze with her lips parted, pale blue eyes widening as she looked over Caitlyn with what could only be described as shock.

Caitlyn didn’t even have time to take in anything about the woman because of how immediately she became embarrassed. “Caitlyn—the new HR intern,” she introduced, before rambling, “And—I know I’m incredibly overdressed, let’s just say I was given advice from someone who has no idea what the Zaun Tech culture is like.” She swallowed, lifted a hand to push some hair behind her ear. Vi’s eyes snapped up to the movement and then finally met her gaze, and she blinked, shaking off her surprise.

“No, you’re—” Vi sat up a little straighter, her tone of voice completely different all of a sudden. No longer irritable. “You’re not overdressed, just…” She took another look at Caitlyn’s outfit, and Caitlyn could only grimace. “Alright, yeah, a little bit. Good look for if the C-suite people call you into a meeting, but not necessary most of the time. It’s fine, though. Um—Caitlyn, you said, right?”

“Right,” Caitlyn answered, a little relieved at the reassurance. “Amara’s said that I’ll be shadowing you? She wanted to come introduce me, but said she had another meeting.”

Vi laughed, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. “She’s probably lying, just knows I’m annoyed at her right now.” Caitlyn raised an eyebrow, and Vi shrugged. “Don’t worry about it.” She stood up from her chair, and Caitlyn finally took a second to take in all of her new mentor. She wasn’t as tall as Caitlyn, but she was still tall for a woman. With her button down, she was wearing black jeans, a belt around her hips. And she looked just as incredibly muscled from the frontside. As for her face, besides her pretty, blue-grey eyes, she had a sharp jawline and full lips, a few scars, and a tattoo under one eye. The roman numeral six—her name. “Like I said, I’m Vi.” She offered her left hand to shake, and Caitlyn blinked before hurriedly taking it, using her well-practiced, firm and professional handshake. Trying not to pay attention to what her palm felt like.

“It’s great to meet you,” Caitlyn rushed out, her heart pounding all of a sudden. Because Vi wasn’t just gorgeous—she was Caitlyn’s type to an unfair degree. If Caitlyn had seen her at the bar by campus, she’d have sidled up to her, leaned over the bar top, batted her eyelashes and convinced her to buy her a drink. In a heartbeat. With zero hesitation, because there was no way that this woman wasn’t queer.

But—that probably never would’ve happened. Because of what Vi was saying as she dropped her hand, “Amara probably told you—I’m a senior HRBP here at Zaun. I was actually employee number twenty when it was first starting up, so been here for a while.” Six years. So she was likely at least six years Caitlyn’s senior. “Little more background about me, just so you know who you’re working with. I got my bachelor’s degree in sociology at SPU and kind of stumbled my way into HR as a career path when I joined a different startup after graduating. That one kinda fizzled out, then I worked for a little while at Shimmer before I got this opportunity.”

Caitlyn absently wet her lips and nodded, before asking, “So you’ve been in the industry for about how long?” And she hoped that the question came out professionally rather than an obvious inquiry to figure out how much older than her Vi was.

“About twelve years,” Vi answered, quirking her scarred eyebrow just a little.

Caitlyn swallowed and forced a smile. “That’s great. Sounds like I’ll be learning from the best, then.”

Vi let out another laugh, and this time it made Caitlyn’s heart skip—no one’s laugh had any right to be that pretty. “You can let me know if that’s the case once you’ve actually learned anything from me. Truth be told, this is the first time we’ve ever had an intern for our team so you’re the guinea pig.”

Vi began to talk her through some first day procedures—showed her to desk seven on the other side of a short divider and explained that her computer should’ve already been set up by IT. She gave Caitlyn a few tasks to start with—going through an orientation packet, mainly. And Caitlyn was reassured to hear that there was a packet outlining all of this first day stuff, because she was certain she only absorbed about half of what Vi said between listening to the timbre of her rough, mature voice and watching her wonderfully sculpted face.

By the time she put in her earphones and logged into her computer to start the orientation packet, she was ridiculously breathless and shaken up. Because it was finally occurring to her that she was going to be shadowing this woman for three months, during her first chance to get real work experience in her field, and already all she could think about was those tattoos and those biceps and that laugh.

Yeah. Caitlyn was very seriously and incredibly fucked.

Chapter Text

On the second day of Caitlyn’s internship, she came dressed in an outfit much more fitting for the culture at Zaun Tech and felt immediately more at ease because of it. She felt, perhaps, the most adult she ever had as she scanned her id badge to get up the elevator to the sixteenth floor, and made her way to her desk without any of her confidence subsiding.

She hadn’t had the best first day ever, even if she did manage to get through most of her onboarding work and didn’t eat lunch alone thanks to a very bubbly finance intern. She was determined to make her second day a fresh start, a do-over. She wouldn’t stick out or seem awkward, and she wasn’t going to lust after her mentor for half the day. Yes, Vi was incredibly hot, and she had a pretty laugh, but Caitlyn was not governed by her attractions. She was a highly logical woman who possessed self-control and modesty. In fact, she could walk past Vi’s desk, give her a curt good morning, and then continue on with her tasks without even a second look.

She could have, if her “Good morning!”  to Vi wasn’t answered with a pointed, interested look and an intrigued, “Kiramman.”

Caitlyn stopped midstride and blinked before raising an eyebrow. “Um. Yes?”

Vi’s lip—the side with the scar—stretched up into an easy, casual smile. “Guess I didn’t look closely at your name tag yesterday, didn’t realize. Your mom’s the COO at Progress Corp, right?”

It was impossible not to frown at the mention of her mother. “Oh, yes, she is.”

“Would’ve figured you’d be interning over there, maybe in Biz-Ops,” Vi admitted, and though that casual smile was still on her face, her eyes were slightly squinted as she assessed Caitlyn, who had to swallow a bout of nerves. Well, perhaps less nerves and more insecurity.

“I didn’t want to intern at Progress Corp for a number of reasons,” Caitlyn said, her voice coming out haughtier than she meant it to. It made Vi’s eyebrow quirk up, and that made Caitlyn’s heart jump. She still managed to continue, “Some of which overlap with the reason I chose a major with a focus in human resources.”

With the way Vi was looking at her, it took effort for Caitlyn not to physically squirm. She was cursing that damned smile, which almost had the undertones of a smirk, if that was possible. “Want to share with the class?” Vi asked playfully, and Caitlyn finally continued around to her desk, setting her small bag down. The sound of a rolling chair followed her, and she glanced over her shoulder to see Vi still raising her eyebrow.

“Not particularly,” Caitlyn admitted, taking a seat and smoothing out her blouse. “I believe I’m supposed to be finishing that onboarding packet, aren’t I?”

Vi hummed. “Honestly, thought that was going to take you half the week.”

Caitlyn unlocked her computer and said, “I try to be efficient.”

“I can tell. Efficiency can get you in trouble sometimes, though, in our field.”

Hearing that made her pause and, though she hated that she was taking the bait, turn to look back at Vi. “How could being efficient get me in trouble?”

Vi’s smile dimmed and now she looked thoughtful, her eyes narrowed a little, focused. She leaned forward in her chair. “You’re in business school. Tell me what benefits there are from being efficient working in HR.”

Caitlyn fought the urge to scowl at being tested, treated like a student. Sure, she was an intern, but she didn’t appreciate being quizzed. “There are many,” she stated, “but saving the company money is a big one.” Vi narrowed her eyes some more, clearly not liking that answer, so Caitlyn continued, “And, when employees are working efficiently, they’re more likely to be satisfied in their jobs. Happier employees means better employee retention means better products. Happier customers, and then, like I said, greater profitability.”

“Right,” Vi drawled. “Okay, so… what do you think my job is, as an HRBP?”

Caitlyn did take offense to being asked that question, but she didn’t mean to scoff as obviously as she did. “Your job is to manage Zaun Tech’s employee relations. Your job is to reduce employment-related risks, mitigating employee conflicts, answering compliance questions, and making and enforcing HR policies that contribute to doing so.”

Infuriatingly, Vi’s mouth curled into an amused smile, and if Caitlyn was scowling, it really couldn’t be helped. “Alright, sure. That’s the business degree answer. Now, do you remember I told you yesterday that my degree is in sociology?”

Caitlyn hesitated then, realizing where her mentor was going with this. “Yes, of course I remember.”

“So, do you want to guess what my job here means to me?”

Clenching her jaw, Caitlyn continued to hesitate, knowing what Vi was getting at, but not knowing the right way to say it without sounding ignorant for everything she said before. Vi, though, who didn’t seem in a hurry to get an answer, just waited for her to speak. So finally, she said, a bit dejectedly, “I suppose you’re going to say helping people.”

Vi’s smile stretched a little wider and Caitlyn’s breath almost caught in her throat at the way her eyes seemed to light up hearing the answer. She sat up straighter, rolling her shoulders and then leaning back into her chair. “There you go, knew you sounded smart.”

Caitlyn’s cheeks warmed, and she tried to hide her sudden ruffled state by asking, “What does that have to do with your efficiency point? I did say that efficiency improves employee satisfaction and happiness.”

“Yeah, okay. So you being efficient in going through the onboarding packet improves your satisfaction and happiness. But after today, all the paperwork you’re gonna be doing, the conversations you’re gonna be having, the policies you’re gonna be writing? Those are going to impact way more people than just you. If an employee raises an issue, you have to… manage the way that you’re efficient. Getting the issue reviewed and resolved quickly, of course, is always the goal. But when you sit down with that employee, the last thing you want them to feel like is unimportant and rushed.”

Caitlyn drew her eyebrows together. “Efficient doesn’t mean rushed—”

“No, it doesn’t, but it can feel like it. If every conversation you have with the employees you work with is efficient and to the point, completely focused on solving a problem, you’re missing a huge part of what makes an effective HRBP. Connection. Psychological safety.” Caitlyn considered the words as Vi’s tone became suddenly impassioned. “The business stuff is all true, alright, and that’s why every company has to have a human resources department, and that’s why people say we’ll always side with the company in the end. But just because that’s how it’s always been doesn’t mean it’s the way it always has to be.”

Vi shrugged a little, glanced away from Caitlyn.

“But hey, don’t listen to me. I’m just the HRBP with the best employee satisfaction score at Zaun Tech six years running.”

Caitlyn narrowed her eyes at the sarcastic comment, but her lips were trying to tug into a smile, and she had to twist them together to keep from making it obvious. When Vi looked back at her, though, and smiled wider, she figured she was caught. With a heavy exhale, she asked, “Alright, so efficiency is appreciated, but meaningful connection with the employees is more valuable?”

Vi nodded proudly, and Caitlyn felt a little fluttering in her chest. “And look, the messed up truth is that, yeah, okay, we’re hired to help protect the company, not the employees. But the great thing is that if you help and protect the employees, you’ll almost always have more long term success protecting the company. You know how much time and money is wasted on backfilling positions when someone quits cuz their concerns weren’t addressed? Or, worse, because they didn’t even feel secure enough to raise their concerns? It’s a loss for everyone.”

Caitlyn gave a quiet sigh. “Okay, I get it.” Vi didn’t roll her chair away, though, just kept waiting expectantly. Confused, Caitlyn asked, “What?”

“So why HR? Why Zaun Tech?”

It took all of Caitlyn’s strength not to get frustrated as she realized that this apparent teaching moment was all linked back to her mentor being nosy. “I could have gotten an internship at Progress Corp, but then I would have dealt with everyone assuming it was nepotism at play. My mother is quite the imposing figure, so I’d never have been able to tell if the ways in which people spoke to or acted toward me were due to myself or the fact that I’m her daughter. She’s also quite… overbearing, sometimes. Not to mention that the… culture there isn’t exactly the kind that I want to be a part of.”

Vi looked even more curious now. “Lemme guess—that last part connects to the no biz-ops thing?”

Caitlyn sighed again but felt her posture relaxing a little. “I graduated high school thinking I would do business operations. Then I took a gap year and did some… broadening of my horizons, I guess. And I—I do want to help people, Vi. I want to help be a part of making better workplaces. That’s why I’m here. And honestly, I’d love to take sociology classes, but my mother is also the one paying for my schooling, so.”

Vi scanned Caitlyn’s face for another few moments before nodding with approval. “Lucky for you, the business stuff is the hard part. The people part is a little easier. You’ll get the hang of it.” She grimaced without thinking, and it earned her a laugh from Vi. “What’s that face for?”

“Sometimes I struggle with the… meaningful connection aspect of the ‘people part.’”

Surprisingly, Vi just smiled wider. “Good thing you got me to help you figure it out these next three months, huh?”

Caitlyn’s next exhale came out a little shaky, so she only nodded instead of trying to verbally agree. Could she really handle three months of this? She was going to be on her toes for this whole internship, if just the interactions with her mentor from the last twenty-four hours were anything to go off of.

“Alright, I’ll let you finish the onboarding stuff. When you’re done, we’ll chat.”

“Sounds good,” Caitlyn said, her throat tight. Vi gave her one last smile and then rolled her chair back around the privacy screen to her own desk.

It took Caitlyn a good ten minutes to fully recover and dive into her tasks, but finally, she was able to focus.

Caitlyn left for lunch three minutes later than she did the previous day, because last time she’d gotten roped into having lunch with Maddie simply because they’d walked similar paths down to the elevator. But Caitlyn hadn’t really clicked with Maddie—the other girl was a bit too bubbly and overeager to chat and be friendly. It wasn’t that Caitlyn didn’t care to be friendly back, it’s just that the other girl’s energy didn’t exactly fit well with Caitlyn’s quieter and more thoughtful demeanor.

To be fair, though, the person she was hoping to sit with wasn’t exactly quiet herself. But Caitlyn had felt some camaraderie with Jinx the previous day, understood that they were, likely for different reasons, excluded from most of their peers. So Caitlyn was already planning to seek out both her and Lux, but coincidentally ended up getting to the staircase at the same moment as Jinx anyway.

“Fancy seeing you here, pub,” Jinx snarked as Caitlyn opened the door to the staircase and held it for her. “Or maybe not fancy—figured PUB students would be too spoiled to bother with stairs.”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes and Jinx chuckled as she joined her in the staircase, the two of them starting down side by side. “Too many people waiting at the elevator,” she reasoned. “Few things are worse than being in a crowded elevator—especially if you’re the only one who doesn’t know everyone else.”

“Hey, I’m with you on that one. ‘cept, I always think it’s funny to make it everyone else’s problem.”

Caitlyn gave her an unsure look. “Do I want to know what that means?”

“You know. Elevator pranks? Where you start saying shit like, ‘I guess you’re all wondering why I’ve gathered you here today.’” Caitlyn blinked. “No? Come on, it’s hilarious.”

“I think you’ve just given me yet another reason to avoid crowded elevators,” Caitlyn said dryly.

Jinx cackled. “My sister always hates my elevator shit. I had to promise her that I wouldn’t do anything like that here.”

“Oh, that’s right, your sister works here,” Caitlyn remembered.

Jinx nodded and then, as they reached the landing at the fifteenth floor and scanned their badges to get back in, she lit up as if remembering something. “Wait, that’s right! You’re in HR! I think my sister’s the one they stuck you with.”

Caitlyn abruptly stopped, only to nearly trip over her feet. Jinx raised an eyebrow, and Caitlyn had to force herself to keep walking, act casual. “Oh,” she said tightly, “Vi’s your sister?”

Jinx gave her a grin, and suddenly Caitlyn noticed the way her eyes looked a lot like Vi’s. “Yep! Hopefully she’s not being too tough on you. She wasn’t exactly excited to get stuck with an intern.”

Caitlyn’s lips tucked into a frown, but they were at the cafeteria now. Most people brought their own lunches each day, but there were some complimentary grab-and-go items, and that was Caitlyn’s preferred option simply because she could not muster the energy in the morning to prepare a lunch. Jinx seemed to be on the same page as they both went to go grab some prepackaged sandwiches and fruit. “She’s been… fine,” Caitlyn finally said. “Do you mind if I sit with you?”

Jinx shrugged and started to lead them to a table in the corner, and Caitlyn spotted Lux already there with a packed lunch open in front of her. “‘Fine’ as in you don’t wanna insult my sister in front of me, or like, actually she’s not being a grump?”

Caitlyn couldn’t help but laugh a little at that. Thinking back to the previous day, she supposed that Vi did seem a little grumpy right off the bat. But when she’d turned to actually face Caitlyn, she’d been nice. And today, even if she had gotten a little didactic, she was relatively pleasant. “I don’t have anything bad to say about her, she’s genuinely been fine.”

“Huh. Guess she changed her tune.”

Caitlyn tried to put that thought, and Vi altogether, out of her mind to enjoy lunch with the two friends. She found out that Lux was interning in the IT department and was a computer engineering major, while Jinx was doing a double major in mechanical and chemical engineering. Both at Southern Piltover University, of course. She found it pretty easy to talk to the two of them, and she was pretty sure she was right about why she felt drawn to them. Most of the other interns were sitting in bigger groups—Maddie included, it looked like. The three of them were the oddest ones out.

After lunch, Caitlyn finished her onboarding task, took a bathroom break, and then found herself approaching Vi’s desk. The woman was typing up an email, a few wrinkles between her eyebrows as she focused, so Caitlyn waited patiently for her to be done. Vi, though, glanced over at her and said, “What are you hovering for?”

“Oh, sorry,” Caitlyn apologized, abruptly breathless. “I didn’t want to interrupt you.”

“I appreciate that,” Vi said, “but you can at least announce yourself. The hovering freaks me out.”

“Sure. Well—you said you wanted to check in after I finished the onboarding packet, and I have.”

Vi nodded and finished her email, eyes scanning the computer screen to proof it before she hit send. Then she swiveled her chair and got to her feet. “Alright, walk with me.”

Caitlyn fell into step with her mentor, and it wasn’t too difficult to match her quick pace. “Where are we going?” Caitlyn wondered, as they navigated between the other business departments toward the elevators.

“Downstairs, just to do a casual introduction between you and the teams I represent,” Vi answered, making Caitlyn immediately tense. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to ask you to give your elevator pitch or anything like that. Just, if you’re going to be shadowing me, I wanna make sure they all know who you are.”

“For the whole psychological safety bit, I imagine?”

Vi gave her another one of those proud smiles as she hit the button for the elevator, and Caitlyn had to look away, immediately flustered. “Spot on.” When one of the elevators beckoned them with a soft chime, Vi continued, “So, there are three teams that I work with. IT, InfoSec, DevOps. That’s—information technology, information security, developer operations. It’s okay if you don’t know, since you’re not a tech person either, but do you have any idea what those three groups have in common?”

Caitlyn thought for a second, but all she came up with was, “They work with computers?”

“Okay, yeah, that is true. But lots of folks here work with computers. I mean, pretty much everyone does, even the engineers focused on mechanical stuff. But my teams,” Vi paused as the elevator doors slid open, then lowered her voice as they started into the rest of the office, “our teams, they’re like the foundation of the rest of the tech teams. They keep everyone up and running—making sure their physical computers and machines work, keeping the online tools working, making sure their data is all secure.”

“Ah, so they’re rather important to all business operations, then.”

Vi flashed her another charming smile. “Yep. But, in a big shiny tech company, the people keeping the lights on don’t always get their moment to shine. I mean, they’re never pictured in the articles about big releases. They’re not shown off at the company town halls—not nearly as much, anyway. For them, a really good day at work means that everyone else is experiencing business as usual, no interruptions. Of course, they do stuff to improve efficiency—” Vi made sure to give Caitlyn an amused and pointed look with the word. “—over time, too, and those kinds of things do earn them extra recognition. But the point is that they’re behind the scenes, and it’s really common for folks in those kinds of groups to feel unappreciated or out of the loop. Especially in such an innovation driven company like Zaun Tech.”

Caitlyn eyed the team labels they were passing as they navigated through the main hall of the fifteenth floor. Each separate team had their own space, but like the business offices, there were open archways rather than doors connecting them. Save for the conference rooms and manager offices, of course. Above each archway were the labels, painted onto the wall in a sleek, modern font.

The teams Vi was referring to were all adjacent to each other. They stopped outside of the first archway. “So, I’m sure you know where I’m going with this.”

Caitlyn stood a little straighter and extrapolated, “Higher potential for employee dissatisfaction.”

Vi gave a little laugh that reminded Caitlyn of Jinx’s snickering. “Sure, that’s one way to put it. Sometimes also known as: lower employee engagement, higher risks of turnover, or unhappy workers.”

Caitlyn nodded, hoping her warm cheeks weren’t too pink. She needed to stop sounding like a business textbook, she thought. Ugh.

“So, that’s why these teams get me.”

The statement should’ve sounded cocky, but Vi’s confidence was something different. More proud, chuffed, than bragging. Caitlyn shoved away the warm, intrigued feeling it stirred in her.

They walked through the office space of each of the three teams, Vi casually introducing Caitlyn to groups of team members at a time. They saw Lux, who gave Caitlyn a sweet, wide smile and greeted Vi with a bit of over-exaggerated professionalism that indicated that Vi knew her sister’s friends.

When they were headed back upstairs, Vi gave Caitlyn a strangely knowing smile. “So, now you know why we’re doing what we’re doing. Ready to get more familiar with what we’re actually doing?”

And Caitlyn answered with the most professional nod. “Definitely.”

“Alright. Let’s get started.”

Caitlyn was draped across Jayce’s couch, her legs swung over Mel’s lap, a twice emptied wine glass abandoned on the coffee table when she blurted, “I am not going to survive this internship.”

Mel gave her a funny look as Jayce laughed from the kitchen, where he was separating out their delivery dinner onto plates. “You just spent twenty minutes telling us how the week went well even after the outdated fashion advice from your mom. But somehow you’re not going to survive?”

Caitlyn groaned, realizing she should not have chugged two glasses of wine before eating. It was hardly her fault, though. At the end of her first week at Zaun Tech, Vi stopped by her desk after a meeting to say, “Hey, you did great getting up to speed this week. Next week you can start listening in on meetings. Take it easy this weekend, yeah?” And she gave Caitlyn such a kind smile, her eyes crinkling at their corners. Caitlyn couldn’t even manage an intelligent sentence in response, just a lame, “Okay, y-you too!” One damned smile shouldn’t make her crumble like that, but when it was attached to this particular woman, Caitlyn’s mind and body were in complete agreement. And the terms dictated that she melt into a fucking puddle for Vi.

“It’s my mentor who I mentioned,” she muttered.

“Thought you said she was nice?” Mel inquired as Jayce finally came over with plates full of food. Caitlyn sighed as she forced herself to sit up and accept hers.

“She was—is,” Caitlyn confirmed, “but she’s—” Caitlyn’s next groan probably got her point across without saying it point blank, but she did anyway. “She’s unbearably attractive.”

Jayce and Mel both burst out laughing at this revelation. “Wait, wait, wait. Explain! When you said senior HRBP, I was picturing like, old white Karen or something.”

Caitlyn shoveled some fried rice into her mouth dejectedly before giving him his explanation. “She’s very… buff, for lack of better terms. And she has an undercut, a ton of tattoos. So many tattoos, one on her neck and a bunch on the back of her arms—and I’m certain they must all connect on her back.” She groaned again as Mel and Jayce gave her wicked smiles. “Even a little one on her face. She’s like, if a lesbian fuck boy got a sociology degree and didn’t act like a fuck boy.”

“So, a lesbian?” Mel deadpanned, getting a dry look from Caitlyn.

“And how old is this hot HR lesbian?”

“Potential lesbian,” Caitlyn muttered, “I don’t actually know if she is. And I don’t know for sure how old she is, but she has twelve years of experience working since her degree. So, she’s definitely in her thirties.”

Saying it aloud made her face flush even before Mel and Jayce ooh’d teasingly. “Didn’t realize you were into older women, Cait.”

“I’m not,” Caitlyn defended. “She’s just—she’s just hot, that’s all. It makes it hard to focus, but she’s my mentor for the summer and I’m not into her.”

Her words were apparently enough to convince her friends, who laughed and assured her that they understood and that she’d be fine. Saying at least her internship wouldn’t get too boring at any point.

But Caitlyn wasn’t sure that she managed to convince herself.

Caitlyn was irritated on her second Monday getting to work, thanks to another grueling coffee meetup with her mother. Cassandra had, of course, plenty to say about Caitlyn conforming to the “dress comfortably” recommendation from Zaun Tech. And though Caitlyn did her best to shrug it all off, she was still on edge for the rest of the morning.

Thankfully, Vi wasn’t very talkative first thing Monday morning and just gave her a few emails to read through ahead of a meeting this afternoon. Caitlyn tried to focus on that, and she was a little calmer by lunch time, until she went to meet up with Jinx at the staircase and found her there with Maddie.

“Hey, Caitlyn!” Maddie chimed. “I was just asking Jinx if it would be okay if I sat with you guys today? I figured, us sixteenth floor interns should know each other a little better!”

Jinx was looking at Caitlyn with a look of utter dismay, but Caitlyn forced a smile and said, “Yeah, of course.” She might not have hit it off with Maddie, but she couldn’t exactly exclude her as a literal HR intern. She’d spent the previous week reading through the entire employee handbook and finishing some workplace harassment training, so yeah, she knew exactly what the guidelines were. And on the strictly don’t-do list was excluding coworkers from a purely social cafeteria lunch on the basis of literally anything.

Caitlyn wasn’t feeling especially talkative, but Maddie spent most of lunch asking her, Jinx, and Lux questions that she did try to answer. Her bad mood, though, was clearly picked up by Lux and Jinx.

Lux was the one to finally ask, “Rough weekend, Caitlyn?”

“Yeah, you’re kinda giving the vibe of like, someone snuck a frog into your bed last night.”

Caitlyn and Maddie looked at Jinx with wide eyes.

“What? Y’all never did that at, like, a summer camp?”

Caitlyn had to just shake her head and say, “My weekend was fine. My mother just ruined my morning.”

“Oh no!” Maddie exclaimed, before asking, as if they knew each other well enough to ask, “What happened?”

Caitlyn did relent, though. “She’s the one who convinced me to overdress on the first day last week. We’re trying to meet for coffee every Monday morning, and she had to make a big fuss when she saw my outfit this morning.”

“Ugh, she sounds annoying,” Jinx grunted, “like the kind of mom who gives her kids mommy issues.”

Lux puffed out a laugh and rolled her eyes. “And you’re the mommy issues expert, are you?”

Jinx glared at her friend, and though Caitlyn didn’t think it was genuine, it did look pretty scathing. “Wow, pulling out the dead mom card on a Monday?” Caitlyn’s face immediately twisted with concern, but Jinx was quick to tell her, “God, don’t even try and give me sympathy or something. My parents died when I was like, a fucking newborn. I don’t remember them, and my adoptive dad is perpetually single, so no mommy issues in sight.”

Maddie didn’t seem to think her thought through before saying, “Couldn’t that give you, like, other mum related issues, though? Like, lack-of-mum issues?”

Jinx stared at her blankly, then promptly ignored the question. “Anyway, my sister dated a girl a couple years ago who had the worst mommy issues, so. That is how I know the kind of mom who causes them.”

Caitlyn nearly choked on the bite of the apple she was chewing, and Maddie immediately had a hand on her back. “Oh my god, are you okay?”

Caitlyn gently shrugged Maddie off and nodded even as she coughed another time and reached for her water.

Jinx was looking at her suspiciously. “What? Got a problem with something I just said, pub?”

The dumb university nickname had disappeared in the second half of the last week, and Caitlyn recognized its reappearance as apprehension. Along with Jinx’s look of suspicion, Caitlyn put the pieces together right away. “No, no, of course not—I just—I was not expecting you to say that.”

Jinx didn’t look any less wary. “Okay, you had to have grown up sheltered as fuck to be surprised that Vi is a lesbian.”

If Caitlyn had been swallowing anything, she absolutely would have choked again. Instead, she sputtered out, “I—I’m not!”

“Then tell me you’re not homophobic.”

“I’m not,” Caitlyn repeated emphatically. “I am a lesbian, Jinx, and of course I clocked your sister. I just—was caught off guard by what you said, that’s all.”

Jinx immediately connected the dots, and Caitlyn was about to burn to ash with mortification as she made a face and said, “Oh, god, you think my sister is hot, don’t you? Gross.”

“No!” Caitlyn exclaimed, trying to fuel her tone with honesty. “I mean—she’s not bad looking but, that’s not… she’s my mentor, a-and even if she weren’t, she’s—she’s not my type.”

Caitlyn had never been the best at lying, so she was sure that Jinx wanted to believe her judging by how easily she was convinced. “Okay, good, ‘cause that was about to be really awkward. And it’s not that surprising you’re into femmes, actually. It’s that preppy vibe.”

She couldn’t even pretend to be offended by the assessment as she was flooded with relief at having dodged that bullet.

Then Maddie said, with a hopeful glint in her eyes and a bright voice, “I’ve always been into more feminine women, too.”

And it took all of Caitlyn’s strength not to groan at the implication.

One week in. Only eleven more to go.

Chapter Text

When week three of her internship started, Caitlyn was finally starting to think that she could, maybe, get through this summer without having a full on mental breakdown. Her second week hadn’t been too bad—she’d sat in on a few meetings that Vi had with the managers in their assigned departments. Quarterly check-ins, she said, to get an idea of what kind of support the managers needed. Caitlyn spent the meetings taking notes both on the style of the meeting and also just documenting what was covered, which had earned her an appreciative smile from Vi afterward. Between meetings, Caitlyn was given access to Vi’s email inbox so that she could review any incoming questions or requests when Vi was otherwise occupied, and draft responses. And the days honestly weren’t too overwhelming or long. Lunch with Jinx, Lux, and Maddie became the norm, but the latter seemed to relax her chaotically chipper demeanor after a few days.

Moreover, Caitlyn was managing not to get completely distracted by her mentor. During the meetings, focusing on her notes seemed to occupy her just enough to not linger on how pretty Vi’s smile was, how soothing her laugh sounded, and how fucking gorgeous she was. Most other times, Caitlyn was behind the privacy screen divider, not able to see Vi at all, and that made it far easier to focus. Through it all, she’d managed to convince herself that she was moving on from the frankly ridiculous amount of attraction she felt toward the older woman.

And then on Tuesday, half an hour before Caitlyn would head home, a meeting appeared on her calendar immediately followed by the sound of Vi’s rolling chair coming around the separator. “Hey,” Vi said, sounding apologetic before she even continued, “I’m sorry to ask, but would you be able to come in like an hour early tomorrow? I know you’re hourly and they’re pretty strict about intern hours, so you can leave an hour early too.”

“Oh. Sure, that’s fine,” Caitlyn said, glancing back at her calendar on her computer to see that the new meeting was at seven thirty in the morning. “What’s this for?”

Vi failed to fully suppress her sigh, and Caitlyn raised an eyebrow expectantly. “So, we’re getting a brand new online HR platform. We contracted the third party company to set it up for us, but we need to basically do a handover this week. Amara thinks it’ll be a good task for you, but the contractors are a few hours ahead of us and have to meet virtually. So, I’ll help you with introductions in the morning tomorrow, and then you’ll be kinda in charge of doing the handover and making the documentation for the rest of the week.”

Caitlyn sat up a little straighter, honestly pleased at the idea of getting assigned more responsibilities. Vi’s lips tugged up at the corner.

“Should’ve known you’d be excited by that. See you at seven tomorrow, then?”

Caitlyn wasn’t concerned about getting to work early for any reason, and even though fewer people would be there as early as seven, she knew that a number of people would be. They wouldn’t be the only ones in the office together, so she had no reason to think that anything about the morning would disprove that she was finally getting over the fact that Vi was practically the definition of her type.

She swung by her favorite café for a caffeine boost on her way, and was walking up to the doors to the building three minutes to seven—giving her just about the perfect amount of time to get upstairs and clock in at the time she was asked to be here. She had a pep in her step, even, excited to get started on her new project. Excited to prove herself, to have the chance to stand out.

And then she was stopped in her tracks, barely able to keep herself from literally tripping over her feet and spilling coffee everywhere, by the sight of her mentor coming from the opposite direction. She was frowning, looking down at her phone as she seemed to be typing something. And Caitlyn was grateful, really, that Vi wasn’t looking at her when she saw her, because the concern in her face wasn’t even on her radar—because Vi was wearing a white tank top with a black sports bra visible underneath it, and loose gym shorts. The tank top, specifically, featured a few sweat stains, but as Caitlyn stood dumbly in front of the door and Vi got closer, it was clear that Vi herself was showered clean. Her hair was damp and combed over, and her skin was dry and soft looking. And her tattoos—god, Caitlyn had such a clearer view of the way they snaked all the way up the backs of her arms, proof that they disappeared down her back.

Vi looked up as she approached the door, and her eyes widened a little when she saw Caitlyn standing there. Staring at her, Caitlyn realized, then abruptly clearing her throat and forcing her gaze over to the door to open it. “Good morning,” she said—squeaked, really—without even looking at Vi.

“Hey, morning,” Vi said, laughing apologetically while adjusting the gym bag slung over her shoulder. “Sorry, forgot my work clothes at home but I didn’t wanna leave you hanging for this meeting.”

Caitlyn walked inside and kept her attention strictly ahead of her as Vi followed. “That’s okay,” she practically wheezed. Her heart was pounding. Every fiber of her being was begging her to look over her shoulder, to get a closer look at those biceps and traps.

“Don’t worry, though, I convinced my sister to bring me something else to wear, she’ll be here in like ten minutes.”

Mentally, that did relax Caitlyn just a little—because if Vi was going to be dressed like this during a fucking meeting, Caitlyn was not going to be able to focus. But no, she’d be wearing work appropriate clothes by then. In ten minutes, even. She could survive ten minutes—especially if she didn’t look at Vi much in that time.

They got to the elevator and Vi appeared in her peripheral as she punched the up button with her thumb.

Don’t look, don’t look, don’t look.

Caitlyn looked. The gear tattoo on Vi’s neck ran down her back, connecting with the gears snaking up her arm, clouds of smoke billowing between them and disappearing under her sports bra. Caitlyn wanted to touch them, wanted to know if the inked skin felt just as soft as it looked.

Vi’s eyes flicked toward her, and Caitlyn met her gaze rather than trying to pretend she hadn’t been looking. And, though she probably shouldn’t have said anything at all, the words that tumbled out of her were, “Your tattoos are very extensive.”

It earned her an amused laugh and the sight of that scarred brow twitching up just a little. “Yeah. Got them in college.”

Caitlyn could barely breathe, so she just nodded. The elevator dinged and the doors slid open, and the mirrored wall at the back of it gave her an instant view of how fucking red her face was. There was absolutely no hiding how flustered she was by seeing Vi like this, not from Vi and not from herself.

“People usually ask what inspired them,” Vi told her with another laugh as she scanned the badge currently attached to her bag and hit the button for floor sixteen. She glanced back at Caitlyn. “You not curious?”

“I—I wouldn’t want to pry,” is what Caitlyn managed to get out in response.

Vi shrugged. “I mean, pretty much everyone we work with knows the story.”

“Well… if you want to tell it,” Caitlyn prompted, trying to focus on the numbers slowly ticking upward.

She could see Vi watching her curiously out of the corner of her eye, though, as she explained, “My old man was a factory worker, gave it his everything—literally. The fumes made him real sick after a long while. He had to be hospitalized and ultimately was forced to retire when I was about eighteen. He ended up recovering okay, made a new living for himself, but seeing him go through that really shook something in me. I started small with the part on my neck, but it kinda grew into some big metaphor after a while.”

Vi didn’t offer to explain the metaphor, so Caitlyn didn’t ask. Instead, she allowed herself one quick peek at the woman and wondered, “Did what happened to him have anything to do with how you ended up doing a sociology degree and working in HR?”

She had to look away again when Vi’s pleased smile stretched wide enough to show little smile lines past their corners. “Yeah, it had a lot to do with it.”

Caitlyn was a little chuffed at having connected the dots, and that feeling gave her just the perfect amount of courage to stupidly ask, “Do you go to the gym every morning?”

“Pretty much,” Vi answered. With a laugh, she added, “Got a feeling the tattoos would not look as nice if I didn’t.”

Caitlyn took a deep breath through her nose, trying not to look back at said tattoos. Her heart was pounding a little less hard than a few moments ago, but her skin was still hot, and when the elevator doors slid open on floor sixteen, and Vi stepped out first and coincidentally gave her the best view of the ink, she couldn’t ignore the pang of heat that shot through her body. Straight down between her thighs.

She would’ve missed what Vi was asking her if the older woman didn’t stop outside the elevator and look back at her, snapping her attention back to those pretty pale blue eyes. “What about you?” she was asking. “You a gym person?”

“Um, not really,” Caitlyn admitted. “I just do power yoga on the weekends.”

“Nice,” Vi commented, giving her a kind smile.

And god, Caitlyn didn’t know if Vi was oblivious to the way she was absolutely making a mess of her, or if she was just much better at staying professional. And fuck, they were at work, and Caitlyn needed to get her mind out of the fucking gutter. She did not need to be thinking about touching those tattoos or the bulge of her rippling muscles, or wondering how going to the gym every morning and staying that bulky impacted Vi’s stamina.

They made their way to their desks, and none of the employees who were in already seemed to be surprised when Vi explained her predicament—like maybe it was common of her to forget work clothes on days she had to come in earlier.

Vi started briefing Caitlyn for the meeting, giving her some background on the new HR platform, but she really could not focus on anything but Vi.

It was about fifteen minutes past seven when Jinx’s voice suddenly interrupted whatever it was that Vi was saying, and Caitlyn nearly jumped in surprise to find the other intern walking right up to them. She had her usual backpack with her along with a plastic grocery bag with some clothes in it. “You’re an idiot and I didn’t get coffee cuz of you,” Jinx said flatly, shoving the bag at Vi.

Vi chuckled. “Thanks, J. Sorry. There’s a coffee machine in R&D’s break room.”

“It makes shitty coffee.”

“You can use the one in our break room, if you want.”

“It probably also makes shitty coffee.” Jinx abruptly looked to Caitlyn, noticing the coffee cup on her desk, and said, “Yeah, it must, if Caitlyn bought coffee even though she had to get here an hour early.” Jinx grunted and added, “Hey, Caitlyn.”

“Hi, Jinx,” Caitlyn responded, somehow managing not to sound like an idiot. She hoped that her face wasn’t nearly as red as it was back in the elevator.

Vi looked between them with a smile that could only be described as curious and hopeful. “You two friends?”

“Yes?” Caitlyn answered, cringing a little when she realized that it came out like a question.

Jinx snickered. “Yeah, her awkward works with mine and Lux’s at lunch.”

Caitlyn groaned a little and turned her rolling chair away, grabbing her coffee and chugging down the last of it. It gave her a good excuse to say, “I’m going to use the bathroom before our meeting.”

“Yeah, I gotta change,” Vi said, “thanks again, J. I owe you one.”

Jinx made her exit from the business offices, but Caitlyn and Vi were headed in the same direction because, obviously, Vi had to go to the bathroom to change clothes.

“Cool that you and my sister are friends. I was kinda worried she’d just stick to Lux all summer. She doesn’t always give new people a chance.”

And, okay, Vi was trying to have a nice, touching conversation. Right. And Caitlyn was trying not to look at her and trying to ignore the fact that she was about to have to deal with the mess in her panties while Vi undressed in the next stall. But she could say something in response about her and Jinx being friends, like: “We bonded over our dislike of crowded elevators.”

She cringed at her own statement before Vi burst out in a joyful laugh. “Oh, gotcha. She does hate a crowded elevator, but she makes it everyone else’s problem.”

Caitlyn nodded, remembering that. “So I’ve heard. I don’t think I’ll ever have the courage to get into one with her.”

Vi laughed again, and Caitlyn felt her lips stretch into a slight smile, some of her awkwardness melting away at how genuine Vi’s laughter was.

In the bathroom, while Vi changed into work appropriate clothes, Caitlyn was mortified to find just how ruined her underwear was. It wasn’t even seven thirty yet, Caitlyn was going to be here until four. Suppressing a distraught groan, Caitlyn did her best to clean herself up so she could focus more on her new work project and less on the new images she had in her mind of Vi’s maturely chiseled body.

Her work project was, honestly, a good distraction. After her morning meeting, she got wrapped up in exploring the new online platform and starting detailed documentation. But that didn’t change that when Vi popped over to ask how she was doing, her heart jumped into her throat and her skin tingled with heat. It didn’t change how even seeing Jinx during lunch had her remembering this morning. And when four o’clock rolled around and she was headed out, Vi catching her with the ghost of her fingertips on her wrist and saying, “Hey, good work today, I’ll see you tomorrow,” with that pretty smile still made her heart leap and skip and spin. Had her wrist burning in the spot that Vi had barely even touched her.

Once she was in the privacy of her own apartment, she shed her clothes and jumped straight into the shower—fully intending to freeze her ass off in an attempt to quell the arousal still coursing through her. But she was a fucking wimp who couldn’t stand the freezing water even though her walk home had been warm, and so she had to turn the temperature up to be at least lukewarm. Even tepid water, however, wasn’t enough to keep her from seeing Vi’s muscles and tattoos on the backs of her eyelids.

She toweled dry and the fabric against her skin felt like a match on a matchbox. She got halfway through blow drying her hair before she was too breathless to focus. All she could think of was Vi’s body, all she could feel was the slightest touch of her fingers on her skin. Before she knew it her nightstand drawer was open, her rabbit vibrator in her hands. It was magenta, and it reminded her instantly of Vi’s hair.

She fell naked onto her bed, still damp hair splaying over her pillows. The second the steady vibration of her favorite toy touched between her thighs, the filthiest sound she’d ever made alone in her bed came crawling out of her throat. “Fuck,” she whined, closing her eyes as she ran the dildo part through her folds, over her clit and down to her opening. Still behind her eyes, it was just Vi. Not just her beautifully built body, but her eyes and the way they crinkled at the corners, the soft smile lines in her cheeks that Caitlyn was getting the privilege to see more often. Especially when Vi gave her those proud smiles.

“Oh, fuck,” Caitlyn whimpered, sliding the dildo inside with embarrassing ease. She squeezed her eyes closed even harder and now she could almost hear Vi’s laugh, her “good work today” and “should’ve known you’d be excited by that.” Over and over again, the rough maturity of her voice and her pretty, warm laugh. The vibrator pressed into her clit and Caitlyn choked out a moan, running her free hand over her abdomen, up to her breast. Squeezing it firmly, pinching at her nipple, and wondering what it would feel like for Vi’s bigger, rougher hands to do the same.

She couldn’t help the desperate sounds coming out her as she worked the toy in and out of her, picking up pace and then adjusting the intensity of the vibration as she got herself closer. Words she’d heard Vi say started twisting around in her mind, forming phrases like, “does that excite you, Caitlyn?” and “you’re doing so good for me” and then she was inventing brand new things for the voice inside her head to say. “Such a messy girl” and “did I really get you this worked up?”

And there was not a single rational thought left in Caitlyn’s mind as white hot pleasure shot through her body and she cried out, “F-fuck, V-Vi!”

There was only a little bit of shame left behind as she came down, breathing heavily. Because yes, okay, she’d just had an incredible orgasm while imagining her work mentor who was at least twelve years her senior. But also, for the first time all day, her body was not begging to be touched and fucked, and she could actually think with some amount of clarity.

She let out a long, relieved breath and pulled her rabbit out of her without even a wince.

Okay, so she couldn’t just get past this attraction, but maybe she could at least manage it.

Sure enough, managing it was a feasible option.

It did probably help that the next few workdays were spent writing documentation and not sitting in meetings with Vi, but her close proximity to Vi’s desk meant she got a good eyeful of her everyday anyway. She pushed through what that did to her, and it was so much easier now that she wasn’t as pent up. Hearing Vi laugh at something a coworker came by to tell her or earning one of those approving smiles still spiked her heart rate and made her skin itch, but it was much more bearable than before.

And when she got home, she took a warm shower and fucked herself. She fucked herself until she wasn’t hearing Vi’s voice in her head. Then she got dressed and resumed her day as if everything were normal. This was temporary, anyway, this internship. She needed to do a good job, hopefully earn a return offer but at least be able to refer future potential employers to speak to Amara about her work ethic and capabilities. And if she had to picture her unfairly attractive work mentor on the other end of a vibrator every day to do that, then so be it.

She did power yoga with Mel over the weekend like normal, started her fourth week of work like normal. She finished the documentation she was writing and was tasked to turn it into three sets of presentations—one for HR training, one for manager training, and one for employee training. She was happy to do it, excited to contribute something that would directly impact everyone at the company. As just an intern, that was a huge opportunity.

Vi told her as much as the end of her fourth week drew to a close. With one of those prideful smiles and an encouraging, “It looks really good, I sent it to Amara for approval. She might have some nitpicking edits, but it all looks very thorough. It’s gonna be a breeze for everyone to get through, definitely a big win for you.”

Amara did have a few small edit requests, but once Caitlyn made them and sent it back to her, she was called into her manager’s office on Friday for a glowing four week performance review and a pleased, “Keep it up, Caitlyn!”

Caitlyn was on the top of the world. She felt unstoppable.

At the end of her fourth Friday at Zaun Tech, she ran into an excited Jinx and Lux in the lobby on her way out. “Caitlyn!” Lux exclaimed as soon as she stepped out of the elevator, beckoning her over.

“Hey?” Caitlyn greeted, voice lilting up in question.

“We’re going for happy hour to celebrate getting a third of the way through the program,” Lux informed her with a proud smile.

Jinx, on the other hand, was exaggeratedly frowning. “No, we’re going for happy hour to mourn the fact that it’s a third of the way over.”

Caitlyn cracked a small smile. Jinx wasn’t allowed to talk much about the work she got to help with in the R&D department, but she’d rambled enough about how much she loved it for everyone to know she never wanted it to end. Lux rolled her eyes at her friend. “Wanna come with? There’s a place a couple blocks away—they’ve got pretty good bar food, too, if you don’t wanna drink on an empty stomach.”

“Oh! Are you going for drinks?” All three of their gazes rolled over to Maddie, who was approaching them with a grin. “Mind if I join?”

So the four of them left the office together, Lux happily leading the way to the bar as Jinx bemoaned, “I can’t believe after this summer I have to go back to fucking school. And why did I decide to do a double major? I could’ve been done by now!”

Caitlyn gave her a curious look. “Are you going into your fifth year?”

“Yeah,” Jinx grumbled.

Lux gave her a pointed look. “Jinx. You love school.”

“I do but not more than I love actually getting to make cool shit!” She groaned dramatically. “And to think I’m considering my fucking PhD, too. Fuck. Ugh, why did I have to inherit all the brains in my family?”

Caitlyn and Lux both laughed at that, but it was Caitlyn who said, “Your sister is plenty smart.”

“My sister is people smart,” Jinx argued. “Her degree didn’t even require pre-cal.”

Caitlyn gave her a pointed look. “You don’t have to be good at math to be smart.”

“She’s right,” Maddie jumped in, nudging Caitlyn with a supportive smile.

“Ugh, fine, whatever. The point is that I wanna get paid to make cool shit.”

“You can always do your PhD later,” Lux chimed, leading them around the corner. They listened to Jinx complain about that potential option for the rest of the walk to the bar, and then finally they were seated at a hightop table with beers in hand and two big orders of shareable nachos on the way.

“Enough about you,” Lux teased, kicking Jinx under the table.

“Enough about work, honestly,” Maddie said, “I mean—I don’t hate it, but it’s Friday. And this is our first time all hanging out outside of the office, we can talk about literally anything else.”

Jinx rolled her eyes. “Like what?”

“Like… are any of you all in relationships?” Maddie wondered, her gaze flitting between all of them only to end up lingering on Caitlyn.

Caitlyn didn’t get a chance to answer honestly or not before Jinx groaned loud enough to get looks from the other happy hour customers. “Please no. No relationship talk.”

Maddie raised an eyebrow at Lux. “What’s her gripe with relationships?”

“She’s allergic to emotional connection,” Lux teased. “You should see her anytime her sister is dating someone. Literally any amount of relationship cuteness or PDA will set her off.”

Caitlyn felt something stir in her gut, and as a waiter approached to set down their nachos, suddenly they did not sound appetizing. “Ugh, don’t remind me. It’s even weirder when it’s Vi. Like, she was always fucking dating someone when I was living with her and then I move out and now she’s single?”

Smirking and reaching for a loaded up nacho chip, Lux drawled, “Your sister was not dating people just to piss you off, Jinx.”

Caitlyn felt the uncomfortable feeling start to subside after hearing Jinx’s statement—that Vi was single. And that’s what made Caitlyn realize what the feeling was.

And she wouldn’t have been surprised, really, because she knew she had a natural propensity to be jealous. Except this was Vi. And obviously she was hot, but Caitlyn wasn’t actually into her mentor, she wasn’t. It was her body that Caitlyn was into, her muscles and her tattoos. Her eyes and her smile. Her laugh, and how she was so kind and encouraging and real even working in a corporate field that had been filled with fake niceties for decades. The way she actually wanted to help people, just like Caitlyn did, and had found a way to do that. The way she was quite literally paving the way for change.

“Caitlyn?” Maddie prompted, tearing her out of her thoughts. Her hopeful eyes were laser focused on Caitlyn. “What about you? Seeing anyone?”

Caitlyn’s gut twisted again, but she reached for a nacho to force herself to seem nonchalant. And she said, “I’m with Jinx, let’s talk about something else.”

Jinx grinned and said something snarky about Caitlyn taking her side, but Caitlyn wasn’t paying attention. She was too busy realizing that she wasn’t just lusting after Vi after all, because she clearly had a big fat fucking crush on her mentor.

Chapter Text

Caitlyn found out about the party as she and Mel were walking out of power yoga on Sunday morning.

There was an email in her work inbox with news that there were spots open for Zaun Tech interns to RSVP for the big launch celebration coming up the following Friday. The launch—which Caitlyn knew was for some kind of new augmented reality glasses—was scheduled for Wednesday. All full time employees were given RSVP priority for the Friday party over the interns. Caitlyn hadn’t even realized there was a party, honestly, until she saw the email.

“Caitlyn?” Mel prompted, drawing Caitlyn’s attention out of her phone. “Brunch?”

Mel was standing ahead of her, looking back with a raised eyebrow and making it obvious that Caitlyn had stopped in her tracks. “Sorry, yes,” Caitlyn agreed, catching up. “Just saw I had a work email, sorry.”

Mel made a face. “On a Sunday?”

“Oh, it’s just for a—”

Caitlyn’s phone buzzed, and her attention was drawn back down to the device to see that she’d been texted in a new group chat. She already had all the numbers saved—courtesy of Lux’s insistence on Friday after their outing. Which—honestly, getting drinks with her intern friends had been pretty nice. She had, of course, spent a decent chunk of it trying not to think about how absolutely screwed she was after realizing that she had genuine feelings for Vi, but aside from that, it’d been fun.

Though Lux was the one who had insisted they all exchange numbers, the text was actually from Jinx.

Jinx

u bitches all better rsvp to this rn

my team is gonna get a special shoutout

Follow up texts were immediately coming in, too, though.

Lux

Just her team, though, not her 😛

Jinx

fuck u it’s still cool

u all have to be there or else

Mel was laughing in soft amusement. “Since when is your phone getting blown up by anyone but me and Jayce?”

“There’s a company party on Friday,” Caitlyn said, “and some of the other interns want me to go.”

Maddie

I wasn’t going to argue, but I’ll admit I’m curious what would come after your “or else” 🤔

Jinx

u heard those rumors about the dangers of putting me in a chem lab?

🙂

where the fuck is caitlyn

caitlyn

rsvp before the spots all get taken

Caitlyn breathed out a laugh and rolled her eyes. “One second,” she said to Mel, moving over to the side of the sidewalk, her friend following her. “I just need to RSVP for it while there are still spots open, or Jinx is going to commit arson.”

Caitlyn

RSVPing now

“Your Zaun friends sound interesting,” Mel commented. “You mentioned that one of them is your mentor’s sister, right? Is that Jinx?”

“Yes,” Caitlyn answered, hoping that her cheeks didn’t immediately flush at the mere mention of Vi, though they certainly felt warmer all of a sudden. Maybe her skin was already pink enough from the heat and the exercise.

There was a section on the RSVP form for a plus one, and Caitlyn was scrolling past it to hit submit when another two messages appeared subsequently at the top of her screen.

Lux

See, Jinx, I told you they’d want to go!

She was worried we’d be stuck hanging out with her sister the whole time. 🤭

And oh, of course. Of course Vi was going to be there—it wasn’t like the non-tech departments were discouraged from going, and of course Vi was going to want to be there to support the tech teams and probably sing extra praises for the behind the scenes tech groups she represented.

And the dress code for the event was listed as formal, which meant that Vi wasn’t going to be in her usual barely business casual attire. Surely she’d be actually dressed up, and surely if Caitlyn was there, Vi would find her and make sure she was mingling, networking. And Caitlyn was going to be there with Jinx, who had only been in the same room as Vi and Caitlyn at the same time for barely a minute.

“Mel,” Caitlyn blurted, looking up at her friend desperately. “I need you to be my plus one to this party.” Mel raised an eyebrow in silent question. “I need you as a buffer. Vi is going to be there, and I’m probably going to be an awkward bumbling mess when I see her in formalwear, but Jinx is going to be pissed at me if she realizes that I’m into her sister.”

She flinched a little at her own wording, but she was pretty sure Mel would’ve caught it anyway. “I thought you weren’t into her,” Mel teased, “and just thought she was hot?”

“Mel,” Caitlyn bemoaned, “please.”

“Alright, you don’t need to beg. You know I like to dress up for a formal event. It sounds like a good networking opportunity, anyway. And I’ll get to see what all the fuss is about over this hot HR woman.”

Caitlyn was almost inclined to withdraw the invitation at that, but she knew having Mel there would keep her from acting too much like an idiot. So she just sighed and filled in the section to indicate she’d be bringing a plus one before submitting the form. “Okay, done. Now, brunch. I need bottomless mimosas asap.”

When Caitlyn saw Vi on Monday, for the first time after her realization, her brain felt instantly scrambled. The woman was just sitting at her desk like normal, but one arm was bent with a flexed bicep as she scratched at the back of her head while reading some email or another. It was causing her shirt to ride up, revealing a strip of the toned muscles at her waist. Caitlyn had to look all the way up at the ceiling to keep from staring.

She walked past her hoping that Vi was too focused on her work to notice her, but then that voice she had somehow committed to memory was saying, “Oh, Caitlyn, hey!” and stopping her in her tracks. Taking a breath that she hoped would center her, she turned back to face her mentor, immediately becoming captivated by her eyes and the way they crinkled at the corners with the intensity of her smile. Much too genuine of a smile for a Monday morning, which was just about the only time of the week that Vi ever actually seemed irritated.

Not today, though. Today she was beaming, and Caitlyn found herself hoping and praying that she had somehow evoked that joy. “Good morning,” she breathed out, immediately biting on her tongue afterward.

“Morning! Heard back from Amara already this morning—your training presentations are finalized. She wants to get HR up to speed on the new platform as soon as possible, and she asked me to lead it, but I wanted to offer that to you if you want it.”

Caitlyn blinked, trying to get her brain out of ogle-Vi mode and into work mode.

“Of course,” Vi continued when she didn’t reply right away, “if you do want to lead it, I’ll still back you up. I know you probably haven’t done anything like that before, but it’s all your material. You know it better than me. Amara was hoping to do the training tomorrow, but I can convince her to push it to Thursday if you do want to and you need more time to prep.”

And Caitlyn finally managed to say something even if it was a completely without substance: “Oh!”

Vi quirked an eyebrow and her smile turned humorous. Caitlyn’s hands were suddenly clammy. “Don’t worry if you’re not feeling up to it. I’m happy to take the lead, I just wanted to give you the opportunity.”

The opportunity. The training. Caitlyn was finally getting it, and when it clicked, she blurted, “Oh, no, I’d love to! And tomorrow is good, I don’t think I’ll need to do much more prep.”

Crinkling eyes. Soft smile lines. “Cool. Like I said, I’ll kinda co-lead with you, but I’ll let you take the reins as much as you want them.”

The solicitude of Vi’s offer finally hit her, and she felt herself melt at the consideration as she finally thought to say, “Thank you, Vi, I really appreciate it.”

“No problem,” Vi assured her. “You’ve been doing great work and deserve to show that off.”

“Thank you,” Caitlyn reiterated, her voice quieting with sincerity.

Vi’s face very noticeably softened, and Caitlyn could barely stand to be on the receiving end of that look. She felt like she might float away under the tenderness behind those eyes, and she almost wondered if she was seeing it correctly. But then Vi said earnestly, “Of course, Caitlyn,” and she knew she wasn’t making it up.

She swallowed down the desire to dissect that look, to try to figure out what Vi was thinking, and said, “Well, then I’ll make sure I’m prepared to go through that before tomorrow. Is there anything else I should focus on today?”

Vi’s expression evened out as she fell back into her usual casual demeanor. “Nah, just focus on that and keep an eye on my inbox, if you don’t mind. I’ve got some meetings today.” Caitlyn nodded and started to turn back to get to her desk, only for Vi to abruptly ask, “Oh—are you planning on going to the launch party on Friday?”

“Yep, I’ll be there.”

Vi looked pleased to hear it, and that made Caitlyn stand a little straighter, smile stretching. “Awesome, you’ll like it. We always go big with these kinds of things—I’ve planned some of them, and let me tell you, they don’t skimp on the budget.”

 “I’m looking forward to it.”

“Cool. Well, I’ll let you get to that prep, but let me know if you need anything, yeah?”

Caitlyn nodded and then finally rounded the privacy screen to the safety of her desk, letting out a silent sigh of relief at being out of Vi’s view. Or, mostly, having Vi no longer be in her view. Because if she was going to be leading a training for the whole rest of the HR team tomorrow, she really needed to focus.

The training session at the end of the day on Tuesday went off without a hitch, largely due to Caitlyn’s intensive preparations but definitely also the fact that Vi was helping her. Caitlyn wasn’t really surprised to learn at this point that Vi had some kind of innate ability to guide and help someone while leaving them in the spotlight. That’s exactly how it felt, with Vi helping break the ice between Caitlyn and some of the HRBPs she’d only spoken to a few times, and helping to keep the session moving by respectfully closing discussions when they’d outlived their usefulness and directing attention back to her. She only clarified one thing that Caitlyn said the entire time—and only after asking if it was alright for her to do so.

And Caitlyn felt a little ridiculous about how thrilled it made her, having Vi’s full trust and support in taking on this task, but she couldn’t help it. It was one thing to be doing a great job at her internship—evidenced by the thanks and compliments the other HRBPs gave her at the end of the session. That already was gratifying. It was an entirely different thing to be on the receiving end of Vi’s pride and approval.

She might’ve been able to convince herself that the satisfaction it gave her was entirely based around the fact that Vi would give good feedback about her to Amara, but Amara was also at the training session, so it wasn’t like she needed Vi’s input to judge its results.

It was just Vi, and the way that, after the conference room cleared out, she casually, gently, clapped her hand onto Caitlyn’s shoulder and said, “That was awesome, great work, Caitlyn.”

Caitlyn managed to get out an airy, “Thank you—for that and for all of the help.”

Vi pulled her hand away and waved away the appreciation. “I didn’t do anything, it was all you.” She began to gather up her laptop. “Treat yourself to something nice tonight, fancy dinner or dessert or something,” she suggested, “you’ve earned it.”

And then Vi left the conference room, but Caitlyn could still hear “you’ve earned it” on repeat.

She didn’t reward herself with fancy dinner or dessert, though. Well—she did order in, but only because she spent so long with her vibrator between her legs, moaning at the praise still spinning through her mind in Vi’s voice, and by the time she was done, she’d barely even had the energy to throw on a robe and grab the food delivery from the hallway outside her apartment.

The second half of the week was high energy throughout the entirety of the Zaun Tech office. The launch was a huge success on Wednesday, so excitement was buzzing through every employee—both at what that meant for the company as a whole and the fact that the celebration was drawing closer. Everyone was in good spirits, Caitlyn very much included even if she was also, just a little bit, dreading the party.

It was at one of the biggest hotels in the city, in their largest event space, which was far enough away from Caitlyn’s apartment that she needed to uber there. Mel was meeting her there, so she spent every second up to the moment her uber pulled up outside her building touching up her makeup and outfit.

Even though the goal of the night was to not be in close proximity with Vi for very long, to use Mel as a buffer, Caitlyn couldn’t fight the urge to look her best. She probably would’ve done so based only on her own ridiculous feelings for her mentor, but the truth was that she couldn’t get Monday morning out of her head—that overly tender way Vi had looked at her. Every time she thought about it, it sent her reeling, and she started to break down all of the moments she’d shared with Vi in the last five weeks, reading into every single one. Each smile Vi had ever offered her she compared to the ones she’d seen her mentor give to others, analyzed their differences. Each glance, each greeting. She even forced herself to relive that first moment meeting Vi, when Vi had gone abruptly silent and Caitlyn hadn’t even considered that it was for any reason other than that she’d been ridiculously overdressed.

It was a stupid exercise, because even if Vi was attracted to her, what did that change? Nothing. Vi was still her mentor, was still over a decade older than her, was her friend’s older sister.

Honestly, if Mel hadn’t been coming with her, Caitlyn probably would’ve found an excuse to bail on this party altogether. At this point, she didn’t need Mel there to keep Jinx from realizing how attracted to Vi she was. No, she needed Mel there to keep her from marching up to Vi and doing something really fucking stupid.

Still, she put on a dark blue dress that clung to her hips and cut low enough to show off her cleavage, slid a silver cuff around her upper arm and matched it with a necklace, earrings and a few rings. She’d gone for a manicure the previous day, so her nails matched the look as well. She put on heels and straightened her hair and made sure her eyeliner was sharp enough to cut through any and all awkwardness she might feel this evening.

And then she sat in her uber fiddling with her silver clutch purse for the twenty-five minutes it took to get through traffic to the hotel.

 Mel was waiting for her outside in an ivory pantsuit with gold accents, her makeup done to the nines as well. “There you are,” Mel said teasingly as Caitlyn got out of the uber with an a nervously breathless thanks to the driver. “I was beginning to worry that you weren’t going to show.”

“Sorry,” Caitlyn said through an exhale. “Just took me a while to get ready, and there was traffic.”

Mel arched an eyebrow and glanced over Caitlyn’s outfit. “Well, you certainly look very nice. For no particular reason, I’m sure?”

“Shut up,” Caitlyn huffed, looping her arm through Mel’s and starting toward the entrance to the hotel. There were signs to guide them through to the event room, and a few others were making their way inside at the same time, but Caitlyn didn’t recognize any of them. “I’ve been dressing business casual for five weeks, excuse me for being excited at the opportunity to dress up.”

“Between the two of us, dear, I’m quite certain it’s always been me who enjoys the opportunities to dress up, and not you.”

Caitlyn ignored her friend’s point and led them the rest of the way to the event room.

Room wasn’t exactly the right word for it, though. It felt more like a small convention center, and it was absolutely oozing with opulence. Not in the elegant way that Caitlyn was used to, though. It wasn’t golden chandeliers and waiters in tuxedos. The lighting was tinted purple, and the décor was all sleek and modern. A professional photographer was set up in front of a red-carpet-esque backdrop with Zaun Tech’s logo all across it. A huge projection of the logo was also up against one wall, alternating with the more specific logo for the new tech. Fun but not overwhelmingly loud music was playing through the whole space as people mixed and mingled, and waiters dressed in black button-ups came around with glasses of champagne.

Caitlyn snagged one as soon as she could, Mel doing the same though she didn’t drink it quite as quickly as Caitlyn. “It’s champagne, Caitlyn,” Mel tutted at her, “not a shot.”

“Trust me,” Caitlyn said, “I’m going to need it.”

She had a second glass—this one still mostly full—in hand by the time she spotted Jinx, her bright blue hair falling in subtle waves around her face. She was standing and chatting with Lux and a taller, dark skinned man that Caitlyn didn’t recognize.

“There are Jinx and Lux,” Caitlyn said for Mel’s benefit as she led her in that direction.

“Caitlyn!” Lux greeted as soon as they approached. “I didn’t know you were bringing a plus one! Who’s this?”

“Mel Medarda,” Mel said, not giving Caitlyn a chance to introduce her herself. She offered a hand to Lux, who gave Caitlyn a curious look before shaking it.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Lux Crownguard.”

“I’m Jinx,” Jinx added, not offering her hand to Mel. “And this is Ekko—Caitlyn, he’s an engineer on my team.”

Caitlyn gave Ekko a respectful smile and shook his hand saying, “It’s great to meet you.”

“Yeah, same! You’re Vi’s intern, right?”

Heat flooded Caitlyn’s entire body at being referred to as Vi’s anything. “Oh—yes, ah, I’m interning with HR, yes.”

“Cool. How you liking it?”

Caitlyn bobbed her head in a dumb nod before saying, “It’s great, I’ve learned a lot, yeah.”

Thankfully, Caitlyn was saved from having no idea what to say by Maddie’s sudden arrival. “There you all are! Have you guys seen all the appetizers they’ve got?”

Ekko chuckled at that and then looked back to Jinx, saying, “Come find us later, we’ll get a big team picture at the red carpet.” Jinx nodded excitedly, and then the engineer walked off.

“He seems nice,” Lux noted.

“Yeah, he’s cool,” Jinx agreed, “he graduated from SPU at the end of our freshman year and he’s been working at ZT all four years since then.”

“Oh, do you all go to SPU?” Mel asked, drawing Maddie’s attention for the first time.

“They do,” Maddie said, pointing between Jinx and Lux before saying, “I go to U of P. And—who are you, by the way?” Her gaze jumped obviously to Caitlyn, then to the sliver of space between Caitlyn and her friend.

“Mel Medarda,” Mel introduced again, “Caitlyn invited me.”

“Ah. I’m Maddie.”

Caitlyn sipped her champagne as recognition came over Mel’s eyes for a split second—because of course Caitlyn had told her friends about the finance intern crushing on her. Caitlyn hadn’t even considered that part of tonight, and she had to suppress a sigh. “Pleasure to meet you,” Mel said. “So, would anyone be willing to explain this augmented reality thing to me?”

Jinx happily took the liberty of doing so, and the five of them began to make their way around the event space, stopping for some food and occasionally to chat with other interns or employees that they knew from their respective departments. Caitlyn moved onto her third glass of champagne but promised herself that she would nurse it and wouldn’t get a fourth—and she didn’t even take a single sip until she ate enough of the abundant appetizers to constitute a full meal.

All the while, Caitlyn’s eyes scanned the crowd around them, seeking out a head of pink hair. Vi shouldn’t be hard to spot, especially not for Caitlyn in heels, but anytime she appeared distracted for too long, Mel nudged her, pulled her back into the conversation. Which was good—it was exactly why she’d wanted Mel here.

It was good. Caitlyn was trying not to spend the whole night thinking about Vi. She shouldn’t be seeking her out. Mel was doing exactly what she needed her to do.

Just like she’d predicted, though, her mentor eventually sought her out.

Since they were still with Jinx, Lux, and Maddie, Vi’s appearance could’ve easily been attributed to her sister, but when she drew all of their attention by saying, “Oh—Caitlyn!” it was clear that she had actually been looking for her—or at least noticed her specifically. And that made Caitlyn’s breath catch, her heart stop, and her posture straighten up of its own accord.

“Wow, Vi,” Jinx drawled, “I see how it is.”

Vi stopped by their group, giving her sister an amused smirk. “Oh, hey J. Sorry, didn’t see you. Too short.”

“Caitlyn is pretty easy to spot,” Mel spoke up, drawing Vi’s gaze. “You must be her mentor?”

Caitlyn appreciated her, she did, but in this moment, she really wished that Mel weren’t here. Actually, she kind of wished that no one else were here—or maybe that she herself had just not come at all.

Vi nodded, but it was Caitlyn who spoke, “Yes, this is Vi.”

“And—you’re not an intern here, right? Was pretty sure I had all the faces down by now,” Vi said with a chuckle.

“Oh, no, I’m just Caitlyn’s plus one. Mel Medarda, pleasure to meet you.” She extended her hand and Caitlyn glanced down as Vi clasped it in a firm shake. And she finally got the chance to take in Vi’s outfit—straight cut, black slacks and a grey button down, a maroon blazer thrown over it. It suited Vi so well. The only shame was that the collar of her blazer covered most of the tattoo on her neck, as well as its sleeves hiding every other inch of her ink.

Well, except for the tattoo on her face, of course, under that pretty eye that was looking curiously at Mel because—

“I went to Piltover’s University of Business with Caitlyn, though I just graduated. I’m interning this summer over at city hall, then starting law school in the fall.”

“Nice, congrats,” Vi said, with that casual kindness that she always offered so easily to everybody. Caitlyn liked seeing it, but she was itching to know why Vi had called out to her and approached them in the first place. “How are you all enjoying the party?”

Caitlyn sipped her champagne as her fellow interns gave their approval, and when Vi did look specifically at her, Caitlyn said, “You weren’t kidding about the budget.”

She was certain that she wasn’t making it up when Vi smiled a little extra wide in response to her words—because she would’ve noticed if her eyes had already been wrinkling so much at the corners. “Nope,” Vi confirmed through a chuckle. “Do you have a minute, by the way? Zoey is here and since she’s been out of town since you started, I figured I’d introduce you.”

Caitlyn recognized the name of the Chief HR Officer, so she nodded and started to pull away from Mel, but her friend gently caught her arm. She turned to look at her, barely absorbing the subtle concern in her expression as she said, “Zoey’s the CHRO, I’ll just be a minute.” Mel didn’t look any less concerned but exhaled and then let her go, and Caitlyn let Vi lead her away from her buffer.

“So,” Vi was saying, “Amara might be my manager now, but Zoey is the one who hired me.”

“Were you her first?” Caitlyn asked, before hearing herself and quickly clarifying, “Her first hire, I mean.”

Vi’s laugh wasn’t judgmental of the wording, but Caitlyn did catch her slight smirk, and Caitlyn didn’t think she’d ever put a smirk on those lips before now. Her heart was racing. “Yeah, I was. We were a department of two for a little while. Amara’s job got added later.”

Someone stepped in front of them so that they had to stop abruptly, which apparently prompted Vi to lift a hand to Caitlyn’s upper arm. And Caitlyn had spent enough time thinking about the one time that Vi’s fingers had ghosted over her bare skin for her blood to immediately begin to boil at the firmer contact. Vi’s hands were a little rough, callused, and made her skin rise into goosebumps even as her temperature rose. The touch was just to guide her around the now apologetic man, then she dropped it again. Caitlyn desperately tried to get a grasp back on the conversation as her skin continued to tingle. “Zoey didn’t offer you the job?”

“She did, actually, but I turned it down.”

Caitlyn blinked in surprise, the answer actually giving her mind a little more focus. “You didn’t want it?”

“Nah, I love my job, and I never really saw myself as a people leader like that.”

“You’d be really good at it,” Caitlyn informed her, feeling very serious all of a sudden. Vi turned her head to meet her eyes, and whatever she saw in them turned hers soft and appreciative. “I-I mean,” Caitlyn continued, the attention ramping her nerves back up, “you’ve just been such a great mentor. I-I guess I don’t know if that translates perfectly well to being a manager, but—yeah, I just, I think you’d be really good at it.” She barely forced herself not to cringe at the repeated words.

“Thanks,” Vi said kindly, then looking ahead and apparently spotting Zoey.

Caitlyn managed to act more put together meeting her manager’s manager and director of the whole HR department—even when the plump woman with jet black hair beamed at her and said she’d heard such good things about her from Amara and the rest of the department already. It should’ve boosted her confidence more than it did, but when Zoey was pulled away a few moments later by another executive, and Caitlyn was essentially alone with Vi again, she was back to feeling like a bumbling mess.

“It’s always nice to meet people on a Friday instead of a Monday morning,” Vi told her with a chuckle. “Well—at least on a nice Friday like today. I still kinda feel guilty for being in such a bad mood on your first day.”

“You don’t need to feel guilty,” Caitlyn assured her, “you really weren’t that bad. You made me feel a lot better about my being overdressed, at least.”

Vi smiled fondly. “I guess whoever gave you fashion advice that day was more helpful for this party, huh?” And for a split second, she gave Caitlyn a once over, taking in her outfit.

Caitlyn let out a shaky breath to keep from holding her breath in the millisecond that Vi’s eyes were on her body. “Actually, that was my mother, and I have not asked her advice for anything since.”

A warm laugh made Vi’s smile lines appear. “Damn, you were that upset over it? It really wasn’t that bad, at least you looked nice and not a total mess.”

Caitlyn’s tongue darted out to wet her lips, but the shine of the purple lighting made it suddenly hard to tell if Vi’s eyes reacted to the movement. “I guess you’re right, but to be fair, I actually didn’t ask her advice that day either. She wanted me to wear a blazer, as well. In her words, meeting the ‘bare minimum’ dress code was not appropriate.”

Vi gave a sympathetic hum. “Old school corporate.”

“Very much so, yes.”

They stood there in silence for a second, but Caitlyn miraculously didn’t feel awkward about it. She sipped her champagne and smiled at Vi, and was thinking of something else to say when a hand suddenly touched her arm, and she turned with surprise to see Mel. “Hello again,” she was saying, directing a polite smile to Vi. “Do you mind if I steal Caitlyn?”

“Not at all,” Vi assured her. “You two enjoy the rest of the party.”

Caitlyn allowed herself to be pulled away by Mel, even as she frowned. “Mel—”

“I saw how you were looking at her,” Mel said, her tone fully serious and undoubtedly accusatory. “Caitlyn, she’s what—at least twelve years older than you? And—”

“I know,” Caitlyn huffed, “she’s my mentor, I know that, and honestly, Mel, it’s nothing, she’s just—”

“That’s not even what I was going to say, actually,” Mel interrupted. “Your friend’s older sister, is what I was going to say. Her being your mentor is temporary. What I care most about is the fact that you were practically swooning over a woman who’s in a totally different stage of her life than you! And there’s no way she hasn’t noticed, unless she’s just completely oblivious. Which means she’s entertaining your obsession with her—”

“Mel,” Caitlyn snapped, abruptly tugging away from her friend and lowering her voice. “I’m not obsessed with her, it’s just—I’m just tipsy, okay, and she’s drinking, too, so she probably genuinely didn’t notice anything. Can we just find Jinx again? I promised her that I’d stay until her team gets their shoutout, which—they should be doing speeches and things soon, so.”

Mel caught her arm again, keeping her from going far. “Caitlyn, I’m just worried about you, and you asked me to be here for a reason—”

“Yes, I asked you to be here to be a buffer for me, and you’re doing an excellent job. But I didn’t ask you to lecture me.” Caitlyn finished her champagne. “Let’s get some water and find Jinx. We’ll leave right after the speeches.”

When the speeches finished, Caitlyn said her goodbyes to her friends and left the event room with Mel, both of them taking their phones out to call ubers.

As they walked toward the front of the hotel, though, Mel asked, “Are you really not going to talk about this with me?”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Caitlyn stated flatly, tapping through the app. As she submitted her ride request, it showed only a two minute wait, which is what made her realize that she really needed to pee. Damn it.

“I think there is, though. I mean, you really don’t think she’s realized that you have these feelings for her?”

“No, I don’t,” Caitlyn huffed, but she knew it wasn’t exactly the truth and so did Mel. “But if she has, then maybe she just hasn’t mentioned anything about it because she also—”

“Caitlyn. A woman in her thirties has no business having feelings for a twenty-two year old!” Mel hissed, causing Caitlyn to bristle. They were approaching the front of the hotel now, and thankfully there weren’t any other people leaving right this second. No one was around to hear the conversation.

Caitlyn shook her head. “Mel, you’re acting like I’m not a full grown adult. And you don’t know her. She’s a really good person, a much better person than me, honestly.”

“Maybe it seems that way because she has half of your life worth of extra experience!” Mel exclaimed with exasperation.

Caitlyn was still shaking her head. “It doesn’t even matter, Mel, can we please drop it?”

Mel clenched her jaw and walked out of the hotel, Caitlyn on her tail. They stood in an uncomfortable silence outside the building until a red sedan pulled up—Mel’s ride. “Get home safe,” is all her friend said to her before disappearing into the car.

Caitlyn looked down at her uber app to find that her driver had been reassigned and was now fifteen minutes away. “Fuck,” she grumbled, her bladder screaming at her again. Sliding her phone into her clutch, she started back inside the hotel and beelined it for the bathrooms.

She sighed with relief when she was sat on the toilet, in the only occupied stall of the nice bathroom. For the first time all evening, there was no music and no talking cluttering her ears. Even after she finished, she sat there for another long moment, enjoying the quiet and trying to push everything Mel said to her out of her mind. None of it even mattered, because Mel had been here tonight to keep her from doing something stupid. She’d go back to work on Monday and everything would be fine, back to the weird normal she’d figured out. Her internship was almost half over now, anyway. In seven weeks, she wouldn’t be seeing Vi every weekday, and she’d move on from this inexplicable crush with ease.

The sound of someone else coming into the bathroom is what made her realize she was just sitting there, so she quickly finished her business and flushed, stepping out to wash her hands. She did so thoroughly before setting her clutch down and taking out her phone again, checking the app. Eight minutes away, still. She sighed heavily as another toilet flushed.

And out of one of the other stalls came none other than the subject of Caitlyn’s incessant thoughts.

“Oh, Caitlyn, hey,” Vi said in surprise, stepping up to the sinks, leaving one unused between them as she began to wash her hands. “Jinx said you left with your girl.”

Caitlyn was so caught off guard by seeing Vi at all, stuck staring at her in the mirror, that she didn’t even realize the wording. “Her uber already picked her up,” Caitlyn said, barely stitching the sentence together. “Mine got delayed.”

Vi scrubbed at her palms and gave her a curious look. “Is it new?”

“Hm?” Caitlyn had no idea what Vi meant, and found herself second guessing how much she’d had to drink, but she’d definitely downed two full glasses of water after her third champagne.

“Your relationship?” Vi prompted, and only then did Caitlyn realize what Vi had said before.

It caused a shock to her system that sent her rambling, “Oh! Oh, no, no. I mean—it’s not new, but it’s not—we’re not a thing. Don’t get me wrong, Mel is wonderful and I adore her, but just as a really good friend. And even if she were into women she’s not really my type.”

She couldn’t help but cringe at herself, and it took all of her willpower not to cover her face with her hands as Vi laughed and grabbed some paper towels. “Okay, okay, got it. Jinx and your friends were really convinced you two were dating. But I’d guess that finance intern might be happy to hear you’re not.”

Caitlyn groaned and found herself leaning against the bathroom wall. How? How had she ended up having this conversation with this woman at this moment in time? “Oh, please don’t remind me of Maddie’s crush. I haven’t figured out how to let her down without making things awkward at work.”

Vi laughed again, tossing the used up paper towels in the trash. She didn’t move for the door to leave, though, just turned and faced Caitlyn fully. “Ginger bob not your type either?” she asked playfully, and—okay, it wasn’t flirtatious but it wasn’t not flirtatious. Right? That, or Caitlyn was more tipsy than she thought.

“It’s more about her…”

“Energy?” Vi wondered, looking casually amused. Caitlyn envied her ability to stand there and have this conversation without being on the edge of a mental breakdown.

Still, Caitlyn replied, “That’s… kinder than what I was going to say.”

And Vi laughed again, and Caitlyn took in every detail of her face in awe. “Damn, I’m almost afraid to what it was.”

Caitlyn’s lips turned into a pout of their own accord. Rational thought was on its way out of her mind. “Why? I wasn’t going to be mean, I just—she and I just don’t click, that’s all.”

Vi softened and the remains of her laughter died down the second Caitlyn started pouting. “I get it, I was just kidding. You clearly don’t have a mean bone in your body.”

“Oh no, I do,” Caitlyn argued, a playful lilt sneaking into her voice. “It’s impossible to be a Kiramman and not have at least one.”

Vi raised her hands as if in defense. “Well, okay then. I’ll just have to avoid getting on your bad side, I guess.”

“Please Vi, you couldn’t get on my bad side,” Caitlyn tutted without forethought. That was gone now too, following the rational thought. It wasn’t even the champagne she’d finished over half an hour ago that was chasing it away, either. It was just Vi, standing in front of her with that soft smile, in that smart blazer, gear tattoo barely peeking out.

“No? I feel like I almost did once—conversation about efficiency, maybe?” Vi’s lips turned into the slightest smirk, one almost indistinguishable from her regular smile—but Caitlyn had stared at that smile enough to recognize the difference in the way it tugged the scarred side of her lip. It made Caitlyn’s entire chest shake with the intensity of her pounding heart. She wet her lips, and in the soft, warm light of the bathroom, she did see Vi’s pale eyes flick down, noticing the movement.

“Almost is one thing,” Caitlyn said, her voice coming out quieter than she meant it. Her next words came out soft and genuine even though her body felt like it was on fire. “You clearly didn’t end up there. It was good advice and I needed to hear it.”

Vi’s answering chuckle was quieter now, too, and Caitlyn could feel the air thickening around them. Could Vi feel it? The tension that was heavy between them all of a sudden? “Guess I can count myself lucky not to be on Caitlyn Kiramman’s bad side, then.”

And she definitely wasn’t, but she wasn’t just on Caitlyn’s good side either. She was somewhere else altogether. Caitlyn didn’t really know where, but she knew wherever it was, she needed it closer.

She was about to do something stupid. “Do you need to be getting home?” Vi wondered, like she was offering Caitlyn one more chance to make the right decision. But rational thought was gone. Forethought was gone. Caitlyn’s entire logical mind might as well have burned to ash under the itchy heat of her skin.

“My uber’s still not here yet,” she said. “Were you leaving?”

Vi shrugged. “Was thinking about it. Maybe I’m getting old, but it gets close to nine and I’m already thinking about bed.”

Caitlyn bit down on her bottom lip, holding back the fullness of her smile. Vi drawing attention to her age should’ve been her last chance, but Caitlyn had already made up her mind. “Surely that’s less to do with getting old and more to do with the fact that you wake up far too early to go to the gym.”

Vi snickered. “Hey, if you spent all the time and money on tattoos like mine, you’d want to keep them looking nice too.”

“They are quite nice,” Caitlyn murmured, her voice dropping lower, on the edge of a purr. “Shame you had to cover them up tonight. I think I’m starting to see the appeal of business casual attire.”

The quiet of the bathroom allowed Caitlyn to hear the catch of Vi’s breath. She watched her eyes fill with sudden interest, her pupils growing in size. “Caitlyn,” Vi started, like maybe she was going to make Caitlyn do the right thing, just like Mel said she should.

But no other words followed her name, so Caitlyn pushed herself off of the bathroom wall and took a few steps forward, setting her phone by her purse. The closer she got, the faster the rise and fall of Vi’s chest became. “Vi,” Caitlyn said quietly, stopping just in front of her. “Tell me that you don’t want to kiss me.”

Vi’s lips parted, but only air moved through them. Caitlyn counted to five in her head, waiting for any words to come out of her mentor’s mouth.

When none came, she stepped the rest of the way forward, eviscerating the distance between them. And the second her hands touched Vi’s face, Vi was pushing forward, smashing their mouths together in a messy, uncoordinated kiss. Caitlyn, for her part, could barely even think enough to move her lips, but it wasn’t necessary when a warm tongue pressed past them, tasting her champagne tinged mouth. She sucked down on Vi’s tongue and found that it tasted a little like beer. Something hot swirled low in her gut and a needy moan was suddenly crawling out of her throat, getting lost somewhere between their mouths. Vi must’ve felt it, though, because she answered with a pleased hum.

It couldn’t have been more than forty-five seconds of their mouths devouring each other before Caitlyn heard her phone vibrate where it was on the counter.

She drew back from Vi’s lips just enough to say, “My uber’s here…”

Then she looked into Vi’s eyes, checking that the dark interest was still there, that Vi was still looking at her with desire that matched her own.

“Come home with me?”

Chapter Text

The ride home from the launch party was agonizing for every single one of the twenty minutes it took.

It was in part due to the return of rational thinking, making her wonder if she should say something to the woman on the other side of the backseat. Making her worry that Vi was going to be the one to say something. Like, “we really shouldn’t do this” or “this is a mistake.”

The other part was the fact that Caitlyn was itching to fuse their mouths again. To feel Vi’s face under her hands again—this time with the intention of actually noticing the feel of her scars and the soft lines of her smile. She had to keep her eyes trained out the window at the city streets passing them by to keep from making her uber driver incredibly uncomfortable.

It didn’t help that she could feel interested eyes on her. She wished she knew which part Vi was feeling more of—the worry, or the absolutely carnal need to touch?

Neither of them said anything until they stepped out of the uber, and as it drove away, Vi commented, “Huh, you’re pretty close to the office.”

Caitlyn had to laugh at the casual observation as she started to the door of her building, punching in the access code and hearing the door click unlocked. “Yes,” she agreed, “it’s very convenient since I don’t have a car. Especially since PUB’s campus is only a fifteen minute walk away, too.”

“Do you like it? PUB?” The question was asked with Vi’s usual casualness, but there was something else behind her voice, a slight breathlessness. Like she was holding her breath for them to get up to Caitlyn’s apartment.

Caitlyn wet her lips as she opened the entry door and offered for Vi to go in ahead of her. “It’s a good school,” Caitlyn answered, and when it didn’t sound convincing and Vi looked back at her with a raised eyebrow, she added, “It’s my mother’s alma mater.”

“Ah, gotcha.”

Caitlyn’s unit was only on the third floor, so sometimes she took the stairs going up, and she had no doubt that Vi would handle that just fine. But the elevator would be at least a few seconds faster, so she hit the button going up and leaned against the wall to wait for it to come down. She met Vi’s gaze. “Maybe we don’t talk about my mother right now, though.”

Vi laughed, and her nose scrunched a little in a way that Caitlyn hadn’t seen before. Her breath got stuck in her throat, and she only figured out how to breathe again when the elevator dinged and the doors slid open.

Inside the small, warmly lit space, the tension between them only grew. Caitlyn’s fingers were fiddling with her clutch bag, and she could hear the heaviness of Vi’s breathing just a foot away from her. She kept her gaze on the elevator doors but sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, regretting that she couldn’t taste Vi on it anymore.

During the short walk from the elevator to Caitlyn’s door, she tried to recall the state she’d left her apartment in. Her bathroom was probably a mess from her makeup, and her work clothes from earlier were probably half hanging out of her laundry basket. But she was pretty sure everything else was orderly enough.

“This seems like a nice building. You live here long?” Vi wondered, as Caitlyn pulled her keys out of her purse and tried to keep her hands from shaking as she found the right one.

“Um, not long, no,” Caitlyn admitted. “I moved here last August.”

The door opened, and as they stepped in, Vi was starting to ask, “Were you living on campus before then, or—”

But Caitlyn interrupted her by setting her keys and purse on the kitchen counter just past the entryway, turning to face her, and saying, “Vi.”

Vi’s throat bobbed, and they stood there in silence for a few long seconds as the realization sank in—that they were completely alone, in the privacy of Caitlyn’s apartment. That twenty five minutes ago, they’d been making out in the bathroom just a thirty second walk away from all of their colleagues, but now there was no one around.

Caitlyn sucked in an attempt at a steadying breath. Then, “Did you want to go over my residential history, or would you like to take my dress off?”

Vi’s eyes darkened and she roughly whispered, “Fuck,” but Caitlyn barely had any time to revel in how it sounded to hear her curse like that before Vi’s lips were on hers again. She stumbled back against the kitchen counter and something halfway between a gasp and a moan slipped out. Vi swallowed it greedily, but while her mouth wasn’t shy, her hands were another story, hovering with hesitance at Caitlyn’s waist.

Caitlyn intended to do something about that, but first she needed to get this blazer off of Vi. It took her a second to get her hands on its collar, because Vi’s tongue was tasting her lips and delving in between them, dragging against the roof of her mouth and prodding at her tongue, and Caitlyn could barely think of anything but that. She did manage to, though, and pushed the blazer off of her shoulders.

Vi adjusted her arms to let it fall uselessly onto the floor, and then Caitlyn caught her wrists, brought her hands purposefully to her waist. Vi took the hint and grasped her, her big, strong hands squeezing appreciatively as a groan rattled up her throat. “Fuck,” Vi moaned into her mouth, her hands dragging upward, thumbs swiping at the underside of Caitlyn’s breasts. “I can’t believe how good you look in this dress. I did a literal double take when I first found you tonight.”

A whine eked out of Caitlyn as Vi’s lips left hers and instead kissed along her jaw, then down the curve of her neck. She tangled her hands into Vi’s hair, ruining the neat style and scratching her manicured nails into Vi’s scalp. “You were looking for me,” Caitlyn gasped out the realization, a tingling heat shooting through her at Vi’s tongue laving over her pulse point.

“Yeah,” Vi admitted shamelessly, sucking Caitlyn’s skin into her mouth. And she was gentle, but Caitlyn wouldn’t have cared if she wasn’t. She’d gladly put in the effort of covering up hickeys if it were Vi who put them there. “Of course I was. And you didn’t disappoint in the slightest.”

Of course. Like it was obvious, like Vi wouldn’t have done anything else. Caitlyn tilted her head back and gave a weak, mewling sound. “I wore it for you, I wanted you to see me in it,” she admitted, her voice tight and absolutely filthy, and it prompted Vi to squeeze her body even tighter, to suck on her skin a little harder. “But Vi, take it off, please.”

Vi’s laugh was pitched low and sultry. She drew back and murmured, “God, you’re so needy.”

Caitlyn’s answering whimper escaped without her permission, so she just nodded, not even pretending to hide it.

“How long have you been wanting this, Caitlyn?” Vi rumbled, running her hands up Caitlyn’s sides and then around to her back, feeling for the zipper holding it up. “How long have you been thinking about me like this?”

Her answer was automatic. “Since the moment I saw you.”

Vi managed to suppress most of her moan, but Caitlyn still heard its beginnings. Callused fingers trailed over the soft skin of Caitlyn’s back, then grabbed the zipper. Before she pulled it down, though, Vi asked, “You know I’m thirty-four, right?”

Inexplicably, the question only made Caitlyn feel needier—maybe because this was the first time she knew for sure the actual number. “Mm, yes,” she breathed out. “You know that I’m twenty-two, right?” Vi hummed in confirmation. “Great, glad we’re all caught up.”

Vi laughed softly and Caitlyn steadied herself enough to meet her eyes, to search for any doubt. She didn’t think she saw any, was pretty sure there was just heat and desire and a sliver of fondness shining in that pretty pale blue. “Mhm, I guess we are.”

Caitlyn ran her tongue over her lips as Vi watched, unmoving. “Then… would you please take this damned dress off?”

Vi blinked back into the moment, husking, “Fuck—yeah, yeah.” And the zipper almost tore from the force of Vi tugging it down. The fabric fell to gather around her waist, Vi’s grip on her keeping it from falling all the way away. The strapless bra she was wearing under it was all that stood between her hard nipples and Vi’s wanting mouth, but Vi took her time getting there. Sucking more kisses on her neck, dragging her hands up Caitlyn’s arms, her fingers fiddling with the silver cuff on her right.

It was criminal, though, that Vi’s blazer was gone but her button down had long sleeves, so Caitlyn couldn’t even get a proper feel at her muscles. She tried anyway, groping at her biceps, down over her pecs, then lower to feel the softness of her breasts—“Oh my fucking god,” Caitlyn keened, her thumb running over the unmistakable barbells through her nipples.

Vi laughed into her neck and rumbled, “You like those?”

Caitlyn didn’t bother answering, instead pushing Vi back enough to start unbuttoning her shirt. Vi just let her do the work, her heavy lidded eyes just watching. Caitlyn sucked in a sharp breath as Vi’s chest and abdomen were freed. She wasn’t wearing any kind of bra, so she had the most immaculate view of a perfect six pack and visible pecs behind her pretty breasts. The bars through her pert nipples were a shiny silver. “God, could you be any sexier?”

“Could try,” Vi murmured, taking the liberty of shrugging the button down the rest of the way off, and Caitlyn’s eyes widened as they followed the familiar trail of tattoos up her arms.

Caitlyn touched Vi’s hips and was about to coax her to turn around, only for Vi to pin her against the kitchen counter again, fusing their lips. Caitlyn whined into the kiss and managed to murmur, “I want to see it.”

“I know you do,” Vi teased, curling her fingers into Caitlyn’s waist, “but I was in the middle of something.”

That something was pushing Caitlyn’s dress all the way off of her body, reaching around to take her whole ass in her palms, and laving her tongue through her cleavage. “Vi,” Caitlyn moaned, one hand back in her hair, the other finally getting to feel Vi’s inked skin. It was so soft. Even though the muscle underneath was firm, Vi was silky smooth to the touch, and Caitlyn was already addicted to the feeling. She dug her nails into the back of Vi’s shoulder and Vi answered by nipping at the sensitive skin of her breast.

Caitlyn’s underwear had been wet ages ago at this point, but they were getting freshly soaked as Vi teased her. A new wave of heat rushed right through to her clit as Vi began to fiddle with the edge of her panties and murmured, “Wonder what kind of mess I’m going to find in here…”

“Vi,” Caitlyn whimpered uselessly, pushing her hips forward.

“Needy girl,” Vi tutted, and Caitlyn felt liquified. She’d spent a lot of time hearing Vi’s voice in her head while touching herself, but her mind could never have conjured up the truth of how she sounded. “I guess you’ve been pretty patient, though, if you’ve really been wanting this for five whole weeks.”

“Yes, I want you,” Caitlyn assured her, hips jutting out again. “Pl—” The plea morphed into a choked moan as Vi’s fingers slid into her panties and didn’t hesitate to press right into her wet mess.

“Fuck, Cait,” Vi moaned, sliding two fingers wholly in between Caitlyn’s lower lips, drowning them in the pool of her arousal. “Fuck, this can’t be real. You can’t be real.”

“I’m real,” Caitlyn whimpered, grinding her hips down as best as she could where she was pinned, “you did this to me, Vi. You do this to me every fucking day, you—ah!” She threw her head back as one of Vi’s thick fingers pushed inside her effortlessly. “Oh—more, Vi, m-more—fuck!”

The second finger gave her a slight stretch, and Caitlyn could’ve taken more, but she was suddenly far too close to ask for it. She leaned back against the counter, trying to give herself leverage to push Vi even deeper inside. But Vi wasn’t letting her, her right hand still firmly holding her waist in place. “Every day, huh? It’s a wonder you get any work done, baby.”

The electricity that word shot through Caitlyn’s body elicited a mewl so filthy it was almost a sob, and Caitlyn was near tears in her desperation. “Every day,” she swore, “every day. Vi, please—o-oh, pleasepleaseplease—”

A breathless sob escaped her as Vi abruptly withdrew her hand, not just from Caitlyn’s cunt but from her panties. “Fuck, you’re so pretty like this,” Vi groaned, and Caitlyn desperately tried to regain any amount of control as her skin burned, her clit pulsed, and her cunt fluttered around nothing right before she could come.

“Vi,” she whimpered, eyes filling with tears, “w-why’d you stop, I’m so close, Vi, I’m so close.”

“Cuz I wanna taste you, baby. You got a bed in this place? Don’t think your kitchen floor is gonna agree with my knees.”

Caitlyn wasn’t confident that she could even walk the distance from her kitchen to her bedroom, so as she went to lead them there, she grabbed Vi’s hands and brought them to her hips. The older woman immediately held firmly enough to steady her, and Caitlyn guided her to the only bedroom in the little apartment.

It was a little messy—her work clothes hadn’t actually made it all the way into her hamper and heels she’d considered but not ended up wearing were in a pile next to her closet. She didn’t care. Vi didn’t care. As soon as the bed was in sight, Vi was gripping her tighter, turning her around, and all but throwing her onto it.

Caitlyn couldn’t manage any words as she stared up at Vi’s exquisite figure. She was most definitely the most gorgeous and handsome woman Caitlyn had ever laid her eyes on. She was desperate to have her on top of her, but Vi paused to gently take off Caitlyn’s heels, and the softness of the action sent warmth dancing through her chest. Vi glanced up at her as she took off the second one, dropping it to the floor, and smiled at whatever she saw on Caitlyn’s face. Her eyes crinkled and her smile lines deepened and Caitlyn thought she must be on cloud nine.

Her bed, at least, could certainly be mistaken for a cloud as she was coaxed up against her pillows to make room for Vi. Though Vi took the time to step out of her own shoes first, to unbutton her slacks and drop them to the floor. She was wearing light blue boxer briefs with a dark spot spreading from right between her thighs. “My god,” Caitlyn moaned, taking in the sight of her toned thighs. Vi smirked and climbed onto her bed then, bringing her mouth to Caitlyn’s abdomen. More damned teasing, even though Caitlyn was teetering right on the edge of release. She thought she might come just from Vi’s mouth on her, but even as that practiced tongue traced around her naval down to the hem of her panties, she only grew more desperate. “Vi, god, p-please!”

“Oh, what, you need something?” Vi teased, running her fingertips over the back of Caitlyn’s thighs before gripping, pushing them up, spreading her open wide even though her underwear was still on.

“You,” she begged, “need you—”

Vi cut her off by dipping down and pressing the flat of her tongue on the outside of Caitlyn’s panties, licking up her taste while giving Caitlyn only the slightest sensation. “Fuck,” Vi moaned emphatically, before licking again, then sucking the fabric into her mouth. Caitlyn stared down at the scene, Vi’s eyes closed like she was in heaven.

“Vi,” Caitlyn whimpered, a few tears actually escaping now, not heavy enough to trail down her cheeks with any haste. When Vi opened her eyes and looked up at her, she saw them soften, and Vi released her panties and sat up to carefully pull them off.

“Aw, baby, don’t cry. I’m gonna take care of you, okay?”

Caitlyn nodded, begging, “please, please, please” so breathlessly it was almost unintelligible.

Then, at all once, two fingers pressed deep inside of her and Vi’s tongue was dragging up onto her clit, and Caitlyn’s sounds became an incoherent mess as she was finally pushed over the edge. She felt like she was orgasming for minutes, her cunt throbbing around Vi’s fingers, body tensing, hands fisting in Vi’s hair. She barely even passed the peak before she was climaxing again, Vi’s fingers pulsing hard and fast like this wasn’t the first time she’d fucked Caitlyn, like she had so much experience that she could read her perfectly.

Despite Vi’s words, Caitlyn was crying as she finally came down from the second orgasm, tears of relief sliding down her cheeks. And then Vi was there, kissing them away and dirtying her face with her own wetness.

“There you go, Cait,” Vi was whispering to her, “told you I’d take care of you, didn’t I?”

Caitlyn whimpered, turning her head to suck on her lips, wet and sticky with Caitlyn’s mess. She kissed Vi with urgency that didn’t exist, because it was just the two of them here and there was nowhere else to be. She just needed this so badly, needed Vi, and now that she wasn’t on the edge of falling apart, she needed more of Vi. “My turn,” she breathed into their kiss, though it sounded more like begging than a statement.

Maybe that’s why Vi laughed against her lips, and that pretty laugh had no business shooting another wave of arousal through Caitlyn, but it did anyway. “What if I wasn’t ready for mine to be over?”

It hit Caitlyn then, like it must’ve for Vi before, in the kitchen. This was Vi. Vi was on top of her in her bed, the both of them almost naked. Caitlyn wanted her so bad that she cried, and Vi wanted her so bad that getting two orgasms wasn’t enough for her. Through a shallow breath, she proposed, “We share.”

Vi drew back with an intrigued smirk. “Alright. You on top, though.”

Vi stripped her boxers off and they shifted so that she was lying down, her head on Caitlyn’s pillows. Caitlyn’s body trembled a little from exertion as she straddled her face and began to lean down to the patch of coarse hair covering her prize—

But Vi didn’t wait, grabbing at Caitlyn’s thighs and yanking her pussy to meet her mouth.

“G-God, Vi,” Caitlyn panted, desperately trying to maintain enough self-control to lower herself. To lie her body across Vi’s, her still covered breasts pressing against firm abs. She ran her hands down Vi’s hips, over her thighs, discovering with awe that Vi had stray freckles on her thighs. There had to be some on her arms and shoulders, too, that Caitlyn had been too distracted to notice.

Vi moaned into her cunt and prodded at her clit, sending a shock through her nervous system. Caitlyn was going to be a goner before she could even taste Vi if she didn’t level the playing field soon. So finally, she brought her mouth to Vi’s folds, finding them swollen big and pink, slick with her arousal. She hadn’t eaten someone out at this angle before, but it wasn’t too difficult to figure out how to suck Vi’s clit in between her lips. “Fuck, baby,” Vi groaned from the top of the bed, pausing her own movements for just long enough that Caitlyn was able to find a rhythm.

But then Vi was right back to it, and Caitlyn’s mind kept going blank. She realized every few moments that she wasn’t doing anything but panting heavily into Vi’s cunt, but Vi was getting wetter anyway.

Only once Vi had pushed Caitlyn over into her third orgasm of the night was she finally able to give the same to Vi. She knew she wasn’t nearly as experienced as Vi was, and she knew Vi could tell, too, because as Caitlyn struggled a little to figure out the position, Vi stroked her thumbs over her ass and whispered things like, “You’re doing great, Cait, fuck—yeah, baby, like that—”

The praise made Caitlyn whimper even as she buried her face harder into Vi’s cunt, and she was sure she must be dripping onto Vi’s face by the time Vi’s body tensed and she came.

Even as Vi came down, she was groaning, “Fuck, that was so good, you did so good.”

And Caitlyn couldn’t help herself. She sat up and, without much grace, turned around so that she was facing her headboard, so she could look down at the mess she made on Vi’s face and the way her eyes were dark and hazy. Then she brought her center level with Vi’s mouth, and Vi didn’t hesitate to pull her down and ravish her again. Caitlyn gripped her headboard, pushing through the sensitivity as Vi gave her another orgasm, and another one.

Caitlyn couldn’t stay upright then, but after Vi carefully laid her down, she pressed her fingers back inside of her fucked cunt. Caitlyn choked out a whine, only for Vi to murmur, “You can give me one more, can’t you baby? You can be good, right?”

Caitlyn did, and she cried through the pleasure before her body went completely limp. She felt those soft, scarred lips kissing her neck, her jaw, her cheeks, then, softly, her lips. She thought Vi was maybe even whispering more praise, but she could barely hear it let alone process it. All she could do was twine her arms loosely around Vi as her conscious mind drifted off.

It couldn’t have been much later that she woke up to the shifting of her bed, blinking her eyes open to see Vi getting up.

“Vi?” she mumbled sleepily, drawing the woman’s soft gaze.

“Hey. Thought you might be out for the night. Hope I didn’t go too hard on you.”

Caitlyn shook her head, but she did feel incredibly weak. In a good way, though. She blinked a few more times, realizing that Vi was pulling her boxers back on. “Are you leaving?” she murmured.

“Yeah, I’m sorry,” Vi apologized, her face scrunching with sincere regret. “I drove to the party tonight, pretty sure they’ll tow my car if I leave it till morning.” Caitlyn gave a little grunt of dissatisfaction, even though it kind of thrilled her to realize that Vi had abandoned her car at that hotel to come home with her instead. Vi chuckled at the noise. “I already called a ride—like I said, thought you were out for the night and was gonna write you a note. But—you should get up and use the bathroom before you sleep more, okay? And probably lock your door behind me, if you can manage it.”

Caitlyn nodded blearily, and Vi, now wearing just pants, stepped closer to the bed. She leaned down, tucked her knuckle under Caitlyn’s chin, and drew it up to kiss her deep and slow, so much so that it almost lulled Caitlyn back to sleep.

“I’ll see you later,” Vi murmured, and Caitlyn nodded again, and then the woman was gone, Caitlyn getting the briefest view of the art across her back. She was vaguely aware of the sound of Vi shaking out her shirt before putting it back on, and then a minute later, she heard her door open and close.

Only then did it occur to her that later was going to have to be Monday, because Caitlyn didn’t have Vi’s phone number, and she certainly wasn’t going to email her to ask for it.

The realization made her groan and roll over, pressing her face into her pillow. It was way too much to think about right now—emails, phone numbers, work on Monday. Too many unknowns and things she couldn’t resolve right now.

She tried to ignore Vi’s advice and go straight back to sleep, to try and escape the stupid rational thoughts trying to creep up on her, but two things she could do right now were pee and lock her front door. So she forced herself out of bed to do so, and when she lay down again, her last wakeful thought was of Vi whispering to her, “You did so good, baby. I’ll see you later.”

Chapter Text

Mel – 8:48am

Are you not coming to yoga?

Caitlyn.

I’m sorry for upsetting you last night, but I’m just trying to protect you.

I understand that you didn’t ask me to do that, but as your best friend, I can’t help it.

Mel – 9:57am

Caitlyn? You got home last night okay, right?

Don’t make me come over to your apartment to make sure you’re alright.

9:59am - Caitlyn

Shit, sorry

Yes, I just slept in

Sorry for missing yoga

Mel

It’s fine. Are you okay? Should we talk about last night?

Caitlyn

Maybe later, Mel, I’m pretty tired.

Might skip out on yoga tomorrow, too. I’m sorry.

Mel

You sure you aren’t just angry with me?

Caitlyn

I’m sure. Let’s hang out next weekend and we can talk about it?

Mel

Alright.

You know I love you, right?

Caitlyn

Of course. Love you, too, Mel.

Mel

Get some rest, dear. I’ll see you next weekend.

Caitlyn had never had a weekend so filled with anxiety as the two days after she hooked up with Vi, and even though she wasn’t really too sore for Sunday yoga, she was definitely not mentally ready to face Mel, not after Friday night. Their argument over Vi had been uncomfortable enough on its own, but the fact that Caitlyn ended the night fucked senseless by the older woman?

Caitlyn knew she couldn’t lie for shit, especially not to her best friends, so she was going to be caught as soon as Mel saw her.

Which is why she couldn’t, not on Sunday. Because short of sending a message to Vi’s work email, she had no way to reach her, and so she had no idea what the state of things were with her. And she couldn’t go to Mel with an “I don’t know!” when her friend would ultimately ask her what it meant, and what was going on with her and Vi now.

She did look Vi up on Instagram, but when she found her account was private, she couldn’t bear to request to follow her. Not when she hadn’t even spoken to her after Friday night.

So instead, Caitlyn spent her weekend riddled with anxiety and showed up to her weekly Monday morning coffee with her mother so fidgety that Cassandra’s first words were, “What’s wrong? What happened?” She spent the entire twenty minutes trying to convince her that she was fine, that work was fine, that her weekend had been fine and she was just stressed over “some drama with Mel.” Her mother definitely didn’t end up fully convinced, but Caitlyn couldn’t care less when she finally left and headed for the office.

Her heart was pounding all the way up to the sixteenth floor, down the hallway of the business offices. She conjured up everything that Vi might say to her when she saw her, how she might look at her. How she might become apologetic and say that their night together shouldn’t have happened. How she might become angry and say that Caitlyn shouldn’t have come onto her. Or how she might be perfectly happy about how the night had gone, and Caitlyn might be on the receiving end of one of those addictive smirks and be turned to a puddle at the very start of her workday.

What she was not expecting, however, was for Vi to be sitting completely normally at her desk, not even concerned with whether Caitlyn was about to walk in. And when Caitlyn did, very tentatively, walk past to get to her desk, for Vi to just look up with her usual, casual smile and say, “Hey, good morning.” She was not expecting for Vi to act like nothing had even happened.

“Good morning,” Caitlyn forced out, trying to sound just as normal as her mentor did. Her voice, though, definitely came out some amount different than it should have.

Vi didn’t even acknowledge that, though, just going on to say, “I’m meeting with Amara in an hour to talk about manager and employee training for the new platform. Did you want me to throw your name out for leading those, or is that too much pressure?”

Caitlyn blinked, her mind having been so fragmented by her anxiety that it was taking too long for her to focus back on where she actually was, and what Vi was even talking about. Vi just waited patiently, looking back at her computer to finish typing something while she waited for Caitlyn to decide. “Oh, uh, I’d be open to it—maybe to co-lead, though, more so than with the HR training? Just, since most people at the company don’t know me.”

Vi nodded at her computer screen. “Sure, I’ll pitch that to Amara.” She looked back at Caitlyn. “Probably won’t be till next week, though. In the meantime, business as usual.”

“Alright.” Caitlyn hesitated to step away, but when Vi just gave her a kind smile, she forced herself to. She sat down at her desk feeling completely stumped and more than a little disappointed.

At least business as usual wasn’t particularly difficult for her—mostly she was just drafting email responses and monitoring the company Slack channels for questions she could answer. She tried her best to focus, but every sound pulled her attention away, wondering if Vi was coming to talk to her. Because there was no way that Caitlyn had spent the whole weekend an anxious mess, while Vi was content to just pretend like Friday hadn’t even happened, right?

“You wake up on the wrong side of the bed or something?” Jinx snarked at her at lunch, and Caitlyn did her best to shrug her off.

Lux looked worried, though, and asked, “Did something happen with you and your date from Friday?”

Caitlyn sighed and had to say, “No. Mel wasn’t my date, she’s just a good friend. And I’m just tired, that’s all. Don’t worry about me.”

Lux and Jinx exchanged a look and Maddie’s eyes widened, but Caitlyn ignored all of them.

Because now her thoughts were spiraling, because Vi had been getting up while Caitlyn was dozing on Friday night. Maybe she’d been hoping Caitlyn wouldn’t wake up, maybe she’d planned on just disappearing without leaving a note. Maybe she hadn’t even driven to the party, and the story about her car wasn’t even true. Maybe she’d just realized that it was a big mistake, maybe the kiss she gave Caitlyn before leaving was just to distract her from connecting the dots, maybe she really just never intended to bring it up again. Maybe, from the moment she agreed to go home with Caitlyn, that had been her intention all along.

She couldn’t focus on work all afternoon. She noticed the calendar invites come up for the virtual manager and employee training sessions next week, made a mental note to prep for them, and otherwise just mindlessly scrolled through Vi’s inbox, trying to look busy.

Vi wasn’t at her desk when five o’clock rolled around, but her stuff was still there, and Caitlyn remembered seeing that she had a meeting scheduled right at the end of the day.

She thought about waiting, but quickly talked herself out of it and headed out for the day.

She talked herself back into it once she was on the ground floor, but ended up parking herself outside the building completely, leaning against one of the stone pillars framing the big entrance. She waited for fifteen minutes, eventually getting her phone out to pretend to care about any of her social media apps more than what she was going to say when Vi came out. If Vi came out anytime soon—maybe she was working late today? Or—Vi drove herself to work, and the parking garage was just next door to the building, but maybe there was some other way it connected that Caitlyn didn’t know about? Maybe Vi had already left. Maybe Caitlyn should just go home and be miserable there instead of waiting outside her place of work for the woman she was hopelessly crushing on, who’d changed her life in her bed on Friday, who was content to just pretend that none of it had ever even—

The door swung open again, and this time, there was Vi. Only, she had her phone pressed to her ear. “Yeah, yeah, I’m leaving right now and I’m not gonna forget,” she was saying, and Caitlyn held her breath and stood up straighter as Vi turned in her direction—the direction of the parking garage—only to stop in surprise when their gazes met.

“Hi,” Caitlyn said quietly.

Vi relaxed a little and stepped out of the way of the door, saying into her phone, “You can just send me the list and I’ll make sure it’s all—” She rolled her eyes at whatever the other person was saying, and then looked back at Caitlyn and nodded her head in a silent request for her to walk with her. So Caitlyn did, walking toward the parking garage with Vi, trying not to fidget with her blouse or her phone or her bag as she waited. “It’ll fit in my car, I don’t need to use your truck. I hate driving that thing anyway. It’s a keg, Vander, not a fucking refrigerator. It’ll fit in my backseat.”

Caitlyn was beyond confused hearing just one side of whatever this conversation was, and honestly it was amusing enough to lessen her anxiety. Or maybe it was just the fact that Vi didn’t seem stressed at all, just casually walking into the parking garage knowing that Caitlyn was right next to her. She breathed a little easier as Vi headed for the stairs, and they climbed up just one flight.

“Yeah, sure. Yes, I’m literally about to be on my way. Alright. Yeah, see you.” She hung up the phone and rolled her eyes. “Sorry, apparently my old man doesn’t trust me for shit. What’s up?”

Abruptly, Caitlyn was lost for words again. Or, she thought she was, before they rushed out of her without her even realizing. “What’s up? I don’t know, Vi, what do you think is up?”

Vi looked incredibly startled at the ferocity of her tone, and honestly, so was Caitlyn. But she crossed her arms and doubled down on it with a frown firmly affixed to her face. “Uh,” Vi’s pace in the direction of her car slowed, but she was still moving, so Caitlyn matched it. “I guess you want to talk about Friday night?”

“You guess? You guess that I want to talk about what happened on Friday night when—” she lowered her voice “—you were in my bed making me come six times? You guess that maybe I’d want to talk about that rather than just pretend it didn’t even happen?”

Vi stopped, and Caitlyn thought that meant she was about to snap back, but it quickly became clear that they’d reached her car. It was a red hatchback, and Vi unlocked it and tossed her work bag into its driver’s seat before crossing her arms and leaning against its hood, eyebrows knit. “Okay, so you’re mad about what happened Friday night?”

“I’m—?” Caitlyn snapped her mouth shut and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. “Vi. If I’m mad about anything, it’s that you’ve been acting like nothing happened on Friday night!” When she opened her eyes, Vi’s expression was softer, the corners of her lips sneaking up, like she was amused even. “What are you looking at me like that for?”

Vi let out a quiet laugh. “Look, Cait, I wanna have this conversation, but I’ve gotta pick up some stock for my dad in like, twenty minutes. So, we either need to talk later, or you can get in the car.”

Caitlyn blinked, trying to reconcile the way Vi was acting—the soft laugh, calling her Cait—with what she’d spent all day spiraling over.

And she knew she couldn’t wait any longer to have this conversation, not unless she wanted to continue wallowing in her anxiety, so she huffed and stepped around to Vi’s passenger seat.

The car was cozy but not too tight, and it was neat—not at all like Jayce’s car, which was the only one Caitlyn regularly rode in lately. Jayce had a habit of keeping just about anything anyone might ever need in his backseat, and that usually meant some overflow into the passenger seat as well. But the floor of Vi’s car was perfectly clean, and Caitlyn had no trouble clicking her seatbelt.

Vi got in on the driver side, taking her bag and reaching behind Caitlyn’s seat to tuck it on the floor there. And then, as she pulled out of her spot, she said, “Alright, so you’re mad because today I was acting, in your words, like nothing happened on Friday?”

“Yes!” Caitlyn huffed, before thinking again and trying to clarify, “Well—I mean—I’m not mad, I’m—I’m confused and I’m hurt.”

Vi got that soft look on her face again, and Caitlyn crossed her arms, ready to rebut whatever she was about to say. But what Vi actually did was ask, “Caitlyn, do you really think I was going to talk to you at work about what happened in bed on Friday?”

Caitlyn bristled instinctively, opening her mouth to respond, before she actually thought through the question. And when Vi gave her a sideways glance, and she looked genuinely amused, Caitlyn couldn’t stop herself from pouting. “You could have said something. You could have at least told me that we should talk later!”

“You could have done that, too.”

Caitlyn bit down on her tongue and turned to face forward, looking out the windshield and considering Vi’s point. “Alright, point taken. But you… I mean… you said you’d see me later and—”

“And I did.”

Caitlyn cut her a glare, but there was very little malice actually in it. “I just assumed you’d bring it up. But you’re… you’re right, that wouldn’t have been appropriate at work. I’m sorry, I just…” She trailed off, not sure what exactly she wanted to say, what she should say.

“It’s okay,” Vi responded kindly, “I get it. Honestly, I did some assuming of my own.”

Caitlyn peeked back over at her. “And what did you assume?”

Vi shrugged one shoulder as if to look casual, but Caitlyn caught the way her lips turned down at one corner. “Kinda thought you wouldn’t wanna talk about it. Figured, you know, you’d have gotten it out of your system and that was that.”

Caitlyn didn’t know if she was supposed to be offended by that, but she definitely was. “Excuse me? Gotten what out of my system?”

Once again, Vi looked caught off guard at her frustration. Frowning a little deeper, she answered, “Like, the wanna-be-fucked-by-your-hot-older-coworker fantasy.”

“The wanna-be-fucked…” Caitlyn trailed off repeating her, then shook her head. “Hot-older-coworker fantasy? You think I came onto you on Friday night because I wanted to indulge in some one-off fantasy?”

Vi shrugged again. “I mean—if it’s not one-off that’s fine, like I said, I just assumed.” Caitlyn was genuinely gaping at Vi, and Vi gave her an unsure look as she pulled to a stop at a red light. “Cait, you’re like, doing the car equivalent of the hovering thing you know I hate.”

Caitlyn shut her mouth and took a breath—because at least now she understood where the misunderstanding was. She tried to push away the instinct to feel offended, to convince herself that Vi just genuinely thought—but— “Wait. So, for you, was Friday night just you getting your wanna-fuck-a-hot-younger-coworker fantasy fix?”

Vi scoffed. “No!”

She didn’t even let the relief fully wash over her before demanding, “So why would you think that’s what I was doing?”

Vi’s eyebrows were furrowed as she started connecting the same dots Caitlyn had. “Because I’m twelve years older than you, Caitlyn.”

“So what?” Caitlyn demanded. Vi opened her mouth to answer, but Caitlyn quickly added, “And please, when you explain it to me, if you could avoid making any assumptions?”

Vi’s mouth snapped closed, and then after a second she sighed and said, “Alright, I get it. Look, I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying to upset or offend you. I just… I really didn’t think that…”

“That maybe I genuinely like you?” Caitlyn asked, her heart stuttering as she spoke. Vi’s throat bobbed, and she kept her gaze firmly fixed on the road ahead of her. They were headed toward the edge of the city center now, but Caitlyn didn’t care in the slightest, focused only on Vi. “Vi. I kissed you on Friday because I wanted to kiss you.”

Vi’s exhale was shaky and a little unsure, but what she said was, “Pretty sure I’m the one who kissed you.”

“Only because you were just as impatient as me,” Caitlyn insisted, her voice softening a little more. “Look, if you were… concerned because you’re technically my mentor at work, that’s one thing that I’m willing to hear out. If there’s something we’d need to… sign or—”

“There’s not,” Vi interrupted. “I mean—there kind of is, but the rules are kind of fuzzy, and—actually, not to spoil the rest of your internship, but you get to do the first pass of our first policy review in five years, so you’ll get pretty familiar—”

“Vi. Is that especially relevant right now?” Vi finally glanced back at her, her eyes alone answering the question. “Well, if you were worried about that, I’d hear you out. But if you want to see me again but won’t because of our difference in age—specifically for my sake—I won’t accept that without a discussion that doesn’t involve you trying to decide what’s best for me, because I get enough of that in every other part of my life.”

“You’re right, Cait, I’m sorry. I don’t want to do that, I never want to do that.”

Caitlyn let out a long breath. “Thank you.”

After a beat, Vi told her, “I do want to see you again. I think you’re… I think you’re great. Smart, funny, beautiful. If things were different, I’d have told you that by now—and that I’d like to get to know you better, outside of work. I just didn’t want to make you uncomfortable, or for you to feel pressured because I’m older than you or at a higher job level.”

Caitlyn nodded, relaxed a little more in Vi’s passenger seat. She thought about all of Mel’s worries about Vi and how wrong they were—and how right Caitlyn had been. It hadn’t all been one sided. Vi liked her, too.

“I’m sorry for stressing you out,” Vi reiterated, and Caitlyn just shook her head.

“It’s alright, I mostly did it to myself. I’m not always very good at… social things. And I couldn’t talk to Mel after Friday, either, so I just kind of hid in my apartment all weekend and—”

“What do you mean, about Mel?” Vi asked, frowning.

“Oh.” Caitlyn shook her head. “She’s been doing a lot of her own assuming. I asked her to come to the launch party with me because I wanted a… a buffer, I guess, but then I just really wanted to talk to you, and she really cares about me, so she was just being protective, but she doesn’t know you.” Vi was still frowning. “It doesn’t matter, Vi, she doesn’t know you. And I’m going to talk to her again this weekend. It’s fine.”

“Okay,” Vi said slowly. “I don’t wanna fuck up your friendships, Caitlyn.”

“You aren’t and you won’t,” Caitlyn stated firmly. “I might be younger than you, but just like I told her, I’m an adult, Vi. I can make my own decisions and manage my own friendships.”

Vi nodded. Then, after a beat, “Like I said, you don’t need to worry about work, but I think we should still keep things strictly professional there. Your internship is almost halfway over, and I think it would just be unnecessary hassle. Plus—you know, I wouldn’t want to put any expectation on you. Just because we wanna get to know each other… y’know, if it doesn’t go anywhere, that’d just make things even weirder in the office.”

“Agreed,” Caitlyn said with a firm nod, things being weird in the office reminding her of the other complicating factor. “I also… if it’s okay with you, I think we shouldn’t tell Jinx about what happened Friday, or about whatever else happens, at least until after the summer.” Vi went to reply, but Caitlyn rushed out, “I know she’s your sister, and I don’t want to ask you to lie to her, but if things get awkward at lunch then I’m going to have to start eating alone in the bathroom like an outcast highschooler.”

“Gross,” Vi said with a chuckle. “I don’t think we should tell Jinx either, mainly because I don’t think she could keep it to herself, so if we don’t want everyone at work to know, we probably shouldn’t tell her. So don’t worry. No bathroom lunches for you.” She shrugged. “Plus, I don’t usually tell Jinx if I’m seeing someone unless it gets pretty serious.”

Caitlyn rotated her body, curiosity piqued as the statement reminded her of something Vi’s sister had said before. “Have you really been single since she moved out, then, or just not told her when you’re dating someone?”

Vi narrowed her eyes, and Caitlyn had to bite back a laugh. “Why is Jinx gossiping about my dating life?”

“She’s not, she has just expressed her utter disdain for seeing PDA and the like and is a little convinced that you were dating people just to piss her off when you were living together.”

Vi made a face. “She’s such a little shit sometimes.” Her tone was fond, though, and Caitlyn couldn’t help but smile. “No, I haven’t been single for four years, just nothing serious.”

Caitlyn tilted her head a little. “Jinx lived with you until four years ago? Were you living with your dad?”

“You know, it’s occurring to me that you might know more about me than I realize, so maybe you should fill me in on what you know before I start telling you my whole life story.”

Caitlyn’s smile widened and she batted her eyelashes as Vi looked in her direction to turn the car into a parking lot. “But maybe I want to hear it from you.”

“Then maybe you should stop asking questions using your partial knowledge.”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. “I know that you lost your parents when you were kids, and I know that your dad is your adoptive father. You told me that he used to work at a factory but that he got sick and ended up starting fresh—and given that you’re picking up stock for him that involves a keg, I’m guessing that fresh start was maybe a bar?”

Vi smiled and winked at Caitlyn, whose breath caught in her throat. “Told you. Smart.”

“I also know that Jinx is my age,” Caitlyn continued, her cheeks growing warm. Vi was pulling the car up in front of a warehouse loading zone, but when she put the car in park, she just gave Caitlyn her full attention. “That she started school four years ago—which makes sense that that’s when she would’ve moved out, but you would’ve been twenty-eight, so I’m just curious if you were both living with him.”

“Yeah, we were,” Vi confirmed, “but I moved out when I was nineteen and only moved back in with him for about two years, just to help him out while Jinx was getting ready for college. I moved out around the same time Jinx went to live at SPU, but didn’t go as far. Vander—my dad—tends to push himself too hard, so I wanted to stay pretty close. I live like a block away from him.”

Caitlyn knew that she must’ve looked doe eyed as she stared at Vi. “That’s really sweet of you.”

She shrugged. “I guess. No judging me for living with him at twenty-eight, though.”

“I wouldn’t have, even if the reason wasn’t that sweet.” Caitlyn chewed on her bottom lip for a second, then admitted, “I lived with my parents until last August, and they would’ve wanted me to live with them literally forever, but I needed my own space, so.”

Vi gave a thoughtful hum that quickly turned teasing. “So that explains why you didn’t let me ask you that question on Friday.”

“Yes, well, excuse me for not wanting to discuss my parents before I begged you to undress and fuck me.”

Vi took her bottom lip between her teeth, and a rush of heat shot through Caitlyn’s body. But then Vi’s eyes flicked to look behind Caitlyn and she said, “There’s the guy I’m meeting. Just give me a sec? We gotta load the car up, then I can drop you home on my way to The Last Drop.”

Vi started to get out of the car, but Caitlyn abruptly reached out, snatched her hand. “Do you have to? Drop me off at home, I mean?”

And Vi searched her eyes, tongue darting out to wet her lips. “I guess not. If you don’t mind staying in the car while I drop this stuff off, in case Jinx is there? Then we can go wherever you want.” Caitlyn nodded eagerly, and Vi gave her a small smile. “It’s a date, then. Gimme a sec.”

She got out of the car to meet one of the warehouse employees, and Caitlyn sank happily into the passenger seat, letting her eyes fall closed for a second. The anxiety that had been filling her body was gone, replaced by fluttery excitement that she was certain she wasn’t going to be able to shake anytime soon.

Chapter Text

The sixth week of Caitlyn’s internship was much easier than her Monday morning anxiety had made it out to be. After sitting in Vi’s car while she carried a keg and a number of other bottles of alcohol to the back of her dad’s bar, they’d gone through a drive through for cheap burgers and sat in Vi’s car to just talk. It was both surprising and not at the same time, how easy it was to talk to her like that. It was always easy to talk to her at work, but Caitlyn had some amount of trepidation, she supposed, after their hookup. Like things would be weird or awkward, or Vi would look at her differently. But it quickly became apparent that that wasn’t the case.

They spent their drive through dinner with Vi telling Caitlyn about how her adoptive father took her and Jinx in when Jinx was a baby, and he legally adopted them less than a year later. She talked about how his factory job didn’t really give them much in terms of means, but that she was able to go to college thanks to scholarships she was eligible for due to having gone through the foster system. Then Caitlyn talked about her parents—specifically about her mom, whom Vi of course knew of as the COO of Progress Corp, and her tenuous relationship with her. How while money was no object for the Kirammans, the expectation it came with was not minimal.

When they had finished their food, Caitlyn accepted Vi’s offer to be driven home. And when Vi pulled her little red hatchback up in front of Caitlyn’s building, she leaned across the console to peck her on the lips in thanks, and reveled in the way Vi’s goodbye to her came out a little breathless.

It was good, and Caitlyn got a much needed, peaceful night of sleep.

On Tuesday, she realized that she still didn’t have Vi’s phone number. When Vi was in a meeting, Caitlyn grabbed a sticky note from inside her desk and scrawled her number across it with an added: in case you need to reach me -CK

Vi didn’t mention finding the sticky note during the workday, and Caitlyn didn’t expect her to. Surprisingly, it was a lot easier to act normal around Vi in the office now that they’d talked, even easier than it had been before last Friday. Maybe it was knowing that she wasn’t keeping this secret from Vi anymore, or maybe it was just knowing she’d see her again outside of work.

That didn’t mean she wasn’t incredibly sexually frustrated when she caught sight of Vi’s tattoos or noticed her flexing her arm to ruffle her hair. That didn’t change. But it was easier to hold in her reaction when she knew she could give it to Vi later.

Vi texted her on Tuesday right after work, just to let her know that she’d saved her number and for Caitlyn to save hers.

But later turned out to be Thursday, when Vi texted her at the end of the day, before Caitlyn was even fully out of the building.

Vi

Meet me at my car?

Just five words, and Caitlyn’s heart was racing. She could feel it in her chest and between her thighs, because she hadn’t masturbated at all since she and Vi slept together and she was overdue for it. Of course, she’d been putting it off on purpose, knowing that she’d see Vi again at some point. Hoping it would be soon.

Caitlyn gave Vi’s message a thumbs up response and then found Vi’s car parked in almost the same spot as Monday. She leaned idly against its hood for a few minutes, daydreaming about what Vi might have in mind for this evening, until the subject of her thoughts made her appearance.

“Hey!” Vi chimed brightly, like they hadn’t just seen each other ten minutes ago. “Sorry—Zoey caught me on my way out.”

“That’s alright,” Caitlyn assured her. She blinked with false innocence at Vi. “What did you want to meet me for?”

Vi smirked, but it melted into something softer within seconds. “You busy tonight? Got anywhere to be?”

Caitlyn shook her head. “Nope.”

“Do you wanna come to my place? Thought I could cook for you, maybe.”

Caitlyn’s heart somehow managed to beat even harder. “I’d love to. You cook?”

“With varying amounts of success, yes,” Vi answered, moving around to the driver side and prompting Caitlyn to slide in shotgun. “Guess it’s not really your thing?”

“I can’t say I’ve ever really tried,” Caitlyn admitted. “What are you going to cook for me tonight?”

Starting the car, Vi asked back, “What do you wanna eat?” Caitlyn took her bottom lip between her teeth to keep from giggling as her mind immediately went into the gutter, and when Vi gave her a sideways glance, she grunted out, “Never mind, don’t answer that.”

They did talk about what kind of food Vi had at her place as Vi drove them out of the city center, and they landed on pasta for dinner. Caitlyn was quiet afterward, curiously looking out the window as they drove into the southern part of Piltover, the city turning to dense suburbia. She should’ve realized from what Vi told her earlier in the week, but it didn’t hit her that Vi’s place was an actual house until she was pulling her car into the driveway of a beige paneled bungalow.

“Here we are,” Vi said unnecessarily, turning off the car. “C’mon, I’m hungry.”

Vi’s house was very much a classic starter home, judging by the size and shape, but it was absolutely more than enough for a single person to live comfortably. Her kitchen had shiny granite countertops and its sink was embedded in a spacious island with plenty of room for cooking. It was open to the rest of the main living space, a four seater dining table the only thing that separated it from the living room, where a red fabric couch was framed by two black armchairs. There was a nice coffee table and then a huge flatscreen TV mounted on the wall across from the couch. A glass door led from the living room to the backyard.

“You can sit down wherever,” Vi was saying as Caitlyn took in the house. “Food won’t take too long.” Caitlyn started to set her purse on the dining table, but then Vi said, “Oh—actually, can you hang that up by the front door? My cat thinks anything on any surface is free game to play with.”

Caitlyn blinked. “You have a cat?”

“Yeah—oh shit, you’re not allergic or anything, right?”

“No, I just—I didn’t know you had one.”

Vi briefly disappeared down a hallway with her work bag over her shoulder and came back without it, giving Caitlyn a warm smile. “Well, I do. Lace is pretty shy, though. She’ll probably come out, but she’ll keep her distance.”

“Her name is Lace?” Caitlyn looked toward the front door and found a row of hooks hanging by it, her purse quickly finding a home there.

“Yep. My ex actually named her—she was always my cat, and I wanted to call her Bones, but Lace ended up sticking.”

Caitlyn sat at one of the barstools she found under the outer part of the kitchen island as Vi began to move around her kitchen. “Well, no offense to you but your ex did choose a better name. What kind of name is Bones?”

Vi just laughed and said, “Yeah, I dunno what I was thinking. This was like seven years ago.”

Caitlyn scoffed with an edge of playfulness. “You can’t use that as an excuse when I’m currently younger than you were seven years ago.”

Vi laughed again, this time even more brightly, lighting Caitlyn’s eyes up and making her skin tingle. “No, okay, you are way smarter than I could’ve ever hoped to be in any part of my twenties.”

Caitlyn just rolled her eyes. “Oh whatever. I’m already in your house, you know, you don’t have to butter me up.”

Vi looked over her shoulder from where she was currently facing her pantry and winked. “Well, maybe I want to.”

And Caitlyn couldn’t really argue with that, especially not with her heart in her throat and her cheeks burning at the receipt of yet another wink from Vi.

Vi made them spaghetti with a meaty tomato sauce for dinner, and they sat together at the island to eat. It was all very sweet and domestic, and Caitlyn’s heart was racing all the while just at the fact of Vi cooking for her. She’d dated girls before, even had a couple of girlfriends so far during college, but they’d all been right in the thick of homework and exams with her. The most cooking any of them had ever done for Caitlyn was putting something frozen in the microwave or maybe the oven. This was worlds different, and Caitlyn liked it. Maybe even a little too much, judging by the heat gathering between her thighs.

Vi didn’t let Caitlyn help with the dishes afterward, scooping them up and bringing around to the sink herself. Caitlyn was going to insist on helping, but Vi glanced back into the living room and said, “Oh, there’s Lace.”

Sure enough, poking her head out from behind the couch was a short haired white cat with vivid blue eyes directing a hesitant stare at Caitlyn. “Hi there, Lace,” Caitlyn said politely, ignoring the quiet chuckle she heard from Vi. “She definitely looks more like a Lace than a Bones.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.”

“She wouldn’t let me pet her, right?”

“Probably not, she usually takes a little while to warm up to new people. She will, though. It’ll be quick with you, I bet. It took her literal years with Jinx.”

Caitlyn huffed a laugh. “Why do I get the feeling that was entirely Jinx’s fault?”

“Because you’re right. Jinx is way too chaotic for cats.”

Lace made herself scarce again after a few minutes, disappearing down the hallway. Vi finished the dishes and came around to the island, and Caitlyn expected her to join her again, but the older woman stopped right behind her instead. Thick fingers combed through her hair, and Caitlyn’s eyes fell closed without meaning to as she sighed contentedly. She didn’t realize she was leaning back at all until Vi’s upper body was fully supporting her.

“I’ll take you home whenever you’re ready to call it a night,” Vi offered softly.

“Thank you,” Caitlyn murmured. “Did you want to call it a night already?”

Vi’s low chuckle already told Caitlyn her answer. “No way, baby, I’m not that old.” Caitlyn’s body reacted to being called baby by Vi immediately, back arching as a little needy sound escaped her throat. Vi laughed again, somehow even lower and rougher than before. “Damn, Cait, did me cooking do it for you?”

“I told you,” Caitlyn murmured, sinking further against Vi as her hands left her hair to instead snake around her body. “You ‘do it for me’ every damn day.”

“And I’d believe you,” Vi husked into her ear, “if you weren’t so productive at work. No way you’re horny all the time and getting so much done.”

“Trust me, it’s been a challenge,” she breathed out, turning her head and pressing her nose into Vi’s bicep, leaving a soft kiss on it. Then she whispered, “My vibrator may as well be named ‘Vi’ at this point.”

That made Vi groan low with thick and obvious arousal. “Fuck, baby.” She ran her hands down Caitlyn’s blouse, reached her pants and teased her fingers just under its waistband. “How many times have you masturbated thinking of me?”

“So many, too many to count,” Caitlyn murmured.

Vi’s lips ghosted over her ear. “When was the first time?”

Caitlyn remembered easily, the scene and the whole day prior coming back to her in vivid detail. “The day I came in early, after I saw you in your gym clothes.” Vi slid her fingers down further, slipping under her panties. “God, my underwear was ruined before we even had that meeting. You were all I could think of all day, I couldn’t stand it when I got home, I had to—”

Her voice cut off in a sharp gasp as Vi dipped into her wet heat. Vi moaned pleasantly into her ear, swirling her fingers through the mess. “You had to what?”

“I-I had to come,” Caitlyn stuttered out, her face still pressed against Vi’s arm. “I h-had to—o-oh—” Vi had two fingers framing her clit, squeezing with just enough pressure to tease.

“You had to fuck yourself. You had to fuck yourself thinking of me.”

“Yes,” Caitlyn mewled. “Yes, Vi, y-yes—”

“God, you’re so fucking wet just for me,” Vi moaned, then dragging her tongue along the shell of Caitlyn’s ear, sending a shiver through her spine. “Should I fuck you just like this, baby? Or should I throw you into my bed and let you pick out a strap for me to fuck you with?”

Caitlyn whimpered, leaning against Vi harder as she pushed her hips forward. She begged, “Both, Vi, both.”

Vi laughed almost wickedly, like she knew Caitlyn would say that. Then she squeezed around Caitlyn’s clit, yanking a shaky moan out of her, before pressing two fingers straight inside her. Her other hand grabbed Caitlyn’s right breast over her shirt and bra, roughly squeezing, groping.

“Vi,” Caitlyn moaned, reaching a hand up and around, tangling into Vi’s hair. She was embarrassingly close already and used her grip on Vi’s neck to lift herself just enough to then thrust down onto Vi’s fingers with fervor.

“Fuck, you’re so fucking needy.” Vi’s voice was tight and appreciative, and Caitlyn would’ve played up the neediness even more to keep hearing it if it weren’t for Vi curling her fingers suddenly and pushing her to climax.

It was a short, small peak, and Caitlyn thought Vi did that on purpose, given how quickly she pulled her fingers out. “Vi,” Caitlyn whimpered, “I need more.”

“Oh, I know, Cait. Don’t worry, I just don’t wanna tire you out just yet.” Vi leaned around, took Caitlyn’s chin in her hand and kissed her hot and messy, then whispered, “I’m gonna take you to my bed now.”

“Please.”

Vi pulled her off of the barstool, Caitlyn’s legs wrapping around her instinctively as she was lifted. She planted lazy kisses across Vi’s jaw on their way to Vi’s bedroom, and only stopped when Vi was releasing her, dropping her lightly onto a huge bed.

“God, is this is a king size?” Caitlyn moaned, spreading her arms across it with satisfaction.

Vi laughed and began to unbutton the top she was wearing, Caitlyn’s attention snapping back to watch. “Yeah. First gift to myself after I got promoted to senior level.” She pushed her shirt off to reveal the sports bra she had under it today, and Caitlyn pouted when she didn’t immediately peel that off. Vi smirked, hands on her hips. “Aw, what’s wrong, baby?”

Caitlyn tried to suppress her whine, but she wasn’t sure how successful she was. She didn’t really care, though. “I want to see your piercings.”

Vi pushed some of her hair out of her face, flashing her heavily pierced ear. “These not good enough for you?”

“Your nipple piercings, Vi,” Caitlyn groaned, the floodgates of her desperation swinging open. “I want to suck on them, I want to know if they’re sensitive.”

“Fuck, you’re unreal.” Vi had her sports bra off in a second and then climbed onto the bed, straddling Caitlyn’s abdomen and availing her breasts to her. Caitlyn didn’t hesitate to lean up and lave her tongue around the pert bud and the little silver bar through it. Vi let out a pretty little gasp when her teeth grazed it, and when she sucked the bar into her mouth and very gently tugged, that earned her a deep moan.

“They’re sensitive,” Caitlyn confirmed, pleased and breathless.

“Yeah, baby,” Vi agreed, but she was sitting back up, sliding down to straddle Caitlyn’s hips. Caitlyn didn’t have time to complain before her blouse was being peeled off, and then Vi’s hand slid under her back to unclasp her bra. She pulled it away and growled, “My turn.”

Caitlyn could barely fucking breathe as Vi took her breasts in her rough hands, squeezing, pinching at her nipples. She threw her arms above her and buried her face into the bend of her shoulder as she gasped desperately. Caitlyn’s boobs had always been sensitive, but something about the way Vi handled them increased the intensity by a tenfold.

“How the fuck are your tits so perfect?” Vi groaned, leaning down, burying her face between them. Licking through her cleavage, swirling her tongue around Caitlyn’s nipple until it was so hard that it hurt. Caitlyn’s choked whimper encouraged Vi to give her mercy, finally sucking the bud into her mouth, biting down. Caitlyn gasped and arched her body, and Vi caught her with a strong hand under her back, holding her there half hovering over the bed as she lavished her chest with even more attention.

“V-Vi, please,” Caitlyn whined, her heart pounding in her clit more than anywhere else.

Vi laughed lowly into her chest and then sat up, letting Caitlyn sink into the comforter. “Please what?”

“I want you. I want what you offered me.”

Vi knew exactly what she was talking about, of course, but she gave Caitlyn a smirk and a raised eyebrow anyway. “Mm, and what was that?”

“Your strap,” Caitlyn whispered.

Vi grinned and climbed off of her and the bed completely, and Caitlyn didn’t pay attention to where she went as she tried to catch her breath and temper her arousal. It had been a while since anyone used a strap on her—or vice versa—and it wasn’t something she had a ton of experience with. But the idea of Vi fucking into her with one was irresistible.

Vi came back with a high quality looking harness and a small plastic tub of dildos, setting both on the bed. “There are a few different sizes.”

Caitlyn wet her lips and sat up to look them over. “Have you used them all?”

“Probably.”

Caitlyn dared to look up at Vi, who was now shedding her pants. “Have any of them ever been used on you?”

Vi quirked up an eyebrow. “A couple of them.” Caitlyn fluttered her lashes and Vi gave a soft laugh, coming closer and pointing at a couple of the softer, bendier silicone ones. “These are the ones I like. Have you ever had anyone fuck you with a strap, baby?”

“Just once or twice,” Caitlyn admitted, and she didn’t mean to sound nervous, but she figured that she did when Vi suddenly pushed some hair out of her face, cupped her cheek, and coaxed her to meet her gaze.

“We don’t have to use any, it was just an idea. I’ll fuck you however you like.”

“No, I want to,” Caitlyn insisted. She swallowed and looked back into the bin, touching a few of the firmer dildos. “These are kind of like the toys I use on myself. I just don’t know how big I can take.”

Vi’s voice was soft and kind, warm and comforting. “Want to start small, then?”

She considered how wet she was, how two of Vi’s fingers had barely given her a stretch on Friday. Sitting up a little more, she reached for Vi’s hand and gathered her three middle fingers together. Vi chuckled as Caitlyn used them to compare to some of the dildos, and she ended up picking one of the medium sized, firm ones—a purple one.

“I’ll make sure you’re ready for me before I use it,” Vi promised her, “and you just tell me if it’s too much at any point, okay?”

Caitlyn nodded and sprawled back onto the bed, her cheeks burning, chest heaving rapidly. She felt small in a strangely exciting way as Vi removed her underwear and pulled on her harness, strapping the chosen dildo into place. Vi’s eyes falling on her, her desire clearly swirling, mixing, with that tenderness she seemed to keep for Caitlyn, only ramped up the feeling.

Vi carefully unbuttoned her pants and pulled them off, with her underwear, in one swift motion, leaving Caitlyn completely naked for her. “You’re so pretty, baby,” Vi whispered, sweet and reverent. She grabbed one more thing out of the plastic bin before moving it onto the floor and getting onto the bed. Caitlyn’s eyes flicked to look at the little bottle. “Just lube, in case you need it. That okay?”

“Yeah,” Caitlyn managed to breathe out as she spread her thighs, wanting.

“I’m gonna be careful with you, don’t worry. I’m gonna take good care of you.”

Caitlyn gave a quiet, needy whimper, and Vi brought her fingers to her wetness, sliding through it again, prodding gently at her clit, exploring. Caitlyn’s eyes rolled back into her head just at the light touch, her skin prickling with heat and need.

Vi slid one finger in first, but her second one followed immediately when she realized just how soaked Caitlyn was. It was just that gentle stretch again, eliciting a soft sigh from Caitlyn. She felt the third finger carefully moving to join, much more slowly as Caitlyn’s cunt stretched to allow the addition. Caitlyn gave a quiet moan, spreading her legs even further, opening herself up as wide as she could. When Vi’s third finger was fully inside, she began to pulse carefully while thumbing her clit. It was slow, careful, in a way settling Caitlyn’s arousal just a little, anchoring her body and her mind to this moment.

“How’s that, baby girl?” Vi husked, and Caitlyn gasped as the endearment shot fire through her. Vi’s fingers suddenly moved with even more ease, and she breathed out a low and awed, “Oh fuck, you like me calling you that?”

Caitlyn whimpered with a desperate nod, unable to form intelligible words let alone coherent thoughts. She didn’t even feel that far gone, not yet balancing on the edge of another orgasm, but her mind was blank and all she could do was keep nodding eagerly. Fisting her hands into Vi’s pillows, her hips begging Vi to move harder, faster.

“Yeah, I think you’re ready for me,” Vi rumbled, her fingers drawing out and leaving Caitlyn far too empty.

She managed to plead, “Vi—” but the woman’s name twisted into a needy moan the second the head of the dildo was touching her folds. Vi dragged it up to put pressure on her clit, and then back down, coating its tip in her wetness.

“I’m just gonna use a little bit of this,” Vi told her, Caitlyn hearing the click of the bottle lid opening. She felt movement between her legs, and then the extra slick dildo was touching her again, sliding inside.

“Oh,” Caitlyn gasped, Vi stilling with only part of the toy inside, her hands dragging soothingly over Caitlyn’s thighs and hips. And she continued to gently squeeze and caress her as she slowly pressed in deeper, until Caitlyn was so full, until all she could think of was Vi inside her, until Vi was coaxing her legs up so that her hips could come flush with Caitlyn’s skin.

“There you go, baby.” Vi’s voice was a low, satisfying rumble. “You’re doing so good, Cait. Does it feel good?” Caitlyn nodded, but forced her eyes open, finally taking in the view in front of her. Vi staring down at her with her pupils wide, hands on the backs of her thighs. The shiny silver barbells in her nipples glinted in the light that also made her abs look so perfectly defined. Distantly, Caitlyn knew she wanted to touch, but the thought disappeared into mist as Vi began to slowly pull out—only to thrust back in. “It’s not too much?”

Caitlyn shook her head and Vi dragged one of her hands up to touch Caitlyn’s abdomen, then gently cupping her breast.

“Breathe, baby girl,” Vi instructed, and Caitlyn only just now realized that she’d started holding her breath. She shakily let it out and resumed her breathing, and then Vi started moving again. “Good girl. Look at you, taking me so good.”

Caitlyn sucked in a sharp breath, eyes closing again, as Vi thrusted in a little faster, and her exhale tumbled out in a low moan. Vi started a steady pace, her hands gripping the undersides of Caitlyn’s thighs, holding her firmly in place, keeping her open. Each thrust gave her clit a little bit of friction, and it felt so good inside, but it didn’t feel like enough.

She opened her mouth to try and beg Vi to touch her, but the words wouldn’t form, so she just whimpered uselessly. But Vi must’ve been watching her with rapt attention, because she murmured, “Can you show me what you want, Cait?”

So Caitlyn released her hold on Vi’s pillows and brought her hands onto her own body. With her left, she pinched at her nipple, but she sank the right down between her thighs, pressed onto her clit—

Then Vi was pushing it away, message received, rubbing circles into the sensitive bundle of nerves as she started to thrust even faster. And Caitlyn was breathing like she was told, but it was fast and almost useless as her skin burned. She dug her nails into her breasts, Vi put more pressure onto her clit, and Caitlyn’s hips jerked as her cunt began to clench tighter around the toy. Vi kept thrusting, though, the sensation becoming so delicious to Caitlyn’s body as she felt the edges of her orgasm sneaking up on her.

Even though she felt it coming, it crashed over her like a tidal wave. Her body was tense as Vi helped her milk out every last drop of her pleasure, moving the dildo as much as it feasibly could with Caitlyn’s cunt sucking on it greedily.

Caitlyn didn’t notice that Vi was saying anything until she felt herself pass the peak, and her body began to relax. She was almost absently murmuring, “God, you’re so fucking hot, Cait, fuck. You did so good, you took me so good.” Caitlyn blinked her eyes open and unsteadily landed her gaze on the older woman, who was glistening with a thin layer of sweat. Vi noticed her looking and asked, “Felt good?”

“Mhm,” Caitlyn hummed, reaching her hand out for Vi’s face.

Vi smiled. “Just a sec, I’m gonna pull out, okay?”

“Mkay.”

Vi was really careful, but Caitlyn winced a little still. Vi very quickly undid the harness and discarded the thing to the side of the bed, letting Caitlyn’s legs down to relax and climbing on top of her, delivering her lips with a soft, “Sorry, baby, I know that’s uncomfortable sometimes.”

“’s okay,” Caitlyn murmured, grabbing both sides of Vi’s face, running her thumbs over her soft skin as Vi kissed her. Her mouth moved with such gentle precision, the way she kissed Caitlyn slow and sweet after making her come so hard. Two nights with Vi, eight orgasms, and Caitlyn was already certain that this was the best sex of her life.

Her mind started to come back to her as Vi continued to kiss her, and she finally brought her hands to Vi’s waist, then up to her chest, gently adoring the swell of her small breasts and her sensitive nipples. Vi separated their lips to suck in an unsteady breath. Caitlyn adjusted carefully underneath her, bringing her thigh between Vi’s and pressing up to find the most glorious mess waiting for her.

“Oh my god,” Caitlyn whined, squeezing Vi’s boobs as the other woman ground her hips, rubbing her soaked cunt against Caitlyn’s thigh. Amazed, she murmured, “I did all this?”

“Y-Yeah,” Vi stuttered out. “Fuck, Cait, you have no idea how much it turns me on, seeing you fall apart for me. I’ve been thinking about it all week, how I wanted you right here, all blissed out underneath me.”

“Mm, wanna get you off, Vi,” Caitlyn pleaded.

Vi grunted, rubbed harder onto Caitlyn’s thigh, then murmured, “Can I get off on your cunt?”

It wasn’t exactly what Caitlyn had in mind, but she nodded readily nonetheless. “Yes, yes,” she begged, and then Vi was moving, repositioning them, spreading Caitlyn’s legs open, stretching her wide enough to press their pussies together into one, big, wet mess. Caitlyn moaned as Vi gasped, sounding like she was already on the brink of release. Vi rubbed her clit against Caitlyn’s labia, both swollen with desire.

Caitlyn was sensitive, though, and it was almost too much, but she wanted Vi to feel good. So she focused on Vi’s expression, the crease in her forehead where her eyebrows were knit, the parting of her lips for her heavy breathing. Intense concentration as she took her pleasure from Caitlyn. And as she watched, the sensitivity subsided and she felt herself starting to itch with another orgasm. She bit down on her lip and pushed her cunt up against Vi’s, forcing back her own pleasure and trying to give more to Vi.

When Vi’s breaths were coming even shorter, framed in moans, and her hips were moving more erratically, Caitlyn begged, “Come for me, Vi, please. Come on me—”

And Vi did, pressing down hard on Caitlyn’s spread legs, grinding even harder against her mound as she rode out her climax there, her warm release against Caitlyn so sudden and satisfying that Caitlyn was suddenly overwhelmed by another orgasm of her own.

Then they were both breathless—Caitlyn, at least, feeling totally spent. Lying back down, Vi sprawled on her back next to Caitlyn, catching her breath.

Caitlyn rolled onto her side and Vi lifted her arm without hesitation, allowing her to fit into her side, lay her head down on Vi’s chest. “Felt good?” she whispered, echoing Vi’s question to her earlier.

Vi’s laugh was like music, and Caitlyn had to fight not to close her eyes and let it lull her into a doze. “Yeah, Cait, felt so good.” Caitlyn hummed contentedly and then she couldn’t help it, her eyelids fluttering closed of their own accord. “You tired out? Need to take a nap?”

“Mhm,” Caitlyn hummed, before furrowing her brow slightly and mumbling, “no, no, I’m awake, swear.”

Vi just laughed again and pressed a soft kiss through her hair. “Go on and nap on me, beautiful, I don’t mind. We’re not in a rush, I’ll take you home later.”

“Mkay,” was the last thing that Caitlyn managed to murmur before drifting off.

She woke up awhile later, finding Vi no longer in bed with her. Instead, a white cat was crouched on the other side of the bed, eyes narrowed as she watched Caitlyn wake up. She didn’t want to scare Vi’s cat, but the yawn crept up on her without her permission, and as soon as she moved to cover her mouth, Lace zipped off the bed and out of the bedroom. A second later, Vi poked her head out of what must’ve been her bathroom.

“Didn’t meant to scare her,” Caitlyn murmured, realizing that she’d been tucked under Vi’s blankets at some point, naked skin no longer exposed to the air.

“You’re fine,” Vi assured her with a smile, coming out of the bathroom, “she scares easily. Good nap?” Vi’s hair was dry, so it didn’t look like she’d showered, but she appeared to have cleaned up and was dressed in gym shorts and a t-shirt.

“Mhm, thank you,” Caitlyn murmured, feeling a little shy all of a sudden. “What time is it?”

“Little after eight,” Vi answered. “Want me to take you home soon?”

“I guess so,” Caitlyn said, her tone becoming teasing as she added, “since you’ll be wanting to sleep by, what was it, nine?”

Vi rolled her eyes as she smiled. “Says the girl who just took an hour nap in the middle of the evening.”

“That is not my fault,” Caitlyn huffed, pulling herself to a seated position, Vi’s comforter falling down to settle in her lap. Vi’s gaze immediately fell to her chest, warming her skin. “You’re the one who fucked me so good.”

Vi leaned against her bathroom doorframe, arms crossed over her chest, and winked. “Well, I’m not going to apologize for that.”

Caitlyn smiled softly and carefully got out of Vi’s bed, correctly predicting that her thighs were just a little bit sore. “Let me just get cleaned up and dressed, and you can take me home.”

“Sure thing. Need a snack or anything?”

“Maybe just some water?” Vi left the room to grab her some as Caitlyn went into the bathroom to relieve herself. Vi’s bathroom was nice and spacious, with a garden style tub and shower combo and ample counter space around the single sink. When Vi came back in with a glass of water, Caitlyn was washing her hands and said, “I’m so jealous of your bathroom. My bathroom at my parents’ house is really the only thing I miss about it.”

Vi chuckled, handing over the water that Caitlyn immediately took a few long sips from. “Yeah, it’s nice. Sometimes I feel kinda stupid, though, having all this space to myself. Like, I’d be fine in a house or an apartment half this size or even smaller.”

Instead of asking why that made Vi feel stupid, Caitlyn thought through what Vi had told her before about her childhood and instead asked, “Then how come you don’t just move somewhere smaller?” Vi looked at her with something like surprise in her eyes, but Caitlyn just finished her water and then moved past Vi to find her clothes.

“Wanted three bedrooms and two bathrooms, just in case… I guess, you know, Vander gets old and needs to move in, or Jinx needs a place to stay. Or both.”

Caitlyn smiled adoringly back at her. “You’re very sweet, Vi. Do they spend a lot of time here?”

“Some. Usually we meet at Vander’s, though, if it’s all three of us. Jinx does like to show up and bother me on the weekends sometimes,” Vi joked.

Caitlyn started to pull on her clothes and asked, “Speaking of the weekends…” She felt shy again, bit down on her bottom lip. “Are you free anytime this weekend? For me to see you again?”

She had her pants on but not her shirt when Vi gently caught her waist, pulled her close, and kissed her shoulder. “Yep. I’m wide open on Saturday.”

“Saturday,” Caitlyn breathed out. “Sounds good.”

“Cool.” Vi pressed another kiss to her shoulder and then let her go, allowing Caitlyn to finish getting dressed.

Vi dropped her off in front of her apartment not long later, Caitlyn stealing a quick goodbye kiss before she headed upstairs, a joyful bounce in her step.

Her phone buzzed as she reached her apartment.

Mel

So, are we doing yoga this weekend? And are you going to talk to me?

And Caitlyn deflated just a little.

Caitlyn

Let’s hang out with Jayce after yoga on Saturday, and we’ll talk about everything?

She was certain that her wording was going to concern Mel even more, but she shrugged that off and put her phone onto do-not-disturb for the night, ready to shower and fall asleep dreaming of Vi.

Chapter Text

Caitlyn chugged her water bottle on Saturday morning after power yoga, breathing heavily still when she lowered it. The yoga studio had a small locker and shower room that Caitlyn and Mel only used if they were hanging out right after, and in today’s case, they were headed over to Jayce’s apartment. He offered to let them shower there, but Mel insisted that they should get it over with at the yoga studio.

Which, to Jayce, was certainly a strange thing to insist over, but Caitlyn knew that Mel was going to start grilling her as soon as they made it to Jayce’s place. The only reason she hadn’t been grilling her before and possibly even during yoga was because Caitlyn had specifically said she wanted to talk to both of her friends at once.

So, Caitlyn was pretty sure that Mel already knew what she was going to say. Or at least, the general sentiment behind it.

But there were only a few showers at the yoga studio, and all were currently occupied. Caitlyn was waiting while Mel was showering, and after chugging her water, she eyed herself in the locker room mirror. She was wearing her yoga pants with sheer sections across her midthighs and just a sports bra, her hair in a messy ponytail. She was still a little sweaty, obviously still breathless, her skin tinged pink.

She was seeing Vi later, after whatever ended up happening with Mel and Jayce. She hoped she wouldn’t need cheering up, hoped that she’d be in a good mood.

She wished Vi could see her now, though. She wished she could see Vi now, or earlier this morning, if she’d gone to the gym.

Caitlyn wet her lips. Although the other showers were occupied, no one else was in the rest of the locker room to see her open the phone camera and snap a picture of herself. And then a couple more, shifting her position a few times, trying to find one that would make her look sexy and not awkward. It was just so effortless for Vi, whether because of her bulk or her confidence or the just the fact that she’d fully grown into her body. Every time Caitlyn thought that she’d fully passed through her awkward, too tall phase, she found that there was still something that she had to grow into. Trying to take this picture for Vi, she felt old teenaged insecurities creeping up on her.

She did her best to bury them as one of the showers turned off. She picked the least awkward photo and sent it without any accompanying text, then quickly gathered her things to shower as one became available.

When she was dressed in the blue cotton shorts and cropped white t-shirt she’d chosen for the day and came out to meet Mel, she had two new messages back from Vi.

“Ready to go?” Mel asked her before she could check it, a little terse. It’d been a little bit of an awkward morning with her friend resisting asking her what “talk about everything” meant and Caitlyn trying to act like everything was normal.

She nodded and followed Mel out of the locker room and then out of the studio completely. Mel took the liberty of calling them an uber, since Jayce’s place was the furthest from the part of the city Caitlyn and Mel frequented, and Caitlyn used that moment to check her new message.

Vi

Fuck, baby, I’m about to get breakfast with Vander and Jinx, and now all I’m going to be able to think about is this pic

That, and how flexible you are. That thanks to yoga, or you always been that way?

Caitlyn bit down on her lower lip, trying to hold back her grin. The insecurity was gone in a second, just reading Vi’s response. She could practically hear it in her voice, especially the “fuck, baby.” Caitlyn had never really thought she’d like being called that, but it was becoming increasingly clear just how much she loved it coming from Vi.

Caitlyn

Always been that way, but the yoga certainly helps 😋

Vi, who was apparently not yet at her breakfast, responded right away.

Vi

You going to be wearing that when I see you later?

Caitlyn

No… but I can bring it with me.

On one condition.

Vi

Give it to me

Caitlyn

I want a gym picture next time, please 😌

Vi

You got it

Ok I gotta go into this restaurant

See you later, baby girl

Caitlyn’s breath caught in her throat as she heart reacted to the last message and then quickly locked her phone, like she was worried she would get caught. Honestly, the abrupt shoving of her phone into her pocket is what actually made Mel look at her with concern.

“Are you alright?”

“Yep, I’m fine!” Caitlyn exclaimed, a little too brightly, trying not to squirm as her body continued to react to Vi’s text.

Mel didn’t press her even though she was definitely unconvinced. They stood in a slightly tense quiet until their uber pulled up, and ten minutes later found them at Jayce’s door. He opened it open with a wide grin, completely unaware of what drama was about to unfold.

“Hey! You guys been extra busy this week, or something? The group chat’s been dead,” Jayce complained, letting them both in. “And are we feeling like a mimosa morning? Because I may or may not have champagne.”

“Why do you have champagne?” Mel asked, in the same beat that Caitlyn said, “Yes, please.”

Jayce went to his kitchen, still grinning. “Had my first progress check in with my manager yesterday,” he informed them, “and she basically said that I’m the best intern their engineering department has ever had. So. Had to do some celebrating last night. My mom came over—would’ve invited you both, but since you were coming over this morning...”

“That’s amazing, Jayce, congratulations,” Mel told him sincerely, sitting down on his couch as Caitlyn set her bag with her gym clothes on the floor, hesitantly joining her.

“And no surprise, you’re pretty much a genius, Jayce.”

Jayce gave them grateful smiles from where he was pouring three mimosas. “Man, switching to engineering is the best decision I ever made, I think.”

“Yes, you were quite awful in political administration,” Mel teased.

“At least you tried it, though, and got to meet us,” Caitlyn chimed in.

“Part of me will always be a PUB kid,” Jayce said with a chuckle, balancing the three mimosa glasses as he brought them over. Mel only took a sip, but Caitlyn downed half of her glass in one go. As Jayce sat in his armchair, he inquired, “Uh, Cait, you good?”

“Actually,” Mel said, “I think Caitlyn wanted to talk to us about something, Jayce.”

Jayce’s expression turned suspicious in a split second. “Oh god, are you two fighting? Is that why the group chat has been dead?”

“We’re not fighting,” Caitlyn insisted, while Mel asked, “How could we be fighting when we’re not even talking?” Caitlyn gave her a deadpan stare, and Mel just shrugged.

“Will someone just tell me what’s going on?”

Mel took the liberty of starting. “Do you remember how I went to that company party with Caitlyn? Because she didn’t want her intern friend to notice how attracted to the friend’s sister, aka Caitlyn’s mentor, she is?”

“Yeah…”

“Well, Caitlyn may have underemphasized just how interested in said mentor she is.”

Jayce’s head whipped to look at Caitlyn, but where Mel was clearly upset and distrusting, he just looked excited for gossip. “Stop, don’t tell me that you are actually into older women?”

“It’s not—that’s not—” Caitlyn stopped herself, took a breath. “It’s not older women, okay, it’s just Vi. And it’s not like she’s my mother’s age or something, she’s thirty-four!”

“That is twelve years older than you!” Mel exclaimed. “She was graduating college before you started your period, Caitlyn!”

“Well I wasn’t into her then, was I?” Caitlyn snapped. “I’m an adult, Mel, I’m not getting manipulated by some creepy old cougar, okay?”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Jayce cut in, clearly trying to catch up still. “So is this still just one-sided lusting and crushing, or is the HR lady—”

“Her name is Vi.”

“—right, Vi, is she like… involved now? Did she do something at the party?”

Mel answered before Caitlyn could. “It’s more about what she didn’t do and hasn’t done—the responsible thing of telling a woman twelve years younger than her that nothing is going to happen. Which Caitlyn thinks is because heart-of-gold Vi likes her back in a way that isn’t predatory!”

Jayce scoffed a little. “Mel, c’mon, we’re not teenagers. It’s not predatory for someone in their thirties to be into someone in their twenties.”

“Thank you!” Caitlyn exclaimed.

“She’s also Caitlyn’s mentor!”

Bolstered by Jayce’s support, Caitlyn snapped, “Which you expressly said last Friday wasn’t even the reason for your concern!”

“It’s the both combined, Caitlyn, it’s the fact that she’s older than you and has some power over you at work. It’s both of those things that makes me worry about her intentions! If she just liked you, she’d have respect for you enough to shut things down from your end for one of those reasons.”

“Is it possible she just really hasn’t noticed?” Jayce tried to mediate.

“No,” Mel insisted, “you didn’t see Caitlyn that night. She was practically swooning, and Vi looked very pleased by it.”

“Well, maybe she doesn’t want to bring it up because it might make things awkward? Maybe she does know Caitlyn is crushing on her, and she’s just hoping it will fizzle out? Or something?”

Caitlyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and her friends both went quiet. She chugged the last of her mimosa and then opened her eyes, set down the glass. “We hooked up after the party.”

Mel and Jayce’s jaws both dropped, though one of them looked a little more excited than the other. Or, a lot more. “Caitlyn,” Mel hissed after a beat. “Your uber was like a minute away when I left! Did you fucking cancel your ride?”

“No! I got reassigned drivers and I went to the bathroom and she happened to come in there, too—”

“She followed you.”

“No!” Caitlyn snapped, suddenly very stern. “She did not follow me. She didn’t see me, she thought I’d left completely. She thought you and I were dating.” Mel just stared back at her, unreadable. “She didn’t say or do anything non-platonic until I did, because like I’ve told you, she’s a good, respectful person who you don’t know.”

A tense silence settled over the three of them for a moment, and it was Jayce who broke it after a few long seconds. “Mel, I think you’re overreacting on this one. Cait’s right, we don’t know Vi, and Caitlyn is smart enough to determine whether someone is being manipulative.”

Mel clenched her jaw tight, and Caitlyn waited with bated breath for whatever she was going to say to that. Like Caitlyn, Mel was incredibly stubborn. In the beginning of their friendship, it had been a point of contention a few times, until they’d realized when to let certain topics go.

This was different, though. Caitlyn couldn’t just dismiss her feelings—and she didn’t want to. If Vi had turned her down, insisted it be a one time thing, then of course she’d be trying to move on. But that hadn’t happened, and this past week only made Caitlyn more sure that she wasn’t going to throw this away over unwarranted concerns.

Mel looked at Caitlyn. “Are you going to see her again? Outside of work, I mean?”

“Yes,” Caitlyn stated, “and I already have.”

Mel let out a long breath, then sank back into the couch. “Fine. It’s your decision Caitlyn. I won’t keep fighting with you over it.”

Caitlyn felt herself relax a little. “Thank you.”

“I still think it’s a bad idea, and I still don’t trust her.”

“Maybe you can meet her again. If you get to know her, you’ll understand.”

Mel sighed, and Caitlyn thought she was going to relent.

But she just turned to Jayce and said, “So, what exactly did your boss tell you during your performance review?”

Jayce gave Caitlyn an apologetic look, and she held back any words of frustration. “Yes, tell us. And—is there more champagne? I need another drink.”

Four hours later found Caitlyn sandwiched between Vi’s front door and Vi’s hard body, her ass in Vi’s hands, their lips fused in a heated kiss. She’d barely had any time to greet her before Vi had pulled her into her arms after taking just one look at her. Caitlyn certainly didn’t mind, threading her fingers into pretty magenta hair and humming contentedly against scarred lips. The bag she’d had with her all day was dropped on the floor next to her, since she’d come here straight from Jayce’s.

Caitlyn was panting when Vi pulled back to let her breathe—or maybe so she could get a good look at Caitlyn’s outfit. “Fuck, I like this even better than the yoga look,” she rumbled.

“Really?”

“Yeah, baby, your legs are so fucking sexy.” Vi squeezed her ass and Caitlyn squeaked out a little, the sound turning into a quiet laugh. “And these shorts are cute. You’re cute.”

“Cute and sexy?” Caitlyn asked, batting her eyelashes even though her blush was genuine.

“Mmhmm, you heard me.” Vi kissed her again, but this time is was soft and brief. “How was your morning with your friends?”

“It was fine,” Caitlyn said, the answer coming out a little too fast. “How was breakfast with your family?”

Vi raised an eyebrow and did not answer. “That didn’t sound very convincing, Cait.”

Caitlyn huffed and slipped out of Vi’s hold, picking up her bag and walking past her. “Where’s Lace? I got her something at the corner store while I was waiting for my uber, and I know she probably won’t let me give it to her, but—”

“Caitlyn,” Vi cut in, catching her arm only for Caitlyn to pull it free, bringing her bag over to set it on the kitchen island, opening it up.

“I don’t want to talk about my morning,” Caitlyn stated firmly.

“Mel was there, right?”

“Vi,” Caitlyn huffed, looking up at her with a stern gaze, “I said I don’t want to talk about it.”

She felt her own expression soften, though, when she read the concern in Vi’s. “Okay,” Vi gave in, “if you don’t wanna talk about it, then we won’t. I’m sorry.”

Caitlyn deflated a little, looking back at her bag and pulling out the little packet of tubed cat treats. Without looking back at the older woman, she stated, “If I tell you what happened this morning, I don’t want you to make it into a big deal. Okay?”

“Okay,” Vi agreed, sounding like she was moving a little closer.

Caitlyn just had to trust her, she supposed. “I told Mel, and my friend Jayce, that I—that you and I are… seeing each other. Mel’s upset about it—she’s said she doesn’t want to fight anymore but… we hung out for hours after and she would barely even look at me. She’s making a lot of assumptions about you, and she refuses to trust me or even really listen to me, so I’m still angry with her.  Jayce is being much more reasonable, but I feel awful he’s stuck in the middle.”

She turned the packet of cat treats over in her hands and felt Vi approach her from behind. Felt a hand stroke through her hair, then gather and sweep it over her shoulder. A soft kiss to the back of her neck. “I’m sorry, Cait. That sucks.”

Caitlyn blinked and let out a quiet chuckle. “‘That sucks?’”

Vi kissed her again, this time on her shoulder. “What did you want me to say? Thought you didn’t want me to make it into a big deal?”

“I don’t know,” Caitlyn mumbled. “Mel and I never fight, not like this.”

“She just cares about you,” Vi said softly, and as Caitlyn bristled, she hurried to continue, “and some people don’t always show that in the best way, or the right way that you need. It sucks, but you two will figure it out. You guys have been friends for a long time, haven’t you?”

“Three years. We met in mine and Jayce’s freshman year, Mel’s sophomore. All three of us met in the bio class PUB forces everyone to take.”

Vi laughed a little at that, kissing her another time. “Oh no, you were forced to take a science class, how criminal.”

Caitlyn broke into a soft smile and leaned back a little. Vi immediately took her waist in her hands, holding her softly. “I wasn’t complaining. I like science just fine, it’s just not what I was there to study.” Vi laughed again and Caitlyn bit down on her lip to keep from grinning where Vi couldn’t even see her. In a playfully defensive tone, she muttered, “Jinx shit talks you for not taking any high level math classes in college, you know.”

“Figures. Jinx shit talks me for almost everything,” Vi responded without missing a beat. After a moment, she rested her chin on Caitlyn’s shoulder. “Do you need to talk about it more?”

Caitlyn shook her head.

“Okay. What’d you get for Lace?”

Caitlyn lifted the little packet for Vi to see. “I got a sampler pack. I don’t know what she likes.”

Vi breathed out a happy laugh. “You’re so cute, Cait. Lace will eat anything, and she’ll love these. But you were right, she definitely won’t let you give them to her. I’ll give her one later and let you know how she likes it.”

“Okay,” Caitlyn agreed softly.

“Hey,” Vi prompted.

“Hm?”

“You sure you don’t want to talk about it anymore?”

“I’m sure.”

“Okay. How about a movie?”

Caitlyn finally turned around, letting Vi pin her gently against the counter. “What movie?”

“Whatever you want.”

Caitlyn brought her hands to Vi’s face, ran her thumbs over her lips, coaxing a smile onto her face. Then she touched the crinkles at the corners of her eyes and her smile lines with appreciative wonder. “You’re so beautiful,” she whispered, both feeling and hearing Vi’s breath catch. “And you’re so kind. If I can convince Mel, would you meet her again? If she knew you, she’d understand.”

“Sure, Cait.”

“Thank you,” Caitlyn murmured, “for not trying to… tell me how to feel.” For not pushing her away, telling her that she shouldn’t risk her friendships for Vi.

Maybe it should’ve been scary, how deeply Caitlyn already cared for Vi. Maybe six weeks of working together and barely one week of seeing each other like this wasn’t enough time for her to know that Vi only had good intentions.

But she wasn’t scared, and she was confident that Vi did.

“Of course, Cait, I don’t ever wanna do that.”

So she smiled and asked, “Have you seen that new Netflix movie, the animated K-pop one?” Vi raised an eyebrow and shook her head, and Caitlyn smiled wider. “We’re watching that.”

A big plastic container of microwave popcorn later, Caitlyn was lying across Vi’s couch, her head in the older woman’s lap, cheek to her thigh, as the credits of the movie started rolling. Vi’s hands playing with her hair were the only thing stopping her from turning onto her back.

“Well? What’d you think?”

“I think I just got, like, queerbaited to hell and back.”

Caitlyn laughed, but it came out more like a giggle. Only a little begrudgingly, she did roll onto her back then, so she could look up at Vi’s face. “You’re right. They should’ve been a lesbian throuple.”

Vi raised an eyebrow. “Okay, not exactly what I was thinking, but you might be onto something.”

Caitlyn just stared up at her, then lifted her hand to her cheek, touched her Vi tattoo. “Why this tattoo? You’ve explained the others, but not this one.”

“Oh, that one? Super deep reason, not sure I can risk telling you.” Vi’s smirk as well as her tone betrayed her sarcasm. Caitlyn pouted, and the older woman laughed softly. “I was just dumb in college, thought it was hot. Same with the nipple piercings.”

“Those are hot,” Caitlyn insisted, “and I like this one. Did you know that it matches your desk number at work?”

Vi’s smile was sweet and amused. “Yeah, Zoey gave me that desk because she thinks she’s hilarious. I just like that it’s right by the window.”

On the TV, a new movie suddenly started to autoplay, surprising them both, and Vi quickly grabbed the remote to turn it off. The room fell into a comfortable quiet.

“You hungry?” Vi murmured after a second, running her fingers through Caitlyn’s hair again. “I went to a hibachi place last night and got way too much food, so there’s tons left over.”

Caitlyn perked up and nodded, and they got up from the couch to head into the kitchen as she wondered, “Who’d you get hibachi with?”

“A couple of old friends who don’t live in town anymore. Mylo and Claggor. I met them when I was like, twelve, at this pre-teen orphan group therapy thing. They were foster brothers, and we ended up at the same high school. They moved out of the city after for trade school, now they co-own an auto-shop a couple hours away. It was Claggor’s birthday yesterday, so they drove up. They were actually at breakfast this morning, too, before they headed back. Vander knows them real well, they used to hang out at our place more than their own.”

Caitlyn sat herself down at the island as Vi opened her fridge and started pulling out containers of leftovers. “That’s really amazing that you’re friends with them after all this time.”

Vi gave Caitlyn a curious look. “You not still friends with anyone from when you were a kid, or at least high school?”

Caitlyn kept her eyes on the plates Vi was now loading up with fried rice, veggies, and hibachi steak, but answered, “I didn’t have many friends, definitely not any close ones. I was always a bit too quiet and awkward.”

“Oh no. Tell me you never actually ate lunch in the bathroom?”

Caitlyn cracked a small smile. “No, but I did often eat alone with a book.”

“You still a big reader?”

“I wish. School’s taken over my life.”

Vi chuckled. “When are you done?”

“In the spring.”

“Okay, that’s not too bad.”

“Yeah, I know. Sometimes I wish I hadn’t taken a gap year, though, so I could be done sooner.”

Vi made a face as she started heating the food up in the microwave. “But then you would’ve been doing business operations, right?”

Caitlyn huffed a little laugh. “Okay, fair. I probably would’ve ended up switching and wasting a year anyway.”

“What’d you do during your gap year?”

“Volunteer work, mostly.” Vi looked at Caitlyn with surprise. “What?”

“I dunno, didn’t expect you to say that, I guess. I mean—someone from a loaded family takes a gap year, I guess I assume they like, travel the world on their parents’ dime.”

“I did a little bit of that, too,” Caitlyn admitted shyly. “Does that disappoint you?”

Vi laughed incredulously. “Baby, are you kidding? Nothing about you could disappoint me.”

Despite a less than ideal morning, Caitlyn felt light and cheerful as she shared with Vi their early dinner. She told Vi more about her gap year while they ate, and when Vi was washing up the dishes, Caitlyn excused herself to the bathroom. When she came out, Vi was sitting on the edge of her bed, looking down at her phone.

Moving to stand in front of her, Caitlyn brought her hands to Vi’s hair, stroking through it. Vi gave a contented hum, but her eyes were still trained on her phone.

“Vi,” Caitlyn prompted.

“Mm, just a sec,” Vi murmured.

Caitlyn peered down at the phone screen and tutted, “Is that a work email? It’s Saturday.”

“Yeah, yeah, but some of us are salary and expected to check their work emails on the weekend.”

Caitlyn scoffed. “Okay, I know you would never put that expectation on to anyone you represent at the company. Not if they’re not doing on-call support that weekend, which I’m quite certain is not part of your job description.”

Vi didn’t answer for a second, scrolling further on the long email. Belatedly, she said, “Well, y’know. Do as I say, not as I do.”

Caitlyn pouted down at her, but Vi wasn’t looking. “Well, is it something that urgently needs your attention?”

“Nah, doesn’t look like it.”

“Good.” And Caitlyn plucked her phone from her hands and tossed it onto the bed.

“Cait—”

She climbed onto Vi’s lap, effectively interrupting the complaint as she straddled the older woman and ground down a little as if to get comfortable. Vi’s hands landed on her waist despite her objection, pupils immediately widening.

“Baby, I was almost done reading—”

“You said it didn’t urgently need your attention,” Caitlyn huffed, “but I do. Do as I say and give it to me.” And even though her words were demanding, she was well aware that her voice came out sounding pouty and spoiled.

“Oh, you need it urgently, do you?” Vi asked, her tone immediately becoming lower, rougher. Her hands squeezed Caitlyn’s waist, using the grip to pull her impossibly closer, so her crotch pressed against the bottom of Vi’s abs. Caitlyn moaned and ground against her pleasantly. “Have I not given you enough attention today already?”

Caitlyn gave a soft hum, then in a genuine and small voice, “You’ve been so sweet to me today.”

Vi chuckled, one hand dragging down over Caitlyn’s shorts and then onto her exposed thigh. Giving it a firm squeeze. “But you don’t want me to be sweet to you right now, do you?”

With a soft whimper, Caitlyn shook her head.

“You know,” Vi murmured, now sliding her hand under Caitlyn’s shorts, groping at her ass, “when you kissed me last week, I had no idea you were going to be this needy.” Caitlyn pouted, but before she could try to defend herself, Vi added, “I like it, don’t worry. But maybe this is why I thought I was just fulfilling some fantasy for you.”

Caitlyn bit down on her bottom lip, grinding harder against Vi. “Maybe you are my fantasy,” she whispered. “No one’s ever made me feel how you make me feel. No one’s ever treated me how you treat me.”

Vi looked almost offended. “No one?”

Caitlyn’s cheeks were warm as she lowered her gaze to Vi’s t-shirt. “I haven’t been with that many people, to be fair.”

“That’s okay, baby. I just want you to be treated how you deserve.” Caitlyn opened her mouth to question what Vi meant, but then Vi abruptly stood, picking her up, turning, and laying her onto the bed in a swift series of movements.

Breathless, Caitlyn finally asked, “How do I deserve to be treated?”

“I’m gonna show you. I’m gonna take care of you just the way you need, baby girl, give you exactly what you want, what you deserve.”

Caitlyn sharply inhaled as the words sent fire through her skin and every nerve, heat running deeply through her body. Her exhale was wrapped around a quiet, needy whimper that made Vi laugh as she went over to her dresser to pull out, from the bottom drawer, that same plastic bin of dildos.

“Did you like the one we used last time, baby?” She looked over when Caitlyn only nodded. “Do you want to use it again? Or did you want something bigger?”

Caitlyn’s breath caught. “Bigger.”

Vi’s throat bobbed and she nodded, the dildo she selected being a blue one that had just a little more girth than the purple one they used two days ago.

Before she knew it, Vi was undressed, strapped up, and undressing Caitlyn’s bottom half. Stripping her shorts and underwear off, then gripping her thighs and yanking her so that her ass was right at the edge of the bed. Caitlyn was breathless as she twisted her fists into the comforter to preemptively try and ground herself.

“You trust me, baby?” Caitlyn nodded fervently. “I’m trusting you, too. If it doesn’t feel like what you want, you tell me. Am I understood?” More nodding, wetness pooling just from the tone of Vi’s voice. “Good girl.” Vi’s eyes raked over her and then she hummed. “You look so hot like this, baby, half dressed and desperate for me.” She leaned over, brought her hand to Caitlyn’s hair, pulling it out of the ponytail it had been in all day. “There. Now I can see that pretty hair get all messy while I fuck you.”

Caitlyn sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, and when Vi started pulling back and got a look at her, it successfully drew her in for a kiss. Vi claimed her lip for herself, then her tongue dominated Caitlyn’s mouth. Possessively. Caitlyn made it known just how greedy she was for it, sucking on it hard, biting down a little when Vi went to pull away, just barely scraping her teeth on it.

The move earned her a tight squeeze of her breast, through her shirt and bra but no less arousing for it. Then Vi’s hand moved higher, fingers ghosting over her throat, up into her hair. She mussed it a little and then Caitlyn felt her fist close around it and tug, and Caitlyn whimpered as her mouth fell open in a gasp, freeing Vi’s tongue.

“Yeah, you don’t want sweet,” Vi rumbled, pulling at her hair once more for good measure before letting go, standing up straight. “You just want to be fucked, to be taken care of. You want me to fuck you so hard that I’m all you’re thinking about.” Caitlyn gasped again at the feeling of cool fingers stroking teasingly over her clit. “Because you know that’s what I want, because what you want most of all is to be good, don’t you, baby girl?”

Caitlyn wasn’t sure her, “yes, yes, yes” came out all that intelligibly, but her ceaseless nodding surely gave Vi her answer anyway.

Vi dipped her thumb inside of Caitlyn, and she was embarrassingly wet already. Not that that was a surprise at this point, not for her or for Vi. They both knew how easily Vi could get her like this, even without meaning to. And right now, with the way she prodded the dildo between her legs against Caitlyn’s clit, she was definitely meaning to.

She opened her eyes when she heard the click of the lube bottle lid, watching with rapt attention as Vi rubbed the clear liquid up and down the toy. Then both of her messy hands gripped Caitlyn’s thighs and spread them apart, availing Caitlyn’s cunt to her fully. “And you are, aren’t you, Cait?” Vi asked, digging her short nails into Caitlyn’s skin. “You’re so good, so sexy.”

The tip of the toy pressed slowly into her opening, and Caitlyn’s eyes clenched shut at the intrusion. Slow and careful, but definitely still noticeably bigger than the one they’d used on Thursday. But Caitlyn was good, breathing and keeping her body relaxed as Vi eased it in.

“Yeah, you’re doing so, so good. So good and pretty and fuckable like this, aren’t you?”

Caitlyn wet her lips, barely registering the words, her mind completely occupied by how full she was becoming.

Then Vi’s hand delivered a gentle smack, just a tap, really, across Caitlyn’s ass. “Aren’t you?” Vi repeated over Caitlyn’s heady breath.

Caitlyn nodded through her attempt to answer, “Mhm, g-good, f-fuckable—”

“Pretty.”

“P-Pretty.”

“Good girl.” She was almost all the way in now, but Vi paused, stroked Caitlyn’s soft flesh. “And that’s what you deserve, Caitlyn. You deserve to be told, be shown, how good you are. That’s what I’m going to give you, baby. I’m gonna show you how good you are.”

“Please,” Caitlyn murmured, shifting her hips, showing her need.

“Please?” Vi repeated, taking a gentle hold of Caitlyn’s thighs.

“Show me,” Caitlyn begged, forcing her eyes open, locking her gaze with Vi’s—dark and dominant, so fucking beautiful. “Show me, please—”

Vi yanked her forward, sinking the dildo in the rest of the way, bottoming out inside her and ripping a high pitched cry from her throat. “So polite,” Vi panted, her hips moving at a rapid, unrelenting pace, abruptly fucking Caitlyn with intense determination. “So good, now, after you’ve gotten what you wanted, aren’t you?”

Caitlyn could barely wrap her mind around the question, could barely remember that she plucked Vi’s phone out of her hand just minutes ago and demanded attention.

“Now you ask nicely,” Vi growled, using her hold on Caitlyn’s thighs to pull their skin flush together with every thrust. “So good when you’re so needy.”

Caitlyn gave a soft whine, moaned, “Vi…”

“This is exactly what you deserve, baby,” Vi rumbled, “this is exactly what you want, isn’t it?” Caitlyn moaned again and one of Vi’s hands released her, only to smack, harder this time, against her ass. Eliciting another breathless whine, a choked gasp. “Isn’t it?”

“Yes!” she cried out. “Yes, I w-want it, y-yes, a-ah, yes!” The repeated slap of her damp skin against Vi’s hips only added to the heat coursing through her, only made her mind get more deeply lost in the feeling. Of being so full, the stretch of her cunt around the dildo, Vi’s hands gripping her skin.

Her mind went completely blank, consumed by the pleasure as it built and built—

Then she was crying out, not even aware of her volume as the orgasm hit her. The dildo stilled inside of her before she could fully ride it out, though, and then tears were swimming in her eyes. She needed— “More, Vi, a-ah!”

“Needy,” Vi rumbled, pulling out abruptly. Caitlyn blinked open her eyes but Vi had her hands on her hips, was rolling her over, pushing her toward the middle of the huge bed. “Ass up, baby. I’m not done with you, yet.”

Caitlyn did as she was told, scrambling up onto all fours only to lower down onto her forearms as Vi crawled onto the bed and pressed on her back. Skillful fingers played with her labia and clit as Caitlyn’s legs shook with anticipation. “Vi,” she breathed. “Need you.”

“Oh, I know, Cait. I know how bad you need me, you made it very clear. And now… look at you. I’m taking you how I want, and you’re being so good for me in exchange.”

“Wanna be good,” Caitlyn swore, pressing her face down into the edge of Vi’s pillow.

She could feel Vi getting into her position, lining up the toy, then—

“Ahh!” Caitlyn genuinely screamed at the force of the dildo sliding inside her in one movement. She immediately smashed her face harder into the pillow, trying to muffle her sounds.

But Vi reached down and gripped her hair, pulling her back up. “Fuck, baby, you’re so hot when you scream like that. I wanna hear every sound you make. Be good for me and show me how loud you can get. No one’s gonna hear you but me.”

“I’ll be good,” Caitlyn swore again, not suppressing the moan twisting out of her as Vi resumed her pace. Just as fast as before, if not faster, but it felt easier now—in this position, with Caitlyn’s cunt already a little stretched out. It let Vi pound even deeper inside of her, yank her hair harder. “F-Fuck!” Caitlyn cried out. “O-Oh Vi, ohh fuck…”

“You like this, baby girl?” Vi growled out. “You like being fucked like this from behind?”

“Yes, yes, yes, yes,” Caitlyn chanted, spreading herself wider, feeling herself getting closer and closer. Then Vi’s hand was around her folds, rough fingers rubbing at her clit.

She came even more forcefully this time, now that Vi helped her through it. She didn’t lighten up her pace, though, pushing Caitlyn straight toward another peak. Her legs trembled, struggling to hold her ass up. And Vi was panting heavily behind her, one hand still on her hip.

But then Caitlyn’s legs gave out, though she wasn’t sure if that was before or after Vi’s body was coming flush with hers. Forcing her sprawled across the bed, holding her there by the sheer bulk of her body. And still, Vi’s hips were moving, fucking her ruthlessly. And Caitlyn was so close again, so desperate to come again already.

When she did, the world along with her mind went completely blank. There was nothing but the euphoria of her pleasure, Vi’s muscular body trapping her on this bed, and the erratic beats of their hearts on top of each other.

Caitlyn started to become aware again when Vi was reaching down, loosening the harness around her, freeing her cunt so she could grind it into the curve of Caitlyn’s ass. Caitlyn mewled feeling how soaked she was. As best as she could underneath Vi, she rucked up her hips, pushing her ass into Vi’s clit. And Vi had to sit up to get the right angle, but Caitlyn could still feel her everywhere. Hands on her hips and her back, or in her hair, as she used Caitlyn’s exhausted body to finally reach the peak of her own pleasure.

Caitlyn wished she could see her face, the desperation she could imagine carved into it, the lines in her forehead and around her eyes as she let out a moan pitched higher than her usual and a fresh bout of warm slick covered Caitlyn’s ass.

And then Vi collapsed on top of her again, the both of them breathing heavily in the wake of their exertion.

Caitlyn didn’t even bother opening her eyes, just lying there underneath the older woman. Feeling completely blissed out and contented.

As soon as Vi caught her breath, she whispered, “You okay, baby girl?”

“Mmhmm.” Caitlyn smiled into the pillow even before Vi was coaxing her hair aside, pressing kisses to the back of her neck.

“I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“No,” Caitlyn murmured. “Was perfect.”

“Do you need a nap?”

Caitlyn really didn’t want to need a nap every time Vi fucked her, but it was something about not only the paces her body was being put through, but the way her mind just felt so blessedly blank. Sleep called to her so easily every time.

Her extended silence must’ve answered Vi’s question, and she heard a deep rumble of a laugh. “Sleep, baby. I’ll wake you up in a little while.”

Caitlyn didn’t need to be asked twice.

She arrived home later, after napping through the evening and waking up to Vi massaging her hips and thighs and telling her she should probably go to the bathroom. Vi had taken some ice cream out of her freezer for them to share after that, and then she’d offered to drive Caitlyn home. And as much as she didn’t want to leave, she took the offer so as not to overstay her welcome.

Now, she threw herself into the shower to regretfully wash the sex off of her.

And as she fell asleep that night, all she could think about was Vi—how she perfectly balanced being sweet and rough with Caitlyn, how she so willingly listened to her, how she adored spending time with her….

And how she desperately needed to figure out how to get Mel on board with her new relationship. Because Caitlyn was not willing to give it up.

Chapter Text

“You seem in better spirits than last week.”

Caitlyn looked up from her coffee cup at her mother, mildly surprised at the assessment. Not because it wasn’t true, but because she hadn’t really expected her mother to notice how good of a mood she was in. She was, after all, quite adept at looking emotionless, just as her mother had taught her. And she didn’t really want to explain her good mood to Cassandra, so she’d gone into this morning planning to keep her expression schooled.

“I suppose you and Mel settled your drama?”

Caitlyn blinked with slight panic before she remembered her excuse to her mother last week. “Yes, I think so,” Caitlyn agreed, even though that wasn’t exactly the case. She’d gone to yoga with Mel yesterday, and things had been mostly normal until Mel shrugged her off for brunch, insisting she had other things to get done. That wasn’t unheard of, but given how little Mel had really spoken to her after relenting to Caitlyn dating Vi, she was quite certain her friend was deliberately avoiding her.

Cassandra picked up her coffee cup and gingerly took a sip before nodding with approval. “Good. You girls are getting to the age where you have to start learning to settle these things like grown adults.”

Caitlyn had to fight an eyeroll. “We are grown adults.”

“Well then it’s good you’re acting like it, and not letting frivolous drama ruin your relationships. Your connection with Mel is incredibly useful, what with her chosen career path.”

“Mother. You know that I’m not friends with Mel because she’s going to be a lawyer.”

“I know, but that doesn’t mean it can’t benefit you somehow,” Cassandra insisted. “You have to think strategically about all of your relationships, Caitlyn, including friendships.”

Caitlyn hid her scoff behind her coffee cup. “Right.”

“And speaking of strategic relationships,” Cassandra continued, Caitlyn already bracing herself. “Mrs. Sanchez’s youngest daughter, Amber, just returned to the city from her schooling abroad. She’s just turned twenty-one earlier this year, and she came to our book club over the weekend. She’s grown quite pretty, and I have it on good authority that she’s interested in women just as much as men.”

Caitlyn suppressed her groan through yet another sip from her coffee cup, even though her stomach wasn’t as excited to accept it now. “Mother, I’ve told you before that I don’t want you to set me up with your friends’ children.”

“Please, Caitlyn, it’s not as if I’m trying to arrange a marriage for you. I just think she’d be a lovely person for you to get to know, just in case you would hit it off.”

“I remember Amber,” Caitlyn informed Cassandra tersely, “and, distinctly, the fact that we did not hit it off.”

“That was when you were in high school,” Cassandra said with a wave of her hand, then pointedly adding, “And you’re a grown adult now, as you’ve said. Surely it wouldn’t do any harm for you to meet her.”

Caitlyn reined in the response she wanted to give, and instead simply said, “I’m not interested, but thank you.”

“Alright, alright. It’s just you’ve been so insistent on being independent, I thought maybe you were finally interested in trying to find someone to—”

Caitlyn’s phone buzzed where it was lying face up on the table in front of her, her eyes falling to it without thinking. The message preview, though, startled her into an upright position as she snatched the device off of the table.

“Caitlyn? Is everything alright?”

“Oh, yes, fine!” Caitlyn exclaimed with too much enthusiasm and too high pitched a voice. “I just—my coworker, a-another intern, just texted me—I forgot I offered to help her with something before the day started. So, I actually need to get going.”

Cassandra hummed with slightly narrowed eyes but then nodded. “Alright. Have a good week, darling.”

“You, too.” Caitlyn gave her mother as composed a smile as she could manage as she stood up, grabbing her things and her coffee, and hurried out of the coffee shop.

As soon as she was around the corner—in the direction her mother would not be headed on her way to work—she stopped and leaned against the wall, opening her phone, letting other passersby go right by her. Waiting for her in her messages app was a photo and a message from Vi.

Vi

Think I owed you one…

The attached picture was Vi, sitting at the end of a workout bench, phone in hand directed at the mirror she’d snapped the picture in. Vi, in a tight black sports bra and workout shorts, flexed muscles glistening with sweat. Her perfectly defined abs drew Caitlyn’s attention first, but then it was that bicep, flexed and lifted as Vi ruffled her hair, a coarse tuft of reddish hair visible under her arm.

Only half of her face was visible, but it was clear that she was smirking, eyes focused on her phone screen. “Fuck,” Caitlyn grumbled, heat gathering between her legs.

Caitlyn

Have I told you that I get coffee with my mother on Monday mornings?

Vi

Shit lol, no I don’t think so

Am I in trouble?

Caitlyn

No, you’re lucky she was in the middle of lecturing me

Vi

Phew! Feels like a bad time to get on that Kiramman bad side

Caitlyn

And hers is much worse than mine… 😬

But, you will have to make this up to me anyway.

Vi

What!

You’re the one who wanted the pic!

Caitlyn

Yes, and trust me, I quite like it

I like it a lot, actually

And now I have to go to the office

And get through a day of work like I’m not thinking about licking the sweat off of your abs and peeling off that sports bra

Vi

Damn, baby, now you’re getting me worked up

Can I make it up to you later?

You doing anything after work?

Caitlyn

Yes you can, and it sounds like now I am.

😉

Caitlyn had to even out her breathing during the rest of her walk to work, and when she saw Vi there—obviously washed up and dressed in proper work attire by that point—she forced the most professional smile onto her face. “Good morning,” she greeted, as if she hadn’t seen Vi since Friday.

“Yes it is,” Vi answered, and though her tone wasn’t at all suggestive and she wasn’t smirking, Caitlyn’s skin went warm anyway. “And I’m thinking it’s about to get better for you, because you always love getting new work.”

Caitlyn did perk up at that, and Vi’s laugh made her smile even wider. “This is the new project you mentioned?”

“Yep, here, set your stuff down and open up your inbox.”

Caitlyn did as she was told, getting comfortable at her desk and logging onto her computer. Vi was rolling her chair around as her email popped up, a new one from just a few minutes ago sitting unread at the top. She clicked on it, skimming it as Vi spoke.

“I kinda detailed everything for you there already. Basically, Zoey and I wrote all the HR policies a little over five years ago, and they haven’t been formally refreshed since then. Of course, now the company’s grown a lot, so we know there’s gotta be improvements we can make. And, over time, things have been added here and there, so there’s probably also stuff that can be consolidated and simplified.

“So, we wanted to give you the opportunity to review the whole set of policies, look for gaps or areas that you think could be improved. And don’t worry if you miss anything or have an idea you’re not sure about. You’ll send all your notes afterward to me and Amara and we’ll go through it thoroughly at that point.”

Caitlyn nodded, looking back at Vi and immediately feeling her cheeks grow even warmer under the tenderness of Vi’s gaze. “Sounds good.”

“You don’t have to start today, I know we have those trainings tomorrow and Wednesday. If you do have time, definitely feel free, but no pressure. We aren’t expecting this to be a short process, anyway, and I want you to take your time going through things.”

“Thank you,” Caitlyn said through a soft smile that visibly caught Vi off guard, triggering those pale eyes to widen slightly before they softened into Caitlyn’s favorite smiley shape.

“No problem. Lemme know if you have any questions or anything.”

Caitlyn did have some prep to do for the trainings she and Vi were leading over the next two days, but the compiled file containing all of the HR policies was too tempting to click on—mainly because there was one she’d been curious about.

Coincidentally, when Caitlyn sat down for lunch with Jinx, Lux, and Maddie a few hours later, running a few minutes late due to a bathroom break, Lux greeted her with, “Caitlyn, how familiar are you with all the HR policies?”

“I’d imagine she’s pretty familiar,” Maddie reasoned.

Jinx was staying pointedly silent, looking extremely disgruntled about something.

“Ah, yes,” Caitlyn said a bit awkwardly, “my new assignment is actually to review all of them, but I haven’t deeply dived into it yet. Why?”

Lux looked incredibly smug as she asked, “Do you know what the policy is on dating coworkers?”

Caitlyn hadn’t even started eating yet, but she still managed to choke on nothing at being asked about the one policy she’d taken time to look at thoroughly this morning.

Maddie gently rubbed her back as she finished her sudden coughing fit, but Caitlyn didn’t bother to react to that as she tried to maintain some amount of composure while asking Lux, “Ah, why do you ask?”

Jinx groaned and started, “Lux, don’t—”

But Lux was already saying, “Just asking for a certain friend who is maybe interested in a certain hot team member she can’t stop talking about.”

Caitlyn was still not understanding, and Maddie seemed to notice her confusion. “Lux thinks that Jinx has a crush on Ekko, that guy on her team.”

“I don’t though,” Jinx denied vehemently. “I don’t get crushes, okay, Lux is just… I don’t know, you must be projecting! Is there some hot girl in IT or something?”

Lux was not accepting the attempt at deflection. “So, Caitlyn, do you know anything about it?”

Well, at least it was fresh on her mind. “Technically the only policy about dating within the company only applies to relationships in which the employees are in each other’s direct line of management, or if one of the employees is a company executive. As in, if one person in the relationship would be able to directly exhibit bias. Then, the policy requires both people to sign something to formally identify the relationship, and there’s a process of establishing alternatives to certain decisions where that bias could come into play.”

Lux grinned at Jinx. “Perfect, Ekko’s not your boss.”

Thankfully, no one asked her why she was so familiar with that policy in particular.

It’s not like she didn’t believe what Vi had told her when she said there wasn’t anything to worry about when it came to signing things at work. She just wanted to read it for herself, to understand why Vi had said “technically.” And she understood now, because Vi technically wasn’t Caitlyn’s manager, even if she behaved more like one than Amara was.

“Cait?” Maddie prompted, drawing her attention back to her friends.

“Hm?”

“You alright?”

Caitlyn nodded, forcing a smile. “Fine. But something tells me we should change the topic before Jinx lights something on fire.”

Jinx pointed her plastic fork at Caitlyn. “She knows what she’s talking about.”

The rest of the day went by slowly, dragging even more every time Caitlyn remembered that Vi was going to “make up for” sending that picture this morning. Every time, a rush of hot, tingly excitement shot through her at the thought of what that might entail.

At five o’clock, she logged off and headed down the elevator like usual, buzzing a little with excitement. Vi hadn’t asked her to, but she planned on lingering near the parking garage until the older woman came down. By now, Caitlyn knew that Vi never left precisely at five, usually choosing to finish a few things up and let the hourly employees fill the elevators on their way down in the meantime.

Today, Caitlyn stepped out of the elevator and took four steps toward the exit before Maddie caught her attention. She was leaning against the wall near the elevators, giving a shy wave and a hopeful smile.

Taking a steadying breath, and trying to force thoughts of Vi out of her mind, she approached her friend. “Hey, Maddie, you finish up early today?”

“Yeah,” Maddie answered, clearly trying to sound more casual than she felt. “Yeah, my manager always lets me go a little early on Mondays because we stay a bit late on Thursdays. I don’t really know why, but that’s just sort of how it usually goes. I mean, Thursdays are paydays, so I guess maybe it has something to do with that.”

Caitlyn hadn’t heard Maddie ramble like this in a while. “Maddie, is everything okay?”

Maddie was standing up straighter than Caitlyn had ever seen her, fingers twined in front of her nervously. “Yeah, yes! I just—I was hoping to catch you. Are you busy?”

Caitlyn had a bad feeling about where this was going already. “I do have somewhere to be soon, but I have a few minutes. What’s going on?”

Maddie nodded and took a breath. “Well, today I was thinking… I mean, I’ve been thinking about this for a while, but I wasn’t sure if it would be a good idea—for a number of reasons—so I was going to wait until after the summer, but then today we talked about the technical policies around dating in the workplace, so it seems like it wouldn’t be an issue, and I just didn’t want to miss my opportunity, I guess.”

It took everything in Caitlyn not to grimace at the confirmation that this was about to be what she thought it was. “Maddie… I think I know what you’re going to ask me.”

Unfortunately, Maddie did not pick up on the trepidation in Caitlyn’s tone, and perked up at the statement. “Really? I mean, I know I probably haven’t been subtle—that’s not really my strong suit, honestly. But, yeah, I… I like you, Cait, and I was really hoping that maybe we could go out to dinner sometime? Just the two of us?”

Caitlyn sighed. “Maddie, I—” She nearly choked on her words as, out of the corner of her eye, a head of familiar magenta hair passed her from the direction of the elevator. And Vi’s head turned, landed on her, and her eyes burned with something curious, something… heated. Caitlyn had to force her attention to stay on Maddie, even when Vi’s gaze was clearly lingering on her for a few seconds before she pulled it away and headed for the exit.

“Yeah?” Maddie prompted, sounding nervous but still hopeful.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t really have feelings like that for you,” Caitlyn finally admitted. “You’re a good friend, and I think that’s what we’re best as.”

Maddie visibly deflated, but managed to keep a small smile on her face as she said, “Oh, okay. Yeah, I understand. Thank you for being honest.”

Caitlyn nodded apologetically, her eyes flicking over to where Vi was pushing out the door of the building now, her gaze jumping back to Caitlyn for a beat. “I’m sorry, but I should probably get going. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Maddie gave a quiet sigh. “Yeah. See you tomorrow.”

Caitlyn made sure not to literally run out of the building, lest Maddie think she was running from her, but she still walked at a fairly rapid pace. Out the door, turning toward the parking garage, rounding its entrance, seeing Vi heading up the stairs. She took a shaky breath and followed her up—

The second she reached the landing of the second level, Vi caught her arm, pulled her into a darkened corner of the garage, nestled between a service spot and the elevator. Pinned her against the concrete wall, big hands on her waist. The look in her eyes was still there, something hot and burning.

“I wasn’t expecting you to be done so quickly,” Caitlyn breathed out, honestly impressed at her ability to speak at all.

“Yeah, well, I saw your cute ass walking out of the office and couldn’t help myself.” Vi’s hands slid around to her low back, one of them reaching down to grab said ass. “Did think you were going to be held up by miss finance intern for longer, till I heard you coming up behind me.” Caitlyn opened her mouth to say something about Maddie, but then Vi was squeezing her ass in her palm, and it was clear as day now, the dark possessiveness in her eyes and radiating off of her. A quiet groan came from her lips instead of the words she meant to say, and Vi pressed even closer to her.

Finally, she did manage to ask in an exhale, “What did you hear?”

“Heard her finally shooting her shot,” Vi murmured, bringing her lips to Caitlyn’s ear, nibbling on it as she continued to palm at her backside. “I guess you turned her down, didn’t you?”

“O-Of course,” Caitlyn whispered, turning to absolute jelly in Vi’s embrace like this.

“What’d you tell her?”

“I told her that—” Vi bit down on her earlobe, cutting her words off into a shaky breath. “Th-that I don’t have feelings for her like that, that we’re good just as friends…”

“Mm. Did you tell her that someone else is already taking good care of you?” Vi husked, adjusting so she could force Caitlyn’s thighs apart with the strength in her own. Caitlyn gave a breathy moan as she sank down into the pressure of Vi’s thigh. “Did you tell her that your type is less cutesy bob and more tattoos and nipple piercings?”

“V-Vi,” Caitlyn whimpered.

“Aw, poor baby,” Vi cooed, shoving her knee up, sending a shock through Caitlyn’s whole body. “Did you tell her you were already so worked up over someone else? That you were counting down the minutes for me to fuck you?”

Caitlyn shook her head fervently.

“But you were, weren’t you? I could hear your foot tapping for the last hour.”

“Vi,” Caitlyn breathed again. “M-My place, please.”

Vi relaxed her hold on her, and that was agonizing as she asked, “You think you can wait that long, baby girl?”

“I’ll have to, because I’m not letting you fuck me in this parking garage,” Caitlyn breathed out, “where any number of our coworkers could walk up the stairs right around the corner.”

“You’re not letting me, huh?” Caitlyn shook her head, even as Vi’s hand was suddenly between her legs—over her pants. “You wouldn’t let me just take you right here? Even when we both know you’d come in less than a minute, since you’ve been ready for me since I sent you that picture this morning?”

Caitlyn whined softly, her head suddenly thunking back against the wall. Who was she kidding? She’d let Vi do whatever she wanted with her.

“Well, lucky for you, I don’t want to chance anyone overhearing you. That’s for me to hear, and only me. Isn’t that right, baby?”

“Only you,” Caitlyn gasped out, nodding. “Please, Vi, please…”

Vi finally released her, and Caitlyn could feel the squelching of her underwear as they made their way to Vi’s car. And Vi drove responsibly, but Caitlyn noticed her speed up at a few yellow lights.

The car was thick with sexual tension as they drove, and when they were approaching Caitlyn’s apartment, she said, feeling more composed than a few minutes ago, “There’s an apartment parking garage, the entrance is around the corner.”

The garage was underground and only had a few guest spots, but at this time of day, there were multiple open. Vi parked the car and Caitlyn was quick to unbuckle her seatbelt, but before she could open the passenger side door, Vi was reaching over her, adjusting her seat so it rolled backward, and then—

Vi was in her lap, kissing her, holding her entire face in those strong, rough hands.

“Vi,” Caitlyn whispered, “my apartment is—”

“Too far,” Vi cut her off, then forcing her tongue into Caitlyn’s mouth to keep her from insisting. When they broke apart for air again, Vi murmured, “I can’t wait any longer, baby. I’ve been thinking about fucking you all day.”

Caitlyn moaned as Vi’s hands grasped her breasts, thumbs sliding over her nipples and making them hard even through her shirt and bra. “You haven’t been thinking—ah—about me licking your abs?”

“I’ve been thinking about that, too,” Vi admitted with a dark chuckle. “And I’ll let you get to that as soon as we’re upstairs. But I want to fuck you right here, first.”

“Do it,” Caitlyn huffed, trying so hard for it not to come out like what it really was—a desperate plea. “If you’re so impatient, fuck me, Vi.”

Vi laughed roughly, biting at the skin of her neck. “What, you think reverse psychology is gonna work on me? Like if you boss me around I’ll make you wait and get you upstairs first?”

Caitlyn parted her lips but Vi’s mouth latched firmly to her neck, sucking what was surely going to be a dark and clearly visible mark into her skin. Whatever words she’d wanted to say were gone, replaced by a filthy moan.

“Oops,” Vi murmured unapologetically afterward, laving her tongue over the new bruise. “Guess little miss finance might get clued into the real reason you turned her down.”

“Vi,” Caitlyn begged, sliding her hands up into her hair. “Please, I need you.”

“Yeah? Even though you’ve wanted to lick my abs and undress me since this morning, you need me to fuck you first, don’t you? You need me to reward you for being such a good girl, for being my good girl. Waiting so patiently all day. Practically running after me out of the building.”

“Yes,” Caitlyn emphasized. “Fuck me, please!”

“You’re so polite for me, my good girl. So needy. You wouldn’t get like this for anyone else, would you? Just me.”

“Just you,” Caitlyn gasped out, her hips starting to try and rut upward. Vi responded by sliding off of her lap into the space in front of the passenger seat, hooking her fingers into the top of Caitlyn’s pants and underwear, yanking them down. “Just you, just you—a-ah!”

Vi wasted no time in swiping her tongue through Caitlyn’s lower lips, licking up all of her mess greedily. She avoided her clit at first, making Caitlyn whine even more pathetically until Vi finally sucked it into her mouth. Trying to muffle her abrupt cry, Caitlyn threw the back of her hand over her mouth, and she leaned back as far as she count while Vi wrapped her arms around her legs and pulled her to the edge of the seat. The angle was not comfortable, not with their heights, but Caitlyn couldn’t be bothered to care about the comfort of the rest of her body when Vi was ravishing her cunt with her practiced mouth. Pushing her closer and closer.

“Oh, f-fuck!” Caitlyn mewled, before biting into the back of her wrist to quiet the noise of her climax.

“That’s my good girl,” Vi was cooing as Caitlyn started to come back down, started to become aware again. “You needed that, huh, baby?”

Caitlyn nodded through heavy gulps of air. “Needed you,” she confirmed.

“Mm. And what do you think, should I let you bring me upstairs, get me undressed?”

Caitlyn nodded again, more emphatically. “Wanna taste you,” she breathed. “Your skin.”

“C’mon baby, you can say what you mean. You wanna taste my sweat. That’s what you’ve been wanting to do all day.”

“Yes.”

It was a minor hassle, getting Caitlyn’s sticky underwear and her pants back on and getting the two of them up to her apartment. But it was worth it when Caitlyn could shed her clothes and Vi’s, the older woman allowing her to strip her naked and climb on top of her in bed. Vi wasn’t always so outwardly eager for Caitlyn to feel her, kiss her, taste her—she needed to savor it. And Vi wasn’t nearly as sweaty as she was after her workout this morning, but the summer heat and their activities thus far left her skin a little moist. Caitlyn trailed her tongue through every divot and dip of her abdomen, up under her breasts. She took each of those perfectly pert and pierced nipples into her mouth and sucked, tongue playing with the barbells. Tasting the musky tang of her sweat, imagining what it must’ve tasted like right after Vi’s workout.

Vi gave a quiet but shaky moan that betrayed just how much she liked it, and Caitlyn continued to suck on the skin of her body—her chest, her neck, her bicep—as her hands groped at Vi’s ass. She had not yet spent nearly enough time appreciating it, how perfectly full and firm it was. She wanted to grind her cunt on it, but she had other priorities at the minute.

Chief among them was spreading Vi’s legs apart and bringing her open mouth to that wet and waiting cunt. Vi couldn’t let her just have control, though, she had to grip Caitlyn’s hair and hold her firmly in place. Had to groan out, “Fuck, baby girl, just like that,” and “you wanna be so good don’t you? Wanna let me use you,” and “fuck Cait, your mouth feels so good!” And Caitlyn let her, because she did want to be used, did want to be good.

Vi didn’t cry out with nearly the same intensity as Caitlyn when she came, but it was no less satisfying for her to hear. Especially not when Vi let her coax her through one more short aftershock orgasm before she pulled away, began lavishing messy kisses all over Vi’s thighs.

Then she sat up, panting. “Turn over?”

Vi raised an eyebrow even as she continued to catch her breath. “What are you planning, baby girl?”

Caitlyn just batted her eyelashes innocently. “Please? I was good.”

A low, satisfied groan climbed out of Vi’s throat. “Fuck. Yeah, you were. Alright, baby.” And Vi rolled over, bringing her arms up to rest her forehead on. Caitlyn’s breath caught at the gorgeous view of her back and that whole tattoo.

Caitlyn straddled Vi’s low back but didn’t press down into her ass just yet, first bending over her to suck soft, wet kisses across the ink. In the curls of the smoke, the center of each cog, each expanse of negative space between them. She scooted down to straddle the backs of Vi’s thighs in order to kiss into the dip of her low back, nuzzle her face into it. “You’re so soft here,” she whispered, her breath making Vi shiver, pulling a contented sigh from the older woman.

And then: Vi’s ass. Firm and shapely, with a beautiful little dimple in her left ass cheek. Caitlyn couldn’t help but press her mouth to it. Couldn’t help but softly sink her teeth into the flesh, pull a less contented noise from Vi. “Cait,” Vi grunted.

Caitlyn didn’t say anything in response. Just sat herself upright, brought her cunt down over Vi’s ass, ground down—

“Fuck,” Vi intoned, the word surrounded by a moan. “God, you’re such a mess.”

“Mhm.” Caitlyn had her hands on Vi’s back, bracing herself as she rubbed her clit and soaked labia against Vi. “For you.”

“For me,” Vi repeated, and then one of her arms was sliding out from under her forehead, slipping down in front of her. “Don’t stop doing that, baby. Do you think you can come like that?”

“Dunno,” Caitlyn murmured absently, her mind too fuzzy to answer in a full sentence.

“Try.”

Caitlyn nodded aggressively even though Vi couldn’t see her face, closed her eyes and smeared herself even harder against her. “You feel so good,” she whispered, fingers curling into Vi’s waist as she felt muscles tense beneath her. And Vi let out a low groan as her ass pressed upward, and Caitlyn didn’t need to open her eyes to know that Vi was touching herself.

“Gonna get off to you fucking yourself on my ass, baby.”

Caitlyn whimpered, the rough maturity of Vi’s voice making her nipples harden, her skin burn. It only got worse as Vi’s grunts became shorter and faster, breathier and higher pitched. It felt so good, the repeated pressure against her clit, but it wasn’t enough for Caitlyn to come, as hard as she tried. Listening to Vi get close, bring herself to the edge, made her think for a moment she could do it, but when Vi’s breath hitched and she choked out a deep, shaky moan with her orgasm, Caitlyn was still yearning.

“Fuck,” Vi breathed out with relief, even as Caitlyn rutted more erratically against her. She gave an airy laugh and cooed, “Aw, baby, you need some help?”

“Mhm,” Caitlyn whimpered.

And suddenly Vi was turning over and sitting up, somehow catching Caitlyn in her arms, pulling her into her lap. Fusing their lips in a heated kiss, Caitlyn temporarily getting distracted from how wanting she was as she felt the scar in Vi’s lip with her tongue. Then, Vi nibbled on her bottom lip, pulled back and murmured, “Do you have a strap, baby girl?”

Caitlyn had never been so disappointed to admit, “No.” Her voice came out in a devastated whine, and Vi just laughed again.

“Well, how about you show me that toy you kept using while thinking about me?”

Caitlyn perked up and nodded rapidly, clambering off of Vi’s lap to reach for her nightstand. Her rabbit hadn’t been used since before the night of the launch party, but she was always good about charging it after each use, so she was certain it wouldn’t be dead, at least.

“Aw, cute,” Vi murmured, taking it from her. “And this is what made you scream out my name before I even touched you?”

Caitlyn’s face felt like it was on fire. “It helped,” is what she said, trying to wait patiently for Vi to tell her what to do, how to be, for her to fuck her.

“Just helped?” Vi wondered, touching Caitlyn’s waist, callused fingertips dragging over her hip, to her thigh, then gripping under her knee to coax her to lie down. She did, lying backward on her bed, legs bent and spread in anticipation.

“My imagination did most of the work.”

“Oh, yeah? What’d you imagine? Describe it to me.”

Caitlyn closed her eyes, trying to bring herself back to those evenings spent fucking herself. “Your voice,” she breathed, “it was always your voice.”

She heard the vibration of the toy turn on and forced her eyes to stay closed even as she shivered. “My voice, huh? Tell me more.”

“You praising me,” Caitlyn admitted, already breathless again just knowing that the vibrator was getting closer to her.

“Oh, of course,” Vi rumbled, now touching the thicker part of the toy into Caitlyn’s folds, rubbing it firmly up against her clit. “Damn. I was just trying to be an encouraging mentor, and you were going home and getting off to it.”

It wasn’t a question, but Caitlyn answered anyway, “Yes.”

“Guess I could’ve figured that. Well, you be sure to tell me how this compares to those nights you spent fantasizing about me, okay baby girl?”

Caitlyn barely got a chance to nod before Vi was abruptly pushing the toy inside her, yanking a gasp from her throat. The clit stimulator sent a few mini shocks through her nervous system, but Vi pulling the dildo part out again kept her from coming already. Caitlyn had never had anyone else use a vibrator on her, so she was used to having full control over where and how hard it pressed. It was so different being at Vi’s mercy, the intense stimulation completely out of her control.

But as per usual, Vi was an expert at what she was doing. Caitlyn was writhing on the bed, desperately grasping at her comforter as her cunt began to clench down around the toy, her clit spasming at the teasing vibration Vi kept giving it. She could barely breathe, couldn’t make out the words that she could hear Vi saying. She was so close, about to tip over the edge, and right when she finally did, Vi took her boob in her hand and squeezed her nipple, dug her nails into the supple skin, and tears spilled out of Caitlyn’s eyes with the force of her orgasm and how loudly she cried out.

“God, you’re so fucking beautiful,” was the first thing Caitlyn actually processed hearing as she came down. The hand that had been grabbing her chest was now on her cheek, fingers gently brushing away her tears. “You okay, sweet girl?”

Caitlyn nodded, and the word that slipped out of her mouth was, “Better.”

“Yeah? All better?”

“No,” Caitlyn murmured, “I mean—yes, but I meant—this was better.” Her words were still broken up by her heavy breathing. “Than my fantasies. You’re so much better, Vi.”

Vi chuckled and suddenly her mouth was on Caitlyn’s, kissing her slow and purposeful.

The kiss turned lazy, though, as Vi sprawled next to her and settled her weight half onto Caitlyn. Not that Caitlyn minded about either part, even though she did honestly start to drift off with Vi’s tongue in her mouth.

Vi caught her, though, huffing a soft laugh and pulling back. “I thought laying you backwards on your bed might fend off nap time.”

“You just fuck me so good,” Caitlyn mumbled, “tires me out.”

“That’s okay, baby. You got any food in your kitchen? I can make you dinner.”

“Dunno,” Caitlyn murmured, and now Vi was gently scooping her up, putting her back down so she was lying in the bed the right way up.

“Well, I’ll poke around if that’s okay?”

“Mhm.”

Vi kissed her forehead, and Caitlyn thought that maybe she was in heaven. “Alright, I’ll wake you up when there’s food.”

“Mkay. Thank you.”

“Of course, Cait.”

And then the world disappeared into the warm and fuzzy darkness of a blissed out, post sex nap.