representation matters

mostly supercorp. all 🌈 💜my entire personality is destroying the patriarchy. also on ao3.

[nottawriter]

I will be donating $1 US to an LGBTQIA2S charity at the end of Pride month for each kudos my PRIDE & Prejudice au fic receives. Ch 1 is up and the rest will be posted throughout June.

Happy Pride!

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[imawholeassmood]

Kara takes the long way home. After watching the face of her latest takedown morph into an innocent child whose body was merely a host to the real danger, she cried the whole way back to CatCo, only to have her article shredded and the by-line given to someone else. Truly, it's been a no good, very bad day and all Kara wants to do is curl into a blanket on her couch and watch old movies until she passes out. She's ready for the day to be over, when she hears noises coming from inside her apartment. Tipping her chin, Kara looks over the rim of her glasses to scan through the door. She drops her head and sighs at the sight. 

"Oh, hey, there you are!" Mon-El says from the couch when she finally collects herself enough to enter her own place. "Have you heard of PlayStation? The graphics are so real!" 

Kara takes him in, hair a mess beneath a wireless headset, wearing what she's sure is her favorite t-shirt only it's covered in orange stains. A bag of cheetos lay on the floor and matching orange crumbs are all over her couch. The very place she'd been looking forward to crashing on since seeing that little boy's unmoving face. 

Mon-El doesn't seem to notice the tears pooling in her eyes or the tension in her jaw as he returns to his game and starts yelling into the headset. 

This is it, Kara decides. Coming home at the end of the worst day she's had in years and seeing him in her space is the last straw. She doesn't want him here, in fact, she never wants to see another man in her apartment. Ever.  Kara walks back out of the apartment without another word. She'll deal with Mon-El some other time. Tonight, there's somewhere else she'd rather be, someone else she'd rather see.

[dailycatsblog]

[innovadesexual]

[imawholeassmood]

I wrote something for Rizzoli and Isles

[imawholeassmood]

Flirt

This is the smartest thing Lena’s ever done, at least according to her two-a.m. wine-drunk brain.

When she received the email notification for a new blog post from her favorite author, Kara Danvers, Lena had been commiserating with Sam over her lack of love life. Unfortunately for Lena, Sam knows her well enough to know when to notice and then call her out when her face shifted at the notification. While Lena has mastered the art of stoicism and maintaining a front for people, she’s never quite been able to hide her reactions when it comes to Kara.

Kara, the blonde-ponytailed, glasses-wearing dork who hops on live video events only to quickly devolve into a mess of giggles and blushes at the flood of compliments she inevitably receives. Kara, the wordsmith who has written all of Lena’s favorite books of the last three years. Kara, the hopeless romantic who waxes poetic about love and romance and partnership who is notoriously single.

“What’s that face, Luthor?” Sam asks, breaking Lena from her reverie. Lena tried to brush her off, but it was no use. She had never been any good at resisting her long-time best friend. Lena turns her phone to face Sam with the blog article pulled up.

Quick! Someone flirt with me. I need to practice for a thing I’m writing!

Sam grabs the phone and reads the words out loud, practically exploding into a fit of laughter when they register to her own wine-drunk brain.

“Ohmygod, you have to do this!” Sam says, still laughing.

“Do what?”

“Flirt with her!”

“Sam, that’s not real,” Lena says, putting on her best impression of sober Lena. “It’s a blog. A funny thing she’s saying. For likes.”

Truly, Lena’s not even sure why she’s arguing against it. Wasn’t she just thinking replying to this request would be the best idea she’s ever had?

“Come on!” Sam urges. “Even if it is a joke, how much fun would it be to slide into her DM’s?”

Lena takes another swig of wine. It’s not like she hasn’t thought of it before. Sliding into Kara’s direct messages. Until now, she never knew what to say, how to not sound creepy or like any other random stranger who hits on someone they’ve never met. This was the perfect ice breaker.

“Aaaand,” Sam continues, “if nothing comes of it, at least you can die without the regret of never having made your move on Karl Danfers. Karla Damvers.” She tastes the words, stretching out each syllable, knowing something’s not quite right, but also not sure what’s wrong.

“Kara Danvers. Give me that.” Lena swipes for her phone, but Sam pulls it away and out of her reach.

Sam finishes off the last of her own wine and says, “oh, well. I doubt she would have replied anyway.”

That gets Lena’s attention. “What do you mean you doubt she’d reply?”

Sam shrugs. “I’m sure Kara Danvers has people slide into her DM’s every single day. I mean, you’ve seen her, right? Besides, you are good at many things, Lena Luthor, and I love you, but flirting is not exactly one of your strengths.”

“Excuse me,” Lena says, indignant. “I am an amazing flirterer. Flirter. Flirt?” Why was English so hard.

“Please.”

Lena grabs the wine bottle, chugging straight from the mouth. When she finishes it, she slams the bottle onto the coffee table. “I’ll prove it.”

[imawholeassmood]

in a voice note I left for myself

"Salmon cysts" = Sam insists 😂 

[imawholeassmood]

maybe I should start putting my plot bunnies here instead of accumulating wips across multiple apps and devices 🤔

[sketchywave]

Bonus

A few hours later...

[chillyfeetsteak]

a few doors down from me my neighbors have a squirrel bar nailed to the tree in front of the sidewalk, not exactly this but something like this:

it's been there for years and they never "stock" it so it's just sitting there. anyway, i thought it would be cute to make a little squirrel out of sculpey and leave it on one of the stools in the middle of the night. i also made a little sculpey beer bottle with its own label.

it lasted exactly one day and now it is gone. it didn't fall off, i stuck it on with tape. what do you think happened to it? your most fantastical and wrong answers only, please

[chillyfeetsteak]

HUGE NEWS HUGE UPDATE

squirrel REAPPEARED today... NOW PAINTED

[chillyfeetsteak]

i wanted to provide another update because there has been more activity at the nut bar

a few weeks ago i sculpted a new patron:

and put him in the bar. the next day he was gone. a couple weeks later he reappeared painted... but with ANOTHER new guest: a 3D printed squirrel based on the first one i sculpted (with a bottle!)

:)

[boycottxxlove]

my dream as a fanfic writer is for one day, one of my fics to be someones comfort fic. like the fic that they reread when they don't feel good and want to be happy. i want my words to comfort someone one day

[ao3commentoftheday]

treat yourself to a short fic. in 2k or less, your whole day could turn around.

[imawholeassmood]

lemme just put this here

https://archiveofourown.org/works/56103415

[rosalynnart]

The Dirt Under Your Nails 💅🏻

[livreteste]

Cat 💙

[norncrow]

Caitvi

[no-longer-another-bondi-blonde]

This wins the internet for 2024!! 😂😂

[no-longer-another-bondi-blonde]

Brilliant 😂😂

[imawholeassmood]

You're in my heart, you're in my soul

@somewillwin thank you for your adorable caitvi soulmates au.

part 1, I guess :) also on A03

As the pain radiates through her wrist up to her shoulder, the only thought in Vi’s head is she’s glad Powder’s not with her. Deckard’s cheap shot, hitting her with a bat to the head as she rounded the corner was low, even for him. Vi fought back as best she could, dazed from the headwound, but her disorientation had her missing more punches than she landed. She didn’t often stroll through the under city alone and tonight she was getting a tough reminder as to why that was.

But the headache she felt earlier and the overwhelming tension that pulled at her shoulders required her to get out and move her body. It was unlike anything she’d experienced before and, to her knowledge, completely unaccounted for. Vi didn’t get headaches and she certainly never felt her body tense the way it had earlier that day.

Another wrenching blow to the gut forces a breathy cough from Vi’s lungs as she hunches and heaves to fill her lungs. Deckard’s men are relentless with their attacks, kicking her while she’s down. This is it, she thinks as images of Powder, Mylo, and Claggor flash before her, I’m going to die.

***

“Caitlyn!” Cassandra’s voice comes out loud and strained as she rushes across the room to her unmoving daughter on the floor. “Tobias!” she shouts, dropping to the ground and grabbing Caitlyn into her arms. Caitlyn doesn’t respond to her mother’s panicked cries.

“Cassandra, what is i-“ Tobias’s calm demeanor disappears when he sees his wife and daughter. He rushes over to them on the floor and starts looking Caitlyn over. Blood gushes from an open wound on her head, bruises mar other parts of her face, and her wrist is twisted unnaturally. “I’ll call the hospital and let them know we’re on our way. Hold this here.” Tobias presses a handkerchief to Caitlyn’s head and waits for Cassandra to take over before rushing out of the room.

***

Claggor kicks the door to The Last Drop open and Mylo calls out for Vander. They’re holding Vi’s limp body between them.

“The sofa,” Vander says, pointing to the worn down and stained piece of furniture. Mylo and Claggor carry Vi across the room and ease her onto the torn fabric. “Keep Powder out of here,” Vander says, looking over Vi’s swollen and bruised face, her features unrecognizable. His fingers tremble only slightly as he slowly moves them to Vi’s throat, pressing two fingers against the skin under her jaw. He nearly bursts into tears when he finds a faint pulse.

Powder’s cries behind him sting in his chest as he hears his sons try their best to keep her away. She shouldn’t see her sister like this. None of them should. “I’m gonna get you help, kid,” he says, standing.

“I want to see Vi!” Powder says in a cry-yell when Vander slips into the back room with her and her brothers. Vander takes a deep breath to keep his emotions in check.

“I’m taking your sister to the hospital,” he says, “I need you all to stay here and look after each other. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”

“I want to see her,” Powder says, face stained with tears.

“Powder,” Vander says, placing a hand on her shoulder, “you know these two can’t take care of themselves. Even though she’d never admit it, Vi would hate to see anything happen to them.” Powder sniffs and wipes her hand under her nose. “I know you want to see your sister,” Vander continues, “but right now I need you to take care of her brothers so I can take care of her. Ok?”

Powder gives a reluctant head nod. “That’s my girl. And you two,” Vander says, looking at Claggor and Mylo. He doesn’t have the words to thank them. They seem to understand his meaning as they each give him a nod of recognition. Before he slips out the door, he turns back to his kids. “I’ll be back as soon as I can to come get you all.”

***

“I don’t care what it costs, you save my daughter.”

“I assure you, Mrs. Kiramman,” the hospital administrator says in a neutral tone, “Caitlyn is receiving the best care. We’ve called in our specialists to tend to her.”

Tobias squeezes his arm around his wife’s waist. “Caitlyn’s doctors are the best in the hospital,” he reassures Cassandra.

Cool air from the night breezes around them as the hospital’s main doors open and a booming voice calls out. “My daughter needs help.”

Tobias and Cassandra turn to see the hulking figure and the unconscious girl in his arms. She looks so small against his large frame. Tobias sees them first, the wounds on the girl’s face and body. He moves over the man.

“What happened to her?” he asks, looking over Vi’s form.

“She was mugged. Are you a doctor?”

“I am, but I’m not on duty.”

“Then you’re no help to us.” Vander pushes past Tobias, stepping up to the administrator. “Please, she needs a doctor.”

The man eyes Vander and Vi, scanning them from head to toe, looking put-out by their presence. Vander, covered in sweat from the journey, and Vi in her torn clothes covered in blood and dirt certainly stand out next to buttoned up waistcoats and matching silk nightgowns of the Kirammans. Vander knew it would be a risk bringing Vi all the way to Piltover, but the hospitals are far superior to the ones in the under city. “I think you may be in the wrong hospital.”

“I’ll see her,” Tobias says.

“Dr. Kiramman, I don’t-“

“I insist.”

“Tobias, what are you?” Cassandra says, stepping up to her husband. He nods his head in Vi’s direction, just enough to get his wife to look. She scans the girl whose limbs dangle loosely in the large man’s arms, stopping at the familiar headwound. She turns back to her husband and says in a hushed voice, “I’ll make sure Caitlyn receives the best care. You take care of her.”

Tobias presses a kiss to Cassandra’s forehead before turning back to Vander.

“Follow me, Mister?”

“Vander.”

“Vander. I’m Tobias,” he says, pressing a palm to his chest. “Let’s get your daughter patched up.”

***

Vander sits in the lumpy hospital chair next to Vi’s bed as Tobias makes some checks of the machines. “Not that I’m not grateful for what you’ve done,” Vander says, “it just doesn’t seem like it’s enough for her wounds.”

Tobias turns to him with a soft smile on his lips. “I assure you, Vander,” he says, “your daughter’s received the best care in this hospital. She’s going to be ok.”

At that, Vander rises from his seat. “A few bandages and a breathing machine,” he says pointing to Vi and the tubes running from her mouth, “are hardly the best care. When did these specialists see her?”

Tobias, aiming to assuage the man twice his size, holds up his hands in surrender. “I apologize, allow me to explain. Shortly before you arrived, my wife, Cassandra, and I brought in our daughter, Caitlyn, after finding her unconscious on her bedroom floor. She looked like she’d been hit by a bus. We, understandably, had no idea what happened and brought her here where we have quite a bit of influence.” He keeps talking as Vander looks at him with a mix of confusion and impatience on his face. “Then you arrived with Vi here who shares remarkably similar injuries to Caitlyn’s. Now, I don’t know what you believe, but, um.”

“You think my Vi and your Caitlyn are?”

“I do,” Tobias said in earnest. “And if that’s the case, then Vi has been treated by the best doctors in this hospital, my wife has made sure of it.”

Vander scratches at his jaw, a playful smile toying at his lips. “Oh, Vi is gonna get a kick out of this.”

***

“Excuse me, Mister,” Cassandra pauses, unsure of herself with such casualty, “Vander?”

Vander rises from the chair to greet the woman still dressed in her silk nightgown who looks like she’s slept as much as Vander has over the past eighteen hours. He’s glad to know he’s not the only one this is taking a toll on, though he’s surprised to find the woman hasn’t managed to get ahold of a change of clothes, given her dress. Seeming to read Vanders mind, she tugs at the belt around her waistcoat to tighten the knot.

“I’m Cassandra, my husband has been treating your daughter.”

“Yes, come in. I, thank you. Both of you for what you’ve done for Vi.”

Cassandra stands in the doorway, looking uncertain about whether or not she should enter the room, despite Vander’s offer. She glances at Vi before ducking her head and bringing her attention back to Vander.

“I wanted to apologize for the way you and your daughter were treated when you first arrived. I’ve never been a fan of the administration here, but now I have something I can work with, and I assure you, I will be doing something about it.”

Vander isn’t sure what to make of that statement or what to say in response. “Ok,” is all he manages to get out in the awkward silence.

“I believe Tobias has made you aware of our suspicions about our girls?” Cassandra says, breaking the silence. Vander is relieved at the change of topic.

“Yes.”

“Yes. Well, I was thinking they might heal faster if they were nearer to each other,” Cassandra says. “I’d like to have Vi moved, if you’re ok with it.”

Vander looks at Vi who continues to lay in bed without any signs of regaining consciousness. The bruising and swelling of her face are in full effect and he’s not even sure she could open her eyes if she wanted. The air tube covering her nose and mouth, the saline drip attached to the back of her hand, and a slew of other wires running from her fragile body to various machines chokes Vander with the emotions he’s been holding back since Mylo and Claggor first dragged her into their home. At this point, he’d do anything for her to wake up.

“I don’t know much about how any of this works,” he says, turning back to Cassandra, “so I’ll follow your lead if you think it’ll help.”

***

Vi comes to with a pounding in her head and the inability to fully open her eyes. That’s probably a good thing if the brightness behind her swollen eyelids is any indicator to how brights the lights of the space she’s in are. Regardless, she tries to open her eyes anyway.

“Hey, kiddo,” she hears Vander’s rough voice say and feels his calloused hands cover one of her own. She doesn’t have enough strength or energy to adjust to his touch and when she tries to speak, she discovers her very dry mouth is covered by something that stops her. “I’ll get the doc,” Vander speaks again, his voice hiding a slight tremor. “See what we can do about that breather.”

Vi’s not sure how much time passes before she’s jostled awake again, this time her mouth free of the plastic contraption. Her eyes don’t seem to be working any better, but she makes out a blurry figure standing next to where she lays.

“Hi, Vi. I’m Dr. Kiramman.” The man’s voice is soft and surprisingly comforting. “It’s really great to see you awake.”

If Vi didn’t know any better, she’d say his voice shared the slight tremor she heard in Vander’s earlier.

“I’ve got some water here, if you’d like,” he continues. She nods, or at least, thinks she does. When the soft touch of a straw taps against her lips, she parts them and tries her best to get some of the liquid her parched mouth craves. It’s not as easy a task as it used to be and water dribbles down her chin.

“I’ll let Cassandra know.” Vander speaks again. She didn’t even know he was still in the room.

“Actually, Vander,” the man, Dr. Kiramman, says more casually than Vi would expect, “I think we should wait on that. Give Caitlyn a little more time.”

***

Vi wake again, she assumes some time later if her eyesight is anything to go by. She looks around with more ease than the first time she’d tried and her vision isn’t as blurry.

“Hello, again, Vi,” a soothing voice says. She turns to the man in the white coat, stepping up to her bedside. “It’s Dr. Kiramman. How are you feeling?”

“Like I fell off a bridge.”

The man chuckles. “I appreciate the honesty.”

“Vander?”

“Vander’s gone to check on your siblings. I told him I’d stay here with you until he got back.”

A million thoughts race through Vi’s head and she doesn’t know which question she wants to ask first. How long has she been here? How long has Vander been away from Powder? Why would the doctor offer to stay with her?

Her breaths quicken with the growing panic rising in her chest. It’s all a little too much for her right now.

“It’s ok, Vi,” Dr. Kiramman says, his voice calm. “You’re safe.”

Her eyes dart around the room, landing on a figure laying in a bed next to her, wires and machines matching her own.

Vi’s panic subsides, draining out of her as she looks at the girl. Dark hair is all she can make out around the bruising and breathing machine on her face, but she looks to be about Vi’s age.

“This is my daughter,” the man Vi’d forgotten was in the room with her says. “Caitlyn.” Vi turns back to him to see his eyes have glossed over as he tries to hold back tears. He clears his throat. “I do wish you’d have met under different circumstances.”

“What happened to her?” Vi rasps out, her throat suddenly dry as she turns back to look at Caitlyn’s unconscious form.

Dr. Kiramman is quiet for a long while. Vi hardly notices the silence as she takes in as much of Caitlyn’s features as she can. Vi is sure she’s the most beautiful girl she’s ever seen.

“What do you know about soulmates?” Dr. Kiramman finally says.

[imawholeassmood]

last part :)

Vi keeps her eyes squeezed shut as she pulls her lips away from Caitlyn’s temple, waiting for…who knows what. When she doesn’t hear anything, she opens one eye then the other.

Caitlyn looks the same - still beautiful, still sleeping.

Vi looks left, then right, turning her head, listening for signs that something is different. But there’s nothing. No beeping machines. No running doctors. No movement from Caitlyn.

Of course it wouldn’t work. She hangs her head in defeat.

“It’s not your fault, you know.”

Vi’s shoulders hunch up at the sound of Cassandra’s voice behind her. Had she seen what Vi had done? Not only did she kiss a freaking Counselor’s daughter without permission, but it didn’t even work. So much for Cassandra wanting to earn Vi’s trust.

“I would do anything for her to wake up.” Cassandra walks around the room, takes her place on the opposite side of Caitlyn’s bed from where Vi is standing, and looks at her daughter. “We have that in common.”

Vi doesn’t look at her, she can’t bring herself to face Cassandra Kiramman right now. Not with what she has to admit. The confession slips out of her, soft, scared, slightly shaky. “She’s here because of me.”

There’s a pause long enough for Vi to think Cassandra might be figuring out how to call Sheriff Grayson back here to pick her up after all.

“Violet,” Cassandra says, her voice uncharacteristically soft. “You didn’t do this to her. The people who did are in police custody. If anything, you’ve helped keep her alive. Thank you.”

Vi’s head almost whips up with the declaration of gratitude. Her daughter is unconscious in a hospital looking like she took a turn in a cement mixer and Cassandra Kiramman is thanking Vi. As she takes in the gentle look on Cassandra’s face, Vi can’t stop the tears from falling. She just feels so guilty. Her lifestyle, being from the under city. Caitlyn didn’t deserve someone like her. Someone who would almost certainly always be putting Caitlyn’s life in danger.

“I know what it’s like to blame yourself,” Cassandra says, squeezing Caitlyn’s hand. “Thinking if you’d done things differently this wouldn’t have happened.” Her voice comes out in a whisper on her next sentence. “Wishing you could take back the last thing you said.”

Vi doesn’t say anything, doesn’t do anything. She just waits.

“She was upset with me.”

***

Vi lays back in her own bed, thinking about what Cassandra had shared with her. About how she and Caitlyn had a fight earlier that day. How Caitlyn was mad at her for trying to “control her life” while Cassandra insisted she just wanted what was best for Caitlyn. Vi thinks about the headache she had that day and the tension she felt in her shoulders, wonders if that was Caitlyn.

What had Tobias said? The bond forms when the soulmates need it most. Did Caitlyn need her?

Dr. Kiramman walks into the room, interrupting Vi’s thoughts, a tray of coffees in his hand. He passes a cup to Vander before joining his wife on the other side of the room. Vi wants to ask him if the soulmate bond ever gets it wrong.

As she contemplates pressing for more information about soulmates, something Vander never spoke of before, the cup in Dr. Kiramman’s hand collapses when the lid pops off, spilling coffee over his hands and onto the floor. Vi watches as he shakes off his hands, wincing with the pain of the scalding hot liquid. Vi watches as Cassandra makes no indication of her own pain.

***

A flurry of commotion wakes Vi from her nap. She’s breathing better, like she’s getting more oxygen than she’d been able to pull into her lungs in days.

People swarm around her, a cluster of white coats and called out orders. Caitlyn’s bed is surrounded by doctors as well as Tobias and Cassandra. Vi can’t see what’s happening, but it doesn’t seem like anyone is panicking and Vi feels better than she has since she first woke up.

“It’s ok, kiddo,” Vander says next to her, his hand covering her forearm. “She’s awake.”

***

Caitlyn isn’t sure what’s happening. Her parents’ voices coo in her ears, giving words of comfort and affection. That can’t be good. Even as her eyes adjust to the bright lights and faces come into focus, she can’t make sense of where she is or how she got there.

Eventually, the voices and faces fade to two she knows.

“Hello, pumpkin,” her father says in his usual calm voice. “It’s good to see you.”

Caitlyn wants to respond, but finds her voice won’t come, her mouth a desert.

“It’s ok, love,” her dad says, sensing her confusion and worry, always able to soothe her. “You’re in the hospital. There was an accident but everyone’s ok. I’ll get you some juice.” He pats her arm, gives her a smile, and steps away from her bed.

Caitlyn follows him across the room and out the door, her eyes continuing to the bed next to her where a pair of light gray eyes watch her in wonder.

***

Vi doesn’t think she’s taken a breath since Caitlyn first looked at her. Bright blue eyes widened in shock when they first fell on Vi. She might have felt bad if Caitlyn’s cheeks hadn’t flushed pink, followed by her quickly averting her eyes. Vi is sure her own face matches her pink hair with the warmth that’s washed over her.

Despite herself, Vi can’t look away. She’s barely containing herself from reaching out or saying something. It doesn’t help that Caitlyn keeps glancing her way and pretending she isn’t.

For a moment, Vi forgets her worries about being Caitlyn’s soulmate. For a moment, it feels like nothing has ever been more right in her life. For a moment, Vi feels at peace.

That moment ends when Powder runs into the room, followed by Mylo and Claggor.

“Does this mean you can go home now the Piltie’s awake?” Mylo says, sounding annoyed.

Vi’s ribs are still too sore to smack him with any force, but that doesn’t stop her from trying. She whips her pillow at him and he deflects it with a “what?!”

Vi winces and holds her ribs. Vander interjects and sends Mylo to the cafeteria, Claggor following him out.

This is not the first impression Vi wanted to make.

“You’re so pretty!” Powder exclaims, standing next to Caitlyn’s bed, expressing Vi’s thoughts with such casualness she’s almost jealous.

Caitlyn blushes again at the compliment and Cassandra chuckles, actually chuckles.

“Caitlyn,” Cassandra says, “this is Powder. She’s going to be Jayce’s new protégé.”

“Jayce is going to help make my monkey bombs explode!”

Cassandra sighs and places a hand on Powder’s shoulder. “We’ll see.”

Vi watches the exchange, only partially listening as Powder rambles on about how excited she is, and Cassandra explains the idea is to create safety and peace through science, not weapons and conflict much to Powder’s dismay.

All the while Caitlyn listens about as much as Vi, her attention drifting to Vi’s bed more often than not.

“The doctor thinks only another day or two,” Vander says, reminding Vi of his presence. “We’ll all be happy to have you home.”

Home. In the under city. On the other side of the bridge from where Caitlyn will be.

Reality crashes back to Vi, knocking the wind out of her. She hears Caitlyn take a sharp breath next to her, but Vi can’t force herself to look. The ache in her chest grows as she thinks about how cruel the world can be, dangling something so beautiful before her that can never be hers.

***

This is the moment Caitlyn’s been waiting for. A few brief minutes of solitude where the only ones in the room are her and the pink-haired girl in the bed next to her with the same injuries. Her soulmate.

The person selected for her by the universe to be her partner in life. Caitlyn knows the soulmate bond isn’t a given. She knows it doesn’t mean your soulmate will be your one true love. She even knows it’s possible for soulmates to choose not to be in each other’s lives.

If the soulmates so choose, their bond is never sealed and their connection dims to a low ache, a gentle reminder of each other’s presence in the world.

But after one look at her soulmate, at Violet, as her mother called her, Caitlyn knew exactly what she wanted.

Though her throat is still raw from lack of use, she can resist no longer in communicating with Violet. She uses the pen and notepad her mother provided and scribbles “Hi! :)” on the page, holding it up for Violet to see.

And she knows Violet will see it because she hasn’t stopped looking at Caitlyn since Caitlyn opened her eyes.

At the girl’s amused expression, she wonders if the exclamation point was too much.

“Hi.”

Nope, not too much. Nothing will be too much for this girl. Caitlyn will give her everything she has.

“Violet?” she holds up this time.

Violet’s face scrunches.

“It’s just Vi.” Then. “Took you long enough.”

***

Vi cannot believe she said that. This beautiful, blushing girl who she’s been dying to meet greets her with enthusiasm and Vi…is Vi. “Sorry,” she mumbles, hoping she hasn’t ruined this. But Caitlyn only smiles at her.

***

Vander watches through the window as Vi and Caitlyn greet each other. Their bashful smiles and tentative words enough to make him hopeful for Vi’s future.

“They have a long road ahead of them.”

The rich, accented voice of Sheriff Grayson comes from next to him.

“Do you think it’ll be different this time?” Vander says, not looking away from the girls.

“I think Cassandra will do anything for her daughter’s happiness,” Grayson says. “A kindness she would not extend to herself.”

Vander looks at Grayson, finds her weary and forlorn. He knows the feeling.

***

Vi is grateful Vander pushed the beds closer. It offers her the chance to reach over and grab Caitlyn’s hand whenever they have a moment to themselves, which come less frequently now the situation isn’t as dire.

Caitlyn, for her part, seems just as eager as Vi for the connection, testing her own injuries when she turned on her side to face Vi. They spend the hours sneaking glances and too short touches as people come and go to check on them.

Vi gets her chance when Cassandra announces she’ll be off to pack a bag for Caitlyn and Vander offers to walk her out. It’s likely to be their final time together before they leave the hospital and have to figure out what comes next.

For now, Vi slips out of her bed, walks over to Caitlyn’s. Caitlyn holds up the sheet for her. They settle into each other, Caitlyn resting her head on Vi’s chest as Vi wraps her arm around Caitlyn’s shoulder. Vi closes her eyes, succumbing to the calmness she feels wash over her.

***

Vander can’t help himself. He takes out his camera and raises it to snap a picture of Vi and Caitlyn asleep on Caitlyn’s bed. As he adjusts the angle, Vi, eyes closed, raises her arm and flips him the bird. Vander laughs and takes the picture.