Skating Into You âžïžđ
Modern Arcane AU â> hockey player!violet x hockey player!caitlyn x figure skater!reader
Words: 6114
Summary: All three student athletes at Piltover college, two hockey players and one figure skater create a caring relationship built (physically not mentally) on ice.
--
You stood at centre ice, the world has gone quiet.
Then you pushed off at the start of the music.
Your blade pressed into the ice, a clean push. Familiar. Instinctive. And suddenly you were gliding, the stillness breaking beneath you in smooth, deliberate lines.
Coach Kai stood on the edge of the boards shouting corrections as you moved from turns to jumps. The cold rushed up through your legs, sharp and grounding.
The control didnât last long though. Because they always arrive loud. Hockey players do.
The doors slam open, laughter echoing through the arena as gear bags hit the floor. Sticks clatter. Someone swears. Someone else shoves back.
And at the centre of it. Vi. Always Vi.
Sheâs still in partial gear, helmet hanging off her fingers. Shoulders back and eyes forward ready for practice. A bruise formed along her jaw like it belongs there. It probably does.
âOi!â she calls, spotting you already on the ice. âPrincess is running late today.â You donât look at her. You push off instead, clean edge, sharp glide, carving across the rink like glass splitting under pressure.
Behind her, Caitlyn watches more quietly. She always does.
âLate?â you call back, breath steady despite the speed. âYouâre early.â
Vi snorts, hopping the barrier like rules are more of a suggestion than anything else. Her skates hit the ice with a dull scrape, toned legs pulling her to a stop.
âPractice starts at ten,â she says. âYouâre usually done by now.â
Coach Kaiâs voice cuts across the rink. âEdges! Hold your edge. Donât rush it!â
You donât answer Vi, moving quickly to push off. You drop your weight slightly, knee bending deeper as you lean into the curve. The blade bites sharper this time, steadier, your body aligning the way itâs supposed to.
Better.
But not perfect.
âAgain!â Kai calls.
You reset without hesitation.
Vi watches you as you move, her usual restless energy dialed down into something more focused. Her head tilts slightly, eyes narrowing as if sheâs trying to work you out, like youâre a problem she hasnât quite figured out yet.
ââŠAre you always this intense?â she asks.
You donât stop skating. âAre you always this annoying?â
A grin flashes across her face immediately. âYeah, actually.â
Caitlyn steps onto the ice more carefully, keeping close to the boards, her presence calm and deliberate in contrast to Viâs chaos. She doesnât interrupt, doesnât demand attention, she simply watches, tracking the details.
âYou hesitate right after you land,â she says after a moment, voice even, thoughtful rather than certain. âJust for a second. Itâs like you donât trust it to hold.â
You falter slightly, just enough to feel it.
Not enough for most people to notice.
But she notices.
Your gaze flicks toward her. ââŠWhat?â
She shrugs lightly. âI donât know the technique. I just⊠watch people a lot. Patterns, I suppose.â
Thereâs a brief pause. Coach Kai squints from the boards before calling out, âSheâs right.â
You blink, thrown off more by that than anything else.
Vi looks between you and Caitlyn, baffled. âWait⊠sheâs right?â
Caitlyn doesnât react to the surprise. âItâs just an observation.â
You push off again before the moment can settle, this time faster, stronger, letting your body adjust just slightly based on what she said. When you land the jump, you hold it a fraction longer, steadier, and the difference is immediate, it feels smoother, more controlled, the exit cleaner.
Coach Kai claps once in approval. âThatâs it.â
You slow, turning back toward the boards, toward them. Vi is staring at you now with open interest, the usual teasing replaced by something brighter, almost impressed.
âOkay,â she says, shaking her head. âThat was hot.â
âVi,â Caitlyn says, her tone flat but not entirely unamused.
âWhat? It was.â
You let out a quiet huff of laughter despite yourself, shaking your head before glancing toward Caitlyn. âThanks.â
She nods once. âOf course.â
For a moment, none of you move. Youâre close enough now to notice the details, the faint scrape along Viâs jaw, the way Caitlynâs gaze still lingers on you like sheâs replaying the movement in her head. The cold doesnât feel quite as sharp as it did before.
Coach Kai breaks the moment with a sharp clap. âAlright, wrap it up! Hockeyâs got the ice.â
Noise rises instantly behind the glass, cheers, complaints, the chaotic energy returning all at once. Vi rolls her shoulders, already shifting back into something looser and louder. âHear that? Our turn, princess.â
You raise an eyebrow. âTry not to fall over.â
âOh, Iâm definitely falling over,â she replies easily. âJust taking someone with me.â
âPreferably not me,â Caitlyn adds.
âNo promises.â
You skate toward the exit, but you donât leave right away like you normally would. Instead, you linger by the boards, unlacing your skates slowly, watching as they take over the ice. Vi moves like she owns it. Fast, aggressive, colliding with a teammate within seconds and laughing like itâs part of the plan. Caitlyn, on the other hand, is controlled and deliberate, every movement measured, every decision intentional.
For the first time, you find yourself watching them the same way theyâve been watching you.
âAre you practicing at the same time tomorrow?â Vi calls, gliding backward with far too much confidence.
You glance up, meeting Caitlynâs gaze. Sheâs already looking at you, waiting, her expression calm but expectant.
You hesitate for only a second before answering. ââŠYeah.â
Vi grins, satisfied, while Caitlynâs smile is smaller, quieter, but no less certain.
As you step off the ice, the cold finally begins to fade from your legs, the thought lingers that your routines have always been precise, structured, and entirely your own. Now, though, something is shifting at the edges, something louder and less predictable working its way in, and for the first time, youâre not entirely sure you want to keep it out.
---
You werenât too sure what this was.
A flirtationship? No.
A relationship? Definitely not.
Because they were already in one.
Vi and Caitlyn werenât subtle about it, not if you knew what to look for. It wasnât loud or overdone, but it was there in the easy way they existed around each other. The casual touches, the unspoken understanding, the way Caitlyn would steady Vi with nothing more than a glance, and Vi would listen without a fight.
They were solid. Established. A couple.
Which meant whatever this situation was, It didnât make sense.
And yet, somehow, you were still in the middle of it. Like many things in your life it started small enough that you couldâve brushed it off.
Viâs attention wasnât unusual; she was like that with everyone. Loud, physical, always in someoneâs space. But with you, it lingered. Her shoulder bumps lasted a second too long. Her teasing felt⊠pointed.
âCareful, princess,â sheâd say, skating past you just close enough to knock your balance. âWouldnât want you falling for me.â
You rolled your eyes. âYou wish.â
âDonât have to,â she shot back with a grin and a wink to top it off. âAlready happening.â
You told yourself it was just how she was.
Except⊠Caitlyn never stopped it.
It got worse, or better? You couldnât tell. The day they brought the team to your dress rehearsal.
You stepped onto the ice expecting quiet. Instead, there was a full hockey team pressed against the glass like it was a finals game.
âOi! Princess!â Vi called immediately, grinning. âDonât choke!â
âEncouraging,â you muttered, spinning away from them as a small smile graced your face.
Caitlyn, beside her, didnât look away from you. âIgnore them. Youâll be fine.â
âThem?â Vi scoffed. âIâm her favourite.â
You rolled your eyes, and then your music started. You didnât think about them while you skated. To be honest you didnât think about anything while you skated, as you let the ice and music take you.
But without fail every time you finished a section, there was a tap-tap-tap of sticks against the glass, a loud âYES!â from Vi, and a quieter, âThat was better,â from Caitlyn.
By the time you finished, they were both already waiting at the board.
Vi leaned over dramatically. âYeah, okay, that was insane.â
âVi is right, it was. â Caitlyn said.
âInsanely hot.â
âViolet.â Caitlyn pushed her girlfriend's shoulder.
You laughed softly, before you could stop yourself. And that shouldâve been the end of it. It wasnât. After that, it just⊠kept happening. Not so much big moments but small ones.
Vi stealing your gloves and skating off with them.
âGive them back.â
âCome get them.â
âI will trip you.â
âWorth it.â
Caitlyn, from the side: âShe will actually trip you.â
ââŠNoted.â
The three of you sitting on the floor after practice, backs against the boards.
Vi talking about a hit like it was the greatest moment of her life.
You explain, badly, how scoring works in figure skating.
Caitlyn listens to both of you, somehow following everything.
âSo youâre judged on⊠vibes?â Vi asked.
âItâs not vibes-â
âItâs vibes,â Caitlyn said calmly.
You stared at her.
She almost smiled.
---
It didnât stay on the ice.
That was the problem. Or maybe it wasnât a problem at all, just the beginning of something that refused to stay contained to one place.
Because at first, it made sense. You were the figure skater. They were hockey players. The rink was the shared space where those two worlds collided, overlapped, then separated again like nothing unusual had happened.
But then it started showing up elsewhere.
Outside the glass.
Outside the rules of practice.
Outside anything Coach Kai could shout corrections at.
The first time Vi caught you outside of the rink, it was already dark outside, the parking lot lit by tall, buzzing lights that made everything look colder than it felt.
You were walking toward your car with your bag over your shoulder and skates in hand, moving slower now that the adrenaline from training had finally worn off and the deep ache settled in your body.
âHey!â Viâs voice cut across the lot.
You turned. âYouâre still here?â
She jogged over, still in half gear, helmet tucked under one arm. âYeah. Coach was still yelling at people, so I escaped.â
âThat sounds responsible,â you said, unlocking your car.
âIt is,â she replied confidently, leaning casually against your car like she belonged there. âAnyway, Iâve got a question.â
You paused with your door half open. âThat sounds like a lie.â
Vi grinned. âIt wasnât. Mostly.â
You sighed. âWhat do you want?â
âDo you always leave like this?â she asked, nodding at your routine. âPractice ends, and you just disappear.â
âI'm going home,â you said.
âThatâs not what I mean,â Vi said quickly. âYou donât stick around. You just⊠vanish.â
âI donât vanish,â you replied. âI leave.â
From a few metres away, another voice joined in.
âVi, leave her alone.â
Caitlyn was walking over at an easy pace, jacket still on, gloves tucked into her pocket. Calm as always. Her eyes flicked to you for a second before settling on Vi.
âIâm not bothering her,â Vi said immediately. âIâm asking a question.â
âThatâs bothering her,â Caitlyn replied.
You couldnât help the small laugh that slipped out at that.
Vi pointed at you like sheâd caught something. âSee? Sheâs laughing. Iâm not bothering her.â
âI laughed at something else,â you said, though you didnât really argue it strongly.
Caitlyn looked at you. âYouâre leaving now?â
âYeah,â you said.
She nodded once, like that was all she needed. âDrive safe.â
Vi leaned down slightly to peer at you through the open door. âDonât fall asleep at the wheel or whatever skaters do.â
âI donât fall asleep at the wheel.â
âYou could,â she said, completely serious.
You shook your head, but there was a faint smile there now as you got into the car.
Neither of them moved right away.
Vi stayed leaning against your car, watching like she was waiting to make sure you actually left.
Caitlyn stood a little further back, hands in her pockets, eyes still on you.
Only when you started the engine did Vi straighten and give a lazy wave.
Caitlyn nodded once.
And you drove off thinking that was probably the end of it.
---
The first time they both spotted you on campus and not in or near the rink, it was pure coincidence.
You were walking across the courtyard between buildings, bag over your shoulder, earbuds in, completely in your own world. You looked like you always did off the ice, quieter, more contained, like all the sharp edges had been tucked away somewhere else.
âHEY!â Viâs voice cut through the noise of campus life like it belonged nowhere near it.
You stopped, turning slightly. âYouâre loud everywhere, arenât you?â
She jogged up beside you while Caitlyn followed shortly behind, grinning like sheâd just won something. They were both still in team hoodies and joggers, and Viâs hair damp like sheâd just left training.
âI didnât know you had classes around here,â she said.
âI didnât know you paid attention in lectures,â you replied.
âRude,â she said, not offended in the slightest. âI was skipping.â
âOf course you were.â
âI told you she studies in the arts building,â Caitlyn said to Vi.
Vi blinked. âYou stalked her schedule?â
âI looked it up,â Caitlyn corrected. âThereâs a difference.â
You stopped walking. âWhy would you look that up?â
Caitlyn didnât hesitate. âYou leave the rink right after you finish training. I was curious where you go, besides home of course.â
âThatâs still kind of stalking,â Vi said, impressed.
âItâs not,â Caitlyn replied calmly.
You sighed. âI have class.â
Vi nodded like that had explained everything. âRight. So you just⊠exist quietly between ice sessions.â
âThatâs one way to put it.â
Caitlyn studied you for a moment. âYouâre different here.â
You frowned slightly. âEveryone is.â
âNo,â she said simply. âNot like this.â
Vi leaned closer, squinting at you like she was trying to solve a puzzle. âYou look less⊠untouchable.â
âThatâs a weird thing to say,â you replied immediately.
âItâs accurate though,â Vi said.
Caitlyn didnât disagree.
---
The party wasnât your idea.
It never was.
Your friend had said something about âgetting out more,â dragged you in through the front door, then immediately disappeared into the crowd like theyâd completed their mission and logged off.
You were left standing in the entryway with a drink you didnât remember accepting and music shaking through the walls like it was trying to rearrange your bones. And a dress that hugged your figure perfectly but you kept feeling the need to pull it down more on your thighs.
Perfect.
You were already deciding how soon was socially acceptable to leave when you heard it.
âNO WAY.â
That voice didnât belong in a crowded house like this.
You turned.
Vi.
Of course.
She pushed through the crowd like it was optional scenery, hoodie half-zipped and a grin that widened the second she saw you.
âPrincess!â she said immediately, like it was your full name and title.
You sighed. âPlease donât call me that in public.â
âNo,â she said easily. âI think I will.â
Behind her, Caitlyn arrived more quietly, cutting through the noise without fighting it. She didnât rush. People just⊠moved.
Her eyes found you immediately.
âYouâre here,â Caitlyn said.
âI was invited against my will,â you replied.
Vi laughed. âThatâs the best kind of invitation.â
Caitlyn looked at you a moment longer than necessary. âDo you want to stay?â
It was direct.
Simple.
Not teasing.
You paused. âI just got here.â
âThatâs not what I asked,â she said.
Vi leaned in slightly. âThatâs a yes-or-no situation, princess.â
You rolled your eyes. âI donât know yet.â
Vi nodded like that was acceptable. âWeâll fix that.â
---
Somehow, you ended up with them.
Not because you were pulled.
Just because you didnât move away.
Vi stuck close immediately, loud even when she tried not to be. Caitlyn stayed on your other side, quieter but always there, like sheâd decided your space was something she could occupy carefully.
It didnât feel like being trapped.
It felt like being⊠kept track of.
In a way you didnât hate.
âYouâre doing that thing again,â Vi said at one point.
âWhat thing?â
âThat quiet thinking thing,â she replied. âLike youâre planning an escape route.â
âIâm not.â
Caitlyn glanced at you. âYou usually are.â
You blinked. âWhy do you both say that like itâs normal?â
âBecause it is,â Vi said.
That shouldâve annoyed you.
Instead, it made you laugh under your breath.
Caitlyn noticed immediately.
âYou do that more around us,â she said.
âWhat?â
âLaughing,â she clarified.
You shrugged. âMaybe youâre less unbearable than I expected.â
Vi gasped. âThatâs basically a love confession in my language.â
âItâs not,â you said immediately.
Caitlyn didnât react to Viâs comment. She just watched you for a second longer.
Like she was considering something.
Then she said, very evenly, âDo you want to go somewhere quieter?â
You hesitated. âYeah.â
Vi immediately perked up. âBackyard. Less chaos. More existential conversation. Perfect.â
âI donât do existential conversations,â you said.
âYou will,â she replied confidently.
---
The backyard was cooler, quieter, the noise of the party reduced to something distant and muffled. Someone had strung up cheap lights that flickered slightly in the wind.
You ended up leaning on the low stone wall.
Vi dropped into the grass like she had no respect for posture.
Caitlyn sat beside her, controlled, composed, like she always was.
You stayed slightly apart at first.
Then Vi patted the space beside her. âSit.â
âI am sitting,â you said.
âThatâs not sitting,â she replied. âThatâs hovering emotionally.â
You sighed and sat properly on the wall.
Vi grinned like sheâd achieved something important. âThere. Improvement.â
Caitlyn looked up at you. âYouâre more relaxed when youâre not in structured environments.â
âIâm always relaxed,â you said automatically.
âNo,â Caitlyn said softly. âYouâre not.â
That made you pause.
Not defensive.
Just⊠aware.
Vi, for once, didnât interrupt.
Instead she said, a little quieter, âYou donât really let people in, do you?â
You looked at her, then down to the floor shoulders lifting up in a single shrug.
Caitlyn didnât contradict her.
But she added, âNot here.â
You frowned slightly. âWhat does that mean?â
Caitlyn met your eyes. âWith us.â
Silence settled.
Not awkward.
Just real.
Vi stretched her legs out in front of her. âWeâre kind of already in your space a lot anyway.â
âThatâs because you show up everywhere I am,â you said.
âYeah,â Vi said simply. âOn purpose.â
That made you look at her.
She didnât look away.
Caitlyn spoke again, quieter than both of you. âWe like being around you.â
It was straightforward.
No games.
No teasing.
Just the truth.
And somehow that was worse than anything else.
Because it didnât give you an easy way out.
You looked between them. âYou both say things like that like itâs normal.â
Vi shrugged. âIt is for me. For us.â
Caitlyn nodded once. âItâs becoming normal.â
That line hung there longer than anything Vi ever said.
---
After that night, something changed.
Not loudly.
Not suddenly.
Just⊠in how they stayed.
Vi started showing up next to you without announcing it, shoulder bumping yours like it was instinct now.
Caitlyn started walking closer than she used to, not touching, but never far.
And you stopped stepping away.
---
The rink was supposed to be empty.
It usually was at this hour, late evening, lights dimmed except for the ones above the ice, the building settling into that quiet hum that only existed after teams left and maintenance hadnât started yet.
You liked it that way.
No noise. No eyes. Just ice and breath and repetition.
You were halfway through a clean sequence when you felt it, off to the side, near the boards.
Not a coach. Not maintenance. Someone watching.
You slowed slightly on the landing of your next turn, blades carving a shallow arc as you came out of it and looked up.
Vi was leaning against the glass.
Team hoodie on, duffle bag hanging off her shoulders. Grinning like sheâd been caught doing something she absolutely intended to be caught doing.
Caitlyn stood beside her.
Not leaning. Not slouching. Just watching you properly, hands in her jacket pockets, expression steady in that quiet way she always had.
You stopped fully this time.
ââŠYouâre both still here?â you called across the ice.
Vi shrugged. âWe waited.â
âFor what?â you asked.
Caitlyn answered first, like she always did when Vi hesitated for half a second too long.
âFor you to finish.â
That made something pause in your chest before you could stop it.
You pushed lightly off the ice, gliding closer to the boards but not too close. âYour practice ended two hours ago.â
âWe know,â Vi said.
Caitlyn nodded once. âWe stayed anyway.â
There wasnât anything demanding in it.
That was the problem.
It wasnât pressure.
It was intentional.Â
You exhaled through your nose. âWhy?â
Vi and Caitlyn exchanged a look.
Not long.
Not complicated.
Just enough.
Then Vi looked back at you.
âBecause we wanted to talk to you,â she said.
You blinked. âYou couldâve done that anywhere else on campus.â
Caitlynâs voice stayed even. âWe didnât want to rush it.â
That made you go quiet.
Because nothing about them ever felt rushed.
Even Vi, who moved like she lived one second ahead of everyone else, was still standing there instead of cutting in. You rested your forearms on the top of the boards, still on the ice side, still separated.
âOkay,â you said carefully. âTalk.â
Another pause.
Not awkward.
Just deliberate.
Vi scratched the back of her neck once. âThis is weird.â
Caitlyn didnât look at her. âItâs not.â
âIt is,â Vi insisted. âYou donât usually, you know, say things out loud like this.â
Caitlyn finally glanced at her. âYou already said we would.â
Vi sighed. âYeah, but I didnât think it would feel like this.â
Your eyes flicked between them. âAm I interrupting something?â
Vi opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Then looked at you properly.
âWe both care about you. A lot.â she said.
Silence landed harder this time.
Not heavy.
Just real.
Caitlyn stepped closer to the glass, closer to you, her gaze steady.
âYouâve been in our space for a while now,â she said. âNot just the rink. Everywhere.â
âI didnât choose that,â you said automatically.
âI know,â Caitlyn replied. No challenge in it. Just a fact.
Vi pushed off the wall slightly, pacing a small line behind Caitlyn like she needed movement to keep her thoughts straight.
âItâs not even like we planned it,â she added. âWe just⊠started looking for you.â
You frowned slightly. âLooking for me?â
Caitlyn nodded once. âAfter practice. On campus. Between training.â
Vi stopped pacing. âAnd it became normal.â
You looked at them both now.
Really looked.
Not as athletes from different sports.
Not as people who just happened to keep showing up in your orbit.
But as Vi and Cait.
Together.
And now here.
At your ice.
You swallowed. âAnd what does that mean exactly?â
Vi let out a short breath. âIt means I like you. A lot.â
Simple.
Unpolished.
Caitlyn didnât wait for a reaction before speaking.
âI do as well.â
No hesitation.
No softening.
Just certainty layered over something quieter underneath.
You went still.
Because this wasnât new information anymore.
It was confirmation of something that had already been happening without permission.
You looked down at your skates for a second, then back up.
ââŠYouâre a couple,â you said carefully, more a statement than a question.
Vi immediately nodded. âYeah.â
Caitlyn didnât move. âWe are.â
That was where the confusion shouldâve ended.
But Vi added, a little quieter now, âThat doesnât change this.â
You frowned. âDoesnât change what?â
Caitlynâs voice stayed steady. âHow we feel.â
Silence again.
The ice creaked faintly beneath you as you shifted your weight.
You exhaled. âSo what, Iâm just supposed to⊠what? Fit into that?â
Vi shook her head quickly. âNo. Thatâs not what weâre asking.â
Caitlyn agreed immediately. âWeâre not asking you to fit anywhere.â
That made you pause.
Vi looked up at you again, less sharp now.
âWeâre telling you itâs there,â she said. âThatâs it.â
Caitlyn nodded once. âAnd that weâre aware of it.â
You blinked. âAware of what?â
Vi didnât even hesitate this time.
âOf you,â she said.
That landed differently.
Not dramatic.
Just honest enough to sit under your skin.
Caitlynâs gaze didnât waver. âWe didnât expect it to become this.â
The rink was completely still now.
Just the hum of lights.
And the three of you.
You pushed off slightly, just enough to glide closer to the boards again.
Not away.
Not forward.
Just closer.
ââŠSo what happens now?â you asked.
Vi shrugged, but it wasnât careless. âWe donât know.â
Caitlyn answered softer. âWe figure it out.â
A pause.
Then Vi added, a little more like herself again, âPreferably without you ignoring us or disappearing, because thatâs been annoying.â
That got a faint huff of laughter out of you before you could stop it.
Caitlynâs expression softened slightly at the sound.
âYou do that often,â she said.
âWhat?â
âLaugh,â Caitlyn clarified. âAround us.â
You looked at her for a second longer than you meant to.
ââŠMaybe youâre just funny.â
Vi immediately lit up. âI knew it.â
Caitlyn didnât argue.
She just watched you.
And for the first time, it didnât feel like you were outside of something.
It felt like you were standing right at the edge of it.
And they were waiting, together, for you to decide if you stepped in.
---
Four months later, it didnât feel confusing anymore.
It just felt normal.
What had started as something awkward and hard to define had slowly turned into something steady in your everyday life, like routines you didnât think about anymore, like classes you always went to, like the rink you always ended up back at.
It still didnât look like other peopleâs relationships, but that didnât really matter anymore.
Mostly because it wasnât about labels or comparisons.
It was just the three of you.
Vi and Caitlyn were still very much Vi and Caitlyn. Caitlyn calm and observant, Vi loud and affectionate and always invading your space like it was her job.
And now you were just⊠part of it.
Not on the outside of their relationship anymore.
Not something complicated or uncertain.
Just included.
Wherever they were, you were there too.
---
Like mornings when youâd wake up for class and find yourself already wrapped in Viâs hoodie, because sheâd put it on you during the night without even thinking.
âYou stole my hoodie,â sheâd say when you pointed it out.
âYou put it on me,â youâd reply.
âYeah, because you looked cold,â sheâd say like it was obvious.
Caitlyn, already awake and reading at her desk, would just add, âYou both act like youâre arguing, but youâre agreeing.â
And then sheâd quietly hand you your bag before you left so you werenât late.
---
On campus, it was the same.
Vi would find you between classes and immediately fall into step beside you, lacing your fingers with hers.
Caitlyn would fix your hair without asking when it got messy from the wind.
âYou donât have to do that,â youâd say once.
Caitlyn would just look at you and say, âI know. I want to.â
And then sheâd do it again the next day anyway.
---
Youâre trying to study.
Thatâs the goal.
Vi is chewing on a pen.
Caitlyn is actually studying.
You are too easily distracted.
âWhy is this so quiet?â Vi whispers loudly.
âItâs a library,â you whisper back.
âSo?â she whispers even louder.
Caitlyn doesnât look up. âVi, if you get us kicked out, Iâm leaving you here.â
âYou wouldnât abandon me,â Vi says confidently.
Caitlyn pauses. âI would.â
You snort quietly.
Vi turns to you immediately. âSee? Sheâs scary.â
You reach over, take the pen out of Viâs mouth, and put it on the table.
âStop eating stationery.â
Vi grins. âYouâre taking care of me.â
âIâm preventing chaos,â you correct.
Caitlyn, still reading âSame thing.â
---
It starts completely normal, the kind of normal that doesnât feel like anything at all when itâs happening.
Youâre standing on campus between classes, talking to someone from one of your lectures. Itâs nothing serious, just coursework, deadlines, the usual complaining about how early everything is scheduled. Youâre smiling a bit, nodding along, not thinking much of it.
Itâs harmless.
At least to you.
Vi sees it from across the path.
And she stops walking.
Not dramatically. Not loudly. Just this subtle pause where her whole attention locks onto the scene like it suddenly matters more than anything else going on around her.
Caitlyn notices immediately beside her.
âVi. You're staring.â Caitlyn says, her tone calm like sheâs commenting on the weather rather than diagnosing a problem.
Vi doesnât even look at her. âIâm not.â
Caitlyn raises an eyebrow slightly. âYou are.â
âIâm just looking,â Vi insists, crossing her arms like that somehow proves her point.
âYouâre glaring,â Caitlyn corrects gently, already sounding resigned.
âI am not glaring,â Vi repeats, but her feet are already moving again before she finishes the sentence.
Caitlyn sighs under her breath. âOh no.â
By the time Vi reaches you, she doesnât announce herself like she usually does. Thereâs no loud âheyâ or shoulder bump from a distance. She just appears at your side, sliding into your space like it belongs to her.
Her arm goes around your waist in a way that looks casual and you can feel that itâs slightly more deliberate than usual.
âHey,â she says, way too relaxed for someone who just crossed half a courtyard. âAre you done here?â
You blink, a little surprised by the interruption. âWe were in the middle of a conversation.â
The person you were talking to looks between you both, clearly sensing theyâve suddenly become very unnecessary in this situation.
Vi turns her head slightly toward them, still keeping her arm around you. âYeah, sorry,â she says politely enough, though itâs very clearly not negotiable. âWeâll pick this up later.â
And just like that, they leave.
You stare at her for a second longer than necessary. âWhat was that?â
âWhat was what?â Vi replies immediately, far too innocent.
Before you can even answer, Caitlyn arrives behind her, slower, calmer, taking in the scene with one glance that says she already understands everything happening here.
âYou were jealous,â Caitlyn says simply, like sheâs stating a fact sheâs already accepted.
âI was not,â Vi says instantly.
âYou were,â you add, still confused but starting to realise what just happened.
Vi keeps her arm around you a little tighter, like that solves the accusation. âI just donât like people taking up your time when I havenât seen you all day.â
âThat was a classmate,â you point out.
âExactly,â Vi says like that makes it worse, not better.
Caitlyn steps closer now, resting her hand lightly on your arm, not pulling you away from Vi, just grounding the situation so it doesnât spiral into chaos.
âYou didnât have to interrupt,â Caitlyn says softly, but thereâs a hint of amusement under it.
Vi finally looks at you properly now, her expression less defensive and more honest. âYou were smiling at them,â she says, quieter this time.
You pause slightly. âThatâs because we were having a normal conversation.â
Vi shrugs once, like sheâs decided thatâs irrelevant. âDonât care.â
Caitlyn lets out a small breath that sounds almost like a laugh, shaking her head slightly as she looks at Vi.
âYouâre ridiculous,â she says.
Vi leans her head slightly against you for a second, completely unbothered again now that sheâs said her piece. âAm I wrong though?â
You look at Caitlyn.
Caitlyn looks back at you.
Then she says, completely calm, âNo. But you are still ridiculous.â
Vi smiles instantly like thatâs all the validation she needed.
And just like that, she relaxes again, like nothing ever happened, her arm still comfortably around you as if it was never in question.
---
Youâre lying on Viâs bed, in between Caitlynâs legs, her long fingers gliding through your hair. All three of you watching a movie no one is actually following.
Vi is halfway lying on top of you.
âYouâre heavy,â you complain.
âIâm emotionally supporting you,â she says.
Caitlyn, without looking away from the screen: âYouâre crushing her.â
âI am not.â
âYou are,â you both say at the same time.
Vi pauses. Then shifts slightly, but still doesnât move off you.
ââŠBetter?â
âNo.â you say. Vi responds with a swift kiss to your lips before resting her head in the crook of your neck. Caitlyn laughs at your expense not before placing a tender kiss on your temple. Eventually you shut up and watch the movie, situated comfortably between your two girls.
---
The rink is already half-empty when you step off the ice, blades scraping softly as you coast toward the exit. Your legs feel heavy in that familiar way, like theyâve finally decided theyâve done enough for the day and are no longer accepting requests.
Youâre sitting on the bench, halfway through untying your skates, when your phone buzzes.
Vi: Iâm outside. Donât move.
You stare at it for a second.
You donât even get a chance to reply before the door to the arena swings open again.
Vi walks in like she owns the place.
Not in gear this time, just hoodie, loose jacket, hair slightly messy like she didnât bother fixing it after practice. Caitlyn is right behind her, more composed, already holding your spare bag like she anticipated this exact moment.
Vi spots you immediately.
âPerfect timing,â she says, walking straight over.
âI can walk out myself,â you reply automatically, already pulling at your laces.
Vi crouches in front of you anyway.
âNo,â she says simply.
You blink. âNo?â
âNo,â she repeats, like that settles it.
Caitlyn leans against the boards beside you, watching the entire thing unfold with calm amusement.
âYou were supposed to wait outside,â she says to Vi.
âI did wait,â Vi replies, already reaching for your skates.
âFive seconds,â Caitlyn corrects.
âThatâs waiting.â
You shake your head slightly, trying not to smile as Vi starts untying your skates for you like she does this every day, which, honestly, she kind of does now.
âIâm perfectly capable of doing this myself,â you say.
âYeah,â Vi replies without looking up, fingers working quickly at your laces, âbut then I donât get to do it for you.â
That makes you pause slightly.
Caitlyn notices immediately, of course she does.
âShe likes picking you up,â Caitlyn says simply, like sheâs stating something obvious.
Vi glances up for a second. âI do.â
âYouâre acting like I canât bring myself home,â you say.
Vi finally finishes one skate and moves to the other. âYou can. I just think you shouldnât have to right now.â
Caitlyn steps closer, gently taking your jacket from the bench and holding it open.
âYou pushed hard today,â she says. âWeâre taking you home.â
You look between them. Vi still crouched in front of you, focused on your skates. Caitlyn is standing beside you, already ready to wrap you up in warmth the second youâre done.
And you realise this isnât really a discussion.
Itâs just⊠what they do.
Vi finishes untying your second skate and looks up at you with a grin like sheâs very proud of herself.
âAlright,â she says, standing and offering her hand. âPassenger princess, letâs go.â
You narrow your eyes. âI am not the passenger princess.â
Vi gasps dramatically. âYou absolutely are. You sit in the car and do nothing. Thatâs the role.â
Caitlyn, deadpan as ever âSheâs right.â
You sigh, but you take Viâs hand anyway.
Because sheâs already pulling you up, and Caitlyn is already stepping in beside you, and your bag is already on her shoulder like it belongs there.
And by the time you reach the car, Vi has opened the door for you before you even get there.
âYouâre ridiculous,â you say.
Vi grins. âYeah, but youâre in the passenger seat.â
Caitlyn slides into the driverâs side, glancing at you both through the mirror.
âYouâre both impossible,â she says.
Vi leans over the seat slightly. âBut we're your impossible.â
And somehow, thatâs exactly how you end up, buckled in, warm, skates gone, hands free, watching the city lights pass by while Vi talks nonstop in the back seat and Caitlyn drives like sheâs done this a hundred times before.
And you donât argue anymore.
Because being the passenger princess?
Apparently, you didnât get a choice in that.










