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2024-11-27
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Stories Etched in Skin

Summary:

“Why this?” Caitlyn asked softly, her voice a gentle murmur in the quiet room. “The gears, the smoke—what made you choose this?”

Vi shifted slightly beneath her, her shoulders moving as she turned her head just enough to glance back. Pink strands of hair fell across her face, framing the sharp lines of her cheekbones. In the dim light, her eyes held a flicker of something wary, hesitant.

For a moment, she said nothing, letting the question hang in the space between them. Then, with a quiet exhale, she rested her chin on her folded arms. Her voice, when she finally spoke, was low and rough around the edges.

“It wasn’t about choosing. It was about making something out of nothing.”
She paused, her gaze drifting somewhere far away. “Like she used to.”

OR

Caitlyn asks Vi about the meaning behind her back tattoo.

Work Text:

The room was bathed in a soft, golden glow, the faint light from the window creeping across the bed in broken lines. Caitlyn lay on her side, her body half-covered by the sheets, her head propped up on one hand. Her dark hair spilled over the pillow in tousled waves, strands framing her face and catching the light like delicate threads. The faint scar across her left brow was visible now, her missing eye left uncovered—a rare and vulnerable moment that felt as intimate as the silence they shared. She wasn’t wearing her eyepatch tonight, and the gentle shimmer of moonlight reflected in her remaining eye made her look almost otherworldly.

Her free hand tracing the intricate lines of Vi’s tattoo with a featherlight touch. Her fingertips followed the bold symmetry and sharp edges of the design, gliding over ink that seemed almost alive against Vi’s warm, scarred skin. It was a silent exploration, her touch both reverent and curious.The intimacy of the moment stole Caitlyn’s breath. She marveled at how Vi’s back felt like a map of everything she’d survived. Her hand stilled for a moment, resting gently between Vi’s shoulder blades, feeling the strength beneath her palm.

“You’re quiet,” Vi murmured, her voice low and slightly muffled by the pillow. The faintest edge of amusement colored her tone, though she didn’t lift her head. “That’s dangerous. Usually means you’re thinking about something.”

Her fingers paused as they glided along the edge of the intricate design, tracing the jagged, curling wisps of smoke that twined around the sharp-edged gears. “Why this?” Caitlyn asked softly, her voice a gentle murmur in the quiet room. “The gears, the smoke—what made you choose this?”

Vi shifted slightly beneath her, her shoulders moving as she turned her head just enough to glance back. Pink strands of hair fell across her face, framing the sharp lines of her cheekbones. In the dim light, her eyes held a flicker of something wary, hesitant.

For a moment, she said nothing, letting the question hang in the space between them. Then, with a quiet exhale, she rested her chin on her folded arms. Her voice, when she finally spoke, was low and rough around the edges. “It wasn’t about choosing. It was about making something out of nothing.” She paused, her gaze drifting somewhere far away. “Like she used to.”

Caitlyn’s fingers hesitated before continuing their gentle exploration of the ink. “Powder,” she murmured, the name heavy on her tongue but spoken with care.

Vi nodded faintly, her eyes fixed on the faint glow spilling in through the window. “She could build anything. Fix anything. Make something incredible out of scraps. I always thought she was a genius.” A small, humorless chuckle escaped her lips, muffled slightly as she pressed her face into the pillow.

Caitlyn’s fingers brushed over the circular centerpiece of the tattoo, tracing the lines like a quiet act of reverence. “This... it’s a reminder of her,” she said softly, more a statement than a question.

Vi closed her eyes briefly, her breathing deepening as though bracing herself. “Yeah,” she said, her voice low and unsteady. “When I was in there... in prison... I couldn’t stop thinking about her. About what I left behind. Every second, it ate at me—what I didn’t do, what I couldn’t fix. I thought if I carried her here”—her shoulders tensed slightly beneath Caitlyn’s touch—“I’d never forget. I’d never lose sight of what I was fighting for.”

Caitlyn traced a single wisp of smoke with her thumb, the tenderness in her touch almost enough to make Vi’s voice falter. “And now?” Caitlyn asked quietly, her other hand settling on Vi’s shoulder, her fingers brushing softly against her skin. “Does it still feel like hers?”

Vi’s head tilted slightly. Her expression softened, her gaze distant but no longer as raw. “It feels like... both of us now,” she said after a moment, her voice softer, steadier. “Her machines. My scars. What we lost. What I couldn’t save.” Her jaw tightened briefly, and then she let out a long breath. “It’s everything we were. Everything we could’ve been. But it’s also what I’m trying to be now. For her. For me.”

Caitlyn leaned down, her lips brushing softly against the ink near Vi’s shoulder blade. The warmth of her breath lingered, grounding Vi in the moment. “You’re not defined by what you couldn’t save,” Caitlyn whispered, her voice steady but filled with an unyielding gentleness. “You’re here now. You’re still fighting. For her memory, for yourself... for something more.”

Vi turned her head fully, her eyes meeting Caitlyn’s. For a moment, Caitlyn could see all the walls Vi had built around herself—the grit, the guardedness, the pain. But in that quiet moment, they cracked just enough to show something raw, unguarded, and impossibly vulnerable.

“For more,” Vi said softly, the words carrying the weight of a promise.

Caitlyn smiled faintly, she rested her forehead against Vi’s shoulder her fingers resuming their tender path along the tattoo, as if her touch could smooth away the burden etched into Vi’s skin. “For more,” Caitlyn echoed, her voice steady, an anchor to hold Vi in the now.

Vi shifted slightly, resting her chin on her folded arms again, her gaze half-lidded but still fixed on Caitlyn. After a beat of silence, her lips curved into a faint smirk, a glimmer of playfulness breaking through the heaviness of their earlier conversation.

“You ever think about getting one?” Vi asked, her voice low and teasing but with a genuine curiosity behind it.

Caitlyn lifted her head, her fingers pausing against Vi's skin. She raised a brow, tilting her head in thought. “A tattoo?” she echoed, her lips curving into a small smile. “I can’t say I’ve ever seriously considered it.”

Vi turned her face her, a lopsided grin tugging at her lips. “Come on,” she said, her tone light but coaxing. “You don’t think you’d look good with some ink? Something small, maybe... or bold, like mine.” She shifted onto her side, propping herself up on one elbow so she could look at Caitlyn more fully.

Caitlyn chuckled softly, leaning back against the pillows. Her hair fanned out around her, catching the moonlight and making her look almost ethereal. “I don’t think bold suits me quite like it does you.”

Vi laughed at that, the sound low and rough but full of warmth. “Tattoos are art. A story on your skin.” Her gaze softened slightly as she added, “And you’ve got plenty of stories worth telling.”

Caitlyn’s smile grew faint, her fingers absently brushing against Vi’s arm now. “Perhaps,” she murmured, her voice thoughtful. “But I don’t know if I’d want them on my skin. It feels... permanent in a way I’m not sure I need.” She hesitated, then looked at Vi, her eyes glimmering with something playful. “Unless, of course, you’re suggesting I get your name tattooed somewhere?”

Vi snorted, flopping onto her back and throwing an arm over her eyes. “Oh yeah, that’s it,” she drawled, her grin audible in her voice. “Big, bold letters—‘VI’—right across your chest. Real subtle.”

Caitlyn laughed, a soft and melodic sound that filled the quiet room. She reached out,

“Well, if you insist,” Caitlyn teased, her voice light but tinged with fondness. “Though I’d have to find a tattoo artist discreet enough. Wouldn’t want the entire city knowing how hopelessly enamored I am.”

Vi dropped her arm from her eyes and turned her head to smirk at Caitlyn. “You’re not even denying it,” she said, her tone mock-accusing but her expression betraying how much her heart swelled at the words.

Caitlyn’s fingers grazed Vi’s arm as she added with a sly grin, “Though I’m surprised you’d want someone else tattooing my chest, considering…”

Vi raised an eyebrow, her smirk widening. “Okay, maybe not your chest then,” she shot back, the both of them dissolving into easy laughter, the warmth between them palpable.

Caitlyn leaned closer, propping herself up on one elbow, her hair spilling over her bare shoulder like silk. The glow of the room painted her in hues of silver and gold, and her blue eye locked with Vi’s.

Vi blinked, momentarily thrown by the intimacy, but the grin that followed was one of pure, unguarded affection. “Maybe I should get your name tattooed instead. Right across my knuckles.”

Caitlyn laughed again, shaking her head. “Somehow, I think that would send the wrong message. Also, it wouldn’t work—one letter would always be missing.”

Vi sat up slightly, bringing her fists together in front of her as if solving a great mystery. “I’ll make it work,” she declared with mock determination, her eyes narrowing dramatically.

Caitlyn dissolved into laughter, clutching the edge of the blanket as she shook her head in disbelief. “You’re absolutely ridiculous,” she managed, her voice light and warm. 

Reaching out to trace the lines of Vi’s tattoo once more, her touch thoughtful. “WIth that being said,  I can see the appeal of a tattoo—a permanent mark of something important, something worth carrying with you.”

Vi’s expression softened, the teasing fading as she watched Caitlyn. “That’s exactly it,” she said, her voice low.

Caitlyn’s heart ached at the weight of those words, but she didn’t speak right away. Instead, she leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to Vi’s shoulder. “I think,” she murmured against her skin, “you’ve done a pretty damn good job of becoming someone remarkable.”

Vi turned her head to look at her, her eyes glinting with something unspoken, and for a long moment, neither of them said anything. The quiet between them was filled with warmth, with the kind of intimacy that didn’t need words.

Finally, Vi reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair from Caitlyn’s face. “If you ever change your mind about that tattoo,” she said with a smirk, “let me know.”

Caitlyn laughed softly, lying back down beside her and resting her head on Vi’s shoulder. “I’ll think about it,” she said, her tone teasing but fond.

But before Vi could respond, Caitlyn tilted her head up and pressed her lips to Vi’s in a kiss that was unhurried, warm. Their mouths fit together like a promise, a quiet moment of shared solace and love. Vi’s lips were soft but firm, moving gently against Caitlyn’s, as if savoring the connection.

Vi shifted slightly, her arm curling protectively around Caitlyn, pulling her closer. Caitlyn smiled against Vi’s lips, her eyes fluttering shut as she melted into the warmth of Vi’s embrace.

They didn’t need words to fill the space between them anymore. The silence spoke volumes—the unspoken promises, the quiet understanding, the love that thrummed in every shared touch and glance.

The two of them lay there in the quiet glow of the room, their laughter fading into the soft hum of the night, their breaths falling into a shared rhythm. They had each other, and for now, that was enough.