Vi

I looked through the window Caitlyn told me to go to, opening it slightly to make sure the coast was clear. I opened it all the way before jumping in the room, I pulled Caitlyn in after me as Layla pushed her legs up towards me. I reached down and pulled the girl who was light as a fucking feather up and into my arms, my heart broke seeing her like this. She hadn't said a word as we followed Caitlyns directions to this place, it made me nervous. Usually she had a stupid joke or said something to ease the tension, but now her eyes were glassy as she refused to meet my gaze.

I stood us both up before we went back on either side of Caitlyn, helping her across the extremely nice bedroom. The room was filled with flowers, a nice rug covered the floor with a four poster bed against the wall. I looked around in awe, "Who lives here? Another Council friend of yours?"

Before she could answer a lady kicked open the double doors, before point a gun straight at the three of us. My fight or flight reflexes froze as we all stood there waiting for something to happen, I would've dove in front of the two if I wasn't so confused.

"Caitlyn!" The woman said in a high pitched accent, very similar to Caitlyns, as she pointed the gun down away from us. An out of breath man ran into the doorway stopping momentarily before charging towards us.

"Oh we were so worried. Thank goodness you're safe!" He said as Caitlyn flung herself into his arms, I took a moment to grab Lay by the waist to pull her behind me in case the lady decided to shoot us after all. I continued looking around the room in awe along with Layla as the lady walked towards the two hugging.

I'm guessing these are her parents, greaaaaat.

"And you found two strays." Caitlyns mom said with disgust laced in her tone, I would've said something if I wasn't noticing that there was not a single speck of dust in this room.

Caitlyn pulled back from hugging her father, keeping her hands on his shoulders for support. "This is Layla and Vi, they're from the Undercity." She said annoyed to her mother.

"So I- wait. Layla? As in Layla the singer?" Her mother asked walking towards us to get a better view of the blonde standing behind me. Layla lacked her usual confidence and I saw her shrinking back under the woman's intimidating gaze.

I moved protectively in front of her, she doesn't get to judge her.

"Lovely another Undercity rat flouncing around up here. Could we have a word, Caitlyn? In private." She gave Layla one last glare before walking away, the dad and Caitlyn slowly following her.

Caitlyn looked back sympathetically before walking out the door and down the hall. I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding, I turned around to face Layla but she wasn't behind me anymore. I spun around in a circle anxiously, before seeing her standing in front of the mountains of flowers in the corner. I walked over to her as she reached out to touch one of the petals, I mimicked her and was surprised when I felt the softness.

"Ekko loved flowers, once in a while one would grow next to the tree. And when we first found it, I got him a book on plants for his birthday. We were so excited to finally see one, it was small and odd looking. It had thin lines poking out from the center, fluffy petals surrounding it. We spent the entire day looking through the book trying to identify it, it was a dandelion. Ekko and I laughed until we couldn't breathe as we read the description, it was known as a weed and not a flower." She spoke softly, smiling as the memory danced behind her eyes. "I wish he could see these, he'd steal them all and bring them home to show everyone."

Her eyes glistened as her lip began to wobble, I gently grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the bed so we could sit on the edge. I was about to say something reassuring but my gaze casted down and I stared at the map laid out in front of us. Layla followed my gaze and leaned forward to curiously look at the little details she made on and around the giant map.

"Jesus is this what she does in her free time?" I asked jokingly, before turning around to lay down on the bed so my head was closest to Caitlyns masterpiece. I was gonna say something before I groaned and sunk deeper into the bed, "Holy shit, what is this thing made of? You gotta try this La La."

She hesitantly fell back into the bed before scooting farther up so her feet were dangling off the edge, she moaned a little as she stretched on the huge bed. My stomach fluttered as I turned on my side to face her, after a moment of staring at the ceiling she turned towards me so we could look at each other. I scooted down so my face was closer to hers before reaching out to grab her hand, I played with her fingers as we looked at each other.

"They never actually went for each other, you know." She said looking at our hands as she whispered, "Ekko would always freeze when the Firelights went after us and she showed up. He'd just stare at her from under his mask, I always teased him for it in the beginning, but he acted like he hates her. She never knew it was him, but she also never fought him with the intention of killing. They were both angry at the other so you could see the hatred in their faces when they went against each other. But I knew them too well, the little glances and when J's eyes widened just the tiniest bit when Ekko's fighting stances looked just like it was when we were younger. I think she had a feeling she suspected it to be him, but she always expressed the same anger she felt towards the Firelights as Ekko had towards her. They both put on a big show, but really they're just two kids deep down who had to grow up too fast."

I squeezed my eyes shut to break our eye contact, "I shouldn't have blown up at her. I hit her, Lay, she was terrified of me. I was so angry when she said it was her monkey bomb that caused this, I saw yours and Vanders bodies and I lost it. I walked away to take a breather, but by the time I was ready to go back, Silco had her surrounded and someone grabbed me from behind knocking me out."

I felt her fingers brush my cheek lightly making me open my eyes, her gaze was soft as she looked intently into my eyes. I was mesmerized by her. "You made a mistake Vi, don't blame yourself for something you couldn't control. You were hurting, Silco kept saying you were dead and feeding into her delusions that you were the bad guy. She didn't want to trust me, because I always told her you loved her, she was terrified I'd walk away from her. But when she finally saw I was staying for good, she talked about you all the time when Silco wasn't around. She loved you, but Silco became like a father to her and rotted her brain with lies. I could only keep the tiniest bit of Powder left in her..."

She trailed off getting lost in her thoughts, I started talking so I wouldn't lose her. "Do you remember playing the monster game? The one Powder and I taught you, she loved playing that game and watching me chase away the monsters. In that cell, every night after the guards would come in to give me a daily ass kicking, they'd leave me there. Alone and bleeding on the floor, they laughed as they walked away and went back up the elevator. I'd endure the pain, welcome it actually, because I couldn't chase away the monsters in real life so I believed I deserved it. But it was my favorite time of the day, as I laid there I started hearing and seeing things, I saw all of you. Some nights it was Powder and Ekko chasing after each other, some was Mylo and Claggor arm wrestling and arguing about who won. Some nights it would be Vander telling me to cheer up before sending me upstairs to help him clean the bar before bed. Some I'd imagine Powder fell asleep in my bed again because she always felt safe with me. But my favorite was when I heard you. I saw you shaking your hips as you danced around the bar, singing a song that was playing on the jukebox. And then right before I either lost consciousness or fell asleep, I'd hear you singing me the lullaby Powder and I taught you." I smiled at her as her eyes became glassy again, she smiled back warmly.

"I'd climb to the top of the tree sometimes to look up towards the sky, I always went where Ekko wouldn't hear me. And I'd tell you all about my day, how work went and about the new hoverboard Ekko was building. I'd let you know about me becoming the new boss of Shimmer and Shine and that I made every Friday a "Girls only night". About how we made punching bags that looked like enforcers out of straw, so we can have everyone practice self defense. I'd talk about absolutely anything not leaving a single thing out." She said as she looked deep into my eyes, I'd give her every piece of me the minute she asked. She's already taken most of me, it all belongs to her.

I'm glad I wasn't the only one daydreaming about the girl, because she was thinking about me too.

"When we were teenagers, I'd always get jealous when I saw you singing on stage at work. Not because I wanted to be in your place, but because everyone was hypnotized as they watched you up there. You made people feel something other than fear or anger, you sang all their worries away until they felt so happy they danced without a care in the world. They always kept their eyes on you, when all I wanted was to have you all to myself." I admitted quietly as I felt my cheeks turning red, her smile widened at my confession.

"The only person I ever cared about seeing me was you, V. I felt invincible when I saw you in the back of the crowd, I felt the heat of your gaze every time and everyone else disappeared. I've always loved you Vi, we just had too much to deal with so I never confessed. I knew you knew how I felt, but I didn't know what would happen if I told you the truth. Plus I was just too scared of rejection to admit it." She whispered nervously.

I stopped breathing as her words registered in my head.

"I've always loved you Vi"

Any restraint I had left snapped instantly, I sat up and leaned down towards her, I slammed my lips against hers but kissed her gently.

She let out a surprised yelp but then melted into the kiss, threading her fingers through my hair to pull me closer. I moved my legs next to hers as I held myself over her with one hand while cupping her cheek with the other, deepening the kiss. I traced my tongue across her bottom lip, she quickly opened her lips for me sliding her tongue across mine. I moaned as I felt myself throb down there for the first time in fucking years, god she felt so good.

She tasted like something sweet and I never wanted to come up for air, but I pulled back breathlessly whispering, "I love you Layla. I'm so in love with you." I trailed my mouth down along the side of her neck, she whimpered as I kissed the spot just above her collarbone sucking lightly.

"So we have an audience with the-," I heard Caitlyns voice coming from the doorway, making Layla push me back so she could sit up. We breathed heavily as we looked at Caitlyn who stood there wearing a disgusted expression, Layla laughed nervously seeming extremely flustered. My heart was threatening to beat through my chest as Caitlyn dropped her head in her hands before shutting her door and whisper-yelling to us. "On. My. Bed?!"

I would've laughed if I wasn't ten feet in the air after what just happened, I kissed her. Took me fucking long enough, I was a little angry that Caitlyn ruined the moment but understood why she was mad. I shrugged nonchalantly before saying, "It's okay, you're rich. You can just ask the butler to clean these. Now can you get out, you ruined a moment you cock-blocker."

I felt Layla slap the back of my head before apologizing to Caitlyn. The girl started complaining about the two of us but I saw the heat in Laylas eyes as she laughed incredulously at me. "I love you too, you ass."

Oh I'm never letting her go.