Throttle and Spark

__________

The plane touched down with a slight jolt, the deep hum of the engines gradually fading as the aircraft taxied to its designated spot. Caitlyn exhaled, already running through the itinerary in her head as she unbuckled her harness. Vi, meanwhile, stretched with a groan, arms reaching over her head before she relaxed with a lazy grin.

"Man, never thought I'd say this, but I kinda missed solid ground," Vi mused, rolling her shoulders as she stood.

Caitlyn barely spared her a glance. "Then maybe you should consider a career that doesn’t involve aircraft," she quipped, grabbing her bag.

Vi chuckled, unfazed. "Nah, where’s the fun in that?" She adjusted her duffel strap and followed Caitlyn down the narrow aisle, rocking slightly with the plane’s final movements.

The moment they stepped out onto the tarmac, a wave of humid air wrapped around them, thick and stifling compared to the cool, controlled atmosphere inside the aircraft. Vi exhaled sharply, running a hand through her short, undercut hair.

"God, it’s like stepping into someone’s mouth," she muttered.

Caitlyn fought the urge to smile. "You’re being dramatic," she replied, already pulling out her phone to check on their ride.

"Not dramatic, just observant," Vi shot back, falling into step beside her. "So, what’s the plan, boss?"

Caitlyn ignored the nickname. "We head to the hotel, get settled, and then report for the briefing later this evening. You should take the time to read over the materials you were given."

Vi made a vague, dismissive gesture. "Yeah, yeah, I’ll get to it."

Caitlyn stopped abruptly, turning to face her with narrowed eyes. "You will read them," she said, voice clipped.

Vi smirked, rocking back on her heels. "Or what? You gonna ground me?"

Caitlyn huffed, already regretting every life decision that led to this moment. She turned on her heel and continued walking. "Just get in the car when it arrives," she said over her shoulder.

Vi followed, hands stuffed in her pockets, whistling an off-key tune as they made their way to the pickup zone.

The Uber—a sleek black sedan—rolled up smoothly to the curb, the driver barely acknowledging them beyond a nod. Caitlyn opened the door and slid into the back seat, setting her bag beside her. Vi, on the other hand, took her sweet time, peering inside before throwing Caitlyn an exaggerated grin.

"Ohhh, fancy," she teased. "What, no armored convoy for us? I thought we were important."

Caitlyn pinched the bridge of her nose. "Just get in the car, Vi."

Vi chuckled, sliding in beside her and shutting the door. As the car pulled away from the airport, she stretched out, making herself as comfortable as possible.

"So, how long till we get there?" Vi asked.

"Not long," Caitlyn replied curtly, eyes already scanning her phone screen.

Vi hummed, glancing out the window.

___

The ride was smooth, the city passing by in a blur of neon signs and tightly packed buildings. Outside, the streets bustled with life—locals weaving between cars on scooters, vendors hawking their goods on the sidewalks, and the occasional hum of a distant jet overhead reminding them of the military presence in the area.

Vi pressed her forehead against the window, watching the scene with interest. “You ever been here before?” she asked, turning to Caitlyn.

Caitlyn, still focused on her phone, barely looked up. “Once. Years ago. It was for a competition.”

Vi’s brow arched. “Let me guess—some high-class, fancy-pants sharpshooting event?”

Caitlyn’s lips quirked up for the briefest second before she schooled her expression. “Something like that.”

Vi grinned, kicking her feet up onto the floor of the car and stretching. “So what, you win?”

Caitlyn finally glanced up, meeting Vi’s gaze with something smug. “Of course.”

Vi snorted. “Figures.”

There was a comfortable lull in the conversation, with the occasional rustle of Caitlyn flipping through her notes and Vi fidgeting with the hair tie around her wrist, snapping it against her skin absentmindedly.

The driver cleared his throat. “Military personnel, huh?” His accent was thick but his English was clear. “You two here for business?”

Caitlyn nodded politely. “Yes. A tour.”

Vi grinned. “She’s the big shot. I just fix things.”

The driver let out a low chuckle. “Well, whatever you’re here for, you came at the right time. Big event happening in the next few days. The city’s alive with it.”

Caitlyn looked up. “What event?”

“The festival. Every year, they celebrate the history of the air force here—big parades, air shows, performances.” He glanced at them through the rearview mirror. “I imagine you’ll be part of it.”

Vi turned to Caitlyn. “You knew about this?”

Caitlyn nodded. “It was mentioned in the briefing materials.”

Vi scoffed. “Right, the ones I totally read.”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. “I swear, Vi—”

Before she could finish, her phone buzzed. She glanced down, reading the message before sighing. “Great. Change of plans.”

Vi perked up. “Oh? Do tell.”

Caitlyn shot her an annoyed look before returning her focus to the phone. “Our rooms were supposed to be ready when we arrived, but there was a miscommunication. They need a few more hours to finalize everything.”

Vi leaned back, stretching her arms over her head. “So what, we just wander around till then?”

Caitlyn hesitated, then nodded. “More or less.”

Vi grinned. “Oh, this is gonna be fun.”

The car slowed as it neared their destination. As they pulled up to the towering hotel, the city’s heartbeat seemed to surround them—voices, car horns, the distant thrum of music from somewhere nearby. Caitlyn exhaled, already mentally preparing for the next few hours of inevitable chaos.

Vi, however, was already halfway out the door. “C’mon, Kiramman. Let’s see what this city’s got to offer.”

The moment they stepped out of the car, Vi stretched her arms over her head, taking in a deep breath of the warm city air. “Alright, Kiramman, since we’ve got time to kill, let’s do something useful with it.”

Caitlyn was already typing something into her phone, probably checking in with command or looking over their itinerary. “Like what? Reviewing flight plans? Checking in at the base early?”

Vi scoffed. “Pfft. No. I mean food.”

Caitlyn finally looked up, unimpressed. “You just ate on the plane.”

Vi shrugged. “And? I’m hungry again. Plane food barely counts.” She jerked a thumb toward the busy street ahead. “C’mon, there’s gotta be something good around here.”

Caitlyn sighed, checking the time. “We don’t even know where anything is.”

Vi grinned. “Lucky for you, I asked around before we landed.” She pointed down the street. “There’s this Greek spot, like, right there. Apparently, it’s legit.”

Caitlyn arched a brow. “You planned this?”

Vi put a hand to her chest in mock offense. “Kiramman, I always have a plan when it comes to food.”

Caitlyn looked like she was about to argue but stopped herself. She exhaled sharply, adjusting her bag over her shoulder. “Fine. But if this place is a hole-in-the-wall disaster, you’re paying.”

Vi snickered. “Deal. Not that I mind, considering I don’t plan on paying anyway.”

Caitlyn shot her a glare, but Vi was already leading the way, hands in her pockets, strolling down the street like she owned the place. Caitlyn sighed and followed, already regretting this.

The streets were bustling, filled with a mix of tourists and locals. Street musicians played nearby, their melodies weaving through the chatter of people enjoying the evening air. The neon lights of bars and small restaurants lit up the sidewalks, adding warmth to the city’s already vibrant energy.

After a few minutes, they stopped in front of a small but lively Greek restaurant. The smell of grilled meats and fresh herbs hit them immediately. The outdoor seating was filled with patrons laughing over plates of souvlaki and glasses of wine.

Vi gave Caitlyn a smug look. “Told you I know my stuff.”

Caitlyn merely hummed in response before stepping inside. Vi followed, already scanning the menu on the wall.

The hostess greeted them with a warm smile. “Table for two?”

Vi leaned on the counter smugly, smirking. “Actually, we’re here for the exclusive VIP dining experience.”

Caitlyn nudged vi in the side, shooting her a look.

"Regular dining. Thank you."

The hostess gave an unsure nod, gesturing her head in the opposite direction. “Oh, of course. Right this way, ladies.”

Vi grinned as she followed. Caitlyn glanced back at vi every now and then.

Maybe this wouldn’t be so terrible, caitlyn thought.

As soon as they sat down, Vi wasted no time. She flipped open the menu with one hand, already eyeing the options like a starving woman. Caitlyn, on the other hand, settled into her seat with the stiffness of someone who still wasn’t sure why they had agreed to this.

“This,” Vi announced, jabbing a finger at one of the items. “This is what I’m getting.”

Caitlyn glanced over. “A platter? That’s enough food for three people.”

Vi grinned. “Yeah, but I’m one and a half people, so it evens out.”

Caitlyn exhaled sharply, her fingers drumming against the table. She should have just gone straight to the hotel and waited. Instead, she was here—sitting across from her mechanic, of all people—waiting to order dinner like this was some kind of casual outing. It’s not.

A waiter approached, and Caitlyn ordered something light, barely glancing up from the menu. Vi, in contrast, rattled off her order with enthusiasm, even throwing in an extra side of tzatziki at the last second.

The moment the waiter left, Vi leaned back in her chair, arms behind her head. “So, Kiramman. You always this tense, or is it just around me?”

Caitlyn’s jaw clenched. “I’m not tense.”

Vi snorted. “Right. And I’m a model citizen.”

Caitlyn leveled a glare at her. Vi just grinned.

The food arrived sooner than expected, and Vi dove in immediately, clearly savoring every bite. Caitlyn ate with more restraint, though her stomach had to admit the food was actually good.

Vi reached across the table, reaching for a piece of warm pita, when her finger accidentally brushed against a small smear of tzatziki on the rim of the dish. She didn’t think twice about it, simply bringing her hand up and swiping her tongue over the pad of her finger to clean it off.

Caitlyn caught the motion in her periphery, but for some reason, it stood out. It was nothing—just an absent-minded action, the kind anyone would do without a second thought. But for Caitlyn, it was like her brain momentarily short-circuited.

She forced herself to look back at her plate, gripping her fork just a little tighter. It’s nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Meanwhile, Vi continued eating, completely unaware of the way Caitlyn had suddenly gone silent. “You sure you don’t want some?” she asked, gesturing to her spread of food.

Caitlyn inhaled, collecting herself before responding, “I’m fine.”

Vi shrugged and went back to eating, happily tearing into her meal while Caitlyn, despite her best efforts, remained on edge.

"So, whaddya like to do? Y'know, outside of this whole pilot thing," vi asked, glancing up at caitlyn with a mouth full of food. She stole a small sip of her drink, waiting for caitlyns answer.

Caitlyn didn't answer for a moment. She was partially surprised vi was asking about caitlyns personal life, but she didn't much of an issue with it.

"I.." she thought for a moment. Caitlyn wasn't home all that often. Whenever she went home, she just watched a film with her parents, played with the Danes..--

Dance? Could she say dance? She hasn't taken a class in years, and the closest thing she's done to real dancing since then is dance to some Michael Jackson in her apartment. It's enough though.

"I dance," she said, taking a bite of some pita bread. "Sometimes. Not much, anymore."

"Dancing? Doesn't surprise. Bet you look good doing it," vi commented casually, taking another long sip of the drink, not bothering to look up at cautlyns reaction to see how that comment may have affected her. She snickered quietly around the straw when she heard a light huff above her.

"Dancing Is meant to be pleasing to the eye. Anyways-" caitlyn said.

"What do you do? Back home, I mean?" She said, cutting into a piece of pastitsio with the side of her fork.

Vi shrugged, leaning over her plate to stop a dollop of sauce from getting on her jeans.

"Uhh.." she said, before stopping to swallow the food.

"Not much. Back home I just helped my old man with jobs, hung out with my siblings, getting my ass beat in the lanes every now and then." She said casually, taking another sip of her drink. She frowned when she realized there wasn't anything else.

"Getting your arse beat?" Caitlyn repeated, raising a brow.

"Eh," vi shrugged. "Builds character."

Caitlyn couldn't help but scoff. This time, it was more amused than irritated. Vi picked up on it, her eyes flickering up to meet caitlyns.

"Is someone finally in a good mood? Jesus," she said. She sipped off her soup, bringing the bowl to her mouth.

Caitlyn merely rolled her eyes. She watched some of the liquid dribble down her chin. "You're eating like a child," she said.

Vi set the bowl down, licking her bottom lip, before swiping her chin with the back of her hand.

"I haven't had real, good quality food in a long fuckin' time. The last time I ate something that was actually good quality, Stephen Doordashed me a Costa Vida enchilada." She said, leaning back in her chair, looking at the table, decorated with now empty dishes and more used napkins that caitlyn can count.

"Finished. You almost done?" She said, glancing back up to caitlyn.

Caitlyn just looked over the table--- vi's side of it, to be clear-

"You're already finished? You're a God damn garbage disposal, that's what you are." She said in slight disbelief, before looking down tonher half eaten plate.

"I can't eat anymore." She said with a huff, pushing her plate to vi's end of the table, leaving to go pay at the front desk.

____

Caitlyn and vi left the restaurant shortly after. There weren't many options for transportation, so cait just called a new Uber.

Vi barely hesitated before pulling Caitlyn’s plate toward her, scooping up the last few bites with ease. “You say ‘garbage disposal’ like it’s a bad thing,” she muttered, more to herself than anything. She was already finishing off the remaining food by the time Caitlyn had made her way to the counter.

Caitlyn paid quickly, sparing a glance over her shoulder to make sure Vi hadn’t started any trouble. Not yet, at least.

By the time she returned, Vi was stretching her arms over her head, looking far too comfortable in the small restaurant. “Alright, Princess, what’s next? Hotel?”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes at the nickname but didn’t bother correcting her. “Yes. We need to go now if we actually want to get any sleep before the first round of press tomorrow.” She checked her phone, scanning the time. “The Uber should be here in—”

The sound of a car honking twice from outside cut her off. Caitlyn sighed, gesturing for Vi to follow.

The air outside had a coolness to it, a stark contrast to the warm interior of the restaurant. The streetlights cast long shadows across the pavement as they walked toward their ride, Vi shoving her hands into the pockets of her flight jacket.

“Bet the hotel’s some fancy five-star place,” Vi mused, eyeing Caitlyn out of the corner of her eye. “Silk sheets, room service, little chocolates on the pillow.”

Caitlyn scoffed, pulling the car door open. “It’s military-arranged lodging. You’re getting a standard room, and you’ll be lucky if you get more than a single pillow.”

Vi slid into the back seat after her, grinning. “Still an upgrade from base.”

The driver took off down the street, the hum of the city outside filling the brief silence between them. Caitlyn focused on her phone, checking the itinerary once again.

Vi, meanwhile, tapped lightly on the window with her knuckle, watching the passing buildings with a lazy sort of interest. “So, what’s the big plan for tomorrow? You shake hands, pose for some pictures, try not to look miserable?”

Caitlyn didn’t bother looking up. “Something like that. And you’re supposed to be keeping my jet in perfect condition while I do it, so try to look at least somewhat professional.”

Vi grinned. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll be on my best behavior.”

Caitlyn didn’t believe that for a second.

The rest of the drive was quiet, save for the occasional street noise and the low hum of the car’s engine. When they finally pulled up to the hotel, Caitlyn was the first out, retrieving her small duffel bag from the trunk.

Vi followed, stretching as she stepped onto the curb. “Alright, Kiramman, lead the way.”

Caitlyn sighed, already feeling the exhaustion settle in. It was going to be a long trip.

Caitlyn strode toward the hotel entrance, the automatic doors sliding open with a soft whoosh. Vi trailed behind, taking in the sleek, minimalist lobby—polished floors, warm lighting, and a front desk with a neatly dressed receptionist who looked both bored and vaguely irritated.

Caitlyn approached the counter, pulling out her ID. “Kiramman and Vi—” She hesitated. “Violet. We have a reservation under the military’s accommodations.”

The receptionist barely spared her a glance, typing into her computer. After a few seconds, she frowned, eyes flicking up toward them. “It looks like there’s been a mix-up with the booking.”

Caitlyn’s fingers twitched. “What kind of mix-up?”

The receptionist sighed as if she had dealt with this all day. “Your reservation only covers one room. We’re fully booked for the night, so we can’t offer another.”

Caitlyn opened her mouth, closed it, then inhaled sharply. “Right. Of course.”

Vi, meanwhile, perked up, barely concealing her amusement. “Only one room? What a shame.” She clutched her chest dramatically. “Guess we’ll just have to make do, huh, roomie?”

Caitlyn shot her a sharp glare before turning back to the receptionist. “Fine. We’ll take it.” She swiped the key card off the counter and stormed toward the elevator, Vi grinning as she followed.

The elevator doors shut behind them, the soft hum of machinery filling the air. Vi rocked on her heels, clearly enjoying Caitlyn’s visible irritation. “Y’know, could be worse,” she mused. “At least I don’t snore.”

Caitlyn exhaled through her nose, gripping the key card a little too tightly. “Don’t talk to me.”

Vi let out a low chuckle, amused by how easily she could get under Caitlyn’s skin.

When the elevator dinged, Caitlyn wasted no time stepping out, scanning the door numbers until she reached theirs. She slid the key card in, pushed the door open—

And froze.

Vi peered over her shoulder. “What’s the holdup—oh.”

A single queen-sized bed sat in the middle of the room, crisp white sheets neatly folded.

Vi whistled. “Well, this just keeps getting better.”

Caitlyn slowly turned to look at her, expression unreadable. Then she threw her bag onto the bed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I am too tired for this.”

Vi plopped her own bag down beside Caitlyn’s, completely unbothered. “Relax, cupcake. I don’t bite.” vi commented, snapping her teeth together to make a *snap!*

Caitlyn shot her a look before dragging a hand down her face. “You’re sleeping on the floor.”

Vi smirked. “Yeah, sure. We’ll see.”

Caitlyn didn’t trust that one bit.