Timebomb And Irony
With Valentines right around the corner we once again find Vi denying the advances of several ladies and a few brave hearted lads. Even with the rumors of her and Caitlyn being together there were still the hopefuls who won't back down till they officially come out. Luckily for Vi a certain Little Man came to her rescue.
"Vi! You promised to help me with my spells today." Ekko completely ignored the other students in favour of grabbing Vi and dragging her away to an empty corridor.
"Thanks for the save, Little Man." Vi affectionately ruffled his small dreadlocks. He planned to actually grow his hair out this time.
"Uh, Vi? Um.." Okay he'd been wondering about this for so long and now here he was faltering in front of the person he needs permission from the most. He'd already asked Vander.
Vi raised an eyebrow and placed her hands on Ekko's shoulders. "Hey. What's up?" She asked softly, her sisterly instincts coming into play.
"Um… I just… Will- Can I-" Ekko stammered as he tried to get the words out and Vi waited patiently.
"I-I really like Powder. Can I ask her to be my Valentine?" Ekko finally forced out the question while looking Vi directly in the eyes.
There was a tense moment of silence before Vi smirked and belly laughed.
"I- You- VI!" Ekko barks, face red with embarrassment.
"Sorry sorry." Vi takes deep breaths to steady herself. Then she gives Ekko the fondest smile she could muster and pulls him into a hug.
"I know. Ekko. Little Man. You're like a brother to me already. I've grown up with you and I know for a fact Powder likes you too. I'd have to be as dense as a brick to not notice the chemistry you two have, especially since Pow's my sister. So yes you can ask her." Vi pulls back to look at Ekko.
Now the boy should be happy, elated even, but the irony in this entire situation was not lost to him. 'YOU ARE AS DENSE AS A BRICK! YOU WON'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE CAITLYN LIKES YOU!' Goes unsaid even if his mind wanted so badly to- lovingly- strangle his older sister figure. Instead he decides not to bash his head into a brick wall.
"Thanks Vi." Ekko smiles "Now how do I ask her?"
"Oh easy. Paint a box of chocolates in the brightest neon colors you can find, especially blue, pink, and purple. Then write the question on a paper. You already know how much she likes art and hoards away all her gifts." Vi answered without a moment's delay, just more proof on how much she loves her sister.
Ekko wanted to scream. Vi was such a caring person who memorized basically everything that makes her loved ones safe and happy. He bets she has a whole list of stuff Caitlyn would absolutely fawn over but the bitch just hides away in her head. Ekko was 13 and had more balls than Vi did even if Vi wasn't a girl.
"You're the best, Vi!" He says instead of going through with his internal monologue. "Good luck with the next wave of adoring fans!" He teases before booking it.
Caitlyn, Abby, Powder, Jayce, Sky, Mel, and Victor sat under the tree by the lake. Powder currently braiding Caitlyn's hair. They'd been chasing off Caitlyn's admirers all day and now they had some time to relax.
"Hey guys?" Powder speaks up, stopping the conversations around her.
"What's up Pow?" Abby chirped.
"Um. How do you tell someone you like them?" The young Slytherin refused to look at anyone and simply continued to braid Caitlyns hair.
"Tell them straight." Viktor immediately answers.
Powder grins. "But you can't say anything straight, V." She giggled at the chorus of groans, truly Vi's little sister.
"He is correct though, love." Mel chimes in. "Worked with us." She gestured to her partner and his partner.
"And I've never been happier for it." He kissed Mel's cheek then Viktor's, both of whom lit up from the affection.
Sky, Abby, and Caitlyn watched the display with fond smiles, simply happy that their friends were happy. Powder made an exaggerated look of disgust because someone had to do it.
"But who's the lucky guy that's caught your attention?" Abby asked with a curious sparkle in her eyes.
"Oh- um… Ekko." Powder whispered the last part as she tied off Caitlyn's braid.
"About time!" Abby cheered. "You gotta confess first. The boys owe me 2 galleons if you do." She might be the most gentle soul in the Zaunite half of their group but she was still their friend and that meant a smidgen of chaos.
"HEEYY!" Powder whined causing the group to laugh.
Caitlyn played with the end of her braid as she spoke up. "You should just tell him. He's always been pretty straight forward and he appreciates honesty."
Oh how the entire gathering wanted to strangle Caitlyn. Sure Powder and Abby had no clue about Caitlyn's actual feelings but everyone else did. The irony was not lost to them. Mel, Sky and Jayce wanted to lock their two local useless lesbians into a closet and leave them there. Viktor wanted to add Veritaserum into the mix just to speed it up but 'tHatS IlLeGAl.'
"Alright I'll try." Is all Powder says.
The next day Vi walked with Caitlyn down the corridors toward the courtyard where they planned to relax for a while. Both girls had completely boxed away the memory of that potions class at the start of the week, no use thinking about what will never happen. As they stepped out onto the courtyard Vi catches the eye of a fellow 5th year Gryffindor. Amanda Blake sat on the edge of the base of the water fountain reading a book.
"Oh hey there Vi, want a kiss?" She asked with an innocent smile.
Vi froze, completely taken aback. Beside her, Caitlyn looked just as dumbfounded. There have been many advances on both of them but no one has been that bold.
"Ummm what?" Vi said dumbly.
"A kiss!" Amanda reveals a plastic bag of Kisses chocolates that had been hidden from view.
Caitlyn continues to be confused while Vi bursts into a fit of laughter.
"That's one of the oldest tricks in the book. Got me there." Vi steadied her breathing. "I'd usually say no but out of respect for the meme, fuck ya I'd love one." Vi grinned.
"VI?!" Caitlyn squawked in shock. Was she really just going to accept a ki-
Amanda tossed a foil wrapped piece of chocolate to Vi who caught it with ease.
"Thanks Amanda." Vi grabs Caitlyn and drags her over to their regular spot in the shade.
"The bloody hell was that, Vi?" Caitlyn stammered once she sat down.
"Oh this?" She held out the treat "It's a muggle chocolate called 'Kisses' what Amanda just did was one of the oldest plays out there."
Vi chuckled before unwrapping the sweet and tossing the whole thing in her mouth. Cailyn holds back her sigh of relief. Instead she forces a soft giggle and proceeds to read her book, Vi looking over her shoulder.
"Um. What's happening?" Powder asked as she and Ekko came across a peculiar sight before lunch.
Claggor, Mylo and Caitlyn were escorting the clearly unconscious body of Vi that was floating in midair above them.
"Oh! Hey guys." Claggor waves at them.
Caitlyn sighs. "Good morning."
"Why's Vi unconscious?" Ekko asks, pointing at her.
"She was all over Amanda in the common room this morning which is why we weren't there for breakfast, couldn't drag her away. Then she was acting all weird and rambling about her so we called Caitlyn." Mylo explained then pointed to her with his thumb.
"Amortentia. Amanda spiked that chocolate with it." Catlyn nearly growled.
Everyone could pick up on Caitlyn's concealed rage. She was angry at the situation and admittedly jealous of how much Vi had been holding Amanda. Yep no one was messing with that.
"We're just taking her to Professor Silco for the antidote." With that Caitlyn and the Wick brothers continued on their way leaving a stunned Powder and Ekko behind.
"...They're both so hopeless." Ekko shook his head.
"Yep." Powder sighs with fond exasperation before turning to her best friend since diapers.
Powder had always had an active imagination. Enjoying the allure of stories and myths that she drew on paper- and often the walls, much to her family's dismay. So the idea of 'soulmates' has always intrigued her. She believed Vi and Caitlyn were definitely soulmates. And lately she'd been thinking… Maybe her and Ekko?... Well fuck hesitation.
"Ya okay I'm not going to be that. Hey Ekko, I like you. Be my valentine?" Powder asks in the most straightforward way possible. Watching Vi and Caitlyn being that level of gay mess spurred Powder into action.
In the span of time between Powders 'Yep' and her confession Ekko was having his own internal dialogue. Watching the absolute shit show that was his older sister figure and their pureblood friend brought some realizations. He was lucky. He was lucky to have grown up with the person he'd come to see and want as more than just a friend. The girl who'd been at his side from day 1. They were ride or die and nothing would change that. Unlike Vi he wasn't going hide from his feelings. He opened his mouth to confess only for Powder to beat him to it.
Ekko groaned. "Shit you said it before me. I was about to ask the same thing."
After a moment of blissful smiling they burst into laughter at how ridiculous it all was.
By the end of Valentines, Amanda had gotten detention, Vi apologized to Caitlyn for being a dumbass- but Caitlyn was just milking the attention-, and Timebomb became official much to the joy of the gang.
If Ekko and Powder tormented Vi for not being straightforward with Caitlyn and if the Piltovans tormented Caitlyn for not being straightforward with Vi… well they'd earned it.