Lara looks so lost, so miserable that Sam can’t stop the next stupid thing that slips out of her mouth. “I mean, it’s hard enough to get over you without you reminding me you’ve got, like, a legitimate twelve-pack.” And Lara’s laughter, so bright and startling, draws echoing giggles from Sam, deflates the suffocating tension that had been building between them for months. Sam gives in, lets herself sink forward to rest against Lara’s body for just a moment. “I don’t want you to,” Lara breathes into Sam’s hair after a long, silent moment. “I don’t want you to get over me.” - After months of no calls and no texts, Sam comes home to find Lara waiting for her in her apartment.

Cait sighs, lungs swelling with guilt. She knew this would be a tricky day for Vi. She knows she should have been mindful of that. She could tell her she’ll be more careful – which would be a lie. She could tell her she knows how hard it is, not acting like lovers when the other is in danger. That if they’d just come out to the rest of the team, they could avoid this pantomime, which is clearly hurting Vi, too. All of this, she told her already, many times before. None of it needs to be told again. Instead, Caitlyn steps closer, wraps her hands around the back of Vi’s neck, fingertips searching for skin under the collar of her uniform. She kisses her softly, feels the warm sigh escape from Vi’s lips, almost in relief.

There’s a moment, a bright burning ember lighting up Vi’s eyes, that for a split second makes Caitlyn fear that she might have understood. That she might have caught the hidden meaning in Caitlyn’s words, connected the dots, and figured out the true object of Caitlyn’s search. But then, the veil falls down again, that sudden spark in Vi’s eyes dims out, as if her mind clouded itself over to spare her from hope. «Alright. » she breathes out, smiles briefly, and Cait knows that she’s won. Vi reaches forward and says her next words against Caitlyn’s lips. «I was just worried, is all. » «Worried? » drunk with the sudden relief washing over her, Cait gives her another soft kiss, barely there. «Yeah. » with a soft voice, nose brushing against hers, Vi adds: «That you’d leave. » Cait pulls back, briefly stunned: «I would never - » Vi grabs the back of her neck: «Kiss me properly, won’t you? »