V & V (wlw)

Chapter 14 - The one where they see family

It wasn't that Victoria was being a stranger to her. This was all too familiar; the way she avoided conversation unless it was necessary, how she breezed past like someone pretending they had somewhere else to be. It was just like the old days, minus all their back and forth ribbing, because Veronika didn't have the heart to start it.

And that Ron didn't like it very much, now.

Vic had been coming home later and later, sometimes well past Ron's usual bedtime, and was gone by the time she woke up. Veron had been going to bed later and rising earlier just to catch Victoria, but she never did. She suspected Vic took naps in her office.

So it was a surprise when Victoria came knocking on her bedroom door.

"Come out. We need to talk about next month." Victoria's face was inscrutable when she said, "And I need to apologize."

Wordless, Ron followed her out into the living room couch, where she sat and waited. Vic stood in front of her; Victoria had a habit of desiring a seated audience whenever she talked.

Hands not quite wringing, she began, "The apology first."

They had not talked about that night since – they had barely talked at all. Ron wondered what Vic's excuse would be, and scrambled to think up her own, just in case.

"I'm sorry I did that. I shouldn't have, especially when you were drunk."

"We were both drunk," said Ron, who wasn't that drunk, by her own judgement.

"There are no excuses."

"Is this why you've been avoiding me all week?"

"Yes. It won't happen again."

"It won't?"

"What?" Victoria, who had been contritely alternating from staring at the floor and the walls, turned her head toward Ron now.

"I mean," said Veron, floundering now at the look on the other woman's face. She cleared her throat. "I don't like this apology."

"I can go again – "

"Shut up, Vic," said Ron, and she did. After a moment, Ron continued. "Something about this doesn't sit right with me. You didn't – "

In frustration, she threw her hands up and made jerky little gestures. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"But – "

"You didn't make me carry you." To bed, finished her brain, as she was sure Vic's brain also did. Where you very nearly fucked.

"What are you telling me?" Victoria was polite enough to ignore whatever tells of embarrassment she was displaying now.

"I'm saying we both made a choice and there's nothing wrong with that."

Victoria looked at her for a long moment, nodded more to herself, and then collapsed on the far end of the massive couch, away from her. Ron stretched out as far as she could to poke Vic's thigh with her foot.

"Mm?" Vic wasn't paying attention.

"Did you like it?"

"Be quiet." Victoria stood again. "Let's talk about the holidays."

Ron went back into a sitting position as Vic launched into the topic. "Do you have anything planned?"

"No, I used to just spend it in my apartment."

"What about your family?"

"Well, I couldn't afford to go," said Ron, which was met with a stare that she initially thought was judgment. And it was, but for another reason.