𝙄𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙞𝙚𝙩 𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 - 𝘊𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘥

𝙁𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙮 𝙏𝙬𝙤. 𝘈 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘖𝘶𝘵 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴

It was one of those rare nights where we got to relax and just be ourselves. No training, no media, no pressure. A few of us decided to head out to the local bar—nothing fancy, just a cozy spot where we could unwind and have a few laughs. No loud music or big crowds, just the familiar warmth of a low-key night out.

Caitlin, Leah, Viv, and I found our booth tucked in the corner, away from prying eyes. The soft glow from the hanging lights above our table casted a comfortable glow over us as we settled in with our drinks. The conversation started out easy, filled with the usual teasing and banter. Leah's relentlessly ribbing Viv about her newfound relationship with Beth, and Viv's pretending not to be flustered, though her grin gives her away.

I laughed along, but there was a knot in my chest that I couldn't shake. The more the conversation veered towards relationships and personal stuff, the quieter I got. It's not that I didn't want to talk about Caitlin or what we were, but there was this uneasy feeling bubbling up inside me. Like the walls were closing in, and everything felt too... public.

Caitlin was sitting next to me, her arm resting casually on the back of the booth. I could feel her watching me out of the corner of her eye, but she didn't say anything. Not yet. She knew me well enough to sense when something was off, even when I hadn't said a word.

"Oi, Elena," Leah nudges me, her elbow lightly jabbing into my side. "You've been quiet tonight. What's going on in that head of yours?"

I force a smile, though it feels like it doesn't quite reach my eyes. "Nothing, just tired."

Viv leans forward, her eyes narrowing playfully. "Sure it's nothing? You're not usually this quiet when we're out."

I shake my head, trying to brush it off with a laugh. "Really, I'm fine. Just been a long week."

They let it go, but I can feel Caitlin's concern beside me, even though she doesn't say anything right away. It's like she's waiting for the right moment, for when we're alone. She's always had a way of giving me space but making sure I know she's there when I'm ready.

Later, when Viv and Leah were caught up in their own conversation—something about the latest episode of some show I hadn't had time to watch—Caitlin leaned over, her voice low and soft in my ear. "You okay?"

I glanceat her, and there it is again, that look of quiet understanding. She's not pushing, but she's not letting me hide either. I nod, trying to keep it together, but she doesn't buy it. She never does.

"Come on," she says, standing up and motioning for me to follow her. "Let's get some air."

I follow her outside, the cool evening air hitting my skin as soon as we step out. The noise from inside fades into the background, and it's just the two of us under the soft glow of the streetlamp. Caitlin leans against the brick wall, her hands stuffed into her pockets, watching me with that familiar patience that I've come to rely on.

"What's going on, Els?" Her voice is gentle, no judgment, just the concern that's always been there.

I wrap my arms around myself, my breath coming out in a visible puff in the chilly air. "I don't know... I just..." I trail off, struggling to put into words what's been swirling in my head all night. "It's everything. Us. The media. Everyone knowing about us."

Caitlin's eyebrows furrow slightly, but she doesn't interrupt, letting me work through my thoughts.

"Ever since the kiss, it's like... everything's out there," I continue, my voice quieter now. "Everywhere I look, it's headlines about us. People asking questions, speculating... I wasn't ready for all of that."

She nods, taking a step closer. "The media's been relentless," she says, understanding dawning in her eyes. "It's not easy. And I get why it's overwhelming."

"I want to be with you," I say quickly, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. "I just wasn't prepared for the rest of the world to be in our business, too. It's one thing to figure things out between us, but doing it while everyone's watching... It's a lot."

She sighs softly, her breath visible in the night air as she leans her head back against the wall. "I know it's been intense. I didn't expect the media to latch on like this either."

I nod, biting my lip. "And then there's the team. I don't want things to get weird, you know? Everyone's been great, but I don't want us to be the center of attention every time we walk into a room."

Caitlin steps closer, her hand reaching out to gently brush against mine. "We don't have to rush into anything, Elena. I don't want you feeling like this is too much, too fast." Her voice is so calm, so steady, and it's exactly what I need to hear right now.

I look up at her, my chest tightening with the weight of it all. "I'm just scared, Cait. I want to figure this out, but I don't want to lose myself in it."

She tilts her head, her hand now fully holding mine, fingers warm against the cold. "We've got time, Els. We'll take it slow. We don't owe anyone else an explanation or a timeline. This is about us."

Her words settle the nerves in my chest, and I feel a sense of relief washing over me. I don't have to have all the answers right now. We can figure this out, one step at a time.

I squeeze her hand, grateful for her patience, for the way she always knows when to give me space and when to pull me in. "Thank you," I whisper, leaning into her slightly.

Caitlin smiles, leaning down to press a soft kiss to my forehead, and I close my eyes, feeling the warmth of her touch despite the cold air around us.

After a moment, she pulls back slightly, her eyes soft as she looks at me. "We've got this," she says, and the confidence in her voice makes me believe it.

We head back inside, where Leah and Viv are still laughing, completely caught up in their conversation. As we slide back into the booth, I feel lighter, more at ease. Caitlin's hand brushes against mine under the table, a quiet reminder that we're in this together, no matter what.

And as the night went on, I realised that, for now, that was enough. We'd figure the rest out as it came. We had time.