RENT-A-GIRLFRIEND
SYNOPSIS: You're tired of spending every annual trip babysitting for free, and Vi hasn't had a real vacation in years. When one desperate lie leads to a fake dating arrangement, it seems like a win-win situation. What could possibly go wrong?
WC: 12.2k+ | CW: slow burn, fake dating, "there's only one bed" tropes. use of y/n. so freaking sweet i loved it sm. r's sister can be a bit meanie sometimes.
a/n: found this story on reddit and got so inspired it pulled me out of my writer's block! i've spent like a week writing this and finished at 3:30am, but i hold this vi so so so close to my heart now
“You're not blinking again.”
You don’t even look up from your monitor. “Uh-huh.”
A chair rolls closer to your desk with a soft squeak. Out of the corner of your eye, you catch heavy boots propped carelessly against the edge of your cubicle and the flash of pink hair tied back messily today.
“Damn,” Vi says, string at you with a lopsided smile on her lips. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re a robot.”
“Maybe I am.”
“You sure speak like one.”
“Mhm.”
Vi snorts quietly beside you, spinning once in her chair before stopping herself with the heel of her boot. She’s supposed to be working too, but at some point in the last fifteen minutes she’d apparently decided bothering you was more entertaining.
You wouldn’t mind, but today you were already behind on two deadlines, your inbox was a disaster, and your family group chat had been blowing up since eight in the morning.
As if it could sense you’re on the edge of a breakdown, your phone starts buzzing across your desk.
Mia calling
You sigh dramatically before grabbing the phone. “If I collapse, avenge me by filling the coffee maker with sand.”
“Gotcha.”
Your sister’s voice takes over as soon as you answer the call. “Quick question, do you want a king-sized bed or a double bedroom?”
“…what?”
“I’m booking the rooms right now,” Mia says slowly, clearly bothered by your confusion. “So, I need to know if you’re okay with the kids sharing your bed or if you want them on a second one.”
Your fingers stop moving over the keyboard. “I’m sorry?”
“The kids, Y/N. Luca and Ana? My children?”
“No, I heard that part,” you snap. Vi glances up at the change in your tone. “Why would they be sleeping in my room?”
“I mean… they love staying with you.”
Your eye twitches slightly. Love. Yeah, right. More like you’re the unpaid babysitter every family vacation.
Last year, your nephews had been dropped off at your room every day of the trip while your sister and brother-in-law disappeared for some “alone time”. The year before that, you’d spent an entire afternoon trying to stop Ana from eating leaves while everyone else drank margaritas by the pool. And the year before that… yeah, it’s an ongoing issue.
“I’m not sharing a room with the kids.”
Mia laughs once. “Okay, you’re funny. King size, then?”
“I’m serious.”
There’s a pause. Beside you, Vi has gone suspiciously quiet.
“Well,” Mia starts, impatience creeping into her voice now. “Mom and dad are paying for your room again, so I don’t get why this would be an issue.”
Heat crawls up the back of your neck. “I never ask them to.”
“But they are. You don’t even have kids, Y/N, we want to enjoy this trip.”
Something sharp twists in your chest. Mia’s not even considering her own statement: you don’t have kids. They always expect you to drop everything and take over their parenting responsibilities while they get to have fun.
To hell with that, you are making the most out of this trip.
“I’ll pay for it myself.”
“Oh my God,” Mia laughs incredulously. “Are you for real? You’re going to spend all that money just so you don’t have to help out?”
“I’m going to spend all that money so I can actually enjoy a trip for once.”
“You’re so selfish.”
You let out one short laugh, mostly because otherwise you might scream. Luca and Ana are adorable, you love them like crazy, but the idea of spending ten days taking care of their every need while Mia and her husband can relax makes your blood boil.
You need to come up with a way they won’t end up leaving the children with you, and you need to think fast.
“Actually,” an idea pops into your head, and you sit up straighter in your chair. “I’m bringing my girlfriend this time, so I won’t be available to babysit.”
Beside you, Vi slowly lowers the pen she’s been pretending to write with. The whole conversation had caught her attention ever since you picked up the call, but girlfriend? Since when did you have a girlfriend? And why is it bothering her so much?
“Your what?” Mia repeats after a second of stunned silence.
It’s too late to take it back, so you decide to double down immediately.
“My girlfriend.”
“Since when?”
“A while.”
Mia makes a noise in half-disbelief, half-annoyance. “You’ve got to be kidding me. This is so inconvenient for Matt and me.”
“Too bad,” you clear your throat. “So, don’t book me with the kids.”
“You know what? Fine. Whatever.”
She hangs up the call, and silence crashes over the desk. You stare at your phone for a couple of seconds before slowly lowering your head into your hands.
What did you just do?
“So,” Vi says carefully from beside you. God, you had completely forgotten about her presence. “You got a girlfriend?”
“No,” your voice comes out muffled against the desk.
“Oh, good.”
Vi mentally slaps herself. Oh, good? You’re crashing out right in front of her and the only thing she can focus on is the fact that you’re still single. A wave of guilt washes through her as she realizes how relieved she feels after the confirmation.
“Family drama?” she tries to change the subject, arms crossed over her chest as she looks down at your exhausted figure.
“My family does this annual trip,” you start explaining, lifting your head only a little bit, “and somehow I always end up as my nephews’ unpaid nanny.”
Vi leans back in her chair slowly, visibly trying to process the insanity of the situation. “They just dump the kids on you?”
“Pretty much,” you gesture vaguely. “As soon as we get to the hotel, everybody needs a break. Spa, dinners, excursions— meanwhile I’m stuck stopping Ana from licking electrical outlets.”
She snorts despite herself. “Your niece did that?”
“She tried,” a smile tugs briefly at your mouth before it fades again. “And they always pull the same card. I’m single and child-free, with a lot of time in my hands, so I should help out.”
“Yeah, because clearly vacations are only meant for people with kids,” the sarcasm is clear in her voice.
“Exactly!”
Vi watches as you groan dramatically before dropping your forehead back against the desk. You look genuinely drained.
“What am I even supposed to do now?”
“You could just not go.”
“I can’t,” your voice comes quieter this time. “My mom gets sad because she wants everyone together, I can’t do that to her.”
Vi’s chest twists unexpectedly at that. You’re willing to compromise just to make your mother happy, even if it comes at the cost of actually enjoying your own vacation.
“What are you thinking of?”
“Either I rent a girlfriend or fake my own death,” you murmur. “I’m leaning toward death.”
“Reasonable.”
You finally lift your head enough to look at her properly, and Vi immediately regrets making eye contact because now she can fully see the exhaustion in your expression.
“I just wanted one vacation where I get to do what I want,” you admit quietly. “To relax, have some fun and just… enjoy myself for once.”
Vi’s chest tightens.
She knows how hard you’ve been working the last couple of months. The thought of getting a break, with not a care in the world or having to worry about anything, shouldn’t sound like an impossible fantasy for either of you.
Before she can stop herself, she mutters, “Damn. I haven’t had a real vacation in years either.”
You blink at her, and Vi immediately regrets speaking.
“Ignore me,” she says quickly, waving a hand. “I was thinking out loud.”
But you’re still staring at her.
A slow, dangerous thought begins forming behind your eyes.
“Hear me out…” you sit up straighter.
“No. I know that look and I’m scared of it.”
“You said you haven’t had a vacation in years.”
Vi narrows her eyes. “And?”
“And,” you continue, “I need a girlfriend.”
There’s a beat of silence. Somewhere across the office, a printer starts making horrible dying noises, but you keep staring at each other. There’s a determined look in your eyes, and Vi isn’t sure if she likes or dreads what you may be suggesting.
“You cannot possibly be thinking of—”
“I’ll pay for everything,” you cut in, and her eyes widen in surprise.
“What?”
“The room, food, drinks. All-inclusive fake dating experience.”
Vi laughs once in disbelief. “That’s your master plan?”
“It’s a great plan!” you clap your hands together. “You get a free luxury vacation and I get freedom from babysitting.”
“And in exchange I have to pretend to be in love with you for, what, a week or two?”
Heat creeps instantly up your neck. “It sounds weird if you say it like that.”
“It is weird.”
“Please, Vi.”
Vi should say no. She knows she should say no.
You’re coworkers. Barely even friends, at most. Sure, sometimes you grab lunch together or a couple of drinks after shifts, and maybe the flirting has gotten a little out of hand lately, but agreeing to go on a family vacation together and pretending to date is… a bad idea.
“You’d really pay for everything?” she asks carefully.
It’s a truly terrible idea. She shouldn’t even be considering it, especially with how the small crush she has on you has evolved into a massive one over the last couple of weeks.
You nod immediately. “I swear.”
Vi hums, pretending to think harder than she actually needs to.
The idea of spending two weeks beside you makes her brain short-circuit over and over again. Dinner with your family, being together every waking moment, sharing a room—
It’s a dangerous move.
“Scale of one to ten, how convincing do we have to be?” Vi props her chin against her fist. “Like full romcom?”
You stare at her for a second too long, and Vi grins to hide how nervous she is inside.
What are you two getting into?
“Okay, don’t forget the—,” you stop yourself, brows furrowing as you realize Vi’s not even looking your way. “Violet! Are you even listening?”
“Mhm.”
“You’re not. And stop smiling so much.”
Vi glances over at you as the two of you step through the airport entrance, sunglasses pushed up into her pink hair and travel bag hanging lazily from one shoulder.
“I’m excited for my free vacation.”
“I need you to focus,” you mutter, adjusting the grip on your suitcase. “My mom’s a hugger, my dad’s obsessed with music, and if Mia starts talking about essential oils just nod and smile.”
Vi snorts. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Don’t let Ana convince you she’s allowed to drink soda after eight… and no, she can’t join you at the Casino no matter how good she is at Blackjack.”
“That kid sounds cool.”
“She’s terrifying.”
Vi laughs quietly beside you. She’s far too relaxed for someone who will pretend to date her coworker in front of her entire family for ten days. You, on the other end, feel one minor inconvenience away from throwing up.
You risk another glance at her and immediately regret it.
She’s wearing a loose black tank top, tattoos fully visible and insanely looking beneath the airport lighting. It’s like she had walked straight out of some annoying vacation ad, rings glinting every time she adjusts her grip on her duffel bag, looking so attractive and—
God. This was a more-than-terrible idea.
“You’re doing it again,” Vi says suddenly, and you blink in confusion.
“What?”
She points at you with a mischievous smile on her lips. “Your eyebrows scrunch together when you’re spiraling.”
“They do not.”
“They absolutely do.”
You groan softly, dragging a hand down your face. “I just… I need this trip to go well.”
“It will.”
“You don’t know my family.”
“I don’t,” Vi agrees, glancing back at you. “But I know you.”
The words hit harder than they probably should. Around you, the airport buzzes with overlapping announcements and chatter, but your brain feels weirdly narrowed in on the way Vi is looking at you.
She studies your expression for a moment. Slightly furrowed eyebrows and lower lip slightly pumped with how hard you’ve been biting at it minutes ago, nervousness clear in all your features.
Vi bumps her shoulder lightly against yours, holding out her hand toward you. “We got this, sweetheart.”
You stare at it for a second too long, and she notices immediately.
“Gotta play the part.”
“Oh,” you clear your throat, “Yeah.”
After one more second of hesitation, you slide your hand into hers. Warm fingers immediately lace between yours naturally, like this is something you’ve done a hundred times before.
Vi’s mouth twitches up as your breath catches embarrassingly hard, and her thumb brushes lightly over your knuckles. She tries to convince herself she does it to play the perfect performance, obviously.
The two of you make your way through the busy terminal together. Heat crawls violently up your neck as you spot your gate number overhead. God, Vi’s already got you all flustered and you haven’t even introduced her to your family yet.
“There they are!” your mom’s voice rings out across the terminal before your brain can spiral any further.
A small group stands near the gate with stacked luggage and coffee cups in hand. Your dad’s waving enthusiastically already, your mom already walking over to you with a wide grin on her face. Luca and Ana are sitting on the floor, both of them playing on their iPads, while Matt, their dad, stands a couple of feet away from everyone.
Mia glances up at the commotion, eyes squinting the second she spots you. Her eyes land on Vi, and she lets out an exasperated groan before looking down at her own phone.
“Oh, you made it,” your mom says warmly, pulling you into a quick one-armed hug before immediately turning toward Vi.
Her expression lights up immediately.
“She’s gorgeous!”
Vi’s taken aback as your mom pulls her into a tight hug before she can even properly introduce herself. Her chest tightens, surely because your mom is holding her so warmly. It has nothing to do with you having let go of her hand when she was just getting used to it.
“You didn’t tell me your girlfriend was this pretty,” your mom mutters, still holding onto Vi’s shoulders as she looks her over delightedly.
“Mom,” you mumble weakly, face burning up.
Vi bites down hard on a grin before she hugs your mom back. You shoot her a warning look immediately.
“Hi,” Vi recovers quickly enough to flash your mom one of her stupidly charming smiles as soon as she pulls away, “It’s really nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Y/L/N.”
“Oh, sweetie, call me Eve.”
Your dad appears next, pulling you into a quick hug before looking at Vi with open curiosity.
“So, you’re the mysterious girlfriend.”
“Mysterious?”
“She was keeping you a secret,” he says dramatically, pointing accusingly at you. “We didn’t know you existed until, like, three weeks ago.”
“Is that so?” Vi turns to look at you.
“I— Uh, sorry, babe,” the nickname feels weird on your mouth, but you notice the amusement in Vi’s expression as soon as it comes out.
“Don’t sweat it, sweetheart.”
The smugness in her voice makes your eye twitch.
Meanwhile, Mia still hasn’t moved from where she’s sitting, though she is very obviously listening now despite pretending to scroll through her phone. Matt gives Vi a polite nod, and Luca is the first to actually look up from his iPad.
He elbows Ana, who gasps loudly enough to scare everyone around her.
“AUNTIE Y/N, IS THAT YOUR GIRLFRIEND?”
“Yes,” you say through gritted teeth, closing your eyes briefly. “Ana, please be nice.”
Ana ignores you completely, immediately scrambling to her feet and running over. Vi barely has time to react before your niece stops directly in front of her, staring up with open fascination.
“You have pink hair!”
“I do.”
“That’s so freaking cool.”
“Thanks,” Vi shoots her a warm smile. The kid reminds her of Powder when she was little.
Ana narrows her eyes thoughtfully. “Could you beat my aunt on a fight?”
Vi glances sideways at you.
You sigh. “Don’t encourage her.”
“I could take her,” Vi says confidently.
Luca finally wanders over too, quieter than his sister but equally curious. He hugs your leg, peering at Vi as you gently stroke his hair.
“You’re really Auntie Y/N’s girlfriend?”
Your stomach twists unexpectedly at the question. Beside you, Vi’s fingers brush lightly against yours again. She hesitates for a moment before fully taking your hand back into hers.
This is something she could absolutely get used to.
“I am.”
Ana immediately beams. “Cool. Mom said you were probably fake.”
“Mia!” your mom snaps, turning to look at her with furrowed brows.
“What?” your sister calls from across the waiting area, not even looking up from her phone. “I said probably.”
You stare at the floor in horror as your mom starts scolding your sister, your nephews trying to get Vi’s attention, your brother-in-law busy in his own world. How are you going to survive ten days of this?
Beside you, Vi starts laughing. “Oh, I’m gonna love this trip.”
By the time the two of you finally make it to the resort, you’re pretty sure you’ve aged at least five years. Between Ana asking Vi two hundred questions during the flight, your mom wanting to know every detail of your relationship, and Mia watching the two of you like she was waiting for you to spontaneously combust, your brain feels dangerously close to shutting down.
The hotel room door clicks open, and you step inside.
“Shit,” you stop dead on your track.
Vi walks in behind you, following your line of sight toward the massive king-sized bed sitting in the middle of the room.
“Ooh, nice.”
You turn slowly. “Nice?”
“What?” Vi shrugs innocently, acting as if her heart isn’t about to burst out from her chest with how fast it’s beating. “I’ve never slept on a bed this huge and comfortable before.”
And next to you, she keeps that part to herself.
Your suitcase drops beside the couch with a dull thud as you drag both hands down your face dramatically.
“Of course they would get us one bed, we’re a couple,” you let out a humorless chuckle. “This is a disaster.”
“Oh, relax,” Vi kicks the door shut behind her before wandering farther into the room. “I don’t drool in my sleep, don’t worry ‘bout it.”
You flop backward onto the mattress with a groan instead of answering. The bed is very soft, and you wonder if Vi’s strong arms are just as soft or—
“This is all your fault somehow,” you mumble into one of the pillows, cheeks warming up as you try to ignore your own thoughts.
Vi laughs quietly as she starts unpacking some of her stuff onto the dresser.
“You’re the one who hired me, babe,” she tests out the nickname, humming in satisfaction. “So, are you a drooler?”
You throw a pillow at her head, and she catches it easily. A smile tugs at your lips before you can stop it.
“Seriously though,” Vi’s voice is softer now, and you look away as soon as she turns toward you. “You okay?”
You stare up at the ceiling for a second too long. “…I don’t know.”
That wipes some of the teasing from her expression immediately.
“The trip just…” You exhale slowly. “It always turns into a mess somehow. Now we’re lying to my entirely family, Mia already thinks we’re fake, and—”
You turn your head slightly to look at her.
“And I dragged you into it.”
“Please,” she gestures around the room, a wide grin taking over her expression. “I’m at a beach resort for free. I’m thriving.”
Despite yourself, a small laugh escapes you. Vi’s chest tightens at the sound, and she can’t help but follow suit.
“There she is.”
Before she can figure out what to do with that feeling, a knock suddenly interrupts the moment.
Vi glances toward the door. “Are we expecting someone?”
“No?”
There’s another knock. You freeze instantly, sitting up straighter on the bed, as Vi crosses the room.
“Vi, wait—”
It’s too late. Vi swings the door open, her body positioned perfectly so whoever is standing outside of your room can’t peek inside.
“Oh,” Mia seems surprised, clearly having expected to see you instead of Vi. “Is Y/N here?”
Vi glances back toward the bed where you’re still half-sprawled against the blankets. She noticed your sister holding one of the kid’s backpacks, so she needs to think fast on how to get you out of an unexpected babysitting job on your first day of vacation.
“She’s asleep,” she says easily. “What’s up?”
Mia sighs dramatically. “Matt and I wanted to go try that seafood place down the beach tonight. We were wondering if Ana and Luca could stay here.”
Of course this is happening already. Not even your fake girlfriend, the one your family doesn’t even know is fake, will work on your sister.
You start moving instinctively, ready to say yes before the argument even starts, when Vi speaks again.
“Oh, shoot. Sorry, we already made dinner plans.”
You blink in confusion, but your movements halt altogether.
Mia frowns immediately. “I thought you said Y/N’s asleep.”
“Yeah,” Vi leans casually against the doorframe without missing a beat. “She’s resting before we head out later. Long flight, y’know?”
There’s a tiny pause. There’s no way she’s giving up, she will talk Vi’s ear off until she eventually agrees and—
“I’m probably gonna nap too,” Vi adds with an easy smile. “Anything else I can help with?”
You stare at the back of her head in disbelief.
Mia looks annoyed for exactly half a second before forcing a tight smile. “Right. Okay.”
“Maybe tomorrow?” Vi offers politely.
“Sure.”
There’s another awkward pause before your sister finally turns and walks away down the hallway. Vi lets out a long whistle as she shuts the hotel room door again, slowly turning around to face you.
You’re staring at her with widened eyes, still frozen on the bed.
“…what?”
“You said no.”
“Yeah.”
“To Mia.”
Via blinks once, confusion clear in her gaze. “Did you want me to say yes?”
“No, but—” you stop, genuinely thrown off. She had made it look so easy. “You actually said no.”
Vi’s expression softens slightly with understanding. She walks toward the bed slowly, brows furrowing in concern as she takes in how puzzled you look.
“You said you wanted one vacation where you finally get to have some peace, right?” she says, and your chest tightens painfully at the gentleness in her voice. “I’ll take care of it. All you have to do is relax.”
She sits down next to you, and you only stare at her for a moment. Nobody’s ever stepped in before you had to, so it’s nice to know what it feels like to have somebody on your side.
Vi nudges your knee lightly with hers, sending a jolt of electricity through you.
“Now,” she starts, lighter again, “since I accidentally committed to fake dinner plans…”
You let out a chuckle. The sound makes Vi’s heart skip a beat, and she feels relieved now that she sees you let your walls down.
“Wanna go get actual dinner?”
“Thought you’d never ask,” a grin spreads slowly across her face. “If I’m pretending to be your girlfriend, I expect at least one expensive dinner out of this arrangement.”
You roll your eyes, though the warmth through your chest makes it hard to put any real annoyance behind it.
“Give me twenty minutes,” you stand up, grabbing your suitcase and heading toward the bathroom.
“Take thirty,” she mumbles, reaching out for her duffel bag. “I gotta make myself look hot enough to impress your family, just in case we bump into them at the lobby.”
“Please. You already captivated my mother by existing.”
“That’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
You snort softly before disappearing into the bathroom. The second the door clicks shut behind you, you lean heavily against the sink.
It’s okay, you can do this. It’s just Vi. You’re very attractive coworker who’s pretending to be your girlfriend and keeps calling you sweetheart. No problem at all.
You splash some water onto your face before starting to get ready.
By the time you finish changing into a light outfit more suited for the warm beach air, your nerves have settled at least a little. That confidence lasts just until you open the bathroom door and walk directly into a problem: Vi standing beside the bed with her back partially turned toward you, shirtless and half-ready.
Broad shoulders, tattooed back and low-slung linen pants hanging dangerously from her hips while she digs through her suitcase looking for another shirt. The view alone makes your brain stop functioning.
“Oh,” you blurt out.
Vi glances over her shoulder, and now it’s her the one who’s short-circuiting.
You look unfairly good. Your hair’s still slightly damp from fixing it, you’re wearing softer and more relaxed clothes than what she’s used to seeing at work, your skin warm beneath the hotel lights.
“Sorry,” you close your eyes dramatically, turning your back toward her to give her some privacy.
Vi finally pulls on a dark short-sleeved button up, leaving the first few buttons undone casually before running a hand through her hair.
“’S fine,” she clears her throat. “You ready?”
“Yep,” you answer way too quickly.
“Cool,” Vi grabs the room key before holding the door open dramatically for you. You finally take a good look at her, and your heart skips embarrassingly hard again. “After you, sweetheart.”
God help you.
Dinner turns out surprisingly nice. The restaurant sits right on the beach, warm lantern lights reflecting softly against the ocean while waves crash quietly somewhere beyond the patio.
For the first time all day, you feel at ease. There’s no family drama, no need to pretend for an audience, no pressure at all. Just you and Vi sitting across from each other, sharing appetizers and teasing each other over overpriced resort drinks.
“Wait, wait,” Vi stares at you in disbelief, a mischievous glint on her eye. “You got banned from laser tag?”
“The employee was being dramatic.”
“You climbed into the ceiling vents.”
“I was twelve!”
“Nah,” she shakes her head in fake disappointment, “That’s way too old to think you’re freaking Spider-Man.”
You laugh loudly enough that a couple nearby glances over, and Vi’s chest tightens unexpectedly at the sound. She likes making you laugh, maybe a little too much.
The conversation flows strangely easily after that. So far, Vi has picked up on a couple of cues: you hum absentmindedly while reading menus, steal fries without asking and how your eyes crinkle when you laugh hard enough. You’re so much softer outside of work, and she can’t have enough of this version of you already.
You learn how much she hates sunscreen and how instantly she burns, and how badly she wanted a motorcycle at sixteen. You’ve also learned she’s never actually traveled outside of the country before, which popped the idea of going on a different vacation sometime in the future. If the fake-girlfriend gig is still needed, of course.
By the time the two of you walk back toward the hotel, the earlier tension has melted into a warmer feeling.
“I’m showering first,” you mumble tiredly as soon as you step inside the room, already grabbing pajamas from your bag.
“Be my guest.”
The warm water helps wash away the exhaustion from the flight and the emotional chaos of the day. Sleep is already dragging heavily at your limbs as you finish changing into an oversized shirt and shorts.
Vi’s sitting cross-legged on the bed, scrolling through her phone when you walk out. Her eyes lift immediately and soften as she notices how sleepy you look. And cute, but she tries to shake the thought off her mind.
“You’re falling asleep standing up,” she mutters, shooting you a soft smile.
You yawn in response, proving her point instantly.
“Bed’s all yours for now,” she says, standing up and grabbing her own clothes.
You mumble something vaguely coherent before crawling beneath the blankets, the mattress sinking warmly around you almost immediately.
You try waiting up for Vi, you really do. But between hearing the bathroom water start running and the exhaustion finally catching up to you, your eyes drift shut.
When Vi steps out of the bathroom fifteen minutes later, with a towel hanging loosely around her neck, the room is quiet.
A small smile tugs at her mouth before she can stop it as she takes you in. The steady rise and fall of your breathing, the softness in your expression, how you’ve somehow managed to steal almost the entire blanket already.
Vi stands there for a moment longer than necessary, just looking at you curled up comfortably against the pillows. A warm, very familiar feeling settles in her chest, and it almost scares her.
Quietly, she grabs one of the spare blankets from the closet and tosses it onto the couch. She doesn’t want to risk waking you up after the day you’ve had, nor letting that uncomfortable feeling keep growing stronger.
Besides, the couch can’t even be that bad.
The first thing you notice when you wake up is that the bed is empty. Your brows furrow, squinting at the sunlight already pouring through the curtains.
“Vi?”
There’s no answer. Still half-asleep, you sit up slowly, hair a mess and shirt slipping off one shoulder as you look around the room properly. No Vi in the bathroom or balcony, you’d almost think everything was part of a livid dream if it weren’t for her suitcase on the room.
You grab your phone, quickly opening up your chat with her to see if there’s any unread messages. None at all.
you: where are you??
Your phone buzzes almost immediately, and you let out a disappointed groan as you realize the notification comes from the family group chat.
mom💕: Breakfast buffet downstairs!! 🍽 Everyone come join us 😋🙏
Attached beneath it is a blurry picture of your dad holding three plates of pastries for absolutely no reason. Most probably, one for your mom and two for him— you place a mental note on speaking to him about lowering his sugar intake.
You glance around the room again, and your stomach twists lightly. Family breakfast, and Vi is nowhere to be found.
you: vi are you alive?
After a couple of more unanswered texts, you hurry through getting ready, brushing your teeth in record time before changing into something casual. The entire time, your phone stays suspiciously silent.
By the time you leave the room, mild worry has started creeping into your chest. What if she got lost? What if she decided this was too much to deal with and took a plane back home? Oh God, what if Ana found her and challenged her to hand-to-hand combat?
You pull your phone again as soon as you walk out of the elevator, walking through the hotel lobby and calling Vi before you can overthink it over.
You look up, line ringing just as you spot her sitting at one of the outdoor tables near the restaurant windows, sunglasses perched on top of her head while she leans comfortably back in her chair. She’s already having breakfast… with your parents.
Your dad’s mid-conversation with her already, and your mom looks delighted. You hadn’t realized she had picked up the call until her voice hits your ear.
“Hey, baby.”
She looks toward the elevators, face brightening as she makes eye contact with you.
“There you are,” she lifts her free arm to wave you over lazily. “C’mere.”
You hang up quickly before approaching the table, trying very hard to ignore the fact that your heartbeat has suddenly piked up. This is deeply embarrassing.
“Well, good morning,” your mom greets you the second you reach them. “Look who finally decided to wake up.”
“She was exhausted yesterday,” Vi hops in before you can answer.
Your mom’s expression softens immediately. “Aw.”
You stare at Vi, who shoots you an innocent smile before taking a sip of her coffee. The morning sunlight catches against her, warming the sharp lines of her face. She looks completely at home sitting there beside your parents, one arm draped lazily over the back of her chair.
God, she’s doing it on purpose.
Well. Two can play this game.
You put on the sweetest smile you can manage, leaning down before your brain can stop you and pressing a quick kiss against Vi’s cheek as you slide into the seat beside her. The contact lasts barely a second— warm skin, faint traces of her perfume and the surprise inhale she takes beside you.
She freezes instantly, subtle enough that your parents probably don’t notice. Her shoulders tense for half a heartbeat, and a faint flush spreads across the tops of her cheeks almost immediately, pink dusting over her face and disappearing beneath the collar of her shirt.
Your own stomach flips violently at the realization that you caused that.
Your mom watches the interaction with undisguised excitement.
“You two are adorable.”
Heat floods instantly to your face. Vi clears her throat, trying to recover from whatever just happened to her mere seconds ago.
“You know, Vi,” your mom continues, leaning toward her conspiratorially, “she’s never brought anyone on these trips before, so you must be super special.”
“Mom,” you give her a warning look.
“What? It’s true!”
Vi glances at you with obvious amusement, far too pleased with herself. “Really?”
“Please ignore her.”
“Oh, I could never.”
You groan softly, dropping your forehead briefly against Vi’s shoulder in defeat before realizing what you just did. Slowly, you lift your head, a faint pink tint dusting across your cheeks now, too.
Cute, Vi thinks to herself. Very cute.
Before either of you can say anything else, more voices approach the table. Mia and Matt arrive with the kids trailing behind them, both looking significantly less awake than everyone else.
Ana spots Vi instantly.
“YOU LEFT WITHOUT SAYING GOOD NIGHT.”
Several nearby tables glance over, and Vi lets out a low chuckle.
“Inside voice, kiddo.”
Ana ignores that completely before climbing into the chair beside her, grabbing a waffle from your dad’s plate. Luca quickly comes running toward you, settling down on your lap as he gives you a gentle hug.
“Well,” Mia reaches for coffee, eyes flicking between you and Vi briefly, “Matt and I are gonna have breakfast and then head down to the beach for a while.”
Your stomach tightens instinctively, and you prep yourself for what’s about to come.
“So, you guys can take the kids after this.”
The words hit automatically enough that you already open your mouth to answer.
“Sure, we can—”
“Actually,” Vi cuts in smoothly before you can finish, “we already have plans for this morning.”
Mia blinks once, grabbing the mug strongly. “Oh.”
Vi smiles apologetically. “Maybe we could take them around noon instead?”
Ana gasps instantly. “Really?”
“Yeah,” Vi nudges her slightly with her shoulder. “There’s an arcade place near the pools. We gotta check it out.”
Your niece looks ready to explode from excitement, even Luca perks up immediately. Meanwhile, Mia’s expression flickers through several emotions at once: annoyance, calculation and, finally, reluctant satisfaction.
“Noon works for us.”
By the time the sun starts setting, both kids are half-dead with exhaustion.
Ana had spent an hour trying to beat Vi at air hockey and losing spectacularly every single time, while Luca had attached himself to your side for most of the afternoon after winning an absurd amount of tickets at the arcade. They had eaten as much pizza as they could, and honestly? It had been incredibly fun.
Which explains why you’re smiling when the four of you stop outside Mia and Matt’s hotel room later that evening.
Ana groans dramatically the second the door opens.
“I don’t wanna leave.”
“Had fun?” Mia asks, stepping aside to let the kids in.
“So much fun,” Luca steps inside, stopping only to wave goodbye at Vi and you before heading toward the bed.
Matt is sitting on the couch, looking significantly more relaxed than in the morning, currently holding a takeout drink and wearing swim trunks. Mia’s gaze flicks between you and Vi before settling somewhere closer to neutral than annoyed for the first time during the trip.
“Thanks for taking them,” she almost sounds surprised by her own sincerity.
Vi shrugs, ruffling Ana’s hair. “They’re cool.”
The little girl beams instantly at that before running into the room. “We’re playing Mario Kart tomorrow!”
“Oh, absolutely not,” Vi calls after her. “You play dirty!”
“I learned from my aunt!”
“Ah, that explains a lot.”
You snort softly beside her, elbowing her playfully. Mia watches the interaction for a moment, an unreadable expression crossing her face before she finally shakes her head.
“Goodnight, guys.”
“Night, sis.”
The door clicks shut behind her, and the hallway feels much quieter almost immediately.
You and Vi start walking toward your room side by side, shoulders brushing every now and then as you move through the warmly lit corridor. As soon as the two of you walk into the room, Vi kicks off her shoes with a relieved groan.
“I think I’ll need a foot transplant.”
“Geez, you’re so dramatic.”
“And yet you still like me.”
The words slip out so casually that neither of you reacts at first.
Then, it hits. Vi’s breath catches almost imperceptibly as her own sentence registers in her brain, eyes widening just slightly before she looks away too fast to make it seem natural. Shit.
Your stomach flips because the worst part is that your first instinct isn’t to deny it. A warm rush spreads through your chest at hearing her say it so naturally, and the room suddenly feels smaller, warmer, quieter.
You become painfully aware of the sound of the air conditioner humming softly, the lingering warmth where your shoulders brushed, the way Vi’s hair is still messy from playing with the kids in the afternoon.
Vi clears her throat first, rubbing awkwardly at the back of her neck.
“I mean,” her voice comes out rougher than expected, “as a person. Obviously.”
You swallow once, pulse thudding embarrassingly hard against your ribs.
“Obviously,” you echo, hoping your voice sounds steadier than you feel.
To save yourself from further humiliation, you disappear into the bathroom to get changed. When you come back out a few minutes later, Vi’s sitting at the edge of the bed scrolling through her phone.
She glances up as soon as she hears the bathroom door opening, and there’s that soft look again. The one that keeps catching you off guard.
“What?” you ask suspiciously.
“Nothing.”
It’s just you look so fucking adorable. Of course she can’t tell you that.
You climb onto the bed beside her, exhaustion finally starting to settle heavily into your bones after the long day. For a moment, neither of you says anything.
“…thanks.”
Vi looks over at you, brows furrowing in confusion.
“For today,” you explain, fiddling absentmindedly with the edge of the blanket. “For helping with Mia, the kids and… for everything.”
Her expression softens almost painfully. “You don’t gotta thank me for that.”
“Still,” you glance toward her. “You’ve made this trip a lot easier.”
Vi holds your gaze for a second too long before looking away with a small shrug. She hopes you didn’t notice her ears burning up with every word that left your mouth.
“Nah,” she mumbles lightly, though there’s warmth tucked underneath the words. “I like hanging out with you.”
By day five, at some point between shared breakfasts, late-night conversations, and Vi instinctively reaching for your hand even when your family was nowhere to be seen, pretending starts feeling dangerously easy.
You don’t even think twice when Vi lazily hooks her arm around your shoulders while the group walks through the marina that afternoon. Tourists move around the dock taking pictures of the ocean and nearby cliffs. Warm sunlight glitters against the water, salt lingering in the air every time the breeze rolls through.
Your dad is already taking approximately a thousand photos of everything. Your mom keeps stopping to point out cute spots around the harbor. Ana’s currently holding onto your hand, trying to convince you to buy matching shark keychains. And Luca, surprisingly, is sitting comfortably on Vi’s shoulders while she walks.
You stare at them for a second longer than necessary, because Luca doesn’t do that. It takes him forever to warm up to people. He barely lets relatives hug him half the time, usually glued to your side whenever he gets overwhelmed.
But now? He’s sitting happily above Vi with both little hands tangled in her pink hair while she complains loudly about becoming a “human playground”.
“She’s too tall, Auntie Y/N,” Luca says seriously from above.
“You hear that?” Vi looks at you in betrayal. “I risk carrying him around and he says that about me?”
“You’re right, I’ll fix it,” you nod, looking up at your nephew. “Luca, she’s not even that tall.”
She lets out a scoff, shaking her head with fake indignation. “This is the respect I get?”
You snort softly beside her, and the sound makes Vi glance sideways at you automatically. There it is again, that warm feeling in her chest every time she makes you laugh. It catches her off guard every single time.
The soft crinkle near your eyes, the way your shoulders relax when you’re genuinely amused, the quiet laugh you try to hold back and always fail to. Somehow, all of it has started feeling addicting. It’s dangerous, because Vi has realized she’d do almost anything to keep hearing that sound.
“Oh!” your mom suddenly exclaims from a few steps ahead. “How lovely!”
A small photography stand has been set up near the dock entrance, decorated with simple vacation photos in island-themed frames and plastic keychains shaped like hearts and palm trees.
One of the photographers waves enthusiastically the second he spots your group approaching.
“Family pictures! We make keychains too!”
Your mom gasps like she’s just discovered treasure. “We absolutely need those.”
Your dad is already pulling out his wallet before anyone even agrees. Within seconds, everyone’s getting shuffled toward the little backdrop while the photographer starts enthusiastically positioning all of you around.
“Okay, whole family first!”
Instinctively, Vi takes a small step backward.
“Oh, I’ll just—” she gestures vaguely behind her, already starting to move away. “I’ll let you guys have the family one.”
Before she can fully step out, your mom grabs her wrist gently.
“Honey,” she says warmly, looking genuinely confused by the suggestion. “Nonsense. You are part of the family.”
Vi stills, and the noise around the dock feels strangely distant for half a second.
Part of the family.
The words hit deep in her chest unexpectedly hard. There’s no teasing tone in your mom’s voice, she actually means it.
Vi glances you toward you automatically, and softness flickers across your expression when you realize how affected she looks by the comment.
“C’mon,” you murmur gently. “Get over here.”
She lets herself be tugged into place beside you.
And for some reason, standing there with your family crowded around her —your dad already complaining about camera angles, Ana trying to make bunny ears behind her dad’s head, Luca clutching your hand— feels incredibly nice.
The camera flashes several times while everyone laughs through increasingly chaotic poses. Then come the individual photos.
Your parents insist on taking one together, your dad kissing your mom’s cheek dramatically enough to make her laugh so hard she nearly ruins the picture. Ana poses like a tiny celebrity for hers.
Luca hides behind your leg for the first two attempts until Vi crouches beside him and quietly promises they can make “the weirdest face possible” together. The resulting photo is terrible, but you immediately declare it your favorite.
Then Mia and Matt take theirs, with your sister grabbing her husband’s face and giving him a kiss that makes both kids gag in horror.
Your mom turns toward you and Vi again. “You two need your own set now.”
“Oh, it’s not—”
“But it is,” your mom cuts you in, already pushing you two in front of the camera. “You barely have any photos together!”
Ana gasps loudly. “They gotta kiss like everyone else!”
Your entire body heats instantly. Beside you, Vi goes suspiciously quiet again.
“Ana…”
“What? Couples kiss!”
“Fair point,” your dad agrees, unfortunately for the two of you.
Vi slowly steps closer beside you while Luca wanders back toward Mia, already distracted by something else near the dock. Your pulse starts hammering harder the second Vi’s hand settles carefully against your back.
“You don’t have to,” she mutters under her breath, barely audible beneath the chatter around you.
Somehow that makes it infinitely worse, because she’s giving you a choice. Because you can tell she’s nervous, too. And because some reckless part of you wants to know what kissing Vi actually feels like.
Your arm slips around her shoulders automatically, fingertips brushing lightly against the warm skin at the back of her neck.
“It’s okay,” you whisper back before you can overthink it.
Vi inhales softly. Then, slowly and carefully, you lean in.
The kiss is gentle, tentative at first. Her brain is short-circuiting and is barely registering what it’s actually happening— your warm lips, the salty air, the way your hand tightens unconsciously against her shoulder.
Then she kisses you back more firmly. It’s still soft and brief, but it’s enough to send heat rushing violently through your entire body. Your stomach flips so hard it’s almost dizzying.
The camera flashes.
“Awww!”
“EWWW,” Ana yells at the exact same time.
You and Vi pull apart a little too quickly, both visibly flustered now. She clears her throat hard, suddenly very interested in the boats behind you while a faint pink flush spreads across her cheeks.
You can still feel the ghost of her lips against yours, and judging by the way Vi keeps avoiding your eyes, she can too.
The room is quiet when you step out of the bathroom later that night, steam still clinging faintly to your skin as you rub a towel through your damp hair.
For a second, you think Vi’s already asleep. Then, you properly look around the room and blink, puzzled as you find her settled on the couch.
“Vi?”
She glances up immediately, one arm tucked behind her head while the hotel TV plays some low-volume reality show in the background.
“Sup?”
“Why are you sleeping there?”
She pauses, genuinely not expecting that question. Suddenly, several things click together in your brain at once— the spare blanket disappearing from the closet, the couch pillows always being slightly out of place every morning, the fact that every single night you’d fallen asleep first and every single morning Vi’s the first one to wake up.
“Oh my God,” you mumble, horrified. “Have you been sleeping on the couch this whole time?”
Vi rubs awkwardly at the back of her neck. “Um, yeah.”
“Vi, that couch is tiny.”
“I’ve slept in worse places.”
You smack your own forehead in disbelief. “How did I not realize?”
“You’re usually unconscious by the time I’m ready for bed,” a small smile tugs at the corner of her mouth.
“Still! You should’ve said something.”
“Meh, it wasn’t a big deal.”
You take another good look at the couch, and realize it absolutely is a big deal. One of Vi’s legs is literally hanging off the edge.
“You’re not sleeping there anymore,” you decide immediately.
“What?”
“Come sleep in the bed.”
The words leave your mouth with significantly more confidence than you actually feel. Now that it’s out there, your brain starts catching up with the implications.
Vi’s eyes flick toward the mattress briefly before landing back on you. There’s a faint pink tint creeping across her cheeks again. Huh, you’re kind of loving this look on her.
“You sure?”
“Yeah,” you answer quickly. “Like… c’mon. We can survive sharing a bed.”
Vi huffs out a quiet laugh, nervousness hidden underneath it.
You climb beneath the blankets first, mostly because you need somewhere to put your face for a moment while your heartbeat completely loses it. A minute later, the mattress dips carefully beside you. Immediately, every nerve in your body becomes hyperaware.
“So,” Vi starts, speaking in a low voice. “That was a convincing kiss, wasn’t it?”
Oh, you’re going to pass away.
“Shut up,” your entire face burns.
She laughs softly again, and the sound settles strangely deep in your chest.
“It was still nice,” she admits quietly, trying to ignore how fast her heart is beating.
You turn your head slightly before you can stop yourself, and find Vi already looking at you. She’s close enough that you can make out the softer details of her face beneath the dim bedside lamp— sleepy eyes, messy pink hair, the faint flush still lingering across her cheeks.
“You’re a jerk, anyone ever tell you that?” you whisper back, the air between you dangerously delicate.
“Yeah, you. All the time.”
Eventually, exhaustion catches up to both of you. The conversation fades into softer teasing and slower replies, until neither of you can keep your eyes open anymore.
Several hours later, morning sunlight spills warmly across the bed when you start waking up. At first, all you register is warmth, but soon comes the weight. And then, a heartbeat.
Your eyes blink open slowly, and immediately widen. At some point during the night, you and Vi had ended up tangled together. Your face is buried against her chest, one of her arms is wrapped securely around your waist, and your leg is halfway thrown over hers.
She’s still asleep, holding you instinctively closer every couple of breaths. Your heart stumbles violently against your chest, and you try to shift around slowly as to not wake her up.
As if sensing movement, Vi shifts slightly against you with a sleepy groan. Her arm tightens unconsciously around your waist, and her face presses softly into your hair.
The breath leaves your lungs entirely. She’s so warm, and you can feel the way her fingers curl against your side like she’s scared you’ll drift away.
This is a bad, bad, bad idea.
Instead of pulling away immediately like any other person would, your first instinct is to melt closer just for another second. Vi makes another quiet sound in her sleep, brows furrowing faintly before relaxing again when you stop moving.
Then slowly, very slowly, Vi starts waking up too. You feel it happen in real time: the sleepy shift of her breathing, her hand flexing once against your waist, the gradual tension returning to her body as awareness kicks in.
“Oh,” her voice comes out rough with sleep, barely above a whisper. “Hi.”
You squeeze your eyes shut briefly. “Hi.”
Morning sunlight spills across the sheets, warming the bed around you while the air conditioner hums in the background. Somewhere outside, muffled voices and distant ocean waves drift up from the beach below.
But all Vi can focus on is you.
You’re still tucked impossibly close against her chest, hair messy from sleep, face warm from embarrassment, and Vi feels the strong impulse to kiss you again. She’s pretty sure this trip might actually kill her.
She swallows once, pulse thudding loudly against her throat.
“Did you drool on me?” she murmurs weakly, clearly grasping for literally anything to say.
Your head snaps up immediately. “I did not!”
Vi lets out a sleepy laugh, low and warm beneath you. The sound vibrates through her chest straight into your ribs, and your entire body heats instantly.
One of your hands is resting against her stomach, your knee is tangled between hers, and neither of you has made any real effort to move away yet. The realization hits you at once, and you scramble backward immediately.
The blankets tangle around your legs, nearly sending you straight off the mattress before Vi catches your wrist on instinct.
“Careful!” her hand wraps around yours automatically, pulling you back.
She releases you a second later, only after making sure you’re not about to throw yourself off the bed by accident, clearing her throat roughly before sitting up too quickly.
“Right,” she mumbles, dragging a hand through her already messy hair. “So, breakfast in thirty minutes?”
“Yeah.”
Neither of you looks at the other as you stand up to get ready, which would probably work better if both your heartbeats weren’t still absolutely out of control.
The restaurant buzzes softly with warm evening chatter, and somewhere nearby, someone laughs loudly enough to make Ana giggle. Lantern lights cast everything in soft gold while the ocean glimmers darkly beyond the railing.
By now, sitting beside Vi feels so natural you don’t even think about it anymore.
Your knee presses lightly against hers beneath the table while everyone looks over menus and talks over each other. Luca’s half-asleep against Vi’s side already, curled into her arm after spending the entire afternoon attached to her hip.
“You spoil them too much,” Mia mutters, though there’s far less bite to it than there used to be.
Vi looks genuinely offended. “Excuse you. I’m their favorite now.”
Ana claps happily from across the table. “You are!”
“Traitor,” you stuck your tongue out at her.
“Auntie Vi got me extra fries.”
Vi stills for the smallest fraction of a second, the nickname landing somewhere deep in her chest before she could prepare for it.
Warmth spreads through her so suddenly it almost catches her off guard. She’s been called a lot of things in her life —some affectionate, some definitely not so nice— but hearing Ana’s tiny excited voice does something unfairly soft to her heart.
Luca shifts sleepily against her side at the same moment, his small hand still curled loosely in the fabric of her shirt, and her chest squeezes painfully hard.
God. This family is going to ruin her.
She tries to play it off casually, leaning back in her chair with an easy grin despite the warmth blooming across her face.
“I’m the cool aunt, then.”
“Oh,” you roll your eyes, crossing your arms over your chest. “That’s all it takes? A couple of fries?”
Vi leans slightly closer beside you, voice lowering. “Honestly? Yeah.”
Your stomach flips stupidly at the warmth of her lips brushing your skin. It keeps happening whenever she gets close to you, and neither of you moves away anymore.
Across the table, your mom watches the interaction with an expression so fond it’s almost embarrassing.
“You two look really happy together.”
Your dad hums in agreement while looking through photos on his phone. “Best mood I’ve seen Y/N in during one of these trips.”
Heat creeps immediately up your neck. Beside you, Vi suddenly becomes very interested in her drink.
Ana squints suspiciously. “Why are your faces red?”
“It’s cause they’re old,” Matt answers immediately.
“Hey!” you and Vi say at the exact same time, which only makes everyone laugh harder.
Luca shifts sleepily against Vi with a tiny yawn. Without even thinking about it, she adjusts him carefully so he’s more comfortable, one hand rubbing gently up and down his back.
Suddenly, your dad’s face brightens as he turns his phone toward Vi, showing her some photos and videos of you when you were six. Crying at swimming lessons, at your first spelling bee, playing with your old dog. Even your mom hops in, telling Vi stories about how you used to be when you were just a kid.
You groan, covering your face briefly while everyone keeps laughing around the table. And the worst part? You’re happy. Over the last few days, this trip has stopped feeling like a survival show and started feeling like a warm and safe vacation you could actually enjoy.
Your gaze drifts sideways automatically toward Vi. She’s still smiling at the video your dad is showing, Luca asleep against her side, your family talking to her like she’s belonged there forever.
A sudden, terrifying thought hits you so hard it nearly steals the breath from your lungs.
You can picture this lasting. Not the trip. Her.
You look away quickly.
Across the table, Mia notices.
The last full day of the trip arrives far too quickly.
By noon, everyone’s gathered around the resort pool under bright sunlight and the constant sound of splashing water. You’re stretched comfortably across a lounge chair in your swimsuit, sunglasses pushed up into your hair. Nearby, Ana’s shrieking dramatically as Vi lifts her clean out of the pool.
“PUT ME DOWN, AUNTIE VI!”
“You kicked me first!” she argues back, grinning.
“In self-defense!”
Luca clings quietly to Vi’s back while she carries Ana around with one arm like she weighs nothing. The sight alone is enough to make your heart skip a beat. God, you’re in so much trouble.
Vi glances over toward you automatically, catching you staring. A grin spreads instantly across her face.
“You just gonna sit there lookin’ pretty or you gonna help me?”
“I’m busy,” you reply lazily. “I’m taking care of this chair now.”
Vi snorts, shaking her head before Luca whispers something in her ear. Her brows furrow.
“Shoot,” she mutters, having learned to filter out her curse words around the kids after Ana accused her of teaching them. “I left my sunscreen upstairs.”
“I can go get it,” you offer immediately, already sitting up.
Her expression softens in that way that keeps wrecking you lately. “Yeah?”
“I mean, you’re kinda busy being a human playground.”
Ana laughs loudly. “She LOVES being the human playground.”
“I absolutely do not.”
A chuckle slips out before you can stop it. Vi watches you for half a second too long, before splashing you with some water.
“Thanks, pretty girl.”
Heat rushes so fast into your face it almost hurts. Vi looks way too pleased with herself as she turns back toward the kids, as if she didn’t just completely mess with your brain.
You hate her.
You’re definitely in love with her.
The elevator upstairs gives you exactly enough time to attempt regaining your composure. By the time you make it back downstairs with Vi’s sunscreen, your face finally feels normal again.
At least, until you pass through the hotel lobby.
You recognize Mia’s voice immediately.
“…I’m just saying, Vi’s great with them.”
Your steps slow instinctively.
Matt hums in agreement somewhere nearby. “She’s awesome.”
“She is. Honestly, I didn’t expect to like her this much.”
“But?”
“She’s obviously amazing,” Mia continues, quieter now. “I just don’t see someone like Vi sticking around long-term.”
You freeze completely behind the corner wall.
“And Y/N… you know how she gets. I don’t want her getting hurt when Vi eventually leaves.”
By the time you walk back outside, the sunlight suddenly feels too bright, too warm. You barely hear Ana yelling your name as you walk toward the chairs again. The second Vi’s eyes land on you, her smile fades instantly. She can tell something’s off.
“What happened?” she asks quietly once Luca slides off her back.
“Nothing,” you avoid looking at her.
And suddenly, the rest of the afternoon feels wrong.
You laugh when you’re supposed to, smile when spoken to, even nod through conversations, but Vi notices every single crack. Every forced grin, every distant state, and every moment you stop reaching for her automatically.
By evening, the guilt and concern sitting in her chest has become unbearable.
The sun hangs low over the ocean while everyone walks along the shoreline after dinner. Waves roll gently across the sand while Ana and Luca run ahead collecting shells near your parents.
Somehow, eventually, you and Vi fall behind from the group. The ocean breeze cools your skin while your feet sink softly into damp sand, and Vi glances at you for a moment.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
Your chest tightens instantly at the nickname. You let out a quiet laugh, but there’s no humor in it.
“It’s nothing.”
“Bullshit.”
Vi slows beside you.
“Hey,” her voice softens. “Talk to me.”
You stare out at the darkening ocean, because you know you might break down if you look into her eyes and she gives you that look again.
“I overheard Mia and Matt earlier,” you admit in a low voice. “Speaking about you, about me… about us, I guess.”
Vi’s expression changes immediately. “What’d they say?”
You shrug tightly, arms crossing over your chest.
“That you’re great,” your throat tightens. “And that this probably won’t last.”
Vi goes still beside you. She’s staring at you in disbelief, a soft frown covering her features. You force another laugh.
“She’s right, though.”
“What?”
You shake your head quickly.
“Come on, Vi. Let’s be realistic for a second,” your voice comes harsher now. “I’m single for a reason.”
Vi’s face hardens instantly. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“That, this,” she steps closer toward you through the sand, frustration flashing openly across her face now. “Talking about yourself this way.”
You let out another hollow laugh, though it sounds shakier this time.
“I mean, come on,” you gesture vaguely between the two of you. “I had to ask a coworker to pretend to date me for a stupid family trip. How fucking lame am I?”
Vi stares at you like you just said something genuinely upsetting.
“Y/N.”
“She didn’t even mean it in a bad way,” you continue before she can speak again. “She just knows me.”
Vi scoffs incredulously. “No offense, but your sister’s an idiot.”
Despite everything sitting heavy inside your chest, your mouth twitches faintly.
“She thinks you’ll realize this whole thing isn’t worth it eventually,” you admit quietly. “If only she knew we were pretending this whole time.”
Her expression changes completely, like the idea itself offends her.
“Are you serious right now?”
You finally look at her then, and immediately regret it because she’s staring at you with so much intensity it almost knocks the air from your lungs.
“You know what your problem is?” her voice comes out tougher than she intends, frustration and vulnerability tangle underneath it. “You act like you’re difficult to love when you’re not.”
Vi steps closer enough that you can see the tension in her jaw and the way her hands flex uselessly at her sides whenever she has too much she wants to say and no idea where to even start.
“It’s actually kind of insane,” she says softly now, shaking her head once. “The way you talk about yourself is nothing compared to the person I’ve gotten to know better these days.”
Your throat tightens, the words hitting so hard your chest physically aches.
“You take care of everybody before they even ask,” her eyes stay locked on yours. “You’re patient. Like… ridiculously. Even when your family’s driving you insane, you still show up for them because you love them.”
Your heartbeat grows louder and louder.
The ocean breeze moves through her pink hair softly, and for the first time since you met her, Vi looks jittery.
“And the kids?” she laughs weakly under her breath. “God, Y/N. Luca looks at you like you hung the moon, and Ana admires you so freaking much.”
Your eyes burn immediately.
“Your parents adore you. Your mom lights up every time you walk into a room. Your dad literally carries embarrassing childhood photos of you around on his phone like you’re his greatest accomplishment.
You blink to try and hold the tears back, clearly taken aback with how gentle and soft Vi is being toward you.
“And me?” her voice lowers almost to a whisper now. “I like being around you so much it’s actually become a problem.”
The confession slips out of her and Vi realizes it a second too late. Your breath catches as soon as you notice she didn’t mean to say it out loud, with the way her eyes widen and her shoulders tense up.
But now that it’s out there, she can’t stop.
“You make everything feel easy,” she admits, eyes softening in a way that makes your stomach flip. “Even stupid stuff. Breakfasts, walking around, sitting around doing nothing… I just— Fuck, I look for you constantly now.”
“Vi…” you whisper, every word landing deep inside you with how sincere she sounds.
“And hearing you talk about yourself like this?” She keeps going, visibly upset now. “It pisses me off cause it’s not fucking true.”
Vi’s breath is uneven now, chest rising and falling faster beneath the ocean breeze. She’s been holding all of this in for days and she can’t stop it from spilling it out.
A tear slips free before you can stop it. Vi notices instantly, her expression softening so fast it nearly undoes you.
“Hey,” she murmurs, voice dropping completely now.
You look down immediately, embarrassed, but Vi gently catches your wrist before you can fully turn away.
“No, no, don’t do that,” the warmth of her hand around yours sends your pulse spiraling. “You don’t get to sit here and act like you’re unlovable when I—”
Vi cuts herself off abruptly. The words hang there between you unfinished, but painfully obvious.
When I what?
Your heartbeat pounds violently against your ribs. Her eyes widen slightly like she can’t believe she almost said that out loud. A faint flush spreads across her cheeks, but she doesn’t let go of your wrist.
The ocean waves crash softly behind her while your entire body feels too warm, too aware, too full of her. Slowly, Vi exhales.
“When I look at you,” she corrects quietly, though her voice still sounds shaken, “all I see is somebody worth loving.”
Nobody’s ever spoken about you this way before. Hell, nobody’s ever even looked at you like this before.
Your eyes burn harder now, emotions crowding painfully inside your chest all at once. And Vi—
God, Vi looks terrified. Not because she regrets saying it, but because she knows that there’s no turning back now. And to be sincere, she doesn’t want to take it back.
The realization settles between you both heavily, mixing with the sound of crashing waves and distant laughter farther down the beach.
“…you really mean all that?” your voice comes out small and fragile in a way that makes Vi’s chest ache instantly.
“I do,” she answers quietly.
Your heartbeat violently against your ribs as Vi takes another small step toward you, close enough that you can feel the warmth radiating from her skin despite the cool evening breeze.
“You have no idea how easy you are to care for,” Vi admits softly, eyes flickering between yours. “Honestly, I think I was screwed the second you offered me a free vacation.”
A shaky laugh escapes you, and Vi’s mouth twitches at the sound. Oh, how she’s missed it all day long.
The air between you shifts.
Her gaze drops briefly to your lips, and your breath catches immediately. Your body instinctively leans toward hers before your brain can stop it.
Vi notices immediately, her own breath hitching. Slowly, her free hand lifts toward your face, making your pulse jump so hard it almost hurts. Her fingertips brush lightly against your cheek, warm and gentle, and the look she gives you nearly steals all the air from your lungs entirely.
Your eyes flutter shut, and Vi leans close enough that you can feel her breath against your lips—
“AUNTIE VI, AUNTIE Y/N!”
Both of you jump apart so fast it’s almost embarrassing.
Ana comes sprinting down the beach at full speed while Luca trails behind her, carrying three seashells and a juice box with extreme concentration.
“We found a crab!” Ana announces proudly.
Vi tips her head back toward the sky with a strangled groan. You clap a hand over your mouth immediately, laughter escaping despite the emotional whiplash currently going on inside your chest.
Ana squints suspiciously between the two of you. “Why are your faces red again?”
The trip comes to an end the following day.
One moment, you’re falling asleep to the sound of ocean waves and Vi’s sleepy voice beside you. The next, everyone’s standing near the airport drop-off with luggage piled around you while the morning traffic rushes by outside.
The goodbye chaos is immediate. Ana’s already clinging to Vi’s waist before anyone’s even finished unloading bags.
“Nooooo,” she whines. “You can’t go home.”
Vi laughs softly, crouching down enough to poke her forehead lightly. “I live in the same neighborhood as you, kiddo.”
“That’s still too far.”
Luca stays quieter beside them, but he’s holding onto Vi’s hand with both of his little hands, not planning on letting go anytime soon.
Vi shoots you a tiny smile over Ana’s head. The kind that still makes your stomach flip embarrassingly hard.
“Guess I’m stuck now.”
“You better be,” Ana points at her sternly.
Your dad walks over next, already pulling Vi into a warm hug before she can escape.
“You survived your first family vacation,” he jokes. “That’s basically official induction.”
Vi snorts. “Do I get a trophy?”
“…no, but you do get twenty embarrassing childhood stories about Y/N.”
“Oh, I already got those.”
“Dad,” you groan instantly.
Your mom laughs warmly before stepping toward Vi too. And immediately, her expression softens. It’s the kind of emotional softness that catches Vi completely off guard as she’s pulled into a gentle hug.
“You better come to brunch next weekend,” your mom says firmly. “I’m serious.”
“I promise I’ll do my best.”
“No excuses, sweetie,” your mom warns before her expressions turns softer still. “And… thank you.”
Vi blinks once, clearly puzzled. “For what?”
Your mom glances toward you briefly. “For making my daughter happy.”
The words land like a punch straight to Vi’s chest, her breath catching almost imperceptibly. Your mom says it so simply and sincerely, like it’s so obvious that Vi’s already become so important. For a second, she can’t even find s joke to hide behind.
Vi’s eyes drift toward you automatically, and the look on your face nearly ruins her on the spot. Soft, embarrassed and hopeful, all in one.
“We’re keeping you, by the way,” your mom squeezes Vi’s arm gently before stepping back.
“Mom.”
“I’m just stating the obvious, dear.”
Mia walks over last. There’s an initial awkwardness, and Luca attaches to her side now, looking significantly less pleased about the trip ending.
“…okay,” she admits reluctantly. “You were kinda amazing.”
Vi gasps dramatically. “Wow. Is anyone recording this?”
“Don’t push it.”
But Mia’s smiling when she says it. She glances between you and Vi before adding a quieter:
“Take care of each other, okay?”
The final goodbyes blur together after that. Your mom makes Vi promise to visit next week, Luca quietly asks if she’ll really come to the park with them someday, and suddenly it’s over.
The airport disappears behind you as you and Vi step out into the warm afternoon air alone for the first time in days.
The silence that settles between you inside the cab ride home feels different now. Heavy, and anticipating. By the time you stop outside your apartment building, your heartbeat feels completely out of control again.
Vi stands beside you as she puts the last bag down in your living room. The city noise hums softly through the open windows, but all you can focus on is her and the way she’s looking at you now.
You let out one nervous laugh.
“So…” you start weakly. “Guess the job’s over.”
Vi smiles at that, but there’s shyness underneath it now. She steps close enough that your breath catches immediately.
“Yeah?” she murmurs.
Her eyes flick down to your lips before returning to your eyes, making your pulse jump like crazy.
“Um…” she smiles against the nervous tension between you. “You planning on firing me as your fake girlfriend?”
A laugh escapes your throat before you can stop it, quiet and breathless and completely fond. God, you’re so gone for her.
You shake your head slightly, stepping closer too until there’s barely any space left between you.
“Depends,” you mutter, a grin taking over your lips. “You interested in becoming my real one?”
The look that crosses Vi’s face almost undoes you completely. Then, she kisses you.
For real this time. No audience, no pretending and no excuses. Just Vi’s hands sliding gently to your waist while your fingers curl instinctively into the front of her shirt, both of you smiling helplessly into the kiss almost immediately.
It’s softer than the first one, but somehow it hits ten times harder. Because now you know that every stolen glance, every touch, every blush and every word… it was real all along.
Vi smiles against your lips, forehead resting lightly against yours when you finally pull apart.
“Took you long enough,” she whispers.
You laugh softly, warmth flooding every inch of your chest before kissing her again.
