Work Text:
Some may say Katie’s gone overboard.
She distantly recognizes her advances could be taken as something they are not.
Katie hums to herself, not quite sure if the outfit is too much: a lab coat she stole directly from Multi, science goggles Tubbo helped her make, and a pink tie to really tie the whole outfit in a nice little bow.
She’s strangely rainbow, and it makes it hard to judge the outfit, but she’s not quite sure how to get rid of the aura that the weird jelly she got from Mango gave her.
Katie tugs her hair out of her face and digs through her chest for picture frames.
It's been three days since she saved Nacho, Tomate, and Pepino with Multi and Quackity. Three long days, she’s spent all her time gathering gifts that ranged from absurd to heartfelt for her son and Multi. She understands that it was a risk, one they disagreed with her taking, and standing half-hidden behind the wall of an unfinished store, it all came back to her.
It hit her like a slap to the face.
Worse than Multi attacking her in a moment of weakness, eyes glowing a green she wasn’t familiar with. Worse than being forced to kill five innocents, not three, because she had played tag with two workers who followed her like puppies. They hadn’t done a thing to deserve her axe meeting their neck.
Soulless.
It was the first time anyone referred to her as such, and blood painted her spy outfit like she’d done it on purpose. The pink stuck out like a sore thumb, and she was left before the impressed admin, so awfully alone.
Nacho’s shaky voice, so unused to speaking, he’d stumble over his words and cling to Multi’s leg. She gave me away.
Guilt tacked into her chest like a bitter, clawed hand wrapping itself around her heart.
She didn’t tell anyone she had a plan, and it had been a win-win in her eyes, getting powers and saving the prisoners. It was three days, three days she put her son in the hands of a corrupt God. When Multi yelled at her about it, she let it roll off her easily.
Now, she was stewing in her regret, unsure if the situation she put them through was worth it at all.
She sang Nacho to bed that night, and departed to her room, not in the Headquarters, but under Mr. J’s house.
She didn’t return there as often anymore, but this time she curled up in the too-small bed and didn’t manage to sleep a wink. Instead, she stared at her wall with an all-too-consuming grief for what she knew must be a ruined relationship.
Surely.
She could fix it, sure, probably, but it couldn’t possibly be the same.
Katie was nothing if not stubborn, determined to make a difference. Good or bad.
She sets out for ways to make it up. She gets a matching outfit, and she finds a white flower for Nacho, foraged herbs for Multi that she wasn’t quite sure of their importance, but her desperation outweighed her anxiety. Everything counted. Katie didn’t forage, notably never went out of her way for much, most people just offered to help, and who was she to decline?
This would mean something. She collects photos of Nacho, their family, and puts together an unfinished album for Multi. Katie particularly leaves out most of the ones that include herself, leaving them in a box, and maybe once Multi warms back up to her, he’ll slip them beneath the vinyl, and it will stay that way.
Her dog ears have shifted to bear ears, a match with Nacho’s, and her tail shortens. With her fixation on making it up, she’s matching her son in the best way she can. His little lab coat is only one more similarity to tie them together.
She gives the gifts to both of them that night.
Nacho flutters about, holding the flower close and putting it beside his bed. He seems excited, cuddling close with the sweater she clumsily knit, not at all great work, but it’s pink and matches her unicorn onesie. Molly did her best to help, but Katie’s talents only go so far. He hugs her calf and thanks her, only hesitating a little.
The hesitation is just enough to trigger that same guilt that's been eating her alive for the past three days all over again, and she drops down to his level, carefully placing her hand on his head, slow enough not to freak him out.
“You don’t have to forgive me.” She whispers, but in the silence of the room, it sounds the same as if she had yelled. It’s a promise, one she means but selfishly wishes she could make them see from her perspective for just a moment.
Instead, she hugs him close when he jumps up on her thighs.
“I know it wasn’t fair, what I did. I’ll prove just how much you mean to me, okay? Both you and Dada, okay?”
He hums and shoves his face into her neck, hands coming up to pry at her ears, little fingers, and they twitch under his curious prodding. “You look like me.” He says, instead of any further acknowledgment. Her stubby tail swishes and flutters at her back, similar to Nacho’s more expressively flapping tail. It betrays his giddiness, and Katie carefully adjusts the mask on his head, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
Multi has been watching in silence. Quiet as he tends to be, she still feels the weight of his gaze like an anchor.
She looks up, and his eyes aren’t the glowing green she still finds herself thinking back on. They’re silver-blue, and his brows are furrowing the longer he stares. Nacho cuddles up closer to her.
Katie swallows, a wad of anxiety worming its way up her throat.
Soon, in the silence, Nacho relaxes, and she stands. Katie gently tucks him into bed, and when she turns around, Multi hasn’t taken his eyes off her. She warily stands, “I have gifts for you, too.” She offers, and Multi narrows his eyes and turns.
“Come.” He states, and Katie hurries after him, switching off the lights before the door shuts behind her. He whirls around, leaving her stumbling to a hurried stop so she doesn’t run into him. “You don’t plan to bribe us?”
She shuffles around, “No, that’s not… that isn’t what this is. I just want to prove I’m serious.” She insists, and his words— this is why no one takes you seriously, come back to her in a sharp reminder that she has failed.
“You have… so much to make up for. You know that.” He returns, stepping closer, where Katie blinks down at him.
She nods sharply, “You’re the only one… who treats me like a person. I can’t lose that, I can’t lose you guys, you’re all I have.” She pleads, uncharacteristically insistent.
Multi stares at her for a moment, then down at her hands where she’s fidgeting anxiously. “You said you had gifts?” He redirects, suddenly awkward, as he realizes the space between them was smaller in the lack of tension keeping them close.
Katie quickly nods again, “Yes, multiple! I promise, you’ll love them.”
He backs away, unsteady. Then gestures for her to follow again, and she does, tail wagging in anticipation. The hints of acceptance leave her giddy in a way she hasn’t felt in days.
“It is Nacho’s decision. You know that, right?” He reaffirms over his shoulder. Katie sharply nods, right on his heels as they turn into a bedroom.
She looks around curiously, and Multi shuffles to put his lab coat away, and Katie, unsure of herself, leaves hers on. Not like she’s using it for anything actually useful.
He turns to her, and she perks up.
“Right! I got you this first,” she passes a box over, the packages of herbs inside tumble around with the movement, and Multi furrows his eyebrows.
He eyes her with something akin to suspicion, and Katie scowls. It’s hard to explain, but there’s a vulnerability around these gifts, around her lately, when it comes to Nacho and Multi, a soft spot that wasn’t evident just before she made her choice.
Almost immediately, as if he’s sensed her switch in mood, he sobers and opens the box carefully.
Katie picks at her nails, and she curses herself for the lack of energy she can muster. Multi is quiet for a moment, shuffling the different glasses of herbs, and Katie watches in her own silence. She can only bear it for so long, “I labeled them. I wasn’t sure if you needed them, or how much you cared for this stuff, but you always have these neat potions, and I figured it might help.” She shuffles around, fumbling through her words, “It took forever to forage, and I had to ask around for help making potions, so it might be kind of a mess, and if you don’t like it, then no worries, of course—“
Her rambling is unceremoniously interrupted by Multi shutting the box and speaking up, “This was thoughtful. Thank you, Katie.” He states, careful like he’s walking on eggshells, but reassuring nonetheless. “They will be useful.” He adds on, and Katie’s tail sparks back to life, wagging back and forth the same way it does when she’s possessing dog ears and a long, wagging tail.
Multi turns to put it in a chest, and she digs through her backpack to find the album. The stack of photos lies beside it, and she grabs both, hesitating before the stack.
When he spins around, she holds out the album, “This one is just… It’s more nostalgia, I guess. I wasn’t sure if you had an actual album yet or not, so I got help from Funny News Guy, and there’s probably some photos you haven’t seen yet in there.” She explains, and Multi nods, silent as he flicks through the vinyl pages.
“Katie, this is…” he cuts himself off, “You aren’t in it.” He states, head tilting up to look right at her. She prods at the stack in her hands and passes it over.
He tucks the album under his arm so he can parse through the additional photos, some just her and Nacho, copies of her own, others just Nacho, some all three of them. “I just… wanted to give you the option to add them, you know? I figured it was fair.” She reasoned, awkwardly shrugging a shoulder and averting her eyes. She couldn’t be anything but vulnerable and truthful if she wished to regain his trust, but it didn’t make the process any less uncomfortable.
Multi doesn’t speak for some time, and Katie can’t make herself fill this silence, so she thumbs at her backpack and waits in achingly weighted silence.
“Thank you, Katie.” He murmurs, and were it not for the previous silence burdening the room, she wouldn’t have heard. Butterflies circle her heart, and she laughs, too loud and too forced, waving him off. He pays it very little mind, too used to her unstable moods and loud voice. “You did well.” He continues, and a flush pools beneath her cheeks, warmth rapidly rising.
Embarrassed contentment leaves her restless, shifting around needlessly. “Oh, don’t worry about it, ahaha… It comes naturally,” she boasts, something akin to normal, and Multi doesn’t acknowledge her words and places his end chest. Something in her chest shudders, the blatant proof that her gift was important, and it makes her heart race behind her ribs.
She overcompensates in her hurry to disregard the overwhelming feelings bubbling up, “I can… go ahead and leave, if you want. I know I’m probably imposing, and you must be tired. You’re always tired, so if you can just get me my waystone back—“ she doesn’t truly want to leave, but staying longer means facing whatever Multi may have to say, too serious, shot too close to the heart.
“Katie,” Multi interrupts her rambling, awkward, and dragging, and she falters, growing silent and a little flustered at her own display. Something about Multi ever since the mission has dismantled her normal rebuttals, and walls built up recklessly. “If you want to make it up, then stay. Don’t leave.” He pleads, and a quieter tone of vulnerability creeps its way into his voice. The tone itches at something nudging the back of her mind, and she’s nodding before she processes his words.
She’s stopped moving, and she can’t muster any exuberance now. “Okay.” She needlessly affirms, “I’ll stay, yeah, please.” She adds, and Multi relaxes like she’s scooped away part of his burden.
Katie shifts back and forth on her feet, unsure of herself again. Multi follows her movements and takes a calming breath. “In here, Katie. With me, with us.” He tilts his head enough that she understands he’s referring to Nacho, asleep in his own room. “Do you want clothes?”
“Yeah, if you have some.” She agrees, hands still clasped tightly together, and Multi’s eyes train on them, ever observant.
Something has changed between them since the mission, since the gifts.
A weighted tension hangs between them, so much more blatant than before, and it brings Multi closer, breaking the barrier himself for once. He carefully pries her hands apart and holds them in his own, loose and not at all constricting.
Katie feels a warm, fluttering feeling behind her ribs and is suddenly nauseous at the recognition that follows.
She squeezes his hand, and he squeezes back. Katie shuts her eyes tight, now that he’s no longer facing her. He doesn’t notice her shift in demeanor, and Katie shoves this feeling of guilt and shame rapidly bubbling up back down. She doesn’t think of anything else at all and opens her eyes to Multi digging through his dresser, her hand back at her side, limp.
“These should fit,” he states, passing her sweatpants and a t-shirt. Katie nods, slow and a little drowsy-like.
She doesn’t quite consider that she should head to the bathroom just to change, and turns around, unbuttoning the blouse with far too many small details that are easily caught on things. Gathering materials was a total pain in the ass, and her patience dwindled with each button. Multi shuffles behind her, cursing quietly, followed by some struggling. The dresser rattles, and he takes a notable breath, and Katie peeks over her shoulder, curiosity pushing her to lose focus.
He’s holding his elbow like it’s wounded, and facing away from her, ears a stark red.
She blinks, then realizes she’s changing in front of him, and hesitates where she’s reached the last button.
Multi’s already spun around, digging back through the dresser so he can change himself. She finishes up quickly enough, and she hurries to throw the shirt on, tripping in her haste to pull up the sweatpants. They hitch up above her ankles, highlighting the height difference between them, and she frowns.
When she turns around, Multi’s gone, and the bathroom door has shut. Katie makes a face and gathers her clothes up from the floor, dropping them on the dresser. She tugs off her goggles and lets her hair down from the ponytail. Her scalp protests the change, and she tiredly massages her head, backing up to plop down on the bed.
Multi reappears with a plain back shirt and some baggy sweatpants. He stills, staring at her a little too long to be anything normal, and she averts her eyes at the same time he does.
“You are ready for bed?” He asks, and she nods, carefully quiet for once. She’s incredibly unsure of herself here, wrongfooted in a way she hasn’t been since the first few weeks on the island. Multi flicks off the ceiling light, leaving a lamp by the bed. He shuffles onto the opposite side she’s on. He clings to the edge of the bed, like grazing his leg against hers could end the world.
She rolls her eyes, but scoots back on the bed, the space between them tense and heavy. Katie scoots under the covers, and he eyes her, overly cautious. She can’t restrain herself, flipping over in a huff, “Stop acting like I’m—I’m radioactive or something! Well, not radioactive, knowing you…” She hesitates, shaking her head, “Get over yourself, it’s just sharing a bed, it’s not the end of the world.”
Admittedly, her tone falters halfway through, and she sounds almost weak. Embarrassment leaves her flipping back over to avoid his eye.
He shuffles behind her, and she feels the covers lifting, and the click of the lamp shutting off. She can’t seem to relax, and it doesn’t feel like Multi can either, if the pace of his breathing means anything.
Katie’s not sure just how long she lies there in the tense silence, heavy with the unspoken need to do… something. She can barely stand it; keeping carefully still has never been her best work.
Multi shifts behind her, a rare but noticeable enough movement, she pauses. Her breathing falters, and she decides that she’s had enough of this stupid tiptoe game. She’s never been good at dancing around a subject, not like this; she’s always been blunt, good at letting things go. That acknowledgment makes her heart come to a stall, skittering back to life and flip-flopping around.
She cared so much more than she ever meant to.
Without her conscious approval, Nacho—and Multi, by association to begin with—have wormed their way into her heart, carved out a place for themselves deeper than anyone on this island had so far besides her husband.
Tomate.
The reminder of him once again leaves her heart tripping over itself, and she shuts her eyes even tighter. Ward away those thoughts. He was alive, she knew that for sure now, and yet she was just as alone as she was when she thought he was dead. That meant something. She loved him, but was the longing and solitude truly worth it?
Was it worth keeping their vows alive if it meant no one could know? They’d have to be kept a secret forever. Katie wasn’t made to love quietly, wasn’t made to hold a secret she didn't want to keep in the first place.
Multi was beside her, and he’s encouraged her for weeks to pick him and their family over anyone else. He’s proved he’s trustworthy time and time again and doesn’t hide their family from anyone.
Something clicks into place in her mind, seamless and easy as breathing.
Katie flips over, suddenly and unexpectedly. Multi’s eyes are wide open, and they find hers immediately.
He’s curled in on himself like he’s cold, and she feels a familiar determination rise under her skin. “Multi,” she whispers, and it sounds like a shout between them. His breathing stutters, and she scoots closer, “I know you don’t like hugging me, and you don’t like physical touch, but—but just for tonight,” she tries for needling, convincing, but there’s something desperate about the way she tilts her head to stare at him. Imploring and encouraging, “Please?”
Multi stares at her with something akin to wonder, struck still and hesitant. As soon as the plea exits her lips, any hesitation drains from his tense limbs, and he slowly moves to wrap his fingers around her wrist beneath the covers. The touch sparks up her arm and lights up her chest. All too familiar fluttering around her belly, and she scoots closer, close enough she can just about brush their noses together.
Her eyes are wide open, while his are just barely open; he’s staring at the space between them, their hands beneath the blankets, and she shifts to intertwine their fingers rather than the careful hold he had on her wrist before. She squeezes once, and he returns the gesture.
“Katie.” He mumbles, needy in a way she rarely hears, but a warm excitement begins to creep up her spine. Worming her other arm out from underneath her, she pushes some hair out of his face, and he blinks at her slowly, like a cat she’s gained the trust of.
It’s like all of her warmth has traveled through each point of contact, and his cheek is a furnace beneath the graze of her fingers.
She takes a breath, dropping her head so her forehead is resting where his neck meets his shoulder, shirt drooping so she warms the space, content. She drags her hand down to his shoulder instead, and when she speaks, it’s a whisper, “I promise I’ll make it up. This is only the start, you won’t regret this.”
Multi’s other hand, cool to the touch, wraps around the back of her neck. Chills twist down her spine, and she worms closer. “You’re promising?” He whispers, raspier than usual with disuse.
She nods, “Yes, yeah. I swear.”
Maybe it’s a moment of weakness between them, with equal vulnerability making the moment so much more weighted, important. Maybe it’s the safety she can’t help but feel in the reactor that no one can touch, with his hand around hers, anyone aside from Multi and Nacho so far from her mind.
It might be any number of those things that push her to press a barely there kiss to the skin of his neck, an act of gratitude or a show of her vulnerability with him. It freezes both of them, and she tenses up enough that Multi shushes her and relaxes so that his cheek is pressed against her temple. “Sleep, Katie.” He mumbles, and she shuts her eyes and does her best to listen.