Work Text:
The hill overlooking the village where they had met was short, but high enough for the wind to breeze through Katie's hair, so she settled. Her knees were brought up to her chin, resting it there, and she blinked slowly at Nacho playing beside hole in the ground. She lets the smile tug at her lips, adoring as ever. Only, paranoia picked at her - more so prodded her harshly; it refused to let her relax. What if they found them here? A part of Katie wanted to hide for the rest of her life, and to bring her family with her. She was painfully aware of how selfish it truly was, but her heart couldn't take much more desecration. Gradually, Katie had realised that she was kicking at the very thin ice she was dancing on.
Multi's stood behind her, gingerly approaching and sitting beside her - shoulder to shoulder. With their shoulders in vicinity of brushing against each other, Katie feels her shoulders drop. She melts into the almost touch, feeling starved of it. Not being able to hold their son, or even Multi had been torture for Katie. She felt so cold, so lost. Multi watches the way she brings her gaze to him, her eyes much heavier than they usually are. He swallows weakly, using the palms of his hands to hold himself up. The grass brushes against his fingers, giving him sense of reality he had needed. He wished he hadn't been worried about this plan working, but he had. He couldn't even begin to imagine how Katie had felt in that moment.
"How are you feeling?" He mutters, she still stared. Usually, if someone had been looking at him for this long, he'd uncomfortably fidget with his hair and face; but it was Katie. Her eyes were always so tender, and he never felt otherwise. So he smiles at her, and she strangely looks back to their son. Multi just wanted her to smile. "Wrong." She admits, vaguely. He understood, though. It wasn't hard to see the look on her face when she had looked down at her own body. Katie had died, and Multi had to let it happen. "I still can't tell if I'm actually alive." Her voice cracks slightly, curling up further.
He looks away from her to see Nacho playing below them, and he leans over to let his shoulder rest on hers. "You are." He affirms, firmly. "And you'll never have to do it again, I will make sure of it." Multi tries to relieve her fears, something that had become a pattern for him. One that he hoped to have for the rest of his life, because he knew for a fact that she did not deserve to bear all this weight that should be shared. Still, she carried it herself - her heroism unwavering. He watched the way the sunsets lambency crossed her eyes, and the way she'd squint when it did so. Multi also noticed the way her waterline glistened.
She looks down, and his lips pull into a tight line. "I'm sorry I couldn't warn you. I - was so afraid, it couldn't go wrong. The way you screamed - I just.. I don't know how -" It gets Katie to lift her head slightly, to look at him. She hadn't been aware that Multi heard it, slightly more self-conscious. Nonetheless, Katie smiles lightly at him, leaning further into his shoulder. It gets him to stop his train of thought, one that maybe neither of them were ready to face. "I'm not mad, you - saved my life; you know that." Tugging on her own sleeve.
"It didn't hurt you any less." He retorts, but it slips into a gentle muttering.
Katie winces, and looks toward the sun again. She avoids it slightly, so that her eyes wouldn't sting. They still did, but she didn't think that was the light. "It was so scary. Dying, I mean. Like, you just.. remember how much you have left -" She chokes up. "- left to do, and you're just.. out of time." She lifts her shoulders slightly. "I just thought about everything I had never said to -" She stops, shaking her head. "Still, I trusted you." Katie offers warmly, expression softening from her fear. "I knew you wouldn't have let me die in that prison. It's just.. so scary not knowing, part of me was scared that something had gone wrong - and that you were next." Her honesty stunned him, in a way that felt dear.
Grateful that she trusted him that much, and comforted knowing that she even worried for him at all.
"You know what's funny?" She asks, and Multi nudges her to urge her to continue. "I think I hated what the Dark Federation did to me more than dying." Her fingers lift to brush around her eye, that no longer had the scar that disfigured her face. He remembers seeing the camera, inside of her eye. It must've been agonising. "I'm still going to kill Ewron." He reminds her, hoping to lighten to mood. She snorts, nodding subtly. "You and me both, buddy. I don't even want to see his face, really. Is it weird to be scared of him?" Katie asks carefully, worried as if he'd judge her.
Multi was incapable of judging Katie. Not after everything they had been through together.
"No, I think it's human." He says slowly. "You shouldn't be for long though, because he will get what's coming for him." Multi huffs, and he hadn't noticed the way the tension in her eyes had dissolved as the sun had set. Katie leans backward, resting her head against the grass. It hadn't gotten cold yet, and she shut her eyes to savour the strange solace in the ground. He follows in suit, staring up at the sky instead though. Katie's hand rests beside his, but Multi shifts slightly in order for the backs of their hands to meet. Multi thinks it was so that he was assured she was still there, but he wasn't confident himself.
After a long silence between the two, Katie opens her eyes so she can tilt her head to look at Multi. "I didn't like seeing my clone." Uttering it out so quietly that Multi barely caught the way her eyes darted between both of his. Frantic for any feeling of familiarity. "I didn't either." His finger twitched beside her hand, and she smiled. "Why didn't you like it?" He continues, mimicking the way her eyes were darting around. Katies hair whisks over her face, and she brings her free hand to pull it back. "It made me realise how scary being alone actually is. 'Cause, like - that was almost me. If you hadn't understood what I said, I would've.. I'd be completely alo -"
"But I did," Multi shuts it down. "and you're okay now. You have me, and Nacho always. I was always going to figure it out." He chooses not to bring up her brothers, because he had recently seen Don at the temple - that awful night. He only knew that things were rocky. Katie's fingers tug slightly at his hand, and he rests it against the grass - palm facing the stars. Her fingers dance around the surface of his hand. It makes him chuckle softly, looking away from her and to the sky. His fingers coil upwards slightly, letting hers interlace with his.
Multi's hold on her hand is relatively loose, but Katie holds tighter than he would've thought. "I'm afraid that I'm going to lose you and Nacho, I'm scared all of the time." Katie blurts out, to which Multi's thumb circles her knuckles. "That makes two of us." His sigh is short, but she grins slightly. Multi doesn't see it. "Must be a parent thing." And he cracks a smile at her teasing. Katie had only just noticed that the prodding had stopped, but she doesn't dare bring it up. All that was left was the cold air. Comforting, in a way, to the both of them. Katie wasn't usually comforted by the cold, but it felt familiar now. Death, loneliness - both cold. "Do you think it'll ever go away?" Multi asks, looking away from her and up. His voice was strained, like he was struggling to admit that he even felt this way.
Katie didn't understand why, she actually appreciated his honesty. It still felt like a foreign concept to her, too used to the lies or things being hidden from her. "Mm," She pauses. "I sure hope so. At least if it doesn't, we both feel like it." Katie tries to lighten the guttural feeling in both of their chests. Multi laughs, and finally so does she, like she was waiting for him first. Multi props himself up on his elbows briefly, to look down to see Nacho still playing. He huffs when he lies back down, just relieved. Katie glances over to him, and he watches the way her brow quirks up at him. She must've known what he was about to ask, but still she is quiet. He missed the joy from her voice the most. "What is it?" She prompts finally.
Forever transparent. He was well aware that she wasn't taking any chances after the incident. "Are you really okay? I know I asked.. earlier, but I mean more than just physically." Multi was being vague, and it wasn't on purpose. He just wasn't sure how to approach this without being too pushy. "What do you mean?" Katie returns quickly, looking at him. Inviting him to an uninhibited exchange. "Like, um - after all the spying?" Hoping it would be enough for an answer from her.
Katie only grins. "Yeah, I am. I love it, makes me feel pretty cool." She boasts lightly, proud of herself. "- Always gets me out of a tough situation too." Katie shifts slightly, and he watches the way she diverts her gaze ever so slightly. He hums, and she makes a face at him; one that warned him slightly, and he took it carefully. "Is it difficult to lie all the time? Does it not, uh - I don't know, bother you?" If it were anyone but Multi, Katie would think he was doubting her. The look in his eyes said otherwise, visibly concerned. It was a side of Multi that she wished others saw, for his heart was much larger than anyone else on the island made it out to be.
"I'm tired." Katie admits, and she was so very tired. "Nothing I say feels real sometimes, and I'm not sure what I actually believe anymore. Like, fucking Don - I just.. I don't know if I love him anymore." Slightly stunned, Multi's grip on her hand tightens. It was a feeling he kept to himself, but he had been hoping Katie would give her brothers up eventually; if you could even call them that, Multi didn't think so. It was frustrating to watch them lie to her face, and let people fuck her over repeatedly. He doesn't say anything in reply though, and lets her continue. "He's just.. friend with the person who I hate the most on this island, and seriously does not give a shit about what he does to me." She throws her free hand up, irritated.
"And.. Ash.." Katie huffs out, shaking her head. Multi's head turns to see the way that the words escape her mouth. Her lips parting, and pausing to think about her words. She was so unsure, and he hoped he could change things. "I just don't even know if I care to go save him." The words were harsh, but the way Katie said them was gut-wrenchingly dejected. She seemed to catch what she had said, and her eyes widen slightly in horror. "Okay, wow - that sounded much worse than it meant to. I swear that's not -"
"It's fair." He interrupts, but it's quiet. The rest of her excuses die in her throat. Strangely, she felt accepting of his answer; Katie no longer felt like it was something she had to defend. "I think.. they know it's over, but nobody wants to let it go. I don't know how I tell them that I don't trust them at all anymore, and I don't know what will happen even if I do." Katie winces, frowning at Multi. He wanted to be careful about how he approached this, unsure if it was a fragile topic. "I'm also scared that I'm the only thing that stands between them and trying to kill you and Nacho." Oh.
Multi shrinks slightly, still staring at her. Was she putting herself through this to spare him and their son? She groans before he can reply though. "Ugh, I think we might think too much." Sighing deeply at him. "I used to do everything without thinking very much, life was so peaceful." Katie laments on her former innocence to the world, something Multi couldn't relate much too. The thought of that was alien, and he wasn't sure how to make her feel any better without knowing what it was really like. So, he compensates with the one thing that he did truly know about her. "You still lied though, didn't you?" And he's not sure why he said it, because it only made him wonder if everything she had said to him and Nacho was also a lie.
The thought was difficult to swallow, and her expression weakens. He feels the way that she shifts slightly, onto her side; to which he makes no attempt to move. Multi was comforted by their proximity nowadays, because every time they were apart there was a risk that he'd never feel it again. "I did." She whispers, looking further into his eyes than he anticipated was possible. "But it's a little funny, I've never been able to lie to you or Nacho. I don't feel like.. I need it." The words landed heavy against his chest, heart beginning to pick up its pace. "I feel safer, you know? And maybe I don't have to lie at all anymore, not if I don't have to be a.. spy.. or a sister on the opposite side - I can just be Nacho's mother, and your co-parent." Her rambling halts only briefly to divert her gaze away. "I'm just sick of always chasing something that's slowly going to kill me. I don't want to die.. again." Her eyes water, and he can only shift their hands to remind her that he was still holding her. Multi had never been too comfortable with it, but it was slowly getting easier.
"Did it hurt?" The questions careful, and the answer that he was certain he was going to hear was only going to hurt him, but he wanted to know. "Yeah, it did. A lot." Katie's blunt, but it's not spiteful. Multi turns his head away now, watching their son waddle over to the two of them. "Mama, Dada!" He cheers. Katie's hand slips from his so that she can prop herself upwards with the palms of her hands, it didn't take long for Multi to miss that touch. "Hey, buddy!" She reaches out, and Nacho barrels into her for a hug. Katie cradles Nacho so gently that Multi genuinely would've believed she had never been happier if he hadn't spent the past twenty minutes talking to her.
Maybe it was time to clear some room for her in the reactor.
His eyes clearly held some devotion to Katie's face, because he couldn't seem to stop staring at her. He hoped she hadn't noticed as she released from their hug, their son now tugging on Multi's arm. He could barely hear him shout "Home!" Katie's bun had fallen out after lying against the floor so long, as well as some pieces of the grass stuck to her hair; beguiling, nonetheless. His free hand reaches up to pull the grass from her hair, and she winces slightly - not expecting his touch. Maybe Multi could change that. ".. Grass, in your hair." He coughs out, after noticing how stupid he must've seemed. He gets up to Nacho's request, waiting for Katie to follow behind.
She doesn't move though.
His brow raises slightly, looking down at Katie - who was simply watching him and Nacho. Why wasn't she getting up? He bites his cheek. "You coming or not?" Katie's eyes widen slightly, looking at him directly now.. like she wasn't expecting to go with them. "Oh! Haha, right - yeah!" Quickly jumping up to her feet, beginning to walk back in the direction of the Polish Cave. She wondered how she knew her way there better than she knew her way home. One thing was for sure, she had no idea how to get to the Regime. Multi and Katie walk alongside each other, while Nacho ran up ahead. The silence isn't so heavy anymore, and it grew to be appreciated. Katie watched the way her shoes scuffed the sand, following Nacho while Multi trailed behind the both of them. She hardly noticed the camera click, whipping around as she so often did.
"What was that?" A disbelieving smile crosses her face. Even if Katie wanted to act annoyed that he was taking a picture of her and Nacho without warning her, she couldn't be mad. It was endearing to her. It made her feel treasured, even better coming from someone she cared so deeply about. Multi's face flushes slightly, looking to the sky innocently. He puffs his cheeks, holding back a laugh - before Katie breaks first. "You're lucky I'm photogenic!" Scoffing dramatically, turning back around to walk. Multi's gaze follows the way she turns, picking up his pace to near her. Slotting the camera and the polaroid back in his pocket, his hand reaches out - tugging softly against hers.
Katie side-glances him, and he almost thinks this was rejection; until she lacing her fingers with his, swaying their hands. She thinks she'd stop and kiss him if she already wasn't pushing her luck with the amount of contact she had forced him into today, unaware that it was much more reciprocated than she would ever realise. "I was thinking about making some room in the reactor for you." Pausing. "..To put your stuff in, you know." Looking to Katie, unsure. It was as if he was searching for her approval, to which he'd get every time. She was loving in that way. Her grin widens. "Really? You'd do that for me?" Questioning excitedly, Multi doesn't regret it.
"Tak, obviously. It's a safe place for you to be.. if you're ever scared, or if you just want to be there. That's okay with me." Muttering that last part. She hums favourably, nodding rapidly at him. "Better get used to seeing this face so often then." Still swaying their hands, she looks away from him to watch Nacho running. Multi observed the way she suppressed tears, and he understood just how unfamiliar this was to her. She had brothers, sure. Though, everything that Katie had ever described all felt so conditional - or even.. disapproving. Multi may feel a certain way about many people Katie is friends with.. or is sisters with, but he'd never stop her from keeping those relationships. He'd be honest with her at least, tell her things that she may not see in hopes that she can see what he can.
Nonetheless, Multi smiles at her. "I'm okay with that too." Because he was. Nobody could take this from him, a joy he'd had so little time to experience. Multi had spent too long fighting to save this from falling apart to interference in their family. So give him this kindness, grant him enough mercy so that he can experience the family he had been craving for so long. Let him at least relish in the feeling he had tonight, and the relief of the three of them being together without fearing for their lives. He knew their fears wouldn't stay gone, but for now it was enough.
Katie watched their son, the way the grass brushed past his face as he sprinted through it. That dancing on thin ice didn't feel so rigid anymore, and she had learned she could forgive her clumsy footsteps - for she had someone to dance with now. Someone to support her through the cracks in the ice, and to lift her whenever she fell - for she knew she would. Who was Katie without the mistakes? She glances over her shoulder to see her dance partner smiling straight back at her, and she relaxes. The dance would feel easy.