Chapter Text
The jet engine roared to life and Caitlyn sat back in her economy class seat, slipped in her earbuds, and tried not to think. She felt the plane roll forward, then lurch upward, and watched through her window as the glittering lights of London grew smaller.
She wasn’t running away - at least, this was what Cait told herself - she was running towards. Towards a new job that her childhood best friend had helped her secure, and a luxe apartment that she would share with him, which she had only ever seen photos of. Better weather, better prospects, and an old friend.
Of course, there would also be no Maddy. It hadn’t been a small feat, blowing up her relationship of five years and quitting the job at the engineering company her father owned. But she wasn’t being challenged, personally or professionally, and Cait could feel herself stagnating. Maddy cheating with her friend had been the final blow, but when she confessed Cait didn’t even feel sad. She’d just nodded, texted Jayce, and three days later bought a plane ticket to Boston.
It was early evening when she landed, and by the time Cait’s taxi arrived outside Jayce’s red brick highrise she was feeling jittery with nerves. It had been years since they’d been in school together, and despite Facetiming multiple times a week there was something oddly terrifying about meeting up with an old friend and wondering if you still belonged in each other's lives.
But when Jayce swung the front door open with a massive grin and equally massive bear hug, Cait knew she need not have worried.
“Oh my god Cait, it’s been so long, how are you? How was the flight?”
Cait struggled for breath in Jayce’s warm hug. “We saw each other 2 days ago!”
“Yeah but that was over Facetime! You’ve got so tall!”
Caitlyn laughed. “And you’ve got… muscles now.” It was true, Jayce was a far cry from the stringbean child he’d once been.
Jayce finally let her go, bashful. “Yeah, Future Industries has a gym that all the employees have access to. It’s a great place to take a breather if I’m working late.”
“I guess you’ve been working late a lot then?” Cait was mostly joking, but Jayce nodded.
“The tech we’re working on is fantastic. It’s going to totally revolutionise the mining industry - make it safer and cleaner. It’s important work and-” was he blushing a little? “-and my team is excellent. They work hard, but I’m the boss so I’ve got to work harder.”
He was blushing. Interesting. Caitlyn filed this piece of information away for later. “Well I can’t wait to start - and really, thank you so much for helping me get the job.”
Jayce laughed. “You didn’t need my help. You just needed a push. Anyway, let’s head in and get you unpacked,” he said, lifting her suitcase and shouldering her backpack despite her protestations. Caitlyn was left to follow him to the elevator, carrying only her phone.
The apartment was on the 19th floor, with exposed-brick walls, large windows, and a spacious open floor plan. Jayce carried Cait’s belongings (the ones that wouldn’t be in a shipping container for the next six weeks) to what would be her bedroom. It was simple and tidy, with a wooden desk facing out of the large window, and a large bed with crisp white sheets.
Jayce set down her suitcase in the corner, and her backpack on the desk. She’d brought with her only the essentials - a week’s worth of outfits, one pair of work heels, one pair of sneakers, her laptop, and some basic toiletries. The rest of her clothes, some of her furniture, and her books were being shipped over by freight, but if she needed anything else she’d simply buy it. A couple hundred dollars was nothing compared to a couple more days in London, trying to sort out her shit from Maddy’s and explain once again to her mother why they couldn’t make things work.
“You ok?”
Caitlyn started, and saw Jayce looking over at her with a concerned expression. Her heart softened, and she was reminded again that she wasn’t running away - she was running towards.
“I’m fine. Sorry. It’s just been a long day.”
“Yeah, I bet it has. Have a rest, and when you’re ready I’ve got Chinese takeout and a six pack to celebrate.” He gave her another quick hug. “And take a shower. You smell like an airplane.”
Caitlyn snorted with laughter and took another sip of her beer. Two other cans lay empty of the coffee table beside her, alongside an array of half-empty takeout containers.
“So you’re telling me Viktor - that’s his name right? - Viktor told your boss that he wouldn’t make the design, after your boss had already pre-sold ten thousand dollars worth the final product?”
“It was a sloppy design!” Jayce exclaimed, gesticulating so hard that a bit of beer sloshed out of his can. “He was right not to make it!”
“Why was your boss trying to push it through?”
Jayce shrugged. “Deadlines. Money. All that shit. Viktor and I are pulling ten hour days, sometimes we sleep in the office! We want this to work too. But it’s got to be done right.”
“Sleeping with Viktor, are you?” Cait asked, suggestively raising an eyebrow.
Jayce flushed instantly, took a quick sip of his beer but choked on it a little as he swallowed. “What? No. Not like that. Just pulling nights in the lab sometimes.”
Caitlyn let him marinade in the embarrassment for a little bit longer. Jayce took a breath.
“Anyway, Marcus would have a fit.”
“Marcus - your boss? Why would he care?” Caitlyn considered the many HR violations involved in office sex - especially an office with a lab - and amended. “I mean, are you just referring to workplace safety?”
Jayce scowled. “No, I mean Marcus is a homophobic asshole.”
Cait blinked. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah. He’s awful.”
“Then why are you still working there? Why did you let me work there?”
Jayce sighed. “He’s been close to retiring for years. Everyone - including his own bosses, I’ve heard - think it’ll happen next year.” Jayce glanced over at her. “And don’t worry. He’s not your boss. You’ll be working in a different department, you’ll barely have to see him.”
Cait pondered this. “So when he retires, will you try to go for his job?”
“That’s my plan, but,” Jayce scowled. “He’ll get a say in who they hire when he’s gone. And I don’t think he likes me very much.”
“What?! Why?” Jayce had always been a dedicated worker, ever since he was in school. He was brilliant, and charismatic, and usually people flocked to him. Caitlyn couldn’t understand why any boss wouldn’t love Jayce.
Jayce ran a hand down his face. “There’s a rumour going around the office that I’m gay.”
Ah. Right. “Well. I mean. You are gay.”
“I know that!”
Caitlyn’s mind - partly clouded by two and a half beers - whirled. “Well, if it’s just a rumour - you haven’t said anything about it at work?”
“No, it’s none of their business.”
“Well… you do have a girl living in your apartment now. One who’s going to be working in the same office. People will probably talk about that.”
Jayce stared at her. “But we’re not dating!”
“I know that, and you know that - but they don’t have to know that.”
“Cait, you’re a lesbian!”
Caitlyn snorted. “Yes thank you for pointing that out, I’m well aware. But they don’t know that!”
Jayce shook his head. “No. You’d be putting your love life on hold and for what, to make my asshole boss like me a bit more?”
“It might be for the best that I put my love life on hold,” Caitlyn said quietly. “Focus on rebuilding a bit. You said your boss is going to retire next year anyway, right?”
“Well… yes. We’re pretty sure.”
“Great, so I can take a well-earned year-long break from dating, and you can please your asshole boss.” She saw Jayce’s pained expression and ploughed forward. “At the end of a year we can pretend we’ve ended things amicably, even if the asshole is still your boss. By that time I’ll have found a new apartment and we won’t have to live together.”
Jayce wavered. “Are you sure?”
“Jayce. You helped me get a job-”
“I didn’t really help-”
“- and you’re letting me stay with you, for rent that is WELL below market rate-”
“- it’s not that much below-”
“WELL below. I checked. I know you haven’t dated in years so I doubt you’re going to miss a year of your love life, I know you want this job. Let me help.”
Jayce smiled a small smile, and Caitlyn knew she’d won him over.
“Only for a year. And less than that if he retires before then.”
Cait smiled too. “Sure thing babe.”
“Don’t call me that.”