Title: Eleven.
Pairings + characters: This one's all Fierce
Genre: Friendship
Summary: Katherine Pierce has never really been a cheerleader, just good at pretending. / set at game day
Care notes with shameless satisfaction that her curly pony-tail bounces with her steps; she can only hope the crimson bow glows in the sunlight too. She has one white and freshly (though shakily, damn Rebekah) painted W on each cheek and a brilliant smile adorning her fresh face. Her pompoms dance in the wind of her steps as she heads for her dorm, her entire body aching after days and days of repeating routine. Sunglasses are perched at the top of her blonde head even though her bracelet nearly blinds her. Game day.
If Caroline Forbes isn't a cheerleader through and through, no one is; she doesn't care that the burger she had for breakfast doesn't go with their cheeky uniforms, nor does she really mind the side-eyes she gets as she trudges happily across the quad because you see, she's done this before. This whole overenthusiastic blonde with nothing between her ears, the cheeky uniform with the not-really-hers letterman jacket to go with; it's who she is, what she knows. Her experiences with this sport will always dampen the noise of other people's useless opinions.
Her smile, however, disappears the second she enters her dorm. Her pep falls with her pompoms as they drop to the floor in favor of having her hand pinch her nose to stop the quite insisting smell of pizza and spilt beer. The music that blares from their tiny radio doesn't go right with the routine she's going over in her head, and Kat's hot pink underwear clashes horribly with her uniform. Her best friend's dancing, her curls all over the place as she swings a beer-bottle around with her movements. Her singing is off-tune and her laugh emotionless, her eyes closed and her lashes ridiculously long. Game day. Katherine Pierce has never really been a cheerleader, just good at pretending. This whole captivating brunette with red lips and fake ass lashes, the constant party with the in-your-face underwear to go with; it's who she is, what she prefers.
"Kitty Kat?" Care teases, letting the doorframe support her weight as her smile comes back. "You okay? I mean, this shit doesn't normally happen on Wednesdays."
"Tryin' to have fun, Care, shut up and stop ruining it," Kat declares with a shaky toast.
Caroline rolls her eyes, crosses her arms, "You're seriously standing me up?"
"Whaa-" Kat raises an eyebrow as she sways around, taking in the team spirit that is Caroline Forbes. "Well shit."
Things turn around all too fast. One second she's biting her tongue to keep from laughing at her forgetful drunk of a best friend, routine swirling around in her head with a red bow perched on top; the next, it's like the whole world comes crashing down on Katherine Pierce. The tears all start at once, but she remains silent and unmoving. Care raises one confused eyebrow and the beer bottle drops. Seconds later they're both on the floor. Caroline pushes Kat's curls out of her face whispering nonsense, determinedly ignoring how her tears are soaking her uniform. The music drowns out Katherine's sobs as she buries her tear-stained face in crimson and Care's positive the glass cuts her foot as she switches positions to hug her best friend's pieces back together properly.
Kat's arm waves carelessly around in the air as she re-tells the story of how Kat and Kai came to an end. Her dark hair is all over Care's lap and her eyes are closed; her fake ass lashes are soaked. Caroline listens without much trouble, having already sorted through her evasive best friend's feelings when she made her ridiculous choice forever ago. She can't even find it in herself to believe Kat as she insists it's Kai she wants and that the signs he's supposedly spotted are make believe. Between throwing stones at Matt Donovan's window and finishing the world's supply of bourbon with Damon Salvatore one Katherine Pierce fell in love; and not with the hot RA, as she so desperately wants to believe.
Kat has always been an adventure; she loves fiercely and hates just as passionately, her vocabulary void of any and all excuses. This whole college thing, with separate career paths and a stuffy dorm to go with is supposed to be all them. Yet neither of them can seem to move past the broken hearts, murderous hangovers and goddamn game day. Caroline Forbes is a cheerleader through and through, even with her bow crooked and her pompoms on the floor, even with her best friend's tears all over her uniform, even as the game starts with a bang without her on the field. Katherine has never really been a cheerleader, but jerks in surprise at the sound of the cheers and music.
"Shit," is all she seems to be able to get out at this point. "Shit shit shit shit. Fuck, I'm so sorry, you have every right to hate me."
Care surprises even herself as she laughs, "Shut up Kat, you know you trump cheerleading."
Even if she does in fact know, her eyes still light up in gratitude, "Okay. Um, I don't-"
"Speak up Kitty Kat, lack of confidence doesn't suit you," Care teases as Kat trails off.
"I feel lost," Kat admits hoarsely. "What am I even supposed to do now? Care?"
Caroline cocks an eyebrow, stares determinedly off into space, "Honestly? I think it's about goddamn time you start choosing yourself, Kat."
