Hey everyone! Sorry for the super long wait, life's been very hectic lately, but I'm back now! Honestly so much has happened since the last chapter. Finished my exams for the year, helped my dad with this PTA summer ball thing for like, four days straight, and my grandmother flew in from New York for the first time in seventeen years, along with a few other things. Good times all in all, if you forget about all the stress that comes with that sort of stuff.

I digress.

I hope you guys enjoy the chapter, and I'll see you at the end!

The Sheriff of Piltover leaned back on the bench outside the Hexgate with her arms folded across her lap, taking in the soft melody sounding from her left. The strum of the guitar, the soft voice that accompanied it - the song they formed captivated her, and the sounds of the world around her seemed to fade away. She'd never been one for music, so maybe this was just her inexperience talking, but Caitlyn could tell that her new friend was an incredible musician.

Seraphine's eyes closed as she hit a high note, plucking at the guitar strings with practiced grace, and Caitlyn grinned. She then glanced away from the pink-haired girl and to the crowd that had gathered around them, some dozens of people or more who'd all taken time out of their day to listen to her sing. They stood in a wide circle around the two of them, collectively deciding to give Seraphine space, which she was sure the younger woman appreciated. Or maybe they just didn't want to stand too close to the new Sheriff; either one was possible.

Caitlyn let the words wash over her, doing her best to listen to the lyrics and the story they told, but she kept getting lost in the music itself. From the bits she managed to pay attention to, her friend was singing about the love she, or whoever the song was about, had for their family. Her mother, her father, the home they lived in: the way she fit all those feelings into lines ten words long amazed her. She considered herself a good speaker, or at the very least someone who knew how to voice her thoughts in a coherent manner, but she always tried to measure herself. To be as descriptive and clear as necessary, so the meaning and emotions in her words were never lost. Seraphine could do all that and more with less than half the words. She couldn't help but wonder if someone had taught her, just like Caitlyn's mother had given her lessons as a child, or if it was a natural talent that she'd honed over the years.

Whatever it was, it was obvious Seraphine was a different person when she played music. The nervousness and constant need to make sure she wasn't offending anyone had vanished like smoke, passing the wheel to the girl who drew crowds from out of nowhere, performing for them with the skill and confidence of a musician in Piltover's most prestigious theaters. Caitlyn would know. She may not have been all that interested in music, but her family had taken her to more concerts and plays over the years than she cared to remember. It didn't feel like an exaggeration to say that Seraphine would fit right in with orchestras of that level - even if she was barely twenty.

Of course Caitlyn was probably biased, being her friend and all. She also had no realistic way of knowing how Seraphine compared to the musicians who performed in Piltover's most prestigious halls, since she lacked the necessary skills to pass any form of judgment. Still, she certainly enjoyed listening to her more than any orchestral arrangement, and that had to count for something.

But as Seraphine drew into the chorus for a third and final time, the twinge of concern in her chest grew into something she couldn't ignore. Her voice was happy, the tune upbeat, but the words themselves left a bad taste in Caitlyn's mouth. She did her best to pay attention to the lyrics, then, listening as the younger woman sang about growing closer to her family, expressing her love for them and proving herself, and there was a weight to her words that she knew all too well. The all-consuming need to make your parents proud, she'd grown up with it her whole life, because her dreams had never aligned with the life her parents wanted for her. She'd wanted to prove that she could be an Enforcer, and that she could protect the city and its people, but even before she'd become Sheriff and done exactly that, Caitlyn knew her parents loved her just as much as she loved them.

There was a voice in Caitlyn's head that whispered distressing things into her ear, telling her that Seraphine's relationship with her parents wasn't nearly as good as she made it out to be. The day they'd met, she'd mentioned her parents worried about her going outside - a detail she'd clearly meant to keep to herself. That sounded all well and good, because what good parent didn't worry about their children, especially considering Seraphine's own issues. Caitlyn wasn't a psychologist so she could only make guesses as to what problems she had, but from her very limited knowledge, she'd say she suffered from Agoraphobia or some form of Anxiety, and going to the Hexgate everyday was her trying to overcome it. But what if her parents weren't as supportive as she'd made it seem? Maybe them wanting Seraphine to stay home was about controlling her, not helping her.

But without more information, what ifs and maybes were all she had. All she knew for certain was that Seraphine, her friend, was a kind, lonely and mysterious young woman: one with more secrets than she was clearly comfortable keeping. And whatever other problems she had, Caitlyn wanted to help her.

The song ended moments later, drawing out the final notes from the guitar as she held her voice for a few seconds longer, before falling silent entirely. Then Seraphine's eyes opened and she looked at the crowd that had formed around them, around her, and she smiled. It was a bright, confident thing that Caitlyn had never seen from her before, but she wore the look well, and the audience erupted into applause.

Seraphine let out a laugh, then, pulling the guitar strap over her head and leaning the instrument on the bench beside her. "I… thank you, thank you!" She said, raising her voice slightly to be heard over the noise. Caitlyn watched as one of the people in the front, a slightly older woman in a light blue dress with a white vest over the top, reached into her bag and pulled out five gold coins, holding them out to her with a jubilant smile. "Oh, no, I can't." Seraphine denied, holding her hand up towards her even as her eyes fell to the ground, looking sheepish all of a sudden.

The woman's smile lessened, looking ready to put the money away before Caitlyn reached up and plucked her top hat from her head, rolling her eyes with a smirk before holding it out towards the crowd. The lady in front of her dropped the coins in the hat with a laugh, glancing at the two of them. "That was wonderful, dear." She called, tucking blonde hair behind her ear before turning and walking away. The crowd shifted around her as they moved closer, more than a few of the onlookers reaching into their pockets as well, even as they all continued to clap and cheer. Caitlyn saw Seraphine look at her out of the corner of her eye, her expression uncertain, but she remained silent as the rest of the crowd pushed past each other to reach into her hat, dropping their own contributions inside as they gave her words of thanks and encouragement.

Coins of gold, silver and bronze - her top hat was over half full by the time the mob had dispersed nearly two minutes later, and Caitlyn turned to the girl next to her with a bright grin, but it dimmed when she saw her face. "Is everything okay?" She asked, reaching out and placing a hand on her shoulder.

Seraphine, who had been looking at the floor with her hands folded over her lap, biting the bottom of her lip with a look of concern on her face, jumped slightly at the contact. "What? Sorry, I'm fine." She rushed out, not meeting her eyes, though that was normal for her. Caitlyn just stared at her, drawing her hat onto her lap, and Seraphine withered under the dry look. "I… I don't feel right taking their money." She admitted, and Caitlyn leaned back in surprise, her brow raised.

"Really?" She asked carefully, watching as the pink-haired girl turned to her, waiting for her to continue. "Even if they gave their money willingly? What's there to feel bad about?"

The musician drew in a heavy breath, running a hand through her hair and pushing it back over her shoulders, clenching and unclenching the fist on her lap. All that confidence from before, the way she had the crowd wrapped around her finger, it disappeared just as quickly as it came, and the nervous young woman returned in full force. Caitlyn understood that well, because she'd been the same not too long ago. Being confident was easy when you were doing something you were confident in. Seraphine came alive with music in the same way Caitlyn did when she had a gun in her hands. The trick was being confident the other ninety-percent of the time, something no amount of skill with words could fix.

"I didn't come here to take people's money." Seraphine spoke up after a long moment, clearly measuring her words. "You asked if you could hear my music and I said yes. That's what this was: a show for my friend. Not… this." She said, waving a hand at the space before her, where all those people had been standing minutes ago. "I didn't want this to be a whole thing, if that makes any sense. I'm trying to be better with all this, you know, being out here, but with so many people…"

Caitlyn reached out and placed her hand atop Seraphine's clenched fist, feeling it relax after a moment and laying flat on her thigh. "You don't have to tell me if you're uncomfortable. And thank you for playing for me." She said, stressing her gratitude with a wide smile. "I know this can't have been easy for you, but believe me when I say you were incredible."

Seraphine placed her free hand atop Caitlyn's, turning to her with something akin to desperation in her eyes, and only then did she realize she was shaking. "Gods, I'm sorry." She whispered. "I was fine when I was playing, but as soon as that woman gave me her money, it was like my nerves were catching up to me."

"I think that's normal. At least in my experience." Caitlyn said slowly as she leaned in a little, nearly shoulder to shoulder as she met the younger woman's eyes, and, for some reason, she was blushing. "I can't tell you the amount of times I've gone into a shooting competition or given a report to the old Sheriff and been absolutely fine during it, only feeling the fear when it's all said and done. Like, 'I can't believe I did that', or, 'I can't believe I didn't get fired'." She explained, and Seraphine nodded with a quiet laugh, drawing her hand away. Caitlyn took that signal for what it was and drew back, running a finger along the brim of her top hat as she thought over what to say next, before Seraphine spoke up.

"You're saying it's like adrenaline?" Seraphine asked, and Caitlyn nodded with a hum. She then drew her knee up towards her chest, wrapping her arms around the limb as she continued talking. "Maybe that's what it is, or maybe I'm weirder than I thought." She said with a rueful laugh, before her eyes fell to the hat on Caitlyn's lap, and to the money it held. "Are you sure it's alright for me to take it? I feel really bad…"

She shook her head with a huff and held her hat out to Seraphine, and the younger girl took tentatively. Caitlyn watched as she glanced down into the top hat before reaching a hand inside it, scooping out a few gold coins and looking at them for a long moment, before she tipped her hand and let the money fall back into the pile. The quiet clang of metal on metal reached Caitlyn's ears and she looked towards Seraphine, her friend taking a deep breath as her cheeks puffed out. Forcing down her laughter took more effort than it really should have, because she looked so cute even with such a serious look in her eyes.

Seraphine turned and fixed her a glare, though there was no real heat in it, and Caitlyn leaned back, smirking despite herself. "What's wrong?" She asked, a chuckle slipping out and into her words before she could stop it.

She narrowed her eyes and almost met Caitlyn's gaze, pursing her lips for a moment before letting out a laugh. Seraphine looked away, then, brushing pink locks of hair over her shoulders even as her cheeks darkened. "You think this is funny." She said, sounding a little glum, and Caitlyn reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I think you're making a bigger deal out of this than you need to." Caitlyn rebuked, gesturing down at the hat. "Look, those people chose to give you their money. Even if that wasn't your intention, the money is yours now, and I for one think you deserve it." She carried on, rubbing a small circle into the girl's shoulder, because something like this was a big deal to Seraphine. In the few days she'd known the girl, Caitlyn learned that for all her kindness and charm, she struggled badly with self confidence and the ability to recognise her own worth. Caitlyn would bet that Seraphine didn't want the money because she didn't feel like she'd earned it; that she'd somehow scammed those people out of their money. "Trust me, your music was magical." She said with an encouraging smile, hoping to reassure her.

Seraphine's eyes widened and she jerked away, practically throwing the hat towards Caitlyn and scrambling to her feet, face twisting in abject terror. Her chest heaved with heavy breaths as she snatched up her guitar before bending down at the waist, pulling out the case that she'd stowed there and opening it with shaking hands. Caitlyn shot to her feet a second later, dropping her hat on the bench beside her, just in time to see Seraphine turn to her with tears in her eyes. "No, no no no no, I'm nothing like that, okay?" She pleaded. Begged, even. "I'm normal. Just a normal girl, normal hobbies, normal - I'm normal." Seraphine gasped, looking halfway to a panic attack, and Caitlyn stepped forward to try and console her somehow. "Stop!" She cried, practically throwing the guitar in its case. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I - I've got to go home now. I've got to feed Acorn, and my - my parents are probably so worried." She stuttered, hurrying to her feet and dodging out of the way of Caitlyn's hand, reaching out to grab her, to ground her, to apologize and to get her to explain - whatever was needed.

"Wait!" Caitlyn called right as Seraphine was about to turn, and from how tense she was, she figured she was moments away from literally running. "Just wait, please. Whatever I said to upset you, I'm sorry." She rambled, the words tumbling out of her. Seraphine stopped in her tracks, her eyes fixed on the concrete at her feet as tears started running down her cheeks. Seraphine brought her right hand up and tugged at her hair, her mouth twisting as her other hand clenched around the handle of her guitar case, her knuckles turning white under the strain. "You don't have to go." Caitlyn said, holding her hands up in the hopes that she'd look less threatening that way.

Seraphine's entire body began to tremble as she drew in a deep breath, her mouth opening and shutting as she tried to speak, but all she managed were quiet gasps of air that sounded dangerously like sobs. Caitlyn took that moment of hesitation to reach out, gently grabbing her forearm and leading her back towards the bench. The younger girl didn't fight her, sitting down next to Caitlyn and clutching the guitar case to her chest, holding onto it like a lifeline. "My parents are probably worried." She whispered.

Caitlyn nodded, placing one hand on Seraphine's hand and the other on her shoulder. "Then I'll walk you back myself, okay? I've got to make sure you get home safe, right?" She asked, forcing a smile to try and mask just how worried she was. Seraphine's eyes flickered to her for a moment, and Caitlyn didn't believe for a second that she believed her. There'd been moments like this before, where Caitlyn would tell her something and she'd look straight through her, like she knew everything she was thinking. Her Enforcers had warned her the day she'd first met Seraphine, telling Caitlyn not to lie to her under any circumstances, but it seemed to go even further beyond that. It was almost inhuman, how well Seraphine could read people. "Look, if you can't tell me what's wrong, I understand. I do." She stressed, and Seraphine nodded brokenly, letting out a sob as she tried to wipe her tears. "Everybody has secrets, and some of them are kept for very good reasons, but whatever your secret is - know that you can trust me. You don't have to tell me, not now or ever, but if you want to, I won't tell a soul."

Seraphine laughed, the sound wet and a little croaky, but the smile on her face was bright. "You're not lying." She said, her voice still a little shaky. "You've never lied to me. Apart from you not being in a relationship, but I'll let that one go."

Her stomach did a little flip and Caitlyn made to deny her words, only to stop before she even tried. If Seraphine already knew, why bother? "Sorry about that." She apologized with a wry grin, honestly wondering why she thought Seraphine believed her little fib. "In my defense, we're trying to keep our relationship a secret."

Something sly entered Seraphine's eyes as she faced her, shining out past the tears, and she smirked. "Of course. The Sheriff can't date the Deputy - what kind of example would that set for the rest of your department?"

Caitlyn's eyes widened, the color leaving her cheeks as her jaw dropped. "How… How could you possibly know that?"

The pink-haired girl shrugged. "You don't talk about her much, but when you do…" She trailed off, clearly searching for the right words to say. "You're feelings are very loud."

"That's the second time you've said something like that to me, you know." Caitlyn said after a long moment, watching as Seraphine wiped her eyes with the heels of her hands. "Could you tell me what you mean?"

Seraphine shifted on the bench, then, angling her body towards her as she laid the guitar case on the ground before her. She met Caitlyn's eyes as she drew her knees up to her chest, clearly searching for something, but Caitlyn had no idea what it might be. The silence stretched out for five, ten, fifteen seconds, before she looked down again: speaking in a quiet, monotone voice. "I can't. I'm sorry."

Caitlyn smiled, rubbing small, comforting circles into her shoulder. "That's okay. Your secrets are your own and no one else's." She reassured her, and Seraphine nodded with a sniffle. "But if you ever feel up to telling me, you know I'll listen. You can trust me."

"I know. I do." Seraphine confirmed, refusing to look up from the ground, and Caitlyn leaned forward a little. Her eyes… they looked so far away. "Even though I know I probably shouldn't. We haven't known each other long, but… but I know you're a trustworthy person."

"You don't have to know someone for a long time to know them." Caitlyn countered, thinking of Vi and the short, dangerous, wonderful time they'd had together. She wasn't like Ekko with his time machine - she couldn't change the past, but even if she could, there was very little she'd change between her and her Deputy. Not with how things turned out in the end. If she could go back, though, and fix things between Vi and her sister… "I may not be as good a judge of character as you, but I'm the Sheriff for a reason, and I can tell you're very kind."

Seraphine turned her head, looking up towards Caitlyn and, for the first time since the day they'd met, locked gazes with her. Her sky blue eyes were growing red and puffy, and she could tell she was fighting back even more tears. "You really mean that, but you don't know what I am." She ground out, her expression hard, and Caitlyn leaned back in surprise, her jaw dropping. In what time they'd spent together, she'd never heard Seraphine speak like that before. She wore her heart on her sleeve, and Caitlyn had heard sadness, anxiety and nearly everything in between from her - but none of it compared to the sheer joy she exuded most of the time. Anger from Seraphine was something new, and even though it probably wasn't aimed at her, she couldn't help but be a little unnerved.

"I'm sorry, I - I don't really know what you mean by that." Caitlyn admitted, because by the stars was that a little vague.. "What you are?"

The younger girl drew in a breath, fury and desperation filling her eyes as she stared right into Caitlyn's, before the air left her in a shaky sigh and she turned away. Silence reigned for a long moment and she considered telling Seraphine she didn't have to answer, but then her mouth opened and she whispered something that made Caitlyn's stomach drop. "My parents are afraid of me." The words left her lips slowly, hesitantly, like she wasn't sure if she wanted to admit this even as she spoke.

Caitlyn's hand paused on Seraphine's shoulder, the shock of her admission throwing her for a long moment, before she found the ability to speak again. "Right. Why… why would you say that? You're literally the sweetest girl I've ever met." She asked, fighting to regain her footing and make sense of this entire conversation.

"I said it because it's true." Seraphine murmured, the tension having left her entirely, replaced by an emptiness and resignation that Caitlyn knew all too well. Vi had the exact same look in her eyes whenever she talked about her family, her sister, and it was just as heartbreaking seeing it in Seraphine's. "They love me, they really do, and they've always looked after me, but the fear's always there - deep down. Sometimes they don't even notice it, to the point where I can forget about it entirely for a while, but then something happens or I say something, do something…" She rambled before sucking in a heavy gulp of air, biting down on whatever she'd been just about to say. Then she clenched her free hand, the frustration returning for just a moment. "It's not their fault their daughter's a freak."

"You're not a freak." Caitlyn said immediately, her words coming out harsher than intended, but some things just needed to be said. "No matter what issues you may have, they do not make you any less of a person."

Seraphine reached up to her shoulder and took Caitlyn's hand in her own for a moment, rubbing it comfortingly for a second before placing it back down on her thigh, but she knew that comfort wasn't meant for her. "I've hurt them." She whimpered, the hand that was still in Caitlyn's continuing to tremble. "Not physically, but I don't think it really matters at this point."

Caitlyn drew in a steadying breath and held it for a second, considering what exactly she should, could, say to that, but nothing worthwhile came to mind. All they'd be were empty platitudes and promises, something she knew Seraphine would see through in an instant, so she went with the truth; plain and simple. "Seraphine…" She began, "I want to help you, you know I do, but I can't help without knowing what's going on." Caitlyn said simply, leaning in towards the girl a little, trying for the second time to get her to open up.

She didn't flinch, didn't speak - didn't do much of anything, really. Seraphine just sat there, her eyes fixed on her shoes as she continued to draw shallow, trembling breaths. Nearly half a minute passed like that, the silence stretching out into something almost uncomfortable, but Caitlyn refused to be put off by it. Seraphine was her friend, and it didn't matter how recently they met or how long it took, Caitlyn always helped her friends. "I'm sorry." Seraphine apologized suddenly, speaking so quietly that Caitlyn almost missed it, and she knew she'd made up her mind.

"It's okay." Caitlyn said with a gentle smile, shifting her hands around Seraphine's waist and shoulders and drawing her into a hug. "You don't need to apologize. Really."

Seraphine let out a short, rueful laugh as she reached up to wipe her eyes, leaning into Caitlyn's side. They stayed like that for a couple minutes, getting a few stares in the process, but she did her best to ignore them, though she had no idea how Seraphine fared. She even spotted some Enforcers standing just outside the Hexgate's entrance, Nyla and Darid going by today's rota, watching them with what she could only assume were concerned expressions, but the distance between them made it difficult to tell.

Then Seraphine turned her head up to Caitlyn, not quite meeting her eyes as her mouth opened. "I've never had a friend before." She admitted, pausing a moment after speaking, probably waiting to see if Caitlyn would respond. She kept silent though, not wanting to interrupt her, and Seraphine carried on. "I didn't go to school or anything like that, not when I stopped leaving the house a little after turning six, so I never got to make friends that way. I couldn't even be around when my parent's friends and their families came over. The noise was too much." She explained, even Caitlyn had to squash the urge to ask what that meant. "It's always too much." Seraphine hissed before sucking in a breath. "But I started coming here two years ago and then… I don't know, I learned how to be a little better, I guess. I managed to start talking to people again, you know, even if I was bad at it, even if I got into trouble…"

This time, Caitlyn knew exactly what she was getting at, because they'd talked at length about her issues with Marcus the day they'd met. "Well, even if I wish you never had to go through any of that", Caitlyn spoke up with a small, honest smile, "I'm glad you found the courage to start coming out here. I'm glad we met."

Seraphine nodded, her gaze dipping down for a second before she drew in a breath and looked up, locking eyes with Caitlyn. She bit her lip, looking like she was about to pull away from her, but she stopped herself at the last second. "So am I. I…" She agreed, before her voice fell like a stone, almost choking on whatever she'd tried to say. Seraphine's lips worked at words she couldn't say, eyes flitting back and forth before settling on hers once more, holding a strength and determination that Caitlyn wasn't used to seeing from her. "Thank you for being my friend."

Then she turned and wrapped her arms around Caitlyn, pressing her cheek to the space just above her collar, her small hands linking around the small of her back. Caitlyn wove one arm around her shoulders, drawing the smaller girl in further while her left hand came to rest on the middle of her back. "Thank you for being mine." She said in response, glancing down at the pink hair beneath her chin with a smile. She couldn't see much of Seraphine's face then, but her eyes were closed, and she somehow looked more at peace than Caitlyn had ever seen her.

Then Seraphine let out a huff, something between a sigh and a laugh, before pulling away. She leaned back with an apology in her eyes, but she took one look at Caitlyn's face and the regret vanished entirely, leaving nothing but a grateful smile. Her eyes shifted to Caitlyn's hat after a moment, sitting to her right, and they narrowed in consideration. "Can I…"

"Of course." Caitlyn said, grabbing her top hat by the rim and handing it to Seraphine. As she placed it on her lap, Caitlyn couldn't help but glance at her clothes with a smirk. "I didn't bring it up earlier, but there's more than a few coins in there, and you don't have any pockets that I can see." She pointed out, gesturing to Seraphine's yellow sundress. It was a pretty thing, reaching a little below her knees and, considering the amount of flower patterns on the front of the dress and around the skirt, she assumed Seraphine had made it herself. She said it was a skill she picked up from her mother as a teenager and, apparently, she made most of her clothes herself. Caitlyn had no trouble believing that, not when she wore some of the brightest, most colorful clothes she'd ever seen.

Seraphine let out a hum, looking down at her dress as if it could've somehow grown pockets since she'd put it on, before her eyes lit up and she reached for her guitar case. She laid the brown leather container across her lap and unlatched the lid, flipping it open and reaching into a slot sewn into the underside, before literally pouring the coins in there. As far as Caitlyn knew, most instrument cases had little compartments to store music sheets and the like, but she supposed using it like this was fine as well. Seraphine shook out the last few bronze and silver pieces before carefully closing the case once more, lest she shake the coins loose and damage her guitar, before handing Caitlyn her hat back. "There. Who needs pockets?" She said with a proud curl to her lips, turning to Caitlyn as she slid the top hat back atop her head.

"Any idea what you're going to do with the money?" Caitlyn asked after a second, running her finger along the brim of her hat. "It's not a huge amount, but you could probably get something nice with it."

The younger woman folded her arms across the top of her guitar case, before leaning forward and resting her chin on her forearms. Her face twisted in concentration for a moment, before she bit her lip with an uncertain gleam in her eyes. "Have you ever been to a cafe before, one with a little bakery in it? My mum and dad go to one like that every now and again, and they always bring back these little cakes for me, and I really want to go there myself." She explained, and Caitlyn felt a pang of empathy, realizing just why Seraphine wanted something like that.

"Have you never been to a cafe or restaurant before?" She asked, though she was pretty confident she knew the answer already. "Not even with your parents?"

Seraphine shrugged her shoulders, turning away for a second. "Not that I can remember, but like I said, I stopped going outside when I turned six years old. I couldn't handle it and my parents were too afraid to try taking me places anymore." She explained, and the detective's urge to ask questions, to get to the bottom of the mystery that was Seraphine, surged within Caitlyn's chest. "I guess I just wanted to try something normal for once. Be normal. It'll be the furthest I've gone from home or the Hexgate in, like, my entire life, but I think it's worth it."

Caitlyn nodded, leaning back on the bench and sweeping her left arm up and onto the back railing, close enough to let Seraphine know she was there, but not enough to potentially overwhelm her. "Were you planning on taking your mother and father?" She asked, drumming her fingers on the cold metal beneath her hand.

"No, I can't. You wouldn't believe how upset they were when they learned I was sneaking out here." Seraphine explained, and Caitlyn filed that bit of information away. She said her parents loved her and even if she admitted there were some genuine problems in their relationship, Caitlyn knew she wasn't getting the whole story. Not because she was some great detective with years of experience, though she wasn't half-bad in her opinion, but because Seraphine wasn't even trying to lie to her. Not really. If she didn't want to tell the truth, she'd say so and that was that. Unless this entire thing was a massive bluff, all so Caitlyn wouldn't dig into the secrets she was keeping, but that was just her being overly paranoid. Probably. "I'll just go on my own. Besides, it's not like I'll be in any danger."

Caitlyn let out a hum, halfway between agreement and consideration. "Would you like me to come with you?" She offered, and Seraphine's eyes lit up.

"Yes please." Seraphine answered instantly, and Caitlyn couldn't help but laugh at the sheer relief in her voice. "I don't want to be alone out there just yet." She whispered as Caitlyn quietened down, like she had to explain herself in the first place.

"I understand. Baby steps." She surmised, and the pink-haired girl nodded before her head perked up. Seraphine turned her head to the left, looking away from her and towards the swaths of people hanging around or walking by the Hexgate. The way she tilted her head, her eyes distant and unfocused, told Caitlyn she was listening instead of looking, but she hadn't heard anything out of the ordinary the entire time they were here. Just the sounds of the gentle breeze and the bustling crowds, along with the occasional shing that rang through the air as the Hexgate fired, sending sky ships across the world through the power of the arcane. Seraphine let out a hum after a long moment before shaking her head, turning back to Caitlyn with a small, knowing grin. "Everything okay?" Caitlyn asked, watching her carefully even as she strained to hear whatever it was she'd clearly heard.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Seraphine said with a start, eyes widening for a split second before she forced her expression back under control. "I thought I heard something and I zoned out." She explained, pointing her index finger at her temple and waving it in a circle. "I'm a bit…"

"You're not." Caitlyn said with a lopsided smile, before something occurred to her. "You need to stop putting yourself down, otherwise this conversation will keep going in circles. You say something bad about yourself, I explain that you're wrong, 'round and 'round we go."

Seraphine's smile dropped for a second and she pressed her palms to her face, sucking in a breath. "I think I'm still a bit frazzled from earlier. I'm really embarrassed and now I'm screwing this all up, like when we first met but a million times worse."

"You've had a bad few minutes, that's all", Caitlyn said slowly, "but you haven't screwed anything up. Just take a breath and let it go. You're not yourself when you're like this."

"Not myself?"

"You're an emotional, empathetic person; a happy person, who only wants to make people smile. I realized that the second time we met." Caitlyn said, leaning back and looking towards the clouds, mind racing as she put words to the thoughts in her head. "But sometimes our greatest strengths are also our greatest weaknesses. Look at me", she tried, pressing a finger to her chest, "I dedicate myself to everything I do, or I try to at the very least, but there were times in my life where that dedication turned into obsession and I started pushing people away, or even neglecting my own needs. My best friend Jayce is one of the smartest people Piltover has ever seen, but sometimes he gets too lost in his own head and fails to see the bigger picture."

"I-I guess I'm the same." Seraphine mumbled, folding her arms across her chest and leaning back into the bench, almost mirroring Caitlyn. "I care a lot about what people think, but I let it get to my head sometimes. I also get overwhelmed by crowds, even though I want to be around people, and I can be way too sensitive at times."

"Exactly. You see what I mean?" Caitlyn asked, tilting her head and looking directly at her friend. Her gaze was fixed on the Hexgate, however, as another airship was launched, space warping in the sky for a fraction of a second before the vessel vanished entirely. "Our worries and fears are part of who we are, but they don't define us unless we let them. For me, I think about what I'm like when I'm relaxed, and I try to be like that as much as possible. You're honestly brilliant when you're relaxed, Seraphine - you just have to let yourself be who you are, not who you think you should be."

"Even if people think I'm weird? Even if they think I'm broken?" Seraphine whispered, turning towards Caitlyn and fixing her gaze on the bridge of her nose, dropping her hands on her lap.

"Especially then." Caitlyn emphasized, reaching up and brushing locks of hair out of her face, blown out of place by the wind. "Don't misunderstand me; there's nothing wrong with trying to change, but only if you believe it's the right thing to do, deep down. Otherwise you're just lying to everyone, including yourself."

"I'm not sure who I am", Seraphine admitted after a long pause, "but I like who I am around you. Around my parents, too, just… not when I hurt them, or make them worry."

"Then be that person. The one I'm friends with, the one your parents love, instead of the one you're afraid you are. It's as simple as that."

"You say that like it's easy." The younger woman huffed.

"I said it's simple. I never said it would be easy." Caitlyn corrected with a smirk, right as Seraphine let out a bark of laughter. "I struggle with it every day and even if I never truly get there, I'm still so much better off than before. I know you can get there too."

Seraphine went silent for a long moment, biting her lip as she processed her words, and Caitlyn reached around and wrapped her left arm around her shoulder, drawing her into her side once more. "You might be right."

"Of course I'm right." Caitlyn laughed. "I'm right about everything, in case you haven't heard. Ask my Deputy."

Her friend's lips curled up into a self-satisfied smirk, her good humor returning in full. "Okay, now I know that's not true." She laughed easily, before Seraphine pulled away from her, ending the embrace. Worry flooded Caitlyn's before she saw the teasing smile on her face, but that same unfocused, distant look returned to her eyes. Then she turned, looking over her shoulder and towards the crowd, looking for all the world like she was waiting for something, someone. "Hey, look. It's your partner!" She called, turning back to Caitlyn with a smile as she pointed down the street leading away from the Hexgate.

There, striding through the streets with a small, cocky smirk on her face was Vi. Even from thirty, forty meters away, Caitlyn could see her as clear as the sun in the sky above, though she wasn't exactly easy to miss. Not with her deep red hair that swept across the upper part of her brow, almost covering her gunmetal eyes, and the crimson leather jacket that hung from her broad shoulders. The men and women who crossed her path quickly found other places to be, but there wasn't any fear on their faces. There was wariness and even a little awe, but the looks on the faces of the people stepping around Vi was nothing short of recognition, and respect. Maybe they recognised her by her clothes and hair, something of a novelty in the center of Piltover, or maybe it was by the Enforcer's badge that hung from her belt, but Caitlyn would bet it was the massive Hextech gauntlets she wore, swinging back and forth as she walked like they weighed as much as a feather.

Caitlyn's jaw dropped for a split second before she caught it, forcing as nonchalant an expression as she could onto her face, but she doubted it was enough to fool Seraphine.

How did she know she was there? Caitlyn thought desperately, her mind a whirl. That look in her eyes, it was like she knew Vi would already be there, even before she saw her. Then she put two and two together, pieces in a puzzle Caitlyn didn't realize she was trying to solve, because that was the second time Seraphine had gotten that distant look in her eyes. The first had been a few minutes before, when she'd zoned out, and Caitlyn had written it off as nothing more than nerves or the whims of an easily distracted mind, but what if…

No. Even if… even if there was more to Seraphine than she'd seen already, (of course there was, she'd spelt it out half a dozen times in the last twenty minutes alone), Seraphine wasn't some mystery to be solved, some criminal to be interrogated. She was her friend, for fucks sake! Even as more and more links started to form in Caitlyn's mind, years of detective work and investigative experience rearing its ugly head, and for a single, heartstopping moment, she felt like she understood. Understood what Seraphine had been trying to tell her, even as she so desperately sought to hide it, and Caitlyn knew that she was out of her depth.

Oh, good gods…

And as a hundred tiny details came together to form a single, undeniable, unbelievable truth, the realization clawed its way to the forefront of Caitlyn's mind, as immovable and unstoppable as the rising sun, and Seraphine's eyes widened. Before, Caitlyn would've thought she'd let her surprise show, but it wasn't that at all, was it? Seraphine really just knew, didn't she? Seraphine's lips twisted, words forming on her tongue, but Caitlyn beat her to the punch, blurting out the first thing that came to mind. "You're a-"

"You promised!" Seraphine hissed, deathly still with a terror in her eyes that silenced Caitlyn. She drew in a rushed breath even as her cheeks grew pale, sweat forming on her brow, and spoke in an even tone that did nothing to hide her fear. "You promised me you wouldn't make me talk about it."

Caitlyn bit her lip, considering a dozen different responses, each with a dozen different outcomes, but only one let her keep her friend. "You're right. I promised." She confirmed, watching as a look of wary relief spread across her face, like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Just over her shoulder, Caitlyn saw Vi tread closer and closer, and she knew that, whatever she was going to say, she needed to say it fast. "But you haven't exactly been subtle about this, any of this." She emphasized, waving her hand between the two of them. "You have to be careful, because if I figured it out, there's a chance that someone else will, sooner or later."

Seraphine's head tilted, body growing tense before her eyes widened in disbelief. "You're not going to expose me."

"What have I done in the past four days that made you think I would?" Caitlyn said, her words almost a snarl. She didn't bother trying to hide the hurt in her voice because she already knew. She always had. Caitlyn leaned forward and took Seraphine's hands in her own, clutching them tightly. "Just listen to me, Seraphine - please. My best friend was nearly banished from the city for daring to experiment with magic; imagine what these people would do to someone like you."

Something bitter and sad entered Seraphine's eyes, and for a moment she looked a lot older than twenty. "My parents have been telling me that my whole life. Nothing's changed."

Vi crept closer and closer, and Caitlyn saw the moment she spotted the two of them, her eyes lighting up as she raised her gauntlet and waved. Caitlyn waved back, hoping she couldn't see the pained grimace on her face even as she locked eyes with the younger woman - the woman who might be so much more. "You're going outside now; that means people might start noticing you're a… a…"

Caitlyn couldn't finish what she was trying to say, the fear clogging up her throat. The fear of what this all meant, the fear that she might break her promise to Seraphine, that she might let her down, but for all her anxiety and panic today, right then Seraphine was the braver of the two. "A Mage?"

She nodded, forcing down a shudder as she fought to get her words out. "A Mage." She repeated quietly, the word alone almost making her clam up. "You're some kind of psychic, right? Reading thoughts or emotions, something like that?"

And Seraphine, she… she laughed. Laughed like she was letting go of something she'd held deep inside her, chained in the depths of her heart, and the sound of it was like the harshest winds of winter. Her azure eyes filled with a rage and despair that was all at once familiar and alien to Caitlyn, but her grip tightened around her hands, like she was terrified of letting go. "I'm so much worse." She ground out, and something Seraphine said earlier echoed in Caitlyn's mind, turning the blood in her veins to ice.

My parents are afraid of me.

"That doesn't matter, okay?" Caitlyn told her, though there was a traitorous part of her brain that wondered if she was trying to convince Seraphine, or herself. "I won't tell a soul about this, and we'll… we'll talk about this whenever you're ready. I can help." She tugged Seraphine's hands up between them, leaning forward so she could lock gazes with her, begging her silently.

Hope and fear waged in her cerulean eyes, before fear won out and Seraphine shifted back, though she kept her hands firmly in her grasp. "Swear to me. If you're really my friend, swear to me on something that matters."

Caitlyn's eyes darted to Vi, so close yet so far, before she looked back at Seraphine and the words tumbled out of her, honest and true. "I swear on the names of my mother and father, on the names of my friends, and on the name of the woman I love. I won't let you down." She promised, and Seraphine drew in a short, sharp gasp. It wasn't the words she was listening to, not really, Cailtyn had worked that much out, but the intent behind them. She must've been happy with what she'd heard, too, because as soon as the words left her lips, the girl who might be the only Mage in Piltover smiled, though it was a little sad.

"I don't deserve your kindness." She said, and Caitlyn let out a huff, letting go of Seraphine's hand and reaching up to gently flick her on the chin.

"Well that doesn't matter because you're getting it anyways." Caitlyn smiled, doing everything she could to ignore the fear coiling in her stomach. "Now relax. Vi's almost here and I don't think either of us want to have that conversation right now."

Seraphine nodded and let go of her hand, pushing a smile to her face that almost didn't look forced, and they waited the last few moments it took for Vi to reach them in hopeful, companionable silence. The Deputy Enforcer strode up to them, grinning ear to ear even as she looked Seraphine up and down, before her eyes shifted to Caitlyn. "You know, technically your lunch break's over. You'll be late getting back to the station." Vi said, laughter bubbling underneath her words, and Caitlyn rolled her eyes.

"The benefit of being your own boss is no one can tell you you're late." Caitlyn retorted, climbing to her feet. She saw Seraphine do the same from the corner of her eyes, bending over at the waist and picking up her guitar case. "Vi, this is the girl I told you about, Seraphine. Seraphine, meet my partner, Vi." She introduced, gesturing between the two of them.

Vi smirked, tilting her head back and letting her right gauntlet fall to the floor. Steel impacted stone with a loud clang, and Caitlyn felt the eyes of those nearby turn to them, but she paid them no mind and watched as Vi extended a hand. "Nice to meet you."

Seraphine looked down at Vi's hand for a long moment, face screwing up in concentration as she listened in to Vi's emotions or intentions or whatever the hell she could do, before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around Vi's waist. Vi's eyes nearly bulged out of her skull, looking past the girl hugging her and towards Caitlyn, no longer Deputy Enforcer but instead the woman who didn't want to be seen hugging another girl in front of her girlfriend. It was enough to make Caitlyn laugh, especially when a second passed and Vi held her arms up, before she decided to take pity on her and gave her a thumbs up.

Vi slowly wrapped her free hand around Seraphine's shoulders, keeping her active gauntlet far away from the girl's body, and, after a moment, relaxed into the embrace. A tension that Caitlyn hadn't even noticed melted out of her, her shoulders relaxing and her posture shifting ever so slightly, and Caitlyn wondered what Seraphine might've noticed about Vi to cause her to do this. She was a complete stranger to her, after all, and that wasn't even going into Seraphine's own social issues. Still, Seraphine held her for a couple more seconds before stepping away, looking directly at Vi's eyebrows. "It's nice to meet you, too." She said, taking a couple steps back before turning to Caitlyn and hugging her as well. Seraphine let go a moment later, clutching her guitar case to her chest as she stepped backwards. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sure." Caitlyn grinned, hoping her smile could hide the uncertainty in her heart, if not for Seraphine's sake then for Vi's. "Tomorrow." The younger girl smiled, turning with a little hop and walking down the street, towards her home on the edge of the city.

Vi cleared her throat from beside her, stooping low and sliding her hand back into her Atlas Gauntlet, before moving next to Caitlyn. "She seems nice… Awkward too, but you already told me that."

Caitlyn chuckled, reaching up and adjusting her hat. "You have no idea."

Vi just shook her head, looking down at the ground for a second before meeting Caitlyn's gaze, mischief dancing in her eyes. "So, is she my replacement then?"

"Oh, stars above."

"I'm just saying, she's pretty, in an innocent sort of way." Vi went on, shoving her foot so far in her mouth that it was a wonder she didn't choke on it. "Is it because she's girlier than me? I knew I should've worn those dresses you got me. Now I'm being replaced with a newer model."

Caitlyn palmed her face, hoping to hide her blush. Vi's bark of laughter told her she'd failed. "Gods, I love you Vi, but if you don't stop talking I swear you'll be sleeping alone tonight." She threatened without any real heat, and her partner held her hands up in surrender. "Now, are you going to keep teasing me about my friend or are you going to tell me why you're here? I thought we were meeting back at the station."

Vi shrugged, her expression becoming more serious, more subdued, and Caitlyn could tell she was all business now. "Ekko wants to run a joint op tonight. Says he's got the location of the Chembaron running the area near the Dredge. It might get us some info on what happened there."

"And even if it doesn't", Caitlyn spoke up, following that train of thought, "we still get to take down a Chembaron. It'll be nice to be on the offensive, for a change." She said as an aside, and Vi grunted her agreement.

"Sure as shit beats fighting goons who decide to try their luck in the Lanes. It's gotten boring." Vi said. "Anyways, Ekko's heading back to the station with my squad and he's gonna give a briefing, gather up volunteers - the works. I figured I'd come and get you myself, since I'm betting you don't wanna miss that."

"You bet right." Caitlyn said, turning to the street that led towards the station and walking away, hearing Vi fall into step beside her. "I'm assuming Ekko wants to lead his own squad down there? That is if he doesn't want to bring the Firelights in on this as well."

"Nah, it'll just be him with us. He said something about having his guys hold down the fort, though I'm pretty sure he just wants to test out his time machine, which feels really fuckin' weird to say out loud."

Caitlyn laughed. "I know what you mean… Magic…"

Hextech, time machines and, as of two minutes ago, Seraphine…

"It's certainly something. Come, fill me in while we walk."

They strode through the streets of her home; streets that felt like they were changing before her eyes, so she took a page out of Seraphine's book and listened. Vi's words filled her ears, soothing her fears and unwinding the knot of uncertainty that had wound itself around her lungs, and she let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

She didn't know what tomorrow would bring, if she'd have the strength to face it, but tomorrow was so far away. There was work to be done right now, and that was the only work that mattered.

What a day…

So this chapter was super difficult to write, mostly because I'm going in depth with a character that doesn't exist in the show, but I'm pleased with how it came out. I love writing Seraphine's character, and I really like writing Caitlyn when she's all in her detective mode, even if she's actively trying not to. It's why it took her so long to put two and two together with Seraphine here, because she was literally forcing herself not to, if that makes any sense.

Either way, hope you all enjoyed and I'll see you soon! Peace!