Vi never thought she'd be coming back to this godforsaken town.
Not when everyone turned their back on her when she was thrown into prison for her sister's— no, for someone else's crime. The people she thought were her friends and family betrayed her. No, betrayed wasn't quite the word. They just… disappointed her. They abandoned her in her time of need, and that wasn't a wound her heart could recover from.
However, the person who hurt her the most was… was not the girl who was related to her by blood, but a girl who she thought they'd be together forever. She was foolish to have thought that, and the second she was freed from prison, she left town without looking back. She had nothing in her name, not even a single penny, except the stupid name she had been born with.
Life was shit, to say the least.
Wandering around homeless as a late teen wasn't exactly the ideal situation one could get oneself into, but it wasn't as if she had a choice. It was better than going back to a place where no one wanted her. She'd be damned to give them a second of her time, and her anger and stubbornness were what kept her going on rainy nights and cold winters that dried up her tears. That was where she used the skills she picked up in prison to survive and kept herself aloof in this damned world.
Fast-forward ten years, Vi was completely different and hadn't changed.
No, that wasn't completely true. She was forced to change into someone she never thought she'd become. An ex-con, a thief, a thug, a drug addict, and every wonderful adjective that came with it. She pulled over her car to the side of the road to take a smoke break. She reached over into her jacket and grabbed her cigarette pack before pulling out a stick and lighting it up. Once it caught fire, she looked out the window, eyeing the view of good old, lovely Piltover.
She immediately scoffed.
Even if she was passing through, it put her in a foul mood right away. Piltover. Of course, fucking Piltover was the only way she could drive through to get to her destination. She breathed out a heavy puff of smoke before inhaling again. Just thinking about it made her blood boil, and she shut her eyes before turning away. Once she smoked her cigarette down to the bud, she smoldered out the ashes in the ashtray before driving off.
That's when she noticed devastating news. It wasn't in the plan, but she needed to take a pit stop since her tank was running low and the next gas station wouldn't be close enough for her to make it. She pulled over shortly after and by the time she finished filling up her tank, she went inside to pay. However, right when she reached into her pocket to pull out her wallet, she felt something press up against her back. An eyebrow went up, and before she could even start, a clammy voice yelled at her.
"F-Freeze! Give me all your money and no one gets hurt!"
Vi's eyebrow twitched as she turned slightly to face this… this wannabe criminal. She gave him a quick up and down, wondering who the hell he was talking to. Her or the clerk because he most certainly, just hit some alarm button to inform the cops. Whatever the reason was, she rolled her eyes before relaxing her shoulders. Just her luck. The weather was progressively getting worse by the minute and if she didn't leave now, she'd be stuck in this shithole.
"Look, buddy… if you'd just calm down, we can talk—"
"S-Shut up! Just give me your money and put your hands up!"
Another sigh left her lips as she slowly raised her hands. She could feel the resentment of her past trail up her spine, and her vision started to tunnel. She was fine. It was fine. There was still time. She could still get out of this without getting trapped in this city again. She rolled her jaw before trying to reason with him again.
"Hey… I'm just passing through. I'll give you my money, so if you could just let me go and—"
"Nobody's going anywhere!"
Her finger twitched. She smiled to herself as her vision started turning red. She breathed through her nose, trying to calm herself down as she glanced out the window. Snow began falling down the sky, and she cracked her neck as her jaw tensed. A few thoughts came to her mind before only one was the clear answer and way. If she couldn't beat the bad weather and snow, then she would make it worth her time and trouble.
And that was how she found herself in the very same jail cell she was thrown into as a young teen.
xXx
"Pardon? Care to repeat that?" Caitlyn said as her face twisted in shock.
Her fellow policeman just sighed. "Like I said, a strange case. There was a robbery at the gas station by the I-80, but the funny part is the one we arrested was one of the victims."
That didn't help Caitlyn's confusion. "Meaning…?"
"Long story short, the guy held a gun at point-blank at one of the patrons. I sent the footage to you so you can review it before the interrogation, but the person he pointed the gun at almost beat the life out of him. The poor guy was beaten so bad, he's still in the operating room."
"Wha— that's horrible. What kind of horrible monster could do such a thing?"
He just shrugged. "Beats me, Kiramman. The Sheriff wants this handled quietly. Said something about this case being… complicated."
The confused look on Caitlyn's face only deepened. "What does that even…" She sighed before shaking her head. "Did you email me the witness report yet?"
"Everything's on your desk."
She nodded. "Thank you."
Shortly after, she went to her desk before pulling up the security footage. Once it loaded, she watched the situation from the beginning. It started normally as one would expect, citizens were carrying on with their days and just as this young lady was about to pay, a man came up and held a gun at her at point-blank.
There seemed to be some conversation and after a moment, the lady raised her hands. At this point, the clerksman had already hit the distress button and the perpetrator seemed aggravated. He swung this gun around, presumably screaming something, before pointing the gun back at the woman. This interaction carried on for a few minutes when something suddenly changed. The woman pivoted around, grabbing the gun and skillfully unarming him. If it weren't for the rest of the story she had heard, it would have been one hell of an impressive disarm and takedown, but that's where the punch came in.
Quite literally at that because out of nowhere, the woman started beating the life out of him. She tackled him to the floor, punching him again and again as if this had been a personal fight. The clerksman even had to try and pull her off from how beaten up the assailant had been, but she easily knocked him off. Shortly after, the police came in and took her down before arresting her for assault and sending the gunsman to the hospital.
It made Caitlyn's eyebrow twitch, and she rubbed her temples, trying to understand what unfolded as she skimmed through the reports. She read the clerksman's witness report, and it was exactly what she guessed it to be. Other than that, her teammate's first encounter reports weren't the best first impressions either so that meant that all that was missing was the victim's, well her and his report but the latter had to wait. She gathered her clipboard and a few other props before making her way to the interrogation room. The assailant's rap sheet wasn't any better, and she took one last look at the woman's ID, Matilda Sunnie, before twisting the doorknob open.
The second she stepped inside the interrogation room, she froze.
Something about her powder blue eyes seemed so familiar and nostalgic. Hell, she even… looked familiar, but she couldn't put a face or name together. She didn't know why she was having this reaction and Caitlyn could've sworn that her eyes wavered for a split second, however, that didn't last long as Matilda leaned back in her chair, clearly unfazed by the situation.
"Matlida Sunnie, correct? Are you aware why you're here, Ms. Sunnie?"
"The one and only." She just scoffed before trying to cross her arms before getting held back by the handcuffs. She then shrugged with her palms up before sarcastically answering, "And for my sunny personality and name, duh."
Caitlyn bit back her tongue before taking a seat. She started tapping her clipboard before looking her in the eyes and starting, "This is quite a bizarre situation… We've never had a bystander get arrested for assault on a robber before."
She shrugged with no remorse. "First time for everything, right?"
Straightening in her seat, Caitlyn leaned forward slightly. "Why did you do it?"
"Do what?"
She held eye contact for a few seconds before speaking about her crime. "For assault. You were a bystander, a victim, so why would you escalate the situation and take matters into your own hands? You could have just ended it there, but you pushed harder. Too hard, that the precinct doesn't know what to do with you."
Matilda looked unfazed and bored as she innocently admitted. "Didn't like his attitude."
"Do you expect me to believe that excuse, Ms. Sunnie? You were the victim."
She scoffed before chuckling lightly, "The 'victim' you say? Yeah, sure."
Caitlyn let out a breath before continuing, "Did you know the suspect?"
"No."
"Have you had any encounters with him prior to the gas station?"
"What kind of dumb question is that?"
Her jaw tensed and Caitlyn breathed out before curtly insisting, "Just answer the question."
"No."
"Where were you heading? Looks like your address isn't local, you're awfully far from home."
"Just passing through."
"In this weather?"
"Would've been fine before I got trapped in this box."
Be patient Caitlyn. She had interrogated many criminals like this before. This was all their game and tacks of manipulation, trying to make her lose her cool. She just had to tread carefully and figure out what her motive was and what she was after. They were all the same anyway. Some impure motives, the lowest of the low. She had no reason to cater to criminals who were no worse than some wannabe thug.
That was when one of her fellow officers knocked on the door and came inside.
"Kiramman, we got an update on her."
Before Caitlyn could even ask, he handed her this file, and her eyes widened when she saw the report. It wasn't a surprise that Matilda Sunnie was a fake ID, but that wasn't what made her eyes almost pop out of her eye sockets. It was who she was and who her fingerprints led to. Her professionalism slipped from her mouth and she made eye contact with her before speaking in shock.
"V-Violet?"
xXx
The frown on Vi's face immediately changed into a scowl. She dug her fingernails into her palm, enough to draw blood, before correcting her. "It's Vi."
"S-Sorry?"
She cracked her neck before enunciating her syllables word for word. "I. Go. By. Vi."
"Kiramman?" The other guy called out, having noticed her weird behavior.
She cleared her throat before dismissing her coworker. Once he was out the door, she turned around with a shocked look. "Violet—"
"Vi."
She cleared her throat again. "Vi, what are you doing here?"
Vi scoffed again. "What do you think? Got arrested for beating the shit out of a robber with a gun."
"That's not what I meant. What are you doing in this city? I thought you left—"
"Well, sorry for passing through, Cupcake. Not like I had a choice, since there's only one fucking road that leads me to where I need to be."
"Cupcake?" Her face twisted in confusion before she sighed. "Viol—" She paused before correcting herself. "Vi, what have you done? Isn't getting locked up once enough? Why did you do this?"
And that made Vi's patience snap. "Yeah, well, clearly once wasn't enough. You should know. Got my records right in front of you too, don'tcha?"
Caitlyn twitched in place, glancing down and skimming through her awfully colorful rap sheet. Her eyebrows sunk as she began reading some out loud. "Theft… assault charges, public intoxication, drug possession…" She sighed before looking up and giving her a look of something mixed between shock and disgust. Just like all the other cops out there. "What happened to you, Vi? You weren't…"
She just shrugged. "Weren't what?" She mocked before shrugging, "What happens when you get thrown behind bars when you're just a kid."
"That doesn't…"
"Look." She slammed her fists on the table, making her jump, before leaning in and practically spitting in her face. "I don't know what you're expecting, but it's true that I beat the shit out of him. No reason behind it, so either arrest me and throw me behind bars or get on with it. I'm done talking to you."
"Vi."
Her look only hardened. "And don't call me by my name. If you're done with your stupid interrogation, I'd appreciate it if you could give me back my pack of cigarettes." Her skin was itching, and it wasn't just from her nicotine addiction.
Caitlyn opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She ended up gathering her supplies before walking out of the room. Vi finally relaxed her hand before taking a look at her palms. The blood drawn from her nails had already begun to clot, and she pushed back her black hair before staring at her reflection in the faulty mirror.
She fucking despised Piltover.
After rotting away in the cell holding for several hours, Vi looked up when Caitlyn unlocked her jail cell. She was also holding her belongings and once she unlocked her cuffs, Vi snatched it out of her hand before making herself out. She vaguely heard Caitlyn speaking to her, but she ignored her voice as she stepped into the outside world. The freezing air of this shitty weather immediately blew on her face and she reached into her pockets before pulling out her lighter and cigarette pack. She quickly lit one and took in a deep whiff when an arm reached out to her.
"Violet!"
Vi breathed out a puff before aggressively smacking her arm away. "The fuck do you want?" She meant it as rude and aggressive as she sounded.
Caitlyn hardly flinched as she shot her this squared look. "What happened to you?" She looked up and down at her body, clearly referring to her hair and heavily tattooed skin.
She took in another whiff before purposely blowing it at her face. "What? Never seen an ex-con in the flesh before?"
Coughing slightly, Caitlyn ignored her taunt before pressing. "I thought you left for good. Why are you here?"
She was tired of hearing the same old shit. "I told you, just passing through."
Her eyebrows sank. "I could arrest you for having a false identity."
Vi held her cigarette between her teeth before sticking out her wrists. "Then fucking do it." She even took a step closer to help. "Fucking get it over with."
She could see Caitlyn's jaw tightening.
She didn't do shit, and Vi scoffed before dropping her arms to her side. "That's what I fucking thought." She held her cigarette between her fingers before turning away. She took a few steps before stopping when Caitlyn spoke up again.
"Does Powder know you're here?"
She crushed the bud in her hand before dropping it on the ground. "Who's that?" She crushed the ashes with her boot before pulling out another one and lighting it up.
She could hear Caitlyn following her, and Vi took in a few puffs before finally snapping and turning in place. "What the fuck do you want?"
Caitlyn looked like she didn't know where to start. After a second, she sighed before getting it out. "Your car. It's being held as evidence and won't get released until tomorrow morning."
Vi clicked her tongue. She then pulled out her phone before looking up the nearest motel. She then looked up, confirming the direction, before making her way there.
"Where are you going?"
"The nearest motel."
"That's ten miles from here."
"And?"
"And it's dark and snowing!"
"So?" Vi didn't stop walking as Caitlyn walked faster. "Like I give a shit."
"It's dangerous, Vi." She reached out and grabbed her arm again, and Vi was two seconds from punching her face.
"Don't fucking touch me." She smacked her arm away before facing her and glaring her in the eyes. "Since when did you care?"
"I—I just…"
"Don't waste my time. We both know we aren't in that type of relationship to be helping each other."
"I…" Caitlyn sighed before speaking in a soft voice. "At least let me drive you to the motel."
"And why would I do that?"
"Because I don't want to clean up a dead body!" She finally snapped back.
Vi frowned. She looked out into the night sky, watching as the snow piled up on the floor. She may have been heated from her anger, but the cold creeping up in her boots was more than enough to remind her of the days she barely survived sleeping out in the cold.
"A blizzard is supposed to be settling in soon. It's best we leave now." She then turned on her heels, and Vi breathed in a freezing breath that burned her nose and lungs before sighing.
She shoved her hands into her pockets before following after her.
xXx
The ride to the motel was horribly tense and awkward, to say the least.
Caitlyn didn't know what to do or say. She just knew she needed to give Vi a ride, or else she really would be gone for good. Ten years ago… had it only been ten years? It felt like a lifetime had passed since she had her heart broken and hopes betrayed. To this day, she still didn't understand what had happened. The horrible scar that ran down the left side of her torso reminded her of the pain she felt that day.
She remembered being terrified.
Trapped.
Crying for help in her burning room.
She almost died that day.
If it hadn't been for Vi that day, she would have, and… she didn't understand why. Vi had admitted to starting the fire but also had been the one who saved her. At least, according to the report that she had to fight to see once she was stable enough to speak up for herself. Nothing made sense. There wasn't much to go on besides her supposed confession, but her parents had assured her that the incident was thoroughly investigated. All cleaned up and settled within the time she was unconscious and hospitalized for months, recovering from second-degree burns. When she was conscious, she thought a lot about Vi.
About why she did it.
About why she saved her.
About why she… she just vanished.
Naturally, her parents had forbidden her from visiting Violet in prison. Her only hope of talking to her face-to-face was when she finished her sentence, but before she could even try, Vi was gone. She vanished without a trace and fast-forward ten years, here she was, unrecognizable even. There were several notable changes.
Firstly, her hair was no longer that vibrant red shade she grew to love as a young teen. Secondly, her skin was heavily tattooed, and then her rough exterior. She had piercings and multiple scars visible at first glance. It made Caitlyn wonder what she looked like underneath her clothes. Was she flawed, just like her own skin? It took her years to come to terms with her own body and not be disgusted every time she looked at her reflection in the mirror.
Maybe Vi was no different?
But, this wasn't the Vi she grew to know. If her criminal records were anything to indicate who she was within the past ten years, things weren't looking bright for them. Not when she was a police officer in Piltover, the very same city that was the start of her criminal record. Her parents would be furious if they knew what she was doing, but she couldn't help it. She just couldn't abandon Vi in the coldest winter of Piltover on record by far because she knew how terrifying it was to be…be alone in dangerous conditions.
Vi helped her once.
She may have been the cause of the incident, but she still helped her.
So, Caitlyn did the same. That's all this was. Returning an old favor. She wasn't trying to help Vi because she used to be her crush. She wasn't giving her charity, nor was she giving her any favors. They didn't have such a relationship that entailed such actions from each other. By the time Caitlyn pulled into the parking lot of the motel, she noticed a few things.
The weather was getting worse by the second.
Vi also had a horrible tick and kept bobbing her leg up and down. That and her constantly picking at her fingers. She could've sworn she saw scabs and calluses littered across her knuckles and fingers. Caitlyn bit back her tongue, though. If she brought it up, she knew they'd get into another argument, and she wasn't about to make this experience even worse than it already was.
Before she could even come to a stop, let alone put the car into park, Vi slammed the door open and made her way out. Caitlyn just rolled her eyes before parking properly and shutting off her car, chasing after her. She was half amazed by her speed because by the time Caitlyn was out the door, Vi was already opening the reception room's door.
"Vi—" She groaned before dragging her hand down her face. "Why am I even bothering…" She sighed before chasing after her. Once she was inside, she nodded at the receptionist.
"One room." Vi practically demanded.
"For how many nights?"
"One."
Caitlyn rolled her eyes before standing next to her. "Adam."
"Caitlyn." He nodded before turning his attention back to Vi. "Let me check the system…" He clicked around on the computer before looking back up. "You're just in luck. We have exactly one room left."
"I'll take it."
Seeing that Vi would be safe indoors and not out in the blizzard, she nodded at the receptionist one last time. "Well then, good night, Adam."
He looked up with an eyebrow raised. "I wouldn't recommend driving out this late if that's what you're planning."
She frowned at that. "Meaning…" She prayed it wasn't what she was hoping it not to be.
"Sorry to break the news, but the city just went on lockdown." He turned the monitor around, showing the latest news forecast. "Looks like heavy snow until sunrise."
"Shit."
Vi just scoffed before shooting him a mean glare. "Do I get a key or not?"
He quirked an eyebrow at her before grabbing it. "Right…"
The second he handed it over, she snatched it from his hand before walking off.
"Wait— it's the other way." Vi paused before letting out a heavy breath and turning around, but before she got too far, Adam called out to her again. "And the bill. You gotta pay first, miss."
Vi stopped in place again before groaning out loud. Caitlyn had to suppress her snort and turned away at how much of a mess she was. Vi then started patting herself down before cursing out of the blue.
"Fuck, where's my wallet?"
Shit. Caitlyn forgot to tell her that it was still in custody because of her fake ID. She cleared her throat before smoothly offering, "Here, I'll handle it."
Of course, Vi snapped at her without missing a beat. "I don't need your charity."
Rolling her eyes, Caitlyn handed Adam her card. "Sorry to say, Violet, unless you want to freeze to death, I'm paying for the bill."
Adam just ignored whatever was going on between them before handling the bill. After he handed Caitlyn back her card, she turned and started making her way. Vi scrunched her face in confusion, and even more so when Caitlyn snatched the key from her hand.
"Hey."
"You heard the man," Caitlyn paused to say as she gave her a look. "We're on lockdown thanks to the blizzard and if you weren't paying attention, this was the last room. And since I paid for it, I deserve to crash on the sofa at least."
Vi's face twitched, and she promptly turned away and beelined to the front door, however, the second she opened it, a violent gale of wind assaulted her face along with snow. She quickly shut the door before groaning out loud. Caitlyn smirked at her before looking at the room number on the key. She then looked up before making her way.
"It's this way."
xXx
Vi was about to murder someone.
She hadn't quite done that yet, but at this point in her life, this was the last straw. Not like it mattered with a colorful rap sheet like hers, and it'd do nothing but make it more spicy. Hell, she'd take going to prison for murder over spending the night in the same room with Caitlyn fucking Kiramman.
Talk about the worst day in her life.
The second they were in the room, Vi felt her vision tunnel. She suddenly found it hard to breathe and was two seconds away from puking. That's when Caitlyn's voice pulled her out of it.
"So, how do you want to do this?" She asked in that stupid posh accent of hers.
Vi looked her way before eyeing the room's setup. "Easy." She then walked over to the couch before laying on top of it and curling away from her.
Caitlyn just sighed before turning off the light and getting into bed. There was some rustling, but silence took over the room shortly after, excluding the sounds of the howling winds assaulting the windows. When Vi heard Caitlyn's breathing level out, she swallowed back the bile in her throat, waiting out several more minutes to ensure that she was asleep. After that, she quietly made her way into the bathroom before locking herself inside and looking at her reflection in the dark.
It took a second for her eyesight to adjust, but once it did, she threw up in the sink before wiping her mouth. She then washed her face before trying to focus her eyesight. It kept on blurring out and Vi smacked her head trying to get a grip. It didn't help how sick she felt, and she dragged her feet over to the bathtub before climbing inside. She then curled up into a ball before cradling her head.
"It's fine…"
She grunted in pain before trying to ignore the sweat dripping down her face.
"It'll pass…"
She took shallow breaths, nuzzling into her arm.
"You'll be… okay."
Tears began spilling down her cheeks.
"You're… okay…"
She smacked her head a few times and her body wouldn't stop shaking. It wasn't from the cold, though. She wished it was. At least then, it'd be something she had gotten used to, but it wasn't. It was all in her head, and the demons inside her wouldn't leave her alone. She had never slept well since that day. She doesn't even remember what it's like to sleep like a normal human because she ran off of naps.
Her body was giving out on her, and she had a feeling that maybe this was it.
It made her question her life up until now.
Why did she agree to that job in the first place?
She should've never come back to Piltover, even passing through. This city was her curse, her nightmare. One that she'd never beat and would be on her deathbed. Not when she took the blame to protect her sister. Not when Caitlyn refused to listen to her.
What was the point of living?
xXx
Caitlyn groaned as she cracked her eyes open. It was oddly silent, and she scrunched her face before turning around and looking at the couch. "Vi…?"
She wasn't there.
She quickly sat up before looking around the room.
"Vi?"
She panicked as she got up and cursed to herself.
"Shit."
However, just as she ran for the door, she noticed the bathroom door was closed shut.
"Vi?"
She quickly twisted the knob, confirming that it was locked.
"Vi, are you in there?"
She tried knocking on the door this time and when there was no response, she pressed her ear up against the door.
"Vi, can you hear me?"
She banged on the door louder this time.
"Vi! Are you okay? Let me in."
She heard some pained grunts which gave her a gut sinking feeling.
"Shit."
She quickly squared up before ramming into the door. It took a few tries, but after one last hurrah, it busted open. Her body practically flew inside, and the second she spotted Vi in the bathtub curled up in a ball, her stomach sank.
"Vi?" She quickly ran over, noticing that her clothes were drenched in sweat. "Vi!" She reached out and the second she did, Vi had an outburst.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" She swung her fist and landed a solid blow on her cheek.
Caitlyn grunted before ignoring the sting and trying to help her. "Vi, are you okay? Just breathe—"
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Vi screamed before gasping for air. She couldn't stop hyperventilating, and she dug her fingers into her arms. She was shaking horribly too and her body wouldn't stop twitching
Not knowing what to do, Caitlyn could only watch her break down. "What do you need? Water? A bag?"
Vi gagged all of a sudden before leaning forward and puking. Her body was breaking down, and Caitlyn didn't know what to do. She was terrified.
"Vi— I'll call an ambulance, maybe they can get here and help." However, just when she stood up, Vi grabbed her wrist with a crushing grip.
"Don't—" She groaned again before doubling over and panting in pain.
Even if Caitlyn wanted to pull away, she couldn't. Vi was gripping her so hard that she bit down hard to suppress the pain. Eventually, she let go of her arm before curling away into the corner. She was wheezing for air and looked more vulnerable than anything she had ever seen in her life. Her body kept on spazzing and Caitlyn wanted to soothe her, but the second she reached out, she couldn't do it.
So, instead, she watched her fall apart.
Her eyes wavered, not knowing what to do. That was when she realized something. She couldn't do anything. She couldn't help Vi. Even if she could, Vi wouldn't accept it. Her body language told it all and at this instant, they were nothing more than strangers. No, perhaps worse than strangers. When the reality of that fact set in, Caitlyn finally stood up. She walked over to the door before sparing her one last look.
"I'll be outside if you need me."
Vi didn't even acknowledge her.
It wasn't until a few hours later, well past their initial check-out time, that Vi emerged from the bathroom. Caitlyn looked up from her phone and Vi looked as bad as her episode had been. Severely ill-looking as well and she hesitated before asking, "Are you alright?"
She didn't even bother looking her way.
That made Caitlyn frown before trying again. "I asked you a question, Violet."
Something inside of Vi snapped. "You know what your problem is?"
Oh, this should be good. She rolled her eyes before shooting back. "Please, tell me."
Vi shot her the meanest look alive. "You expect everyone to give you what you want. Sorry to break the news, but we both know we are the furthest thing from friendly terms. You have no reason to help me and I don't need it, so just back the fuck off and leave me alone."
Biting her lip, Caitlyn tightened her jaw. "Can't I just help you?"
She immediately scoffed at her suggestion. "You, a cop? Help me, a criminal? Hah! As if. Oil and water, Cupcake. That's all that we'll ever be to each other."
Flashes of their childhood filled Caitlyn's mind. She remembered the day Vi broke into her home, trying to steal something, and catching her red-handed. She remembered chasing after her onto the balcony before almost dying when she fumbled and fell off. She remembered Vi catching her hand and saving her from falling to her doom. It was weird, to say the least, but they somehow became friends shortly after. The number of days she snuck into her room just to play grew larger and larger until one day, everything burned up.
Caitlyn frowned before looking at the floor, unable to look at her further. "Why'd you do it?"
Vi didn't respond, so she pressed.
"Why'd you burn my house? I almost died that night." Suddenly, the scars on her side began acting up, making her skin crawl and heat up. Silence hung and right when Caitlyn was about to push again, Vi spoke up in a quiet voice.
"Don't remember."
Lies.
Caitlyn frowned before walking over to the door. "I'll check on the weather status."
xXx
Vi didn't remember much about her childhood. She tried not to. Her nightmares plagued most of her nights anyway. She spent too many nights hoping for a letter or visit, but all she got in return was a 'warm' welcome and talk with the guards. A concrete hug came after that, but she wasn't getting to cry over a light beating. She had done enough of that. At this point, she welcomed the danger. The thrill and adrenaline reminded her that she was alive.
She washed up before making her way out of the room.
She wasn't about to wait for Caitlyn.
She had done enough of that.
Her walk to the lobby was as dull as she remembered. She unfortunately saw Caitlyn talking to the receptionist, but she ignored her, however, the second she walked past her, Caitlyn turned before speaking up.
"Where are you going?"
"None of your concern." She pushed the door open, only to struggle with pushing it open. When she looked down, she saw a few feet of snow blocking the door, and a frown grew on her face.
"Blizzard, remember?" Caitlyn kindly reminded her in a condescending tone. "We'll be trapped here for a while."
Vi breathed out of her nose to calm herself down. She then shut the inch she opened before stuffing her hands in her pockets. She faced the receptionist before asking, "You got a cafeteria?"
Caitlyn scrunched her nose. "Pardon?"
"Wasn't talking to you."
The receptionist nodded their head toward the hallway opposite their room. "Straight down, on the left. Small catering area, can't miss it."
"Thanks," Vi turned away and began walking that way.
Obviously, Caitlyn followed her, but Vi didn't bother giving her the light of day. If she was going to be stuck here, she'd live as quietly as possible, like a rat trapped in a prison cell. Once there, she grabbed some eggs, a muffin, and a cup of coffee before sitting down at the nearest table.
As expected, Caitlyn sat across from her with that stupid glare of hers. She finally had a good view of her and for the first time in over ten years, she looked at her. A wave of emotions hit and Vi remembered the day she dragged Caitlyn out from the fire.
She remembered the panic and fear she felt. She remembered the tears she spilled, worrying about Caitlyn's horrible injuries, before getting dragged out by the authorities. She remembered getting yelled at and accused of arson. She remembered finding out who started the fire before getting coerced into confessing to a crime she didn't do.
Her eyes trailed down to where her burns were.
Vi wondered how badly they hurt and how long they took to heal, but none of that mattered now. The damage had been done, and she couldn't hold herself together. Now, all she ever wanted was to keep herself busy. Keep moving forward without looking back. That was why she didn't hesitate to commit real crimes.
She had nothing to lose.
She stabbed her eggs before shoveling them into her mouth. Caitlyn's stare was painfully obvious and annoying, but compared to the shitty people, the gangs and murders she dealt with, was child's play. She finished her meal in no time before sipping her coffee. She then neatly put together her used stationary before watching Caitlyn clench her fist.
"Is that it?" She started as Vi sat up. "Did I really mean that much to you? Nothing?"
That wasn't true.
"Why do you care?"
She finally snapped. "You know why! I— I cared about you, Violet. No matter what bad things people said about you, I believed in you. I wanted to talk to you, but the second you were out, you were gone! Then what? Ten years later, you come back, and you won't even look me in the eyes!" Her voice rose and people started to look at them
Vi looked away before walking off.
"Violet…" Caitlyn repeated in a stern voice. "Violet!" She was down the hallway when Caitlyn finally grabbed her arm and pinned her against the wall. "Vi!"
Letting out a breath, Vi had a hard time looking her in the eyes. She ended up looking away, past her lips, and off to the side, and Caitlyn grabbed her jaw and forced her eyes up.
"Look. Me. In. The. Eyes." Caitlyn demanded. "Give me a good reason why you did what you did ten years ago, and I'll leave you alone."
Vi was metaphorically and literally trapped between Caitlyn's arms. There were a few ideas she had in mind, but they all involved either punching or headbutting her. She didn't want to do that. She couldn't hurt Caitlyn. Not her, even if ten years had passed since she developed her first love. And her eyes. They were always so stupidly blue that it made her weak and vulnerable.
She tried turning away, but Caitlyn was stronger than she looked.
She was taller than she remembered too, and she grew extremely well into her height.
"I…" Her voice shrunk as her jaw clenched. She sighed. She was so tired of everything. She finally looked Caitlyn straight in the eyes before speaking.
xXx
Caitlyn's eyes widened the second she heard what Vi said. "W-What…?"
Her heart sank. A billion thoughts were rushing through her mind, but before they settled on one, Vi brushed her hand away before walking off.
She must have heard wrong. She had to, right? There was no way she heard correctly because her parents had assured her that the case had been thoroughly investigated. It couldn't be. Caitlyn jumped back to reality and faced Vi, calling to her.
"Wait— Vi, what do you mean?"
This time, Vi stopped in place before turning slightly. "You heard me, I won't repeat myself." She stuffed her hands into her pocket before walking off, this time without stopping when she called out to her again, but Caitlyn didn't chase after her. She couldn't. She needed time to process what she just heard because it was impossible… right?
Vi's words kept on ringing in her head.
I didn't do it.
What the hell did that mean?
xXx
There were a few memories that Vi wished she could erase for good. Her attempts at creating self-induced amnesia didn't work. She learned that in prison when she picked one too many fights. She'd forget her name and what had happened to her, only to come back the next few hours or day. She forced herself not to think about it, but it kept on playing in her head over and over and over.
Vi wandered off for a moment before locating the designated smoking area. She headed inside before pulling out her cigarette pack and lighting a smoke. The tobacco swirling inside her lungs made her feel lighter. It would've been better if she had a drink in her hand but considering her situation, that'd be too much to ask for. She should've just stolen some rando's car instead of accepting a ride from Caitlyn. As she watched as the ashes fell from her bud, she spaced out, remembering the red flames enveloping Caitlyn's home.
Vi was on her way home from Caitlyn's place. It was pretty late, but she got willingly baited to stay later when Caitlyn brought up a plate of cookies and milk. The only awkward part was that she could only grab one cup of milk, meaning… They shared the glass. She felt giddy, really. She didn't want to be weird about it, so she played it off like a champ, but totally just shared an indirect kiss with her!
She couldn't stop the grin on her face even if she wanted to.
She started humming happily as she kicked a pebble off the side of the room.
She even started skipping around like a childish baby, laughing a peek-a-boo.
That was when she paused to look back at Caitlyn's room. She was perfectly hidden behind one of the Kiramman's hedges, so she had plenty of time to kill. That was when she frowned, noticing smoke near her room. She took a step back and as she squinted at the black line, rising in the air. Her face dropped when she realized what that was.
Fire.
"C-Caitlyn!"
She never ran so fast back to her room. By the time she was at the foot of Caitlyn's window, the fire was out of control. A chill went down her spine as she quickly climbed the window in panic.
"Caitlyn!"
She felt tears building up in her eyes as she climbed as fast as she could.
"Caitlyn! Can you hear me? CAITLYN!"
She finally climbed her ass through the window sill before flinching when a burning beam fell down on her. She dodged it before quickly scanning the room for any signs of her friend when she thought she heard a squeal.
"Caitlyn?"
She quickly shielded her face before running in that direction.
"Caitlyn!"
Her skin was on fire, and she felt the hair on her arms get singed from how intense the heat was. It hurt to breathe and she was tearing up from all the smoke in the air. That was when she saw a speck of dark blue hair. Her face fell.
"CAITLYN!"
She quickly ran over before pulling off the drawer that fell on her.
"Hang in there, I got you!"
She did her best to pull her out and when she did, she gasped. Her side was badly burnt and her hand began shaking as she cupped Caitlyn's face.
"C-Caitlyn…?"
Caitlyn groaned in pain before coughing in agony.
Thank god.
She was alive.
But, not if they stayed here any longer. Vi did her best to support Caitlyn onto her feet. She was careful not to touch her left side, where she had been horribly burned, before dragging her to the window and carefully helping her outside. It was a whole process, but by the time she was on the patch of grass outside her window, Vi cupped her face before trying to wake her up.
"Caitlyn…?" She tried shaking her lightly, "Caitlyn?"
Her friend only groaned, but before she could confirm that Caitlyn was okay, Vi was dragged off of her. Paramedics came running as firefighters began putting out the flames. Everything happened so fast and one second, Vi was happy that they were helping her friend, the next, she was getting arrested and crying out for help.
And that was the starting point of where everything went wrong.
Vi twisted the end of her cigarette into the ashtray, burying the embers into decaying dust. Her hand was still itching with the need to do something, anything, so she thought about smoking another one, but she decided not to because she didn't know how long she'd be stuck here. She doubted that the motel had any, but if need be, she'd ask the receptionist if they sold anything. She then cracked her neck before rolling her shoulder, trying to ease up her aching bones and sore muscles. She could use a shower about now. Her clothes were still soaked in sweat and, better yet, she didn't have a spare change of clothes.
What a fucking fantastic day.
xXx
Caitlyn wasn't surprised to see the room empty when she came back. The silly part of her would have made fun of Vi for walking off without the key, but with everything that had happened between them, she doubted Vi would've come here in the first place. So, instead, she sat in the room alone, just contemplating what she knew and thought was true. Her parents told her that Vi was the culprit of the fire. She didn't believe them, of course, and once she was old enough, she looked at the record herself.
She still called horse-shit because there was no incriminating evidence besides her so-called confession.
But even then, deep inside, that didn't stop the crippling fear and anxiety. She spent months in the hospital recovering from her painful burns, and during that time, she thought a lot about what happened. She honestly didn't know what happened. One second, she was putting away the plate and glass that Vi and her cleaned out, the next, she was skipping back to her room with a smile on her face. Then, all of a sudden, she was knocked out by a blunt object before waking up in the hospital with severe injuries.
It was a hard-to-believe story, and all she wanted was a chance to talk to Vi. Her parents forbade it and no matter how many times she tried sneaking off to visit Vi, she was stopped by some bodyguard or even security. She hated her birth rights in these instances and when she finally managed to lose track of them, on the day Vi was going to be released, she was only greeted with absence.
It shattered her heart once more and because of her actions, Caitlyn had no choice but to give in and trust what others had told her. That Vi started the fire. That she only became friends with her to take advantage of her wealth. That she was a selfish and lying criminal from the slums. She couldn't think that of Vi. It was hard accepting that Vi left and abandoned her. It was hard coming to reason that she'd never come back.
At least, that was until now.
A knock on the door made Caitlyn look up, "Yes?"
"It's me." The voice, Vi, called back.
She let out a breath before making her way. She opened it and the second she landed sight on Vi, something had changed. She no longer saw the criminal in the interrogation room. She saw Violet. Even if her red hair was dyed black, dulling all of her attractive and endearing qualities, she saw the same girl she fell for as a young teen. Caitlyn couldn't look at her the same. She just couldn't.
"Don't look at me with those eyes."
"Pardon?"
Vi scoffed lightly before turning away. "Don't pity me."
"I wasn't—" She finally helped herself inside and brushed past her. Caitlyn frowned before shutting the door. Vi began rummaging around and she frowned before asking. "What are you doing?"
"Looking for a spare change of clothes." She then grabbed her shirt before lifting it off her skin, "Soaked in sweat, remember?"
"Oh…" She frowned before looking toward the closet. She then opened it, only to find a few coat hangers and slippers. She sighed before shrugging off her jacket. "Here, you can use mine."
Vi immediately frowned. "And why would I do that?"
"Because there aren't any clothes, Violet. You can just use mine and wash yours in the meantime." She then nodded toward the window, "I've had to extend our stay, and they don't exactly have a souvenir shop with tacky tees."
A snort escaped Vi's lips and that surprised Caitlyn. She smiled, and the second Vi noticed that she cleared her throat. "Fine. Hand it over," she then held out her hand in a demanding way.
Rolling her eyes, Caitlyn began shrugging off her jacket, thankful, she always layered up. "Do you ever say thank you?" She then handed it off to Vi.
Vi stood there in silence for a split second before turning away. She went inside the bathroom before pausing and speaking in a soft voice. "Thanks." She shut the door after that.
Caitlyn felt her body loosen up the second she was gone. She was tense for no reason, well, not without reason. She had a lot of unresolved feelings with Vi and well, she just… she just wanted an explanation. She needed to know the truth and the person who knew the whole picture behind the fire ten years ago was right here, in front of her.
She needed to get the answers from her somehow.
When Vi finally emerged from the shower, Caitlyn snapped her jaw shut and gulped. Her jacket barely fit on Vi, thanks to her muscular and broad shoulders, and for some reason, she looked ten times more attractive than earlier. Her hair was still damp, and Caitlyn had to turn away when Vi reached over and shoved her dirty clothes into the washing machine. She then hit a few buttons, starting it up, before facing her.
Silence hung again, but this time, Vi didn't walk away.
She just walked over to the TV and flipped on some channel, before dropping onto the couch. She started changing the channels before stopping at some cheesy soap opera. Caitlyn found her eyes hovering on Vi's profile again. She took in all the details she could, from her tattoos, her piercings, her scars, and even the faint freckles she could see on her cheeks. Compared to their childhood, they seemed fainter, but all of Vi's features grew sharper but still soft and endearing as she remembered. Besides her black hair, Vi really grew into her body well.
Her eyes fell down to her arms and legs.
She was most definitely defined, and Caitlyn found her throat getting dry. She sat up, grabbed a paper cup from the coffee station, and poured herself a cup of water from the water bottle in the fridge before offering Vi some. "Any water?"
Vi's eyes flicked over to her, and she blinked before mindless answering. "Sure."
When Caitlyn handed it off to her, Vi took a sip, and the second a droplet of water trickled down her lips, she stared at it as it dripped down her neck. It made her gulp before turning away and drinking her water. They ended up sitting there in silence, watching this weird soap opera, and for a second, Caitlyn felt like things were normal. It was as if they had returned to the time they were kids when Vi snuck into her room to play.
Until she heard someone shouting, that is.
They both turned and Caitlyn shot up from her spot. She made her way to the door before pushing it open and heading outside. That was when she saw a disturbance, an older and burly Caucasian male harassing a young brunette. She frowned and right when she opened her mouth to speak, someone covered her mouth from behind.
"Don't."
It was Vi.
She immediately frowned before mumbling into her hand. She even tried pulling away, but Vi held her even tighter before dragging her back. They lost sight of the two, just narrowly, and Caitlyn slapped her hand away once Vi let up.
"What are you doing?"
"Saving your ass, what else?"
"Excuse me?" This was gold. "You're getting in the way of my job, Vi. I am a cop, it's my duty to help those in need."
Vi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure it is."
The shouting only got louder and Caitlyn tried to step in again, but Vi stopped her again. Her eyebrow twitched, and she couldn't help but snap at her. "What is your problem!" She didn't mean to raise her voice, it just happened.
That had been a mistake because she heard the guy turn their way before storming over and right when Caitlyn was about to confront him, Vi slammed her against the wall out of nowhere. What stunned her even more was when their lips came together. She wasn't sure where to react, why was Vi kissing her out of the blue or why her lips were so damn soft, and how good this felt. She ended up caving in and kissing her back.
xXx
Shit.
What was he doing here?
This wasn't good. Vi remembered this guy as one of the red flags she swore to stray away from. He was worse than the Noxian drug lords and gang bosses she dealt with. Drug trades, murder, sex trafficking, kidnapping, you name it, this guy had probably done them all. The worst part was that he despised cops and if some chump wanted to stop him, they'd end up in the hospital for months at best but probably a body bad.
How did Caitlyn not fucking know that?
He was probably on every wanted list out there, and that stupid mug of his was hard to miss. So… the more Caitlyn tried confronting him, the more she was about to pull her hair out of her skull. She really was bad at taking hints. Ever since they were kids, Caitlyn had been too kind, gullible, and innocent.
Why did she have to raise her voice?
Vi found herself pushing Caitlyn against the wall before claiming her lips. They could probably pass off as a random couple and hopefully go under his radar. Caitlyn rammed into the wall, as shocked as she could be, and the more she resisted, the more she asserted her dominance.
That's how she found herself kissing the life out of her once best friend and crush.
She tightened the grip on her neck, pulled her in close, kept her hand tight around her waist, and even drove her knee between her legs. She honestly expected Caitlyn to punch her and fight back for sexual assault before getting (pleasantly) stunned when she kissed back.
Their lips molded together and Vi couldn't help but moan. She was a better kisser than she had imagined, so it was easier to play off that as a couple when she saw him glance at them in the distance. Vi saw him judging them, probably wondering what the fuck they were doing here and if they were on to them. So… to seal the deal, Vi pulled away with a flirtatious giggle as if they were heavily in love.
"Baby… right here?" She started in a playful chortle, loud enough for him to hear yet deep enough to show they weren't acting out a scene from a movie. "Our room is right there…" She then leaned in to cover Caitlyn's face in case of bad facial reactions before kissing her neck.
Vi had to force herself to not think about how good she smelled as she pressed up against her chest and how warm her body was. She finally let her hands wander, running down her back in a sexual way as she glanced over at him again. He seemed to be annoyed but the situation before dragging the woman toward some room opposite to theirs. Vi kept an eye on him and once he was out of sight, she ripped away from Caitlyn as if she was a pest.
Caitlyn stood there with her mouth agape, clearly in shock at what just happened. Her face might have been a little redder than usual, but Vi brushed it off as the coolness from the motel's hallway. She then stuffed her hands into her pockets before walking off in his direction, but before she made it far, Caitlyn grabbed her arm.
"Vi—" She started in a flustered voice, "W-What the hell was—"
Vi quickly pivoted on her heels, slapping her mouth shut. "If you wanna catch your guy, you gotta be more quiet than that, Cupcake." She nodded her head his way before bringing up a finger to her lips, gesturing her to shush. "You're bad at this."
Caitlyn's face burned and this time, Vi smirked, knowing it was from her insult. They luckily caught sight of him just as he disappeared into a room. Vi made a mental note of what number it was before turning away and walking back to their room. This time, Caitlyn was dead on her tail.
"Vi…" She started again. "Vi."
Vi ended up sticking out her hand, indicating the room key, and Caitlyn looked (very hot) pissed. She begrudgingly grabbed the key and handed it to Vi and once she had it open, the door flung open as Caitlyn continued her pursuit.
"Vi!" She firmly said for the nth time as she slammed the door shut for privacy. "What in the bloody hell was that?"
She took a seat before shooting her an innocent look. "What was what?"
"Wha—" She looked baffled. "That! The kiss? What the hell was that? Why'd you kiss me?"
Vi rolled her eyes. "That's what I should be asking, Cupcake." She kept her head held high before walking right up into Caitlyn's face and shouting, "Do you even know who you were trying to stop? Even I know that he's a highly wanted criminal. What kind of cop are you?" She mocked with a scowl.
Caitlyn's perfectly kept eyebrow twitched. "That's—"
"Yeah, just what I thought." Vi scoffed before turning around and taking a few steps. She then paused before starting, "Next time you go acting like a big hero, you should study that wanted criminal list of yours."
She could see Caitlyn biting that lips of hers and fuck, did Vi swallow hard. She couldn't stop thinking about the kiss but thankfully, before her horny demons could react, Caitlyn went inside the bathroom and slammed the door shut. Vi immediately let out a deep breath before grabbing her mouth. She then rolled her lips together before touching her lips and mumbling to herself.
"Fuck… I wanna kiss her again."
xXx
Caitlyn grabbed her lips the second she slammed the door shut. Her cheeks were burning, and her heart was pounding in her chest. There was no way Vi just kissed. There was no way she kissed back. Why were her lips so soft? Why was she such a damn good kisser? She rolled her lips together before making eye contact with her reflection.
What was she doing?
She shook her head before pacing back and forth.
This wasn't the time to be getting distracted. That young lady from before. She needed help. Who was that guy? He looked like trouble, and she didn't need to be a detective to figure that out, however, Vi's words kept ringing in her head.
Do you even know who you were trying to stop?
She rolled her lips again in anger.
Even I know that he's a highly wanted criminal.
She couldn't forget how soft Vi's lips were.
What kind of cop are you?
The way Vi held her and caressed her body left warm indentations on her skin.
No no no. Caitlyn shook her head again before turning on the faucet and splashing her face with cold water. She shivered upon contact, appreciating the sobering shock, before pushing her hair back and looking at her reflection again. She was a detective. She swore to help the innocent and protect the weak. She needed to help that young lady before it was too late.
She frowned when Vi's voice lingered in the back of her mind.
I didn't do it.
She sighed before drying her face and walking out the door. Vi was seated on the couch with her legs crossed together as she watched some random channel. She looked like nothing happened between them at all, and that irked her. However, she pushed aside her pride. She had priorities, and helping that young lady was at the top of the list.
"Violet."
She didn't respond or react at all.
Caitlyn sighed before licking her lips and trying again.
"Vi."
This time, Vi turned. Just barely at all, however, she'd take it if it meant she could look into her powder blue eyes.
"I'm sorry for lashing out at you. This has been… a stressful situation for the both of us."
She scoffed. "You don't say."
Her eyebrow twitched, but she ignored it before pressing on. "Can you tell me about that man from earlier?" Vi tilted her head closer to face her. "I… I will admit, I don't know who he is. You mentioned a wanted list. Is he that notorious?" She tried to sound as sincere as possible, and she hoped Vi wouldn't brush her off.
Vi looked as if she was contemplating something. She took in a breath before answering her question in an unexpectedly honest tone. "The Guzzler, stupid name but as it sounds, he's known to guzzle everything. Murder, rape, theft, you name it. He has probably done them all."
It slipped out of her tongue before Caitlyn knew what she was saying. "Worse than yours?"
Her eyes widened and she looked surprised. Hurt almost, and Caitlyn instantly regretted it, but before she could explain herself, Vi gave her a small smile. "Yeah, worse than mine, Cupcake." She turned away before continuing her explanation. "In simple words, he hates cops. Not one to hesitate to kill them or hurt them so bad they remember who they are."
Caitlyn missed looking into her eyes already.
"That's the guy you were trying to stop. If he knew you were a cop, it wouldn't end well for you or the girl. You can't be reckless with guys like him. You'd need a plan. A fucking good one at that, too."
Biting her lip, Caitlyn frowned before treading lightly. "Is he that dangerous?"
"Heh," Vi chuckled before changing the channel. "Not the type of guy I would want to fight with."
Humming in silence, Caitlyn let her mind wander off. She could call for backup. She would have to if Vi was telling the truth. But did she trust her? After their strained history… she wouldn't lie. It was hard to do so, but her gut was telling her that it was alright. That she could trust Vi. She looked up to face Vi.
Violet was…
"What happened ten years ago, Violet?"
Vi froze in place. She turned to meet her eyes before sighing and looking away.
"Please Violet, no, Vi, please tell me what happened ten years ago. What did you mean when you said you didn't do it? What didn't you do? Why did you save me if you started the fire?" She was desperate and if what Vi claimed to be true wasn't what she believed happened after all these years, she didn't know how she'd react.
A moment of silence passed before Vi looked her way again. Her eyes wavered before she started in a quiet voice. "I…"