Vi drift aimlessly in her sleep. She's dreaming. Dreaming that she's flying, soaring weightlessly like an astronaut on the moon.
No, wait.
Vi isn't asleep. And she's not dreaming. She's in her bed. But she must be asleep. Her mind is swimming. She's in an awkward state of floating consciousness. Pictures roam inside of her head. There's one of her and Jayce where she's blowing out her birthday candles. There are 12 candles on the cake. Jayce smears whipped cream onto her nose.
She's drifting out of the memory and into another one.
As if dropped from the ceiling, Vi suddenly sits in a leather chair. She hears Caitlyn laugh. She's sitting in front of Vi, covering her mouth with the back of her hand while she's squinting her eyes shut from laughter. Vi is the one who made her laugh, she remembers. She was telling Caitlyn about how she'd head budded an agent in the face after he insulted her – she'd hit him so hard it made his toupee fly off. It isn't supposed to be funny. It isn't a joke. The incident got her banned from the cafeteria. Vi notices how desperately Caitlyn is trying to hold back her laughter, but her struggles are useless. When Caitlyn starts laughing, Vi can't help but laugh too. She realizes it is kind of funny. Normally, Caitlyn doesn't laugh when it comes to violence. Jayce isn't with them, he's in the bathroom. They're finally alone together.
"You know," Caitlyn says, "you're intriguing. Bold. Perhaps a little rebellious. You're real"
Memories blur together, Vi loses touch with anything that's real. Her blood is suffocating on adrenaline. She's gripping the sheets; her world is spinning. Caitlyn's face morphs into something truly unknown. Her eyes are unrecognizable. Mouth spreads into an evil grin.
"You couldn't save Ekko," she mocks.
Caitlyn tears her from her dreams. She might have gasped; she might even have screamed.
"You're awake, you're awake, you're awake," she repeats to herself as she drops her face into her palms.
Sweat is soaking through her tank. Hair sticks to her forehead.
"You're safe," she gasps. "You're safe."
In the end, she can't fight it anymore. She's crying. Weeping softly into her hands. She went to The LockSmith after the family dinner. It was their place. It makes her feel close to Ekko. She sat in their booth. Touched the carvings Ekko made in the wooden benches. Afterwards, she went home. She let herself drift into a restless slumber. Her body is pounding. She feels every heartbeat in her fingertips.
Ekko and Vi would go out and have fun. She thought being at the bar would bring back good memories. It didn't. This is self-destructive. It needs to stop.
The pillow is soaked in sweat. Or drool – she can't tell for sure. Tiny people are screaming inside of her head, they are the people of exhaustion. They won't stop screaming, and she just wants to punch them all. Her alarm clock goes off ten seconds later, and she jumps. The people scream louder. She claps twice and the alarm shuts off. She hurls herself out of bed, dragging her feet to the bathroom. She has an unread message from Caitlyn.
Caitlyn Talis Kiramman (06:30): Good morning, Vi. Do we still have an appointment tonight? Jayce is also asking if you can send him your work schedule.
Oh, Caitlyn. Always so formal. Vi starts typing.
Vi Stryker (07:01): SYNTAX ERROR; MESSAGE NOT RECEIVED
Caitlyn Talis Kiramman (07:02): He told me you'd write that.
Vi Stryker (07:02): oh hey, Caitlyn, I just got your message! Sure, I'll see you tonight. You can tell Jayce my computer has unfortunately died in an awful dishwasher accident. Tragic.
Caitlyn Talis Kiramman (07:02): You don't own a dishwasher.
Vi Stryker (07:03): Lies.
Caitlyn Talis Kiramman (07:03): I'll just say you haven't received it yet.
Vi Stryker (07:03): Thanks, Caitlyn. I owe you one.
It's easy pretending to be okay through a phone. Or maybe it's just easy with Caitlyn.
Vi is four minutes late for work. She could've strangled the voice welcoming her to level 87. She sits down in her chair and puts her boots up on the table. Claggor sits in front of her and takes a sip of his coffee. He takes one look at her and says:
"You look like shit," and he means it.
She pinches the bridge of her nose. Not today. She can't have Claggor on her back again today.
"You know, I feel like we've had this conversation before," she retorts. "Maybe it would be easier if you just started commenting on the days I look un-shitty. Would save you a lot of trouble."
Claggor doesn't find it funny. He shuts off his computer and faces her.
"What happened to you?" He asks.
"Nothing. Don't want to talk about it."
"Why not?"
"I just don't okay. It's been a long night."
She's not about to tell him she drank until midnight at the LockSmith, went home and rubbed one out thinking of Caitlyn and then fell asleep. She's not about to tell him about her night terrors. Those involve Caitlyn, and that means no one can know. The only person who could know about it is gone.
"Don't tell me you managed to get drunk during a family dinner."
"I'm glad you think so highly of me," Vi snarls. His attitude is starting to piss her off. "I just didn't sleep much, is all. Stop judging me."
Vi starts punching random numbers into a spreadsheet to look busy. Claggor is staring at her intensely.
"You know, I thought you'd at least start letting me in after last night. I guess not," he says disappointed.
Vi scoffs loudly. This conversation is bullshit.
"Fuck you. Crying into your shirt like a child doesn't magically fix everything, Claggor."
"No, but I thought you'd at least let this tough act go. I thought I'd made it pretty clear that you're not alone in this."
Claggor really did expect things would change overnight. Even Vi knows that that's asking a lot from someone. He gets up and leaves. She knows he is on his way to the changing rooms. After a few minutes, she follows him. They change in silence, putting on their thin layer of body armor in the form of a single tank top. All changing rooms have been co-ed since 2145. People barely see gender today. Even bathrooms have been unisex since 2121.
She pulls her shirt back on and strap on her boots. Claggor is standing by the door, ready to leave. None of them speak in the elevator. Claggor puts his thumb on the wall.
LEVEL 23, APF HOVERCRAFT BASEMENT. WELCOME AGENT CLAGGOR MARLOWE.
The doors slide open, and Claggor quickly steps out without waiting for her. They don't discuss who's driving, Claggor just gets in the driver's seat. Vi silently sits in the passenger seat as they fly out of the gates. She looks out the window. There's a long way down. Vi starts sweating.
"Put your seatbelt on," Claggor snaps.
With annoyance, she presses the button that buckles her up, dramatically overdoing her movements to show how obedient she's acting.
"Of course, your majesty. Forgive me, your majesty," she bows once.
"Stop that," he sighs.
"Then stop being so far up my ass about everything," she snarls.
Claggor clenches his jaw. Good. She's fucking pissed. He deserves it.
"You know what? I'm just fucking worried about you. You're trying to get through this all on your own. I'm trying to show you I'm here to help. If you want to piss all over that, fine. But don't come crying on my shoulder when you can't take it anymore."
Vi knows they're good again in ten minutes, Claggor and her never stay mad at each other for long.
"You're pushing me, Claggor. Can't you see that? And you're not doing it for me, you're doing it for you!"
That shuts him up. He looks a little ashamed after what she has said. Everything is such a mess.
Claggor lands on one of the APF designated parking spots. They exit the vehicle and secure their guns on their belts. Together they walk towards Downtown Arret, ready for a few hours of patrol. People don't look at them as they pass. Many avoid eye contact, simply out of fear of authority. It's something Vi got used to after a year on the job. At first, she was upset, the last thing I wanted to do was spread fear. But she learned that to maintain order, a decent amount of fear is necessary.
They patrol the perimeter, finally moving in towards the rougher part of town. The buildings tower over them, standing so close that they block the sun (at least the few rays that manage to shine through the smog).
They walk along the darkened dirty streets of Downtown Arret. Graffiti stains the walls. Vandalism like this could easily get someone arrested, if they were caught in the act. The walls are plastered with:
"FREE ZAUN"
"FUCK THE ATLACK"
"KILL THE GOVERNMENT"
"FREE PILTOVER"
"ZAUNITE SCUMS!"
The air is thick, reeking of garbage and booze. Some of the local drunks hang out at the bars here during the day. Street fights tend to happen in these areas, so they keep a close watch to large groups of people hanging out outside the bars. Many are puffing smokes and drowning their sorrows in cheap, low-quality beer. They're harmless. Most of the time.
The ground feels sticky beneath Vi's boots. She moves a hand to her belt, hooking her thumb into the waistband of her army pants.
"Boozers, three o'clock," Vi hears Claggor mumble.
Claggor nods towards a large group of middle-aged maintenance drinkers outside one of the bodegas. They are being loud, but so far not disturbing anyone. Claggor has this walk, it's like he's using his upper body to move his legs. It makes him appear bigger. Scarier. Claggor uses his size to his advantage. It's a good trick. Claggor normally lets Vi play bad cop. He's way too nice to play bad cop, his biggest weakness is his sympathy. Vi's temper goes from one to zero in a millisecond. That's her trick; that's her advantage. When she's in control of it, at least.
They strut past the group, eyeing them warningly. None of them pays them any mind. They're laughing, drinking, and shouting. Way too preoccupied to acknowledge the law and order passing by. Claggor keeps his head up high, nose in the air, jaw clenched.
Vi feels the warmth expelled from the bar as they pass the door. The smell is disgusting, and she feels as if her nose hair has been burned off. She turns her head away from the stench. That's when she notices something. She sees a person wearing a hood. A black hood. Her pulse is pounding in her neck. The person wearing it is standing with his side to them. She can't see his face, but her blood is already boiling for some reason. She knows it can't be Ekko's murderer… and yet, how could she be so sure? She realizes that everyone can wear a black hood, and this person just happens to have the same physique as the person she'd chased.
The person in the hood turns to her, and she notices it's a woman. She shoots Vi an angry stare, her deep blue eyes boring into Vi's. She has long blue hair that reaches just below her waist, and pale white skin. She's young. Too young to be standing outside a bodega and drink herself to death. She can't be much younger than Vi. The hood is big on her, it swallows her hands in its sleeves. Only a pale white hand sticks out to clasp around the blue bottle of liquor. It strikes her that she has stopped, Claggor being a whole of ten steps ahead of her.
"What're you looking at, Fat Hands?" The woman growls.
Vi can't deny the sparks of anger that ignite within her. Her neurons snap, urging her to put this girl in her place. Instead, she decides to snort at the nickname.
"Fuck off, Kid," Vi growls.
The girl's lips are dark purple. The unusual cleanliness is conspicuous. Only the dirt under her nails and circles under her eyes keeps up the façade of her belonging here. Everything else is off. Her skin is too smooth, she's too young, and her clothes are too nice. Maybe she's new.
"Don't tell me what to do," the girl snarls, taking a step forward and drinks out of the blue bottle.
Claggor appears behind Vi, she can see his shadow next to her. Vi doesn't turn around, she doesn't want her to think she's in need of his assistance. Vi clears her throat, her brows come together in an angry expression.
"You do exactly what we tell you to do. Now go do whatever the fuck you were doing," Vi says.
The girl throws the bottle lazily and it shatters on the sidewalk. With long lazy steps, she approaches Vi. People around them are falling quiet, all eyes are on Vi and the girl. No one steps in to defend her. Normally these people stick together like glue, but this girl doesn't seem to be part of the group. Mostly, people just seem to be scared and annoyed by her display.
"Sheesh, Lady. What are you playing big hero for, I wasn't doing anything," she taunts.
The girl is toying with her, playfulness evident in her voice. She even smiles a little. Vi really doesn't want the trouble of bringing this girl in.
"Last chance. Go back to the bar, or you're under arrest," she warns her.
Vi's voice doesn't miss a beat. She looks her dead in the eye. Vi feels Claggor move closer, he sees the glint in the girl's eyes, just as Vi does. This is going to end badly. In Vi's peripheral, she sees Claggor hover his foot above the ground, ready to stomp into the gravel to extract the blade hidden in his boot. It's usually enough to make a thug step back.
"That's bullshit, and you know it!" The girl shouts.
Vi sees the vein in her neck pop out. Her eyes are wide, crazy looking. The skin on her face carries an ashy complexion.
Claggor takes a step around Vi and approaches the girl, grabbing her by the arm about to escort her back to the bar. The girl twists out of his grip and suddenly targets Vi. She bends her knees the slightest, ready to stand her ground as the girl shoves her strenuously in the chest. Vi feels the girls' fingers dig roughly into her sternum, and she grits her teeth in anger.
Vi doesn't want to hurt her. Yet, she can't deny it'll be satisfying putting this girl on her ass. With her elbow, Vi digs into the girl's shoulder. She follows with a punch to her stomach, which makes the girl double over. The girl wheezes and laughs at the same time.
"There you go, Fat Hands! Nice shot!" The girl cheers, coughing desperately.
Vi rolls her eyes. This girl enjoys a spectacle. At least no one sticks around to enjoy the show. Vi gives Claggor a nod, allowing him to strap her in and take over from here. He reaches out to grab her, she's still giggling a little. Suddenly, the girl turns defensively, stepping beneath Claggor's arms and charges towards Vi. With as much power the girl can muster, she throws a punch at Vi's face. Vi doesn't have time to duck, so she braces herself. The fist collides with her cheek, she feels the skin rip open. Is she wearing a fucking ring?
Vi stumbles backwards as Claggor puts her in a hold down, pinning her mercilessly to the ground. She takes a few moments to shake the blow off. Blood trickles down her cheek, onto her chin. As Vi cuffs her, she feels a painful throb in her left eye. It stings and it's already swollen.
The whole scene is uncoordinated. Unprofessional. Claggor and Vi can't read each other yet. They aren't one mind in two bodies like partners are supposed to be. Claggor handles it clumsily. The dulling effect of Vi's restless night doesn't help them either.
"You ok?" Claggor mouths as he holds down the uncooperative woman.
Vi nods and shrugs; she has had worse. She's very aware of all the bystanders watching them. She's still surprised no one is intervening. Vi was prepared to whip her taser darts out by now. And yet. This is her first patrol uprooting conflict with Claggor as her partner. Perhaps his entire physique is what keeps the boozers from interfering. Ekko was smooth. Coordinated. Smart. But never the size of Claggor.
"C'mon. Let's take her back to HQ," Claggor says and rips the girl from the ground easily.
She's on her feet now, yelling all sorts of nasty things about the APF. Vi realizes after a few minutes that the girl is not going to shut up, so she slaps a silencer over her mouth – it's basically duct tape but jacked with a few technological gadgets that makes the subject unable to speak without harming them. One of Vi's favorite inventions. Ekko used to slap one on her mouth when they had fun in their patrol hovercrafts. It feels as if your mouth goes numb.
Claggor puts her in the back compartment of the vehicle. Afterwards he takes the wheel and flies them back to headquarters. The girl in the backseat is kicking her feet up against the glass that divides the car. At one point, she's upside down. Then she starts tapping the window with a happy rhythm. Vi clicks on the noise cancelling feature.
Claggor rubs the back of his head. His hair truly looks atrocious.
"Hey…," he starts. "I'm sorry.".
"Don't worry about it," Vi says dismissively as she wipes at the dried blood on her face.
It's quiet for a few seconds.
"I just want to help… and I don't know how to do that," he says.
Claggor smiles tightly. Vi looks at her hands. She nods once.
He really just has no idea what to do.
Vi is suddenly doubting her judgment. This isn't a good idea; she realizes that now. But how could she ever say no to her? She has this pull on her, just like the moons and the tides. She pulls back, Vi follows.
She's standing outside her front door. She's stupid, she decides. Stupid for talking herself into this. She's not stable. She's not a stable person anymore. She's a chemical ready to blow up the lab. She doesn't know which chemical. Something that goes bang! She was never good at chemistry.
Vi starts doubting whether she can handle this. Talking about Ekko kills her.
Vi must trust Caitlyn won't push her beyond her breaking point. She can't imagine Caitlyn ever doing so. She's too careful to do that. She's too caring and thoughtful. And she knows Vi.
Vi looks down to note that her shoes and shirt are in order. Nothing is on backwards and she's wearing a matching set of boots. They're her work boots, but at least she had the decency not to show up in uniform. She's wearing a white tee and dark blue jeans. Simple and sophisticated. This part of town is so clean, the people here equally so. She's rarely self-conscious about what to wear, but she suddenly is the moment she waves her hand in front of the door to ring the doorbell. She huffs a breath of air into her palm and sniffs it, just for good measure. The door slides open with a swoosh, and on the other side stands Caitlyn with a gentle smile on her face.
"Wow, you look great," Caitlyn says.
It's quite the leap going from 'you look like shit,' spoken by your friend, to 'wow, you look great' said by the person you've been in love with for two years.
"Thank you…" Vi murmurs. "You look…" she looks her up and down. You look like a goddess. The absolute most gorgeous creature on Runeterra and then times a billion. "… good."
Caitlyn's eyes light up. Vi steps inside, feeling the floorboards chirr beneath her shoes. You rarely stumble upon anyone with wooden floors anymore. It's either white plastic or grey cement. She takes off her jacket and hangs it on the hallstand.
Vi suddenly feels something grazing her left eye. She looks up and sees Caitlyn's hand near her face. Her fingertips are lightly running over the bruise on Vi's cheek. Her touch tickles the aching skin. It doesn't hurt, and even if it did, Vi would never tell her.
"What happened to you?" She asks.
Caitlyn's eyebrows furrow in concern. Vi is scared Caitlyn suspects she was in a bar fight or something equally witless. She'd hoped Caitlyn wouldn't notice it, but it's hard to hide the angry darkening bruise around her eye. The cut isn't deep, the disinfectant and a butterfly bandage do the job.
Vi fights the urge to lean into Caitlyn's touch. Her fingers are cold. She wants to kiss them warm.
"Patrol. It looks worse than it is," Vi assures her.
Caitlyn frowns, brushes her fingertips against Vi's face one last time before she drops her hand.
"They have you on patrol?"
Vi is a little surprised Caitlyn doesn't know. She was certain that Jayce would've told her after his talk with Claggor the other day. Vi follows her into the living room, walking just a step behind her. Her eyes linger a little too long on Caitlyn's waist.
"Just for a while. The chief won't assign me any cases until things have calmed down."
Caitlyn nods understandingly. Her hands are neatly folded in front of her as she walks. Her shoulders are pulled back, she carries herself so nobly.
"Where's Jayce tonight?" Vi wants to change the subject.
The living room looks exactly like the last time she saw it. Vi hasn't been here for more than a year. Being here reminds her of everything that she can't have. The floor is a deep brown color and the walls a light green. Two big leather chairs stand by the fireplace in the middle of the room, and she remembers Caitlyn telling her last time that they belonged to her deceased father.
"Working," Caitlyn answers lightly. "He has a presentation on a new project him and his partner are about to launch. He'll probably be gone most of the night."
Jayce develops technologies that help the city's infrastructure. The enormous expansion of the Piltover City, and its exponential growth have been thanks to a device Jayce has designed and built. Vi isn't exactly sure how it works. It's some sort of self-sustaining power unit they can use at the construction sites. Apparently, it has increased effectivity with 78%.
Vi tries smiling at the fact that business is going well for her brother, and Caitlyn smiles back. Meanwhile, she notices the bookshelves covering the entire wall to her left. The shelves go from floor to ceiling and are filled entirely with old books. Books are a rarity; everything is digital now. Just anything real is hard to come by these days. She's amazed by Caitlyn's collection, because heaven knows it isn't Jayce's. Vi walks a few steps towards the massive collection of literature. Randomly, she picks one out and uses her thumb to run through all the pages. It's a novel by Emily Bronte, one that Vi can't say that she has read.
"Wow… I almost forgot what books smell like," Vi mumbles.
Caitlyn is standing right behind her. Vi tells herself that she can feel Caitlyn's breath on her neck, and she feels dizzy. Maybe if she turns her head, she can kiss her cheek. If she turns around, she can kiss her lips. And if she steps out in the rain, she'll get wet. Now that we are stating the obvious.
"It's funny that you picked that one. There's a quote in here that always reminds me of you...," Caitlyn says.
Caitlyn gently takes the book from Vi's grasp and turns to a page marked with a dog-ear. She clears her throat once and parts her lips to start reading.
"'She was a wild, wicked slip of a girl. She burned too bright for the world'."
Vi have no idea what the quote means, but it sounds nice. And a little sad too. But just the fact that Caitlyn thinks about her, and things remind her of Vi, is enough to set her on fire with love and desire. The fact that she dog-eared a page for Vi makes her stomach flutter.
In response, Vi delivers a crooked smile. One of those smiles without teeth. Caitlyn smiles back and squeezes Vi's shoulder. She likes Caitlyn's touch, but she's not sure of what to think of the gesture. It's just so… friendly.
Her smile is now replaced with a smirk. She has a mischievous glint in her eyes. Vi looks at her wonderingly. Caitlyn's lips tug lightly upwards, and she grabs Vi's hand to lead her to one of the leather chairs.
"Wait here, I got something for you," and off she goes, placing the book back on the shelf and disappears into the kitchen. Vi sits down in the meantime, nearly moaning by how comfortable the chair is. She could fall right asleep in this thing.
Caitlyn returns a moment later, holding a box in her hands. She grins, and Vi loves seeing her like this, seeing the playful Caitlyn. Caitlyn drops down next to her in the same chair. There's enough room for both of them, if they squeeze together. Finally, she pulls open the box and reveals a few wrapped treats. She offers it to Vi, urging her to take one.
"I noticed you had a little trouble eating last night, so I thought this might help. Jayce told me how much you loved these as a kid."
Vi is speechless. Holy shit. She takes one from the box and holds it as if it's unreal. As if it was about to crumble into dust, and leak through her fingers like sand.
Vi notices a scintilla of satisfaction on Caitlyn's face. For the first time in a very long time, Vi allows herself to get excited over something. In this case, a chocolate bar.
"Holy… where did you get this?" Vi asks in disbelief.
Caitlyn smiles playfully.
"I have my ways," is all she leaves Vi with.
Her voice is mellifluous. Vi feels the goosebumps rise on her neck.
Chocolate is a rare luxury to come by. In 2128 the war between Demacia and Noxus began, two countries on the northern part of the hemisphere. Demacia, being the sole exporter of cocoa, was nearly wiped out by a nuclear bomb that Noxus dropped on them in the late 2131's. Most of the cocoa plantations were ruined in the process. Chocolate producers all over the world went bankrupt since cocoa became such a rare crop. Only a few factories remain, but chocolate prices are sky high since the cocoa is now imported from Iona. After the war ended in early 2132, Noxus found the resources to produce chemically engineered chocolate which pleased most people's chocolate cravings. The demand was high, and Demacia was out of the picture since most of the land remains radioactive up until this date.
When Vi was eleven, she tasted real chocolate for the first time. Ever since, she hasn't been able to choke down the artificial crap.
Some managed to store a stash of Demacia's old products in some of the Zonxo fridges the Zaunites invented during critical times in Piltover's history, when a new airborne virus threatened the world. The fridges can store all kinds of food, including fresh foods up to ten years without decaying. They helped many Piltovians in their hideouts until the virus could be neutralized. The Zaunites seemed to be immune to this disease, and so Piltover was left with a pandemic knocking on their door.
However, Zaun was still in a critical position since they wouldn't have made it long without Piltover's trades. Despite the then current segregation between the two nations, trade was still a necessity between them. Long story short, thank you to Sky Young from Zaun, for finding a cure. She looked past the war histories, the oppression between their races, and created a vaccine every Piltovian child is injected with a few months after birth. That woman sure earned her spot in the history books.
Vi is sitting with the chocolate bar in her hand, faintly recognizing Demacia's old product name "Jericho Bars." It was like holding a little piece of her childhood.
"Thank you, Caitlyn. I don't even know what to say," Vi mumbles stupidly.
Vi is hit by nostalgia. The smell of the woods, the fields, the ocean. They hit her all at once. Her old room that Jayce and her shared until she became a teenager and got her own. Their mom's face when she watched them find the chocolate bars under their pillows one night. Her eyes are stinging.
A genuine smile spreads upon Caitlyn's lips. Caitlyn places a hand on her knee, and Vi's breath almost hitches. The touch disappears almost immediately.
"Just promise me you'll try to eat something," Caitlyn's voice is full of warmth.
Vi nods in agreement to the promise. Like an excited child, she unwraps the chocolate bar and lets the first bite melt in her mouth. Vi leans her head back and closes her eyes, simply letting the absolute gratifying taste explode in her mouth. It tastes like a hard day of labor; it tastes like hours working in the fields under an unforgiving sun. It tastes like home in the most primal sense of the word. It tastes like Vander padding her shoulder after a job well done. It tastes like Ekko's laugh when they goofed around in the office.
Caitlyn chuckles beside her, enjoying the sight of Vi relishing in something as simple as a chocolate bar. Caitlyn props her elbow onto the armrest and leans her head in her hand.
"Have you ever had one?" Vi asks.
"I can't say I have," Caitlyn answers. "Anything pre-wrapped wasn't befitting the Kiramman estate," Caitlyn says with a hint of sarcasm.
Vi doesn't hesitate to raise the chocolate bar to Caitlyn's mouth, offering her a bite. Caitlyn puts a hand on Vi's arm.
"It's yours, Vi. You don't have to share."
"I know," Vi says reassuringly, but doesn't lower the chocolate bar.
Caitlyn's fingers wrap around Vi's hand, leading the chocolate towards her mouth. Vi's stomach flips in agony. Carefully, Caitlyn takes a bite. As Caitlyn chews, she guides their hands towards Vi's mouth, prompting Vi to accept another bite. Caitlyn doesn't let go until Vi sinks her teeth into the chocolate.
"Does it live up to Kiramman standards?" Vi teases.
Caitlyn finishes her bite, wiping the corners of her mouth daintily.
"It does," Caitlyn concludes. "Don't tell my mother though."
They both smile. Caitlyn's thumb finds the corner of Vi's mouth and wipes a little spec chocolate off her face. She does this so casually. Vi's belly tightens and she can't devour another bite so suddenly. Someone tied a rope around her stomach, closing it off, making it refuse any more food.
"I missed your smile, Vi," Caitlyn says, and it makes Vi feel so special. "We all have," she adds, and Vi doesn't feel so special anymore.
Caitlyn asks if they should start the interview. Vi nods, wraps up the chocolate bar and stick it in her pocket.
Caitlyn adopts a professional posture. She moves away from Vi to the chair next to her. Caitlyn is really old school. She's sitting with a notepad and a pen. They don't even sell those things at the store anymore. She must've had it specially made. The cover of her notepad is decorated the with Kiramman family crest. She clicks the pen and clears her throat. Her legs are crossed, and her back is straight.
"So. Tell me about Ekko," Caitlyn says.
She looks up, sparing Vi a glance from those observant halcyon eyes. It's a pretty wide question. This doesn't seem like a question a professional journalist would ask. Vi leans back in the chair lazily, sliding down while putting one leg over one of the armrests. Her shirt rides up just a little. She rubs her forehead and closes her eyes. Vi can feel Caitlyn's stare linger.
Vi snorts half-heartedly. One of those hurt noises that she tries to cover with a nonchalant huff.
"Ekko was just… good. A good person. With a good heart," Vi's eyes grow distant. She tries not to blink. "He was also a pain in the ass. We had a lot of fun together."
Caitlyn isn't writing anything down, she just listens.
"I remember this one time where Ekko slapped a silencer over one of the senior agent's mouths. It had a fingerprint override, he'd designed himself. That old jerk couldn't speak for the good of three hours because Ekko was called to a scene. The chief had to call him back and forced him to unlock it," Vi laughs, although it's a bitter kind of laugh.
Caitlyn smiles, but she doesn't laugh along.
"He was also the bravest person I know," Vi says, vanishing in memories. They flood her, like waves washing over her. "Did you know that he saved me from drowning once?"
Caitlyn looks surprised. Vi have never shared any details about past missions before. She looks intrigued, leaning forwards, as if to insinuate for Vi to go on.
"We were on a mission east of Fjeljord. We were still green, so we only ran support. But we still ran into trouble. I can't tell you all the details, but we were being chased. The water had frozen over. There was snow everywhere, we couldn't see the ice. But apparently, I was smackdown in the middle of it. I fell through because my gear was so heavy, and I sunk directly to the bottom. I thought I was gonna die," Vi tells. "Ekko he just… jumped right in after me. No hesitation. He cut my gear loose. The currents were strong, and we couldn't find a hole in the ice. It was so dark down there."
Vi is lost in thought. Shivers run up her spine. She rolls her shoulder, tilts her head to make the ache go away.
"How'd you survive?" Caitlyn asks, her voice low in awe.
"Ekko. He plunged a knife into the ice to stop us from drifting. Then he shot a hole in the ice. We would have died from hypothermia if we hadn't drifted towards our unit. And I would have been dead without Ekko."
The smile that once decorated Caitlyn's face is gone entirely. She's looking at Vi, just silently listening. Her eyes possess this saddened expression, and she wants her to stop with that look. Vi doesn't know how to make her stop, so she just keeps going.
"Oh, and he was the best wingman in the world," Vi says to lighten the mood. "Whenever we were at The LockSmith he was just like this people-magnet, and he could make any girl talk to me. Ekko really had a way with words. He's always been able to talk his way out of problems. He even talked a suicidal woman out of shooting herself, he just kept talking to her until she put down the gun. Ekko is just…" and Vi realizes she's talking about Ekko as if he's still here. She feels her throat constricting. She forgot she is now living in a world where he no longer exists.
"Was. He was amazing…," she adds quietly.
Vi feels anger and frustration engulf her again. As if poked by a needle, she quickly leaps to her feet. Her hands clenches into fists. She refuses to cry. She will not cry. Vi have to lean a hand against the window frame. She feels dizzy. Ekko's loss weighs so heavily on her. She'd forgotten how long they'd known each other. She'd forgotten how close they used to be. They'd hung out since she was first recruited when she was sixteen. Claggor often tagged along, but Ekko and Vi just shared something so special that she will never be able to explain.
"I get it," Caitlyn whispers. "I get it, Vi," she repeats. "When my father died, I was so… angry at the world. I wanted the pain to go away so badly. Pretending didn't feel like an option. Just allowing myself to smile made me feel like I was betraying him."
Vi can relate to everything Caitlyn is saying.
She feels something press against her from behind. She feels a body leaning into her. She feels Caitlyn's warmth against her spine. Everything inside her hurts, and Caitlyn just amplifies it all. Caitlyn is touching her. And this whole thing, this touch, this scene, Vi can't have, and how is a person supposed to live like that?
Like she'd just had a current of electricity jolt through her, Vi twitches out of Caitlyn's embrace.
"Maybe we should get back to the interview. I'm sure you have a lot of questions," Vi says and sits back down.
Caitlyn lingers by the window for a moment. Confusion roams her features. Hurt reflects in her eyes. Vi imagines that Caitlyn isn't sure of what to do about her. Vi wouldn't know what to do about herself either. She's sure Caitlyn feels like she's doing all the right things, and she keeps wondering why it isn't working. But for it to make sense to Caitlyn, she would have to know that Vi is in love with her.
They get back to the interview. Caitlyn is careful about wording her questions. She asks about the night Ekko died. She's forced to ask that question, Vi knows. And Vi relives it one last time for Caitlyn's sake. She asks about their professional relationship. And finally, she asks about Ekko's family. The City Journal wants a statement from them too, but Caitlyn said she refuses to contact them. She doesn't want to drag Ekko's family through more pain than necessary.
Vi tells her that Ekko's family isn't around. He was adopted, just like Vi. When Ekko was recruited, his adoptive father, Benzo, moved away from Piltover City after they started tearing down the suburbs to build skyscrapers. Benzo died shortly after their third year at the academy. Vi remembers when Ekko got the letter. He died of lung cancer as so many others. Ekko couldn't be there for him.
Caitlyn stops scribbling, and Vi bobs her knee. She had taken out the chocolate bar again because it was starting to melt in her pocket. She's nibbling on it as Caitlyn's reading through her notes.
"Have you met any members of the Atlack?" Caitlyn asks.
She stops eating. Then she shakes her head.
"The closest I have come to meeting an Atlack member was during my hearing. One was an Atlack advisor. I've never met anyone from the actual government."
Vi is curious as to why she's asking about the Atlack all of a sudden. The Atlack has nothing to do with Ekko, so why is this important for the article?
"So, in theory, you haven't met the people you're working for," Caitlyn states.
It's a simplistic way of putting it. Vi likes to think it's a little more complicated than that. She works for Piltover. Not just the Atlack. Vi shrugs, popping the last bite of chocolate into her mouth.
"Well, no, unless you count the time your mother passed by me at your wedding," Vi says through a smirk.
Caitlyn rolls her eyes, knowing exactly what Vi means.
"Don't take it personally," Caitlyn apologizes.
Vi waves her hand in a no-harm-no-foul gesture. She knows the relationship between Caitlyn and her mother is strained to say the least. Being ignored at the wedding by aspiring aristocrats doesn't offend her. She'd expected nothing less.
Vi wipes her mouth with the back of her hand.
"Thousands of people work for the government, Caitlyn," Vi argues. "It's pretty uncommon for dense flatfoots like me to actually meet them in person. Although I have a pretty clear picture of the Atlack from what I see on TV," Vi admits.
Caitlyn raises an eyebrow. She leans forward, planting an elbow on her thigh and rests her chin in her palm, her face aroused with curiosity.
"And what's your assessment then?" Caitlyn asks.
Vi massages the back of her neck. She's avoiding Caitlyn's eyes for a few seconds while thinking it over. This probably isn't a good idea.
"Are you sure you want to know?" Vi enquires.
Caitlyn's face dissolves into confusion. She shakes her head once, searching Vi's eyes for answers.
"Of course, why wouldn't I want to know?"
"Aren't you basically a member of the Atlack?" Vi poses.
"Fortunately, no. Not yet."
For reasons unknown, Vi feels like she is treading on dangerous territory. Vi understands that Caitlyn doesn't agree with her mother's politics. That much is obvious. Yet, telling Caitlyn what Vi really thinks of the Atlack is still an attack of her legacy. Sometimes, she forgets that Caitlyn is part of the upper class, part of the problem so to speak. Vi knows Caitlyn is different, she has proven herself time and time again.
"But you will be," Vi presses.
"When my mother abdicates, yes. That doesn't invalidate the fact that you have a right to your opinion," Caitlyn points out. She's speaking with such purpose. Her directness takes Vi by surprise. Still, she doubts airing her true feelings about the government council belongs within the four walls of the people most integrated into Piltover's regime without being an actual member of the Atlack.
"Cait, you're not going to lik- "
"Humor me," Caitlyn leans back into her chair with an expression that holds only encouragement.
Vi sighs. She rubs her forehead before throwing her hands in the air in defeat. Here goes nothing.
"I think they're egocentric, ignorant, self-promoting topsiders who's never endured hardship," Vi starts. "Their laws mostly apply to the lower class; people they don't give a shit about in the first place. If something can't be fixed, they throw money at the problem. They're more concerned with their fucking oysters and caviar than changing things for the little people."
The lack of expression on Caitlyn's features makes her face look as if it's cut in marble. Vi waits in anticipation, noticing how Caitlyn's fingers are toying with the pen in her hand. Then the tiniest simper reveals itself on Caitlyn's mouth.
"Gee, Vi. Tell me what you really think," she jokes.
"I warned you," Vi retorts with a snort.
They dawdle in silence for a few moments. An inundation of relief fills Vi.
"Then why work for them, if you don't mind me asking?" Caitlyn presses on.
"I'm not working for them. I'm serving Piltover."
"A Piltover that they own, according to you."
Sometimes, fragility comes in different shapes. Vi was never the type of person to be fragile like a mirror, a vase or a flower. Vi was more the type of person who was fragile like a bomb.
Vi is no one's puppet. No one owns her. She doesn't work for the councilors; she's not their minion. She's no one's hero or savior. She works for the people of Piltover – all of them, not just the fucking topsiders. Vi is a goddamn police agent and she needs to catch a fucking murderer and do her fucking job.
"What else am I supposed to do, Caitlyn?" Vi's reply comes out edgier than she intends. The ambience of the room changes, Vi's anger hangs like a cloud over her.
Caitlyn feels it, feels it heavily as Vi's mood sets the room. An urge to question Vi's sudden reaction arises, but there's no time. Caitlyn keeps her mouth shut.
"I'm no one," Vi snaps. "I'm an orphan who got thrown around between one abusive family after another until the Talis' took me in. My only skills were getting into trouble and working my ass off in the fields. Where was I supposed to go? It wasn't exactly a choice. I was practically headhunted, who says no to an offer like that when they have nothing to fall back on? I'm not smart like Jayce. I'm not gonna invent the city's new infrastructure or be the politician that leads Piltover into a new and better future. That's not me. I know how to fight to live another day. That's all I've ever known. And I'll do that for the people who can't fight for themselves too."
Vi can barely sit still any longer. It's been a long time since Vi has felt so… less than. Her eyes find Caitlyn's. Caitlyn who has gone awfully quiet, realizing too late that she has struck a nerve.
"I'm sorry," Caitlyn breaks the silence to say. She puts her notebook and pencil gently away. "I'm sorry, Vi. I didn't know."
Vi says nothing. Caitlyn didn't know. Jayce was probably too embarrassed to talk about his fucked up adoptive sister and her past. In her peripheral, Vi sees Caitlyn lift her hand only to retract it once more.
"I wasn't trying to criticize your decisions," Caitlyn states apologetically. "I was trying to understand. I'm trying to understand why more people aren't seeing the flaws in our system."
Caitlyn leans forward, her hair sways with her movements. She's trying to catch Vi's gaze, trying to lock her eyes to hers. She finally succeeds.
"I admire you, Vi," she says earnestly. "You sell yourself short. You're not a dense flatfoot. You're Piltover City APF. One of the highest regarded and highest ranked organizations in Piltover. They only send the best agents back to the capital. I've never once doubted your integrity."
The apology is genuine. Vi knows Caitlyn isn't accusing her of helping a government abuse its power. How could Caitlyn have known Vi had been a victim of a faulty system if Jayce never informed her? Maybe Caitlyn was certain of a preconceived idea that Vi had been as fortunate in her upbringing as Jayce.
"Piltover City APF Agent sounds a bit rich for the demoted guard dog over here," Vi laughs.
Caitlyn dares reach a hand over and put it on top of Vi's. Their eyes meet. Vi accepts the touch. For now.
"You're selling yourself short again. That's a temporary arrangement as far as you've explained," Caitlyn assures her.
Footsteps sound from the hallway. Caitlyn quickly removes her hand from Vi's. One of the estate cleaners passes down the hallway, probably on his way to the kitchen.
There's no point in discussing this any further. Something has been rummaging inside Vi's head ever since she saw Caitlyn's interview yesterday.
"Can I ask a question now?" Vi says.
Caitlyn looks as if she can breathe easily again. Her posture deflates, her face relaxes.
"Of course, Vi. Anything."
Vi can't sit still anymore. She needs to move around. She gets up, walks around while studying the room. Her fingers run along the spines of some of the books.
"Are you not allowed to interview your mother?" She asks.
Caitlyn's eyes follow Vi as she walks around. They fall on her pink hair, the tattoos on her neck. She watches as Vi's gentle hands caresses her literature. Vi rolls her shoulder, and Caitlyn seems to notice that too.
"I am," Caitlyn reveals. "She chooses not to allow it."
"Why?"
The wallpaper looks like it's made of silk, Vi notes. A shy collection of archery trophies is used as bookends for collection of Shakespeare plays. Caitlyn's name is on all of them.
"She doesn't support my career. She accepts it as a pastime, until I take over her seat on the council," Caitlyn tells this so matter-of-factly. As if her mother hasn't planned out her entire future. A future that is forced down her throat.
"Do you want to be a councilor?" Vi asks.
She runs her pinky over a particularly beautiful trophy. It leaves a line in the dust the trophy has collected.
"No. I wanted to become a detective,"
"Why didn't you? Why journalism?"
The profession suits Caitlyn. She's intelligent, truth-seeking, professional, calm and most important of all persistent. Detective would have been a suitable career for Caitlyn as well, Vi admits. Vi have always admired detectives. She has always been a good soldier. Not a strong investigator. Yet, anything to keep Caitlyn away from the academy, Vi supports. In a way, she's glad her parents didn't allow her to pursue that path.
"It was the closest thing to detective my parents would allow."
For many years, Vi felt trapped. Trapped in a world of abuse and violence. Looking at Caitlyn now, Vi realizes there are multiple ways to be trapped. Vi takes a step back from the bookshelves and turns to look at Caitlyn over her shoulder.
"What are you writing for?"
Dark blue brows rise in unison. Then they come together, drawn closer in thought. One word leaves Caitlyn's lips. It falls so steadily, so certainly from her lips, that Vi wonders if she's ever been asked this before.
"Truth."
Vi smiles.
"Good answer."
"Good question," Caitlyn shoots back.
Vi thinks about leaving. The interview seems over. Their conversation seems over. Yet, all she wants to do is stay, because she feels safe here, here with Caitlyn. She feels like she can relax, and she feels hungry and tired. She has completely neglected the part of her that's human ever since Ekko died.
"Let's order some food. I'm starving," she yawns and stretches her arms over her head.
Caitlyn chuckles and smiles.
"Finally, I thought you'd never eat. Let's get some food in you," Caitlyn says in relief.
They order food and eat together in the living room. Vi falls asleep on the couch and Caitlyn puts a blanket over her.
NATION: Piltover
LOCATION: The Kiramman's Mansion
YEAR: 2155
DATE: December 31st
TIME: around 2330
EVENT: New Year's Eve party
In Piltover City, there is a ridiculous tradition for crushing a ColorCrush in a handshake with someone you like. Not necessarily, a person you're in love with. It may be a friend. A brother. A parent. A colleague. A lover. Ekko and Vi usually practice this stupid tradition. Well, Ekko normally throws one at her head. A ColorCrush is basically just a sphere the size of you palm filled with dyed baby powder. They break easily. Their intended use wasn't for New Year's, but baby showers. Then suddenly it became a whole thing. Now they make ColorCrushes in all sorts of colors, and all colors have a meaning. The blue is for trust. Green is money. White is paternal love. Orange is friendship and so on and so forth.
The purple ones are the rarest. It stands for unresolved feelings. They stopped making them because the company got so many complaints about relationships being ruined over the purple ColorCrushes. Vi has never gotten a purple one. Ekko bought one off one of the academy administrators who assured him it was purple. He passed it on to Vi. He said, and Vi quotes, "may it bring you never-ending prosperity, Vi, or least let it get you laid." That was New Year's Eve three years ago. The powder was white when she crushed it against her date's palm. It was awkward. To say the least.
Not everyone is in the mood for such a frivolous tradition tonight. And not everybody is ready to greet the year 2156. Ekko makes that painfully clear.
"I'm just saying, Vi," Ekko complains. "It just isn't right without him here."
"Claggor will survive one New Year's Eve alone," she insists. "Besides. This party is way too fancy for his taste."
"He should be here."
"There's always next year."
"You don't know that," Ekko mumbles hopelessly.
"Oh, stop being so melodramatic," Vi barks at him.
The music plays, it's a live orchestra. People are dancing, not in a fun way, in a posh way. Everyone is having a good time (as good a time as one can have, attending a party Government Councilor Kiramman has arranged.) But not Ekko, for some reason. Because for some reason, Ekko isn't even trying to have a good time. He has been gloomy all evening.
"I'm not being melodramatic. In our line of work, how can you guarantee that? We're gonna be agents this year, Vi. We'll be right where the action is."
"Jeez, man. You're a fucking mood killer tonight," she complaints. "But seriously, are you okay?"
"Yeah," Ekko smiles. "I'm fine. It's just been a long year."
It has been a long year. None of them could have survived another year at the academy. They both did things they had to do. Things they don't talk about. But that's over now. Next year, they're agents. And they'll be unstoppable, Ekko and Vi.
"Tonight is your night off. Stop worrying about all the things that could go wrong and come have a drink with me. I'll even throw on one of those silly hats for you."
Ekko pretends to mull it over. He squints his eyes.
"Can I choose which one?"
"Let's not get carried away," Vi says.
She picks up a red party hat and places it on her head. Then she finds a yellow to put on Ekko's. They make a toast to nothing in particular and their gazes fall upon the room. The guests are preparing for the clock to strike twelve; some of Jayce's friends have rounded up a few chairs to jump from when the clock chimes in celebration. The older crowd have all gathered near the sitting area, enjoying a glass of whatever expensive bottle Caitlyn's parents have saved for the occasion. There is already colored powder on the floor.
Jayce is nowhere to be seen, and neither is Caitlyn. They're probably off somewhere together, celebrating in their own way. Just the thought of it makes Vi's stomach flip in repulsion.
She excuses herself to the restroom, leaving Ekko behind, in an attempt to straighten her thoughts. Tonight isn't about pining over Caitlyn or holding a grudge against Jayce. Tonight, could be about new beginnings, a fresh start for Vi. If only she would let herself believe that.
Vi stares at herself in the mirror. The scars on her face are now fully integrated in her skin, although they aren't the angry red color they were a few years ago. These particular scars she wishes hadn't stayed. She shakes her head, slapping her cheeks a few times. Blood rushes to her cheekbones, skin reddened by the hits. Vi exhales once, taps the sink a few times and leaves the restroom.
In her attempt to return to Ekko, Vi passes the kitchen. A familiar voice makes her stop in her tracks. The accent is unmistakable. Vi peaks around the corner, only to find Caitlyn standing before her mother. There she stands, Government Councilor Cassandra Kiramman, in the flesh. Vi has never once spoken to her. Despite having attended multiple of the same social gatherings, Cassandra Kiramman has never once spared Vi a glance.
Caitlyn is squeezing the skin between her eyes. Her posture exhibits clear signs of irritation.
"You're not just anybody, Caitlyn," says Cassandra, every word spoken with an edge.
"I'm aware, Mother. You never fail to remind me," Caitlyn sighs.
Vi freezes to the very spot she stands. Curiosity wins the battle against morale.
"I shouldn't have to remind you," Cassandra scolds. "Nor should I have to emphasize that the Kiramman legacy rests on your shoulders when I resign. One should think you'd have fathomed this by now."
Vi may not be experienced in mother/daughter relationships, but the dismissiveness in Cassandra's voice does not seem ideal. Caitlyn doesn't deserve this.
"You're speaking of this as if it will happen tomorrow! Why must you rush me on this?" Caitlyn begs for an answer.
Vi's heart aches for Caitlyn. Her voice sounds desperate, bewildered. As if she is trying to catch smoke in the dark.
"You're fully aware of why, Caitlyn," Cassandra takes a step forward as she speaks. "Why are you fighting me? I'm merely trying to preserve the Kiramman name's future, which is also in your best interest. Do you not think Talis is a good match? Do you not love him, is that it?"
"I do, but-"
Cassandra holds up a hand, silencing Caitlyn. The heartache amplifies when Caitlyn confirms her love for Jayce. It wasn't that Vi didn't know. But hearing it out loud, spoken by Caitlyn herself, twists Vi's heart into a shadow of itself.
"That's all that matters for now. Love doesn't necessarily come all at once. It needs time to grow."
"Why can't I have time to grow now?"
Caitlyn, in her hopelessness, throws her hands up. Cassandra won't hear reason with anything Caitlyn conveys. It's a one-sided conversation, Cassandra's upper hand pushing Caitlyn into submission.
"Because that is not the Kiramman way. Jayce is a fine partner for you. Our houses will be stronger by this union. I have allowed you to pursuit other endeavors until you take my seat at the council. But I will not waver on this matter," Cassandra says finally with no scruples about Caitlyn's feelings. "Now, go tend to our guests."
Cassandra starts to leave, and Vi smoothly slips out of the corridor, leaving no trace of her presence. The conversation between Cassandra and Caitlyn has confirmed everything Vi already knew.
Caitlyn loves Jayce.
And Vi will never be good enough for Caitlyn.
This isn't how Vi expected her life after the academy would start. She'd just escaped hell. Does fate truly intend for her to leap from one hell to another? Will she ever live a life where happiness can be a part of it again?
Sadness doesn't linger long inside of her. Anger takes over. To hell with it all then. Vi heads towards the bar to find herself a beer. Ekko steps up from behind her as she waits in line. He slings an arm around her, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"Hey, Violence," Ekko says. It's been a while since he's called her that. "You know I love you right?"
"Are you not done being melodramatic yet?" Vi sighs loudly.
When she turns to meet Ekko's eyes, she realizes that he isn't joking. His big chocolate brown eyes are filled with something she rarely sees in Ekko. They're filled with worries. He's actually being serious.
"Of course I know," she says, stunned by the sudden mood that has settled over them.
Ekko stares into the crowd, his gaze cutting right through them all.
"Good. I just wanted to make sure you knew in case…."
"Ekko, what the hell is going on?"
"Nothing. New Year's just makes me feel like time is winning."
"What is it you always tell me?"
"That you still block with your face?"
"No not that," Vi shoves him sisterly. "'It's not how much time you have, it's how you use it.'"
"Right. It's how you use it."
"It's how you use it," Vi agrees, remembering back. "Now stop thinking so much," she pats him playfully on the back. "Why don't you go talk to that lady over there?" She points to a redhead by the door. "She looks awfully lonely," Vi pouts while she pretends to swoon.
Ekko swats her over the back of her head. A smirk creeps upon his lips.
"Speaking of ladies-" he grins while he walks off, "ten o'clock."
He's gone before she can even get a chance to ask what he's talking about. She feels a finger poking her shoulder and she turns her head to stare into a pair of ice blue eyes. Vi can't find it in her heart to be angry anymore. Looking at Caitlyn, Vi simply agrees to herself that she'll take what she can get.
"Fancy seeing you here. Nice hat," Caitlyn compliments.
"Oh, this old thing?" Vi jokes.
Vi takes off the hat as Caitlyn shoots her a silly look.
"Are you enjoying the party?" Caitlyn asks.
Always so formal. When Caitlyn smiles, her eyes smile too. It's like the smile makes her eyes squeeze together just the tiniest.
Jealousy announces its arrival. 'Taking what she can get' proves harder said than done. The thought of Jayce having Caitlyn all to himself provokes teeth grinding envy inside of Vi. Jealousy, envy, heartache. All she is left with is a lovely cocktail of misery and despair.
"Sure. I mean, it's nice. Nicer now you're here though," Vi admits, imprudently aware of how flirtatious that comment can be perceived. Another ingredient to her cocktail: guilt. Oh, how wonderful it is to be human.
Caitlyn brushes a strand of hair behind her ear. She's wearing a silver dress with long sleeves. It's snug on her hips. Around her waist. Up her torso. Tight around her brea-
"It's nice to see you too, Vi," Caitlyn says.
Vi swirls the contents in her glass, leaning back on her heels.
"So…," Vi says.
"So…," Caitlyn mirrors.
"I liked your article on incommensurability and cross-paradigm communication in international relations," Vi prompts and takes a sip of her drink.
Caitlyn laughs in disbelief. She blinks a few times in confusion.
"You read that?" Caitlyn breathes.
"I skimmed it," Vi says nonchalant with a tiny shoulder shrug.
"How much did you understand?"
"About a third," Vi shrugs, and Caitlyn's eyes grow wide, "of the title."
It makes Caitlyn grin widely. She hopes she at least pronounced the words in the title right. Vi will never admit to how long it took to learn to say 'incommensurability.' Caitlyn looks a little honored that Vi had actually attempted to read some of her academic works.
"It was a bit dry, to be honest. You could have spiced it up a bit," Vi says.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Caitlyn laces the words with sarcasm. "I'll make sure to throw in a few topless karate scenes next time."
"I think that would magnificently enhance the experience, thank you," Vi agrees with the most serious face she can muster.
Caitlyn is wearing lipstick. Vi makes a note of that. Great gift ideas that she should never buy for Caitlyn: lipstick. The air between them is light tonight. It's intoxicating, Vi's lungs are swallowing up the breaths they share like it's the last oxygen on Runeterra. It's just like the first night they met. A cold breeze touches Vi's arms. Someone has opened a window. All the air is leaking out.
"You want to give it a go?" Caitlyn asks.
In her palm rests a ColorCrush. Vi looks around. She doesn't know what for. Breaking a ColorCrush is a completely trivial tradition. It's just fun and games. So why is she scouting for Jayce? As if he would be angry witnessing Caitlyn and Vi press their palms together. Vi takes a step forward and looks Caitlyn in the eye. Vi's palm finds Caitlyn's and her fingers start's wrapping around Caitlyn's. Caitlyn is one big smile. Vi's happy to see her enjoying herself. With little force, the sphere breaks in their palms. Out falls a blue powder. The wind takes the powder and blows it around their feet.
"Trust," Vi says.
Not exactly what Vi had hoped for, although she didn't know what she had hoped for. Caitlyn looks disappointed as well. Vi starts wondering what color Caitlyn had hoped for.
To be completely honest, Vi doesn't trust Caitlyn. As far as she's concerned, she seems too good to be true. And when something seems too good to be true, it's usually because it is. Vi likes Caitlyn, desires her even. Desire – love – usually comes before trust. At least to Vi. Yet, there's no trust. There probably never will be. She wouldn't trust that Caitlyn kept her secrets, not as long as she's married to her brother. Not as long as there's an 'us' vs 'them' mentality between the privileged and the forgotten in Piltover. Not as long as Caitlyn isn't just anybody. No matter how hard Caitlyn tries, she'll always be a part of the inequality.
It's as if Caitlyn senses Vi's hesitation. Perhaps extracting from her gaze that trust doesn't come easily to Vi, and that asking for Vi to trust her so soon, would be a tall order.
"I know you might have your reservations about me," Caitlyn says. "But maybe one day we'll get there."
The honesty, the earnestness, in Caitlyn's voice grabs hold of Vi, filling her with guilt. Caitlyn isn't wrong. Vi just wishes it wasn't so obvious.
"Caitlyn-"
"You have a good heart, Vi," Caitlyn interjects with a polite smile on her lips.
Vi bites the inside of her cheek. Scratches the back of her head. Then she smiles at the compliment. Their palms are dirtied with blue powder. Normally, Vi would wipe her hands on her jeans, but she is wearing nice clothes for once. Black dress pants, white dress shirt, a red vest with way too many straps.
"Did you actually read my thesis?"
"Only to make conversation," Vi admits. "I read some of your more informal work that I actually understood and enjoyed."
Caitlyn has written enough articles to fill in a book, if not multiple. She has a degree in both law and political science. Probably the driest, most dull, and boring majors in the world, according to Vi. Vi needs a certain understanding of the law, but not to such caliber, thankfully. What gives Vi hope, is that Caitlyn focuses on educating her readers on inequality. Caitlyn may not be allowed her own opinions in her works, but her voice is penetrative in anything she publishes. Reading between the lines, it's clear that Caitlyn tries her hardest to spread awareness of the injustice that minorities have endured through history. It's a beautiful gesture, Vi admits, but she still has her reservations about an upper class privileged woman who doesn't seem to have endured hardship ever in her life, other than a demanding mother.
"I don't believe Jayce has ever bothered to read anything I've published," Caitlyn says, shrugging as if the knowledge doesn't bother her.
"Jayce's interests have always been very particular. He never liked politics," Vi says as though trying to excuse him. "My dad likes your features though. I'm sure he would love to talk to you about them sometime."
"I wasn't aware that he took an interest in my writing."
"He was the one who showed them to me. He's pretty proud that you're going to be his daughter-in-law." Vi wants to tell Caitlyn these things with more conviction. As if she's equally excited to become Caitlyn's sister-in-law. Cold shivers run through Vi's body at the thought. Everything about that thought feels wrong. However, whether she likes it or not, Caitlyn will legally be part of her family soon.
"Your dad is a sweetheart," Caitlyn smiles.
Vi nods in agreement. Lazarus is a great dad. He has never truly felt like Vi's dad though. He never quite belonged to her. Though, he did make an effort. She did feel at home with him.
"Getting tired of family dinners yet?" She challenges.
Caitlyn doesn't hesitate to shake her head. Her hair brushes over her shoulders as she does.
"Not at all," Caitlyn counters. "It's something I've really missed."
"Missed?" Vi asks.
Vi watches as Caitlyn's eyebrows goes from flaccid to tense. Her shoulders become tight, her posture stiff. The warmth in her gaze vanishes like morning dew in the sun. Vi has asked the wrong thing, that much is obvious.
"Supper at the Kiramman's is a rare occurrence these days," she admits. "It's just me and my mother."
"Oh," Vi breathes. "You don't have any siblings? What about your dad?"
Caitlyn shakes her head, a tight smile on her lips.
The movement breaks Vi's heart. Caitlyn's head sinks a little. Vi glances over her shoulder. It feels wrong, but she knows it's the right thing to do. She puts her hand on Caitlyn's. They're both holding onto the railing, Vi's hand on top of Caitlyn's. Caitlyn looks at her, really looks at her. She finds comfort in Vi's touch; her shoulders slowly come back down.
"I'm an only child," she explains. Caitlyn clears her throat once. She adapts to a more serious, professional tone of voice. Maybe that's how she pushes the pain down when she's forced to talk about it.
"My father was a doctor. An incredible doctor," Caitlyn tells, her words fall with such admiration and endearment that Vi becomes completely captivated. "Four years ago, my mother voiced her concern about the safety of the construction workers during the peak of the city's expansion. When they were constructing the underground sewerage system for the city expansion, my father applied to conduct random health checks on the workers," she explains. "He didn't just do it to set my mother's mind at ease. He did it because he cared."
An aura of pride swallows Caitlyn. The complexity of this woman that unfolds before Vi sedates her prejudice around Caitlyn. Maybe Vi was wrong. She was too quick to judge Caitlyn. Maybe she has endured hardship. Caitlyn continues to immerse Vi in the ghost of her father.
"The contractors weren't happy about the health system meddling in the time schedule. They insisted that my father and his medics come to the sites. He obliged, of course. He wasn't thrilled, but he was willing to do what it takes. One day, they were examining the workers, when one of them found a gas pocket. Someone was welding not far from the leak. By then it was too late. They were at least 60 feet below ground. It all came down on top of them. The dozen who survived suffer from the repercussions of working in the toxic gases for so long. My mother's concerns were valid. Security protocols were neglected to finish most of Piltover City's infrastructural expansion on time. Safety breaches were being spurned, work related deaths have been covered up, blue collars are forced to live with chronic lung failure, and for what? A better economy? Greedy contractors? More housing?"
It all finally melts together, the sadness, the stoicism, the pride for her father. It all melts into anger. Vi knows the feeling of loss – more than anyone. The anger in Caitlyn is all too familiar.
"I'm so sorry, Caitlyn."
That's all Vi can say.
Caitlyn's eyes glister the slightest. Wrapping her in a hug is just too much. Vi can't do that. Not to Jayce, nor herself. When Caitlyn turns her head toward her, Vi tries to smile at her. Caitlyn returns it - the subtle smile that she's so famous for.
Everyone around them starts cheering. Jayce's friends jump from their respective chairs, the older crowd clank their glasses together and kiss each other on the mouths. The clock has stroked twelve.
"Happy New Year, Violence!" Ekko yells from across the room as he launches a ColorCrush at Vi's head.
She can manage to duck, but that means Caitlyn would take the blow. Instead, Vi let's it hit her right in the temple. Powder explodes into a cloud of foggy dust. Despite Vi's heroics, Caitlyn is covered in ColorCrush. No one else is hit. They're the only ones who fall victim to Ekko's New Year's stupidities. It's everywhere, in their hair, their eyelashes, inside the collars of their shirts, even in their shoes.
But none of them says a thing.
They can't. They're awestruck.
Because the powder is purple.
Out of all the colors, the powder is fucking purple.
Caitlyn's eyes are wide. Beneath a layer of purple, her cheeks turn crimson. Vi barely sees it under the heavy layer of powder, but it's there.
"I should go find Jayce," Caitlyn says stiffly. "Happy New Year."
Vi watches as Caitlyn disappears into the crowd.
"Happy fucking New Year," Vi mumbles.