AFYE chapter 12
Dinner with Caitlyn and her parents was an odd experience, to say the least. It wasn't like a family dinner in the undercity where the food was just haphazardly thrown on the table and a free-for-all all occurred where you tried to get as much food as possible and might end up fighting another family member for a chicken wing.
Apparently, at Caitlyn's house, a cook prepares the food and then delivers it to you. Vi thought it was weird. Still, she tried to sit up straight like Vander taught her and not scarf down the delicious food in a way that could be considered rude. However, Caitlyn still had to knock her elbows off the table twice and Vi had to pay close attention to everyone else in order to pick the right utensils. Seriously, what meal requires 4 spoons, 4 forks, and two knives?
It was getting to the end of the meal before Caitlyn's dad spoke. "So, my wife tells me you are from the undercity. Do you travel to Piltover much?" Vi shrugged.
"Not a lot, more so now that I know Caitlyn, but my family has always preferred to stick to the lanes," Vi explained, a little concerned when his face showed confusion at her answer.
"Then how did you and Caitlyn meet? I've never known her to venture to the undercity." Both girls froze. Vi knew Caitlyn hadn't exactly told her parents about her trips to the lanes, but she had no idea what she had told them (if she told them anything at all) about that day in the apartment. Vi looked to Caitlyn for help.
"Umm, Vi and her siblings were… running an errand and they got a bit turned around. I helped them back to the bridge." Caitlyn's answer seemed to satisfy her dad, but her mother only seemed more concerned.
"And you gave her our mailing address? Right away? Caitlyn, that seems rather irresponsible of you." Vi didn't like the way her friend withered under her mother's words, so she decided to add her input.
"Oh, no, we didn't exchange mailing addresses then. Cupcake had just told me about a shooting competition she was in, so I decided to come up and- OW!" Vi yelped when Caitlyn kicked her under the table. "What?" Caitlyn just glared at her. "Your shooting competition wasn't a secret, Cupcake-"
"Cupcake?" Caitlyn's mother spoke, getting Vi's attention and cutting off her one-sided argument with Caitlyn.
"I'm sorry?" Vi was trying to ignore the way Caitlyn's father was snickering. Even Caitlyn's mother seemed to be struggling to keep a straight face.
"You called my daughter 'Cupcake'?" Heat flew up Vi's face immediately at her words. She hadn't meant to call her friend that in front of her parents!
"Oh, I… umm." Vi foundered, trying to come up with any reasonable excuse for why she would call Caitlyn that, but her mother just waved Vi off.
"It's aright dear. Just caught us a bit off guard is all." Vi was relieved the two weren't mad. Caitlyn didn't appear to hold the same sentiment as she glared at her now empty plate, no doubt as red as Vi felt. "How do your parents feel about your relationship with my daughter?" She asked, probably trying to change the subject, however the mention of Vi's guardian reminded her of something.
"OH, SH- dang it!" Vi caught barely herself, earning a glare from her friend. "I forgot to tell Vander where I went!" Caitlyn's glare turned to a shocked expression.
"You didn't tell him you were coming here?!" she exclaimed
"I didn't even tell anyone I left!" Vi was genuinely worried. She basically vanished after Vander handed her a letter with no word. How long would it take before he realized she was gone? How long until he sent her sibling out to look for her? What if they stayed out until after dark and the addicts came out and-
"Oh my." Caitlyn's mother interrupted Vi's spiraling thoughts. "That is quite unfortunate. I believe it is pertinent that they be informed immediately." Vi shrank down in her seat slightly. She had the impression she would be kicked out after lunch, but it still hurt. How was she going to come back if Caitlyn ever needed her again? She wouldn't be welcome! Busy panicking, Vi almost didn't notice as Caitlyn's mother slid some paper and a pencil in front of her.
After staring blankly at the older woman, she sighed and explained. "Anthony agreed to take his motorized transport to the last drop with a message for your family. I'll put the Kiramman family crest on it, so they'll know it's real." Vi realized she had zoned out the first time it was explained, causing her to flush in embarrassment as she picked up the pen and started writing. She gave a brief summary of what happened, specifying that she and Caitlyn weren't in any danger and that she would come home soon.
Caitlyn's mother picked up the letter and read it over, causing Vi to feel like she was receiving a grade, before handing it to a man beside her dressed in all black. "Bring this to The Last Drop in the undercity. Take Kyle with you." the man nodded while slightly glaring at Vi and turned around to walk out the door.
"Ahh, thanks Mrs. Kiramman, I hate making Vander worried." Vi noticed Caitlyn's mother pursed her lips at her words, but she wasn't sure what it was for. Was she not polite enough?
"It's no problem. Why don't you join us in the parlor for tea?" Vi looked to Caitlyn to make sure she wasn't doing anything wrong, but her friend just looked as shocked as she felt.
With Caitlyn being no help, Vi decided it was in her best interests to just listen and agree. "Ahh, sure." Mrs. Kirman smiled at her before leading them all into a massive room with several couches that were all probably worth more than all of the furniture in the last drop combined.
"Please, sit." Vi sat next to Caitlyn at her mother's request, across from her and her husband. Feeling a little more like she had just walked into her own interrogation, Vi steeled herself for what she knew would likely be a series of uncomfortable and invasive questions. "So, how long have you known my daughter?" Caitlyn's mom started off the questioning.
"A few months now I think." Vi leaned back in on the couch, laying her arm over the back in an attempt to appear calm and collected. Her racing heart and swelling nerves did nothing to help that effort.
"And you said you went to Caitlyn's shooting competition, correct?" Caitlyn stiffened beside Vi, causing her nerves to spike even more. Was this lady playing some kind of angle? Trying to get a confession? But Vi couldn't remember anything she had done wrong. Sure, there were a couple of confrontations, but the Sheriff herself cleared those up in front of everybody. They couldn't argue with the Sheriff, right?
"…Yes." Vi knew she sounded hesitant, but Caitlyn's mother didn't seem unnerved by it.
"Are you perhaps the one Jane's father called me about?" Vi had to clench her jaw to keep it from dropping. She hadn't known that girl was a friend of Caitlyn's, but it wasn't like she threatened her or anything. And Caitlyn had seemed annoyed at her so Vi thought it was fine to give her a little grief. Maybe she misread the signs? Well, she had already walked into a trap, and she wasn't going to make it worse by confessing to anything else.
When she realized Vi wasn't going to respond, Mrs. Kiramman carried on. "Apparently, some 'dirty trencher', his words not mine, threatened Jane at the event, causing her to perform poorly." Caitlyn snorted at this, something that caught everyone in the room completely off guard. "Something to add, dear?"
"Just Jane blaming her poor shooting skills on Vi. If she wants to do better in the competitions, she should learn to shoot better." Vi was taken aback at how forceful Caitlyn sounded, and judging by her parents' reaction, they were surprised too. They glanced at each other before continuing.
"So, Violet didn't threaten Jane?" This time it was Caitlyn's father who spoke. Vi thought he had a rather calm and soothing voice compared to his wife's.
"No, she didn't. I saw Vi at the fence line and went over to talk to her. Jane followed me. She tried to start a fight. Vi didn't even engage." Caitlyn's mother seemed to be analyzing her daughter's words and tone. Vi started to get nervous the longer Caitlyn and her mother glared at each other, the tension in the room building. It wasn't exactly the truth, but it was close enough.
"It wasn't like I could have really done anything anyway. The Sheriff was there, and she kept me out of trouble." Vi awkwardly laughed, trying to defuse the situation. Caitlyn's mother turned her attention from her daughter back to Vi.
"Sheriff Grayson?" she asked. Vi nodded in confirmation. "Hmmm…" the older woman hummed thoughtfully while examining Vi, making the undercity girl feel a bit like a bug under a magnifying glass.
"How was the event? I heard Caitlyn got a new course record." Mr. Kiramman interjected, finally changing the subject.
"Oh yeah, it was awesome! You should have seen her." Vi took great joy in detailing Caitlyn's success in her competition, especially when the topside girl tried to stop her. Vi had spent too much time around her siblings for a simple hand over her mouth to stop her from talking.
Caitlyn's father then asked a few questions about her family, and Vi happily bragged about her little sister and her brothers. Of course, she was careful to leave out the more dangerous and illegal talents they possessed, but the man seemed happy with her half-thought-through ramblings.
In return, Vi got some stories about Caitlyn as a child, much to the sharpshooter's embarrassment, and learned more about the Kiramman family. Their history, their business, their backgrounds, it was all more interesting than Vi thought it would be. It probably helped that Mr. Kiramman had several crazy stories from his time in medical school to make everything a bit more entertaining.
It didn't seem like very long before Caitlyn pulled her attention from another of Mr. Kiramman's stories. "Vi, don't you want to get back before sunset?" Vi's eyes widened in panic, and she looked out the window. Sure enough, it was only a few hours before it would set. Vi would have to get going soon if she wanted to avoid traveling in the undercity after dark.
"Dang, I definitely need to get going." Vi noticed Caitlyn's parents share a look after she spoke, but she didn't think much of it as they politely bid her goodbye and told Caitlyn to walk her to the gate. Vi wasn't sure if it was some topsider manner's thing to walk her to their gate or a way to ensure she left, but Vi was happy for it as it let her spend a few more minutes with Caitlyn.
And judging by Caitlyn's smile, she agreed.
Vander was going to kill her. Powder knew she was due to be home in less than two hours and there was no way she'd make it if she kept looking, but it took her way too long to find the apartment. It was a bad idea, such a bad idea, but Powder knew Vi had to have gone to Caitlyn and the only lead she had to Caitlyn was… the apartment.
Finding the place from the ground was a bit different than finding it from the rooftops, but Powder managed to find what she was pretty sure was the right door. Now she just… needed to knock. Knock on the door. It's not hard, just a little tap.
Yeah, Powder couldn't do it.
She knew Caitlyn didn't live there, some guy she knew lived there. Some guy Powder didn't know and definitely didn't trust. He probably didn't even know where Caitlyn lived. Powder was about ready to consider the expedition a lost cause and just try to get back to the undercity in good time, as she could back to the undercity when the door opened revealing a tall, dark-haired man.
"Oh! Ah, hello." He said, looking a bit confused at the little girl, clearly alone and about to knock on his door. "Do you need help? Where are your parents?" Powder wanted to scoff at the question, but she was worried it would offend the man.
"Umm… I…" Powder wrung her hands together nervously, wishing she had one of her gadgets. "I'm looking for someone who was here?" Powder knew it came out like a question, making the man more confused.
"I'm sorry, I'm the only one who lives here. Are you sure this is the right apartment? Do you know what apartment number you're looking for? Maybe I can help you find it." Powder wanted to groan in frustration. She just had to get it out, if the guy turned out to be dangerous, she was sure she could run away fast enough. Probably. Maybe.
"No, no. Ah, she said she was a friend of yours. Caitlyn." The look of realization on the guy's face showed he recognized the name, but it also showed how he became suspicious upon hearing it.
"And how would you know Caitlyn?" He asked. Powder had no idea where to even begin explaining how she knew Caitlyn, she just needed him to help her find the topsider.
"That is a long story." He didn't seem to like that answer, so Powder decided to add a little bit of information. "She's basically dating my sister." Now the look on the guy's face showed the absolute PTSD that one gets after listening to a teenage girl ramble on about a crush for far too long. It was a feeling Powder knew far too well.
"And you're the kid sister?" Powder didn't like being referred to as that, but it was accurate, so she nodded. "So, why are you here?" Powder took a deep breath. This was where she had to convince him to help.
"I can't find my sister. Vander is freaking out because she disappeared without telling anyone and the only time she has ever been known to do something this stupid is when she is running after Caitlyn." The man seemed to believe her. "So, I need to find Caitlyn, or else Vander is going to go looking for Vi himself." Powder tried to convey through her tone that they couldn't let that happen and they needed to find her before Vander went looking. The concerned look he had gave her some hope he got the message.
"Oh, okay. How about I show you the way to the Kiramman estate?" So, Caitlyn's last name was Kiramman? Powder filed that information away for later and nodded to the offer. The man turned to lock his door behind him, Powder vaguely noticing it had the same locks as when they broke in so long ago. Bad move on his part.
"Come on, it's not far from here." The man started walking toward the door, leaving Powder to scramble after him with her shorter legs. "What's your name by the way?" he asked.
Powder thought for a moment and figured it would be okay to tell him. It would at least make him more willing to continue helping her. "My name's Powder." He smiled down at her.
"I'm Jayce."
Cassandra looked out the window at her daughter and her 'friend' as they said their last goodbyes before Violet went home.
"She seemed rather pleasant. Well, after the breaking and entering that is." Tobias laughed, coming up behind his wife to look. "Caitlyn seems rather enthralled with that girl. I've never seen her get so protective of someone." Cassandra made a hum of agreement.
"And she seems to feel the same way about Caitlyn." She told her husband.
"You see it too, don't you?" Cassandra could hear the smirk in her husband's voice but didn't turn her eyes away from where Violet lingered at Caitlyn's side, clearly not wanting to leave. "They're just like us."
"Perhaps a little too much like us," Cassandra responded, thinking back on the days when she and her husband danced around their feelings for each other. It had been infuriating for everyone involved.
"I'm sure they'll figure it out." Tobias proudly said. "Who do you think will confess first?"
"Hmm…" Cassandra pretended to ponder the question. "Violet. She sprinted all the way up here from deep in the undercity on the off-chance Caitlyn could need her. One doesn't do that unless they care deeply about a person." Her husband chuckled before turning serious.
"What do you make of her?" he asked, watching as Violet finally departed.
"A little rough around the edges, crass, impulsive," she took a deep breath. "And caring."
"Might make a good addition to the family." Cassandra rolled her eyes at her husband's antics.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, darling. They are still young." Despite her negative words, both parents noticed she didn't disagree.
"You've heard how they live? Down there, in the undercity?" Tobias asked. Cassandra sighed, leave it to her husband to point out everything she was worried about.
"Yes, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't concerned," Cassandra said, feeling rather conflicted. "I mean, she broke into our home. Even if she thought she had a good reason, she still committed a crime." A new thought struck Cassandra. "And she did it so easily. It couldn't have been the first time she's done something like this." The older woman rubbed her temples, suddenly feeling a headache coming on.
"But she seems like a good kid." Cassandra looked up to see her husband looking concerned.
"It's just the way they are raised down there, darling. The undercity is filled with thieves and criminals." Cassandra looked at her daughter, who was still outside, apparently watching Violet for as long as she could. "I don't know if I want people like that around Caitlyn." Tobias picked up on her unease and wandered up to hug his wife from behind.
"We shouldn't draw conclusions right away, love. How about we invite her and her family up for dinner sometime in the coming days? Then we can find out more about our daughter's crush and her family. I'm sure they are perfectly lovely people." Cassandra hummed, her husband's idea wasn't a bad one.
"Alright." She watched as Caitlyn walked slowly towards the front door of the house and made up her mind. "We'll talk to Caitlyn about inviting them up."