Dirt Under Your Nails

My slight rewrite of Vi and Caitlyn's last scene together, end of season 2, episode 9. I have no problem with the cannon ending, its perfect as is. BUT if I could, this is how I would probably pitch it.

…

"You may read about the war in Piltover, but history is made palatably abstract. For its truth, for the agony of every sacrifice, the exhalation of every triumph, it's more than one should bear. Whose decisions who led us here will carry them forever. Our only consolation that with every loss, we found some good, some light worth gaining. Worth fighting for. And though we are doomed to revisit the error of our ways… spark ever more conflicts… our story isn't over…"

…

Caitlyn played with the broken, charred, metal monkey head in her hand as she looked over the Hexgates' diagrams. She focused in on the air ducts and held her curled finger to her lip, thinking intently.

It's possible… but still not concrete enough for us to go on…

Tired, she stood up and stretched. She looked over to where Vi had been sitting by the fireplace, but she was gone. The whiskey glass had been set aside, untouched. Only the blanket she had been wearing was left behind.

"Vi?" Caitlyn asked, glancing around the room.

She then saw the curtain to the balcony fluttering in a breeze. The balcony door was left open.

With a small smirk, Caitlyn calmly picked up her thermos, grabbed two cups, and headed upstairs.

…

Up on the Kiramman rooftop, Vi sat back and watched the sunrise slowly light up the sky. Blues fading to lighter purples and violets. Her hair had lost the last of its black dye and had been slightly trimmed, so her bangs didn't overtake her eyes too much. At the nape of her neck, where her hair had grown longer, were a few new thin braids among the tussled locks of her hair.

Two for Jinx and Powder. One for her mom and dad. One for Isha and Loris. One for Vander and Benzo. One for Milo and Claggor… One for Ekko. Even one for Caitlyn and her mom...

Vi rubbed the back of her neck, running her fingers through the braids, playing with one absentmindedly over her shoulder.

She looked out at the view of the city, rather pensive.

She hummed a familiar song to herself.

"Is that singing?"

Vi turned her head to the sound of Caitlyn's voice. Her head emerged from a nearby window as she climbed out.

"Just something my mom used to hum," she replied with a tiny smirk, looking back out at the view.

She felt Caitlyn approach from behind and slightly shifted to make room for her. When Caitlyn stood beside her, Vi looked up at her face.

Caitlyn offered her a warm cup, filled by her thermos. Taking it, they clinked their cups together and sipped a bit in silence.

Hesitating, Caitlyn set down the monkey head on the rooftile between them and sat down. Vi looked from it to her, studying her face.

Caitlyn hunched over, hugging her knees. She sighed heavily, disappointed in herself, like it was a puzzle box she couldn't solve.

The look in her eyes and the slight shake of her head was clear.

I'm sorry. I have no definitive proof…

Vi picked up the monkey head and took Caitlyn's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She met Caitlyn's eyes with a pained yet grateful smile.

Thanks for trying anyway…

They were quiet as they watched the colors in the sky continue to change, bleeding into red and orange and gold. A few lights inside houses turned on. Streetlamps winked off. The sounds of distant trolley wheels and airship engines revved the stirring morning air. They appreciated the beauty that was around them. A city rebuilding itself.

Their heads leaned on each other's shoulders as they relaxed despite also feeling the pain of recovering from everything they'd been through these last few months.

A worried shadow crossed Caitlyn's face. "Are you still in this fight, Violet?"

Vi breathed through her nose, closed her eyes for a moment, and let the breath go. She then looked to Caitlyn with a genuinely wry smile on her face. "Are you kidding? I am the dirt under your nails, cupcake." She interlocked her fingers with Caitlyn's, nuzzling her head in the crux of her shoulder. "Nothing is going to clean me out."

To which Caitlyn blushed a bit but relaxed instantly, relieved.

They looked up as an airship flew low over their heads, rattling and creaking as it glided out into the bay. Its pristine metal hull glinted as the sunlight touched it. Nothing but blue sky and new possibilities awaiting on the wind that would carry it beyond the horizon.

Xx The EnD! Xx ;D