Chapter 7
Chapter VII
Caitlyn was no stranger to loneliness.
At one time, solitude was her greatest source of inspiration. The closest and deepest feeling, from which she managed to extract great works that many came to praise. Then came Jayce, Mel, Viktor and some others who appeased her loneliness, and Caitlyn learned to work and capture other emotions in art.
Many would say that she had evolved, but the loneliness was always present, in the small corners of her heart.
It's a feeling that for a while she even tried to avoid, inviting women into her space that didn't last long. Women with whom she had great physical chemistry, but with all of whom there was never a real emotional connection. And that was fine, for a while.
Until her inspiration and passion reached limits she didn't know existed, and then she no longer knew how to deal with the feeling of loneliness, even isolation, anymore. But she keeps trying, every now and then, just to try to reach that spark once more.
Like now.
Only the ticking of the old clock hanging on the wall, inherited from her deceased grandmother, and the faint sound of the wind against the windows of her study accompanied Caitlyn.
In front of her, a huge canvas, immaculate white and resting on an easel of fine, impeccably polished wood, stared back at her defiantly. As if it expected her to do something. As if it knew that, despite the restless fire inside her, Caitlyn was incapable of moving a single muscle to begin with.
Her breathing felt heavy, the very act of sitting there a grueling and overwhelming exercise. It wasn't merely physical; it was also mentally exhausting beyond comprehension. Her fingers, lightly stained with charcoal, rested in her lap, motionless, waiting to be used. The sketch didn't exist yet, just a vague idea, a fuzzy feeling deep within her heart. One that she couldn’t exteriorize for some reason.
Caitlyn pressed her lips together.
It had been so long since she last painted that the very idea of doing it again was now distressing.
And yet, she needed it. She felt it in her chest, in her fingers, in the way her mind was seething with pent-up energy that found no outlet. But every time she tried to even trace a line, her hand stopped mid-movement. Something was missing.
Or rather, someone.
She leaned back slightly in the chair, running a hand over her face in frustration.
It had been days since the show at The Last Drop. Days since she saw her. Days since she last talked to the woman that have stolen her peace.
Violet.
Vi.
And she still couldn't get her out of her head.
Not just because of her voice, though that in itself was enough to disturb Caitlyn’s rest at night. Not just because of the music, but because of the way Vi seemed to absorb the space around her when she played.
It was something more.
Something about Vi made her feel different. She made Caitlyn vibrate in a unique way that no one had ever managed. The way she spoke. The confidence in her tone, the way her words seemed to drag Caitlyn into a current that was impossible to resist. She had made her see things differently, even if it was just for an instant.
"Maybe you just have to give yourself the chance to see beyond everything else"
Vi's words kept echoing in her mind with unbearable clarity. As if she were whispering directly into the struggling artist ear.
Caitlyn closed her eyes.
She had tried to ignore it all day, trying to convince herself that Vi had nothing to do with her apparent block. Because the truth was that that same block had been growing and making its home in her being for months. But everything else she felt at that moment, the emotions that overwhelmed her… She could not lie to herself so blatantly.
Because, in some way she couldn't yet understand and was afraid to explore, Vi had awakened her.
And now Caitlyn felt like she couldn't move forward without seeing the beautiful zaunite woman.
She let out a slow sigh and opened her eyes again, fixing them on the canvas.
Nothing.
Nothing came of it.
Nothing took shape.
She stood up abruptly, almost knocking over the easel as she did so. She placed the charcoal on the coffee table where she kept all the art supplies, wiping her hands with a determination that seemed to boil with intensity as the seconds passed.
She couldn't stay like this. She couldn't continue in this cycle of frustration.
She knew it right then in her heart, in her very soul.
Caitlyn needed to find Vi. She needed to talk to her one more time.
:::::
"Dammit!"
The curse echoed off the gym walls along with the sound of heavy dumbbells falling, rolling across the floor in different directions. Vi gritted her teeth in irritation, ignoring the pain radiating from her leg where she had crashed into one of the weight benches and trying to focus, through rapid blinks, on where the dumbbells had landed.
A few feet to her right, she could hear Loris trying to hide his laughter behind an apparent coughing fit. Vi huffed and throw a glare at his direction.
“Shut up!”
“I didn’t say anything,” the reply was quick, but Vi could hear the mockery in his voice.
It took a while, with her pride slightly hurt and shame warming the tips of her ears and neck, but she managed to locate the dumbbells with relative ease, helped by some clients who were already accustomed to her presence during their training sessions and with whom she maintained a more or less cordial relationship.
They had received a new shipment of equipment that morning, something Sevika had been expecting for weeks from what Vi could understand. The older woman had tasked Vi and Loris with starting to check and arrange it all while she finished working out cost details with the distributors.
It was a simple task, or at least it would have been any other time.
But today was one of those days when Vi, no matter how hard she tried, couldn't seem to coordinate well. She felt unfocused. Clumsy and awkward. She was tripping more than usual, had almost fallen over with a weight earlier, dropped a bag of equipment that surely cost more than she could cover with months of salary, and now she couldn't even carry a few boxes decently without scattering their contents on the floor.
Vi clenched the jaw stubbornly, adjusting the grip on the box in her arms and walking in the direction of the storage room, her steps a little more tentative and unsure than before. The fact that she had to be more careful in a space that already considered hers, that she had memorized as well as the back of her hand, only fueled her bad mood.
She dropped the box with a thud, letting out a sigh of resignation. The headache was going strong and she was in desperately need of her medication.
“Tell me you’re at least thinking about something interesting.”
Vi turned her head towards Sevika's voice, listening to her firm and confident footsteps approaching. In the dim lighting of the room, she couldn't see her, but Vi felt her presence. Her voice was laden with the same cruel amusement that it had had since the early morning after witnessing many of Vi's stumbles and accidents.
“Leave me alone” the girl murmured, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
“Nah,” Vi heard her pause behind her, the rustle of her leather jacket as she moved, the light clink of her rings clanking together. “You’re particularly entertaining today.”
The youngest clicked her tongue in irritation.
“I’m glad to be a good entertainment,” she muttered, purposely bumping into the woman as she left the room. “And for your information, I’m not thinking in anything special.”
Sevika let out a low laugh.
“Oh, come on. You know you’re a damn open book.” Sevika shifted her stance, the sound of her weight shifting from foot to foot as she walked beside her, betraying her confidence. She leaned in a little towards Vi. “Something’s bothering you again. I almost feel sorry for you… almost.”
Loris laughed, his sudden closeness taking Vi by surprise. She felt the irritating heat rise to her neck again.
“Fuck you,” she muttered.
“Huh, and here I thought we were past this stage,” Sevika looked thoughtful. Vi knew she was testing her, probing. “But now I really want to know what has you so… lost today.”
Vi let out an exasperated huff, stopping by the gym reception desk, rummaging with her hand for the cane and her bag. She needed to get her center back. She took a minute to rest, surrounded by boxes, loose machine parts, and leaning unnecessarily on her cane as she pondered how to answer.
"It's nothing."
Sevika pretended to consider the answer, humming a little, before shaking her head.
“I don’t believe you. Who are you having problems with this time?” The question was asked in the same carefree and confident tone of someone who already seemed to know the answer and was only looking to confirm a theory.
Vi was already starting to lose patience. Sevika knew how to mess with her nerves, and today in particular, when Vi mood was at rock bottom, she didn't feel capable of responding with the same haughty attitude as always. Not just because she was anomaly distracted and disoriented. But because the woman had touched on a difficult subject for Vi at that moment, even if she didn't say it out loud.
She wanted to blurt out a sharp retort and leave, but a thought suddenly crossed her mind, stopping Vi in her tracks.
Powder.
In truth, Vi's anger wasn't just at her own absent-mindedness and clumsiness. It was at Powder.
Powder who had been acting strange the last few days. More reactive towards everyone. More intense and angry in her way of speaking. More controlling with Vi.
The past days, every conversation with Powder ended in a subtle but exhausting argument. Small fights that under other circumstances Vi would ignore, but which now seemed to pile up more and more, putting pressure on her in ways Vi didn't know how to handle. Almost every talk with her sister now was bound to end in an exchange of sharp words.
And Vi was hurting for it. She felt hurt and angry with her sister and that wasn’t okay.
Every time Vi went out the house, she had to give some kind of explanation. A compelling reason that would allow her to be alone. As if she needed a justification for every move.
It wasn't normal. Powder knew Vi hated feeling controlled, powerless over her own decisions. And it frustrated her immensely because her sister had never acted like this before. She had always been protective, but this was different.
And as much as she wanted to be wrong and deny it, Vi wasn't stupid. A part of her knew that all, or part, of that attitude had to do with Caitlyn.
Caitlyn, who now also never left Vi's thoughts, who made her feel confused, unable to explain with coherent words what the woman's presence caused in her. It generated contradictory feelings inside her mind and heart.
Caitlyn, who her older sister seemed to have declared war on without giving any reason or motive.
She didn't need Powder to say it out loud. Vi could sense it. In every conversation, in every awkward silence. Powder was sizing Vi up, had been since the night of the presentation, searching for answers to questions she refused to share. Vi didn't understand what the hell was going on with her sister, but she sensed it more and more.
The pressure.
The apprehension.
And Vi didn't know how much longer she could stand it before she explodes. And that was the last thing she wanted.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm the frustration that was consuming her inside.
“Hey.” Sevika snapped her fingers near her face, snapping her out of her thoughts. “There’s that look again. If you want to hit something, the punching bag is in the other direction.”
Vi snorted, turning her back against the other woman.
“I don’t have time for this shit right now.”
Sevika smiled. Vi couldn't see her, but she knew her well enough to be sure of it.
“Sure you don’t, kid,” the woman said with a hint of mockery, though Vi thought she could make out something else. Was it worry? Uneasiness? “Just try not to damage my equipment in the process, will you? Or I’ll have to deduct every scratch from your paycheck until you finally deign to talk.”
Vi ignored the provocation, rolling her eyes in disdain. She crouched down a bit, leaning on her cane as she checked the other boxes of dumbbells, thinking of finish her task so she could rest a little. Loris had walked over to them, distracting Sevika enough to divert the conversation away from the previous topic. Something Vi was grateful for.
She was just getting up again when she heard the bell at the door ringing, announcing someone's arrival. She didn't pay attention at first. There were people coming in and out of the gym all the time. But then, she noticed the pause in Loris and Sevika's conversation, the sudden silence that covered them with a heavy blanket of uncertainty.
That put her on alert.
“Are you lost, princess?” Sevika asked.
Vi frowned, tilting her head in Sevika’s direction. Sevika didn't talk to people from Zaun like that.
“Registration for new members is in the morning,” Loris said then, with the indifferent tone of someone who is already tired of saying the same thing multiple times a day. “We offer trial classes on Mondays and Fridays.”
“Ah! I didn’t come here for that. But thank you.”
Vi froze, her heart skipping a beat.
The voice was clear, refined and with a distinctive accent that emphasized the melody of her tone.
Caitlyn.
Vi foot moved without thinking, surprise overcoming her common sense.
She tried to turn quickly, but her cane caught on a misplaced kettlebell. And the next second was a disaster. Vi tripped over a rope, then a bag of equipment, and when she tried to correct herself, she ended up hitting one of the benches, again. Her shin took the full impact.
“Fuck!” she exclaimed, momentarily losing her balance.
The blow wasn't serious, but it was enough to take away more points from her dignity. How low did she have to sink that day? Loris clicked his tongue, muttering something under his breath that Vi couldn't hear.
“Is everything okay, kid?” Sevika asked, revealing a stifled laugh.
“Fucking fantastic,” Vi grunted, straightening up awkwardly and feeling the heat rise to her face.
Sevika said something else, but Vi did her best to ignore her. Her head was still processing the reality of the situation.
Caitlyn.
Caitlyn was there.
In Zaun.
At the gym.
Vi felt the irritation she had carried all day almost completely disappear, fading as if it had never been there. Even some of her headache went to the background. In its place, a wave of something warm settled in her chest. It was pure instinct. An immediate reaction she had no time to question. Momentary feeling of joy.
But that joy was quickly replaced by bewilderment.
What was Caitlyn doing there?
“What the hell are you doing here?”
Caitlyn paused.
“Wow, I feel welcomed” Her voice sounded slightly uncomfortable, but also amused. “I thought you’d be a little happier to see me.”
Vi had no idea how to respond to that. Because yes, she was glad Caitlyn was there, more than she was willing to admit, but confusion weighed more heavily on her thoughts at that moment.
Caitlyn had come to her job as if she had fallen from the polished skyscrapers of Piltover in all her graceful, delicate glory like nothing out of ordinary. Like it was an everyday thing. And Vi had no idea why or how.
“Let me guess. Lost on the wrong side of town, princess?” Sevika joked.
“Something like that,” Caitlyn admitted a little shy, but confidently enough to indicate that she didn’t want to say more to her.
Vi frowned.
“How did you get here?”
Caitlyn seemed to hesitate a little. In the entry light, Vi could easily make out her silhouette, her movements short and precise as she approached Vi as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Vi hoped her expression didn't reflect how idiotic she felt at that moment, having the object of her thoughts for the past few days so suddenly close.
“I wasn’t sure how to reach you. Didn’t have your number, something we have to fix. So, I went to your dad’s bar to look for you first,” she admitted, the smile creeping into her voice. “Vander told me you were here.”
Vi blinked.
She didn't know what surprised her more. The fact that Caitlyn had sought her out or the fact that Vander had sent her straight to her workplace without telling Vi. Rarely had her father taken her by surprise as much as he did just now.
“I wanted to talk to you,” Caitlyn continued, seemingly oblivious to Vi’s internal conflict. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about what we talked about the other day and… well, I wanted to know if you could help me with a project.”
Vi felt a small knot in her chest.
“A project?” she repeated with some hesitation, absentmindedly playing with the strap of her cane. “I’m not sure how I could help you. I’m not an artist.”
Caitlyn laughed.
“That is the biggest lie I’ve heard in my entire life” she replied “But, don’t worry, it’s nothing very elaborate… in principle”
Vi wanted to say yes, even if she didn’t know exactly what the other woman wanted.
The idea of helping Caitlyn with whatever the girl had in mind was appealing, exciting. Even though she knew that if her sister ever found out, her conflicts with Powder would only intensify. Vi hated being in this situation with Powder, it wasn't the kind of relationship they had. But Caitlyn was here now, and rejecting her was impossible for Vi to fathom. Besides, Vander had sent Caitlyn with her. That gesture, as small as it was, said more than Vi was prepared to question.
This was beyond what Vi was expecting to happen that day.
“I would like to… but I still have a couple of hours here and-” she couldn’t finish speaking.
Vi barely had time to react before a hard blow to her back sent her reeling forward. Her balance, which was already compromised, completely collapsed in that moment.
Her first instinct was to correct herself, but her foot grazed the edge of the cane, and before she could do anything about it, she ended up stumbling headlong into Caitlyn.
"Shit"
Vi felt Caitlyn's firm grip before she fell completely, steadying her at the last second. The warmth of Caitlyn's hands on her arms startled her more than she cared to admit.
For a moment, everyone went silent.
Except, of course, for Sevika's low, satisfied laugh.
“Fuck, kid,” Sevika sounded amused. Too amused. “I didn’t think you’d get so nervous just because your rich little friend came to see you.”
Vi felt the blood rush to her face immediately. Caitlyn, for her part, discreetly cleared her throat, her hands squeezing Vi lightly before relaxing.
“Thanks for the push, I guess.” muttered Caitlyn.
Sevika shrugged.
“Anything to get her out of here.”
Vi quickly pulled away from Caitlyn, frowning in the general direction of Sevika.
“What the fuck was that?”
Sevika snorted, and Vi could feel her smirk without needing to see it.
“Nothing. I’m just doing you a favor.”
“Since when do you do favors?”
“Since I noticed that you’ve been looking sorry for yourself here all day,” Sevika patted her on the shoulder with exaggerated force. “You’re feeling worse than usual today. And honestly, I don’t want you to keep dragging yourself around my gym.”
Loris laughed from a distance.
“Yes, Vi. You’re distracting the newbies with your mess.”
Vi growled.
“Fuck you all”
“Whatever you say.” Sevika leaned slightly towards her, her tone lower and sincere, but still with that latent mockery. “Now go. Enjoy your afternoon, kid. Don’t let the lady waiting”
Vi felt something strange in her chest.
Because even though Sevika said it in her usual dry, mocking tone…she was serious. Vi wasn’t stupid. She knew when someone was dragging her out for her own good. And Sevika was doing it. Because, in her own twisted, infuriating way, she cared about Vi.
It was really a strange day.
“You have two seconds to get out that door before I change my mind and put you in charge of cleaning the locker room,” Sevika added.
Vi sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing.
“Okay, okay. I’m going.”
Sevika snorted.
“And take the princess with you.”
Caitlyn for her part rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything, silently appreciating the help from the other woman.
Vi heard her move while she collected her stuff, then the sound of her footsteps approaching the door and Vi took the hint to follow her.
And as they walked out, leaving behind the laughter of Sevika and Loris, the evening air felt different.
Lighter.
More… liberating.
They walked in silence for a few minutes, aimlessly, their steps marking the distance between their bodies. Vi still didn't fully understand why Caitlyn had come to find her but she couldn't deny that she liked being there with her.
Finally, it was Caitlyn who broke the silence.
“I want you to be my personal guide.”
Vi blinked. She stopped dead in her tracks, turning to the girl in bewilderment.
“Your guide?”
Caitlyn smiled, as if she had been expecting that exact reaction. She clasped her hands in front of her, straightening up subtly. For a moment, Vi felt as if they were in the middle of a business meeting.
“I want to explore Zaun,” Caitlyn said. “Your Zaun.”
Vi tilted her head, as if trying to process it better.
“My Zaun?”
"Yes"
Caitlyn seemed confident. Determined. More so than Vi would have expected.
“I want to see the places you told me about,” Caitlyn continued. “The hidden corners, the markets, the people. I want to understand where your customs come from, and the art… I want to see and discover it all. But I want to do it through you. I need you.”
Vi felt a strange knot in her stomach.
“I don’t know if I’m the best person for that.”
“Of course you are.” Caitlyn said without hesitation. “You’re the only person in Zaun I can be honest with and trust when it comes to something like this.”
Vi remained silent.
What was she supposed to say to that?
“I don’t know…” she mumbled, playing with the strap of her cane “I’m not good at this guiding thing. Maybe Mylo or Claggor would do a better job.”
“I don’t need a tour guide to show me only the cute or better places in the city” Caitlyn replied softly. “I want you, Violet. You have a unique view and understanding of everything. You are perfect for this”
Vi's heart skipped a beat.
Fuck.
Her grip on the cane tightened.
“And why do you want to do this?”
It took Caitlyn a moment to answer.
“Because I feel like I need it. I told you before that I feel very lost, adrift, and I truly believe that you are the only one with the best skills to help me find meaning again.”
Vi didn't expect that answer.
Caitlyn looked nervous now. As if admitting it was a vulnerable thing to do.
“For so long, I’ve just followed a path that others have set for me. I thought I was doing it for myself, but I realized that’s not the case,” Caitlyn admitted. “And now… I think I want to find my own worth. But I’m afraid I can’t do it alone”
Vi listened to her breathing. It was a little faster than usual. She wasn't lying or putting up an elaborated trick.
The younger woman exhaled slowly, trying to contain the whirlwind inside her.
Caitlyn wanted her. Of all the possible people she could have at her disposal, with all the unlimited resources Piltover offered, Caitlyn wanted her.
But Vi knew it wasn't that simple. Nothing ever was.
Powder wouldn’t want or even accept this. Her sister hadn't been subtle with her rejection. From the day Caitlyn had come into their lives, everything was different. Stormier. More difficult. Vi could feel it in every curt conversation, in every glance she didn't need to see to know was full of warnings.
But Caitlyn was there now.
Standing in front of her, with that confidence disguised as calm, with that slight tremor in her voice that betrayed the fact that, deep down, this was important to her.
And Vi… Vi didn't want to say no.
Fuck.
Logic told her to walk away. To not cross that line. To not do anything that would make things worse with Powder.
But there was something stronger than logic inside Vi. Something in the way Caitlyn sought her out, the way she said her name, the way she made her feel… seen.
From the moment Caitlyn walked into the gym, Vi felt like everything had stopped. Even before, since she heard Caitlyn talk to her in The Last Drop, Vi felt like there was something inevitable between them.
And maybe it was just her imagination. Maybe she was reading too much into this.
But… what if not?
She ran a hand over the back of her neck, her grip on the cane loosening, feeling a pang of guilt in her chest.
But for the first time in days, that guilt wasn't enough to stop her.
For the first time in days, the weight of Powder's gaze didn't pin her to the ground.
For the first time in days, maybe in years, Vi felt like she didn't care what Powder thought.
Not when Caitlyn was here, choosing her.
And Vi, for the first time in a long time, decided to choose herself.
"Alright."
Caitlyn stopped all movements.
"For real?"
Vi smiled, a small but real smile. Resigned. Surrendered to the inevitability of their relationship.
"Yeah, cupcake, for real."
Caitlyn exhaled, and Vi could almost feel her relief.
There was something about that moment, the way Caitlyn seemed to light up just a little bit more, that made Vi know, without needing to see it, that she had just made a decision from which there would be no turning back.
::::
The following days in Zaun became a map of discoveries. A log of adventures.
Vi led Caitlyn through narrow streets, through hidden passages that weren't even on city maps. She showed the Piltover woman the murals that covered the walls in Zain, that were painted under the glow of flickering neon lights, the graffiti that spoke of forgotten stories, of voices that no one in Piltover heard.
Every corner had something to say, and Caitlyn soaked it all up.
Vi couldn't see her, not quite, but she felt her excitement so close to her, as if it belonged to her, too. In the way Caitlyn breathing quickened at an unexpected discovery. In the slight jump she made when Vi led her through an obscure alley before the landscape changed before her eyes, as if the world opened up just for them. In the brief brush of her fingers every time Vi pointed her in a direction.
At first, Vi just watched, with her limited eyesight, staying back in the background, preferring to give Caitlyn space to explore. She let Caitlyn soak in every new experience, every color, every sound, every new thing she tried. But over time, she discovered that it wasn't just Caitlyn who was learning.
Vi was also rediscovering Zaun, experiencing her own home in different ways.
Places she had been a thousand times before now felt different because Caitlyn saw them in a different way. Details she had never noticed before now took on meaning through Caitlyn's words.
And when night fell, when the bustle of the city died down and they both exchanged goodbyes, Vi found something else waiting for her.
The music.
Most of the time she used to play without thinking, just for the simple act of doing it, singing and trying to reliving a past that was confusing and alien to her. But now… now every chord carried an echo of something else.
From a stifled laugh on a hidden street.
From an excited whisper as Caitlyn discovered a night market filled with art.
From the sound of their synchronized steps as they walked together.
The songs were born alone, one after another, more intimate than she would have ever thought capable of conceiving, more real.
Vi composed with the memory of Caitlyn in her head, with the feeling of her voice still vibrating in the air, with the certainty that there was nothing more inspiring than witnessing the moment when she was experiencing everything for the first time.
But what most confused Vi was not the music and its renewed and inexhaustible inspiration.
It was Caitlyn.
Caitlyn who was becoming more daring every day.
Closer.
At first, there were only small moments. A laugh too close to her ear or an unnecessary brush while guiding her through the crowd.
Then, there were longer touches.
An arm that rested on hers for longer than necessary. A hand that found hers in the darkness of a crowded bar. A fleeting caress on her wrist as they say goodbye each day at the entrance to Piltover.
Vi didn't know how to react.
Every touch made her feel something she didn't quite understand, something that completely disarmed her. She wasn't used to this. She wasn't used to someone touching her unless it was in combat, in a fight, or in an accidental gesture. Not apart from her family, and never so intimate.
And she wasn't used to wanting those touches to last longer.
But Caitlyn… Caitlyn did it with terrifying ease. She touched her with a familiarity and gentleness that made Vi's heart race every time.
And Vi, however much she wanted to, could not find it in herself to turn away.
:::::
The wind blew softly over the rooftops of Zaun, stirring the loose strands of Caitlyn's hair. The air had that electric, metallic scent of the city, mixed with the distant echo of laughter and music from some forgotten corner.
They were sitting on the edge of an old rusty metal roof, a hiding place Vi had shown her that night, far from everything, but close enough to feel the incessant heartbeat of the city beneath their feet.
The hours had passed without them noticing.
They had gone up when the sun still tinted the ramshackle buildings of Zaun orange, and now the night covered them with its starry mantle, illuminated only by the flickering neon signs and the dim light of the streetlamps.
They should have left already.
But they didn't.
They were still there, talking, laughing quietly, sharing stories without haste.
Caitlyn had never felt as comfortable with anyone as she did with Vi. It was easy, natural. As if the world around them could disappear and only this mattered.
This moment.
This closeness.
Vi sat beside her, one arm resting on her knee, her face tilted slightly toward her. Caitlyn couldn't see her very well in the dim light, but she could make out the line of her smile, the relaxation in her shoulders.
She looked… happy.
Caitlyn felt something soft and warm expanding in her chest at the thought that Vi could feel that way with her.
And then, without thinking too much, she asked:
“If you had the chance to make it true, what would you wish for?”
Vi did not respond immediately.
But when she did, her voice had that low, soft but intense tone, as if what she was about to say was more important than Caitlyn could imagine. She had a smile on her face, that stomach-churning smile. The one that felt like it held an entire world inside of it.
“Just one wish?”
Caitlyn nodded, unable to look away from her.
"Yes"
Vi answered softly, her tone low and honest, getting under Caitlyn skin. Barely audible, she whispered her wish.
“To have met you before” Caitlyn felt her breath catch in her chest. Vi continued before she could react. “That way, for every time I close my eyes, I could see you clearly in my mind.”
Silence.
The world seemed to stop for a moment.
Caitlyn blinked, processing the weight of those words.
She felt them slide over her skin, slip between her ribs, wrap around her chest in a way she hadn't expected. The world seemed to shrink down to this ceiling, this night, this moment.
There was something devastatingly honest about the way Vi had said it. No pretense. No hesitation. Caitlyn opened her mouth, but no sound came out. The impact was immediate and absolute. It was the most beautiful, shattering confession Caitlyn had ever heard. She didn’t know what she had expected to hear, but it hadn’t been that.
Her chest tightened, a warm, overwhelming pressure building inside her, making her throat close with an emotion she didn't know how to handle.
Vi couldn't see her.
But in that moment, Caitlyn felt more seen than ever.
Unconsciously, her fingers moved slightly, moving closer to Vi, as if her body wanted to do what her mind couldn't yet process.
Caitlyn wanted to touch her.
Wanted to say something, anything.
Because, at that moment, she realized something powerful. She understood that she cared about Vi more than she had been willing to admit. More than it was certain. More than any warning from Powder could change. Further than any distance between Zaun and Piltover that could separate them.
Caitlyn swallowed, her heart pounding against her chest. And though she didn't know how to respond with words, her hand instinctively slid up to find Vi's.
It was a soft touch, barely a brush.
But Vi didn't move away, she didn't avoid it. She just let her be there. Vi stood there, calm, with an expression that Caitlyn wished she could analyze more, because something told her there was more to those words than Vi was willing to admit at that moment.
In the dark of night, high on an old, rusty roof in Zaun, Caitlyn felt with a soul-crushing certainty that there was nothing in this world she wouldn't do for the woman at her side.
And that certainty terrified her deeply.
:::
Zaun never felt colder than when Vi crossed the line between the two cities.
Powder hid in the shadows, leaning against the corroded wall of an old building, her eyes fixed on the two figures saying goodbye at the invisible border that divided Piltover from her home. That same border that Vi seemed to be crossing more often with an ease that left Powder with a bitter taste in her mouth.
Mylo snorted next to her.
“This is fucking ridiculous”
Powder didn't answer, already accustomed to the man's complaints. Her gaze remained fixed straight ahead, didn't want to look away.
She couldn't.
Her sister was there, standing in front of Caitlyn, with none of the awkwardness Powder would have expected in her posture. Vi looked calm. Relaxed, even.
And that made Powder angry.
Because it wasn't supposed to be this way. Vi wasn't supposed to feel this way around someone like Caitlyn. Powder felt her nails digging into her own skin. She felt like her sister was making a terrible mistake. And worst of all, Powder felt like she couldn't do anything to stop it.
“Come on, P. You’ve seen what you needed to see already.” Mylo sounded irritated and tired. Tired of Powder dragging him through this shit almost every day.
But to be fair, he'd brought it on himself. The boy owed Powder too many favors, accumulated over the years, and the girl was just bringing them up because she needed someone else in this. Someone who wouldn't question her decisions so much, just follow through.
Ekko had already reproached her enough and Vander…
Powder ran a hand over her face, trying to clear her mind.
Vi was finally saying goodbye, Powder could tell by the way they moved. She wished she could hear what they were saying, but that would only serve to give away her presence, so she had to content herself with watching from a distance.
There was something different between the two women tonight thought, something Powder couldn't quite understand. Vi didn't act with the casual indifference she used with most. Not with the blatant mockery she threw out when something didn't matter to her.
Caitlyn said something, and Vi smiled. She really smiled, an expression that seemed to light up her face in a way she rarely saw in her sister.
Powder felt anger rise through her body like a powerful and fleeting spark, before being replaced by an uncomfortable feeling of emptiness and frustration. Being there and witnessing that moment was like seeing something important snatched away from her right before her eyes.
She wasn't sure how to feel about it.
Her jaw tightened.
“Powder”
“We’ll leave as soon as Vi does.”
Mylo grumbled something under his breath, but didn't argue.
It was late, later than the Kiramman girl usually stayed in Zaun. And while this was usually a point where Powder opted to retreat, something inside her compelled her to stay here this time. Perhaps it was a little irrational, but she felt that, at least tonight, she had to make sure Vi got home safely.
It was something Mylo didn't understand, but he didn't question it either. He cared about Vi too, about his whole family in fact, but he always had a harder time showing it.
Vi finally turned around.
Powder watched every movement with careful eyes. The way Vi walked naturally around the city, even with her blindness. The way the cane moved with precision, the familiarity with which she navigated the paths of Zaun. It's something Powder was always proud to witness. Proud to see Vi stand strong and invincible before the world.
But no matter how confident Vi seemed, Powder knew firsthand how vulnerable her sister could be.
Thus, she watched in silence as Vi disappeared into the streets of Zaun, her figure blurring in the smoke and flickering lights. Only when her sister was far enough away did she release the breath she had been holding, her body moving automatically to follow her.
Powder was aware that her family and other people's opinions of her overprotectiveness were not the best. She had had enough clashes with a multitude of people over the years defending her position to be aware of it; and she knew that now the situation with Caitlyn Kiramman was rekindling old feelings and questions.
But no one truly understood what Powder was feeling. Ekko was the only one who came close to understanding the depth of the insecurities that reigned within Powder, their years of relationship and shared secrets solidifying them into a nearly unbreakable bond. But Ekko's understanding and grasp of the situation also had its limits.
Because the truth is that it wasn't possession she felt. It wasn't a selfish desire to keep Vi all to herself. Nothing could be further from the truth.
It was fear.
A thick and almost paralyzing fear, the kind that wrapped itself around the chest and refused to let go. That squeezed her heart with agonizing force every time she saw her sister vulnerable or in pain. A fear that only existed because she loved Vi more than anything in this world.
Ever since they were little girls, Vi had been her priority. Her reason for getting up every day after the tragic death of both of their parents. The only one who had managed to keep her strong from falling into real madness. The only person Powder was willing to do anything for.
And yes, Powder was scared because she had never seen Vi like this. She had never seen her look for someone outside of her family to take refuge in. She had never seen her so willing to open up and explore new things. And with a Kiramman. Of all people, it had to be a fucking Kiramman.
Powder gritted her teeth, crossing her arms over her chest in frustration, her gaze still fixed on her sister's back as they walked forward.
She had tried to repeat herself many times that Caitlyn was not like her grandmother.
She knew it. She had seen it.
Powder had watched enough the last few days to start to understand it. Caitlyn cared for Vi, in the small moments where her sister's blindness played tricks on her. When she casually verbally pointed out a step before Vi could trip, when she guided her without making it seem like she was helping the girl. When she held Vi against her to make sure she didn't fall to the ground when someone tripped over them without stopping.
Little things that Caitlyn did instinctively. As if it were the most natural thing in the world, as if she had been practicing for it all her life.
And that was what pissed Powder off the most.
Because if Caitlyn were like the other Kiramman, Powder would have clear reasons to despise her. If Caitlyn were like her family, Vi would not be in danger of becoming attached to her.
But the reality was much more screwed up.
Because Vi was already getting attached.
And Powder…
Powder didn't know what to do with that.
“Okay, Vi’s home. Can we go now?” Mylo growled from beside her.
Powder closed her eyes for a second before nodding.
"Yeah."
Mylo sighed with relief.
“Great. I need a drink,” the boy exclaimed melodramatically. “If I have to see another tender moment between Vi and the rich girl, I’m going to throw up.”
Powder did not respond.
She didn't have the energy to argue with him.
Not when her head kept replaying the image of Vi smiling with Caitlyn as if she had found something she didn't even know she was looking for. They turned in the direction of The Last Drop, disappearing into the shadows of Zaun.
The bar was in its usual rhythm when they arrived.
The lights flickered dimly, the murmur of conversation and laughter mixed with the sound of glasses clinking against wood. The air smelled of liquor, tobacco, and that unmistakable hint of humidity that never went away in Zaun.
It was a quiet night.
But Powder didn't feel that way. The discomfort in her chest wouldn’t leave.
She walked in with Mylo following behind her, immediately noticing Vander behind the bar, polishing a glass with his usual cool composure.
Powder knew what was coming.
A comment. A look. Another discussion.
Ever since Caitlyn had entered Vi's life, she and Vander had been butting heads.
Not in an explosive way, not with shouts or open fights. But with tense silences, with hints disguised as advice, with an increasingly marked barrier between what he believed was best for Vi and what she knew she had to do to protect her.
Powder didn't have the energy for that today.
She sighed, walking past without a word as Mylo moved forward to order a drink. She moved over to her usual table, but something made her body tense before she sat down.
A strange weight on the back of her neck.
She didn't notice him at first, but when she turned her head slightly, her eyes met a man in the corner of the bar. He was alone, with a half-empty bottle on the table, drinking calmly. Too calmly.
Powder frowned.
She didn't know him. But... there was something off about his presence. Something didn't fit. His posture was relaxed, but his attention too focused on her, Vander and Mylo, as if he was waiting for something. And then, the feeling of déjà vu hit her.
She had seen that man before.
On the streets. Walking through the markets. Standing on a corner, pretending to observe the stalls. From a distance, in places where she or Vi happened to be.
Powder's stomach tightened.
This was no coincidence. She forced herself to keep her expression neutral, not to show that she had noticed. But inside, something inside her began to burn.
Powder took a breath and walked toward the bar with measured steps. She didn't look directly at the man in the corner, but she felt him. Like an unwanted weight on her back, like a predator sizing up its prey from the shadows.
Vander was finishing pouring a beer when he noticed her presence.
“Pow, spying on Vi again?” he asked without looking up, his tone casual, but loaded with that patience that was beginning to wear thin lately.
Powder ignored the comment and instead leaned against the bar, lowering her voice.
“Who is that?”
Vander frowned, his eyes finally connecting with hers.
"Who?"
Powder tilted the head subtly towards the corner.
“The one over there. Alone. He has been looking at you for a while. Looking at me.”
Vander dried his hands on a rag before turning to look in the direction Powder was pointing. His gaze hardened for only a second.
It was fast. Almost imperceptible.
But Powder noticed.
“Well?” she insisted, narrowing her eyes.
Vander put the glass down on the bar with more force than necessary.
“He’s just a customer.”
Powder felt a shiver of irritation run down her spine.
“Don’t fuck with me, Vander. I’ve seen him before. Walking around Zaun, hanging around…” Her expression twisted into a grimace of disgust. “Around Vi. I thought I was imagining it, but that man is always around when Vi is out with… Kiramman. And close to my workshop, too.”
Vander exhaled heavily, but did not interrupt her.
“I don’t believe in coincidences,” Powder continued, her voice low but tense. “And I don’t believe that someone like him comes here just to drink and hang out.”
Vander clenched his jaw, but his tone remained measured as he responded.
“Leave it to me.”
Powder looked at him suspiciously.
“You do know him”
It took Vander a second to respond. Too long for Powder's opinion.
“Leave it to me,” he repeated, this time in a tone that allowed no discussion.
Powder felt her pulse quicken.
She held Vander's gaze for a long second, searching for something in his face that would give her a reason to persist. So she wouldn't feel like she was being left out of something that concerned her and her family directly.
But Vander didn't move. He didn't even blink.
He just watched her with that forced patience he usually used when he wanted her to drop a topic.
Powder felt her teeth clench, tension knotting in her chest. She wanted to believe him. She wanted to trust that he knew what he was doing. Vander had always handled this sort of things, always kept control when something threatened to fall apart.
At the end of the day, whatever differences she might have with Vander, the man was her father in every sense of the word except blood. He was everyone's support.
And yet…
The apprehension didn't go away.