Curveball
Game 1 – Piltover vs Demacia - Kiramman vs Harvey – 142 strikeouts until the record
Vi sat alone in the locker room. The rest of the team was still at the welcome luncheon that she should be attending, but simply just needed a minute of peace. Report time wasn’t for another half hour, so she knew she’d have plenty of time to be alone with her thoughts. It had taken some convincing to get Caitlyn to stay behind, but eventually she argued her case enough to succeed.
This time last year her mind was everywhere, but the game. Lex had just died a few months prior and Vi was still trying to put the pieces of her soul back together. Once the season started, Vi threw her entire body and soul into playing. The more she focused on the game, the less she focused on the pain. Deep down she knew that focus was what had caused her to earn the player of the year award.
While her team tried their best to help her in any way they could, at she had felt so incredibly alone. Her apartment had become a crypt of memories. Thoughts of gentle touches, warm embraces, and giddy laughter had haunted her every time she stepped through the door. Vi began to drink more and take prescribed sleeping pills a doctor had been giving her to deal with the grief. Prior to Thaddeus’s release, the last night she’d mixed her cocktail of booze and pills was the night before she’d met Caitlyn. How quickly her life had been turned around by the pitcher.
Now, it was a new season. It was hard to ignore this would be her last opening day in her playing career. The sport she’d loved since being a little kid was about to become just another haunting memory. That was, unless she managed to get a coaching job like she wanted. She just hoped her escapade with Noxus hadn’t hurt her chances.
The first game of the season was always when they found out captains. The team voted because Sevika felt it wasn’t her that had to listen to them, it was the girls. Vi had worn the “C” on her sleeve with pride last year. After her scuffle against Nolen, however, she honestly felt like she didn’t deserve it. Yet, when she pulled her jersey out of her locker, there it was. The blue C sewn to her white jersey.
“I’m sending Kiramman this way because I’d like you two to go ahead and get warmed up. I’d like her to throw the whole game since it’s our first one.”
“Setting the standard early, I see?” Vi responded. She didn’t care who pitched the game, she just wanted to win. Demacia was going to be a tough challenge to start out with. They had a pitcher with a killer rise ball that Vi always struggled to lay off of. Their first baseman could also hit just about anything you threw at her, so they’d have to watch how they pitched her at bats.
“I want to make a statement this game. We’re here and we’re for real and deserve that top spot in the polls. Beating number 3 is going to do that. These tournaments are played for that reason, show everyone what you got before you get into weekend series conference play. I want them to be scared to play us again when it’s their turn later in the season.”
Vi nods and looks down at her jersey. “I don’t deserve this, you know. Honestly, I shouldn’t even be playing this game.”
“Lanes, just take the W and move on. So, you fucked up. We all do. I know the purpose of that little cock fight you had with Nolen. Do I appreciate it that it happened in game? No, but I also can’t say that if I’d have been in your position I wouldn’t have done the same damn thing. Your teammates respect you more because of it honestly. Both selections were unanimous.”
“Who’s the other?”
Sevika grinned and pointed at the door. Caitlyn. “I expect you two in the bullpen throwing in twenty. Once she’s nice and loose, I want you to have the trainer check that shoulder. I noticed you were favoring it Tuesday at practice. I can’t have you retearing anything.”
“What the hell is this C doing on my uniform?” Caitlyn asked, confused. Sevika just smiled and walked out of the locker room.
Game 4 – FINAL game of Demacia Classic – Ionia (3-0) vs Piltover (3-0) – Kiramman vs Stutler 130 strikeouts until the record
It was the bottom of the 4th and Piltover held a 2-1 lead over Ionia. Caitlyn had pitched a solid game except for a pair of back-to-back doubles she’d given up in the 2nd to Fortune and Curney. Now, two innings later, Cait found herself once again facing Fortune. With 2 outs, Vi called time so she could go chat with Cait and ensure they were on the same page.
“You’ve gotta keep her outside. If you hang it or push it in, she’s going to crack another rocket to left.”
“Alright. I figure Sevika is going to start with the drop because she knows Sarah likes it low.”
Vi smirks, “There’s a joke to be made, but I’ll just go find my way back to my knees.”
Caitlyn chuckles as she watches her catcher sport those super tight white pinstripe pants she likes walk away.
“She always eye fuck you when you walk away like that?” Fortune asks while Vi brushes dirt off the plate with her cleats.
The enemy catcher is rewarded with a warm chuckle from Vi. She can’t help but laugh because she knows how much Cait loves seeing her ass and thighs in the pinstripes. “Due to these pants, I will most likely have a fun night tonight.”
“Damn I should have apparently played that card more. Maybe she would have stayed.”
The banter is nothing more than friendly words exchanged between players on opposing teams. Vi smiles wide as she returns to her position behind the plate and holds her glove out to signal to Coach Sev she’s ready for the call. What she’s not ready for is the look Caitlyn is giving her when they make eye contact. The ace looks, well pissed.
Sure enough, Sevika starts the at bat by having Cait throw a drop. Just like Caitlyn figured, Fortune offers a cut at the ball and whiffs what seems like two feet above the ball. The next signal in is a low fastball outside which Vi agrees is the perfect call. Another pitch and another swing and a miss.
“Man, I forgot how good she was at placing her shit,” Sarah admits sounding frustrated. They’d not spoken the first at bat. It was too early in the game for Vi to really be loose enough to be willing to speak to opposing players. Plus, it was still weird for her to play Ionia. Afterall, they’d ended Piltover’s season last year and Vi was just ready to exact revenge on them.
“I’m lucky I get to catch her.”
“Uh huh. So that’s what you kids are calling it.”
Caitlyn sees Vi laugh at whatever Sarah has said and her blood runs cold. She tries not to be the jealous type, but since Maddie, she can’t help it. Even 43 feet away, Caitlyn could see her former catcher was flirting. While at Ionia, she’d never really had a problem with Sarah, but she never really cared for her either. She was sure Sarah would say the same thing about Caitlyn. They worked well together, but they weren’t exactly having girls’ trips to the mall after softball was over. In realty, none of the teammates did any of that.
Since arriving in Piltover, she’d already been to at least 6 house parties at various teammates’ apartments. One had spiraled so much she and Vi woke up hungover and in the bed of Tutler’s roommate who was out of town for the weekend visiting family. The entirety of the team knew within hours of them emerging from the bedroom the next morning. It had been the daily scandal gossip at practice that evening. Friendly jokes and questions abounded. If nothing else, it made Sevika uncomfortable.
Nonetheless, her team now was different, and they’d respected her enough to give her the honor of wearing the captain’s C. Sarah, on the other hand, was flirting with Caitlyn’s girlfriend right in front of her and was about to learn how disrespectful that actually was. Sevika called for a rise ball, hoping the batter was preparing for a low pitch for the third time. A rise ball would be unexpected. Instead, Cait threw a fastball in that brushed Sarah off the plate in a flash after nearly hitting her.
“The fuck was that?” Fortune cried. “I’m not even that close to the plate.”
Vi made eye contact with Caitlyn who looked like a rabid animal. She could hear Sevika yelling from her bucket throne about checking her wrist band to ensure she knew what pitch was called. Again, Sevika called for the rise ball. The catcher remained lined up over the center of the plate, waiting for the pitch to come in. This time, Caitlyn didn’t miss.
The 12-inch yellow ball landed square in between Fortune’s shoulder blades. She had turned her body away from Cait in order to brace for the impact of the pitch. The thwack of ball on muscle reverberated around the stadium causing crowd members and players alike to audibly announce their discomfort in the sound.
“Come on, blue. That’s twice in a row she’s thrown the pitch! It was obviously intentional!” Greyson shouted from her location in the third base coach’s box. Cait immediately shot her a look of astonishment, relapsing a brief moment and forgetting she was on the opposite team.
“She’s allowed to throw inside! If the batter can’t handle it tell her to go sign up for church league.” Sevika shouts, knowing it’s not the pitch she called, but not wanting her ace to get pulled from the game.
Once Sarah had recovered, she slams her bat into the ground and initially takes a step forward toward the pitcher’s mound. She’s dead locked her eyes on Caitlyn who is staring daggers through the woman’s head. Vi stands and steps in between the woman. “I think we’ve had enough of a staring contest for one day there, friend. Head on up to first there. Derst there likes long walks on the beach and pizza for breakfast.”
The catcher remains in a position where she can protect her ace in the event Fortune decides to make the turn and charge. Luckily, the assault never happens, and Sarah finds her spot with one foot on first ready to head to second during the next at bat. Vi walks over to hand Cait the ball, sporting a look of annoyance.
“Problem there, Cupcake?” her words are laced with sarcasm which only infuriates Caitlyn more.
“Just making sure she knew her motivations weren’t appreciated.”
Vi has to hide her laughter, not wanting to let anyone else in the ballpark know her girlfriend plunked her former catcher because she hit on Vi. “God you’re hot angry. Just strike this dipshit out and you can get your ultimate vengeance on Fortune by beating her team’s ass. Got it?”
Caitlyn rolls her eyes and nods. As Vi turns to walk away she calls to her, “Vi, wait.” The catcher turns and jogs back knowing their allotted time will be running out very soon. “I’m sorry.”
Vi laughs, “I dislocated my shoulder making a statement about my girl. This shit is nothing.”
Just like with Noxus, the remainder of the game was uneventful. Although Sevika did have a candid conversation with Caitlyn outside of the dugout in between the top and bottom of the fourth inning. Vi hit her first home run of the season, a 3-run shot to dead straight away center that put Piltover up 4-1 which would be the final score. Sarah was less than cordial to Caitlyn during the post-game handshake, which was perfectly fine for the ace.
When she reached Greyson, the coach stopped her, sporting a serious look on her face. “Young Kiramman, you know I love you dearly, but don’t ever do that again to one of my players.”
Caitlyn nodded, “Then tell your players that my catcher is off limits.” Once saying her peace, Caitlyn walks away.
As she’s cleaning up her equipment from the dugout, she notices Greyson talking to Sevika and Vi. No doubt about her escapade with her former catcher. Vi stands in a manner that doesn’t allow for her demeanor to betray the subject of the conversation. The conversation looks intense, but not angry. Something about it make’s Caitlyn uneasy. In the end, Greyson shakes hands with Vi and Sevika and they part ways.
They wait in the airport in silence, sitting side by side in the most uncomfortable seats on the planet. Once again, Caitlyn had found herself in the coach’s office post-game, receiving a lecture about keeping her shit together and ignoring pitch calls again. Yet, as uncomfortable as that conversation was, sitting next to Vi in utter silence is so much worse.
“I’m sorry, okay. I just felt like Fortune was overstepping her bounds with you.” Caitlyn finally breaks the horrendous silence between them. Yet, Vi doesn’t respond. Caitlyn is sure she’s upset the woman until she sees that Vi’s gaze is lightyears away. She gently nudges her in the ribs, “Hey, are you okay?”
Vi jolts back to the airport gate and shakes her head. “Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts again. What did you say?”
Concern builds in Cait’s chest. She was trying to remember if this was perhaps an anniversary of some sort. Was it possibly Lex’s birthday? Could it be because this time last year she was still recovering from losing the love of her life? Was it possible Vi truly was upset by Caitlyn’s show of dominance with Fortune? Caitlyn desperately needed to know what was going on inside Vi’s head.
“Hey, love. Talk to me. Where are you at right now?”
Vi looked deep into her eyes and it made Caitlyn’s concern grow exponentially. There was something seriously wrong. “Greyson is going to be looking for a new assistant next year and she wants to know if she can present my name to the university at the end of the season.” The bag of bricks hits Caitlyn square in the chest, but she can’t show it. This is Vi’s dream, but Caitlyn doesn’t know what to think. “I told her I needed to talk to you. That all of my future plans had to involve you.”
Caitlyn remains quiet. The realization that Vi had been offered a job outside of Piltover hits her harder than it should. “I don’t know what to say.” While it’s the middle of February and the season is just starting, June would be there before they know it. Vi would finish her courses a quarter early and would be able to graduate and leave Caitlyn behind. The thought makes Caitlyn sick.
“I don’t want to do this if you’re not with me, but I know you can’t leave.”
“Why can’t I leave?”
Vi scoffs and says, “Really? You’re the heir of House Kiramman. Your family and the political involvement they have in Piltover takes precedence over everything else. I can’t ask you to walk away from that.”
“Then don’t.”
“I'm not!” Vi almost shouts the words. She can see the shock that assaults Cait’s face and suddenly she feels 3 feet tall.
“Vi, you need to take this. It doesn’t matter what I think or what I can and can’t do, coaching under Greyson is the best foot in the door you’re going to get. Ionia is a storied program. You may not get another opportunity like this.”
The other woman sits quietly, pondering the words she’s just heard. Just as she’s about to speak, Tutler appears and announces, “Yo, since tomorrow is Sunday and we should get home at a decent time, I’m going to have some people over at my place. Just an FYI, my roommate is home so you may want to avoid her. She knows.”
Neither speaks, simply nods in acknowledgement. The weight of life post-collegiate career suddenly weighing on them heavily. Just as everything was starting to look up, reality had grabbed ahold of their emotions and caused them to come crashing down.
An announcement comes over the intercom informing them their flight will be boarding to return to Piltover in a few minutes. Caitlyn stands and strides to get in line. Vi remains seated, praying to any deity that will listen to give her the answers she needs. She can’t lose someone else she loves.