The Box
Cait waits at the airport, knee brace on and crutches resting beside her seat. The two days since returning to Piltover had been a whirlwind. When the jet her mother had arranged for her landed at the airport, a family valet and escort waited for her to hobble off the plane. They’d immediately driven her to the hospital for her to meet with the best orthopedic specialist that focused on knee injuries that Cassandra could find.
The ace was lucky. An MRI showed no significant damage. It was a severe sprain that must have occurred when her plant foot had slipped slightly as she’d landed on her first pitch of the Sarah Fortune at bat. Caitlyn had felt something twinge in pain when she’d landed. Somehow, she’d kept it together, but after landing on her second pitch, she knew she couldn’t go any further.
“You need to rest it for at least two weeks. After that, we’ll come back here and see how it feels and what sort of weight you can handle. I make no promises though.”
It was frustrating. She’d never missed an extended period of games in season before. Having this happen leading up to when everything started heating up and conference games really mattered threw her into a state of depression. The injury on top of how she’d left things with Vi had compounded, leading her to spend the time she’d been alone either crying or staring into the abyss with her demons.
As players make their way toward baggage claim, Caitlyn pushes herself up on her crutches and moves toward the influx of people. One by one her teammates find her, excited to see the pitcher has made the trip to the airport to welcome them home. Hug after hug was given, apologizing for the injury and the losses against two teams they should have beat. Caitlyn smiled and brushed everything off, “You were just pre-occupied being worried about me”. The joke lands and the crowd around her erupts in laughter before heading toward the luggage carousel.
Sevika and Vi are the last two off the plane, having made sure the children (aka team) had cleaned up after themselves and not left anything behind. When the coach catches sight of her ace on crutches, Sevika frowns. “You know, I gave you the opportunity to say you wanted to quit not that long ago. You didn’t have to go and get hurt to get out of playing.”
“Oh, ha ha.” Caitlyn sighs, looking down at the ground to avoid her piercing eyes. “Believe me. This is not how I wanted to spend the first part of the season.”
She feels a comforting hand on her shoulder, warranting her to look up at her coach’s face. “I’m just glad it’s not worse. Take the time you need to heal. We’re going to need you when you get back.” The coach turns to Vi who has trailed off behind her, avoiding the private discussion happening between the player and coach. “If you don’t take care of her, I’m going to make it my personal mission to see far I can push you in the weight room until your legs give out.”
Vi rolls her eyes as the coach walks off, leaving the two lovers standing awkwardly. The catcher makes her way closer the Cait, lifting her backpack higher up on to her right shoulder. They’ve not spoken much since the game. Vi was still asleep when Caitlyn had left to fly home. She’d texted to let her know she was going to the doctor to get on the healing path as soon as possible, but neither had texted after.
“Hey,” Caitlyn sheepishly greets Vi.
“Hey, Cupcake. How are you holding up?”
Caitlyn lets out a sighed chuckle. “I’ve been better, but I’ve also been worse. I’m better now that you’re home.” She offers a smile which Vi reciprocates, but unfortunately Caitlyn can’t hold it together very long before the façade fades and she breaks down crying.
Without another word, Vi drops her bag on the floor and bolts forward to embrace Cait. Crutches fall, clinking as they hit the hard floor. Vi feels Cait heave into her chest, letting out a cry she has surely held in since at least the diagnosis Friday morning. Gently she begins to caress the back of Cait’s head, doing anything she can to sooth the pitcher. “I know, Cupcake. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything.”
- - - - - - - - - -
The ride home was quiet, both reflecting on the events of the weekend. Vi had wanted to unload everything, make Cait understand she didn’t feel like this was the end. It couldn’t be. How had they just decided to move in together only for things to come crashing down. It surely was only the beginning.
Tutler and Derst tried their best to get them to come to yet another party, but neither felt like celebrating. Caitlyn was reeling from the fact she’d most likely miss at minimum 5 games while Vi was frustrated they’d lost to both Ionia and of all teams Noxus. What was there to celebrate?
They sat at the dining room table, facing one another. The discussion had to happen. They couldn’t hide from it any longer. Vi felt like her heart was about to beat out of her chest, nerves causing her right leg to bounce up and down under the table. Her stomach told her she was hungry, but the thought of attempting to eat made her throat act like it was doing everything it could to keep sustenance out.
“I’m sorry I avoided you after the game.” Vi opens the conversation with the first apology.
Caitlyn nods, “It’s fine. I can’t lie, I didn’t necessarily appreciate you being brought to our room by another woman, but I know I can trust you.”
“Cait…”
“Vi, I promise. She told me everything. I know nothing happened.” She recalls the box that Fortune had found Vi holding on to. Was Vi really thinking of proposing? They were serious enough to move in together, so why not? “I’m sorry about Ionia.” She can’t hold it in anymore. Something in her tells her if she holds on to the apology any longer, she will shatter into a million pieces.
Clearing her throat, Vi reaches out with her hand and grabs ahold of Cait’s. Her eyes watch as their fingers interlace while her lips curve into a smile surprisingly. “I knew there was no way you could come with me, not after everything. It was selfish of me to put that on you.”
“So, what does that mean for us?” Caitlyn hates the question and every implication it brings with it. Vi still hasn’t looked up and she worries what Vi’s response will be.
Caitlyn watches as Vi gets that cocky smirk on her face that she wore on the first day they met. Her hand pulls away and reaches into her hoodie pocket. Before Caitlyn can register what is happening, the same small wooden box she’d seen in Noxus is sitting on the table, waiting for her to open it.
“It means I’m staying here and before you freak out in typical Kiramman fashion just listen. I’ve spent the last three years playing for a program where the game means more to us than walking on to a field and hitting or fielding a little yellow ball. This team, we’re a family. I talked to Fortune Friday night.” she sees Cait’s eyebrow raise at the statement, so she adds, “Again, I promise it was just talking, but I asked her about playing for Ionia. Cait, that’s not a family, that’s a machine and I’ve spent enough of my life feeling like I’m just a part of a machine. No disrespect to Grayson, but I don’t want to have to change who I am just to get my foot in the door.”
The catcher reaches out and flips the top open, revealing the ring. Caitlyn’s eyes fixate on the jeweled band she saw in the hotel, her breath once again catching in her chest. “Vi…”
“This was my mother’s. Vander always said she’d want me to give it to someone I felt like I had to come home to every night because I realized wherever I was wouldn’t be home if they weren’t there with me.” The ace looks up and finds Vi’s greys sparkling bright under the kitchen lights. The catcher’s hands gently remove the ring, pulling it up toward her face as if she’s analyzing it for the first time.
“I realized after you left early yesterday morning that no matter how good of an opportunity Ionia seems like, what you and I have is something that not everyone gets. I’ve been fortunate enough to get a second chance at something I swore I’d never deserve again.” Vi lifts Cait’s hand, placing the ring on her hand. There’s no struggle. It’s as if the ring were meant for her which only makes Vi smile more as tears start to form in her eyes.
“I love you and I should tell you that more. I should tell you that every day and if you’ll let me, I’ll tell you that every morning, afternoon, and night for the rest of my life because you deserve to hear it. Ionia can never be home for me because you’re home and that should say a lot coming from a catcher who spends most of their time behind home.”
The quip causes Cait to let out a wet laugh through the tears that have been falling since Vi started talking. “What? No joke about being on your knees behind home?”
Vi slaps the table, letting out a single hard laugh. “Dammit! That’s such a fucking good joke and I can’t believe I didn’t think of it!” The two laugh for a few moments before the silence fills the room once again.
“I need to know you aren’t doing this for me, Vi. I need to know this is what you want.”
“You are what I want. You are home. I’m not choosing this for you. I’m choosing this for me. I know I don’t have a lot to offer. You’re a Kiramman and I’m just some trencher who got lucky because I was good at playing ball. I promise you though, I will make sure that you and our future family are safe and happy until the day I die.”
Her body lifts from the chair, moving to kneel beside this woman who has captured heart. “So, Caitlyn ‘Cupcake’ Kiramman, would you do the honor of being my wife?”
Part of Caitlyn wants to make a sarcastic comment or roll her eyes at that ridiculous nickname, but the shear romanticism of the moment takes hold, forcing her body forward into a deep kiss. When she pulls away, she rests her forehead on Vi’s, holding on to her cheeks. “Only a fool would say no to you. I will never deserve you, but I promise I will try for the rest of my days to attempt to come close.”
The hug that follows is warm and filled with pure love and devotion. Both are still crying, finding it difficult to believe that just a week prior everything seemed to be falling apart.
“So, what now? There’s sure to be a shakeup in coaching staffs. May be Zaun will have something open? I know last season their assistant was rumored to be heading to Bilgewater but ended up staying because his wife had a baby, and he didn’t want to change everything at once. I’m sure he’ll land somewhere in the off season.” Caitlyn chose to ignore the flirtatious banter.
The catcher shook her head, “Nope. I’m sure he’ll land somewhere, but I’ve already got another opportunity that has presented itself. However, I have been sworn on my life to secrecy.”
“Are you serious? You can’t even tell your fiancé?”
“No ma’am. And there’s nothing you can do to get me to tell you.”
Caitlyn smiled seductively, “You want to make a bet?”
Vi groaned, “Don’t do this to me. I’m under strict orders and I can’t have you trying to get information. I promise. In due time, Cait.”
The ace looks down at her hand, naturally allowing her thumb to once again play with a ring that adorns her finger. She can’t help but smile. “It’s odd having something on this finger again.” When she looks up, she sees concern suddenly flash in Vi’s eye.
“Is it okay?”
All Cait can do is smile, once again fighting tears. “It’s perfect.”