Family Dinners and Pressure Valves
Caitlyn had been around Vi’s family plenty of times at the bar and individually when they’d met up at a restaurant or somewhere around town. This was the first time, however, she was about to have dinner with the whole family. The brothers, sister, dad, and likely future brother-in-law would all be there. Hell, for good measure the Lanes crew had even invited Benzo )Ekko’s adoptive father), Silco (Vi’s adoptive uncle), and Sevika over. This was meant to be a family affair and celebration.
“I didn’t realize so many kids in Zaun have adopted relatives,” Caitlyn comments as they pull up to The Last Drop.
“Lotta kids lost parents in the Piltie war. That’s why when I chose Piltover, people took issue with it at first. Same thing happened before when Sevika announced she was going to coach there. We were quite the hated duo for a while.”
“You said she and your mom were friends?”
“Yea. They played together. Even played a year at Zaun together until mom found out she was pregnant with me. I was raised to treat her as more of an Aunt than anything. When my parents died, she was the first person at the door other than Vander. She took my mom’s death really hard. So, I knew while I was getting recruited there was no one else I was going to play for even if it caused issues because of Vander’s rebel days.”
“It is awfully ironic that the woman who saved Piltover’s softball program and their biggest star the past four years both hail from Zaun, a place they tried to oppress for decades.” Caitlyn can’t help the chuckle after she says the words.
Vi smirks, “Believe me. It warms my heart knowing that.”
They’re greeted at the door by Vander, who instantly folds Caitlyn into the tightest hug she’s ever received. “Heard there was some excitement at the game today,” he boasts in his signature booming voice.
“Whatever you heard it’s 100% true,” Vi announces with pride.
“Heard your coach may have given the green light?” His right eyebrow raises as he directs the question to Caitlyn.
“The pitch slipped from my hand. It was awfully warm today.”
“Correct fucking answer, Kiramman!” Sevika shouts from what Caitlyn assumes is the kitchen.
“Accidents do happen,” the ace adds, grinning like a Cheshire Cat.
“Damn, Vi. You gotta step up your game, Sis. The Piltie has pegged two women and gotten in a bar fight all in your name. All you did was dislocate your shoulder and get clocked in the face,” Powder teases as she emerges carrying a tray of veggies and dip.
“It’s not a competition you know. And if anything it shows I keep my cool better than Cait,” Vi pouts.
“Suuuurre. We’re just going to ignore all those bar fights you got in before ya’ll started dating?” The younger sister hands Cait a carrot and winks.
“Hey! I’ve gotten better! Only one to start a bar fight this year is Cait!”
“Technically you’re the one that lifted Nolen off her bar stool that started the brawl Friday if I remember correctly,” Vander chimes in.
“Unfucking believable. If I’d have known it was going to be like this I’d have not come.”
“Come on, Lanes. Take it in stride. Besides, you do tend to win the war of words on the field if I’m not mistaken.” Sevika slaps both Caitlyn and Vi on the back and instantly Cait feels her cheeks burn with embarrassment.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mylo pipes in, appearing out of nowhere.
Caitlyn watches as Vi prepares to speak, grabbing her hand to deter her attention. “Don’t you dare.”
“Oh, no I dare you,” the coach interjects.
Vi grins, “The game in which Nolen clocked me was the day after Cait and I had sex for the first time. Nolen made a crack about Cait always preparing me to Maddie and I said basically that she may have fucked her first but it’s my name she moans now.”
“Gods I hate you,” Cait growls, hiding her face.
“Holy. Shit. How did no one tell me this before! That’s EPIC!” Mylo shouts through a cackle as his eyebrows bounce like caterpillars in the wind.
“OKAY! I think we’re quite done here.”
“See, Kiramman. It’s not always fun putting up with Lanes’ shit now is it? Imagine having been her coach for the last four years. People wonder why I drink. Now you know.”
——————
#3 Piltover at #1 Ionia game 2 of 3 on the weekend
5 strikeouts until record (Kiramman vs Barnard)
“Folks, if you’re tuned in today I can only assume it’s because you’re ready to watch history be made. And it’s only fitting that history gets to happen at the place where 2 time national champion and reigning national pitcher of the year Caitlyn Kiramman started her career. She’s 5 strikeouts away from breaking her current coach’s record. Will it happen this evening? Stay tuned to RSN as the Commodores of Piltover do battle with the Krakens of Ionia.”
Caitlyn sits alone in the locker room, relishing in the brief moment of peace and quiet before the rest of her teammates make their way to prepare to do battle with Ionia. Her mind is a twisting, swirling mass of memories and thoughts regarding the last four years of her life on the diamond. While there’s still plenty of season left as playoffs look in the near future, she can’t help but feel as though it’s all culminated to this moment.
Visions of games, wins, and loses play in her subconscious as she remembers the moments in her career that have gotten her to this point. She can’t help but remember striking Vi out to end the national championship game the previous year. The catcher watched the ball go by and at the sound of the umpire’s voice, crumpled to the ground in defeat.
Even though they’d really never spoken, Caitlyn had felt a slight tinge of pain when she watched the woman be forced up by a teammate to walk off the field. She’d always wondered what had happened to the usually stoic player to cause her to completely fall apart. Now, almost a year later, she knows Vi carried the weight of the world as she navigated her new life after Lex’s death.
That particular strikeout will always be bittersweet now.
Her parents had made the trip to watch her hopefully break history. It didn’t add pressure, surprisingly. If anything it released the pressure valve a little to where she realized all these years, from the time she first picked up a ball at 7 years old until now had meant just as much to them as it did her.
Over the past few months her relationship with them had started shifting, no doubt due to them finally communicating. The supposed “homophobic Cassandra Kiramman” had in fact just been misunderstood. She’d softened around her daughter. Cassandra was open and informed her constantly how proud she was. Caitlyn finally felt like she could let herself appreciate the love her mother had for her.
Then there was Vi. Sweet, supportive Vi who ended up being her biggest fan and advocate. Any time she’d been asked about the record she always had the same response “No one deserves this more”. They’d faced hurdles initially that had to be dealt with but they were finally on a path to a healthy, happy life together.
“You meditating or some sort of new age shit?” Sevika’s voice drags Caitlyn back into reality. The coach sat beside her, indicating that the rest of the team was not far behind.
“Something like that.”
“Are you ready? Gonna be a lot of fans wanting to see this moment. Lotta press too. Can you handle it?”
“I’ve been training my whole life to get to this point. I’m not about to let it go to shit now.”
Sevika lets out an amused chortle. “Listen, now matter what happens today, I’m fucking proud of you kid. You came in here and really took command of this team. They respect the hell out of you and are all just as excited as I am to see this happen for you.”
“I’m just the figurehead. Vi’s the real leader. And besides, everything I’ve done here I’ve done for this team. While this record is nice and something I want, I truly mean it when I say records are meant to be broken but championships can never be taken away. I want to watch the looks on Sarah Fortune, Maddie Nolen and Ambessa’s faces when we hoist that trophy at the end of the year.”
Her eyes are determined, focused on the wall ahead of her. Sevika couldn’t help but mention, “Fortune? Your old catcher? She the one Nolen didn’t dirty with l?”
“Gods know. Maddie always thought Sarah was too flamboyant. They once got into a fist fight in practice that I had to break up because Maddie called Fortune a pirate hooker.”
“How original,” Sevika replied, rolling her eyes.
“I haven’t always dated the brightest women,” Caitlyn mused through a smirk. “But Fortune tends to get a little too flirty for my liking whenever we play them, particularly with Vi.”
Sevika couldn’t help the loud, barking laughter that followed. “Such a Piltie Princess thing to say. But you know what, if it gets us that trophy, hold on to the anger.” She slaps Caitlyn on the back, causing her to lurch forward slightly. “I'm happy it’s you, kid. I think I’d be pissed if it was anyone else going out there to break my record.”
The coach stands, making her way out of the locker room when Caitlyn calls out to her. “Hey Coach?” The hulking woman turns, giving her full attention back to her ace. “Thank you, for everything. This team has changed my life and I don’t think I’ve ever told you how much I appreciate the opportunity you’ve given me.”
Sevika grunts, “Dammit, Kiramman. Stop getting sentimental on me. I’ve got a reputation to keep up.” Caitlyn watches as the woman wipes one single tear from her cheek and can’t help but smile.
“Your secret is safe with me.”
————————
“Welcome back to this exciting match up we’ve got here. It’s 0-0 going into the bottom of the third here and we’ve got the 9, 1, and 2 hole hitters coming to the plate for the Krakens. Kiramman is 2 strikeouts away from the record having collected 2 Ks in the first and 1 in the second.”
There is an undeniable electric current in the air as the entire ballpark waits with bated breath for Caitlyn to finally get the last two strikeouts. She can tell there’s an abnormal amount of sweat cutting through her chest guard shirt under her uniform. Her mouth is dry and no amount of sports drink or water has been able to wet her tongue since the game got underway. Something about the start of this inning feels different, as though the realization has finally settled in her soul that this is actually happening in this game.
Oxley is the first batter. She struggles with anything that’s thrown high so Sevika starts the at bat with a high fastball that she offers a swing at and misses. The pressure once again seems to be building, but this time in her head as she desperately listens for the call Sevika gives her but can’t hear it through the sound of her blood rushing through her body. Her heart pounds in her chest as she grips the laces, the feeling of leather mixed in. She’s still unsure what Sevika has called so she goes with what seems to work, a rise ball. Another swing and miss.
When Vi throws the ball back to Caitlyn, she sees Vi smirk under her helmet, no doubt keeping track of how close the moment is coming. In all of the time she was with Maddie, not once did the other woman offer any sort of congratulatory recognition to Cait. That should have been her first sign that the Noxian was only in the relationship for personal gain. Caitlyn had always complimented her after games where Maddie had played well, celebrating her accomplishments as though they were her own. The one week Maddie had earned a conference player of the week nod, she’d tried to provide the woman an evening to remember.
Maddie had left after Caitlyn fell asleep to meet with her “mistress”.
Sevika calls in a high and outside fastball which does the trick. Oxley freezes, watching strike three go by her. It took three straight pitches for Caitlyn Kiramman to tie Sevika’s strikeout record.
“Holy shit this is happening,” Caitlyn mumbles to herself as she catches the ball Vi had just thrown back at her. She performs her normal pre-batter routine of a loop around the circle, making eye contact with every infielder, including Vi. She knows the next two hitters will be hard to get. Lawrence was one of the fastest players Caitlyn had ever seen. She could slap a ball anywhere on the field and get a double before anyone would realize she had rounded first. Caitlyn’s thoughts are correct when Lawrence takes the first outside pitch she tosses to right field and stops at one.
Parsons steps into the box and suddenly it feels like the weight of the world is crashing down onto Cait. She is one strikeout away. On any other given day that would have meant nothing, but today is different. Her mind races as she runs through Ionia’s order. Fortune was next and she, like Vi, rarely strikes out. If Caitlyn doesn’t get Parsons, this torture will continue.
She’s worked herself up and ends up throwing 4 straight balls, a rare occurrence in her career. Vi senses something is wrong and requests a time out from the home plate up so she can check in with her pitcher.
“Cait, it’s just another day at the office.”
“But it’s not. There are so many people watching me.”
“There are always people watching you, Cait. You’re the Queen of the RAC.”
“Exactly! This means something to people and I just can’t let anyone down.”
Vi steps forward, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Cait, fuck everyone else right now. This is your moment, not there’s. Do this for you and you alone. Take a deep breath and be a little selfish. You’re pushing it.”
Cait takes in a long deep breath and nods, “Okay.”
“Seriously, for once, embrace the moment for you and no one else. Not even me.”
Vi turned and walked back, catching the eye of the new batter.
“Ready to have your name forever associated with a record?” Vi quips as she squats behind home.
Sarah chuckles, “Have you always been this arrogant or is this something new?”
“I like to believe this sunny personality is what won Cait over.”
Vi is awarded with another laugh. “Sure, Lanes. That’s what won her over.”
The first pitch is a curve that hangs enough on the plate to get called a strike. Another pitch, this time a rise ball and Fortune lays off. For pitch 3 Sevika calls an outside fastball which Caitlyn puts it in “the river”. Fortune barely connects the end of her bat with the ball and shoots the ball foul into the Commodore dugout.
After two more pitches, the count is full and now even Vi feels the pressure that has built in the situation. She takes an extra second longer to get back into her stance, forcing Cait to connect her gaze with Vi’s. All the catcher does is nod, offering a bit of assurance that this is Cait’s moment and no one else’s.
When she squats behind home, Vi knows what pitch is coming before Sevika even calls it. Drop ball. She sets herself up and waits.
Cait takes a deep breath and much like during the final moments of the perfect game, when she begins her throwing motion closes her eyes until she feels the ball release. She watches as the bottom drops out of the pitch.
It’s not until Fortune’s barrel slams into the ground that Cait registers what’s happened.