Chapter 12
“Hi, girls! What can I get for you today?” The woman behind the register asked with a polite smile.
“You first, cupcake.”
Caitlyn stepped forward. “I’ll have a green tea latte made with skim milk—steamed—in a medium cup, please.” Caitlyn offered a small smile to the barista, who finished typing on her computer.
“You?”
“I’ll do a small black coffee.” Vi looked at the display of pastries inside a glass seal. “Also, a birthday cake pop.” Caitlyn raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.
“Is that it for the two of you?” Caitlyn and Vi nodded. The barista looked down at her screen and typed something. “Alright, that’ll be 10.79 cogs.”
Caitlyn began to pull out her wallet, but Vi put a hand on her wrist. “It’s my treat.”
“Are you sure? I can pay-”
“I know you can pay, Kiramman,” Vi playfully rolled her eyes. “It’s not about that. I offered. I pay. Besides, this is only a week’s worth of salary.”
“Vi!”
“I’m just joking. Relax,” Vi chuckled as she turned back to the barista. “I would like to use my employee’s discount.” Caitlyn furrowed her eyebrows at Vi’s statement.
“Ok, what’s your name and employee number?”
“Zeri, and it’s 516.”
“Zeri…516, " the woman mumbled as she typed on her computer. “Found ya. The new charge is 6.30 cogs.”
“Perfect,” Vi pulled out her wallet and handed the woman the coins.
The woman smiled again. “Great! Your drinks and cake pop will be with you in a moment.”
Caitlyn and Vi walked away, letting the next customer order. “You choose where to sit, cupcake.” Shaking her head, Caitlyn led Vi to a table by the window.
“Unbelievable,” Caitlyn scoffed as she sat down. “You just lied to that barista.”
“Lie? You take me as a liar, Kiramman?” Vi tried to hide her smirk, but the playful glint in her eyes gave her away as she leaned back, feigning mock offense. “I am anything but a liar.”
“Then what did you tell the employee.” Caitlyn crossed her arms. “I don’t recall you ever going by Zeri.”
“Maybe because you don't know me that well.” Vi shrugged. Caitlyn continued to stare her down, and slowly, her smirk began to widen—too large to hide behind her act. “Alright, fine, I lied.”
“That part was obvious, but how’d you know whose name to give, let alone their employee discount?”
Vi looked past Caitlyn, seeming to watch someone behind her. “Here comes the devil herself.”
Leaning back in her seat, Vi’s eyes continued to follow the person behind Caitlyn. Turning around, Caitlyn watched a woman in the cafe’s uniform walk over to them, her and Vi’s drinks in hand and a bag holding on by her thumb. A smirk was prominent on her face as she set down their order.
“Would you look what the cat dragged in? An annoying little rat. I heard you used my discount. Again.”
“Nice to see you too, Zeri.” Vi nodded at the woman.
“Are you going to introduce me to your friend, or do you need me to remind you that manners exist?” The woman rested her hands on her hips, her teasing tone matched by the sly grin tugging at her lips.
“Zeri, this is Caitlyn Kiramman. Caitlyn, this is Zeri. Happy?” Vi quirked an eyebrow. Zeri’s grin faltered as she realized who Vi was sitting with.
“Nice to meet you, Zeri.” Caitlyn stuck out a hand, waiting patiently for Zeri to take it.
“Kiramman? Like…” Vi nodded at Zeri, whose eyes widened and began grinning like a madman. “Oh, boy, you found a rich one, didn’t you?” Returning to Caitlyn’s hand, she shook it wildly. “The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Kiramman.” Vi chuckled lowly as she watched her friend’s act of stupidity.
Eventually, Caitlyn managed to pull her hand from Zeri’s grip. “No need for formalities. Caitlyn is just fine.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Caitlyn. Please excuse me, I’ll let the two of you get back to your date.” Zeri shot Vi a wink, earning an exaggerated scoff and a head shake in response. Caitlyn, meanwhile, tried—and failed—to hide the faint blush creeping across her cheeks. As Zeri slipped into the employee-only section of the restaurant, she flashed a quick thumbs-up behind her, prompting Vi to roll her eyes and flip her off.
“I’m sorry about her. She’s… a lot.” Vi grabbed her mug of steaming liquid and swirled it.
Caitlyn also grabbed her cup and took a sip, using it as a way to cover her blush. “No, it’s okay. I like her.”
“Why?” Vi asked, her tone teasingly incredulous as a lopsided grin crept onto her face.
Caitlyn set her cup down gently, her fingers lingering on the rim as she glanced at Vi. “Because she’s honest,” she said after a moment. “Bold, even. People like that… they don’t hide who they are. It’s refreshing.”
Vi huffed a quiet laugh, leaning back in her chair as she studied Caitlyn. “Yeah, well, she doesn’t exactly have a filter, so don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Caitlyn gave a small smile, her blush fading but her expression thoughtful. “Maybe that’s what makes her so likable.”
“That’s an interesting perspective. Personally, I find her annoying as shit. Worse than Powder when she really wants to be.”
Caitlyn took another sip of her latte, watching Vi’s smile grow. “You were right. These lattes are pretty good.”
“I told you. It’s the only place I could find that compares to the ones in Zaun.” Vi chugged the last bit of her coffee and sat the mug down.
“Zaun? There are better than this in Zaun?” Caitlyn raised an eyebrow, watching as Vi nodded vigorously, her grin wide.
“Holy hell, yes. If you think this is good, Cupcake, you’d be *blown away* by the ones in Zaun.”
“Then why didn’t you take me to one in Zaun?” Caitlyn asked, sipping her drink, her tone light but curious as she watched Vi mull it over.
“Didn’t think you could handle it.” Vi shrugged, casually spinning her mug on the table like the answer was obvious.
“Didn’t think I could handle it?” Caitlyn scoffed, her voice tinged with indignation. “I could.”
Vi stopped spinning her mug, raising an eyebrow as she studied Caitlyn’s determined expression. Realizing she was completely serious, Vi burst into laughter—loud, unrestrained laughter that turned heads from nearby tables.
“What’s so funny?” Caitlyn scowled, placing her cup down with a small clink.
“The undercity would eat you alive,” Vi said, still chuckling, her voice laced with amusement.
“That’s ridiculous. You’re acting as if it’s some kind of jungle.”
“For you, it would be,” Vi smirked, leaning back as if daring Caitlyn to argue further. “Anyway, enough about me. I brought you here so you could vent about your mother. So, lay it on me. Don’t spare anything. I can take it.”
Caitlyn sighed, “Are you sure? This is your last warning.”
“Cait,” Vi chuckled. “trust me.”
“You asked for it. Do you want to guess who knocked on my door in the middle of my night?”
“That is a near-impossible question. Anyone could knock on the Kiramman doors at any time of the day.”
“Spider-Man.”
Vi’s eyes widened, trying her best to look shocked. “What—? How…? What? You’re joking?”
“Nope, she knocked on the door in the middle of the night. First off, what was she thinking?” Caitlyn scoffed, “Knocking on the door of the person trying to get her thrown into Stillwater?”
“Yeah, that’s insane-”
“Secondly, who does she think she is?” Caitlyn continued, ignoring Vi’s comment. “Knocking on the door of a councilor’s house? And in the middle of the night? I still don’t know how any enforcers didn’t see her.”
“It seems like she has a lot of audacity.” Vi awkwardly rubbed her nape. “So, what’d you do when you saw her?”
“Well…” Caitlyn sighed, looking down at her lap—almost as if she was disappointed in herself. “I snuck her in through my bedroom window.”
“Caitlyn Kiramman breaking the rules?!” Vi let out an exaggerated gasp, her eyes wide as she slapped her hands to her cheeks in mock shock.
Giggling as she watched Vi’s playful theatrics, Caitlyn shrugged. “I know, right. But she said it was urgent, and I don’t know anyone who would risk talking to my mother when she’s out for them—unless they have a death wish—so I assumed why not? It has to be something of importance?”
“What was it?” Vi asked curiously, though her curiosity was more about whether or not Caitlyn had heard her and her mother’s conversion.
“That’s the thing. I don’t know.” Caitlyn huffed. “She kicked me out with barely a thank you and shooed me away like I was some pest. If it weren’t for me, she wouldn’t have even been able to speak with Spider-Man.”
“That does suck, Cait.” Vi was genuinely sympathetic, remembering Caitlyn’s defeated look as she stormed out of the study last night.
“It’s not even the worst part. While I was still in her office, Spider-Man had explicitly asked my mother to call off the enforcers. And guess who I see running up the stairs a few minutes later? Enforcers. Tens of enforcers. It was unbelievable. She so easily broke a promise when Spider-Man was clearly not a threat. How do I know she wouldn’t do the same to me?” Caitlyn shook her head. “And then, seconds after the enforcers stormed into the study, I heard a multitude of gunshots fire off. It was the most obnoxious thing, and the shouting,” Caitlyn winced in remembrance, “It was constant. I don’t think anyone got a wink of sleep after that. I certainly did not—not with the reminder of what had happened or the lies my mother spewed to my face.”
Vi listened to Caitlyn’s rant—eyes growing wider and jaw falling closer and closer to the floor. Despite being actively involved last night, it was incredibly interesting to hear how Caitlyn felt, let alone how it had affected her. Vi thought she was the unlucky one: narrowly missing bullets and getting gashed by the window, she broke through. But wounds can heal; trust, once broken, takes far longer to mend.
“Damn, cupcake, when you told me it was gonna be a lot, I was not expecting this.”
“I told you. And there’s more.”
“Oh, wonderful.”
“When I confronted my mother in the morning, she told Spider-Man had threatened her and-”
“That’s a load of crap!” Vi scoffed. Caitlyn tilted her head at Vi’s outburst, who realized what she said and smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, continue.”
“Anyway, she told me Spider-Man threatened her, saying she would kill her if my mother didn’t stop trying to arrest her. Which, from the way Spider-Man was acting that night prior and the fact that I hadn’t heard her yell a single time before the enforcers arrived, I knew my mother was lying. She’s lied to me before, but nothing this grievous. Did she honestly think I would believe her?” Caitlyn shook her head, scrunching her nose in distaste. “Why is it so hard to be honest with me?”
“Hey,” Vi reached for Caitlyn’s hand, giving it a tender squeeze. “Maybe she’s embarrassed by her actions—doesn’t want you to hate her for it.” Caitlyn didn’t respond, looking between Vi’s soft eyes and the resting on hers. Realizing what she had done, Vi pulled away and cleared her throat. “Or maybe…not.”
“No, she just hates when someone else acknowledges her wrongdoings and calls her out for it.”
“What about your dad? Does he say anything?”
Caitlyn scoffed, “No, he’s either at the hospital doing surgery or too tired from surgery to fight my mother’s nonsense.”
“That…sucks,” Vi chuckled. “to put it plainly. Do you have anyone else who would understand? Anyone who would take a stand against her?”
Caitlyn shook her head. “No,” she glanced up at Vi, her eyes searching, almost hesitant. “What do you do when something like this happens?”
“When I feel trapped? Is that what you’re wondering?” Caitlyn nodded. “Well, there are two answers to this. One, you’re probably gonna scold me for.” Vi chuckled at the thought of Caitlyn shaking her head and berating her for her bad habits.
Caitlyn’s lips tugged into a smile. “Just tell me.”
“Well, for one, I either smoke weed-”
“Vi! That is an awful habit. Those things kill, y’know?”
Vi laughed at the exact face she expected Caitlyn to make. “It calms the mind. Something you clearly need.” Vi muttered the second statement, but Caitlyn heard it as clear as day and scoffed. “And the second,” Vi sighed. “I don’t do the second much anymore. It reminds me of someone I lost.” Looking down at her fingers, Vi hesitated, the smirk on her face falling.
“You don’t have to tell me.”
“No, no, I want to.” Vi paused for a moment. “When I would feel especially lonely, I would climb to the tallest roof in Zaun and just sit there, watching the city below me. I wouldn’t do anything, say anything. Just sit there and focus on the atmosphere around me. It’s so beautiful from there,” Vi thought about the last time she was on that roof. The things she said—things she realized. “The sunsets…if you think the sunsets are pretty from your castle on the hill, you haven’t seen nothing.”
“I would love to see it.” Caitlyn’s gaze softened as she looked at Vi, almost tender—an unspoken warmth that lingered just long enough to feel almost like affection.
“I will show you someday. I promise.”
“Are the sparks flying yet? I could’ve sworn I saw a spark.” Zeri’s loud voice interrupted them. She stood in between the two, giving Vi a raised eyebrow.
“Very funny, Zeri. I think it’s just one of the bugs that swarm your head.” Vi scoffed. Caitlyn wasn’t looking at Vi, trying to hide a faint blush on her cheeks.
Zeri noticed Caitlyn’s flustered face and put her hands on her hips, her eyebrow shooting up higher. “I interrupted something, didn’t I? I mean, look at that girl’s face. It looks like she’s turning into a tomato—a fresh one.”
“Go away, Zeri.” Vi glared at the girl.
“Trust me, I’d much rather spy on you guys, but the cafe’s closing, and my asshole boss told me to give y’all the boot.” Caitlyn and Vi looked shocked by her words. They hadn’t realized they were the last ones left in the small cafe.
“Have we really been here that long?” Caitlyn asked, still surprised by Zeri.
“You love birds have been here for almost two hours. Time flies fast when you’re in love.” Zeri teased, winking at both Caitlyn and Vi.
“Fuck off, Zeri.” Vi stood up, and Caitlyn followed suit.
“I love you too, Vi.” Leaning on her tippy toes, she gave Vi a kiss on the cheek. “Now, get out of here before I literally have to kick you out.” She swatted the two toward the door.
“That was disgusting!” Vi grimaced as she wiped the spot Zeri had kissed her, holding the door open for Caitlyn in the process. “God damn, you’re annoying.”
“Have fun with your girlfriend, Pinkie Pie!” Was the last thing heard before Vi slammed the door shut.
“Pinkie Pie?” Caitlyn didn’t bother hiding the smile on her face.
“Don’t ask,” Vi grumbled, shoving her hands into her pockets. She heard Caitlyn giggle as she began walking down the sidewalk. Moving too quickly, she felt a sharp pain shoot through her. Vi leaned against a wall and clutched her side.
“Vi!” Caitlyn ran to her, her playful expression replaced by worry. “What’s wrong? Did something happen?” Caitlyn looked down at Vi’s hand, clutched on her side. “You’re bleeding! We need to get you-”
“No!” She shouted, causing another pain to shoot through her. “No,” Vi said again, softly, trying not to worry Caitlyn any more. “It’s just dried blood, see?” Vi removed her, showing Caitlyn that it was, in fact, just dried blood. “I’m okay, cupcake. I promise.”
Caitlyn sighed in relief, thankful she wouldn’t have to take Vi to the ER—and possibly an awkward conversation with her father. “Okay, just take it easy. Let me help.” Wrapping an arm around Vi’s shoulder, she helped the girl off the wall, and they began a steady—very slow—pace.
Behind them, screeching sirens began to blare, causing everyone on the street to flinch. Caitlyn turned sharply, her grip tightening on Vi’s arm as her gaze locked on the speeding vehicles weaving dangerously through traffic. Enforcer cars followed close behind, their lights flashing in a chaotic blur of red and blue.
Vi tensed, her instincts screaming at her to act. She clenched her teeth, feeling the pull of her stitches as she straightened up. “Damn it,” she muttered under her breath. Her body protested every move, but her eyes stayed fixed on the chase barreling toward them. She couldn’t just stand there.
“I-I have to go. I just remembered something.” Vi was already shrugging off Caitlyn’s support, staggering a step forward before steadying herself. Her breathing was labored as she forced her body forward.
“Vi, where could you possibly be going? You’re in no condition to-” Caitlyn gasped, watching the truck swerve sharply to avoid a pedestrian, its tires screeching as it tore past. Vi’s eyes darted to a nearby alley, her mind racing.
Vi stumbled to the side of the road, leaning against a lamppost for just a second before straightening. “Powder has something, and I can’t miss it.”
“At least wait til-” Caitlyn’s voice was cut off by the roar of engines and the gasps of frightened onlookers. By the time she looked back, Vi was already gone.
With a grunt, she launched herself onto a nearby dumpster, scaling the building wall with less grace than usual but enough determination to pull it off. Every movement sent a fresh wave of pain through her side, but she pushed it down.
Reaching the rooftop, Vi crouched for a moment, catching her breath as her vision swam. Below her, the chase raged on, the cars weaving through the streets like angry hornets. She knew she didn’t have much time. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she pulled off her clothes, revealing her suit underneath. Yanking on her mask, she leapt forward, shooting a web at a nearby building to propel herself into the fray.
Vi swung low, the wind whipping against her face as she gained speed. The lead car was veering wildly, clipping a parked carriage and sending it spinning into the sidewalk. Onlookers scattered, their screams piercing through the blaring sirens.
“Shit,” Vi muttered, narrowing her eyes. She fired a web at a lamppost, using the momentum to sling herself directly above the speeding vehicles. Her side burned like fire, and she could feel fresh blood soaking through her suit. “Benzo’s gonna be pissed.”
The truck’s driver, a masked figure with tattoos, glanced upward, their eyes widening as they spotted Vi. They swerved violently, trying to shake her off.
The second car in the chase slammed into a fruit stand, scattering debris across the street and forcing Vi to react fast. She fired another web, this time yanking the debris out of the path of a group of children huddled near the sidewalk.
“Move!” she yelled, her voice rough but commanding, and the kids bolted to safety just as the second car tore through the space they’d been standing in.
Back on the rooftops, Vi picked up speed, her eyes locked on the lead car. Timing her swing, she landed hard on its roof, her boots screeching against the metal. The impact jarred her stitches, and she hissed in pain but quickly webbed herself down to avoid being thrown off as the car swerved.
The driver slammed on the brakes, and Vi used the momentum to flip over the windshield, landing on the hood with a loud thud. Her eyes met the driver’s through the glass, and she pounded her fist against the hood, her voice cutting through the chaos. “What the hell are you doing? It’s Thursday afternoon, couldn’t you have waited til the weekend?”
The driver responded by jerking the wheel, sending the car spinning toward a crowded crosswalk. Vi shot a web at the wheel, yanking it to the side just in time to veer the truck away from the pedestrians.
The vehicle skidded to a halt, smoke billowing from its tires. Vi stumbled off the hood, her legs shaky beneath her. She barely had time to steady herself before the driver kicked open the door, and out stepped a familiar-built man.
Pulling off the mask, a smirk was plastered on his face. “Would you look at that? We meet again.”
“Finn…” Vi tried to keep a steady voice, ignoring the constant pain shooting through her body.
“Would you look at that? Spider-Man remembers my name. I’m honored.” Finn feigned an admired look, pulling out a gun. “Too bad you’ll be dead before you can say it again.”
Shooting off multiple bullets, Vi dodged every one with ease. “Dude, if you think you’re the most challenging person I fought, you gotta get that ego checked.” Jumping onto the truck’s roof, she shot a web and yanked the gun from his hand.
Finn chuckled. “I’m not the main course, but that’s coming up right…now.”