Chapter Text
The streets of Piltover were quieter than usual, which Vi immediately decided was suspicious. She leaned against the stone railing overlooking one of the lower streets, arms folded across her chest as she watched people hurry past below. Caitlyn stood beside her, rifle resting against her shoulder, looking considerably less suspicious and considerably more annoyed. “You said we were taking a walk,” Caitlyn said. “You neglected to mention that your definition of a walk apparently involves trespassing.” Vi glanced sideways at her. “I said we were taking a walk. I never said it was gonna be boring.” Caitlyn sighed. “That is not the reassurance you think it is.” Vi grinned. “You worry too much, Cupcake.” “And you don't worry enough.” “Works out pretty well, then.” Caitlyn gave her a pointed look. “That is not how that works.” Vi shrugged. “Sure it is.”
They continued down the street, Vi walking a few steps ahead with her hands shoved into her pockets. Caitlyn followed, keeping a careful eye on her. It wasn't that she expected Vi to cause trouble every five minutes. It was simply that experience had taught her Vi had an impressive talent for finding trouble even when it wasn't looking for her. They passed several shops before Vi suddenly stopped in front of a narrow alley. Caitlyn nearly walked into her. “What's wrong?” she asked. Vi tilted her head. “Hear that?” Caitlyn listened. Somewhere farther down the alley came the faint scrape of metal against stone. Her hand immediately moved toward her rifle. Vi noticed and grinned. “See? That's why I brought you.” “You didn't bring me.” “Sure I did.” “You said we were walking.” “Exactly.”
Caitlyn sighed and followed her into the alley. The farther they went, the quieter it became. Vi moved differently now, her usual careless swagger replaced by something more alert. She kept close to the walls, eyes scanning every doorway and shadow. Caitlyn noticed the change immediately. Whatever else Vi might pretend to be, she was not careless when it mattered. At the end of the alley they found an old workshop with its door hanging crookedly from one hinge. Vi pushed it open with her shoulder. Dust drifted through the air. Broken tools covered the benches, and several half-finished machines sat abandoned beneath sheets. “This place looks safe,” Vi muttered. Caitlyn stared at her. “You say that every time something looks decidedly unsafe.” “Yeah, and eventually I'll be right.”
Vi stepped inside. Caitlyn followed, lowering her voice. “We're looking for something?” “Maybe.” “What?” “Haven't decided yet.” Caitlyn gave her an incredulous look. “You brought me into an abandoned workshop without knowing why?” Vi looked back at her. “You're making it sound worse than it is.” “It is precisely as bad as it sounds.” Vi laughed and began searching through the shelves. Caitlyn tried not to smile. She failed.
A few minutes later, Vi found what she was looking for. It was a small metal device, roughly the size of her palm, covered in scratches and old grease. She turned it over in her hands. “Huh.” Caitlyn stepped closer. “What is it?” “No idea.” Caitlyn stared at her. “Then why did you pick it up?” Vi shrugged. “It looked interesting.” “Put it down.” “Probably.” “Vi.” “Fine, fine.” She placed it back on the table, but the second Caitlyn turned away, Vi picked it up again and slipped it into her jacket. Caitlyn noticed immediately. “Did you just—” Vi grinned. “Nope.” “I saw you.” “Saw what?” “You are impossible.” “And yet you're still here.”
Before Caitlyn could answer, a loud metallic crash came from somewhere behind them. Both of them turned. Vi immediately stepped in front of Caitlyn. “Stay back.” Caitlyn's eyebrows rose. “Excuse me?” “Just for once.” “Absolutely not.” “Cupcake.” “Don't ‘Cupcake’ me.” Caitlyn moved beside her instead of behind her, rifle raised. Vi glanced at her and sighed. “You never listen.” “Neither do you.” “Yeah, but I'm charming.” “Debatable.”
A small mechanical drone suddenly dropped from a shelf and clattered onto the floor. Vi stared at it. Caitlyn stared at it. The machine twitched once before making a pathetic whirring noise and going still. There was a long silence. Vi slowly lowered her fists. “...Right.” Caitlyn lowered her rifle. “You were saying?” Vi pointed at the drone. “That thing looked dangerous.” “It was the size of a teacup.” “A very dangerous teacup.” Caitlyn shook her head, but she was laughing under her breath now.
They left the workshop a few minutes later. Caitlyn noticed Vi walking slightly slower than before. “You could have been hurt.” Vi shrugged. “I wasn't.” “That isn't the point.” “Feels like the point.” Caitlyn stopped walking. Vi took another few steps before realizing she was no longer beside her. She turned around. Caitlyn stood in the middle of the street, watching her with an expression Vi had learned meant she wasn't going to let something go.
“You don't always have to be the one who gets hurt,” Caitlyn said.
Vi's grin faded.
For once, she didn't immediately have a joke ready. She looked down at the pavement, rubbing her thumb over one of the scratches on her knuckle. “Someone usually does.” Caitlyn's expression softened. “That doesn't mean it always has to be you.” Vi looked up at her. “You volunteering?” Caitlyn raised an eyebrow. “I'm saying you don't have to throw yourself in front of everything just because you're used to doing it.” Vi gave a crooked smile. “You really know how to ruin a perfectly good afternoon.”
Caitlyn started walking again. “Come along, Vi.” Vi followed, watching her for a moment before catching up. “You're getting bossier.” “I've always been bossy.” “Nah. You're just getting comfortable.” Caitlyn glanced at her. “Perhaps.” Vi smiled to herself.
They stopped at a food stall later that afternoon. Vi ordered enough food for two without asking Caitlyn what she wanted. Caitlyn looked at the collection of plates when they arrived. “You realize there are only two of us.” Vi looked offended. “I know.” “Then why did you order enough for six?” “You underestimate how much I can eat.” “I am beginning to understand that.” Vi picked up a piece of food and took a bite. “See? Worth it.” Caitlyn shook her head, but she took some for herself.
For a while, they simply ate. Vi complained about the price. Caitlyn pointed out that Vi had ordered half the stall. Vi argued that this was completely unrelated. Caitlyn reminded her that she had stolen the device from the workshop. Vi insisted that “borrowed” was the more accurate term. Their argument became so ridiculous that even the vendor started laughing.
When they finally left, the sun was beginning to disappear behind the buildings. Vi stretched her arms over her head and groaned. “I'm exhausted.” Caitlyn looked at her. “You've done very little today.” “Exactly. I'm saving my energy.” “For what?” “Something stupid.” “Of course.”
They eventually reached a quiet rooftop overlooking the city. Vi climbed onto the edge and sat down, boots hanging over the side. Caitlyn immediately frowned. “That's dangerous.” Vi looked up at her. “Everything's dangerous.” “That doesn't make it sensible.” “Never said I was sensible.” “No,” Caitlyn said dryly. “You certainly haven't.” Vi laughed and shifted over, leaving room beside her. After a moment, Caitlyn sat down.
The city stretched out below them, lights flickering between the buildings. Somewhere in the distance, a train rattled across the tracks. The wind caught Vi's hair, and she pushed it out of her face with one hand. For once, neither of them spoke.
Vi looked sideways at Caitlyn. “You ever get tired of it?”
Caitlyn glanced over. “Of what?”
“All of it.” Vi gestured toward the city. “The chasing. The fighting. Everyone needing something. People getting hurt and then pretending they're fine.” Caitlyn was quiet for a moment. “Of course.” Vi looked back toward the skyline. “Then why keep doing it?” “Because someone has to.” Vi snorted. “That's another very you answer.” “And what would your answer be?” Vi shrugged. “Depends on the day.”
Caitlyn studied her. “And today?” Vi was quiet for a moment. “Today I think I'm tired of pretending I don't care.”
Caitlyn didn't answer immediately. She didn't need to.
Vi leaned back on her hands. “Don't make a big thing out of it.” “I wasn't planning to.” “Good.” “Though I am mildly surprised you admitted it.” Vi looked offended. “I admit things.” Caitlyn gave her a look. “Rarely.” “Okay, fine. Almost never.” “Better.”
Vi laughed softly. “You're annoying.” “I've been told.” “By me.” “Frequently.” “You're still here.” Caitlyn looked out across the city. “So are you.”
That made Vi smile.
They stayed there until the sky grew darker. Eventually, Vi stood and offered Caitlyn a hand. Caitlyn looked at it before taking it. Vi pulled her up, then immediately let go and shoved her hands into her pockets as though nothing had happened.
They started walking back through the streets. Vi was unusually quiet, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. Every so often Caitlyn glanced over at her, and every time Vi caught her doing it, she gave her a suspicious look.
“What?” Vi asked eventually.
“Nothing.”
“You're staring.”
“I'm observing.”
“Same thing.”
Caitlyn smiled faintly. “Perhaps.”
Vi shook her head. “You're weird, Cupcake.”
“And you're a menace.”
“Yeah.”
There was a pause.
“But you like me anyway.”
Caitlyn looked at her.
Vi's expression immediately changed. “I mean as a— you know. Person. Obviously. Don't make it weird.”
Caitlyn's smile widened. “I hadn't said anything.”
“Your face did.”
“My face?”
“Very smug.”
“I have no idea what you're talking about.”
“Liar.”
They kept walking, shoulder to shoulder.
Vi didn't know what exactly they were becoming. She wasn't sure she wanted to put a name to it yet. Names had a habit of making things feel like promises, and promises were dangerous things.
But Caitlyn was still beside her.
She hadn't walked away when Vi was difficult. She hadn't walked away when Vi made stupid decisions. She hadn't walked away when Vi tried to hide behind jokes instead of admitting what she was feeling.
And somehow, that mattered more than Vi wanted to admit.
She glanced sideways at Caitlyn.
“Hey, Cupcake?”
“Yes?”
“You're stuck with me now, right?”
Caitlyn looked at her for a long moment before answering.
“I had rather gathered.”
Vi grinned.
“Good.”
They continued down the street, the noise of Piltover slowly surrounding them again. Vi bumped her shoulder against Caitlyn's, and Caitlyn bumped her back.
For once, Vi didn't feel like she had to be somewhere else.
She could stay.
And, for now, so could Caitlyn.