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It's their first downtime, after their first case together. Vi has more than proven her worth, and Caitlyn is more than glad she recruited the roguish brawler. They're still awkward around each other (though neither Vi nor Caitlyn would never have admited she was awkward around anything), dodging around questions deemed too personal with all the finesse of Noxian war machines. Vi is as brash as she is to everyone around her, but it seemed more like a facade when directed at her. A cocky comment punctuated by a nervous laugh. There was an underlying something in Vi's attitude towards her new boss, a child could pick up upon that, let alone a master detective.
They go past a bakery. Small, probably family run. Not unusual in Piltover city, and Caitlyn doesn't even give it a second glance. She has to admit that the smell drifting from the bakery's invitingly open door is a good one. After only two steps she realises the sound of footsteps had been halved. Turning, she finds her new partner staring longingly into the bakery's cieling-to-wall windows. Caitlyn retraces her steps. Vi is fixated on the bakery's goods, one gauntlet rests perilously on the glass, eyes as glazed as the donuts on the higher shelves. The detective, frowning a little, waves one dainty hand in front of her face. That shakes her from her reverie.
"We should keep moving." Caitlyn states.
Vi mumbles something, looks down and scuffs her feet.
"Speak up, I can't give anyone what they want if they don't tell me." Vi sniggers at that, and Caitlyn almost blushes as she replays what she just said in her head. Almost.
Having regained some of her bravado, Vi slings one gauntlet-enclosed arm around her partner's shoulders. "Is it just me or does one of these shops smell real good?" She asks Caitlyn, who nods, understanding that it isn't only a comment. Vi's signature cocksure grin does nothing to mask the real question, and Caitlyn decides that breaking the ice over cupcakes and coffee may not be such a bad idea.
Caitlyn brushes Vi's arm off her shoulder, pretends it easier that it looks, and replies. She fails to keep a smile off her own face, "Why don't we investigate? I think we've earned it." Vi springs into action with all the energy of a five year old, swings recklessly into the bakery in a way that somehow doesn't end badly.
Vi chooses two identical cupcakes, shows Caitlyn them before taking them to the counter. Caitlyn can't help but marvel at how easily Vi has adapted to wearing her gauntlets, how she handles the cupcakes so delicately with the large hextech machinery as to suggest they were a part of her. Seeing vi without her gauntlets on would be like seeing her naked, Caitlyn concludes. She then realises she doesn't mind either thought.
"Hey, police!" Vi calls cheerfully, at the till already, "You have the money, remember?" Caitlyn stands approaches the counter, already retrieving the money she keeps on her. The veritable feast Vi had assembled comes to slightly more than what Caitlyn would be comfortable paying (they didn't need all that food, surely), but she finds no real reason to begrudge the brawler the various pastries she has accrued. They are given their spoils on a tray, and Vi takes it, carrying it on the tips of four metal fingers, imitating a waitress. Caitlyn leads her to a table outside, on the narrow pavement in front of the road. Vi sets the tray down, and they pull up two gilded chairs.
Vi starts her work without much pomp or ceremony, and Caitlyn nibbles daintily on one of the less crushed cupcakes. Vi eventually looks up, one cheek pouched with pastry. She raises one hand, extends one oversized finger, and touches Caitlyn's face. That does make her blush. Vi withdraws her hand quickly, but not before showing her boss the icing she had removed off her face. "Youf had a little somefin' there," the brawler informs her, a little redundantly. Caitlyn recovers quickly enough to thank Vi, snatching a handkerchief to dab at her mouth. Just in case.
Her partner swallows her mouthful and laughs, "S'nothing, you looked like you was enjoyin' your cake, anyway." She leans back in her chair, locking eyes with Caitlyn. Vi licks the icing off her finger, smirking and keeping her eyes one Caitlyn's.
In order to save face, Caitlyn skillfully changes the subject. "You have, erm, nice fingers." Pausing, realising with horror as Vi's smirk grows wider, she stammers, "As in, you are very, ah, skillful, with you fingers." No, that wasn't better.
Vi polished her finger on her clothing, "So I've been told," she grins in reply, finally breaking eye contact. Caitlyn is grateful, her gaze is hypnotising, and her mind is now fixed on what Vi had meant.
Well, she certainly was not planning on letting Vi go anytime soon, so they had a long while to figure it out.