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“I give you my blank heart. Please write on it what you wish.”
— Li-Young Lee
The sky was crimson and unforgiveable. Vi had always felt its absence—growing up, she’d only see it when she went topside, and in Stillwater, well, there were no windows. Trips for fresh air weren’t mandated daily, Vi was lucky if she got to see the sky once a week. Even then, it was little comfort. The sky was blue, and Vi had a complicated relationship with the color, it looked like loss.
Now there was too much of it: the vulnerability of openness, how a place so important had no idea it was this defenseless. Enforcers patrolling the area wouldn't see it coming till it was too late.
Vi found she couldn't bring herself to look away from her sister's destruction. She stood there helpless, memorizing it. This was who her sister was, now. She wasn't a little girl trying to save her family anymore; she found Death's mask and wore it proudly. She was never that confident as a child.
It was the sound of someone crying next to her that brought Vi back to her surroundings. Not that she had forgotten it was Caitlyn standing next to her, her body was pressed against her, shaking against Vi's own ragged breathing, arms around each other. They would both collapse to the ground if they let go.
Unable to stand the sight before her any longer, Vi shut her eyes. She inhaled, held her breath; exhaled, waiting to breathe in again. She repeated the process till she felt like she could speak.
Vi opened her eyes and forced herself to look at Caitlyn instead, shadowed in red. It wasn't easy, seeing her in pain, hearing her scream. The moment Vander died, Vi was alone, but Caitlyn wasn't, and Vi was going to be strong for her, for both of them. It was their only chance for survival. “Caitlyn, we have to leave.”
There was no response, just the sound of Caitlyn gasping for air.
“Caitlyn,” Vi said again, louder, pressed for time. It was Jinx who brought them to the factory, and it would be Jinx who would find them again. “I need you to listen to me.”
When they first met, Vi wasn’t impressed. Enforcers were all the same, and she knew better than to think Caitlyn meant a single word she said. But Caitlyn was sincere. Sure, she had her protests, her complaints at the way Vi handled things; but when it mattered, Caitlyn listened to her. Caitlyn trusted her, went out of her way to treat her wounds, and watched for the Shimmer to leave her eyes, not once leaving her side. Vi would return the favor.
Vi cupped her hands around Caitlyn’s cheeks, turning her attention away from the building that was no longer standing. “It’s not safe here, we need to move.” She wasn’t sure that it was safe anywhere, anymore. Not with the weapon Jinx had her hands on, with Jinx still out there.
Caitlyn didn’t speak, but she met Vi’s eyes, and she nodded.
*
Either Jinx couldn't be bothered to find them after her victory, or they left just in time. But Vi wasn’t going to take any risks traveling through the main roads in the undercity. The two of them twisted around alleyways and rooftops, moving as fast as their injuries would allow. They didn’t say a word. Vi led, and Caitlyn followed.
By the time they made it to the Firelights’ base, Ekko didn’t look surprised to see them. He didn’t question what happened topside, though Vi suspected he had an idea. He was the one who told her Powder was gone, and he was right. Besides, news traveled fast, and if Vi knew one thing about Ekko, it was that he made sure his intel was up to date.
Ekko’s gaze was firm, but it softened as he looked at Caitlyn’s shattered state, her face streaked with grime, tears, a little bit of blood. Vi probably looked just as bad.
“If you follow me,” Ekko said softly, “I have a place the two of you can stay for now. It’s not much, but—”
“It’s shelter, and it’s safe,” Vi said. “That’s all we can ask for, right Cupcake?” She had hoped the nickname would lighten the mood, but it was too soon for that.
Polite as ever, Caitlyn merely nodded, but she didn’t speak.
Ekko guided them up the tree. It was alive, glowing green with the insects fluttering around. Starlight didn’t make it down here, but the brightness of the green was a close substitute. Near the top of the tree was a bridge, giving them access to the housing units. The three of them crossed it, it was sturdier than it looked.
“It’s not much,” Ekko prefaced outside a little red building. “And it only has one bed.”
“It’s perfect,” Vi said. “Can we get some first-aid?”
“There should basic supplies in the kitchen cabinets, we try to keep these places stocked. If you need something more intensive I’ll have to—”
“It should be fine,” Vi said. She owed Ekko everything, she couldn’t ask anything else of him. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it,” he said. He glanced at Caitlyn warily, before she staggered off to sit on the bed. Keeping his voice low, he said. “Look, people are starting to freak out, and I need to be there for them. If you have any information—”
“The council’s tower is gone,” said Vi, quiet. “Jinx is why.”
“That’s what I figured,” Ekko said.
“Ekko,” Vi began. “What are we going to do next? How do we move forward?”
“Heimerdinger is here,” Ekko told her. “He used to be part of the council. He has some ideas.”
Vi wasn't familiar with the name, but it was a relief to know someone with the council's knowledge was still around. Later, when Caitlyn was able to process things, Vi would relay the news.
“I’m glad you came back,” Ekko said. “My sources say it’s dangerous out there, all of Piltover is in a frenzy.”
“It’s dangerous everywhere,” she replied. “Jinx doesn’t know about this place, does she?”
“She shouldn’t,” Ekko said. “We’re tightening our security measures, and the people around here know how to be cautious.”
"Good."
When Ekko left, Vi searched for the medical supplies. There wasn’t much, but it would do for tonight. She was only bruised, but Caitlyn was still bleeding.
“Here,” Vi said, sitting next to her on the bed, bandage in hand. “Let me help—”
Sharply, Caitlyn said, “I can tend to myself just fine, thank you.”
Vi nearly winced. These were the first words she’s spoken, the first sound that came out of her mouth since she screamed. They’re harsher than she’s ever heard Caitlyn sound.
“Right,” Vi said. It was Jinx who did this, but if Caitlyn faulted Vi for letting her get away, Vi couldn’t blame her. She was already wracked with years of guilt.
“I’m sorry,” Caitlyn said quickly.
Vi couldn’t stand the apology, Caitlyn didn’t do anything wrong. “You don’t have to apologize,” Vi said, as softly as she was able. “I’ll let you be. I could use a shower anyway.”
The shower gave Vi time to think, gave her some distance. She let the water run hot, let it burn her skin until the water ran cool again. She wasn’t trying to avoid Caitlyn forever, but she didn’t know how to approach her. They were more than strangers, and surely they were more than reluctant allies. It had been a long time since Vi had a friend who wasn’t dead.
When she got out, Caitlyn was under the covers, the bed was smaller than what Caitlyn was used to, still bigger than what Vi knew what to do with.
So she took a pillow and propped in on the foot of the bed, mimicking the way they slept last night.
“What are you doing?” Caitlyn asked, voice hoarse.
“Getting ready to sleep,” replied Vi.
But Caitlyn shifted so that her pillow was right next to Vi’s, and Vi didn’t protest. This was how normal people slept, and she couldn't deny that there was a comfort in the closeness. Vi stared at the blue rings of Caitlyn's wet eyes, and wanted to say something, but she wasn’t sure what. Jinx is the reason my family is dead, too, she could say, but she didn’t. The words wouldn’t comfort either of them.
Caitlyn’s grief was new, and Vi had been carrying her own for a long time. But it didn’t make what she saw tonight easier. Vi knew Caitlyn’s mother was part of the council, but she wasn’t sure if her father was close to the building. Caitlyn had friends who were near, though, she had faith in Jayce, and that extended to Vi. The undercity, or Zaun, whatever it was now, whatever they were now, lost any chance of peace with Piltover.
It was only a day ago when Caitlyn listened to Vi tell stories about her and Powder growing up; the monsters under their bed, the monsters that roamed their bedroom, how Vi had to chase her own to make Powder less afraid. But Vi missed one, the one that started to devour Powder, shaping her into something else.
Send her on her way and you can have Powder back, Jinx had bargained. It wasn’t a fair trade. Powder was gone, for good, this time.
Vi knew loss, she’s lived with it for years; her parents, Vander, and then Powder, twice. There was the death that Vi believed in, and then there was the death she witnessed with her own eyes. Even today, for a moment, Vi thought she had lost Caitlyn, too. Their last conversation she would have regretted for the rest of her life. She still hadn’t apologized for it, and she didn't know how to bring it up now. Maybe she and Caitlyn weren't oil and water, maybe they were something else, something that could grow, something that had a chance.
Eventually, Vi said, “I’m here.”
Caitlyn gave her a small half-smile, beautiful, enough to make Vi’s heart crack. “I know,” she whispered.
Caitlyn leaned closer to her and instinctively, Vi reached her hand out, brushed her cheek the same delicate way Caitlyn did yesterday. Caitlyn’s smile grew, but she closed her eyes. Vi then moved closer, wrapped an arm around her. No one held Vi ten years ago, but she would make sure Caitlyn wouldn’t be alone. Caitlyn didn’t say anything else, and quickly, her breathing grew heavier.
Vi counted Caitlyn’s breaths; she didn’t doubt she’d have nightmares of seeing Caitlyn’s severed head on a platter, her sister’s—Jinx’s—laughter echoing the room.
I paid your girlfriend a visit earlier, Jinx had taunted. Vi couldn’t let Jinx get close to Caitlyn again, couldn't let Jinx take anyone else away from her.
*
When Vi woke up, she didn't remember what happened, at first. She was surprised that the bed she was on was softer than the one in Stillwater. And then, with a panic, she realized Caitlyn was no longer sleeping by her side.
Vi sat up quickly, scanning the unit, listening for any sign of movement, maybe Caitlyn was still nearby. But in her heart, Vi knew that she wasn’t. Vi lay back down, Caitlyn’s scent still lingered on the sheets next to her, a combination of sweat and floral scented soap. If Vi closed her eyes, she could pretend she was still here. Vi was many things, but she had never been a pretender. Caitlyn needed to return to Piltover, and she needed to return to Piltover alone. It was simple. It shouldn't have hurt that much, that Caitlyn didn't say goodbye, didn't even bother to leave a note. Maybe a note would have been worse, it would have been proof that she had been here and still chose to leave.
“Damn, Cupcake,” Vi said out loud. Her pride was wounded but she smiled anyway, impressed that Caitlyn had the guts. Turns out she was as rough as she was sweet. “Didn’t know you had it in you.”