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Vi sighed, letting her fists fall lazily to her sides.
“Cait, are you sure about this?”
It was the third time she’s given Cait time to think it through, but this time, instead of ignoring her question, Caitlyn scoffed and halted her movement around Vi with a mocking smile curling her lips, her body just a step away.
“Are you scared, Vi? Is that why you keep asking me?”
Vi’s nose twitched, betraying her intention of neutrality. Scared? Vi? Defiance stirred in her chest at the thought and her lips twisted with tendrils of indignation. She brought up her fists again, noticing how Cait’s eyes widened slightly at the abrupt change of her stance and demeanor.
It was Vi’s turn to scoff, “Yeah, scared for you. Don’t say I didn’t give you a way out later.”
Sparring all out wasn’t in the plan of recovery at all, but Vi could work something out to not get carried away. Still, that didn’t mean she was going to go soft on Caitlyn, especially if she was willing to go all out on her.
Vi threw a jab at Caitlyn’s nose and her knuckles grazed the skin; too light too hurt but quick enough to startle Caitlyn, who took a cautionary step back a second too late.
“Let’s dance.” Vi grinned from behind her fists and moved forward to match Caitlyn’s retreat, applying pressure with each step.
“Finally.” Caitlyn muttered, with the confident timbre present once again in her voice and showing on her lips behind her fists, the initial surprise forgotten.
Caitlyn moved to her right and Vi followed at a step's distance, shifting her weight between her feet with each movement, studying Caitlyn. Vi knew she had to be careful, no matter that she had the advantage of full sight; Caitlyn was trained to kill, if Vi fucked up once the sparring would be done, and she’d lose and that simply couldn’t happen. Her pride didn’t allow it.
Heartbeats passed and all they did was move, Vi pressuring Caitlyn around the room, not letting her shorten the distance or increase it, but not one feint, not one punch had been thrown her way in all that time.
“What’s up? You got scared? I told you we shouldn’t go all out yet.” Vi snickered behind her fists, throwing a jab to test the real distance between them, but before her hand could come back to her face, Caitlyn reached out and pulled hard on her wrist as her other hand grabbed a fistful of Vi’s t-shirt, forcing her body to move forward.
Vi’s brain immediately recognized the pattern of movements as she had already fallen for that fucking throw over the shoulder once – or twice – in the past. However, she already knew how to stop it; she halted her momentum forward with her legs and, in a swift, forceful movement of her forearm she hit the wrist of the hand gripping her clothes, prying it open, and effectively setting herself free from Caitlyn’s grasp.
Vi placed some distance between them again, wagging her finger mockingly at Caitlyn’s incredulous gaze as she did so.
“You’re gonna need new tricks, Cupcake. I’m not falling for that one again.” Vi stepped around Caitlyn with a grin on her lips, daring her to come closer with her hand, but the reaction was stronger than she expected; Caitlyn’s eyebrows furrowed deeply, and her jaw tensed as she brought up her guard again and Vi couldn’t help but raise one eyebrow at the change of demeanor.
“Are you going to talk or you going to fight?” Caitlyn snapped and threw a jab that far exceeded Vi’s reach, her knuckles stopping just a breath away from Vi’s forehead.
That was no good, but Vi couldn’t say she wasn’t partially enjoying herself.
“I can do both.” Vi answered back with a jab of her own, knowing it wouldn’t connect because that was exactly her intention. Caitlyn looked like a cornered animal, frustration taking over her form and the way she moved, so Vi was going to be the bait.
Trigger; another jab, but this one with deliberate slowness in the motion. As expected, Caitlyn followed with a jab of her own immediately after, taking the bait. Block; Vi ducked the jab and stepped into Caitlyn’s blind side. And attack; which failed the moment Vi pivoted to the left and had to block a kick to the face from her right, followed by another jab that this time carelessly connected with Vi’s cheek. Improvise; Vi ducked to dodge a right hook and without another thought she tackled Caitlyn, shoulder against her exposed midsection, which took them both down. Vi wasn’t conscious of the strength she put behind the tackle, but it was enough to knock the air out of Caitlyn, as she gasped when they hit the floor.
Vi was quicker to recover, mounting Caitlyn with ease to grab her arm, but even then, she still was not quick enough. The thought that she didn’t think her strategy through hit her when Caitlyn violently rolled her to the ground with a vice grip on her t-shirt, putting all her strength and weight on top of Vi as she straddled her torso. But just like Vi, Caitlyn hadn’t thought this through; with a snap of her hips and using her hands as leverage, Vi pushed her off easily and quickly rose to her feet on the mat with an involuntary laugh spilling from her lips.
All the rolling caused Caitlyn’s eyepatch to fall off, but she didn’t seem to mind as she quickly joined Vi, ready to continue with her frustration mildly tamed as a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
“Got you.” Caitlyn pointed at her cheek and Vi snorted, already feeling the swelling building there, burning beneath her skin.
“Gonna have to do better than that if you want to win.” Vi moved forward and Caitlyn’s reaction was once again immediate with a quick jab. Vi slipped, adding a shift of her hips to the right with quick feet movement and changed the angle of attack to Caitlyn’s blind side. Before Caitlyn could swipe her head around, Vi pivoted her foot and twisted her hips and shoulders for a right hook that stopped by Caitlyn’s temple, bandaged knuckles grazing the scar on her eye and skin.
But disappointment was immediate and Vi clicked her tongue, squeezing her eyes shut in frustration. She could feel Caitlyn’s fist against the left side of her neck, pressed right over her pulse point. If she had a knife, Vi would be bleeding out on the floor already.
“Let’s call it a draw.” Caitlyn murmured in a thin voice and let her hand drop from Vi’s neck, but didn’t move away. Vi’s fingers lightly caressed Caitlyn’s temple before she pulled back, placing a small distance between them to let her sort out her emotions.
“Cait, you could’ve killed me just now.” It was a fact. She could have, were this a real situation.
But the frustration left her blind to the words, as it was palpable in the way Caitlyn avoided her gaze and peered down at the floor instead, shoulders and jaw tight. Vi patiently waited until suddenly, Caitlyn eased herself down onto the mat and settled there. Vi quietly followed, not taking her eyes off her.
She’s gotten used to the way Caitlyn’s behavior changed to these disheartened states, and she’s gotten pretty good at handling them appropriately too; if Vi had been fucking pissed during the recovery of her shoulder injury, that was but a game compared to Caitlyn’s recovery, still in process. Functioning without full eyesight was a life altering change, but a slow process was the last thing Caitlyn wanted.
Caitlyn shook her head, her gaze still stuck to the ground where her eyepatch remained, her lips set in a tight line. Too slow, too careless, I wouldn’t have let this happen before. Vi had heard all her reproaches before and the silence wouldn’t quiet down those thoughts from her head.
“Hey.” Vi said softly and patted Caitlyn’s knee, closing some of the distance, “What’s going on there?” Carefully, she tapped Cait’s temple, letting the back of her fingers caress the scarred skin there, waiting. It didn’t take long for Caitlyn to let out a deep sigh at the touch and lean against it. She knew better than to say nothing, because Vi wasn't going to leave until she spit it out.
“I just…feel frustrated. It feels like I’m back to basic training, but with all knowledge and none of the physical capabilities for…anything.” Caitlyn muttered, “It’s like learning to walk all over again.”
Vi scoffed, “Sure as shit an enforcer in training with two healthy eyes wouldn’t be able to aim for my neck that fast or flip me over that easily.”
Caitlyn chuckled at the honesty of her answer, and although some strain was still present in the cadence, it was progress.
Vi continued, “It’s gonna take some time adjusting, but you’re taking huge steps already. Take it easy and we’ll be back to running in no time.” Her fingertips grazed the scar that ran across Caitlyn’s eye with a featherlight touch, skimming over the scarred skin of her temple too. She tried to ignore the sudden crimson images of the day Caitlyn’s blood was all she could see there, as it still made her heart sink to her stomach.
The humorless chuckle that spilled from Caitlyn’s lips caught her attention, “We?” Caitlyn asked with a wry smile playing on her lips, taking hold of the hand Vi had on her temple, “You must be having the time of your life beating me every time we spar.”
Vi shrugged, and it was her time to look away, down to their joined hands on her lap, “Can’t say it’s not fun because sparring with you is different from what I’m used to. People didn't throw kicks at my head back in the pit.”
Things were very different there, but if one thing was true it was that everyone respected the League rules of keeping it only fists, no flips, no kicks.
“How did you even get into pit fighting?” There was an honest interest in Caitlyn’s voice, and suddenly Vi realized she’d never talked about it with her, but mostly for one embarrassing fact about it all, other than Caitlyn never really asked before.
“I…don’t remember well.” Vi admitted, scratching the back of her neck with her free hand, “I remember one night I was drunk, then I fought some guy at a bar, I don’t know why, and later someone outside asked me if I wanted to make some money out of it.” Vi couldn’t even remember the guy’s face, but she could recall the sound of his voice; deep, slow and cold like a sharp knife in the dark, the kind of danger that still makes her skin crawl, “I needed the money, so I took the offer.” She added, and a dry, humorless laugh spilled from her lips, “And I was pretty good.”
Being a good pit fighter was not a forgiving ability, and that time of her life certainly didn’t feel good in any way, nor then, nor now.
Caitlyn hummed, “I can imagine. It’s not often someone is capable of closing distance quick enough to knock me out if they wanted it.” Vi’s gaze swept back to Caitlyn’s at the praise. The piercing blue of her eye was calm, the tension in her jaw no longer present as she tightened her hold on Vi’s hand.
Vi grinned, “That’s the former butterfly weight champion of the Piltover Boxing League for you.”
“Oh, so you were famous?” Caitlyn chuckled but there was a genuine surprise in her voice, her attention fully on Vi’s words, however Vi couldn’t help but really think about the question. Was she famous at some point? It was the embarrassing part again; Vi couldn’t remember shit. All those days and months bled into the same routine, and most of the time she was either drunk, hungover or passed out.
Vi sighed, trying to remember as she stared at the ceiling, feeling Caitlyn’s gaze on her, “I guess? I was getting paid a lot, so you could say so.” She could remember the bags of coins coming her way after each fight, and how after each night out every coin disappeared, glass after glass of liquor and the torturous trips to the pharmacy.
“Truth is I can’t remember much.” Vi peered back at Caitlyn who listened to her words attentively as worry flickered in her features at the realization of what Vi was saying.
She wasn’t trying to hide anything from that period in her life, just like Caitlyn didn’t – it was complete honesty. Those days were a whirlwind of conflicting emotions and ways to numb it, which worked – for better or worse – because most of her memories were hazy and unclear, only the lingering echoes of certain sensations remained, and they weren’t particularly comforting.
“I see.” Caitlyn murmured softly, a warmth recognition in her voice at the meaning behind her words, but then a small laugh spilled from her lips, startling Vi with the sudden action.
“So, no fans to speak of?” Vi knew immediately what she was hinting at, and she felt her stomach drop at the thought, her face contorting in deep disgust.
“No.” It was a resounding negative, not even a heartbeat later than Caitlyn had finished her question, and Caitlyn herself couldn’t mask her surprise at the intensity of her answer.
Vi shook her head, repulsed by the possibility. The first couple of weeks back in the Lanes were the only reliable memories she had of those days, as they were from before she spiraled down in her own misery, and the visceral disgust she’d felt at the thought of touching someone else in any way close to…how she’d wanted to do with Caitlyn was impossible to forget. If she ever touched someone it was either in friendship like she did with Loris or to beat the shit out of them like with everyone else, nothing in between.
Vi groaned, trying to get rid of the old feeling, “No, I was just…fighting. And drinking. And then fighting again. So, no. No fans.”
Every day had been the same, until those days had become weeks, and then weeks turned into months and then she hadn’t even realized she’d lost even that miserable ritual. What if Jinx hadn’t come to get her back then? Vi clicked her tongue, feeling a heaviness in her chest that made it hard to breathe.
“I understand.” Caitlyn said in a voice barely above a whisper, her thumb tracing random patterns against Vi’s exposed skin under the wrappings. The touch soothed some of her unease as silence stretched between them, keeping Vi away from unwanted thoughts that threatened to take over.
But then, a small scoff spilled from Caitlyn’s lips, dripping with disdain, “At least I know someone else won’t try to kill you.”
The dark humor wasn’t lost on Vi and she let out a low, short laugh in astonishment, bowing her head as she squeezed at their joined hands. Caitlyn making a joke with something that still tormented her at night was something Vi wasn’t expecting. And Caitlyn looked satisfied with her attempt at humor, her lips curved in a lopsided smile, playful yet warm.
Dry humor suited her best, Vi found out, “And I thought you didn’t have a sense of humor.”
Caitlyn shrugged with one shoulder, “I like to be unpredictable.”
Vi couldn’t help but agree.
As if trying to prove her words, Caitlyn reached out to brush her fingertips over the swelling on Vi’s cheek, the place where her fist had connected during their sparring. Vi remained silent as she felt the careful touch of the back of her fingers over the area, watching Caitlyn’s expression and how her brows furrowed, the way they always did when she was deep in thought, and how her lips grew thin. Vi could see the regret in her eye, the blue of her gaze clouded by the emotion that began taking over her and how it was beginning to twist the rest of her features.
“I should really stop blocking with my face, maybe that will make me less predictable.” Vi said with a smile, patting the hand on her face affectionately.
It’s not like she did it on purpose, but the comment achieved its goal as it took Caitlyn out of the spiral in her own head. With ease, Caitlyn got to her feet and offered her hand to Vi, still sitting on the mat watching her.
“Let’s get that checked out before it gets worse.” Caitlyn’s voice held a soothing warmth as well as an apologetic undertone, softening her eye.
Vi groaned but accepted the hand, collecting Caitlyn’s discarded eyepatch from the mat before Caitlyn could pull her back to her feet.
“Are you going to tell your father?” Vi wasn’t particularly thrilled to be tended by someone who still didn’t like her at all in their house, and considering he’d expressively forbidden Caitlyn from participating in any form of strenuous physical activity during the first couple of months of her recovery, that was going to end terribly for everyone involved.
Caitlyn knew this, as she couldn’t disguise her own discomfort at the thought of that situation, visibly wincing at the idea, “No, the sparring stays between us. Less trouble and excuses that way.”
Vi hummed, the sound humorous as she handed her back the eyepatch, “Then I’m all in your care.”
“Are you sure about that?” Playfully, Caitlyn bumped her shoulder against Vi’s, folding her hands behind her back as if to mask the intention written on her face.
Vi scoffed, lightly bumping her shoulder back in response. Of course, she was sure.