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“I am fine, Mother, you don't have to have someone watching over me 24/7!” Caitlyn exclaimed with a huff before holding back a wince.
It’s been a few days since she had been released from the hospital and well, needless to say, it wasn't fun coming back home. Everywhere she went, a servant followed after her: the library, the mess hall, heck, even the bathroom! They kept their distance, of course, but that didn't change the fact that she could see and feel their presence. Her life was already suffocating as it was, and she missed the freedom of being shielded from public eyes and her family’s overbearing nature. If anything, she missed Vi more than ever. She was the only girl, let alone a kid, around her age who wasn't so smug trying to prove who was better.
Vi didn't treat her like some glass sculpture or trophy.
She didn't walk on her toes, trying to butter her up for favors and money.
She just treated her like a person who wasn't afraid to poke fun at her.
Who cares if she accidentally sent her to the hospital?
It wasn't her fault that Jayce had something dangerous in his workshop. Sure, it was her fault for intruding and trying to steal stuff in the first place, but it was understandable why Vi snuck in. Zaun needed help, poverty and the social gap between the two cities were bad, and her mother was the one who taught her that and how their cities were in desperate need of change. It wasn't Vi’s fault that her family was suffering thanks to Piltover’s negligence.
She was a victim of unfortunate circumstances, just like herself.
She couldn't choose who her soulmate was.
It just happened.
“Caitlyn, you almost died, Honey. We almost lost you, we just want to be careful so that you don't get hurt and—”
“I'm not made of glass!” Caitlyn interrupted with a huge frown on her face. She ignored the pain stinging her chest and hoped that Vi would figure her for aggravating their wounds. “I'm a person too and when you have servants following around me, I— I feel suffocated, and I can't breathe.” She looked down at the floor this time, trying to fight back the tears in her eyes.
“Oh, Caitlyn…” Her father walked over before pulling her into a gentle hug. “I'm sorry, Dear, we almost lost you. Please understand that, we just don't want you hurt.”
She blinked back her tears. “I know.” She sniffled before sinking into her father’s chest. “I just want to feel at home…”
Tobias sighed before facing his wife. He then smiled before patting his daughter’s head. “I’ll tell you what, how about we compromise? The servants can follow you outside the manor, but, when you're inside, you can call them if you need help.”
A huge smile quickly grew on her face. “Really!?”
Her mother sounded mad. “Tobias!”
He just shook his head as he held his ground. “Caitlyn will be fine, Darling. She’s in our manor, where else would she feel at home if not here?”
Cassandra sighed before grasping the temples of her head. “Alright, fine. Caitlyn, you're free to walk around without an escort when you're in the manor. If you would like to take a walk, please ask one of the servants to accompany you.”
Caitlyn beamed a bright smile as she pulled away from her father. “Thank you, Mother, Father!” She couldn't help but giggle in excitement before quickly kissing her dad on the cheek. “I love you!” She then walked over and kissed her mother on the cheek as well. “I love you too.”
Her mother gave her a small smile before nodding her off. “It’s getting late, Caitlyn, you should go to bed. You're still hurt, so get some rest.”
“Okay,” Caitlyn turned away before making her way to her room. “Good night!”
Her father smiled with a nod. “Good night, Caitlyn.”
However, just before she was out of sight, she twirled around to ask them a question. “Um… can I ask a question?”
Her mother nodded.
Clearing her throat, Caitlyn crossed her hands behind her back before asking. “When can I um… see Vi?”
Her parents tensed up before looking at each other. They shared this silent look which Caitlyn couldn't figure out before her mother sighed.
“Vi is hurt just like you, Dear. We don't know when she’ll be able to visit… you.”
That felt like a lie, and for some reason, Caitlyn had a feeling that her parents weren't exactly happy about her soulmate.
“Then when can I see her?” She challenged back. “Can I write letters to her then?”
Her father shot her mother a look. After a moment, he let out a soft sigh before smiling at her. “Of course, you can write to her, Dear. I’ll prepare the appropriate services and inform our staff about the news. You can just hand one of them your letter, and we’ll deliver it to Vi as soon as possible.”
A smile grew on her face again. “Thank you!” She scampered off to her room before poking her head back into the room real quick. “Love you! Good night!” She then pulled away before walking back to her room with a light hop in her steps.
Her heart was thumping in excitement, and she started to think about what to write to Vi. She was sure to pick up a pen and paper before she went to bed. There was so much she wanted to tell and ask her. They didn't have nearly as much time in the hospital, and there was still so much she wanted to say. The second she entered her room, she walked past the arrangement of flowers sent by people she barely knew by name before sitting at her desk. She then opened the drawer and pulled out a piece of paper and pen before staring at it.
Dear Vi,
I hope you're doing well!
She blinked before rubbing her chin. She then shut her eyes before pondering on what to write. This was probably the first time she wrote anything that wasn't out of obligation, so she wasn't sure how to start it. Thinking wasn't really helping, so she just sighed before letting her thoughts flow out on the paper.
How are you doing? Well, I guess I know how you're doing since we share the same pain. It’s kind of weird to believe we’re soulmates. What a small world right? I heard that most soulmates don't even meet each other in their lifetime and to think we’re just a city apart!
Oh! I actually found a book in our library about soulmates the other day! It was really interesting, actually. From what I gathered, our symptoms are pretty rare. Probably about 5% of the population share pain with their partner. Most of them had to do with seeing colors or even sharing birthmarks and dreams, so it was weird reading about ours.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn't jealous…
It’s not exactly pleasant sharing pain with another person. At least I’ll know if you're in danger, I guess. I’ll be sure to jump to your side and protect you if need be, and you can protect me too if I'm in danger! You said you were a decent fighter, right? Well, you better be after all you’ve put my knuckles through. They're always tingling, do you really have to fight with your fists? Anyway, I just wanted you to know I'm super excited to be your friend!
I've never really had someone around my age to talk to, so it’s kinda like fate that we ran into each other! You seem to get me more than my parents sometimes. Heck, Jayce won't spot teasing me every time I mention your name. It’s really unfair. He keeps poking at me, and I really want to pay him back for all the teasing!
Let me know if you think of a good revenge?
Nothing too violent, I hope.
Caitlyn couldn't help but giggle when she remembered the story Vi told her about giving this guy named Deckard, a wedgie. She didn't even know what that word meant, and when Vi told her, she gasped. It sounded painful, but to Vi’s defense, he apparently deserved it. She started swinging her legs around before writing more. By the time she was done, she had written five full pages. She could probably write more if she was being honest, but she thought about it.
It probably wasn't a good idea to write so much in their first letter.
She giggled before signing the bottom with her name.
From Caitlyn K.
She then folded it up nicely before placing it in the envelope. She then melted some wax before sealing the letter with her family’s crest. She then brought the letter to bed with her before hopping under her covers and clutching the letter by her chest. She couldn't wait until the next morning. When the sun rose, the first thing she did was run to their butler, getting scolded for running in the process, before handing him her letter. He said he’d have it delivered as soon as possible, and Caitlyn spent the rest of her day wondering when Vi would receive it and reply.
One day passed.
And then another.
She was getting so frustrated with how much time passed that she wondered if Vi even got her letter. She asked her butler again if she did, and he assured her that Vi had received it. So then why wasn't she responding? It was unfair, so all Caitlyn could do was pace around in her house. She ended up walking around in the hallways before dragging her feet to the library. This was her second-best choice since her parents forbade her from entering the gun range until she was fully healed.
She was restless, to say the least, and seriously bored.
That was until one of the servants informed her that she received a letter. She bolted to the servant and practically swiped the letter from her hand. She twitched when the servant shot her a look before clearing her throat and giving them a slight courtesy. She then thanked them for their service before walking away calmly before running the second she turned the corner. She made it to her room in record time before rushing to her desk and pulling out a letter opener. She quickly opened the letter before pulling out the contents and reading the letter. She immediately noticed that Vi had messy handwriting, but something about it made her smile.
It screamed Vi.
Hey Caitlyn!
I got your letter. Sorry for the late response. It took me a while to find some paper to write with. Kind of hard to come by around here… but, as you can tell, I'm doing fine. Some pain here and there, but you know the drill. Also, you have a library in your house…? How big is it?? Don't tell me you live in a castle or something.
Caitlyn paused before looking up at her room. She wouldn't call it a castle, but it was quite big…
Anyway, my family has been talking about us non-stop. Heck, the whole neighborhood is talking about me and how I found my soulmate. My dad runs a tavern, right? Literally, everyone there won't shut up about us! It’s so annoying. Either that or they're trying to baby me. Sure, we almost died but hello! I'm totally capable of beating their ass in a fistfight! Blindfolded too! I can still help and carry my weight, jeez.
Another smile washed over her face. She was happy that Vi felt the same too. This was probably the first time that someone actually understood her, and she was glad to have found a friend.
But let's see… you, protect me? Hah! Don't worry Cupcake, if you ever come down here, I’ll have your back. No one will touch a single hair on that pretty head of yours…
Caitlyn’s eyes snapped open before she pulled the letter close to her face. Did she read that right? Her face immediately got warm, and her neck was getting hot.
…Best believe that I'm the best fighter on the streets! Vander was the best in his prime, and he’s the one who taught me how to protect myself, so best believe I am following in his steps! Everyone respects him down here too, so only idiots would try to pick a fight with us.
And ohh, revenge? On that pretty boy? Heck yeah, hahaha, I'm down and am in full support. Let's see… you have any sand? Itching powder would be ideal, but you could totally shove some down his pants or shoes. If not, just hit him with the old water bucket and flour trick! It’s pretty easy to ridge a string on a door handle so when he opens it, it’ll drop and boom, a mess. It is a pain to clean up, though, so watch out where you spring the trap! Otherwise… hmm, what’s also good…
Caitlyn probably read Vi’s letter about five times before she set it down. She couldn't whip away the smile on her face even if she wanted to. She quickly pulled some paper before writing away however, just before she sealed it, she added a quick note and added extra blank paper for her. After that, she handed it to the nearest servant before going back to her room and reading the letter again.
They exchanged letters back and forth and by the time she begged her parents to invite Vi to come over and play, there were only a few a spare amount of band-aids covering her face. Her parents assured her that they’d work out the details of bringing Vi to their home, so it was only a matter of time before they could meet up again. By this time, Caitlyn was finally freed from babysitters, she was free to walk around the garden without escorts. It would have been embarrassing if Vi came over and saw her with people following them, so that was a hard no!
It wasn't too hard to convenience her parents, thankfully. She was pretty much fully healed, even if she was still sporting a slight limp. At least her arm wasn't as sore as it was. She could lift it without trouble now, which was great. Her daily walks helped with that, and as she walked through the garden, her eyes were quickly drawn to the cluster of violets. She naturally thought about Vi, and a smile grew on her face as she walked over to take a closer look. She then bent over to enjoy the flowers. She took in a deep breath, enjoying the slight notes of sweetness before giggling to herself. She made a mental note to ask the gardener to put together a small bouquet for her later.
When the day finally came for Vi’s visit, she had changed through five pairs of clothes and tightened up her room three times already. This was the first time she was having a friend over, and she made sure to ask the chef to make them a couple of snacks. She had a feeling that Vi would enjoy the strawberry cupcakes and finger sandwiches.
As the time came closer, Caitlyn hovered around the front door. She kept pacing back and forth and whenever she made eye contact with one of the servants, she blushed before pretending to straighten out some vases and paints. She ignored the few giggles here and there and when the butler announced Vi’s arrival, she ran to the door. The second she saw Vi, she brightened up.
“Vi!” She ran over to her side before pulling her into a hug. “I've missed you!”
Vi froze before clearing her throat and awkwardly returning the hug. “H-Hey—” Her voice cracked, and she cleared her throat a few more times before speaking up again. “What’s cookin’?”
Caitlyn immediately shot her a weird look, and Vi was incredibly rigid and awkward. She then noticed her eyes shifting left and right before Caitlyn realized what was happening. She looked to her right, shooting the house servants a look, before ignoring them and grabbing Vi’s hand. “Come on, let's go to my room!” She gave her hand a tight squeeze before leading the way.
As they walked to her room, Caitlyn shot Vi a look. “You didn't get lost, did you?”
Vi’s face was still tense as she shrugged. “Not with your butler picking me up.” Her eyes then shifted to the left, staring at the grand paintings and windows in her hallway.
Humming at her discomfort, Caitlyn thought about something. “You think you can come back here without getting lost?”
“I guess. Kinda hard to miss a huge mansion, ya know?” Vi finally looked her in the eyes. “You didn't tell me you lived in a castle.”
Snorting at that, Caitlyn shrugged. “It’s not a castle. We don't have a moat or a flag.”
Vi finally laughed. “You have a huge banner, though.” She then pointed at the tapestry with their family symbol.
Caitlyn frowned before brushing it off. “Pish posh.”
They turned a corner and soon enough, they were in front of her room. “Here’s my room!” She pushed the door open and once they were inside, she let go of Vi’s hand before shutting the door.
“Woah…” Vi’s jaw dropped as she gawked at her room. “This is your room…?” She tilted her head back to stare at the ceiling.
“Yes?” Caitlyn tilted her head before grabbing Vi’s hand and pulling her to the window. “You said you were a good climber, right?”
Vi was still busy taking in the details of her room. “Yeah.” She then looked at the bed before whistling, “Damn…”
They came to a stop and Caitlyn promptly opened the window sill. “You think you can scale my wall?”
Her nose scrunched as an eyebrow went up. Vi then poked her head out the window, taking in the details before looking her square in the face. “Easy.”
Caitlyn grinned at her this time. “Then next time you can climb in through my window! That way you won't have to go through the front door.”
“Wha—” Vi looked shocked, “And why would I do that? Besides, wouldn't that be trespassing?”
She shrugged this time. “It’s not trespassing if I permit you. Besides, I have a feeling you’d be more comfortable coming to my room this way.”
“And what makes you say that?”
“The way you're acting.” She then closed their gap, getting close to Vi’s face with a sweet smile. “My house makes you uncomfortable, right? I'm sorry.”
Vi’s cheeks grew slightly red as she tore her eyes away. “N-Not really…”
She didn't believe her before she pushed, “Really?”
Vi coughed a few times before rubbing her cheek. “Okay, fine, just a little.” She looked at her eyes for two seconds. “Ya know, my clothes…” She grabbed the rim of her shirt before bashfully noting, “They look so beat up compared to your servants.”
Caitlyn scrunched her nose. “What's wrong with your clothes?” She gave her a quick up and down, “They look fine to me.”
“Well, you know—” She waved her hand between them. “Your socks probably cost as much as my whole outfit.”
Rolling her eyes, Caitlyn twirled on her heels before walking around. “I didn't invite you over because I wanted you to wear ridiculously fancy clothes.” She spun back to face her, “I just want to want your company, if that's alright with you, of course.”
Vi seemed to have blushed again as she rubbed her cheek. “Uh yeah, of course, it’s cool with me. Are you sure?”
Caitlyn held her head high. “Of course!”
They looked at each other before cracking up. They both shared a good laugh before Vi eventually walked over and made herself at home by sitting on her bed.
“So, about that cool do-hickey, you were talking about…”
“You mean the kaleidoscope?” Caitlyn smiled before walking over to her drawer and pulling it out, “Here it is!” She handed Vi the kaleidoscope before sitting down next to her.
Vi examined it closely before scrunching her face. “How exactly does this work?”
“Here, let me,” Caitlyn took it from her hand before sliding even closer to Vi. She then held it up to her eye before slowly spinning it in place. “Can you see the cool patterns?”
“Woah…” Vi’s jaw dropped again as she got even closer to the kaleidoscope. “That’s so cool…”
“Neat, right?”
She gave her a big grin. “Neat, indeed! What else do you got?”
“Well…” Caitlyn stood up before walking over to her drawer of random trinkets. “Let’s see…”
And so, time quickly passed again.
Naturally, Vi snuck into Caitlyn’s room as suggested, and she noticed the change in her. She was more comfortable, and Caitlyn wanted to pat herself on the back for her brilliant idea. The best part of it all was that Vi would randomly pop into her room unannounced, and every time she did, Caitlyn couldn't help but smile. Particularly on the days, she wasn't in a good mood. She’d quickly forget why she was upset in the first place after chilling with Vi for the day.
Sure enough, days became weeks which became months and Vi was easily, hands down, the best thing to happen in her life. However, one day, after attending school, she came home feeling conflicted. All the girls in her school (which she attended twice a week) were talking about boys. In particular, this romance book that was floating around amongst the younger teens. She couldn't get it out of her head for some reason.
“What's cooking in there, Cupcake?
“Hmm?” She turned to face Vi, who flopped over on her bed. “What do you mean?”
Vi sat up. “You look distracted, want to talk about it?”
Caitlyn let out a small huff. “It’s nothing, just something silly floating around at school.”
She just shrugged. “Try me.”
She shot her a squared look. “Well… the girls were talking about this book.”
“Uhuh…”
“Basically, it’s a story about a forbidden romance between a common knight and a princess. They were soulmates apparently, but what I don't get is why they were so excited over them kissing at the end.”
“Huh,” Vi crossed her legs together as she tilted her head. “Interesting.”
“Right?” Caitlyn walked over before sitting down next to Vi. “I don't get it.”
“Which part?”
“Mmh? The kissing, I guess. The soulmate thing, I kinda get,” she then fanned the space between them. “The kissing part, not so much.”
“I mean…” Vi scratched her cheek before asking, “You want to try it?”
“What? The kissing?”
“Yeah,” she shrugged, “Why not?”
Caitlyn huffed, “But we’re both girls.”
“And?”
“And the knight was a guy.”
“Okay…? Is there a rule or law saying two girls can't kiss?”
Caitlyn blinked before looking at the ceiling, “Well, I guess not.”
“See? I don't see the problem then.”
“You have a fair point.” She turned her body to face Vi. “You sure…? Kissing is meant for lovers, people who like each other.”
Vi shrugged again as she faced Caitlyn and inched closer. “Well, I like you. And besides, we’re soulmates.” To prove her point, she pinched her thigh.
“Ow—” Caitlyn pouted before rubbing her thigh. “I know that.”
“Then what's the issue?”
“Nothing I guess.” Caitlyn shrugged before fiddling around nervously. “Are you sure?”
Vi nodded. “Positive.”
“Okay.”
“Cool.”
Caitlyn cleared her throat before inching closer. Her cheeks were growing closer by the second, and the closer she was to Vi’s face, the more bashful she got.
“Uh, should we, uh, close our eyes?”
Vi blinked repeatedly. “Uhh… yeah, I guess?”
They both shut their eyes before aimlessly leaning in. They ended up closing in with too much force that their lips smashed together, clacking their teeth in the process. They both pulled back with a pained grunt.
“Ow—”
“That hurt.”
“Maybe we should try holding each other?” Caitlyn suggested before rubbing her cheek. “So we know where we are?”
Vi shrugged. “That makes sense.”
They fixed their position before trying again. This time it was a little better, but they missed each other’s lips. Vi snorted this time.
“Okay, maybe we shouldn't close our eyes.”
Caitlyn tilted her head. “That’d be awkward, wouldn’t it?”
“I don't know.” Vi shrugged again before suggesting, “Maybe we close our eyes at the last second?”
“Sure, I guess.”
Caitlyn cleared her throat before they looked each other in the eyes. It was a little embarrassing, but she was glad it was Vi. Anyone else would probably make her throw up out of disgust or nervousness. Vi gently placed her hand on Caitlyn’s shoulder and started leaning in. Caitlyn did the same, grabbing onto Vi’s shoulder before slowly leaning closer. They held eye contact, and Caitlyn secretly admired how beautiful Vi’s eyes and freckles were. But, just at the last minute when their lips were an inch apart, Vi shut her eyes and so did Caitlyn. Their lips pressed together and she froze.
They parted with an anti-climatic peck on the lips.
Vi blinked before asking, “That’s it?”
She shrugged. “I guess? That’s sort of… boring?”
“Kinda lame,” Vi shrugged again before looking at the ceiling. She blinked before making eye contact again. “Maybe we should try moving our lips?”
“Sure?”
They leaned into each other’s face again, and the more they tried, the more Caitlyn relaxed. Their lips touched again and they both moved their lips, creating an audible smack, before parting. Vi scrunched her face this time.
“Well, that was… kinda gross.”
Caitlyn’s nose scrunched. “Maybe we shouldn't move so much?”
Vi huffed. “I mean, we can test it out? See what works?”
“Sure,” Caitlyn shrugged before grabbing Vi’s shoulder. She leaned in, with much more confidence this time, before closing the gap.
They repeated this a few times and Caitlyn wasn't sure how long they had been kissing, but by the time they pulled apart, her cheeks were pleasantly warm. It felt weird, that was for sure, but something about it felt right and good. She chuckled before rubbing her cheek.
“I think I kinda get it now.”
Vi had a bashful smile on her face too. “Yeah, me too.”
An awkward minute passed before Caitlyn gulped. She then looked off to the side before looking at Vi’s lips. They were a little more swollen than before, and she rolled her lips together before shyly asking.
“You want to try it again?”
A light shade of pink washed over Vi’s face before she chuckled lightly. “Sure.”
They closed the gap again.
Caitlyn wasn't sure how long they had been kissing, but by the time Vi left her room, her heart was still pounding in her chest. She was wide awake despite it being completely pitch black outside. She couldn't help but bring her fingers to her lips. She couldn't forget the sensation of Vi’s lips on hers, and the warmth from her body was enough to make Caitlyn roll around in her bed. There was no way she was going to fall asleep anytime soon, and her eyes quickly landed on the bouquet of violets on her desk.
She smiled warmly before pulling her blanket up to her chest.
Violets were incredibly beautiful.