Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The handcuffs chafed, awkwardly oval to close properly around Vi’s too narrow wrists. They were made to fit adults, not teenagers. Standing in the cavernous, pristine hallway leading to the council chamber flanked by enforcers, Vi’s hatred for the overcity boiled within her. So much space, so much wealth and for what? So seven people could feel extra special on their way to work?

The giant and ornate doors looming in front of her, heralds to her fate, were thick and sturdy, letting nothing of the proceedings within spill out. It wasn’t until the door opened and the Sheriff – an old, humourless woman – gestured for the enforcers to bring her inside that Vi got any idea of what awaited her. The enforcer to her left was shoving her forward before she even had time to move of her own accord and she wanted to slam her elbow into his ribs for it but she managed to resist the urge. She had to play the part, do anything she could to not seem like a threat. Nothing but a stupid kid from the undercity who hadn’t known better. She had to get a light sentence, had to get back to her sister as soon as possible. She would treat it like a con, a job to be completed.

So she walked, shoulders tense into that giant, dimly lit room. It was quite the hike to the roundtable of councillors, a skylight shining something of a spotlight on them. It was a ridiculous amount of dramatics that made Vi have to suppress a sneer. A little in front of the circle of councillors and off to the side in the half-dark were three simple chairs that only drew her attention because Vander was in one of them. His eyes lit up with relief as he saw her and guilt crashed down over Vi. She’d made this mess. She was going to fix it. Vander must have seen that determination in her eyes because while his expression remained serious and pained, he nodded at her just the slightest bit. She knew what she had to do. She could do this. She took and released a steadying breath, just like she might have right before a fight.

Behind Vander on the other two chairs were an older woman and a young man the woman fussed over. He looked to be having about as bad a day as Vi was, running a finger over some armband he was wearing with a vacant expression. His eyes raised to look at her, at first with a sudden and visceral anger. But as he actually saw her his expression softened with obvious surprise. She was led past them to the center of the gear-like table of councillors before she could see more of his reaction.

“Councillors”, the Sheriff addressed the assorted group of pompous, judging figures. “Apprehended during the pursuit following the explosion in the academy district in possession of several of Mr. Talis’ missing belongings: Violet from the undercity.”

“Is this some kind of joke!?”, a portly man poorly attempting to compensate for his receding hairline with his beard screeched, voice somehow whinier than even Mylo’s. “That is a child! Just some girl!”

Vi would have loved to show him what ‘some girl’ could do, but she kept quiet, nearly shaking with the tension. She didn’t turn but she could hear the practiced patience in the Sheriff’s voice as she said: “I assure you, Councillor Hoskel, multiple witnesses put her on the scene of the crime.”

“She’s from the undercity”, a sneering woman with a ticking collar of clicking gears said. “Is it really a surprise that their offspring are criminals too?”

Vi practically bit her tongue to keep herself from giving these snobbish, spineless aristocrats who had inherited their ways ass over backwards into power a piece of her mind. Nothing she could say would change their minds anyway, she reminded herself. They were too arrogant, too selfish to ever listen to her.

“What have you to say for yourself, Violet?”, the woman sitting right across from the entrance said, first to address Vi directly and startling her accordingly. She’d spoken clearly but gently in a way, the sparse light reflecting off of gold jewelry in her hair and around her neck, contrasting beautifully with her dark skin. She was likely not originally from Piltover, Vi thought. From Demacia maybe, though Vi wasn’t great at geography. It might explain why she was just the slightest bit less terrible.

Vi cleared her throat, not exactly anxious but feeling the pressure dragging on her words. She would have loved to speak freely but for Powder, this had to come out right. “I thought I could make life easier for my family”, she said. “It’s true, I broke into that house, I stole all the valuables I could carry. I didn’t mean to cause that explosion, I never wanted to hurt anyone.” She still wasn’t sure why that explosion had even happened. She didn’t really care. The important thing was to make sure they didn’t question that she was acting alone.

The councillor who had asked nodded slightly and the ancient Yordle in the seat beside her did as well. “A truly unfortunate chain of events, Miss Violet, only in small part attributable to your actions. It was my pupil’s reckless use of dangerous substances that caused it.”

“But his verdict is spoken”, a young blonde man with slicked back hair said. Vi figured that this pupil was the man next to Vander. So it was likely his workshop she’d robbed. “Now we must decide how this gutter rat should be punished for her crimes. Who cares what she did or did not mean to do? She broke the law of our fine city!”

Vi couldn’t help but narrow her eyes at the councillor who glared at her with a familiar contempt. The urge to fight her way out of this was becoming overwhelming, tied hands or not. She couldn’t. She couldn’t make herself a fugitive. She couldn’t do that to Vander – to Powder.

“It was your property that was stolen and destroyed, Councillor Kiramman”, the ticking brass collar woman said with a nod toward a stuffy looking older aristocrat. “What punishment do you see fit?”

The older woman scrutinized Vi with sharp and intelligent seeming eyes before answering: “It is true she should face some kind of consequence for her actions”, she said. “But she can’t be older than my daughter. Stillwater seems a… hasty condemnation.”

Vi’s heart started racing. They might not throw her into prison at all? She wouldn’t beg. Nothing could make her beg. But she could hope.

The Sheriff spoke up at this juncture. “The girl’s father is an honest man who has long supported peaceful transactions between myself and the undercity”, she said. “He vouches for the girl and pleads with you to give her a second chance.”

Vi nearly flinched. Of course Vander had spoken on her behalf.

“Give mercy twice in one day?”, the wheezy man who had first spoken up now complained. He gestured with some weird toy every time he spoke, fidgeting with it in between sentences. “The public will think we’re too lenient!”

“So instead we should condemn a child to years away from her family?”, the gold-clad one argued and Vi was beginning to like her.

The openly kind yordle added: “I believe Councillor Medarda is correct. We are the city of progress! We do not need to react to every indiscretion like barbarians. And as Councillor Shoola said, it is Councillor Kiramman’s fortune most affected by this youngster’s foolish actions. Why shouldn’t Violet here be punished in a similar way to the young Talis, then? A kind of… community service!”

Service? Vi’s stomach dropped down to her knees. To a councillor? It was ridiculous. Surely, he couldn’t be serious.

“Returning Jayce Talis to my care is one thing”, Councillor Kiramman said with just the slightest undertone of concern. “But what am I to do with a thief from the undercity?”

“Whatever menial labor you require”, a metal construction of a person said simply, voice delayed and haltingly as from short bursts of air. “Let the girl work off her debts to your house. It’s a sound suggestion.”

Councillor Kiramman did not look happy. Hell, Vi wasn’t either. Slaving away in some mansion, at the mercy of people who she hated, who were openly disgusted by her was not how she imagined her life. Then again, it beat Stillwater. Almost everything did.

The councillor’s kept arguing and Vi had to work not to just tune them out. She needed to know what they decided for her but their useless back and forth prattling was grating to listen to. Finally, it was put to a vote. Five to two were in favour of her working off her debts in service to the Kirammans for five years. She would be allowed to return home each night under the threat of serving the remainder of her sentence in Stillwater if she tried to escape her indenture.

It wasn’t prison, she had to keep reminding herself. It was humiliating and preposterous, but she could still see Powder. The rest of her family was safe because she’d stayed behind to take the fall and the five years would pass like any other. Even if she had to pass most of it in the overcity, she would survive.

So she bowed her head and thanked the council, no matter how much it made her stomach turn to show any respect to these leeches. Her tongue burned inside her mouth but she nodded her head at Councillor Kiramman as she instructed her on the time and place she was to report for her first day of service tomorrow. She couldn’t quite resist a smug grin at the enforcer that had to unlock her cuffs and then she was walking back, leaving this shitty council behind her, right into Vander’s open arms.

The terror of the past day seemed to crash into her all at once. All the emotions she’d carefully walled up these past hours: The agony of letting herself get arrested that went against every fibre of her being, the fear and loneliness of waiting for judgement in a jail cell, the constant underlying worry that she would never see her family again. She couldn’t fall apart. Not yet, not here. She squirmed back out of Vander’s embrace and his eyes were stern but soft. She knew she had a lecture coming for her stupidity. For trying to pull this off in the first place, for sacrificing herself so the others could get away. She almost looked forward to it. But for now Vander put a comforting hand on her back and said: “Let’s get you home, kiddo.”

–

It had only been a day but it was still a startling relief to see The Last Drop again, to breathe in that familiar, thick air and to walk down those familiar steps into the second home she’d almost lost.

“Vi!”, Powder shouted the second she saw her, jumping up from the couch, the project she’d been tinkering with abandoned and threw herself into Vi’s arms.

Vi gathered her up, still so small, still so fragile, and held her close. “I’m here”, she said, “I'm okay”, as tears of relief shook Powder’s body.

“Th-they took you!”, Powder sobbed. “We didn’t know if–”

“I know”, Vi soothed. “I know. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

Never again. Staying put to buy the rest of them time had been a split-second decision that had somehow changed everything. Pushed into the hard stones of Piltover’s streets she’d suddenly found herself confronted with everything she still wanted to do, everything she couldn’t afford to miss out on. Powder’s face had haunted her in that jail cell. The thought of leaving Powder behind. She couldn’t do that to her. Couldn’t let that be her sister’s life just because she’d been arrogant and angry enough to try and take back from Piltover. There had to be a better way.

It was this realization, this new understanding that Vander had likely seen in her on their way home. This change in Vi that had left Vander’s lecture rather gentle. “These kids look up to you”, he’d told her. She’d never thought of it that way, but she did now. She owed it to them to do better. To protect them first, above all else. To protect Powder. In the face of all that, five years of indentured servitude were nothing. Vander and her agreed on that. It could have ended a lot worse.

“So they didn’t stuff you right into Stillwater?”, Mylo asked once Powder had calmed somewhat and she’d come over to sit with them. His words were dismissive but she could hear the hint of relief in them.

She was about to return some flippant remark when she finally looked her brothers properly for the first time. “What the hell happened to your guys’ faces?”

They both sported black eyes and other various cuts and scrapes. She could tell from how they were sitting that they had other injuries as well. But if the enforcers had gotten to them they would have been arrested so what the fuck had happened?

Mylo scoffed. “What else? The jinx struck again and we got jumped on our way down here.”

Powder’s face twisted in anger: “Mylo was bragging!”, she yelled, rejecting the blame he was trying to pin on her.

Vi turned on Mylo. Bragging or not, he couldn’t blame every fuck-up on Powder. Mylo immediately looked defensive. “It would have been fine if Powder hadn’t run away! She could have actually helped out for a change!”

“There were four of them!”, Powder argued. “Maybe if you weren’t so slow we could have all made it away!”

“Yeah but you still lost the loot, didn’t you!”, Mylo yelled right back.

“Stop!”, Vi ordered, gesturing for both of them to simmer down. She turned to her sister. “You’re okay, Pow?”, she asked.

Powder avoided her eyes petulantly but mumbled: “I’m fine.”

“Good”, Vi said. “The loot’s worthless anyway. Anything that could have traced anyone but me back to the robbery would be a problem.” Then she turned to Mylo. “And you are lucky Powder got out of there. It’s your job to make sure everyone is safe when I’m not there. If you can’t handle that then maybe you should sit out the next time we do something. Then we’d all finally be spared from your big mouth!”

Vi collapsed back onto the couch with a sigh. She hadn’t been there. She’d stayed behind to save them, but to think something could have happened to Powder because she hadn’t been there…

“Not that there is going to be a next time”, she said with finality. Even if she weren’t looking down the barrel of five years of slaving away in Piltover, she would never endanger her family like this again.

“What’d they decide to do with you?”, Claggor finally asked. “Did Vander manage to get you pardoned or something?”

Vi almost laughed. “No such luck. They’ve got me on ‘community service’. I’m the Kiramman’s obedient servant for the next five years.” Her siblings did not share in her gallow’s humor.

“What!?”, Powder said. “Does that mean… will you even be allowed to stay here?”

“It’s not like they want to house me”, Vi rolled her eyes, trying to play it off as no big deal. “I may have to go topside every day but I’ll be back in the evening. You won't be rid of me that easily.” She rubbed over her sister’s hair. Powder didn’t look convinced.

“Shit, Vi”, Claggor said. “I mean, I’m glad you’re not going to prison but still. Five years.”

“Why’d you take the fall?”, Mylo asked. “We could have all made it out of there. With the loot.”

“You don’t know that, Mylo”, she said. And if they’d all been caught… they would have looked like a gang or something. No. There was no point in thinking about what could have been. And she appreciated Claggor’s sympathy but she didn’t exactly want a thank you either. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I’m going to serve my time and that’s that.”

She’d been the one to plan this, to get them to do it. Just like Vander had said, she’d told them to light a fire and they’d showed up with oil. Now she’d put the fire back out. Even if she had to work in the damn Overcity to do it.

Usually Powder pretended to be too old to still want to sleep in the same bed as Vi but that night was different. Powder held on to her tight and Vi was only too happy to hold her right back.

“I thought I might never see you again”, Powder said quietly into her shirt when she should have already been asleep. “Why’d you have to go and leave us? Leave me?”

Vi sighed. “I’m sorry, Pow-Pow. But I had to make sure you’d be safe. I’ll always make sure you’re safe. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there when you guys got jumped.”

Powder seemed to curl up tighter. “Maybe I shouldn't have been there after all.”

Vi immediately knew what she meant and wanted to punch Mylo into his stupid face for it. “You’re not a jinx, Powder. It was Mylo’s reckless bragging like you said.” She didn’t have to have been there to believe that.

Powder shook her head. “Even if it wasn’t my fault, I couldn’t do anything. I’m small and weak. I’m not a fighter like you.”

“You’re stronger than you think”, Vi told her. “And you have your inventions.”

“They never work.”

“They will.” Vi brushed her hand over Powder’s hair. She wished they didn’t all have to grow up so fast. Wished Powder could have the time she needed to become who Vi knew she could be. She’d try to make it happen. Stay out of trouble. Support Powder. She could do it, maybe. She had to try. “It takes time, Powder”, she said. Tomorrow she’d tell her about all the times Claggor and Mylo had fucked up. The times she had fucked up. For now she simply told her sister: “You’ll get there. And I’ll be there for you until you do. Now go to sleep, I have an exciting day tomorrow.”

Powder fell asleep in her arms as Vi tried not to let her dread for her “exciting day” keep her awake.

Chapter Text

Vander walked her to the Kiramman mansion the next morning at the ass-crack of dawn. Because of course it was a mansion and of course they wanted her there bright and early. She was tired but the morning’s cold as well as her chittering nerves were doing an admirable job of keeping her awake.

“Don’t make trouble”, Vander reminded her for about the seventh time.

“I know”, she said, rolling her eyes. “I know. This is my one shot. If I fuck this up I’m done for. Do you think I want to go to prison?”

Vander’s look was both challenge and scolding. “You have been giving that impression, recently.” Then he sighed. “Just keep your wits about you. The Kiramman’s aren’t bad people but they’re pilties through and through. You’ve got to keep your anger in check or you won’t make it, you hear me? Best try and forget who they are. Just keep your head down, do as you’re told and it’ll be over before you know it.”

Easier said than done, Vi thought. These people, this place. They had taken everything from her. But for Vander she nodded and said: “I will.”

She kept her eyes down for most of the walk, tuned out the lavish houses getting grander with every street they passed. The few people who were already about gave them dirty glances. To them they were nothing but undercity scum. Vi’s hands clenched into fists. Calm. She had to stay calm. Control her temper. She owed Vander that much. She owed him a lot more.

She sighed. “Thank you, Vander. I’m–” It was hard for her to say, still painful to admit she’d fucked up, but she had to say it: “I’m sorry for making trouble.”

Vander smiled down at her with a soft expression. “I know”, he said. “You’re taking responsibility, I’d be blind and foolish not to appreciate that. You’re doing well, Violet. I’m proud of you.”

She stopped to hug him then, showing up on time be damned. Of course Vander was quick to break the hug with a laugh and rush then the rest of the way. But for a moment it had been nice to enforce her freedom. She’d have to do enough suppressing of that for the rest of the day already.

At the front gate two enforcers barred their entry. They weren’t even trying to pretend they weren’t a private military for the rich here, apparently.

“Just the girl”, one of the guards said.

Vi saw Vander’s jaw tense. “I’m her father”, he said in a way that wasn’t technically a threat but still made one of the enforcers twitch backwards. Vi couldn’t help but smile at that.

But even so, the enforcers stayed firm: “We have our orders. The girl is to come inside, but not accompanied.”

Vander scowled but finally turned to Vi, patting her shoulder encouragingly one more time. “You’ve got this, kiddo”, he said.

Vi nodded. Then Vander stepped back and the enforcers opened the gate, one of them following her inside. Vi clenched her hands to stop them from shaking as she stepped past that iron gate that felt a lot more like prison bars. She was here because she’d managed to avoid prison. She would be fine. She looked back as the gate was pulled closed with a clang, past it to Vander who waved one last time. Then she went to face her penance.

The mansion loomed over her like a giant to whom she was nothing more than vermin. She felt viscerally like she should not be here as they entered it, yet more enforcers guarding the door. That couldn’t be normal, could it? Had they added more guards just for her? It was darkly flattering if true. They should be afraid of her.

She was led into one of dozens of rooms as she tried not to be impressed by the interior. High ceilings, fancy chandeliers, flourishes in every corner and paintings on every wall. It was disgusting. This flaunting of wealth disgusted her. Inside the room was an extravagant seating arrangement of couches and reading chairs, a single desk by the large windows. But the councillor to whom she now effectually belonged was waiting for her by the couches. She wasn’t sitting and didn’t ask Vi to sit either.

She gave her another scrutinizing glance, her expression more sour than it had been yesterday. At least neither of them seemed happy with this arrangement.

“Well, you are punctual at least”, the woman said.

Of course she was. It was only her continued freedom that depended on it. Vi suppressed the flippant remark. Tried to follow Vander’s advice, tried to stay calm.

“I am Cassandra Kiramman”, the Councillor went on, voice clipped and carefully enunciated. “But you will just refer to me as Ma’am or Councillor Kiramman while you are here. I live here with my husband and daughter.” Vi nearly raised her eyebrows in shock. All this for three people? “You do not speak to them unless spoken to. Go somewhere in this house you haven’t been told you could go or touch something you haven’t been told you could touch and I will have no qualms about sending you to prison after all.” Right, Vi thought. She was a criminal, a thief. She knew to actually steal something would be petty as well as proving them right but it was also incredibly tempting. “You do not disrespect this household”, Cassandra Kiramman finished.

Then she looked Vi up and down again with a scowl. “Speaking of, you cannot stay in those undercity rags. I will have a uniform tailored for you to wear when you come here. You will also be provided lunch every day.”

Every day. “You are too generous, Councillor Kiramman”, Vi said before she could stop herself, having finally reached her limit.

“Do not take that tone with me, Violet”, Councillor Kiramman said forcefully, but without yelling. Vi worked hard to get her fists to unfurl. “You will do as you are told from now on, a concept I am aware is likely wholly unfamiliar to you. Do you have any skills, besides theft?”

Her right hook was excellent. She could jump highest and farthest out of all her siblings. Vander had shown her how to do some flair bartending once. She usually took care of her own laundry but she didn’t dare call that a skill. And she could prepare a chicken for cooking if she absolutely had to. “No, Ma’am”, she said.

Cassandra Kiramman sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Very well. There are some simple tasks in need of doing in the garden. You should be able to handle digging holes. I’ll see for what else I have use for you in the meantime. Charlice will–”

But before she could say what Charlice would do, a knock sounded against the door and the young man that had stood trial before Vi stepped into the room. He wore thick gloves and there was a smudge of motor oil in his face.

“The heater is fully functional again, Ma’am”, he said to the Councillor who looked at him with a mix of surprise and disapproval.

“Good”, she told him, at which point he finally noticed Vi standing there.

His whole body tensed and he quickly turned away from her. Vi wasn’t sure if she was expected to keep looking only at Mrs. Kiramman, but the man was a lot more interesting to watch. His shoulders were bunched together. He looked tired.

“This is Jayce Talis”, Cassandra Kiramman said, evidently to Vi. “You may remember him as the man you recklessly robbed, destroying his life’s work in the process.” Jayce Talis flinched at that description. “You wouldn’t happen to need an assistant for your maintenance work, Mr. Talis?”

He looked up at Councillor Kiramman at that, then glanced to Vi again. His eyes narrowed at her with evident distaste.

“Not currently, Councillor”, he said.

The Councillor shrugged. “A shame. Alright, you can take a look at the automatic washer next. Something has been rattling in there recently.”

Jayce nodded briskly. “Yes, Ma’am”, he said, and then he was gone again.

Interesting, Vi thought. He hadn’t looked like a servant. He was well dressed and acted with a sort of recently humbled dignity that seemed out of place. He was working on the Kiramman’s household machinery. Was he in a similar situation as her? Because his research had led to an explosion, she figured. He was a fool, then. She shouldn't have sympathy with him.

“Now, as I was saying”, Cassandra continued. “Charlice will take your measurements and then show you to the flower beds. They should keep you occupied for the day at least.”

“Yes, Ma’am”, Vi said just like Jayce had and she could see already that Cassandra Kiramman was pleased with her obedience. She wanted to punch something. Hard.

Unfortunately she didn’t get even the slightest chance to. Even worse, she had to stand still and hold out her arms for a silent and strict looking woman in a crisp gray uniform to measure just about every part of her body. At least they were in a private room, but it was still humiliating. The thought of having to wear foreign clothing here made her nauseous. Overcity would strip everything she had, everything she was from her while she was here. Rob her of any comfort she might have had and break her will. At least, they would try to. She just had to not let them. She could pretend. She could stand prettily and follow their orders but she would never become something she was not. Not for them. Not at all.

When the measuring ordeal was over she was led outside to a giant garden, most of which was occupied with hedges and flowerbeds, all in pristine lines and squares and swirls. A regimented layout for easy passing through, pretty arrangements of colours and shapes. It was one of the finest examples of the Pilties’ obsession with bending nature to their will she had ever seen. She was accompanied to a shed by the servant named Charlice as well as an enforcer since the shed was full of tools – weapons in the right hands. Her job was simple. Dig up the slightly sub-par flower beds to soften the earth and partially exchange it for new, better earth they had somehow gotten their hands on, taken from somewhere else that probably needed it more than here.

Charlice left and the enforcer stayed, even though he looked incredibly bored. Vi grabbed a shovel and got to working, since digging at least meant she could move her body, flex her tense muscles. She thrust and stomped the shovel into that hardened ground, through old, dried out roots, and heaved it all into a wheelbarrow, then carted that to the compost hidden away in the very back of the garden when it was full. It was grueling work and she was quickly sweating through her clothes. Good.

At lunch she was about a third of the way done and she couldn't decide if she wanted to be proud of that progress or not. Maybe she should slow down.

She had to admit the food she was given was good and filling, though not as rich in flavour as she was used to from the undercity. And she had to eat her food alone in a corner of the servants’ dining room, all of whom ignored her quite pointedly. And here I thought we had an unspoken bond, she thought sarcastically looking at Charlice who didn’t turn her way even once. She knew the exact dimensions of her whole body after all.

Vi was glad to be back outside quickly despite the hard work. The enforcer was gone, probably figuring he had better things to do than watch a felon dig holes. She briefly considered slacking off but Cassandra Kiramman would probably notice the lack of progress. She kept digging, though slower this time.

With how little mental presence such a simple task took her attention was elsewhere, her mind mostly seething. Even so she didn’t miss that she was being watched. When the sun started setting and still no enforcer had come back to guard her she slowed down even more and said: “Do you have something to say to me or are you just here for the show?”

Her observer flinched in their hiding spot behind  one of the nearby hedges and slowly stepped out from behind it. It was a girl, probably around her own age watching her with a weary scowl. She had long, dark hair and mixed features, but even so it was clear she had to be councillor Kiramman’s daughter. Leaving the shovel stuck in the earth to lean on she looked the little aristocrat over. Her blue-white dress was neat and fancy and she was healthy but built thin as a stick which reminded her a bit of Powder. Powder probably had more muscle than her. She was a classic, pampered topsider kid, though Vi didn’t let that lower her guard. There was something to her stance, a certain confidence that wasn’t just attributable to arrogance. Vi could have still toppled her in seconds of course, but it was interesting.

“You’re the one who broke into Jace’s workshop”, the girl said, her voice soft but the words sharp, sharpened still by her stiff topsider accent.

Vi shrugged. “So I am, though that’s a bit of a mouthful. The name’s Vi.”

Her nonchalance seemed to get to the girl, her brow furrowing, her body tense. “You ruined his life! Don’t you feel any remorse? Aren’t you even a little bit sorry?”

“Sorry I got caught.” Vi almost laughed, even as that old, familiar fury bubbled up inside her. “Otherwise, not particularly.” Needing to put her anger somewhere other than the councillor’s daughter Vi kept digging, hands clenched tightly around the shovel’s handle.

The other girl stepped closer instead, her face when Vi glanced at it between thrusts of the shovel a mask of disgust and outrage. “He lost everything because of you”, she said.

Vi stilled for a moment, shoulders tense, before she tried to let it go. Stupid idiot, she thought as she scoffed and said: “He looks very housed, fed and dressed for a guy who lost everything.”

“Everything he was working towards!”, the councillor’s daughter hissed. “You ruined his life!”

Vi just kept digging, shaking her head. This girl couldn’t be serious, could she? It was almost funny. “Seems to me like he was plenty capable of doing that himself.”

“What is wrong with you?”

Vi looked up from her work to find her scowling and looking at her like she was vermin. It wasn’t exactly unexpected but on this pretty, prissy girl… it was definitely funny.

“Oh I’m sorry”, Vi said, dropping the shovel into the dirt to gesture dramatically. “Didn’t know disagreeing with you is a crime, princess.”

The councillor’s daughter bristled. “You can’t talk to me like that”, she said. “I am Caitlyn Kiramman – I’m a councillor’s daughter.”

Vi, feeling both bold and tired of this bullshit, took a step toward her. Not quite yet close enough to touch, but certainly closer than the little Kiramman had expected, taking a small, involuntary step back. “Okay, so go and tell on me, Caitlyn”, Vi said, arms wide in offering herself up. “Go on.”

Kiramman’s expression shifted, confidence and anger flickering. Vi had a smile spreading across her own face. “I knew it”, she said, now genuinely laughing. Such bravado and holier-than-thou attitude that all disappeared the moment it was challenged. “You’re not supposed to talk to me, are you? No, not to the scary, dirty bottom dweller. That’s far too dangerous for a delicate confection like yourself.” All the power the overcity had over them – nothing but smoke and mirrors. Without the enforcers to stomp the undercity down these airheads had nothing on them.

Vi feinted a rush toward Caitlyn and grinned wider when the aristocrat flinched. She knew she couldn't push it, knew the threat of Stillwater still loomed, that the system was still ultimately set up in Caitlyn Kiramman’s favour, but for this brief moment she’d enjoyed giving her just a glimpse of the truth. Stepping back to the flower bed she kicked the shovel back into her hands and continued working.

The Kiramman heir watched her in outraged silence for a few moments before Vi heard her say: “I can’t believe I have to tolerate you being here for the next five years.”

Vi laughed. “There’s at least one thing we can agree on, then.”

Chapter Text

Cassandra Kiramman came out to the garden personally to look at Vi’s progress and dismiss her at the end of the day. Caitlyn had left her alone again hours ago. When Cassandra surveyed her work Vi got the sense that the aristocrat had no idea how laborious digging up these flower beds was, so she didn’t have any opinion on how fast Vi was working. Even having slowed down in the afternoon, Vi was exhausted. Her muscles ached from doing the same motion over and over, her back feeling stiff.

It didn’t matter. It was better than prison. Vi was allowed to go home. The sun wasn’t quite set yet but since noon the sky had become progressively darker, heavy clouds blotting out the sun. Vi knew it was going to rain soon. It didn’t make much difference to her, the undercity was dark and damp on a good day. It did feel symbolic somehow though, that on her first day of indenture she should bring the darkness of the undercity with her to topside.

She made her way down into the lanes quickly, her stomach growling and her heart burning. She kept thinking of the Kirammans. Unsympathetic faces of conceited idiots who didn’t give a shit about her and yet would confine her to this pointless sentence out of spite for who she was. And Powder, who she hadn’t gotten to see all day, had to wonder what she’d been up to.

Vi startled when a man stepped into her path in one of the undercity’s emptiest alleys. It was a short stretch of a narrow pathway not even good enough for garbage cans, just the occasional filth that ended up there by chance or neglect, which was why Vi liked using it as a passage. Now a tall, slim figure blocked her path, black and red coat and slicked back hair clearly meant to convey a refined but threatening presence. This image was both enhanced as well as shattered by the the scarring covering half of this man’s face, a completely black eyeball with an orange iris peering down at Vi.

“Long time no see, Violet”, the man said, voice deep and smooth.

Vi grit her teeth. She really wasn’t in the mood for whatever this was. She tried to figure out if he had more men surrounding her without looking around too obviously. “Do I know you?”, she asked as rudely as she could.

The man’s eyebrows raised somewhat, but his shock was clearly a facade of some kind. “You wound me, Violet”, he said. “Don’t tell me you don’t remember your dear uncle Silco.”

Silco. The name did ring a bell. But it had been ages since she’d last heard it. Back before she’d started living with Vander. Back when–

“I was a close friend of your parents”, Silco said.

Vi’s stomach twisted, more anger at topside flaring up in her chest. Damnit. She didn’t want to think about this, didn’t want to feel this. She wanted to punch something.

Fists curled she narrowed her eyes at this Silco character. “What do you want?”, she asked.

“Why, to give you a gift. That is all.” He presented his empty hands beseechingly, moving slowly as to not appear threatening. “I heard about your recent stunt and following… well, punishment. It can hardly be called justice at all, can it? How are the Kiramman’s treating you?”

Vi reflexively tensed with more frustration and fury boiling within her. Even through the fury she saw the man’s eyes glint at her reaction, saw the ghost of a smile playing on his lips. He wanted her angry. He was setting her up. She had to try and restrain herself. Her jaw hurt from how hard she was clenching it.

“I know how dreadful it can be to feel helpless”, Silco went on with his spiel. “I feel we are kindred spirits, you and I. So I’ve come to give you this.” He slowly folded one side of his jacket open to reveal an inner pocket with some kind of cylinder inside. Grabbing it with two delicate fingers he pulled it free, purple liquid so bright it almost seemed to glow inside it. He held it out to her. “Here.”

Vi hesitated, scrutinizing both him and the vial for a moment. But he was touching it with his bare fingers, so holding it alone couldn’t be dangerous and there was no room on the vial for any release mechanism, so she finally just took the thing, turning it in her hand and watching a small bubble race along the glass. “What is this, some kind of drug?”, she asked, feeling insulted. Did he think she was so desperate to escape the drudgery of work that she’d want to get high?

“Oh, not just any drug”, Silco told her with a venomous smile. “It’s called Shimmer. And it doesn’t dull the senses, it sharpens them. It can make you strong, Violet. Stronger than their enforcers, stronger than tanks. I see that anger inside you, Violet.” He pointed at the vial. “That can help you set that anger free. To get your vengeance on the pilties who thought to enslave you. To show them what damage those they discard as filth can do. They should be afraid.”

I’m already strong, Vi thought, even as another part of her told her that clearly she wasn’t strong enough. Even if this drug was exactly what Silco promised – which she had absolutely no intention of believing on the word of some stranger, friend of her parents or not – what good would it do? The explosion from the robbery hadn’t even made a dent and how much more of a difference could she hope to do? Even if she could destroy the Kirammans more pilties would just come to take their place. They were like vultures, parasites eager to take up the space vacated by another. It was still tempting. Maybe not against the Kirammans but just against topside at all. To make them feel the power of the undercity. Make them hurt the way they had made her hurt.

Her fingers closed around the vial. “What’s the catch?”, she asked. There was always a catch. He couldn’t just be giving this to her for free. And if it was as great as he said, why wasn’t he using it himself?

He knew as much too, which was likely why he didn’t just lie. “There is a risk”, he said. “It’s a powerful drug. Somebody weak might just be overwhelmed. And then there is the chance of Piltover retaliating, but should it come to that you can come to me and I will protect you. I know you’re strong enough to handle the drug and smart enough to make it back from topside.”

Vi suppressed her scowl. Of course. He wanted a labrat to test his drug on and an indebted lackey if it went well. Not all vultures lived north of the Pilt.

“Thanks”, Vi said, slipping the vial into her coat pocket. “I’ll give it a think. Now if you don’t mind.” She stepped forward and made to push her way past him, ready for any move on his part.

He stepped aside and let her pass. “I look forward to seeing what you make of this opportunity, Violet.”

She didn’t turn back to him, didn’t give him any words of goodbye. The way he kept saying her name disgusted her somehow. Like he was sticking his fingers into her past and fumbling for something to grasp, something to pull. She might be Piltover's indenture, but she wasn’t going to be anyone’s puppet. The vial sat heavy in her pocket. She had no intentions of using it but that didn’t mean she was going to give it back.

Raindrops were starting to make their way from the sky down into even the fissures and Vi hastened her step, eager to make it home, to see Powder. To get out of the rain and back to some form of normal, even if it was just for the night. The feeling of being followed was initially an incredibly irritating one, dread already building about having to deal with one more asshole tonight. Then she recognised the light footfalls on the roofs beside where she walked and stopped.

“I’m not in the mood, Little Man”, she said, with just the slightest smile of relief.

“Sorry”, Ekko said from slightly behind her and to her left, scurrying across the roof and dropping down beside her. His eyes were huge and apologetic, though he couldn’t quite keep the curiosity out of his face. A good thing too. The day Ekko didn’t look curious would be a dark day. “Is it true?”, he asked. “Powder said you're indentured with a Councillor?”

Vi shrugged. Somehow it was always easier to cool her fire when she had a show to put on for people she actually cared about. “They’re making me a uniform and everything”, she said lightly.

If at all possible, Ekko’s features grew more apologetic. His eyes darted between her and the floor in front of him. “I’m so sorry.”

“Uh-uh”, Vi said, flicking a finger against his forehead. “None of that, Ekko. You just gave the tip, we all chose to go on that job.” It would be insane to blame Ekko. He couldn't have known things would go this wrong. It was Vi who should have been more careful. “You’re in enough trouble with Benzo as it is, right?”, she asked, trying to distract him from his guilt. Powder had mentioned something to that effect yesterday.

It worked and Ekko frowned. “Double shifts sorting through crap and I’m banned from the shop until I’ve ‘learned my lesson’ or something. He’s threatened to make it five years like your sentence, but I don’t think he means it.” He was nearly smiling again by then before his face fell once more, this time able to look her in the eye properly as he said: “I’m still sorry though. And… I’m glad you’re all safe at least.”

“Yeah”, Vi said, thinking of Powder. “Me too.” She nudged Ekko’s shoulder, indicating one more time that she wasn’t upset with him. “Now tell me where Powder is.” Little Man had a tendency to be in the know about these kinds of things and Vi was happy he’d spare her the looking.

“The arcade last I knew”, he said, smile finally back to bright.

“Thanks, Little Man. You’re the best”, Vi said, getting moving again in the direction of the arcade. “Benzo’ll forgive you in no time, trust me”, she reassured him, knowing that man couldn’t hold a grudge, least of all against a kid like Ekko.

“Benzo, sure”, Ekko shrugged, scratching the back of his head. “But I think Vander might hold a grudge.”

He was right that Vander had not taken especially Powder being put in danger lightly. Still though, Vi doubted anyone could stay mad at the Little Man for very long. His eyes were too earnest for it, which was exactly what made him such a good thief and spy.

“Nah”, Vi gestured dismissively. “You’ll work him over soon enough.”

That really got a smile out of him. “Thanks, Vi. Say hi to Powder for me.”

Ekko would be keeping his distance it seemed, at least until Vander cooled down. Vi nearly laughed, even as she did feel bad for the kids. “Will do.”

By the time she reached the arcade it was pouring and she was happy to duck into the shitty old room, abandoned machines only kept alive by Powder’s continuous efforts. Other kids used it on occasion but whenever they went there it was clear who had right of way. No one had dared fight them over it in the past two years.

Powder was indeed there and ran to embrace Vi despite her wet clothes and the slight chill in the air. She only seemed to hold on tighter for it. Mylo and Claggor were also there, greeting her halfheartedly in the former's case and warmly in the latter’s. They didn’t immediately talk about Vi’s day, which she was glad for initially, but it hung over them like a blade ready to fall. It filled the space between them with a tension that eventually had to snap.

“So how’s Piltover?”, Mylo finally asked, the bitterness in his voice unmistakable. It seemed if anything his opinion had sharpened since yesterday.

Vi stretched casually, projecting perfect ambivalence. “Oh, you know”, she said. “Rich, vapid aristocrats needing meaningless tasks completed that their own pristine hands are too good for. Nothing I couldn't handle.”

It was a delicate balance. She couldn’t let them know how much she hated it. Mylo would jump on the chance to convince her to do something foolish and Powder would feel bad for her. If she made it sound too pleasant however they would surely resent her for that too. She didn’t want to be turning piltie in their eyes, not that something like that could ever actually happen.

“Great”, Mylo said with a smile that looked too tight. “So when’s the job?”

Vi raised an eyebrow at him. “What job?”

“I mean, we’re robbing the Kiramman’s blind, right?”, he said, almost like it was obvious but only almost. There was a bite to his words. “They already invited you in, you can gather the intel and get payback for enslaving you!”

Vi should have predicted this, really. Her jaw was hurting again. She turned to Claggor. “Did you know about this braindead idea or is this the first you’re hearing of it too?”

Claggor frowned, looking back and forth between her and Mylo. “I don’t know, Vi”, he said. “It’s not his worst idea.”

“That’s a low bar and we all know it”, Vi said. She’d really hoped Claggor would be with her on this. Arguing with Mylo herself was a lot more tedious.

He instantly proved her right, taking an aggravated step toward her. “So what do you suppose we should do?”, he asked. “We just stay down here like good little pests? Leave topside to gorge themselves on fat while we’re left with the bones?”

Vi hated this because a week ago it could have been her saying it. Hell, she still wanted to say it, her heart burned with that old hatred.

“We stay alive, Mylo”, she said, taking her own decisive step toward him. “We stay free.”

Mylo scoffed, masking his step away from her well with a look of disgust. “You’ve changed, Vi. One arrest and you turn tail and run? Are you really that much of a coward now?”

Vi’s fists clenched. She knew he was trying to rile her up. She hated that it was working.

Mylo kept going: “Do you heel when the Councillor calls you? What happened to sticking it to those fucks? What happened to taking what we’re owed?”

“You don’t like it, Mylo?”, she yelled, gesturing to the glass panel behind which rain was crashing onto the street with a constant irregular beat. “Then there’s the fucking door! I don’t like topside anymore than I did last week but I’m not gonna give them the satisfaction of putting me behind bars!” She looked to Powder instinctively who was watching the exchange with big, worried eyes. She turned back to Mylo with renewed determination. “Do whatever you want, Mylo. I can’t afford to throw my life away.”

Coward. Was she a coward? Maybe. Vander had asked her what she was willing to sacrifice for her rebellion against topside. She’d ruminated a lot on that answer and couldn’t say that she knew it fully. But she did know some of what she wouldn’t sacrifice. Not Powder. Not Claggor. Not even Mylo. She’d sacrifice her own dignity instead if that was what it took to keep them safe, even as she stewed with every new accusation Mylo thrust into her flesh like knives.

“The Vi I knew wouldn’t let them cower her”, he said. “Wouldn’t be licking topside’s boot!”

Vi only had so much self control and it had been tested all day. From the moment she’d dragged herself out of bed, right up until this moment her anger had constantly simmered, sometimes subdued but never gone. Mylo knew exactly what buttons to push. Vi snapped.

She threw herself at Mylo, who stood ready for the assault. “I’ll give you a boot to li–”

Before her fist could connect with Mylo’s face Claggor stepped between them, catching Vi by the collar of her shirt. “Enough!”, he yelled, pushing both of them back a step. He turned to Mylo who still glared at Vi with unresolved anger. Vi glared right back. “Mylo, Vi’s made her position clear. Name calling isn’t going to fix anything.” Then he turned to Vi, his expression sad. “I’m grateful for you taking the fall, Vi. I wish it wasn’t like this.”

Then he stepped away, taking Mylo with him even as the other boy protested.

“Yeah”, Vi said, rage subsiding but not gone. Never gone. “Me too. Thanks Claggor.”

The guys left the arcade. Vi caught Powder’s expression, some mix of worry and frustration, but Vi dismissed her with a gesture and shake of the head before she could say anything. Vi couldn’t take anymore talking right now. She walked over to the boxing automatron and kicked it into gear so violently she briefly worried she’d damaged the lever. But the machine sprang into action and she quickly lost herself in the exchange of blows, in the feeling of her fists hitting a target, of her energy flowing from her body into something else. Even if it wasn’t Mylo’s real face. Even if it wasn’t Cassandra Kiramman and everything she stood for. Every single enforcer who’d ever done unspeakable and careless violence against her. Against her family. Against her home, her people. She wasn’t a coward. She wasn’t weak. She was in an impossible situation that her fists were doing her no good in solving but maybe punching her way through the anger would at least deplete what remained of her energy, would at least soothe her burning heart. Even if only for a moment.

She collapsed against a wall when it was over, scoreboard ticking up, her back still aching, her limbs now truly leaden. But her mind was clearer at least. Her sister came to sit beside her and she slung an arm around her. Powder was quiet for a long moment that Vi would have been happy to just continue enjoying her presence through if she hadn’t been so obviously fidgeting with her belt pouch. If she didn’t so obviously have words burning on her tongue.

“What is it, Pow?”, she finally asked gently, if not entirely without impatience. It had been a long day.

Powder hesitated for a bit longer, looking up into Vi’s exhausted eyes. “I kind of agree with Mylo”, she finally said quietly. Apologetically but also with her own frustration. “You’re just going to give them the next five years of your life while their life is barely affected? What harm are you even being punished for? They can afford to rebuild that stupid workshop a thousand times over.”

Vi sighed, guilt twisting in her gut. She didn’t want to abandon Powder. She was doing this for Powder. But of course it didn’t look like that – didn’t feel like that – to her. “I know”, she said.  “It’s not fair. It really isn’t. They have all the money and all the power. I wish I could punch the smiles off all of their smug faces, trust me.”

“Then why not do something?”, Powder insisted. “Why not keep fighting?”

“We will”, Vi said, willing it in her heart to be true. “One day.” She gestured upward with determination. “One day we’ll go up there and get our fair share. We’ll show them exactly what a low-life, no-good jinx from the undercity can do”, She smiled at Powder conspiratorially, like they were already hatching that plan, already making their way toward that goal. “The world can belittle and push us down all they want. We’ll wear who we are with pride and make them regret it.” Powder was smiling now too, taken in by the fantasy. The vision of a future worth fighting for. Then Vi sighed again and pulled Powder close, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face. “But right now I have to make sure we both make it until then”, she explained. “I won't let them take me away from you.”

Powder looked uncertain for a moment, not entirely mollified. Vi told herself that was a good thing. She shouldn't be. To grow complacent with how things were was to give up. Giving up was a death far worse than any the overcity could enact upon them. Powder fidgeted with her belt pouch again. Something she was working on perhaps? Something she was hesitant to share. Vi wouldn't pressure her. She got enough shit from Mylo.

Finally Powder left the pouch be and simply nodded. “Alright”, she said, leaning her head against Vi’s shoulder. The she instantly looked up at Vi again. “But you have to promise if working for the Kirammans gets too bad you’ll tell me. Promise me we’ll do something!”

Vi smiled down at her sister as her heart broke. Powder didn’t want her to suffer, not for her sake. It was too bad she didn’t have any say in the matter at all. “I promise”, she said and hoped time wouldn't turn her into a liar.

Chapter Text

Buttoned into her new uniform two days later, Vi almost longed for the hard work outside, part of which she’d done while raindrops still occasionally fell from the sky. Shoveling mud hadn’t been fun but at least she’d been in her own clothes and far away from any sneering faces aside from the gardener who had joined her on her second day to criticise her every two hours or so. Even the Kiramman heir had left her alone after that first day.

Now her new clothes were done and while they looked nearly like a regular servant's clothes, it was still fashioned slightly differently, dyed a slightly more washed out gray. As if to mark her as other, always outside the people who were here because they belonged in one way or another. At least they had spared her the indignity of forcing a skirt or dress on her. And she felt the cut of the uniform had more of an Ionian flair than a Piltoven one with its high unfolded collar and string buttons, which she also kind of appreciated. It was still a uniform though, a symbol of her confinement to the will of this noble house. It also quite pointedly didn't have any pockets.

Silco’s drug was stashed away in a hiding spot back home that not even Powder knew about and not a day had passed since receiving it that she hadn’t been tempted to bring it along. She’d managed to resist so far. Now a clearly annoyed maid was shoddily explaining to her what to pay attention to while dusting and Vi seriously questioned that resolve. It was absurd. Realistically she was only giving the employees as well as the Lady of the house more work and yet they had to go through with this charade.

Vi hated dusting. It was tedious and felt pointless. The manor was so clean she barely knew if she was even making a difference and every trinket she had to touch and move to do it made her anxious. She hated how careful she had to be, how afraid she was of breaking something. A part of her just wanted to smash it all, steal it somehow, pry precious stones from their bracings and swallow them. Dusting required a soft touch of her that the task wasn’t even remotely worthy of.

A room was done when the maid told her it was and she suspected this was based much more on whenever the maid had finished something and bothered to remember to check in on her rather than any actual progress she was making. Someone who actually cared would probably have to redo these rooms. Vi hoped this meant Councillor Kiramman would be told to make her do something else soon. But for that day she was sent from room to room, each seeming more pointless and vacated than the last. Until some time after lunch she opened the next door the maid pointed her to only to open it and find Jayce Talis slouched against a wall, head leaned on his arm propped up on his knee. He startled when to door fell shut behind Vi like he’d been dozing, rubbing his face and blinking up at her with only slow understanding.

He looked terrible. Stubble was showing on his jaw and his eyes had dark rings under them. His clothes were wrinkled. Though perhaps that was generally the case since he was working rather than standing around prettily, which is what Vi assumed his clothes were made for. He was surrounded by mechanical tools and spare parts Vi vaguely recognised and above where he sat against the wall was a half disassembled radio device.

“The cogs giving you trouble?”, Vi asked out of habit at the sight.

Jayce, who had only just processed that it was his least favourite fellon walking in on his mid-life crisis, did a double take at the almost kind words. Vi quickly corrected course: “Don’t be a little bitch I’m just here to dust.”

She walked over the closest shelf, steering clear of the disgraced inventor or whatever the hell he now was and slowly emptied it of knick-knacks. Behind her she heard Jayce chuckle to himself in an exhausted, humourless way. “The universe is toying with me”, he mumbled.

Vi couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Only a piltie could be so self-important as to feel the whole universe's attention weighing on them. It’s called a coincidence.” She shot him a brief look. “Though I know you sciency types hate those.”

Vi nearly groaned at her own words, at her need to say them. Things were dire when she was bored enough to actually talk to him, but hours of silent stewing during silent work was not working well for her. Jayce Talis she figured she could at least bother a little without getting in trouble with the Lady of the house. Jayce himself wasn’t in any position to defend himself either.

He didn’t answer her, didn’t return any mockery of his own. She heard him get up from the floor slowly with a grunt and a sigh before the familiar clicks of small metal parts being rearranged filled the air. Vi found that almost soothing, even if it reminded her somewhat painfully of where she currently wasn’t and the fact that she had to be here instead.

They both worked in silence for a while. Vi was kind of intrigued by the fact that Jayce had been slacking off until she’d shown up. He could afford to, of course. He probably risked little more than a slap on the wrist. Not absorbed by the task of dusting at all she was very aware that Jayce kept looking over at her. Brief, darting glances he probably hoped or assumed she wouldn’t notice. Eventually it seemed his curiosity got the better of him.

“Is it true that you robbed me to feed your family?”, he asked.

Technically it wasn’t a surprising question but Vi barked a laugh anyway at just how naive of a question it was for a grown man to be asking. These townies didn’t know shit. “Why?”, she asked, rolling her eyes. “Were you willing to feel bad for me if it was?” The question took him off guard and suddenly they were looking at each other across the room. Him with confusion and her with derision. “My family is fine”, she told him plainly. “I robbed you because I wanted to. Because I could. Because if that explosion hadn't happened you would have barely noticed, Talis.”

He grimaced, hatred so easily back in his features after his ridiculous bid at empathy. “You are a real piece of work.”

“I’m from the undercity”, Vi shrugged. “I’m too easy for you topsiders to ignore as it is. Do you want to fight about it?” Vi couldn’t deny the anticipation flowing through her at the thought. To punch even just him might feel amazing.

His brow furrowed. “No thanks”, he said, turning back to his work.

“Good call”, Vi told him. “I’d win.”

She heard his tinkering stop. “I’m twice your size”, he said incredulously, the arrogance in his words maddening.

Vi stared him down, seeing how well he filled out his fancy jacket and still knowing he wouldn’t last five seconds. “And you have no idea what to do with it”, she said.

For a moment it seemed he might argue but then his shoulders fell and he didn’t. He turned away from her again. When he spoke up next it was quietly, to the point where Vi wasn’t even sure the words were meant for her: “I have no idea what to do with any of me.”

Vi scoffed. Jayce flinched. He turned to scowl at her.

“You know, we’re not so different”, he said as if to defend himself. As if desperately trying to drag her down to his level of misery. What he didn’t seem to understand was that while he was feeling sorry for himself, he was still so far above Vi. It was infuriating to witness this ignorance so up-close and personal.

“We are nothing alike, Talis”, she said forcefully, not bothering to look at him. She had her dusting to finish. “You could lose everything and you’d still have more than me. You’d still have that fancy fucking last name.”

He didn’t have anything to say to that and while Vi obviously couldn't know why it had shut him up she felt vindicated anyway.

She had to keep dusting for two more days before they finally gave up on it and told her one evening that she’d be washing windows the next day instead. Vi could at least see some utility in that so she was glad. Mylo had gotten his shit together enough for a half-assed apology and things at home were still awkward but bearable. She made her time in the overcity sound as benign as possible, even played into it when Mylo tried to tease her about spending all day in the lap of luxury. Never far enough to seem truly in support of this system but enough to make sure Mylo knew he wouldn't get anywhere in riling Vi up like that. Not that this ever stopped him from trying. She knew her brothers were still doing jobs locally at least. She didn’t care to know the details. She meant what she’d said. If Mylo wanted to fuck up his life on his own time then that wasn’t any of her business. She had enough on her plate as it was.

Silco hadn’t come to see her again, hadn’t demanded to know why she hadn’t used the drug yet. The next morning Vi got her first glimpses into why. It seemed he would simply be moving on without her, as she heard rumours on the streets about Shimmer and what it could do for you. How to get it. How people wanted to use it. Vi felt their anger reverberate in her chest and she was sickened by their desperation. Not because she condemned it but because she was horrified and even more enraged by the fact that it was there at all. That Silco would have a market for his drug and it was all thanks to topside’s boot pressing down on them. There had to be another way. But if there was none of them knew it. Overcity was making sure of that.

Starting the day with this bad taste in her mouth she maybe wasn’t the most receptive when a servant showed her how to clean the glass of the manor’s hundreds of windows without leaving streaks or smudges. Getting it right took some trial and error but she was satisfied with her result eventually. It was definitely better than dusting, even when the satisfaction of a clear view out over the shining city was bittersweet.

At least she could work in solitary silence, not having seen Jayce since their one and only conversation and the maids and servants all being busy elsewhere. Once right before lunch she caught a brief glimpse of Caitlyn Kiramman, but the heir stopped and turned to walk away the instant she saw her like the upper-crust coward that she was.

The day’s work was to clean the street facing first floor windows inside and out. Having spent the morning doing the outside she was spending the afternoon lugging a ladder and supplies from room to room and trying not to spill any of the soapy water as she cleaned the inside. Despite her slow start she was making good time, finishing about an hour before her work day would end so she went outside to double-check that she hadn’t missed anything – only for her stomach to drop as she saw the windows on the left side of the mansion where she’d started.

They had noticeable smudges all over them, like someone had wiped them with a dirty rag. The anger hit Vi so fast, all she could do was redirect her fist away from the glass and onto the wall of he house instead, barely suppressing her scream. Feeling no better she punched it again and again and again, finally stopping when she left a smudge of blood on the stone. Her chest felt like it might explode, her throat burning with the desire to scream and rage, her mind barely able to focus enough to quickly grab her cleaning rag and wipe her blood from the wall before it dried. The water stung on her bleeding knuckles and her hands were shaking.

She looked at the glass again. The culprit had been careful but she found a single, small fingerprint by one of the smudges. Even if she hadn’t found that there wouldn't have been any doubt in her mind about who had done this. There was only a single person petty and resentful enough in this house, only one person who for some reason cared enough to do this. Part of her wanted to go and look for her, demand explanation from her. She trembled with the need to pay her back for this – but she couldn't. She couldn't prove that she wasn’t at fault for this and who would believe that Caitlyn Kiramman would dirty her own windows just to mess with her? Worse, if she did anything to Caitlyn it would be her head on the chopping block. That city brat had known exactly what she was doing.

Vi only had one option and she resented it, resented this city, resented the system and her place in it. She ran to get new water, rinsing her raw knuckles as she went, making sure she wouldn't be bleeding into the clean water and did her best to clean away what Caitlyn had done. To fix the ruined work. Her anger made her sloppy which slowed her progress which made her angrier, which made her sloppier. When the end of her workday was upon her and the windows still weren’t all clean part of her wanted to just smash them in one by one. Another part of her wanted to scream and cry angry tears.

Somehow she clamped both of those impulses down, swallowed them like bile, like all the angry, vicious words she wanted to shout but could not. She shoved it all into a small box inside herself, forced her anger away from her body so she could stand still for Cassandra Kiramman’s assessment of her work, hiding her bloody knuckles behind her back.

It took everything out of Vi to follow silently as Councillor Kiramman walked along the facade of the house. Her legs felt numb, her mind screaming and scratching for release. At first the Councillor seemed pleased but her expression fell when they reached the windows Vi hadn’t had time to get to.

“Some of these look dirtier than they were before!”, the Councillor noted unhappily, glaring down at Vi like she couldn't quite believe how someone could be so incompetent. From the narrowing of her eyes she suspected Vi had done it maliciously for some insane reason. Vi tasted blood from how hard she had to bite down on her tongue to keep from sealing her own doom with the truth.

The Councillor finally gave a discontent sigh and said: “Since it’s your first time I’m willing to overlook it, but don’t think you can slack off from now on. Consider this a warning. I won’t be lenient next time.”

Vi’s word’s tasted like poison but somehow she managed to say: “Thank you, Councillor.” Probably an apology would have been best but Vi physically could not bring herself to do it.

When Vi came home Powder and the boys were busy somewhere away from the bar. Vander didn’t know where. He let them have their freedom so long as they stayed out of trouble. Vi was glad. As much as she’d missed Powder, she was not in a state to be gentle and kind to anyone right now, not even her sister. She didn’t want Powder to see her this way. She barely let Vander get a glimpse of her, though she suspected he saw at least some of how she was feeling. She left home again quickly and went looking for trouble instead. Anything to get her anger out. Anything to make her forget about her life. To keep her from taking Silco’s drug and running back to the mansion with murder on her mind.

By the time she collapsed into bed that night Powder was already asleep. She went to work the next day with a black eye and a split lip, glad for the bandages around her knuckles that made her feel more herself and the Kirammans could not make her take off. Cassandra Kiramman’s eyes widened as she saw her but she didn’t say anything on the matter. What was she going to do? Cover her felon indenture in make-up? Forbid her from getting the shit beat out of her? No. This was one pain they could not make her hide away.

She cleaned the remaining windows and then moved on to the second floor, running back along all the ones she’d already cleaned in-between every new finished window. Sometimes sooner when she thought she heard someone approach. She scared the shit out of a few maids. When some time in the afternoon it was finally Caitlyn Kiramman who stopped dead as she came rushing back into a room the girl must have seen her own death in Vi’s eyes. She’d flinched back, eyes lingering for only a second longer on Vi’s glare before she’d turned tail and run. Vi’s windows stayed clean.

Chapter Text

“You’ll have to be extra careful from now on”, Vander was telling all four of the kids a month later. Everyone had heard of the attacks by now. All local to the undercity, all with a casualty count of at least two.

Gang clashes that ended deadly weren’t uncommon but the things people were whispering about now were more horrendous than ever before. Gruesome details of disfigured monster people tearing through their enemies indiscriminately. Harrowing accounts of victims barely escaping with their lives. And worst of all, vicious words of retribution, of people longing to get their own hands on the drug that had caused this and meting out their own judgement. Every corner of the undercity was echoing the word: Shimmer.

“If you see any sign of trouble you run, do you hear me?”, Vander told them. “I know it’s hard but this drug is more powerful than any normal human so just get out of there. Stick to familiar routes, stick together. We’re going to get through this as a family, okay?”

They each gave their own mumbled agreements. No matter how hungry for action they were, not even Mylo dared to go up against this. Those undercity dwellers who weren’t partaking were beginning to be afraid. It felt like every day somebody else was coming to Vander asking what could be done. They were never happy with Vander’s answer.

Leaving to go topside became harder every day. Leaving Powder behind when their home was beginning to feel like a shark tank. It felt like fleeing to go, even though Vi knew it wasn’t like that. The Kiramman estate was its own shark tank, though there was only the one shark she was nonetheless powerless against. Caitlyn had kept making a nuisance of herself. She was no criminal mastermind, some of her sabotage downright juvenile, but she never did leave any proof behind that Vi could use to pin the blame where it belonged. Without proof, accusing the Kiramman heir was akin to filling out her own prison form, so as much as it grated on her she kept her mouth shut. Her days turned into races of either keeping Caitlyn away from her work or rushing to fix any damage she’d done – none of which was permanent, thankfully. Vi dreaded the day something would be. She dreaded the day Caitlyn Kiramman crossed the line and tried to get her thrown into prison for daring to be forced to exist in her periphery.

Vi had begun showing up to work early to make it easier to correct for the brat’s interference. This did mean she was working in a somewhat sleep-deprived state but the more tired, bruised and without patience she was the easier the little aristocrat was to scare away again for a few days.

When that morning Vi arrived at the unguarded gate (the extra enforcers really had been a temporary situation which, despite everything, still felt gratifying), sun only barely beginning to rise, she found a man waiting in front of it.

He was well dressed but in very simple and well-worn clothes. Vi didn’t know much about topside, but anyone to do with the academy was relatively easy to recognise. The strange thing about this man however was that he was thin and sickly looking, a cane in his right hand. Vi had had no idea the academy allowed undercity folk to enroll.

The man was looking through the gate at the mansion but turned to her as he heard her approach. “You are Violet, yes?”, he said with a smile and a thick accent that left no doubt about his origins.

Still, he was here in the overcity now, so Vi regarded him with narrow eyes. “Who wants to know?”

The man smiled in an almost wistful way and said: “Apologies, it’s not necessarily you I am interested in. It is just that I believe Jayce Talis is avoiding me. Working here you must have met him?”

Dismissing her like that might have seemed rude to someone from the overcity but Vi recognised it as the ‘staying out of each other’s business’ that it was. He was being polite and building up to ask for a favour. “I have”, she said wearily, wondering why he would want to talk to that tool. “I’m not exactly his favourite person either.”

The man chuckled. “I imagine not”, he said. He looked over at the mansion again as he mused: “Jayce Talis strikes me as currently not being very enamoured with life at all. A condition I have to admit I find somewhat relatable.”

“Then you’re both idiots”, Vi told him ruthlessly. “You can only do shit as long as you’re alive. Even if that shit is limited it’s better than doing nothing at all.” Vi could respect wanting to flee existence through fighting, sex or drugs but she drew the line at fleeing existence altogether.

“A very succinct philosophy”, the academy student acknowledged with a smile that betrayed his more nuanced feelings he wasn’t going to argue with Vi right now it seemed. “If you could encourage Mr Talis to pursue it by replying to my correspondence I would be very grateful.”

Vi scoffed. “No promises…”, she trailed off with a meaningful, demanding look.

“Victor”, the man provided.

“Victor.” Then she moved to pull open the gate. “Now I have an indenture to adhere to.”

“Of course”, he said with a sympathetic nod. “I do wish it was not this way. Needing to try harder than everybody else is… a cruel teacher.” He briefly looked down at his cane. “But it can teach us more than most others.”

Yeah. Meanwhile privileged snobs like the Kirammans never had to learn at all. But Vi wasn’t going to get into it with a stranger who probably knew that already anyway and she did have to get going.

Councillor Kiramman ended up satisfied with her window washing performance, perhaps because it had been the start of Vi showing up early. But there were only so many windows and even if it took a week to get them all, they didn’t need to immediately be washed again. Vi was put on laundry duty with a bunch of the maids next. It was uncomfortable to have to be around them but at least Caitlyn stayed away. Accordingly, Vi had mixed feelings about not getting any tasks with the maids again after that. She suspected they had complained about her sunny personality. She had to wash and iron curtains by herself after that instead.

Then she polished silverware for a few days. That was the most stressful yet. Folding over curtains on the laundry line to keep them from drying properly and leaving harsh creases in them had been a risky thing for Caitlyn to do – easy to get caught doing. It hadn’t happened much and was relatively easy to fix with a bit of extra effort. Cassandra Kiramman still had no idea how long tasks like these should take one person to complete and sceptical of Vi’s competence so if Vi took some extra care not to leave burns in the curtains the Councillor was forgiving.

One minute alone with the silverware on the other hand and Caitlyn could ruin hours of work that had to be repeated exactly. And then there was always the risk of if she made some of it disappear. If Vi was suspected of stealing silver… Vi watched out for her like a hawk, skipping lunch to make sure she didn’t give her an opening. By the time she got home during that she was starving but she didn’t allow herself to eat any more than usual. Her family couldn't know what she was putting herself through. She fought her way through the lacking energy.

Polishing floors was harder physical work again but almost a relief. Vi couldn't steal the floor and humiliating as it was to work on her knees, Caitlyn’s ways of subtly sabotaging her had been limited again. Vi expected to be doing more of that one morning a few weeks after encountering the undercity academy student by the gate. Checking into work with Councillor Kiramman however she found the Lady of the house involved in conversation with Jayce Talis. It was the first she was seeing of him in weeks.

The inventor looked more put together again, but only barely. Like Councillor Kiramman had probably chided him for his state and made him finally shave. He couldn't get rid of the bags under his eyes and the general look of hopelessness about him as easily though.

“Violet”, Cassandra Kiramman remarked the moment she saw her entering the room. “Good, you’re here already.” She turned back to Jayce, gesturing at Vi and Vi immediately got a bad feeling in her stomach. “She’s at your disposal Mr. Talis.” Definitely a bad feeling. Jayce tried to protest but Cassandra cut him off. “I will hear no more complaints, I need my household fully functional, I’m hosting guests tonight.”

The Councillor turned back to Vi, then, making her instinctively stand at attention. Vi hated that the habit had snuck up on her throughout the past month. “The dumbwaiter broke last night and Mr. Talis is too big to fit”, the Councillor explained. “Help him fix it and you may leave as soon as it’s done. The faster you work the more free time you earn.”

Now that, Vi thought, was actually surprisingly good news. Images of finally spending a day with Powder again filled her mind, of getting to see the undercity while light still managed to filter through the haze. Caitlyn wouldn’t sabotage her in helping her precious Jayce either. The only catch was that she had to cooperate with Talis to do it.

The councillor dismissed them both, leaving to do some other likely frivolous activity. Jayce and Vi’s eyes met. The overqualified handyman frowned.

“Well”, Vi said. “Let’s get this over with. Lead the way.”

Jayce Talis looked at her for a moment longer before he sighed and started moving toward the dining room where tools were already spread out around the hole in the wall that was – or used to be – the dumbwaiter. “Have you ever worked with mechanical tools before?”, he asked her.

“Not really”, Vi said honestly. “But how hard can it be?”

Jayce blew out a breath like he was bracing himself for a very tedious task. He picked up one of the tools. “Okay, so this is a wr–”

“I know what a fucking wrench is, asshole”, Vi immediately interrupted him, not surprised and yet strangely disappointed that it hadn’t taken him two minutes to insult her intelligence. “I also know that that’s pliers”, she went on, pointing out the tools on the floor as she went. “That’s a torque wrench, that’s a welding iron.” Jayce followed her pointing hand with increasing awe. “Mallet, spanner, vice, nails, bolts and screws and a drill. I could go on.”

Jayce stared at her, mouth hanging open for a moment before he gathered himself. “I– I thought you’d said you’ve never worked with mechanical tools.”

Vi rolled her eyes. Bloody topsiders. “Yeah, but I know what they are and what they do. I’ve tightened a nut or two when the pipes burst during rainy season. I can’t properly make things, but my sister is really good at that. I’ve picked up on some things from her.”

“Okay”, Jayce said, still not fully over his surprise. “Okay, that’s going to make this a lot easier.”

Vi scoffed. “No shit.” She walked over to the hole in the wall to the dumbwaiter’s shaft. “Now tell me what you need me to do so I can get home before sundown for once. Spend some actual time with my sister again.”

“Can’t you just spend the evening together?”, Jayce asked, doing something with his tools.

Vi was looking into the half-dark of the shaft. The moving compartment was disassembled and outside. The issue had to be in there if Vi was needed. She tested out the sturdiness of the ledge into it, finding it solid under her hands. “Sure, if I want to stunt her growth from sleep deprivation”, she said off-handedly before swinging one leg over and climbing into the hole in the wall. It wasn’t huge, she could touch both walls easily without stretching her arms far but it wasn’t cramped either – for her at least. Jayce might have been able to squeeze in but certainly not work comfortably at that point.

“How old is this sister?” Jayce sounded confused.

“Eleven.”

“The same sister who’s great with technology?”

“Yup”, Vi said, leaning against the inside of the dumbwaiter’s frame like she was looking out a window. “She’s a whole lot smarter than me, that’s for sure. If she were here instead you’d be done already.”

Jayce looked at her sceptically for a moment. Then he shook his head and handed her a slim device. Clicking a button on its side, a blue crystal at the top of it started glowing. “Here”, he said, handing it to her. Taking the light stick into the shaft the dark space was illuminated, the light harsh on her eyes but at least she could tell what she was working with. Two tracks were running parallel on both sides of the shaft. “We’re looking for damage to one of the tracks. When you find it you’re going to have to remove the damaged piece and then I can make a replacement. I think in order to remove the piece though the chain has to come out as well.”

Inside the tracks was a toothed chain and to Vi’s displeasure Jayce seemed to be right. The track was attached to the wall in small pieces that could be removed individually, but the chain was interlocked with the track in a way that made removing any parts impossible as long as it was in there.

“Alright”, she said, limbering up a little. “I’ll go looking for that broken piece then”, she said.

Jayce was grabbing something outside. “I’ll go upstairs to the top floor to lower a harness–”

“Don’t bother”, Vi said, looking up the shaft. It was wider than it was deep, so grabbing the light between her teeth Vi pushed herself up off the ledge of the frame and wedged herself in the shaft with her legs and back. Inspecting the track to her left and right she slowly shimmied upward.

“Wha–” She heard Jayce call out below her. “Get down there, it’s too dangerous!”

Vi took the light out of her mouth briefly to answer: “I’ve done more dangerous things for fun. What is this, like, four floors? Don’t worry about it.”

“I’m worried, Violet! Get back down here!”

But Vi had the light in her teeth again and was shimmying further up, the tracks all looking fine so far. She heard Jayce’s steps retreat rapidly. Two minutes later she heard his voice coming from above. “I’m serious, Violet!” He was looking down at her from the second floor hole in the shaft, which she was getting pretty close to. “Come on, take my hand!”

She rolled her eyes, but finally complied, using Jayce – unprepared for it as he was – as leverage to walk up and out of the last bit of the shaft, landing lightly back outside. Taking the light out of her mouth again she said: “Well, the problem isn’t on the first floor.”

Jayce was breathing kind of heavily. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

Vi laughed. “Why, worried I’ll fall and break my neck?”

“Yes!”

Vi raised both eyebrows with some surprise. “Didn’t know you cared.” Of course she also felt somewhat insulted that he didn't believe she could do it without falling but that wasn’t anything new. The concern for her life was.

Jayce sputtered for a moment and Vi got the distinct impression that he was stopping himself from calling her crazy. Finally he sighed. “Just let me set up the winch and harness. You’ll need both your hands for the replacing anyway.”

Vi was pretty sure she would be able to do that without a harness too but she didn’t think arguing with him about it would be productive at all. “How about this, worrywart”, she offered. “I check out the second floor my way while you take care of the winch and if I haven’t found the damage by then I’ll use the harness for the remaining floors?”

Jayce clearly did not like the idea but apparently couldn't justify wasting more time arguing about it either. He sighed. “Fine. But if you fall I’m telling your family that you died like an idiot.”

“Sounds fair to me”, Vi shrugged.

Jayce sighed again and left to set up the winch on the top floor. Vi crammed herself back in the shaft with her little light. She obviously wasn’t completely sure what she was looking for – if this kind of damage would even be recognisable for her. But she’d rather try at a chance to be done even sooner than sit around uselessly. A moment later she thought the effort might have paid off already. It was subtle but the shadow the track cast when she held the light to it just right made it more obvious: There was a dent in the outside bracing of the track – the part Vi had to assume the compartment was supposed to slide along. The opposite track had the mirror image of the damage.

“I think I found it!”, Vi yelled up to where she could hear Jayce tighten bolts two floors above her.

“Can you wait on the second floor for me?”, he yelled back.

“Sure!”

Vi made it the rest of the way, grabbing the ledge of the second floor frame and pulling herself up and out. She made brief eye contact with a maid dusting in the room she emerged out into before the maid turned and left. Vi chuckled to herself at the ridiculousness of it all, sitting down against the wall and waiting. Thankfully Jayce didn’t keep her waiting for long. A few minutes later he came through the door. Vi would think he was frowning if she wasn’t starting to believe that this was just what his face looked like at this point.

“Can you show me?”, he asked and they both leaned into the dumbwaiter shaft, Vi pointing with the light.

“There, do you see the dents?”

Jayce took the light out of her hand so he could shine it for himself, then sighed. “Yeah. That’ll be the problem. Damn. You’re going to have to remove the chain on both sides.”

“How do I do that?”, she asked.

“There should be a latch at the bottom that releases a small section of it”, Jayce said, gesturing to the very bottom of the shaft. “Then you just have to open one link and carefully pull it out without bending it sideways to avoid breaking any links.”

Vi rolled her eyes. “Of course topsider technology is just as delicate as its people.”

Jayce actually laughed at that, though clearly not on purpose. “I’ll be the first to admit it’s not as robust as I’d like it to be.”

“Alright”, Vi said, looking down the two floors of the shaft. With how high the ceilings were it wasn’t an insubstantial drop but still far shorter than the worst she’d jumped before. “See you at the bottom”, she said with a salute at Jayce and hoped backwards over the ledge before he could grab her.

“Violet!”, he called after her in a panic as she slowed her fall by pushing off back and forth on the walls, catching the ledge of the first floor frame and then finishing her descent easily from there.

Looking up from the bottom Jayce was just a dark shape against the bit of light that came from the second floor. “Get your ass down here, Talis!”, she yelled up. “We’re burning daylight here!”

Jayce looked down at her for a moment longer before he disappeared from the window. Two minutes later he walked up to the first floor frame Vi was waiting for him at, slightly out of breath and looking a bit more miserable than before. “You are going to be the death of me”, he said.

“Don’t be such a scaredy pants”, Vi told him. “Caitlyn would hunt me to the end of the earth if you gave her an excuse to believe I’d killed you.” The words came out angrier than she meant them to.

Jayce looked startled at that. “You’ve talked to Caitlyn?”

“Only once”, Vi said, suppressing a groan. “She hates me even more than you do.”

Jayce frowned at that, looking down at his tools silently for a moment. Handing her the light again he said: “I don’t hate you.” Before she had a chance to respond he pointed behind her to the bottom of the tracks. “There are the latches, do you see them?”

Vi turned to squat down with the light, grabbing and flipping away the latches that freed up a few inches of chain. “Yup. I got it.”

Jayce reached another tool toward Vi – two sets of pliers. “Here. For prying the chain links apart. Try to be gentle.”

Vi couldn’t help but laugh and Jayce raised an amused eyebrow. “If you damage one it’ll take longer to fix”, he said.

Vi grumbled but set down the light and started attempting to carefully pull apart two of the links. It wasn’t easy, since the whole rest of the chain was in the way of just pulling them apart from each other. Once Vi applied some force though they did pop apart. She pulled on one end, at first carefully folding the chain into the cramped space. Quickly though she had to hold on tight to the chain that suddenly wanted to shoot toward her all at once, slipping briefly through her fingers as the weight of the chain still in the track pushed down. Jayce’s concerned face popped into the frame of the dumbwaiter at the rattling noise the brief loss of control over the chain had caused.

“All good”, Vi said with some more grumbling. Soon she was handing the first chain over to Jayce through the frame. Getting started on the second one she knew to expect the sudden shift in forces and didn’t lose her grip on the chain again.

When the second chain was out too, Jayce held out a screwdriver, only to pull it back the moment she reached for it. “This time we’re using the harness”, he said sternly and Vi rolled her eyes. “I’m serious. I get that you’re confident in being able to climb that thing but could you do it while carrying this?” He held up the screwdriver. “And then later the pieces of track?”

Vi had to admit he had a point there. “Could have done it if they’d given me pockets”, she grumbled as they both walked up the stairs.

The harness was made for grown men, so Vi had to tighten all the straps as far as they’d go and still felt slightly loose inside it, but it would hold her just fine. Jayce looked very pleased as he watched her rappel downward on the mechanical winch, calling out for him to stop it when she reached the damaged parts. She had the light attached to one of the straps of the harness to free up both hands. Working like this was admittedly a lot more comfortable, though she still had to wedge against the walls to build the pressure she needed to loosen the screws that likely hadn’t been moved for years. At least they weren’t rusty, though that too kind of annoyed Vi. Of course even such minor details of topsider constructions could afford to be made of quality material.

The screws she let drop to the bottom of the shaft and the tracks, once freed from the six screws keeping each in place she wedged into one hand along with the screwdriver when she told Jayce to pull her back up. On the way she also looked at the remaining track to make sure there weren’t any other broken pieces. She handed him the stuff once she was out, freeing herself of the harness as he inspected her spoils.

“Good work”, he said absentmindedly. “You can go have lunch while I make the replacements.”

Was it lunch already? Not quite, she thought as she found a clock in the room they were in. But she supposed if she had the opportunity to take a break now she should make use of it.

“What about you?”, she asked, wondering if he usually ate with the Kirammans since she hadn’t seen him with the servants.

“I’ll eat later”, he said as they made their way back down to his tools. The way he said it sounded awfully familiar. Not like someone expecting to participate in a specific meal at a later time but instead someone putting off the meal altogether.

This was so stupid but she couldn't stop thinking about it the whole time she ate. She could obviously see Jayce Talis wasn’t doing great mentally and she shouldn’t care. If anything he probably deserved it for being an entitled, spoiled upper crust member. Missing one meal wouldn't kill him – it would barely hurt him.

Still, she found herself going back to the food handout after she was done eating, asking for an extra sandwich. Coming back to where Jayce sat, hunched over in the floor, image so vividly familiar she was strangely glad she’d done it.

“Here”, she said, holding out the sandwich to him, startling him out of his focus in measuring a piece of metal.

“What?”, he asked, looking at the sandwich like he was still processing that she was even there. “Why?”

Vi rolled her eyes, feeling silly and embarrassed. But she swallowed down her pride just a little and said: “My sister also forgets to eat while she’s working. It’s not good for you, you know.”

Jayce raised an eyebrow at her. “Who are you, my mother?”

“Ew, gross, dude”, she said, frowning and withdrawing the sandwich . “I’ll eat it if you don’t want it.”

“No, I’ll take it”, Jayce rushed to say and Vi almost laughed at his sudden desperation. She thought she could hear his stomach growling. She let him take the sandwich. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it”, she said, leaning against the wall next to the dumbwaiter. “Like, literally. You’ll ruin my reputation.”

Jayce chuckled, speaking with his mouth half full of bread and lettuce. Some aristocrat he was. “You can’t possibly have much of a reputation left to ruin. What with being a servant and all.”

Vi scoffed, crossing her arms. “Don’t ‘same boat’ me again. Like I said, we’re not the same.”

“I know”, Jayce said, face falling a little as he swallowed the bite of sandwich before continuing. “I realise that now. You've… you’ve probably been through a lot, growing up in the undercity. I’m sorry for being hard on you. You’re just a kid after all.”

Vi frowned down at him, anger flaring despite knowing he was meaning well. “Just a kid”, she spat. “Just a poor little gutter rat from the undercity.”

“That’s not what I–”, Jayce tried to correct, but she interrupted him.

“It might not be what you meant to say, but it is what you are saying”, she insisted, refusing to look at him, trying to keep the brunt of her distaste down. “If I have to be pitiable for you to acknowledge me as a person, I’d rather you don’t. I’m not just some kid and I’m not ‘one of the good ones’ like you probably think your disabled friend is. I’m undercity scum just like everybody else on my side of town. You either respect all of us or you aren’t really respecting any of us.”

Jacye sighed, half defeated, half annoyed. “As opposed to you, I don’t– wait. My disabled friend?”, he interrupted his own train of thought as her earlier words registered. Then realisation brightened his features for a moment before he frowned again. “Oh. Victor isn’t my friend.”

“True”, Vi said, glad the the topic was kind of changing again. Her chest still burned with buried fury and mocking sarcasm was helping to tamp it back down. “Friends wouldn’t need felons to tell their friends to read their letters.”

Jayce sighed. It seemed to be his favourite thing to do. “He’s Professor Heimerdinger’s assistant. He’s interested in my research but there’s no point. Even if I wasn’t specifically under the Kirammans’ watch to make sure I don’t continue my research, all my materials were destroyed.”

“Oh, so after I robbed you the council picked you clean? Ha!” Vi laughed, unable to contain her shadenfreude. “And it’s justice when they do it.”

“It’s… they thought it was unsafe”, Jayce said in a weak attempt to defend the rulers of his city. “There’s these blue crystals that contain pure magic. Your messing around with them is what caused the explosion.”

Vi hadn’t seen any crystals. She did remember blue particles after the explosion but to her knowledge none of them had taken– Powder, she realised. Powder had gone to a different room, alone. She must have found these crystals. Vi tucked that information away for later as Jayce continued to winge.

“But I know this technology could work. It could help people if– no. No, there’s… there’s no point”, he seemed to crumble in on himself a little, but he looked up at her with a crooked smile. “Because I’ve been written off. As… just a crazy person. An idealistic dreamer.”

There he went again with the comparisons. “Okay, sure”, Vi shrugged, growing tired of his pity party. “But this Victor guy hasn’t written you off. Maybe his letters are worth reading.”

“And maybe my sympathies are worth accepting?”, Jayce challenged.

Vi narrowed her eyes at him. She still didn’t want his sympathies. But it wasn’t like it made much difference at this point. “I’ll do it if you read his letters.”

“Why do you even care about Victor?”, Jayce asked, continuing to eat his sandwich, sounding genuinely curious.

“I don’t”, Vi said honestly. “Don’t even know the guy.” But Jayce was right in noticing that she was advocating for him right now. Why was she doing that? It was just an easy and good thing to do, she thought. Though that sounded far to soft to say out loud. She had to say something though. Silence would be the most telling answer of all. “If I can help someone from the undercity I wanna at least try”, she finally admitted. “Maybe–” Maybe he could find that better way. She wasn’t going to tell him that. “When are you finally going to be done fixing up those tracks already?”

Jayce raised an eyebrow at the obvious deflection. “Would have been faster if I hadn’t paused to eat.”

“Fuck off.”

He chuckled. “Ten more minutes and you can get started on the first one”, he told her.

He finished his food and got back to focusing on his work, lowering Vi down the shaft with a replacement track piece ten minutes later as promised. They had to fashion an improvised pouch for her to carry the screws she needed. Their conversation kept repeating in Vi’s mind as she worked, feeling utterly foolish for having instigated it in the first place. She could have just not gotten him food. Could have just let him work. It was too late now.

At least Jayce didn’t try to rope her into more conversation. He handed her the second track piece through the second floor frame when he was done with it and she screwed that in too. While Vi fed the chains back into the track Jayce took down the winch and then he had to instruct her on how to click and bend the chain links back together properly.

Then it was time for the moment of truth, putting the dumbwaiter compartment back together inside the shaft and seeing if it moved over the tracks smoothly. Vi almost held her breath as she watched the machine go, too aware what it could mean to her if they weren’t done yet. If she could leave now she would have all afternoon to spend with Powder. If not… who knew how long it could take to find whatever was still wrong.

The dumbwaiter moved without so much as a hitch and Vi let herself breathe a sigh of relief. Jayce looked satisfied too, his depressing air briefly lifting for some joy at a job well done.

“Good work”, he said to Vi with a smile. “I never should have doubted you, Violet.”

“Thanks”, Vi shrugged, feeling a little uncomfortable at the fact that the praise made her feel good. “This was a lot less terrible than I thought it might be. And please just call me Vi.”

Being called Violet so much here was strange and terrible. She liked to keep the memory of her mother calling her by her full name crystalised in her memory along with the few times Vander sometimes used it, but the haughty use of it by all of these topsiders was crowding those memories.

Jayce nodded. “Alright. I don’t suppose you could stop calling me Talis in a passive aggressive way in return?”

Vi thought about it. “I’ll see what I can do.”

That made Jayce laugh. “Fair enough. I’ll–”, he hesitated for a moment before smiling gently. “I’ll see what I can do about answering Victor’s letters. Now go on”, he said, nodding towards the door. “Go see your sister, I’ll take care of the cleanup.”

Vi blinked at him with surprise, then smiled. She didn’t thank him directly as it still felt wrong to be grateful for such a small piece of freedom but she nodded at him with her gratitude and left. Quickly changed and left to go see the sunlight, to go see her sister, to spend at least a little bit of her time free.

Chapter Text

“Have you heard anything about crystals?”, Vi asked Ekko a week later. “Blue. Explosive. Maybe magic?”

Ekko just looked at Vi like she was crazy. Another month after that Ekko came to find Vi one evening.

“Mylo and Claggor are still doing jobs”, he told her, looking guilty for not telling her sooner. “With Powder”, he added, flinching. “I thought you should know.”

Vi already had known, had realised a few weeks ago. She had resisted the urge to confront Powder about it. To beat Mylo up about it.

“Good. She’s not being left behind”, she told both Ekko and herself. Tried to believe what she was saying. “At least if they stick together Mylo and Claggor can make sure she stays safe”, with a gentle nudge against his shoulder she added: “And so are you, right?”

The fact that Powder still had Ekko and wasn’t stuck with only Mylo and Claggor was a relief to her. She did think Claggor could keep Mylo from being too much of a pest but still.

“I… I try”, Ekko shrugged, seeming nervous. “But she knows how to shake me if she wants and I think… I think she’s sneaking off somewhere on her own.”

That explained why Ekko was telling Vi about it now. He was worried. Powder was keeping secrets. She had every right to. That didn’t mean Vi had to like it. She wasn’t here. For so much of her time she wasn’t here and while Powder still happily spent time with her when she did manage to be here – brief moments almost every evening – she couldn't help but feel her sister slipping through her fingers. She was growing up and Vi wasn’t here.

“I liked it better when you were watching out for her”, Ekko told her, the words a bullet piercing her heart.

“Me too, Little Man”, she said. “Me too.”

Vi wasn’t sure exactly when it had started but Powder was carrying a gun now. It was the one from the arcade that fired rubber balls but Powder had modified it. Vi was certain it shot a lot harder now and not all of the projectiles she carried with her looked like rubber. Vi was glad she had something to defend herself with but hated that she had to. Everything was falling apart around her and she still had a fucking job to do. It was the price she paid to be here at all, but she couldn’t be here and there at the same time and it was slowly killing her, just like Shimmer was slowly killing the undercity.

Shimmer addicts were becoming a common sight, their misery somehow more visceral than any other addict. They had tasted power and now lacked it even more than before, having simply traded one master for another. In some ways it was a whole new kind of gastly, in others it was the same as always. Vi didn’t judge them – she wanted to taste power too and holding on to all the reasons she shouldn't was no easy task. Tensions between gangs were escalating as the Shimmer market threatened to grow, everyone who was worth anything vying for Silco’s attention. He was electing cronies, chem-barons to lead his budding industry.

Sevika, a leader of the community who’d used to stand by Vander in his efforts to keep the lanes united was throwing her weight behind Silco now too. People were beginning to believe that he could bring change where Vander was complacent, selfishly watching out only for his family. Vander didn’t budge, which meant losing support, which meant losing paying customers. Vi knew why he was doing it. She was doing the same thing. But she knew why people were angry. She was angry too.

Another month passed and Vi paused to look at Powder still asleep in her bed, growing and changing in her absence before making her way upstairs. Mylo was eating breakfast, chewing some tough bread with the bit of cheese each of them could allow themselves to eat now that they had to be careful with their spending. Vi’s stomach writhed with hunger as she watched him.

“Go on”, Mylo baited her. “Make fun of my peasant meal while you saunter off to your topside five course buffet.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Mylo”, Vi said with a bragging smirk. “It’s only three courses.”

Then she left without having breakfast. Powder needed the food more and she’d told them she got three meals from the Kirammans. Her stomach growled all morning, the thought of her one daily meal a constant distraction during her tasks but it was worth it if Powder got to eat more.

Her anger at topside never left her, always festering, but there was a new anger towards Silco and his goons. Some nights when she felt restless she went looking for them and left them broken if she could while they left her bruised. With the lack of food her strength and speed was waning. Vander asked her to stop picking these fights when he noticed but Vi wasn’t sure she could. Her anger was threatening to boil over more and more every day and she didn’t know what she would do when it did. The bit of Shimmer she’d been given months ago was still in its hiding spot, every day showing her dozens of reasons not to take it, and hundreds of reasons to just fuck everything and do. Part of her wanted to destroy it before she could make that choice, but she couldn't bring herself to go through with it.

She thought she was still putting on a good front at the manor – at least Cassandra Kiramman hadn’t made any remarks to her. Caitlyn kept watching her, probably thinking she was being so subtle but Vi always knew when she was there, looking for ways to create problems for her. Jayce had started asking for Vi’s assistance more often, even though he clearly didn’t need it and Caitlyn never watched on those days. Vi almost asked Jayce about her but then didn’t. She didn’t care, didn’t want to care. She didn’t ask Jayce about Victor either, didn’t ask why the inventor was beginning to look healthier again. She had her own bullshit to deal with, which Jayce didn’t ask her about either. They did talk, rather comfortably even, but never about anything serious. It was almost… fun.

When Jayce brought a sandwich for her one morning she tried to refuse but Jayce insisted he was just returning the favour. Maybe Vi hadn’t been putting on as good of a front as she thought. She didn’t thank him for it, but she did accept the sandwich, and every subsequent sandwich he gave her almost every morning after that, whether she was helping him that day or not. Humiliating as it was, she argued with herself that she needed the energy and it was just Jayce after all.

With the cold season approaching a new task was added to Vi’s roster: Cleaning out the fireplaces around the manor. There were more than a dozen and she had to be really careful not to get the soot on anything, or she had to spend even more time fixing those messes. She managed to develop a system that worked well for her though, getting through her first day of the task without issue and finishing six of the fireplaces. Checking the time regularly the next day she thought she might be able to do seven – until she picked up on the familiar feeling of being watched.

There she was, half hiding behind the door to the room, watching her. Not for the first time Vi wanted to ask Caitlyn Kiramman why she was still coming back to her. If after months of this she wasn’t growing bored of it. Apparently she wasn’t. The girl was obsessed with her. Vi ground her teeth and kept working. At least she could stay by one fireplace until her task was finished and she went to dispose of the old coal and ashes. Vi couldn’t think of a way Caitlyn could possibly sabotage her without leaving some kind of evidence behind, without getting some hard to remove smudges on her skin or clothes. Caitlyn was smarter than to try something under those circumstances, Vi knew that much. She did indeed finish her day undisturbed, managing to get eight fireplaces done. She would be able to do the last of them tomorrow and then probably Jayce would ask for her again, which would give her some more time to relax. She didn’t like relying on that but it was still a nice change of pace.

Unfortunately her work wouldn't remain as peaceful as she’d hoped. Having apparently spent yesterday working up her courage or something, Caitlyn sauntered into the room Vi was cleaning the fireplace of the next day and sat on one of the couches surrounding it. Vi stared at her for a moment, debating with herself if she wanted to say something. Finally she decided not to, since she didn’t have anything to say to her. Caitlyn herself was looking at her almost passively, only a slight tension in her jaw and crease to her brow betraying any emotion.

Vi turned back to her work. If the little aristocrat wanted a show then there was nothing she could do about it. Maybe this was some strange power play? She couldn't make sense of it. It was very distracting and slowed her down considerably. Thankfully there were only four fireplaces left at this point. She could afford to slow down.

By the time Caitlyn finally decided to speak to her Vi hadn’t forgotten she was there – that was physically impossible – but she had been lulled into a sense of safety that was somehow shattered by the Kiramman’s light voice.

“Why do you keep getting beaten up?”, Caitlyn Kiramman asked, sounding judgemental of all things. “Are you really that stupid?”

Vi was sporting a sizable bruise on her cheek at the moment, one of few well-placed swings of one of Silco’s guys. She had left him with at least two broken ribs and leg in return. She had no idea why Caitlyn cared. Probably some morbid curiosity. Or maybe it was just the first thing she’d thought of to make fun of Vi for.

Vi rolled her eyes and answered without looking up from her work: “Yes, I spend all night just running into people's fists in an attempt to become even dumber.”

She could hear Caitlyn’s little indignant huff. “Would it kill you to answer a question seriously?”

“If you are the one asking, it just might”, Vi returned. She couldn't believe the aristocrat demanded a genuine response while actively insulting her. Part of Vi wanted to leave it at that but the anger was bubbling up again, begging for an outlet. She was so tired of forcing it down. After another brief pause of deliberation she added: “We both know you would choke on asking me anything with even a hint of sincerity, Cupcake.”

Caitlyn’s response was quick as it was predictable. “Do not call me that.”

Caitlyn’s frustration felt good. Admittedly, Vi should not have said what she said next: “What are you going to do about it? Cupcake.”

What Caitlyn did was stiffly get up from the couch and – after a moment of hesitation – turn to leave. Vi chuckled to herself at how easy that had been, how oddly satisfying. Cleaning the remaining fireplaces that day was almost made easy by the boost it gave her.

She was done right on time. She went to tell Cassandra Kiramman that the fireplaces were finished, kind of looking forward to getting to do something else again tomorrow. Doing the same thing for too long grated on her so she was glad the Councillor was giving her some variety – not that she would ever admit that out loud. Vi was already changed out of her uniform when she heard Cassandra Kiramman’s powerful voice call out across the mansion.

“Violet!”

Cold instantly rushed down Vi’s back. The Councillor sounded angry. She squeezed her eyes shut, briefly overtaken by the irrational desire to just pretend not to be here. Instead she took a breath and and followed where the shout had come from. She found the Lady of the house in one of the rooms where she’d cleaned the fireplaces today.

“Yes, Councillor Kiramman?”, Vi said stiffly, hands behind her back like an obedient servant. Were they shaking? She didn’t know why Cassandra was angry at her. She hadn’t done anything. That could only mean–

“Do you think I’m an idiot?”, the Councillor asked harshly, face so disapproving that Vi nearly let her growing frustration show on her own face. Frustration and… fear. The first time she’d been in trouble she’d only been angry but this time…

“No, Councillor Kiramman”, Vi quickly said, trying to sound genuine, letting a bit of her confusion be heard in her voice.

Cassandra narrowed her eyes at her, seeming furious for a moment longer before she sighed, only her jaw remaining tense. “You’ve not cleaned four of the fireplaces at all!”, she said, gesturing to a fireplace that had been perfectly cleared not two hours ago. Vi’s stomach turned as her fists clenched. “I know you had the time”, Cassandra went on. “I do in fact keep track, young lady. I’ve been generous with giving you some leeway but this is too far.”

Vi’s heart stuttered painfully. She should not have goaded her. She should have just kept her mouth shut. It was too late now. She couldn’t meet Cassandra’s eyes; felt like she might start pleading if she did. Might try to finally tell the truth. She was struggling to keep her breathing even.

“I’m sorry, Councillor Kiramman”, Vi managed to press out, angry tears stinging at her eyes. “What do you need me to do?”

What do I need to do to not end up in prison? The day had started so well and now…

Cassandra’s voice was ruthless. “You don’t leave tonight until all the fireplaces are cleared out. Do that and this tardiness is forgiven – this time.” The knot in Vi’s stomach barely loosened, just shifted. The Councillor sighed again then, pinching the bridge of her nose. Vi looked at her to find the aristocrat looking frustrated and vaguely miserable. “I am truly trying to be kind, here, Violet”, she said.

A strange feeling in her gut made Vi think the Councillor meant it – she at least strongly believed she was saying the truth. It could have made Vi laugh if she wasn’t still nearly hyperventilating. She wasn’t going to prison, but cleaning out four fireplaces would take two hours at least. Powder, it shot through her head. Powder would wonder where she was, why she wasn’t coming home. There would be no way to tell her…

“Of course, Councillor Kiramman”, Vi said, even as she longed to rip her own tongue out of her mouth for saying it. “Thank you.”

Cassandra left her to it and Vi was beyond seething, beyond anger. Every beat of her heart was a plea for Powder to stay strong as time ticked on and on without her coming home yet. Every flex of her hands was a longing to rip Caitlyn Kiramman into little shreds. If Vi had had any Shimmer with her she would have used it in that moment. She wasn’t sure if she was glad that she didn’t.

The coal in the dirty fireplace was still just a little bit hot. Looking closer as Vi cleaned the second one she found a scrap of packing paper that had managed to escape the flames. She had wrapped the coal in paper to keep her hands clean and then burned it away in the fireplace. It was clever and in any other circumstance Vi could have appreciated that. Not today.

She moved the coals with her bare hands not caring if she got burned, wiped spots with her shirtsleeve since she was in her own clothes and it wasn’t her uniform she was getting dirty. She rushed through the process driven by her fury and she managed to be done in almost exactly two hours which was still far too much time to keep Powder waiting. Vi swallowed down all her emotions, her bile, as she ran herself ragged checking every single fireplace again just to be sure. Too aware that there was nothing stopping Caitlyn from pulling this stunt again. She went to fetch Cassandra quickly, hoping not to give her tormentor the time she’d need.

Cassandra Kiramman scrutinized her admittedly sloppy work but finally dismissed her with a wave. “Very well”, she said. “You may go home.”

Vi’s breath hitched from relief and she couldn’t bring another thank you past her lips, feeling the air press against her vocal chords, feeling her worry constricting her chest. She dipped into a quick bow instead, feeling like she would throw up if she forced words in that moment. Then she rushed from the room. Toward the exit except–

The swish of a blue dress, a head of dark hair disappearing into a room up ahead. Too slow not to be seen, too stupid to stay away entirely. Vi’s heart burned and she wasn’t in control of her feet as she followed that unsubtle form, closing the door behind her and startling the aristocrat who had thought she was being so clever.

“You”, she hissed at Caitlyn Kiramman who looked at her with big, round eyes but kept her chin high as she did her best to glare right back.

“You brought this on yourself”, the Kiramman heir said, though her voice was uncertain, almost shaky.

Vi kept walking towards her, every step feeling heavier than the last.

“For what!?”, she spat. “Inconveniencing you?”

Caitlyn was backing away until she hit the wall, Vi following to no further than two steps in front of her. Vi could see the hint of fear in her eyes even as she put on a brave face.

“You can’t hurt me”, she said with the confidence of someone who had always been able to believe herself invincible. It made Vi’s fingers twitch with the urge to prove her wrong. But she wasn’t wrong and that knowledge only made Vi’s anger burn brighter.

“You”, she repeated, putting every ounce of her hatred into her eyes, into her words. “You are the most entitled, brainless, cruel piltie I have ever had the misfortune of sharing breathable air with! You are so vapid , so pampered that you have nothing better to do than hurt people for your own sick pleasure!”

Vi was still inching closer with every word, struggling to hold herself back, struggling to resist the urge to push Caitlyn’s face into the wall to make sure she listened.

“Shut up”, the piltie protested weakly, beginning to tremble.

Vi drank in her fear. It was the only thing keeping her from doing anything stupid. “You are worse than the worst scum of the undercity”, she went on, making her words the biting whip, the only thing she could use against her. “You don’t even need a drug to become a monster, you already are one!”

“I said”, Caitlyn repeated, an angry spark igniting in her eyes. She raised her hand, curled into a fist almost subconsciously. “Shut up!” Her fist jerked back but stayed there, hesitating as her breathing shook.

Vi waited a brief moment in almost hungry anticipation. She lowered her face a little, coming closer, practically offering herself up. “Go on”, she said. “Do it! Hurt me! You’re already doing it anyway, I’d rather you do it like this!” Adrenaline was pumping through her, the anger unrelenting and the thought of actually hurling that anger against a physical attack was bliss, was relief. Caitlyn’s eyes were all uncertainty and fear.

“What are you afraid of?”, Vi goaded because the damage was already done, nothing mattered anymore and maybe, just maybe Caitlyn would give her something, anything. “You said it yourself: If I lay a finger on you your mother will toss me into prison and throw away the key but if you hurt me I’d be lucky if you don’t get a pat on the back! Come on!” She was practically yelling right in Caitlyn’s face now, grabbing her fist and holding it right up to the bruse already on her face. “If you have a problem just fucking hit me!” It was almost a plea, tears threatening to burst free but she kept them in, kept it all in even as all she wanted to do was slam Caitlyn against the wall.

She held still, begging for Caitlyn to make the first move, to give her a different kind of pain to feel that wouldn’t leave her insides on fire. The other girl trembled under her stare, eyes darting from Vi’s eyes to her own fist so close to doing violence. Vi saw her swallow. Then Caitlyn pulled her hand free of Vi’s grasp and back, holding both hands to her own chest protectively.

Vi almost slumped in disappointment, even as she forced a maliciously satisfied smile onto her face. “That’s what I thought”, she said, voice low, almost whispering as she got even closer to tell Caitlyn: “Pathetic.” Her anger roared and her fist landed harmlessly against the wall beside Caitlyn’s head with a thunk that startled her. “A waste of my time.”

Vi forced herself to step back, even if it was the hardest thing in the world to do. Powder. She had to get back to Powder. She had already wasted so much time, had let her anger at Caitlyn make her waste even more. She left the topsider brat behind and started moving towards the front door, getting faster with every step. She was ready to sprint all the way home, hoping the pavement would absorb some of her fury with every step so she wouldn’t have to take it back to Powder. She burst out of the front door like a storm, anxious to finally pass this place’s iron gates and leave it behind for the few hours she was given.

Intending to cross the distance between front door and gate as fast as possible she skidded over the path’s stones with her abrupt stop as she saw the figure standing right outside those gates.

“Powder!?”

Powder, her face tear-stained, hands gripping the bars of the gate, looked up at her with a visceral relief that instantly evaporated all of Vi’s anger, even if just for a single moment. “Vi!”

Vi kept moving, ripping open the gates the moment she reached them, Powder having taken a careful step back. She collapsed to her knees the moment she was past the gate, pulling Powder into her arms and holding her close, Powder clinging to her just as tightly.

“Vi!”, Powder hick-upped into her ear, tears and worry still shaking her, her grip desperate. “I thought– when you didn’t come home I thought maybe–”

“Ssshh. Ssshhh, I’m okay. It’s okay”, Vi said even as her own tears could finally no longer be held back. She held on to Powder, stroking over her head, willing calm and piece into every movement. She was sick of seeing her sister cry because of this stupid indenture, this ancient mistake. The anger was back, but in the flood of her grief and guilt it wasn’t burning very hot. It was just approaching a deep, visceral boil.

“I thought the monsters had gotten you”, Powder cried, still upset, still struggling with emotions, the fear that had built in her small body for over two hours; that had driven her to come here. Driven her to do something. Seeing that Powder had brought her gun as well as a bag she could only guess the content of Vi was relieved all she’d ended up coming to topside for turned out to be finding her.

“I’m okay”, Vi said again. She would keep saying it as often as she had to. “They forced me to stay longer but I’m okay. I’m sorry.”

Vi felt Powder stiffen in her arms and quickly pulled back to see what was wrong. Powder was looking at something behind her and Vi turned to find Caitlyn Kiramman standing half behind the manor’s door looking at them. She was too far away for Vi to see her expression.

“Who is that?”, Powder asked with a frown.

“No one”, Vi told her immediately, boiling anger bubbling in her chest. “Just a rich city idiot who feels entitled to my time”, she said, resisting the urge to growl at her to fuck off across the yard. She turned back to Powder instead. “Come on.” She was beyond ready to leave this place and its shitty residents behind. “Let’s go home.”

Chapter Text

The image of that little girl clinging to Violet refused to leave her mind. Caitlyn had seen Violet angry before, the murder in her eyes wasn’t something that really scared her – although yesterday’s sudden proximity of it had been… a shock, to say the least. She’d felt cornered and didn’t even know what she had raised her fist for. Violet could have said anything, Caitlyn still didn’t think she would have been able to bring herself to hit her. She’d thought about doing it. A lot. But actually doing it was an entirely different story.

Next to the familiar hate there had been another emotion in Violet’s eyes though. A desperation that hadn’t made any sense to her until she’d seen the little girl. She’d looked ten at most and absolutely terrified. Even when Violet had hugged and reassured her, the girl had stayed tense in her arms. But why? Just because Violet was a few hours late?

She’d overheard only a very small part of their conversation. A distressed and yet childish exclamation: I thought the monsters had gotten you. She’d seemed a bit too old to still believe in monsters, but whatever monsters she had been worried about, her fear had been very real. Real and familiar. It was the same fear that Caitlyn herself had only recently found reprieve from.

She hadn’t thought about it – hadn’t wanted to think about it. Hadn’t wanted to think about the fact that Violet would obviously have people who worried for her safety too. Who worried that one day they would get an obituary instead of a hug. It made hating her a little more difficult. That was a lie, hating Violet was easy. It was not feeling guilty for it that Caitlyn struggled with. She just wished her gone again. It was barely half a year into the other girl’s indenture and she just wanted it to be over already. Somehow it had felt like it wasn’t Violet just being punished but all of them too – all of them, that was, until recently.

Caitlyn wasn’t sure if Jayce was doing better because of that other scientist he was meeting up with now or if it was somehow related to his working together with Violet. She longed to know but she felt wrong spying on him. She was glad he was doing better of course, it just didn’t make any sense to her why he would keep asking her mother to have Violet help him if he didn’t have to. Her mother let him, of course. It was less effort on her part not to have to figure out tasks for Violet to do and forbidding Jayce from doing something harmless that he wanted to do would be both pointless and going against their agreement.

Caitlyn hated it when something didn’t make sense to her so tried to find out what she had to be missing. The next morning she found Jayce waiting by the servants quarters.

“Hey, sprout”, he greeted her with a smile when he saw her. “How are you doing? I’m so busy I barely see you, I’m sorry.”

She took quick stock of his appearance and decided that he looked a bit better again with some relief.

“It’s okay”, she told him. Really, she wished he wouldn't feel guilty when it was her who was too busy; her who was almost avoiding him. What would he think if he knew what she’d done to him? What she was still doing for him? “I’m just glad you’re still around.” She hoped he knew how much she meant that.

Caitlyn wasn’t here to speculate about how Jayce might feel about information he had no reason to ever learn though. She was here to find out why he was feeling the way he currently did. “What are you doing here?”, she asked first, since this was pretty far outside his area of responsibility. He wasn’t a servant. And why was he holding a half-wrapped sandwich?

“Waiting for Vi”, he said.

“Why?” Caitlyn failed to keep the bit of bite out of her voice. “Why are you spending time with her? Why are you being nice to her? She ruined your life!”

Jayce smiled at her gently with understanding. He shrugged. “Yeah, but she didn’t mean to. I mean, she did”, he corrected himself, tilting his head. “But she had every reason to believe it wouldn't work. She didn’t know this would happen.”

“She still chose to do something bad she knew would have negative consequences!” Caitlyn was willing to admit that Violet wouldn’t have known how much this would affect him but that didn’t change the fact that it had. It was her fault and she deserved to be punished for it. “She’s getting off easy already, why are you coddling her?”

Jayce sighed, still smiling in a kind of apologetic way. Now she was fighting with Jayce about this. What was wrong with her? When it came to Violet she just lost herself to her anger. 

“Victor has told me a little bit about what is going on in the undercity right now and it’s bad”, Jayce tried to explain. “I don’t think Vi is eating enough.” He gestured at the sandwich with a shrug. “I don’t know why and it’s none of my business. But she takes the sandwiches I offer so… I’m just returning a favor.”

How about returning the favour of driving you into despair?, she wanted to ask. Had he already forgotten how low he had been? Wasn’t that a good thing? It was fine, Caitlyn told herself. She was glad he was doing better. She could be mad for him. She wouldn’t forget what it had been like to see him in that jail cell.

That was one mystery solved: Jayce felt bad for Vi. She didn’t think he should be but it made sense. Vi had chosen to be a thief but she hadn’t chosen to be born in the undercity. Now about the other question that burned on Caitlyn’s tongue:

“Do you know who the blue-haired girl that came to pick up Vi yesterday is?”

Jayce shrugged again. “I’m not sure, I didn’t see her. Was she younger than Vi?” Caitlyn nodded. “Then that’s probably her little sister.”

A sister. “Do you know anything about her?”, she asked.

Jayce chuckled. “Not that much. She’s eleven and apparently already smarter than Vi herself. A scientist like me. But that’s all I know.”

That someone was smarter than Violet didn’t surprise Caitlyn but if this sister was supposed to be so smart why was she still afraid of monsters?

“What exactly is happening in the undercity?” If there were monsters roaming in Piltover her mother would know about it, wouldn’t she?

Jayce cringed a little in the way he did when he didn’t want to tell Caitlyn something which confused her. Usually Jayce treated her like an adult and respected her intelligence, only getting sheepish when he didn’t want to explain sexual topics to her. She doubted that was the case now. “I don’t know exactly either, Cait. From what Victor has said it’s just… difficult right now. Apparently there is a lot of gang violence happening at the moment, among other things. Maybe you can ask your mother about it sometime.”

Caitlyn would. At least the odds of her mother actually telling her something useful had gone up through this whole stupid ordeal. It was a bittersweet silver lining though.

“Sorry, you probably shouldn't be here when Vi arrives”, Jayce said, cringing again. “She won’t take the sandwich if you are.”

Caitlyn scowled at him. “Is she hungry or not?”

“She’s prideful”, Jayce said with a pointed look that made her frown. “And she’s told me you hate her enough to chase her to the ends of the earth if she ever hurt me.”

She’d already hurt him. “I’d be happy for her to just be out of our lives”, Caitlyn corrected.

Jayce chuckled. “I appreciate you watching out for me, sprout, but Vi isn’t some criminal mastermind plotting my downfall. She's not so bad once you get used to the undercity abrasiveness. You might actually like her if you gave her a chance.”

Caitlyn seriously doubted that. Violet wasn’t just abrasive. She was a reckless thief to cause all the damage that she had and utterly unrepentant about it. She consistently mocked Caitlyn whenever she tried to speak with her, was smug, mean and sadistic – quicker to violence than anyone else Caitlyn had ever met. She’d been curious why she’d kept showing up with injuries but really she should have known and not bothered asking. Chances were she deserved every single one of those bruises with how she acted.

Still. Caitlyn remembered the little girl – her sister – clinging to her like the world depended on it. And Vi had been gentle to her, had held and reassured her. She was just eleven and had looked even younger to Caitlyn.

“So if Violet is hungry coming here, do you think her whole family is starving?”, Caitlyn asked, despite Jayce’s obvious hint at her leaving. She needed to know what was going on. Even terrible people deserved to eat.

Jayce sighed. “I don’t know, Cait”, he said, looking sad. “I can’t just ask Vi something like that, but chances are they’re low on money and Vi isn’t eating so that her sister can.”

Caitlyn nodded and finally excused herself like Jayce wanted. So that Violet would accept the sandwich. Because she wasn’t eating enough. Caitlyn had seen her so regularly she hadn’t exactly noticed a change but comparing how she looked yesterday with how she’d looked on the first day of her indenture, Violet did look less healthy, even without the bruises. Caitlyn didn’t like that. She didn’t like that one bit.

Half of her new political studies she had agreed to do emphasized how problems like poverty were complex issues to solve, a small subsection of them even calling it a “necessary evil”. She wasn’t sure she bought that but it was true that she specifically couldn’t do anything to immediately fix whatever economic struggles Violet’s family was facing… but perhaps she could alleviate them.

Then again, maybe it was none of her business. Maybe it wouldn’t change anything anyway. Maybe Violet would “take offence” or whatever. Caitlyn didn’t understand her. Not that she expected to understand a criminal’s mind but it was still irritating. She went back to watching for a few days, hesitant to speak with her mother. Any admitted interest felt uncomfortable. So in between her reading and being tutored she watched Violet, noticing the dark rings under her eyes, the tension almost constantly in her shoulders. Noticed how fast she left for lunch and how quickly she returned. Like she practically inhaled her food.

Occasionally Violet spotted her and Caitlyn found herself flinching now whenever she did. The moment of Violet’s glare pinning her and the utter rage in her voice as she’d cursed her out were crystalized in her mind right alongside her own outrage at the felon’s audacity. But Violet didn’t approach, didn’t say a word to her. Just glared before returning to her work. In turn, Caitlyn didn’t do anything to put more work on her. Nothing that would make her mother keep her here longer again. Caitlyn still believed she deserved more punishment, but she wasn't interested in punishing her little sister as well.

A week later she finally got over herself and went to visit Cassandra in her office.

“Mom?”, she said as she entered, not sure if she was interrupting her. There weren’t any rules against coming to her office when she was working but Caitlyn still didn’t do it often.

Her mother looked up from some papers and smiled at her. “Caitlyn, dear. What is it?”

Caitlyn had thought long and hard about how best to bring this up. “I have been thinking”, she started. “Violet doesn’t look like she’s doing well when she arrives or leaves here. What if people start believing we treat our indentures poorly?”

Her mother initially seemed surprised, clearly not having expected Caitlyn to bring this of all things to her attention. Then her mother sighed, a certain tiredness showing in her eyes. “Well, we can hardly dictate how she spends her free time and can’t force her to present herself better on her way here. She’s still a free person.”

Tending to Violet’s indenture was weighing on her mother, Caitlyn knew that. Yet another reason Caitlyn didn’t exactly care for the girl. Everything would be easier if she’d just– but there was no point wishing to change the past. It was best to focus on the future. Caitlyn’s suggestion would put a different kind of strain on them, but she sincerely hoped it might loosen the others.

“We could pay her a wage”, she finally said right out. “I know it goes against her indenture”, she quickly amended, resisting the urge to also add: “I know she doesn’t deserve it.” What she did say was: “But maybe with the extra money she could put more effort into her appearance. And perhaps it would motivate her not to slack off on her tasks.”

Again her mother’s eyebrows raised a little, but she seemed to be genuinely considering the suggestion. “Hmm.” She shuffled with some papers and Caitlyn had no idea if she was actually checking something or just needed something to do with her hands as she thought. “You do make some excellent points”, Cassandra finally said with an appreciative smile. She shrugged. “Surely nobody would care that I pay her even if they did find out. It would only look like we are being charitable.” She considered briefly. “Except for Hoskel, that pedant. But no one cares about his opinion anyway.”

Caitlyn chuckled a little at that, heart beating a bit faster at the encouraging reaction. “Exactly!” Then she remembered what Jayce had said in regards to so much as a sandwich and quickly added: “Though perhaps don’t tell Violet that it’s an act of charity. Just tell her the money is to improve her appearance and nothing else.”

Her mother gave her an impressed nod. “I see you have thought about this a lot. I will have to run some numbers, but I believe you’re right that this could be a worthy expenditure. I’ll let Violet know once the payments are ready. It shouldn't take longer than a week.”

Caitlyn couldn’t help but smile, even as it was a strange success to celebrate. “Thank you, mom”, she said.

“No, thank you”, her mother returned with another smile, this time with some obvious pride that made Caitlyn feel warm for a moment despite herself. “I appreciate you keeping an eye on our affairs already.” There it was. The warmth in Caitlyn’s chest dissipated, even as the pride in her mother’s voice remained. “You’re going to make an excellent councillor one day, sweetheart.”

Caitlyn didn’t feel like that was true. Or maybe she just didn’t want it to be true. She had agreed to the studies, the preparation and would do so every time if she had to make the choice again. Jayce’s life was worth every tedious bit of political writing she had to make her way through understanding. Was worth wasting a few hours every day on this job that didn’t bring her any joy. Her whole life though? Her entire future? She did not know that becoming a councillor was how she wanted to spend it. Not that she’d ever told her mother as much, her comment meant to be kind and encouraging. It was her own fault that it didn’t feel like that. It was a convenient lead into her next line of inquiry though.

“Do you know what is happening in the undercity right now that could be causing this as well?”, she asked.

The next noise out of her mother was one she’d rarely heared, like a mix between a sigh and a scoff. “The usual but more from what I’ve understood”, Cassandra said with an unmotivated handgesture. “Criminals overcome with greed killing undercity citizens with drugs and each other with weapons. Grayson keeps bringing in reports of more and more violent altercations. The council has pulled enforcers from the deepest parts of the undercity for now.”

Caitlyn blinked in both surprise at her mother’s tone and confusion at the words themselves. “Pulled? Wouldn't it be better to stop these fights from happening?”

“I know it sounds harsh, but the criminals are just killing each other, dear”, her mother said gently. “It’s far more important to cut off the smuggling routes they use to stop them from selling substances that keep otherwise honest workers impoverished. Keeping the workplaces of good, innocent citizens free of criminal activity.”

Caitlyn would rather the criminals were arrested than gunned down by other criminals, but she supposed she could see where her mother was coming from. The undercity was huge and policing the entirety of it had been an issue of much debate within the council for years, pretty much everybody knew that.

She thanked her mother and then left her to her work while she mulled over the little she’d learned. Was Violet’s family affected by drugs somehow? Violet herself didn’t look like she was taking anything to Caitlyn, but then Caitlyn didn’t know very much about the topic. A parent using was a much more likely option. Caitlyn knew Violet’s father had been at the trial but not any details. Maybe Grayson would know more, since he would have been dealing with her. Caitlyn would have to try and talk to the Sheriff at the next formal dinner. She would find out what was going on in Violet’s life and then she’d–

She’d do what?

What was she trying to accomplish here? She’d already gotten her a wage. It was already more than the criminal deserved – just a provisional solution so she wouldn’t be collapsing from starvation as she carried out the remainder of her punishment. Caitlyn’s job was done.

Caitlyn’s job had been done the moment Jayce had been assigned to their household. Violet had never been part of Caitlyn’s job in the first place. But she was here now. Caitlyn couldn’t just ignore her. As hard as she tried, Caitlyn could not stop thinking about that entirely unimportant scoundrel from the undercity. She could not stop thinking about Violet.

Chapter Text

It wasn’t her fault, Vi kept repeating to herself. She’d been late once, Powder had worried once and what happened to Powder a few days later while Vi wasn’t there wasn’t her fault. But it had to be somebody's fault, this anger needed somewhere to go.

“Just– wait just a second, Vi!”, Mylo was pleading from the very moment she’d stepped into the little hideout he was sitting in. He’d scrambled from his chair at her entrance, one hand held up beseechingly and the other holding a tissue to his bleeding nose. He also had a new black eye and probably more injuries that Vi didn’t care to look for. Vi didn’t care about anything but the burning hot rage in her chest. Mylo tried backing away but knew better than to run. She ignored his pleas and grabbed him by the collar with no mercy to the fabric. “It’s not–”, Mylo was still trying, and Vi barely heard his weasley voice over the sound of her own heartbeat in her ears. “Chill out, Vi! It’s not a big deal.”

Vi slammed his back against the nearest wall. “You don’t get to decide if this is a big deal or not!”, she yelled.

She heard Powder’s pattering footsteps finally catching up with her, slipping into the hideout as well. “Vi!”, she shouted, slightly out of breath. “Stop, it’s not Mylo’s fault!”

Hearing Powder defend him just made her angrier. “Stay out of this, Powder”, she told her without turning. Looking at Powder again wouldn't go well for any of them. To Mylo she said: “You had one job you piece of shit!”

“Vi!”, she heard Claggor’s voice from beside her, having not even seen the other boy in her single-minded dash to skin Mylo alive. “Vi, calm down”, he said.

Who the fuck was he to tell her to calm down? Vi pulled Mylo away from the wall, tossing him and sending him crashing to the floor to turn her ire on her eldest brother. “You want a piece of this?”, she asked, glaring up into his concerned face. Pushing against his chest and sending him back an uncertain step when his only answer was silence. “Do you want to take the fall when we all know it was Mylo’s idea? Take some responsibility? Huh?”

“Violet!”, Powder screamed before Claggor could respond.

Against her will, Vi’s eyes darted back to her sister and her stomach flipped all over again as she saw her face. A black eye. A scrape on her chin. Smudges from where blood had been wiped from her lip.

Someone had hurt her sister and she hadn’t been there it wasn’t her fault she hadn’t been there she should have been there her brothers shouldn’t have let this happen it was someone’s fault it had to be someone’s fault someone needed to pay for this it wasn’t her fault. Vi’s heart was aching, her fists trembling. She was fury incarnate but Powder glared up at her with a determination that rivaled hers.

“I wanted to be there!”, Powder yelled, one hand on the gun strapped to her leg. “I went because I had to do something! I showed them what I could do! Like you said!”

Not her fault not her fault not her fault not her fault not her fault she should have been there she should have been there she should have been there she should have–

“I’m fine!”, Powder insisted. “I want to fight for the lanes! I can handle it!” The defiance in her face was clear. Almost like she was daring Vi to contradict her. To belittle her like Mylo used to.

“I know you can”, Vi managed to grit out without shouting. It wasn’t Powder’s fault, obviously. She would never blame her sister, would never– she wished she could forbid her from doing these dangerous things. But she could never do that to her. Her heart stuttered. “This isn’t about you.”

“Like hell it isn’t!”, Powder argued. “You’re not here all day, you don’t even know what happened! Just leave Mylo and Claggor alone. I can handle myself!”

Vi’s breathing hitched and all her anger froze in her veins. She had to work for the shaking in her hands not to get worse, most of her anger just replaced by pain. Bare and simple pain at the words that were true and fair and stabbed into her heart and twisted. Vi’s eyes stung and the anger was still there, mingling with the guilt into a potent agony that repeated phrases in her mind almost like a song. She hadn’t been there. It was all her fault. She couldn't protect her sister and her desperate attempt to cling to some semblance of control was pushing her away further. This pain had nowhere to go but deeper into her core.

Vi couldn’t hold Powder’s stare anymore. She turned to Mylo, who had gotten himself into a sitting position on the floor. “R-right”, he said as he noticed her attention. “Powder can handle herself.”

Hypocrite. Liar. Asshole. Weak. Thoughtless. There were endless insults Vi wanted to hurl at him but she was losing control, was outnumbered, ousted from her position as leader long ago. Her absence had left these roles to shift and Powder was suffering the consequences. And there was jack shit she could do about that. They stood around her, looking at her like she was the crazy one and she wanted to scream, she wanted to rage. She wanted to turn back time and be there and bash in the skull of whoever had dared lay a finger on her sister. She wanted to stay right here, indenture be damned, never step foot in the overcity again and just stay here. Stay with Powder. Keep her safe. Keep her promises. Keep her sanity.

She had to take a shaky breath and hated to do it in front of everyone. She kept staring down at Mylo. His expression was defiant but there was still some fear in his eyes. It wasn’t as reassuring to see as Vi had hoped it would be. “You”, she said through clenched teeth, nodding at him. “Me. Private chat. Now.”

“Vi–”, Powder started but Vi interrupted her.

“I’m not gonna beat him up”, she said. “Promise.”

Claggor meanwhile turned to Mylo and said: “You don’t have to do this”, making it quite clear where he stood. They were all against her now. A few months and everything had changed. She should have been there.

Mylo looked back and forth between all of them, eyes finally settling on Vi. Vi nearly held her breath, her whole body tense. She had no idea what she would do if he refused. Probably beat him up after all, she couldn’t stand this helplessness any longer. “It’s fine”, Mylo finally said. “I’ll go.”

Vi suppressed her sigh of relief, jaw still clenched, and reached out a hand to pull Mylo up from the floor. He accepted it, though he did flinch at just how hard she grabbed him – she couldn't help herself.

Vi led the way, leaving the hideout under Powder and Claggor’s weary eyes. She didn’t exactly have a location in mind. Just somewhere away and private where she could chew out Mylo. Ask him what the fuck happened and what on earth he’d been thinking. Mylo ended up steering them toward a drainpipe he climbed onto a halfway decently covered roof that Vi supposed would be good enough. The walk had calmed her nerves just the tiniest bit, so her expression was maybe a little less murderous when she turned to face Mylo again, ready to let him have it.

Mylo was faster, saying perhaps the last two words Vi ever expected to hear coming out of his mouth: “I’m sorry.”

The tone-shift was so sudden and unexpected that it left Vi floundering. He looked at her with genuine remorse in his eyes.

“What?”, she asked, taken far too off guard, her anger slipping as surprise and confusion took over.

“I’m sorry!”, Mylo repeated, a bit louder now, hands gesturing helplessly as words began tumbling from his lips like a flood had broken loose now that they were alone. “I get it now. Planning the jobs, leading, making sure everything goes well – I thought I wanted that kind of control, that power but I get it now! It’s not fun. It’s fucking stressful. You’re right.” The defeat was clear in his tone, his posture, slumping in on himself with his hands in his hair. “It’s on me. It’s all on me and I’ve been trying to do it as well as you used to but it’s hard. When that guy got a hold of Powder–” His eyes seemed far away and terrified for a moment as he remembered. He shook his head. “That wasn’t on her. It was on me. She’s too young and I should have known better. I put her in that situation. You’re right. I’m sorry. I fucked up.”

Holy shit. Mylo… agreed with her. He’d finally been in charge like he always wanted and it had made him realise everything that came with that. It was such a revelation, such a crazy development that Vi nearly lost hold of her anger. Nearly.

“If something like this ever happens again, if anything worse happens to Powder on your watch you are dead to me, do you understand?”, she stressed. She knew Powder was his sister too but it was still different. Clearly it was still different because this wouldn't have happened in the first place if Mylo cared like she did.

Mylo did know Powder though and did care, proving both with his next words: “Vi, listen”, he started, sounding both miserable and apologetic. “I don’t think leaving Powder behind is going to work. You heard her. She wants to be there. She’ll go out on her own if we leave her.”

Now the rest of Vi’s anger really did disappear, replaced by an old dread. “I know”, she said, running her own hands over her face. “Fuck, I know.” She gave Mylo a pointed look of commiseration. “Welcome to my fucking life.”

Mylo almost chuckled at that, face twisting with guilt. “Sorry it took so long for me to get here.”

Vi sighed. Staying mad at Mylo wouldn’t help. She knew that. She’d always known that. It just never felt true in the moment. “You can make up for it by continuing to keep an eye on her”, she finally said, making a decision about how they would do this moving forward. “Plan better, get intel beforehand. Use Little Man if he’s able. I’ll give you some of my contacts if they’re not burned by now. Keep working on your own technique. Ignore strength, work on your focus and speed.” If Vi couldn’t be there, Mylo would have to do it. Now that she knew he cared she could trust him to do it. She had to. “You can do this, Mylo.”

Mylo shook his head, misery returning. “Not as well as you could.”

“Maybe”, Vi admitted with a shrug. “Maybe not. Maybe it’s like that right now and you’ll surpass me eventually but none of that actually matters. What matters is that you do it well enough. That’s all.”

Mylo wasn’t actually stupid or incompetent. He was reckless and so had Vi been. So Vi still was now sometimes. He could get it together. She believed it and she tried to look at him in a way that would communicate as much to him. She hadn’t been there – she couldn’t have been. She couldn't do this alone. None of them could.

Mylo nodded, seeming to understand. He looked off into the distance for a moment, seeming contemplative. He was hesitant when he spoke up again: “Have you ever considered… coming back? Breaking your indenture?”

Vi shook her head with half a smile. “Every damn day.”

Especially in the past few days, after Caitlyn’s most recent stunt. After Powder had come to Piltover crying and ready to act. The thought still terrified her. What would happen the next time she had to be late? Was it better not to risk it? She knew if Cassandra tried keeping her longer again she would refuse. She couldn't let that happen again. So far it hadn’t and it had made it all almost bearable, but she wanted to quit. She wanted to quit so badly.

“Whatever you do, I’ll stand behind you this time”, Mylo said sheepishly but earnestly.

“Thanks, Mylo”, Vi said. After another second of deliberation she grabbed his arm and pulled him into a hug. A tight and perhaps somewhat desperate one he returned just as fervently. “It’s nice to have my brother back.”

Her eyes were stinging again and she let go of him before things got too dire. Blinking to keep the tears at bay she eventually smirked and admitted: “Your idea of robbing the Kiramman’s? Not the most unfounded after all.”

Mylo laughed. “You’re tempted now?”

“Real tempted.” What she wouldn’t give to see the look on Caitlyn Kiramman’s face after emptying their fancy fucking rooms of valuables. It was a beautiful daydream that got her through most days.

“What’s actually been going on up there?”, Mylo asked. Vi supposed she shouldn't be surprised her lying about it hadn’t gone unnoticed. She’d only just been thinking how Mylo wasn’t actually stupid.

She sighed again. “It’s fine”, she said. “It’s work. It’s frustrating. Caitlyn Kiramman is a menace.”

That startled Mylo a little. “Caitlyn Kiramman? Isn’t that the kid?”

“Uh-huh”, Vi confirmed. “Hates me with a burning passion for some reason. I’m telling you, she’s fucking crazy. She messes with my tasks and gets me punished for it. Then acts all above it all. Aside from that it’s… it actually is fine.” It was weird to say out loud but it was true. “It’s humiliating, of course. Cassandra isn’t particularly cruel though. And there’s this… this inventor guy. He’s kind of also a servant. He’s nice. He brings me sandwiches in the morning because…”

Vi stopped herself, feeling particularly guilty for that lie but Mylo obviously intuited what she was about to say. “You don’t actually get as much food there as you’ve been saying, do you?”, he asked. “I can see the difference between now and when you first stopped having breakfast.”

“I get lunch”, Vi said. “And like I said: Sandwiches.”

“Fucking hell, Vi”, Mylo said.

“Can you blame me for lying?”, Vi asked with a raised eyebrow.

Mylo sighed. “No”, he admitted. “No, I really can’t. I’m sorry for being such a dick.”

“Look on the bright side”, Vi said. “If you of all people can actually apologise, clearly miracles do happen. Maybe we’ll see our way through this somehow.”

They both laughed, even if it felt like gallows humour. At least they weren’t facing the gallows alone.

—

When Vi came home to Vander that night Vander took one look at her and said: “It’s not your fault, kiddo.”

Obviously Vander had seen Powder already; had probably given her a gentle lecture that had gone in one ear and out the other. He had the time to spare – barely anyone still came to the bar.

“It’s mine”, Vander finished.

Vi didn’t blame Vander but she couldn't argue with him either. It was all shitty and complicated.

“What are we going to do?”, she asked him, holding out some kind of hope that Vander would still know a way out of this. She almost hoped for him to just say something meaningless but reassuring, but Vander wasn’t treating her like a child anymore.

“I don’t know”, he said. “I’m sorry, Vi.”

Today had really sucked and it all weighed on her. Her eyes stung and she struggled to look at her father, struggled to keep her breathing from hitching. “It feels like you stopped trying”, she said. It wasn’t necessarily an accusation but it wasn’t just an observation either.

“I–”, Vander started, awkwardly stopping himself again to search for the right words. He spoke gently and firmly, his tone far more reassuring than what he actually said. “I understand why it might feel like that. You have to believe that you kids are my priority.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t be”, Vi said with more force than she meant to. Her self-control was at an all time low. “Somebody has to do something. The undercity still looks to you – or did, which is why they’re abandoning you now. You used to be the Hound of the Underground, right? Why not… why not fight back?”

Vander looked terrible. Not quite with guilt but something like it. He felt the weight he carried. It was crushing him too. But his voice was firm as ever when he said: “You know why.”

She did. She still stuck to her indenture despite everything for the same reason. But she did not want to anymore. “Maybe I should fight back too”, she said accordingly. “Ditch the indenture. I’m needed here.”

Vander shook his head. “If you break the indenture they’ll come looking for you here. They’d have to or risk losing credibility. It would make everything a thousand times worse.” He cut the air with his hand for emphasis and pinned her with his eyes. “We’ll find another way. This isn’t the life I had hoped for for you but we’ll figure it out. Together. No breaking the indenture, okay?”

Vi growled, looking around for an outlet and growing more frustrated when she didn’t immediately find something punchable. “It just sucks. I slave away up there and meanwhile they… they don’t even respect us. They never will if we don’t do something about it.”

Her conversation with Silco flashed back into her mind and the desire to punch something only grew. It was Silco’s damned attempts to turn the undercity into his personal army of addicts fucking up her life. If anything it was proof that this approach didn’t work and yet she saw its appeal more and more every day.

“You remind me of an old friend who used to say the same thing”, Vander said, sounding wistful. “We had dreams like yours when I was young. We called it the Nation of Zaun. Independence. Freedom. Respect.”

Zaun. It sounded familiar. Just like Silco’s name had. Both long buried for one reason or another.

“What happened?”

Vander’s expression darkened. “You know what happened. We went to war and most of us didn’t come back.”

Oh. Right.

The bridge. Her parents. The very reason she despised topside so much.

“There’s a better way”, Vander insisted again, taring her from her dark thoughts. “We’ll find it one day. We just have to play it safe so we can make it until then.”

It was so close to what Vi had told Powder months ago. More and more Vi started to wonder when “then” would happen. How far away was “later”? Would she be an adult by then? Would Powder? Would all of their childhoods be long past? It wasn’t fair. She wanted to do something, she had to. They all did or they might as well just lay down and die. Vi refused to let that happen. It was only a matter of figuring out what they could do without marching right into their doom anyway.

—

Two days later Vi was dipping into Cassandra Kirammman’s office to announce her arrival before getting to work only for the Councillor to tell her to stay for a moment longer. She felt immediately five times more irritated than she had already been, which had been very irritated, having only taken out her feelings on inanimate objects for days now. Mylo had refused to tell her which goon had hit Powder which was probably ultimately for the best but still grated on her.

Whatever the Councillor wanted to tell her, Vi wasn’t optimistic about it.

“My daughter has brought something to my attention”, the Lady of the House started, all but confirming Vi’s worst fears, intensifying the rage buried deep in Vi’s gut. “It is a bad look for my house if my servant keeps showing up in old, dirty clothes and half-starved. Therefore, starting this week you will be payed a wage.”

If Mylo’s apology had vanquished her anger quickly then this made it disappear in an instant. She nearly physically tripped backwards, she was so shocked. She couldn't possibly be serious, could she? Vi was a glorified slave. Caitlyn had suggested this??

Cassandra Kiramman ignored Vi’s surely dumbfounded expression and went on saying: “I expect you to spend it wisely. If I get the sense you are squandering it I will stop paying you again. The sum is firm so don’t go thinking you can barter for more. You are still indentured here.”

Harsh words that were utterly unnecessary. It would have never occurred to Vi to ask for more – she wasn’t sure if she could accept in the first place. It felt like a trap, especially if it came from Caitlyn. “Spend it wisely” – what the hell was that even supposed to mean? She’d spend it to feed her family and the Councillor could go fuck herself if she expected anything else. Though it sounded like she expected her to spend it feeding herself, which was just… absurd.

What was the worst that could happen? Vi pondered that hypothetical for about five seconds before deciding she didn’t give a shit. Things were already bad. Clearly the Councillor intended everything else to remain the same besides the money. Vi was fine with that. The aristocrat’s vanity might as well benefit her. She didn’t know what game Caitlyn was playing now but Vi was on the board whether she wanted to or not anyway.

“Of course, Councillor Kiramman”, she said, still not quite over her surprise and not quite believing this was real. But that didn’t really matter either. She would find out soon enough. And just to be on the safe side she said: “Thank you.” Her own voice sounded more genuine to her than she expected to manage.

Cassandra Kiramman nodded, evidently pleased. “You will receive the money weekly to keep you from carrying too large of an amount at once.” Smart. The Councillor smiled at her then. “That is all, you may get back to your work.”

Vi walked out of the Councillor’s office in a daze. All day she was entirely uncertain if she had just hallucinated the whole thing. But when she was dismissed that evening Cassandra Kiramman personally handed her an envelope with money inside. Enough money to buy food for her whole family for a week at least. It made her wonder if the Councillor knew what amount of money would be a dangerous one to carry through the undercity. It didn’t matter. Vi wasn’t about to let herself get mugged.

It was bizarre. But evidently it really was happening. The realization came with a dawning frustration. She was grateful. She was receiving charity from a topside aristocrat and things were so dire she was forced to be grateful for it.

Chapter Text

Knowing her family depended on the money she now earned was the only thing that still got Vi moving towards topside every day. Every month the undercity became rougher, Silco’s goons more established. Mylo gave Vi reports on what they did, trying to undermine the Shimmer trade and production wherever they could. They had to hide their identities with masks – courtesy of Little Man – or risk Silco’s wrath. They weren’t the only ones trying to fight back but they were still hopelessly outmatched. Vi couldn't be there for any of it.

The Last Drop was all but dead, Vander was considering selling it. The thought alone hurt. He was working on other ways to get them money but Vi hated the idea of him back in the mines. Meanwhile Vander was unwilling to risk any gambles on high-value jobs or throwing in their lot with any of the gangs. It left his options very limited. Benzo was helping as much as he could but he wasn’t doing great himself and had Ekko to take care of. The only thing Vi could do was make that treck up to the Kiramman Manor and work.

Deep into the cold months she’d had to buy herself a new jacket and also received a new, warmer uniform. Cassandra was treating her well, happy with her improved appearance after a few months of appropriate nutrition as well as the new clothes. She also hadn’t gotten beaten up in a while. It felt wrong in every possible way but getting to work safely had simply become too important.

Thankfully, despite (or because of??) her involvement in Vi’s new monetary situation, Caitlyn had left her alone for a wonderful, decadent four months. She was never spared the occasional spying but it seemed she had really scared the little aristocrat off when she’d yelled at her, making the mention to Cassandra all the more dumbfounding. Vi hadn’t cared enough to actually ask about it though. She had enough on her plate without the Kiramman heir and she had simply been glad not to have to bother with her. Of course, it was too much to hope she’d be rid of her forever. The weather was warming again and Vi was polishing the floor in one of the sitting rooms when Caitlyn finally broke months of silence. Vi nearly flinched when she came striding in, too aware how careful she had to be now. Maybe that had been Caitlyn’s motive. She hated it almost more than being indentured in the first place but… she needed that money. Her family needed that money.

“Violet”, Caitlyn addressed her directly and almost politely. Vi paused to look up to her wearily. “I need to talk to you.”

Vi nearly groaned, only able to half suppress her frustration. She got up from the floor, shoulders tense and prepared herself for the blow. “Please just punch me this time.”

Caitlyn’s eyes narrowed in a way that wasn’t quite what Vi had been expecting. “Because you would rather feel pain than miss out on time with your family?”, she asked.

Vi spoke reflexively before she could think better of it. Caitlyn had the uncanny ability to piss her off in no time at all. “You think that’s stupid, do y–”

“I don’t think that’s stupid”, Caitlyn interrupted her, leaving Vi slightly off guard. Thankfully Caitlyn went right back to saying stupid shit immediately. “I know what it’s like to be afraid to lose someone.”

Vi almost laughed. “You have no fucking idea what it’s like.” Vi had to watch what she said, she knew that, but how could she possibly? Whatever problems Caitlyn faced she could just pay to make disappear.

“Maybe not”, Caitlyn admitted to Vi’s surprise, though she did frown. “But…”

Caitlyn hesitated and Vi was beginning to feel strange. Was… was Caitlyn genuinely trying to have a conversation with her? Why? She suspected there had to be some kind of ulterior motive at play.

Caitlyn was still struggling with whether to continue it seemed, but finally the girl took a breath and soldiered on, voice quiet: “When Jayce was arrested I went to visit him in his jail cell.” She cringed a little. “Snuck in, is more like it. He was… he was not well.” She said it in a way that betrayed her worry and Vi was torn between laughing at the image of her sneaking anywhere and… sympathy. Of course, this was boiling down to Jayce again, which was a little annoying. Like Caitlyn was using him as an excuse for all her misdeeds. But obviously her concern for the inventor was genuine – even if Vi doubted the threat to his life had been – if her extremely petty measures to avenge him were anything to go by.

“I begged my mother to take him back in”, Caitlyn went on, eyes on the ground in some apparent shame. Ah. That explained Jayce’s strange position in this household too, then. “To give him something to do. I thought–” Caitlyn stopped here again, swallowing. Braced herself and finally said: “I thought he might kill himself if he was left alone long enough to do it.”

She paused then, genuinely shaken. Vi blinked, processing. The guy at the gate – Victor – had said something similar. Vi still thought it was stupid but… had Jayce genuinely been a danger to himself? It was hard for her to imagine, especially as she thought of how she’d seen him smiling to himself while he worked just yesterday. But he had been a lot worse back at the beginning of her indenture.

Caitlyn raised her eyes back to Vi’s when she continued: “That’s why I hated you so much when you first came here. Why I wanted– needed you to be punished. Just having to work here… it didn’t feel like enough for almost killing–” She paused to swallow again. “Almost killing the one person who didn’t see me as an heir, a– a social connection to foster. Jayce was my only true friend so I would have done anything to make sure I could keep him around.”

Vi wondered why she was telling her this. Sure, Caitlyn’s bitchy behaviour made more sense now, but that didn’t make it okay.

“And it worked”, Caitlyn went on with a sigh. “Kind of. At least he was alive, even if he wasn’t exactly living. Until you came along.” Some of Caitlyn's displeasure at Vi returned into her features then, and Vi almost welcomed it back. This conversation was absurd. “It didn’t make any sense”, Caitlyn sounded almost like she was complaining. “He was doing better but I still hated you for it because why–” Caitlyn had to pause, briefly overcome with obvious frustration. “Why did he get better for the thief who ruined him in the first place rather than…” She didn’t finish her sentence but her meaning was clear enough.

So it was yet another pity party. Vi was somehow always invited to those. Maybe they thought they would get sympathy from her? Well, they were wrong.

“If having your mother pay me is your way of apologising to absolve yourself of guilt then I don’t accept it”, Vi said plainly. If Caitlyn tried to stop the money Vi might have to beg after all, but she didn’t want to give in. Not yet. And she despised the thought of being just one more problem Caitlyn could throw money at to solve.

“You–” Caitlyn’s anger flared, fists clenched and for a moment Vi thought she might finally go for a swing. Then her shoulders dropped again. “Fair. That’s fair”, Caitlyn said and Vi’s mouth almost fell open. It was perhaps the second sensible thing she’d ever heard Caitlyn say. “I don’t– need you to forgive me”, the Kiramman heir went on. “Not for the money, certainly. That was just because… it doesn't matter.” She made a dismissive gesture that made her look almost exactly like her mother. “Really, I just meant to tell you I won’t be sabotaging you anymore.”

Vi blinked. That was what this was about? “You understand why I’m not going to just believe that, right?”, Vi asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I– yes. I do”, Caitlyn said, surprising Vi again. “I’ll prove it.”

Vi had no idea what to say to that. Finally she just shrugged. “Alright.” Vi wasn’t about to lower her guard but she supposed if the Kiramman really had finally gotten a clue or something she wouldn’t be upset about it.

“Do you… would you mind if I stayed here?”, Caitlyn asked carefully. “To prove I’m not doing anything. I won’t bother you, I’ll get a book to read or something.”

Vi blinked again. She supposed it wasn’t bad logic but she didn’t love the idea of having Caitlyn just hanging around for who knew how long. She just frowned at her, shaking her head and said: “Even if I did mind it’s not like I could stop you. Do whatever you want, Kiramman.”

Caitlyn pressed her lips together, evidently not pleased with that response. But she stayed silent. Left for a moment. When she came back she had a book with her as promised and sat down on one of the sofas to read it.

Vi went back to work. Periodically she looked up to the piltie still sitting there reading. Occasionally she shifted, changed position or sighed. Apparently it wasn’t a very stimulating read. Vi was kind of curious what kind of book it was but she wasn’t going to ask.

She turned everything Caitlyn had told her around in her head as she worked. Jayce Talis sure was a handful. A grown man should have had the decency not to worry the shit out of everyone who cared about him like that. What even was this precious work he got himself banned from doing that was worth killing himself over? It seemed ridiculous to Vi, but she had to admit she still didn’t know Jayce very well. They were friendly at this point but she kept him at arm’s length just like any topsider. Even so she knew he was a nice guy who didn’t deserve to feel so shit it made him want to end it all. The thought made her stomach turn.

Glancing up at Caitlyn again Vi sighed, making a choice.

“For what it’s worth”, she said, waiting for Caitlyn to look up from her book before continuing. “I’m glad the idiot didn’t kill himself. I get why you were worried about him.”

Then, without waiting for a response, Vi went back to scrubbing at the floor. She could feel Caitlyn’s eyes on her for a minute, two minutes. Finally she heard Caitlyn say: “Thank you.”

They didn’t exchange any more words that day.

—

Caitlyn came back the next day. She’d said she would prove her dedication to this ceasefire and she had apparently been serious about it. She had a different book and followed Vi to every new room she cleaned. It was almost unnerving, but only almost. Vi got used to her presence relatively quickly. She didn’t say a word to her – not even a hello – and Vi was kind of glad about that. Three hours in Vi was beginning to think she would keep quiet all day, but proving her wrong was Caitlyn’s favourite past-time.

“The blue-haired girl”, Caitlyn said out of nowhere. “She’s your sister?”

It took Vi a moment to remember that Caitlyn had seen Powder the day she had been held back for two hours. She considered just not answering but the silence between them was suddenly made uncomfortable by the expectation of an answer and she supposed there was no harm in sating the other girl’s curiosity.

“Her name is Powder”, Vi said without stopping her work.

Caitlyn’s follow-up question almost made Vi laugh: “Is she okay?”

“She’s as okay as any of us are.”

“What does that mean?”

Vi was beginning to get annoyed. She dropped the rag she’d been cleaning with, needing a break to stretch anyway. “That’s the crux, isn’t it?”, she said, finally looking up to meet Caitlyn’s eyes, getting up from the floor. “You don’t even know.”

“Well, I’m trying to learn now”, Caitlyn said, also getting up, crossing her arms stubbornly, book forgotten.

“So it’s my job to teach you?”, Vi scoffed, rolling her eyes with a step toward the oblivious aristocrat. “To point out all the things happening right under your noses, just too far down for you to ever deign and lower your head for?” She shook her head, in some disbelief she was even having this stupid ass conversation. “You could know what’s going on, you just don’t want to.”

Caitlyn’s look turned into an annoyed glare. “If this is how you go about asking for help, no wonder you haven’t gotten any.”

“I don’t want your help!”, Vi nearly shouted, having to hold herself back from pushing her. “I never asked! You just walked in here and started yapping like the rich mongoose you are so you could feel better about yourself. Leave me alone!”

Vi was waiting for a retort or a retreat or something along those lines. Caitlyn’s retribution was so unexpected and fast that she was left with no time to react. Her foot swept forward hooking behind Vi’s ankle and then Vi’s leg was pulled out from under her, sending her crashing to the freshly cleaned floor. She didn’t even really feel the pain of the fall. She just looked up at Caitlyn in stunned silence.

“That’s what you wanted, right?”, Caitlyn spat, glaring down at her. “I hurt you instead of wasting your time and now I’m leaving you alone. You fucking menace”, she added with emphasis before grabbing the book and striding out of the room.

Vi looked after her, still struck with what had just happened. Her retort came too late and too quiet when Caitlyn was long gone: “That’s what I was gonna say.”

—

Caitlyn didn’t show up where Vi worked again for a few weeks. Vi kept expecting her to show up, leaving her a strange kind of anxious for most of that time. She relaxed when she worked with Jayce for a few days, making it a point to ask him questions about himself. Not so much that he would notice something was off but she’d gotten curious now. He was spending time with Victor but he was cagey about what they did together. Vi figured they were either illegally continuing working on whatever project he’d been booted from the academy for or having sex. Either way she supposed she was happy for him.

Once she wasn’t playing Jayce’s assistant again anymore though she went back to anticipating Caitlyn’s return. It was frustrating how this left her oddly relieved when a week later Caitlyn finally did make her come-back. Vi didn’t let that relief show though. Caitlyn didn’t make a spectacle out of her return either, their last hostile interaction going ignored. She just sat near where Vi worked silently and flipped open her newest book. Vi knew it was only a matter of time until she would say something but Caitlyn apparently had a lot more patience than her. It wasn’t until after lunch that she finally spoke up.

“I’m sorry your neighbourhood is being flooded with dangerous drugs”, Caitlyn cold-opened their conversation. “And that the people who take it become unstoppable killing machines.”

Vi looked up at her, briefly tempted to be impressed by Caitlyn’s dedication. She was still a dumb piltie. She wasn’t going to give her credit for the bare minimum. “Ah, you’ve come to show off your research”, she said flatly.

Caitlyn huffed. “It’s not as easy as you make it sound when everyone is as tight-lipped as you the moment they find out who is asking.”

That kind of made sense and Vi nearly smiled at the thought of Caitlyn’s last name not getting her what she wanted for once. It did however mean that Caitlyn still lacked understanding. Vi grimaced at having to be the one to educate her, having to think about this more than she already was.

“The drugs aren’t the problem”, she finally cracked and told Caitlyn. “They’re just the latest shitty attempt at a solution.”

Caitlyn frowned but thought about Vi’s words for a moment before answering. If Vi had to spell it out to her that topside was the problem she might just lose her temper again.

Caitlyn seemed to get at least that far, though her response ended up no less infuriating: “There has to be a better way.”

Vi tensed, pausing in her work, her grip on the rag stronger when she kept wiping. “My dad says the same thing”, she pressed out through clenched teeth. “But for us looking for that better way is kind of like trying to shoot a gun without gunpowder. Or bullets. And some topsider is wrestling the gun out of your hands because he’s worried you’ll hit him with it.”

Vi didn’t look up but Caitlyn’s distaste was audible in her tone. “Are you even capable of conceiving of a metaphor that doesn’t involve violence?”

Vi finally dropped the rag, pinning Caitlyn with a glare. “You know what? No”, she said, getting up and crossing her arms. “Topside taught me violence nice and early when they murdered my parents for daring to stand up for themselves.”

Vi’s hands were shaking. She just had to remind her of that, didn’t she. Vi was tempted to just leave the room as she wanted to pace but didn’t want to do it in front of Caitlyn. She tried to keep her breathing steady as memories tried to wedge themselves into her conscious awareness. Thinking about her parents– she could never do it without remembering the bridge. Her movement halted though as her mind raced from her parents to Silco. With that line of thought came fresh fury but also a dawning suspicion.

I was a close friend of your parents.

You remind me of an old friend who used to say the same thing.

Silco was the old friend Vander had mentioned – he had to be. Vi wasn’t sure what this meant but it felt significant. It felt tragic and shitty and maybe… just maybe it could be useful. She was so lost in thought that she almost forgot she’d just told a teenage piltie that her parents were murdered.

“Violet, I–”, Caitlyn said quietly, shock and pity evident on her face. “I’m so sorry.”

Vi scoffed. She really didn’t need these empty platitudes. “No you’re not”, she said. “You’re just sorry you can’t keep treating me like dirt without feeling bad.”

Caitlyn’s face shifted instantly to annoyance and frustration. She stood up from the couch and gestured as she asked: “Do you want to be treated like dirt?”

“Of course not!”, Vi spat back with her own frown. “Nobody wants that!”

“Then why do you keep pushing me away when I’m trying to be nice!?”, Caitlyn said, voice raised.

Vi yelled right back, too riled up to keep herself in check: “Because you’re not being nice, you’re being condescending!”

“What do you need me to do?”, Caitlyn said almost desperately. “Do I need to fight you? Fair and square?”

That nearly made Vi laugh. She looked Caitlyn up and down, still the same twig she’d been almost a year ago. “You wouldn't stand a chance.”

“Exactly!” Caitlyn threw up her hands in exasperation. She just held Vi’s stare, almost like in challenge.

Vi narrowed her eyes at her. She couldn’t possibly be serious. Even if she was– “I’m not an idiot”, Vi said. If they actually fought all Caitlyn had to do was go crying to mommy and Vi would never see daylight again.

“Aren’t you?”, Caitlyn asked, still not backing down. “This is a serious and honest offer. I won’t tell my mother. Jayce would stand up for you if she tried to get you imprisoned, you know.” The admission seemed to take some strength of will for her to make. Vi hadn’t even thought about Jayce possibly speaking up for her. Why would he? Then again… why wouldn't he? Caitlyn took a step toward her, hands beckoning Vi. “Fight me, like you so clearly, desperately want to. I’ll try to fight back.” Vi watched, stupified, as Caitlyn assumed what she understood as a fighting stance. Vi just looked at her like she was crazy, which she clearly was. Caitlyn’s eyes narrowed. “Or are you actually a coward?”

Coward. The word poured gasoline on her anger, her fists clenching. Her eyes darted to the door of the room they were in, which was closed. The walls were thick here. But if Caitlyn screamed… the mental image just weakened Vi’s resolve more. Looking back at Caitlyn who still looked at her with determination in her eyes Vi’s feet shifted into a proper stance almost of their own accord. She shouldn't be doing this, she knew that. Caitlyn was standing across from her but Vi was suddenly seeing everything she hated about topside, every arrogant, entitled piece of shit she couldn't ever punch. It had been so long since she’d fought anyone and she really, really wanted to fight topside.

All rational thought fleeing, Vi stepped forward and fought. An experimental jab, which Caitlyn blocked, poorly, but the single action that went unchallenged opened the door for Vi to slip further away from control. She could feel it, like the world was tilting out from under her and she wanted to fall so badly but there was a nagging at the back of her mind that knew she should not – she could not.

It was almost like she was fighting herself more than she was fighting the Kiramman heir. One moment her hands were reaching for her neck, the next she was pivoting to grab her shirt instead. She hit shoulders, tripped legs, every attack that popped into her mind suddenly seeming too violent, too cruel to use on such an unprepared opponent, willing or not. Every part of Caitlyn seemed so much more vulnerable than her usual targets, the consequences of injury more real. A dark voice within her wanted her to do it anyway. Yes, it said, hurt that soft, unmarked flesh, make her bleed, break her the way you’ve been broken. It would be so easy. It nearly made Vi sick that the voice was hers, that despite it all she was still going at Caitlyn, still begging her to land a proper hit back and give her an excuse.

Caitlyn was trying, as promised. She wasn’t letting herself just back away which Vi almost admired. Her technique was terrible but she was trying to compensate with speed and nearly succeeding. When Vi caught her by her collar she shoved against Vi’s face, when Vi hit her arm and made her stumble she tried to dodge and punch Vi back. Vi caught her hand and instinctively twisted and Caitlyn’s scream was both terrible and gratifying. Teeth clenched Caitlyn tried to topple Vi by throwing all her weight against her and it was so unexpected that it actually worked, the two of them falling to the floor, Vi’s shoulder first, Caitlyn half on top of her. Vi flipped them instantly before Caitlyn could even react, pressing her into the floor. Caitlyn tried to kick her away, to turn herself around. They grappled back and forth across the floor, Vi screaming in frustration when Caitlyn briefly managed to trap her arm. 

They devolved into childish wrestling and slapping at hands, pulling on hair, snarling at each other all the while. Vi’s chest was burning with her anger, with her hatred, but pulled punches were doing nothing to soothe it – stoked it more if anything. Caitlyn’s fingernails dug into her arm as she leveraged herself free and – seeing red – she rammed her knee into Caitlyn’s side. Caitlyn screamed again, instantly letting go of Vi who pushed her away. Caitlyn stayed curled up, shielding her center. Vi recognised her shaky breathing as first attempts to push down pain. Vi didn’t think her kick had been that hard – at least it hadn’t been the hardest she could kick. Any of the people she’d fought in the past years would have been up again in seconds, coming back for more; might not have even let go of her in the first place. Caitlyn Kiramman was clearly done fighting.

Vi pushed herself up from the floor, feeling a slight throbbing in her shoulder and small sting on her arm. She was breathing heavily from the exertion, but easily. It had been a completely uneven fight, not much of a fight at all really. More like a beating, just to make herself feel better. But beating up the young Kiramman didn’t make Vi feel better. It made her feel worse.

“There, is that what you wanted?”, Vi spat, irrationality angry at Caitlyn for suggesting this.

“It’s what you wanted”, Caitlyn said, exasperation fighting to be heard over the tension the pain was forcing on her body. It took practice to breathe through pain like that, practice that Caitlyn Kiramman obviously didn’t have.

She’d wanted… what had Vi wanted? Revenge? Justice? Hurting Caitlyn didn’t give her any of those things. It hadn’t even loosened her anger at the aristocrat, it had just made her more angry – angry at Caitlyn, angry at the world and angry at… herself.

“Tch”, Vi scoffed, frustrated at her own feelings, at having to make sense of them. At this not having gone the way she wanted it to at all. “Crazy topsider.” She grabbed Caitlyn’s arm and the girl flinched, but all Vi did was pull her up and onto the couch so she wouldn't be huddled on the floor anymore. Her hair was kind of messed up and Vi resisted the urge to brush it out with her fingers like she might have done for Powder. Before Caitlyn could protest she was quickly grabbing her face instead to check if her eyes could focus properly. The glare she got for it told her enough in that regard. Then she took Caitlyn’s arm and gently bent it. “Is this excruciating?”, she asked.

Caitlyn frowned, face still twisted in pain but she said: “No?”

“Then it’s not broken”, Vi said with confidence and some relief. She herself had certainly screamed like a banshee when she’d broken her arm years ago. “How about this?”, she asked and pressed against the ribs she remembered kicking. Caitlyn hissed but didn’t scream, meaning she was probably just bruised there too. “You’ll be fine”, Vi concluded her inspection. “You should put something cold on that.”

Then Vi quickly stepped away, returning to the pretense of not caring. She turned away, not wanting Caitlyn to read anything on her face as she forced the anger and confusion to dissipate. Consequently she couldn’t see Caitlyn’s face either, which was a frustrating trade-off.

“Thanks”, Caitlyn eventually said, teeth still grit but breathing perhaps a bit more easily.

Vi felt like such an idiot. What the fuck was she supposed to do now? She had to hope Caitlyn kept her word and even if she did things were… awkward. Fucking hell. Vi wanted to punch something again – maybe herself. She was a fucking mess and all because of this stupid girl.

Left with few other choices Vi sighed and went back to wiping the floor, with a rag this time and not with Caitlyn Kiramman. She could feel Caitlyn’s eyes on her and could only imagine the renewed hate she had to feel for her. Vi was a fucking idiot. Caitlyn had offered her a more amicable relationship on a silver platter and she’d slapped it out of her hand and for what? She hadn’t even gotten a satisfying fight out of it.

“How do you work in this state?”, Caitlyn eventually broke the silence and Vi was so shocked not to hear vitriol in her voice that she looked up to the other girl. She was still curled up on the couch, hair fixed somewhat. Her expression was one of genuine confusion rather than anything more negative.

“I don’t come here fresh from a fight”, Vi rolled her eyes, even as fresh guilt invaded her mind. “And… I’m used to it.”

There was another long pause before Caitlyn said: “I am sorry about how much your life apparently sucks, Violet.”

A topsider saying her life sucked felt profoundly condescending again but at this point Vi was pretty sure that Caitlyn didn’t realise that. There were plenty of things in her life that didn’t suck. Things she would protect with tooth and nail. “My life wouldn't suck at all if it weren’t for topside”, she said to the Kiramman heir. And even though she knew the generalisation wasn’t really fair she added: “If it weren’t for you.”

Caitlyn chuckled and Vi looked at her funny, wondering if she should be offended that Caitlyn found this laughable somehow. Noticing her scrutiny Caitlyn shrugged a little sheepishly and said: “Likewise.”

From her tone it was obvious that Caitlyn knew their situations weren’t actually comparable, that the stark difference was actually the source of her reflexive amusement. For Vi Caitlyn was just a stand-in for a whole oppressive system. If it weren’t for Vi though, privileged as she was, Caitlyn’s life really would be perfect again. Vi found herself chuckling along at the absurd thought that to Caitlyn she, on her own, had really made all the difference.

Chapter Text

Caitlyn kept reading frustrating books in Vi’s periphery. Vi wouldn’t say her issues with Caitlyn were resolved, far from it. But she had proven something by letting Vi basically beat her up and then not telling a soul – at least Vi was never so much as reprimanded for it, so she had to assume nobody else knew. As more weeks passed she got used to Caitlyn’s flipping of pages usually accompanied by sighs.

It wasn’t until a few weeks later when Vi heard Caitlyn groan in frustration that her curiosity finally got the better of her.

“Okay, what the fuck are you reading?”, she asked.

“Economic Theory and Legislation by Professor Rambinham”, Caitlyn responded, exasperation clear in her voice. “A man who is just wrong about… maybe everything?”

Vi raised an eyebrow at her, signaling for her to elaborate.

Caitlyn sighed, flipped to a specific page and read aloud: “Menial labor is a vital aspect of any healthy society. This labor, if appropriately compensated, enriches the underclass and encourages betterment of the mind. Pay too exorbitantly however and the delicate balance of any economic entity suffers, raising production costs and in conjunction product prices. Indeed, if the cost of menial labor is set too high, more workers are faced with unemployment as production owners refuse to increase their costs by hiring.”

Vi’s expression grew more annoyed with every new sentence. “So basically production owners have to underpay their workers? That’s the most ridiculous bullshit I’ve ever heard.”

“Right!?”, Caitlyn agreed emphatically. “His proof for these claims is flunky at best. He completely ignores supply and demand until the very second it becomes convenient for him! I hate this man. I think he died seven years ago but I hate him anyway.”

“Then why are you reading his book?”, Vi asked with a chuckle.

Caitlyn sighed. “I have to. It’s part of my mother’s requirements for becoming a Councillor. I’m not necessarily expected to agree with him, but I have be able to argue my point to the contrary.”

“Ah. Right”, Vi mumbled. She’d almost forgotten that Caitlyn would probably be a Councillor one day. Sure, she was already the Kiramman heir but it was still a whole other thing to imagine.

Caitlyn returned to the text, occasionally huffing in annoyance as she took notes. It reminded Vi of when Powder would get frustrated with a project and the thought that it was kind of cute popped into her head before she could stop it. Whatever. Caitlyn was still going to be a Councillor, becoming the very mechanism through which Vi and everyone like Vi was being oppressed– unless… what if she didn’t? Caitlyn had told her she’s sorry about how things were. What if–

No.

That was far too naive of a thought to put any hope into. Vi tried to forget about it. Tried to go back to ignoring Caitlyn’s presence. Even if they spoke occasionally about random stuff. Of course they did, they spent hours every day around each other. It didn’t mean anything. She got used to Caitlyn and she presumed Caitlyn got used to her and that was all there was to it. If Caitlyn waited by the servant’s quarters for her with Jayce then it was only to chat with Jayce and because it was convenient. And whether Vi enjoyed the company or not she wouldn't ponder for long enough to find out.

The one year anniversary of Vi’s indenture was on the horizon. A few more weeks and one out of five years would be over. Vi hadn’t wanted to make a big deal out of her sixteenth birthday but everyone had surprised her with cake at the bar anyway when she’d finally come home that night. The bar wasn’t open to customers anymore, turning more and more into a base of operations and waypoint for people – mostly kids – who wanted to do something. Ekko had taken the initiative of fortifying it with a bunch of other kids and managed to make it a little haven in the shitshow the lanes had become. Despite it all, they still managed to find moments of joy and peace. Vander had gifted her new bandages and Powder had made her articulated iron gauntlets out of scrap, that allowed her to still use her hands while wearing them. Vi had worked really hard not to cry.

Powder had grown half a head in the past year, wearing her hair mostly tied back to keep it out of her face. Only one strand remained short enough to refuse staying in whatever style she wore on any given day. For her birthday Vi bought materials for Ekko to make her some new, nicer hair clips to help deal with that. (Vi’s own hair she just haphazardly cut a bit shorter one day, leaving her growing out sidecut as is, enjoying looking as disreputable as possible at her indenture.) Otherwise Powder was hard to get gifts for. The thing she wanted most was parts for her to work with, which was what Vander got her. It was a somewhat unnerving testament to how much she’d matured that explosive materials were included in that gift, even if it wasn’t much – mostly because materials like that were highly regulated by topside and costly for them to get.

Powder had developed most in confidence, the wide-smiled monkey mask Ekko had made for her and she herself had painted in wild pinks and blues was not just something she hid behind. It represented something deeper. Vi didn’t know what had caused the shift, what had been the thing that made everything click, but her flash-granades and smoke-bombs worked. Her gun worked, non-lethal but maiming if Powder wanted it to be. Her aim was enviable, her reflexes near-perfect. Mylo had gotten his shit together and kept her out of any more fistfights, at first to Powder’s chagrin. Then Mylo had realised how much of an asset Powder would be if posted at a distance. It was a risk to leave her by herself but the one thing Powder had the most practice at was running away. He had made the gamble (without telling Vi about it) and it had paid off. At twelve years old, Powder was now officially ballistic support.

Vi felt conflicted. It was what Powder needed to survive in what the undercity had become and she was proud, but she hated that it was necessary. She hated that one year in she still felt so helpless in doing anything about it. She kept having to remind herself that the money she earned was keeping them all fed and the bar in their possession, even if it wasn’t exactly a bar anymore.

What made it worse was how limited her time with Powder was. Vi tried to be responsible and make sure Powder got to bed at a reasonable time, but not getting to actually chat and laugh and play with her was grating. Having to rely on Mylo, Claggor and Ekko to tell her about what Powder had been up to felt frustrating and inefficient. Sometimes none of them knew what Powder had been doing all day either and it was hard to be okay with that uncertainty.

Uncertainty was becoming Vi’s least favourite thing in the world. Isolated from the people she loved during the day it gnawed on her. Her resolve to keep following the rules was tested most when, a week before the robbery’s anniversary, a tremor shook the Kiramman manor, making the trinkets Vi was dusting between rattle.

“What was that?”, Caitlyn asked, abandoning her book to rush to the nearest window in an attempt to see if anything was amiss outside.

Vi knew it was a rhetorical question, but all the worry that had spiked through her at the dull sound that had come with the small quake made her response come out as an angry bark: “How the fuck would I know?!”

Vi was on a bridge, the sky so choked with smoke she had no way to tell if it was night or day and explosions were shaking the ground beneath her feet. The air reeked of death and gunpowder and the world was ending. At least Vi’s world was.

Back in the present Caitlyn Kiramman was looking at her with something too inquisitive to be just surprise and Vi shook off the memory, even as her heart still raced. Through the window she saw a pillar of black smoke rising to the otherwise cloudless sky. The only reason she didn’t run for home immediately was because it originated from this side of the Pilt. Home was safe. Powder was safe. She had to be.

Caitlyn left to find out what had happened. She came back two hours later with the information that a warehouse and import checkpoint had been bombed. Three people had been killed, twelve injured. Two of the dead and six of the injured were enforcers. It was suspected to be a terrorist attack originating from the undercity. Vi disagreed with the notion of pinning any crime on the undercity immediately, but in this instance it was difficult to argue. Topside didn’t know to recognise the details, but to Vi this had Silco’s fingerprints all over it.

—

Understably, the bombing was all anyone was talking about when Vi arrived home that night. The consensus was that Silco was putting pressure on shipping routes to allow for the illegal import of the materials he needed to produce Shimmer. There was a rumour that Silco had also tried to kill the Sheriff with the attack, but as far as anyone knew the old woman was still alive.

“Topside had it coming”, Mylo said, speaking with the anger of the undercity. “Maybe if Silco is actually fighting them now he’ll finally take the pressure off the fissures.”

They were hanging out under the bar, the little room still their private haven, away from the clamouring going on around them. Many people shared Mylo’s sentiment. Silco’s grand promises had gone unfulfilled in service to what could only be assumed to be profit seeking, be it to build his force against topside or plain greed. Many still hoped it was the former. Vi wasn’t that optimistic about it. She was half certain Silco’s own men were spreading that hope. And even if it wasn’t just more smoke and mirrors–

“What if topside retaliates though?”, Claggor pointed out. Indeed, that was the reasonable fear that set the rest of the undercity on edge.

“Wouldn’t Silco be prepared for that sort of thing?”, Powder asked, absentmindedly tinkering with a delay timer mechanism. “Why attack if you’re not prepared for retaliation?”

“It’s not that simple, Pow”, Claggor shook his head sadly. Vi was glad he was saying it, because she really did not want to. “Silco probably is prepared, but the rest of us aren’t. Not against the enforcers if they really want to come after the undercity.”

“But…”, Powder began to protest, lowering the piece she was working on as her brow knotted. “Topside is already against us. They deserve to be the one hurting for a change. Silco… Silco just isn’t going hard enough against them yet. If he finally shows them the undercity shouldn't be messed with, isn’t that a good thing?”

Vi cringed, wishing it could be so straightforward. She had learned first-hand though that it wasn’t, on multiple levels.

“It’s complicated”, she told her sister gently with a sigh. “Topside is in a position of power right now and striking back against that is important but aimless violence for the sake of causing pain and fear isn’t going to cut it.” It wouldn't be good, wouldn’t feel good. But far more important than even that was: “Imagine if in retaliation to this attack topside bombs the bar.”

Powder’s eyes widened in panic. “What!? But– but we didn’t do anything!”

“Exactly”, Vi said, pointing toward the Pilt. “They don’t know that. We just have to hope that they’ll care. That they won't lump us in with Silco’s goons just because we live here too. It wouldn't actually help either of us if they did. Silco on the other hand doesn’t care what part of topside he hurts. He just wants them to believe he is a threat so he gets what he’s after. He’ll bomb whoever he wants to do it and risk any retaliation because he knows he himself is impossible for topside to reach.” Vi wasn’t exactly sure how Silco was doing it but she was sure he had contingencies in place or he wouldn't have done this. It didn’t really matter. What mattered was that Powder understood what Vi was admittedly also still struggling to accept. “No matter who we’re up against, topside or Silco, if we actively strike back we have to make the punch count. Make it hit the right target, make it cause change for the right reasons.” This last part was hard for Vi to say, but all the more important for it: “Sometimes violence isn’t the right way to do that.”

The others obviously couldn't let a comment like that just pass.

“Someone’s been talking to Vander”, Claggor teased.

Mylo took it even further: “Who are you and what have you done with Vi?”

“Fuck off, dipshit”, Vi said with a smirk. They were just messing with her, their own smiles betraying that it was all in good fun, even if there was truth to their sentiment. Vi had changed in the past year. Her way of looking at things had changed. It felt wrong, felt like abandoning her principles, but deep down she knew her new perspective was a good thing. Maybe still not the best it could be, but better than it had been before. “You know I’m right”, she said, trying to keep her tone light and mostly succeeding.

Mylo sighed. “Doesn't make it any less irritating.”

“Hey, no arguments there”, Vi admitted with her own frustrated shrug.

She looked back at Powder, who had gotten suspiciously quiet after what Vi had said. She still wasn’t working on her mechanism again, her eyes seeming far away. Worry spiked through Vi as well as guilt. Maybe it had been a bad time to talk about this. There wasn’t really any way around it and Powder was old enough to handle it, she knew that. But it was late and the last thing Vi wanted was for Powder to have even more nightmares about what could happen to them.

Vi turned back to the guys. “Now it’s time for us to get out of here. Powder needs to sleep.” She gave them a pointed look that basically translated to: “I said ‘us’ but I meant ‘you’. It’s time for you to get out, so get moving.”

Mylo grumbled but Claggor pulled him up out of the couch and they left.

“Night, Pow”, Mylo waved on his way out, closely followed by Claggor’s: “Sleep well.”

Vi went over to sit by Powder who was still looking off into space, expression serious. Vi wanted to ask her if she was okay but simultaneously had no idea what answer such a question would even get at. It reminded her of when Caitlyn had asked the same thing. She’s as okay as any of us are. What did that mean? Was it even true?

Instead Vi asked: “Have you brushed your teeth?”

Powder looked up at her, expression unchanging. She just nodded, silent.

“Okay”, Vi said, feeling helpless as she patted Powder’s shoulder. “Let me know if there’s anything… anything I can do.” She pulled Powder into a quick hug and when Powder still didn’t say anything she got up and made her way out as well.

She was half-way up the stairs when she finally heard Powder’s quiet voice. “Vi?”

Vi turned back to find Powder looking up at her looking close to tears and her heart was instantly in her throat. What had she missed? How hadn’t she seen this coming?

“I have to tell you something.”

Vi was back by her side and sitting down on the floor across from Powder in an instant. “Alright”, she said carefully.

Powder’s lips pressed together in a clear attempt to keep them from trembling. Her voice was nothing more than a whisper when she said: “Please don’t be mad.”

Oh no. Vi’s heart was breaking and she shook her head vehemently, taking Powder’s hands in her own. “I could never be mad at you.”

It still took Powder a long time to bring herself to say whatever confession she was wringing with. Agonising seconds ticked by during which Vi berated herself for every moment she hadn’t spent paying better attention. Not making absolutely sure Powder was okay. She’d seemed so independent and Vi had needed her to be. She should have known better. Whatever this was, Vi would make it right.

“I’ve been working for Silco.”

The world tilted nauseatingly, the impossible words leaving a ringing in Vi’s ears and a hollowness in her chest initially only accompanied by the dread of all the emotions Vi knew were coming to crash down upon her.

Powder’s face scrunched up even tighter as she added: “That bomb was my design.”

Anger. Worry. Devastation. Anger. Always that godforsaken anger that boiled and boiled within her. Silco. Fucking Silco. How dare he!? To use Powder– to use a child to–

“I’m not mad– not at you”, Vi quickly remembered to reassure her sister because she wasn’t certain she was controlling her features enough, wasn’t certain how to navigate her own feelings while also considering Powder’s. “I’m… surprised”, she tried to clarify, desperately searching for the right words, desperately wanting to take Powder into her arms and never let go. Fucking Silco. What had he done to her? What had he told her? Vi should have… she should have done something. Realised, somehow. “And worried”, Vi finally finished, feeling a lump in her throat, hearing her voice shake. “Are you okay?”

Powder was obviously trying to swallow down tears, her face still tense and full of guilt and misery. Vi wished she could wipe her sister’s fear away.

“I’m… I’m fine”, Powder managed to press out before the first sob interrupted her and broke the dam, tears quickly rolling down her cheeks. “I just– he knew things, Vi. About our parents. He said– he said this was what they died for”, Powder said, almost like she was pleading. For understanding. For an acceptance she already had but didn’t think she deserved. “And he– he g-gave me whatever I wanted. He helped me learn the things I was– missing. It didn’t… it didn’t feel dangerous, he wasn’t making me do anything.”

Powder was properly shaking now and Vi wasn’t sure if it was with sobs or just from shock and fear. It didn’t matter. She pulled Powder close and held her.

“I’m so sorry”, she whispered in Powder’s ear, struggling to speak any louder past the lump in her throat. “He was manipulating you, Powder. It wasn’t your fault.”

It really wasn’t. Maybe it was a little bit Vi’s fault but Vi knew where to put the bulk of the blame. Silco. ‘Then’ was now, Vi decided in that moment. It was ‘later’ already, in some ways already too late and she would be damned if she let this go on any longer. It was time to do something about Silco.

But first, Vi would take care of her sister.

“I didn’t– want to– kill anyone”, Powder sobbed into her shoulder, hiccups making talking at all difficult for her. Vi just held her tighter, stroking her back reassuringly.

“You didn’t. You didn’t, Pow. Silco pulled that trigger.” Tears were rolling down Vi’s cheeks now too. Angry, devastated tears. “You did the right thing telling me. You did good, Powder, okay? It’s not your fault. I’m proud of you.”

“I sh-should have– told you s-sooner”, Powder kept crying. “He–”

“He told you not to?”, Vi guessed and felt Powder’s desperate nod accompanied by more sobbing. “You didn’t know”, Vi kept trying to reassure her. It was all she could do. “He was manipulating you. It’s okay. I–” Vi’s chest was seized by the guilt briefly. This was just a little bit her fault. “There is something I should have told you too”, she admitted, heart feeling heavy in her chest. “He tried to use me too. He was just less subtle about it. I’m sorry. I should have told you.”

“You’re really– n-not mad?” The uncertainty in Powder’s voice was killing her. “That I– I was fooled? I was s-stupid, I–”

“You’re not any of those things”, Vi interrupted her. “He knew exactly what to tell you, it wasn’t fair.” All Vi could do was repeat that truth over and over. She would do something about it – they would, together. But for now she kept repeating: “It’s okay.” She rocked Powder in her arms, unsure which one of them she was trying to soothe. “You’re okay.”

“It’s going to be okay.”

—

Powder was exhausted from crying and as urgently as Vi felt she had to act, she wouldn't force her to stay up any longer that night. She nearly stayed home the next morning. Only being able to tell Mylo to stay home with Powder gave her the peace of mind to leave.

“Is everything alright?”, Caitlyn asked the moment she first saw her waiting by the servants quarters – Jayce, it seemed, was busy elsewhere again. Vi was surprised Caitlyn was paying attention even though she wasn’t exactly trying to hide her dark mood.

“No”, she answered. She didn’t even say it that harshly but Caitlyn still didn’t ask any more questions after that. She just followed Vi to the kitchen where she would be polishing silverware and read. Vi was relieved. Any talking might have pushed the wrong button that day and Vi had no idea what she might have done. The day kind of passed in a daze, her mind constantly elsewhere. Back home. With Powder. And with Silco.

She ran home when her workday was done. Maybe Caitlyn had even gotten her dismissed a bit early, she wasn’t sure. She hadn’t been paying attention. Back in the lanes she went to her hidden stash, Silco’s vial of Shimmer still exactly where she had put it a year ago. Then she went home to find Powder sitting under the bar by herself.

Anger briefly rose in Vi before Powder’s tired eyes found her and she said: “I told them to go. I wanted to be alone.”

Fine. Alright. Vi could understand that. Powder still looked gloomy but present, at least. Together. As much as she could be expected to, anyway. Vi held out a hand to her. “Come on”, she said.

Powder looked at her wearily. “Come where?”

“To get help”, Vi said. “To do something. To show Silco who he’s been messing with.”

Powder hesitated for a moment longer. Then she took Vi’s hand and together they went upstairs. All the way upstairs to Vander’s office. He wasn’t home at this time every day but Vi had checked and gotten lucky that tonight he was. She opened the door without knocking and strode inside, kicking the door closed behind Powder. Vander looked up at them with surprise from some papers, maybe their budget, maybe some side-job to keep the lights on. Vi didn’t really care.

“Vander. We need to talk about Silco”, Vi said without further preamble.

Vander’s surprise quickly turned to tired resignation. He sighed. “I know you want to do something about his hold over the undercity, Vi, but I’m telling you we c–”

Striding across the room to his desk as he talked, Vi shut Vander up by placing the vial of Shimmer on the desk in front of him.

“He gave this to me”, she said. “A year ago. Before this all started.” She waited for Vander to process what he was seeing, waited for his eyes to dart up to her before she said: “He wanted me to be the first.”

Vander’s eyes widened at the purple liquid inside the vial that could only be one thing. He looked between it and Vi, face falling, tensing with shock and devastation.

“What?”, he said quietly, distractedly. Like he wasn’t asking much of anything, just expressing his disbelief as he slowly rose from his chair, taking the vial to take a closer look with a furrowed brow.

“And he’s been talking to Powder”, Vi went on, even as her father’s attention seemed to stay turned inward. “Manipulating her to build weapons for him.”

Vander’s features transformed again with new shock, new misery, the wrinkles in his face having never seemed deeper and graver. He finally lifted his eyes to look at Powder with a sorrow that nearly made Vi’s heart drop and it wasn’t even her that expression was pointed at. Powder’s own expression was guilt and worry and Vi stepped closer to offer her a hand. But Powder stood firm, bravely meeting Vander’s eyes head on and nodded, confirming what Vi had said.

For a moment Vander seemed frozen in time. Finally he put the Shimmer back down, rounded the table and pulled a low stool close, collapsing onto it heavily, head briefly in his hands. Wiping over his face he looked back up at them, between Vi and Powder, eyes finally settling on the latter.

“How long has this been going on?”, he asked, voice sounding brittle.

Powder tensed and Vi realised she was close to tears again. She chewed on her lips for a moment, hands clenched before she managed to say: “A few months. M-maybe three or four.”

Vander seemed to gutter, hunching in on himself in a way that Vi had never seen. He reached out almost hesitatingly, almost like he wasn’t doing it consciously. Powder didn’t need any more motivation though. She rushed toward him and into his embrace, shoulders shaking with tears she was still fighting.

“Oh, sweetheart…”, Vander whispered, voice cracking as he wiped at his own face. “I’ve been so blind. Forgive me.”

Vi’s chest squeezed. She wanted to let both of them have this moment and she gave them a minute more, but there were still things that needed to be said.

“You used to be friends, didn’t you?”, she asked, gently. “Back when our parents were still alive.”

Vander looked at her, seeming to grow accustomed to Vi surprising him. She might have imagined it but she thought she saw a hint of pride in his eyes for a moment before it was replaced by a deep sadness. “We–”, he started, but had to swallow and try again. “We were like brothers.”

“What happened?”

Vander sighed, shifting Powder in his lap, so she could look at him but still held her close. “Everything went to shit. The revolt… your parents…” He trailed off, unable to look either of them in the face. “He wouldn't stop. He needed to be stopped and I– I nearly did.” He shook his head, looking at Vi again, expression grave again. “That’s how I know he can’t be stopped now. At least… I can’t stop him.”

Vi recognised the emotion she saw etched into every crease of his features. It was the same confused reluctance she had felt fighting Caitlyn Kiramman, except worse. The violence he’d been forced to enact wasn’t just petty grievance but necessary evil. He had to have felt unwilling or unable to enact it because he had still cared deeply about the person he had to hurt. But he’d done it anyway. For them. She understood where he was coming from, and yet she couldn't let that stop them now either.

“Maybe you can’t”, she said, holding his stare. “But we can. As a family. Like you’re always saying.”

It seemed Vander wasn’t done being shocked after all. “Vi, you can’t get involved in this–”

“We’re already involved, weren’t you listening!?”, she almost yelled, tamping down her volume only when she briefly met Powder’s eyes. “Silco went after us to get to you. We’re in this with you.” Her voice turned apologetic, almost pleading but no less determined. “I know you think you’re doing this to protect us and I’m sorry, dad. But that time is over. We’re in the line of fire. If we don’t fight back now we’re laying down to die. We have to strike back and we have to make it count. And I know we can do that but only together. You know Silco. Powder knows where he’s operating from. The boys know his network. I know what has to be done. Not just for us. For everyone. For the lanes.”

Vander digested her words for a long moment. Vi wished she knew what he was thinking. He chuckled lowly at one point, murmuring “For the lanes…” to himself, shaking his head. He looked at Powder, patted her head as she wiped the tears off her face. He looked at Vi as she took the Shimmer he’d left on the table and slipped it back into her pocket. Releasing a shaky breath, face still full of grief and worry he said: “Blisters and Bedrock”, without looking at either of them. Then he sighed, his eyes returning to Vi’s with a new determination – or maybe an old one he’d simply rediscovered. “Alright. You’re right. This can’t go on. But if we do this we do this right. We do it safely. As safely as we can. Is that understood?”

Vi nodded. “I have some suggestions, but what you say goes.”

Vander’s eyes briefly crinkled with a smile and he pulled Powder closer again. “I’d never forgive myself if I let anything happen to you. I made a promise a long time ago and I intend to keep it.” He held out a hand for Vi and she took it. She fit into Vander’s lap slightly less easily, but she simply hugged both him and Powder as she remained standing. “I’m so proud of both of you girls”, Vander said, words heavy with emotion, blinking rapidly to keep tears from falling. “I hope you know that everything I’ve done since you were born was for you.”

“I love you, dad”, Powder said as she clung to him. “I’m sorry for letting Silco get to me.”

Vander shook his head. “Don’t be sorry, monkey. I… I should have acted a lot sooner. You didn’t do anything wrong.” His arms squeezed around both of them. “I’ve just been so afraid of losing you.”

“We’re not going anywhere”, Vi said. A promise. A battle cry. “We’re getting our home back.”

Chapter Text

When they filled in the others the next evening Ekko nearly vibrated out of his seat with excitement and for a moment Vi had been afraid he would want to join them. Ekko was more sensible than that though. Instead he presented Vi with a red and gold mask in the same Ionian style as Powder’s monkey, Mylo’s hyena and Claggor’s bear. Vi’s mask depicted the abstract visage of a snarling wolf.

“I didn’t want to give it to you while you couldn't use it”, Ekko said almost apologetically and Vi’s eyes stung at the thought of the Little Man just waiting for the moment Vi would finally join them; At him already having the mask prepared because he’d known it wasn’t a question of if but of when.

Vander didn’t want or need a mask. He was the Hound of the Underground and mask or not everyone would know it. Silco would know it. Most importantly: The people working in Silco’s factory would know it. They were hitting where it would hurt but doing their best not to hurt the innocents just trying to get by. Taking their jobs – dangerous as they were – would be damaging enough. The workers themselves had to be made to flee and while Vander’s voice had come to not mean that much anymore, they were banking on the hope that if the Hound howled, the people would still listen.

As for the factory itself: Vi had an idea for that too. “You still have those blue crystals from a year ago?”, Vi asked Powder during the planning.

Powder startled and instantly looked guilty.

“It’s fine if you don’t!”, Vi quickly said but Powder shook her head.

“No, I still have them”, Powder admitted. “I’m… I’m sorry for hiding them though.”

“It’s fine”, Vi said. “I did say not to keep any of the loot from that day but right now I’m glad you did.”

Getting explosives in the amount they needed would be pretty much impossible without drawing attention, so it was good they already had some. Vi felt a bit bad for Jayce, who would have probably liked to get the crystals back but the fate of the undercity was more important.

“The only issue is launching and/or detonating them”, Vi went on. “They must be pretty volatile if one exploded at the robbery by accident.”

Powder’s eyes just kept getting bigger. “How do you know about that? How do you even know about them at all?”

Vi laughed. “The guy who they used to belong to is pretty much my colleague now.” Or had been. Jayce had been let off the hook more and more recently. He still stopped by occasionally though to talk to Caitlyn. And to Vi – and not just because she was already in the same room. She hated to admit it, but she enjoyed his visits. “You would like him I think.”

Powder raised an eyebrow at her. “I’d like a topsider rich boy?”

“Hard to believe, I know”, Vi admitted. “He tries too hard not to grow on you though.”

Powder still seemed sceptical but they went back to planning.

“I started carrying them individually cushioned”, Powder said. “From that time in the robbery I know that impact can be a trigger. That makes the gun too risky, even if it uses air pressure. But Ekko and I can probably rig up a slingshot design that’ll do the job.”

“Perfect”, Vi said. “So Mylo will place whatever additional explosives we can scrape together and then you light the fuse with the crystals once everyone is evacuated. Me and Claggor are on perimeter to keep the goons off you.”

Vander was scowling as she laid out the plan, but he couldn’t object. Vi was already being graciously responsible. The job she most wanted went to him. “I’m on Silco”, he reiterated with a grimace.

“If he doesn’t run when he sees you coming”, Mylo said with a wicked grin.

Vander just kept frowning. “I don’t think he will.”

“Either way, we don’t want to tip him off until we’re at his door”, Vi went on. “So for now we only share with people we can trust completely. Ekko will kick off phase two once we’re on the move.”

“Are we sure Ekko can handle it?”, Claggor asked. They all liked Vi’s plan in theory, but in practice their resources were too limited to be entirely confident.

“Little Man has connections and charisma”, Vi said. “We might have some stragglers but I think he’ll make it work. The lanes are afraid of Silco. As soon as it’s clear he won’t be much of a threat anymore things will change.” They had to. Vi had to believe it.

They all did.

Vander wanted Vi to keep sticking to her indenture as to not add trouble from topside to their issues. As frustrating as it was, Vi had to agree that it was probably for the best. This meant they would have to act at night though, so they needed a week at least to adjust Powder’s sleep rhythm so she would be awake enough to make full use of her aim. The waiting was terrible, but still miles better than the helpless uncertainty. They had a plan. They would act. That alone made it all that much more bearable.

Vi’s shift back to a more relaxed mood didn’t go unnoticed by Caitlyn, who didn't remark on it but seemed relieved. Vi wondered what the girl had been worried she might do. Her time at the estate remained normal, with one visit from Jayce and Viktor, during a natural break Vi got letting the curtains dry. They kept roping her into more chatter to the point where Vi worried she wouldn’t get her task done by the time she got back to it. Caitlyn reassured her that she wouldn't be in trouble if she did need more time, probably only to shut up Vi’s complaining. She was done on time after all though. Who knew it could be done so fast when there wasn’t a saboteur adding hours to your workload? Vi resisted making that remark out loud. It only admitted gratitude that Caitlyn wasn’t messing with her anymore.

Vi had to lose her days but she didn’t waste her time at home. With Powder having to incrementally stay up later and later they got more time with each other again, even as they lost mornings altogether. Then, when Powder couldn’t stay up any longer Vi went looking for the few people she still trusted. Allied gangs who she knew would help. Unaffiliated loners who Vi was comfortable enough with. Rival gangs who she knew hated Silco far more than they disliked her. The pivotal moment would belong to Ekko, but Vi laid the groundwork. She reforged connections she’d abandoned when her indenture had started and called in favors she never expected to get use out of.

Two weeks later Powder had a mechanical slingshot she could hit a fly with at thirthy paces distance and the sleep rhythm to keep her eyes open enough to do it, even at four in the morning. Benzo had arranged for a doctor to be ready in case they needed one in a secret location to make sure they had somewhere to flee to where Silco wouldn't come for them. Ekko and some others were holding down the fort at the bar. Vi took a nap after coming home from topside and when she was rested up they prepared to go. Vi had her new wolf mask and metal gauntlets. Vander took up his old mining gloves. Claggor had a bat and Mylo a knife in his belt.

They were ready.

They knew where Silco’s Shimmer factory was located – everyone did – but finding a way in discreetly was a challenge. They wanted to make it inside to the workers, ideally before having every guard storm at them. It came down to finding a weak link. The factory was effectively a deep pit of three floors of catwalk and production lines, low enough in the fissures for the Gray to be uncomfortably thick even for Vi. She was glad for the filter built into her mask. The main entrance at the bottom that had train tracks for easy import and distribution was too heavily guarded, as was the topmost entrance. That left the two openings to the sides of the middle floor, which were inconvenient from a siege perspective, but ideal for the shortest path to the most workers. Since said workers spent all day and night getting in and out through them they weren’t as heavily guarded either.

As a group – a family – they approached, finding two shorter statures guarding an entrance that looked to have been hewn right from the stone: No door, just a jagged hole like the maw of some beat. Mylo and Vi – fastest among them – rushed forward to quickly take out the two guards as silently as possible. The guards obviously noticed them rushing toward them and they were still at two steps distance when one of them raised his hands to his head and shouted: “Wait!”

Vi wasn’t planning on falling for any tricks but Mylo stopped, throwing her off. She looked back at him, assuming he’d recognise her confusion even under the visage of the wolf.

“It’s Deckard”, Mylo said, as if in explanation. Vi didn’t really give a shit but she looked at the guard again.

Him and his companion were both unarmed, instead bearing the emaciated and scarred features of Shimmer users. Deckard, hands trembling not from fear but from withdrawal and still firmly recognisable by his messy blond hair that might have looked good once, looked at her with worried but determined eyes. 

“Y-you’re coming after Silco, right?”, he asked. He was relatively well put together and Vi guessed he hadn’t partaken in Shimmer in a while.

Almost as if to prove that very thought he carefully and slowly pulled a vial of Shimmer from his pocket, never lifting it higher than his chest before letting it drop and smash onto the floor. His companion behind him flinched but stayed where he was.

“We’ll let you through”, Deckard went on. “J-just… please make sure he can’t come after us. I–”, he hesitated. “I can’t do this anymore. I don’t want to be this.”

Vi and Mylo exchanged a glance. On the one hand, they had no reason to trust Deckard. On the other, they had no reason to distrust him. They were already here for a fight, there wasn’t much the boy could do to betray them at that point. Looking back to where the rest of her family waited at a distance, Vi motioned for them to come join them.

Deckard and the other guard both shrunk back a little when they saw Vander approach. “They’re willing to let us through for protection”, Vi explained, having already made her own decision but looking to Vander for instructions anyway. She had promised to do it his way.

Vander looked at the two guards, not much older than Vi herself and nodded gravely. “You’re doing the right thing”, he told them.

Vi held out a hand to Powder. “Can you spare a hair clip?”, she asked.

Powder’s head tilted, the effect with the monkey mask uncanny, but she reached up to the back of her head and gave Vi one of her clips. Vi held it out to Deckard.

“Go to the Last Drop”, she told him. “You’ll be safest there. This will prove we sent you. Fail to give this back and I’ll find you and gut you.”

Deckard hesitated for a moment before gingerly accepting the hair clip. “Th-thank you”, he mumbled, moving past them all to leave with a lowered head. The other guard held out his own vial of Shimmer for a moment, seeming to fight with himself before being able to let go, splattering it on the stone already drenching in Deckard’s Shimmer. Then he followed the other boy. They were either really lucky or really strong, probably a mix of both, Vi realised. Shimmer addiction could get physical but like all addictions started mental and doing what they had just done could not have been easy.

Vi didn’t have time to dwell on it – they had to keep moving. Entering the factory the first thing that hit Vi was the smell. Acidic to the point of burning in her nose, it smelled like sulfur and alcohol; sterile and yet rotting in a strange way. The second thing was the noise. A mechanical rhythm like a working engine thrummed away in the background and hisses and thunks of liquids mixing and boiling and being released from valves filled the air more densely than even the Gray. There were people everywhere, moving between stations, standing along conveyor belts and putting together vial after vial of Shimmer. They didn’t look healthy per se, but none of them had the tell-tale purple veins and scars from Shimmer use. Addicts weren’t allowed to work in the factory.

Mylo, Claggor and Powder rushed to the nearest railing to lean over and look down through the whole factory, identifying their points of attack. Claggor had a knack for demo, pointing out the few spots that would do the most damage by his estimation. Mylo started running the moment he had his targets lined up to deposit the small packets of TNT they’d managed to make. Claggor stuck with Powder for now while Vi stood by Vander. He looked out over the factory with pain in his eyes for a moment, but when he gathered himself to speak it wasn’t her gentle father she was looking up at anymore. It was the Hound.

“Everyone who values their life”, he bellowed into the cavernous space, loud enough for his voice not to be swallowed by the cacophony. “Leave! NOW! Silco ends tonight! Shimmer ends tonight! Either you go, or you end with him.”

Many of the workers looked up from their tasks wearily, but nobody moved. Powder had her gun ready and Vi and Claggor approached the few goons stationed by the workers who had already been leering at them. Only one of them drew a gun and had a bullet in his thigh before he could load it. Vi savoured the feeling of finally slamming her gauntlet into the first goon, reveled in how well Powder’s construction cushioned the impact on her knuckles but kept the force that knocked jaws from their hinges and left ribs shattered.

“They can’t hold you or protect you!”, Vander shouted at the workers again. “Evacuate! NOW!”

The workers looked at the goons groaning in pain on the floor, looked at the might of the Hound before them, who hadn’t even lifted a finger to attack yet. It had just been his children and it was clear in their eyes that they wondered what damage he himself could do. The workers got moving. Slowly at first, then all at once, rushing to the few available exists in a stampede. If goons tried to stop them they were either ganged up on, unable to hold back ten workers at once, or Vi or Claggor came for them. Bullets started fizzing at them, hitting the catwalk, walls and the occasional unlucky worker and Powder was doing her best to provide cover, the guards aiming both from above and below, making it difficult, though Mylo was picking off guards at the lowest level when he could.

One guard was stupid enough to try and catch Vander off guard. Instinct made Vi twitch toward him but Vander already saw him coming. It was a behemoth of a man, thick muscle covering him, skin clear of any Shimmer scars and instead tattooed in thick black patterns. Vander blocked his initial rush, returning a flurry of punches. He wasn’t as fast as he maybe used to be and the goon got a few hits in, but Vander finally clocked him in the face with a right hook, sending him crashing to the floor. A second, skinnier idiot tried his own luck. From the way he crumpled to the floor after Vander’s hit to his torso, Vi had to guess his organs weren’t as functional as they had been moments earlier. Vander’s eyes met hers then and they nodded at each other. Vander started moving across the catwalks, towards the stairs. Towards Silco.

The workers were almost cleared out. When Vi heard the screaming, gurgling and hissing that told her someone had thought to take some Shimmer she braced herself, finding the monster coming toward her from the stairs leading down to their level. She called out for Claggor who was quickly by her side. The Shimmer monster was a grotesque sight, human but misshapen and in a barely coherent state of rage. Her heart pounded at the thought of how hard those pumped up muscles would hit, how fast it was moving. She had no time to doubt, though. Powder was behind her, taking out the few guards still shooting at them from above. Waiting for Mylo’s signal to take this whole place apart, and Claggor was with her. Side by side they faced the monster, dodging just in time to send it skittering past them and then whirled to attack. Vi landed a hit on its face but it barely flinched. Claggor took out one of its knees with his bat, making it a lot harder for the thing to keep running. It could still punch and slash though and Vi barely saw the attack before she was slamming backward into the ground, her chest aching where the Shimmer beast had struck her.

She heard Powder call out her name and then bullets fired. Damnit. She got up just in time to see the monster rake it’s engorged hand across Claggor’s face, knocking his mask off and leaving gouges in the shoulder Claggor had just barely managed to block with. Then the monster tried to go for Powder. Vi ran, aching chest be damned and slammed herself into the monster’s torso, wrapping her legs around it and throwing a flurry of punches as hard as she could make them right onto its head. The monster thrashed, stumbled and tilted, leaving Vi's teeth rattling with the impact as it fell but she did not let up. She was out of breath and splattered with blood by the time she didn’t feel the thing moving anymore, a stinging on her back where the monster had tried to grab and pry her off it. Its head wasn’t very recognisable anymore and she quickly turned away. She looked for Claggor instead, who was pushing himself back onto his feet, evidently well enough to do so. His shoulder was bleeding but his neck looked untouched. As long as no major arteries were hit he would probably be fine. Then she looked at Powder who was staring at her, expression unreadable thanks to the mask.

“Are you okay?”, Powder asked before Vi could ask her the same thing.

“All good”, Vi said, shaking blood from her gauntlets. Turning to assess their situation she found no more workers, evacuation successful. A flurry of bullets made her duck and take a few steps toward Powder to cover her. Powder was already turning toward the shooter though, a few bullets from her making him reconsider his position. Powder reloaded. It was real bullets. No more rubber or nail-packs. Not for today. “I’ll clear the top”, Vi said with a nod to Claggor to hold their position and make sure nobody got to Powder while she was gone.

Rushing up the steps she felt her earlier impact with the foor, lungs struggling. She took cover when someone on the top floor took a shot at her, then zig-zagged toward them when Powder covered her. The goon yelled as he got hit, but tried to get a few more shots off anyway. A bullet grazed Vi’s thigh but then the guy was out of ammo and Vi had him taken out seconds later. Behind him stood another man, shaking hand clasped around a vial of Shimmer. Vi looked at him.

“You really want to end like that guy?”, she asked him, pointing to the mangled corpse of the other guy who’d gone for Shimmer. He glanced down. Then dropped the vial and threw up into a corner before taking himself towards the closest exit. Vi rushed back downstairs to Powder.

She saw two more of Silco’s guys coming up the stairs from the lowest floor and almost sighed in frustration. How many more of these assholes were there? Then a whistle pierced the air – Mylo’s signal that he was done placing the charges. Vi shared a look with Powder.

“Where’s Vander?”, Claggor asked.

Great Question. Vi wasn’t sure. They knew Silco was here tonight based on Powder’s insight into his schedule but they didn’t know the factory that well, didn’t know where Silco would take care of his deals or whatever he was here for. The two goons were still coming for them. There was no telling what else Silco might have in store if they gave him the time.

“Start the demolition”, Vi told Powder. “Hit the reserves first. Hold out on the structural targets. Claggor, you hold the line here and I’ll take care of those guys and look for Vander if necessary.”

She looked to Claggor for his input and her brother just nodded. Part of her briefly wondered if he actually agreed with the plan or was just used to following her orders but now was the wrong time to think about that. At another glance at Powder her sister nodded too and switched to the slingshot, pulling the first blue crystal out of its cushioned pouch. Vi was already on her way to the stairs blocked by goons when she heard the first explosion, felt it rattle the floor under her feet. Her stomach twisted at the sound as bad memories tried pushing into her mind but she pushed them back. She had to protect Powder. Find Vander. Finish this, once and for all. Finish Silco, once and for all.

Going up against two guys on a staircase wasn’t as easy as Vi had hoped, especially as the whole factory started to shake. She took a few more hits and was delayed by precious minutes as more crystals detonated. They still had until the linchpin explosion on the central column but things were already beginning to feel unsteady. She backtracked onto the second floor, goons hot on her heels, believing to have her trying to flee. She turned the tables easily enough on them from there.

When she was finally able to start rushing down the rest of the steps she reached them only to look down and stop dead where she was.

Down on the first floor, barely out of some other cave opening was Vander, on the floor, clutching his side. His hands were bare, no gauntlets in sight. Silco stood over him, knife in one hand. They were talking, Vander wasn’t even trying to get away. It was only a matter of time until Silco wouldn't be talking anymore. Vi didn’t think, she just panicked. She was too far away to do anything. She didn’t have any gun on her, couldn’t do anything – herself.

“Powder!”, she shouted, pointing desperately at what she was seeing. Powder looked first at her, then down at the scene unfolding before her and Vi had no idea if Powder could make out the two men. If she too was acting out of a panicked rush to act or if Vi’s instructions had simply not been clear. Powder aimed her slingshot and fired. Her aim was dead-on as always and Vi’s heart was pounding adrenaline through her bloodstream so fast she could have sworn she could see that small blue ball flying right towards Silco’s horrible face. Could have sworn she saw Vander grab the drug lord by his coat and pull him down out of the line of fire.

The crystal impacted, the explosion instantly covering everything in a cloud of smoke and dust, blue particles shimmering in the air. Vi was struggling to breathe, tried desperately to see Vander through the haze. She couldn't see him. She couldn't see him.

Her legs felt unsteady but she forced herself to run back to Powder. Her sister was shaking and struggling to breathe, finally prying the mask from her face despite how counterproductive that technically was.

“What did I do?”, she said, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Vi kneeled beside her instantly, grabbing her by her shoulders. “It’s fine”, she said. “Vander is fine. I saw it.”

Powder didn’t look like she believed her but there was no time.

“There’s one point to hit left, right?”, Vi asked, turning to ask mostly Claggor for confirmation. When Claggor – pale himself – nodded, she turned back to Powder. “Give me the slingshot and crystal.”

Powder reluctantly handed over her weapon. Vi pulled her into the most rushed and painful hug she’d ever had to give. Then she forced both of them to their feet, pushing Powder towards Claggor.

“Get Powder out. Find Mylo”, she instructed him. “I’ll get Vander.”

Glaggor looked down over the railing at the cloud of dust that still hadn’t fully settled. His face twisted. “Vi… are you sure he’s–”

“I’m sure!”, she insisted, voice cracking. He had to be. “GO!”

They probably heard the desperation in her voice but Claggor moved them toward the exit and that was the only thing that mattered. Vi turned and ran back down the stairs, diving into the dust, glad for her mask. She rushed recklessly across ground she couldn’t see toward a destination she hoped still existed. She saw the dark shape of a body through the haze and her legs shook with every step, her breath rasping under the mask.

“Vander!”, she called out, but the shape did not move. She tried to go faster, nearly tripping several times.

The noise of the factory had died with the explosions and the sudden silence weighed down on her. “Van–”

She whirled when she heard something that wasn’t just her own crunching footsteps past shimmering blue splinters and rubble. A narrow form was rising from the rubble deeper into the factory. A silhouette so recognisable Vi had no problems telling who it was.

“Silco!”, she practically growled, anger and hatred and devastation pulsing through her, driving tears from her eyes.

Silco stilled for only a second before seeming to drag himself away, fast but clearly somehow impaired. Vi raised the slingshot but by the time she aimed Silco was out of sight. Vi screamed with fury and frustration, throat hoarse. A roar so visceral it left her panting. Her free hand reached into her pocket and suddenly she was staring down at the vial of Shimmer. With Shimmer she could be fast and strong. She could catch up with him. She could kill Silco for everything he’d put them all through. Her mind screamed at her to do it. Do it! He deserved it! He needed to die or her family would never know peace.

Vander’s voice cut right through the noise, through the ringing in her ears. “There is no salvation in vengeance, kiddo.”

Vi looked after Silco for one more moment. Growled out her frustration one more time. Then she stuffed the vial back in her pocket and turned to run towards Vander’s unmoving form.

“Vander”, she said, not having the energy left to scream. She ignored his body, tried not to look too closely at his injuries. She focused on his face, held it between her hands as she searched for a pulse on his neck. “Dad.” His eyes were closed but she felt a pulse, felt him breathing. He was alive but unconscious. There was so much blood. “Dad!”

Hadn’t he just been talking to her? How fast was he getting worse? How long did he have left before he–

Vi didn’t know what to do. She couldn't carry Vander, didn’t trust that she could bring help fast enough. Her mind returned to the Shimmer in her pocket. Fuck. Vi didn’t know what else to do.

People on Shimmer were strong and fast and monstrous – but above all else… they were hard to kill.

Vander couldn't die here. He couldn't. Hands shaking she put down the slingshot, dug out the vial again and struggled to unscrew it for a moment. The liquid inside felt dangerous and toxic. She didn’t have another choice.

“I’m sorry, dad”, she said, a sob nearly shaking her as she reached for Vander’s jaw and carefully poured the purple liquid into her father’s mouth. She threw away the vial when it was empty and just held on to Vander, hoping, praying for the first time in her life. For fifteen agonizing seconds nothing at all happened.

Then Vander’s body jerked. Vi startled back as he convulsed, eyes flying open, a purple tinge filling his irises. Vander screamed as his muscles bulged, as the drug burned through him and Vi questioned if she’d done the right thing but there was no time for doubt.

“Dad!”, she shouted, trying to get his attention. It worked, but the swatting hand she barely managed to dodge wasn’t encouraging. “Its me! Vi!”, she added in a panick, scrambling to rip the mask from her face. “Vander, please!” She tried to hold her arms soothingly, tried to touch his still twitching shoulder without putting herself at risk. “Calm down! Look at me! It’s Vi– Violet!”

Vander looked at her and it was slow. Painfully slow. But understanding finally trickled into his misshapen features.

“You’re okay”, Vi told him soothingly, finally taking his giant hand in both of hers. He was alive. That was all that mattered. Keeping him alive. “You’re going to be okay, but you have to come with me. We have to get out of here! We have to get you to Benzo or you’ll die!”

Vi was shaking and she wasn’t sure if it was with sobs or fear or just plain adrenaline. Vander made a strange gurgling, hissing sound in the back of his throat but nodded. Vi’s breath of relief came out shaky. “Okay. Come on.”

She picked up the slingshot and steered Vander toward the exit as fast as they managed. Vander was getting the hang of his engorged legs and they got into a good jog. Once at the entrance Vi turned to aim the last crystal back into the factory. Her aim wasn’t nearly as good as Powders, but even she could hit the main column. Both her and Vander flinched at the explosion of the impact. Then Vi kept them moving as the factory crumbled into nothing behind them. They just kept moving toward the safehouse where Benzo waited with a doctor.

They turned a corner and there was her brothers and sister who all startled when they saw the two of them.

“What the–”, Mylo started.

“It was the only way”, Vi cut him off. No time for doubt. “Come on, we need to hurry.”

It was old Shimmer. Vi had no idea how long its effects would last, how long it could keep him alive. Powder stared at the grotesque Vander with wide eyes and Vi had no idea if she was relieved or horrified. Vi couldn't think. She just had to act. They just had to make it to the doctor. Everything would be fine then. They just had to make it to Benzo.

Vi was glad not to be alone, not sure if she would have been able to find the safehouse on her own. Mylo led the way and soon he was knocking on a heavy door, passing along a code phrase.

Vi instantly felt better the moment they were indoors, no longer exposed to anyone who might still have wanted to get at them. Less relieving was the woman who viciously cursed at their entrance.

Vi heard Benzo’s voice too. “By all the filth at the bottom of the Pilt”, he said. “What happened?”

“This was not part of the agreement”, the woman complained, evidently the doctor.

“Vander got hurt”, Vi said, her own voice sounding far away. Like she wasn’t inside her own body. She struggled to look at anyone, anything at all really. But she kept talking. “He was unconscious, this was the only way to get him here.”

“Well I can’t look at his injuries while he’s in this state”, the doctor said. “We’ll have to staunch the bleeding and wait until the Shimmer wears off.”

So they did. Vi was dimly aware of Powder coming to cling to her arm, aware of her own hand holding on to Powder – probably too tightly. The doctor took care of Claggor’s cuts and then tried to take a look at Vi’s back but Vi wouldn't let her. Vander needed her more. Vander needed her first. Vander still had to wait. He was docile but uncommunicative, Benzo prattling on about random things at him, the old man’s voice a soothing background noise for all of them.

When Vander finally reverted it was just as horrible as when the Shimmer had first taken effect, Vander emptying his stomach onto the floor where he stood, regular sized body trembling and collapsing almost immediately. Benzo and the doctor got him onto a gurney. Mylo and Claggor were holding on to each other as much as Vi and Powder were as they watched the doctor finally get to work. “He’s losing a lot of blood”, the doctor said with another curse and Vi felt cold creep into her body. “The shrapnel is going to be a problem.” Benzo remembered then that the kids were still there and ushered them into a different room.

Beside Vi, Powder was shaking. “I’m sorry”, she kept mumbling. Vi couldn't bring herself to open her mouth to reassure her. She literally felt like she couldn’t find the muscles to move it. She wasn’t sure words would come out if she did.

Benzo sighed heavily. “What a night”, he said. “But it’s over now, kids, ey. Everything’s gonna be alright. You did it. Silco’s factory is gone. It’s a new day. Everything will work out, you’ll see.”

Vi barely listened, it was empty platitudes expected of an adult when comforting kids. But part of what he was saying managed to catch on Vi’s mind.

“Did you say the night is over?”, she managed to ask somehow, lips feeling numb. “It’s morning already?”

Benzo nodded.

Vander was slowly bleeding out. Powder probably blamed herself for the whole thing and Vi–

Vi was late for her indenture.

Chapter Text

Violet was late. She was a scoundrel with no respect for anyone north of the Pilt – it shouldn’t have been a surprise that Violet would be late. If anything she was long overdue to be late. That was exactly what bothered Caitlyn about it though. Violet had never been late before. She’d stopped coming quite as early but she still had not been later than was first agreed upon.

Caitlyn selfishly wished Jayce were here. She was glad he was going back to living his own life, glad her mother was willing to let him. Really, her mother was glad she didn’t have to constantly come up with tasks for him anymore. Caitlyn had tried to help with that but it was good that it was no longer necessary. Still, right now, just for this morning, Caitlyn wished he’d been here instead so she could ask him what he thought. What she should do. Surely her mother would notice that Violet wasn’t checking in and then what should they do? Send enforcers to get her and lock her up for breaking her indenture?

Caitlyn couldn’t fathom Violet refusing to show up for banal reasons. She was far too aware and afraid of the threat of prison. No, something had to be wrong. With how bad Violet’s mood had been recently too… But there was no way for Caitlyn to do anything about it that wouldn't end with Violet in handcuffs again. By the letter of the law, that is what should happen. It didn’t feel right, though. Caitlyn kept an eye out but she figured her mother was too busy with her own affairs to notice Violet’s absence quite yet.

Caitlyn kept waiting. Hoping.

Time crept on, and it was almost an hour after the intended start of Violet’s workday when Caitlyn heard rushed steps clatter along the hallway toward her – toward the servants’ chambers where Violet stored her uniform. Violet’s steps seemed unsteady and she stopped in front of her, leaning on her knees to catch her breath. She was a complete mess, hair chaotic with strands stuck to her face with sweat, clothes torn, covered in dirt and suspiciously dark stains, some seeming barely dried. The look in her eyes when she righted herself was somehow both far away and manic.

“I’m here”, Violet huffed in-between desperate breaths. “I’m not– I’m not breaking my indenture.”

Gods, had Violet run all the way here? She was shaking and Caitlyn had no idea if it was from the exertion or something else. Her energy was completely off and Caitlyn struggled to get a read on it besides the bone-deep knowledge that she’d been right. Something was very, very wrong.

“Are– are you okay?”, she asked, feeling downright stupid for it because clearly the answer was no but she didn’t know what else to do.

Violet stared at her, expression flat, eyes distant, hands trembling. “I’m fine. I can work. I’m here.”

She’d said that last part already – the only part that was even remotely true. The desperation in those two words made Caitlyn’s guts twist. Caitlyn’s first instinct was to make sure Violet wasn’t punished for this, but she didn’t know yet why Violet was late and that could make a difference.

Caitlyn looked at her more closely again, growing more weary. “Is that blood on your shirt?” Whose blood was it? Surely not Violet’s. It was far too much for that to be the case but there were slashes in her clothes Caitlyn did not like the look of and a hasty bandage on her thigh.

“Oh.” Violet looked down at her clothes like she hadn’t even noticed the grime covering her. Stared at her own, shaking hands that were equally stained. “Right.” Her voice sounded hollow and she swallowed. It took her a few more seconds of staring at trembling fingers before she could pry her eyes back up. “It’s fine. I have to go change anyway.”

Caitlyn’s eyes widened. She couldn't be serious. Violet was– Violet was in shock, she realised.

“Wait–” Caitlyn stepped in Violet’s path, nearly flinching when she instinctively reached out for Violet’s shoulder. Violet didn’t react at all. She just looked at Caitlyn with an empty stare, her shoulders tense. Caitlyn couldn't think of anything better to ask than: “What happened?”

Violet tensed up even more, though she still shook, still seemed mentally far away. She didn’t respond. Didn’t move. Caitlyn’s hand felt so out of place on her arm but she couldn't bring herself to let go. She felt like if she did Violet would slip away, somehow. Her own desperation was growing. She felt so helpless. All she could think to do was to ask again:

“What’s wrong, Violet?”

Something about the question made Violet come undone. Emotion seemed to slam into her in an instant, face twisting a second before a sob burst from her throat. She ripped herself away from Caitlyn’s reassuring hand and collapsed against a wall, sliding down it until she was huddled up against it.

“Fuck”, Vi pressed out before the tension in her face became overwhelming and more sobs shook her, tears bursting from her eyes.

Caitlyn briefly recoiled, then gathered herself and reached out for her again. “Violet–”

“Stop calling me that!” Vi’s face was suddenly fury incarnate, even as the tears streamed. Vi growled, looking away, finally covering her face with her forearms.

It’s your name, some confused and petulant part of Caitlyn wanted to argue, but she held it back. She was struggling to understand but she couldn't be upset with Violet for it, couldn't demand answers from someone in such a state. Jayce didn’t call her Violet either, apparently that was what she preferred?

Carefully, Caitlyn tried: “Vi?”

“I’m fine”, Vi immediately bit out from between clenched teeth, still hiding. It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t yelling at her anymore either so Caitlyn considered it a step in the right direction.

“You are clearly not”, Caitlyn rebuffed as gently as she could, sitting down beside Vi, not quite close enough to touch. She understood why Vi might not want to admit as much but she had to concede that this wouldn't work.

Vi was shaking, sobs and tears interrupting her as she said: “I h– have to do my j-job.”

Caitlyn felt bad to grow so frustrated with a crying girl, but she couldn't help it. Vi was being irrational and that made helping her a lot harder. “Fine”, she said with a sigh. “I’m a Kiramman, that means I get to tell you what your job is and right now I’m saying your job is letting me know what I can do to help.”

Vi slowly lowered her arms to look at Caitlyn. It wasn’t quite her usual glare, but the best approximation she could manage in her current state. 

“Don’t ever –”, she started, struggling with her breathing. “Tell anyone – about this.” It sounded almost like pleading, which felt absolutely wrong coming from Violet of all people.

“I won’t”, Caitlyn reassured her. “You know I won’t.” Caitlyn hadn’t even told anyone about her fight with Vi when her wrist had kept hurting for a week and might have benefited from a splint. Right now she was really glad for the trust that had built, even if she couldn’t have predicted what Vi did next.

Hesitating for one more moment, Vi finally uncurled, reached out for Caitlyn, pulling her close by her jacket and soon had her arms fully wrapped around her, face pressed into her shoulder. Vi clung to Caitlyn, shaking all over and cried. For a moment Caitlyn was shocked still, for another she worried about how all the dirt and blood would rub off into her clothes. She pushed all that out of her mind and gently laid her arms around Vi’s shaking body, doing her best to reassure her. Vi flinched briefly, presumably at the additional contact, but she didn’t let go. Didn’t move. She just kept crying in Caitlyn’s embrace on the floor of this hallway as seconds ticked into minutes. Caitlyn wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, just worried and strangely nervous. Her heart was beating a little too fast.

After what felt like eternity, Vi’s shaking finally started to lessen, finally subsiding. Vi let go of Caitlyn, pushing herself away and against the wall again. She wiped the tears from her face with her sleeve, which only made her face dirtier.

“It’s my dad”, Vi said so quietly that Caitlyn had to strain to hear, heart instantly dropping. “He’s hurt, he– he might be dying.”

Caitlyn made to get up, heart picking up even more speed. “We have to tell my mother, she can–”

Vi lunged for her, grasping Caitlyn’s wrist in a death grip. “NO!”, she shouted, panic clear in her voice. “No Topside, no… no enforcers. He’s already with a doctor, I–” Vi seemed to force herself to pry her fingers off Caitlyn’s wrist, looking into Caitlyn’s eyes for only a second before returning to curling up as tight as she could. “He’s going to be fine”, she said like she was trying to convince herself. She sounded manic. “I’m overreacting. He can’t die. It would be my fault if he died. I made him go, I made Powder shoot– I–” Words seemed to get stuck in Vi’s throat and she shook her head, simply repeating: “He can’t die.”

Caitlyn still barely understood what was going on. Vi had made her father go where? Had made her sister… shoot something? Or someone? Caitlyn knew better than to pester Vi for answers right now though. Vi wouldn’t accept her mother’s help, but Caitlyn had to do something. She got up from the floor, doing her best to brush the dirt off her dress. It wasn’t too bad.

“Stay here, I’ll be back”, she told Vi.

“Don’t tell your mother!”, Vi begged again and Caitlyn nearly rolled her eyes.

“I won’t. I’ll tell her you’re with Jayce today and then I’m taking you back to the undercity.” It was a simplistic solution but Caitlyn couldn't think of a different one. Vi deserved to be with her family right now and Caitlyn couldn't just send her off alone. She could almost delude herself into believing she was offering to take her out of generosity, but what was the point? Her own morbid curiosity – her need to know what was happening, to understand – was what made her do it this way. “You have to wait for me, okay?”, she reiterated. She did also have to make sure Vi stayed out of trouble and wanted to find out if there was another way for her to help after all.

Vi looked at her, eyes big, with just the slightest hint of doubt. Then she swallowed, nodding slowly. Caitlyn guessed that was all the confirmation she was going to get and headed toward her mother’s office.

“Hey, mom?”, she asked immediately upon coming in. She believed Vi would wait like she asked but she didn’t want to waste time either. Her mother looked up from her work only briefly, apparently very busy. For once this was a good thing.

“Caitlyn. What is it?”, she asked absentmindedly. “Has Violet arrived yet? I lost track of time but it is past her shift start, isn’t it?”

“That’s why I’m here”, Caitlyn said. “Jayce is outside and would really like Vi’s help on a personal project but he’s unsure about asking–”

Her mother interrupted her with a wave of her hand. “Excellent”, she said. “Tell him she’s his for as long as he needs her. I have enough on my plate as it is.”

Caitlyn smiled despite the serious situation. Cassandra Kiramman had never asked for all this and her nonchalance was very amusing. “Thanks, mom”, she said. “I’ll let them know. And I’ll probably be joining them for a bit.”

“Have fun”, her mother told her, still not looking up from her work.

Caitlyn rushed back to the servant's quarters where to her relief Vi was still sitting against the wall. Caitlyn grimaced. The wall would need to be cleaned. She supposed for today that would be someone else’s job.

“Come on”, Caitlyn said. “We’re free to go.”

Vi’s eyes snapped up toward her. “Seriously?”, she asked.

Caitlyn tried not to feel insulted by that disbelief. “Seriously. Lead the way.”

Vi did not need her to tell her twice. She flinched as she got up from the floor and Caitlyn wondered again if any of the blood was her own. If Vi was injured she certainly didn’t let that stop her as she set a brutal pace toward the undercity. Across the river they reached a ledge and Vi looked to be about to jump down it when Caitlyn caught her by her jacket.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”, she almost yelled.

Vi looked between her and the building and construction filled chasm. “Taking the fast way”, Vi just said.

Caitlyn pulled her away from the ledge. “I’m sorry but no. Pick a different one that won’t kill us.” Begrudgingly Caitlyn considered that despite appearances Vi was clearly serious about this being a viable way down for her so she added: “One I can actually follow. That’s the deal.”

Caitlyn didn’t have to say what she would do if Vi broke it. Vi frowned at her but finally sighed and turned in a different direction. Ten minutes later they were boarding a hidden elevator down to one of the deepest levels of the undercity. Caitlyn felt the air grow thicker as the light got dimmer, barely managing not to cough. The elevator rattled and Caitlyn flinched. Exiting it into a dark street mainly lit by neon signs she stuck extra close to Vi as they made their way past rack-shack stalls and leather clad strangers, some of whom glared at them as they passed. There were occasional sounds of conflict and gunfire in the distance. Caitlyn was glad when the streets became more deserted.

Eventually they reached what looked like a warehouse – or at least it used to be. Covered in graffiti, moss and half collapsed it probably wasn’t used as one anymore. Vi knocked against a half-hidden metal door hard three times. As they waited, Caitlyn was half holding her breath, unsure what to expect. Eventually there was a clicking sound as the metal vent slits on the door shifted slightly. When there was no further response Vi sighed and said: “I don’t remember the stupid password, but it’s me.”

There was more metal clanking of a key being turned and bolt sliding aside and then the door was pulled open in an instant. “Vi!?”

The boy who’d opened the door was lankey with a narrow face and wild eyebrows and hair, which was messily brushed back. His shoulders looked tense and he was similarly covered in dirt as Vi was. He initially looked relieved until he saw Caitlyn. His face instantly shifted to weary, hand going to a knife at his belt. Caitlyn instinctively took a step back.

Vi looked back at her like she’d only just remembered she was there. “That’s Caitlyn”, she said. “She's the reason I was able to come back.” Then she turned to Caitlyn and nodded at the boy. “That’s my brother Mylo.”

The boy’s eyes narrowed as he raised one eyebrow, still scrutinizing her. Caitlyn’s eyes darted nervously between his eyes and knife. “That Caitlyn?”, he asked.

Vi scoffed. “The one and only.”

Caitlyn looked between them uncertainly, wondering if she’d made a horrible mistake coming here. After another moment the boy – Mylo – stepped aside though, letting Vi through and putting away the knife. Vi in turn waved for Caitlyn to follow. “Come on, before someone spots us.”

Caitlyn nearly asked who would be looking for them but then thought better of it. Maybe she had finally found something she didn’t want to know.

“How is he?”, Vi asked as they walked deeper into the warehouse. After a small entrance hall they entered a larger room with stacks of ancient looking crates. Caitlyn trailed behind as she took it all in while the two siblings talked.

“Stable for now”, Mylo said. “But doc says the shrapnel needs to come out before Vander wakes up because they could still move and…” He trailed off, leaving the rest unsaid.

“Powder?”, Vi asked next.

“Asleep”, Mylo replied. “Ekko stopped by, that really calmed her down. He’s back at the bar. Deckard is holed up there too. Phase two is working so far. No casualties.”

Phase two? They were up to something. Whatever had happened to Vi’s father hadn’t just been bad luck but Caitlyn still didn’t know enough to say if she would withhold sympathy. Unfortunately she still didn’t feel like it would be a good idea to ask.

They reached another door, a tall and broad boy sitting against the wall in front of it. He was only wearing an undershirt, bandages covering his right shoulder. The bandages were the only clean part of him. He perked up when he saw them approaching.

“Vi!?”, he said, getting up from the floor carefully to pull Vi into a quick hug. “What about the indenture?”, he asked.

Vi nodded toward Caitlyn. “Got a pardon from the Kiramman heir for today.” As if remembering something Vi turned around to face Caitlyn, looking– sheepish? She seemed to be considering her words for a moment but ultimately she said nothing, looking away again.

The tall boy approached her instead, holding out his hand to her. “I’m Claggor, Vi’s brother”, he said.

Caitlyn took his hand and shook it, slightly bewildered by the very different reaction compared to Mylo. “Caitlyn”, she introduced herself, since Vi had only mentioned her last name this time. She tried not to immediately wipe her hand off on her jacket. He wasn’t actually that dirty.

“Can I go in to see him?”, Vi meanwhile asked, looking at the door in front of them. Caitlyn noticed a pile of unconventionally coloured Ionian animal masks lying next to the door for the first time, along with what looked like some oversized metal gloves and a bat, both splattered with blood. Looking at it made her feel slightly sick but her eyes kept being drawn back.

Claggor stepped forward to stick his head through the door, briefly exchanging words with someone inside before opening the door wide to bid them inside. Caitlyn was beginning to feel like she was intruding, but she couldn't stop herself from filing into the room with the rest of them.

The room was small, a good third of it occupied with outdated medical equipment including a gurney holding an absolutely massive man. The second Caitlyn’s eyes fell on him she averted them again, shocked by what she’d managed to make out in just such a brief moment. The man’s upper body was bare, angry red gauges lining his chest. Caitlyn knew it was a bad idea but she couldn't stop herself from looking again, couldn't stop herself from seeing the small bits of metal sticking from his torso. She saw a suture in his side that was also still bloody and raw – a cleaner cut, probably from a knife. Some of the man’s veins protruded uncomfortably, looking themselves like more bloody slashes. Caitlyn looked away, the images already burning into her memory.

“Thank the murky waters, Vi!”, a new voice said and Caitlyn focused on that instead. Focused on the uninjured, clean and hefty man with impressive sideburns and a receding hairline that clamped an encouraging hand on Vi’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’re back. You’re in no condition to be working.”

“Is Vander going to be okay?”, Vi immediately asked him too.

The man sighed, eyes guttering with his own grief as he nervously scratched the back of his head. “A good thing you did, getting him here. He won't be leaving us just yet…” He trailed off.

A woman stepped toward them from the gurney.  Caitlyn had been so focused on the man lying on it that she hadn’t even noticed the doctor. Gray streaks ran through tightly curled hair held back in a braid that fell down the doctor’s back. There was no humour or comfort in her aged face, and no mercy in her words when she said: “He’s stable and sedated right now but unless the shrapnel is removed any movement could be his death warrant.”

Vi was a lot calmer than Caitlyn would have been, but there was a harsh edge to her own words when she responded: “Then take them out!”

“I’d love to, kid”, the doctor said, crossing her arms. “But your father has lost a lot of blood. Taking out the shrapnel would lose him more and I don’t have any more on hand. He might make it without but I don't love his chances. Neither does Benzo.”

Benzo shook his head, his voice steady and reassuring. “We’ve just discussed this”, he told Vi. “I’ll go and see about getting some blood so the doctor can do her work. It’ll be alright, Vi. Vander’s strong. He’d never leave you.”

Caitlyn looked back and forth between Vi, who’s shoulders were bunching together with what Caitlyn knew by now was frustration, and the man – Vander – on the gurney. No matter what he’d done to get this way, there were people here who needed him. Caitlyn felt her eyes sting. This sucked. In a hospital in Piltover they would have enough blood reserves on hand, easily.

“None of you can give him blood?”, she asked, knowing it was a stupid question. She just needed more time to think.

The gathered people turned to her, many of them having apparently forgotten her presence again. That made sense. She was an intruder, an uninvited guest.

It was Mylo who finally answered her with a grimace. “We’ve got the wrong blood type.”

Right. Vi’s biological parents were dead. Vander had adopted her and her sister. Caitlyn wasn’t sure about the two boys, but Vander had taken in two children in need and now those children were watching him die.

It wasn’t really a decision Caitlyn was coming to. It wasn’t a choice if there was only one right answer.

She shrugged out of her jacket, taking a step toward the doctor. “I’m a universal donor, you can take mine.”

The doctor startled, looking at her with raised eyebrows. She shook her head. “No way.”

Caitlyn was taken aback. “What?”, she asked, almost outraged. “Why not!”

“I recognise who you are, girl”, the doctor said. “We do our best to get our equipment sterile but I can’t guarantee it. There’s no way I’m risking killing a Councillor’s kid. I’m sorry, but I have to watch out for myself here.”

Caitlyn couldn't believe this. She needed blood to save a man’s life and she was refusing because– because Caitlyn’s life was more important?! But she was volunteering! She knew the risks – she wasn’t worried. It would be worth it to save Vi’s father; the only parent she seemed to have left. She was above arguing with the doctor though. She knew a woman who wouldn’t budge when she saw one – the doctor reminded her very strongly of Grayson.

Instead of arguing, she scanned the equipment in front of her. There, beside the gurney was a little side-table with a scalpel, scissors, clamps and some other tools. But the only one Caitlyn cared about was the IV needle. She stepped forward to grab it and before anyone could stop her she jammed it into her forearm, flinching at the painful prick. It took more force to break skin than she had expected, which made her a bit queasy. She quickly pulled it out again, too aware of her own gaps of knowledge. She didn’t want to do unnecessary damage to herself. Looking up she found everyone in the room staring at her with wide eyes. She instantly felt nervous, but stayed resolute.

“There”, she said, turning to the doctor again. “Now if the equipment is bad I’m already exposed. Take the blood. I know I’m young and can’t donate much but anything could make a difference, right?”

The doctor stared at her, mouth hanging open for a moment. “I–” It almost looked like she would keep protesting but then she turned to the others in the room and instead of support for her cause she found only hope that she’d abandon it. She sighed. “Alright, fine”, she relented, gesturing toward a chair by the wall. “Get over here.”

Heart hammering Caitlyn sat where she was instructed, carefully handing back the needle she’d taken. She knew there were ways to disinfect and re-sharpen them, but she wasn’t sure if the undercity had access to them. She made a mental note that she owed this doctor an IV needle, maybe two. The doctor grabbed her arm and disinfected both the self-inflicted stab wound – which stung a little – and the crook of her elbow.

Caitlyn looked down at the floor. She had offered but she wasn’t super comfortable watching her own blood being taken. Thankfully the others spoke up, providing an excellent distraction.

“That girl really is crazy”, she heard Mylo say.

“Yeah”, Vi answered and Caitlyn was beginning to feel indignant. But then Vi went on to say: “She really is.” And it was weird, because Caitlyn had never heard such rude words said with such a tone of admiration. She was spared feeling too conflicted about it when Vi snorted and said: “And you were going to rob her.”

“Wha–”, Mylo started to protest. “You nearly agreed to!”

At that Caitlyn finally turned her head to look at them, frowning. Even if she supposed she could understand where they were coming from she was kind of annoyed. She met Vi’s eyes then though, and any complaint or retort got stuck in her throat. She couldn't think of a word to describe how Vi looked at her. It was a mix of gratitude and confusion but somehow even more than that, which Caitlyn couldn't name. She looked away again.

The doctor was done putting the needle in her, now she just had to wait for the blood bag to fill. She felt awkward as everyone was kind of still watching her even though she wasn’t really doing anything.

“Well, she wasn’t lying”, the doctor remarked, breaking the silence that had wrapped around them. She had a little test wipe in her hands. “She is a universal donor. When I’m done taking her blood I can operate.”

The room seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

“In the meantime, you”, the doctor pointed at Vi. “Have to take off your shirt.”

Caitlyn couldn't help but look up at the doctor in confusion and then at Vi who seemed just as shocked. “What!?”, she asked. “Why?”

“The scratches on your back”, the doctor said. “I’m taking a look at them before you run off this time. Filthy as you are they definitely need to be cleaned at the very least.”

Vi huffed but started to peel out of her jacket and then– Caitlyn turned away when she pulled her shirt over her head. Caitlyn was curious about Vi’s injuries, but for the life of her she couldn't bring herself to peek. The doctor got to work and Caitlyn just closed her eyes altogether. It had been an eventful morning, she was getting kind of tired.

It wasn’t until she heard snapping and flinched at the fingers making noise right into her face that she remembered: Oh yeah. She was giving blood right now.

“Don’t dip out on me”, the doctor scolded her. Then she sighed. “Sorry. I’m used to having a nurse around. Can’t do shit without her but her husband recently got his hands on Shimmer and his body reacted poorly.”

The doctor pulled the needle out of her arm, pressed a bit of gauze onto the crook of her elbow and took Caitlyn’s other hand to make her hold down on it herself. “At least we’ll definitely have enough blood now”, the doctor said in a jovial tone and Caitlyn was relieved to hear that. She looked around drowsily only to startle when she saw Vi standing a lot closer to her than expected. Thankfully she was wearing her shirt again. Even so, Caitlyn was briefly mesmerized by her bare biceps.

“Come on, Cupcake”, she said, holding a hand out to her.

Caitlyn took it, getting up from the chair only for her head to spin and feet to stumble. Vi was there instantly, steadying her.

“Sorry”, Caitlyn said, feeling colour rising to her cheeks. She sure had put herself into quite the situation here.

“Don’t worry about it”, Vi said, her look at Caitlyn feeling weird still. Then she slung an arm around Caitlyn’s shoulders to steady her as they walked out of the room.

“Where are we going?”, Caitlyn asked, not exactly nervous but unable to stand the uncertainty.

“Just to a different room to let the doctor work. Benzo is getting us food”, Vi explained. She chuckled. “You really need it, light weight.”

Caitlyn did not remember the man leaving so Vi was probably right but she still felt annoyed. “Urgh”, she groaned. “I’d rather you keep calling me Cupcake than that.”

“Good to know”, Vi said, her voice feeling warm and Caitlyn looked over to her to see her smirking. That smirk was an unexpected relief. Since Vi had arrived at the manor in her horrible state she hadn't felt right to Caitlyn and now finally a bit of what she had come to associate with Vi was coming back to the surface. Caitlyn realised belatedly that she was staring, but thankfully Vi had been too busy steering them to another door to notice.

Inside this next room was a dinner table with chairs and a corner with two couches, one of which was taken up by the sleeping form of the blue haired girl – Powder, Vi’s little sister. Her clothes too were scuffed and a bit dirty and Caitlyn’s mind raced trying to put together what the hell they could have been doing where Vader had almost died and yet Powder had been there too?

Vi set her down on one of the chairs of the table, Mylo and Claggor already seated there.

“Hey”, Mylo nodded at her, shrugging awkwardly as he struggled to look her in the eye. “Thanks or whatever.”

Claggor snorted, looking at Caitlyn properly with a warm and genuinely grateful smile, tilting his head toward his brother. “What he said.”

“Yeah”, Vi agreed and Caitlyn’s eyes inescapably darted back to her as she sat in the chair across from her. “What he said.”

Vi wasn’t great at saying thank you, Caitlyn already knew that. She never said thank you to Jayce either. The fact that she’d gone so far as to even verbally imply gratitude felt… special. Caitlyn didn’t want to know how many pints of her blood it had taken to get this, nor did she want to investigate too closely why it pleased her so much. No. She was simply going to enjoy it.

She shrugged, smiling genuinely back at all of them. “I’m just glad I could help.”

Chapter Text

Benzo was back with food twenty minutes later and Vi gently shook Powder awake so she could eat. She was more bleary eyed than Caitlyn, but funnily enough not by too much.

“The doc is working on Vander right now”, Vi got to tell her sister. “He’s gonna be okay.”

Of course, they still didn’t technically know that for sure, but it might as well be true. Vi didn’t accept a reality where it wasn't. It was bizarre enough that Caitlyn Kiramman had been a pivotal part of creating the reality where it was.

“What is she doing here?”, Powder asked with a grimace as she spotted Caitlyn sitting at the table, where Benzo was distributing bowls.

“She let me come home despite my indenture”, Vi said, feeling generally flattered that Powder still held a grudge against Caitlyn but also slightly bad about it specifically right now. “And she donated blood to help Vander”, she added. It sounded so simple and small but it had been anything but. Vi still struggled to believe it. She struggled to believe everything that Caitlyn had done for her in the past hour. Even if it had been embarrassing to cry in her arms, Vi was… grateful.

It was weird. Vi chalked her weird feelings up to the eventful past hours. Her mind was still all over the place.

“Oh”, Powder said meanwhile, eyes still narrowed at Caitlyn but seemingly willing to accept her presence for now. “Okay.”

They both sat down at the table as well. Benzo had paused in his efforts to keep them fed and was looking at their Piltoven guest.

“Caitlyn Kiramman, was it?”, he asked gently. “I just have to say, you are quite the young lady. Vander–” He paused to swallow down some of his emotion. “Vander is my oldest friend and you gave him a real chance at pulling through. Thank you.” He patted Caitlyn’s shoulder. “It’s always grand to find there are still good kids growing up in this scarred old world.”

Caitlyn smiled back at him but instead of proud or something like that she mostly looked embarrassed. Not to be here with them, Vi didn’t think. Caitlyn wasn’t that much of a snob. It was more like she didn't feel like what she’d done was worth all this acknowledgement.

Benzo didn’t wait for her to respond, didn’t put her on the spot like that. Instead he clapped his hands and untied the bundle he’d brought that contained a steaming pot.

“Now dig in!”, he declared. “You all need to get your strength back up after what you went through. Still can’t quite believe it if I’m honest.”

They didn’t need to be told twice. Mylo opened the pot and Claggor grabbed the ladle and soon they were each trying not to burn their mouths on the stew they truly did desperately need. Everyone except for Caitlyn, who was still looking at Benzo, her bowl so ignored that Claggor took pity and snatched it away to fill it for her.

“What exactly… did they do?”, Caitlyn asked the old man and Vi was vaguely relieved that she wasn’t snubbing the food – she was just being her typical nosey self.

“Ah, right”, Benzo said uncertainty, unsure how best to explain to an outsider. “Do you know Shimmer? These kids made sure that it wouldn't be haunting our streets anymore last night.”

“Yeah”, Mylo said, gesturing with his spoon. “Silco can take his drug empire and stuff it!”

“Not in our lanes”, Vi agreed.

“Not anymore”, Claggor added past a spoonful of stew still too hot to swallow.

Vi watched intently as Caitlyn’s eyes widened with what she could only guess was surprise and maybe wonder. Her attention was diverted when Powder tugged on her shirt.

“Did you… when you were getting Vander, did you see Silco?”, she asked, sounding worried.

Right, Vi thought. Powder had to still believe she might have killed him. Vi was both disappointed and glad that she hadn't. Silco should be dead but Powder shouldn’t be the one to carry that weight.

“I did”, Vi said with a shrug, trying to keep the anger out of her voice. “The fucker was running away.”

“He probably won’t be back any time soon”, Benzo said. “Ekko has every gang unsympathetic to him rooting out the rest of his operation. Any connection we know about is going to be burned by this weekend, I’m telling you. You kids did good.”

With Benzo’s praise the reality of what they had achieved was finally starting to sink in for Vi. Vander’s flirtation with death had overshadowed it, but they had done what they had set out to do. Her plan had worked. A new factory would take months to establish and if they could keep phase two going – if they could keep the undercity turned against Silco – he wouldn't get that chance.

Caitlyn looked at each of them, mind working.

“You… you really did that?”, she asked, definitely sounding disbelieving in an impressed kind of way. “You stopped Shimmer dealing?”

“Well, we blew up the factory”, Vi was the one to answer her, most comfortable talking to Caitlyn. And maybe bragging, just a little bit. “It’s only a matter of time before the trade dries up.”

Caitlyn nodded, still seeming to be processing, lost deep in thought. Vi wished she knew what the Piltie was thinking and for the first time it was out of genuine curiosity rather than frustrated resentment with her inexplicable actions. But she wasn’t about to ask and just kept watching as Caitlyn finally pulled the bowl of food close and blew on her first spoonful with the patience of a well fed and also very distracted person.

By the time she finally ate it Vi thought it might well be cold and Caitlyn swallowed it easily. At first. Ten seconds later her face twisted a little and she coughed.

“Everything alright, lass?”, Benzo asked, turning toward her in concern.

Caitlyn raised her hands reassuringly. “Yes, I’m fine, thank you.” Her face was a little red. She hesitated a moment before explaining: “It’s just spicier than I expected.”

Mylo and Claggor both laughed. Vi herself couldn't quite keep a smile off her face. No wonder she couldn't handle it what with how bland Piltoven dishes were.

“Ah”, Benzo said, smiling a bit himself. “Apologies, this is how I usually season it. I could see about getting you something else?”

“It’s alright”, Caitlyn said awkwardly, clearly not wanting to give him the extra work. “It tastes delicious, I just have to adjust.”

Vi exchanged amused and dubious glances with her siblings. Caitlyn took her time with the second spoonful and Vi almost thought she was nervous but probably she was still just being cautious of the temperature. She picked up the pace as the broth cooled and while her face stayed a little red and she cleared her throat occasionally, she did seem to be handling the spice. She finished the whole bowl.

The rest of them went for seconds and Caitlyn stayed lost in her own thoughts. It had to be strange for her to be here. If she felt so separate from all of them from Vi’s perspective she had no idea how Caitlyn herself had to feel. It occurred to her that this well might be Caitlyn Kiramman’s first time going into the undercity at all, let alone into the fissures. 

Those thoughts made the next things Caitlyn said all the more baffling. She seemed to wait until they were all done eating, then addressed Vi: “I… I’m sure I can find something to tell my mom about where you are that she’ll accept. I’ll make sure you can spend your days here for a while – until your father recovers at least.”

Vi’s siblings seemed to still, looking between Vi and Caitlyn but remaining silent themselves, waiting to see how Vi would respond.

Vi blinked. She was too tired for true surprise, but obviously she hadn’t expected that. Or had she? Really, she hadn’t been thinking further than the next hour at most. Tomorrow seemed like a distant eventuality that barely mattered. What mattered was making it through today. But Caitlyn was thinking ahead. Vi didn’t know what to say, was tempted for the third time today to say: “Thank you”, and for the third time the words stayed stuck in her throat. Trapped in her lungs like a too big balloon.

“Under one condition”, Caitlyn added with a stern look before Vi’s silence became obvious. Vi’s brow furrowed at her tone despite her own inner conflict. “You still come to the Kiramman estate every morning and then come back here with me”, Caitlyn continued. “I’ll also need you to bring me back in the evening. This way we can keep up appearances of you coming to work and… and I can keep an eye on you. To make sure you don’t run off.”

That last bit had sounded somewhat hesitant, like she wasn’t entirely convinced herself, but her face stayed resolute. Vi would have bet a hefty sum on Caitlyn staying firm on anything once she’d said it, no matter how stupid.

“So, what?”, Vi asked dubiously. “You’d just be here too every day?”

The offer to get to come home was obviously deeply compelling, but it was a strange caveat.

“Yes”, Caitlyn simply confirmed.

Vi almost laughed. “Doing what?”

That seemed to bring Caitlyn up short for a moment. “Whatever you are, I guess”, she pulled out of the back of her mind, growing steadier again as she added: “Supervising.”

Now Vi did laugh, and her siblings chuckled along. To picture Caitlyn Kiramman doing the things they did… it was ridiculous. As was the notion of her “supervising” in any capacity. To what end?

Caitlyn frowned at their reaction, face so familiarly petulant. “It might sound silly but it’s a serious and honest offer”, she said. That phrasing instantly made Vi sit up just a bit straighter. She’d heard it before after all, and knew what it meant – what Caitlyn very much intended for it to mean. She leveled that same serious look as back then at Vi. “The alternative is you continuing your indenture like before. Do you want that?”

Vi’s lips pressed together at the implied challenge. They both knew Vi didn't want to continue her indenture when her family was here struggling. Putting the pieces back together after her plan had gone just a bit awry. Her plan that everyone had agreed to though, she realised. She didn't have to make this choice alone.

“Give us a minute”, she told Caitlyn and gestured for Mylo, Claggor and Powder to get up with her, gathering by the couches – out of earshot of Caitlyn if they spoke softly. They huddled together.

“Crazy girl who tormented you for months?”, Mylo instantly asked her to confirm, expression dubious.

Vi cringed, glancing back at Caitlyn briefly. Caitlyn was pretending to look elsewhere. “I don’t know, something’s changed. I think she’s being genuine.” Thinking of the beating again she added: “Crazy as she is, I know she sticks to her word.”

“She did save Vander”, Claggor pointed out.

“She helped Vander”, Powder corrected with a scowl. “And she got Vi in trouble. We can’t trust her.”

“Also, it’ll be annoying to have to deal with her being here”, Mylo said with a grimace.

Claggor seemed contemplative. “But it would mean having Vi around again. If she’s being honest.” Vi didn’t bother reiterating that she believed she was. Caitlyn would have to prove that to them herself in due time. “I think this is mostly down to you, Vi”, Claggor concluded. “You’d be the one responsible for her.”

True. It would be quite the chore to play guide to a tourist Piltie – no matter how generous she’d been all day today.

“And it’s your freedom on the line”, Mylo agreed with a nod. “You can make the call.”

Two people on board with whatever she chose, Vi turned to Powder for her judgement. Powder was still frowning. She obviously didn’t like Caitlyn. Their first encounter had been rough, today’s heroics notwithstanding. When Powder met Vi’s eyes though Vi could see the longing in them. For Vi to be able to be here again…

Powder nodded. “I say: Agree to the terms for now. You can always go back if it sucks.” Or ditch the Kirammans altogether if necessary. It was an unspoken addition that Vi nonetheless felt they all understood and agreed to. Vi hoped it wouldn't come to that but she didn't dare rely on Caitlyn entirely, despite everything.

Vi nodded and they broke apart, returning to their seats at the table. Caitlyn looked at them all wearily, even as the curiosity was clear in her eyes.

“You’ve got yourself a deal, Kiramman”, Vi finally told her with a smirk.

Caitlyn’s responding smile was a beat too slow and relieved. She had been nervous – worried she would reject the offer. Something about that rubbed Vi the wrong way.

She didn’t have any time to contemplate that though because Powder followed up with her own declaration, delivered to Caitlyn with a stone cold expression and nearly devoid of emotion entirely.

“If you do anything to hurt or trick us I’m putting a bullet in your head”, she said. Like it wasn’t a threat, just a statement of fact.

Caitlyn swallowed, eyes large. Nonetheless she said: “Understood.”

Vi couldn’t quite decide if she was proud of or worried about her sister. For today she was too tired to linger on it.

—

Powder wanted to stay up until they got news from Vander so they played cards. Vi was very entertained learning just how shit Caitlyn’s poker face was. She wasn’t bad at the game but as soon as a win depended on bluffing she was betrayed by her own expression. It got so bad that Mylo reflexively hackled her about it.

“Such a shame that money can’t buy acting skills”, he said, the severity of his faux pas hitting him a second too late.

They all tensed at the breach of social hierarchy Vi still felt clinging to this situation. The daughter of one of the richest, most influential families in Piltover was sitting at their table, having just completely squandered the perfect hand with a shit lie. It was weird and Caitlyn herself had to know it too. She had every reason to be upset at Mylo’s jab.

Caitlyn did blow out a frustrated breath, but it was clearly directed at her most recent loss rather than Mylo. Then she shrugged and said: “I guess at least I can afford to lose.”

Mylo chuckled at that, at first reflexively, still tense. Then it became clear that Caitlyn wasn’t upset and the tension dissipated, Vi herself also huffing in amusement. Powder kept scowling at Caitlyn but that was to be expected.

Vi actually ended up loosing track of time. Briefly she managed to stop thinking about her father fighting for his life a few rooms over and actually had a bit of fun, even as the lack of sleep in the past twenty-four hours was starting to weigh on her. She definitely wasn’t playing her best but with Caitlyn there to be even worse nobody noticed. Hell, she didn’t think any of them were at the top of their game anymore.

She startled when Benzo opened the door, sticking his head in to tell them: “The doc is done. Vander’s all patched up. He’s got a few more hours of sedation left and is doing well.”

Vi breathed in like she’d been quietly suffocating, not realising how tight her chest had been, how heavy the weight that now slipped from her shoulders. She wiped tears of relief from her face and the game was instantly forgotten as they tossed down their cards and rushed from the room to go see their father.

Vander was still on the gurney but his torso was now covered with bandages and a thin blanket. He just looked like he was asleep – peaceful and still. Vi watched closely to see his chest rise and fall with his breathing, with life. He was alive.

She hadn’t killed her father.

Powder was the first to make it to his side, climbing into the single chair at his bedside and laying her head on his mostly uninjured shoulder to cry with her own relief. Claggor stepped forward to comfort her while wiping at his own face and Mylo went to Vander’s other side to look him over and reach out for his hand. Vi finally came to Claggor’s side and took Vanders other hand, his fingers thick and rough as always but limp instead of reassuring. She kept looking at his face and did her best to enjoy the serenity of it, to know he would be okay. Despite everything she did. Because of everything she did. Vander was going to be okay. He had to be.

“We did it”, she told him, knowing she’d tell him again once he could actually hear it but unable to wait. “I knew we could do it.”

She hadn’t wanted to but she was crying again and stepped back a little so her siblings wouldn't see her own irritation at her emotions. She looked around for Caitlyn, who she just knew would be watching with that unnerving, quiet curiosity of hers – only to find that Caitlyn wasn’t there. Vi took a moment to gather herself, then stepped back outside. Caitlyn was squatting down by the wall there, looking at their masks. When she heard the door open she startled, nearly dropping Vi’s wolf mask she’d been holding far too delicately, likely in an attempt not to get blood on her fingers. Vi hadn’t realised how much had sprayed onto it. And her gauntlets! She had to clean those before they rusted.

Vi wordlessly snatched the mask out of Caitlyn’s fingers, a lot less concerned about getting her hands dirty. For a moment Caitlyn looked like she would apologise – for what, Vi wasn’t sure – but then she stayed quiet after all. Vi was glad Caitlyn had had the sense to wait outside but there was something nearly as exposing in her looking at these remnants of the night. Without looking at Caitlyn she tried gathering the other masks and weapons, not quite able to carry them all at once.

Benzo came walking up then, carrying a bundle that sounded like their dishes. He smiled at Vi and Caitlyn and then, half to them and half shouting into the medical room, said: “I’m putting away the dishes and then I’ll be coming back with more blankets. You kids need sleep. Try to lie down for Vander’s sake. Wouldn't want you all to be exhausted when he wakes up.”

Looking into the other room Vi saw Powder hesitate and Claggor say something to her quietly before they all came out of the room together. Benzo patted Claggor’s shoulder reassuringly, then turned to leave.

“I’ll be with you in a minute”, Vi told her siblings. “I’m just going to wash these real quick.” She nodded at the masks.

“Right”, Mylo said, scratching the back of his neck. “I totally forgot about all that.”

“No worries”, Vi told him with a smirk. “I’m back now.”

Mylo snorted but just waved to excuse himself, indeed yawning as he headed back to the room with the sofas.

“Do you want help with that?”, Claggor asked.

Before Vi could respond, Caitlyn said: “We’ve got it.”

Vi, having effectively forgotten that Caitlyn was even here again, blinked at her with some surprise, as did Claggor. But finally he shrugged and turned to leave himself, taking Powder with him, who looked tempted to stay. Vi would go talk to her about… well – everything – soon.

Caitlyn picked up the remaining two masks that Vi hadn’t been able to fit into her hands along with the first two, her gauntlets and Claggor’s bat.

“You don’t have to do that, you know”, Vi said, frowning at how carefully Caitlyn still held them.

Caitlyn shrugged. “I know. I’ll just carry them to wherever you wash them to spare you the trip.”

Vi was too tired to question her. She led the way across the warehouse, to the other source of water in this place besides the tap in the medical room: A small stream that had carved its way through the nearby rock and was funneled by a rain pipe installed by some clever vagabond into an old bathroom, the only part of which that remained being the grate in the floor leading down into ancient sewers. The steady flow of water was just enough to rinse their things with and there was even a towel – probably brought there by Benzo – Vi could use to dry them off.

Caitlyn put the masks down where she was instructed and considered for a moment before opting to rinse her hands in the stream and wipe them on her dress. Then she leaned against a wall and waited for Vi to finish cleaning. It was probably a testament to how tired Vi was that she found the fact that they had once again ended up in a situation where Vi worked and Caitlyn watched incredibly funny. She didn't remark on it out loud though. As she dried the gauntlets, trying to get all the hard-to-reach places, she pondered what to do about Caitlyn now.

“I’d love to keep entertaining you”, she eventually said. “But Benzo is right. I’m just about to collapse.” It was hard to admit, but easier than actually asking directly: What are you going to do while we sleep? It was such an awkward situation. Vi really didn't want to have to bring Caitlyn back home right now and even if she did she got the sense that Caitlyn would refuse. On the other hand Vi didn't feel great about just setting Caitlyn loose in the undercity either. She would get herself mugged at the very least. But what would she do if she stayed here? Watch them sleep? Vi nearly shuddered at the thought.

Caitlyn chuckled and when Vi looked at her questioningly she said: “I should have brought a book.”

Vi snorted, realising that of course Caitlyn had realised how weirdly familiar this situation was on her own. The remark gave her an idea though.

“Maybe Benzo has one”, she said. “Boring tome about political theory sounds exactly like the kind of thing he’d have lying around gathering dust somewhere. Might even be good for you to read undercity authored works for a change.”

And even if Benzo didn’t have a book for her, he could help Vi figure out where to put Caitlyn for the next few hours.

“That’s not a bad idea”, Caitlyn said with a look of genuine consideration, making Vi’s heart trip over itself.

No. No, she couldn't start hoping. She couldn't put her trust in a random Piltie one day becoming a Councillor and singe-handedly freeing the undercity from oppression – it wasn’t going to happen. If she wanted change she would fight for it herself. It wouldn't be bad if Caitlyn Kiramman kept wising up. But it wouldn't be special either.

When all the masks and weapons were clean and mostly dry and they were walking back toward the others, Caitlyn nodded at the wolf mask and asked: “Is that one yours?”

Vi didn’t know how to feel about the fact that Caitlyn could tell. The masks were each specifically for them, it wasn’t hard to guess right. She just hummed a quick confirmation. It was unmistakable that Caitlyn wanted to ask more but she held her tongue. Vi was glad.

They ran into Benzo bringing the blankets and Vi pawned responsibility for Caitlyn off to him with a quick and simple: “Would you mind?”, and a nod at Caitlyn.

Benzo didn’t even look surprised, he just laughed and nodded. “Don’t you even worry about it”, he said.

Then, barely able to keep her leaden limbs moving at that point, she took the blankets from him and went to join the others. Mylo was out cold but Claggor had waited for the blankets and Powder had waited for Vi. Without her having to say anything, Vi joined her, squeezing onto the couch with her arms wrapped around her sister.

“Thank you”, Powder whispered against her chest and Vi could have almost believed it was just about coming to cuddle and reassure her. There was too much emotion in the words though to be only about that.

“For what?”, Vi asked, dreading the answer.

“Saving him.”

Vi’s face twisted with guilt, though not surprise. It was obvious that Powder blamed herself. She knew she would from the very moment she’d told Claggor to get her out of the factory. It was Vi’s fault for telling her to shoot, but…

“We saved him together”, she told Powder. She wasn't even lying just to reassure her. She genuinely believed it. “Silco would have killed him if you hadn’t fired that crystal.”

Vi could feel Powder’s breath hitch in surprise. Her voice was brittle when she asked: “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure”, Vi reassured her, brushing her fingers through her messy hair.

They could speculate forever what could have happened otherwise, how Vander might have survived anyway, but it was obvious that the explosion had stopped Silco. Even if it hadn't killed him.

“You were amazing last night”, she went on. “We couldn’t have done it without you.”

Powder held on to her tighter and Vi felt quiet tears shake her sister just a little bit. Tears of relief again, she hoped. All she could do was hold her and trust that Powder was strong.

Chapter Text

Four masks, their style so hauntingly familiar. Four siblings who had fought for their lives, the lives of their loved ones and neighbours. Four masks, one stained with more blood than all the rest. A wolf – unsubtle but fitting.

How many people did you kill? A question Caitlyn hadn’t asked. Could not ask and would never. She was almost certain every strike Vi had dealt out had been to protect herself or somebody else. It wasn’t her place to ask.

This wasn’t her place at all. Walking through the undercity by Benzo’s side she admittedly felt safer than when she’d been with only Vi but she still did not feel at ease here. She wondered if this had been what Vi had felt like coming to the manor at first. If this was still what she felt like. Could she ever really get used to this? As soon as they stepped outside it felt like danger lurked behind every corner. Did it feel like this to Vi too? Or did she feel comfortable here the way Caitlyn felt comfortable in her home?

Caitlyn had no sense of direction here, only dimly aware that they had to be moving closer toward the surface because more light gradually reached her. The amount of seemingly severely ill and homeless people also became fewer and Caitlyn felt guilty about being glad for that fact. She knew it wasn’t fair but she couldn't help but be afraid of them.

“Don’t worry, nobody’s gonna hurt you while I’m here”, Benzo reassured her at one point, and she felt guilty for being so obviously worried. She thanked him earnestly.

It was a thirty minute walk to Benzo’s shop, which they took the back entrance into so he wouldn't have to open the metal lattice that discouraged theft. Benzo was here to take care of some orders and had been nice enough to take Caitlyn with him. She didn’t really know what to do with herself. She had committed to this, to being here and she wanted to be – for a lot of different reasons.

For one, she genuinely didn’t know how else to facilitate Vi getting to stay here. Her mother couldn't make it official as loosening up on Vi’s indenture would be going against the Council's judgement. If anyone who could recognise her saw Vi out and about both Vi and Cassandra would be in trouble – and in extension probably so would Caitlyn be. She would rather stick with Vi to make sure she could mitigate any unfortunate encounters, hopefully only getting herself in trouble in the process. And Jayce, she supposed. She would have to discuss that with him. This time not telling him would be going a bit further than all her previous white lies.

For two, she was kind of sick of being cooped up at the manor. She didn't even want to study politics but even so she could tell that dry theory wasn’t cutting it. Clearly there were things here she needed to see – needed to know. So she’d made her choice, made her offer and Vi had accepted, so she would make it work. She would be spending her days in the undercity and she was just going to have to get used to it. If Vi – and every other person raised here – could handle it, she could learn to handle it as well.

However, she also wanted to respect Vi and her family's privacy and to not just become another burden. She remembered Vi’s jab about “having to be the one to teach her” about what was going on in the undercity and she could understand that frustration. Trying to be cognizant of her own ignorance was tricky, but she was determined to try. She’d considered leaving early just for today because it was a day so clearly out of the norm and especially sensitive but she didn’t dare go home alone and didn’t want to bother anyone by asking to take her. It was stupid, but she was here now and she would make the best of it.

“Vi said you might have books about politics?”, she asked as she looked over the trinkets cluttering every corner of the store. It reminded her a little of Jayce’s workshop.

“Not what I was expecting”, Benzo said with a surprised chuckle, pointing her toward a shelf in the back of the shop. “I have other books that could be a lot more interesting to read.”

Walking over to the indicated shelf, Caitlyn realised quickly that the books on it were not sorted by any system she could recognise. Fantasy novels stood cover against blurb with political essay collections, poetry books and encyclopedias. “If I’m going to be a Councillor, I’m afraid reading boring books is part of the job”, she said with a grimace as she scanned spines, looking for something that would be most useful. She was genuinely intrigued to read something written by someone from the undercity, curious what the different perspective would reveal.

“But you’re so young!”, Benzo said, sounding almost offended on Caitlyn’s behalf. “Take it from a man who creaks when he walks: Youth is for enjoying yourself. By all means, feel free to peruse my little library. It’s not much, I know. But you can read whatever strikes your fancy.”

Benzo’s generosity briefly made Caitlyn’s chest squeeze. He didn’t know her at all and yet he was willing to lend her any one of the few books he had. Caitlyn knew there were books in her parents’ giant library that her mother would shoot someone for trying to take. She dimly realised that she herself would have liked seeing Vi punished if she’d somehow taken any of their books, even if usually Caitlyn barely cared that they were there. Would she be this generous if she only had two shelves of books? A lot for her to think about.

She struggled to focus on the books as her thoughts kept circling. Even just having seen the undercity in person for these brief moments had been revelatory, but it was Vi and her family specifically that she kept coming back to again and again.

Four kids she now assumed to be orphans, raised by one man. An honest man with a dark past, according to Grayson. The sheriff hadn’t told her much about said past but clearly it had been dark enough to take his four kids into a drug factory to blow it up. Dark enough for that to sound like a reasonable thing to do. She kept pivoting between being worried for them and being worried of them. What else were they capable of? What would they be capable of when they grew up? Grayson trusted Vander to some extent and Caitlyn was realising that she trusted Vi. How far could that trust really go though?

She finally settled on a kind of political manifesto written by a woman that, based on the tone and language of the blurb, sounded competent. Of course she’d never heard of her before, had never heard of any of the authors on this shelf. There was only one name she kind of recognised on a pulp romance novel which she steered clear of. Not only was it the third in a series and set at an academy for mages which struck her as deeply unrealistic and vaguely uncomfortable, it was also very clearly very adult.

Benzo asked if she minded staying at the shop with him for a while and Caitlyn told him she didn't. Really, it was probably for the best. She sat in a creaky wooden chair and started to read. The book was very different from the other political writings she’d read before. Despite the specialised and sophisticated vernacular, many passages were written with a more informal tone that revealed a certain anger. Caitlyn was dismissive of it at first, seeing it as a bad quality to let emotions colour political writing, but the more she read the more she started to understand that to describe this political situation without emotion was – of not impossible – at least a cruel thing to demand of someone to do. She also realised that it made it a much more engaging read. She was weary of this. She would have to re-read and cross-reference it and make sure she wasn’t letting herself be convinced of something on this emotional basis. On an initial read she didn’t find anything that seemed outright wrong though.

Time flew by and she was halfway through the book when Benzo told her they were going back to what he called the “safe house”. He gave her a canvas bag to carry the book with her and picked up more food on the way, one dish notably different from the others. Caitlyn was both embarrassed and glad that he’d ordered something less spicy for her. She would have to reimburse him for all the food for both today and the coming days. It was occurring to her in real time that all these little things she usually never thought about cost money.

Once they made it back to the abandoned warehouse, Caitlyn learned that the password Vi had apparently failed to remember was “Acherontia” but Benzo told her the anti-password was actually much more important. A word they could say to signal that the door should stay shut. For the sake of being easy and subtle to work into a greeting that word was just “day”. Caitlyn shuddered imagining scenarios that would necessitate such a precaution.

Mylo opened the door for them again looking a little less exhausted and like he was carrying a lot less invisible weight around. Caitlyn hadn’t even realised that’s what the tension in his body had been, but it made sense. She realised he might well usually be a very relaxed kind of person – that today was a horrible day to judge any of these people.

The reason for his relief was obvious even before Caitlyn stepped into the medical room but it was still a revelation to see. Their father was awake. Leaned against a pillow he was sitting up on the cot, Powder half in his lap to his right, his arm gently around her shoulder. He seemed a little tired but he was smiling and clearly, unmistakably alive.

A single red vein stood out like a scar across his right cheekbone and his eyes were bloodshot – especially the one on the same side as that scar, even the colour of the iris looking slightly off – but his expression and demeanor were so calm and gentle that the gruesome details of his conditions faded into the background. Any intimidation Caitlyn might have felt because he was so big and so tied to violence through his injuries was somehow gone. Sitting on that cot was a father, no more and no less. Despite being different in probably every way he reminded Caitlyn of her own.

The other kids were scattered around the room: Vi leaned against the wall next to the cot, Claggor in the chair pulled up to it, engaged in light conversation with their father. Mylo went to lean on the foot of the cot as he came back in ahead of Benzo and her. Drawing all of their attention they paused their talking to look at the new arrivals. Vander briefly smiled at Benzo before his eyes fell on her.

“Caitlyn Kiramman, as I live and breathe.” He said the words with a real and apparent joy at getting to say them. Caitlyn could understand why.

She returned his warm smile. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Sir.” She’d been curious about who was raising Vi ever since she had first been arrested, and everything she’d learned about Vi in agonizingly small fragments had only made that curiosity stronger. Here was the man who also believed in a better solution according to Vi. Who had risked his life today for maybe taking a step toward it.

“Oh please, no ‘Sir’”, he chuckled, the sound warm and rumbly, if a bit pressed, probably due to his injuries. “You’ll make me feel like the old man I am.”

“Wear it with pride”, Benzo jumped in, stepping up to his un-occupied side to put a hand on Vander’s shoulder. He smiled down at him crookedly. “Old age is just the mark of everything you’ve survived.”

Vander put his own free hand over Benzo’s and his eyes became even softer as he said: “Thank you for all your help, Benzo.”

“Always, Vander”, Benzo simply replied. “Always.”

Then Vander turned back to her. “And I hear I have you to thank as well.”

Caitlyn fidgeted, once again feeling embarrassed. The gratitude was earned she supposed, but it had been such a small thing to her, accomplished in such a petulant way that any praise felt strange. “It was nothing”, she said. “I was already here and I could help, so I did.”

“Well, you’ve certainly spared us all some gray hair, so thank you”, Vander said, his smile doting and kind. It was hard to imagine this man fighting anyone. Then again, Vi didn’t look dangerous either but based on the blood still soaked into her jacket she clearly was. This family was so confusing.

Thankfully Benzo handed out food again, so she had time to process as everyone ate once more. Light conversation continued, mainly between Benzo and Vander, though the kids chatted a bit as well. Their moods had all noticeably lightened. Powder especially seemed better, smiling on occasion – though never when her eyes fell on Caitlyn and she rushed to look anywhere else. She could practically feel the girl’s mistrust and she couldn't blame her for it, though the intensity of it for such a small person was startling.

As she ate, Caitlyn eventually felt Vi’s eyes on her and when she caught her looking at her food there was a smirk on her face, like she was suppressing a laugh. Caitlyn’s cheeks flushed and she almost wished she’d just gotten spicy food again. Now that Vi wasn’t in shock and worried for her father anymore it seemed she was also back to being insufferable. She’d have to work on her spice tolerance. At least Vi didn't say anything about it just yet. Caitlyn was rather curious how Vi’s behaviour would be different here compared to at her house.

Caitlyn was obviously not participating in the conversation and was mostly lost in her own thoughts, but eventually it turned towards what the plans for the rest of the day were and she tuned back in.

“I’m thinking of going to the bar to check in on Ekko and the others”, Vi said, looking to Mylo briefly for apparent confirmation. Turning to Powder she said: “You can stay here if you want. I’ll be back after bringing Caitlyn home.”

Powder shook her head. “I’m coming too. I have ideas for the perimeter security I want to tell Little Man about.”

Vander put his hand on Powder’s head, looking proud. Caitlyn nearly choked when he looked directly at her again unexpectedly and said: “Caitlyn, you could stay here if you want. I assume you were filled in on what we did last night. The bar is mine, so it could be subject to retaliation. If you would rather avoid that risk, you’re welcome to wait here.”

Caitlyn’s brow furrowed, wondering about the logic of letting his twelve-year-old go but offering her another option based on the danger. She got a knot in her stomach again at the thought that even in this situation her life was somehow seen as – if not more valuable – at least more fragile.

She shook her head. “No, thank you. Where Vi goes, I go.” It was an easy excuse she had justification for not budging on.

“Told you so”, Vi said with a smirk and Caitlyn bristled as Vander chuckled. They had talked about her while she was gone. Of course they had, but now it suddenly felt kind of hurtful. She tried not to blush as she wondered about Vi’s confidence in having called this.

“Very well”, Vander said, nodding at Caitlyn. Then he turned to Vi and said: “You know what to do.”

What did that mean? Neither of them elaborated and Caitlyn was losing her mind. What was Vi supposed to do? Vander was a reasonable man, according to Grayson, so probably just make sure Caitlyn was alright or something. Still, Caitlyn wanted to know details.

“Good”, Benzo said then, the conversational thread to pry for more information lost. “Please remember to wash up and get some fresh clothes while you’re there. I know it’s easy to forget but you’ll feel better.”

The kids started packing up. They each had their masks on their belts, hidden by bits of fabric and Caitlyn wondered again about their purpose. They had a filter built in, but there had to be more to it, or a half-mask would have been enough. She tried not to think too hard about their weapons, even as Vi’s gauntlets fascinated her, now that they weren’t covered in blood anymore. She could see how they’d gotten so soaked: With nuts and bolts sticking out from the piece over her knuckles they could clearly do a lot of damage. Damage Vi wasn’t afraid to deal out, it seemed. Caitlyn swallowed and quickly looked away.

She went over to Benzo before they left asking: “Are you sure that it’s okay if I keep this for a little while longer?” She was almost done, so could technically return the book, but she wanted to read it again.

“Of course!”, Benzo said immediately. “Keep it as long as you need! Not like you can run away with it, seeing as you’ll be joining us on the daily now.”

Caitlyn supposed that was true.

Walking with the whole group of siblings was far stranger than walking just with Vi. She had the sense that they had a set formation that she just didn’t quite fit into. She stuck closely to Vi simply for familiarity’s sake, meaning she was at the front of the group with Mylo, Powder and Claggor following behind in that order. 

At one point that did not seem different or significant in any way to Caitlyn they all put on their masks and Caitlyn’s heart rate spiked a little. The dark wolf of Vi’s mask glanced at her, Vi’s actual expression completely obscured by the angry snarl of it. Then Vi shrugged out of her jacket and slung its hood over Caitlyn’s head without comment. Caitlyn shuddered at how dirty the jacket was but felt a bit better pulling the hood deep over her face and eventually just slipped fully into it, put on edge by all these precautions and feeling like any bit of topsider clothing she could hide was a good thing.

It seemed strange and unnecessary at first. They walked almost the same path that she’d taken with Benzo and nothing jumped out at them or started to shoot or anything. Eventually they took a different turn though and the streets became less empty and rather than ignoring them as the people had Benzo and her they looked. They looked at the masks, at the weapons and whispered. Some people shouted insults, others cheers. Scattered whistles sounded. Most people just stared or whispered among themselves which was just as unnerving. She only caught snippets of what they were saying.

“–the gang who–”

“–even someone on Shimmer–”

“–the Pack. That’s what–”

“–not a wall left standing–”

“–against Silco. They’re mad–”

Looking at Caitlyn again Vi eventually led them into a side alley by a very small house and gestured at the drainpipe. Caitlyn was confused but the gesture apparently wasn’t for her as Mylo stepped forward to nimbly scramble up the pipe. Then Vi slipped out of one of her gauntlets to hold out her hands together, nodding and Caitlyn. “Your turn”, she said, voice muffled by the mask. “We’ll have less trouble on the roofs.”

Caitlyn almost said “Excuse me”, she was so baffled by the command. She looked dubiously at the pipe but Mylo had just climbed it without problem. The boy was on the roof, his jackal mask peering down at her, holding out a hand. Caitlyn realised she was getting the baby version of this exercise and felt horribly lacking in skill as a result. With a grimace she stepped into Vi’s open palm and the other girl boosted her up to where she clung to the drainpipe, painstakingly shimmying up a few inches before she could reach Mylo’s hand and he helped get her the rest of the way up.

It took everyone else about as long to get up as a group as it had taken her on her own and Caitlyn wanted to die of embarrassment. Then they kept moving across the roofs, needing to jump from one to the next which was its own heart clenching affair. At least it distracted Caitlyn from the people on the street still occasionally calling out to them.

Eventually they reached a dead end – at least as far as Caitlyn could tell. The gap to the back of the next house was too big to jump, even for people who were used to it. Vi fished something out of her pocket and flipped on a little lamp affixed to the roof they were standing on that Caitlyn hadn’t noticed on account of it being intentionally hidden. She realised the object in Vi’s hand was a mirror as she reflected the light into a half barricaded window on the house in front of them, flicking it back and forth in what she could only assume was an intentional pattern.

The house was an establishment of some kind, or had at least once been. Now it was boarded up and covered in graffiti, metal glints around it and peeking out of shattered windows making Caitlyn think there were guns and traps placed to defend it. “The bar” was certainly one thing to call it.

Something on its roof fired and Caitlyn ducked down in a panicked rush to avoid whatever was coming at them– only to peek back up as it clattered to the roof and Vi dove to catch it. It was some kind of hook contraption attached to a metal line back to the bar. A zip line. Vi hooked it into a metal hoop drilled into the wall of the slightly taller house behind them, giving an experimental tug on the line, to make sure the contraption held. It was clearly designed to be dislodged from the other end, so couldn't just be solid metal holding the line up. Unfolding and dislodging a small grip from the whole device Vi once again made Mylo go first. This did not bode well for Caitlyn.

Indeed, she had to go down the line next, the grip propelled back up the line by a little humming motor. Caitlyn looked down to the street dubiously. They were two stories up and while the distance to the bar wasn’t that far, the prospect of her life depending on her grip holding that long was still a daunting one.

Vi obviously noticed her hesitation and Caitlyn could only imagine how much of a mocking smile the mask was hiding from her. “You can tie yourself to the grip with the jacket if you want”, Vi said and Caitlyn thought she detected a bit of impatience in her tone. There was not as much amusement as she’d expected.

She took a steadying breath. “I’m fine”, she said, grabbing firmly onto the handholds and just forcing herself not to think. To simply jump.

Her stomach dropped all the way down to the pavement but the rest of her stayed attached to the line as she rushed rapidly along it, her arms burning with the strain of holding on. It was terrifying but also over in an instant, her feet soon sliding then running over solid ground, slowing herself back down and finally daring to let go of the grips. She instantly collapsed to her knees, hands shaking a little, but she’d made it.

“Not bad, Piltie”, Mylo said, sending the grip back up.

Caitlyn suppressed a groan, feeling very condescended to. It was like poker all over again. She got back onto her feet and watched Powder, Claggor and finally Vi all effortlessly come flying down onto the roof, finally dislodging the hook with the flip of a lever that also automatically reeled the whole construction back in. Caitlyn had to admit it was very good engineering.

Then Mylo knocked on a trap door in a particular rhythm, prompting a muffled: “Password?”, from the other side.

“Firelight”, Mylo said, and then a click sounded, allowing Mylo to open the hatch. He slipped in and Caitlyn just followed, not needing prompting this time. They landed in a cramped attic space and Caitlyn followed Mylo and another kid – a young boy – down a ladder into what was clearly an office of some sort. Once there Mylo finally took off the mask and so did everyone else once they’d all filed in, which was an odd relief. Caitlyn pulled off Vi’s jacket and handed it back to her.

Powder made a beeline for the new kid, tackling him with a quick hug. He was a bit taller than Powder with dark skin and white, short curls piled on top of his head. His face had lit up as he’d seen Powder and he had soft and very kind seeming features.

“Glad to see you all doing well”, he said, still half wrestling with Powder who had quickly pivoted from hugging to poking at and annoying him. “I take it Vander’s up and talking?”

Before he could get an answer his eyes fell on Vi and he added: “Vi! You’re back! I thought you’d be across the Pilt all day.”

“Change of plans”, Vi just said with a shrug, seeming to very intentionally not look at Caitlyn. “How are things going, Little Man?”

“Oh, only perfectly”, the boy said with a satisfied smirk as he finally got Powder in a headlock that she quickly shoved out of with a laugh. “Thank you for asking.” Then his eyes finally landed on Caitlyn. “What’s with the Piltie?”

Caitlyn wasn’t surprised that he could tell immediately, but it still felt strangely exposing.

“Long story”, Vi said, again in a dismissive tone. She was clearly trying not to share the details of who Caitlyn was and why she was here. Then, crossing her arms, she said: “She’s with me.”

Caitlyn felt a strange shiver go through her at the words. It was like Vi had staked a claim to her and Caitlyn assumed it was for her protection. You know what you need to do, Vander had said. The intended message was clear: Mess with her and you messed with Vi, which was arguably less imposing than the threat of Caitlyn’s family’s wrath. But if people knew who Caitlyn was it would endanger her far more than it would protect her, she was fairly certain of that. It was bad enough how obviously she wasn’t from here. Despite how strange it felt, she was glad they’d thought of all of that.

The boy was looking her over as all undercity residents were apparently want to do when you were an outsider. Caitlyn floundered for a moment on what to do, what to say. She glanced at Vi, but her curiously amused expression wasn’t helpful. Almost like Vi was curious to find out what Caitlyn would say as well.

“It’s… Cait”, she finally said, knowing that just using a nickname wouldn’t deter someone who recognised her, but if someone did recognise her an even faker name wouldn’t help at that point either. “Nice to meet you.”

“Uh-huh.” They boy just looked her over sceptically again before shrugging. “Well, anyway”, he turned back to the table where a map was spread out and everyone followed him to look. Caitlyn had never seen such a detailed map of the fissures before and was briefly distracted studying it. The boy meanwhile pointed to clusters of painted wooden or iron cast figures placed on the map and explained: “The Red Raiders, Punk Poisons and Thaddie’s crew all went after Chross’ trade points. We’re actually hoping for more fallout for Chross, since word of this revolution is just now making it to the miners. Juniper’s gang sabotaged all of Renni’s Shimmer associated locations – there weren’t many of those yet.” Gesturing to another part of the map with a grimace he went on: “The groups who went after Smeech tried their best but Smeech’s guys are quick on the draw when it comes to Shimmer. They had to retreat a lot but chances are Smeech burned through a lot of his stash trying to defend it.”

Caitlyn was barely able to follow, unsure what he was even talking about, but it seemed impressive. Even Vi and her siblings looked a bit stunned.

The boy seemed to remember something then. “Oh and the Chem Sisters independently took out Madam Margot’s stash – we didn’t even know she had one. Apparently she hadn’t dealt with Silco directly yet.”

“Well, shit”, Vi eventually spoke up after a heavy pause that left the boy beaming with pride. “Well done, Ekko.”

The boy waved dismissively, even as his satisfied smirk stayed in place. “Hey, you guys got the ball rolling. I just talked to some people. Have you heard?” He perked up in excitement, looking to Powder especially, then back to Vi. “They’re calling you the Pack. Like, the Hound’s Pack. I nailed it with your Mask, Vi.”

Vi chuckled. “Of course you did.”

“Wait”, Caitlyn interupted, pieces falling into place. “You’re Ekko?”

The boy – Little Man – Ekko – raised an eyebrow at her. “Who wants to know?”

Caitlyn heard Vi snort and her cheeks reddened a bit. She wished she hadn't said anything. “Sorry, it’s just…”, she hesitated, worrying she would offend him more, but finally just admitted: “I expected you to be older.”

Ekko went back to smirking, crossing his arms. “What can I say? I’m a natural. And I’m basically thirteen already.”

“Twelve and a half”, Powder corrected.

“Shut up!”, Ekko protested and now it was him lunging for her and they devolved into a cackling pile of flailing limbs and playful arguments on the floor. Caitlyn supposed she was glad they were at least still able to have fun despite everything.

Kids. These were kids, planning a whole revolution. Because nobody else had done it for them. Caitlyn felt slightly sick. She tuned out of the conversation for a while, going to sit down on a little couch in the corner and just thinking again. This was Vi’s life. This was what she had left every day to come work off her debt to her family. It was so different from anything Caitlyn had ever known, so far away from anything she could have imagined – not that she’d been bothering with that for very long. It was all so strangely terrifying but Caitlyn was somehow still incredibly glad she was here.

“Do we have word on Sevika?”, Vi asked at some point as Caitlyn was listening again.

Even when Caitlyn hadn’t been listening, she’d been able to see Vi. See how she commanded the room, how the other kids looked to her for guidance. She was a leader, gathering information, formulating plans, discussing strategies. She’d seen it after she’d made her offer and Vi had gathered them to hear their views. She’d seen it while Vi had guided them through the undercity, even with an outsider in their midst, and she was seeing it now.

“No, not a peep”, Ekko told her with a shake of his head. “She’s probably lying low.”

Vi’s face was tense, eyes slightly narrowed in consideration. Caitlyn knew Vi glib and frustrated. She knew her angry and had caught glimpses of her devastation. The only time Caitlyn had seen her look remotely like this had been right before their fight. Making a plan, making a choice. No wonder Vi had been quite so bored by servants’ tasks.

Vi told Ekko to keep an eye out for this Sevika person. How exactly the twelve-year-old was supposed to do that was a mystery to her. A lot of things were a mystery to her. Eventually all of them except Powder and Ekko went downstairs, where they were truly greeted by the interior of what probably used to be quite a cozy bar. With all the windows barricaded and all light instead having to come from light fixtures on the ceiling it was made slightly less cozy. A jukebox by what used to be the door was playing music. A handful of teenagers milled around the space, messes of discarded dishes and even piles of weaponry cluttering the space. The front of the bar was converted to a kind of shooting range, cleared of tables with marks on the floor and a target painted on the wall, splashes of colour marking previous shots of varying accuracy.

This space too fell into a kind of reverant hush as they came down, but it was a warmer reception than outside. These were people who knew and supported them. Some people approached to congratulate them directly and they briefly chatted with some of them. Caitlyn went blissfully ignored once Vi had stepped meaningfully in front of her.

A sickly looking boy who had similar red markings to Vander’s came up to Vi at one point, shaking slightly. Caitlyn wasn’t sure if it was from fear or something else. He held out a hand. “Here”, he said, dropping a hair clip into Vi’s waiting hand. “T-thank you.”

Vi seemed pleased about receiving the clip but still regarded the boy sceptically. “Don’t think you’re off the hook, Deckard”, she said. “If we so much as suspect you or your pals are trying to crawl back to Silco you’re dead meat.”

A shiver ran down Caitlyn’s spine. So this was what Vi’s threats sounded like when there wasn’t a whole police force standing between her and making good on it. The boy didn't even react, like he’d expected as much.

He just nodded. “Of course. I’ll… I’ll try to make myself useful.”

Vi sighed. “Stay clean”, she said. “Start there.”

Clean. The drug. This is what it did to them. Caitlyn’s research had been very impeded and she’d only found out that addiction to it was running rampant, that it made people strong and crazed. This, then, was the other side of the coin. Once again Caitlyn was amazed that Vi and her family had taken it upon themselves to destroy it and succeeded.

They didn't stay in the bar propper for long. They headed through another door down a flight of steps into a cozy living space. Beds were pushed against the walls and crammed under the stairs, a small seating area with sofas and a table in the center. Vi and her brother’s dispersed to fetch clothes. This was where they lived, Caitlyn realised. There was a bathroom adjacent to it and one by one they went in and came back out looking a little more like real people. It was again another kind of relief, like when they’d taken off their masks, especially with Vi. Clean and put together was how Caitlyn knew her, she was just missing the uniform. It was a far cry from the shaking mess she’d been that morning and that too was a relief.

It was kind of ridiculous. Caitlyn had wanted to see Vi be punished and yet the moment that had arguably happened she’d been horrified. She’d been an idiot and an ass. Indenture had always been punishment enough. Something told Caitlyn though that if she were to apologise again, Vi would just take it the wrong way. She hoped this new arrangement could be apology enough.

Caitlyn had gone back to reading curled up on the couch while the others showered and it was getting kind of late by the time they were all done. She began fidgeting, wondering how best to bring up that she’d actually like to go home at this point. Thankfully she didn’t have to, as Vi approached her a minute later. Granted, she did so by dumping a pile of fabric on her head, making Caitlyn sputter.

“Hey!”, she complained, then instantly stilled as she saw Vi smirking down at her. She was so different here. So much less… careful. There was a tension that she had at the manor but not here.

“See which ones of those fit you”, Vi told her.

She was also far more comfortable giving Caitlyn commands here, it seemed. She considered complaining about it but it would just sound petulant. Especially as here, Caitlyn didn't actually have any recourse – which was likely exactly why Vi was doing it. Their positions, Caitlyn realised, had simply switched.

She inspected the clothes. They looked like Vi’s. She looked up at Vi a bit bewildered but the other girl just kept smiling at her.

“Consider it your uniform”, she said.

Right, Caitlyn thought. She had just been worried about standing out too much, about being recognised. Still, this felt weird somehow. She went into the bathroom to try on the clothes and every single piece felt completely unlike herself. Obviously. They weren't her clothes. On top of that they were Vi’s clothes. They fit a bit awkwardly but it was bearable. If she was smart about it she could probably even get a servant to take them in for her a little bit without her mother finding out. The problem was that these weren't her clothes. She couldn't just ruin them for Vi when she knew full well Vi didn't have that much.

She finally settled on a shirt, hooded jacket and pants that looked the least incongruous. The warm tones of brown and red details did not suit her, but it would have to do. For today she assumed it would be fine if she stayed in her own clothes, so she changed back and came out of the bathroom, handing the remaining clothes back to Vi and holding out her chosen outfit separately.

“This one should work”, she said, unsure where Vi would want to keep it.

Vi, putting away the other clothes, barely glanced up at her as she said: “Great. Then I don't have a use for it anymore, just take it with you. I think it’ll be easier for you to change at home.”

“You–” Caitlyn blinked. “You’re just giving these to me?”

“Yeah”, Vi said with an eye roll, though she didn't look directly at Caitlyn. “They’re old clothes, it’s not a big deal. The point is to make you stand out less. You can… accessorise or whatever if you want. I’m not your warden”, she added with a somewhat sardonic expression. “You’re mine.”

When she put it like that it sounded so… weird.

“Right”, Caitlyn said. “Okay. Thank you.” It wasn’t a big deal. Vi had said so herself. Her family wasn’t that poor, Caitlyn had to stop judging, stop making assumptions. “So, I can alter these?”, she asked, just to be sure.

Vi shrugged. “Not so much that they start looking like topside again but sure.”

“Cool”, Caitlyn responded, still a bit dumbstruck. That would make this a lot more comfortable for her. A consideration, she realised, that nobody in her family had given to Vi about her uniform. “Good.”

She packed the clothes into the bag with Benzo’s book and marveled for a moment at the fact that she would be leaving the undercity with more things than she’d entered it. That was not how the story usually went. But that was it, wasn’t it? They were just stories. Told by people who did not live here, who did not know what they were talking about and stood to gain from the fact that nobody else did either.

“Alright”, Vi said when they were both done. “Are you ready to head back up then? I think you’ve supervised enough for one day.”

Caitlyn bristled at the dismissive way she said it, but agreed. “Yes, thank you. Please, lead the way.”

They left the bar through a back door, needing Ekko to remotely disable some traps for them to pass on street level. Vi wasn’t bringing her gauntlets or mask and while in theory Caitlyn knew that she was safer if Vi was armed she still felt more at ease than she had on their way to the bar. They soon arrived at the same elevator they had taken down into the undercity and Caitlyn was realising how tired she was and ready for the day to be over.

As the elevator rose the air became lighter gradually but noticeably. Breathing became easier again and Caitlyn gulped down air, having forgotten just how easy it was on the surface, just how stark of a difference there was. She tried to breathe less noticeably when she saw Vi watching her. She expected some glib comment about how Pilties were so spoiled with even such a basic thing as air. Caitlyn felt she even deserved it. But no remark came. When Caitlyn looked at Vi for too long, Vi looked away. Maybe Vi was tired as well.

Caitlyn could have easily found her way home once they were at the surface again, but Vi walked wordlessly with her all the way to her house’s back door. Once there they both stopped, awkward for a moment. Unsure what to say.

“Should I come inside to clock out with your mother?”, Vi asked eventually.

“No”, Caitlyn said. “I’ll take care of it.” That would probably be easier.

“Okay. Well then”, Vi said, giving her a crooked smile. “See you tomorrow, Cait.”

Vi turned and left without waiting for a reply, leaving Caitlyn standing there with the way she’d said the nickname ringing through her ears.

Chapter Text

Vi was used to the nightmares. Images of carnage, her loved ones bleeding and dying, none of that was new to her. Even if she dreamed of beating a Shimmer addict past recognition only to realise too late that it was Vander – it was the same old violence. They didn’t even wake her anymore, they just left her feeling spent and restless when she woke up. In comparison, the dream that had her startling awake a week after the factory should have been a welcome reprieve.

It had started in a familiar place: Vi on her knees in one of the dozens of rooms within the Kiramman mansion, polishing the floor to an unnecessary shine. Caitlyn had sat on one of the nearby couches watching her. Still, this was all as it had really happened, until Caitlyn had spoken.

“Violet”, she’d said softly, the way she’d only said it once before. Without any malice. “Come here.”

Vi had left the cleaning rag behind and crawled over to the sofa, staying on her hands and knees, looking up at the aristocrat’s delicate features. Then Caitlyn had reached down to her, gently grabbing her chin, careful fingers brushing along her cheek.

That moment of contact was what had sent Vi out of sleep, reorienting herself on the mattress she was sleeping on. What the fuck had that been about? It had been a week since she’d last had to slave away at the mansion, why would she be dreaming about it now? And why…

Vi pushed the thought aside and willed herself to just forget the dream like dreams were supposed to be forgotten. She got up quietly, not wanting to wake the others. They were still at the safe house, though now that Vander was pretty confident walking briskly they were planning to properly move back home. Vander deserved to have the comforts of his own room back and while the safe house didn't technically belong to anyone, it was the doctor’s secondary operating room they were occupying. That was what made it so safe: Even if somone who wanted them dead would have found them there, only someone very cruel and very stupid would attack a place of healing. There weren’t too many of those in the undercity – Vi would know, since she’d been spending the evenings of the past week leaving evidence that they were staying at at least half of them. Wasted effort perhaps, since no one had heard anything from Silco or even Sevika and the strikes against the other chem barons couldn't be definitively linked back to them, but Vi still felt better that way so long as Vander couldn't defend himself properly.

It was early but not so early that Vi saw any point in going back to sleep so she prepared breakfast instead. They were having breakfast together again, sitting around Vander’s cot, and it was good to see them all first thing in the morning. It was even better to know that she would see them all again before nightfall. All that separated them was a quick trip to Topside to pick up “Cait”.

She would never admit it out loud but Vi had been impressed with how well Caitlyn had handled the undercity on that first day. Discussing this deal with her with Vander once he’d woken up he had finally impressed upon her what exactly it meant for her to be responsible for Caitlyn’s safety. She had to take this seriously and she had been afraid it would be a horrible chore. Better than doing chores at the manor, but still. She had been kind of demanding right off the bat, to make sure Caitlyn understood what being here would mean. Maybe she’d hoped a little bit that she would opt out of coming every day after all. 

But Caitlyn had proven that despite obvious uncertainty, she was willing and half-way capable. The determination on that girl was inconceivable and considering her origin – yeah, Vi was impressed. So the deal went ahead as discussed and Vi watched out for her as subtly as she could. She didn't want the Piltie getting any ideas. It was a delicate balance to strike not to be too restrictive or too expectant. For now they had a lot of clean-up with the other gangs to do, a lot of discussion and planning, which was easy enough with Caitlyn there. But whenever they left the bar Vi had to make very careful choices. How would they get there? Caitlyn couldn’t climb or jump as well as them. Who would see them? If they ran into someone hostile what would Caitlyn do? Vi couldn't trust her to react reasonably. She wouldn't even know where to flee to. And if Caitlyn was recognised by the wrong person they were in even bigger trouble. It was safe to say she was thinking about Caitlyn just as much as back when she had been a sabotage risk, if not more. It was kind of infuriating.

But she was back home, so that was a price she was willing to pay. She walked to the mansion the same way she’d been doing for a year now, the routine shockingly comforting. Once she made it to the house though, things had changed now. Vi wasn’t sure how Caitlyn had arranged it but she didn't even have to check in with Cassandra anymore. She came in through the front gate like before, but instead of getting changed at the servants’ quarters, Caitlyn waited for her at the gate already wearing the clothes Vi had given her.

She’d slightly altered and dyed the outfit, presumably with some kind of blue, changing it to a colder shade of brown and the previously red accents into a slightly washed out purple. It still fit in well but definitely made it look less like Caitlyn was just wearing Vi’s borrowed clothes which Vi was oddly thankful for. Giving her the clothes was a good idea but there had been something so overly personal in the gesture that Vi was glad it wasn't so recognisable anymore. She wore her hair in a ponytail and after the first two days she’d also started wearing a belt bag that did pass on first glance but still had some topsider tells. Vi figured that was probably fine. Ideally people would assume she’d stolen it – either way, Vi didn't want to have to bring it up.

Seeing Caitlyn look so nearly like she was from the lanes too was weird and dangerous. Vi had caught herself forgetting that Caitlyn was still the enemy, still someone to be weary of. No matter how much she felt like just another street kid she was dragging along, Caitlyn still had power over her. She couldn't forget that. Ever. Was that what the dream had been about?, she wondered before cursing mentally, since that she had very much intended to forget.

Looking at Caitlyn now, half sitting against the pillar next to the gate with her hair up and almost smiling when she saw Vi coming the dream returned to her awareness against her will though. There, Caitlyn had been fully the aristocrat. Now she was… she was Cait, which was different… somehow. But it couldn't be. She was still Caitlyn Kiramman. She always would be.

“Ready to go?”, Vi said without any formal greeting, trying to banish the dream from her mind again. Remembering their conversation from yesterday she added: “Still no Jayce?”

He was supposed to stop by in the morning one of these days. Something about selling the lie.

Caitlyn pushed away from the wall with a sigh, heading towards the back entrance with Vi. “Still no Jayce”, she confirmed. “I think he stays up too late to get up in a timely manner. Him and Viktor are just off in their own world I guess.”

Vi chuckled at that. She still didn't have a good enough read on Jayce to know exactly what they were doing together – it was funny either way. It occurred to her that Caitlyn might know and she almost asked. Almost. But they weren’t friends so she didn’t. She had no idea what her and Caitlyn were at this point but it couldn't possibly be friends.

They made their way down to the lanes. Having to take the elevator every time was annoying but if Vi tried taking Caitlyn the other way she would probably end up stumbling and killing herself. It was difficult not to watch Caitlyn during the otherwise boring descent. Vi could see her breathing gradually become a bit more strained and it should have been funny how Caitlyn struggled with the poisoned air but it kind of just made Vi angry. Caitlyn seemed to slowly be getting used to it – as all of them had to be.

Heading to the bar Vi was still surprised not to find it abandoned or under active siege. There were signs that some of the proponents of Shimmer had tried to come at it, Ekko and Powder’s traps still sprang on occasion, but apparently nobody was smart enough to get past them or dumb enough to try a heavier assault. In theory it was such an obvious target, but she supposed attacking it wouldn't actually accomplish anything. Having turned more into a youth hub it was frequented by young gangs she remembered fighting against over the arcade or other territory, who now stood on the same side as her. It was nice that they were gravitating to the bar, but a new hub could be established anywhere if needed.

Deckard and two others from his gang were there most days, keeping busy. Thankfully Vi didn't have to waste any brainpower keeping an eye on that situation: Gert and her Chem Sisters were already doing an admirable job of it. The fact that the last time Vi had seen Gert before the factory attack she’d called her a bitch and covered her graffiti tag with her own didn’t seem to matter anymore. Gert smiled at Vi, indicating that she had Deckard handled and Vi believed her. The atmosphere was overall relaxed, perhaps even a little triumphant and Vi got admiring stares and nods left and right. She was Leader of the Pack – or at least co-leader with Mylo – and in these circles that was a good thing.

Out on the streets it was a gamble, but out there nobody knew that the Wolf was Vi. And when she was wearing the wolf mask and likely also her gauntlets people knew to be weary of her. She was back in control, back in her streets and it felt good.

Vi found the others in the office above the bar for their daily status meeting. The immediate fallout of their stunt was dwindling, the long-term consequences of depriving the undercity of Shimmer setting in instead, which they had a lot less capacity to handle directly. After a brief uproar Chross had regained control of his mines, the dependency and danger of his forces too much for their little spark to overcome. Territory lines were shifting as Silco’s power vacuum still sparked the occasional scuffle, but the big gangs were holding steady, waiting for the chaos to blow over. Most fights going on were petty and between individuals – addicts trying to get their hands on the last dregs of Shimmer.

Vi felt bad for them, but without the infrastructure for rehab there was no way to wean them off it in a controlled environment. The drug had had to be destroyed wholesale and they had to hope its creator would let it die. Thanks to Powder they knew that a single person was responsible for engineering the drug: A man Silco had just called “the doctor”. Powder had seen him only once and the sketch she made of him was a tall but brittle looking figure with a bald head and half-covered, age-worn face. Nobody knew anything else about him and all they could do was keep an eye out for new Shimmer production, in case this doctor was still making more.

They couldn't do much about the things still happening and in a way it was a relief to be “done”, but in another it felt like there should be more to do. Vi could tell she wasn’t the only restless one. Powder was experimenting, tinkering with Ekko or listening in on the news the other kids brought to the bar whenever she wasn’t with them or Vander. Mylo had started collecting a private arsenal, keeping track of weapons and materials they had available and Claggor was reading chemistry books he must have gone to Piltover to steal.

Ekko meanwhile was thriving in his expanded role of information broker and organiser. He had a knack for the planning and intricate lattice work of the different factions of the undercity and usually knew who to go to for what and was getting better at convincing them of his aim. His boundless positive energy really helped and Vi admired that about him.

Today Ekko was vibrating with excitement once again and though he made it through the status report without spilling the beans, they could all tell he was dying to tell them something. Once everything else was wrapped up Vi turned to him and just gestured for him to spit it out already.

“There’s something I need to show you!”, he said. “A place I found recently. It’s so cool!”

Powder smiled knowingly and giddily, giving away that she’d gotten a sneak peek already, or a detailed description at the very least.

“Alright then”, Vi shrugged, not seeing any objections being raised. “What are we waiting for? Lead the way, Little Man.”

“Just one thing before we go!”, Powder interrupted to Vi’s surprise, given her almost equal seeming excitement. “It’s supposed to be a secret place – a safe haven from everything. Just for us.”

Vi nodded, slightly confused why that needed to be stated so specifically right off the bat – she didn't think any of them had a reputation for being a blabbermouth. Mylo, maybe, but even he knew better most of the time. Then Powder’s eyes darted to Vi’s right and Vi turned to see Caitlyn beside her, ever the silent observer. Ah hell. Of course this was about Caitlyn.

Caitlyn looked uncomfortable. She’d gotten pretty good at hanging back, at feeling mostly at ease being with them but just not quite a part of the group. What she was not comfortable with was being left behind.

“I’m staying next to Vi”, she said, crossing her arms, even as she clearly looked worried. “I won’t tell anyone where this place is”, she added with just a bit of exasperation. “Who would I even tell?”

Powder glared at her. “You’re from topside”, she said. “I don’t trust you.”

Vi couldn't blame her, but this did present a problem. Vi wasn’t comfortable leaving Caitlyn behind either and she knew Caitlyn would refuse to go home before evening.

“Can we go later?”, Vi asked Little Man.

Ekko pouted. “It looks best during mid-day”, he said.

Vi sighed, looking between Powder and Caitlyn, locked in a glaring match she knew both of them to be too stubborn to yield in. She had an idea, but it would be a compromise. And a pain.

“Caitlyn just can’t know how to get there, right?”, she asked. “It’s fine if she sees the place itself?”

Powder’s eyes narrowed, slightly frustrated. Finally she huffed and said: “I guess.”

“Okay”, Vi said, relieved. She turned to Caitlyn. “You’re going to have to wear a blindfold on the way there.”

Caitlyn’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open, sputtering for a moment before finally managing to protest: “I barely know how to navigate the fissures as is! If I ever tried getting around on my own I would be hopelessly lost, with or without blindfold!”

“That’s what you say”, Powder shot back, leaving the accusation implied.

Caitlyn grimaced, seeming to silently seethe for a moment. “This is ridiculous”, she pressed out.

“Does anyone have a better idea? Other objections?”, Vi asked into their group. Nobody did. “Alright, then that’s settled. I’ll go fetch a blindfold.”

Caitlyn followed her downstairs. On the one hand it was strange to have her constantly following her like a puppy, on the other Vi could understand why Caitlyn wouldn’t want to wait with the others. Being alone with Caitlyn was almost… comfortable at this point. Vi wondered briefly when the Piltie’s presence had stopped frustrating her, then quickly stopped thinking about it.

When she found an old scarf that would do nicely as a blindfold and turned toward Caitlyn she had to bite down on a laugh at her put-upon expression.

“Don’t be dramatic, Cupcake”, Vi said. “It’s not that bad.”

Caitlyn was glowering, crossing her arms with a frustrated huff. Past the annoyance Vi thought she could spot a sliver of fear in her voice when she said: “I’ll be completely helpless.” Caitlyn quickly covered the fear by adding: “And I still did not agree to that nickname!”

Vi snorted, ignoring the protest, and shrugged. “You were already completely helpless.”

It was fairly evident to Vi but the statement seemed to catch Caitlyn off guard. Her eyes went wide and she seemed to tense. “What?”

Part of Vi felt ridiculous and like she was coddling the aristocrat, but she nonetheless kept her voice gentle as she explained: “You don’t carry any weapons, you don’t have any training – I don’t know if you’re a strong runner or not. Reasonably, what would seeing your assailant actually get you?”

Caitlyn bristled, but she took a moment to – as far as Vi could tell – genuinely think about it. Vi could hear a familiar obstinacy when she said: “Prep time.” After another beat she also added: “Peace of mind”, in a tone that admitted she knew that wasn't worth much.

“You’re funny”, Vi told her. “Come on, I’ll be guiding you. It won’t be any different from usual.” She wasn’t sure why she felt like she should reassure her. Probably it would just be easier to get through this if she wasn’t too resistant.

Caitlyn conceited. She was far too stubborn and curious to stay back. It was almost admirable. Once past the traps around The Last Drop she dutifully put in the blindfold and once Powder had tested it’s efficacy with rude gestures to her satisfaction it was time to get going.

Vi swallowed, hoping that nobody noticed her own hesitation. Because her earlier words had obviously been a lie. This was completely different from usual. Vi had to physically guide her, taking her hand. Caitlyn’s hand felt clammy and tight in hers and the first bit of uneven ground spurred her to press closer to Vi, grabbing her forearm with her other hand for extra stability. Vi struggled to focus on what path they were taking herself. Caitlyn had never depended on her more and there was no distance – mental or physical – she could take from this. It reminded her of when Caitlyn had just given blood and been weak on her feet but Vi had been beyond tired herself back then and the walk so short, it hadn’t registered as… intimate. Now, there was a tightness in her chest for every moment she felt Caitlyn clinging to her that she did her best to ignore.

If the others noticed Vi’s tumbling thoughts they didn't let it on – they had other things to talk about, excited about where Ekko might be leading them. When the attention did move to Vi and Caitlyn it was to complain about their speed.

“And here I thought the Piltie couldn't possibly slow us down even more”, Mylo said at one point.

They were moving rather slowly, trailing behind the others with careful steps. Vi could feel Caitlyn tense beside her with indignation, making her own hackles rise.

“We can blindfold you too, bet that’ll make it seem less slow”, Vi shot back. It wasn’t Caitlyn’s fault they were slow this time, it was for their benefit.

The others seemed to understand that, so nobody else gave Caitlyn a hard time. Vi could have sworn that Caitlyn’s strides lengthened after that, more daring and slightly faster.

They were moving deeper and toward an offshoot of the fissures. When the smell hit her Vi realised they were near the old sewers and everyone complained to Ekko about that but Ekko remained resolute, promising that it would get better and that it would be worth it. Things got a bit more complicated as they had to climb a short stretch to finally make it into a large pipe. In the darkness of that tunnel, green little dots came into view, lingering and fluttering occasionally. The deeper they went the more of them there were – they didn't even need another source of light.

“Woah”, Claggor was the first to vocalise his awe when their approach stirred the insects and soft glowing bodies hummed around them in clusters of wings and light.

“Yeah”, Ekko said, grin pleased as he watched their reaction. “They lay their eggs in the standing water of the old sewers.”

“What are you all looking at?”, Caitlyn finally asked, sounding uncertain. “What–”, she blindly flinched away from the buzzing sound. “What is that?”

“It’s just firelights”, Vi told her. “Bugs. They’re harmless.” Realising that explanation did nothing to clarify their reaction she added: “They glow, so they’re nice to look at when they swarm.”

Caitlyn huffed in frustration, since looking at them was the one thing she couldn't do.

With sight the walk through the tunnel was comfortable and fascinating, watching the fluid murals the bugs painted against the darkness. Without it Vi could imagine it had to be rather uncomfortable so when the even floor allowed for it she got herself and Caitlyn moving faster again, even getting ahead of most of the others who lingered to enjoy the view. Ekko stayed at the very front though, his excitement seeming to grow with every step.

Light started to trickle through the tunnel from the other end and there was a change in the air. Vi realised the smell of the sewers was gone only a moment before she noticed Caitlyn’s deeper breathing – the air was clearer.

Vi was still trying to make sense of how that was possible so deep down in the old parts of the fissures when the tunnel ended and the world opened up. Vi didn't even realise she’d stopped walking only a few steps outside the pipe, she was far too busy looking at the miracle somehow standing before her. Bright, clear sunlight streamed down upon a space every corner of which was covered in greenery. And at the very center before them a massive tree stretched its densely leafed branches up to the sky.

“Tada!”, Ekko declares as the others too came out of the pipe, staring – gawking at the sheer might of nature around them. Patches of water with reeds and water lilies, dragon flies and of course more firelights (though they stood out less in the light) were first glimpses of fauna and flora that Vi would have never guessed could survive down here.

“Holy shit.” Mylo whistled.

“How is this even possible?”, Claggor asked nobody in particular.

Ekko was still grinning like a maniac, eyes so bright they rivaled the sun. “I know, right?”

Powder looked around appreciatively – she’d been here before it seemed – and bumped Ekko’s shoulder with a smile.

“Are we here?”, Caitlyn asked, sounding distinctly annoyed. “Can I take this off now, please!?”

Vi snorted, reaching up to snatch away the blindfold without warning. “There”, she said.

Caitlyn flinched and then had to shield her eyes from the sudden bright light, slowly adjusting and blinking until she could finally take it all in. Her mouth didn't fall open but Vi got the sense that it had been a close thing. “Woah”, she said, staring just like the rest of them.

“Right!?”, Ekko said again, nearly jumping up and down.

“Okay, Little Man”, Vi had to admit. “This was definitely worth the time to get here. How did you find this place?”

Ekko shrugged, humble as ever. “I was just looting for scrap when I smelled the earth – way richer and cleaner than anything else near the sewers.”

“You can say that again”, Claggor noted, kneeling down to look at some wild flowers among the grass. “It’s like its own little ecosystem.”

It really was. A little corner of the undercity that had secretly been thriving all this time, the tree at its center decades old at least, stubbornly reaching towards the far away light. Up on the rubble of what this place used to be it was safe from flood and with the fissure rising up around it it was safe from storm. Somehow it had survived the inhospitable parts of the fissures and made them its strengths.

“It makes me wonder what the undercity could be”, Vi mused. One day we’ll go up there and get our fair share. We’ll show them exactly what a low-life, no-good jinx from the undercity can do, she remembered her own words. Words that sounded so much like they might well have echoed through the lanes for as long as this tree had been surviving down here. The world can belittle and push us down all they want. We’ll wear who we are with pride and make them regret it. “Reminds me of… Zaun.”

Ekko’s brow furrowed. “Zaun?”

“That’s what our parents apparently called the undercity”, Powder jumped in to say to Vi’s surprise, her eyes bright. “What they were fighting for. They wanted independence from Piltover – their own nation.” When she noticed Vi looking at her she grew a bit sheepish. “Silco told me about it”, she admitted.

A brief flash of worry, but Vi shook it off. “Yeah, exactly”, she said with a smile. “I like the sound of it, don’t you?”

“Sure”, Mylo said with a scoff. “It’s still never going to happen.”

Vi didn't say anything but apparently her expression was speaking enough for itself.

“Don’t even think about it Vi”, Claggor said, shaking his head. "Vander won’t let you repeat his mistakes.”

“I know, I know”, Vi quickly waved them off. She shrugged, burying her hands in her pockets. “I’m not keen on getting you all killed”, she said, even as she looked up at the tree still thinking about the potential of it all.

“But it’s good to dream”, Ekko said and Vi turned to see him look at her with understanding. “To imagine something better and build towards it, even just a little bit.”

Vi smiled back. “Exactly.”

They didn't have to plan a whole revolution, didn't have to start a violent uprising that learned nothing from the past. But that didn't mean there couldn't be a brighter future.

“So, Zaun”, Powder said, sharing in their understanding as well.

“Zaun”, Vi repeated, enjoying the feeling of it on her tongue, the taste of legacy.

They dispersed, exploring, enjoying the still shockingly fresh air and warm sun. Claggor took a particular interest in the plants while Mylo just seemed keen to climb the central tree as high as possible. Powder had a bunch of old bottles lined up on a small piece of wall and was working on a modified rifle that fired rubber pellets. She wasn't firing yet but the distance to the bottles at which she was set up was ambitious, to put it mildly. Vi looked around the perimeter, checking how many exits there were and wondering what this crack looked like from above – if the upper inhabitants of the undercity – of Zaun – could see this was down here. Caitlyn looked around as well, still awestruck – perhaps more so than any of them.

Vi eventually gravitated to Powder to see what she was working on, listening to her explain the mechanism that didn’t require gunpowder and seemed incredibly complicated. Powder understood it perfectly and seemingly effortlessly, though Vi knew that was an illusion. Powder had put a lot of effort into this, had gone out of her way to learn as much as she could. She’d done so under Silco’s watch, and on occasion that thought still made Vi queasy. She didn't like not knowing details but didn't want to demand them from Powder. She might have considered demanding them from Silco if she weren’t so sure she would just immediately punch his lights out if she ever saw him again.

No matter his messed up methods though, Silco and Vander had once shared their dream of Zaun, and that she was willing to grant him, willing to trust it wasn't a harmful belief to impart to Powder. After all, she would always be by Powder’s side to make sure harmful ideas couldn't fester. Like Vi’s own anger at topside, they all held on to feelings that – if left unchecked – would destroy them. That was a part of life, part of being… Zaunite. Vi believed that together they could keep it all balanced like Silco and Vander presumably had before they had parted ways and everything else had fallen apart too.

The hours passed pleasantly, everyone eventually joining Powder and her in the little spot of half-shade by the tree.

“I’m getting hungry, it’s just about time for lunch”, Claggor said eventually, his growling stomach underlining his words.

Powder’s face fell. Lost in her work she didn't feel thirst or hunger. “Do we really have to leave again already?”

“We should if we want to make it back before the sun sets with Cait in tow”, Mylo said with a mocking note.

Powder smiled wickedly, musing: “I wonder how much time Vi wastes every day ferrying her around.”

Caitlyn, very much sitting in the grass with them, said: “I’m right here, guys”, with a flat expression, sounding tired.

“Exactly”, Powder said sweetly. “Wouldn’t it be so much easier if you weren’t?”

Caitlyn narrowed her eyes. “I have good reasons for insisting to be here”, she said. “I’m trying to make sure no one can throw Vi in prison if she’s caught here by anyone who knows about the indenture.”

Powder exchanged a slightly startled look with Vi at that, to which all she could do was shrug, looking back to Caitlyn herself with a bit of wonder. It wasn't the reason she’d initially said she was here for but Vi couldn't find it in herself to doubt Caitlyn either. It was characteristically paranoid and uncharitable of Caitlyn of course, to assume anyone who knew about the indenture would ever be around here – and that Vi wouldn’t be able to just avoid them in that case.

When everyone just kept looking at Caitlyn like she was stupid she crossed her arms with a sigh. “Look, I know you’re not happy with me being here but I’m not budging. And I’m sorry for not having years of experience of taking insane ‘fast ways’. I’m perfectly aware that using the same rickety elevator every day is probably not the fastest or even safest way to do it but it is what it is. Waiting an extra ten minutes won’t kill you.”

Vi didn't mention that there were definitely moments where taking an extra ten minutes to get somewhere could kill someone. It was probably not worth the argument.

Powder meanwhile had latched on to a different part of Caitlyn’s little speech. “Are you doubting the elevator?”, she questioned with as much offense as she could muster on behalf of undercity engineering. She was very demonstratively still working on the rifle. “We’re just as capable of building functional machinery as topside is, you know.”

“Yes, of course”, Caitlyn said immediately, sounding like she meant it. “It’s just that even topside elevators aren’t that hard to sabotage. I know it depends on the make but sometimes all you have to do is drop a heavy weight on it.”

Powder was mumbling something about that being a real shit elevator then but the way Caitlyn had phrased it made Vi’s attention snag. It made her think she wasn't talking about an elevator at all.

“Caitlyn.” Vi said it flatly, barely able to suppress her smile and waited until she was looking at her to ask: “Did you break the dumbwaiter?”

Caitlyn’s eyes widened, caught. “I–”, she started, sounding distinctly pressed and like she was about to deny it or pretend she didn't know what Vi was talking about. Stopping instantly again however she seemed to realise that nothing she could say would convince Vi at this point. Her poker face was still atrocious. She sighed, defeated. “I’ve broken a lot of things”, she confessed with a grimace that made Vi laugh. “Jayce needs something to do!”, Caitlyn said as if to defend herself, but even that bravado crumbled after another moment. “Or… needed, I guess.”

Vi was still laughing. “Hell, you are crazy, Cupcake”, she said, shaking her head. “You know, if you hadn’t broken the dumbwaiter Jayce and I might not have even become friends.”

After all the fuss Caitlyn had made about it, it had all been her own fault. It was too funny.

“Who’s Jayce?”, Powder asked.

“He’s the inventor who’s workshop we robbed”, she explained with a shrug, intending to add that it was the guy she mentioned Powder might like, but Caitlyn spoke up first.

“We?”

Vi realised too late what she’d just said. “Fuck.” As far as Caitlyn knew, Vi had robbed him alone – well, as far as Caitlyn had known and was supposed to stay believing. Unfortunately there was no stuffing that cat back in the bag either.

“All four of you were there?”, Caitlyn asked, sounding less like she wanted an actual answer and more like she was still putting the pieces together for herself. Her eyes landed back on Vi. “And you took the fall?”

Caitlyn looked at her in that way again, the one that seemed to be re-evaluating everything Caitlyn knew to be true about the world and Vi knew that was probably a good thing. It still felt strangely disconcerting to be the focus of such a look. She had no idea what to say.

Mylo threw an arm over her shoulders, pulling her out of her thoughts. “That’s our Vi”, he said, patting her cheek. “The martyr complex on this one is deeper than the Pilt.”

“Hey!”, Vi complained, shoving his hand away and freeing herself from his embrace with a chuckle. “I’m sure Councillor Kiramman would be happy to have someone else polish floors in my absence. See how you like it.”

“Maybe Powder should go”, Mylo argued. “She can help out that Jayce guy.”

“Sorry, but I don’t fix appliances”, Powder said with a smirk, pulling a nut tight on the rifle, then dropping her tools and taking up the weapon, looking at her lined up targets. “Bet I can make that shot though.”

Everyone’s attention was instantly pulled to the distant ledge of bottles and Powder’s newest creation.

“I don’t care what power you put on that thing, you’re not hitting those”, Mylo immediately said. “They’re too small and far away.”

Powder shrugged, taking aim. “Ten bucks says otherwise.”

Mylo laughed. “You’re on.”

Powder looked down the rifle’s scope, taking careful aim. Her hands were steady and her face determined. She pulled the trigger and a projectile whizzed across the field – right past the wall of targets, not hitting anything. “Shit.”

“Called it”, Mylo sing-songed with a satisfied smile. Powder frowned down at her weapon like it was to blame for the loss.

“How much force is that using?”

Powder startled at Caitlyn’s question, Vi herself having not expected it either. She narrowed her eyes at the Piltie – who for her part somehow looked genuinely curious – finally just saying: “Not sure.”

Undeterred, Caitlyn asked: “Is the angle marker on that scope accurate?”

Powder shrugged, getting a little frustrated. “I sure hope so, I lifted it off one of Smeech’s guys.”

Caitlyn tentatively held out her hands for the rifle. “May I?”

Powder scrutinized her, eyes flicking to Vi before she said: “You think you can do it better than me?”, derision clear in her voice.

Caitlyn bristled. “No, I just–”, she sighed but stayed resolute. “I want to help.”

Powder kept glaring, clearly not trusting her. Vi herself was a little uncertain what giving Caitlyn a weapon would result in but… who was she kidding, she was deeply curious. She nudged Powder’s shoulder. “Come on, Pow. Give her a chance.”

Caitlyn flicked a brief, grateful smile toward Vi that Vi found herself turning away from. “It’ll at least be funny when she fails”, Vi added without looking at her.

Powder looked at Caitlyn wearily for another moment before handing over the rifle. Caitlyn delicately took it keeping the barrel pointed down and asked: “Does this have a safety?”

Powder just snorted, which made Caitlyn cringe a little. But she kept inspecting the rifle, first measuring the distance between the end of the barrel and the scope with her fingers, then switching to hold it properly, turning toward the wall with the bottles on it. She gave a quick glance at Powder evidently looking for permission, which Powder just shrugged at. (Vi felt an odd sense of appreciation that Caitlyn had checked only with Powder and not her.) Then she pointed at a seemingly random spot on the wall and fired. Once. Twice. The bullets bounced off the concrete. She clearly knew what she was doing, her technique exact and efficient. Vi was briefly entranced by just how in her element she looked holding that rifle. The sudden shift in demeanor was startling.

Cait considered for a moment, then changed her grip on the rifle again and adjusted the scope’s angle. Then she held it out back to Powder. “Try again.”

Powder raised an eyebrow at her but took the gun back. Mylo meanwhile, scoffed. “No way”, he said.

Powder looked at Cait weighingly one more time before turning to Mylo and saying: “Double or nothing?”

Mylo laughed some more. “Your funeral”, he said with a shrug.

Powder took aim a second time. Exhaled slowly, and fired. One of the center bottles exploded into a shower of shards.

“Holy shit!”, Ekko whooped in excitement.

“Ha!”, Powder declared triumphantly, jumping up from where she sat to hold out a demanding hand to Mylo. “Pay up, sucker.”

“That’s–”, Mylo stuttered, still looking at the range of bottles now one bottle short. “But that’s ridiculous!” After another moment of bearing Powder’s silent demand he grumbled and dug Powder’s prize out of his pocket, handing over the cash.

The attention swiveled back to Cait, who shrugged, despite being visibly pleased herself. “It’s just about getting the angle of the scope right relative to distance and force. Powder’s aiming was perfect already.”

“You shoot?”, Vi asked, genuinely intrigued. She would have never been able to tell by how Cait was usually. The moment she’d raised the rifle to aim it had become rather obvious but damn. Cait had not seemed like the type somehow…

She seemed almost bashful. “Only recreationally”, she said, evidently trying to downplay it for some reason.

“Your aim any good?”, Vi didn’t let up, fascinated.

Cait shrugged again, turning to Powder. “May I?”

Powder’s hesitation was a lot shorter this time. “Sure”, she said, handing over the gun again.

Cait aimed carefully much like Powder had, blasting another bottle to pieces on her first try.

Vi couldn’t help but nod in appreciation of such a clean shot. “Not bad.”

Cait knew what she was doing, that was for sure. The fact left Vi reeling a little, it was just too incongruous with everything she believed. She didn't look at Cait, fearing her expression might be the same as Cait’s had been earlier. Re-evaluating. It gave Vi an idea that was absolutely terrible and entirely tempting. All this time she’d thought needing to keep Cait safe was a limitation, but what if she could be an asset? Vander likely wouldn't approve – but Vander didn't need to know.

“What are you thinking?”, Powder asked, knowing her far too well not to notice her mind working.

Trusting her gut, Vi made her decision, smiling at Powder. “I’m thinking we’re bringing her to the factory.”

Powder’s eyes widened a little while Cait’s narrowed. “What factory?”, she asked.

“Seriously?”, Mylo said, incredulous. “Why would we even go there?”

She hadn't discussed this with all of them yet: So far it had only been a vague idea of Powder’s that Vi had thought had a lot of potential. Powder was less confident in it.

“It’s really not that important, Vi”, she said, seeming embarrassed.

“No, I think it’s a good idea”, Vi insisted. It would be good for her – at least Vi really hoped it could be. “And Cait probably agrees.”

“Agree with what?”, Cait questioned with some irritation at having been ignored, asking again: “What factory?”

“The one we gutted”, Claggor explained. And, with a bit of a scowl he added: “The one that might well still have Silco’s men lingering there.”

Vi tilted her head toward Cait, not budging. “That’s why we’re bringing back-up.”

“Woah, wait. I am not back-up”, Caitlyn instantly protested. “I’m barely supposed to be here.”

A strange sense of disappointment briefly shot through Vi, but she dismissed it, rolling her eyes. Caitlyn was back in full Piltie force. “And yet you insist on it”, Vi mocked her. “What, don’t want to supervise anymore? I’m sure Ekko has a spare mask.” (“Oh, do I!”, he shouted excitedly.) “And don’t worry, I’m not handing you a real rifle”, Vi went on, willing to acknowledge and validate her hesitancy towards that. Shooting at targets and shooting at people were two very different things. “Just rubber bullets like these, to keep people off us while Powder does her looting.”

“What loot?”, Mylo interjected. “The only valuable thing there was Shimmer and we destroyed all of that.”

“Yeah, with fancy fucking crystals, the shards of which are probably still there”, Vi shot back, a bit annoyed that nobody else had put that together yet.

That gave Caitlyn pause. “Wait– Jayce’s crystals?”

Powder nodded, sheepish but determined. “I want to collect the shards and… I mean, I don’t know if they’re still worth much but they do still have a little bit of power in them.” One of the pieces of shrapnel the doctor had pulled out of Vander had been one such shard and Powder had been doing some tests. “I’d give them back if this Jayce still wants them. They are literally magic. It seems worth the shot.”

When Powder had first mentioned doing this Vi had been shocked by her own relief. There was something soothing in having Powder suggest doing something with no benefit to herself just because it seemed like the right thing to do. And it was a kind thing toward someone from the overcity to boot. Powder was still learning, developing, and Vi wanted to foster the impulses she felt Powder should be proud of.

“I’m going”, Vi declared. Turning to Caitlyn she said: “You can decide yourself whether you are too or if you’re staying here I guess.”

“Fine”, Caitlyn finally relented, stubborn as always. “I’m coming with you.”

Vi found herself smiling. Caitlyn hadn't even tried threatening her. “Great. It will take some time to gather everything we’ll need, so let’s do it next week?” Powder and Ekko immediately agreed, her brothers a bit more reticent, but ultimately willing. Nodding at Caitlyn Vi added: “More time for you to mentally prepare as well, Cait.”

Caitlyn grumbled but didn't say anything else about the subject. Especially as Powder turned to her with a glint in her eyes. “You up for a challenge, Piltie?”, she asked.

Caitlyn looked at her warily. “Depends on the challenge.”

Powder gestured at the bottles with her rifle. “We keep upping the distance until one of us misses a shot. Winner chooses their prize.”

Caitlyn looked intrigued and Vi watched their interaction closely. Powder seemed cocky, like she had something to prove. There had never been someone in their group with aim as good as hers. Vi was carefully curious how Caitlyn would handle this, ready to interfere if either of them escalated.

Thankfully Caitlyn seemed to know better than to wager money. “How about if I win you stop calling me Piltie?”, she proposed.

“Deal”, Powder agreed instantly. “If I win you’re leaving after lunch for the rest of the week.” Caitlyn looked like she was going to argue, but Powder cut her off. “Just leaving a few hours early shouldn't make much of a difference, should it?”

Caitlyn seemed to consider, eyeing the targets, gauging her chances. Making her decision she met Powder’s gaze and said: “Alright, deal.”

So the shoot-off commenced. Ekko acted as moderator, providing running commentary that made Powder laugh and Caitlyn roll her eyes – the comments were very biased in Powder’s favour. The others watched with interest, occasionally whistling and cheering when yet another bottle exploded – at least when Powder was the one who hit it. Caitlyn’s equally excellent shots were only rewarded with silence, but she didn't seem to be letting that affect her. After three rounds they only had two bottles left so they settled on a ridiculous distance that neither of them hit their target from at first shot. They moved a bit closer again after that, the tension between them palpable. The first of them to hit their bottle again would set the distance the other had to match.

Powder beat Caitlyn to it, having taken aim more carefully and slowly than Vi had ever seen her do it and then seeming almost more relieved than excited. She handed the rifle to Caitlyn after that with a smug smile, even as she clearly still had some nerves about if Caitlyn would make her own shot still. Caitlyn set herself up in a crouch and also aimed very carefully. Vi was watching her while the others looked at the target, so she was the only one who caught Caitlyn’s eyes flick over to Powder and then her a second before she squeezed the trigger. 

Powder didn't stop gloating until they reached the bar again, Caitlyn accepting her loss as gracefully as she could with the boys gleefully calling her Piltie while she was being led along the streets blindfolded again. From their tones Vi could tell it was all in good fun or she might have had to intervene – Vi thought everyone was still impressed with Caitlyn’s shooting, despite her last miss. Vi certainly was.

After lunch Vi pulled Powder aside and told her: “Nice work”, in private. Powder beamed. She already had plans for what they would do with their Caitlyn-free afternoons, making Vi laugh. Despite the eagerness to be rid of her, Vi got the sense throughout the rest of the day that Powder had warmed up to her a little. There wasn’t no suspicious glaring, but certainly less, and the glaring that did remain was undercut by a kind of confused curiosity that Vi could relate to a lot.

Caitlyn just became more and more of an enigma the more Vi learned about her. On the way back to Piltover when it was just the two of them walking next to each other Vi had to keep pushing the thought of grabbing Caitlyn’s hand again out of her mind. She had to get Caitlyn out of her head period. She tried telling herself it would be a relief to be spared her presence for a few afternoons. Even so, not wanting to want to know, Vi couldn’t stop herself from speaking:

“You missed that last shot on purpose, didn’t you.” It wasn't even a question. Vi knew she did. The real question was why she’d done it.

Caitlyn looked at her like Vi had grown a second head, shook her head and chuckled awkwardly. “Don’t be ridiculous, why would I do that?”, she said. “Now I’ll have to spend four afternoons worried you’ll do something stupid and expose all of my lies.” She did sound genuinely annoyed at that, but her poker face still hadn’t gotten a lick better. Whatever. Vi wasn't going to press. She didn't care.

“Speaking of exposing lies”, Vi said, remembering her own slip-up that day. “No one needs to know my siblings were at that robbery, right?”

“Right”, Caitlyn agreed surprisingly easily, her smile so genuine and almost conspiratorial this time, Vi had to look away from it. “I doubt the knowledge would do anyone any good anyway.”

Chapter Text

Caitlyn had never dreamed of violence before. Now, after having seen the aftermath of it so up-close in Vi’s father, the imagery was sneaking its way into her sleep, waking her in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. Her imagination painted vivid pictures of possible ways to sustain injuries like Vanders and often the person suffering in her nightmares wasn’t even herself – it was Jayce. She was more frustrated by this every day, feeling weak for still not being over such minor exposure to what the people of the undercity were exposed to all the time.

She was grateful when those specific dreams finally started disappearing again after another week, though her subconscious still seemed hung up on violence in general: She dreamed about the fight with Vi. A vivid dream, since the memory of it was well anchored in her mind. It was the first time she’d ever really fought anyone and she remembered with perfect clarity the feeling of her heart racing, the uncertainty of where the next attack would come from, the anticipation of pain. Now knowing a bit better the lengths that Vi was capable of going there was an additional edge to every landed hit – the unwavering knowledge that it could have been so much worse and yet… wasn’t.

She dreamed about the moment she’d made a desperate bid to gain the upper hand and pushed Vi to the ground. Dreamed exactly of how fast Vi had pinned her instead. In reality Caitlyn had kept trying to fight back and eventually gotten a knee to her ribs for her efforts but in the dream the fighting stopped in that moment. Vi above her, her own hands at her sides, pinned by Vi’s iron grip. She’d just frozen, looking up into Vi’s eyes, completely unable to read her expression and entirely at her mercy.

Caitlyn couldn’t remember the rest of the dream when she woke up that morning but it left her feeling strange. Not afraid like the other dreams, just… strange. It reminded her of what it had been like to move through the undercity with Vi as her only reference point. More and more she was forced to put her trust in Vi and somehow she always did despite knowing what Vi was capable of.

After having breakfast with her dad (her mother had an early meeting) and then getting changed into her undercity clothes, Caitlyn waited by the gate, trying to remember how the dream continued. She knew there had been something, but it was like a black hole within her consciousness, completely unapproachable. She hated when that happened, hated being unable to make sense of what she was feeling.

Jayce still wasn’t coming. Caitlyn supposed it wasn’t necessary, but she still felt a little hurt. At least he wasn’t forgetting about her because of Vi anymore. A different undercity resident held all of his attention these days. She rolled her eyes at the memory.

—

She’d gone to see him in the evening right after first going to the undercity, two puncture wounds in her arms still reminding her why she was doing this. Knocking at his room door after his mother had let her in she’d felt like an entitled brat coming to collect her due, which had been a hard feeling to shake, even if she wasn’t exactly doing this on her own behalf.

It had taken a minute for the door to finally open, Jayce only opening it a little bit to peer out at who was there, before opening it just a bit further as he recognised her.

“Caitlyn”, he had said, surprised. “What are you doing here?”

She’d supposed she’d never visited him before. “Can we talk?”, she’d just asked, knowing the explanation itself was already something they shouldn't do out in the hall.

“S-sure. Come in.” He’d sounded a bit hesitant and at first Caitlyn had let that hurt her, but upon entering it became obvious why he was acting like this. It had made her feel a lot better about it.

Viktor had been standing by Jayce’s table, having clearly just scrambled out of his chair. A half-empty cup of coffee and empty plate in front of him had barely had enough space with how much other stuff was crowding the surface.

“Caitlyn”, he’d said too quickly. “What a coincidence you should catch me here. I was just stopping by briefly to remind Mr. Talis of…”, he’d looked around the room as if searching for the rest of his sentence there. “The– uh… conditions of his suspension.”

Notes, scraps of wiring, tools and other machine parts had been littering every inch of the desk and even some of the floor. Even though Caitlyn knew nothing about this kind of stuff, it hadn’t been hard to guess what they were working on, given Jayce’s nerves and Viktor’s terrible lying.

“Don’t worry, I’m not a snitch”, Caitlyn had simply said, rolling her eyes. Like she’d get Jayce punished after everything she’d done to get him off easy. She would prefer if he weren't doing risky things like that at all, but she hadn’t had any room to scold because on top of all that: “I’m actually here to ask for a favour.”

At least Jayce’s response had been the kind that reminded her why she liked him so much: “Of course. What can I do for you?” No hesitation, no caveats. Caitlyn had been relieved and reassured, only slightly worried that it would not stay that way.

She’d taken a deep breath before starting to explain: “It’s about Vi. Her dad nearly died last night and I want her to be able to spend time with her family but I know my mother can’t allow her to take a break from the indenture. If the other Councillors found out…” She had paused meaningfully, trusting the two men could imagine what that would mean, and unwilling to say it out loud. The thought had been too horrible. “I told her Vi was with you all day today. I need you to ask to have Vi with you for at least the next few days. She won't actually be here of course. You don’t have to worry about it, I’ll be accompanying her to the undercity myself to make sure she stays out of trouble.”

Jayce had gaped at her. “You?”, he’d asked kind of pointedly. “You are going to spend all day in the undercity with a girl you previously just wanted out of your life?”

Well, when he put it like that it had sounded insane.

“It… it just kind of happened”, she had said helplessly, having no better explanation. “You should have seen her when she arrived at the manor this morning – late! She was completely shell shocked.”

“So you’re taking pity on her?”, Viktor had asked her, making her startle.

“No, I–”, she’d started to refute it, but then she’d thought about it again and, chewing her lip had asked: “Well… is that so wrong?” She had felt bad for Vi. She wanted to help.

Viktor hadn’t argued further, happy to just have her aware of her own motivation, she supposed. It was good to know why she was doing this.

Jayce had had other concerns, turning to Viktor to ask: “How safe is it for her to be going to the undercity?”

Viktor had shrugged: “If she’s with a local, probably safe. It’s not all gangs and junkies, Jayce.”

Caitlyn had refrained from telling them that Vi was basically in a gang. And at this point probably a rather famous one to boot.

“Yeah, I– I know. Sorry”, Jayce had said, in a way that suggested it wasn’t the first time he was apologetic about his assumptions. Then he’d turned back to Caitlyn. “You want me to lie to your mother?”

“Yes”, Caitlyn had said, a bit worried herself at how easily she said it. She’d been skirting around the truth around her mother so much she hadn't hesitated. It hadn’t felt good but Caitlyn hadn't had time to dwell on it. “For Vi”, she had quickly reiterated instead. “And you’re clearly already lying to my mother.”

Jayce had looked like he would protest for a moment, but looking around him at all the evidence he’d finally just sighed. “Hence how I know it’s not any fun”, he’d said. “Alright, fine. I’ll play along. But if your mother ever wants to see results from all this, you have to cover for me.”

“Deal”, Caitlyn had said instantly. they would come up with something. “Thank you, Jayce. And you too, Viktor.”

“Me?”, Viktor had said pointing at himself, shaking his head. “I’m not even here, you never saw me.”

“Right”, Caitlyn had almost laughed. “Of course.”

—

Her mother had yet to voice any doubts of Jayce or her. Cassandra had been a little annoyed that Caitlyn wanted to spend lunches with Jayce from now on but since she didn’t stay out late or do anything else untoward (as far as her mother knew) she didn't have much ground to stand on. She was almost an adult and both her parents were proud of her for being “independent”. She had to keep up with her studies somehow, but that was an issue to solve a bit later. She’d worked so hard previously that she could afford to slack off a little. As for Jayce, Caitlyn didn't think her mother had very high hopes and in extension expectations of him. It made her a little sad how quickly she’d lost faith in him after the explosion. She wished she could redeem him in her eyes somehow. Although with the aim of today being to recover Jayce’s crystals – or whatever was left of them – Caitlyn wondered if that would help at all or just incriminate him more.

The prospect of going to the place where Vi had fought and killed made her anxious, even as she was deeply, fatally curious. She knew she risked her violent dreams returning and while she was determined to prove herself she wasn't exactly looking forward to it.

Of course, Vi could tell as much immediately. “Nervous?”, she asked her on their way down to the undercity. To “Zaun” – a name that felt somehow like forbidden knowledge to Caitlyn.

Caitlyn grimaced. “Excuse me for not being entirely comfortable being asked to shoot at people.” She’d been trying to picture it but years of gun safety drills were making it difficult right alongside her conscience.

“Relax”, Vi said dismissively. “The odds that anyone shows up in the first place are low and even if someone does – you don’t have to aim to hit. Shoot the ground at their feet. Shoot the air next to their face. Fear is a better motivator to leave than pain.”

The advice was disconcertingly genuine and Caitlyn’s frown just deepened.

Vi laughed. “It’s not too late to tap out.”

“You’re still going though”, Caitlyn pointed out. She knew better than to hope otherwise.

“I’m not worried, I’ve been there before”, Vi simply said. With a shrug she added: “And it’s for Powder.”

For Powder. Caitlyn got the sense that Vi would do literally anything for her sister. They had used one of the afternoons that Caitlyn had left early on to both get piercings in their left ears and that was just the most recent example of exactly how close those two girls were. Vi was obviously very protective, but Powder was just as protective of Vi and Caitlyn couldn't help but suspect she’d held a grudge over the indenture.

The girl hadn’t exactly been giving her any opportunities to get to know her, although it had gotten better after Caitlyn had fixed her scope. Powder had been less hostile since then and had even asked her what guns she had experience with one morning. She’d rolled her eyes at Caitlyn’s response that she only really knew about hunting rifles, but still.

Really, Powder’s stand-offish behaviour made sense. Her life had been made exceptionally difficult and painful by the overcity and Caitlyn’s insistence to surveil them wasn't making it better. Shooting against her, Caitlyn had realised the extent of her sheer talent for firearms and how much it meant to her. It had reminded her of when Grayson had let her win the last shooting competition, and she’d asked herself what she was shooting for again. To not be called a silly name? She could live with the teasing but reward or not she’d realised the win would mean far more to Powder than to her. And she couldn't help but notice that Powder hadn't called her Piltie since.

Caitlyn sighed, trying to feel as certain about it as she could when she said: “Let’s do this.”

At least the situation in Zaun seemed stable at this point, based on what Caitlyn had picked up during their meetings. There had been some whispers about a new Shimmer a few days ago but it turned out to be a poor imitation that didn't catch on. There were many unknowns that could still cause trouble in the future but every day the undercity had time to recover was a good thing in Caitlyn’s eyes.

When they got to the bar, Caitlyn was immediately ambushed by an excited Ekko. The boy’s suspicions of her had mostly disappeared, and she got the sense he just found her ridiculous sometimes. It was a bit strange but preferable to the alternative.

“I know we said I had enough masks lying around”, he was now telling her. “But I couldn't resist.”

He pulled a mask from behind his back where he’d been hiding it for dramatic effect. Caitlyn couldn't help but gasp at the sight, which was clearly the reaction Ekko had been looking for. The craftsmanship was meticulous. A fox was looking up at her, smooth curves of abstracted features too tempting not to run her fingers along them. She took the mask from him carefully, marveling at the even coat of silver and blue paint.

“This is beautiful”, she said distractedly, turning the light metal in her hands. The inside had a padded breathing mask built in and an adjustable strap that felt very secure.

“The eyes are extra wide for a better field of vision for shooting”, Ekko explained.

Caitlyn looked up from the mask to meet his eyes and he was clearly already very proud but even so Caitlyn said: “Thank you.” He’d earned it. “I have been wondering”, she added. “Why are all the masks in an Ionian style?”

She didn’t know too much about her father’s culture but there were artworks and trinkets he cherished and displayed proudly in their home. Seeing that kind of art reflected here in this strange way was still a little weird.

“We get Ionian antiques at the shop sometimes”, Ekko explained. “I always liked them a lot. The soft curves, the harmonious compositions. It feels like reaching into nature and letting it guide you.”

Caitlyn was still thinking about that when they got moving and she had to put on her mask. It fit well and sat comfortably against her face, her field of vision really relatively good. She was thinking about how the other’s masks fit them so well too, how each animal seemed so specifically chosen. Ekko had given her a fox. Did that mean anything? Foxes symbolised cunning and trickery and her initial reaction was to write the choice off as random, chosen for superficial reasons. The more she thought about it, the more it did feel accurate however: A fox in the hen house, she was an intruder; Someone helpful but not fully trustworthy. Was she the trickster?

And yet, as she walked with them towards their destination this time she felt more like a part of the group than ever before. With the same kind of mask on her face she blended in and she had gotten used to her place in the formation. She wasn’t afraid. At least not until their surroundings got darker and darker, the air almost hazy with some kind of fog and Vi finally handed her the rifle she’d been carrying for her. The implication of danger immediately had her scanning their environment, growing frustrated as every shadow in the mist looked like a person to her.

They approached a large construction of stone that had perhaps once been a building but now was mostly rubble. Watching her own steps Caitlyn noticed a trail of dark splotches on the ground – splatters of long-dried blood. God, Caitlyn hoped they wouldn't find any dead bodies.

One by one they squeezed through what used to be an arched entrance, now mostly blocked by debris. After a quick look around, Vi gave the all-clear and Ekko rushed forward to set up lights around the room. Slowly the floodlights he’d brought illuminated remains of stone walls, broken down metal walkways and crushed machinery. Empty and broken glass containers, the remnants of which crunched under Caitlyn’s boots, were likely once filled with chemicals but if any of it had survived the explosion it was gone now – scavenged and looted. There were miscellaneous stains in a lot of places, some seeming too purple to be blood. No corpses or body parts so far.

Caitlyn startled when a form toward the back of the room moved as the light blindet it, pointing the rifle on instinct. It was what Caitlyn by now recognised as a former Shimmer addict who scrambled to his feet and retreated through another exit the moment he realised their attention on him. He didn't even get close to any of them, tried nothing, just fled. Caitlyn’s heart hammered away in her chest anyway.

“We’re all good”, Vi said, voice slightly tinny from behind her mask. To Caitlyn she said: “Keep an eye on the two exits and the openings around the upper floors.”

Caitlyn raised her head to look along the jagged outline against the darkness that was what remained of the factory’s walls. She could barely make out anything, even the metal walkways above them obscured by the haze. This was going to be a long day. It was barely fathomable for her to remember that the same people who were with her now had caused all this damage.

“Powder, you remember where you aimed?”, Vi asked her sister, who was surveying the ruins as well.

It took a while for Powder to answer, shaking herself before beginning to move. “Roughly”, she said. "We can all start on the far wall since that was the direction I was facing.”

“Here, look!”, Ekko shouted, his owl mask pressed to a crack in the wall. He looked especially uncanny as he tilted his head like the animal of his mask might before reaching for a chisel and hammer on his belt and chipping away at the stone.

Powder was by his side quickly and before long Powder was using tweezers to carefully pull a small splinter of a shining blue stone from the crack.

“Do you really think there’s still power in those?”, Mylo asked, sounding sceptical. He probably wasn't looking forward to the tedious work of looking for such tiny prizes.

“I did check, asshole ”, Powder said as she carefully placed the piece in a dish with some adhesive on the inside. “But feel free to piss off if you think this’ll be a waste of time.”

It still startled Caitlyn what harsh language they sometimes used with mostly pleasant tones. Mylo didn't piss off – Caitlyn was beginning to get the sense he just liked to complain. When it became time for Claggor, Vi and himself to start moving rubble though he cooperated seamlessly. They all began picking through the rock and metal scraps, wearing thick gloves but still careful not to cut themselves on jagged corners or shards while Caitlyn kept an eye on their surroundings. She had no idea what she was doing – if she was doing it right. Trying to operate on common sense she stayed moving and vigilant which was both soothing and nerve-wracking somehow. She was very preoccupied with her own movement, overthinking just about everything she did.

Caitlyn wasn’t sure if the mask made it easier or harder to breathe. It certainly made her more aware of the process of it: Every inhale a palpable pull on the filter and every exhale a brief pressure against her face before the air managed to escape through the valve. Both were audible, the sound probably quiet from the outside but rattlingly loud to Caitlyn herself. Her slightly limited field of vision through the mask also added to her paranoia, constantly swiveling the rifle in circles around the perimeter. She felt like she was spending a lot of attention keeping track of everywhere the others were working so that she didn't shoot one of them by accident.

Accordingly she noticed when Vi disappeared down a corridor at the back of the factory that she’d had to drag a bunch of big chunks of wall out of before being able to squeeze through. She got more nervous with every minute that Vi was gone, kept from following her only by the thought of having to squeeze through such a claustrophobic and potentially unstable path herself. Even so she was sorely tempted the more minutes passed, growing more and more anxious. Had Vi gotten into trouble, somehow? The others didn't seem worried but they were busy – had they even noticed her leave?

Caitlyn’s relief was palpable when she finally saw Vi shimmy back out of the tunnel. Letting down her guard for a moment she startled when Vi tossed heavy metal objects that she’d dragged after her on the ground. The clang of the impact drew everyone’s attention and it took Caitlyn a moment to figure out what they were even looking at – gauntlets. They were mining gauntlets.

Vi herself was prowling, shoulders tense with barely contained anger. Caitlyn didn't even need to see her face to know what she was feeling. That anger was familiar in an entirely unpleasant way. Until Caitlyn had started seeing her here, in her home, she hadn't even realised how it had clung to her at the mansion. Caitlyn hadn’t missed it, but now it was back. Vi paced a few steps for a moment before sitting down on a piece of rock, the wolf’s snarl glaring at the gauntlets.

“They were in Silco’s office”, Vi said, to no one in particular as far as Caitlyn could tell. “Vander never tried to fight him. He disarmed long before that bastard ever stabbed him.”

Caitlyn saw the others exchange glances but with their faces covered she could only guess at their reactions.

“He… he must have tried to talk to him”, Powder said, sounding sad.

Vi got up from the rock with a start, energy frantic, fists balled up, her own gauntlets clinking around them. “He almost got himself killed!”

She continued to mumble something too quiet and muffled by the mask for Caitlyn to hear, though she thought she heard the name ‘Silco’ again. Vi was seething.

Caitlyn could understand why. She’d been there after all – in the aftermath. She still remembered Vi blaming herself for Vander nearly dying. This revelation that he hadn't intended to fight like she thought he would and put himself in danger had to sting.

Powder put down the tools she was holding to walk over to her sister, taking her hand. “Please let it go, Vi”, she said.

Vi squeezed Powder’s hand but she shook her head. “He’s still out there. I can feel it.”

“You won’t find him”, Powder argued, almost desperate. “Please just… stay with me.”

That made Vi’s shoulders relax a little, even though her hands were still shaking a bit. She crouched down to wrap her arms around Powder, whether to steady herself or her sister, Caitlyn wasn’t sure.

“Always”, Vi said. “I’m always with you.”

A tense silence remained for a while after that but nobody else said anything about the topic. Maybe they would later when they weren’t in a risky area, weren’t in masks, weren’t with Caitlyn. They kept working, Vi seeming more reckless in her moving and splitting of rocks, less careful not to hurt herself. For an irrational and selfish moment Caitlyn wished she could take Vi back to her home and make her do labor that was safer. In a calm environment where she couldn't get hurt. Immediately she marveled at how ridiculous of a thought it was. As if she could take Vi away from her own anger. As if enslaving her would actually be sparing her.

When they were packing up, Vi made to grab the gauntlets, but Powder stopped her. “He won't want them back”, she said, shaking her head.

Vi was still for a moment, seeming to fight some internal battle. “Fine”, she eventually bit out.

Vi grabbed the gauntlets by their straps and approached the stairs to the ruined metal walkways. Nobody stopped her this time and Caitlyn twitched to warn her to watch out on the ruined metal – that it could break at any moment – but she didn't. She watched, nearly holding her breath, as Vi walked out toward a jagged and bent piece of walkway that still stuck furthest into the center of the room. She balanced out as far as she could, the damaged metal groaning under her, and leaned out to the farthest point, slinging and tying the gauntlets to the metal. They dangled over the ruins of the factory. The gauntlets were like a flag, a stake of territory, a warning, a message: The Pack was here and now this place is nothing but ashes and blood. Remember, and think twice before defying us.

Caitlyn was tired on the way back, realising only then the toll her constant vigilance had taken on her. She was relieved it hadn't actually been necessary in the end, since they had stayed undisturbed. It made her feel a little better about coming back tomorrow, because obviously they were far from done. They put their things away at the bar and then split up, the guys having plans at Benzo’s and Vi and Powder intending to eat at home now that Vander was no longer bed-bound. As always, Caitlyn just followed Vi, still carrying the rifle strapped to her chest. Not actively holding it but at this point finding its presence reassuring.

As they came into earshot of their new apartment Caitlyn heard an unfamiliar voice from the open window – a woman talking with Vander. As Vi heard it too her shoulders instantly tensed, expression somewhere between grave and furious. Caitlyn’s heart was instantly racing and she gripped the rifle, half-raising it in preparation for whatever danger Vi knew about but she didn't – only for Powder to reach over and push the barrel down again. Caitlyn looked at Powder confused and the girl had enough time to start shaking her head before Vi moved, bursting through the door like gunfire herself.

Inside, Vander and the woman – dark skinned with chin-length, brown hair – turned at the commotion, Vi already rushing toward the stranger.

“You”, Vi growled, lifting her fists to rush her. “You sided with him you piece of–”

Vi was fast but Vander was faster, stepping between his daughter and the woman, catching the metal encasing Vi’s wrist. “Vi”, he said calmly but decisively. When Vi’s eyes stayed burning and pinned on the woman and she tried to pull herself out of his grip he carefully went down on one knee to be closer and repeated: “Vi!”

Vi seemed to look at him only begrudgingly, looking to Caitlyn like there was a scream lodged in her throat just waiting to burst free. “Sevika and I can come to an understanding”, Vander said slowly and deliberately. Vi’s grimace deepened, eyes darting, pulling against him. Caitlyn noticed her hands shake from the slight rattling of her gauntlets, her breathing hitch. Vi growled.

“I know”, Vander said, sounding genuine and apologetic but Vi turned away from him, seeming to struggle with words, with thought. “I know. Breathe. I’m sorry. I can–”

Vi screamed and kicked half-heartedly at Vander’s knee and though all it did was startle him she used the opportunity to twist out of his grasp. Caitlyn barely had time to stumble out of the way before Vi was bolting out of the house, leaving Vander looking after her with grief in his eyes.

Vander sighed deeply as he pushed himself back onto his feet. The woman beside him scoffed before her eyes fell on Caitlyn, then Powder, at which point she grimaced. Powder stuck out her tongue at her with her own glare. Everything had happened so fast Caitlyn was struggling to react, entirely unsure what to even do as everyone else seemed so calm and meanwhile Vi was quickly disappearing down the street.

Caitlyn hesitated for only a moment more before turning to rush after her. Vi was running full tilt and she immediately realised she wouldn't be able to catch up. Ever since what Vi had said about her being helpless in the undercity she’d started running in the evenings to build up stamina, but she hadn’t been doing it long, this was a sprint and her legs were already beginning to ache, her lungs burning. Vi disappeared from view and Caitlyn wasn’t even sure she’d be able to follow without getting lost. Her steps slowed in defeat.

She was leaning on her knees, breathing heavily when Powder came strolling up behind her. Caitlyn looked between her and the empty street where Vi had gotten away from her. “You’re not going to try to keep up?”, she asked Powder, still bewildered from the interaction she had just witnessed. Vi had been shaking with anger and it had seemed like nobody else even cared what she did about it.

“To do what?”, Powder asked with a shrug. “Watch Vi rage? No thanks. I know where she’s going.”

Caitlyn scowled at her but fell into lockstep with Powder’s unhurried pace.

“Does she get like this often?”, she asked. It was the only logical explanation for how easy Powder was taking this. She did seem upset a little bit, but mostly in a tired and frustrated way.

“It comes and goes”, Powder said. “It was worse before, when Silco was still...” She trailed off. There were several seconds of silence during which Powder seemed conflicted about whether or not to keep talking. “It was worst a few years ago, when I was six, so Vi must have been… around ten. I think that’s when it started”, she finally said.

Oh. “After your–”

“Yeah”, Powder interrupted before she could say it.

After their parents had died. Caitlyn knew Vi angry – she shouldn't have been shocked that so did her family. There was just something so disconcerting about watching her father and sister be just as unable to do anything about it as she was. Something so… devastating about hearing that this was something they’d all struggled with for years.

“Who was that woman?”, Caitlyn asked because Powder had clearly known her.

Powder sighed. “That’s Sevika. Silco’s right hand. We’ve been keeping an eye out for her, remember? She’s worked with Vander before, it makes sense she’d come crawling back to him.”

Caitlyn filled in some blanks on her own. Sevika used to be on Vander’s side but deserted him for Silco. Vander was obviously amenable to at least speaking with her – Vander was a reasonable man. Vi on the other hand… Vi was angry.

Powder and her spent the rest of the walk in silence, eventually coming up to a pretty coloured-glass facade with artistic swirls in its frame. Vi’s screaming and grunting as her fists hit padded targets was audible even from a distance and Caitlyn and Powder both stopped when they were close enough to look inside.

Vi was locked in battle with a boxing arcade machine. It looked like a hulking behemoth compared to her, padded targets and gloved metal arms that shot out to fight her constantly moving with Vi weaving through them over and over. Every impact of her fists seemed more impossible than the last and yet she kept landing hits, even as they seemed to do nothing to quell her fury.

Caitlyn worked to keep her mouth from falling open. Her words were automatic and barely more than a whisper: “Wow. She’s…”

She was magnificent. Fast and fluid and relentless, wailing on the machine with such violence it should have been terrifying but instead she made it look like an art, a dance. Caitlyn couldn't take her eyes off it, couldn't describe what she was seeing and how it made her feel. It was just… magnificent.

Beside her, Powder sounded much less impressed. “Usually when she’s angry she–”, Powder cut herself off as one of the machine’s gloved arms slammed into Vi’s face sending her stumbling backward. Caitlyn winced but Powder’s tone stayed flat and unbothered when she said: “Yeah. She’s not focused.”

Caitlyn watched in awe as Vi just shook herself and dove right back into the fray, screaming. This time around Caitlyn worried at every too reckless hit and tensed at every barely dodged counter attack. Clearly Vi was skilled but if she was lost in her anger–

“She’s going to hurt herself”, Caitlyn said, torn on what to do, how to help.

Powder just shrugged. “That’s the point.”

Caitlyn finally turned to look at her again, shocked by her dismissiveness. “Well… shouldn’t we try to stop her?” Didn’t Powder care if her sister got injured?

“You want to try and get in there?”, Powder asked nodding toward the seemingly endless exchange of mechanical and enraged punches. Powder snorted, even as she seemed to be grimacing. “Good luck with that. The only person who could bring her back once it gets this bad would be Vander.”

Vander. But he knew she was in this state and wasn't coming to calm her. Caitlyn wondered how often Vander had done it in the past, wondered what painful experience let him know that there would be no point this time. Powder had said he could calm her down ‘usually’, but clearly not today. Because Vi was angry at him too.

“She’ll tire herself out eventually”, Powder said. “She’ll be okay.”

She’ll be okay. Vander probably believed that too. Caitlyn kept watching Vi’s fury collide with the machine. “As okay as any of you are”, she said absentmindedly.

“What?”, Powder asked.

Caitlyn shook her head, still transfixed, stomach churning with concern, lost in thought. “Sorry, it’s just something she’s said. I still don't really know anything about what it’s like to grow up here. I want to help but I don't know how.”

“You are helping.”

The words genuinely startled her, prompting her to look at Powder again. “Excuse me?” Did she mis-hear her?

Powder sounded vaguely annoyed, but she said: “Vi is here because of you. That’s helping.”

Caitlyn frowned. She technically knew that but… it didn't really feel like it. Especially right now. “That’s not a lot”, she said.

Powder was definitely annoyed when she crossed her arms and said: “It’s more than any of us could have done.”

“Right”, Caitlyn quickly said. She was forgetting her privilege again. It didn't seem like much of a service to her but by just doing barely anything she was granting them a little bit of the power she had that they did not. It didn't exactly make her feel better about it, but still. It meant something that Vi’s sister had brought it up in the first place, had admitted the bit of credit. “Thank you, Powder.”

Powder rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” Inside the machine was winding down, Vi panting and finally collapsing to the ground. Powder stepped forward, turning back to tell Caitlyn: “If you want to help right now just wait out here for a bit.”

“Of course”, Caitlyn said, stepping back. She was learning that sometimes not being there at all was a kind of helping too. Even as she wanted to stay, she let go of her own curiosity. She owed them that much at least. “I’ll give you two some space.”

Chapter Text

Going through all the rubble for what remained of the crystals took a lot longer than Vi had expected. The cracks with them inside ran deep and required chiseling away at stone carefully as to not set off the shard and a lot of pieces were covered by the rubble of the demolition. Every time they thought they were done they kept spotting more and Powder and Ekko especially were determined to get as many as possible. None of them wanted to spend day after day doing nothing but search, so they would skip days or only work a few hours on some. Accordingly they were still chipping away at the factory a month later when they finally couldn’t find any more for a whole day and Powder agreed to stop.

She’d taken five crystals back then and looking at the amount of shards they’d accumulated, Vi thought they had to have at least found enough pieces to make up for four. It was time to go see Jayce.

Mylo and Claggor didn't really care about the Piltie inventor so it would just be Vi and Powder going. Caitlyn had arranged things with Jayce who was happy to have them visit that weekend. Powder had agreed to just joining her on her way to get Caitlyn so they didn't end up going back and forth and back again. This did mean, however, that Vi couldn’t just grab food and run out before Vander could talk to her as she had been doing her best to do for the past weeks.

“Morning Powder”, Vander said as they came to the breakfast table he had already prepared. His tone was carefully neutral when he nodded toward her as well and said: “Vi.”

Vi sat wordlessly, ignored him and started to eat. Silent seconds ticked by awkwardly, the only sound the occasional clattering of cutlery.

Finally Vander broke the silence asking: “I hear you’re going topside today?”

Again, Vi stayed quiet and focused on the food. Powder kicked her under the table driving a spike of annoyance through her. She looked over at her sister who frowned at her, nodding toward Vander. Just talk to him, her eyes seemed to say.

You talk to him, Vi communicated back with her own frown and scoff.

Powder threw up her hands in silent frustration. I’m not dealing with this, this is your problem.

There is no problem, Vi shrugged back.

Yeah right, Powder’s expression seemed to say. She rolled her eyes. You’re being ridiculous.

Vi felt like growling. She was bouncing her leg, feeling her frustration building. Fine. “Yeah”, she finally told Vander without looking at him. “We are.”

“Well, I hope you have a good time”, Vander said, Vi able to practically hear his tentative smile. “Send Caitlyn my regards.”

“Sure”, Vi said flatly. Her leg was still bouncing. Was he just going to ignore the problem? Would he not even try to explain himself? All month Vi had dreaded letting Vander talk to her because surely he would try and explain to her why working with Sevika made sense, how everything was much more complicated than simple allegiances and tell her all the reasons Sevika was worth trusting. But he made no such attempts. He just kept eating his breakfast. Vi scoffed. Somehow that pissed her off too. This was why she’d been avoiding him – there was just no winning, no outsmarting her fury. Maybe trying to outrun it instead had been the coward's way out but… Vi didn't actually want to feel like this. She didn’t…

“I don’t want to be mad at you”, she said, still just looking down at her food.

“I know”, she heard Vander say, voice full of understanding.

It was terrible. Being angry at Vander was terrible because he did understand. For years now every time she’d gotten like this it had been Vander who could sit with her until she calmed down. It had been Vander who could catch her fists to keep her from hurting herself without just pissing her off more. It had been Vander who could see her anger and didn't make her feel weak for it, even when it would break and leave her sobbing instead. Being angry at him felt destructive and painful, like she was betraying him somehow even though he was the one she felt had done the betraying.

“You’re not angry because of Sevika, are you”, Vander said gently – not a question, he already knew the answer.

Vi finally looked up to meet his soft eyes, one still ruined from the poison she’d fed him. She was taken off guard by the statement. Of course she was angry because of Sevika! She’d worked for Silko, she’d abandoned Vander before, she’d supported the poisoning of their streets! She didn't deserve good will, she couldn’t be trusted and Vi was angry that Vander was giving it to her anyway. If Sevika betrayed him again, what if he got hurt again? What if he got hurt worse? What if Vi couldn't save him a second time? Why had Vi had to save him in the first place?

“Why didn't you fight Silco?”, Vi asked through gritted teeth.

Vander nodded, like he’d been expecting the question. “He asked me the same thing”, he said with a sad smile. He sighed. “After your parents died… I told you I nearly stopped him but in truth that is just what I was telling myself needed to be done. Because I was angry and Silco was the only person in reach I could blame besides… besides myself. What I did to him… it wasn't right. No matter what he had done or was planning to do, I should have talked to him. I wasn't in control of myself and it cost me.” He gave Vi a meaningful look at the words and Vi hated it.

She hated that she could feel what he described, could perfectly imagine a fury so great it removed you from your senses. She hated that he might be right. The thought that Silco didn't deserve any pain he got sickened her. It made her own hatred of him feel… less like something she could control.

“I’ve worked hard to let go of that anger”, Vander went on. “I assure you it hasn’t been easy – especially considering everything he’s done since… I didn't fight Silco because I knew that despite everything it still wouldn't be right if I did, just like it hadn't been right back then. He said he could forgive me for what I did to him but what he couldn't forgive was that I ‘gave up’. That I wasn't even fighting now, not even fighting him – he resented it. He can't imagine a world anymore where vulnerability is a virtue.”

Vander sounded so mournful as he spoke, forcing Vi to remember that they had once been like brothers. She couldn't shake her frustration, couldn't help but argue even if it felt viscerally wrong to side with Silco over Vander.

“It isn’t”, Vi insisted nonetheless. “You almost died because you gave him the chance.” Vi’s eyes stung and she squeezed them shut, clenched her fists just to keep herself from falling apart. Her voice was shaking when she threw the accusation at Vander: “You almost left us and for what!?”

Vi was angry, furious – devastated. She was this close to pushing away from the table and running away again because how was she supposed to face Vander when she was so angry at him for being so stupid, so reckless? When the consequences of what he’d done – what she’d done – stared at her every time she looked at him? It wasn't supposed to be this way.

Vander reached out across the table for her, but didn't take her hand. His just laid it on the table in offer. “I’m sorry, Vi. I never meant to hurt you”, he tried to apologise. “I did try to stay safe, Silco was just too fast. Too… desperate.”

“He wouldn't have been able to hurt you if you hadn't disarmed”, Vi said, trying hard to stay calm, eyes burning. Her chest ached with the memory of her fear for his life. The agony of thinking it might be her fault. How could he do that to her when all he’d had to do was stay armed?

Vander shook his head. “I wouldn't have been able to hold out a hand to him either.” As if to demonstrate he turned his outstretched hand palm up. Vi stared at it for a moment, unable to bring herself to take it. Vander’s shoulders fell a little and he looked down at his own plate for a moment before shifting in his seat and saying: “You don't have to answer if you don't want to but I have been wondering: Why did you let Caitlyn take you to the undercity when I was dying? It was a risky decision.”

Vi instantly bristled and nearly shot up to yell at Vander. Was he really giving her shit for a risky decision now, when it had been his fault she’d even needed to make it? His fault for leaving her desperate and afraid and– Vander wasn’t making an accusation, he was getting at something else. He was making Vi make his point for him and she resented that too, frustrated that she could already feel herself giving in.

“She…”, Vi hesitated, feeling stupid and silly. “She promised she wouldn't tell.”

“And why did you trust her to be honest?”, Vander pushed.

Because Caitlyn had made herself vulnerable, Vi realised against her will. Vi would have never trusted her enough to open up about what had happened in the first place if Caitlyn hadn't proved to her that she was willing to be hurt – to be vulnerable – and still keep true to her word. Would not retaliate, even if she could have and perhaps would have deserved to. Caitlyn had put down her metaphorical weapons and Vi… Vi trusted her.

She still didn't like it – didn't want to agree to this logic. “You can’t just let people hurt you hoping they won’t”, she said.

Vander seemed to almost chuckle. “No”, he shook his head. “Of course not. But if you can get to know people and then take the risk if they manage to make you believe it could be worth it. Remember, you also spared Deckard and he hasn't betrayed you. Yes, you might get hurt, you might lose, but you could just as well gain far more.” He paused for a moment to let the words sink in. Then he shifted slightly again, tone less soft and more just explanatorily – transitioning out of the deeply personal back to less loaded topics, if only slightly. “I know Sevika and I believe working with her again is worth the risk. She wants an independent undercity, she is as desperate for it as we all are.”

Vi apprenticed that he was moving on, that she wasn't pressed to come to a concluding thought about all this just yet. Her anger had dissipated for now, leaving her just slightly frustrated as she turned the new information over in her head.

“So you’re going back to fighting for Zaun?”, Powder asked Vander in the meantime, sounding hopeful.

Vander startled at the name a little, then smiled. “I’m going to start by trying to bring us together again. We’ll see how far we can make it from there.”

Vi supposed for that purpose working with Sevika made sense. It would warm former Silco supporters to their cause. She granted this very begrudgingly but… well. She didn't want to be angry at Vander. Her emotions still felt raw but she hugged Vander briefly before leaving and it didn't feel bad.

—

Making her way topside with Powder was different but nice. The trip had already lost its edge now that it wasn't keeping her away from home all day anymore, but having Powder with her was especially comfortable. Vi almost laughed at how much more comfortable she herself was compared to Powder in the bright orderly streets. It was funny but also terrifying how she’d kind of gotten used to this place. She still avoided enforcers but as long as she did she could almost pretend it was just any other place.

It had only been a month and a half but it was still weird to see Caitlyn back in her Piltoven clothes. Based on the way she kept fidgeting with her tight collar, maybe Caitlyn agreed.

“I am so ready never to be back-up again”, Caitlyn said when they met her by the front gate.

“Oh come on”, Vi chuckled without thinking. “You did good.” Then she registered the words that had just left her mouth and quickly added: “For a topsider, I mean.”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. “Right”, she said. “Well, let’s go. If we get there quickly we can probably catch Jayce at the tail end of his panic cleaning.”

That made Powder laugh. “When did you tell him we might be coming?”, she asked.

“Two weeks ago”, Caitlyn said, making Vi snort.

Jayce’s house was smaller than the Kiramman mansion, but it was still fancy and spacious. Powder scowled at the bit of splendor like Vi had when she’d first come to work for the Kirammans but Vi almost appreciated this place. It had something homely to it. When Caitlyn rang the doorbell it wasn’t some servant who answered the door but an older woman with kind eyes – Vi remembered her from the trial – Jayce’s mother. She smiled as she saw them and invited them inside with a hand sporting two prosthetics – two fingers lost to some sorry fate.

“Jayce is expecting you”, she said with a crinkling smile that spoke of how she too was aware of how scatterbrained her son was. Vi chuckled at the thought that she might have reminded him of this appointment.

She offered them tea but Caitlyn politely declined, making smalltalk as they walked down a short corridor to Jayce’s work room or whatever it was. Jayce’s mom excused herself and Caitlyn knocked.

Jayce’s voice came slightly muffled from behind the door: “One moment!” They heard shuffling and Caitlyn and Vi exchanged amused glances before the door finally opened and Jayce stuck his head out with a big smile. “Caitlyn! Vi! You’re a little early. Come in, come in.”

He gestured for them to come inside and Vi understood why the Kirammans had given him an additional workshop. This room wasn't small but it was cluttered, filled nearly to bursting with materials, tools and papers. Books, blueprints, trinkets and discarded pencils littered shelves and most of the desk space and the remnants of his breakfast were left behind on the table as well. On one of the two chairs in the room the academy student Vi had met at the gate once – Viktor – sat and waved as they entered.

“I hope it’s alright that Viktor is here”, Jayce went on once they were all inside. “You didn't exactly tell me what to expect and we had already planned–”

“Nothing specific. He just forgot to tell me you were coming”, Viktor supplied with a soft smile.

Jayce grimaced at Viktor for a moment, embarrassed, but he quickly shrugged it off and turned back to them. His eyes lit up as he saw Powder, who herself still looked around sceptically, but clearly intrigued.

“And you must be Powder”, he held a hand out for her to shake which she ignored. He recovered quickly, like he’d expected that. “I’ve heard quite impressive things about you.”

At that Powder’s eyes widened a little and she turned to Vi.

Vi shrugged innocently. “I might have bragged occasionally.” She could practically see the conflict on Powder’s face: Like she didn't quite feel she deserved the praise but felt smug nonetheless.

“Well, thank you”, she said, catching herself and clearing her throat as she turned back to Jayce. Her eyes also dipped back to Viktor for a moment but since Vi didn't complain about his presence Powder probably assumed it was fine. “I’m actually here to give you something”, Powder went on. She’d been very determined that she wanted to give the shards back herself and she seemed to be following through. “A while ago I… came into possession of something that I was later told was yours.” She was talking a bit stiltedly, her discomfort clear but she powered through it. “They’re… well, not exactly intact anymore and I know this isn't the same, but…” She reached into her messenger bag and pulled out the padded box they’d made for this, stepping forward to place it on the clearest part of the table. “Well, here.” She immediately stepped back again, watching Jayce closely.

Jayce had listened, eyes growing wider and now he carefully reached for the box. Looking back at Powder briefly he undid the latch and opened it. He was obviously surprised when he finally put together what he was looking at.

“These– these are…” He was still just looking at them in wonder and behind him Viktor leaned forward to see, reaching for his cane but not quite getting up yet.

“Magic crystal shards”, Vi finally just said, not a fan of the suspense. “All that we could still find.”

Viktor did get up then, Jayce picking up the box to meet him half-way so they could both peer down at the small fragments. Viktor reached for some kind of mechanical implement, and – after a brief, wordless exchange with Jayce – carefully picked out one of the bigger shards to test against the tool.

“It took me a while to figure out what I was even looking for”, Powder explained as she watched what they were doing with interest. “As far as I could see magic behaves not completely unlike an electrical current but nothing would conduct it, so I thought they were used up at first, but–”

“You need runes to make the magic flow”, Jayce said, nodding, not looking up from where Viktor had now set down another circular device on the table and seemed to make some quick changes to it.

“Or coincidentally really scratched up scraps that got a tiny bit of a reaction and then reminded me of some of the notes I–” Powder cut herself off before incriminating herself and quickly pivoted. “The point is it worked, so… like I said, I don't know how much this is still worth but–”

In that moment Viktor carefully placed the shard at the center of the device and it stayed hovering upright as if it had been magnetised.

“It still works!”, Jayce shouted, clapping his hands together in delight. He looked at Powder. “I can still work with this! This is amazing.” Then he grabbed Viktor’s shoulder, nearly shaking him. “Viktor, all our theorising – we can actually put it into practice!”

Viktor met Jayce’s exuberant excitement with a delicate and considering smile. “With some adjustments, but possibly – yes.” Despite his measured words, Vi thought she could see a spark in Viktor’s eyes too.

Jayce turned back to them, still ecstatic. “Thank you, I–”, he struggled for words, struggled to settle on one person to direct his gratitude at. “Thank you!”, he eventually just repeated. Then he sobered just a little, awkwardly adding: “Just don't tell anyone about this, right?” He looked genuinely a bit nervous, which Vi supposed was fair enough.

“The knowledge of your crimes is safe with us”, Vi told him as she patted Powder’s shoulder with pride. Powder was still trying to hide it amongst strangers but Vi could tell she was beaming and Vi felt rather accomplished as well. This certainly made all of their hard work worth it and even if getting a topsider locked up was appealing in principle, in this instance ratting him out would just ruin everything all over again. Also, Vi had to admit that Jayce did not deserve the enforcers’ ire any more than she did.

Vi met Powder’s eyes and slung her arm around her for a quick squeeze, making sure her sister knew how proud of her she was. Then she nodded toward Jayce and explained: “Jayce was kicked out of the academy for experimenting with these the first time around.”

Jayce chuckled nervously. “They threatened to do much worse.”

“But it didn't come to that”, Caitlyn jumped in with an edge to her voice that Vi figured she might be the only one picking up on. “And it won't now, either.” Okay, that second part had a bit more of an active threat to it, but Vi just rolled her eyes at her. Caitlyn had to know by now that they weren't going to screw over Jayce.

“Really, you did him a favour… coming to ‘possess’ these crystals”, Viktor spoke up, matching Powder’s way of phrasing it and deliberately avoiding the word ‘stealing’. “It kept them from being confiscated.”

Viktor looked at Powder very kindly and Powder’s smile widened at his words. A lot had gone wrong that day, so to hear that in some minor way it had paid off was indeed surprisingly comforting.

Jayce was fully absorbed in his world of magic science, having tuned out of the conversation after asking for them to keep this quiet and sat down at the table to loom over the box. “The shards are an interesting change in composition”, he mused, inspecting the shards again with a multi-lensed magnifying glass. “I assume there are less unstable molecular connections.”

“They are still reactive when crushed – Mylo found that out the hard way”, Powder said, cringing a little at the memory.

They’d all startled when Mylo had moved that rock over the shard without realising. The small explosion hadn't hurt him but he’d tripped back startled and bruised his tail bone. Caitlyn had nearly shot him by accident, tense as she’d been. It had been a good lesson for her to relax a little, Vi thought.

“But they’re less easy to trigger and pack a lot less punch than the full crystals”, Powder finished.

“Which you know because…”, Jayce said, looking up from the shards at her with a raised eyebrow, leaving the sentence hanging.

Powder looked caught for a moment before quickly saying: “Beee-cause of speculation based on your exploded workshop?”

Jayce chuckled. “Nice save”, he said. Then he gestured dismissively. “It’s fine, I don't need to know the details. I’m honestly excited to have even just this back.”

Vi wondered if he would have felt that way if he’d gotten them back a year ago. When he’d still been grieving his life’s dream. Before he’d really gotten to know Vi and Viktor. She couldn't know if this change in Jayce was truly related to them, but it seemed possible and made her think. It also made her glad, as Powder looked up at her with uncertainty but hope and Vi could confidently nod and gesture for Powder to go ahead.

Powder stepped a bit closer to Jayce and asked: “Could I… could you explain to me what you've been theorising?” She fidgeted, shoulders tense, like she was expecting rejection. “Like I said, I didn't get very far myself without these… runes?”

Jayce was briefly surprised, then looked to Viktor for his opinion, evidently uncertain. Annoyance shot through Vi, her hands curling into fists, but before any anger could actually build Viktor shrugged and nodded. When Jayce turned back his eyes were bright and full of excitement. “Absolutely!”, he said.

He looked around for a chair for Powder but the two present chairs were occupied by him and Viktor. Powder promptly jumped up to sit on a relatively free corner of the table, legs crossed under her and looked at Jayce expectantly.

Jayce chuckled and after another moment of gathering himself, sifting through the stuff on the desk to find some mostly empty paper and a pencil he started to explain:

“Arcane energy – magic – exists on a plane of existence above our own”, he said, sketching something that Vi found entirely unhelpful. “But it still takes up the same area of space, in a way. It’s like two things in the same–”

“I know how higher dimensions work”, Powder interrupted him, a hint of offense in her tone. “Please don’t dumb it down for me unless I ask for clarification.”

Jayce looked at her with wide open eyes for a moment. “Right”, he finally said, chuckling as his eyes darted to Vi – who just gave him an I told you so kind of shrug. “Of course. My bad.” He turned back to his shitty sketch. “Runes conduct arcane energy because they exert force in both our and the arcane dimension. So according to the law of equivalent–”

And that was right about where Vi stopped understanding what the hell Jayce was saying. Powder did have to ask clarification questions but far less frequently than Vi would have needed them, so Vi ended up pretty lost, despite being kind of interested and trying to pay attention. Caitlyn seemed to feel similarly, the two of them leaning against the wall behind Jayce to kind of listen in. Viktor jumped in with details occasionally and soon they got side tracked by mechanical applications, not that Powder minded at all. She listened to that discussion just as enraptured as she had listened to the ‘basic’ intro.

Eventually she interrupted, asking: “What exactly is your goal with this research, actually?”, seeming a bit weary again.

Jayce shrugged. “Well, ideally we’d like to use it to help people – make life easier for those who really need it.”

Powder scrutinized him for a moment before turning to Vi to say: “He tries too hard.”

“But I could swear it’s genuine”, Vi immediately responded with a laugh.

“Wha– it is!”, Jayce protested, looking between the two. “What is happening right now?”

Viktor placed a hand on his shoulder. “You’re being evaluated”, he said with his own smirk. “Don’t worry, you’ll pass.”

Jayce pouted and turned to Vi with some indignation. “Come on, Vi! You know me.”

Vi shook her head. “Not in this context I don’t.”

Still not giving up, Jayce turned to Viktor instead and asked: “You’re from the undercity, isn't it enough if you vouch for me?”

“Maybe it would be”, Viktor said consideringly. “If I had ever met these children in my life. We don’t all know each other, Jayce.” He shook his head like he was disappointed.

“I–” Jayce looked distinctly like he was going to defend himself – like he was going to insist that he knew that and that this wasn’t how he had meant it – but he cut himself off almost immediately, face falling into a grimace. “You’re messing with me”, he observed flatly.

Viktor’s face broke out into a self-satisfied smile as he nudged Jayce with his elbow. “It’s still funny every time.” All Zaunites in the room chuckled.

They bickered for a little longer but ultimately Viktor and Jayce went back to working with smiles on their faces, shoulders close together. They remembered that Powder was there because she asked observant questions and couldn’t quite be kept from taking scraps – both from out of her own bag as well as from the ones scattered in the room – and beginning to build something. After a few surprised exclamations and pleas to be careful with the equipment (from Jayce, at which Viktor nudged him until he apologised) they seemed to resign themselves to Powder’s participation, which made Vi smile. They could have easily kicked them out or just insisted she not touch anything, but they were willing to have Powder’s input. Powder meanwhile seemed eager to give it and Vi was so proud of how confident she’d become.

In their focus, Vi and Caitlyn on the other hand went mostly forgotten. Once it became clear that they were getting deep into the material and wouldn’t be doing much else for a while, Vi turned to Caitlyn with a commiserating smirk and asked: “Did you bring a book?”

Caitlyn laughed but quickly looked a little guilty. “I’m actually going to be leaving if I’m not needed. I have other things to do today, believe it or not”, she said. “If I don't get in some lessons my tutors will notify my mother eventually. I’d ask for you to stay with Jayce but I’m not that naive, so I’ll just ask you to stay out of trouble while I’m gone.”

Vi couldn’t help but be surprised, having fully expected Caitlyn to keep up her “supervision” here. She could have even understood if Caitlyn had tried pawning responsibility off to Jayce but she wasn't doing that. She was just… trusting Vi.

For a moment Vi wondered why on earth she would before she realised with horror that Caitlyn had every reason to. That Caitlyn hadn't been the only one who’d proven in the past months that she wouldn't act maliciously. Vi hadn't made herself vulnerable – she had already been vulnerable, always, as much as she hated to admit it – but she hadn't been trustworthy – hadn't wanted to be. Not to a topsider. Yet here Caitlyn was, asking her to stay out of trouble. Sure, it would obviously also be to Vi’s benefit not to do anything risky but she knew that Caitlyn very much believed herself to be on the hook too and still…

Vi couldn't think of a reply. She felt like surely there had to be something witty for her to say here, possibly even something mocking. “Alright”, was all she could come up with. “See you later then.”

Caitlyn said bye to everyone (though Vi was relatively sure they barely noticed) and said she’d be back in the late afternoon and just like that she was gone. It should have been a relief and some part of Vi did unwind a little, but it was not the emotions Vi had expected. She was still too stricken by the fact that Caitlyn had only left her alone because she trusted her. Vander’s words were echoing in her mind.

You could just as well gain far more.

Vi looked for something to do so she could stop thinking about it.

—

Upon her return Caitlyn was surprised to learn that apparently Powder would be coming to work with Jayce and Viktor on a regular basis now. She supposed she could have guessed that Powder would be interested, but Jayce and Viktor’s willingness to have her was a bit of a surprise. Willingness was the wrong word – they were downright eager.

“She really is as smart as Vi promised”, Jayce explained when Caitlyn couldn't keep her shock out of her face.

“I knew that”, Caitlyn quickly said before Powder got the wrong idea. “I just didn't think you two were interested in sharing the glory.”

Jayce looked vaguely insulted but Viktor chuckled. “She has a very unique perspective”, he said, making Powder grin.

“As Viktor keeps telling me, I could really benefit from some more perspective”, Jayce said, scratching the back of his neck self-consciously. “It’ll definitely be nice to have a fresh set of expert eyes on this project.” With a bit of a smug grin he added: “And I suppose we’ll find something for Vi to do too.”

“Ha-ha”, Vi said flatly, grabbing a balled up piece of paper and throwing it against Jayce’s head. They both chuckled – because they were friends.

Caitlyn realised that it didn't bother her anymore. She would be a hypocrite if she still expected Jayce to hate Vi for what she did. Caitlyn herself– how did she feel about Vi? Were they friends? Caitlyn didn't think so but she couldn’t exactly explain to herself why. Well, she could. They weren't friends because of everything about them – about where they came from and what situation they were in now. But Vi didn't feel like a stranger anymore, nor a criminal, nor an indenture… nor like a friend.

Vi was the strangest kind of acquaintance.

It had been weird to just leave her with Jayce and not see her all day. She didn't think Vi would do anything stupid but it had still been a little nerve wracking not to be able to confirm. With Vi and Powder coming topside twice a week now, Caitlyn figured she could schedule her lessons on those days so she could keep up with her studies and still join Vi in the undercity otherwise. Maybe she’d ask Jayce in private at some point if Vi stayed with them on those days or did something else. Just so she would know. She supposed she could just ask Vi herself but that felt too much like demanding to know her whereabouts. Vi wasn't her friend but she wasn't her prisoner either – at least Caitlyn didn't want her to be. She knew Vi would hate to feel so scrutinized and didn't want her to have to be angry about it. She knew too much and she could never go back to not knowing.

She was still learning more: About politics and theory and how reality often looked much different to it. She was still learning about the undercity. It consisted of several disconnected webs, people and gangs that organised amongst themselves, criminalised and tight-knit as a result. Interaction between these networks as well as interactions between ordinary, lawful citizens and the criminal element was the greatest point of conflict it seemed and that was where Vander came in.

Based on what Caitlyn had been able to gather from snippets of conversation between his kids, Vander’s bar used to be an unofficial safe haven. A neutral zone where deals could be struck safely and the diverse mix of people along with Vander himself enforced an honesty between factions. Everyone benefited, so everyone looked to Vander to mediate and find solutions.

That trust had been broken when Vander couldn't enforce that same civility for Silco and now Vander was working to rebuild it. Together with this Sevika person he seemed to be re-establishing connections, slowly gaining back favour. A streak of red across his cheek and apparently permanent discolouration of his eye remained proof that he had taken expired, experimental Shimmer in his effort to fight Silco and had come out the other side triumphant. It only added to how imposing he looked and yet the general sentiment of the undercity still seemed to be that Vander could make people feel safe. Safe from gang violence and the enforcers both, somehow.

Two days later Caitlyn learned how.

Vi was just stopping by at home to grab a bite to eat before bringing Caitlyn back topside in the evening. Caitlyn felt somewhat guilty about it, but she still didn't dare go home by herself. Vi’s warning that she was helpless here still plagued her. She was trying to improve her strength and speed but it was a slow process. She had only briefly considered bringing a rifle before deciding that was a terrible idea in every possible way.

So Caitlyn followed Vi, planning to wait until she was done eating. (She herself would have dinner at home. She’d settled her debt with the doctor but Vander and Benzo refused to let her pay for the food she ate so she only ever ate lunch in the undercity.) Instead she froze the moment she stepped into their home which in total was about the size of one of the mansion's sitting rooms. If Caitlyn didn't want to see guests her parents were having it was as easy as not going to a certain part of the house. Here Caitlyn immediately saw Vander’s current guest and said guest had only to turn at the sound of their entry and see her too. Of all the places in the undercity, of all the people she knew, Caitlyn had not expected to see this familiar face here.

Caitlyn cursed under her breath and noticed Vi’s eyes widen in her periphery before she heard her snort. She supposed she’d never cursed in front of Vi before. She didn't have attention to spare for that right now though. Vander and his guest’s conversation had dried up at their arrival and there was a tense moment of silence.

“Fancy seeing you here, Caitlyn”, Sheriff Grayson said with a raised eyebrow.

“Hello… Sheriff”, Caitlyn said nervously. “Likewise.”

For a moment Caitlyn hoped the Sheriff would just let her be without further comment. That she would just consider this none of her business. It was a naive hope – the Sheriff knew her, they were on friendly terms, but her loyalties laid first and foremost with the council and in extension–

“I take it your mother does not know you come to the undercity?”, the Sheriff asked, tone clearly disapproving. “With Violet, who should be working her indenture as we speak?”

Behind her Vi tensed and Caitlyn’s hopes fell. “Not as such, no”, she admitted.

“And you, Violet”, Grayson went on. “You are aware that you are in violation of your indenture?”

“She’s not!”, Caitlyn immediately blurted, stepping protectively in front of Vi. This was why she was here. Vi wasn't going to prison, she would make sure of it. “I’m a Kiramman and Vi is still working for me when we come here. She’s never out of my sight.”

Grayson startled at the deceleration, then scrutinized Caitlyn. Caitlyn held her ground, knowing she couldn't give in, couldn't show even a sliver of doubt.

Beside Grayson, Vander looked between them uncertainly. “I assure you, Cait is perfectly safe here”, he told the Sheriff a moment later.

Grayson considered him, his words and then Caitlyn and Vi again. Finally she sighed. “I will hold you to that, Vander”, she said, turning back to Caitlyn to tell her: “With all generosity, these are dangerous streets. Are you still eyeing my footsteps for following?”

“Do you still not recommend it?”, Caitlyn said jokingly, trying to alleviate the Sheriff’s serious expression – without success. She felt honestly embarrassed to have that childhood fancy brought up and in front of Vi no less. It was mortifying. At least the heat seemed to be off of Vi for now – her plan had been a success.

“No, I’m– I’m going to be a Councillor like my mother”, she finally said. The words felt awkward on her tongue – like the lie she wished they were. It was exactly why she hadn't told Grayson about this development before.

The Sheriff didn't give anything away about how she might feel about this, which was conflicting. Some part of Caitlyn hoped she would be disappointed, another had expected her to be relieved. She had no idea how Grayson actually felt.

“You will not be any kind of Councillor Piltover has had before by the looks of it”, she said after finishing her consideration, a statement as unreadable to Caitlyn as her expression. Then Grayson shrugged. “Alright. You’re lucky Vander is already vouching for your safety. I won’t tell your mother you’re coming here. Or about this… liberal interpretation of the concept of indenture.”

That Caitlyn had not expected, even as her desperation not to let her mother know must have been painfully obvious. “Thank you!”, she quickly said.

“But”, Grayson interrupted before Caitlyn could thank her even more and explain herself at least a little. “I would prefer to be sure you know how to survive should it become necessary. How would you feel about coming to the training facility monday morning?”

Caitlyn’s eyes widened and she briefly looked to Vi as if for reassurance that she wasn't dreaming. Vi looked at her strangely but she couldn't actually process that, turning back to Grayson. “You– you’re going to teach me?” She still couldn't quite believe it.

“I don't have time to do it personally”, Grayson shook her head. “But I can arrange something for you.”

That made sense. Still, Caitlyn was excited. “Thank you, Sheriff! That’s… thank you! I’ll be there.” It would certainly be more productive than her own attempts to improve her physical fitness and as much as it wasn't relevant anymore, the part of her that still did not want to be a councillor was pleased as well.

Grayson went back to talking with Vander, discussing some sort of deal they had with each other that explained why Vander could maintain the image of safety from topsider law. Caitlyn would have to think through how she felt about that. A more immediate issue though was Vi who still looked at her when they both turned to the kitchen for the food Vi wanted.

“What, you want to be an enforcer now?”, Vi asked and her tone was light but Caitlyn knew her well enough to recognise some tension.

“I–” Shit. Of course Vi had an issue with that. How best to explain this without sounding like the dumb Piltie she was feeling like right now. “I did consider it once”, Caitlyn said carefully. “I wanted to protect the people I care about, to put my skills to good use and… help people. That was obviously before…” Before Caitlyn had met Vi. Had seen for herself how they swerved to avoid the odd enforcer patrolling the undercity. Had in one instance seen an officer slam a suspected drug dealer to the ground without mercy before hauling him off. The stories she’d heard since coming here were too plentiful and too consistent to be lies. “It was a while ago”, she finished lamely, searching Vi’s expression for what she thought.

Vi was a lot better at hiding her feelings than Caitlyn was. She kept just looking at her for a moment before she snorted, roughly bumping Caitlyn’s shoulder as she passed her to the pantry, saying: “So much for never being back-up again.”

Caitlyn could feel her face heat with indignation. “Shut up”, she grumbled.

Vi turned back toward her with a smirk. “Or what?”

Caitlyn’s breath caught. The day she’d first heard those words flashed before her eyes. Vi pressing her against a wall yelling, begging to be punched. It made her feel strangely queasy. Caitlyn could still threaten Vi’s freedom – they both knew that. The question was a challenge, maybe even bait. A test. Caitlyn thought if she did threaten Vi with prison at this point the other girl wouldn't believe her – either way, Caitlyn didn't want to go there. She didn’t want Vi punished anymore.

“I’ll come up with something, just you wait”, Caitlyn said because she knew if she just let the question stand she’d never live it down. Even so, the response seemed to amuse Vi and despite her best efforts, Caitlyn ended up chuckling herself. She couldn't come up with anything she could do against Vi and somehow… she did not mind that at all.

Chapter Text

Four months after taking down Silco, Vander finally opened up the bar again. Vi and her siblings were more than happy to help with the cleanup necessary to return it to a state fit to be a public establishment. It was a little sad to once again have to share it with adults but it was worth it. They weren't just going back to normal – things were going to be better.

People were still hurting from Silco’s influence and thanks to Vander and Sevika’s organisation they were willing to give this new project a chance. Those who could offer help did and those who needed it slowly became brave enough to ask. There was a community pin board in the bar for requests and offers and ultimately Vander and Sevika were working towards finally making a change – building awareness, making preparations and standing up for Zaun in whatever way they could. It would take a long time and many small steps, most of which they had no way of completing yet but they were trying. At long last, they were finally trying.

Vander apparently had a deal with the Sheriff that kept enforcers out of their business for the most part. Vi liked that about as much as she did his alliance with Sevika but at least Sheriff Grayson had never personally betrayed Vander. She’d put in a good word for him when Vi had been arrested and seemed to just want things to stay “peaceful”. Caitlyn seemed to know and get along with her too. At the end of the day she was still an enforcer, but as a person Vi could accept her involvement for now – it was unfortunately necessary. They couldn’t have topside breathing down their neck for the things that needed doing.

The Pack and other young gangs weren’t slacking off either: Ekko stayed informed and the network of young gangs they’d formed similarly willing to act – to share, be it in benefits or responsibility. Deckard and his crew were making rounds to find former addicts who couldn't get back on their feet to try and provide what they needed. To get what they needed it was the same old gigs, only ever taking from those who would barely notice they were even missing the money. Obviously the Pack could only do that when Caitlyn wasn't there so they themselves were limited, but Ekko kept an eye on the comings and goings of the wealthy that made their way to the lanes for one reason or another and got fleeced by one gang or another.

They still did jobs during the daytime on occasion, just innocuous ones that Caitlyn could join them on without issue. Deliveries, mostly. The rest of their time they spent mulling over the big picture, making plans for the future that seemed more tangible every day.

“Topside needs us”, Ekko was saying, the lot of them sitting under the bar together, overlooking a map of the undercity. “The mines, the factories – without the undercity Piltover is screwed.”

It was the most tempting course of action that Vander and Sevika were discussing. Even Caitlyn agreed that a general strike was the best idea for changing things that they had.

Mylo crossed his arms with a grimace. “But as long as they keep most people weak, afraid or complacent they can snuff out any attempts to protest fast enough to barely feel it. Even if we could feel safe doing it, people are too busy trying to earn enough to survive to even consider striking.”

“We need more resources”, Vi said. That was the crux of it. They needed to strike to demand the resources they would need to strike in the first place. Just trying to earn their way into having enough wouldn’t cut it. That reality didn't budge no matter how often they went over it. “How is the community coming along?”, Vi asked Ekko instead. Little Man had gotten really invested in his newly discovered crack of light. In a way they all had.

“Development is slow”, he admitted. “Scar has been a lot of help making sure the shelters are structurally sound. His dad is a carpenter. We still haven't found any crops that take to the soil yet though. We would need a botanist or something.”

It could be a place to weather the storm if something went bad at the least but they were hoping that it could be more. That nature could not just protect but also provide.

“We’ll ask around if anyone knows someone”, Claggor said, even as he frowned a little. “Maybe the community board will get a hit.”

They were still being careful about who they told about the tree. The group of trusted individuals who knew by now had to be careful not to be followed there. Thankfully there were a lot of different ways to reach the entrance through the tunnels, so they could disappear in the maze of it. Chosen especially by Ekko as people who would care about this kind of project they flitted around that miraculous tree like the firelights that already called it home and worked toward making it their own home as non-invasively as possible. Unfortunately, even with everyone being very generous, that too ultimately needed more resources.

Bringing Caitlyn home that night Vi could feel her frustration. By now, Caitlyn didn't bite her tongue anymore when she had something to say around the others let alone when it was just the two of them, so if she was swallowing her words now they had to be something she knew wasn't worth saying.

Vi had developed somewhat of a sense for the other girl’s emotions, so she also knew that Caitlyn really, really wanted to say it anyway. She decided to be merciful and just break the silence herself. “Forget it, Caitlyn.”

“I know”, Caitlyn immediately said with a sigh that was both defeat and relief. “I know. You won’t be indebted to the Kirammans. Even if I promised the money would come without strings, it wouldn't actually work that way.”

Caitlyn’s generosity – impractical as it was – still struck Vi sometimes, even as she’d gotten so used to it that she could see it coming from a mile away. It was equally baffling that the Sheriff herself had let Caitlyn and her off with barely a warning and a consequence that was barely a consequence based on Caitlyn’s excitement about this ‘training’ – whatever that actually entailed.

“You’re becoming a really good politician”, Vi noted with a smirk.

“Urgh”, Caitlyn grumbled. “Don’t even start.” She met Vi’s eyes with a cute pout that made Vi chuckle. “Maybe you should just rob me like you planned.”

“Tempting”, Vi said, then sighed herself. “Currently I’m hoping to also go the political route. I’ll keep theft in mind as an option if that fails.” Caitlyn didn't seem to immediately understand what she meant and Vi almost didn't say it. Things were… easy between them these days. But there was no point in denying it. She was still Caitlyn Kiramman, the Kiramman heir. Drawing that fact back to the forefront shouldn’t change anything – it shouldn’t have slipped from Vi’s awareness in the first place. “Having your mother ultimately on our side would be… huge”, she admitted.

Understanding filled Caitlyn’s features. She looked straight ahead, seeming apprehensive. “Right.”

The class disparity between them that had been returned starkly to the forefront of their minds by the admission wasn't a surprise. The shocking part to Vi was how little she’d thought about it until that moment – how… easy it had been to forget.

—

Vi and Powder’s regular visits to Jayce’s house kept up, occasionally becoming even more frequent when necessary. Either Powder had discovered something Jayce and her desperately wanted to keep exploring immediately so they had to come back the next day, or Caitlyn requested they go to Jayce when she had other responsibilities. One day Caitlyn walked Vi and Powder over to Jayce’s only for Jayce to present Caitlyn with a small package wrapped in colourful paper.

“I didn't know it’s your birthday”, Vi said without thinking, shocked by how disappointed that made her feel.

Caitlyn blushed. “It’s why I need you two here today”, she admitted. “My parents are taking me on a trip all day.”

“Well, happy birthday”, Powder told her.

“I can't believe you’re turning eighteen already”, Jayce said wistfully. “Seems like yesterday that you were just a little sprout.”

Caitlyn blushed harder and Vi had to bite down on making a teasing comment, unable to trust that she could refrain from using the word ‘cute’. She’d just been taken off guard by the whole conversation was all.

She threw herself into helping Powder with whatever she needed during her tinkering because every time her thoughts wandered she remembered that she hadn't known it’s Caitlyn’s birthday and she got a bit more angry about it every time – about the fact that she seemed to care in the first place. What did she care how old Caitlyn was? What did it matter? It didn't.

Thankfully Powder, Jayce and Victor’s work was very successfully distracting. They’d long discovered the potential even these small shards of magic crystals had as sources of electricity. As batteries they were light-weight and – as far as they could tell so far – infinite. That part wasn't very interesting to Powder but she’d joked once that Viktor should build a magic powered wheelchair – that way not having new batteries could never cripple him.

Viktor had laughed her off but the comment had caught Jayce’s attention, peppering Viktor with questions until he was finally forced to admit that yes, his condition was degenerative. Yes, he might need a wheelchair one day. But Viktor didn't want a wheelchair, he was happy with his cane. At least that’s what he said, although ‘happy’ was clearly an exaggeration.

Jayce got really side-tracked after that and started working on a brace design for Viktor, even as the other man kept protesting.

“I do not need it”, Viktor had said.

“You don't need it yet”, Jayce had argued. “But I did my research and the less you strain yourself, the slower your sickness progresses.” Finally he’d shot down any further protests by saying: “Just let me make your life easier. I’m just returning the favour. Please.”

And he’d looked like such a wet puppy saying it that Viktor had been left with no choice but to acquiesce. Jayce had put a lot of care into the mechanism meant to support Viktor’s joints, continuing to test how the shards could maybe improve the brace even more. Viktor’s first day of trying it out had been fun. Focused entirely on the science of it all and getting it to work right Jayce hadn't noticed that he was kneeling between Victor’s legs while adjusting something by his calf until the two men’s eyes had met. Both of them had immediately turned their attention elsewhere for a minute, their faces red. The brace worked really well and Vi could have sworn Viktor seemed less tired since starting to use it.

Powder was more interested in experimenting with other forces the crystals could exert, other effects they could have besides powering mundane machines. She rigged up a kind of glove that she put on Vi to test out. Vi was happy to put her own fingers at risk for the sake of science but was more precious about Powder’s and Powder had accepted that long ago. Now Vi could place a marble in her gloved palm and make it begin hovering over it by curling her fingers. Moving her wrist the marble always stayed at the same distance and angle to her palm. Jayce was very impressed but it took a good while of pleading with him to get permission to try and fling the marble as hard as Vi could at a safe target. It worked pretty well, but Jayce made them take the experimentation in a different direction.

“What are we supposed to be researching towards?”, Powder complained as she disassembled her prototype again. “What are your ideas what the crystals could be used for?”

“Something that helps people”, Jayce reiterated, not for the first time.

“I find guns helpful”, Powder mumbled but Vi wasn't sure Jayce heard her. That was probably for the best.

“Like what?”, Vi dug. “Give us an example, pretty boy.”

Jayce rolled his eyes but considered her question seriously. “It could– it could enhance a pair of mining gauntlets – decrease stress on the miner’s body.”

“Our dad had a pair of those”, Vi said, intrigued by the idea. “I bet with an enhanced pair I could beat a Shimmer monster without any backup.” Not that that would still be necessary but it was the strongest thing Vi had ever fought.

Jayce scowled at her. “They’re for mining, not fighting.”

“Sure.” Vi scoffed. “And knives are for cutting apples.”

Jayce sputtered like he wanted to argue but Viktor spoke up first. “I’ve been playing with a design of channeling the crystal’s unique energy into a concentrated beam able to cut rock far more efficiently than existing tools”, he said.

“Oooh, something with range!”, Powder perked up. “And it would cauterize wounds instantly, right?” True. Vi could understand Powder’s excitement. A weapon like that would be powerful, especially accurate and not necessarily lethal.

“Do you undercity folk have to always immediately jump to violence?”, Jayce blurted in his growing frustration.

“Jayce”, Viktor immediately scolded, not for the first time but far more seriously than before.

Vi couldn’t deny that the comment smarted, especially as Powder tucked her head a little.

“Shit– sorry!”, Jayce rushed to correct himself, voice heavy with regret. “Yeah, I heard it myself the moment I said it. I’m so sorry.”

Victor was frowning in a kind of sad way. He sighed. “I myself forget at times how dangerous a tool can be in… desperate hands. They are not wrong to point it out.”

“We have to protect ourselves somehow”, Vi said, crossing her arms. “It’s not our fault that this is the only way we can.” Protection. An idea flashed through Vi’s mind like lightning. “That’s it.”

Powder perked up again. “What?”, she asked, hope obvious in her expression.

Vi immediately felt bad, certain it couldn’t actually work and she’d just excited Powder for nothing. “I’ve just had an idea, but I don’t know anything about this science, I don't know if it’s possible at all.”

“Making it possible is our job”, Jayce said. “Come on, spill.”

Still feeling uncertain, Vi finally said: “Okay, so: magic shields.”

There was a brief pause where the others all looked at her, saying nothing.

“That’s it?”, Powder asked.

Vi shrugged awkwardly. “Yeah, that’s it.”

“You made it sound like this was gonna be a lot more involved.”

Vi huffed. “Well, I said I don't know if it’s possible.” Her indignation melted away as the idea kept building in her mind though. “But just imagine if Zaun had something impenetrable. Something no gunfire, gas or bomb could get through.”

Powder’s eyes widened. “We could stand up to topside without fear.”

“And without threat”, Viktor said, nodding, getting on board with the idea.

“Exactly!”, Vi agreed. “We wouldn’t need to fight back. Just strike. An impenetrable wall of Zaunites, demanding fair treatment and topside would have to fold. For once we’d have a winning hand.”

“And there is little risk of exploiting it for violence”, Jayce mused, seeming a bit lost in thought – like he was already making calculations in his head. “Not none, of course, but a shield is harder to misuse than gauntlets.”

“It depends on the kind of shield”, Viktor challenged with a smirk, making Jayce throw up is hands in chuckling defeat.

“I did say I don't know if it’s possible”, Vi stressed again before they got carried away. It sounded too good to be true in every possible way. It was a fantasy, a cool idea, not science.

Still, there was a determined glint in Jayce’s eyes. He stared her down and said: “Just you wait, Vi. We’re inventing the safest, most magical shield that’s ever been made.”

Vi laughed and turned to behind herself to make fun of Jayce for such a stupid statement – only to remember that Caitlyn wasn't there. She quickly played it off as stretching her neck, mentally cursing. She was just so used to Caitlyn being there, somehow she’d found it was weird now when during these times with Jayce she was not. Try as she might not to do it, not to think of her, she still spent her days at Jayce’s making mental notes of things she wanted to tell her but couldn't and then usually never did. There was no point.

“Playing to your strengths, are we?”, Viktor said with a pat on Jayce’s shoulder, making Jayce grimace. Viktor’s hand lingered. While still laughing at the jab Vi and Powder exchanged a glance. Jayce and Viktor were constantly finding excuses to touch each other.

“My prototypes aren’t that volatile”, Jayce protested and he was right. Only one of them had really combusted and from what Vi understood they’d learned a lot from it. It was still fun to mess with him though.

Vi wondered if Caitlyn would defend him and caught herself thinking that arguing with her about it could be even more fun. Gods. She had to stop thinking about Caitlyn Kiramman. She ignored the building pressure in her chest.

“So once you invent these shields”, she said instead, focusing back on the impossible fantasy. It was less dangerous to think about. “You’d just give them to us? To Zaun?”

Jayce and Viktor exchanged a glance at the question. Jayce raised his eyebrows. Viktor shrugged. Then Jayce looked at Vi again with a smile and nodded. “It sounds like you’d be the ones who most need it.”

Chapter Text

Progress on their shield project was slow. Two months later they’d achieved some spectacular failures, but Vi didn't feel too broken up about it. Powder was having fun and Jayce and Viktor too as far as Vi could tell and life was good. Home felt like it was back to normal but better and the fact that Vi was technically still under indenture was a vague and distant reality.

Caitlyn was comfortable in the undercity, moved seamlessly with the Pack and got along with everyone. Vi hadn't challenged her skills or anything, but there was a confidence to her movements and Vi figured that and her general ease was probably due to some physical improvement. Thinking of Caitlyn as an enforcer was mostly ridiculous and generally uncomfortable but she’d said she wasn't considering it anymore. Caitlyn was going to be a councillor – which was of course a different kind of uncomfortable. At this point Vi preferred to just not think about any of that.

Usually Vi managed to stay busy enough not to leave much time for rumination, spending a few more days practicing the art of letting Caitlyn’s presence blend into the background of her life – nevermind that doing so just made her get even more used to said presence, to taking it for granted. A few days later though everyone else was busy with other things: Powder was helping Ekko on a new design and Mylo and Claggor were doing boy stuff or something, leaving Vi alone with Caitlyn.

Forced to engage with no other distractions it became very difficult not to wonder – not to eventually just ask. She managed to keep her question to herself for a while but eventually they were walking along a market street and Vi was supposed to be thinking about what they would be doing for lunch today but Caitlyn was walking next to her and she wasn’t thinking about food at all.

“How’s your enforcer training going?”, Vi finally cracked, trying to make it sound like a jab to hide her curiosity.

“Ha-ha.” Caitlyn rolled her eyes. “It’s fine”, she said with a shrug. “I’m just joining a recruit in his own training. He’s our age. And before you go off on him, apparently the fact that he conscripted for ten years of service once he’s of age is paying for both his own and his sister’s education.” Already Caitlyn’s hands were raised defensively and before Vi could make her next comment Caitlyn was rebutting that too: “I know, I know. It’s bad that that’s even necessary.”

Vi blinked, needing a moment to catch up, briefly frustrated that Caitlyn had predicted her reaction exactly. The thought of some poor shmuck becoming an enforcer just to afford education sounded horrible. She’d honestly never considered that some people might just do it to survive. It didn't really matter if what they ended up becoming was the same crooked monsters the other enforcers were but it was definitely more tragic. It was another person chewed up by this shitty machine.

“What does he actually want to do?”, Vi asked, mourning a stranger’s freedom and being reminded uncomfortably of the indenture she was technically supposed to be working right now. The only reason she wasn’t was…

Caitlyn seemed a bit taken aback by the question. “Something medical I think”, she said, shrugging her shoulders apologetically. “We don't talk that much, he takes the training really seriously.”

The way Caitlyn said it made Vi chuckle. “He’s running you ragged?”, she asked.

Caitlyn laughed too, though a bit awkwardly, admitting: “Yeah, a little. But like I said, it’s fine.”

Vi wanted to know more – she always wanted to know more these days – but she managed to put it out of her mind. They got food at Jericho’s and Vi couldn't help but notice how Caitlyn ate the spicy dish without issue. She wanted to just be disappointed she couldn't tease Caitlyn about it anymore but she wasn't. She ignored how it actually made her feel and kept them moving. There had to be something for them to do.

She was considering just turning back to the bar and checking the board or just listening around for what else was going on when Vi heard soft crying. She stopped, trying to hear what direction it was coming from and Caitlyn was briefly confused before she heard it too. Caitlyn was instantly in action mode, face concerned and following the sound before Vi was done deciding if it was worth the trouble to get involved. They were headed toward a residential area and there on the fringes of it a girl sat on the stoop of an apartment, knees pulled up to her chest. Her hands were pushed into her pink hair and she looked absolutely devastated and hopeless as she sobbed. When Vi recognised her she was glad Caitlyn had taken the initiative.

“Eve”, Vi greeted her gently, not wanting to startle her. “What’s wrong?”

With how undone she looked Vi was tense, preparing herself for the worst. She didn't know Eve too well but enough to know that she wouldn't be spilling tears about nothing. Despite Vi’s best effort Eve did startle a little, looking up at her with big eyes, needing a moment to collect herself. Her expression was half sorrow, half anger when she finally spoke.

“I was robbed!”, she said, voice shaking. “M-my family heirloom. It’s the most valuable thing we own and it was stolen!”

Vi grimaced. It wasn't uncommon but that didn't mean it didn't suck. Eve’s dad was a factory worker – they didn't have much to steal in the first place. Vi clenched her fists. “When? By who?”

“I don’t know!”, Eve cried, trying to wipe her face dry. “Sometime this morning. The mud they tracked inside hasn't even dried.” She looked down at her own shaking hands. “I’m so screwed. I was supposed to be home this morning, but I… Dad will kill me when he finds out. If I don't kill myself first. It was the only thing I had left of her.”

Shit. Vi didn't know what to do. Comforting her own sister she could do but she didn't know how to help Eve. She didn't feel comfortable hugging her and didn't think that would help anyway. It wouldn't get that heirloom back. Vi wished she knew what piece of shit had bothered to steal from someone like Eve. Her blood boiled at the thought.

“The footprints were still wet?”

Vi startled at Caitlyn’s voice, her anger having finally made her forget she was there. Her and Eve both looked at her in surprise.

“Who are you again?”, Eve asked a bit wearily. They’d seen each other only in passing in the past months.

Caitlyn looked awkward for a moment – out of place. “Sorry. I’m Cait. I…” She seemed to consciously gather herself, determination pushing past her nerves. “I want to help. Have you cleaned up yet?”

Eve still looked confused but she shook her head. “No”, she said. “I couldn't bring myself to.”

“Can I take a look inside?”, Caitlyn pushed on. Maybe we can figure out who took your…”

“Necklace”, Eve finished for her. “It’s a ruby necklace.” Her face twisted in pain. “It was a ruby necklace.” She took a few shaky breaths before gathering herself to get up from the floor. “Sure. You can take a look. I doubt it’ll do any good though.”

Eve led the way and Vi held Caitlyn back for a moment, quietly asking: “Where are you going with this, Cait?”

Because it was obvious that she was going somewhere. Caitlyn had that look on her face that meant she was already putting things together that Vi hadn’t even thought to consider yet and – more dangerously – wanted to do something about it. This damned determination to do something that Vi was slowly realising defined who Caitlyn was. She would never sit idly by if she could act, for better or for worse. It was almost admirable.

Caitlyn shrugged. “It’s worth a try, right?”

Vi wasn't so sure. The thief was probably long gone and in the lanes there was no way of tracking someone down. She didn't want to give Eve false hope, and yet… 

“Whatever. Not like I have anything better to do right now”, Vi said with her own shrug. She couldn't bring herself to tell Caitlyn no. She’d have to learn the hard way, Vi supposed. Vi still wasn't sure what she was even hoping to be able to do.

Eve’s apartment was cramped and humble, the living room dominated by her father’s stuff and a bit of clutter consisting of a lot of empty bottles of booze, but the shelves were nice and sorted and the floor clear except for those aforementioned boot prints. They were dirty splotches in an otherwise well maintained home. They led up to a wall, a framed painting discarded on the floor to reveal a small shelf behind it with a lock-box inside that had unceremoniously been cracked open and emptied.

It didn't take Vi long to look over and catagorise as a crude but professional break-in and she pivoted to watching Caitlyn instead, curious what she would do.

Caitlyn looked around the whole house at first, then took a closer look at the dirtied floor, stepping along the prints with a slightly exaggerated stride to match the distance of the marks. Then she looked at the broken lock-box and around the rest of the room again. Finally she turned to Eve, who was also watching her, still sniffling occasionally.

“Did you clean anything else?”, Caitlyn asked her.

“No”, Eve said, sounding almost annoyed. “Why would I want to clean at a time like this?”

Caitlyn shrugged a bit apologetically but made her tone sound neutral when she explained: “It’s just that nothing else was taken – or even moved, by the looks of it. There’s no marks of the thief looking for where the valuables might be.”

“Like whoever broke in knew what they were looking for”, Vi said, catching on to Caitlyn’s logic. That was significant. That meant the number of possible culprits was a lot more limited than Vi had thought. “Who knew about where the necklace was stored?”, she asked Eve.

Eve looked stricken as she realised what Vi was implying. “J-just my dad and I and… and my boyfriend but he wouldn't take it!”

Yikes. “Who’s your boyfriend again?”, Vi asked, already pitying Eve.

“Ezra.”

“Oh, Ezra.” Vi pitied her more.

Caitlyn looked between them, a little lost. “You know him?”, she asked Vi.

“I do.” Unfortunately, Vi didn't add out loud out of compassion for poor Eve who was already going through enough.

“So you know he wouldn't do this to me!”, Eve said, gesturing in emphasis, seeming frantic in general, which Vi supposed was fair enough.

Vi sighed, thinking about what she knew about Ezra. She didn't know him well because he had very different… interests than her – ran in different circles – but they’d crossed paths before. It hadn't been pretty. “Yeah, I suppose he’s not that much of an ass”, she had to admit. Not that confident in getting away with it either. “But Ezra is a huge braggart”, she went on with a sigh. “Chances are he blabbed.”

“What!?” Eve was flabbergasted. “No!”

“Can we just go and ask him?”, Caitlyn interjected carefully before Vi could start arguing and escalate things. She was both annoyed and grateful.

Eve jumped at the chance to exonerate her boyfriend. “Yes!”, she said. “We’ll ask him. He’s at the dirt track today. He didn't do this, you’ll see.”

That pointed comment was aimed at Vi and she rolled her eyes. She knew it wasn’t nice to judge Eve but her feelings were clearly blinding her. As the girl stomped out the front door and waved for them to get out too so she could lock up and get going, Vi’s eyes met Caitlyn’s, which sparked with optimism as she smiled at her; like she was actually hoping to find the stolen necklace somehow. Vi just raised her eyebrows sceptically but Caitlyn dismissed her, following Eve. Vi nearly chuckled at the arrogance of that dismissal. Have some faith, it seemed to say. But Vi wouldn't let herself be blinded by emotions like Eve was.

The walk to the dirt-bike racing track seemed to be good for Eve as she breathed more evenly and seemed less like she was falling apart anymore. Having something to do might be a boon, whether they ended up finding the necklace or not, Vi supposed. When they arrived they found Ezra on the look-out over the track for spectators. He was too much of a coward to race himself. Vi was sure he told Eve he was just there to appreciate the sport but Vi knew several bookies who’d love to have a word with him.

At least he managed to look appropriately delighted when he saw Eve rushing toward him, even as Vi caught him hurriedly stuffing his betting slip into his pocket.

“Babe! What are you doing here?”, Ezra said, holding his arms out for Eve to throw herself into them. “Not that I’m not glad to see you.”

After briefly squeezing him, Eve pushed away from him again to meet his eyes. “The worst thing has happened, Ez. Someone stole my grandmother’s ruby necklace, can you believe it!?”, she said, voice threatening to break into sobs again. “You didn't tell anyone where we keep it, did you?”

“What!? That’s awful, I’m so sorry”, he said. That part was genuine. There was a tiny uncomfortable shift from one foot to the other though when he added: “I would never–”

Vi immediately stepped forward to cut him off. “Cut the crap, Ezra.”

Seeing Vi, Ezra took half a step back.

“Vi”, he said, smile nervous and fleeting.  “Let’s keep it chill, okay?” His eyes darted between his girlfriend and her.

“That’s entirely up to you, Ez”, Vi simply said. She had no sympathy for him and as much as the betrayal would hurt, Eve didn't deserve to be lied to. “I know you’re bullshitting so spill. Who did you blab to? If not for the sake of your own face, then for Eve.”

Vi smiled at how worried Ezra looked. He was taller than her but on the scrawny side and not the kind to fight. Different interests and all that. They both knew she could fuck him up if she wanted to. Her eyes darted over to Caitlyn who was watching her, but Vi couldn't look long enough to properly see her expression. She had to keep glaring down Ezra for the intimidation to work, but she couldn't keep herself from wondering what Caitlyn was thinking about. What she might think about her.

She had to focus. She had Ezra squirming. Ten more seconds and he cracked under the pressure.

“Alright, fine”, he said with a sigh. Eve instantly tensed in his arms. “I was drunk babe, I’m sorry!”, he pleaded with her as she stepped away from him. He sighed and explained: “I was playing cards with the boys and waging big. The topic of collateral came up and I might have mentioned your necklace, I don't remember the details. But I didn't tell them where it is! Why would I? I… I completely blanked that night – you know I try not to do that anymore.” Realising he was just digging his hole deeper he scrambled for a better answer. Somehow he still ended up picking honesty, as he himself seemed to only now realise what must have happened. “One of them must have plied me with more booze and gotten it out of me, I’m so sorry.”

Vi would have told him what an idiot he was, but in this instance it wasn't her place to. His girlfriend had it handled.

“I can’t believe you”, Eve said, furious, pushing him away by slamming her palms against his chest. “You promised you’d stop gambling!”

Of course he had.

“I did?” Ezra seemed genuinely surprised but obviously that only made Eve rightfully more angry. “I did!”, he quickly corrected, beginning to grovel like the coward he was. “I’m sorry, baby, please–”

Vi didn't feel like listening to this. “Just tell us who you play with”, she demanded, making him flinch.

“Uuhh… that night it must have been–”, he searched his memory, only for Eve to interrupt him.

“That night!?”

“Ah fuck.” He hid his face in his hands miserably, unable to look his girlfriend in the eyes. “It was Keys… Rainer and Pim”, he told Vi instead. Then he turned back to Eve with arms raised in supplication. “Just those three and just that night babe, I swear. Please, can you forgive me?” He looked close to tears. “I love you.”

Eve sighed, eyes softening. “Oh, Ez…” She stepped toward him, reaching up to cup his face. Ezra relaxed, smile grateful and eyes full of hope. It nearly made Vi sick but then Eve grabbed his shoulders and swung one leg back to ram her knee into his groin, instantly making him shriek in pain and crumple to the floor when she pushed him away. “No”, Eve spat, expression hard and still edged with anger. “Get your fucking shit together before you ever come to me again.”

The weasel tried to keep pleading but Eve turned and walked away without stopping and though she didn't look happy or relieved as Vi thought she deserved to after cutting him loose, Vi dared hope this would still be good for her in the long run. Guys like Ezra never made it very far and Vi could accept that to some extent, but she knew of enough instances of them then taking it out on their girlfriends and that was where Vi drew the line. Looking at Caitlyn she got the impression that she also thought Eve was better off, but neither of them were in a place to tell Eve as much.

Vi focused back on their little investigation instead. “That’s three suspects”, she said. “Now what, detective Kir–” She managed to stop herself just in time before saying the whole name. “Cait.”

She shouldn't be teasing her in the first place; now she was nearly slipping up and calling her by her family name while in company. But she was curious how Caitlyn would continue this. She knew nothing about these guys and had nothing else to go on. Besides shaking each of them down one by one, Caitlyn didn't really have any options and Vi wondered if she could admit to that.

“How tall are these guys?”, Caitlyn asked.

“Average except for Pim”, Eve said. “He’s on the shorter side.”

Vi had heard of all of them before and knew roundabout what their allegiances were, but hadn't met them in person – they’d have to take Eve’s word for it.

“Then it probably wasn’t him”, Caitlyn said. “The length of stride and shoe size based on the footprints suggests a taller thief.”

“Hot damn”, Vi couldn't help but say. Caitlyn really was going somewhere with this. “Okay, so how do we pick between the other two?” There was no way. There was no way she could actually figure this out.

“Do we know where they could have been coming from?”, Caitlyn asked next.

She needed more information – of course she did – but she had a clear intent, was asking specific things.

“What are you thinking?”, Vi had to ask. Four steps ahead of her, at least that was how it felt like.

“The thief tracked wet mud into the house”, Caitlyn just said. After a pause with a meaningful look she added: “It hasn't been raining.”

Vi was picking up what she was putting down. “He took a route that either went through water or mud.” Such a simple observation and yet Vi hadn't thought to make it – but Caitlyn had. Thinking about it Vi realised that it must have been the very first thing Caitlyn had noticed when Eve mentioned the foot prints. That it had been the out-of-place detail that had piqued her interest in the first place. Hiding her wonder, Vi did her best to stay focused. “Likely the former since it wasn’t very much mud”, Vi kept thinking, remembering how it had been watered down dirt rather than clumps.

“Either could have taken any route that goes through a stream though”, Caitlyn said a bit sheepishly, as if admitting that this wasn't very much to go off of – which it wasn’t, on its own. But Vi knew the gangs and the lanes and somehow… Vi thought Caitlyn might have cracked this without even knowing she could.

“The only stream worth getting your feet wet is south of Eve’s place”, Vi said. “There aren't enough bridges and it’s so shallow nobody every bothers with them. Keys runs in circles to the north and from what I’ve heard he’s also smarter than to leave footprints all over the place.” That kind of thing wasn't even amateurish – it was cocky.

Eve was looking newly miserable, maybe even a bit pale. “So you think it was Rainer?”, she asked. “Oh Gods, he’s a professional, Vi! No way he didn't already have a buyer lined up. My necklace is long gone and even if it isn't… I can’t go up against him.” Eve briefly hung her head, fists clenched with emotion, which ones, Vi wasn't entirely sure. When she finally relaxed it was a little like a spark in her had died. She met Vi’s eyes with an expression of resignation. “Thanks for trying, Vi – and Cait. Really, thanks. At least I know what happened. I think I’ll go finally clean up… try and figure out a way to tell dad about this.”

Eve started walking away but Vi caught her hand, angry that she was just going to give up after getting this far. “Eve, it might not be too–”

“Please, Vi”, Eve insisted, shaking off her hand. “I don’t need false hope. And I can’t take anymore heartbreak today.”

Vi’s anger bubbled up further and it wasn't fair, Eve didn't deserve her scorn but she couldn't help but think she was weak. She wasn't even going to try? Without her wraps Vi’s nails would have been digging into her palms as she tried not to lose it. It wasn't her business, really. It had been a mistake to get involved. It had just been because of–

Caitlyn was watching Vi when she turned to look at her and there was something strange in her expression. Something far too knowing that left Vi struggling to breathe, her anger dissipating slowly. Caitlyn had wanted to help Eve and Vi had too – she just hadn't known how, but she did now.

“We’re getting that necklace, right?”, Caitlyn asked, that same determination still in her eyes and of course she knew what Vi was planning already. Of course she also wanted to see this through the way she always did.

Vi’s chest felt tight but she ignored it, swallowed it down along with what remained of her anger and nodded. “Obviously”, she said. Then shrugged. “Well, I am. We’ll see about what you can do.”

Caitlyn grimaced. “Harsh, but probably fair.”

“Hey, you got us this far”, Vi admitted, bumping her shoulder with her own and immediately regretting it. She was standing too close. She took a step back, starting to walk back to the bar. She shrugged again and added: “Which is impressive, by the way.” She wanted to look away from Caitlyn’s face but she couldn't.

For a moment it seemed like Caitlyn was going to argue or downplay it. Seeming to decide differently after all she finally just smiled and said: “Thanks.”

As they walked, Vi got Caitlyn up to speed. “Rainer does have a crew of professional thieves, but as much as this necklace means to Eve it’s not valuable enough for an instant hand-over. There’s a good chance he still has it and plans on getting it appraised together with a bunch of other loot. Little Man should know his latest hideout. If he’s not home we’ll just try and steal it back.”

“And if he is home?”, Caitlyn asked, sounding weary.

Vi smirked at her. “Then you’ll get to show me how much better you’ve gotten at running.”

She thought the comment might finally scare her off, wondering if it wouldn't be better that way.

Caitlyn smiled right back and nodded. “Let’s do this.”

That determination. Vi looked away, heart racing. Focus on the job. Vi finally had something to do. She didn't have to be thinking about Cait. Caitlyn.

From the bar they got directions to the hideout where Ekko and Powder were tinkering and Vi grabbed a bag to sling across her shoulder, her gauntlets and their masks while they were there. A red wolf and a blue fox, one snarling the other almost serene, the masks couldn't have been more different. Ekko really had a knack for these things.

Powder was excited to see her and show off a little hovering prototype that they were trying to get strong enough to hold up a cup of water for now. Powder also lent her binoculars when she asked for them, though she obviously asked her what they were for and was very annoyed when Vi didn't let her come along.

“You’re busy already”, Vi told her.

“I can just take a break”, Powder argued right back. “I’ll cover you.”

Vi shook her head with a smirk. “And pick up Cait’s slack? She’ll never learn if we keep coddling her.”

“I heard that!”, Caitlyn protested, but both sisters ignored her.

Powder was slightly mollified by the deliberate implication that Caitlyn was the weak link Vi was stress testing, but still seemed slightly upset. In truth Vi just felt utterly unprepared for spending time with just the two of them without the rest of the group to balance things out. She’d have to balance the tension between them and today she already had enough of her own tension to deal with.

Lowering her voice a little so this time really only Powder would hear her, Vi said: “I promise, it’s barely an errand. Caitlyn won't be doing anything. You’d just be bored if you came along.”

Powder still pouted. “I still want to go with you, though.”

“Next time, okay?”, Vi promised. “We’ll do something actually fun, rather than this glorified pick-up.”

“Fine”, Powder finally relented, and Vi gave her hair a ruffle, pulling her hand away again before Powder could stop her. Powder stuck out her tongue at her at that, but still hugged her goodbye when they got going again.

Just like Vi had hoped, Little Man knew where Rainer would likely be staying and just like Vi had suspected it was across the stream from Eve’s apartment. They still couldn't be one-hundred percent sure they had the right criminal, but Vi was willing to risk it. What she wasn't sure she could risk was Caitlyn – hence her confidence in telling Powder that Caitlyn wouldn't be doing much. Unfortunately, fate had slightly different plans.

“There”, Vi said pointing, and then handed the binoculars to Caitlyn so she could see for herself. “Looks like there’s two of them.”

They were lying flat on top of the house across from the hideout – a shitty little apartment at the edge of the factory district. The house they were on had a broken fire escape and was the perfect get-away point – if Caitlyn helped. Vi knew involving Caitlyn would be a risk no matter how good the plan… She couldn't endanger Caitlyn… the consequences of that were too numerous to count, too complicated to waste time thinking about… and yet…

“You’re sure you want to do this?”, Vi asked, already knowing it was a losing battle. “I could just escape a different way.”

Caitlyn’s determination was unyielding. “All I have to do is pull you up and run, right?”, she said with a shrug and a smile. “Easy.”

She obviously wanted to do this. If Vi wasn’t imagining it she would even say Caitlyn was excited. And it would be the perfect get-away. Vi felt tense and it was an internal battle, but finally she relented. “Alright”, she said, hoping she wouldn't regret this. Either way she was glad Powder wasn't here to see her let Caitlyn help after all.

They made their way back to the lowest part of the fire escape, reachable only through a ladder that was completely missing. They both put on their masks. Turning back to Caitlyn one more time with a mock-salute, Vi said: “See you in a minute”, and then she jumped down to the street and made her way across. She thought she could feel Caitlyn watching her through the binoculars and she found that oddly reassuring, despite knowing that Caitlyn couldn't actually do anything should something go wrong.

Vi’s hands felt secure in her gauntlets and she savoured the calm before a fight. It had been too long since she’d really let loose and she was almost glad Reiner wasn't out. She wanted to make him regret taking from people like Eve – but she wouldn't give Eve away. If he felt he might get revenge by going after Eve, Vi would have only brought more trouble and she didn't want that.

She knew the kind of door she was standing in front of and kicked it open without problem, the lock insubstantial. The two men who’d been sitting and chatting inside jumped up from their seats and stared at her with murder in their eyes, though they hesitated when they recognised her mask. Under it Vi smiled. How she loved this feeling. She smiled even more when she saw the coffee table between them covered in a small pile of jewelry, the ruby necklace standing out amongst otherwise less vibrant stones and metal.

“Thanks for all your hard work collecting funds for the revolution”, Vi said, taking another calculated step inside, giving herself enough space to move without getting too close yet.

The man who wasn’t Rainer just looked between his boss and Vi uncertainly while Rainer glared at her with obvious distaste.

“We have no business with the Pack”, Rainer said. He wasn’t the tallest but he was well built and a litany of scars across his face and bare, muscled arms were proof enough that he tended to Vi’s interests far more than to Ezra’s, though by the look of him his companion could go either way. Vi thought she saw a streak of purple along the other man’s forearm. She was weighing her chances. If she stayed focused…

“You do now”, Vi said, crossing her arms. “Consider it your thank you gift for weaning your men off of Shimmer. We’re saving you money, really.”

Rainer’s glare just deepened and he took a step toward her. “Run along, little wolf. Before I lose my patience.”

She had to look up slightly to meet his eyes through the mask. “No can do.”

Rainer considered her for a moment, then scoffed. “Where’s the rest of the Pack, then?”

“Trust me, you’re lucky they’re not here”, Vi said. She was the strongest fighter among them but all the better if they thought otherwise. “Not that it’ll be a fair fight either way.”

Rainer had a knife pulled and was lunging for her seconds later and she almost laughed at how predictable of a move it was. She dodged and grabbed his wrist, punching his elbow to bend it the wrong way. Rainer roared up in pain as the knife clattered from his fingers but he managed to push Vi back, making her stumble. His companion made use of the opening slicing across her forearm with his own knife when her block came too short. His next swipe was caught by her gauntlets though and she didn't bother disarming him before simply moving in to punch him straight in the face. She heard a crack as he staggered backward and Vi turned back to Rainer, the adrenaline rushing through her almost comforting. She gestured for him to come at her, then rolled under his attempted right hook and aimed for his liver, making him back away, but he didn't go down.

He looked like the punch had hurt but Vi knew he’d managed to get a bit more distance in and with how muscled he was he was probably just faking and planning his next move. She stayed ready. A moment later he proved her right by attacking again and this time Vi slipped aside and ducked a few times, returned half-hearted jabs to keep him moving, waiting for an opening, waiting for his guard to get sloppy. She took a hit when an empty bottle was flung at her head by the other guy, taking her off guard. It shattered against her mask and the punch landed her sprawled on a shard covered floor. A split second of panic sent her rolling out from under Reiner's kick by a hair’s breadth. She was on her feet again in an instant, dodging more attacks and taking a second punch before seeing her opening. Taking the opportunity she weaved an uppercut right under Rainer's extended arm and this time he collapsed for real, down with a concussion at least, blood dribbling from his slack mouth.

She didn't waste any time, returning to the loot on the table, where the other guy was kneeling on the floor, blood running from his broken nose. He was looking around for a weapon for a moment before trying to get back onto his feet.

“Don’t”, she told him and he listened until she reached for the jewelry.

He tried grabbing her and Vi grabbed him right back, holding his arm and kicking against his chest, a pop Vi could feel all the way to his wrist followed by a guttural scream telling Vi that she’d been successful in pulling his arm out if its socket. “I warned you”, she told him as he writhed on the floor, holding on to his misaligned arm.

She returned to the jewellery, making sure to get the ruby necklace as she quickly stuffed as much of it as she could into her bag. She heard Rainer moving then and figured it was time for her to split, fresh adrenaline pumped through her by a racing heart. There was no point in dragging this out, satisfying as it might be. She’d made enemies of them enough already. The other guy was also still sputtering, trying to go after her as she stepped over the groaning Rainer and rushed out the door.

“Get back here you little–”, she heard him call after her.

She was crossing the street. There were two more gangsters walking along it, startling as they saw her.

“Get the Wolf!”, Rainer shouted behind her, words weirdly slurred and nearly incomprehensible, as Vi was already reaching her hand up to Caitlyn’s, pulling herself up the rest of the way onto the fire escape. The two newcomers were apparently associated with Rainer, as the sound of their running toward them echoed through the street.

“Let’s go!”, Vi told Caitlyn and then they were running, up to the roof and along the street from there. At first Vi slowed her steps to make sure Caitlyn was keeping pace but the other girl was pumping her feet and getting faster than Vi, so she sped up as well, leading them back to more familiar territory. Not home, not yet, but into an area where Vi knew every crevice, every passage, every ledge and hurdle.

“This way”, she directed Caitlyn, realising how well she followed Vi’s signals, how natural it had gotten for them to move together. The only difference this time was the speed and Caitlyn was nailing that too.

The timing of getting off the roofs was pivotal for shaking their pursuers and Vi made it count, instantly turning a corner once they were down, into a hidden passage past a fence and then down another ledge. There, Vi made them hunker down, catching their breath as quietly as possible, listening to if the people after them would come this way too. It was the perfect place for hiding, hidden enough from the way they came not to arouse suspicion but open enough to keep running if necessary.

After a few tense seconds of nothing but their own labored breathing Vi pulled the mask from her face, prompting Caitlyn to do the same.

“Are you okay?”, Caitlyn immediately asked her. “You’re bleeding.”

Vi inspected her arms, the cut from the knife and a few extras from the shards of that bottle indeed trickling blood. She barely felt them. The hit Rainer had landed was making her head pound but she tried not to let that on.

“What, this?”, Vi asked with a smirk. “This is nothing, don't worry about it. Rainer on the other hand will think twice before coming after the Pack.” She wasn't sure how much damage she’d done to his elbow but she’d gotten his head a lot better than he had hers and maybe even fucked up his jaw from the sounds of it. She’d been nice, just popping the other guy’s shoulder, but he too probably wasn't keen on a rematch anytime soon.

“Are you sure?”, Caitlyn asked and Vi would have been offended if the worry in her words hadn't been quite so sincere. “I’m sorry, I didn't even think about the fact he might retaliate.”

“I’m sure”, Vi reassured her, almost chuckling at her admission of not having thought of something. “Wouldn't have done it otherwise.”

Caitlyn cared too much. Even now Vi could tell she was still concerned about the few cuts and scrapes she’d ended up with and Vi nearly laughed in exasperation. I’m not made of glass, she nearly said, but the words got stuck in her throat. She should be insulted but Caitlyn’s eyes weren't just full of worry, there was also wonder.

Vi turned away, getting up to check the path they’d come from. “I think we managed to shake them.”

“What if we didn't?”, Caitlyn said, getting up from the ground as well, brushing off her clothes. She diligently covered her mask in cloth and strapped it to her belt, Vi doing the same. When Caitlyn met her eyes again there was a new emotion in them: Excitement. “We should keep running.”

Now Vi did laugh – she couldn't help it. “Oh, you want to show off, do you?”

Caitlyn was still breathing a little heavily but Vi recognised the high of the rush in her. She’d guess that even in training she’d never run like that, that it had never quite been… fun.

“Better safe than sorry, right?”, Caitlyn said, shrugging innocently. “You got the necklace?”

“Of course”, Vi said, patting the bag and making it jingle. “And maybe a few other trinkets.”

If Vi expected disapproval she would have been sorely disappointed. Caitlyn grinned like a fiend. “Fuck yeah.”

Vi was briefly dumbstruck by hearing Caitlyn curse for the second time. Chuckling, she could do nothing but shrug, not quite meeting her eyes. “Alright, Cupcake, show me what you’ve got.”

“If you’re up for it”, Cait said and it was half real concern, half challenge somehow.

“Oh, I’m up for it”, Vi insisted, feeling excitement coursing through her too. “Let’s see if you can keep up!”

So they kept running. It was a good place for it too, Vi able to steer them a bit lower along gentle declines that helped them accelerate toward an abandoned residential complex that Vi knew was relatively safe and perfect for practicing jumps. As they ran, Vi watched Caitlyn; watched the exhilaration clear on her face. There was a certain freedom in running and Caitlyn was revelling in it. Vi was glad she knew the terrain well, or watching Caitlyn like this would have surely made her trip. As it was she ended up nearly tripping over her own feet and having to force herself to look straight ahead again.

There was a drop up ahead just high enough to be uncomfortable but Vi knew the area and knew there was a grassy field at the bottom of it, perfect for rolling out of a fall. She slowed down a little, making sure Caitlyn knew what was coming and then went ahead of her, jumping down and rolling, getting back on her feet and instantly turning to see what Caitlyn would do.

Caitlyn was slowing down, stopping and hesitating by the ledge. Vi was about to ask her if she knew how to roll but then Caitlyn was already turning slightly to hang off the ledge with one hand briefly, pushed away and finally executed a perfect roll and seamlessly returned to her feet. Vi gave her an appreciative nod.

“What’s next?”, Caitlyn asked, grin still unbearably bright.

“We went down, time to see about getting back up”, Vi said.

To hell with it all, Vi wanted to know what Caitlyn had learned, what her new limits were. Across the field, small ledges and blocks of concrete were littered and Vi told Caitlyn to watch out for rebar sticking out of some of them but otherwise made a point to keep running and aiming exactly for those hurdles. Clearing a hurdle, jumping onto a higher ledge and back down the other side, Vi showcased several different techniques but she wasn't sure if Caitlyn was maybe too close behind to even notice. She was having the time of her life jumping over the obstacles and finding ways to use the environment to keep up her momentum. Vi climbed a slim ledge and balanced along it, ending up inside the ruins of an old complex, so little of the upper floors remaining that the light was barely dimmer than outside. Up some scaffolding Vi climbed between old metal bars, half of which squeaked ominously and yet she was delighted to find Caitlyn still hot on her heels.

Crazy girl, Vi thought with a smile. There really wasn't anything she wouldn't do, was there? The thought left a strange pit in Vi’s stomach, a tightness in her chest. She looked for something to distract her, some new challenge for Caitlyn maybe. A moment later she found it. A gap in the scaffolding with enough space leading up to it for a running start – a distance that Vi was sure she could clear but Caitlyn… she wasn't so sure there. They were at least one floor above ground level so it was a dangerous plunge but Vi wasn't worried. She ran up and savoured the split second of feeling weightless before her feet reconnected with the scaffolding on the other side of the gap and she slowed to a halt to turn back to Caitlyn with a grin.

Caitlyn was sizing up the gap. Vi thought she would find that familiar worry in her features but there was only determination. She was this close to shouting for Caitlyn to just find another way, heart suddenly hammering at the thought that Caitlyn would do something stupid just because Vi had done it first. What had she been thinking!? She’d gotten carried away, had let her emotions make decisions for her – it was the robbery at Jayce’s all over again.

Vi was too late to protest: Caitlyn was already running, then jumping, pushing off the end of the walkway and tucking her legs just right. Before Vi knew it Caitlyn’s feet collided with the same platform she herself was standing on but Caitlyn’s balance was just a bit off. Slipping on the dusty surface, Caitlyn tipped backward and Vi darted toward her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her so violently that Caitlyn ended up colliding with her, staggering to catch her balance.

Vi wanted to ask if she was okay, her heart in her throat, her head swimming with what could have happened had she been a second too late – then she heard it.

Laughing.

Caitlyn was laughing. That kind of delighted, heedless laughter that came with shock, adrenaline and excitement and fun. When Vi stepped back, stunned, Caitlyn had to grab for the rails of the scaffolding not to fall over, still smiling so wide, still laughing. Not even a bit afraid. Just pure, joyous laughter that revelled in being alive.

Vi was dumbstruck. After one and a half years of knowing Caitlyn Kiramman, Vi couldn't remember a time she had ever seen Cait genuinely laugh like that. Her smile lit up her face like nothing Vi could have ever imagined and it had a rich sound that resonated in Vi’s chest. She was struck senseless by it, briefly ceasing to exist outside the awareness of that laugh.

It was like the pin of a grenade being pulled free. A grenade that Vi had been holding onto for a long time. Vi had simply denied its existence, but that smile – that laugh – had forced it into her awareness, had pulled that goddamned pin. It was no longer possible to ignore – she was left holding the grenade, clamping down on the lever. She couldn't allow it to strike. There was a grenade in Vi’s chest and she held on tightly or it would reduce her to rubble.

Her heart was beating harder and she did her best to cover the reaction, to suppress any tells. She had an excellent poker face. Cait would never know anything had changed. Nothing had, really. The grenade had been there for a long time. It was just the first time Vi was forced to acknowledge as much. Forced to acknowledge that that smile, that laugh… she loved seeing it. She loved…

There was no getting that pin back, no putting it out of her mind anymore.

Even unable to deny it to herself, she would still never admit it out loud. She couldn't. No. Not to anyone, not to Cait. Never to Cait. If she could forget it again herself she would. The feeling burning through her was almost anger as she found herself still unable to look away. Still drinking in the sight of Cait’s joy. Far hotter than the anger though was… well. Vi held on tightly to that lever.

“We should start heading back”, she said, clearing her throat when it felt oddly hoarse. “I doubt anyone’s still after us but…” Vi didn't have an actual reason – none that she could say out loud. She couldn't keep being alone with Cait anymore.

Still, Cait slowly sobered – though a soft smile remained – and finally nodded. “We should get the necklace back to Eve.”

“Right, yes”, Vi said, relieved. “Exactly.” Vi had completely forgotten about Eve.

“And you need to take care of those cuts”, Cait insisted as they made their descent back off of the scaffolding.

“Right”, Vi said again. As long as it wasn't Cait  who did it. She was picturing Cait holding her arm, gently washing blood from her skin and bandaging her injuries. She’d do it with as much care and attention as she did everything else, Vi was sure of it. Her heart throbbed. Damn it. Damn it all.

Chapter Text

Two months later Powder and Vi were with Jayce more often than not. Caitlyn told herself it was a good thing, that this meant her lies were becoming more true and that it freed her up to return to her own life. She couldn't deny though that she’d started to enjoy the visits to Zaun.

People were beginning to recognise her – as Cait, not as Caitlyn Kiramman. They recognised her as a member of Vi’s gang, someone who… for lack of a better word: belonged. Caitlyn wasn't scared anymore and Vi didn't coddle her. These days, when Caitlyn did end up across the river, Vi had plans, usually with the whole Pack, sometimes missing Powder if she was busy with something else. They did jobs, helped out around the community and it was… exciting. It was rewarding in a way that spending time at home studying had never been – and still wasn't, now.

Caitlyn knew she should have returned Vi to her indenture months ago but considering everything… she just couldn't bring herself to do it. At this point it would make them both miserable. Keeping this up did leave Caitlyn with a constant, quiet anxiety about her mother finding out one day. She was diligent in her deceit – she had to be. She wasn't a great liar and skirting by on half-truths was working out so far but the anxiety was always there. It made her feel even more guilty but when she could she just avoided her parents.

On days she went to Zaun she ate breakfast quickly and slipped away in her Zaunite clothes before her parents could ask her any questions about what she was planning to do that day. Waiting by the gate one morning she was surprised to not find Vi coming up the street to fetch her – but Powder instead.

“Where is Vi?”, she immediately asked the girl as she reached her. Her mind instantly went to a worst-case scenario, even though Powder didn't look worried or upset at all. What would stop Vi from coming to fetch her as per their agreement?

Powder shrugged. “At the bar. I offered to be the one to get you today.”

Powder started moving away again and Caitlyn followed, but frowned in confusion and a little bit of annoyance. They couldn't just switch, that wasn't how this worked! She didn't really have a reason as to why it was a problem though, wasn't even entirely sure why she was so upset about it. She could already hear Powder asking what difference it made and had to admit to herself that it didn't make any. It just worsened that quiet anxiety a little.

“Why?”, Caitlyn asked instead, because she couldn't imagine what would move Powder to walk up here for her. There wasn't any animosity between them anymore but Caitlyn was still far from Powder’s favourite person.

“Because there’s something I have to ask you”, Powder said, and it seemed to take some effort for her to admit.

Caitlyn raised her eyebrows, surprised, waiting for her to elaborate.

“It’s Vi’s birthday in a week”, Powder finally said after hesitating for a moment longer. “We’re going to throw her a surprise party. You’ll be there, right?”

Caitlyn blinked. That had not been what she’d expected. “I’m–” Caitlyn briefly tripped over her own words. “I’m invited?”

Powder rolled her eyes. “No, we’re gonna leave you leashed in front of the bar like a dog with nothing but a single slice of cake.” At Caitlyn’s following expression she chuckled. “I’m kidding”, she reassured her. “I figure you’ll be there because you always are these days and… also you are invited.” Powder sounded slightly annoyed about that part, but she went back to being smug when she added: “Although we could do the leash thing for my birthday next month if you want.”

Caitlyn grimaced. “I think I’ll just not come at all that day, as a one-time exception.” One more exception wouldn’t make much of a difference at this point, she supposed. “Happy birthday in advance.”

“Thanks”, Powder said with a snort. “Anyway, back to Vi’s birthday. We couldn't really do much last year for obvious reasons, so we want to go all out this year.” She gestured with her hands for emphasis. “Live music, full buffet, underage drinking – the whole package. And I want to end the night with fireworks.”

Caitlyn was starting to get slightly concerned but tried her best to hide it – it was good practice at the very least. “Okay, so what does that have to do with me?”, she asked wearily.

“I need to apply for permits to shoot fireworks unless I want to risk getting arrested”, Powder said. When Caitlyn still didn't catch on to what that had to do with her she added: “Zaunites haven't been approved for firework use in my entire lifetime.”

“Oh”, Caitlyn said. Right. “I see.”

“The Sheriff can’t sign off on the permit by herself”, Powder went on with a sigh. “Apparently we need approval from three councillors. Viktor says he can convince Heimerdinger to agree. Can you ask your mom and… maybe get another councillor to sign off on it too?” Powder sounded contrite, like she expected Caitlyn to refuse. “Vi said that councillor Medarda seemed like a nice enough lady”, she added nonetheless.

Caitlyn had had to study the other councillors excessively over the past year so she had to agree with the assessment. If she was going to convince anyone besides her mother, it was probably going to be the Medarda, crazy as that sounded, considering who her family was. It would almost be the trickier part to convince her mother. How many lies would she have to tell to justify asking for such a thing out of nowhere?

“I’ll see what I can do”, she told Powder, really hoping she wouldn't have to disappoint her.

“Thank you”, Powder said, seeming hopeful. “But the whole thing is a surprise so don't tell Vi anything!”

Caitlyn chuckled at her intensity. “My lips are sealed”, she said. She couldn't make promises about her expressions but she would do her best. Then she considered for a moment, thoughts inevitably drawn to the birthday girl. “Does Vi like surprises?”

Powder shrugged. “Depends on the surprise”, she said. “She knows we’re doing something, just not the specifics. She’s not big into material gifts unless it’s something she needs or can make good use of. Or something really sentimental. So we’re just focusing on making it a day to remember.”

Somehow that made sense to Caitlyn. She couldn't quite imagine Vi at a birthday party, but presumably she could have fun at one just like anybody else, right?

“Cool”, she just said, a bit dumbstruck by the fact that in a week she’d get to be there to see it actually happen. She’d be able to keep it secret so long as Vi didn't ask her directly about it.

But first she had to get Powder that fireworks permit. She kept considering ways to best do it all the way to Zaun. Once there Powder led her to an apartment that Ekko was apparently in the process of turning into a kind of lab with Mylo and Claggor’s help. Vi was at the bar with Vander and Powder asked Caitlyn if she could make her way there on her own. Caitlyn was initially going to refuse but then realised that actually she knew the way and wasn't afraid of doing it alone.

Before she managed to leave though, Mylo passed her, carrying heavy looking materials and wearing the grumpiest expression she’d ever seen on him. 

“Chop chop, donkey boy. Keep it moving!”, Ekko shouted over to him when he briefly put the boxes down to catch his breath.

“Fuck you, Ekko”, Mylo said, flipping him off. Ekko just kept grinning at him until Mylo groaned and picked up the boxes again.

“What’s going on there?”, Caitlyn asked Powder.

“Mylo lost a bet and is being a sore loser as usual”, Powder told her. “Don't worry about it.”

Caitlyn watched Mylo and Ekko bicker for a moment longer, saying: “Sounds like Ekko is also being a gloating winner.”

“Which is entirely justified, trust me”, Powder said with a flat sounding laugh.

Caitlyn frowned. “Why, what’d they bet on?”

Powder shook her head. “Not my place to say.”

“Okay, stay mysterious”, Caitlyn said, sounding petulant to her own ears.

Powder snorted, genuinely amused. “You really don’t like not having all the pieces. You pride yourself on being able to figure things out, don’t you? I heard about what you did for Eve”, she said with a pointed look. “It was hard not to, really.”

“So?”, Caitlyn said, bristling. “I like knowing things, is that a crime?”

“I’d respect you more if it were”, Powder said, smirking. “It’d mean you’re willing to get your hands dirty.”

Right, Caitlyn was forgetting the company she was keeping. She left to find Vi but the words – joking as they had sounded – stuck with her. She was getting her hands dirty: She was committing crimes for Vi. One crime. And she was lying to her mom which felt like a crime. And despite Sheriff Grayson’s leniency so far she knew the old woman would arrest her if that crime came to light. Maybe this time she could get away with just telling the truth.

—

“There’s a fireworks permit request from Z– the undercity on Grayson’s desk right now”, Caitlyn brought up over dinner that evening, nearly using a name her mother wouldn't understand. “Have you heard about it?”

“Hm?”, her mother looked up from her food. “No, I haven’t”, she said an instant later as the words finally registered. “Those kinds of requests are never worth the hassle anyway.”

Caitlyn frowned. “Why not?”

“Because they are always a cover for creating illegal weaponry”, her mother stated plainly. “Fireworks need gun powder.”

“Well, this one isn’t”, Caitlyn said with some offense on Powder’s behalf that she tried to hide, likely poorly. “I know the person who put in the request. So does Jayce. It’s really for fireworks.”

“Is it that academic?”, Cassandra asked with a raised eyebrow. “Viktor?”

It wasn't a bad guess and it would have probably been easier to convince her if it was but Caitlyn was trying to go with honestly. “No”, she admitted accordingly. “But Viktor knows her too. He’s putting in a good word for her with Heimerdinger.”

“Is it Vi?”, her mother asked next, clearly doubtful even as she was saying it.

“Her sister”, Caitlyn finally just said. “The fireworks are for Vi’s birthday.”

Cassandra seemed to consider this for a moment, finally coming to some conclusion, which one, Caitlyn wasn't sure. “And I suppose you are putting in a good word for her with me, are you?”, she asked with a knowing smile, not waiting for an answer before asking – with a once more serious tone: “Do you know for certain that this is not some scheme?”

Her mother’s look made clear that if it was one after all she would hold Caitlyn partially responsible.

“Yes”, Caitlyn said with all her conviction. “I do.”

That answer seemed to satisfy her mother. Her father smiled at her. “It’s kind of you to help them with this”, he told her and she smiled at him. It was nice to know he was on her side.

“Are you aware that you will need a third signature on that permit?”, her mother asked her next.

Caitlyn nodded. “Yes. I was going to ask Councillor Medarda once you’d agreed.”

“Why her?”

The question wasn’t criticism or confusion. It was a test, Caitlyn realised. To test her political knowledge. She took a deep breath. She’d been studying for over a year now. She could do this.

“Councillor Hoskel is obviously not an option”, she began. “While not very strong-willed, he is a traditionalist and would sooner maintain things as they have been done than change anything of his own accord.” Caitlyn briefly waited for her mother to comment but she merely gestured for Caitlyn to go on.

“Councillor Shoola may be more willing to listen but as soon as she hears that it is Vi’s sister she would become difficult as she can hold a grudge”, Caitlyn said next, hesitating before moving on, not because she expected comment this time but because she wasn't sure how to best formulate her point. She ended up going with blunt. “Frankly, Councillor Salo is a bigot who will probably die believing every undercity resident is involved in one crime or another”, she said plainly. “Councillor Bolbok is a fallback if Councillor Medarda can’t be convinced. He cares less about any particular prejudice or tradition, but would have to be convinced that he can benefit – likely monetarily – from agreeing to sign this permit.” Caitlyn left the fact that a bribe wasn't an option unsaid. It had to be more subtle than that. Finally, she reached the final Councillor, the obvious choice: “Councillor Medarda also has an eye for beneficial dealings but as opposed to Councillor Bolbok she doesn't need a substantive outcome. She isn't above charity towards a more nebulous goal down the line.”

Caitlyn’s heart was racing as she awaited her mother’s response. Her reasoning was sound, she knew that. There could still be any number of reasons for her mother to disagree anyway.

“And what outcome will you promise her for allowing fireworks?”, Cassandra dug deeper.

That was easy. “A happy undercity”, Caitlyn said immediately. “Honest men and women – and children – who might have just a bit more faith in their Council.” It was vague but also downright straight forward.

Her mother tilted her head in consideration, making Caitlyn wait for another ten, agonising seconds. “Calling Salo a bigot is taking it a bit far”, she finally said. “No, that implies some form of integrity. Calling him an ass seems far more appropriate.” She smiled at Caitlyn conspiratorially at that, making her chuckle. But it seemed her mother’s test still wasn't done. “Now say you had to convince a fourth Council member”, she went on. “Who would you choose?”

Caitlyn briefly considered if it could be a trick question but finally just went with her gut: “Councillor Hoskel of course.”

"Oh?" Her mother seemed almost amused. "How come?”

Caitlyn smiled right back at her. “I would simply tell him you, Councillor Heimerdinger and Councillor Medarda had already agreed.”

More seconds of her mother’s weighing gaze ticked by. Then: “Very good, dear”, Cassandra said proudly. “I will sign the permit. Good luck with the Medarda.”

Caitlyn breathed a sigh of relief, then beamed. “Thanks mom.” She couldn't stop grinning. Her father chuckled and patted her shoulder and their dinner continued. Two Councillors down, one to go.

—

“Of course!”, Councillor Medarda said immediately upon Caitlyn finishing her request. “Fireworks sound delightful. I don't see why the undercity should be deprived of them. Especially if a Kiramman is vouching for the fact that the materials are being used responsibly.”

“Th-thank you, Councillor”, Caitlyn stuttered out, her heart still hammering from her nerves of having had to present her case. The Medarda’s councillor office was huge and imposing, jagged dark rock sticking out of otherwise perfectly polished marble.

“I take it the other signatures I will find on it are Professor Heimerdinger and your mother’s?”, Councillor Medarda asked with a knowing smile and Caitlyn almost blushed.

“Yes, Councillor”, Caitlyn admitted. This was – to some extent – a case of nepotism.

The Councillor laughed. “Don’t be embarrassed. You should always use every tool available to you. And please”, her smile softened. “You can call me Mel.”

“Thank you”, Caitlyn said again, and even as she felt incredibly awkward she added: “Mel.”

The Councillor was still smiling as she turned to leave but for a moment Caitlyn thought there was a certain glint in her eyes – an edge that the Medarda was very good at hiding. So good, Caitlyn was entirely uncertain if she’d just imagined it a moment later. Surely she couldn't be that interested in her. She was… well, not nobody, but nobody to the Councillor.

Whatever the case, her mission had been a success. Vi’s birthday fireworks were approved and now all Caitlyn had to do was show up the day of – was what she thought until the day actually came around. The evening before Vi’s birthday Powder pulled Caitlyn aside while Ekko was distracting Vi.

“Vi has something to do tomorrow morning away from the bar. She hasn't said how long it’ll take”, Powder told her. “Since you’ll be joining her anyway I need you to make sure she doesn't come back to the bar until at least two.”

Caitlyn blanched, slightly miffed that Powder was giving her even more difficult things to do. “How am I supposed to do that?”

Powder – to Caitlyn’s chagrin – just shrugged. “I don't know, drag her along to solve some crime or something”, she said. “The harder part will be making sure she doesn't take longer than four to get here. We’re not waiting longer than two hours.”

“So in case it’s necessary you want me to drag her away from whatever else she’s doing to make sure your surprise works without giving away said surprise?”, Caitlyn asked in disbelief.

“Exactly”, Powder said, hitting her shoulder. “You’ve got this.”

Caitlyn groaned. “Great.” Lying to Vi would go over so well, she was sure.

—

The moment Caitlyn woke up on the morning of Violet’s birthday her mind was working at top speeds, going absolutely nowhere fast. She was going to a party. A Zaunite party. A surprise party. It was almost a relief that she had to wear her Zaunite clothes because otherwise she would have had no idea how to dress. Even so she still spent an hour in her bedroom overthinking the details of her appearance. It felt wrong not to dress somehow more festive, not to acknowledge the occasion, even if doing so might give away the surprise. She was moving in circles and finally just gave up.

She waited for Vi by the gate and tried not to seem nervous. Normal. Everything was normal. Still, Vi looked at her funny the moment she arrived, scrutinizing her and it took everything in her not to sigh in frustration.

“Did you do something different with your hair?”, Vi asked.

Caitlyn was micromanaging her facial expression. “I didn't do anything with my hair.”

“Yeah, that’s different”, Vi pointed out. “Usually you have it up.”

Because usually Caitlyn expected action but today she was going to a party and she hadn't been able to decide anything. Gods, why was preparing for a simple party so difficult? Why did she have to feel so nervous about such a simple thing as Vi noticing how she wore her hair? She had to resist the urge to touch it self-consciously. Caitlyn in turn noticed that Vi hadn't wrapped her hands today and suspected it was for the same reason – she wasn’t expecting action today. But bringing that up would just skirt dangerously close to bringing up the fact that it was Vi’s birthday.

“I overslept this morning, I didn't have time”, Caitlyn lied instead. It didn't sound too bad, she thought.

Vi snorted. “Making a ponytail takes you that long?”

Caitlyn bristled. Tense as she already was she defaulted to a response that was meaner than she meant it to be. “I’m sorry, I like to keep my hair presentable unlike some people.” Vi should just punch her.

Instead, Vi laughed. “What, this?”, she said, grabbing a fistful of her already messy hair. “My hair has looked much worse.”

It didn't actually look bad, Caitlyn thought. Just messy in every way. Parts of it were just long enough to hang past her ears while other parts fell all the way to her shoulders and all she did in regards to brushing it seemed to be to keep it out of her face. But it was clean, thick and such a striking colour – Caitlyn could have sworn it had gotten slightly darker since she’d first met Vi, staying the same hue but simply a deeper, warmer shade.

“It’s looked better too”, Caitlyn said, still looking and considering. If Vi just got a proper haircut and styled it… she could look... “It wouldn't even take that much effort”, she kept musing.

Caitlyn realised a moment too late that she was staring. Finally looking at Vi’s face as she felt her own cheeks heat with embarrassment she found that Vi wasn't looking at her ar all.

“Let’s just get going”, Vi said, sounding almost awkward.

Caitlyn briefly considered if she should apologise but finally decided that that would just embarrass both of them more. “Good idea”, she simply agreed.

They took the elevator down to the lanes as always and Caitlyn felt the air change, though it didn't make her struggle anymore. In a way it even made her breathe more easily. The pressures of Zaun were all external but internally all of her expectations of herself loosened. People didn't know who she really was here so she could just be.

Just like Powder had warned her, Vi had plans. Instead of going to any of the place’s Cait had become familiar with she steered them to an offshoot alley from a market street. They passed bright and busy storefronts only to turn a corner out of the crowd and to an unassuming looking door. The only hint that this was some kind of establishment at all was a little sign in the window.

Cait read it with a bit of surprise as Vi was already knocking. “You’re getting a tattoo?”

“Yup”, Vi said with an excited smile. “Always wanted one.”

A heavily tattooed woman with a half-shaved head and several piercings opened the door and – seemingly recognising Vi – smiled and nodded at her to get inside.

Vi stepped forward, hesitating to look back at Cait. “You can wait outside if you want”, she said. “But this will take a while.”

Cait couldn’t deny that she was a little uncomfortable but she didn't really want to window shop either. “Where is the tattoo going?”, she asked.

“On my arm and shoulder”, Vi said. That would be the reason for her bare arms then.

Cait nearly breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m going in with you.” If Vi wasn't undressing, she would be fine. She had her notebook with her – not as good as something to read but she would entertain herself somehow.

Vi shrugged. “Alright.”

They both headed inside.

Past the unassuming exterior the studio was a well lit, clean and orderly space, art of various kinds covering the walls and rock music filling the air. It was almost unsettling how clean it was, especially the lack of smell a strange shift compared to outside where the smells of tobacco, food vendors and various notes of a human crowd had warred for dominance. The tattoo artist was polite and showed Cait to a chair she could sit in while she started preparing everything and sketching the design they’d apparently discussed before onto Vi’s skin. Too curious not to watch, Cait was able to see that it would reach halfway down her forearm, along her whole upper arm and a little onto her back but not so far that she’d have to take off her shirt.

Once Vi had inspected the sketch in a full-length mirror and given the go ahead she got comfortable on the padded table that took up the center of the slightly cramped room. Cait’s chair was in the far corner opposite from where the artist was setting up her chair by Vi’s left arm but she was still close enough to touch her if she wanted to – not that she did.

The tattoo artist got started and Caitlyn saw Vi tense. Her head was turned away from where the artist was working and instead toward Cait but her eyes were closed. Cait couldn’t see exactly what the artist was doing as her gloved hands were blocking the view but she could hear the incessant hum of the tattoo machine. She knew that Vi’s skin was being punctured by multiple needles over and over. The thought nearly made her flinch and she was glad she couldn't see the process exactly.

“Does it hurt?”, Cait asked, unable to leash her curiosity.

Vi opened her eyes to look at her, scoffing. “I’ve had worse”, she said. “I’m perfectly comfortable.” She closed her eyes again with a self-satisfied smirk, like she was just laying down for a cozy nap.

Cait scoffed herself, rolling her eyes. Of course this wasn't much to Vi. She wondered what the worst pain Vi had ever been in was and then quickly corrected her own thought to ‘worst physical pain’. She could guess, otherwise.

If Vi was getting comfortable then so would she. Cait pulled out her notebook. Reviewing earlier notes got boring quickly so she flipped to an empty page, fountain pen in hand and considered. She was surrounded by art so the thought of sketching something was prominent in her mind. Her eyes flicked back up to Vi’s face, calm and still on that padded table, just the slightest bit of tension between her eyebrows giving away that she was in at least some amount of pain. Without that tension she would look almost serene, choppy hair framing her face.

The point of Cait’s pen set down on paper but as suddenly as the urge to draw Vi’s face had come it was gone again. Cait was no artist. She wouldn't be able to capture what she was seeing, wouldn't do Vi justice at all. It would be embarrassing at least and invasive at worst. The fact alone that Cait was here right now…

Seeing these different sides to Vi that she would usually keep hidden felt special – meaningful. It was a privilege that Cait felt she’d earned rather than been born with. To think she used to hate Vi felt absurd, the fact that she didn't anymore just as odd in an equal but opposite way. This unlikely connection, flimsy as it sometimes felt, meant something to her she couldn't explain, that would probably not make any sense to anyone else even if she did. It was strange and confusing and…

Beautiful.

The word was her tidy writing in her notebook, surprising as if Cait hadn't been the one to write it herself just now. Somehow suddenly self-conscious her eyes flicked up to Vi and the artist, neither of whom were paying her any attention, obviously. She resisted the childish urge to just scratch the word out again, flipping to a new page instead. She stared at the empty page for a while, still unsure what to do. She was being ridiculous. Vi was just a person like any other and there was no shame in admitting she looked good. Of course, if Cait were to ever try telling her as much she’d find a way to take offence, she was sure about that. Cait sighed. Complicated. Confusing and complicated – those were the dominating adjectives in this relationship. Finally she just put her notebook away again.

Cait tried not to watch Vi the whole time, also marveling at the art around her as well as the artist’s apparent focus and care for her work. She couldn't even see the design properly yet and Cait was already impressed. It was obviously a slow process and it would be a few hours before the tattoo was done – which was probably for the best, considering Powder’s secret party preparations.

For a really long time everything was fine and calm and actually shockingly relaxing to the point that Cait occasionally closed her own eyes and just listened to the rock still playing in the background – all Zaunite composed, she was sure. After an hour the artist took a short break, Caitlyn getting a better look of the outline of the design: exact and mechanical, broken up in one spot by a more organic pattern.

Around an hour and a half in Cait heard Vi softly and briefly whimper in pain. Eyes instantly on her she saw that Vi wasn't exactly squirming but definitely tensing her muscles with her discomfort, face twisted. The tattoo artist was working on the area right at her elbow and paused as she too noticed the change.

“Do you need another break?”, she asked.

“I’m fine”, Vi said through clenched teeth.

The artist continued and Vi kept her arm still for her but Cait could see her face scrunching up, could see the strain in her body. Her eyes fell to Vi’s right fist, balled up so tightly her knuckles were white. Her nails had to be digging into her skin.

Cait didn't think, she just acted, reaching for Vi’s hand before she was even sure why. Vi flinched at the contact and her hand opened seemingly on instinct, grasping Cait’s tightly. Vi’s eyes were open and on Cait, the pain in her face briefly overridden by surprise.

“I’m gonna hurt you”, Vi said quietly, her grip indeed a lot tighter than comfortable but not quite painful.

At least not painful to a degree that mattered to Cait in that moment. The contact had to be comforting in some capacity or Cait was certain Vi would have already let go again – maybe even mocked her for taking her hand in the first place – but she didn't.

“I’ve had worse”, Cait said with a smirk, gripping Vi’s hand right back. “I’m perfectly comfortable.”

Vi inhaled sharply – no doubt because of some new spike of pain – then chuckled briefly at the words in a kind of pressed way, her grip around Cait’s fingers tightening further. Then she closed her eyes again and seemed to focus on just breathing, long, steadying exhales and careful inhales, all the while squeezing Cait’s hand. Cait noticed when the most painful part was over since Vi’s hand relaxed a little, but Vi kept her eyes closed and her fingers around Cait’s until the tattoo artist said she was all done. Her grip loosened slowly until Cait finally pulled her hand away, feeling awkward. She was glad she’d done it and it wasn't like she hadn't held Vi’s hand before, but the tattoo was done so she had no reason to keep holding it.

Vi got up from the table without looking at Cait, heading instead instantly over to the mirror to twist her head around in the best attempt to see her new tattoo. The skin around it was an irritated red making it a bit less nice to look at, but even so it was mesmerising. Bold black lines perfectly complimented Vi’s muscleature, making the clearly mechanics-inspired pattern look somehow natural. A ring around her elbow, gears on her shoulder, the living machine was only interrupted once on her upper arm by an abstract cluster still readable as a branch and leaves of a tree, the unfilled lineart a perfect contrast to the solid black of the remaining tattoo.

“It… it suits you”, Cait told her, not sure why she was surprised. She’d never in her life considered getting a tattoo, had never thought they could look so…

“I know”, Vi just said and based on her smile she was happy with the result as well. Looking at the whole of her standing in front of that mirror, posing just a little bit to get a look at the tattoo from different angles Cait was finding it difficult to look away. She found herself briefly wishing that she could draw, or else take a picture. To somehow immortalise this image so that she might figure out what about it exactly intrigued her so much.

She was almost relieved when the artist came back from putting away her tools and wrapped the tattoo for Vi so that it would stay clean until it healed. Vi wouldn’t get to show it off at the party today but Cait got the sense that that hadn't been the goal. This had been something else, something Vi had done just for herself on the day she turned seventeen. It was still weird to Cait that she was technically older than Vi – it didn't feel true somehow.

Leaving the tattoo studio was an almost disorienting shift back to normality. Cait followed Vi quietly, only remembering that she should be keeping Vi busy a few minutes later. She need not have worried – Vi was headed somewhere to get lunch.

“My treat?”, Cait asked as they waited in line. She didn't bring a lot of money to Zaun but certainly enough for two lunches. It felt wrong that Vi was the one paying in general but on her birthday?

“Nice try”, Vi just said and Cait grumbled.

It was Vander’s money Vi was using anyway. Apparently the man insisted on keeping both his daughters and Cait fed personally. She wasn't sure if it was just about pride or had any deeper meaning but seeing as it wasn't technically Vi’s money either she didn't have any room to argue.

Vi sat down inside the little restaurant they’d gone to and took her time eating, seeming to use her left arm slightly less than usual. The fresh tattoo had to still be sore. They mostly ate in comfortable silence, eventually chatting a little about random stuff: Vi’s work with Powder and Jayce, Caitlyn’s studies, whatever they might not already be up to date on. There wasn't a lot of that.

A little later Vi ordered desert, silently ordering some for Cait as well and shrugging without meeting her eyes when Cait thanked her. That had been happening more often recently – Vi not meeting her eyes. Cait wanted to know what that was about but couldn't ask without sounding like a snobbish asshole. It just unnerved her that she might have offended Vi somehow when she thought they’d finally been getting along well. She acted normal otherwise so Cait hoped she was just imagining it.

Eventually, without any preamble, Vi smirked at her and asked: “So, have we wasted enough time to head back to the bar?”

“What do y–”, Cait briefly tried denying knowing anything, but already she could feel how unconvincing she sounded. Her heart fell and she sighed. “Yes. Perfect timing, actually.”

Vi just grinned more. “I figured it might be.”

Of course Vi already knew her family was doing something but this seemed like she really knew a lot. Cait grumbled.

“Just make sure to still act surprised so that Powder doesn't come for my head”, she told Vi on the way.

Vi laughed. “This is my surprised face”, she said, gesturing to her face and mimicking an exaggerated expression of shocked awe.

“Ha-ha-ha”, Cait fake-laughed with her annoyance. “Why’d Powder even ask me to keep secrets?”

“I’m sorry to have to tell you this”, Vi said, not sounding sorry at all. “But it was definitely to mess with you.”

Yeah. That actually made the most sense. Cait groaned and Vi laughed some more. Seeing how visibility happy Vi was though, Cait couldn't stay mad.

—

Party poppers, spark candles and confetti went off when Vi and her entered The Last Drop and the gathered crowd screamed congratulations over whoops and cheers and lively music. Vi was grinning ear to ear as Powder first tackled into her arms, hugging her tight. By now Powder couldn't quite tuck her head under Vi’s chin anymore; she'd grown so much recently.

Cait hung back as one by one people approached Vi, swarming around her and waiting for their turn to hug and congratulate her personally, Powder staying by her side – a sister’s privilege at a party like this, Cait assumed. She ended up greeting and chatting with a few people she’d gotten to know, like Eve, Dechard and Benzo. It wasn't hard keeping track of Vi passively, as she obviously stayed the center of attention. Cake was served and as the sun started to set – early so close after the cold season – a buffet was opened for self-serving. All the while the bar was serving various cocktails and Cait wasn't sure if Vi was drinking (Powder had mentioned underage drinking but Vi just didn't strike her as someone very interested in alcohol) but she supposed it was none of her business.

Then the music was turned off, the lights dimmed for wild light effects and coloured spotlights to fill the bar instead and a live band started to play – fronted by Gert, who unsurprisingly had an incredibly strong singing voice – turning the bar’s sparse open space into a dance floor. Cait excused herself from the fray before it had time to really start, taking a seat in the safety of the bar and watched as the gathered teens lost their minds to the rock music. The entire party was such a spectacle of joy and revelry, Caitlyn had been smiling throughout and was smiling at the wild dancers now.

Her smile dimmed though as she saw Vi, conflicted emotions instantly seizing her heart. The serenity from earlier today had clearly been an illusion because watching Vi now, dancing with her family and friends, singing along to songs without shame or hesitation – that was Vi and that wasn't beautiful, that was something else, something more. Something entirely different and all the more enticing. She couldn't quite put her finger on it. It reminded her of the joy of running and jumping over obstacles with her and Cait found herself so tempted to join in. To dance and jump and feel that wild and free energy up-close again.

But there were so many people around and Vi was already having fun with them and this wasn’t who Caitlyn was – it couldn't be. So she stayed at the bar, just watching. Losing herself in thought. She startled when someone on the other side of the bar walked up to her, tearing her gaze away from the dancing.

“Care for a drink?”, Mylo asked, a dish towel over his shoulder like a real bartender. The effect was kind of comical. “You’re already eighteen, right? You wouldn't even be committing a crime.” He said it like it was a kind of bonus, like she practically had to say yes to make use of this loop-hole.

Caitlyn laughed, about to decline, but something made her hesitate. A tension in her stomach that… she would just prefer to loosen. “You know what?”, she said. “Sure. One drink.”

“Oh my, Cait!”, Mylo gasped. “I genuinely didn't expect that.” He immediately started grabbing a mixing jar and various bottles.

“Nothing strong”, Caitlyn told him sternly before he got carried away.

Mylo’s expression was just a little too mischievous for Caitlyn’s tastes when he said: “Of course not.”

She watched him like a hawk as he mixed her drink, relieved when he did seem to be using regular juice along with some alcohol. She’d had sips of wine before at fancy events or just when her parents indulged in a glass at dinner and let her have some but she’d never had a proper cocktail.

“Here you go”, Mylo said when he was done, pushing the glass toward her and adding a little paper umbrella to it as a last flourish. “On the house.”

“One day I will get you people to take my money”, Caitlyn said almost like a threat, even as she smirked, accepting the drink.

Mylo rolled his eyes. “Yeah, we’ll get at least half of it.”

Caitlyn frowned at him. “What?”

“Nothing”, Mylo rushed to say, gesturing dismissively. “Enjoy the party, Cait.” And then he was gone, moving on to other party guests who wanted drinks.

Caitlyn looked after him, entirely lost. Were they planning to rob her again? If yes then Caitlyn honestly wouldn't complain. As long as they were smart about it and weren't caught and didn't hurt anyone. She highly doubted they were though. Mylo’s statement just didn't make any sense. Maybe she hadn't heard him right over the music? Whatever. Maybe Mylo had just had too much to drink himself – she didn't feel like figuring things out at the moment, especially knowing how tight-lipped they could be. It wasn't worth the hassle on such a special occasion. Sipping the cocktail Mylo had made for her – a reddish concoction with a sweet and fruity flavour that nearly entirely covered the bite of the liquor – she kept watching the party. She might have imagined it but she felt like her thoughts slowed down some once she finished the glass.

When it was fully dark the music cut off and Vi was dragged to the roof, everyone refusing to tell her what for. Vi kept making absurd guesses and half-heartedly refusing to move, but she didn't guess right and her family was very insistent while the other guests didn't know what was happening themselves. Caitlyn figured the idea was that everyone else would realise what’s happening once the noise started and go out to see. She herself was vaguely headed towards the main entrance for that purpose before Claggor got a hold of her and took her up to the roof with the rest of them despite her own protests.

“You made this possible”, he told her quietly so Vi wouldn't hear. “You get a front-row seat.”

Caitlyn appreciated the thought but nearly refused to join them anyway. She’d seen plenty of fireworks in her life and for the first time in a long time it felt like she was intruding again – it should only be Vi and her family. Then she noticed that Benzo was going up too, along with Ekko and decided it wasn't worth making a fuss. Vi obviously got the best seat up on the ledge of a chimney that had just enough space for Vi and Powder if they huddled together, but for now Powder was off with Ekko on the other side of the roof, making last-minute preparations. The rest of them – Mylo, Claggor, Vander, Benzo and herself – sat down on prepared pillows on the roof slightly in front of and under Vi. When Caitlyn had settled in she turned back to see Vi watching her sister’s excited tinkering with obvious curiosity. She had to have put together what they were here for by now, didn't she?

It was a beautiful and clear night even by topsider standards, not quite cold enough for Caitlyn’s breath to fog but for there to be a comfortable cool breeze that felt good on her skin. The lanes looked darker than usual and Caitlyn wondered if Vander had somehow pulled in favours to get people to turn off their neon signage for the occasion. It seemed like something he might do and Caitlyn felt warmed at the thought.

Powder flipped a switch then and after sharing one more excited look with Ekko she ran back to sit next to Vi, hugging her sister as she clearly counted in her head, looking out over the horizon. Caitlyn looked up into the sky as well, bracing herself for the noise. A first whoosh sounded, a slight glimmer shooting up into the sky and then the bar was bathed in pink light as a stunning and intricate explosion unfolded above them, followed by more rockets taking off.

The fireworks were a gorgeous spectacle of blue and red bursts of various shades over the dark abyss of the fissures, clearly intricately planned out and perfectly timed. Caitlyn was deeply impressed and enchanted for a long minute, the fireworks just that bit different than the ones she was used to from Piltover celebrations. Despite the gorgeous display, Caitlyn made the mistake of giving into the soft impulse to turn back and somehow she found herself mostly watching Vi’s face being lit up by coloured light from that moment on. Vi’s expression was one of starstruck joy, of pride and from her distance Caitlyn couldn't be sure but she thought she saw a twinge of wistfulness there too. She hugged Powder back, laughing as they exchanged brief words Caitlyn couldn't hear. She couldn't look away. It was so clear how much Vi loved Powder, how much this gesture meant to her, and the bursts of light that illuminated them both in irregular patterns added a sense of awe that held Caitlyn’s attention. It did not matter that Caitlyn was no artist, that she had no camera with her with which to cast this moment into eternity because as much as she wanted to, she knew nothing could capture what she was seeing. Nothing could encapsulate this feeling, no ink could shape or paper hold it. She was forced to just exist in it, unable to understand it, knowing it would end.

When the last firework fizzled out and plunged them back into darkness Caitlyn was briefly blind, a ghost image of the two sisters on that chimney floating in her eyes before they once again adjusted to the sparse light. Powder and Vi were talking and then suddenly Powder was pointing at her.

Unprepared for the attention Caitlyn stiffened as Vi turned to look at her. Vi looked at her for so long she began to feel awkward enough to give a quick wave, unsure what to do with herself. She couldn't make out Vi’s expression in the dark. Powder must have told Vi she’d helped get permission for the fireworks and Caitlyn almost wished she hadn't. She didn't feel like it was deserving of acknowledgement, tricky as it had been. She’d just been making up for the fact that Powder needed her help at all. She didn't expect a thank you.

She didn't get one. Vi turned back to talking to Powder, then Vander and then they all returned inside, returned to the other guests, who heaped praises for the show upon Powder. It was more low-key, the party obviously winding down, but people were still chatting and lively and Caitlyn couldn't focus on any of it. Her mind was still half hung up on the image of Vi watching the fireworks and half… she wasn't sure. She felt oddly flushed, suspecting that the alcohol had to be making her feel off. The bar felt too hot. She figured nobody was paying attention to her anyway, so she wound her way through the crowd to the front entrance to get some air.

She leaned against the bar’s wall, enjoying the cool breeze on her face with her eyes closed. It had been a long day but a good one, she thought. The kind of birthday Vi deserved. She didn't want to think about how her last birthday must have gone, didn't want to remember what task she’d watched Vi slave away at without even knowing the day was different from any other.

The bar’s door clicked open and Caitlyn opened her eyes to see who was leaving – only to find the birthday girl herself stepping out toward her. Caitlyn nearly asked her what she was doing out here, why she wasn't in there still being celebrated. The words remained stuck in her throat somehow.

Vi smiled crookedly at her the way she always did. Like she was just a little amused to see Caitlyn there. “It’s getting pretty late, you probably need to get home right about now”, she said.

Right. Caitlyn looked down the street that would lead her to the elevator and back up out of the lanes – that would bring her home. Then she looked back at Vi and the bar – the party still audible through the closed door.

“I can go on my own”, Caitlyn finally said, making a choice. She wasn't afraid and Vi shouldn't have to leave her own party early for such a ridiculous task – a task Caitlyn was forcing on her like some entitled…

Vi’s brow furrowed. “Are you sure?”, she asked. “What if something happens?”

Caitlyn nearly chucked at how genuinely concerned Vi sounded, but ultimately that concern just left her feeling sad. “Then I run”, she said plainly. “You know how good I am at that now.” She wasn't entirely helpless anymore. She wouldn't be a burden.

Vi still looked sceptical. “Okay, hold on”, she said then, gesturing for Caitlyn to stay put. She disappeared back into the bar. Caitlyn waited for a few minutes before she returned, pressing a metal grip into her hand. “Here.”

Caitlyn accepted the device automatically, turning it in her hand to figure out what it was. Atop the handle was a wider cylinder with evenly spaced holes around it, a pin sticking out of the side.

“A smoke torch?”, she asked, looking at Vi with a bit of surprise.

“In case you get in trouble, I’ll see it”, Vi said with a shrug. “I’m pretty sure your mom would kill me if she found out about this arrangement because you got beat up on your way home.”

Caitlyn felt slightly condescended to, a bit miffed that Vi still didn't trust her to be able to run away on her own. She supposed after all of her own paranoia it was only fair but Vi’s worry seemed just a touch too… genuine.

“Right”, Caitlyn said with a rueful smile. “Of course.” She put the torch into her bag. Looking back up she found Vi still looking at her like she might insist on joining her after all. Caitlyn nearly rolled her eyes but she felt oddly… warmed by Vi’s apparent concern. She could almost forget that it was still just that her being put in danger would be a huge problem for Vi. At least for tonight Caitlyn had thought that maybe it wouldn't matter. That she could be someone Vi didn't have to think about so much. But at the end of the day she was still Caitlyn Kiramman.

“Happy Birthday, Vi”, she said, realising she hadn't said it yet and then just started walking, not expecting Vi to respond. Not wanting to take up any more of her time.

“Thanks.”

She stopped and turned back briefly, unsure if she’d imagined hearing the word. Vi was already heading back into the bar, not looking back, but Caitlyn thought she had actually said it. She didn't remember to be worried for her own safety on her way home, she was still thinking about that one, simple word. It took up her whole mind, letting her once again forget about her name. She wasn't sure why and was tending towards blaming the liquor, but she was still smiling when she finally fell into bed.

Chapter Text

Vi was walking to Jayce’s house with Powder, marveling at how the time had flown by. Three fourths of another year had passed but simultaneously it felt crazy to her that it had only been nine months since the factory. And a whole three months since…

Vi was failing hard at not thinking about Cait. She got annoyed with herself every time she caught herself thinking about her. It was almost impressive: Even being agreeable Cait had found a way to ruin Vi’s life. Days on which she didn't see her had stopped feeling like a reprieve and she always found herself hurling her feelings against the arcade machine in the evenings. She’d broken her own highscore twice in the past month.

Even spent and so tired she could keel over she always still returned to Cait’s face in her mind by the end, with no energy left to be upset. Cait laughing. Cait smiling. Cait brushing her hair behind her ear absentmindedly because she’d worn it open for Vi’s birthday and it had kept falling into her face as she chatted with other guests. It had been hard to stop watching her that day, the feeling of her hand in Vi’s still lingering in her palm. She’d done her best to throw herself into partying to distract herself but Cait was always right there, even if not physically.

Being unable to flee her in her own mind didn't mean Vi wasn’t still doing her best to do it physically though. When they got a letter from Jayce one evening, urgently asking them to come over the next day – despite that day not being one of their scheduled visits – she jumped at the chance. All it took was a quick: “We’re going to Jayce’s today”, at the Kiramman’s gate. By the look of her Jayce had written Cait too and she already knew, dressed in her regular clothes rather than the Zaunite ones. Seeing Cait like that should have been an immediate turnoff but it wasn't. Both Vi’s heart and fists clenched as they left Cait behind at her house and kept moving over to Jayce’s. Whatever he had to show them better be fucking good.

When they arrived at Jayce’s his mother greeted them warmly and led them to the dining room instead of Jayce’s workshop, seeming slightly exasperated but ultimately just amused at this spreading of Jayce’s work. The dining room had more space, Jayce and Viktor tinkering with a device in the relative center of the long table.

Jayce looked up from his work when they entered, interrupting himself mid-sentence in whatever he was discussing with Viktor to beam at them. “Vi, Powder!”, he shouted across the room, holding up a hand. “Stay right there! Don’t get closer just yet. You should see it from the outside.”

Vi exchanged a confused look with Powder, who apparently knew just as little about what was happening as she did.

“From outside the room?”, Vi asked, pointing back to the door.

“No no”, Jayce shook his head, gesturing excitedly. “Just stay right where you are. You’ll see. Viktor?” He turned to his partner in crime.

Viktor nodded with a chuckle. “Everything is set for the demonstration”, he said.

“Let’s do this”, Jayce smiled, eyes flicking back to Vi and Powder with a smug look. Vi just raised an eyebrow at him. This would not be the first time he was overly confident in his newest prototype.

This current one looked especially strange: It was a kind of ball-shaped cage of moving rings, blue crystal shards shining in its center and platelets of runes turning around it hypnotically. Facing Jayce and Viktor were two metal prongs – the entire thing looked a little like a starving snail. Vi had seen the circular design in previous prototypes but the prongs were new and it was overall arranged differently. She had no idea what it was supposed to do.

Both scientists put on safety goggles as Jayce explained, though in a way that mostly benefited Powder: “Viktor has been experimenting with the effects of the crystals on biological matter.”

“A pet project”, Viktor added dismissively. “It wasn't meant to be applied quite like… this.”

“But it’s absolutely brilliant!”, Jayce insisted with his patented expression of scientific glee. “We stumbled over the discovery when my newest attempt at the shield failed to maintain equilibrium and kept tilting into a feedback loop that accelerated aether output, ruining the molecular tension. But then Viktor realised that that his prototype was excellent at maintaining equilibrium and just failed to manifest feedback at all.”

“And then Jayce did something inadvisable”, Viktor cut in again with a smirk.

“Which ended up working”, Jayce smirked right back.

“Only because I was there to balance out the–”

“Yes yes”, Jayce said. “I obviously couldn't have done it without you. Let’s just show them already.”

“Alright”, Viktor said. “Whenever you’re ready.”

Jayce nodded and then they both raised a hand to one of the prongs each. Jayce looked over at them one more time. “Ready?”, he asked them.

“I have no idea what I’m supposed to be ready for”, Vi said.

Jayce’s grin just widened. He looked at Viktor again and they both nodded, closing their fingers around the metal at the same time.

Instantly Vi could feel a kind of static in the air making her ears pop and it was only a few seconds more before blue light burst from their machine. It raced outward in a perfect sphere, instinctively making Vi stumble backward and her breath catch with the surprise. The light stopped about a meter short of reaching them though, a blue dome of crackling energy. It was like looking into clear water, a wavering pattern of different levels of transparency dancing across its surface. Inside the dome Jayce and Viktor stood holding the prongs, the dome’s patterns painting shifting shadows over them.

Jayce laughed in excitement, like he himself was also stunned at the sight. “It’s amazing, isn't it?”

Vi was staring in disbelief and her own awe, finding Powder in a similar state. After meeting Powder’s eyes for a moment Vi reached out for that shimmering surface carefully. Her fingers met resistance, tingling with a strange kind of current that made her want to pull her hand away again and left the tips of her fingers itching but otherwise unharmed. Powder touched it too, pulling away startled at the sensation.

“What is it?”, Vi asked fascinated, reaching out again, pressing further this time. Her hand did not penetrate the barrier, the static reaching further up to her wrist uncomfortably. She pulled away again, shaking out the pins-and-needles feeling, wondering how much force this thing could withstand – how close to their goal this breakthrough had gotten them.

“We’re calling it Resonance”, Jayce said proudly.

Viktor’s voice sounded more pragmatic when he said: “The field itself is a manifestation of arcane energy the way Powder has been able to produce. Instead of depending on a framework of some kind however it is radiated outward through this “resonance” that is created between two living, thinking organisms. It requires some level of mental focus of the participants but can be achieved relatively passively as long as neither of us becomes distracted.”

“Can it be broken in other ways?”, Vi asked, mind racing. If all it took was a bit of focus… this could be huge. This could be… this could be perfect.

“We haven't tested very extensively yet”, Jayce said. “We got this reaction for the first time yesterday and thought you should see it immediately.”

“He wanted to show off”, Viktor said, sounding like it was the most endearing thing to him. Jayce shoved him lightly for the comment.

Vi looked at Powder expectantly. Powder took another close look at the arcane surface. She practically had stars in her eyes. After a moment she said: “It looks less resistant than some of my framed prototypes but it can probably still be reinforced if that’s the case.”

“Let’s put it to the test”, Vi said with a smirk and pulled back her fist.

“No, Vi– don’t!”, Jayce shouted, but it was too late – Vi’s wrapped knuckles made abrupt contact with the dome.

Like punching a pane of glass something seemed to break, but instead of shattering it was a sound like a dampened explosion, not very loud but deep. Vi’s fist sunk past the surface of the dome and it felt like her wrist was encircled by cattle prods. She screamed, pulling her hand back instantly, losing her balance and falling backward on her ass, instinctively cradling her arm that still smarted.

“Vi!” Powder was instantly by her side, concerned and Vi quickly put on a slightly pressed smile.

“I’m fine”, she said, uncurling and flexing her hand. She could still move it normally, a light throbbing the only pain she still felt. The shock of it had been the worst part, her heart still racing.

The barrier flickered out of existence as Jayce let go of the machine, closely followed by Viktor, rushing toward them. “Vi, are you okay?”, he asked, despite Vi’s earlier words, grabbing her wrist carefully to inspect it.

She rolled her eyes. “Like I said, I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine”, Jayce insisted, untying the bandage around her arm and unwrapping it to reveal the skin underneath. There was a bit of a red mark around her wrist with thinner strands running down to the tips of some of her fingers and Vi thought her wrist might end up bruising but Jayce was looking at her like she was going to lose the whole hand. He handed it over to Viktor who carefully tested its mobility – which was perfectly normal, her skin not even sensitive to the touch.

“It literally doesn't even hurt anymore”, she said, disconcerted by Jayce’s concern. “It’s going to be fine.”

When Viktor finally nodded at Jayce, seeming to confirm that there was nothing besides the marks noticeably wrong with her hand Jayce finally sighed. “Alright”, he said. “But it could have been much worse. You got lucky. Do not go around punching experimental arcane energy fields. Please.”

Vi rolled her eyes at him initially, but then noticed Powder’s worried expression. “Jayce is right, Vi”, she said, voice small. “We don't know everything this stuff is capable of but we do know it’s dangerous.”

“Right”, Vi said, feeling guilty for having made her worry. “Sorry.”

In that moment the door to the dining room opened and Jayce’s mother rushed into the room. “I heard screaming”, she said. “Is everyone alright?” She stopped as she saw them sitting on the floor, scanning their group for any obvious injury.

Vi raised her mildly injured hand. “That was me”, she said. “I’m alright. Sorry, Ma’am.” It was a bit embarrassing but apologising to Jayce’s mom was much easier than apologising to Cait’s. For starters: In this instance she actually meant it.

Mrs. Talis seemed relieved, then leveled a serious look at her son. “These children are your responsibility when they visit”, she said. “You should take better care!”

Jayce shrugged helplessly. “I tried, Mother, I really did. But I’ll be even more careful from now on.” He looked at Vi with a bit of annoyance. “I forgot that Vi doesn't possess any common sense.” Then he turned to Viktor with a raised finger, like he was expecting protest from him. “And that is not undercity prejudice”, he clarified. “That’s just true.”

Viktor laughed. “About more people in this room than just Vi”, he said.

Jayce sighed as the rest of them – even his mother – joined in on the laughter, but finally he smiled as well, rolling his eyes. “Alright, alright, let’s just get back to some non-reckless demonstration, shall we?”

Jayce’s mother went to fetch a salve for Vi’s wrist that Vi was pretty sure was unnecessary, but she put on dutifully before wrapping her hand again anyway just to soothe everyone else's concern. Meanwhile Jayce and Viktor showed Powder the specifics of the machine that Vi wouldn't understand anyways. Powder ate up every detail ravenously, making notes and already throwing out some ideas for how to strengthen and expand the field – to make it the proper shield they needed. Ultimately there was one thing though that Powder desperately wanted to do as soon as possible.

“I want to try it!”, she said.

“Yeah, same here”, Vi jumped in, joining them.

Jayce crossed his arms as he looked at her. “I’m tempted not to let you after the stunt you just pulled.”

Before Vi could defend herself, Powder spoke up: “But I’ll only do it with Vi”, she said. She looked conspiratorially to Vi and they bumped fists briefly. Vi couldn't help but smile. Even having done something reckless, Powder was still in her corner.

“Quite the conundrum”, Viktor said, holding his chin in exaggerated consideration. “We can’t just bar Powder from trying it.”

Jayce rolled his eyes at him, then sighed. “These two will be the death of me”, he said and him and Viktor both chuckled. Viktor patted his shoulder in playful sympathy. Vi and Powder both rolled their eyes right back at the the two men’s antics.

They let them try the machine. Vi used her left hand just to make extra sure she wouldn't somehow hurt herself again.

“Do you stay here?”, Vi asked Jayce and Viktor before Powder and her grabbed the prongs.

Viktor and Jayce shared a considering look. “According to the measurements, the field only reaches full tangibility at its maximum range”, Viktor said.

“Then I guess it’s time to find out for sure”, Jayce said, gesturing for Vi and Powder to go ahead.

“Oh, I see”, Vi complained. “It’s fine if you two do something recklessly experimental.”

“The difference is that we are doing it in an informed way”, Jayce pointed out as he crossed his arms. “As opposed to wild speculation on your part.”

“Whatever”, Vi said as Powder nodded in agreement. She would have to admit defeat on this one. She nudged Powder questioningly and Powder nodded, clearly excited.

They both got into position and grabbed the prongs together. It was almost disappointing – Vi didn't feel anything past a slight shiver over her skin and a change in air pressure as the field passed them, coming to envelop them and Viktor and Jayce without incident (which Jayce was quietly but clearly smug about). The field looked identical from the inside as it did from the outside, although she supposed it was a slightly different feeling to be completely surrounded by the stuff. She wasn't even having to think really hard about maintaining the field – wasn't thinking about it specifically at all. It being in her awareness seemed to be enough, making her wonder just how distracted Jayce and Viktor must have gotten to break it without letting go of the prongs.

The field looked the same as it had with the two scientists creating it – with only one notable difference.

“How come your guys’ resonance radius is bigger?”, Powder asked.

The dome Vi and Powder were creating was not much but noticeably smaller.

Jayce and Viktor seemed surprised by this themselves, inspecting both machine and field for a moment. Jayce touched the field, flinching back instantly and looking at Vi like he couldn’t quite believe her earlier nonchalance, apparently deeming the experience too painful to repeat, let alone to escalate to punching the thing. Then he returned his focus to the question at hand. He marked the position of the field on the floor with chalk and then gestured for Vi and Powder to let go of the machine. They complied, the field collapsing again, dissipating harmlessly as if it had never existed. Jayce handed the chalk to Powder and went back to holding the prongs with Victor. Vi felt that slight rush as the field passed over her. Powder marked their field’s position down as well – about a meter further than Vi and Powder’s field’s mark. Jayce and Viktor kept holding the prongs, just looking at the marks and pondering the possibilities.

“Maybe because we’re older?”, Jayce speculated. “Or bigger – we have more mass.”

Viktor shook his head. “That cannot be it. There is nothing that suggests mass affects the strength of channeling. Resonance is… it’s a relational force between participants.”

Jayce seemed confused for a moment before his eyes widened looking at Viktor. He chuckled weirdly. “What are you saying, that we… we have a stronger relationship?” He sounded like the idea was preposterous to him. Even as Vi raised an eyebrow at the reaction, she kind of had to agree.

“I…”, Viktor started, looking away before meeting Jayce’s eyes again and quietly saying: “I am rather fond of you, Jayce.”

Now both of Vi’s eyebrows were raised. Were these two for real? “I would kill and die for my sister”, she stated plainly, almost defensively, even if she knew it wasn't her commitment they were doubting.

Jayce looked at Viktor like he was a promising prototype that was just giving him a bit of trouble – confused but hopeful. “That explains it then”, he said almost flatly, still transfixed by Viktor.

Viktor raised his eyebrows, expression otherwise unreadable. “Oh?”

Jayce nodded, slowly at first, getting a bit faster as he went, like he was still growing more certain. “Because I live for you, Viktor”, he said, almost too quietly for Vi to hear, a breathless confession. “I live because of you.”

“Okay, you owe at least a little bit of credit for that to Cait though”, Vi mumbled, not actually wanting to interrupt but feeling like it had to be said. It occurred to Vi that Jayce might not even know about that yet. It didn't matter, since he wasn't paying attention to her at all anyway. He just kept looking at Viktor with an emotion that Vi could not name but felt unfortunately relatable to her.

“You live because of me?”, Viktor asked, almost dumbfounded, shaking his head just the tiniest bit. “Jayce”, he breathed. “I would die without you.”

“Oh my God, just kiss already”, Powder said, rolling her eyes.

Both of them seemed to startle but didn't look away from the other – like they’d never considered the possibility before. These two were for real – really this oblivious. Neither of them shied away from the revelation, proving their interest, destroying any chance for either of them to still deny their feelings.

They didn't want or need to. They leaned in slowly, Jayce’s free hand reaching up to cradle Viktor’s face and then they kissed. Vi watched, even as she felt awkward – it was too entrancing – until Powder tapped her shoulder excitedly and pointed at the markings on the floor. Vi stared as the shimmering blue field moved ever so slowly further away from the line. The field was expanding.

After a few more seconds it seemed to stop again. Powder dashed forward and marked the new radius down quickly, like she feared it could snap back at any moment. Vi looked back at the inventors who still had their heads together, not kissing anymore but just holding each other close, marveling at what they had just uncovered between them.

Vi shook her head, still in a bit of disbelief. “I genuinely thought they were fucking this whole time”, she said quietly, making Powder snort.

Evidently not quietly enough, because Jayce let go of the machine, dissolving the field, took a step back from Viktor, turned to them instead and said: “Okay, Vi, Powder, I think it’s time for you to go home.” His face looked kind of flushed and Vi wasn't sure if he was actually embarrassed or just generally feeling… well, hot. Either way she could understand wanting them to leave.

Powder was less understanding. “But we just got here!”, she complained. “I want to know about resonance!”

“Tomorrow”, Jayce promised. “We can tell you more and find out more together tomorrow. We have…” He looked at Viktor again at this juncture. “Other things to discuss today.”

Powder didn't look happy but relented, saying: “No shit.”

Vi couldn’t help but chuckle and say: “I doubt there’ll be much talking.”

Jayce glared at both of them. “Out.”

They left.

“So much for that”, Vi sighed as they walked along Piltoven streets, vaguely heading in the direction back to Zaun. “Any other plans for today?” There had to be something else for her to do. Something other than…

Powder shrugged. “I mean if you don't have anything planned I think I should go find Ekko. If we can get the hoverboards working at the same time as the shield we’d have a safer way to get in supplies.”

“Oh damn”, Vi said, both delighted and disappointed. “That’s true, good idea, Pow. Anything I can help with?” She knew that there wouldn't be. Technology was Powder’s word and joining the visits to Jayce was the closest Vi was ever going to get to being a part of it. Vi was glad about that for the most part – glad that Powder had this passion and could thrive in it, even if Vi wasn't interested in learning about it herself. It was just unfortunate that it meant spending less time with her sister, especially when the only alternative she could think of was so… impossible.

Powder seemed to feel similarly about parting ways, a touch of resignation in her voice. “Not unless you’ve got a contact for cheap lithium-ion batteries that I don't know about”, she said.

“I’ll see what I can do”, Vi said. Maybe she could just spend the day gathering funds. Except for the fact that roaming Piltover was especially risky for her without–

“Don’t do anything stupid”, Powder told Vi when they hugged briefly before parting ways at the edge of Zaun.

“Hey”, Vi complained, ruffling Powder’s hair. “Likewise, know-it-all.”

Powder chuckled and then she was off towards her and Ekko’s workshop to get yet another incredible machine to work. Vi basked in her pride for a moment before returning to the issue of what to do with herself. She could just head down to the lanes as well, take care of things. She’d find something to do or trouble would find her and either way it’d probably work out. It was the safe option, the right option. Turning back the way she came, the bright streets of Piltover beckoned.

She was probably busy with something else, Vi reasoned with herself, even as her feet carried her towards the Kiramman mansion. There was no reason for her to go see her other than the fact that technically it was where she was supposed to be – legally speaking. Not that Vi cared. Hell, she could admit it: She wanted to see her. Of course she did. This was bad and stupid and bordered on dangerous but when had Vi ever been able to just go with the safe option?

Vi entered the Kiramman mansion through the back door and of the servants she passed nobody batted an eye. Sure, Vi had become a less common sight around here, especially in her normal clothes, but she was far from an unexpected one. If she ran into Cassandra or Tobias she might have to come up with a creative twist on the truth but she wasn't too worried about it. She realised belatedly though that she had no idea where in the house Cait would be when she wasn't lingering around her already. Where was Caitlyn’s room?

She could figure this out. She could also just ask but where was the fun in that? Cait could probably deduce something like this so why not Vi? She was certain she’d never been in her room and knew all the bedrooms were on the second floor. Going up the stairs and counting unfamiliar rooms it came out to four possibilities. Did the Kiramman couple share a bedroom? She’d only seen Tobias on fleeting occasions but from what she’d gathered him and Cassandra were happy together, so she was willing to wager that they did. She was familiar enough with the layout to know which one of the four unfamiliar rooms had to be the biggest, so that one was probably theirs.

That left three rooms and she was briefly stumped, not sure she could figure this out after all. Any of the rooms could be the right one and she was this close to screwing this silly investigation and just checking all of them, which would surely be much faster– no. She could do this. What would Cait do? She’d think about what other information she had – if not about the room then about the person who lives in it. Sunsets. Cait had mentioned she enjoyed watching the sun set from her room, so it had to have a western window, which excluded yet another of the three options. With a fifty-fifty chance of getting the right door, Vi couldn't come up with any more concrete facts that would distinguish the two. All she had was… speculation. If she knew Cait – which Vi was entirely resistant to claiming she did – then she would guess that she would want a room at the front of the house with a view of the main gate. She’d want to be able to see if anyone came or left.

Vi stood in front of the door that looked identical to every other damn door in this huge house and felt keenly like this couldn’t possibly be right and even if it was she should just leave anyway – but knew she would not. Her chest felt tight and she wanted to see Cait and she didn't even know if she was home and she wanted to go into that room either way. The fact that her feet would not follow her better judgement and just turn and go sent fire burning through her, the frustration balling her hands into fists. This was so stupid. What was happening to her, who was she right now, what was she doing? But she was already fucking here and she wanted to fucking see her so what the fuck ever.

Vi knocked on the door.

“One moment!”, Cait’s voice came muffled from behind the thick wood and Vi’s heart just about jumped into her throat. She wasn't sure if she was more relieved or disappointed that Cait was there but either way the new mix of emotion doused the fire of her frustration somewhat so that by the time Cait opened the door Vi was tense for different reasons and managed a smug grin. She’d gotten the room right after all.

Vi was obviously not who Cait had been expecting and she startled accordingly. “Vi?”, she said with equal parts confusion and panic. She quickly looked down the otherwise empty corridor. “What on Runeterra are you doing here?” Then she grabbed Vi by the front of her jacket and hurriedly pulled her into the room, seemingly without thinking about it.

Vi was left stunned and more annoyed at her heart for reacting to that action so strongly than she was at Cait for doing it. For just a split second she found herself wanting Cait to do it again, making her even more frustrated.

Cait hurriedly closed the door behind her and turned to Vi. “Did anyone see you?”, she asked.

“Two servants”, Vi shrugged, amusement over how tense Cait was helping to distract her as she smoothed out her jacket. “The maid with the blonde hair and freckles and the guy with the stupid haircut and glasses”, she elaborated, knowing Cait would want to know.

The answer seemed to reassure her somewhat. “Okay”, she said. “Fine. They probably won't tell mom. It should be fine. But seriously, why are you here? You’re supposed to be at Jayce’s!”

“Jayce kicked us out”, Vi said, smirking at the memory. She feigned nonchalance and turned a bit to start looking at Cait’s room, but in truth she watched Cait closely when she smugly declared: “Him and Viktor finally realised they’re in love.”

Cait’s eyes widened a bit before she snorted. “Oh damn”, she said with a baffled smile. “I genuinely thought they’d been together this whole time.”

“That’s what I said!”, Vi exclaimed with delight, then rolled her eyes adding: “Okay, nearly what I said.” The specific verbiage didn't make that much of a difference. Vi’s excitement over Cait’s so similar reaction made the pressure in her chest much worse but for now she just grinned through it, looking closer at Cait’s room in an effort to distract herself. It was a poor effort, seeing as the room was just more of Cait, but at least it wasn’t direct eye contact.

The room was tidy and not much different from the other rooms she knew aside from the presence of a bed. The bed was huge and looked incredibly soft and there were shelves arranged with trinkets and books that meant nothing to Vi. The only really notable thing Vi spotted was a pin board that seemed to collect information on Piltover’s councillors complete with a map, pictures and coloured string. Vi almost chuckled at just how Cait of her it was to have such a thing.

“Well, I’m happy for them”, Cait said about Viktor and Jayce with a smile. “This has been a long time coming – despite how unexpected Viktor showing up in the first place was.”

Vi wondered if Cait felt a bit about Viktor like she’d felt about her at first – that he’d swooped in and helped get Jayce back on his feet while she herself had fallen a bit to the side of Jayce’s life. Her joy for them seemed genuine though and Vi thought she’d be able to see through it if it weren’t.

“Yeah...”, Vi said, nodding slowly. “Me too.”

She’d not thought about that angle of it: Viktor’s involvement was a surprise because he was an academy student who shouldn't technically be around Jayce and on top of that he was…

A relationship between someone from Zaun and someone from Piltover. It could never work. Jayce and Viktor were an exception – a miracle with the benefit of Viktor’s rising to the rank of academic. Without that they would have never worked. Vi kept repeating those truths in her head because the alternative was worse.

She felt like pacing but suppressed the urge, heading instead toward the street facing window to look outside. To look at something other than this room that was suddenly just a bit too much to handle. The window’s hinges squeaked horribly when she opened it to let in some air. To breathe.

“So you headed over here just to tell me this?”, Cait asked, sounding a bit confused.

Vi’s heart squeezed as she realised how silly that sounded. “Should I have gone running around Piltover unsupervised instead?”, She said, drenching her words in sarcasm, leaning against the window frame and giving Cait a self-satisfied smirk. “You’re the one still insisting on keeping an eye on me.”

“Oh”, Cait pressed out, seeming embarrassed just like Vi had planned. “Well, good then.”

There was an awkward silence, neither of them seemingly knowing how to proceed from here. Vi’s glance traveled over the room again and she was tempted to say something about it but couldn't. What was she supposed to say? ‘Nice room, by the way’? ‘Exorbitant wealth is wasted on you’? ‘That bed is really tempting’? No. She couldn't say any of those things.

She redirected her thoughts to a safer topic. Other news Cait should hear about. “They invented something – Jayce and Viktor I mean”, she said, almost off-handedly. She watched closely for Cait’s reaction again as she continued: “Something that could help us strike. That would protect us from violent suppression.”

Cait’s face instantly lit up. “Really?” She took a step toward her, excitement and hope so clear and bright in her face that it felt like it was burning a hole in Vi’s chest. “Vi, that’s fantastic!” Cait came even closer and for a moment Vi thought she might grab her hands but then she just leaned against the other side of the window’s frame. “What kind of invention is it? How will it help? What’s the plan?”

Now Vi did chuckle. Cait was nosey and eager as always. No doubt she would want to be involved.

“It’s a kind of… shield”, Vi said, gesturing vaguely, unsure how best to describe the whole thing. “Like a magic force field I guess, though it doesn't quite–”

“What happened to your hand?”, Cait interrupted her, the gesturing having drawn her attention to the fine red lines still gracing some of her fingers.

Before Vi could explain Cait had reached for her wrist to draw her hand closer and inspect the strange injury. Her touch was light, tracing gently along her skin, making Vi shiver. It reminded her a little of when Cait had offered her hand in the tattoo studio, except it was so much worse. Back then it had been a pragmatic, tight squeeze, a kind gesture but not… tender. She nearly gulped at the sensation and mess of emotion it sent through her, not little of which was panic. Heart racing Vi pulled her hand away, startling Cait.

“It’s nothing”, Vi blurted. “Just… just a mark left from some experimentation with the…”

“The force field?”, Cait supplied herself when Vi’s mind refused to spit out more words, her eyes still lingering on Vi’s hand, which Vi had to resist the urge to cover with the other.

“Right”, Vi said. “Yes. The force field – which as I was saying: Doesn’t quite work right yet. But I’m sure Jayce, Viktor and Powder will figure it out.”

“Yeah, I’m sure they will”, Cait said, finally prying her eyes away from Vi’s hand, meeting her eyes again with some of that earlier hope and determination, though some confusion remained as well. What was Cait confused for? She couldn't possibly tell how Vi was feeling, could she? “They may well be the three smartest people in the whole city.”

Despite sounding so clearly like hyperbole, Vi couldn't really disagree. Resonance was unlike anything Vi had ever seen and the thought of soon using it to protect her people so they could fight for their rights was… almost overwhelming. And Cait would want to be there too, Vi was certain about that. Certain, but the longer she thought about it… not necessarily happy.

“If we do use it”, Vi started to say slowly, making sure to formulate it right so as to not give too much away, not to betray her… worry. “If a strike actually happens topside won’t be happy about it. It might get dangerous. If you’re seen with the protesters–”

“That’s what the mask is for”, Cait said, immediately catching on to what Vi was implying and crossing her arms stubbornly. “I’m not leaving, Vi. If you’re striking against topside… all the more reason for me to be there.”

Vi blinked, both stunned and frustrated. It was exactly what Vi should have expected her to say, but she wished Cait had a stronger sense of self-preservation than that. She raised an eyebrow at the last part of her statement. “Still to make sure I’m not arrested?”, she asked.

“Well… yeah”, Cait insisted, even if hesitantly. Her eyes briefly darted away then back. “You don’t deserve to be.”

That brought Vi up short, a smile sneaking onto her face despite herself. “How far we’ve come.”

Cait pouted at the teasing comment. “Shut up.”

“Whatever you say”, Vi chuckled. It was a flimsy excuse at this point. Cait was obviously insisting now and generally still coming to Zaun because…because somehow she genuinely cared. She actually wanted to help people – help the undercity. Vi had finally been forced to accept that when she’d helped Eve just for the sake of having done something good. Cait cared so goddamned fucking much and Vi’s chest ached with how that affected her.

Still. Caitlyn was a topsider. She’d gotten a lot better at running and jumping and possibly even fighting but Vi couldn't shake the worry. It filled her with endless frustration that it wouldn't let her go. Just like on her birthday she couldn't shake this sinking feeling she usually didn't feel for anyone outside her family. If something went wrong… “If things go really bad though…”, Vi said, realising too late that she couldn't admit that she was afraid Cait would get hurt. Cait would just argue and Vi would be skirting dangerously close to telling her why it even mattered to her. She needed to convince Cait from another angle. She pivoted. “You can’t keep the whole protest out of prison.” You’re acting like a self-important Piltie. Your presence is wasted there. Don’t go.

“No”, Cait admitted with a sigh, sounding almost disappointed. Then she nudged Vi with her elbow. “That’s your job, right? Yours and Jayce’s.”

Cait was smiling at her and the confidence and trust in that expression pierced through Vi’s heart. It wasn't fair when she did that. Vi shouldn’t have come because now she was here, alone with Cait in her room and with Cait smiling at her like that. Vi was left scrambling for coherent thought, for words that weren’t ‘God I want to fucking kiss you’.

“I guess”, Vi said, scratching her neck, using any excuse to break eye contact. Her fists squeezed, heart racing. Her emotions were all over the place. She felt like punching something. Did she really want Cait to stay away? Would her absence distract her more than her presence could? She had to stop thinking about that – had to stop thinking about Cait, period. She had to focus back on this opportunity – this chance for Zaun. “I really hope this works.”

“If anyone can make it work it’s you”, Cait said and Vi thought it was impossible that she didn't know what her words were doing to Vi and yet they were light. Innocent. Hoping was a waste of time, a physical ache, because even if they weren't, even if Cait–

They could never work. Topside and bottom – they were like oil and water. Vi could sooner succeed in mounting a revolution than being with Caitlyn Kiramman.

Chapter Text

Two months later they were ready to mount a revolution. At least Powder really hoped they were.

Somehow, Jayce, Viktor and Powder ended up in a feedback-loop of excitement, working on the shield almost every day and making incremental progress throughout, barely ever hitting a wall. Successes were celebrated with rushed kisses between Jayce and Viktor and high-fives between Powder and everyone else. It was a rush Powder had never quite experienced like this and even though it could get frustrating she was disappointed to have to stop every evening and excited to get back into the fray every morning.

Powder herself worked on strengthening this new field, applying some of the parameters from her earlier prototypes and adjusting what needed changes now that there wasn’t a set frame given. Viktor worked on making the device itself more portable and Jayce worked on making the shape of the dome flexible. Their first line of inquiry had been to see if resonance worked between more than two people, the answer to which had been a resounding yes. It took more shards – one per person – but the barrier radius grew about linearly with every person added.

From there they developed the idea of a wearable device that held one crystal per person involved, spreading the shards between people so that nobody had more than one at a time. Jayce was also workshopping an idea to make sure the crystals couldn't be used for anything but this and would self-destruct if someone other than them tried to remove them from the devices and Powder was still impressed with how seriously he was taking the risk of misuse. They must have really spooked him that one time.

It sparked some amount of argument when they hit the testing phase. They had to test the shield against firearms and they were in disagreement on how best to go about doing it. Powder just wanted to take a minimal prototype to Zaun to test it with her own guns while Jayce wanted to test it at a “safer” Piltoven shooting range. Powder ended up winning, not because Jayce could be convinced that the place in Piltover wasn't necessarily safer but because making a public appearance with what he was calling Hextech could apparently seriously endanger Jayce. Having gotten the full story by now Powder felt a little guilty that her actions had nearly gotten him exiled, even when he’d reassured her that it was his own actions and the council who were really at fault. Getting reassurance like that from someone other than Vi had been nice.

Another upside of testing the shield in Zaun was that it gave them the opportunity to show it off to Vander, Sevika and other people they would have to convince of the shield’s effectiveness for them to have confidence in striking. And Powder specifically was excited to show it off to Ekko. She’d offered for him to join her in working with Jayce and Viktor but he’d declined, instead continuing his work on the hoverboards. It was a bummer that they couldn't work together on this but Ekko was probably right to keep focusing on that, since they could really use those too. They met up every evening to gush about their respective progress, which also really helped to keep the excitement and momentum going.

Testing was a wild success. They used the old cannery as their relatively safe testing ground and Vi and Vander activated the shield to everyone's awe. Then Powder got to shoot it with everything she had available, and even some heavier ammunition that Sevika brought with her. The bullets crushed against the shield and clattered down, an arc of them slowly cluttering the floor. Ekko, Mylo and Claggor were cheering, Benzo was quietly astounded, Vander was obviously proud – even Sevika was impressed.

Powder wasn’t sure how exactly but Vi even had a real grenade to throw at the shield – thrown by Sevika upon Vander’s insistence, Vi forced to stay behind him for it. Not that it mattered – the explosion barely sent a breeze through Vander’s hair. A bit of smoke seemed to filter through the shield after a few moments, but not all of it. This was both good and bad news: The good news was that if gas could penetrate the shield they wouldn't suffocate inside it. The bad news was that gas was a viable form of attack against them then, so they would need as many masks as they could manage – maybe a few ventilators.

The testing made them realise another critical detail: Additional people could be inside the shield if they stood close enough while it was coming up but were then effectively trapped, with no chance of anyone going in or out. That would be a problem, especially if the protest lasted a long time and they needed additional supplies. So they went back to testing. It was funny to see Vi having no idea what magic or math let them figure out what runes they needed to make any of this work while to Powder the powerful symbols were beginning to feel like a second language she – admittedly – didn't speak fluently yet, but stayed excited to learn more. It took another two weeks, but they managed to get it done. Little, cylindrical devices which Viktor pragmatically dubbed ‘key tags’ could allow a single person carrying one to get past the shield with whatever supplies fit in their arms. The disruption was minimal and only lasted a few seconds longer than it took to pass through. It was a risk, but a necessary one.

So then the prepping began. Viktor and Jayce were happy to keep fine-tuning, but Powder wanted to help the rest of her family with what else they still needed. Masks could be bought or stolen so they did both. The pile grew suspiciously quickly and Caitlyn beginning to carry a backpack seemed related but nobody was saying anything about it. Supplies they’d been growing needed to be harvested, supplies they couldn't grow had to be arranged somehow as well. Most important of all though, they needed the people. They needed every worker to agree to strike, agree to rely on their plan and saved up resources to support them and their families as they did it. They needed their trust that this time they would be safe and ultimately better off. They needed people to believe this would work.

Powder believed it. She was more than ready. This was what they’d talked about for years. They would show Piltover they were not afraid – show them what they were capable of. Things would finally change, finally be better. Topside would learn to respect them and they wouldn't even have to kill anyone to do it.

She dreamed about killing sometimes and she was glad when she did because it meant she wasn't dreaming about dying, or being left behind. Whether her family died in front of her or far away somewhere she couldn't have done anything to stop it, whether it was Piltover’s fault or hers, her dreams were filled with dying. Better to dream of killing, of a gun in her hands and a barrel pointed at those who would hurt her or her family. She wasn't a jinx – not anymore – and she could help. She was glad she could help with tech and magic and not killing, not since the factory, because she knew it was wrong. She knew Vander wouldn't be happy with her if she told him how she nonetheless felt about it, knew Vi would look at her with that worried expression reserved only for her. But she thought it was better to kill her enemies than to let them kill her and she didn't quite understand why the others had to live in such denial about that. It wasn't like she was advertising her willingness or anything but whenever the topic had come up even Mylo had seemed more hesitant than Powder felt was necessary. She didn't want to kill people, but she would if she had to without guilt and there had only ever been one person in her life who had understood that.

Sometimes she wished she could see him again and that too was something she could never tell any of her family. There was only one person in it who could begin to understand that and she confided in him as much as she dared. He worried too much and it made her feel both comforted and uncomfortably like he was still treating her like a child.

“You’re doing well, monkey?”, he asked her when the date for the strike had finally been settled and was mere days away. “Not too stressed?”

Powder and Vander were home alone together, Vi bringing Caitlyn back to topside despite the fact that it clearly wasn't necessary anymore. It was ridiculous how her sister still fussed. At least it gave Powder the chance to have this conversation without fear of Vi walking in on it.

“Yes, I’m okay”, Powder reassured her father with a smile. After realising how good it felt not to keep secrets she had continued to confide in him. “I haven't seen him”, she added, because she knew Vander wouldn’t have bothered to check in with her specifically for anything else. They’d had enough family discussions to go over the stress and pressure of everything else going on.

Vander nodded, not exactly relieved but accepting, always accepting. “The strike is going to be a lot, even for me”, he confessed, making Powder’s heart jump a bit. In front of everyone else he had been the image of confidence. Had he said nothing Powder would never have known that he worried about anything besides them. He went on, saying: “He might make an appearance.”

The thought had obviously occurred to Powder as well, and she blew out a breath with her frustration, her inner conflict. “That would be like him”, she said, almost chuckling.

“You know what to do?”, Vander asked her.

“Stay calm and stick with my siblings”, Powder dutifully recited. “Find you if I have to. Get somewhere safe and quiet in a worst case scenario.” She smiled at him smugly. “I’ve got this.” She could handle herself. She could handle… him.

“Very good”, Vander told her with his own smile, patting her head. “I’m proud of you.” Powder took the opportunity to step close and hug him, pressing herself against his side. In all the world there was nothing more reassuring. Not even Vi could calm her quite like this and Powder was sure if she ever said as much Vi wouldn't even be mad. That was just what Vander could do, who he was to both of them. A rock to cling to in a storm – and the voice of reason in their heads.

Vander held her, his thumb gently rubbing over her shoulder. After another comfortable moment he said: “I’m not saying you have to tell her but she will realise you’re keeping secrets eventually.” Letting go of her to look her in the eyes he added: “And she could benefit from knowing.”

Powder grumbled. “Vi is fine”, she said. Vi was always strong, self-assured and stoic. Powder couldn't imagine this ever affecting her. And she didn't need to know that it affected Powder, she didn't need to worry about Powder even more than she already did. Powder could handle herself. To Vander she said: “I’ll tell her, just… not yet.” She grimaced. “You know how she can be.”

Vander just raised an eyebrow at her with a gentle smile. “My point exactly.”

Powder sighed. She could keep this secret from Vi. Vi wouldn’t want to hear it anyway. And like she’d said: Vi was fine. Vi was worse than fine: Vi was distracted. 

It came time to distribute crystal shards amongst the protestors. How exactly resonance worked was still a mystery but it didn't require every participant to be down for a make-out session. Any emotional bond did the job, for example that between people fighting for the same cause. They were careful in choosing who got one, with shift plans for when they needed to sleep. It was all somewhat complicated: The closer they could keep it to the family the better, so obviously every Pack member got one – except for Caitlyn.

Vi had carried them from Piltover to Zaun and was handing them out but hesitated when she got to her. The moment was awkward as Vi looked at Caitlyn for just a second too long and then just pulled back again, pretending she’d never paused in the first place. Powder was confused about that for a moment, figuring Vi would have jumped on the chance to heap privileges upon her like usual. Then she remembered what had happened the first time they’d seen the shield in action and subtly rolled her eyes. Vi was being overly paranoid thinking that Caitlyn and her both having a resonance shard would have any noticeable effect with so many other involved parties. It did raise the question: Did the feelings have to be mutual for the radius to grow bigger like it had for Viktor and Jayce? Even if it was just Vi and Caitlyn activating them, would Vi’s crush be exposed? Or better yet, would Caitlyn’s? Powder supposed they’d never know. As curious as she was about resonance, in this instance she was frankly glad about it.

Caitlyn obviously had no idea about this reasoning though and Powder wondered if Vi even noticed that her not getting a shard had disappointed her. She was putting on a pretty brave face, considering – her poker face hadn't improved much, but it had improved. Powder didn't exactly feel bad for her – she still didn't like how much she was inserting herself into their lives, into Vi’s life. Despite sometimes proving useful, if it was up to Powder, Cait just wouldn't be here at all. But she could acknowledge that Caitlyn – just like Jayce – generally meant well.

She nudged Caitlyn’s arm. “Remember, you need to be able to get home at night”, she told her, quickly digging into her own bag and handing her a key tag. Really, she should realise that getting one of those was a far heavier privilege.

“Right”, Vi agreed with a smirk that possibly only Powder recognised as relieved. “You’ve got to stay mobile. Wouldn't want your mom to think you got kidnapped.”

“Yeah”, Caitlyn said, rolling her eyes, laughing off her own moment of tension. “Because that’d ever happen.” She took the small device from Powder and stashed it safely in her belt pouch, seemingly accepting that her having a shard just wouldn't be practical. She stayed looking at Powder. “I’ve been meaning to ask: Could I… could I have the rubber bullet rifle again? If it’s no bother. And if you all agree I can, of course. You know, just in case.”

Caitlyn was nervous. Really nervous, and it was almost funny and certainly gratifying to Powder to remember that this would be the first real action she’d see. Caitlyn being the least experienced had really taken the pressure off her – not that much of that had still applied since she’d finally figured out how to put her skills to good use. Everyone respected her now and she wasn’t worried. If she could handle it then so could Caitlyn – though she could relate to feeling safer with a gun in her hands. “Sure”, she said accordingly with a shrug. It wasn't like she was going to need it. Caitlyn's following gratitude was lost on her. If she was going to insist on being there, actually fighting was the least Powder thought she could do. She did suspect she’d manage to get away with her hands clean again though.

Since they were banking on the shield they technically shouldn't need weapons at all but Powder wasn't going unarmed either. She had one gun that fired non-lethal bursting projectiles filled with some scrap and coloured powder to reassure her family and one with sharp ammunition left over from the factory that she just didn't tell anyone she still had. No matter what happened, she was going to be ready. The Pack was going to be ready.

Ekko was ready too. “It really turned out perfect”, he said to her the day before the strike. His voice had started to break a few weeks ago and the boys always teased him when it squeaked. They were in their special hideout, Powder sitting in the shade of the great tree. Wooden constructions around it now housed trusted and needy friends, the earth behind it turned into fields. Ekko had been using the wide open space to practice riding his hoverboard and Powder could have watched him do it all day. She herself still wobbled around a lot but Ekko’s turns were fast and smooth. He could even jump over small obstacles and land back on the board.

He was making last minute adjustments, on his knees, leaned over the board and his tools. A pencil for his notes was tucked behind his ear, his hair newly braided on the sides of his head, wild curls sticking up more and more in the center as his hair grew. Powder’s own hair was long enough at this point for Vi to braid it back for her occasionally and she was beginning to kind of like it, putting off getting it cut even if the ends were a mess. It could never be messier than Vi’s, who was doing absolutely nothing with her own, at this point nearly completely shoulder-length hair, with much of it already being longer.

“A shame we couldn't make more in time”, Ekko said, kicking the board into gear and holding it hovering in front of him with his hands for testing. “But at least I can use this one for supply runs and other organisation.”

His ideas and plans were brilliant as ever, but Powder couldn’t help but be a little disappointed. “So you won't be in the thick of it again”, she said, poking the board with the tip of her boot, sending it skitting forward. Ekko was able to grab hold of it again easily enough, but he gave her an exasperated look that quickly turned into a chuckle.

“Yeah, I know”, Ekko said, looking just a bit disappointed himself, leaning his elbows on the board. “But I’ll be more useful this way and I won't have to fight Benzo for permission.” He reached over the board to poke Powder’s shoe with his wrench. “One day I’ll be fighting too. I’m looking forward to being right there by your side.”

Powder missed the days of the two of them training and dreaming of the day they’d get to use their skills. Back before everything had started feeling so… real. “Promise?”

“Promise.” Ekko smirked at her. “Until then you’ll have to show those topsiders what’s what for both of us.”

That made Powder smile. “You got it!” She was ready. She was so fucking ready for this fight, this stand. If things went as planned it wouldn't be a fight at all anyway. Not a physical one at least. It should have been a relief. It felt too easy, though. Not just because it sounded too good to be true, but because it was letting Piltover get away with it too easily.

“But maybe…”, Powder began, wondering if she could express that without sounding petty or crazy. “If this strike works out, what if we never have to fight again?” Could it just be over? Did Powder want it to be? “Is it weird that I’m kind of… sad about that?” Maybe sad wasn't exactly the right word but Powder didn't know how else to describe how she was feeling. Restless, maybe.

Ekko turned off the hoverboard and came to sit next to her, bumping her shoulder. “There is always something worth fighting for”, he said with a warm smile. “We’ll find it. Together.”

Powder leaned against his shoulder. It wasn't exactly what she had meant she supposed, but his words were comforting anyway. There was no predicting the future, but it felt good to not be facing it alone. They would find their way through it, one fight at a time.

Before going to bed that night Powder went over her supplies and the plan one more time. She cleaned and prepared her guns, held the faintly glowing shield device close before attaching it around her upper arm. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to sleep and wondered if Vi was only pretending as well. Her sister seemed unnaturally still over in her own bed.

Tomorrow their strike would begin, and then there would be no going back. Topside would finally see who they’d been messing with. Powder couldn't wait. She was ready. She wasn't going to jinx this. Her heart still raced with the old fear that she would, but her hands were steady. There was a reassuring presence at her back, and a whisper in her ear:

Show them what you are truly capable of. Piltover will have no choice but to learn to respect us.

They won't be able to take anyone away from you ever again.

—

On the second anniversary of Vi’s indenture the strike was pushing three weeks and morale was wavering. Snaking her way through the crowd with the Pack, Caitlyn was constantly at high alert, practically able to feel the tension in the air, the rising worry among the workers. It was claustrophobic and hot between their bodies, like everything was constantly shifting and pushing in on her, sweat gathering under her mask that she couldn't wipe away.

Screaming and chanting that had pulsed through the mass of people like a drumming heartbeat on days prior was slowly quieting as worried whispers took its place. They still had supplies left for another month and a half, all rationed to an absurd degree of course that made Caitlyn uncomfortable to think about, but they would live. They could hold out for a lot longer physically. Mentally however, it was a whole other issue.

The shield dome was set up by the topmost entrance of the mines and about a stone toss from the Pilt, nestled just enough into Zaun to ensure routes out of it were inaccessible by enforcers. Protestors could only leave the tightly packed space with special permission from someone trusted who carried a key tag. The gravity of herself being such a person had only settled into Caitlyn once the protest had actually begun. The more frequently people left the more at risk of infiltration they were and the more people were gone at a time the more their show of force lost impact. That was the only light at the end of the tunnel to Caitlyn: For Piltover it was a mindgame too. They didn't have to overcome them physically – just mentally. They had to make them worry that if the undercity could pull off this, what else were they capable of and – most crucially – willing to do.

The Pack took it upon themselves to raise the protestor’s spirits. In their masks they were imposing and recognisable. They could speak with authority. Caitlyn still marveled like she had the very first time when Vi climbed on a milk crate, interrupting a small group that had been spreading doubtful words and made the wolf of her mask howl.

“The council is divided!”, she shouted. They could have guessed as much, but thanks to Caitlyn they didn't have to – she knew it was true. “Some of them want to wait us out but not everyone in that chamber is against us! We just need to prove that we will not give up! We will not give in! The council will bend before we do!”

“For Zaun!”, Claggor’s voice bellowed from the crowd.

“FOR ZAUN!”, Vi repeated, raising her iron clad hand to the obscured sky as other protesters joined. A chant began, once again sending confidence and hope through the protest like blood through veins. The shield around them shimmered with the rhythm. It was its own little world, its own organism, all working together to survive. To stay strong in the face of Piltover’s attempted suppression.

Just outside the shield they were boxed in, every Piltover-facing street lined with enforcers and for the first time in Caitlyn’s life their presence was entirely unsettling. Having avoided them in Zaun so much until now she had never experienced the sheer vitriol that they regarded Zaunites with, had never felt like vermin at the tip of their guns. It made her want to scream.

I’m a person! Can’t you tell? These are all people, we are all people! People who deserve better!

She knew she could walk up to them and they would shoot her the moment she left the safety of their shield – unless she took off her mask first. Her last name shouldn’t make her more special than any of these people but it did. She would use that name for them where she could but here in this crowd it didn't matter and she preferred it like that. She would rather be part of this stand than part of the people hiding behind those uniforms.

It was strange to think she knew the people in some of the uniforms – to think that in a way they were as changed in her eyes now as she was in theirs. Vander had apparently given Grayson a heads-up of a few hours so she could try to make sure Piltover didn't react with excessive force. Caitlyn had no idea if she’d succeeded – if it might have been even worse somehow otherwise. The shield had been up and the protest going for a mere few hours when the enforcers had marched in with canons, guns and rams and what had followed had been the most terrifying four hours of Caitlyn’s life. During those hours the enforcers had stopped being people to her and become the monsters Vi had always called them.

The worst part hadn't even been her own fear that the shield might fail, nor the deafening noise of endless gunfire like horrible and broken fireworks. It had been everyone else's fear. The workers, criminals and revolutionaries – everyone they had managed to convince to do this insane thing – had been huddled together, sweating and terrified. Caitlyn hadn't known fear was something you could actually smell, hadn't expected to feel it so deeply in her bones when she herself had felt reasonably safe. And beside her Vi had practically vibrated with her anger that only seemed to cover even more visceral emotions. She’d gotten that sense she’d gotten before – that Vi wasn’t here but somewhere far away in her mind as she’d glared through a row of protesters at the line of blue, obscured by the smoke of their fire. Caitlyn hadn't known what to do to help her so she had done nothing and she still felt dirty for it. This was obviously more of Vi’s trauma, more of her past still haunting her and Caitlyn admired her strength. She admired that she could be here and still do so much, even if it clearly still affected her. She’d been acting somewhat oddly for a while now but still she remained so… capable.

Increasingly Caitlyn felt like she herself could do frighteningly little. She knew being here, being another body added to the might of the mob was a good thing. She knew her updates from Piltover and the council were incredibly helpful. It didn't feel like enough. She understood why she hadn't been given a crystal, knew the logic behind it, but still couldn't help but feel disappointed. It was a painful reminder that she still couldn't quite be trusted, a frustrating reminder that she was still an outsider. She was still who she was.

She left the shield every evening, Ekko kind enough to give her a lift far around the barricade of enforcers on his hoverboard. Safe at home at the end of the day she was Caitlyn Kiramman and it felt odd, like she was pretending, somehow.

But she couldn't be this either, she kept thinking, walking the perimeter of the shield, keeping an eye out for conflict both outside and inside the shield. The tension had led to fights between protesters before and the Pack was helping sort those out. And she was Pack. Kind of. It was confusing. She had no idea who or what she was anymore.

She focused on her task instead, on the people, the cause. The Pack had dispersed to cover more ground, the shield shifting ever so slightly as the crystal shard holders moved through it. Caitlyn wasn’t afraid to be by herself but she still liked to keep close enough so she could see Vi. It seemed it was a hard habit to break to keep an eye on her. Not that Vi could slip away – she didn't have a key tag, hadn't wanted one. Caitlyn wasn't sure how much Vi had slept in the past three weeks. They were supposed to be sleeping in shifts. Maybe Vi did it whenever Caitlyn wasn't there, but the odds that Vi was sleeping enough seemed slim to her.

The sunset was painting the sky a gorgeous red and Caitlyn was always shocked to find how time had passed both quickly and yet agonisingly slowly. Movement above her alerted Caitlyn to the fact that it was time for evening delivery. Ekko flew overhead, dropping off food and water to be dispersed between everyone before it became too dark to see the food and they risked losing some. It wasn't safe to light torches inside the shield and though the enforcers had floodlights pointed at them, it was still safest to do it during dusk and dawn. The food dispersal was always additional commotion so Caitlyn did her best to stay especially alert, the borrowed rifle a comforting weight in her hands.

She moved closer to where she saw Vi taking a crate from one of the people making the delivery, beginning to sort through it, keeping overly strained protesters from taking more than their fair share. She was going to head over to help when from the corner of her eye she spotted something out of place. A man, hood pulled low over his face, body tense, moving slowly but with a strange determination. His energy was completely different from that of the protesters eager for their meal and Caitlyn, trusting her instincts, gave him some more consideration. He looked familiar, but not in the same way the other faces of this crowd had become familiar to her. She had seen him before, months ago. When Vi had stolen back Eve’s necklace from him– it was Rainer.

Heart instantly racing, she tried to move faster, tried to keep Vi and Rainer in her line of sight, both of which proved difficult in the tight crowd.

“Vi!” Shouting was useless. Nothing could be heard over the clamor of the protest, the thrumming of beating hearts and stomping feet. Caitlyn tried again anyway. “Vi!”

Vi kept dealing with the food, completely unaware of the approaching danger. Caitlyn’s gaze darted back and forth between Vi and Rainer as she tried to keep moving, panic spiking through her every time the people between them blocked her view of the criminal. Finally she caught sight of him again and her heart plummeted so fast she felt nauseous as she saw a bit of metal in his hands reflect the setting sun.

It was like time slowed down, as Caitlyn raised the scope of her rifle to her eye. The straight line between her and Rainer was blocked by innocent bystanders for precious milliseconds at a time. For the first time in Caitlyn’s life her finger shook against the trigger and she was finding it hard to breathe as time seemed to stand still. She had to stop Rainer but every fibre of her training, every moral she’d been drilled on told her not to.

She was reminded of what Powder had said to her about her desire to know things – that just knowing something wasn't a crime, wasn't getting her hands dirty. Knowing Rainer was there wasn’t a crime but shooting him because of it would be. Shooting another person was a crime, no matter the sharpness of the bullet. There wasn't enough time to pass on the knowledge and keep her hands clean. Not when she could see steel glint in his hand through her scope, saw the murder in his eyes, and was certain Vi wouldn't hear her warning over the crowd. What would Caitlyn be able to forgive herself for less – what person was she really? The person who let Vi be attacked or the one who pulled that damn trigger?

Rainer was yelping at the impact of her bullet before the question had finished entering her mind. She’d aimed for his knee and the man crumpled as it could no longer support his weight. Adrenaline shot through her making her head swim, the focus of careful aiming broken and she quickly ducked behind the protesters between them before Rainer turned to look for her. What had she just done!?

Barely anything , she tried to reassure herself as her heart pounded. She’d injured a man to save Vi’s life, she was more than justified in doing so. Reflex made her reload her rifle with shaking fingers. It had happened so fast, so much without thinking and it had been so… easy. All of that felt wrong and she didn't know what to do with the mix of emotions waring within her. Who was she? Who had she become for that split second it had taken to shoot at another living person?

Sounds of a commotion pulled her out of her spiral and she pushed the thoughts aside and shoved through the protesters separating her from the action fast enough to find Vi punching Rainer in the stomach one last time, his arms already pinned by four other protesters, his blade on the floor. Relief gripped her like a stiff breeze and she breathed a bit desperately for a moment, trying to calm down. Trying to ground herself again. Trying not to faint.

Two protesters searched Rainer and when they seemed to find nothing he was dragged towards the back of the shield, his leg buckling under him and making him scream in rage and pain whenever he tried to resist or even walk for himself. She had done that to him. Was the damage permanent? Did she actually feel guilty? Or did she just feel like she should? Did she feel ashamed that she did not? She couldn't deny that she was glad she had done it, because there was something she cared a whole lot more about than whether Rainer ever walked right again.

“Are you okay?”, she asked Vi, coming to stand by her side.

Vi was still looking after Rainer, clearly tense and pissed off. “Yeah, the asshole didn't even manage to touch me”, she said.

Other Pack members had noticed something had happened and Caitlyn saw Mylo push through the people who’d formed a bit of a circle around the long-over fight. A moment later Powder was also there, with Claggor lagging behind as he had a harder time making it past the people.

Vi looked around, still seeming like she was stewing and noticed something on the floor. She went to pick it up – it was a rubber bullet. Caitlyn couldn't explain why, but a renewed panic shot through her. Who was she?

“Nice shot, Powder”, Caitlyn shouted to make sure both Powder and Vi heard. Vi looked at Caitlyn before turning to Powder.

All of their faces were obscured by masks, making their expressions impossible to read. Powder didn't react for a moment, looking at Caitlyn. Then she shrugged. “Yeah, sure”, she said. “No problem.”

“Yeah”, Vi nodded, pocketing the bullet. “Nice save, thanks.” Then she continued looking around, telling all of them: “He must have had a key tag, but it wasn't on him anymore. We have to find it.”

Someone had just tried to kill her and still she was perfectly focused, completely unfazed and able to keep doing what needed to be done. Caitlyn was floored. Her own mind still raced with what she had done, couldn't even entirely put together why she’d lied, why she'd given credit to Powder. Was it credit if it was a crime? She could barely think past the pure shock she still felt at her own actions, couldn't make sense of it and what exactly the cloud of dark emotions within her meant. The only thing she knew was that she couldn't have handled it if Vi had thanked her instead of Powder.

They looked for the key tag. Caitlyn tried to help as best she could in her state. She startled when Powder fired her gun beside her, straight upwards and through the shield. She must have put a key tag into one of her exploding projectiles and pink dust burst outward above them a moment later. It took Caitlyn a shamefully long amount of time to put together why she’d done that, distracted further as a flurry of shots sounded from the front of the shield as enforcers reacted to the explosion. The same must have happened when Caitlyn had fired – she hadn't noticed at the time.

Ekko was with them in seconds, understanding the flair was meant for him and despite it having been Powder’s idea to signal him, Vi was instantly there too.

“We had an intruder”, Vi told him. “We’re still missing the key tag he must have used.”

“He might have an accomplice holding on to it outside the shield”, Powder said. “You might have to hunt them down.”

Ekko, understanding the gravity of the situation, nodded. “I’ll send people your way for an extraction”, he told Vi. Then he turned to Powder, holding out his hand. “Care to go hunting with me?”, he asked her, and his face was covered by his own mask but Caitlyn thought she could hear a smile in his voice.

Powder hesitated for only a moment. “Together”, she said, taking his hand and jumping onto the hoverboard with him.

“Be safe!”, Vi called after them and then they were gone.

Vi kept looking for the key tag inside the shield and Caitlyn couldn't help but stick close to her. She felt the strangest urge to apologise but finally couldn't bring herself to do it. Her mind was a mess.

Half an hour later Ekko and Powder came back with two key tags – the one Powder had fired and the stolen one – and the intel of how Rainer had gotten his hands on it from a delivery guy. His goal had been to get his revenge on the Wolf now that she’d been a sitting duck inside the shield when previously she would have been impossible to find. Caitlyn felt guilty, but not for shooting him. It was a bizarre reminder that not everyone in Zaun was in favour of this protest – or at least did not care either way about it.

When Caitlyn finally made it home that night she still felt somewhat shaken and especially exhausted. The protest dragging on like this was taking its toll on even her and she had it the easiest of all of them. The more she lingered on it the less guilt she felt for her actions today. What kind of person was she? Now that she wasn't actively stressed and freaking out anymore, an answer to that question was crystallising in her mind: She was the person who had acted. She couldn't stand by and do nothing – not anymore, not ever, really. Not when she knew. Still knowing how wrong it was, she could not bring herself to feel bad about it.

It took her a while to notice that she wasn't the only one exhausted at the dinner table. Her mother looked like she had aged five years in the past month.

“Are you alright, mom?”, she asked, knowing she was helping the very thing giving her mother such grief. The only part she felt guilty for was the lies.

“Oh, yes”, Cassandra said, giving her a weak smile. “Thank you dear. It’s just this protest.” She gestured dejectedly with her fork. “It’s a constant headache. The council keeps moving in circles – they just don't want to accept the writing on the wall.” She shook her head with a sigh. “Such a stir. Surely there must have been a better way than this.”

The words struck her. Said with such dismissiveness, it seemed like her mother considered this all a great inconvenience. A strange flame of anger sparked to life within her – strange because she knew it well, just not from within herself. She took a deep breath and calmed herself down before speaking.

“No”, Cait said, making her mother look up at her in surprise. “No, I don't think there was.”

It was the first time Cait hadn't couched a political opinion in layers of careful obfuscation. Her heart raced, but it felt good. She didn't feel like justifying herself either so she didn't.

“Not for the undercity”, she just said. And a quiet, hesitant voice at the back of her head dared add: Not for us.

Chapter Text

To think Mel Medarda had ever enjoyed the delicate dance of politics. There was nothing of that dance left now, the council resorting to petty, shouted back-and-forths within minutes of each new pointless meeting. Every day they adjourned having come no closer to making a decision. It had been six weeks of consistently getting nowhere. She wondered how much longer this could possibly drag on for. Perhaps her steering of debate would have to become more blatant, just this once.

So many of them were still grasping at straws for alternative solutions, unwilling to give in to the protesters’ demands. Every new idea invented on the spot took hours to pick apart and convince them it wasn't viable. At least three of them – herself included – had some sense, but all that meant was that they were stuck in a constant stalemate.

Yesterday Councillor Salo had made the both heartless and brainless suggestion of bombing the protesters’ empty homes while they strike. Thankfully nobody else had been stupid enough to consider that course of action. It was the perfect thing to do – if they wanted to start a war.

“We must simply be patient”, Councillor Shoola was saying now. “They will return to work once they realise that protest cannot feed their families.”

“By the sounds of their demands they can already not feed their families”, Professor Heimerdinger said with a clear edge of sorrow to his voice. The entire situation was weighing on him. He had confided to Mel in private that he felt he had failed the undercity. He wasn't exactly wrong, she supposed.

Councillor Kiramman had a more pragmatic rebuttal: “You assume they aren’t prepared for us to attempt to wait them out.”

“And you assume they are”, Councillor Hoskel said with an angry, dismissive gesture. “This is clearly a bluff – a desperate bid to exert power over us.”

“Desperate, maybe”, Professor Heimerdinger said. “But non-violent.”

“So far”, Councillor Bolbok added sceptically.

“Precisely”, Councillor Salo agreed. “If this drags on, who is to say it will stay so peaceful?”

His stance on the undercity was clear and Mel knew gaining his vote was a waste of time. Accordingly, he was a thorn in her side. For someone who looked like he would lose a fight to a rat, he had rather violent ideas for how to deal with this “threat to their way of life”.

“Our forces outnumber and outgun theirs by miles”, he tried to assert, not for the first time in the past month.

This time, Mel was sick of it.

“Assuming this shield is the only innovation they have up their sleeves”, she pointed out slowly and deliberately, hoping not to give him a choice but to actually listen. “Even with only the shield an armed conflict could turn out much differently than it might have in the past.”

The shield truly was fascinating. She’d finally managed to arrange an escort to see it for herself yesterday and it had been a revelation to see to say the least. She was eager to bring today's meeting to a close so she could look further into that particular curiosity.

“If we let the undercity decimate our military we will be easy pickings for outside forces”, Councillor Shoola seemed to agree, if not for a reason Mel liked.

“This rabble gets their hands on such an invention and then abuse it for this”, Salo spat with a grimace. Typical of him to imply they’d stolen rather than invented it. Admittedly, Mel wasn't entirely certain herself but at least she had cause. Salo went on: “A brutish mob, that’s all they are. I tell you, if they could, they would see our city destroyed happily.”

“And yet, they are not”, Professor Heimerdinger returned. “Destroying our city doesn't feed them either.”

“And this does?”, Salo asked him in furious disbelief.

He was taken aback however when Councillor Kiramman pinned him with a stare and said: “What else would you have had them do, Councillor Salo?” There was a shocking amount of understanding in her tone that Mel noted hadn't been there last week.

It took Councillor Salo a moment of scrambling to gather himself again. “Improve themselves”, he finally retorted. “Work hard like the rest of us do!”

Mel barely managed to suppress an eye roll.

“My word exactly”, Councillor Hoskel agreed meanwhile. “We cannot reward them for such behavior. No matter the threat, we cannot agree to these terms!”, he screeched, slamming down his fist on the table. “It would be chaos!”

They had been over this many times. How much their trade and economy was already suffering from lack of resources. How badly the market would be affected if the undercity’s demands were met.

“Necessities could become unaffordable for the average Piltoven citizen.” Councillor Hoskel’s concern for the “average citizen” was obviously exaggerated. It was his own bottom line he cared about and little else. “Higher wages, more free days, safety requirements and healthcare!”, he went on to once again read out the demands they were all already painfully familiar with. “To ask for one, certainly. But to ask for them all at once!?”

Now Mel did roll her eyes. “Would you prefer they only ask for fair compensation, make a show of returning to work the next day and then come back to protest the day after that for the next item on their agenda?”, she said with more patience than she felt he deserved. She had to remain collected. Already she’d gotten herself into a more sensitive position.

“You seem awfully in favour of this revolt, Councillor Medarda”, Councillor Salo accused, drawing everyone's attention to her. “Is there something you are neglecting to share with us?”

Fine. If she could not find a subtler resolution then maybe this was a good thing. Maybe she could simply confront them with the reality of their situation. Thoughts of her mother entered her mind unbidden, but she pushed them aside.

“I have simply realised what you still seem to struggle to grasp, Salo”, Mel said calmly, righting herself in her chair. “The undercity has this technology whether we want them to or not. They are using it to strike whether we want them to or not. We can merely choose how to react and barring some miraculous breakthrough we have no reason to anticipate, ultimately there are only two outcomes.” She met every Councillor’s eyes in turn. She could have sworn she saw Professor Heimerdinger already nod. “The first: We agree to the undercity’s terms and move forward with cooperation, acknowledging them as equals. Yes, this will affect business and will cut into profits, that is a fact”, she cut off their criticisms before they could come. Despite the angry glares now leveled at her, she pressed on. “The second: We deny them, inevitably having to source the basic materials of our economy elsewhere, be it because they refuse to heel or because we struck them down in an attempt to force them to. This too will affect business and cut into profits – that is a fact.”

Mel took a deep breath before she got too worked up. She considered everything she’d said true, but it was not what she wanted to say. Committing to this path, she placed her hands on the table and rose from her chair, once again staring down her fellow council members. “But to even consider these outcomes on that basis is a betrayal of character. Even before that, however you vote on this issue comes down to one simple question: Are we the city of profit–”, she paused, leaving the accusation unsaid but hanging in the air. “Or the city of progress?”

The silence that followed her declaration was deafening. Truly, there was no delicate dance left in this council chamber. But if the other Councillors insisted on acting like rabid dogs, Mel had to be…

“Excellently put, Councillor Medarda”, Professor Heimerdinger finally broke the silence with a kind of relieved smile. “History shows that uprisings such as this have been gruesome and tragic. There is no need to make this one such a case. I find it best to find common ground before any unnecessary bloodshed – on either side.”

The others found more reasons to argue – of course they did. Their protests were notably less spirited however, telling Mel that maybe, just maybe her words were settling in. She dared hope this whole issue would be put to bed by the end of the week. Certainly, there would be more to do once the decision to acknowledge the undercity’s demands was reached, but at least it would mean, well, progress.

Satisfied with the development at this front, Mel was finally free to make her other stop for the day, another ship to nudge into the right direction. She made her way across Piltover, buying the newest paper on the way. A headline about the ongoing undercity protest was emblazoned across the front with a picture of it from as close as the enforcers had likely let the journalist get. It wasn't much to make out – simply an odd, large shape in front of the mines, the sepia tone leaving it all very muddled – but Mel supposed it was better than no picture at all. The article itself was nearly insightful, though it was obvious nobody had bothered to venture beyond the Pilt to find out the actual story. Most of the citizens of Piltover had no idea yet what repercussions this protest was going to have. That would be its separate issue when the time came, Mel was sure.

The future was full of uncertainty, which meant it was also full of potential. If her instincts were right, then the greatest catalyst for said potential was one disgraced inventor. And herself, well – she was the catalyst of catalysts. The invisible hand that guided from the shadow – she needed no glory on the battlefield.

Ximena Talis was nervous but accommodating when Mel knocked at her door. Mel was quick to reassure her that her son was not in trouble and the older woman was relieved to hear it, but still didn’t seem entirely at ease. It couldn’t be helped. Being a figure of authority would always make people uneasy and it was Mel’s job to prove she could be trusted despite her title and power.

Apparently Jayce Talis already had company but Mel assured Mrs Talis that it wouldn’t be a problem – she wouldn’t occupy much of the young inventor’s time. Mel hid her chuckle as Mrs Talis knocked on his workroom’s door, pointedly announcing who was coming for a visit and instantly causing a thud to sound from inside the room, followed by rushed steps and rustling of papers.

“One moment!”, Jayce pleaded from behind the door and Mel waited patiently. She nodded to Ximena that she could go if she wished and the woman bowed her head slightly before taking her leave.

When the door swung open Jayce Talis looked frazzled and was a little out of breath. Behind him Mel could see his messy workshop, much of his work surely hastily shoved into various drawers. Professor Heimerdinger’s assistant was leaned casually against a table, looking vaguely at the floor in front of him. If she had suspected Jayce of breaking the terms of his trial before she was certain of it now.

“Councillor Medarda!”, Jayce greeted her awkwardly. “T-to what do we owe the pleasure?”

“Please”, Mel said pleasantly as she stepped past him, despite his body language having clearly attempted to keep her standing outside. “Just call me Mel.” After all these years it still sounded like her mother’s name more than it did hers.

She didn’t bother with pleasantries, truly not wanting to waste the inventor’s time – or her own for that matter. She took the paper she’d picked up on her way and placed it on the table where both men could see it. Jayce reluctantly let the door fall shut and looked down at the photograph of the protest wearily.

“As a Council member I’ve obviously spent the past days hearing all about the protest going on at the mines at the moment”, Mel explained, keeping her focus mainly on Jayce. “Frankly I’m sick of it at this point but we have some… let’s say reluctant members that just won’t be swayed by reason. It’s all quite the mess. As a result I’m rather certain I’m the only Councillor who thought the technology described seemed… familiar. Imagine my surprise when I went to see the protest for myself and found out just how poorly these photographs capture the distinctly blue tint of this barrier.”

She did her best not to sound accusing but also left no doubt in her tone as to what she believed was the origin of this technology. She could only guess as to how Jayce had ended up collaborating with the undercity, but it was only of interest to her that he had.

“I don't know what you’re trying to imply, Councillor”, Jayce said, attempting to keep his voice even and nearly managing. “I– We have been quite preoccupied with what we hope will revolutionise mobility aids.” He gestured half-heartedly at the other man who only met Mel’s eyes briefly.

“Of course”, Mel said with a smirk. She would let him play dumb if he wanted to. “Hello, Viktor. I have been noticing your lighter step as of late. Your work must be going well. Care to share the secret of this sudden success?” It was subtle but he’d been leaning on his cane less and right now it was nowhere to be seen.

Viktor was not in the mood to play rhetorical games with her it seemed. “What do you want, Councillor?”, he asked not exactly rudely but certainly a bit shortly.

Mel chuckled. “What I want is to make this city better tomorrow than it was yesterday, that is all”, she told him honestly. Then she turned back to Jayce. “I knew you had potential when you were first arrested and I would hate to see it squandered. I know you can do more for this city than…” Her eyes darted to the paper and she gave him a meaningful look as she finally said: “Mobility aids.”

Talis scoffed, crossing his arms. “Tell that to the other Councillors – to Professor Heimerdinger.” It seemed his ego was still bruised from the council rejecting his ideas. Mel could not blame him.

“Oh, I’ve tried”, she admitted with a huff. They were a stubborn lot and she couldn’t tip her hand – at least not yet. “If I am too blatant it will only serve to make them suspicious. I just wanted to stop by and make sure you know: I’m on your side if you can impress me. This–”, she tapped the image on the paper with one finger as she maintained eye contact. “This for example I find impressive.” She took a deep breath. There was a thrumming in her bones, a familiar sign of something to come. She could always rely on her instincts to tell her where the wind would blow next. “Change is coming, I can feel it. Maybe you can be a part of it. You could be the man who brings us that better tomorrow.”

For a moment she could see it in his eyes – a hunger. He believed her that he had that potential and he wanted it. He just still didn't trust her. “A charming offer I’m sure”, he said, his behaviour guarded once again. “But not very substantial, considering that it sounds like your hands are as tied as ours.”

Mel sighed. “Perhaps. My mother used to tell me: You have to be the fox and the wolf. Careful strategising can only get you so far. I’ll consider taking that advice if you will.” It didn't fully apply in its most literal sense, but the old adage had just been on her mind lately. Especially after the young Kiramman’s visit some months ago. There was a girl already shaping up to be quite the fox. The little wolf she hadn't seen since her trial two years ago, but she still remembered that too. Thinking about this protest she wondered if she wasn’t quite as chained as the council wanted her to be anymore.

“You’ve certainly given us much to think about, Councillor Medarda”, Jayce said, his meaning clear.

“Of course”, Mel nodded, feeling no need to overstay her welcome. “I should be on my way.” She offered Jayce her hand to shake which he did with a smile. He could be a politician, she thought, with a smile like that.

“Thank you for taking time out of your surely overwhelming schedule to see us, Councillor”, Viktor said, his distaste still clear in his superficially pleasant words as he offered her a hand as well.

Mel smiled, amused by the man’s evident protectiveness and happily took his hand – only for a spell of dizziness to overcome her. Blue symbols pulsed into her vision around Viktor’s legs and gold thread spun through her mind in disorienting flashes. She stumbled, letting go of Viktor’s hand to catch herself and just as quickly as it had happened, the strange visions were gone, though an odd warmth along her skin remained, like an echo, a whisper of something that felt both ancient and new. She shook her head. She had to be imagining it.

“Councillor?”, Jayce rushed to her side, gently grabbing her elbow to make sure she didn’t fall. His concern was genuine. “Is everything alright?”

“I–” Mel blinked, the memory of those gold lines still haunting the back of her eyelids. “Yes”, she finally managed to gather herself, suddenly conscious again of her perfect facade, rushing to cover up this odd crack. “Yes, I’m– I’m fine, thank you. I’m not sure what just– I should go. Have a good day, gentlemen.”

She headed to the door, leaving the paper behind for them to consider once she was gone.

“Be safe”, Jayce called after as she pushed through the door, her hand still tingling from where Viktor’s hand had held it. Something he had somehow done, surely. Something he had done – intentional or not – and nothing else.

—

Jayce watched the councillor rush from the room, the concern still obvious on his face. The Councillor had certainly put on a good show of seeming discombobulated. Mel Medarda was the kind of person who seemed like she should never be so unsettled so the effect had been impressive, Viktor had to admit. When Jayce finally turned away from the door to look at Viktor his expression must have shown his scepticism.

“What?”, Jayce asked, sounding almost defensive.

“‘Be safe’?”, Viktor repeated his words with a raised eyebrow.

Jayce gestured after the councillor helplessly. “You saw her, she seemed sick. I hope she doesn't collapse on her way home.”

“I would be concerned”, Viktor said, crossing his arms. “But she was clearly just buttering you up to get you to break the law.”

Sure, they already kind of were, but they did not need to risk the council’s interference just to be pawns in the Medarda’s game. Viktor wanted to change things with Jayce – to make things that mattered. They already knew they did not need a councillor’s help for that.

Jayce picked up on a different implication from his words. “Buttering me– you think she was flirting with me?”, he asked in disbelief.

It was almost cute how oblivious he was. “She was obviously flirting with you, Jayce.”

Jayce rolled his eyes, turning to lean against the table next to him and Viktor was still surprised how much it warmed him to feel him being so close, so intimate. “Don’t be ridiculous, Viktor.”

“I’m never ridiculous”, Viktor said lightly. “She was flirting with you.” It was a simple fact that Viktor felt neutral about and didn’t think was worth arguing against.

As usual, Jayce couldn’t resist arguing anyway. “Complimenting my intellect does not equal fl–”, he began, but stopped himself halfway as realisation struck. “Is that how you flirt?! Has that been you flirting this whole time??”

Viktor hid his confusion. Was that not how one was supposed to flirt? Clearly it was, since the Medarda was doing it too. Feeling bashful he glanced to the floor, steering the topic back to the councillor. “It’s not a problem to me”, he said with a shrug. “I mean, how could I even blame her?”

“Viktor”, Jayce chuckled. The ease with which he rejected the implication that he was immediately charming, that he was worth wanting was so odd to Viktor. It left Jayce so unaffected, like he truly did not care who liked and disliked him, like he barely spared a thought toward how people saw him.

Viktor on the other hand constantly saw himself through other’s eyes and the image was far less flattering. “I could not blame you, either”, he went on, tone still light. His heart had been broken before. He was accustomed to being passed over. “The Councillor is a very attractive woman.” He wouldn’t hold it against Jayce. There wasn’t a cruel bone in that man’s body, he knew.

Jayce just raised an eyebrow, before taking both of his hands in his, turning him so he had no choice but to meet his eyes. “I would never abandon you”, Jayce told him.

Viktor tried to avoid his suddenly too intense gaze, but all he could do was glance away briefly before his eyes were drawn back to Jayce’s. He was so earnest. So painfully earnest as he promised a future Viktor still couldn’t trust. “My sickness”, he tried to protest. “The treatment could stop working–”

“And I would rather sit all day by your bedside than be the Medarda’s… man of tomorrow”, Jayce interrupted him, voice steady and certain.

Not ‘that will never happen’, no ‘you will find a cure’. Just a simple and straightforward ‘I will be there for you no matter what’. It wasn't exactly what Viktor had hoped to hear and yet he found it far more reassuring than he expected he might. He could feel Jayce’s care for him, could feel the resonance pulse, which they had painstakingly worked into his leg brace and for which Jayce wore his counterpiece bracelet at all hours of the day and night, right next to the other runestone he cherished so much. It was experimental, they did not know what effect it could have on him to wear it so much – and yet he did. And Viktor’s step felt lighter, his muscles stronger. The slight relief from the discomfort he had gotten so used to was still startling sometimes.

Letting go of Jayce’s hands Viktor pulled his body closer instead. If Jayce would have had a bedside to sit by he would do it too. It was an ache in his chest to know that this would likely never come to pass – that he was the burden and Jayce the one endlessly willing to carry him. He just had to believe Jayce when he said he was happy to do it. It was the hardest thing in the world to believe, and harder yet to express.

“You would look very good on a poster though”, Viktor told him instead, an encoded meaning, language just another science for him to play with.

Jayce had been quick to master it, as he was so quick to master everything he cared strongly about. “I refuse to be printed on any poster that doesn't have you on it as well”, he responded, his thumb brushing over Viktor’s arm.

“Jayce”, Viktor protested weakly, unable to deny the effect the words had on him.

“I mean it”, Jayce reiterated.

Viktor met his eyes, feeling ready to give in. “I just want you to be happy.”

“You make me happy”, Jayce said, and for this moment, this day, Viktor could believe it. Then Jayce’s brow furrowed, mind drifting, and Viktor couldn’t help but smile at that. “I’m not even sure what the Councillor expects us to do”, he said with a shrug. “Break the rules so well they have to readmit me to the academy?”

He sounded bewildered about it and Viktor had to admit it sounded a little ridiculous. On the other hand, his eyes landed briefly on that paper again and he said: “You’ve managed to do crazier things.”

Jayce laughed, briefly squeezing him. “If anything, we have managed to do crazier things.”

Viktor’s heart fluttered. “Have I mentioned that I love you?”

“On occasion”, Jayce said with a smile that was part smug but all warmth. “Have I mentioned that I love you?”

“You have”, Viktor said with a daring smile of his own. It still seemed unreal that Jayce Talis should love him. “But I’m not yet sick of hearing it.”

So Jayce told him again. And again. And again.

Chapter Text

Three more days and the protest would have lasted two full months. But it didn't. On the 58th day of the workers’ strike the enforcers withdrew. Councillors Heimerdinger, Medarda and Kiramman personally crossed the Pilt with a minimal outfit of officers to officially accept the undercity’s demands in the name of Piltover and arrange for future discussions. Vander, Sevika, and a representative of the miners met with them to facilitate this. It was far from over, with much to arrange, barter and write into law. But a provisional agreement was drawn up that covered required demands for the next year until the rest could be managed.

They’d done it.

They’d made Piltover heel. The strike was over.

The shield wasn't taken down until every protester except for the Pack had been slowly filtered out one by one. Just in case some backhanded attack still awaited them. But no. Piltover was genuine. The council had given in. Caitlyn had said they would and yet it was still an entirely different thing to see it – to feel it.

Vi was dead on her feet and joyous as it theoretically was, the information that they were done, that everyone was going home because they’d somehow actually made it just made her knees buckle. They were done and she didn't have to function anymore and she was going to collapse.

She did collapse. She was exhausted and entirely unsure how she managed to drag herself home along with her siblings, but once there she collapsed into bed and slept for a day and a half. Her sleep was deep and dreamless – at least she couldn't remember any dreams when consciousness dawned on her once again. Not like the nights she’d spent in the tented sleeping area of the protest, wherein bridges, enforcers and gunfire had haunted her to the point where she just hadn't bothered some nights. She’d held it together. Somehow she’d stayed up and functioning and they’d done it. They’d won.

This was not the first thing she remembered when she woke up though. The first thought that came to her as she dragged herself from sleep was a lot simpler than the political reality Zaun had achieved. After her body was done forcing Vi to rest, the very first coherent thought that entered her mind and sent her jumping up out of bed was unfortunately predictable and mortifying:

Caitlyn.

Where was Cait? Vi was supposed to pick her up. How long had she been asleep? Did she miss a morning again? Had Cait gotten into trouble with her mother when she didn’t show up?

“Vi!”, Powder’s voice interrupted her spiraling thoughts and before she knew it her sister’s arms were wrapped around her. “You’re awake! I was getting worried, but Vander said to let you sleep.”

Vi had to remember to thank Vander for that later. For now she returned Powder’s hug, a quiet and brief celebration. They’d made it. They’d done it. Vi had kept her promise.

Then she let go and asked her: “Where’s Cait?”

Powder instantly rolled her eyes. “At home”, she said. “She came down yesterday to check on you but left again when we told her you’re still sleeping.” Her expression turned somewhat sour then, pushing against her shoulder. “You really shouldn’t have pushed yourself that much.”

“Yeah, sorry”, Vi said, not sure she meant it. She’d done what she’d had to do. “What’d I miss?”

“Not much”, Powder said with a shrug. “The end of the protest was a bit anti-climatic since most people were too exhausted to really celebrate as well. They are back at work, getting paid more by the council directly provisionally. Vander and Sevika are at a conference room in Piltover close to the Pilt for discussions with Councillors for hours at a time. They have to dodge journalists asking leading questions on their way there and back.”

Vi grimaced as she thought of the kind of questions they were likely getting. “There’ll be another storm coming once those journalists get the answers they’re looking for.” A lot of people in Piltover would not be happy about this development – the vultures.

“They have resonance shards just in case”, Powder answered Vi’s next question before she could ask it. “And I think Sevika is armed.”

Vi was relieved to hear that, even as Vander’s refusal to arm himself still bothered her. “Good.”

Her stomach growled. Yikes. First step of the day would have to be to get something to eat. Maybe she could grab something on the way? Then again, a proper meal might be worth the delay. Vi zoned out a little trying to make a plan for the day. Probably she should take a shower too, even as she groaned at the thought. She reached for her shoes to get started with everything.

When she glanced over at Powder, her sister was watching her, her expression strange – not exactly unhappy but not good either. “You’re going to Piltover, aren't you?”, she asked.

Vi sighed. She could understand Powder’s frustration, but it wasn’t like Vi had much of a choice. “I know it’s been a long time since we’ve really felt it, but my indenture technically still isn't over”, she reasoned. Granted, it wasn’t the first reason she was going, but it was the only right reason. “This victory doesn't change anything there. I still have to try and stay out of trouble. That means cooperating with Cait.” Thinking of meeting her later Vi couldn’t help but laugh. “She’s going to give me even more shit about sleeping through a whole day.”

At least Powder agreed with her there.

—

“It’s irresponsible, most of all”, Cait indeed berated her once Vi made it across the Pilt after first ensuring that Vi was okay otherwise. They were in one of the mansion’s sitting rooms under the pretense of Vi cleaning the already pristine floor. In actuality Vi was sprawled on a couch opposite from where Cait was peering down at her with a frown. The other Zaunites were still too exhausted to do much so Vi had decided to just spend the morning at the mansion.

“What if something had happened while you were sleep deprived?”, Cait asked. “What if my mother had noticed your absence?”

It was a relief she hadn’t but Vi wasn’t going to admit to Cait that she’d been worried. “If my dad is busy all day then so is your mom”, she simply said with a shrug. “Maybe more so.”

“Still”, Cait huffed adorably, her arms crossed. “I’m glad you had the sense to come by on your own at least.”

Vi’s imagination briefly ran away with her, thinking about what might have happened if she hadn’t. She imagined Cait coming down into the undercity and dragging her up by her collar. She quickly tried to stop thinking about it, as the mental image wasn’t entirely unpleasant – maybe not unpleasant at all. It still floored her to hear such genuine concern in Cait’s voice, even if it was followed by implying she had no sense.

Speaking of having no sense though, Vi remembered what Powder had told her. “I heard you came to Zaun on your own”, she said, uncertain if she was more impressed or concerned. Or a third thing she didn’t dwell on.

“Yeah well…”, Cait began uncertainly, like she herself wasn’t sure how she would finish the sentence. Vi nearly snorted at her deliberating expression. Finally she said: “You didn't show up when you should have.”

“Worried about me, Cupcake?”, Vi teased, playing with fire.

“As if”, the fire played along. “Clearly, you can survive anything.”

Not you, it shot through Vi’s mind but she managed to not say out loud. Cait would be the death of her. She looked away, nearly tempted to do some actual cleaning to distract herself – but only nearly. 

“Things are about to really change”, she said instead, the political machinations of their lives her only available distraction.

“Yeah”, Caitlyn agreed with a bit of a grimace. “A lot of people this side of the Pilt aren't going to like it.”

“Let them complain”, Vi shurgged, unable to keep a smug smile off her face. “With the council decided they don't have a say anymore. Hell, it’ll be good for them to learn they can't always have everything they want.”

“It is very therapeutic”, Cait joked and heavens help her, Vi laughed. Cait knew who she was and she wasn't above making fun of herself for it. Vi just wanted to forget it but knew she could not. It was torture. Why was she still doing this, why couldn't she just let it go?

Cait’s eyes became more serious then, but no less optimistic. “You did it”, she told Vi, sounding proud.

Vi swallowed, hiding her true emotions behind a smile. “ We did it”, she agreed, secretly including Cait in that ‘we’, despite the fact that she would deny it if Cait had asked – which she did not.

—

The next month was uneventful, at least for Cait in the personal and direct sense. Things went back to the way they were before the protest, with Cait going to Zaun half the time and Powder and Vi coming to Jayce’s for the rest. The atmosphere in the undercity was once more one of triumph and it felt good to get to be there. Some weariness remained, since the entire agreement wasn't yet put to law, but so far the council was doing well in keeping their promises and coming to the table.

The atmosphere in Piltover was… odd. It took a few days more before the effects started to trickle through. Prices had already been rising during the protest – some out of necessity but most out of an anticipatory greed. Unfortunately, people catching on to this coincided more closely with the end of the protest and beginnings of discussion. It was maybe a bit too much conjecture but Cait felt like it was done to upset people on purpose.

The details of the deals that were in the process of changing with the undercity reached Piltover’s wealthiest a few days later and they were upset to say the least. Cait wasn't in the thick of it, not attending any functions since Vi’s “indenture” and her studies were taking up all her time, but her tutors and parents trickled the information back to her.

There was outrage, petitions and most of all awkward questions that the council struggled to answer. Admitting that Zaun had out-maneuvered them wasn't an option so they’d had to spin it in just about every other way possible. How working conditions were currently barbaric and beneath the City of Progress to maintain. How this change promised future prosperity and an even more shining outward image. It was almost funny to Cait that the council now had to profess these beliefs just to avoid even worse optics. Politics – it seemed – was sometimes just telling the right story to the right people.

Still, a lot of them weren't buying it. The proposed changes were concessions a lot of businessmen didn't want to make. At functions this was all anybody talked about and the council was seemingly constantly fighting off complaints, attempted bribes and – on occasion – threats. Vi was completely right: Cassandra Kiramman was busier than ever.

Cait tried to be disappointed that she saw her mother even less now but in truth, it was kind of convenient. There was a lot to do in Zaun and Cait wanted to be there for it. Even if there were nothing to do, Cait wanted to be there. The feeling of community was unlike anything she knew from her home, friendships always hard to find or shallow until she’d met Jayce. She hadn't bothered much with Piltoven connections since due to this but Zaun was different. In Zaun Cait could have friends. Real friends, who didn't care about her family name and influence – on the contrary, some of them liked her despite it. Deckard, Eve, Scar, Gert, Ekko, Mylo, Claggor – even Powder and… Vi.

Cait wanted to be there, and not here.

She was excited to get going every morning when she saw Vi walk up. She’d figured everything was fine when Vi hadn't shown up right after the strike was over, but considering the last time it had happened she’d still been somewhat anxious. It had felt good to be able to go down on her own and check, just to be sure. Outside of that one time though Cait still waited for Vi to come get her, enjoying the routine. She figured if it bothered Vi she would have told her at this point.

Vi seemed satisfied with the current arrangement though, venturing up into the bright and comparatively sweltering Piltover with a smile to pick her up. “Ready to go?”, she asked Cait today, same as she did every other day.

“Yup”, Cait responded same as always and together they got walking, Cait smiling herself, excited as every time before. While Vi caught her up on the plans for today she wondered if she’d ever grow sick of this, if maybe the fluttering in her stomach would lessen and going to Zaun would feel like a chore again. She certainly hoped not. Even though she knew it probably wouldn't be possible, she kind of wanted to keep going to Zaun like this forever.

“Will you ever practice riding Ekko’s hoverboard?”, Cait asked Vi when Little Man came up in their conversation.

“I already have”, Vi said, and before Cait could complain she added: “Nice try, but you’re not watching me make a food out of myself. I’ll keep practicing when you’re not around until I can pretend I was a natural all along.”

Caitlyn laughed. “Come on, as if my opinion actually matters! Maybe I just want a go at it. I’m sure I’ll come out as the bigger fool.” Cait did kind of want to see Vi struggle with it – it happened so rarely – but she was genuinely willing to fall on her ass herself. She’d suffered through being terrible at running, she’d happily suffer through this too. Even if they’d tease each other, it would probably be fun.

They turned a corner, nearly at the Pilt, and Vi was probably about to return some biting comment, but instead she froze, looking behind them where Cait could hear heavy footsteps rushing close. Cait turned to see two masked men running towards them just before similar footsteps sounded from the other end of the alley too and she realised they were surrounded. Her mood shifted in an instant, all excitement gone and replaced with a fear that pierced through her heart, pinning her in place like a stupid animal.

Beside her Vi cursed and Cait was still frozen when the closest man grabbed for her arm with his left hand, a knife in his right. “Come quietly and we won't have t–”, he began to say in a threatening tone but was cut off when Vi’s fist collided with his face.

“What the–”, the other man began, staring at where Vi had put herself squarely between them and Cait. The two men coming from the other direction were speeding up, Cait’s head swiveling between the two directions, heart hammering in her chest, panic consuming all her good sense. These men wore Piltoven clothes – nothing fancy but distinctly topside. Their faces were hidden by plain theatre masks and while they held knives Cait could see a gun glint on one of their belts.

Cait initially grabbed for the comfort of a rifle that wasn't there, floundering for dangerous seconds during which the men got closer, the one in front of Vi reaching for that gun.

“Get out of the way, kid”, he told Vi. “We’re here for the Kiramman, I don't want to hurt you.”

“Too fucking bad”, Vi spat and lunged for him, grabbing the gun out of his hand the second he’d drawn it and tossing it behind him as she pushed him off balance.

Cait’s focus was narrowed to a pinprick, the first guy coming back to grab her arm again while Vi was busy with the second seeming to appear out of nowhere. Her stomach dropped and for a moment she felt like she was going to be ill as he tried to reach for her face and haul her back with him at the same time. It wasn't instinct but a deliberate and desperate draw from freshly carved paths of memory that finally set Cait into motion.

Instead of continuing to resist she startled her assailant by stepping closer, driving her heel into the tip of his boot. The man screamed, his hold on her loosening – but only for a split second. He grabbed her tighter again in an instant. “Why you little–”, he growled, bringing the knife closer to her face and Cait couldn't keep terrified tears from pressing out of her eyes. She pushed through that fear, tried to ignore the knife and swung her foot between his legs as hard as she could. As close as he’d stood, his roar and jerk at the pain of getting kicked in the groin sent the knife slicing against the edge of her jaw, pain stinging there a moment later. Cait was shaking, struggling to get his damn hand off her, the pain pulsing through her upper arm from that pressure worse than the cut on her face.

Then Vi was there, bursting into her field of vision and slicing a knife along the man’s arm that held her. The relief as he let go was instant but her legs were too shaky to keep herself standing. Cait collapsed backwards, awkwardly catching herself so that the fall only scraped her skin. She watched as Vi grabbed the man and punched his knife out of his hand. Kept fighting him, more with her fists than the knife she must have stolen off the other man.

Caitlyn’s eyes darted over to the other man crumpled on the pavement, blood seeming to leak out of his middle, which he clutched at with laboured breathing. His face was also bloody, but Cait couldn't focus enough to figure out exactly where it was coming from. Running steps still droned behind her, finally reaching them and even as Vi fought one of the men Cait shook with an impending sense of doom. She’d barely been able to do anything and now she felt like she could barely move, let alone pick herself up from the floor. She wanted so badly to have her rifle. She needed to think of something fast or they were done for.

It took her another moment to remember who she was – the very reason she was a target in the first place – and where she was. That she was Caitlyn Kiramman, an aristocrat in Piltover where she wasn't supposed to rely on hastily learned self defense or rubber bullets. Where the right thing for her to do was–

“HELP!”, she shouted at the top of her lungs. She was grabbed from behind and pulled back onto her feet and she shouted again, harder: “HELP!” rough hands scrambled to cover her mouth and without thinking she bit down on one, stomach turning as she felt her teeth sink through flesh, as her next shout scraped uncomfortably through her throat and sent spittle and blood flying: “HEEEELP!”

The man trying to hold her finally got her jaw shut but all that meant was that her focus was now free for her arms and legs to struggle against him with every scrap of strength she had left. It wasn't much, but at least she wasn't making it easy and the man was on his own in his efforts as Vi snatched away his companion, freeing Cait of hands she hadn't even been fully cognisant were holding her.

“Fucking hell”, the man holding her complained. “Who the hell is this bitch?” He pushed Cait to the floor very suddenly, leaving her to try and cover her head, landing poorly on one shoulder. “I’m not paid enough for this!”

Cait rushed to turn herself around to see him go after Vi, making it two against one. Cait’s heart threatened to burst out of her chest in panic. He grabbed Vi and before Cait could even scream Vi was tumbling back from a blow to her cheek, spitting blood. Just like she’d seen all that time ago with the boxing machine, Vi just threw herself back into the fray, two against one, unafraid. She was magnificent. Cait was terrified for her. This was all her fault. If it wasn't for her Vi wouldn’t have to fight these guys.

Her shoulder throbbed but Cait tried desperately to push herself back onto shaky legs, wiping blood from her face. She’d just managed to get herself upright, watching in horror as one of the men got a grip on one of Vi’s wrists when she heard new footsteps sound, as well as the telltale sound of a whistle. The man holding Vi’s wrist cursed viciously while Cait’s chest filled with relief.

Enforcers. Finally.

“STOP RIGHT THERE!”, one of the two approaching enforcers shouted as one of the men indeed tried to run for it. He got himself shot at with a bola launcher for the trouble, the weights perfectly tangling the thin metal cord around his legs and making him fall flat onto his face.

The other assailant meanwhile was still fighting Vi – or Vi was fighting him, Cait wasn't sure. Baton at the ready one enforcer stepped between the two, getting a hold of the man who quickly gave up on struggling. It was over. Cait thanked all merciful Gods that it was over, that she was alive that Vi was–

Vi was shaking as the second enforcer moved in on her. No. Shit. Fuck. He grabbed her arm and Vi beat against it for a moment before he twisted it behind her back and Vi screamed. Not in pain, but in a blind terror. It was a wrong and horrible sound to hear from her, and it sent new adrenaline rushing through Cait, steadied her feet and knocked her out of her frozen state.

“Stop!”, she shouted at the enforcer, her voice trembling. The two enforcers looked at her in surprise and it was hard to keep from trembling but her voice was firm. Unyielding. She channeled every bit of authority she had into it, the taste of copper still on her tongue. “These men attacked me! Vi was fending them off to protect me, she did nothing wrong!”, she explained, gesturing to Vi who’s face was turned to the ground. Cait could only see how much she trembled. The enforcers remained still for a second too long for her taste and Cait put even more strength into her voice, more fury. “Do you not know who I am?”, she shouted at them. “I’m Caitlyn Kiramman!” Just this once her family name – her status, her power – was worth embracing.

That finally got one of the enforcers to hesitate. “You’re councillor Kiramman’s daughter?”, he asked.

It was such a stupid question Cait’s anger roared, even as a panic still pulsed through her. She had to stay at least somewhat together.

“Precisely!”, she said, pinning the enforcer holding Vi with a stare she had learned from her mother and knew to be bone chilling. “Let go of her right now or I swear I will have you dismissed from service.” The enforcers exchanged a brief, startled look and then the one finally let go of Vi. Cait nearly breathed a sigh of relief, though she flinched at how Vi folded in on herself, kneeling on the stone of the street. She itched to rush to her side but the enforcers were still staring at her.

“Well?”, she told them incredulously. “Don’t just stand there, arrest them!” She gestured at the attackers in various states of medical distress. “Get a doctor!”

The enforcers snapped to attention, seemingly returned from this slight hiccup to their regular training. “Yes, Ma’am!”, one even shouted, and then they rushed to cuff the two men still able to walk and one tended to the one bleeding out while the other ran for more help.

Cait was on her own knees in front of Vi the moment they were otherwise occupied. Vi’s eyes were wide open but staring at nothing, pinned to the floor as heavens knew what horrible things played out inside her mind. She was shaking. Like during the enforcers’ initial attack on the shield Vi wasn't here but reliving a far worse encounter with these uniformed monsters. She must have been taken off guard, the reaction so much worse than before. Cait wasn't sure what to do but she knew that she had to do something. She couldn't just watch this happen to Vi, her heart couldn't take it.

She carefully reached up to Vi’s face with both hands, carefully tilted her head upward, flinching at the sight of the angry, red start of a bruise forming on the side of her face, the blood around her mouth from a split lip and maybe worse. There was also a short cut across her eyebrow that trickled a thin line of blood down her cheek. They were both bloody and raw, but the physical injuries didn't matter right now.

“Hey”, Cait said gently, voice breaking. Now that her adrenaline was ebbing, it was hard to keep her own fear and emotions about what had just happened at bay, but she managed. “Vi”, she said, all her focus on her. “Vi, look at me– look at me.” Vi raised her eyes, seeming to look through her, but it was a start. Cait reached for one of Vi’s hands to squeeze and try to keep from shaking while her other reached up to brush the hair that had fallen into her face out of it gently. “You’re okay. You’re with me. It’s okay.” Her breath hitched and she laid her hand on Vi’s uninjured cheek, begging for Vi’s eyes to focus. “You’re with me”, she urged her again to return to the present. “They can’t hurt you. I’ve got you, you’re okay.”

Vi blinked, suddenly sucking in air, shaking harder for a moment as her awareness seemed to return to her body. Cait let out her own relieved breath, her hand slipping down to the crook of Vi’s neck. “I’ve got you”, she said one more time, shaking with her own emotions now, with the fear of what could have happened, the relief that she was safe. “You saved me”, she breathed, chest hitching again as tears sprung to her eyes. “You saved me.” It had all happened so fast. Vi had reacted instantly and heedlessly and Cait didn't want to begin to imagine what might have happened if she hadn't. She was beyond gratitude. She just needed to make sure Vi was okay.

Vi was tense. Out of her stupor her eyes darted, looking around for something that Cait could only guess – maybe the enforcers. Cait reached for her jaw again to steady her gaze at her. “It’s okay”, she said. “Don’t mind them, I’m here. You’re safe. I won't let them hurt you. Breathe. You’re okay.”

Vi remained still for a few seconds more as Cait looked into her eyes, willing calm into her body, forcing her own shoulders to relax. She breathed deeply and as steadily as the occasional hiccup allowed her to. Slowly Vi’s breathing deepened too. Slowly her shoulders unbunched. Slowly she stopped shaking. Then her free hand reached out and for a moment Cait tried to offer her other hand for her to take. Instead Vi’s whole body tipped forward, collapsing into Caitlyn and grabbing around her, hugging her tightly. Tense and shaking once again, but breathing, if irregularly. Cait’s head felt light with relief as she returned the embrace and patiently waited for her shaking to still again, for her grip to become a little less desperate. With her head on Vi’s shoulder and Vi’s head on hers, the discomfort of kneeling in the street seemed to disappear. Cait could feel her shoulder and arm throbbing and just the slightest sting at her jaw, but it barely mattered in that moment. Vi was in her arms, slowly calming down, slowly feeling safe and that was all that mattered.

They stayed like that for a long time, the enforcers working around them and smart enough not to interrupt. Cait thought she needed this embrace just as much as Vi needed it as she processed their struggle and the reality that someone had evidently tried to have her kidnapped. Vi’s presence helped her feel less like sobbing and the knowledge that she was hopefully equally soothing to Vi also made her feel better. Eventually Vi took an especially deep breath, squeezing her briefly.

“Thank you”, Vi whispered, her voice raspy with uncried tears, making Cait startle.

Cait nearly wanted to argue. There was nothing Vi should have to be thankful for. She had literally saved her life. Even if she hadn't, Cait would have done what she did no matter what because Vi didn't deserve to be treated this way. She didn't deserve to struggle with this and Cait would never just sit by and watch again because it hurt her to see Vi suffer. The ‘thank you’ was entirely unnecessary because Cait didn't do it for gratitude. She’d done it for Vi because–

Because no matter how uncomfortable she had grown with her privilege, she would use it. Had planned this whole time to use it, should it ever become necessary.

Because she would do anything for Vi.

It was like a key finding its place in a lock and Caitlyn’s chest was suddenly opening up. Feeling Vi still pressed up against her, she could finally see the whole picture in her mind, all the pieces falling into place, all the strange feelings she’d had around Vi no longer nameless. She’d been so caught up in everything: her own emotions, the politics, the slow discovery of who Vi was and who she herself had become since being with her that she had missed the forest for the trees. Too close and boxed into the novelty of getting along with Vi at all she hadn't noticed, hadn't realised– Of course her feelings for Vi had been different. Not because she was a Zaunite or a criminal or an enigma she was still learning to unravel. Not even because she was a survivor and fighter and hero and now her saviour.

Cait’s heart unlocked and stepping out of the haze of uncertainty was an answer so simple and yet so revolutionary. A four letter word that was so banal and yet so extraordinary, it left Cait almost breathless, left her wondering how she’d managed to be so ignorant. It was so simple and yet somehow entirely overpowering her now that it was out in the open of her conscious mind.

Cait was in love with Vi and it wasn't even a silly, burgeoning crush kind of in love. It was much worse than that. In her months of unawareness these feelings had managed to dig themselves deep into the crevices of her heart. She had to have been blind not to realise what it meant that her every thought had been occupied by her. Even now, when there were about a thousand things she should have been worried about, all her worry belonged to Vi.

Reluctantly, Cait pushed Vi away a little so she could meet her eyes. Thankfully Vi’s seemed steady, although seeing her now knocked some air out of Cait’s lungs. Blind. She had been completely and utterly blind.

“They’ll take us away to get medical treatment”, Cait told her. “And then they’ll want to ask questions about what happened.”

Vi swallowed, her lips pressed together tightly. She was steady but still not entirely okay. Cait looked around: There were four enforcers and two doctors by now, a wagon for prisoners and one for medical equipment at the corner of the street. They were still busy with the would-be-kidnappers though.

Cait looked back at Vi and said: “You don't have to do it if you don't want to. You can leave right now.” Cait didn't want her to leave. The thought of letting go of her, of not touching her anymore was agony. She wanted to keep in contact with her until she knew Vi was completely back to her normal, confident self. Maybe longer. But she knew she herself couldn't leave and the farther away from enforcers and maybe Piltover as a whole Vi could get the better it would be for her.

Vi’s face was twisted with emotion – something like worry and maybe guilt. She clearly knew why Cait was offering and was tempted but hesitant to accept. Caitlyn grabbed for her hand and squeezed again, unsure which one of them she was trying to comfort. “I’ll see you again tomorrow.” She forced herself to smile. “Enjoy your Caitlyn-free day”, she joked.

Vi didn't laugh – she didn't even smile. Her eyes darted to the enforcers. It seemed like she wanted to say something, but no words actually left her mouth. Her hand squeezed Cait’s harder.

“I’ll be okay”, Cait told her. “They’ll escort me home. I’ll be safe.” And, because any other reassurance seemed strange, she just repeated: “I’ll see you again tomorrow.” It was the most earnest promise Cait could make in that moment.

Vi swallowed, but finally nodded, not looking her in her eyes. Cait wished she would. She wanted to see Vi’s eyes and somehow know she was going to be okay. She knew that was wishful thinking. Instead she began to get her feet under her and attempted to pull both of them into standing positions. It was a slow and wobbly process.

Vi grabbed both her hands one more time. “Tomorrow”, she said, voice cracking before she let go and started running, stumbling a little at first, sending worry through Cait’s heart. But she caught herself and ran the way they’d already been headed – toward Zaun and away from Piltover. Away from enforcers and only incidentally away from her. Cait had to tell herself that a few times before she could begin to move in the other direction herself. Reminded herself a dozen times while the doctor looked at and tended to her injuries that Vi knew how to get treatment in Zaun for her own wounds.

When the enforcers asked her to recount what had happened her mind was still with Vi but she didn't go into detail of what Vi had done, only informing the enforcers over and over that Vi had been protecting her. When asked where Vi was now she said she was getting special medical attention due to an undercity condition a Piltoven doctor wouldn't know how to treat. Maybe it was a stupid excuse, Cait wasn't sure. It was the only one she could come up with though and she’d defend Vi’s right not to be here right now and not to be questioned by enforcers tooth and nail. She’d fight her mother on it if she had to.

She didn't have to.

Enforcers escorted her home and as much as she wasn't their biggest fan at the moment, she was glad. The fear that other kidnappers could jump from behind any corner clung to her and being surrounded by several armed and uniformed men out to protect her life did help make her feel better in that regard at least. A messenger was sent to inform both her parents, both out of the house at the moment. Her father returned first and she’d already calmed down a lot by the time he did. He hugged and held her, reassuring her further, so that by the time her mother came home she almost felt normal. Normal except for the pain finally catching up with her now that the adrenaline was gone. Normal except for the certain knowledge that she loved Vi so much that not knowing how she was doing right now hurt even worse than her injuries.

Her mother on the other hand – having only heard of the entire affair an hour ago – was only beginning to be upset. She hugged and held Cait for a long time as well, crying and fussing over the bandage on her jaw and checking about a thousand times if Cait was sure she was okay. Then she made her tell her the entire story, which Cait did, once again emphasising Vi’s innocence, bravery and right not to be here right now. Her mother was so caught up in what had happened that she thankfully overlooked the detail of asking why Cait had been walking toward the undercity with Vi in the first place. Cait was simply vague about where it had happened, implying it had been on the way to Jayce’s. Lying was a lot easier when it was to protect Vi, Cait was beginning to realise.

Cassandra Kiramman was outraged and terrified for a few minutes more, pacing in front of the sitting room sofa that Cait was seated on, her father sitting beside her with his own grief and worry. Then she wiped her tears away and pulled herself together, returning to the sharpness and focus of a councillor.

“You are never to go out without uniformed accompaniment from now on”, Cait’s mother told her in a tone that left no room for argument.

Cait’s heart just about stopped dead in her chest.

“Wha– mom! You can’t do that!”, she instantly protested. “How– how would that even work?”

How would that work? She couldn't be followed by an enforcer all day. How would she go to Zaun? How would she see Vi? How would she survive??

Her mother dismissed her doubts with a hand-wave, face grave. “It’s not unusual for someone of our station to have a bodyguard, dear. I understand that it may be frustrating but I can’t let anything happen to you. Just think what could have happened if Violet hadn't been there.”

Cait had thought about that plenty already and didn't want to do it anymore. She didn't want to have to think about Vi not being there at all. Their beautiful routine, her time in Zaun – all of it would be ruined if her mother forced a bodyguard on her. All concerns of kidnappings and not feeling save instantly slipped from her mind at the thought of having everything she’d built up in Zaun be destroyed. She had to get out of this somehow.

“But– but I don’t want to be shadowed by an enforcer all day! Doesn't… doesn't that just draw more attention?”, she tried to argue. She knew an emotional appeal alone wasn't going to be enough.

Her mother looked sympathetic but stayed resolute. “I’d rather you draw attention than get hurt.”

Cait nearly groaned. “But what if–”, she started, desperately grasping for other reasons this was clearly ludicrous. “What if the officer we hire is bribed?”, she finally said. Someone in Piltover coming for her meant someone who had an issue with the council’s new policies. That meant someone wealthy with the means and willingness to come after her. “Or what if they’re sympathetic to our enemies!? I’m sorry, but frankly, the only enforcer I trust right now is Grayson.”

Cait’s mother scowled. “Yes, but we can’t hire her. She’s the sheriff, she has other priorities. I’m sure we can find someone…”

Cait dared be hopeful. At least her mother was willing to listen to her arguments – she just had to make them count.

“There is nobody that would make me feel safe”, Cait stated emphatically.

Her mother looked at her weighingly for a moment and Cait feared whatever she would suggest next. Maybe she would just disallow her from leaving the house, it occurred to her and her chest squeezed at the thought. Her heart yearned for Zaun. But maybe she could live without Zaun, at least for a while, as long as she had–

“Does Violet make you feel safe?”, her mother asked.

“Wha–” Cait had not expected that. “I–” She stuttered, hoping her face wasn't turning red, entirely unsure how she could possibly answer that question. “Why do you ask?”

“She did protect you – at great personal risk. You must have been around her and gotten to know her during her year with Jayce I presume?”, Cassandra mused, seeming to think this new idea through as she spoke. “If no enforcer or other bodyguard for hire will do… well, it’s not ideal, but nowhere in the indenture agreement does it qualify that she can’t work as a bodyguard.”

Cait was dumbstruck. Utterly floored. “You–” Her thoughts jumbled and she had to start over again. “You want to make Vi– Violet my bodyguard!?”

The worst part was that Cait could absolutely see the logic in her mother’s reasoning.

“Why not?” Cassandra shrugged, seeming more and more convinced. “What good is she to me polishing my silverware or holding wrenches for Mr. Talis? She would need some professional training of course, but she clearly already has the skills needed.” She paused briefly, pacing, hand on her chin in thought, but not long enough for Cait to speak up before she continued: “She could be bribed too I suppose, but being from the undercity she has more incentive not to be. And we could raise her wage as well, that feels appropriate either way.” Her mother looked back at Cait then, her eyes far too probing. “So do you trust her?”

“I–” Cait struggled to process what was happening right now. “Yes”, she said truthfully without thinking, only to instantly panic. “I mean, yes, but–”

“Great.” Her mother smiled. “Then it’s decided!”

Cait’s heart jumped into her throat and she herself jumped from the couch in disbelief. “It’s most certainly not! I haven't agreed to this!”, she pleaded, trying to order her thoughts enough to come up with something else to say on the matter. Vi– Vi couldn’t be her bodyguard. Except she could, she so clearly could but Cait couldn't let it happen.

Her mother sighed sadly and sat down on the couch beside her, taking Cait’s hands in her own to get her to sit back down as well.

“Caitlyn”, she said gently, her eyes strict and apologetic at the same time. “I am sorry, but I’m afraid I cannot give you a choice in this matter. Your safety is more important to me than your comfort, but I want you to feel safe. Is there a single, solid reason why this compromise won’t do? Why Violet can’t be your bodyguard?”

Because I’m in love with her, Cait’s thoughts screamed desperately. Because I have no poker face and to have her be required to stay by my side at all times watching me now that I know this would be torture. But she couldn't tell her mother that. And without that aspect to it… Cait was forced to admit it wasn't a bad idea. Vi did… make her feel safe. She did want her close. Gods, just not like this. But again… there was no way to explain that which would make sense to her mother.

Her head dropped as she resigned herself to her fate. “Fine. You’re right”, she said. This was happening. And if this had to happen– “I want Vi to have input on her uniform.”

That took her mother off guard. “Oh?”

Cait nodded her head, still resistant to the idea but thinking through the logistics anyway. They’d forced her into a uniform before – this time she would have a choice to be comfortable. “If she just has to wear something she’s not comfortable in, it might limit how effectively she can protect me”, Cait simply reasoned to her mother.

“Fair point”, Cassandra conceded, perhaps still having whiplash from how quickly Cait had agreed after all. “I’ll make sure she’s as effective as she can be.”

Cait’s smile was hesitant and a bit forced. “Thank you, mom”, she said anyway. It was a small silver lining.

“I would do anything to keep you safe”, her mother said, pulling her into her arms. “I love you, sweetheart”, she said against her ear as they hugged. “I’m so relieved you’re safe.”

Cait hugged her back, tightly. She meant well. Cait was being a horrible daughter by not just being grateful for just how much her mother cared. “I love you too, mom.”

—

This new development continued to plauge Cait all day. No matter how she rotated it in her mind, it wasn't good. She doubted she’d even be able to go to Zaun. There were still details to be discussed, other restrictions to be set. It was for her own safety, she knew. It was still going to suck. She still couldn't believe someone had bothered to come after her. She hated it. Not just because of how much it terrified her, but also because it meant she mattered. She didn't want to matter. Not like this.

Her father found her still pacing in her room a few hours later. A good thing too, because before that moment she’d had half a mind to sneak out and run to Zaun after all. She didn't even know what she would have done there. As much as she wanted to see her, the thought of actually facing Vi – a lucid Vi – now that she’d realised how she felt about her…

“Is everything alright, Caitlyn?”, her father asked her, first dipping his head into her room and then coming in fully when she didn't protest. Cait sighed, sitting down on the edge of her bed and her father joined her, saying: “I know you are probably still shaken yourself, but you must understand why your mother is making this decision.” He took her hand, smiling at her sympathetically. “We just want to see you safe.”

“Y-yeah”, Cait managed to say, hiccuping slightly from the excess of emotion still within her. “Of course. It’s for the best, I’m sure. It will just be… strange to have someone following me everywhere.”

Caitlyn realised her own hypocrisy of course, but it couldn't be helped.

“You don’t enjoy spending time with Violet?”

“I–” Cait was about to give some neutral statement, when her fathers tone registered. Knowing. She looked up at him, eyes big. “What?”

Tobias chuckled, patting her hand. “Your mother is very busy and – bless her heart – somewhat unobservant”, he said lovingly. “But I’ve seen you sit with Vi while she worked. I saw you get ready to go to Jayce’s together. And I saw how worried you were about her today – how quick to make sure she wasn't in any trouble.”

Caitlyn’s stomach turned. A year of sneaking around – except clearly she wasn't nearly as sneaky as she thought she’d been.

“Oh Gods”, she whispered, unable to meet her father’s eyes.

“It’s perfectly alright, sweetheart”, her father told her gently. “You’re allowed to like her.”

Cait pulled her hand out from under his to hug her own arms tightly. Sure, she was allowed to like her. But beyond that? She’d spent the past hour spiraling about all the details, the complications, the impossibility. Her father had no idea– but maybe… maybe it would be nice if he did. If Cait could finally stop lying. She just needed someone to talk to.

She still wasn't brave enough to look at him. “But I don't…”, she slowly started, quiet and uncertain if she was making a horrible mistake. “–just like her.” To feel it was already insanity, to say it out loud nearly dizzying. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, both reveling in and dreading this feeling.

“I thought that might be the case.”

Cait looked up to find her father smiling at her with understanding. Briefly she felt relief and warmth at his acceptance – then the dread came back. She couldn't sit still anymore so she got up to pace.

“Oh Gods. Is it really that obvious?”, she asked him. “What am I going to do!?”

Her father regarded her with confusion. “What do you mean?”

What did she mean? “I mean… she doesn't know! She can’t know.” Caitlyn had spent the past hour thinking about it, over and over always hitting the same wall: “There is no way she feels the same.”

“How are you so certain?”, her father asked patiently and Cait nearly laughed as she recognised his gentle tone from when he walked her mother through some social decision. It was oddly comforting to have him to lay it all out to, to get the jumbled thoughts out of her mind and into a clearer image.

“She hates topside and for good reason”, Cait said, gesturing a bit helplessly. “I’m an aristocrat. There is no way she could ever feel something for me the way I feel for her. She’s our indenture!” That last part was said with particular desperation, as the thought kept digging painfully into Cait’s heart.

Her father shook his head slightly, face still sympathetic. “That doesn't make your feelings wrong.”

“Doesn't it?”, Cait nearly shrieked, her heart beating too fast with this anxiety. For a year Vi had served her family in this house, had polished their floors, been entirely at Cait’s mercy. How could that not matter? “How do I know how much of this is just… ingrained entitlement?”

“Now, Caitlyn”, her father said with a frown, his tone almost chiding. “That’s very uncharitable toward yourself. You aren’t like that. You’ve got a good heart.”

“But does it matter?”, Cait continued to lay out, unable to stop thinking about this. She was going to be her bodyguard, for God’s sake. “I still benefit from the system that exploits her.”

Cair didn't want that. She just wanted to be a nobody in Zaun again. She wanted to be in Zaun where she was valued for her skills and not for her name, her potential ransome. Where the only power she had over someone was the one she chose to enforce with her own bullet, her own hands.

Her father’s eyebrows raised a little and she got the sense he had to suppress a chuckle. That didn't exactly make her feel better, but as he spoke she could understand why her words had been amusing to him. “I think you’ve been reading too much about politics. Love is simpler than that”, he said. “It’s also more complicated, but you shouldn't deny it just because of your circumstances.” Cait was going to protest, knowing full well that circumstances could change everything in a relationship but he held up a hand to stop her. “It’s good to be mindful of them but you can’t tailor your feelings to them, you’ll feel them either way. And denying them because of it will only make you miserable.”

Cait sighed, sitting back down on the bed, defeated. “So what am I supposed to do?”, she asked him, because despite how certain she was about the circumstances she was in, she had no answers – no way out. She was who she was. Nothing short of running away could change that and she didn't want that either.

“I can’t tell you that, honey”, her father said, laying an arm around her shoulder. “But for now I think you just have to be honest with yourself and see with open eyes. Not through the lens of class struggle but just see what’s in front of you. Feel what you feel. Try seeing how Violet feels. You’ll figure it out, you’re a smart girl. Try thinking of this bodyguard arrangement as an opportunity rather than a curse.”

An opportunity. She did want to be close to Vi, but this was exactly why it felt so wrong to force her to be. Vi wasn't going to be happy about this, she knew. Part of Cait still dreamed and hoped they would just be able to go to Zaun as usual but even if they could – Cait wasn’t sure that she should. Endangering Vi was bad enough but the others too? No, it would probably be best to stay in Piltover, as much as it hurt her. As much as it was going to hurt Vi.

She hated that she had to make this choice for her. Vi wasn't her property and she didn't want to treat her like it – she wouldn’t. That was it. They had gotten to know each other, their dynamic had changed. She just had to keep it changed even in this new situation. She wouldn’t treat her like a servant ever again, no matter what. They’d find a compromise, they’d figure out something – if Vi would be willing to hear her out that was. If she would manage to talk to Vi now that she… well…

Cait sighed again, settling on this strategy – this hope that this could somehow work out without being cruel to both her and Vi. “Alright”, she said. “I guess I’ll try.”

“Very good”, her father said with a note of pride in his voice, rubbing her shoulder. “Know that I’ll support you, no matter what.”

That did feel good. Not to lie. To have his support despite the fact that her problem was frankly stupid and self-inflicted. She’d gone and talked with a convicted criminal and then went on to change for her. To lie for her. To fall for her. How foolish could one be? The worst part was that she still didn't regret any of it at all.

There was one selfish thing she needed to ask of her father though. “Don’t tell mom, please.”

“I won’t”, Tobias said, squeezing her closer. “You can tell her yourself when you’re ready.”

Cait couldn’t help but question if she ever would be.

Chapter Text

Coming back home from Piltover without Cait and a fist sized bruise on her face, still shaky from the memories which had hit her so hard when that enforcer had grabbed her out of nowhere had been a lot of things, but above all else it had been embarrassing. It had been a lot to explain with Vi having had zero will to explain any of it. The others had let her get away with saying that Cait was fine, Vi was fine and it wasn't going to be a problem. Then Powder had helped her with her injuries. She only had a split lip, the cut on her eyebrow and a second one from blocking a different guy's knife with her left arm to take care of. The rest were bruises she was just going to ignore. She did get some ice for her face but the black eye was inevitable. She was still pissed at those topsider grunts. She was still shaky from the enforcers showing up and calling her slurs as they tried to arrest her. Again. At least last time she’d had time to prepare, to choose that outcome. Not this time. It had sucked, even though she knew that had probably been for the best for Cait. She wasn't upset at Cait.

She could still feel Cait’s palm on her cheek.

Still remembered what it had felt like to hold her close – to be held.

It was embarrassing. It was too revealing, too much, too close. She couldn't stop thinking about it. She couldn't let it happen again. She wanted to keep her distance somehow, was vaguely planning on getting in more Jayce days. Powder would be excited about that. But she couldn't do that just yet. She’d promised Cait tomorrow. She was going to see her tomorrow. She was going to make sure Cait was okay and then she would distance herself. Somehow. First she needed to know Cait was okay.

Intellectually she knew enforcers weren't a danger to Cait – on the contrary. That’s why she’d called for help and that had been a good thing. Vi wasn't upset at her for it. It didn't mean anything about whether Cait trusted her to handle guys like that. It was fine. Cait was fine. Vi still wasn't fine though, and that was hard to admit to herself, let alone others. She kept being pulled back to a bridge with smoke and gunfire and blue uniforms and violence and the shadow of Cait’s touch was not enough to keep her grounded. She tried to do what Cait had said and breathe. She wanted to rage and fight to get this feeling out of her bones but her feet were not steady enough. She asked Powder to stay with her. Distract her. Powder was only too happy to oblige. Vi tried really hard to enjoy her “Caitlyn-free” day. It was laughable, but not for the reasons Cait had thought. Vi was never free of her.

“What did she do?”, Powder asked her at one point, her near-angry grimace taking Vi off guard.

“She didn't do anything”, Vi quickly said. “She was nearly kidnapped. Then she let me go home.”

Powder narrowed her eyes at Vi and Vi had no idea what she was looking for in her face. “You don't have to fight for her, you know”, Powder said. “Not in Piltover at least. Where were the enforcers when this happened?”

Vi looked away as she shrugged and said: “Being shit at their job as usual.”

Powder groaned, leaning against Vi’s shoulder. “At least Cait maybe won't be coming down here anymore if she’s at risk of being kidnapped”, she said hopefully.

The words were surprisingly painful. Vi hadn't thought about that yet, had only considered tomorrow in as far as she was going to see her then. She hadn't considered that for a topsider, something like this happening meant there would be measures taken – changes made – to ensure it wouldn't happen again. Much more immediate however was the fact that Powder had pointed this out so optimistically. “She still bothers you that much?”, Vi asked, keeping her tone neutral.

Powder shrugged. “Cait herself is fine I guess”, she said. “But she’s still a topsider. She goes home to sleep in silk every night. She doesn't actually belong here.”

Vi realised with a start that she didn't agree but she couldn't explain why – well, she could. It was just a bad and terrible reason and she couldn't exactly admit it to Powder either. “You know if Cait can’t come down here neither can I for another three years, right?”, she said instead.

“Fuck”, Powder said, grumbling. “Forgot about that.” After another moment of pouting she said: “Fuck topside.”

“Yeah”, Vi couldn’t help but agree as she thought about the four grunts again and the corporate greed that was certainly behind their employment. Not even Cait was safe from it. “Fuck ‘em.”

—

She was early the next day but she kept trying to convince herself that that wasn't unusual. Vi was early all the time. Less so recently, but still. It was totally reasonable and normal.

Less normal was that Cait wasn't waiting for her by the gate, instantly filling her with worry. The gate was locked. She had to ring the doorbell and wait for someone to open it for her. The man that came to do so looked far too physically imposing to be a servant. Vi swallowed. At least he wasn't in an enforcer’s uniform either, but she eyed him wearily as he escorted her to the front door.

The moment she was inside she spotted Cait waiting in the corridor, already coming her way and she was hit with relief. “Cait”, she greeted hastily, momentarily not knowing what to do with her hands. The urge to hug her was overwhelming, but she managed to hold herself back. “What’s going on?”, she asked, looking back at the guard who had taken up a position next to the front door. She’d known to expect a change and still; she did not like it.

Cait looked worried too, which didn't exactly improve her opinion. “Sorry”, she said. “I’m not allowed to leave the house right now.”

Vi focused on Cait herself for now – as if she had any choice but to. “Are you okay?”, she asked, noting a small bandage on her jaw but no other indication that she was injured. There had been more blood, she remembered, but she didn't know if Cait had been punched or cut any more than what she could see now. It had been so hard to split her focus between Cait and fighting the kidnappers the day before.

“Am I okay?”, Cait asked with something close to a nervous chuckle. “Are you okay?” She reached out for her face – her blackened eye – only to stop halfway and withdraw again. Vi had barely had enough time to flinch back. She couldn't let Cait touch her again, although seeing the scrapes on her palm she was tempted to take her hand and inspect it like Cait had when she’d punched that shield prototype. She didn't do that either though.

“I’m fine”, Vi said quickly. “Obviously.”

“Yeah, you’ve had worse”, Cait said, smiling with what was probably relief but sounded almost sad. “I know.” She looked down at her own fidgeting fingers. “Vi, listen…”, she began, seeming to be wringing with herself. Vi braced herself for the worst. “Thank you, for what you did yesterday. I don't–” She swallowed. “I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there.”

Ridiculous. Of course Vi would protect her. Even without these stupid feelings, Vi had a responsibility to make sure she was safe… the fact that Cait seemed genuinely guilty right now made Vi feel all sorts of conflicted. In theory she was right to feel guilty but Vi wasn't upset. She’d gladly get punched in the face any day to protect Cait. This was bad, she obviously knew, but she couldn't deny that it was true. Not anymore.

“It was nothing”, she said halfway honestly, desperately needing this not to be a big deal. “Setting arrogant pricks like that straight is always a pleasure.”

“Right, but then the enf–”, Cait started, making Vi’s heart pick up speed.

“It’s fine”, she interrupted her. Gods, Cait knew too much. She understood too much. “I said I’m fine. Don't be so dramatic, Cupcake.” To be glib and dismissive was the only thing Vi could think of to do.

“Okay, sorry”, Cait quickly said. Not cowed but understanding. Fucking hell. She took a deep breath, seeming to ready herself. “My mom wants to talk to you”, she finally declared, explaining her awkward behaviour. “You’re not in trouble, I promise”, she was quick to add. “Just…” She trailed off, hesitating, seeming to not find the words. She shook her head. “Nevermind.” She steered them toward Cassandra’s office. “Go ahead. I’ll wait out here.”

She’d said Vi wasn't in trouble but she wouldn't meet Vi’s eyes. Vi tried not to be too disconcerted by that. Looking back at Cait one more time she went into the Councillor’s office.

“Violet!”, Cassandra greeted her brightly and all worry left Vi as the Councillor ushered her to the couch rather than the table and proceeded to lavish her with gratitude. Of course the Councillor was grateful – she’d saved her daughter. She could have figured that this was what this was about. She was apparently also grateful that Vi was early, since she was short on time, having to get to a meeting with the undercity. Vi zoned out a little during the barrage of ‘thank you’s and sympathy for her injuries and vows to reward her. Vi didn't really care and didn't really want a reward, already uncomfortable enough with all this attention. She wondered why Cait couldn't have warned her and the Councillor couldn't have just told her all this in the evening if she was so busy.

In her inattentiveness the Councillor’s tone had shifted to a more serious one and Vi had to replay her words in her mind before she finally grasped their meaning. Her mouth briefly fell open before she managed to catch herself.

“Her bodyguard!?”, she exclaimed in her bewilderment. She must have missheard.

Evidently she hadn't. “You protected her once. I don't see why you can't do it again”, Cassandra Kiramman said like it was the most logical thing in the world. “We will raise your wage accordingly. I’m aware that this job will include a lot more risk to your own safety”, her tone was grave enough for Vi to believe that was true, although that made it no less absurd. “I know this goes beyond what you are originally required to do. I couldn't fault you if you wanted to refuse. But for the sake of Caitlyn’s comfort and safety, please consider it.”

The Councillor was broadly assuming Vi would care about Cait’s comfort and safety and Vi hated that she was right. But still. This couldn’t be real. “I don't know anything about how to be a bodyguard”, she said. “I just got lucky.” 

In truth, she’d practically already been Cait’s bodyguard for a year. In practice she wasn't opposed to doing it – clearly – as Cassandra too was now unfortunately aware. But to have it made official, to have that be her… her job. It was absurd. Unthinkable. To be leashed to Cait so directly, the hierarchy so clear… it was simply impossible, especially when Vi wanted nothing more than to get far away from Cait now that she knew she was okay. She couldn't trust that more exposure to her wouldn't eventually lead to her doing something stupid she couldn't take back.

“Of course”, Cassandra said with a nod. “I will arrange training at the enforcers’ academy for y–”

Vi jumped up from the couch. “No!” At least the Councillor was making it easy. She’d have to be dragged to such a place kicking and screaming.

The Councillor blinked at her in surprise, certainly not ever having been spoken to in such a tone by a servant, let alone an indenture. “Excuse me?”

“I refuse”, Vi said firmly, squeezing her fists shut to keep them from shaking as smoke and blue uniforms filled her mind. “I will not be taught alongside enforcers.”

Cassandra sighed somewhat frustratedly. “Violet, please–”

“I said I refuse!”, Vi said again, louder. “Find someone else.” It would be better that way for all of them anyway. Cait had to know that she wouldn't do this. Didn't she?

The Councillor looked at her for a moment, seeming to weigh her options. Finally she sighed, got up from her seat and said: “Wait here a moment, please.” Then she left Vi in her office alone.

Any thoughts of snooping were pushed out by an overwhelming amount of other thoughts as Vi processed what was happening. First things first, she took a few deep breaths to make sure she wasn't trembling, frustrated when it was Cait’s reassuring face she saw in her mind’s eye rather than Vanders. She couldn't be Cait’s bodyguard. She couldn't be forced to care even more, couldn’t risk showing how she affected her.

On the other hand, the thought of somebody else watching Cait’s back didn't feel right either. It was settling in on her that refusing this likely meant not seeing her anymore, especially not in Zaun which was… fine. No, great, actually. It was exactly what Vi wanted. Definitely.

The door to the office opened again and Vi’s breathing hitched as she heard Cait’s voice.

“–not changing my mind. It’s worth a try”, she caught the end of their conversation.

“This just complicates things so much. I wonder if she’ll even have time”, Cassandra complained half-heartedly.

Cassandra and Cait both joined her at the couches. Vi didn't sit back down and neither did they.

“Thank you for your patience, Violet”, Cassandra said, though Vi’s eyes were pinned to Cait. “Caitlyn has proposed a compromise that you might apparently be more amenable to. How would you feel if only Sheriff Grayson were training you? Privately.”

Vi’s eyes briefly darted to Cassandra’s in surprise, then went back to scrutinizing Cait, who herself only met her eyes briefly, evidently having the decency to be ashamed. A looming sense of betrayal dawned on Vi that she felt incredibly foolish for feeling. Had this been Cait’s idea?

“This is worth the effort of roping the Sheriff into it?”, she asked, crossing her arms.

Cait’s eyes flicked up to hers for only a moment, but she saw a glint of defiance in them – a sign of her determination, which did not bode well for Vi in this instance. “I don't want a different bodyguard”, she said.

Vi couldn't help but scowl. “Entitled as always, I see.” She should have known better than to trust a… even in her own mind she couldn't bring herself to call Cait a piltie anymore. It only made her more angry, ashamed of her impulsive cruel words, even as the shame just made her angrier too.

“Will you do it with Grayson or not?”, Cassandra asked, desperation bleeding through into her voice. It struck Vi just how worried the Councillor had to be.

Someone had nearly kidnapped Cait but Vi had been there to save her. She hated it. She hated that they had to ask this of her and that they could ask this of her and she hated that she was going to say yes despite everything.

“Fine”, Vi bit out, not sure who she was more annoyed with – Cait or herself. “If she’ll do it… that would be fine.”

“Hallelujah”, Cassandra said sarcastically, though her genuine relief was also evident. “You are the most expensive indenture I have ever so much as heard of, Violet. But I suppose it will be worth it for Caitlyn’s safety.”

Cait smiled, also relieved. “Thank you, mom. I’m sorry for the trouble. It really means a lot.”

“Of course”, Cassandra said, reaching out to give her daughter’s arm a squeeze only to hesitate and then gently patting her shoulder instead. Vi couldn’t help but notice the gesture and realised Cait’s arm was likely bruised from yesterday. Somehow she managed to feel guilty for it, for not protecting her better. Then Cassandra moved toward her desk, turning from a mother into a Councillor. “I will begin arranging things. Violet, you can go back to your regular work for now. Oh, and start thinking about specifications for your new uniform. Caitlyn, remember: No leaving the house.”

“Yes, mom”, Cait said dutifully, then finally looked at Vi for longer than a second. She looked worried but still determined. It was obvious to Vi that Cait knew. She knew Vi didn't want this, and yet she’d arranged it anyway.

Vi followed her out of the office, followed quietly all the way into a different room where they could be sure they were alone. Where nobody would overhear.

“What the fuck, Caitlyn?”, Vi yelled the second that door was shut. She could at least have given her a damn warning.

Instead of flinching away from her anger as she might have two years ago, Cait stepped toward her to meet it. “You think I’m happy about this?”, she asked.

“Apparently you’re the one insisting on it!”

“Because the alternative is worse”, Cait simply said.

“Worse for who?”, Vi accused. When Cait remained stubbornly silent for several seconds Vi scoffed. “That’s what I thought.”

“Oh, so you would just love to go back to scraping dirt from the floor, is that it?”, Cait went on, body tense. She waited until Vi was actually looking at her to continue, seeming to intentionally lower her voice, though some evdient frustration remained. “If I’m under surveillance by a bodyguard then I can’t go to the undercity with you. I’m not even sure we can make that work if it’s you, but at least there’s a chance. Otherwise, at best you’d be stuck with Jayce permanently. Either way, this break from your indenture is officially over. You’re welcome that it happened at all.”

Vi nearly growled, looking away to pace, running a hand through her hair as her thoughts raced and emotions boiled. Cait was right and she hated it. The past year had been amazing and it had all been thanks to Cait and she’d just done it for no reason, no real benefit to herself – other than getting to throw it in Vi’s face now. She couldn't stand it. She could stand the not insubstantial part of her that just wanted to give in even less. It was so hard to look at her, but even harder to stay turned away.

“Fine”, she bit out again. “I’m fucking grateful, is that what you want to hear?” She was still yelling and felt slightly bad that she couldn't do this differently, but the anger was all she had to cling to. “And I’m so grateful that I’ll be stuffed into yet another shitty uniform. If it looks anything like an enforcer’s I’m setting it on fire, by the way, whether I’m in it or not.”

“No, of course!”, Cait said, matching her energy but not her tone. “You can decide what you want your uniform to be like – within reason, of course but I made sure my mother knew you’d need something adjusted to your preference.”

“You– really?” Vi was brought up short by the revelation, the kind gesture taking her off guard. It shouldn’t have been a surprise, but to know Cait had already considered her feelings on this matter, even as she was so broadly disregarding her feelings on others…

“Yeah”, Cait said a bit shortly. “You’re welcome.” Now she was matching Vi’s bitter tone, but only for a moment. She sighed. “Sorry, I don't–” She looked away briefly, then met Vi’s eyed again. “I’m not happy about this either”, she reiterated, guilt at least apparent in her face.

Vi sighed too, running her hand through her hair again. It was getting too damn long. “Whatever, it’s too late now.”

There was a long, awkward silence. Neither of them seemed to know what to say. Vi wanted to flee, but the only excuse she could think of was to go look for a maid to instruct her on what to clean and she did not want to do that.

“Right, by the way–”, Cait finally spoke up a few moments later. “If anyone topside asks: You have a rare autoimmune disease only found in people from the fissures.”

Vi raised an eyebrow. “Is that a fact?” Vi had never heard of such a thing. Then again, there were a lot of diseases in Zaun that topside had never had to worry about.

“It is for the purpose of your quick get-away yesterday”, Cait said, which indeed explained the out-of-pocket remark.

Again, Vi was startled by her… care. Thank you. Vi had already said thank you yesterday. It had all been so much, she had been drowning and Cait had somehow kept her above water. She’d had to say it or she would have choked on it. She was choking on it again now. There was just too much she had to be thankful for. She was too understanding, too unnervingly able to calm Vi, too willing to do it, too… too Gods damned perfect. Too alluring, like a siren’s call she knew would be the end of her.

Vi just stayed quiet, even if the weird tension in the air was killing her. She flinched when someone knocked on the door. The guard who had let her into the mansion stuck his head into the room.

"Excuse me, Miss Kiramman”, he said to Cait politely. “There is a commotion by the gate. A young girl with blue hair. She’s demanding to see Violet.”

Vi’s blood froze in her veins. “Shit”, she cursed. “Not again.”

Cait was instantly on her feet. “Let her go to talk to her”, she told the guard and nodded for Vi to go.

Again Vi’s heart squeezed with gratitude and rushing out of the room to go to her sister was all Vi could do to keep her from letting it show. The guard followed her, seeming annoyed at having to keep pace with her. Seeing Powder standing behind that gate again was painful, though she seemed less distressed this time.

“Powder”, Vi greeted her while the guard unlocked the gate.

“Vi, what the hell?”, Powder asked, eyeing the guard as Vi urged her just a bit down the street, relieved again when the guard stayed by the gate, although he was watching them. She supposed that was his job.

“I’m not in trouble, everything is fine”, Vi assured Powder.

“This doesn't look fine”, Powder retorted, gesturing at the guard. “Why didn't you come back?”

Vi sighed, helplessly rubbing her hands over her face. “I can't do that anymore”, she had to tell her. “It’s like we feared: Cait can't leave the house.”

Powder’s grimace was frustration and annoyance and maybe just a bit of sadness. “Okay, so say you’re going to Jayces”, she said hopefully.

Vi shook her head. “I can't do that.” She had no idea how to tell Powder about this. She was already cringing, knowing her sister wouldn't take it any better than she had. “I kind of… have a new job.”

“A new job?”, Powder asked, scrunching up her eyebrows. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Vi took a deep breath. “They’re making me Cait’s bodyguard”, she said quickly, ripping the bandage off. “Like, officially.”

Powder was quiet for a moment. Stunned.

“No”, she finally said.

“Powder–”, Vi tried to quickly reassure her but Powder was only just getting her bearings.

“No!”, she immediately repeated, cutting her off. “No! They can't do that!”, she yelled, anger and panic both rising in her voice. “You can't do that! They can't expect you to! This is not what you agreed to–” She was nearly trembling.

Vi’s heart clenched. This reaction was worse than she’d feared. “I know, but–”

“So refuse!”, Powder said, gesturing emphatically. “They can't do this to you Vi!” She was more angry than afraid it seemed. “They can’t take you away from me! They can't expect you to die for her. They can’t–”

Vi grabbed her sister by the shoulders in a last ditch attempt to get her to listen, to calm down. “Powder. It’s fine, I won't die! I can handle it.” Vi wasn't sure if her concern was touching or insulting but either way she needed her to calm down.

“But why?”, Powder pleaded. “You don't have to do this! You can't do this!”

It was the exact same thing Vi had been thinking an hour ago, if for slightly different reasons. Vi slowly reached out, knowing she had to say something, had to explain herself, but words refused to form. They were there, at the tip of her tongue: I love her. I can't say no to keeping her safe. I’m sorry. Vi knew that only that very last part was even remotely possible to get past her lips.

As Powder looked at her, her expression darkened. Vi couldn’t say the words but it seemed Powder understood them in some form or another anyway.

“For her?!”, she asked, sounding nearly disgusted. She swatted Vi’s hands away. “You’re going to do this for her!? What is it about Caitlyn fucking Kiramman?!?” Vi wished she fucking knew. She tried to reach for her sister again but Powder stepped back, hands clutching into the front of her own shirt. “What about me!?”, she asked, seeming near tears. Her face twisted again and she flinched to the side this time, covering her ears. “SHUT UP!”, she yelled, spiking worry through Vi. “Shut up! Stop saying that!” She growled, shaking her head, turning back to Vi with desperation in her eyes. “You can't do this, Vi. Please.”

“I–” Vi’s breathing hitched. This suddenly felt bigger than just the bodyguard situation. Something was wrong. But she didn't know what it could be, didn't know what to say. “I’m sorry, Powder”, she said with her own desperation. “I have to.”

Powder looked at her like Vi had struck her and again Vi wanted to reach out, wanted to ask what was wrong, but she could feel that Powder would have none of it in that moment. She waited for her to say something. Anything. Powder took another step back.

“Powder”, Vi said wearily, taking a careful step toward her. Then her sister turned around and ran. “Powder!”, she called after her, but her feet stayed stuck to the pavement, even as the urge to follow her was overwhelming. She turned back to the guard watching her keenly, watched Powder disappear into the distance.

“Fuck!” Vi threw her hands down, clenched them in frustration. She tried desperately to rationalise that she was making the right choice here. That Powder would get over it, that she was old enough to make it home safely. That she had every right to be pissed off at her and Vi would just have to be okay with that.

Shut up. Vi hadn't been saying anything. She hadn't fucking said anything, had she? Why wasn't Powder talking to her? As she returned to the giant mansion she had once again confined herself to she couldn't help but be disgusted by it, certain that the fact that Powder didn't feel she could talk to her was entirely her own fault.

—

Powder ran along the too bright streets of Piltover blindly, fighting with angry tears. Her heart was racing and she knew she was freaking out too much, panicking too much. She couldn't stop it – nearly welcomed it. Feeling mad was better than feeling helpless. Helpless to stop Vi from doing something so stupid.

“She is going to disappear”, she heard his voice clear as day and she whirled, his image flickering in the shadow of a building.

 “She will leave you”, Silco told Powder coldly, evenly. The same way he always spoke – at least the way he’d used to. “Vi will be taken away from you if Caitlyn doesn't go away instead.” He flickered out of existence again as Powder struggled to breathe. He reappeared right beside her, his features distorted as he said: “You should kill her.”

It would be easy, Powder thought for only a second. Gun in her hand, pointed at the enemy.

“No”, she tried to quickly protest, to banish the images the madness was conjuring from her mind. “No, it’s not Caitlyn’s fault.” She knew it was true, knew Caitlyn wasn't the problem and yet it gnawed at her. Caitlyn wasn't like them. Caitlyn could get away with whatever she wanted and she was still a squeaky clean coward as far as Powder was concerned. She couldn't trust that. Couldn't trust–

“It’s topside’s fault”, Silco said, looming behind her. “It should all be blown to kingdom come.”

“No!”, she yelled, turning to face and defy his shitty hallucination even as she knew what it was telling her was exactly what she believed. It was topside’s fault. She could never trust topside. But she couldn't do that either, not after everything they’d achieved. “Shut up! Shut up!”, she screamed at him, squeezing her eyes shut. “You’re not even real. You’re not real!” She tried to breathe, tried to calm down like Vander had taught her, but she couldn't quite manage. “The real you disappeared. You left me!”

“I would never leave you”, he whispered so gently in her ear. An old promise, long broken.

“Then where the fuck are you? Huh?!”, she threw back at him, opening her eyes only to find the street empty. He was gone. Powder’s breath hitched and she collapsed to her knees, tears squeezing out of her eyes against her will. She hugged her own arms tightly. “Where are you?”, she pleaded with empty air that gave no comfort.

—

Vi still felt bad when she came home that evening, which was not helped at all when Powder left the room below the bar the moment she entered it. All it took was a moment for her sister to look up from her work to see her coming and then she was out the other exit.

Vi sighed, turning to her confused brothers. “Hey”, she just said before sitting down heavily on the couch.

“Hey”, Mylo said, watching the door creak shut behind Powder. He turned to Vi with a raised eyebrow. “What happened now?”

Vi groaned, beyond frustrated. “I have to stay in Piltover for my indenture again.”

“Okay”, Mylo said, exchanging a look with Claggor. “Bummer, but not storm-off-in-a-huff-worthy at the moment.”

It was so tempting to push her face into the cushions and scream. “I’m officially being assigned as Cait’s bodyguard”, Vi explained instead, attempting to maintain what remained of her dignity.

Apparently a wasted effort as Mylo immediately started laughing his ass off. She scowled at him and he gestured apologetically, clearly attempting to stop, but failing miserably.

“Gee, thanks”, Vi said flatly. “Someone tried to have her kidnapped. It’s possible this will be genuinely dangerous.”

Mylo slowly started to breathe normally again, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. “Yeah, okay”, he admitted at that. “I see why Powder is mad.” He exchanged another look with Claggor that nearly had him in stitches again. “But to me it sounds like it’ll be business as usual for you. At least you’ll get to have fun legally beating up topsider fools.”

“You’re not worried for my safety?”, Vi asked with put-on offence. “You’re not pissed Cait will be using me as a meat shield?”

“Not really, no”, Mylo said with an eye-roll.

“Cait wouldn't do that”, Claggor added. The defense made Vi feel irrationality tender.

“I know that”, she said, suppressing another groan. “Tell that to Powder.”

“Nu-uh, this is solidly a ‘sisters issue’”, Mylo said immediately with a fear in his voice that Vi found entirely pathetic. Then again, she wasn't excited to be dealing with this either.

Claggor was nicer about his own staying-out-of-it. “Good luck, Vi”, he said.

Vi sighed. “Thanks.”

—

“I’m not here to condescend to you, Violet”, Sheriff Grayson told Vi two days later. They were in a sitting room at the Kiramman Estate that had been cleared of furniture and filled with thin mats for them to use to train. For now Vi was in her old uniform and it felt incredibly strange. Things with Powder still weren't sorted so Vi was doubly not in a mood to “learn” today, which Grayson apparently picked up on.

“I have no doubt that your combat abilities are above average for anyone your age”, the Sheriff went on. “Just as I am certain your observational skills are better than those of many of my men.” She stood stiffly with her hands behind her back, making Vi feel self-conscious, and like she should also be standing at attention, especially considering the unexpected praise. “But there are protocols and procedures you will have to follow. And there are techniques of protecting an individual that I’m certain Councillor Kiramman would appreciate if I don’t leave you to intuit for yourself. The priority is Caitlyn Kiramman’s safety. If nothing else, can you work with me on this basis?”

For a moment Vi feared the old woman had too good of a read on her, but she quickly shook off that feeling. Compassion for Cait was the obvious thing for them to agree on, stupid feelings or not.

“I guess”, Vi reluctantly agreed accordingly.

“Good”, the Sheriff nodded with what for her might pass as a smile. “Then let’s start with the basics.”

—

“How is training going?”, Cait asked Vi a week later when she collapsed onto the couch Cait was reading on after another grueling day of dry theory and painfully basic drills.

Vi just grumbled. It was a chore to stay attentive but she couldn't deny that it was interesting and important knowledge the Sheriff was giving her. She had no experience prioritising a second person when fighting as the attempted kidnapping had proved and she also lacked a lot of knowledge of Piltoven structures and expected behaviours that the old woman was smart enough to impart. The drills were all aiming to alter her muscle memory so that she could react in an instant in a way that would protect Cait rather than just herself or deal with the threat directly. It was basic but she did appreciate that it was important if she wanted to really keep Cait safe. Which she did, but she wasn't going to tell her that.

“Be honest, Cait”, she said instead, because ever since the training had started, with Powder still giving her the cold shoulder, she’d begun to come to terms with some things. “How likely is it that we’ll make it back to Zaun while this is going on?”

Caitlyn closed her book with a grimace, cringing. “My mom will want to know exactly where I’m going, although we could keep using the Jayce lie. Maybe.” She didn't sound very confident.

Vi sighed, turning onto her back to stare at the ceiling. “I’d have to change out of my uniform before we get all the way home. We’d stand out too much otherwise.” She’d talked over what she wanted for said uniform with a specialised tailor two days ago and she couldn't help but be a little excited for the result, even as she also dreaded actually having to wear it.

“I’d probably have to stay in my normal clothes too if this current security persists”, Cait added with a nod. “And…” Cait hesitated, so very apologetic as she said: “If anybody follows us to the undercity…”

It could endanger everyone there, she didn't say, but Vi understood anyway.

“So we’re not going to the undercity”, Vi said.

Vi was pretty sure Cait had figured all this out ages ago. Always four steps ahead. She’d only said they might make it to convince her, the damn fox. It was surprisingly easy to be angry yet keep adoring her, which was incredibly frustrating.

“I’m really sorry”, Cait told her and sounded genuinely sorrowful. She paused for a long moment, but it was clear to Vi she wanted to say more, so she waited. “I… I kind of have an idea of what else we could do, but I won't do it unless you agree.”

“Well?”, Vi said, gesturing for her to continue. She should be on her way home already, but her muscles ached and she just couldn't tear herself away. Not yet.

“I’m thinking: What's the point of having a bodyguard if I just stay cooped up here again?”, Cait said. “There has to be something else I can do – some way to help with the resistance to the undercity negotiations going on in the upper classes.”

Vi pushed herself up on her elbows to raise an amused eyebrow at Cait. “You want to do politics?”

“‘Want’ is a strong word”, Cait quickly deflected. “And so is ‘politics’. I don't know. I guess it just feels strange not to do something when it’s happening right in front of me. I at least want to see the situation for myself. Maybe, if there is something I can do to make this transition smoother…”

Of course. Of course she would want to help. She was so predictable and so cute. “So what would that mean?”, Vi quickly asked before her train of thought got too lost down those tracks. She should be trying harder to keep her distance. Why was she even still here right now? Tomorrow she would leave right after training ended. Could she do that without saying goodbye? Could she bring herself to? She had to get this under control or everything would just get worse – hurt more.

“It would mean attending functions”, Cait said. “Parties, dinners, investor meetings. It would mean mingling with Piltover’s richest. So I completely understand if you don't want to.”

Considerate, but unnecessary. “Why not?”, Vi shrugged. At least it would mean something to do other than sitting around, something for Vi to distract herself from Cait’s proximity. “I’m not afraid of some stuck-up aristocrats. I just have one condition.”

“Of course. Anything”, Cait said surprisingly quickly.

Anything? Well, now Vi felt like she should ask for something better. She couldn't think of anything though – nothing reasonable at least. Asking for a kiss would not be reasonable. The thing she originally wanted already felt like a crazy ask. Crazy and… ridiculous, bordering on embarrassing.

“I want a partner”, Vi said. “A second bodyguard. Someone to help me keep an eye out.”

As Sheriff Grayson had been explaining the techniques for protecting someone to her it had become blatantly apparent that most things were more effective if the bodyguard wasn't alone. Since Grayson had also been stressing the seriousness of the situation, the very real danger to Cait, Vi was… tempted. She knew the old woman was probably manipulating her but she was tempted for another reason as well.

She’d come to terms with the fact that she would be forced to be around Cait, that she would have no choice but to battle with her stupid infatuation. Having a partner in guarding Cait would at least mean she wouldn’t have to be alone with her so much. She was sorely hoping to avoid that temptation, especially considering that she was technically already failing at it right now.

“Oh. Okay”, Cait said, seeming genuinely surprised, maybe even disappointed? Vi didn't question that too deeply. “Not what I expected, but… sure.” She frowned, then. “I don't think it would be possible to get someone from Zaun though.”

“I know”, Vi said, disappointed about that herself, but having figured as much. “I was hoping you’d have an idea.”

Cait chuckled. “Just one.”

—

“Vi, this is Steb”, Cait introduced her to her former recruit trainer another week later. Apparently there had been a bunch of paperwork to take care of to transfer Steb to bodyguard duty instead of enforcer training. Cassandra had made Cait do it herself, since she didn't have that kind of time at the moment. “Steb, this is Vi.”

The Marai boy did not extend a hand for her to shake, instead keeping his hands stiffly behind his back and inclining his head wordlessly. Vi understood now why they’d apparently never talked much during Cait’s time training with him. Now it was Vi’s turn it seemed. Grayson trained the two of them together, satisfied to be drilling specific two-guard scenarios.

Steb was very professional and competent and Vi couldn’t help but feel slightly unnerved by it. It called to mind the rigid brutality of enforcers that made her feel uneasy now that it was him and the Sheriff. It was frustrating because it cost Vi some concentration to not let it get to her, making her perform more poorly at the drills. She remembered what Cait had told her about Steb not actually wanting to become an enforcer, but he sure had the attitude for it as far as she could tell. That had to change. She’d have to get to know him better or this would be a disaster.

With that goal in mind she struck up some conversation during warm-ups the next day. In proper Zaunite fashion she didn't beat around the bush: “So, enforcer in training, huh?”, she asked him casually. “Was that your first choice?”

Steb’s overly blue eyes darted toward her for a moment before he looked away again, taking his time to respond, completing a few more sit-ups before he finally did. “Hardly”, he said without looking at her.

His voice was startlingly deep considering his lean build with that gravely and almost echoing quality to it typical of Marai vocal chords that were evolved to vocalise just as well submerged in water – if not better. It was impossible for humans to imitate and had something of a bubbly character. Vi didn't know very many Marai but his build and angular features seemed to lean very human, only the turquoise tint to his skin, slightly finned ears and delicate scaling around his eyes showing his aquatic heritage.

“Care to elaborate on that?”, Vi tried to get a bit more out of him.

“No”, he returned evenly. Not sounding annoyed like she might have expected but more like the idea was uncomfortable to him.

Vi looked at him for a moment but finally shrugged. "Okay, fair."

She kept doing her own warm-up, occasionally glancing over at him. She really didn't know many Marai, the only full-blooded one she’d ever met being Jericho. Big, boisterous and effortlessly intimidating if he wanted to be; he never had issues with anyone. Hell, most people loved him since he made some of the best food in the fissures, was always courteous and very helpful for the right price. But that was in Zaun. Steb lived in Piltover. He’d sold his youth just to get a proper education here.

“If you really don't want to talk I get that”, Vi tried again while they were doing push-ups. “But if you're just being weird about your accent, don't be.”

He looked at her briefly again, looking kind of taken aback for a moment before staring straight down. “Sorry”, he said, indeed sounding embarrassed. “Force of habit.” Vi got just the slightest glimpse of sharp teeth behind his lips that made her realise another reason why Steb may not feel comfortable talking. She could only imagine the comments he’d gotten from Piltover’s most wretched public.

Steb finished his set and then sat up, taking a quick break and Vi joined him. He briefly double-checked that Sheriff Grayson still wasn't back from her smoke. Then he grimaced and said: “Enforcers say they enforce the law but they see themselves as above that same law.”

Vi nodded, finally seeing a kinship in his eyes. She didn't need him to elaborate further to know he spoke from experience. “You’re just doing it to help your sister, right?”, Vi asked, remembering what little Cait had told her.

The corner of his mouth quirked up in a hesitant smile. He nodded. “Like you.”

Vi was taken off guard by that. Cait had talked to him about her – had told him about her despite his silent disposition. Vi supposed she could understand how it might have come up but it was still unexpected. “Yeah”, she said, with her own startled smile. “Like me.”

Thinking of Powder and how her sister was still avoiding her hurt, but her dedication to her always remained. This reminder that Steb had more in common with her than the Sheriff eased a lot of Vi’s tension. He was an enforcer in training out of necessity. In other words: They weren't so different.

Steb stayed a man of few words despite Vi’s implicit reassurance that she did not hold anything against him for who he was or what his voice sounded like. As they got up from the floor and switched to lunges though he did say one more thing: “I’m glad I can protect Caitlyn instead.”

Since it was technically active duty, this time as a bodyguard would be subtracted from his required term as an enforcer. Despite herself, Vi couldn’t help but smile as she thought of Cait and said: “Yeah. Me too.”

—

Vi was staring into the bathroom mirror, scissors in hand, frowning. She hadn't cut any of her hair – yet. She really wanted to. What she had done was brush it out properly for the first time in ages, brushed it back neatly and tied it into a ponytail. Like Cait’s – kind of – except instead of two neat strands framing her face there was just one chunk of her side-cut at the very front that wasn't quite long enough to stay in the hair tie, meaning she had to tuck it behind her ear. With all the hair out of her face she barely recognised herself. She wanted to cut it short, make it wild, make it… Zaunite. But she was hesitating, just glaring at her reflection as she tried to make a decision.

“It looks fine.”

Vi jumped as Powder’s voice startled her, her sister having accidentally snuck up from the door beside her due to how lost in thought she’d been. Instantly she felt relief that she was talking to her at all, only to return unhappily to the mirror.

“You don't have to lie to me”, she said with a miserable chuckle.

She immediately regretted it when she saw her sister shy away at the remark through the mirror. “I’m sorry, Pow, I–” She still didn't know what to say. Nothing had changed. “You know Cait”, she finally pointed out. “She… she isn't so bad.” Not bad at all.

“Yeah. I know”, Powder said, her reflection’s eyes meeting Vi’s. “But she’s a topsider. You can't trust her not to throw you under the bus the moment there’s trouble.”

“Actually, I can”, Vi said slowly, not afraid to admit at least that much. She’d done so before after all, even if this was a bit different. Or not so different, considering Cait had held her after the factory too. She’d tried to forget about that, same as she was trying to forget what Cait had done for her after the near-kidnapping. A poor effort in both cases. She couldn't tell Powder about that. “She… fought back against the kidnappers herself”, she said instead, because that was true too. “And…” Vi hesitated to admit this, as it came with all kinds of other issues. But it was unfortunately relevant. “And I know she’s the one who shot Rainer. You don't use rubber bullets anymore.”

Powder was obviously startled by that, her eyes widening. “Why didn't you say anything?”, she asked quietly.

Because it had been easier to pretend she didn't know. “It didn't really matter”, Vi said. It didn't matter that Cait had made that shot and then lied about it and it didn't matter that Vi had immediately known because she’d recognised the real gun at Powders hip. It was fine. Both of those things were fine. She still has the damn bullet, she couldn't bring herself to get rid of it somehow. “I trust Cait. Like Vander said”, she simply stayed on topic. “I understand if you don't want to, but… can you trust me?”

Some naive, hopeful part of Vi thought Powder might tell her what she was actually thinking of as they just stared at each other for silent moments through the mirror. Powder chewed on her lip in consideration, eyes darting to the floor and back just once. Eventually Vi couldn't resist anymore and turned to properly face her sister.

“Okay”, Powder just said once she had. No revelations, no confessions. Vi suppressed a sigh, instead nodding with a gentle, grateful smile. Grateful for at least this concession. “I meant it, by the way”, Powder went on to say, nodding toward the mirror. “Your hair does look fine.”

Vi turned back to look at it again with a pout, narrowing her eyes at herself. “I look like a topsider.”

Powder had no mercy when she said: “Isn't that the point?”

Chapter Text

It took Grayson another five weeks to deem Vi and Steb ready. Cait thought she was being a bit overly cautious but it did give her time to do some preliminary research, as well as allow all their wounds to heal. Two months was still generous for all that and Cait was beyond ready to get to leave the house again when Grayson finally declared her work finished.

Vi’s eyebrow was permanently bisected by the scar she’d gotten and Cait still found herself picking at and running her fingers over her own scar on her jaw while reading. It was barely visible at this point but it was still unusual for her to feel and she kind of liked it. She felt like she’d earned it. It would be just a small reminder of the past year in Zaun when she was about to face Piltoven society again.

In typically sanctimonious fashion nobody had stopped inviting Caitlyn Kiramman to their events just because she hadn't deigned to show her face at one in years. The next upcoming social event was in three days. Cait didn't want her debut back in high society to also be her first time going out with Vi officially acting as her bodyguard though so today they were just going to visit Jayce. He hadn't heard about the attempted kidnapping yet. Generally few people had. Although Cassandra had done her best to keep it from the public, Caitlyn was under no delusion that other aristocrats wouldn't know – what enforcers knew usually made it to the ears of the wealthy quickly. At least with Jayce she’d get to tell him herself. It was tempting not to tell him at all, but she knew better than to keep this secret. She had enough other secrets to grapple with.

She fidgeted nervously with her dress as she waited in her room for Vi to arrive. She’d replaced a lot of her clothes, her build changing as she had finished growing and also dramatically increased her exercise. She was glad she had those excuses, because truly she was happy to wear clothes that were just a little less tight and stiff. A little less Piltover and a little more Zaun. She wondered if Vi had noticed. She wondered what Vi would look like. She had yet to wear her new uniform in front of her, fitted for it in private. Cait figured she was prepared for it, as she’d seen Vi in her old uniform and that had been fine.

She was very wrong.

Not only had she not been aware of her own feelings back then, but this new uniform was very different. When a knock sounded at her door and Vi came in, Cait nearly didn't recognise her at first. Her steps were confident as ever, but her posture was just a little stiffer, more dignified for lack of a better term. Instead of hanging messily in her face as usual her hair was tied back tightly, only a small portion on one side of her face too short for it, instead brushed behind her ear, which at least returned some asymmetry to her features, along with her scars.

Cait noticed the details of the uniform last, the general impression of imposing professionalism so distractingly uncanny on Vi of all people. It was mostly a warm brownish-black with some padding and reinforcement in critical areas with gold metal details, admittedly similar to an enforcers. She assumed for functionality’s sake that couldn't be avoided or Vi would have. The panels of fabric over her chest, back and shoulders though were not the typical enforcer blue but a dark red instead, just toned down enough not to stand out exactly, but combined with Vi’s pink-red hair it looked striking. The Kiramman’s crest was emblazoned on her shoulders like a brand, making Cait feel distinctly strange.

She couldn't help but gape, standing dumbstruck as she took it all in, feeling heat rise to her face. It was Vi, who managed to look imposing and dangerous without even trying, now reshaped from something vaguely feral into something exact and authoritative. It wasn't Vi but it sure was something. All of that was ultimately underpinned by just how… handsome Vi was. Even if she didn't look like Cait was used to Vi looking, she couldn't deny that it was having an effect on Cait that made her heart race and face struggle to remain schooled. Was it really the uniform or had Vi just always been this hot and Cait had just been too dumb to notice?

Vi was frowning. “Not a word”, she snapped at Cait, clearly reading Cait’s expression entirely wrong, which was both relief and frustration. “I know I look ridiculous.”

Cait was stunned how Vi could even think that. “That’s not what I was going to say”, Cait told her. In all honesty she hadn't expected to find any words at all, swallowing as she found her mouth unusually dry.

Vi narrowed her eyes, finally scoffing. “Sure”, she said with a shrug. “Whatever.”

Her hands were covered by fingerless gloves rather than her usual boxing wrap, some extra structure and padding over the knuckles suggesting that there was some additional weight and density built into them. Not that she needed anything more, but besides that the only weapon Vi carried was a small bola launcher, which Caitlyn eyed with some amusement. Anything to distract herself from how Vi looked in that uniform, which her mind for some reason connected back to the one time Vi had pushed her up against a wall to yell at her. Better to focus on the weapon than let that thought get away from her.

“How is your aim?”, she asked, realising she’d never seen Vi fire any kind of gun.

“So-so”, Vi said with a smirk and a vague gesture. “I figure if we ever need it I’ll just hand it over to you.”

Now Cait frowned. “You’re my bodyguard, not my pack mule.” The former was bad enough. She would not treat Vi like a servant.

Vi seemed a lot less concerned. “I might as well multitask”, she said with a shrug. Then she sighed. “We haven't even started yet and I’m already bored.”

Guit shot through Cait. “I– I’m sorry”, she sputtered out, hating her complicity in all this. An irrational part of her wanted to go back on all of it but go back to what? Everything had changed and now they were here.

“No, you were right”, Vi said, seeming a bit uncomfortable herself, not meeting Cait’s eyes. “It’s better than polishing floors.”

A frighteningly low bar – because Vi didn't have any other choices. Cait didn't want to be just the least terrible option, but here she was, equally locked into this position. If she didn't make herself Vi’s master, someone else would. It made Cait want to not rest until there were no more masters left.

“We’re just going to Jayce’s today anyway”, Cait told her, trying to also reassure herself.

“Great”, Vi chuckled. “So he too can witness my humiliation.” Cait’s ability to school her features still had to be abysmal, because when she looked up to Cait’s face Vi immediately raised an eyebrow and added: “I’m joking.”

Cait couldn't help but huff a bit frustratedly, both about how lightly Vi was able to take this and how obvious her guilt and likely in extension all her feelings apparently were. Her heart was still beating kind of fast. How the hell would she keep Vi from noticing that? What the hell would Vi think of her feelings? Cait already felt bad that she was now essentially in a position where she would dictate what Vi would be doing. Adding feelings to the equation could only end badly. She tried very hard to shield Vi from her own wishful thinking.

“It’s a lot to get used to for both of us”, Cait said, fidgeting, hoping her tone was even. “I figured Jayce’s would be a good test-run, but if you don't want to–”

“No”, Vi quickly interrupted her. “It’s fine. Whatever.” She smirked as she added: “Where you go I go.” Cait’s own words from last year, parroted back to her. The contrast in meaning put a knot in her stomach. When Cait had said them, they had been stubborn insistence, practically an order. Even if she'd said it as a joke, in practice it was still now Vi following one. Cait swallowed. There was no going back – only forward.

Steb was waiting for them downstairs and on the way there Vi waited for Cait to lead the way to Cait’s frustration. Not just because it was the start to a new dynamic that Cait still hadn't quite come to terms with but also because it meant she couldn't look at Vi more. She kept glancing back, feeling Vi behind her and slightly unnerved by that somehow. Her palms were sweating. Steb greeted them with a smile and nod, also taking up position behind Cait to her left, while Vi was at her right.

Cait turned to face them both and sighed. “This is so weird. I’m sorry. It will take a while to get used to this.”

“If Mylo can do it, so can you”, Vi said with a too casual shrug.

Mylo? It took Cait a moment longer to realise that Vi meant “taking the lead” like Mylo had when Vi had still worked a regular indenture.

“It’s not like that”, Cait mumbled stubbornly. She wasn't the leader. She was still the burden.

“We have your back”, Steb said gently.

Cait released a breath. It was sweet, even if the reassurance felt silly. She just wanted to get off this damn pedestal and found herself yearning for Vi to be mean to her again. Vi, back straight and face expertly schooled, did not seem inclined to do so though and it wasn't like Cait was going to ask. At least they were headed to Jayce’s soon, Cait mollified herself. Jayce had always been her reprieve from this kind of thing before Zaun.

Before they could get going they had to stop by her mother’s office. Today’s meeting with the undercity would start in an hour and Cassandra had her own set of bodyguards to escort her there. First she wanted to get a look at Cait’s improvised protection detail though. Cait had no idea what her mother was looking for as she circled their little triangle formation, but she ended up satisfied. She gave Cait one last fretful hug before she let her step foot outside the mansion for the first time in two months. Cait felt the relief all the way to her bones when her feet finally crossed the threshold into the outside world.

They went to the Talis household. Since it was close by her mother had agreed to let her walk rather than force her to take a cab, which she would likely be doing a lot more of from now on, but Cait felt like she needed to do this or she would fear the outside forever. She was prepared to feel some anxiety being outside again and indeed she did. There was nothing to be done about it – nearly getting kidnapped had left its mark on her psyche. She scanned the streets around her and questioned the appearance of every passer-by, her heartbeat erratic both when there were too many and too few of them. Ironically it reminded her very much of her first few days in Zaun. Vi and Steb close behind her were not as reassuring as she hoped they would be.

“Vi?”, she eventually asked, without turning, feeling too self-conscious. “Would you mind walking next to me?” No orders. Just pathetic requests.

For a moment Vi didn't respond and Cait felt thoroughly stupid for asking. Then steps behind her quickened and Vi was at her right. It was ridiculous how instantly Cait felt better and she had no idea if her trauma or her crush were to blame. She didn't question it too deeply. “Thank you.”

Her eyes darted down, overcome by the urge to take Vi’s hand. Vi’s hands were folded behind her back and Cait quickly looked straight ahead to hide her disappointment.

It felt like it took ages to make the brief walk over to Jayce’s house. His mother greeted them warmly as always – she had announced they would be visiting – and soon they were knocking at Jayce’s room. When he opened the door for them Viktor was there too of course – that wasn't a surprise anymore.

What did take Cait by surprise was Steb stopping just shy of coming inside, turning to stand by the wall. Cait held open the door as she turned to face him unhappily. “You don't have to wait outside, you know”, she told him.

“Protocol”, Steb said with a shrug. He really didn't look like he minded but Cait still felt bad. Insisting he come inside also felt wrong though, so she waved awkwardly and let the door fall shut with Steb on the other side.

Vi’s posture instantly relaxed once they were inside, making Cait feel even worse. She was at attention fo her sake. Really, Cait thought Vi and Steb both were taking this bodyguard business far too seriously somehow. She didn't like it at all and vaguely blamed Grayson. What had that old woman told them?

“Wow, Vi”, Jayce immediately remarked, looking her up and down with obvious surprise and wonder. “New look?”

Vi seemed ever so slightly uncomfortable. “Yeah kind o– Ow”, she interrupted herself, flinching and shaking out her right hand, looking down at it in confusion. “What the hell?”

“What’s wrong?”, Cait immediately asked, worried something was wrong with the uniform.

“My hand”, Vi said, holding it up and flexing it. “It’s all tingly.” Cait, Jayce and Viktor all came closer to have a better look when a small blue spark seemed to race along the center of Vi’s hand, making her flinch again. “OW!” She took an instinctual seeming step back. “Okay, now it was more like a stab”, she said, holding her one hand with the other and looking at Jayce and Viktor almost accusatorially. “What did you guys do?”

“We didn't–” Jayce started, sharing a startled and confused look with Viktor. “I mean…” They seemed to have a brief wordless conversation of nods and glances, realisation dawning on Jayce first. “May I?”, he asked Viktor, gesturing to his legs.

Viktor, who was on the same page somehow, fascination sparking in his eyes, eagerly nodded and sat down on a chair. Jayce lifted his shirt slightly and twisted a dial on a metal frame under it – part of Viktor’s brace. They both looked expectantly back at Vi.

Vi looked at them confused at first, then took a step toward them, looking down at her hand, opening and closing it a few times. “Now it’s gone”, she said then. Clearly she knew as little about what was going on as Cait did, just going along with the two inventors’ cues.

Said inventors indeed exchanged another glance, this one somewhat excited. “Do you maybe have a few hours?”, Jayce asked next, looking hopefully between Vi and Cait. “That is something we need to investigate.”

“We would like to investigate”, Viktor corrected with an indulgent smile. “But no pressure.”

“I don't care”, Vi said with a shrug, beginning to take off her right glove as she looked to Cait. Cait was briefly transfixed by Vi’s hand, which still had fine white lines that were barely visible running along it. Then she realised Vi was waiting for her to answer as well. Waiting for permission.

Cait swallowed. “I don't care either”, she said, mostly honestly. She had hoped to get to talk to Jayce, but she supposed that could wait. If Vi was in pain she wanted to know why too. “I’ll watch and wait.” Her own words made her chuckle despite herself. “I’m used to that anyway.”

“Would you mind explaining what you’ve realised so far?”, Vi asked pointedly, considering Jayce and Viktor’s secretive behaviour. Cait couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that her joke had gone unacknowledged.

“Of course”, Jayce said with a guilty chuckle. “Viktor and I have been experimenting with combining hextech with biological material more directly, since human thought mapped onto the arcane so well. It hasn't succeeded with plants so experimentation has had to be… cautious.”

Cait wasn't immediately sure what that was supposed to mean but Vi caught on faster: “You’ve been testing it on yourselves?”

“Pretty much, yes”, the inventor confessed.

“Jayce!”, Cait chided him, concern instantly spiking through her. She was distracted for a few months and Jayce started doing human trials of experimental technology on himself!?

“We are being cautious, like I said!”, he was quick to reassure her and/or defend himself. She could tell from how he avoided her eyes that he knew she still had more to say on the topic, but quickly deflected by turning to Vi instead. “Vi. Do you still have a crystal shard?”

Vi reached down into her collar and pulled out a leather string, at the end of which was a small metal device emanating a blue light. “Pretty much always, just in case”, she said. They’d gotten the shards back from the other protesters who had them but the Pack had kept one for each of them to continue to use them in emergencies. Cait still hadn't gotten one and now she was wondering if that would have helped for the kidnapping or would have just caused different problems instead. She still felt a bit bummed about it either way.

“Take it off, please”, Jayce told Vi, so she did, putting it down on the table. Jayce went back to the dial on Viktor’s brace and Cait could see Vi tense – but nothing happened. “Now pick it up again? If you’re willing”, Jayce asked carefully.

Vi hesitated for a moment, but finally reached for the crystal shard, with her left hand, keeping an eye on her right. She grimaced as she picked up the crystal, shaking her hand which evidently felt odd again. Moving it toward Viktor she flinched, dropping the crystal. “Theory confirmed?”, she asked Jayce.

Jayce nodded. “Okay, so you don't react to the hextech on your own but the shard is enough to establish the connection and the composition of your hand must have been altered when you punched the shield prototype.” It sounded deeply concerning but Jayce didn't seem very worried. Just fascinated. “Have you noticed any other anomalies in interacting with the shields?”

Cait narrowed her eyes at his attitude.

“No”, Vi told him as she inspected her own hand again, clearly baffled too. “But admittedly I haven't touched one since.”

“Do you want to try it now?”, Jayce offered.

Vi raised an eyebrow at him. “If you deem it safe enough.”

Jayce gave her a belligerent smile for the comment. “We’ll just take it slow”, he said.

Viktor turned his brace off again and Vi returned the crystal device to under her uniform’s collar. She opened the topmost button of it for a moment to do it and Cait found herself staring at that extra bit of exposed neck. She nearly shook herself physically to snap herself out of it. She had literally seen Vi’s neck before? Granted, doing so had never made her want to run her fingers along it. She looked away, thinking somehow this had to be the uniform’s fault.

“Caitlyn, do you want to activate the shield with Viktor?”

It took Cait a moment to process Jayce’s words to her. “What? Me? Why?”

“To keep it small enough for this room, since you two don't know each other that well”, Jayce explained, sounding a bit awkward. “You’ll only have the present goal to fuel it.” He handed a device similar to the one Vi was wearing to her. From the corner of her eye, Cait could have sworn she saw Vi stiffen. What was her problem with Cait getting one of these?

“Sure”, Cait said and couldn't deny that she was partially motivated by spite. It was about time she got to be part of a shield. Her and Viktor both focused and just like that a blue field expanded around them. It took up half of the small workshop, Jayce who was inside it with them not exactly cramped but it was small.

“You two should come visit more often”, Cait told Jayce pointedly, which made him look away guiltily.

“I know”, he said, scratching the back of his neck. “Sorry.” Then they all focused on Vi, who was standing outside the field, covered by a slight blue shimmer from Cait’s perspective. “Whenever you’re ready, Vi”, Jayce told her.

Vi reached out for the shield, fingers of her right hands splayed like she expected them to come to rest against it like against a pane of glass. Instead the tips of her fingers moved right through the field, sending slight ripples of discolouration across its surface. 

“Woah”, Vi said. Her fingers came through a bit further.

Jayce stepped close to the field, touching it close to Vi’s fingers from the inside, but for his own hand the shield seemed hard and unyielding.

Vi pushed her hand in further, slowly, seeming a bit shaky, making worry shoot through Cait.

“Does it hurt?”, Jayce asked Vi, also concerned. “Stop immediately if it hurts.”

“It’s slightly uncomfortable but not painful”, Vi said. At this point her entire palm was on the inside of the shield. Close to her wrist, her progress slowed. “Okay, now I’m getting more resistance.”

“Stop!”, Jayce quickly told her. “Don't push it.”

Vi pulled her hand back out easily and the shield disintegrated, startling Cait.

“Fascinating”, Viktor said beside her, tipping her off to the fact that he’d broken focus. He could have warned her but whatever.

Together Jayce and Viktor inspected Vi’s hand briefly and then Vi and Cait both stepped aside as the two began to speculate. “Do you think it’s an imprint of the exact structure of the prototype or some abstracted pattern reformed within Vi that makes this possible?”, Jayce asked Viktor.

“It’s likely abstracted, but arguably the degree of abstraction should be calculable if we–”

“Do you understand what they’re saying?”, Cait asked Vi quietly as to not disturb them.

“Nope”, Vi said with a shrug. “But hopefully I’ll get something cool out of it.” She seemed oddly tense and Cait wanted to ask why but didn't know how to. Gods, a whole year of getting comfortable around her destroyed just because she couldn't stop overthinking. Love or not, bodyguard or not, she was still allowed to ask her things.

Cait had nearly built up the nerve to actually say something when Vi spoke up instead: “You going to give that back?”

Cait was confused for a moment before she realised Vi was talking about the shield device she was still holding. The same kind of device Vi wore around her neck. The one she hadn't gotten for the longest time.

“What if I don't?”, Cait said, knowing she was being petty. At the same time it suddenly struck her as not that bad of an idea. “It might make your job a whole lot easier.”

If they could activate a shield together kidnappers or other hostiles wouldn't stand a chance. Would it work well because they knew each other well? If Cait loved her, would it change the shield, make it bigger? And would she be able to tell if Vi– no. That was just wishful thinking. But the temptation was there.

Vi didn't react to the suggestion at all, remaining tense. “It’d certainly make the last two months a waste of my time”, she finally said flatly.

Cait’s mood instantly soured at Vi’s frustrated tone, at the reminder of what Vi had already had to do for her. Having a shield would at least mean she would have to do less, would be safer – wouldn't have to risk herself. Cait really wished she could keep the shield and keep both of them safe.

She sighed. “If we’re seen with this it would raise all kinds of questions about our connection to the protest. Both of us would be in trouble.” In a worst case scenario her mother and Jayce would also end up implicated. She put the shard device down on the shelf behind them.

“Bummer”, Vi said, although Cait could tell she didn't really mean it. She couldn't understand why Vi was so against it. Maybe… maybe Cait was being too entitled, expecting to take part in something so Zaun, so uniquely theirs. She wondered if she could ever be something other than an outsider in Vi’s eyes.

They waited a few minutes in silence until Jayce turned to address them again: “I don't know about cool, but you might be able to help us make a breakthrough in human to hextech interfacing”, he said to Vi. He looked very excited at the prospect.

Vi smirked at him. “Just make the magic happen, pretty boy.” Did Vi think Jayce was pretty? Or was it just a joke? Cait had to stop overthinking.

The comment made Jayce chuckle, but he also looked a tad nervous as he continued: Okay, so… there is something we could try but it would require… a little bit of… bodily harm.”

“What!?”, Cait immediately exclaimed, any pondering of Vi’s attractions dropped, thinking he couldn't possibly be serious.

Vi was far calmer. “What kind of bodily harm?”, she asked.

Jayce raised his hands reassuringly towards Cait but mainly kept speaking in Vi’s direction. “We want to try inscribing a rune on your hand. It can't just be drawn on, it has to be a cut. But it can be small and just deep enough to bleed.”

Cut!? Bleed!? The words evoked recent and uncomfortable imagery to Caitlyn. “Have you lost your mind!?”, she accused him.

“Sure, let’s do it”, Vi said beside her and Cait’s heart skipped a beat.

She whirled toward her. “What!?” She tried hard not to scream but she couldn't get the visual of Vi bleeding and shaking out of her head. “No way!”, she insisted. “This is insane!”

“It’s a small medical procedure, it will be relatively safe”, Viktor tried to pitch in.

Cait barely listened to him. Jayce and Viktor could be as reckless with their own bodies as they wanted to be. She turned to Vi instead.

“You can't actually do this”, she told her, half disbelief, half plea.

Vi narrowed her eyes at her. “Is that an order?”

It was like a slap to the face and Cait was taken aback. She blinked, heart racing. “No”, she quickly said, even as she could hear how pathetic she sounded. “I’m just… it just seems risky. What is the goal here?” Vi was risking enough already without donating her body to reckless science. Why was it that when Cait volunteered for things like this everyone protested but for Vi it was suddenly no big deal? Cait obviously knew why, but she still hated it.

Jayce put a reassuring hand on Cait’s shoulder and she nearly shook it off. “The goal is to integrate the existing imprint on Vi into her body better”, he told her. “Right now her hand reacting to the arcane energy is an accident and therefore unstable. We just want to solidify and generalise the connection. In theory it should make it safer.”

“Although it is not without risk”, Viktor spoke up again, at least half-way reasonable. “If this kind of imprint can be removed we do not know it, so this is the only option we have, but we cannot guarantee nothing goes wrong. We cannot guarantee that it will be better than doing nothing.”

Cait did not like the sound of that.

“Could I lose the hand?”, Vi asked wearily. Cait liked the sound of that even less.

“No”, Jayce quickly reassured. “The risks are more along the lines of: Strange, persistent sensation and reaction to and unpredictable interaction with other arcane influences.”

“That doesn't sound too bad”, Vi said with a shrug and Cait wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her. “Let’s do it.”

“Are you sure?”, Jayce and Cait asked her at the same time, Cait a whole lot more desperately.

Vi gave Cait a weighing glance and it was only now that she realised she was acting out of character being so overprotective of Vi. Right now she didn’t care but she was certain she would be mortified later.

Then she turned to Jayce. “I’m sure”, she said, sounding perfectly steady. Then she shrugged. “It’s for a good cause. We’re saving Viktor’s life here.”

That declaration took all of them off guard, Cait shocked and confused for a moment. When she looked at Jayce and Viktor for answers they were also surprised but not in a confused way. More like they’d been caught.

Vi snorted. “I do pay attention sometimes.”

Right, Cait thought. Viktor’s illness. It occurred to her in that moment that this may well be why they’d been so busy recently and why they didn't have time to visit. Jayce was researching the depths of the arcane and taking stupid risks with self-experimentation to save his boyfriend’s life. Cait wasn't happy that Vi was being dragged into it but she was struck by Vi’s willingness. By how selflessly she would let them do this for – by the sounds of it – no real benefit for herself. It reminded her of how fast Vi had thrown herself between Cait and the kidnappers. How much she did for her family in both the huge and tiny ways. Cait was struck by a wave of adoration that made her go utterly silent.

She didn't protest again as Viktor cleaned a piece of the table, in front of him, put on gloves that Jayce fetched him and disinfected the back of Vi’s right wrist. The whole time Cait just stared at Vi’s face, pondering the injustice of the universe that someone like Vi would constantly be forced into shitty situations. The strength of Vi’s character for her to constantly be in shitty situations and still be like this. She got caught up in fantasies of giving Vi the world only to shatter them again, knowing Vi wouldn’t even want the world. The only thing Vi wanted was a freedom that Cait could not grant her. Not yet.

Vi didn't even flinch when Viktor’s scalpel made some very precise, shallow cuts into her skin. Jayce looked over it as well when it was done and when they were in agreement that it looked right they bandaged Vi up.

“That was fast”, Vi said, almost sounding disappointed. “Kind of like getting a tattoo.” Cait had been reminded of that day as well. It was a good thing it had been over quickly, or the urge to hold Vi’s hand again would have been overwhelming. “Does it work immediately?”, Vi asked Jayce then.

“It should”, Jayce said with obvious excited anticipation. “You’re wearing the crystal?”

Vi nodded.

Jayce went back to Viktor and activated his brace again. Vi stayed where she was, tense for a moment, bracing for any pain. She looked down at her hand, her bandaged wrist.

“Feel anything?”, Jayce asked.

“No.”

Viktor got up and took a step toward her. “And now?”

Vi shook her head. “Still nothing.”

“Perfect”, Jayce grinned. “That was the goal.”

Vi frowned. “Wow. How anticlimactic.”

“Sorry”, Jayce said with a chuckle. “But this has been a huge help. Thank you so much!”

It seemed like frighteningly little result for all the hassle and Cait still felt sore about that. Vi didn't seem too bothered though. “It’s the least I could do after everything you’ve done for me”, she said. “And for Zaun.”

That did not feel right. “What he did for you is my debt to pay”, Caitlyn jumped in. Zaun was another matter but Jayce covering for them was something Cait had asked of him, not Vi. She would not let Vi take that on too. “If you ever have another weird experiment in mind, count me in”, she told Jayce firmly, employing just a little bit of her mom’s ‘Councillor voice’. If she could be a help to them she wanted to do it.

“Okay, sprout, if you insist”, Jayce said with a smile. “But really, neither of you owe me anything. You’ve both done more for me than I can say.” He stepped from one foot to the other uncertainly for a moment before meeting Cait’s eyes. “I know you probably had something to do with me coming to work at your estate and… well…” There was something awful and wistful to his smile. “Without that I wouldn't be here right now. So thank you.”

Cait swallowed, her throat suddenly constricted with emotion. It made sense that he would put it together but she still would have never expected gratitude from him. She was so glad he was here now too, that was all she’d ever wanted. It settled in for her in that moment how she’d missed him recently. How she longed for the days where she could tell him anything.

“Can I talk to you in private for a minute?”, she asked. She felt strangely guilty asking for it.

She was relieved and reassured when Jayce immediately said: “Sure.” He looked at Viktor, who got up from his seat, reached out to squeeze Jayce’s hand once and then excused himself to give them some privacy. Cait nodded at Vi to go with him, which she did. Once they were in the workshop alone Jayce turned back to her and asked: “What’s up?”

Where to even begin? Cait told Jayce about her near kidnapping. He was appropriately horrified she supposed, hugging her and asking her if she was okay. She happily accepted the hug but tried to reassure him that it was fine, that she was fine and would stay fine. Because she had a bodyguard now. Jayce put the pieces of Vi’s new uniform together from there and Cait just had to confirm.

“Is that why you freaked out about the rune cutting?”, Jayce asked her. “Because she can't protect you if she’s injured?”

Cait hadn't even thought about that yet. She doubted a small wound like that would inhibit Vi at all. “No, that’s not it”, she said. “I just…” She hesitated, willing her face not to go red. “I’d like for Vi not to get hurt any more than she already has.” That was a reasonable enough hope, even for someone who wasn't in stupid love with her.

Jayce looked a tad amused by that response. “It’s her job to protect you, not the other way around”, he said with a smile. After a brief pause he added, a bit more seriously: “She’s doing it willingly, you know.”

“Debatable”, Cait countered with a bit of her frustration slipping out. She worked to quickly reign it back in. “But– you’re right. I… I’m trying to respect her agency.”

“I can relate to that”, Jayce said with a sigh. “Viktor and I don't always agree on how to treat his illness. I want to help more, he wants to burden me less…” He seemed genuinely discontent about it and Cait could only imagine how frustrating that could be.

The fact that he was relating his relationship conflict to her and Vi though made her instantly panic. “But that’s– that’s totally different”, she quickly said, which it was. It totally was.

“I know, I know”, Jayce reassured her quickly, obviously picking up on her defensive tone, which made Cait’s face heat. “Vi’s given me enough grief about comparison, sorry.”

His genuine tone surprised her and she narrowed her eyes at him just a little. “Oh, okay.” Maybe he wasn't insinuating anything after all? “You’re not… you’re not just playing dumb, are you?” After her dad had put it together so easilly…

Jayce’s brow furrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?” He sounded a little offended. “What am I missing here?”

“Nothing”, Cait blurted out before he could think too long about it. “Misunderstanding, don't worry about it. Let’s get back to the others.”

Jayce seemed to think about it for a moment longer before shaking his head and giving up. Cait was relieved. Jayce was smart but it seemed picking up on romantic feelings was his one weakness.

Outside in the hallway Vi, Viktor and Steb appeared to be having an interesting conversation about Piltover and their perspectives on it as various degrees of outsiders. It was strange, but Cait felt oddly delighted about the fact that they were getting along. She’d worried about Vi and Steb for a while after she’d first suggested him as her second bodyguard and was relieved her concern had been for nothing.

“What did we miss?”, Jayce asked with a smirk as they joined them. “Did you gossip about us?”