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WINTER
We met during winter, though at the time neither of us knew what was to come. I can't even remember much of that day, now ten years later, the only thing in my mind when I try to think about it is the ruby red of your eyes and the blood of my mother on your face.
Caitlyn was walking down the street with a small spring on her step, she had a steaming paperback in her hands, a treasure like no other for her fourteen-year-old self. The aroma of baked sweet potatoes was mouth-watering even when Cait already had one in her mouth. It almost dissolved the moment it touched her tongue and the condensed milk only made it easier to break apart without needing to chew much.
Her mother wasn't a fan of the dessert, but as long as Cait and her father finished them all before getting home they wouldn't get into trouble. That much had said her father with a playful smile when they were buying them. Caitlyn's mother didn't need to know they indulged themselves during their afternoon walks. A secret of sorts between father and daughter. And oh boy, was it a secret Caitlyn enjoyed a lot, especially in those windy cold afternoons that were so common on Piltover during winter. With the excuse of going out for a walk, they would cross the market to enjoy the different smells of all the warm foods and drinks people sold during that time of the year.
Caitlyn was about to take another bite when someone shouting her father's name called her attention. She couldn't help the small feeling of disappointment that grew inside her. This was their quality time together, a moment during her father's busy day when he would give her his undivided attention.
"Mathias!" It was officer Marcus, though for Caitlyn he was only Marcus, a young man that her father had practically adopted when his father and Mathias' best friend had died.
"Hey there, chipmunk," Marcus said ruffling Caitlyn's head, while she simply huffed before taking the last bite of her potato to look away. She was becoming fifteen soon! Not a kid anymore by definition but her small stature didn't help, she was hoping for one last growth spurt that would stop Marcus from treating her like a child. Or maybe it had never been about heigh at all and he would keep calling her that, but at least she would have the height to look fierce instead of like— an actual chipmunk trying to fight with a Doberman.
Her father laughed at what he saw as his children's antics and then gave Marcus a warm hug, the kind of hug Caitlyn loved so much, especially when they came from him. They were a calming balm after having a bad day or a nightmare, every problem just went away.
"What's up my boy? How is inspector's training going?" Her father asked Marcus at the same time he squeezed Cait's hand to tell her this shouldn't take long and to be patient.
"All good, gonna be a while before I can actually move ranks but I'm liking it so far. I— sorry for interrupting you and Cait, I needed to ask you about something important." He gave Caitlyn an apologetic look before adding. "Something time-sensitive, can I have twenty minutes?"
Her father frowned but nodded immediately before looking in Cait's direction. "Dear, can you head first to the house?"
"No, no, you don't need to, it's nothing gruesome and I don't want to take more time away from you than I already have," Marcus said scratching the back of his head in the way Caitlyn has learned to identify as him kicking himself for a mistake. This made her raise an eyebrow but before she could ask him what was he up to, her father interjected.
"It's ok, don't want her to stay longer out in the cold, the house is just turning the corner, also that way she can tell Cassandra I'll be back a bit later than normal without having her worry. You know how she had been lately with— you know, the Wildflower on the loose."
Marcus nodded, looking fleetingly at Caitlyn with worry, which was strange— What the hell was going on?
"Come on, dear, get going. I'll catch up soon ok?" Her father said encouragingly while taking the paper back from her with his last potato.
Caitlyn frowned, looking at Marcus and then at her father, something felt off but she wasn't sure what. So she decided it was better to ask later, when her father had the whole story from Marcus, she was confident she would be able to get it out of him. She nodded and was on her way home, trying to get even a bit of their conversation as they moved to sit at a bench on the side of the street.
"We think we finally found them but—" Is the only thing Caitlyn heard before being too far to grasp anything else.
She arrived home still thinking about Marcus' weird behavior when she noticed another weird thing, the curtains from her mother's bedroom were fluttering outside the window, and the balcony's sliding door opened fully. That was definitely not how her mother liked that door, even when she was sitting in the room reading. Caitlyn felt dread dawning on her and she thought she was being silly, maybe her mother just happened to want some change.
Yeah right.
She opened the door, leaving it open in a hurry as she rushed upstairs and burst inside the room to find her mother on the floor, blood already puddling around her. She almost missed the stranger leaning against her mother's vanity, if they hadn't moved Caitlyn would have missed them entirely. They were very short even shorter than Cait. Were they a kid? Why were they inside her house? When they turned in Caitlyn's direction, red eyes met hers and Caitlyn could finally see it was a girl. She looked disoriented, with blood running down the side of her face and a wild look. That was so much red, she had it in her hair, in her eyes, her face— when Caitlyn noticed the blood in the girl's hands too, the conclusion fell on her like a bucket of cold water.
Her mouth opened but she couldn't make any sound come out of it, her throat was tight, and then she accidentally dropped the figurine she had taken from the hallway as a blunt weapon. The stranger stumbled back and then ran out onto the balcony smearing blood on the crystal of the door and banister before disappearing up the roof.
Caitlyn remained like that, frozen, not knowing what to do as the blood of her mother pooled at her feet too, and then, her father's voice broke the spell.
"Caitlyn? Cassandra? I'm home. Where are you two ?"
Caitlyn's scream pierced the silence that seemed to have a firm hold on her, going up into the afternoon sky and making people walking on the street jump out of their shoes.
For screen readers: Separator
SUMMER
Summer was stupidly hot that year, but I didn't feel it because the hate inside me was even hotter. I had a name to put on my mother's killer and I wasn't going to stop until I got her.
Caitlyn was laughing alongside her friend, it still felt surreal and taboo, laughing and having fun, while her mother's killer was still out there. She didn't have the right, she shouldn't be enjoying life while her father was still mourning her mother's death. Caitlyn felt bad for every moment she didn't spend looking for the red-eyed stranger, the short girl that had her mother's blood all over her face. It didn't matter that four years had already passed, it didn't matter that easily four more could still pass without having a single clue. But Caitlyn couldn't give up, she had to keep hunting for her, think about her twenty-four seven. Anything else was a distraction she couldn't—
"—ait, Cait, Caitlyn." Mel's voice brought Caitlyn out of her musings, and when she finally turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow she added. "Earth to Caitlyn, are you back from thinking about revenge?"
"How— I don't— I wasn't—" Caught red-handed, Caitlyn had no idea how her friend did it, maybe it had to do with Mel knowing her since childhood, at least Cait hoped it was that and not that her face was easy to read.
"Come on, that's the only thing you do when you get lost in thought these days. The girl with the red eyes, getting revenge on your mother, so you and your father can finally have peace." Mel grabbed her cold tea from the table, taking a sip without looking away from Caitlyn. Not even while busy did she allow herself to lose sight of her friend.
"It's no revenge, justice, I'm bringing that girl to justice," Caitlyn said. Unlike Mel she didn't have it in her to keep eye contact, quickly looking to the side at a particularly interesting rock on the ground.
"Keep telling yourself that, Cait, I can see it in your eyes as clear as day. What you crave is revenge. I'm telling you that obsession of yours isn't healthy." Mel looked in the same direction as Cait, becoming very amused when she saw the rock. "Cute rock, wonder if it has plans for tonight."
"I'm not obsessed!" Caitlyn muttered and then can't help smiling at Mel's last retort. "I don't know, why don't you ask her? Might get surprised."
"Yeah? Then tell me what were you thinking about just a few moments ago?" Then about the rock, she added. "Hard pass, not my type."
Caitlyn took the time to answer, mulling over how honest she should be, but in the end, she knew Mel. Cait was sure Mel wouldn't stop pestering her until she talked. "I had a breakthrough—"
"See!?" Mel snapped her fingers, pointing at Cait with an accusatory finger. "I knew it."
"No, this time is the real deal, they say she calls herself Wildflower. Like—"
Mel shushed her and then looked around to make sure no one else was close enough to hear. "Jesus girl, don't drop that name so nonchalantly. She is probably using it to scare people away."
"Or maybe she is hoping people will think that. My informant says—"
"You mean the fissure—"
"Zaunites, they call themselves Zaunites."
"Alright, the Zaunite prostitute you meet with once a week heard rumors, she isn't an informant Cait. If anything she is an unreliable source, anything she tells you wouldn't hold in court and you know it. We learned about that last week in class."
"I know, but she still hears things, Mel. She says no one knows if she is the real Wildflower or not but certainly can hold herself in a fight. And her description matches perfectly with the girl I remember."
"Alright, let's say everything magically matches and this Wildflower is indeed the child that killed your mother four years ago. How are you gonna proceed then? Assuming you are being truthful about looking for justice and not revenge, the case is technically closed—"
"No, it wasn't closed, it was archived. There is a difference. Anything could come out any day that would allow Marc— I mean inspector Marcus to reactivate the case and get the murderer."
Mel sighed knowing where this was going to lead, they've had this conversation before, at least a dozen times by now. "Alright, alright, just— be careful Caitlyn. I don't want to have to attend my friend's funeral too," Mel said looking away while leaning on her hand. "We've had enough of those thanks to the real Wildflower as it is."
With that last comment, Caitlyn actually paused to think, she had been so excited about finally finding— something, that she didn't stop to think about the implications. She considered going for humor, but the moment she saw Mel's raised eyebrow she knew that would only disappoint her. Caitlyn could take an angry Mel, but not a disappointed one, it was like a shot to the heart.
"I'll be careful and won't do anything that you would consider stupid." She said as solemnly as possible, looking into Mel's eyes to show her she was being sincere.
"That's what I wanted to hear— now, when did you say you were meeting your informant?"
"I didn't—" Mel smirked and it was Caitlyn's turn to sight. "You got me, alright, master interrogator. I'm going tonight, I'll be up for class tomorrow and tell you everything I learn. Happy?"
" I will be. When you come back from the fissu— from Zaun, once you are back from Zaun in one piece I'll be happy."
For screen readers: Separator
Caitlyn was leaning against a wall in a dimly lit alley that looked like the poster crime scene used to teach them the correct procedure. Broken glass, probably from someone that had dropped their drink or needed a weapon quick, pieces of what probably was a wooden box at one point that could have been smashed over someone's head, if the dark stain on one broken board was telling enough, and speaking of stains— there were all sort of them too, dubious, some reeking, and others simply disgusting. Caitlyn shuffled away from one of these offending stains, the alleyway wasn't pretty but it was better than going into the brothel by herself. She was still too self-conscious. So she always waited outside for her informant, wearing a thick coat that made her look silly even for Zaun's fashion. She thought she was being inconspicuous but the coat had an entirely different story to tell.
Everyone was looking at her with a raised eyebrow as they passed and some even shook their heads as if to say, there goes another Pilty that thought they were blending in. If only the Pilties knew Zaunites didn't care if they blended in or not. As long as they came with money and left it here nobody cared.
"Are you serious, come on, Caitlyn? You are supposed to look like a customer not like a creep." The sudden voice of, Faith, her informant, almost made her jump out of her coat. But the years of etiquette classes she was forced to take helped her still her reaction.
"Aren't they the same?" Caitlyn asked back, trying to feign nonchalance and almost succeeding if it weren't for the damn coat that now hung a bit askew, with the lapel on the right completely folded inwards.
"Not really— let me show you, it's easier. But first, please take that horrendous coat off. Who would wear that thing during summer? Anyways, she is here, I think. She fits the description you gave me at least, calls herself Wildflower. And before you ask, no, we don't know if she is the real deal or not. Yes, many people pretend to be that infamous assassin to get in or out of places. No one is gonna ask—" Faith shrugged and then bit her lip before giving Caitlyn a small smile with a dreamy look in her eyes. "She is nice with everyone, so we all assume she is just using the name to be cheeky. She asked us to call her Vi if we bump into her outside the brothel so it makes sense."
Faith led Caitlyn through the back door, crossing a long hallway, and into the break room. There, Faith sat her down in front of a vanity with the biggest of smiles on her face. "But first let's make sure you blend in Cupcake." Then she proceeded to apply a copious amount of make-up, change Caitlyn's clothes, and tussle her hair a bit. Something she didn't think much about until Faith was pushing her into a room with a tray in her hands to find herself face to face with a set of beautiful ruby red eyes.
For screen readers: Separator
SPRING
It was spring when I finally became an inspector, a lot of people weren't happy about it, already plenty of them thought of me as a loose cannon. But I got results and the superintendent was looking for a promotion so he set me loose on Piltover and Zaun to do what I did best. I was so close I could smell the chip cologne you used to hide the smell of blood and death on you. I would have never guessed that much later we would get even closer.
"Come on Caitlyn, please, please, don't make me look bad in front of the higher-ups. If they think I'm giving you pref—" Marcus was reminding Caitlyn, for the tenth time that day, what HE was risking when she acted rashly and without thinking about the consequences.
"I know, I know, they might consider taking the Sheriff role from you. Don't worry, I'm gonna go in, do my job, and get out. It's no big deal." Caitlyn was checking two coats, considering the pros and cons of taking either, and Marcus simply face-palmed himself. Took away both of them and instead gave her a pouch she could strap to her leg. Small, practical, plain, she could stash extra ammo in it, a flashlight, even a small weapon like a handgun or a knife without attracting the wrong kind of attention.
"It's a big deal for me." He mumbled, not happy at all with Caitlyn's bad habit of going off by herself, at night, and outside their jurisdiction no less. "Please, don't talk about the Wildflower directly, some people are still sensitive over it, be subtle. And for the love of god, don't go barging in and turning over everything that crosses your way or they are going to punch you in the face, again."
"I thought my Wildflore theory was ludicrous and the imagining of a sad girl who was still mourning her mother," Caitlyn said, mocking Marcus's tone and imprinting maybe a little more bite than had she initially intended.
Marcus winced but didn't back down, he knew he deserved it and wasn't going to just stay silent without making his shot. "It made no sense before, now that we know Wildflower is more of a title passed down than a person—" He shrugged. "Anything could be possible."
"You only say that because now everyone agrees!"
"Yeah, I'm not gonna go around speaking crazy talk and lose my job. What's wrong with that?"
"What's wrong with that? What's wrong with that!? The truth is what should matter! Not a bunch of Piltie— not saving face. I have known what her killer looked like for almost ten years and no one did anything because they all wanted to save face. And now that I finally have the chance to follow that lead everyone is telling me to be patient, but I already waited way too—"
"Hey, hey, calm the fuck down, I get it alright. Not fully but I get that you are frustrated and want this solved now, but we don't know if that girl was the Wildflower back then yet. The theory is more plausible now, but that isn't evidenced yet, Caitlyn. It could have been a hit planned by a house wanting to avoid Cassandra from taking their power away with her reforms, they could have walked in Zaun and paid the first sumprat that crossed their way— walked metaphorically, I don't think any Piltovan from a semi well-off family would walk down there, they would probably make a servant do it but you get my point."
"I saw her, Marcus, I saw the person that goes by the Wildflower five years ago. Same eyes, same hair, same face, just more scars and older. And no one believed a word—"
"Cait, you came barging in and saying you found your mother's killer and that you found her while pretending to be a prostitute. What did you expect?"
"Alright, maybe it wasn't the best approach but I was right. Just like I have been right the last three years doing my job in catching criminals. How many hoops do I have to keep jumping before they let me go after her? I'm tired of waiting, she still goes to the brothel now and then."
"You still go there?" Marcus started putting everything back as was hurrying so Caitlyn wouldn't leave him behind.
"Never mind." But Caitlyn had all she needed and was in a hurry, she also loved leaving Marcus hanging so he would fret all night. So she simply gave him a smirk before turning and exiting the room.
"Caitlyn? Come back here damn it!"
For screen readers: Separator
AUTUMN
Our third meeting happened on an autumn night, we were both staking out the same house, hoping to catch whoever was leaking info to the Chembarons. We didn't catch the mole, but we caught each and almost shot our brains out if it weren't for the Silco thugs following close behind. The truce we made that night would change our lives forever, just like our first meeting did.
Why do we keep bumping into each other all the time? This is getting old, I managed to keep it cool the first night I saw you at the brothel but now it's getting ridiculous.
Vi was watching from a rooftop into the magnificent yard the person she was supposed to kill was dining in. A fine last diner, she expected a fancy place but didn't think the place would be the house of one of the most powerful chembarons of Zaun. Another thing she wasn't expecting was to find her admirer here too.
Keep it real, she is my stalker alright, but definitely not an admirer.
Vi slowly moved from her side of the roof to the other, squeezing into every shadow she could to keep herself hidden. 'Matilda' wasn't that bad at hiding, luckily, or Vi would have already left to let the woman deal with the bodyguards. Sometimes she wondered what Matilda must have had to do to acquire these skills, especially growing up Pilty.
"Can't stand the wait before we meet again, beautiful?" Vi whispered in Matilda's ear, just like she did when they met at the brothel. It made everyone crazy, even if Matilda pretended to hate it. "Hey there, Tilly, got lost on your way back?"
"Eek, how did you know I was here?" Vi thought they would both end up toppling to the floor with how Tilly had jumped, but then when nothing happened and Vi almost burst out in laughter Matilda punched her on the shoulder before turning to look at the guards. They remained stoic, however, boringly watching the goldfish swimming in the pond.
"You were too obvious—" Vi said and then was interrupted by another punch to the shoulder. "alright for me you were too obvious. Can you please stop doing that? You are going to reveal our position, Tilly." Another punch, though softer, and Vi only mouthed ouch before whispering again. "But for real, you are gonna get yourself killed. These guys are the shoot first ask never kinda people. Go away, we will meet at the brothel, same time, same place as always. No need to follow me everywhere love, you know you are my favo—"
Vi's verbal jab was stopped by a bullet zooming by, it ricochetted off a wall and before it was rolling to the floor both she and Matilda were scrambling off the roof and into the nearest alley.
"Really? Did you have to do that?" Matilda said, fulminating Vi with a look as she ran close behind her.
"Oh hell no, that wasn't my fault, Tilly—" Vi turned to try and shout over her shoulder but another bullet kept her from it, it was a heaven-sent thought, because it let her see the next alley to disappear into. She took the turn, pulling Matilda with her, and then proceeded to keep pulling her over the wall of the alley, jumping off a trash can and into a fire escape to go all the way to the roof.
"Drat, I could swear they ran this way." Vi took her finger to her lips, telling Matilda to be quiet, she only rolled her eyes and raised her eyebrow in a really? gesture.
"Fuck, quickly, keep looking. If the boss knows we lost the Wildflower—" One of them said, Vi looked away from Matilda to pear over the edge, just enough to see who was talking about her.
"That wasn't the Wildflower, was it?"
"I would never forget that feeling of having his eyes on me, man."
"You have been close enough to know he is a man?"
"No, I mean—"
"You mean you are assuming, that's rude!"
Vi rolled her eyes at their conversation, having half a mind to go down there and give them a real reason to be scared. But then they were gone and it was better that way. She let out a sigh of relief while standing but tensed again the moment she heard the familiar sound of a gun being cocked behind her.
"So you really are the Wildflower," Matilda said with a tone Vi had never heard coming from her. She was usually sweet, way too sweet for Vi's liking but she enjoyed talking with her so she put up with it. Whatever made her feel like she was fully everyone.
"You already knew, Tilly. What's the big deal all of a sudden?"
"Now I know for real." She pushed the pistol closer and Vi could now feel it against the back of her head. Was this how it was going to end? Shot by her stalker on the rooftop of the nicer part of Zaun? Not even able to taste what real freedom was like?
Hell no. Vi dropped to the floor, the pistol went off and she was over Matilda before she got to aim again, kicking her wrist and sending the pistol flying off to fall somewhere behind. Matilda didn't even inhale loudly, she had her hands raised, guard up and ready for a fight while trying to find the pistol from the corner of her eye.
"Seriously Tilly, you are gonna believe two random Silco thugs over me?" Vi raised her hands too, trying to find a way out of this and when she didn't find any, she lunged forward. Aiming for a sucker punch that Matilda redirected easily before throwing her punch right below Vi's ribs.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Matilda said, blocking the next punch before jumping back to create some distance.
"I thought we had something, Tilly"
"We never had something, and stop calling me Tilly, I can't believe you go around calling yourself the Wildflower and no one has taken you seriously."
"What else should I call you? That's the only name I have, genius. Ans it's not my fault people make up their own bedtime stories about what the Wildflower should look like. I just take advantage of it."
This time it was Matilda who attacked first, a kick that left Vi with her ears ringing and forced her to roll on the floor to avoid outright getting stamped on it.
When she was up it was to meet with a pistol almost shoved on her face but not before she did the same to Matilda. They both had each other at gunpoint, safety off and finger on the trigger.
“Now what?” Vi asked, watching Matilda’s face go from sheer ecstasy to horror. Vi couldn't blame her, for a moment there she probably thought she would have her revenge. From the beginning she knew, she knew the only reason for the Kiramman’s daughter to be at their brothel was revenge. But she hadn't said a thing and for a time Vi let herself be fooled that she hadn't recognized her at all.
She considered letting her end everything here, but Vi still refused to roll over and die. Many had told her that her whole life, she wouldn't give them that. But what else could she do? And that’s when she remembered Kiramman had been looking at her target too, not for Vi, so she took a leap of faith.
“I can take you to them,” Vi said.
Kiramman slackened her hand on the pistol and for the briefest of moments, Vi could see the terror in her eyes when she thought Vi was going to shoot. And the surprise when she didn't.
“You want them all, don't you? That's why you were staking out the same place. You are taking everyone from the underworld down. I can help with that, we take them down and then we solve this— whatever it is you have against me.” Vi pushed, hoping her nagging feeling was right.
Kiramman thinks it over and Vi can really see the warring in her mind as she mulls over whatever stakes she had at play. If Vi managed to make it out alive she would do a more thorough research on Kiramman than the last one. She hadn't done a good one five years ago or maybe she had just wanted to lie to herself, that Kiramman didn't recognize her at all.
Kiramman nodded and when she opened her mouth Vi knew what was coming and she had to stop her. "I'm—"
"Save it, once we have hunted every crook down here.”
“Why didn't you shoot?” Kiramman asked instead.
“I knew I had a chance to turn this over on my favor so I took it,” vi said while biting her lip.
I can't shoot you, not after what I did, if the only option I have is to roll over and die. I'll make sure to take every single one of them to hell with me.
For screen readers: Separator
WINTER, SPRING, and SUMMER
We hunted down the Chembarons and their people left and right, all the way from autumn, well into the winter, and going over spring. By the time we were almost reaching summer, the underworld had to reorganize themselves at least five times, and we weren't even halfway done with all the syndicates. It was at this time, when we were drunk on success, that we confessed. I told you I was looking for my mother's killer, and that I knew who it was. You told me you were my mother's killer. We didn't know what to do about that, we almost kissed right then.
"I lied," Vi confessed, hopping into her room from the balcony and then sitting on one of the high-backed armchairs with a tired sight. Her face was a mess, blood trickling from her nose and one of her eyes was starting swell shut.
"You always lie, I know." Caitlyn turned away from the report she was writing only to gasp at Vi's state. "You said you were only going to scout our route in! Why did you have to fight?" She moved to her bathroom taking a first aid kit from under the sink, she would need to replace a lot of stuff soon, she had needed it way more times than she would have liked to patch both of them after a night out hunting.
"I had to start a bar fight, they were getting suspicious and now they will wake up with their ears ringing, a horrible headache, and no recollection of tonight." Vi flinched the moment the cotton touched her split lip. "Ouch— it wouldn't kill you to be more gentle. And what did you mean by that? That you knew, I'm an excellent liar, you are bluffing."
"Don't be such a baby, you can take worse than that. And I know you were lying because you always bite your lip when you lie, Wildflower."
"Don't call me that, that's not my name."
"I know, it's what they call the current assassin at the beg and call of whoever is puppeteering the underworld, right?" Caitlyn said with bite in her tone, she was tired of Vi telling her who she isn't and never sharing who she actually is. "Our goal this whole time had been to finally could you free, so of course, I fucking know that's not your name, it wasn't even your mentor's name."
"How do you—?" Vi flinched at those words, it had become so easy to forget about all that when she was playing detective with Caitlyn.
"I'm an inspector, I had been doing my jobs too even if it didn't look like it, my name is Caitlyn Kira—"
"Kiramman, I know." Now it was Vi's turn to play know-it-all, and for Caitlyn to open and close her mouth like a fish.
Vi shrugged. "I lied." She repeated.
"You do remember me— you do remember me and had been lying all this time!" Caitlyn stabbed even harder against Vi's bruises with the cotton, half on purpose, half just sheer emotion.
"That's what I said—ouch, stop it."
Caitlyn was looking daggers at Vi, who only wanted to look away in shame but couldn't. Not after all they have gone through these last few months. "Now what, cupcake."
"Is it true?"
"What is true?"
"Did you really kill my mother when you were fourteen years old?" Cait was desperate, hoping for a fucking miracle, anything that would shut down this burning hatred that was coming back with a passion.
"I killed her, I killed Cassandra Kiramman ten years ago as my first mission to become the new Wildflower."
Caitlyn wished Vi had been biting her lip when she said that, Caitlyn wished that she had been looking away, that she was at least looking at Vi with all the hatred she felt coming back. Anything would have been better than the sincerity she was hearing in Vi's voice and the broken look in her eyes.
For screen readers: Separator
AUTUMN
Autumn came back once more and with it the rains, wind, and cold. We were reminded of our place, of who each was, that I was an inspector and you were a killer for hire. There, angry, hurt and scared we made a promise that when everything ended I would take your life. A payment, an atonement, my release, your release, we would finally be free. From our pasts, from our futures, from each other.
"You better pull the fucking trigger then because if you don't, I will. The moment Camille Ferros comes down, one of us is going down with her. You hear me, Caitlyn?" Vi all but snarled from the other side of the cave, they had come back all battered, barely escaping death, barely escaping being caught by the Piltover Police. They had dragged themselves in and chose a different corner each to lick their wounds.
Caitlyn to mourn the loss of all those officers, the loss of Marcus in that explosion. While Vi lamented having ever thought that teaming up with the daughter of her first victim was ever a good idea. "What the hell were you thinking!? You almost got us killed. I hadn't been working my ass off for the last ten years for you to—"
"The last ten years? Did you know the truth about the council and Camille all that time? You knew it was all a lie and you still kept it to yourself?"
"I didn't know you back then like I do now!"
"You knew my mother was killed by the council and didn't tell me! You knew Marcus was in on it from the beginning! You have known all that time my father was a hostage and you—"
"Yeah, I ran like a coward, I chose the best way to keep us both alive. Blame me as you have always done! It's the easiest thing after all, why bother finding the truth when it's much easier to blame the Wildflower for it?"
At that moment, at that time, I wished so hard we have never met again after you killed my mother. Because after all the meetings we've had ever since I no longer had it in me to pull the trigger. To have my revenge. I didn't want this to end, I didn't want to end your life anymore.
For screen readers: Separator
WINTER
I was rushing and you were stalling, we already had her, the mastermind behind it all and the only thing I wanted was for it to end. But you weren't sure anymore, about our promise, I could feel it and I hated you for it. I hated you for planting that same uncertainty in my mind. I had been looking for revenge for so long that I couldn't imagine myself walking out of it now. My time came, I was there, and you were there. We fought tooth and nail against all of Camille's minions and when we reached her she laughed off when she realized who we were. The daughter of her political rival and the street child she had made into a killer. She revealed your secret, she revealed everyone's secrets. Yours, my parents, the superintendent— mine. And I was left out of oxygen, out of fuel for my hatred, and in the most important moment when my will faltered, you didn't. You drew the gun with me, put your finger on the trigger alongside mine, and when the time came. You let me decide, you trusted me to do what was right— and I did.
"We already know bitch, we are here to end it all," Vi said as she pulled the trigger on Camille Ferros, the devil, the puppeteer, the one responsible for all of Vi's suffering, the one responsible for the pain of many people, both from Zaun and Piltover. She then dropped the gun she had just used and closed her eyes, face looking at the ground and just waiting for the sound of Cait taking off the safety of her pistol, and when the time passed and she didn't hear it she said. "Pull the fucking trigger already, Cupcake."
The safety never came off, instead, Vi felt a pair of cuffs being fastened against her wrists. "Don't think I'm gonna let you go that easily, pay me the hard way, live and atone. That's how I want you to make it up to me."
For screen readers: Separator
SUMMER
Summer is back, and even though I used to hate it because of all the memories it brought. Reminding me of all I have lost. It now also reminded me of all that I have found, the new life we were forging together.
"We are like a bad joke," Vi said, huffing before biting the apple that Caitlyn was all but shoving on her face to try.
"Where did that come from?" She asked while taking a bite herself and humming at how sweet it was.
"You are dating your mother's killer and now you are taking her to meet your father." Vi tried to sound nonchalant about it and made it a joke, but it fell flat and the only thing that showed was her nervousness about the encounter.
"He already knows—" Caitly shrugged it off as if they were talking about a simple misunderstanding, not about Vi meeting the husband of her victim and as the girlfriend of their daughter no less.
"Still! That doesn't mean—"
"Relax, he asked to meet you, he is being processing it for almost a year now. He said he is ready, also it's not even the same house where—"
"I'm scared, Cait."
"It's ok, I'm gonna be there, dad understands you didn't have a choice. He understands it was all you knew, what you were raised to be all your life. He knows." Caitlyn stopped to say these words, to look into Vi's eyes and make sure she knew Cait meant every word, that her father knew and that he felt the same as Caitlyn did.
The door to the house opened behind them and Mathias Kiramman came out with a surprised expression as he found Caitlyn cupping Vi's face with their noses centimeters from each other.
"Am I interrupting something? Sorry, I heard your voices from the door and couldn't wait for you to knock, so I just opened the door. I can go back and wait for you to knock." If it weren't for the big smirk on his face, Vi would have bought the whole thing.
Mathias opened his arms big, Caitlyn jumping into them and hugging him as tightly as he was doing. Oh, how much she had missed his hugs. She had missed them so much, hugs with no heavy feelings behind them, it was the first of many lighthearted hugs, she hoped. Not the same as before, but a good difference this time.
Vi was twiddling her fingers, not physically, but Cait knew her enough by now to tell the signs of a very nervous Wildflower. She lets go of the hug, half of it, the other arm remaining around her dad, and then looked at her father to make sure he was alright with what she was about to do. He simply nodded and then pulled Vi himself into the hug.
"I—" Vi began, but the rest of her words were stuck in her throat.
"I know, come on, the food is gonna get cold." It's all Mathias said, there will be time to talk about it, there will be a lot of it.