Takedown and Turn

by Slythtpsq0c

Summary:

Caitlyn Kirramen thought she had her life all planned out, she was captain of the swim team, all A's. She was damn near perfect, at least that's how she saw herself. Until she noticed someone, she had no intentions of noticing. Violet Lanes, captain of the wrestling team, cocky and insanely arrogant.
When a tutoring opportunity arises and all of the sudden Vi and Caitlyn are thrust together in an academic emergency, what if she finds out there's much more to Violet Lanes beneath the arrogance and fists first attitude.
And the scarier thing? What if she likes it?

Chapter 1: Prologue

Violet (Vi) Lanes has been wrestling since her parents died in a case of police brutality, back before the unification of Zaun and Piltover. Over a high school, Piltover Prep has always been a school for the rich, high classed citizens of Piltover.

Vi was never one of them, she and her sister were born downstairs, before the random searches and killings stopped. They were ‘adopted’ (using the term lightly) by Vander, and later on, Silco. The pollution was the breaking point, Felicia, Silco and Vander planned for a revolution that never even got that far. Piltover’s council stepped in and decided that it was time for a new era.

An era of an independent but unified Zaun, and a school that accepts Zaunites and Piltovians. Piltover Prep.

Zaunites only began being allowed to attend Piltover Prep four years ago, the first ever students being Viktor and Sky, they’re seniors now obviously. Viktor was going to Ionian University with his boyfriend Jayce for Bio-medical engineering. Sky is going to Demacian University for economical sciences, hoping that she can help reverse some of the damage caused to Zaun's ecosystem.

Anyways, back to the important stuff. Violet Lanes.

Violet started wrestling at a young age, Vander taught her how to defend herself, and due to the very limited resources, education, and athletic opportunities, 23-year-old Sevika took Violet under her wing as a wrestling protegee.

Sevika lost her arm in a mining accident, thus taking away her opportunities. So, she taught Vi everything she knew, living vicariously through her.

So did Silco, up until she was the age to enter Piltover Prep, Violet sat in the attic of the last drop going over flashcards with Silco and then practicing with Vander. At around age 30, Sevika took a coaching job at Piltover Prep, coaching track, wrestling, and football.

Once Violet got to high school. Everything changed. Quickly, she learned that not everything has to be dealt with via violence. She was what teachers call ‘Exceptionally smart for someone like her’, that wasn’t a compliment. It meant that their bars were pretty low for kids from Zaun.

She was good in History, literature, and gym too (obviously), but the only thing she felt at peace with was the wrestling mat. And the class that felt like hell was calculus. Vi and calculus are not the only two that have beef.

Violet has had a long-standing rivalry with Darius, a fellow wrestler from Noxus Academy. This started in Violet’s freshman year, when he broke her 3 ribs in the middle of a match, ever since? Vi’s been out for blood.

But what happens when Vi’s only chance to get him back could be jeopardized by an empty calculus test?

A tutor is what happens.

But…then what happens when the tutor hates Violet’s guts and Violet doesn’t even know her?

What happens when the tutor is none other than Caitlyn Kirramen?

Chapter 2: Chapter 1: "155 and 3.04"

“Powder!” Vi whispered, kicking at the edge of Powder's bed, her lazy ass was still asleep. “Powder get up” Vi huffed, ripping her pillow out from under her.

“Leave me alone” Powder groaned, burying her face in her arms, her blue hair strewn about, sticking out in random places.

“Get up, Silco will be mad if we make him late again” Vi groaned, she adjusted her sock again, the hole kept moving, exposing Vi’s chipped toenail polish. She had new socks; she just liked these ones.

“You have twenty minutes,” Vander bellowed up the stairs, Vi heard him walking away and the squeaking of a bar stool told her that he’d sat down to have his morning coffee.

Vi grabbed Powder's shoulders and drug her out of bed, throwing a pair of joggers at her, along with a bright blue tank top and a black crop top. “There, I got you clothes” Vi said, nudging her again with her socked foot.

She slapped her hands down at her sides and groaned. She’d already checked to see if Powder was dead the last time, she tried waking her up, nope, she’s just an asshole.

“I’m leaving in twenty minutes, if neither of you are with me that’s your own fault” Silco said up the stairs in a sing-song voice, Vi knew he scoffed to Vander after that. Today Silco had to make a run for groceries, he liked doing it in the morning after he dropped the girls off to school so it’s less busy, at least that’s what he told Vi.

“Give me a few minutes!” Vi said, wrapping her belt through the belt loops of her baggier jeans. Her skinny jeans were in the wash, so she had to make do. She held the bottom of her white tee in her mouth as she fastened her belt. Her fingers fumbled with the spikes as the nerves got to her. She hated being late.

She then pulled the jeans down a little bit, and pulled her boxers up some more, taking a quick peek at her abs in the mirror. Man, she was proud of those.

Vi rubbed her middle finger on the black section of her eyeshadow pallet and quickly rubbed at her eyes, scrunching them tight for the lines.

“Perfect,” she said, licking her teeth. Shit, that’s what she forgot. She sprinted to the bathroom and pulled out her toothbrush, scrubbing furiously at her tongue and teeth. She spit and rinsed and ran back out to Powder. She was still on the floor.

Vi shook her again, this time yelling in her ear for a minute or two before Powder finally opened her eyes. “Get your ass dressed” She looked at her watch. “You have ten minutes”

Powder's eyes flooded with panic. “Why didn’t you wake me up early?” She shrieked.

Vi felt like the vein in her forehead was about to explode. She took a deep breath and grabbed her boots. She wasn’t going to argue with Powder this morning, no matter how much she wanted to suplex her, she wouldn’t.

Quickly, she laced up her black combat boots and checked over her bag one last time. Wrestling shoes? Check. Headgear? Check. Shorts? Check. Everything was fine. She slung her duffel bag over her shoulder and trampled down the stairs.

“Powder will be down in a minute” she said to Vander, grabbing the coffee cup with her name on it. She felt the warm goodness across her tongue. Wonderful, she got goosebumps as she drank the coffee quickly. “Thanks dad” Vi said, giving Vander a quick side hug and rushing out the door where Silco was waiting.

“If your sister is not down here in the next ten seconds we’re leaving” Silco said, turning away from Vi and entering the elevator.

That was a lie, Vi thought with a chuckle. Powder was his favorite.

“I’m here” Powder said, her hair was halfway in a bun, and her converse were untied, but she wore the outfit Vi picked out. That was a shock, maybe miracles do exist.

~

Vi stretched out her legs, one knee on the mat and the other up, rocking back and forth, trying to stretch out all the muscles in her legs. She knew she was gonna have to shower before school, practice was always before school and after school. She didn’t even know why she got dressed in her school clothes before practice. Her hair looked better wet anyways.

Her shorts reached around her knees, and she wore a white muscle cutoff shirt over a black binder she used as a bra. She was not ready for school today, she had a test in History, she wasn’t worried about that. But calculus, calculus was her own personal hell. The only subject she ever had to study for and she still had a D- it was rough, and it wasn’t even the teacher this time. Professor Orianna was wonderful, she was patient, even helped when Vi could get her locker to open or shut.

Vi concluded she just sucked at calculus.

But none of that mattered here, on the mat. The wrestling room was small, around the size of the main floor of The Last Drop. Blue and gold wrestling mats covered the floor from wall to wall. Vi didn’t know how old they were, she didn’t care either. She helped each day to clean them anyways. The coach thanked her for it. The truth was, she just did not want to go to school.

Vi moved from a lunge position to a squat, pushing up and flexing onto her toes each second. It was a good routine for her ankles, keeping them strong. It also helped with her shin splints; these wrestling shoes didn’t do any good when she ran.

Coach Sevika told her, “You don’t run in wrestling shoes!” Vi knew. But she liked it better, it made her feel closer, more connected to the mat.

“I think I’m gonna head out in a minute Coach” she said, rolling out her wrists and then balancing on them. Her short fingernails dug into the mat, it was good, nice and grounding. So was the sweat pouring down her back.

“Alright” Coach said, she was sitting crisscross on the mat, going through weights and shoving people where she thought they’d fit. Vi’s name was at the top in the 155-weight class.

“Do you want me to cut down to 145?” Vi asked, standing up and peering over Sevika’s shoulder more intensely, really getting a good look at the line up. Jayce Talis took the 215 spot, no surprise there, that man can hardly cut paper, let alone body weight.

“Nah, you’re good where you're at,” Sevika said, biting down on her pencil. “You and Jayce are gonna have a tough time next week. Demacian Unity High, and Noxus Prep are gonna be at the meet next Tuesday. You get to see Darius, and Jayce gets Garen.”

Vi curled her lip. She hated Darius with every fiber of her being, he stunk and he was stupid. But he was strong too. He beat Vi the last time they wrestled, which was during her freshman year. He’s a senior now, and Vi’s a junior. She’s gonna beat that bastard this time.

Jayce beat Garen last time, not by much though. By a single point, Garen was about to finish a takedown when the third period timer ran out. That also led Piltover High to make it to the city championships. They lost in the third round.

“I’m getting a piece of him this time,” Vi said, cracking her knuckles, envisioning them as Darius’s face. Janna, she was gonna beat him this time.

~

Vi flicked her pink hair away from her face, it was soaking wet and running all down her face, she reapplied her eyeshadow, using a slightly wet finger and smudging it all around her eyes again. Somehow, she always had a good smokey eye. She flicked her wet hand off and pulled her pants on.

The locker room smelt distinctly of sweat with the undertone of blood. Vi had hit a good few people in this locker room, bashed someone's head into that bench right there, she thought, reminiscing as she walked past the bench. She walked past some girl wrapping in a towel on her way out. She had blue hair and a permanent sneer as soon as she saw Vi.

That was weird, Vi didn’t even know this chick?

“You alright?” Vi asked, raising a brow and zipping up her duffle bag, the inside smelt awful, like two-week-old sweat. She keeps forgetting to throw the bag in with her clothes so it all ends up stinking.

The girl rolled her eyes and kept walking, bare feet sliding on the wet locker room floor as her hair and towel dripped. She held a pair of black swimming goggles in her right hand and her towel up in her left.

“Ok Princess, my bad” Vi chuckled, holding her hands up in a gesture of as she made her way back out of the locker room. She was met with a scoff. Damn, who pissed in her cherrioes this morning?

~

The calculus classroom was exactly how someone would imagine it, cold always, everything was various shades of white, black and grey with the navy blue and gold Piltover high crest above the door.

Vi sat in front of one of the desks, head propped up on her hand. She hadn’t even started her test, she wrote her name in capital letters on the name line, besides that, there was nothing written on her paper. It’s been half an hour since the period started. There was an hour left and a four page front and back test sat in front of her virtually untouched.

She didn’t know what to do, she felt her chest tighten every time she flipped through the pages, hoping to find something she did understand and work her way back, maybe even using key words to figure out the rest of the problems?

Vi ran her tongue across her teeth and bit down on the inside of her mouth. She needs to pass this test. If she wanted to beat Darius next week, to even see the mat she needed to pass this test. But she couldn’t even get through the first page.

She sighed and began chewing on her already short fingernails, tapping her leg restlessly, blinking over and over again, hoping clarity would come. Vi felt her heart drop to her stomach with every minute that ticked past, Janna, she was such an idiot, how could she jeopardize all of this over calculus.

Vi swears she’d been trying to pay attention, to take all the notes Professor wrote on the board, to try to absorb every single word she said even if it sounded stupid.

But then the bell rang.

And she handed in a blank test.

~

Vi hand fought furiously, headphones on a resistance band wrapped around her fists. She held stance in motion. Sprawl. Shot. Fast feet. Down block. Sprawl. Shot. Fast feet. Down block.

It was so much easier, to fight her way through her exhaustion, to push herself, to cover her knees in mat-burn and push herself off the mat in less than five second, it was so much easier than a fucking math test.

Her wrestling shoes burned through the mat with each step, Vi’s skin sizzled underneath her muscle shirt, every muscle ached. But she needed this.

She ducked under the resistance band, sliding her knee and keeping her back straight. Shot. She did it again on the other side. Repetition. She threw her legs back and slammed her left hip bone on the mat. Sprawl. She pushed herself up and did it again. Repetition. She bent over and touched both palms to the mat while staying in stance. She stood back up, took a shot, and did it again.

Vi pictured Darius’s face with a snarl and took another shot. Repetition. She sprawled again, over and over again until her hips were bruised, until her bare knees were red and bloody.

Then she cleaned the mats.

~

Vi took one look at Vander's disappointed face behind the bar and bolted upstairs. Her legs were sore and tired, but she ran up the stairs, maybe she hoped she would avoid his disappointment. He must’ve heard about the test.

Sevika probably talked to him.

Sevika had been part of this makeshift little family since Vi could remember, she’d always been helping Vander teach Vi how to wrestle. So, Vi knew Sevika cared about her, but it still hurt to see Vander like that.

Disappointed in her.

“Hey tiger,” he said, walking up the stairs slowly. Vi sat on her bed, hands wrapped in bandages, the resistance bands had cut into her palms this afternoon and left a bloody mess.

“Hi dad,” Vi said quietly, staring at the wall. She really did not want to cry.

He stood in front of her and pulled out the chair of Powder's vanity, sitting backwards and looking at Vi with that knowing expression he always wore, where his mouth was set and his eyebrows were drawn up. Worried, but also prepared.

“I heard about your test today” he said, Vi bit down the urge to look away, she blinked tears away from her eyes. Do not cry Violet.

“I swear dad, I- I really have been trying-”

Vander grabbed her sore hands and held them on his own. He pursed his lips and nodded like he knew just how much she did try. “I know tiger,” He sighed. “You have big dreams. And I believe that you will fulfill every one of them.”

Vi cast her eyes downward, she couldn’t bear these talks, somehow, she always felt bad, like she was bad because they had these talks.

“Hey,” He moved into her line of sight. “Look at me” He squeezed her hand gently and then moved to grab her shoulder. “I believe you can be the best wrestler in all of Runterra, if you stop letting stupid things like a math test stop you”

She swallowed and bit down on the inside of her lip.

“You’re one of the smartest kids I know, the toughest one too. But sometimes we need to put our pride aside and ask for help”

Vi took a shaky breath, he knew how crippling her pride was, so did she. But she did ask for help, she really did. She just didn’t understand.

“That’s enough with the sappy shit kid,” They stood up and he wrapped his arms around her, patting her shoulder and head affectionately. He always did give the best hugs.

Vi let herself be hugged, to collapse into the warmth that was her father. “Mylo and Claggor will be here soon for dinner,” He looked at her and tilted her chin. “You’ll be alright kid”

“Vander!” Silco yelled up the stairs. “Powder’s home and she was wondering if there was anything you needed help with”

Vi chuckled, she doubted Powder said anything like that at all. But Vander was right, she’d be fine. It’s just a math test.

~

Caitlyn adjusted her tie and looked into the mirror, noticing her high set cheekbones and her virtually unmarred skin. There was dry skin here and there, but that’s what chlorine did to her perfect skin. Her rectangular shaped glasses rested on her forehead. She disliked wearing them.

Whatever, she rolled her eyes and took another look at her long nails. She had meant to paint them yesterday but didn’t have the time to because of studying for her history test today. She had a history and a calculus test today.

Neither would be a bother. She had stayed up all night studying for them.

She had lap swim this morning, so she didn’t know why she even bothered fiddling with her tie, she didn’t do her makeup either, she kept it all in her bag for the locker room once she was done with her allotted time.

Maybe then she’d run into her again.

Violet Lanes. She went by Vi, one of the best wrestlers in Piltover High, reputation of a literal fuckboy as a woman. Dressed like one too, low rise pants, cropped shirts. She reeked of vanilla cologne, and a strange shampoo Caitlyn hadn’t figured out yet.

But she hated Violet.

How easy she made everything look, how she didn’t even know Caitlyn existed. It was all insufferable, her cocky attitude and academic success. She didn’t even try! Caitlyn decided that was enough thinking about someone like Violet. It was Caitlyn time. She stomped downstairs, her Mary janes making a distinct clanking sound on the hardwood floor of the Kirramen manor.

“Mother” Caitlyn shouted in a sing-song voice, Cassandra Kirramen didn’t leave the house until around an hour after Caitlyn did. Because Caitlyn’s time for lap swim was five-thirty to seven-thirty. Two hours. It gave Caitlyn exactly half an hour to dry her hair and do her makeup for school. It was perfect. She had a schedule written down in her bag, telling her when she had to stop and begin things, like her makeup.

“Caitlyn” Her mother responded, she sounded more tired than normal, perhaps she hadn’t slept well?

“I’m leaving in…” Caitlyn looked at her gold pocket watch. “Two minutes. I love you mother, and I’ll see you at school” Her father huffed ‘I love you too’ and Cassandra responded.

“Be safe Darling, I love you.”

Then, Caitlyn was off, earbuds in and Mary Jane’s clanking across the pavement. She loved lap swim.

~

Caitlyn swam up, blowing air bubbles out of her nose as she swam to the surface, that was her best time yet, 3.04 for the four hundred meter. Her previous time was 3.54, so she shaved almost a minute off. She wasn’t sure just how she did it, but as she sat on the poolside, feet kicking in the chlorinated water she felt that familiar feeling of pride creeping in.

She was no stranger to pride, that’s all she’d been raised in, besides the occasional dosing of love, Caitlyn was raised being the pride of the Kirramen household, future detective, future holder of the Kirramen fortune and legacy. But also, current academic weapon and captain of the swim team. She also helped lead speech and debate with Mel.

Pride was the feeling Caitlyn Kirramen was most familiar with, and conveniently, most fond of.

Soon enough into her high swimming career she found out that pride didn’t get you anywhere, pride comes after, precision and hard work must come first.

Caitlyn checked her gold pocket watch that sat beside her, it was exactly seven-thirty. Wonderful. She stood up and grabbed her towel, wrapping it tightly around herself. The black one piece did nothing to help warm her, so she was always cold when she left the pool.

She gripped her goggles in her right hand and raced off the pool deck and into the locker room, she didn’t even care about the water dripping from her hair and her towel.

She needed to be on time. Then she almost ran into her.

Violet Lanes, pulling up her pants in no rush, just nonchalantly, arrogantly maybe.

Caitlyn felt her lip pull up into a sneer, she wished Violet knew just how much Caitlyn disliked her but, the only thing that came from her was confusion. Of course, because why would Violet know Caitlyn’s name, Caitlyn thought bitterly.

Wrestlers with their cauliflower ear and stupid arrogance.

“You alright?” Violet asked as she raised her eyebrow and zipped that duffel bag of hers she always carried around. How was she so…slow about everything?

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. The correct way to ask was ‘Are you alright?’, but of course Violet didn’t know that. She didn’t care!

“Ok Princess, my bad” Violet chuckled, holding up her hands in a mock-surrender. Oh, goodness, Caitlyn wished she could strangle Violet with her duffle bag. She was insufferable! Terribly so!

Caitlyn scoffed, oh she’s terrible.

She grumbled through everything she did that morning, showering, blow drying her hair, doing her makeup, she grumbled about how much she hated Violet Lanes. The way she walked, talked, and acted. Oh, Caitlyn hated it all.

~

“It’s insane! That’s what I’m saying” Viktor said, toying with an apple, he never really ate too much at school, Caitlyn noticed. Jayce gave him a small touch on his hand and they shared a look. After an earthshaking eyeroll from Jayce, Viktor took a bite of the apple.

Caitlyn found it amusing, how her older brother, practically, had found someone he can talk to through looks. It was strangely impossible. Because telepathy wasn’t possible, but they knew each other all too well, Jayce and Viktor.

They’d been dating since Caitlyn’s freshman year, and before that, Jayce was dating Mel, Mel broke up with Jayce to be with Elora on the same day Jayce was going to break up with Mel to be with Viktor.

It was a conundrum, don't even ask.

That entire interaction had given Caitlyn a headache for weeks.

Caitlyn took a bite of her cucumber and cream cheese sandwich; it had pieces of black forest ham and cheese mixed into the cream cheese. It was her favorite. She looked around her table and noticed she was the only one with someone else.

Mel sat next to Caitlyn holding hands with Elora. Jayce sat on the other side of Caitlyn gripping Viktor’s shoulder. Whatever, Caitlyn rolled her eyes, being someone’s something would only deter her from her academic and athletic paths.

“I’m gonna go talk to Vi for a minute,” Jayce said, excusing himself from the lunch table and going over to where she was sitting, the chair turned backwards. Eugh.

That’s where the kids from Zaun sat, it’s not like they couldn’t sit anywhere else, but they all followed her around.

Ekko, MVP of the soccer team, star goalie, wants to go to Piltover Academy of Advancement, sat on Violet’s left, he was a real piece of work. He would always glare at Caitlyn whenever they interacted.

Beside Ekko, sat Clagger and Mylo. Clagger was a star defensive lineman, and Mylo was a sprinter for the track team. Somehow neither of them could ever show up on time. And on Violet’s right, was her sister. A freshman whose name was Powder, part of the contemporary dance team and engineering prodigy.

Violet nodded at whatever Jayce was saying, occasionally shrugging and saying something that looked suspiciously like ‘You do you’ which was strange. Who would take advice from Violet Lanes?

Jayce Talis would. Of course he would.

“What was that about?” Viktor asked before coughing into his towel, he had a terrible lung disease due to prolonged exposure to Zaunite pollution. The council had been working on that for years, for some reason the pollution might be too bad to actually solve. Caitlyn’s mother said something about hoping to contain it instead.

Caitlyn didn’t believe that would help.

“I was asking for some tips on how to pin Garen better next Tuesday. There's a meet here against Demacian Unity High and Noxus Prep,” Jayce said with a small smirk. “You guys should come” he said in a sing-song voice, waving his hands around in excitement. He started wrestling last year after he was drunkenly dared too by Mel, apparently, he fell in love with it.

Caitlyn’s eyes shifted back to where Violet and her crowd sat, she was tapping on the chair and shrugging her shoulders at whatever Ekko was saying next to her. She didn’t look like she had a single clue what was going on. Of course she didn’t

She rolled her eyes and turned back to her sandwich, even surrounded by stupidity, at least she had her sandwich.

~

Caitlyn stared down at the History test, she’d gotten the first half done, easy. But the second half was about the rise of the Noxian Empire, and she really had no idea. She knew about the BN (Before Noxus) and the AN (After Noxus), but truthfully, she didn’t pay much attention to what happened in between.

A soft clink of metal is what made Caitlyn look up from her test. Violet’s spiked belt had brushed against Caitlyn’s desk, making the weird clinking noise.

Violet was turning in her test! Already? Caitlyn whipped out her gold pocket watch, they still had an hour left? This was preposterous. She doubted Violet even studied. But as Violet’s broad figure walked towards Professor Bolbus’s desk Caitlyn couldn’t help but notice the strange way she walked. It was a mix between a prowl and saunter. Her shoulders would lurch forward with every step. It was weird. Just walk normally.

Caitlyn narrowed her eyes as Violet walked back, that stupid, cocky smirk plastered on her face, she slid in between Caitlyn’s desk again, Caitlyn noticed the white boxers with the ‘Calvin Klein’ embroidered on the hem.

She needs to pull her goddamn pants up. Caitlyn pursed her lips and took a deep breath as Violet went back to her seat, slouched and with her legs spread like a man. It was a wonder anyone thought she was a woman.

She tipped her head back and closed her eyes, this bastard was really sleeping in class. Ugh. This was infuriating. Caitlyn tore her eyes away from Violet and laid them back onto this frustrating history test. Thanks a lot Violet, her stupidness distracted Caitlyn.

Now she really didn’t know what she was doing.

Well, this was wonderful, truly. Damn it.

~

It was fourth period math when Caitlyn felt her heart jump into her throat. Professor Orianna had asked her to stay after class. Nobody who did anything good got asked to stay after class.

This was alarming because, Caitlyn had felt proud of her results throughout the math test, she figured if she got anything wrong at all, it was very little. Because Caitlyn didn’t get things wrong.

Professor Orianna sat behind her desk, her icy blue-white eyes full of kindness. Her skin was porcelain, not a single crack or scuff. She was truly gorgeous. Caitlyn didn’t know how old she was, just that she was an amazing teacher.

The rest of the students, including Violet, shuffled out of the classroom once the bell rang, instead of following them, Caitlyn shamefully walked up and stood in front of her professor's desk. “What did I do?” She asked dejectedly. She was prepared for anything, public shaming, humiliation, perhaps even the unfathomable…an F.

“Oh you haven’t done anything Darling, I just know that…” She began shuffling through papers as she spoke. Normally Caitlyn preferred eye contact while speaking, but she was a professor, so Caitlyn understood. “You are a wonderful student with very high marks” She showed Caitlyn her test. One hundred percent. Just as she expected.

“Thank you so much professor” Caitlyn said, smiling modestly, she wasn’t modest, everyone knew it. But she liked Orianna.

“Of course. But I wanted you to tutor someone who is…struggling. Not with the concept or anything of the sorts so you don’t have to really teach.” The professor assured, Caitlyn took a breath. Thank god. “But they need help with the understanding, and obviously, you understand just fine. So, I wish to enlist your help”

Caitlyn nodded, of course. Anything to be well in the eyes of another Professor. “I’d love to,” she said, smiling. “Who is this student, if I may?” Caitlyn prodded.

“You’ll find out soon enough. I’ll speak to your mother about the plans, hopefully she will relay the information to you” Professor said, nodding towards the door. This was a clear sign for Caitlyn to leave, and so she did, shutting the door behind her.

She’s glad Professor Orianna came to her, perhaps maybe this mysterious student will learn something. Once she learned that the Professor came to her first, Caitlyn felt pride bloom in her stomach.

This student will be lucky to be tutored by Caitlyn, she’s a great tutor, as long as she keeps her patience.

~

Caitlyn’s fear of imperfection stemmed from her mother, the saint literature teacher and council member; her mother expected perfection. Whether it be in posture or grades, even athletics. Although Cassandra managed to have council meetings most times Caitlyn had a swim meet.

She was beginning to wonder if it was intentional.

Caitlyn’s father wasn’t too bad, he loved it when she was acting perfect, but he didn’t demand it. He praised her even when she’d gotten a B that one time, even said “It must’ve been hard”

It sounded like a jab at her intelligence, because nothing should be hard. Everything can be accomplished if Caitlyn thinks hard enough about it. History? Easy. Passed the test with a 85/100. Math? Easier. Passed with 100/100.

Everything was easy if she looked at it the right way.

But even as she lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling, thinking about her. Violet still remained a puzzle Caitlyn could not solve.

And Caitlyn never left a puzzle unsolved.

It was ridiculous all of it, all of her even. How was everything so easy for her? Finishing long history tests in a half an hour? Something only Violet Lanes did.

Caitlyn bit down on her tongue and rolled over onto her side. She had to stop thinking about how insufferable Violet Lanes was, that would only make her angry before bed.

She rolled over again, back on her back this time, the flowy blue nightgown she wore rustling with each movement she made.

What is it that made Violet so…Violet? And why did Caitlyn think about her when she didn’t even know her name?

It was pure insanity, that’s what it was. Pure insanity, doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

Maybe she thought that if she judged her long enough, Violet would start hating her back.

Caitlyn’s mission was to make Violet know who she was, to disrupt her to her very core, and to piss her off until she snaps.

Wonderful.

Now Caitlyn can go to sleep.

Notes:

Wellllll this was fun. I wrote it a week or two ago I think? But after this one I'm gonna post the next six once a day, so for the next six days you guys will be getting daily updates, but once I have to start writing again, these are very long chapters, so being able to juggle my school and my gym times, I'll begin posting weekly after that.
So I hope you enjoyed it, and I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Stay hydrated! Love yall!
-Slythtpsq0c

Chapter 3: Chapter 2: "Tutors and Tension"

“A tutor?” Vi shouted, she threw herself off the bench Professor and Sevika sat her down at. She should’ve known something was up as soon as Sevika started talking quietly. “You’re joking?” Vi insisted, this was crazy? A tutor? She wasn’t that bad, she didn’t think.

Orianna looked like she wanted to say something. But Sevika’s mouth was set in a grim line, her prosthetic and her larger arm was crossed at her chest. She shook her head swiftly.

“I don’t need a tutor,” Vi repeated, shaking her head and pacing between the two of them. A tutor? For Vi? No. She didn’t need one. One on one time with a teacher would be better. More productive, less humiliating.

“Violet. Please” Orianna said, brushing a porcelain hand on Vi’s shoulder. Vi shoved it off quickly, she felt her heart clog into her throat, felt her once rhythmic heartbeat beat out of tune. She bit down on her tongue and held it there, tasting copper.

“Sit down” Sevika ordered, Vi grit her teeth and sat. Sevika put her hands on her knees and moved Vi’s head, they were nose to nose. Vi hated these talks, they always meant she was about to get her ass chewed.

Vi’s lip twitched.

“You are on the academic watchlist.” Sevika stated, Vi’s head snapped up. The academic watchlist? What the fuck? It must’ve been the calculus test. It had to be; she had (almost) perfect marks in every other class. “That means I cannot let you wrestle until you’re off it”

“Coach-” Vi croaked, her voice was in shambles. Leading this morning’s practice was rough, Sevika was in a meeting with Orianna presumably, so Vi had to lead it.

“No if’s, and’s or but’s Violet.” Sevika said through bared teeth. “You are our best athlete, but you are a student-athlete. Student will always come first”

Vi bit her tongue again and looked away. She hardly ever had this talk, but it still stung, nonetheless.

“My team has standards to uphold. If I bring my star-wrestler who’s failing calculus” Sevika’s voice raised gradually. “Then what do you think that will say about me and the rest of our school?” Sevika all but shouted this time, spit flying into Vi’s angry face. Her brows were narrowed as she looked into Sevika’s eyes. Most people would shrink away from Sevika’s anger.

That just made them a target. Vi never shrunk. She grew up with Sevika, she wasn’t nearly as scared as she ought to be.

“Exactly,” Sevika concluded, taking a deep breath and massaging the bridge of her nose. “So, you will have these scheduled meetings with a tutor, you will go to practice before or afterwards depending on the time, you will get your grade up in calculus, or you will not wrestle next week.”

Vi felt the tremors of her gritted teeth all the way up her jaw. Sevika knew how much beating Darius meant to her, she knew all of it. But Vi knew she needed to get that grade up, as much as she hated to admit it, Sevika was right.

“I’ll take the tutor,” Vi grumbled, getting up and shoving between them, swiping her duffle bag off the ground and storming out of the classroom. Tutor her ass, she thought with an eye roll.

~

Vi sprawled her legs out underneath her chair, rubbing at her eyes. History was a bore, Bolbok gave everyone their tests back, Vi had received a 92/100, getting a few questions wrong about the Rune Wars. But it wasn’t that deep, ninety-two was good.

She folded the test and shoved it in the back pocket of her jeans. In the corner of her eyes, she saw the chick from the locker room, gritting her teeth and glaring down at her test. Damn, she must’ve gotten a bad grade. That sucks.

Vi closed her eyes and listened to Bolbok rambling about tests and scores, and averages. She was proud of her grade, yes, but she was more worried about next week Tuesday, providing she could wrestle. Demacian Unity High was the best wrestling high school on this side of Runterra, if she could beat Darius, that’d put her even higher up on the map, someone Noxian University would have to check out.

“Do you even pay attention?” Someone ground out near Vi, her British accent was laced with resentment.

“No” Vi responded, keeping her eyes closed and thinking about Noxian University. It was the best school for athletic scholarships, maybe she’d even get to meet Runterra’s reigning 215 pounder. Ambessa Medarda. Vi audibly let out a sigh.

She’d talked to her daughter a few times, Mel was more interested in politics and debate rather than wrestling, but her mom, her mom was a wonder. Someone Vi had posters in her room about, if she could learn under Ambessa Medarda, all would be right in the world and Vi would die happy…and then she heard this agitating voice again?

“It’s a wonder you score so high on tests” The girl scoffed again.

Vi’s head lolled back in annoyance. “Can you let me daydream in peace?”

“No! The professor is talking!”

“Fuck off” Vi muttered, turning her head towards the voice but keeping her eyes closed. She covered her eyes with her hands and rubbed at them. Did she ever stop talking?

She heard the girl scoff and shuffle back to her desk.

“There ya go, mind your own business” Vi chuckled, she felt her smirk broaden as the girl practically growled at her. Vi brushed it off and thought again of Ambessa Medarda.

All 6’9 feet of muscle and skill, completely ripped.

“You’re drooling” That voice said again, sounding more disgusted this time than agitated.

“What do you want?” Vi groaned, wiping her nose with the bandages on her hands, Vander made sure to clean the cuts made by the resistance bands last night, he said she didn’t do it well enough, that they’d get infected if she keeps cleaning wounds like an idiot.

The girl growled again, and there was the squeak of her moving her chair again. Thank Janna.

~

“Little man,” Vi said, turning the chair around backwards and sitting down at their lunch table. Ekko looked up from his turkey sandwich. “Where’s pow?” Vi asked, everyone was here, Claggor, Mylo, Ekko, but not Powder.

“She’s still in the studio,” Ekko said, wiping mayo from his face and shoving more bread in his mouth. Clagger ate an entire hotdog in a bite and Mylo, who sat on his right, curled his lip.

“Do you ever savor your food?” Mylo asked, taking a bite of his salad, the piece of lettuce kept falling off his fork every time he tried bringing it to his mouth. Finally, he grunted and picked it up with his fingers.

“No,” Clagger said around the hotdog bun.

“Did she take her-”

“Yes, she took her lunch,” Ekko said with a small eye roll as he took another bite. The worry in Vi’s stomach died a little bit. Sometimes in the heat of all of it, Powder will forget to eat and then dances off a million calories (not literally) and then she’s all shaky. “She told me you’d ask. She brought the same turkey sandwich I did”

Vi was speechless, how did he know she was going to ask what Powder had for lunch?

“She told me you’d ask that too”

Vi rolled her eyes and took another bite of her sandwich, it was egg, cheese, and bacon on a bagel. High in proteins and fats, perfect for before wrestling practices. At least Powder was eating again. There was a point in her dancing career where she thought eating slowed her down.

It wasn’t until Silco talked to her that she finally started eating again, and even then, most of the time she’d throw it right back up.

“What’s with your hands Vi?” Ekko asked, pointing to the bandages. Vi flexed her fingers around her sandwich, feeling the cuts stretch. It was a good pain, one that showed that the skin was starting to heal, slowly, but starting to heal. Last night she bled through the bandages twice.

“Went a little too hard with resistance bands yesterday” Vi said casually, her binder was tight against her chest, making her feel her heartbeat even more definite than normal. Since she knew she was on the academic watchlist, it made things a lot more difficult, more irritating. She knew she needed to get her calculus grade up in a week if she wanted to wrestle Darius and kick his ass.

The meet would be at Piltover Prep, so there was no way she’d: one, get her ass kicked on home turf, two, not even wrestle on her home turf.

There was no way in hell.

Ekko gave her that look. No, she wasn’t doing it again, yes, she was perfectly fine. She tried conveying that with her eyes, but still he looked at her with the same look Vander did, except it had totally different effects. With Ekko, she’d roll her eyes. He was the youngest one here and acted like Vi’s caretaker. Does it make sense?

She shook her head instead, raising her eyebrows back at him and throwing her hands up in a ‘Ok’ gesture like, c’mon man.

He sighed and looked back at his sandwich. “You’re impossible”

Vi smirked and took a bite, yum, a mouthful of egg and hot sauce. “That’s what all the ladies tell me”

“Ugh,” Ekko said, curling his lip up to his nose. “Please never say that to me ever again.” He covered his eyes with one hand and turned to face Claggor. “Vi’s making sex jokes again”

Claggor sighed dramatically. “Vi” He groaned. “No one wants to hear that during lunch”

Vi just laughed, clutching at her stomach as she felt her ribs groan in protest, she’d gone pretty hard yesterday and she thinks that shows in every step.

“I’ll stop, promise” Vi said through laughs.

~

Vi bent over and touched her toes, she felt her hamstrings stretch as she did so, thankfully she didn’t have to lead the after school practice, Sevika was here for that. She had an appointment with her mysterious tutor around six o’clock. Practice ended right at six, so she’d have to maybe douse herself in cologne so she wouldn’t stink. She’d shower once she got home, she just didn’t wanna keep this tutor waiting any longer than she had too.

Jayce elbowed her in her side as she stretched. “Ready for Tuesday?" He said, from where Vi was, it sounded like he was practically buzzing with energy. That’s great news for her (no it’s not), that meant she’d have to sort of return his energy while she was his practice partner.

Sevika partnered them up once last year and they’ve been partners ever since. It was fun being Jayce’s partner, he was a heavyweight(ish) so it provided more of a challenge for her. Made it at least ten times easier to wrestle people her own weight.

“I’m so ready” Vi said with a yawn, she moved into a handstand, stretching out her forearms and her back muscles. She could tell from Sevika’s mood when she walked in that this was not going to be an easy practice. But was there ever an easy practice? No, not really.

Once everyone was done stretching, Sevika directed them to the track and said “Due to grades, we’re gonna be running two miles before we start wrestling. Vi, don’t run in those wrestling shoes and then bitch about shin splints!”

Vi rolled her eyes and set her pace. Two miles was light. “I won’t coach,” she yelled over her shoulder. Jayce ran beside her, keeping up but also falling behind at some points, holy Janna he breathed heavy.

“How are you not tired?” Jayce said he asked this question every time they had to run long distances.

“Endurance fat man” Vi replied, the truth was Jayce was a solid 6 '7 feet of muscle, but Vi and Jayce liked to tease each other based on their respective weight classes.

Jayce scoffed behind her; she could almost feel him roll his eyes.

Once they were done with the miles, Coach said they were doing two minutes on, two minutes off, ten times. Meaning, they’d alternate doing shots on each other, not finishing to the ground, for two minutes. Then they’d get a two-minute rest period and do it again. Maybe if Vi was lucky they’d do a little live wrestling at the end. But due to Sevika and Vi’s disagreement this morning, that was probably a no.

Vi took shot after shot on Jayce, inside doubles, shoulder in his hip, back straight, picking up and driving to the right. He’d catch himself on his palms, mutter ‘good one’ and then do it to her. Over and over again. Repetition.

She was breathing pretty heavily by the end of it, mostly because she threw her shots with all the force she had, exhaling each time her knee hit the mat and not breathing again until she finished. It was a way to ensure she remained disciplined.

“Nice shots Vi” Sevika would say once in a while, sending her a small smirk. Good, Sevika was over this morning, Vi was too. She’d accepted that she needed a tutor, and she was not really fine with it. But she’d come to terms with it.

“Thanks Coach” Vi would call over her shoulder as she drove Jayce into the ground again.

When Jayce would do it, he’d pick her up and drive her over easily, most of the time she’d catch herself on her palms and twist her legs out of it. That was the only critique she had for him.

“Make sure you keep your grip on the legs firm, you don’t wanna do all that work for nothing” Vi grunted, picking him up and driving him over.

It was five-thirty. She had a half-an-hour left. Perfect amount of time to ask to do live wrestling.

During one of the rest periods, Vi walked over to Sevika, Janna her legs ached, she could feel them shaking with every step. Sevika took one look at the look in Vi’s eyes as she was about to pop the question.

“No”

Vi gasped. “You didn’t- you didn’t even know what I was gonna ask” She insisted, running her hands through her sweaty pink hair, normally it stuck to her forehead, this time it stuck up.

"Yes, I did. It’s five-fifty, go get ready for your appointment”

Vi groaned, and scrubbed at her eyes with her sweaty hands, the salt from the sweat burned only a little bit. “But I have ten minutes” She groaned again.

“Go. Now”

Vi huffed and stomped out to the locker room, pulling a pair of black sweats on and a red and black Ambessa Medarda, cut off muscle top. She pulled her sweatpants down a little bit, showing the white logo on her black Calvin Klein boxers. Great. She was so ready to meet this mysterious tutor, she thought with a scoff, pulling her half-shaved pink hair into a bun.

“Let’s go bitches” she said in the mirror.

~

Caitlyn tapped the toe of her shoe impatiently before checking her gold pocket watch again. This was the second time she’d done it in the past two minutes. It was 6:02. This mysterious person she had to tutor was two minutes late, disrupting their entire schedule. Meaning now they only had fifty-eight minutes to study instead of the hour they had two minutes ago.

Then there she was. That stupid, cocky, ignorant, smirk plastered on her face. Caitlyn’s grip on her pencil and pocket watch tightened until her knuckles were white. Violet hadn’t even looked at her yet, but was fiddling with the zipper of her duffle bag.

“Sorry I’m-” She finally looked up. She was wearing her hair up. Strange. “Locker room girl” she said with a smirk. Caitlyn felt her eye twitch as she referenced their locker room encounter, she was surprised Violet remembered.

“You’re who I have to tutor?” Caitlyn said she felt her lip curl upwards slightly. Violet had done far too much of that vanilla cologne. Then Caitlyn noticed the beads of sweat, she must’ve just gotten back from practice, didn’t have the time to shower?

That’s why Caitlyn would’ve left practice early. “Yeah, I guess. You’re my mysterious tutor” Violet said, raising her eyebrows dramatically and mimicking Caitlyn's tone with a rather shitty British accent.

Caitlyn huffed and led her back to the table she had chosen in the school's library. She chose the one in the middle, optimal access to books, but also not too close to the librarians, they could be real assholes about tutors talking.

She only knew Violet was following her because of the sound of her duffle bag rubbing on her sweats, and the sound of her sneakers on the hard wood. Squeak. Squeak.

“Will you pick your feet up?” Caityln snarled.

“Loosen up a little cupcake” Violet said, she heard crunching behind her, she turned back and saw Violet biting into an apple. Caitlyn gasped.

“You can’t eat in the library!” Caitlyn said in a hushed voice. Violet shrugged and sat down at the table Caitlyn's purse was sat at. It was a black leather purse with the Kirramen crest embroidered with real gold fibers. She treasured that purse, and Violet was dripping apple juice all over it.

Caitlyn snatched the purse and felt her eye twitch again, she felt her temperature rising as she watched Violet sit there, manspreading and eating an apple messily. Caitlyn grit her teeth and dug her fingernails into the fine leather of her purse.

“Are you always so messy?”

“I just burned 600 calories I didn’t have,” she said, finally pulling her attention away from what was now a husk of an apple.

Her eyes were almond shaped and slightly down casted, probably looking at the apple. She had a crooked nose, straight with a small bump in the middle, she looked as though she’d gotten her nose broken a few times. Her lips were full, with a scar in the middle of her top one, she had tattooed the roman numeral four right under her left eye, that eyebrow also had a slit around midway through the brow.

Caitlyn rolled her eyes; Violet was making eyes at her apple again before shooting it into the trash can. It went in right away.

“Let’s begin then,” Caitlyn said, looking at her pocket watch. It was now 6:10, fifty minutes left. She flipped open her calculus page and then poked Violet’s sneakers off the table. “We’re starting now”

~

Caitlyn adjusted her glasses like she was preparing to perform delicate brain surgery, not explain derivatives to a human brick wall. Vi sprawled in the library chair across from her, long legs kicked out, spinning her pencil like she was auditioning for a role in “Math? Never Heard of Her.”

“So,” Caitlyn said sweetly, the kind of sweet that could curdle milk, “let’s review limits again. You remember limits, don’t you?”

Vi shrugged. “Sure. Those are, like… the things that stop you from doing stuff.”

Caitlyn’s jaw tightened. Not technically wrong. Irritatingly not wrong. “In calculus, they’re the value a function approaches,” she said, drawing a neat little graph. “See here? As x approaches…are you listening?”

“Yep,” Vi said, spinning her pencil faster.

Caitlyn tapped the eraser on the table. “Then explain it back to me.”

Vi leaned forward, grinning. “Basically, math’s way of saying ‘almost there but not quite.’” She sat back, smug. Caitlyn hated that it was actually… a decent analogy.

“Fine,” Caitlyn said crisply. “Moving on. Derivatives.”

Vi groaned. “The one with slopes, right?”

Caitlyn’s pen hovered mid-air. “Yes, the one with slopes,” she repeated in a tone usually reserved for reciting war crimes. “Slopes that tell us the rate of change. Not the angle of your skateboard ramp.”

“That’s geometry,” Vi said.

Caitlyn’s eyes twitched. “You’re right,” she said flatly. “For once.”

Vi smirked, leaning her chair back just far enough to make Caitlyn want to push it over. She sketched out a function, trying very hard not to notice how Vi was watching her hand instead of the equation.

“This,” Caitlyn said, jabbing her pen at the graph, “is the function. This is its slope at any given point. Do not confuse them.”

“Got it,” Vi said. “Slope is the function’s… mood.”

Caitlyn blinked. “…I beg your pardon?”

“You know. Like, one day it’s going up, another day it’s going down.”

“That is… not entirely inaccurate,” Caitlyn admitted, hating herself for it.

Vi grinned wider. “Guess I’m good at this after all.”

“Oh, please,” Caitlyn muttered, scribbling furiously. “A broken clock is right twice a day.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing. Here’s a practice problem.” She slid the paper across like she was passing a treaty she didn’t want to sign.

Vi picked up her pencil, frowned at the problem, then, maddeningly, got it right. First try.

Caitlyn stared. “Did you… cheat?”

“How would I even cheat? The answer’s not on the paper.”

Caitlyn’s lips thinned. “Suspicious.”

“Or maybe,” Vi said, smirking, “I’m just smarter than you think.”

“Oh, trust me,” Caitlyn replied, “I think plenty.”

The clock ticked. Vi kept solving problems, not fast, but not wrong either. Caitlyn’s irritation swelled with every correct answer. Because she wanted Vi to fail just a little, just enough to justify this simmering rivalry.

Instead, Vi leaned back, tossed down her pencil, and said, “Guess I don’t need you after all.”

Caitlyn smiled, all teeth. “Oh, you will.”

Vi spent the next twenty minutes asking Caitlyn personal questions. “What’s your name?” She twirled her pencil in between her fingers and bobbed her head like she was listening to something. She wasn’t Caitlyn already checked.

“Caitlyn Kirramen” Caitlyn said, jumping at the opportunity to brandish her family name. They were quite influential on Piltover and Zaun.

“Cool. My names Vi, Vi Lanes” she said, holding out a rather large hand wrapped in bandages.

“I know,” Caitlyn said, looking from Violet’s face to her hand, and then back.

“Not a physical touch person, I get it” Violet said, bringing her hand back to her own space and biting down on her lip. “What sports do ya do?” She asked, Caitlyn felt the urge to stab her with a pencil.

She buried it. “I swim,” she said, nodding and checking her pocket watch again. 6:55. Only five more minutes, five more minutes with this idiot of a woman. Two minutes before seven o’clock, Violet began shoving books in her bag, she pulled out a pair of black and red wrestling shoes. Oh, it was horrid, Caitlyn held back the urge (once again) to gag.

“Put those back in that bag Violet. I swear to God” Caitlyn said, plugging her nose. Violet shrugged and put them back in her bag on top of all of her books. It was a wonder the pages didn’t rot right out of the book.

“What’s got your panties in a knot?” Violet asked, rubbing at her wrists and bouncing her leg more and more as each minute passed.

“Panties?” Caitlyn all but shrieked. “Ugh. You’re disgusting!” She stood up, gathered her things and left, (Two minutes early). She heard Vi chuckling behind her.

“Same time tomorrow cupcakes?” Violet yelled back.

Caitlyn growled, cupcake. What the fuck was cupcake. She curled her lip again and stomped out of the library, earning a nasty look from one of the librarians. How dare Violet say anything about panties. Truly distasteful, ignorant, slightly good at calculus?

Ugh. She was the bane of Caitlyn’s existence, and she had just learned her name today. Somehow that made everything worse. Oh, Caitlyn hated Violet Lanes. With every fiber of her being, every single glance was laced with loathing and disgust. Violet Lanes, a plague on Caitlyn’s life.

~

“And you should’ve seen her!” Caitlyn insisted, cutting her chicken daintily. “She showed up after wrestling practice without a shower!”

Cassandra hit her with one of the ‘Really?’ looks. “Well, wrestling practice does end at six o’clock, you’re lucky she got there two minutes late instead of twenty.”

Caitlyn sighed. She wished her mother still talked shit about people with her. Now she just defends people like Violet Lanes.

“And she’s the top of my literature class,” Cassandra added, taking a small bite of her chicken. It was a little overdone, but nothing Caitlyn and her mother couldn’t eat, they just didn’t prefer it.

“Yes, I know…” Caitlyn said with an eyeroll. She’d heard just how much it irritated her mother that a zaunite had become top of her literature class before Caitlyn did. For some reason it killed her mother that she wasn’t top of every single class.

“Do not roll your eyes at me young lady. Those are improper table manners.” Cassandra said, wiping the edge of her mouth, the same edge that had nothing on it. Still pristine.

“What do you think of all this father?” Caitlyn said, hoping to get some backup from him. He normally took her mother’s side, but it was worth a shot.

“Those zaunites are always unmannered. You must remember Caitlyn, not all of us got tutoring on how to act” he said, superiority ribbed through his voice.

That was all wrong. Caitlyn didn’t dislike Violet because she was a Zaunite, that was stupid. She disliked her because she was so reckless, impulsive, casual, and a load of other adjectives Caitlyn wasn’t in the mood to name right now.

“Some of the most technical geniuses are Zaunites, such as Powder Lanes, she helped Jayce and Viktor with the explanation of hextech”

“Hextech isn’t a valuable thing yet.” Her father said with an eyeroll and a piece of asparagus in his mouth. “It’s a theory at most”

“Well, a theory that two Zaunites have worked on” Caitlyn said, peering past her father to look at her mother.

“That’s enough Tobias,” Cassandra scolded.

Caitlyn rolled her eyes and stood from the table. “If I may, I have studying to do” she said, pushing her plate towards one of their maids and walking away from the table. Feeling a strange sort of anger resting in her stomach. She’d talked to Powder Lanes a few times, she was quite brilliant if Caitlyn had to say so. She didn’t understand her father's hatred for Zaunites. He was born in Zaun, before the revolution and all of that nasty business.

She rubbed her eyes and slammed her door shut. Her father was more ignorant than even Violet was, and that’s saying something.

~

The next morning, Caitlyn showed up to lap swim approximately fourteen minutes early, she disliked even being around her father at the moment, their conversation last night had simply made her uneasy. It was stupid, because Violet didn’t mean anything, but somehow his prejudice towards an entire group rubbed her the wrong way.

She walked past the wrestling room, peering in the large window only briefly. She saw Violet and decided to stay a minute.

Violet was dressed in cut off sweatpants, at the knees, and a large grey hoodie, she had on a pair of black headphones and those raunchy, from hell wrestling shoes. Green bands were wrapped around both her palms and attached to a hook on the ceiling.

Caitlyn could hear Vi’s breathing through the thin window, noticing the way she flopped herself on the ground, hitting her right hip bone and then her left. Doing some weird thing where she’d slide on her left knee, keeping her back straight, and then her right knee.

It was weird. All of it.

Caitlyn shook her head and began walking back towards the locker room, there, she undressed and put on her one-piece black bathing suit, and her navy-blue swim cap. It pulled at her forehead, and it was wholly uncomfortable. She hated the swim cap.

She grabbed her goggles and towel and walked down onto the pool deck. The lane lines hadn’t been set out yet, so she decided to do that. The digital clock on the wall read 5:26, so that meant she had four minutes before she actually needed to start lap swimming. It was a perfect amount of time to stretch and put out the lane lines.

She loved it when things went according to plan.

Caitlyn dove into the water, swimming back and forth, timing each four strokes with a small breath. Timing each time she completed a lap. She was one of the strongest swimmers on the team, that’s why she’d been promoted to Captain during her sophomore year.

It was so easy to try to forget about the looming threats of running out of time and not doing something right.

It all went away as soon as she dove into the pool.

She liked to think the initial shock of diving washed away her worries for a small bit, she outswam them for around an hour or two before she had to get back to other things, like school.

Caitlyn walked back into the locker room at exactly 7:30. She saw Vi there again, it was no surprise this time.

She was shoving clothes into her duffle bag and humming to herself. Caitlyn didn’t recognize the tune; she’s sort of glad she didn’t either. Who listens to that?

Violet Lanes. That’s who.

Caitlyn got dressed behind a locker quickly, shoving her hair into a tight knit thought out bun before starting her makeup.

She pulled out her array of brushes and stared into the mirror, wondering what she had to put on today, perhaps some lip liner and conceal-

“Hey cupcake” Violet said, standing next to her looking in the mirror to the right of Caitlyn. Caitlyn turned, horrified at the sight. There stood Violet, rubbing black eye shadow onto her eyes with her fingers.

“I do not have enough caffeine for you,” Caitlyn said, grabbing her bag and bolting.

“Suit yourself” Violet yelled behind her as Caitlyn slammed the locker room door shut.

Notes:

I know it's gonna happen, make your six-seven jokes now. I've heard all about it on my tiktok :1
Butttt anywayssss I'm actually so excited. This is so exciting to me lol, I listened to fantastic while editing this btw. You guys don't care but I'm a chronic oversharer.
You guys also don't care about that either...
I'm gonna shut up now.

Chapter 4: Chapter 3: “Found family and simmering jealousy”

Violet loved dinners with her entire family. Well, technically her only blood family was Powder, but not all families are blood.

She knew that the second Claggor, Mylo, and Ekko walked into the doors of the Last Drop. Sevika would’ve been here too if it wasn’t for a coaching meeting. Claggor was sprawled on one of the couches, Mylo laid on a booth with a hand over his head. Apparently track conditioning was rough today. Ekko and Powder were helping Silco down in his clinic. Stocking shelves and whatnot.

Janna knows he would never let anyone else in there. Vi breached the doorway once when Vander asked her to fetch him, and he looked like he was about to have a cow. Vi rolled her eyes and grabbed the flour for Vander.

He was making those little pastry things stuffed with grilled chicken. He always employed Vi’s help in the kitchen. It was sort of their ‘thing’.

“How’s that grade coming tiger?” Vander asked, kneading the dough with his hands and rolling it out on the flour covered counter.

Vi shrugged. “It’s alright, I’m gonna try to retake the test in a day or so,” She’d been having her tutoring sessions with Caitlyn. For the past three or so days now. She thought it was getting easier.

“Are you finally understanding the material this time or going through the motions?” Vander said, not even glancing over his shoulder as Vi kept stirring the chicken and weird sauce together. Vander never told her what he put in the sauce, said she’ll find out when he dies. Which was mildly morbid. But, whatever it was, it tasted good.

“I never go through the motions” Vi scoffed, she failed the test cause she didn’t understand, not because she pretended too. Orianna, Janna bless her, wasn’t very good at understanding Vi’s questions, mostly, because Vi didn’t understand what she was trying to ask.

“Not with wrestling you don’t” Vander responded. Vi rolled her eyes. He was right, but she didn’t go through the motions at all. Going through the motions means unwillingness to work for things. Vi doesn’t take the easy way out, that just equals laziness. Vi was a lot of things, lazy wasn’t one of them.

“As long as I get at least a sixty on the test when I retake it, I’ll be off the watchlist. That means I’ll be able to wrestle Tuesday” Vi said hopefully. A lot of the time, Vander couldn’t make it to any of her away meets, because it’s a minimum of five hours each time. He needs to be back here to work before eight am.

“I’ll be there tiger” He said, taking the bowl of the chicken concoction from her and scooping it out onto the dough. Vi let out a breath, and smiled. Vander might not be able to make it to every meet, but he was always her biggest supporter.

“Is the food almost done?” Claggor groaned from the couch he occupied.

“You’ll live if you don’t eat for an hour” Vi yelled back, she heard him groan again and the rustling of the couch, he turned over. She laughed and then turned back to watching Vander stuff the dough with the chicken stuff and then rolled them into balls.

“Go sit tiger, food’ll be out in a half hour” Vander said, rubbing the dough in between his floured hands. “Actually, get Powder and tell her to clean her room, and then go sit down.”

Vi huffed jokingly, vaulting over the bar counter and knocking on Silco’s clinic door. It said ‘Dr. Silco’ but everyone knew it wasn’t legal. That was the best part of it.

“Dad said to clean your room Powder,” Vi yelled through the door. She really did not want to go in there, especially not when it would expose her to Silco’s wrath. She heard Powder groan through the door and chuckled.

Vi collapsed on the couch in front of Claggor and sighed. This was nice.

~

“Anyone new?” Vander asked the whole table, shoving the weird chicken wraps (rolls?) in his mouth and looking around. Ekko and Powder kind of shrunk a little bit, sending each other one of those awkward smiles. Ew, gross.

Vi rolled her eyes. “Nope, way too busy with my season” She said, taking a drink out of her large water bottle. It had Ambessa’s face on it.

Silco rolled his eyes and grabbed his wine glass. “Didn’t you say something about a?” He put his finger on his chin and narrowed his eyes. “Caitlyn?”

“Eugh. Her? Absolutely not” Vi scoffed, she associates math with Caitlyn, Caitlyn was just as annoying and pessimistic too. “She’s too uptight. Rich girl, her moms on the council”

Silco curled his lip, Vi agreed.

“Well, you never know how someone was raised Violet,” Vander said, taking a drink of water after swallowing one of the weird chicken things whole. Vi knew he was about to go full throttle into one of his speeches about empathy. Vi loved him, but she did not want to hear it.

“Yes Dad, I know” Vi nodded, shoving one of the chicken things in her mouth and licking the weird sauce off her fingers. She rubbed her thumb on the bottom of her front teeth, itching the pad.

Claggor took two more of the chicken rolls and shoved them both in his mouth. His cheeks were puffed out as he looked at Vander. “These are good” He said around them, sauce and chicken spilling out from his lips.

“Manners nasty” Powder yelled, throwing a napkin at Claggor, he took it and messily wiped sauce all around his face.

Ekko held his stomach, he looked positively stuffed. Mylo was in the bathroom, probably barfing, he had this thing where whenever he ate more than his stomach could hold he’d throw up. That’s what happens when kids spend years starving, their stomach shrinks.

Vi and Powder never had that problem, because even with Zaun being the dumpster for Piltover, Vander had a large sphere of influence, meaning lots of people came to his bar, diner, cafe, whatever it’s called. So he always had enough money to feed his kids.

“Is your room clean Vi?” Vander asked, he looked at his watch and stood up, beginning to clear things off the table. Vi didn’t know what time it was, but it had to be pretty late if Vander started cleaning up the table.

“Not really” Vi admitted, she had clothes strewn about, laundry she had to do, but it was only Thursday. Vi’s laundry duty was Friday night.

“Ok, well you clean your room tomorrow. Help me with the kitchen” Vander said, pushing the chair back in with the familiar scuffing of wood on wood action.

Vi hoped she got the dishes. She kinda likes doing the dishes. Don’t ask why, even she doesn't know. “Alright” She said, getting up and following him to the kitchen.

“You get the dishes” He said, taking bowls and pans and putting them in the sink.

After a few minutes, Vi was dancing to the sound of the stereo while sudsing up and washing dishes. All of a sudden it stopped.

“You know I love you tiger” Vander said, Vi sighed. This wasn’t good. He was sliding flour off the counter into his hand. “But, you need something other than wrestling”

What? Vi shook her head and went back to washing dishes. “I’ve got you guys” She shrugged. She didn’t need anything else, she had Powder, her dads, Jayce, Ekko, Claggor and Mylo. She had everything she needed.

“The only time you see your friends is during school and when they come over here” Vander replied, she heard him huff as he leaned onto the counter. “You need someone, like Powder does, she has Ekko”

“Well I don’t need anyone else” Vi responded, she was getting sick of this, of these lessons about friends and things more than wrestling. She had her friends, her family, and wrestling. She was perfectly fine.

“But what if you do?” Vander said, pursing his lips and grabbing Vi’s shoulders. She stiffened and then relaxed and then shook her head.

“I won’t” She finished washing the last dish and headed up to her room, not bothering to say goodnight to anyone.

~

Vi growled, clubbing the dummy again and again, ‘more than wrestling’, ‘someone else’ with each word echoing in her ears she clubbed it harder. The weights strapped onto her ankles gave her resistance.

She threw the dummy and grabbed a pair of fifty pound resistance bands. Vi unbandaged her hands, noticing the cuts from Monday and ignored them. She wrapped the bands around her hands three times, pulling them. It pulled at her shoulders and biceps. Good.

Each time she took a shot, every knee slide, straight backed. Foot. Knee. Foot. The resistance bands pulled her shoulder blades back and dug into her palms. Good.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. This is what she needs, not more friends, or a girlfriend. Pain, pain equals repetition, repetition means winning. And Vi needed to win.

Vi threw her legs back and sprawled, ramming her left hip into the ground and digging her palms into the mat. She did it again, on her right side this time.

She shook her hands and took the resistance bands off. Her palms were bleeding again, it was ok. She tied her wrestling shoes and tightened the weights on her ankles.

And then she ran. Three miles this time, around the track twelve times. Lifting one weighted foot and putting it in front of the other. Over and over again.

She ignored the tightening of her chest. Vi didn’t get tired, she had goals, plans and Vander just didn’t understand, no one did. No one besides Sevika, and even then, (rightfully so) she cared more about Vi’s grades than Vi’s career.

A career that started as soon as it could, a career that Vi would do anything for. Even retaking a calculus test.

~

Vi stared at the bottom of the shower, watching the sweat and blood run down the drain, she held up her hands noticing her ripped up cuticles, short nails, and the inch long tears in each of her palms from the bands. She was getting somewhere, she had to be.

She shook her wet hair out and tightened her binder, a sharp gasp came from her throat. Just one more…click. She managed her breathing, adjusting to the tightness. It happened every time she tightened it. She just needed to get used to it.

She threw on a black muscle shirt she cut the bottom off of, it hung just around her hips. Then, she wore a pair of blue baggy jeans, red calvin klein boxers today. She put on a silver chain link belt and tied up her combat boots. She wrapped her hands one more time, pumping a bunch of school soap into the wounds. She felt the urge to cry out as the soap entered her open wound.

But she repressed it and dried them. Wrapping them with athletic tape and bandages. Everything would be perfectly fine. Vi would take her test today, she’d get higher than an F and she’d beat Darius.

Vi put her headphones back over her ears and slung her duffle bag over her shoulder. She flexed her fingers one last time, making sure she could still hold a pencil. The athletic tape rolled, pulling at the edges of her wounds.

She took in a breath through her gritted teeth. It would be fine.

Caitlyn walked out of the showers, somehow holding a sneer on her face straight out of the shower too. Her eyes were a bright blue, something Vi hadn’t noticed in their previous tutoring sessions. If she was being entirely honest, she was too occupied trying to piss her off. Somehow even after a shower not a hair was out of place.

Vi pulled her headphones off one ear and flashed Caitlyn a crooked smirk. “Mornin cupcake”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her towel.

“Not a morning person are you? I get it.” Vi said, holding her hands up in mock surrender and putting her headphone back over her ear. She sent Cait another smirk and walked away.

From behind her she heard grumbling that sounded an awful lot like “I’m gonna rip her head off” And she chuckled to herself as she left the locker room.

~

Vi grabbed her English paper back and looked at the grade, sweet, a 95/100. “You are particularly well versed in English studies Violet, especially someone…” She sent Vi a sickly smile. “From your background”

Vi noticed the remark and clocked it immediately. She’d grown used to Professor Kirramen’s classist remarks. But for some odd reason, today she was in no mood.

“Someone of my background?” Vi asked, she felt the area around her mouth tighten and her eyebrows twitch.

“I’m simply saying you did well” Kirramen responded, folding her arms behind her back as she straightened her spine and looked down at Vi.

“The background you profit from?” VI pushed, she scoffed and slouched back down in her seat. She was surprised that Kirramen hadn’t called her a trencher yet.

Kirramen’s nostrils flared. “That is quite enough” She said, her eyes blazing as she spoke through gritted teeth.

Vi rolled her eyes. The professor was despicable.

“I will be talking to your coach about this, don’t you worry” Kirramen snarled back at Vi, curling her lip and then turning away from Vi.

“I’ll do it for you. Don’t worry Councilor” Vi sneered, packing up her things and storming out of the classroom, slamming the door behind her.

A scream built in Vi’s chest and she stomped her way down the corridors. Stupid professors, never having to wonder if they’re safe, never facing death unnaturally, never having to fight for anything.

Her skin grew hot and her steps even heavier as her chest heaved. Vi could barely see through her haze of rage. But she was stopped when a pair of strong, brown hands grabbed her shoulders.

“Violet?” Sevika said, Vi’s eyes unfogged as she looked back at Sevika, who was bent over slightly to look Vi in her eyes. “What’s up kid?” Sevika’s eyes were worried as they scanned over Vi.

“She said I did good. ‘For someone of my background’” Vi spewed, she was breathing through her teeth now.

Sevika’s eyebrows rose and her eyes softened as she shook her head. “You’re ok Vi” She said, pulling Vi close, cradling her as if she were a child that had just broken their favorite toy, or perhaps scraped their knee. Vi just stood there, seething as she pictured Kirramen's face again.

Sevika let her go and messed her hair up. “You’ll be alright kid. She’s just mad you’re outdoing the other Kirramen”

“It seems like they’re everywhere,” Vi said through her teeth. Caitlyn wasn’t as bad as her mother, but they both stunk of superiority.

~

After Violet stormed out of her mothers classroom. Caitlyn didn’t see her anywhere else in school after that. Not in history, calculus, or even lunch.

The table of her friends seemed less lively. Powder had sat with them that day, maybe hoping to lighten the mood, but Caitlyn didn’t glimpse those blue-gray eyes once more that day.

Until the library.

Violet was sitting at their usual table, combat boots crossed on top of a chair instead of the table this time. Perhaps they were getting somewhere. She had a toothpick in her mouth that she used her tongue to toy with.

Caitlyn cleared her throat gently and set the book down. Violet looked up at Caitlyn, unimpressed. Caitlyn brushed some blue hair behind her ear and sat down beside Vi instead of across from her.

“You’re awfully close cupcake…especially for someone of your background” Vi said bitterly, taking the toothpick out of her mouth and flicking it into a trashcan. Caitlyn felt her chest tighten, she had previously felt bad for Violet, she heard how harsh her mother sounded. But now? Violet managed to piss her off almost as soon as she spoke.

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. “My mother and I are two very different people” She muttered, her face grew hot as she became more and more ashamed at Violet thinking that she was the same as her mother. “She doesn’t like you from where you come from, I don’t like you because of other reasons, your background has never been a part of it” She said absentmindedly, flipping through pages of the book.

Violet slammed her boots back on the ground, causing Caitlyn to jump as she leaned forward onto her elbow, awfully close to Caitlyn. Violet let out a huff that Caitlyn felt on her neck and shrugged. “Why don’t you like me? I’m charming”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes again and turned to look Violet in her eyes, noticing just how close their faces were. She felt her face grow even hotter. “You’re arrogant” She scoffed, turning away from Violet. She would not let Violet Lanes of all people get to her.

“You’re not such a walk in the park either cupcake” She chuckled, dragging her fingers across the page in order to turn it.

Caitlyn gasped. “I’m wonderful!” She insisted, pulling her hair into a ponytail. It was awfully hot in here.

“Are you?” Violet asked, raising an eyebrow challengingly.

Caitlyn scoffed and turned away, holding her head. “You’re insufferable”

“Don’t worry cupcake” She sighed, leaning back into her chair and smirking at Caitlyn. It was that stupid crooked one that showed off half of her teeth. It was annoying and horrible, and her teeth were strangely white. “I know you don’t mean all the mean things you say to me, deep down you love me”

Caitlyn froze and felt the urge to turn around and tip her chair backwards all the way. Instead, she hit Violet with the book. “Ugh! I hate you!”

Violet clutched at her stomach and laughed. “Good thing you’re a swimmer”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Caitlyn cried, mouth wide open as Violet not so subtly insulted her.

“You wouldn’t make it with anything that uses your fists sweetheart” Violet laughed, gently taking the book from Caitlyn’s hands. Caitlyn noticed the bandages on her hands, the way athletic tape rolled up from beneath them.

“What happened?” Caitlyn asked, she peered in order to take a closer look. That looked painful. Wait, why did Caitlyn care? She didn’t, she was simply wondrous.

“Nothing” Violet said, shrugging Caitlyn off and opening the book back up to page 324. “Are you going to teach me calculus or what?” Violet asked, handing the book back to Caitlyn, accidentally (but gently), Vi’s fingers brushed against Caitlyn's.

~

“And then! Her fingers touched mine!” Caitlyn huffed, Mel sat across from her with a sort of knowing or annoyed look plastered on her face. She was much better at letting Caitlyn complain than her mother was. Especially after Violet and her mother’s falling out today. Apparently Cassandra got an emergency meeting about that after school hours.

That couldn’t be good.

So, because of her mother’s absence, Caitlyn invited Mel over. Mel had become sort of a foster child to the Kirramens once her mother sent her over to Piltover. Sort of like a much more independent, rich version of Jayce.

“You complain about Vi far too much” Mel said, yawning and then holding up her perfectly manicured nails. She didn’t do any sports, so she always had her nails done and they were always some shade of gold or yellow.

She screamed ‘rich girl’ in ways Caitlyn never had the balls too.

“Well, she’s completely ridiculous and, and…” Caitlyn growled under her breath, rubbing the bottom of her lip as she stood and began pacing. “And she’s retaking the calculus test tomorrow. So that means I won’t have to see her again,” She stopped and cocked her head. “Unless you count passing, which I really don’t” That’s a lie. Caitlyn knew Violet’s position in the hallway at almost all times it seemed like.

Normally she stood, leaned up against her locker with her little posse around her, fingers wrapped around that damn duffle bag. Did she ever put that down?

She shook her head. This, all this dwelling was stupid. This was Violet Lanes they were talking about. The same Violet Lanes that slept with fifty percent of their grades women, not counting the seniors she’s slept with. God, it’s a wonder she doesn’t have a disease.

“I heard her and Clarissa Wyndham have a thing,” Mel said, stretching her legs out on Caitlyn’s bed. What. Caitlyn’s head snapped up and an ugly feeling rose in her stomach. An ugly feeling someone like her shoulder never, ever feel.

Jealousy.

“Clarissa Wyndham?” Caitlyn asked, she didn’t even notice the way her lip curled as she said her name. She’d seen Clarissa in the halls quite a bit, she was one of the snobbiest rich girls in Piltover Prep,she was a giant dick.

And what was Caitlyn?

Clarissa had that air of superiority around her, a smile with strangely white teeth. A blouse that was never ever wrinkles, dimples, bright blue eyes and thick blonde hair. God, she was gorgeous.

Caitlyn wasn’t. She had sharp, too sharp cheekbones. Her posture was not at all like Clarissa’s. She was upright and stiff about everything, she had a gap between her teeth, glasses she never used.

“Yeah, I guess Clarissa was going on about it to Viktor. Apparently Violet fixed her necklace and accidentally caressed her cheek. She was almost squealing about it” Mel said. She sounded bored as she pulled a nail file out of the pocket of her black and gold skirt. “From what I’ve seen, Violet is a natural flirt” She rolled her eyes. “Flirts and doesn’t even mean it”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. How can someone flirt and not mean too? That doesn’t even make sense.

“No, trust me” Mel insisted with a small smirk. “Sometime last year, Jayce came up to me and said ‘Vi’s been flirting with me all of wrestling practice, I hope I don’t have to tell her I don’t see her like that and I’m dating Viktor’” She mocked Jayce’s voice, earning a small giggle from Caitlyn as she puffed out her chest too, really selling it. She then rolled her eyes and looked back up from her nails. “I had to be the one to tell him, ‘She’s hardcore gay, she doesn’t like you like that either’ and he just looked completely flabbergasted” Mel chuckled. “Like that is the gayest woman I’ve ever met, and you’re telling me Jayce couldn’t tell?”

Caitlyn laughed. She was right. Jayce really was daft sometimes.

“It’s a wonder he even realized Viktor was into him,” Caitlyn added, flopping onto her bed and laying in front of Mel. Mel ran her fingers through Caitlyn’s hair, Caitlyn loved when her hair was played with. Probably because it was always suctioned in that damn swimcap she thought with a sigh.

“It’s ok to like someone” Mel said softly. She always did this when Caitlyn laid down, saying it was finally time to wind down after a week of being wound tighter than a copper wire.

“Not Violet,” Caitlyn muttered. “I don’t like her anyways, she’s a thorn in my side if anything”

She could practically feel Mel roll her eyes down in her fingers. She liked to think Mel knew her best, but obviously not if she thought Caitlyn like Violet Lanes of all people.

Of all people. Violet Lanes.

The pure insanity of it all drove Caitlyn mad. Completely and utterly mad.

~

Caitlyn looked back down at her chemistry paper. 97/100. It was a good grade, even a great one if you count the extra credit from her earlier assignments. She didn’t even hear Heimerdinger praising her grade in front of the entire class.

Normally, she’d be sitting there straight back, holding her head up high and pointedly looking at Violet with pride, kind of rubbing it in, that Caitlyn got a better grade than her.

She still looked at Violet, but instead of hearing her name ringing through the classroom, proclaiming her achievements, Heimerdinger muffled into the background as Violet tucked a blonde curl behind Clarissa’s ear.

Caitlyn could see the cock of Violet’s head, that slightly raised eyebrow as she spoke with Clarissa, who’s back was towards Caitlyn, entirely turned in order to listen to whatever Violet was saying. Maybe that’s why Violet thought she was so important, everyone treated her as such.

Violet’s powder blue eyes met Caitlyn behind Clarissa. She held it for a second, her eyes bore into Caitlyn from underneath her brows. Violet smirked, that weird one where only the left side of her mouth raises and shows everyone just how sharp her canine teeth were.

Her eyes moved back to Clarissa just as quickly.

But it didn’t feel quick at all. Caitlyn’s cheeks were heated as she looked back towards Heimerdinger, who was ranting about the fundamental principles of matter. She only knew that because it was written in big letters with chalk on the board. She hadn’t been listening at all.

She pulled hair out from behind her ear, creating a blue wall of hair between them. The last thing Caitlyn needed was to get distracted in advanced chemistry. How Violet got in was a good question, one of the many Caitlyn would never get the answers too. She needed to stop thinking about Violet. It was stupid.

~

After chemistry, Violet ran up to her. Clarissa followed shortly behind. Violet wore a pair of white sweatpants, pulled down to her hips with blue Calvin Klein boxers this time. God, did she have the whole rainbow?

“Hey, Caitlyn?” Violet said, grabbing Caitlyn’s wrist gently before she could quickly flee. Caitlyn sighed, noticing her oddly calloused but gentle grip. But also the small twitch of Clarissa’s eye.

“Yes, Violet? I’m surprised you even know my real name” Caitlyn snapped, enjoying the brief look of surprise in Violet’s eyes, like she didn’t expect Caitlyn to snap at her.

“It’s hard, hearing how much you throw your name around” Violet recovered quickly, letting Caitlyn’s wrist fall to her side. She sighed and shook her head. “Anyways, if you’ll spare me. I won’t be at the session tomorrow. I’m retaking the test after school”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. “Yes, you told me that yesterday” She huffed impatiently, she had three minutes to get to her next class. Violet had taken up two of the original five, Caitlyn never even let her friends hold her for so long. She liked being the first one to her classes.

“My point…” She sighed again. “I was wondering if we could start the sessions again next monday”

Caitlyn’s gaze snapped back from the clock back to Violet’s pleading eyes, her eyebrows were drawn up. It was clear that she didn’t want to ask, but she did anyway. Caitlyn narrowed her eyes, was this some sort of trick? “Why? If you’re retaking the test tomorrow what’s the point?”

Violet bit down on the inside of her cheek. “Because I never wanna be on that watchlist again. And you’re annoyingly good at calculus” She said with a small smile, one that lightly screamed ‘peace?’. Peace.

Caitlyn nodded. “Fine.” She sighed again. “But I have a class to go to”

Violet smiled, this time full, her eyes always gleamed when she actually smiled. “Thanks Cait”

Cait? What was Cait?

As Violet turned to walk away, Clarissa grabbed at her hand, sending a nasty look over her shoulder at Caitlyn. Cait, she kinda liked that.

~

Caitlyn set her lunchbox down next to Viktor at their table, instead of Jayce, Clarissa sat next to Viktor. Whatever, Caitlyn’s never had a problem with Clarissa, she looked over at Violet’s table. Yep, she was gone too. Jayce mentioned something about team bonding the other day, something to do with lunch.

Clarissa rolled her eyes as Caitlyn sat down and then started talking back with Viktor, gesturing with her hands and talking loudly.

“Yeah, and she literally, like brushed my curl behind my ear, and she let me grab her hand” Clarissa said loudly, demonstrating how Violet brushed the curl. It was a curl, wasn’t that a tad dramatic? “But yeah, I think we’re like dating now”

“You’ve been obsessed with Violet since junior year” Viktor said, taking a crunch out of his apple. His back was turned to Caitlyn too, she spied his cane next to him, leaning on the rung of the chair. She just wanted to make sure it wasn’t going to fall. For some reason he was always so independent about grabbing his cane.

“Did Violet even ask you to date her?” Mel asked, pursing her lips and passing a sucker to Elora, who sat with her head down on the table. Horrible cramps today, she said.

Clarissa looked back to Mel nonchalantly, at least that’s what she tried. She really just reeked of annoyance. “No…But she-”

“Then you’re not dating?” Mel said, clicking her tongue and raising her eyebrow in sync. Clarissa rolled her eyes and pushed herself up from the table, causing Viktor’s cane to slip and fall. She stormed away angrily as Caitlyn bent over to retrieve the cane.

Mel’s eyes were a mixture of confusion and pity as she looked back at Caitlyn. Caitlyn just shook her head. This stupid mix of jealousy and anger she felt towards Clarissa was unwarranted. Yes, she was Violet’s tutor. But nothing more. There would never be anything more anyways.

Even if Caitlyn wanted it. Which she didn’t, but if she did. It would never happen. That much was obvious. Caitlyn wasn't that crazy.

Notes:

Ok guys, I literally just got back from a football game, but the grind never stops. I repeat, the grind never stops. Anyways, I hope you guys liked this one and I'd love to listen and respond to any questions or comments you have. <3
Stay hydrated.
-Slythtpsq0c

Chapter 5: Chapter 4: "Scales and tests"

Vi rolled the pencil in between her fingertips, enjoying the way it brushed against her calluses. It was a whole lot easier than it was last time, she knew how the first page and a half went, same with the back. It was the page in the middle that stumped her, always had. She stared at the slope, the ebbing feeling of hopelessness trudging its way through her again.

Then she heard Caitlyn’s voice, “You remember limit’s don’t you?”

No, she didn’t, that’s why she kept hearing Caitlyn’s voice like a little devil on her shoulder. Focus, Violet. She exhaled.

“In calculus, they’re the value a function approaches”

The value a function approaches. Vi’s muttered thanks to the blue haired snob. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, she realized a tutor might’ve been necessary.

Derivatives. Vi bit down on her lip again, this one was rough. She knew this was one of the ones she had no clue on last time. Derivatives. Think Violet.

“Slopes that tell us the rate of change. Not the angle of your skateboard ramp” She heard that annoying British accent proclaim, like she was sitting over Vi’s shoulder, critiquing her every move. She was the British devil looming over Vi, watching her every pencil scratch.

Wow, Vi. She’s done…she's done with the fucking math test!

Vi felt the edges of her mouth raise as she walked it over to the teacher's desk, each step laced with something weird like pride…over calculus? That was something she thought she’d never see, like ever.

She scooped up her duffle bag and skipped out of the classroom, she felt a high of happiness she hadn’t felt in a long time.

Then there was the idiot of the hour.

Caitlyn Kirramen.

She was standing at her locker shoving things into a bag when Vi dropped her bag and scooped her up. She felt small in Vi’s arms, all legs, but small.

“Thank you, you blue haired idiot” Vi gasped, smirking at Caitlyn who just looked up at her with a horrified look in her eyes, a single hair was out of place. Vi put her down and put the small hair behind Caitlyn’s ear, that’s where they normally sat. She noticed it whenever they’d study, and Caitlyn would roll her eyes and then tuck hair behind her ears.

“I did not appreciate that at all,” Caitlyn sighed, sending a small joking smile. Caitlyn Kirramen smiled? Vi was surprised twice that day.

Vi laughed, Janna this was wonderful. She’d passed a math test and gotten the grump to smile. “You’re a genius cupcake,” Vi said before turning around and picking her bag up. She slung it over her shoulder and walked down the hall, feeling a slight pep in her step. Oh, how wonderful it felt to pass a math test.

She heard Caitlyn scoff behind her, followed with something like “She finally admits it”

“I don’t think your ego needs staking any more than I have already today” Vi called back in a sing-song voice. She pulled her headphones on and smiled, she felt an airiness through her chest as she walked, something like finally being able to breath.

Nothing could bring her down.

~

“You all know what the Iron Circuits are” Sevika said, her arms (arm, if you only count the real one) crossed behind her back as they sat on the mat, silent besides the occasional pant. “The Iron Circuits are the most intense competition at the high school level, between the seven regions, enjoying the only thing all of us can agree on: wrestling”

Vi bit down on her lip, Piltover Prep had gotten eliminated in the first match up of the second-round last year, there were a lot of newbies on her team last year, not this year though. This year? They were going, and they were going to win.

“Piltover Prep has always been the underdogs at the competitions. And we learned quickly last year that being rich doesn’t make you the best, does it?” Sevika said.

“Yes Coach!” The assembled team shouted back. Vi pulled at the strings of her plaid pants and looked up at Sevika, hoping she could see the desperate need for victory in Vi’s eyes.

“This year?” Sevika said, clapping her hands together, it echoed through the mat room. Vi’s heart began beating even harder against her chest. Thump. Thump. Then she started dreaming about winning. “This year, we are going and we're leaving-” She pointed to Jayce, “Every-” Then to Vi. “Thing-” She then shouted. “On that mat do you hear me?!” Various cheers erupted from the crowd of hungry wrestlers. Vi grinned as she watched her teammates rally, they were always close. It was just how a wrestling team is, spending so much time rolling through each other’s sweat bonds people quickly.

Sevika pulled Vi up from the mat and clapped her metal arm on Vi’s back. “Any words from our captain?” She said, gesturing with her other hand towards her team. A mixture of men and women, kids from each grade, looking up at her like she meant something.

Vi stuffed the nerves down in her stomach and chuckled. “I don’t know about Piltie prep” She started, making eye contact with the kids from Zaun and raising her voice with each word. “But downstairs? Downstairs we fight” Cheers began making their way through the team, rippling from uneasy glances to full out fist bumps and smirks. Vi beamed. “Downstairs? We fight and we win!” She yelled. Vi pumped her fist in the air twice. “What do you guys think about winning?”

The entire team stood and put their hands on Vi, various places, creating a circle of her people around her. “We fight and we win,” they chanted. Turning from a dull roar to an all-out war cry. Vi looked around, hoping to memorize these faces. Her face was hot, and her cheeks burnt from smiling so wide.

“We fight! And we win!” She shouted one last time.

~

Monday,

1 day until the first round of the Iron Circuits.

Vi crossed her legs underneath her lunch table. She was four pounds over; she really needed to get that off. She flicked the hood of her black hood, Vi desperately needed to take that off. It was hotter than the mines during summer in her outfit today.

Two layers of joggers beneath a larger pair of sweatpants, tucked into a pair of white socks. Long sleeve with a black compression shirt and then a black hoodie. She was sweating her ass off, although, that was sort of the point. Ekko tried handing her a bite of his sandwich, said something about her skin being pale?

She really didn’t hear him. Still just stared at the table, ignoring the scent of food and the grumbling in her stomach. She’d already had a granola bar and bottled water today. Vi was good until weigh ins tomorrow and then she’d eat her bodyweight in bullshit.

That was a lie, Vi was a firm believer in ‘What goes in comes out’, meaning if she eats like shit, she’s gonna wrestle like shit. It was even more important that she didn’t wrestle like shit, Piltover Prep was hosting the first round of the Iron Circuits at their school. Which meant Vi would beat Darius’s ass on home turf.

“Do you want a piece of gum?” Jayce asked, Vi just about jumped out of her seat when he appeared over her shoulder with a piece of spearmint gum. Yum, it was her favorite.

“Absofuckinlutely” Vi said, snatching it and shoving it in her mouth. The burning on her tongue distracted her from the growling in her stomach. Wonderful.

“Hey, so I wanted to talk to you. Can you come sit with me?” Jayce asked, he sent smiles to everyone else at Vi’s table. Powder was gone again. But they all just sent him half smiles, maybe grimaces?

“Where’s Viktor?” Vi asked, tipping her head back and looking at him. She didn’t want to turn around yet.

“Doctors appointment” Jayce responded, helping Vi out of her chair and leading her to his table. She didn’t protest, it was better than accepting pity sandwiches, which she probably would’ve done if Ekko asked again.

She sat down in a seat between Jayce and Caitlyn. Wait, Caitlyn? Vi took a double take as she saw Caitlyn cutting a cucumber sandwich with a knife. Oh, so she was insane. Good to know. “Hey cupcake” Vi said, rubbing at her eyelids and slouching down in her seat.

Jayce shook her. “Don’t fall asleep you bastard” Caitlyn glared at her from behind her cucumber sandwich, Vi felt fatigue setting in slowly, she needed to start moving or she would pass out. Don’t sleep stupid. What does Jayce need?

She thought she said it. She didn’t. She just looked at him blankly.

“Ok, so tomorrow I’m wrestling Garen from Demacius Unity High” He began playing with cucumber slices.

“Is that supposed to be Garen?” Vi asked, pointing to a particularly pathetic and large looking cucumber slice.

Jayce waved his hands in front of Vi’s face, making her blink again. “It doesn’t matter which cucumber is Garen. Focus!”

She nodded and shut her eyes. “I’m focused. I’m so-” Vi yawed.

He rubbed at his temples and then looked back at Vi. “I got you for advice Violet, not to give me drunk uncle reenactments.”

Vi sat forwards suddenly, causing her vision to lurch. But she needed to get a point across. She grabbed the pathetic cucumber slice in between her fingers and flopped it in Jayce’s face. “My advice?” She blinked the tiredness from her eyes. “Don’t go on that mat unprepared but don’t go planning it like a dance recital! Because the second they go off step you’re gonna have no idea what to do.” She paused and flopped it in his face again, sending a seed splattering into his eyebrow. He pursed his lips and Vi noticed his eye twitch slightly. “Prey on his weaknesses. If he’s got a limp? Target the leg. If he looks tired? Wake him up and take him down. My plan is to have no plan” Vi laid back into the chair and her stomach gurgled loudly, disrupting the seriousness of the conversation. “Just a loose construction sheet.” She shrugged, stuffing the cucumber in her mouth.

They were mostly water anyway; she’ll piss it out later.

~

Monday,

1 day until the first round of the Iron Circuits (still)

Vi pushed up on her ankles, the jump rope providing a nice thump for her to compare her heart rate too. Beside her, Caitlyn sat on the mat reading pages of the calculus book to her, explaining bigger words, definitions. The works.

Vi told Caitlyn she didn’t know if she’d make it to their session today, because she wanted to get most of the weight off before she slept, that way she’d sleep the rest off without worry.

Then, Caitlyn suggested this, saying she didn’t have anything else to do that day anyways.

“What is trigonometry, simple definitions are alright” Caitlyn said, she raised her voice to the thwapping of Vi’s shoes on the mat paired with the slapping of the rope.

“Branch of math that focuses on the relationship between angles and sides of triangles” Vi grunted, she remembered that? She really did! Barely though, she thought sheepishly, granted. Caitlyn couldn’t see the embarrassed flush on her face. Her entire body was red, probably.

“Swimming is an excellent form of cardio,” Caitlyn spoke. Vi stopped, the rope gathering at her feet still, for the first time in the past hour. Caitlyn talks about things besides math?

“What?” Vi asked, she tilted her head at Caitlyn, and she pursed her lips slightly.

“I said swimming is an excellent form of cardio?” She said in a voice smaller this time, less annoyed with Vi asking questions. She sounded embarrassed this time.

Why would she be embarrassed? That was smart.

“I don’t know how to swim,” Vi said, pulling her hoodie over her head. It was true, the only bodies of water present in Zaun had sewer rats or some type of poison in them. She’d never gotten a chance to learn, and during the swim portions of gym class, she’d feign sickness. Truthfully, she was sick. Sick to her stomach about being embarrassed in front of everyone else.

Caitlyn’s blue eyes widened in surprise. She opened her mouth and then closed it a few more times. “I’m sorry, I,” She started.

Vi smirked and waved her off. Ripping the compression shirt off. She still had another long sleeve on; it stuck to her skin. She knew when she’d have to take it off, in a minute or two, it’d be hell to peel off. “It’s ok, not your fault” She huffed. She piled her shirts in the corner of the mat as she stood there, in her binder and three pairs of pants.

She ripped off her wrestling shoes without bothering to untie them. Then she walked over to the closet. “Hey, Cait?” She called out, fingers sprawled over the cold door. It felt like a shot of nice cool air to her humid and sweaty skin.

“Yes? Violet?” Caitlyn asked, peaking her head out as she stood to walk over.

“Would you hold this open?” Vi asked with a grunt. Caitlyn’s hand clasped over Vi’s as she took the door from her. She then went and grabbed the scale. For some reason Sevika always put it on the way back. Maybe it was to keep people from peeping when people weighed themselves naked. Vi never did it. But she knew other people did, people like Jayce. She shuddered as she accidentally walked in on that. Yuck.

She set the scale on the ground and started pulling her pants off, until she stood in her binder and a pair of boxers that rose about mid-thigh. Vi looked back and saw Caitlyn still holding the door open. “Cupcake, you can shut that now” Vi chuckled. She stepped on the scale.

155 even.

She was fine. As long as she didn’t eat or breath wrong, she’d sweat off a pound or two tonight. Wonderful.

“Did you make it?” Caitlyn asked quietly. What happened to her fire? Normally she would’ve insulted Vi fourteen times by now, now she seemed kind?

“Yeppers” Vi grunted, pulling the scale to her chest and setting it back down in the room. After locking it, she dusted off her hands and looked at Caitlyn from underneath her brows.

She stood there, staring at the ground with her textbook clutched to her chest. “I could teach you how to swim,” she said, Caitlyn straightened her spine again and looked back down at Vi haughtily. There she was. “If, you want me too”

“I think I’ve asked you for enough Cait,” Vi said, bending over and grabbing her clothes in her hands.

“I’m serious”

“So am I” Vi looked Caitlyn in the eyes, tilting her head up slightly. “I’ll think about it” She amended, shoving her clothes into her duffle bag.

“Have a good night, Violet” Caitlyn said, turning and walking out, wobbling slightly on those Mary janes of hers. Vi smirked, swimming lessons from Princess Piltie? Why not?

~

Friday,

4 days until the first round of the Iron Circuits.

Caitlyn watched Vi as she skipped away, giddy over a math test. Who knew Violet Lanes would be so excited over a math test. That was insane, but she couldn’t help but be slightly impressed at Violet, not only for the show of strength, but also the test itself.

She shoved these feelings down, feeling anything but annoyance for Violet Lanes was something she could not allow. But something about those powder blue eyes shining as she spoke.

Stop. She’s done with any of that.

~

“Teach me about wrestling,” Caitlyn said, flopping onto Jayce’s bed, hitting the textbook out of his hands and then staring up at the ceiling. She heard him sigh and felt the bed creak as he crossed his legs. Typical Jayce.

“Why do you want to know about wrestling?” Jayce asked, a tone of surprise laced through his voice. Why does he ask so many questions? Caitlyn groaned and rubbed at her face with her hands.

“I’m going to the meet tomorrow, and I don’t want to be completely clueless,” Caitlyn answered. That was a safe answer. Most of the school was going to the meet, it wasn’t out of the ordinary.

“Is there anyone there you’re going for? You never come to meets” Jayce said, tossing an apple up and then catching it with a small smile. “Does Caitlyn have her eyes set on someone?”

Caitlyn groaned again, rolling over and shoving her face in Jayce’s blankets, hoping he wouldn’t see the crimson blooming across her cheeks. She was not going to the meet to have the hopes of seeing Violet Lanes, no she wasn’t. She was going to support the school.

Bullshit, her heart thumped.

“Okay!” Jayce chuckled, she couldn’t see him, but he was sure he put his hands up in mock surrender. Just like Violet did. No! Shut up Caitlyn. “What is it you want to know about sprout?”

“Just all of it” Caitlyn huffed, leaning up on her elbow and tracing designs into the blue and gold sheets, they were courtesy of her mother. Cassandra had insisted that the Kirramen crest be displayed everywhere.

“Okay, well there’s a lot” he said sheepishly, shrugging and then grabbing his black water bottle. He drank out of the straw, smacked his lips and then looked back at Caitlyn. Who was laying there with her lips pursed in disgust. Who smacks their lips?

“Just speak,” she insisted, hitting him with a blanket.

“Okay, so… wrestling’s one-on-one. No teams, no weapons, no fancy tricks. Just you and the other person on the mat. The whole goal is to control them. You score points by doing stuff that proves you’re in charge, like taking them down to the mat, flipping them onto their back, or keeping them stuck under you. The biggest thing you can do is pin them. If you can hold both their shoulders flat on the mat for a couple seconds, it’s over…automatic win.” Jayce spent the next half an hour or so explaining the basic rules, takedowns, periods, weight classes.

“What weight class are you in?” Caitlyn asked, she didn’t know a sport, so crude was based solely on what steps on the scale, she supposed she didn’t think it was so complex.

“215” Jayce said, shoving a sandwich in his mouth.

“What weight are you now?” That sandwich looked like a disgusting mix of mustard, salami and ketchup. Ugh.

“220” He responded, taking another drink of his water, minus the lip smack this time. Caitlyn was ever grateful for the small mercies.

“Shouldn’t you be…” She stopped; she didn’t know the words or the phrasing wrestlers used. This was far more complicated than she’d originally guessed.

“No, that’s a Monday problem” He grunted.

~

Caitlyn adjusted her goggles, the faint smell of chlorine already stinging her nose. The pool was quiet at this hour, just a few other swimmers slicing through the water in their own lanes. She liked it that way, no one to bother her, no one to notice the way her thoughts always drifted where they shouldn’t.

She slipped into the water, a clean dive, the shock of cold wrapping around her. Her arms pulled, legs kicked, everything falling into rhythm: stroke, breathe, stroke, breathe. Lap after lap, the world blurred into white noise. The steady splash of her hands hitting the surface drowned out everything else.

Almost everything.

No matter how far she pushed herself under, Violet still lingered, smiling like a fool over that math test, blue eyes bright, shoulders squared with pride. Caitlyn clenched her jaw and forced her stroke to lengthen, cutting harder through the water as though she could swim the image away.

Halfway down the lane she flipped, pushing off the wall, lungs burning. Her chest ached, not just from the exertion. She hated that Violet got under her skin like this, hated that she caught herself waiting for those glances in the hall, hated that she could still feel her cheeks heating when Jayce teased her.

She swam faster. Faster, until her muscles screamed and her breath came ragged between gasps. She touched the wall, pulled herself up, water dripping from her hair into her eyes. For a moment, she leaned against the edge of the pool, panting, telling herself it was just a workout. Just discipline.

But when she closed her eyes, she saw Violet again, laughing, reckless, alive in a way Caitlyn could never allow herself to be.

And with a frustrated growl, she shoved off the wall and dove under again.

~

Monday,

1 day until the first round of the Iron Circuits

Clarissa sat next to Caitlyn in chemistry, choosing to sit over here instead of by Violet, who sat in the corner, head down and in a pair of matching black sweatpants and a sweatshirt. She looked miserable.

Caitlyn didn’t know why Clarissa sat next her, Clarissa being Clarissa, she had a lot of friends in this class. Even if she didn’t want to sit next to her miserable, weight-cutting “girlfriend”, apparently it made her ‘look bad’ there was still no reason she had to sit next to Caitlyn.

“Do you like my girlfriend?” Clarissa asked nonchalantly, Caitlyn pushed down the initial shock. She couldn’t let Clarissa see that she got to her. She just couldn’t. Instead, Caitlyn rolled her eyes and put her pencil down. “I don’t like your girlfriend whatsoever.” Caitlyn, being in a particularly bitchy mood today added; “If she’s even your girlfriend that is.”

Clarissa’s eyes flashed with rage as she clutched the pencil tighter, Caitlyn noticed her knuckles turning white around the pencil. For once, Caitlyn didn’t care. Clarissa might be a lot more confident than Caitlyn was, but she didn’t get to screw with Caitlyn's head. No one did.

She turned her head back to Heimerdinger and ignored Clarissa for the rest of the class. Caitlyn was sick of this whole ‘alpha wolf territorial’ thing that Clarissa had going on. It was childish.

Once the bell rang again, Violet met Caitlyn after class, brushing her elbow with her fingers once Caitlyn got too close to the metal hinge of the door. “Do you mind if I walk with you for a minute?” Violet asked, sending a wave towards Clarissa and then walking back over to Caitlyn.

Caitlyn, her elbow still burning from the smallest touch, opened and closed her mouth a few times. “Yeah, sure” She stuttered finally. She’d finally gotten a good look at Violet's face underneath her hood. Her skin was paler, sweat glistened off her forehead. She really did look miserable. “Are you alright?” Caitlyn asked softly, peering underneath the hood and meeting Violet’s eyes.

“I’m fine” Vi brushed Caitlyn off and shoulder checked some kid who was on their way to running into Caitlyn. Caitlyn gasped slightly as she heard their shoulders collide. She was no stranger to physical violence. But it was different when it was done for her instead of in front of her. “Don’t fuck with me Aiden” Violet said, helping the kid up as he sent Caitlyn a nasty look. “Today is not your day”

“Yeah, whatever” Aiden said, ripping away from Violet and stalking down the hallway angrily.

Violet rolled her eyes and looked back at Caitlyn as they resumed walking. Caitlyn couldn’t help but notice the twitching of Violet’s lip, they were a deep pink, like a mixture of a pink and a gray-brown color. Truly unique.

“What is it…” She looked at the clock. Two minutes left of the passing period. “What do you want to talk to me about?” Caitlyn asked, snapping her fingers at Violet’s hood as she saw her dozing off.

“Oh, yeah” Violet said, shaking off her fatigue and rubbing at her neck with her bandaged hands. “I don’t think I’ll be able to make it to our session tonight. I’ve got weight to work off”

Caitlyn was only slightly crestfallen. She fought for a solution, claiming Violet needed it. “I can go and quiz you while you do whatever you need too?” There it was. The solution. Caitlyn took a deep breath as Violet looked around, considering it.

Eventually, she shrugged. “Why not? Meet me in the mat room at like” She looked at the clock with pursed lips. “Six.”

“Done,” Caitlyn said, turning and walking towards her class.

It was the first time she’d ever been late to a class.

~

Caitlyn wasn’t a stranger to the mat room, she’d been in here a few times with Jayce, but watching Violet jump rope in layers upon layers of clothes put her off ever wanting to enter again. It was miserable how sweaty it all was. The humidity had to be killing Violet.

“What is trigonometry, simple definitions are alright” Caitlyn asked, reading from the book and making sure to speak loud enough over the sound of Violet’s shoes hitting the mat over and over again.

“Branch of math that focuses on the relationship between angles and sides of triangles,” Violet grunted. This had to be miserable, there were other forms of cardio than just jump roping around until you get heat stroke.

“Swimming is an excellent form of cardio,” Caitlyn said. Swimming was an excellent way to burn weight while also preserving a cooler body temperature.

She couldn’t help but be slightly embarrassed as Violet asked; “What?” She tilted her head at Caitlyn and Caitlyn pursed her lips. This was embarrassing, she shouldn’t have said anything at all.

“I said swimming is an excellent form of cardio?” Caitlyn looked up at Violet through her eyebrows, her stomach dropped into her stomach from mortification. Why this was so embarrassing, she didn’t know. She just knew it was tragic.

“I don’t know how to swim,” Violet said, pulling her hoodie up and off over her head, revealing two undershirts. Caitlyn opened her mouth to make some retort, even while talking during their tutoring sessions, this was as personal as it got. Based upon the loss for words and subtle pity beginning to develop in Caitlyn’s stomach, she knew they’d probably never get so personal again.

But how did she not know how to swim? Zaun was surrounded by water on at least two sides. “I’m sorry, I,” Caitlyn started, hoping to find words that wouldn’t piss Violet off, but also shows that Caitlyn wasn’t being an asshole this time.

“It’s ok, not your fault” Violet smirked, waving Caitlyn off as she took off one of her shirts, leaving only one left. Did Violet plan to undress? Violet huffed and peeled the last shirt off, leaving her standing in front of Caitlyn wearing a bra type thing. The definition of her arms and her back startling. The rippled underneath her skin like coiled rope, stretching and flexing with every movement of Violet’s. The real surprise was when Caitlyn saw Violet’s mid section, divided into six sections, releasing and tensing with every breath.

Caitlyn found herself at a loss for words once more.

She didn’t even notice Violet had walked away until she called out; “Hey Cait?” Caitlyn’s head snapped up and she shook it, clearing the fog of abs and muscles from her head. How could she think so intently on things like that.

“Yes? Violet?” Caitlyn asked, she peaked her head over as Violet stood in a doorway, fingers sprawled across the door as she held it open with her fingertips. She really was impressive. Caitlyn swallowed back spit and drool and something else like admiration and walked over.

“Would you hold this open?” Violet asked with a grunt. Caitlyn quickly walked over to the door, accidentally clasping Violet’s hand as she moved to grab it. She didn’t recoil as quickly as she felt she should. Mostly for the fact that she was scared she might drop it. The door was nice and cold, a stark contrast from the wrestling room itself. It felt wonderful on Caitlyn’s hot skin.

Caitlyn followed Violet with her eyes as she took the scale and put it on the ground and began stripping again. Pulling down layers upon layers of pants and standing there in boxers and the bra thing of hers. Her leg muscles bulged out in a way that made Caitlyn take a double take. She had the most sculpted body Caitlyn had ever seen, granted-

“Cupcake, you can shut that now” Violet chuckled.

Oh. Caitlyn had gotten too distracted making eye contact with Violet’s abs she forgot she was standing with the door open. Now she looked like an idiot. Wonderful. She rolled her eyes and dropped the door, taking a look at the scale.

“Did you make it?” Caitlyn asked quietly, she didn’t know what weight Violet was supposed to be at, but she knew making weight was incredibly important to her.

“Yeppers” Violet grunted, Caitlyn could practically feel the relief flooding from Violet as she went to put the scale back. Caitlyn picked up her bag and started shoving things in. It seemed their session was over, the only thing that didn’t fit in her bag was her textbook, she held that to her chest. It looked like it might’ve started raining, she absolutely could not get the book wet.

“I could teach you how to swim,” Caitlyn said quietly. Why did she keep doing this? She needed to have some pride. “If you want me too” She said, straightening her spine. The look Violet gave her from underneath her eyebrows made Caitlyn want to shrink again.

A long pause of them just looking at each other followed, until, Violet bent over and grabbed her clothes, saying; “I think I’ve asked you for enough Cait,”

“I’m serious” Caitlyn insisted, she would absolutely teach Violet how to swim, after all it was a skill everybody needed to master at some point.

“So am I” Violet responded, looking Caitlyn in the eyes and tilted her head up slightly, although Caitlyn was taller, Violet was still intimidating as hell. Caitlyn felt her cheeks heat as Violet’s gaze was unrelenting. What does she do? There weren’t rules or protocols in these situations. “I’ll think about it” She amended, turning from Caitlyn and stuffing her layers into her duffle bag.

Notes:

Ok guys so I lowkey listened to folklore while I was writing this, so that was totally amazing. Um, tbh the album I relate to Caitvi of Taylor Swifts is definitely reputation, like come on. But the song that perfectly describes them in my fic is either "Gorgeous" Or "So it goes..." So if you ever need to like kinda get to know the vibe before the vibe comes, just listen to those songs lol. Like it's all there.
Anyways, I love and appreciate any and all feedback so just completely overwhelm me lol.
Anyways (take two), Stay hydrated guys <3
-Slythtpsq0c

Chapter 6: Chapter 5: "Echoes and Bruises"

5:30AM

12 and a half hours until the first round of the Iron Circuits.

Vi had her headphones on since she woke up, two hours ago, being in ‘the zone’ was an all-day thing. She had to start now. Vander had spoken to her the night before, talking about the importance of trying your best and not losing yourself to wrestling. But that was all just a distant blur in the back of Vi’s already cluttered brain.

She rubbed at her forehead and looked in the mirror and then to the track suit and singlet sitting on her bed. The top of the track suit was cut at the waist and the neck, Vi wasn’t a fan of the turtleneck thing, and she needed to be able to pull it off her head in case she lost track of time or something stupid. The bottom was literally the same. Dark blue with Piltover Prep’s crest on the pocket and white and gold stripes down the sides. They weren’t too ugly.

Her singlet though? Her singlet was her favorite. She’d had the captain’s singlet the past two years. Black with the Piltover Prep crest right in the middle of the chest in white and then outlined with gold.

She didn’t want to put the track suit on yet, but she knew she needed to. It was mandatory that the wrestling team, and other sports teams obviously, wear these things the day they compete. But they were less strict if it was a home meet, seeing as the track suits were meant to be ripped off.

Vi brushed her pink hair to the side and then looked back in the mirror, noticing the darker circles under her eyes, the splay of freckles across her crooked nose. She’d gotten her nose smashed into the mat more times than she could count. That's why it looked like that. She pulled at her swollen eyebrow with a finger. Last night her and Sevika got play-wrestling before dinner, and a screw came off and hit Vi right in the eyeball.

She stretched and flexed her fingers. The cuts in her palms were hardly there anymore, but they still stung once in a while. She’d need to get over that though, Darius was a heavy hitter, headlocks and cradles were his idea of fun. Meaning if she couldn’t beat him in terms of strength, she'd just be faster than him.

He likes to try to intimidate hours before their match, make his opponent scared to death by doing some flashy moves while warming up. It was a control thing, Vi liked to do the same thing. But Vi also actually did those moves in matches, she doesn’t just look up flashy moves in the wrestling dictionary. No, she keeps her eyes on two to four go toos for each position.

It has worked for her so far. Now, what she needed to do was win. She was cracking her knuckles before she grabbed the track suit.

It’s go time.

~

11:00AM

7 hours until the first round of the Iron Circuits.

Vi stretched her fingers out and gripped the edge of her desk as she stretched. She’d slept through most of chemistry, until Clarissa poked her in her stomach. Clarissa was nice enough, a pretty girl too. Vi just didn’t need what Clarissa wanted right now. She had more important things to worry about than a high school relationship during wrestling season.

And that’s all that Clarissa wanted.

She wanted nice dates and hand holding and Vi to be this reformed kid from Zaun. Vi wasn’t the type of person Clarissa wanted to make her be. Vi wanted to take her team to victory through the three rounds of the Iron Circuits. It was obvious they had two different goals.

Clarissa grabbed at Vi’s hand underneath the table, Vi pulled her hand back slowly and folded it under her head again as she laid it back down on the desk.

“Why don’t you want to hold my hand today Vi?” She asked, putting her hand on the small of Vi’s back. Vi (politely) shrugged it off and grunted in response.

“I’ve got a lot on my mind,” Vi muttered. Her warm face was pressed up against the cold desks of the chemistry room. It felt great.

Clarissa huffed and based on the squeaking beside Vi, she’d moved her chair farther away. That’s what Clarissa always did when she was upset with Vi. She didn’t know why Clarissa was taking this so seriously, it was fifteen seconds of sweaty hand holding.

Slowly, Vi began snoring.

~

12:30PM

5 and a half hours until the first round of the Iron Circuits.

Vi looked down at the sandwich in front of her. She sat with her wrestling team today; Jayce sat to her right and Zeri to her left. Zeri’s blonde buns bounced eagerly with each overly animated hand movement she made as she spoke.

Jayce was looking at his food with the same dejected look Vi was.

“Are you over?” Vi asked, sinking back in her chair and then looking back at the sandwich. Man, that looked good.

“By a pound” Jayce pouted, making eye contact with his sandwich and then looking at Vi. “Do you think we’re gonna win tonight?” He asked, his eyes gleamed with a mixture of ambition and uncertainty.

“I think that we’re gonna do great against Demacian Unity High, their only heavy hitter is Garen. You’ve got that under control. But I think Noxus Academy will be a little tougher, they’re always heavy hitters.”

“Yeah but you’ve got Darius under control, who else could there really be?” Jayce asked, shoving another piece of gum in his mouth, that was his fifth one this lunch period, and Vi could still hear his stomach rumbling.

“Well, they’re coached by Swain. You never know what he’s got shoved in his pocket” Vi responded with a shrug as she too, shoved a piece of gum in her mouth. Normally it helped kill the cravings. Made her salivate more, she pretended it was food sometimes and then she’d swallow it.

Is it gross?

Maybe.

But a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.

If that means drinking her spit to make weight? Vi’s gonna do it.

“I guess you’re right,” Jayce answered, crossing his arms and holding onto his chin like he was deep in thought. Based on how he acted around Vi? He was never actually deep in thought.

“How’s Viktor?” Vi asked, her mouth watered slightly as she watched Zeri take a bite of her sandwich. Stupid people who made sure they were under days before.

“He’s good, resting at home for a while. He said he didn’t want to walk up and down the stairs today though. He’s coming to the meet though” Jayce responded with a slight yawn. Janna, his mouth was huge.

“Nice. Nice” Vi nodded, crossing her arms behind her neck and manspreading. The only thing she loved about these tracksuits was the mobility. She could manspread and do cartwheels in these if she wanted too. She didn’t, but she could.

“Caitlyn’s taking a weird liking to wrestling” He said, well that was random.

Vi shrugged. “Maybe she’s smelt me for too long and wondered what the hell was up” She joked, elbowing Jayce. He sat there with his mouth set in a thin line. “That was…” She squared up her face and rolled her eyes. “That was supposed to be funny,” She added after a long while.

“Anyways,” Jayce changed the subject. He’s just mad he doesn’t make any funny jokes. “I just think it’s weird that she’s all of the sudden interested in something that she’s never been interested in before”

Vi shrugged. “Sounds like a you and Cait conversation” She didn’t understand why he was bringing this up to her of all people. Her and Cait weren’t close, like at all. Cait was her tutor, sometimes nice to her.

Jayce rolled his eyes and then grabbed at his face; he looked like he wanted to shake it off. His face, not Vi’s.

Zeri looked at Vi and smiled sheepishly, tucking her sandwich with her as she turned to the side. “You don’t have to hide your sandwich from me” Vi groaned, covering her eyes in her hood. She was so fucking hungry. She had like three sandwiches in her bag for whenever she weighed in. Then she’d go to town.

Actually, since she’s in the 155-weight class she’d probably be the first match. Well, maybe JV or exhibition matches would be first. But this was the Iron Circuits. Shush Vi. Shut up and dream about food, just dream about it and get through the rest of the day. That’s all she needed to do. Get through the rest of the day undistracted and then wrestle her ass off. That’s literally it.

From across the cafeteria, she caught the eye of a certain blue haired tutor, a blue haired tutor that was looking at her first by the way. Her eyes were still bright blue, (Why Vi expected them to change was beyond her) but this time, they weren’t glaring.

~

5:30PM

Half an hour until the first round of the Iron Circuits

Vi had spent the past two and a half hours setting up mats, unrolling and taping them, doing various warmups including bear crawls across the gym and handstands for some reason. Noxus Academy and Demacian Unity High showed up around four thirty. Sending nasty glares towards each other and then back at Vi.

Zeri sat on the mats, wrestling shoes on and an apple in her hand. “I don’t even understand why they’re so pissy” she said in that animated tone of hers, she always talked four-hundred miles an hour with the shoulder bumps and hand gestures moving just as quick. “They haven’t even lost yet” she said, taking a bite of her apple and looking back at Vi. She was a freshman, from Zaun too, so she’d grown up in the same area as Vi. Vi always was like a bird around kids from Zaun, taking them under her wing, trying to teach them while her patience remained intact, defending them when they needed the defense. It was just what she did.

Vi chuckled and ruffled Zeri’s blonde buns, somehow, she always made the cutest messy buns that stayed intact while she wrestled.

“Stay humble Zeri, you never know when someone’s gonna knock you flat”

~

5:55PM

Five minutes until the first round of the Iron Circuits.

Vi took her socks off and pulled the straps of her singlet over her binder and up on her shoulders. She took a small step onto the scale.

153.6lbs.

Good.

She exhaled a clear sigh of relief. It’s not that she didn’t think she’d make it, she just thought she’d be too close for comfort, well she was, kinda.

“Clear” The ref huffed, putting a check mark next to her name. “Spin for me, hold up the hair” he said, twirling his finger around. Vi grabbed the hair at the base of her neck and held it up as she spun. “Good to go”

Vi turned and ran face first into someone she never wanted to see again. An ex-fling, they dated for three months until she cheated on Vi with a dude.

Katarina.

“Ah, Violet Lanes.” She purred, pushing Vi off of her and looking down at her, up and down, over and over. Vi felt chills run across her arms and then up her spine. “Still wrestling?”

“Obviously.” Vi said, gesturing to her singlet with an annoyed expression. “Why else would I wear this? For the infinite wedgies?”

Kat rolled her eyes. “Whatever, just keep one eye open Lanes” She sneered, brushing past Vi quickly.

Vi scoffed and put her socks back on and began lacing her shoes back up. Janna, she was insufferable.

~

6:30PM

Half an hour after the Iron Circuits began.

Vi bounced on the balls of her feet, the track suit top on and singlet straps bouncing with her. Her match was in three. Meaning she would meet Darius soon, she would meet him, then she’d beat him.

She closed her eyes and envisioned the match. Sevika always said going in with a good head was the only way to have a good match. She had to think about winning and then go out and do it.

Vi ignored the sinking feeling of nerves in her stomach. She didn’t have time to be nervous; she had to get out of her head and back into her body.

Feel the way her feet bounced, the tightly coiled muscles in her core and then her legs. She flicked her hands, thinking of it like flicking out her nerves. There she was. She was good.

She took a deep breath as they called her name. “On mat two, back again and ready to rumble, Zaun’s own powerhouse, the hammer on the mat, representing Piltover Prep for the 155-pound duel against Noxus Academy Violet Lanes!”

Vi shook her head and took a deep breath, feeling her teammates and coach slap her back as she ripped her tracksuit top off and snapped her head gear. Once that head gear snaps on, everything’s just an echo, she concentrated, feeling her heartbeat and the way her shoes felt against the mat.

Faintly, she heard the announcers again. Don’t get angry Vi. “Representing Noxus Academy as her opponent. Captain of their squad, feared across every mat he steps on, the axe himself, Darius Crownguard!"

She just barely remembered her coach's words from earlier that day. “Be wary, be quick and don’t get angry”

Vi rolled her shoulders out and strapped the red ankle band on. Taking one last deep breath, she held out her hand and stepped on the red line. This was it. Now or never.

Then the whistle blew.

Vi’s heart jumped in her throat, and she quickly took a shot, diving towards his fat ankle and wrapping her arms around it. He turned, clubbing her in the nose, Vi felt it crack as she turned and finished it, taking Darius to the mat.

“Three” The ref bellowed. She didn’t really hear him as she put her hands on Darius’s back and stood up. She knew she wasn’t large enough to pin him, but she’d do what she did best. Tech him.

Darius snarled as he stood, down blocking with one hand constantly grabbing at Vi, Vi ducked underneath the waiting hand, grabbing him by the nap of his neck. He snarled again, ripping at Vi’s bruised face as she wrapped her legs around one of his and drug him back down to the mat.

“Three”

Vi did the same thing, put her hands on her back until she was safely out of reach of those arms.

He stood up and stalked towards Vi slowly, arms out again, but those hands were huge. Vi had to think fast. She walked towards him, back arched, knees bent in her stance. Her arms were tucked, elbows in.

He quickly knocked Vi with a collar tie, gaining the upper hand as his large hands wrapped around the back of her neck. She felt her breathing increase in pace. In and out. Through your nose Violet.

Vi took a shot. Hoping to Janna she didn’t get sprawled on. She wrapped her arms around his leg and spun to the outside as soon as her knee hit the mat. It burned as she got back up, holding his leg and finishing on the mat.

“Three”

This time Vi wasn’t quick enough. Darius reached behind him and grabbed her by the headgear, pulling her down beside him. No. No.

She rolled over on her belly, elbows firmly underneath her as she fought to get up, carrying her and Darius’s weight up as she got back to her knees with Darius’s nails digging into her ribs.

Vi exhaled. She was back. This was ok.

The clock buzzed.

The first period was over.

~

Sevika rushed over as Darius reluctantly got off of Vi. Sevika held a paper towel in her hands as she looked down her nose at Vi, gingerly dabbing at the blood pooling from her nose.

“How bad is it coach?” Vi asked, wincing only a little bit at the pain. She was used to broken noses, and this is exactly what it felt like.

“Broken for sure,” Sevika answered. Vi knew that, but she shut her mouth and began breathing again, just now noticing her dry throat.

“Is there any water over there?” Vi asked, shrinking away from the paper towel.

“Tampons too?” Sevika asked, seconds later. She held a water bottle and was quickly unwrapping a tampon. “Give me some athletic tape”

A minute later, Vi had a tampon shoved up her nose and her nose was taped straight again.

Sevika slapped Vi on her back as she started walking back onto the mat. “Be quick. Keep your emotions in check and finish it here”

Vi nodded. She got back on the mat and sent the ref a smirk. He was a short guy, dark brown skin and always spinned before he called the pin. He was funny.

“Top or bottom”

He threw up his coin. It came up green. Darius’s choice.

“Top” Darius said, sending a smug smirk towards Vi, he thinks he’s already won this. Vi’s gonna show him differently.

~

Vi’s hands were just above the white line, her knees just behind the other white line. Her back was arched and her fingers twitched as she waited. Just breathe Violet.

Then the whistle blew again.

Quickly, one hand crossed over the other she performed a switch, turning and grinding her forehead against Darius’s nose.

“One”

She kept her forehead against Darius’s nose as they both wrestled for hand control, slapping and grabbing and pinching, and then Vi made a horrible mistake. She didn’t watch his legs.

She hit the mat hard, squeezing the air from her lungs and turning her vision foggy. Darius fought for hand control again this time she was on her side. She felt him trying to get his sweaty palm on her neck. He was looking for the half.

Vi squirmed, looking away and peeling it off her neck. Come on Vi. Her lungs screamed as he shoved his elbow in between Vi’s armpit and her ribs. Get up.

Vi dug her toes and elbows into the mat simultaneously, pushing herself back up again onto her stomach.

“Four” The ref called.

Damn it. Back points.

Vi snarled and performed another switch, feeling anger flare in her stomach. Once she got out from underneath him, she shoved him as she rose to her feet. She felt blood pouring out of her nose again but decided to ignore it. She bared her teeth and made a ‘come at me’ motion with her hands.

He barreled towards her, arms out and head up. Quickly, she moved out of the way and caught his right arm. Using his own momentum, she grabbed the arm with both hands and lifted him up, kicked out his legs and mat returned him hard on his left side.

She heard him groan as if he deflated underneath her.

“Three”

She shoved her hand through the gap between his arm and his neck and wrapped her hand around his neck. And slowly began rotating, tightening the half.

She was on her toes and walking around his head when she heard the ref slam his hand down on the mat. Vi exhaled and fell off of him. Her arms and legs felt like lead as she sat back on her toes. She won.

She let out a low, tired laugh. She won.

Vi stood up, pushing off the mat and holding her hand out to Darius. She’d gotten her revenge; she exhaled and laughed again nervously. Oh Janna, she won. Darius slapped her hand away and snarled.

Vi bared her teeth at him. And then walked over to the ref. Each step felt like she’d been carrying weights on her back, but not just any weights. The freakishly large ones that no one wanted to touch.

Once Darius made his way back to the circle, Vi shook his hand and felt oddly at peace. Her lungs would only expand so much though, making it harder to catch her breath. The ref grabbed her wrist and held it up.

The crowd burst into a mix of cheers and boos. She made out three faces in the crowd through her red blurred vision. Caitlyn Kirramens, smiling face as she rose to clap. Vander, clapping his big hands together and yelling “That’s my girl!” and Ambessa Medarda with an eyebrow raised as she clapped her hands together too.

~

Caitlyn gripped the edge of the bleachers as she heard the clock buzz out. She let out a deep breath as Jayce exhaled similarly next to her.

“The periods over” Jayce explained as Caitlyn laughed nervously. She exhaled again and rubbed at her sweaty forehead. There was no reason she’d gotten so worked up over wrestling, a sport she’d known nothing about the previous day. She’d only seen Vi on her side, fingers reaching out towards the circle as she fought to get up.

“That’s nerve-wracking,” Caitlyn said, she massaged her temples again. It was terribly stuffy in here.

“Try being under it all” Jayce scoffed, crossing his legs and turning to Viktor, who sat on his other side. “Vi’s the best wrestler I know”

“I can tell.” Viktor said, wrapping his fingers around his cane and looking back at Jayce with that sarcastic, loving look in his amber eyes. Caitlyn felt like an intruder again. Mel and Elora left earlier, probably to go hang out together. Leaving Caitlyn to sit with Viktor until Jayce came up.

There was nothing wrong with Viktor, he was a genius, someone Caitlyn really did admire. They just weren’t as close as Caitlyn and Mel or Caitlyn and Jayce were.

Jayce leaned forward and clicked his tongue. “Sevika just shoved a tampon up her nose”

Caitlyn instantly furrowed her eyebrows and leaned up, trying to peer over the people sitting in front of her to get a better look.

“Broken nose” Jayce nodded. He acts like he's seen a lot of broken noses before, like this was nothing new.

“Her nose is broken?” Caitlyn squeaked. Well, the guy did hit her pretty hard when she went for the…the shot? Was it called a shot? Caitlyn didn’t know for sure.

“Yep. Broken broken. At least based on the pissed off look on her face” Jayce shrugged. Caitlyn rolled her eyes and took another look at Vi. Her pink hair was tied up in a bun, her nose taped together with athletic tape and a glazed, angry look in her eyes. The furrow of her eyebrows was another indicator; it was the same look she gave that Aiden kid when he ran into her. Well, almost ran into Caitlyn, but that’s irrelevant.

“This sport is insane,” she said, holding her head in her hands. She heard the whistle blow, but she was so anxious she didn’t even want to look up. She felt it in her stomach, like exploding butterflies.

“It’s a hell of an adrenaline rush” Jayce said, quickly followed up by a “No!” And then a groan. Caitlyn looked up and saw Vi on her side again, gasping for air. Caitlyn stood up to get a better view and felt her heart sink into her stomach. No, Vi can’t get pinned. She fisted blue hair between her fingers and bit down on her lip again.

She could almost hear Vi’s snarl as she bared her teeth and kept working to her feet. Caitlyn finally breathed, holding onto her chest as if she was the one wrestling. She saw Sevika in the corner, screaming and waving her hands around. Caitlyn then saw the exact moment Sevika knew Vi was doing her own thing, based on the throwing of the clipboard and holding her face in her hands.

The crowd jumped up around her, screaming for Vi to get up, Darius to put more pressure. It was like a shockwave of angry screams, but for both people.

Caitlyn’s vision blurred as she tried to focus on Vi. It wasn’t until the room turned silent besides for the smack of Darius on the mat that her eyes focused in again. The room seemed to hold its breath as Vi lifted him into the air and then kicked his legs out from under him.

Caitlyn and Jayce turned to each other and began cheering as Vi got her hand raised. “Woohoo!” Caitlyn shouted, clapping her hands together and then meeting Vi’s eyes. Vi sent her a small, tired smile and moved to looking at others.

~

At the end of the meet, Jayce had won his match against Garen from Demacian Unity High in the first minute. He threw a…Caitlyn pursed her lips. He threw a good headlock. That’s what she heard Vi say to him after he won.

And the results of the meet were 50-22 against Noxus Academy and 32-29 against Demacian Unity High, meaning that Piltover Prep would go on to the second round of the Iron Circuits. The second round was hosted at Ionian Preparatory against them and Shurima Disc Academy.

Caitlyn only knew this because she eavesdropped on Vi and Jayce’s conversation once Vi came over after her match was over. Her nose was crooked with black, green and purple bruises that started spreading towards her eyes too.

And she only laughed it off. She really was odd.

Caitlyn stood watching as Jayce walked over to Vi’s family. He seemed right at home with the bigger man, he had to be around seven foot tall, wide too. He didn’t look anything like Vi, but she called him dad. Her mom’s genetics must’ve kicked into overdrive, she thought with a small chuckle.

Powder, shoulder checked Vi and said something quietly. That’s when Vi’s powder blue eyes looked over at Caitlyn. “Cait” she said, holding her hand out.

“Oh I shouldn’t” she said, nervously looking from Powder to the man and then to Jayce, flirting with Viktor in the background.

“If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have wrestled tonight” Vi said with that one smirk of hers. The one Caitlyn saw everywhere and absolutely despised.

Caitlyn took a nervous step forward, her boots clinking across the gymnasium floor.

Vi grabbed her gently and pulled her towards them. She went back to talking to her dad, but Caitlyn was standing right next to them. She might not have been the topic of conversation, but she felt a lot less alone.

“Yeah, this nerd helped me understand calculus,” Vi said with a chuckle, raising her hand and messing up Caitlyn’s hair. Caitlyn growled and ducked under her hand, smirking slightly when she saw the surprised look on Vi’s face.

“Well, thank you…”

“Caitlyn. Caitlyn Kirramen” Caitlyn said to the dad, smiling shyly. He was terrifyingly large. Caitlyn repressed the urge to straighten her spine and speak haughtily around him. He looked like he’d beat her up.

“Thank you Caitlyn” he said, putting a hand on Vi’s shoulder and shaking her. “You ready to go tiger?”

Vi smiled up at him and then back to Caitlyn, her gaze lingering on Caitlyn for far too long. Caitlyn’s only saying that because after a moment her cheeks began to grow warm and the last thing she needed was for Vi to know that she got to her.

“Yeah, Dad. I’m ready” She turned around and let out a painful groan as she bent over to grab her duffle bag. She grabbed at her ribs, and her face turned a horrid shade of purple. Caitlyn’s sense flooded with fear as she grabbed at Vi before she could fall.

Caitlyn didn’t recall ever moving so quickly in her entire life. Vi leaned against Caitlyn's shoulder and let out a sort of strangled sound through her teeth as she fought to breath. Just as quick as she fell, the man grabbed her, sitting her on the bleachers and muttering something about staying still.

Caitlyn froze. She didn’t know what to do. She began breathing heavier. She didn’t know what to do. Why didn’t she know what to do?

“Powder” The man said, his voice was deeper when he was worried. “Go get Sevika” Powder raced off, with a slight limp. Caitlyn figured she’d come here straight after a dance thing.

Caitlyn felt dizzy, she looked back down and saw Vi taking stuttering breaths. The adrenaline should’ve worn off a while ago. It didn’t make any sense why she felt so much pain now.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Caitlyn croaked. Vi looked up at her once, eyes flashing with fear.

“This isn’t over” She croaked out. Her lip quivered as her dad looked at her again. “No, my season's not done.” Vi shook her head and blinked hard, hitting her head against the next step of the bleachers and closing her eyes painfully.

Sevika came next, with a first aid kit. Slowly, she took off the straps of Vi’s singlet and pulled them down until she could see Vi’s ribs perfectly. Across her whole right side, her ribs rippled underneath black and purple bruises. “Looks like a broken rib or two,” Sevika said grimly. “This might be it kiddo”

“It’s a broken rib” Vi snarled, Caitlyn flinched slightly, she’d never heard that tone from Vi, she sounded so angry. Truthfully, Caitlyn was beginning to wonder if Vi valued anything more than wrestling. “Silco will get me meds, and I’ll be fine” she said, pushing everyone off of her and standing up. With a wince. She was silent this time. Caitlyn looked down at her, feeling her eyes prick up.

Vi looked at the pity in everyone's eyes and shook her head. “I don’t need your pity” She grabbed onto the side of the bleachers and limped away.

“Vi” Caitlyn called out, following her in two long strides.

Vi hardly turned around.

“Same time tomorrow?” Caitlyn asked, putting her fingers on Vi’s elbow, hoping to lighten the mood.

Vi turned back around and limped away. Caitlyn stood there, hands folded in front of her as if she was waiting for something, anything from Vi.

She turned and walked away. Pausing only when she heard Vi cry out again.

Notes:

Oooooh guys, that was a lot. I do feel bad for giving Caitlyn a lot less words this chapter. Normally the chapters will be around five thousand words long with them divided in half for both Caitlyn and Vi for them to each get an even amount of POV time, but I feel like this was mostly like a Vi chapter and it really was fun to write.
I feel like I've said that way to often lol.
But actually, I'm actually a wrestler too so it really was super enjoyable.
Anywayssss, Please, please, pleaseeeeee tell me what you think, or don't I'm not gonna like force you or anything, but I'd love to listen and respond.
Stay hydrated! Love yall
-Slythtpsq0c

Chapter 7: Chapter 6: "Rule-breaking and Sweet Treats"

Vi gritted her teeth as the pain through her nose throbbed more than it did when Darius broke it, around four hours ago. Silco narrowed his eyes as he bandaged around her nose, shoving cotton things up into her nostrils.

“You’re lucky it didn’t start healing crooked again” Silco said, taking his gloves off and then putting his spectacles back on, he was starting to lose vision in his left eye as he grew older.

Vi yawned, feeling her nostrils and her ribs flare with pain. Instantly, Vi held her hands up to her ribs, thinking if she held them they’d hurt less, that clearly wasn’t how it worked. Her simmering anger from earlier in the evening very quickly turned to unfiltered pain, each breath felt like inhaling glass while being stabbed. So she sat there, fingers gripping the edge of the stolen hospital bed and took in air with small quick pants.

“Lay down,” Silco said, snapping on another pair of gloves and pulling a wheeling metal table closer to the table.

Vi gingerly let go of the bed and rotated herself, fire rippling across her entire torso as she fell backwards onto the bed, the pain taking her breath from her.

“You’re no good broken girl” Silco said, he lifted Vi’s shirt up until he could see her ribs. Vi looked at the slight gritting of his teeth. It can’t have been that bad. Vi gasped as Silco gingerly padded his fingers around them.

Her entire body was on fire, her ribs felt like they were going to collapse in on Vi. She bit down on her tongue hard, resisting the urge to shout. She winced and closed her eyes.

“Looks like one or two broken ribs. With the bruises it’s hard to tell” Silco added, snapping his gloves off again and gesturing for Vi to sit up again. Oh, Janna. She didn’t know if she could.

She grabbed onto the edges of the table again and fought to pull herself up. Silco grabbed her shoulders and helped her up, not particularly gentle, but not rude either. It was a stark contrast from his normal behavior. Normally he looked like he wanted Vi’s head on a stick.

Vi bit down on her tongue again as she sat there, taking in a few small breaths. “You did well tonight” Silco said, bunching gauze on top of the bruises and then starting with the bindings. “Vander told me about it while you were sleeping”

Vi had passed out right outside of the school after she stomped away claiming she didn’t need anybody's help. She just couldn’t have her season over because of some stupid injury.

“I’m gonna be able to finish my season, right?” Vi asked quietly, her voice was raw, she hadn’t spoken in a few hours, leaving her already dry throat to feel even drier.

“I wouldn’t suggest wrestling” Vi’s heart sank. Silco looked back up at her from underneath his spectacles again as continued wrapping. “But, if you do me the bare minimum of a week out of practice. I’ll sign you off.”

Vi’s chest surged, she smiled. Maybe Silco didn’t hate her? “A week. That’s it?” She asked eagerly. The next round of the Iron Circuits was next month, leaving plenty of time. She had time.

“A week, no nothing. No wrestling, no practice, no laughing too hard” he said sternly, narrowing his eyebrows at Vi’s clear excitement.

No nothing? Vi grit her teeth, realizing she took too deep of a breath and then nodded. “Fine”

~

Vi gripped her fingers tighter to the wall, her fingertips turning white from the effort. She was about to try to make her way up the stairs. She didn’t know how she’d do that, because walking was already hard enough, but the elevator was for weak people. Vi wasn’t weak.

“I can help you Vi” someone said behind her, grabbing at her duffle bag. Vi pulled her bag closer to the uninjured side of her body and shot a look behind her. It was Clarissa. Of course it was. This was one of the instances Vi would sigh deeply to show her irritation, but she couldn’t. Personally, she’d rather light herself on fire.

“I’m ok Clar” Vi said, shooting a small smile towards Clarissa. Truthfully, she wasn’t annoyed with Clarissa or irritated with her. She just needed to know she could do these things. She’d be back to wrestling next Tuesday, she needed to be ready.

“Are you sure?” Clarissa asked, peeking underneath Vi’s elbow, her eyes sparkling with a mix of concern and amusement. That smile: just enough to seem sympathetic, but sharp enough that Vi knew she was performing. Now, now Vi was irritated at her. Vi controlled the urge to huff at Clarissa and instead turned around.

“I’m sure” Vi grunted instead, grunting was still painful, but it was like top ten mannerisms. She couldn’t not do it.

“I heard about your injury, I’m really sorry-”

“Imma stop you right there” Vi said, dragging herself up the stairs on her tippy toes. She learned the hard way this morning that going flat footed somehow put pressure on her torso, so she kinda just hunched a little bit and went up on her toes.

Everything hurts. But it hurt less on her toes.

“Vi, I think we should talk about…you know, us?” She walked up the stairs and stood next to her effortlessly, giving Vi that fake ass smile she sent everyone. Damn her. Vi grit her teeth and looked at the clock. She had one minute, maybe too if she pulled the injury card.

“Can we do that later?” Vi asked, hobbling up another stair slowly.

“But Vi, I think,”

“I think I’m going to be late. I’m sorry Clar, but we can talk at lunch” Vi responded, she grabbed onto the railing and quite literally dragged herself up the stairs. Clarissa raised her eyebrow and her lip only slightly, like it flickered for a moment before she pursed her lips and stomped down the stairs, muttering something. Vi didn’t hear what she said, probably some type of curse against Vi. But she didn’t care too much. She had places to be.

Caitlyn walked past her, looking her up and down and then sending her a small smirk. “You’re going to be late to class”

~

Vi was forced to sit up straight in class, her entire body began to burn as soon as she ever thought about slouching. And breathing? Breathing was even harder. She didn't want to pant as she did this morning because it was a quiet classroom. That’d be embarrassing. She couldn’t do that.

She hardly listened to Orianna as her arms remained wrapped around her mid-section. Thinking maybe she could hold it together, keep the ribs from shifting evilly. She couldn’t. That was a myth.

Luckily, the medication Silco gave her, some shifty pills he probably stole from a market up top. She could at least semi breath without feeling like she was getting dissected. Only slightly though.

She did, however, listen to Orianna go on and on about functions and f of x, that’s what she said right? Eh, Vi didn’t care too much. As much as she wanted to listen, she just couldn’t get through the pain filled haze.

Everything was like watching through a lens, a foggy lens of course. Janna, forbid the lens be clear for once. She propped her head up on her elbow, on the side that was virtually uninjured, because even bending slightly about killed her.

“You’re getting rusty Violet” Caitlyn chuckled, grabbing Vi’s paper off of her desk and handing it in when it was time.

“I feel rusty” Vi responded, closing her eyes and exhaling, exhaling was never as bad as inhaling.

“So, do you want to resume our sessions at the same time tonight?” Caitlyn asked, flicking Vi’s forehead. Vi blinked rapidly and looked at Caitlyn’s probing blue eyes.

“Ask me after lunch” Vi huffed, turning away from Caitlyn. She might’ve been in calculus, but she sure as hell didn’t want to talk about it. Especially now that she knew she might be able to meet right after school.

She was really regretting her promise to Silco. She’d rather be on the mat than being taught calculus all over again because she didn’t have the energy to listen in class. It sounded lazy, she hated it. She hated that she couldn’t just absorb calculus like she could everything else.

“Violet,” Caitlyn repeated. She was starting to sound like Silco with his incessant stern talking too. It was insufferable.

“Today after school” Vi grunted, turning towards her and then away from her just as quickly. She just wanted to go home.

~

Vi rolled the bright red apple in between her fingers, tossing it and then catching it over and over again as the table rambled on around her. Ekko had his hand on Powder’s as she was shoveling a piece of pasta in her mouth.

“I don’t even know why she’s having me do this,” she said around the pasta. “I’ve never done ballet” she said, raising the hand underneath Ekko’s to cover her mouth as she spoke. Ekko rolled his eyes slightly.

“Then don’t do it,” Vi shrugged. Oh, that was a bad idea. She winced into her chair, digging her fingers into the apple. Apple juice ran all down her hand and her forearm. “Does anyone have napkins?” She asked.

Mylo and Claggor were off in their own little words, arguing over whether track or football was harder. Vi pursed her lips and pushed herself up and began gingerly walking to the sink and towel station. She tossed the apple in the trash on her way.

Once it sank in, she was surprised at how casually she just threw food away. She peered back in the trash, remembering when trash was her salvation. She looked away, luckily, she was a long way from that girl.

She ran her hands under the hot water, pumping three squirts of the cheap white school soap that foamed everywhere, and it was never known if it actually cleaned anything. Well, she wasn’t sticky anymore.

She turned, staring right into Clarissa’s expecting face. They were nose to nose and the only thing Vi wanted to do was back up. She didn’t feel any urges to flirt or anything like she did with most other women. Vi just looked into Clarissa’s bright blue eyes and wanted to walk away. She didn’t want to talk to Clarissa. Clarissa just wants Vi to be someone more than Vi is willing to be right now.

Vi backed up until the black butt of her jeans was pressed up against the station. “Hey Clarissa,”

“You said we could talk” she said, pursing her lips expectantly and turning and leaning against the sink beside Vi.

“Well, I don’t know what you want to talk about,” Vi said, she looked down at the ground of the cafeteria and then back towards Clarissa.

“What are we?”

“I don’t know” Vi answered honestly, it was nice just being with her once in a while. Until she started asking for more commitment, more being someone different, wearing different clothes, sitting different. And Vi isn’t scared of commitment, she just didn’t think Clarissa was the one she should commit herself to, especially if she couldn't accept Vi, fists and all.

“Well, I’m here for you when you’re upset,” she said, moving till she stood in front of Vi and she waved her hands around. “I’m here for everything, and I thought, I thought-”

“I never asked you to be” Vi said quietly, guilt began gnawing at her stomach, Clarissa seemed like a good girl, she didn’t deserve whatever it was Vi was doing, even accidentally.

Clarissa’s face fell too quickly, her eyes gleaming with anger and then suddenly, her lips quivered, and she looked at Vi with fake tears blooming in her eyes. “I thought you’d change for me”

Vi moved quickly, too quickly. Pain in her ribs exploded as she stepped back. “Why would I change who I am for you?”

Clarissa backed up, eyes quickly turning from fake sadness to vindictive anger. She took an angry shuddering breath, her lips and eyes twitching.

“Listen to me,” Vi said, meeting Clarissa’s eyes again. “I will never change myself for the sake of a woman” She grabbed Clarissa’s hand and pressed a kiss to the knuckle. “I hope you will find someone who will change and be the snob you want. And I can’t be that person right now, and I’m not really sorry for that. I’m never going to be topsider trash”

“They were right about you” Clarissa snarled, curling her lip and pushing Vi away. “You really are just a player” She turned away from Vi and stomped away.

Vi stood there, leaning against the sink. One hand clutching her painful mid-section and the other dropped to her side uselessly. She shook her head. This wasn’t what was supposed to happen.

Vi never expected it to turn into the mess it had.

She swallowed hard, hoping to bite the pain back, shove it down and eventually she’ll forget about it. She’ll forget about the drama in the stupid cafeteria, she’ll forget about everything once she starts wrestling.

That’s all she needed to do.

She needed to wrestle.

~

Vi closed her eyes and held her head in her hands. Silco’s meds were wearing off and she felt it; she also felt the gaze of the entire chemistry class around her. She shook her head. It didn’t matter what any of them thought of her anyways. Vi looked up once and saw Clarissa sitting at a table surrounded by seniors, all four of them giving Vi dirty looks.

Whatever, Vi could probably kick all their asses anyways.

She rolled her eyes and turned away. Trying to ignore the horrible throbbing in her ribs and in her head. When she heard the squeaking of a chair being pulled out.

She turned (not quickly this time, did she want to die? Not particularly) and saw all six feet of Caitlyn moving her stuff and sitting next to Vi.

Vi narrowed her eyes, noticing the high curly ponytail in Caitlyn’s hair, the sharp angle of her cheekbones, her almost polished skin. “What are you doing over here?” Vi asked, she wondered if she ought to push her away, demanding for her to sit with someone else. Not because she didn’t like Cait. Cait was cool, she just didn’t deserve to have to sit next to Vi.

“Came to gamble with the player” Cait chuckled, tucking a blue bang behind her ear as she looked up at Vi. Vi noticed she was mostly legs. Vi, who was a great deal shorter than her, sat higher in the seats. It was weird. Her cheeks were slightly flushed as she looked from Vi to Clarissa’s table, it was hot in here.

She smiled slightly, that weird one where her mouth curves upside down instead of like the normal smile that she reserved for people she didn’t know. It was the one she gave Vander last night too.

An ugly chuckle from Clarissa’s table drew her attention from Cait and back to them.

“Yeah well,” Vi sent a bitter look to Clarissa’s table. “I don’t think you should. I’ll ruin you”

~

Clarissa sat down at Caitlyn’s table, right next to Viktor as usual whenever she had something she thought she absolutely needed to talk about. Poor Viktor had to hear about all of it.

“And she says to me ‘we can talk at lunch’ and I’m wondering if she even cares because she still hasn’t come to talk to me.” Clarissa ambled, shoving a thick blonde curl behind her shoulder. Mel gave Caitlyn a knowing look before she began talking.

“She broke her ribs yesterday, Clarissa. I guarantee she’s not going to want to run around the lunchroom to find you” Mel said, Elora gave her one of those ‘why are we doing this’ looks and then took a bite of her chicken Caesar wrap.

“I know, and I tried to tell her how sorry-”

“She’s not one for pity,” Caitlyn said, chuckling quietly. She remembered Vi storming off after even seeing a small glimpse of pity in someone’s eyes, even her father’s, she hated pity.

“How would you know?” Clarissa asked, curling her lip a slight bit.

“Because…? I watched her storm out of the gymnasium last night because her father showed her pity.” Caitlyn said with an eye roll. As soon as Clarissa spoke, every single time, she felt the urge to shrink into herself, to hide. She was the one dating Vi, Caitlyn didn’t understand why this was so difficult for Clarissa to grasp. It really wasn’t that hard.

Clarissa rolled her eyes and turned back to Viktor, completely disregarding anything Caitlyn had to say. “And she’s been so distant lately”

“How can anyone be distant when you’re twenty-five leagues up their ass?” Mel asked, curling her lip and fiddling with the gold rings on her fingers.

“Excuse me?”

“You never leave the poor girl alone”

“Screw you Medarda” Clarissa said, shoving out of the chair and then slamming it back into the table. Perhaps she’ll break Jayce’s chair one of these days, Caitlyn would love to see Jayce go off on her over it.

~

“I’ve come to gamble with the player” Caitlyn chuckled, smiling small as she shuffled her papers all over her and Vi’s shared desk. She noticed the strange look on Vi’s face when she sat down. It was a mixture of shock and denial and then the slow bitter feeling creeping in once Clarissa began laughing.

“Yeah well,” She pursed her lips. “I don’t think you should. I’ll ruin you”

Caitlyn brushed a bang behind her ear and rolled her eyes. “You’re not the worst I’ve come across” she said, Vi scoffed and ran her fingers through her hair, wincing slightly, she must’ve been trying to hide it.

Of course she would. The only thing more treasured than her pride was her sister. And still, that was a very narrow competition. Like, Powder just barely crossed the finish line before Vi’s pride.

“What’s your dad’s name?” Caitlyn asked, nonchalantly as she started writing down notes as Heimerdinger put them on the board.

“Which one?” She grunted, looking from the chalkboard back to her paper and then back again as she scrawled things down in her bright red notebook.

“You have more than one?” Caitlyn asked, narrowing her eyes. Well, it wasn’t unusual for people to have more than one father, she knew one day Jayce’s kid would be able to brag about having two dads.

“Yeah,” Vi said, shoving a piece of gum in her mouth and chomping loudly.

“Do you always have to chew so loudly?” Caitlyn asked snarkily, she was completely distracted from the conversation because of Vi’s obnoxious chewing.

“I have two dads currently; they got married after they adopted me. Not legally of course, us downstairs don’t have the money to legally do anything” she said, running her gum in between her teeth and then tucking it in her lip. She tapped her pencil between her fingers and then looked back at Caitlyn’s shocked face.

“What happened to your biological dad?” Caitlyn asked, after she tore her gaze from the strange movements and nervous ticks that occupied so much of Vi’s physical movements. She didn’t want to say anything about the ‘not legally’ thing. The inner desire to be an enforcer or criminology major burned in her chest. Not legal? Gasp.

“He was shot up in a random search by enforcers” Vi said, her lip twitched, the scar rippling with every small movement.

Caitlyn observed with caution. Noticing the swelling and bruising all across Vi’s face, the athletic tape peeling up only slightly. Her scrunched eyebrows and lip twitches. She was a collection of micro movements, ones she could only see if she looked closely.

Damn it.

Caitlyn caught herself looking closely.

She took a shuddering sigh and turned. She didn’t want to say she was sorry. Vi would begin hating her if she kept burdening her with apologies she never needed nor asked for.

“That’s awful” she said instead, keeping her voice quiet. Vi turned her head towards Caitlyn, her powder blue eyes widening only slightly, glimmering with some strange emotion.

“It was. Shot my mother too” She added, looking away just as quick. She riffled in that duffle bag of hers and pulled out an orange bottle. Caitlyn narrowed her eyes, were those drugs? “Pain meds” Vi assured, making a mock cheer towards Caitlyn. Caitlyn looked at her horrified as she swallowed them dry.

“You’re completely and utterly barbaric” Caitlyn scoffed, elbowing Vi in the shoulder.

Vi gasped, holding at her ribs and bumping her head into the table. Caitlyn gasped, remembering Vi literally broke a rib yesterday. She put her hand on Vi’s back, muttering apologies in a hushed voice.

Vi blinked tears away and started wheezing.

“Oh my god” Caitlyn said, horror began creeping in. What if she just killed Vi? What if she won’t be able to wrestle the rest of this season-

“Relax. I’m fucking with you” Vi deadpanned, sending a smirk towards Caitlyn. Her heart almost stopped. Caitlyn held her chest and then slapped Vi’s bicep.

“You’re horrible” She exclaimed, turning and propping her up arm to block Vi. She was mad at her now, she terrified Caitlyn. “Awful” She scoffed.

~

Caitlyn walked down the halls, her doc martins clanking each step she took. Which weren’t that many to be frank. She often had a larger stride, so she didn’t need to take as many steps as someone else.

Mel was rambling on about issues with Elora. “And my mother, she doesn’t approve obviously, simply because Elora's not of nobility. It’s not even the fact that she’s a girl.” She said, exasperated as her fingers pushed on her temples. “Normally she’s like ‘continue the family line’ and blah blah blah” Mel mocked, straightening her back even more than it was already. Caitlyn didn’t know that was possible. And then she did her best expression of Ambessa Medarda. “Like I’m sorry I don’t want to have a bunch of wrestling babies running around” Mel rolled her eyes.

Mel was sent to Piltover after her mother realized Mel didn’t want to wrestle, she thought that being a politician was more important than being a wrestler. And boy, that pissed Mrs. Medarda off. So, she sent Mel here, apparently the ‘land of science and meaningless politicians'. Don’t ask Caitlyn, it didn’t make sense to her either.

“I don’t even know what my mom would say if she thought I liked a girl from Zaun,” Caitlyn said, brushing her bangs behind her ear again. Those stupid sons of a gun kept falling into her face whenever she was having a conversation. She always got a mouthful of blue hair in that instance.

“What if she thought?” Mel scoffed. “It’s literally so obvious to everyone but you two.”

Caitlyn was shocked. Was she that obvious? And she didn’t even like Vi, she hardly tolerated her. Maybe. Well! She didn’t know. She huffed

“Well, she’s smart, mannered…hot,” Mel said, moving her butterscotch sucker around against her teeth. It scratched at Caitlyn’s ears as she tried not to pay attention. “Have you even talked to your mom?”

Caitlyn looked at the ground. No, she didn’t, she hardly spoke to her to begin with, they disagreed about so many things, and she just couldn’t stand listening to her mouth ramble about Piltover supremacy.

“Exactly. So how do you even know? And plus,” she said, sending a swift look towards Vi who was leaning against a locker looking down at her sister. “You look at her like you want to climb her like a tree”

Caitlyn gasped, swatting Mel with a book. “You’re despicable”

Mel chuckled and then looked back at Vi. “I would too if I was single. I don’t blame you girl”

Caitlyn crossed her arms and stewed. She watched Vi adjust the strap of her duffle bag with just a roll of her shoulder and then looked back at Mel.

“You’re doing it again” Mel whispered in Caitlyn’s ear.

Caitlyn shrieked. This got the attention of Vi, who looked over with narrowed eyes that softened slightly when she noticed Caitlyn. “Hey Cait,” she said, turning back to her conversation with Powder.

“Oh.” Mel said with a smirk, looking down at Caitlyn with that diabolical gleam in her eye. “Who’s Cait?”

Caitlyn groaned and hid behind her book, blushing only slightly when she walked past Vi. “I hate you” she scoffed towards Mel, who answered only with a laugh.

“Oh this is good” she chuckled. Caitlyn just rolled her eyes, of course Mel would blow it out of proportion. Only Mel.

~

“You’re really not that bad at calculus, I don’t know why Professor Orianna thought you needed a tutor so bad,” Caitlyn said absentmindedly, bending and looking over Vi’s shoulders as she went through the problems quickly. The pencil sat in between her thumb and forefinger. It was strange, the way she held her pencil.

“It’s because I lack understanding,” Vi said, licking her thumb and then flipping the page of the textbook to reveal another fifteen problems.

“But I don’t understand why,” Caitlyn replied. She had pulled her hair out of the ponytail sometime after sixth hour, she didn’t know why she even put her hair in ponytails anymore. They always hurt her head.

Vi’s hair was pulled up in a messy bun, the side shave adding to the sheer messiness of all of it. She never seemed to care what her hair looked like. Caitlyn couldn’t imagine. She sits in front of her vanity each and everyday carefully debating what to do with her hair, pulling and probing at every strand.

“Me either cupcake” vi said, looking back down towards the paper.

“Stop calling me that” Caitlyn said, accidentally brushing Vi’s shoulder with her hip as she went to sit back down.

“But you’re so sweet.” Vi chuckled, her powder blue eyes met Caitlyn’s as Vi seemed to do a thorough search of Caitlyn’s features. Caitlyn hoped she didn’t notice the thinly covered bags under her eyes, or the wrinkles on her forehead from scowling, or the smudge of her lip liner. “Like a cupcake” Vi finished finally, turning away from Caitlyn, leaving her to finally exhale, free from the possible scrutiny under Vi’s careful gaze.

“Um.” Caitlyn began, clearing her throat from all the possibilities of Vi judging her. She organized her papers (they were already perfectly neat), before turning back to Vi. “What did Silco? Is it Silco?” Caitlyn asked, eyes scrunching with uncertainty. Vi nodded with a small smirk. She looked like she was about to tease Caitlyn for some odd reason. “What did Silco say about your ribs then?”

“I’ve got a week,” Vi answered, with a small nod as she stretched her fingers. The swelling and bruising from her nose looked like it would cause great pain to even speak. Caitlyn had never had a broken nose, but she didn’t know how Vi did it.

“That’s good,” Caitlyn said thoughtfully. The second round of the Iron Circuits(?) was in around a month so she’ll be able to wrestle just fine.

“A lot of things can go wrong in a week. My endurance could drop an insane amount. Especially not being able to do any cardio” Vi clicked her tongue and leaned back again, wincing and then sitting back forward as quickly as she could.

“Do they hurt a lot? I’ve never had a broken rib so I’m rather…”

“Curious?” Vi asked with an eyebrow raise.

“Precisely” Caitlyn replied, tilting her head and looking at the bandage peaking only slightly underneath her black cut off.

“It hurts to do anything” Vi answered, shrugging and then rubbing at her eyeballs. “I can’t even sleep” she closed her eyes for a minute and then opened them. Now that

Caitlyn looked closer, her eyes did look rather bloodshot. She hadn’t noticed the bags underneath either, Vi normally wore a pretty dark layer of eyeshadow.

“Side sleeper?” Caitlyn asked, her eyebrows pricked up.

“More like a fetal position sleeper” Vi scoffed. Finally setting the pencil down and rolling out that wrist, putting her thumb and forefinger on the tendons as she stretched.

“That’s such a strange way to sleep,” Caitlyn remarked, trying to imagine Vi curled up in a ball. That could not be comfortable.

“It’s comfy” she tried raising her legs like she normally did, putting her boots on the table. Normally Caitlyn hated it, but seeing Vi wince and falter halfway then put them back down on the ground made her feel a little sorry for her.

God, that was a first.

(Liar)

“Do you want a chair?” Caitlyn asked, getting up and pulling a chair towards Vi.

“No it’s ok, you don’t have to do that” Vi said, looking up at the ceiling as she held her breath. Her hands were splayed across her side, and her fingertips were white.

Caitlyn shoved the chair closer to Vi’s ankles and nodded towards it. “Put em up”

“Miss. ‘Rules are the love of my life’ telling me to put my feet up? What has happened to you?” Vi teased while wheezing. She slowly raised her boots and set them on the chair, exhaling massively as she did so. “Thanks, Cait,” she said, catching her breath.

Caitlyn flushed only slightly. She was right, what happened to her? Never in her seventeen years of living did she encourage rule breaking. And now she was, oh god, was she dying?

“You’re welcome Vi” She answered instead, she’s just glad she didn’t pass out on the spot, every glance towards that chair was just another reminder that she was delinquent.

Vi smiled and then looked back down at the paper. “I don’t want to do calculus anymore,” she groaned.

“Then don’t. I don’t want to either” Caitlyn said, with a mini shrug. “I have swim practice in a little while, so calculus is the last thing I’m thinking of”

“Calculus is always the last thing I think of,” Vi scoffed, leaning gingerly and shutting the math book.

“We can tell,” Caitlyn snorted.

Notes:

Holy cow guys. Caitvi!! AGHHHH I love them so much, it is so hard to be normal about them. Like Caitvi crumbs in a slow burn??? YUMMM. And i don't know, I just loved writing the small things, but like What did you guys think of Clarissa?? Like geezzzzzz.
(Also, most of these characters are characters in either league of legends or arcane, I have a few minor OC's just to like to add to the story. Clarissa is one of them. She's supposed to be like the mean girl/manipulative classist bitch, and because I didn't want to completely destroy someone else's character, I just made one up, so I hope that's ok with you guys.)
Amywaysssss, oh, also I listened to folklore during this. Folklore is my fav btw.
You guys don't care lol, anyways.
Stay Hydrated!!! Love Yall
-Slythtpsq0c

Chapter 8: Chapter 7: "Tethers and sparks"

Vi shoveled a piece of lettuce in her mouth, Claggor and Mylo couldn’t make it to dinner tonight, so their dining room was oddly empty. Vi sat opposite of Vander and Ekko and Powder sat together on the other side of the table. Silco was in his clinic working late tonight.

Vander raised his eyebrows at Vi. “So, this Caitlyn girl, how do you feel about her? She seems nice”

She rolled her eyes, here he was with the girl talk. “I just got dumped” Vi scoffed, she didn’t really get dumped, her and Sky were never dating so she doesn’t think it was actually her getting dumped.

“Was it really dumping?” Vander said, sucking in a breath through his teeth. Ekko and Powder were in their own little world, whispering and giggling to themselves. Gross.

Vi rubbed at her temples. She really did not want to have this talk with him, ever since he found out she liked girls he’s always been her number one girl talker. Like, sometimes she forgot he was her dad simply because of how he spoke with her about women. Which was also weird, seeing as he didn’t like women.

“No, it wasn’t…really” She gritted her teeth and accidentally mimicked Vander’s expression.

“Okay so what’s stopping you from this Kirramen girl.” He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “She seems polite”

“She’s got a tongue that could dismember someone like Smeech. She is not that saint she pretends to be” Vi chuckled, taking a drink of her orange juice and putting the pulp in between her teeth, she loved playing with it in her mouth. Was it weird? Maybe. Vi couldn’t care less.

“Well, then she seems like your type of woman”

“You don’t even know my type of woman dad,” Vi chuckled, feeling slightly embarrassed now. Her cheeks flushed as she stirred the straw in her juice with her fingers.

“Well, I know she seems to like you,” Vander shrugged.

“Dad!” Vi shrieked, she threw a salad roll at Vander and then covered her oddly hot face with her hands, ribs exploding with pain simply because she dared to move her arms above her head.

“Oi” Vander huffed, massaging his temples in exasperation. “You’re impossible”

Vi groaned and slouched, recoiling as soon as she felt her ribs shift. She needed to stop doing that. It was a habit.

“I won’t make you help me with dishes tonight. Go upstairs and go to sleep, remember to stay on your back Vi” Vander said, getting up from the table, the familiar squeak only his chair made as he spoke to her over his shoulder. “Powder, help me with dishes”

Powder groaned and sent Vi an eye roll as she unlaced her hand from Ekko’s and shot up to go help Vander.

“Night guys” Vi said, hauling herself up the stairs using the railing, she was too tired for this shit.

Once she got up there, she tore her shirt off and stood in front of her vanity. Besides her abs, her entire right side was covered in purple and black bruises. Eugh.

Vi grimaced slightly, gingerly touching her fingers to them. She recoiled into herself as she touched, feeling the pain rippling through her entire midsection. She wanted to pass out, to throw up or do something that validated how fucking awful this felt. But all she could do was stare at it. Begrudgingly admire the broken ribs she worked hard for. She scoffed bitterly and wrapped herself up again, struggling to get it around her waist by herself. Once she got it, she slowly lowered herself onto her bed, in nothing but her boxers and a binder, contemplating how she’d even sleep tonight.

She could not sleep on her back.

~

Vi spent the better part of her day getting glares from Clarissa and her group of rich, bitchy, senior friends. Each time she’d flip them the middle finger and then walk away. It didn’t bother her, they were all built like sticks. She could wait for the chance to snap them.

She pulled her duffle bag back up on her shoulder and pushed through the crowd of kids around her locker. They were bunched, like a pack of stupid looking wolves. That’s when she noticed her locker, red spray paint all across it with the words ‘Dirty Zaunite player’.

Vi felt her fists clench at her sides and her vision turned blurry. Insurmountable rage coursed through her system when she saw a dude in the corner of her vision sneering and holding a red bottle of spray paint. She tried hard, to take a breath, to calm down, but soon it boiled over, sending pour rage out of every pore.

She dropped the duffle bag, ignoring the pain in her ribs as she stomped over to him, swinging a fist and connecting brutally with his jaw. She ignored the cracking as her fists continued making contact, she exhaled.

“What the fuck Violet” Sevika said, grabbing Vi’s arms and ripping her off the man. Vi pulled at her arms, ignoring the tearing in her ribs. She breathed out of her teeth, completely and utterly consumed by her rage.

“Fuck you” Vi snarled down. The man was on the ground covering his face, blood was everywhere, Vi’s white t-shirt, her hands, her face, his hands and face.

“Get your shit together” Sevika snapped in her ear, holding Vi back as she watched the man crawl away from her, holding his face with one hand and using the other to claw his way backwards.

“Did you see what he wrote?” Vi asked, narrowing her eyes and baring her teeth at the man on the ground. “Piece of shit” She spat.

“Fuck you lanes” He spat back.

Vi launched herself out of Sevika’s arms and back on him, one hand wrapped around his collar and then the other repeatedly launching into his nose. Blood poured from his nose and his teeth.

Sevika grabbed her arms again, turning her so that she looked at that damn locker some more. Vi felt it surge again; she began breathing in rough ragged pants through her teeth.

“We’re leaving,” Sevika said, shoving Vi away from him. Over and over again until she had the strength to resist turning back and beating his ass some more. "This is your one"

~

Vi sat in the lobby, head resting against the wall while Vander was in talking to Madame Cairn and Sevika. She’d already talked to both of them. The dude she beat up would be getting a in school suspension for a week. She had an out of school suspension for a week. Apparently, they were worried Vi would find him and kill him.

She wouldn’t. But she ought to. That’s just some shit people shouldn’t do. Vi’s ribs throbbed as she sat there, slouching not by choice, but by the need to rest her throbbing head. She’d much rather be in an in-school suspension than an out of school one.

She loves Vander, but he is an awful teacher. Awful, at least when it comes to lessons learned in school, like he could teach Vi just about anything, besides history, or calculus, or literature, or chemistry. Basically, everything in the school curriculum.

The school nurse came and checked her and David out. David was the other dude; he had a broken jaw and nose. Apparently, Vi was lucky he was a classist fuck so his parents wouldn’t be able to press charges without him getting fined too. By the looks of him, he was lower class Piltover. He wouldn’t be able to pay the fines for classist defamation. She bit down on her thumb nail and sighed, feeling the loose cartilage in her ribs rattle.

Apparently, she’d dislodged some cartilage in her assault on David. Which would mean another week, two weeks. It’d mean she’d have three to get back in shape before the Iron Circuits. There was no way in hell, she’d miss it because of some asshole like David.

From the conversations everyone had around her, she learned he was captain of the men's volleyball team. That’s why she didn’t know his name; she didn’t watch men's volleyball. Not that he’d be any good anyways.

Once Sevika drug Vi to the office and Professor Kirramen took David, a lot of things happened, first the nurse. Then Madame Cairn pulled them both in, it messed up her schedule of glaring at him until he continued shirking away, she pulled them in, heard their ‘testimonies’, and Vi’s been sitting out here ever since.

She didn’t really have a problem with that, she’d probably be in Bolbok’s classroom right now, hearing him drone on about the rune wars. They covered it last semester, she didn’t know why they were doing it again.

Vi yawned, that damn cartilage rattling again, she sounded like one of those weird boxes where you shake it and it just makes a bunch of noise. She knew that wasn’t good. She’d probably just steal more of Silco’s pain meds. It was easier than just laying in the pain.

At last, Vander walked out of the office, giving a glare towards the sleeping form of David. Vi had just been doing the same thing, how crazy. “C’mon tiger” He gruffed, helping Vi up and holding her up underneath her armpit as she limped out the door.

“I’m sorry dad-”

“Don’t be sorry, just be glad you put the fucker on his ass” Vander said, loosening his grip slightly as Vi yelped and almost tripped over a rock.

~

Vi had been sprawled on her couch since she got home from school, nursing her ribs with ice and medication, feeling mixtures of pride and pain. They came in like hot flashes, so did her visions of David bleeding on the ground. That was nice.

They better get her locker cleaned off before she gets back, or she might steal someone else’s. She didn’t know how she was going to steal a locker, but she’d figure it out once she got to that point.

Then there was a knock at the door.

That was weird, nobody knocked. “Vander…” Vi groaned, she didn’t want to get up, cause then she’d have to sit up and then, blah, blah, blah. There was just too much work involved and not enough pain meds.

“Get the door Violet” Vander answered, shoving a towel covered hand into a kegger. “I’m doing your dishes”

Vi huffed and sat up, ignoring the pain exploding in her side. She hated broken ribs, but she hated strangers more. As she began walking towards the door, she swiped one of their bats, she was in no mood to be called on by enforcers. But enforcers never knocked, they kind of just forced their way in.

She opened the door and readied the bat in her hands. Only to find Cait on the other side of the door. Holding books and eyes shifting nervously, her legs were slightly spread so she’d keep her shoes out of the puddles. It hadn’t rained in days, but puddles always appeared down here.

“What the fuck?” Vi asked, she turned towards Vander who stood behind the bar, putting on his best clueless face. “Did you do this?” She snapped, pointing from Cait back to Vander.

“Your father asked me to catch you up, you missed five classes today," said Cait, straightening her back and standing there, she looked like she was failing to do the splits. “May I come in?”

“Of course you can,” Vander piped up from behind the bar. Vi rolled her eyes and put the bat down, that was a shame, she really wanted to kick some enforcer ass. Although, enforcers would press charges, and she’d be persecuted for attacking an enforcer. Whatever.

Vi limped away from the door, she hoped Cait could shut a door, although, with her rich ass, she’d probably pay someone to shut doors behind her.

“What do you normally eat for dinner miss Kirramen?” Vander asked, why’d he act like he had manners? Vi looked at him, eyes squinted. What is happening right now?

“Um” She started, then, she put her hand on her chin. Who puts their hand on their chin to think? Vi slouched her shoulders and huffed. “I like cucumber sandwiches”

“We don’t have cucumbers-”

“We don’t even have sunlight most days” Vi scoffed, limping upstairs. She couldn’t believe Vander planned this, planned anything really. Maybe it was Silco then.

~

Vi looked down at Caitlyn who was laying on her stomach on Vi’s bed, scribbling notes onto Vi’s notebook, mumbling things about the rune wars.

“Apparently there were five rune wars, with the first occurring over 1000 years ago” Caitlyn said quietly, almost to herself as she chewed on hair while she wrote.

“We learned that during freshman year” Vi said, slowly and gently lowering herself onto her back on the bed. She laid next to Cait as she wrote, catching her up on various things. Vi had known most of it, simply because her professors had prefaced most of it the days before.

Caitlyn put the pencil down and rolled over onto her side, analyzing every aspect of Vi’s face, but not with the judging gaze she normally had, but with something smaller, gentler.

Vi swallowed and rolled over on the side that was uninjured, grunting through the pain as she did so. She tucked her hands under her head and just looked at Cait. Noticing the draw of her brows, the straight edge of her nose, surface level things really.

Slowly, Cait moved her hand and brushed a strand of pink hair behind Vi’s ear. Vi gulped internally feeling oddly strange at the proximity. Out of instinct, she grabbed Cait’s wrist, holding it loosely. She blinked hard and dropped it, looking back at her.

“...Sorry” Caitlyn said, pulling away and sitting up. She stared down at Vi’s notebook and then back towards Vi. “Will you tell your father that dinner was wonderful tonight?” Cait said, Vi sat up with some difficulty and watched Caitlyn pack her things into her small messenger bag. She didn’t look at Vi once more until Vi hesitantly handed Cait her calculus book.

“I’ll tell him” Vi huffed, ignoring the small feeling in her stomach and then shoving it down. “What time is it?” She asked, squinting at the alarm clock. Nine-thirty. Not too late. Good, now Vi can stretch in the tub tonight.

“Nine-thirty” Caitlyn said after pulling a gold pocket watch out of her bag and clicking it. It was a really shiny watch.

“Well, I’ll walk you to the bridge,” Vi replied, pushing herself off her bed and then shoving her hands in her pockets.

Caitlyn looked up, she sort of looked frightened. She’d be more frightened walking to the bridge alone. Vi was known in these parts because of Vander, people wouldn’t do anything. But Caitlyn? Walking alone?

“You don’t, you don’t have-” Caitlyn stuttered, fidgeting with the straps on her bag, her eyes flitted across the room. Vi shrugged.

“But I should” She responded, tossing a black sweatshirt at Caitlyn. Caitlyn caught it, barely. Then, Caitlyn began walking down the stairs behind Vi, hand tentatively resting above Vi’s shoulder.

“Oh, all right”

“Good” Vi huffed.

~

Caitlyn walked past the puddle of blood in the halls. It hadn’t been much more than fifteen minutes since Vi was pulled away from David, his last name was Kingsbury, not much influence anywhere. She’d be fine.

But, today Caitlyn had more to deal with than Violet Lanes, today, Madame Cairn had tasked her with showing around a new student from Noxus; Maddie Nolan.

She was short, freckles splashed across her nose, sort of like Vi’s, a ginger bob and eyes that were almost the same shade as Vi’s. It was eerie.

Maddie asked a million questions, if she could speak, she was asking about Caitlyn or the school in general which was understandable, but the insane number of personal questions was just unsettling.

“So if you’re captain of the swim team why don’t you have swim practice?" Maddie asked as they walked past the sign that said, ‘No swim practice until February’. Caitlyn rolled her eyes; she was getting sick of this question.

"Because the water polo team practice is right after school, and the boys swim has taken our pool time”

“Why not have it later?”

“Later is around eight o’clock” Caitlyn crossed her arms behind her back and introduced Maddie to the rest of the staff, including her mother, who acted like Caitlyn was a saint simply because of this ‘act of kindness’ she didn’t even want.

“Who’s that Vi chick anyways?” Maddie said, looking at the trail of blood towards the office. The custodial staff was working on cleaning it up with bleach starting at the puddle itself. It could’ve been a smart tactic if they’d gotten there before it was half-way dry.

Maddie raised her eyebrows at Caitlyn, expecting an answer. She didn’t know what to call Vi, would she say that Vi is the one she tutors? That seems shallow, or that she’s a friend? That’s far too deep a label. An acquaintance? No, that wouldn’t do either.

“She's the captain of the wrestling team, brilliant mind.” Caitlyn said simply. There. No labels, no nothing strange or thought-provoking. Everything would be perfectly fine.

“More brilliant than you?” Maddie asked, narrowing her eyes again. She somehow made those Vi colored eyes look probing.

Caitlyn recoiled slightly, that wasn’t a question she’d thought through. “Um-” She stuttered. “In some areas, yes.” She answered finally, she shook the feeling of unease away. This Maddie woman needed to learn some boundaries. Caitlyn looked down at Maddie as she surveyed the school unaware.

Perhaps Miss Nolan wasn’t aware of how manners worked.

“She sounds like a true inspiration”

That shocked Caitlyn too. The unease fled, quickly filled by a small sense of admiration and nerves. She felt herself smile small. “She really is”

~

It wasn’t until around late afternoon, that Caitlyn was sitting on her bed, reading a book about the rune wars again that she got a message canister.

That was strange, most everybody who communicated with Caitlyn lived really close or just spoke with Caitlyn through her parents. She padded across the wooden floor, her socks making a small squeaking noise with each step as she went to fetch the canister.

She bit down on her lip as she unrolled it. It was awfully beat up, the metal on the sides blurry and rusted. She couldn't even tell what the true color used to be.

“From…Vander?” Caitlyn asked herself, struggling to read the handwriting. Vander, she knew that name. Vander. Oh! That was Vi’s father’s name.

But why would Vi’s father be messaging Caitlyn?

“Dear, Miss Kirramen. I don’t have the knowledge to helpfully catch Violet up on the schoolwork she will miss because of her suspension. She speaks well of you as a tutor, and I wanted to invite you over tonight to help catch her up for today. From, Vander”

“That was awfully informal,” Caitlyn muttered to herself. She replayed the line of Vi speaking well of her to her father over and over again. She spoke well of Caitlyn? To her father? That was, that was certainly strange. Nothing Caitlyn should take to heart, obviously.

Caitlyn didn’t know when he’d want her to arrive, so she began shoving things in her small black leather messenger bag when she remembered she didn’t need to.

This wasn’t a requirement.

Vi wasn’t a pivotal point in her life. She wouldn’t have to do it and she shouldn’t feel responsible for any of it.

She said that in her head the entire walk to the bridge by the way.

She was totally going to do it.

~

“We don’t have cucumbers-”

“We don’t even have sunlight most days” Vi scoffed, pulling herself up the stairs. Caitlyn looked up at her, feeling the small, forbidden bit of excitement in her stomach die out. She looked at Vander wordlessly, who looked at the ground with the same expression Caitlyn made when she failed a test. He shook his head and walked to the other side of the bar.

“I’ll leave. If it’s better for you guys” Caitlyn said quietly, her voice coming out in a small squeak that was completely unintended. Vander shook his head again and huffed, taking out a pipe and lighting it in one movement.

Caitlyn wrinkled her nose. She couldn’t imagine that was good for him.

“It’s not you. Not really” He grunted. Well, that was as comforting as a brick, Caitlyn thought bitterly. It seemed like it was her. He tipped his head towards the stairs. “Go. I’m sure she’ll apologize eventually”

Caitlyn wet her lips and gripped her bag tighter. What if she didn’t? What if Vi secretly hated her because of her parents. It wouldn’t be the first time someone hated her because of her name, but she really didn’t want it to be Vi.

She walked up the creaking stairs as quietly as she could, hoping to not disrupt Powder or Vi, she figured Powder lived upstairs too. Unless she lived in the bar, Powder would be the one to do that out of any of them.

“Vi?” Caitlyn asked, peeking her head up at the landing and watching Vi pace her room, hands over her head and muttering something. “Violet, are you alright?” She asked again, walking up the stairs the rest of the way and then setting her bag down gently.

Vi looked up, meeting Caitlyn’s eyes. Finally, all that pent up, forbidden, and pushed down excitement rushed to the surface again. Vi let out a small breath of air, staying silent as she just looked at Caitlyn.

The silence crackled with tension as they simply stood. No words were said, no touches exchanged, just the sharing of eyes.

The eyes she saw on someone else just a few hours ago. Caitlyn had to admit; those eyes looked much better on Vi.

“There's a new girl, from, from Noxus” Caitlyn said, inwardly flinching at her way of making conversation. Vi’s eyes focused again as she rubbed at her temples.

“From Noxus? Why would she come over here?” Vi asked, that usual cocky smirk returning to her face.

“Her name was Maddie Nolan. We almost stepped through your little mess today” Caitlyn said with a chuckle, shrugging off the previous tension and locking it in a little box. A box she’d return to later, but a box, nonetheless.

“Sounds horrible” Vi responded, she flexed her wrists again, and then her fingers, cracking each knuckle one by one.

“That has to hurt” Caitlyn responded, she gritted her teeth together as she resisted the urge to cover her ears, that sound was truly atrocious, the sound of bones rubbing together and then cracking?

“Feels good” Vi responded, grabbing a bottle of purple capsules and shoving back two. She swallowed them dry?

“You really are strange” Caitlyn remarked, noticing the first half of the words on the bottle. Shimmer. “What are those?” They were strange, she’d never seen anything like those in the local pharmacies.

“My dad made them for his clinic.” Vi said, nodding to herself and then putting the bottle back down on her patchwork vanity. It was a mixture of different woods, multiple colors. It was strangely beautiful.

“Your father is a doctor?” Caitlyn asked, peering down at her again. Now that she thought of it, she never saw Vi’s other father and didn't even know his name.

“For the most part” Vi said with a semi-shrug. She had that strange gleam in her eyes that she normally has whenever she’s lying or just being an asshole with her humor. It was hard to tell most of the time. Especially since all she did was make jokes.

“I’m not sure if I should believe you,” Caitlyn chuckled, grabbing her bag back up and setting it on the burgundy sheets of Vi’s bed.

“Then don’t. No skin off my back” She smirked, picking at her teeth in the mirror.

“I’m here to catch you up!” Caitlyn insisted, hitting Vi with her history textbook. “Now, if you’ve pulled enough out of your teeth, we have the rune wars to talk about”

~

Caitlyn walked the streets of Zaun behind Violet, resisting the urge to grab onto her shoulder. This was unknown. She’d never been down here before, and it was…unsettling.

She gulped, quickening her pace in order to walk right beside Vi, who walked with her head up and her hands in her pockets. The hood was wrapped around her head tight enough that no one could really tell it was Vi until they were in front of her.

Vi had thrown a black hoodie at her before they left the bar. It smelt faintly of vanilla and black cherry body spray. She said that it would make Caitlyn look less like a ‘Piltover Princess’, Caitlyn didn’t know whether to be insulted by that or not. So, she just put the hoodie on.

“Stay quiet cupcake” Vi said, turning just long enough to know that Caitlyn was still there. Caitlyn nodded, fear creeping in as they walked through a particularly strange alleyway, people sat on corners, huddled for warmth as some others fought for a small scrap of food.

Quickly, the fear was replaced by a silent case of dread. They’d been living like this, while her family ate like kings and just threw things away. Wore shoes for a few days and suddenly decided they weren’t in style anymore.

So much waste.

Caitlyn took a closer look at Vi’s combat boots. They were almost worn in at the toe, she walked with a slight limp, Caitlyn couldn’t tell if it was the boots or her ribs. Unfortunately, she realized it could be both.

“Is it always like this?” Caitlyn asked quietly, subtle sadness squeaking its way into her tone.

“On this side of town it is” Vi responded, putting her hand on the small of Caitlyn’s back and pushing her foreword, until she was walking in front of Vi. Caitlyn's stomach warmed as she did that, the forbidden warmth seeping out of her lock box only slightly. She made sure to lock it up tight again.

It wasn’t until they got to the bridge that Vi spoke again, her voice was low. “Thank you for coming tonight, but I don’t want you walking through town that late on your own again,” she said, sending a shifting glance towards the people around her.

Caitlyn began pulling off the black hoodie, truthfully, she didn’t want to, it was so warm, and it smelt so go-

“Keep it” Vi said, pressing her fingers to Caitlyn’s shoulder and pushing the fabric of the hoodie back down. “It looks better on you anyways”

With that, she turned around and began trudging back towards her home, leaving Caitlyn to stare at her back, wishing she could follow her, but too consumed by fear and pity to hardly move.

~

The next day, Caitlyn sat next to Viktor in her homeroom. His elbow rested on his cane instead of the table, which was weird, normally he rested his elbows on the table, said that the cane attracted to much attention.

“Are you alright Viktor?” Caitlyn asked, peering over at his paper and then back to his face. He looked paler than usual, which was weird, he was very pale already, but him being paler couldn’t have been good.

“I’m alright” he said, his accent tore through the r’s in that sentence. Caitlyn liked his accent; it sounded strange but in a nice way.

“Are you sure?” She asked again, quieter this time. She knew how much Viktor hated being seen as weak in front of others, especially his peers.

But he nodded and went back to his work, ignoring Caitlyn for the rest of the class. Once class was over, she brushed past Clarissa accidentally, knocking shoulders.

“Watch where you’re going” Clarissa snarled, eyes dull until she saw who she was talking to, then her eyes gleamed with a sick sort of recognition. “Good morning, Kirramen” She said, spitting Caitlyn’s last name as though it were poison.

Caitlyn rolled her eyes and breezed past her, the last thing she needed was to have a grudge held against her by Clarissa, it was obvious based on Vi’s locker (that they still haven’t cleaned) that she took her hatred seriously.

Caitlyn didn’t need that. She didn’t want it either.

Quickly, she found Mel in the hallways and fell into step with her, for some reason Clarissa always stayed away from Caitlyn when she was with Mel. Caitlyn didn’t think anything of it; she was just glad she was gone.

She shifted her notebooks in her hands and looked at Mel, who cracked her gum again. “I’m starting swimming lessons.”

“Swimming lessons?” Caitlyn asked, perking her ears up. That’s weird, Mel never expressed any interest in swimming, especially whenever Caitlyn mentioned it.

“Yeah, I wanted to get in some cardio, but I hate sweating” she said, holding up her nails as she brushed past some short guy in the hall.

“Yeah, I’m sure it will work. And the water holds up all your weight anyways” Caitlyn shrugged.

“Apparently it’s good for endurance without having to run or anything” she said with a roll of her eyes. Mel absolutely hated running, the one time they had to run for gym class, she faked a broken ankle. Coach Sevika totally didn’t believe her, but Caitlyn thinks she just didn’t care enough to fight about it.

Good for endurance, yeah it was totally. Then the Vi on her shoulder complained about being out of shape before she could wrestle again because of her injury.

She had a week.

Caitlyn pressed at her jaw by her ears.

She couldn’t swim either.

Swim.

Oh god, that’s brilliant. Caitlyn grabbed onto Mel’s shoulder, and she shook her excitedly. “Swimming”

If Vi can swim and keep her endurance up, she’ll be more aptly prepared for wrestling when she’s back in. It’s brilliant. Caitlyn’s brilliant.

“Oh my god, swimming” Caitlyn cheered and ran to her locker quickly, she had to write Vander. Well, actually she’d been invited over for dinner tonight anyways, she’ll just tell them then.

Oh she was brilliant.

This was amazing, Vi would hate the idea, but Caitlyn knew that her own desperation to wrestle would knock the nerves out.

Notes:

Ok guys, so this is probably the last chapter that will be posted daily, because of my school and stuff and all of that. I feel like I've ranted about that like eight times...butttttt, I will try to update as often as I can, but if I don't then expect it weekly. Also, WE ARE 35 THOUSAND WORDS IN!!! ISN"T THAT AMAZING!!??
Anyways, thank you guys so much for all support and I just really, really appreciate you all.
Stay hydrated! Love yall! <3
-Slythtpsq0c

Chapter 9: Chapter 8: "Coffee and Prom Planning"

Notes:

Just to warn you, there is a small mention of an eating disorder!! This is the trigger warning!!

After a long hour or so of arguing, reasoning and other things of the sort, Vi stood on the pool deck. She sent glares towards Caitlyn as she set out the floaties and stuff. She said Vi wouldn’t need them, but Vi didn’t even want to get into the water.

She stood with a plaid towel wrapped over her shoulder in a pair of old swim trunks from Claggor and her binder. Claggor’s pants were huge, so, obviously, she had to tie them insanely tight. It put some pressure on her abdomen, but she didn’t care much. She wanted to go home and wallow in her own misery some more.

“Are you ready?” Caitlyn said, sending Vi a smile as she turned. She smiled. That must mean Vi is not going to like whatever she has in store. It’s just a fact. She won’t. Maybe Caitlyn will drown her, Vi thought with a chuckle. Sounds like a Caitlyn thing.

Vi looked at Caitlyn and resisted the urge to bolt. Well, she didn’t really resist, she just didn’t have the energy to. Vi pursed her lips and noticed the way Caitlyn’s one piece dug into her hips a little bit. “Is that on purpose?” Vi asked, pointing at Caitlyn’s hip.

Caitlyn gasped, looked from Vi and then back down to her hip. She covered it quickly with her hand. “I’m waiting to ask until I have actual practice, you…” She sputtered, trying to find a new name to call Vi. Too late. Vi chuckled.

“Me?” She asked, pointing to herself.

Caitlyn’s nose wrinkled up and her lips started twitching. Oh, Vi had done it now. She’d pissed off the cupcake. “You complete and utter ass,” She finally said. “No put the towel down and then I’ll teach you how to swim”

“Eh” Vi ticked with her tongue. She looked around and sent a small half-smile, smirk thing towards Caitlyn. “Is getting a ride home an option?”

“Violet Lanes. Put the towel down.” Caitlyn shouted, she stepped towards Vi as if she was going to take her towel. Vi dropped it before Caitlyn could grab at it. That was Vi’s towel, that she stole from Vander.

But, whatever. It was still Vi’s.

“I don’t know how to swim” Vi said, she stared into the blue, chlorinated water, small ripples made their way through the water, lapping at the edges of the pool. Vi’s nose hairs burned each time she inhaled, it was safe to say she still wasn’t used to the chlorine.

Caitlyn stood with her hands on her hips, giving Vi an expecting look. Vi took a step closer to the edge, fear seizing her throat. She didn’t know what Cait wanted her to do.

Vi had promised she would try.

She exhaled, feeling her injured ribs deflate with her breath, it only stung a little bit this time. But it’s because she’s had pain meds every four hours for the past twenty-four.

“I know you don’t know. That’s why I’m here” Cait said, putting her cold fingers on Vi’s shoulders and trying to gently guide Vi towards the latter.

“I’m still not sure” Vi said quietly, her voice shook only a little as she took steps with legs that felt like lead.

“It’s alright Violet” Caitlyn muttered, her left hand sliding down Vi’s arm. Wrapping a few slender fingers around Vi’s larger wrist.

She took a shuttering breath as Cait helped her down the ladder, hands hovering over her back as she stood waist deep in cold water.

Vi’s skin was covered with her goosebumps as she entered the water first. Her teeth chattered slightly as she wrapped her arms around herself. Cait just smiled at her, showing off that single gap in her teeth. It was oddly…endearing? No that wasn’t the word.

“You look freezing,” Cait pointed out, treading water as she watched Vi hold onto the edge with one hand and then hold onto herself with the other. Her shoulders and her ribs ached as she shivered.

“You really are brilliant,” Vi grumbled. Her teeth chomped together with each shiver as she stared at Cait who looked absolutely unfazed. So not fair.

“I know,” Caitlyn said, wrapping her hands around Vi’s arms and slowly pulling her away from the edge. Vi panicked for only like five seconds and splayed her hands around Cait's narrow forearms.

Until she realized she could touch the bottom of the pool. Obviously.

“It’s alright” Caitlyn said, a chuckle finding its way into her voice. That was not helping. Vi took a deep breath, feeling rattling in her ribs again, not as much pain though, so that was good.

Vi gripped onto Caitlyn’s arms still. She didn’t care if she could touch, she didn’t want to do this. Cait winced slightly, Vi let go immediately, feeling guilt pool in her stomach faster than the chlorinated water she was sure she’d inhale at some point today.

“Sorry,” Vi mumbled. Her heart dropped as embarrassment quickly replaced the guilt. How could she not swim? How could she let Cait know she couldn’t swim?

She breathed out, hoping to calm not only her racing heart but also her bundled nerves.

After a few minutes of acclimating? It was acclimating right? (That’s what Caitlyn said…) Vi was laying on her back in the water, squeezing her eyes shut wondering if she was about to drown at any moment. Her chest stuttered with each second, she laid there.

Caitlyn had her hands hovering over Vi’s mid-section, just being there just in case. No offense to Caitlyn, but Vi wasn’t sure she’d be able to pull her out of the water. Vi might have better luck drowning.

Caitlyn’s fingers brushed against Vi’s bruise. Vi flinched away, her head ducking underneath the water, chlorine flew up her nostrils, burning her head and her nose. She sputtered after she finally put her feet under her.

Vi clutched her chest, laughing only once the appalled look on Cait’s face moved to a small nervous chuckle.

“I swear I almost died” Vi choked, blowing water and snot out of her nose. “Janna, what the fuck” She muttered, turning and leaning back on the poolside.

“It was five feet of water Violet” Cait replied, she crossed her arms and leaned on the poolside right next to her, Vi could practically feel the eye roll radiating off of Caitlyn. It was a bit ridiculous how much she rolled her eyes. Soon enough they’re going to get stuck. That’s what Vander always told her when she rolled her eyes. They never did, but still.

“Oh you’re nuts” Vi laughed, she buried her head in her arms, feeling her cheeks burning with shame. Oh lordy.

“Well, you didn’t die” , Cait remarked with a shrug, shifting towards Vi with an outstretched elbow, she bumped Vi’s bicep and smirked again, eyes gleaming with either annoyance or pride.

With Caitlyn?

It could definitely be both.

~

“How did you know you were into girls?” Powder asked, walking past her bed and collapsing onto Vi’s, her pink and blue nails traced Vi’s plain colored sheets, making various invention designs. It’s what she’d always do, like when they were younger, she’d trace them into Vi’s hand and explain them all to her while Vi fought the urge to giggle. Her palms were ticklish.

“I don’t know” Vi responded, stretching out next to her, she tossed an apple up into the air, catching it and then tossing it back up for Powder to catch, they tossed it back and forth to each other wordlessly as Vi tried to think about how she knew she liked girls. “Um…my first crush was Mel Medarda” She tried. Yeah, that didn’t work.

“I think everyone’s first crush was Mel Medarda” Powder snorted, she shook her head and the loose space buns fell out and her blue hair spilled onto Vi’s bed. Vi always loved Powder’s hair, it reminded her more of their mothers than Vi’s hair did.

“Why do you want to know? Are you and Ekko not ok anymore?” Vi asked, she looked over and saw Powder’s nails digging into the apple, her chipped polish and bitten off edges creating small uneven crescent shapes.

“We’re fine. I love Ekko. I just wonder if he loves me…” She sighed. “You know?” She asked, turning to look at Vi, her blue eyes gleaming with sad uncertainty.

“He’s crazy about you Pow” Vi responded, messing up Powder’s hair and sending her a smile. “I’m sure you guys will be just fine”

At that point, she couldn’t help but think of Clarissa, who orchestrated a relationship and a breakup, and revenge. Vi didn’t know much about love, other than the love between her and her sister, and her father. Other than that, she didn’t know what falling in love meant, she just knew that Powder would experience falling in love without fear. It was the least Vi could do.

She clapped her much larger hand on Powder's shoulder and chuckled. “Hey, and if all else fails. Being single your freshman year isn’t that bad” Vi shrugged.

Powder rolled her eyes. “Ekko and I are perfectly fine. I promise”

“I believe you,” Vi nodded, letting a small smile slip. She really did, she knew Ekko was a good guy, she just didn’t know how Powder would react if he finally did start ‘acting’ like he was as in love with her as she was with him.

Unfortunately, she never was the best at accepting love, especially when she deserves it.

Vi laid back down in her bed and pulled the lamp string, darkening the room entirely, not even a shadow lurked. Vi felt her muscles react, she might not be able to sleep on her back, but it felt good to stretch it out. She grunted as a rib popped.

“Night, Sis” Powder said, Vi heard her grunt as she sunk into her bed.

“Night Pow”

~

Vi woke up to the smell of hot coffee and the sun peeking into her window. She carefully swung her legs off the bed, she knew it would hurt too much to actually just sit up. Vi held her ribs and took a deep breath and held it as she stood. It burned, ripping through her torso as she stood.

She threw on a baggy t-shirt and tucked it into her shorts before she limped down the stairs, she stopped only when she heard Silco’s voice at the bar.

“I’m worried about Powder again”

She narrowed her eyes, Powder seemed perfectly fine last night, her mood swings weren’t as bad as they normally were, she was laughing for longer than a minute without zoning out.

“She’s not eating again”

“How do you know?” Vander huffed, the coffee cup was shakily set back down on the bar as Vi lowered herself to sit on the stairs quietly. She’d been seeing Powder eat lately, she ate with Ekko, in the studio. Vi always made sure Powder ate.

“I walked in on her with a towel under the door and her toothbrush in her hands as she was puking last night”

She wrapped her arms around her knees and pressed her chin down. She didn’t understand, the downstairs went quiet, other than the small creaking of the wooden floors. Vi didn’t think anything of it, the floors creaked when someone breathed too heavy.

“Come on down tiger,” Vander said, peeking his head into the stairway. “I’ve got coffee for you I can reheat. It’s the good stuff.”

Vi sighed, the pain in her ribs brisk but manageable. She hauled herself back up using the stair rail and walked down the stairs slowly. She must’ve slept funny, because everything was sore.

Silco was gone when she got down there, he normally had work in his clinic during the school day, and during the night too. That’s kind’ve what happens when something is entirely illegal.

Not everyone in the undercity can afford healthcare or even doctors' visits, all the trustworthy doctors are on topside, and they cost damn near the price of a liver just to get a test done. So Silco opened his own underground clinic, illegal and cheap. When he first opened it, Vi wondered if he opened it just to get away from her. But no, he just hated topside so much that he did everything in his power to spite them.

Vi rotated the coffee cup with her fingers, leaning over and grabbing a wooden stray from behind the bar. She never drank anything without a straw. It was weird, just a Vi thing.

“Is Pow gonna be, okay?” She asked, sticking her finger in the lukewarm coffee. She bit down hard on her cheek, feeling like maybe if she would’ve done something else to help Powder and her relationship with food she might not have relapsed again.

Or, maybe Powder never was better. Maybe Vi should’ve paid closer attention and caught it before it got bad again, her thoughts were interrupted when Vander clapped his hands on both her shoulders.

“Powder’s going to be just fine. And so are you” He brushed a pink strand of hair out of her face and gave her a small smile. “Stop worrying. It’s not your fault, my fault or Silco’s fault. The only thing we can do now is there for her.”

Vi nodded, she knew that; deep in her heart it wasn’t her fault. But her stomach told her otherwise.

“You’ve got a good heart. Don’t ever lose it” he said, lifting her chin one last time before turning away and then opening the bar doors. The bar or diner, or whatever Vander wanted to call it that day always opened at around ten.

She couldn’t believe she’d slept that long. She huffed and got off the stool, taking her coffee cup with her.

“I’m going to see Benzo”

~

“I don’t even know what to do with this girl,” Vi said, leaning her head on the counter. Benzo was behind her fixing some tall clock, apparently it was behind something stupid, like four seconds.

“Kick her ass,” Benzo said, pulling a stool underneath him and looking at Vi from beneath his glasses, which sat right at the tip of his nose.

“The last thing I need is to be suspended right when I get back” Vi chuckled, Benzo always gave her the most ass backwards advice. It’s always funny, but not at all practical.

“You know, back in my day…”

“Here we go,” Vi responded with an over dramatic huff. Benzo pursed his lips and sent her a small scowl from beneath his glasses.

“Never givin you advice again” Benzo grunted, turning away and messing with his clock. He huffed and threw a greasy rag at Vi.

She caught it and took a big chug of her now cold coffee. Vander one hundred percent lied, this was not the good stuff. “Needa wrench?” She asked, peering into his toolbox, he had like eight wrenches.

“Yep” He held out his hand and Vi placed the biggest one in it. “Nope”

She gave him every single wrench in that box, each one getting a ‘nope’, until the last one. That’s when she got a small nod.

“Guess you’re not too bad” he said begrudgingly, sending a teasing smile towards her.

~

“Pow stop” Ekko said, Caitlyn watched Ekko pull at Powder's wrist as Powder stood there, staring at Clarissa, who stood in front of Vi’s still not clean locker.

Maddie stood next to Caitlyn as she listened to what Clarissa was saying, “I told everyone, the kids from Zaun should never have been accepted here. All they do is bring trouble and violence.” She said, crossing her arms and nodding to the people surrounding her, they looked up at her like she was speaking the gospel.

Caitlyn curled her lip and looked back at Powder. Her jaw was stiff, and her lips quivered. Caitlyn watched her eyes shift from Clarissa, Vi’s locker and then Clarissa again. “She’s talking about Vi,” Powder said finally, her voice cracking.

“I tried my hardest to help Vi to…civilization” Clarissa pouted, holding her hands over her chest acting like she just got heartbroken. Caitlyn’s blood boiled as she listened to Clarissa, Clarissa didn’t even know Vi, she didn’t know just how kind and polite Vi was. She didn’t know anything. “...but some people never can put aside their violent nature”

“I’ll show you a violent nature asshole,” Powder said, shoving her way through the crowd. Caitlyn followed her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back.

“You’re just going to prove her right,” Caitlyn said quietly, watching Clarissa’s eyes flash with fear as she started saying something about how her parents were on the council and they tried to convince the rest of the council Zaunites shouldn’t be allowed in the school.

Powder looked back at Caitlyn, her blue eyes flashing with something that made Caitlyn shrink a little bit. “I don’t-”

“I’ll do it. Watch and learn ladies” Mel purred, up until that moment, Caitlyn had only seen Mel in the corner of the hallway, watching all of this. Her hand dusted across Caitlyn’s shoulder as Powder ripped her hand from Caitlyn’s.

“Oh hey, Mel” Clarissa smirked, turning the smirk into a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “It’s strange to see you here”

“It’s the lockers in the eleventh-grade wing. Everyone has classes down here” she said smoothly, raising one perfectly arched, and gold dusted brow. “Do you know what is strange?” Mel asked, looking around at the students surrounding Clarissa.

Caitlyn looked back at Powder, who had her back towards her as Ekko stood in front of her, holding her arms or her hands. She hoped Powder was alright, she understood how rattling this could be. How upsetting the clear classism would be.

“What is strange is you flaunting your parent’s position” Mel responded, flourishing her hands among the crowd. “When your parents are nothing more than jewelry makers”

The crowd suddenly went silent, Clarissa’s face turned bright red as her eyes bulged with anger. Caitlyn gasped, she knew Clarissa’s parents weren’t on the council as she said, but jewelry makers?

“What is also strange is that none of you know who is on your own council. You’re a bunch of idiots” Mel remarked, pointing at the randoms in the crowd and then she turned back to Clarissa, giving her a satisfied sort of smile. “And you…you are a mediocre woman from a mediocre family”

Clarissa practically foamed at the mouth as she looked from Mel and then towards the rest of the crowd, Caitlyn could tell from her eyes that she was attempting to think of a way to fix it, to gain control back.

“I’ll get you back Medarda.” She spat, turning and then looking at Powder again, who stared at her with a sneered lip. “Tell your sister it’s not over” She then stormed away, hot pink heels clinking on the linoleum floors.

Caitlyn exhaled, feeling nervous satisfaction bubble up. “Oh, my goodness” She laughed, Mel sent her a wink and walked away, quickly being replaced by Maddie. A jolt of fear ran through Caitlyn as soon as she saw those eyes, the Vi eyes. It was so strange seeing them on someone else.

“I don’t think Vi is any of what she said” Maddie said, putting a hand on Caitlyn’s shoulder.

“I don’t think so either” Caitlyn responded quietly, looking into those Vi colored eyes and wishing it was Vi instead.

~

“Did you hear what happened with poor David and that Lanes girl?” Cassandra said, taking her attention away from her pasta and looking back at Caitlyn.

Caitlyn stared down at her pasta, it had butter and cheese, and it was her favorite pasta. She just wasn’t in the mood. “You know her name is Violet. I don’t understand your feigned forgetfulness.” Caitlyn muttered, she rolled her eyes and looked back at the stairwell that led up to her room. Just excuse her from the table, please.

“What was that?” Cassandra said, Caitlyn couldn’t see her facial expression, but she knew that she was probably scowling with that glimmer of annoyance in her eyes. It was her usual expression.

“Her name is Violet,” Caitlyn snapped. She finally looked up to see her mom’s expression was exactly as she predicted, just an upper lip curl. Well, a half win is still a win.

“Why would I care about her name? She’s violated the terms of agreement.”

“Terms of agreement?” Caitlyn asked, she narrowed her brows as her fork clattered uselessly on her plate. She surely wasn’t hungry now.

“Three strikes, you’re out sort of thing. Miss Lanes…” She emphasized Vi’s last name with a small sneer. “Is lucky I am not the principal, I would’ve had her expelled” she said casually, plucking a noodle from her fork with her teeth. “It’s a contract their parents sign”

“She’s not a legal adult, contracts are null and void” Caitlyn said with an eye roll, she’d always been consuming legal knowledge since she could read. This was common sense.

“That’s why their parents signed it,” Cassandra said with a small smirk. “The violence of one Zaunite could destroy the chances for the rest of them”

Caitlyn felt all the air release from her lungs. Vi was bound by a contract she had no idea about, coaxed into breaking it by a vindictive woman who may walk away unscarred. But Vi? Vi could be expelled. She looked at her mother in a new light that night.

“She doesn’t even know!” She exclaimed, she stood from the table and ran her fingers through her hair, tugging and stretching. “She was goaded”

“Violence is violence” Cassandra shrugged.

“What of Clarissa Wyndham? What punishment will she suffer for goading a child into violence” Caitlyn shouted. Cassandra rolled her eyes and slammed her fork down on the table, clattering the fine china.

“Go to your room!”

Caitlyn scoffed. “I didn’t want to eat with you anyways” She snarled behind her, throwing her napkin from her lap and trudging up the stairs angrily. This was complete and utter insanity. Vi had to know, they all had to know. Caitlyn pulled her shoes off and threw them at her door, the hard soles of the Mary Janes slamming against her large wooden door.

She rubbed at her face; everything was so itchy. This was insane, so freaking insane. Caitlyn grits her teeth so hard it began to hurt.

Finally, she sat at her desk, picked up a pen and began to write a letter.

~

“I’m telling you, Mr. Lanes. My mother is the worst woman I know when it comes to ‘radical’ ideas about Zaunite Independence. Honestly, I’m surprised she even voted for it” Caitlyn ranted, putting air and finger quotes around the word radical. It really wasn’t radical, common decency she fears.

“The Kirramen?” Vander asked, he looked at Vi, who lay sprawled out on the couch with her mouth wide open and snoring. Well, there goes the idea that Vi can’t sleep on her back. “I’ve never met her.”

“You wouldn’t want too either. I love my mother dearly, but she rattles me sometimes” Caitlyn commented, taking a drink of her orange juice. It was so different from the orange juice in Piltover. The Piltover orange juice had hardly any flavor, but the Zaun orange juice? It had pulp, like the insides of an orange. It was wonderful.

“Is Vi alright? Is she ready to go back to school? I’ve tried to catch-”

“She’ll be fine. You did all you could” Vander huffed, he fiddled with the pipe in his mouth and looked over at Vi, who was still sleeping. “In the end it’s only her choice how she decides to do things. You’ve tried. I’ve tried. It’s her turn now”

“She’s impossible!” Caitlyn chuckled, looking at the planes of her face, how peaceful she looked when she slept, no raised brows, no angry nose twitches. Just calm. It was strange seeing her like that.

“Don’t I know it”

~

Caitlyn jabbed her fork into her Caesar salad again and looked around her table. Mel and Elora were sitting together again; Elora had pushed a curl out of Mel’s face as she was eating. Jayce and Viktor were sitting together; however, Viktor was laying his head down on the table. Apparently, a medicine wasn’t agreeing with his stomach, and Jayce sat there, rubbing his back and shoving a sandwich in his mouth as he gossiped with Mel.

She couldn’t help but feel a small bit of jealousy, watching all of the people here, cuddled up with their person. Well, besides Maddie.

Elora had invited Maddie to their table three days ago when Maddie was stumbling around aimlessly with a tray filled with gross school lunch. She had sought Caitlyn’s eyes, simply because of those Vi colored eyes, Caitlyn couldn’t look away. Maddie then took that as a cue to sit down.

And so she did, for the past three days. She sat right in front of Caitlyn, ginger bob bouncing as she spoke with energy that was far too high for someone like Caitlyn. Someone in far too good of a mood.

“Have you thought about prom yet, Cait?” Caitlyn looked up from her salad, recognizing the nickname and feeling disappointment creep in when she saw who said it. Caitlyn cleared her throat and set her fork down, swallowing a crouton roughly.

“Ugh. No? Even if I wanted to go. It’s not for like three months” Caitlyn responded, narrowing her eyes in confusion. She hadn’t gone to prom, ever. She didn’t know why Mel was asking again, well, they had the same conversation every year. Mel would ask her, Caitlyn would say no. Mel would insist and then Caitlyn would ask for pictures. That would be the end of it. Normally.

“Why not?” Maddie asked, perking up from the soggy chicken sandwich she got from the lunch line. “Who wouldn’t want to go to prom?”

“Me?” Caitlyn responded, curling her lip slightly and then shoving another piece of lettuce in her mouth. She was sick of this conversation. It was prom. Literally just prom, a high school dance with sweaty teenagers who would probably leave early to drink or sleep around. It was a bunch of bulls.

“Back in Noxus, the proms were the best” Maddie ranted, peeling up the bread to her soggy sandwich and pulling the mayo covered pickle out and eating them. Caitlyn grimaced, that was one of the times she was extremely glad she brought lunch from home.

“This isn’t Noxus” Mel muttered, her gaze turning sour as soon as Noxus was mentioned. Her relationship with her mother had soured her entire opinion on the continent itself.

“Well, obviously” Maddie giggled nervously. Her eyes shifted around the table, finally meeting Caitlyn’s. Caitlyn huffed and then looked back over to Vi’s old table; Powder sat in Vi’s seat, legs and arms crossed as she stared down at a sandwich. Ekko sat next to her, saying something with empathetic eyes. She knew that expression, it was the same as Vi’s.

God, why did everything from everyone remind her of Violet. She threw her fork down and rubbed at her temples, gritting her teeth as she attempted to rub away the strange images in her head.

~

“You’re not someone I'd think wouldn’t want to go to prom.” Maddie chirped, walking beside Caitlyn with a slight pep in her step. God, she was insane.

“I have no reason too” Caitlyn rolled her eyes and clutched her books tighter to her chest, she had english next, with her mother. It was the class she first met Vi, she somehow remembered it clear as day.

“Yeah I won my match last night” Violet said, swishing her choppy pixie cut in the air, looking at the rest of the class like she just gave them some legendary knowledge. Caitlyn rolled her eyes and shoved a piece of her blue bob behind her ear.

This girl was stupid, Caitlyn concluded. She flipped through her binder tabs and sent another scathing stare towards Violet.

“That’s so cool” Someone cooed, fluttering their eyelashes up at Violet.

Caitlyn grimaced, that was shameless flirting, horrible, but shameless. Caitlyn looked out from under the other side of her bangs, noticing the slight roundness of Violet’s nose which was swollen and red, her eyes were rimmed red and black and purple around the corners. It must've been a rough match last night.

Violet met her eyes once. Caitlyn looked away, feeling an immediate flush of embarrassment heat her cheeks.

That was freshman year, Caitlyn cringed. She remembered that bob, it was the one haircut she’d ever chosen herself, there’s a reason she lets her mom choose her haircuts.

She couldn’t tell what was more embarrassing, the fact that Violet didn’t know Caitlyn until their junior year or that Caitlyn had always known her.

“Well… I think prom is…” Maddie began ranting about the prom again, shoving her folders into her armpit and talking with her hands, it seemed like she was trying to make a pros and cons list for prom.

However, all Caitlyn heard was the cons.

“Maybe you just don’t have the right person to go with…” Maddie said, looking over at Caitlyn, her powder-blue eyes shining under her lashes. Caitlyn looked over at Maddie, reading the words between her freckles and her eyebrows.

Caitlyn felt her nostrils flare, and she narrowed her eyes. “I still don’t know if I’m going” she said, she was shocked at the strange suggestion, going to prom with someone? And that someone being Maddie?

She shook her head and walked into her English class swiftly, putting her folders down and then shaking off the strangeness of it all. She couldn’t fathom going to prom, especially not with someone. Back in her freshman year, she figured if she’d ever go to a prom, it’d be to third wheel one of her friends.

She wondered what Vi’s plans were for prom?

Oh gods.

Shut up Caitlyn.

Notes:

Ok guysssss.
Im back!!! So i'm thinking for updates that I'm going to try to create an actual schedule and not a 'well whenever i finish it' cause consistency is good. So I'm thinking every Saturday around 9pm cause then most of you will be free, I'll be free it'll be great. But, how did you think about all the Maddie in this chapter? Geez...she's everywhere... lol. But thank you guys so much for supporting and all the love and I appreciate you all.
Stay hydrated!!
Love yall <3
-Slythtpsq0c!!

Notes:

Ok guys, this was much anticipated/lead to on my tiktok account, this was such a joy to write and because of school starting and then my gym time, once the first seven chapters are up, I will be updating weekly. I love reading and responding to comments asking about lore or giving opinions, I love it all and hope that you guys will enjoy reading this as much as I have writing it.
Stay hydrated and I love you all!
-Slythtpsq0c