#caitlyn oneshot | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

malulurivers · 10 months

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Brook and Fountain | Caitlyn x Musician!GN!Reader

Word count: 6.5k Request: Hello since u write for zelda and arcane can you do caitlyn x reader who is extremely musically talented but was born in zaun idk maybe they met when she was with vi in the undercity ~ Anon Warnings: very slight mentions of parental death (reader's mother is alive, no mention of another parent)

AN: a long time coming! sorry for the wait, Anon! I've edited it honestly so many times, and I'm still not quite happy with it, tbh. too much plot and not enough soft this is the first piece I've ever written for Arcane so I might've gone a little crazy. it's also the first piece I've written for our girl Cait, so I just hope I've done her justice! {Gender neutral reader.}

☾ ₊ ˚ ✩ ˚ ｡ ☽

a ragged breath shuddered from her lips as Caitlyn leapt from one rooftop to another. lights dazzled far below her as she collided roughly with the edge. groaning, she hoisted herself up as fast as her aching arms would allow.

scaling down the heights of the base of Piltover to the crest of the Undercity had worn her muscles out more than she had expected; especially after watching her new friend fly from creaking pipe to bar and beam—without breaking a sweat. she had figured Vi was strong, sure, but her agility had caused Caitlyn to rethink the not-so wonderful possibilities she'd tried to gloss over in her mind.

and they quickly became a lot more plausible, as she finally pulled herself up onto the rooftop. wincing at her ribs which were most likely bruised, Caitlyn realised she could no longer see the darting shadow that was her accomplice.

"Vi?"

she got back to her feet, immediately coughing. what she had learnt about the Undercity's air had been an understatement: it was thick and claggy, sticking to her tongue, the roof of her mouth, her teeth. and she wasn't even in the belly of the beast yet.

"Vi!"

she had to shout to hear herself over the twisting of cogs far off in the murk that was the air down here. Caitlyn ran to the opposite end, following the sooty footprints that marred the rooftop. she'd expected to see Vi waiting below, readied with a quip about her uniform. she would've been very right—it offered no protection at all, and her protesting ribs were proof of that.

but there was nothing. the outline of another level below was either eluding her, or didn't exist at all.

Caitlyn scoured the surrounding pipes and wires and buildings veiled with smog. she assumed this man-made canyon of sorts was a street. somewhere far, far down. though who was to be sure?

she sighed, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "guess i'm making my own way down, then.”

choosing the most robust-looking pipe further back—right by the cliffside that made the border between the two cities—she slid her way down another level. and then another. as she descended, the cogs grew distant but the cries and yells of the people below grew ever louder.

when the pipe ran out she spotted a lopsided ladder. scraping her knee to reach it, she began to descend a few more levels. there were walkways now, suspended in the air. some were covered in spray paint, or marked with intricate graffiti. the levels were surrounded by fog and populated by loitering shadows of people. however, her path did not seem to lead to any of them. only further downwards.

taking care at every wrung, Caitlyn managed to remain upright for most of her descent, and only fell a short distance once. she had landed on her feet that time, which could barely be said for when she finally touched the ground.

losing her grip, she had scuppered into a puddle, much to the entertainment of some haggard man opposite her. he was garbed in very little and by the way he staggered and lilted, was clearly very drunk.

she barely turned an eye towards him, and instead focused on the immense shadowy walls around her. she was in a stout alleyway of some kind, still near the cliff-face, but she could no longer see it. even the neon lights couldn't permeate into the shadows of the Undercity.

the smell was stronger now, completely inescapable. it was a cacophony: smoke, smog, the slight tinge of sewage, some alcohol, some oil, grease. it was far from the delicate candle wicks of home. and much like the smell, the sound was loud and roaring.

with a final sigh, as deep as she could manage, Caitlyn stepped out across uneven concrete and made her way towards the smokey glowing lights and hubbub.

‎

the people in the thick of the Undercity were not what she had imagined. they were garbed in patches of colour, dyes, augmented with metal or wraithed in it. she could see how they differed from those in Piltover; they were bolder, brasher, and she found herself gravitating to the edges of the street.

though she could not traverse without watching her step, her eyes stole glances everywhere.

the walkways above were strewn with people staring down below, debating and drinking. on either side of the road, with every other step there was an alleyway, obscured and smokey, haunted by shadows. the neon lights emblazoned shops, establishments like tattoo parlours and bars and brothels. one building billowed violet and haze far thicker than smog. there were the yells of a fight far off to the left, raucous laughter somewhere right, greasy food stalls aglow with flames and and a scent that permeated all the way up to where she was. the street was flooded with sensations.

it was rich—not in money, but in a new, unfamiliar way.

Caitlyn found herself in a plaza, and if she had to guess, she was in an entertainment district of sorts. the crowds were squeezing, abruptly shoving. they appeared to be queuing for a club lit with red haze and neon bars. though 'queue' perhaps wasn't the right word, as it was the opposite of orderly. the question of why they would wait so long to enter one particular place didn't occur to her, however, as her mind was preoccupied elsewhere.

through the throng was a flash of pink.

in an instant she was out of the shadows, in the thicket of people.

and even quicker was she out of them, confronted with a lanky man with fuchsia-dyed hair.

Caitlyn pressed her lips into a fine line as the man swaggered his way up to the bustling club. the dripping neon crimson glinted off his snarl as he bustled against the two heavy-set bouncers stood on guard. one look at their scowls was enough to indicate what was to follow, so hiding her head in her hood Caitlyn turned tail.

her thoughts raced. she had made sure to travel in the rough direction Vi had been sprinting in. checking the dim patterns of graffiti above she was certain she hadn't been turned around. but even after making her way so far in there was still no sign of her.

"i can't believe i was stupid enough to fall for this," she muttered, side-stepping just in time as a woman sashayed straight through the line and caused a butterfly effect. "i'll help you find Silco! the Undercity will eat you alive—well! i'm doing just fine, thanks!"

as if on cue, a ginormous figure lumbered out of a back alley. his skin looked as if it was hewn from rock, and he had an unwavering stare to boot. in a desperate attempt to avoid getting squashed, Caitlyn flung herself out of the way. her back slammed a wall as she stumbled several feet.

she cursed, staring up at the sky dejectedly. with a glance either side, she caught sight of a metal box attached to a series of pulleys. perhaps her luck had changed.

however, before she could make her way towards it, her ears caught a strange sound. at first she thought she had imagined it, as it was quickly swallowed by the noise of the crowd. but as she stilled and listened carefully… there it was again. a long tremolo note riding across the chatter and the smoke.

a violin.

of course the note wasn't strange in itself; it was a sound she recognised well, from the galas that she had attended with her parents. but it did not belong here. it was smoother and warmer than any part of this city, to the point she couldn't believe it was real, even as it lilted and flowed once more.

it sang from a place not too far from where she stood, a good few paces but mostly clear of people. as she approached she found the building was smaller and squatter than most, with round windows alight with auburn gold. inside there were many figures, murky in the condensation on the thick glass.

Caitlyn stood there for a moment, reasoning whether it would be wise to look for Vi or stay put.

stepping past a bickering couple, she searched for the door to find the iron-wrangled sign above it entirely mangled, as if it had been hammered and molten.

the door itself, however, was perfectly intact. manning it was a small creature with copious furry ears and a twitching curled tail. although, that was all Caitlyn could see as it was otherwise entirely hidden behind a large newspaper.

before she could debate with herself any longer, another note rang. this one was higher, before it dipped into a deeper hum. it was as if it was readying itself for a melody to come.

she headed straight to the door. looking to the 'guard' she waited for a response, but it did not peek out from behind the newspaper. and so she simply stepped inside.

a bell rang above her head as the door swung open with a lot less resistance than she expected. the glow of candlelight flickered in her eyes as the heat of the large main room engulfed her, and she added yet another reason as to why her uniform did not suffice. but quickly her attentions were enraptured by the tune that had brought her here.

there you were.

at the focus of the gathering, upon a tiny risen stage, you were robed in golden light. the sleeves of your white blouse—mocked up to look like the ones from the theatre—feathered down your arms to where you held your violin, poised. a single one of your fingers tapped a string as you levied your bow with a single graceful sweep.

your smile was bright, gleaming, magnetic. Caitlyn stared in awe, hanging onto your silence, your playful promise of a song to come.

your boot stomped onto a nearby stool, and you leaned into a bow. you admired how the bar erupted into raised pints, your eyes keen and glittering.

"shall you have it tonight?" you goaded. "shall i sing to you the tale of the bishy barnaby?"

"yes, please!" Caitlyn found herself calling through the crowd’s cheers, pleading you’d give everyone what they wanted. she didn't know what it would be, the song title was completely foreign to her, but she knew she needed to hear it.

in that moment, as you straightened and readied your bow, your eyes met brilliant blue. for a moment you were stunned. hidden amongst the crowd, stood between two regulars at the pub, was an unfamiliar face. but a very welcome one.

the newcomer was tall and slender, and by the way she held herself, very much not supposed to be here. but her gaze was caught on you, on your violin, and it was wondrous. you'd never seen someone so genuinely excited in your audience. her lips waiting in awe, waiting to smile. even beneath her small hood, she was as radiant as the full moon.

you grinned. you met her eye bravely, making sure she didn't look away. "if you want it, then you shall have it!"

and with a strong sweep of your bow, your melody began.

the words couldn't come to Caitlyn to describe what she was hearing. beautiful? vibrant? it wasn’t enough. the tune itself was unlike anything she’d ever heard, but the tone was of another world entirely.

your song was lively, whip-fast and brought the room to life—you animated what was already a roaring fire into something wild. your fingertips didn't miss a note, your bow not a single beat of the complicated rhythm that you wove.

your audience was cheering, stomping the beat, and your eyes glanced across to them, your smile never dimming, but Caitlyn found you returning to her every time. she couldn't help but smile, clapping along and praying that the heat of the building masked the heat on her cheeks.

you didn't sing once but your violin truly did. and Caitlyn was glad that you didn't, as she wasn't entirely sure if she could handle your singing voice.

as the crescendo built and a goblin-esque creature leapt onto the counter and began to dance, Caitlyn was overcome with laughter. and upon the sight, an acute sense of pride flooded your system.

you increased the vigour. with two electric notes your fingers danced into the final verse of your tale. you watched as the newcomer who had caught your attentions laughed even more, while several others began to dance too.

so you upped the tempo. you laid it on thick. those crystalline eyes returned to you, alight with glee and glorious wonder and in that moment you only played for her. notes spun while your bow flew. you added in double strings, extra vibrato. Caitlyn wasn't clapping anymore, simply caught in your song.

across the strings, straight to fourth as swift as the wind. one final strong note and a final stomp of your own. and there you finished.

the pub might've flooded with all the ale spilled as metal glasses clinked like drums. but you didn't care.

you raised you violin like a toast. "to all the good folk here at The Golden Coin, goodnight!"

as soon as you stepped off the stage, Caitlyn snapped out of her daze. her thoughts whirled but she couldn't bring herself to stop smiling. the dancing goblin creature yelled from the counter, "oi! y/n! when are you comin' back?!”

she searched the room where you'd just been, hoping to hear an answer, though you were nowhere to be found. she was about to head towards the bar counter when beside her, through the clatter of drinks and chatter, came a voice.

"want to get out of here?"

turning, her eyes widened. there you stood, a patchwork jacket and a large satchel over your shoulders. a violin case in one hand, the other offered to her.

Caitlyn wasn't sure what possessed her to agree with such vigour, but your smile indicated you didn't seem to mind.

"come on, it's easier to talk upstairs."

⌖˚‎٭ ﴾﴿ ⌖˚‎٭

within an instant you had scooped her hand into your own. your grip was firm, your fingers callused against her smooth skin. you weaved through the clientele like a snake, footsteps as well-practised with dodging drunkards as your hands were with your instrument.

Caitlyn was initially shocked but inevitably glad that you had hold of her as you made your way to the stairwell. after being bolstered about by several large bodies losing sight of the walls she would've gotten immediately lost for sure.

soon the two of you were on the narrow stairs, which were free of people. you glanced back at her, letting her hand go rather suddenly. "sorry about that," you chirped, "not dizzy, right?"

"not yet, though it is very hot!" she fanned herself as if you weren’t going to believe her. and then she shoved her hand back down to her side, feeling rather silly.

"tell me about it," you chuckled, shaking your head. "no open windows in this place. not that it would likely make a difference. come on."

the two of you reached the top of the staircase. Caitlyn expected you to lead her round onto the rickety landing and into one of the rooms, but instead you came to a halt barely round the corner of the banister. too busy looking at the tears in the pinkish paint on the walls, she bumped into you.

"evening."

confused, Caitlyn peered over your shoulder to find a lanky man standing in the nearest doorway. he was shrouded in dark greys and reds, his waistcoat too big on his frame, and a little too dark for his skin tone. he looked as if he had emerged from a grave, pallid with unblinking sunken eyes that stared into her soul.

the sound downstairs muffled as he leered, face twisting into anger.

she knocked her head down.

she hoped she passed it off as out of respect, but she knew too well it was not. she levelled her breathing as best she could as the man silently passed her, letting the door slam shut behind him. his eyes bore into her skin as he stalked down the stairs.

his footfalls were too heavy for a man so light. and his eyes flashed in her thoughts: harsh and dark and glimmering with something akin to malice.

unsettled, she swallowed thickly, deciding to work up some courage to turn around and face him as he descended. but before she could look upon him once more, you snorted.

"well that was rude!"

Caitlyn's attentions whipped back to you. you weren't even sparing the man a glance, just looking at the door and then back to her, eyes wide. "slamming the door like that? Pen is not going to let him board in here again, that's for sure! some people, honestly..."

as you muttered, you reached up and tugged a chord hanging in the corner. a flap in the ceiling opened, and an ancient ladder complained endlessly as it unfolded.

when it clanged against the wall, Caitlyn couldn't help but flinch. you must have caught it in the corner of your eye as you immediately offered her a reassuring smile. "you alright? honestly, don’t worry about him. those types aren't worth your time."

“i've dealt with worse...” Caitlyn nodded, slowly making her way to the ladder. “is this going to break on me?"

you pursed your lips. "probably not?" seeing her fold her arms you insisted, "no, no it won't! i promise! but, you gotta go first, it's cooler if you get to see it without me standing in the way."

"what's up there anyway?" Caitlyn cocked her head playfully. "and why should i trust you?"

"what's up there? a somewhat hidden gem, which i promise is worth it! as for why you should trust me," you pondered for a moment, "obviously because this face is too memorable to forget! which means if i did get in trouble, i would be so incredibly easy to track down! you'd have no issue seeking your revenge."

"you're just that famous around here, huh?" she laughed, shaking her head. she turned to make her way up the ladder. the metal protested eagerly, but did not break. as she headed up she knew it was going to take a while for her eyes to adjust due to just how dark it was up there. even so, she peered downwards as she climbed to check on you. and there she spotted you glaring towards the stairwell. it was quite jarring seeing your face laden with such a frown.

soon enough Caitlyn ran out of wrungs and was up on the roof of The Golden Coin. it was an enclosed space. the building seemed to be squeezed between two towering walls of stone and iron sheets either side. pipes littered the edges, shooting steam and dripping questionable liquids. several beams lead to who knew where, and above was the dark shape of another level. the edge of the roof was lined with a rusted railing, making it a sheltered balcony.

or a secret hideout, Caitlyn mused. as she noticed the small lopsided stools and old gas lamp off to the side, she realised you'd had the same idea. she stepped forward, coaxed by the a stack of crumpled papers secured by a stone on an upside down box, when she finally regarded the star of the show.

the wall on the opposite side of the street was a vertical gallery. upon its dominating face stretching high into the cityscape, drapes of colours cut through its cold demeanor. there were streaks of names and taglines, faces etched in dripping paints, abstract symbols. some were hasty, others crude, many calculated and one or two effortless. hundreds of different styles and merging into one, swirling into one storm of art.

she approached the edge, as far as she could go. she pulled down her hood, transfixed.

"pretty, right?" you said, coming to stand beside her.

her hands felt across the air until they rested on rest on the rail. she couldn't summon the words to describe what she was witnessing.

as she couldn't draw her eyes away, that sense of pride filtered through your chest once again. "nothing like topside, i bet."

finally she tore herself away, but only for a moment. "when you said upstairs, i figured you meant up... stairs, but... this...!"

"you really aren't from round here are you?" you giggled, dropping your violin case at your feet to admire the view for yourself. you traced its familiar lines in your head, taking in a few of your favourites in particular. you wondered which ones your newcomer marvelled first. "i'm y/n, and you are?"

"Caitlyn."

when she was finally able to tear her eyes away from the sights properly this time, she found you grinning rather proudly. "that's a lovely name. you take after it well."

Caitlyn couldn't help the bubbles that fizzed in her chest. she huffed, regarding the masterpiece opposite her once more. "not as lovely as that, i would argue. what... is it?"

you tutted, leaning against the railing. "it's The Big Eastern-Side Mural, as named by me. though if you want to be more technical, it's a patchwork of hundreds of graffiti. the canvas: an old crusty factory—it's repurposed now." you pointed off to the corner of the building. "that's the only walkway to get up there. takes a lot of balance. not my sort of venture, though. these fingers are made more music, and i quite prefer the view here."

you eyed her up carefully, smile faltering ever so slightly. the wonder in her eyes was making your heart skip, but also the worry creep in. the man downstairs flashed into your mind. "what brings you here? to the old Coin, or should i say the Undercity in general?"

"well," Caitlyn hummed, "it's a bit of a long story."

"i've got time."

it was her turn to eye you. you were relaxed, your back to the railing and elbow poised gracefully upon it. you exuded a gentleness she hadn't expected down here. she came forward to lean against the railing, returning to the city below.

and avoiding your gaze, she explained everything to you. well, not everything—she skipped the major details such as names, the prison and her reason to be down there. but enough that you hummed in acknowledgement.

"as for here specifically, that's you. i heard your violin outside." finishing with a shrug, she then grimaced. "wait, is it really that obvious? that i'm not...?"

you laughed apologetically. "don't want to burst your bubble, but the uniform isn't exactly subtle..."

"it was a very quick turn around! i was able to grab this small cloak-thing before i left but—" Caitlyn sighed, running her fingertips across her arm wraps. "i don't even know what this uniform is good for at this point. it doesn't keep me cool or warm, doesn't protect me from getting bruised, it's truly—"

"are you ok?"

your question was sudden, so sudden it took Caitlyn by surprise. "oh. yes. a little bruised but—"

your face was still crumpled in concern. "bruised? what happened?"

"the journey down, the Undercity parkour," she tried to joke, but you didn't laugh. "it was an... experience. i just messed up a jump."

the tension loosened in your jaw. "oh, i see! i thought you'd gotten jumped! was wondering if i needed to have words with someone."

"well, there was this old drunkard who laughed at me when i slipped in a puddle..." the smile returned to your lips, and Caitlyn had to ignore how it sparked the corners of her own too. hesitantly, she asked: "hey, i'm glad that you showed me this, it's a pretty sight. but... why?"

a moment passed.

what to tell her, what not to tell her... you spun the ideas around in your mind. you didn't want to disrupt her wonder; you couldn't name a single time you'd witnessed a topsider admire your home with lights in their eyes. but you knew your home all too well, too.

you took a deep breath. "like i said, you're not from round here. and people can sense it from a mile away. remember that creep downstairs?"

"yeah. why did he act like that? who is he?"

"i have no idea. but there are many like him. i figured someone like you wouldn't be down here without good reason, as you've put yourself in a pretty precarious position, but... i just... wanted to tell you to be careful, really." you offered her a playful wink. "and introduce myself properly, of course. gotta be welcoming to newcomers, right? or they'll never come back and give you their dime again!"

she scoffed. "but i didn't even give you any money!"

you feigned horror, pacing away from her in your facade. "how dare you! Caitlyn, I cannot believe—!"

"i'm sorry! i'm sorry! you absolutely deserve it, hang on." she began to fish about in the pouch at her hip, but you quickly stopped her with a waggle of your hand.

"no, no, i'm only teasing. you don't need to pay me."

"i know you are, but you can't just play for free!" she huffed. "please, i insist! your music is... unlike anything else i've heard."

as soon as you returned to the railing, you were presented with her. there were those bright blue eyes once again, transfixed on you wholly. this time they were firm, unwavering in a whole new way.

and in your mind, a few harmonic notes played.

you tried to look elsewhere, but you only ran into her silky dark hair, bangs framing her delicate face; then her hand, fingers slender and offering several golden coins. the dim light did only did you a single favour, and that was not reflecting her face to fluster you any more.

you shook your head, feeling your cheeks heat up. you tilted your head ever so slightly so that it was shadowed, and gently furled her fingers back over her money. "you're too kind, Caitlyn. but i can't accept that."

she let you close her hand, and push it back to her. but her stare didn't let up. tucking the money away, Caitlyn cocked her head, before levying it on her palm. "fine. can i see your violin?"

"of course!"

leaping to your case you brought out the instrument. the wood had a mottled grain and a rich hue. the bridge was dusted with rosin that you'd not yet swept away, and on the underside of the chinrest you'd strapped several folded shreds of cloth for extra padding. it was well-used, tuning pegs darkened with only two strings that matched in exact colour. but Caitlyn could tell it was made with a talented hand; it looked no different to the ones she'd seen at the balls she'd attended with her parents.

and once more you were struck with her wonder.

"it's beautiful."

you sighed bittersweetly. "last one my mum ever made."

"Janna, y/n, i'm so sorry!"

you blinked at her until the penny dropped. "oh! no, she's not dead!" you chuckled, placing the violin back in its case and locking it shut. "she just had to give up the trade because materials became too scarce. and, you know, gotta afford to live."

"even so, that's quite sad," she said slowly, "which is exactly why you must let me pay you."

you sucked in air as you bit your lip. "oh, you are stubborn...!"

"wouldn't have ended up in this uniform if i wasn't."

a laugh bubbled up before you could stop it. you drew nearer, squinting into the haze far off to the left. "listen, one day i'll be performing up there."

Caitlyn followed your nod upward, finding the top of the crevice that formed the multi-level street. at the crest there was the blooming pale glow of the city far above. her home. the sheer distance abruptly stormed into her mind, and Caitlyn suddenly felt rather small. she kept a straight face, watching you, making sure you didn't notice.

no, you were caught up in your musings, a smirk on your lips. "once i'm up there, money won't even matter at all. and my mum can go back to making violins, violas, damn she may even be able to make a cello! and we'll get to live comfortably." and now there was a teasing glint in your eye. "perhaps... if you really want to help... you keep the cash on you, and instead put in a good word for me!"

"me?!"

you laughed, mirroring her in leaning on the railing, brushing her shoulder with yours. "yes, you! you're from up there, aren't you? or are you just some strange kiss-o-gram?"

"a what? no! how could i be—?" she laughed incredulously. "do people do that down here? dress up as—? to—?!"

"well, not that i've seen, but then again i'm not exactly one to buy their services." you couldn't hide your grin. "that being said, i think you'd be successful!"

"oh, stop it...!" she batted her hand, "this uniform is definitely not for protection that's for sure, but it's not... it's not good for that either—"

"i wasn't talking about the uniform, Caitlyn."

silence fell across the balcony. Caitlyn's eyes widened as her heart lurched. her thoughts swirled as she replayed what you'd said. as she blushed, she hoped the lights obscured it. meanwhile, the confidence that you had dripped from your smirk had dissipated in a moment.

"sorry, i didn't mean like, you would should go into that job or anything, i just meant that you are—um." you cleared your throat, readjusting your jacket hem.

as you did so Caitlyn caught your own flushed cheeks and looked away, biting her lip to keep herself from teasing you. "i know what you meant. thank you. and you're not too bad looking yourself!"

"that's good to know!" you fixed your hair. "i'm a performer, not just the musician. a double-threat! that's what makes me... successful." you trailed off again.

as quiet settled over the two of you, Caitlyn turned back to the sights below for a distraction. she opted to have another look for Vi in the crowds, though it was ineffective as she kept finding herself checking the corner of her eye, seeing what you were up to. your expression was rather plain, the tinge of awkwardness still there, but otherwise lost in thought. you were absently playing with your fingers.

cute, she thought. and in a desperate attempt to stop those thoughts from running their course, Caitlyn broached the silence. "so, these are your streets, right? the person that was leading me around, her name's Vi. do you know her?"

your brain leapt back into the real world, and straight into gear. you muttered the name a few times, before, "the name does sound familiar, but i haven't heard it in a while. a long while, now that i think about it."

"seven years? or so?"

you looked surprised. "well, if i had to give a more exact guess... but it's really hard to tell because a lot goes on down here. place changes more than the weather." you scratched the back of your neck. "sorry, i can't give you any more than that. i would like to help out if i can. do you know where you were headed?"

"um... no, she didn't say." Caitlyn avoided your gaze, scouring the passing crowds below instead once again. not that it was very effective, as she felt you watching her. wondering if she'd been caught out, she found herself glancing back to you. "what?"

"have you got a plan?"

she exhaled. "wait? i guess. easier for her to find me if i stay in one place. if she decides to look for me, that is."

you thought for a moment, folding your arms. "she'll come back for you." your words were firm.

"you think so?"

you snorted. "if she doesn't, well, she's pretty dumb. and i'll tell her that, if i run into her, how's that? ooh! i could write a song about her! at what a bad decision it was leaving you behind—!"

"there's no need for that! she's not... i'm not..." Caitlyn rolled her eyes, spinning round so that she had her back to the view. the lights only illuminated her back, now, and her face was cast half into shadow. as she tried to find her answer, searching for words that didn't seem to want to come together, your mind was spinning. your fingers itched to play. a new melody was finding its feet in your head. she was like the moon.

"i think i'd much rather have a song about me than the time i got left behind for not running fast enough...! as that would be embarrassing," she finally said, but soon after mumbled, "though would a song about me be any less?"

"absolutely." you knew she meant the first part as a joke, but your fingers were tapping the railing in a search for a rhythm. it was beginning to fall into sync with the first few bars of the new melody.

your eyes were sparkling. at first Caitlyn thought it was just the neon lights below, but there was something more tinging them.

"it wouldn't be embarrassing at all, Caitlyn. having a song about you is inevitable. it happens to all of us, eventually." you chewed your lip as the melody paused for a moment, waiting for more input. you mumbled, "it's doable. it's very doable..."

Caitlyn wanted to ask what you were talking about, but decided not to. cogs were turning in your head, and she didn't want to disrupt them.

the two of you had your backs resting against the railing. the glare of the lights below could only be reflected in your cheeks now, and even in the dark Caitlyn glowed. the melody sparked by her continued, while unbeknownst to you, she came to the same conclusion about you.

having to look upon her again to find the next part of the tune made you realise she was waiting. you hushed an apology, explaining, "what i mean is, inspiration can flow from many, many places. some flow like a brook, others like a fountain. occasionally you get the odd stone. but people aren't any different. and well, you..."

before you could continue, a cacophony of discordant loud shouts stomped over the melody as well as your peace. you recognised the sounds all too well: a fist cracking a bone, a body hitting the ground. you whipped round and peered down as she did. her brows furrowed until her expression melted into a sheepish grimace.

on the street was a scrap, though it was rather one sided. the stony man from earlier Caitlyn recognised, and he was trying to hold another man back, while a woman with pink hair shoved someone else to the ground.

"is... that your Vi?" you asked, bemused.

"well, i really wouldn't say she's mine. but yes, that's Vi."

you nodded in understanding, standing a little taller. "told you she'd come back."

she agreed with a small smile. although she pulled away from the railing, her feet came to a quick halt. "i should go down, shouldn't i?"

"probably, yeah."

"before she knocks someone out. or gets knocked out. most likely the first one."

"most definitely."

your eyes met. you distinctly wondered if she struggled to hold your gaze as you did hers. "come back here, sometime."

she paused, eyes narrowing. "will you be here?"

"well, i do have other places on my 'grand tour' if you will, but uh..." you trailed off, fake grandeur dissipating. "yeah. most likely. on the off-chance i'm not though, you can ask the bouncer, Po. they usually know where i'm headed."

there was a moment where you weren't sure she was going to agree.

"then i'll make sure to do that."

you barely hid your shaky exhaled breath as your heartbeat returned to somewhat-normal. you were somewhat grateful for the chorus of shouts that picked up again for bringing you back to earth. you searched vacantly for the source below, giving yourself an excuse to look away. "you really need to go. best of luck handling everything!"

she thanked you, hastily making her way towards the ladder. when you heard her footfalls you instantly turned away from the light of the street. seeing her back, you cursed yourself out. that was your last chance to take in her features before she left—because who knew what the future held? you certainly would be praying to any god that would listen that she would find her way back so you could talk to her again, but this was the Undercity. and she was from Piltover. she was an enforcer. the realisation of how much luck had swayed in your way that night sunk in and winded you. as well as the confusion.

but right then, before your very eyes, she stopped. she was stood next to the ladder. and then she was a step away from it, her back no longer turned to you. it was dark in the shadows but there was her smile. and you were enraptured.

"i just wanted to say, y/n, i really enjoyed your song."

her voice, too. you committed it to memory—her sweet tone, her accent. you barely registered the high words of praise she was giving you.

"you deserve to have the grandest stage in Piltover."

Caitlyn watched you fumble for words, your mouth hanging open like a fish. she would've laughed if she hadn't felt just as silly doing such a dramatic turn around. she felt as if she was in one of those flimsy romance books. regret washed over her until she remembered that they always had happy endings. and considering the street she was about to run into again, the leering not-quite-man from earlier, the trail she was following, and the light-hearted nature of this moment coming to an end—that idea was rather comforting.

once your brain had thoroughly short-circuited, you mustered up: "thank you. that means a lot. especially from you."

her smile was small. "i'll see you soon."

she said it with such certainty that despite everything, you believed her.

"we'll see each other again, Caitlyn." you gave her a wave, which she mirrored.

and before you could register it, she had dipped down the ladder and was out of sight. she was gone.

well, she's not gone just yet, you reasoned, she's just a level below.

but then you waited, counting the seconds. she was likely down the stairs by now, you guessed. and then out of the door. you heard the bell ring, you could've sworn it.

but your feet didn't move. you just stood wordless in the dark. her laugh replayed in your thoughts, and the first thing you looked at after she left was your violin.

her melody began to play in your head.

☾ ₊ ˚ ✩ ˚ ｡ ☽

masterlist | buy me a hot chocolate <3

#caitlyn x reader #caitlyn kiramman #caitlyn fluff #arcane #caitlyn arcane #caitlyn kiramman x reader #arcane x reader #arcane fluff #caitlyn oneshot #caitlyn x reader oneshot #caitlyn kiramman oneshot #caitlyn x reader fluff #arcane oneshot #listen i write a lot of prose and i should probably write on ao3 all things considered--#also this feels like it could have more parts #i have some ideas as to where it could go #but this took me a very long time to write so im not sure #my writing

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pixievi · 11 months

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heyyy idk if you’ve already done this but do you have any nsfw headcanons for caitlyn kiramman with a female reader??

i actually don’t think I have? it’s actually something I want to do for all the characters I write for! but at the top of my head, here’s some :)

i. she can get jealous pretty easily but manages it well, most of the time. she knows she’s being ridiculous, but sometimes she just can’t help it, she just loves you so much. it doesn’t help that you like to tease, knowing how she gets. you know she will make her feelings known if you’re bratty enough, no matter where you both are. she’d see some of the other guests at some high profile piltover party eyeing you up and she’d hold you tighter, her frown growing by the minute until she’d snap and pull you to the bathroom. at this point, she didn’t care if anyone heard you. in fact, she wanted them to hear you. hear that it was her name spilling from your lips between moans. hear the squelch of her fingers as she pounded your messy pussy. her lips that were the ones decorating your neck with marks for all to see when she was done. her words degrading you, bringing you to the edge.

and when you both finally emerged from the bathroom, she had a wolfish smile as she held you tight. so you didn’t lose your balance. when eyes would shift between you both, seeing your neck covered and her cocky smile, she would hold their gaze until they looked away. embarrassed.

ii. overall, i see her as a switch with a dom lean. she loves to be in control and her kinks reflect that. bondage, edging, overstimulation, spanking…..

but then there are times where she’ll let you treat her like your princess. when she just wants to let go and be pampered. which you more than happily do. it can be soft or rough, depending on what she needed.

iii. she loves dressing up. both you and herself. she’s always buying new lingerie to tease you with, not letting you touch her in it as she has her way with you. and she loves putting you in cutesy and dainty pieces, it drives her mad seeing the contrast of the filth she’s doing to you while you look like an innocent princess. sometimes she’ll even buy the really cheap ones, just so she can rip and ruin them.

#pixievi smut #pixievi caitlyn kiramman #caitlyn kiramman x reader #arcane caitlyn #caitlyn kiramman smut #caitlyn kiramman oneshot #arcane writing #arcane headcanon #arcane women #arcane x reader #arcane smut

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ieggthots · 8 months

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Hihi u did an awesome job on the Caitlin x reader 🤘

Can I request vi x (gn) undercity reader: vi thought they died in the big kaboom (time skip) she finds them working with ekko but with robot arms or legs or both you can decide, she had a major crush on them sooo sad to fluff

Thank you! I hope you like the oneshot!

☆Vi x reader who's presumed dead from the big kaboom☆

"You haven't changed little man", Vi said as she brought Ekko into an embrace, he softened and returned the hug. It stayed like this for a few more seconds until he pulled away and said, "let's go untie your enforcer friend, then I have someone who you might want to see". Vi perked up and followed Ekko back to where Caitlyn was tied up. She was thrashing around, like an animal in a cage trying to get out. "Let me go! I didn't do anything to you!" She yelled, thinking she was yelling out to no one until the bag was lifted off of her head.

"Hey cupcake." Vi said as she smirked and leaned against the pole Caitlyn was tied to. "What?! I thought they were hurting you!", Vi flipped her hair around "My hero".

Ekko shifted and coughed to grab attention from the women. "Vi, if your done taunting now then I can show you who I wanted to show you." He said as he walked out the door, Vi and Caitlyn trailed behind soon after. "What do you mean Ekko? Who could I possibly want to see?" She questioned. "You'll see, don't worry."

He led the women outside to a mural where someone was painting, it seemed to be a mural to... Vi and her family.

"Vi, is that... you?" "Yes, that's me, my sister Powder, and our family, well adoptive family." Caitlyn marveled at the mural on the wall in front of her.

"F/N, I have someone here who I think you would want to see." Said person perked up at the name, "F/N??" Vi said with surprise. You turned your head, a paintbrush in your prosthetic hand and a shock on your face.

"Vi? I, I thought you died!" "I thought you died F/N, I haven't seen you in almost a decade." Vi walks up to you and grasps your hands, looking down at your metal prosthetic arm. You notice she sees this and you say, "That happened when Powder's monkey bomb went off, the force from it blew my arm off when I shielded myself from the blast."

Vi looked down with a frown before she looked back up your eyes with adoration before she said, "As long as I am here, nothing will happen to you" She rubbed the back of your non prosthetic hand.

"You promise?" You say with tears starting to well up as your faces inch closer.

"Yes, I promise." She connects her lips to your in a kiss full of her feelings she's had for you for years, that she's finally able to display. Ekko and Caitlyn watch as they give you two your moment, not wanting to ruin it.

(IM SORRY THIS TOOL SO LONG HOLY SHIT IVE BEEN BUSY WITH SCHOOL AND IRL STUFF IM SO SORRY 😭😭. Tumblr is my most neglected app, I literally never update and I genuinely apologize for that.)

#caitlyn arcane #arcane league of legends #arcane x reader #arcane #fluff #vi x reader #vi x you #vi arcane #sfw oneshot

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pumpkin--carver · 1 month

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A Deer in Headlights...

...is out now! I actually posted it yesterday night, but completely forgot to give you guys, my Tumblr readers, an update. Sorry about that. I should really try posting updates here as well as on my Wattpad. I'm not sure if anyone would appritcate that, but if you would just let me know. :) Below this is a little sneak peak at A Deer in Headlights. So if you don't wish to spoil anything head over to my Wattpad where you can read the whole!

As always, stay safe, drink plenty and be kind to others. I love you all my little plumpkins!

“You are very distracted today Violet. Is something on your mind?” Caitlyn asked as she held a folder out for Vi to take.

“No. I’m just tired, Cait.” Vi said, taking the folder and reading over the contents. She knew if her friend caught wind of what had happened all those weeks ago, she’d somehow track down this poor woman and make sure Vi and her were to meet again. “Would that be such a bad thing?” A voice chimed inside her. She ignored it.

#arcane #vi #vi arcane #arcane violet #female reader #vi x reader #arcane vi x reader #arcane caitlyn #oneshot

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feverista-11 · 1 year

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arcane women sports headcanons pt.2!

track and field

mel - distance runner

-I’m struggling with this one😭

-either she’s a sprinter, hurdler or distance runner

-logic tells me to make her a distance runner but my heart wants hurdler mel

-DISTANCE RUNNER MEL IT IS💯

-specializes in the 1,000 meters, 1,800 meters and 3,000 meters and there’s a big gap until the 10,000

-I don’t even know how but she manages to barely break a sweat in the 1k

-the 1k doesn’t tire her much, the 1,800 manages to take her breath away at the finish line, the 3,000 makes her want to completely quit on the 5th lap but manages around the last 100 meters, the 10,000 well… she absolutely nails it.

-since the 10k (25 laps around a 400 meter track) is more technique than just running, the first 5 laps she does them at a slow and steady speed, in the 6th-10th she tries to get the lead by a good advantage and stay there for the rest of the race, in the 11th-15th laps she’s wondering why she even joined track, she slows down there but since she’s got at least a 100m lead it doesn’t affect her much. In the last 10 laps she switches from slow to fast, fast to slow and in that progression she ends up getting first always.

-trains to death at least 2 months before any major meet

-every single local athlete knows her and fears her if they race against her

-has a very surprising resistance

-she’s quite mentally strong and ready for any inconvenience with a fellow runner

-always rushes to see any of her teammates after her races even though she’s crazy tired

caitlyn - long jumper

-she started off as a high jumper but failed since she just couldn’t get her arch right

-tried long jump once and completely fell in love with it

-not to mention her marks were crazy

-in her first try she managed to make an astonishing 6.13 meters

-after a few weeks of perfectioning her technique, she marked a whopping 7.12 meters, but it was scratch😭

-girlie stepped 10 centimeters over the limit

-her biggest struggle is synchronization

-which leads her to a lot of scratch jumps

-but she’s working on it, give her a break🙏

-her leap force is so strong she once developed a shin injury because of the leap strength

-has a perfect running in the air technique

-her height helps her a lot, her legs reach the highest extent to land on the farthest spot possible

-reaches insane speeds on the run down

-refused with her heart on her hand to never take any synthetic drugs/supplements

-but ended up doing some anyways (being realistic, the majority of athletes take synthetic boosters even if it’s not right, it’s real)

-as much as she loves the sport, it drains her incredibly

-struggles a lot mentally

-maniacally looks up the profile of every single person she’s going to compete against weeks before the meet

-but the fact that she’s just so good brings her some reassurance

-has the potential to be a sprinter but she gets too tired💪💪‼️

-hits the gym very often too (I pretend she works glutes and arms a lot)

jinx - sprinter

-she’s so fast on god

-runs a bit chaotically but still wins most of her races

-gets mad at anyone who boos her

-gets ankle injuries so often she’s even used to running with them

-specializes in the 100 meters and 150 meters, very casually she runs the 300m

-underrated strength

-will jump after she wins the race

-she’s pretty desperate, causing her to casually start running milliseconds before the gun goes off

-gets very mad when she’s ejected off the track

-always says “nah, I’m quitting man” after losing but never actually quits

-craves reassurance from her teammates and coaches

-so she always tries to meet their standards

-and destroys herself if she doesn’t

-when at practice, she busies herself with the sand in the sandbox causing the long jumpers to scold her

-once, caitlyn kicked a mouthful of sand into jinx’s eyes cause she’d been disturbing their practice for half an hour

-which caused an unspoken tension between them, always getting chances to throw dirt on each other, literally sometimes

vi - thrower

-she’s most likely a disc thrower so I’ll hold on to that

-struggles so hard to maintain herself in the circle

-in her first try, she reached a very decent length…but outside of the ring

-the disc landed in Caitlyn’s arm

-jinx was passing out from laughter

-her fellow thrower was no other than jayce

-although she was having higher marks than him very casually

-she doesn’t even train before any meet, not even nationals

-doesn’t care about what she gets, it’s just to have fun

-but she ends up snatching first places and pr’s anyways

-makes fun of the jumpers, says they’re ridiculous

-knowing damn well she can’t jump all that much without any pre-run

-the fact that she’ll see pretty girls in meets motivates her more than winning

#arcane #caitlyn #caitlyn arcane #caitlyn headcanons #caitlyn lol #jinx arcane #league of legends #lesbian #vi arcane #caitjinx #track and field #sports #oneshot #headcanon #vi headcanons

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fict1onallyobsessed · 2 years

Text

Hard Day

Vi x Reader

Summary - Vi had a bad day at work, and you try to make her feel better.

@gwirlzwfun :))

It was almost 5 in the afternoon before Vi stumbled through the door of your apartment. Heavy boots clattered on the floor, bag suddenly meeting the ground with a thud. Immediately after hearing the keys turn in the door you stood up from the couch and started making your way through the hallways to meet your girlfriend.

She worked atrocious hours, from as early as 3 in the morning until whenever they let her go. She claimed it wasn’t, but it exhausted her beyond belief. Today was just one of those days where she’d do anything to relax and not think about work. It hurt seeing her so drained, but what could you do to stop it?

“Hey, baby.” You greeting the pink head, smiling sympathetically before extending your arms up to wrap around her shoulders. She smelt of cigarette smoke and alcohol, probably from working within other bandits in the Undercity.

She only huffed into your shoulder, placing her head into the crook of your neck before melting into your embrace. It was silent for a while, the little hiccups in her breathing is what made you pull away, eyebrows furrowed in concern.

“Vi?”

She couldn’t meet your eyes, tears welding up enough to fall down the pale skin on her cheek. She sniffed quickly before wiping her tears, but before she could escape your gaze even more, you cupped her face in your hands gently bringing her face back in front of yours.

“Baby.” You pleaded, wiping her tears with your thumbs. Her hair was soft, surprisingly. It always was regardless of there being barely any hair care products in Zaun. She just inherited the good genes from her parents.

“There was so many of them-” her voice broke even with it being in a barely audible whisper. “-I couldn’t save them.”

Your eyes stayed on hers, even though hers barely even met yours. It felt like someone had lightly took your heart and squeezed it, seeing your girlfriend in such a state was simply heartbreaking. Smiling reassuringly, you bought her face closer to your body again, wrapping your arms around her shoulders.

“Do you want to sleep?” You asked quietly, kissing her temple gently before you felt her shake her head.

“No. I need to do something because I’ll drive myself insane.” She scoffed a little, the tiniest of smiled making its way onto her lips as she pulled away. You nodded, squeezing her bicep before letting her get changed.

“We can go to Jericho’s.” You offered, putting your shoes on in the hallway, leaning a hand on the wall for support while Vi finished changing her clothes. She entered your view and nodded, looking around her her shoes too.

“Sounds good.”

The two of you made your way towards Jericho, which by the way Vi was obsessed with. You couldn’t complain, you’d grown up with this kind of food, so a hint of nostalgia couldn’t hurt.

You ordered the usual, sat down and talked about random stuff. Literally anything which would help Vi keep her mind off of work.

The Undercity never slept, especially during the evening. More and more people started entering the streets of Zaun, ready to be business with whoever they had deals with.

You caught yourself staring while she rambled about something to do with the Last Drop. The two of you were finished with food already, so you leaned your arms on the table and looked at her, trying to focus on whatever she was talking about.

You couldn’t take your eyes off of her face, finding it rather beautiful in the slight sunset the Undercity shone upon her.

“Are you okay?” She asked, brows furrowed with a slight smile on her lips.

“Erm- Yeah.”

She chuckled, looking to the side to see people meeting others with a rather rough approach. That was the Undercity for ya.

“Can we go home?” She asked after a moment of silence, turning her head back at you. You nodded, thanked Jericho and made your way back to your shared apartment.

Hand in hand, you walked slowly to take in the ugly beauty of your city. Even the elements in which posh pilties would find disgusting, there was an element of beauty in them. Each place had a story, either a good one or a bad one, but regardless, it was all too beautiful to ignore.

When you got home, the two of you immediately got dressed to sleep. You took her silence as a sign of tiredness, so without saying anything, you got dressed into sleepwear and joined her in bed.

You laid on your side while Vi’s arms circled around your waist, her front pressed up against your back. Goosebumps raised on your skin when you felt her gentle breathing on the back of your neck, already content and ready to sleep.

In all honesty, you thought she was already sleeping but when you felt a kiss being pressed right under your ear, your eyes opened back up.

“Thank you.” She whispered, barely audible.

The corners of your skips turned up. You grabbed her arm which was draped across your waist and bought it closer to your face, kissing her knuckles before cuddling closer to her.

“Your welcome.”

THE END

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buttermynutter · 2 years

Text

Surprise | Ekko x Reader | One Shot

Summary: A jealous Ekko confronts you about your sudden friendship with Viktor; he finds out that it was for his sake all along.

Word count: 1,670

Warnings: None, just some good ol' fashioned fluff!

━━━━━━━━━━

The bullet whizzed past your ear, so close you could feel your hair whipping with its trajectory. Before the Piltover officer could aim again, you readied your own weapon, firing a bolt of energy towards her - one of the taller enforcers you've seen, with striking blue hair.

The projectile hit her shoulder, causing her to drop her rifle and fall to the ground. You steadied your gun again, ready to properly immobilize her before someone shot past you. The familiar sound of a hoverboard was all that was left behind as the rider hit your target upright the head with his weapon, successfully knocking her out.

"Ekko! I had that under control," you quipped.

"Sure you did," he responded, not even looking your way, simply taking the stolen goods which you had been pursued for from your satchel. "Without me, this Hexcore would've been toast. You had only one charge left on your gun - you would've needed a perfect shot."

"I had it before you interrupted. She was already down, I had a still target! It would've been a flawless robbery!" you yelled back, but there was nobody there to hear. Ekko had disappeared as quickly as he had arrived. You grumbled to yourself, starting your trip back to your shelter at the edge of the city.

The two of you had been best friends since childhood, so you had naturally ran into road bumps before, but this sort of treatment was new. It was the first time that he was consistently actively avoiding confronting the situation. Ekko had been inexplicably cold towards you for the past few weeks, never staying in a room with the two of you alone for more than a few minutes. Whenever you brought it up, he'd, at best, mumble his way through an "I've just been busy" before finding another excuse to leave.

The fact that you had developed feelings that were more than friendship a good while ago didn't help. Despite the cold shoulder, you still caught him stealing glances of you or monitoring you more closely than the other fighters, this most recent chaperoning of his proving it further.

It was infuriating, but you understood that if you couldn't do anything about it, it was best not to push it, so-

"I got it! By Hex, I figured it out!"

The door had rapidly opened just as you laid you hand on it, a familiar face startling you.

"Viktor!" you hollered, still in shock. "You can't just open the door to me to my own house, I could've shot you!"

His grin didn't waver, him not speaking as he pulled you through the entrance and gestured you towards your workspace. "This better be good," you say, "I know it's rare to see you smiling but that's going to heighten my expectations even-" You gasped. "My goodness, you did get it."

The greatest creation to grace the room, maybe even the community, cut you off. You couldn't believe that something like this was sitting on your simple workbench, usually just propping up armor under repair or weapon additions. Before you could thank Viktor, the both of you suddenly became aware of treading outside the room. "We wouldn't have forgotten to close the door, would we?"

A cough came from behind you, the both of you whipping around, you with your gun at the ready and Viktor grabbing the closest object to wield - unfortunately, a lamp. Its cord straightening pushed a toolbox off the table, the loud crash concealing your slight groan once you saw who it was.

Ekko raised an eyebrow at you, but not before shooting a glare at Viktor who was already frantically picking tools off the ground. A sudden outburst incurred, him snapping, "He's here? First, you bring him to the Firefights meeting, and now he's in your home? We swore to fight these high class shmucks, not get all goodie-goodie with them."

Both you and the Piltoverian were visibly taken aback, your initial surprise mingling with anger. Who was Ekko to tell you who you couldn't and could be friends with, especially after his treatment towards you lately? Even with the indignity coursing through you, you couldn't help but notice the way the muscles bunched in his arms as he leaned cross-armed against the doorway.

You quickly shook off the feeling, gesturing towards Viktor to leave. He understood, giving a grateful nod before sidling out the door, Ekko's eyes staying trained on you.

He was still fuming, continuing with his rant before you could even open your mouth. "We've been on the same team for all this time, now all of a sudden you want to get to know someone from up there? He's the one you've been seeing for the past few weeks, hasn't he? All this time you've been missing from the hideout, you've been here with him, huh. I can't believe you, I can't believe I was going to-"

You throw up a hand, silencing him, saying, "You absolute blistering imbecile, how dare you say you can't believe me when you were the one that came into my house without warning just to prove a point. Yes, I've been 'goodie-goodie', as you say, with Viktor. But did you bother with finding out a reason? Especially since, if I remember correctly, I'm the one that has been trying to talk to you!"

"A reason?" he shot back. "I didn't need a reason as soon as I found out that you weren't telling me something about what you were doing! It's always been the two of us making plans, and I was worried, alright?" His voice suddenly dropped an octave, him almost muttering, "I didn't want there to be someone else."

The way he addressed Viktor so differently in his last statement threw you off, causing an idea to pop into mind.

"Ekko - are you jealous?"

He immediately broke eye contact, and you swore you saw a tinge of red touching his face.

"Wait, no, sorry. That was a stupid question, you've never been envious of anybody we personally know, much less just for being my friend."

The boy spoke up before you could continue, a bit of shame crawling into his voice. "Stop, I should be the one saying sorry. It's not stupid, I..." He took a deep breath and stepped away from the doorway towards you, meeting your gaze again. "I was jealous. Extremely so, and I let it get in the way of us for two whole weeks. The reason I was different this time was because it felt more personal when you were becoming friends with Viktor. It's not because I hate him, it's because I-"

All traces of anger had left his voice, as it had from your thoughts. You lay a hand on his arm, signaling for him to continue.

"It's not how I feel towards him. It's how I feel towards you. Because I like you. No, scratch that. I love you."

You can't help yourself as you feel yourself inhale sharply, Ekko adding furtively, "And love as in love, not how we usually say it. You know, as friends. That's what I wanted to say just now. When I said I was going to do something, I meant telling you all this earlier. It was just bad timing with Viktor, the two of you together really scared me, especially since I was trying to scrape up the courage to say something about it to you."

To say you were taken aback was an understatement. Your mind was racing a mile a second, and you didn't doubt your face was just as red as his was just now. However, none of that stopped your heart from overflowing with happiness at the news.

"I love you too," you say in a hushed tone, Ekko's eyes widening. "I have some explaining myself. The friendship between me and Viktor was more of a collaboration. He would help me out on this, and I would share with him the potential uses for Hexcore I had found. It was meant to be a surprise for you as a congratulations on the anniversary of the Firelights founding, which is why I didn't tell you anything about it."

You step aside from your place in front of your workbench, revealing the product of two weeks of hard, consequential work.

The boy next to you gasped, his already wide smile lighting up further.

"I didn't think I could love you any more after the extent of all that pining, but evidently, I was wrong," he stated, approaching the newly finished hoverboard. Unexpectedly, he didn't even touch it, instead quickly turning towards you. "You're just the most amazing person I know, I'm so sorry for everything; I'm really an idiot. Missing out on being with you in any and every way for the past two weeks has been killing me, it was wrong of me to take out my own insecurities on you. Also, I really want to say that you looked so beautiful sniping that officer earlier-"

His words are swallowed as you press your lips to his, the arms you admire so much immediately wrapping around your waist, him pulling you towards you as he leans against the workbench to press the two of you even closer. It's better than you could've ever imagined, the hostile moments from the past simply dissipating as a new door for you and Ekko opened.

The blissful shard of eternity paused as you pulled back to say, "Oh, and by the way; the board is compatible with your boots, the two bond together so you don't have to worry about those hard turns you're always trying to master anymore, not to mention that it folds up unlike your last one, so it's even more portable."

He pressed a delicate finger to your lips, stating, "It's my turn to cut you off. The gift is a perfect surprise, but you're the real surprise here - and a far superior one at that."

And eternity resumed.

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lepusrufus · 2 years

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A story using the unnerving horror where everything feels slightly to the left amplified by the backdrop of the uncaring attitude of nature, with a sprinkling of lesbians? Sign me the fuck up my guy

Drabble? You want a drabble?? Is that what I'm hearing???

Honestly the best way to make me ramble abt shit is to show both interest and understanding in it like omg you! You get it! This type of horror is my absolute favorite! And the lesbeans of course. At this point it's safe to say that "horror lesbians" is my thing lol

Also this was a good excuse to tear my eyes away from editing the next ch and being slowly killed by the lineart of the piece I'm working on rn for a couple hrs so that was nice. Enjoy the sweet sweet eerie horror darlings.

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Stairs

Dry leaves and sticks crunched under the weight of their boots as they both ventured further into the woods and off the marked trails. But the sound went unnoticed under the cacophony of their shouting and the crackling of the radio that came every so often before an update from the rest of the officers.

“We’re almost done here,” came Jinx’s voice, warped by the device. “Should we extend the research area?”

Vi picked up the radio from her belt, Caitlyn having turned hers off when they began searching together. She heard her partner give a quick affirmative to her sister as she walked a few paces ahead, her attention fully on the dog leading them further and further into the expanse of pines and thick bushes. The small red vest provided by the mother was clutched in her free hand, ready to be given to Sniper whenever he happened to lose the scent.

Which he did, rather frustratingly, when they found themselves in a thick patch of woods, the sun barely reaching down to the underbrush. Caitlyn offered up the small garment, but to no avail. Sniper only seemed to pick up the trail for a meager few moments before walking her in a circle and losing it again.

Caitlyn sighed out, tired and wary at the approaching evening.

“Hey,” Vi said from beside her, voice gentle as ever yet the undertone of urgency impossible to miss. “Let’s look around here before we call in. Stay close and shout if he picks something up.”

With a nod, they separated. Vi took a turn into a more tricky to navigate area, full of thorny blackberry bushes that she had to avoid getting caught into. Caitlyn walked ahead slowly, following the path they were on before losing the trail, all the while trying to coax the dog into picking it up again.

They were well within hearing distance. Caitlyn could clearly hear Vi shout the little girl’s name, loud calls of Annie coming in short intervals of a minute or so. And Caitlyn did the same, calling out to the missing child every so often, their voices alternating in the low hum of forest life.

This went on until the thick woods started to thin out ever so slightly, dry leaves and natural debris giving way to grass and small plants that could thrive in the patches of sunlight allowed by the trees overhead. Calling it a clearing was a stretch, but Caitlyn found herself in an area that at least allowed her to see in front of her for a decent enough distance, the trees parting enough to not make visibility atrocious.

And it was there she saw them for the first time, in the sudden stillness so uncharacteristic of the natural world.

Vi’s voice became a background buzz behind her as she took in the strange sight. A set of stairs, wooden and polished steps attached to an almost shining iron frame. It even had a handrail, the wood carved in intricate patterns and matching perfectly with the steps. They went straight up for a few meters before curling to the left at the top and then stopping completely.

Nothing about the structure came off as particularly intimidating, were it not for the fact that they were in the dead middle of dense forest, miles upon miles away from any semblance of road. It immediately made alarm bells ring in her mind, despite it feeling like a slight over exaggeration. That and their downright pristine condition. The warm glow of the approaching sunset gleamed off the polished surface, as if it had been recently cleaned.

Caitlyn wanted a closer look.

A strange buzz seemed to take over her limbs as she took a step closer, curious frown in place. Another step, bright blue eyes locked on the strange structure. She felt the leash in her hand go taut as Sniper lagged behind, his steps hesitant and so unlike her determined stride.

She was so focused on her sudden new objective that she didn’t notice when the shouts from her partner morphed from the little girl’s name to her own. Calls that came closer and closer, yet she paid them no mind. Not until a hand closed around her arm, urgent and a tad rougher than she would have ever expected.

“Caitlyn!”

Vi’s voice finally snapped her out of whatever tunnel vision had taken hold of her mind. Caitlyn whipped her head around, her ponytail coming close to slapping her in the face as she looked back at Vi, then down where her hand was still firmly around her bicep, crumpling the dark green of the uniform’s jacket.

“I couldn’t hear you anymore,” Vi said, sounding more winded than she should, as if that would explain the way she was still clutching her arm.

Caitlyn swallowed, her throat feeling suddenly dry, before looking back at the stairs. Still there. Still oddly pristine. Still pulling at her curious mind with an odd need to explore.

An almost imperceptible tug from Vi had her looking back again, meeting worried gray eyes.

“I wasn’t aware there were… houses. Out here.”

Her grimace at the word houses was mirrored by Vi too. That wasn’t anywhere near the right word. This wasn’t a house, it was a piece of a house that somehow got thrown in the middle of a national park, still looking as if it was inside someone’s residence and not sitting under the elements’ mercy.

“There aren’t,” Vi started, hesitation in her voice as she subtly tried to turn Caitlyn around. “We just find them around sometimes.”

“The stairs?”

Vi pressed her mouth in a thin line, stretching the scar that split her upper lip, and nodded slowly. “I-... look. We don’t have time for this. Just please stay away from them and never climb them okay?” At the frown that Caitlyn regarded her with, she sighed deeply. “I promise I’ll explain later. Let’s just find this kid now.”

Caitlyn hesitated for only a second before giving up the argument. Vi was right. They didn't have time to mess around findings in the woods, no matter how odd they seemed. She opened her mouth to speak, to give her partner an okay, but before she could get a single word out, the radio crackled and Ekko’s voice came through.

“We found her,” he said, relief in his voice mixed with an edge of something. “She’s stuck up on a steep edge though, so we’re waiting for Jinx to show up with the climbing gear.”

A relieved sigh left them both, shoulders slumping ever so slightly. Vi picked up the device, pushing a button that would let her respond. “Is she safe?”

“Yeah yeah. She just can’t get down.”

Vi ran her fingers through her fringe, undoing the small ponytail that she had put her unruly hair in while doing so. Good. That was good. What wasn’t good was the way Caitlyn still eyed the radio with a deep frown before grabbing it, realization suddenly hitting.

“Wait, where are you?” she hastily asked into the device.

“Uhh… down south. Near the Fissures,” Ekko replied, only a tinge of hesitation at the sudden change in voice.

Caitlyn looked up at Vi, frown ever present as she shook her head in disbelief. The Fissures were all the way on the other side of their search area.

“Do you wanna come down here? I can send you the coordinates.”

Caitlyn walked past Vi, vaguely listening to the two exchanging a few more words as she looked down at her dog, unsure. Her mind was reeling, running in ten different directions that threatened to split. She heard Vi put the device back before coming to place a hand on her shoulder, a light touch that felt nothing like the urgent grip from moments before.

“Hey, everything okay?”

“I don’t get it,” Caitlyn started, frustration and confusion latched in her tone. Vi gave her a small sympathetic smile that almost made it worse. “We were on her trail minutes ago. There’s no way in hell Sniper was so off.”

When they finally locked eyes, Vi saw the way Caitlyn was looking for something. Understanding and all the answers she herself didn’t have. The hand sill placed on her shoulder started to move, slowly in a way that she hoped would be reassuring. “Look. Sometimes weird shit happens here and you don’t get it. None of us do. But the important thing is that we find the missing people and get them back safely alright?”

She could tell that Caitlyn wasn’t satisfied with that explanation, but she seemed to resign herself to it for now. Vi wanted to give better answers, she really did, but all she herself had to go off of were vague things that should be avoided at all costs. She made a vague mental note to tell Caitlyn about those when they got back to the station.

“Alright,” Caitlyn finally sighed out. “Lead the way,” she cocked her head in the direction they came from.

Vi gave a mock salute that gained her an eyeroll, but obliged. She stepped around a thick patch of bush, starting the trek that would lead them back to the more walkable paths, and Caitlyn followed.

She followed for a total of three steps before stilling, an odd feeling of dread beckoning her to look back as if at a predator that mustn’t be left out of sight. The stairs were still there, unmoved and ever so slightly covered by the trunks of trees that separated them. The urge to explore was there, never having actually left her mind, until a tug brought her back to the present. It wasn’t Vi this time, but rather Sniper. He was all too eager to follow after the other woman, looking after her and then up at Caitlyn with his tail down while he refused to follow further into the clearing.

Caitlyn frowned, but relented. She let Sniper pull on the leash until they caught up to Vi, currently battling against a few branches that had smacked her in the face.

They never did come across that one particular set of stairs again.

#arcane sar au #arcane #vi arcane #caitlyn kiramman #piltover’s finest #fanfic #i may gather them all up in a fic and post it on ao3 if i get enough little oneshots of it #but for now it stays here for the eyes of my lovely tumblr degenerates

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