saw some prompt that went something like "I made up a fake girlfriend to get out of all work-bonding activities but now they invited her to the office party and I'm screwed" and immediately thought of Caitvi sooo... anyone interested?
I was supposed to work on my essay but I wrote 2k words of childhood Caitvi AU instead welp
(takes place after the explosion in Jayce's lab)
“Down the corridor,” Grayson says in her rough, though not unkind voice, “last door to the right. And do me a favour, young Violet,”
Vi raises one of her eyebrows while she tries not to flinch at the use of her full name. She doesn’t even like it when her family calls her that but the Sheriff of Piltover? That’s so much worse.
“Try to be kind. Young Kiramman has had a rough couple of days so she might be snappish towards you.”
The young girl scoffs, “So she can be a pain in my ass but I have to play nice?” She crosses her arms in front of her chest, already done with this entire stunt, “Great.”
Surprisingly, Grayson doesn’t fall for the bait. She merely huffs, more to herself than Vi.
“Considering that you and your little group are particularly at fault for her stay here, I think she has every right to be a little crass towards you.”
“Then why do I even have to go talk to her in the first place?” She isn’t whining per se, voicing her complains does not count as whining. ”She probably won’t accept my apology anyway.”
All of this is just. so. stupid.
“That doesn’t mean that she doesn’t deserve to hear it,” Grayson gently persists, “And now go. The sooner you go, the sooner you can leave.”
Well, Vi can’t argue with that logic, although she makes sure to groan extra loudly as she turns around and begins her own personal walk of shame. She knows that Grayson is right but that doesn’t make it any less humiliating.
Groveling at some piltie princess’ feet and begging her for forgiveness? No one in the undercity is every going to let her live this down if they find out. And they will find out since Mylo, that stupid blabber mouth, knows that she’s currently topside. All of this just to keep the rest of them out of trouble.
The worst part is that Caitlyn Kiramman is probably completely fine and only staying this long in the hospital so her councilor mom can gain some sympathy points.
Then again, Vander must know more than she does and he wouldn’t have made her go all the way topside if it was nothing.
--
“You’re going to visit the Kirammans and apologize.”
Vi blinks slowly once. Twice. She waits for the punchline of the joke but nothing else follows Vander’s insane request.
“You want me to apologize to some rich Piltie counciler for blowing up one shabby lab?” He’s got to be kidding. “Why? It’s not like they can’t afford to buy ten more of those They probably wouldn’t even have noticed if the enforcers hadn’t made such a big deal out of it.”
“You’re not apologizing to Cassandra Kiramman,” Vander sighs and for the first time, Vi can see his age in his wrinkled brow and tired eyes. “You’re going to apologize to their daughter, Caitlyn.”
Vi frowns, “Daughter?” She didn’t know the Kirammans had a daughter. “Why the hell should I talk to their daughter?”
“Because Sheriff Grayson has told me that she’s been in the hospital since your little stunt topside.”
She stops pacing, her feet rooted to the old carpet as her blood runs cold.
Shit.
--
Vi shivers as she remembers the serious look on her father’s face. No matter how much she disagrees with this, she’ll make sure to see it trough. At least it increases the odds of Powder and the rest of her siblings getting out of this without any further consequences.
Even if it means begging Caitlyn Kiramman for forgiveness.
“Wasn’t even my fault,” she mumbles to herself while knocking her shoulder into the door leading to Kiramman’s room. “If whoever was working there could have just secured their shit a little bet--”
She stops dead in her tracks as she passes the threshold and entres the hospital room. It looks glamorous with it’s pretty windows and high ceiling, more glamorous than any room Vi has ever been in down in the Undercity. She’d gag if her attention wasn’t immediately drawn to something else.
The figure in the middle of a way too pompous bed (considering this is a stupid hospital) is turned away from her, a clean, white blanked pulled all the way up to its chin. Honestly, it looks like whoever is lying there is doing their best to hide from… something.
Suddenly, Vi feels nervous.
“Uh,” she starts to stutter out, only now realising that maybe she should have rehearsed this beforehand, “are--”
“Go away.” Oh, wow. Posh. Very posh and positively miserable. Shit. “I already told you I’m not hungry. Just leave me alone.”
“I’m not a nurse. I’m here to… uhm,” How does she even begin this conversation? “Are you Caitlyn Kiramman?”
The figure in the bed doesn’t move and for a second, Vi debates whether it would be okay if she just turned around and left. But Grayson is probably still waiting at the end of the corridor, as if the city doesn’t need its sheriff to actually do something useful.
She takes a deep breath and takes a step closer towards the bed, “Listen, I’m here to apologize. About that accident the other day?” Silence. “It was my… it was me and my friends who kind of, uh, broke into that place?”
It’s so awkward talking to a lump of blue hair but Vi doesn’t have another choice so she takes a deep breath and continues.
Just get through it and leave.
“Anyway, we didn’t know that there was some dangerous stuff in there and we didn’t mean to cause any harm. Obviously.” No reaction, still. “So… I’m sorry,” she finishes lamely and waits. She waits for… something. Anything.
Isn’t she worth an answer at least? Typical Piltie.
“So yeah, that’s-”
“Get out.”
Vi grits her teeth, her hands balling into fists at the dismissive tone from the other girl.
“Come on, at least let me-”
“I said leave,” the girl repeats, though her voice has gone from sad to angry. It does little to keep Vi’s own rising temper at bay.
“You won’t even let me say my piece?” Her words have a cutting edge to them, though there is nothing she can do about that. “Didn’t expect anything less from some piltie prince-”
Her insult is interrupted by the sound of rustling sheets and high-pitched yelling, “I said leave! Haven’t you done enough to me?!”
With a still half-opened mouth, Vi finds herself staring at the heavy breathing form of Caitlyn Kiramman. Or most of her, considering that there is a thick bandage covering half her face, including her left eye.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. What the fuck has she done?
She doesn’t respond straight away as her eyes roam the girl’s form. She’s dressed in a simple clean, white gown. Nothing fancy, nothing pretty and yet Vi suddenly feels self-concious abotu her own appearance. She’s well aware of the specks of dirt, blood and whatever else covering her clothes, as well as her hair. It’s nothing like the long, pretty flow of blue that’s framing Caitlyn’s face quite nicely.
“I…” The words die in her mouth. There are tears forming in the girl’s eye and she looks seconds away from falling apart right there in her fancy bed. “I’m really sor-”
“Don’t.” The venom in her words enough for Vi to take a step back. “Do not say that you’re sorry again when you’re not.”
“I am!”
“I don’t believe you. What is it you said? Piltie princess?” Caitlyn scoffs, her hand coming up to rub aggressive at her good eye. “Oh yes, I’m sure you’re very sorry for being caught. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t.” There is a pause but Vi can’t find any words to stop her rant. “So just… leave me alone. I don’t want to speak to you.”
It’s the dismissal that Vi has been waiting for. She can just turn and leave, be done with it. She can leave and never has see Caitlyn Kiramman again. It’s what she’s hoped for.
The door behind her flings open, causing Vi to spin around. She’s met with the imposing statue of a man in a doctor’s coat, his short and styled hair a perfect match to Caitlyn’s. Vi feels her stomach sink as the realisation kicks in.
“Who are you? What are you doing in my daughter’s room?”
“I’m here to talk to her,” she manages to stammer out, “To apologize for-”
“I want her to go! You too!” Caitlyn sounds nearly hysterical at this point, “I want you all to just leave me alone!”
Grayson, thankfully chooses that moment to appear behind Mr. Kiramman and save her from any further embarrassment, “I apologize, young Kiramman. We’ll take our leave immediately to let you get some rest.”
Vi is still turned away from Caitlyn but judging by the way her father tenses as he looks at his daughter, she figures that the sheriff’s words were chosen poorly.
“I don’t need rest, I need to get out of here!” Her voice sounds watery. It shouldn’t bother Vi.
It does.
“Caitlyn-”
“No, you and mom just don’t want me back home because I look like a freak now!”
It’s clear that this conversation isn’t for her ears anymore and Grayson must agree because she reaches for her and gently begins to pull her out of the room. Vi is helpless to do anything but look back and stare at the hunched over figure on the bed and the man who is desperately trying to comfort her with hushed words that she can’t make out.
Grayson closes the door and gives them the privacy they need.
They begin to walk away from the room in silence, Vi with her head low and way too many thoughts swirling around in her head.
She doesn’t even attempt to speak until they are almost at the entrance of the hospital, “She didn’t want my apology.”
Saying it doesn’t give her the satisfaction she hoped it would. Nor does the thought of never seeing Caitlyn Kiramman again.
I want to talk about THIS moment. Right before. There's a TON of people misreading Caitlyn's intent because she's using such a playful demeanor after Vi's sorrowful self-deprecation. To be honest, it's the best response she could have had, and the best tactic. Her demeanor serves as a stark contrast to the spiral of self hatred that Vi is going down, and it's an excellent distraction. Caitlyn is stopping her line of thinking, right then and there, and she does it while delivering one of the most romantic and understated declarations of love I've ever seen.
Stay with me here.
Let's be very clear: Caitlyn did NOT come to the cell with the goal of seducing Vi. Not even. How do we know? Aside from several context clues that come before this scene, the way Caitlyn responds to the kiss is very telling:
See how long it takes Cait to even register what the fuck is going on?? She's literally like "oh. OH. we're kissing? WE'RE KISSING." And Vi also OPENS HER EYES very briefly, to check that Caitlyn is as into this as she is, right as Cait settles into the kiss, likely sensing her hesitation/delayed reaction. This scene is NOT Caitlyn seducing Vi. This scene is Caitlyn giving herself to Vi, and Vi choosing exactly what she wants to do with her, which is VERY different.
What does Caitlyn say right before the kiss? She says, "Do you really think I needed all the guards at the hexgates?" Translation: I left Jinx's cell unguarded on purpose. I want you to know that I heard you during our last conversation. I want you to know that I trust you. I want you to know that my love and care for you is more important than my need to sate my grief and desire for revenge. I choose you.
And following: "Sorry to say, you've grown a bit predictable." Translation: I know you. I see you. I knew you would choose this, coming after your sister, and I facilitated the circumstances in which you COULD choose this. You don't choose wrong. You choose love, and I understand that now. I want you to know that I support your choices, and they won't cost you the people you care about, at least not me, not anymore. I know that you'll always choose your sister, and I've made peace with that. What you want is what I want.
That is MONUMENTAL. That's quite possibly one of the most romantic things I've ever seen in media. Because who the hell has the guts to give up their grief and forgive their mother's murderer, all for love? That's a level of sacrifice that not enough people are acknowledging.
People say Caitlyn never changed, never felt remorse, never grew from the bad choices she made. I say wrong. And this was the turning point.
+ she was fully ready to lose Vi in the process of this (given how close they were back in Viktor's commune I'm sure Caitlyn thought about the possibility of Vi leaving with Jinx and therefore maybe never seeing her again) and she STILL chose to give Vi that opportunity
I will never shut up about my girl the arcane fandom does NOT deserve her
Do you think part of what made Vi sound so happy and endeared and almost amused when she said "Cait, I don't fucking care," was that in this moment, in the middle of making out, Caitlyn pulls away and stumbles out an honest explanation about how she had been with someone else?
This is the Caitlyn she knows. Not the puppet dictator, not the vengeful daughter, not even the suave girl who leaned against the wall and told her she's predictable a mere few seconds ago. This, the dorky, awkward, nervous Caitlyn is the one she first fell for, the one she first met. And yeah, Caitlyn is complex and can be dark and she's not the same, maybe she never was. But that part of her, the part that stuttered at Vi's flirting in the brothel, the part that tried to offer herself up to the Firelights in her place then sputtered in disbelief at Vi's appearance, the part that earned the name Cupcake, that part is real. Maybe it's tarnished, maybe it's changed, but it's still a part of her. And Vi had missed it desperately.
I absolutely LOVE that Vi does this because Cait helped Vi protect her family. She’s been all alone for so long in that effort, now someone has extended a hand
thank you Arcane Season 2 Episode 8 for confirming my theory that Caitvi are the kind of couple where you have to loudly announce your presence before entering a room because the chance that these two freaks are going at it is NEVER zero no matter where they are
Caitlyn 'Freaklyn' Kiramman before stepping into those cells to confront an emotionally distraught Vi who just lost Jinx AGAIN: better take my bra off you never know
a cunning war lord who exploits Caitlyn's grief and anger over losing her mother in a horrible tragedy and uses it to turn her bitter while whispering promises of revenge and salvation in her ear for MONTHS
or
her butch ex-girlfriend who is covered in oil, grease and blood calling her 'Cupcake' right after insulting her and then spits in her face
caitlyn went from being willing to hand over her gun without hesitation to keep vi—someone she barely knew—alive, to gripping it tightly, not caring about her own life or vi’s
theartofmadeline
ellievsbear
dailybridgerton
tangentwithtanner
jacobvanloon
areudirty
