second place . . . with caitlyn kiramman!
pairing. young!caitlyn x young!fem!reader
content warning. kinda discrimination with zaunites - 14 years old akward teens with much hidden love - shooting competition, so, use of guns.
author's note. english isn't my first language :) first post!
The first thing you hear is chattering, even before you're out of the car. Must have slept again while going to the competition.
Your parents are from the richest part of Zaun ─ what's still poor in Piltover's eyes ─ so it means you have a chance of a good life.
Even if that costs your mental health.
You hate how you're treated up here. Like you're garbage, a thief who was snuck into the place only the good belong to. But she's not like that.
She. The Caitlyn Kiramman. The girl you've been watching since you were 10, her with her rifle, much better than yours. And she won every single competition against you, ever since you both met at school – she was always better.
As far as she treats you well ─ like a real human, for once in that place ─ you can't help but feel something for her, deep there, hidden. Assuming it's just disappointment because she's better than you, you get out of the car.
“Cait!” You called out, smiling at the blue-haired girl in front of you, holding her so-loved rifle, her family’s emblem on it making it so much fancier than yours, just by being hers. She smiled too, of course – the same smile that made her eyes shine and yours shine even more. Whipped.
Her mother’s hand is still on her shoulder before she storms towards you, catching you in a hug that almost makes you laugh because of how happy she is just by being with you. “I really thought you wouldn't compete today.”
You giggle, feeling that warmth on your cheeks, smiling so big it makes her smile more too. She’s admiring you: the curve of your cheeks, the color of your eyes – it all happens before she can realize what she’s doing, making her smooth that feeling off by fixing her ponytail (that was already perfect). “Mother said I couldn't miss it.” You start, your smile getting smaller as her parents start talking to yours. Tobias was always friendlier to Zaunites than her mother.
“Good! Guess I won't lose my shooting partner!” Caitlyn said, taking your rifle with hers, guiding you to the small room where the event organizers check the rifles. As much as you pretend, you can feel the gaze of her friends on you, judging every piece of your outfit down to your nails. They don't like how close she is to you. “Ignore them...” she whispered, putting herself behind you, to protect you from their gaze.
Your rifle gets checked first, while hers is checked for a maximum of five seconds before it's returned to her with a smile. You can feel her attention on you, though you can also feel her friends come close, distracting her – not from the rifle or the competition, but from you. No matter how much time passes, no matter how much money your parents make.
You’re a Zaunite. Forever.
After the same four hours of competition you're so used to, you end up getting second place – again, but she's first, and you're not jealous. You almost wanted her to win and be better than you.
Before you can show the second-place medal to your parents, you can't help but feel a little sting in your chest from being put in second again – you can be good, or the best. Then why are you still getting only second place, whether Caitlyn Kiramman is there or not? You may know why.
Retreating from the spot where you got your medal, you take your rifle, walking to a separate balcony, just staring at the tall buildings, no green smoke or any smoke in sight. It's pretty, you can say, especially after growing up in Zaun.
Your house isn't in a very fucked-up part. You have sunlight, and not tons of drugs everywhere you look. Still, it's dark there, and all the smoke you must deal with every single day—
“You look distracted.” A voice behind you almost makes you jump. Cait. “You got second place! You deserved first, though.” She smiled, her tooth gap showing.
“I'm happy you got it, seriously.” You start, making space for her to also lean on the railing. Her medal and rifle aren't there anymore, replaced by a single violet, the same ones you saw growing on the doors of the building's gardens, as she fidgets with it.
“I'm sorry for them... back there. They pushed you away when you tried talking with me.” She whispered, looking down at her hands, at the single flower. “And for not talking with you at school.”
Both of you sigh, but you finally look up, your gaze meeting hers. “You're not below anyone because of where you come from. You're a cool person.” Caitlyn whispers, as if it were sacred, just for you two, as she puts the flower in your hand. “I like you – really like you.”
The same warmth on your cheeks from earlier is here again, but now, it comes with a fast thump of your heart. The same happens to her.
After almost five seconds of staring (that felt like a whole minute), you have the courage to press your lips against hers. Not a big kiss, but something real. Getting twice as real when her hand slowly finds yours, kissing you again.
It doesn't last long, as her mother calls her again, seeing you both in this situation. And surprisingly, you can see that she's suppressing a smile.
“Caitlyn, we have a dinner with Jayce.” She said, giving Caitlyn a shake of her hand, waiting for her at the door. She looks at you, then at the small flower in your hand. “Can you find me tomorrow?” She asked, almost leaving. And you can see that pretty smile of hers once you say yes.
kianamaiart
izzy806
germansingergirl
