Chapter Text
It has only been a few hours since Caitlyn was full of energy. Only a few hours since she met Vi in that Cell. And only a few hours since she made love to the person she cares about the most.
VI has shown her who she truly was. She was a Kiramman. Maybe not that Kiramman that she thought she would be as a child, but still a Kiramman.
More importantly she was herself though. She was the woman that freed Vi out of Stillwater. And the woman that fell in love with someone from Zhaun. Everything seemed to be just right.
But here she was. Stuck in bed not long after they finished their plan for the fight against Ambessa and Victor. She feels hot. Not the same hot she felt when she was with Vi a few hours ago. She felt hot from the inside instead. She has gotten sick.
‘Why does this have to happen right now? Why does it have to happen to me?’, she thought while fighting a different kind of war then she thought she would. She was fighting against her own health. Her body temperature reached numbers that just couldn't be ignored. Her throat was sore and she didn't dare to speak. Not that she had anyone to speak with anyway. She was alone right now.
She knew that Vi would want to be with her the last night before the war could destroy everything. She knew how Stubborn her girlfriend could be. But she insisted that Vi takes her bed for the night while Caitlyn sleeps in one of the guest rooms. Losing two of the best soldiers in a fight that's already almost impossible to win was not going to happen. Vi could not get sick too.
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Caitlyn. That was all Vi could think about while drifting to sleep. She can't recall everything she felt that night but it has been a lot.
She thought about how they found back together. Finally she was with the person she loved again. Even though the war was not going to be easy, she really believed that they were going to win. And that her family is going to somehow survive the next day.
But that's all the positive things she thought about.
She thought about all the scenarios of how she is going to lose someone again.
Vander was still out there somewhere. She just felt it. She was not going to just try to forget about him.
Jinx left her in that Cell. But even after everything she will never stop fighting for her sister. “You are never going to give up on me, are you?”. Hearing those words she actually thought she had reached her this time. But no.
And then Caitlyn. How could she have ever fallen in love with an enforcer? With the people that killed her parents.. But Cait was different. She was special and there could be nothing worse than losing her.
Actually she was feeling some kind of relief when she noticed how Cait was not going to be able to fight tomorrow. The chances of surviving this war were definitely higher while stuck in her bed, compared to fighting against Ambessa herself.
It took her a few hours but after many tries she was finally able to close her eyes and rest. She missed Caitlyn more than anything but she respected her choice of not risking Vi's health aswell.
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“VI!!!” Heavy breathing followed Caitlyn's screams. A nightmare. A nightmare in which Vi fell and Cait had to watch without being able to save her.
Tears began forming in her eyes. She hoped that when she woke up she was going to feel better. But she didn't. With her hands in her face she tried to stop herself from crying but she wasn't able to.
“Cait?!” Caitlyn looked up and noticed the door to her room being open. Through her tears she also saw the woman who she hoped would not see her Cry anytime soon. Especially not before tomorrow.
“What happened Caitlyn?” Vi said with a weak voice while swiftly closing the distance to her girlfriend. She reached for her hand but Cait pulled away.
“You shouldn't be here. I told you to stay in my bed and leave me alone” Cait said while turning away from Vi. She didn't like how that sounded but she knew she had to use hard words to tell Vi how important it is.
“Cait”, Vi said while trying to reach for her hand again. This time Cait didn't have the energy to pull away. “Please look at me”
Caitlyn felt the warmth of Vi’s hands against her own. ‘Was she extra warm this time or was Caitlyn's hand just freezing? Not important right now.’ After a few more seconds Caitlyn finally turned her face to look at Vi. She was met with a painful smile on her beautiful face. She hoped the tears would finally stop when she looked at the person she loved but instead they just kept going. The person she saw die in her nightmare was now standing next to her bed with a smile on her face.
“Oh Cait..” while holding onto Caitlyn with one of her hands, she used the other to wipe away the new tears forming in her eyes and running down her cheeks. “I am here. And I am not going anywhere anytime soon.”
“But you have to”, Caitlyn answered with a weak voice. “You need to be able to fight tomorrow. You are the strongest woman on our side. If we don't have you, then the war is already lost..”
“Cait. I know you feel this way but nothing is as impor…”, Vi’s answer was quickly interrupted by Cait opening her mouth to speak herself.
“Vi. Please. I know how Stubborn you are and I know how Stubborn I can be. But you need to do what I say. Just this time. This war will decide all of Piltovers and Zhauns futures. And it will decide our future too… You have to get back in bed and rest. Please.”
Vi didn't know what to say. She hated the idea of leaving Cait alone in this state. She hated how powerless she was right now. Nothing she could do would make Caitlyn feel better currently.
Silence filled the room once more. It felt like minutes had passed before Caitlyn was ready to speak again. But Vi stopped her but slowly nodding.
“I will go back to bed. I don't like leaving you here but I understand.”, Vi said while slowly letting go of Caitlyn's hand.
“But you have to promise me something. Promise me that you will stay here and Rest. You know I don't mean it that way but you would be no use on the battlefield.”
Scared of how Caitlyn would take this request she looked for answers in her eyes. But she couldn't find them.
Seconds pass again. Maybe even a minute. Vi felt like she messed up once more. Just before she wanted to take back the request she saw Cait getting ready to answer.
“Only if you don't give me a reason to get on the battlefield. Promise me to come back to me. Alive.”
Is that really something Vi could promise? Probably not. But she needed to anyway. “I promise”
“Then I promise too” Cait answered with a small smile on her face.
“And now go back to bed please.”
Even though Vi still wasn't fond of the idea to leave her, she just had to trust her this time. One last look on her girlfriend was enough to give her the energy to leave the room.
“Good night Cupcake” She said while closing the door behind her.
“Good night Violet..”, Caitlyn said, even after the door was already closed.