𝕴𝖚𝖘𝖙𝖎𝖙𝖎𝖆

Whereas Viktor's parents were all too keen to support and push their son towards greatness; Viktor was at least partly aware that Caitlyn didn't have the same. So he wasn't about to be another obstacle for her.

"Silco?" Viktor repeated, as if feeling the word around his tongue would trigger anything - and it did. "I have, but not in any great detail. He was the one that brought Shimmer to the masses. My father...dabbled, unfortunately. Nothing strenuous. I had overheard him and his friends talk about him here and there...always with a nervous tone in their voice. So, if he is still around, I doubt he is anyone to be trifled with. I doubt he's remained a 'humble' drug peddler... I don't recall this strange monkey symbol being associated with him though. I always thought he used an 'eye' symbol. Tread - but tread carefully."

Viktor nodded at Caitlyn's further statements. He raised his hands, as if in defense, but it was playful rather than offended. "I'm not going to stop you, nor tell anyone of his conversation. That way, they cannot stop you either. I would assist you physically, take you around the quiet routes but I uh...well... I'd just slow you down. But it wouldn't be a bad idea to try and find a guide of some kind. The Undercity is a labyrinth."

Viktor, thus far, hadn't shown any signs that he was lying or holding anything back. However, at this point, his features flickered slightly. As if he had an idea but was hesitant to say it.

She had never asked too many questions to Viktor, even as a younger child and then teenager, when she followed Jayce everywhere, she was raised with better manners than being too nosy and meddle into people's life. She knew some topics were better to be left untouched, unless it was the person themselves to open up to her. Not like it happened that often anyway, she could count her acquaintances on a single hand only.

Still, she wasn't oblivious to ignore that whatever journey Viktor had followed to stand where he was now, it must have been a arduous one, and it seemed that his climb had never stopped even in present days. Which was ridiculous in her opinion, he must be one of the most reliable and smartest people in the whole of Piltover. Prejudice was the food for the foolish and ignorant.

Silco. There it was, that reaction of acknowledgement she was looking for. She had heard of Shimmer, everyone seemed to be aware of its existence. and yet not enough to put an end to that part of the market. Her pen was quickly pulled out from a pocket of her uniform, to scribble quickly a few key words on what to investigate further after this conversation. And hopefully give her a bigger picture of what exactly was lurking in the forgotten streets of the Undercity.

She was now even more confident that money laundering would not be the shadiest crime she would have to pin that man for, but something darker and horrifying than petty businessman illegal activity.

"Thank you, this is all extremely helpful." she moved some strands that fallen in front of her eye, drawing a circle around the word eye, followed by an arrow to the name that again, connected everything.

Silco, shimmer, symbols, death.

"And I appreciate even more your understanding and loyalty, Viktor." the same soft smile appeared on her features, one that she could only gift to those she cherished.

"You have already given to me more than I could ever expect, so I would never ask you anything more than what you are already doing for me." her brow narrowed ever so slightly, some lines forming on her forehead as she suddenly realised something crucial. "Actually..." she chewed the inside of her cheek, eyes basically pleading "Would you be able to keep this conversation between us? I believe Jayce would only unnecessarily worry." and probably try to stop her, even if he had to involve her mother into this.

It was Viktor's last comment had her features relax, though. There was something more than just merely gratitude, something deeper in his words of someone who might not belong to neither worlds, or perhaps who actually existed still in both cities. She lived in privilege since she was born, but was never really given the opportunity to truly understand that.

"The Undercity's safety is our responsibility, the same way we have given an oath to protect Piltover. Innocent people have lost their lives, it is only right to bring light to those who have been hiding in the shadows for too long."

prince caitlyn for handsome caitlyn week last june 👑

He feels the tears brimming in his eyes, no longer the strength to hold them back.

"And i just failed, and failed, and failed at every oppurtunity...I failed piltover, zaun, viktor..you, everyone. I wasn't strong enough, I couldn't...i just couldn't..."

"is it still worth the cost if we lose everything that makes us, well...us?"

The day she lost her mother, her heart had exploded in millions pieces; she had never experience grief before, not that extent at least. She had buried some pets, shed tears even when she was still young to allow herself some weakness. However, the Kiramman ladies were not allowed to be vulnerable. The family relied on them, they carried the whole walls of the city on their shoulders, therefor emotions were something they had to be extremely aware of; when to show them, when to hide them especially, to not risk any wrong decision that would effect everyone around them.

Caitlyn did not cry at her mother's funeral, she had no tears left. The sky took that burden away from her on that day, weeping in her stead for the woman who once shouldered Piltover's, and now it was Caitlyn's duty to follow that very same path. It didn't matter if she was barely floating on the surface of despair, if she could barely look at her father's face while sorrow was so close to drown. Even Vi had left.

Failure. She knew too well Jayce's pain.

No words could soothe a hurt that came from such a deep part of the soul. It was thew first time Jayce, the one who was so close to be a brother to her, to lay his most vulnerable side of his heart in front of her.

Her hand moved, fingers light on his back as she gave an attempt of a pat. She had never been very savvy with comforting or physical contact in general. She settled to leave her hand still, that gesture the only way she hoped could let her company know that she was there for him.

"It depends on what you mean for losing, perhaps." there was a darkness that had creeped in since Jinx had hurt Vi, since she had taken away her mother that Caitlyn had learnt to live with. The hatred, the anger, the despise- were not all of those still part of her?

"If you have lost already most of yourself, maybe the only path is to forge a new self." someone who would not second guess her own decisions anymore. Someone who could pull a trigger when she would meet her enemy face to face again.

"Home...my mom. Is my mom ok? is she still alive?" he rounds on her, but braces himself, feeling light headed at the sudden movement. all careful movements, months of it down the drain in the turn of knowing how his mother is.

"Caithlyn...we..."

"If I don't make it, please, destroy the hex core, there are instructions under my bed side table."

She has seen the same haze before in someone's eyes, in very different circumstances. Despite her mother pushing always for her to only follow the nicer shifts, Caitlyn saw the outskirts of Piltover. Where the buildings paint seems to fade as they reach the end of the city, where the bottle - or other substances - slip in people's mouths. She never understood the charm in such matters, yet, despite a similar confusion, there's something in Jayce's hues and behaviour in general she still cannot grasp.

And apparently he has no intention to let her ask any further questions.

"Jayce!" it is automatic the way her rifles rests against her shoulder and the first bullets start raining around them, her feet catching up with one of the few family she has left now. It's pointless to overthink; she allows her thoughts to slip into darkness, only her instincts raising in the surface as she keeps them safe out of the battlefield.

A little art nouveau 🌷🧁

miss caitlyn kiramman is in the house

Caitlyn Kiramman in Arcane (season 1)

“You know what else reflects on the council, its citizens living on the streets, being poisoned. Having to choose between a kingpin who wants to exploit them, and a government that doesn’t give a shit.“

❛  why did you have to leave me?  ❜ ❛  how could you do this to me?  ❜ ❛  i trusted you!  ❜ ❛  i'm sorry, but i can't do this anymore.  ❜ ❛  do you even care how much you hurt me?  ❜ ❛  i'll never stop fighting for us, no matter what.  ❜ ❛  i don't know if i can forgive you.  ❜ ❛  i never thought i'd feel so alone, even when you're right here.  ❜ ❛  please don't go, i can't handle losing you too.  ❜ ❛  you were the one person i thought i could always count on. why did you have to let me down?  ❜ ❛  did you ever even care about us? about me?  ❜ ❛  i wish i could hate you for what you've done, but i can't.  ❜ ❛  why do you always have to play games with my feelings?  ❜ ❛  i never thought saying goodbye would hurt this much.  ❜ ❛  every time i close my eyes, all i see is the pain you've caused.  ❜ ❛  why do you insist on tearing us apart when we could be so happy together?  ❜ ❛  i'm tired of pretending everything's okay when it's clearly not.  ❜ ❛  i don't even know who you are anymore.  ❜ ❛  i need you to understand how much you mean to me.  ❜ ❛  i'm scared of losing you, but i'm even more scared of losing myself.  ❜ ❛  why won't you let me in? what are you so afraid of?  ❜ ❛  you were my world, and now everything is falling apart.  ❜ ❛  how am i supposed to trust anyone after what you've done?  ❜ ❛  i can't go through this heartache again.  ❜ ❛  why did you leave without saying goodbye?  ❜ ❛  how could you say something like that to me?  ❜ ❛  you've always had a way of making me feel worthless.  ❜ ❛  don't you dare walk away from me when i'm talking to you.  ❜ ❛  please, just tell me the truth, even if it hurts. i can handle it.  ❜ ❛  i don't know how to fix what's broken between us anymore.  ❜ ❛  you're not the person i fell in love with anymore.  ❜ ❛  just hold me and tell me everything will be okay, even if it's a lie.  ❜ ❛  i trusted you, and you betrayed me.  ❜ ❛  i never meant to hurt you, it was never my intention.  ❜ ❛  i've given you everything, and it's still not enough.  ❜ ❛  why do you always have to make everything about you?  ❜ ❛  why did you do it? why did you betray me like that?  ❜ ❛  i miss you ... more than words can say.  ❜ ❛  you're the best thing that ever happened to me, and i'm scared of losing you.  ❜ ❛  i'll always be here for you, no matter what. just please don't shut me out.  ❜

@deaiustitia - Continued ask

Vi could not believe the vibrancy; a similar feeling when she saw the tree in Ekko’s grove. But this tree stood like a giant frozen in time. The brilliant of white bark and the light violet petals, Vi truly found such beauty around it. And yet, Vi could not pull her eyes away from Caitlyn when she gazed at her. The color seemed to brighten her appearances, beautiful and bold as before. Despite her recent scars, to Vi they were just proof of her survival and fortitude. Her cupcake was brilliant and strong.

The brief touch caused Vi to glance at her hand to see her pulling away a petal and smiled, reaching up to ruffle her hair a little so any other petals might fall out. The admittance of this place holding such reverence made Vi quiet and realizing the impact of bring her here. “Cait,” Vi whispered as the wind played with her red hair and Vi pushed the bangs to her side.

This place would continue to be a place for Caitlyn to escape to. Vi would ensure it. Her fingers brushed against the side of Cait’s face, pushing her blue hair behind her ear. “I’ll always be here for you, Cupcake. Nothing will take me away.” She lifted up onto her feet and gently nuzzled her cheek up against Cait’s in a lovely feline fashion.

“Hey... Cait,” Vi whispered as she lowered back down and moved to rub her hand against the back of her neck. It had been years since someone had been allowed to use her full name. In fact, she had forgotten what it sounded like. Powder had said it when she was a little girl, back when the word brought such pain from her tears. She wanted it to be in someone’s mouth that would not hurt it. Not just Jinx, but someone else.

A small breath left her lips and looked back to Caitlyn. “If... you want to call me Violet, you can. Its... It’s my real name, but I had long forgotten what it was like to have that name. I became Vi, out of choice, but also because I embraced such things as Violent or vicious. I wanted people scared of my name, to fear it and me. But... I don’t want you to, I want you to have my real name,”

Her hand slipped from the back of her neck and lowered her hand as she turned away and glanced out toward the water. “If you want to, of course. You can still call me Vi. I just wanted you to know you can. Just you.” Vi tucked her hands into her red leather jacket, smiling at the warmth of this place. “I think we should come out here at least once a week. Just the two of us, and enjoy it. what do you think, Cupcake?”

When Cassandra had passed, she left a void behind herself; Caitlyn lost her mother, and in a sense with her passing even her father had never been the same man after the event. Cailtyn had watched him quickly wasting away, wandering in the empty hallways of their mansion with no real destination, but only his grief to keep him company, his warm voice a mere whisper. The Council had lost the Kiramman seat too, and therefore Piltover had fallen into a darker age without her presence to assist guiding the city.

And as everything changed around her, as Caitlyn herself found herself mutating with that grief, that park and tree remained quietly steady, a guardian of her memories that were all she had left of her mother.

And with all that pain and regret she couldn't digest, Vi was the only real certainty in her life. If Caitlyn could never forgive herself, she knew Vi at least would be able to do that for her. Words were not really needed to confirm that, Vi's heart was too gentle for the world they lived in.

"Thank you..." The small gesture had her almost chuckle, but the way Vi's demeanour changed told her there was something heavy on the young woman's chest that she was ready to share. And she did, the blue of her eyes observing in the way Vi's hands moved to her pockets, how her burning icy eyes held an honesty and mixed feelings before they looked away.

Violet.

Such a delicate name for hands that had had met more blood and bruises she should ever have. A gentle name for a heart so full of love to give to others. Cailtyn's favourite flower and colour.

"Violet." the name was pronounced softly, slowly, almost as if to taste how it sounded on her tongue. "Violet." she called her name with less of a ponder, her hand reaching for her arm.