#caityln

The tension in the air was thick as you sat by the window in the dimly lit room, your thoughts swirling around Caitlyn, your heart aching. It wasn't supposed to be like this. You never thought it would end this way. You had always been there for each other, always shared quiet moments and tender smiles.

But now?

Now, the silence between you two was deafening.

It had all started so perfectly. Your first encounter with Caitlyn had been a random moment in the bustling streets of Piltover. She was tall, sharp, with a piercing gaze, and for some reason, you felt drawn to her. The way she moved through the world with such confidence, yet with a deep underlying sadness, had always fascinated you. In time, she had opened up to you, revealing the softer side that few ever saw.

But Caitlyn was always consumed by her work—her drive to make Piltover a better place. You admired that about her, you did, but it had come at a cost. A cost that, more and more, was pushing the two of you further apart. You understood her need for purpose, for justice, but it left you feeling like an afterthought.

A knock at the door broke you from your thoughts. You stood, heart thumping, and opened it cautiously. There, standing in the doorway, was Caitlyn, her usual air of authority mixed with something else—something softer, more vulnerable.

You couldn't help the small gasp that escaped your lips as you took in her appearance. She looked worn, tired, like someone who had been fighting a losing battle for far too long. And yet, when her eyes met yours, there was a flicker of something familiar—something that made your chest ache.

"Caitlyn..." you whispered, your voice barely above a breath.

She shifted uncomfortably, stepping into the room. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice low and strained. "I know I've been distant."

You wanted to reach out, to hold her, but the words stuck in your throat. How could you ask her to stay when she seemed so far away?

"You've been gone for weeks," you murmured. "I—I don't know how much longer I can keep waiting, Caitlyn."

Her eyes softened, and she stepped closer, but the distance between you still felt vast. "I know. I’m not good at balancing everything. I’ve been… consumed by my duty."

You shook your head. "I understand, Caitlyn. I do. But I’m not some distraction you can just turn on and off whenever you need. I need to know I matter too, that you care about me the same way I care about you."

Caitlyn's jaw clenched, and for a moment, the walls she’d built between you seemed to crack. She reached out tentatively, her fingers brushing yours. "I do care, more than you know. But sometimes, I get so lost in everything I’m trying to do, I forget that the most important thing is... this. You. Us."

There it was—her vulnerability. The thing she always kept hidden behind that confident, controlled exterior. And as she stood before you, hands trembling, you saw the weight she carried. You saw that she needed you just as much as you needed her.

"I’m sorry," Caitlyn whispered again, her voice thick with emotion. "I don’t want to lose you. I just don’t know how to fix everything."

You pulled her into an embrace, feeling her stiffen for a moment before she melted against you, letting out a long sigh. "You don’t have to fix everything, Caitlyn," you whispered into her hair. "Just… be here. That’s all I need. I need you, not your duties, not your badge. Just you."

For a long moment, neither of you spoke. The weight of unspoken words hung between you two, but in that silence, there was something profound. It wasn’t perfect, and you knew it wouldn’t always be easy, but you could feel the strength of what you shared—what you were building together.

“I’m here,” Caitlyn murmured, her arms tightening around you. “I promise.”

And for the first time in what felt like forever, you believed her.

Days turned into weeks, and though Caitlyn’s duties would always be a part of her, things between you two began to settle. She learned to make time for the quiet moments, the ones where she could be with you without the weight of Piltover pressing down on her.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Caitlyn sat next to you on the balcony, her hand resting gently in yours. She was still the driven, determined woman you had always known, but now, there was a balance. She had found a way to be with you without losing herself.

And for the first time in a long while, you allowed yourself to believe that maybe—just maybe—this was the beginning of something new.

A future.

Together.