Chapter Text
The sun shines golden in Piltover.
That’s the first thing Vi notices living down there.
Or should she say up? She isn’t really sure.
Jinx is gone.
And Cait is… here, not here. She isn’t sure.
She isn’t present. Vi loves her but she isn’t sure where they’re headed.
Cait is more focused on reforming the Enforcers than discussing their relationship. So Vi’s figuring it out.
But Jinx…
She’d never have her back.
Vi is always on her mind.
Red flashes of pink and white skin blur past her — an old ghost greeting her like this was the old days.
Except…
Vi wasn’t like that anymore.
She was alive now. Jinx was sure of that now.
This wasn’t like before—
When she died—
She couldn’t be.
Jinx shakes her head. Focus. Vi was alive with her Enforcer girlfriend, not dead or in a prison somewhere.
And now she was on a blimp somewhere, flying to Janna knows where… and she was still alone.
The old blood itches under nails and her skin.
She bites her teeth down on old memories and resentment.
She couldn’t be her anymore — not a washed up criminal who still held onto past regrets like a dirty coin.
No, some things are better left dead.
Crisp air tastes like gold to Jinx’s lungs - but she ain’t used to the taste of it yet.
She sees golden stalks of hay and a bright blue sky, like fields of corn or wheat, and the sky as deep as blue as she thought of it being in Janna’s hayday.
Now Jinx was alone — but this time in a new place.
So let’s do this.
Vi looked around — found the familiar faces at Caitlyn’s work place.
Leery, judgmental faces stared back at her. Even now, they still didn’t fully trust her.
(She pretends it doesn’t sting.)
She pretends she’s just there looking for Cait, but her eyes wander to people’s desks — looking for any glimpse of a report signaling where Jinx is.
Even now she waits for her.
A sign. Anything.
Vi sighs. A lock of red hair falls into her eye.
“Vi?”
It’s Caitlyn. Vi forces a smile.
“Hi, Cait.” Where’s Jinx? “Can we go to your office?”
Caitlyn nods yes, then beckons her in.
The door shuts behind her and what Vi thinks is where is she?
You told me she could be alive and now she’s not dead — what am I supposed to think? Either you’re chasing a ghost or I'm crazy. Which one? Cupcake—
She can’t be dead, Vi wants to say. She will be dead—
Vi doesn’t want to say that.
Caitlyn clears her throat, “Vi? What did you want to talk about in here?” Caitlyn casually sits behind her desk. A private office just for her. Somehow Vi doesn’t feel comfortable.
“No — you know — Jinx just —“ Vi clears her throat this time. “Could she really just be… alive?” Vi whispers the last part out loud.
“Yes.” Caitlyn looks so resolute. “That’s what I think anyway.”
“Great.” Vi’s throat and mouth feel like sandpaper. “That’s — great.”
Is it really?
She knew if her sister were here she’d be laughing at her already.
Probably’d smirk too. Her older sister still failing to have faith in her.
But — where was she?
Before Vi could ask, Caitlyn slid the papers of the Hexgate vents across her desk.
In them, Vi could see a clear diagram of the opening and closing of the vents, every exit and entrance.
But she’s not as smart as Caitlyn, not as tough and headstrong as Jinx. She doesn’t understand them, not really.
Caitlyn inclines her head in a nod.
“The papers here indicate that Jinx might have left through the bottom. The explosion—“ here Caitlyn slides the bottom sheet free to place them on top for Vi’s view, “might not have killed her if she escaped from the bottom using her impressive speed.” Here Caitlyn smirks, like she’s in on some joke Vi doesn’t understand.
“That’s how she escaped.”
“What I’m not sure about is how—“
Vi tunes her out.
Sometime between Caitlyn spouting nonsense about the height of the Hexgates and explosions and their impacts, Vi seethes.
Seethes that she can’t have her sister back, even now. Seethes that she had to give up Vander and sacrifice her sister yet again for another missed chance and opportunity.
Sad that there’s no hope left for her.
The truth sinks like a stone in heavy water.
Vi drowns in it.
Meanwhile, Caitlyn is continuing, “So as I’ve calculated, she should be on her way to Demacia now, perhaps Ionia? I doubt she’d want to—“
“Cait. Just stop.” Vi says wearily.
“Are you okay?” There is concern in Caitlyn’s eye, but it’s not enough for Vi right now.
“No I’m not.” And I don’t think I’ll ever be.
Vi leaves her office without another word.
Jinx is leaving halfway to Demacia when she realizes this isn’t what she wants.
So she almost turns back. Almost.
But what did have to lose?
A dead sister — come back from the dead.
A dead father — come back in her head.
Another dead father — back from the grave as a beast.
An Enforcer cupcake who wanted her dead, hunting her for revenge — and, oopsie! Vi’s new girlfriend.
Nothing she can do about that.
But a new start? That might be in the cards for her.
(Not.)
She doesn’t know.
She doesn’t know anything more.
All she knows is… she needs a fresh start.
After that her and Caitlyn suffer through fresh cold being emptied of any warmth between them.
The distance between them grows greater, but also, so does their love.
Vi doesn’t know where they stand — but she doesn’t like it.
Her and Caitlyn are lost, like two ships at sea.
The threat of shipwrecks looms over their heads.
And was Jinx there… somewhere beneath it all?
Was Vi somewhere out there, making a new life for herself too?
Was Jinx… okay?
Vi scowled, hating that she didn’t know anything.
Where her baby sister is, if she’s hurt, if she’s bleeding out somewhere.
And Caitlyn knew. She knew for months before telling her. Wasting precious time. Vi’s hands clench into fists. She could punch something, but that would waste Caitlyn’s precious furniture wouldn’t it?
… No, she shouldn’t think that. Caitlyn was nice to her, kind to her—
But she still betrayed you, didn’t she? When she left.
Memories go by of Caitlyn shooting Jinx’s finger off, threatening a child, hitting her in the gut afterwards….
All cause of her… Jinx.
Leaving her behind because of this feud between her and Jinx. Causing a rift between ‘em.
And was all for nothing.
Vi couldn’t but laugh bitterly.
Her and Jinx were separated, Jinx came out alive through it all… and now what?
She was still here, with Caitlyn, alone in mind if not body.
They were sleeping in separate beds, having separate meals, barely saw each other except dinner time.
Vi hadn’t joined the police force despite Caitlyn pushing it as a good idea, to get her back in action.
It was all too much.
She just wanted it to stop, put her head down and rest beside Jinx.
That’s it.