Chapter Text
Vi tapped the steering wheel in time to the beat of song as she belted it out at the top of the lungs. It was a beautiful day at the beginning of fall and she finally had the time to squeeze in a vacation. Mylo was back from his internship and between him and Claggor, the bar would survive a week without her. She had made them swear not to try anything funny.
The little backcountry road was quiet, lined with tall trees on both sides. A little bumpy, but then again Vi preferred these over the congested highways. The trees thinned out as the road curved on the shoulder of a gentle hill, snaking along a river.
It was such a great feeling to get out of the smoggy city. She only wished she could do this more often, away from the chaos of living with two brothers in a small, cramped house.
Her phone rang. Speak of the devil.
“’Sup, Jinx.”
“Hey Vi! Are you still visiting this week?” Vi checked her dashboard. Jinx sounded too chirpy for ten in the morning. Since when did her sister roll out of bed that early?
“Yeah, sure am. What’s up?”
“Wellll…remember the exchange student I told you about last sem? She’s coming to visit and crashing at my place. That’s okay, right? She might hang around with us when you’re here.”
“Yeah that’s fine. It’s your place,” Vi replied. “Your rules.”
“I don’t want to put you out. I’ll let her have my bed, you’ll take the couch and I’ll sleep on the floor in my room. That good?”
“Yeah, no. I have a foam mat with me, Jinx. If anyone needs to sleep on the floor, I can do it. It’s comfortable enough for me.”
“Nah. Not in my house. My house, my rules, right?”
Vi laughed. “Yeah. Alright. Lux, right? Wasn’t she back in Demacia?”
“Yeah, Lux. Okay, cool! See ya! Bye!” Jinx hung up before Vi could get another word in. Very suspicious indeed.
As the road descended back into an avenue of trees, she noticed a figure standing by the roadside, arm out and thumb up in the universal sign of a hitchhiker. She watched as the blue sedan in the distance sped past without a second thought. Vi slowed down as she considered her options. The hitchhiker was a tall young lady with cobalt blue hair and a medium-sized pack strapped on her back. It was a strange place to be hitchhiking from, but she might have very valid reasons to be standing by the side of a little rural road. At any rate, she didn’t much look like a serial killer, and if she was really stranded here, she might be in serious trouble.
Vi slowed to a stop and pulled over on the shoulder. The woman approached cautiously as Vi rolled down her tinted windows. Her relief at seeing Vi was obvious.
“Good afternoon,” the woman said in a posh Piltover accent. The accent suited the way she stood and the way she was dressed, Vi decided. That blouse and those boots were not cheap.
“Where are you headed?” Vi asked, lowering her sunglasses to see properly in the shade.
“To the nearest town in whichever direction is convenient for you,” the woman said meekly.
Vi checked the map she had thrown carelessly on the passenger seat. “There’s a small town about 45 minutes away. I could take you that far.”
“Really?” She split into a sunny, gap-toothed grin.
“Yeah. Hop in.” The woman slipped gracefully into the shotgun seat, dropping her bag by her feet.
“You can put that behind,” Vi said, noticing that the woman’s long legs slightly cramped up by the seat. “Or shift the seat.”
“It’s okay. I’m Caitlyn,” the woman said as she pushed the seat further back.
“Vi. Nice to meet you.” Vi pulled away from the shoulder and started the drive. “So, what happened?”
Caitlyn sighed, tossing her long hair behind her shoulder. “I was supposed to go car camping with my girlfriend. We got into an argument and she ditched me there.”
Vi whistled. “Wow. That’s psychotic.”
“Yeah well. I found out she was cheating and obviously didn’t choose a good time to confront her.”
Vi shrugged. “But still. Leaving someone stranded in the middle of nowhere is really, really terrible.”
Caitlyn worried at her lip. “Thanks for picking me up. I’ve been waiting for more than an hour for someone to show up. And my phone is dead. Do you mind if I charge it?”
“Go ahead. It’s all good. Gotta help those in need right?” Vi settled in for a long drive.
Fifteen minutes in, the ride was broken up by a shrill ringing of Caitlyn’s phone. Caitlyn looked at the number and frowned when she picked up.
“Hello?”
She listened intently.
“What do you mean ‘where are you’. How dare you ditch me in the middle of nowhere? You were gonna come back for me? You expect me to wait hours for you to tell me it was a prank? No, no. You’re the one who cheated. You don’t get to be angry at me for bringing it up. What? No of course not. What do you think? We are fucking over, that’s what. Fuck off. Goodbye.”
Vi kept her eyes on the road.
“Good riddance,” Caitlyn said with a huff.
“Been dating long?”
“Just shy of a year. We were in Zaun visiting her friends. And then she was going to take me on a car camping trip.”
“Well. I guess it’s a good thing you discovered that she’s a psycho on day one.”
“Mmhmm. I just never believed she could do that to me.”
“The cheating? Or the ditching?”
“Both,” Caitlyn murmured. “Either.”
Vi sneaked a sidelong glance at Caitlyn. Her lips were pursed and fixed on the road ahead.
“Anyway, thanks again for the ride.”
“Sure thing."
“No buses,” Vi said.
“No buses,” Caitlyn confirmed, in between gulps of water. Her ex hadn’t even left her with any water before abandoning her on the side of the road. What a dick. Vi shook her head.
They had asked around at the local gas station and checked with the local tourist office. There were no buses out of here in off-peak season.
“Is there anyone else you know from Zaun?” Vi asked. Caitlyn shook her head. “Is there anyone in Piltover who’d drive down to get you? It’s a 6-hour drive each way, but it’s an emergency.”
Caitlyn bit her lip. “My parents are visiting Ionia for the week and Jayce is away at a conference, so, no.” She heaved a sigh. “Don’t worry about it.” She slung her bag over her shoulder and shut the door. “I’ll find the closest motel and hole up for a week. By then, Jayce should be back and he come and get me.”
“Come on,” Vi gestured. “I’ll give you a ride.”
The closest motel was a good 20-minute drive outside of the little village. Vi watched as Caitlyn disappeared into the reception and came out with a frown. “They’re fully booked. There’s a local band -- The Sumprats I think, playing here for the next few days. She also helped me call a couple of other motels, but they’re all out. Seems like the band is huge. Locally.”
Vi raised her eyebrows. They sat in silence for a good minute, before Vi asked, “what now?”
Caitlyn sighed. “I don’t know, but I’ll handle it. Maybe keep hitchhiking until I get to Piltover?” She pulled the door handle in preparation to get out.
“Wait.” Vi drummed her fingers on her steering wheel as she thought it over. She studied Caitlyn for a long minute as she made up her mind. “Look, I’m going to Piltover in two days. If you want to come along for the ride, you can, but I do have an itinerary that I want to complete. Tonight I’m sleeping up in some dorm and tomorrow I’m going to go car-camping in Graves National Park. We’ll get to Piltover the day after.”
Caitlyn hesitated. “I wouldn’t – I don’t want to impose.”
“You don’t seem like a serial killer, and hitchhiking all the way back sounds hard,” Vi’s brow furrowed. “It’s just three days. I do have ground rules though.”
“Rules?”
“No whining. I’ll be doing a hike every day and you don’t have to go if you don’t want to. But you’re not allowed to whine about it.”
“Done.”
“Be punctual. I’ve got a couple of things I want to do, and I don’t want to be late, given the limited daylight.”
“Done.”
“If you don’t like something, say so. Don’t just keep it in. We’ll pass by a few more small towns and if you want out at any point, say so. I’d drop you off at the nearest hotel or something.”
“Okay.”
Vi squinted at her. “You in?”
Caitlyn nodded shyly.
“Well if you want to take pictures of me, or my car or my license for safety reasons, I’d be happy to oblige. Please don’t send them to any weird sites though.”
Caitlyn thought about it, and then took a quick picture of Vi holding her license. She sent them to Jayce with a caption ‘I’ll explain later’.
“Welcome on board,” Vi grinned.
Caitlyn sneaked another glance at her saviour.
When she had desperately flagged down the car, she was in the grip of growing panic, anger and fear. She couldn’t believe Dylan had tricked her into stepping out of the car – and also furious with herself for falling for it. When Dylan hadn’t come back after ten minutes, she knew she was in trouble.
How had she never seen what a prick Dylan was?
When she had first met Dylan at a party a year ago, she had been immediately seduced by her confidence. She knew exactly what she wanted and worked towards that with a single-minded focus. In that case, it had been Caitlyn. Caitlyn had never felt so desired in her life, and she had, gullibly, fallen for it.
There was no indication that Dylan was anything less than faithful. She visited Zaun frequently for ‘family and friends’ – so frequently that she kept an old apartment in Zaun while splitting the rent with Caitlyn in Piltover. Despite that, this was Caitlyn’s first time in Zaun with Dylan, and only because she had been insistent about finally visiting her girlfriend’s hometown. Caitlyn discovered the unpleasant truth when she found a pair of lacy panties under the bed and then saw the several messages on Dylan’s phone arranging for hookups dating back more than a year.
Caitlyn snorted. Family and friends. Yeah right.
“Sorry, what did you say?” Vi asked.
“Oh nothing. Just thinking about what an idiot I was.”
Her saviour, right. She genuinely didn’t expect this – that the person who picked her up would be so hot and yet so cool. She was dressed in a muscle tee and board shorts, showing off her chiseled biceps and black sports bra. Her undercut magenta hair was swept casually to the side. She had the most captivating mischievous gray eyes, which Caitlyn had gotten a glimpse of when she had lowered her sunglasses.
But the best part was that Vi seemed like a genuinely nice person.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. Some people are just good liars. At least you discovered it before you did the whole U-Haul thing.”
“The U-Haul?” Caitlyn looked at her blankly.
“You know, the U-Haul?” Vi gesticulated with one hand while keeping the other on the steering wheel. “The stereotype? No?”
“Uh no,” Caitlyn fidgeted with a blush. “I’m new to this whole lesbian dating thing.”
“Oh.”
“Dylan was my first…well everything.”
“Wow. That sucks even more,” Vi gave her a sympathetic smile.
Caitlyn let out a small sigh. “But well, don’t let me get you down. So what do you have planned for the next three days?”
“I’m going to do today I’m driving up to the Alistar Lake trailhead. There’s a short hike up to Babette’s where I’ve got a room booked. We’ll call ahead and see if they’ve got a bed for you. Tomorrow I’m headed to the Irelia Waterfalls. And we’ll car camp. The day after I’m going to do a short one to some waterfalls and then its all the way to Piltover. If you don’t want to do the hike, I can drop you off at a café at the nearest town or something and come back and get you at the end of the day,” Vi offered. “If you don’t want to camp, there are some motels nearby you can stay at instead. I won’t leave you behind,” she added quickly. “Scout’s honor.”
Vi's generosity was so unexpected and incredible that it took her aback. She hadn't expect the other woman to go out of her way to accommodate her. Out loud, she said “we had planned to go on some walks anyway. So this will be sort of the same itinerary in much better company.” She flashed Vi a smile.
“Alright. Let me call ahead.” Vi made the call as Caitlyn looked out of the window and marveled at the scenery. “Forty for a bed okay with you? It’s a dormitory with a shared bathroom.”
“Sure,” Caitlyn shrugged, acting like she knew exactly what Vi was talking about. Truth be told, her family vacations had consisted of luxury hotels, hired drivers and carefully planned itineraries. They had never included a beat-up old SUV and a trust-me level of planning. They certainly didn’t include Vi.
“Alright, she’s got a space for you.”
Her phone rang again. This time, Jayce’s name flashed across the screen.
“Hey Jayce.”
“Caitlyn? Are you alright?” The man sounded winded, like he had just run a mile. “I just saw your messages. That’s terrible Cait! Where are you? Do you still need help?”
She heard a hubbub of voices in the background.
“Well I got picked up by the woman in the picture I sent to you. She’s giving me a ride to Piltover and we should get there by Thursday morning.”
“Is she…safe?”
“I think so. Seems nice.” She chanced a glance at Vi, who kept her eyes on the road, fingers drumming in time to the music.
“Okay, that’s a relief. Call me if anything comes up, I’m going to be glued to my phone.” He paused for a second. “I always thought Dylan didn’t seem like a nice person. A real…” he struggled for the right word, “sleazy dirtbag. She doesn’t deserve you, Cait.”
“So I’ve realised,” Caitlyn said heavily.
“Call me if you just want to talk or whatever. Have a safe trip back to Piltover. Let’s get dinner the moment I get back,” Jayce suggested.
“Okay, alright. Bye!”
“He got all my details?” Vi asked.
“Yeah.”
“Good. You know, you really shouldn’t be getting into cars with random strangers,” Vi said with mock seriousness.
“You’re not a stranger anymore,” Caitlyn chuckled as she looked at Vi’s ID. “That picture is doing you no favours.”
“I was hungover,” Vi complained. “Nobody looks good on their IDs. Can you imagine a dating site with only ID pictures? That would be hilarious.”
Caitlyn grinned as she felt the early afternoon sun on her face. Maybe this trip wouldn’t be so bad after all.
Vi double-checked her stuff and slammed the boot shut. She slung the backpack over her shoulders and led the way to the trailhead.
“Okay. Let’s go.”
“Where did you say it was again?” Caitlyn’s long legs allowed her to effortlessly keep up with Vi. Vi hadn’t realized how tall Caitlyn was until she got out of the car. She was, in fact, a couple of inches taller. It was one of the many genetic gifts Caitlyn had. Vi wrestled her thoughts away from the gutter.
“It’s about an hour and a half in. They’ve built a small inn overlooking the valley. It’s beautiful, trust me.”
Caitlyn grinned and shouldered her bag. “Okay,” she said simply and started walking.
The trail was quiet, just the way she liked it. The trail was rocky and uneven, but nothing too challenging. She could tell that Caitlyn wasn’t used to walks like these, but she wasn’t doing too badly. Caitlyn set a good pace and Vi followed closely behind. Vi hadn’t been back here since Jinx started school. The last time she was here, she had been on Jinx’s meticulously planned and highly specific ‘All-Out Summer Trip’. Jinx had assured that it was going to be awesome, and she was right. It had been a blast.
Vi missed her immensely.
“So, uh, if you don’t mind me asking, what do you do?” Caitlyn asked as she stepped carefully over some uneven rocks.
“I own a bar in Zaun,” Vi replied.
“Oh, that’s incredible! How did you get into the business?”
“Kinda just fell into it. It was my dad’s bar.” It would always be Vander’s bar in her head. Vi didn’t mention that when he died suddenly in a car accident and left the bar to her, she knew nothing about managing the bar. She didn’t mention that she had dropped all her college plans and rejected all her offers to run that bar, clear their mortgage and send her siblings to school. She definitely didn’t mention that she hated that bar with a passion. “It’s challenging but can be interesting on some days.”
“So cool!”
“What about you?” Vi deflected.
“I’m quite boring. I’m a lawyer, working for the prosecutor’s office in Piltover,” Caitlyn said with a shrug like it was no big deal.
“Lawyer huh. Busy?”
“Very.”
“I’m flattered you’re spending your vacation days with me then.” Vi said cheekily.
Caitlyn responded with a laugh. The trail started to climb sharply, and they focused their energy on walking rather than talking. The brush around her thinned out and as they climbed, and the valley spread out behind them.
Just when Vi was beginning to think that there was no end to the climb, the trail flattened out, and then came to a section of large rocks, sloping gently upwards. Caitlyn hesitated, and then began scrambling over the rocks, using her hands to pull herself up and over. Vi waited patiently as she navigated the rocks and then swiftly stepped over the rocks, each foot placed precisely, her thighs providing enough power to step high and without ever needing her hands.
Caitlyn had turned back to watch her masterful climb, open admiration in her eyes. Vi had to admit that felt a little nice.
“You do this a lot?”
Vi laughed. “Used to, when I was younger. Nowadays, not so much.”
“I’m not much of a hiker,” Caitlyn said. “I’ve always wanted to try but I never found the time.”
“You know, I’m beginning to see more and more positives to you dumping your ex in the middle of Route 121.”
To her relief, Caitlyn chuckled.
They continued down the trail, which sloped gently upwards. At length, the trail became wider and flatter and they crested another short hill to see the inn just below them. The inn was an old wooden 2-storey building that sat on the edge of a crystal blue lake. From here, she could see every shade of blue in the water, blending into copper as it neared the shallows. On the other side of the inn was a forested valley, bordered on all sides by tall mountains.
“Wow.”
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Vi pushed her sunglasses up onto her head and mopped the sweat from her brow.
“That is the most beautiful lake I have ever seen,” Caitlyn breathed. “It’s so blue!”
Vi chuckled. “Let’s stop for a break, and then we can see if Babette still has that old boat of hers.”
“Vi! I’ll handle this.” A middle-aged woman with a messy updo shooed away her younger staff at the reception. “How are you? Where have you been? We missed you last summer!”
Vi grinned. “Business has been busy. How are you, Babette? Holding up well?”
“As well as can be, all things considered. Getting old takes all the fun out of everything. Taking the dorms again?” Her eyes drifted over to Caitlyn and then back to Vi. She raised an eyebrow and Vi rolled her eyes. Babette shook her head, tutting under her breath and looked back at her computer. “I’ve got a free room. So you get a free upgrade.” She placed the key on the counter.
“Thanks Babette! You’re the best!” Vi grabbed proffered key.
“Don’t forget when I come into town! Free drinks!”
Vi laughed as she took the steps two at a time. The room was a twin room on the second floor overlooking the lake. Caitlyn was clearly enchanted by the cozy rustic décor and the simple wooden furnishings. She immediately opened the windows, gazing at the lake in awe. Behind the lake were sheer gray mountains, casting their perfect reflection on the still water. She took a deep breath of the fresh air.
Vi had seen this plenty of times, but it was clearly all new to Caitlyn.
“It’s so peaceful,” Caitlyn stuck her head out of the window to look around.
“Yeah, it gets crowded in the summer, but it’s mostly empty off-peak. Babette has been here for thirty years or something. She says she fell in love with the lake and never left.”
“I can understand the sentiment,” Caitlyn murmured.
Vi cleared her throat. “Check out’s at 10 am tomorrow, but let’s leave by 9. In the meantime, feel free to do whatever you want. I’m going to get changed, and then head out. There should be cell reception here. So, enjoy!”
Caitlyn sat on a bench by the lake, a coffee in hand. She had changed into her shorts and flip-flops to enjoy the warm day. This was just what her hectic life in Piltover was missing. Grayson was a great boss, but there was just so much to do and so few of them. The money was reasonably good, and really what was the point of making money if she never got to spend it? She had daydreamed about exploring the world with Dylan, trying new experiences together, but that was all now just a moot point.
Good riddance, she told herself firmly.
This place was magnificent. This was the bluest lake she had ever seen. She felt the tension draining out of her shoulders and the peace seep into her soul. Forget about Dylan. Just enjoy the present. She glanced up at the imposing peaks. Sometimes, it was just nice to think about how insignificant her problems were – how insignificant she was – compared to these unmovable giants. In a hundred years she would be gone, but they would still be huddled here, watching over the lake.
The only thing that could make this better is having someone to enjoy it with, she thought idly. That thought immediately spoilt her mood. Caitlyn had never been lucky in love. She was felt too awkward. Her frame was too gangly, her nose was too prominent. When the other girls in class were comparing valentines’ day cards and tittering over some guy or another, she would instead have her nose in a book. Nobody bothered asking her out. Not until Dylan. And look how that turned out, she thought sourly.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a small boat paddling along the shore of the lake, coming towards her.
“Hey! Caitlyn! Want a ride?” Vi called from the small rowboat.
Vi looked at Caitlyn as she smoothly pulled on the oars, putting her legs and back into it. Unlike scrambling, she had clearly done this before. Her strokes were strong and smooth, hands gripping on to the heavy wooden oars with ease.
The color of the sky reflected off the water exactly matched her eyes, Vi thought, but didn’t say anything. Wouldn’t want to come off as a creep. And besides, Caitlyn was probably mourning her relationship, even if it had ended badly.
They drifted to the centre of the lake and Caitlyn pulled in the oars. Vi flopped down on the narrow bench with a satisfied grunt. A second later, Caitlyn followed suite.
“Wonderful day today.”
Vi snorted. It was extremely Piltovian to start talking about the weather. She could’ve sworn nothing more interesting than that happened up there.
“So, did you enjoy Zaun?” Vi closed her eyes and asked.
“Apart from the whole fiasco with my ex, yes,” Caitlyn said. “It’s such a vibrant, lively city. There’s always something happening somewhere. Piltover’s a lot less active.”
“First time in Zaun?”
“Yeah. She’d always brush me off when I wanted to visit…” Caitlyn trailed off.
“Shame. Not all Zaunites are like that by the way,” Vi stretched and curled on the bench to face Caitlyn. “Your ex was just a psycho.”
“Mmm. Yeah. Are you from Zaun?”
Vi laughed because she had to be the most stereotypical Zaunite alive. “Born and bred,” she grinned.
“Ever been to Piltover?”
“Three times, actually. My sister’s studying in Pilt U.”
“What’s she studying?”
“One of the engineerings. She’s got the brains, I got the brawn,” Vi said and flexed with a chuckle.
Caitlyn’s eyes trailed down to her arms before they snapped back up and she blushed at being caught.
“Don’t put yourself down. It takes plenty of smarts to run a bar,” Caitlyn murmured. Vi tucked her hands behind her head and settled on her back. The boat twirled in the water as it drifted peacefully, pushed by the gentle wind. The puffy clouds hung ponderously in the blue sky.
“You come here every summer?”
“I haven’t been back since my sister started college, but my dad used to bring us here every summer.”
“I can see why. It’s a beautiful place.”
“It is,” Vi agreed, drowsily.
The next thing she knew, she was waking up to her grumbling stomach. She checked her watch. It was six, nearly dinner time. She glanced over at Caitlyn, who was still fast asleep.
“Hey. Cait.” That got no response. “Cupcake.”
Vi sighed, reaching over the side of the boat and wetting her hands. “Hey Cupcake!” She flicked cold water directly at Caitlyn’s face.
“Woah what the hell –” Caitlyn jerked awake to Vi’s muffled laughter.
“Sorry, fell asleep,” she said sheepishly.
“Me too. Just so you know I wasn’t watching you sleep like a creep,” Vi added and Caitlyn snorted.
“Ready to head back?”
“Sure,” Caitlyn said began to row. They stopped the boat at the short wooden pier and tied it in securely, Vi watching Caitlyn closely as she nimbly tied the hitch knot. As they neared the house, Caitlyn’s phone rang shrilly.
She checked her phone and scowled. “Hello?”
She waited a beat as the person on the other side went into a rant. “Look, we’re over. How long have you been cheating? No, I don’t believe you. I saw messages all the way from last year. Yes, I snooped in your phone. I’m not going to apologize. I found her lingerie under the bed. It's not even my size! No, goodbye,” Caitlyn said savagely.
“I’ll head in first and wash-up before dinner,” Vi said quietly, not wanting to intrude on Caitlyn’s privacy.
“I’ll come too. I –” The phone rang again. Caitlyn growled and picked up, mouthing ‘go ahead’. Vi gave her a quick wave as she left in the direction of the inn. “—going to block your number if ---“ Snippets of the conversation reached her as the fight escalated in volume.
“-- hated all those things about me, why did you stick around?”
Vi glanced behind at the lone figure standing on the short wooden pier, phone clutched to her ear, the other hand hugging her waist. She sounded angry but her voice was on the verge of breaking.
“Oh yeah? If you think I’m worthless, why did you tell me you loved me?”
Dinner at the inn was a quiet affair. Babette’s kitchen made all the standard Zaunite dishes. It was simple, hearty, but wasn’t anything to write home about. Caitlyn ordered the venison and Vi the fish, just so they could share and try both dishes.
“Any drinks?” Babette asked. She had taken it upon herself to serve them personally, even though Vi had insisted that it was unnecessary.
“I’ll have a red, house wine,” Caitlyn said.
“Excellent choice. And you?”
Vi looked at the prices. It wasn’t too expensive, given that Babette had to have everything supplied by helicopter. But one less drink meant more for Jinx, Mylo and Claggor, and one more step to getting free of the bar.
Caitlyn reached over and touched her hand. “I’m buying this meal. I insist,” Caitlyn said firmly, cutting through all of Vi’s protests. “It’s the least I could do after you basically saved me. And are giving me a ride home.” Seeing the questioning look on Babette’s face, she added, “my ex dumped me at the roadside. If it wasn’t for Vi I’d probably still be stuck there.”
“Your ex is a psycho,” Babette tutted sympathetically.
“That’s what I said,” Vi muttered, still mulling it over.
“Look, I’d love to buy you a meal,” Caitlyn said with a charming smile.
“Okay,” Vi relented. “I’ll have a white.”
“Excellent.” Babette nodded sagely. “How are you getting home?”
“Vi’s giving me a ride back to Piltover.”
“Glad to hear that. That’s Vi for you, heart of gold,” Babette said.
“I’m right here,” Vi interjected.
“And you need to hear that more often,” Babette clucked her tongue. “Well, honey, you’re in good hands with Vi. She’ll get you there. I’m so sorry to hear about what happened but I do hope you enjoy your stay here and the rest of your trip.”
“Thanks,” Caitlyn said brightly. “It’s already been great. I do love your place,” she said dreamily, casting admiring looks around the aged furnishings.
“It is my pride and joy,” Babette said with a warm smile. As she collected the menus, Vi expected more waggling eyebrows. Instead, all she got was a firm and pointed nod from her.
They ate in companionable silence, with Caitlyn speaking occasionally to offer Vi part of her venison, and then to sample the red. In turn, Vi offered her the good part of the fish and to try the white. Dinner concluded with another two glasses of red for Caitlyn and a complimentary chocolate lava cake, which Caitlyn had insisted on paying for to support ‘this fine establishment’. After the cake, there were another two glasses in quick succession, before Caitlyn called for the bill.
By the time they headed upstairs, Vi was feeling extremely full and ready for bed. Caitlyn was flushed from having five glasses of wine but, all things considered, otherwise rather unaffected. She changed and threw her clothes in a haphazard pile next to her bag. It was a good day all around, Vi decided contentedly, stretching out on one of the beds. She glanced at the other woman. Caitlyn had changed into her sleepwear – a strappy tank top and loose pants – and sat down on her own bed, occasionally staring at her phone like it was radioactive. She had been quiet since the fight with her ex, surrounded by a distinct air of disappointment and sadness.
“You know, the lake isn’t even the best part of Babette’s inn.”
“It’s not?” Caitlyn neatly folded her clothes for the next day and placed them next to her bag.
“It’s not. Give it a couple of hours. If you’re still awake then, I’ll show you.”
“Watch your—” Caitlyn tripped on the uneven floor, only for Vi to catch and steady her.
They were navigating their way through Babette’s inn by moonlight. Vi had insisted on not bringing a flashlight so as not to ‘destroy their night vision’, whatever that meant. Vi led her towards the front door, holding her loosely by the wrist. Vi shouldered open the heavy front door, checking first that it wouldn’t lock them out.
“Been locked out accidentally before. It was not a fun night,” she explained.
Outside, the moonlight was much brighter reflecting off the surface of the lake. But the most magical thing was the multitude of twinkling stars overhead.
Caitlyn was a city girl. Even their lakeside home was part of a bustling town bordering on Lake Zeri, the closest lake to Piltover. At night, they would see the shores of the lake bordered by a whole stretch of houses as far as the eye could see. She had always thought that the paintings and poems about the stars in their multitude was a romantic exaggeration. But now, looking up, she had to admit that all those corny songs and dreamy poems were right. There was nothing quite like a sky full of stars.
Vi was watching her with an expectant smirk.
“It’s good right?”
“It’s so pretty.”
Vi took a seat on a nearby bench and Caitlyn sat next to her, huddling close. The air was cool, almost chilly, and Caitlyn was wearing only a light jacket and her sleepwear. “I’ve never seen so many stars.”
“Yeah. The air quality is really bad in Zaun, so you’d been lucky to see a single one.”
“If I knew this place existed in my two-hour radius, I would be up here every weekend.”
Vi chuckled. “Unfortunately I’m usually swamped with work. It’s usually just work and sleep. Things are always breaking. Everything always needs more money. There’s not much time for me. Or for anyone else.”
“That’s a shame,” Caitlyn rested her head on Vi’s shoulder. “You deserve a break once in a while.”
“So do you. Tough luck with your ex.”
Perhaps it was the five glasses of wine getting to her head. Or perhaps it was Dylan’s voice in her head, calling her worthless, calling her a bad lay, an easy lay, calling her selfish, inattentive, awkward and self-absorbed. Perhaps it was Dylan’s voice, telling her that she was demanding, that she was insecure, that she cried too easily. Because despite being a tough, go-getter, high achieving lawyer, Caitlyn was a romantic idealist at heart and the only person who knew that had thrown it back in her face. Even if she knew that none of what Dylan said was true, it was impossible for it not to hurt. Perhaps it was just the night air and starry sky that made her want to throw caution to the wind. To be impulsive, and prove to herself that all those nasty things were not true.
And she figured she had nothing to lose but her dignity.
Caitlyn looked Vi dead in the eye and asked, “can I kiss you?”
Vi gave a tiny, almost imperceptible nod.
Vi met her in the middle. The kiss was slow, gentle but so consuming. It was so different from kissing Dylan, who preferred it rough, who took everything as a competition for dominance. Vi cupped her cheek, encouraging her, following her lead. She parted her lips to give access to Caitlyn’s tongue, allowing her to explore Vi however she wanted.
Vi was intoxicating, and Caitlyn wanted more. She swung her leg around to straddle Vi's lap. When her hips twitched, Vi broke the kiss and pulled back, hands curled respectfully around Caitlyn’s waist.
“Um. Are you sure? You had a bad break up.”
Caitlyn was panting lightly. She closed her eyes and took a shuddering breath. Everything in her was screaming to keep going, but she closed her eyes and tried to centre herself as Vi rambled on.
“Not that I don’t think you’re hot, because you’re possibly the hottest woman I’ve ever had in my lap. But, Cupcake, you’ve had nearly a whole bottle of wine and a bad day. I don’t want you to regret it tomorrow.”
Caitlyn took a deep breath and leaned her forehead against Vi’s. “You’re right. You’re probably right. For the record I think you’re pretty hot yourself. But you’re probably right.”
“But if you want, I’m still open for hugs.”
Caitlyn shuffled closer until she was chest-to-chest with Vi, arms around her neck and her chin on Vi’s shoulder. Vi’s arms came up to envelope her in a warm embrace. She couldn’t stop the sigh that escaped her.
“This is nice,” Caitlyn commented.
“It is,” Vi agreed, voice muffled by Caitlyn's shoulder. “Everything will be okay.”
She held on tight as she felt Caitlyn sob into her shoulder, accompanied only by a lonely silence.