Chapter Text
A red and yellow, dusty haze covered the field like infection in a wound. The cries of pain and shock rang out in a discordant choir. What happened here?
A child, a flash of blue, a family broken. Caitlyn’s mind raced over what was somehow the events of only the past few minutes as she gingerly lifted herself off the ground. Blinking ash from her stinging eyes, she gazed toward the center of the destruction. Like always, Hextech spared nothing and no one. Where the young girl once stood laid a scorched helmet, scribbled with vibrant colors of dreams and laughter never to be realized.
“I-Isha? No, no, no, no!” Jinx cried out, slightly muffled as she struggled to get out from under Vi’s grasp. She ran haphazardly through the rubble and bodies before grabbing and clutching the helmet to her chest like a lifeline.
“Jinx” The weak cry from Vi quickly dragged Caitlyn’s attention from Jinx’s sobbing to the hunched over and smoldering figure. Eyes widening, she stumbled over herself, rushing to reach her side.
“Vi? Vi!” Caitlyn placed her palm against Vi’s cheek, surprised when Vi leaned into her hand before pitching sideways and collapsing.
“Vi!” Caitlyn yelled in panic, both hands cupping Vi’s face as her eyes became glazed and unfocused.
“C-Cait… Jinx?” Vi croaked out. Caitlyn whipped her head around, trying to spot a hint of the blue braids burned into her mind. Jinx remained on her knees, clutching the helmet of a sister gone too soon.
“Jinx! Vi… She needs you” Caitlyn called out. Jinx’s tear-filled, neon eyes met hers in an instant, brows furrowing before spotting Vi’s body in her arms. In a flash, Jinx appeared on Vi’s opposite side, helmet still in her grasp.
“Vi? Vi, you stupid… why did you do that?” Jinx cried out, hands hovering above the burnt skin covering her sister’s back. It was only then that Caitlyn managed to understand the full scope of Vi’s injury. The spear wound on her abdomen continued its languid weeping of blood down her side, creating a small pool beneath her form. Vi’s back now reflected the environment surrounding them. The leather jacket she had been wearing had mostly been burned off into ash save for 2 patches around her shoulder blades where it had melted into her already seared skin. In a fugue, Caitlyn reached toward her back, her fingers just barely brushing Vi’s back.
“Gah - Fuck!” Vi’s scream was followed by heavy pants and Cait’s rapidly increasing heart rate. She looked up towards the fighter’s sister and saw a similar state of panic and shock take hold.
“Vi… Vi, what do we do? Tell me what to do” The brawler’s sister begged for direction while tapping her cheek to keep her ever-glazing eyes focused. The latter sister winced, closing her eyes before using the arm not wrapped around her wound to push herself up.
“Are you daft? She needs a medic, a doctor, a hospital!” Caitlyn spat, Jinx’s past actions resurfacing in her mind.
“If you hadn’t noticed, we just lost the 2 main healers down here” Jinx gestured towards the main structure’s blown out roof as well as the surrounding carnage.
“I have- I have supplies at the apartment. Enough to patch me up at least” Vi spoke through gritted teeth. Only then did it occur to Caitlyn that Vi may not even be aware of the severity of her back injury. She glanced up over Vi’s head towards Jinx whose forehead creased in confusion at her sister’s words, her gaze flitting between Vi’s face and her smoldering back. Caitlyn let out a soft, but short exhale, rewarding her with a sudden shift of Jinx’s attention to her.
She doesn’t need to know. She shouldn’t know. It can only make things worse, Cait thinks as she gives a curt short shake of her head, subtly gesturing to Vi’s back. Jinx’s eyes narrowed and Cait is worried for a moment that she is going to cause Vi even more panic.
“Alright sis. I remember the way if your Piltie shadow wants to follow along.” Jinx said, arm already bracing under Vi’s shoulder. Cait let the insult slide seeing as there were more pressing issues at hand. Caitlyn followed Jinx’s lead, taking Vi’s other side in her grasp. Holstering the sniper rifle on her back, she pressed her free hand against the leaking wound, earning a pained grunt.
“I’m sorry Vi, but I need you to stay awake and with us. I know it hurts, but please promise me you won’t fall asleep. Can you do that?” Caitlyn inquired softly as the pit in her stomach consumed any authority that question may have had. Vi tilted her head to look at her, dark circles hanging from her half-lidded eyes, and gave a small nod.
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Vi was somewhat thankful for the pain as it kept her grounded despite the blurring of the world around her. At some point - was it a few minutes? An hour? - the silence that hung over the trio broke as they finally reached the outskirts of the former commune grounds and current graveyard.
“So, you get what you wanted, siding with that crazed warlord?”
Vi felt herself jolt as Caitlyn suddenly stopped in her tracks, pulling Jinx to a stop only a step or two away.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. You took control of those dirty trenchers and stopped that vile herald from healing anyone who might fight back. Big congratulations, Sheriff!” Vi winced at the venom and malice dripping from her sister’s voice.
Caitlyn scoffs, “I owe you nothing. Don’t think for a second I’ve forgotten your heinous actions.”
“Pfft, don’t you know? I’m rehabilitated now. That’s what a… a kid…” Vi felt the way her sister’s body went rigid, the image of Isha with bolts of blue lightning erratically crackling around her filling her mind. She stumbled slightly as Jinx’s whole body seemed to react to an invisible hit.
“Shut up”
“I didn’t say anything”
“Not everything is about you, Commander”
“No, it’s about all of the innocent people you’ve killed in your mourning tantrum! Oh, how could I be mistaken? You dance on their graves with pride, I’m sure.”
“Shut up!” Both Jinx and Caitlyn fell silent, surprised by Vi’s sudden outburst. Vi gasped, the exertion of just that one phrase leaving her winded. Caitlyn’s hand made small, mollifying circles on her shoulder as apologies spilled from her lips. She could also hear a quiet, small apology slip from her sister’s lips as she brought her body closer to her own. Vi became suddenly aware of a cold sensation emanating from her side despite the burning hot pain radiating from her back.
Shit
“Not sure I can keep that promise, Cupcake” Vi muttered out in slurred words. She could feel her eyes growing impossibly heavy.
“Vi? Vi, stay aw-”
“Come on, sis. We’re almost-”
Vi couldn’t help but smile. If worse came to worst, she’d fall asleep to voices of those she loved and wake up to the faces of lost loved ones.