Chapter Text
Vi cursed, throwing her wrench aside. There was no point in trying to fix the old piece of junk Vander seemed to have a soft spot for, but it was sitting in the garage for too many months now and he refused to take it to a shop, insisting he could fix it himself. The way he’d gotten the old truck in - she had no idea how - but if she could get it up and running and move it just one foot over, she could fit her bike in next to it. Thief rates had gone up in this part of town recently. Some folks just don’t think buying a new holiday gift was a good idea and thought stealing it and gifting it as “used” would be better. Which Vi can’t really argue with, she’s definitely stolen stuff in the past but how do you get away with three cars?
She wipes her face with the hem of her tank top. Despite it being early December the garage is broiling with the space heater that only has one setting. It was either this or freeze in a hoodie, and Vi doesn’t like shaky fingers while she works. She grabs the rag hanging from her shoulder and wipes the grease from her hands the best she can before going inside. If it doesn’t come off on the towel, it won't come off on the doorknobs, Vander had told her.
When she opened the door into the small house, she smelled stew. Her stomach growled and she realized she hadn’t eaten since yesterday. Or maybe it was the day before. Vander stood in the small kitchen, only separated from the living room by the difference in tile and rug. Claggor and Mylo sat on the dingy brown couch, the TV laid face down on the carpet with the back taken off. Whether it had broken or they were trying to add something to it, she couldn’t tell at first glance. Powder came in as Vi shut the door.
“Vi! Can you take me for a ride? I need to make a stop at the bodega.” She wandered in from down the hall, hoodie hanging loose from her shoulders, hair in her signature braids she used when she was too focused to do any health maintenance.
“You sure? I can just pick it up for you. It’s too cold and you don’t have a winter jacket of your own yet.” Vi surveyed the work Mylo and Claggor were doing, watching them tinker with the motherboard, messing with the capacitors. She was sure that wasn’t safe, but nothing they’d done had blown up yet.
“Actually yeah, I’m in the middle of something if you can just pick up some chips and sodas. I’ll pay you back later.” Powder rushed up, giving her a tight hug before turning to look at the TV as well. “You shouldn’t mess with the capacitors, you just need a new motherboard, it’s completely shot after the storm.” She turned and scurried off to her room before Mylo could tell her ‘shove a capacitor where the sun don’t shine’.
Vi turned to Vander who was stirring the stew religiously. “Need anything while I’m out? Roads might freeze soon. Salters are slacking lately.”
Vander shook his head, “Not right now, but tell Benzo he’s welcome to come by if the heat goes out at the shop again. I keep telling him he can crash the couch but he insists that the little closet in the shop is fine.”
“I’ll pass the word along.” Vi went back to her and Powder’s shared room, grabbing a hoodie. She fit some leggings under her jeans - nothing was spared when it came to being warm on the bike. She grabbed the new gloves Powder had gotten her for her birthday. After too many times seeing her chapped knuckles and Vi neglecting the save-your skin lotion on the dresser, Powder got her something special. Vi had almost cried, they couldn’t have been cheap. She clipped the sling bag around her shoulders so the bag was at her front before fitting the snug leather jacket over her shoulders.
Pulling the hood out from under the leather jacket, Vi grabbed her wallet, keys, and phone, tucking them away in the bag. “I’ll be back, Sprocket,” she said, rubbing Powder’s head and turning before she could see the tongue stuck out from her mouth.
The drive out is uneventful. Her hoodie was pulled up, earbuds in and blasting music underneath the black helmet. The traffic is still shit, but it’s late and tolerable. She pulls her bike up to the curb 5 minutes later, taking her helmet into the shop with her.
“Heeey! Vi! Been a while, too busy to see old Benzo? How’s the old man?” The familiar face splits into a grin when she walks through the grimey glass door. One of these days she’d come and wash it for him, but they were both too lazy to when it felt like their fingers were going to fall off.
She yelled her conversation at him as she toured the store, searching for Powder’s picks. “He says you should crash on the couch when the heater goes. How many times has that happened this winter?”
“Ah, only a couple…”
“You mean a handful.”
“A hands…full. Yeah, but I can’t do that to him and you know it.”
Vi spots the spicy chips and energy drinks that Powder favors. “That’s a bullshit excuse and you know it. You’re always welcome. Or at least borrow the space heater if you keep refusing. That thing could keep a whole block warm.”
“Ah well, it’s working now. I’ll let you know if it konks again.”
She has a feeling he won’t. With chips and drink in hand, she heads to the counter, exchanging a few more words before paying and heading outside.
She hears hushed voices from the alley next to her bike and when she gives a curious peek, she spots two thugs hunched together. Vi knows a mugging when she sees it. She grabs her helmet by the straps, nylon cutting into her fingers.
“Oi!”
The two thugs jump, not expecting an interruption. Most folks wouldn’t stop a mugging for fear of getting hurt themselves, or facing an assault charge if things go wrong. But this alley doesn’t have a camera, Benzo can’t afford one, so she saunters past the garbage bin.
“Mind your business, little girl,” the man snarls. The woman next to him turns back to their target. Her arm is bent in a way that tells Vi she has some kind of weapon. A knife, likely. That’s all she needs to know before the helmet is tossed at the man. He catches it on instinct, looking confused before a punch wipes the expression from his face. He stumbles back, knocking into the woman who turns on Vi quickly, swiping the knife with a fierce look, daring her to come closer. Vi’s shoulder gives a brief spark of protest as she lifts her fists, ready to duck, dodge, and grab at any incoming attacks but they don’t come. Instead, she reaches behind her, grabbing at the girl they’d been looming over. With a rough tug, the girl is braced in front of her attacker, knife held to her throat. “Careful, wouldn’t want a Piltie’s blood on your hands.”
Vi’s brows draw down, eyes glancing between the woman and the man who’s starting to stand back up. She lurches, grabbing her helmet from the ground before he can get his bearings. She slams the helmet into his head and he falls back, passed out. “You think I care about some chick? I’m looking at a fool looking for a fight. Now, you gonna take your buddy and get out of here? Or am I gonna call the cops on his ass?”
The woman grunts and releases the girl who stands frozen with fear and shaking with adrenaline. She picks up her friend, slinging him over her shoulder and walking out of the alley.
Vi waits until she can’t hear their footsteps anymore before approaching the girl. Her hair is dark, but not black. The light from the bodega’s back door flickers, causing the girl to blink quickly as it buzzes back to life.
“Um…. Th-thank you.” She stammers. She stands only half a head taller than Vi, coat bundled tightly around her. A patch on the shoulder boasts of her Piltovian status.
“Are you okay?” Vi asked, face turning concerned, tension in her forehead releasing. The girl’s hand goes to her throat almost absently, she still looks distant, probably still processing what just happened.
“I’m… um..” she leans hard against the wall, legs shaking. “I’ll be alright.”
“Where are you headed?”
“I was just going for a walk. I need to get back home.”
The air puffed between them, clouds of breath that mixed before being carried away by the wind. “I can get you there. You’re a Piltie? I know the way.”
She gave Vi a hard look, “And I’m supposed to trust you why ?”
“Name’s Vi,” she said. “Now we’re officially acquainted. Can’t call me a stranger.”
She looked her up and down. “Caitlyn. I’ll have the police on speed dial so don’t try anything.”
Vi scoffed, “No worries here, cupcake.” she made her way out of the alley, only slowing so that Caitlyn could get her legs back under her.
“I just told you, it’s Caitlyn. ”
Vi didn’t respond, reaching to unhook Powder’s helmet from it’s hitch on the backseat. It was a cyan blue with pink scrawling in her signature graffiti. “Here, it’s my sister’s.”
Caitlyn takes it, turning it to admire the art. Vi watches as she fits it over her head and struggles with the strap, trying to find the adjustment clip blind. She reaches forward, gently brushing her gloved fingers aside to help. She can’t see Cait’s eyes through the tinted visor, but she feels watched nonetheless. She loosens the strap, clips it, and tightens it before she can have any strange thoughts about how smooth the skin of her neck is. She pats the helmet to distract herself. “There, nice ‘n snug.”
“What?”
Right. Kind of hard to hear with a full helmet. Vi shakes her head, smiling as if to say it was nothing. Nothing worth hearing. She straddles the bike, securing her own helmet before sitting and turning, seeing Caitlyn standing awkwardly near the bike. Vi flips up her visor, motioning for her to do the same.
“I’m not gonna bite,” she says, knowing she can hear her now. “You ever been on a motorcycle before?”
“No, can’t say that I have.”
“It’s easy, just hold onto me and lean when I lean.” Vi knows you don’t have to hold onto the driver, it’s just easier for beginners so they don’t panic and feel like they’re about to fall off. At least, this is what she tells herself. It didn’t slip her attention just how hot Caitlyn was, but it’s not exactly a great opportunity to hit on someone right after they’ve just been mugged.
Cait’s hand braces on her shoulder as she tosses a leg over the back. Vi hears as her visor snaps shut and her hands are wrapped loosely around her waist under the sling bag. She grabs her gloves from her jacket pocket, fitting them tightly and gearing up the bike with a loud purr.
The drive is silent without her music, and it makes her all too aware of the arms hanging around her middle. As they’re driving, she realizes that it was strange for Caitlyn to just be taking a walk. The Plitover estates are 20 minutes away, on a good day. Whatever, Vi thinks. It’s not like she owes me an explanation. People come and go from the Lanes as they please. Some higher up coming in for a quick fix wasn’t surprising, but they usually send someone else to do their dirty work.
The maze of buildings around them only grows taller, the streets a little smoother, and Vi takes a cut out of town across a bridge. The buildings immediately drop in height, from skyscraper to local small town style. The streets are neat and clean, Christmas lights line the top of the buildings, street lights brandish festive banners and wreaths. Despite the late hour, there are some folks walking around, looking at the decorated windows of the shops. Vi drives past it all, focusing on not crashing into the person in front of her who seems to be texting and driving. It’s ten minutes later when they finally drive through the grassy area between the city and the Piltover estates. There's a good stretch of clear road, and Vi never passes up a chance to kick it up a notch. Definitely not when the girl behind her holds her a little tighter, fists bunched in her hoodie. She restrains the urge to pop it into a wheelie, knowing that would only end in disaster and a lost chance at ever talking to the girl again. Not like she expects her to, but Vi knows that you’re only given better chances if you make them for yourself. The fences surrounding the estates come into view, well lit and welcoming despite the spikes at the top of the bars. Vi takes Powder out here from time to time so she can have her little “study” dates with some blonde girl from the local university.
The guard at the gates recognizes her bike, probably because she’s the only person who comes and goes on one. He preemptively lifts the gate for her so she doesn’t have to stop. He looks a little confused to see someone who wasn’t bearing Pow’s jean jacket emblazoned with patches riding on the back.
She remembers when he used to give her shit. Some grungy downtown duo looking for an easy pass in and out to loot some poor unsuspecting family. When Powder flashed her student ID and said she was meeting some classmates, he’d finally let them through. That was a year ago. Has it really been that long? Vi thought, coasting slowly through the streets. They were wide here, and perfectly even. The Christmas decorations were always the best out here, people with a little too much time on their hands and far too much money in their pockets.
A hand released her hoodie and pointed over her shoulder, telling her to turn. She eased into it, and they weaved until they were nearing the back of the properties. Cait rapidly patted her shoulder which startled Vi a bit, but she cruised to a halt, legs bracing the bike. She lifted her visor so she could hear.
“My house is nearby, you can just drop me here,” She said, still muffled but audible.
“What, I’m not invited to dinner?” Vi said sarcastically, dropping the kickstand. Caitlyn froze and Vi realized what she’d said. “Sorry, bad joke. Force of habit.” She’d almost forgotten about the attack, having been lost in her thoughts. She didn’t often have the time for thinking anymore.
Caitlyn unsteadily lifted herself up and off the bike, legs shaky from the drive. She handed the helmet to Vi, who snapped it back to the seat. There was a small gasp and Vi started, looking at Cait who was looking at her shoes. One of her sneakers looked melted, the plastic and cloth melding into a hard patch. Oops. She cleared her throat, “Probably should have mentioned to keep the shoes away from the engine. Sorry about that. I’ll… buy you new ones?” The unspoken question came up, Would I see you again?
She sighed, “No, it’s fine.” She lifted her hands, referencing the expansive buildings around them. “It’s not like I can’t just get a new pair on my own.”
“Ah, yeah.” Vi’s chest tightened. It shouldn’t matter. She’s just glad she’s home safe and not stuck in a dingy alley with a hole in her stomach. Focus on the important shit here, V. It’s not all about you. “Well, if that’s the case, I should head back. Little word of advice though?”
Caitlyn looked up from examining her shoe, meeting her eyes.
“Maybe don’t wear a Piltie patch in the Lanes.”
“Right, perhaps next time I should wear a leather jacket and a fanny pack. ”
“Hey! Don’t fault the sling bag okay? It’s coming back into style.”
“Says who?”
“Says me.”
There was an amused sigh, the first sign of a smile she had seen and wow this girl had Vi’s heart in her hands. She suddenly felt as though she was back in the garage, heat taking over her face. “Drive safe. Goodnight and… Thank you, Vi. Really.”
Oh that did things. Her heart seemed to turn into a moth, fluttering and beating hard against her ribs like it was trapped and Caitlyn was the light. Her voice however, came out practiced and steady. “No problem, Cupcake. Keep safe.” She dropped her visor before she had the chance to say something stupid, lifted the kickstand and gunned it down the street. She had no doubt she was annoying the locals, but that was half of the fun of driving through Piltover, ticking off the people who were worth ticking off. They wouldn’t really do anything about it outside of complaining to the guards.
Halfway back down the road between Piltover and town, Vi stopped, popped in her earbuds, and blasted music the whole way back home. No way was she going to keep thinking about that girl. Absolutely not.