Chapter Text
Caitlyn had her life figured out once. She had everything: wealth, influence, and a clear career path in business just like her mother. But that life crumbled the night her parents were murdered in front of her, leaving her with nothing but grief and an unshakable vow.
She would make Piltover a better place, no matter the cost.
You know how the story goes: a dark costume, a secret cave, and a crusade against crime. What Caitlyn hadn’t planned for, though, was becoming the reluctant leader of a team of superpowered misfits, armed with nothing but her intelligence, her gadgets and her bank accounts.
Ever since the League of Legends was formed, most of her time has been spent in the Hexgate Hall. Oh, how she misses her Batcave. Especially the silence.
At least Alfred seems pleased.
"You're making friends, Miss Kiramman," he had said with a rare smile.
Friends. If that’s what you could call this mismatched bunch.
Jayce was, of course, the golden boy of the group. A Kryptonian with more superpowers than common sense, raised by an old hammer-maker couple who somehow turned am alien into the galaxy’s greatest hope. He was a great asset, sure, but for Jana’s sake, could he please use his alien brain for something other than thinking about food?
Next was Mel Medarda. Daughter of the literal goddess of war, Ambessa. A strategist through and through, her knowledge of battle tactics was invaluable, and she was usually the one to reel Jayce in when his impulsiveness got the best of him.
Viktor was the quiet genius that turned into Cyborg by accident when he tried to cure his terminal illness. Viktor was her natural second-in-command when she wasn’t around because he was the only person Caitlyn truly felt could be trusted without question. In moments of crisis, Caitlyn knew she could count on him to keep things from spiraling.
And then there was Vi. The Flash.
Fast, impulsive, and... reckless. Far too reckless for Caitlyn’s liking, especially considering the weight of the responsibility they all carried. For someone with the power to change the course of a battle in an instant, Vi had a disturbing lack of focus.
She was the team’s wildcard, always charging headfirst into extremely dangerous situations like nothing mattered except the next adrenaline rush. She also never took anything seriously and apparently never learned how to keep her mouth shut. Caitlyn lost count a long time ago of how many awful jokes Vi has told since joining the League.
Seriously, where did Jayce even find Vi?
At first, Caitlyn had tried to keep her in check. She would give Vi long speeches about focusing, about the mission. Vi would nod, put on that innocent smile, and then do something utterly outrageous five seconds later. It drove Caitlyn up the wall. She needed someone who could follow orders, who could give her the space to lead the team with authority, someone who didn’t constantly test her patience.
But damn it, Vi was good. Really good. In battle, there was no one faster, and when it came to gathering intel or getting out of sticky situations, Vi was always the first one in and the first one out. Despite her disregard for orders, Caitlyn knew Vi would get something done, even if she had to do it while cracking stupid jokes or pulling off some ridiculous and completely unnecessary stunt.
That didn’t mean Caitlyn had to like it.
And of course, Vi always seemed to show up at the worst possible times.
A streak of red zipped past her, scattering a stack of mission reports across the floor. Caitlyn pinched the bridge of her nose as the blur came to a halt. She was already running on little sleep, as per usual, and Vi had an uncanny talent to make her life more complicated.
"Hey, Bats! Miss me?" Vi leaned casually against the nearest console, twirling one of Caitlyn’s fountain pens between her fingers.
"Those were important," Caitlyn said, her voice flat. Why did it always feel like she was talking to a toddler?
"Important, schimportant," Vi teased, crouching beside her to help. "You work too hard. Maybe you should let loose a little. Go out for a drink. With me, maybe?"
"I’d rather wrestle a chem-baron. If you’re not going to be helpful, Flash, then get out of my way."
"Ouch," Vi said, clutching her chest. “That stings. But I’m great at helping. Watch this."
In a blink, the scattered reports were back on the desk, perfectly ordered. Vi leaned on the edge of the desk, arms crossed, looking unbearably smug.
"Impressive," Caitlyn deadpanned. “You have superspeed. A fact I already knew.”
"Well, I thought I'd give you a refresher. It’s kind of a big deal, you know?"
It seemed that even her computer could see Caitlyn's frustration rising. It pinged to let her know that the latest batch of mission files had finished transferring. Caitlyn snatched up the data stick with a little more force than necessary, turning to Vi.
“Let everyone know they need to be in the meeting room in a minute. We have a new mission.”
Vi threw Caitlyn a cheeky grin and snapped a mock salute before vanishing in another blur.
A minute later, Caitlyn stood at the front of the meeting room, briefing the team on their new mission. In front of her was a holo-display of the schematic of a huge building.
"We need to infiltrate the Shimmer Labs,” Caitlyn said. “They're working on tech that could potentially change the course of this whole conflict. We can't let it fall into the wrong hands.”
Mel sat with one hand propped against her chin while Viktor was leaning forward, fingers steepled, staring at the schematic like he was mentally dismantling the whole lab piece by piece. Caitlyn could always count on those two to take things seriously.
And then there was the other half of the team.
Jayce and Vi, huddled at the back, were whispering to each other like a couple of bored kids stuck in detention. Caitlyn didn’t even want to know what was so fascinating that it couldn’t wait. She scowled when Vi stifled a snicker, nudging Jayce with her elbow.
Caitlyn took a deep breath, trying to focus on the ones actually paying attention. Mel glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, one brow arched as if to say: Do you want me to handle them, or will you?
“Do you think we should tell the team about that new place near the plaza? The one with the snacks?” Jayce murmured.
“Oh, totally,” Vi whispered back. “They have these little fried meatball things. I’m telling you, bro, they’re life changing. Like... crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. Top tier.”
“I’m so there. How many do you think we can order?”
Are these really the people who have saved the world many times before?
Caitlyn didn’t even have to say anything. She just fixed them both with a long, silent glare. The seconds ticked by, the silence stretching painfully while she waited for one of them to notice.
After a moment, Vi felt the weight of her stare and nudged Jayce, elbowing him sharply.
“Ow! What?” Jayce yelped before following Vi’s gaze. “Oh. Uh, sorry, Bats. We’re all ears now. Promise.”
Caitlyn only arched an unimpressed brow before turning back to the holo-display. What did she do to deserve such punishment?
Clearing her throat, she continued. “The Shimmer Labs is a large facility, with multiple levels and restricted access zones. To cover more ground efficiently, we’ll split into two teams while Viktor hacks the system to disable the automated defenses. Once that’s done, we-”
A red blur, and suddenly Vi had an arm slung around Caitlyn’s shoulders.
“I call dibs on Bats!” Vi announced, grinning ear to ear.
Caitlyn stiffened, her whole body going rigid under the weight of Vi’s arm. “Flash,” she said, her voice dangerously low, “get. Off.”
“Aww, come on! We would make a killer team. Brains and speed, fast and furious, it’s the perfect combo.”
Frankly, and to her own chagrin, she knew Vi was right.
Pairing Vi with Jayce was a disaster waiting to happen. Those two would egg each other on to do something stupid and somehow make the biggest mess before the mission was halfway done. And Mel? Caitlyn doubted even her divine patience would stop her from punching Vi after too many jokes.
But Caitlyn had to admit (grudgingly, of course) that Vi was efficient. As annoying as she was, Vi was sharp, fast, and scarily good at improvising when things went sideways. If anyone could keep up with Caitlyn’s plans while covering ground at breakneck speed, it was her.
Caitlyn stood up straighter, exhaling through her nose. She felt like she was about to make a deal with the devil.
“Fine,” she said at last. “Vi and I will take the west wing. Mel, you and Jayce handle the east. Viktor, you’re running point.”
“Yes!” Vi pumped her fist, thrilled. “Team Fast and Furious, let’s go!”
Jayce leaned toward Mel, whispering just loud enough for Caitlyn to catch, “Five credits says Vi pulls some dumb stunt anyway.”
“Ten says Caitlyn chews her out before they even make it halfway through.”
Vi winked at them. “You two just wish you were on our team.”
Caitlyn regrets her choice already.
Caitlyn was perched on a rooftop, her blue eyes scanning the giant maze of Shimmer Labs through her binoculars, already mapping the quickest routes, the most vulnerable entry points, and where they were likely to find the information they needed.
First, they would infiltrate the west wing to access the central control room. Then they-
Crinkle. Crinkle.
What in the...
She lowered the binoculars slowly, her gaze sliding to whatever made that noise.
Vi was tearing into a candy bar with more gusto than should be possible for something so small. The foil wrapper crinkled loudly as she took another massive bite.
“What?” Vi mumbled around a mouthful of chocolate.
Caitlyn stared at her, incredulous. “Are you serious right now?”
“I can’t help that I have a hyperaccelerated metabolism! Do you know how many calories I burn just standing here?”
“We are on a stealth mission.”
“Yeah, and I’m fueling up. You want me fainting in the middle of an infiltration? No? Then let me have my snack, Bats.”
Ignoring her, Caitlyn went back to scanning the labs. “We’re moving in two minutes. I want you to scout the east wing for their research archives while I check the central control room. And please,” she glanced at Vi, “try not to announce your presence to every guard within a ten-mile radius.”
Vi gave her a mock salute. “Got it. Silent as a mouse.”
Caitlyn took advantage of the shadows in the Shimmer Labs, creeping around and slipping past blind stops like a ghost. The layout of the facility was burned into her memory, every turn and doorway accounted for.
She kept her gadgets at the ready. Always be prepared. That was the rule.
Caitlyn scanned the hallway ahead, checking for movement, her ears straining for the faintest sound of guards. Pausing at the next corner, she peeked around and saw nothing but empty space and a distant security camera pointed the other way.
Perfect.
She pressed forward, making mental notes of possible escape routes in case anything went wrong.
“Any sign of the archives yet?” Caitlyn whispered into the comms.
“Not yet,” Vi’s voice crackled back. “But I did find a lab full of creepy mannequins. Like, seriously creepy. Not that I’m scared of mannequins or anything-”
Caitlyn cut her off with a sharp, “Focus.”
“Right, right. Archives. East wing. On it.”
Caitlyn continued down the corridor. The guards here weren’t great at their jobs, which made things almost too easy. She was nearly on the control room when a loud clang came through her earpiece, followed by the wail of an alarm.
“Flash,” Caitlyn hissed, freezing in place. “What did you do?”
“Uh... nothing?”
Caitlyn clenched her teeth. “That is clearly the sound of you doing something. Cyborg,” she said, switching channels, “can you disable the alarm remotely?”
“I am working on it,” Viktor replied calmly. “But it will take a moment. Their system is more complex than anticipated.”
“Great,” Caitlyn muttered. She ducked into an alcove as a pair of security guards rushed past, their radios buzzing with orders to sweep the east wing. “Flash, if I get caught because you couldn’t resist touching something-”
“It looked important. Turns out it was important to the alarm system. But relax, Bats. I already took care of it.”
“What do you mean, you took care of it?”
Just as quickly as the alarm began blaring, it stopped.
“You know, deactivated the alarms, wiped the system logs, rewired a couple of circuits; standard stuff. The red lights are kind of a vibe, though. Should I leave those on?”
“Don’t you dare tell me you set off the alarm just so you could show off how fast you could disable it.”
“Not on purpose!” Vi protested. “I mean, yeah, I tripped it, but I fixed it! So technically, I saved the day. Fastest hands in Runeterra.”
Caitlyn muttered something about speedsters and their egos before switching back to Viktor. “Cyborg, can you confirm?”
A pause, then Viktor’s voice returned, sounding a little bit impressed. “She’s correct. The alarms are offline, and the system logs have been scrubbed. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was professionally done.”
“It wasn’t,” Caitlyn muttered. Switching back to Vi’s channel, she growled, “And you couldn’t have mentioned this before I called for backup?”
“Didn’t want to ruin the surprise,” Vi replied with a laugh. “Come on, admit it. You’re impressed.”
Caitlyn closed her eyes and counted to ten. “That was reckless.”
“But effective,” Vi shot back. “Oh, and by the way, that little distraction gave you plenty of time to reach the control room. You’re welcome.”
“Just find the archives and stay out of trouble. If I hear even one more alarm-”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m on it.”
The security breach wasn’t going to derail her now. She crept forward, focus locked on the mission. If she could get into the system, they would have a shot at exposing whoever was running these illegal Shimmer experiments.
“Flash,” Caitlyn said a few minutes later. “What’s your position right now?”
“Just... around. Exploring a bit.”
“You’re supposed to be in the archives.”
“I am! The snack machine’s right by them. The archives are, like, five feet away. Multi-tasking. Who stocks chili-flavored chips in a lab? That’s just asking for crumbs in your-”
Caitlyn’s eye twitched. “The last thing we need is you getting distracted again.”
“Relax,” Vi replied nonchalantly. “You should be more worried about the guard patrolling your hallway. I’ve already done the math: you’ve got about two minutes before they circle back your way.”
“What?”
“I cleared your path already. If you’re where I think you are, there’s a service hatch ten feet ahead on your left. Slip through there, and boom! You’ll be in the control room in under a minute. You’re welcome. Again.”
The sound of boots on tile came from down the hallway, and Caitlyn quickly ducked back into the shadows. Great. At least Vi wasn’t bluffing. She was a nightmare to work with sometimes, but she had a way of pulling through when it mattered.
Caitlyn found the hatch with no issue, and it opened with the tiniest squeak. After sliding through the ventilation shaft, Caitlyn dropped into the control room, landing silently in the dark space. She promptly made her way to the central terminal, fingers flying across the interface as she began hacking into the system.
“Cyborg, can you give me a hand with the encryption?”
“Already on it,” Viktor replied smoothly. “I’ll have the backdoor open in 30 seconds.”
At least the mission was finally on track. Viktor’s voice over the comms guided her through bypassing the system’s firewalls, but something felt… off.
The silence around her wasn’t just quiet, it felt wrong.
And then she heard it.
A faint click. The sound of someone else’s boots landing softly on the metal grating behind her.
“Well, well, well. What’s a Bat doing so far from her cave?”
Caitlyn spun around. Standing in the shadows was a figure with a whip dangling loosely from her hand.
“Catwoman,” Caitlyn said. “You’re far from home.”
The thief stepped into the light, her smile almost predatory. “So are you, darling. I’d wager we’re here for the same thing. Although,” she gestured lazily to the terminal behind Caitlyn, “you seem to be doing all the heavy lifting.”
“This isn’t a game. If you’re planning to sell Shimmer to the highest bidder-”
“Relax, sweetheart,” Catwoman interrupted. “I’m not interested in Shimmer itself. Too messy, not my style. But the recipe for it?” She twirled her whip absently. “Now that’s a different story.”
A sudden gust of wind swept through the room and Vi skidded to a stop beside her, boots squeaking against the metal floor. “Got the perimeter locked down and the archives were-” She froze mid-report, her trademark smirk vanishing when she actually saw who Caitlyn was speaking to. “What are you doing here?”
Catwoman’s green eyes sparkled when they landed on Vi. “Oh, my. If it isn’t my favorite speedster.”
Caitlyn’s head whipped toward Vi. “Wait. You two know each other?”
Vi did not look comfortable at all. “Uh… yeah. You could say that.”
Catwoman sauntered closer, her whip curling around her wrist like a snake. “We’ve crossed paths before,” she purred, her gaze lingering on Vi. “In fact, you could say we’ve gotten… rather close. Fast in more ways than one, as I recall.”
Vi coughed, her face turning a deep shade of red. “Okay, wow, no need to bring that up.”
Caitlyn’s glare could have cut steel. “Do you two want to take this reunion somewhere else, or should I remind you both that we’re in the middle of something more important?”
Catwoman shrugged, utterly unbothered. “Fine by me. I’ve already got what I came for.” She held up a small data drive, dangling it mockingly between her fingers.
Caitlyn’s stomach dropped. When the hell did she even grab that?
“Hand it over,” she ordered, stepping forward.
Catwoman just smiled. “Sorry, darling, but I don’t take orders from anyone.”
Vi zipped in beside her, holding out her hand. “Come on. Don’t make this harder than it has to be.”
Catwoman snapped her whip against the ground. “Nice try, but I’m not that easy to catch. Or did you forget?”
Vi groaned. “Why is it always the whip?”
Caitlyn’s eyes darted back to the terminal, where warnings flashed across the screen. Oh no. The data was being wiped.
“Flash,” Caitlyn growled through clenched teeth. “Stop flirting with her and do your job.”
“I’m not flirting!” Vi complained. Already fed up, she lunged forward, her hand aiming to snatch the drive from Catwoman’s hand.
It happened so fast Caitlyn almost missed it. Catwoman flicked her whip, and sparks danced along its length as it snapped against Vi mid-motion. The speedster let out a surprised yelp, the shock sending her sprawling to the ground, her suit flickering with faint static.
“What the fuck-” Vi groaned, rolling onto her back as she tried to shake off the lingering charge.
The thief chuckled. “Electrified titanium threads. Custom-made, just for speedsters like you. You’re fast, darling, but you’re also predictable. I knew exactly what you’d try.”
“Alright. Yeah. Got it. You’ve had your fun, but you’re not leaving here with that data stick.”
“Bold of you to assume you can stop me,” Catwoman replied, backing towards the shadows. “I would love to stick around and chat, but I’ve got buyers waiting. Ta-ta, darlings.”
With a wink and an air kiss aimed at Vi, Catwoman dropped a smoke bomb.
Obviously, when the haze cleared, she was gone.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Caitlyn snapped, rounding on Vi. “Charging in without a plan? Do you have any idea how badly that could’ve gone?”
Vi winced, more from Caitlyn’s tone than the residual sparks. “I was trying to stop her!”
“Yeah? Well, congratulations.” Caitlyn’s voice was ice-cold. “Now she’s gone. With the data. You played right into her hands.”
Vi groaned, sitting up. “Look, I thought-”
“No, you didn’t think!” Caitlyn cut her off. “You acted on impulse, and now we’re left cleaning up the mess. Cyborg, please tell me you pulled something before she wiped the system.”
“Fortunately, I accounted for the possibility of interference,” he replied. “I managed to secure approximately 73% of the data before it was erased.”
“Good. Start analyzing it. Let me know if anything useful turns up,” Caitlyn said sharply. “Flash, can you move?”
Vi nodded, her energy slowly returning. “Yeah, I’m good. Just a little crispy.”
“Then let’s go,” Caitlyn said, already moving toward the exit without even trying to help her up. “We’re regrouping. I want a plan in place before she has a chance to sell that drive.”
“Still think I could’ve taken her if she didn’t have that fancy whip...”
Caitlyn wasn’t in the mood for her comments. She stepped forward towards her, her gaze never leaving Vi’s face. “Do you ever stop to think that maybe you’re not the only one with tricks? That data stick is the priority, and we need to make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. So, either you focus on the mission, or we’re not moving forward. Got it?”
“...Got it.”
Caitlyn turned away. “Let’s get back to the team. We’ll need a new plan before Catwoman finds a way to sell that data.”
"Lead the way, Bats."
Vi grimaced when she heard Jayce hit the mat with a loud thud, Mel standing over him with her hands on her hips. She had barely broken a sweat.
“Come on, Jayce,” Mel said, her tone annoyingly composed. “If you don’t commit to your swings, you’ll be useless in a real fight. Again.”
Jayce groaned, rolling onto his back. This will hurt tomorrow. “I’m trying, okay? These power dampeners are throwing me off. It’s like fighting with one hand tied behind my back.”
“That’s the point,” Caitlyn cut in. She stood near the edge of the gym, arms crossed, watching the sparring session like a hawk. “I didn’t pour a fortune into reinforced walls, shock-absorbing mats, and cutting-edge tech just so you could tear it all apart. If you’re going to train, do it without relying on powers that might not always be there.”
Vi leaned against the wall, pretending to look bored while she tightened the straps on her gloves. Her eyes, however, had other priorities. Caitlyn’s sparring outfit looked downright unfair.
“You are staring,” Viktor said dryly next to her, not even bothering to look up from the diagnostic he was running on his mechanical arm.
Vi blushed and turned to him with her most innocent expression. “What? No, I’m just… strategizing. Gotta stay sharp. Never know when Cait might, uh, switch up her moves.”
Viktor hummed. “I believe the technical term for what you are doing is ogling.”
Vi spluttered, her face heating up even more. “I am not ogling!”
“Your heart rate suggests otherwise.”
“Okay, first of all, stop being creepy. Second, you can’t prove that!”
“I can. Your face is exceptionally red, approximately the same shade as your hair.”
Vi groaned and dragged a hand down her face, mumbling, “You’re the fucking worst.”
“Highly unlikely,” Viktor replied, still focused on his display.
Completely ignoring that comment and needing a distraction, Vi elbowed him. “C’mon, brains. Let’s spar. I’ll even let you use that fancy tech of yours.”
“I do not require a partner,” Viktor said. “I can run a far more efficient simulation without risking my joints.”
“You sound like a ton of fun at parties,” Vi shot back, rolling her eyes.
“I am highly efficient at those as well.” He tapped a few commands on his wrist module, and a holographic opponent materialized in front of him. “I can simulate any opponent I need. Sparring with you would be... inefficient.”
“Inefficient?!” Vi spluttered. “I’ll have you know I’m an amazing sparring partner. Fast, unpredictable-”
“Unpredictable, yes,” Viktor interrupted, tapping a few commands extra on his module. “Which is precisely why sparring with you is unproductive. If I wished to train with unpredictability, I would simulate an earthquake.”
“Wow.” Vi pointed at him, “That’s cold, even for you.”
“I am merely efficient. You could be efficient too if you stopped ogling and started training.”
Vi rolled her eyes so hard she thought they might stick. “Fine, fine. You do your nerdy VR thing. I’ll find someone else to spar with.”
Well, there was really only one option left.
“Guess it’s just me and you, cupcake,” Vi muttered to herself, already heading her way.
Vi strutted over, and stopped just outside the ring. She leaned against the ropes, watching Caitlyn deliver a series of solid jabs to a punching bag.
“You know,” Vi drawled, “watching you beat the crap out of that bag is almost as fun as watching you take down bad guys.”
Caitlyn paused, turning just enough to give Vi an unimpressed look. “Flattery? That’s your opening move?”
Vi shrugged, grinning. “It’s not flattery if it’s true.”
Caitlyn grabbed a towel from the side of the ring, dabbing at the light sheen of sweat on her forehead. “What do you want, Vi?”
“Thought I’d ask if you wanted to spar,” Vi said, hopping up onto the edge of the ring and crouching there like a cat about to pounce. “You know, real opponent, real stakes, way more exciting than a punching bag.”
“You just want an excuse for me to knock you around.”
“Maybe,” Vi said, her grin widening, offering Caitlyn a hand to help her into the ring. “Or maybe I’m hoping you’ll go easy on me, since you like me so much.”
Caitlyn ignored her hand as she got in and stepped closer until she was right in front of her. “I don’t go easy on anyone, especially not you.”
“Good. I would be disappointed if you did.”
“No superspeed, though.”
The smile on Vi's face slipped just a little. “No speed? What’s next, no punches?”
“I’m leveling the playing field,” Caitlyn said simply. “Or are you worried you won’t be able to keep up without your powers?”
“Oh, it’s on now,” Vi said, jumping up and down on her heels to warm up. “You’re gonna eat those words, cupcake.”
Turns out that actual technique and strategy work a lot better than just trying to overwhelm Caitlyn with every wild punch and kick she could muster.
Vi ended up winded, flat on her back, pinned under Caitlyn’s weight with no way to squirm free.
Caitlyn crouched over her, a smug smile on her face. “You need to work on your technique.”
Vi let out a breathless laugh. “I’d prefer to let you pin me down anytime we spar, Bats.”
“Are you really trying to flirt your way out of this?”
“Oh, I could get out of it,” she said, her voice low. “But I would prefer to just lay here all day. I don’t mind having you on top of me forever.”
Caitlyn was stunned at the bluntness, and her voice faltered for half a second before she recovered. “You're insufferable,” she muttered, pushing herself off of Vi and standing up.
Vi sprang to her feet, wiping sweat off her brow. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” She gave Caitlyn a smile. “So, ready for round two? Or you need a second to catch up?”
“Round two, definitely. But this time I’m really not holding back.”
“That... that was you holding back?” Vi let out a low whistle. "Guess I’m about to get my ass kicked, huh?”
Caitlyn cracked her knuckles, and got ready, her posture shifting into a more aggressive stance. "Consider yourself warned."
Vi rolled her shoulders, cracked her neck, and prepared herself for what was sure to be a less friendly sparring session than she had anticipated.
Vi didn’t get her ass kicked… she got it handed to her. And somehow, she didn’t mind at all.
The streets were a wreck. There was too much smoke in the air and glitter bombs left everything coated in a sparkling mess. Confetti and bits of busted gadgets crunched under Caitlyn’s boots as she wiped the residue off her gloves, shooting a glare at Vi, who was leaning against a lamp post like this was just another Tuesday.
“The Trickster got away,” Caitlyn said with frustration.
Vi shrugged, brushing some stray streamers out of her shoulder. “Yeah, but at least we stopped the big explosion. Half-win?”
“That’s not the point,” Caitlyn snapped, turning to face her. “The point is, we had her. And then she called you her sister. Explain. Now.”
“Oh, that? Yeah. She’s, uh... technically my sister. You know, by blood and all.”
“You mean to tell me that the criminal we’ve been chasing for months, the one who nearly took out a city block just now, is your sister?”
“Well, when you put it like that, it sounds bad,” Vi said, grinning awkwardly. “But hey, family’s complicated.”
“Complicated?” Caitlyn’s voice rose. “This is more than complicated. You should’ve told me.”
“What good would it have done, huh? So you could side-eye me every time we go on patrol? Pass.”
“This isn’t a joke!” Caitlyn shouted, taking a step closer. “You keep deflecting, but this is serious. People got hurt tonight because of her! And you-”
“What do you want me to do?” Vi cut her off as she pushed off the lamp post with her whole body tense like she was ready to fight. “You want me to break down sobbing every time she pulls one of her stunts? You want me to scream at the universe, tear my hair out?”
“I want you to take something seriously for once in your life!” Caitlyn shot back. “You can’t just brush off everything like it’s nothing!”
Vi threw her arms up. “I do take it seriously! But I don’t have the luxury of falling apart every time something goes wrong! You have your coping mechanisms, and I have mine. You bury yourself in plans and protocols, keep everything neat and tidy. Me? I crack a joke. Because if I don’t, I’ll lose my damn mind.”
Vi let out a slow breath, the anger bleeding out of her posture, though her eyes were still stormy.
“I know she’s a problem. I know she’s dangerous. But she’s still my sister. So yeah, I deal with it the only way I know how. Sorry if it’s not up to your standards.”
Caitlyn stared at Vi, her lips pressed into a thin line. The anger was still there, but it wasn’t burning as hot now. “This isn’t about standards. It’s about trust. You’re supposed to be my partner. Partners don’t keep things like this a secret.”
Vi let out a bitter laugh. “Trust, huh? Because that’s the first thing you’d feel if I told you the big bad Trickster is my baby sister. Sure, Caitlyn, you’d totally be cool with that.”
Caitlyn’s jaw tightened. “I wouldn’t have been happy about it, but at least I wouldn’t have found out in the middle of a fight.”
“And what would’ve changed? Would you have trusted me less? Kept me on a tighter leash? Looked at me like you’re looking at me right now?”
“That’s not the point.”
Vi rolled her eyes. “Of course it’s not. I already know how this goes. You’re the by-the-book enforcer, and I’m the wildcard liability. Always have been, right?”
“This isn’t about labels or what you think I see when I look at you. It’s about doing the job and doing it right. You can’t keep holding onto your secrets and expecting them not to blow up in our faces.”
Vi tilted her head back, letting out a frustrated laugh. “Fine. Whatever. Next time, I’ll write you a damn memoir about my family history. Would that make you happy?”
Caitlyn’s her expression stayed hard as steel. “You better decide where your priorities lie, Flash. Because next time, if I have to choose between stopping her and protecting your feelings, you know what I’ll do.”
Vi’s shoulders tensed. “I don’t need you to remind me of what’s at stake. I live with it every damn day.”
“Then act like it.”
Vi thought about saying something else, anything to bridge the gap, or maybe widen it. But the words wouldn’t come. Rather than talking, she just shook her head, turned on her heel, and walked away.
Ah, The Rusted Wrench.
It wasn’t anything fancy. Hell, it barely qualified as clean, but it was Vi’s kind of place. The kind of joint where the drinks were strong and no one cared who you were or what baggage you dragged in.
No masks, no titles, no uniforms. Just Vi, her thoughts, and a glass of whiskey to drown them out.
She slid onto her usual stool, nodding at the bartender, who wordlessly placed a glass of her favorite whiskey in front of her. Vi took a long sip, letting the burn roll over her tongue and settle in her chest.
For a split second, it felt real, like it might stick, might dull the edges of her thoughts. But the sting faded like a ghost. No matter how much she drank, her metabolism didn’t give her the luxury of feeling the effects of alcohol, much less the buzz that came with it.
All she had left was the placebo effect, the hope that the act of drinking might trick her brain into quieting down for a while. Some nights it worked. Most nights, it didn’t.
You better decide where your priorities lie.
Vi set the glass down harder than she meant to. The Trickster wasn’t just some random villain to her, and Caitlyn wasn’t wrong for being pissed about it. But it wasn’t that simple, either.
“Long night?” the bartender asked, wiping down the counter.
“You don’t know the half of it,” Vi muttered.
She downed the rest of her drink, motioning to the bartender for another, when a voice broke through her brooding.
“You really are predictable, you know that?”
Vi didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. She could recognize that voice anywhere. Caitlyn.
“How’d you find me, princess?” Vi asked, glancing over her shoulder with a half-hearted smirk.
Caitlyn slid onto the stool next to her without waiting for an invitation. It was strange seeing her out of the Batwoman suit, even stranger seeing her in Zaun of all places.
“Research,” she said simply.
Vi snorted, raising her glass in mock salute. “Of course. Bet you’ve got my whole life on a spreadsheet somewhere, don’t you?”
Caitlyn ignored the jab, ordering a drink instead. Her calm silence made Vi itch.
“So,” Vi said after a beat. “You here to tear me a new one? Or is this some kind of guilt-trip intervention?”
Caitlyn’s drink arrived, but she didn’t touch it. Instead, she turned to Vi, her gaze steady. “I’m here because you’re my partner, whether I’m mad at you or not. And because I need to understand.”
“Understand what?” Vi muttered, not meeting her eyes.
“Why you didn’t tell me. Why you felt like you couldn’t.”
“Oh, come on, Cait. We both know why. You’ve got your rules, your neat little lines of what’s right and wrong. Telling you Jinx was my sister would have just made everything... messy.” She stared at her glass, swirling the amber liquid around before continuing, “You don’t get it,” she said quietly. “You’ve never had someone like her, someone you love, but who keeps screwing up. Who keeps hurting people. Someone you want to save, even when you know you can’t.”
Caitlyn’s brow furrowed. “You’re not the only one with a past. You’re not the only one who’s been hurt, who’s had to make tough choices.”
“I never said I was,” Vi snapped, her voice sharp. “But it’s different when it’s someone you love. You don’t get it until you’re in it. You can’t just follow the rules when it’s your own blood on the line.”
“You can’t save people who don’t want saving. And you can’t let their choices drag you down with them.”
Vi’s eyes snapped up to meet hers. “See? You don’t get it. You don’t have a sister like that. Someone who’s your blood, who you’ve tried to protect your whole life... and then they turn into the kind of person who’ll blow up a damn building just to prove a point.”
“I may not understand exactly what you’re feeling,” Caitlyn admitted, “but I’m not your enemy, Vi. You have to stop treating me like one.”
Vi laughed bitterly. “Yeah? Sure doesn’t feel like it sometimes.”
“I’m trying,” Caitlyn said, her frustration flickering. “But this secrecy, this reckless deflection, it’s not helping. If we’re going to keep doing this, I need you to meet me halfway.”
Vi’s shoulders slumped, the fight drained out of her. “I know,” she said quietly.
“What now?”
Vi shrugged, the movement loose and tired, and took a long sip of her whiskey. “We keep going. Do the job. Try to make things right. Not much else to do.”
"Sounds like a plan," Caitlyn said. “A very vague one, but a plan nonetheless.”
The corner of Vi’s mouth lifted, just barely, as she raised her glass in a silent toast. Caitlyn mirrored her. They clinked their glasses together, and each had a sip of their own drink.
Vi leaned back, one arm slung lazily over the back of her stool while her eyes studied Caitlyn. She twirled her drink, a grin forming on her face.
"So, is this finally the date I’ve been begging for since we met?"
Caitlyn didn’t even look up from her glass, rolling her eyes as she let out an exaggerated sigh.
“No. And you are never getting that date.”
“Damn. Why not?”
Caitlyn took another sip of her drink, deliberately slow, almost savoring the opportunity to keep Vi waiting for her answer. “Co-workers. It’s unprofessional.”
Vi was undeterred. “No League rules against romance. I checked. Pretty sure you just made that up,” she countered smoothly. “And anyway, that’s a pretty weak excuse.”
“You live in Zaun, I live in Piltover. That’s impractical.”
“Seventeen seconds,” she said smugly. “That’s how long it takes me to get from Zaun to Piltover. Distance? Not an issue.”
Caitlyn glared at her, refusing to give her an inch. “You’re reckless. I don’t need a partner who can’t stop making jokes about everything.”
“I make you laugh, don’t I?”
“When have I ever laughed at one of your jokes?”
Vi cocked her head. “Okay, maybe not laugh, but you still find them a little bit funny. I can guarantee you’d never get bored with me. And honestly, you could use a little humor in your life.”
“You’ve got an answer for everything, don’t you?"
"What can I say? I’m a problem-solver." She set the glass back down. “You know, for all the reasons you keep throwing out, you haven’t said the one thing that’d make me drop it for good.”
Caitlyn arched a brow. “Oh? And what’s that?”
Vi’s grin returned, cheeky and confident. "That you don’t want to go out with me because you don’t like me."
For a brief second, Vi thought she might actually have struck a nerve.
But instead, Caitlyn rolled her eyes for the hundredth time that day, turning her attention back to her drink. "You really are insufferable.”
"That’s not a denial." Vi commented, looking as smug as ever. "Come on, cupcake. Just admit it. You like me, even if it’s just a little."
“What I like,” Caitlyn said evenly, “is the idea of one peaceful night without you trying to get under my skin.”
"Hey, annoying you is a talent of mine. And just for the record, you still haven’t denied it."
Caitlyn shot her a withering glare, rubbing her temples. "You’re insane."
"And yet, here you are," Vi teased, gesturing around the bar. "Sitting next to me. In Zaun. At The Rusted Wrench. Kind of feels like a date to me."
"Not a date.”
“Not yet,” Vi said lightly, taking another sip of her drink. “But I’m nothing if not persistent. And patient. Well... as patient as a speedster can be.”
"You really don’t give up, do you?"
"Not when it comes to you.”
That time, Caitlyn didn’t argue. She simply finished her drink in two gulps, which left Vi a little bit flustered, just to reach for her wallet next, tossing more than enough cash on the table to cover her drink, and probably Vi’s too.
She stood up and adjusted her coat. “Try not to get into too much trouble while I’m gone. Or at least don’t make me clean it up." Caitlyn began to walk away, but when she reached the door, she glanced back over her shoulder, meeting Vi’s eyes one last time. "And, Vi?"
"Yeah?"
"Next round’s on you."
Before Vi could even process what that might mean, Caitlyn slipped out the door and into the Zaun night, leaving her with a stupid grin and a racing heart.
Vi leaned back on her stool, muttering to herself with a chuckle. "Not a date, my ass."