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Caitlyn wanted to ignore it when she was told that a woman who looked like her girlfriend had been seen in a clandestine fight in a bar in Zaun. It didn't make sense to her, but considering the context, she couldn't ignore it.
She walked to Zaun, and suddenly the bridge that connected the cities became much longer. The sun was already setting and night was approaching.
Caitlyn heard from an Enforcer friend that someone who looked like Violet was fighting in this bar, according to that Enforcer, he found out about it through another friend, but Cait knew that he had seen it himself, she knew that he liked to watch these brutalities, but that he was ashamed to admit it. She wanted this friend of hers to be wrong. Violet and Caitlyn had their first argument of the relationship last night after Cait said that Vi should go back to being an Enforcer and Vi refused once again, but it was something stupid, it shouldn't be enough to put her back in those precarious situations.
Caitlyn was offended that Violet didn't believe she could change the Enforcers' approach, while Violet was upset that Caitlyn didn't make an effort to understand that that uniform carried a lot of weight for her and that the last time she wore it, she ended up doing things she wasn't proud of.
After the argument, Violet left and Caitlyn didn't follow because she believed the woman needed space. When she woke up the next day, she was sad to realize that she hadn't returned yet. It was just a small argument, she didn't need to spend the night out, but Cait had hoped that when she returned home after work, she would find her girlfriend again. The fact that she had returned and Violet still wasn't there was what made her believe that maybe that Enforcer was right.
She had gotten the address of the bar beforehand just in case, and luckily she had, because it made her journey to the place easier. It was a bar that was in a dark alley, where everyone was giving her strange looks, but no one tried to approach. Caitlyn clearly heard when a man said to another something like "that's Vi's girl, don't mess with her."
If Vi was so well-known there, that only reinforced the idea that she was probably there.
The woman at the door signaled for Caitlyn to skip the line and go inside.
– She’s in the back. You need to talk to that guy. – she whispered close to Kiramman’s face and nodded to a man behind the bar.
– Do you know me? – Caitlyn asked, confused.
– Everyone does, honey. – she replied and turned her attention to the rest of the line.
The bar was crowded, there were people everywhere and the floor was sticky because of the beers that were spilled with the commotion, the smell was also not pleasant, it definitely did not seem like a place Caitlyn would go to for fun.
The bartender did not pay much attention to her, he just handed her a token and showed her the way she should go and so she did. The place where illegal fights took place was probably not accessible to just anyone. Caitlyn thanked herself mentally for having taken off her Enforcer uniform before showing up there.
Many people were shouting inside that other area, they were raising betting slips and celebrating, Caitlyn had a difficult time getting through so many excited people, some complained when she pushed them to get past, in an attempt to get to where the fight was taking place, but when they looked her in the eye they immediately backed away.
When the crowd finally cleared and all in front of her was a platform with two people fighting, the woman's heart sank as she realized that it really was Violet. Her girlfriend seemed to be in another world, with a hollow and suffering look, several bruises on her face, and she appeared to be drunk.
– Violet? – she said at first, whispering to herself. – Violet! – she repeated, louder now, calling her girlfriend.
– Cait?
The moment Vi heard that voice, she lost focus completely. She turned her head, looking dazed and hypnotized by Caitlyn’s sudden presence, and yet visibly confused. Caitlyn saw the rival’s move coming and tried to warn her, but it was too late. The man’s fist connected with Vi’s face, splitting her eyebrow open. Blood began to pour immediately. Caitlyn froze, holding her breath, heart racing. She wanted to climb up there, to stop this madness and take care of Violet.
But before she could move, Vi turned back to the man in front of her, now with fury in her eyes. She braced herself, and then struck. A single, brutal punch to his face sent the man stumbling backward before collapsing to the ground. Violet was always so tender with Caitlyn that she sometimes forgot how strong she could really be.
The crowd erupted into cheers, celebrating Vi’s victory.
Caitlyn rushed to her girlfriend, who was still staring at her, visibly shaken and confused.
– Violet…– Caitlyn called out, worry in her voice.
– Is it really you? – Vi asked, leaving Caitlyn just as confused as she was.
– Of course it’s me. Who else would it be?
– It’s not… A hallucination?
– What...? No… – Caitlyn gently placed her hand on Vi’s face, on the side untouched by the blood. – Can you feel that?
Violet nodded, her expression thoughtful, distant.
A man called out to them, telling them to get off the platform if they weren’t going to fight because people wanted to see the next match. Caitlyn looked around. The guy Vi had knocked out was gone too. Without another word, she grabbed Vi by the wrist and pulled her away. It didn’t matter where she tried to go, every corner was packed, people crowded into every square foot, but Caitlyn needed space. She needed to check Vi’s injuries, to clean them, take care of her, and understand what the hell had just happened.
– Let’s go home. – Caitlyn said firmly.
– I won the fight. I need to get paid! – Vi protested.
– You don’t need that money!
– You’re rich. I’m not.
Caitlyn stared at her, offended.
– Everything I have is yours too. – she argued. – Please, let’s just… Get out of here.
Violet gave in and followed her outside the bar. A few people greeted her along the way, excited, as if they'd known her for years. They congratulated her on winning the fight, as if it were some great achievement. Caitlyn was slightly irritated by all those people cheering for something so degrading, like if Violet getting hurt was just another form of entertainment.
They walked the long road back to the Kiramman mansion in complete silence. Every now and then, Caitlyn glanced at Vi to make sure she was okay. The cut on her brow had stopped bleeding, but it still looked bad, especially with the dried blood smeared across her face, making her look a complete mess.
– Sit on the couch. I’m getting the first-aid kit. – Caitlyn said in a firm, no-nonsense tone as soon as they walked into the house. Violet didn’t argue, she just obeyed.
Her head was still spinning, and her stomach still felt uneasy, but the long walk had helped a little. She wasn’t as bad as she had been back at the bar.
Caitlyn returned to the living room with a small case in hand. She moved quickly, pulling out a few supplies before gently starting to clean Vi’s face. She wiped away all the blood with a damp towel and carefully disinfected the wounds. The cut on Vi’s brow didn’t look nearly as bad once it was clean, definitely not deep enough to need stitches.
– Do you want to explain what all that was about? – Caitlyn finally addressed the elephant in the room. – What were you doing there?
– I thought you didn’t want to see me anymore.
– What? Because of one argument?
– Everyone leaves… – she shrugged. – Sooner or later.
– You thought I’d leave because we disagreed once? You were the one who walked away, Violet. And that whole thing of “I’m the dirt under your nails, Cupcake. Nothing’s gonna clean me out”? If nothing’s gonna clean you out, then why did you run so easily?”
– I didn’t run. – Violet replied, her voice tight, as a tear slipped down her cheek.
That single tear was enough to break Caitlyn from the inside out. How had she been so naive, so blind to it all? Vi had deep-rooted abandonment issues. Of course she hadn’t run. She never runs. She holds on, fiercely, to the people she loves. That’s exactly why the mere thought of being left behind wrecks her. It doesn’t just hurt , it unravels her, because it’s always others who leave, while she stays, carrying the weight of it all.
The idea of Caitlyn walking away while she clung to that love, alone, that’s what had made her fall apart. And Caitlyn? It took just one tear slipping down Vi’s cheek to understand everything, but it shouldn’t have to be this way. They shouldn’t have to read each other’s pain like a riddle. There needed to be space for words… Real and honest conversation. That’s the only way love survives.
– You’re going to take a shower. – Caitlyn said. – And then we’ll talk properly, alright?
Vi nodded.
She headed to the bathroom, and as the water hit her wounds, she found herself wishing she were still drunk and numbed by adrenaline, because now, it hurts. The more sober she became, the heavier the guilt settled in. She couldn’t believe she had acted that way. Worse, she’d made Caitlyn go into the Undercity alone. A place where she was still trying to rebuild her reputation, still not fully welcomed. People down there weren’t exactly her biggest fans. If anything had happened to Caitlyn, Violet knew she’d never forgive herself.
When Vi came out of the bathroom, she saw Caitlyn sitting in the middle of the bed, wearing her dark blue satin nightdress and a matching eye patch. Beside her sat a plate with two sandwiches.
– I made these for you. – she said, nodding toward the food.
They were simple sandwiches, Vi knew her girlfriend wasn’t exactly a chef, but they tasted surprisingly good. She hadn’t even realized how hungry she was until that first bite. Then it made sense, she hadn’t eaten anything solid since the day before.
– I didn’t run. – Violet said again, after swallowing.
– I know. – Caitlyn replied gently. – You were afraid I might leave, and you handled that fear the only way you knew how. I understand that now.
Vi looked at her, surprised. Caitlyn had managed to sum up everything she had been feeling in just a few words.
– Yeah… – she murmured. – I’m sorry.
– You don’t have to be.
How could Caitlyn ask for an apology, knowing everything Violet had been through? How could she blame her for turning to violence when that was all she’d known during her teenage years, trapped in that hellhole called Stillwater? Those were the years meant to shape who you become, the years that mold you for the adult world, and for Violet, those years were nothing but survival and brutality. It made sense that when things fell apart, that’s where her instincts took her.
– It was the first time it happened, so it’s okay. – Caitlyn said, gently. – But I’d really like to change that moving forward. Not that I plan on fighting with you again, but if it ever does happen… We can just talk about it. You’re not leaving, and neither am I, so that’s not a fear we need to hold onto anymore. This is a safe place for you to talk about how you feel, Vi. From now on, if something bothers either of us… Anything at all, even the silly everyday stuff… Let’s just talk it through, okay?
– Sounds good. – Vi replied, eyes fixed on the sandwich in her hands.
Caitlyn gave her a faint smile. She knew it would be a process before emotions became a less complicated subject. Healing from trauma takes time and patience, but as long as Vi was willing to try, everything would be okay.
And Vi wanted to try. She was ready to do anything to make their relationship work without causing harm. Now that Caitlyn had laid out a much simpler way of dealing with conflict, Vi even felt a little ridiculous for reacting the way she had, when things could’ve been so much easier.
– As for the argument that led to all this… Maybe we can talk about it tomorrow? – Caitlyn suggested. – Just to make sure there’s no lingering hurt.
Vi nodded, cheeks full as she chewed her sandwich. Caitlyn smiled and moved closer on the bed. She looked so adorable.
– I’m never going to leave you, silly. – she whispered, cupping Vi’s face in her hands and looking into her tired eyes.
Caitlyn wrapped her arms around Vi, and Vi let her head rest on her girlfriend’s shoulder.
– Is that how you were living while we were apart?
– Kind of… Yeah, but a little bit worse.
– For six whole months?
– Yeah.
Caitlyn pulled her in tighter.
– I’m so sorry.
– It’s okay, Cupcake.
That night, Caitlyn cradled Violet in her arms and watched her sleep. Her chest ached every time she thought about the amount of trauma Violet had endured throughout her life. She was so precious. No one should have to go through so much pain, especially not someone as loving as her. Caitlyn gently stroked her face, eyes lingering on the bruises and cuts that would take a few days to heal, and made a silent promise to herself: she would take care of her, always, because Vi was deeply sensitive underneath it all, even if she acted tough, and if anyone knew that truth, it was Caitlyn.