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Chapter Text

“…and finally, the moment you’ve been waiting all Spring for, the highlight of the Valoran City Academy Spring Gala – winners of both the Hottest Talent music contest and the Cutest Couple award…”

Bright pink paper flowers in trailing lines and coils whispered in the breeze of spring; there was still just enough lingering chill behind it not to turn yet another school dance into a sweaty miasma.

And this one, like all the others, was just a warmup for the looming colossus that was the annual Heartbeat Ball.

Caitlyn smoothed her immaculate skirts and faked a wry smile at Corina’s last snarky comment about the ‘sugarpop twins’ as the announcer, some bubbly second year, droned on sycophantically.

“…they’ll be performing their latest collab, 'You Got Me Lovestruck', please welcome to the stage Valoran’s sweethearts, Ezreal Lymere and Luxanna Crownguard!”

Caitlyn sighed under her breath as the happy couple lit up the stage – figuratively and literally. She liked pink as much as the next person, she was currently wearing a good deal of it, but there were levels…

Caitlyn felt the tension spike in her shoulders as the inevitable commentary started at each of her flanks.

She’d have to have words with Lux about it later.

The spotlight flashed down on Ezreal, blonde spikes tastefully squished by his neon headset, jacket glowing blue and pink like a synthwave album cover, his boyish energy and swoony ocean-eyed wink winning hearts in the crowd, even before he lit up with that cocky little smirk hiding just a hint of soft fragility and started singing his little heart out…

“Oh babe, the moment I saw your eyes –”

Lux skipped onto the stage, snug sleeves and pink nails and a frilly little white crop top, glittering golden waves flowing from behind her pink hairband, her face a teenage dream of sky-blue eyes and clear skin and Valoran’s sunniest smile. She fairly beamed at Ez, locked their azure stares adoringly together, and brought the mic to her strawberry-glossed lips.

“Oh sweetie, the moment you touched my life –”

“What’s with the his-and-hers chokers?” Qiyana whispered behind her hand, “Oooh, think she keeps him on a leash?”

“The big plastic hearts stuck on their chests are certainly a statement,” Cassiopeia glanced up from buffing her nails on her lapel, “Please tell me that’s not the new look in Demacia?”

Fiora didn’t dignify that with a response beyond an icy arch of her brows.

On stage, the two sunny lovebirds flashed each other flirty winks and touched the hearts in question – the heart-rate-monitor squiggles on the front of each lit up in neon as the song hit its first chorus –

“You Got Me Lovestruck – oooh baby I’m comin’ unstuck – I’m never gonna be the same – whenever I’m together with you—”

“Oh my god they’re so cute!” “We love you Lux!” “Ezreal! Ezreal!” the crowd screamed, going wild for the gimmick.

Caitlyn flickered a little smile and made sure to freeze her brows just a little into a smug perch so the others wouldn’t pick it.

“You’ve got to admit,” she said pleasantly, “It is a bit cute.”

“Ughh,” Qiyana rolled her eyes, “If you’re into watching two yappy blonde chihuahuas eye-humping on stage…”

Caitlyn chuckled, “Do try to have some school spirit, Qi.”

Caitlyn was keenly aware that a good deal of her Squad’s snipping at Luxanna Crownguard was jealousy – the younger girl was a transfer from Demacia like Fiora, but one who seemed to breeze through the social strata each of the girls beside Caitlyn had clawed their way up tooth and nail. Lux had simply coasted in on her immaculate grades and apple-pie wholesomeness without a damn care in the world.

She might be a year behind them, but Lux was the next big thing, and there was nothing the Squad could do to stop her.

Yet.

And that was what had Caitlyn just a little worried for the girl.

Words like shrill and twee and naïve might apply, certainly, Caitlyn considered, and both her picture-perfect face and her picture-perfect boyfriend aside, the titanic name of Crownguard had certainly contributed to her rise to untouchability as the fresh princess of the VCA…

But Caitlyn, of all people, knew what a name could weigh.

“I’ll never find love – oh I’ll never find love – I’ll never be Lovesick like I am for you…”

As the song changed keys, Fiora muttered softly under her breath.

“What is she doing? She is a Crownguard,” she said, for Caitlyn’s ears only, “Acting like a common hussy with this Piltover boy…pardonne, Caitlyn, but if she is going to display like this, it doesn’t matter who her family is. She’ll never be you.”

“Of course, she won’t,” Caitlyn chuckled, “That seat is taken.”

It was nice of Fiora to think she’d need reassurance, but Caitlyn had no fear of the sunny little creature making heart eyes at her beau on the stage. In her experience Lux might actually be as sweet as she seemed. She certainly had not a bad word to say about anyone, which was more than Caitlyn could say of her friends in the so-called Heartthrob Clique…

No, Lux wasn’t a threat. Not to her. Lux might be a princess, but Caitlyn was a queen.

Qiyana’s critique wasn’t entirely without merit, she had to admit. The girl’s voice was chipper and shrill, her timing with Ezreal a little off. They kept winning these Gala music contests on the charm of their double-act, but Sona was a true virtuoso at the strings, Akali’s rapping hit home every time, and Seraphine’s angelic-sounding name scarcely did justice to her voice…

It was unfair. And, though she’d never admit it aloud, unfair was something that itched in Caitlyn’s skin, not that she could balance the scales, even sitting on the committee. Lux and Ezreal had won the judges over; theirs was an undeniable chemistry, even if its primary ingredient seemed to be ‘sugar, buckets of it’.

The whole of Valoran City Academy seemed to be high on it anyway.

“Well,” said Cassiopeia, “He’s cute enough if you’re into pretty boys. Though, isn’t he a little beneath her? I mean, she is a Crownguard…and isn’t he a bit of a troublemaker?”

“Ezreal? Well, I suppose,” said Caitlyn, shaking her head, “Rather more class clown than delinquent. I expect she finds the rebellion exciting – I doubt her parents approve, but I’d say he’s safer than she’d like to pretend. She could do a lot worse…”

Caitlyn refused to look over to the Heartache Crew. They sat at the corner of her vision like a shadow, a blotch of off, clashing colors, punky styles, ripped fishnets and studs and garish hair all draped in their dark corner casting the occasional churlish eyes and sarcastic catcalls at the performers.

They mostly radiated bored and listless and too edgy for this shit.

Even in periphery, it was hard to miss the ringleader, Miss Stands-for-Violence herself, sucking from a battered sports bottle dwarfed by the giant Atlas gauntlets she refused to take off even outside of the gymnasium. Apparently, she’d cited it as ‘training with the weight’ and the faculty had somehow reneged.

Caitlyn thought, for a horrible moment, she’d felt Violet Lane’s eyes on her, but a chilling side-glance showed her exchanging a crude joke with that nasty Draven boy.

Disgusting.

“…and his parents are both professors,” Qiyana agreed, “Ezreal might never act it, but he’s from money. I get that he’s not your type, Cait, but if you’d pulled a guy like that, you might have an edge on her…”

Caitlyn’s breath stilled in her nostrils.

A guy like that.

A pointed look from her clique had drifted over to the Heartthrob boys; in particular, to Jayce, rolling his eyes and running his hands through his perfect hair at another quip from his friends.

He made eye contact with Cait and gave her a casual finger-guns, knowing exactly what it’d provoke. The ass.

“Aren’t you and Talis-”

Caitlyn was glad the crowd squealing for the song covered for her burst of laughter.

“How many times am I going to have to explain why that’s a no?”

“Whatever! So, when are you going to date, like, anyone?”

Caitlyn breathed out and forced herself to face her friends with a frosty, judgmental waft of disapproval.

“Why, Qiyana,” she remarked, one brow raised, “Are you offering?”

Qiyana’s cocky smirk fell off her lips.

“N-no, I was just pointing out, you’re still-”

“Single,” Caitlyn replied, as she had a hundred times before, and would need to again, “Is that a problem?”

“Well, it’s just a bit…weird, isn’t it?”

Caitlyn didn’t let her smile crack.

“Don’t overstep,” she said, and turned back to the performance.

They’d never see the way the practiced smoothing of her skirts hid the tremors in her fingers.

Lux stepped backstage as the applause roared behind her, glowing with the heat of attention, giddy with the sudden plunge from stage lights to comparative darkness, and hand in hand with Ezreal.

“Oh my god, what a show-” Taliyah gushed, swooping on them from backstage, “You guys were adorable up there…”

“Aw, shucks,” said Ez, biting his lip through his grin and locking eyes with Lux, “Hey, we just gotta be us, you know?”

She fluttered her eyes back at him and gave him a bright giggle with just a hint of dreamy sigh.

“They’re going to need a new yearbook shoot,” Senna chuckled as she strolled past with a clipboard, “Cuz I think ‘green’ just became the most popular eye color at VCA.”

“Gosh, Senna,” Lux rubbed her warm cheeks, “Um, you really think so? We just wanted to make everyone smile…”

“Share the love around a bit, you know?” Ez said with a wink, squeezing her hand, “I mean, figuratively, cutiepuff, you know I’ve only got eyes for you…”

“I know, sugarbun,” she sighed back, tipping her head to her shoulder and playing with his fingers, “I don’t have to worry about my man.”

“Killing me here, lovebirds,” Senna groaned, “You’re worse than Xayah and Rakan.”

“Hey!” a warm voice cut in, and Lux turned from shaking the heat from her hair and letting a hint of breeze cool the sweat on the back of her neck to see Seraphine approaching, dolled up for her turn at the stage, a nervous little smile touching her lips, “Wow, what an act to follow. You guys are amazing, and so, so sweet…I could really feel your harmony.”

‘That was Luxanna Crownguard and Ezreal Lymere, and wow, I feel sorry for whoever has to follow that amazing energy. Are you feeling the love here tonight VCA because I sure am!’

“Thanks, Sera…” Lux smiled at her, brightly, but she had to fight to keep it on her face as she saw that tiny note of sadness in Sera’s eyes, “You’ll knock ‘em dead up there, I know it!”

‘And this year’s runner up, with a reprise of her performance of ‘You Don’t Need To Be Strong’, our heavenly songstress, Seraphine!’

The howls of the audience rose again.

But, though punctuated by a shrieking first year Lux glimpsed standing on a chair waving her SERAPHINE FAN CLUB sign above the crowd, they weren’t as loud as they’d been for Ez and Lux.

“I’ll do my best,” Seraphine said, taking a deep breath, “Just got to stay positive!”

And she was gone through the curtain.

Lux bit her lip.

“Hey, pookiebear,” Ez slung an arm around her, the familiar scent of his clean sweat and slightly fruity deodorant hanging surrounding her, “You okay?”

“Sera,” she leaned into him and sighed a little, lifting blue eyes to his. “I mean, listen to her.”

Her voice rose above the cheering crowd, gently stilling their raucous energy to soothing calm, her melody pitch-perfect, thrumming with real emotion and deep, passionate talent.

“…she should’ve won.”

Ez’s smile faded a little, “…yeah, probably, but there’s next year, right? We had to take our shot, and hey, c’mon, we earned it.”

He tipped her chin up, where everyone could see, and kissed her.

Lux tensed only briefly before she hummed into it, leaned, and lingered until he broke away with a flash of a wink over the giggling of their observers.

“C’mon,” he tugged her hand, “Gotta get our stuff from the lockers, then we book.”

“You guys are leaving before the last dance?” said Taliyah, peeking back from watching Seraphine with rapt attention, “You off on another hot date already?”

“Nah, just figured we’d go back to my place,” said Ez, with only a slight wiggle of his brows, “Dance is cool and all but, my parents aren’t home tonight and… y’know.”

“Oh, Ez, don’t tell everyone,” Lux flushed and batted at his arm.

“Oh my god,” Senna groaned, “Get out of here, you two, and use protection!”

“A true hero,” Ez spread his arms and grinned, “Always does!”

“You’re so cheesy, Ezbunny,” Lux trailed after him to the lockers, rolling her eyes and giggling back at the other girls.

Senna mouthed ‘ezbunny’ back at Taliyah and made a faint gagging gesture.

Lux opened her locker, right next to Ezreal’s, and paused.

“…crud,” she muttered under her breath, “My phone…I must have left it in the changerooms.”

“Okay, I can wait outside,” Ez said, peering over at her from typing a text, shutting his own locker and shouldering his bag.

He glanced over his shoulder to see a couple of second years whispering behind their hands and smirking at the two of them. Ezreal flashed them a smug smile and bumped Lux’s shoulder, “But don’t make me wait too long, cutie…y’know how I get impatient.”

“Oh, you know me,” Lux trilled, “Never do…”

She bumped her hips to his and scooted off, bag swinging against her back, away from the rising giggles and murmurs. Her heart pounded, and she wasn’t quite sure why…

…but as she stumbled into the changerooms, she saw it, lying next to the makeup kit.

Her phone. Breathing a sigh of relief, Lux snatched it up and unlocked it.

She had a new text blinking away, at the bottom of a row of them:

JustEz: Heya, sorry for laying it on extra thick today.

JustEz: That creepy Eve girl keeps making passes at me and I needed to scare her off.

JustEz: If it got annoying, I’ll make it up to you tonight. Pizza and ‘flix, or burgers and boardgames? Your call! Seeya, L.

And, from a few minutes ago;

JustEz: Hope you found your phone. I’m in the carpark.

Lux let out a soft sigh and texted him back:

LuxCG: Got phone! No sweat. Pizza sounds good. Don’t think I have the spoons for boardgames. Thanks, E.

She took the opportunity to peel herself out of her costume and change back into her uniform, relieved, but unable to shake the vague sense of stale stickiness clinging to her after the heat and energy of the stage. As she walked back out of the changerooms, her sunny-bright message tone pinged again;

JustEz: hey you found your phone! Cool. Meet you outside.

“Oh, hello,” said a crisp voice, and Lux nearly jumped out of her skin as she looked up – having almost smacked right into a girl walking out of the restrooms – almost smacked right into Caitlyn…

…Caitlyn Kiramman …ohhh no.

Lux’s heart pounded, from the startlement, sure, but also from being sweaty and disheveled and six feet from the Ice Queen of VCA.

The tall Piltovan girl regarded Lux with a frosty, amused look. Her makeup was flawless, her pale rose coiffure spilling in immaculate spirals from beneath a soft plaid beret in the same pastel Freljord Violet as the pattern on her skirt and jacket.

There wasn’t a hair out of place or a single fleck of lint on her attire.

“Great performance, Lux,” Caitlyn smiled, her sharp brow arched, “Very pink. Checking your evening plans?”

Lux flicked her eyes back to the phone and swiftly switched from JustEz’s thread to EZBUNNYXOXO<3<3 before she turned her phone around.

“Oh, you know,” she giggled, biting her fingertip, “Just a bit of ‘us’ time after the big win.”

Caitlyn’s lips drew thin at the sight of a garish torrent of “OMG LOVE U” and “hey bae thinking hot thoughts of u <3 <3 <3 <3” and “here’s a pic of us lookin’ cute XOXOXO” and “omg I woke up last night from dreaming of kissing u again” and a very prominent “parents out tonight u know what that means pookiebear, victory celebration! Mm can’t wait xoxoxox” from just before the show.

To her credit, Caitlyn glanced only briefly before averting her eyes as if she’d walked in on something private, “…I get the picture.”

She glanced down the hall, where the Heartthrob Clique waited for her in a languid huddle.

“Well, congratulations on your victory, and goodnight, I suppose.”

“Thanks!” Lux sang, and turned to skip off, swallowing down a brief pang that she wasn’t staying to chat.

Sooner or later, Lux would have to take the plunge; join the Heartthrobs or stay on the ‘out’ for good. She’d been very, very careful to ensure she ticked all their boxes, but they circled her like wary sharks, taking little nibbles where they could; her hair, her clothes, her music, her perfumes, her cheerleading, even her boyfriend…

Caitlyn had always been the nice one, to Lux at least. They’d even worked well on projects together; Caitlyn was incredibly conscientious, the kind of girl who couldn’t just attend a school event without also sitting the organizing committees, curating the promotions, and managing the teams.

Lux knew exactly what it was like to have Responsibility grilled into you from day one. Maybe, being born to rich families with soaring expectations, they had more in common than the other girls, but Lux kept her at arm’s length, nonetheless. The Heartthrobs were a notoriously difficult clique to break into and they could be totally brutal with anyone they found lacking…

She couldn’t shake the feeling that Caitlyn might just be playing Good Cop.

“Lux.”

Caitlyn’s voice cut into her thoughts, and Lux looked back at her. Caitlyn faced away from the other girls, and for a moment, when the others weren’t looking – it might have just been her imagination but there was a flicker of something crossing her porcelain façade.

“…If you’re ever in need,” she said, “I am about.”

Lux stood caught like a deer in the headlights as Caitlyn turned and strutted back to her Squad, wondering if she’d imagined she’d heard that, and imagined she’d seen that look on Caitlyn Kiramman’s face she’d never thought could have lived there–

A smile; small, friendly, and sincere.

Only in the passenger seat of Ezreal’s car, texting her brother to tell him she was going to ‘a sleepover with the girls’, did the weirdness of the encounter with Caitlyn fade enough that Lux realized something else had been bothering her.

She never, ever, answered “JustEz” messages at school. That was the deal…

But she’d done it this time without thinking, because when she’d unlocked her phone in the changerooms, it had already been open to that thread.

Bumping into Lux was, as it turned out, only a brief respite of awkwardness in a night otherwise determined to plunge.

“Come on, Caitlyn!” Cassiopeia chuckled, “The Spring gala was yet another big win because of you. Come out with us! Do some celebrating.”

“Never know, we might even find you a special someone…” Qiyana added with a wink, “Or someones.”

“Tonight might be the night Ice Queen Caitlyn finally cracks,” added Corina, with a coy smirk, “Stranger things have happened.”

Caitlyn opened her mouth to dismiss them, as they strolled out into the front courtyard of the Academy; the words were stolen from her mouth by a heavy thud and a gasp of air from the wall not far from the main doors.

Black and red and white flashed just in the periphery of her vision; Violet Lane stood with her forearm across the throat of one of the other Undercity students; Devaki, a particularly greasy third year, pinning him to the wall.

Caitlyn’s brows furrowed.

“Don’t,” Cassiopeia warned, hand on Caitlyn’s arm, “Heartache bullshit’s not our business.”

“It’s on school grounds,” Caitlyn scowled, “And I’m on the Safe Spaces committee-”

Devaki was muttering something as Vi lifted him off his feet, her own face a storm of knotted anger, and slammed him into the wall so hard that brick dust rained into the garden.

Thank the Aspects she didn’t have those giant bloody gloves on, she’d have broken his neck. They lay nearby, like she’d dropped them in her haste to body slam the boy. Brutish things they were, all of metal strips and spikes, fit only for punching the training mecha in the Battle Gym where she spent most of her time.

Caitlyn’s blood boiled. Sooner or later, Vi was going to kill someone with those hideous things…

She turned back and overheard heard snippets of the exchange – “-mer” and “-irst yea-” and most prominently – “cave your ugly skull in, got it, asshole?”

Caitlyn started forward, gritting her teeth, but her friends held her bodily back.

“Look, we all know you’re Miss Social Justice, but if you want to pick a fight with Violence Lane,” Corina murmured, “You’re on your own.”

Caitlyn stared at them, and haughtily tugged her arm from their grip, a tiny flicker of a scowl sent their way as she unrumpled her sleeve.

“Go on without me,” she said, “I’ve just remembered I’ve some admin notes to finish in the media room.”

The Squad looked at the tower of blood-red hair, fishnets, and spiky studs that was Violet Lane and exchanged glances, and various subtle tweaks of perfect brows and glossed lips, before they turned from Caitlyn and walked away.

“Suit yourself,” Qiyana shot over her shoulder as they went, “But if you’re a bruised pulp in the school newspaper tomorrow, don’t say we didn’t warn you.”

“…lie down with dogs,” Fiora muttered as she walked off with them, “Get up with fleas…”

An icy crack of rage broke Caitlyn’s façade, but none of them saw it – except Vi, who had her fist raised, paused, her gaze turned back over her shoulder to lock eyes with Caitlyn for the first time.

Caitlyn stared back at her.

Now they were here, face to face, the queen of the Heartthrob Clique staring down the ringleader of the Heartache Crew about to beat a guy into the brickwork, Caitlyn had absolutely no idea what to say.

It wasn’t Vi’s deep carmine eyes or the faint furrow in her scarred brows. It couldn’t be anything so simple.

Vi growled, “…What?”

It was just a word, but it broke the silence. Caitlyn pursed her lips and let her blank stare sharpen into a glare, whilst she searched for…something. Words. Something!

“Got something to say, Cupcake?” Vi chuckled, “Or you just like to watch? I mean, if it’s your thing, by all means…”

Devaki took the opportunity to wiggle fruitlessly for escape, and Vi smacked him into the wall again without looking away from Caitlyn.

“Stop it!” Caitlyn hissed, “Leave him alone!”

Vi furrowed her brow again, her goth-lipped moue seeming genuinely surprised.

“Or…?”

“You’ll be reported to the school disciplinary committee,” Caitlyn thrust a finger at her, “Obviously!”

Vi stared at her, stunned, for a moment; then she laughed out loud and turned back to Devaki.

“Hear that, Dev? She’s going to report me for picking on you. Y’know what that means, right? We both get hauled into Ferros’ office for a ‘stern talking to’…”

Caitlyn had expected relief, but Devaki went pale.

“…whatcha think, Dev?” said Vi, her tone casual, but something ugly, nasty, and fierce under it, in the faint narrowing of her eyes and the tension in her neck and her forearms, “Should we let Miss Goody Two-Shoes take us in and explain the sitch?”

“N-no-NO!” he shouted, voice quavering, eyes panicked as they turned to Caitlyn, “Uh! I mean I’m good, we’re good, just havin’ a little bit of a Zaunite pow-wow, you see? Ha ha, bit of roughhousing between friends…”

“Yeah,” Vi said, her smirk cold as the steel of her studded headband, “Real good mates.”

She let go of him, abruptly, and he tumbled in a heap of gangly limbs into the garden, gasping for air.

“Run along now, buddy,” she said as he hauled himself to his feet – right into her smoldering glare and the jab of her fingertip to his thin chest – “…and remember what I told you. Don’t want to have this chat again, do we?”

“G-got it Vi…” Devaki cringed, with another frightened look to Caitlyn, and snatched up his fallen hat as he fled into the growing evening.

Leaving her alone with Violet Lane.

Caitlyn blew out a heated breath.

“Care to explain?”

Vi quirked a brow at her and walked back to her gloves, leaning down for them, “…nope.”

“You pushed that boy so hard you’ve left damage in the school façade,” Caitlyn chased her a few steps, fuming, “How can you be so callous?”

It was the wrong thing to say. Vi’s brows furrowed and Caitlyn saw the muscular swells of her shoulders – bared by her torn white crop top – tense.

Her heart started, inexplicably, beating faster as Vi dropped the gloves again and turned to her with a dark-cherry smirk.

“Oh no,” she teased, “Whatcha gonna do, Sheriff Kiramman? Dob me in to the faculty and bat an eye to get me kicked to the social curb, like you did my sister?”

Caitlyn’s next words died on her tongue. She scowled, “-w-well Jinx was defacing school property and in possession of extremely dangerous chemicals, someone could’ve been seriously injur-”

Vi snorted, “Powder got dragged over the coals because of you. Do you have any idea what it did to her?”

Caitlyn faltered and stood with her arms by her sides, staring in confusion. Vi, sneer twisting her lip, suddenly stepped closer, getting right into Caitlyn’s face.

“You think that ‘taught her a lesson’? Like something like that just rolls off people like us? Screw you!”

Caitlyn blanched back, tripping over her shoes and tottering to stay on her feet –

But Vi didn’t hit her. Instead, she leaned in close – close enough that Caitlyn could make out the scars on her lip and brow, the furrow above her intense red eyes and the black-and-red broken heart scribbled below the left…right on the faint freckles dusting her cheeks.

Her scent wreathed Caitlyn, sharp and earthy from her fight practice before the dance. Her breath tickled Caitlyn’s face, spiced with hints of clove cigarette smoke and the unexpected sweetness of cherry lipstick.

“You think you’re the law here,” Vi murmured, low and cold, “But you don’t know us. You don’t know us for shit. We take care of our own and we don’t need you.”

Caitlyn held her ground, but when she tried to speak, all she could do was lick her lips and fumble with the start of a sentence, “I…”

Her words had completely failed her.

Vi gave a grim smile and pulled away, picking up her massive gauntlets and slinging them over her shoulder with a clank of spiky metal.

“Stay in your lane, Piltie,” she said over her shoulder.

And then she was gone.

Caitlyn waited until she was sure she was alone and then let out a steaming growl. She kicked a loose paver so hard she scuffed her favorite shoes.

Calm. Control. Discipline. Get it together, Kiramman! You do not show this sort of base display of emotion. Be rational. Be productive…

Caitlyn fought to control her breathing. Productive. Yes.

She couldn’t just leave, not rattled like this, not if she was going to meet with the Squad. She’d told them she was staying behind, and she was going to stick to it.

She was a Kiramman, after all.

Maybe a little after-hours admin work in the musty quiet of the media room would be nice. And the wrap-up notes for the Gala really did need to be completed.

Caitlyn closed her eyes, took a deep breath in, and let it out.

The hubbub of quiet voices snickering and the clicking of keys and computer mouses did not penetrate the turbulent wall of her thoughts as she strode to the media room. Caitlyn didn’t realize her mistake until it was too late; until she’d clicked the door open and strolled inside, and one of the voices sharpened to brittle spite.

“Well look who it is,” the voice hissed, and Caitlyn’s eyes narrowed as she turned to spy two second years sprawled in the computer lounge, their workstations cluttered with fast food wrappers and smuggled-in gaming controllers.

Even if she hadn’t recognized that voice, the boy’s baggy patched jacket and ice blue tipped locs and the girl’s spiky choker and twotoned lipstick, not to mention the neon graffiti scrawled all over their threadbare clothes and well loved personal effects would have drawn anyone’s eye. 

Ekko winced slightly as he pushed his headset off and nervously fixed his locs, “Uh, heya, um, Caitlyn…”

Caitlyn smiled at him. “Ekko. Working late for extra credit, I see.”

She turned to the girl beside him. Glinting pink eyes bored into hers. Caitlyn would never get over the color.

Shimmer. Never thought I’d see it at this school…

The girl flicked her long neon-green-and-purple braids over her shoulders and smirked back, with an exaggerated roll of those eyes.

“Oh no,” she groaned, “It’s Sheriff Cupcake! Am I under arrest?”

Caitlyn drew her lips into a thin, long-suffering smile.

“Hello, Jinx.”

Chapter Text

In the dim light, blankets rustled, Ezreal snickered, and Lux gave a shrill gasp –

“-oh my god, gross…” she muttered at the screen and reached for another slice of pizza, “Did he just stab that guy’s eye out with that other guy’s arm stump? I hate eye stuff…”

Ezreal laugh-snorted as the lumbering purple psychopath on the screen split another one of his victims asunder in a flash of a cleaver and a steaming fountain of blood.

“Oh yeah,” he chugged cola and pointed, “Wait for it, the girlfriend’s about to walk right into-”

“Nooo, you stupid idiot, oh my god,” Lux pointed and swore at the screen as the ditzy blonde screamed her head off – literally - and kept screaming as it rolled bouncing across a tabletop and landed on her boyfriend’s corpse, “Oh my god why is it always the blonde…”

“Screenwriters. They’re out to get us, I swear,” Ez mourned, snatching the drooping mozzarella snaking from the end of his pizza on his tongue and chasing it up to the point of the slice.

Lux watched him slyly from the corner of her eye as he almost lost the tottering mass of toppings and shook her head, “…I mean we’ve probably got to actually try to prove them wrong sometimes, Ez.”

“Mmmff?” Ez peeked one eye open from trying – and failing – to contain the strings of mozzarella in his mouth.

“Nevermind,” Lux sighed and propped her feet up under the cozy blanket.

Ez had let her use his shower after they got in, while he got the pizza order sorted and set up the movie night, and she felt a million times better for being clean. The gala had been a lot of fun – she couldn’t deny it was invigorating to perform, to feel all that positive energy washing over her from the crowd, but it took so much out of her she was always flattened afterwards. And the duet had been weeks – months, really – of practice and rehearsal and getting the timing just right, and she was painfully aware that she and Ez still weren’t always in tune or time…

But they had won. Because people liked them. Or rather, people liked ‘them’…

Lux thought of Sera with a sudden, bitter pang, and hid it as her flinch at the gory excess of Frightmare Asylum 3: Mundo Chops Back gushing and splattering on Ez’s widescreen.

“Ez,” she murmured, pulling her knees up under the fuzzy blanket and leaning on him just a little, “Do you…think we deserved it?”

“…getting decapitated by Dr Mundo?” he queried, between gnawing his crust like a dog with a bone, “Dunno, maybe a light stabbing?”

She punched his arm, “Ez! The music competition, duh.”

“Oh,” he blinked for a moment, chewing solemnly and staring into the middle distance, then shrugged, “Yeah, I mean, we worked really hard? I know you don’t think you’re as good a singer as Sera and …yeah, Akali raps like her tongue’s on fire, but…I think you’re too hard on yourself, Lux. You worked your butt off, we both did. Take the win…”

He picked up another slice and pointed it toward her like a knight offering a queen his sword, “And devour this, the fruits of our glorious victory!”

Lux giggled and took the greasy triangle of deliciousness with a gracious nod. As she munched, though, she couldn’t help but keep her brow a little furrowed.

“I know but-mm-Sera wrote that song-mmand-Sona’s been studying since she could walk-Akali writes all her own lyrics too-” she shook her head, “I just…”

Ez perked a brow at her, “…you sure it’s about that?”

Lux sighed.

“I don’t know. I just…wish I didn’t feel like I was lying to everyone…”

“I mean,” Ezreal mused, “We kinda are…” he snickered, “…‘pookiebear’.”

“Ughhh! Ez!” Lux rolled her eyes and punched him in the arm again, “We promised! Not at home! Ugh, we do enough of that crud at school…”

“…okay yeah, even I have to admit today was a bit much,” he shuddered, “You still feel okay about it? That ‘us’, I mean?”

Lux fell quiet and finished her pizza. Wiping her fingers on the napkins, she nestled in and slipped her hand around his arm, leaning on him a little and staring off into the distance.

Do I?

Lux thought on their first meeting; due to some sort of clerical error Ezreal had somehow accidentally gotten himself enrolled at fourteen in an esteemed Demacian junior military college, under the name ‘Jarro Lightfeather’. He’d apparently decided to just roll with it, and rolled straight into Luxanna Crownguard’s rigid, stifled life in the process.

Meeting Ezreal had been a breath of fresh air and a precious glimpse of the world outside for Lux. They finished each other’s dorky jokes and made each other laugh like no-one else.

They had each other’s backs, no matter what. He was that kind of friend.

And she had so few.

So, when he’d been discovered and summarily expelled, she’d managed to pull her Crownguard privileges to get herself transferred to Valoran City, and all the glitz and prestige of the famed international school, VCA, all without her family – aside from her brother, of course – knowing that Ezreal, and an escape from the strangulation that was Demacia, were the bulk of her reasons.

And then there they were, tide-tossed in an unfamiliar city and staring down the unmitigated horror of the high school social climb, and one sunny afternoon in the first week, he’d found her behind the sportsground shaking from a panic attack and promptly had one of his own.

She wasn’t ready. For any of it. Neither was he.

So, the pact.

Kissing was the weirdest part. But she was glad he’d been her first; because he was Just Ez, and kissing him felt safe, if nothing else, and the thought of kissing anyone else was terrifying. He’d admitted to feeling pretty much the same way, so those first awkward experiments had become something they only did now where everyone else could see.

“Just a performance,” she murmured, leaning on his shoulder, breathing his familiar scent. Clean, boyish, safe, “Just like our song. Play into it, ham it up, keep it up, and maybe everyone will just…leave us alone until we’re ready…for…”

“Lux?” he frowned.

“…what are we waiting for?” she whispered, “I don’t really know anymore, Ez.”

His brow creased in thought, and he reached over to card his fingers through her hair the way he knew calmed her down. Lux knew most people thought he was a bit of an idiot, but she knew the whole of him a lot better than any of them. He was more than they ever got to see…

Just like her.

It sent a sudden swell of sadness into her chest.

“I don’t know either,” he said softly, “I just…I guess it got really easy, y’know? To just keep doing it. I don’t know what’d happen to us if we stopped.”

Lux bit her lip.

“Maybe they’d just get over it,” she said, “Nobody stays at the top forever. It’s been fun but…wouldn’t you just like to…disappear, sometimes?”

“Me?” Ez chuckled, “Nah, c’mon, Lux! You know me, I gotta be in the limelight.”

“But if I wasn’t your girlfriend-”

He winced, “Yeah, uh, I guess I couldn’t stay there long if I didn’t shack up with someone else…ah, crap, that’s so weird.”

Lux looked up at him. Really looked, and saw the flicker of fear – dread, maybe even panic – behind his bright blue eyes.

Something scared him a lot more than Dr Mundo’s Frightmare Asylum ever could, and she wondered if it was the thought of her not being around, or what might happen to him in her absence…

“Yeah, I guess it would be,” Lux laughed.

She fidgeted with the sleeves of her comfy sweater.

So, what do I…do?

I can’t…finish high school a virgin, can I? Girls like me don’t – if I want to stay popular, I can’t let it get out that I’m still – And Ez…I was I was going to ask him. We were each other’s first kiss, why not…?

He’s the only one I trust.

Was that really what she wanted? Would he even want to, or would it just make their friendship even weirder than the fake dating, the fake flirting, the kissing for other people’s benefit?

What does Ez even want from me? Lux wondered, all these years and I still don’t know…

Because Ez never asked anything from her. Ez never wanted or needed her to give anything or be anything she wasn’t already.

It was the best and worst thing about being his best friend. She just didn’t know, and…

Maybe he was right. Maybe it had all gotten too easy.

“Aw, c’mon!” he shouted at the screen as the Final Girl delivered her quip and Dr Mundo tumbled with a scream into the vat of acid, “That bullshit’s not gonna keep him down. You watch, he’ll crawl out of a sewer in the next one and axe some more teens a few questions, hehe-”

He was rummaging with the controller, peering already through the next recommendations.

“…whatcha feeling, L? Warwick II: Howling in the Sump? Ooh, what about The Demon Scarecrow…? That one’s even set in Demacia…”

The credits rolled, and Lux smiled to herself and snuggled into his arm. ‘Easy’ wasn’t too bad sometimes…

“Maybe one more,  Ez. I don’t wanna stay up too late again. I’m beat, bet you are too, and I don’t want to oversleep tomorrow.”

“Aw c’mon, it’s the weekend! We can watch grody horror till dawn, get breakfast at the mall and go to the arcade if we wanna. What’s stopping us?”

“Ezzzz,” Lux laughed at him, “My brother’s going to be stressed enough with me staying out as it is…I think he’d have words at me spending even more time with you than I already do.”

“Heh,” Ezreal gave a weak grin, “I dunno, Lux, I kinda think he knows.”

“What? Garen?” she scoffed, “Why would you think that?”

“Uh, because he hasn’t kicked the shit out of me yet?” Ezreal shrugged, “Despite, y’know, all the very public displays. You’re gonna tell me Cleaver Crownguard wouldn’t stop his glaring match with ol’ Dunkmaster Darius just to break any guy getting handsy with his kid sister over one knee?”

“Pfff, Garen’s a teddy bear, Ez.”

“C’mon, he was at the gala tonight and he knows where I live! Don’t think for a sec he buys the whole ‘sleepover with the girls’ excuse, Lux. I’m telling you; he’s figured it out and he’s just letting it slide…”

Lux snorted under her breath.

“Speaking of, if you’re gonna insist on giving me nightmares with that Fiddlesticks movie, I’d better see what time he’s gonna pick me up tomorrow.”

She fumbled to pull out her phone to check if Garen had sent her a text reply from earlier…

…and froze as she unlocked it to a message from an unfamiliar number.

It just said three words.

“THEY ALL KNOW : )”

Its attached image loaded in before Lux’s staring eyes.

A screenshot of her conversation window with Just Ez, posted in the school’s public RuneChat server.

All of it.

Lux’s fingers went numb, and her breath started shaking. Ezreal’s body tensed beside her.

“…no,” he whispered, “…oh no no no what the hell…who the hell would…”

“Ez…” Lux croaked, “Wait, there has to be…there’s got to be a reason…”

The phone glared malevolently at her.

Ez frantically loaded RuneChat on his own phone and watched the live reactions.

Lux watched his eyes go saucer-shaped; his face painted death white in the unnatural glow of the screen. She heard his breath, like her own, grow erratic.

As their safe came tumbling down.

“…no,” she whispered, “I can fix this…Ez…we can fix this…it’ll be okay…”

But even as she said it, Lux knew it was just another lie.

Caitlyn slid on her designer headphones and tried her very best to ignore Jinx – less the elephant in the room than a neon-braided cobra staring at her with a venomous smirk – as she opened her laptop and began to update her notes.

It worked for about zero-point-five seconds.

The first spitwad flicked past her periphery and stuck to the wall before Caitlyn had even registered what it was. The second smacked into the edge of her bag and she turned in annoyance, just in time for the third spitwad to sting her cheek.

Caitlyn lowered her headphones, her curated Concentration Beats playlist bleeding away to the sound of Jinx sucking in a reptile hiss of disbelieving laughter behind her mismatched fingernails and Ekko, wide-eyed, paused amid his unsuccessful attempt to wrest the straw out of her hands before the worst.

“-holy crap baskets,” Jinx whispered between hoarse giggles, “I totally nailed her, woops-”

Caitlyn fought every vicious insult stuck behind her teeth and instead flicked the wet little globule from her cheek, taking a smudge of her makeup with it, and pinned the little wretch with her coldest glare.

“Yes?”

Jinx peered at her, befuddlement working through her amusement, “um, yes…what?”

“You clearly wanted my attention, Jinx. Now you have it. I repeat; yes?”

The two glanced between each other and Ekko blew out a breath, raising his hands in a conciliatory gesture, “Crap, um. Look, Caitlyn, we’re so sorry, Jinx was just messing arou-”

“Yeah, no,” Jinx scoffed at him, looked at Caitlyn and shrugged, slurping noisily from her juice bottle as she did, “Don’t want anything. Just screwin’ with you.”

Caitlyn arched a brow, refusing to dignify that with a response.

“Bet that’s new for you, huh, Hattie,” Jinx raised her glance to Caitlyn’s beret and smirked, “You’re not used to being messed with, are ya? Queen of the Squad, who would dare? Well, too bad, Sheriff – you already got me tarred as a ‘crazy freak’ so I ain’t got nothin’ to lose.”

“…Jinx,” Caitlyn narrowed her eyes, “As I attempted to explain to your sister, I reported you because you were placing other students in danger. I had no personal grudge, and I certainly had no intent that you be ostracized-”

“Too bad!” Jinx cackled, swinging her legs and spinning on her roller chair until she jostled Caitlyn’s desk, nearly knocking her headphones off it, and leaned over to grin at her. “Cuz guess what! I’m totally your nemesis now!”

Ekko groaned in the background and Caitlyn fought a twitch in her eye.

Jinx bit her lip and giggled, “It’s gonna be so much fun!...for me!”

Caitlyn rubbed her temples. “…Jinx, I’m not your nemesis. I have no grudge against you and no interest in childish rivalries.”

Jinx sucked in a comically deep breath, her eyes nearly bugging out, “Really? Golly, why are you here then, if not to bust me and Ekko for ‘reckless vidya gamin’ on school time’ or whatever?”

“C’mon, Jay,” Ekko complained, tugging at her arm and giving Caitlyn an apologetic – almost desperate – glance, “You don’t need to do this. She’s not gonna bust us, let’s just go home…”

“Nuh-uh!” Jinx snapped, pushing Ekko away, “See, Caitlyn…”

At the little firebrand actually using her name for once, Caitlyn glanced up and met her unnaturally bright eyes.

“You think what you did bothered me?” Jinx laughed, “Pffff, like gettin’ the Inquisition from Granny Ferros is gonna rattle me? If I’m not pourin’ teacher’s tears in my cereal, why did I even get outta bed? Jinx stands for Jinx.”

“Jinx,” Caitlyn began, “I am sorry for how you’ve been treated. And I apologize for my part in it.”

Jinx chewed her lip and narrowed those eyes to slivers.

“Jinx, I do mean it, you’re a very intelligent girl-” Caitlyn tried again, but Jinx wasn’t done.

“-and anyone who ditched me because you got me labelled a troublemaker was just a little bitch who couldn’t handle this. You did me a favor, Caity-cat. Now I know who my real friends are.”

Caitlyn caught a flicker of movement from Ekko, behind Jinx’s shoulder; a very visible wince. He saw Caitlyn’s eyes and turned his face away.

She vaguely knew – everyone knew – that Jinx wasn’t hanging out with his friendship circle anymore. She spent most of her time skulking around in the dark corners of the school, a neon spider haunting everyone’s periphery. The only people who tolerated her were VCA’s other shadows – the ‘rejects’, Vex and Briar, the dregs of the dregs…

And, apparently, Ekko, behind his own friends’ backs.

Did I…cause that? Caitlyn wondered. The thought troubled her more than she expected.

Jinx’s unblinking eyes only became more manic as she leaned over Caitlyn, “Wanna get rid of me? You’re gonna have to work harder. Get me expelled, if you think you’re girlboss enough. I wanna see you try.”

Caitlyn opened her mouth to retort, and noticed that Jinx’s fingers, gripping the edge of the desk, were shaking. Her lips and nostrils quivered with adrenaline.

Is she high…? Caitlyn wondered, Those eyes…but she’s never showed any of the other signs…she’s definitely still herself. She always is.

The thought struck Cait that it was almost as if Jinx was nervous, a small animal puffing itself up to challenge a bigger one to a fight. A fight she’d practiced for many times…

…and now she was bracing for Caitlyn to hit her back.

“I don’t think I want to, no,” Caitlyn said.

Jinx gave a sharp snort, “…What? No comeback from Sheriff Kiramman?”

“Please,” Caitlyn said clearly and calmly, “I came here to do work. I thought that we could simply give each other space…”

She began to pack her headphones.

“…clearly I was wrong, and I’m sorry for disturbing your leisure time.”

Jinx stared at her, and the manic grin on her lips twitched and slipped away as Caitlyn started packing away her things.

“That’s it? You’re not even gonna…fight back?”

“It’s been a long day,” Caitlyn said, not looking back at her, “I’d really just like to go home.”

“I don’t believe you. You’re going off with your Squad to bitch about me behind my back, aren’t you?”

Caitlyn breathed out.

“I’m aware that the Heartthrobs can be cruel,” she said, “But I’m here, and they’re not. And whatever is between us, no matter what you may think of me, anything you have to say to me stays in this room. You have my word.”

Jinx fell silent.

“You’re serious. You’re really not…like them, are you…”

Caitlyn clipped her headphones onto her bag.

“That’s for you to judge. Good night, Jinx. Ekko.”

Jinx’s brows furrowed.

She turned away from Caitlyn and started furiously typing into her console, whilst Ekko stared questioningly over her shoulder.

“…Jay,” he hissed, “What are you doing?”

“Shhhh I’m snooping,” Jinx shook him off with a warning growl and kept typing. Then she stopped and frowned, “…huh. Um. Hm.”

Caitlyn, doing her best to ignore them both, reached to close her laptop screen.

A notification popped up. A RuneChat invite from GET!JINXED404.

Caitlyn arched her brow and looked over at the garish girl, now chewing her lip and staring back at Caitlyn like an anxious cat waiting to be let out.

“…you’re inviting me to a private chatroom?”

Jinx shrugged.

“Not my chatroom, Hattie. Just uh…I got curious and-”

She tapped her screen with her garish green-and-black nails and shrugged again, then plucked up her graffiti-and-spike-bedecked backpack and her battered shark-painted skateboard.

“Your call. But you really ought to see.”

Caitlyn’s finger hesitated. Fearing a trap or fearing something she didn’t have a name for.

“Please don’t make me regret this, Jinx,” she sighed.

Jinx wasn’t smirking now. She stood with her bag slung over her shoulder, small, pointed fingers toying with the scarred-up edge of her skateboard. Her eyes watched Caitlyn, pensive.

“That’s for you to judge,” Jinx said softly, “Got you in on a ghost account.”

Caitlyn’s questioning glance went unanswered. She took a deep breath and clicked the link.

The familiar pastel background of the Heartthrobs’ private server popped up. But it was a channel she didn’t recognize; fair enough, most of the Squad had admin roles, Caitlyn didn’t mind them having private rooms, she hardly felt the need to micromanage her friends’ discussions…

But the channel name, #mankillertherapy, stayed somewhere low and cold in her belly.

Caitlyn’s eyes flicked over the scroll of text. Her username wasn’t in the active list. Jinx, true to her rep, really had hijacked the chat; no one could see her at all.

The channel was jumping, familiar usernames popping up a few lines of text every second.

<QiYaGirl:> OMG I can’t believe it. DID U SEE WHAT JUST DROPPED.

<CassBitesBack> No? Spill?

<LadyLaurent> is this about the Lux situation?

<QiYaGirl> IT’S ALL FAKE. HER AND EZREAL. THEY’RE FAKE DATING THIS WHOLE TIME. @!#$!$@@!$

Caitlyn’s brows furrowed. Her finger froze on the mouse button.

She felt vaguely sick.

<CassBitesBack> …

<CassBitesBack> that’s incredible. That’s going to blow up. That’s #@$ing huge

<CorVeracity> It’s blowing up. ‘Princess’ just got her tiara knocked off. Crashing and burning. Everyone is talking about it.

<QiYaGirl> omg. Don’t tell me ManKiller Kiramman gonna have some company in the ‘single & frigid’ corner??

<LadyLaurent> disgusting, I knew he wasn’t good enough for a Crownguard. But she stooped to faking it? What a pathetic little girl.

<QiYaGirl> she should fake date Cait next. they can be pathetic together.

Caitlyn’s brows furrowed. Her breath picked up. It sat cold in her chest, like an icicle had lodged there and hadn’t quite decided to hurt yet.

<CorVeracity> you might have a point Qi. Here’s a shot, not even Cait would see it coming.

<CassBitesBack> bitching about Kiramman again? what are you scheming this time?

<CorVeracity> we’re all tired of her. Let’s not pretend. She’s always hovering over our shoulders acting high and mighty and policing our behavior. The amount of shit we have to hide from her. It’s time she got knocked off her perch.

<CassBitesBack> you’re just salty that she nearly caught you with that bag of Shimmer at Margot’s house party.

<CorVeracity> do you know how much I paid Devaki for that? I’m not going to get caught because Kiramman thinks she’s the chief enforcer of VCA’s shining virtue.

<QiYaGirl> That’s Cassiopeia’s job 😊

<CassBitesBack> bitch I got fangs, she just a stuck-up goody two shoes, we are not the same.

<LadyLaurent> Corina was talking.

<CorVeracity> Caitlyn must go down. And if the Little Light Princess’s head can roll, why not next a queen?

<QiYaGirl> I’m all ears. 😊

Caitlyn’s breathing started trembling. Her fingers shook with – something – disgust – rage – hurt – they hovered over the keyboard.

She typed. Backspaced. Typed again. Furious at first, then slow and halting.

She backspaced again.

Aware, all the while, of Ekko and Jinx watching her, awkwardly, as the tears welled from her blurring eyes and spilled over her cheeks, ruining her pristine mask.

Caitlyn pulled her fingers away and slammed the laptop screen down, too hard, unable to think, even to register that she might have damaged her screen.

The worst was Jinx’s face. Ekko had evidently seen enough to look both somber and sickened, but Caitlyn had expected – even wished – to see some nasty smirk of victory plastered all over Jinx. It wasn’t there. If anything, she looked faintly regretful.

That wasn’t right. Caitlyn Kiramman couldn’t be pitied by Jinx…

“…heh,” the punk girl said softly, licking her mismatched lips, “…welcome to my world, I guess.”

Caitlyn’s eyes stung. Clutching her laptop to her chest, slinging her bag over her back, she gathered what dignity she still had and stood, without a word.

She did not slam the door. That would be unbefitting of a Kiramman.

But she walked, head tilted high for no one to see, until her feet hurt, with only her tears and the ring of her heels on the empty school corridors for company.

Chapter Text

The sun shone brightly; birds trilled their bright spring songs in the Academy’s gardens.

It wasn’t the worst day of Lux’s life, was it? A nice day like this, surely, couldn’t be…

Lux arrived at school in a soft pink cardigan and a plaid skirt, hair pinned back with a simple black band, trying to be as unobtrusive as she could. She hurried to class, hugging her books, avoiding eye contact.

She didn’t know what she’d expected. Accusing glares. Mocking faces. Maybe they’d all be waiting to point and laugh at her, or she’d be dragged to the principal’s office and forced to return all of her awards…

The school chattered on around her, sounding just like an ordinary day.

Somehow that was worse.

Was the feeling of eyes burning into her back, the way her ears sharpened to every whisper and laugh in the halls – was the disbelief, the scorn – just her imagination? Was last night just a bad dream?

Her phone sat heavy in her bag, its silence deafening.

Nothing from Ez…don’t blame him, really.

Not after last night. Their panicked attempts to come up with – with something – some answer to what had happened had ended with Lux fumbling an incoherent call to Garen and her brother pulling up unexpectedly at Ezreal’s house to pick her up. He’d taken one look at Lux’s state and jumped to the conclusion that Ezreal must have done something to upset her, and it had all spiraled from there…

No, she couldn’t blame him for staying silent after dealing with that in the early hours, and they had agreed to avoid being seen in public together until they could figure this out, but…

It left an Ez-shaped hole in her world. She kept looking for him out of the corners of her eyes, but he wasn’t here…he was always here for her…

Lux scurried like a mouse across the hall, nearly tripping over someone small in her hurry –

She squeaked, and the little guy squawked at her and tumbled onto his backside.

“Oh, oh no I’m so sorry – I’m really sorry…” Lux fumbled to her knees, picking up his books, “Amumu, right? Are you okay?”

“Y-yes…” he said, sniffling as he peeked up at her, his voice small and throaty – like he wasn’t used to talking, “You, um, you know my name…”

“…um, yeah, you’re in first year, right?”

Lux bit her tongue as soon as she’d said it; she genuinely wasn’t sure. He was short enough to be a yordle, and there were a few at the school in both the staff and students – Principal Heimerdinger, of course, being the prime example – but she wasn’t entirely sure if he was a yordle at all. He was an odd-looking guy, gothed up like he was in the Heartache Crew, but Lux had never seen him hang out with any of the others, or anyone, now she thought about it, not even the so-called ‘rejects’…

Maybe he was just…really short and a bit of a loner?

“…doesn’t matter,” Amumu said, brushing off his knees, and took his books gingerly from her, like he was expecting her to slap him. His lip started quivering under his big red eyes, “You’re Lux…”

Lux gave him her kindest smile. Today, of all days, it took more out of her than she expected.

That didn’t feel good.

A desperate urge to flee to her locker surged up in Lux’s belly. Just to be done with the conversation, not to be standing in the middle of the hall…

…a brief pang followed it; that was unfair, he’d barely said two words to her. Why couldn’t she wait to get away?

“Uh, yep!” she kept the smile up, as best she could, “That’s me!”

Amumu hugged his books to his chest, avoiding eye contact. His gaze dropped to the floor.

“I’m sorry,” he said, like he was about to announce the deaths of her family, her pets, and every movie star she’d ever liked.

Then he turned and shuffled away.

Lux blinked.

“Okay,” she whispered to herself, “Okay that was weird but we’re through it, you can do this, Lux, you can just…have a normal day.”

She turned, strode quickly to her locker, and threw it open –

The lock had been jimmied, and “LIAR LUX” had been spray-painted on the inside of the door in red paint.

Lux’s stomach lurched.

Someone had gone through her books, she couldn’t see any missing, they were probably looking for ‘evidence’…she couldn’t tell what they’d done, or if they’d taken anything, not right away…

Now it wasn’t her imagination. People had seen. They were looking at her, whispering behind their hands. Some of them pitying, some of them mocking, some of them angry.

Angry at Lux. For what? For lying? For trying to protect herself? For wanting to feel comfortable and safe? For not being ‘ready’, whatever the hell that meant?

Panicked, thready breathing sounded in her ears, and it took her a moment to realize it was hers.

She had to get out.

Lux slammed her locker door, turned, and looked straight into the face of Draven.

The lanky Heartache boy must have slunk up and started leaning against Ez’s locker whilst she had her door open. He didn’t seem to have seen what was written inside it, because he had his eyes fixed on her and kept shifting his pose a little self-consciously to prop himself as cool as he could.

“Hey there, Little Miss Sunshine,” he said, slicking back his hair and giving a wolfish grin, “Heard you’re single now. Well, that’s a real damn shame…”

Lux stared numbly at him, caught between her oncoming panic attack and a complete inability to articulate a response.

She found herself fixating on the wisps of black hair at the corners of his mouth that might one day be a moustache. He was one of those boys prone to precocious facial hair, it seemed, and absolutely taking it as a win.

Good for him, but why was he talking to her?

Lux’s eyes frantically shot past him, looking for escape, but he inserted himself to loom large in her field of vision and leaned again, apparently convinced his armpits were his other most attractive feature.

“So, I was thinkin’, while those other losers are scramblin’ around tryin’ to work up the guts,” he flashed a wink, “Wanna skip the wimps and simps and ride the Draven train?”

Lux attempted language, but could only make a small, choking squeak.

Draven frowned, and fidgeted with his hair again, “…yo, Goldilocks? You can say somethin’ now. Offer’s still good, goin’ once, goin’ twi-”

“Hey.”

A voice like a thunderbolt jolted Lux out of her stupor. Draven stopped in mid-sentence as a giant hand clamped on his shoulder and hoisted him like a collared cat out of Lux’s way.

“Chill your bullshit, Dray,” Vi leaned into his space, lowering her voice, “She’s got enough crap to deal with.”

“Vi, um, hey, I just thought – um – I was just shootin’ my shot-”

“And you picked now?” Vi snorted at him, “You tryin’ to win the asshole of the year award, buddy?” She jostled him on the back almost hard enough to knock him over, “Shoo, and don’t bug her again.”

Sulking, Draven gave Lux a semi-apologetic glance and fled down the hall. Vi shook her head and turned to face Lux.

‘‘Draven train’? What a freaking moron. You okay?”

Lux swallowed, coughed, and shook her head. Tears stung her eyes, but she beat them back with Demacian stubbornness, at least enough to speak.

She couldn’t lie, though. Not anymore.

“…no,” she finally managed, small and cracked.

“Hey,” Vi’s voice softened, “If he said something-”

“N-no not him, I…” Lux gulped, winced, and glanced back at her locker door, which was swinging a little open with its busted latch.

Vi gave her a questioning look, leaned past her and peeked inside. Lux heard her swear under her breath.

Lux hunched against Ez’s locker and made herself as small as possible, painfully aware of all the eyes on them, unable to stop her brain from wondering which pair belonged to the person who’d done this…

Vi fidgeted with the locker, and Lux, still dazed and fighting small surges of panic, took a moment to realize she’d bent the latch back into some semblance of shape with her massive gauntlet fingers.

She gave a small hum of victory as she managed to click it closed, and turned back to Lux.

Vi glanced over her probably-pale, probably-sick-looking face, frowned, and stepped into her field of view like Draven had, even leaning past her with those huge gloves…except she wasn’t blocking Lux’s escape.

She was blocking all those eyes from her.

“Okay,” Vi said quietly, “Here’s what happens. If I find who did that - any of my crew, or anyone else – they stop being your problem. And if anyone messes with you again, you come to me, kay?”

Lux fought the shudders of tears. “Please, I just …I just want to go. I’ve gotta get to class.”

“A’ight,” Vi pursed her lips, “I’ll draw ‘em off, you go. And hey…”

She gave Lux a grim smirk that was just a little soft over her shoulder as she turned away.

“…don’t let that shit get to you.”

Lux could only give her a grateful, if confused nod as she fumbled her books out of her bag, stuffed the bag into the locker without looking, and somehow managed the latch.

In her periphery, she was aware of Vi turning on the growing crowd of lollygaggers with her confident swagger and piercing stare. She heard the girl holler, “What, there somethin’ on my face? Show’s over, folks, you heard the bell. I’m not a freaking hall monitor, scram or you’re all buyin’ me lunch. Hup-to, idiots, ten-hutt!”

Against all odds, Lux felt a giggle in her chest and gulped it back. To her relief, they actually dispersed, returning the corridor to its natural flow.

Lux gave Vi a tiny smile of gratitude, and caught her cheeky wink in return, as she clutched her books close and fled to class.

Violet Lane… she pondered as she slunk to her seat and heard the familiar scratchy gravel of Professor Zilean’s droning history classes pick up from the front of the room…She’s never really talked to me before…and I never tried to talk to her.

Lux bit her lip as she stared in determined concentration at the blank front page of her book.

…why did I ever think she was scary?

Somehow, despite everything, something about the way Vi had just stepped in and protected her made the tight pain in Lux’s chest feel a little less horrible.

Maybe, just maybe, if Violet Lane didn’t blame her or hate her or want to make fun of her and Ez for their lie, maybe it was just a few jerks. Maybe everyone else would…just let it go.

It’s going to be okay, Lux told herself, controlling her breathing, picking up her pen, and keeping her eyes on her schoolwork, Even with everything, I think it’s going to be…

Of all the fallout that Caitlyn imagined might come of the next day, it was the one horror she could never have conceived of that blindsided her as she sat in Experimental Biology class, frowning over yet another brilliant but somewhat ethically dubious conundrum proposed by Professor Singed.

“Caitlyn Kiramman? May I see you outside for a moment?”

Caitlyn took a moment to register that it was her name that had been spoken. She’d been mulling over her work, trying to push the pervasive dread of social interaction with the Squad after – that – out of her mind and decide how to react, or even if to react…

She looked up to the doorway. Ms Janna, one of the school counselors, had poked her elfin head through the door, and was regarding her with a solemn expression.

“…me?” Caitlyn mumbled, taken aback.

“Yes, Caitlyn. If you please.”

She stepped back outside and Singed paused only momentarily to give her an acknowledging nod before returning to his lecture.

Caitlyn sat numb for a moment while her heart slowly dropped to her stomach.

The counselor wouldn’t be poking her head in unless someone was being called to the office of the Principal, or the School Disciplinary Officer, Ms Ferros.

Never in her life had that ‘someone’ been Caitlyn Kiramman. The only other reason would be…

Something’s happened. There’s been a call. An accident. Someone in my family, or something…

Aware of all the eyes on her, the hushed murmurs and flickering glances, Caitlyn stood up and made her way quietly outside, bracing herself for anything but what came next-

“Ms Ferros wants to see you, after class,” Janna said, with a faint crease of her brow that suggested those words in association with Caitlyn Kiramman of all people were as strange to say as they were for Caitlyn to hear.

Caitlyn blinked.

The dull dread of bad news faded, replaced by utter bafflement.

“W-what…pardon me, I mean, did she say why?”

Janna shook her head, “Ms Ferros will explain. I’ll see you there, Cait.”

The counselor gave her one more strange look as she departed like a warm breeze.

Caitlyn, in her wake, certainly felt a chill.

It was impossible.

Impossible.

Why on earth would Camille Ferros want to see her?

The question gripped her mind like the cerebral viruses Singed was lovingly proselytizing about for the entire remainder of his class.

Camille Ferros, the most feared disciplinarian in VCA, the woman whose office was a place of terrors the worst troublemakers came out of pale and penitent, wanted to see Caitlyn.

It had to have something to do with – with yesterday. With Vi and Devaki, or with Ezreal and Lux’s unfortunate downfall, or with…

Caitlyn flinched as the bell screamed through the halls.

She hurriedly packed her things and glanced, with a pang, at her laptop.

None of the Squad were in Experimental Biology with her. She’d passed them earlier in the halls, but nobody had said anything – as if they’d not seen her at all.

Not a word.

She’d minimized that fateful RuneChat window, unable to stand to close it, unable to stand the thought of re-reading those awful words, unable to spare the time amid a busy school day to process it all.

Caitlyn bit her lip as she stood.

What if Corina’s plan, whatever it is, is already in motion…?

The thought haunted her as she hurried down the hallway toward Camille Ferros’ office, unaware until it was almost too late, until she recognized the exact clip of her Squad’s synchronized shoes.

Caitlyn steeled herself to face them, to pretend nothing was different – to act like she hadn’t seen their hurtful, hateful words, behind her back.

Like everything was fine.

She smiled at them as their foosteps slowed, but they did not smile back.

“…well, look who it is,” Cassiopeia muttered under her breath.

“Oh, hey Cait,” Qiyana gave a horribly fake smile, “On your way to Ferros?”

Caitlyn kept her mask up and tilted her head.

“Hello to you too,” she laughed, when inside she was screaming, “Why on earth would you think that Qi? Did someone steal cupcakes from the cantina?”

Qi’s faux smile flickered away, and she exchanged a glance with Fiora. The Demacian leaned in with a flick of her sharp little bob, and Caitlyn smelled something chemical on her that wasn’t her usual intense perfume and spotted some strange purple spots on her collar and an odd tinge in her hair.

“…whatever your play, Caitlyn,” she said, “You picked the wrong fight, and the wrong girls to cross.”

Somehow, in that moment, as sickened and confused as the knot in Caitlyn’s stomach made her…seeing their masks come off. Seeing what they were…

Caitlyn felt an inexplicable sense of relief, like a bandage was being peeled off a wound.

Fiora slid past with the others, giving Caitlyn dagger-eyes over her shoulder as she did, leaving only Corina, lingering, smiling like a cat creeping up in the dark on a mouse.

“You’ll get your war,” she said, her almost-purr not at all dispelling the image, “I hope you’re ready to lose.”

“I genuinely,” Caitlyn smiled back, “Have no bloody idea what you’re all on about, Corina. But I’m sure you’ll have regrets, nonetheless. Good day.”

Somehow, the cheerful denial did what she doubted any insult or bravado could have. Corina’s smiling mask cracked, and for an instant, Caitlyn saw a flash of outrage.

Corina flexed her long nails, and growled, “…after that, you dare…!” under her breath as she stalked after the others.

Caitlyn breathed out, a shaking rasp, as she composed herself, and knocked on the door to Camille’s office.

“Come in, Caitlyn,” the woman’s sharp voice intoned, because of course, she’d known who was at her door.

Like the gates of the underworld, no one passed that door without her summons.

Taking a deep breath, Caitlyn stepped within.

Lux left her class with her books hugged to her chest and tentative thoughts of hope. Nobody else had harassed her, and the class had just gone…normally.

Maybe that was it. One scumbag messing up her locker, one weird skeevy Heartache guy trying to hit on her, and then the law had been laid down and they’d all move on from it.

She wondered if she’d get to talk to Vi again today. She owed her…something. A thank you, maybe…

Maybe she could bake her something nice? It’d been a while, but she was pretty good with cupcakes…

Lux’s footsteps slowed as she saw two familiar silhouettes moving down the path between the two buildings ahead of her.

Senna and Taliyah. They were both in her next class.

Lux’s heart started beating a little faster, but she firmed her resolve and sped her steps to catch up with them.

“Hey guys,” she called, “Um, I guess you heard about-”

She saw it before anything else; maybe it was something about the way Tali’s back stiffened or the little pinch in Senna’s brows when she turned.

“Lux,” Senna said, “Yeah, we heard.”

“…really sorry about it,” Taliyah said quietly, but didn’t make eye contact with her, “Heard about your locker, too.”

“Yeah,” Senna pursed her lips, “That’s some bullshit.”

“It’s okay,” Lux smiled brightly in reply, “You guys wouldn’t believe who stood up for me…”

“Oh?”

“Violet Lane.”

She’d expected shock, surprise, even faux outrage, but really all she got was a brief exchange of glances between the two, a “huh” from Senna, and then silence.

They walked on in that awkward bubble until they’d nearly crossed into the drama building.

“…guys,” Lux finally fought to speak up, “I’m…sorry I didn’t tell you.”

Senna gave another one of those little brow pinches and stopped on her heel.

“Yeah, look, Lux,” she said, pushing out a hard breath through her nostrils, “Whatever’s between you and Ez isn’t our business, we’re not the freaking ‘Squad’, but…”

Lux stopped dead in her tracks, staring at her friend as Senna rounded on her, anger flashing behind her eyes.

“…but we rooted for you – we helped you with every event, we were your backstage crew, you guys came on double dates with me and Lucian, and you were – what? Making it all up to win a goddamn contest? To – what, make everyone like you?”

“N-no,” tears stung Lux’s eyes again, “No that’s not it at all, you don’t understand-”

“Senna…” Taliyah tried to intervene, but she wasn’t done.

“No, Lux, it’s you who don’t understand. We’re your friends. We trusted you, we were your support team, because we believed in you. And it was all a lie? You used us….”

“I didn’t! I just wanted-”

“I don’t care what you wanted,” Senna growled, “Go convince someone else that you’re Little Miss Perfect. I’m done with you.”

She twisted away from Lux’s reaching hand and stomped off at a great speed, quickly gone around the corner.

Taliyah stared after her and turned back to Lux with uncertainty and a storm of emotions playing about her brows.

“T-Tali…please don’t – don’t think I-”

Taliyah shook her head, “Lux, she’s just mad. Let her be mad.”

Lux sniffled and hid her eyes in her bangs. “You…don’t believe I used you, do you?”

“No,” Taliyah said, but there was something cold behind her eyes, “I don’t believe that. And I’m sorry for what you’re going through right now. Nobody deserves to be outed and bullied. If anyone knows that…”

Lux lifted her gaze just enough to see the fidgeting of Tali’s fingers.

“…but…?” she ventured, sniffing again.

“I told you,” Taliyah said softly, “My secret. I trusted you with it, and you had my back. You’re one of the first friends I ever told.”

Lux stopped sniffing and forced herself to look up at Taliyah. Without Ezreal, without Senna, her last real friend.

She was crying, silently, long lines of tears on her cheeks.

“I can’t believe you didn’t trust me,” Taliyah said, shaking her head, “To have your back. I can’t believe I wasn’t…good enough.”

“I…”

“Don’t, Lux,” Taliyah bit her lip and lifted her hands to ward Lux back, “I can’t…I can’t right now. You understand, right? I just…”

Lux squeezed her eyes shut and nodded.

“…I need some space,” Taliyah said, and when Lux had looked up, she was gone, a whisper around the corner.

Lux’s world vanished in a wet blur of pain.

The interior of Camille Ferros’ office, like the woman herself, was elegant, utilitarian, and very much to the point.

There was no comfort to be found in the cold, hard chairs, the cold, hard walls, or the cold, hard eyes of Camille herself.

No comfort, no pity, and certainly no mercy.

“I’ll cut to the chase, Caitlyn.”

That Janna shifted uncomfortably in her own seat to one side of the interview space was only a small spot of warmth in the room, less a second disapproving pair of eyes on the interviewee and more a kindred soul trapped in the same clinical purgatory.

Caitlyn kept her fingers in her lap, pristinely folded, and her attention entirely on the Disciplinary Officer.

“You’re among the last students at this Academy I ever expected to call to this office,” Camille said, without a flicker of warmth, “But a complaint was received, nonetheless. And I want you to understand that such things are taken seriously.”

Caitlyn’s blood ran cold as she ran through the possibilities.

“I do, Ms Ferros,” Caitlyn replied, “Of course.”

Corina. It had to be her. She swore to take me down, she must have concocted some fake offense…but what could she have possibly cooked up that would fool this woman?

“Your record is, as of this moment, spotless, and if you are cooperative, it may yet stay that way,” Camille finally smiled, a thin cold razor of a smile, “Do not count on it to save you, Caitlyn, if the claim proves substantiated.”

Caitlyn’s mouth went dry, “Of course, Ms Ferros.”

She swallowed.

“May I…ask what this is about?” Caitlyn managed, “I confess I-”

“Confession, already?” Camille clicked her tongue, “If you were anywhere else, that would be a new record.”

Janna studied Caitlyn’s face with a faintly troubled expression.

“I-…” Caitlyn steeled herself, “I confess I don’t understand why I’m here, or what report might have been made. Could you – could you tell me what has happened?”

Camille raised an eyebrow.

It was Janna who spoke, “Caitlyn, we’ve received word of a threat of violence against other students, made by you.”

Caitlyn blinked.

“I’ve not…I’ve done nothing like that!” she stared incredulously between them, “If-if this is about what happened yesterday – I merely told Ms Lane that I’d report her behavior, I thought she was hurting him, I made no threat against her, or anyone-”

Camille watched her like a shrike flensing a smaller bird on a branch.

“This concerns a discussion in an online server space,” she said, “Cyberbullying of any kind is not tolerated at this institution. Understand that we take such matters very much as seriously as if they were face-to-face. Offenders will be disciplined to the full extent of our power – and if such reach is insufficient,” Camille smiled, “The reach of the law is not.”

An icy thrill passed up Caitlyn’s spine as she recalled the chatter of the morning halls, Lux and Ezreal, fake dating…? And little light princess lost her crown… and did you hear? Someone outed them on RuneChat, all over the server…

Caitlyn licked her lips.

“I’m sorry, I still don’t-” she fumbled for words, withering under Camille’s icy stare, “I haven’t even seen whatever was posted about Luxanna Crownguard-”

“That is a separate matter,” Camille said, “Though one we are aware of. As for Ms Lane – either of them – there are no current outstanding incidents concerning either individual. If you would, however, like to make a report of the one you inferred…”

Caitlyn swallowed again, glancing between the two teachers in growing alarm.

“I…”

Her head had started to ache.

“Please,” Janna audibly sighed, her fingers fidgeting slightly in her voluminous skirts, “She’s confused, Camille. May I?”

Camille said, “Of course,” with the deference of a sheathing knife. Her eyes, of course, coldly mocked Caitlyn for daring to play dumb in her presence.

Janna sighed. The willowy counselor turned to Caitlyn and offered her a softer expression.

“We were notified of a discussion on a private chat server last night. I believe your ‘Squad’ created it? That’s where the alleged threat was made, according to our source.”

Caitlyn frowned.

Last night.

“Listen, Caitlyn,” Janna continued, “I understand that social relationships in high school can be volatile. And it’s easy for discourse online to become heated, even amongst friends. But if you really said what was reported to us – I think we need to talk about that. Regardless of what Ms Ferros decides here, would you be open to scheduling an appointment with me?”

I don’t…remember what I typed.

I don’t even think it was coherent sentences.

But I know I didn’t hit send.

“With respect, Ms Janna,” Caitlyn whispered, “I still have no idea what either of you are talking about, I really don’t."

She fumbled with her bag and stood up from the horridly uncomfortable chair.

“I-um, I have to get back to class, if you would be so kind…”

“Sit down, Caitlyn,” Ms Ferros’ voice cracked like a very soft whip, and Caitlyn did just that, on instinct.

“Do you admit,” Camille went on, ignoring Janna’s increasing frown, “That you knew about the chat in question?”

Caitlyn loathed lying at the best of times. She had no chance here, and no desire to test it.

“I did.”

“And did you participate in this chat?”

Caitlyn squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head.

“It was shown to me. They…were talking about me behind my back. I was upset, yes. But I did not respond.”

Camille smiled.

It was the worst smile Caitlyn had ever seen in her life.

“I think you’ll find that someone did,” she said, “And your friends very firmly believe it was you.”

Caitlyn stared at her bag, then questioningly back at Ms Ferros.

The woman gave a curt nod, and Caitlyn’s shaking fingers withdrew her laptop, powered it up from sleep, and opened the hateful tab.

<CassBitesBack> bitch I got fangs, she just a stuck-up goody two shoes, we are not the same.

<LadyLaurent> Corina was talking.

<CorVeracity> Caitlyn must go down. And if the Little Light Princess’s head can roll, why not next a queen?

<QiYaGirl> I’m all ears.  😊

Caitlyn’s eyes flew to the next response and widened to saucers.

<Guest> Ooh, guess the claws are out, huh? Sorry this #mankiller too ‘frigid’ for you, maybe she just didn’t feel like sharing in the Heartthrob Herpes like the rest of you.

<QiYaGirl> who the fuck

<Guest> Take a wild guess, you insipid shrilling harpy, if you think you can manage the extra brain cell to get there. 😊 or is Cass borrowing it today

<CassBitesBack> you’re kidding me right now

<Guest> No, this is me being serious. I’m kidding when I have to pretend I can’t smell your breath from across the quad. It’d help if you brushed those fangs you’re so proud of, Miss Big Tough Herpetophile, or maybe just – hear me out – shut your idiot mouth?

<LadyLaurent> Caitlyn how the hell are you in this chat

<Guest> Fiora! How the hell are you in this country, did they make a special Inbred Cow Visa just for pompous hags who somehow think anyone cares how they pronounced their last name 400 years ago when they still mattered?

<CassBitesBack> Okay Cait settle down, we need to talk about this

<Guest> No. You talked. I listened. Now I talk and you listen.

<CorVeracity> look Caitlyn what we said was harsh but this is a private channel and you aren’t part of this discussion

<Guest> oh I think I am. And I think you’re going to regret your little #mankillertherapy session, Corina. I think you’re going to regret breathing very soon.

You people always think you’ll get away with it.

You think you can take someone’s kindness and respect and shit on them and everyone will let you.

You’re about to be taught a new definition of WRONG.

You don’t deserve friends. You don’t deserve kindness. I’m going to make you regret the day your mommies fished you out of their toilet bowls.

From now on there won’t be a moment you aren’t looking over your shoulder waiting for what’s next. Wondering how far I’ll go this time.

Whatever you imagine? It’s gonna be worse.

You picked a fight, you’re getting a war.

<ERROR Server is unavailable>

Caitlyn’s face went white as snow.

The tumblers falling in her mind were more akin to the chunks of a cracking ice shelf.

“Ms Janna,” she whispered, staring unblinking at the wall, “I think I’d like to take you up on that appointment, please.”

“I’ll schedule you in, Cait,” Janna said, pushing to her feet, “Ms Ferros, if you don’t mind, I think I’d like to speak to Caitlyn privately before there are any resolutions made on this matter?”

Caitlyn felt Camille’s icy eyes on her face, but didn’t pull her own away from the wall.

“As you wish. But, Caitlyn…” Ms Ferros’s voice sliced through her reverie, “Whether the threat came from you, or from someone acting on your behalf – I will find out.”

She tapped her sharp prosthetic leg against that of her seat for emphasis.

“There is no room at this Academy for someone’s reckless idea of vigilante justice. There are rules to keep the peace, and there are legitimate means by which it is kept. Any future problems are brought to this office. Is this clear, Caitlyn?”

A bell screeched, saving her.

Caitlyn closed her laptop with shaking hands, stood, and bowed.

“Crystal. Thank you, I’ve got my next class,” she said, and fled the maw of Hell as gracefully as she could.

Caitlyn’s mind was a whirlwind as she stepped outside the office.

Fiora’s hair and uniform. That smell. Purple dye.

Only one word bounced around her aching head as Janna silently led her away.

Jinx.

Running, the hard ground and soft grass of the school oval beneath her feet and her breath loud in her ears.

The class bell shrilled, distant, too distant. Too late for her to make class, even if she turned around and ran back…

It only made the panic attack worse.

She came back to herself behind the sports shed, back where kids went to make out, smoke, or skip class. Where she and Ez always came when one of them was having it bad and they needed private space to just hug each other and talk it through …

Lux must have run here on autopilot; she found herself hunkered up with her knees pink and sore with bits of grass on them and fresh scuffs on her shoes; she didn’t remember it, but she must have tripped on the field, running here.

She sucked in gulps of air and fought to control her breathing, fought to wipe the tears from her eyes.

Tears again. Puffy eyes and stinging, raw cheeks. She was so sick of crying…

Ez wasn’t here. She hadn’t seen him at school at all…

The thought of him, needing him to be here to comfort her, stung even worse.

Why did she always need someone?

“Crap,” Lux whispered to herself, “I’m so pathetic.”

She was faintly aware of a soft hiss fading away. Only when she wiped her eyes did a smudge of green and purple register in the corner of her vision.

Lux froze and slowly turned her head.

A skinny girl in spiky, punky clothing stood less than ten feet away, frozen like a garish stick-insect in the act of spraying graffiti on the back wall.

Acid-pink eyes flicked around for escape, and then settled on hers.

“Yeah, probably,” Jinx Lane said with a shrug, and continued spraying, “So?”

Lux blinked at her and scrambled halfway to her feet, “Jinx!?”

“That’s meee,” said she, with a feral grin at her handiwork, and poked her tongue as she turned the can and shook it with a hissing rattle, “Hey…you done crying? I could use some critique!”

Lux, flustered and tongue-tied, stared at the girl, stared at the can in her hand, and stared at what she’d sprayed onto the wall.

A grotesque, grinning, saw-toothed caricature of Ms Ferros loomed amid other sneering goblin silhouettes resembling some of the other faculty and students – particularly the Heartthrob Squad.

She was depicted in the midst of smashing together two brightly blonde-and-pink dolls resembling…Lux and Ezreal.

Both of them looking terrified.

“I don’t think I got yer not-boyfriend’s nose right,” Jinx mourned.

Jinx Lane. The school terror, the worst of the worst, VCU’s biggest troublemaker…

Lux’s lip quivered with rage.

My locker…who else would?

She stormed to her feet and stamped them.

“Ohh, you’re piling on me, huh?” she snarled, “Did you paint my locker, too? Was that funny to you?”

“Huh?” Jinx looked at her and snorted, “Please. As if I’d pull something that freakin’ amateur.”

“W-well if you didn’t – who did?”

“Screws me,” Jinx shrugged again, “Some loser. Why are you complainin’? You’ve got my big tough pretty sister looking out for you now…” she rolled her eyes, “Ugh, freaking tracks.”

“What’s that meant to mean?”

“It means she’s always adoptin’ some lost soggy kitten in the rain.”

She glanced at Lux, tipped her head in the unfurling of one long green braid, and chewed her lip.

“Mm, nah, your eyes are bluer…like, a really pretty sky blue…shit, I brought the wrong can…here, hold this!”

Lux furrowed her brows and blinked as Jinx passed her the can she was holding and rummaged in her bag with a chorus of hollow metal clinking.

“J-just a kitten in the rain? Is that what you think of me?”

Jinx didn’t reply right away, rifling through her cans. Then she scoffed, “Nah, uh, sorry Blondie – before yer big drama yesterday, I didn’t really think of you at all-aha!”

Jinx plucked forth her prize, twisted to peer at Lux, framed next to the can, through a neon squint, and nodded in satisfaction.

Lux scowled at her, cheeks hot with outrage, and turned to the hateful painting.

“Fine. I never talked to you either, I guess that’s fair. Suppose you’re just like all the rest now,” she said, “Hating me behind my back for lying to everyone-”

Jinx stared blankly at her, and then burst out laughing. Snickering, unfettered, unhinged laughter.

“…Oh, Blondie, that’s a good one. Ha ha ha, you think I’d…oh man you don’t know me at all.”

Lux blinked, “What?”

Jinx’s smile softened but didn’t entirely slide from her face. She stood up with an alarmingly sudden kip and skipped closer to Lux, peering at her as if seeing her for the first time – seeing everything…

Like no-one ever did.

“Yesterday,” Jinx hummed, “You were just some boring perfect pretty girl with the perfect boring boyfriend and the perfect boring life.”

Jinx shook the can of blue, and once again glanced at it, and then back at Lux’s eyes.

She grinned, and snaked closer to Lux, suddenly, forcing her to take a stumbling step back and bite back a squeak of surprise.

“…but knowing you were playing pretend?”

Up close, this close, she could see all the freckles on Jinx’s cheeks and the top of her nose. She smelled like metal, paint, and most of all bubblegum. Her eyes were weird and unsettling, but as soon as Lux looked up into them, she couldn’t look away.

“…that all of that was fake? That you and Ezzy-boos pulled one over on the whole freaking school and got away with it, this whole time?”

Jinx leaned in even closer, until their foreheads were almost bumping, and their bangs rustled together. She was grinning ear to ear.

“…today you’re interesting.”

Lux just stared at her, completely lost for words, as Jinx’s warm hand brushed hers and switched out the paint cans.

“Give it a good shake!” said Jinx, winking at her as she pulled away, “And come fix yer not-boyfriend’s nose! I kinda made him look more like a blonde Jayce and it’s giving me the shits.”

Lux turned her blank gaze to the can in her hand.

“I – I can’t…it’s school property-”

“Sure you can! You just don’t think you can. But you just have to point and spray and then you’ll find you can after all. That’s why it’s called a ‘can’, duh,” Jinx pointed at the object in question and wiggled her brow, “Go on, defile some school property! Heinously!”

Lux blinked and snapped her mouth shut, frowning at the garish graffiti.

“What, you scared? Ferros isn’t gonna appear behind you like Evil Granny Ninja,” said Jinx, then paused, considering, “Probably. Maybe. I mean she’s done it before…but that’s half the fun!”

“You’re making fun of me. You painted this to put me down.”

Lux’s eyes were fixed on the images of her and Ez. She didn’t have tears left. Just a burning blank space in her chest where her heart should’ve been.

Anger.

“Just like everyone else.”

Jinx actually stopped grinning and frowned at her. She followed Lux’s eyeline back to the painting and then returned to her, momentarily lost for words, as if it were something she just hadn’t considered.

“…this?” Jinx cocked her head like a small bird, “You think this is mocking you?”

Jinx looked at it again and pursed her lips.

“…I mean that’s a take,” she shrugged, “But maybe you wanna look again?”

Lux blew out a hot breath and did.

Her teeth slowly unclenched as she took in more details. The grotesque leers on the figures looming above. Cruel, spiky teeth and callous laughter. The ugliness of it.

“That was the funniest shit I’ve seen all year,” said Jinx, “But I somehow don’t think you and Ez played loverbabies for the lulz.”

The way she and Ez looked so scared. It was uncanny how close Jinx had captured the look he’d worn last night in the pale light of the phone screen.

“This place pushed you,” Jinx’s husky rasp came closer, her shape a vivid shadow in Lux’s periphery, “didn’t it?”

Lux swallowed, eyes blanking again, thinking of Vi at her locker. Thinking of Senna. Tali. And Ez…

His bright smile. His warm laugh, his warm hugs, his calming fingers carding through her hair. The first time they’d locked eyes on the train to Demacia City. Every moment they’d shared together, every stupid movie, every game he’d let her win and every game she’d kicked his ass at. Every time she’d cried, and he was just there for her, no questions, no expectations.

She loved him, just as he was, without needing it to be anything else.

Somehow it wasn’t okay for them to have just that. Somehow it wasn’t enough for two pretty teens like them. Somehow it was everyone else’s problem.

“You gonna lie down and take it?” whispered Jinx, a neon devil in her ear, “Or you gonna push back?”

Lux brought her brows together. Her lips drew in a small line.

“…it’s less bulbous at the tip,” she said, brought the can up, and sprayed.

Chapter Text

The lunch bell sang its siren song.

Ringing throughout the halls, it burst the bubble of dull tension around each cluttered classroom. Hungry, study-weary students perked up with the thought of the tasty cafeteria food (Noodle Bill was on shift today, and his menu was always a treat) and a chance to kick all the schoolwork out of their skulls - just for a while. A window to chatter with friends, burn some listless energy, and catch up on the morning’s gossip…

Today it gave Caitlyn no relief at all.

She had no intention of attempting to mend things with the Squad, not after that. But even if she had been so inclined, what would she possibly say that would convince them that she had nothing to do with whatever campaign of terror was about to fall on their heads?

The dye stains on Fiora’s blouse were evidence of the warmup act, but whatever that had been, it was only the tip of the iceberg.

After all, in the past year, she had, according to rumor, been responsible for the mysterious graffiti popping up all over the campus on multiple occasions, the spread of Professor Singed’s bioluminescent algae in the school fountains, the concealed glitter bombs inside the pom-poms of the entire VCA Valorous cheer squad and the chili powder in the cups of the team, the vocal modulator set to ‘death metal growl’ disguised as Principal Heimerdinger’s microphone at the Prestige Scholarship Awards…

…but she’d never been caught, nor had any evidence been found to prove her guilt, until Caitlyn had stumbled upon her in the act.

When Cait had walked in, she was stuffing fireworks into the hole she’d somehow cut between the buttocks of the about-to-be-unveiled bronze statue of Stanwick Pididly in front of the science rooms. She’d already etched a crude message firmly aimed at the Piltovan establishment across his bronze cheeks with a tube of volatile acid.

The cynics in the student body whispered that the only reason the school terror hadn’t been expelled on the spot was that she was a genius tech prodigy who’d won big for VCA at every single interschool science competition since she’d enrolled, and Heimerdinger still saw a chance to salvage her ‘potential’.

And all of that had been Jinx having fun. Caitlyn shuddered to think what she’d do with a vendetta…

And convincing the Squad that Jinx Lane, of all people, was the mystery Guest who’s sworn revenge on my behalf…a fool’s errand.

Caitlyn closed her eyes.

She could stop Jinx – she knew she could – all she had to do was…

Do what I did last time. Turn her in to Ms Ferros. Put her head on the block, again, for something she thinks she is doing for me…

Caitlyn sighed and strolled toward the cafeteria.

As she lingered near the door, she already saw Corina and the others had not taken their customary place…

…because they were loitering nearby, talking to a tall girl from another clique, whose glittering dark-rimmed eyes and shamelessly adult, revealing clothes were night and day from the polished aristocracy of the Squad.

Caitlyn’s belly felt distinctly cold.

Evelynn.

They wouldn’t just invite her in. She was almost as notorious as Jinx…though for very different reasons.

This was a play.

Corina gave one of her sultry laughs; Eve had a cruel smirk on her lips. Her eyes flashed across the room to Caitlyn. She lifted her hand and gave a casual wave.

The other girls were making snake eyes at Caitlyn as Evelynn gave her fingers with their scandalously long nails a graceful twist, turning the wave into a flipped bird.

And then did something to the middle finger’s nail with the tip of her tongue and points of her teeth that made Caitlyn’s cheeks pinken.

They know...

She sucked in a breath and steeled herself.

No.

Caitlyn turned on her heel and circled away from the main concourse, opting for the smaller side-entrance nearer the counters, mostly used to control overflow on busy days or by the staff coming and going with supplies for the kitchen…

The little corridor stood empty and gave her a stealthy vantage point on the cafeteria hall, but the counter had grown crowded; the long line of hungry early birds stretched nearly around the corner.

Damn. She’d have to wait until the end of the line had reached her or risk rudely cutting in – unbefitting of a Kiramman, no matter how hungry…

Whatever their game is. I do not need to engage. I will simply get my food and…

She heard two girls laughing as they ran up behind her before there was a jostling halt and –

“Oh, it’s Caity-cat.”    

The girl’s brittle scratch stiffened her spine even further.

“Jinx,” she managed, with a quiver of a forced smile.

Turning, she was rather startled to see the notorious rebel bobbing like a wary snake in front of a flushed and nervous-looking Luxanna Crownguard, as if they’d been racing the bell - together.

Caitlyn’s brows shot up before she could stop herself.

Another lapse of control.

“Um, hi Caitlyn!” Lux chirped, out of breath, “Funny bumping into you – ha ha – with Jinx right here – and me – like isn’t that just the craziest thing you’ve ever heard I mean after maybe that time my pompoms exploded into glitter for no reason-”

Jinx snickered despite herself.

Caitlyn, baffled, just shook her head, “Strange times make for strange bedfellows, I suppose-”

Caitlyn dismissed the tiny twitch of Jinx’s lips. Her eyes had drifted to the Squad again – now sitting, openly, with Evelynn in Caitlyn’s spot - and Jinx followed her glance.

She made a face.

“Ew. Guess they decided to double down on the Heartthrob Herpes.”

Lux blinked, and blurted a scandalized, “Jinx!”

Jinx shrugged, “What? I ain’t lookin’ down on a good time girl – more power to ‘em – but Eve eats people. And not just in the fun way.”

Caitlyn’s gut clenched, but she would not dignify that with a response.

“She’s no Heartthrob,” Caitlyn muttered, scowling at them, “What’s their play? Agh! No. It doesn’t matter-”

There were far more pressing things. She cleared her throat.

“Lux, pardon me, but if might I have a word with you alone, Jinx-”

“Oouuw, I say, do pahdon me, madam Lux,” Jinx crowed in her poshest, most nasal mockery of Caitlyn’s accent, dodging a couple of students awkwardly trying to sneak past without staring at them, “It seems I needs must accept this cordial invitation by her highness, the Lady Sheriff Caitlyn Pottingspam Winklebottom Smythely-Turde Kiramman the Sixth, Esquire, to high tea and crump’its…”

If Caitlyn were not a civilized woman, she would have snapped the grinning little goblin’s neck right there and then.

Lux gaped at Jinx and choked trying to stifle a shrill giggle, “Oh, come on, don’t say it like… Caitlyn, um, please, go ahead, I don’t mind…”

“No,” said Jinx, suddenly fierce, stepping in front of Lux, “Whatever you gotta say, you can say it in front of her. Secret talks behind people’s backs is for them.”

She nodded to the Squad, with another derisive scowl.

Caitlyn fought back less than cheerful words and glanced at Lux. The blonde girl gave her a slightly uneasy smile, but stayed where she was, even though she seemed inclined to run away and give them their space –

Seeing the nervous way Lux’s eyes twitched about the crowd, looking for someone she wasn’t finding, it became obvious why she hadn’t.

Ezreal isn’t here…

And Caitlyn hadn’t missed the way her usual friends glanced up to see her and immediately turned to sit somewhere else.

She has nowhere else to be. Just like me.

Caitlyn sighed. Whilst Lux was distracted, she scooted closer to Jinx, leaning down into her space to speak quietly – aware of the slight startled-cat way Jinx jittered when she did.

“Jinx please,” Caitlyn murmured, “I saw the chat. I know you were the only one who could have written that. Whatever you have planned, please don’t.”

Jinx’s eyes twitched around her face, studying her, and she worried at her lip with small white teeth, “What, you want me to let them get away with that?” she narrowed her eyes, suddenly retreating a little into her thin, spike-encrusted shell, “I thought you weren’t like them?”

“I…” Caitlyn breathed out, “I’m not, I just…”

The intensity of Jinx’s look hurt, in ways she didn’t like, in ways that laid something bare. Caitlyn didn’t know what, couldn’t see what, and the thought stung enough that she briefly closed her eyes.

“I thought I was. I thought I wanted to be, but I…” She breathed in. “I’m not. I don’t. Thank you for showing me that, Jinx.”

When she opened her eyes, Jinx was staring at her with that strange look she’d had last night in the computer room. That uncertain, vulnerable look, so unlike her firecracker personality.

Caitlyn took a deep breath and continued, “…but that doesn’t mean I want you to fight some-some ‘war’ on my behalf. I…I think the intent is sweet,” What was she saying? Were her cheeks a little warm? “…But I’ve already-um, I have been called to Ms Ferros’ office, she is aware of the threat, any action on your part could backfire on both of us…”

She was dimly aware of Lux, awkwardly standing to one side and trying to pretend she’d overheard nothing, but her eyes were on the way Jinx’s expression shifted. She’d gone from a faint dusting of pink under her freckles at sweet, back to a cold glare.

Then she burst out laughing.

“Hah!” she cackled, “You got called to Granny Knifelegs’ office? Haha, sorry, but that’s too rich…crappy décor, amirite?”

Lux stared at her in alarm and Caitlyn scowled. She grabbed Jinx by the arm and pulled her back out of view of the cafeteria, giving the blonde girl an apologetic look as she did.

“Jinx, I want you to promise me you’ll stop this. It hasn’t gone too far yet, you still can…”

“Nah, sorry, Caity-cat, I can’t,” Jinx chortled, “I’m a girl of my word. I promised ‘em a war, no takesy-backsies, they’re gonna get one.”

She leaned into Caitlyn’s space, enough to feel the heat of her cheeks, pinning her with those vivid Shimmer eyes.

Those eyes had earned Jinx the reputation of being a user, maybe even a dealer. But after their recent encounters, Caitlyn wasn’t so sure…

“…y’know, nice people like you foldin’ when they click their heels? That’s why they get away with it.”

She glanced down at Caitlyn’s hand on her arm, with a little flicker of a smirk at the contact.

“Not this time. You wanna stop me?”

Her eyes. Why that color? Caitlyn’s thoughts froze again on the question.

“…you know what you gotta do.”

Caitlyn snapped out of it and focused on Jinx’s face. She frowned.

“No, Jinx, I won’t,” she knew she’d decided the moment the words slipped out, “Not to you. Never again.”

Once again Jinx’s eyes startled, then softened, once again there was that little flicker in her devil’s smile. She shrugged her arm out of Caitlyn’s grip.

“Fine,” she mumbled, then sprang away with that slippery, frenetic energy of hers, “Then find another way! Or just enjoy the fireworks!”

Caitlyn groaned as the girl bounded past her and Lux to the end of the corridor – pausing on one foot and twisting back over her shoulder to cock her head at Lux.

“Y’comin’, Blondie?”

‘Blondie’ had her eyes on Caitlyn and Jinx, her brows slightly furrowed, and her lip pinched in her teeth and Caitlyn couldn’t make a good read of her facial expression.

She was willing to bet Lux wouldn’t be able to put a name on it herself.

The girl shifted awkwardly again. She jumped at the sound of Jinx’s voice.

“Oh,” she said, “Um, you want me to sit with you?”

“Duh,” said Jinx, rolling her eyes, “C’mon, noodles are getting’ soggy and the lunch hour’s tickin’! I mean, uh, if you want to.”

Caitlyn fought a little smile and stepped back into the shadows, watching Lux tottering on the threshold of entering the cafeteria – in full view of everyone – looking vaguely like a rabbit in a rifle scope.

Of course she did. There was no way the disgraced princess of VCA could walk out there in the company of its disaster delinquent and not cause a scene just by existing.

…the fallen queen of the Heartthrob Squad would make an even bigger one.

Caitlyn flicked her eyes past Jinx and Lux to consider her own options. The Squad’s table, plus one conniving seductress, was out, but perhaps she could scrounge some dignity by visiting the Heartthrob boys – people could ‘talk’ about her and Jayce if they liked, but he’d have her back, as ever, except…

Caitlyn scowled.

Except Qiyana, strategically, was all over him, practically in his lap, leaning over the boys’ table to flirt at Garen and Jarvan, probably by regaling them with her bignoting stories about her favorite topic.

“Oh yeah,” Jinx gave a wicked little chuckle, “Lookin’ like the deputies have all mutinied, Sheriff, so you can come too, I guess.”

“Oh, may I?” Caitlyn gave her a wry smile, “Oh, jolly good, shall there be tea and crumpets?”

“…mutiny is for sailors,” Lux mumbled, “On ships.”

Jinx scoffed at Cait and poked her tongue, then gave Lux an expectant look.

“I um…” Lux gave a little whimper of indecision under her breath, “Thank you. But what about your friends…?”

Jinx shrugged, “Hey guys? You mind if we grace our table with royalty on this fine day?”

Caitlyn and Lux both blinked and jumped at once as two shadows slunk out of the corridor at their backs, soundless as sharks.

“…ughhhh…” the first, short and pallid, drowned in a voluminous hoodie whose sleeves nearly dragged on the ground behind her, muttered, “…you want to talk to people? …I don’t even know you anymore…”

The yordle girl stopped and looked at Caitlyn and Lux with an expression twisting her black lips like she’d just bitten into a rotten fish.

“…these people? …hold on, I think my abdominal organs are trying to disembowel themselves and escape my corpse…”

“OOOOHH!” the second girl, taller and lankier - and somehow even paler than Jinx - bounded straight into Lux’s face, startling her into a squeak, “Are you guys Jinx’s new social exile buddies? I’m Briar! Miss Mopeyface is Vex! Wanna be friends?!”

She leaned over into Lux’s space, small, round nostrils twitching as if she was sniffing at her.

Lux shrank back into Caitlyn, as both boggled at her pale eyes and huge, toothy grin.

“Hmm, well Miss Briar-” Caitlyn began.

“-um, sure!” Lux perked, plastering on a white-toothed smile over her terror, “Though uh wh-what is that on your arms – isn’t that heavy – and, um, spiky?”

Briar cocked her head to stare up at the prickly-looking contraption currently clamped behind her shoulders and around her wrists, forcing her into an awkward scarecrow-like pose.

“Oh, this? It’s my art project!” she beamed.

“…she’s doing a study of historical torture devices…” drawled Vex.

“Pretty cool huh!” Briar gushed, twirling to show it off – forcing Caitlyn, taller than her, to duck the whipping edges of the thing and nearly losing the top of her beret, “Haha, would be even cooler if I could figure out how to take it off!”

“…I’d say I was enjoying watching the futility of her struggles…” said Vex, “…but that would be a lie… enjoyment is a vapid distraction from the hollowness of the world…”

“It’s a work in progress!” grinned Jinx, planting her stripey-stocking’d leg against one wall of the corridor as she leaned to watch.

“Clearly,” Caitlyn glared at her.

“You guys can come sit with us!” Briar announced, now doing casual hand-stands in the corridor, “I like you! You’re shiny! …Waitaminute, aren’t you like, those popular girls though?”

“…were,” said Vex, flicking her half-lidded eyes across the two of them. She wasn’t smiling, but Caitlyn thought her eyes almost amused, “…now they’re just desperate losers like us…”

“Um! This is Caitlyn,” Lux cleared her throat, “I-I’m Lux…how do you do?”

Briar grinned blankly at her, “…how do I do what?”

“Um.” The blonde looked at Caitlyn with a faint hint of panic, then flicked her gaze down at Briar’s clothing; she was gothed out in fishnets, detached lace sleeves and a spiky choker with matching anklets, studded black sandals that left her toes bare, and a loose-fitting horror movie T-shirt depicting a ghastly blood-splattered scarecrow thing vomiting red-eyed crows-

“Oh!” Lux exclaimed, “I love your Fiddlesticks shirt! Are you a fan of horror movies?”

“…she is a horror movie…” mumbled Vex, lurking behind Caitlyn’s shoulder suddenly in a way that made her flinch.

Briar grinned, far too wide, and far too sharp. Caitlyn, who’d never had the opportunity or inclination to examine the members of the ‘Reject Bin’ up close, blinked.

Does she file her teeth?!

“Oooh! You too!?!” she crowed, hopping back down from her handstand in a dangerous whip of spiky anklets, “YAY! That’s sooooo awesome and socially unlikely!”

“Huh,” said Jinx, observing them both with a great deal of amusement and wonder, now sizing Lux up with new eyes, “Blondie? You’re a Fiddle fan…?”

“Mhm!” Lux beamed, “And Warwick, and Dr. Mundo, and A Nocturne on Helm Street…part one’s still the best one, though-”

“…a purist…” Vex dragged her eyes back to Lux, “…I almost feel my respect for you rising, but then I look at you and my gorge rises higher…”

Lux ignored her, lost in her nerdy reminiscence, “Ez took me to the last premiere, we have movie nights once a month, he has a Shiver subscription, and sometimes we even dress up -and- and we…”

Her face crumpled.

“…oh, despair,” said Vex, “…the only emotion I have patience for…”

Caitlyn, by now cringing against the wall and eyeing the shrinking line at the counter with desperation, wondering how she was going to get around these fringe lunatics to feed herself before the bell rang, felt a small pang and took a step to comfort Lux –

-but Briar had popped closer again, peering at Lux’s crestfallen face, “Aw! Don’t be sad! Welcome to the Reject Bin!”

“Th-thanks…I think…” Lux mumbled.

“I mean it! You’re one of us now! Even if you’re all gold and white and pink like a Neapolitan ice cream! …Heeey, can I bite you?”

“Um,” Lux blinked out of her doldrums with a start. “Excuse me?”

“Oooh, Blondie, congrats, you got The Question,” Jinx snickered in the background.

Vex just rolled her eyes, “That was quicker than usual.”

“I like to taste my friends!” said Briar, lolling out her tongue like an excited puppy, “I bet you taste yellow! Ooh, or maybe all pink and sugary, like a marshmallow!”

“Um…neatbutI'llpassthanks!” Lux gave a sickly grin and took a step back.

She now stood caught between Caitlyn and the trio: Briar bouncing with viscerally hungry excitement, Vex looking as if she would prefer nailing herself into a coffin to their company, and Jinx, biting her lip, tremendous entertainment written all over her face, but a hint of trepidation in her eyes.

“Soo, line’s thinned out and you guys really don’t wanna see Briar’s hangry side…” Jinx interjected with a roll of purple-pink eyes, “Shall we?”

Caitlyn understood.

This is a test.

“Uh,” Lux looked at Vex and Briar, with more of that flicker of panic, “Um! It’s okay! Really Idon’twannadisturbyouguysandum-” she sucked in a breath to slow her words down and blurted, “I wouldn’t want to harsh your vibe!”

“…harsh is my only vibe…” Vex sighed.

 Jinx’s face fell.

“Heh, whatever,” she muttered under her breath, “Guess we’re still not good enough for you.’

“She didn’t say that, Jinx…” Caitlyn spoke up, over Lux’s stricken expression, “But you know what will happen if we all go out there-”

Jinx scowled.

“…whatever, Piltie.”

Lux’s lower lip trembled, “Wait, Jinx-”

Jinx glared at her next, “Whatever.”

Lux reached for Jinx’s arm, but she’d already turned away, her friends staring at her back.

“…normies…” Vex rolled her eyes at them and slithered after Jinx.

Briar gave them a confused look before shrugging, “Friends are weird,” and bouncing off in their wake.

Lux’s reaching hand shook a little before it sank, and for a moment Caitlyn thought she might break down in tears, but she’d underestimated the little Demacian; Lux drew in a breath and Cait watched her shoulders set and lip grow firm.

It was a shift Caitlyn was intimately familiar with. From the mirror.

“…wow!” Lux gave a cringingly fake giggle, “Rejected by the Rejects. After being outed to the whole school, someone screwing with my locker, and losing my friends, that’s somehow the most unexpectedly crappy highlight of my crappy day!”

“Mine isn’t much better, if it helps,” Caitlyn muttered, “Jinx is determined to go on the warpath on my behalf, Ferros is watching like a hawk, and I’ve apparently been replaced by Evelynn.”

“Yay us,” Lux mourned.

She looked back at Caitlyn, and Caitlyn smiled at her.

“…Caitlyn, when you, um…” Lux shifted a little nervously, “Offered to ‘be about’ if I needed it…”

“Offer still stands,” Caitlyn said.

The younger girl’s eyes lit up and she gave Caitlyn a beaming, grateful smile.

“I’d like that. Offer’s mutual, by the way,” she said, “Shall we?”

“For Kiramman pride, Crownguard honor, and noodles,” said Caitlyn.

They each took a deep breath and stepped into the cafeteria.

Despite the mutterings and laughter and the scornful glances of the Squad and Jinx’s spiteful, hurt glance back at them walking together into the noodle line, somehow, the thing that made Caitlyn’s spine crawl wasn’t any of those things.

It was a gaze that tracked the resentment in Jinx’s eyes back to Caitlyn and scourged a burning hole in her back.

Violet Lane sat atop the Heartaches’ table, bowl of noodles in her bandaged grip, giving Lux a small frown, and then turning a glare of daggers onto Caitlyn.

Caitlyn’s heart skipped a beat.

She’d obviously seen the whole thing.

“Marvelous,” Caitlyn murmured.

At least they’d finally got noodles.

As Caitlyn settled at their chosen corner table and delicately slurped at the noodles beside her, Lux let her breathing level out and pretended she couldn’t feel the weight of eyes on her, nor that the wall of whispers buzzed in the back of her head, maddening, like an angry beehive.

Guilt stabbed at her every time she saw the green and purple of Jinx’s hair in her peripheral vision.

For a brief, shining moment, there’d been a hand extended to her and she’d…just hesitated that moment too long, and now…

“Lux? Are you okay?” Caitlyn’s cool tones cut through the hubbub.

Lux nodded. She wouldn’t have an attack. Not here, now, not when Caitlyn had so kindly let her sit with her. Caitlyn, who was going through her own horrible drama, had still reached out to Lux…

She may have flubbed things with Jinx and her friends but – but maybe Caitlyn would still consider her one, if she –

“Sorry,” she faked another smile, “Just a bit overwhelming.”

Caitlyn had carefully positioned them away from the bulk of the student body, and with the chunky bulwark of the Heartache boys between themselves and the Squad’s eyeline. Unfortunately, that meant Lux had to put up with Draven glancing at her and muttering things to his brother Darius, Darius laughing, and Vi shutting them both down with a glare.

Vi’s eyes were on her at times. Thoughtful, but confused.

Because she was nice to me. And then I hurt her sister’s feelings…she probably hates me too…

Lux closed her eyes and took deeper breaths.

Ez…Ez would know what to do…where is he?

“I might just check my phone,” Lux muttered, “I know it’s not polite, but would you mind if I-”

“Go ahead, Lux,” Caitlyn chuckled, “I have noodles to occupy me, for the moment. You don’t have to apologize for yourself here.”

“Thank you so much,” Lux sighed in relief.

With a grateful glance at the taller girl, Lux took a deep breath and unlocked her phone.

She scrolled past the RuneChat notifications and a few unidentified, nasty messages from unknown senders with the steely resilience of a true Demacian…it would be worth it, all of the abuse, if she could just…have her best friend back…

No new messages from EZBUNNYXOXO<3<3.

Her heart sat like a lump.

A few agonizing ages of paralysis passed – of fighting back the first tickles of a panic attack – if Caitlyn had not been there, a calm, stately angel hovering in her periphery, Lux was sure she would be in the midst of one –

I muted JustEz’s notifications, Lux remembered, after I found my phone unlocked…how could I be so stupid…

With fumbling fingers, she opened his text log.

08:23 JustEz: hey need m/h day gonna stay home 2day uncle called the school

09:02 JustEz: not doing too good ngl

09:04 JustEz: r u gonna be ok without me

10:48 JustEz: lux?

11:14 JustEz: lux plz don’t ghost me i can’t lose u to this stupid shit plz can’t we just pretend it didn’t happen we didn’t deserve this we didn’t do anything wrong why did this happen why won’t they leave us alone!?!?

11:39 JustEz: shit I’m sorry spiralled bad

11:40 JustEz: I’m sorry.

11:47 JustEz: i hope your day is better

12:01 JustEz: call me when u can? just want to know ur okay

12: 20 JustEz: im sorry ☹

Lux didn’t have any tears left, but her eyes scrunched in pain as she squeezed them shut.

She knew Ez well enough to know when he was having it bad. This wasn’t bad, this was worse.

LuxCG: I’m so sorry, I didn’t see these ☹ ez I’m so sorry about everything. I’m not mad at u. why would I be?

Lux’s fingers paused on her phone screen. She bit her lip as she looked up at Caitlyn.

The ‘Ice Queen of VCU’ sat staring into her noodles, eating with a stubbornly patient grace, but Lux hadn’t missed the tension in the shoulders, the stiff-backed way she was sitting.

A few days ago, Lux couldn’t have imagined she’d ever have a reason to feel sorry for Caitlyn Kiramman, or find herself in the same boat, but here they were. She imagined that, suddenly, sitting together in a leaky dinghy in a sea full of sharks, except then her brain made the boat capsize and she and Caitlyn were stuck splashing around goofily with the fins closing in…

Lux blinked away the deranged urge to giggle and hastily tapped to Ez.

LuxCG: don’t worry about me. some friends are looking out for me. I’ll be ok.

LuxCG: take the time you need. I’m here for u no matter what 💕

She waited with bated breath, and Caitlyn’s concerned eyes hovering in her periphery, until the message popped up.

JustEz: hey pookiebear. glad you’re okay. call me after school?

Lux raised a brow. ‘Pookiebear’, seriously? But that he’d even use that stupid name must mean he was feeling better, and that alone made her smile.

LuxCG: You bet your butt I will. Lots to tell you. Rest up 4 now. Love, Lux.

JustEz: love u 2 bestie.

When her screen went black, she became aware of Caitlyn’s sly expression over her slowly dwindling noodles.

“That smile seems encouraging,” she observed.

Lux’s stomach growled, and she blew out a sigh of relief as she snatched up her own bowl, finally feeling relaxed enough to eat. They’d gotten slightly cold and soggy by now, but the broth was still so good…

She occupied herself stuffing her face until she could think about how to respond, and whilst she did, Caitlyn watched her more thoughtfully.

“I don’t mean to intrude,” she said, “But I do hope Ezreal is doing well. I may not be party to why you chose to do what you did, but…”

Lux briefly tensed, as if some part of her subconsciously expected even Caitlyn to turn on her, but…

“…neither of you deserve to be bullied for it,” Caitlyn said quietly, “What’s happened to you is wrong. I hope that you both know that.”

Lux paused and looked back at her. Her chopsticks wavered.

“…they’re wrong about us,” she said, tilting her chin defiantly at the students gathered around them, “It’s not fake. I love him more than anyone, it’s just…”

“…not what you were performing?”

Lux shook her head fiercely.

“He’s my best friend. Why isn’t that enough? Isn’t it okay that we just weren’t…ready?”

Caitlyn’s smile softened.

“You may not believe me, Lux,” she murmured, “But that is something I can very much understand.”

Lux lifted her gaze to the Ice Queen, always seeming, until now, so untouchable, frosty, distant, alone…

…oh.

“You too?”

Caitlyn shrugged, “In my own way.”

“Are you…” Lux hesitated, unsure if she were about to be rude or cross a boundary, no matter how earnest her intent, “Ace…aro…um?”

Caitlyn laughed softly and shook her head, “No, and it’s fine to ask. I’m not, if there were a girl I shared feelings for, I’d very much like that, I just…”

A girl, huh? Lux’s thoughts whirled.

“Caitlyn, I, um.”

“…hmm?”

“We could!” Lux blurted out, half hiding in her bowl, “We could date. I mean. Couldn’t we? I mean it’s a little soon I guess but if – if it took the pressure off us – wouldn’t it fix both our problems…?”

Caitlyn flushed a little. She put her bowl down and lifted her hands.

“Lux,” she said, “I’m flattered. But …please look at me and tell me, genuinely, do you like me – like that?”

Lux frowned and looked up at Caitlyn.

“…I guess I…” she furrowed her brows, “…Imeandon’tgetmewrong, you’re super pretty, like, wow, you’re intimidatingly pretty, and so very smart, and stylish, and I had no idea how nice you actually are until now, but I…it’s really soon and we don’t know each other…”

Caitlyn chuckled under her breath and shook her head.

“Lux, the backlash isn’t your fault, but if there is one lesson I’d hope you would take from this whole debacle – shouldn’t it be that faking a relationship for someone else’s expectations isn’t worth it?”

Lux winced and hid her face in the noodle bowl.

“Maybe you should, I don’t know…” Caitlyn waved a hand, “…go out with someone you actually have romantic feelings for, next time? Call me crazy.”

“…you’re crazy,” Lux mumbled, “…what if it never happens? I don’t…even know if I like guys or girls or - or anyone, I’ve never had the chance to find out…”

“Here’s your chance,” Caitlyn smiled, “You have time.”

Lux’s heart picked up again.

She thought of Jinx, wicked pink eyes in her periphery, a husky voice in her ear and a strong little hand holding hers around the paint can. The thrill of rebellion…the hurt of rejection.

Lux winced and sighed. Her eyes wandered away from Jinx’s table and caught Vi glancing back at her, again with that strange, soft, questioning look.

She remembered how it felt. Having Vi stand up for her, in front of everyone, fearless, not even caring…

Lux bit her lip. Her eyes settled on Vi’s strong back as she leaned away, talking to Sarah and Katarina, rough, tough, pretty girls, her closest confidants in the Heartaches.

Nobody but Lux knew what was going on between her brother and Kat behind closed doors. Nevermind a Noxian and a Demacian, a Heartthrob and a Heartache? It was an unthinkable crossing of enemy lines.

Wouldn’t it be ironic if Vi…but that was silly.

“I guess,” she said, “I guess time will tell.”

Caitlyn took a deep breath.

“Yes, it will,” she muttered, “I expect the next few days should be…eventful.”

They both fell into a silence that lasted as they finished their noodles.

The silence of gathering clouds, broken only by the shrilling of the bell.

The next day, it began.

Chapter Text

The next day it came, like a rumbling of thunder before the storm, although no thunder Lux could ever imagine would sound like Fiora Laurent’s cursing echoing through the halls of VCA…

As, for the seventh time that morning, a practice saber slipped straight out of her hands and across the fencing room during a bout with Yi.

Her erstwhile opponent’s calm comment that ‘we all have off-days’ and suggestion she ‘take the time to get centered’ was met with strings of colorful High Demacian cursing that made Lux’s ears burn with embarrassment as she passed in the corridor and left most of the other students who overheard simply baffled.

As Fiora stormed past Lux and her classroom, she could be heard – amid things that Lux and her Demacian peers alone could translate as ‘bastard sixth son of a fishwife’s donkey’ and ‘pox-ridden dragon with a hog stuck up its arse’ and the like – endless protests that the weighting was all wrong and changes after every goat-mothering piss stinking riposte…

She snapped four inexplicably brittle foil blades the next day.

It was only the beginning.

By fourth period on the day after, as the girls’ senior Hexball team came back from the courts, a great commotion came from the changerooms, followed by Leona shouting “by the radiant light of Targon what the hell did you eat Cass-”

… a snarling denial from Cassiopeia, retorts from other team members, then the sound of retching as the team spilled out of the changerooms, faces scrunched and hands waving in front of noses, ahead of a rolling cloud of smell that followed Cassiopeia, specifically, for the rest of the day, and lingered for two days more…

Her vehement protests that she was not the source of the stench that took three days to scrub out of the changing rooms and that all she’d done was spritz herself liberally with her customary deodorant bottle after training fell on deaf ears.

It was a little hard to swallow when she was slithering around the school smelling of what Neeko was the first to correctly identify as Ixtali Durian fruit.

More mishaps followed.

Qiyana spent an entire morning slipping and sliding around the corridors. No matter which pair of her shoes she put on, she would end up on her ass within seconds.

Her teary meltdown after the third set of bruises and verbal excoriation of the concerned gaggle of boys who’d lined up to help her won her fewer friends than Cass.

Corina Veraza had prepared – or rather, twisted a number of arms of more tech-savvy students to have prepared for her – a video presentation talking up her own idea for a for-profit Undercity permaculture scheme for Ms Glasc’s special Business Acumen classes.

Somehow, prior to the actual presentation, the audio track had been switched with that of a vintage porn film.

The sound of bom chicka wakka waow soundtrack and bored-but-lascivious moaning and slapping noises over the images of unfurling exotic plants and pistoning agricultural equipment had certainly raised a few eyebrows in the classroom.

Students who'd witnessed it whispered that Renata Glasc had given a hearty laugh before she shut it down.

Rumors boiled quickly. Corina was left protesting that she had no idea what that other video was, vehemently denying any ludicrous claims that she owned it let alone that she’d starred in it, and viciously pinned the blame on the freshers she’d bullied into creating the presentation for her given learning opportunities to…

All it took was one offhand joke by Diana about the Squad’s streak of inexplicably horrible bad luck for the whole school, semi-seriously, to take up quipping about them having ‘dabbled with a spirit board’ and gotten ‘cursed’.

Caitlyn knew better. The more appropriate term would be ‘jinxed’.

Caitlyn hugged the hard case she usually carried at her side as she made her way to The Field Marksmanship range, her club, thinking of all that had transpired over the past few.

She wasn’t playing it as Caitlyn expected. No paint bombs, no graffiti caricatures on the gym’s back wall, no leering monkey symbols scrawled on their textbooks. Nothing had her fingerprints on it, no traceable evidence.

The Squad knew they were under attack. And Caitlyn knew by whom. But there was nothing they could prove and nobody they could point to without looking like paranoid lunatics to the entire student campus…

…but not to Camille Ferros, Caitlyn thought with a wince.

In brighter news, Ezreal had slunk back to school after a couple of days absence. He and Lux weren’t sitting together or walking together, lest they make themselves a target, but Caitlyn, now sitting with Lux at every lunch hour and visibly hanging out with her after class, knew there were still feverish texts exchanged whenever she felt safe enough to do so.

That was a relief. Lux really was a lovely girl who didn’t deserve her fall from grace, and if there was some way, any way, that Caitlyn could help her out of that pit…

Caitlyn passed under a sturdy Ionian cherry tree on her way to club, lost in her thoughts –

And blinked as something long and serpentine batted her in the face. She nearly dropped her case flinching away from it – her brain screaming snake! For some reason, though it didn’t feel cold or reptilian, it felt like –

“Hiiii Caity-cat!”

Caitlyn’s eyes focused as the two slithering braids slid further toward the ground, followed by the grinning upside-down face of a Jinx, dangling from the tree bough above with her legs hooked over it.

“Jinx!”

“Oooh,” the little imp pointed at her case, “Is that your gun? You’re off to shooting? Can I come watch can I can I – I love shootin’ stuff…”

Caitlyn scowled, “Please never do that again! My firearm is disassembled, but if I dropped the case I could damage a component and cause a misfire at the range-”

Jinx rolled her eyes toward the ground, “Ughhh, well look at you, miss conscientious gun safety! How can it be that I ate two bowls at lunch and you’re still the biggest wet noodle I’ve seen all day?”

Caitlyn blew out a flustered breath.

“Don’t you ever get tired of being contrary and snide?”

“Nyer!” Jinx poked her tongue, “Don’t you ever get tired of being self-righteous? Contrary and snide is at least fun!”

“For you.”

“Yup! Duh.”

Caitlyn ground her teeth, “Jinx, what do you want from me?”

Jinx shrugged again and swung her torso back and forth, swishing into Caitlyn’s space with a whoosh of braids and a whiff of bubblegum scent that was either some sort of shampoo or actual bubblegum.

“Dunno, just saw you walkin’ along all pretty and mopey,” she said, “How you likin’ the show?”

Caitlyn pinched the bridge of her nose and placed her case carefully down.

“I frankly dread every development.”

“That’s the spirit,” Jinx giggled and swished closer again, “Hehehe, saaaaay, if something like, say, superglue happened to make its way into that bottle of stuff Qiyana puffs her hair up with before class, do you think she’d have to shave her head?”

“Jinx, please stop. It’s gone far enough. Cass broke down in tears in the bathrooms yesterday, people are mimicking por-'adult film' sound effects whenever Corina walks past…”

Jinx bit her lip, eyes agleam, nodding eagerly.

“You put literal bee venom in Fiora’s lipstick!” Caitlyn hissed, “You could have killed someone if they were allergic! How did you know she wasn’t?”

“Broke into Nurse Soraka’s office and checked the records, dur,” Jinx cackled, “C’mon, relax, I’m a responsible monster! Besides, totally worth it to see the debut of Madmoiselle Puffyflaps la tête de canard de Demacia-”

“Please stop doing this.”

Jinx pushed her lips out into a ridiculous puffy duck-moue – well, the best she was going to get – and mumbled “sacwe bweu! Mon smoochers sont pouffie!”

“That’s not even how you’d say–” Caitlyn winced, “Jinx, look, I apologize that Lux and I didn’t accept your invitation to sit with your friends. Yes, we were both scared of what people might say, but for your sake as well, do you understand…?”

The expression slid from Jinx’s face, as did the retort.

“What?”

“You don’t need to do this,” Caitlyn sighed in exasperation, “You don’t need our baggage. I don’t want anyone hurt on my behalf, and you and your friends don’t need to be targets on our behalf, either. Lux and I are big girls, and we need to each deal with this in our own way.”

She stepped closer, now that Jinx was swinging a little less, and caught her dangling hands up in her own, squeezing them before she knew what she was doing.

“Ferros suspects, and if she gets a shred of proof, you’ll be expelled. Avenging my honor isn’t worth that, Jinx. I’ve seen what you’re capable of, your team project with Ekko last year was…it was brilliant,” Now she was babbling, and Jinx’s face was slowly turning red – probably from blood rushing to her head – “and I don’t know how you’re not unconscious right now, but listen, I’ll talk to Lux, we’ll join your table. I know she feels bad about it too…”

“Um,” Jinx licked her lips, “Caitlyn…I…”

“…maybe, maybe if we work together,” Caitlyn’s resolve began to firm, “We can show this school that we stand unbowed, that not only is the Squad’s behavior and the harassment aimed at Lux fruitless and unacceptable, but perhaps we can let people see – see the real you.”

Jinx looked at their joined hands.

“…real…me?”

“A girl who won’t abide bullies,” Caitlyn said, with conviction, “A tough, kind girl who’d risk everything just to stand up for someone who once wronged her.”

“Careful, Caity-cat,” Jinx teased, but her voice was low and husky, and she licked her lips again as she gave a nervous laugh, “someone saw this, they might think you’re into me.”

Caitlyn stopped, looking at Jinx’s upside-down face.

“I…” she huffed, pushing would that be such a bad thing to the back of her mind, very far away from her tongue, and instead muttered, “…fine but please get down from this tree now before you give yourself permanent brain dama-”

Caitlyn caught a hint of a sultry perfume the moment before she heard the voice.

“Am I interrupting?” slid in a silky purr from her right.

Caitlyn’s spine crawled. She twisted to face the pale, curvy figure slinking through the trees toward her, dressed in her goth finery, hips swishing her tight leather pants with every calculated sway.

“…or were you entertained talking to yourself?” Evelynn gave a plum-lipped smirk, and Caitlyn’s brows furrows as she turned.

“No, I was just –”

Caitlyn blinked. Jinx was gone, only the faint bobbing motion of the bough she’d been hanging from hinting that Caitlyn hadn’t been crazy for imagining she was there at all.

“-going to club, Evelynn,” Caitlyn wrested control of herself, giving a tight smile to the girl who’d shattered her heart two years ago, before her transfer to VCA from Piltover, “Which I’m rather late for, so if you don’t mind-”

“Oh,” Evelynn smiled deeper, taking a measured step closer, hovering just on the edge of Caitlyn’s space – where she knew Cait would be able to breathe her scent, where her eyes would fix on the pinch of Eve’s white canines to her plump lower lip, “What a pity, I’ve really been trying all spring to get you to myself…”

“Evelynn-”

“I know you’d never avoid me on purpose, kitten,” Eve teased, reaching up with two of her long nails to patter them playfully along Caitlyn’s arm, “You’d never be cruel like that, when I miss you like this. I’ll just call it bad luck…”

Caitlyn’s breath hitched, trapped in the approach of golden eyes, as she’d been two years ago.

“…but it seems our luck’s changed, because here you are…all alone.”

Evelynn leaned in just a little more. Caitlyn’s back jolted as it hit the tree; she’d no idea she’d been backing up.

“…What are you doing here, Eve?”

“Me? Mm,” her tormentor gave a throaty chuckle, “Maybe I’m reminiscing about good times. Maybe I’m thinking of making you a little later to your silly club…”

“No,” Caitlyn gritted her teeth, “What are you doing at this school?”

Evelynn paused, a flicker in her crocodile smirk, then gave a soft, tinkling laugh.

“Are you insinuating that I’m here for you?” she tipped her head, fragrant locks falling on Caitlyn’s shoulder as she leaned herself there like a cat, “Hmm, maybe I am, maybe I’m not – which would you like to hear?”

“You’re wasting your own time,” Caitlyn muttered, “I have no interest in playing your games.”

“But we were so good together. Don’t tell me you didn’t have fun,” Evelynn pouted, “You’re still so uptight, my Cait…that’s not changed. You’re absolutely delectable when you won’t relax.”

“I’m not ‘your’ Cait, and I’ve said already – I’m not part of this game.”

“No? You don’t mind that I’m playing with your…friends?”

“No. Even if they’re clearly oblivious to the snake they’ve let in their nest.”

“A joke at Cass’s expense?” said Evelynn, clicking her tongue in a ‘tisk’ she knew Caitlyn would see as an inviting flash of pink between her dark lips, “You are cruel, sweet Cait.”

“Go back to your coven,” Caitlyn narrowed her eyes, frankly surprised that Lissandra and Syndra weren’t closing in to flank her like a pack of wolves, “You’ve got your corner of VCA and I’m very happy, thank you, if you never step into mine. I’m not interested. Go hex someone else.”

Evelynn traced her sharp fingertip along Caitlyn’s jaw – gasping with mock hurt when Caitlyn swatted it away.

“Hex someone else?” Eve scoffed, “Isn’t that a little ironic, when it’s your old Squad who seem to have become afflicted by a dreadful curse?”

Her eyes slid slyly to the settling bough.

“…or, no, that isn’t the right term, is it?”

Caitlyn’s blood ran cold.

“I don’t know what you think you’re implying.”

“No?” Evelynn chuckled, with just a hint of scorn, “Should I spell it out? Weren’t you just now conspiring with that tacky little mall goth to unleash more party tricks on your Squad? Hilarious that you’d stoop to it, really, but I applaud the audacity. Petty vengeance is a trait I really didn’t think you had the stomach for.”

Caitlyn narrowed her eyes.

“That is not what’s going on, Evelynn, and if you ever thought you knew me, you’d bloody well know better.”

“I wonder how you got her on board, considering,” Evelynn gave an amused flare of golden eyes, as if Caitlyn hadn’t spoken at all, “What was it, hmm? Did you blackmail her to take the fall for you with Ferros? I shiver at the thought of the dirt you must have on her to pull that off.”

Evelynn licked her lips, her golden eyes lighting up in malicious delight.

“…I wonder, just who did Jinx Lane kill to put her under your heel, my sweet Cait?”

A noisy click sounded behind them.

“Nobody yet,” growled Jinx, “But I’m havin’ some thoughts.”

Caitlyn and Eve turned to see her squatting on the roots of the next tree. Caitlyn’s case was open next to her and she was casually assembling Caitlyn’s practice rifle.

The click had been the stock locking into place.

“Hey babe,” Jinx said cheerfully, “She bothering you?”

Caitlyn’s brain froze up completely.

My gun. She has my gun…

…babe!?

“Not as much as I’m about to bother you,” Evelynn said, her smile ice cold, “Run along, little mallrat. This isn’t any of your business.”

“Sure it is,” said Jinx, smiling back with everything but her eyes, “Mind backin’ that ass up? You’re gettin’ your fake witch stink all over my girlfriend.”

Caitlyn choked.

Evelynn’s perfectly manicured eyebrows raised like the fangs of a striking spider.

“…seriously,” Jinx rolled her eyes, “You’re so full of shit, I’m surprised the flies haven’t noticed. Or…is that pungent cloud you’re wafting just Eau d’Raid? Points for originality!”

Jinx hopped up from the log, and trotted closer, Evelynn’s narrow eyes on the unloaded – but assembled - weapon in her grip.

Amidst shock and trepidation – why did Jinx get out her gun – Caitlyn took some twisted pleasure in her ex being, momentarily, lost for words.

“C’mon, Caity-cat,” Jinx purred, leaning into Caitlyn’s space. Cait felt the cool squish of Jinx’s lips to her cheek the moment before she took her wire-stiff hands and bent them into the right shape to thrust the rifle safely into, “Here! I put it together for ya. Don’t want my boo to be late for club!”

The weight of the gun in her grip made her snap out of her blank stupor. If nothing else, training on holding a rifle safely kicked in, and that pulled her back into awareness…

…that, and the cool damp spot on her cheek.

“…r-right!” Caitlyn’s throat cleared with a cough and she snapped a sickly-sweet smile over her lips, “Sorry, darling, I got caught up chatting. Evelynn here was just…”

“…fucking off!” Jinx grinned cheerfully, “Fucking right off, weren’t you, Eevey?”

Evelynn had barely opened her lips to retort when Jinx booped her on the nose and leaned back against Cait’s shoulder, snuggling in.

“There’s a good little succubus,” Jinx smiled, “Run along now, those goats ain’t gonna sacrifice themselves!”

Evelynn’s façade cracked; even Jinx backed up a little at what she saw revealed beneath.

Then the pristine mask slipped clicked back into place, and Evelynn smiled in a way that made Caitlyn’s skin crawl.

“Cute,” she drawled, “Should be fun to see how long it takes before she blows this up in your face…”

She leaned toward Jinx with a predatory glint in her eyes.

“…isn’t that all you’re good at, Jinx?”

Jinx’s mouth fell from a display of a smile to only a display of teeth; she bristled, silently, like a cat about to pounce. But she didn’t. Only her eyes followed Evelynn’s back as the girl danced away.

“And Caitlyn…I’ll be waiting for you after.”

Evelynn gave a floating, wicked chuckle before she was gone amongst the trees.

“Jinx…” Caitlyn whispered when she could breathe again, “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Nope,” said Jinx, her voice starting cold and bitter, only to brighten as she slid away from Cait and bounced to pick up her schoolbag, hidden in the roots of the tree, “…But since when do I do things because I have to?”

She slung it over her shoulder and offered Cait a sly smile over the other.

“See ya at club,” she said sweetly, “Don’t be late!”

Caitlyn stared after her as she skipped off.

…what the hell just happened?

“We’re bold, we’re brave, it’s vic-to-ry we crave – GO VALOR! GO VALOR!”

Bright sunlight caught in Lux’s golden hair as she swished and twirled, the precise arch of her back and kick of her legs matching the girls flanking her.

“The brightest, the best, we always pass the test – GO VALOR! GO VALOR!”

Her moment came; the girls beside her took the pom-poms from her as she plucked her baton staff from careful concealment and twirled it, taking the lead, the wind rushing about her face with each skillful spin of the staff in her grip…

“From every shore we’re back for more we’ll carve our name in legend’s lore – we’re born to be the true victor we’re V – A – L – O – R let’s go – VALOR!”

The final chant left her throat raw as she flashed the glinting, mirrored staff high to catch the sunlight and struck her pose.

The scant crowd of an afternoon Runeball qualifier applauded sporadically from the stands.

Lux lowered her staff and stood panting for breath as her cheer squad, the Lightbringers, finished their set.

Across the field, her brother and his team celebrated their win in that brawny, jostling way of theirs while their gathered supporters imperfectly copied the squad’s cheers.

Another routine Runeball game on the way to the finals, but it was important practice – both for the team on the field and the team on its edge. Both would need to be polished, in tip top shape to face the interschool competition…

They still needed work.

We’ll get it right, Lux let herself think, with everything else…no, it doesn’t matter.

Garen came jogging past with his sweaty, grass-smeared teammates, and Lux lifted her hand in a wave, pushing the little stab she felt at remembering how badly he’d treated Ezreal to the back of her mind –

He was just being overprotective. You’ll get a chance to sort it out, just tell him…just tell him the truth about you and Ez. It can’t be worse than him getting it second hand…right?

Lux frowned as Garen gave her a smile and a wave back, and then a very distinct, crafty expression as he leaned in to talk to Jarvan, who’d just doffed his helmet and shaken out his long hair…

Garen jostled his best friend’s shoulder and gave him a sage look.

A familiar one. Lux cringed inwardly.

Oh no.

Jarvan looked back at Garen, made some kind of chuckling reply with a vaguely uncomfortable smirk on his face, and lifted a hand to wave back at Lux.

Oh shit.

She plastered on her best fake smile and gave him a halfhearted wave back.

Oh no oh shit. Damnit Garen, I’ve only been ‘single’ for a week…

One. Blasted. Week. Since she’d been outed to the school. And her brother was already trying to set her up with his best friend! Again!

Lux bit back a groan, but her troubles weren’t over. Gasps and giggles bubbled up from her squad mates as their eyes caught the interaction.

“Did she just smile at Jarvan?” “He smiled at her first. Oh my god.” “Hey Lux, way to go, isn’t he practically royalty?” “Damn, girl, talk about a reversal of fortunes…”

I can’t, Lux caught her breath, I can’t say anything…this is my team…I …I have to work with them…we have to be in sync, I…

“Hee, yeah, uh,” Lux turned to them, covering her mouth with a bashful hand to conceal her grimace and hope they imagined a smile, “Not practically royalty, actually, ha, ha, no-he’s-literally-a-prince-um…ehh…”

Play it off. Giggle and wink. Let them think whatever they want, as long as we just get back to…

“Oh. My god. I thought you said you ‘weren’t actually a princess’?” “Ugh her? Why couldn’t he smile at me…” “One hell of a trade up from Ezreal, just sayin’.”

Lux concealed a flinch and turned away from them again, pretending to be fixing one of her shoelaces so they couldn’t see her gritted teeth.

It’s not even that Jarvan is a creep or anything, she thought behind her scowl, he’s always polite, but it’s just so awkward, the last time Garen tried to set us up I was, what, fourteen?

That had consisted of some fumbling attempts at small talk and a lot of awkward silence. Because that’s exactly what Lux’s frail teenage self-esteem had needed. She’d told herself he was either gay or really into someone else. That had to be it…

He sure as heck wasn’t into her, and that was a relief, because the feeling was mutual.

Now if only her brother would let it go…

Aunt Tianna was even worse about it, always harping on about the Crownguard legacy and the esteemed historical connections to the Lightshield family as if adding that they were probably royal cousins a couple hundred years removed would somehow make it less weird…

…Lux had no idea if her brother was trying to push her at Jarvan out of his own dense idea that his taste in best friends would somehow translate into an ideal partner for his sister – or he was dancing on Aunt Tianna’s strings.

She studied Jarvan from a distance.

Would it be so bad? You faked it once…

“I mean, what did you guys even do all that time?” someone, probably Marcia, was laughing behind her back, “All that kissing was fake?”

“Oh, yeah, she totally just faked having his tongue down her throat,” giggled someone else, “Did you fake – um, you know, too? How do you even do that, like, ‘lie back and think of Demacia’? Or is he just into guys or something?”

Don’t say anything don’t say anything they’re your teammates you need to be in harmony…

Lux closed her eyes and thought of Ezreal’s breezy laugh. Nerding out about some collector’s edition comic he’d gotten his hands on. Sharing an earbud on the train so she could gush about her favorite band dropping a new album…

Holding her when the anxiety was too much, and she was shaking and crying in his arms.

Maybe Jarvan was nice. Maybe she’d warm up to him. But he wasn’t her Ez. And Caitlyn was right.

Lux was done being fake.

“Hey, that’s funny, you know what?” Lux said, turning on them with her fixed, sunny grin, “Ezreal is a better person than any of you could ever understand. I’d rather have my fake than all the bullshit you think is ‘real’. But you all couldn’t just let me have that, could you? Sooo - thanks for ruining the best friendship of my life! Have fun with your enforced heteronormativity!”

Lux giggled as they gaped at her.

“…hope you can afford the therapy!”

She said nothing more, but kept her cold smile on, slowly spreading, until the shock in her squad mates’ expressions mutated into various disgust and slow-dawning horror.

She let herself think of Mundo. Of Fiddlesticks. Of Jinx, until her smile was just like theirs.

The sass died on their lips. Something in her face wasn’t right anymore, she could see it reflected in theirs.

“…what?” Lux finally whispered, still grinning knives, “Is there something on my face?”

The cheer girls exchanged white-eyed glances and shuffled away from her in alarm.

“She’s lost it,” someone muttered, “what a freak.”

Then they were gone. Lux let out a shaky breath.

She’d held it so long her lungs hurt. She waited for the panic attack, the clawing, cold fingers of social anxiety. What she’d just said and done…

Instead, Lux felt like crying in relief.

She tucked her staff away, wiped her eyes, and reached down to pick up her pom-poms…

“…so you took off your normie suit…” intoned a dry voice behind her, “…they always freak when you do that … fun, isn’t it…?”

Lux gasped and jumped; a dark blotch in the corner of her eye was Vex, lying like a discarded rag doll across one of the bleachers behind her with her long sleeves dangling onto the ground.

Lux opened her mouth to reply, when, chillingly, something came skittering along the empty bleachers on all fours – and Briar’s head popped up from behind the seats.

“Hiiii! That was hahah totally awesome,” She propped herself on her elbows to peer at Lux, “Sure I can’t bite you? I bet you taste like victory right now!”

“Um – let’s take a raincheck – wh-what are you guys doing here?” Lux stared between the two of them, glad the team and the players had already filtered off.

No, Lux blinked it away. No, I’m not glad.

She was past caring who saw her talking to who.

Vex sighed, “…morbid curiosity…forever the bane disrupting my otherwise perpetual apathy…”

Briar giggled, propped her chin in her folded hands, then rolled her head like an owl, “We just wanted to kinda figure you out, since Jinx still likes you for some reason.”

“…despite your heart-shattering betrayal in the cafeteria…”

Lux both winced and blushed at that, concealing it as daubing sweat from her brow with one wrist so she could hide her face in her pompoms.

“Guys, listen, I’m really sorry about that. Caitlyn is too. If – if you still want us to sit with you, I think we’d both like to try that…tell Jinx that…”

She blinked, peering around.

“Wait, Jinx isn’t with you?”

“Nah,” said Briar, now lying on her back next to Vex. Bereft of the pillory around her arms, she had a kind of boneless cat quality that reminded Lux, with a pang, of Jinx herself.

“…she’s probably off stalking her girl crush…” Vex mumbled, now reading a particularly bleak book of poetry she’d plucked out of her voluminous hoodie.

Lux’s heart unexpectedly dropped to the bottom of her chest.

“Girl…crush?”

“Oh yeah!” said Briar, “She’s really kinda obsessed with Caitlyn, huh? Forgot about that.”

She had her snackbox open and tossed what looked like a cube of raw steak in the air and caught it on her tongue like a piece of candy.

She…likes Caitlyn? Lux frowned. Thinking of the cafeteria, the funny intensity in Jinx’s eyes, I mean…it doesn’t matter, I guess. Not my business…I just…

There was that weird feeling again.

“…either Jinx plans to shatter the tired hierarchical fallacies of this abyss of teen mediocrity…or she just has a thing for Caitlyn…” Vex mused, turning to the next page of Last Words; History’s Most Poetic Suicide Notes, “…that would be uncharacteristically boring so I’m pretending it’s the former…”

“Does that mean Caitlyn would join our friendship group?” Briar pondered aloud, “Ooh, Lux, do you think she tastes like…hmm…I dunno, some sort of fancy baked treat?”

“I don’t know,” Lux said absently, chewing on her lip and staring into the distance.

Everyone is ragging on me and Ez for fake dating.

Garen is trying to set me up with Jarvan.

Jinx likes Caitlyn…

“…like maybe a citrus tart?” Briar scratched her chin, “hmmm, a choux a la crème…or like…ooh, a macaron!”

Lux pursed her lips.

“Vex, do you know if the Heartaches have practice this afternoon?”

Vex stopped and snapped her book shut.

“…um…no…god…why would I…” her ears drooped and she twisted to glare at Lux a moment, before she sighed, “…yeah they’re uh…they’re at the battle gym….”

“Thanks!” Lux gasped, snatching up her bag and stuffing her pom-poms into it, “You guys are awesome. I’ll see you at lunch tomorrow!”

Lux slung her bag over her shoulder and sprinted breathlessly toward the shower block.

“Oooh, what do you think she’s gonna do?” said Briar, peering after her.

“…something stupid…” Vex waved a floppy sleeve.

“Hmmm,” said Briar, “…got it! Lemon meringue!”

Their voices faded in Lux’s periphery as she ran, a warmth growing in her chest, clutching the metal box she’d slipped out of her bag.

Chapter Text

Caitlyn paced back and forth in front of the steaming cup of tea on Janna’s desk.

“…it just doesn’t make any sense,” she lamented, index finger still to her lips.

“So, in summary of what you’ve told me,” Janna’s mild expression didn’t change, but Caitlyn thought she detected astonishment in the counselor’s voice, “…you’ve been pushed from your social position, someone is targeting your former friends on your behalf, and they have retaliated by involving someone from your past, which led to your defender…”

“…declaring that we’re dating!” Caitlyn said, exasperated, “I mean I – I think that …they…” Caitlyn fumbled with her own tongue, unwilling to give up any clue that might identify Jinx, “…they were just trying to scare her off, but I can’t know their feelings for certain…”

She paused her pacing, putting her fist to her lips.

“Ms Janna, I did not ask for any of this,” she finally sighed, “I want to put that awful group chat in the past where it belongs and move on with my life, but – but this nonsense is centered on me and I need to find a way to stop it.”

 Janna fell silent for a moment.

“Caitlyn,” she said with a small sigh, “This is a very complex situation. You’ve said that you feel like you have to navigate it yourself. While I understand that feeling, I also want to stress that you aren’t alone. What you tell me in this office stays here. Our relationship needs to be one of trust.”

Caitlyn held her tongue, aware that a ‘but’ was coming.

“But if what you’ve said is true – that these recent mishaps are targeted, malicious pranks – then there is a strong chance that if this escalates further, a student could be seriously hurt. That is something we both know can’t be allowed to happen.”

“Please,” Caitlyn said quietly, “I don’t want to involve Ms Ferros. Th-the person doing this is not – they’re not a bad person! Even this – they’re not just ‘malicious’, they’re trying to stand up to what they perceive as bullying…there is a good heart in there and I just need to convince-” her “-them to stop.”

“Caitlyn,” Janna chuckled, “I don’t believe any student is ‘a bad person’. I’m offering my help, not judgment or punishment. Do you feel there’s any possibility that this person could be encouraged to come in to see me, if you were to ask them?”

“…kicking and screaming,” Caitlyn sighed again, then paused and tilted her head, considering, “…maybe?”

“I think it’s very possible that this student, whoever they are, is looking for your attention and approval. Maybe they’ve been hurt or are having difficulty at home, and something you said or did made them feel appreciated and set off this feeling of protectiveness toward you. If this person trusts you, perhaps between the two of us, we might be able to help them to see that they don’t need to act out like this to be worthy of respect and friendship.”

Caitlyn’s thoughts whirled.

“…without involving Ms Ferros?” she asked.

Janna gave a wan smile, “Preferably.”

Caitlyn pursed her lips, a mad, wild idea starting to flicker behind her eyes.

“Thank you, Ms Janna,” she murmured, “You’ve given me plenty to think about.”

The half-open doors of the Battle Gym did nothing to block the roar of noise from inside.

A jagged metal soundtrack screeching from a dinged-up old stereo didn’t drown out the grunts, thuds and crunches of metal on metal.

Vi, her giant gauntlets in place, sprang from matted platform to matted platform, crashing her spiked knuckles into each target…

Lux, just beyond the doorway, watched her with awe.

A savage uppercut swooped through the final crude, metal-plated dummy, knocking its much-battered head from its much-battered body so hard that it pinged off the ceiling, spun twice and landed with a clang – in the grip of a different metal hand.

Lux bit back a squeak and backed away, concealing herself behind the doorway, as the hulking silhouette of Blitzcrank, one of a handful of sapient mechanical folks to study at VCA, stretched their extendable arm across the gym to drop the decapitated dummy head in a pile of other parts to be repaired.

Vi dropped down to the final mat, breathing hard, and swept her head back in a flick of her wild, sweat-soaked crimson hair.

“Thanks for the catch, Blitz,” she gasped, “Score?”

“Two-fourteen,” said Rumble, the yordle perched on a trestle with a stopwatch in one hand, wrench in the other, tightening the bolts on his scrappy mecha-suit, “Sorry, Vi.”

“Damnit,” she blew out a breath, “Sett’s still at two-sixteen?”

::: Two-twenty, recorded in yesterday’s practice database ::: droned Blitzcrank, with a broad, clunking shrug.

Rumble shook his head, “We’re gonna have to up our game, or they’ll stomp our asses in the finals.”

“Heh,” Vi slid her big gloves off and wiped her upper lip on her forearm, “I’m not giving up. It’s our year, I can feel it. How’s Tristy?”

“Ship-shape,” said Rumble, proudly, patting the chassis of his mecha, “Just as ass-kickin’-pretty as ‘er namesake.”

Vi chuckled, “You really gotta ask her out, man.”

Rumble’s ears flicked and drooped, “I – uh – c’mon, Vi! Yer puttin’ me on the spot here!”

“Heartbeat Ball’s comin’ up!” Vi winked at him, in the midst of toweling herself down, “Don’t miss your chance, buddy.”

“Pf…pff!” Rumble protested with a wave of his arms, “Since when do Heartaches care about that crap? You don’t even have a date for it!”

“Yeah but I’m not in love,” Vi shrugged, “And you’re right, I couldn’t care less about some hokey fancy dress ball.”

She grinned.

“…but Tristanna might.”

Lux, poised behind the door, heard Rumble dissolve into embarrassed mutters as she pulled away.

Vi gave a hearty laugh and grabbed her towel, then nodded across the way, “Amumu agrees with me, don’t ya, Mu?”

Lux blinked in surprise as she spotted Amumu, sitting by the wall in a little ball of glum distance, hugging a little bag and a gift card of some sort.

“…I don’t know anything about romance,” he mumbled, turning the note over his hand and sniffling, “…how would I?”

“Eh, stop mopin’, buddy!” said Vi, “Someone sent you that card, right? And the chocolates.”

Amumu avoided looking at her. “…probably just messing with me,” he sighed, biting his lip as he turned it over again.

“Dude, who cares? You don’t take the chance, you’ll never know. Find out who it is!”

He sighed and shrank even smaller into himself, “…I…could try…”

“I know you can.”

Amumu shuffled and looked down at his toes. Lux wondered for a moment, again, about their encounter in the hall, and the note he was reading over and over and over…

…but her thoughts were soon preoccupied with the swish of Vi’s crimson hair as she wet it with splashes from her water bottle.

Hey, Vi, um, just thought I’d pop by and see what you were doing…

…wow, Vi, that practice was really cool, sorry, couldn’t help but check out the action…

…ha ha, funny that you just said that, because I was thinking of asking if you’d like to…

Lux clutched her bag to her chest, carefully supporting the little clipped case within.

…oh this? Just wanted to say thanks for the other day, y’know. I had a batch of these in the oven and thought you might like some…nothing special, I just…

…baked them for you.

She sucked in a breath, gathered her courage, and peeked around the door –

Straight into Blitzcrank’s blue disc-like eyes.

Lux, blinking, gave them a big, nervous grin, all of her prepared words slipping straight out of her brain.

The big mecha rolled their round head to one side and lifted their chunky fingers in something approximating a wave hello.

“Argh…fine! I’ll ask her if you ask someone!” Rumble said in the background, waving his hands.

Vi snorted, “Who would I even ask?”

“Oh, I dunno, any of the looonnnggg string of heartbroken girls you’ve left in your wake? Might find one willing to give it another shot…”

Vi gave a wince and a sigh, “Don’t you think that’s pretty good evidence why I shouldn’t try to date, Rumble?”

She turned away to finish cleaning and tying off her big gloves before she packed her equipment.

The yordle shrugged, turning back to his mecha; his ears perked and his eyes slid sidelong to settle on Lux’s genial confrontation with Blitzcrank in the doorway.

She glanced back at him with a chagrined wave, and Rumble’s sly grin replied as he turned innocently back to Vi.

“Dunno, Vi…I mean, you stuck up for Lux Crownguard the other day, right? Bet she thinks you’re pretty hot shit after that…”

“Rumble,” Vi sighed, “C’mon, man. I didn’t do that to try to score, she needed help. She’s…she’s not like that, anyway. Proper princess like her wouldn’t wanna hang out with some Trencher…”

“Oh?” said Rumble. He cleared his throat loudly.

Vi looked up, and straight at Lux, holding the box she’d half-taken out of her bag.

“Oh,” she said.

:: Luxanna Crownguard is at the door. :: said Blitzcrank, with one finger raised.

“Hi-Vi-Hey-Vi-um…” Lux stammered, “…I – um – thanks for – you’re really, um…cookies!”

She thrust the box forward, the lid clunking open, revealing the jostled rows of even, golden-browned treats, an old Demacian recipe, stacked in what had been a neat formation.

Vi just stared at her, astonished, for a moment, before a crooked grin split her face.

She straightened up and scratched at the back of her head.

“Gimme ten to shower,” she said, “And I’m all yours.”

Lux scuffed her shoes slightly as she strolled along the grassy oval, listening to the other students laugh and play in the distance, side by side with a freshly showered Vi in her beat-up red leather jacket and comfortable tee.

“Aah, yeah, here we go,” Vi said, sighing with satisfaction as she brushed off the old tree stump at the edge of the field, big enough to seat them both, “I come here to chill out after practice sometimes. Thought you might, um, like the view.”

Lux smiled nervously at her and tucked her skirts as she sat.

Vi smiled and sat next to her, one leg twitching a little as she fought the urge to spread her knees and plant her feet – making her silhouette a bit smaller to accommodate Lux beside her.

Lux opened the box of cookies and couldn’t help but giggle at the sight of Vi’s eyes flaring at the first crunch.

“Oh, wow, this is a Demacian-” crunch “-recipe? Holy fu-I mean wow-” crunch “-it’s really nice! Is it your family’s recipe?”

Lux smiled with a little chagrin, “Uh, actually, I uh…when I was eight I snuck into the kitchens and tried to …um to help the servants with a bit of baking without them noticing…”

She saw Vi’s expression darken a little at ‘servants’.

“…well I um nearly burned that wing of the house down and uh – Marleya, the head cook, she caught me and told me she’d teach me how to make these cookies so, um, I’d know how to do it properly and not burn down the house…”

Lux flushed hot, unable to help herself.

“…Kinda the only thing I know how not to burn, actually. Well, I’m okay at cupcakes…”

“Omf, I love cupcakes,” Vi’s mouth was still half full of cookie crumbs, but her eyes slowly widened, “…wait, ‘wing’, how big was this house?”

“I mean…” Lux sank her hands into her hair and tugged at the bright gold waves, a nervous habit, “…I say ‘house’ but I kinda mean ‘castle’…we’re um-a-really-old-family-it’s-just…”

Lux pulled her eyes down, heart picking up.

This is stupid she’s from Zaun she probably hates rich people she’s judging you right now…

“…just how things always were,” she said softly, “For me. I didn’t really understand that…that other people’s lives were different until I left…”

She hesitantly looked up.

Vi had a thoughtful, faraway expression. She finished the cookie and looked at the last few crumbs in her wrapped palm, then out at the horizon; the edges and angles of Valoran City shining in the glow of afternoon.

It really was a nice view here.

“Me and my sister,” she said, “At the orphanage I uh, used to bandage my hands like this and hide little bits of extra food in them for Powder. Used to pretend I’d already eaten, so she wouldn’t feel bad…”

Jinx…? Lux blinked, …her birth name is Powder?

Vi pursed her lips, “Had to share a cot barely wider than this log.  When Vander adopted us…then we had our little bunks under the bar, and everything was different.”

A smile came to her lips.

“We had nothing. Except each other. Just how things always were,” she shrugged, “Guess I didn’t understand how different it was for other people either, till I came here.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Vi smiled and winked at her, “They’re freaking nice cookies.”

Lux took a deep breath, “I, um just wanted to say, um, thank you. For sticking up for the spoiled little rich girl in trouble.”

Vi shook her head.

“No worries,” she said, “Not putting up with that shit on my watch. You guys okay, now?”

Lux let her breath out with a little shiver and nodded.

“…I guess…we’re still not hanging out at school,” she admitted, “We don’t want to, um, make ourselves targets…”

“Screw that,” Vi growled, “He’s your friend, right?”

Lux gave a small smile.

“My best friend.”

“Then nobody’s got any right to stop you hanging out with him. Nobody deserves to be bullied like that.”

Lux laughed softly.

“You sound like Caitlyn.”

She regretted it immediately. Vi made a face; her brows and nose scrunched.

“Ugh. Why Caitlyn?”

Lux blinked and stammered, “B-because she …she told me almost the same thing. Sorry, I didn’t mean to step on anything…”

Vi paused.

“She said that? That why you guys…uh,” Vi scratched the back of her head, brows still a little furrowed, like she was struggling to put together two conflicting pieces of information, “Sit together at lunch, and stuff…?”

Lux nodded, fidgeting, still feeling like she was walking a minefield she hadn’t seen.

Oh no. She hates Caitlyn? Why?

…well, Lux could only tell the truth.

“She’s been…really nice to me,” Lux admitted, “I mean, since before all her trouble with the Squad. I don’t know if you heard about that…”

Vi shrugged, “Heartaches stay out of Heartthrob stuff. They stay out of our way, we stay out of theirs. Heard some drama went down, but considering who was involved?” she chuckled a little, “Can’t say I cared…”

“Oh, I see, uh,” Lux winced, “Aah, um, well – it’s not my business to share. But she’s not on good terms with them anymore.”

“Huh,” said Vi, “Queen Bee lost her crown…?”

Lux shrugged, “I guess we ended up in the same boat. But I don’t think she’s being nice just because we’re stuck together, or anything. She was always the only nice one.”

Lux looked up to Vi’s troubled expression with a bright smile.

“I think people misunderstand her. I know that feeling, you know? Maybe…you do too?”

“Maybe,” said Vi, her expression thoughtful again.

“I think she’s just trying to do the right thing,” Lux said softly, “Trying to look out for people who need it, in her own way…”

Her heart picked up a little as she let herself become aware of Vi’s body heat, quite close to her. In the guise of shifting to get comfortable, Lux let herself, wickedly, wriggle just a little closer.

“…like someone else I know, hm?”

“Heh, she could be less of a stuck up goodie two shoes about it,” Vi mumbled, but there was a hint of a bashful grin at the corner of her lips, now, “But yeah, okay, I get it…”

Had she noticed?

“…Lux, can I…ask a question?”

Her heart picked up.

“S-sure, Vi?”

“…I guess it’s not my business but,” she shifted a little, hands clasped between her knees. Lux wondered if she had her fingers interlocked to stop herself from fidgeting with them, “…you guys…and Pow-” she winced and hung her head, “…and Jinx.”

She left the question hanging, and Lux felt it all there, the unspoken things she couldn’t see or hear – tenderness and old pain, protectiveness and uncertainty.

“She was kind to us too,” Lux said softly.

“Oh.” Vi shifted, scratching her head, making that brow-furrowed expression of confusion again.

There was suddenly something about this tough, scrappy, gorgeous girl that reminded Lux of Garen, of all people, and that was a little hard for her to swallow, but it made Lux want to laugh, too.

Instead, Lux pressed her lips together and pushed the box of cookies into Vi’s hands.

“Take them home,” she said, smiling, “And share them with her, for me? And please tell her I’m sorry I didn’t take her invitation to sit with her friends at lunch. I just…got scared what people might say. Just for a moment…and I was wrong.”

She took Vi’s strong hands and folded her fingers over the little box.

Scars on them. A girl’s hands, but so very different from mine…

Lux blushed hotly.

“…I’m still a spoiled little rich girl, I guess,” she said, “But I want to do better. And if she’ll have me, I’d still like to be her friend.”

And maybe, if you’d have me…

She looked up. Vi had her lips parted slightly as if she was going to say something, or maybe she was just lost for words.

…even if you’re a Heartache, and I’m…almost one of the enemy…

Vi gave a lopsided, charming smile.

“You got it,” she said, “Princess.”

Lux opened her mouth to protest for the umpteenth time that she was not part of the royal family of Demacia, but Vi’s hand came up over Lux’s own, patting the back of her palm, and her fingers lingered just a little too long for it to be accidental.

It could’ve just been Lux’s imagination, but there was something playful about the delivery of the word, about the curl of full cherry lips, that made that annoying title sound teasing.

And sent a thrill into Lux’s belly.

“Um, Vi, I…w-would-”

Lux nearly jumped out of her skin as the bell screamed somewhere across the field. Vi looked up in annoyance and sighed.

“Aw. Always gotta spoil the nice views,” she tisked in the back of her throat.

“I…um!” Lux sprang to her feet, “I gotta go, um, crap…”

“Got somewhere to be?”

Lux’s cheeks burned. She stammered, “I – I told Ez I’d m-meet him outside school – we were gonna have a movie night…”

“Sounds fun,” Vi grinned, “Would he mind if I walked you out?”

Lux’s heart felt like it belonged to a little bird, or maybe it was a little bird, fluttering around in her ribs trying to escape its cage, “N-no not at all I – um – I’d like to introduce you…”

“Why didn’t ya say so?” Vi kipped to her feet with easy, athletic grace and offered Lux an arm like an old-fashioned gentleman, “C’mon!”

Lux couldn’t keep the smile from her lips as she picked up her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and gratefully slipped her hand onto Vi’s bicep.

They talked about nothing much at all as they walked out arm in arm, bags bouncing on their backs with each light step, Vi slowing her stride to keep pace with Lux as they went…

…drawing some looks, but Lux was beyond caring. The skin of Vi’s arm under her hand was surprisingly soft in contrast to all the dense strength she could feel just under it. The taller girl’s smile felt like a campfire warming her side.

Safe.

I’m safe with her.

Nobody can hurt me while I’m with her.

She thought that, distant across the yard, she heard a familiar rattle of a paint can die away, thought she saw a flash of green and purple, maybe even imagined Jinx staring after her, an unreadable expression on her face, before she turned away from her graffiti and slipped out of view…

But no, there wasn’t anyone there.

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” Lux bit her lip, and let herself lean a little on Vi’s arm, “More than okay.”

Vi glanced down at her, giving a bit of a dorky grin, then stumbled slightly over her own feet - “ohshit-uh, sec,” said Vi, glancing down at the rather chunky stone stuck in the grip of her boot, “Gotta pick that out, damn. Ez is waitin’, right? I’ll catch up.”

Lux giggled gently at her, “Sure,” fighting off the faint hint of trepidation as she walked around the corner of the building.

Strolling towards the carpark, she couldn’t stop thinking of the warm timbre of Vi’s voice…

Nobody can hurt…

“You don’t freaking know her! Don’t you dare say that shi-”

Lux flooded with fear as she recognized the voice, then a scuffling cry, then a second voice shouting, a boy’s she didn’t know.

“…hey! Let him go, you assholes – ugh!”

It was followed by a thud and oof of breath and cruel laughter, and the first voice, shaking with rage, “S-stop! The hell is wrong with you? Get off him and leave us alone or I’ll -”

Ez!

Lux froze as she stepped around the corner.

There were a ring of them, rough boys – a mix of Noxians, Piltovans and Valoran City kids, but the ringleader was Deckard, a Zaunite boy who’d pushed up the ranks on spite and willingness to step on the smaller.

In the middle of the ring, on the ground under Deckard’s boot, was a boy, clinging protectively to his bag of science books, glaring up through white locs tinted blue.

Ezreal stood in the middle of the circle, a few steps away, bruised and scuffed and fists clenched, circled by a few of Deckard’s bruiser friends.

His face was red with shame and fury.

“You’ll what?” Deckard sneered, “End up on your ass like your bodyguard here?”

Lux stared at the boy on the ground. Ekko…that’s Jinx’s friend…

Deckard leaned his boot harder on Ekko’s chest, despite the smaller boy’s fierce efforts to push it off.

"Not so tough without your art club around, are ya clock boy?” Deckard hocked to spit on him, “Maybe we’ll call that little blonde bit of tail whatever we want, now she’s free game, hey guys-”

Ez screamed at the top of his lungs and barreled straight at Deckard, fists flailing for his face. He knocked him away from Ekko and got a couple of licks in before the bigger boy, astonished and enraged, scrambled free.

His friends grabbed Ezreal by the arms and pulled him off Deckard, grappling him and punching him in the gut to knock the wind out of him.

Deckard’s eyes were as white as his face was red. He daubed at his lip and looked at the blood.

“You- you split my lip – you little shit-” Deckard snarled, “Hold him still!”

He pulled his arm back with a balled fist –

Air rushed past Lux in a blur of red and white and thud of spiky boots. Before her whirling strands of gold had even settled, there was a heavy slap and Deckard’s voice choked off.

Vi had caught his fist in her bare hand. Her fingers closed over his knuckles and bent his hand back until everyone heard a crack.

Deckard squealed and went down on one knee, eyes frantic, twisting to get away from her grip on his hand like a fox with its leg in a trap.

Vi ignored him. He’d have had better luck wrestling a statue.

One of his friends had the mad sense to charge Vi, thinking her guard was down; without looking she grabbed him by the shirt in her free hand and swung him headfirst into his backup friend, sending them both into sprawling heaps.

Her eyes slashed across the bruisers holding Ezreal.

“Put him down.” Her fingers flexed. Craaack. “Gently.”

The boys hesitated, fearful eyes glancing between their ringleader, their prey, and the pillar of muscle and blazing red eyes in between them.

“…f-f…freakin’ do it…!” Deckard sobbed, spittle flecking his lips.

Ezreal slumped to his knees beside Ekko, who immediately scrabbled into a crouch and pushed himself protectively between Ezreal and the bigger boys.

But all their eyes were on Vi, backing away like small ugly dogs before a wolf with its teeth bared.

“Listen up!” she snapped, loud enough for the whole ring to hear, “Lux, Ekko and Ezreal are my very good friends. Anything you want to say to them, say it, right here, right now, to my face, or forever hold your goddamn peace.”

Deathly silence answered her.

“Didn’t think so,” Vi growled, “That was your chance. From now on, if I hear…”

She twisted Deckard’s hand in the other direction. He gave a pathetic whimper and smacked his other hand fruitlessly against Vi’s arm; a dark patch stained his jeans.

“…one whisper of bullshit aimed at any of them…I won’t care who started it. I’ll finish it.”

She swung Deckard away from her with an almost dismissive shove, right into his idiot friends, forcing them to scramble to catch him lest they all end up in the dirt.

Vi stepped between Lux, Ekko and Ezreal and the group of boys.

“I wanna see your backs,” she said, quiet and calm.

They kicked up dirt as they ran.

Only when they were gone did Lux’s limbs unfreeze; she skittered forward, to Ezreal’s side, crying out – “Ez!”

He flinched as he saw her, hiding his face in his collar. He was shaking as she swept him up in her arms, murmuring familiar things in his ear, keenly aware of Ekko’s wide eyes in her periphery.

Vi’s hard eyes followed Deckard’s cronies into the distance. Her jaw worked, and she snorted under her breath, seeming to snap out of it.

“You good, Little Man?” she called to Ekko.

“…been better, Vi,” he mumbled, pushing himself up, “…thanks for the save, but I…damnit…”

He growled in frustration, watching them go, dusting himself off.

“Yeah, I know,” Vi said with a faint chuckle, “You had ‘em. I just saved you some time.”

She brushed a few leaves affectionately off the back of his jacket and swept him into a quick, fierce hug.

“…they come back, we’ll kick their asses together, okay?” Lux heard her murmur over his shoulder, “I got you man.”

“Got your back too, Vi,” Ekko said, squeezing her.

Lux held Ezreal in her arms and pressed her lips to his hair. He hadn’t stopped shaking, but his breathing wasn’t quite so thready and syncopated now she was here.

“…I’ll kill them…” Ez whispered, sharp, against Lux’s neck, “…they talk about you again I’ll kill them…”

“I know, Ez,” she murmured back, her heart breaking for him, “I know you will. Goes both ways, too…”

She smoothed his spiky hair back from his face and cupped his chin in her hands.

“Hey, Ezbunny,” she whispered, “I got you.”

Ez’s lips trembled into a faint smile, “…got you too, pookiebear.”

“…ugh,” she whisper-giggled, “…you’re keeping that one?”

“I decided it’s cute,” he replied, his smile settling a little better into the one she knew, “Live with it.”

He hugged her and sighed, then slowly pushed himself up to face Ekko and Vi, like a man facing his executioners.

“Um, that was… sorry to drag you guys into it, that was crazy,” he mumbled, “And uh, Vi…that was really freaking cool. I think I’m still in awe.”

She just rolled her shoulder with an easy grin, “I was passing by. Besides, we were just the backup. It’s really Ekko you should thank.”

 Ezreal flushed hot to his ears and turned to the young man, suddenly conscious of his bruises, the scuffs on his street clothes, the dirt on his books – all the hits he’d taken for Ez.

“Hey, Ekko, um…” Ez scratched the back of his head, “I can’t believe you did that for a guy you don’t know…thanks, man.”

“Must’ve been your endless charm,” Ekko chuckled, daubing a little blood from his own split lip, “Or maybe I just don’t like bullies.”

“Heh,” Ez still stared at his feet, but he flicked his blue eyes up at that, “Guess we’ve got that in common.”

Lux saw a flash of that boyish smile of his and couldn’t help but sneak a grin of her own when she saw the way it made Ekko’s lips twitch in return.

“You know,” Ekko cleared his throat and picked up his bag, “In Zaun they say you don’t really know someone until you’ve either fought ‘em face to face, or with ‘em back to back.”

“They really say that?”

“According to Vi.”

Vi winked at Ezreal’s dubious look, “Totally.”

“So um,” Ezreal caught the hint and shuffled his feet, “I guess that makes us friends? I mean, if you don’t mind hanging out with a dumb Piltie who couldn’t even stick up for himself…”

“Long as you don’t mind hanging out with an even dumber Trencher who got himself beat up for the dumb Piltie,” said Ekko, with a flash of a bright, if a little bloody, grin.

“Yeah, guess I’d like that,” said Ezreal, “A lot.”

Lux shared a glance with Vi.

The pounding of her pulse – the panic threading her breathing – it was all long since gone.

Safe.

“Cool,” said Vi, clearing her throat a little and nudging next to Lux, “Saaay, guys, if our two rich kids don’t mind a train ride to a rough side of town, maybe we could show ‘em Jericho’s this weekend, victory celeb-”

“Violet Lane.”

The voice sliced the air with the chill of a drawn razor, and all their faces went cold.

“…ah shit,” Vi muttered under her breath.

The clip-clip-clip of her footsteps heralded the tall woman’s approach. One of the Piltover boys – the one with the bloody nose Vi had flipped into his friend – shadowed her for a few steps, wringing his hands and pointing at them, but it didn’t matter.

Camille Ferros already had their scent.

“Guess it’s later, then,” Vi muttered, blew out a breath, and slung her gauntlets over her shoulder.

She glanced back at Lux, Ekko and Ezreal, “Get goin’, I’ll keep her busy.”

Lux’s brows furrowed, “Vi, um, you didn’t start-”

“Nope, but I finished it,” Vi winked at her, “I’ll see you ‘round, Princess. Go on, scram.”

Ezreal swallowed and gave Vi a firm nod of gratitude as their eyes met. She saluted Ekko with her free hand and turned to walk out to face Ferros, gliding across the grass toward them with the students parting around her like waters in the wake of a shark fin.

“She’s buying us time. C’mon!” said Ekko, grabbing Ezreal’s arm, and Ez grabbed Lux’s arm in turn as the three of them fled the scene.

I won’t forget this, Vi…

Lux bit her lip.

I won’t forget you.

“And the Emerging Minds scholarship for scientific accomplishment and academic perfection goes to … Jinx Lane!”

The crowd roars with applause. Heimerdinger fairly puffs his chest as he makes the announcement.

Light footsteps ascend the stage. Jinx is beaming, hugging her science books close to her chest, dressed in a prim and proper VCA uniform.

“Thank you so much everyone. I can’t believe I was just accepted to Piltover’s most prestigious science academy for my genius invention that will help so many lives,” she says after she takes the mic, “I want to invite to the stage the queen of my heart, who helped me find my way back to all things sensible and proper, my beautiful girlfriend Caitlyn!”

She sweeps out an arm, and a spotlight falls on Caitlyn’s face. Everyone is applauding. The crowd is full of faces she recognizes but can’t put names to.

Caitlyn is lifted onto the stage on angels’ wings. Somewhere a trumpet is playing and there are feathers raining down like snow.

“Wait-!” shouts a voice. Caitlyn sees Violet Lane, running through the crowd, punching people out of the way with her giant gloves, hit point counters appearing above their heads each time she sends one flying, “Not without this!”

She has a furious, determined look on her face as she holds out a tiny pink cupcake with a glace cherry on top toward Caitlyn.

“We won’t allow it!” screams another voice. The Squad, all dressed in witch costumes with pointy hats, are gathered around a summoning circle spotlit behind the crowd, “We’ll call upon our dark master to stop you!”

“Sorry, Caity-cat,” says Jinx, squeezing Cait’s hand and grinning at her, “I’m a girl of my word!”

She hoists a bright pink minigun out of nowhere and starts laughing maniacally as she shoots at what are now a horde of zombies swarming her sister.

Something lands on the stage with a thunderous boom.

“Oh crap,” says Jinx, “It’s the last boss!”

Caitlyn finds her rifle in her hand as she and Jinx turn to face a gigantic Camille Ferros robot with saw-like teeth, spider legs and a pair of giant cymbals in her hands for some reason.

Janna sits on a floating cloud above her shoulder, wearing a lab coat and calmly taking notes.

Jinx and Caitlyn start shooting frantically at the giant robot as she roars and snaps her big metal teeth.

“Where do you think you’re going, Sweet Cait? You’re mine!” purrs an evil voice behind her.

The Squad have finished their summoning, and a shadow spreads over Caitlyn. She’s grabbed around the waist by a shadow-wreathed pink tentacle.

“Jinx!” she cries, but Jinx can’t hear her, she’s leaping into the face of the giant Camille.

Behind her looms the silhouette of a giant-sized Evelynn, demonic eyes glowing purple, waving two lashing appendages.

“All that icing and a cherry…on…top…deliciously delectable…” demon Evelynn rumbles, and licks her fangs with a long, slithering tongue.

“It’s okay, Caitlyn!” cries Lux, standing with Ez and the Reject Bin, all of them dressed in spikes and leather and Heavy Metal band clothes, “You’re gonna rock it!”

Her cheerleading baton is an axe guitar, which spurts flames as she riffs on it. Ezreal howls and makes devil-horns as he rocks out beside her.

Caitlyn screams. She raises her rifle and shoots the cupcake that Vi holds aloft in her gloved grip from the pile of zombies burying her. Evelynn wails and starts to dissolve in pink gas.

Caitlyn dashes to Jinx’s side and shoots away the two giant cymbals just as they’re about to clang with Jinx between them. Camille falls back, roaring, and Jinx whips out a comically large rocket launcher and fires a shark-faced rocket into her mouth.

Robo-Ferros explodes in a rain of hearts and sparkles.

“Congratulations!” says Janna, throwing her notebook in the fire, “You healed your personal trauma and beat your high score!”

Amid the fireworks, Caitlyn sweeps Jinx into her arms.

“My girl savior,” sighs Jinx into Caitlyn’s mouth, reaching out to sling the top hat from Caitlyn’s head as she leans up to press their lips together amid a surge of heavenly choir and saintly piano…

Caitlyn jerked awake, eyes wide, sheets tangled, hair a mess.

Her alarm tinkled away, a classical piano piece growing into orchestral grandeur as its volume increased.

She lay paralyzed, staring at the ceiling, lips slightly parted in shock at the fruits of her own brain.

“Bloody hell.”

Later, in the back of the car, Caitlyn stared out the window as the familiar streets of Valoran City scrolled past.

Her hands hung frozen on her cell phone.

“Danvers,” she called to the driver, “Would you mind dropping me off at the West entrance?"

“Not at all, madam,” he replied.

Caitlyn furrowed her brows and stared at the text a moment before she sent it.

Cait: Hello, what time are you getting to school? I was wondering if we could talk.

The pause whilst she waited for a reply felt both tense and calm, like waiting on the edge of a gray sunrise.

LuxCG: Oh sure! Everything okay I hope?

Caitlyn bit her lip.

She thought of the Squad. She thought of Evelynn’s wicked laugh. She thought of the heat of Jinx’s hands on hers and the press of small soft lips to her cheek.

Cait: Nothing serious! A few odd things have happened and I’m a little rattled. Just need advice.

Lux: I’ve got your back. Got some ‘tea’ for you too!

Cait: Meet you at W. gate.

And sure enough, as she slipped out of the car, bid Danvers farewell and hurried toward the tall, floral-vine encrusted West gate of the school, there was Lux, pacing a little nervously in her cute long socks and cozy sleeves midriff outfit, something like a toned-down version of what she’d worn on stage at the Gala.

Caitlyn couldn’t help but smile.

“Cait!” Lux jogged up to her, “How’re you doing? What’s happened?”

Caitlyn met the girl’s brief, but warm hug with a squeeze of her own and took a deep breath.

Half an hour to the first period bell. They were both early birds, it seemed, so there was at least enough time to talk.

They sat on the garden wall next to the gate, in the shade of the blossom trees, now on the edge of their blooms falling.

“…Where do I begin?”

Caitlyn bit back a hint of self-deprecating laughter that threatened to bubble up as she watched Lux’s brilliant blues widen ever more by the moment as Caitlyn’s explanation of everything that had happened first trickled, then spilled out of her in a rather unseemly babble.

Somewhere in the midst of the scene with Jinx, Caitlyn had found her feet again. She was pacing, again, like she had in Janna’s office.

“…and I don’t know what to think. I don’t know if this is all some - some game to her, but I cannot shake the sense that at least some of her feelings are genuine.”

Lux had gone very quiet. Caitlyn turned to see her expression, solemn and faraway.

“And…do you…like her, Cait?”

Caitlyn stared blankly for a moment, and then snorted.

“Ridiculous,” she muttered, “It’s ridiculous! She – she’s a menace! – the two of us, together? Even if – even if she’s clever – brilliant, actually! – and I’ll admit quite charismatic – she displays no interest in helping herself, and don’t get me started on her sister…”

“What about her sister?” Lux said, smiling.

Caitlyn furrowed her brows.

“Violet? Ugh! No wonder Jinx is so troubled, that girl is just…she’s crude – she’s arrogant – she’s a-a thug who thinks being strong and confident lets her strut around doing whatever she wants to whoever she wants-”

“You’re wrong,” Lux said sweetly, still smiling, and suddenly it became apparent that the chill in the air wasn’t the last frost of spring at all.

“Pardon me?”

“You’re wrong about her,” Lux said, tilting her chin defiantly, “Vi isn’t any of those things. She’s stood up for me twice, now, against the real ‘thugs’ at this school. Do you want to hear my tea, Cait? Because I think you should.”

Caitlyn opened her mouth to retort, but as Lux began her tale, the riposte withered and died away.

“…She protected me at my locker. She saved Ez and Ekko from those boys. That’s the Vi I know,” said Lux, “I don’t think you or I have any place to judge her, or Jinx. Glass houses, thrown stones, am I right?”

Caitlyn held her tongue, brooding thoughts gripping her.

“I’ll…reconsider my judgment,” she said, “We’ve evidently had very different experiences with her. I’m sorry if I misspoke, Lux.”

“Noted,” Lux said, with a forgiving bob of her head.

The nagging thought had planted itself, though, in the back of Caitlyn’s skull.

Could I be…wrong about her? Caitlyn chewed her lip. I’m missing something.

The stress of the past week’s whirlwind of drama had left Caitlyn much more rattled than she’d have liked. Far harder to parse out the little details she would ordinarily have picked up on.

Something’s right in front of me and I’m missing it.

A growl of frustration welled up in her chest.

“Lux, what are we going to do? Evelynn is playing head games with me, Jinx is going to continue to harass the Squad and I – I refuse to turn her in, so there must be another way…and even with your newfound friendships, we have no way of knowing who outed you or if they’ll act against you and Ez again…” she shook her head, “We’re too isolated. We need a plan to get ourselves back into the game, somehow, something…”

Caitlyn tapped her lip, “Something to tip the scales. Refuge in audacity.”

“Something that’d shake the status quo,” Lux said, a tiny smile coming back to her lips, “Something they’d never expect, to show them we’re not afraid of them and we don’t care what they think of us.”

“Taking back our power,” Caitlyn nodded, “If you can’t win the game, change the rules.”

Lux fidgeted with her hands, looking at her bright pink nails.

“Jinx likes you,” she said softly, “And let’s…let’s admit it, you like her, too.”

Caitlyn choked, fumed, fussed, and finally sputtered, “…fine. Fine! ...I do.”

Lux hid her eyes in her hair, looking down at her feet and kicking them.

“You want to protect her. And she wants to protect you. Vi wants to look out for me and Ez, the same way…”

Lux looked up.

Caitlyn had expected from her strange behavior that she might have said something wrong – that Lux might even be hiding tears – but her smile was…

…wicked.

“It’s perfect.”

“What’s ‘perfect’?”

“You really don’t see?” Lux gave a shrill giggle and shook her head in a swish of blonde bangs. She hopped up to her feet and tiptoed to face Caitlyn, “You want to stop Jinx hurting people and protect her from Ferros. I want my best friend back and a chance to find out who I am…the answer’s right in front of us.”

She thrust out her hand.

“Let’s make a pact.”

Caitlyn’s brow shot up. She looked at the hand, and back at Lux’s grin.

“I’d rather like to know the terms of any diabolical deal in advance, Lux, no matter how cute the Darkin looks in pink.”

Lux giggled more and waved her other hand in front of her face dismissively.

“Isn’t it obvious? ‘Refuge in audacity’, that’s what you said? What could be more audacious than the fallen princess and the exiled queen of VCA, burning down the battle lines together by crossing the floor and shamelessly romancing the ‘Enemy’?”

Caitlyn blinked as it fell into place.

“What?”

“Here are the terms,” said Lux, “You and me, Cait, we’re going to show this stupid school we’re not afraid to date the undatable. We’re going to do what no Heartthrob ever would or could. We’re halfway there already…”

Lux’s sweet pink lips drew back to show far too many of her clean, even little teeth.

“We’re going to win the hearts of the Lanes sisters.”

Caitlyn stared at the little blonde like she was the River King himself.

A moment’s indecision hovered at the back of her mind.

She reached out and gripped Lux’s hand.

“Deal.”

Chapter Text

 “Step one of Operation Wallflower,” said Caitlyn, tapping the stick to her whiteboard, “As with any undertaking, is to outline our objectives.”

Lux watched with bated breath as Caitlyn turned on her heel, striding two long steps before the whiteboard.

The spring breeze rustled through the pink blossoms hanging heavily on the trees outside her window.

“That much is simple,” Caitlyn concluded, “Our objective is to-”

“Date the Lanes sisters!” Lux cut in, smiling, “And that means we gotta win past their tough meanie exteriors and straight to their marshmallow hearts, right?”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes, “Yes, that’s precisely it, but if you would let me finish my thoughts, please…”

“Oh, do go on!” Lux steepled her fingers and set her chin to them.

“Step two is to identify potential obstacles and complications. There will be considerable social gulfs to overcome,” Caitlyn narrowed her eyes, “Despite the apparent interest of each party involved, we cannot be absolutely certain of their feelings, either. There is a chance, however slim, that we are making a grave misread of the situation…”

“Vi really liked my cookies,” Lux mused, “Baked goods may be an effective battle strategy.”

“And of course,” Caitlyn tapped the pointer to the colorful network of red lines drawn between thought bubbles she had sketched out in marker, pointing out ‘THE SQUAD’, ‘REJECT BIN’ and ‘HEARTACHE CREW’, “Social cliques will complicate matters. We will need to ensure our targets are not made subject to stigma or strained friendships as a result of our actions. Ethical manipulation only. We are here to build bridges, not to burn them.”

“No conflagrations of water crossings,” said Lux, with a nod, “Naturally.”

“Antagonism from the Squad is to be expected,” Caitlyn narrowed her eyes, “They still think me somehow responsible for their misfortune, and they’re not going to stay on the back foot for long, even with Jinx hammering them the way she has been. They’re going to strike back, and with Evelynn aboard, I’m expecting it to be…”

She bit her lip.

“…worse.”

“And then there’s whoever outed me and Ez and trashed my locker,” Lux grimaced, “Who knows who that is, what their beef is or what they’re going to do next…”

“An unknown peril,” Caitlyn frowned and drew an extra line around the ‘UNKNOWN SUSPECT’ bubble, “And not to count Ms Ferros out of the potential hazards, either. She’s long despised the Lanes sisters and if she can find a reason to make their lives hell – or get them expelled from this school – I’m sure she’d take it.”

“Cool,” Lux winced, “Hey, so moving on to ‘allies’…”

Caitlyn gave a thin smile, “Ms Janna has been amiable, much as I hesitate to trust the Faculty, and then there is…hm.”

Caitlyn stared at the board a moment, then turned her gaze to the ‘REJECT BIN’ bubble.

“Vex and Briar,” Lux chuckled, “Oh no, are we screwed?”

Caitlyn shrugged and outlined it in blue, “We shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth…”

“You sure, Cait? Have you seen Briar’s teeth?” Lux giggled, “She probably ate the gift horse and spat out the bones.”

Caitlyn glared at her, and the little blonde sobered.

“Sorry!” Lux chirped, “I’m not being mean! She’s proud of those chompers of hers, actually. She’d laugh louder than any of us if I said that to her face…” she smiled, “You know, she’s really sweet, Briar is, I mean? Just a bit … no filter, you know?”

“I’m familiar with the concept,” said Caitlyn, with a deadpan look straight at Lux that made the Demacian girl blush.

“So…” Lux fidgeted, “Back to the plan, then?”

“Back to the Plan,” Caitlyn agreed, “Asking them out.”

“Yeah. Asking them out…”

Lux blew out a breath, her eyes slowly widening to saucers.

“Okay, Lux,” she whispered to herself, “We can do this.”

Lux stared at Vi across the school hall.

She’d just come out of practice, gloriously sweaty and gloriously glowing, shouting a few roughhousing jokes back and forth with a few equally dishevelled Heartaches from her team.

Lux swallowed.

“I can’t do this!” she hissed at Caitlyn.

“Remember the plan,” Caitlyn muttered back at her, “This is your solo mission, Agent Crownguard, remember that she and I are mortal enemies, and I cannot help you with wooing the…”

She narrowed her eyes across the way, watching Vi tip her head back and suck what was probably some disgustingly artificial ‘energy drink’ from that battered sports bottle of hers with honestly indecent relish.

“…rugged Ms Violet.”

Lux whimpered.

Caitlyn scoffed under her breath, “If I were to attempt to wing-woman for you, you’d wind up caught between our broadsides. And I shall not be responsible for burning any more ships into the sea, thankyou-”

“The whole maritime…metaphor…thing,” Lux groaned, “Not actually working, Cait!”

 Caitlyn scoffed and pushed Lux in the back.

“Anchors ahoy, sailor!” she said.

“-that’snotevenhowyou-”

Caitlyn ducked behind the storeroom door as Lux stumbled right into Vi’s path.

Lux barely had a chance to suck her breath back in before she was caught in Vi’s strong grip.

“Woah, hey,” Vi blinked twice, “You okay there, Lux?”

Lux caught her words in her throat. Vi was right there, looming large and warm and damp in her view, huge cherry-red eyes and soft, scarred lips set earnest right above her.

“I…um…hi-you’re-really-um-ohwow-super-sweaty-that’s-cool-um-must-have-been-hard-um-I-I-mean hard muscles–um-practice hard practice-”

Vi gave a little bashful laugh at that and a little heat glowed across her cheeks, “Uh, thanks, I guess-”

Chortles and guffaws broke out from the cluster of Heartaches behind Vi, and the spell broke rudely.

Sarah “Miss” Fortune wolf-whistled, leaned in and purred something in Kat’s ear, Katarina scorched Lux with a dry smirk to cover her brief thoughtful look, and Draven was giving Vi the “dude, dude, what the eff dude” face as he trailed after them.

Vi groaned, “Shove off, you assholes, just give us some space, okay? I’ll catch up.”

“Sure you will,” said Sarah, with that honey-warm laugh of hers, “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Dude,” Draven grumbled, glaring between Vi and Lux, “What happened to the bro code…”

Vi rolled her eyes, “Do I look like your ‘bro’ Dray?”

“Oh yeah,” Draven snorted, “Spitting image of Darius, right down to the body hair. Cept his armpits ain’t dyed pink.”

“Hey, I shaved, like, two days ago!” Vi growled, cheeks coloring in affront, “And I’m from Zaun, dickhead, it’s my natural color!”

“Uhuh.”

Draven mumbled something about stealing cookies, and leaned over to faux-whisper to Lux -

“-guess you’ll find out if the carpet matches, y’know what ‘m sayin’?”

Lux’s eyes bugged and her stomach dropped.

“Oh my freaking god, Dray,” Katarina collared him before Vi’s glare escalated, and Sarah cut in, leaning saucily on Vi’s shoulder to appraise Lux with a sly, “Right. Have fun, sweeties, we’re off-”

Lux masked her sickly grimace beyond her fakest smile as the others dragged Draven away.

Rumble and Blitzcrank passed her, Blitz flashing her a chunky thumbs-up, and Rumble a wicked grin, before Lux, flushed and flustered beyond repair, was alone with Vi.

She caught the faintest hint of Caitlyn’s wide eyes through the gap in the storeroom door.

It wasn’t the greatest choice of hiding place, in retrospect; Caitlyn wasn’t visible from the corridor but there was no way for her to leave without giving herself away.

Painfully aware of their hidden observer, and of Vi’s warmth and the scent of her fresh sweat so close, Lux took a deep breath and tried to control her thumping heart.

“So, um,” Lux stared at her feet, “That was…they seem fun.”

Vi laugh-groaned, “Oh they’re the freakin’ worst, but you get used to them. Real sorry about that, Lux. They don’t mean any harm.”

“Even Draven?”

“Especially Draven,” Vi sighed, “He’s just a joker, just says whatever dumb shit’s on his mind, trying to get a laugh, no filter. Always showing off, but he’s harmless when you get to know him.”

“Bit like Ez,” Lux admitted, “Everyone thinks he’s full of himself, but he’s really just nervous that people are going to judge him.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” Vi said, smiling, softening it to something a little more thoughtful, “So, um…wanna talk to me about anything? Everything okay? Nobody giving you guys any crap?”

Lux’s eyes darted about the weathered floorboards.

“It’s fine!” she squeaked, “Everything’s fine.”

“Oh,” said Vi, “That’s good.”

They made a mutual examination of each other’s socks.

“Did you, um,” Lux began…

…at the same moment Vi opened with, “So-hey, never did get to-”

“-did you want to go-”

“-ask you guys properly about… Jericho’s.”

Lux blinked and looked up at her, finally making eye contact.

Vi scratched the back of her head.

“I mean, Ekko like, wow, hasn’t shut up about wanting to hang out with Ez since – um – that whole thing. Think your boy’s really made an impression.”

Lux’s heart tickled with warmth and curiosity, “…Ekko seems really nice.”

“Oh yeah,” Vi brightened, some of her nervousness fleeing, “He’s the best. Super nerdy, super cool, hell of an art and science whiz, been part of the fam since we were little. Freaking smart, too, just like Pow…”

Her face fell a little.

“…like Jinx,” she finished.

Lux bit her lip, a brief flashing thought lingered, of Jinx’s eyes, turning away, the rattle of her spray-can.

“Is she doing okay?” she asked hesitantly, “I haven’t seen her around in a while. Did she, um, like the cookies?”

“Oh, loved ’em!” A troubled shadow crossed Vi’s brow, but she shrugged and gave the smallest smile, “She took the box to her room and wouldn’t come out.”

A beat of silence hung between them.

Caitlyn’s eyes, soft and thoughtful, shone through the crack in the door.

“So, um-”

“Jericho’s!” Lux burst out, “I don’t – haha – actually know what that is, actually, but it sounds nice and we should go.”

Vi grinned, “For real? All right! Um, should I tell you or do you want it to be a surprise?”

A bold little beat seized Lux’s heart. She leaned in, put a hand on Vi’s arm and looked up into her eyes.

“Surprise me.”

“You got it, princess,” Vi wiggled her eyebrows, “Trust me, you’ll be surprised.”

Lux grinned.

“Look forward to it.”

They held each other’s eyes for a moment before Vi coughed and pulled away.

“I’ve, uh, got a practice game for the spring trials on the weekend but – it’s a morning one and there’ll be time after – if you wanna wrangle Ez, I can tell Ekko–I mean, if you’re free-”

“Double date,” said Lux, with a bounce of blonde waves, “You got it!”

“…date, huh,” said Vi, scratching the back of her head, “Hey, Lux, do you really-”

The bell shrilled. Lux bounded away, her courage failing, seeing the window of escape.

“…I’ll be there!”

She called back over her shoulder with a flip of her sun-kissed tresses.

“…at the game, too!”

A sky-eyed wink, practiced on the stage with Ez, and she fled, heart pounding, feeling like she was leaving sunlight blazing in her wake.

A date.

I’ve got a date!

Caitlyn very, very slowly breathed out as the blinding blonde radiance of a tiny, sunny Lux high on her success blinked out of her eyeline.

Huddled with her back to a stack of cleaning materials, hoping old Thresh the janitor wasn’t going to show up to mop the hall, Caitlyn bit her lip and waited.

Vi was still there. Right there, standing stunned for a moment before starting to pace back and forth.

“…oh man,” Vi mumbled under her breath. She tipped her head back against the door Caitlyn was hiding behind; Cait could see the press of her red spikes to the glass window, “…what am I doing?”

Caitlyn’s fingers curled.

“…she’s nice, she’s a nice girl, it’s just Jericho’s, it doesn’t mean it’s gonna go anywhere…”

Caitlyn leaned her cheek to the other side of the door. Her brows furrowed, her mind and heart whirling with conflicting information, conflicting feelings.

No time to process them now.

All she had to do was wait for Vi to move off, and she could get out of here…

“…if that changes,” said another voice, suddenly, and Caitlyn and Vi both froze, “I’d be thinking twice, Vi.”

Vi paused on the other side of the door, then blew out a flustered breath.

“Geez, Kat. You scared the shit out of me, warn a girl!”

A warm chuckle. A second red-haired blur appeared through the frosted glass of the little window.

“Sorry,” said Kat, “Can’t help being a sneak.”

“Kinda your thing, sure,” Vi muttered, “Thought you’d gone with the others?”

“I’ll catch them up. Wanted to talk to you.”

Caitlyn’s eyes darted around. Katarina Du Couteau…what’s her stake in this?

“About Lux?”

A pause.

“About Lux.”

“Kat…you sure you wanna talk about it here? If it’s about – you know, you guys – I thought you didn’t want us to talk about it at school…”

“I don’t,” said Kat, “But this is important.”

Vi paused.

“Okay, um, I didn’t even think you knew Lux?”

“Vi, she’s his kid sister, apple of his eye, of course we talk about her. I don’t have to be in her circles to know about her. I know a lot more than you do.”

“Okay.”

Katarina paced, her black-and-red blur moving in Caitlyn’s window. Cait sank very slowly back until she could see through the sliver of the loose hinge.

The redhaired Noxian girl was rocking back and forth on her heels, like she was loosening up for a fight.

“That thing with her and Ezreal,” Kat shook her head, “That was her first… anything, Vi. Far as he knows. And he watches that kid like a hawk.”

Vi winced, “So you’re saying…”

“Yeah. If that was all an act, then she’s definitely…”

“Ah, shit.”

“And look Vi, I know your rep’s not fair,” said Kat, a hand on Vi’s shoulder, “But the whole school’s gonna look at you two and see the bad girl heartbreaker eating a shiny little virgin for breakfast.”

“Goddamnit, I know, okay?” Vi growled, “What are you trying to say, Kat?”

Katarina sighed.

“Just be careful with her. That’s all. ‘Tread softly’ isn’t very you, but you’d better learn.”

“Hey, look, Lux is old enough to look after herself! And it’s me, Kat, you know me – why’s everyone actin’ like me taking this girl for a burger is gonna end up in the evening news?”

“…the fact that she’s a Crownguard, Vi?” Kat muttered, “It might.”

“The hell’s that matter,” Vi snapped, “I’m not good enough to be seen with her, now?”

Katarina gave a quiet, groaning sigh, “Look, I’m Noxian, you know I’m not looking down on Zaun like the Pilts when I say this. But you have no idea what it’s like to wear a name like that.”

Vi fell silent.

“And yeah, I know, it’s total, nonsensical bullshit to you, but to someone like her…okay, you know how Jarvan is the literal Prince of Demacia?”

Vi rolled her eyes, “Uhuh, as if Heimer would let anyone forget when he enrolled, practically threw him a parade…”

“Yeah, well,” Kat snorted, “The Lightshields only still have their palace because of Crownguard money.”

Vi’s reply died on her lips. She licked them, lost for words.

“How do you…”

“Knowing things is my family’s job,” Kat rolled her eyes and shrugged, “Some names have the weight of a mountain, Vi. Names like Crownguard, Lightshield, Laurent…”

“Du Couteau?” Vi chuckled, arching a brow at her.

Kat smirked.

“Could say I have some experience, yeah.”

Try Kiramman, Caitlyn thought, unbidden, her face grim as marble.

Kat paced a little more, her footsteps hollow in the pause.

“What I’m saying is…the kind of ordinary stupid that’s just normal teenage girl shit for Heartaches like us? …all it takes is one jackass posting it on socials and it’d land on Lux’s head like a crashing plane. She’s had enough shit already, don’t you think?”

“Yeah,” said Vi, thoughtful, “She has.”

“Cool. I’m not saying you’ll screw up, just…keep it in mind. I don’t want to have to deal with containing the rampage her brother will go on if anything bad happens to his little sunshine.”

Kat started to walk away, then paused.

“…and Vi,” she called back, “I love you, but if you break Lux’s heart, I’ll kill you before he does.”

Vi sank her head forward and chuckled.

“If I break Lux’s heart, I’ll let you.”

Kat was gone.

Vi sucked in a deep breath.

“Damnit,” she mumbled, “…it’s just Jericho’s…”

The door creaked slightly as Vi’s weight left it.

Her footsteps receded.

Caitlyn was alone with her storming thoughts.

She let her breath out, opened the door a crack, and gathered her Ice Queen dignity as she slipped into the empty corridor, aggravatingly late for class.

And with her head full of thoughts of Violet Lane.

A picture emerging of her ‘nemesis’ that wasn’t…

…the one she’d thought to see.

But that was hardly the point. Operation Wallflower had its first success.

Lux has her date. One down…

The next obstacle roared into her thoughts.

Where is Jinx…?

A date, a date…I’ve got a date!

Lux fairly skipped to her locker, the slightly off-center lock suddenly not bothering her at all anymore – it’d been Vi who bent it that way, after all – and unzipped her bag to check that the perfect little squares of bright decorative card paper she’d bought were still neatly tucked in her front pocket.

There they were. Perfect.

She wouldn’t keep any letters she might have handwritten for Vi in her locker at school, of course, not after what had happened, but the materials, she had carefully collected those…

If she liked the cookies, she’s going to love it when I hand her a handmade card…

Lux sighed and beamed until her cheeks hurt.

She reached to shut her locker and heard a door slam.

Lux’s head whipped around in alarm; she caught sight of purple-and-green braids…

Jinx stormed out of her classroom so hard she almost smacked against the opposing wall, bag swinging wildly on its strap, with Ekko reaching plaintively after her shoulder in vain.

Lux couldn’t hear what they were saying from here, but Jinx’s angry tone rolled and snapped off her like fresh thunder.

Jinx’s eyes caught hers. Lux just stood there by her locker like a deer in the headlights.

The look on Jinx’s face wasn’t easy to pin down, but it hit Lux somewhere deep down in the guts and wouldn’t quite let go. Lux opened her mouth to call out, say something – she didn’t know.

Jinx ripped her gaze away and stared at the floor, pointedly ignoring Ekko trying to plead with her, earnest hurt and confusion in his expression.

Lux’s heart was suddenly thudding, brutally hard.

Is this… about me?

Jinx started to turn, and Lux sucked in her breath and pulled away from her locker, meaning to go to her, catch her before she acted on that stray-cat-about-to-flee-into-the-bushes body language she was suddenly radiating -

The edge of the books in Lux’s hands clipped her bag, knocking it out of her locker and spilling the precious card paper on the floor.

Lux gasped and dropped to her knees, pawing for it –

“…Oops!” Qiyana swept past with a smirk and a feigned blink and stumble…

Her immaculate sneakers squashed one of Lux’s wrapped cards and dragged it on the dirty hallway tiles before she skipped a step and kept walking.

“…sorry, blinded by your radiance,” Qiyana put her hand to her mouth as she shot over her shoulder, “Hope that wasn’t special.”

Lux’s lip quivered as she snatched the bruised card up and clutched it to her chest, swallowing an angry retort…

…because Ekko had frozen up entirely, his eyes locked on Jinx.

Jinx was looking after Qiyana. And the look on her face wasn’t unreadable now; it was bloody-freaking-murder.

Jinx’s eyes narrowed to slits and her dark-lipped mouth became a tiny black rosebud of fury. She twisted suddenly and snaked away around the corner, her swinging bag strap trailed only by her braids, whip-cracking with the sharpness of her turn.

Ekko stood staring after her with his hands raised, before dropping them, and his shoulders, in a defeated sigh.

Lux tried to make eye contact with him, but had to tear her gaze away; another gaggle of students were coming her way, and the rest of her cards and papers were right in their path –

Ekko saw it too, and hurried toward her, only to be cut off in the flow of bodies.

Lux scrambled forward to reach for her papers –

“…oh, hold on!”

A bright voice rang to her left like a sweet little bell, and suddenly there was pink in her peripheral vision, and a girl kneeling, darting her hands quickly to snatch up Lux’s papers and neatly stack them.

“Here,” said Seraphine, smiling as she deftly plucked the last paper right out from under the lifted toe of an oblivious third year walking at it, “Whew, that was close! You okay, Lux?”

“T-thanks Sera, I’m fine, that’s really kind of you, um, you don’t have to go out of your way-”

“Kindness doesn’t cost anything,” the pink-haired girl said with a crinkle of her bright eyes, “Is there anything else I can do for you? Millie and I were on our way to music club…”

Lux peeked behind Seraphine, spying a tiny girl with identically dyed pink hair – that little first-year who always followed Seraphine around, staring at her with adoration – hanging back and watching Lux with a strangely blank expression.

“…we could walk with you to class if you want?” Seraphine continued, “If you wanted the company, I mean. Your room’s on the way, isn’t it?”

Lux breathed out, focusing on Seraphine’s gentle smile and caring, intuitive eyes. She didn’t know the Piltovan girl well, but it was hard not to like her. There was just something about her that felt like she was looking right into your heart.

Or maybe, with her ear for music, listening to it.

“I’m okay, Sera,” she said, “I don’t want to hold you guys up, um, and I’ve got a free period, so I wanted to…”

She glanced past Seraphine’s shoulder, where Ekko still lingered in the corridor, twitching from foot to foot…

“Catch up with someone,” she smiled, “But thanks for helping, it means a lot. I mean it.”

“I know,” said Sera, standing with Lux and passing her the last of her belongings, “I’ll catch you around, okay?’

“Yeah,” Lux smiled, and turned away with a bashful bob of her head.

“Oh, and Lux-”

Seraphine glanced in the direction Qiyana had gone.

“The brightest lights don’t just draw pretty moths but icky mosquitos too… um,” Sera pursed her lips, “Okay my bug metaphor isn’t working – point is, they’re only being mean to you because your light shines on the ugly they don’t want to see in themselves. Don’t let it get to you, okay?”

Lux looked back at her bashful expression in astonishment and burst into giggles.

“T-thanks Sera,” she said, “I, um, liked the bug metaphor! It brightened my day. Like, um, a glowbug, or something! Um, gosh, have amazing music practice! Hope your day shines too, Millie!”

Millie, who was staring at Seraphine with pursed lips and a puzzled expression, jumped at being addressed and gaped momentarily at Lux.

“Uh, um, hi, um, sure, thanks, you too…”

Lux felt the smaller girl’s eyes on her back, and Seraphine’s questioning gaze, as she fled, bag bouncing, to join Ekko.

“…next time you need a glowing bug metaphor,” he said, with a slight, bashful grin, “Firelights are the coolest ones, just as a suggestion.”

“I’ll take that into account,” Lux said, her nervousness at approaching Jinx’s friend after a scene like that instantly dispelled by his warm smile.

They fell into step, wordless, as they walked down the slowly clearing corridor away from the main halls.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get there in time,” he said quietly, “Seems like it’s just not been on my side lately.”

“It’s okay, Ekko. Really.”

He nodded, chewed his lip, and fell silent for a little longer.

Lux looked at her shoes as they walked.

“Are you okay?” Ekko glanced sidelong up into her face, “I mean, really?”

“I guess,” she said, smiling timidly at him, keenly aware of the little hint of hurt and sadness still lingering in his face and voice from – whatever had been said between him and Jinx, “Can’t help feeling like Jinx is still mad at me, and I don’t know why…”

“She’s like that sometimes,” he sighed, “Just gets a wrench in her gears about something and acts out. Won’t just tell you, y’know?”

She looked up at him, “Was that why you were fighting?”

Ekko shook his head in a tousle of blue-tipped white locs, “Man, I’ve got no idea. Vi told me about the plan to meet you and Ezreal for Jericho’s, I mentioned it to Jinx thinking she might wanna come and she just…flipped.”

Lux’s heart sank and her tummy did another unpleasant little flip of its own.

“She did?”

“Yeah. Dunno why. Sorry, Lux, I shouldn’t have opened my mouth, just thought she’d be cool with it…”

Even amidst the giddy butterflies of knowing she had her date with Vi, knowing that they wouldn’t be alone, that they’d be there with Ez and Ekko, she’d entertained the hope that Jinx might come too…

That she might get a chance to make things up to her for pushing her away at the lunchroom.

Now she’d somehow screwed that up too.

“I don’t understand either,” she sighed, “Sorry, Ekko, I didn’t meant to be the cause of any problem between you two…”

Lux felt an involuntary wince go through her and she suddenly found herself leaning against the wall with her head in her hands.

It’s my fault.

Everything I do makes things worse.

I should just go away from everyone…I’m ruining friendships, I’m hurting people’s feelings…

I’m sorry I don’t mean to, I just wanted to feel-

“Lux? Hey…hey.”

A warmth on her shoulder grounded her, brought her back to reality. Ekko’s hand.

“Hey,” he said gently, kind dark eyes searching hers, “You’re okay.”

Lux’s breathing was coming in harsh gasps. Coming down from an anxiety attack.

She’d just…blanked.

“You’re okay,” Ekko repeated, his face worried, but soft, “I’ll talk to her. We’ll sort it all out. It’ll be okay. You didn’t do anything wrong. You’re okay.”

Lux gulped air.

Ekko looked up, past her, to share a glance with someone just out of her periphery whose quiet footsteps she heard approach.

“Hey, pookiebear,” said a familiar voice to her left, and then there was Ez, his familiar smile, his familiar faintly fruity deodorant. She sank, with a grateful gasp, into his offered hug.

“Ez…”

Her eyes felt damp with relief.

“Got you,” he said squeezing her, smiling gratefully at Ekko over her shoulder, “Got you, this time. Missed you, too.”

“Ugh,” Lux sniffled against Ez’s chest, “Here I was gonna text you, saved me the trouble.”

“You know me!” he grinned and wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb, “Dashing to the rescue with impeccable timing, like a true hero? Kinda my thing.”

He winked at Ekko, who scoffed just a little and rolled his eyes

Lux heard him mumble a “…geez what a dork,” under his breath…

…but not without a flash of a smile of his own.

A little shaky laugh bubbled up as Lux drew back and wiped her eyes, smiling at them both.

“So Ez…”

Lux let her smile grow conspiratorially as she gently punched his shoulder.

“Vi wants to take me to some place called Jericho’s, down in Zaun. Ekko’s coming too…you wanna join us?”

“We’re thinking tomorrow, after class.”

Ezreal blinked at her, then at Ekko.

“Oh, uh…”

Lux peeked up out of her hair to look at him; Ez was kinda frozen up, caught between chagrin and curiosity.

He kept looking at Ekko.

“I…was gonna see if you wanted to go to a movie, L…but, um-”

“Oh, which one?” Ekko piped in, “Selection’s kinda thin at the moment, but there’s an old cinema in the Lanes and I kinda wanted to see the new Warwick flick…”

“Oh my god,” Lux and Ezreal squeaked simultaneously, “You did!?”

“Oh, hell yeah,” Ekko laughed, “For, uh, reasons…just didn’t want to, uh, fork out the cash if I was gonna go on my own and Vi’s a bit-”

“Oh hell no,” said Ezreal, “We’re going with you. This is happening.”

Ekko’s eyes brightened up and he gave a lip-twitching little grin at Ezreal, “Huh, really? You wanna go to Warwick III?”

“Okay, okay!” Lux thrust both her hands up and grabbed the boys by their wrists, her anxiety fleeing in favor of her excitement, “Here’s what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna go to this Jericho’s place together, I’m guessing that’s food-”

“-well, according to us,” Ekko cut in, “…stretches some people’s definitions…”

“Then!” Lux squeaked, “Then we’ll all go to that cinema and watch Warwick III! It’ll be perfect!”

“All right, sounds good to me…” said Ekko, then he winced, “Oh, man, if Jinx misses the movie, though…”

Lux glanced out the window of the corridor and pursed her lips.

She thought she saw the faintest whip of braids.

“Leave that to me,” she said.

“Lux, she might still be in a bad mood,” Ekko warned her, “She seemed pretty pissed…”

But Lux was already slipping away, giving the boys her sunny smile.

A smile that had never met a heart it couldn’t melt.

You’re not missing out on this, Jinx, not because of me.

She spotted Jinx stomping away to the little copse of trees behind the science room.

You’re gonna have the best time with us.

Lux’s brows drew in a determined line as she ran, her bag bouncing.

You deserve it, too.  

“Jinx,” Caitlyn breathed, her eyes softening, “I really think that, despite our social differences, we share a bond both intellectual and emotional, and it is one I believe worth exploring…if you concur, shall we …go out on a…”

Caitlyn scowled, squeezing her fingers in the empty air before her.

“Jinx,” she thrust one finger up, “There’s no need to waste your wonderful potential in the life of a shunned delinquent. You are brilliant, clever, witty and rather infuriatingly charming, and, if you feel the way about me that I feel about you, I’d like to engage in the first steps of a relationship of… damn it.”

Taking two long steps before the blackboard in the empty classroom, tugging at her immaculate blazer, Caitlyn sucked in a deep breath and straightened her back.

She let herself relax, loosening her body language into a casual lean on the teacher’s desk.

“Well, hello, Jinx, fancy bumping into you,” she said, tossing her hair with a flick, “Say, I admire your scientific genius, irascible wit, and that dreadfully cute lip bite. I cannot stop thinking about the way you kissed my cheek and pretended to be my girlfriend to get rid of my toxic bitch of an ex. I know it seems socially insane of me, but I’d rather like that to be less ‘pretend’. And possibly let you kiss me a little more. What do you say?”

The empty space where her imagined Jinx would be standing had no answer, but even the image Caitlyn conjured in her head of the twin-braided imp was silently bursting into raucous laughter –

“…I, uh,” said a voice at the classroom door.

Caitlyn’s eyes widened and she yelped and snapped her gaze up to find –

“…say I think I’m losing my shit,” said Vi, leaning there, fresh from the gym showers, in a plain white tee and ripped jeans, “but did I just overhear Caitlyn freaking Kiramman practicing asking out my sister?”

Caitlyn gaped, brows furrowed, completely lost for words.

Shit! This end of the block was supposed to be empty until sixth period – nobody was supposed to be here –

Shit.

Shit shit shit!

“…shit!” was all she managed.

And Vi kept staring, one brow arched.

Waiting.

She found Jinx propped up in the rowan tree, swinging her legs and clicking the studs on her long boots together. She had her braids looped up over her shoulders like snakes and was chewing on the end of the green one.

But her chewing slowed and her eyes narrowed as Lux appeared.

“What?” she said, “My sister boring you already? Gotta steal my friends, too? To what do I owe the pleasure of being the target of your heist, O Little Miss Burglar of Hearts?”

Lux, her mouth open to give a cheerful greeting, blinked.

“What?”

Jinx snorted and rolled her eyes.

“Argh, I am so tired of hearing about you,” she groaned, thrusting her arms up and hooking her hands into an invisible pillory, ‘Blah blah, Lux chewed out her cheerleader friends like they were candy corn, she’s actually crazy and scary like us under that sunny smile, do you think she tastes like banana or caramel creme’” –

Lux gaped and then frowned, “I’m not that crazy…”

“Oh yeah?” Jinx growled, looped her braids into yordle ears and rolled her eyes, flopping exhaustedly against the boughs of the tree, “…‘oh sigh, moan, she’s nauseating but she has a certain ‘secret serial killer’ vibe we could cultivate, which of us should sacrifice our virgin eyes to break into the inevitably searing pink hellhole of her room and dye all her clothes black’-”

“Hey! I seriously object to that plan!” Lux stomped her foot, “…wait did Vex really say that?”

Jinx ignored her, flipping her hair back over her shoulder and striking a simulacrum of a bashful, puppy-eyed smirk, “-bla, bla ‘hey Jay, me and that cheesy Piltie boy I secretly wanna tongue wrestle are going to Jericho’s with your sister and her sunny little lap kitten, wanna come be history’s most awkward fifth wheel?’, blah…”

Lux blew out a flustered sigh.

“You didn’t have to be mean to Ekko,” she crossed her arms, “He didn’t deserve that.”

Jinx, remarkably, sobered, her big pink eyes softening around the edges.

“Probably not,” she shrugged, “But then, I didn’t deserve to have my whole life invaded by Lux this, Lux that, hey did you hear what Lux said – so I reiterate!”

She plucked one of the bright red rowan fruits and lobbed it at Lux’s hair –

“Hey!” Lux protested, swatting it away lest the juices stain her tresses, “What gives!”

“Pre-cisely!” Jinx announced, plucking up another berry, “What gives? What’s the deal, huh? Why are you so keen on beaming your shiny self into every corner of my existence? Cuz I was nice to you once? Shit, my bad then, guess I won’t repeat that mistake-”

Lux growled and ducked the second throw. She shrugged off her bag and darted in under Jinx’s aim, with a speed that seemingly took even Jinx by surprise –

She might be nicely made up and dressed in soft pink and white pastels, but she was Demacian, and no undercity girl was going to outclimb a Demacian in a tree.

Lux’s fingers gripped the rowan’s dense bark and her shoes found their holds quickly. She fairly bounded up the tree, Jinx shrinking back like a startled cat as she suddenly found herself face to face with burning blue eyes on her branch.

Jinx swallowed, lifting a rowan fruit in defense, “Parlay?”

Lux blew a strand of blonde from her face, adjusted her frilly pink headband, and flopped down on the branch next to Jinx, slipping both her legs over it.

“I can’t help it that your friends are kind, funny, and easy to get along with,” she said, “All of my friends except Ez dropped me like a rock, so, if you wanna blame me for being – really happy, actually – that they’re being so nice to me, go ahead.”

She levelled a fiery blue glare on the braided girl.

“But don’t you dare be mean to them about it!” Lux thrust a finger at her, “Sheesh, Jinx, do you always act like everyone’s out to get you? I’ve been trying for days to find you and apologize for snubbing you at the cafeteria. You make it really hard! Ever think you’d have it easier if you just let the people trying to be nice to you be nice to you?”

Jinx’s defensive sneer faltered, and for a split second, Lux saw the cracks behind it.

Then she snorted.

“…why?” she growled, “What’s the point? You just wanted to cozy up to my sister, well, you got what you wanted, you don’t need to keep the act up. You don’t need to pretend to be my friend. Just toss me away, everyone else does…”

Lux stared hard at her.

“That’s not true,” she whispered, “Why do you think that?”

Jinx scoffed and shrugged, “Experience?”

“Jinx,” Lux shook her head, “I’m … so sorry about the way you’ve been treated, that’s really crap. But – Ekko, Vex, Briar – all of them care about you. Vi cares about you, and I–”

Jinx snorted.

“Oh yeah, she does, doesn’t she? Very loudly, to anyone who’ll listen,” Jinx looked up at her, eyes suddenly hard and cold, “Guess you know my big softie sister soooo well now, don’t you? Bet she’s fed you all kinds of sob stories about our poor difficult childhood…”

Lux fell silent, her brows furrowed.

“…blah blah just us starving orphans making do, eating dirt and sleeping in rags, poor little Powder needing her big tough sister’s protection…”

Lux fought back a wince, but too late; Jinx saw it, and a venomous sneer of victory crossed her lips.

“Hah, called it,” Jinx rolled her eyes, “She ever tell you how I got these?”

Jinx pulled down one eyelid, flashing her gleaming, luminous Shimmer eyes.

Lux only knew of Shimmer as a terribly addictive street drug. There were a lot of PSAs about it on broadcasts, warnings on signs in the school hall. It was so unknown in Demacia, especially in the circles her family moved in, Lux didn’t want to assume, hadn’t wanted to press what she didn’t understand…

“No,” said Lux, very softly.

“Ask her,” said Jinx, grimly, “I’m sure she’ll spin you the best tragic orphan backstory, you’ll melt into a teary-eyed mess, fawning in her big strong arms. You’d hardly be the first.”

“That’s not fair,” Lux tilted her head, “Jinx, if you need to talk to me – about you and Vi – I’m here. I’m listening.”

She hesitantly reached out for Jinx’s arm; Jinx shrank back in a dismissive hunker against the trunk.

Lux curled her fingers away.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, “But if you’re gonna go around thinking everyone is going to treat you the same way…I’m not like that, Jinx. I’m trying to be your friend, and I mean it.”

“So what?” Jinx sniffed, but Lux saw her swallow a lump in her throat, “I’m good alone. Sooner or later, I rub everyone wrong, Blondie. I’m just saving you time.”

Lux paused, an awkward beat hanging in the air.

“…then why did you even bother talking to me in the first place?”

Jinx lowered her eyes, lashes dousing their purple fire.

“Dunno. Guess I thought you were…different.”

Now it was Lux’s turn to swallow a lump.

“I am.”

Jinx caught a little hitch of uncertain breath, and didn’t respond, or look up.

“I, um,” Lux fidgeted in her fleecy sleeves, “Came to ask if you’d come with us all to Warwick III, after Jericho’s. Y’know Ez and I are big horror buffs and Ekko seemed really excited about it…you should come!”

“Saw it,” Jinx said, clearing her throat, shrugging, “You go. Have fun.”

Lux faltered.

How? It’s not even out yet, tomorrow’s the premiere…

“You saw it already? Did you go with Vex and Briar?”

Jinx shrugged again and didn’t elaborate.

“Oh,” said Lux, and turned her gaze away, “Okay.”

She didn’t really have anything to follow that up with.

I wanted to help Cait…say something…wingwoman for her, I guess, but…

All she’d come out with was a lump of sad in her chest.

All I’d do is mess it up…

Sliding off the bough, she lowered herself, one branch at a time, until her sneakers hit grass. She felt Jinx’s eyes on her all the way down, watching her trajectory to the ground, saying nothing, but full of … something.

“Sorry,” she called back up to Jinx.

“Huh?” the delinquent girl shot back, “Why are you sorry?”

Lux rolled a shrug and picked up her bag.

She glanced up one last time, a flash of blue eyes to the pink.

“Guess I thought you were different, too.”

Jinx’s face fell like a stone.

“Hope you find someone worth your time,” Lux said, trying – and failing – to swallow the bitter sadness out of her voice as she walked away.

Caitlyn gulped air. Vi was staring at her expectantly, waiting for a response.

“I um – this,” Caitlyn stammered, “This is not what you think.”

“Oh? And what do you think I think, Kiramman?”

Caitlyn growled and pressed her fingers over her forehead, pinching her temples hard.

“I can explain, I…”

“Sure,” said Vi, rolling a shrug and hanging in the door, framing it with her strong arms and slouching lean, “I’m all ears.”

Caitlyn gave an exasperated whine.

“…ugh, why do you have to be so difficult?”

Vi gave her a scarred, challenging smirk and said nothing at all.

“Please give me – give me just a moment to collect my thoughts.”

“You got it, Cupcake.”

Caitlyn froze up and stared at her. Cupcake?

Infuriating. She felt the stress spiking hot up her back.

But she was a Kiramman. She would hold her ground, even if, somehow, all her eloquence just broke apart and flew out the window whenever Violet Lane was involved.

Somehow, saying very little, she always left Caitlyn lost for words.

“Your…your sister and I have begun to grow close,” Caitlyn began, “Crazy! I know. But I – I wanted to make amends for my part in what happened to her. And I – I can clearly see how intelligent, how gifted…”

How the hell do I put this?

Caitlyn pursed her lips, avoiding eye contact with Vi, knowing it would crumble her resolve.

“…how special Jinx is. If only someone would give her a chance.”

Now she dared, lifting her gaze to challenge the redhead Zaunite girl, straightening her posture.

Vi’s lips were slightly parted, her expression both astonished and –

Suspicious.

“And you’re gonna give her that chance.”

“That is very much my intent, yes.”

“By…asking her out?”

Caitlyn gave a small choking sound, her cheeks burning red, but nodded.

Vi just stared at her.

“Jinx. Dating…you.”

Then she laughed.

“She doesn’t – she’s never – okay, no, okay, you know what? Fine,” Vi spread her hands, grinning ear to ear, “Go on, sure, ask her out. Either she’ll laugh in your face or, y’know, even in some mad universe where she says ‘yes’? She’s gonna eat you alive, Kiramman, and it’ll be really freaking funny.”

Caitlyn’s brows drew together in a scowl.

“Believe what you want, Violet,” she scoffed, “But I think the outcome might surprise you.”

“My sister doesn’t date,” Vi said with a shake of her head, “And she’s sure as hell not gonna go out with some stuck up Piltie who’s trying to ‘reform’ her. You think, what, you’re gonna flutter your eyelashes and she’ll take the studs out of her nose, dress in plaid skirts and magical girl transform into a Grade-A student? You don’t get us at all.”

Caitlyn fought an undignified huff back, steeling her face, “I’m not trying to make your sister a ‘project’, Vi. I happen to care about her, and she’s displayed her own interest clearly. Why can’t you be happy on her behalf?”

Vi shrugged off her bag and stalked closer, getting up into Caitlyn’s face.

Caitlyn straightened and held her ground, refusing to budge an inch. For all Vi was looming, she didn’t for a second think the girl was going to hit her.

Not anymore. Not after what she’d learned of the Violet Lane whom Lux was crushing on so hard.

This close, all she could think of was how intensely deep her rich carmine eyes were, like tree sap or red wine. Freshly showered, her shampoo was sweet, her skin radiating faintly-damp warmth.

“Because I don’t believe it for a second,” Vi whispered, “And if this is some game to hurt my sister, you’re gonna find out the hard way that we don’t forgive and forget. If she doesn’t break you, I will. Got it?”

Caitlyn’s lip trembled only slightly. She held Vi’s gaze, unblinking.

“I could say the same of you,” she murmured, “I could accuse you of leading on Luxanna, taking advantage of her vulnerability after her recent humiliation. If I really thought you were the scum of the earth, I might suspect that of you, Violet Lane.”

Vi’s brows met in a stormy ‘v’.

“What the hell,” she muttered, “Why the hell does everyone think I’d do some scummy shit to her!?”

“Prejudice,” Caitlyn allowed a flutter of a smile.

Vi blinked and tilted her head.

“What?”

“I’m starting to see through your act, Violet. I don’t think I’ve been fair to you. As I wasn’t fair to your sister. That’s on me.”

Caitlyn lifted a challenging brow, still eye to eye with her, still so close she could feel the heat from her clean skin and the tickle of Vi’s quickened, confused breath on her cheeks.

“But you aren’t being fair to me, now,” Caitlyn concluded, “So let me offer you a deal. If I break your sister’s heart, I’ll let you ruin my life. And if you break my friend’s heart, I’ll ruin yours. What do you think?”

“You’re nuts, Kiramman!” Vi pulled back a few steps, brows furrowed even harder, “I’d say that’s an ass deal. What’s the point?”

“That it’s never going to happen,” Caitlyn held her smile, “Because I don’t think I really need to worry about your intentions with Lux. And I look forward to proving you wrong about mine with Jinx.”

“You’re nuts, Kiramman,” Vi repeated, shaking her head, “Fine.”

She spat on her hand and held it out.

Caitlyn’s nose twitched.

“You wanna make a deal in Zaun,” Vi said, looking at her hand, “You spit on it.”

“That’s utterly vile.”

“It’s the way things are.”

“And unhygienic.”

“I just showered,” Vi shrugged, “That’s like, at least fifty percent of the bacteria washed off.”

“Oh, my god,” Caitlyn groaned, “Fine.”

She spat half-heartedly on her palm, slipped her hand into Vi’s own, felt the uncomfortably warm, wet squish…

…and the strength of her grip. The callouses of her fingers. The heat of her palm.

A tingle shot right down her spine and pooled somewhere in her belly.

This was a mistake, something twanged in the back of her head at the first brush of eye contact.

But it was too late.

“Deal,” Vi said, holding her gaze for a strangely terrifying moment before shying away and clearing her throat, “Heh, hope I don’t get posh cooties.”

“Careful,” mumbled Caitlyn, “I expect I am contagious.”

Vi smirked.

“I’d better go wash my hand. Good luck with your, ah, speech practice.”

She winked and slid her fingers away from Caitlyn, sauntering to pick up her bag, still muttering under her breath about crazy and no damn sense…

“Vi,” Caitlyn began, her voice smaller than she’d have liked it.

Vi’s broad shoulders stiffened.

“Yeah?”

“I…don’t date either,” Caitlyn murmured, “If you hadn’t noticed.”

“Hadn’t really been paying attention,” Vi said, glancing over her shoulder, just a hint of her eyes, “But now that you mention it, yeah.”

“I’ve been…hurt before,” Caitlyn said, “So you may trust that I’m not trying to ‘play’ Jinx. This…doesn’t come easily to me.”

“Good,” said Vi, and Caitlyn blinked.

The Zaunite girl had a faint, appraising gleam in her eye and a hint of a smirk on her lips.

It didn’t feel mocking, though.

“Good?”

“Yeah,” said Vi, “Means you know how it feels to get screwed up.”

She shouldered her bag and strode to the door.

“Don’t screw up.”

Caitlyn blew out a long, shaking breath when she was gone.

What the hell am I doing…?

She could still feel the warmth of Vi’s rough, strong, gentle fingers in her palm.

And her spit.

Caitlyn, eyes blank, picked up her bag and waited, waited until she heard the bathroom door swing and carelessly slam down the hall.

She didn’t want to end up in there with Vi, after all, awkwardly washing their hands side by side after that.

But she had to wash her hand.

Breathing in again, Caitlyn moved.

Lux hid her face in her sleeves, wiping away the last of the annoying moisture before anyone else saw her –

But there they were, in her periphery. Ezreal and Ekko, the former brightly smiling that optimist’s cheeky grin of his, the latter looking a little less cheerful, more thoughtful and trepidatious.

Both saw straight through her chipper sunbeam smile.

“She said no?” Ez asked hesitantly, and Lux shrugged.

“I guess,” she said, with one last glance over her shoulder, “Said she’d already seen it, no idea how…”

The rowan tree was empty.

“You tried your best, Lux,” said Ekko, “Stuff with her and Vi…it’s complicated.”

Lux gave him a grateful smile.

Inside, her heart hung heavy.

“Guess so. But, um…doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the movie though, right?”

Ekko gave a small, wry smirk that Lux didn’t quite understand yet.

“Tell you guys what…” he said, his grin becoming downright impish, “You’re both big horror fans, right?”

Lux and Ez shared a glance and broke through the gloomy mood into ear to ear, manic smiles, alive with curiosity and confusion.

“Duh!” said Ez, “We’ve been at every Warwick premiere to date!”

“Well, I guess I could…hmmm…” Ekko rubbed his chin, “Tell you what. You guys come with me tomorrow? And you bring Vi?”

He gave a conspiratorial smirk.

“I might just let you in on a family secret.”

Caitlyn, shoulder to the doorframe, peeked into the bathroom, just as the door was settling in its frame from its ungainly and honestly dangerous swing (which Caitlyn should truly inform the Safety Committee about, as it clearly presented a hazard to the student body…)

No sign of Vi. Good.

Caitlyn released her held breath and stepped within, moving immediately to the sink with a grimace and looking at the faint glisten of saliva still clinging to her palm.

“…vile,” she mumbled, squirting a little hand soap in before twisting the tap and letting warm water sluice it away.

She’d have to sanitize properly afterwards, of course.

Her thoughts kept straying, see-sawing back and forth between her bubbling thunderstorm of a plan to approach Jinx and that whole scene in the classroom with her sister…

Caitlyn closed her eyes and sighed.

It was only when she turned off the tap that she heard it.

The faint, involuntary snuffle of a breath, coming from within the stall behind her.

Oh, what now…

Caitlyn straightened, holding herself for a moment as she calmly dried her hands.

Someone was definitely in there.

And they were crying.

I should leave them to their privacy, not make things more awkward, just pretend I didn’t hear them…

Caitlyn took a step for the door and stopped.

No. What if they need help…? What if you walk away and something serious happens…?

She closed her eyes, turned on her heel and leaned close to the door.

“…pardon the intrusion, but are you okay?” she called softly.

The breath behind the door hitched and she heard a soft growl.

“…get lost.”

Caitlyn’s brows furrowed. She leaned down and peeked, despite herself, under the door.

Caitlyn couldn’t see feet, so they probably had them propped up on the seat or the stall door, but…

The figure inside the bathroom stall shuffled, self-consciously, and she could see the slither of a bright purple braid, hanging over the edge of the closed lid she was sitting on.

“…Jinx?”

The snuffles stopped and the voice went very, very quiet.

“…shit,” a shivering breath, “…just my freaking luck, it’s Sheriff freakin’ Caity-cat.”

Caitlyn drew a thin smile.

“Hello. Fancy meeting you here.”

“Hey.”

Caitlyn took a deep breath of her own from the cold, vaguely stale detergent smell of the bathroom and leaned her back against the edge of the stall door, looking up at the ceiling.

“I can go if you like,” she said softly, “But believe it or not, I’ve been looking for you.”

Jinx sniffled again. Caitlyn heard her shuffling; wiping her eyes on her sleeves, followed by the pathetic sputter of her blowing her nose on toilet paper.

“…oh yeah?”

“I was …” she swallowed, “Jinx, I was wondering if you’d like to…”

Another snuffle and noisy blow. Caitlyn glanced back at the door and sighed.

“Nevermind. I’m presuming if you haven’t kicked me out, you want me to stay?”

Her voice came in a tiny, raspy whimper.

“…yes.”

“Do you want to talk about it…?”

“…no.”

Caitlyn pursed her lips.

“All right.”

Jinx sniffled, long and wet and messy.

“Lux asked me to the movies.”

Caitlyn frowned. Unsure what on earth to make of that…

…or the weird little flip her guts had just done at the thought of the two of them cuddled up alone in a darkened cinema…

“Oh.”

“With her and Vi. Some stupid double date they’re on with Ekko and gooberface.”

“…I see.”

Caitlyn paused, rolling her lips together.

“Did you…say yes?”

Jinx gave a garbled, choking sound.

“…No?! Why would I wanna sit in a movie theatre with my sister and Blondie sucking face? Next to my best friend and her best friend, probably also sucking face? I can think of funner freakin’ lobotomies.”

Caitlyn placed her hands over her temples and pinched them.

Good Aspects, Lux. What were you thinking?

“Does that…” Caitlyn breathed out, controlled her thoughts, her voice, very carefully, “Mean that you are without plans tomorrow night?”

Jinx gave a miserable little sob.

“…yeah I freaking guess. Probably just hide in my room, headshot some noobs, whatever, loser gamer girl stuff, who cares…”

“I’m free.”

Jinx stopped.

“…huh?”

Caitlyn’s heart was inexplicably pounding. Really? Now?

“Tomorrow night,” she blurted out, “I have no plans. Although, I had…some ideas.”

“…for?”

Caitlyn fought down the hyperventilation.

“Us,” she said solemnly, “Out. Together. Having a good time. At that brand new, state of the art Arcade in the electronics district. According to my research, there’s a whole wing just for shooters, might be enjoyable for a couple of ‘gamer girls’ to let off a little stea…”

The door jolted and jostled at her back as the latch was drawn back. Caitlyn scrambled to her feet to avoid tumbling into the stall.

She twisted and straightened to face Jinx, puffy eyed, mascara running down her red cheeks, gaping at her in astonishment.

“…W-well?” Caitlyn stammered, pink blazing on her cheeks.

“You,” Jinx snorted, “Think you’re going to outshoot me?”

Caitlyn’s brows furrowed, but warmth was growing in her chest. Her eyes locked to Jinx’s own. A wicked smile crossing her glossed lips.

“…care to put your trigger finger where that mouth is, Jinx?”

Jinx’s dark ‘o’ of a mouth twisted in a demon’s grin.

“You’re on.”

Chapter Text

Lux hummed and squinted at the mirror, leaning in as she danced to her cheery, happy music in her cheery, happy campus dorm room.

Her parents had insisted on her having her own, of course, and that meant there was no roommate to consider when decorating it with her favorite things…

…but no one to share them with, either.

But that was okay. It didn’t matter at all to her tonight.

Her space was a warm clutter of books upon books, band and movie posters both hellish and sunny, pop vinyls of grotesque horror characters right next to cute fairies and unicorns.

She beamed with satisfaction as she tugged on the fishnets, then her ripped jeans shorts. A thrift store grab – and wasn’t that a novel idea for a Crownguard – but they fit her, and they were cute as heck. Grinning, Lux pulled on her rockiest, punkiest band tee.

She was going to Zaun after all.

From everything she knew of the Undercity, if she went down there dressed like a strawberry shortcake, she’d be eaten alive. Plus! She was going to a Warwick premiere, so it was a rare opportunity to let her horror movie freak flag fly.

…but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t put on her customary vanilla scent and strawberry lip gloss, sweet and sugary pink.

She wanted to be extra sweet tonight, after all, for one very special Zaunite.

Lux hummed, but had to pause her head bopping, hip-shimmying dance to apply her eyeshadow, her mascara, and finally her gloss.

She could barely contain herself.

I’m going on a date…I’m going on a real date!

The suppressed squeal burst out of her as a happy, squeaky sigh.

Lux swept on her leather jacket and bounced to her door in a swish of gold; she snatched up her phone as she went, furiously swiping to see if there was a text from Ez;

JustEz: :: heya, L! I’m outside. Parked a street away tho cuz the GareBearmobile out front. Hope that’s ok 😬 ::

Lux winced. She’d hoped not to have to do this – hoped to be able to dodge her overprotective brother entirely – she hadn’t even heard his car pull up.

LuxCG: :: Yeah no sweat, just gimme a bit to escape ⛓️‍💥🏃‍♀️‍➡️ see u soon! ::

Her phone pinged right away.

JustEz: :: GL holler if you need a fiendishly clever distraction artist xo ::

Lux tucked her phone in her bag, mumbled some very tame cuss words under her breath, and crept to her door, biting her tongue hard as she very slowly, stealthily opened it.

She could hear conversation downstairs in the dorm’s shared loungeroom, sports commentators and cheers tinnily echoing up from the TV.

Lux crept down the stairs, not daring to peek into the lounge; if she circled through the kitchen, laundry area, she could sneak out the back d-

The toilet adjacent to the hall flushed, and her brother walked out.

“Lux!” Garen beamed, zipping up, “Good timing!”

Caitlyn stood facing an intractable foe; tall and unyielding, glossy coils bouncing on her shoulders, immaculate lips pursed in a thin, severe line.

Caitlyn scowled; so did her opponent.

She twisted to her side with a quick step, like a fencer aligning their stance to present the smallest target to the opposing blade…

The pinch of her lip between her teeth was reflected in the stubborn idiot in the glass.

“Nope,” Caitlyn sighed, plucked off her jacket and tossed it on the bed behind her, another discarded soldier atop a mass grave of garments she wasn’t going to wear on her date with Jinx.

Because what on earth did one wear on a date with Jinx?

“Casual,” Caitlyn muttered, “Casual. Can’t go in full Heartthrob regalia. Just relax, Kiramman. It’s a bloody arcade, not a gala at the Medarda estate. Right! Practicality above presentation…”

She turned to her open wardrobe and walked into it.

“No, too restrictive, need to have my arms loose enough to shoot accurately – she’ll take that seriously, apparently…and no rings…”

On the third row of jackets, Caitlyn finally found one that, as she shrugged it on, felt loose enough at the shoulders that it wouldn’t screw up her aim.

She turned to the mirror at the end of her wardrobe – taller and thinner than the one by her bed, but appropriate enough for this – and squinted as she mimed moving the toy arcade gun to her shoulder.

Caitlyn scrunched her face and made a few ‘pschew pschew’ sound effects, twisting and turning to mimic training her shots on invisible monsters, until-

“Caitlyn,” her mother’s voice chimed from the hallway, “I’ll be at the chamber meeting until late-”

Caitlyn’s eyes flared; she thrust her arms to her sides lest her mother spot her posing.

“-your father’s caught up with patients. Maribeth has supper for you before your outing.”

Caitlyn struck a casual lean against the frame and thrust her head through the doorway, clearing her throat.

“O-of course, mother. Thank you.”

“Do have fun, dear,” Cassandra sighed, fussing over her earrings, “Though be mindful of those friends of yours; that botanist awards girl – what was her name, Veraza? – may have a scholarship but she’s still Undercity.”

“I know, mother.”

“There are rumors that some from the Academy have been caught taking Shimmer at these parties. A Kiramman must take care with whom she is seen. Help me with these, would you?”

Caitlyn slipped behind her and expertly helped her attach the delicate, geometric earrings.

Jinx’s eyes slipped into her thoughts, blazing bright pink.

“I’m not going out with them, actually,” she said softly, and her mother, to her chagrin, caught whatever tone she’d let slip in her voice.

“Oh?” Cassandra gave a faint, sly smile, “Don’t tell me it’s a new girl.”

Caitlyn schooled herself carefully to avoid any chance of a flush, but she could hardly fool her mother.

“A friend,” she said, “From class. We’ve a shared interest in shooting, so I thought a casual visit to the gaming arcade might be a little harmless fun.”

“A gaming arcade!” Cassandra scoffed a little, but turned it into a bright laugh, “Oh, how I used to have to drag you out of those when you were little. Well, harmless enough, I suppose, if a little lowbrow. Don’t spend too much time there ruining your form for the range. Competition is going to be stiff at the finals this year, remember.”

“Oh, don’t worry, Mother,” Caitlyn smiled, “I’ll not forget.”

She stopped in the doorway of her bedroom, a great rectangle of light in the spacious shadows of the Kiramman estate.

“Madam,” said Sievers, at the open front door, and Cassandra nodded and shrugged on her coat.

“Don’t be out too late, Caitlyn,” she said as she strolled with ringing steps on the marble floor, “And don’t forget your supper.”

“I won’t, Mother. Have a-” Caitlyn furrowed her brows, searching for a moment, “-a successful night!”

“Always, darling.”

She was gone, and Caitlyn was left with her thoughts, the yawning spaces of the house, a waiting supper…

And the ticking of too many clocks.

Lux froze like a rabbit and stayed frozen as Garen, oblivious to her despair, washed his hands.

“We’ve just been talking about you, so I thought I’d come over and check in while we on the way home,” he said, “I know it’s still quite soon, and I haven’t really had a chance to talk to you about your…” he fumbled, “…relationship choices, but…”

Oh no.

No no no.

Lux cringed so hard she felt she might crawl into her own skeleton and hide.

“Um…actually-”

Garen glanced over his shoulder and frowned, turning his head up and down to scan her over.

“Were you going out?”

Her eyes darted to the front door.

“…no?”

“Where would you be going dressed like that? I told you, if that Ezreal boy’s dragging you into trouble, you can tell me, you can always talk to me, Lux…”

“He’s not!” Lux planted her feet, “He’s not, Garen, relax! I’m just going to a movie with some friends…” she glanced down at herself, realizing she was dressed for a night out in Zaun, “…and um, burgers! It’s a themed burger joint. Gothic themed!” she rolled her eyes and giggled nervously, “Just silly fun, ha ha, nothing to worry about, I’ll see you later-”

“Oh,” said Garen, “Uh, what time are you expected?”

Lux’s stomach sank. This was her last chance.

“I mean pretty soon sooo, ha ha, I’d really like to get going-”

Garen’s arm slung around her shoulder, his big fingers engulfing it almost entirely. He started walking with her, steering her to the loungeroom.

“Won’t keep you long, sis, but he’s been hoping to get a chance to talk to you, one-on-one. I think it’s important to hear him out – I’ve been saying for years you two should get to know each other better again, you used to be practically childhood friends…”

Lux’s eyes widened. Shit shit shit…

Sitting on the couch, dressed in a comfortable shirt and jeans combo and hands clasped in his lap, was Jarvan the Fourth, Crown Prince of Demacia.

“I’ll be outside,” Garen slapped her on the back and pushed her toward his friend with a beaming smile, “Uh, checking my tires.”

Lux turned to protest, to the click of the door.

Her brother was gone, and Jarvan looked up at her expectantly.

“Ah,” he said, playing a coy smile and flicking his long hair over his shoulder, “Hello there, Lux.”

She swallowed.

The ticking clock in the hall sounded like it was laughing at her.

She sank miserably into the couch next to him and tried not to stare at her knees.

“Um. Hi,” she said.

Machines blipped and bleeped and bright lights flashed as Caitlyn paid the cab driver with a tap of her card and stepped out, collecting her coiffeur and adjusting her little black cap.

Even on the outside, the Arcade was a glowing candy machine of noise and energy, beckoning with the promise of neon escapism and pixelated mayhem.

It stirred something nostalgic and thrilling in the back of her brain – something childish she’d thought she’d left behind in the scramble toward proper adulthood. She caught a growing lightness in her chest, almost a giddiness, to find it unexpectedly there.

Socializing with the Squad had long ago become an obligation. They were very clever girls, but spending time with them was always, always, a carefully curated performance. A reiteration of all the expected cues, lending her ear to the required litany of woes and dumping of drama and spite…it was bloody exhausting, if she was frank with herself.

And it always had been. How long had it been since she’d let herself just … go out with a friend? For fun?

Let alone a very pretty friend with a wicked sense of humor, a stupidly charismatic grin and rather kissable lips forming it–

Caitlyn stuffed the thoughts into the back of her head. No! She wasn’t going to make any presumptions. They’d just…go out, and have a nice time, and that was that…

Now, she just had to find said friend amid the crowd of noisy kids and teens cluttering the entrance to the newly opened arcade…

Caitlyn had stopped and turned back to regard a truly garish fiberglass statue of an alien waving by the left side of the front steps when she heard the rumble, crack and pop of an engine.

Growling like a dragon, the ugliest motorcycle she’d ever seen pulled up at the curb.

It looked like it was practically cobbled together from scrap metal, the front fender resembling the sawtoothed jaws of a grinning shark, the wheel housing shaking with the force of the engine within, the rear pipes fashioned to cut the silhouette of tail fins…

But that wasn’t what caught her attention; it was spattered all over with very colorful and very familiar graffiti.

There were two figures on the back, one smaller than the other; the neon braids spilling from under the helmet of the smaller were unmistakable, if Caitlyn hadn’t already suspected.

But even as she smiled and made her move to approach, the taller figure doffed her helmet, too, and Caitlyn saw a flash of crimson hair.

She wasn’t quite sure why she did it, but something about the tense, gloomy look Jinx had as she stared at Vi’s back arrested her advance.

Caitlyn side-stepped behind the grotesque alien, half-concealed in a gaggle of first years from one of the public schools, and bit her lip as she saw the beginnings of an argument between the sisters, Jinx snipping and rolling her eyes, Vi frowning and scowling back at her.

Finally Jinx slung her skinny legs off the bike and dashed across the footpath; Vi barely had time to park it properly and chase after her, catching her arm in a strong hand.

Now they were close enough, Caitlyn could hear them.

“Look,” Vi was saying, “I get why not tonight. I’m just – I think you should come next time, okay? It’d mean a lot to him. To us.”

“I already told her, no interest in being stuck between you and Ekko tonguing the Blondies, ugh, no thanks.”

“What’s with you?” Vi gave her a confused look, “Aren’t you meeting Caitlyn freakin’ Kiramman here? Man, you’re going on a date with the hottest girl in school, tons of people would kill to be you right now, and you’re sulking about – about what? Ekko going with Ez? Or me and Lux-”

Caitlyn’s brain whirled, barely processing hottest girl in school coming out of Violet bloody Lane’s mouth, because Jinx, facing away from Vi, had that deadly, warning look suddenly cross her face that Caitlyn had come to recognize.

Jinx wheeled and snapped at her, “Maybe I just don’t wanna hear about your hot date with my friend, okay? She was – she was my friend before she was your girlfriend. But you couldn’t just let me have that, could you? Because you can’t let me have anything! Now I gotta put up with it every time I see either of you. So thanks.”

Vi let her hand drop from Jinx’s arm and sighed.

“Okay, uh, I’ll be late if I don’t…” she bit her lip, “Um. Just gimme a call when you’re done, okay?”

“Whatever. You’ll probably be ‘busy’, ugh…”

“I mean it,” Vi let out another exasperated growl, “Just – try to have a nice time? And … don’t take your mood out on Kiramman, okay?”

Jinx stared at her.

“I thought you hated her.”

“Yeah well,” Vi shrugged, “Everyone gets one fair shot, right? And maybe I – maybe I just think you should have something nice. You know?”

Jinx’s eyes searched around, faltering a little.

She said nothing back.

Vi rolled another brawny shrug and turned back to the bike.

“Be nice if you felt the same way,” she said in parting, “But I’ll take what I can get. Have a good night, sis. Don’t do anything I’d do.”

Jinx growled at her, and Vi gave a sad, reproachful little laugh and slung her leg back over the beast.

Her eyes and their forlorn look vanished into her helmet and the bike rumbled and roared as it started up.

When she was gone, Jinx slumped.

She suddenly looked so small there, silhouetted on the steps with her bird-boned shoulders lost in her chunky, spiky goth jacket, shrinking into herself like that.

Caitlyn quietly approached, her mind roiling with a thousand words of comfort, all of them useless platitudes-

“You’re late,” she called instead, and Jinx perked up and wheeled on her with widening eyes.

Jinx growled.

“Yeah, whatever, fashionably or some shit? Why’s that matter?”

Caitlyn fired her coyest smirk at her.

“Because I want to maximize my impending victories,” she said, “Ready for your arse-kicking, soldier?”

Jinx’s eyes glittered with challenge. She sniffed, sprang up the steps, and got up in Caitlyn’s face – on her tiptoes, of course, even in those chunky boots.

“Nah,” she said, “I’m ready for yours.”

“Good girl,” purred Caitlyn, “Shall we?”

The clock on the wall was screaming at her.

Lux’s eyes darted around in the awkward silence. She was painfully aware of how small the couch was; of the texture of Jarvan’s pant leg brushing her fishnetted knee, no matter how small she was trying to make herself.

Of the rasp of the skin of his thumbs against each other, where they were clasped in his lap.

The image of Ezreal sitting in his car, waiting, his leg jittering with nerves as he realized she wasn’t coming…it was stuck right there in her head.

And Vi…what if I can’t even make it out of here to…

“Lux,” Jarvan said softly, still not looking at her, “I know that it’s – it’s very soon since all of that business with Ezreal, and that – that we haven’t been that close since we were children, but your brother and aunt are really keen on this whole…aligning the great families thing and – and there’s something I need to talk to you about. Lux, I-”

Lux swallowed and conjured all her courage. “S-so, well, um, Jarvan, I-”

“-I’m seeing someone,” he blurted out, finally looking up to make eye contact with her.

Lux blinked and stared at him.

“Um-what?”

Jarvan hissed out a sigh, as if it was physically hurting him to say it aloud.

“I’m…I’m dating someone, already, I mean,” he said again, lowering his voice, “Lux, I’m sorry, you’re a beautiful girl, you really are, anyone would be lucky to be with you, but – there’s someone else for me and I just – I just can’t let anyone else know that–”

Lux could have cried with relief.

“–and I thought that – well – with your recent experience – maybe you’d understand more than anyone else, if I could just get you alone to explain–”

She shook her head fiercely and interrupted Jarvan’s hushed, nervous babble by seizing both of his hands in hers.

“It’s okay, Jarvan, it’s fine. I completely understand,” she caught the little sob of a sigh under her own voice, “Oh my god do I understand…”

“You won’t tell anyone?” he mumbled, “Please, it’s not that I am ashamed of it, but you know how They are – our families I mean – about our station…”

Lux breathed out a whisper and her eyes widened. She remembered seeing him at the sports fields after her cheer practice, skulking around near the girls’ Runeball team, not wanting to think he was just some kind of pervert, but not wanting to dismiss the possibility either. Once or twice, though, she’d caught glimpses of exchanged furtive glances between him and –

“…it’s Shyvana, isn’t it?”

Jarvan’s whole body tensed up.

“Yes?”

Lux tried to keep the stupid smile off her face. She punched his shoulder, and he sagged in surprised relief.

“Go you, Jarvan!” Lux giggled. “Wow. She’s amazing, I can totally understand…but … why would your family stop you? She’s a proud Demacian, she’s at the top of her team, she might even make international-”

Jarvan shook his head.

“It’s not her,” he said softly, “It’s her …parentage.”

“Oh.”

“You know how home can be,” his eyes fell, “When I’m…when I’m king, I swear, things will be different.”

Lux smiled softly, but in the beat of silence between them, the clock ticked louder.

“I understand,” she said, “And your secret’s safe with me. But Jarvan – I’m – I’ve really got to go now–”

He looked at her as if registering how she was dressed for the first time, “Oh! Uh,” he glanced at her fishnets and tiny shorts, “…hot date?”

Lux flushed, her voice squeaking up a few octaves, “Umyesmaybedon’ttellmybrother-”

Jarvan laughed under his breath and shook his head. A troubled expression came over his face as he glanced at the door Garen had walked out of.

“Lux, not to take more of your time but, um…there was something else.”

Her legs jittered beneath her, feet refusing to stay on the worn carpet, “Um hmm?”

“That whole – your arrangement – with Ezreal,” he said softly, “Given that you have experience with such things, and…that it’s unlikely our families will drop this whole thing…ever. Would you consider a similar arrangement with me?”

Lux stopped and stared at him.

The lump was back.

“There’d be no, uh,” he furrowed his brows, “Physical displays required, you know our families would look down on such things anyway, so that fortunately wouldn’t be necessary-”

“I can’t, Jarvan.”

She shook her head, folding her fingers at her waist and looking at him seriously.

“I can’t do that again. It nearly ruined my life once already. And if…you knew what it cost,” she gave him a small, sad smile, “I’ll never do that to myself again. Don’t put yourself through it, either. Or her.”

Jarvan swallowed. A hint of pink shame crept into his cheeks.

“I see.”

She leaned in and slung a brief, but sincere hug around his shoulders and back.

“Shyvana deserves better than that,” Lux straightened away. She slipped her bag over her shoulder as she did, “And so do you.”

Jarvan blew out a slow breath and pushed to his feet. A determined furrow came to his dark, stormy brows.

“Right, Lux,” he said, “Here’s the plan. You’ve gone to the bathroom…”

He strode to the toilet door, clicked the light on inside, and loudly closed it.

“…and I’m stepping outside to check in with your brother, because I’m an impatient young man and my gosh, you’re taking a long time in there.”

Lux twitched a little smile back at him.

“Whoever they are, go get them, little lioness,” Jarvan winked at her, “For Demacia.”

Lux giggled at him. Her grateful glance fled from him as she darted to the back door.

“For Demacia!” she called back.

She timed its click with Jarvan closing the front.

And she was free.

A three-headed, acid-vomiting zombie dog lurched out of the shadowed alcove, gurgling and spitting its corrosive toxins right into their faces-

“On your left-” Caitlyn swore through gritted teeth, bursting another dozen bats in quick, precise pulses of gunfire, blooming on the screen, “Jinx we’re taking flak here-”

“Hahaha!” Jinx howled, “Nah just a tickle! Doggo’s MINE!”

Her tongue poked out between her white teeth in Caitlyn’s periphery; she was breathing fast and excited, peppering the pixelated undead beast with wild expulsions of ammunition. Caitlyn was almost tired of the ‘clicking’ sound of her running out.

Dear god, this girl’s frenetic!

Before Caitlyn could switch her guns, the dog’s third head exploded in a puff of rocket-fire; Caitlyn had barely lined up her shot after reloading on the incoming Electro-Lich before it blew apart in a hail of grenades.

“-damnit, kill stealing again-” Caitlyn growled, “I had the shot!”

“Too slow, Caity-Cat!” Jinx giggled huskily, already snapping the purple plastic rifle down to snatch more floating ammo powerups before she reloaded and started manically annihilating more minions, “Keep up!”

Caitlyn pursed her lips.

“Right.”

Her eyes narrowed as the screen shook with a roar and an enormous boss, an undead kraken, loomed up out of the waters ahead.

“Let’s fry some calamari!” Jinx hooted, immediately pummeling the boss with everything she had; but her conservation of ammo was certainly lacking, Caitlyn noted, as the boss’s health bar whittled down slower than Jinx’s reserves…

She heard Jinx growl as she was once more clicking futilely at a trigger on empty, “-goddamn-stupid-what-the-dumbass-game-doesn’t-gimme-enough-rockets-”

Caitlyn let her sweat for a second as the kraken reared back for its super attack; then, she breathed out and squeezed her trigger, popping five precise dead-center bullseye shots in a steady row into each of its exposed weak points as it primed for the attack.

The boss flashed and crumbled apart.

Jinx stared sidelong at her as she flashed her a wink.

“Yeah well that was luck,” Jinx mumbled, and Caitlyn couldn’t help but quirk a smile as the next level loaded…

…

A good half hour or more later, they’d played enough of Zombies Vs Slayers III: ZomPocalypse Now to scratch the itch; as the stats screen rolled up, Jinx was still arguing with her…

“Yes, Jinx, I’ll admit you have excellent reflexes,” Caitlyn side-eyed her as they huddled in the tiny booth, “And you’re a decent shot. When you aim. Which is rarely.”

“Pff, and you rarely even fire your gun, dumbass!”

“I prefer to pick my shots and conserve my ammunition.”

“For what? Snowdown? Your next birthday? Your retirement fund?” Jinx scoffed, “Bullets are for shootin’! And you don’t even use your bombs and rockets! What a waste!”

She turned her bright eyes into Caitlyn’s own and suckled noisily on her slushee, and the brief pause in their rapid-fire conversation suddenly made Cait aware of the closeness of their proximity – the sweet smell of the sugary drink on Jinx’s breath and the heat of her half-bare leg through her torn jeans – in the squashy little game booth.

“I simply prefer marksmanship to mayhem,” Caitlyn arched her brow and pointed at the screen, “As you may now see.”

Jinx sobered as the scores tallied.

In terms of shots fired, ammo collected, and enemies destroyed Jinx was well ahead; but she was also ahead in damage taken and missed shots…

And Caitlyn’s overall accuracy was 99.98%

“I missed two shots,” she mourned, “Because of someone kill-stealing just as I pulled the trigger.”

“Luck,” Jinx mumbled.

“Well, when I compete in the state finals next month,” Caitlyn chuckled, “We’ll see if it’s luck then, won’t we?”

Her smirk faded as the final tally came up.

No mistaking it. Caitlyn’s caution and precision may have given her a near perfect record, but with Jinx’s sheer manic all-in-play style scoring more kills, the math had ultimately balanced out.

They were neck and neck on the leaderboard. Just like they’d been on the last four, five games they’d obliterated together tonight…

If one or the other was ahead, it was always by such a narrow margin to be perfunctory.

Impossible, she thought. How positively aggravating!

“Huh,” Jinx said, her grin twitching back to life, “Guess our great rivalry continues, eh, nemesis? Which do you wanna do next? PROJECT: Cyborg Carnage? Bilgewater Blast’em’up? Ooh, ooh – we could switch it up and I could hammer your hot ass at Soul Fighter II–”

Caitlyn’s cheeks dusted with a little pink and she cleared her throat.

“I’m rather terrible at fighting games, actually,” she admitted.

“Aw, what, Miss Perfect isn’t the best at something? What a surprise!” Jinx chortled, but hopped up and pulled Caitlyn by the hand out of the booth, “Well I can teach ya how to play a good zoner, no sweat, but first – omglob, you’ve got to try the bubblegum raspberry musk stick sprinkle slurp here, it’s freakin’ delish!”

Her fingers were tiny, slender, an artist’s fingers with chipped nails, paint stains and little scars and callouses from her tinkering and crafting…

But they were strong, and warm, even through Caitlyn’s lightweight fashion gloves.

She found herself rather lost for words as the smaller girl snaked through the crowd, tugging her excitedly and a little awkwardly through the neon-lit bodies toward the snack bar.

Caitlyn felt that giddy, childish feeling swelling in her chest again; breathless, she let Jinx pull her along, stumbling in her tall boots as she skidded against the bar.

Jinx was already wiggling her fingers at the bored-looking twentysomething behind the counter, tapping the brightly colored menu.

“One for myself, good sir, and one for M’lady Kiramman Crinklebottom Turdley-Smythe the Sixth-”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes, and swiped her card while Jinx was still fumbling in her pockets for her sticky change.

“Thank you.”

Jinx glanced up from her search, eyes flattened, blank saucers watching Caitlyn.

“I coulda paid,” she mumbled, “It was my treat.”

“It’s fine,” said Caitlyn, smoothly, without looking at her.

“I’m not that frickin’ poor,” Jinx snapped, “You don’t have to pity pay for me.”

Caitlyn winced. She hadn’t even thought that –

“Jinx,” she said, “That’s not what I’m-”

“Oh yeah?”

Caitlyn mulled over her next words as the incredibly pink, sugary and likely painfully unhealthy treats slid before them.

She gave Jinx a brief, apologetic smile and collected them, before she nodded, “Let’s take a booth.”

“Fine,” Jinx’s eyes slid after her as she slunk in Caitlyn’s wake, darting between the towering dessert and the girl who’d paid for it as if Caitlyn’s money had somehow tainted the thing.

Caitlyn sighed.

“Listen, I’m – I’m sorry if I just caused offense. But didn’t pay for you out of ‘pity’. I didn’t think about it in that way,” she frowned, “I…actually…didn’t think at all.”

Jinx, still sulking and eyeing her suspiciously, furrowed her brows, “Huh?”

Caitlyn squared up and looked at her, studied her pale face. The little scars on her freckled nose.

She’s had a harder life than I can imagine, she realized, and it hit her somewhere in the stomach.

“Jinx, I have an honest question for you,” she licked her lips, “One that’s in no way putting you down, all right?”

“O-kay.”

“That money in your pocket…where did it come from?”

Jinx almost blinked at her.

“Um,” she frowned, shifting her shoulder self-consciously, “I, uhh, do some work at Vander’s garage, mind the bar for him sometimes, stuff like that. He pays me, fair and square, and I do odd jobs fixin’ stuff for people around my neighborhood too. Ain’t much but it’s –”

“Yours, right?”

“Yeah, so what?” Jinx narrowed her eyes, “What’re you gettin’ at, rich girl?”

Caitlyn slapped her card on the table.

“My parents gave me this when I graduated primary school,” she said, “There’s quite a generous monthly stipend. More than I ever actually spend, you know, even with the outrageous fashion purchases necessary to keep up with The Squad and their bloody trends.”

Jinx squinted at it.

“So? Am I supposed to be jealous?”

“My parents track my every transaction,” Caitlyn said, “Every month, they sit me down and do a review of my expenditures. To ‘train me in good business practices, for the future’, mind you. Except I never earned a bloody cent of it, and not a cent of it is actually mine.”

“Oh.”

“You actually have more money to your name than I do,” Caitlyn gave a wan smile, “At least, that is actually yours. And that coin in your pocket, whether you spend it here or not, you earned it, Jinx, you’ll put it to good use, I know that.”

She tapped the card.

“So, instead of either of us feeling guilty or having a fight over this bloody thing…” Caitlyn smiled at her, “How about we just spend the shit out of my parents’ money and have a little fun at their expense?”

Jinx stared at her, then cracked a little raucous laugh.

She stabbed her spoon into the garish dessert.

“Eat the rich!” she crowed…

…and gobbled into the raspberry-sorbet-musk-stick-marzipan-whatever-the-hell-that-was with completely indecent relish.

“Eat the rich,” Caitlyn couldn’t help but grin as she tucked into her own, even with the unexpected fizz of sharp, tangy sherbet that might have been intended to be strawberry flavored since the thing was so bloody pink.

Jinx was smiling again, and that tasted like victory.

The first thing Lux noticed as the train rolled into Zaun was the smell.

She’d known, intellectually, that it was a rough city, working class to its bones, broken and reforged in economic crash over industrial disaster over urban decay, but reading about it in a book or hearing it discussed with shaken heads and disdainful tones at a family dinner was one thing.

Coming there, from the glitzy veneer of Valoran City, and breathing the biting rust, smoke and sewage smell for the first time was quite another.

“H-hey,” Ez puffed, nose wrinkling, peeking out of the opening train doors, “Remember when we first met on that train, and you said – ‘hey cutie, let’s go on an adventure?’”

“Oh, gosh, I was trying so hard to be flirty - you thought all your Snowdowns had come at once,” Lux giggled.

They each steeled themselves, hopped up and dashed for the train doors before they closed –

Even the trip here had been a slow, crawling feeling of danger as rougher and rougher looking people got aboard the battered carriage. Now, their moment of hesitation had almost got them stuck on the train –

“…then you burst out laughing at me-” Ez added, “Glad I got a bestie out of it, bestie.”

“Me too, bestie,” she said breathlessly, “So, um, about that adventure…”

The doors slid behind them as Ez and Lux alighted on the graffiti-choked platform. Clouds of vaguely greenish steam rolled across in the background. The train pulled away behind them, their last hope of escape vanishing into the growing darkness.

“Yeah,” Ez swallowed, squeezing her hand, “Well I wasn’t quite imagining this.”

The two exchanged a glance.

There were still lights on. Still people shuffling around chatting on the platform, laughing in the neon-lit streets beyond.

Zaun in reality wasn’t quite the hideous industrial nightmare jungle that so many of their favorite horror movies gleefully used as a setting, at least, not so far.

But it wasn’t far off.

“You, um,” Lux swallowed, and lowered her voice so no Zaunites nearby would overhear, “You’re from Piltover, you’ve been here before, right?”

“Uh, once or twice,” Ez winced, “But like…dipping my toes. Never at night, on my own, without anyone else.”

“R-right.”

“Let’s hope Vi finds us before we get murdered.”

“We’re not getting murdered.”

A gigantic man pushed past them, covered in tattoos from head to toe, scowling and muttering an entire conversation to himself under his breath.

Lux swallowed.

Ez was trying not to look at a skinny, mohawked guy swearing violently as he kicked an already hideously disfigured vending machine on the platform, until it spat out what might have passed for a soda can.

“We’re totally getting murdered,” Ez whispered in her ear.

Both of them jumped at a hideous, metallic growl roaring around the corner; what looked like two glowing-eyed demons made of dark and twisted metal loomed out of the smoke, veering straight for their position…

…except one was definitely a girl on a grotesque motorbike with a fender shaped like a toothy shark, and the other was a bright neon hoverboard with a grinning boy on it.

“Hey,” said Ekko, stepping off the board and kicking it up into his hand, “You guys made it!”

Ezreal’s eyes widened with relief, even as he flipped his hair and straightened his headband, “Ekko – uh – hey–”

Lux’s heart skipped a beat, “Geez, hey, um, yeah! We’re alive! Totally, completely alive!”

She wasn’t quite sure she was going to stay alive at the sight of Vi in biker leather, slipping off her helmet and shaking out her wild crimson spikes.

“Hey,” she said, “Sorry I was late, had to, uh, drop Jinx off at the arcade…”

Lux’s tummy tickled, “Oh, she go out with her friends…?”

“Vex and Briar?” Ekko shook his head, a little confused, glancing between Vi and their visitors, “Don’t think they’d miss the Warwick premiere, we’ll probably see them at the cinema.”

Vi shrugged, and turned her beaming smile on Lux.

“Hey.”

Lux’s strange tummy tickle at the nagging thought of – of who Jinx might be out with – that was the whole plan, wasn’t it? – became a warm tummy tingle as Vi stepped off the monster of a bike and walked up to her.

“Hi.”

“You uh,” Vi twitched that charming lopsided grin, “Dressed up, I see. Lookin’ good, Lux.”

Lux squeaked a bashful laugh and gave a swish and turn.

“You like it? I don’t get a lot of chances to let my horror buff out! I um, thought I should mix up my fashion a bit…”

“It’s workin’ for ya,” Vi said, scratching at the back of her head in a completely unnecessary attempt to fix her helmet-hair, “So, uh, Jericho’s first, right?”

Lux hadn’t missed the awesome double wolf design on the back of Vi’s jacket; or the way Ekko had clearly dressed up, binding his locs into a high pony and wearing a stylish, asymmetrical jacket that looked … rather coordinated with what Ezreal was wearing, actually.

She wondered if the boys had been secretly communicating before the date, and the thought made a giddy happiness bubble up in her chest.

Tonight was going to be nice.

“You look amazing, Vi,” Lux breathed out, “I-I mean you’re really cool-gosh…yes. Jericho’s.”

“Yeah!” said Ez, “Let’s go! Can’t wait for this surprise of yours too, Ekko!”

“Surprise?” Vi asked him, with a quirk of a brow.

Ekko grinned.

“That’ll be later,” he said, “First, we feast. And I hope you guys are ready for flavor…”

He slipped ahead of them, board leaning on his shoulder, a big cheeky grin on his face and his eyes firmly on Ezreal’s own.

“…cuz your minds and your tastebuds are about to get blown.”

Ez and Lux exchanged glances.

“When in Zaun?” Lux said, with a weak grin.

Vi laughed, fell into step beside her, and let their leatherclad arms bump as they followed Ez and Ekko through the smoky, half-lit station, to where Vi had parked her bike.

The further they got from the station platform, the more Lux’s dread of Zaun started to settle.

“Don’t worry,” Vi said with a gentle, red-eyed wink, “Tonight, you’re on our turf, and we’re gonna make sure you both have a good time. Nothing’s more important than that, hey?”

Lux’s chest felt warm.

“Yeah,” she said, swinging her arms just a little as they walked, in the hope that her fingertips might brush the taller girl’s, “Nothing at all…”

Her heart leapt as she felt the tickle of Vi’s calloused fingers.

Then Vi pushed something into her hand.

A bike helmet.

“Should’ve said to wear some, uh, more covering pants, but,” Vi winced a little, “It’s not far to the Lanes from here, so you’ll just have to watch your legs on the pipes. You ever been on one of these?”

Lux’s eyes widened, looking at the grimacing iron beast.

“N-no…”

“Oh, you’re in for a real heart starter, Lux!” said Ekko, with a wicked laugh, “That’s Fishbones. So named because he’ll rattle yours.”

“But he’s a big old softie, really,” said Vi, with a glare at Ekko, “Just gotta hang on tight, okay?”

Lux swallowed a little lump in her throat as the childish, jagged, monster design on the bike – and the numerous doodles of bright neon paint impishly scrawling its flanks.

“This is Jinx’s bike,” she said softly, “Isn’t it?”

Vi smiled, and patted the fender.

“She built him, yeah,” Vi admitted, “I’m just keeping her beast revved until she finally gets her license. Then? Fishbones is all hers.”

“She built a whole bike…she really is a genius,” Lux breathed in wonder.

“Certified,” Ekko agreed, “Certified crazy, too, but she’ll be the first one to tell you that.”

Lux pursed her lips and let her hand rest on the still-warm metal. Like the bike was a living thing. Like it was a little part of Jinx here with them, even if she wasn’t…

“Hello, Mr Fishbones,” she said softly, “I hope we get along well.”

She smiled and slung her leg up over the seat. Vi, a hand extended to help her up, blinked in surprise at how little she had to.

“Huh, you’ve done that before.”

“On a horse,” Lux grinned, “Back in Demacia.”

“Now that’s a story I’d like to hear over burgers.”

Ezreal furrowed his brows, thought for a moment, then thrust a finger up, “Hey, wait, how are we gonna keep up with a motorbike?”

“We’ll catch up,” said Ekko, grinning, “You ever ridden one of these?”

He pushed the hoverboard into Ezreal’s grip.

“Uh – no um – oh wow – this is so cool, man! – can it take two?”

“It’s gonna,” Ekko chuckled, “Or you’re gonna have to borrow my roller-skates.”

Ezreal leaned in, took it from him, and narrowed his eyes.

“Show me.”

“Put your feet in the stirrups there – yeah – okay now you’ve got to angle your body – relax, don’t get too stiff on the turns – look, here, I’ll help you–”

Once the board was powered up, humming with a pinkish light, Ekko stepped on behind Ez, laughing, reaching over his shoulder to adjust his arms.

Ezreal looked back with a pink tinge on his cheeks as Ekko’s hands brushed along the back of his palm.

“Gotta do it like this, see-”

Lux rolled her eyes slightly and hid her grin as she pulled her eyes away from the boys.

“Your boy’s doomed,” Vi tisked, sliding on her own helmet, “Ekko’s got game.”

“Oh, happily doomed, I’m sure.” Lux giggled. “How’s your ‘game’, then?”

“You tell me?” said Vi, her eyes glinting beyond the helmet’s narrow visor, “Hold on tight, Sunshine. Arms here…”

Lux bit her lip and slid her arms eagerly around Vi’s body.

Her back was solid, warm even through her leathers. The bike sputtered, growled and roared as she started it up.

Lux’s romantic sigh, lost in the back of Vi’s shoulders, drowned in the rumble of the bike.

The streets swallowed her smile, all the way to Jericho’s.

“Whee, Caity-Cat, that’s a sugar rush!” Jinx giggled, lapping up the last mess of the icecream abomination, while Caitlyn daubed at her lips with a napkin, already feeling a little spacey from the sheer calories, “Okay, whatcha think next?”

Jinx hopped to her feet, immediately breaking into a little funky dance as the cheesy arcade stereo picked up with a synthy, punky riff.

“Cuz I’m feelin’ maybe a bit of run and gun, somethin’ a bit more competitive to really prove which of us is the best!”

“Hmm, are you feeling dissatisfied with tying with me?” Caitlyn perked her brows, standing up and bumping Jinx’s shoulder as she did.

“Nah, it’s fun watching you fuss and swear about it.” Jinx grinned at her as they walked out of the cafeteria area and circled toward the arcade games again, “You’re kinda cute when you’re all grumpy-pants perfectionist.”

“Wh-‘Cute’?” Caitlyn scoffed, “I thought we were here to play video games, not mind games.”

“Get this posh, pissy little brow crinkle,” Jinx skipped ahead of her in a twist of braids and pointed at her forehead, “It’s made a line in your makeup!”

“Low blow, Jinx,” Caitlyn scowled, “Oh, now you’re just going to make me make you wait while I fix it in the bathroom, so that one’s on you.”

Jinx’s smirk dropped, “Damn, didn’t think about that-”

They passed the bowling lanes, and a familiar voice rose to Caitlyn’s ears.

“Senna, stop. Don’t let them goad you, come on-”

Taliyah, Lux’s friend, pleading with an angry-looking Senna, while Seraphine sat by looking a little lost and helpless. Lucian, beside her, was watching Senna’s back, and frowning silently at the storm in his girlfriend’s brows.

“No way, Tali, this is a load of crap. I’m not gonna lie down, not even for them...”

Caitlyn’s spine crawled as she spotted who the girls were glaring at; the next team over.

The Squad.

Corina was buffing her nails, whilst Fiora and Cass hovered by the bowling balls, smirking; Qiyana straightened from a near-perfect bowl.

“I mean you can give up if you want,” she cooed at the younger girls, then flicked her gaze to Lucian, “Maybe when I’m done taking your pride I’ll take your boyfriend for good measure.”

Senna clenched her teeth.

“Not gonna happen,” Lucian scoffed, “Can’t we just relax and bowl?”

“He’s right, Sen,” said Tali, hand on Senna’s arm, “Don’t listen to her.”

“If you are all done,” said Fiora, moving up to the line with a haughty flick of her razor-sharp bob, “Do us a favor and get out of my periphery. I can practically smell your inexperience from here.”

“It’s Sera’s first time bowling, you bitch!” Senna snapped, “You don’t own this place, we were just trying to have a nice night out and we were here first!”

“Go play some children’s games, then,” Fiora shrugged, lined herself up, and executed a flawless strike, pins ringing as they tumbled, “And stop squawking in my ear.”

Caitlyn’s teeth ground. She felt, more than saw, Jinx in her periphery, her expression dark but unreadable.

“I…I’m just going to let it go,” Caitlyn mumbled under her breath, “I’m going to walk away. Let it go.”

A Kiramman isn’t a coward. Stand up for those girls, her mind screamed at her.

Worse, in her moment of indecision, Corina’s eyes fixed on hers.

“Oh,” she said, disdainfully.

“Oh?” Qiyana followed her gaze, “Look who’s here.”

“And-” Cassiopeia looked from Caitlyn to Jinx, in astonished disgust, “With what.”

“So Evelynn was right,” Corina returned to buffing her nails, “And here I thought she was joking.”

“You and Jinx Lane, Caitlyn?” Fiora scoffed, “Were you that desperate for a Shimmer dealer?"

A cold lick of rage lit Caitlyn’s belly.

“…Jinx, I’m so, so sorry,” she found herself whispering, “But I can’t just…stand by and let them bully those girls, would you mind if I-”

Jinx took her hand, lifting it up in her own, and Caitlyn froze up, turning before she could think to behold those blazing pink eyes.

“Borrowing this,” said Jinx, and slipped Caitlyn’s glove from her fingers.

She snaked across the room, glanced sidelong at Senna and her friends, then stormed right up into Fiora Laurent’s face.

“Oh? Are you intending to join the game?” Fiora curled an arrogant smirk, “I didn’t think they could even afford bowling alleys in the Tre-”

Smack!

Deathly silence fell.

Fiora stared blankly, face twisted to one side from where Jinx had slapped her, hard, across the cheek with Caitlyn’s glove.

“-Ohh, hon-hon, Madmoiselle Frog-titt-eez,” Jinx flared her nostrils, right up in Fiora’s face, “Pardonne lil’ old me, ain’t that how you pick a fight in zee olde countree?”

“H-how- dare-”

“Gotta admit, it’s really freakin’ satisfyin’, I’m’a do it more often!”

Cassiopeia was staring blankly, as if she just couldn’t compute what’d just happened; Qiyana had a baffled half-stifled laugh caught in her throat and Corina’s eyebrows were halfway to her hairline.

Senna’s jaw was halfway to the floor.

“How dare you, you filthy stinking little Trencher trash!” Fiora seethed, eyes blazing, “I’ll choke you with those stupid braids-”

“Not on the first date, Fee-Fee,” Jinx grinned, “So, you accept my challenge?”

“What challenge?” Corina piped in.

Jinx was grinning, bouncing from foot to foot like a wicked little monkey, but Caitlyn saw how deadly, snake-like serious her eyes were.

“Caity-cat,” Jinx called out to her, “You’re rich and posh and stuff, you wanna do the explanation?”

Caitlyn’s heart thundered, what the hell is she doing? but she found herself animating, her limbs unlocking like a robot powering up or a mummy emerging from a tomb, strolling closer into the middle of the mess.

Squaring up with her old Squad, she took a deep breath.

“A friendly honor match,” she said, “Your team…”

Jinx wiggled her brows, and then glanced over to Senna, Lucian, and their friends.

“…versus ours!” said Jinx, “Right, team?”

Seraphine and Taliyah squeaked in surprise, but Senna’s eyes narrowed.

“Yeah. Sure. We’re in, Jinx.”

“Awesome!” Jinx crowed, scrunching her eyes happily, and the Squad growled in unison.

“Go on, Cait,” said Corina, “Your terms?”

“A game of Jinx’s choosing. Winner has free run of the Arcade. Loser pays for their games for the rest of the night and gives deference to the winner’s team until the end of Summer.”

Fiora’s brows were almost an arrow over her sharp, aristocratic nose.

“Do you really think you can beat us at this? Your pet brat may be from the Lanes, but these Lanes are ours.”

“Fiora,” Corina said mildly, “Are you entirely sure you want the school psychopath throwing bowling balls around? She’s just as likely to lob one at your skull.”

All eyes turned to Jinx, and her ear to ear grin.

“Thought about it, but nah. I’ll go easy on ya, just once, as a warning.”

But as her gaze swept across Qiyana, specifically, Caitlyn didn’t miss the glint of pure evil intent in it.

Jinx leaned in, narrowing those eyes to deadly slivers, and jabbed her thumb at the darkened archway across the hall.

A neon sign blazed above, glowing like Jinx’s hell-cherry eyes.

“…Laser tag, bitch.”

Lux’s tongue was on fire. Her fingers and her face were a sticky mess.

No matter how she tried, it wasn’t possible to do this in any way that was remotely dignified.

Swallowing what she could, she reached down and once more attempted to pick up the tottering mass of bread and pickles and unidentified but perfectly glazed meat and an absolutely obscene amount of very spicy, very tangy, punch-you-in-the-face-flavor sauce.

In the background, Ezreal and Ekko whooped and laughed and cheered her on.

She shot the boys a glare as she bit into the mess with a vindictive crunch.

A delicious, but dreadfully messy one. It was all she could do to lean far enough to dribble on the pile of napkins burying her plate on the countertop and not on her nice date outfit.

Even Vi couldn’t hold in her snorting laughter, and then there was the looming proprietor, Jericho…

Lux’s mouth, lips and chin were all numb from the good tingles of whatever the heck was in this sauce. Defiant, she chewed, swallowed, and gave the giant one-eyed fishman a thumbs up.

Jericho said something to Vi in a local dialect that sounded like a buffalo drowning in a swamp and boomed with belly-jiggling laughter and a display of sawtooth fangs that would’ve been terrifying if Lux hadn’t just discovered he was well known as the finest street food chef in Zaun.

Well, it was maybe still a little terrifying. As was the food…

But she was a Crownguard. Backing down from a battle simply wasn’t in her blood.

“Oh my god,” Ezreal’s eyes were wet with laughter, “I can’t believe you ordered the Sertain Deth Burger, holy shit!”

“Mmffff-” said Lux, still chewing.

“And hey she made it halfway, mmf, I’ve watched hardened Zaunites crumple beneath the challenge!” Ekko added, wheezing through half a mouthful of equally messy loaded fries.

“Th’m’ck usch tuff im D’m’shia,” Lux asserted over the mountains of questionable ‘beef’ stuck in her teeth.

Vi nearly spurted whatever weird yellow soup full of wriggling seafood…tentacles she was busily gobbling down like she hadn’t eaten a day in her life.

Lux’s dignity only survived on how perfectly undignified everyone else was right now. If my brother could see me…he’d have a heart attack…

If my parents, my aunt could see me?

They’d drop dead on the spot.

“So, uh,” Vi wiped her chin on her hands, blinked at Lux giving her a deadpan sidelong glance and accepted an offered napkin, “Uh, thanks, Lux-”

She mopped herself up and squinted at her companions.

“So…Ekko, this ‘surprise’ of yours wouldn’t happen to be, uh,” she slurped from the dingy-looking sports bottle to wash it down, “Finally telling me which movie we’re gonna see tonight, right?”

She gave the younger boy a questioning, somewhat suspicious glare.

Ezreal blinked. Lux blinked too; they both turned to Ekko.

Ekko was grinning bashfully, like butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth.

“You didn’t tell her?” Lux and Ez blurted at once.

“So which-” Vi groaned, “Don’t tell me…no…no Ekko, we talked about this…”

Ekko’s grin grew and grew. He popped his fingers up to his temples and thrust them above his head in wolf ears, and tipped his head back in an ‘awooooo!” howl.

Ezreal’s eyes got big, and he stuck his own fingers up and howled, ‘aaurrooooo!” in unison with Ekko; Lux, giggling, joined the boys, adding a higher pitched “aowoooooouuu!” to their very off-key lupine harmony.

Only from the corner of her eye did she see, to her puzzlement, Vi shrinking down into her jacket, a cringing expression crawling across her strong, pretty, invincible face.

“Oh no,” mumbled Vi.

Chapter Text

Blacklit neon scrawl filled every corner of Caitlyn’s vision. She crept through the grimy and suspiciously plywood cyberpunk maze. Its angles cut sharp and dark in the billowing grey smoke machine haze.

She glanced across to Senna’s hiding spot and gave the girl a silent nod before she crossed with quick steps to her next vantage point and took aim.

Jinx’s choice of arena for their grudge match was slanted in their favor; quite aside from Jinx and Cait themselves, Senna and her boyfriend were fellow members of Caitlyn’s marksmanship club and well-known enthusiasts for shooting games.

But Taliyah and Seraphine were … much less so. They were the obvious weak links, and the Squad would target them first and hardest.

Worse, in order to have even teams and in a final futile effort to make the match friendlier, Seraphine had offered to go on the Squad’s side. Which meant that Senna and Tali were, subconsciously, nervous and hesitant to shoot at their friend.

The Squad was not to be underestimated. Fiora was disinterested in marksmanship but a ruthless perfectionist when she set her mind to winning; Qiyana’s gigantic ego was in part justified by the way she seemed to excel at anything she picked up; Cass was capable of incredible stealth when she wanted and had a sadistic streak a mile wide.

And Corina might not have been the most physical, but she was the most subtle and two-faced of them all.

It was, truly, anyone’s game.

Senna and Lucian quickly tagged Cassiopeia with a clever bait and switch; Fiora countered with an aggressive but graceful close-quarters ambush of both of them. Corina had simply vanished into the haze…

…and so did Jinx, with a wicked grin to Cait as she did.

And now Caitlyn had taken up her sniper position. She saw a flash of red, moving through the maze ahead. Taliyah, repositioning and briefly in the open.

Qiyana leaned out of cover to shoot at Taliyah’s exposed back.

Got you.

Caitlyn took her shot; Qiyana’s cruel smirk of victory instantly flashed away as her vest bleeped and declared her tagged in turn with a loud BULLSEYE!

She swore in rage, looking for where the shot came from, but Caitlyn was already moving to her next sniper position. Pity she couldn’t have stopped Qi from tagging Tali, but…

Cait heard Jinx cackling somewhere deeper in the maze, and Fiora swearing her head off in High Demacian.

“Quack-quack, ducklips, come and get meeee…”

Well, at least Jinx was having fun, and it sounded like Fiora was having a bad time of it.

Caitlyn rounded a corner and narrowed her eyes; there was Seraphine, in plain sight, creeping around with her pink hair in a ponytail rendered luminous by the lighting and her big eyes wide with trepidation.

“…guys…?” she was whispering, “Where’d you go...guys?”

Caitlyn sighed under her breath and shot her.

But as Sera squeaked in surprise and then disappointment, Caitlyn offered her a friendly smile and tapped her temple, then pointed in the direction she’d last seen the Squad heading.

“Careful, Jinx is that way,” she murmured.

Sera swallowed and nodded.

“Th-thanks.”

“Don’t thank me, get to cover before your vest reset-”

Caitlyn’s vest bleeped with TAGGED, and a spike of rage flew up her spine as she saw Cassiopeia smirk and slip away into the smoke.

Damnit! They sent her out as bait!

Caitlyn scowled. It was a trap. She knew it was a trap. But she wasn’t above a little revenge. It’s what Jinx would do.

Caitlyn slipped away and circled to cut Cass off before she reached the cul-de-sac at the far corner where she could dig in and wait in ambush for Caitlyn.

She froze as she caught her own red lights in the mirror at the end of the hall.

Caitlyn ducked back to get herself out of the mirror’s angle and –

Tripped over something tied across the path, ending up on her stomach with a jolt.

…shoelaces?

A weight planted on her back.

Cass had pinned her down, an elbow driven into the gap between her shoulder blades.

“Hello Cait.”

Corina, slipping out of hiding, crouched down in front of her, smiling.

“…rather unsporting rules violation,” Caitlyn hissed between clenched teeth, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Do you think I care about this stupid game? Easy enough to slip the monitor some cash to look away, so we could have this private chat,” Corina’s smile went flat and cold. She leaned in, “We know what you’re doing, Cait.”

“…beating your bitch-arse at laser tag?” Caitlyn glared at her.

“Your little prank war. We know it’s Jinx.”

Caitlyn fell silent.

In the background, Jinx’s cackle echoed again, Qiyana shrieking ugh, where the hell is she!? and Fiora snapping Ça me fait chier, she’s playing with your head, imbécile! amid the sound of shuffling feet, zapping lasers and digitized explosions, followed by HEADSHOT!! and Qiyana giving a wordless howl of rage.

“She’s done at this school. When we’re done ruining her, nowhere will take her,” Corina said softly, “You’ll burn with her, if you aren’t smart enough to ditch her before the hammer falls. Think about it-”

:: Pssst, prune breath! ::

Corina’s eyes narrowed sharply. She glanced up at the sound of Jinx’s voice around the corner.

:: It’s me, your vile villainess! ::

Corina and Cass both snapped their guns up as something waddled into view, chattering and laughing in a tinny, high-pitched voice that sounded uncannily like Jinx.

:: HA HA HA. HA HA HA. ::

In their moment of baffled distraction, Senna and Lucian sprang out of the left and right corridors in a pincer move.

Cassiopeia’s vest trilled DOUBLEKILL! as their crossfire pinned her from both sides.

Corina’s eyes flared with rage as her own vest growled HEADSHOT!

Caitlyn glanced up into the mirror at the end of the hall, spotting the pink gleam of Jinx’s eyes slipping away.

“Get the hell off her, Cass,” Senna growled.

Cassiopeia hissed and slithered toward Senna, but Lucian stepped in between them and got up in her face.

“No contact,” he said, staring her down, “Just a game, remember?”

Cassiopeia huffed, narrowed her eyes, and drew away from his unflinching glare.

Senna smiled at Lucian and slipped her arm around his.

Caitlyn pushed to her feet and dusted off her clothes, glancing at her unlikely rescuer.

::: HA HA HA, HA HA HA :::

A chattering cymbal monkey toy with inbuilt voice recorder rattled in the middle of the floor.

“What a cheap trick,” Cass growled, “Did Fi and Qi really fall for that?”

“What, didn’t you?” said Jinx, right behind her, and Caitlyn had the pleasure of watching both Cass and Corina jump nearly to the roof.

Jinx grinned and skipped past them, braids whipping them in the face as she did.

“Oh, man, who left this here? Geez!” she picked up the yakking toy, “Kids, I swear.”

Jinx’s eyes flicked to Caitlyn, hardened, then followed her trajectory to the shoelaces that had been tied across the corridor.

“…lucky I picked up this trip hazard,” she said, “Someone coulda gotten hurt.”

The Squad glared into her unblinking, mauve-eyed stare as the ending bell shrilled, and their vests and guns powered off.

“Time’s up, losers,” said Jinx, “Let’s see who’s queens of the pumpkin patch!”

A growl rumbled like an echo of hell through the industrial smoke. Bullets flashed ineffectually. The teenage heroine, eyes wide, smeared with sweat and muck, crawled into the Sump pipe on her hands and knees away from the eviscerated remains of her boyfriend…

“…oh no,” Vi whispered, “…oh god…”

The shadow of the Beast lit the wall, huge and hulking, silhouetted in the gruesome green glow blazing from the apparatus on its back.

Concrete sparked as it dragged its long iron claws along the wall, leaving a four-fingered trail of gouges…

“Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit,” Vi mumbled, squeezing Lux’s hand quite painfully, completely unconscious of what she was doing.

“Vi, um,” Lux hummed through clenched teeth behind her sweet smile, “Ow?”

Vi jumped and let go, staring at her hand like it’d betrayed her, and giving Lux a shaky, guilty, apologetic look, “-shit! Sorry, I’m so sorry-”

“It’s fine, don’t worry-”

“But I-GUAH!”

Vi’s eyes were glued to the screen again, as Warwick ripped through the metal piping the girl had hidden in and snapped his long jaws after her screaming face-

So. Lux had imagined cuddling up in a darkened movie theatre with Violet Lane quite differently.

…for one, in her daydreams, she’d been the one gasping and squeaking and burying her face in Vi’s shoulder at the jumpscares and squeezing Vi’s strong hand and clinging onto her bicep at the slow building tension…

…for another, Lux wasn’t actually, really, scared by horror movies, at least not in any bad way, so she’d have been, rather devilishly, playing it up…

But Vi’s wide eyes and pale face in the glow of the theater screen, Vi’s nervous, jaw twitching crunching of popcorn, Vi’s shivery little jumps and loud, panicky flinches, and Vi’s bone-crushing iron grip on Lux’s hand, weren’t faked at all.

Vi hates horror movies.

Ezreal was snickering and giggling and mumbling quippy peanut gallery jokes at Ekko as they huddled together, almost on top of each other, Ekko hissing and hushing him by pushing his soda’s straw into Ez’s mouth.

Vi…hates…horror movies.

In the row behind them, from amid a vaguely human-shaped pile of bright red snack foods, Briar’s milky eyes were wide and staring. She was making breathy, hideously graphic munching and slurping noises as she ate and ate and ate, broken up only by little snortling giggles of malicious excitement whenever someone got graphically splattered. Her noise was punctuated with Vex muttering barbs of bitter snark at every mild interruption of her own dubious enjoyment of the film. Which meant every noise anyone else made, voluntary or not.

But none of that would’ve mattered to Lux, except Vi…

Vi. Hates. Horror. Movies.

Her date gave a little choking moan and squinted away from the screen as one of the blood-splattered mercenaries foolishly sent to hunt down Warwick, the Uncaged Wrath of Zaun, met his end in a spectacular gush of gore, his spine flopping around like a red snake in the grip of Warwick’s teeth-

“…think m’gonna be sick,” Vi mumbled.

Lux slid down into her seat and cringed into her own hunkered shoulders.

…what have I done?

“I cannot believe we beat them, even when they cheated,” Caitlyn caught the undignified giggle in her throat as they stumbled away from the arcade, “Did you see the look on Qiyana’s face? I think that’s the first time she’s ever lost a competition in her life…”

At the mention of Qiyana, Jinx’s face briefly tightened into that grim, spiteful expression again.

“Oh, she messed with Blondie, I’m just getting started with her…”

Caitlyn frowned, but Jinx’s stormy look didn’t last long.

“Nobody out-cheats me, Hatty!” Jinx beamed proudly, the grin reasserting itself on her pale face, “Those clowns had no chance. Besides, it was a matter of honor, right?”

“Right.”

Caitlyn’s breath caught in her throat as Jinx’s arm brushed hers.

Tell her.

“Jinx, I…”

Have to tell you that the Squad knows – they know it was you – they’re going to try to bring us both down…

“Hmmm?” Jinx’s bright eyes flashed back to her, and Caitlyn bit her lip at the sight of the punk girl so – bright, cheerful – satisfied.

Despite everything, they were still having a nice night. A nice date.

“Tell you later,” she smiled, falling into step beside the smaller girl, controlling her long-legged gait to keep pace, “Well! Having conquered the arcade and made it safe for-”

For Lux’s friends, she realized, but decided against bringing up the girl who was probably in the middle of making out with the infuriating Violet Lane right now…

Somehow that conjured a thought of Vi’s hands all over Lux, Vi’s dark red eyes flashing as she leaned in with that scarred, cocky smile, cherry lips parting…

Caitlyn scowled and shook it away.

“…for our new friends, what’s next?”

“Pah, friends? I mean, they’re okay I guess,” Jinx shrugged, “Dunno. Maybe I just wanna walk for a bit? Let my brain quiet down.”

Caitlyn wasn’t quite sure if she was refraining from mentioning Lux for Jinx’s sake or something else, and that itched at her skin.

“Sure. It is a beautiful night.”

She shrugged off her coat and let the cool night air play along the back of her neck as they strolled away from the gaudy lights of the arcade and along the well-lit waterfront.

The ocean, beyond, sparkled like a gloss-black jewel.

Jinx’s eyes wandered Cait’s neck and shoulders and the flick of her hair, before self-consciously darting away.

Caitlyn’s breath ticked up at the tickle to her left palm.

No, there it was again, not her imagination.

Jinx’s fingertips, brushing hers as they walked.

Maybe it was the night breeze, but a shiver ran through her. Caitlyn let her fingers slacken, and Jinx’s fingers caught them and latched on.

Her heart picked up to match her breath.

“There’s a cool spot,” Jinx mumbled, “C’mon!”

Then she was running, they were both running, scrambling up an old concrete pylon overlooking the bay.

Hand in hand.

The credits rolled, with a final stab of the screeching, spine-tingling, industrial score, and their faces remained shadowed in the dark.

“Wow,” Ekko breathed out, “Think that was the best one?”

“Holy hell, yeah,” said Ezreal, from Ekko’s lap, “So much gore and some nasty twists, my fave!”

Beside Lux, she could hear Vi’s breathing finally evening out, her ordeal finally over…

Shuffling bodies moved in the dark; people already getting up and filing out of the cinema, leaving their group the only ones still clustered in the center of the cinema as the credits scrolled on.

Lux couldn’t help but feel like, in the middle of that movement, she’d seen a shadow moving into their section. Trick of the light though, maybe…

“I loved when he ripped that guy’s head off and knocked that other guy into an industrial fan with it,” Briar giggled behind them, “That was my favorite part! So funny!”

“…the acting was maudlin and the effects subpar…” drawled Vex, “…it was the most bearable film of the year…”

“Don’tcha mean…wolfable?” said Ezreal, wiggling his brows back at her.

Vex gave him a look that plotted murder.

Lux giggled. She slipped her fingers around Vi’s hand and let her eyes roam her date’s slowly calming face.

“Are you okay, Vi?”

“Yeah,” Vi sighed, “Yeah I just…god damnit, Ekko…you know I hate this stuff, even if-”

“C’mon, Vi,” said Ekko, “Don’t ruin the surprise.”

The actors’ names were scrolling past. A few of the franchise survivors, mostly fresh faces for the meat-grinder, but of course-

Lux peeked at him curiously, “What surprise?”

“Just gotta wait.”

“Wait for what?” Ezreal frowned, “Is there a post credits scene? Man, half the people here left already…”

Lux glanced up at the dark screen.

And VANDER LANE…as WARWICK.

“Wait a minute…” she whispered, eyes going huge in the dark, looking at Vi.

Hadn’t she mentioned…oh no way. No way!

“Don’t know why they do that-” Ezreal was saying, “They always miss out when they just run outta the cinema-”

He froze, all of them froze, as something huge shifted in the dark behind them, clamping its fingers over their seats, and a bass growl rolled out of the darkness like something out of a nightmare.

“THEY ALWAYS RUN.”

Vi screamed, but to her credit, she wasn’t alone; Ezreal and Lux both shrilled just as loud, and even Vex and Briar gave little squawks of shock.

The only one who didn’t was Ekko. He was grinning ear to ear.

“Damnit!” Vi snapped, “Dad!”

The lights came up, and sitting behind them in the cinema, rolling a hearty chest-laugh, was a giant bear of a man in a simple tee shirt and jeans.

Vander Lane.

Retired three times Zaun heavyweight boxing champion, famous stuntman, and the voice actor and physical performer for Warwick, The Uncaged Wrath of Zaun…

A living legend, and one of Lux and Ezreal’s favorite horror icons, and he was sitting right behind them, with a kindly grin on his face.

“Oh my god!” Ezreal’s voice vanished into a hyperventilating whine, “it’s him!”

“In the flesh, with a bit less fur,” Vander chuckled, “Ekko said your names are Lux, and Ezreal, right? Lovely to meet any friends of my kids.”

“V-vander Lane…” Ezreal gasped, “THE Vander Lane-”

“-is your Dad!?” Lux squealed, clinging onto Vi’s arm, and she winced and turned around to look at him.

“…Vi?” Vander’s big grin dropped away as he glanced at Vi, a furrow coming to his brows, “Shit, sorry, sweetheart, I didn’t see you in the dark – didn’t know you were coming-” he glared at Ekko, “Did you drag her along? Ekko, come on, you know how she feels about scary movies…”

“Aw, c’mon man, they’re your movies, she’s just being a big wuss,” Ekko groaned.

“Ugh,” Vi mumbled, “I’m fine, Dad…”

“You’ll get a talking to, Little Man,” Vander gave Vi an apologetic look, smiled welcomingly at the squealing Lux and Ezreal, and tipped his head to Briar and Vex beside him, “But first, I did agree to autographs, if you want them.”

Lux and Ez squeaked in unison, fumbling in their bags, “Y-yes!”

“Briar, Vex, great to see you two.”

“Great-to-see-you-too-Mr-Wolfman!” giggled Briar.

Oh, so Jinx’s friends knew!? Lux slung them side-eye. Of course they did…

“Wait,” Vander rumbled, peering about their little gathering, “Where’s Jinx?”

“…she’s abandoned us and her calling to hopefully prey ruthlessly upon the blood and mortal soul of Piltover’s supposed ice queen…” mumbled Vex.

Vander turned to Vi for an explanation.

Vi shrugged.

“She’s on a date.”

Oh, thought Lux, I …knew that.

“Seriously?” Vander’s broad face cracked with surprise, “…not with that Kiramman girl?”

“Guess so,” said Lux, squeezing Vi’s arm, smiling at him, “Shame she missed out.”

Her heart sank like a stone into cold water, and her eyes tracked from the icon of the screen behind them to the empty spot next to theirs where Jinx, she knew, would’ve sat if she’d come.

Why? She scolded herself; this is what we planned. This is what we both wanted – what we all wanted.

Operation Wallflower…it’s worked out, hasn’t it?

“Huh,” Vander scratched his beard, “Well, hope she has a nice time. In the meantime, while I’ve got you all in my claws,” he wiggled his fingers and wolf-growled, to their delight, “Any questions for me?”

“Um, Mr Vander sir,” Ezreal swallowed, leaning over the back of the seats eagerly, “Can you…tell us what it’s like to be Warwick? I mean, he’s our favorite – this is incredible – I can’t believe-”

“Right,” Vander pulled his thoughtful eyes away from Lux and Vi and broke into a warm smile, “Well? Where to start? I gotta give credit to the makeup artists first-bloody nightmare to put it all on but the artistry is astonishing-”

She looked up at Vi’s face, finally softening, watching her dad explain detail after detail of the film process, right there, before their giddy eyes.

Scared as she might be of his on-screen persona, Lux couldn’t miss the warm, easy bond between father and daughter she was witnessing. The way it lit up Vi’s face with pride, admiration…

The way it made her even more beautiful.

Operation Wallflower…I guess…it’s worked out.

Lux smiled to herself.

Yeah. It has.

The moon rose high over the bay of Valoran City.

Painted pale and ethereal in moonlight, Jinx wasn’t the skinny, bratty goth girl skulking around the school corridors anymore. She sat looking out like the forlorn lover’s spirit on the lighthouse railing from a ghost story or a fairytale.

She pulled her bony knees up and toyed with her braid in one hand, chewing, unconsciously, on the tips.

But her other hand still held Cait’s.

“Moon’s nice.”

“Yes.”

Caitlyn looked at their twined fingers. The little scars on Jinx’s, the chipped, mismatched nails.

“Why do you like me?”

It startled Caitlyn out of her sweet reverie.

Jinx’s eyes were huge, saucer-wide and open. Her lips were still pressing, nervously, to the tip of her braid.

“What’s not to like?”

Jinx snorted under her breath, “…everything?”

“Jinx…”

She shook her head. “Sorry. I…guess it’s just…everyone else I know – like almost everyone – liked the old me better.”

“The old you?”

Jinx rolled another shrug.

“Me before my life went to crap,” she said under her breath, “Powder.”

Caitlyn frowned.

“Well, I didn’t know you then. I’d like to think I’d have still liked you. But I certainly like you now.”

Jinx scoffed again.

“Probably would’ve liked her more. She was a real do gooder, like you. Always trying to please everyone. Now I just piss everyone off.”

Caitlyn arched a brow at her, “I mean, mostly on purpose, you must admit.”

Jinx’s snorting laugh came through.

“…Yeahh, got me. Still…” Jinx looked up at her again.

Hauntingly vulnerable, those eyes, and the heart in them.

“I just don’t…get what a posh girl like you would even see in me? If you didn’t even know who I was.”

Caitlyn’s lips softened.

“Maybe I see who you could be.”

Jinx’s lips parted, but she just swallowed instead of speaking again.

Caitlyn swallowed too, as she felt Jinx’s nervous fidgeting in her fingertips.

“…Cait…” Jinx whispered, throatily.

Her parted lips gleamed in the moonlight.

Now or never.

Caitlyn leaned in. Slowly, letting Jinx see her, letting her eyes give away her intent, silently asking.

Jinx didn’t move away. Her head tilted up, slightly.

Caitlyn licked her lips.

Aspects, I haven’t kissed anyone since Evelynn…

And Evelynn’s kisses had come in many modes and flavors, sometimes sweet, sometimes fierce, sometimes cruel, but always, even at their softest and most tender, taking something, even when they seemed to be giving.

Always hungry.

Caitlyn let her breath ghost Jinx’s opening mouth.

She wasn’t going to do that to her. Not to Jinx. Jinx deserved better, so much better than that.

Caitlyn would be tender, she would be sweet, and she would mean it…

“Jinx,” she whispered, and gently pressed her mouth to the sweet shadows of her lips.

Fishbones rumbled beneath their bodies as they rolled away from the cinema, Lux’s arms once more slung around Vi’s back.

It’s over. My first date. We’re going home…

The thrill of meeting Vander Lane and the shock of discovering her gorgeous first date was the adopted daughter of one of her horror movie heroes still mingled bittersweetly with the knowledge that despite how fun their date had initially been, she’d inadvertently put Vi through a stressful ordeal at the movie.

There had to be some way to fix that. To make it up to her.

I could bake her more cookies, I guess… Lux mused, or maybe…

The bike slowed as they got near the train station, and Vi pulled up, her strong shoulders shifting beneath Lux’s cheek.

“Damn,” she said, over the noise of the bike, “The boys beat us to it…”

Lux peeked over her shoulder; through the smoke, she caught a glimpse of Ezreal’s familiar hair…

Nearly tangling in Ekko’s locs as the two kissed hungrily, twined against the graffiti-lit wall of the empty station waiting area.

Lux flushed and pulled her gaze down.

“Oops, uhh…” Vi gave an awkward cough, “Uhm, guess that’s why they cut ahead – um – when’s your train?”

“U-um,” Lux buried her blazing face against Vi’s back, “N-nine thirty…”

Vi pointedly looked away from the boys and up to the clock tower overlooking the square.

“Got a while to wait yet, then,” Vi turned the bike away, “C’mon, there’s a place I want to show you. While we, uh, wait for your train. And our boys.”

Lux gave a breathless, embarrassed giggle, but nodded against the leather of Vi’s jacket.

Even in the cold night air, the leather smell was comforting, driving away the bitingly industrial air of Zaun a little. Lux wondered if Vi unzipped her jacket, she’d catch a hint of her skin, sweat and perfume under it…

Her cheeks grew hotter still.

Around a little back alley, Vi parked the bike and secured it with some kind of claw-like wheel clamp.

“Don’t worry,” she winked at Lux, “Anyone tries to steal something my sister built they’re gonna get a shock.”

She pointed at a rickety-looking ladder, up the side of the building opposite the clock tower.

“I’ll go up first and be waiting for you. Don’t be scared, it’s stronger than it looks.”

Lux swallowed, but nodded, trusting her.

The ladder wobbled only slightly as she climbed, and Vi was there at the other end, a strong hand pulling her up, warm fingers holding hers.

She led Lux to a little rooftop ledge overlooking the square; they could see the boys from here, albeit at a safe distance to give them privacy, the clock, and the train platform.

“Time…” Lux swallowed, “We have time…don’t we?”

“Relax. Ekko won’t lose track of it, even if he’s a bit, uh, distracted. Time’s kinda his thing. And we can see the clock from here.”

She pointed.

“And a lot more.”

Vi led her to the edge and sat down, patting the spot next to her. Lux settled with her, shivering only slightly in the cold, cursing that she’d worn her own jacket to huddle in and had no excuse to borrow Vi’s.

Vi opened hers anyway; Lux appreciatively snuggled closer, basking in the warmth, and that dreamed-of scent of warm girl, of strength, of safe…

A strong arm slid around her back, and Lux opened her eyes to the sight Vi had wanted her to see.

The lights of Zaun spread in a glittering carpet beyond the clock tower and the station, leading far, far away, across the glow of the riverfront and the dark line of the river, and the taller, brighter lights of Piltover beyond.

“Wow,” Lux breathed.

“Nice, hey? I mean it’s no Valoran City but…it just makes me think of all those people, quietly living their lives. All those hopes and dreams, no matter how tough it gets.”

Lux wordlessly smiled up into her face, the lines of her profile thoughtful against the dark sky.

“My sister and I used to love coming up here,” Vi said softly, “Back when it was just us…when things were a bit better between us, I mean.”

Lux nuzzled into her shoulder, “Do you…want to talk about it?”

Vi tensed only a little, then breathed out. “Vander had… a partner. Silco. After we were adopted, Powder was always closer to him.”

She paused, and Lux saw her brows furrow.

“Things weren’t always great between him and Vander, though. Politics, personal stuff. They were both hotheads, but Vander wanted to put us kids first and Silco had these grand ambitions for Zaun…”

She scowled.

“I never trusted the guy. But eventually, they split. Really tore Powder up. She started acting out, causing trouble. We started fighting, too. And she used to go see him a lot. Vander let her, knew they had a close bond, all of that.”

Lux felt a cold sadness spread through her she didn’t understand. She only knew she was coming close to the source of Vi’s pain – and Jinx’s – something that didn’t belong to her, a story of a place and a life so alien to her own, but one that was hurting two people she’d come to care about.

She was only just starting to realize how much.

Vi’s voice and face darkened, “Turns out, Silco was running a goddamn Shimmer empire behind the scenes. Started after he and Vander split. Or maybe even before, right under Vander’s nose, we don’t know. He got Powder mixed up in it, even though she was just a kid…cooking stuff in the labs with those chemistry talents of hers, even dealing it…”

Anger crept into her voice more and more with every word.

“Then there was an… accident. Lot of people got hurt. Powder was right in the middle of it. Nearly died.”

Lux’s heart had nearly stopped. She let out a bare whisper of breath.

Oh, Jinx…

“Oh Vi, oh Aspects I’m so sorry,” Lux fumbled for words, “What…happened to her?”

Vi shook her head.

“Lux, I, um…you’ve gotta understand, Zaun’s poor. We don’t have fancy hospitals and emergency services are piss poor at best. I guess Silco panicked when she got hurt. Took her to some underground doctor. Never found out who. They used it on her, to save her. Shimmer.”

Vi lowered her eyes, staring at the darkened square of the station.

“Her eyes,” Lux whispered, her mouth dry, “That’s what happened to her eyes.”

Vi nodded.

“It wasn’t her fault,” she said, “But she blames herself for the accident. For Vander and Silco’s split, too. Has it in her head that she somehow brought it all on herself, she’s cursed. A Jinx.”

There was a little red around the edges of Vi’s eyes. Lux couldn’t help but remember that look – that same look – when she and Jinx had their argument.

“We had a big fight after it, and I–” she shook her head, “I did something stupid, Lux. I had to stop that asshole, after what he did to her. I couldn’t ever let him near her again. So I…”

She swallowed.

“I led the cops right to him. I’m the reason he’s in prison. And she blames me for taking away her dad.”

“Oh.”

Lux stared at nothing, at the moon in the smoky sky beyond Vi’s beautiful, hurting face.

“I just want her back,” Vi whispered, her broken heart in her voice, “I know everything’s changed, but I…it just all feels wrong. Did I really screw it up? I just – I did what I had to – someone had to stop him – I just wanted my sister back.”

Lux slid both her arms around Vi and held her close, burying herself against her and squeezing her tight.

“Lux…” Vi gave a small sob, “Oh, shit, I’m so sorry, I’m just dumping all this on you on – on our first date-”

Lux gave a little laugh, tearing up just a little herself and shook her head against Vi’s chest.

“I don’t care,” she said, “Least I can do after taking you to a horror movie.”

Vi spluttered a little laugh, her chin resting on the top of Lux’s head.

“Yeah, uh, sorry about that too…man, here I was trying to be all tough and protective and impress you-”

“Stop apologizing, seriously,” Lux mumbled, “It’s okay, Vi. To feel things, you know? You don’t have to bottle everything up.”

Lux lifted her head away, to look up into those soulful, wounded red eyes.

“Believe me, I know a thing or two about that.”

Vi’s breathing evened out. She gave a soft, scarred smile.

“You’re a really cool girl, Lux,” she said, “I had a great night. Movie and all.”

Lux laughed despite herself, “Now you’re just lying about the last part…”

“No, really!” Vi smirked, “You guys were so enthusiastic about it, and hearing Vander actually talk about his work…I think he avoids the topic because he thinks it freaks me out…but getting to see how much he loves it made it all kinda make sense.”

She took both of Lux’s hands in hers.

“Thanks.”

Lux looked up at her again and slid a little closer.

“I had a great time too,” she murmured into Vi’s jacket, “I don’t want it to be over…”

Zaun was cold and damp at night, and Vi was terribly, wonderfully warm.

“…before we’ve…um…” Lux whispered, “I-if you wanted.”

“Lux, do you, uh, are you sure you’re ready…”

Vi’s expression softened and her words trailed off, seeing the hungry, nervous longing in Lux’s eyes.

“…okay,” said Vi. She sighed and tucked a strand of Lux’s hair from her cheek.

This is it…this is what I wanted…

Taking a deep breath, steeling all her nerves, Lux leaned up and kissed her.

Her eyes closed, her breath turning into a soft gasp, as she felt the warm press of cherry flesh part beneath her lips, Vi’s hands come up to cup her cheeks, scarred fingers painfully gentle, experienced, guiding her…

It was different. Different from kissing Ezreal, from their awkward fumbling and giggling, from the weirdness of his mouth and hers, Ez cracking jokes to calm her nerves. Their performance.

He’d been nice, a good kisser in his own way, but this, this, the tender way Vi was moving against her lips, the shape and taste of her mouth against Lux’s own…

I’m kissing her…I’m kissing a girl.

Something was blooming inside Lux, awake for the first time, like a light rising over the horizon.

Caitlyn breathed against the soft dark folds of Jinx’s lips, brows furrowed…

Cool, soft and small, so unlike her past experiences, so unlike anything she could’ve imagined from the volatile little creature who’d so won past all her frosty defenses…

Is this…this what it feels like to…

Caitlyn tilted her head, surrendering to the kiss, letting her hair fall on Jinx’s shoulder as she moved to deepen it-

Only then did it suddenly hit her that Jinx’s lips weren’t moving against hers.

She wasn’t kissing back at all.

Caitlyn stopped. Her shoulders locked up and her eyes slivered open as she pulled away.

“…Jinx?”

Jinx’s eyes were blank, staring straight ahead, her parted lips shivering slightly, but not moving or speaking words.

“J-jinx,” Caitlyn stammered, “Uh-um oh gods, I’m so sorry, are you okay?”

Jinx just stared.

“Was it – did I misread signals? I’m so, so sorry…”

Still no response. If it wasn’t a terrible – a terrifying, ridiculous thought – she might have wondered if Jinx had simply dropped dead.

Heart on her lips, Caitlyn lifted a hand to hesitantly wave it in front of Jinx’s eyes.

Jinx’s eyes twitched up to follow her hand, searching around it to find her face.

She gave a goofy little smile but didn’t say anything.

“If I-” Caitlyn was in a panic, “If I’ve crossed any lines – if I’ve hurt you – please, please understand I’d never mean to…”

Jinx snorted, shrugged, and made a small, noncommittal ‘meh’ sound, but kept staring.

“Okay,” Caitlyn licked her lips, “Okay, well, uh.”

“S’okay,” Jinx mumbled.

Oh, gods and aspects what have I done…

Caitlyn took a deep breath and steeled herself.

“R-right,” she said, “Would you, um…”

Jinx looked up at her as if she wasn’t really seeing her.

She didn’t seem tense or upset, just completely blanked. Bluescreen behind the eyes, empty of all connection to the current moment.

“…like me to take you home, Jinx?” Caitlyn said gently, “If you’re comfortable – that is – I can call you a cab, but I would like to be there to make sure you make it home safe…”

“Mhm,” said Jinx, “Sure thing, Caity-cat…”

The familiar nickname was at least a little reassuring, but Caitlyn’s heart was pounding in her chest.

“All right, then,” Caitlyn slowly stood, gathering her skirts, brushing herself off, “When…when you’re ready.”

She didn’t dare take Jinx’s hand, what if even touching her might trigger her in some way…?

Jinx didn’t seem bothered. She stood up after a moment and walked beside Caitlyn, all the way back to the arcade, while Caitlyn called for a driver.

She even leaned a little on Caitlyn’s shoulder as the cab rolled through the darkened streets, further and further out of town, ticking up a meter that Caitlyn couldn’t care less about paying.

But Caitlyn’s brain wouldn’t stop whirling a mile a minute, overthinking, second guessing, she knew she was doing it but what else could she?

What the hell just happened?

Jinx was so limp and quiet at her side, Cait wondered if she’d fallen asleep; but no, from the corner of her eye, she saw the slivers of Jinx’s eyes open, still staring out.

“…s’okay, Caity-cat,” she whispered once, shrinking into her jacket at Cait’s side like a little kitten curled in her lap, “…was fun.”

But Cait thought, as she stared out the darkened window, that wasn’t true.

It wasn’t okay at all.

Lux’s heartbeat picked up in her chest – louder – louder – LOUDER – her own breath grew quick in her ears.

Her hands had come up to hold onto Vi’s jacket; Vi had tilted her head, her kiss slow and patient, deliberate, knowing exactly what she was doing to ease Lux into it…her first ever kiss with a girl. Her first ever real kiss…

Kissing her tenderly, gently, like she was afraid of breaking her.

Too patient. Too tender, for the blazing Light inside Lux’s heart.

I’m not a little girl, Lux’s mind boomed at her, alive with the light, the fierce, burning buoyancy in her chest, lifting her up, I’m not a porcelain doll…I’m with you because I’m wild…I’m free…I’m choosing myself…I’ll…

Lux’s breath quickened, her head tipping as she wriggled in Vi’s lap, burrowing against her strong body. That muscular frame, those shoulders, that back…

Vi could lift her easily in those arms, push her against a wall, like Ekko and Ez had been, wild, abandoning all pretense, all boundaries, no longer caged by expectations, passionate and free…

I’ll… show her…I’ll show her what I want!

Lux moaned hotly into Vi’s mouth, widening and deepening the kiss. At the first tentative brush of Vi’s tongue, Lux went wild. Her breath thickened and her heart thundered.

I’ll show her-

She growled into her kiss, biting down on Vi’s lower lip, pinching and tugging, rolling her head like she’d seen in movies, like-

“Ow!”

Vi pulled back, blinking, and Lux froze up at the sight of a darker patch on her lips.

She tasted something like iron on her tongue.

Blood…?

“Whuh?” Vi daubed at her bleeding lip, blinked again, and looked at the blood on her fingers, “Huh…”

Blood…I bit her…I made her bleed…?

Vi gave a short, disbelieving laugh and sucked her lower lip in, feeling around the wound with her tongue.

“…slow down there, tiger!” she said with a chuckle and a wink.

Lux felt a flush of shame so strong she almost passed out from it, right there and then.

“-hey, woah, Lux, it’s all right – you okay?”

Vi’s strong arms had her, propping her up as she swooned.

“N-no…” Lux gasped out, “I…”

“Is it the sight of blood? It’s fine, hey, don’t stress, you didn’t hurt me – I mean I’ve had a hell of a lot worse! Usually, I get these from getting punched… hah, it’s kinda funny, right?”

Lux sniffed once, shook her head.

“Not the sight of blood – I’m not – I’m not squeamish at all – I can’t explain – I just – I just wanted to be perfect…”

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re okay. Everyone’s nervous the first time, okay?”

Vi’s big, earnest, concerned eyes filled her world.

She’s being so sweet, still, after I – after I hurt her – I bit her –

Vi’s blood still stung on her tongue.

Lux looked up into her face, opened her mouth to say something, and promptly burst into tears.

She didn’t remember the rest of it, much. Vi leading her down the ladder, more consoling words, reassurances that it was okay, she hadn’t really hurt her, they’d laugh about it later, she’d had a good night.

I screwed up.

Lux managed to pin her smile back on, to wipe her eyes, laugh with Vi, return her smiles.

I went too far.

But she couldn’t take her eyes off the swelling split on Vi’s perfect lip.

I’m just a stupid little girl.

And as they reconnected with the boys, as they watched Ez and Ekko’s sweet goodbyes and promises to meet up again soon on the train platform, as Vi’s soulful, apologetic gaze met Lux’s own for the last time tonight-

What could she ever have to apologize for? She’s wonderful, and I’m…just…such an idiot…

Vi’s fingers slipped from hers.

“I’ll see you at school, okay?” Vi said to her.

“Sure,” Lux mumbled, forcing her smile, her armor, up, “See you then.”

“Hey,” Vi said, “It was a fun night, ri-”

The train doors slid closed in her face.

Lux leaned on the window and planted her hand on the glass as Vi waved after her.

Lux sank into her folded arms, breath shivering, and felt the warm, familiar slide of Ezreal’s arms around her shoulders.

“…here for you, Pookiebear,” was all he said.

And he was. He wouldn’t push her to tell him what had happened. He wouldn’t get mad at Vi or jump to conclusions. He’d just hold her through it, let her tell him in her own time, and hear her out…

Because he was wonderful. Just like Vi. A better friend than Lux could ever be.

Better than she could ever deserve.

Just a kiss…

That’s all it was. Just a kiss.

Caitlyn’s footsteps rang out hollow in the school hall as she strode to her locker.

She’d meant no harm, surely she could find a way to explain that to Jinx…

Surely she’d find a way to apologize.

Third period break, the noise of everyone rushing around to make their fair use of the short time they had.

Where is she…?

She hadn’t crossed paths with Jinx since she’d parted ways with her after dropping her at the train station.

Just a “seeya” and she was gone, pale fingers slipping from Caitlyn’s own.

She didn’t seem angry, hurt, or upset. Just…absent. Distracted, within her own head, and Caitlyn couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

What did I … what did I do wrong?

Did I misread her cues? Did I misread her interest in me…?

Was it only ever a friendship she wanted, and I pushed for something more, without thinking?

What the hell was I thinking?

I’m a Kiramman, she’s from Zaun, how did I really think that was going to end…?

She’d just closed her locker when the chill went down her spine.

The locker hallway was empty, silent.

It was never silent in school hours, it was like everyone had cleared out of the way of-

“Kiramman!”

Caitlyn only had a half instant to register the thudding, angry footsteps and start to turn before she was pushed back against her locker, the air knocked from her lungs, eyes flying wide in total shock-

Violet Lane was right there in her face, her forearm like an iron bar across Caitlyn’s chest, slamming her back against the cold, flimsy metal of the locker.

“What the hell did you do to her?!” she snarled, “What the hell did you do to my sister?!”

Rage twisted the scar at her lip and made the one at her brow white as a lightning bolt through her dark crimson scowl.

She had another cut on her lip that hadn’t been there before – has she been … in a fight? –Caitlyn wondered, detached, as she tried to piece her brain back together.

…which wasn’t working very well because never in her life – never once, even counting the ambush in the laser tag – had anyone come at her with this kind of physicality.

“I…” Caitlyn froze up entirely.

“Cat got your tongue, Cupcake? Jinx, my sister, the girl you took on a date who won’t tell me what happened? She showed up at the bar practically catatonic and hid in her room all goddamn weekend. Now she’s just acting like nothing happened at all! Whatever you did to her–”

Vi shook her head in a flash of red hair and redder eyes, “-I’m gonna find out, and if it turns out this was all some twisted Piltie mind game – I’ll break you – I don’t care who you are or what happens to me-”

“Stop!” Caitlyn snapped in her face.

The sudden pushback seemed to take Vi offguard, as if she was expecting pleading or gloating, or… something else. Caitlyn couldn’t fathom what.

Vi’s arm slackened, but she didn’t pull away.

Caitlyn took a deep breath, glaring her down.

“You don’t have to kick my arse over it, Violet,” Caitlyn shook her head, “I’m already kicking it for you, do you understand?”

“What?”

“I kissed her, if you have to know.”

Vi blinked.

“…you…kissed her?” she furrowed her brows, her eyes searching around as if she were wrestling with some kind of reaction Caitlyn couldn’t see – that Vi hadn’t expected – “And?”

“And I don’t know!” Caitlyn growled, “I thought – I was a bloody fool – I thought she wanted me to! But I made a mistake. And I’ve been trying to make amends since. But she won’t tell me what’s wrong, either!”

Vi scowled.

“So, are you going to keep–” Caitlyn glared at the distractingly warm arm pressed against her chest – what? – “Trying to break my bloody neck like we’re in a bloody boxing ring? Or are you going to help me figure out what’s wrong with her, and how to make it right?”

Vi looked at her arm, too, and with a grunt pulled it away from Caitlyn, letting her slide until her feet were at least on the floor.

Before Caitlyn could un-muss her clothing, though, Vi’s fingertip jabbed into her collar in its place. She was leaning, glaring, with those burning, smoldering eyes.

“No, Piltie,” she said, “I trusted you with her once. I’ll figure it out, and I’ll fix it. You stay away from her. Get me?”

Caitlyn blew out a furious gust of frustration, “Maybe this isn’t your problem to fix, Violet, have you considered that? It’s up to Jinx to sort her own feelings out! She’s not a child anymore.”

Vi merely pulled away from her.

“Stay away from her. I’m warning you. Don’t make things worse.”

Vi turned to stalk off down the hall, but stopped and looked up, and Caitlyn’s retort died on her lips as her blood ran cold.

Evelynn was standing at the far end of the hall, peeking at the two of them, casually, as if she’d just happened to be strolling by just in time to overhear them.

Caitlyn didn’t believe that for a second.

Vi growled and moved to push past her…and Evelynn meekly stepped aside as she did.

“Good call,” she murmured as Vi passed her, loud enough for Cait to hear in the silence.

Vi paused.

“What?”

Evelynn, now half turned for the stairs herself, gave a demure shrug.

“Not trusting her,” she looked directly at Caitlyn, “You’re making the right call.”

Vi snorted, “And who the hell asked you?”

Evelynn smiled softly, sadly, into Vi’s growing confusion, as if she pitied her.

“Just…giving you a head’s up. From experience,” Evelynn stepped up onto the stairwell, and glanced back at Caitlyn over her shoulder, “She’s sweet, this one, until she isn’t.”

Her smile grew cold, flickering with a hint of hurt.

“Wish I’d seen it as soon as you did.”

Evelynn gave a sad little shake of her head and walked off, before Vi could articulate a reply.

Vi turned back to Caitlyn instead, brows furrowed, “What was that – you know what, no, I don’t want to know.”

“Vi,” Caitlyn whispered, “Please – don’t listen to her – she’s poisonous, she’s toying with your head to get at me-”

“Piltie mind games,” Vi reiterated with a snort like a warning bull, “Yeah, not interested. Keep the hell away from us, Kiramman. You and all your friends.”

That bitch, that awful, twisted bitch, what is she playing at – a flash of fury shot through Cait, and she tasted venom on her own tongue.

“Does that include Lux?” she spat at Vi’s back.

Vi stopped.

“Because she’s not talking about what happened between you either,” Caitlyn stalked after her a few steps, eyes boring into her broad back, “I wonder why that might be?”

The final flash of Vi’s glance over her shoulder before she simply slunk away stayed with Caitlyn that whole afternoon.

Somehow, seeing the sting of hurt in her eyes, Caitlyn didn’t feel like she’d really had the last word.

Lux stalked through the cooling afternoon, rubbing her arms, the echoes of the school bell shrilling in the back of her head.

A shiver prickled her skin, a lump of shame still in her throat.

The phantom taste of Vi’s kiss – and Vi’s blood – on her lips was just her imagination by now.

But it wasn’t going away.

So that didn’t…quite go as planned, she thought.

Vi’s surprised grunt and the blood on her lip as she drew away stayed right there in her head, all weekend, and even through school…

…I didn’t even think she could bleed.

She’d laughed it off, been a good sport about it, but Lux had just felt…so…stupid…it’d killed the mood stone dead anyway.

And that mood wasn’t gone. It stuck with her all through school, hanging around her like a storm cloud.

She’d seen Vi only once today; at a distance. A strange, wistful little smile and a wave after her practice. Lux was okay with that. She wouldn’t have a clue what to say; she could still see the split on Vi’s lip, and the thought of facing up to her after all of that without preparing her words, her actions, carefully, filled her with terror.

She’s not even mad. Why do I feel like this?

Lux’s breathing ticked up as she walked.

Because I…I wanted to be sexy.

The voice wouldn’t stop. She knew what it was going to say, but she couldn’t unthink it before the intrusive thoughts came.

I wanted to be wild and passionate. I wanted to let it all out, show her how I feel inside, who I am inside and – and I… instead I…

I’m just a dumb little girl.

Lux rounded the corner, glancing up from her shoes at a familiar voice; she saw Senna and Taliyah, from behind, walking to their club.

Taliyah saw her, and the look on her face. She touched Senna’s arm and gave her a serious look. They started walking toward Lux.

Lux shook her head and ducked away – I can’t have that conversation – not now! Not like this…

She rounded the building and ducked along the path of trees behind the sports centre, legs moving quickly; she couldn’t outpace them if they were really trying, but she had a head start.

She forked around a corner and scrabbled up the concrete steps, then kipped and pulled herself over the solid concrete ledge to the adjacent roof; another old hiding spot.

Up near the water tank; another familiar wall of concrete she could peek past without being seen, a nice vantage point up over the school.

Peeking over the edge, she saw Senna and Tali passing, peering around, looking for her. Arguing between themselves – probably Taliyah trying to talk Senna into apologizing.

A pang went through Lux’s heart as they moved away.

I’m sorry. I just… I can’t do this right now. I can’t.

Lux’s forearms prickled. She realized her mistake the moment she heard the rattle of the can and the pop of bubblegum.

“Oh,” said Jinx, “It’s you.”

Lux’s stomach dropped.

There she was, listlessly spraying bored little slashes of X’s and monkey faces over the outside of the tank.

Jinx things, but nothing like her usual scathing art pieces. Something was wrong.

“What happened to ‘hello Sunshine’?” Lux quipped through her shaky smile.

Jinx shrugged, sprayed, and chewed her gum.

“Guess my day clouded over.”

Lux’s smile twitched away.

She wanted to ask if Jinx was okay. If something had happened, if she was mad, but all of those questions seemed dumb, obvious. She already knew just how Jinx would deflect them.

“What’s…” she swallowed, “Wrong with us, Jinx?”

The spray-can stopped. Jinx didn’t look at her.

“Heh, don’t you mean ‘what’s right’?”

Despite herself, Lux tiptoed closer and slid against the unpainted part of the tank, until she was sat crosslegged beside Jinx…

…blocking the path of Jinx’s scrawl.

The girl glanced up at her now, in annoyance.

“What did I do wrong?” Lux asked her.

“Uh…” Jinx glanced into the middle distance, then rolled her eyes, “You’re whatever? Maybe I just don’t feel like getting too chummy with the girl bumping uglies with my sister?”

Lux flinched and looked down at her knees.

“We haven’t,” she said quietly, “For what it’s worth.”

“Huh?” Jinx gave a derisive snort, “Vi didn’t–”

She blew a big pink bubble and stabbed her tongue into it, bursting it with a graphically suggestive pop –

“-your cherry?”

Lux cringed, crinkling her nose, “Ugh, Jinx, do you have to be so gross about it? No!”

“Well, that’s a new record. Usually, the chicks can’t wait to jump into her big sweaty protective arms. So, what? You spend your hot date playin’ Solitaire instead of Twister?”

Lux shook her head, scrunched her eyes and pushed the heels of her palms into them.

“I kissed her.”

“Cool,” Jinx made a face, “I don’t want details.”

“I just…I’m a stupid idiot, Jinx, I – I was trying to be hot–but I got carried away and – I didn’t know what I was doing and I–”

“What’d I just say?” Jinx hissed, pushing to her feet and grabbing for her bag.

“I screwed it up,” Lux blurted out, nearly a snarl, “I screwed it up because I’m stupid, Jinx! I just kinda panicked and – I – I bit her!”

Jinx paused, staring at her.

Then she burst out laughing.

“W-what’s funny?”

“Ha-haha, oh, I’m sorry, I thought you were the one with all that snogging experience?”

Lux flushed to her ears, “That was different! I’ve never kissed a girl before! It’s different!”

“Is it? Everyone’s got lips,” Jinx snorted, then kept giggling, “Except skeletons. Hey, hey there’s a skull in Singed’s office, maybe you should break in, practice tonguing that…hahaha imagine if old man Singed walked in, it’d be the most action he’s seen since they dug up whatever coffin he crawled outta-”

“I forgot you don’t even care,” Lux growled, “You didn’t even come to the movie with us–“

“I had a date!” Jinx announced, spitefully, giving her an arrogant smirk and wiggle of her brows, “With Caitlyn.”

“Oh, I heard,” Lux gave her a venomous glare in return, “And how did that go? I guess it’s payback time and you’re gonna tell me all about how you and Cait made out and how perfect it was and how I’m just a big loser who can’t even…”

Jinx fell suddenly silent.

Lux glanced up at her, only to find her shuffling awkwardly.

She gave a little hiss-growl and flopped down beside Lux. With a grunt, she kicked her bag away and sat for a moment, noisily chewing on her gum before blowing it out and popping, aggressively, a few times.

“Yeah, no,” Jinx shrugged, “Guess we’re both losers. So, whatever.”

Lux blinked at her.

Jinx shivered when her back hit the cold concrete. She hugged her skinny knees.

Lux could feel the warmth of her shoulder, bared by her asymmetrical grey skull top, where it brushed her own.

“What happened?” she whispered.

“Um.”

Jinx stared at her knees. She grunted and hissed under her breath.

“Cait kissed me,” she said, “And I just…shit, Blondie. I blanked. Don’t even know why. Don’t even remember what happened after.”

Her blazing pink eyes searched her kneecaps, darting hither and thither like she was tracking fish in a pond.

“Just that I screwed it up.”

“Oh.”

“I’m a Jinx, you know,” she started fumbling for a cigarette. It was in her pocket, she didn’t even have a packet, so Lux supposed she was stealing them from her sister, “Don’t know why I thought it’d go any different…”

Lux caught her wrist.

Her grip wasn’t strong or forceful, but Jinx froze like a startled cat and looked up at her.

“Hey,” said Lux, “Stop that, okay?”

Jinx scowled, twitching her eyes between Lux’s hand and her face.

“…yeah well whatever, Miss Smoking Kills, joke’s on you, I forgot I don’t even have a light-”

“No!” Lux shook her head, “Stop putting yourself down like that!”

Jinx shrank back a little into herself, eyes flicking around Lux’s features.

“Wh-why? Why are you pretending you even care?”

But she didn’t pull her hand away.

Not even when Lux, unconsciously, let her fingers slacken and found them sliding from Jinx’s skinny wrist to her cool, delicate fingers.

“Because you were the first person since Ez who-” Lux swallowed, “Who just saw right through all my lies, saw right through me, and – and instead of hating me for it – you didn’t even care. You put a spray can in my hand and told me it was okay to break all the rules.”

Lux shook her head.

“I needed that, Jinx. I’ll never forget it. You’ll never be bad luck to me.”

Jinx had gone very still.

She breathed out, very softly.

“…then…why my sister? Why her?”

Lux felt a lump in her chest she didn’t understand. She didn’t understand the look in Jinx’s eyes, either; it was like trying to catch the shape of lightning behind the clouds of a distant thunderstorm.

“She protected me. She stood up for me. She… makes me feel safe.”

Jinx snorted, low and cruel.

“Safe,” she sneered, “She’s real good at that, yeah, until she isn’t.”

“She told me her side of it,” Lux breathed out.

“I bet she did.”

“Because I asked her to,” Lux said firmly, “But I want your side, too, Jinx. I want to understand you better, too.”

“Yeah, no thanks, not really feeling like dredging up all my baggage right now,” Jinx shook her head, “Safe…Luxie, be real with me, why the hell do you even want that?”

Lux blinked.

“Wh...what do you mean?”

Jinx’s fingers tightened around hers. She leaned in, eyes blazing in the darkening afternoon.

“…Briar told me how you chewed out those bimbos on your cheer squad,” she smirked, “Don’t lie to me, you’re tired of safe. You don’t need to hide behind my big dumb puppy of a sister. Grow a freakin’ backbone, Blondie. You wanna let out all your sunshine? Take the stupid lampshade off and – and stand up for yourself!”

Lux swallowed the lump in her throat. It was in her chest now. She couldn’t look away from Jinx’s eyes.

“…fine, then! My turn!” she said, “I – I thought you were interested in being my friend – but then you just dumped me right away for Caitlyn? Why? Why her and – and not-”

Why her and not me? It crawled irrationally around in the back of her skull, but it wasn’t fair – it’s not, Jinx can hang out with who she wants, date who she wants, I barely know her, I just wasn’t expecting…

Jinx’s fierce glare softened. She huffed out her breath.

“Caity-cat believes in me,” Jinx mumbled, “…nobody else does.”

“That’s a load of – of crap,” said Lux, “Sorry, I know she does! I’m not saying she doesn’t! But she’s not alone! So many people believe in you, Jinx.”

“Like who?”

Lux boggled at her.

“Like Briar? Vex? Ekko…?”

Jinx grunted, pulling her eyes down.

Lux’s voice softened, “Like me?”

Jinx looked at their joined hands and scoffed.

“You’re just saying that.”

“No. I believe in you, Jinx. You’re amazing.”

Jinx’s cheeks went bright pink. Her breathing ticked up. She slid her fingers away, suddenly self-conscious.

“Heh,” she cleared her throat, “…says the girl who can’t even kiss my sister right.”

Lux narrowed her eyes at the deflection, trying not to let the absence of Jinx’s fingertips on hers – the brush of those delicate pads with their artist’s callouses – sting her.

“Well, like I said, I hadn’t kissed a girl before.”

“Ugh, is it…” Jinx made a face – a few faces, really, “Like, seriously? Actually different?”

Lux tilted her head.

“Um, well I only have Ez for comparison but…wait, have you, uh…kissed guys, then?”

Jinx shuffled.

“Once,” she mumbled, “Kinda. With Ekko.”

“Oh.”

“We were just fooling around. Experimenting, and shit. Before we, um, found out…things about…who we are and what we like.”

Jinx shrugged, but the tension had come back into her shoulders.

“Didn’t go far. Got weird real quick.”

She paused. Lux’s silence seemed to spur her on.

“Dunno how you and Twinkles pull it off. Hasn’t quite been the same since, y’know? Me and him, I mean,” she shook her head, “Think he still feels awkward about it, but it was like…nothing, or whatever.”

Jinx growled under her breath and fiddled with the smoke she couldn’t light.

“Wasn’t long after that, he got with his flashy Firelight art club, and I started getting into trouble. We used to be a band and stuff, we wanted to be street musicians together, did he tell ya that? That fell apart, too.”

It was hopelessly bent and crushed, by now.

“He just keeps actin’ like he wishes he could, I dunno, turn back time,” Jinx’s voice came soft, hoarse, “Same with Vi. My dad, Vander, too. But I’m…different.”

Lux settled in beside her, studying her features, listening.

“Different …since the accident?”

“‘Accident’, heh!” Jinx’s eyes went cold and glazed, “I nearly died, Blondie. People got hurt. And it was my screwup. My fault, you get that? Don’t say it wasn’t, you weren’t there and neither was Vi-”

Lux fell silent, and Jinx furrowed her brows.

“Now I’m full of freak drugs and I gotta take more drugs so I don’t start getting symptoms,” she said, “And I didn’t even do the drugs, y’know? I wake up in a hospital bed, like this, and now I’m not allowed to see Pops…what the hell’s ‘normal’ anymore?”

“I see,” Lux frowned, “You…still care about him, huh?”

Jinx scowled, “He’s my Pops! They don’t get it. Fine!  Whatever. He’s a gangster. Sure. But – but he’s my Pops, he gets me…what he did…yeah, it’s messed me up but – but he did it to save me! I’d be dead if he hadn’t! And now I can’t even see him!”

“Gosh,” Lux swallowed, “I can’t even imagine what that feels like.”

“You can’t. Trust me. I’m a freak, Blondie. Anyone who hangs with me is gonna get tarred with the freak brush, too, just by proximity. Vex and Briar don’t care. Cait…”

Jinx’s expression grew both moody and thoughtful.

“Caity-cat doesn’t see who I was…says she sees who I could be. What’s that even mean, Blondie…? What about you? You sure you want to be around me? What do you think?”

Lux sat up and turned to face her completely.

She’d missed club. The sun was dying in the background, painting the world in deep, dusky reds and all the shadows in purple.

Jinx’s pale face seemed like the only exception.

“I think you’re the coolest freak I know,” said Lux, “You make me think maybe being a freak too is something I can be proud of.”

She turned her most dazzling smile on Jinx.

But she didn’t have to fake it. Not with Jinx. She never would.

“Of course I want to be around you, you idiot,” Lux said sweetly, “I told you. You’re amazing. And I’m gonna keep telling you that until you believe it too, because it’s true.”

The mangled cigarette went still in Jinx’s fingers.

“I don’t…I don’t believe you.”

Lux moved until she was facing Jinx directly, staring right into her, like she was the sun itself, and put all her towering Demacian certainty into the next two words.

“Believe me.”

Jinx nearly gaped at her. Her eyes pulled away from Lux’s own, as if the sincerity in them was blinding her, and instead, she looked down at Lux’s mouth.

“I …um, well, if we’re gonna hang out, then,” Jinx licked her lips.

She hesitated, narrowing her eyes, then gave a faint, bitter smirk that grew into her impish Jinx grin.

“…I just had a stupid idea, Blondie.”

“Hm?”

“Let’s practice.”

“What?”

Jinx smirked.

“Making out.”

Lux’s heart did a little backflip, “Y-you and me?”

Jinx shrugged, “I froze like a freakin rabbit when Cait kissed me. You apparently tried to eat my sister’s face. We’re crap at this. So…we’re here now. No bullshit. We’re friends, right?”

Lux sucked in a breath and nodded.

“Sure. Friends.”

“And you did it with your friend before,” Jinx went on, “Same as me and Ekko. Best case scenario, we can get better at this girl-kissing thing without making it weird. Worst case scenario, it’s weird. But we’ve both kissed our gay besties, we’re used to weird, right? We can be grownups about it.”

“…y-yes,” Lux stammered, “Grownups. Sure. But-but-Vi-and Caitlyn-behind their backs?”

“It’s not!” Jinx protested, scowling, “We’re doing it for them. Just so we’re not shit at kissing, right? I don’t want to freeze up like an idiot again, I need practice. How many times did you smooch Ezzy in public? Vi’s not pissy about that, is she? It’s no big deal.”

Lux furrowed her brows, but her tongue tangled on her arguments.

She blew out a slow breath.

“Okay.”

She shuffled a little closer to Jinx, who eyed her like she was an aggressively happy labrador about to bound over a fence.

As if she hadn’t actually expected her to say ‘yes’.

“Some ground rules, maybe?”

“…what, like no biting?” Jinx snickered, “I’m not some sissy like Vi. You bite me, I bite back, that’s fair freakin’ warning, Blondie.”

Lux sighed.

“Consent’s very important,” she said, “I – I guess we need some way that, if either of us feels uncomfortable, we signal to stop. Ez and I have a safe word. I think we should have one too. How about…raspberry?”

“Raspberry soda gets me high as a kite.”

“Good to know. Raspberry, though? Okay safe word? Can we agree?”

Jinx groaned and rolled her eyes, “Fine, raspberry it is.”

She spluttered one at Lux just to prove it, and Lux shook her head and silenced her with a raised Crownguard eyebrow.

“If you spit on me before we even do this, I’m out.”

Jinx’s throat wobbled with a swallow, just a little, as she sobered.

Lux knelt before Jinx, bathed in the dying light, their bare knees almost touching; close enough she could feel the heat on Jinx’s skin, and the brush of her ripped shorts against Lux’s skirts.

“…are you ready?”

“Uh,” said Jinx, tense to her bones, “Sure? But if you have bad breath or something, I’m not giving you any of my gum.”

“This was your idea.”

Jinx rolled her fiery eyes, “Sure! Fine, whatever, just plant one on me.”

She squished her eyes shut and puckered up, and Lux burst out laughing.

“Okay, no, Jinx, no, put the fish lips away!”

“Murphfff?”

“I’m serious. If you want this to be useful, we have to do it for real. Just relax. Look at my eyes, and remember ‘raspberry’ if it feels weird, okay?”

Jinx gave a noncommittal murmur, eyes on Lux’s pink, glossy lips.

“Strawberry, got it.”

“Jinx!” Lux warned, “I’ll leave, I swear I will.”

“Fine.”

Jinx licked her lips and let her eyes flick up to Lux’s blues.

She spat her gum into the bushes, ran her tongue over her teeth, and glanced back to Lux with a little raspy intake of breath, like she was bracing for a dentist’s chair.

“Kiss me already.”

Lux reached up and, hesitating just a moment, let her fingertips rest on Jinx’s chin, then slide along her jaw. Her skin was so pale, it looked like it’d be cold as ice, but beneath her touch it was blazing hot.

Jinx’s brows softened, and the ruined cigarette fell from her fingers.

Lux leaned in toward her dark, soft lips. There was only a moment to catch the sweet bubblegum scent on Jinx’s breath, then…

Their mouths met.

Lux felt the shiver of Jinx’s indrawn breath as their lips slid together. Jinx’s face tilted; her teeth briefly scraped Lux’s own, a tiny shock of hard amidst the soft.

Her lips gave to Lux’s pressure, her small jaws relaxing beneath Lux’s fingers and widening her mouth to let Lux in. She tasted incredible, sweet and smoky, the sugary pop of her bubblegum lingering in her spit.

The tension bled away, and Lux’s heart started pounding in her ears.

The light in her heart bloomed again, warm, warm, bright, brighter…

Lux had a moment, a horrible moment, where she felt a whisper of air in Jinx’s nostrils and thought she might pull away, might mutter the word that meant this was going to end.

Instead, Jinx gave a broken, whimpering moan into her open mouth, and her tiny fingers stabbed into Lux’s top and pulled her in, close, tight and hungry.

Her tongue lolled wet and hot into Lux’s mouth, and Lux’s mind blanked out.

Her fingers shook as they snaked along Jinx’s jawline and buried in her hair. She found them closing on her braids, scrunching in them, crushing Jinx closer to her rather than pulling her away.

Lux’s face tilted again. Jinx’s tongue scraped along the tops of her teeth. Lux gave a sharp, quavering cry into Jinx’s mouth and thrust her own tongue in to meet it. They wrapped like mating snakes and tugged clumsily at each other.

Jinx was in her lap, kissing her harder, bodies squashed together in a tight, heated tangle. Lux drowned in her heat, the textured softness of her skin and comfortable rustle of her clothes, the perfect cocktail of her taste and her smell, her clothes and hair and skin, her sweat and body spray, and the chemical bite of her paints and gum…

Bright…brighter…brighter…brighter than the sun, brighter than a supernova, brighter than anything…

She didn’t know how long they were there, before conscious thought finally tore itself in a blind panic into Lux’s brain.

Jinx…Jinx…oh …oh god…

Before her lips, kissed ruddy and cleaned entirely of their strawberry gloss, plucked involuntarily from Jinx’s own. Before she pulled back, panting, from Jinx’s dark-smeared lips and the gulping, gasping mouth they framed.

Before Jinx and Lux lifted their eyelids to stare at each other, into each other.

Oh…

Into what they’d both just done.

And how it felt.

…oh…

The words burst out of their mouths together.

“Oh fuck.”