𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞
𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝

"𝐖𝐄 should get going or you'll be the last one there for the arcade," Vander chuckled as he walked into the girls' shared room but stopped as he heard small sniffles. "Mai?" The girl didn't answer to her name only tried to conceal her cries that much harder as she held the pillow to her face whilst cowering in the corner of the bottom bunk.

"Buttercup?" His deep voice grumbled gently as he came to kneel beside the bed, his face full of empathy. "Why so blue?" There was an edge to his voice, Mai was never one to cry over much, more often than not it relieved him but now it terrified him.

She hurriedly wiped her eyes though her tears wouldn't stop falling, her shoulders trembling. "I miss my parents," her voice cracked as she tucked her face back into the pillow.

Vander sighed lowly, he didn't like it when he couldn't fix a problem for his kids. The worst thing was he didn't even personally know them, he had no stories or idea of what they looked like or even who they were, only Mai. Though, some days she didn't even trust what her own mind was showing her from time to time.

"I'm so sorry, Mai," she quieted her cries as he hung his head low, "I'm sorry I can't give you half the love they ever did you but I promise you that I will take care of you." He swore to her but couldn't afford to meet her Bambi eyed stare that would've fractured his heart. Instead he gaped slightly when Mai threw herself into his embrace and she only clung onto him for dear life.

"I know, dad." Vander wrapped his large arms around her with his own eyes beginning to stir with tears as he cradled her.

"𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑!" Mai yelled wildly with her body screaming for repentance with her skin scorched and marred. She dragged her burnt side over to his body that was twice the size embedded with shimmer that flowed up his veins. She cupped a hand over her mouth as her tears ran rampantly down her cheeks before throwing herself over his lifeless form.

Her fingers dug into his skin and head burrowed in his chest whilst her tears doused him, the tears from her eyes further stinging her burns. The pain was unlike any other she'd felt, it was heart clutching that made her gasp for breath as her cells fought to rejuvenate. 

"Dad," Mai quietly wailed more so silently as she ran out of air to form even proper words. She caught sight of the knife impaled in his side and her face morphed into a sneer with her eyes glaring into the metal. The shine from the fire reflecting back into her now almost black irises, her hands balled into a fist around the hilt of the blade before she quickly pulled it out with a shout.

𝐌𝐀𝐈 sat up quickly with a gasp whilst clutching the scarred side of her neck tightly, a relieved breath left her when she felt only that, no more fire.

Although, as she looked round she realised this was not her room, not even her bed at all. Her eyes widened when she realised whose bed she was under the covers in.

"Bad dream?" Caitlyn came to sit up beside her with a hand pressed against her lower back.

Mai looked at her in disbelief, "h-how am I- why are you here?"

Caitlyn just gave her a small chuckle that morphed into a lighthearted grin, "very funny, Mai." She chimed as if pretending not to notice how bizarrely Mai stared at her. "Come lay back down," Mai felt goosebumps arise on her skin as Caitlyn's hand slipped up her back until she was grasping the back of her neck in a gentle grip.

Mai allowed herself to be pulled back into the comfort of the pillows she said she hadn't wanted to dirty. "This isn't-"

Caitlyn shushed her gently, "I told you I'd keep you safe." Caitlyn tipped Mai's head back into her pillows, "now let me take care of you."

𝐀𝐒 Mai blinked she groaned when she found herself surrounded by nothing but darkness on a hard, wooden floor. She stood up and tried to look round but there was no use, "hello?"

A loud crackle sounded that made her flinch as a circle of fire surrounded her, she shut her eyes tight and dug her nails into her palm. "This isn't real," she muttered incessantly but the heat around her was closing in, drinking up the clean air and destroying the wood floor.

"Mai!" A panicked shout that sounded like Vi made her look round only to see nothing but flames whilst she searched for Violet.

"Mai!" Gabby's voice cried loudly into the black void and Mai felt fear circling her heart.

"Mai!" Caitlyn's voice made the girl clutch hands over her ears as the shouts grew louder, different voices and different screams made her began to grow more and more claustrophobic.

"Niah!" A echo she had not heard before cut amidst the noise as it sounded raw and powerful.

Until suddenly, the fire was extinguished, the voices ceased and she scarcely drew her hands away from her ears. Mai took a step back, preparing to run and escape whatever torture she was placed in but her back collided with something solid. She spun round only to see a sight you would find in nightmares, a tall figure that was made purely out of black smoke and burning golden eyes stared down at her.

Mai felt like she couldn't move, as if she'd been frozen and electrocuted all at the same time. It's voice seemed to be a mixture of anything and everything as it's mouth didn't move but it's body did.

"Found you." 

"𝐌𝐀𝐈!" A kick to the back of her chair came after the calling of her name and Mai scrambled in her seat whilst panting heavily. Her vision was slightly blurred but she made out the colourful surroundings around her.

She went to move her hands to her head that throbbed but she grunted when feeling the tightness of ropes around her forearms.

"Thought we lost you for a minute," a dry and croaky laugh came from behind her that and Mai let her shoulders fall.

"Powder." Mai shook her head to regain her vision and looked down to her right, Silco, the man who'd ruined her life sat bound and gagged at the edge of the table staring down to her. She saw chairs labelled Mylo and Claggor with their names scratched or painted into the seats and little stuffed figures lay in the seats. She looked to her left and saw Gabby too tied to the chair with a cover over her mouth looking to Mai in fright.

Vi was at the head of the table breathing a breath of relief when she saw Mai finally lift her head up. She saw another figure in the corner of her eye and her breath hitched, Mai already had began to shake her head.

Caitlyn sat opposite her, a thin layer of swear atop her brow, she tried to fight her restraints and lurch forwards to wake Mai and in return her mouth was bound and ropes dug harshly into her skin, reddening it. Her hair was wet and damp, eyes fulgurite with constant worry and Mai felt her face sink as Caitlyn was now endanger.

"What have you done?"

Her words made Jinx sigh, "always so serious," she leant against the table so she could look down at Mai. "But you weren't always." She muttered more so to herself whilst she stroked Link in her arms and Mai's eyes flickered between the kitten and Jinx's hands.

She caught sight of the fear in her eyes, "oh, relax! I'm not gonna hurt the cat," she kissed him on the head all while he rested in the crook of her arm. 

Vi spoke again, "Powder, come on-"

"Don't interrupt!" Jinx casted a sharp glance to her sister before looking back to Mai whose face was laced in self loathing. "It's perfect, all of the family and extended family together so, where should I sit?" Mai looked to one chair labelled Powder whilst the other said Jinx, "I always did like to sit next to you at dinner."

She looked back to Jinx with tired eyes, "I'm not in the mood for your games, Powder."

Her expression fell and she scoffed, placing Link on the table before planting a knife in the plate of where Mai sat. It was Vander's.

"Alright, help me with something else," she placed the gun in Mai's open palms and she met her gaze with confusion. "Make her go away, please." It was pointed at Caitlyn as Powder started to plead with her purple rounded eyes staring back at her. "Make her go away and you two can have, Powder back."

A yelp came from Caitlyn behind her mask and Mai looked over to see her on the verge of tears. "No." Her voice was stern as she stared up at Powder who was looking down at her with a shocked look that fell into her pursing her lips.

"Fine," she snatched the gun from her hands and before Mai could blink she was across the table pointing the gun to Caitlyn's head.

"Powder, no!" Vi yelled as she tried to push herself from the restraints.

Caitlyn shut her eyes at the feel of the cool metal against her temple, Gabby wrestled with the ropes and Mai felt the world around her slowing down. She gritted her teeth and felt an overwhelming strength make her body get a rush of exhilaration. With a shout she stood up from her chair, the ropes snapping under the tension and Mai dived across the table, the gun fell from Jinx's hands as Mai pinned her to the wall by her throat.

Her lip was turned up as her grip turned harsh permitting small bruises to form on Jinx's neck, she struggled for a moment but upon seeing her harsh glare she fell limp. Her grip on her wrist loosened and Mai felt the flourish of anger dissipating as she stared into her eyes, Powder's eyes, her little sister.

She unhooked her hand from her neck and gently reached out to hold her elbow, "haven't we caused each other enough pain."

Mai watched her eyes flutter down to the scars on her neck and the tears began to spill from Powder's eyes.

"Oh, Powder," Vi muttered pitifully as she watched her sisters hands gingerly reach up to touch the scars.

A shot rang out from the cave making those still at the table flinch but small sharp pants began to leave Mai's mouth.

"No," Powder whispered as she looked down to see Mai's top beginning to pool with blood. "No, no," she caught Mai in her arms whose eyes were still wide as she clutched her stomach. "I'm sorry," she muted profoundly with tears clouding her sight as she lowered her against the rocks.

"You bastard!" Vi shouted down the head of the table where Silco sat though even he looked like a crazed man himself. Gabby screamed loudly behind the mask that bound her mouth making sound muffled and incoherent. Link hid behind the silverware, the noises hurting his ears that made him cower.

Caitlyn managed to cut off her restraints with some of the cutlery but her body was still, she couldn't move, she felt like her lungs had collapsed on her. Her lip quivered and she dry heaved with the tears falling and pooling in the fabric of her uniform, Mai had gotten shot. She'd been hurt after she promised the girl that she was safe with her, that she could rely on her.

Mai clenched her jaw as her hands began to be the colour of a dark velvet, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Jinx cried as she pressed her hands on top of Mai's to keep her blood pressurised.

Mai reached her hand up, the blood painting a print on Jinx's jaw, "it's alright," she managed to choke out normally.

"Jinx," Silco began almost nervously though the gun was still in his hand, Jinx flared her nostrils and looked over to him. "I- I didn't-"

"Drop the gun!" Caitlyn shouted aloud and Silco pointed the pistol back at the enforcer as she held the mini gun in hand.

"Caitlyn," Vi urged the girl as she looked over to see Mai gritting her teeth and clutching her stomach severely in pain.

"You," Jinx stood up, her gaze unfazed by Caitlyn pointing the gun between the two criminals, whilst staring daggers at Silco. "Liar."

"Jinx, I didn't mean to-" He let out a shout as he felt a knife piercing his ribs and twisting, the gun was snatched from his hand and he fell into the chair again.

Caitlyn's face was in a furious frenzy as she hovered her finger over the trigger whilst steering closer to Mai as she lay on the floor. The enforcer couldn't afford to look at her or her stern expression would crumble in an instant.

"Drop your weapon!"

Jinx lazily turned round her shoulders sunken completely before her eyes seemed to lock on Caitlyn's leg that she shakily stood upon. "No!" Vi shouted as Caitlyn fired the gun but Jinx was too fast, the shimmer making her almost untouchable. She kicked at her leg bending her knee inwards at an odd angle before smacking her up side with the butt of the gun.

There was a silence only the uneven breath of Mai who winced as she saw Caitlyn's head in the ground harshly. The shimmer in her own blood was palpitating around the room and she felt as if only a gash was there.

"Powder?" Vi questioned gently as she saw her sister standing not facing anyone, "Mai, she needs help." She saw her shoulders tense slightly.

Jinx knelt down in front of Mai who was looking up at her in confusion, there was no humour in any of her mannerisms. "I'm sorry for what I did to you," Mai's eyebrows furrowed as she raised her own gun before firing it in twice Silco's direction. Mai gaped as she watched him hold a hand over his chest whilst Jinx stood in front of him, a facade of blankness that was slowly fading.

"I- I didn't mean to hurt her, I just wanted to s-scare her off," he wheezed out coughing up blood as he did so. Jinx bit her lip to console her cries, "I never would have given you to them, my daughter." The words mixed with his last breath as he slouched completely in the chair. Jinx had snatched the mini gun from Caitlyn but now as she listened to his words her chest rose and fell rapidly and she let out a anguishing yell.

Bullets flew everywhere, Gabby and Vi trying  their best to avert the line of fire whilst Link had ran to hide with Mai. The bullets rang out until Jinx had emptied all the capsules, it was eerily silent, not even the echoes reaching their ears as Jinx numbly stared at the chair with her name.

"Powder?" Vi called out wearily, her eyes already dancing between Mai and Gabby, "it's okay."

Mai felt herself becoming lucid as she lost more blood, she watched as it seeped through the cracks in her fingers.

"I thought maybe you could love me like you used to," Jinx croaked out as she glanced over to Mai, embarrassment filling her at how she always managed to harm the girl. "Even though I'm, different."

Mai caught sight of Caitlyn stirring when Jinx stood up once more a look of determination and despair all wrapped into one countenance. The enforcer looked up to see Mai looking down at her clutching her stomach and grunted in pain as she clutched her leg when going to stand.

She came to sit beside Mai and felt herself nearly sick at the sight of the blood that was pouring out of the girl. She tore the jacket off of her uniform and pressed it into Mai making the girl wince, Caitlyn was anxiously staring down at her blood coloured clothes but she felt a pair of fingers tilt her head up.

"Where are you going?" Vi asked as she broke out of her restraints and rushed to Gabby's side whose cheek had been grazed by the array of bullets. Jinx said nothing dragging a rocket launched on her shoulder as she climbed higher and higher, further into the darkness of the cave until she found herself atop a plank of wood, the only view being Piltover.

The words fell deaf on Caitlyn's ears as her sole attention was on the bleeding woman before her who made her look her in the eye. Despite her wanting to heal her wound she saw her blaming herself with her eyes begging Mai to stand up and walk it off.

"No!" Vi cried out and the two looked over with their mouths parting in shock .

"No," Caitlyn gaped out whilst covering her mouth in shock as she watched Jinx fire the rocket at Piltover's tower. Maj held the jacket to her stomach before reaching over and pulling Caitlyn down into her chest. She shielded her view of the explosion but they felt the vibrations shake the foundations and that only made Caitlyn cry louder in her arms.

Then, Jinx was gone.

𝐌𝐀𝐈 had passed out by time she had dragged herself with the help of Vi, Gabby held Caitlyn with her damaged leg though the exhaustion was too much. Mai felt her body aching, it felt weak and she could only imagine what she looked like, her eyes fluttered open through certain parts of the time. She saw Vi standing over her before her space was left empty, Caitlyn appeared more than once with her eyes bloodshot though she was soon gone too, Gabby sat in the corner of the room staring as if death had already taken her at the other survivors from the explosion.

"Gabby?" She whispered out croakily though it seemed the girl didn't hear her as she was unmoving.  A pained sting jabbed at her stomach again and Mai felt herself succumbing to her injuries, slipping into the darkness of sleep and parrying around the grip of death.

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 Caitlyn returned to the medic she asked for Mai to be brought with her, Gabby nor Vi seemed to have any protest. Link sat atop Caitlyn's boot as she tore her gaze from Mai's bed to the injuries others had sustained. Broken bones, ugly gashes, mutilated limbs whilst some already had tarps thrown over their bodies.

Caitlyn felt a sinking feeling of numbness that ached her body and tore away at her insides, her face was blank and entirely lacking of emotion. Though, as she watched lifeless forms being covered the image of her mother flashed in her mind that made her shit them tightly though she only saw her face more.

An anger burned so brightly in her that her nails drew blood as her face began to screw tightly, a scorned woman is dangerous when she has someone to blame. Caitlyn was blaming Jinx.

If she had not lured them away into the cave for some sick and twisted version of tea then Mai wouldn't have gotten shot. Her mother wouldn't be hauled away in a stretcher as they prepared her for a burial, it was all Jinx's fault that her mother was dead and she'd make sure Jinx would pay the highest price of all. Death.

Caitlyn would have appeared that of a manic woman as she lay besides Mai watching the slow and steady rise and fall of her chest. Her rifle lay at the foot of her bed whilst she locked the windows and drew the blinds, she was stood watch most nights waiting for a strike. The skin around her nails as good as shredded as her teeth anxiously penetrated her skin whilst she paced, occasionally stopping to listen for Mai's breaths.

Vi and Gabby had wandered by but the sight was too painful to bear, Gabby had to ran off and Link came with her. Violet held Mai's hand, stroked her cheek gently before following after the girl, tears already falling from her eyes. Caitlyn never spoke, she hadn't used her voice since she escaped her captors hands, not even to her father who she couldn't face with too much shame clouding her.

Mai was content in her long slumber as it soothed her mind, shielding her from the torment that awaited outside for her when she woke. Although through the darkness she saw the figure, the tall mist filled androgynous character with a misshapen voice and glowing eyes.

She held her ground as they drifted close to her and reached out, the mist morphing into a more familiar, softer one. Their thumb planted itself on her forehead, "wake."

𝐀 sharp gasp left Mai's lips as her eyes flickered open, they adjusted easily to the darkness but she once again stilled when looking at the ceiling and the covers that folded over her. She pinched her eyes shut, "I'm dreaming again."

"Again?"

Mai turned to sharply at the voice and let out a small yelp that had the woman rushing over to her side. Caitlyn gave her a solemn look before she grabbed the top of the cover that was held up to Mai's chest, "may I?"

Mai looked down and saw she still had her beretta covering her breasts and felt the material of her pants rubbing against one another. She rather timidly nodded and Caitlyn offered her a small smile, she pulled the covers down and Mai's face contorted at the chill that brushed her skin harshly.

Caitlyn's brows scrunched at the sight of the bandage still gathering blood, she unwrapped it and the wound was left bare. She held the antiseptic over Mai's stomach and Caitlyn was already giving her an apologetic glance, "I'm sorry." Mai clenched her fists around the mattress and put her head back with a deep groan.

Caitlyn tenderly cleaned it and looked over it with a nod, "it's healing fast," she ran her finger around they wound and she felt Mai's abdomen tense under her touch. "There should only be a small scar."

Mai coughed humourlessly, "like I don't have enough."

"It could have been a lot worse," there was a coldness to Caitlyn's voice that she hadn't heard before. She sat with her back straight against the pillows and it prompted Mai to sit up, she moved slow and carefully with small sounds of pain leaving her.

As she looked to Caitlyn from this angle a bothered look passed her face, this was not the Caitlyn she had known a mere day before. She was stiff and unyielding, reminding Mai more of herself than the saccharine aura Caitlyn seemed to possess. Mai slipped her hand into Caitlyn's and gave it a gentle squeeze, the enforcer visibly reacted by breathing in deeply and looking over to Mai who was staring at her worriedly.

There were unshed tears in Caitlyn's eyes, "what happened?"

Caitlyn went to open her mouth but no sound came out, it was as if there was a sound barrier blocking her throat. The reality that if she said these words then she had accepted them to be true, "sh-she."

Mai reached over and grabbed the back of Caitlyn's hair pulling her down and into her form whilst she wrapped her arms around her. Caitlyn silently cried into the crook of her neck, her tears dousing her skin and making Mai shush her gently as she stroked her hair whilst the Kiramman curled into her body.

"Oh, sweetheart," hearing Mai coo at her made her cry harder as she put her arms around Mai's neck and pulled her close.

Caitlyn picked her head up from Mai's neck and their eyes met, both perturbed and reddened, Mai cupped her cheek. Her thumb stroked against her wet skin trying to dry it as she went and Caitlyn placed her own hand over Mai's, nuzzling into it as she did so.

"I'm sorry," Mai murmured and gently rested her foreheads against Caitlyn's who quieted her cries entirely. With ease Mai pulled them down gently until she lay flat against the mattress whilst Caitlyn was sideways still, foreheads still touching with their eyes closed. Mai's hand wandered down until it found Caitlyn's that lay in between the space they shared. Caitlyn held on tight as if clutching a safety net that she did not want to let go of.