Hey everyone! I'm still alive and kicking. It's just been an insanely busy week with work, dnd, and house renovations. I'm writing bits at a time when I can for the Pirate AU. Hopefully, I can get it out at the end of the week.
Vi let out a bark of laughter. "Your mom hates me, princess. I'd be the last trencher she'd ever hire." "She doesn't hate you, Vi," Caitlyn insisted with an eye roll. "She's just protective. Surely that's something you can understand." "I do, which is why I know she'd never hire me. That and I haven't 'availed myself of receiving the best education anyone in Piltover or Zaun could get,'" she said, mimicking Cassandra. Caitlyn snorted. "Well, it was just a thought," she replied. Vi gave her a crooked grin that made her stomach swoop. "It's not even been three weeks, and you're already looking for ways to keep me around? Have I grown on you, Kiramman?" Caitlyn gave her a smirk that she has seen literally make other girls weak in the knees. "It's like you said, you've got that Zaunite charm." The blush that crept up Vi's face had been completely worth it, and Caitlyn ached to see just how red she could make Vi turn, but was interrupted when Sonya returned to them.
Tethered - Chapter 13 - caitlynkirammansrifle - Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021) [Archive of Our Own]
As Caitlyn and Vi do their best to ignore the growing feelings between them, a Council meeting with a Demacian official leads them to worry about the safety of the tether.
I am really excited for the next chapter of "Tethered." This is going to be one that will really hint at how different this story is going to be from the original rewrite. Hope you all are going to like the changes!
I need two more hands and one more brain because I just want to write both the next chapter of "The Harrowing" and "Tethered" at the same time š
Again??? I just posted a new chapter of "Tethered," and AO3 is loading slowly almost immediately. This happened yesterday when I posted the Pirate AU, too! Is it me?? Am I the problem??
"Councilor, I am speaking as a parent of four teenagers. You locked two seventeen-year-olds inside for the last two and a half weeks, and you're surprised that they snuck out to attend what sounds like a party?" Vander asked incredulously. "I can't speak to your children, Vander, but Caitlyn does not disobey my rules," Cassandra stated, almost in offense. It took everything in Vi to not roll her eyes. Caitlyn was far too well-versed in how to get in and out of her window to have never done it before they went to Zaun. Vander narrowed his eyes at the Councilor. "What is that supposed to mean?" he asked with a low growl. Cassandra seemed unmoved by his flash of anger. "Caitlyn never would have behaved so abhorrently before she met Vi. I'm not sure I like the influence she is having on my daughter," Cassandra stated matter-of-factly. Righteous indignation flared through Vi as she heard the couch creak as Vander gripped the frame of it until his knuckles were white.
Tethered - Chapter 12 - caitlynkirammansrifle - Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021) [Archive of Our Own]
Vi and Caitlyn's families discuss how they snuck out, and the girls find out their punishment.
"I apologize, Miss Fortune. You must understand thatā" "Strike two." Grayson turned to Vi, whose cavalier expression had turned dark so fast, Caitlyn had blinked and missed the change. "Excuse me?" Grayson asked with narrowed eyes. Vi leaned forward with a glare that could cut glass. "Pulling iron on us was strike one. Strike two was not paying the proper respect to the Queen of Bilgewater." Caitlyn scoffed. "Bilgewater is not recognized as a sovereign state by any official government on Runeterra. The seagulls have more of a claim to the land than you do," she spat.
The Harrowing - Chapter 4 - caitlynkirammansrifle - Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021) [Archive of Our Own]
Caitlyn, Grayson, Vi, and Sarah parley to discuss what they know about the missing crew of ships all over Runeterra. The Piltovans have an unexpected proposal.
I am really loving the writing challenge this CaitVi Pirate AU is presenting, but at the same time, I feel like itās the most coherent Iāve felt my writing has been since I got back into 6 months ago. Itās a bit more emotionally charged than I was anticipating, but not in a bad way. Iām almost done with chapter 4, which will be up tonight, and then Iāll write a chapter of āTethered.
Not me thinking I need to make my own map/mark a blank map of Runeterra for my CaitVi Pirate AU šš
"A good captain would sit back and let their crew bask in the limelight of fighting such a ferocious beast. You're sitting here by yourself, letting them brag to the whole bar, without joining in," Caitlyn explained. "Perhaps I just enjoy my alone time." "They have rooms here for that, yet you sit here alone despite being surrounded by people," she replied easily. Vi's smirk turned into a charming grin, and she pulled the chair she had her arm on out from under the table. "Maybe I was just waiting for the right person to join me," she stated. Caitlyn ducked her head in a coquettish manner before she sat next to the pirate, who did not remove her arm from behind Caitlyn's chair. This is good, but don't get cocky, she warned herself before she spoke again. "So, fact or fiction: did you really fight off a sea scarab in the middle of a storm?"
The Harrowing - Chapter 3 - caitlynkirammansrifle - Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021) [Archive of Our Own]
Three years ago, as a new and hungry bounty hunter, Caitlyn set her sights on the infamous pirate Captain Vi "Stone Fist" to make a name for herself, marking the beginning of a long, bitter rivalry between the two women.
I finally posted my CaitVi pirate AU after months of talking about it, and AO3 goes down/is being hella slow šš classic
After being orphaned and left to fend for themselves, Vi and her sister, Powder, stowed away on a ship to leave the oppressive laws of Piltover for the freedom of the high seas. Years later, Captain Vi āStone Fistā has her own ship, crew, a port to call home, and a reputation as one of the most feared pirates on the oceanāa reputation that has earned her the ire of Commander Caitlyn Kiramman. Caitlyn seeks to end this so-called Golden Age of Piracy and bring peace to the waters near her home. Caitlynās goal is forcibly deferred when her and Viās bitter rivalry must give way to a reluctant partnership as the crews of ships throughout the seas are mysteriously vanishing, leaving empty vessels floating eerily in the ocean. The Council of Piltover and the pirate haven of Bilgewater have called a truce to join forces to uncover what is causing the disappearances and put an end to it once and for all. Vi and Caitlyn are ordered by their respective leaders to work together to end this dark plague before it spreads to every corner of the globe. Can the two set aside their differences to save their homes and their people? Or will their rivalry lead to the end of life on Runeterra as they know it?
The Harrowing - Chapter 1 - caitlynkirammansrifle - Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021) [Archive of Our Own]
The prologue and first chapter are out. 8,000 words of our brand new adventure, and I do mean brand new! This will be very different than the other fics I've written for CaitVi. Hope you enjoy!
Bad news, I think I have a little bug and had to miss work. The good news is that I will be able to finish the first chapter of the Pirate AU tonight. I just have to edit it as well as the prologue, and I'll post it in just a little bit!
I finally got to get some work done on the CaitVi pirate AU. Iām hoping to have the prologue and first chapter out on Monday, but possibly sooner. I have a dresser that Iāve been meaning to paint for months that I want to get done though š
āPretty snazzy,ā Vi said as they neared the door, hearing the sound of laughter, music, and conversation inside. Caitlyn snorted. āIf thatās the word you want to use.ā āAnd what would you call it?ā āGaudy.ā Vi mimicked her snort. āPot, meet kettle.ā Caitlyn clicked her tongue behind her teeth. āWhile my family and I donāt hide the fact that we are wealthy, at least we donāt shove it in everyoneās faces.ā āYour front yard has two massive water fountains that are the size of the one-room basement my family lives in, princess. You have a wrought iron gate surrounding your castle that literally separates you from the rest of Piltover,ā Vi replied with the most condescending tone Caitlynās heard from her yet.
Tethered - Chapter 11 - caitlynkirammansrifle - Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021) [Archive of Our Own]
Caitlyn and Vi sneak out to go to a Piltover party.
I love the head-canon of Vi calling Caitlyn out on her rich girl bullshit and my fic āTetheredā has been such a fun place to indulge in that š¤£
canāt believe the duologyās over! Iām getting the same bittersweet feeling I get when a great book is over š„¹ honestly some of the best writing & plots Iāve ever come across in fanfics and definitely one of my absolute caitvi faves. I loved Caitās POV and all the angst & action in the second fic, and now bc of your Cassandra I struggle to read fics that dont make her out to be a good mom š Youāre an amazing writer and I canāt wait for Tethered and all your other fics! Iām now downloading your works as epubs so I can keep & reread them in my kindle š„°
I knoooow it's insane. It's been such a short time (barely even six months) since I first posted. I'm so happy to hear you've enjoyed the story, and thank you for the kind words! It was an incredible experience to write it, and I am so excited to dive back into Tethered and introduce you guys to the Pirate AU :D <3
All Hail Queen Cassandra!
If you still were looking at different prompts for your writing challenge, here's one:
A scene from a reverse au in a modern setting. A zaunite Caitlyn and a piltovan Vi's first meeting (whether they swapped in a way that makes Vi a Kiramman + Cait Vander's kid or if The kirammans are zaunite and Vi and Co are piltovan is up to you). Possibly in a bar where Caitlyn is the bartender
Forgive me if the prompt is not written in a way that makes the most sense, I was struggling with how to word it as I haven't really written a prompt before.
I shall take it into consideration! Still not 100% sure if I'll even write a one-shot, but I am open to it. Thanks for the prompt!!
In the few hours since Iāve posted the last chapter of āLow Lays the Devil in Meā and thus wrapping up that series, a few people have asked in the comments if Iāll do any one shots or anything like that in the AU.
While I love and appreciate that people really like my version the Arcane/LoL world and characters, I do not see myself doing anything else in this AU. I almost never say never, but itās highly unlikely.
I am very happy and satisfied with where this story has ended and Iāve never been one milk a story just cuz I like the world/characters. To me, Caitlyn and Viās story in this world is complete and I donāt have any desire to further it.
I have never, in my life, believed I would ever actually complete even 1 long-form fanfic, let alone the 2 I have now completed as of today. If you look at my fanfics before this, it's a few one-shots and a WIP that'll never get completed. I am usually not one to talk about being proud of something I did, but I will absolutely say it today. Writing this series was creatively fulfilling, an absolute joy (and at times, a headache) to write, and one of the craziest things in writing I've ever accomplished.
Thank you to everyone who left me such kind words on this site and in the comments. You are all amazing ā¤ļøš
In a rare moment of self-plugging: for anyone who wants it, I'll leave a link below. This is an almost 350,000-word, 2-fic series of an episode 1 canon-divergence (with some major liberties taken with canon). It's an alternative, slow-burn story of what could have happened if Hextech was never invented, Zaun and Piltover's clash was the focus, with Caitlyn and Vi meeting and falling in love as teenagers who are caught in the middle of it all.
Almost like a steampunk Romeo and Juliet spy/revolution story, in a way. ā¤ļøš
I Will Give You My Rebel Heart - caitlynkirammansrifle - Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021) [Archive of Our Own]
This is the final chapter of the CaitVi series "I Will Give You My Rebel Heart."
Low Lays the Devil in Me - Chapter 23 - caitlynkirammansrifle, just-a-pleb-les (caitlynkirammansrifle) - Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021) [Archive of Our Own]
See below for a little sappy message on wrapping up this epic, massive series.
I'm copying and pasting this from the end note section of this final chapter:
Okay, so let me be a bit of a sap for a moment.
I never, ever, ever in my wildest dreams thought I could ever actually complete a fic (or any piece of writing) of this length, let alone 2 in a series that make up 350,000 words! According to Google, the average word count for a book is 70-100,000. So, since I started this fic in December of 2024, I have spent the last six months almost to the day writing over 3 novels' worth of words. Now, working in an established world with established characters (a lot of which I also used from official LoL lore) definitely helped with world-building and character creation. However, that is still a wild feat to accomplish, and Iām not so humble as to not be proud of myself for writing two semi-coherent stories with 350,000 words and making them up, for the most part, as I went.
That all being said, Iām not 100% sure if I would have done this at the pace that I had with the excitement that I had if it werenāt for how amazing and kind you all have been. The fact that there about 1200 comments (thatās halved from what the actual number shows because Iāve replied to almost every single one, so Iām not counting mine) and Iāve only had 2 hate comments that Iāve had to delete is absolutely wild given that this is the internet and that CaitVi can be a bit of a controversial pairing in the fandom. What Iām trying to say is thank you to every single person who has read this, left a comment, left a kudos, subbed to the fic/my ao3 account, bookmarked, followed me on social media, been inspired by this story to write a fic/create a piece of art, and everything in between. This has been one of the most creatively fulfilling things Iāve ever done, and I appreciate every person who was kind enough to give it a chance and more.
This story is not perfect, Iām sure there are more than a few plot holes or underdeveloped parts and other issues that come with fanfic writing without an editor and problems that come with making it all up as you go along, but I donāt care. This story and this version of these characters mean so much to me (looking at you, my queen Cassandra Kiramman), and this will forever have a special place in my heart. Thank you to everyone who has joined me on this wild ride. It has meant the world to me ā¤ļøš
The epilogue of "Low Lays the Devil in Me" is written (it's not very long), but I want to sit with it a bit and be sure that it's exactly how I want it before I post it. And I want to give people time to read the last chapter for a hot second.
Caitlyn ignored the stares and gasps of the people on the streets of Piltover as she sprinted past them. She knew she must look a wreck. Bruised and scraped from the battle at Stillwater and now drenched in blood while carrying a rifle was not how any of them had ever seen the Princess of Piltover before, but Caitlyn didnāt care. The panic that clawed at her throat helped her ignore the exhausted muscles in her legs and arms and the slightly foggy sensation in her brain from the effects of the drug and no sleep. Still, she couldnāt fail. Wouldnāt. She could still hear Maddieās voice, after all this time since Bloodcliff, pushing her to be betterāto do better. āCombat is won when you find the will to overcome your own weakness. You have to want itāneed itāmore than your enemies. Tell me, Kiramman, do you want to win? Need to win?ā There was never a time when Caitlyn needed something more. The lives of every person she's ever cared about were on the line, and she could not fail.
Low Lays the Devil in Me - Chapter 22 - caitlynkirammansrifle - Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021) [Archive of Our Own]
The final showdown.
I may or may not have written 9,000 words in one day for the last chapter before the epilogue of āLow Lays the Devil in Meā? š¬š¬š¬
Soooo guess whatās probably coming out today! š Iāll lots of editing to do, first though and I have a staff meeting tonight, so I hope to get it out before then
There were three seconds of shocked silence between the two of them before a protective ferocity unlike anything Caitlyn had ever seen from Pivoni roared behind her dark eyes. Even after a night of facing down enemies who tried to kill her, Caitlyn wasnāt sure sheād ever seen anyone look at her with such fury before. Perhaps it was because she was so tired, or maybe it was the shock at the scene before her that caused Caitlyn to miss Pivoni spring from her chair and suddenly shoved Caitlyn against a wall with a powerful grip on the collar of her shirt as she looked at her with a twisted snarl. āYou better have a good reason for being here or I swear to Janna I will fucking kill you,ā Pivoni spat and Caitlyn, despite her confident claim to Vi earlier, realized that Pivoni meant it. āIāI didnātāIāā Pivoni yanked at Caitlynās shirt and slammed her against the wall again. āLast chance, Kiramman.ā
Low Lays the Devil in Me - Chapter 21 - caitlynkirammansrifle - Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021) [Archive of Our Own]
In the wake of the Battle of Stillwater, Caitlyn gives Pivoni one more chance to side with them before it's too late.
Alright, hoping to have the next chapter out soon of "Low Lays the Devil in Me." This one will be a lot more dialogue-heavy compared to our last super action-packed chapter, but it's necessary for you guys to get some answers. This is the penultimate chapter, though!! Just one more after this next one, and I do think I am going to go with an epilogue, so technically there are 3 more chapters left and we're done with this massive body of work š±š±
After that, I will maybe write a quick one-shot as a palette cleanser, get a new chapter out for "Tethered," and then post the prologue of the Pirate AU!!
My problem with the next chapter of "Low Lays the Devil in Me"
To monologue or not monologue, that is the question.
Okay, so I've never done this before, and I'm not promising anything, but here goes. I will take a CaitVi writing prompt for a one-shot fic to do as a palate cleanser once "Low Lays the Devil in Me" is done. I've always wanted to try a writing prompt and now is as good a time as any (if anyone manages to inspire me with a prompt, that is). Please leave them either in the replies of this post or as an anonymous ask if you'd like.
Rules:
Must be a non-canonical setting, preferably modern day, as I have spent a lot, a lot of time in Piltover/Zaun/Runeterra and will do so again in the Pirate AU that's next and in "Tethered."
Not completely ruling out smut, but it can't be the sole focus. I'm a character-driven writer first and foremost, and want to keep it that way, please.
Please keep the prompt to three sentences, max 350 words.
Must be one-shot worthy, and I'll probably not make it more than 15,000 words, so nothing that would require a complex, multichapter storyline.
I am doing this as a writing exercise, not an obligation to the people who suggest any prompts. Fanfic writing is for fun, and I want a little short break between "Devil" and the Pirate AU, which is my next long-form fic.
I will NOT do any requests for anti-ship/anti-character fics.
Thanks everyone! We'll see how this goes and if anything grabs me. Please don't be hurt if I don't choose yours. This is just a little exercise for me, and you never know, maybe I'd do one later if you suggest one now.
I just saw that "Heart Made of Glass, My Mind of Stone" has surpassed 2000 kudos š±š±š± That's an absolutely wild number, and I can't wrap my head around the fact that many people have enjoyed my writing. Thank you so much to everyone who has read, commented, left a kudos, and followed me for my CaitVi stories. You are all far too kind to me! ā¤ļøš
Vi, through her blackening vision, saw something smack the Warden in the temple, and he whipped his head around just in time to see the barrel of Caitlynās rifle pointed at him before she pulled the trigger. The fingers around her throat went lax and Vi sucked in several lungsful of air before she looked up at Caitlyn and smiled. āThanks, Cupcake.ā āCanāt have you go out like that, darling. That would be embarrassing,ā Caitlyn said with a teasing tone. āNo way. I plan on living to a ripe old age and dying in your arms,ā Vi replied, winking at her girlfriend even if she knew Caitlyn couldnāt see it behind her mask. Caitlyn reached a hand down and pulled Vi up. āSweet talker,ā her lover replied before she turned to the iron gates.
Low Lays the Devil in Me - Chapter 20 - caitlynkirammansrifle - Arcane: League of Legends (Cartoon 2021) [Archive of Our Own]
The assault on Stillwater goes awry, and Vi, Caitlyn, and the Noxians must fight through the prison to get to the shimmer plant.