Polluted Seas- A CaitVi AU

Chapter 5

The first place Vi led them to was a pub owned by a man who looked disturbingly akin to a giant fish named Jericho. Caitlyn didn't have the stomach to ask how Vi had acquired the pouch of coins she pulled out as she laid a few on the countertop. Jericho didn't even ask them what food they wanted, just took the payment and walked to the back.

Vi smirked conspiratorially at Caitlyn and motioned for the Brit to join her as she sat on one of the row of stools in front of the counter. "Is he feeding you information?" Caitlyn whispered, leaning close to the pirate. "Why didn't he ask us any questions?"

Vi looked at Caitlyn. "Before I was locked up, I was a regular here. He knows what I'm after." She told her simply. After a moment, two bowls were placed in front of the pair of women, full of the same- substance. A thick sauce, colored a sickly yellow, covered what seemed to be several lumps of meat of various types and sizes. It barely looked like food. Yet Vi dug in heartily with a loud noise conveying her pleasure.

"Ugh, Jericho! Have I missed these!" Vi exclaimed, a bright smile on her face as she chewed. The large man responded with a series of happy syllables that sounded like words but Caitlyn didn't recognize the language.

Caitlyn frowned, looking between Jericho and Vi. She pushed around her food, trying not to vomit at the idea of putting this stuff into her mouth.

"You're missing out." Vi told her as she licked the sauce off her fingers.

"So we're not going to question him?" Caitlyn asked, trying to ignore how her stomach began to gurgle.

"About what? The meat?" Vi supped the last of her food from the bowl and wiped her mouth. "Better than I remember."

"About Silco and his activities. Isn't that why we're here?" Caitlyn raised an eyebrow.

"We're here because I'm hungry. Do you know what prison food is like?" Vi raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "Of course you don't."

Caitlyn narrowed her eyes and was about to bite back a sharp retort when Jericho took the empty bowl from Vi and slid her a napkin with writing on it. Vi glanced at Caitlyn as she read the napkin before pocketing in. "Eat. I can hear your stomach growling. Pretty much gonna disrupt the stealth part of our mission if Silco's goons get wind of a redcoat in Zaun. Especially by way of your stomach gurgling." She stood up.

"Where are you going?" Caitlyn asked, picking at the food.

"To get you some proper clothes. I'll be back, don't you worry, cupcake." Vi winked and left the pub.

Caitlyn grimaced and took a tentative bite of the meat. Her eyes widened as the sensation of flavor hit her tastebuds and by the time Vi returned, she was already on her second bowl of the stuff.

Vi smirked and threw a set of clothes at the Piltie. "Put that on, it'll help you blend in." She herself had also changed clothes, maintaining the red coat and tricorn hat, but her battered and torn brown pants and black shirt underneath offset any notion that the pinkette could be tied to the crown. Somehow she'd even managed to scuff the previously pristine jacket in the short time in which she'd been gone.

Caitlyn looked up at Vi and swallowed. "Oh- er- thanks." She replied, slightly embarrassed that Vi had caught her eating without utensils, but the pirate only chuckled. "Suit up and follow me. You're going to need your wits about you where we're going." Vi told her with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

"And where exactly are we going?" Caitlyn asked.

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Vi led them to a dingy part of town, to a door Caitlyn would have never known was there if she didn't know to look for it. Vi knocked on the door twice, then once, then twice again. The little peep-door slid open as someone examined the women in front of the door. Vi gave the face person inspecting them a meaningful look and the door swung open.

"The place where all the secrets are spilled." Vi explained to Caitlyn, leading the Brit behind her.

Caitlyn was clearly out of her depth, and her comfort level continued to plummet as they made their way through the brothel. She felt exposed in the cramped space and the thick air. "H-how exactly are we going to go about this?" Vi's casual posture didn't do anything to soother Caitlyn's nerves as the buccaneer turned around and shrugged.

"Let them think you work here."

"EXCUSE me?! I will not!" Caitlyn protested eyes wide.

Vi raised an eyebrow and stepped toward Caitlyn. "You know what your problem is, redcoat?" She asked, stormy grey eyes boring deep into Caitlyn's.

"Oh please, by all means. Enlighten me." Caitlyn's tone dripped with annoyance and sarcasm.

"You come off as entitled, cupcake. Like you expect everybody to just give you what you want. If you really want people to talk to you, especially pirates, you need to let them think that you have what they want." Vi pointed out.

"Oh really? And what do I have?" Caitlyn asked, crossing her arms.

Vi proceeded to blatantly check Caitlyn out before deciding to get up in her grill, backing her up against the wall. "You're hot, cupcake."

Caitlyn's back audibly slammed against the wall and she stared at Vi with wide eyes, heart beginning to race as her face began to burn. Her head spun with the traitorous thoughts that she'd thusfar been able to quell. Fuck fuck she's so hot. She's so close. Oh fuck me running I wonder what those lips would feel like on mine. Her thoughts were cut off as Vi spoke again.

Vi leaned in closer, eyes flicking to Caitlyn's lips before once again meeting her piercing blue gaze. "So what'll it be? Man or woman?"

A/N: I have an ao3 account now, this fic will also be posted (and edited) there, and any future works I write will be published there exclusively. My ao3 is AlphaJaye071. I already have a CaitVi one-shot and first chapter of a Sherlock AU posted on that account as well. Come hang if you're interested. If not, that's chill too. Hope y'all enjoyed the update!