Daisy- Arcane

36

It's been a few months and Daisy's made progress with her rehab. The doctor was right, after a few months, Daisy is now able to walk with a cane. She has to keep reminding herself that she's continuing to improve and to be proud of how far she's come.

Daisy's had a lot of bad days. Mostly to do with nightmares about that night. She constantly sees Lincoln's body hanging over hers. She sees Mylo and Claggor... Vi.

When Vi's birthday passed, Daisy spent the day locked up in her room crying. She would have been 17. Caitlyn came home to Daisy curled up in the corner of the room crying. Her cane was thrown to the other side of the room and she couldn't get up.

But, each day is a new baby step.

Now Daisy spends most of her days with either Caitlyn or Viktor (and by extension, Jayce. But Daisy's grown to like the man as well). Viktor talks to her about his life in the Undercity and how he came up to Piltover. As much as she's grown to love Caitlyn, she still treats Daisy quite delicately. Always wanting to protect the girl even when she didn't need it.

Viktor didn't do that. He knows the annoyance of it.

"Okay, Caitlyn. You're taller than me so stand there like a wall so I can use it as a support beam," Daisy tells Caitlyn who looks at her with wide eyes.

"I will not!"

"You're the one that wants to see me shoot,"

"I don't want to get hurt in the process! What if you hit me?"

"Caitlyn, this isn't a gun. There's no recoil. You being the support is probably where you're gonna be the safest," Caitlyn stares at Daisy, thinking over the option before she lets out a sigh, turning her back to the girl. Daisy leans back on the girl, "It's funny, I hated corsets as a girl and now it helps me keeps my poster straight," Daisy mutters to herself as she glances down at the corset, "Okay, Jayce, I need you to hold my cane against my chest so I don't fall over,"

"What?-"

"Just do it," Daisy cuts him off, "It's for research purposes," She smirks at the boy who rolls his eyes at her.

"Glad that's not my job," Caitlyn mutters to herself. Jayce stands at a distance, using the end of the cane to push against Daisy's chest so she doesn't fall over.

Let's hope this works, Daisy thinks to herself as she pulls back the arrow and aims it at a target. She lets out a deep breath before releasing the arrow and hitting it straight into the target. Jayce, staring in shock, drops Daisy's cane and she falls forward. Her triumphant smile turns into a scowl.

She still hates falling. It makes her feel weak.

"Jayce!" Caitlyn yells. Bending down to pick up her cousin who is scowling at the inventor.

"Oh, sorry Dais," Jayce says. Daisy pauses at the nickname. Lincoln's voice echo's in her head. Her eyes start to zone out a bit as her memories with her brother flash in her head.

Caitlyn puts a comforting hand on her shoulder, making Daisy shake her head and look over at the trio, "Told ya I was a good shot," She mutters.

"Yeah," Caitlyn whispers, looking over at the arrow, "You should become an enforcer with me!" She says excitedly.

"Yeah, fuck no," Daisy says, grabbing her cane and walking over to the wall to lean on.

"Why not? You're a great shot and your rehab is going well! By the time we are 18 we could go join together," Caitlyn looks at her cousin excitedly.

"I will never become an enforcer Caitlyn. I don't want to. If you become an enforcer then you will be the only one I like,"

"Not even Robert?" Caitlyn asks. Daisy groans at the name, leaning her head back on the wall.

"Is that a fucking joke?"

"Come on, he's your mom's new boyfriend,"

"Yeah, she knows how to move on quickly," Daisy mutters to herself. Viktor and Jayce turn around to stay out of the girl's now more serious conversation, "Nevermind him. I just don't get why you want to be an enforcer. They're stuck up pricks in a fancy uniform,"

"They're there to help people," Caitlyn defends.

"Not everyone," Daisy mutters to herself, "I'm not trying to fight you on this. If you want to be an enforcer that's fine. Just don't push me into being one," Caitlyn sighs, nodding slightly, "Look, I gotta go. If my mom asks where I am just tell her I'll be back for dinner,"

"Where are you going?" Caitlyn asks.

Daisy just smiles, "Just to look down at the Undercity. You know, the usual,"

~~~

Daisy limps through the streets of Piltover. While she's grateful to not be in a wheelchair anymore, she still misses how fast she was before. And climbing. Daisy really misses climbing.

She walks to the bridge that connects the Undercity to Topside. As she approaches, Ekko steps out and she notices his white hair immediately. Daisy smiles at the boy and gives him a hug, "Jeez you're really growing," Daisy comments.

"Soon I'll be as tall as you,"

"Keep dreaming, little man," Daisy says. She's growing to be quite tall. Still shorter than Caitlyn, but not by much. Ekko leads Daisy to the edge of the cliff, helping her sit down as they overlook down to the Undercity.

"You're improving," Ekko says, "You're starting to get the hang of the cane,"

"Doesn't feel fast enough," Daisy says, "The brace on my back was the most annoying part to get used to. But that one I'm definitely stuck with forever," Daisy mumbles. She thinks of the metal contraption on her back. It runs up along her spine and supports it with gold claws. Almost like a golden octopus clinging to her back, keeping her body upright, "I don't want to talk about that, though. Tell me, how's the Undercity?"

"Bad," Ekko sighs, "Silco flooded the streets with Shimmer. Most are addicts... it's everywhere, Daisy,"

Daisy sighs, "I wish I could help," she whispers.

"You might actually be able to," Ekko says. Daisy turns her head to the boy and raises her eyebrow, "Silco has control of the enforcers. I don't know how but someone needs to stop him," Daisy watches the boy, her head tilting as she examines him.

"What could I possibly do?"

"Keep an eye out on them. And topside. I know you don't want to be an enforcer and with..." Ekko trails off as he nods to her cane, "They may not let you join with that. But keep me updated on their business. And keep this just between the two of us,"

"Sure," Daisy nods, "What are you planning, Ekko?"

"I've started a group. We're small, but I think we can make a real difference. Rebuild a home. We call ourselves the Firelights,"

"Hm," Daisy hums as she processes the information, "I don't know the full extent to what it's like down there, so just, be careful? Please? How are your parents with all this?"

"You know they're too busy to notice anything I do," Ekko mutters.

"Even start a rebellion group within the Undercity?" Daisy asks, her voice laced with sarcasm.

"Yeah," Ekko chuckles, "Even that,"

"I'm here for you, Ekko. Whatever you need, just ask,"

"Thanks, Daisy," Ekko mutters. The two of them spend the rest of their time looking below. Daisy keeps her eyes down below. Her heart starts to hurt as she thinks of all of her childhood memories.

Daisy can't help but always feel homesick.