Dragging her feet the last few steps to her front door, Vi had spent the entire day looking forward to falling back into bed. The last week had been nothing but one disaster after another, and as she stepped into the entryway, all she was hoping for was a little peace and quiet.

Due to her honed investigative skills, she immediately detected that something was amiss in the house.

Firstly, the huge stockpile of blankets that always sat just beside the couch for when Caitlyn got cold was missing.

Secondly, an eight-foot-tall blanket fort had been erected directly in the center of the living room.

"Oh, come on!" Vi protested, throwing her arms up in the air.

From inside the fort, she could hear a rustling noise, followed shortly after by two figures exiting from the front blanket-door: A diminutive, furry yordle, and Caitlyn.

The yordle looked as if a stiff breeze would blow him over as he looked up at Vi's imposing form, mammoth gauntlets resting impassively on her hips. "Q…Queen Vi!"

Vi blinked.

He immediately fell to one tiny knee, "Your highness! It is I, Sir Teemo the Brave, knight of Blanketon, at your service!" He glanced over out of the corner of his eye, elbowing Caitlyn in the shin.

Caitlyn looked nervously at Vi, and gave an awkward curtsy, "Um…and I, Commander Caitlyn, Captain of the armies of….er, Blanketon."

Vi clenched her gauntlets, steam erupting in a hiss from between their metallic knuckles. "You don't say?"

A frightened look swept over Caitlyn's face, and she leaned forward, unintentionally whispering in a voice that was still plenty loud enough for Teemo's sharp ears to hear, "Ahri stopped by and told me to look after him for the day. We really owe her after that last time, so I couldn't say no! She says he gets into trouble if you leave him alone."

Teemo waved with enthusiasm from the front of the blanket fort, "I get into trouble if you leave me alone!" he yelled proudly in his high-pitched voice.

Taking a deep breath, Vi nodded, the veins in her forehead becoming clearly visible, "I see. So you were nice enough to make sure that he didn't get into any trouble, then?"

Caitlyn nodded cautiously.

"Then what do you call this?" She demanded, pointing a massive finger at the structure which had taken over their living room.

"Castle Blanketon, Queen Vi! We've prepared a special throne room just for you!" Teemo announced in regal tones, as if he had waited all day for someone to ask that very question.

Looking once over her shoulder, Caitlyn took another step closer, grabbing a finger on each of Vi's gaunlets as she leaned in, "Vi, I'm sorry, playing pretend was all I could do to keep him from running amok! I tried just getting him to sit down and color, but he ate the crayons. And the coloring book!" Teemo burped quietly from behind her.

"I promise I'll clean everything up as soon as Ahri comes to get him." Caitlyn reassured her apologetically, "I…we made you the queen…"

Vi shook her head, pulling away from Caitlyn and throwing up a gauntlet dismissively as she walked into the back hallway, "It's fine. I'm going to bed, you both can do whatever you want."

"Ah, wait, Vi-" Caitlyn began to protest, reaching out for Vi, and dashed after her, catching up with her just as she entered her bedroom.

Once again, Vi thanked her many years of investigative experience, as she felt a hunch that perhaps the living room was not the only source of materials for Castle Blanketon.

Firstly, there were no blankets to be seen.

Secondly, there was no bed to be seen.

A horrid metallic scraping echoed through the house as Vi ground her gauntleted fist into her steel palm. She spoke slowly and carefully, from gritted teeth, "Caitlyn…where is my bed?"

"In the…in the royal…bedchambers…?" Caitlyn responded, her voice cracking as she spoke.

Vi looked over shoulder to see Caitlyn with her arms wrapped around herself, her lower lip trembling and eyes beginning to glisten over.

With a pop-click and a series of rattling hisses, Vi disengaged her gauntlets and set them by her nightstand in the now-empty corner of her room, taking a moment while there to close her eyes and steady herself while taking a deep breath.

Walking back to the door, she gave Caitlyn a few awkward pats on the back, "You've done a fine job today, Commander Caitlyn. I couldn't have done it any better myself. But as you can see your queen is quite tired and grumpy, and very much in need of guidance to her royal bedchambers."

Caitlyn furrowed her brow, momentarily unable to take in the sudden reversal of the situation. After a few beats, she nodded and rubbed her eyes on her sleeves, taking a step back and motioning for the door with a strange, half-curtsy, half-flourish, "Thank you, your highness! After you, your highness!"

As she was escorted into the fort by her two new vassals, she couldn't help but be awestruck by the ingenuity required to make a structure almost entirely out of bedding on such a scale. There were several "rooms" past the first, each separated by "doors" using different colored blankets, with the whole thing held up by a towering extension ladder in the middle, and what seemed to be stacked chairs around the edges. [Author's note: Please do not try this at home.]

"Your majesty, welcome, this is the main hall and your throne room." Teemo began as the appointed knight-turned-tour guide, motioning grandly to the armchair that they had stacked on top of the coffee table in front room of the blanket fort.

"I…okay, well, I'll admit I'm impressed…" Vi began, drawing beaming expressions from Teemo and Caitlyn, "…but I also feel like none of this is safe. At all."

Teemo shook his head vehemently, "No ma'am, I assure you that we sourced the finest pillow-architects and blanket-masons in all the land!"

"Wait, wasn't it just the two of you?"

"Allllllll the land!" He repeated as if he hadn't heard Vi's objections, throwing his little arms out wide for emphasis.

Caitlyn leaned over to whisper in Vi's ear, "He did test the throne out, but, well, I wouldn't…"

Nodding gravely, Vi decided it best to skirt around the throne room entirely, "Majestic, very well done. But now I'm afraid I cannot suffer any further delays, your queen must retire posthaste." Vi announced, eliciting a muted giggle from Caitlyn.

Hearing his cue, Teemo scurried off to the blanket-door on the left, holding it open and taking a deep bow, "Right this way, my queen."

Stepping through to the next room, she was relieved to see that her bed had not become a defensive turret. It had been placed in the back of the room, surrounded on all four corners by dining chairs – to make it a four-post-bed, she assumed, complete with a white sheet draped over them to form a canopy.

Back in the throne room, Caitlyn had Teemo gathering up extra pillows for Vi's bed. From the bedchambers, Vi called back to them, "Hey, so why am I the queen anyway? Why not you, Caitlyn?"

Yelling with his tiny voice at a mile a minute from another room in the fort, Teemo explained, "Commander Caitlyn said that I had to stay busy, and she also said it would be really nice to make you the queen, and she also said that it's okay to have only one bedchamber, and I said that we should have more bedchambers, but she said that if there was only one then the queen and the commander could just share it and then I said-"

Vi leaned her head out from the flap that led to the bedchamber, "What was that? I didn't catch anything he just said, this place is surprisingly soundproof." Craning her neck around the "throne," she saw an irate Caitlyn holding Teemo in a headlock a few feet off the ground, muttering something in his ear.

Caitlyn smiled innocently as Vi tilted her head, "Wait, are we playing wrestling now? I thought we were playing castles. I mean, it's fine, I like wrestling way more." she said, cracking her knuckles. In spite of his current predicament, Teemo seemed to be having just as much fun "wrestling" with Caitlyn as he had playing as a knight. Landing on his bottom as Caitlyn dropped him, he bounded back up happily, saluting instead of bowing this time for some reason, "Sometimes the commander tests how battle-ready we are with physical training, your highness! But I assure you I'm more than up for the task! That's why they call me Sir Teemo the Strong!"

"I thought you were Sir Teemo the Brave."

"Sir Teemo the Brave and Strong, that's what they call me!" he said, now saluting with both paws.

Unable to hold back a smile, Vi retreated back into her bedchamber, a second wave of fatigue hitting her and reminding her how long the day had already been before…well, whatever this was.

She pulled the canopy back over the bed, sitting down on its edge and stretching out, all the while quietly pondering how she was going to manage to get any sleep at all with Teemo still going at full speed.

With a small smirk, she sat up straight on the edge of her bed, putting on her best regal airs and clapping her hands twice, "Subjects!"

Teemo bolted in first, followed by Caitlyn, an interested smile spreading across her face as she narrowed her eyes curiously at the noble form seated on the bed. "Yes ma'am, how may we serve you?" Teemo obliged, dropping first to one knee, then deciding better of it and going down to both knees, just in case.

"You have done an excellent job today, and your queen is about to retire for a brief rest. But!"

Vi leaned forward and cast a grave scowl, Caitlyn and Teemo exchanging nervous glances as they drew closer in turn, the queen's voice reduced to barely a whisper, "I have heard news that a group of wild monsters has been tearing through the countryside. Apparently, they cannot see with their eyes, but have an incredible sense of hearing, and only attack the castles with noisy people inside them."

Caitlyn began snickering quietly, drawing a mortified look from Teemo, his eyes wide in terror as he strained upward to cover Caitlyn's mouth with his paws.

"Go now, my brave protectors, and watch over our kingdom – but be careful not to make too much noise, or we will surely be…doomed!" Vi warned, unable to even finish the last syllable before Teemo dashed from the blanket fort, already eager to assume his post.

Offering a smile and a wink to Caitlyn, Vi slid back onto her bed, readjusting the pillows as she whispered, "I just need a quick nap, I can barely keep my eyes open anymore. I'll be awake before Ahri gets here to pick him up. Oh, and don't worry about the cleanup, if we do it together it won't take that long."

Vi leaned out to pull down the canopy, but paused as she noticed that Caitlyn had not responded, and was instead standing in front of the blanket-doorway, toeing the ground bashfully with her hands behind her back.

"Caitlyn? Is everything okay?"

With the blanket-door to the throne room closed and the sun setting outside, Vi could only barely make out Caitlyn's expression as she cast her eyes to the floor, speaking just above a whisper, "You…you're the best for playing along like this."

Pausing for a moment as she chose her words, she leaned back into the cover of the canopy bed, as if hiding from the way she felt when she looked at Caitlyn's vulnerable silhouette, "No, it's…I mean, you did a really good job today, so this is pretty much the least I could do. There's no way I could have been so patient, and I know it must have been really stressful, so just…you know. Thanks." She shook her head, unsatisfied with how her words came out.

From the darkness of the canopy, Vi hardly had time to react as Caitlyn's form leaned over the bed before disappearing out through the blanket-door, leaving her without any words at all as she rested her hand against the warmth left on her cheek.

It was several minutes before her heart stopped racing enough for her to fall asleep.

She awoke with a start, temporarily disoriented by the lack of light, before tossing away the sheet draped over her bed to reveal a small, furred messenger kneeling in her blanket-doorway. The fort was so well-insulated that it had grown surprisingly warm in her room, and she found herself covered in a fine, cold sweat as she swung her legs out over the edge of the bed.

"My queen, I apologize for rousing you. Do not worry, we kept a vigilant patrol for noise-monsters while you slept. However, a visitor has just arrived, and she wishes to see you."

She rubbed her eyes and nodded blankly, assuming Caitlyn had something to ask her, "Um, sure. Send her in." She adjusted her shirt and winced, the damp fabric clinging to her skin.

"Well, well…you must be the queen that I've heard so much about."

Vi's heart stopped dead in her chest. Peeking from the edge of the blanket door, a head topped by a pair of vulpine ears greeted her in a calm, sultry voice.

Resigning herself to a lifetime of embarrassment – or, more likely, another yordle-sitting favor to keep Ahri from ever mentioning this to anyone – Vi dropped her head into her hands and mumbled in reply, "Yup. That's me. Queen Vi."

Ahri covered her mouth with a clawed hand and tittered amusedly, "Oh my, the Piltover Enforcer playing a child's game of pretend? I didn't know you had such an adorable side to you, Vi. I doubt if anyone else does either – not that I would tell them, mind you…well, unless-"

"Yeah, I got it," Vi held up a hand as she interrupted her, having seemingly been indebted to Ahri from the moment they met, "we'll watch him whenever you want. Just don't tell…just don't, okay?"

Placing her hands on her chest as if deeply insulted, Ahri swooned theatrically, "I would never even dream of holding something so…unique as this little story against such a dear friend. I am eternally grateful to you and Caitlyn for all the help you've given me over the years."

"Yeah, yeah." Vi offered dismissively, though in truth she couldn't bring herself to actually be upset with her – Ahri really had put herself on the line to save them countless times in the past.

"Be well and good evening, your highness." Ahri sang as she offered a near-perfect curtsy on her departure.

Vi took several long moments with her head in her hands to consider the course that her life had taken to bring her to this point.

Drawn from her reverie by a rustling noise coming from outside her blanketed bedchambers, Vi opened her mouth into a scowl to ask Ahri why she still hadn't left, and was stopped as Caitlyn stepped in through the flap.

"Sorry, I was changing, Teemo spilled his sippy cup on me somehow. Did you catch Ahri before she left?" Caitlyn motioned to her change of clothes, squinting to see in the darkness that shrouded the back of the fort where Vi sat.

"Oh, hi Caitlyn…yeah, yeah I caught her all right." she replied with a sigh, letting herself fall onto her side with a hollow thump.

Caitlyn tiptoed up to the bed, sitting down on the floor with her arms wrapped around her legs and her chin on her knees, "Is everything okay? You're not mad again, are you?"

"No, no, I…" Vi sat up, wiping sweat from her collarbone and neck, "I…actually, I feel like I really didn't apologize properly before…or thank you properly…or something…"

Although she couldn't make out her face in the dim light of the room, Vi somehow felt Caitlyn smiling warmly as she spoke in a gentle voice, "I think you did both just fine. But, if you wanted to show me how much you really appreciate me…"

She trailed off, leaving Vi to ponder how fast your heart can beat before it jumps out of your chest altogether.

"…You could always promote me from commander, my queen."

Vi didn't realize she had been holding her breath until she let it out and drew in air as if she were a diver just returning to the surface.

"I mean, you could make me a princess, or, you know…I could be your queen…" she offered hopefully, leaning forward and brushing against Vi's legs as they hung from the edge of the bed.

Recoiling and pulling her legs up underneath her and away from Caitlyn, Vi laughed nervously, brushing off her sudden jolt with a well-honed front of assuredness, "Nope, sorry, only room for one queen in this castle, and I'm her."

Caitlyn made a pouting sound of disappointment and leaned forward, resting her cheek on the edge of the bed, "Viiiiiii…"

Vi crossed her arms and turned her head away, "If you keep complaining I'm just going to demote you – how does being my servant sound?"

"Servant, hmm?" Caitlyn pondered in silken tones, the bands of moonlight creeping in from the blanket-door showing Vi that she was moving, though she couldn't tell where.

All at once, Vi realized that she had snuck up beside her on the bed, Caitlyn giggling as she reached up and pulled down the canopy, submerging them both in absolute darkness. "Your servant? Is that all I am to you?" Caitlyn playfully teased, forcing Vi to pull back as she poked her in the arm and side. Vi held her hands in front of her, unable to see a thing, "N-no, I was just…ah! Why you little...can't...see..."

With a sinister laugh, Caitlyn continued to poke Vi mercilessly, "You're always so serious, it's just too much fun to mess with you! I'll take this as thanks for all the work I did today while you just took a nap!"

With a huff, Vi grabbed one of Caitlyn's arms as it poked her again, holding it out wide, "Okay, just relax for a second!"

Caitlyn did as requested and let her body go limp, snickering as she leaned against Vi with her arm still held out to her side. "Of course, your wish is my command, your highness. I'll do anything you ask. An…y…thing…"

Vi gulped loudly, making a motion as if to pull Caitlyn away by her arm, but it proved to be as effective as trying to lift a sleeping cat, and her form fell back on top of her, weighing her down and forcing her onto her elbows to keep from falling on her back.

"Look, don't relax that much...I mean, it's...there's enough room...we can share the...bedchambers, but-"

She yelped as she felt warm breath on her neck from Caitlyn giggling, and slid her hand up her arm to find her shoulder and push her away, "W-wait, hang on Caitlyn, I'm…still all sweaty and gross from today, okay?" Vi shivered as she felt Caitlyn press her soft body against her, the sensation making her lose herself momentarily. Inside her, a heat was building up that urged her hands not to push her away but to pull her in tighter.

She was shaken from her trance by a purring in her ear, punctuated by stifled laughter, "Mmm, shall I take that as…an order to give you a sponge bath, your highness?"

The muscles in Vi's shoulder and arm jumped out in sudden, sharp angles as if carved from stone as she took hold of the back of Caitlyn's shirt and lifted her up as easily as a kitten, growling as her face flushed a deep red.

"Um…just kidding?"

Vi spoke through gritted teeth, "Shall I show you how I punish my servants when they misbehav-"

Caitlyn yelped, a crashing noise cutting Vi short, and suddenly they were enveloped in an avalanche of heavy, stifling cloth.

Vi found her way to the surface first, angrily swimming up until she emerged above of the massive pile of bedding that had collapsed on top of them. Apparently their sudden movements had knocked one of the chairs of her canopy bed over, hitting the central ladder support and causing the castle to crumble.

She jumped to her feet immediately and crossed the distance to a lump convulsing nearby, a momentary feeling of dread passing over her as she worried that she had somehow hurt Caitlyn.

With a burst of dark hair, Caitlyn's head popped up from the ruins, gasping for air.

"Oh Caitlyn oh no I'm so sorry are you okay I'm so sorry-" Vi hurriedly pulled the rubble of pillows and blankets away to free her, apologizing in a constant stream of words the entire time.

Once she had been completely extricated, Caitlyn collapsed atop the pile, glancing about at the remnants of her hard work with a look on her face like a girl who had just dropped her ice cream cone.

Vi leaned over her with concern, "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

After several moments of catching her breath, Caitlyn looked up at Vi and opened her mouth as if to speak, but instead, began giggling uncontrollably.

Vi lifted her up and held her in a bear hug, letting out a deep sigh of relief, "I was so worried that ladder fell and hit you or something…" They both fell back, sitting down atop the sizable mound that now filled their moonlit living room, Caitlyn's mirth descending into breathless wheezing.

"What's so funny?" Vi demanded, though she could hardly keep a smile from her face in spite of her ignorance of the punchline.

"P…pillow architects!" Caitlyn exclaimed, falling to her side as her laughter became little more than gasps and snorting, causing Vi to turn away as she too burst out laughing.

After several minutes, when Caitlyn had finally begun to get a hold of herself, Vi leaned over and nodded to her knowingly.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she looked over questioningly, "Hm?"

"Blanket masons." Vi replied in a deadpan voice.

After many more minutes of inconsolable, hysterical laugh-snorting from Caitlyn, they both finally calmed down, and began to take in the situation as it stood.

Caitlyn sat up, idly fluffing a pillow by her feet, "Okay, so we're both fine, but this is definitely going to take hours to clean up now, so where do we sleep tonight?"

They looked at each other and back down at the ruins of Castle Blanketon, where their two mattresses had happened to fall side-by-side, complete with a dozen sets of bedding. Vi shrugged and collapsed atop the pile. Her cheeks still hurting from laughing so hard, Caitlyn couldn't hold back another smile as she followed suit, curling up beside her.

Somehow, even though the mess of bedding that they slept on that night contained literally every blanket in the house, Vi still struggled to get enough away from Caitlyn to cover herself up.

As she sidled up a little closer to Caitlyn, Vi convinced herself that it was only because she was cold. Positioning herself carefully, she wrapped an arm around so many layers of blankets that there was no way Caitlyn could have possibly felt it.

FIN