She had to fight the urge to turn the headphones up so loud it would turn her deaf. Just the knowledge that Claggor, Mylo, her sister, and the girlfriend were only a few rooms away, making music without her, was enough to make Jinx want to scream.

She desperately wished Silco would get back from his damn business trip already. She wanted to go back to his house. Only reason she was staying with Vander over spring break was because Silco had insisted, and damn what a sucky way to spend her week.

She could remember it clear as day. Last summer, Mylo and Jinx had gotten into a massive fight over a song, and it got so bad that she left the band. Left the house too. Permanently. Had moved in with her uncle, Silco, although she now considered him more her father than Vander. It wasn't that she didn't love Vander, but she couldn't...deal with that family anymore. 

She still had to see them sporadically at the university that fall and it was there that she heard they had replaced her. Replaced her with some Caitlyn Kiramman, who became Vi's girlfriend a few months later. On top of that, they renamed the band from "Kids of the Backstreet" to "Uniting Nations". What sort of dumb name was that?

She had originally given up on music when she had walked out of that house. But when she brought the news of her old band to Silco, how they had never needed her, he had asked, "So why are you acting like you need them? Show them how good you are all by yourself. How you don't need them either."

She had felt inspired at that and decided to form a new band. "The One and Only Jinx" and she was the only member. She knew how to play multiple instruments and figured out how to add the ones she didn't in digitally. She started gaining a following on YouTube. She got the chance to perform at an event.

Word of it had got back to her old family. She ran into Vander on accident in the grocery store back in December and he had told her he was proud of her. 

That made her cry when she got home. She made sure Silco didn't hear.

Those words in the grocery store were actually the only reason she had agreed to go to Vander's for spring break. For the past few days she had mostly been in her old room, coming out only when no one else but Vander was around and as soon as anyone else showed up, she'd disappear to her room.

She wouldn't admit it, but it was nice to be with Vander again. Dealing with Vi trying to talk to her, not so much.

Jinx hooked her guitar up to her recording device and started working out the final piece she needed for the new song. This Friday was the entry competition for the Piltover Band War, and she was determined to kick her sister's band's ass. Then after she did, she'd get a higher score than them in the actual competition just to prove her point further. 

She didn't need them.

The entry competition wasn't mandatory to enter the Piltover Band War, sure, but it did increase your chance of acceptance. So many people applied to compete in the summer competition that they couldn't all be accepted, thence the entry competition. You had to be stupid not enter it.

A knock sounded on the door and Jinx sighed, placing her hand over the strings of the guitar to get them to stop ringing. She knew that knock. "What?"

Vander's voice vibrated through the door. "I made dinner, if you want some."

"Has everyone else eaten?"

The door opened and he poked his head in. "No."

She turned to her computer, checking the recorded rift. "Let me know when they've eaten."

He leaned against the doorframe. "I think you should eat with them."

She immediately shook her head. "Hell no. I'll not sit and eat with the likes of them. I don't want to meet this girlfriend Vi acquired, I don't want to see Claggor looking sad, and I just don't want to see Mylo's stupid face ever again! Thanks, but no thanks."

"You can't hide from them forever, Powder."

"It's Jinx."

A sigh. "Look, I know Silco's told you that you don't need them, and don't need to deal with them anymore and I'm not going to force you. But at least consider talking to Vi at some point before going back to Silco's. She's missed you. Truly."

Jinx turned back to her computer, chewing on her lip. "I...only if she's alone. I won't talk to anyone else."

"I'll mention it to her."

The door closed softly and Jinx shook her head, wondering why she agreed to talk. She knew why, of course. It was Vi. Her sister always got this look on her face that broke Jinx's walls down just a bit and made her want to talk. Want to forgive.

The sisters had talked a little since Jinx moved in with Silco, but not very much. A sporadic text, a rare phone call. She couldn't remember the last time they spoke face to face.

She heard multiple footsteps go down the hall, the group going to eat dinner. Half an hour later, she heard three sets go back, and one come up to her door and knock. She forced herself out of her swivel chair and opened the door.

Vi stood there with a plate of chicken pot pie. "I brought you some food."

Jinx eyed it for a moment before accepting it. "Still hot?"

"I put it back in the oven for a minute before I brought it."

Jinx fought to keep her face neutral. Of course Vi would do something like that. "...thanks."

She plopped back into her chair and began to eat, Vi leaning against the doorframe much like how Vander had a little earlier. "What have you been doing in here?"

Jinx gestured to her guitar with her fork. "Kinda obvious."

Vi nodded, letting out a long breath. "About that, Powder--"

"Jinx. And I don't want to talk about it. If that's what you wanna say, you can leave."

Vi shut her mouth, but made no motion to leave the room. "So...how's university going?"

"Good. I've made friends with some of the professors and one's assistant."

"That's good."

An awkward silence fell over them and after a long moment, Jinx sighed. "Go back to them, sis. I know you want to."

"But we're talking."

"Nothing was said for nearly ten minutes."

Vi sighed, turning to the door but paused, looking back over her shoulder. "I know what happened was rough and I'm sorry for it. I truly am. But just know that whenever you decide to let me back into your life, I'll be ready for it."

She left, closing the door behind her and Jinx sat frozen, staring at the panel of wood. She entertained the thought for a moment, then shook her head. Vi certainly didn't mean it.

Did she?

🎤

"I said no, Jayce."

"Oh, come on," Jayce leaned on his friend's desk, shifting papers around. "I know how good you are on the piano. You should compete."

"It'd probably be too stressful on me. Besides, I cannot sing and they don't do instrumentals."

"You could join The New Council."

Viktor let out a short laugh at his friend's insistence. "I appreciate the gesture, but between you and Mel sending looks to each other and Heimerdinger humming along in his own world, I would feel like I'm intruding."

"You wouldn't be."

"A no is a no."

"You're impossible."

"Thanks."

Jayce chuckled, straightening. "I don't get why you won't try competing. Would you do it if I find you a singer?"

"Who are you going to find in this school my age who can sing? I'm pretty sure if I partnered with a student I'd get some eyebrow raises...at the least."

"There has to be someone. I'll ask around."

Viktor sighed, leaning back in his chair and picking up one of the essays he had to finish marking before spring break ended. "Even if you find me someone today, there wouldn't be enough time to enter the competition in two days. I heard it's full up and you'd be stupid to try and enter the actual competition without trying for the entry contest."

"It isn't full. It's open entry. Thing could run all night with people performing," Jayce looked up as the door to the office opened. "Ah, Miss Young! Do you sing?"

The young woman blinked at the abruptness of his question, adjusting her glasses. "I--I'm sorry, what?"

Viktor was glaring at his friend but Jayce, ever the unaware one, repeated, "Do you sing?"

She stuttered a moment, eyes shifting over nervously to Viktor. He sighed, shooting her an apologetic look. "Jayce here is hell bent on finding a singer for me so he can force me to compete in the Piltover Band War."

Surprise lit up her face. "I didn't know you played an instrument, Viktor!"

"He does; he plays piano really well," Jayce turned to his friend. "You don't even have to play the entry competition. Councilor Kiramman is one of this year's judges and I'm sure she'll vouch for you, especially since you played at Caitlyn's graduation party a few years ago."

"You're acting like you already found a singer. Miss Young hasn't even answered your question."

Sky peeped nervously as Jayce looked at her expectantly. "Well, I can sing but--"

"Excellent! Problem solved," Jayce straightened, striding for the door. "I'll let you two work out the rest."

Viktor fought the urge to drop his head on his desk as the door to the office swung shut. "I am so sorry, Miss Young. Jayce tends to get...carried away when excited."

"It's alright, Viktor. I was just going to say that if you want to, I'll sing with you. I'm just not very good."

"I honestly doubt that. I'm sure you sound wonderful, Miss Young."

Her face went red and she ducked her head, mumbling something he couldn't make out. After a moment, he asked, "Would you want to enter?"

"Well...I think it could be fun. But I'll only do it if you want to."

He chewed lightly on the inside of his cheek, contemplating it for a moment. He didn't really like being on stage, but if he got to spend time with Sky..."What the hell. Let's do it."

Her face lit up but she clearly tried to stamp down her excitement. "Oh-okay! I don't think there's enough time to write something original for tonight, but we could do a cover of something?"

He smiled a bit at her eagerness. "Absolutely. I have one condition, however."

"Yes?"

"I get to choose our band name."

"Oh, that's fair," she adjusted her glasses. "What are you thinking?"

He was silent for a long moment, heavily debating if he should go through with his idea. He finally brought his gaze up to her eyes. "'Brilliant Sky'."

🎤

Ekko looked out the tour bus window, the city of Piltover not too far in the distance. Scar sat next to him, scratching out some lyrics, glancing up. "You good?"

Ekko looked over at him with a raised eyebrow. "Hm? Oh yeah, I'm good. It's just strange to be back here after so long."

"Fair enough. I mean, we all knew we'd eventually play at Piltover. I'm just surprised we weren't asked to come sooner."

Ekko nodded, absently staring back out the window. He silently remembered the friends he used to have here, and wondered where they were and what they were doing. Were Vi and Powder still making music with Mylo and Claggor? Did Powder get to enroll in the university's engineering program? Were they even still in Piltover?

He sighed, wishing he had a way to contact one of them. He hadn't brought a phone with him when he had left and he didn't remember Vi's number at all.

Maybe if he got lucky he'd run into one of them at the entry competition.

Maybe.

A/N: Hello y'all! 

I got absolutely consumed by an interest in Arcane and I just had to write something, so here's a band AU that's been eating at me for the past week. 

I hope you like it so far! Please share your thoughts with me, I love reading comments!