▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

A hand slams down onto a bar table, coins rattling with its force.

"We should hit them back." Sevika, a longtime undercity rebel speaks up in a huff, with several murmurs of agreement. "We've got the numbers to beat them." She adds with a nod, her eyes stern as they are fierce.

An individual speaks up from the group overcrowding The Last Drop, as the small bar was the safest place to discuss political stances from the ever growing numbers and ears of Piltover's own.

"Yeah! Let's teach them what it means to mess with us!" Shouts of approval and encouragement ring out, with all eyes turned to the only people the city looked up to in times of need.

Benzo stood to the side as quiet as ever, his hands slumped across his front while he eyes the two. Vander reaches down to light a match before bringing it forward and carefully lighting his pipe. (Y/N) stands to his left, a small shot glass in hand while she eyes the ground below.

"You sure that's what you want?" Vander quips and twitches his brows as small agreements pass over the crowd. He blows a small puff of smoke from the corners of his mouth and scoffs.

(Y/N) takes his silence as a chance to step in. "We've crossed that bridge once before." Her eyes sweep over the room before connecting with Sevika's, "And we all know how that ended."

"You're just protecting your kids." A man scoffs from beside the raven-haired woman. (Y/N)'s frown deepens as Vander takes a brief glance to the five youngsters, all huddled behind an entryway behind the bar.

The (H/C) women eyes the man carefully before bringing the glass to her lips and tossing her head back, the liquor burning her throat while her stare hardens. "And if I am?" She asks, and the room falls into a stunned silence, shocked at her bravery.

She mentally fist bumps herself as she hears Vi's quiet chuckle.

Vander's lips twitch upwards ever so slightly before he leans forward, his hands moving about while his voice reigns strong. "We're protecting our people. I'd do the same for any one of you.

We look out for each-other, it's the way it's always been." The crowd listens intently, several nodding along while most seem to grow agitated with each word passing. "This will blow over, we just need to stand together." He finishes, and Sevika shakes her head.

"The Vander.." her eyes quickly dart over (Y/N), "and (Y/N) I knew, the ones who built the underground, wouldn't be afraid to fight."

(Y/N) sighs, and with a shake of her she carefully leans back against the bar's counter as her companion slowly stalks over to the women, pipe in hand. He takes a long drag before stopping infront of her and leans forward with a breath.

"Do I look afraid?" He asks, smoke gently leaving his lips and passing over Sevika's face. "No." She says calmly while her eyes scan him. She leans forward and meets him halfway with a glare, full of anger, disgust and above all, disappointment. "You look weak."

Her gaze moves to (Y/N), still leaning on the front of the bar. "And pathetic."

She whistles, signaling the rest of her posey to follow as they all leave the bar, leaving people who supported the leaders of the underground in their call for peace, or who were just looking for a drink and some peanuts.

(Y/N) smiles gently as her friend returns, and cups the side of face with her hand. Vander grumbles but complies, and nestles his face in her palm with a deep sigh. He sets a hand against the bar top she was leaning on, caging her and slumping forward.

Benzo looks at his friends and chuckles softly before turning and taking a seat at the counter and fiddles away with a peace of scrap metal he might be able to sell.

"How did it come to this?" Vander meanwhile sighs, and pockets his pipe before rubbing the palms of his hands roughly over his eyes. (Y/N) softly smiles and moves her head to the side. "Getting too old at being a leader, grandpa?" She jokes, and laughs softly at her friend's glare.

He scrunches his face at her, to which she returns before he looks up and watches his youngest kid enthusiastically talk to her friends and sister, her arms moving frantically as she smiles.

"Getting too old to be a father actually."

(Y/N) scoffs and gently nudges him with her elbow as she turns to walk away. "Oh please, you love it." She shakes her head with a smile and makes her way towards her children, and misses the look Benzo shoots his friend, as well as Vander shoving the man roughly with a 'mind your buisness'.

(Y/N) watches as her eldest questions Benzo's kid, Ekko, and her face turns as Vi looks both shocked and annoyed. She fully makes her way towards the group and raises a brow as they all avoid her gaze, but she shrugs it off and gently nudges them all downstairs with a smile.

———

Small chatter fills the pub, afternoon quickly hitting with fewer customers but twice the noise drowning away along with the slight tune breezing through the jute box.

Vander rolls a peace of familiar metal along the countertop, (Y/N) long gone beneath the wooden floor to go make sure the kids heed their orders and stay put, despite how unbelievably bored they all were.

The door opening catches his attention, but his gaze still remains uninterested as he greets the customers. "Welcome to The Last Drop." His demeanor shifts a little as he, as well as the entire room take in the enforcers walking in, their wheezing masks ever so loud and annoying as ever.

The leader steps forward and removes his mask with a deep exhale, as if he was dreading breathing in the undercitie's air. "What can I get you?" Vander asks cheekily. "Five sump-rats will do." The enforcer replies smartly, and eyes the man as his face sinks even further. "Search the place." The two other enforcers make their way around, and Vander swiftly eyes one heading towards the back.

"Whole you're wasting your time, how about a proper drink?" He smiles, and reaches below the counter to grab a large glass. "Give me the strongest shit you got." The man replies, missing the way Vander leans just a little bit further to press a small red button beneath the countertop.

———

(Y/N) sits quietly on the floor of the common room while Powder sits on the couch, the woman's head in her lap as she gently braids hair with mismatching hair ties. The strands were all over the place but neither of them cared.

The sound of clattering and squealing catch the group's attention as a small robotic monkey hobbles out of a secret compartment, its eyes flashing red. It falls to the floor, continuing to squeak away as if urging them of the danger present.

———

The sound of something falling catches one of the enforcer's attention as he thumps his way down the stairs, causing him to huff and make his way towards the door.

He opens the door with a swift pull, and looks around at the dark room, seeming to have to trace of any person for quite a while. The man takes a moment before making his way through and looking around more, flashlight in hand.

He misses the group above him, all trying their hardest to keep quiet and watching the enforcer with eyes as wide as baby deers. (Y/N) looks up from her place beside Vi, and goes slack jawed as she sees her youngest, gripping her ankles and arms between two supporting pipes.

———

"I ran into an old friend of yours." The enforcer sitting across from Vander speaks up after some time, his tone mocking and condescending. "He had some stories." He jests, and reaches to take Vander's pipe from between his grasp.

"Especially of your lady friend, (Y/N) is it?" He chuckles, his tone disgustingly humorous. "What I wouldn't give to spend five minutes alone with her." Vander slams his fist against the countertop, hard, and grits his teeth as he rises and glares at the man.

"Watch it.." he grunts, and notices several of his customers shooting from their seats to strangle the bastard. He sighs and shakes his head, signaling to them to leave it alone and sit down.

The enforcer takes note and twirls the pipe in his hand. "You weren't always the peacekeeper, were you?" He drops the pipe into his drink, causing its orange colour to merge into a light blue.

Vander stares at the drink as it sizzles. "Yeah, well, you can't escape the past, right?" He mumbles gently and turns his gaze to a pair of gauntlets hanging above his bar. "Be a shame if I had to put them on again, cast irons, it's hard to clean."

———

Sweat drips from (Y/N)'s forhead as she watches Powder struggle to hold on, the girls grip getting loose with ever second. The enforcer turns to leave but stops when he hears Powder slip with a grunt, and hangs back to look around once more.

(Y/N) reaches into her pocket and pulls out a small knife and clutches it. She leans forward, getting ready to jump the enforcer if her child couldn't hang on for a little while longer.

Her breath slowly releases as he leaves, his flashlight switching off just as the door slams shut. Powder drops down to the floor with a yelp, and her parental figure least out a large sigh before leaning against Vi, her hand on her heart.

———

The enforcer returns to the bar and locks gazes with his superior. He shakes his head with a wheeze of his mask.

The man looks at him in disbelief before looking up and snarling as Vander smirks and with a tilt of his head, tells the man to get out.

"You people are all the same." He gets up, his fists clenched tightly as he turns to look at the rest of the patrons. "Mistaking arrogance for bravery. You think you're standing up for something? But we all know there is a crime behind every coin that passes through this place."

His gamble continues with his eyes locking on Vander's. "You're just a small man in a little hole the world forgot to bury." He turns to leave but stops before taking out his baton and slamming it against the glass he was drinking from, spilling it across the bar and creating a small line of fire between him and the barkeep.

"And I'm gonna bury the lot of you!" He finishes with a wave of his hand and makes a swift turn for the exit, his companions following after and shoving customers aside for extra measure.

The door shuts, and the customers all turn to stare at Vander, waiting for him to do something, to run after those asshole and show them who he is, to show them not to mess with the 'Hound of the Lanes'.

He did nothing, he stared at the fire that separated him from the enforcer, almost acting as an invisible line that shouldn't be crossed, as much as he wanted to he knew he shouldn't, his priorities lied elsewhere.

Quickly turning to leave, Vander makes his way downstairs and opens the door with swift motion. "Are you all okay?" He asks, and watches as Vi and (Y/N) jump down from the beams above and Powder swiftly making her way towards her 'mother's' side.

"No, we're not okay they almost saw Powder, what if they took her?" Vi quickly says, her voice rushed and concerned for her sister.

Powder lights a lamp, the room warming up as her father figure quickly comforts the group. "No one is taking any of you, never let that happen." He looks to (Y/N) and gently pulls her towards him, hugging her to his side gently as they watch Vi panic even more.

"It's already happening!" She yells, and her head throbs as she tries to make her guardians understand the severity of what just happened. "You heard him, they won't stop we need to fight back." She ends her statement with her fist slamming against the metal wall beside her, the noise clattering and causing the four kids behind her to look up in concern.

"And if you won't, I will."

"Like hell you will!" (Y/N) takes a step forward with a yell, her stare strong as she gently takes her daughter's bruised fist into her own. "Vi we talked about this, this will solve nothing." She sates firmly, and the girl looks up at her with an equally hard stare, but there was a difference.

While (Y/N)'s was sure and set in stone, Vi's was shaking, wavering at feeling helpless and having no other choice.

Vander sighs, "I've heard this kind of talk before." He says softly, and locks eyes with his daughter's shaky and tired ones.

———

Thunder rolls gently in the distance while the bridge, so long forgotten still stood proudly as ever, its history having become of the only things Piltover could never make disappear from its past.

"Why are we here?" Vi asks in an agitated voice, her hood pulled atop her head so she can shield her long of sight.

(Y/N) stays silent as her friend looks to the side. "You still don't understand."

"What I don't understand is how you can work with them." The girl speaks up ever so slightly, her emotion coming through while both adults watch her with sad expressions. "We were there, we saw what they did!" Her voice shakes and it takes everything (Y/N) has not to wrap her arms around her daughter to shield her from all the hurt she has endured.

"I grew up knowing I'm less than them, that my place is down there. I want Powder to have more than that, and I'm willing to fight for it." Her tone is sure and angry, but (Y/N) shakes her head.

"So was I," she gestures to Vander. "So were we, we were angry, just like you, we led us across this bridge thinking things could change." Her gaze flicks to the long path that leads to Piltover, fog covering halfway to cut out anyone different looking for a future.

"If I hadn't.." (Y/N)'s voice begins to fade, her throat feeling tight as she remembers that day, bodies slumped against the bridge, blood flowing like a river beneath her feet. "your parents would still be alive." She breaths out, not fully having forgiven herself from the death of the people she held so close to her heart.

"I know you wanna hurt the topsides for what they've done to us." Vander begins to speak, his hand gently rubbing his friends back as she continues to look out towards the bridge. "But who are you willing to loose? Mylo? Claggor? Powder?" He says his youngest's name with such care while Vi's looks down, the thunder rumbling being the only noise occupying their space.

(Y/N) clears her throat and walks forward before wrapping the pink haired girl in her arms, one hand around her shoulder while the other gently cups the back of her head. Her daughter trembles in her hold before tightly bawling her fists into (Y/N)'s shirt.

"Nobody wins in war, Vi." Vander softly says, leaning besides his daughter and draping an arm across her back, and letting Vi lean into his hold while (Y/N) leans beside her and lets her go.

"What are we gonna do?" The youngest of the three asks. "The Enforcers will come back."

"I.." Vander hesitates, and (Y/N) eyes him from the side. "I don't know, I'll, uh, I'll figure it out." They sit in silence, the air carrying a soft sound, almost like laughter. (Y/N) meets Vander's gaze atop Vi's head and sighs heavily.

She already knew what he wants to do, how he would 'figure it out'. And as much as it pains her, she'd be damned if she let him go alone.

———

'Our Love' plays through the jute box in the bar, it's time clear as day and just as beautiful as the day it was made.

Powder slowly walks to the bar, avoid of any and all customers while both her parents quietly clean the rest of the dishes lying around.

"There's a girl in town, and words gone around."

She gently places a small stuffed rabbit onto the counter, cold as ice and filled with dirt, gunk and any other unpleasant smells.

"She's just fine."

Powder lays her head against her arm and stairs at the rabbit, her mood sour. (Y/N) looks at her daughter from behind the bar and smiles gently.

"So I don't worry in my head, cause I know her heart is tied to mine."

She nudges her friend, and they both walk over to the little girl, Vander leans against the bar with one arm and watches her, before looking down and taking out a small cup.

"Ooh, like some day, I pray."

(Y/N) bumps her hip into his and takes out a bottle of juice before pouring it into the cup and grabbing a small straw, Vander watches her with soft eyes. He sets a hand on her hip and gently nudges his nose into her cheek, causing her to smile before turning to her daughter.

"Our love will always stay pure.."

She gently nudges the glass to the girl and leans against the counter, Vander's hand resting comfortably against her hip from beside her while they watch their youngest intently.

"While the world turns around, he holds me down for sure."

Powder slowly turns her head to look up at them before looking back down, ignoring the juice completely as her mood spurs more.

"Well (Our love) is a bubbling fountain."

Their expressions shift, and (Y/N) looks up at her friend in concern, her face pulled in worry and confusion.

———

"Our love, that floats into the sea."

A group of Enforcers march their way through the lanes, making a beeline for 'Benzo's', their batons in hand and ready to make an ever so awaited arrest.

"Our love, deeper than any ocean."

The front door's glass to the shop was smashed through, chipped glass scattered across the floor and leading all the way to each corner of the room.

"Our love, for eternity."

At the far end of the shop sits Vi, her back bent as she leans against her knees. Her head is down as she breaths in deeply before exhaling with tightly closed fists.

"(And after all) After all"

———

(Y/N) gently picks up the rabbit and inspects it closely while Vander gently questions Powder, his jaw clenched in worry.

"The rain will fall on us two (Rain will fall on us two)."

She squints her eyes before gasping and darting out the pub, leaving the rabbit with Powder and sprinting as fast as her legs can take her.

Vander waists no time and follows her lead, catching up as they both turn to each-other, wide eyed with worry and fear.

———

"But I'll keep moving on (Moving on)"

Vi straightens her back as she hears footsteps approaching, her eyes focused and determined to do what she needs to do in order to make sure her sister has a better future than her.

She was prepared to make any and all sacrifices, as long as her sister being happy was the outcome.

"For I am strong with you (With you)."

Shadows cast over the door and the footsteps grow nearer. The young girl stands up, prepared for whatever or whoever came through that door. She raises her fists as she hears the doorknob begin to turn, and she breaths in deeply.

"With you."

She exhales sharply as the door swings open and tightens her fists, but her eyes grow wide just slightly as she sees who came to her, the two people she knew could stop her and who she didn't want involved in the first place.

"Our love, is a bubbly fountain.."

——