Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder.

The cracks of early morning sunlight trickling through the cheap blinds of a chaotic dorm, the smell of chemicals wafting over a cluttered workbench, and the faint sounds of other students outside getting ready for the morning festivities was what woke Powder up on this crisp autumn morning. As she cracked her exhausted blue eyes to stare at the fractures of her ceiling for a several long silent moments, she reached up to gently place her hand over her chest.

The heart was not fonder. It was hollow and empty.

After several more moments of stillness, Powder slowly rose from her bed to shuffle around her dorm in order to find something to drink, her academy uniform crumbled and stained from the previous night of working independently.

It’s only been a few months since she moved into her dorm, adjusting to the new surroundings without her guardians always around her. There was freedom in living alone, being able to work on her own projects, go to bed at her own time, and eat what she wanted to eat…

But there was also an immense loneliness to it all as well.

No one here got her like her guardians or previous friends did. All enamored with knowing the student of the renowned Man of Progress, but never really wanting to know Powder.

With a small scoff Powder took out and shook her carton of orange juice with a metallic clinking of her bracelet’s charms, making a face when there was nothing left. So much for breakfast.

“I guess I can go get Vik and we can get breakfast.” she mumbled to herself, flinching momentarily before turning to look at the empty space to her left, “Yeah, I know he’ll want to go with me.”

After a beat of silence, Powder stared at the empty space intently before her lips quivered as she began to laugh, “Oh man, if Dr.Tessa could see me now.” she giggled to herself, shaking her head as she tossed her juice carton away and went to change into some cleaner clothes, “Nobody’s here to tell me I’m not a complete wacko.”

It didn’t take Powder long to get dressed, humming a small tune as she worked the buttons over her waistcoat and loosened her belt loops, “Though, knowing Vik he’s going to want to work in the lab instead of celebrating Progress Day.” she muttered to herself as she moved across the room to grab her school bag and Mister Bunny, “No, I don’t think Jay’s going to be there.” she remarked coldly, “He’s going to be too busy talking to schmucks, much too busy for lowly scientists like us.” she mocked with a wave of her hand.

Another twitch and Powder started to clench her fists as she fastens her rabbit to her belt, “Shut up.” she hissed, “Just shut up for once.”

Maybe it was a good thing to be living alone, able to speak freely without her guardians looking upon her with worry, with pity.

She was fine.

At least she was fine around other people.

…

Powder made a small troubled face as she shook her head, taking her pistols into her bag before throwing the strap over her shoulder and leaving her dorm.

She needed to go hang out with Viktor today.

.

It’s been seven long years.

Seven years of struggling to make a future with Hextech. Seven years of having to learn to get along with two other people in close proximity. Seven years of dancing around and smiling for a high society in order to be able to afford their dream.

The Hexgates were just the start. There was still so much more to do. So much that needed to be done.

This was going to be the event that would start the new chapter of their lives.

“Viktor!”

Jayce couldn’t count how many times he’s remembered running to Viktor now, but as he opened the door to see his ever working lab partner screwing in the bolts of his latest project with their now grown up ward sitting on Viktor’s desk to watch him work, he could only sigh and wonder how many more times he had to see this wiry man constantly at work during a holiday.

Said wiry man turned slowly, his eyebrow raised as he referred to Jayce casually, “Morning.” quickly followed by Powder’s more enthusiastic, “Morning!”

Jayce grinned as he walked forward, “Are the Atlas Gauntlets and the Hexclaw ready for presentation?” he asked quickly, striding past Viktor to look at his desk for the blueprints and something else he had hidden away, “I’m giving the Progress Day speech today.”

Viktor inhaled sharply along with Powder, quickly interrupted by a rough cough as he choked out, “The Progress Day speech? Doesn’t Professor Heimerdinger usually give that speech?”

While organizing blueprints, getting tools placed back where they belonged, and finally finding the box he was looking for, Jayce turned back to grin at his colleagues, “Heimerdinger is the one that proposed I give out the speech, he’s coming over this afternoon to see our projects.”

“Yes!” Powder whooped loudly as she jumped off her desk and hastily picked up her knick knacks. Adjusting the goggles atop her head, she dug into her box to gleefully grin at her guardians, “I can finally show Heimerdinger my Concussion Grenade!” she cheered as she held up one of her little fish shaped gadgets as their jagged mouths hung open, “Of course we can show these bad boys in tandem with the Atlas Gauntlets and the Hexclaw. But do you think we should show them first or in between or maybe-”

Jayce face fell as he was quick to interrupt the girl’s ramblings, “Powder-keg…” he started a bit nervously as he started rubbing the back of his head, struggling to know how to break it to her, “We’re just…going to show Heimerdinger our projects.” he stated carefully, watching Powder’s face for any upcoming outbursts.

But Powder blinked in confusion, her brows furrowing for a moment before perking back up again, “I see, we’ll just showcase them for the Progress Day spee-”

“No, Powder-keg.” Jayce interrupted again while running his hands over his eyes, “What I mean to say is…” he exhaled his breath, struggling to be hard on the girl he basically raised for the past seven years.

“He means to say your grenades are not getting showcased this year.” Viktor clarified as he slowly moved over to Powder's side to give her a gentle pat on the back, “You haven't quite gotten the wiring down pat yet.”

Powder looked at Viktor, her face falling as she stepped away from his reassurance and looked at Jayce's shamed face as he turned away from looking at her, “Wait, you’re serious?” she asked, feeling her heart beginning to race as she clenched around her inventions tightly, “You don’t think they’ll work, Jay?”

“I didn’t say that,” Jayce cutted in, placing a hand up in order to calm down Powder’s growing anger as she clenched her teeth, “But I don’t think your grenades will appeal to anyone, at least not compared to what Viktor and I have made-”

“You think they’re useless?”

“I didn’t say that either!”

Powder huffed as she could feel her emotions taking over her, “Well you sure as hell are implying it,” She stated bluntly as she crossed her arms, her jaw was set as she struggled to calm, “At the very least, let me entertain the idea with Heimerdinger while we’re doing the presentatio-”

Jayce sighed as he rubbed his temples, once more hating that he had to place his foot down, “You’re not doing the presentation with us either, Powder-keg.” he stated.

Powder was gritting her teeth now, “Why?” she dangerously inquired.

This seemed to be Jayce's breaking point, as he gritted his own teeth, “I’m also going to show the Hexgem!” Jayce exclaimed as he leaned back against his desk, frustrated with how his ward was acting, “We don’t need you having a panic attack in the middle of the presentation.” he said firmly, only releasing a breath of annoyance when Powder stomped her foot down.

“I haven’t had a panic attack over them for years, why are you making shitty excuses now?”

“Because you’re not ready for this!” Jayce finally stated, immediately wincing at the sight of Powder’s fury swiftly molding into a look of hurt, “This is too important, Powder-keg. I can’t…” he began, already reaching out to comfort his ward as she inhaled a shaky breath.

Deeply hurt by Jayce's words, her tearful eyes quickly switched back to fury as she smacked Jayce's hand away, “You think I can’t do it? That I can’t talk pretty words and make rich snobby people throw money at me? Is that what you want to say?” she started, her breath heavy, “Or are you too ashamed to have me around-”

“Powder.” Viktor sharply regarded as he brought his crutch down to get her attention. She snapped her head towards him, her breath starting to pick up and her eyes ice cold while she gripped her inventions like it was her last line to life. Viktor sighed, before nodding his head firmly towards the exit, “We shouldn’t be arguing today, we can all talk about this tonight after the speech. For right now, go and enjoy the festival today.” he stated, but when Powder didn’t move, defiant of what Viktor told her to do, her guardian sighed and made his tired regard to her a bit colder, “Powder.”

Even Viktor wasn't on her side, and that possibly hurt more. At this point the teen groaned loudly, “Fine!” she growled as she stomped her way out of the lab, only stopping at the door to turn around and point at both her guardians, “Your stupid meetings suck anyway!” she shouted, turning back around and spotting Sky coming down the hallway to hand the morning’s paperwork to her guardians. Why was it anytime Powder was in a bad mood she showed up? Powder clicked her tongue in annoyance and waited for her guardians' assistant to walk into the door before rudely bumping the papers from her grasp and leaving them all behind with a huff.

With a heavy slam to the door, both men were left to clean up Powder’s mess and apologize to Sky before she meekly accepted the apology and returned back to her duties. Viktor was the first to release a sigh afterwards, his shoulders slumping against his crutch while looking over to Jayce. The taller man huffed his own sigh, a bit more frustrated but just shook his head and returned back to his organizing, “I need to get to the Kiramman’s tent, I’ll be back afterwards to get ready for Heimerdinger.” he muttered tiredly, "Go ahead and get things ready if you can?"

“You could have been more gentle with your approach.” Viktor commented dryly as he dragged himself back over to his desk, “She’s going to be holding this grudge all week now.” he mused softly.

Jayce huffed as he filed his papers away, “Powder-keg will get over it eventually, she'll understand when she cools off. I just…” he paused as he glanced at the box next to him, “I can’t risk making a bad impression on Heimerdinger. He’s finally starting to agree to the benefits of Hextech, we can convince him of the next step.”

“She’s not a risk, Jayce.” Viktor stated plainly, the room filling with an icy air between the two, “Powder is impulsive, she is reckless, and she gets emotional....but she is not a risk.” slowly he walked over, going around Jayce as he unlatched the box to slowly open it. Sitting comfortably were their gemstones, shining and polished, waiting for their debut for the whole of Piltover to see. Viktor stared at them before sighing softly, “She’s helping us make a difference.”

They all were. All three of them were working hard to make a different future for Piltover, the Undercity, for everyone. But lately it has been getting harder and harder to achieve these dreams. With Powder attending the Academy, with Jayce at fundraising events, with Viktor going in and out of the hospital for his laundry list of illnesses…

Jayce didn’t realize he was reaching out for Viktor’s hand, stopping himself from doing so before it was too late. He brought his hand up to take Viktor’s shoulder instead to stop himself, “We’re all making a difference, and once we get this over with…we’ll keep working harder.”

He didn’t expect Viktor to shrug his shoulders away from his grasp, moving away to start heading back over to his bench, “Right.” he muttered as he returned to working on his project, “Go ahead to your event, I shall be here.”

Jayce reluctantly pulled his hand back, balling it up into a fist as he exhaled and turned his back to Viktor, “Alright, I’ll be here this afternoon.” he stated as he slowly went for the door, he was hoping for Viktor call him back, to say anything. But there was nothing, Jayce turned back to look at Viktor’s tense back dutifully working and not even giving him a farewell. Jayce swallowed the large lump in his throat as he held back what he truly wanted to say, just muttering a careful, “Make sure to eat lunch.”

“Mm.” Was all that he got out of Viktor before Jayce sighed and finally left his partner to his own devices.

They just needed to get over this rough patch they were going through.

.

She couldn’t believe this. Her own guardians! After everything they said about being a team. Yet, here Powder was. Walking the streets of Piltover with her inventions in her study bag and a large pout on her face. Alone.

They didn’t believe in her anymore, they thought she was useless for the cause.

Maybe they were right.

She bitterly wished Ezreal was here.

No- she didn’t wish he was here. He left her. Just like everyone did. Just like Seraphine. Just like Caitlyn.

Just like how her family left her.

Just like how Vi left her.

Powder hissed as the flashes came back, her hands twitched for her firearms that stayed comfortable in her bag. To shoot the images away. To shoot the monsters away. Anything to get the ringing to stop.

It was only getting worse, the only way to truly be rid of the monsters was being surrounded by noise.

She huffed as she walked past stalls, watching kids run around in awe of all the inventions being showcased. Some of them were impressive to look at, Powder even ended up buying a mechanized butterfly in the end. It was pretty, she wanted to see how it flew with its metal wings.

As she looked down the road she was in Powder grimaced at the largest tent around, the one with crowds of people flooding to get in and meet the ever famous Jayce Talis, inventor of Hextech and creator of the Hexgates. Powder felt her scowl deepen as she noticed a certain dark blue haired enforcer at the entrance keeping guard, even with her fancy new position she couldn’t get away from her parents. Such a fucking shame.

Maybe the enforcing business wasn’t suited for her. Maybe Caitlyn was wrong in thinking she could learn about the world if she was given a job that let her. The life of a paper pusher and party guard. Powder would think of this bitterly as she walked the opposite direction, slightly pleased with the thought of her old friend lamenting her decisions as she was swamped with paperwork. She walked far away from the crowds, the celebration, the cheer. This day sucked and nothing was going to make it any better.

Well, there was something that would make her feel better. Something to distract her for the time being.

Powder took out one of her grenades, turning the device in her hand as she ran her thumb over the trigger. Throwing stuff over the edge of the airship docks was a new escape for her, away from everyone, away from everything. As she set her destination, Powder hummed a small tune as she trudged towards the loading stations.

Her mind was muddled with too many thoughts, too many images. The desperate attempt to find comfort only brought upon more distress, leaving Powder in a destructive loop as she tried to pull herself from her own mind. She thought she was happy up here, she had a family, she had friends...and she lost them all the same. All because Powder pushed them away with harebrained inventions that crippled them, because she encouraged them to follow their dreams, because she...wasn't enough for them.

No matter what Powder did, she would always mess it up.

The day was clear, small clouds in the sky as they passed along with a gentle breeze from the west. Powder sighed a breath of relief when she stood at the edge of the world, as her thoughts cleared, truly alone and able to just…silence herself.

But the sounds of metal clanking snapped her from her meditation, as Powder turned her head towards the noise she had to raise a curious brow at the large airship still sitting comfortably in its station.

Weren’t the airships supposed to be in the air by sunrise? It was almost noon now.

She didn’t have time to ponder one why an airship was there, but she did have time to see strings of green lights fall upon it and flashes of amber set off inside the ship’s deck. She did have time to hear the passengers yell out about something called the Firelights attacking once again before a flash of amber caused more yelling to ring out.

Powder wasn’t thinking about her own safety when she took her pistols from her bag, switching the safety from both weapons and rushing over to the airship as she hastily pulled her concussion grenades out and hooked them to her belt by the triggers.

As she passed the threshold into the aircraft, the scene was utterly chaotic. Men and women alike were pinned under an explosion of an amber colored substance, panicked and angry as they wrestled in their cocoons. Powder quickly got herself behind a crate as she watched from her hiding place as three of the Firelights landed at the front of the deck and stomped past her with a mission in mind.

“We have five minutes till they’re out of there.” Deeply regarded the center figure, what Powder could consider the ringleader as their lackeys stuck to their flanks. Powder could hear a small ticking that was barely audible, but she shook her head to focus as the three of them headed over to the barrels at the end of the deck and started to pry them open to reveal a nearly glowing purple liquid.

Maybe this was too much. Maybe she should go get help if she was quick enough.

“They’re expanding…” the deep modulated voice answered before turning to their fellow firelights as they gestured for them to act quickly, “Check for more below, burn it all.”

She heard the Firelights spread out to start dumping the barrels left and right, their footfalls were loud and deliberate. They had a purpose, if they burned everything…Powder looked over the trapped men and women. How they struggled and fought so hard to break from their prison.

She had to do something. Quickly. They said five minutes, right?

Powder kept herself low, her guns at the ready as she purposely walked the opposite direction of the Firelights marching around to look at one of the hostages glued to the wall. He looked at her with panic in his eyes as he tried to struggle.

“Please!” he whispered, “Please help! Those wackos are going to get us killed!”

“Shut up!” Powder whispered back, the man was shaking, struggling against his bounds as Powder inspected the material in question, it was difficult to break in its larger clumps, but in a handful it fell apart under Powder’s grip, “Ambrite?” she muttered quietly, her brows furrowed in confusion as she holstered her guns and reached for another sample before the loud footfalls of another resounded behind her. Powder swiftly ducked away and pressed herself against splintering wood when a firelight walked along the other side of a set of crates. The imposing figure stood there for a grueling moment, scanning around the deck for a moment too long. Powder was sure her cover was blown as she held her breath, sweat falling past her temple as she tried to think of any escape plan she could make to avoid certain death. But luckily for her, the firelight slowly turned away as a barrel was handed to them to start dumping.

As Powder slowly released her breath, the man was panicking as he whispered out harshly, “Listen, kid! You get me out of here and I can pay you back! My boss! Silco! He can get you whatever you want!” he bargained, “Anything, you ask for it, he can get it. Just stop those fucking Firelights!”

Powder looked at the man for a minute, her features torn as she looked between him and the walkway that could get her a head start in getting the enforcers. But as she heard more barrels being dumped, liquid splashing on every surface. She nodded to herself before taking a deep breath.

“You can do this.” she muttered to herself, standing up with a determination set on her face as she stepped towards the offenders with purpose. The clacking of her shoes gave away her location as the Firelights paused their mission and watched her carefully walk to the center of the ship.

The ringleader with the stupid bird mask just stood there, completely still and silent as Powder flexed her fingers and blew a strand of hair from her face.

“Hey.” she said casually, immediately pulling her grenades from their triggers on her belt loops and hurling them at the two firelights to the ringleader’s flank. The mechanisms chattered as they slammed into the pair, tossing them back before setting off a strong electric current that sent both of them to the floor. The leader watched them crumple, emotions hidden behind the mask but the stiffness of their shoulders showed just how surprised they were, and as they were distracted Powder clicked her tongue and pulled her pistols once more from her holsters.

She stepped forward and two of the ambrite grenades were thrown at her by her target. She swiveled out of the way with an astonishing speed and took her first shot, a warning, a promise for worse to come if they didn't leave. But something was off, Powder could feel it, because the Firelight ducked under the bullet but didn’t move any closer to her.

Thunk.

Powder sucked in her breath as she barely dodged the spear coming down on her, strands of her own hair being cut by the sheer sharpness of the weapon as a taller more muscular firelight landed right next to her. Even knelt down below her, Powder could tell this guy was much bigger than her.

Reflex kicked in almost instantly, her pistol pressed against the firelight's temple and ready to take the shot. A shot from so close would surely blow his head off, she just needed to pull the trigger. But Powder hesitated, her fingers twitching and her teeth gritting as she quickly opted to heavily kick her opponent in the face instead. Hard enough to take him out cold. Three down.

With a deep heave, Powder was lucky to turn around just in time to avoid a swing to the head, grunting in pain when a second came at her side from a another firelight hitting her with a pipe. She never fought people like this before, the distant memories of Vi and her brothers fighting in the streets being the freshest memory in her mind.

”Duck and keep your fists close. When they’re at the apex of the swing you jab them in the gut.”

That was what Vi always said to her and Ekko when they practiced. Always encouraging, always there. The memory of her face made Powder twitch, ducking when another swing was thrown at her and taking her sister’s advice. With a yell and as much force as she could muster, Powder thrusted the base of her gun into her opponent’s rib cage, her grin manic at the sound of a sickening crack soft in her ears.

It gave her the incentive to keep going, using the momentum of her weight going forward to bring her leg up and kick the other firelight next to her, right under the jaw and sending him flying as Powder stumbled to regain her footing. Five down.

She was oddly good at this.

Powder took her moment to breathe, cursing herself for not being able to take the shot. But the sound of hurried splashing and a sharp whistle filled her ears as she snapped her head back up just in time to see a bright red flare illuminate the expanse of the deck. She didn't hesitate to rush forward and roughly grip the wrist of the firelight holding the flare.

These people were in danger. She was in danger. Powder only hoped she could knock the firelight out with a swift hit with the base of her gun, but all it did was knock the girl’s mask off. Revealing a tuft of pink hair and as the girl turned her face back to stare.

It was…Vi? No. That couldn't be right.

The noises were back again. Whispering and ringing in her head once more.

Powder struggled to swallow as she weakly whispered out, her teeth catching onto her lower lip as it quivered, “Vi…?”

Flashes of her sister once again flooded her brain. Her gentle touches against her cheek. How she grinned. How she laughed. She just wanted to keep her safe and she killed her. She killed her. But she was here. Right here in front of-

Powder was so focused on trying to disbelieve her own illusion, she didn’t notice the flare drop between them. She didn’t feel the fire start or the burning of her Academy pants as she held onto this girl with a vice grip. As the fires started to rage on and lick at everything around them in an inferno of purple flame.

The firelight was desperately trying to pull away, fighting with all her might before she was finally released and started to run away.

Powder wasn’t thinking.

She shot out a bullet.

Then another.

And another after that.

She shot wildly until she had nothing left, her vision was blurry, her hands and feet felt like weights, her breaths came out in heaves as she physically held herself together.

All Powder felt as the airship’s hull exploded was a heavy weight tackling her to the ground before everything went black.

Chapter Text

The silence was the worst part about this.

Powder hated that she was in Enforcer’s headquarters, her minor injuries patched up as she sat across the desk where, of course, Caitlyn Kiramman herself was filling out paperwork with an annoyed look upon her features.

Powder leaned back on the chair as she hitched her feet up on Caitlyn’s desk, but the Kirammann ignored her in favor of reading old papers and writing down notes involving the whole shimmer incident. The woman was clearly irritable, after finding Powder’s passed out body underneath a thick jacket in the airship first of all, she found clues as to what transpired before other enforcers could get a look themselves just to brush everything under the rug. Caitlyn was basically forced to carry Powder’s sorry ass back to headquarters for a patch up and witness report, already being punished with graveyard duty for doing her job.

“And you said this…firelight, is that what you called them? Pushed you away from the explosion?” She questioned tiredly as Powder balanced a pencil under her nose to alleviate her boredom.

Shrugging casually while grinning, Powder excitedly explained, “Yeah, I was kicking their asses. Then the fire went PSAWHA and the barrels went BOOSDM and then I was like AHHHH!!'' Powder took great enjoyment in her sound effects but it just seemed to make Caitlyn rub her temple, “Then in the middle of the blast a firelight pushed me down and away from the explosion! I think it was the fumes that made me pass out, and then I was here. With you. What a coinky-dink, dontcha think?”

Caitlyn sighed as she went to write down the descriptions for the witness form, making sure to omit the sound effects. Powder grinned as she saw Caitlyn rubbing her temples even harder as she wrote

“I think..” Caitlyn paused as she looked over the papers once more, “That this Firelights felt pity for you." she muttered before placing her pen down and giving the teen a hard look, "What were you thinking? Getting involved in that altercation? You could have been more hurt than you already are, Jayce would have my-” Caitlyn paused when she looked back over to Powder. How her face fell as she looked at the burnt edges on her pants and avoided Caitlyn’s lectures altogether.

“I thought I saw her in there,” Powder muttered solemnly, her shoulders slumping, “I…just want to help...and I freaked out.”

Caitlyn bit her lip, wanting to reach out and comfort her friend. Her hand was hesitant, reaching out across her desk as she eventually placed a gentle hand on Power’s forearm. She took note of the flinch, of how the smaller woman pulled back slightly, “Powder...” she started, “Do you…want to talk about it?”

The flash of Vi popped up one more time. Making Powder flinch away once more as she shook her head, “I know, I was dumb, can I go home now?” she asked, desperate to leave the situation to get back to her dorm. Anything to avoid talking. Caitlyn thought she wanted to understand. But she didn’t. No one wanted to understand her.

She needed to get ready anyway, the Progress Day speech was tonight. She needed to be there for her guardians, even if they didn’t want her there. But Caitlyn gently sighed and shook her head, already standing up to walk around her desk and nudged for Powder to get up and follow her.

“Yeah…once Viktor gets here to pick you up.” Caitlyn muttered lamely, waiting to see Powder sigh dramatically and slump in her seat as she knew she was in trouble now.

“Monkey Balls.”

“It’s not that bad,” Caitlyn started, once again urging Powder to get up and follow her. Once the teen did, she started to walk from the communal room with her paperwork in tow, “It’s not like they can ground you anymore.”

Powder grumbled lowly as she trailed after Caitlyn, her arms crossed and her gaze to the floor as she spoke, “Have you heard Vik when he’s disappointed? He gets all gravely and talks to you slowly like you’re a kid that doesn’t understand basic vocabulary.” she commented, mimicking Viktor’s deep disgruntled accent before groaning in frustration, “Ugh, if he tells Jay too, then I’ll have to listen to them both lecture me.”

The taller girl shrugged as they walked down the hallway, “Yeah, but you’ll have your dorm to go back to. Away from them to think for yourself.” she sighed wistfully as she took her keys out to open a door, “One day I’ll enjoy the same luxury.”

“Why don’t you move out now? You’ve been in the force for what? A couple years now?” Powder offered darkly as they walked into the room, an evidence locker of sorts. Splayed out on the table to be cataloged away were items from the scene. A firelight mask, some of their amberite grenades, a few vials of shimmer, the heavy jacket she was found in adorned with multiple drawings along the back, and then her bag with all her shit.

Caitlyn hummed as she set the paperwork down and reached over for Powder’s bag, “Houses are more expensive than you think.” she commented, “I’ve saved every coin I’ve made, and I still can’t afford an apartment.”

The shorter girl rolled her eyes as Caitlyn passed her bag over to Powder, who took it to sling it over her shoulder, “Ever thought of getting a place not in the most expensive part of town?” she offered, her eyes narrowing when Caitlyn just rolled her eyes at her, “You can admit you’re not ready to leave home yet, that this stunt is just to prove to your mom that she never had power over you- hell, I’ll tell it to her face if you just-”

“Stop.” Caitlyn sharply interrupted, “This isn’t just about my mother, Powder. It’s about helping people, the same thing you guys are doi-”

“You’re not doing shit as an enforcer Cait!” Powder bit back, her temper flaring as she gritted her teeth, “You’re defending the goods of a bunch of rich assholes who are only interested in the money that can be made instead of any other fucking person in this city!” she hissed, watching Caitlyn’s eyes harden at her, but Powder just continued grilling into her ex-friend, “We’re not even doing any good, we just made them richer! Nobody is being helped! Nobody has ever been fucking helped!”

Caitlyn scowled at her, eyes squinting at her as she snatched her papers back up, “Take your shit and wait for Viktor downstairs.” she coldly ordered, “I’m tired of arguing with you about this. Enforcers aren't as evil as you make them seem, Powder. I'm not quitting.”

With that, Caitlyn passed by her and out the door, roughly bumping Powder’s shoulder as she left her old friend alone.

“Fucking-” Powder cursed as she kicked one of the lockers in frustration, letting out a rough yell in anger. She hated this. She hated being here and how everything turned out. Why did Cait have to be so fucking stubborn? Why did Viktor keep his secrets? Why didn’t Jayce believe in her anymore?

She cursed again and kicked the lockers once more, feeling her eyes burning as she scanned for anything to keep her grounded as she tried to calm herself down. She just wanted to help the people she cared about most, she was worth something to all of them. They just had to see it, they just had to give her a chance.

That’s when she saw it.

Her name.

Nestled in the deepest corner of the evidence lockers, was simply on the plaque of outdated evidence to be discarded. Quietly Powder walked over to it, her eyes glued to her own name and the date of when her new life began. When her old life abruptly ended in a explosion of red hot flames and freezing downpours.

Her hand twitched, hesitantly reaching out to gently pull the handle to the drawer. With a slightly deafening scream, the drawer moved.

It was unlocked.

With bated breath, Powder pulled the handle back with a bit of resistance due to years of rust keeping it shut. But after one shrill sound of metal grating against metal, over half a decade’s worth of memories laid out before her.

Her old nail bombs, rusted but still bearing the same mousey eyes they once held before. Her crayons and whatever junk she had in her pockets that day.

And the flare.

“Wherever you are, light it up. And I’ll find you.”

Powder recoiled as she shook her head, “No…dammit not again.” she hissed, “We’ve been through this, she's gone. It was just some lunatic firelight girl...It was an accident.”

But the damned flare still sat there, untouched, preserved through the passage of time just…waiting for her to come back. To light it and for Vi to find her.

She’s dead.

Vi is dead. She wasn't going to come back.

Right?

Powder made one last scathing look at the flare, her eyes wet and churning with emotion before finally scoffing in defiance and snatching it up. With a last withering glance at the table, she marched over and shoved everything in her bag. The mask, the grenades, the shimmer, everything. With hurried fingers she cataloged the items and slapped the tag on an empty locker before making her way out before anyone caught onto her schemes. The plan she was making in her state was messy and unrefined, but she had all day to plan it.

She needed to know why that firelight saved her, who was able to bribe tradesmen to let drugs be on the ship, what did that guy meant when he said his boss would give her anything. If no one was going to help, then she’d do it herself.

And help the Undercity if she could.

.

It took two hours for Viktor to get himself to the Enforcer’s headquarters, as he walked through the door his breath was instantly released at the sight of Powder waiting for him. She looked to be cooling off, but as she spotted her guardian she was quick to stand. Powder nervously wrung her hands together as Viktor stared at her with wide amber eyes.

“I-”

Viktor didn’t let her continue as he made his way over and yanked her into a weak one armed hug, “Shush, you’re okay. That’s what matters.” he whispered as he pulled her back, taking her face in his hands and gently tilting it to inspect her injuries, “These are the only ones?” he inquired worriedly. Powder leaned into the touch, sighing a bit softly as she nodded.

Viktor released another sigh, softly smiling back at Powder and rubbing his thumb over her cheek. She relaxed, feeling comforted that despite everything Viktor was still as gentle as-

Thwack.

“Ouch! Motherfu-” Powder yelped as she jumped away to rub her shin from the abuse it just went through.

Viktor seemed pleased enough, leaning heavily on his crutch as he pointed out, “That was for almost giving me a heart attack.”

“Not like just about anything could give you a-”

Viktor huffed and raised his crutch again before Powder placed her hands up in defense, “Sorry! Sorry! Didn’t mean it!” she sighed when Viktor returned his crutch down and tilted his head for the exit.

Powder complied, walking with her guardian with her bag close as she hesitantly asked, “Where’s Jay?”

“He had to prepare for the event later this afternoon. We need to also get dressed for the speech tonight. He knows, by the way.” Viktor stated plainly as they walked down the steps and continued down the streets of Piltover as it celebrated their holiday, “Have you eaten yet?”

Powder slumped her shoulders before shaking her head. Of course Jayce knew, and he didn’t even come to see if Powder was okay. She huffed quietly as Viktor hummed and pointed for a small cafe for them to stop at.

They both got themselves comfortable on one side of a booth, Powder insisting to annoy and trap her guardian as he gave her a look that clearly knew what she was trying to do. After gently smacking her with the menu he made his order and the two of them fell into a small silence as they waited.

“So…” Powder started, having crossed her arms over the table and laying her head down to peer up as Viktor fiddled with pouring sugar into his coffee, “How’d the presentation with Heimerdinger go?” she asked.

Viktor didn’t respond immediately, but the sour look on his face was already revealing how the meeting went. With one last packet of sugar being poured, the man gently grumbled out, “He wants us to continue development for another ten years.”

“Another-?” Powder questioned as her back straightened as she looked to her guardian. She felt her temper flaring as she clenched her fists, her face twisted in a scowl, “Doesn’t that old furball know we don’t have ten years to fuck around with a mostly completed project? That’s such bullshit if I’ve ever heard of-”

“I know, Powder.” Viktor interrupted, sighing as he mixed his drink and took the cup into his hands, “No one is happy about it.”

Powder continued nonetheless, her hands gesturing in frustration for Viktor to see as she ranted, “We’ve worked so hard! We gave them their stupid Hexgates and that took us seven years to do, something as simple as the tools woul-”

“Powder.” Viktor cut her off again, his stare a bit harder as he regarded her. “I know.”

The girl blinked, her gaze a bit hurt from Viktor’s coldness. But she watched Viktor sag his shoulders, obviously tired as he lifted his mug to drink. He was just as frustrated, but Viktor was a lot better at concealing his emotions when he deemed it necessary. The man always had a talent for being the pillar of mental stability when Jayce and Powder had their moments, it’s what made them a good team. Powder took her moment to collect herself and sigh deeply.

“Sorry,” she muttered quietly, letting her head fall on her guardian’s shoulder and blowing the hair from her eyes as she huffed, “I just…know how much this meant to you. You’ve always been so driven to make Hextech help everyone, and now we have the chance to and we’re just…stuck.” she muttered lamely, taking comfort when Viktor lowered his mug and brought his arm up to wrap around Powder’s shoulders. He made a wistful smile as he nodded to the waitress that brought their meals over before she made herself scarce.

“Hm,” Viktor hummed quietly before his smile turned teasing, “You’re sounding a lot like Jayce now.”

Powder snorted loudly as she shook her head and shrugged Viktor away, “Please. Don’t even joke like that. I’d rather die than be anything like the Golden Geek of Progress.”

Viktor retorted with his own snort of amusement before they both started eating. It was peaceful, quiet. Just like long ago when the three of them would cram into a booth, bickering over innate topics and just…enjoy each other’s company.

Eventually that silence was broken, with Viktor coughing to the point he was forced to turn his head away so Powder couldn’t see him pull his handkerchief out to clear his lungs out. The girl patted his back, her face filled with worry as she watched her guardian crumble in front of her. Once the coughing subsided, when Viktor took his time to gather his breath, he cleared his throat and muttered out, “I just want you to know, I’m sorry for being part of booting your invention and participating in the presentation.” he apologized once he turned back to look at her, “Jayce made it sound more malevolent than he should have.”

Powder grumbled as she rolled her eyes, leaning back in her seat, “Psh, and I’ll never get an apology from him. It’d bruise his poor little ego.” she groused irritably.

“His intentions were for your own protection, despite his poor wording.” Viktor pointed out, taking his mug to drink once again.

“Yeah, right.”

The two were quiet once more, with Powder glaring at her half eaten meal and Viktor bringing his cup back down to just stare at the sludge of sugar at the base of the cup.

“The Hexgem, while more stabilized, does have a more reactive response time. That was why we usually worked on it when you are on vacations.” Viktor muttered, breaking the silence once more as he turned his head to glance at his distraught ward, “He worries about you, you know.”

“Doesn’t feel like it, not anymore.” Powder admitted darkly, prodding her meal with a fork as she felt her appetite lost over talking about everything.

With a sigh, Viktor simply shrugged as he leaned back into his seat. He looked out the window to see the people celebrating Progress Day, a momentous holiday where Piltover celebrated new projects of innovation and youngsters could see spectacles they’ve never seen before. Yet here they were, creators of magic through technology, brooding in the booth of a lonely cafe. Viktor sighed as he looked back to his ward, “That’s because he’s busy now, a lot on his shoulders, Hextech is finally getting the recognition it deserves, despite everything.” he explained simply, watching as Powder looked back at him with sadness in her eyes.

“You could still be a part of it all…help him out.” she muttered, leaning back on her guardian again, “You deserve just as much credit as he does.”

“I’m fine where I am. Besides,” Viktor stated as a smile crawled up to his face as he gave the girl a gentle jab to the side, making her laugh, “I can’t embarrass you at school if I’m too busy at events.”

“Now I want you gone even more.” Powder joked as she took the offending hand jabbing her and held it in her own hands.

Viktor was always pale, his skin just as white as hers due to years growing up without a sun to bask in. But now, Viktor’s skin was basically see through, his thin veins obvious on the dorsal side of his hand as his fingers twitched from Powder’s inspection. She turned his hand around, noting the thin burns and scars left behind from years of work. How bony his fingers were and how dirt and grime stuck out under his fingernails.

“You removed the polish.” Powder commented dully as she traced the lines in Viktor’s palm.

Her guardian let her do as she pleased, sighing as he closed his eyes to get a moment of rest, “More like it chipped off. The new project hasn’t been kind to your nail art.”

Powder hummed in understanding as she ran her thumb over one of Viktor’s scars, a burn from back when Viktor taught her how to weld. A fond memory of a past she couldn't return to, but bitterly smile about as she rubbed her thumb over the scarred skin. When she finally glanced back over at Viktor's calm form as she asked, “Let me repaint them for the speech?”

His lips quirked in amusement as Powder watched him nod, “What color are they going to be this time?” he inquired, huffing a small laugh as his hand was twisted around again as Powder made a long hum in thought.

Soon she answered, “Blue…and black. Like my soul.” she started darkly, her smirk evident as Viktor chuckled at her and finally pulled his hand back to ruffle the girl’s hair.

“Really laying on the teen angst, aren't you?”

Power giggled as she fought the offending hand away, grinning at her guardian as he cracked his eye open, “Eh, would you have it any other way?”

“I don’t think I would.” Viktor muttered honestly, sighing deeply before pulling himself to sit back up and reaching for his crutch, “We should pay and get ready, do you have something nice to wear at the Academy?” he asked as he pushed Powder to slide from her seat so he could follow up shaky legs. The girl kept her hand out, just in case, but hummed as she pondered.

“Just typical uniforms.” she answered, shrugging as she and Viktor walked to the register to pay, “We can go by the old workshop, I got spare clothes there.”

Viktor huffed as he nodded, his smile small as Powder nudged him to pay a larger tip, “Then we go back to the workshop.”

.

Of course the both of them got to the stadium first, with Sky informing them that even against Heimerdigner’s suggestion, Jayce wanted to show the new projects for the Progress Day speech.

Powder, even though she was upset her projects weren’t on the line, still had a smile on her face and she nudged Viktor, “This is fucking great! I knew Jay had the balls to stand up against the furball!”

With a shush and a small jab, Viktor couldn’t help but smile, “I’m glad Jayce decided to go this route.” he regarded quietly before nodding to their assistant, “Thank you, Sky.” he added before giving Powder one last jab and a motion of his head towards the meek assistant.

“Ugh, really?” Powder muttered as she watched Viktor give her a harder stare before sighing and conceding, “Sorry, Sky, about knocking into you this morning.” she grumbled.

Sky seemed to perk up slightly, fixing her glasses as she nodded softly, “It’s alright, Powder. Water under the bridge.” she says quietly as she exchanges a glance to Viktor, turning her head away to adjust her glasses and cover her blush as Viktor nods to himself and moves to look over the speech Jayce was to recite. Powder couldn’t help rolling her eyes, bitterly regarding Sky’s obvious crush on her guardian as she marched up to his side and read over the outline of Jayce’s speech.

“Wow, really tooting his own horn in this, huh.” Powder commented, watching Viktor sigh as he turned his head to glance back over to Sky once more.

“The ceremony is starting soon, did Jayce say when he was coming?” he asked.

Sky gently shook her head, looking over her clipboard for an idea of Jayce’s schedule, “H-His last event was the party with the Council this afternoon.” she answered, “He should have been here before you two arrived, but…”

“Nerves.” Viktor answered immediately, already shifting his crutch, “I can go find him.”

“W-Wait!” Sky interrupted, “We need someone here, in case he doesn’t arrive. To do the speech.”

Viktor widened his eyes, Powder seemed to as well, but as she smiled, Viktor looked on in horror, “Me? No, no we can’t have that.” he excused hurriedly, “I’ll go find him.”

Powder watched her guardian fumble, looking panicked as she sighed and took his shoulder to stop him from moving, “I’ll go look for him, just keep your worried mug here in case I can’t.”

Viktor seemed pressed, more wishing he could join than be stuck here to do a speech he wasn’t even prepared for. As he heard the cheering crowds, Viktor looked at Powder with a pleading stare as she walked past him, “Be quick.”

Powder only affirmed with a loud hum as she ran out from backstage, already scouring for her much bigger and much dumber guardian. She walked through the crowds of Progress Day onlookers, calling loudly for the man of progress that made everyone turn their heads towards her.

She didn’t care. Let them know she knew Jayce personally. Maybe that would make Jayce look more human compared to whatever pedestal he was placed upon over the past few years. She missed the old Jayce, the one that worried over small things. The old Jayce that would rather jump out of the building than attend a suit and tie event but went because he had to keep appearances. The old Jayce that would drag everyone onto the couch just to relax from a rough day.

She hated this version of Jayce. She finalized as she spotted said man walking through the crowds.

He walked with confidence, with an entourage and Councilor Medarda by his side. He smiled and waved to onlookers with his shiny white suit and overly white teeth. Powder felt her nose scrunch up cause she just knew he was wearing that awful cologne he typically wore to events. This Jayce was for the crowds, artificial and fake.

“Jay!” Powder allied out once more, deciding to be a lasting problem to her guardian as she paced up right in front of him and his group, staring up at him she grinned, “There you are, big shot .”

She was gleeful at how Jayce flinched, how Councilor Medarda raised her brow curiously when she glanced at Jayce. The man made a tight smile, stepping forward to ruffle Powder’s hair and struggle to laugh.

“Hey! Everything in place for the speech tonight?” he inquired, his face plastered with a smile even though he wanted to tell Powder off. The girl tilted her head innocently enough, reaching to take Jayce’s arm and pull at him to go with her.

“Of course not! We just can’t do anything without you! How are we to function if we don’t have our ever dutiful genius here to run things? We’d be so utterly disorganized!” Powder whined sarcastically, watching Jayce’s jaw set as he nodded to the Councilor and the nobility he was walking with.

“Well,” he laughed nervously, “Duty calls.”

“Take care, Jayce Talis.” Mel referred as she gave another nod to Powder as she dragged Jayce off, “Miss Powder.”

“Councilor!” Powder referred back, her eyes turned away to hide her glare as she kept dragging her guardian along through the crowds to get to the backstage door of the stadium they were to do the presentation.

When Jayce finally pulled away, he was rubbing his temples as he regarded Powder tiredly, “Why did you do that?”

“Do what?” Powder challenged, sitting on the small set of stairs that would lead them inside.

Jayce sighed loudly as he gave Powder an exasperated look, “You made a scene, you did it to get a rise out of the councilors.” he pointed out.

“So?” Powder continued, her devious grin apparent as she watched her guardian fumble and sigh at her, “You were late, I had to pull you away somehow.”

The taller man seemed to breath through his nose in frustration, coming over to the steps where Powder sat to look at her with a pleading stare, “Listen, I know you’re mad at me about this morning, and I'm sorry that I shunted your work. But please, Powder-keg.” Powder flinched at the nickname, “Please don’t make a big scene tonight. I’m really sticking my neck out here.”

Powder could feel herself bristle with anger, her fists clenching as she wanted so badly to challenge him. To call him out on everything. But she refrained, just inhaled and nodded as Jayce gave her a gentle smile and a pat on the shoulder before stepping up the stairs to get inside.

Powder stayed where she stood, eventually sitting where she started while pulling her legs up. She inspected the bandaged around her ankle, the burn from the incident with the Firelights. Jayce didn’t even ask her if she was okay.

She thought back to the morning, how awesome she was. How she handled herself. That was a Powder that was too cool to let anything bother her. Too brave to let off handed comments stick with her.

Strong enough to get whatever she wanted.

She thought of the man trapped in the amberite, promising a favor that could get her whatever she wanted. Just ask his boss and he could get anything done.

Silco.

Yeah right. Silco couldn’t change time.

He couldn’t bring people back.

What a fucking joke.

Powder sighed as she pulled herself up, making the trudge back inside to watch Jayce walk up the steps to the stage, the crowds going wild as Viktor stood in the shadows. His stare was soft as his hand was hovering over the crank that would open the curtains. Even now, in the middle of their relationship deteriorating, Viktor always looked at Jayce with a sincere expression of endearment. No matter how badly the both of them were hurt.

He still loved Jayce.

Quietly Powder moved up to Viktor’s side, the both of them listening to Jayce’s speech as his voice boomed over the crowd. The way he made the microphone spike momentarily and fumbled to make a joke made Powder relax her shoulders a bit, glad there were a few things that Jayce didn’t completely abandon.

He went onto his opening, talking about the old business. About his family. How they probably made the stone everyone was standing on today.

“No one in my life expected very much of me.”

Powder huffed and nudged Viktor as he smiled, “He could say that again Oof-” Powder huffed as her guardian jokingly jabbed her stomach.

The crowd exploded when Jayce spoke of the Hexgates, the noises almost deafening as Powder rolled her eyes at how excited these people were about measly teleportation. Just think of what they were about to show now!

As the applause died down, Jayce continued.

“But…we’re not done yet.”

Powder started to bounce in excitement, watching Viktor reach for the crank and prepare to pull the curtains open on Jayce’s say. Her hand was on the crank with Viktor, ready to help with the curtains as at least some way to prove she still supported them. Supported Hextech and all that it stood for.

But Jayce was stalling, his voice slowly down and his confident smile was gone now. Viktor was narrowing his eyes in confusion, and Powder was tilting her head as she watched Jayce struggle. He was good at these types of speeches, why was he struggling now?

Voices of concern filled the stadium as Jayce fumbled to speak. Powder held her breath as she took a tentative step forward, her eyes wide at watching her guardian wrestle with his words. Even after everything she thought and said about him, that was still her guardian. He was still too much of an overthinker and stumbled with what to say, he still cared too much about what people thought of him, he still cared so much for the people he loved. It was still the same man that traveled through a monsoon for her.

He was still her Jayce Talis.

“...When the time is right."

Powder's face fell.

Or maybe he wasn’t.

Viktor widened his eyes in disbelief, his face set behind an emotion Powder couldn’t read as she watched. Paralyzed she stood, her eyes wide and betrayed as the crowds vocalized their disappointment before Jayce saved the speech with some uplifting words. The fireworks were set and as Jayce was waving to the crowds, Powder heard the sound of hurried clacking as Viktor headed for the door as fast as a disabled man could move.

Sky looked on in worry, about to step forward after Viktor before Powder stepped forward, “I got this.” Powder excused as she passed by the woman to hurry outside.

She grimaced as she heard the wet sounds of Viktor expelling his lunch over the railing of the stadium’s backstage exit. His limbs shaking and weak as Powder came over to gently pat her guardian’s back to calm his ragged breathing down.

“Vik…” Powder started softly, “It must have been a mistake, Vik. Maybe Sky mixed up the message or-”

“It was no mistake.” Viktor hissed as hastily reached for his handkerchief, “He backed out.”

Powder looked at her guardian with hurt apparent on her features as she felt her brows furrowing, “H-He lied. He lied to us!” she started, gritting her teeth, “H-He outright banned me from showing my inventions when he’s too scared to show his own! I outta-!”

She paused as she watched Viktor, coughing into his handkerchief after his sickness, the wetness still apparent by sound alone to the point Viktor almost collapsed against his crutch with how hard he coughed. She reached out to him, wanting to help in any way she could but as he recoiled, his eyes panicked as he held his cloth like a death grip. She saw the notable ting of red staining his handkerchief.

“Vik…” she breathed out, “Y-Your handkerchief…”

Viktor would have stiffened if his body allowed it, his coughs leaving him gasping for air as he straightened himself on his crutch, “It’s nothing, Powder.”

Powder quickened her breath as she held back her initial panic, “You’re worse than you said.” she muttered obviously, hurt in her eyes as she pressed on, “How fucking bad, Vik?”

“I…” Viktor began, his voice croaking after the abuse his throat went through before shaking his head, “I will tell you later, it’s late.” he excused, pushing past his ward to start down the steps as fast as a disabled man could hurry, “Head back to your dorm, I’ll see you in the morning.”

The girl held back her panicked sob, taking tentative steps forward to follow her guardian, “Vik!” she called out, hoping he would turn around for her. Comfort her. Tell her that everything was going to be okay.

But he didn’t. He kept going until the shadows of Piltover shrouded him and left her alone.

Turns out. Viktor lied too.

Chapter Text

They just needed time, that was all…

They had plenty of time to fix what was broken.

After a successful speech and roaring applause, Jayce stepped off the stage with a flourish and a head held high. The speech itself was a resounding success despite its hiccups, and the crowd was excited for what was to come next. That was enough for him as he looked around the backstage for his partner and ward to be waiting for him, but at the sight of only their assistant standing alone and waving to him, Jayce raised a curious brow as he approached her.

“Sky? Where is everyone?” he asked, looking around once more to hopefully see the both of them hiding in the dark. But Sky just cleared her throat, turning her head towards the door as she fixed her glasses.

“Viktor and Powder headed outside. He…didn’t feel well.” she answered nervously, already taking Jayce’s clipboard so he didn’t have to carry it as he was already stepping past her, “W-What should I do about the projects?”

Jayce paused his pace as he looked back, smiling softly as he gestured towards the stage’s curtain, “If you could get them packed up and back in the lab. That’s all you need to do, go enjoy the rest of the holiday, Sky.”

“You too, Mr. Talis.” she answered back, already heading to work as Jayce turned his heel and headed out the backstage door. It wasn’t like he had to look hard, with Powder standing against the railing and whipping her head around the moment the door was opened to reveal her taller guardian.

The way her lip turned into a deep scowl, Jayce tried to salvage the obvious argument with an awkward smile, "Ah...how was your Progress Day?"

“What the hell was that?” Powder accused, gesturing to the doorway behind him as he swiftly closed it shut so Sky didn’t have to hear them. Jayce could only slump his shoulders and give her a worn out sigh as he watched the girl pace.

“The speech?” he inquired, watching Powder snap her head towards him with a glowering stare as she reached over to jab a finger into his chest.

“Oh, don’t act stupid Jay!” she accused snarkily, giving an extra jab to make a point, “Yes, the shitty speech! You didn’t showcase the projects!”

Jayce huffed as he gently moved Powder’s hand away from him, giving the girl an apologetic look as he tried to explain, “I-It’s not the right time.”

But Powder kept on her tirade, pacing once more as she huffed a sarcastic laugh, “The right time? It’s Progress Day, I think now is the perfect time to mention new projects.” she stated firmly.

Jayce pursed his lips, blowing air out his nose before trying to gently explain to the distraught girl, “Listen, Powder-keg, we’ll introduce them next year, or-”

“Next year?!” Powder interjected, her eyes wide and disbelieving, “Are we even sure Vik will even be alive next year-”

“Powder.” Jayce quickly cut her off, his features immediately hardened as he stood a bit straighter, just to look down to his ward. His eyes flashed briefly with a restrained anger, but just as instantly all the bravado and drive deflated as he was sighing and rubbing his temples, “Sorry, just…don’t joke about that.”

The girl just barked a harsh laugh, “You think I’m joking?” she ridiculed, her face glaring daggers at her guardian’s denial, “Vik’s wasting away and you think I’m joking around?”

“He’s not wasting away-”

Powder continued, her gestures wild as she yelled, “He was blowing chunks out here after your speech, he took off when I tried to ask him more about it!” she stated, reaching over to give a rough jab to her guardian, “You better go suck up to him for this, like your damn life depends on it!”

“Powder-keg...” Jayce started, keeping his hand over his forehead as he weakly tried to get her to calm.

“Yeah, yeah, I know you two are fighting right now. You honestly deserve it with how shitty you’ve been acting lately, but you have to do something! You can save this Jay!” Powder pressed, her jabs and her hits weakening as she desperately gripped onto the pristine white lapels of Jayce’s suit jacket.

“Pow-”

She grew desperate as she shook him, her smile strained and her eyes hopeful as she tried to get through to her guardian, “He still loves you, stupidly in love with you! I saw it in his eyes when you were making your speech! If you just swallowed your pride and said it ba-”

“Powder!” Jayce finally snapped, roughly taking hold of Powder’s hands and holding her at a distance. His eyes were scathing, glowering at his ward as she shrunk away from his harsh gaze, “Enough. Viktor is fine, and I don’t need to save anything.” he seethed, pushing the hands away from him.

“B-Bu-” Powder started weakly, tears in her eyes as her hands desperately went to the stuffed rabbit on her belt, holding him tightly as Jayce glowered down to her.

“No, Powder. You misunderstand.” he strictly stated, his posture faltering when he watched how distraught his ward got, gently he sighed and leaned against the wall, “Viktor and I were never together like that, we're lab partners and nothing more.” he mournfully said, his distraught eyes looking at the floor instead of Powder’s befuddled expression.

“W-What?”

With how fragile she spoke, it was like glass shattering as Jayce closed his eyes, hoping to will away the image of the girl’s face from his thoughts as he pressed on.

“We were never together like you think we were.” he finally confessed, his expression tired and worn as he listened to Powder’s breath hitch.

Maybe it was better not to watch her, how her world was shredded before her. Powder stared at her guardian, someone she looked up to like a father for years, with tears flowing down her bandaged cheeks. It was always just the three of them, since Hextech began. They were a family. Now Jayce had the audacity to say this. Was it all a lie?

“Y-You lied.” she whispered, her shoulders shaking as her brows furrowed, “You both fucking lied!” she basically screamed, not even caring to see Jayce flinch as she let her emotions flow freely, “Y-You kept this-this thing up just so you could…what? Make me go to a therapist?” she widened her eyes in disbelief when Jayce looked even more shamed as she couldn't stop herself from laughing, "Oh this is fucking rich."

Jayce finally looked at his child, gently reaching out to try to comfort her. But once she shoved him away, the man opted to continue to explain, “Viktor didn’t see another way you would agree…”

“Don’t pin the blame on just Vik…” Powder hissed, she glared her guardian down, “You were part of this! You could have said something! You could have said no! You…don’t get to be dissapointed about telling me the truth!” she yelled, her voice shaky as she reached up to grip the sides of her head, taking comfort of her rabbit pressed against her temple, “You don’t get to be ashamed. You don’t get to pretend that ME being like this isn’t your own damn fault. YOU did this. YOU made me like this.”

Jayce tried to reach out again, only met with resistance as Powder pulled away and took several steps down the stairs to give them distance, “Powder-keg wait, I-” he started, his words fumbling as he tried to save himself from his child’s wrath, “Powder-keg, Viktor and I care about you. We just…”

“Was it because of me?” Powder whispered, her voice cracking, "Did you guys break up because of me?"

“What?”

“Was it because of me?” she repeated, running fingers through her hair as she choked out, “Because I was a problem, taking up your time, taking up your space…and now that the gates have been made and you moved everything we had into that STUPID workshop of yours and hired that STUPID replacement of me.” she ranted on, shaking as she held her bunny close for some type of support.

They were back. The voices, telling her she did it again.

She jinxed it.

Jayce’s eyes widened as he took a hesitant step down the steps to meet the distance, “Hey now it’s not-”

But Powder kept backing up, shaking her head as she heaved a heavy breath, “Now that I moved into the Academy and you hired her, you guys don’t even spend time together anymore, do you?” she accused, her stare wide as she watched Jayce halt his movements, “Do you, Jayce?”

Seconds of silence passed by, with Jayce’s face furrowing as he thought. Everything has passed by so quickly, Hextech was getting the chance it finally deserved since the Hexgates came online. They were so occupied with the future, that neither of them stared at the present.

“I’ve been-” Jayce started, ready to explain himself before he was assaulted with Mister Bunny hitting his face, the stuffed toy falling into his hands as Powder glowered at him with a firm snarl on her face.

“Busy? Kissing up to councilors and dressing up? Being preened and praised for what you did?” she listed off harshly, “Getting all this glory as the ‘man of progress’ while Vik and I get called your assistants?” she accused, watching Jayce tense as he tried to argue back.

“I’ve tried to bring you guys up-”

Powder yelled in frustration as she gripped her head once more, “We don’t want to be on a stupid stage! We don’t want all of this!” she shouted, running her hands over her face to wipe at the tears staining her cheeks, “Vik wanted to help people, he always did! I…” she croaked out, looking at her guardian as he watched her with a sadness and sympathy that she so desperately wanted to run into and cry to.

But the bridge was burning, and neither of them knew how to cross it anymore. The years of turmoil. The years of bonding. The days lost of Powder running to Jayce's side just to be picked up and carried around, the years lost of Jayce worrying over every bump and bruise she formed.

Those days were gone now.

“I wanted parents.” she whispered out, her eyes hardening as she turned around and bolted. Away from this pain, away from this life.

“Powder-keg! Wait!” Jayce yelled after her, watching Powder lift her hand up just to flip him off.

“Fuck off!” she yelled back, her voice venomous as she left, “If you’re going to grovel, then find Vik!”

Jayce took several steps to catch up, his hand outstretched as he held Powder’s rabbit in a vice grip. Watching her back grow smaller and smaller forced Jayce to stop, watching his kid disappear into the night to face her demons on her own.

He was such a fucking fool.

There was only one way he could think to fix this now.

.

These days, her head was a dull thrum during the night. After years of every remedy her parents could think of, the best course of action during the day was just for Seraphine to sleep and to do her studies at night.

But tonight was Progress Day, so of course the cacophony of thoughts and feelings swelled to the point of being rendered near catatonic.

So to dull the pain, she laid in her room, the bottle of sleeping pills turned sideways with her medication nearly spilling out in her hasty attempt to take her sedatives so she could sleep this horrible day away. The music was too loud, the songs of so many people deafening. Seraphine made a small groan as she turned in her bed and covered her head with her pillows.

When was the last time she had a thought of her own?

Too long, honestly. Her only form of respite was during the dead of night. When the songs were soft and light, Seraphine could finally hum for herself.

She tried to hum to herself so she could sleep, the sedatives kicking in and making her eyes heavy. Not too long now, not too long until the endless void consumed her into the depths of sleep.

If only the erratic sounds of drums could stop beating-

Wait. Drums?.

Seraphine instantly sat up, her eyes wide as she looked around her room momentarily. With the hastiness of a dying man she scrambled out of bed, her face strained as the noise grew louder and louder as she reached for her bedroom door.

It couldn’t. It couldn’t be her.

But a small, desperate part of her wished that it was.

Maybe there was such a thing as wishes and miracles, because when Serpahine yanked her door open she couldn’t help but gasp.

Awkwardly standing in front of her was her old friend, her role model. Her hand poised up and ready to knock with bewildered red eyes that was obviously from crying before she got here.

After a long, pregnant silence that went into labor and gave birth to many more little silences, Powder cleared her throat nervously as she shuffled her feet in place, “Yo.” she blurted out awkwardly, making a small wave before running her hand over her hair, “I-I know it’s been a while and I don’t really deserve to be here but I jus-oof!”

The older teen grunted when Seraphine barreled herself into her friend, the younger girl holding Powder in a vice grip as she buried her face into a damp sweaty suit jacket. Powder kept her hands up defensively, her eyes wide and astonished as Seraphine held onto her, noticing how much taller she got over the years. They were around the same height now.

“P-Powder!” Serpahine gasped out as she eventually pulled back to look over her friend, “I-I’m so sorry! I said such horrible things to you and I regretted it ever since. I thought you were never going to talk to me again and I was too scared to go find out cause you never answered my letters. Ezreal told me you weren’t mad but after hearing about the fallout with Cait I just got so worried and-”

“Hey.” Powder mumbled, pulling Seraphine back in for a tighter hug as she patted the younger girl’s back, “I-I was shitty, you shouldn’t apologize for something I did to you.”

Seraphine shook her head vigorously as tears were already starting the drip down her face, “You didn’t know, I’m so sorry. I'm so, so, sorry…” she blubbered as she tried to strain a pained smile for her friend, “I’m so happy to see you here.”

Powder tried to muster a smile back, to try to be just as happy as Seraphine was. But the night waned heavily on her, making her slump her shoulders before gently pulling Seraphine back, “I’m glad to see you too…” she muttered, looking around momentarily before tilting her head towards the younger teen’s room, “Can we talk? Just for a bit?”

“Y-Yeah…” Seraphine whispered, pulling her friend into the room and moving to turn on the fairy lights to give the room some illumination. Just enough not to make Serpahine’s head hurt more, but at least enough for Powder to see. With a small gesture towards the bed, Serpahine pulled her hands together to wring them nervously, “The bed’s fine to sit on, I was…fixing to go to sleep.” she mumbled awkwardly as Powder collapsed onto her plush pink comforter. She winced even more when Powder looked at her bedside table, her medication spilled and exposed for everyone to see.

But Powder must’ve given her a reprieve, taking her eyes off the pills to curiously look at her friend as she slowly sat down at the edge of the bed, “This early? It’s like, what? Ten?”

With a pursed lip, suddenly feeling exhausted as Seraphine looked out to her window. Even with how she suffered from the noise, she couldn’t help but have her window open. The crisp autumn air cooled her room as she could look up at the sparse stars from where she typically laid. She was so tired, even if she did sleep all day, “I-I usually stay up but…” she tried to answer, her shoulders slumping as she gestured towards the window, “Outside-It’s…It’s really noisy.”

Slowly Powder pulled herself up to sit, moving her bag to the side as she carefully inspected Seraphine’s features. How she occasionally twitches, her eyes squinting or her lip slightly curling. Seemed like the younger girl got better at hiding her pain, “So you still hear everything?” Powder inquired, her eyes solemn when Seraphine flinched and looked towards her friend with a guilty expression.

“I-I…I’ve gotten used to it.” Seraphine tried to excuse, pulling her shoulders closer to her frame as she mumbled, “It’s all dull pain now.”

“Hm…” Powder noted, making a small gesture for Seraphine to wait as she dug through her bag, “Sera? I know it’s a super belated present but…” she began, her voice hesitating before she swallowed the lump in her throat to continue, “I made you something, if you’re willing to accept it.”

“Of course I'll accept it.” Seraphine quickly said, turning enough to place a hand on Powder’s forearm and struggling to muster up the sweetest smile she could make, “Powder, you’re still a dear friend to me, despite everything.”

The gesture caught Powder off guard, her hands paused from their searching as she stared at the hand on her arm, her features bewildered as she quietly mumbled out, “...Thanks Seraphine.” After a moment to recover, Powder returned to retrieving the small case from her bag, pulling the small black box out and placing it into her younger friend’s hands, “Here…I want you to try these on.”

The box itself was barely larger than Serpahine’s palm, the texture smooth with a fine velvet cover as small deft fingers worked to find the notch in the box itself, slowly pulling to top open to gaze curiously at the white and gray mechanisms nestled inside, shaped like little beetles. The devices looked simple, smooth with a small blue glow from the inside of one of them. With a curious eyebrow raised, Seraphine looked over to Powder’s twitchy form as she waited expectedly for the younger girl to comment.

“Ear clips?” she asked gently, taking the one that had the small blue glow to turn it in her hand. Powder huffed a small laugh as she scooted closer, taking both devices and turning them both to show the small buds on the inside.

“Kinda, you place the buds in your ears and clip this part around the shell of your ear.” Powder gently explained as she brought both pieces to Seraphine’s ears, with gentle guidance and the small resounding click of the device set in place, Powder smiled as she reached for Seraphine's right ear, “There we go, and I’ll just press this button…” she mumbled, slowly clicking the button under the device and jumping when Serpahine visibly flinched.

“A-Ah!” she winced, trying to place her hands over her ears if it wasn’t for Powder quickly grabbing her wrists and holding them in place, “T-This frequency…” she mumbled weakly, watching as Powder clicked her tongue and worked on her gadget to reduce the shrill sound in her ears, now replaced with the familiar thrum of a familiar material. With wide eyes, Seraphine looked to her friend in concern, “Powder, did you use a hex shard for this?” she asked worriedly, only feeling a sense of dread when the older girl grinned.

“Nope. A full on hex crystal.” Powder boasted, giving a small casual shrug as she gav Seraphine a teasing smile, “Don’t worry, I’ve done the necessary precautions so your head doesn’t explode.”

“E-Explode?!”

Powder snorted an amused laugh despite Seraphine’s panic as she continued to fiddle with ehr device, “And then we turn it here and…”

Seraphine’s crystal blue eyes widened in shock.

Silence.

Pure, unfiltered, silence.

“How is it?” Powder asked, clearer than ever. No drums, no erratic beating. Just…Powder.

“I…” Seraphine rasped, feeling a pressure behind her eyes as she hiccuped, “I can hear again…” she whispered, the tears falling down her face easily as Powder grinned victoriously.

“Looks like it’s working.” Powder sighed in relief as she leaned back and smiled in disbelief. That she did something right. That she helped someone instead of hurting them, “Finally, something’s paid off.” she mumbled out, her voice thick with emotion as she fell back into the bed.

“H-How did you do this? How long did it take for you to do this?” Seraphine asked, already getting up to wander around her room, to the window to stick her head out.

The gentle thrum of people from the streets below was all that she heard. No songs, no thoughts, no feelings.

“A while. And it’s simple sound wave theory, psh, anyone could get it.” Powder mumbled with a simple wave of her hand in the air, “Now you can do stuff again, be yourself.”

Seraphine widened her eyes at the endless possibilities, her life free of pain and torture to pursue what she wanted. She could go back to school, she could play her instruments, she could-

“I can sing again?” she asked quietly, hope in her voice as she felt her smile grow as a few tears slipped from her eyes.

Powder could only just stare for a moment, her face bewildered as Seraphine was radiating joy despite her tears. After so long of being a fuck up, of having people leave her left and right. To think that Seraphine so readily accepted her back, elated that she was free of her curse to be friends again.

It felt good. It felt freeing.

If only this feeling came sooner.

“Yeah…” Powder mumbled in a small breath, giving a shadow of a smile to her friend as she nodded to visibly confirm Seraphine’s wish, “Yeah you can sing again, Sera.”

That encouragement was all Seraphine needed to jump away from her window and crash into the bed and into Powder with a bruising hug, “Thank you Powder, I don’t even know how to start thanking you.” she whispered quickly, hiding her face into her friend’s shoulder once more to try to contain her unbridled joy.

“Ah…” Powder started, her mouth opening and closing before a tentative hand came up to pat Serpahine’s shoulder, “There’s one thing you can do.” she mumbled, slowly pulling the girl back to look into her wet eyes, “I need some help…with something.”

“What is it?” Seraphine asked gently, her head tilted in confusion from watching Powder squirm from her gaze. In an effort to comfort her, the teen reached to hold her hand, to help in any way she could to get Powder to continue, “Anything, anything you need.”

After a moment of hesitation, Powder finally let out a deep breath before she spoke again, “I already asked your folks with the excuse that I need some help with some stuff in my dorm, they’re eager to have us hang out again, probably to get you to socialize again.” she started, trying to make the conversation light. But Seraphine was quick to catch onto how Powder fumbled, how she squirmed. With her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Powder sighed as she just got straight to the point, “Could you cover for me at the Academy? Go to my classes, pretend to be me?” she asked, her smile strained as Seraphine’s eyebrows traveled above her bangs.

“I-I don’t look anything like you Pow-”

Powder quickly shut her up when she reached into her bag once again to place a pack of blue hair chalk between them.

Watching Seraphine’s wide eyes look between the chalk and Powder quickly set her face into a more serious expression, “You don’t have to agree to it, but…” she began, her eyes focusing on her hand that tightly held onto the chalk box, “I have to do something, on my own.”

The pink haired girl could only bite her lip in worry, her eyes flickering between Powder’s focused gaze and the chalk between them. The pressure was crushing, after Powder came all the way here to give her the freedom from her own mind, just to convince her to impersonate her dear friend for…what? She desperately tried to search Powder’s eyes for some type of answer for what she was going to do that needed Seraphine to cover for her, why she was going to do it. But the empty hollow gaze back made the pit in Seraphine’s stomach grow.

Powder changed in the short amount of time they were apart.

She couldn’t get a read on her.

“Powder…” she muttered weakly, swallowing the lump in her throat. Ready to deny her friend. To let her down easy and to inquire what was getting into her. She wanted to know, she wanted to help, but all that left Seraphine’s lips were the damning, “We could get in trouble…”

“It's not exactly legal,” Powder muttered as she gave a small carefree shrug and an encouraging smile.

“You wouldn’t be this secretive about it unless you knew your parents would be mad about it.”

“They’re not-” Powder started, her voice momentarily rising before she calmed herself down, her fingers flexing and her breath tight as she huffed out bitterly, “They’re not my parents.”

With wide eyes at Powder’s outburst, Seraphine quickly took notice of how her friend tensed. Her dark eyes flickering around her as she twitched and squirmed, her brows furrowed, her jaw tight. Why did her parents strike a nerve with her? Powder loved Jayce and Viktor with her entire heart. What…happened while they were apart?

“So are you in or not Sera.” Powder asked tightly, uncomfortable with Seraphine’s intense studying of her face as the older girl crawled out of bed to take her bag back. With a fumble, Seraphine spotted an off white metal item almost fall out of her bag, but Powder was quick to push it back in before her younger friend could get a good look.

With tight lips and a worried glance, Seraphine nodded as she moved to stand up and get to her closet to grab her own bag. As she opened her closet, Seraphine grabbed as many sets of clothes she would need as she mumbled.

“...I hope you know what you’re doing.”

She couldn’t see Powder as she was focused on her closet, but hearing the dull bitter laugh Powder huffed out made Seraphine shudder at how hopeless Powder sounded as she lowly muttered, “I never do.”

.

It was supposed to be a lazy graveyard shift, a punishment for snooping before enforcers could get to the scene of the crime. Despite Caitlyn saving a man's life and hauling Powder from engulfing flames, she was still berated and suspended from investigating even further on the smuggling case. It was a blow, of course. But she knew how to handle the struggles that were dished out for her.

With a small quirk of the lips, Caitlyn turned away from her coworker's teasing, returning to scanning over the streets once more before pausing at the anomaly amongst the sights of dark shadows and shining buildings. With narrowed eyes, Caitlyn took a moment to assess the deep glow of orange in the distance. The faint sound of crackling, and the flicker of a flame as Caitlyn breathed out, “Fire…”

If she was right, that was around the square. Where the show tents were, were there could still be stragglers collecting their inventions.

Her parents could still be there.

Instantly her heart began to tighten in fear, “Fire!” she yelled, briefly looking at her coworkers as they stilled from their smoke break before Caitlyn was already running towards the incident, not too long followed by others.

Caitlyn prayed the people she cared about weren't there. That her parents retired for the night, that Jayce is off partying somewhere for his speech, that Powder went back to her dorm. Anything but what Caitlyn felt nagging at the back of her mind.

When they all approached the burning building, the fire had spread to a raging inferno of smoke and flames. Caitlyn could only watch in horror as the fire threatened to spread, farther out, the lump in her throat tight as she turned her head to see other enforcers gathering.

One of them called out distantly, “What’s happening?” followed by the murmuring of other enforcers of what possibly could have happened.

There was no time to discuss, to brainstorm. Caitlyn furrowed her brows as she clicked her tongue. The square was in danger of going up in flames. Action was needed.

Now.

“Get the fire brigade!” Caitlyn yelled out, her eyes searching quickly for anything to alleviate the inferno before she was running to the nearest fire extinguisher to attempt to quell the fire, soon followed by several others as they all went into action.

Unluckily for several other enforcers, they paused to hear the sounds of a soft panicked little girl calling out to them through the smog.

’Help me!

Enforcers were quick to run into action, to save a civilian. A child. Cautious of where they walked, enforcers tried to cover their mouths and look through dense smoke to find their victim.

’I’m trapped in the fire!’

Carefully they moved through the flames, enforcers were straining to listen for the small voice as she called out to anyone that could hear her. Small and pleading, begging for anyone to help.

’I’m in the center! There’s no fire here!’

True to the girl's words, as enforcers maneuvered into the center of the wreckage, a perfect circle that seemed untouched by flames and clear of debris. The only odd thing was the small glistening metal wire that was tripped.

’I’m sorry…I set the building on fire...It was an accident…totally, by accident…’ the voice echoed, the girls’ voice lowering and malfunctioning as several spherical devices fell from above onto the unsuspecting law enforcement officials. But instead of going off, the hard sound of metal thunking against the ground resonated through the ears of many, an amber liquid leaking from the devices before one final grenade fell from the ceiling.

But what was supposed to be a simple voltage grenade strong enough to incapacitate a few people…

Turned into a disaster.

All because of one faulty wire.

As Caitlyn diligently worked on quelling the flames, her actions jerky and hasty while she tried to douse any flame around her. When just enough of the inferno was quelled, Caitlyn stood back and dropped the extinguisher at the sight of the hot burning engraving driven into the wall, hot and red and staring right back at her.

A bright green insect. Its large eyes staring down at her with its wings outstretched.

A Firelight bug.

With a sharp inhale, Caitlyn turned to her fellow enforcers to yell out for them to get back, to get away, anything since she didn't know that these people were capable of this. Of actually going this far to hurt Piltover.

She only got out a couple simple words before the building exploded, sending Caitlyn and many others flying back from the pure kinetic force. The explosion was quickly followed by a second, then a third as the fires expanded outward and spread even more.

Rolling to a stop, Caitlyn took a fraction of a second to snap her eyes open and move her head to look for anyone around her. The ringing in her ears deafening as she painfully sucked in a breath to flip herself over and asses the fire and debris surrounding her. The still bodies of her coworkers, the blood splattering the streets, Caitlyn let out a shaky breath as she looked up towards the large untouched building in the distance, a lone figure still standing before the chaos as they approached.

The figure walked with a purpose, their thick coat protecting them from the flames. Their hefty boots crunching the glass under their foot as they stood over Caitlyn as she struggled to fight the darkness edging around her vision. What she couldn't forget, the glaring omen of an off-white mask staring right back at her, shining in gold and silver metals as it reflected against the raging orange around them.

A monkey mask, looking down at Caitlyn's form before the enforcer couldn't keep her consciousness up any longer.

Before the darkness consumed her, Caitlyn felt something grab her arm and pull.

Chapter Text

Powder was working off pure adrenaline as she worked with her fine tools, her magnifying glass over the delicate wings of her small project so she could distract herself with the sounds of her metalwork and Seraphine’s gentle snoring in her bed.

When the door to her dorm resounded with a hurried knock, Powder jumped and immediately shoved her backpack underneath her desk as instinct kicked in. Fear welled up in her chest as she thought of every scenario that could happen at this point in time, what her guardians would say, how she would answer to her own outlandish actions. With one fell swoop she tossed the covers over Seraphine’s head and moved to the door to let out a shaky nervous breath as the knocking continued.

“You got this.” she mumbled to herself, taking a deep breath before taking the doorknob in her hand and ready to face the consequences.

What she didn’t expect was to immediately be pulled into a tight embrace by large encircling arms, with Viktor hurriedly taking her face and inspecting her healing injuries, his eyes wide and worried as he mumbled out, “You’re alright? Nothing happened when you left the auditorium, right?” he asked hurriedly, only letting out a soft, relieved breath when Powder pulled his hands away to raise her brow curiously. Jayce kept his silence, burying his face into her shoulder as she clearly saw his broad shoulders shaking.

For the three of them to be fighting right now, it sure seemed easy for Jayce to still pull them into hugs.

“Uh…” she mumbled as she shook her head, “I wandered around town for a bit before heading back to the dorm.” she answered quietly, her eyes briefly glancing at the lump in her bed before she gently shuffled her feet around, to pull away from the hug, “Why? Did something happen?”

“Someone broke into the lab.” Jayce spilled out, his trembling hands on his face to dig at his temples and struggle to fix his hair. The last time Powder saw her guardian so utterly undone like this was years ago, when he was fretting over their invention during the Distinguished Innovater’s Competition. But this seemed worse than that, his breathing sharp and quick as he kept going, “Broke the locks, trashed the lab…”

“The hex crystals and the gemstone are gone.” Viktor cut in, placing a hand on Jayce’s shoulder to calm him down as he looked back to their ward, “As well as half a dozen enforcers found dead.” he muttered out finally, “Caitlyn got caught in the blast, but she got away with minor injuries.”

“Good-”, Powder started, blinking momentarily at her comment before adding on, “-ness…that’s horrible.” she mumbled lamely, “D-Do we know who did it?”

Viktor shook his head, pressing his lips into a fine line, “I just wanted to make sure you were alright, that you didn’t notice anything odd when you were out.” he inquired gently.

Powder could feel the loaded question behind Viktor’s words, if they could possibly be the same people during the shipping fiasco. Whether they were these Firelights or…those other people, individuals that worked for this ‘Silco’ guy. Caitlyn mumbled about him when they were at the enforcer’s station, but beyond that Powder truly didn’t know. But if he was a major part of the Undercity now, he must know something. About the Firelights. About the cannery incident.

About Vi.

But her guardians couldn’t know that. Not if she wanted to keep them safe.

“...No.” Powder eventually muttered out, shaking her head as an emphasis, “I can’t recall anything weird.”

Viktor gave her a curious raise of his brow but nothing more as he fell into a short series of coughs. As he was struggling to regain his breath, Jayce was gently patting his partner’s back as he spoke, “It might be better that way, whoever did this was dangerous.” Jayce remarked, his exhale shaky as his fist tightened to his side, “I wouldn’t want a…monster like that anywhere near you.”

The indirect jab made Powder’s face twitch, her hackles raised but unable to speak unless she wanted to out herself. She knew Jayce spoke of whatever Undercity criminal would have done this, that they would go this far to steal hex crystals. The same crystals she stole once before.

Monsters.

A touchy subject.

There were many different kinds of monsters, ones that Powder had the luck of never interacting with but always being the fodder of their atrocities. Ones that would kill a man and his children, ones that would hide in the dark and never reveal themselves, ones that…lied.

“Yeah…” Powder mumbled, running a hand over her arm to quell the goosebumps that pricked her skin, “A monster, huh?”

Was…she a monster?

“Caitlyn got released from the hospital this morning.” Viktor finally said, his breath ragged, “We could go visit her if you wish to come to the council meeting with us.”

With pursed lips, Powder shook her head gently, “...Thanks but…no thanks, Vik.” she quietly said as she gave her guardians a strained smile and a tense shrug, “You know how the Academy is, tests every week and whatnot. I need to start studying again now that Progress Day is over.”

She saw how her guardians exchanged a brief look, the concern written all over their anxious features as they carefully nodded at her statement. Understanding. For now.

“Very well then…” Viktor muttered, softly nudging Jayce to step back while pointing down the hallway, “We…should get going. Do you wish to have dinner tonight? Talk about-”

At the sound of shuffling from behind her, Powder quickly interrupted as she leaned against the door frame, “I…” Powder quickly cut in, her head looking behind her for just a second before focusing on her guardians, “I-I’ll be busy, maybe another time.” she mumbled out lamely, turning her head away so she didn’t have to see Viktor’s disappointed face.

“...Very well.” Viktor muttered, shuffling his feet momentarily before reaching out to touch Powder’s face once more, “Powder, I-We want you to know that we love you.” he gently stated despite how tense Jayce and Powder became and how quickly they averted their eyes, “You can tell us anything that’s bothering you, understand?”

Despite her best efforts, Powder couldn’t help but sigh softly and tilt her head into the touch, nodding softly as she whispered out, “I know…thanks, I think I needed to hear that.” Slowly she looked over to Jayce just in time for their eyes to meet with each other, Powder noticed how tense he was, bits of his hair falling out of place from abuse and the strain in his jaw for gritting his teeth. With another sigh, Powder stepped forward to hug her guardian and mutter out, “I…I’m sorry, about what I said last night.”

The comfort seemed to work enough, with Powder groaning in pain with how tightly Jayce held onto her when he pulled her into another hug. He didn’t speak, just hiding his face into her shoulder until Viktor was forced to pry him away in order for them to make it to the Council Chambers on time.

“Study hard.” Viktor advised finally as he nudged Jayce to get a head start, already taking a few steps to follow after the clearly anxious man. With a final look back to his ward, Viktor teased with a small smile, “Make sure to rest, sleep deprivation doesn’t do well for the mind.”

With a snort, Powder felt her shoulders relax as she smiled, “You’re one to talk.”

Viktor responded with a simple amused huff, shaking his head before turning away to catch up with Jayce. Powder watched as Jayce slowed down enough for Viktor to walk with him at the end of the hallways, how even when they were fighting Jayce kept his hand hovering over the small of Viktor’s back.

The static in her ears briefly raised in pitch, making Powder twitch as the textures of the hallways moved before her eyes with the deep hiss of a voice whispered through the haze of static, shouts, and screams.

”Look what you did. You caused this.”

Powder’s breath quickened as she pressed a hand up to cover one of her ears, hoping to cover the noise for just a moment just to come to the sad realization that the noise was in her head. With a slight wince and shaky hands, Powder moved back into her room with a hasty shut of the door, her breath ragged and rushed as she pressed her back against the thick wood in hopes of stabilizing herself. To bring herself back.

“Powder…” was the gentle breath that snapped her back to reality, her head instantly pulling up to look at Seraphine, her colored blue hair messy and staining the sheets. She sat up in bed, her eyes wide as she watched Powder struggle to pull herself together before the teen asked, “What d-did you do?”

Shit. She should have closed the door behind her when she was talking, but with a click of the tongue Powder pulled herself up to strand straight on shaky legs.

“I-It was an accident…” she answered with a thick swallow, the sweat on her brow cold against her forehead as she tried to wipe it away, “I-I didn't know the ambrite would react like that. But obviously something went wrong…with the…” With a gurgle of her throat, Powder couldn’t say more as bile traveled up her throat, forcing her to rush to her kitchen sink to empty the contents of her stomach in a vain attempt to find relief for what she did.

“Powder!” Seraphine squeaked as she rushed to her friend’s side, pulling her bangs back while rubbing a soothing hand over her older friend’s back, “Y-You have to tell them.” she tried to convince, flinching when Powder shook her head vigorously and spat into the sink before turning the faucet on.

“I-I can’t.” Powder shakily stressed, her eyes struggling to focus on the swirl of water and bile going down the drain, “Not now…I-” she tried to say, swallowing the grimacing at the sickening burn in the back of her throat as she forced herself to speak, “I can fix this.”

Seraphine tightly gripped the back of Powder’s shirt as her brows pulled together, “H-How?” she began to inquire, “How can you fix this? Everyone in Piltover is going to be on high alert because of the robbery, you know what they’re going to do in the Undercity in order to find it.” she pointed out, moving closer to Powder’s side to try to gauge Powder’s expression before she was roughly shoved away by trembling arms.

“I know Sera!” Powder shouted, rubbing her hand over her face as she turned around to lean on the countertop, “I know…everything’s looking bad…but I can help them. I can make everything better.” she tried, looking to the ground as if she was trying to convince herself more than she was trying to convince Seraphine. With wild eyes, Powder looked to her direct right into the empty space to hiss out, “Shut up!”

The empty space said nothing back, and Seraphine felt a chill crawl down her spine as she took a hesitant step back, “Powder…” she whispered quietly, her voice shaky, “A-Are you okay?”

The silence was resounding, both girls standing still and looking at each other with two sets of wide blue eyes.

Seraphine once again witnessed something she shouldn’t have.

“Listen, listen…” Powder began, inhaling sharply as she forced herself to stand up straight and moved closer to her work desk, “The gemstone holds a massive amount of energy, it could power the entire Undercity if someone really puts their mind to it!” she explained, her smile strained as she was trying to persuade both Seraphine and herself, “If Piltover doesn’t want to see the benefits of Hextech and the progress it can make, then the people of the Undercity can benefit just as well, maybe even more!”

Seraphine’s eyes widened when Powder paced around her room. The older girl stressed and haggard as she occasionally reached up to hold herself together with counted breaths and nonsensical mumblings. With a nervous swallow, Seraphine made another step away from Powder.

“And you’re willing to kill to achieve that?” she asked quietly, flinching when Powder twitched her face in annoyance, her teeth gritting as her fingers tightened into a fist.

“It was an accident.” Powder stressed through her teeth. “I-I did everything right. They fucked it up somehow, stupid enforcers.” she hissed out, her eyes traveling to Seraphine as she was inching further and further away, “We can finally help the Lanes, what we promised to do since the beginning.” She tried to sound hopeful, to sound positive.

Anything to make sure Seraphine didn’t look at her with fear in her eyes.

“Powder….I-I don’t know if I can condone this…”

With a sigh, Powder quietly turned away, leaning over her desk and digging her hand back into her bag, “You don’t have to condone it.” she mumbled in exhaustion, disappointment in her tone as she sighed, “I...don't want to keep you here.”

“I…” Seraphine whispered, her breath shaky as she willed herself to walk closer to her friend, “Powder this…” she looked between the door and Powder’s trembling shoulders before she spoke once more, placing her hand on Powder’s arm, “Promise me that you’re not going to hurt anyone else...” she begged, “Promise me that and I’ll cover for you until you come back.”

With unsure eyes Powder pulled the younger girl into the tightest hug she could muster, her breath shaky as she weakly whispered out, “I promise, Sera.”

With a soft nod Seraphine hugged back, letting Powder bury her face into the younger girl’s shoulder in order to collect herself. Because if no one had Powder’s back, who knew what she would do. There was a fine line they crossed, and Seraphine was worried that this was a point of no return for her vulnerable friend.

It didn’t help that she watched Powder tuck her gun back into her bag.

.

It was unanimous, Jayce Talis was to become a councilor, effective immediately.

Jayce could feel the sweat at the back of his neck, when they all raised their hands. He could hear Viktor letting out a shaky breath when the choice was made. They didn’t get to have an argument to refute Mel’s proposal, Jayce didn’t even get the chance to turn down the position.

It was all settled so quickly, and being given his own office was done not even ten minutes after the meeting.

“It will be pleasant to have another intellectual like ourselves amongst the Council.” Heimerdinger encouraged as he led Viktor and Jayce towards the new office, “Someone focused on the progress of Piltover, Councilor Medarda made an excellent proposal to give you a seat. Considering you have created a substantial step towards the future.”

Jayce tried to keep his cool, exhaling his breath slowly before speaking, “Would it really be wise to have me appointed? I don’t have much knowledge of the political aspect of Piltover...” He tried looking to Viktor for help, for encouragement, anything really. But his partner had a faraway look to him, his eyes focused on the floor in front of them as he held his crutch in a vice grip.

Viktor was just as stressed, only better at hiding it than Jayce was.

“Nonsense, my boy.” Heimerdinger mused humorously as he stopped by a large dark oak door and pulled up a set of keys, “You and Viktor have been in the political scene more than you think. You basically know every member of the council through multiple events and the population adores you.” he hummed as he moved to his tiptoes to unlock the office door, “Your input on what to do during these turbulent times will be valuable.”

With a small dramatic wave of the hand, Heimerdinger pushed the door open to show the exceptionally large office with the golden rays of the sun shining through the window. Even as a discarded office, the room was spotless, not a hint of dust in sight as the three of them slowly traveled in to look around.

“I-” Jayce began, tightening his fists together as he looked towards his old mentor once more, “I don’t think I deserve this.”

The old yordle beamed up at him, giving Jayce a comforting pat to the leg as he motioned to the room around them, “Take pride in what you have done, and what you are wanting to do to ensure Piltover’s safety. I reckon that a new set of eyes are what is needed for the sake of Progress,” he stated as he looked up to his protege, “Everyone in Piltover needs you to be the best that you can be.”

With one last comforting pat, Heimerdinger left both scientists to bask in their success, to plan for the next step towards Piltover’s safety. When the door echoed with a deafening click, Jayce could hear Viktor let out a low sigh from behind him.

“Well,” Viktor started, his voice tight and awkward as he looked at anything besides Jayce’s shoulders slowly growing more shaky, “I assume that…congratulations are in order.”

“I don’t want it.”

“The congratulations or the-” Viktor didn’t have time to finish his sentence when his arms were full of Jayce Talis, the taller man holding onto him like his life depended on it. Feeling Jayce’s shaky breaths against his neck, the growing wetness on his shirt collar where Jayce decided to bury his face into, and the tremble of his partner’s entire form made Viktor sighed quietly as he brought his free arm up to wrap around the top of Jayce’s back, “Jayce.”

They couldn’t keep doing this.

But Jayce ignored every logical thought to let go, to step away. He knew they both ended this, but the need to hold onto something real was more overbearing than Jayce’s logic at the moment.

“I know, V.” Jayce hissed into his partner’s shirt, his fists clenching into Viktor’s shirt and pressing hard enough to feel the sharp angles of a brace underneath, “I know we ended all of this, but please…”

Jayce was too caught up in trying to get his breathing back in order, to stop the tears from staining Viktor’s shirt to hear his partner sigh against him, to tighten his hold on Jayce’s shoulders and lean his head against the side of Jayce’s head to let the taller man get through his inner turmoil.

“I can’t do this, I never wanted to be a councilor.” Jayce hurriedly spoke, “I wanted to bring Hextech to people, I wanted to help people. This-This isn’t the way I wanted to do that.”

Viktor hummed softly in contemplation, his shoulders sagging as he muttered out, “I don’t know what you wish for me to say.”

With a harsh, sardonic huff, Jayce could just bitterly smile as he shook his head, “I...I told Powder the truth, about us.” he stated, quickly interrupting at the sound of Viktor sharp inhale, “She's upset, I get it, but I know how to fix it.”

For the seven years they were in each other’s spaces, Viktor was always the one to keep the situation calm. Able to keep Jayce from spiraling out of control and setting him on the right track. Even when they had difficulties, Viktor kept them looking forward. There was no capacity of the gratefulness Jayce had for his partner being around, and if he could return to this fraction of happiness he once had, then Jayce fully believed everything would get better.

With a sure nod to himself, Jayce pulled back just enough to look at his partner’s pensive face with an anxious smile, “Viktor, would you go out with me? Officially. No gimmicks or ruses, just to make things right again.”

But Viktor’s gaze turned hard, his lips pressed tightly together before he released a small frustrated breath and bluntly responded, “...No.”

“No?” Jayce repeated, blinking incredulously in astonishment as Viktor pushed him away enough so Jayce had to step back. The answer was too surprising for Jayce to fight back as he stood in place, his hands shaking as he reached out to his partner once more, to attempt to fix all of this. To make things better for the three of them, “But...we-”

But Viktor swiftly turned and slapped his hand away, losing his footing briefly and collecting himself before returning his glare back to his partner, “I’m not going to say yes because you simply proposed it, not because you want to do it to make Powder happy.”

“But-” Jayce began, his brows furrowing before a frustrated sound left his lips, “What do you want me to do then? If I’m not with you, Powder’s mad. If I try to be with you, you’re mad. What do you want from me?”

“I want you to think about Hextech.” Viktor stated, inhaling sharply as Jayce stood silent in front of him, his face soft and vulnerable. His eyes held back unbridled tears as Viktor felt himself falter. He let out a shaky exhale, unable to look at Jayce anymore, “What a relationship with someone like myself would do to Hextech’s reputation, what it would do to your reputation as a scientist, as a councilor. I might have kissed you first, but I wanted this to be...casual.” he stressed, chewing on his lip as he knew he was mirroring Jayce’s mournful expression.

In the pursuit of trying to make the kid they cared about most happy, they failed to understand how hurt they would be in the end.

“Would being with me truly make you happy, Jayce? Knowing that if you were with me, everybody would think of you differently?” Viktor inquired, unable to watch as Jayce took that step to close the gap between them. His hands shaking and desperate as they gripped the back of Viktor’s vest once more as Jayce trembled against him.

“I-I don’t know.” Jayce hissed as he held Viktor as tightly as he could, “I don’t know what we had, but I want it back.” he pleaded, hoping that Viktor could find the answer for him, to give him the solution to this problem and give this a name.

But hearing Viktor sigh against his ear, Jayce felt a swallowing pit in his stomach grow as his partner gently whispered out, “Jayce…we can’t stay like this.” He felt Viktor’s hand slide up his back grip onto his work vest, balling the fabric into his fist as he anxiously swallowed a lump in his throat, “We-...” Viktor paused once more, his voice hitching momentarily before he pressed on, “We hurt each other.”

That was a true enough statement to put a stop to this. Viktor was elusive. While his face was easy to read just by his expressions alone, he would never state his true feelings or explain why they were so different. Not unless he was pressed, not unless his words were meant to hurt.

Jayce was no better, he was naive with a fragile ego to boot. Always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time and hurting those around him. His mother, Powder, Heimerdinger, especially Viktor.

They were both, terrible for each other.

But Jayce kept his grip tight against Viktor, his breaths harsh and ragged as he whispered out, “Why…? Why can’t we have this?” he asked the both of them. Why couldn’t they be happy? What did they do to deserve to lose what they had together?

But the slimmer man made no move to comfort Jayce this time, his shoulders stiff and his breath calm as Viktor gently mumbled out, “...We’re just not those kind of people, Jayce.” he answered, hazy amber eyes looking out of the window of Jayce’s office, overlooking all of Piltover in the horizon, “We never can be…”

What could Jayce say after that? That he was wrong? That they could be those types of people if they actually talked about this? Jayce didn’t have the humility —or the time now— to do that. Viktor was too prideful to talk, never wanting to admit to having feelings that could make him seem weak to his peers.

It could never work.

They could never work.

Jayce silently took this moment to calm himself, to bring himself together so he could plan the next step. To get the Hexgem back, to help Piltover. Viktor quietly held him and gave Jayce the time to collect himself.

He silently apologized to Powder before pulling back to focus on what needed to be done.

.

“I’ve had a break in the case.”

“Shouldn’t you be resting?”

“While the trail is hot?” Caitlyn asked incredulously as she looked pointedly at Jayce before looking at his flowers to snatch them from his grip and drag him to her map, “Listen, you know how I’ve suspected that there is a single mind behind the Undercity’s violence?”

“The great conspiracy…”

Caitlyn felt her lips turn downward from Jayce’s exasperated comment before continuing, looking at him as she obsessively explained, “I think whoever attacked the square is our suspect to the source.”

If anyone was going to understand, it would be Jayce. He always listened, even to her most inane rants. Tucking a hair behind her ear, Caitlyn looked back to her map, “The same ambrite grenades were found at the botched smuggling operation at the Hexgates. Powder said they called themselves the Firelights...why they are attacking smugglers is still beyond me.” she explained, staring down at the mess of pins and strings splayed out over her map.

“The Hexgates?” Jayce asked, his tone mildly astonished.

“Keep up.” Caitlyn chastised, briefly looking up before looking to her map once more, “All this time, they kept their dealings localized to the Undercity. Low priority, the attack on the square changed things. These Firelights overstepped their boundaries. If I can figure out who made this, it can lead me directly to whoever was behind it all.” she ranted, slowly standing back up to look at the scale of her work. Everything was splayed out for her, an intricacy of clues and hints that could give them their target. The true mastermind behind all of the strife and sorrow that the Undercity had suffered.

But for all that she had done, Caitlyn was stuck in her room, no one else in the force to help her besides herself, “The answer is here…” she mumbled, slowly stepping back, “Staring me right in the face.” with a careful lift of her foot, she stepped up onto her small ottoman to get a better height to stare down her map, “I can feel it.”

She could feel it. It was like an insistent inch at the back of her brain, clawing its way to be noticed, to be recognized and taken into account. If Caitlyn Kiramman of all people was the one to break the case, to find the culprit and finally bring peace between the two sides of the river.

Maybe, just maybe everyone could recognize her as a decent enforcer.

Maybe her mother would be proud.

The momentary silence is broken as Jayce furrows his brows and looks to the younger woman, “...How do you intend to prove any of this?” he asked slowly, watching Caitlyn as her face flashes with worry and anxiousness.

“If I can just…work this out. Marcus would have to listen.” she urged, standing up straight to focus on the pin she had around the Fissures, the lone card staring back at her.

Truth.

She didn’t notice Jayce slumping his shoulders momentarily as he quietly pointed out, “If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the Council…they need more than just theories.”

With an amused huff, Caitlyn felt a small smile creep up on her face, “Since when did you concern yourself with the Council’s opinion?”

Hearing Jayce pause in his answering, Caitlyn expected for Jayce to stumble with his words or joke with her about how stuffy the Council was. But to hear the friend she’s known since she was a child mutter, “Since I…became a Councilor.”

Caitlyn didn’t know how to respond other than laugh, hoping that Jayce was setting up a joke. But there was no punchline, and with how proud Jayce looked, Caitlyn felt her face drop as she furrowed her brows, “You’re…serious?” she inquired doubtfully, “When? Why? Do Powder and Viktor know? Have they discovered to govern with grease and a spanner?” she added the last question as a jabbing joke as Jayce shook his head at her.

“Ha ha, I forgot to laugh.” he teased, clicking his tongue as he glanced back down to Caitlyn’s map before looking back up to Caitlyn with a hopeful expression on his features, “I was actually hoping…you might consider joining my staff.” he offered, handing her the official scroll as he continued, “Powder-keg and Viktor would be taking over the research in the lab while I attend to Councilor duties.”

Caitlyn listened as she pulled the parchment apart to briefly read over the terms and conditions, her brows pulling together when she saw her name and the position she was supposed to get, “House Talis Security?” she asked incredulously, offended that Jayce would even think to offer her such a pointless job when she could be doing real good out on the streets, “That’s a ceremonial position, I’d live behind a desk.”

“You almost died, Cait.” with a roll of her eyes, Caitlyn looked away as Jayce pressed on, “Powder-keg got seriously hurt too. You’re both lucky to be alive..” With a tight sound, Caitlyn pulled the parchment back in its case as she heard Jayce make a step forward, “I just…I just want you to be safe.”

She thought she could depend on Jayce to listen to her, to believe in her and the effort she put into this case.

But he was just like everyone else, it seemed.

“Thanks…but I already have a job.” Caitlyn stated as she shoved the case back into Jayce's hands to stop him from moving forward. As she stepped down from her ottoman, Caitlyn hid her disappointed look as she knelt down and stared down her map once more, “You’re welcome, by the way, for dragging your kid’s ass out of the-”

“No…you don’t, have a job…I mean.” Jayce slowly explained, soft but firm as Caitlyn briefly stilled, “After the attack your parents spoke to the sheriff.” he continued as Caitlyn felt her world crashing down upon her with small hurried breaths.

She worked too hard for this, to be someone other than what her mother wanted her to be. She didn’t even get the chance to prove herself. All Caitlyn wanted was to be seen and yet her very livelihood was being pulled away from her. Why didn’t Jayce use his fancy new Councilor title to save her? He had the power now, he could do whatever the hell he wanted to.

Her pride wounded, her heart on the verge of shattering, Caitlyn tightened her fists as she heard Jayce tiredly explain, “This is the best that I could do in such a short amount of time.”

She felt betrayed by her so-called brother.

“I don’t need charity, Councilor.” she coldly pointed out, her voice wavering as she added, “Yours or my parents.”

“Cait-” Jayce sounded frustrated with her. Like he did when Powder was acting like a brat, like when she was just a kid in his eyes. Like he was trying to let her see the reason behind why she shouldn’t be upset that everything she worked so hard for was so quickly and harshly ripped away from her.

It wasn’t like he had an experience with that.

“Get out.” Caitlyn shakily said, struggling to keep her composure as she harshly chose to twist the knife, “Go disappoint someone else, like Powder. Or Viktor.”

It seemed to do it, Jayce’s swift inhale before he sighed in disappointment was all that Caitlyn wanted to hear before he turned away and left for the door with a simple click of the door.

For all that Jayce was, Caitlyn felt guilt gnaw at her stomach for purposefully hurting someone she was close to.

She just wanted someone to believe what she was doing was right. Anyone that could tell her that the choice she made was the right one, to not back out on what advice they said and to let Caitlyn live her life.

Her eyes slowly traveled over the map again, hoping the answer would bring itself forward. But it never did, it wouldn’t unless Caitlyn worked for it.

Slowly her eyes settled onto the map marker for Stillwater’s prison, her eyes flickering for a moment as she released a soft shaky breath.

Caitlyn still knew how to forge Jayce’s signature.

If she was going to find her answer, she’d have to do it alone.

.

The early night wind was howling, slapping strands of blue hair against a disgruntled pale face before Powder pulled her hood up to protect herself, staring out to the dark blue waters of the channel below.

Two worlds separated by one major bridge, a symbol for many things. The tether that sucked the life out of the Undercity. The anchor that reminded Piltover that it was not perfect. The connection between the lucky and the unfortunate, the oppressed and the oppressors, the brightness of the bright skies and the darkness of the deep recesses of the earth.

It was black and white, like cats and dogs.

Powder swallowed the lump in her throat, her feet planted at the center point of the drawbridge and dreading making that first step forward.

For all the bravado Powder kept up, she knew that stepping off this bridge would mean there was no turning back from whatever choice she made.

There was always a choice, wasn’t there?

Adjusting her backpack, Powder pulled her borrowed hood up more as she looked over to the low buildings of the Undercity’s promenade level. She just needed to make the first step forward, she’d be in and out.

Jayce wouldn’t even know she left.

“You can do this.” Powder mumbled to herself before she inhaled sharply, pulling her foot forward.

Her first footfall felt like an echoing in her ears.

Soon that first step turned into a second, then a third and fourth until Powder was running as fast as she could, her boots slapping against dense concrete, tears in her eyes as she was digging into her jacket to throw two masks off the side of the bridge and going.

For a brief moment, a monkey mask and a bug mask clashed together before splashing into the water below. Like a pressure taken from her shoulders, Powder smiled wide.

She was back.

Chapter Text

“Who the hell are you?”

Caitlyn expected to see a hulking figure when she looked through the bars of the cell, not…this.

A rough looking girl that glowered at the enforcer with a passion compared to the burning sun. This girl slowly turned from the cold solid stone wall, her bright eyes watching Caitlyn carefully as she stalked the expanse of her cell in a predatory manner.

This couldn’t have been the one to shatter inmate 2135’s jaw. Caitlyn couldn’t tell from the distance between them, but with just how massive inmate 2135 was, she was absolutely positive that this girl was heavily dwarved against him. With how this woman strutted, her shoulders stiff and hands balled into fists, the sweat on her brow and sweat sticking to her prison garb…Caitlyn swallowed.

To say she was mesmerized was an understatement, but Caitlyn sucked in her breath to collect herself, needing to focus. This was an investigation of utmost importance. As she squared her shoulders and held her head up high, she spoke as professionally as she could muster.

“I took a look at your file.” she stated, not giving the prisoner an answer about who she was to stay on the task at hand, “There’s no record of you…or your crimes. What are you here for?” she interrogated, her brows briefly furrowed before immediately flinching back when the woman stalked closer, just barely visible by the dimly illuminated prison cell.

“My sunny personality.” the woman stated, her voice oddly soft and sweet for someone being obviously sarcastic.

Caitlyn exhaled slowly before she pressed on, “You attacked an inmate…why?”

“Why not?” the inmate responded flatly, stalking across her cell as she kept her sights to the floor. She looked bored, as if fighting was normal for her, as if hurting people was normal for her.

So Caitlyn answered honestly, “He was a witness in an ongoing investigation.” she stated, slightly frustrated with how uncaring this woman sounded.

“Hm.” she responded offhandedly, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly, “Bummer.”

There was no use to continuing, and Caitlyn had no time to screw around. With a frustrated sigh, she turned away, ready to leave in hopes to make up for lost time, “This was a waste of time.” she muttered to herself was ready to leave with a few steps forward before the mysterious inmate chimed in.

“Couldn’t have put it better!” she sarcastically jokes, “Hey, give Silco a kiss on that winning eye of his will you?”

That alone made Caitlyn stop, turning her head curiously as her eyes shined briefly.

Maybe there was something worth her time here.

Slowly she turned back, her steps slow and steady as she inquired, “Silco? The industrialist?”

The name was occasionally heard from the enforcer’s headquarters, not enough to be a problem, Silco was a businessman through and through. But to hear his name hatefully spitted out from an inmate of unknown reason for arrest.

That was something.

The women didn’t quite see the cogs turning in Caitlyn’s head as she spoke, “Okay. This is getting old.” she finally groused out, her voice turning from its sarcastic and soft tones to something more gruff, more serious as she walked around her small cell, “Can you just send in whoever’s going to kick the shit out of me so I can get on with my night?”

Caitlyn silently watched the woman pace her cell, how tight her shoulders were held up, how her hands haven’t once ceased from being balled up. She never once stopped pacing, not like a predator stalking its prey.

Like a caged frightened animal.

A small glance to the red line that was to indicate a safe distance for visitors to see inmates, Caitlyn stared at it for a moment more than she wanted to admit. It was for her safety to keep the distance, but in doing that she was sacrificing a connection with someone to get them to talk.

If she wanted to be given the answers she wanted.

She needed to make the first step forward.

With a soft exhale, Caitlyn stepped closer, her movements slow as she spoke in a softer tone.

“Does this mean anything to you?” she asked, holding out her evidence journal to show all of the pictures she was able to gather. The amber grenades, the shimmer, the Firelight graffiti. She watched as the inmate paused in her pacing, looking at the journal with a raised brow before huffing a small laugh and shaking her head.

“A firelight? Is that what you’re all worked up about?” she teased, “They’re a bug in the Undercity, light up at night. Nothing special.”

This was something, something to start. The inmate spoke more than a few brief words and Caitlyn took the opportunity to strike.

“You work for Silco?” she inquired.

“Uh, they all do.” the woman answered as if this was an obvious statement, though never implying she was one that worked with him, “How can anyone not know that?”

“I thought he was only an industrialist.” Caitlyn answered, thinking to herself momentarily before the sound of someone against the bars startled her to look back up into light blue eyes, the inmate’s expression frustrated and tired.

With a hiss she elaborated, “He’s a slimy bastard that kills kids to get what he wants, every goon you lock up in here knows about him.”

So she was someone who clearly had an opposition with Silco, was this the man her original witness vaguely said would kill him? It was a thin line, a speculation. But if she knew something that could get Caitlyn closer to the truth.

“There was an attack…” she explained carefully, watching the inmate’s face carefully for any hint on where to go next, “A friend of mine defended herself against the witness you attacked.”

The inmate snorted, “Smart friend you have.” she commented.

Caitlyn couldn’t stop herself from huffing a small laugh, “She is.” she mumbled softly before shaking her head, her face twisting back to something serious as she stared at the inmate, “I need proof if I’m to believe what you’re saying about Silco.”

The inmate leaned so heavily against her cell, her wrapped hands curled around the bars as she briefly huffed in amusement, “I could get it for you.” she offered, her face twisting as she vaguely gestured to the area around her, “Just…not from in here.”

Ah, so she was crazy as well. Caitlyn almost wanted to toss the whole accusation aside, huffing a small laugh as she briefly rolled her eyes, “In what mad world, would I trust someone like you?” she coldly asked.

“Someone like me?” the woman asked swiftly, her brows quickly furrowing before she heatedly stated, “You enforcers are all the same, just asshole criminals in fancy uniforms.”

Every syllable she spoke rose slightly, her voice overly frustrated and angry. It made Caitlyn flinch just slightly, her face stiff as she remembered Powder’s entire rant about the same subject. Maybe she went a bit too far, but Caitlyn was smart not to immediately trust a criminal. So why did she feel the same pang in her chest when Powder accused her of being the same thing this inmate was accusing her of?

With one last scoff, the woman rolled her eyes as she gestured for Caitlyn to leave, “You know what? Find Silco yourself.”

Two could play at this game, with a nonchalant lift of her head, Caitlyn pulled her journal closer and turned her heel, “I will. Thank you.”

As she walked, this time to purposefully leave for good, Caitlyn heard the woman huff another laugh, “Undercity’s going to eat. You. Alive.”

The statement was enough to give Caitlyn pause, to think this through.

The inmate was right, she never stepped foot in the Undercity, she didn’t even know where to start. With her suspension, Caitlyn couldn’t get the help of other enforcers either.

It was just her on her own. And if she was going to get anywhere with this case, she needed to take all the help she could get.

Caitlyn exhaled in frustration, knowing she was going out on a limb here.

She was going to get in so much trouble over this.

.

After hours of reviewing documents, investigating Hexgate logs, and generally trying to come up with some type of plan for action, Jayce finally had the initiative to go home, get himself some much needed rest after a long day of fluctuating emotions.

Today weighed heavy on the shoulders of the man of progress, his world turned upside down as he was facing an obstacle that only he could handle. For the sake of his dream, for the sake of Piltover’s future.

Caitlyn was angry with him. Viktor was expecting him to focus on Hextech over their relationship. Powder was distancing herself more and more each day.

When did it all go wrong?

As Jayce closed the door to his new office, he didn’t expect to hear the soft clicking of heels so late at night walking to him.

“Already working so hard on your first day.” Mel hummed quietly as Jayce shook his head with a huff.

“Do you always wander the halls late at night? Seems like a bad habit of yours.” he rebutted, standing up straight to turn around and watch Mel’s ghost of a smile fall upon her face with a gentle eye roll.

With graceful movements, slim arms moved to take Jayce’s broader arm, guiding him to walk with her as they spoke, “House Ferros wanted to discuss with me over the Council’s plans for the Undercity. Rumors of you shutting down Hextech production are beginning to make everyone…antsy.” she explained, “I told them since you are a councilor now, that their investments are safe.”

The pair walked through the dark halls in silence after Mel’s statement. It left Jayce to wonder what was going through this woman’s mind to come up with such a preposterous idea of making him a councilor. Did she really believe he would solve all of their problems? Or was he a scapegoat when everything went belly up?

Questions were buzzing into his mind, his brows furrowed as he looked towards Mel’s oddly calm face as eyes of shining gold looked up to him. It seemed a good enough time as any to ask, as Jayce steeled himself to finally ask, “Why did you make this decision to make me a councilor?”

That seemed like a question strong enough to pause their movements, for Mel to still pause her stride so she could run her slender, well manicured hand over Jayce’s bicep, “Jayce…you are more capable of leadership than you believe.” she stated gently, her hand running up and over Jayce’s arm to fix the lapel of his jacket, “I only said what everyone was thinking at the moment.”

“And everyone wanted me to be a councilor?”

Mel hummed as she straightened a golden pin on Jayce’s jacket and smoothed the wrinkled fabric, “Everyone wanted someone to know what they were doing with Hextech, to know where Piltover needed to go next.” she informed, finally having her brilliant eyes looking up at Jayce as she coyly smiled to him, “You are here as a symbol of the future, that progress brings success.”

“Success?” Jayce huffed, pulling away from the councilwoman’s ministrations as he felt his anxiety flare, “Mel, we failed to protect our invention, someone out there has them and…” he began, his voice starting to raise before abruptly stopping himself to rub at his face, “And I don’t know if I have the right answers to fix it.”

His breath was quickening, his palms sweaty against his face as he felt the world crashing upon him. Why couldn’t something go right? What did he need to do to get everything to go his way again?

He wished Viktor was here. To tell him the answer that Jayce struggled to solve on his own.

But he had Mel, who carefully crossed the distance between them to place her hand on Jayce’s arm, “You are the smartest man in Piltover, Jayce Talis.” she calmly soothed, her voice laced with softness and purposefully feeding into Jayce’s pride, “If anyone is able to figure out how to keep the Hexgates running as enforcers pursue the thief, it can only be you.”

If it were any other circumstance, this tactic would work, but Jayce shook his head as he pointed out, “Viktor made Hextech with me, he is just as capable as I am. Why not him? Why me?”

“Do you see your partner’s face on every poster and blimp across Piltover?” Mel asked, her delicate brow raised.

“No, but-”

Going in for the kill, Mel pressed on, “If my sources are correct, your partner comes from the Undercity. A place where many of your problems began, a place where Piltover holds a high amount of distrust.” she informed, her head slightly tilted as she pointed her sharp gaze right into Jayce's worried expression, “What do you think the people would think of someone of that origin in a seat of power, Jayce?”

“I…” he began, whatever statement he had quickly dying in his lips as he knew Mel had a point. Over the past seven years of living with his partner and ward, he knew they were the lucky ones. Even when Viktor could only get healthcare by the insistence of his peers and Powder could only get accepted by one therapist, their lives weren’t easy even with the privilege they were given. Viktor in a seat of power could be good for the Undercity, but who would back him up on any plans? So with a slump of the shoulders, Jayce weakly muttered, trying to push back at his responsibility given to him in a last ditch effort to return to an old life he never knew he missed, “I don’t deserve this position.”

He truly didn’t, he was a scientist, not a politician. He wanted to build Piltover to be greater, just like his father did. If he was still around now, would he be proud? Proud of the life that Jayce made for himself, made for Piltover? For the family he had and subsequently lost as a ward he foolishly considered a daughter grew up? Mel seemed to see the whirlwind of emotions on Jayce’s face, her hand reaching up to cup a stubble covered cheek to have Jayce look at her, “Jayce…” she said firmly, anchoring Jayce back as he looked to her as she continued, “If anyone deserves this position, it’s you. You worked for years just to bring progress to a new era to Piltover, to change everything. You worked for this, and there is no better leader out there for this city.”

Mel still believed in him.

Unconsciously Jayce leaned into the touch against his cheek, sighing softly as he whispered out, “I…don’t want to disappoint anyone.”

His words must have placed an impact on Mel, as her face softened and her hand gently patted his cheek before she pulled away, “Don’t worry, I’ll be here to guide you until you get the hang of it.”

It was enough comfort for Jayce to nod, his breath brought out in relief as he couldn’t help but smile as Mel took a few tentative steps back, “Thanks Mel, I…couldn’t have done all of this without you, you’re a good friend.” he started, his hand moving behind his head to rub away at the tension at the back of his neck, “Sincerely, I don’t know how to thank you enough.”

Mel huffed a quiet amused laugh as she turned away, making a few steps ahead with the intent to leave as she pointed out,“Well…If you really want to show your gratitude.” she held onto the last part of her words as she traveled to the end of the hall, the pale moonlight filling into the windows to illuminate the councilwoman in a shimmer of white gold as she stood basked in light like a goddess sent to this world. Her smile coy and soft as Jayce stared at her dumbfounded and mystified, Mel’s word holding more weight as she spoke.

“Then show me you can lead.”

.

The worst had seemed to happen, in the form of blaring music and synthetic neon lights.

The Undercity changed. Not with a whisper or a whimper, but with a scream to be heard.

Powder spent all night wandering going through her old hunting grounds with wonderment in her eyes and her stuff held tightly to her, fearful for her goods to be placed in the wrong hands. She worked too hard, risked so much to lose it now. Her guns were by her hips, hidden by the thick jacket she wore to keep herself obscure.

If Vi could see this now…would she be impressed? Disappointed? She loved the Undercity, and cared about all of its people. To watch the false glamor and hyper atmosphere made Powder both excited with the swirling chaos around her, but also the gnawing sense that…

This was wrong. The Undercity wasn’t supposed to be like this.

Powder continued to wander, through the streets and out of the chaos as the noise died down around her. Her own thoughts and haunts decide to take up the space and leave the teen to wince as she reaches up to grip at her head.

“S-Shut up…” Powder hissed, giving herself a rather rough hit on the head before making a loud sigh, “Can’t get any peace and quiet around here, can I?” she groused, ready to focus on her mission once more before blue eyes caught something down the quiet streets.

A broken window.

Of an arcade.

Their arcade.

Powder didn’t even think as she walked directly towards it, ignorant of the sound of footsteps behind her as she went to explore possibly the only place in the Undercity that didn’t change.

The crunching of stained glass under her foot rang in her ears, but Powder forced herself to push forward to peer her head into the dark, the dusty remains of the arcade haunting and desolate as she made the first step inside.

It was just like how they left it, the same creatures at the shooting range still standing, the play guns on the ground, the mermaids covered in a thick layer of dusts, and the-

Powder paused when her foot connected with something metallic.

The Mylo drawing for the boxing machine.Covered in dust but his stupid face still having its tongue out and looking silly.

She slowly reached down to lift it, rubbing away some of the dust as she huffed a small laugh, “You always did have a punchable face.” she muttered solemnly as she finally looked up at where this plate belonged to.

Standing there, collecting dust, the behemoth itself stood before her, untouched for nearly a decade.

With a glance to the scoreboard, her name was still listed at the top.

Vi: 4800

It was always there. Always taunting. A number she could never hope to reach.

The squawking of a crow made Powder jump, instantly pulling her gun out to aim it at the bird. Striking eyes staring right down the barrel as she stared back. An innocent tilt of the bird's head caused Powder to pause, it seemed more curious with Powder than anything else, returning back to a forgotten place where only ghosts resided.

Her fingers twitched, but slowly, Powder lowered the gun to tuck it away as she returned to looking back to the boxing machine.

The flashes of Vi’s constant persistence to beat her own score, how dutifully she fought. She always tried and punched at this thing when they were kids.

Surely Powder was stronger now, able to beat the score of a dead fourteen year old. Vi would be proud if her little sister was ever to beat her score, surely.

Surely she was smart enough to get this to work, at the very least.

It took a bit of work, placing pieces back together and oiling a few rusty gears, but with the pull of the lever, the power of chemtech roared the flickering lights to life. The boxing machine breathing with a low thrum as Powder stood before it.

She never thought to be standing here, where her sister once stood. To stare down the face of Mylo’s dumb drawn face taunting her.

The static was back, with it the images of a soft looking Vi reaching out to caress her face. The memories of holding her hand when they were little. They’re days running through the streets to play.

“You’re stronger than you think.”

But all of that was quickly followed with the not so good memories. Vi’s angry outbursts, her needing to take a burden that was never needed for her to carry. The memory of having everything to help Vander, to be a part of the team and Vi blatant stating to her.

You’re not ready.

Vi’s voice blended with Jayce’s.

Snapping her eyes open, a flare of anger surging through her, Powder made her fist connect with Mylo’s face.

Seven years of hurt and rage bled from her as she unleashed every ounce of fighting spirit. Fists, feet, elbows and knees met the worn leather of her mechanism as Powder felt screams bubble out from the depths of her chest.

Why did Vi leave her?

To live in this fucked up place without a sister to guide her, to be adopted by a pair of egotistical scientists with the emotional capacity of a rock, to find friends that just left her alone again.

A dark part of her hated Vi for doing this to her.

For making her suffer.

For making Powder realize that she was always at fault for this.

For making her feel weak.

For making her love her sister unconditionally.

With one final ear piercing scream, Powder landed her fist on old leather. The static gone, the images gone, but the hurt still there. It was hard to breath, hard to think, hard to hear anything besides the gentle flicking of the scoreboard measuring the score.

Stepping back to watch the score grow higher and higher, past any score she made in the arcade topside, Powder breathed as her number grew closer and closer to Vi’s. A flicker of hope was in her chest, watching, waiting, wishing that she was strong. That she at least changed to the point of being strong like her sister, to be able to go through with this dangerous stunt that risked everyone around her.

But the clicking stopped, the numbers of her score burning itself into her eyes as she felt her face twitch in frustration.

4406

Just not good enough.

She was never good enough, for anyone.

With a last growl of anger and frustration, a gun was drawn, aimed at Mylo’s face.

She didn’t need brute force to get things done. She was smarter, she was faster, she was…

The gun was fired, the metallic clang of Mylo’s face spinning in the machine as Powder glowered at the stupid drawing.

She was dangerous.

So to finally hear the shifting of glass, the metallic clicking from behind her, Powder quickly spun around to look at the figure standing in the dark, a muffled purple glow under a thick poncho.

“Not bad…for a dead girl.” spoke a deep and gruff voice, heavy steps moving forward to reveal a tall woman, her face scarred on the left cheek as a haughty smirk formed on her face.

She was the woman that Vander got into arguments with when they were kids. She was one of the people trapped under ambrite in the Firelight’s incident. She knew what happened there more than anyone else.

“Y-..” Powder started, pausing to catch her breath before speaking more clearly, “You’re that lady from the airship incident…”

The woman kept her face tilted downward, a metallic clicking continuing from under the poncho as she took a step forward, “And you’re the kid that blew up our shipment, real bold of you to show your face around here.” she stated dangerously, already moving forward fast enough for Powder to know this woman wasn’t here to talk.

She fired her gun, the metal of a bullet clashing with a shoulder that seemed to have little effect as a clawed metal hand outstretched and grabbed the teen by the neck and lifted.

Powder choked and struggled, dangling in the air as she gripped and clawed at the hand around her neck, dangerously closing around her worn out windpipe as the taller woman glowered up at her.

“Can’t have everyone knowing Vander’s kid is stomping around the Lanes, too much of a liability.”

“A-ack,” Powder croaked as she felt water at the corners of her eyes, air being harder and harder to take in as she took in a sharp breath, her muscles tensing as this woman kept talking.

“Because of you, the whole operation was a bust.”

“I-I saved you…” Powder struggled to say, gritting her teeth as air escaped her lungs, desperate for more air but unable to take any in.

But the woman scoffed, tightening her sharp metal grip around Powder’ neck as small trails of blood moved over a pale collarbone, “You didn’t save anyone, and you should have stayed dead like your sist-”

That was enough to force Powder to act, to lift her shaking leg up and kick this woman across the head with as much force as she inflicted to the boxing machine. It was at least enough for Powder to be dropped, to grip her gun in a vice grip and point it directly at this woman’s temple as she was nursing the bloodied side of her head.

The silence was tense, with this woman staring at Powder with a predatory observation, waiting for the girl to make a misstep or a flinch to have the upper hand. So Powder acted fast, swallowing the pain and ignoring the bruises around her neck as she demanded answers.

“You work for Silco, don’t you?” she demanded to know, “He orchestrated the smuggling, he’s in opposition to those Firelights…”

The mysterious woman looked at her curiously, huffing a breath of amusement as she kept her body still, her face pressed against the end of a barrel while speaking calmly, like her life wasn’t in any danger at all, “And why does that matter to you?”

Powder kept her cool, her finger resting on the trigger, her brows knitted as she struggled to keep herself just as oddly calm, like she wasn’t just fighting for her life, “I have something he wants.” she stated, “To help the Undercity.”

It caused the woman to pause, her cool stare focused on Powder as brows pulled together. Another metallic click under the poncho, her hand clenching as she was trying to understand the intentions of this wild teen who so harshly kept a gun up. She didn’t need to know that Powder didn’t have the heart to pull the trigger, she didn’t have the experience of killing so intimately.

She didn’t want to be a monster.

The woman took a low breath, her eyes traveling from Powder downward as she spoke, “You wanna talk to the boss?” she asked, the click of her arm going once, twice, before it was swung up, uppercutting Powder’s jaw and sending her backwards and onto the glass ridden floor.

Powder struggled to get back up, her vision fading in and out as she tried to reach for her gun. Her breath was quick as she heard heavy boots crunching colored glass towards her, in the shadow of this woman looming over her and stepping on her wrist as Powder was centimeters from touching her gun.

“I think a spot opened up.” this mysterious woman stated, pulling her other foot back as Powder blearily looked up, the image of a cruel smirk burned into her mind before a foot connected to her temple, the world going dark once more.

Powder faded, between the soft memories of warm summers with a soft tomato spice wafting through an ozone filled laboratory to a dark reality of being dragged through dirt and concrete with hammering pain coursing through her body.

She fucked up again, didn’t she?

And she wasn’t going to live long enough for anyone to save her either.

Not anymore, she either killed, lost, or pushed away the people she loved. Even if Seraphine didn’t keep her secret up, no one would make it on time.

Powder felt her legs bump against stairs, the thrum of a deep bass of music humming through her bones painfully as it grew quieter and quieter.
She wanted to cry, to scream, but her throat hurt too much to do any of that.

The fight was gone. The fight was lost.

She was just another stain on Piltover’s records, another lost name in the Undercity’s smog.

Powder felt the weight of being dropped in the middle of a room, her body crumbling to the floor like a useless doll. The throbbing of her ear finally quieted down to hear the words of a woman speaking.

“This is the kid I was talking about, the Piltover girl that fought off the Firelights.” she stated, low and rumbling as she added, “It’s Vander’s kid.”

“I thought they all died in the explosion.” spoke a cool masculine voice, his tone calculating as Powder flexed her fingers, taking a moment to suck in a breath before finally lifting her head up to look at the desk in the center of a sickly green glow of opaque windows, a lone orange eye the only warm color in the room as it peered down at her in a curious light.

“I say,” he said, softly, intrigued that Powder even had the strength to lift her head up after the rough treatment she went through, his brows even raised when Powder sucked in a ragged breath and pushed herself up, shaky limbs struggling to get the girl to stand up straight to face a monster, “You did admirably trying to save our shipment, but you also shot my men and let my products be set aflame.”

Powder opened her mouth to speak, her breath rough and croaking as she struggled, “Listen, I’m sorry about that, it was kind of a losing battle out there.” she explained, swallowing down the squirming in her gut as she pressed on, “Y-You’re Silco, right?”

“Hm…” Silco hummed, leaned back in his seat as he looked at Powder up and down, how she stood, even when beaten and bruised. A head held up and her hands clenched into fists, her breath harsh as if to stop herself from acting out. His interest quickly peaked, wondering what a traitorous child of Zaun would be doing back in their home grounds, especially a daughter of a so-called brother he once had, so Silco simply asked “And who might you be, girl?”

A question that Powder struggled with, to know who she really was. Was she a daughter? Was she a sister? A friend? A student?

Or was she a monster?

With a swallow, Powder squared her feet, keeping her footing strong as her eyes flickered in thought. Her fingers twitched, her lips curled downwards, she shoulders tensed as she could only hear one word echoing in her ear by a mocking boyish voice.

“My…” she started, taking in a deep breath as she briefly closed her shifting eyes, taking a moment to calm, a moment to have her body relax before her hard eyes opened once again. A demeanor serious, grown, ready to move forward despite everything.

“My name is Jinx...”

Chapter Text

The dark office above the Last Drop was cold, matching its dreary atmosphere by being washed in a murky green light through dirty windows. Jinx stood in the center of it all, in front of the desk of the most powerful man in the Undercity, her eyes determined even with a bloodied and bruised body by Sevika’s harsh treatment of the girl.

Silco was impressed that someone would be so bold. But who was he kidding? This was Vander’s kid, of course she would do something like this.

The apple never fell far from the tree, it seemed.

“Ah…Jinx…” he said carefully, leaning back in his seat to reach for a cigar and a lighter at his left. Sharp eyes kept their sights on Jinx’s stance, how she watched him just as much as he watched her, “And what business do you have with me at this egregious time of night?”

If it were any other night, this girl wouldn’t have even been graced with his presence. But it seemed fate had other plans.

The girl shuffled her feet, her hands twitching as she slowly spoke, her brows knitted together to speak as carefully as she could, “I…one of your men told me you’d pay me back for saving him.”

Silco couldn’t hold back his scoff, “A meaningless statement.” he stated, biting into his cigar as he coldly added, “Especially considering that my products were not, in fact, saved.”

He watched Jinx open her mouth to refute, to fight back. She still had some spark in her, even tangled in the lion’s den. But Jinx still held her tongue at the end, lamely sputtering, “I…” she twitched again as her eyes finally looked away for a few seconds, to the left, to the right, then right back at him as she nodded solemnly, “I figured…” she sighed out, shrugging one of her shoulders to let the strap of her pack fall loose and swing to her side, “That’s why I have something else.”

Sevika kept herself to the sides to let the both of them talk, but with Jinx’s actions the woman was advancing, the soft clicking under her poncho starting up before Silco brought his hand up to give her pause.

Just that moment of understanding, of wanting to see what was being offered to him by this curious little girl. It seemed to surprise Jinx as she reached into her bag, hurriedly rummaging through it before taking out a small display box and opening the mechanism to it.

To show the most beautiful shining gemstone Silco had ever seen, the soft thrum of an otherworldly melody resonating through his ears as he didn’t even have the attention span to light his cigar.

“What…is that?” he asked the girl, already reaching out for it before Jinx held it up in one hand, her smile prideful as if she was finally able to present a speech she had been practicing over.

“A state of the art Hextech gemstone.” she explained, turning the box in her hand to let the shining bright blue of the gemstone wash itself in murky green, “Refined and perfected to be handled by anyone, this is the next step for progress. A perfect source of the immense power of magic in the palm of your hand, to help the Undercity.”

Hextech, the very invention that pushed topside so far ahead of them. Leaving Zaun to clean up their disastrous byproduct that polluted their streets.

They were cut from the Hexgates, thanks to this girl, forcing them to be led further and further into the shadow of Piltover’s shining city.

But how did such a scrawny topside traitor get access to such sensitive technology?

Unless..

“...You were the one responsible for the explosion topside?” Silco inquired, immediately retrieving an answer when he watched Jinx snap the box shut as her eyes furrowed and her lip curled unfavorably downward.

“Accident.” she forced out, clearly distressed as she shook her head, more convincing herself than anyone else in this room as she pressed on, “Totally by accident, the enforcers messed with the trap I set up, and that caused the explosion.” she stated with a nervous laugh, as if she didn’t ‘accidentally’ kill half a dozen enforcers in their home turf.

Silco had to turn his head curiously at that, watching this teen hold little remorse for her actions just by her facial expression alone. She wasn't regretful about it, if anything that was a minor setback to whatever plan she had set up in her mind. Was meeting him and showing him a powerful arcane power source part of her plans?

Maybe she wasn’t like Vander, the bear of a man would never think this far ahead. He would never so casually brush off death such as that.

Silco left his lip frown around his cigar at the thought of his brother in arms, his mood dampening at the thought of this girl dredging up unpleasant thoughts

“I see…and what would you want for such a generous donation?” he asked, working to regain his cool facade by taking his lighter once more and starting a small flame to light his cigar and give a few gentle puffs as Jinx paused to close her eyes once more.

“Answers.”

“Answers?”

Jinx gave a short nod, inhaling softly before she let herself speak again, “...My sister.” Jinx clarified as she looked back up to the kingpin of Zaun, her eyes holding a slight desperation to them as she stated, “Her and Vander’s bodies were never found, or at least reported to the enforcers.”

Such small words made Silco briefly exchange a glance with Sevika, her brows also furrowed in confusion as Silco decided to vocalize his curiosity, “How did you get that information?” It couldn’t have been Marcus, he kept his records held tight. Why didn’t that man ever tell Silco about this girl? About Vander’s girl living in Piltover, able to sneak around to steal Hextech and acquire enforcer information?

“That’s my business.” Jinx stated, her voice light as she smiled and tilted her head in a cute manner. Just as quickly as she smiled, her lips fell back down as she was turning the situation more into her favor, “What happened to them, and the gemstone’s yours.”

That was laughable, for such a weak little girl to think she had any power here. Silco couldn’t stop himself from a low, husky chuckle as he leaned back into his comfortable seat to stare the girl down with a harsh glare, “In what mad world do you think you have any power over me here?” he questioned, his patience done with her as he gave the dismissive wave towards his right hand woman despite Jinx’s fingers flexing slowly into her bag, “Sevika, take this girl-”

The echoing sound of clicking brought everyone to pause, as this time it wasn’t from Sevika’s poncho, but Jinx’s backpack as she slowly pulled her hand back from her back, her hand holding a small fish shaped mechanism with a shining crystal in its core.

The cigar fell from Silco’s lips onto his desk, the ashes scattering and the bright ember fading into a dull glow.

Jinx kept her finger on the pressure trigger, her smile returned as she awkwardly laughed, “I…wouldn’t recommend that.” she teased lightly while her body relaxed, her shoulders slumping and her pose more casual as she watched Silco and Sevika freeze in place, “You see, ever since I walked into the Lanes I’ve seen all that’s changed, and I can just say…not a fan of your work. So! Either you listen to my demands, or I blow this place to smithereens.” Jinx demanded, making a fakeout of dropping her bomb just to laugh at how the older pair flinched and braced for disaster.

Vander wouldn’t have done something like this, he wouldn’t have taught his kids to do this.

This was something Silco would do though. In the old days when two young hot blooded brothers in arms wanted to change the Undercity for the better, willing to fight for that dream.

Willing to kill for it.

Silco kept still as he watched the arc of blue light jolt from one side of the bomb to the other, swallowing down the clear memory of a cannery washed in blue chaos, “You wouldn’t.” he lowly stated to the manic girl, his lip turned downward for thinking that this girl had any resemblance to him at all. She was a traitor, a topsider.

“But I would.” Jinx rebutted, reaching up to wipe the dried blood from her neck as she casually explained, “I caused the cannery to explode back then, and you saw what I’ve done the past few days. I’ve worked with these things for a long time now.” Her voice was light as she said such dark words, how confident she was that she would walk out of this alive compared to the other two in the room. Jinx’s face slowly turned from light and relaxed, to stone faced and diabolical as she stared the kingpin of Zaun down, “Try me.” she challenged with a slight sneer..

Everyone was still as a quiet filled the office, the only sounds were the clicking of Jinx’s bomb and Sevika’s arm, both ready to spring into action for whatever choice Silco decided to make.

This girl…Jinx. Had an incredible advantage against topside shown to him.

The capability to bring ruin to anyone that got in her way, topsider or fissure folk. It didn’t matter to her. A child of Zaun raised in Piltover’s scrutinizing gaze, learning their ways and obviously not accepted if she was coming back here to help her birthplace.

She was power.

She was chaos.

Jinx was about to be the answer to all of his problems.

Silco curled his lips upward, a low, amused laughter leaving him as he picked up his cigar once more, brushing away the ashes as Sevika and Jinx focused their looks of confusion towards the man.

“I like your tenacity, Jinx.” Silco announced as he jerked his head in Sevika’s direction, his henchwoman making a low snarl but not bothering to disobey as she pulled up a seat in front of his desk, “You have the determination of a true Zaunite, one that I can applaud.” he continued, tapping his cigar once more before taking a long drag. He made a gesture to the chair, waving Sevika to leave as Silco gave the teen a pointed look, “Come. Sit down. We can talk.”

The silence fell over the office once again, this time with just Jinx and Silco at odds with each other. Jinx could only watch the kingpin intensely, her eyes cautious and untrusting as she made that first step forward, bomb still held tight as she sat down before the very Eye of Zaun.

“Fine…let’s talk.”

.

The morning was tense, to say the least.

Jayce walked with his shining white councilor suit throughout the streets with Viktor hobbling at his side, the sickly man keeping his eyes forward since he could feel warm chestnut eyes focusing purely on Viktor and Viktor alone.

Viktor knew that even with what he said yesterday, how he put his foot down and honestly told Jayce what he needed to hear in order to get his head straight, that Jayce still had his reservations about putting this relationship away.

From his peripheral, Viktor could see Jayce struggling to come up with some sort of conversation piece to throw his way. To gain some semblance of the old times as they walked to the Hexgate’s hub to review old logs in order to get some sort of lead as to where the gemstone could have gone.

“Um…” Jayce finally started, fumbling with his words when Viktor tilted his head in his taller companion’s direction, “D-Did you talk to Powder-keg last night?” he lamely asked. Powder was always a good subject to talk about, their girl and her antics were important to the both of them. It seemed to work well enough, as Viktor’s bitter expression smoothed out.

With a small sigh, Viktor shook his head, “She was right when she said she was busy, I went by her dorm last night and she never answered.” he muttered, “Exams are around the corner, so I know she’s worrying over her studies…”

Jayce gave a soft chuckle as he nodded his head in agreement, “She’s a smart kid that works too hard, got it from the both of us.” he joked, hoping to earn a laugh or a quirk of the lip from his partner. But all he got was silence, with Viktor looking back down to the road ahead of them as he thought about the turmoil Powder must be going through.

“I’m worried about her, Jayce.” Viktor finally admitted, the past days of Powder’s outbursts and isolation only surging more worry as Viktor had to fight tooth and nail with himself to not get involved.

It seemed Jayce was thinking the same, sighing deeply as his shoulders slumped and he nodded as well, “...I’m worried about her too.” he confessed softly, running a hand over his face as he looked up at the light gray clouds looming over the city in patches, “About her and Cait.”

Both girls tried to play the hero. It was as simple as that. Viktor vaguely wondered if Powder picked up the habit to act this impulsive from Caitlyn or Jayce, perhaps from the older sister she spoke about when Powder had the stable mentality to talk about her past when she was much younger.

“They both got hurt during Progress Day,” Viktor stated obviously, offering a simple one armed shrug as he suggested to Jayce, “They could still be recovering from those events, shock, perhaps.”

The pair fell into a brief silence as they walked, the buzz of Piltover’s active streets, unknowing of the possible danger on the other side of the Pilt. Viktor knew that creativity spawned from desperation, that the sooner the gemstone was missing, the sooner something would happen with the Undercity.

Whether it would be for better or for worse was up to fate at that point.

But Jayce didn’t think of it like that, he worried about weapons, he worried about the elite class of Piltover’s finest wanting to continue Hextech despite the troubles it was going through. Jayce had too much on his plate and Viktor wasn’t about to be the one to force Jayce to stay grounded and think of such minor occurrences as-

“...Should we try to find another doctor for her?” Jayce asked out of the blue, pausing Viktor’s thought process as he looked to the taller man.

Maybe…Viktor shouldn’t have assumed so many things about Jayce.

“After telling her the truth?” Viktor inquired, his brow raised as he gave his partner a questioning stare, “Do you think she would listen?”

“I…” Jayce began, his body tight as he was obviously struggling with a counter argument, clearly failing as he slumped his shoulders once more and moved a bit closer to Viktor’s side as he sighed out, “I don’t know, V. You know her better than I do these days.”

Viktor could only respond with a quiet sigh as he muttered, “I think we’ve been stuck in the same boat with her lately, Jayce.” he confessed with a downtrodden look as he continued, “She’ll come to us when she’s ready to talk. We can’t push her like we’re trying for Hextech…”

Though unlike a young girl, Hetech needed the push, or else it would never move forward. It took years of dedication to bring Hextech to where it was, and it still didn’t reach the potential that Jayce and Viktor dreamed it would accomplish. Hextech was constantly being halted by every force beyond them. The politicians, the Council, Heimerdinger…

Even Jayce Talis himself.

Viktor felt a surge of emotions as he forced himself to keep from exploding, his face clearly turning sour with a down turned frown as he noticed just how close Jayce was next to him. Finding comfort after what he did to earn Viktor’s ire. Once again the Jayce Talis charm made Viktor forget. Made him forget that this was the same man that pushed for Hextech’s progress yet held it back like a bird in a cage.

They didn’t have time to squabble over the trivial matters of red tape, not when the dream that he and Jayce set out for Hextech was only at arm’s reach.

With a small huff, Viktor pushed himself forward to walk ahead of Jayce, his shoulders tense and his body aching as he coldly corrected, “Like I’m trying for Hextech.”

Viktor didn’t need to turn to see Jayce’s expression strain itself, how his breath slowly spilled out in a disappointed sadness that was knowing that this ire was earned rightfully so. Viktor was ready for a fight, for Jayce to put the blame on Heimerdinger, or the Council, or anyone that wasn’t solely him for what he did on Progress Day.

“Hey…” Jayce softly spoke, crossing the space Viktor placed to plant a warm hand on a cold shoulder. Viktor felt his brow furrow in frustration, a scowl forming on his lips because Jayce just couldn’t stop, could he?

“Do you want to get some coffee before we get to the Hexgate?” Jayce offered, finally falling into Viktor’s sight with a sheepish smile and flickering eyes that terribly wanted to express more, “Don’t worry, nothing weird, I promise. Just coffee between colleagues.” he clarified, “Like old times.”

Old times. The camped days of sharing a single workbench, no less than a foot apart as the both of them worked with barely anything. A pair of coffee mugs between them that earned too many encounters with brushed hands and shoddy apologies. A simpler time when it was just the three of them against the world.

A time Jayce wanted to return to. A time that Viktor wished he appreciated more back then.

Viktor hated that he couldn’t stay mad at Jayce. That he couldn’t just get rid of these feelings, no matter how much he pushed them away.

They were bad for each other.

Viktor tried to keep his expression sour, to stay mad. But seeing Jayce’s soft face watching him, his smile awkward with the small gap in his teeth, his eyebrows raised and relaxed with the small scar on the brow, his eyes just as warm as they were when Viktor found him about to make the last choice of his life.

Jayce was an unhealthy obsession for him. Like a perfectly crafted antithesis to Viktor’s sickly and broken body. A shining example of Piltover and everything Viktor wanted to be.

A shining example of who Viktor wanted.

Finally giving in, Viktor felt his shoulder relax under his partner’s warm touch, making a small nod and looking away, unable to look at Jayce’s widening smile as Viktor conceded with a gentle, “...Fine.”

.

“We’re supposed to be keeping a low profile.”

“We are.”

“I don’t think beating up goons and stealing their clothes is considered very sneaky.”

Vi couldn’t help but huff a laugh as she kept her arms crossed at the entrance of the alleyway, letting the enforcer girl change into her disguise with as much privacy as the Lanes could allow. They weren’t in the thick of it yet, but if the enforcer girl started running around in her fancy uniform while swinging a badge around, Silco’s dogs would be destined to find them soon.

“It’s a dog eat dog world out here, Cupcake.” Vi informed as she pulled her arms behind her head to breathe in the sweet, sweet, smog of the Lanes, “It’s either we get eaten or we fight our way through.”

Hearing the enforcer girl huff a laugh as well made Vi raise a brow humorously, a bit elated that she broke the serious facade that this woman was keeping up for the sake of professionalism. If Vi hoped to get out sooner, to find Powder sooner…making this uptight topsider loosen up was the way she needed to go. Turning around, thinking that the enforcer girl was done dressing, Vi made a quick stop when a pale exposed back was slowly being covered up, long dark hair being pulled together in order to tie back into a ponytail. Luckily the enforcer was faced away from Vi’s wide eyes, fixated on a small spot on the back of her neck as the enforcer girl admitted, “I’m more of a cat person.”

“Oh?” Vi asked with a bit of a flighty voice, her grin mischievous as she couldn’t help but give this woman a hard time, “So the little cat tattoo on the back of your neck isn’t enforcer protocol?”

To see just how quickly the enforcer girl turned around, her face red with embarrassment as Vi bit her lip to stop from laughing, it was worth it just to get under this woman’s skin, “I-I” the enforcer girl huff out out, her eyes flickering away from mirthful eyes as she straightened her shirt and pushed past Vi to avoid any further discussions, “We should get moving, the morning is waning and we need to find your proof about Silco.”

“Whatever you say, officer.” Vi finally laughed out, turning her heel to catch up to the enforcer’s frame and roughly bump shoulders with her to get ahead, “I know a place we can go, just stick with me.”

The shorter woman heard her companion through the Lanes huff, already painting the mental image of an obviously frustrated topsider that gave Vi the self satisfaction that her small rebellion is bringing dissatisfaction to the enforcer girl. Some form of getting that fight back against the same people that pushed her down, that ruined her life and were part of the downfall of everything she knew and loved.

Sure, Silco had a big target on his back. But enforcers were just as much to blame.

But maybe, just maybe this enforcer girl was different from the rest of them. Never in Vi’s wildest dreams would she believe an enforcer would lie and forge a signature to release a sumprat like herself. Even if it was to prove some out there case that didn’t even matter.

Taking a moment, Vi turned around to walk backwards. Her brow raised with how tense the enforcer girl was, how her eyes looked back and forth around her surroundings. Too obvious, even if she dressed the part she still stuck out like a sore thumb.

Maybe helping her relax could fix that? But Vi hasn’t actually talked to anyone in years. Let alone an enforcer.

Let alone an attractive enforcer.

“I will have to say though,” Vi started slowly, making a small shrug as she looked up and spun her heel to turn back around, “The tat? It fits you pretty well. Didn’t know topsiders liked to get tattoos.”

Something to clear to air, to settle the both of them as they walked through the underbelly of the Undercity. The stench grew stronger and heavier as Vi took her time to readjust to the smog once more.

“...My friend and I got them for her birthday.” the enforcer girl slowly admitted, surprising Vi by moving up to her left as the both of them walked side by side. No longer one leading and one following, but striding together as their footfalls fell into sync.

It was an outstretched hand, an olive branch to attempt to get along long enough to get what they both needed. So Vi cautiously took the bait, “The smart one?”

Seeing this woman huff a small laugh, her arms crossed over her chest as her shoulders relaxed, Vi could only get the subtle hint that this friend was someone important to the enforcer girl, “Yeah…the smart one.” she confirmed, her soft blue eyes glancing over to a spot on the side of Vi’s neck before inquiring, “What about you? Didn’t think Stillwater had a tattoo shop behind their walls.”

Vi snorted as she tilted her head over, letting the enforcer get a good look at her ink as she boasted, “These? I won them in an arm wrestling competition. A guy knew how to use a hot needle and leftover pen ink.”

Hearing the enforcer snort back, shaking her head, made Vi feel like they were getting somewhere as she commented, “Sounds unsanitary.”

Vi felt her frown return, well so much for getting anywhere, “Well, can’t really work with much behind bars. They don’t really care if we get infections.” she offered, stuffing her hands in her pockets and taking an off step. Steps back out of sync as they both walked through the streets.

The silence fell over both of them. Vi kept her eyes set forward and didn’t pay attention to the enforcer’s furrowed brows. How she chewed on her bottom lip momentarily as the air grew thick around them, whether through the awkwardness of it all or the smog thickening was the real mystery.

“So…” The enforcer girl started up again, her voice wavering as she made the first step forward, trying to reach out as she asked, “...any reason you have all the gears? Did you used to do mechanics before you were locked up?”

Vi huffed out a small breath as she shook her head, “Nah, it was never my thing.” she muttered, the memories of soft blue hair bent over small gears and scrap metal swimming in her thoughts. Vi felt her lips soften, her smile small as she gently explained weakly, “My sister though…she liked tinkering.”

The enforcer seemed to quiet from that, her eyes once again flickering as she felt that this was an admission she wasn’t supposed to hear, “Ah…I see.” she mumbled, turning her eyes forward and awkwardly clearing her throat as she was quick to change the subject, “So where are we going for information?”

“Just wait and see, Cupcake.” Vi pointed out.

With a frustrated huff the enforcer lowered her arms to her sides, “Will you please stop calling me that?” she hissed out, her tone clearly irritated as she continued, “It’s Caitlyn.”

“Hm, no.” Vi said lightly, her feet pulling her a few steps farther away as she walked to the main plaza, the deep sounds of bass and shining light of neon firing Vi’s neurons as she took another deep breath, “No, I don’t think I will.” she stated, taking the first few steps into buys streets to look around at her old hunting ground. The people, the lights, the smog. Everything was different, and by the looks of it everyone was different.

It felt like she was let out of a time capsule, to see what her old world was like now after such a long time.

Everything changed…but she didn’t.

With a deep sigh, letting out the smog and the regret and the pain of returning home, Vi turned around to look at the enforcer gi—No, Caitlyn with hands fisted deep in her pockets, “...It’s Vi, by the way.” she muttered, already turning back to start walking to their first destination.

Maybe also to avoid Caitlyn’s wide eyes and slack jaw too.

“Vi….” she managed to catch Caitlyn breath out, taking a moment to digest the name before noticing Vi’s swift movement away from her. The sounds of feet quickly stepping to catch up, stumbling and awkward on bumpy ground, made Vi huff a small sound as Caitlyn called out for her.

“Hey! Wait for me!”

Chapter Text

“You had a vision?”

The soft tinks of metal and the low thrum of magic filled the lab, a series of runed plates floating in the air as they twisted and turned with every movement Viktor made. Jayce kept watch of Viktor’s back from the reflection of the mirror he had stored in the lab, preparing himself for the theater later tonight to have a discussion with Mel.

But that wasn’t Viktor’s focus, instead he lifted his head up slightly to speak in a hurried tone, “What if we’ve been looking at it backwards? We’ve been trying to discover runes that invoke specific effects and then…molding them to a useful function. Tools—as you like to call it, but-”

Jayce could only really just look at the blueprints that were handed to him by Sky, looking at the scribbles his partner wrote with a detailed diagram for the vision Viktor had. Just by the looks of it, the plates were easily interchangeable. With familiar runes that both men spent years researching and experimenting just…plastered on every side of this mechanical marvel.

While Jayce read over everything, Viktor continued on, “But! If the legends are true, mages aren't bound to single functions.” His tone shifted to something more passionate, an enthusiasm that hadn’t been seen for years, “It’s said that the arcane speaks through them!”

With furrowed brows, curious with what Viktor was going on about, Jayce turned around to make a few steps towards his partner, “I’m…still not following.”

“They think. They adapt.”

Blinking in disbelief, Jayce moved closer as Viktor worked, “You think hextech can…learn?” he asked incredulously, immediately flinching away when Viktor turned a knob, the core twisting and flexing before exploding in a burst of light and kinetic energy. Viktor was unfazed as always, his face deadpan as Jayce looked back at him with a raised brow, “Are you sure this is safe?”

“Of course not.” Viktor answered simply, as if he was mentioning the weather or chatting about lunch.

Viktor was always passionate about his work, to the point of forgetting himself as he was in the midst of discovery. Typically Jayce would have let it slide, excited for another discovery and step forward for Hextech. But now…it all felt so different. The lab was bigger, Powder wasn’t around asking a myriad of questions to fill the silence, there were no wafting smells of spiced tomatoes and freshly brewed coffee.

Jayce was a Councilor now.

Powder was an outstanding student.

But Viktor…well, Viktor was the same, just more tired.

“Right…” Jayce started, slowly moving towards his partner’s side when the buzzing of static left his ears, “And you think you can crack this?”

Viktor’s face twisted into something of disdain as he turned his head, “Of course I can,” he stated, a bit cold and fighty as reflective goggles only gave Jayce a handsome doppelganger through the lens, “Do you have doubts, Jayce?”

Silently cursing to himself, he shouldn’t have worded it like that, Jayce shook his head as he brought his hand up defensively, “N-No of course not but…” He took the advantage to move closer, pitching his voice lower while leaning down so Sky didn’t have to hear and worry about Viktor even more, “You did sorta bleed all over the Hexgate hub this morning, did you stop by a doctor yet?”

“It’s fine, it was just a nosebleed.” Viktor scoffed, turning his head back to the core to twist and turn mechanisms, “Don’t you have a performance to go to?”

“I-...” Jayce began as he swallowed the lump in his throat, frowning as his shoulders slumped, “I do, yeah. But is it so bad that I want to check up on you first?”

Even if they were done with, Jayce wanted to make sure his partner was okay. But Viktor never saw it as that, instead he released a low breath before pulling his goggles off. With the aggressive slap on the table, Viktor spun around in his chair to stare directly into concerned chestnut eyes.

“Jayce, the best you can do right now is resolve this issue with the Council. The sooner this is figured out, the sooner we can return to developing Hextech.” Viktor stated, his voice terse as he leaned back into his seat.

Clicking his tongue, Jayce rubbed his temple at his partner’s obstinance, “Can you, for one minute, not think about Hextech?” Jayce asked, watching Viktor’s face twist to something distasteful, “Powder-keg told me about what happened at the speech, how you got sick. Then two days later you’re bleeding? Have you even thought about going to a doctor?”

“Your concern for my health is appreciated, but unwarranted.” Viktor deflected, already having his tired amber eyes narrowed in Jayce’s direction, “My illness during the speech and my nosebleed earlier today were unrelated. So stop overthinking it.”

“Overthinking?” Jayce started, huffing a frustrated breath, “I show concern over you and you think I’m overthinking?”

“Because you are.”

Jayce brought his hands down to his sides, already knowing if the both of them kept pushing…someone was going to get hurt.

“You know what? I don’t have time to argue with you.” Jayce hissed out, reaching forward to jab Viktor’s chest, “If you collapse in the lab, don’t come crawling to me about it.”

The slimmer man just scoffed and pushed his hand away, giving a flippant flick of his wrist before turning around to grab his goggles once more, “Go to your event, Jayce Talis. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Jayce made a huffed about turning around, checking himself in the mirror once more before turning back to his partner once more, “I’ll be busy tomorrow morning, so I’ll see you when I see you.”

Viktor didn’t have the courtesy of acknowledging what Jayce said, returning to his work in silence as Jayce turned and left the lab.

.

“Absolutely not.”

Seeing Silco raise his brows in mild intrigue didn’t waver Jinx’s resolve, her fists tight as she stared at the man straight ahead with burning eyes.

“Why not?” Silco pressed, leaning forward in his chair as he watched the girl carefully, obviously looking for a crack, a weakness to exploit.

For hours the both of them had a back and forth, a negotiation about the information that Jinx wanted and the gemstone that Silco needed. The teen was careful with her words, her hands tightly holding onto the gemstone like her life depended on having this upper hand. But the trade off, what she had to do in order to have the closure she needed to continue was just too great of a price.

“I-I can’t.” she stressed, looking at the dull blue glow that emitted from her fist. All of this hard work, work that Piltover couldn’t—wouldn’t accept. She wanted to use it for good, for power sources and making the lives easier for the Undercity.

But for this…

Silco leaned back in his chair, rubbing a spot on his temple as he studied the girl as she continued to repeat that she just couldn’t simply do it, “You were able to make bombs and weapons already, what is stopping you from making another?”

“Cause this…” Jinx began, holding the gemstone close as she looked at her reflection against the shining surface of smooth stone, “This is the work my guardians slaved over for years. To help people, I…I can’t taint that. The crystals are one thing but this? I…I couldn’t forgive myself for warping their work like that.”

“Yet you stand here, willing to hand it over to me, for the sake of learning about dead bodies.” Silco started with a deadpan expression, “A bit hypocritical, don’t you think?”

“This is different,” Jinx argued, her shoulders stiff as she felt her jaw tighten, “I want this to be used to help people. Not for some type of weapon to threaten the topsiders.”

Even if Piltover wasn’t her favorite place, even if they were a constant reminder of everything that kept Zaun down. Her life was still there, her memories of having friends and a family were still there.

But Silco didn’t see it like that, making a deep sigh as he leaned forward in his chair, “Jinx.” He began gently, “You don’t seem to understand how much of a help a weapon of this power would be.”

Jinx couldn’t help but raise a brow in confusion, watching as the elder man pulled himself up to stand and stalk his way around the room.

“You see, Jinx. Power does not come to those who are the strongest, the fastest, the smartest.” he explained, taking hold of a small metal tool from his drawer, “No…power comes from those who are willing to do anything to achieve it.”

Silco walked back to his desk, shuffling through before taking out a small purple vial to slot into the mechanism, tilting his head back and maneuvering the contraption over a blackened and irritated eye.

This had to be some show of power, as Jinx watched Silco inject himself with a small needle into the eye, hissing and seizing up as whatever he just injected himself with coursed through his body.

Silence fell upon the office as Jinx watched Silco recollect himself, taking in that one last deep breath before multicolored eyes traveled to the teen as he pressed on.

“How badly, do you want to know, Jinx?” he inquired, he pushed to get Jinx to speak, to succumb to the devil and all that it had to offer, “How much are you willing to risk, to have that closure?”

“...”

He knew just what to say, Jinx thought bitterly as her fists tightened around the gemstone, the thrum of its magic a numbing feeling in her palm.

She’d do anything to know what happened to Vi, to hold onto the hope that her sister was still out there. That Vi was still looking for her and that they were still sisters. The grip in her chest demanded it. The voices in her head screamed for it.

Vi would have done anything for Powder.

Powder would have done anything to get Vi back.

But what about Jinx?

With a gentle shake of the head, Jinx let out a small breath as her brows furrowed from the static filling her ears.

She is Powder. Jinx is a persona, a fake name. Something to keep her cover so her guardians wouldn’t know what she was doing.

She is Powder.

Either Silco didn’t notice her inner turmoil, or he took full attention of it as he took the step around his desk.

“They will find you out, if you don’t make a choice.” Silco pointed out, his hand extended, “The clock is ticking, Jinx.”

With a short, frustrated huff, Jinx dug into her bag before slamming a small spherical device on the desk, “These are the ambrite grenades the Firelights use, if anyone asks you can divert it with this.”

With delicate and careful fingers, Silco took the grenade from his desk, turning it in his hand to examine it before his eyes flickered back over to the teen, how she kept her arms crossed as her head tilted away.

The hurried knock at the door interrupted the both of them as the door opened to one of Silco’s lackey, squirrely and slim as their eyes flickered across the room, “Boss, the Chief is here to see you. Says it’s urgent.”

Jinx watched as Silco nodded, tucking the grenade behind his desk before focusing on the girl once more with a calm disposition.

“Jinx.” he began, as he moved back into his chair, “Let me have this talk, and afterward I will escort you back to the bridge. I’ll give you a few days to make your choice.”

It…couldn’t be that easy. Jinx furrowed her brows as Silco tilted his head towards the door for Jinx to make her leave, making the teen huff as she stood up and just…walked to the door with no trouble at all. With the gemstone and hex crystals in tow.

As Jinx paused at the door’s entrance, she turned back to watch Silco take another cigar to light, giving the girl a final nod before preparing for his meeting. Leaving Jinx in the dark of her old home, transformed and warped far beyond what it once was.

Gripping the gem once more, Jinx tucked it into her pocket and threw her hood back up to head down the steps, trying to understand the game that was being played.

And why the Chief of police was passing right by her to go into Silco’s office.

.

Caitlyn was a bad lair, but she had the spirit.

Vi couldn’t help but smile softly as the enforcer’s voice faded the further away she got. With nonsense spouting from Caitlyn’s mouth as she fumbled her way to making up some type of lie to keep her cover.

For a topsider, she was pretty cute.

But Vi really didn’t have time to have fun anymore, walking to the end of the hallway towards the deep red curtains.

It was time to get some answers here.

Slowly pulling the curtains back, being introduced to an equally red room with plush couches and a rose incense smell, Vi made an award winning smile to the woman tending to paperwork at the desk.

She looked up slowly, her eyes disbelieving at first as her mouth was slightly slack jawed.

“Would you believe it?” the older woman breathed out, astonished as Vi walked into the room with a purpose in her step.

“Been a while Babette,” Vi greeted, her smile faltering as she looked around the small room, “Lot’s changed, hasn’t it?”

With careful steps Babette moved from her spot at her desk to gesture for Vi to sit down, “Where have you been?” she asked cautiously, already sitting at the couch across from where Vi planted herself to let out a tired breath.

“Enforcer got me after the cannery explosion,” she explained, eyes focused on the ceiling, “I wasn’t in the state to fight back, and I’ve been locked up in Stillwater ever since.”

With a meaningful hum, a cigarette was lite followed by a deep inhale, “You’ve seen what’s happened while you were gone.”

Vi didn’t answer, moving her head to look forward as her fists tightened was telling enough as Babette sighed and continued.

“Sweetheart, I was real sad to hear about Vander…and the kids.” she mournfully muttered, taking the moment to breathe as she sighed out with a wobble in her voice, “Just terrible.”

“By the looks of it, no one down here lifted a finger to stop Silco.” Vi stated, clear frustration in her voice that wasn’t directed towards anyone.

“A few tried…” Babette explained, downtrodden as she looked to reminisce about the attempts to overthrow Silco and his choke hold over the Undercity. Eventually she made a face, adjusting herself to emphasis with her cigarette, “But Silco’s got the muscle…and the money.” she stated, leaning back as Vi’s face twisted into a scowl, “He took over the Last Drop.”

But that scowl was gone, replaced with a tired resignation as Vi leaned forward, “I saw…”

The years of growing up in that tavern, with dusty floorboards and leaking pipes. All gone in just a few short years.

“Things have changed without Vander looking out for us.” Babette muttered out, finally taking a drag of her cigarette.

“Have you heard anything about Powder?” Vi chose to ask, steering the conversation in hopes of getting something to bring her comfort, “Anything at all?”

The haunting memory of a broken monkey toy in the midst of chaos was forever burned in Vi’s mind, reminding her of her failures as a big sister. Her only hope is that maybe, maybe that Powder survived that explosion and she was still in the Undercity. That Vi could still save her and have something of home to keep her going.

But all of those hopes were quickly shot just by Babette’s avoidance to look her in the eyes. Her shoulders slumped as she gently shook her head.

It hurt to know that. That Powder was really gone.

She shouldn’t have left her behind, shouldn’t have told her she wasn’t ready. Every possible thing Vi could have done always played itself over and over during her time in Stillwater, and it made no difference as Vi leaned over herself to let out a shaky breath.

“...I’m sorry, Sweetheart.” the older woman tried to comfort, “From what we knew, we thought all of you died in that fire.”

That fire, that explosion. No one would have had to die that day if he didn’t warrant it to all happen. If he didn't kidnap Vander and kill Benzo. If he didn’t intend to trap and kill kids.

Why blame herself, why blame anyone but that monster for what happened?

Vi gritted her teeth as she stood up, “Silco’s gonna pay for what he did.”

Taking a few steps forward, already ready to leave and do the unthinkable, Babette brought her to a pause with a few words, “...Silco’s number two’s a regular.” she informed gently, giving something more easy to grasp as she offered, “I could have Miguel tell you where to find her.”

Vi nodded slowly, taking her time to think, to process where she needed to start first as she turned her head to give Babette a short nod and a serious look, “I owe you.”

And just like that, she left, back to stalking the halls of the brothel with a hashed together plan to enact her plan of revenge. To avenge her adoptive brothers and father. To avenge her sister and the people of the Undercity.

What felt like the very world on her shoulders, to make up for the years she lost.

A giggle pulled her out from her own thoughts, glancing over just to stop in her tracks at the sight before her in the room next to her.

The uptight enforcer, lounging on a sofa with a beautiful masked girl talking with her. A gentle smile and adoring eyes that lured this woman into spilling everything about herself without Caitlyn having to do a thing.

Vi was a bit awestruck for a beat, surprised that this woman actually knew how to relax. That she just needed the push.

With a quirk on her lips, a bit light in mood with disbelief that a topsider like her was fitting in just as nicely. Vi turned her heel and went back to stalking the halls in a slightly better mood.

For a topsider, she was pretty cute.

Chapter Text

A burst of light flashed across the horizon of deep clouds, not too long followed by a roar of thunder that echoed in the distance. The rainy season was coming soon, and when the rain came, so did the cold.

Powder could feel the chill from the wind, using her jacket to keep herself warm as she stood on the shore while Silco stepped into the inky black waters of the River Pilt.

Piltover was in the distance, shadowed by the dark of the growing thunderstorm and early evening that settled the city of progress in a towering darkness only back dropped by the little bit of moonlight hidden behind rolling clouds.

Why did Silco take her here? The bridge was still a walk away, though finally out of the Lanes, with somewhat fresh air in her lungs, the ringing in Powder’s ears lessened and her shoulders relaxed.

It wasn’t until the middle aged man was waist deep in a polluted river, dipping his hand into the water to just let the droplets drip from his fingertips, contemplative, thoughtful, turning to look at Powder on the shore as she watched him with a cautious expression.

“I almost drowned in these waters…” Silco explained, beckoning Powder forth with a twitch of his fingers.

It had to be a trick, Powder stood with her body reserved as she hesitated, staring right back as she shook her head, holding her bag close to her side and pulling her jacket tighter.

But Silco took no offense, making a deep sigh as he waded through the waters to continue, “Vander wasn’t the man you thought he was. Before he became what you knew him as…he was a revolutionary for the Undercity. We were revolutionaries for the Zaun.”

“But…?” Powder inquired, seeing the hint to something more, to why Silco did his damnedest to take over. To usurp Vander’s role of protecting the Lanes. There had to be a reason for all of this.

Silco seemed amused enough, huffing a small breath of amusement as he ran his fingers through the water, “He betrayed me, Jinx. Attempted to drown me, leaving me for dead in the water you see here. He cared more about his people than the cause itself, more about singular lives than for the masses. He cared more about them than-” With every sentence Silco grew emboldened, his strides in the water sure and strong before he abruptly cut himself short, cautiously looking to Powder before clearing his throat, “What I am trying to tell you, Jinx, is that your sister betrayed you as well.”

“What?” Jinx breathed out, furrowing her eyebrows as the static returned, echoing what Silco stated as she flinched.

Vi wouldn’t betray her, never in her life had Vi ever done that.

Silco turned his marred face towards Jinx, watching her flinch and reach up to hold her head as he pressed on, “She left you, Jinx. She cared more about them, than she did you.”

Jinx shook her head, “N-No…you’re wrong.” she muttered out, fingers twitching as she stopped herself from pulling her hair, “She wouldn’t do that to me, she said she was going to come back. I-”

The flashes of Vi holding her face, pressing her forehead against Powder’s head with a torn look. A sad expression replaced by monsters, in and out as Jinx flinched as looked around herself. The sound of fire, of screams, of explosions.

The echoing sound of Vi yelling.

”You’re not ready!”

“Shut up!” Jinx hissed, unconsciously taking a step into the water, uncaring of her boots filling up with muk, “Shut up!”

She didn’t notice gentle hands taking her shoulders, guiding her deeper into the water with gentle words, “Betrayal…that pain that feels like…it’ll eat you from the inside out. It can either break you or forge you into something greater.”

Silco carefully turned her around, tilting her chin up as the thunder rolled, Jinx forcing herself to look as she gritted her teeth, “You need to let go of your inhibitions, the standards that you have set up for yourself based on other people. Your sister, your guardians, even I…have no say in what you are meant to be.” he gently stated, taking several steps back to give Jinx her space, only offering a hand for her to take if she truly wanted it, “So the fear of pain can no longer control you.”

The thunder rolled once more, the lightning illuminating Silco in a heavenly light behind him as Jinx slowly exhaled, the cold water of the river washing over her rampaging thoughts as she timidly took the hand, making to steps forward as she was brought deeper, her waist in consuming dark water as Silco turned towards her.

“Listen to me, Jinx.” Silco gently told her, careful but stern as the corner of his lip lifted just the slightest, “You have the making of greatness in you…but you have to let the monster out.” he stated, “Stick to it, no matter the unquiet moments, and when the time comes…” He paused, sighing through his nose, looking out to Piltover’s silhouette as he moved to Jinx’s side, “When the time comes for you to truly be who you are, and to show them what you’re made of, well…I hope I’m there to witness it, catching some of that brilliance coming from you that day.”

Jinx could only stare with uncertainty. If Silco’s words rang true, if she was really meant to bring greatness when all she brought was suffering, for herself and others…

But Silco saw something that she didn’t. Was it the same thing Jayce and Viktor saw?

No…Jayce and Viktor saw an esteemed inventor with Hextech, well, a possible esteemed inventor in Hextech if the world wouldn't get in her way.

Silco saw something else entirely, and she wasn’t sure if she was ready for that.

If she was ready for that change.

But with how delicately he kept her in place, urging her to tilt back into the waters below for a metaphorical baptism into a different person.

The offer was tempting, to no longer be held up to the standards that she was given. Jinx wanted to give into the monster.

“You’re perfect, Jinx. You’re going to rattle the world, you are.” she heard Silco mutter to her, as the back of her head touched the polluted waters. Jinx felt her eyes fluttering shut, the cold settling into her bones like concrete drying on the sidewalks. Firm and always there. But with enough force that it would crumble away.

Jinx wanted this.

But Powder did not.

With a shift in her step, Powder pulled herself up to stand, shaking herself out of the devil’s hold as she steeled herself, looking at Silco as she chewed on her lip.

“I need time to think about it.”

Silco returned to standing back up straight as well, the rumbling thunder spreading above them as he sighed and nodded, “I want your answer soon, Jinx.” he stated, “I will look into what happened to your sister, in exchange for your Hextech weapon.”

With a nod, Powder made the cautious step back, shuffling out of the water as the chilled pre-storm breeze ravaged Powder’s bones.

But Silco still stood in the water, looking over the horizon to Piltover as he gave a simple wave of his hand, “Get back to the bridge, I can trust that you can figure a way back to the Lanes when you make your choice.” he stated, “Come back when your head it clear, and your purpose is concrete.”

The sloshing of water in Powder’s boots were the only sounds she made as she left, holding her bag and her body close as she left the kingpin of Zaun in the waters of the river.

There was still a chance to go back. To stop this avalanche before Powder couldn't recover.

She needed to get back into the lab.

.

The night air was cool from the balcony Jayce stood atop of, his stomach finally settled from his frayed nerves of shaking sweaty palms and making agreements to keep himself afloat. He proved to himself and everyone that he could play this game, play this complicated game of chess to make sure Hextech and everything involving it would be protected beyond his days.

His hands felt dirty, slicked with a sheen of corruption from every palm he shook. His lips dried from every hand he kissed. His skin crawled with every promise that was the antithesis of what he actually wanted to do.

But hearing the whir of the Hexgates activating in the distances, his creation turned to life as another ship was ready to take off. A swell of pride grew in his chest.

He kept their dream alive. Safe.

The clicking of footsteps, followed by Mel’s soothing reassurance has Jayce slowly release the breath he was holding.

“You did well today.” she pointed out, walking to his side as Jayce turned to face her.

“I had a good teacher.” he offered in return, thankful that Mel was always there to back him up, to show him the ropes throughout the years of how to properly talk with the members of the upper class.

Mel smiled gently at that, a bit of a humorous tone in her voice as she turned to look back at him, “It’s only a matter of time before those old fools on the Council officially accept your research.” she offered.

“I have you to thank for that, Mel.” Jayce breathed out, “You gave us a chance, you gave Powder-keg a chance to let us start all of this.” he explained, his words filled with gratitude as gentle golden eyes seemed to soften at the praise.

Jayce sighed softly, his own smile soft as he turned to look back up to the activated Hexgate as he wistfully remarked, “My father put hammers in the hands of the people and they built this magnificent city.”

A proud man his father was, one that cared about this community and what could be done for it. His mother always spoke of him fondly, a joyful tone behind sad eyes. On nights like this, when all seemed bleak, he wondered if his father was proud of what he accomplished. If this was the right way to go for Piltover.

Jayce reached out, as if cupping his Hexgate as the rings of runs flared up, charging up to launch another ship across the world. To wherever one’s imagination could take it. His creation, a reality and a sign of what was to come for his Hextech dream.

“Imagine the wonders they could create if we put magic in their hands.” Clasping his hand, the ship was launched with an echoing ring, Jayce humorously thinking he caught the ship at just the right time in his hand as he slowly lowered it down.

Mel seemed just as mystified, “The world would never be the same.” she pointed out, her face a bit torn, a bit melancholy as she turned gently as beautiful eyes looked downtrodden at the floor, “The Medardas usually only take from the world, but not often in the position to give anything back.” she explained, eyes traveling back up as her hand, her soft and gentle hand just barely brushed against Jayce’s own.

Jayce didn’t think much of it, a show of comfort when Mel wasn’t usually the type for it. She worried and busied herself when she wanted him to look good, so brushes like this weren’t rare. A delicate brush of the shoulder to remove dust, a brush to straighten his jackets during parties. Mel was a complicated woman, and she needed to show a strength that demanded to never show weakness.

“I couldn’t have done it without you.” Jayce stated with honesty in his words as they looked at each other with soft smiles on their faces.

It was a good thing that their friendship grew over the years, that she still supported Hextech despite everything that happened. That Jayce could turn to someone, besides Viktor, besides Powder, just to make friends with someone that shared a dream like he did.

But the shine in her eyes as she looked up to him, how brightly the twinkled against the night sky before she surged forth and pressed her lips against his, Jayce could barely catch his breath as she held his hand tightly and kissed him with soft pillow-like lips that gleaned with a vanilla lip gloss that flooded Jayce’s senses.

The stress of tonight, of the past few days of strife and taking a responsibility he never knew he needed. Jayce couldn’t help but relax into the kiss, letting shoulders finally release a weight that pulled him down for the last seven years.

Seven years of Hextech being pulled through the mud. Seven years of going to endless events to appease the masses, to get Hextech the funding it needed. Seven years of failures and experiments that seemed to never end.

Seven years of a small space to work. Seven years of sharing a meal with a co-worker and a student that were much too close to be considered those terms. Seven years of being in love with a man that never wanted to hear those sweet words leave Jayce’s lips.

Why? Why did Jayce think of Viktor when Mel was right here kissing him?

Why did Viktor always reject his affection? Powder said Viktor still loved him, but there was never any implication of that after their split. Was Viktor incapable of it? He said that he wanted their relationship to be casual, that they hurt each other.

So why did Viktor hold him so tightly? Why did Viktor let Jayce lean on him when he was having his momentary panic?

A flood of questions rushed through Jayce’s head as Mel pulled her arms around his shoulders, deepening the kiss as she was guiding him, urging him to make a move.

But Jayce stood still, trying to make sense of himself and his rapidly beating heart. To understand why Viktor was behind his eyes with his chapped lips and blunt jokes. With pale skin that always burned under the sunlight. With a deep, melodic laugh that was only reserved behind closed doors with people he trusted. With eyes of pure amber that reflected the manufactured light of Piltover's horizon, with a softness and fondness that Jayce could only hope was reserved for him.

What did it mean to say ‘I love you’ to someone who didn’t want to hear it? To say that, it couldn’t just be to love because of how they made you feel or loving the pleasure that is felt when they were around. Was it nice to just not feel alone with someone that understood you at a personal level.

No, because if that’s all you felt, you would just say that.

No…saying that was…so much more..

It’s saying I see you.

I’m with you.

I’m for you.

And I’m going to do everything I can to see you flourish and shine like the Hexgates above.

Jayce Talis couldn't just say he loved Viktor.

Because that wasn’t true.

He was in love with Viktor. To know that Viktor possibly wanted those words to mean something so those words weren’t just something Jayce spouted to show a deeper understanding of their complicated relationship..

Viktor was always seeing him, always with him, and always there for him.

When was the last time Jayce was there?

Viktor didn’t want to hear those words, not because he thought Jayce wasn’t truthful with them.

He didn’t think Jayce was ready for the complexity of the affection the both of them shared.

And maybe he wasn’t ready to say that. Not until he could prove to Viktor that he loved him just as much as he wanted to verbally confirm.

Slowly, Jayce pulled Mel away, his eyes apologetic as she stared up at him in befuddlement. But with a small shake of the head Jayce pulled back, his steps slow and cautious.

“I’m so sorry, Mel.” he began, his lips puffy and his eyes strained to hold his emotions in, “I know this isn’t how you wanted this night to go.”

“Jayce?” she called to him as he backed away, her expression momentarily hurt before a steeliness covered whatever vulnerability she had.

“I-I need to go talk to Viktor.” Jayce breathed out, giving one last bow of his head as he swiftly turned his heel, “I’m sorry, have a good night, Mel.”

Quickly Jayce exited the balcony, leaving Mel behind in the cold night air as Jayce took his time to walk, to think of how to talk to his partner.

He hoped Viktor was still at the lab.

.

Anger was an emotion Vi was much too familiar with.

Anger with herself for failure. Anger at the topsiders for everything they did.

Anger at Silco. For what he did to her family.

But right now, all of that anger, that rage she kept in a tight and twisted ball in the pit of her stomach was quaking, straining to be released at the physical sight of someone she could unleash that anger on with reckless abandon.

She remembered Sevika in her youth. Someone she used to look up to along with Vander and other fighters in the Undercity. Vi remembered the strife she caused, her frustrations with Vander choosing not to fight an all out war with the topsiders.

At one point, she would have agreed with her. Sided with her in Vander’s inaction.

But now all that Vi felt was a surge of repressed fury, of disappointment that this one prideful woman stooped so low and betrayed him.

Now Sevika sat, living the life as she smoked her cigars and gambled away. The only sign of an imperfection was the bandage on the side of her head, a sign that even down here, even comfortably at the top, this untouchable woman was still human. She bled.

Vi felt her fists tighten, her breath blow out like steam, and she charged.

.

Jayce never thought seeing the soft blue lights shining through his lab’s windows would fill his head up with so much ambition.

Not for Hextech.

But for Viktor.

Walking through the halls he now knew the inner workings of, he muttered to himself of what to say when he would no doubt walk into a very irritated and sleep deprived Viktor.

“Vik, I…” Jayce started, clearing his throat nervously while shaking his head, “No- Viktor, I…I wanted to talk to you. About us.”

With another small sigh, Jayce paused to rub at his temples, “I know you said we can’t be together, that we can only hurt each other. But…you’re wrong this time. I...I care about you, Vik. And I won’t try to tell you what you don’t want to hear.” he muttered to himself, quickly nodding as a smile formed on his face.

“But I want you to know, I’m here with you, for you. Till the end. And I was stupid for forgetting that, for forgetting Powder-keg. Cause no matter how many times Hextech goes under I know that I’ll still have you-”

“HELP!” echoed through the hallways, a shrill and panicked feminine voice as Jayce startled himself to stand up straight. Rushing over to the source of the yelling and crying that was suspiciously, frighteningly close to his lab.

With hurried steps, Jayce ran through the halls to the source of the panic. The voice hurried and raspy as it tried to reassure and calm someone with quick and frantic breaths. As the dull glow of a blue light from the lab shone through the hallway, Jayce felt his own breath leave his lips. Like all the pressure over the past few days toppled onto him at once and forced the very air from his lungs.

His ward, wet, ragged, and sporting bandages with a look of panic on her features. She was struggling to drag an unconscious and bleeding Viktor from the lab. Tears streamed down her face as she looked up to Jayce’s still form, her inhale wobbly and fast as she screamed at Jayce to snap out of it.

“Help him Jay!”