Vi

"You've got to be fucking with me!" I said as I started downstairs after Powder and Ekko who ran while Layla told me all about Vanders deal. "And you didn't think to tell me, Lay. We promised no secrets from each other!"

She grabbed my arm to turn me around in the middle of the steps, she stood on one above me, making her taller.

"You really think I wanted to keep this from you! V, I only found out yesterday when Ekko and I were spying on them downstairs. When I came over here I wanted to but you were so upset and agitated, I couldn't give you more bad news after your incident in Piltover." She sighed, but calmed her tone of voice down, speaking gently. "It wasn't our secret to tell, I was hoping Vander would have the smart sense to say something after the meeting. We agreed to tell you if something else happened, which it just did."

She stood on the same step as me, forcing my back against the wall, she put her hand on my cheek and instinctively I leaned into her warm touch. "I'm sorry, but now you know and we'll figure this out together. For now don't tell the others, Ekko knows to tell Powder to not say anything which means you don't say anything either. Alright?"

I could feel her breath on my lips and my mind went fuzzy, god she's so beautiful. The light freckles under her eyes were more pronounced when she was close and her lashes were so long she didn't need any of that makeup she used at work.

She smiled lightly as she felt my breath quicken, she knows what she does to me, how flustered she makes me. God I wish I had the balls to kiss her, I've been dying to do it for years now. The tension gets stronger and stronger everyday between us, I'm waiting for the day when one of us snaps.

Everyone already wants us to just get it over with. Vanders just happy we're both gay so there's no chance of us winding up pregnant. Claggor roots for us to get together and even though Mylo is an ass at times, he wants both of us to be happy.

They know we're happiest when we're together.

She slapped my cheek lightly, getting me out of my head, knowingness shining in her eyes. She started down the stairs swaying her hips as she walked.

I shook my head chuckling to myself, one day she'll be mine.

She walked in the door and through the basement. Mylo laid lazily on the couch as Claggor sat across from him on the ratty loveseat. Powder showed Ekko her new bombs she made on the bottom bunk of our bed. I sat in my usual chair between Claggor and Mylo and laid my legs on the table in front of me.

Layla walked over to the pair on the bed and pulled something out of her pocket for Powder, I saw it was a sparkly hair pin. Powder jumped around in her seat excitedly, she kept thanking her before turning around and asking her to clip it. Layla happily took it and clipped it right above one of her braids. She whispered something to Ekko, making him blush furiously. He pushed her away as she laughed before walking away, Powder blushed nervously as well before the two started talking again.

Layla yawned before walking behind my chair, ready to push Mylo to one side of the sofa so she could have another. I grabbed her hand before she could walk past, she looked down with soft eyes.

I needed to think, there's too much that just happened.

She knew what I wanted without me having to say a single word. I scooted over so she could sit on the chair with me, once she sat she draped her legs over my lap so they were dangling off one of the arm rests. I wrapped an arm around the small of her back and rested the other on her thigh, she snuggled into me, resting her head on my shoulder. I laid mine on her head before relieving a sigh, this is the best feeling.

Whenever one of us had a rough day or we needed to think or calm down, we sat like this. It's become a norm for us, the others paid no attention to us because they were used to it too. I rubbed circles with my thumb on her thigh absentmindedly, holding her close and never wanting to let go. I felt her drift off to sleep, her breathing slowed and I felt my whole body relax.

I'll die a happy woman with her in my arms.

~~~~~

I jolted awake, not realizing I fell asleep, as we all turned towards the monkey toy playing the cymbals. I sat up, still holding Layla who started to wake, that's Vanders signal.

That means the enforcers are coming.

Lay realized it too as she jumped off me and we went to our assigned hiding places. I climbed up between the pipes with Claggor, Powder and Ekko while Mylo and Layla stayed hiding on the ground. Mylo squeezed his lanky body underneath the sofa and Layla hid behind the furnace underneath us just as the door swung open.

We all stopped breathing as we watched him thoroughly search the entire basement. This asshole wasn't leaving anything unchecked, he got close to finding Mylo but didn't look hard enough. I heard Ekkos breath quicken and turned to my left to face him, his eyes full of worry were pointed at Powder who was holding on for dear life to a pole with her feet holding onto a thick tube.

Her hands kept slipping, as the enforcer slowly made his way to the door. I silently pleaded the bastard to hurry up before Powder fell and we were caught. After what felt like forever he took one last look around and closed the door swiftly. As soon as it was closed Powder fell to the floor with a yelp, she knew the drill and quickly hid under the table to get out of plain sight.

After 10 minutes the door swung open and Vander called from the doorway, "Are you all alright?"

I grew angry, being the first one to jump down I looked up at the man in fury, "No, we're not okay. They almost saw Powder. What if they took her?"

Powder turned on the light, illuminating the room as Vander answered calmly, "No one is taking anyone. I would never let that happen."

I started losing my cool at the fact that he just stood there so calm, "It's already happening! You heard him, they won't stop. We need to fight back." I slammed my fist against the wall next to me, making everyone behind me jump. "And if you won't, I will."

Vander sighed as he looked behind me at the rest of the group, "I've heard this kind of talk before."

Before I knew it he told me to come with him and we stood on the bridge between Piltover and the Lanes, the one where I saw my parents corpses staring blankly at me.

"Why are we here?" I asked, my hand covering my eyes, up here my head hurt to no end. Memories from that day came flashing back, the one of me breaking down, the image of my parents, when Vander carried us home, when I saw the beautiful blonde almost get murdered by enforcers until Vander stepped in and saved her.

He sighed looking at me sorrowful, "You still don't understand."

I shook my head pushing off the wall behind me angrily, "What I don't understand is how you can work with them! We were here, we saw what they did. I grew up knowing I'm less than them, that my place is down there. I want Powder to have more than that, and I'm willing to fight for it!"

"So was I. I was angry, just like you. I led us across this bridge, thinking things could change. But if I hadn't...your parents would still be alive. Laylas parents would still be alive. Vi, I know you wanna hurt the topsiders for what they've done to us. But who are we to lose? Mylo? Claggor? Ekko or Powder?" I looked down sadly, imagining my life without them. Vander walked over and stood next to me, "Nobody wins in war, Vi."

I sighed defeated, and heavily dropped my head on his arm, "Well what are we gonna do? The Enforcers will come back up."

He hesitated before answering, "I...I don't know. I'll uh, I'll figure it out."

I gasped, hating those words that came out of his mouth. I wanted to argue, to fight back against the enemy. But once my eyes looked down at the memorials of all the people we lost on this bridge, I lost the fight. I could hear their voices, it hurt because sometimes I could hear my parents, I see the pictures of Laylas parents. I don't want to lose anyone else, I just wish it didn't have to be like this.

I don't care how I do it or what I do though, Powder will not go through the same shit I went through. She'll have a better life, we all will.