Layla

I fiddled my fingers as I bounced from one foot to the other nervously, I never get stage fright, singing always makes me feel powerful and in control. But performing up here? It never fails to make me sick to my stomach.

"Hold still, Lay."

"Sorry Tia," I said, halting my fidgeting so Tia could finish pampering me. She brushed a very soft brush over my cheek before, dipping it back in the blush and repeating the process on the other side. I pulled at the skin tight black dress that was simple but elegant, my thong was shoved up my ass and my hair was so straight I laughed at the fact that unlike my sexuality, I love my straight hair. The dress had an open scoop back that left the top back of my body open, giving display of most of the flowers tattooed down my spine. My one shoulder bare while the other went over my shoulder, a long sash followed down across my back in a gold ring on my hip. The slit cut from the top of my thigh to the end of it by my ankles with the rest of the dress, making it easy to move around. It had a built in push up bra so at least I didn't need to bother wearing one, I felt naked but it was fancy and I had to fit in like I belonged here.

Nicks said tattoos are considered rude in Piltover, but he lets me pick out the dresses I get to wear and the Pilties think I recently moved here from Noxus. He tells everyone who points them out that everyone has tattoos in Noxus and I had gotten it done when I was a teen.

Ekko and I got tattoos a couple years ago, he found out he likes wearing face paint when we went on missions. So he got the white tattooed on his face and I got flowers down my spine. Each flower for each person who was special to me, so I always had a piece of them behind.

I heard Nicks start to talk into the mic at the front of the room, ready to announce me. Tia took that as her cue and put the makeup down before fixing my hair.

Tia was the first and only Piltie other than Nicks who I like, mostly because she's in the lower class and works two jobs to pay for her Grandmothers medical bills who is very ill. Her and I have become friends, she knows my name is Layla like everyone else does but she doesn't know I don't actually live up her. I know she suspects since she never sees me out, but I don't want to risk anyone else knowing my address.

"Break a leg La La," She said warmly before sneaking up the back staircase to the servants quarters, I waved her goodbye before turning to peek outside the curtain once more.

Nicks stood in front of many people dressed in fancy clothing that probably cost more than the clubs electricity bill, which is a lot. The curtain covered the rest of his penthouse, so his guests would only stay in the main room with the rest of the party. I stepped back, shaking my hands to dry them so they're not sweating. I cracked my neck, acting like I'm about to fight a blood thirsty monster to the death instead of entertain a bunch of rich kids.

"I present to you, Piltovers favorite singer." I straightened before peeling back the curtain, walking confidently to where Nicks stood in his tailored suit at the front of the room. He hugged me and kissed me on the cheek in pleasantries to make it seem like we're old friends and not business people, before walking away from me towards the crowd. I walked up towards the microphone on the stand before hearing the music start to some slow celebratory song Nicks had me practice.

I took a deep breath before relaxing my face and looking at the crowd, singing softly as they watched and listened to their entertainment.

~~~~~

"Thank you so much, Councilor." I said warmly as I smiled at a short older man with a receding hair line, he had complimented my performance.

I had the perfect song to sing for him especially and all his other Councilor buddies.

It starts with, "I don't fuck with you".

Nicks led me through the room, parading me around like a new trophy he was bragging about. I nodded my head at some of the people, holding champagne glasses, similar to the one I was carrying.

I kept the polite smile on my face as I whispered to him underneath my breath, "I give up, Nicks. The speeches are over and this dress is making me chaff to the point of giving me a bright red rash underneath my armpits."

He chuckled under his breath before leaning into me saying, "Alright, just one more important person and then you're free." I resisted an eye roll before following him to a taller, tan skinned man with dark hair.

"Jayce! How is the man of the hour?" Nicks said, giving the man a friendly smack on the back, making him turn around towards us. He had a chiseled face with friendly brown eyes, ah so this is Piltovers golden boy, greeeaaat.

"Nicks, good to see you. Oh you know, trying to remember names and faces since everyone knows my name." He laughed, Nicks and I followed even though I found it far from funny.

"You must meet my guest, she sang earlier before you gave your speech. Jayce Talis, meet Layla." Nicks motioned for me to step towards the two, the golden boy looked me up and down before brightening his smile.

"Ah yes, I've heard so much about you! It's very nice to meet the famous singer." He shook my hand politely as I looked up at him with a soft smirk.

"The pleasure is all mine Mr. Talis. I'm glad I'm finally meeting the man whose face is on every air balloon," I said humoring him, before quietly laughing at my joke. Damn he is really good at puppy dog eyes, no wonder everyone falls under his spells when they first meet him. I hate to admit it but he is an excellent charmer.

Before I could excuse myself, someone bumped into me. I felt something wet and saw their red wine was seeping down the front of my dress.

A thick accented woman spoke up apologetically, "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!" I cursed silently to myself as I looked down at the blotch through the black fabric.

I laughed at how convenient this was, since this gives me an excuse to leave. I looked up coming face to face a girl my age, wearing an Enforcers uniform, minus the ugly hat. I paused, giving her a once over and trying to hide the blush creeping onto my cheeks, wow she's stunning.

She had shoulder length dark blue hair with dark blue eyes, that matched the color of her uniform. She had the clearest skin and her uniform hugged her in all the right places, for the first time in years my gayness started to show. I shook my head, angry at myself for finding her attractive when she wore the exact same uniform that killed my people just because they gave them a dirty look.

I waved her off politely, "No no, it's alright really. Nicks you have something else I can change into right?" I turned to my Piltie friend who smiled knowingly before nodding his head. He knew this would be my key to get out of here, but as I turned back to the enforcer she had a blush stained on her cheeks as she looked down at me.

Damn this girl is tall, I'm not even matching her height in these ridiculously uncomfortable heels Tia forced me in. I leaned in pulling her out of her daze by whispering, "You're actually doing me a favor, now I have an excuse to leave the room to run out the back door unnoticed."

A smile spread on her face, before she laughed lightly, "Oh I know how you feel, these parties are always so long. My parents dragged me here earlier, but now I get to leave to go get ready for my graveyard shift. I'm sorry I ruined your dress, I was trying to find a place to throw away the rest of my drink and wasn't watching where I was going." She said quickly, rambling on to explain herself before I had the chance of getting mad at her.

I was about to say something before pretty boy Jayce included himself in our conversation, Nicks walked away to mingle some more probably. He threw an arm around Caitlyn, "You always were a messy kid growing up." He joked with Caitlyn, making her elbow him in the ribs. He dropped his hand before gesturing towards me, "Caitlyn you've heard of Layla, right?"

She turned towards me, recognition sparking in her eyes, "Oh yes, I watched your performance earlier, you have a beautiful voice. I'm Caitlyn Kiramman by the way."

My smile faltered as she said her last name, Kiramman. I know that name...why do I know that name? I put my smile back in place before reaching my hand out to shake hers politely, "It's very nice to meet you Caitlyn." I've always been nosy and her last name intrigues me, so I start asking her questions to keep the conversation going. "So you're an enforcer?"

She looked down briefly at her uniform, her blush deepening as she says nervously, "Oh yes, I recently started this job. Against my parents wishes of course, they wanted me to follow in my mother's footsteps and join the Council."

I stopped myself from scoffing, I remembered hearing something from Nicks about a Councilor something Kiramman. She doesn't appear snarky like the rest of the enforcers though, so I continue my questioning, "Oh, what made you want to join the force?" I know I should go change, people were staring and wondering why I wasn't getting embarrassed and running away to change before anyone noticed, but I was curious as to what made her choose that job.

"Well, growing up, I was sort of sheltered from the real world my whole childhood. I was taught that only what happened in Piltover mattered, I hadn't even realized there was a whole other world below our city. As I got older I was hearing more and more rumors about the Underground, all of them were cruel and negative, no one cared about the people down there. I knew that if I followed in my mother's footsteps to the Council, they'd never listen enough to take positive action of the people who were struggling outside of Piltover. So I thought, by having this job I could try and take matters into my own hands and see for myself how things in the Undercity are and what I can do to help. I've always hated the neglect we gave the people down there, but my parents are making sure I stay up here where it's safe."

I stayed silent, listening to her words and the honesty in the way she spoke about wanting to help my people. I didn't know how to respond, I didn't want to say something to make her think differently of the Undercity and change her mind about wanting to help, but she has no idea how bad it is down there. Especially since Silco took over, so I took a deep breath before giving her a small smile.

"I admire your courage to want to help, I haven't been in Piltover long but I've heard a lot about the Undercity. The way I see it, people who've lived up here their entire lives don't know what it's like to suffer in starvation and abandonment. People down there, they sleep on the streets and find anything they can that's edible, no matter what it is. Shimmer is a drug they have that makes people do crazy things, one dose of it and you'll grow addicted to it fast. Children join brothels and steal from vendors on the streets to get by, to live another day they have to do things kids from up here wouldn't ever have to. If you go down there as an Enforcer looking to help, they'll kill you instantly. But if you go down there as a citizen who wants to do what she can to make things easier for the people who are struggling to stay alive, they might just accept your help, but you'll need a plan. So just... when you do go down there for the first time, don't let your sympathy show because those people don't need sympathy. They need hope and a way out." I said softly hating that every word I'm saying is completely true, I've seen it all. Caitlyn has no idea what cruel and horrible things happen outside of the happy bubble surrounding Piltover, she's going to be in for a rude awakening when she finally knows the truth.

"Thank you, you're the first person to give me some sort of what I'm dealing with." Caitlyn said kindly, staring into my eyes warmly. I smiled back before realizing her smile has become more than friendly, she's not the woman who invades my thoughts every day and she never will be. I won't let her or anyone push the memory of Vi away to make room for another in her place.

I stepped back clearing my throat, I took a deep breath feeling the tears building up in my eyes. I put my chin up facing the girl once more to say, "It was lovely meeting you Caitlyn, I hope you can make a positive difference for the people down there." I didn't wait to hear a reply, I didn't even stop when I heard several people calling my name to compliment my singing earlier.

I needed air, I needed Vi, I needed to get the hell away from Piltover and all the brain washed enforcers in it.

I don't give a flying fuck if I seemed rude to any of these rich pricks here, because I was already halfway out the room. I grabbed all my things after going back through the curtain, I quickly changed into the clothes I wore when I first got here. I put my bag on my shoulder and pulled up my hood before escaping through the servants door, making sure no one saw me.

I ran through the streets of Piltover, when I got to the edge above the Undercity I didn't hesitate to jump down. I landed on a roof, running fast and jumping and sliding and throwing myself from object to object until I got to the very bottom.

I leaned my head back to look at the layers of buildings surrounding me, making it impossible to see the black sky and the twinkling stars I saw only moments ago. I breathed heavily, glad that I could work off some of my energy. Shoving my hands in my pockets, I started my walk towards the Rebellions hideaway.