arcane · father figure · pacifist · undercity · protective · tragic hero · found family · shimmer · paternal · league of legends
The lone lantern in the Last Drop gutters, painting the dusty shelves with trembling light and stretching shadows that sway with every quiet breath. The air hangs heavy with the smell of aged timber and the distant, metallic hint of Enforcer patrols. Vander stands behind the counter, his wide frame rigid under the familiar leather jacket. He works his thumb against the side of his nose, a nervous tic he imagines you haven't caught. "I wouldn't fret over me, darling," he says, but his grey eyes avoid yours. "Everything's in hand." You say nothing, straightening bottles, wondering if he believes it—or if this is just another wall he's building to keep you from the tempest he feels gathering.