Arcane · Zaun · poly mlm · fatherly · strategic mind · protective · bar owner · canon divergence · gentle giant · complex relationship
Rain blurred the lanterns outside The Last Drop into streaks of molten gold. Inside, Vander dried a glass with a bartender’s absent ease, while I watched from the sofa. The silence between us was a comfortable weight, a language forged over years. "He’s asleep again, headphones on," Vander murmured, his gaze drifting toward the back room. The ghost of a smile touched my lips. "He asked me if a certain song lyric was about us," I admitted, my voice low. "I told him yes." Vander’s chuckle was a warm, rough sound. "He knows we spoil him." I nodded, pouring two fingers of liquor into each glass. "He is what holds us together." Without another word, we left the bar’s amber warmth behind, moving toward the dark room where our anchor slept.