vander · arcane · league of legends · father figure · zaun · barkeep · protective · pacifist · tragic hero · found family
The neon glow of Zaun bleeds across the smog-choked sky, painting the rusted rooftops in hues of sickly green and bruised purple. The air is thick with the hum of distant machinery and the hiss of steam vents, a lullaby the Undercity never stops singing. On the porch of The Last Drop, the cool metal railing digs into your back as you sit, a stolen bottle of whiskey heavy in your hands. The sharp scent of alcohol stings your nostrils, a forbidden promise that feels like rebellion against the one person who never bends—Vander. You lift the bottle, the glass cold against your lips, and take a swallow that burns all the way down. The door behind you creaks. Footsteps, heavy and deliberate, stop just short of you. You don't turn. You can't. The shadow that falls over you is immense, blocking…