BANG-BANG-BANG
"Ugh—wait..." Orion groaned, stumbling downstairs inside his Emberflit Alley home. Everything ached. He used more magic to heal his wounds, which left him feeling depleted and hungry.
BANG-BANG-BANG
"Who the fuck is..." Orion cursed, carefully opening the door with his gun pressed against it before a sigh of relief escaped. Vander and Benzo stood there, concerned and surprised.
Benzo's sudden appearance caught him off guard. Orion had not met him in person yet. He was a heavyset, balding, middle-aged man. The adoptive father of Ekko.
"Expecting trouble?" Vander asked, eyebrow arched.
"Maybe," Orion mumbled. "I've had a rough day."
Orion looked worse for wear. His sunken eyes drifted between them, his complexion haggard and his skin ashen.
Vander's expression scrunched with concern. "You look like shit. Are you alright?"
'He's probably heard about the skirmish. It hasn't even been a few hours, but word spreads fast.'
He was about to answer, but Benzo interrupted, looking around cautiously.
"Having this discussion outside isn't smart. Will you let us in, boy?"
"Yeah, sure." Orion groaned like a hungover drunkard, opening the door. "Come in."
The two thudded inside, the floor groaning under their weight. Vander's sharp gaze flicked to the gun Orion had tried to hide with his body, but he didn't comment.
"Not bad. You've taken care of it," Vander said, his eyes scanning the clean living room. Benzo raised a brow, adding, "I wish Ekko did this. Little runt's room's always a mess."
Orion shuffled to the kitchen and placed his gun just out of sight, though he knew both of them had already seen it.
"It isn't that different from the Last Drop. I'm keeping it clean," he replied as Vander sat on the couch, the frame groaning under his weight.
"No, no, boy. You'll kill us," Benzo joked, shooing away the water when Orion brought it over. "Our blood runs on alcohol. Give us that and we'll croak!"
Shrugging, Orion placed it down on the table anyway. For many in the Undercity, drinking alcohol felt safer than water.
'There's merit to it,' Orion thought mildly, eyeing the tinged water. 'Poisoned by alcohol or dirty water.'
His gaze returned to Vander and Benzo, the dull throb of his headache fading into the background as the real question emerged.
"So why are you two here?"
The two tensed slightly, exchanging concerned looks before Vander's brows furrowed and Benzo leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.
"You've talked to a man named Silco, kid," Benzo said slowly, the accusation sharp and abrupt.
Vander's eyes snapped up. "We want to know why. And why you never told us?"
Orion stiffened, his posture freezing as Benzo piled on.
"We know what you've been up to, kid! But why did you get tangled with Silco? Why the bloody hell him?"
Orion scowled, and Vander gestured for Benzo to calm down. Vander uncrossed his arms, his posture becoming like that of a father about to discipline his child.
"I didn't know Silco was involved until today! I thought I was working for C and was going to call it off."
Orion gestured frustratedly at Vander. "I even told you!"
"Aye, you did," Vander nodded, though Benzo still looked ready to scold him. Vander's wolf-like gaze and serious tone continued. "And you'd never interacted with Silco until last night?"
"No. Nor was I expecting to get tangled in... well, you've probably already heard about it."
"Aye," Benzo snorted, relaxing a bit. "Half the Undercity heard."
"What happened?" Vander asked.
Orion spent the next hour recalling the events. He told them how he met them in the factory, how they indirectly threatened Vander's kids, how he was led topside without knowing they were going to kidnap a Kiramman, the battle, and the escape. He left out that he had used magic, but their expressions were still dark by the end of it.
"You killed C?" Vander breathed in surprise, eyeing Orion with disbelief and concern. "Topside would've locked her up."
"Bloody hell," Benzo muttered, scratching his chin. "A boy your age shouldn't be involved in this shit. Silco didn't know she was planning this?"
Orion shook his head. "Not that I'm aware of. She could've been lying but I doubt it."
"That doesn't matter now," Vander brushed it aside. "Did any of the thugs see you kill C? This is serious. You'll be hunted by Enforcers and Silco's thugs if anyone saw you."
"There..." Orion paused and frowned, recalling Caitlyn in the distance. "The Enforcers saw me escape through the roof but I was wearing a Chemmask. No one saw me kill C."
Vander nodded and his expression softened. "How do you feel?"
"I feel like shit," Orion replied flatly. "Do you think I feel like sunshine or something?"
"No, but you killed someone."
"What?" Orion's jaw tightened.
"How did you feel when you took another person's life?"
"What the fuck kind of question is that?"
Vander shrugged, carefully watching Orion. "People react differently when they take a life. I want to know who I'm dealing with and how you feel. If I should allow you near our kids anymore."
"I'm sorry, does my fucking appearance not answer your question?" Orion raised his voice, anger boiling. "I didn't fucking enjoy killing her!"
The room went silent, but the tension was sharp. Orion clenched his fists, trying to control his emotions, while Vander and Benzo silently observed with hardened expressions.
"What the fuck?! I killed her to keep your kids safe, you assholes!" Orion shouted. "We had this conversation before! I even said they were threatening your kids!"
"We understand, Orion," Vander said softly. "We were just making sure you didn't develop a sick streak like others do after their first kill. I'm sure you know who I'm talking about."
'Fucking, he's right, but fuck!' Orion thought, forcing himself to breathe and calm down.
Many in the Undercity managed to keep a level head and some sense of morals. But others, once they got the taste for blood, used their circumstances as an excuse to embrace killing. Some even enjoyed it. Those people usually ended up as thugs, hired killers, or mercenaries if they managed to avoid prison.
Orion didn't notice, lost in his emotions and flashing memories of C's death returning, that Vander had stood up. The older man walked over and pulled him into a rough embrace.
"It's alright."
"Get the fuck off me!" Orion struggled, unconsciously using his magic to shove Vander backward into the couch. Even he was surprised at the force.
"Do you think I want a hug?! I'm trying to keep it together, and I don't need your warm, fuzzy shit next to me right now!"
"There's nothing wrong with using others as support, Orion," Vander replied softly, gesturing at him with calm patience. "You've been through a lot. It's fine to let it out."
"If you keep it in, it'll just eat away at your insides," Benzo added sympathetically, his previously harsh gaze softening. "This is one of the few times you can let it out, with people who've got your back down here."
"I can hold my own," Orion gritted his teeth, fists clenched as he strode toward the door. "You two can stay as long as you want. I'm taking a walk."
"Orion-"
Bang.
Neither spoke after Orion slammed the door behind him. The silence stretched, broken only when Benzo frowned and muttered, "Why did you let him go?"
"I didn't..." Vander said quietly. "He forced me off."
"He overpowered you?" Disbelief entered Benzo's voice. Vander only nodded.
"It felt like an iron wall pushing me back. It didn't feel... normal. Like a kid shoving with both hands."
The two exchanged another glance before Vander muttered, "I'm not going to press the boy further."
Benzo furrowed his brows, then gave a slow nod. "Aye. Best not anger the boy any more today." His gaze drifted back to the untouched glass of water, a chuckle slipping out. "Must be the water."
Meanwhile, Orion's mind was a storm as he walked briskly down Emberflit Alley. His emotions boiled, his chest tight, and he couldn't tell if he was tearing up or not. All he knew was that he needed space, away from Vander, away from Benzo, away from everything.
Every step felt heavy like he was dragging C's corpse behind him. Her final dying look in her eyes filled with betrayal burned into him. The guilt twisted into something sharper when he thought of Vander's question, of Benzo's glare, of the chance that they might see him as just another killer.
Worse still, his secret, his magic, was becoming more obvious as time went on. How much longer could he hide it? What chaos would happen if others found out and if he were banished? How would he start over?
He let out a sharp sigh, raking a hand through his hair.
'I'm fucking done with today. No... this entire week.'
-----------------------------
//Evening at the Kiramman Manor//
"It was that boy again, I'm sure of it," Caitlyn glared angrily down at her teacup. "I should've taken the shot!"
Cassandra and Tobias were marked with bandages and stitches, the room cleared of servants. The mood, to say the least, was heavy as they observed their daughter.
"I'm glad you didn't," Cassandra replied softly, sitting down next to her with her own drink. "Taking a life... it's something you can never come back from. It will always haunt you, even decades later. Even if you were in the right, he's just a boy."
Caitlyn's conflicted gaze rose to her mother, knowing she too had once used weapons back when Piltover was more dangerous. She understood it came from a place of experience, but the resentful emotions toward the boy still swelled inside her.
Cassandra, sympathetic to her daughter, sighed and continued.
"The Chembaron's death doesn't match any of the weaponry found at the scene. That boy may have betrayed them but his presence makes him complicit."
"We won't know until we catch him," Caitlyn said bitterly, gripping her teacup tighter. "Until I catch him."
"No, Caitlyn," Cassandra interjected firmly. "This is why we have Enforcers. You can improve many more lives and stop much more by good governance!"
"I will not be sat in some back office while others risk their lives for me!" Caitlyn shouted, clanking her teacup noisily on the table as she rose abruptly to her feet. "I want to save lives personally! With my own hands!"
Tobias shook his head somberly. "We cannot allow it. You saw how dangerous it can be and how many lives were lost. We cannot lose you as the sole heir to the Kiramman household."
"This dangerous hobby must end!" Cassandra nodded approvingly to her husband.
"It's not a hobby! This whole incident proves why I want to become an Enforcer, and you still won't listen to me! I will become an Enforcer!"
"Please, Caitlyn, it's safer to follow in my footsteps," Cassandra urged, standing as well and gesturing sympathetically. "You can influence so much more from a seat on the Council. You could grow the Enforcers' numbers, give them purpose. That would help so many more instead of becoming a grunt."
"Grunt," Caitlyn scoffed bitterly, crossing her arms in disgust. "I'm sure Greyson would love to hear that."
"Greyson is different," Cassandra replied firmly. "You wouldn't be Greyson, Caitlyn. Not at first. The Enforcers' roles are limited—they need something and someone to believe in. Caitlyn, you can shape those beliefs. You can be that person!"
Cassandra tried reaching out for Caitlyn's hand, but Caitlyn stepped back, shaking her head with resolution. "You disgust me sometimes, Mother." Her voice was sharp with bitterness as she turned and strode out of the room, Cassandra calling after her fruitlessly before sighing in defeat.
Tobias stood and hugged Cassandra from behind, comforting her with gentle words. "She is young. We were just as rebellious... Give it time."
Cassandra placed a hand on his and leaned back into him for support. Her voice was laced with worry as she whispered faintly, "That's what I'm afraid of. She's too much like us."