Echoes
Part I , Part II , Part III , Part IV , Part V , Part VI, Part VII , Part VIII
Summary: Fleeing the wreckage of your heartbreak, you land in the chaos of Zaun, pouring drinks at a dingy bar. You're still facing unresolved feelings and emotions towards Ellie, but theyβre easier to bury when Vi storms into your lifeβa whirlwind of sharp words and reckless energy. You start off bad, really bad but it's enough for you to think of something else for a bit.
warnings/themes : angst, heartbreak, lots of trauma, kind of enemies to lovers, unresolved feelings, a bit of violence, au
word count : 3.8k
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Back at it again, falling just where you started , completely alone , full of sorrow and regrets. Moving away to a completely unknown place was the best escape plan - literally. You knew nothing about this city, save for a few stories your best friend had told you. Yet, even the thought of staying in the same place as her couldnβt outweigh your choice - you'd rather wander off Zaun's shadowed streets, losing yourself for a lifetime than remain bound to the familiar.
City was close to what you have imagined. The fractures that happened few years ago helped to a great extent , after decades of suffering, the city had finally exhaled, though it had not lost its soul. Cleansed of its grime, its fumes, and its shadowed figures, the streets and the people remained exactly as your friend had described themβa perfect echo of her tales.
Finding a job wasn't hard , from now on you'd serve drinks in one of the cityβs dim, suspiciously isolated barsβbarely more than a shadow in the corner of a forgotten street. Pay wasn't good but it was enough for an apartment and food, nothing else mattered to you. You were trying your best to take as many shifts as you could, working whole night helped you not think about her , during daytime you would typically crash out , exhausted from your job. And yet, she always found a way to reappear.
At the bar, you distracted yourself by watching customers. Most of them came for a drink and a chance to ease their burdens, but for you, the real game was observing themβpiecing together their stories from a glance, a gesture, a half-heard conversation. Sometimes , thought of her would reappear . Something would remind you of her scent, her voice, slipping into your mind without warning. But you had mastered the art of distraction, shifting your focus before the memories could take root.
It was in your dreams where she would visit most frequently, escape from her was almost impossible, as though she determined to remind you of what you wanted to forget: that no change of address, no new life, could erase her. She was etched into you, inescapably, a part of you as much as your own breath. But you had to move on , that's what you were best at, carrying pain and suffering throughout your life, god knows you've been doing that since the day you were born.
* * * * * * * * * *
βCan we talk?β she asked, her tone calm but firm, as she stepped closer to you.
You swallowed hard, your chest tightening. βEllie,β you whispered, bracing yourself for the inevitable fallout. βI shouldnβt have said what I said.β The words spilled out in a shaky breath.
Her green eyes searched yours, unreadable but sharp. βWhy is that?β she asked, her voice softer now, almost careful.
βYou already know why,β you said, your gaze flickering over her faceβher furrowed brow, the tightness in her jaw. Anxiety clawed at your chest, every emotion colliding at once: fear, anger, love, and a desire that burned despite everything. Losing her wasnβt an option, not like this.
βThatβs the problem,β she said, stepping even closer, her boots scraping softly against the floor. βI donβt know why. You told me how you felt and then ran off, didnβt even wait for my answer.β Her voice broke slightly, frustration seeping through, though she was clearly trying to hold it togetherβfor your sake. βThatβs not fair.β
βI couldnβt take it anymββ you began, but your trembling words cut short as Ellie moved.
Her forehead rested against yours, her breath warm and steady against your skin. βI need you,β she whispered, her voice low and rough, sending a shiver down your spine. βMore than you could ever need me.β
βNothingβs going to change that,β she said, her voice unwavering now, as if it was the most certain truth in the world.
* * * * * * * * *
Once again, your own screams tore you from sleep, Ellie had found her way into your dreams.
βFuck,β you muttered under your breath, the echo of her voice lingered in your ears. You glanced at the clock hanging crookedly on the wall and exhaled in reliefβit was almost time for another shift.
You moved through your routine on autopilot: a quick shower, clothes and out the door. The walk to the bar felt like a blur, your thoughts still tangled with fragments of the dream you couldnβt shake.
βHey there,β you greeted Revek, arguably only person who could be considered as your friend in Zaun , as you stepped behind the counter.
He glanced at you with that signature smirk of his, tossing his apron onto the counter. βWell, well, look who decided to show up. Twenty minutes late, no less.β Leaning against the bar, he crossed his arms and tilted his head. βAlright, what is it this time? Lost your keys? Got cornered by some hooligans? Or let me guessβlost track of time again?β His smirk widened as he tapped the counter, signaling for his usual drink.
βCut me some slack, you asshole,β you shot back, rolling your eyes. βItβs not like theyβre paying me enough to show up on time.β You reached for the shaker, pouring his drink without missing a beat. βI justβ¦ had a bad dream, alright?β
The smirk faded slightly as he took the cup from your hand, his gaze softening. βNot again,β he said, his tone shifting to something more serious. He took a long sip before adding, βYou know, if you ever want to talk about itβ¦ Iβm here.β
βThereβs nothing to talk about,β you said quickly, brushing him off with a weak smile. βSeriously, itβs no big deal. Now scoochβyouβre scaring off my customers.β
Revek gave you a knowing look, but he didnβt press further. Instead, he pushed himself off the barstool, raising the cup in a mock toast. βFine, fine. Just donβt forgetβIβve got a hell of a good ear for this kind of thing.β
You watched him walk away, trying to shove down the unease crawling up your spine. Fixing your hair in the reflection of a glass, you turned to face the empty bar. The night was long, but at least behind the counter, you could pretend your mind wasnβt a battlefield.
The day had been dragging. The bar was dead slow, with only a few regulars stopping by for a drink and a bit of small talk. You made an effort to keep busyβwiping down the already spotless counter, rearranging bottles, polishing glassesβanything to make the hours pass. Not until she walked in. The air shifted instantly, the tension almost suffocating as the door swung shut behind her. You froze, your hand mid-reach for a glass, and looked up. Youβd seen countless faces walk through those doors. From the desperate to the careless, from the downtrodden to the troublemakers, the bar had welcomed them all. Nobody ever stood outβnobody cared about anyone else here. Thatβs what you liked about this place. People came in, had their drinks, exchanged a few words, maybe played a game or two, and left as if theyβd never existed to one another. But her? She shattered that silence like glass. You didnβt know who she was, but everyone else seemed to. Heads turned, conversations halted, and even the usual clamor of the old jukebox seemed to dull in her presence. She strode toward the bar, brushing off the stares that trailed her like shadows. It was obvious she didnβt give a single fuck about anyone in the room. Whatever power she held over the crowd, she didnβt seem interested in wielding itβat least, not tonight. Stopping at the counter, she gave the drinks menu the briefest glance before tapping the laminated surface with her finger.
"Can I have this?β she muttered, her voice low and uninterested, pointing to a drink. Then, without looking at you, she added, βMake it a double.β
βSure thing,β you replied, watching her as you reached for the bottle. She didnβt meet your gaze, didnβt acknowledge you at all, but that only gave you the chance to study her features: pink hair cut into a sharp mullet, light blue eyes that didnβt seem to care about much, and freckles scattered across her nose like theyβd been painted there.
βHere you go,β you said, sliding the drink toward her. She grabbed it without a word, her attention flickering to the room around her. Even now, she seemed utterly uninterested in youβor anyone else, for that matter. She didnβt sip the drink so much as down it, her throat working as the liquid disappeared almost too quickly. You found yourself leaning slightly forward, unable to look away. There was something about her, something impossible to read. You liked puzzles, and she was the hardest one youβd come across in a long time.
Who was she? Some kind of criminal? Or maybe she was the exact opposite? Why was she here? Trying to get drunk, or waiting for someone? Before you could settle on an answer, she tapped the counter sharply, her empty glass sitting in front of her. The message was clear. Another. You poured the drink without hesitation, the silence between you stretching long and tense. As you set the glass down, she didnβt so much as glance your way.
βYouβre welcome,β you said, your voice dripping with sarcasm, hoping to at least provoke some kind of reaction.
It workedβbut not the way youβd hoped. She turned her head, finally looking at you, and you almost wished she hadnβt. Her glare was sharp, cutting, and filled with barely-contained anger.
βJust do your job,β she said coldly, her voice low and cutting. βI didnβt come here for chitchat.β
She turned back to her drink, dismissing you entirely, but the tension she left behind lingered in the air, coiling around you like smoke. Whatever game you thought you were playing, she wasnβt interested.
βWhat an asshole,β you thought bitterly, dragging your gaze away from her and down to the bar. The question lingered in your mindβshould you say something? Not because you couldnβt stand up for yourself, but because, you werenβt sure if she was even worth it.
She tossed back another drink, her sharp eyes cutting across the room as she motioned lazily for someone to come over.
βAgain,β she muttered, her gaze flicking back to you. For a fleeting second, it softenedβjust barely. But the moment was gone as fast as it came, replaced by her usual aloofness when a tall man approached her with an appearance that screamed trouble. You busied yourself making another drink, ears pricked to catch their conversation.
βDidnβt think Iβd see you here, Vi,β the man greeted her, his tone carrying an edge of wary excitement.
She chuckled dryly, grabbing her fresh glass without even looking at him.
βWhat are you playing over there?β she asked, dismissive, like she hadnβt even heard him.
He hesitated, glancing at his buddies like he was searching for backup. It was obvious he didnβt want her involved, but too afraid to say no.
βJust some boring cards,β he replied with a strained grin. βYouβre, uh, welcome to join.β
βIβll be right there.β Her words were ice-cold as she turned back to you. βAnother one.β
You stared at her silently, letting your expression say everything your words didnβt. She noticed. Of course, she noticed.
But instead of acknowledging it, she took the drink you handed her and headed over to the table of men, sliding into a seat among the kind who spent their nights gambling away the last shreds of their dignity. Vi. That was her name. At least you had that much now. But she was still a puzzleβa unsolvable one. You watched her, lost in your thoughts, until Revek appeared from the back of the bar, his sharp eyes scanning the room before settling on her.
βHavenβt seen her in a while,β he muttered, settling onto a stool.
βWho even is she?β you asked, the question slipping out before you could stop yourself.
Revek leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. βRemember I told you abour shit that went down three years ago? Piltover, Zaun, all that Hextech chaos?β
You nodded.
βShe was part of it. A big part.β
You squinted, piecing it together. βThat explains why everyone knows her down here.β You frowned, the anger bubbling back up. βSheβs an asshole.β
Revek chuckled, shaking his head. βYeah, you could say that. After everything went to hell, she holed up in some dump around here. Doesnβt talk to anyone. Just drifts between bars, sometimesβ¦ worse places, drowning herself in cheap booze.β
βWas she always like this?β you pressed, desperate to understand.
βThatβs a long story,β Revek began, but his words were cut off by the sharp sound of glass shattering across the room.
Your head snapped toward the noise. Of course, it was her, standing over some poor bastard, yelling and swearing. Revek shot you a look and stood, ready to step in, but you stopped him with a firm hand.
βIβll handle it,β you said, your tone leaving no room for argument.
βYou sure?β he asked, hesitation in his voice.
You nodded, already moving toward the chaos. By the time you got there, she was on top of the guy, fists flying with a fury that could have leveled buildings. The crowd around them was frozen, too shockedβor maybe too entertainedβto intervene.
βHey!β you shouted, but she didnβt even flinch.
βStop it! Now!β you tried again.
Still nothing. She was too far gone, lost in her rage. Without thinking, you moved in to pull her offβbut before you could, pain exploded across your face, and you found yourself on the ground, disoriented.
The room went silent.
When your vision cleared, you realized, she had hit you.
Vi stood over you, her expression flickering with something almost like regret. βShit,β she muttered, reaching a hand toward you. βI didnβt mean toββ
βGet the fuck out,β you snapped, cutting her off as you staggered to your feet.
She hesitated, her gaze locking with yours. You made sure she saw every ounce of your anger, your disgust.
βNow,β you commanded, stepping closer.
For once, she didnβt fight back. She just turned and walked.
Days passed, and thankfully, she didnβt come back. Still, every time you stood behind the bar, her face crept into your mindβher cockiny, her sharp eyes, her unbearable attitude. It filled you with rage. You already had too much on your plate; the last thing you needed was to waste energy hating some pink-haired asshole. But despite yourself, you couldnβt stop thinking about her. It wasnβt all bad, you supposed. At least thoughts of her kept you from thinking about Ellie. But replacing heartbreak with anger wasnβt exactly a healthy trade.
It was another calm day, the kind youβd come to appreciate in the wake of the chaos sheβd brought. If anything, her outburst had earned you some respect. The regulars gave you a nod, a look, as if standing up to her had proven something. But the peace didnβt last. The bar doors swung open, and the room fell into an all-too-familiar hush. You didnβt even need to look to know who it was. The tension in the air told you everything.
Vi.
Revek appeared at your side almost immediately, his eyes darting toward her. βThis gonna be trouble?β he asked, his voice low.
βIβm fine,β you replied, keeping your gaze locked on her as she strode toward you. There was something deliberate in her steps, somethingβ¦ different.
Her eyes met yours from across the room, and you stood your ground.
βI think I made myself clear last time,β you said coolly, though your voice carried that simmering edge of anger you couldnβt quite hide. βYouβre not welcome here.β
βI know,β she replied, stopping in front of the bar. Her tone was calm, almost subdued. βIβll leave. But first, I wanted to say Iβm sorry.β
You narrowed your eyes, studying her. There was no cocky smirk, no sarcastic retort. Just⦠awkwardness.
βI was drunk,β she continued, her voice low. βThat guy said somethingβsomething that pissed me off. I lost control.β She hesitated, her eyes searching yours. βItβs not an excuse, butβ¦ I didnβt mean to hit you. I would neverββ
βBut you did,β you cut her off sharply, though you could already feel the fight draining out of you. She was being honest. You hated that you could tell, but you could.
βI know.β Her voice softened even more. βI didnβt see you. And Iβm sorry. I really am.β
You exhaled, your shoulders dropping slightly as you leaned against the counter. You werenβt ready to forgive herβnot entirely. But you were exhausted from carrying so much anger.
βFine,β you said at last, pouring her the drink sheβd ordered last time. Sliding it across the bar, you added, βI appreciate your honesty. I donβt appreciate assholes, though. And you? You were an asshole.β
A flicker of surprise crossed her face as she accepted the drink. For a moment, she looked like she wanted to say something else. But instead, she downed it in one quick motion, set the glass back on the counter, and walked out without another word.
She started coming back. At first, you thought it was a flukeβa one-time thing. But no. A few days later, she was there again. And again.
Sometimes she was alone, sometimes with a new girl on her arm, but the pattern stayed the same. Sheβd order a few drinks, stay for a while, and leave without so much as a word in your direction. Sheβd read your message loud and clear. But what you couldnβt figure out was why. Zaun was filled with barsβplenty of them even filthier than this one. So why keep coming back to this one? Was it defiance? Did she just not care about the fact that you didnβt want her here? Then there were the moments that left you even more confused. The way her gaze would linger,as she was hanging out with some random girl, her eyes flicking over to you when she thought you werenβt looking. It wasnβt often, but it was enough to notice. Enough to keep her lodged firmly in your thoughts.
Vi was a mystery. An infuriating, captivating mystery. And for some reason, you couldnβt stop yourself from wanting to figure her out. Maybe it was the distraction she provided, pulling you away from the ache of Ellie. Or maybe it was something else. Something about the way she carried herself, the way she owned a room even when she was silent. Whatever it was, she had you hookedβand you hated her for it.
Today was no different. She strolled in like she owned the place, another girl trailing behind herβa new one this time. She made a beeline for the bar and ordered a round of drinks before sliding into a table suspiciously close to where you were working. Maybe you were imagining things, but it felt deliberate. There were plenty of empty tables scattered throughout the room, especially ones better suited for whatever this was supposed to be. An intimate date? That hardly seemed like Viβs style. The girl with her seemed sweet. Blonde hair with blue highlights that caught the dim lights of the bar, bright eyes, a soft smile. She leaned toward Vi as they talked, her body language screaming interest. But Vi? She sat back, arms draped casually over the chair, her expression distant, detached. It was like she craved the closeness but couldnβt bring herself to let anyone in.
It was⦠familiar. Too familiar.
You turned back to the counter, your hands working on autopilot as you wiped down the surface. Yet, no matter how much you tried to ignore her, your gaze kept drifting in her direction. And every time it did, you caught her watching you.
You didnβt like it.
Pouring yourself a drink, you told yourself it was just to take the edge off. One drink turned into two, and before long, the alcohol made everything sharper, more noticeable. You were too aware of herβevery glance, every quiet laugh, every time her eyes flicked toward you. When it happened again, you decided enough was enough. You locked eyes with her, letting your gaze trail over her features, daring her to look away. She didnβt. At first, she looked confused, but that quickly morphed into something smugβa slow, cocky smirk creeping across her face. She leaned over, whispering something in the blondeβs ear. The girl nodded, and just like that, Vi stood and headed straight for you.
βHey there,β she said, her voice calm but carrying that familiar edge of arrogance. Her eyes bore into yours, steady, confident.
βWell, look at you,β you quipped, leaning casually against the bar. βTurns out you can talk.β
She smirked. βCan you blame me? You called me an asshole and made it pretty clear you didnβt want me to talk to you.β
βBoth of those things are true,β you replied with a dismissive shrug, though the faint trace of a grin played on your lips. You blamed the alcohol.
βSo let me get this straight,β she teased. βYou donβt want to talk to me, but you want me to talk to you? Maybe even acknowledge you?β
βOh, Iβve noticed you acknowledging me,β you shot back, your tone dry. βNot with words, though.β Your hand idly wiped at the counter with a cloth, pretending nonchalance.
Vi chuckled, brushing off your jab. βFair enough. Since youβre so insistent, let me drop the βasshole behaviorβ for a minute.β She leaned in slightly. βI donβt even know your name.β
You rolled your eyes, leaning forward to meet her halfway. βItβs Y/N,β you said, your voice firm. A beat of silence lingered between you, tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Then, with a small smirk of your own, you added, βNow get back to your date. Donβt keep her waiting.β
You didnβt wait to see her reaction. The sudden surge of emotions made your chest tighten, and you dropped the cloth and glass onto the counter, heading for the backroom.
Intimacyβit wasnβt something you wanted. Not now. Not with her. Even the smallest brush of warmth from someone else felt like an open wound. You were comfortable in the cold, with the pain. Examining Vi had been easy, safe. She was uncertainty and sharp edges, not softness. You closed the door behind you, leaning back against it and exhaling deeply. Maybe one of these days youβd figure out what Vi was really doing to you. But not tonight. Not yet.
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Note from author: It's my first time writing something ever please please please let me know if you liked that! I think that this fic will have 6/8 parts , so there's a lot unfold here. I kinda changed finale of Arcane, because Vi and Caitlyn don't end up together. Also, I have included Ellie as reader's ex girlfriend, so she will have more appearances in future. It would mean world to me if you shared my work (if you liked it of course) and please don't hesitate to message me, ask me questions about it or let me know what are your thoughts! Thank you!
