Chapter 6
The bar had a warm, buzzing energy that contrasted sharply with the cold tension Caitlyn was radiating from across the room. Ivy settled onto a stool beside the girl, who introduced herself as Rina, her playful smirk widening as she motioned to the bartender for another round. The drinks came quickly, and the two clinked glasses before taking long sips.
"So," Rina began, her voice lilting with curiosity as she leaned closer, "what's your story, Ivy? You don't look like a regular around here."
Ivy chuckled, playing it cool. "Oh, you know. Just passing through. Trying to lay low, stay out of trouble."
Rina laughed softly, her dark eyes glinting. "Funny, you don't strike me as the 'lay low' type."
Ivy grinned. "You're not wrong."
The conversation flowed easily, their banter weaving between light flirtation and teasing remarks. Rina told Ivy about her work in the undercity—a fixer of sorts, someone who knew how to get things done for the right price. Ivy, in turn, shared bits of herself but kept the details vague, her instinct to avoid spilling too much still intact.
Every so often, Ivy's gaze drifted back to the table where Caitlyn and Vi sat. Vi looked entirely at ease, leaning back with her drink and occasionally tossing Ivy a knowing smirk. Caitlyn, however, was a different story. Her arms were crossed, her expression unreadable but clearly tense, her piercing blue eyes fixed on Ivy like she was analyzing every move.
Ivy sighed inwardly, forcing herself to ignore Caitlyn's disapproving stare and focus on Rina, who was now looking at her with a mixture of intrigue and amusement.
"You've got an interesting crew," Rina said, nodding toward the table where Caitlyn and Vi sat. "The pink-haired one seems fun. But the stiff one..." She tilted her head, her smile turning sly. "What's her deal? She your boss or something?"
Ivy laughed, the sound dry. "Caitlyn? Definitely not my boss."
Rina arched an eyebrow. "Really? Could've fooled me with the way she's been glaring at us all night. What, is she jealous or something?"
The question caught Ivy off guard, and she hesitated, her fingers tightening slightly around her glass. "Jealous?" she repeated, forcing a smirk. "Doubt it. She's just... uptight. Can't handle it when things don't go her way."
Rina hummed thoughtfully, swirling her drink. "Sure doesn't look like just that. She's been watching you like a hawk since I walked over." She leaned closer, her voice dropping. "You two got history?"
Ivy stiffened for a fraction of a second before leaning back, putting on a casual front. "Not the kind you're thinking of," she said, her tone light but edged with finality.
Rina didn't press further, though her expression showed she wasn't entirely convinced. Instead, she leaned back, studying Ivy with a grin that hinted at mischief. "Alright, mystery girl. I'll let it slide. For now."
Ivy rolled her eyes playfully, raising her glass. "To letting it slide, then."
Rina laughed and clinked her glass against Ivy's, the tension momentarily easing. But as Ivy stole another glance at Caitlyn, she couldn't help but feel the weight of those piercing blue eyes—and the unspoken tension that came with them—lingering in the back of her mind.
-------------------------------------------
The streets of the undercity were quieter now, the raucous energy of the bar fading behind them as Ivy, Caitlyn, and Vi walked down the dimly lit alleys. Neon lights buzzed overhead, casting flickering colors on the wet cobblestones. The air was thick with tension, and Caitlyn's gaze hadn't left Ivy since they'd stepped outside.
"So," Caitlyn started, her voice sharp and controlled, "are you going to explain what that was all about?"
Ivy sighed, her steps quickening slightly. "What are you talking about?"
"You know what I'm talking about," Caitlyn snapped, falling into step beside her. "The girl. Rina. You were practically hanging off each other."
Ivy shot her an annoyed glance. "Jealous, are we?"
Caitlyn's expression hardened, her voice dropping into a low hiss. "This isn't about jealousy. It's about staying focused. We're here for a reason, and you're busy flirting with strangers who could compromise us."
Ivy stopped in her tracks, spinning to face Caitlyn with a scowl. "First of all, she wasn't a stranger. She's a local fixer. Talking to her is literally part of the job—you know, gathering intel, blending in, all that stuff you were so worried about earlier."
"Oh, really?" Caitlyn challenged, crossing her arms. "And what valuable intel did you gather between all the flirting and drinking?"
Ivy opened her mouth to respond but hesitated, the annoyance bubbling under her skin. "Look," she said, her tone defensive, "not everything is about your perfect little plan, alright? Sometimes you have to go with the flow. Rina didn't give me anything solid, but she might if I run into her again."
Caitlyn scoffed. "Convenient."
Ivy's temper flared, her fists clenching at her sides. "You know what? Maybe you should stop acting like you know everything about how this place works. This isn't Piltover. You're not in control here."
"I'm trying to keep us alive!" Caitlyn shot back, her voice rising. "And excuse me for not trusting someone who's been locked up for years to make the right call."
The words hit a nerve, and Ivy's jaw tightened, her eyes narrowing. "You have no idea what I've been through. Don't act like you do." she scoffed. "Also don't act like it wasn't your idea and your choice to even reach out of us in the first place!"
Caitlyn rolled her eyes in annoyance, turning away from Ivy to walk from a distance before cutting in. "Well Iv-"
Vi, who had been walking a few steps behind them, finally cut Caitlyn off. "Alright, enough," she said, her voice firm but calm. "Both of you. We're not going to get anywhere if you keep snapping at each other."
Caitlyn huffed, but she fell silent, though her disapproving gaze lingered on Ivy. Vi turned to Ivy, raising an eyebrow. "So where are we headed? Or are we just walking aimlessly until someone jumps us?"
Ivy exhaled, running a hand through her hair. "Fine. There's... there's somewhere I want to check out."
Vi tilted her head curiously. "Where?"
Ivy hesitated, her voice softening slightly. "My old home. I want to see if it's still there."
Caitlyn frowned but didn't say anything, while Vi gave a small nod. "Alright. Lead the way."
Without another word, Ivy started walking again, her pace slower and more deliberate this time. The argument hung in the air like a shadow, but neither Caitlyn nor Vi pressed further. As they weaved through the twisting alleys of Zaun, the streets grew quieter, the neon lights giving way to dim lamps and shadows. Ivy's expression was guarded, her thoughts clearly elsewhere.
It had been years since she'd seen her home. The idea of returning stirred a mix of emotions she wasn't ready to confront, but it was better than staying stuck in the cycle of arguments and tension. She just hoped the place was still standing when they got there.
They eventually Ivy's old home, tucked away in a narrow, forgotten street of the undercity. The building was small, its windows shattered, and the door hanging slightly ajar on rusted hinges. Ivy stopped in front of it, her chest tightening at the sight. The place was a ghost of what it had been—a crumbling shell left to decay.
She sighed, stepping forward and kicking the door open with a creak that echoed through the empty space. Dust swirled in the stale air, disturbed for the first time in years. The faint light from the street outside barely reached into the interior, leaving much of it cloaked in shadow. Cobwebs stretched between corners, and furniture was overturned and broken. It was clear no one had lived here since Ivy had been taken away.
"Home sweet home," Ivy muttered bitterly, her voice carrying a faint edge of pain she quickly masked.
Vi stepped in behind her, her eyes scanning the room. "Damn. This place really hasn't seen life in a while."
Caitlyn followed cautiously, her expression more subdued than before. Her earlier frustration seemed to have been replaced by quiet curiosity as she watched Ivy.
Ivy walked further inside, her boots crunching on debris. Spotting an old matchbox sitting atop a crooked shelf, she grabbed it and struck a match, the small flame flickering in the dimness. She reached for a dusty candle on the table, lighting it and holding it up. The warm glow illuminated the room, casting long shadows over the forgotten space.
The light revealed peeling wallpaper, faded photos hanging crooked on the walls, and a scattering of trinkets on shelves—remnants of a life long abandoned. Ivy stared at the room in silence for a moment, her jaw tightening as memories flickered through her mind.
Vi broke the silence first, her voice gentle. "This was your place, huh? Looks like it was nice once."
"Yeah," Ivy said quietly, running a hand over the back of a broken chair. "It was."
Caitlyn stepped forward, carefully avoiding the debris on the floor. "You've been gone a long time," she said, her voice softer than Ivy had expected. "Did anyone know you were coming back here? Family?"
Ivy shot her a glance, shaking her head. "No. No one would have been here, even while I was away."
Vi leaned against the wall, folding her arms as she watched Ivy with a faint frown. "Doesn't seem like anyone's been here since you left. That a good thing or a bad thing?"
"Depends," Ivy replied, brushing dust off an old photo frame with her thumb. The image inside was faded but still visible—a younger version of herself standing next to two older figures, their faces smiling despite the grime of their surroundings. Her grip on the frame tightened for a moment before she set it down with a sigh.
The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of Ivy's past pressing down on all of them. The candle flickered, casting dancing shadows over the remnants of a life she'd left behind.
Finally, Caitlyn spoke, her tone hesitant but sincere. "I'm sorry, Ivy. For... whatever happened to you. For what you lost."
Ivy didn't respond immediately. Instead, she turned to the two of them, her expression guarded but less hostile than before. "Let's just figure out what's next. We've got work to do, and this place isn't gonna help."
Vi nodded, though her gaze lingered on Ivy, as though trying to read the thoughts she wasn't sharing. Caitlyn, too, stayed silent, her usual sharpness dulled by a growing understanding of the complexity behind Ivy's walls.
As they stood in the quiet stillness of Ivy's past, it was clear they were all carrying their own ghosts. This place, broken and forgotten, was just another reminder of the world they were trying to navigate together—and the fractures they'd have to mend along the way.