Chapter 19
The rain hammered against the windows of the bar. Thunder cracked in the distance, and the wind howled through the narrow streets of Zaun. Despite the storm’s rage outside, the warmth inside the bar was welcoming.
The familiar scent of aged wood, spilled liquor, and old memories filled the air, grounding Vi in a world that felt like home.
Vi stood behind the bar, wiping down glasses, her hands steady despite the weight of the years she carried. The scars of her past—of all the fights and losses—were etched deep. This bar, the one she’d spent so many years in as a kid, was now hers.
"This is awesome, Vi," a member of the Firelights said, grabbing a few drinks she had poured for him and his group. She smiled at him as he walked away.
Vi ran a hand through her hair, eyes scanning the room. It was still early, but the bar had begun to fill with a mix of faces reflecting Zaun’s complicated history. There were older folks from the neighborhoods where she’d grown up—grizzled men and women who had seen things. Some recognized her, a few still remembered her as the troublemaker, the girl who used to punch her way out of problems.
There were people from the Firelights talking to a few of Sevika's workers as they gathered around the bar, exchanging casual words.
Thieram, who couldn’t wait a day to say yes to Vi's offer of working here, was leaning against the counter, chatting with a few people from Piltover and Zaun, trying to mediate the space between two worlds that should have never collided but did. Or at least, it felt like a step.
Vi caught his eye and gave him a small nod. "How are you doing over there?" she asked one of her employees, who was stationed at the grill.
"It's so busy I’m running out of meat," she replied, flipping a patty.
"I’ll get you some more," Vi said, crouching down to grab more meat from the freezer.
"Here—"
There was a sharp crack of thunder as the door to the bar swung open, a rush of cold air sweeping through the room before the door slammed shut. The enforcers had arrived.
A few off-duty officers from Piltover stepped inside, shaking off their drenched coats, glancing around.
The conversation in the room stalled, the air suddenly growing heavier.
For a moment, it felt like the bar had frozen in time, as if everyone was holding their breath, waiting for the inevitable.
The tension was always there between the people of Zaun and the enforcers who represented the law—or at least, the law as Piltover saw it.
Vi didn’t flinch. She’d fought these people when she was younger and fought alongside them during the war.
She gave the officers a nod, reassuring them that it was alright to come in. The silence stretched on for just a second longer, then the conversations picked back up. The low murmur of voices filled the room again, more subdued but not broken.
The off-duty enforcers walked toward the bar, some getting greeted by the Zaunites who had been stationed with them during the war.
"Nice place," some of the enforcers started complimenting the bar, asking how she was doing. Vi told them to take a seat as they finished ordering their drinks.
Vi started pouring their drinks while looking around the bar.
Ekko was sitting at a corner table, a few Academy people surrounding him with some of the Firelights. Vi couldn’t help but smile as she watched him. He was the last person she’d ever imagined sitting down for a drink with Piltover's elite, but there he was, sharing stories, laughing, and exchanging notes.
She finished pouring the drinks, and her employee took the tray, handing them out.
The weather outside raged on, the storm showing no signs of letting up. The wind battered the windows, and the occasional flash of lightning lit up the dark streets. Inside, however, the warmth and flicker of the candles made it feel like a refuge—a temporary escape from reality.
Vi leaned against the counter, her eyes drifting from Ekko’s table to the quiet corners where the Firelights and Sevika’s people were sharing a drink. There was a strange peace in the air tonight, a kind of fragile harmony forged from violence, loss, and change.
For the first time in a long while, Vi felt like she was on the right side of things. This bar was hers now, a place where people could come together, whether they were old enemies or just souls looking for something to hold onto.
The night wore on, and the storm outside showed no signs of letting up. The low rumble of thunder reverberated through the walls, but inside The Last Drop, the energy was warm and familiar.
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The bar had filled up and emptied in waves as the night drifted toward closing time. Conversations flowed easily, people laughing and sharing stories. The tension of the past held at bay by the comfort of a good drink and the refuge this place had become.
Thieram had long since moved on to another table, talking animatedly with a few Firelights, and Sevika’s crew was winding down, their quiet chatter laced with the ease of a long day’s work.
Ekko had finished his conversation with the Academy folk, the polite discourse between the disparate groups now replaced by something more natural—a casual camaraderie built from shared experience.
As the last rounds were served, the clinking of glasses and fading chatter signaled the bar was reaching its final hours for the night. Some customers had already said their goodbyes, shaking hands and exchanging knowing glances that carried the unspoken language of people who’d fought together—and sometimes against each other.
Vi had noticed more than once during the evening, a glance passed here, a nod there—small gestures that spoke volumes about the world they lived in.
Her employees were busy cleaning up the tables, wiping down the counters, and making sure everything was in order for the next day.
Vi felt a strange pride looking around the space. It was hers. And tonight, it had been a place where something else had been built—a fragile peace, forged by time and circumstance, held together by the simple act of people gathering together, sharing stories and drinks.
As the last few patrons shuffled toward the door, Vi wiped down the bar one last time, her movements slow but steady. One by one, people approached to offer their compliments, their smiles a mix of gratitude and respect.
"You did good, Vi," one of the older Zaunites said as he slid a handful of coins across the counter. “He would be proud,” his friend said, pointing up to the sky.
Vi gave him a small nod, a smile tugging at her lips. “Thank you,” she said as they left the bar.
An enforcer raised his glass, grinning. “Couldn’t ask for a better place to lay down our burdens, eh?” he said, making his coworkers laugh.
Vi chuckled along and grabbed the empty glasses on the counter. She was already thinking about the new batch of drinks she’d need to prep for tomorrow’s crowd.
And then, just as the last few stragglers were heading out the door, the wind kicked up again, and the rain picked up a bit more fiercely than before. The door opened with a gust of wind, and there she stood.
Caitlyn.
Vi’s heart gave a little jolt at the sight of her partner standing in the doorway, her tall frame framed by the storm behind her. Caitlyn's blue uniform clung to her, drenched from the rain, but she was smiling, her usual elegance and poise undeterred by the weather.
Caitlyn walked further inside, holding her bag tighter as she saw a few Zaunites glare at her. She glanced at the off-duty enforcers, who were walking toward her, some wobbling a little. They shared a small chat as the bar emptied, leaving only the people working.
Caitlyn stared at her partner as the enforcers walked out. She walked toward her, looking around the cozy place.
Vi's heart skipped a beat when Caitlyn’s eyes met hers. The storm raged outside, but here, inside, everything felt just a little bit warmer, a little bit brighter with Caitlyn's presence.
Caitlyn’s soaked uniform clung to her form, but she wore that calm, composed smile Vi had come to adore. The sound of the storm outside was drowned out by the soft clinking of glassware and employees bidding the last customers goodbye, but all Vi could hear in that moment was the soft rhythm of her own heartbeat, syncing with the quiet sigh of relief that Caitlyn had arrived.
Caitlyn’s gaze softened as she walked toward Vi. Vi caught herself smiling before she could stop it, the kind of smile that was always reserved for Caitlyn—the one that spoke of gratitude, affection, and something else—something deeper that Vi had felt growing stronger for a while now.
“Long night?” Caitlyn asked, her voice rich with that velvet tone Vi had come to recognize.
Vi chuckled and shook her head, her eyes sparkling despite the weariness of the evening.
“You could say that. But I think it was a good one,” she added, glancing around at the nearly empty bar. “People came together tonight... I think it meant something.”
“That’s good,” Caitlyn said, her voice softening as she reached Vi’s side. "I bet you're tired," she said, kissing her partner's cheek.
Vi nodded. "I’m glad
you made it out of your office," she teased Caitlyn. She leaned over the counter, her arms folding as she watched her partner carefully pull her soaked coat off.
Vi’s fingers grazed Caitlyn’s wrist as she reached for the coat, her touch lingering just long enough to send a jolt of warmth through both of them.
“Thanks for coming out here. I don’t think I could’ve made it all the way back to Topside,” they both chuckled at what Vi said.
Caitlyn blushed a little as she looked up, her gaze meeting Vi’s. There was a brief, quiet moment, the kind that only they could share—one filled with shared understanding. No words needed.
Caitlyn chuckled and straightened, breaking the silence. “I’m gonna go change out of my uniform,” she said as she grabbed her bag. Vi nodded as she watched Caitlyn disappear into the back hallway, her footsteps soft against the stairs leading to the basement.
Her employees were finishing up their own tasks—wiping down counters, stacking chairs, and ensuring everything was in order for the next day. The buzz of the night was fading, but Vi’s heart still thumped with the energy of a night well spent.
She took a deep breath, letting the weight of the day settle into the rhythm of her movements. It had been a good night—no fights, no trouble, just people from every walk of life coming together. It felt like a small, fragile victory, but one Vi would take. She glanced around the bar, feeling a strange pride swell inside her as she admired the space.
"You good to go, Thieram?" Vi asked, wiping down a section of the bar one last time.
"Yeah, just about," Thieram said, giving a final glance around the room. "You take care of yourself, Vi. It's been a good night."
Vi nodded, the fatigue from the long day creeping in, but there was a satisfaction there too. "Thanks for all your help. See you tomorrow."
Thieram grabbed his coat and headed toward the door, giving Vi one last smile before stepping out into the storm, disappearing into the night.
She turned to the rest of her team—two employees were finishing their shifts, scrubbing down the grill area and sorting out the clean dishes. Vi stood next to them, her voice soft.
"You two good to go? Everything ready for tomorrow?"
"Yeah, just about," one of them, a lanky kid named Ollie, said with a tired grin. "We got it covered."
Vi nodded with a smile. "Good work tonight. I’ll be locking up soon. Thanks for staying late and helping out."
The other worker, a woman named Maris, tossed a cloth over her shoulder and gave Vi a tired, but appreciative smile. "No problem, Vi. See you tomorrow. Stay safe."
With a final glance at her employees, Vi gave a firm, almost grateful nod. "Thanks again. Get some rest—you’ve earned it."
As they made their way out, Vi locked the doors, a heavy sigh falling from her mouth. It had been a successful first night.
A few more minutes passed, and with one last sweep of the bar, Vi decided it was time to head downstairs as well and change.
She headed downstairs, eager to change into something more comfortable. As she descended the narrow staircase, the sound of her footsteps light against the old wood, her mind wandered to Caitlyn. She was probably already laying down, reading a book, waiting for her.
She reached the bottom of the stairs and walked into the small room. The space was cozy, and a warm light spilled from the lamp on the counter. A stack of papers on the table, a few empty bottles here and there—signs of a life well lived, a place well-lived in. But tonight, it felt especially like home.