2 Years Ago...

Garen: Y/N! Get up! Someone get him to cover!

The sound of gunfire echoed in your head as the world began to feel colder. You felt someone grab your arm and drag you along for what felt like ages. Your head was spinning and your ears were ringing.

Jinx: I got you, Y/N. I got you.

Another bomb went off which sent Jinx to the ground. She quickly got back up and grabbed you again. Finally, the two of you were behind cover.

Graves: How does he look?

You felt Jinx frantically look over your body before she found the two bloody holes in your chest. Her eyes then landed on the shrapnel intended in your arm.

Jinx: He's gonna bleed out if we don't get him immediate evac. Call it in.

Pantheon: I'm already on it.

Jinx grabbed your vest and sat you up. She then placed both hands on the wound as you slowly bleed out.

Jinx: Stay with me. Stay with me, you hear? Y/N? Y/N!

Your eyes shot open and you sat up. Your chest was covered in sweet and the metal tags hung loosely around your neck. The sweat made the tags stay connected to your body and you tried to calm your breathing.

You sighed before laid back down in your bed with your arm over your eyes. Another nightmare. Great.

You looked over at your clock and saw that it was still early. As in the sun wasn't coming up for a while. Still, you got up and washed up in your bathroom. You pulled one some clothes, a F/C shirt and some pants, before you pulled on your jacket and shoes.

You got out of your room and quietly made your way downstairs. You grabbed your helmet and headed outside without waking anyone up.

As you closed the door, Kai'sa popped her head up from the fridge.

Kai'sa: Hello?

She looked out the window and watched as you mounted your bike. You started it and drove off which confused her.

Kai'sa: Where's he going this early?

As you rode, your mind began to wonder back on your time in the military. The people you met, the things you did, the stories you had shared.

Your mind then shifted to your family back home. Or, what used to be home. It was a cold house now. Nothing to really return to. It's why you joined right after highschool. To try and find purpose in your life. To try and find a fit for you.

Instead you found nightmares and regret.

You would never hope to forget the times you shared with your brothers in arms, but you hated that you seemed to remember the worst of it the most.

You finally parked your bike and hopped off. You were now at some park that was completely empty due to it being as early as it was. You placed your helmet on your bike and headed down the paved path that led through the park.

It was still chilly but it wasn't windy. Not that you would really complain. You've come to hate the heat.

You walked around the dark park with your hands in your pockets. You should be asleep right now. You had a long day ahead of you.

The girls were going to get adjusted to the studio while you and Jinx figured out this management stuff. After that, it was time to play ball.

And by that you meant it was time to record a song and make a video and whatever else you needed to do in order for everything to work out with this new group that didn't even have a name.

You took a seat on a bench and sighed as you leaned back. You happened to look up and noticed that there was a man sitting on the bench across the pathway. He was wearing a red suit and was bald. His eyes were half open but he was definitely staring at you.

Man: Your mind is racing.

You just looked at him confused.

Man: Tell me, yo.

Once again, it was silent. The man stood up and walked over to you. He then sat next to you as you shifted to make room. He sat there, looking forward, as you looked around the park.

Y/N: I just, I'm not sure what I'm doing.

The man nodded and pulled out a jar of peanut butter from his suit jacket. You looked at him for a moment before you shook your head.

Y/N: I, ah, I haven't talked to this girl for 7 years. Suddenly she showed up at my door asking for my help. Said that I was the only one she trusts.

The man nodded as he made his sandwhich with bread and butter knife.

Y/N: And now, I'm afraid I'm going to let her down. Just like everyone else who ever trusted me.

Man: Actual victory belongs to things that do not see failure. Let the path push you like broken branch on the water's currents. There are many things in life. Kills. Deaths. And assistance. You live with all three.

You looked at him for a moment, his attention still at the nothing in front of him, as he finished making his sandwhich.

Y/N: Ah, yeah. That's, something.

The man suddenly seemed to snap out of his daze and leaned towards you with the sandwhich outstretched towards you.

Man: Take a bite of this sandwhich.

You looked at the sandwhich, then at him, then at the sandwhich.

Y/N: Nah. I'm good, man.

The man then looked you dead in the eye. His eyes, there was something wrong with them. Something almost evil.

Man: Boy, if you don't take a bite of this fucking sandwhich...

A stick snapping turned your attention to your left. When you didn't find anything, you turned back around, only to find the man gone.

You scanned the area for a moment before you spotted him walking into the more wooded area, a black dog following him.

Kai'sa: Y/N?

You jumped at her voice and turned back around to find her walking towards you. Your heart was racing from the sudden scare.

Y/N: God, damnit! You scared the shit outta me.

Kai'sa laughed a bit.

Kai'sa: Sorry.

You calmed down and stood up to face her.

Y/N: What are you doing here?

Kai'sa: I'm always up early. When I saw you leave, I got a bit worried. I, ah, I heard you in your bedroom. I'm sorry for following you but, I just wanted to make sure you were alright.

Oh. You blushed a bit at the notion of someone hearing your mumbles and thoughts.

Y/N: Oh.

Kai'sa then looked at the bench confused.

Kai'sa: You get hungry?

You looked down and saw the half empty jar of peanut butter on the bench. You looked over at the woods to see that the bushes were untouched.

Y/N: Ah...wanna, wanna walk and talk?

Kai'sa looked at you confused.

Kai'sa: Sure...okay.

You walked by her and pulled her along to get away from the woods. Once you were far enough, you let go of her.

Y/N: Right. So, why did you follow me?

Kai'sa: Well, I figured you were dealing with some stuff. I figured you could use someone to talk to.

You nodded as the two of you walked.

Y/N: I'm fine. I just needed some fresh air.

Kai'sa was silent for a moment before she looked at your arm.

Kai'sa: I really don't mean to be rude, but you served in an army, right?

You looked at her for a moment before you pulled out your dog tags.

Y/N: Yeah. I did.

Kai'sa: And that's what you've been doing the last 7 years?

Y/N: I did it for 5 years. The last two years have been me and Jinx recovering and readjusting to things.

Kai'sa: Is that where you got that scar?

You nodded as you pulled up your sleeve to show it.

Y/N: It was a pretty big piece of shrapnel. It was a rough recovery.

Kai'sa looked at the scar for a moment.

Kai'sa: Looks like it hurt.

Y/N: Yeah. It did.

You pulled your sleeve back down.

Y/N: I joined to find a kind of purpose. A place to fit in.

Kai'sa stopped walking and looked out at the lake. You stopped as well and looked at the water. It seemed to shine as the sun slowly rose over the city.

Kai'sa: I can get that. I was the same way.

You stood beside her.

Y/N: Looking for a place to belong?

Kai'sa nodded.

Kai'sa: When I was a child, my father's work meant we traveled often. It was, in many ways, a nomadic life. Filled with the joys of travel and adventure.

She then looked down.

Kai'sa: And the heartaches of never having a home. My father loved me so much, but growing up, with how busy he could get with work, I spent a lot of time in boarding schools.

Y/N: That must've sucked. Always leaving your friends.

Kai'sa: It did. I know he never intended for me to feel this way, but it always felt like I was banished to a void. A suspended place between him and a series of worlds I never quite belonged to. And then, I found dance.

She raised a hand in the air and slowly brought it down before she spun around. You watched her move to the melody playing in her head as she smiled. It was, hypnotic. Almost like she was flying.

Kai'sa: It was a cocoon. A safe haven. A universal language. It was spiced with the dialects of each place we moved. But with universal and shared ingredients. All forming together to make a delicious buffet of expression.

She stopped dancing and looked out at the water.

Kai'sa: Yet, even as dance served as a haven, it left me hungry to carve out a space of my own. A safe place in which to continue my journey and adventures. I could have never guess that it would lead me to something beyond dance.

Y/N: You wanted to find the family you never had. I, I kinda get that.

You stood beside her.

Y/N: I haven't spoken to my family since I left. I have no idea what my dad is doing. My sister had a kid about 6 years ago. I never met her.

You thought back on the life you left behind. How you signed up to serve without saying anything to anyone.

Y/N: I found a new family. But then I lost them. I only had Jinx left.

Kai'sa: I understand how you feel. I'm still trying to find a family of my own. So, how about we make a promise?

You looked at her to see that she was blushing a bit.

Y/N: A promise?

Kai'sa nodded as she turned towards you. She then streached her arm out towards you. The sun rising behind her. You found yourself blushing at how beautiful she looked.

Kai'sa: Let's find a family in this group. Together.

You looked at her hand before you smiled. Slowly, you took it.

Y/N: Yeah. Let's do that.

Suddenly, your phone began to ring which interrupted this tender moment. You pulled it out and saw that Jinx was calling you.

Y/N: Hello?

Jinx: Where are you? Ahri and Evelynn want us to get down to the studio.

You look at Kai'sa and smiled.

Y/N: We'll see you there.

Jinx: We?

You hung up and looked over to your bike.

Y/N: You ever ride a bike before?