𝕽𝖆𝖓

Ran chuckles. “You’re not wrong, a strong wind might take me~” she sips her water. “Can I help with the searches in any way?” Ran knew she’d be a nuisance is she exposed herself to the sun now but if she could help with anything, she was willing to.”

Ran nods, she trusts his instincts. “If you find him and need to leave, I want to come with you. I know you don’t need it, but I want to support you…” They smile. “Home is where the heart is, and my heart is with you…”

“Yeah…” Ran smiles as she serves her another drink. “You living nearby? The boys say you come often…” She nods towards one of the waiters.

Ran nods. “She’s… tough. Like you, she must be somewhere… And much more used to the heat than me…” She chuckles weakly, still not fully okay but on the mend.

Ran smiles as they curl to him. As he speaks of his findings, Ran purses her lips. “We’ll find him, I can talk to Sev if you want, she can have the best trackers searching the coast for him…” She suggests

“It’s… challenging for sure.” Ran chuckles as she remembers Zaun. “I got lost, came with a friend for a diplomatic trip but we were ambushed, I can only hope she’s okay…“ Ran explains, breathing slowly going back to normal as cheeks assume a healthy pink and no longer the feverish red.

“It’s not for the weak of heart, that’s for sure, people aren’t too friendly but then again, years of exploitation kinda make you wary…” Ran shrugs. “Keep your wits about you and you should be fine, attention is not something you want here…”

She nods. “I was born in Piltover but I am from Zaun, raised there, fought for my people’s right to exist and proudly, I never considered myself Piltovan to be honest…” She says with a shrug. “It’s just the place I was born, home is and will always be Zaun.”

Ran sighs dreamily. “Oh damn, that must be nice…” She leans back. “Do you wake up whenever you want? And like, shower too?” She asks, genuinely curious

Ran smiles softly. “Queen? Or this whole town? Oh wow…” Ran looks around. This place, is what Zaun could’ve been. Everyone together, like a giant family. “Reminds me of my home…” She whispers. “Zaun. Right under the city of Progress, Piltover… Heard of it?” Ran hadn’t heard of Jinkertown so…

She smiles. “As you wish, if you need anything else, I’m Ran.” She salutes and winks as she starts to clean the counter nearby.

“A dragon?!” Their eyes widen and they sit up. “Oh that’s so cool! I’ve never seen one before.” she says. “I mean I know they exist, I think there must be one down in the caves of Zaun, at least my omma used to tell me stories about them, but I never saw one…”

“Thank me for what, bluebell?” They ask softly as they snuggle to his chest, sipping their coffee. “You’re a fast learner, my dear, already know how I like my coffee…” they grin

Ran took the bottle and smiles gently at how her hand seemed to dwarf the regular sized bottle, almost making it look like a toy before Ran’s hands grasp at the plastic, making it look normal again. “You’re…” she blinks, still dazed. “… People like you here…” She murmurs.

“Oh… oh you’re *the* Caitlyn Kiramman?” Ran tilts her head. “Somehow I thought you’d be… shorter.” She snorts a bit, then smiles. “Must be nice, having a big house, a fluffy bed and nice sheets I assume too…”

Ran looks up. “Oh wow you’re tall!” They point out with a smile, not seeming intimidated, they’ve dealt with taller people towering over them in non threatening ways before.

“Nice to meet you… Are you a vastaya?” Ran asks with s tilt of her head, familiar with them.

“… Hi.” Ran answered, still hesitant. “You…. Live here?” She points down towards the house whose roof belonged to. “I… come here sometimes, the view is… nice.”

She wasn’t used to have company but the other didn’t seem like a threat so she eased, having a seat nearby.

“Ah it’s okay, I’m pretty good at being invisible.” They say as they climb down from the branch with ease, picking up a fruit to eat on their way dow and digging into the juicy treat. “I’m Ran!” They say, still chewing

+ to look around as people come over with wet clothes and water. “I’m okay…” She hates how weak her voice sounds. “Where I come from… it’s colder.” She explains.

Ran’s eyes want to snap open at their notice but they are, indeed, fainting.

They don’t register their legs are giving out until a pair of strong arms gathers them and when they come to, they’re somewhere cooler, under the shade, and the big woman’s attention is to them.

They lift their head +

“Morning!” They’re upside down, hanging from the nearest tree branch.

“You did? You’re too good to me…” She smiles as she nuzzles his hand, pressing a kiss to his rough palm. “Come here, eat with me, hold me close…” She pulls at his arm gently

After the initial shock with her height, Ran is at ease, used to have someone much bigger towering over her in a non threatening way. “I got just the right thing for ya, my mom loves this one…” They serve her a generous glass of whiskey. Neat.

“Let me know what you think…” Ran winks.

Ran is glad not to be noticed, yet the warmth was making her dizzy. Zaun used to be colder due to its depth, the sun rarely got too deep.

Her body braces against a wall, cheeks flushed from heat, she leans her head back into said wall, eyes closed as she tries to breathe

Ran stirs softly as they feel Mizu’s warm breath against her face, sleep still clouding her senses as she gives him a loopy smile. “Morning…” She whispers, voice thick with sleep still. “How did you sleep?” She asks, sitting up, still a tad wobbly as it usually takes Ran a while to wake up.

+ back when you came out but Silco knew I was a liability, kept me on a tight leash…” She sighs, looking down. “But I’m here now, yeah? And I’m not leaving… You wait until my shift is over, which is in like two hours, so we can catch up, yeah?”

“Oh that’s some bullshit…” Ran shakes her head, her lower lip sticking into a pout that people who know Ran know only happens when they’re vexed by something. “There’s nothing I want more than having you around, it’s been so lonely, and I missed you like crazy, I wished I could’ve done more +

Ran’s eyes go up, and up, and up…

Oh Janna damn it this woman is tall.

“O-Oh hello! Welcome to the Last Drop! You’ll find some good drinks here, what’s your fancy?” She slips into her bartender job after a moment of stunned silence.

Ran blinks.

Oh wow.

They squint slightly as the woman remind them of someone, or better, more than one person but she keeps herself quiet. She’s a newcomer to Junkertown and doesn’t want to be perceived until she knows for sure what’s going on.

Yet she watches, squinting at the likeness.

¤ ALL HAIL — THE QUEEN ¤

¤
I BITE DOWN A LITTLE HARDER
¤
MY BLADE'S A LITTLE SHARPER
¤
MY ROOTS, MY ROOTS RUN DEEP INTO THE HOLLOW
¤