Envy

01

*Cypress's POV*

 The story goes, Benzo found me on the bridge when I was a baby with a tag that said Cypress Jane M tied to my tiny baby foot. He's raised me ever since. 

When I was eleven there was a war between topside, and the Zaun.  Benzo helped out leaving me with one of his friends in the attic of the shop incase it got robbed during the war. Ever since then this has been my bedroom. 

That was seven years ago now making me eighteen.

He brought back this tiny little dude and named him Ekko. His parents died because of the war. He was found on the bridge with all the rubble after the war.  We take care of each other and stick together.

 It was kinda annoying that I had to share an already relatively small attic with a 5 year old but y'know we got used to it and now I wouldn't trade them for the world. 

Again that was seven years ago Ekko is twelve now. 

I woke up, threw the tattered blanket off of my body, got dressed, and stretched before going downstairs to Benzo's shop.

"Hey punk." I said with a smirk going up to my little brother and ruffling his hair as he tried to eat at the counter. "CJ! Stop it your making a mess." He whined as I laughed. 

"C'mon kids what have I told you about eating at my counter?" Benzo asked with annoyance in his voice as he walked through the door to see the mess we had made on his counter. 

"Sorry Benzo." We both said in unison with smiles on our faces.

"Clean this up before I have a customer then CJ, Vander told me Vi was asking for you." Benzo said as he handed me an old looking rag so I could clean the mess I had 'technically' made on his counter. 

I began wiping up the mess as I spoke, "We're right next door, why can't the girl just walk over here and get me herself?" I asked as Benzo shrugged and responded, "I don't know CJ maybe it's because usually I end up going to Vander's before she has a chance." He said as I handed him the rag, and made my way out the door.

"I'll be out for a bit Ekko come over if you get bored." I said right before the door closed and I walked next door to Vi's place. 

I walk in to see Mylo chillin on the couch with Clogger sitting next to him. "He monkey brain, what's up glasses?" I asked with a smile as I walked over to them. 

"Nothin much CJ, y'know the usual." Mylo said as we did our handshake before I turned to Clogger gesturing for him to answer as well.

 "Same here CJ. We haven't had much going on recently it's good to see you." He said with a kind hearted smile as I responded with, "Good to see you too glasses."  giving him a high-five and making my way to the hallway, where Powder and Vi's rooms are.

I saw Vi sitting in Powder's room as she was looking at Powder's new inventions and talking with her. "Hi Powder how ya doin?" I asked with a smile as I walked into her room and sat next to her on her bed. 

"Hi CJ! I'm doin good glad your here. Is Ekko awake?" She asked with that playful glint in her eyes you'd never get tired of. 

"Yeah he's awake if you want to go show him some of your new stuff?" I said gesturing to her new trinkets I see that she has laid out to show Vi. 

"Awesome thanks for letting me know CJ!" She said her voice full of excitement as she gave me a tight hug before she  gathered her trinkets in her arms and ran next door to show my little brother. 

"Hi Angel Face." Vi said with a smirk. "Morning Pinky." I said with a laugh before we got up and went to Vi's room. 

"Y'know I live literally right down the street Pinky you don't need to tell Benzo that you want me. Just come see me loser." I joked as I sat in her bedroom floor. 

"I know I know, but I was busy this morning." She states as she sits next to me. "Doing what exactly?" I asked narrowing my eyes at her knowing she's up to something. 

"Well the other day Ekko told us about this customer that had come in and traded a bunch of gold and shit. He thinks he was from topside." She said before continuing, 

"So you're not going to like this part but Ekko followed him home and he lives right on the edge of Piltover." Vi said finishing her statement as my mind filled with fear. 

"Vi why would you let him do that?! Did you even think about how dangerous that could've been for him?! You let my little brother follow some random man all the way to Piltover?!" I asked astonished that she could be this reckless with Ekko.

"Relax angel face, I was right behind him the entire time. When I told him I was going to follow the guy he started giving me this whole speech on how 'He never gets to go with us on the jobs' yada yada yada." She explained before shortening it.

"The guy was getting further away and I had to think quick, that was the only solution. I didn't want to do it but he was right. This guy is loaded." She said exaggerating the loaded. 

"Well he's topside of course he's loaded." I said with a scoff. "What does this have to do with what you're planning?" I asked still a bit confused. 

"I'm planning a job duh. It'll be easy we'll just scale a few buildings run in get the valuables and get out." She said with a shrug of her shoulders. 

"Vi that's topside, a big job even for you much less the others." I said gesturing out to the family room where the others were sat goofing off. 

"It'll be fine we need bigger jobs if we're going to survive down here. There's hardly anything valuable to steal in the Zaun anymore we both know that." She reasoned. I rolled my eyes knowing she was right. 

"Alright but Powder and Ekko are staying here." I said sternly. 

"There's another problem with that.." Vi said as Powder and Ekko walked in with shocked faces. 

Damnit!