In My Blood- Arcane x OC (Complete)

Chapter 1- Vander

TW: topics of death (and minors in jail)

Author notes: This part of the story takes place during act 1 of Arcane (first 3 episodes). There will parts of act 1 that will be written in this chapter and there will also be parts that aren't even close to the show.

The time jumps in this story are really weird so here is the main character's current age :
Ezra: 21
Vi: 16
Jinx: 12
Vander: 36
Silco: 36 

(end of author's notes)

21 years later

A well built woman walked quickly through the alleyways of the Undercity. She knew exactly where she was going, and nothing was going to get in her way. She made her way to the Last Drop, a popular bar in the Lanes. When she entered, she didn't waste any time and sat down at the bar. She looked around. Although she knew who she was looking for, she didn't know what he looked like. A few moments later a man behind the bar approached her, "What can I get for you?" He was tall and had a beard, some parts going gray. "I probably shouldn't drink right now?" She smiled politely. "Are you from around here?" the man furrowed his brow, "You look familiar." The woman shook her head, "No, It's my first time in the Lanes, but my mom was born here." The man nodded, "I'm Vander, welcome to the Lanes." he stuck his hand out. The woman returned the hand shake, "My name is Ezra."

Ezra had found one of the two people she was looking for. Ezra's mother had left her a letter before she died. There was lot's of information in the letter, but it mentioned two people from the Lanes. One being Vander. Now that she was here, she was going to wait it out and go from there.

Vander started clearing parts of the bar, "So, what brings you to the Lanes?" Ezra smiled awkwardly, "Long story, like my entire life story, kind-of-long." Vander made a clicking sound with his mouth as if he was deep in thought, "I got time." he smiled. Ezra sighed, "Alright, but take back my previous statement. I'll take a whiskey. This isn't a sober story." Vander obliged and poured her a whiskey over ice. "So, where do we begin?" He set down the drink.

"I'll keep the beginning short." Ezra took a sip of the whiskey. "My mother was born and raised in the Lanes. She got pregnant with me young, so she left her life here behind. Unfortunately while she did live here she got caught in some pretty bad crowds so we were always moving and on the run. However she did try her best to give me a happy childhood even if things on the outside were bad." Ezra smiled at the thought of her mother. "Well she seems wonderful. May I ask about your dad?" Vander was cleaning the bar, but listening intently. "Who knows? I don't think my mom even knew who my dad was. But yes, she was the most wonderful woman in the world. She was beautiful and kind and loving." Ezra ranted on as she looked around the bar in search of the other person in the letter.

"Anyway, as to how I ended up in the Lanes. I was just released from Stillwater." Vander froze with disbelief, "Wow. How long has it been?" Ezra thought to herself for a moment, "Just under five years. I was arrested when I was sixteen and I'm twenty one now." Vander's eyes widened, "Sixteen? I'd lose my mind if my kids were arrested at sixteen." Vander was in disbelief, "If you don't mind me asking, what happened?" Ezra finished the rest of her drink, "Murder." Ezra's tone was short. Vander's eyes widened more as he listened. "And no," Ezra placed her glass down, "I'm not some psycho. It was to avenge my mom. She was killed by some gang member from her past, I was fifteen when it happened." Vander leaned his elbows on the bar, "Did you succeed?" Ezra smiled, "I was charged with murder, wasn't I?" Vander smiled in return. "I would've gotten away with it, but the other guys in the gang turned me in. They outnumbered me, I still put up a good fight."

Vander nodded, "That's quite the story. Do you plan on staying in the Lanes?" Vander returned to cleaning the bar while talking to Ezra, "I was hoping too, but now that I'm out I feel-" Ezra was at a loss for words, "stuck? I guess? I have no money, no family, no-nothing. It's just me and ten years of Stillwater under my belt." Vander glanced at Ezra, "Can you bartend?" Ezra rolled her eyes with a chuckle, "Nope. Unfortunately, they don't teach teenagers in jail how to bartend." Ezra had an obnoxiously sarcastic tone. "What a shame. Well tonight I got a spare couch you can stay on if you need it? As for a job, I can't help you tonight." Vander's tone was oddly soft yet strong. "Thank you, but I can't accept that. Plus what about those kids you said you had?" Ezra shook her head to politely decline. "Don't worry about it. It's the least I can do for a Graves." Vander shrugged and gave Ezra a smug look.

Ezra panicked, how did he know? He wasn't supposed to know? Ezra's face turned red from embarrassment, "How did you-" She mumbled. Vander chuckled, "You look just like her. It was a lucky guess, but good thing I was right or this'd be awkward." Vander leaned on the bar counter. "Eliza really was a great woman, I didn't know she had passed." Vander's smile faded. "There's not a day I miss her." Ezra smiled, attempting to remember the good times. "However I'm glad I finally got to meet you, she left the day she found out she was pregnant. So what really brings you to the Lanes?" Vander looked at Ezra as if they had just told him a juicy secret. "She could tell there wasn't much more running she could do, so she wrote me this letter before it happened. She said if something were to happen I should come here and find you and Silco." Ezra temporarily pulled the letter out of her pocket, but put it back before Vander could read it. "Unfortunately, Silco died almost 10 years ago." Vander looked sad, but not the same kind of sad as when he was talking about Eliza. "Oh, I'm sorry. I was hoping I would get to meet him." Ezra sympathized with Vander.

Eliza had talked about Vander and Silco a lot when Ezra was growing up. However, Ezra always took an interest in the stories including Silco. Although Eliza, Silco, and Vander all met around the same time, Eliza had known Silco longer. Eliza loved both of them equally, but there were nights where she would miss one more than the other. Ezra didn't get to know the Vander and Silco Eliza knew, Vander had very obviously changed and Silco was dead. Ezra didn't know what to do from there.

"My mom used to tell me stories about you and Silco," Ezra broke the silence, "I think she had a crush on one of you, but I can't remember. This was over fifteen years ago." Ezra smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "Thanks kid." Vander forced a fake smile across his face.