𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗘 𝗠𝗘? | vi x fem oc

XVII. the beginning of something

(Please comment and vote xx)

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"We should hit them back!" Sevika, a well known woman within the Lanes, called out as her hands slapped against the table she stood near. "We've got the means the beat them."

"Yeah!" A man yelled out. "Let's teach them what it means to mess with us." The group of teens (and Powder) all hung by in a doorway, looking over each other's shoulders to glance at the crowd with wide eyes. Vander was leaning against the counter, his expression dull with slight boredom at a conversation he's had before. Besides him was Benzo, a well known man to the kids.

"YEAH!" The whole crowd had joined in, shouting and hollering their agreements with the two strays; the two rebels within the group of rebels. Maeve quietly gulped and looked towards Vander, the ever-so-nonchalant bartender that leant with his back against the bar counter, his elbows propping him up.

With a simple flick of the rist, a match was lit and Vander held his pipe to his lips. He lit the contents that were in the end of the pipe, inhaling a couple times with his eyes closed for a moment before he opened them, staring out at the group of grown ups.

"You sure that's what you want?" His voice was cold and stern as he glanced to the side for a second.

"Let's do it." Someone called out, making the group's mentor shake his head disappointedly.

"We crossed that bridge once before," his gaze landed upon the two that had originally spoke out against him, "and we all know how that ended."

"You're just protecting your kids." The guy that Maeve recognized to have been thrown through the arcade window scowled. He had his arms crossed against his chest, his dark hair standing on all ends. His words brought in Vander's attention, forcing the man to stand and get closer so that the kids he "adopted" could be out of sight.

"I'm protecting our people." Vander called out firmly. "I'd do the same for any one of you. We look out for each other. It's the way it's always been." Upon hearing his words, the crowd quietened down and stared at him for a moment. His voice was carrying throughout all of their ears, sinking in to most of their minds. But there were a few that would not adhere to him, that would no longer listen to nor believe in him. "This will blow over. We just need to stand together."

"The Vander I knew," the woman that had started this debate called out. Her shoulder length dark hair almost framed her face whilst her cold icy eyes stared out at Vander with disbelief. "The one who built the underground...wouldn't be afraid to fight."

Vander's eyes darkened as he took a couple thumping steps forwards, his lips encased around the end of his pipe as he took in a sharp enhale before blowing it into Sevika's face.

"Do i look afraid?"

"No." She replied, but she leaned closer and glared with a harsher expression. "You look weak." She whistled sharply before turning, sauntering from the Last Drop with a collection of people loyally following her.

"Why isn't he doing anything?" Claggor asked with a hint of desperation within his tone, but Maeve sighed and slowly pushed passed him. She knew what this could mean, she thought she'd know, anyways.

"Maybe he is afraid..." she whispered, her feet carrying her towards the stairs. Before she descended, however, she looked at the group over her shoulder. "He could be afraid of losing us...after the last rebellion he only had us, didn't he?" She then walked off, her steps echoed down the stairs until it became nothing but a whisper in the air as she was now in the basement fully. She walked towards her usual seat on the couch and sighed to herself before plopping herself onto the seat. She kicked her legs up onto the coffee table, her head leaning backwards.