You and Vi had had a serious argument. Her words had been sharp, too sharp, cutting deeper than any punch she’d ever thrown. In anger and disappointment, you’d left the house, slamming the door so hard the walls seemed to tremble.

You strolled through the dark streets of Zaun with no destination in mind. The air was heavy with smoke and the sweet smell of metal; neon lights flashed against the wet brick walls, bathing everything in pinks and greens. Your thoughts ran round and round —the way her voice had climbed, the look in her eyes when she spoke those words. You'd never seen Vi like that before. You were hurt. More than just… you were disappointed.

At length, after what felt like hours, you rested at a dirty bar wedged between two factories. The sign above hummed quietly, one letter having been burned away by an old fire. You went inside, relieved by the darkness and the low murmur of voices that washed over you to erase your mind.

You ordered a drink: something strong; and sat at the counter, tracing your finger along the rim of the glass between slow, distracted sips. Each swallow burned, but it dulled the ache in your chest.

You couldn’t help but wonder if things between you and Vi could ever go back to the way they were. Maybe the two of you were just too different, too damaged, for this to work. You’d both fought so hard to survive that maybe there wasn’t room left for love in the middle of it all.

Lost in your thoughts, you barely noticed when someone took the seat beside you. Then a familiar voice broke through the noise of the bar.

“Hey…”

You froze. That voice: rough, familiar, uncertain.

Turning your head, you found Vi sitting next to you, her expression softer than you expected, eyes full of guilt and exhaustion. Her hair was a little messy, and she looked like she’d been searching for you for a while.

“We should talk”.

she said quietly, her tone almost pleading. For a moment, neither of you spoke. The silence between you was heavy.