The heavy air of the Undercity felt even more stifling that night, laden with tensions Vander had tried to hide. You crossed the doors of The Last Drop with determined steps and a furrowed brow, searching for the man who shared your life, your nights, and your dreams… but who now seemed to have left you out of something important.

Vander was behind the bar, wiping a glass with automatic motions, lost in his thoughts. The moment he saw you, his eyes lit up briefly, but the shadow of worry he had been carrying didn’t entirely fade.

"You came back sooner than I expected," he said in his deep, calm voice, trying to sound nonchalant.

You shut the door behind you and crossed your arms.

He sighed, setting the glass aside. "I didn’t want you to worry. You already had enough to handle on the other side of the bridge. I thought I could handle it on my own."