A/N: So sorry, guys! I haven't updated this in ages. I guess the pile of work I've been procrastinating on caught up with me. (That...and I got tangled up in December. I didn't have internet access for ¾ of the month. The torture!) Anyways, I suggest that you reread Chapter 5, just to refresh your memory. I want to sincerely thank everyone who has been reading since the beginning for their patience!

Chapter 6: Breaking Trust

"You've been awfully lenient lately," Sarah casually comments while walking home Thursday after school.

"What makes you say that?" Ahri asks.

"Well you haven't complained about Ezreal sneaking away during lunch and after school."

"Did you apologize to him yet?" Sarah continued.

"No."

"Are you going to?"

Ahri remained silent, earning a disappointed sigh from Sarah. To Ahri's relief, Miss Fortune discontinued the conversation.

Ezreal nimbly leaped from box to box to vault himself over a chain link fence. The tip of his toe caught the tip of a wire and he began to tumble downward. Quickly, he channeled the momentum and flipped himself upright before landing. Some nearby stray cats who were living in cardboard boxes screeched as they scattered away. Ezreal sighed in relief and brushed off any dirt on his school uniform. Deciding that the accident enhanced his experience, he grinned happily to himself.

"So glad that Ahri hasn't been on me these past few days. It's probably her way of saying sorry."

Ezreal resumes on his adventure, randomly choosing a path as he thought more about the conflicted feelings he felt during the week.

"I'm still pretty annoyed at her," he thought. "I wonder if she'll let me free roam after this whole incident has blown over."

A large, hairy paw clamps down on Ezreal's shoulder. Ezreal jumps forward and turns to take a look at its owner.

"HEY, KID!" A buff man yells at him. "How dare you walk past us." A group of three large men hover behind him. Their bulging muscles and intimidating scowls suggest to Ezreal that the men are not looking for directions. "Didn't you hear us?"

"Oh. Sorry," Ezreal apologizes. He starts slowly backing away. Although he could probably take all of them on, he knew Ahri would give him an earful later if he instigated a fight.

"Where are you going?" a man in the back asked. His ally cracked his knuckles individually. "This is our territory. If you wanna pass though, you gotta pay up. Give us your wallet, kid."

"Huh." Ezreal patted down his pockets facetiously. "Yeah, I don't have my wallet. Can I pay you guys next time?"

"Wise guy, ay?" The man in the back lunged at Ezreal who dodged it easily. "GIVE US YOUR PHONE, THEN" he yelled as he swung another punch. This time it connected, bruising Ezreal's side. Ezreal gritted his teeth and grunted. As if successfully frightening his prey, the man holds out his hand to accept his payment.

Ezreal regains his breath and tosses his school bag aside. "Alright. You asked for it." He growled and held up his fists. The three henchmen responded similarly, letting their leader blend into the background.

Ezreal beats down the three men to the best of his ability. They land some good punches on him which Ezreal returns back and then some. As far as true combat experience goes, Ezreal has the upper hand. Voidlings are far more dangerous than humans. Ezreal pushes the men back with some more punches. He wipes off some blood from the corner of his chin and grinned. This is easy. He could likely take all four of them at once.

"Is that all you got?" Ezreal taunted.

Slowly, their boss walked out of the shadows to join in on the fight. His hands were deep in his pockets. "Don't get cocky," he spit. The leader whipped out a rusty pocket knife. Ezreal's smirk melted.

Ahri and Syndra sit in the living room together, each working separately on recreational projects. The sun is fast setting despite the early hour. Winter or not, Ahri demands that every member be accounted for by nightfall whether that be in person or by call.

"Have you heard from Ezreal?" Ahri asked Syndra for the third time in thirty minutes.

"Do I look like a nanny?" Syndra responded irritably.

"Not his babysitter. I know, I know!" Ahri checked her phone again. "But Ezreal hasn't responded to any of my calls or texts. I'm just worried."

A heavy knock resounds on the front door. The sound of someone fumbling with the lock is heard.

"That better be him," Ahri huffs and rushes to the door. "He's got some nerve not picking up his phone. Maybe I've been too easy on him." She throws the door open.

Ezreal limps into the room and braces himself against the doorway. His knees knock together, flicking the slowly trickling stream of blood on his legs off onto the kitchen tiles. "Hey," he pants.

Ahri squeaks and looks to Syndra. "Get Soraka," she commands.

"No need," Syndra replies. She points back at the hallway where Soraka has poked her head out of the room. Soraka rushes over to look at the situation.

Ahri helps Ezreal sit down on the kitchen floor. "Where were you? What happened?" Ahri demands. She assists in raising Ezreal's blood-stained shirt over his head and starts inspecting the wounds.

"Syndra, get a towel." Ahri looks over her shoulder. Soraka squeezes past to kneel next to Ahri and Ezreal.

"It's nothing serious. I just fell over some stuff."

"Don't lie to me," Ahri hisses. "No one trips and hurts themselves this badly."

"I don't know," Syndra interjects. "Knowing Ezreal, he probably could." She tosses a damp kitchen towel towards Ahri. It unravels and falls into Ahri's outstretched hand.

"What's the commotion?" Sarah leaves her room to lean over the trio sitting on the floor. "Oh. It's not that bad," she says nonchalantly.

Soraka looks over Ezreal's wounds. A few shallow cuts and scuffs blanket his body. Only one of them, a moderately deep stab to Ezreal's kidney, seems somewhat serious. "The clean cut suggests a sharp object...probably a blade," she thinks to herself while healing it. What worries Soraka more is the numerous bruises covering Ezreal's body. There is no way a fall could bruise him all over. She questioningly looks up to meet his gaze. He arches his eyebrows, hinting for her not to ask. She complies, deciding that letting Ahri know would be problematic.

Ahri wipes some of the excess blood off Ezreal's side. He shudders at the cold touch. Ahri wordlessly goes to rinse off the soiled towel and returns to wipe off the blood from the kitchen tiles.

Ezreal breathes a relaxed sigh as the effects of Soraka's healing take hold. His tensed muscles slacken and fatigue edges in. He closes his eyes and lets his head roll back.

Ahri shakes Ezreal's shoulders. He awakens with a jolt. "I'm fine. Just tired."

"Sorry," she mutters.

Soraka sits down on the floor and exhales after healing all of Ezreal's wounds. "Tired?" Sarah asks her. She shakes her head. After healing Lux's entire team, some bruises are of no challenge to her.

"Thanks, Raka." Ezreal smiles at the mint-haired girl. "I'm gonna take a shower, then head off to bed."

"How about dinner?" Ahri asked.

"I'll skip. I'm pretty tired," he answers, hoping that Ahri will not press further about the matter.

"Okay," she replies. Ezreal takes for granted the unusuality of the situation and hastily retreats back to his room.

"Does anyone know what he's up to after school?" Ahri asks openly. Soraka looks to Sarah who in turn looks to Syndra and makes her the center of attention.

Syndra scowls. "Why me?"

Ahri rises from bed early the next morning. Her sleep was troubled, but she did manage to get a few hours of rest in. She yawns silently and walks to her wardrobe to pick out her school uniform. Kiko's ears perk up at the sound of the rustling. It arches its back like a cat before floating slowly over to its master.

"Good morning...or that's what I would say," a semi-high pitched voice rings in Ahri's head. Kiko circles around Ahri and speaks telepathically again. "Why so early?" it asks.

"I decided to cook breakfast."

"So early?"

"A big breakfast."

Kiko followed Ahri into the kitchen once her master had finished getting ready for the day. It floated sleepily onto a chair.

A short while after Ahri lit the stove, Sarah left her room to check on the noise. She groggily pulls up a chair and sits at the dining table, watching Ahri cook from behind.

"Morning, captain," she mumbled. Sarah slumped her head against her hand, resting her tired eyes.

"Sorry. Did I wake you?" Ahri apologize.

"Hmm? Nah," Miss Fortune lied. Ahri did wake her, but it was her decision to get out of bed to see what she was up to. Ahri vaults away from some popping oil. "Do you want some help with that?" Sarah perked her head up.

"Yes, please," Ahri says embarrassedly.