Chapter Text
Veigar awoke in cold sweat, gasping as he clutched his chest.
He looked around in a panic.
Where is he?
This isn’t his room.
Did he get captured again?
He shut his eyes and tried to regulate his breathing.
It’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine.
He opened up his eyes again and took in his surroundings. The air felt fresher, the room vaguely familiar.
Oh...right. He’s in Bandle.
He still didn’t know how he managed to make it home yesterday. In theory he could lay in bed all day and relax, however Veigar knew it wouldn’t be good on his mental health. He has to practice magic.
Has to get stronger.
The bed sheets fell onto the floor as he got up and stretched, heading to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and stared into his reflection. He looked awful. He had eyebags that were only visible to him, his hands and arms were full of tiny scratches. Most likely from his claws during his sleep. He sighed as he ran his hand up and down his arm, wincing at the feel. He really needed to find a solution to the scratching.
Veigar didn’t like pain.
He didn’t like scratches and wounds. His medicine would end far faster than a regular yordle due to his body refusing to stay still. He really hated sleep too. It was nice at first, the best feeling is to fall asleep slowly, however then the actual sleep came. Endless nightmares, his body fighting against himself, the sweat, the horror when waking up. The fact his brain needs to catch up to the fact it was all a dream. It made him feel small.
He hated feeling small.
He slowly took his steps down the stairs into the kitchen. In Noxus he was used to simply buying basic meats he could simply heat up with his magic. Noxians had a lot of food that was practically complete and all you had to do was heat it up. He’d have to do everything from scratch here. It’s been a while.
He decided something sweet would be nice. Waffles maybe. He got everything ready and slowly began cooking. He couldn’t remember all the steps but thankfully he had a recipe book. Soon enough he had a hot plate of food and some juice. Veigar would never admit it but he did feel proud of himself.
The sunlight was shining so bright it surprised him. Was Bandle always so shiny? The forest did look nice through his window. He didn’t want to be seen by anyone but...he did deserve to indulge in his interests. He finished his breakfast and grabbed to get a notebook.
The trees were more curved in Bandle. Everything was boring in Noxus and he never noticed the beauty of nature. He wrote down good spots to make a little garden in. If he could grow his own food... he wouldn’t ever have to leave! He would just have to buy some materials he can’t grow but it won’t be as often as grocery shopping.
Sure, yordles didn’t need food but Veigar didn’t want to deny himself a meal just because he’s nervous. Which he isn’t. He’s never nervous. He decided right next to his house was the best spot, it was surrounded by trees and he wouldn’t trip and fall over it if he came home in a rush. He was about to head inside when something caught his eye.
The most shiny and pretty flower he’s ever seen. He touched it lightly and watched as it glowed more. This was amazing! Homegrown nightlights would be so beneficial . Did Bandle have other plants he’s never seen? He needed to find out.
He made a quick sketch and description of the flower and went further into the forest.
Teemo wasn’t mad. He never is.
However talking to Lulu did slightly make him frustrated.
She was really nice but her attention span is something he’s never seen before. Tristana seems to have no problem so he feels bad even thinking of it as a negative. She was more collected when Tristana is around her but the moment she’s alone with Pix they’re talking about everything all at once. Teemo likes Lulu of course, she’s a great friend.
But he wishes it was easier to get the task done.
They were walking into the forest so she could check for any magic yet she kept getting distracted by everything. Pix seemed to have something to say about every plant. He sees these plants daily!!! Teemo couldn’t understand Pix, no-one except for Lulu could, it just sounded like funny chirping.
‘‘Lulu, could we maybe hurry?’’
Lulu was busy smelling flowers that in Teemo’s opinion should not be smelled, unless you wanted an upset stomach.
‘’It’s just- i want to make sure nothing is wrong with the forest!’’ Teemo tried again.
Lulu looked up in thought. Pix just seemed annoyed with him.
‘’Looks fine to me!’’ She looked around happily.
‘’Not a crumb of evil magic in sight!’’
Teemo nodded along as if he had the ability to see what she does.
‘’Yes but i need you to look at the spot i needed.’’
Lulu sighed as she stood up.
‘’Okay okay, show me your super evil spot’’
She skipped along beside him as he speed walked to the abandoned house. They followed a spooky trail and turned to corner.
‘’Okay we’re he-’’ He paused and stared.
Lulu looked at Teemo in confusion, then looked at the very much visible house in front of her.
‘’Seeems like a normal house to me!’’
Teemo’s jaw was on the floor. How? It wasn’t here last time! He’s confident it wasn’t there! He stumbled over his words as he tried to come up with anything to say.
Lulu looked at Pix, who looked worried.
‘’Hey Teemo...maybe take it easy with your jobs?’’ She slowly suggested.
Teemo turned around quickly and pointed at the house.
‘’THAT-- that wasn’t there before!’’ He wasn’t going crazy. Lulu nodded sweetly, she didn’t look convinced.
‘’It’s okay to see things sometimes! Life is more whimsical that way!’’ She began brightly, then paused. ‘’BUT i think you should rest, okay?’’
She pat his back a few times then skipped away with Pix following suit.
Teemo kept staring at the house in confusion for a while. Then slapped his forehead and turned back. He hopes Lulu didn’t already tell everyone. If Tristana found out he’s seeing things she’s going to make him take a break far too long for his liking!
UGH!
Veigar came back far later, his notebook full of different plants he found.
He did take notice of the footsteps before his house. Taking note to keep it disguised longer. He really liked plants. They were magical in their own way even if they didn’t have actual magic. He liked many things he no longer indulged in.
The thought made him bitter.
Making the soil fit for planting was easy enough. Bandle was naturally very fit for plant life and Veigar took full advantage of it. His plan was pretty simple. Enough veggies for basic food, a few fruits because he didn’t like them that much and lots of berries he could make jam with.
He cackled at his accomplishments then yawned before heading back home. He’d need to make a permanent disguise. Veigar had a good memory despite losing most of his early life. Which means he knew all too well who’s footsteps those were.
The fairy girl and the worlds most annoying creature ever.
Lulu.
He knew of her, met her a few times around Runeterra. She was very strange. He got the feel that she’s not a bad yordle but in his opinion, not stable enough. In Veigar’s eyes anyone not grounded in reality was dangerous, no matter how well meaning they are.
They never talked to her but she talked at him. Overall he didn’t care if she was around his house.
Teemo however was another story.
He met him during a ‘’mission’’ he was on, he had demanded Veigar hand over some stones he claimed were dangerous to the wildlife around them.
Of course Veigar responded to such disrespect by throwing the stone straight at his face. Teemo didn’t even realise Veigar was a yordle until they ended up in a fistfight. He had seemed shocked and immediately began questioning him. Of course he never got any answers out of him since Veigar won the fight and left the scout in the field will full intent on letting him bleed out and die (if they could). However Teemo came back weeks later trying to convince him to ‘’go back to Bandle since Noxus is dangerous’’. He even called him by his name! Something he didn’t tell him. Creepy stalker in his eyes. He went on a monologue about the scouts then was promptly thrown miles away my Veigar’s gauntlet. He hated those types of yordles.
Thankfully ever since that the only times he saw him was on accident during various trips but now that he was in Bandle it would be hard to avoid him.
So the disguise was extra necessary!
He grabbed his spell book to find a way to make it last longer than a day and began his work.