Breathe In, Breathe Out

by Jonofthefunk

All Heimerdinger wanted to do was to have some relaxation and meditation to himself, to prepare for a match. But when Rumble comes in, looking to mess with him purely out of petty, hateful spite, Heimerdinger's inner rage is brought into light. (Implied Master Yi/Heimerdinger Friendship) (Rated T for Occasional Language) (Reviews would be much appreciated)

(AU: First off I wanna say that I wanna thank Moogle890 for getting me into League of Legends in the first place. It's almost been a month since I started playing the game, and I'm stuck like glue to it. When he got me into the LoL community, he made sure to get me hooked on the lore as well, and I was pleasantly surprised at how hooked I was, considering LoL is one of those games that doesn't exactly present the story as a major selling point, kinda like how fighting games for the most part don't present their plot as a selling point. But regardless, I'm hooked on the lore, and it's a dang good fantasy setting. The following fanfic I worked on all day yesterday in one day, but I had the idea for it for the past week. I was shocked to feel like having the urge to write something like this, because I'm normally the kind of person to riff on fanfiction, what with their M-Pregs and their Crossovers and their Ebony Dark'Ness Dementia Raven Ways, etc etc. It doesn't help me that just last month I turned 20 years old XD. So yeah, I have no idea why I wrote this, but hey at least I can say I wrote a story about two midgets. Anyway, I don't know if I plan to write more fanfictions like this in the future, but who knows? Maybe if you give me some positive feedback (Hint Hint :3) or even criticism (Shower me with your hate, Oh yesssss~), I may make more in the future. Anyway, enjoy my story...or else :I)

"Breathe in...breathe out...Mother Nature's boundless
wonders shall soothe your soul...and shall guide your spirit to
boundless fortunes..."

Normally, the preceding sentence would be said by a yoga
instructor, instructing a class on how to release their inner
spirit, and meditate. However, the voice speaking the words was
nowhere near that of a yoga instructor. Instead, these were the
words of Heimerdinger, The Revered Inventor, as he closed his
eyes and sat down against the many stone slabs that made up the
bridge known as the Proving Grounds, the sunset in the background
shining it's radiant light on the back of his accidentally
enlarged head.

The founder of the Yordle Academy of Science and
Progress, and Champion of the City-State Piltover, was the last
person to seek personal spiritual enlightenment of any kind. Most
people's perspective about the yordle was that he was a hard
working man, working diligently and efficiently to a greater
Valorian, and in turn, a better Runeterra...and they would be
right. However, today the man was troubled by stress and nerves,
as he would be called to the Summoner's Rift tomorrow morning for
battle. Tomorrow would be a battle between Piltover's champions
vs Zaun's champions. Heimerdinger in particular, along with one
of his closest admirers, Ziggs the Hexplosive Expert, would be
part of the Piltover side of the fight, alongside Ezreal the
Prodigal Explorer, Jayce the Defender of Tomorrow, and Caitlyn,
the Sheriff of Piltover, putting him and his admirer Ziggs on the
side of Piltover's more well respected heroes.

It was an honor to be considered one of Piltover's most
respected heroes...Yet, despite competing in battles before
where he was in no real mortal danger, he was...unsettled. He has
experienced death before, and came back from the dead many times
due to the League of Legends' magic, allowing a champion to
rejoin the fight completely unscathed. Heimerdinger was fully
prepared to experience the pain of death many times. But first,
he had to relax, and let the spiritual energy of his surroundings
soothe his stressed mind.

"Breathe in...Breathe out..."

Heimerdinger would have had so much stress problems, to
the point where his large afro would have fallen off long ago, if
he wasn't good friends with Master Yi of Ionia. They had met many
times before in the past, and Heimerdinger had done nothing but
support the last of the Wuju practitioners with many of his
inventions, out of the goodness of his heart. Most notably, his
most treasured gift was the Seven Lenses of Insight, something
that Master Yi still uses to this day.

From the first time the two had met, they had become the
best of friends, close friends even. When the two would ever meet
to compete in the Fields of Justice, wither it'd be on the same
side or opposite sides, they made a promise to each other to hang
out on the day before as close friends would. One day, before an
important match, Heimerdinger's first major battle as a Piltover
champion, Master Yi caught the yordle nearly losing his mind in a
fit of stress as he tried to get his techmaturgical inventions
ready. After Master Yi managed to calm the inventor down in the
middle of his panic attack, he decided to return the kindness
shown by Heimerdinger long ago, and give him a gift in
return...the Gift of Wuju.

Master Yi didn't teach the yordle much at all, as all his
serious teaching would go to his apprentice Wukong, The Monkey
King. But what he did teach him is how to meditate. After he had
calmed Heimerdinger down, Master Yi convinced him to join in a
meditation session, exposing him to the spiritual relaxation that
was Wuju-Style meditation. It was an event that strengthened
their friendship immensely, and every time they met up, wither
together before a match, or when one would visit the other, they
would make sure to free up some time for some meditation.

But Master Yi wasn't there to meditate with him today.
The Wuju Bladesman was back in Ionia, probably teaching Wukong
more and more about the Wuju Style. As such, Heimerdinger was
alone meditating by himself, the first time he was meditating
alone. It would be tough having to mentally prepare to be
potentially gutted to pieces over and over by Dr Mundo, the
Madman of Zaun, or to suffer a slow painful death multiple times
at the paws of Twitch, the Plague Rat, but for the sake of 'Great
Science' he had to try.

"Breathe in...breathe out...Mother Nature's boundless
wonders shall soothe your soul...and shall guide your spirit to
boundless fortunes...such is the way...Wuju Style..."

"Well, if it isn't Heimerdinger, the double-timing
traitor who dares to call himself a yordle."

Heimerdinger's eyes opened for the first time since he
sat down, revealing none other then Rumble, the Mechanized Menace
standing right in front of him. And the second Heimerdinger
looked at the boy's eyes, he knew just from looking at them that
the runt had nothing but menace in his eyes. Rumble too had a
match tomorrow morning, representing Bandle City with the likes
of Teemo, the Swift Scout, Tristana, the Megling Gunner, and even
Poppy, the Iron Ambassador. He too was paired up with the most
respected of Bandle City's Champions. And yet, Heimerdinger
wasn't part of the band of yordles competing for their home
City-State. Needless to say, Rumble's immature need to ridicule
was inevitable.

"I must say that was very rude of you to interrupt my
meditation like that." Said Heimerdinger, still sitting down up
against the bridge, to which Rumble merely spat at the inventor's
feet in spite.

"I rather be rude then be a traitor, traitor. I heard
you're in town to represent Piltover in a match. Funny, I'M here
too, representing MY home...unlike YOU, Mr. 'Revered Inventor'."

Heimerdinger merely chuckled in amusement, listening to
the young yordle's blatantly petty insults. He could remember a
long time ago how Rumble's teachers constantly recommended him on
a daily basis to join the Yordle Academy of Science and Progress,
and even at one point Heimerdinger sent out an invitation to the
little yordle. But, unfortunately, Rumble refused due to his own
personal differences. "Now Now, I'm not insulting your home, so
don't insult mine." Said Heimerdinger, to which Rumble quickly
retorted.

"Cause you know you can't defend yourself, you sellout. I
can see right through you, traitor. You are so fake, it makes my
eyes bleed. You always put on this act of kindness, ALL the time,
talking how oh you're this nice guy and how you're this super
helpful guy. But deep down inside, I know you're nothing more
then a self-righteous prick. I know your students are just like
you, tell that to the four that nearly beat me to death."

"If you're concerned about what happened to you in the
past, just know that I made sure those 4 young boys were punished
severely. They're all lucky I didn't make sure they never worked
on another invention in their life." Said Heimerdinger. He
appeared to be quite amused at the yordle's accusations of 'being
fake', and just simply chalked it up to the young man being
bitter about nothing...as always.

"They SHOULDN'T be working on another invention period.
Hell, they're lucky Tristy wasn't made back then, or you'd see me
locked up in jail." For a moment, Heimerdinger actually chuckled
at the idea of a tattooed, scarred up Rumble, to which Rumble
growled in anger. "See?! You're so arrogant."

Heimerdinger merely waved his hands in denial, still
chuckling, "No, no, I swear it's not that. I just thought of
something funny is all." As much as Heimerdinger prided himself
on being a respectful man, the blatant attempt to piss him off
was starting to become quite comical. "Look, young man, I
understand you have issues with me. But your hatred is completely
unfounded. I am terribly sorry for the childhood you had to grow
up in, but I have not done anything to you, other then attempt to
make the world a better place. If you disagree with my ideology,
by all means do so. But, your petty attempts of angering me are
now borderline comical."

For a moment, both yordles were silent, but neither of
their facial expressions wavered. Rumble was still itching for a
fight, and Heimerdinger tried to get back into meditating once
more as he closed his eyes once more and began to inhale deeply.
However, just as he was about to exhale, Rumble suddenly said, "I
wonder how much lives were lost when your insane lunatic of a
student, Ziggs, overheated that engine of his. I wonder how it
felt to him, being rejected by his superiors...Hmmmmmm, I wonder
how it felt to ridicule him for his shortcomings."

It was then Heimerdinger's eyes opened quickly, as the
runt finally struck a cord with him. "...He did a great deed, and
saved the lives of many of my staff. Ziggs redeemed himself, and
became the Deacon of Demolitions for a reason. He needn't your
insults." Rumble started to grin in response, said grin slowly
growing on his face as if he were the Cheshire Cat.

"Saved the lives of many of YOUR staff eh?~ What, are you
telling me you wouldn't care if it were random students?~ Eh, Mr.
'Revered Inventor'?~"

Heimerdinger wasn't expecting these kinds of low blows
from the yordle at all. And even if he did expect a jab at his
admirers, it still would have hurt. Heimerdinger was dedicated to
the success and well-being of all his students, regardless of
their skills in the classroom. Insulting just one of them was
like insulting the entire family in the Revered Inventor's eyes.
"You know very well what I mean, young man. Don't you think about
insulting the past of my students, any one of them." He said in a
firm voice, trying his best to not sound angered.

Rumble was like a shark smelling blood, as his toothy
grin merely complimented that mindset. "You know what I find
funny, sellout? I absolutely looooooove how you sell yourself as
this inventor dedicated to improving the world in the name of
science." Rumble paused for a moment, savoring in the moment of
what he was about to say next. "Tell that to the Wujus. Oh no
wait, you can't can you? All but one are dead! And what did you
do to help them? You made one set of lenses for the last one
remaining that I could easily crush with one stomp from ole
Trist-"

Quicker then the runt expected, Heimerdinger stood back
up on his own two feet, and grabbed him by the shirt collar,
catching Rumble by surprise and causing a surprised squeak of
terror to escape the yordle's lips as Heimerdinger lifted him up
to eye level with both hands. No longer was this a calm collected
Heimerdinger. Perhaps, this was the stress that Heimerdinger was
trying to soothe away all those minutes ago through meditation.
But whatever the case, Rumble was about to completely experience
the rage that he had just unleashed.

"You petty, insulting, disrespectful, dirty ape! First
you have the nerve to completely ridicule one of my most talented
students' shortcomings! And then you the nerve, THE NERVE, to
make that disgusting, tasteless, VILE remark about a close friend
of mine! Do you have any idea the pain he experiences on a daily
basis? This man's people died, and he was the lone survivor. If
he were here right now, I guarantee you that you would lose much
of your teeth. But since he's here, allow me to act on his
behalf!"

Heimerdinger shoved him roughly down the the ground.
Rumble grunted in pain as he landed hard on his back. The Revered
Inventor, in his anger, pulled out one of his trusty wrenches,
the sight of which caused the runt of a yordle to start crawling
towards the other side of the bridge in a desperate attempt to
get away.

"H-Hey, what are you d-doing?! Please, I-I'll go, I
promise! Just don't hurt me!"

Normally, Rumble would be much braver then this. After
all, in his youth, he was beat up by 4 humans that far surpassed
him in height and weight. However, today he was so sure that he
could easily mop the floor with Heimerdinger, so much so that he
didn't even bring his trusty mech Tristy to confront the
inventor. Needless to say, a poor decision.

"I have had enough to hear with your petulant demeanor! I
have done nothing wrong to you, and yet you ridicule me every
chance you had behind my back. You insult my friends, you insult
my character, and you insult my loyalty to my people! My loyalty
is to no one race. My loyalty is Bandle City, nor Piltover, nor
Demacia, nor Noxis, and not even Valorian! My loyalty is to ALL
of Runeterra, this wonderful planet we call home! And what do you
do, you ridicule me like a whiny brat!"

Heimerdinger raised his wrench up high into the air,
angered enough to the point of wanting to beat some sense into
the little runt. But before he could strike down, Heimerdinger
caught a good glimpse at a pathetic looking, curled up, fearful
for his life Rumble on the ground, all to easy to do some damage
to him if it weren't for common, logical sense to slowly creep
back in Heimerdinger's head. He placed his wrench back from
whence it came, pausing in place as the reality of the moment
sank into his head. His anger almost took control of him, and he
had nearly assaulted the young yordle.

With a heavy, regretful sigh, Heimerdinger knelt down and
merely patted the curled up Rumble on the top of his mohawked
head. "...I am deeply ashamed of what has just occurred young
man. If I am punished by the League for this, I will take full
responsibility for my actions." The inventor sighed. "However,
know one thing, young man." Said Heimerdinger, giving Rumble a
little bit of a cold shoulder as he then started to walk away,
"You have plenty of growing up to do...just as I need to apparently.
Just know that I am not the fake, and the failure you think I am.
I am deeply sorry for what I almost did, but I refuse to
apologize for your blatantly vile behavior. So I will instead
leave you be. Tell the League of what just occurred if you wish,
but I hope you learned that even a 'sellout' has feelings."

And with that, Heimerdinger began to walk away, looking
to leave the Proving Grounds bridge and retire towards his
sleeping quarters for the day. If he was to be punished for his
actions, he was ready to accept the consequences. He was ashamed
of what he did, but what's done was done. He needed to get his
mind off the incident for the time being, because right now, he
needed to focus on making sure he was mentally prepared to be
struck multiple times with an infected cleaver, or poison infused
crossbow bolts. And so, with a deep sigh, Heimerdinger repeated
the words he had chanted earlier in his mind, hoping that it
would relieve his stress on the way back to his quarters.

"Breathe in...breathe out...Mother Nature's boundless
wonders shall soothe your soul...and shall guide your spirit to
boundless fortunes...such is the way...Wuju Style...Goodness
am I'm going to be feeling bad about this tomorrow..."