DISCLAIMER: League of Legends is the property of Riot Games; I do not own League of Legends or any of its characters. This is a purely fan-made fiction.
This day was not different from any other day in Bandle City. The Yordles were all running around and having a time of their life, the children having fun and playing Tag while the adults were idly chatting in the city square or sharing a mug of honey mead in the tavern. However, there was one Yordle who still had a hard time living in the city. Rumble growled in defense as he was cornered by three older, slightly taller Yordles who were laughing at him and mocking him like usual.
"I don't know how you're able to have the guts to even stand here, Rumble!" one of then sneered and snickered at him. "You know all the Yordles hate you!"
"That's not true!" Rumble spat back. He felt so cornered right now without his mech, but he was still standing his ground proudly. "Not all the Yordles hate me! It's just jerks like you who still make fun of me! You should look up to me! I've joined the League, y'know!" this only made the other Yordles laugh at him, however.
"Please Rumble, stop making that excuse!" the first one laughed, tears forming in his eyes. "You just got into the League because of your machine, not because of you! You're still a runt in everyone's eyes!"
"Yeah! I bet he didn't even get in there cuz of his Mech! He probably got hired as their mascot! Useless!"
"Yeah! Useless little runt! Get out of here before we beat ya flat!" Rumble did not care of what was said after he was called 'mascot', however. That was far more insulting than what he had heard before. He… just got into the League because he looked like a mascot? He had never thought of it up until now… but he hadn't exactly gotten any of the other Champions' respect after having been accepted into the League. Just more scolding whenever he missed to help out in a lane, or did not defend Turrets well enough in the Crystal Scar. The grey-furred Yordle sighed as he looked down at the ground, feeling beaten down on the inside. "Eh? Still standin' around and about? Fine, we'll teach ya the hard way!" he was about to receive his first hit, but then a loud *BANG* was heard in the background, and right in front of Rumble, a familiar, blue-skinned humanoid Yordle landed, white hair flowing slightly from the flight trip she had taken, and her oversized gun in hand. Tristana.
"Hey, you punks! Back off from him, will you? Pick on someone your own size!" she snapped at them, finding it extremely low whenever someone picked on someone smaller than themselves. It was unfair, and rude. The other three Yordles trembled a bit; while Rumble's fame was not that big from the League, Tristana was well-famed and praised amongst the League members, and there was also the fact that she was one of the famed Megling Gunners of Bandle City. All three of them ran off quicker than the wind blew, and Tristana snickered. "Hehe, thought so, wuzzes. Don't wanna hit me just cuz I'm a girl?" she teased after them, but then turned to Rumble, who was still closing his eyes shut and expecting to be punched in any moment. "Hey, Rumble. You ok?" she asked, and as soon as he heard her voice, he opened his eyes wide open, and saw her standing in front of her. The moment he laid his eyes on her, that familiar feeling of his came back; he felt all tingly inside, and his legs almost turned to mush underneath him. Smiling nervously, he nodded.
"Y-Yeah…" he answered, standing up somewhat straight. "T-Thanks, Tris'… you really saved my fur there!" he added as a bit of a joke, but Tristana just smiled at him caringly. "Um, Tris'… why ya smiling?" he asked, somewhat feeling cornered again, but this time now of fear, but because of nervousness.
"You really know how to get into a mess, Rumble." She joked back with a giggle, and realizing it was just a joke, he laughed with her for a while, before she stopped. "So, what were they on about this time? I'm getting tired of them literally chasing you just to make fun of you…" he sighed a bit, as he suddenly felt like it was his fault he was getting scolded and humiliated each time by the Yordles.
"No-Nothing, Tris'…" he said slowly. "Nothin'…" she just chuckled at his answer.
"You're a terrible liar, you know that Rumble?" she asked him, and placed her hand on his. His entire body jolted as he felt her soft, warm hand on his, and he slowly looked up at her. "Now tell me… why did they keep mocking you? They should be proud another Yordle shows up in the League."
"That's what they made fun of me for…" he sighed. "They don't think I got accepted into the League because of who I am, or even my mech… t-they just think I became accepted because… I was seen as a mascot." At this rate, the furry Yordle had his head down again in shame, feeling like he was worth less and less each moment that passed. He sniffled a bit, looking up at her again. "I-I'm not sad, alright… j-just got somethin' in my eye…" Tristana, however, was very shocked to see this side of Rumble. He was always so happy and easy-going, even on the battlefields he was seen with a wicked smile and a somewhat insane, yet happy laughter. But now, this was a completely different side of him. He was weak, vulnerable, and most of all… sad. She did not want to show it to further worry Rumble, but she felt sad for him too. She knew what kind of Yordle he had been when he was a child. He had been scolded multiple times of his parents for doing what he felt was right, and he quickly developed a short temper as he'd isolate himself from the other Yordles and work with his machines. She sighed, and held Rumble's cheek, which made the other gasp a bit.
"Rumble… listen to me, ok?" she asked, and then went ahead of him, signaling for him to follow, which he did a bit reluctantly. But they did not walk further into Bandle City… they went outside of it. Just at the entrance of the city, near its rather short walls, there was a bench where both of them sat down, just looking out at the forest near them for a while. Then, she finally began speaking again. "Out of all the Yordles here, even Heimerdinger who has managed to move to Piltover…" she looked at him. "I've always thought you were the most passionate and proud Yordle of them all. You work so hard on your machines, always to improve them, make them bigger and better. I can't say the same about Heimerdinger, Kennen, Teemo… or even myself. We were just born with our specialties… but you. You had to honestly and patiently work your way where you are, and really develop the skills you now have. I respect that. I would give anything in the world to be able to train a new skill from scratch like you have…" Rumble was left speechless. What was she talking about? Did she really want to trade anything – even her place as a Megling Gunner Elite – for a life like he had? It was absurd! But, her look in the eye… it was so honest.
"I-I-I don't… I…" he stammered, but could not get the words out for another few seconds. "I-I don't know what to say, Tris'… I mean, it's true… I-I had to really work hard to develop the skills I have with my mechs… b-but you don't want my life, believe me. I had a hard life… I was always treated as the runt either because the simple fact that I was smaller stood out in naked daylight… or simply because my ideas were always ignored by the other Yordles, and once their ideas didn't work, they'd blame it on me. Tris', I respect that you want to do it the same way that I did, but-"
"But what?" Tristana asked. "I don't care if I was treated the same way you were treated. I'd just hold my head high and carry on with a smile on my face… you may not have had a smile on your face… but at least you went on. You didn't quit or anything, did you? No, you just went on, saying 'I am going to show the world the worth of Yordle technology!'. And you did, Rumble. And you're still doing it. I'm happy for you. Really happy."
"T-Tristana…" Rumble was now left utterly speechless, not knowing what to say or do, but he was suddenly interrupted as he was pulled in for a brief, yet oh-so wonderful kiss. And Tristana was not just kissing him friendly on the cheek, either. It was a full-blown one on the lips. His entire head span around like fireworks had gone off inside it, and his body felt so hot it was almost like when his mech Tristy overheated. He let a soft moan slip from inside his mouth, and he slowly, gently kissed her back. It was brief, however, so only seconds later did they break, just looking at each other. "W-Why… did you do that? Aren't you in love with-"
"Teemo?" Tristana asked, and giggled a bit. "Please, don't make me laugh! I mean, sure, me an' Teemo are best friends, and an unbeatable tag team duo… but that's it. Nothing more. I've always wondered if you loved me, Rumble… do you?" Rumble felt cornered again, but right now… he had an 'escape' route; tell her the truth. He gulped a bit, thinking over the kiss again, and then nodded.
"Y-Yeah… I-I-I do, Tris'…" he said honestly. "I mean… y-you were the only Yordle I looked up to… even as a kid, you were there to chase the bullies off of my back… like you just recently did. Everyone was so scared of you, even before you became a Megling Gunner… but not me. I-I was… admiring you. I wanted t-to become like you… brave… strong… f-feel safe to say what I want to… a-and… I can't explain it anymore. I just… love you, really much, Tris'…" his words were filled with honesty, coming straight down from the Yordle's lonely heart, and he just wanted someone to be with him. Anyone. And who else would be more fitting than the one he loved? Tristana was shocked of hearing that Rumble had such feelings for him. "I-I just…" Rumble began. "I just wish I… had something to show you how much I love you…" just then, it hit him… he still had that! "W-Well, I… now that I think of it, I do… have something." He began shuffling through his pants pockets, trying to find something. 'Please let it be there…' he thought, and then he felt something crumple. Yes! That was it!
"Rumble, what is it that you got there?" Tristana asked, now slightly curious. Rumble then pulled out the thing he had been hiding, and gave it to Tristana; a neatly folded piece of paper. She was a bit confused, but accepted as she opened it up, but then gasped. There was a picture on the paper, resembling both her and Rumble… even if the crayon-drawn picture looked like something a kid had drawn. "R-Rumble, this is…"
"Yeah… the picture you gave me on my tenth birthday…" the grey-furred Yordle blushed a bit. "You were the only one who showed up, and you had forgotten to bring a gift… so you drew that real quickly and gave it to me… saying we'd be best friends forever as long as I had it. Hehe… guess those words stuck to me." He chuckled a bit jokingly, but he was surprised as Tristana suddenly jumped onto him and hugged him tightly, picture in hand, and he saw her smile brightly.
"Rumble… this is the best thing I can get right now… it shows that you still believed in me…" she said softly, just hugging around Rumble. Rumble, still a bit shocked, just smiled a bit and hugged her back, stroking over her back softly.
"I always believe you, Tris'. Forever and ever."