#firelight au

[importantdestinydefender]

Happy 2. Anniversary!

Today is the second Anniversary of my fic Blood Upon Snow! Time flies, holy shit!

[rarepairdumpster]

Firelight Viktor AU Part 3

Part 1 | Part 2

Pairing: Viktor/Silco (Arcane) Rating: M C/W: Realizations, Sexual Tension, Disability Talk, Viktor deserves all the mobility aids

It takes a long time for Viktor to trust Silco. Longer than Silco expected, honestly.

Viktor is like a stick in the mud when it comes to trusting people. He doesn't give it easily. It takes hard work to ease it out.

It had taken over a year of working together for him to really trust Jayce, after all. And look where that got him.

Silco at least seems committed to gaining Viktor's trust. He notices Silco never makes promises he doesn't intend to make good on, and he's kinder than Viktor expected. 

He takes Viktor's suggestion to set up a free clinic in one of the old factories, and it's where Viktor visits often to see how he really is helping the undercity.

The first time he visits, it makes him emotional, because their are old grannies, etc, thanking the workers for helping with their joints. For the medicine. Saying they've had a new lease of life in the last week, etc

He notices their lack of mutations.

And when he asks one of the workers, they make an offended face and explain "Taking too strong a dose over long periods is what causes the mutations. We know the guidelines for administrating it."

Viktor smiles a little at the seriousness that the workers take their jobs. "I'm glad to hear it," Viktor nods. It makes him happy to know that Silco chose good people to hire.

When he gets back home, Viktor has a little cry, and pulls out an old tattered photo of his mother. Wishes he'd been older. Wishes she'd lasted longer. Wishes he'd met Silco sooner.

It's not long before Viktor realizes he's spending more time in the undercity than in Piltover. He keeps making excuses to not be in the lab as if Jayce isn't making similar ones for political ventures, and finds walking the streets topside to be increasingly uncomfortable.

Keeps hearing not-even-remotely-hushed remarks about uppity sumprats daring to ask for a new lift, for water purifiers, etc, and answering outbursts of "ungrateful trenchers"

"As if we havent spent enough money on them already"

Unkind comments about The Industrialist.

Viktor isn't eating very much at him and Silco's, now, weekly dinner at the last drop. All their words keep swirling in his head and it makes him sicker than he already is.

"What is it?" Silco asks, dabbing his mouth with his napkin.

"I don't think I can keep going back there," Viktor answers quietly, not look at him. He pushes some food around his plate with his fork. "The things I hear up there....its sickening. And I hear it more now than ever."

Silco nods. "I have somewhere for you to stay. When you're ready."

Viktor flushes a little. "I think I'm far from ready to stay with you."

"No, of course not," Silco chuckles. "I had a townhouse prepared when I first recruited you. I wanted you down here full time, if you recall."

"A townhouse," Viktor repeats, bemused. "Haven't heard that term used down here before." 

Silco smirks, eyes glinting. "You'd be amazed at the difference knocking a few walls, a fresh coat of paint, and some good furnishings, can make."

"You had that prepared for me?" Viktor asks, a little surprised that Silco went through all that trouble. "And kept it?"

"I had a feeling you would need it one day," Silco explains, taking a drink. "And I'm usually right."

Viktor can't tell if he wants to touch Silco's hand in thanks or kick him under the table for the presumption

"I need another week," Viktor decides. "To gather my things and make arrangements." 

"I'll send a truck whenever you're ready," Silco nods. 

Viktor stares at his food, then up at Silco. "I...Thank you."

"What for?"

"Treating me like a person," Viktor explains. "Like I matter."

Silco frowns like he's actually baffled.

"How else would I treat you?"

"It's just that you were right about everything. My friends, my job...everything." Viktor chuckles sadly. "You're the only one that's stayed consistent in how you've treated me."

Silco's lips thin. Just for a moment.

"I don't relish being right about such things, Viktor," Silco says quietly. "You must know that. If a man deserves anything, it's to be confident his friend has his back. No matter what."

"Then, I'm glad to have you," Viktor smiles, even though he can feel tears stinging his eyes, "as a friend."

Silco almost startles, but contains himself. 

Instead....he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a handkerchief.

Offers it without a word.

Viktor dabs his eyes and thanks Silco, taking a few deep breaths before speaking again. 

"I should go. I have things to prepare."

Let me escort you, Silco thinks, but he doesn't give voice to it. 

Viktor is still too entangled with the firelights for that.

It only takes Viktor a couple days to gather his meager things from his small apartment and make sure that only what he wanted remained on record at the academy. 

He called Silco for the moving vehicle early and was a little embarrassed when all he had to put in the large truck was a small end table, his shower chair, and a couple crates of personal items.

The truck driver gives the contents a funny, half-irritated look, but shrugs. Whatever. Silco is paying for the fuel and his time, so who cares.

Silco is there to greet him when they pull in front of the house. It's nestled between two much taller buildings but still contains the winding brass and chemtech accents native to Zaun. Viktor hasn't seen anything so magnificent that was his.

Silco glances at the limited contents that the driver heaves out of the truck and he raises a brow. "I suppose its a good thing this place is fully furnished."

Viktor looks away, embarrassed. "The academy provided my previous apartment and furnishings. I had planned to get my own things eventually but...nothing ever seemed right."

Silco hums, and suspects he knows why, but doesn't comment. He just opens his palm and reveals the key

Viktor hesitates a moment before taking the key, letting his fingers brush along Silco's palm. "Thank you, again."

"No need." Silco smirks. "I get as much out of this arrangement as you do."

"I'm not sure about that," Viktor chuckles trying to hide the flush of his cheeks. Gods, the crush he had been developing on the man just kept growing. He just hopes that some day he'll have the courage to do something about it. 

"Are you busy?" Viktor asks, a little hopeful. "I could make some tea."

Silco gives him a once-over, and Viktor feels like he got caressed from ankle to throat  "I could drink."

Viktor goes to grab one of his boxes and Silco stops him with a hand on his upper arm. 

"Let them take care of it," Silco smiles. "You've had a long day." 

Viktor nods and goes to the door, opening  it for the first time

The brief touch on his arm lingers, a phantom sensation, warm and tingling.

When he opens the door, he sees that most of the furnishings are covered, but the amount of space is more than Viktor has ever occupied. 

"I do have one thing to show you," Silco smirks, a glint in his eye. He walks forward into the house, looking back to make sure Viktor is following him. He winds his way to the back of the house, near the kitchen, where a small lift was tucked away. "I knew relying on stairs all the time would be difficult for you."

Viktor draws in an unsteady breath. A personal lift? In his house?

Silco was spoiling him.

Silco is a bit hesitant at Viktor's silence. "I understand if I was being too presumptuous or--"

When Viktor's hands fly around his chest and he feels the warm heat of Viktor's body against him, he goes stiff for a moment before letting his arms wind around Viktor as well.

Almost like he can't help himself, Silco tucks his face into Viktor's neck and inhales.

Viktor isn't usually one for acting out of emotion, but no one had ever thought of him like this. His leg and back were an inconvenience and a problem to be fixed.

But Silco saw him.

"I'm sorry, I..." Viktor couldn't bring himself to pull away from the warm embrace. Not yet.

"It's alright."

Silco ends up being the one to part them, the temptation too strong when his lips were so close to the skin of Viktor's neck.

"I believe I was promised tea," Silco gives Viktor a soft smile, his hands resting on the boys shuulders

"Ah. Yes." Viktor flushes. "Right."

Arch + Woods

[f1shbonez]

❛ promise me you’ll still be here when i wake up. ❜

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong wrong wrong. 

Everything felt like a series of closing doors. The busted job. The shimmer. Ekko. Everything that could have gone wrong was going wrong and the entire pack of Firelights was reeling in the aftermath. Suddenly it felt like Jinx’s days were numbered. The dream was over, wasn’t it? Dreams never lasted. It was time to wake up. 

Ekko’s room felt tiny with all the Firelights that came and went. Jinx knew Scar well enough to see that he hadn’t been happy about her pitching up camp, but he’d known better than to push the matter. Not right now. Not when they were all worrying in their own ways. Not when she had enough shimmer in her system to tear him to pieces. 

Since when was staying put such a foreign concept to these guys? The other Firelights that came and went had other people. If the job had gone off without a hitch she’d have been with Ekko right now, anyway. Scar had Z and Ahri, Eve had Ray… Everyone had someone else to slink off to. They had someone to listen and offer some kind of assurance in the aftermath of everything.

Besides, Jinx hadn’t made any move to stop the bugs from coming in and tending to their gravely wounded leader. They moved differently around her now, as though a wolf had seated itself in a field of lambs. Jinx ignored the way it stung. The discomfort paled in comparison to the desperate caged fear she felt seeing Ekko on his bunk, unconscious and scuffed up to hell. The way they were looking at her distorted with every subtle movement. Was it blame, disgust, fear, or plain sadness? Jinx couldn’t tell.  

Was breaking a cardinal rule okay if it meant Ekko survived? So far, it seemed like nobody wanted to tell her. Perhaps her recklessness deserved their disdain, or the ugly feeling attached to their fear. Someone had to make her feel bad about it in Ekko’s absence, she supposed. 

Jinx’s presence was deadly silent as the others did their checks, only melting back to something more human once the door was closed and they were alone. 

You were supposed to talk to people when they were unconscious. Jinx was certain of it. It was supposed to help them wake up. It was supposed to tether them a little closer to the land of the living. All the other bugs had been so busy talking to each other, none of them had even bothered to ask unconscious Ekko what he thought.

“-And that’s when I found out that if it’s oil-based you’re kindaaaa screwed.” Jinx recounted, resting her cheek in the crook of her arm from where she lounged with a deceptively steady demeanour.

“‘Course I never told him that at the time- It was kind of a fake-it-’til-ya-make-it phase I was going through. Turns out that’s not just a me thing, but I was in too deep by that point. And once you’re committed, well…that’s kinda just the way things have gotta go.” 

Shimmer-laced eyes lifted to Ekko’s face, as though expecting some form of response. Ignoring the plummeting feeling in her chest, Jinx redirected her focus to the workbench at the other side of the room. It was just a silly bump on the head, that was all. They just didn’t have magic strong enough to patch him up faster. No shimmer, either. Sure, Z had come to take a look, but Jinx hadn’t liked the concern riddling the lines on her face. Not one bit. 

The memory of the bullet tearing through Ekko’s skull ripped back into Jinx’s mind again. The sound. The sudden weight of him collapsing in her arms. The stomach-churning dread as they began to plummet together.   

No. It wasn’t real. 

It wasn’t.

She’d managed to make it stop. She’d helped…hadn’t she? Unable to shake the feeling of guilt, Jinx pulled herself to her feet and drifted closer to Ekko. Sure, she’d circumvented the bullet with his name on it, but had she just found a slower, more painful way to kill him? 

The ferocious rush of shimmer through her veins sharpened everything. But there was nothing left to fight now. The only danger left was one that she couldn’t tear apart. It was something delicate. Precarious. She’d never been good with that.

But she wanted to try. 

The steady rise and fall of Ekko’s chest soothed the monstrous fear within Jinx. An unspoken weight of grief and tenderness lingered in unnaturally pink eyes. Did he know she was still here, could he feel it? Pale fingers feathered a reverent path towards his cheek. Gentle. She could be gentle. 

“Promise me you’ll still be here when I wake up.” 

The words he’d spoken hours ago swam through her mind. 

Silly Ekko asking silly questions. She’d loathed the weakness in his voice. Hearing him speak was supposed to make her feel better, so why had the handful of stupid words he managed to croak make her feel even worse?!

“Where else would I be?” She’d murmured back, wondering if he’d been awake long enough to hear her. 

Ekko had been so out of it that he hadn’t looked at her differently like the others. Was that because he saw her through the shimmer, or because he was so out of it he hadn’t noticed? From how Z was talking, it sounded like the more he slept, the worse it could be. He’d been sleeping a lot. 

If Ekko pulled through, what was he going to say? Would he be upset, or would he understand? She’d done what none of the others could have done. The Firelights had needed a weapon. If Jinx could be anything, she could be that. 

None of them knew that the closeness between their leader and his old flame was a little …closer these days. Things had been good. Too good. Good enough to lose yourself in the haze before it all came crashing down. It was like the universe’s sickest joke to offer a taste of something better- for Jinx to become more of a skeleton in a closet than a daily appearance. She’d learned what it was like to fix things- to be a part of something. To heal. To love.

“...You’re gonna hafta wake up soon.” A steady stream of morning light was trickling through the window. From the foot of the bed, Jinx’s words rose with an air of steadiness she didn’t remotely feel. She couldn’t crumble now. She couldn’t. Ekko needed her to be strong. 

“‘Cause I told you all the gossip and stories I can think of–and I know we got interrupted halfway through the swimming one, but there’s no chance I’m risking a re-telling when breakfast could appear.”

[starry-nights12]

The immense amount of ANGST potential this has!!!?!! Especially if you love the Firelights Jinx AU.

Also, Ekko's line to Caitlyn:

"If your people had it their way, it be rubble and ash."

Sounds like a hell of a lot of foreshadowing.

Imagine there's Jinx has a 10,000 coin reward for her capture. They could have trusted the wrong person and told the Enforcers of her whereabouts.

The Firelights(specifically Ekko since he's the leader) are charged and arrested for harboring a known fugitive for months.

When they invade the hideout;

Ekko, Jinx, and the rest of the Firelights are not going to let them destroy their home without a fight.

Also, Jinx and Ekko being hellbent to protect each other during their fight with The Enforcers.

[scourge-sympathiser]

obsessed with the idea of med cat firepaw getting SO many omenz & signz & propheciez like. starclan haz 0 problemz getting into contact with this funky little man.......... but. the problem is. firepaw is just.... SO bad at interpreting thm... hez just constantly & consistently wrong & clueless...... his connection with starclan is nerfed by the fact tht hez an orange cat

[importantdestinydefender]

Finally finished this piece! (GOD, I love these two)

[importantdestinydefender]

Here they are! The entirety of Azar's cousins!

In order of age:

Gael - 29, oldest: the assumed voie of reason and leader of the siblings (not always), married 9 years with 4 kids

Flynn - 28, second: forever bachelor and the OG nut job, most skilled with the scythe in the field

Levan - 25, third: tallest and calmest (the actual voice of reason), heir to the inn and farm

Meri - 22, twin 1: nut job apprentice Nr. 1, second best storekeeper and animal trainer (the only sister/daughter)

Mamuka - 22, twin 2: nut job apprentice Nr. 2, second best repairman and animal trainer

Nukri - 19, youngest: the fawn (literally) of the family, the handyman

Version with names under cut

Edit: I WANTED TO ADD THE MEANING OF THE NAMES GOSH HOW COULD I FORGET!! (Side note before I get flamed, Gael and Flynn kept their names from the very first ideas of my fic so they have a different lanugage origin, I was just too attached to their names...)

Gael - not entierly sure anymore but behindthename says it is a term for speakers of Gaelic languages (English, Breton)

Flynn - blood red (Irish)

Levan - lion (Georgian)

Meri - Georgian form of Mary

Mamuka - little father (Georgian) what the fu-

Nukri - fawn (Georgian)

[importantdestinydefender]

A new WIP for Azars extended family!