How would Hermione, Luna, and Draco (separately) react to their muggle s/o doing magic for the first time?
Scenario: their s/o is a muggle, but is also a genius when it comes to science, inventing, and robotics, and one day they come up to them and yell out triumphantly "Aha! Look what I made! I can do magic now!" Holding up a mechanical wand with a magic stone attached.
So far, they can only make stuff explode with it lol.
â HERMIONE GRANGER â
Hermione freezes the moment you proudly declare you can do magic now.
At first, she looks⊠genuinely concerned.
Not in a judgmental way, but in that very Hermione way where her brain is already running through twelve different explanations, five safety concerns, and at least three possible rule violations.
âY-you canât just become magical,â she says carefully, stepping closer, eyes narrowing at the device in your hand. âThatâs not how magic works. Itâsââ
And then you demonstrate.
Thereâs a loud crack, a flash, and something nearby explodes.
Hermione yelps and physically flinches backward, grabbing your arm immediately after to check if youâre hurt. Once she realizes youâre fine, her expression shifts completely.
Now sheâs fascinated.
She starts circling you, asking rapid-fire questions, already reaching for the wand.
âWhat is that made of? How are you channeling energy? Is that a focusing crystal? Is it converting some form of kinetic or electrical input into a magical output?â
You can practically see her brain lighting up.
Sheâs not even bothered that itâs chaotic or dangerous. Sheâs amazed that you, a muggle, found a way to replicate magic through science.
That becomes her new obsession.
Within days, sheâs helping you stabilize it, taking notes, comparing it to wand cores, and trying to figure out if what youâve created is actually magic⊠or something entirely new.
Every time something explodes, she jumps a little.
Then immediately starts writing it down.
â LUNA LOVEGOOD â
Luna does not question it.
Not even for a second.
You run up to her, excited, holding your mechanical wand like itâs the greatest invention in the world, and she just tilts her head, smiling softly.
âOh, that makes sense,â she says.
Thatâs it. Thatâs her reaction.
When you demonstrate and something explodes, she watches it with calm curiosity, her eyes reflecting the light like sheâs watching fireworks.
âI think it likes you,â she adds thoughtfully, as if your invention has feelings.
She takes the wand gently when you offer it, turning it over in her hands like itâs something precious and alive.
âThereâs a lot of intention in this,â she hums. âMagic doesnât always come from where people expect it to.â
She fully accepts that what you made is magic.
Not fake magic. Not imitation.
Real magic, just⊠different.
Luna becomes your biggest supporter. Sheâll sit with you while you tinker, offering strange but oddly insightful suggestions, like adding âsomething that feels like moonlightâ or âa softer energy so it doesnât get overwhelmed and explode.â
And somehowâŠ
Those suggestions actually help.
When things blow up, she never startles. She just laughs softly, brushing ash off her clothes.
âItâs learning,â she says, like that explains everything.
â DRACO MALFOY â
Dracoâs first reaction is offense.
Pure, immediate offense.
âA muggle⊠doing magic?â he repeats, looking at you like youâve just personally insulted centuries of wizarding history. âDonât be ridiculous.â
He doesnât even take you seriously at first.
He assumes itâs some kind of gimmick. A toy. A desperate attempt to imitate something you donât understand.
Then you demonstrate.
The explosion is loud, messy, and very real.
Draco actually jumps, immediately whipping his head toward the blast, eyes wide in genuine shock before he quickly tries to compose himself.
ââŠThat was an accident,â he says quickly, even though he knows it wasnât.
When you do it again, his expression changes.
Now heâs staring.
Really staring.
He walks closer, slower this time, eyes locked on the mechanical wand like itâs something dangerous.
âThatâs not possible,â he mutters, more to himself than to you. âMuggles donât have magic. They just⊠donât.â
But youâre standing right there, holding proof that something is happening.
And it unsettles him.
Not because heâs scared of you, but because it challenges everything he was raised to believe.
Still, he doesnât dismiss you anymore.
Instead, he gets⊠sharp.
âWhatâs powering it?â he asks, voice quieter now. âYou didnât just âmake magic.â Thereâs a mechanism. There has to be.â
He starts picking it apart verbally, trying to understand it, trying to contain it in logic.
But hereâs the thing.
He keeps coming back to watch you use it.
Keeps asking questions.
Keeps pretending heâs unimpressed while clearly being anything but.
And if anyone else tries to mock you?
He shuts that down immediately.
Because even if he doesnât fully understand it yetâŠ
So this is a sort of secret crossover between Criminal Minds and Numb3rs, the reader is going to be based off of Charlie Eppes in that show, but will still be referred to as (y/n)! Enjoy! Xxx
WARNING: This chapter contains mention of rape, death, guns and other weaponry, if you are sensitive to these, you probably shouldn't read this book at all.
_______________________________
Third Person pov
The BAU hadn't worked a case this frustrating in a long time. A serial rapist, quite uncommon for what it was, they had a good idea of what profile the guy had, but the last of his victims, was the first one he had killed, so they had to rewrite the profile. This case was difficult on everyone, the rapist had attacked and raped twelve women, now killing his thirteenth. It had taken them this long to get a decent view on his mental state, but now, a wrench had been thrown into the works and they needed reinforcements.
Jason Gideon was stumped, something quite rare for him, he was looking around the room at his team.
JJ was reading through the case file, specifically the newly added victim, Rachel Abbott, most likely trying to figure out what to tell the press. The FBI was getting tips about the rapist for weeks but now that there was a new victim, more specifically a dead one, the tips were becoming too much for anyone, even the FBI, to keep track of.
Morgan was trying to reenact the crime, trying his best to get into the killer's head. Everyone had the same question in their minds, why now? What was so different about Rachel Abbott that the unsub had to kill her? If defiling women's bodies wasn't enough, he branded them too. A final show of possession, a brand, the mark was a ring with four small crosses inside of it, pressed into the neck.
Elle was dead quiet, looking over the files of the victim's family, all of the victims' families... Looking for possible psych matches or clues of the killer's whereabouts.
Reid was, as usual, reading everything. He was taking in the room, the case files, the crime board and photos of the scene, anybody else would have shut their brain down with the amount of information he was flooding into it, but Spencer just sat and observed.
Gideon knew they needed help, but didn't exactly know who to ask. Until it struck him. He stood up, grabbed Hotch by the elbow and led him out of the conference room, a flurry of confused eyes following them. Hotch had been busy looking over people to ask for said help when he had been dragged out of his task.
"(l/n)." Gideon said, a sparkle in his eye and a smile on his face. Hotch looked confused for a moment, until he pulled out a file he had been looking at earlier.
Doctor (y/n) (l/n).
_________________________
The agents walked with purpose through the halls of Georgetown University, they knew who they needed and there wasn't time to waste. There was laughing and cheering as they stepped into a lecture hall, seeing 'Maths for non-mathematicians' written in fun, coloured, block capitals on the chalkboard. They also saw Doctor (y/n) (l/n), teaching the classroom filled with everyday people, not students who went to the school, just people looking to broaden their horizons.
"Okay, most people believe that they can trust their natural instincts, right?" She asked, looking around the room and seeing nodding of heads, her gaze met the stony eyes of Jason Gideon, eyes she hadn't seen in years, he smiled and gave a small wave, she smiled back but continued with her class. "However, maths suggests that our instincts aren't always correct. We're gonna play a little game, I want you all to pretend that we're on a game show," She began, gesturing over to three large cards that she had laid upright, the picture facing away from the crowd.
"And I, am your cheesy game show host," She said with a grin, earning laughter from the room. Gideon could practically hear the cogs turning in the room, the fastest cogs were that of Spencer Reid, who looked intrigued, before figuring it out.
"It's the Monty Hall Problem," He whispered, Gideon and Hotch already placing hands on his shoulders and covering his mouth, before the class for non-mathematicians became taken over by a very real mathematician.
Once (y/n) had finished setting up the cards, she looked back at the class, "Behind one of these cards, is a brand new automobile," She informed, wiggling her fingers at the cards, "And behind the other two, are goats. Yeah, goats, don't ask why, that's just what I wanted to put on the cards!" She declared, laughing with the room. Gideon smiled looking at (y/n), he hadn't seen her in years but could see that she had acclimatised to her position nicely, she had the whole class eating out of the palm of her hand, hanging on every word, including his team.
"Now I need a volunteer," Once again, Hotch and Gideon kept Spencer back from volunteering any information.
"Come on, more of you than that!" She jeered, encouraging others to join in the demonstration. "Julie, why don't you pick one of these cards? Remembering, of course, that the objective is to win the car, not the goat, as cute as I have made them!" She muttered, earning more laughter from the class. The girl from the front of the class, Julie, picked a card, the one in the middle.
Before turning it over, (y/n) asked her class, "Now, what are the chances of that card being the winning card?" At this point, Spencer was silently dying and the team was looking over at him, smiles on their faces at their beloved brainiac.
"One in three." Julie responded with conviction.
"Brilliant, three choices, one car, simple enough right?" (y/n) explained, the class nodding along, "Now, here's where the game takes a turn, I'm gonna reveal to you one of the cards that you didn't choose," Turning one of the cards over to reveal a goat. "Cute isn't he?" (y/n) giggled.
"So, we have one card we know is a goat, two cards left to be revealed. Now, knowing what you know, do you want to switch your choice of card? Or, more importantly, for the purpose of this class, does it matter? Will switching your choice improve your chances of winning?" (y/n) asked the class, genuinely curious to see their side.
Julie looked confused, "Well, no. Because now there's two cards, it's fifty-fifty, right?" She asked, the class mumbling and nodding along with her. Spencer was frantically shaking his head, catching (y/n)'s attention and summoning a loud laugh from her.
"Well, it seems like someone in the back knows the next part of this class," She chuckled, leaving Spencer's face red, beginning to fiddle with his fingers.
(y/n) could already see how uncomfortable he was with this attention, so she moved on. "Seems like many of you agree with Julie, yeah? That's what your instinct tells you, but you'd be wrong." She said, her lips forming a straight line.
"Switching your cards at this point, actually doubles your chances of winning the car," At the volume of confusion, (y/n) gives a light sigh of exhaustion, "Let me explain," She smiled. "Since we started with two goats, it's more likely that your first choice, was in fact, a goat."
Turning the cards to face away from them again, (y/n) asks, "Here, what are the odds of choosing the goats, from all three cards. Two out of three, right. So it's more likely that this is a goat," She said, turning the card that Julie had originally chosen, revealing the goat, "And it's more likely that this one, is the car." She explained, revealing the car was on the card that had yet to be chosen.
"See, switching your choice, gives you a two out of three chance of winning the car, rather than the one of three chance that we all begin with!" (y/n) picks up the card with the car, jokingly making some car noises.
Looking back up at the BAU, she concludes her class, inviting them to make their own Monty Hall scenarios, waiting for them all to leave before turning to the BAU and inviting them closer to her desk.
___________________________
"It's been a while Gideon, how are you?" (y/n) asked, already moving forward to hug the agent, shocking the rest of the team, especially when he reciprocated.
"I've been better Peanut," He whispered at her, before moving back and gesturing to his team. "I believe introductions are necessary." He let the agents take over, wandering over to (y/n)'s desk to do what he was best at, profile.
Looking over at the agents, (y/n) gave a small wave, "Doctor (y/n) (l/n), it's nice to meet you all." She said, her voice dripping over all of them like honey, she had that affect.
First to step forward was a tall agent in a suit and tie, with dark hair, dark eyes and an air of authority. "Agent Hotchner, call me Hotch," He shock her hand briskly before following after Gideon, leaving the younger agents to introductions.
A dark skinned man in a Henley type shirt stepped up next, "Agent Derek Morgan, nice to meet you too," He then gestured to the women standing at the door, one blonde, the other a brunette, both gorgeous and intelligent looking. "Agents Jennifer Jareau and Elle Greenaway," He told the professor, and finally pointed to the lanky man with dark hair and eyes, wearing a cardigan and glasses. "And that is-"
"Reid, uh- Spencer um, Doctor Spencer Reid." The man he was pointing to sort of decided. (y/n) smiled at the man.
"Really?" She asked, almost chuckling, "You don't sound so sure?" She finished, Spender blushed a bright red, the rest of the team chuckling at the woman's teasing.
Gideon walked back over, "Listen, Peanut, we need your help." He began, a sombre feeling enveloping (y/n)'s previously cheerful classroom. (y/n)'s smile faded, stepping back a little.
"Gideon, you know I don't do consultant work anymore... After what happened..." She began, her voice taking on a much more meek sound as she avoided eye contact with the seasoned profiler.
Gideon smiled, his fatherly smile, "I know, but we need you Peanut, you helped the FBI with a lot of cases, what's one more?" He asked softly.
(y/n) looked at Gideon, then at the rest of the team, "This is about the serial rapist, isn't it?" She asked, "In LA?"
Gideon nodded, "We have a fairly comprehensive psych profile, but we still have no idea where to begin searching." He told the mathematician, "We fly out this evening, we want your help." He almost pleaded.
(y/n) sighed, she thought back at the work she had done for the FBI, questioning whether or not she should jump back into it, she sighed, pulling out her phone and calling her TA.
"Lewis? Hi, It's (y/n), I need you to cover classes for me for the next few days... I'm being called away for something... Okay, thanks." She hung up the phone, looking back at Gideon, an unsure look on her face. "You owe me." She murmured, "I'll meet you at the airport tonight, five o'clock, I'll look over the files on the jet, gives me four and half hours to pack what I'll need and prep classes, plus the five hours, give or take fifteen minutes for the flight over..." (y/n) murmured.
Spencer watched as she made the calculations, intrigued, he had never met this woman, anything he knew was based off of her FBI consult file and brief things he'd heard in passing from Gideon, apparently, he was her mentor when she was younger, not for FBI purposes, simply to act as a father figure, they were close, based on the nickname he had given her...
From what Spencer knew, she was a prodigy, similar to himself, no Eidetic memory, but she had an IQ of 182, a PHD in both mathematics and psychology and graduated early from basically every educational establishment. Spencer was hoping this was a person he could get along with, but he was also wary, she had clearly stopped consulting with the FBI for a reason, he wanted to discover why, but also knew that any investigating into her past would violate her trust...
But still... He was curious...
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I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter! I know I keep starting and stopping on my series, but writer's block has a serious hold on me right now... Anyway! Love you guys! Xxx
Syn: Todoroki with a genius lover? and how do they work together as a pair?
Warnings: mind games, slightly gore, talk of a crime scene, stressed reader and a icy hot watching her every move, Cussing, a cute lil fic with Shoto making reader feel better. Most fluff is at the end. I tried to make it a little different from the norms. <3
The smell of books fills the air as Y/N sits leaning on the desk. Your eyes squinting slightly reading over files. Not bothering to get out your hero suit, you read over the newest crime report. Crime Analytics have always been your favorite. Pictures flashing in your mind as you read looking in the papers. "Y/n love?" Turning around you see a certain half and half man. His mixed color eyes scanning you. "The report isn't due for a week." Todoroki says softly but sternly. Not wanting you too overdo it. "Sorry, but how come the murderer, uses measurements and a math standpoint. Most killers are more into meds and human body parts." You say cringing slightly. Todoroki leans against the wall. "Stop it. Come eat before it gets cold. Bakugo and Denki broke the sink after Denki snuck a snack while Bakugo was cooking." He says in his monotone voice. "Do I want to know?" Your say not bothering to look at him. The scene doesn't make sense. Almost like the body was placed there from a different place. The killer may even have multiple places to commit- "Y/N?" Todoroki interrupt's your thoughts. Seeing him now beside you. "Yea?" You look up at him. "Let's go eat love. You tend to over think without eating." He says half-jokingly. With out another word you guys go and sit down. Everyone jokes and smiles at each other. Class 1-A was a family. A big family. Even hurting each other like siblings. Or bullies. Looking over at Denki with a wrap on his head. And seeing a broken sink in the kitchen. Looking back to see Bakugo's hand wrapped too. Ouch. The girls laugh as mina puts lip-gloss on Denki who is passed out. Feeling as hand on your knee under the table you look to see Shoto looking worried at you. "Zoned out." You say going back to eating. "I was thinking about going to see my mother tomorrow." Shoto says making convo. "I have to go to the crime scene. I hope the lab didn't take everything into testing yet." I say thinking about my soon date with a murder scene.
October 18,
Cold air peaks though your jacket as you had to the house. Yellow tape covers the house. Aizawa talks to an officer as they allow me in. Part of the Crime Analytics class is you studying the scene. Most struggle with this. Wanting to fight. And yes, you can do that too. But chasing and profiling the suspect is your strong suit. Besides being socially awkward and not knowing general keys peoples use on day-to-day activities your flaw has its perks. The photographic memory never failing you on cases. The thrill of studying and picking a suspect's brain as if acting like them in the scenes caused you to get popular with officers. Now going on scenes themselves helping and training. The cold gloves now on your hands you pick up a soaked in blood cloth. Seems torn from something. Putting it in a bag you stand up. "Love?" Turning around Todoroki is inside. gloves on too. "Hey. I didn't want you breaking down." he says knowing about how I can break down overstimulated. "The thigh muscle was missing from her body." I say still thinking. "Okay well then they played doctor?" Todoroki says cringing at the pool of blood. He never liked these things. "No. The killer shows no sign of having medical background." "Well maybe he was trying to learn?" Todoroki says firing back looking at some picture frames. "No. He uses math in his crimes." "He?" Todoroki says turning to you. "It's a male." I say knowingly. Stepping over some blood I look closer at the blood. "He is no doctor. So, he won't be selling the parts. uses math. goes after a type of girl every time." I say mumbling connecting dots. Someone calls Todoroki out of the room leaving you alone. the background buzzes with voices as you focus closer. A knife. He skilled with it. Going after teenage girls. Athletic. All girls do sports. Missing muscles in their body. Showed signs of fighting. These thoughts flood in your head as you walk over to the window. Seeing it clean and looking normal. Way to normal. Everything is dusty showing she hasn't cleaned but the window. But no fingerprints on it. Unless the killer cleaned it off. He knows how to use a knife and math. He knows how to clean up a scene. He uses measurements of drugs to paralyze the girls. how does he know the right amount to use? Feeling someone grab your shoulder you turn quickly. "Um ma'am the scene is closing Aizawa is waiting in the front." The officer says softly.
8:24 pm.
Dropping off some notes to Bakugo you see a new book on his shelf. "Oi. what are you looking at nerd?" Bakugo says looking at him with that annoyed face. "You got a new book?" I say walking over to it. "You need learn how to shut that whole photo memory shit off." He says sitting down turning away from you. The hard cover is cold. Its new. Most liking bought online. "Seasoning for the seasons" A cheesy name on it. Yep, it's a cooking book alright. Your about to put it up when you see measurements on the back. measurements. Opening it shows body parts of beef and where its located. What knifes to use for meats and for different textures. And next. Measurements for cutting the meat. on the back it talks about farmers use for drugs on the animals to make death painless. Taking the book you run out. Bakugo screaming and exploding shit as you run out of the house. Getting in the keys to Todoroki's car you get in. Not bothering to even get out of your pjs you go to back up out of the drive away when a hand slams on the hood. "Y/n, what's wrong?!" Todoroki ask opening the door to the driver's seat trying to stop you. "We have to go. The police. The murder." You mumble shaking as Todoroki pulls you out. Hugging your body, he stops your tossing and turning. "Hey. breathe. Get in the passenger seat I will take you." he says calmly not bothering to ask me more questions. Knowing damn well you don't have your license yet.
9:12 pm.
Sitting in the police station talking to the police. Aizawa lecturing Todoroki for giving in. This isn't the first time I have dragged him along. "The killer eats the girls. We are closely related to pigs. Ribs are soft and tender. Most psychopath's have texture issues such as me, so we like hard meet. Tough pork chops." you breath as the officers look at you crazy. Todoroki standing close beside me protectively. Staring at you with amazement. "He paralyzes the girls like they do in pig slaughterhouses. But he works in a kitchen or even a production line for meats. He knows how to cook the girl's muscles to taste like pork. He uses knifes and is very good with them. But he doesn't have medical experience no he has slaughterhouse experience." You say shaking your body over stimulated. Clues and thoughts going 90 to nothing as everything clicks. The officers take action researching.
11:53 pm.
Todoroki hugs your back. Playing with your hair as you guys lay down. After two panic attacks and Todoroki telling everyone to fuck off as they tried to hug you when you got home, knowing you don't like psychical touch when stressed. Your breathing is calm. All your thoughts drift as Todoroki's tight hold calms you. "You're like a Japanese Snowbell." He says softly. "Those are rare Tho. They are in the family Styracaceous and are trees but considered flowers-" You ramble saying facts that don't make sense on why you would know. "I know." Todoroki had always had his own way of thinking. Never explaining why just always saying his mind. He was a leaving Bold titles while you were a living definition. "You can read 1234 words per minute but when it comes to poetry you stumble." He says kissing your shoulder. "It doesn't make sense to me. I don't like fiction or a challenge of who can write the best rhyming words." You can feel him smile. "Poetry is all you read." u say rolling your eyes. "Maybe because I'm not good explaining myself." He says turning your over slightly to look at him. "Why did you say I am like a Japanese Snowbell?" U ask softly. Shoto smile "until you can understand poetry you won't know." He says challenging you to master another skill. not saying anything your brain ranks though facts about them. maybe it's because you don't like the cold?
12:02 am.
Todoroki smiles hearing you sleeping. Thinking back to how he thought you were even weirder than him when he first saw you the first day of school. Early summer you bloomed. Happy with the nice weather you would sit outside reading multiple books at a fast pace while everyone joked and messed around. How you effortlessly solved hard math equations. He studied you more than the schoolbooks you studied. Noticing your dislike for poetry. Learning how to help with autism and changing little things around the dorm to fit your comfort. Never touching your organized messes of papers and books you have stacked up on your desk. Making a holding for everything you lose and putting a tracking device on your keys and air pods. Everything you lose so he can be your knight and shining armor. He thought you were a rare flower. But your smarts made you as strong as a tree. He thought you were beautiful and rare. Never seen twice. Just like a Japanese Snowbell.
!!! Series Warnings:Â Graphic Violence and Blood, Childhood Trauma, PTSD, Enforcer Violence/Enforcers are assholes, Explicit Sexual Content, Character Death, Alcohol, Drugs (Shimmer), Reader and Caitlyn do not get alongÂ
 You were born and raised in the Undercity of Zaun. You and your brother Ekko did everything you could to survive in this cut-throat place. You managed to get by on your own by working at Benzo's. One day, you meet Vi and Powder during a fighting demonstration and everything changes. When disaster strikes, you do what you have to in order to survive. Unfortunately, years later, you're still trying to heal and find your way. You're plagued by voices, an uncontrollable bloodlust, and all you want to do is protect your brother and your home.
~ Pre-Series ~
Chapter One: Welcome to the Playground
Chapter Two: Itâs Not a Date!
Chapter Three: Once a Zaunite
Chapter Four: Hard Work
Chapter Five: Striking it Rich
~ Act One ~
Chapter Six: A Heist Gone Bad
Chapter Seven: On the Run
Chapter Eight: The Price You Pay
Chapter Nine: The Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea
~ Between Act One and Two ~
Chapter Ten: Waking Up
Chapter Eleven: Settling In
Chapter Twelve: As Time Passes
Chapter Thirteen: The Call of the Arcane
~ Act Two ~
Chapter Fourteen: I Did Something Bad
Chapter Fifteen: Happy Progress Day!
Chapter Sixteen: Ghosts of the Past
Chapter Seventeen: Bittersweet
Chapter Eighteen: What Can Happen in a Day
Chapter Nineteen: Under the Stars
Chapter Twenty: Unpredictible Changes
Chapter Twenty-One: Our Love
Chapter Twenty-Two: Disjointed
~ Act Three ~
Chapter Twenty-Three: Dear Friend Across the River
Chapter Twenty-Four: Fragile Minds Break Like Glass
Chapter Twenty-Five:Â Itâs Just Business
Chapter Twenty-Six: You Are the Monster They Created
Book Two - The Fury of ZaunÂ
!!! Book Warnings: Creature Reader, Blood and Violence, Psychological Torture, Physical Torture, Mind & Physical Control, Graphic Violence, Character Death, Murder, PTSD, Civil War, Rough Sex
Note: I will place content warnings above every chapter so please check for them!
You never anticipated that you would end up becoming enemies with the ones you thought would be by your side, but, here you are. War is coming, brought to the isthmus by your own hands and Piltover will pay for all they have done... even if love decides to stand in your way.
a/n: back to writing! this is based of this post as some people requested a genius reader and others exgang reader, so i thought i would do both but i got this idea first :), if you want a part 2 of the reader actually in the BAU and little moments she has with Spencer let me know because I would so do that or i could even make this a sorta series! find my masterlist here. GIF isnât mine but itâs the exact way I picture him turning to see who said that heâs wrong!
word count: 1,366
requested?: sorta
pairing: spencer reid x reader
summary: Spencer meets someone who can keep up with him and the odds of that are 2% - but you both already know that.
The team were at a bar after closing another successful case, this time a place Derek suggested - this meant it was more of a club with blaring music, a dance floor, flashing lights and very few tables, somehow the team had been able to score a wooden circular table next to two couples on a very awkward double date (so awkward that Garcia sat away from them so she couldnât hear them), and a trio of young girls who JJ said âlook like a lot of funâ and Prentiss even threatened Hotch that if he didnât loosen up she would âgo join them instead.â
As time passed the team had more and more to drink, Derek even managed to get Spencer to drink - a very unusual experience. Spencer couldnât help but notice how the table of women next to him were also getting drunker and drunker.
Garcia and Morgan returned from the dance floor for a much needed break and so the team were all sat together just talking/shouting over the music, then they saw one of the girls from the table over bringing her table a round of shots, she then proceeded to get on the table and shout;
âAll cheers for Y/N who has managed to get ANOTHER PHD, thats right she now has two!â And the table broke into screams and giggles as they clapped.
It was evident who the Y/N in question was, she was clearly embarrassed from the public attention and sat in the middle of the circle.
The topic of conversation peaked Spencerâs interest as he was the owner of three PHDâs and remember all the work that goes into them - this Y/N must be very intelligent he thought to himself.
âHey Reid, did you hear that? Looks like you got some competitionâ slurred Derek earning laughter from the table. âOn estimate it takes the average student five to six years to complete with some people taking as long as eight to ten years to complete a PHD, but it took me two years and thats how I managed to get three, judging by her age she must of taken less that five years to gain two.â Spencer replied, âOOOO she must be like girl genius!â Garcia exclaims, âIâm going to go find out.â She tells the team. Immediately everyone starts to protest but itâs to no use as Garcia has already approached the table, all the team can do now is watch.
âHello, which one of you is Y/N?â Garciaâs normal bubbly self asks, âThat would be me, why is there a problem?â The girl Spencer assumed would be Y/N replies. âNot at all my new friend, I just came over to congratulate you on your second PHD! I must ask how you did it - you look so young.â Immediately the other girls on the table begin to respond âItâs because sheâs like a geniusâ one says, âShe is just too smartâ another adds. âI just studied hard and managed to completed them in two years each and Iâm 26â Y/N herself replied smiling bashfully.
âSheâs you. But a girlâ JJ says pointing at Spencer who is in awe just watching Garcia speak to Y/N.
Meanwhile back at the table Garcia is now sat at the table quizzing all the girls there - especially Y/N. She had learnt the names of all girls there now and was becoming friends with them. âSo how smart are you?â Garcia deadpans, Y/N chuckles - she is clearly not as intoxicated at her friends but she is still obviously drunk - her eyes are glossed over, sheâs leaning back against the chair to keep her upright and her hair is in a bit of a mess from dancing earlier in the night, âI have an IQ of 173, and a eidetic or âphotographicâ memoryâ The other two girls named Y/BF/N and Y/F/N all laugh at Garcias dropped jaw, âShe can also read fast, like ungodly fast sometimes we think sheâs faking itâ Y/F/N slurs pointing at you.
The night begins to wind down and Garcia eventually returns to the BAUâs table after the group of three left, not without getting each others phone numbers in promises of meeting again.
She sashayed towards the table and grabs Spencer by his tie - shocking the table and making Spencer, who was in conversation with Rossi, jump. âYou,â Garcia points her finger about two centimetres from Spencers face, âI just met YOUR soulmate and sheâs gorgeous and her name is Y/N Y/L/N and I am so gonna find more information out about her tomorrow.â
A couple of days had passed and Garcia did look you up, she found out a lot about you but kept it to herself because she wasnât sure if you or your friends remember giving her your numbers of if you even wanted to hang out now you were sober, she thought there was no point in getting Spencers hopes up of meeting his âsoulmateâ if she had no way of arranging it. So she focused on the new case.
The new case was not far from headquarters, only a 20 minute drive but Hotch decided they should work at the closest police department to keep all evidence together and to prevent any chance of paperwork going missing. The BAU were in a small conference room trying to figure out a code the killer was using - Spencer knew it was some sort of mathematical equation but couldnât break it, this has led to a board covered in Spencers squiggles of numbers and symbols, he was ranting to the team about how it âDidnât make any sense.â Silence fell across the team as they all mulled over what Spencer said.
âYour wrong.â A small voice said from the doorway, the teams heads shot round to you. âPardon?â questioned Hotch, he recognised you from somewhere but couldnât put his finger on it. Instead of answering you walked over to were Spencer stood, âMay I?â You asked taking the marker off him, âHere you put 3^7 but to fix your problem it should be 3^6.98 then that changes all of this,â You say as you rub it out with your elbow and rewrite the maths equations. After youâre finished you had the marker back to Spencer who is staring at the board. âWell?â JJ asks, âSheâs rightâ Spencer replies looking at you dumbfounded. He recognised you from the bar straight away. âDr Y/L/N, Y/N Y/L/Nâ you introduced to Spencer putting your hand out.
Derek cringed when he saw you put your hand out for Spencer to shake and waited for Spencer to talk to you about germs, to say he was shocked when he heard, âUh Spencer Reid, Dr Spencer Reidâ he looked up to see Spencer shaking your hand. His eyebrows shot up and he and Rossi shared a knowing smile.
You helped the team with that case and they were all shocked at your abilities much like they were when they first met Spencer - they couldnât believe how smart and similar you were to Spencer.
You were so helpful when the case ended Hotch offered you a job right there on the spot, you agreed and took the position as you knew you wanted to advance from working at the police station where nothing really happened and eventually you became a member of the BAU.
ââ BONUS ââ
You enter the office for the first time, your first day of your new job. You became nervous even though you had met the team - what if you werenât as smart as Hotch thought? You pushed the bad thoughts away and pushed the doors to the conference room open.
âOH MY GODâ You hear a screech as you look up you see everyone looking at you then you look up and see who made the loud noise âItâs you,â Penelope Garcia says while running towards you, âOh my gosh, you probably donât remember me and I look like a werido.â She clamps her hands over her mouth, âNo I remember you - Â nice to see you again Penelopeâ You smile as she gives you an incredibly tight in-brace.
Prompt:Â Can u do some angst dick x reader where they r dating but the batboys for some reason dislike the reader n therefore is kinda mean to her in an attempt to broke them up? Dick stay true with the reader until he cant n they broke up. Years later they met again n she still hurt by his decision so refused to deal with him but dick want her forgiveness n pursue her relentlessly.
The second half of this request will probably happen in the next part of this series.
There isnât a lot of Dick x Reader in this one, but I hope you like it anyway!
It's been five years since that night. Roy had found you, half over the roofs edge, unconscious from the combination of alcohol and antidepressants. He had stayed with you at the hospital where they pumped your stomach and gave you fluids. Once you were discharged from the hospital, you and Roy had packed your stuff and left Gotham.
Now, after five long years, youâre back. You take a deep breath, taking in the thick city smog, and slowly step out of the plane.
--
Roy is the one who meets you at the airport. He has made sure that everything was ready for you, that all your belongings were at your apartment, and that no one knew you were coming.
âHey, Y/N!!â
âRoytoy!!â He rushes toward you, swinging you into a tight hug. While the two of you had kept in contact you hadnât seen him in the five years you were gone except over Skype. âGod, I missed youâ
âI missed you too, sugarâ Roy puts you down, and scrates the back of his head, giving you a sheepish smile, âI actually have something to tell you ... I â I have a daughter now, and Iâm on a new team called the Outlaws, and âŠâ
You hold your hands up, eyes wide, âYou have a daughter?!?â
âYeah, her names Lian. Iâd like you to meet her, she already knows all about her Auntie Y/Nâ
âWhy didnât you ever tell me about her?!?â
âI, um, I only found out about her a little while ago. I didnât even know I had a kid for the first six months she was alive, and then it took another four years for Cheshire to let her stay with me permanentlyâ
âSo, how old is she?â
Roy gets this dopey smile on his face, before he pulls out his phone and starts showing you pictures of the cutest little girl youâve ever seen, âSheâs six now. Sheâs my whole world, Y/Nâ
âWell, where is she?â
âSheâs with Kori ⊠and Jasonâ
You stiffen, âYou mean âŠâ
âThey donât know where I went! I promise! Theyâre â theyâre my new team, theyâre the Outlaws. Y/N, Jasonâs changed, I promise. Yeah, heâs still an asshole, but he regrets what he did to you. Heâs been trying to make me tell where you were so he can apologize. Y/N âŠâ
âMaybe ⊠maybe someday, but not right now, Roy. Iâd still like to meet your little ball of sunshine, but Iâm not ready to see any of them right now. Iâve grown up a lot in five years, hon, but I need to prepare myselfâ
âI understand, sugarâ He starts to lead you out of the airport, âI already got your place set up, everything unpacked and ready for youâ
âPlease tell me you didnât do my grocery shopping, it might have been five years since I last saw you, but I know how you eatâ
âDonât worry, I didnât, saved that chore for you. I donât even do the shopping in my own apartment, Jason âŠâ Roy stops, as if he said something he hadnât mean to.
âRoy, honey, Iâm gonna ask you a question, I want you to answer me truthfully ⊠Are you and Jason seeing each other?â
Out of the corner of your eye Roy goes red, â ⊠Yeah, have been for a year ⊠weâre also dating an alien princess named Koriandârâ
âCoolâ
âYou â you arenât mad?â
âRoytoy, I love you, you know that. Youâre my brother in every way but blood. All I care about is you being happy. Now, are you happy?â
âHappiest I think Iâve ever been, Y/Nâ
âGood, thatâs all I need to knowâ
Roy chuckles, placing your luggage in the back of his car, âYou always find new ways to surprise me, kiddoâ
âSomeone around hereâs gotta keep you on your toes!â
--
Another two months had passed, youâve finally started your job at Wayne Enterprises, working down in the R & D department. The only reason you agreed to work there at all was because you were assured that you would never have to see any of the Wayneâs.
âSo where are you working again?â
âI already told you Roy, Iâm working at WE. They sought me out because of my PhDâs in engineering and architecture. Iâm only here until we can create a compound that will withstand the constant alien attacks, and crazy villains that seem to flock to Gotham. There are almost a hundred of the best scientistâs money can buy working on this project, so Iâm hoping to be out of Gotham in a year.â
Roy sighs, leaning back further in the couch. Lianâs playing quietly on your floor, toys spread everywhere, âSo youâre just gonna leave after that?â
âI wonât be gone forever, Iâll be over in Metropolis. It isnât too far away. I could never leave my favorite niece. Isnât that right Lian!â The six year old grins, running over and jumping on the couch next to you.
âYou gotta come visit all the time! And call me every night, and âŠâ
âWell, Iâm not leaving yet, baby cakes, so we have time to planâ
Lian nods before yawning, itâs almost 9:30, time for bed, âItâs getting late, honâ
Roy huffs, âI know, Lian we need to head back to the apartment.â
Lian hugs you tightly before she takes her fatherâs hand, âYou promise we can get ice cream tomorrow?â
Squatting down you hold out your pinky finger, which the six-year-old readily takes, âI pinky promise that when your daddy drops you off weâll go get ice cream and go to the park.â
âYou canât break a pinky promise, auntieâ
Giving a solemn nod you lock pinkys, âI knowâ
âGood!â Lian looks content with your promise, and readily follows Roy out of you apartment. You smile and wave, actually looking forward to going out with Lian tomorrow, maybe youâll make some good memories in this damned city.
--
You and Lian slowly make your way from the ice cream parlor to the park. Roy was off doing a job with Jason and Kori, leaving you and Lian to spend the weekend together. You two end up feeding the ducks, and playing on the playground thatâs in the middle of the park.
âAuntie?â
âYeah, baby?â
âDaddy said that Uncle Dick, and Jay-Jay were really mean to you a long time agoâ
You crouch down, furrowing your brow at the little girl, âYes, they were. They made me very sad for a long time, but Iâm not sad anymore. Youâre uncles said some really mean things to me, and so I leftâ
âSo, does that mean you and Uncle Dick arenât friends?â
âThatâs right, heâs not my friend anymoreâ
âOh. âCause Uncle Dickâs standing over there staring at you, auntieâ
Turning, eyes following Lianâs raised finger, your gaze locks with the one person you had been hoping to avoid ⊠Dick Grayson.
Note: Eventual spoilers for the Netflix show âArcaneâ! Cross-posted from Ao3 under the user âKittyTâ
Chapter One - Welcome to the Playground
Warnings: Light Swearing
Summary: You were born and raised in the Undercity of Zaun. You and your little brother Ekko did everything you could to survive. One day, you meet Vi and Powder and everything changes.
You were nothing but a street rat to the citizens of Piltover. To them, you were the gum at the bottom of their shoes. Yet, they couldnât continue without the labor that the citizens of Zaun did for them. They paid horribly low wages, but wages that kept food on the table and kept the kids in beds. Your parents did everything they could for you. You were uncharacteristically skilled for a child, and they desperately wanted a better life for you. They worked hard in the mines to be able to provide so it was a surprise when your mother ended up pregnant again. When your brother was born that only spurred them further. He was a genius just like his older sister. Baffled, your parents couldnât believe what was happening before them.
You and your little brother did everything together. If you learned something, you taught it to him as well. Your parents didnât want you and your brother to do anything that would put you in harms way, but that didnât matter to a child grown in the pits. You leaped from rooftop to rooftop, snuck into buildings, found lost things, and stole found things.Â
To their dismay, you and your brother got your hands dirty. At the age of eight, you ended up working with Benzo and fixed things up. Your brother liked to focus more on the hardware while you liked the thrill that the electricity brought you. If it had wires, you learned how to take it apart and reassemble it to look like it had never been touched. Being only a few years apart from your brother was an advantage you used to get rougher jobs, but it also came with a responsibility.Â
You had to protect your only sibling. You knew your parents wouldnât have long. A few years at most given how hard they worked themselves. Your mother was completely barren at this point due to the gas from the fissures. So, you did what any older sibling would do and learned how to fight. It started off with reading any books that you could find or sneaking down to the arenas where people duked it out. On occasion, youâd see a bar fight that spilled out onto the streets before you scampered home to practice the moves in your room.Â
Thatâs how you met Vi and her sister Powder. There was word going around that Vanderâs kid was going to teach some of the street kids how to fight. You had heard word of them when Vander stopped by to visit Benzo but kept too busy to check them out. On one of your slow days, you headed over to the spot your brother had scoped out. He tagged along with you in hopes of learning how to fight as well. You hovered on the rooftop above the small corner alley spying a small group of kids sitting around.Â
âAlright, I think this is everyone?â The pink-haired girl gazed around. The people around her nodded and she nodded back and stood in the center. âOkay, so, Iâll start with showing you the correct form for a punch. You want to use your body, not your arm. You can injure your arm and your punch wonât be as strong.â She demonstrated and jabbed forward with her shoulder. You leaned in closer to get a better look and gasped as your brother lost his footing in the corner of your eye.
He let out a yelp and skid off the beam, his arm reaching out to grab yours as you lunged forward. Your hand barely missed his as he went tumbling over the edge, âEkko!â You exclaimed as your brotherâs shout mixed with surprised exclamations. You slid down the roof after him and watched as the pink-haired girl lunged towards him.
âWoah there!â She gasped as she caught him in her hands, âYou okay there, little man?âÂ
You grunted as your feet hit the ground and staggered forward. The pink-haired girl put Ekko down as you pulled him into your arms, âYouâre okay!â You breathed out in relief as you checked him over. He gave you a sheepish grin, âIâm sorry, sis.âÂ
You narrowed your eye at him and huffed, âRule number one of being on the roofs?â
âFind your footing before you place your weight.â Ekko said as he rubbed the back of his neck. You nodded and looked up when you heard a throat clear. You looked directly into icy blue eyes and blinked when you realized it was the pink-haired girl.
âHey there.â She waved, âWhat uh⊠What were you doing up there?â
âWatching your training!â Ekko said enthusiastically. The girl gave him an amused smile.
âYeah, we heard from Vander that you were going to be doing this and I wanted to see.â Your gaze went up to the spot that you were perched in seconds ago, âWe didnât come down because I didnât want to interrupt. Iâm sorry about my brother.â You blushed from embarrassment. She gave you a reassuring smile and placed her hand on your shoulder, âItâs alright, kid. Iâm an older sibling too.â She gestured over to a girl around your age with blue hair, âThatâs my little sister, Powder. Sheâs around your age?â She perked up at her name and waved shyly. Ekko gasped and looked at you before rushing over to Powder.Â
âIâm Y/n, and thatâs my little brother, Ekko. Heâs seven and Iâm nine.â
âYup! Youâre a little older than my sister. Well, Y/n, welcome to training.â She backed away and you moved to go sit with Powder and your brother.Â
âOh, Y/n!â You paused and turned, âMy name is Violet, but you can call me Vi.â You grinned at her before sitting down.Â
After that, you and your brother became one of them. Vi introduced you to her friends Claggor and Mylo. Claggor was kind but Mylo seemed to hate that he was surrounded by geniuses. He was horribly cynical and you made it a point to put him in his place when he messed with your brother. Vi and them started calling Ekko âLittle Manâ after he fell from the roof. Mainly because he was the youngest out of all of us.Â
They never gave us a hard time because our parents were alive. If anything, they took care of us more because our parents were alive. Ekko and Powder got along amazingly. They became best friends almost instantly, and you found yourself loving her as your own little sister.Â
It quickly became obvious how prominent this group was here in the undercity. Vanderâs kids. That came with a sort of protection the rest of us didnât have. There was a threat that if you touched them, Vander would see to it that the residence knew who was untrustworthy. Eventually, those protections extended over you and your brother.Â
Over the course of a year, you managed to subtly save up money. You went on raids with Vi mostly in secret, but sometimes youâd join as another member. It helped you get better with your stealth as you were forced to hide from Vi and the gang as well. Just like your parents, you found myself wishing to get your brother out of Zaun even if it was just for a day. Take him on a trip or go sightseeing. Anything to show him that there was a world outside of the shop.Â
That became a focus of your life. You worked hard, took jobs that were grunt work, and looked after Ekko. It made you happy to see how easily he was starting to adapt. He thrived down here in the undercity unrestrained by Piltover laws and rules. On his eighth birthday, you bleached your hair white when he asked. When you asked him why he chose white, he said that he liked the way it looked and no one else you knew had white hair. You couldnât deny that you liked how it looked under the neon lights of the undercity, and it became your favorite hairstyle.Â
âHey, Benzo!â Viâs voice carried up from the shop. You grinned excitedly as you looked through the rafters and saw the whole group. Powder was walking around and looking at all of the things on display, âAre Little Man and Y/n in today?â
âThe little man is out on a run but his cat of a sister should be hanging around here somewhere.â
You giggled and swung your upper body down from the rafters, âHiya!â Everyone jumped and snapped their heads in your direction. Wires were wrapped around your fingers, so you quickly untangled them before completely dropping down.Â
âY/n!â Powder shouted and ran over to give you a right hug. âHey, Pow!â You returned the hug with just as much enthusiasm, âItâs been a minute since weâve seen you guys. Letâs head up top so weâre not crowding the shop.â You smiled and turned to walk up the steps, Powder and Vi fell into step next to you as you climbed the stairs.Â
âSo, whatâs with the new hair?â Vi questioned, âI think it looks wicked on you, but is there a reason for the change?â Everyone found a place to sit, you picked up a wire cutter and started fidgeting with it.Â
âEkko wanted to dye our hair for his eighth birthday. He said that he thought weâd stand out and look cool. I couldnât turn him down.âÂ
âYou look ridiculous.â Mylo scoffed, âYou look like you have cotton on your head.â
âMylo, what the fuck!â Claggor punched him on the shoulder. You sighed and ran a hand through your curls, âHey.â You looked up to see Vi squatting down in front of you, âI think you look beautiful, okay? Ignore Mylo, heâs just miserable that you always look amazing.â You grinned, Viâs words touching you and making you feel better about yourself.Â
âI always ignore what Mylo says.â
âHey-!â
âHa!â Everyone started laughing at that. You tried your best to ignore what Mylo said but it hurt. The things he said made you doubt yourself and affected your self-esteem. Yet, Vi was always there to say otherwise. You and Powder bonded over that. Without Vi, neither of you would be as strong as you are now. You and Powder would hide together and try to make little smoke bombs, and you love the gadgets she came up with.Â
While you loved Powder as a little sister, you couldnât help but feel differently about Violet. She was an extraordinary person. She was so confident in herself, always doing her best to care for everyone, and she had a soft side. No one saw it except for you and Powder. Vi would take you places and teach you what she knew. Sometimes sheâd take you out privately and personally teach you how to fight. Although, you didnât tell the older girl that you practiced the moves she gave you in the arenas.Â
Bruises and cuts were carefully hidden by clothes and face shots were desperately avoided. If Vi found out that you hung around the arenas sheâd lose her mind. You didnât know how she felt about you, but you knew she cared. You ended up crushing on Vi and that brought some complications to your friendship. You were two years younger than her. Twelve felt very distant from ten when you put yourself in her shoes. So, you kept your feelings a secret⊠except for that Powder and your brother had figured it out.Â
âI donât know why you just donât tell her!â
âBecause she doesnât see me that way, Powder. Vi is too cool to like someone like me.â You sighed and threw yourself down onto the floor. The blue-haired girl threw herself down next to you and took your hand, âWell, I think itâd be awesome if you and my sister got together!â
You turned your head to her, âReally? I thought you wouldnât have liked that?â
Powder turned to you with a grin, âOh come on! One of my best friends dating my sister? Weâd never be separated if you did! Youâd always be in my life, and youâd really be an older sibling to me.â You raised an eyebrow and Powder stuttered, âN-not like an actual sister! Thatâd be gross!â You started laughing and Powder joined in. When you calmed down she rolled over and placed her head on your chest. You stared up at the ceiling in silence. You could hear the distant music coming from the bar. It was days like this that you cherished the moments.Â
âHey Powder, no matter what happens in the future⊠letâs always be friends, okay?â
âOf course! Youâve always been here for me. Especially on days where Iâve been upset and wanted to be alone. Youâre a great friend, Y/n.â She said softly.
âYouâre a great friend too, Pow. I can talk about my insecurities with you and know that you understand me. Iâll love you no matter what you do or who you become.â
You werenât sure how you fell asleep after that but you dozed off in the backroom. Little did you know, those words would become everything to Powder.
Book Two of Hexed - The Fury of Zaun (Vi/POC!Reader) - Ch. 1
Next Upload Date: June 16th
Act 1: Chapter One - Welcome Home
Warnings: Death, Explosions, War Talk, Cultural Differences, Sevika cries, Post-Silco
Summary: The night of the explosion, Zaun celebrates the death of Silco and the impending war to come. The Council of Heads summons you to have a discussion before you take Sevika and Jinx to their new home. A few surprises appear while youâre there.
Authorâs Note: If you have not read Hexed, please go do so as this spoils the ending! You can find the series masterlist pinned to my page! I was originally going to post this on Post+ but it feels wrong to charge my readers. I enjoy writing and sharing it, so this story wonât be for subscribers only. Tips are on if you ever feel like tipping. Writing is currently all I do right now. Check out the Spotify playlist I made for the story! You can search for it by âThe Fury of Zaunâ made by Kittyt! So, without further ado, here you go!
The ceaseless screaming match from all of the councilors soured Viktorâs already low opinions of them. They werenât great opinions, but he had some respect for them at one point. That vanished the moment they flew into outrage about Jayceâs proposal. âPeace in exchange for Zaunâs independence.â He couldnât lie to himself and say that he wholeheartedly agreed as well, but that was because he knew who Silco was. He wasnât an industrialist. Not in the way Piltover sees him, at least. Yet, despite the outrage, Mel raised her hand in support of the proposal. âAt least Jayceâs relationship with her is paying off.â The other council members were slow to follow, but one by one, they raised their hands. They were voting for a man who didnât have his peopleâs best interest at heart. Viktor wished he could speak up, but he couldnât jeopardize Jayceâs position. He was truly caught between his position as a Zaunite and as Jayceâs partner. âAm I still Jayceâs partner after what he said to me? I am a Zaunite, and that class division is getting to him as well. How far would he go because of it? Would he kick me off the project?â He frowns.Â
Viktor flinches and clutches his chest as pain flairs from his heart and into the rest of his body. His head snaps to the window behind Mel as Cassandra raises her hand in support. This feeling is too familiar. It feels like his body is screaming out about whatever is heading this way. âHow do I know that something is heading this way?â His brow furrows as an instinct to run flares through him. His mind flashes to the pain he felt only last night. âHexxitâs magic? Why? Why would I be feeling this now?â He doesnât miss the way Mel jerks forward in alarm as a golden glow appears around her. Before he knows it, Viktor is throwing himself up out of the chair and stumbling away from the table. Thereâs a bright flash of light, followed shortly by the ear-piercing sound of an explosion and Viktor feels his body get flung backwards.Â
Fire. Blue fire is the first thing Viktor sees when he opens his eyes. His vision is spotty, blurred, but he couldnât mistake the flickering of a fire. When did he close his eyes? He canât hear anything except for the intense ringing in his ears. He lets out a groan, his body feeling too heavy as he forces himself to turn over. The memories from earlier were blurry, but he could vaguely remember jumping out of his chair before⊠an explosion? Painfully, Viktor uses the column to help him stand up and leans heavily against it. A wave of dizziness washes over him as he tries to steady himself.Â
Viktor blinks, shakily raising his hand to his ear and feeling wetness. âBlood.â He looks forward, vision briefly blurring before his eyes widen in shock. The whole side - and half of the ceiling - of the counselor's room was destroyed. He can feel the vibrations beneath his feet and from the shoulder braced against the column as more chunks of the wall crumble. They hit the edge of what was once the floor and plummet over the side. Thereâs a flickering, iridescent, golden dome covering some of the room. He can make out a few of the council members underneath it, including Jayce. Thereâs rubble on the floor and Viktor sees a sizable pile where he once sat. âI would have been crushed if I didnât get thrown back.â His eyes widen in horror.
Against his better judgment, Viktor pushes off of the column and staggers to the crumbling floor. The dome disappears as he does, but he pays no mind to it. He peers over the edge, seeing miniature figures racing towards the building, before stumbling back as a wave of dizziness washes over him. He didnât know how to feel about this. He felt vibrations through the floor and looked around him. Enforcers were pouring in from the door, along with healers and Sky. Their mouths open in silent screams and yells that reminds him of his ears.
Sky immediately runs towards him saying something but the ringing hasnât gone away. A healer is close on her heels doing the same thing. Viktor gives them a regretful smile and taps his ear before crossing his fingers in an x motion. This makes them pause before nodding. Sky and the healer carefully support him as they guide him out of the crumbling chamber.
Viktor glances back, seeing the flames being put out, and the others getting lifted onto stretchers. Enforcers were trying to dig through rubble for the missing members. He couldnât help but wince seeing Bolbokâs crushed body being put on a stretcher. Blood pours out of the metal exoskeleton and Viktor briefly wonders what he looks like inside. Zaun was close to peace, but that would go out the door now. Strangely, Viktor didnât mind that. In fact, he felt relieved. âI was sure I felt Hexxitâs magic. Thereâs one more day until I can go look for her, and I have many questions.â
The Undercity was buzzing with activity all night long. Children ran through the streets giggling and screaming with their friends. The food stalls were working overtime to meet the demands of hungry customers. The food was free like it always was during this holiday. Even the tattoo artists were chatting away with their customers. The price heavily discounted.
 The Heads of the Undercity called for a meeting with you, so you were gathering in The Last Drop. It was the unofficial meeting place in Zaun. Almost every deal was done underneath its roof. At least, before Silco took over.
âHey, Chuck!â Jinx chirps, âWe need drinks for everyone, pronto!â She slaps her hand onto the countertop and makes the man flinch. You raise an eyebrow as he hurriedly nods and gets to mixing drinks. With a chuckle, you take a seat at one of the tables. You pushed them all together so everyone could sit comfortably. One by one, they filed in and took a seat. You gave Babette a smile that she happily returned.Â
âI know you all heard my speech, but I want to say that your opinions matter to me. I want to hear what you have to say about my declaration of war.â You say sincerely.Â
âVander wouldnât have wanted this.â Babette says, ââŠbut I do. Itâs time for us to step forward and show Piltover that we wonât be messed with any longer. They disrespect my workers for choosing to use their bodies when thereâs no law against it. Some of them sneak down using fake names in the dead of night and still have the audacity to pretend itâs beneath them!â She spits angrily. âThe Red Light District does not turn away anyone unless they are dangerous to the workers. Even though itâs obvious to those of us working there, we pretend not to notice any Piltovens, especially when their names are clearly fake. Itâs stupid to hate on something you partake in secretly.â
âI agree. Silco was a fool. He helped us move forward quickly, but we lost a lot in the process.â Flit, the Headmaster of Zaunâs College of Techmaturgy grumbles, âSo many brilliant minds succumbed to the allure of shimmer and making quick money.â
âWar is the only answer, and you have us behind you.â Zealot, the Head of the Minerâs Guild states. She fiddles with her artificial hand with a scowl, âIâve lost so many miners to preventable conditions. Including your parents, little bird.â She sighs in frustration. Flit places his hand on her shoulder in sympathy. âIf it wasnât the shimmer, it would have been anything else in the mines. A cave-in, the toxic gases or overworking to meet material demands. The mines are a horrible place to work.â The bartender comes around with everyoneâs drinks and places them down before disappearing back behind the counter. Thereâs a pause in the conversation as you sip on your drinks.Â
ââŠIt was impressive⊠you calling Janna forward. To know that our guardian spirit has been here all alongâŠâ The High Priestess of Jannaâs faithful trails off wistfully, âShe answered to you and went as far as announcing her support. The coven is behind you.â She pats your hand. You give her a thankful smile in return.
âYes. It brought a feeling of hope I havenât had in a while. Not since Vanderâs attempted revolt.â Jir chuckles in bitter remembrance, âWe have to make sure this venture succeeds.â You roll your eyes at the vastaya.
âJir, I understand that youâre the Monster of the Pits, but must you be so violence-forward?â The High Priestess scoffs.
âJirâs right, Priestess. What do you need from us for this to be successful, Hexxit?â Babette questions you.
âI need your cooperation. We must work together to make this possible. If one of us pushes forward when the rest isnât ready, it will cause problems. We donât want Piltover to know what weâre planning until itâs too late.â You say firmly, âThe rocket that was launched tonight will be seen as something Jinx did. They will only be going after her, so I need everyone to cooperate with the Enforcers. If they ask you where she is, you tell them. They think weâll sell each other out, so⊠letâs stroke their egos.â
âBusiness as usual.â Jinx grins as she sits on the table, âKeep things as normal as possible.â
âThat wonât be difficult.â Sevika snorts, âIf Zaunites are good at one thing, itâs being a Zaunite.â Her words make everyone chuckle. She had been quietly observing everyone and adding to your notes when she thought it was necessary.Â
âEverything will be handled behind the scenes. I have people already working on it. Piltover wonât see us coming.â You smirk, âWeâll have six months to prepare. Now as to what else Iâll need from all of you...â You fall into a discussion about what else you need from them. The most important thing is keeping your identity a secret from the topsiders until it is time. Everyone is eager to contribute to the conversation. The last time you saw everyone so animated was when Vander told them to wait out the Enforcers.
While they did that, you were also reading through some papers Jinx took from Silcoâs office. The man took meticulous notes about everything he did. Every page has various details about who in Piltover was under his thumb, trade routes, things he did, and even his future plans. âSome of this stuff is outdated or the wrong information. My spies did an amazing job keeping his power within the twin cities.â You smile to yourself. âIâll have to reward them.â
After the meeting, you told Sevika and Jinx to go pack up their things. You were having them move into the Rapids so that theyâd have a place to permanently call home. Sevika lived in a run-down apartment that Silco had supplied to his workers. From what she told you, it wasnât any better than living in the streets. Then, there was the fact that you didnât want to leave Jinx alone anymore. Whatever Silco did to her ended up fucking with her mind more. You wanted her close by so you could work on it with her, but you also thought it was time for her to stop living alone. The next few days would be busy with people moving into the hideout, so you wanted these two settled first.
You open your eyes at the sound of footsteps and smile at the two women. With one last glance around the club, you walk them into a rift. The sound of running water is the first thing that you hear as you exit. A mixture of surprised and shocked gasps sounds from behind you as the others step through. You walk towards the opening of the cavern and smile at the view in front of you. The grand tree looms above you as the waterfall forms ripples in the crystal clear lake. There were various buildings and platforms suspended over the water. The only things hanging over the grass areas were practice targets. Everything had been created using the tree itself and the things around it. You were proud of this place. This was your home.
âWelcome home.â You smile at Jinx as she stops next to you.
âThis⊠This is home?â Jinx breathes out in shock. Dozens of lights bathe the area in a warm glow.
âWow⊠Is this even in the Undercity?â Sevika mutters to herself.
âIt is, but you canât get in here without going through one of my rifts. Once everyone is settled, Iâm going to cut through the top of the cliff. The only way in and out will be to fly⊠or use my rifts.â You grin excitedly.
âFly? Like the hoverboards the Firelights use?â Sevika raises an eyebrow.
âOooh, can I get one?!â Jinx gasps.
âSomething like that.â You smile secretively before clapping your hands, âLetâs head across!â You grin and start walking across the rope bridge. Jinx whines that you didnât answer her question, making you giggle at her. The bridge swings slightly, but you had reinforced it so it was safe to jump on or bear heavy loads. You tested it yourself, much to Jannaâs chagrin who watched you bounce around on all of them.Â
âIS THAT A ZIP LINE?!â Jinx screams and points to your right. You laugh and nod your head as she continues to ramble on about everything she sees. You can see the annoyed look on Sevikaâs face that was very poorly hiding a smile. Even Jinxâs antics werenât enough to distract her from this.
âThis is the main area. From here, you can access everywhere else in the Rapids. All of the houses are built into the cliff walls and should be able to withstand explosions. I borrowed a few of Jinxâs chompers to test it out.â You grin, âMy place is at the top of the tree. Iâm a bit partial to it. So, youâre free to choose whichever place you want. The outer wall will be decorated so people know itâs yours.â At the end of your sentence, Jinx takes off sprinting down one of the bridges. A few seconds pass before Sevika turns and walks in the complete opposite direction of the blue-haired menace. You laugh and tag along with her. âIâm hoping I can get these two to get along, at least.â
In the light, Sevikaâs new metal arm glints a dark greyish color. Most of it is covered by her red cape, so you can only guess what the actual color is. You and Sevika walk downstairs in silence until you stop in front of one of the homes. You glance at her to see a nervous expression on her face. You grab her hand and gently tug her towards the inviting door.
âI know this probably feels like a lot, but youâll love it here. I can adjust things to make it more comfortable for you. This will⊠hopefully feel like a home for you.â You give her a tentative smile. Sevika stares at you for a moment before she opens the door and walks in. You pause in the doorway as she observes her new apartment. Everything was powered by chemtech which you hid in the walls and was accessible if it needed to be fixed. The apartment is a simple one-bedroom, one-bathroom place with its own kitchen and living room. You wanted people to be comfortable and not feel forced to interact with others.
âYou⊠made this place?â
âI did. I learned I can manipulate things with my magic. Pretty sweet, huh? Except, I had to create these⊠five at a time because Iâm a perfectionist. I could have tried doing it all at once but each apartment is about 1000 square feet.â Sevika whipped around so fast you thought she might fall over.Â
â1000 square feet?! The average apartment size in the Undercity is 500 square feet for a one-bedroom!â She shouts at you. You blink.
âAs I said, I want people to live comfortably. We deserve that. That means no leaky roofs, no mold or mildew on our bedsheets and clothes, and reliable appliances.â You place your hand on her shoulder, âThis place is yours. You didnât have to earn it, you didnât have to fight for it, and you donât have to pay me. Itâs yours as long as you want it.â You say softly. Unshed tears glitter in Sevikaâs eyes as you gaze at each other. It made you sad to see because you could tell what she was thinking. âThereâs no catch. Every bronze she makes goes to her.â
âOh! Youâll love this!â You drag her over to the bathroom, âYou have hot water! I set it up so the pipes get warmed by the sun during the day, and the hot water gets stored in a special tank. Thereâs a water gauge on your shower head that shows you how much time you have left for your shower. It took a while to set up but-!â You pause in the middle of your rambling when you realize she hasnât said a thing. âThis is overwhelming for her⊠Itâll be overwhelming for every Zaunite that comes here. I need to give her some time to process this.â Your eyes soften and you pat her shoulder.Â
âIâll let you get settled in. When youâre done, you can find me in the center and weâll eat dinner together.â You wait for acknowledgment, receiving a delayed nod after a minute, before walking to the front door. You had just opened it when you hear a sob come from behind you with a low âWhat the fuck?!â following it. You sigh and close the door quietly before heading across to Jinx. On her side of the cliff, you notice the lights are on in one of the top apartments. âI knew she would choose one up high. I think thatâs where she feels more comfortable, like me.â
You leisurely walk up the stairs as the sound of music gets louder. You giggle to yourself knowing that Jinx was enjoying herself. You knock on her door, which was already spray painted with her name and little doodles. The music stops and a few seconds later, Jinx opens the door with a wide grin.Â
âThis place is amazing, Hex! Did you know thereâs hot water?! Hot water!â Jinx squeals and throws her arms around you, âThank you, thank you, thank you!!â You grunt as she squeezes you but you hug her back.Â
âI hope you know that thereâs-â
â-No catch to living here?! I know! Itâs not like you to do that to others when theyâre in need. I completely understand it!â Jinx cuts you off. You blink and give her a fond smile.
âDo you need help with anything?â
âNope! Iâm adding some art to the walls because it was BORING! So, Iâm okay by myself, but Iâll meet you at the center for dinner! Byyye!â Jinx giggles before twirling back inside and closing the door. You shake your head and decide to make your way back to the center. You transported your things to your room while you waited for them, so you didnât have anything to do.
âBerry?â An unfamiliar voice carried to you on the wind, making you pause midstep. Nervous butterflies instantly swarm your stomach at the sound. âThank you, Janna. You didnât have to alert me, though, I appreciate it.â You take a deep breath and reappear at the fissure. In front of you is a group of girls illuminated by the flashlights they carry. They shift around nervously and you conjure a flame to light the area. The blue flame bathes the rocks in a comforting glow but the girls shriek as they startle.
âHello, Chrissy⊠Itâs been a while since weâve seen each other.â You say softly as the girlsâ eyes land on you.
âBerryâŠâ Chrissy breathes out in shock.
âI hope you donât mind, but we must take this conversation elsewhere.â You smile as a rift opens beneath them and they fall in. Their screams are cut off as it closes and you follow them in a rift of your own. You snort when you see them in a pile on the floor.
âYouâre brave coming down here not dressed like a Piltie.â You muse, looking at their outfits now that they are fully lit, âIt could use some work, but for Piltovens who have never been down here⊠itâs⊠passable.â The girls scramble to their feet and you gesture to the chairs. They hesitate until you sit in one and cross your legs.
âThere was an explosion at the councilors building, so we decided to sneak out before security got too tight.â Ves starts, âItâs⊠what? 1 am? I didnât expect the Undercity to be so active.â
âItâs the city that never sleeps.â You shrug, âExcept, most people will be passed out in the morning, so maybe it will be asleep. Itâs a local holiday today and we havenât celebrated in years, so people are partying hard.â
âWhere are we? How did we get here?â Chrissy questions, âWas that similar to what happened with the cards? Where have you been all of these years?!â
âOne question at a time.â You laugh, âYouâre in my meeting room at my home base. I used my magic to rift you here, and yes, itâs similar to what happened with the cards⊠As to where Iâve been for six years? Iâve been here in Zaun.â
âHere?!â The girls chime together.
âIâve been looking for you for years, Berry! Youâve been here this whole time?â Chrissy groans.
âI thought you were from Noxus? Like your uncle?â Niki furrows her brow.
âNo⊠I think I should tell you the truth, but I need to know your stances on the Piltover and Zaun power difference.â You narrow your eyes.
âIâve been studying it since I got my job.â Chrissy scoffs, âItâs disgusting what my people are doing. It goes back for hundreds of years!â
âItâs true. Iâve heard things from working with the Kirammans.â Megan sighs.
âWe wouldnât be here if we werenât concerned about you and everything going on, Berry.â Niki frowns.
âWell, thenâŠâ You hear shouts of pain come from the girls as they grab their hands. âSorry, thatâs a sigil to protect anything shared between us. I forgot youâd feel it more than us Zaunites.â You sigh and rub the back of your neck, âListen, Professor Uley is not my uncle. Heâs not related to me at all. Iâm from Zaun. I was trying to steal something from him and got caught.â You chuckle at the memory.Â
âTurns out that he is a Zaunite too, but left when he was young and got adopted by a Noxian couple. We bonded over being older siblings, and he offered to teach me how to fight. So, he said that I was his niece to get me in.â
âThatâs why you didnât leave with him that day!â Chrissy gasps, âI knew you couldnât have disappeared! He didnât mention you to the Enforcers after the explosion.â Your hand twitches before you clench it and take a deep breath. You lean forward and tell them a modified version of the truth. They didnât need to know the personal details, only the important ones. Youâd need people on the inside and theyâre willing to help you without even knowing you. At the end of your explanation, a knock sounds at the door and you look over. Jinx waves at you with Sevika scowling behind her. You motion them in and they sit in the available seats next to you.
âHey!â You grin, âThese girls are old friends of mine who will be helping us.â
âTheyâre Pilties.â Sevika grunts.
âDo you trust them?â Jinx scoffs, âRemember what happened with my sister.â
âDonât worry ladies, theyâve been tagged like you were.â You roll your eyes, and that makes them calm down slightly.Â
âIâm watching you.â Jinx narrows her eyes at them.
âLikewise.â Lacie glares back.Â
âNow that introductions are out of the way, letâs eat!â You chirp as food appears on the table. You were still trying to get a hang of storing things in rifts. You were curious about what would happen if you kept something suspended in a rift. Food was the easiest so far, so youâd be moving up to plants soon.
âYouâre eating at 2:30 in the morning?â Jin blinks as the three of you dig into the meal.
âYeah, why not? Iâm hungry! A snack wouldnât be enough after today.â You snort, âWant to try some? Itâs one of Zaunâs cultural dishes. Pickled fish and fried rice.â
âFried rice? Whatâs that?â Jin tilts her head. You freeze mid-bite and put your fork down.
âYouâve seriously never heard of this?â Sevika raises an eyebrow.
âFried rice is like⊠the best dish ever!â Jinx gasps, âYou donât know what it is?!â The girls shake their heads making the three of you groan in disappointment. You had hoped the dishes would have been shared regardless of the class system. âI guess these dishes are below them since theyâre made by the sewer rats.â You scowl bitterly.
âFried rice is made in many different ways, but it takes regular rice and adds vegetables, eggs, meat, or seafood to it.â Sevika explains, âPickled fish is cured in a mixture of vinegar, salt, and spices. It lasts a long time as long as itâs sealed.â
âI-Iâd like to try some if you donât mind?â Lacie says shyly, âIt looks tasty.â
âHere!â Jinx slides the large container towards her, along with a plate and a fork, âYouâll love it!â Lacie served herself and took a tentative bite of the rice. She let out a happy squeal and excitedly motioned to the plate before scarfing down more.Â
âTry it! Try it!â Lacie encouraged the other girls and they all followed her lead. Soon, everyone was gushing over the meal and sharing stories with each other. âFood always has a way of bringing people together.â You listen as Sevika and Jinx agree that pickled eggs are disgusting. You smile to yourself. That was the first time youâve witnessed them agreeing on something. âThis war will be good for Zaun.â
After eating, the Piltoven girls were allowed to choose where they wanted to sleep for the night. By the time everyone went to bed, it was around 3 am, but the party in Zaun was still ongoing with no sign of stopping just yet. You put out the candle on your bedside table, get comfortable in bed, and close your eyes. The tears youâve been holding back start falling. The smell of mint surrounds you even after washing the sheets and it makes your heart ache. âWhy would you choose her, Vi? Why?â
