Aftermath ff
Author’s Note: So this is going to be kind like a sequel to my Arcane ff, but posting at the same time. This is a Silco centered fic about SPOILERS IF YOU CONTINUE
if he secretly survived at the end but everyone believed he didn’t, (kind of like how Jinx was slowly dying but Silco brought her to the lab and saved her)
Takes place immediately after ep 9.
ps: I just wanted to say to all of you who have commented, tagged, or anything on my arcane ff or this one - that I really appreciate it and that it brightens my day to read all of your thoughts. Thank you <3
Part 2.
Part 1
I wake up to the sounds of the silence that allows
For my mind to run around, with my ear up to the ground
I'm searching to behold the stories that are told
When my back is to the world that was smiling when I turned
Tell you you're the greatest
…But once you turn, they hate us
Oh, the misery
Everybody wants to be my enemy
Spare the sympathy
Everybody wants to be my enemy…
My enemy.
But I'm ready
Pray it away, I swear I'll never be a saint, no way
My enemy.
Pray it away, I swear I'll never be a saint
Look
out
for
yourself
.
.
.
He awoke with a start, a light blinding him instantly. For a moment he considered that perhaps Vander had lied to him, perhaps he had sent him to the other side, permanently. But then he felt cold metal under him and as his eyes slowly adjusted he realized he was in a dimly lit room. Save for the bright lamp above him.
Distantly he thought he could hear soft voices around him.
Straining to see better he tried to turn his head, but found that his neck wouldn’t respond. Confused, he thought to lift an arm.
Nothing.
Suddenly panicking he tried his damndest to do anything but it was as if he were frozen. Amidst this realization he heard footsteps rapidly approaching.
“He’s waking up!”
“Doc-?”
“This isn’t good, he’s not ready - be a dear, hand me that will you?”
“This?”
Silco felt a small pinch in his arm, then watched helplessly as a darkness crept in around him. There was a faint ringing in his ears as his mind slipped back into unconsciousness.
=========================================
When he came to this time he was no longer on cold, hard metal, but rather a warm bed.
Glancing around he also found that he had regained the use of his body. Good.
Straining to sit up, Silco immediately regretted this decision as his chest and abdomen began to ache.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” A voice said to his left. Shifting slowly to look he was met with the weary face of ‘Singed’.
“Hello again.” The alchemist said, moving around the bed.
Silco narrowed his eye as he watched him approach.
“To be honest I didn’t think I’d be seeing you so soon. However, under the - unfortunate circumstance taken place - I suppose you had little choice.”
Silco stared.
“I’m speaking of your death of course.” He continued, stopping a few feet away. Silco’s eyes widened. He knew. But to hear it out loud…
“For approximately eight minutes to be exact.”
Silco startled, “eight-?”
“Mmmm, and for that reason alone, I’d like to run some cognitive test. So far there doesn’t seem to be any speech impediment, so let’s try out your motor skills next.”
Affronted, Silco snarled, “I’m not one of your experiments-!”
“Actually, as of a few days ago, you are.”
That was news to him, just what the hell had happened?
“What are you talking about.” Silco said evenly, trying not to let his nerves get to him.
He tried to move away from Singed as the man stepped closer, but the aching in his chest suddenly turned sharp. He let out a hiss as he froze all movement, his head feeling dizzy and heart pounding.
Singed blinked at him, “I did try to warn you.”
“What did you do to me?” He growled lowly, he felt very much like a cornered animal.
“Look, if you keep moving like that I’m going to have to sedate you-“
“Like hell you are!”
Silco managed to scoot out of the man’s grasp, just as the door on the far side of the room slammed open.
“Hey! What is going on in here?” Sevika questioned as she limped in. Both men turned to her.
Silco immediately took stock of her appearance…she’d definitely looked better. It wasn’t often someone got the upper hand on her, the bruising on her face evidence enough. Her arm was different too.
Singed spoke first. “Just trying to run some cognitive test, all standard I assure you, I need to make sure there wasn’t any brain damage in the time -” he faced Silco again, “-that your heart stopped pumping and your oxygen ran out.”
Silco simply glared at him, the pain in his chest not lessening.
“You.” Sevika pointed toward Singed, “get out, you can run your little test later, he and I need to talk.”
Singed looked between the two of them, shrugged and made his way towards the door.
Sevika waited until he’d gone before stepping closer. Silco was suddenly staring at his body, just now realizing his entire torso was bandaged. Shit
Hesitantly she approached, stopping a few feet away.
“Sir?”
He glanced up at her, his breathing coming in quick successions.
“Sir, I know this is hard to understand, and I’ll do my best to explain everything that happened-“
“Jinx, where is she?”
Sevika made a face that could only be described as her eating a lemon.
“I don’t know, sir.”
Silco’s gaze sharpened. “You don’t know.”
“She’s missing - or hiding, either way we don’t want to find her.”
“I do.” He snapped, leaning back on a pillow slightly. Then quietly, almost to himself, “I have to…she needs me.”
Sevika didn’t say anything to that, rather she drug a chair over to the side of the bed and sat down.
“…How are you feeling?” She asked, looking over him critically.
“I’m fine,” he mumbled, settling back onto the bed, the pain finally letting up. “I need you to find Jinx, send everyone you can-“
“I can’t do that.”
There was a sudden tension in the air.
“Why. Not.” Silco asked, glancing at her from the corner of his good eye.
“Because you and I both know that if Jinx doesn’t want to be found, she won’t. And because I can’t waste what help we have left.” She let out a deep sigh, leaning forward she crossed her arms.
“We’re at war, Silco, with Piltover.”
He knew this, but stayed silent.
“Jinx…she caused it. She blew the council sky high, and now - now we’re all paying the price for it.”
“She attacked the council?” He asked, playing dumb.
“Bombed it more like, I hear they’re still digging people out from the rubble.”
“Do they know it was her?”
Again, Sevika made that lemon face. “She was seen firing at them, by her own sister no less…So yeah, they know it was her, and they’ve been looking for her for the past week.”
Silco let out an indignant huff, “of course she would tell them.”
Sevika raised a brow. “Funnily enough, Jinx’s last known location happened to be where we found you.”
He narrowed his eyes, “so you are tracking her then.”
“I was tracking you.” She pinned him with a look.
Silco met her knowing gaze. She shook her head, taking in a deep breath.
“…just…tell me it was an enforcer - or hell, that her sister did this to you…anyone but Jinx.”
He glanced away. Sevika was on her feet in the next moment, pacing, her composure slipping by the wayside.
“Why-“
“It was an accident.” Or he hopped it had been…Jinx’d certainly seemed regretful after the fact.
“Oh, it was an accident that she killed you?” Sevika hissed, gesturing toward him.
“I’m not dead, and you weren’t there, she was confused…”
“Confused about what - exactly? About how gun safety works, because clearly she missed training considering the amount of lead we pulled out of you.”
“Sevika.” Silco sighed out in warning.
“I don’t - understand why you’re defending her.” She said, pinching the bridge of her nose, but paused in her fury.
Reining it back in she stood a foot away from him.
“…Sir. I know you want to find Jinx, but right now we have bigger priorities -“
Something inside him snapped.
“Nothing! Is more important to me than Jinx.” He spat out. “I have to find her.”
Pushing himself back up he made to stand, casting her a glance “Even if I have to do it myself.”
Sevika stepped forward, not at all surprised by his outburst. “Sir, you’re in no condition -“
“I’m fine.”
“You aren’t.”
“Sevika, if you don’t get out of my way-“
“You’ll what?” She said folding her arms. It was as good a challenge as any.
Silco narrowed his eyes.
“Listen to me, please. Sir, you can’t -“ She sighed out.
“Move. Now.” He growled out, threateningly.
“What’s your plan anyway,” she asked, ignoring him. “Say you manage to make it out of here without passing out, you’re going to - what? Limp your way through the city? What if someone recognizes you? What if an enforcer catches you?” Shrugging, she took a cautious step forward.
“What good are you to anyone dead. What good are you to Jinx then?”
she’s got a point, a voice sounding vaguely like Vander said in his head.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, he realized he was shaking slightly. Whether it was from the anger or his injuries he wasn’t sure.
Sevika moved closer still, “you won’t be helping anyone if you leave. Especially yourse-”
“You worry about you, Sevika, and I’ll worry about me. I told you, I’m fine.” He snapped, still working up the energy to fully stand.
“Right. Because it isn’t my job to worry about you.” She dead panned. Silco shot her another warning look.
“Keep talking like that and see if you still have one.” He hissed, his fuse growing ever shorter.
She scoffed. “Please, you would still be dead if it weren’t for me!”
It was a low blow, but honestly she didn’t care at the moment.
He let out a dark chuckle, expression turning cruel. “Oh? Am I supposed to be grateful? After all, weren’t you just doing your fucking job?”
Another low blow.
It was small, but he saw her fist clench.
“What’s that you’re always saying about loyalty? That it has to be earned, not given freely? Remind me again how Jinx has your loyalty, how she’s earned anything.” Sevika spat back.
Silco felt his control slipping, suddenly lunging forward. “Jinx isn’t-!”
The world turned sideways.
Feeling himself begin to fall, he braced for impact.
But the floor never came.
There was a soft grunt as he crashed into strong arms, Sevika catching him.
Carefully, she sat him back onto the edge of the bed.
“With all due respect, sir. You’re a fool.” She mumbled, the tension in the air melting away slightly.
Despite still feeling dizzy, he couldn't help the dark smirk that arose from her comment. “Then maybe you should have let me fall.”
Sevika watched him, still close by. “Maybe,” her own smirk forming, “…but then maybe I’d be out of a job.”
Squeezing his eye shut, he put a hand to his head. He was beginning to feel nauseous now. Sevika seemed to notice the shift in mood.
“Should I get the doctor-“
“No!” He quickly said, eye shooting open. “No…I’m fine, just give me a moment.”
Slowly she moved away, sitting back down in the nearby chair.
Silence dragged on.
The room wouldn’t stop spinning, his head pounding. Just as he was considering laying back down, Sevika spoke up.
“…I’m sorry.”
Silco glanced at her.
“I - I shouldn’t have come at you like that, I shouldn’t have dragged Jinx into -“ She cut herself off, letting out a deep sigh, “and not now, not when things are already hard enough.”
She folded her arms, eyes looking up to meet his. “But the thing is. You don’t know what’s happened; what’s happening.”
He frowned, glancing away. “Sevika-“
“Please. Let me speak?”
Pausing to look at the floor, he gave a small nod.
It took her a moment, he waited as she gathered her thoughts.
“A week ago Piltover invaded the Underground. Since that first day there’s been nothing but fighting. Our people, our city - everyone. They’re dying. And the enforcers, they just want one thing. Justice…they want Jinx, and our people are dying.” She swallowed thickly, voice straining.
Silco listened to her silently. She’d clearly reached her limit as well.
“I wish I could say I understand. But I don’t. how can you - worry - about one person, about the one person who’s caused this. How can you say she needs you, when our people need you.”
Slowly she looked to the floor, her face resigned. “How can you expect the people to follow you when you won’t lead…how can you expect loyalty, when you aren’t loyal to them.”
For a moment the tension in the air became taught once more, and then it snapped.
Closing her eyes, Sevika let out a shaky breath. “I’ve been trying to keep the Underground together the best that I can, but my best isn’t going to cut it if we want to survive this…I need your help sir. I need you.”
“Okay.”
Sevika blinked in surprise. “Sir?”
Vander’s words were ringing in his ears. He needed to help more than just Jinx.
Fix the damage she caused, fix relations with Piltover, fix the Underground
It was like an internal mantra, one he knew he couldn’t ignore.
He should be feeling ashamed. That would have been the normal response to what she’d just told him, but instead, all he felt, all he’s really felt since waking up, was a heavy exhaustion. The last of his resolve fading.
“You’re right, the people should come first. I’ve caused this mess. It’s my responsibility to fix it.”
Sevika stared at him for a moment, body wound tight. “You didn’t tell Jinx to fire that rocket, sir.”
We’ll show them
“No, but I didn’t stop her either.”
“Sir, you couldn’t -“
“That isn’t what I mean.” Gaze sliding to meet her’s once more. “I had plenty of other chances, but when it counted, when she needed me -“ He closed his eye, mind flashing back to when Jinx found him debating on what to do; turn her over to Piltover or condemn Zaun to a life of ruin. “…I failed.”
“So she killed you?” Sevika asked, concern lacing her words.
Silco rolled his eyes, “I told you, what happened wasn’t intentional, her sister and that enforcer girl were both there. They confused her.”
Sevika let out a small ‘hmmph’ but didn’t comment.
He continued. “That’s why I need to find Jinx, I need to make things right.”
Sevika considered his words. “…well, I’m not sure how you’re going to accomplish both,” another little huff as she frowned at him, “so far the only way I can see this war even coming close to an end is if Jinx-“
“I’ll not turn her over.” He glared, suddenly sizing her up. “If that’s your only solution to stop this war, then perhaps we should cut ties now.”
A brief look of hurt crossed her face before it morphed into a glare. “If you have a better idea, I’m all ears.”
He looked down, expression pensive. “I don’t know yet.”
“hmm”
His head shot up, “but that’s why I need Jinx,” he spat. “Once I know she’s safe, we’ll go from there.”
Sevika didn’t look convinced, but he couldn’t care less. As long as Jinx was okay, he’d do about anything.
He knew, she knew, he was desperate. Despite their earlier dynamic, she was holding all the cards. He knew he’d been slipping, that he’d fallen out of favor with a lot of their allies, that Sevika was one of the last tether’s he had to power. He’d bet on her loyalty to him, but it was clear that would only get him so far, for so long.
She watched him. The tension from before mounting. He’d mocked her position to him, demeaned her job, when in reality they both knew the truth.
The tables had turned, but instead of stealing everything right out from under him, she was still here, preforming the role she’d always played. Why?
Why had she even bothered to look for him at all. She could have taken the empire they’d built and ran with it, leaving him to rot.
She could have let Singed turn him into something unrecognizable. A true monster.
She’d had hundreds of chances to kill him, and yet -
“Fine. We’ll find Jinx.”
She was loyal.
“But my guys will do that, you need to get better and soon. I can’t exactly do both yours and my job at the same time. So.” She motioned for him to lie back down. “Get some rest before Singed gets anymore ideas about making you his newest test subject.”
Deciding to heed her advice, he began to lay back. “I want Jinx found unharmed.”
Sevika made a face, but he chose to ignore it.
“I’ll do my best.” She said wearily. “But if she starts gunning for my lads, I’m pulling them back.”
Silco couldn’t argue with that. Instead he settled more comfortably into the bed. Sevika got up and walked closer; leaning a hip against the edge of the bed, she folded her arms, frowning down at him.
“Do you need anything?”
Just as wearily he shook his head. Mind traveling elsewhere. “You mentioned Piltover invaded a week ago…”
Sevika nodded. “You’ve been in and out of it the last few days.”
“And no word of Jinx.”
“She’s disappeared, if I was her, I’d have done the same thing. But I’m sure there’s a lead somewhere.”
“And -“ He hesitated, not sure he wanted to know just yet. “-the people, you said they’re fighting, I take it we’re not winning…”
“No. But neither is Piltover. Their entire structure was over turned in one night, I hear it’s been hell trying to get anything done. They’re unorganized. Which is good for us.”
“We’re just as unorganized.” He said flatly. “It’s only a matter of time before Piltover regains some kind of control, when that happens, we’ll be in trouble.”
Sevika glanced to the side. “How much time do you think we have until that happens?”
He shook his head again. “I don’t know, I’d have to see the damage done.” What he was really thinking was, whether or not Jayce had died.
Scrutinizing his expression, she pushed off from the bed. “I’ll see what I can find out.”
He watched her as she began to move away. “Wait.”
She paused.
“Who knows what happened - to me.”
Sevika walked back. “Some of the guys helped me track you down -“
“Do they know I’m alive.”
“They did at the time, we haven’t had a chance to catch-up yet.” She frowned.
“Tell them I’m dead.”
“What? Why?”
Silco didn’t want to say that his main reasoning behind keeping his existence a secret was in a way to protect Jinx, but well…
“Just tell them for now. We don’t need anymore unnecessary attention.”
“Fine. I’ll let Singed know.” She began to walk away again, but suddenly turned around.
“What about Jinx? If she knows your alive she might come willingly?”
Somehow Silco didn’t think it would be that simple, or that easy.
“…Just find her first.” He stated, unsure of his feelings on the matter.
“Sir.” She gave a nod.
“And Sevika.” A pause. “When you get back, I want to know everything that’s happened from the moment you found me to now. Everything about the war, Piltover, if there’s anyone left we can rely on.”
There was a hesitance in her next move, body shifting as if a weight was lifting, her expression relieved.
“Of course, sir. I’ll return soon.”