The Descent - Chapter 5 - Three Steps
Silco x female reader - Dark Slow Burn - Modern Au - Stalker Silco
A strange man moves into the apartment across from yours, he likes to watch and you start to like him watching. What could go wrong?
<<<Go back to Chapter One
Warnings: stalking, obsession, veiled threats, and unsettling power plays, romanticized toxic behavior, alcohol use, toxic relationships, power dynamics, classism, unwanted physical touch, implied sexual exploitation, physical abuse, threats, psychological abuse, violence, mental health probably, class based power dynamics, swearing, bad editing (notsorry), car accident, death, murder, kidnapping, implied forced drinking, evil Silco, dark Silco, cold Silco. He’s not gentle and sweet ya feel? No jinx.
Chapter Five
Three Steps
You're on the backfoot now, the night is closing in around your throat. You were promised diamonds but all you got was dirt. How much more of this can you take?
The night was not going well. Your friend's life was in danger and you had gotten drunk and subsequently made a lot of mistakes.
There was no other way to put it, sitting and eating sandwiches with Silco was a risk you should not have taken but you had been too sloshed to consider that in the moment and it was all made worse by the way he effortlessly extracted every last bit of problematic information that he needed from you. The man read you like an open book. Understandably in hindsight since he was technically your stalker and had invested some significant amount of time in watching your every move.
Yet you were worried, no, terrified that you had put Mia at risk.
You consider all of this in painstaking detail as you weave back through the hive-like ballroom towards your cursed place at Finns side.
Approaching the circular lounge area it almost feels like you are walking in slow motion under water. Your heart sinks when you see Mia has now joined Finn who eyes you accusingly as you make your way to join them. They’re sitting and chatting with a few other people you can’t make out quite yet.
Mia’s eyes are bright and sparkling, she looks radiant as she laughs and says something that has the people sitting across from her lean in, always so magnetic.
It feels like spiders are skittering down your spine as you take your seat directly across from the diplomat of the Ascendancy. The very man Jules had warned you not to even look at, let alone go near, let alone sit with and have a chat. Archan Cesshiar. While you’re distracted Finn plucks a champagne flute from a passing tray and presses it into your hand, his fingers lingering too long against yours as he leans in, breath warm against your ear.
“Don’t pout,” he murmurs. “You’re prettier when you’re relaxed” You force a smile but it doesn't reach your eyes. “Thank you” you manage tightly. The glass is cool against your palm. You hold it, but you don’t drink.
“What is that saying in the ascendancy?” Mia says with a bright smile. “You’re always either three steps away from love or death?”
“It loses something in translation but… perhaps not in spirit.” Archan's voice is rich and clear despite his thick accent. “I’m surprised you have heard of this, I must admit… it is not one I hear from the unascended very often.”
You shift in your seat. You didn't like the way Archan was looking at Mia, too warm, too fond, the creases of his eyes too deep, his attention too wrapt in her. Damn her irresistible charm.
Finn looks at you smugly out the corner of his eye, clearly enjoying your discomfort.
“Archan, let me introduce you to my other guest this evening.” Finn interjects, taking your free hand and pulling you to your feet.
Archan politely stands to reach across the table and take your hand, shaking it in a formal, customary greeting. You feel the full weight of his attention press down on you. His light brown eyes are almost yellow. Predatory and bright with calculating intellect as they drink you in.
“It’s a bit much, is it not Finn? to have not one, but two beautiful women on your arm this evening?” Archan says playfully, releasing your hand as you both your seat, but his eyes don’t leave you.
“One good girl and one bad girl. Balance” Finn quips back, equally playful.
Archan smiles wide and laughs before turning and looking between Mia and yourself.
“Hmmm but which is which I wonder.” He says rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
“Oh, I’m practically a holy saint, I’m the good one.” Mia says, her eyes gleaming, sipping her drink through smirking lips.
“I doubt that very much” Archan counters with dangerous confidence. A small polite smile on his face.
Mia raises her eyebrows at him in righteous defiance but before she can fire back he cuts her off.
“Speaking of good and bad things, Finn, may I offer you a cigar? I thought it might be a good excuse for us to take a moment on the balcony to briefly discuss some business as gentlemen.” Archan stands and clicks his fingers once, a boy appears with a box of cigars and proffers it to Archan, who selects two, passing one to Finn.
“Please excuse us ladies, we will be back in a moment.” Archan says as they walk away.
Finn hesitates, his eyes flickering between you and Archans back just once before striding after the diplomat to the balcony.
You wonder briefly if it was because he didn’t want to leave you unsupervised or because he didn’t want to be alone with Archan.
Mia turns to you and leans in with a wicked grin.
“Ugh, I want to climb that man like a Dagharian staircase” she says sipping her drink again. She’s obviously had a few too many cocktails to be saying this out loud.
“Archan?” You ask, eyebrows rising.
“Hes so sharp and quick witted and you know I love a challenge ” Mia smirks raising one eyebrow with cocky bravado.
“Oh no.” You interfere. “You do not find him attractive, do you understand?” You grab her shoulders.
Mia looks back at you and smiles confidently and widely. Your stomach twists. Oh no she does not, this is not happening.
You look towards the balcony, Finn and Archan now out of sight. You hadn’t seen Wes since you got back either, so hopefully that was one less pair of eyes monitoring you both. “I’d take the yacht from our villa in the Capitol to visit you a few times a year,” Mia muses, clearly lost in her fantasy future. “You could stay with us for the summer festivals. Archan and I would throw the most scandalous parties.”
Your heart beat pounds in your chest as you quickly make a decision. You had to get Mia and yourself out of here.
“I’m having a wardrobe malfunction, will you give me a hand in the bathroom?” You ask Mia lightly, but as subtly as you can manage, with your eyes and your expression you let her see something is wrong.
Her eyes sharpen with a flicker of curiosity and concern and she quickly agrees, playing along. “Sure babe, let's wrangle those tits back where they belong.” Mia says as you both stand.
As soon as you get to the bathroom you check you are alone.
“Okay, what the hell is really going on? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Mia says following you as you pull open the doors to each toilet, to find all of them empty, the doors swinging and clanging loudly against the wall in your rush. Fuck, you need to get out of here. As you step back, you notice there’s another door at the end of the bathroom.
“Did you eat too much seafood again?” Mia continues.
“What? No! I just…just give me a second” you say softly, trying not to sound frantic. As you open the door you see it leads to a small cleaning store room with windows that show the gardens beyond and there, bingo, another door out to the garden.
“We have to get out of here, right now. Please.” You say turning to her finally. “Please”
Mia frowns, obviously unsure but she looks at your face, really looks and just nods once. She looks concerned and a little bit scared. Your heart clenches at how much trust she has in you.
“Okay, okay, let’s go, I hate goodbyes anyway.” Mia agrees and you slide your hand into hers.
You slip out of the musty storage room, down a small service staircase onto the plush grassed lawns, soft and cold. Immediately your heels sink into them so you quickly pull them off. Mia mirrors you and before you know it you’re running hand in hand barefoot on the cold turf towards the hedge maze, everything stained silver under the bright moonlight.
The air is cold and harsh in your lungs, the sweet scent of wet grass and the music of the ballroom growing more and more muffled and distant as you step into the shadows of the sharply manicured, looming hedges.
You cast a quick and final look over your shoulder towards the grand estate building but see nobody running after you. Despite this, you still feel hunted as you turn along the path. The hedges are tall, maybe ten or eleven feet tall? It’s ominous the way they swallow you up, into darkness, the green walls blocking out the moonlight.
As a stroke of luck, it seems like the main path had long ago been lined with brick pavers so you didn’t have to actually solve your way out, all you had to do was follow the paved path.
You and Mia turn sharply around one corner to see a couple folded together kissing and giggling, they both yelp in scandalised surprise as the two of you brush past them and continue running, turning again and again along the winding pathway.
As you round yet another dizzying corner you almost trip over her. Jewels from a broken necklace scattered around her glittering in the half light on the ground where she lay still. Too still. Her neck at an unnatural angle. Her wet eyes stare blankly at the ground, unmoving.
Your mind flashes back through memories of earlier in the night. Finn and this woman clinking glasses “All empires fall, it’s only a matter of when…”
“Is she…” Mia whispers softly, her voice cracking before trailing off into the crushing silence.
You steel yourself and step over the corpse.
“Let's keep going, we‘ll run down the road further and then hail a cab.” You turn and look at Mia who’s eyes are fixed on the dead woman's body. Mia's free hand trembling clasped over her mouth in shock.
“Mia” you say softly pleading and giving her hand a gentle pull. “It’s not safe for us to say here, … we can’t help her.” You whisper.
“It feels wrong to just leave her like this.” Mia says, her throat tight, but she lets you pull her away. She keeps pace with you as you run through the remaining hedge maze in stunned silence. Each time you turn a sharp corner to find it empty is a relief. Till finally you are abruptly greeted by open sky.
There’s a small patch of open lawn before the tree line, and it feels like standing under a spotlight for just a moment before you both make it into the darkness of the forest at the edge of the property, panting and breathless you keep running.
–
Silco sits on a high balcony lounge overlooking the ball below, watching the games played out before him, silently observing who speaks to who and who shakes hands. The clacking of heels approaching draws his gaze to see the sequined suit of his personal assistant, Jules, approaching. Silco stubs out his cigarette, waving him forward. “Our asset just checked in, apparently the girls are on the run.” Jules says standing by his side and passing him a tablet. Silco takes it, it shows security footage of you and Mia hand in hand, clutching their heels and running barefoot across the manicured lawns of the estate, making a beeline for the hedge maze. Silco smirks at the sight before him briefly before handing the tablet back to Jules. “Keep an eye on them.” Silco instructs turning his gaze back to the ball. Jules nods and turns but quickly turns back. “Sir, Archan is approaching, shall I-” Jules starts but Silco waves him silent. “He’s welcome here, let him come.” Silco’s words are unbothered. Jules hesitates briefly before leaving. The Diplomat strolls up and politely gestures to the chair beside Silco, as if they were sun lounges by the pool at a resort. “May I?” Archan says cheerily as if they were old friends when in fact this was their first meeting. “Please” Silco nods towards the chair as he reaches for a cigarette, “Bring the diplomat some sparkling water” Silco’s order is quickly obeyed by a nearby attendant and a short moment later they place a small glass before Archan. “How considerate” Archan says as he lifts the glass in thanks. It was well known that alcohol was forbidden in the ascendancy. Silco dips his head to the lighter, the warm flame briefly illuminating him. “Why let your underlings run wild like this?” Archan asks, his words are bright and innocent. Silco chuffs an amused laugh, straight to the point then. Good, he preferred it like that. “So they think I’m not watching, and they show their hand.” Silco says lazily before blowing a plume of smoke out towards the crowd below.
Archan considers this for a moment. “Ah, a test then.” Archan offers as he leans back in his chair. Silco nods looking down at the crowd below. Archan holds the glass up and turns it lazily in his hand, watching the bubbles rise. “In my home country, a man who lets his dogs fight unchecked is usually the one who ends up torn to pieces.” Archan's tone is frank and polite. Silco’s smirk sharpens, but his eyes don’t stray from the crowd below. “And yet… when the dust clears, only the strongest hounds remain. I prefer my enemies to reveal themselves rather than sniff at shadows.” Silco flicks ash into the tray beside him. “It saves me the trouble of hunting.” Archan hums, amused. “Efficient and ruthless, your embargo proves as much. My countrymen are gnashing their teeth at word of Zaun closing it’s gates to our trade. You’ve cost us dearly Lord Silco.” Silco calmly turns to face Archan now. “Zaun will not be your corridor to Piltover, diplomat. Each barrier I build, each vein I bind—consider it a reminder. The Ascendancy may play its games elsewhere, but not through my streets. Keep pushing, and you’ll find the toll far higher than you imagined.”
“Strong words” Archan says calmly as he swirls his glass, lips curving faintly before he continues. “In Dagharal, we say every wall invites a siege. The higher the wall, the greater the glory when it falls. But I see now why they whisper your name with such irritation. You are not an easy neighbor, Lord Silco.” Archan's eyes glitter with amusement.
“No. I am not.” Silco smiles thinly, turning back to the ballroom.
–
Out onto the winding forest road you’ve both been walking for what feels like a long time, your bare feet feel raw on the rough surface of the road and your legs ache, till finally a cab comes past and you hail it down.
The driver raises an eyebrow to find you both out on the road, holding your heels in your hands but it obviously wasn’t the strangest thing the old man had ever seen, so he didn’t question you as you climbed into the vehicle. The radio played corny old country music on a crackling AM station.
You let yourself take a deep breath and exhale, trying to ground yourself.
Sitting in the middle of the back seat with Mia resting her head on your shoulder, you feel her body warm and comforting against yours. Her familiar smell mixed with alcohol.
You still both held hands as if you could save each other from what you had just seen. Sitting together in silence, grateful to be getting away from the madness of the ball.
After a long while Mia lifts her head and looks at you.
“Will you tell me what really happened?” she asks.
Your eyes turn towards the driver and you catch his eyes flick away from you in the rear view mirror before you look back at Mia.
“I promise I will tell you everything as soon as we get back.” You say squeezing her hand and nodding.
Mia looks frustrated and impatient but she nods slowly before resting her head on your shoulder again.
You sigh again, this time a little of the tension leaves your shoulders.
Then the world blurs, as if it were an oil painting and somebody dragged everything sideways. There was no noise, no warning. If anything the moment was eerily silent.
You saw a flash of headlights, but you didn’t hear the metal tearing apart like paper as another vehicle slammed directly into yours, pushing the taxi off the road. You saw your heels fly up into the air and slam around before you felt a huge weight in your chest and across your waist. That must have been the car rolling a few times before lodging itself upside down against the trees.
You couldn't see Mia’s face, it was obscured by her hair beside yours, going straight up into the air, her arms raised up limply, relaxed fingers gently curled against the ceiling. A small stream of blood ran from her fingertips down her arm. No… it was the other way around the blood must come from somewhere on her body and… you blink slowly, confused, your head pounding
It wasn't much blood, and you could see her breathing steadily. It seemed like she was okay.
The driver was gone, you didn’t know where, possibly flung out of the car when the windscreen came out. He was an older man, it was safe to assume he probably wasn’t wearing his seatbelt.
Your arms felt so heavy hanging above your head like this you think as you blink slowly again, but this time you slip away into quiet.
You hear yelling and feel your hanging body shake gently as someone pulls the crumpled door open. Two voices, but the words you can’t make out.
A rescue team, you realise and relief floods through you. Arms reach in and you turn your heavy eyes to see Mia being carefully removed by two people. You smile to yourself, letting your eyes slip shut again. It’s okay, she’s going to be okay. Then you hear an engine start and the sound of tyres on the road driving away.
Now it’s silent again.
What happened to the rescue team? Did they not see you? Did they forget you? Your heart sinks and you struggle to lift your arms up, it takes you a few tries but you manage to press the button and undo your seatbelt. You fall awkwardly and painfully in a tangle of your own limbs. New pains you had not noticed bloom across different parts of your chest. It hurts to breathe. Despite all of this, you force yourself to army crawl just out the open door of the car, feeling soil, leaf litter and pine needles under your hands and bare arms. Each wriggle and twist of your body makes you grit your teeth with the effort, till you’re out of the car, propping yourself up against the frame, clutching your side and panting with the effort. Something crawls over your thigh, it feels like an insect maybe but you’re too exhausted to care.
–
Silco is alone now, the Diplomat having left some time ago. The familiar sound of heels sounded on the stairs to the balcony, but something about the rushed speed at which they clacked towards Silco made him turn as Jules approached with a strained and frantic expression. “The girls’ cab was T-boned on the forest road. Finn’s men hit them hard. They took the friend—Mia.” Jules’ words came fast and breathless. Silco’s brows knit together, his jaw ticking as Jules rushes to continue. “Our asset reports your girl, was left behind, and I quote “breathing but not good” so-” Silco is already at his feet heading towards the garage, his long legs setting a pace that means Jules has to half run to keep up. “I have a car ready, and emergency services are inbound” “I would expect nothing less” Silco growls in affirmation as they make their way towards the crash site. His glove tightened around his fist until leather creaked. He had let her stray too far. He would not make the same mistake twice. –
The car is a wreck of twisted metal, one side completely crushed against a tree, the roof lowered by what must have been repeatedly rolling sideways off the road into the treeline. It seemed strange that something so strong as metal could be forced into such wild organic shapes. The smell of burned rubber and spilled fuel thick in the air. Silco hears far away sirens approaching in the distance, cutting through the night. His shoes crunch shattered glass into the asphalt as he approaches, pushing past some broken branches and crushed vegetation to find her propped up beside the car head slumped forward one had wrapped loosely around her waist. Her arms and legs bare, looking unusually pale under the moonlight, no shoes, dress streaked with mud, likely from when she dragged herself out of the vehicle. This draws a small smile from Silco who pulls off his coat and drapes it carefully over her. Defiant little creature he thinks to himself proudly as he weaves his arms around her and with a soft breath of exertion lifts her up, bridal style. He shifts her weight slightly tilting his arms up so that she folds against him, her head cradled against his shoulder. He notices her eyelashes flutter as he starts to carry her back to the road. “Silco” she whispers softly. It pulls unexpectedly at something deep in his chest. He stops at the edge of the road, turning away from it to shield her from the gathering onlookers, content to hold her as the ambulance approaches. She fit snugly in his arms, her body warm against him. She blinks a few times, her eyes sharpening. Silco lifts his view into the trees, apparently deep in thought. “Every day, I decide who is spared and who is spent. Who gets broken to buy tomorrow. That’s the cost of power, Little Flame, it’s sacrifice. Not gold, not steel but blood… always blood.” Silco’s words spill into the night, confident and clear. “It’s a necessity, to lead a nation, one must be ready to drive in the blade and cut out the rot, without hesitation at the very first signs of infection. That’s what it means to sit at the heart of a great empire. It’s not always easy, and often cruel but nonetheless it must be done.” He tilts his gaze down to you now, his eyes shift into an expression you don’t recognise on him. “Tonight I allowed you to remain at the ball… a calculated risk, and you played your part beautifully, whether you knew it or not. You endured and in doing so revealed where my blade needs to slice. As for Finn and his unrefined little games… he won’t be an issue for much longer.” Then unexpectedly, Silco chuckles, you feel the deep rumble against you. “You surprised me tonight, never making the move I expected. Trying to run, foolish but admirable. You tried to drag her clear of the danger so you ran from Finn, from the ball.” Red and Blue flashing lights stain the sky as you hear the ambulance approach. Something rattles towards you with voices approaching. Silco turns towards the two paramedics, wheeling a stretcher beside them. “But running from me was never an option. You see that now.” Silco says softly as he places you gently on the stretcher, you open your mouth to protest and try to sit up but before you can respond paramedics push in, quickly introducing themselves and asking you rapidfire questions which you answer as best you can.
One lifts a small torch to your eyes encouraging you to look into it, the brightness makes your eyes water, it’s so disorienting.
The Paramedics chattered over you in clipped efficient medical jargon. “Bad concussion, possible TBI—”
“You thinking RSI?”
“Yep, let’s do it.” Silco stays one step behind them as they load you into the ambulance, climbing in after them, taking a seat out of the way in the brightly lit room with one while the other gets in and starts driving.
The paramedic is kind but fast as he quickly talks you through what's happening. Attaching monitors to you and sliding a mask over your face. You try to turn to Silco, to say something but the paramedic holding your arm says “you’re going to feel a slight pinch” and the sedative slips cleanly into your veins, your lashes sink closed. “We’ll take her to Morrowfield” Silco says to the paramedics as he climbs in after them. “The best in town.” “It’s further but she’s stable… shouldn't be a problem.” the paramedic confirms before relaying that information to the driver. Silco watches her limp body shift gently with the sway of the vehicle. Each rise and fall of her chest a gentle reassurance. For a brief instant, something stirred, a flicker of how easily this night could have ended in stillness where her breath now was, but he crushes it before it can fully surface. He would not indulge such weakness. He would not even name it. She was alive here and now and that was the only truth permitted. To imagine otherwise was an indulgence he would never allow himself. She could not be lost to him. Not in life, not in thought.
With slow and careful precision Silco peels off the glove from his right hand and reaches over to rest his hand over hers, anchoring her to him.
He holds it there for the rest of the journey.
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Thanks so much for reading Chapter 5! 🔪📖🖤
I was so close to finishing this chapter when I got a FAT BLAST of inspiration that changed it completely. Unfortunatley that meant I had to rewrite it from scratch, but I love this new version WAY more, it is honestly such a glow up. I hope y'all like it cause I had a great time writing this one. It was super fun. I got NONE of my housework done this weekend, a sacrifice I am willing to make.
<3 Iron
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>>>Chapter Six TBA