Author’s note: This chapter (this whole fic actually) is dedicated to my best friend. You are my partner in crime, my co-captain, my chaos and fire and fury. I fucking love you.
Part I here! Part II here!
“By all means, come in uninvited.” You felt like an intruder at the sound of his voice.
You faltered, scrambling for a sentence, a word, a single syllable. After too long of a time staring at the floor while you felt the embarrassment flush your cheeks you uttered, “I - I’m sorry to disturb you.” You turned, keeping your head down. Your plan to walk out was thwarted as quickly as it was formed by a hand closing the cracked door. A pale hand, a male hand, with long, nimble fingers.
Your throat tightened involuntarily as you followed the hand, connected to his exposed forearm, the burgundy dress shirt sleeve rolled up to his elbow. You followed the creases of the fine fabric to his torso. The shirt he wore was worn with a deliciously flattering chocolate-brown vest and adorned with a cream colored cravat. Not even a second passed, but it felt like it took an hour to gain the gumption to flick your eyes up to his face. By the gods.
He was just as regal in real life as he was in the photograph that Sky had found. His presence was mind-emptying and all-consuming. Handsome, far more handsome than could ever be conveyed by words. Your body heated as you looked over his features, drinking in that sharp nose and jawline, the slight downturned scowl of his lips. His dark brown, almost black, hair was styled back with product, the sides tapered but still looked as if they would be soft to the touch. Most noticeable and impossible to look away from was the scar on the left side of his face. It looked like the roots of a plant, long, jagged lines from the top of his forehead down to the edge of his jaw. Just as you were contemplating what could cause such a scar the silence was broken by his smoky, subtly sugared voice.
“Is there something on my face, dear?”
You barely registered the words, and shook your fuzzy head and croaked, “I’m sorry?”
“You’re staring.”
“I’m sorry.” You felt your cheeks flush once again, feeling the heat on the tips of your ears this time. You took a steadying breath in through your nose and instantly regretted it - he even smells amazing.
“I meant to formally introduce myself earlier, but I was caught up with other things.”
“Oh, it’s no worry at all, I was actually unpacking so I was busy up until,” you trailed off, “up until I started wandering, that is.”
I feel like I’m in a dream. It’s been so long since I’ve had such an issue articulating myself. SNAP OUT OF IT.
“Well how fortunate it is that you found me.”
“Yes.” You averted your eyes from his smoldering gaze, concentrating on a marble statue of a vulture on a nearby display case made of thick glass that contained a vast assortment of aviary items. There were small skulls, talons, quills, and feathers in a range of colors. You finally relaxed enough to organize your thoughts. You released your bottom lip from between your teeth. “I wanted to ask you, actually, about the student? Has she always received private lessons? I’m only wondering because I want to cater to her comfort level, and considering I am used to handling a class full of college-level students, this is a little out of my traditional scope.”
“Ah, I see,” He paused, his lips drawn together in thought and he cocked his head ever so slightly to the side. “Well, Jinx is my adopted daughter. She has had private tutors in the past but,” he winced, slightly, but you still noticed, “they haven’t lasted long. She gets bored all too easily. This is not to discourage you of course if you have certain difficulties keeping her focus.”
He turned from you, starting back to his desk and making you wonder: How did he get to the door from such a distance so quickly?
Your thought was interrupted by him, “I will say though, when you were telling me your background on the phone I thought to myself that a change of pace, meaning a focus on the arts and history, might be worthwhile.” He reached his chair, but instead of sitting down he stood facing you. His hands beneath him resting on the surface of the dark wood desk. The glow from the small, green-shaded lamp on the desk lit the right side of his face, while the scarred side was shrouded softly.
You opened your mouth to compliment his appearance, but you caught yourself and said, “Well I’m glad that you took a chance on me.”
“Likewise.” His right hand drummed against the desk surface. “Though I’ll be most interested to see how you and Jinx end up getting along.” He looked again in your eyes, the sincerity there was not lost on you.
You felt those butterflies in your stomach, very faint, but still there. Like I’m jittery for the first day of school.
“I’ve never had too much an issue getting along with my students, so I am looking forward to meeting her.” You paused, feeling the urge to turn off the floor lamp that you turned on when you came in, thinking it was polite to do so before you left. “Thank you again for giving me this opportunity.” You switched the light off with a click.
“It was a pleasure to meet you, miss Y/N.” His voice was low and close by again. He creaked open the door with a quick, fluid-like motion. He nodded his head politely at you, and you thought you saw just a wink of a smile on his lips.
“Likewise.” You whispered before you slipped out the door, not looking back but feeling his eyes on you as you retreated with your metaphorical tail between your legs.
-
You called Sky through video chat as soon as you got back to your room and flicked on the lights. The afternoon had come and gone, and the sun with it, as it was much later than you realized when you checked the time.
“I’ve been home for hours, it’s about time!” She said as soon as she answered.
“Sorry, I’ve just been unpacking and touring the house.” You flopped back on the bed, kicking off both of your shoes, “You will not believe how enormous this place is on the inside. I wish you could have stayed.”
“Hey, I would have loved to, but I’ve got a full roster of chemistry students to teach tomorrow morning. Lucky you though, you’ve only got one to handle!” She paused, studying your face through the camera, then raising an eyebrow at you, “You met the ‘lord of the manor’, didn’t you?”
You blushed. She laughed in response, “Tell me, is he even better in person?”
Your pulse quickened and you exhaled dramatically, “He is. Aside from being like, stupidly handsome, his presence just completely fills a room. I felt like I couldn’t remember my own name when I met him.”
“Sounds suffocating.” She replied most bluntly.
“Not like that, you know what I mean.” You rolled your eyes. Apparently you were still having issues with your words.
“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t.” She laughed, teasing, “But remember what I always say about older guys though, they may seem so mature and all that on the outside, but you need to learn what’s on the inside. Old men always seem to be hiding something.”
“You’re right, Sky.” You shook your head, “It’s so easy to get flustered by appearances. Either way, I’m here for one reason, and that’s most important here.”
“Exactly! See? Just keep those priorities in check and you’ll -”
A sudden knock, knock at the door got you sitting up immediately.
“Just a minute, Sky.” You turned the volume on your call all the way down, stuffing it into your pocket as you padded across the cool floor in your socks. You caught a glimpse of yourself in the vanity mirror and quickly moved around your hair, letting it down around your shoulders.
You opened the door gingerly to find none other than Silco standing there, looking exactly the same as he did earlier except that a few stands of his hair were loose and the necktie that he wore was gone. There were two, three buttons undone on his burgundy dress shirt, showing just a small inkling of skin. It wasn’t a considerable amount by any means, but enough so that you had to bite the inside of your cheek to keep from making an unseemly sound.
“Hello again, um, do you need something?” You drew a blank on any reason that he would be at your door other than maybe to retrieve something, being that this was his home and all.
“I wanted to make sure that you had dinner.” He cleared his throat, “We didn’t have a formal setting tonight, so I had the chef prepare something for you.”
“Oh, yes, that would be really nice actually, thank you.” You smiled at him timidly.
He snapped his finger and one of the house staff rushed past him and into your room carrying a tray complete with a cloche covering the food. You watched her set it down on the desk without a sound.
“Thank you.” You said it to the woman and to Silco, and you meant it since you had forgotten to eat with all of the events of the day.
“You’re welcome my dear.” That perfect, silken voice of his said to you just as the woman rushed past you again and out the door. He looked into your eyes with an expression that you couldn’t describe. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” Your ears burned, and your eyes slowly dropped to the floor as you gently closed the door. As soon as it clicked closed you let out a huge gust of breath and snatched your phone out of your pocket, turning the volume back up so you could hear Sky.
“- but of course, Lord of the manor, please don’t mind that I’m indecent right now.” You laughed, having caught the tail-end of her teasing.
“Sky! You’re embarrassing me.” You chided.
“Please,” she made the word sound like it had several syllables the way she drew it out. “Don’t give me that, especially when you forgot to eat from the sounds of it. Again? Not to mention it sounds like there is a house full of people to wait on you so there’s no excuse, Y/N.”
“I know, I know, I was just caught up in everything that I forgot.” You sighed.
“I’ll leave you to your dinner, and to your thoughts about Mr. Fancypants.” She giggled and so did you at her dumb humor. “Take care of my best friend, would you?”
“I will, bye Sky.” You smiled, blowing her a kiss before she did the same and ended the call.
You were impressed by the spread after removing the silver dome and getting a slight steam facial. There was a beautifully made-up plate of tender meat with a rich sauce, small fingerling potatoes seasoned with salt, pepper, and - you took a deep inhale - rosemary. Steamed veggies were piled neatly on the plate as well. There was a glass of water, silverware, and a soft navy blue colored napkin. You nibbled from the plate, eating what you could without making yourself feel ill. You couldn’t help it, it truly did feel like the first day of school jitters. You took the tray back to the front of the room, placed the cloche back on top of the food remnants and set it on the coffee table.
You did your usual nightly routine in the bathroom adjacent to your new quarters and felt yourself feel a bit more at ease. Settling back in bed with the glass of water, you popped open your sleep supplement. You’d need all the help you could get, this night was sure to be restless. With all of the excitement tomorrow would bring, and the two run-ins with Silco - you shuddered, stomach flip-flopping just thinking about his name. After setting an alarm on your phone, you clicked off the bedside lamp and turned over, the waxing moonlight providing you a comforting glow as you closed your eyes, picturing him, and eventually drifted off to sleep.
-
Turns out, you didn’t need to set an alarm at all. You were alerted that it was morning by a consistent, albeit annoying, knock on the door. You released a heavy yawn and stretched, calling out with sleep in your voice, “Come in!”
One of the female staff members walked in with a breakfast tray, complete with tea service. She lowered her head as she set it without a sound onto the duvet cover.
“Thank you.” You said as you observed the silver tray clad with a muffin, tiny sausages, and eggs. It was a relief that none of the food was touching each other on the plate. A small, ceramic bowl was filled with fresh fruit. The silver teapot was steaming from the spout, filled with freshly boiled water no doubt. A tin was next to the teapot and a floral teacup and matching saucer.
“If there is anything else, please let me know, I will be right outside the door to collect your tray when you are finished.” The soft spoken girl retreated from the room, nodding her head politely at you and making you feel like you were some kind of royal guest.
“Thank you!” You said again, hoping she heard you as the door closed. Not wanting the food to get cold, you ate as quickly as you could. You opened the small tin, pleased with the selection of teas, and selected a caffeinated black tea with floral notes. After steeping the tea, you took the cup off the tray and over to the vanity so you could sip it slowly as you got ready for the day. Before you started changing, you remembered your tray, taking it to the door and opening it yourself. You definitely surprised the girl waiting there, as her eyes went as wide as the teacup saucer before curtsying and taking the tray from you, scurrying away without so much as a sound.
Your phone lit up as you grabbed it off the nightstand with a text message from Sky:
You dressed, styled your hair, and gathered as large a stack of books as you could carry. You wore a simple, black wrap dress, cut at a flattering length. No jewelry, as was your preference since you tended to fiddle with it too much. Your legs were covered in opaque tights that matched your skin tone, and you had pulled on some thick socks over them to wear comfortably underneath your black heeled boots. Once you had done up the laces you had taken a final look at yourself before hauling the massive set of books with you out the door.
The butler greeted you with a stoic expression as soon as you wobbled out of the room. The top book fell from the stack, falling to the floor with a clatter that made you cringe. But before you could pick it up, he knelt silently and grabbed it for you.
“Allow me, madam.” He spoke in a flat tone, not giving any indication whether he was annoyed or elated or somewhere in between. Either way, your arms and shoulders were relieved to hand him the stack of books you carried. “Follow me please.” He spoke evenly.
The two of you walked the length of the hallway, and upon beginning your descent of the grand staircase you blurted out, “What is your name?”
He did not flinch nor pause, he simply said, “Westley.”
“Well, thank you, Westley, for carrying my books for me; And for helping me with my suitcases yesterday as well.”
“No thanks needed madam, I am pleased to assist anyone who is a guest in the Master’s home.”
You blushed a little at that, but your brain had more questions bubbling up to the surface like effervescence in a champagne bottle. You had to know more about Silco. “How long have you worked here?”
“Decades, though time passes differently around here.” The two of you reached the bottom of the staircase and veered off to the left. You kept in pace with Westley, though he seemed to walk with a faster pace than before as if he was eager to get rid of you.
“What do you mean by that?”
“How is it some folks say? ‘Time flies when you’re having fun’?” The lighthearted words sounded almost foreign coming from his toneless voice, but you nodded along politely. “I would say it’s like that, as it is a pleasure to work for the lord and provide him and his guests with whatever they need.” He stopped in the corridor in front of an open set of antique French doors.
“This is the study madam.” He walked in first and placed the books, without so much as a grunt, on the otherwise empty light brown wooden desk on the right side of the room. He carefully drew the dust cover off of the coconut brown upholstered office chair behind the desk.
You marveled at the size of the room, it had to be at least two stories tall. This wasn’t just an ordinary study, it was more like a library. Slowly, you stepped forward and in, the rugs on the floor beckoning you. You tracked Westley around the room as he removed other sheets from the furniture, revealing a seating area to the right made up of two armchairs, a full couch, coffee table, and complete with a fireplace. Westley opened the thick curtains on the far side of the room, pulling an actual rope to get them to open. Your jaw dropped but you didn’t care, the windows looked like they were twenty feet high and provided a perfect view of a sculpture garden lit by the morning sun. The bright light flooded into the room like water filling a tub. The warm, golden light cascaded over the grand piano standing boldly near the window and reached all the way to the cases of books that lined the east and west walls of the room.
Though you wanted to run to the window and ogle over the statues outside, you walked further in and to the desk, passing Westley on his way out, sheets in hand. He cleared his throat and closed the door behind him and you had the chance to familiarize yourself with your surroundings for just a moment. So, you circled the desk and spread out the books that he had helped you carry. Your heart began to race as you heard heavy footsteps approaching from the hallway.
You flinched instinctively as the door was kicked open by the most interesting-looking, combat boot-clad girl that you had ever seen. Her calf-length cerulean braids swayed with the motion of her stomping into the room. Short, loose hair poked out in layers all around her face and ears, accentuating her rebellious look. She had a black crop top above a long-sleeve mesh top and black cargo pants. Every stomp she took towards the desk featured a clinking sound with the movement of the numerous buckles, belts, and chains that she wore.
Interesting. You straighten your posture with your shoulders back and collect your bravery as you approach her. “Jinx?” Your voice was uncharacteristically soft and hesitant, but you were of the concern that a loud noise could possibly set her off. You hated to label someone before you even had a chance to speak to them, but you had gotten into the unfortunate habit from being a long-time teacher. It was a defense mechanism to size up the room so you could mold your teaching style to best fit the personalities of your students.
The girl huffed, crossing her arms in a shield across her chest and blowing a chunk of hair out of her eyes. “That’s me.” She stated matter-of-factly.
Saying to yourself that this may be your biggest challenge yet was an understatement. Even still, you were resilient and eager to break down this invisible wall between the two of you. Thus, you started with a small introduction, “I’m Y/N, I was hired to be your private tutor. I live in Piltover City where I used to be a full-time professor at the university. I like reading, spending time with my best friend Sky, and I am most interested in history and art. I just got here yesterday, but I am excited to learn about you and teach you what I can while I am here.”
She still didn’t look up at you. “Okay.”
It was clear that she was disengaged in the conversation, so you switched tactics. You chose your words warily, “Tell me, Jinx, what have you learned from your tutors up to this point? Actually, tell me what you’ve liked learning.”
She hummed, giving you a side eye through the curtain of her bangs. “I haven’t enjoyed anything. Schoolwork is boring.” Her attention resumed focus on picking one of her chipped nails. “But I guess one thing that I like to do is actually make things.”
“I see.” You mentally rearranged the days’ worth of work you had planned out. “Let's start then with music. Come on.” There was no need to look back to check that she followed, you heard her heavy footsteps. “Have you ever played the piano before?”
“Sure, it’s easy.” She mused, walking past you to sit on the bench. Jinx pursed her lips and cracked her knuckles, then each individual finger as you tried not to wince from the noise of it. She then ghosted her fingers over the tops of the keys, scanning for a note it seemed. Then she hammered out the most dreadful, eardrum-shattering noise. It was not even close to anything that could be considered music to put it mildly.
“Jinx! Hey, hey.” You sat next to her, making her stop, and opened the composition book you had in hand, propping it up on the piano. “Here, let’s try something actually easy.”
“Are you patronizing me?”
“No, no, not at all.” You insisted. “Here, just follow me. We are going to play simple chords.” You set your fingers lightly on the keys without pressing them. “Look, the way my fingers are placed corresponds to the notes on the page, and when you play them,” your three fingers on the keys pressed down and your foot found the sustain pedal.
Jinx squeezed closer to you on the bench, “That actually sounded kinda nice.” Her voice was riddled with disbelief. Still, she matched your finger position on the keys one octave down and pressed.
“Nice, let’s go through a few more chords and then I can teach you the melody, which you’ll play with your right hand.” The minutes gave way to hours, the sunlight from outside pitched the shadows as it moved towards the afternoon, and you mutually decided to break for lunch once Westley brought in sandwiches for the two of you.
The remainder of the afternoon was spent with the other books you brought with you, reading to Jinx and teaching her about the history of the town of Zaun. Surprisingly enough it seemed that she didn’t know a lot of the rich history ties of the town and important figures from the past. Some of what you read aloud to her she seemed exceptionally interested in, considerably so when you mentioned the Great War. She even sat up straight, well, straighter in her seat.
You were in the middle of telling her about General Vander. “He was the reason for the turning point in the war. Coming from a simple background, people didn’t expect anything from him other than him participating in the war because he was of age and a man. At that point they didn’t allow women to fight, but I digress. You see, he had grown up more secluded than most, and his family raised and trained wolves, they also hunted with them. So, he raised a wolf army, and the oppressive forces were sent all the way back across the river. The pack behavior and hunting abilities of the wolves and soldiers the General trained were no match for the enemy. There were rumors that the wolf army was only active during the night, specifically during the full moon phase, but in my opinion this seems more like speculation.”
“Why is that?” Jinx asked, engrossed by the story.
“Well, because that would mean that werewolves were real, which they’re not. It hasn’t scientifically been proven, so I especially have a hard time believing that something like that is possible.”
“Just because something hasn’t been proven doesn’t mean that it’s not real.”
You didn’t know when Silco came in since you were facing away from the study room doors, and the sudden intrusion gave you goosebumps. His silken voice ignited a siren inside you even though the words that he spoke were in contradiction to yours. That alone would - and it should have - piss you off under normal circumstances, but this was anything but normal. You swallowed thickly before regaining your ability to question him, “How so?”
“Let’s use the example that you just gave. Werewolves.” He crossed from behind your chair to stand behind Jinx, patting the crown of her azure head twice before settling his hands on the top of the tall armchair. “You can say they’re not real since you haven’t seen them, but how do you know someone hasn’t seen them? Not to mention other creatures talked about in stories over time. Those folk tales must come from some glimmer of truth, don’t you agree, miss Y/N?”
“I live in the present, so, no.” You shook your head unconvincingly, for no other reason than to be defiant. “I think that myths and fairy tales are just that, stories fabricated over time to trick, to scare, and to enjoy - both listening and telling. I truly don’t think there’s such a thing as a werewolf. Just the same way that I don’t believe in the bogeyman, or -”
“What about vampires?” Jinx blurted out. She had this indescribable look on her face, somewhere between surprise and intense focus, awaiting your reply.
“Uh, probably no -” you interrupted yourself this time, looking at Silco. He was staring at Jinx in a way that made you palms clammy. He looked angry, not like he was going to yell at her or something, but like he was the ‘disappointed’ kind of angry. She was shrunken down in her armchair so much you thought she could have become a part of it. Not willing to bear the silence any longer you spoke, “Is there something wrong?”
“Nope!” Jinx’s eyes met yours and she sprung up from the chair like she was released from a spell. “See ya later teacher lady!” She left the room in a jingling rush, swinging her arms in a wide circumference around her.
“Should I ask?” You started, an eyebrow raised at Silco, analyzing him again as he stood next to the newly vacant armchair. He wore an ever-so-slightly toned down version of what he wore last night. A dark brown button up shirt rolled up on the sleeves, exposing those damn forearms, tucked neatly into black trousers. Not to mention the ‘pièce de résistance’ of several buttons undone at the top of his shirt. You bit the inside of your cheek, trying to focus on pain rather than devouring him with your impious gaze.
He sighed, finally answering your question, “No.”
“Well, she certainly is lively, I will say that at the very least.”
“Jinx has had difficulties warming up to her teachers in the past. She seems to have taken a liking to you, however.” He took two strides towards you and extended a hand. You took it, feeling a tingling in your fingers as you did, and rising from your chair with your book in your other hand. He led you toward the entrance of the study. “Join me for dinner.” It’s less of a question, more of a plea.
“Sure.” You snuck a glance at him, gods that side profile of his. You were so caught up in appreciating his looks that you didn’t realize you were out of the study and in the hall. You shook yourself from your thoughts, “Oh wait, I need to get my things.”
“Don’t worry about that, my dear, I’ll have it sent back up to your room.” His fingers moved a strand of your hair out of your face and behind your ear. “I will see you soon.” With that he closed the doors to the study, effectively separating you two. You stood in the hallway holding your breath, lips twitching as your muscles couldn’t decide whether to smile or express shock. Eventually you shook your head as you turned on your heels to walk down the hallway, you knew that you’d be daydreaming about him the rest of the afternoon.
Sky came with you to clean out your office the next afternoon, which was fortunate because you promised yourself you would cut Jayce down to size if you saw him. Potential verbal slander aside, you were actually in a decent mood while packing up your things together, the possibility of a new job opportunity left a bubbly feeling in your gut. Not to mention, that voice on the other end of the phone left a very different feeling in your head.
The two of you got back to your apartment before the sun set, and Sky went to hop in the shower. Your nail-biting anticipation got the better of you, and you booted up your laptop to check on your application. You opened your email first.
Your heart paused in your ribcage as you refreshed the screen once, twice. The email read similarly to the job posting. Blunt. To the point. Still, it filled you with joy all the same as you clung to every word:
“Hey Sky!” You called, drawing her name out over a couple seconds to get her attention.
“What is it?” She pops out of the bathroom with a face mask and a towel covering her soft body, steam billowing into the hallway.
“You’re going to have this place all to yourself for a little while, because I got the job!” You shouted with glee.
“That’s amazing!” She joined you in jumping up and down, “We are going to celebrate tonight, obviously, hurry up and get ready!”
-
Your bar of choice, nestled right in the heart of the Piltover City Arts district was buzzing with patrons, yourself and your best friend blurring into a seemingly endless sea of faces. You bravely stalked over to the bar, hand in hand with Sky, shepherding her through the packed bar. You were taller than her, and with heels, you were a towering statue carved of the finest stone. One of the bartenders caught your eye immediately, her striking neon green hair done up in braids laced like a crown on her head. She checked the both of you out as you laid your hands on the sticky, glowing bar top.
“Two espresso martinis please!” You gave the green-haired beauty your card.
“And two shots of tequila!” She gave you that look with her eyebrows. “We’re celebrating, aren’t we?”
“Celebrating? Yes. Getting drunk the night before I have to start a new job though? I might have to pass.” Your words didn’t even convince yourself, let alone your friend who knows you better than you do.
You smile your thanks once more at the bartender before picking up your shot glass. “Bottoms up!” You clink your glass with Sky and down the hatch it goes. The burn from the alcohol, like Silco’s pronunciation of your name, warming your ears down to your toes.
-
Several drinks later, Sky had wandered off to hypnotize an unsuspecting handsome man with her sweet charms no doubt, and your advances at the green-haired bartender were being returned. Your mind felt blissfully cloudy like fairy floss.
A shove on your shoulder leaves you stumbling a step to the side. Flames coming from your ears you whip around, ‘Excuse you!”
“It’s me you goof!” Sky shoves you playfully again, “I have been trying to get your attention, but it seems like your own name doesn’t even register with you, have you seen the place that you’ll be going to tomorrow?”
Your buzz fizzled out, that same feet-kicking excitement you felt last night on the phone replacing the booze. “No, why?”
“Okay, well, I can’t have you going somewhere that I’m not familiar with.” She paused, making sure you were following, “So I looked up the address, and you have got to check these pictures out.” She held up her phone for you to see what she was looking at.
You were awestruck, sure enough, the address was that of a manor, but like, one from an old-timey film or something. The photos showed a wrought iron gate with a grey brick driveway up to the home. The home looked spectacular and looming. Lovely and terrifying all the same.
“You think that’s good? Wait ‘till I show you the lord of the manor.” Sky grabbed her phone back and opened another tab. “There is only one single photo I could find, but here.” She handed it back to you.
You beheld a black and white photo of, what you could only describe as, a man from another time. He looked regal, poised like a king as the camera had captured his right side profile. His nose was long and straight, his eye was an emerald mixed with aquamarine, and the way he was looking down made you feel like a peasant just for glimpsing an eclipse of his strong, hard features. He was terrifying and handsome.
-
You roll out of bed to your alarm, get ready in a hurry, and toss your suitcases in the back of Sky’s coupe. It’s nothing short of a miracle that you’re not hungover from your drinking last night. The two of you stop for drinks at the nearest coffee shop and are on your merry - not so merry since neither of you are a morning person - way out of Piltover City.
Sky passes you the aux and you put on your favorite playlist to pass the time while mindlessly chattering. Several hours later, the morning clouds had cleared and left a gorgeous, sunny sky above. Perfect driving weather.
The road turned from paved concrete to cobblestone as you turned off the long road and into the town of Zaun. The car went up and over a hill and you sucked in a sharp breath as you beheld the view. A picturesque town lay in the middle of a clearing surrounded by trees of every height and shade of green. A small river drifted along on the north side of the town. Wildflowers and lush grasses gently swayed in the breeze, beckoning you forth. Slate-colored and classic red bricks made up the majority of the houses and shops, with rooftops which made the homes look like they were covered in a sea of reds, browns, and oranges. A clock tower in the dead center of the village chimed loudly, a swarm of black and grey birds fleeing from the nearby roof shingles and the bells rang out.
Time slowed as you continued onward, and you felt unnerved suddenly. There was no one out and about even though the weather was perfect. Weird. Not only could you not see anyone, but when you rolled down your window and paused the music, you couldn’t hear anyone either. The town was silent barring the sound of the tires rolling over the ground and the birds singing in the air.
“Okay, do you feel like we entered a different time period, or is it just me?” Sky sounded truly baffled, exactly matching how you felt inside. “I almost feel guilty driving my car along these old roads, I hope I’m not causing any damage to the town's history or anything like that.”
You agreed with her, “It’s like we stepped in a time machine or something. But don’t worry about the roads, the history of this town lies in its historical figures and legends, not their architecture. I mean, homes and small buildings like these haven’t been replicated in centuries, this town is old old.”
Sky’s navigation system led you through the narrow, winding streets of the town, finally straightening out and turning into a dirt road leading into a dark forest. It continued for about half a mile, well enough away from the town that if you weren’t on a well-traveled path you would certainly not know which direction to go. The trees grew closely together and blocked out the sun above. Someone likes their privacy, you thought.
Finally, you saw the blue sky again from between a break in the trees not too far up. You both blinked in astonishment at the land that laid out in front of you. A massive green grassy lawn sprawled as far as the eye could see on each side of the path, which turned from dirt into grey and red brick. Small shrubs and hedges lined the edge of the road as you continued at a slug's pace. In front of you stood the absolutely massive manor. It could have been a castle; it was so big.
You had gone to parties and events in Piltover penthouses, but you had no idea someone’s house could be so big. The front of the home was made up of smooth rock, pieced together like a beautiful mosaic of grey. Long arms of ivy trailed up and wrapped the pillars and front archway in thick, lush green leaves and vines. Wrought-iron framed windows glinted in the mid-afternoon sun. Slate tiles on the roof were interrupted at uneven intervals with chimneys reaching up towards the heavens. Smoke could be seen emanating from half of them, the grey and white vapor dissipating in the blue sky above.
The vast front doors had wrought iron handles, and intricate stained glass twin windows depicting a scene befitting an old church. It looked like a sacrifice of an animal or something. You didn’t get a full look before the right door clicked twice from the inside and swung open with a well-oiled, near-silent creak. The dim interior lit the silhouette of the tall person in the doorway, but you could make out her strong arms, stiff posture, and complete scowl on her face. She had a scar in a thin line underneath her left eye, trailing down the deep brown skin of her cheek and to her neck. She wore a uniform made up of a brown leather jacket with a neatly folded collar and lapels. The black button-down shirt underneath was tucked neatly into her crisply pressed brown trousers and held up with a gold-buckled belt. Even her shoes were shined to perfection, the leather reflected the daylight behind you even though she didn’t step a single foot beyond the threshold.
“You must be Y/N.” The tall woman said plainly.
You instantly recognized the deadpan voice from over the phone, “Yes, that’s me, and you are?”
“Sevika.” A one-worded answer, the shorter the conversation the better it seemed. But you couldn’t help but ask one more thing.
“What do you do here, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I am the head of security.” She delivered only what you asked, no more, no less.
“Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Sevika. This is my friend, Sky, she is one of my teaching colleagues and she drove me here.”
“Pleasure.” The word didn’t match her still-stoic expression. Sevika then turned to you and said, “Someone will be along in a moment to assist you with your bags.” She turned on her heel and walked away, leaving the door open.
“I can manage -” you spoke too late, Sevika either didn’t hear you or didn’t care. Or both.
Sky looked at you and you looked back at her and shrugged. You studied the myriad of emotions dancing across your friend’s face before she opened her mouth to scoff, “What’s with the stick up her a-”
“Okay! That's enough,” you replied quickly, cutting her off just in case Sevika was secretly listening, “I’ll call you later, alright?”
“Alright,” she hugged you tightly, “tell me immediately if you need me to come get you, promise?”
“I promise.”
You watched Sky get back in her car and pull away, just as she almost disappeared from view with you waving, you heard someone, a man, clear their throat behind you.
The excitement that you’d be meeting the lord of the manor so soon left you as soon as it came on, as a bald-headed, thin, white man stood and gestured to your suitcases. “May I?” Was all he said in a gravelly voice.
“Yes please, thank you very much.” You allowed him to take your bags from you, save for your purse which was strapped to your body. The man held the door open for you, allowing you to step through the doors.
The first thing to hit you once you stepped inside was the cold, stale air. Like a mausoleum. The shiver that skittered up your back stopped halfway, giving way to the sudden sense of calm at the scents of oak, mahogany, and, you took a deep breath, leather.
The finest room you could ever dream would have come up short to the grand entryway surrounding you. The floor was made up of dark, polished wood cut in a herringbone pattern, darting back and forth towards the center of the room, which interrupted the pattern with a medallion inlay of a starburst. The gold in it glittered. A traditional brass chandelier glowed directly above the starburst, illuminating the room with a gentle, flickering candlelight cast from ivory candles of varying heights. Directly ahead was a wooden staircase, leading up to a mid-level, then splitting off towards the two upper wings of the mansion. A thick, deep red carpet ran the length of the stairs, and other carpets of varying dark colors lay around the floor, dressed with long-backed armchairs, settees, coffee and end tables, and stone sculptures.
The man closed the door roughly behind you, making you jump at the sudden sound. He beckoned silently with his white-gloved hand, and you followed him. Your casual shoes squeaked across the floor, then settled softly into the carpet as you ascended the stairs, going up and to the left. He led you down a wide hallway, lit dimly with yellow sconces. The navy blue carpet soaked up the light, and so did the dark mahogany trim on the walls. You squinted as you passed two, three, then four closed doors, pausing in front of the fifth door. The man turned the brass knob and it let out a small click. Just like at the front door, he gestured to have you go ahead.
You walked in and had to hold your breath so you didn’t scream with excitement. The Victorian-style bedroom was grand, to say the very least. A magnificently large four-poster bed lay in the middle of the back wall, covered in a thick, plush cream colored duvet crowded with a multitude of ornate decorative golden and sage green pillows of varying sizes. A large oak wood armoire stood politely off to the right side, with a matching vanity nearby. The set was complete with a wooden vanity chair tufted with a velveteen cushion which sat upon a fluffy circular rug. A personal sitting area was to your immediate left, containing two sage green armchairs with a pinstripe pattern and an oval shaped coffee table. A desk, grander than any desk you ever had at university, was backed against the wall and filled with writing utensils and numerous drawers for storage. Lastly, a great window was on the far left side of the room, the heavy forest-green curtains open wide and tied each with a golden sash. It cast a beautiful glow in the room, as it faced the western skies and let in plenty of afternoon light. A cushioned bench completed the window, topped with a single cylindrical pillow, perfect for an afternoon of writing, drawing, or anything.
You were in disbelief at first. “Is this where I’ll be staying?”
“Is it to your satisfaction?” He asked earnestly.
“Uh, yeah, it’s amazing!” You turned around to see him lay out your suitcases, starting to open them for you. “That’s okay, I can take care of those myself.”
He straightened, placed his gloved hands at his sides, gave a brief nod, and walked towards the door. He placed his hand on the handle and said, “If there is anything that you need, please let one of the staff know.” With that he closed the door, the handle clicking once more.
You couldn’t help yourself but flop down on the lavish bed, letting out a sigh at the feel of the comfortable blankets. You didn’t let yourself lay around too much, so you texted Sky:
You rose from the bed, tossing your phone down on the comforter and walking over to your suitcases. You opened the large mahogany armoire and started putting away your clothes, relishing in the excitement flooding through you. Once you were finished hanging up your clothes, you went to work setting out your teaching supplies.
Your second of the two suitcases weighed so much you honestly couldn’t believe you had hauled it into Sky’s car on your own. You also could not believe that the frail-looking old dude had hoisted that and your clothing suitcase up the stairs with no effort. Maybe there’s a gym in this huge place and the guy is jacked underneath those long sleeves.
Unzipping the giant suitcase, you started to take stock of your inventory. You had brought with you numerous books, for academic purposes to assess the student’s reading level, history textbooks, and books to read for pleasure. You had packed binders stuffed with sheet music for piano, though you didn’t see one downstairs so you felt a little sheepish for assuming they’d have one. You brought sketchbooks and plenty of watercolors, charcoal, and colored pencils. You also had various crafting tools, odds and ends, bits and baubles. Miscellaneous items were always a favorite of yours, you never knew what you could turn into something useful. You laid it all out in a neat fashion on the coffee table and on the desk, mind eagerly playing over what you could start with tomorrow. The excitement of teaching and meeting your new student thrummed in your heart, giving you that bubbly feeling down in your toes. You stepped back, satisfied, brushing imaginary dust from your hands. With a hum to yourself you decided to take a self-guided tour of the rest of the mansion. With luck, you’d come across an art studio or a grand piano to utilize tomorrow. Or maybe the gym where the butler works out, you joked to yourself, snickering as you opened your door and started down the hall.
Walking with purpose, you checked each of the four doors back down the hallway you were in. Three of the four doors were, to your disgruntlement, locked. But the one closest to your room was open, a bathroom. You only peered in it briefly, noticing a door inside the bathroom that shared a wall with the room you were staying in. Makes sense. You briefly noted the black and white diamond-shaped tiled floor, simple toilet, claw-foot bathtub, and the ivory sink, complete with golden fixtures. Fresh towels were laid out in a lovely sage green color. The soap was a honeysuckle scent which matched the single unlit candle. The single yellow light above the sink lit the room nicely. After doing a quick once-over in the mirror, you continued down the rest of the hall until you reached the main landing.
Pausing, you considered your options, one, you could go down the stairs. Two, you could cross the landing and go towards the right side of the immense second floor. You chose the path of least resistance, in this case, the latter. Your footsteps were muffled by the carpeting lining the floor and you paused once again to look over your right shoulder. You observed the utter silence in the house below, the glow of the chandelier, the inside of the foyer that took your breath away not but an hour ago. Imagine greeting guests like this, like a king observing your peasants.
You didn’t hold the fantasy too long, as your curiosity got the best of you and pulled you by an invisible string down the hall. You tried two doors before the third one’s handle clicked and gave way. You hesitated, the feeling that you were intruding overcame you, but only for a moment, as you gently pushed the door open wide enough to peer your head in.
The room was a vast office. The far wall was covered in heavy, forest green velvet curtains pulled tightly together. You blinked as your eyes adjusted, stepping one foot in, the only light source at the desk. A small but effective bulb covered by a thick green shade. It cast a sickly glow on the back of a deep blood red upholstered office chair that faced away from you at the door, clearly empty. The desk was darker than the rest of the mahogany wood making up the bookshelves lining both walls of the room, and it had golden inlay detailing on it. There was an enormous black fur rug on the floor, made of a beast you couldn’t imagine could be anything other than what was once a bear. You stepped another foot inside, wondering what kinds of books lay collecting dust on the ceiling-height shelves. You reached for the nearest light to gain better visibility, pulling the first and then the second strands of the floor lamp resting in the corner.
Just as you did, you heard a shuffle, the moving of papers or something. You whirled around to see that tall-backed chair behind the desk swiveling around and the world seemed to move in slow motion.
The right side of the man’s side profile struck you through your chest, and you instantly recalled back to last night, the sight in front of you matching that photo that Sky had showed you. He stopped there, not letting you glimpse the rest of his face. A chill rushed up your spine as his visible right eye fixed itself on you. You were trapped in that blue-green lake, floating or drowning, you couldn’t yet tell. You let your eyes fall to his lips as he parted them to speak.
Warnings: Language (seriously, that’s it... for now... o.o)
WC: 1370
Chapter I: An Unexpected Setback
You were an Arts professor at Piltover Academy, teaching students the pleasures of history, music, and art. You loved your job, for as long as you could remember you were always told that you would make an amazing teacher. Unsurprisingly, you did. Coincidentally, so did your best friend, Sky. The two of you were as thick as thieves as two young women could be. You both enjoyed the nightlife of Piltover City, sometimes a little too much, but could always count on each other for everything.
You stroll up the front steps at Piltover Academy at a leisurely pace, humming to yourself. Only faculty was permitted in the classrooms at this time, with only a couple of days before the fall semester classes started. You nod politely at the other professors as you walk down the spacious hallway until you finally reach your office. You reach for your key to open the door, but before you can open it, you hear someone clear their throat behind you.
You turn, only to see Administrator Jayce Talis standing there, his hands in his pockets and a solemn look on his normally cheery face.
“Hi, Y/N,” he stared at the floor as if there were something interesting beneath your feet, “do you have a few minutes? I need to speak to you, privately.”
You felt uneasy, a bad feeling twisting in the pit of your stomach, but still you nodded at him and opened the door, letting him into your office ahead of you.
-
“Fired? How? What?” Sky’s voice was at a higher pitch than the rooftops as you sat on the olive green couch in your shared apartment. “I literally just saw him today as I went in to set up my classroom. No wonder he couldn’t look me in the eye.” Her angry growl could be heard from the kitchen across the room, “Men are such cowards! Ugh! Okay, tell me exactly what he said just once more.”
“He said that the Academy was making cuts, unfortunately that included my program. They are centering their priorities in science; hence, the arts are not an ‘ideal expenditure’ according to the board of directors.” You exhaled, defeated, putting your face in your hands. “Oh Sky, what the hell am I going to do?”
Her soft footfalls approached, she put one hand on your shoulder and reached to hand you a warm mug of mint tea. “Y/N, I’m so sorry.” She sat down next to you, “Hey, we can search for jobs together if you want?”
The two of you scrolled online for what felt like hours, the morning sun dipping late into the afternoon now. It seemed like all of the jobs out there were either for someone more qualified than yourself or for much less pay than you would be able to accept. Feeling put-out, Sky got on her computer to order take-out for the both of you - Thai food could always brighten your day.
You came across an ad on a small website for a private tutor. The pay immediately caught your eye.
Hm, could be interesting, but why are there like, no details? Still, I could do worse. You uploaded your resume, your email address, phone number, and hit “Apply”.
The evening passes quickly. You turn off the TV, uninterested in finishing the episode of Love Island without Sky, who has long since passed out on the couch beside you. You get up and yawn, stretching like a cat before seeing your phone screen light up. As you grab it, you see that an unknown number is calling. At ten o’clock? Scam alert!
You walk to your bedroom and answer anyway, ready to prank the scammer on the other line, “Hello?” You do your best Kermit the Frog impression.
“Miss L/N? This is a call in response to your job application to be a private tutor?” A strong, female voice spoke on the other end of the call.
Dread and embarrassment washed over you like a downpour. Are you fucking kidding me? You chastised yourself.
“Hello?” The woman spoke again.
“Hi!” Now you sounded too overzealous. Tone it down. “Hello, yes, this is Y/N. I apologize, I needed to clear my throat.”
“No trouble at all. I will connect you with the master.” Her voice was deadpan. You heard her quietly say, “fucking hell.” The line went silent for a moment, and your pulse quickened. The what?
“Ah, Miss L/N.” The male voice on the other end purred, sending a shiver up your spine.
“Um, Y/N is just fine, thank you.” You were almost tripping over your words and started to pace your room. “I - I’m sorry, um, what is your name? I am afraid that I don’t know who you, or your school or company is at all. There was barely any information on the application.” You slapped a hand over your mouth and internally screamed at yourself. For the love of crackers and cheese stop talking now before you say anything else offensive.
“Y/N.” He repeated your name, and you froze in place. That voice. “You may call me Silco.” He sounded like honey and whiskey, sweet on the tongue and a burn in your throat to wash it down. He continued, “Let me ask since you brought up the application: What made you interested in this position?”
The money, obviously. “I thought it would be a unique opportunity for myself in my career, and a perfect fit for myself. I have been teaching at the Piltover Academy of Arts and Sciences, well, now just Sciences actually.” Your voice trailed off. “Sorry, I’ve been teaching for three years since I graduated at the top of my class. I have experience with art, history, and music, all of which I think are vital for a student to learn. How old is the student that is requiring the lessons? I only ask because it will be easier to craft lessons depending on their grade level.”
“She is eighteen.” He paused, “I agree that the arts are an essential part of one’s education. Tell me, Y/N, have you ever been to Zaun?”
“Zaun?” You didn’t mean for your confusion to come across so loudly so you covered your tracks, “I have never been but I know that it is a small town, a population under 500 and well-known for their folklore, as well as the birthplace of General Vander who was said to have raised a legion of wolves to fight in the Great War over six hundred years ago.”
“Ah, I see.” He sounded pleased, or strained, if that was possible to detect, “You’re familiar with our quaint town? That is where we are located. My manor is just outside of the town.”
“Oh,” You furrowed your brow, “I am partially familiar, but I am afraid that it would be quite a far drive for me to come all the way out there every day. You see, I live in Piltover City.”
A pause on the other end. You held your breath in anticipation for his response and started mentally backtracking through your other job options.
“I see, well, we expected that. We are prepared to have you stay on the grounds. Your meals and everything else will be provided for in addition to your flat-rate compensation.”
You couldn’t hide the excitement from your voice and you said happily, “That would be amazing.”
“You’ll hear from us soon, thank you for your time, Y/N,” He said softly, “It has been a pleasure to speak with you.”
“The pleasure was mine, thank you for your consideration, Silco.” It felt strange to say his name aloud, too informal. Before you could say anything else, the line clicked in your ear, startling you back to reality.
You started your nightly routine, though trying to get your heartrate back to resting was more difficult than taming a beast. Still, you fell asleep with your imagination running wild to piece together a picture of the man that is connected to such a sensual voice.
I cannot get out of my head the imagery of Obi Wan vs Anakin Skywalker on Mustafar in Revenge of the Sith. Now I’m convinced of an imminent moment like this between our boys: “You were my brother Anakin, I loved you.”
-
Jayce, his voice pained, his hammer in hand, camera zoomed in on his face: “Don’t do this.”
A familiar voice - but it’s marred by robotic sound - replies from the shadows: “I don’t have a choice.”
Then, we either see a glimpse of Viktor’s glowing yellow eyes from behind the mask, or we see the Hexclaw rise up and glow as it’s about to strike.
Hello! I was wondering if you were still taking requests and if so, if you could do headcanons for Silco and Viktor (separately) and what they look for in a romantic partner (personality based)? If not that’s totally ok! I really like your blog btw!!
Yes! I am still taking requests, thank you for sending me one! ♥
This is such a cute thought, and I truly hope that I have written something you will like!
【What they look for in a partner, personality-wise】
Silco:
First and foremost, he looks for someone who won’t put up with any bullshit. He likes a strong partner who will stand up for themselves, although he will always stand up for you no matter what.
Silco wants someone who supports his cause and understands the great importance of Zaun’s independence. Someone who may even contribute to the cause with their ideas, their work, or their unyielding endorsement.
Loyalty is an important trait for his partner to have. He wants someone to be his ‘ride or die’.
Silco would love to listen to you talk about whatever you are working on. He is a hard worker by nature, and he sees that as an admirable trait in a partner.
He is also competitive; becoming the King of Zaun was no easy feat. He wants a partner who isn’t afraid of competing for his attention: whether that be distracting him from his work or something else.
A quick-witted partner would be sure to keep him on his toes. Silco is sassy, so someone who can take that and throw it right back at him would surely put a smug grin on that handsome face of his.
If you allow him to open up to you instead of you asking invasive questions you would gain his trust. He’s a mysterious man, and will never show all of his cards right away. However, once you have earned his trust he will always count on you and confide in you.
Viktor:
Most valuable to Viktor in a relationship would be a person who understands that his work needs to come first most of the time. Patience is a valuable trait for his partner to have.
A close second would be someone who will listen to him talk for hours on end about what he’s working on. Just putting your pretty head in your hands and listening intently to him would be ideal.
In turn, Viktor would also listen intently and lovingly to his partner talk about their interests. He would smile so much while your face lights up when you talk about your myriad of hobbies or your current hyperfixation.
Viktor sees great value in people who aren’t afraid of challenging the status-quo, whether this be a quality in a romantic partner or a friend. He isn’t necessarily one to abide in the rules, and someone with slightly impulsive tendencies would compliment him well in this regard.
Someone peaceful and caring would be attractive to Viktor. He is curious and imaginative but focused, so he would like to have someone who - as much as you would like to distract him - can help him stay on task sometimes.
Conversely, Viktor would also like someone on the other side of the coin, someone with lots of energy and positivity. Bringing joy wherever they go and lighting up the room.
