#i believe in service top silco

[thehoneybeestings]

𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧

𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐤𝐚 𝐱 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Word Count: 3.8K

Synopsis: Sevika sees you once at Babette's before deciding you're her favorite girl; and luckily for you, she's your favorite client. Thus blossoms an unspoken exclusivity between the two of you... or so you think, until one night, you happen upon her in between your coworker's legs. You're left blindsighted, hurt, and just plain jealous; and worst of all... you know it's unfairly so.

Continuation of Service Top! Sevika x Brothel Worker! Reader drabble

Content/Warnings: nsfw, service top! sev, brother worker! reader, bottom! reader, fem reader, reader has female anatomy, romantic smut, oral (r receiving), fingering (r receiving), strap (r receiving), useless pining lesbians, angst w/ a happy ending, L-word drop (love not lesbian you silly!) sev def has an abandonment wound poor bby

A/N: SERVICE TOP! SEV x BROTHEL READER UNIVERSE EXPANDS! thank you so much to this anon for the incredible idea; this is the longest piece I've written, so i apologize that it's taken so long; but here we are, many a late night later! i hope i did the concept justice; this piece was honestly a bit challenging because of it's length and because i had so much fun fleshing out the idea and had to reign myself in a few times, but i really enjoyed the process and hope you all will enjoy the product!

𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐁𝐞𝐞 ୨ৎ

──˚₊•୨ৎ•‧₊˚──

Today had been awful.

Unequivocally, comically awful. So much so, that Sevika finds herself standing outside of Babette’s, looking up at the silver moon, and wondering if its fullness has anything to do with just how bad her day had been; and she’s never really cared what the sun, the moon, and the stars had to say about her luck. 

It had been one of those days where everything that could go wrong, did go wrong- her mech arm had been short-circuiting all day, Silco was in a particularly pissy mood after a failed deal, and her team had fumbled a mission because some show-off new hire couldn't be patient- so she could only assume that today’s fury-inducing events were celestially predisposed. 

Actually, scratch that; she couldn't give two fucks about why her day been so shitty. All she knew is that it had, and she was exhausted, and she only wanted one thing right now:

You.

Of course, she wouldn't admit this, but the thought of your pretty eyes lighting up as she walked into your room, your sexy grin stretching across your face as you beckoned her over, your body underneath her as she coaxed you over the edge for the second, third, fourth time; these images had been the only thing holding her together today. 

Sevika knew better. Knew she had no business getting this attached to someone who was simply providing a service; and she'd scold herself for it later, but right now- as she opened the doors to Babette’s and made her way down the hall- she just wanted to see you. 

So, when she pushes the beaded curtain out of the way to see that you're not there, she hopes to the gods you're just on a break.

“Looking for Y/n?” 

Celeste, a coworker of yours, had found herself immensely displeased that you were hogging her favorite customer. Of course, she had failed to consider that clients choose their servicer and not the other way around, but she refused to believe that Sevika may not have been as interested in her as she was in Sevika. 

“Yeah,” Sevika gruffs, “I am.”

“Aw, that's too bad,” the raven-haired girl responds with a pout, “she just left for the day. Said she wasn't feeling well.”

Sevika would be unfathomably annoyed by this cherry on top of her already wonderful day if she weren't, first and foremost, worried.

“Not feeling well? How so?”

Celeste found herself becoming increasingly annoyed by Sevika’s show of concern for you. “She didn't say,” she begins impatiently, “but…” and then, she's trailing a finger down Sevika’s mech arm (Sevika didn't like anyone touching her mech arm but you) “I’d be more than happy to take care of you tonight.” 

Sevika had two options. She could go home and wallow in the frustration caused by the day’s events, or she could suck it up, settle for Celeste’s company, and at least end the night with some release. After all, it’s not like the two of you were exclusive, she thought; there was no reason why Celeste shouldn’t do, right? 

Right?

“After you,” Sevika huffed, trying her best to ignore how wrong it felt to follow anyone else to their room; and for the rest of the night, she’s trying her best to ignore how wrong the smell of Celeste’s perfume is, how wrong the taste of her skin is, how wrong her moans and mewls sounded bouncing against the walls…

And when you come out of the breakroom, you can feel your freshly blushed cheeks heat up in anger when you walk past Celeste’s room to see Sevika in between her legs. You only stand in front of the lace curtain for a second before you’re storming back to your room, and for the rest of the night, you’re trying to ignore how pissed you are. 

──˚₊•୨ৎ•‧₊˚──

“I feel so pathetic,” you whine, “I mean, why do I even care? It’s not like we’re together.”

It’d been a week since you saw Sevika with Celeste, and you were sitting in your favorite booth at The Last Drop, hoping that the giant margarita sitting in front of you and your best friend would aid in taking your mind off of it all.

They were no stranger to the situation unfolding between you and Sevika, and at this point, they were downright sick of watching you pretend your relationship with her hadn’t long exceeded client and servicer. 

“Do I seriously need to answer that question, Y/n?” They tease.

“You know, I’d actually prefer if you didn’t” you sigh, before taking a sip of the lime green drink in front of you.

“Right… because you already know the answer.”

They were right. You did already know the answer, but you weren’t ready to admit that the feelings you had for Sevika were very real, and only getting stronger. 

“Well, clearly, she doesn’t feel the same way about me,” you spit. An angry heat flushes your face as the image of Sevika and Celeste floods your memory.

Your best friend looks down at you with a soft, knowing smile. “You know, there’s no way of knowing how she feels unless you ask.”

You lean back with a huff, letting your head hit the back of the wooden booth with a soft thud.

“I can’t do that; and either way, that would be completely unprofessional… or, at the very least, completely humiliating.”

“Oh my God, Y/n, you’re impossible. All this yearning…”

They slide the glass over and away from your reach, taking a giant sip of their own.

You can’t help but let out a laugh, unable to deny the claim, but grateful nonetheless for the humorous distraction from the situation(ship) at hand. 

That is, until the situation walks through The Last Drop’s double doors; and just like it had when you walked past Celeste’s room a week ago, your heart drops. 

“Perfect,” you seethe, watching Sevika make her way to the bar. “I’m gonna head out, okay? Drink’s on me.”

“Fine by me,” your friend quickly surrenders, coaxing one last chuckle from you as you stand, “but hey, seriously, it’ll all work out. I’m here for you too, yeah?” 

You give them a small smile. “Of course. See ya,” you call out before heading to the bar yourself, hoping to Janna that Sevika will stay where she was on the opposite end while you close out the tab; and as you’re sliding coins to the bartender and turning on your heel to leave, you think you’ve successfully managed to avoid her, until,

The hand on your back is large, warm, gentle. You hate that you immediately recognize who it belongs to. 

“Y/n?” 

You turn around, taking a deep, steadying breath.

“Sevika.”

Her eyes are scanning your face, then your body; she looks relieved to see you. You hate that, too. 

You just wanted to be pissed at her, avoid her at all costs, and ignore how you really felt about her for as long as possible. Why did she have to make that so hard?

“How are you-”

You interrupt her before she has the chance to make any of those things any harder. “I was just leaving. I’ll see you around, okay?” 

More than anything else, you hate how her face falls when you pull away, making a B-line for the exit. 

──˚₊•୨ৎ•‧₊˚──

For the past three weeks, you had taken to avoiding Sevika like the plague. You figured that after enough time, your feelings for her would inevitably fade, and you could go on about your life as usual. 

Spoiler alert: they would not. In fact, she was on your mind now more than ever; and frankly, it was pissing you off. 

You knew Sevika wasn’t yours. What you had with her was nothing more than business. You had no right to be angry with her for spending her time and her money on a night with someone else. 

That pissed you off even more. 

You sat at a vanity in the breakroom you had quickly dipped into when you caught sight of Sevika walking through the doors of Babette’s. 

“Gods, she comes in, like, every day now,” you complain to the worker seated to your right; the both of you powdering your faces. 

“You know, I’ve actually noticed she’s barely ever here anymore,” they begin. “She used to be here almost every night to see you.” 

They don’t know they’ve struck a nerve; which is why you feel a little bad when you suddenly slam your powder down, their eyes wide and confused as they watch you storm back to your room. 

You shove your way through the beaded curtain, eyes closed and jaw clenched as you try your best to collect yourself. You stand in front of the doorway, taking slow, deep breaths:

In, and out, in, and-

Why does it smell like cigarette smoke in here?

Just as quickly as you register the smell of Sevika’s cigarettes, your eyes fly open.

Here she was, in all her glory, sitting on the velvet couch in front of you. 

You had almost forgotten how pretty she was underneath the warm, soft light of the ornate lamps littering your room. You wanted so badly to crawl onto your place in her lap, to run your fingers through her raven hair, to trace the scars on her face- 

Gods, you hated what she did to you, and you hated that you just couldn’t get over it.

“The fuck are you doing?” You spit, heart already speeding up.

She chuckles through her nose, putting out her cigarette on an ashtray before standing to meet you. 

The amusement on her face drops, her jaw set, eyes boring into you; and for a split second, you’re almost scared. 

Almost; because, despite her intimidating reputation proceeding her, you were privy to a gentleness that no one else saw. 

“Here to ask you the same thing.” she spits. “Fuck have you been dodging me for?”

You knew Sevika. You knew her well; well enough to know that she was far too observant not to notice you avoiding her like the plague. 

“What are you talking-” “Do you think I’m stupid?”

Unfortunately, your plans to ice her out hadn’t accounted for the fact that Sevika simply was not going to let you get away with this.

“Answer me,” she continues, nostrils flaring. 

You nearly break under her gaze, but Sevika knows you well enough to know that you’re nearly as stubborn as she is. 

So when you bite back with a, 

“Why do you even care?”

All she can do is let out an exasperated sigh. 

“Can you be fucking serious? Why do I care? As if I wasn’t showing up here damn near every night to see you-”

“Exactly!” You snap, eyes blowing wide. “Exactly Sevika; why bother showing up nearly every night for six months, refusing to see any other girl, making me feel like I was… I was special, just for you to turn around and fuck Celeste because I wasn’t primed and goddamned ready for you as soon as you walked through the door?”

A pregnant pause fills the room, tension thick in the air. 

Your wild eyes scan the expression on her face. She looks… confused; her own icy greys darting from side to side like she’s trying to put the pieces of some puzzle together.

You’re trying to figure out what’s so confusing.

“Don’t act surprised,” you begin, rolling your eyes. “Was this not the plan? Convince me we had something so you’d get special treatment?”

“Sweetheart, slow down-”

“Don’t call me that! What is your prob-”

“Y/n!” 

The sound of your name on her lips had only ever been sweet; gentle. 

Loving.

Hearing her say it so scoldingly makes your throat tighten.

You feel like a kicked puppy; and you must look like one, too, because she’s quick to take a breath, dropping her shoulders and relaxing the furrow of her brow. 

“Just… hold on a second, okay?”

You take a deep breath of your own before giving her a small nod. She rubs her temples, seemingly still puzzled, before she finally asks,

“What do you mean you saw me with Celeste?”

And now, you’re just as confused. 

“Um… I mean I walked out of the breakroom to see your face buried between her thighs. What else could I mean?”

Her narrowed eyes zero in on you as the pieces finally come together; and as soon as they do, all she can do is laugh, because her only other option is to walk over to Celeste’s room and let her have it here and now. 

“That bitch.”

“Who, Celeste?” you inquire, “I mean, yeah; she is a bitch. What does that have to do with this?”

Sevika lets out an exasperated sigh, stepping closer to you.

“The only reason I was with Celeste that night is because she told me you were gone.”

Your stomach drops, jaw dropping with it. 

“Are you fucking kidding me?” you breathe out.

“Wish I was. She told me you weren’t feeling well. Could barely focus that night because I was worried sick about you; been worried sick about you since, and if you had just talked to me, you would’ve known that.”

You’re flooded with so many thoughts- so many feelings- that you feel dizzy. This had really all just been a giant misunderstanding? Celeste had really lied like that? 

Sevika had really been worried about you all this time?

You feel a pang of guilt in your stomach. As angry as you were at Celeste, and as much as you wanted to blame all of this on her own jealousy, you knew that only yours was to blame for the month that had gone by since you’d given Sevika the time of day.

“I.. I’m sorry, Sev.” you mutter, hands wringing in front of you. “Didn’t think you’d be worried.”

“How could you not-”

She stops herself, running a hand through her hair as she turns away from you. 

The whir of her arm is the only sound filling the silence in the room, and you can tell by the tension in her shoulders that her thoughts are likely whirring just as fast.

For the the first time in a month, you reach out to place a hand on her shoulder, thumb rubbing soothing circles into the tight muscle; just like you would when she’d come to see you after a hard day. 

That’s all she had wanted a month ago; your gentle hands beckoning her shoulders to relax, your sweet voice beckoning her to talk, your soothing presence beckoning her to rest.

How could you not know that you had unwittingly made yourself her center of gravity?

Your hand stays planted where it’s at, but you don’t speak. You can tell by the way her eyes are nearly burning a hole into the spot on the floor she’s chosen to focus on that she’s got something else to say, and just needs a moment to figure out how to say it. 

So you wait; the soothing movements of your thumb saying, “I’m sorry; I’m here,” and the way she leans into your touch saying, “It’s okay. I missed you.”

“I know I’m not… good at this stuff,” 

You smile softly, tucking a stray tendril of dark hair behind her ear.

“So I can’t blame you for not knowing how I feel, but I… you…”

She huffs, and you can tell she’s getting frustrated.

“It’s okay,” you whisper, “Take your time.”

She turns to slump down onto the arm of the wingbacked chair by your door. You slot yourself in between her legs, hands coming to rest on either side of her face; fingers mindlessly tracing shimmering lines of blue. 

“I don’t let anyone else touch those, you know?” 

 Your head tilts to the side, eyebrows knitting together in curiosity. 

“You don’t?” 

“No. I don’t. Only you.”

Another pause settles between the two of you, but for the first time since this conversation began, it’s comfortable. Peaceful. Familiar.

“Wasn’t my plan to fall for ya,” she finally admits, “and when I realized I had, I wasn’t really sure what to do with that… but I’m sorry that I ever made you feel like I was messing with your head and all.”

“It isn’t your fault, Sev,” you sigh. “Should have talked to you sooner. I was just… scared.”

“Of what?” She asks, looking up at you. “Of me?”

Damn her and those puppy dog eyes.

“No, not at all,” you quickly reassure. “Never of you. Was just scared to face the possibility that you don’t feel for me what I feel for you. Didn’t want to make a fool out of myself, you know?”

She lets out an incredulous chuckle; like there isn’t a world in which she doesn’t have feelings for you.

“Well… you’ve certainly made a fool of yourself now, doll.”

“Hey!” You scold, stepping back to cross your arms in front of your chest. 

“I’m just saying,” she says with a cocky smirk, “this could’ve all ended a month ago if you had just-”

“Okay, okay!” The wide smile on your face betrays the annoyance you’re trying to feign. Truth be told, you were too relieved by the appearance of her humorous side to pretend that you were mad. “I get it,” you continue, “I said I was sorry!”

“‘S alright, baby,” she shrugs, standing up to meet you; and when she steps forward to wrap her arms around your waist, pulling you flush against her, you can’t help but melt into the warmth you’d missed so much.

“Jus’ means we’ve got lost time to make up for.”

──˚₊•୨ৎ•‧₊˚──

You’re two orgasms in when Babette comes knocking on your room’s doorframe.

Your head whips around to give her a wide-eyed stare from your place on Sevika’s lap- and on two of her fingers- chest heaving and lips swollen from the kiss you’d just pulled away from.

“The fuck? We’re busy here,” Sevika grumbles, hand waving to gesture towards the rather intimate position the two of you were in.

“Sorry ladies,” Babette sighs, “You know we close early on Sundays. Glad to see that you two are back at it, though;” and with that, she makes her way back to her office.

Still in shock, you turn back to Sevika; who seems entirely unphased by the interruption. 

“My place?” She shrugs; and you can’t help but burst out into laughter, leaning in for a kiss that’s all smiles. 

“Not gonna take me out to dinner first?” You tease, cocking a brow at her. 

Whatever cockiness you were attempting to exude quickly fails when her fingers curl up into you just right, and you gasp, hips twitching on her lap.

She wraps her mech arm around your waist, sitting up to place a kiss on your temple before bringing her mouth to the shell of your ear.

“I’d say we’re past pleasantries, don't you think?” she croons. 

A shiver runs down your spine, head tilting back as she lowers her head to plant open-mouthed kisses on your neck; and when her teeth bite down on your collarbone, all you can muster is,

“Your place.” 

──˚₊•୨ৎ•‧₊˚──

The words slip out of your mouth before you can help it.

She’s got you laid out underneath her on soft sheets of maroon, legs thrown over her shoulders, hips snapping into you ruthlessly.

For what felt like hours, her mouth had been on you, languid and slow; and when her mouth wasn’t on you, she was leaving a mark somewhere on your skin as her fingers worked you open.

From the outside in, it may have seemed like she was teasing, and for a second, you thought that’s what she was doing. You couldn’t really blame her if she were; a little repayment for the silent treatment you’d given her. 

But you knew Sevika well; could read her movements and expressions like a book. She wasn’t teasing. 

She was drinking you in; your form under her hands, the taste of salt on your skin, your whimpers and whines floating through the air. She was committing this moment to memory like it might be the last time she has you, and you realize, she’s scared you might leave again.

It isn’t until you place a hand on her cheek, coaxing her to look you in the eyes and telling her that you’re not going anywhere, that she’s finally pulled out of her trance, lining herself up between your legs with a crooked smile on her face. 

Now, her pace is quick, rough; but her gaze is so soft, eyes blown out with adoration.

Your own begin to flutter closed, rolling back into your head when she shifts just enough for her strap to plant kiss after kiss on the sweet spot of your velvet walls.

“Janna,” you pant, tears pricking your eyes, “Right there, Sev; please don’t stop.”

Who were you kidding? She wouldn’t dare.

Her thumb moves to wipe away the stray tear trailing towards your temple. “Look at me, sweetheart.”

When you open your eyes to look up at her, she’s looking back down at you like she’s in love with you.

“So pretty,” she mutters, her flesh hand warm on your cheek as her thumb traces your cheek, your jaw, your lips. “So, so pretty, baby; missed you so fucking much.”

You’re overwhelmed. By the way she talks so sweet to you, by the way she fucks so deep into you, by the third orgasm that threatens to break like a wave;

And when it does, the words slip out of your mouth before you can help it.

“Shit, ‘m cumming… just like that, Sev; fuck, I love you so much.”

Your eyes go wide like a deer in headlights when you register your own words; and when her hips stutter, you’re already preparing yourself to be met with a look that says, ‘are you crazy?’ … until, she lets out a groan of her own, not even bothering to pull out before she’s gone limp on top of you.

You’re still mortified, frozen underneath her, staring up at the ceiling. She must feel the racing of your heart, the shallowness of your breath, because she cranes her head up from its place nestled into you shoudler to speak into your ear.

“Calm down, baby. I love you, too.”

──˚₊•୨ৎ•‧₊˚──

The moon is full again tonight; a stream of its cool light spilling in through the crack in Sevika’s curtains. You’ve already succumbed to the heavy lull of sleep; of course, not before Sevika insists that you pee, have a snack, drink some water, and promise that you’ll be hers from now on.

She gets up to disarm the heavy metal attached to her shoulder- something she only does when she’s certain that she’s safe- and climbs back into bed, careful not to disturb you. You rustle anyway, rolling over to bury your head in her chest.

Sevika has never really cared what the sun, the moon, and the stars had to say about her luck. 

She cares even less now with the entire universe sound asleep against her. 

𝐄𝐍𝐃 ୨ৎ

[am-i-interrupting]

Hi, sorry to bother you but might I request a head over heels, tripping over himself, bumping into things when he hears her name love-struck dumb, old silco? As a former full service SW, he just has puppy dog, clingy written all over him. 🤣

Favors for Favors

Silco had only been half listening to the report that Sevika was giving. It wasn’t anything important. Nothing which needed his direct attention. It was all simply things he should be passingly aware of.

The scratch of his pen was a nice background to her smooth, husked voice. This was a routine the two were both well adjusted to. It hadn’t changed in some time.

Whether or not he should respond to Madame Margot’s request for more funding for guards ran on his mind. She was one of the more competent. Her lady’s brought in a lot of money, very little of which she actually have to the cause and he knew that.

Most of it went towards the luxuries of her business. Keeping rooms nice, pillows fluffed, dolls dressed in a manner of speaking.

He twisted his pen in his hand as he thought.

She was the one he was most familiar with.

Yes, there were others. Renni and her child workers, as she called them, and a warehouse full of shimmer. Chross and his secrets and fast working hit men. Smeech and his loud mouth which didn’t suit the prosthetics he had made. Finn and his. . . Whatever it was exactly he did.

Margot though was something of a collection of all of them. She had the public favor of Finn. She had the will to survive of Smeech. She held secrets and spread shimmer with her workers.

By far she was the most useful of them all.

Silco was in the middle of responding to her request with approval when his ears perked at a name, your name. His pen faltered for a moment. His eyes flicked up to where Sevika stood.

She scoffed. “You really are down bad, aren’t you?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Nothing. Forget it. Did you even hear the last ten minutes or just that last name?” she asked with a bit of humor in her eyes.

Silco’s lip twitched upward. His gaze went back down.

“You were saying about the layoff happening in the docks?”

“I stopped talking about that seven minutes ago, boss,” she said.

He cut her a look and she had the audacity to smile to herself. It was a bit smug and not at all subtle.

“But profits have raised since your girl started,” she said.

He continued to write his approval. “The only girl that is mine is Jinx,” he retorted.

“Uh-huh, sure.”

It was rare that Silco got the chance to banter anymore. It’d been years but some days when Sevika was tired and probably at least a bit tipsy and not in an entirely foul mood, she would joke.

He didn’t admit it but it was small moments like these that he was found of.

She leaned against the desk. Her face got close to his. Her arm sat just above the top of the paper which was still wet with ink.

The smell of tequila was on her breath. Not strong but not weak either.

“Do me a favor, just get fucking laid,” she said.

She pushed herself up. She turned and walked out.

“Only if you do the same,” he said right before she closed the door.

He heard her snort right before there was click of lock sliding in place.

It was two days later when Sevika knocked on his door. He welcomed her in but she merely opened it enough to peak her head inside.

“I held up on my favor,” she said, “now hold up on yours or at least go down there and get a drink.”

It wasn’t late in the night when those words echoed in his mind but rather very early in the morning.

Maybe he should. Maybe he would.

He went downstairs.

“Chuck, go home,” he heard your voice say as he neared the bottom.

“I’m fine,” a hoarse voice replied, gravely and that clearly of a chainsmoker.

“No, you’re not. You got a glass thrown at you. Just let me take care of closing up.”

“Not what I’m paid to do.”

“I believe,” Silco said as he stepped into view, “what I pay you to do is serve drinks.”

Chuck’s lip curled upward into a snarl. He took the wordless demand and turned to his other side.

His sleeve was covered in blood, still wet even just looking. There were small nicks and a very large gash. It curled around his bicep and dug into it.

“Should I request the Doctor give you visit or would you prefer your means?” Silco asked as he looked at the wound. Chuck’s silence was reply. “Very well then. I highly suggest you take advantage the kindness being gifted to you. It’s rarity these days.”

“Fine,” Chuck said through gritted teeth.

When the door slammed shut, Silco finally looked at you. You had a small, pleased smile on your face. Your chin was held by your hand. Eyes were fixed on him.

Silco took a deep breath and tried to will down that little jump his heart tried to do, aiming for his throat.

“You’re going soft,” you said in a sing-song tone.

“He can’t serve drinks if he can’t use his arm,” Silco said.

“Uh-huh, sure.”

You spun around and reached for a bottle of whiskey. A glass was picked up in your hands as you turned around to the bar. A small scoop was filled with ice which clinked against the glass as it was plopped in. You didn’t look down as you filled it.

“What gives me the pleasure of your company tonight?” you asked.

That simple question led to over an hour of conversation and Silco behind the bar, helping you clean. All because he mentioned he’d once had experience and you had audacity to challenge that.

[little-miss-fandom-freak]

this might b the biggest self insert ever but please write a sevika x goth! reader fic or imagines- just anythinggg!

My wife won the poll in a landslide, so here ya go! (I'm also writing for the other two that won)

Sevika x Goth!Reader Imagine

The two of you met at a Goth bar that was hidden in the caverns beneath the Undercity. You were a bartender. Your paper-white makeup and heavy black eye shadow pulled her in. You smiled at her, asking her what she wanted, but she couldn't focus becaude was just hypnotized by you.

You two hit it off instantly. After a month of hanging around the bar and walking you home after your shift, she finally asked you out.

Sevika called your name, stopping you from opening you door. "Uh, so I was wondering..." You couldn't believe it. Was she finally asking you out after all this time?

"Would you, um, like to get something to eat sometime?" You tried so hard to contain you excitement, but you couldn't hide the smile forming on your lips.

"I'd love to!" You wanted to slap yourself for how giddy you sounded, but she was just as bad.

A dorky smile was plastered on her face as she nodded. "Great. How about tomorrow?"

You bit your lip to see if you were dreaming. "Tomorrow sounds good. Goodnight, Sevika."

Oh how she loved hearing you say her name. She almost tripped down the steps as she watched you walk into your apartment.

She waited for you outside of your apartment the next day, pacing the halls back and forth with anxiety. Her worries were silenced when you opened the door, her greeting died on her tounge when she saw you. You were in a more casual attire - well, casual for you. Instead of your usual high maintenance outfits, you wore a simple tank top and long black skirt. Your makeup was also more casual. You ditched the white foundation and opted for just the eye and lip makeup.

"Hey... how do I look?" You asked nervously. You rarely leave your house dressed so casually, but you wanted to see if she'd still like you without your usual theatrics.

"You look... um..." You thought she hated it, but really she just wanted to drag you back into your apartment and show you just how much she loved your outfit. "You look amazing" she finally said breathlessly.

The look of pure adoration in her eyes combined with her lovesick tone, you knew this date wasn't going to be the last...

♡ Sevika's love language is acts of service. So if there's any part of your morning routine that she can help with, she's there.

♡ She does your makeup for you (you were shocked at how good she was at it, but it's only because she's been watching you through your vanity mirror every morning)

♡ One time, you convinced her to let you do her makeup to match yours. Let's just say it didn't stay on for long.

♡ She loves the way you dress.

♡ Her knees get weak anytime you wear heels that make you as tall as her

♡ She loves how elegant you dress. Whether it's feminine or masculine, you never fail to dress like a goddess of the dead.

♡ Even at the beginning of your relationship, she would proudly parade around the Undercity with black lipstick across her neck and face. It was a hot topic between Silco's followers on who his second in command was with.

♡ When she's at the market and sees anything that screams Goth, she buys it for you without a second thought.

♡ She just loves spoiling you

♡ Do you like taxidermy and preserving dead animals? She gets you creatures you've never even seen before.

♡ Do you like painting or sculpture/pottery? She will build you an art studio with her bare hands.

♡ Or do you just like collecting scrap like a raccoon? She'll come home from work with her pockets full of every little thing she could find for you.

♡ She loves staying at your place because of the lack of sunlight. Between her work schedule and her drinking, the sun is constantly giving her headaches, so she appreciates the dark atmosphere of your room.

♡ Not many know this, but Sevika also loves classic literature. The two of you actually bonded over your shared love of classical horror.

♡ When it came to introducing you to those close to her, she was nervous you not liking them. She loved you, but she would hate to have to choose between you and the few peoole she's close with.

♡ Luckily, you loved them and they loved you just as much.

♡ You hit it off well with Jinx and Ran. Jinx loved your makeup and even had a little phase where she tried doing goth makeup with blue instead of black. And Ran just loved having someone to talk about music with.

♡ Silco, however, he didn't trust you. But it wasn't until he saw how you were with Jinx that he subtlely gave his approval.

♡ You wouldn't think that people would be scared of you in the Undercity; but there have been an odd number of times some unknowing woman tried flirting with Sevika, just to have you appear from the shadows and scaring the piss out of her. You don't even mean to most of the time, but Sevika loves it so you keep doing it.

♡ You two are the definition of a metal head/goth couple

♡ She loves going to concerts in her free time, and she was over the moon when you said yes to going with. During the concert, you did lose Sevika, but it turns out she was just in the mosh pit.

♡ In a fair trade, she also goes to goth concerts with you. The setting is a lot different, but she can't complain when she gets to watch you dance like that

♡ Speaking of which, she LOVES watching you dance.

♡ The way your body moves to the music like spirits dancing in a forest, it's all so mesmerizing to her. She could watch you dance for hours (and she has, it's one of her favorite hobbies)

♡ Back to Sevika in a mosh pit, she craves your touch afterward

♡ The first time you found her after the pit, you brought her to the bathroom to clean her up. She was so infatuated by you and your gentle hand, all she could do was kiss you because she couldnt find the words to describe what she was feeling in that moment.

♡ The more you go to concerts with her, the more you start to suspect she's letting herself get more hurt than usual, just so she can have you nurse her back to health. But you're not complaining, you love caring for your girlfriend.

♡ Sevika rarely let's her walls down around others. You've seen it first hand, the quick switch between your girlfriend Sevika, and second in command Sevika. It always reassures you that she truly cares for you.

♡ Another moment of weakness for Sevika was letting you fix her arm.

♡ She showed you how everything worked, and soon enough you became the only person to work on her arm.

♡ During the rebelling times, you became more involved with her and her work. Helping with mapping out plans, arranging and promoting meet-ups, and assisting with medical aid after Enforcer attacks.

♡ She didn't like having you so close to the line of fire, but she was so thankful to have someone so understanding in her life. And with the death of Silco and the mental absence of Jinx, it's what she needed.

♡ When Sevika joined the council, she, of course, took you to the first gala since the war. You asked if you should tone down your look (especially since you haven't seen a single other goth in Piltover. You were almost wondering if the culture was even a thing topside). But Sevika said no, she actually wanted you to go all out.

♡ Your makeup was more dramatic than ever, and she even bought you special contacts to wear. You looked like you just crawled from the grave, and she LOVED IT (and was slightly turned on)

♡ She didn't hide her arm either. She wore a suit that clung to her figure, with the sleeve gone for her arm. She also wore Zaun's colors with pride

♡ From then on, you two were known by topsiders as Councilwoman Sevika and her demonic-looking wife

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

AAAAAHHHHH I LOVED WRITING THIS!!! As someone who is alt we need more alt!reader fics! I hope you all enjoyed this! And if you have anything you would like me to personally respond to, message me or put it in my ask box because as of right now, Tumblr won't let me respond to comments :)

[dantent]

Chapter 4 - You Won't Believe What Just Happened (Silco x OC)

Tags: 𝘼𝙣𝙜𝙨𝙩 | 𝙁𝙡𝙪𝙛𝙛 | 𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 | 𝙎𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝘽𝙪𝙧𝙣 | 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙢𝙪𝙩 | 𝙁𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 | 𝙃𝙪𝙧𝙩/𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩 |

Warnings: Canon-Typical Violence

A couple days went by since Jinx's last visit. Ren got back into their routine in the meantime. The brothel was the same as ever, blooming with customers, which only meant more money for the mechanic. Babette paid them truly fairly with all the work they were doing for the brothel. Over the last month Ren was able to somewhat befriend most of the workers, and often decided to join them outside to smoke. Sometimes people thought Ren was a worker as well and requested their services. Now, Ren certainly didn't have a lot of fun in Piltover, so they often indulged those who asked them. 

Today was just like any other day, spending their break by smoking outside with their co-workers. The Undercity was dark as ever, only being lit by the countless green neon lights. One could barely tell so deep down if it was daytime or nighttime, and sometimes it truly didn't matter in Zaun. This life certainly had it's own appeal, or perhaps everyone in Zaun was so accustomed to it that they couldn't imagine a different life. Ren had seen what life is like with the pilties but the Undercity always remained their home. No matter how many years they spent on top, a part of them wished to see their home. 

If you looked hard enough, you could find some form of unity among fissure-folk. The way bartenders weren't to be messed with because everyone in the bar would fight for the person who pours the drinks. Or perhaps the way zaunites stood together against the discrimination from the enforcers. Even some of their traditions proved that Zaun did indeed have unity among the residents. Standing outside and smoking in front of a brothel without being disturbed could also be counted as a proof because no one messes with the sex workers. 

"So you remember the girl I was telling you about, right? The one I met at the market." one of the workers tore Ren out of their thoughts. 

"The one with the mullet?" asked another. 

"Yes, the very same!"

The twins - Sera and Oskar - engaged in a very enthusiastic conversation. Both of them had the same fair, almost doll-like complexion that Ren found absolutely fascinating. They even wondered whether or not the two wore some sort of masks while working. But their faces weren't the only thing almost too pure for Zaun. The twins enjoyed dressing in lighter colors, making them look as elegant as a piltie. Ren supposed that this fact was the main reason the twins were so popular with piltie customers. 

"What about her?" Oskar questioned his sister. 

"I finally gathered the courage to ask her on a date." she smiled, earning a gasp from her brother. 

"No way!" the boy laughed in a high-pitched voice. "Someone actually wants to date you? I'm surprised."

"Oh, you!" Sera punch him in the arm, before continuing her story. "So, the date went really well, thank you for asking."

"Maybe you scared her so much she was afraid of saying no to you." Oskar turned away from his sister to hide his smile. 

"Quit it!" she rolled her eyes. "She asked me on another date! Not me! That's what I was trying to say."

The boy huffed a laugh as he congratulated his sister. Ren did the same, asking some further questions about the date to not seem impolite. Sera was always very talkative so she kindly told both of them every detail of that night. What mattered was that the girl made her happy, so her brother approved of the two. There was, of course, the usual "if she hurts you I will kill her" monologue but besides that they continued the teasing. 

Besides the occasional conversations and smoking breaks, the rest of the day was pretty uneventful. Ren finished all their tasks for the day and decided to head home when the janitor from the next shift came into the brothel. The mechanic wished them good luck before heading out. Ren had a habit of going on different routes each day to make it harder to ambush them. Were they sure that it was going to happen? No, but it's better safe than sorry. 

Inside their apartment Ren locked the door and placed a chair just under the doorknob. They could be called paranoid but anyone would do this in their place; not like it was unusual for people in Zaun to do this. After securing their apartment, they dragged themselves to the kitchen area and made a fast meal. Pushing the hung up punching bag out of the way, they finally got to the couch and started eating. It wasn't exactly a healthy meal but it was good enough to keep them alive. The only thing Ren heard besides the faint noises as the spoon hit their plate, was the usual commotion outside; but that became silent after the first week or so and they just got used to it.

Before them, the punching bag swung around from the previous move. Ren watched it as they ate from the cereal bowl in their lap. They purchased the punching bag not too long ago, determined to get stronger and increase their chances at survival. Oftentimes, they walked over to the broken mirror on the wall after a workout and checked if they got any more muscular. The mechanic wasn't seeing much progress but their co-workers have complimented them before, so surely it was working. Not that they expected to get muscular all of a sudden; they knew it wasn't that easy, but they hoped it would happen fast. 

Many attacks occurred at the brothel and Ren often had to step in and protect the others, which also meant that they got themselves beaten countless times. Ren was no bodyguard by any means, but years of lifting heavy weights at the workshop made them strong enough to stand their ground. But not even that made them as muscular as they needed to be to survive. Gaining muscles not only meant that less people would mess with them but it also made them less likely to recognize. Back in their childhood Ren was rather a skinny kid and the person they ran from only remembers that scared kid, not a muscular mechanic. 

The apartment was far too quiet for their liking, with almost zero entertainment besides the few books they found either in the trash or at a low price on the market. Ren was never much of a reader but even their standards were higher than some of the things they had found in the trash. This is one of the main reasons they either spent their time in the brothel or at a bar. Given that they worked a night shift today, going to a bar was out of question. They had a place in mind though. 

Once they finished their meal, Ren took their keys and left the apartment. As soon as they were out of the building, they were hit with the bustling Undercity. Everyone hurrying about, talking loudly and laughing at each other. Ren watched as some people took turns to drink from a bottle as they stood in an alley, talking about whatever. Just down the block, a tattoo artist was opening up while people stood at his door. Kids ran around with a hefty pouch in their hands, no doubt stolen from one of the passersby. 

The mechanic still remembered the way and they got to the workshop as usual. Ren stopped in their tracks once they saw the familiar shop sign. This was the last piece of their past in Piltover they had not buried yet. It was foolish of them to seek out the shop but they wanted to let Piper and her dad know that they were alright. As the owner of the shop, Mazen surely knew about the explosion and Ren didn't want to leave him wondering if they died in the flames as well. So they gathered all their courage and stepped inside. 

Ren and Mazen made eye contact as they walked inside. For a moment, neither of them said anything. Clearly, the owner was shocked that the mechanic came back and Ren didn't quite know what to say. So both of them stood there for a couple seconds, before the backdoor opened and with a loud gasp, Piper ran straight to the mechanic.

"Ren!" she screamed as she jumped in their arms. 

"Hey munchkin." Ren chuckled as they lifted her up and spun around, earning a giggle from her. 

"I knew you'd be back! I told dad!" Piper jumped around once she was put down. She excitedly looked in her dad's direction.

"Ren." Mazen nodded as he came closer. He was taller than them, not surprisingly since Ren was quite short. 

"Mazen." the mechanic returned the gesture.

"Why don't you go back to your room, Pip?" the man smiled at his daughter. "I have something to discuss with Ren."

"But-"

"No buts, princess. This is adult stuff." he shook his head.

"Fine." the girl pouted before walking away. She glanced at her dad one last time before disappearing behind the door. 

As soon as she left, Mazen let out a tired sigh. He turned to Ren and the mechanic felt a certain coldness wash over them. They knew when they weren't wanted somewhere but the feeling still stung. For a moment Mazen watched the mechanic silently. 

"What happened?" he finally decided to ask. 

"Besides the shop blowing up?" Ren chuckled but it left a sour taste in their mouth. Their smile soon was wept from their face when Mazen didn't laugh along. "I was the only one who survived and because of my heritage here in Zaun-"

"They framed you?" the man snorted before looking away. He shook his head, deep in thought. 

"Well, not really." they tried explaining. "The sheriff knew I was innocent but he said that the pilties were uncomfortable so... I was sent away."

"Back to Zaun?" he finally turned back. "Isn't the whole reason you left the Undercity the fact that you will die if you stay here?"

"Yeah, that." Ren gently rubbed their robotic hand while speaking. "Uhm, I'm unsure how much time I have left until. Well. My past catches up."

Mazen nodded. His face looked confident, yet the look in his eyes broke Ren's heart. It was cold. Colder than they had ever seen it. Ren knew what was about to be said but they hoped that their tired expression and knitted eyebrows could convince the man otherwise.

He put his hand on their right shoulder and squeezed just enough so they could feel it. "Listen to me, Ren. You're a good kid. You work hard to stay alive in this cruel world but still find it in yourself to be kind to the innocent. Don't ever let the Undercity take this from you."

There was a pause.

"But?" Ren whispered.

"I don't know what you got yourself into when you fled but it could be a danger to me, and more importantly to my daughter." Mazen sighed. "I truly hope that one day you will find a way to leave the past behind but until then, please don't come to us."

Ren expected the words but they still hurt. They knew it was for the best, of course. But a part of them, still hurt from having to start their life over, wanted to hold onto the last bit of memories they had. It was a childish wish, one they knew very well wouldn't be granted. Yet they still wished they wouldn't have to let go of Mazen and Piper. 

"I understand." they managed to say. Ren truly understood; if the person who was looking for them found out how close they were to the family, they would be his prime target. 

Mazen gave them a final squeeze before letting go. "I'm sorry, Ren. I hope you find a place to belong to."

With that, Mazen turned away and walked behind the counter. Ren nodded, more to themselves than anything, then turned around left the shop. Their footsteps were frantic and hurried, not even acknowledging those they bumped into. When they finally arrived home, they simply tossed the keys on the table and sat down on the couch. They buried their face in their hands as they tried taking deep breaths to calm themselves down. But it wasn't helping. In a fit of rage, they stood up and started punching the bag in front of them as hard as they could. Ren didn't quite know how much time had passed but by the time they stopped, there were clear bruises on their right knuckles and their robotic hand felt soar. 

Ren flopped on the bed, defeated. They were tired. So tired. Not just because of being awake all night but by constant course of their life. It didn't matter what they wanted or how much they worked for it; in the end it was all taken from them. None of it was fair. All of this made Ren feel like whatever or whoever they got close to, would be taken away from them again and again. Without end. It exhausted them to no end;  and within minutes they fell asleep. 

Everything hurt as their feet touched the ground again and again. Ren bumped into a trashcan but it didn't matter; they couldn't stop running. They held their left hand in the other, squeezing it. A red liquid flew down their arm, leaving trails behind them. They breathed heavily, each breath almost sounding like a small scream from their mouth. 

Heavy footsteps followed behind but Ren wouldn't dare to turn back. All their mind could think of was to run and never stop. Yet the streets seemed never ending. With each turn they took, they just entered another long alley. They almost fell over their own feet but caught themselves just in time. With a quick glance, they looked at their left hand. A giant cut stood between the middle and ring finger. It started from the middle of their palm and completely severed the connection between their fingers. Were they not holding it together, they hand would quite literally fall apart. 

They sobbed as they ran. Ren didn't quite know what hurt more, the cut in their hand or knowing who did it. With a gulp they looked up again and to their horror, it seemed they didn't move one bit for the past minutes. They could hear the footsteps getting closer and closer, and louder than before. No matter how hard they tried to run, their feet moved but they were staying in one place. Ren let go of their damaged hand and tried to hold onto the wall and drag themselves forward, but everything seemed to get further away from them. Almost as if the walls moved away. 

Footsteps so loud they could be a giant's came up just behind them. "Found you."

Ren woke up at that exact moment. With a loud gasp they sat up on the couch and looked around, their fist clenched to defend themselves. Yet the only thing they saw was their dark apartment, only being lit up from the neon lights outside. The mechanic reached to their chest, feeling the insane pumping of their heart. Ren tried taking deep breaths to calm themselves down. They glanced at their left hand, intact thanks to the robotic parts. Sometimes they still felt the pain of that night. Ren reached out to rub their hand, but a loud banging at their door stopped them in their track. 

The mechanic waited for a second, trying to decide if they heard it right. When they were just about to calm down, another loud banging came. Ren stood up quickly and rushed to the kitchen, grabbing the biggest knife they could find. Then they slowly approached the door. Another banging came. It sounded like whoever was standing outside was getting impatient. Ren slowly walked to the door, careful not to be heard by the person. Once they arrived, they got on their tip toes and stared through the peephole. They only saw a few blue strands of hair from this angle. Ren sighed when they realised who was standing outside and unlocked the door immediately. 

"Finally!" Jinx exclaimed and slipped through the opening as soon as she could. She closed the door with her foot, not even looking back at it. "What took you so long?"

"I just woke up Jinx," Ren rubbed their closed eyes, "I'm sorry I made you wait."

"Wha'?" her head whipped around, glaring at the mechanic with those big blue eyes of hers. "Dad says it's not good to sleep in the daytime."

"Your dad is right," they nodded, "mostly."

"Mostly?" she tilted her head. 

"I work night shifts sometimes." they shrugged. "When I do that, I have no chance but to sleep in the daytime."

"Hmmm, pops often works at night as well but I never see him sleep." she thought to herself. "Oh, whatever. Old man barely ever does anything healthy for himself. And he's the one who always scolds me for not being healthy! Can you imagine?"

She began to ramble again, as she so often did. Ren just smiled to themselves and listened to her. Jinx was talking about how many times her dad told her to eat healthier and how hypocritical he was. As any teenage girl would, Jinx also felt the need to rebel against her father at any given moment. The mechanic could tell that she had a lot of admiration for her dad but still enjoyed to oppose him. Both of them moved over to the couch to get more comfortable. As the girl started yet another story, it occurred to Ren that they never told the her where they lived.

"Jinx, hold up for one second." they stopped her. 

She shut up immediately like someone who has been caught doing something they shouldn't be. "Wha'?"

"I never told you where I live." Ren stated it as a fact.

"Well, duh." Jinx rolled her eyes. "I have my ways, silly."

"Did Babette tell you?" 

"Nah, she wouldn't tell me even if I held a gun to her head." she laughed, resting her head on one of the pillows. 

"Then how-"

"You're asking so many boring questions today." she groaned. 

Ren sighed. It was clear that Jinx wasn't willing to tell. The mechanic made the decision not to press any further because they were afraid to scare her away. Ren really needed someone here with them, especially after their nightmare. Which they tried very hard to forget but it would take time. 

"Why did you come here then?" they tried to change the subject. 

"Why did I come?" she wondered to herself. Jinx genuinely seemed to forget for a second, before her mouth formed an 'oh' and her head excitedly whipped to Ren. "Right! I need your help with something! Back home."

"At your house?" Ren's eyes widened. "Jinx I don't think this-"

"You promised!" she yelled while pointing at them. They did, in fact, promise her that they'll help whenever she needed it. "You said you will always help me with mechanic stuff!"

"Yes but-"

"No buts!" Jinx shook her head before laughing. "Hah, butts..."

All of a sudden, she lunged at Ren and grabbed their right arm. Before they could say anything, Jinx was already dragging them to the door. They barely managed to get the keys and lock the door because Jinx was pulling on them. When they finally got out of the building, the girl started running, hand in hand with Ren. The mechanic didn't quite know what to do so they just went along with her plan. 

The two passed a few streets, almost knocking up everyone in their way. Ren apologised to as many people as they could before being dragged further. Jinx was laughing all the way, just like any kid would. In a way, this reminded the mechanic of their childhood. Always running around in the Lanes, laughing in the face of enforcers. Kids don't understand what's truly at stake when doing this but right at that moment, every zaunite child feels free. Freedom is what most children craved in the Undercity, and this was one of the few ways they could experience it. 

However, Ren started to become suspicious when they saw The Last Drop getting closer. Jinx seemed to be going straight to the bar. The mechanic blinked in shock when the girl basically jumped through the door. None of the guards stopped her, or even batted an eye at her sudden appearance. As soon as they stepped inside, Ren panicked and tore themselves away from the blue haired girl. Jinx turned back, raising her eyebrow at the mechanic. 

Once they felt brave enough to glance away from the girl, Ren looked around. The bar wasn't exactly up to their expectation. Multiple things seemed to be hanging from the ceiling, clearly broken off. There were countless broken tables and the paint on the wall got chipped off. Ren also noticed a few red spots about - most likely blood. The overhead lights were dim and radiated a sort of warmth but the neon lights - that were no doubt being used at night, when the bar is bustling with customers - were flickering. 

Heavy footsteps came from the stairs leading upstairs - probably connected to the balcony that looked over the club. Ren felt the need to run away, but Jinx has already grabbed them again. She pulled them further inside. Soon the person descending on the stairs appeared. A tall woman with a poncho over her left arm came into view. The woman stopped in her tracks when she laid eyes on Ren.

"Jinx, who the fuck is this?" she motioned at them with her right arm.

"Ugh, just leave us alone." Jinx rolled her eyes. 

The woman let out a grunt before stepping closer to the mechanic. Ren had to fight every muscle in their body not to appear scared. Those who looked afraid were the primal targets of Zaun. She looked them over, her eyes judging every inch of them. 

"Don't make me ask again." she leaned down, to get closer to their face. The woman definitely knew how imposing she was because she used her entire body to make Ren feel trapped.

"I'm Ren." they meant to say it with a confident voice but it came out as a rather quiet sentence. 

"Ren, huh?" she snorted. "I don't remember hiring you."

"Well yes, because they are working for me!" Jinx yanked them closer to her. 

"You can't bring strays to the Drop." she pinched the bridge of her nose before looking at the girl with piercing eyes. 

"Silco said I'm the one who'll fix the bar. This is my helper." the girl smiled mischievously. "So walk away, Sevika. Don't want to make pops angry, do ya?"

Ren slowly turned their head to Jinx. She was having a staring contest with the woman - Sevika. But Ren's eyes widened more than ever. They were such a fool to not make the connection before. The girl they seemed to befriend was none other than Silco's daughter. Babette had warned them to stay away and Ren absolutely didn't have a death wish. The mechanic gathered all their courage and cleared their throat. Sevika whipped her head to them, slightly squinting her eyes. 

"I don't want any trouble, so I will just lea-"

"No!" Jinx yelled. "Dad told me that I can use anything to get the bar back in shape. Ren is my helper. Suck it up."

Sevika groaned before turning away and walking to the bottles of alcohol. "Whatever, but don't come to me when they fuck something up. Silco's gonna kill them."

Jinx smirked before dragging Ren away. The mechanic wasn't okay with how their fate was decided but it wasn't as if they could argue against it. Jinx was the daughter of Silco - the King of the Undercity. One bad word to her could have them dead. Ren didn't know how to get out of this, and if they knew anything about Chem-baron business - which they knew plenty of -, they weren't going to succeed in that easily. 

The girl brought Ren to a music box, that seemed to be broken. It had a big dent in the front, clearly being kicked or punched multiple times. Next to it was a box full of tools. They were all painted with neon colors, often made to look like an animal. The box itself had a big monkey head painted on it in pink. Jinx excitedly turned to the mechanic and they looked at her with knitted brows. 

"So this is the first thing I need your help with." she pointed at the machine. "Thing's completely jammed and I just cannot get it open. I'm not even sure how I should fix it."

"Jinx." they whispered.

"But I'm sure you can figure it out." she waved her hand dismissively. "With that big, smart head of yours and whatnot."

"Jinx."

"Wha'?" the girl groaned and let her head fall back.

"You didn't tell me your dad was Silco." Ren tried being as quiet as they could be. 

Jinx fell silent for a moment, before she raised her head and looked back at Ren. Her face looked younger and her eyes seemed more glossy than usual. "Do you not like me anymore?"

Ren could barely hear her voice, which surprised to no end since Jinx was the liveliest person they ever met. They had realised that they accidentally hurt her feelings, so they sighed and put their right hand on her shoulder. 

"Of course I still like you, Jinx." they smiled down at her. "It's just that your dad..."

"I know." she looked down at her shoes and started playing with her hands behind her back. "I'm sorry I kept it from you."

Ren nodded. "It's... okay." It wasn't really okay but they didn't want to further upset the girl. She was still young and they doubted she fully understood what her dad was really doing. Besides, a rather selfish part of them didn't quite want to let go of the girl who seemed to be the only close friend they had. Not after being sent away from the workshop. 

"Don't leave. Please." Jinx looked back up again with puppy eyes. 

"I won't." the words came from their mouth before they could even think. 

Jinx's entire face changed in a span of seconds. From sad child, she turned into an excited teenager. She reached for the box and giddily gave it to Ren. They took it from her with an uncertain smile. 

"I have some other boring stuff to do." her entire body swayed when she said 'boring'. "So work on this. Please?"

"Okay, I'll see what I can do." Ren nodded and turned to the ruined machine. 

Jinx hopped away with a few giggles. Ren could see from the corner of their eye that Sevika was staring at them intently. They decided to ignore her and get straight to work. It might have been the best decision, given that they were sure this woman could easily beat them in a fight. And they also wanted to get done with this as soon as possible. 

So they checked out the damage on the machine. The front of it was definitely unsalvageable but the rest they could work with. After a few minutes of loosening up the metal, they were able to take it off and get a better look at the inside. They saw that a record was caught up in a some of the gear, making it bend in spiral. It hurt to look at the damaged record but they knew they couldn't save it. Thankfully the rest of the machine was relatively easy to fix. Only a few parts gave them a headache but it certainly wasn't the worst they've ever seen. Ren could save most of the records and was able to get it to play songs. 

They reported to Jinx, who was working on some of the neon lights. She gladly showed them the other things she needed help with and Ren got to work. Soon the girl finished on the other side of the bar and joined Ren in fixing up the lights under the bar counter. Ren asked what happened to the bar to become it's current state - since they assumed this wasn't it's original state. The girl explained that a fight broke out and the patrons almost destroyed everything before Sevika and the rest of the staff put them out. A part of Ren felt bad for the staff but a more logical part of them was even more terrified of Sevika now. 

Fixing the light underneath seemed quite the trouble. Unfortunately, Jinx had to run out with Sevika, not that they wanted to spend time with each other. So Ren was left alone in the bar; well as alone as they could be with the guards outside the Drop and that one guard who stood in front of the stairs. With a little thinking, Ren figured it must've been the way up to Silco. Not that they wanted to find out what was up there. The mechanic continued their work, hoping to get out of here alive. 

Some time later, when Ren was close to fixing all the issues with the lamps, they heard the entrance open and close. They assumed Sevika and Jinx returned, but was surprised when the girl didn't run up to them. However Ren did feel someone step next to them, but before they could turn towards the person, a voice called out. 

"And who might you be?" the voice was deep and husky. It sounded like nothing Ren heard so far. 

The mechanic jumped at the sudden noise and promptly hit their head in the edge of the counter. Their right hand shut up to their head as they turned around with a hiss. A man stood next to them, in fancy red clothing. Golden edges trimmed his vest, coat and even his boots. His seagreen eye was quite the contrast of his clothes. Ren could only see the right side of his face from this angle but he looked like a refined man with that sept back dark hair of his. He was lazily leaning his back to the edge of the counter, his arm resting on top of it. The mechanic assumed this was one of the people Silco worked with, since the telltale weird eye they heard about could not be seen on his face. 

"Uhm, I'm Ren." they nodded in his direction and turned back to working.

"Ren, hm?" he pressed further. 

"I'm here with permission, if you're wondering." Ren cleared that, with a firm motion of their hand. They didn't need to be caught up in whatever business besides helping Jinx. Especially not if this is a Chem-baron standing next to them. Thankfully Ren didn't recognize who this was, and it seemed the man didn't know them either.

"With whose?" his voice seemed to darken. Ren wasn't sure how he was able to achieve that. 

"Jinx's." they gulped. Ren could feel the man's stare on their back but they weren't going to show fear. They tried ignoring his presence to get done with the lights. "She asked me to help with fixing the damaged machines and stuff."

"So you're the mechanic she keeps talking about?" the man hummed. 

"I suppose?" they continued working. "I didn't know she was talking about me."

Ren seemed to find the last issue with the cables and began fixing it. The man didn't leave but they could hear him pour a drink for himself. It was rather unsettling to be watched while working but Ren knew how to block him out. Not that it was hard, when they got lost in their work the outside world barely existed. 

"Does the concept of the owner's permission not exist anymore, I wonder?" the man put his drink back on the counter. 

"I just hope Jinx asked him." Ren sighed.

Silence followed their answer. The mechanic wasn't sure if it was a good sign or not but they didn't plan on staying long enough to figure out. Once they were done with the lights, they could head to the dj mixer and fix that. When that's done, they're out of here. Hopefully Jinx would never ask them to return again. 

"Tell me then, mechanic, what did you fix?" the man leaned closer to them, his voice becoming lower. 

Ren pointed to the music machine without looking. "Fixed that. The front has to be replaced but other than that it's working. Oh, and I wasn't able to save three records but the rest are fine. Now I'm working on these and waiting for Jinx to return."

"I see." he hummed. 

As if by magic, the lights turned back on right at that moment. Ren smiled and put the lid back on the cables before standing up. They admired their work with their hands grabbing their hips. Once they looked everything over, they turned to the man.

"Well, this is done as well it-" their voice died in their throat when they saw the rest of his face. A scarred eye stared back at them menacingly. Ren's smile slowly faltered as they realised just who they have been talking to. They were such a fool for not realising it sooner. 

Silco seemed to notice the sudden change in their behaviour, as the corner of his mouth quirked up slightly. "Good. You have some use then."

He was way taller than Ren but barely had any muscles on him. That much was clear even with his big coat on. Yet he was even more imposing than Sevika. Silco had an aura around him that just stroke fear into anyone. Certainly the horrific stories about him also helped his case. Even in his rather relaxed state, Ren couldn't help but feel trapped in a cage with a predator. 

"And how much did Jinx promise you for this?" he reached for his drink, playing with the edges of the glass. 

A second passed, Ren simply too shocked to answer. They only gathered the courage when Silco's eyes shot down at them. "I promised to help free of charge, sir."

"Sir? I wonder where you gathered the respect all of the sudden." he turned his body in a way that only his damaged eye was visible to Ren. 

"I apologise, I didn't realise-"

"Yes, that much I gathered." he took a sip of his drink. "I would appreciate such honesty with your purpose here as well. How much?"

"I told the truth, sir." Ren stood their ground. It was technically the truth, since they never charged Jinx with anything, although for a job like this they definitely should've. But they did not want to be associated with Silco in any way, shape or form. Accepting money from him would put an even bigger target on their back. 

"No one works for free." Silco fully turned his head to the mechanic. 

"Well, technically I'm not working." they rambled while rubbing their left hand. "I just... fulfilled a promise."

Silco watched them silently for a moment. It was as if he was trying to read their mind. Ren felt uneasy under his gaze but didn't break the eye contact. After a couple seconds, Silco was content enough and looked away, finishing his drink. He slammed down the glass, making Ren slightly jump. The corner of his mouth quirked up just for a moment. 

"I'm sure that you wouldn't mind reporting to me once you're done with your promise." with that he left.

Ren watched him walk upstairs, not even glancing at the guard by the stairs. The mechanic turned around in horror when they were sure Silco disappeared. They ruffled through their hair and looked for the dj machine Jinx told them about. With slow steps, they walked over to the machine and began inspecting it. 

Oh, how they knew they were in trouble. Silco knew who they were now. Knowing their name wasn't exactly the best possibility but many Rens existed in the Lanes, however he saw their face. And even worse, Jinx knew where they lived. Jinx knew where they lived. It had just dawned on them, if the girl knew, no doubt her dad did as well. Whatever happened now, they could easily be found and be taken care of. Babette had warned them. And yet they didn't heed the warning. But who would've thought that helping a child out would turn into this. 

Ren got to work, trying to fix the machine but their thoughts were racing through their mind. Nothing they did could get them out of this. The thing about Chem-barons is that once you're associated with them, it's nearly impossible to get away. It was exactly what Ren had done a decade ago and it cost them everything. But Silco was more powerful than the person they were running from. Maybe he would be able to reach them even in Piltover. So shortly, nowhere was safe anymore. 

They spent the next half hour in silence, working on the dj machine. Most of it was totally ruined and Ren made a note to report it back to Silco, since they could only do so much without proper replacement tools. They only received a couple scrap metals that were in Jinx's box. Of course, when they weren't actively paying attention to the machine, they were thinking about their situation. The only thing that stopped them from it was when Jinx and Sevika came back with some equipment. 

"I'm back!" Jinx exclaimed, running up to Ren. "You finished the lights already? Oh nuts, thought I could still work on that. Anyway, how is the mixer looking?"

"Uh, not good." Ren whispered, their voice strained from the stress.

"What's with you?" she asked just as Sevika dropped down a box of metal, screws and other helpful parts next to them. Ren jumped at the loud noise. 

"Break these and I'll break your neck." the woman shot them a piercing look before walking to the stairs to ascend to Silco. 

"Pff, crazy woman." Jinx rolled her eyes. 

"Yeah." Ren nodded.

Jinx tilted her head before grabbing their face. She rolled it around in her hand, inspect them. "Wha' you have a fever or sum?"

"No, I'm... fine." Ren broke themselves away. "I uh, met your dad."

"He got you scared good, hasn't he?" Jinx laughed. "Don't worry. I know he's a murderer and a crime lord or whatever, but he doesn't hurt those who help him. So just don't get in his way, ya know?"

"Great." Ren sighed before returning to work. "I need a pair of hands with this, Jinx."

"On it!"

The two worked for a couple hours on the machine. No matter how much they tried, something was never working. Ren wasn't quite familiar with this technology since Piltover always preferred live music but they tried their best. Jinx occupied them enough with her talking to calm down and focus on working. She noticed how much on edge they were and truly tried comforting them by saying that as long as she's around, Silco wouldn't hurt them. Ren felt somewhat better but still was cautious about the whole situation. 

After a lot of work, the two finally figured out how to fix everything and finished relatively soon. Once they were done, Jinx offered to bring them back home but Ren told her what Silco said to them. The girl was surprised by it but motioned them to go anyway. She ended up getting her tools back in the box and scattering away somewhere. Meanwhile Ren approached the stairs. The guard gave them a nod as they got on the first step. 

The stairway looked incredibly long and dark. Ren has seen Sevika makes this exact trip once or twice while they worked here but as far as they were aware, she wasn't in Silco's office anymore. They didn't know if that fact should comfort or worry them more. Ren took the steps one at a time, trying to prepare themselves for entering the lion's den. Once they were upstairs, the mechanic looked around. Each door they found looked like the other and they didn't know which could possibly lead to Silco's office. They walked further, inspecting them. Soon they found a door that was not like the others. It had Silco's name carved into the wood and the handle appeared golden. Even the sides of the door seemed to be covered in metal. This was, no doubt, the room to Silco's office. 

Ren raised their hand and knocked on the door three times. After about two seconds, they heart an 'enter' coming from inside. The mechanic grabbed the handle and turned it, taking a deep breath before opening the door. Silco's office was exactly like the man himself. It had some fancy gadgets and a bunch of books. Most of them seemed to be in a good shape, which meant that he must've gotten them from Piltover. By the end of the room, just in front of the big, green window, stood Silco's desk. The man himself was sitting by it, reading a paper, only glancing up at Ren.

"I assume you're ready to report?" he looked back at the paper, pulling a cigar to his mouth. 

"Yes, sir." they nodded, clasping their hands behind their back. They opened their mouth to speak but no words came out.

Silco's eyes shot up at them, raising one eyebrow. "Well?"

"Uhm, yes." Ren cleared their throat. "The music box's front still needs to be changed, alongside some of the mixer parts. Me and Jinx were able to get it into a working shape but I would suggest replacing them as soon as possible. The lights are fine, maybe some protective case over them would help preventing further damage but that is all."

"And how much would that cost in your professional opinion?" Silco leaned back in his chair, giving Ren his undivided attention. 

"A couple hundred I suppose." they looked down at their shoes, thinking. "Depends on the quality."

"Mhm." he nodded. Silco continued to watch them intently, appearing to look for something. Ren wasn't quite sure what it was he looked for, or if he found it, but he spoke again. "Dismissed."

Ren nodded and rushed out of his office without looking back. They practically ran downstairs, where they quickly said their goodbyes to Jinx and got out of the Drop within seconds. Once outside, they didn't stop until they got home. The mechanic locked the door and pushed a chair under the doorknob and sat down on their couch. Apparently this was their life now, terrified whether or not Silco or their old "friend" was going to burst through those doors. 

[ink-and-dagger]

Hi Astrid and Silco! Got a question for both of you: what is something that your partner does (without being aware of it) that you notice every time and that makes you swoon all over again for them, that warms your heart with so much love and tenderness and that makes your legs go weak?

(I know this ask sounds too mushy but i was feeling a bit down and in need for some fluff, thank you for your time anyway <3)

That's a toughie because pretty much everything Silco does makes me swoooon ✨ Makes my heart go pitter-patter 💕 Turns my knees to jelly 😍 And for the record he just rolled his eyes and the tops of his ears are going pink—

Answer their question.

I would say the way Silco uses his hands. And no I don't mean like that, get your head out of the gutter—

Darling.

What I mean is like... all his unconscious little gestures. Like the way he smooths back his hair, and his habit of touching his scar and lips. It's all very elegant and artful. You know, if you ever need extra cash you could totally be a hand model.

I'll bear that in mind.

But on top of that, he expresses a lot of his affection through his hands. Ya know, like touching my waist or hip if he's passing by or absently stroking my skin if he has his arm around me in bed or whatever. He does it with Jinx too – a comforting touch on her shoulder or cheek. I swear I even saw him give Sevika a well-earned pat on the back one time.

You're making that last one up.

Sure thing sweetie 😘 But yeah. I'd say Silco's hands in all their expressive glory. Oh and also that he makes me coffee every morning when I stay over, or sets out a mug for me if he has to leave before I'm up. That’s super cute and thoughtful. Okay your turn – what is it about me that makes you feel warm and fuzzy?

I would say that it's your uncanny ability to anticipate my needs. Sometimes before even I’m aware of them. I greatly appreciate when you fix me a drink unprompted, or prep a cigar on my behalf before I've even thought to reach for one myself.

Nawh, well that's just my magic intuition at your service.

I believe it's more than that. It's a demonstration that you're always ‘in tune’ with me, for lack of a better term. And I might point out that it is one thing to possess intuition, and another to act upon it. You are a very generous person, and that is a quality I greatly admire. Even beyond simple acts of service — the life I lead can often times be rather stressful. Yet you always seem to know what to say or do to ease those burdens. I have never had someone care for me in the way you do. Each day you amaze me, Love.

And if I may point out that Astrid is now the one now blushing—

Shh 💜

[space-blue]

Question because I’m lowkey curious, do you believe that Vander’s issues and mistakes are largely overlooked by fans because he’s the “good guy?” And while Silco does have a lot of fans, he also has a good amount of haters in the fandom and do you think that’s “unfair” (for lack of a better term)?

Hello Anon! What a good question, thank you for trusting me with it... although I don't think I can speak for the fandom as a whole, I can certainly tell you what rattles in my skull.

I think mostly the fandom at large is not interested in deep dive analysis, or even capable of it — which is not an insult, plenty of people enjoy shows and fandom content without ever engaging with film critical theory of any sort, or even make their own opinionated meta. Many fans are happy to just be fed theories by meta creators, or have a general perception and don't seek out contrary content.

And then, if you don't spend a lot of time decorticating Vander, Silco, Zaun, reading into the implication of single lines of dialogue later on, discussing the show with other people who might point out stuff you missed, etc. it's hard not to just be satisfied with "Vander is a genuine Good Guytm" because the show certainly is happy to let you get away thinking that.

Media at large condones a LOT of violence. Vander's use of lethal force, threat, and coasting on a killer's reputation is absolutely nothing in the eyes of some "good guy hero shit" we see being pulled by some people.

James Bond? John Wick? Fuck, look at Finn in Star Wars, who gleefully kills a ton of troopers without ever stopping to think—even after it was established they're all poor brainwashed orphans, his colleagues until very recently.

Finn has a higher on-camera body count than Vander does!

And Vander is mostly seen through his children's eyes, for whom he's become a true father figure.

On top of that, he's got those big fat centrist inertia energies about him. He's mister Status Quo. Gotta do nothing in either direction, wait until I got no choice, chose the lesser of two evils, etc.

That makes him feel very measured in a world that revolves around incredible political extremes. On a passive first watch, this may seem like the nice guy thing to do.

All this adds up.

On the other hand Silco LOOKS like a villain, talks like a villain, slow claps like an asshole, condones the killing of kids because they chose to get involved without any visible remorse...

Vander seems brighter next to Silco's shadows.

What baffles me is how people don't start doubting the narrative they're being presented when Silco has his PTSD attack when Vander clamps around his throat. It becomes pretty clear that Vander was once a monster, and his betrayal of Silco is what created, well, the "monster Silco" we meet in act I. [Alexa, play The Monster You Created]

They're both shades of grey, and one might have lightened while the other darkened. It's not even subtext. It's flat out said and shown. That's the point where I think tepid takes like "Silco had it coming" and "Vander was doing everyone a service by drowning him" are dropping the ball and being lazy with their "analysis".

I don't think it's unfair that Silco has haters. I love him for his ideals and goals, because he's a champion of the poor and destitute. He's taking the burden of committing extreme violence against an abusive government that will not yield any other way, and would kill him for it. He sacrifices his entire life to this work. But I also love him for being an asshole, and the sort of man who'll make a mountain of corpses to climb up to his goal. He's flawed and very human, defined by his trauma. He's as yummy as a poptart.

But if you're not into revolutionaries, if you think the ends never excuse the means, if you think him loving Jinx is still detrimental to her and her growing up in a shitty Zaun orphanage would still be better for her, or that #PiltoverDidNothingWrong, then yeah, Silco would have very few redeeming qualities lol

Between his extremism and his appearance, it's very easy to make his final encounter with Vander be very black and white. The show literally pulls the rug from under your feet on the Vander-Silco dichotomy minutes before the stabbing and choking! And you've projected along with the kids and seen Vander as a Good Dad for 3 episodes! Silco killing him while he's defending his one surviving child won't exactly help.

Overall I don't think fandom overlooks Vander's faults because he's painted as a good guy, but rather because fandom doesn't scratch at that paint too much. It's easier to dismiss the shades of grey, and you don't have to think about Vander much in act II or III.

Arcane as a show is also a rather depressing, despite how pretty it looks, so I can see how appealing it would be to cling to any "nice" character. They're few and far between.

I mean, there's literally not a SINGLE named and voiced character who can't be made out to be some shade of asshole, outside of like, Sky (and maybe Thieram)!

But yeah, I'm generally not bothered. I think we'll see a ton more takes on Vander when he shows up as a cursed furry serial killer and potentially breaks Vi's heart and whatever is left of Jinx's sanity. I'm looking forward to *that*.

There are lots of valid good takes for Vander, portraying him in varying shades of grey. I think another reason we don't see a lot of stuff outside Good Guy tm is that he's so "minor" compared to the other main characters, and not exactly involved in any popular ship. (No shade of my fellow Vanco lovers, we're still well into rarepair territory)

So yeah. Waiting on the furry army in season 2 to get started on the real hot Vander discourse ( •̀ ω •́ )✧

[wood-white-writer]

"In the Land of the Blind" [Chapter V]

"In the Land of the Blind, the One-Eyed Man is King"

Pairing: Silco x Doctor Toxicologist!Reader

Summary: You strike a bargain with the Eye of Zaun

Read the AO3 version here | > Chapter VI

True to Sevika’s warning, Silco shows up a couple of days later, and as expected, he's not alone. You can briefly spot two of his hench people perched outside your front door as he walks inside, with Sevika being the one to actually accompany him inside.

She briefly meets your eyes past the edge of his shoulder, a reminder of your deal no doubt. You’ve already prepared some painkillers you believe will suit her woes, but you’ll have to go through some of her medical histories just in case.

Silco steps in front of the counter, looking neutral yet hospitable for now. A good sign, perhaps?

“I take it she’s responding well to the medication?” you cut to the chase.

He stiffly nods while procuring another bag of coins from his coat. “The night terrors have eased up, and she’s getting more rest. You know what you're doing; a quality few possess.”

“Good,” you say with a ghost of a smile, and what surprises you the most is that you mean it. It truly is good that the child is getting better, even if she’s not inherently of your concern. However, just as soon as it arrived, your lips falter back into their general disposition, masking any sense of contentment that might have been detectable. “Then I take it I’m not yet due for my execution?”

It seems that the humor is not lost on him, however small. Though the tug at the edge of his lips suggests he can appreciate it, it remains camouflaged among his other features to the point where no one would’ve guessed his face changed at all.

“It would seem that your usefulness has yet to expire, Miss Toxicologist,” the title rolls off his tongue like velvet, but the subtle undertones surrounding the word ‘yet’ leaves it up to interpretation whether he means for it to serve as a warning or a factual statement. He positions his hand on top of the wooden counter, inches away from yours, and leans in to look you straight in the eyes. Both the green one and the orange aimed at the same scenery. “If I should require your services for later, I’ll know where to find you. That is, if you do not have any reservations about keeping me as a customer?”

You’re almost tempted to snort in his face, the ludicrousness of his statement almost too much for you to keep a straight face through. Anyone with a brain between their ears would have reservations about keeping the de-facto ruler of the Undercity as a part of their everyday life.

You pride yourself on your ability to blend into the background, never stirring up any attention or notice unless it’s required to earn your keep.

Now, the Eye of Zaun himself is putting your willingness to abide by that into question. If he’s going to come over here frequently, it’ll no doubt catch the attention of whoever happens to be in the vicinity. He’s not exactly renowned for exhibiting an auspicious demeanor, and if it happens to pique the interest of any of his adversaries, it can quickly put your life, and clinic, in danger. He has enemies, and what are enemies willing to do but ensure that every speck of advantage on his part squanders beneath their feet?

You lack any interest in meeting the rest of the Chembarons. You’ve already had your fair share of encounters with at least two of them, the latter of whom provided you with a peculiar distaste for the flowers in your possession. Needless to say, you’re not in any rush to meet any new ones, but you don’t know how to convey that in a manner that suits this particular Chembaron’s refined tastes.

You spend a good portion of a minute pondering on a suitable answer before withdrawing your hand and putting it into the comfort of your coat, your eyes never leaving his asymmetrical ones as he awaits your response. “You are a businessman, just as I am. Surely you understand the potential peril my clinic could fall to if word got out that the Eye of Zaun himself was a regular?”

He reclines back a little, his hand remaining firmly placed atop the counter. Judging by the way his expression contorts itself between thoughtfulness and stoic deliberation with sharp precision not unlike the edge of the knife, he finally returns to your gaze, and his lip tugs a little upward.

“Yes,” he says. “I suppose I can understand your disadvantage in that regard. However, rest assured, no harm will come to you or your establishment as long as I remain a patron. You have my word.”

“I don’t need words,” you reply a little firmer than you intended, and cross your arms above your chest, hoping that it will strengthen your message somehow. “All I ask is that my name will never be linked with yours. We do our business, quickly and effectively, and our respective occupations will have no lingering effect on each other. You will demand nothing more of me than I’m willing to provide in terms of service, and I won't go out of my way to intere with whatever you commit to.”

“And pray tell, what other services could you possibly be referring to?”

If there’s a different context to his implication, it evades your notice by a few inches. In the Undercity, there are a plethora of ways to serve someone, and you’re interested in none of them save for the kind you’re currently making a living of with.

In your younger days, you might have applied yourself for work in one of the local brothels, as some women around here do when things get rough. You remembered watching childhood friends aspire to work for Babette as soon as they came of age, just so they could swindle money from rich pilties that come by for a bit of pleasure.

You don’t pass on judgment, and even applaud them for their willingness to put their own needs on hold to serve those of others, but you’ve never considered yourself adept in the art of communication, whether emotionally or physically. You indulged in a few short-lived affairs in your youth, but none of them lasted in a way that mattered. You like to call yourself a spinster, though you’ve never been married and you’re not even old enough to be considered one.

If that’s what Silco is referring to in terms of service, you’re tempted to muster a laugh his way. Taking your well-being into consideration, however, you merely tilt your head an inch to the side. “You tell me,”

The quirk of his eyebrow implies he finds your terms endearing in a condescending setting, but he makes no verbal jib about it. He reaches a gloved hand out for you to take. “It seems we have reached a mutual understanding, then.”

You’re not a bold person by nature, but even something as simple as a handshake suddenly weighs heavy on you now. It takes you a few seconds before you grasp at the glove, considering that it feels like making a bargain with the Devil himself, so to speak.

Surprisingly, through the glove, his grip feels warm enough to scorch you. There’s something about the look he gives you as you solidify your agreement. You can’t precisely explain it, but it isn’t disdain or disapproval, at any rate. It’s almost like … he’s pleased in some way. Inexplicably so, beyond the wins he receives in this situation. It feels predatory by nature. Entertained. You’re not quite sure what to make of it.

“Now,” he declares as he withdraws his hand, already making his way to the door. “I understand that you have an appointment with Sevika. Do make it quick, if you wouldn’t mind. We have different matters to attend to.”

“I’ll do what I can.”

He nods before Sevika takes his place in front of the counter, and you hear the bell by your front door ding to announce his departure. Your attention lingers on the fading view before it settles on your current customer, who looks nothing short of aggravated where she’s standing.

“You got the stuff?” she asks gruffly as she reaches to itch at the sore spot where metal meets flesh.

“I have a few options available. We’ll go through them and find something that suits you,”

“Good.” She drops a bag of money onto the counter, heavy enough to ensure that it’ll probably last you for a few weeks at most, but inconsequential by comparison to the sum Silco just granted you. “By the way, I can already tell you’re not due to be killed for a long time now.”

“How so?”

“That look he just had on him,-” she inclines her head to where her boss just exited from. “- It’s the same kind he wears when he’s won something, or if he’s got his eyes on a brand-new bottle of whiskey.”

“Clarify.” You press on as you reach for the samples of painkillers you keep locked in the drawer behind you.

She chuckles. “You really are dense, ain’t you, doc? Just know this, your life assurance has just been signed. You’re not going to die, even if you fucking try it yourself.”

---

When Silco returns to his office, he finds his blue-haired ward perched at the crawlspace space above his desk; a place of solace for her, he’s discovered. Especially when he’s not present, or otherwise preoccupied with work. He finds that he doesn’t mind it.

She’s looking healthier by the day, with adequate sleep and rest serving as contributing factors behind this recent development. Simply noting that is enough to put his internal turmoil to rest.

As soon as he sits down in his chair, she jumps down and seats herself atop his desk, legs crossed as she leans forward to inspect him. “Did you see her again?”

“I did,” he affirms and reaches for his cigars in the drawer. 

“Did she threaten to poison you?” she asks eagerly and adjusts her position to let him reach for the cigarette next to the ashtray. 

“She made no threats of poisonous nature, as far as I was aware.”

“Huh, that’s odd.” She puts a finger under her chin in a curious fashion, her braid swaying with the speed of her movement. “She threatened Vander at least twice whenever we went to her. Then again, she never did seem to like him much.”

He lights his cigar and takes a deep inhale of it before settling back in his seat, smoke expelling from his nostrils as he considers her words. “And are you aware of the reason behind this apparent dislike she harbored for him? Did he do anything in particular to antagonize her?”

She shrugs. “Dunno. She’s always been like that, and whenever we came to visit her, she always had this annoyed look on her face. Vander never badmouthed her, though, even when she was being really, really mean to him. He just looked … kinda sad.”

He couldn’t help but grow more curious about the matter. “Were they previously in a relationship, perhaps?”

She shakes her head defiantly at this suggestion. “As if. I mean, I don’t think so… He never said anything about it. All I can say is that whatever he did, it must have been really bad. Like, stealing-Sevika’s-bottles-and-using-them-as-target-practice-kind of bad.”

He grins a little. “And am I to assume you’ve been doing a lot of that as of late?”

She freezes up like a deer in headlights, having just been caught confessing to a very heinous crime that puts the kind he commits on a regular to shame. “Nooooo…?”

He chuckles. “You need to work on your lying, child.”

“Lying? Pfft, I’m not lying. I definitely haven’t gone through Sevika’s stash in the third closet by the backrooms. Noooo, not me.” She’s quick to jump from the desk and make a dash for the door. “I just remembered I had some prototypes to work on. See ya later, Silco!”

She exits the office with a loud slam by the door which causes the items stacked on his desk to rattle, yet Silco pays it no mind as he relinquishes his cigar in the ashtray and opens another drawer to pull out a bottle of scotch. While pouring a tumbler, he finds himself pondering on the previous subject for a little. 

As far as he knows, you were acquainted with Vander, but as you phrased it, ‘you weren’t friends’. Vander, even back in their youth, had been an amicable fellow, and popular with the crowd. He never went out of his way to antagonize anyone save for the occasional Piltovan, and if his memory served, he had been good friends with your clinic’s previous owner. It had been a reliable place to get stitched up back in the day, but with the recent upgrades to Zaun and rapid shimmer expanses, reliability has begrudgingly declined.

He will have to remedy that with time.

The matter at hand is unless you had been romantically entangled, which Jinx vehemently opposed, then he could think of little reason as to why you would resent Vander as you did. Silco could detect it in your words and on your face when Vander was previously mentioned in conversation. The subtle scorn, the bitterness, the liquid dislike that seeped through your words and your eyes like blood from an open wound. 

No amount of skill or practice can ever hope to vanquish that kind of antipathy, though he can already tell you're trying. Gods knows he’s attempted the same, and although he considers himself adept at masking his emotions, even he struggles to contain his own unbridled rage when it comes to his brother.

He takes a considerate sip from his drink and wonders whether he’ll ever attain the answer to his inquiry, or if he’ll have to let it pass. Regardless, only time will tell if you can be considered an asset to his cause, or just another pawn. 

If one thing’s certain, it’s that he won’t commit the same wrongdoings to you as Vander has. Not if he has any say in it.

[independentzaun]

✉️

send ✉️ for a letter your muse finds that mine wrote, knowing that death was coming for them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Silco hadn’t expected anyone to slip into his office while those letters were still on top of his desk, and he certainly had not thought someone would start to read one of them. In hindsight he probably should have, but at that moment he wasn’t really at his best. The letter to Neopolitan was written, but not yet sealed and was next to a couple of other letters. Each letter addressed to someone else with there being five in total. One for Jinx, Sevika, Singed, Neopolitan, and one to Vander. Jinx’s and Sevika’s were already closed with a wax seal, but the others hadn’t been completed yet. Neo’s had been next, and Silco had been called away before managing to seal it.

The letter was hand written of course, and the writing was crisp and clear making the entire thing easy to read. All of it was in basic print instead of some kind of fancy cursive as Silco wanted to ensure no one had any issues reading any of it. His signature at the bottom however was a surprisingly stylish flourish of calligraphy.

Neopolitan, I regret to say I haven’t known you long enough to have much to put into this letter however with your recent services I believe you’ve earned one. If nothing else you should know why there will no longer be a role for you within my organization by the time you receive this letter.

When you read this I will have died, and so what I have built will no longer be “my” organization. I have however put in a good word for you with Sevika, and see no reason for you not to continue to have a place here should you wish it.

If someone paid attention there would be a slight change to the ink color in the middle of the color, and the letters got just a tiny bit thicker as though someone had gotten a different set of writing utensils.

My last passage may have been a bit dramatic, but it was the truth. Singed knows why I am dying. Sevika will learn my time is limited soon but just the needed details, and my daughter will simply be told I was sick. Forgive me a bit of whimsy however Neo, and allow me to share with you the truth of the matter albeit in a shortened manner. A man I was once very close to tried to down me in the toxic polluted rivers of Zaun years ago which is how I got the scarring on my face, and my eye. What few people know is that the toxins never left my body entirely, and I’ve been taking Shimmer treatments in order to deal with it.

The shimmer treatments despite Singed’s best efforts no longer work. He anticipates that in two to three months if I am lucky, or a month if I am less lucky my end will come. When that happens Zaun will change. Jinx will not react well, and Sevika will do her best to hold things together. This letter should reach you shortly after I pass. I will not deny that I hope you will stay with them, and do what you can to aid them. However as I will not be there all I will ask is this. Please do not betray them. I do not believe there to be a particular risk of that, but when chaos erupts it can be impossible to tell what will occur afterwards so that is my one request. If you would leave, or wait to see the dust settle so be it. However they do not deserve a blade in the back. Sevika is a good woman who puts up with more than she should have to, and my daughter Jinx, that perfect girl, deserves better then what she has been given in this life.

No threats, no promises of revenge from beyond the grave. Just a dead man’s request.

With all that said. Thank you for sharing some of this last remaining time with me. I remember fondly the jobs we accomplished together, and if we had met at a more opportune time I have a feeling we would have done so much more.

This will be my second time dying, and I have no doubt this one will stick. I do not regret my life, or my actions. I regret only that I did not succeed, and I could not leave having seen the freedom and respect Zaun deserves granted to it.

Live well Neopolitan, and when you pass do so with as few regrets as possible.

Silco.

P.S This continuation shall be put into everyone’s letters. I do not care over much what happens with my body, but if you must ask my preference would be one of the following. Cremation and to be put next to my siblings urn in the columbarium I own. You can find the address and details among my paperwork. Otherwise take my body to Piltover and burn it on a funeral pyre made up of as much of their city as you can bring down.