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My hero academia

Todoroki Shoto

Happy birthday

Cold (dragon shifter Shoto)

My love (multi-chapter, vampire AU)

Beast (multi-chapter, Beauty & the Beast AU)

Bakugo Katsuki

Fairy Prince

Stargazing with prince Bakugo

Obey me

Lucifer

Caught

Beelzebub

Valentine

Mystic messenger

Saeran/Ray

Flowers bloom and fall

Arcane

Silco

Forbearance (Multi-chapter)

Stardew valley

Sebastian

“Where…?”

“Sevika will explain everything to you tomorrow,” Silco answered simply with a nod of his head before slipping out the door.

Stunned, you blinked for a moment, staring at the spot by the table where he’d been. You turned your head to look down at your shoes.

What were you thinking?

Your mind had been muddled for so long with the dreary and ever-circling life you led that you had seemed to jump at the notion of change with little regard to what might happen to you.

This was Silco you had just agreed to. And not just that. You had agreed to watch over his daughter. You realized that; if anything were to happen to Jinx while she was in your care, your life might be on the line.

But… then again… maybe your reasonings for accepting his offer were more than just for a change. Maybe you wanted the chance to be able to do something. Silco’s ideals were warped, you knew this. But they coincided with yours. You wanted a better Zaun. And maybe that was why you had accepted.

You wanted to feel like you had a say in something, anything. And maybe working in a place that was closer to Silco, closer than working for Renni, would grant you the opportunity to have a voice… instead of sitting and watching on the sidelines.

However…

For someone who preached loyalty and trust, Silco had no reason at all to trust you. None you knew of, at least. Surely that one incident with Jinx wasn’t enough to make him believe that you would be the perfect candidate for a caretaker. Or was it your nearly three-year history with taking care of Renni’s son?

Silco was good at that.

Good at leaving you confused and wary.

•

•

A rap at your apartment door (you’d been getting those a lot recently) drew your attention away from the mechanical bird you had been inspecting for the past half-hour.

Its craftsmanship was incredible. But you sigh and set it on the countertop in front of you to check the peephole of the door.

You feel your stomach drop in something akin to fear and nerves as you catch a glimpse of Sevika outside. Silco had mentioned she’d explain everything, but you didn’t know that meant coming to your home.

Even more so, he must have remembered where you lived and told her exactly where to go.

The thought chilled you and you briefly pondered moving.

“I don’t have all day.” Came the muffled murmur of Sevika’s voice through the door. Mouth dry, you opened it promptly.

“Hm. Fast learner.” She cocked her head to the side, unimpressed with you despite how quick you were to obey her command.

“Come on, follow me.” Sevika jerked her head as a signal to follow behind her. You weren’t one to argue and hurried to slip on your shoes. You slid the slightly rusted key to your apartment into your pocket, hurrying after her brisk strides.

“So you’re the new babysitter, huh?” Sevika side-eyed you, her expression bordering annoyance and amusement.

“New?” Your head tilted.

Had there been more before you?

“I’m not getting into that can of worms. Just do your job so Silco can do his.” She quipped.

“What exactly is my job…?” Your voice was hesitant as you asked, hands wringing the hem of your shirt.

There were things you knew Sevika didn’t appreciate; slowness, weakness, and failure. You’d noted this quite a while ago, and did your best not to slip into any of those categories.

But now… those were especially important to pay attention to.

“You’re in charge of maintaining Jinx’s education, and nothing more, unless Silco says otherwise.” Sevika’s voice was hushed as she walked through the lanes with a purpose, the Shaul she wore flapping behind her.

That looming building was coming into view, bathed in green light to suit its heinous glory. At all costs, you tried to avoid it. Once a place of safety, now a hub of drugs and alcohol, The Last Drop saw it all.

“Well?” Sevika had paused to look back at you. You drew your eyes away from the large green eye standing proud above you. This close, and above the faint thud of music, you could hear the electric buzz of the bulbs that kept it lit.

“Yes.” You nodded, following her.

Upon stepping through the door, your senses were immediately assaulted; nose burning from the air inside more than it had outside, ears ringing from the booming music, and eyes squinting through the neon lighting. Your hands shielded your eyes from the light while they adjusted.

A couple of grunts at a table near the back called Sevika, a shrill whistle following the words in which you’d missed due to the loud bass in your ears and the rattling of your rib cage because of it.

“They’re not for me!” Sevika spat over the loud noise.

Eyes watched with interest as you were led up the wooden stairs. You could feel their gazes boring into your back until you were out of view. A sigh left you as you followed Sevika’s tall form, the music finally relenting. The hallway was dim, and at the end was a door of deep maroon wood. Spiraling shapes of gold lined the edges and you watched as Sevika gave a knock.

There was a brief ‘come in’ through the door, muffled and low; you’d hardly heard it.

The door was opened, creaking on its hinges and bathing you in the green light that poured in from the large, circular window behind Silco’s desk.

“I explained to them what they’re supposed to do.” Sevika nodded her head at you.

“Ah, good.” Came Silco’s reply as he leaned back against the tall chair he sat at. With arms rested lazily on the armrests, he observed you pointedly.

“Well?” He picked up a paper from the desk and studied it.

“Ready to start your first shift?“

You stood beside Sevika with a loss for words.

This was too fast. You shouldn't have jumped into it as fast as you had.

“I… I’m not sure.” Your voice wavered, becoming a little overwhelmed with the prospect of your new job starting now.

“Mm? Going back on your word?” Silco’s brows furrowed, one a little more than the other. He set down the paper and leaned forward.

“How about you spend some time with Jinx, then. When you’re finished, tell me if your feelings have changed.” His voice was sharp.

Your feelings of apprehension dissipated a little at his suggestion and you nodded.

“Good.” He praised lightly, eyes flicking to Sevika.

“Keep an eye out.”

She nodded and let out a muttered order for you to follow her again.

“Go on, knock.” She crossed her arms once the two of you were standing in front of Jinx’s bedroom door. You looked between Sevika and the door for just a second, before reaching a hand out to knock.

There was the muted sound of footsteps running up to the door, light a quick. You watched as the handle turned and the door cracked open just enough for one side of Jinx’s face to be seen.

Upon recognizing you, she flung the door open the rest of the way and jostled you with a hug to your waist.

“It’s you!” She excitedly exclaimed as she let you go. Blue eyes stared up at you, blinking quickly as her smile persisted.

“Did you get my gift?” Jinx watched your expression.

Your lips turned up into a smile as you let out a chuckle, reminded of the beautiful mechanical bird.

“Yes, I did. I thought I told you to keep it?” Your voice lilted with laughter. Jinx smiled wider at this.

“I didn’t wanna!” She laughed.

“Jinx,” Sevika interjected.

“What..?” Jinx shied away, her face dawning a small frown as if she expected to be scolded. You watched with a bit of empathy as her eyes took on a bit of a puppyish look.

“Your friend here’s gonna be your new tutor.” Sevika gave you a side glance. Jinx gaped at the news.

“Really?!” She looked back to you immediately with more enthusiasm than before.

“So, does that mean I don’t have any more lessons with-“

“No. All your lessons will be taught by them, now.” Sevika interrupted. You glanced over the top of Jinx’s head at her room. The walls were littered with messy drawings all done in bright neon crayons and the floor was scattered with toys and mechanical parts alike, all sharing those same neon decorations.

“You draw?” You asked her.

“Uh-huh!” Jinx nodded brightly.

“Why don’t you draw me something? I’d like to watch if you don’t mind.” You tilted your head curiously. Almost erupting in excitement at the prospect of someone wanting to see her work, Jinx led you into her room.

Sevika followed but stayed by the doorway. You came to sit down on the floor while Jinx colored on a piece of paper. You watched for a while as the crayon she held scribbled across the page with speed.

“Jinx had a tutor before me?” You looked back at Sevika from over your shoulder. Sevika nodded.

“What happened?” The air grew a bit darker.

“They’re gone now,” Sevika answered. Your brow furrowed;

“Gone?”

“Gone.”

Jinx spoke up while she drew;

“She didn’t like me. She said I’m stupid.” The girl’s voice trailed off.

You felt your stomach churn. That wouldn’t fly with Silco.

So that’s what gone had meant.

“Where is she now?” You asked, checking, just to make sure that your assumption was correct.

“Check the graveyard.” Sevika scoffed.

You were right.

“Finished!” Exclaimed Jinx as she held up the drawing for you to get a good look at. A little too close to your face for your liking, but you smiled and slipped it out of her hand gently.

“Ohh this is lovely, Jinx. A cat?” You studied the messy claws on the cat’s paws.

“Mhm! You like it?” She scooted closer to you to look at the picture again.

“I love it. Can I keep it?” You whispered to her with a hint of joy in your eye.

“Uh-huh!” Jinx nodded her head a bit comically, blue hair bobbing with the movement.

•

•

Jinx had continued to draw for you until you held four papers in your hands by the time you had returned to Silco’s office.

“I’ll take the job.” You nodded with sureness, slipping the drawings behind your back a bit bashfully. One of Silco’s brows quirked at the movement and he gestured to you with a flick of his hand to come closer.

You did, and he tilted his head a little in an attempt to see what you held behind your back.

“Show me them.” Silco held his hand out.

Hesitantly, you set them in his hand and watched as he leaned back in his chair to flip through them.

You stared, almost in awe, as his lips began to turn up into a small, but uncontrollable smile. He handed the pages back to you almost instantly upon catching his expression and pursed his lips in an attempt to hide it.

“I’m pleased you accepted. I had Renni unemploy you.” Silco leaned forward to continue reading whatever paper was in front of him.

“What?” Your eyes widened.

“What would I have done if I’d changed my mind?”

So if you had declined, you would have been jobless? Was Silco planning to force you into the job had you denied?

“You would have accepted eventually.”

“How can you be so sure?” You asked cautiously.

“The incident that gave you your job as Renni’s assistant.”

You took a step back.

“How do you know about that?”

--

TAGLIST (Leave a message if you wish to be removed):

“I-um,” you stammered, backing a step away from the young girl. Your eyes were wide, looking him up and down within a millisecond.

He was always wearing that red, Piltovan three-piece suit, tailor-made, it seemed, to fit him perfectly. Just tight enough around the chest and waist that you got an idea of where the cloth ended and his lean figure began.

“I’m so sorry.” You said quickly, eyes glancing back down at the girl who was wearing a huge smile like you were some deity for fixing her toy.

“Is this…?”

“Jinx.” He answered with the little girl’s name, eyes narrowing as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“Jinx? Is she your-“

“Daughter, yes.”

He had a daughter?

Silco’s hand slipped from Jinx’s shoulder to her upper back, guiding her through the crowd of the market.

“I’ll see you at the next meeting, then,” Silco spoke your name, an acknowledgment that yes, indeed, he did recognize who you were.

“Ye- yes! Um, when is it by the way?” You called after him. The conversation almost felt casual other than Silco’s guarded attitude.

This made his steps pause, his gait shifting as he turned around to look at you. Jinx was peering out from behind his waist, a hand gripping at his overcoat.

“It’s tomorrow. Does your boss not tell you these things?” His question had a bit of an annoyed bite to it.

“Oh, Renni doesn’t really… no.” You shook your head.

Silco’s brow furrowed. He stood there for a moment as if pondering something, eyes lingering on your form. Jinx turned her head to look up at him and ask something quietly. hearing her, Silco tore his gaze away from you and led her away through the crowd, disappearing without a word.

•

•

Your fingers were cold with the chill of your fridge as you stocked it with the food you’d purchased at the market.

A little knock at your door made you stand up straight, eyebrows raised as you walked over to the door to peek out of the peephole carved into the wood.

Jinx?

You could see the top of her head, hairpins holding her blue hair out of her eyes.

You opened the door slowly. Had something happened to Silco? Why wasn’t she with him?

“What’s the matter?” your tone was worried.

How did she know where you lived?

“Silco- um, dad said that I should thank you the next time I see you.” She spoke a little loudly as if she thought you might not be able to hear her.

“So I followed you! And I… wanted to give you this.” She held out the mechanical bird in her small hands.

“Thank you for fixing him… you’re um! Very nice and uh- pretty.”

She followed you home?

“Oh…!” Your eyes widened in surprise both at her offering of a gift and her compliment.

“I was the one who broke him in the first place… please, Jinx. Keep him. He’s yours.” You gently pushed the bird back against her chest.

“Oh…” Jinx looked down at her bird sadly. You noticed the drop in her attitude and changed the subject immediately.

“Where’d you get him?” You asked in that voice you used to speak to children. Kind, and patient.

“I made him.” She answered plainly, eyes averted to the ground as she rocked on her heels.

“You did?” You gasped softly and smiled as you crouched down to her height.

“You must be a pretty smart girl to make something as complex as this.” You tapped the bird at her chest. Jinx’s eyes lit up, glittering at you in disbelief that you really thought she was intelligent.

“Jinx!”

You stood up, looking over her head to find the source of the sharp, scolding voice that called after her in the distance of the smog-shrouded street.

It was Silco, hair disheveled from its combed-back position. A few black strands strayed across his forehead as his pace slowed. You could see it in his expression, eyebrows creased into an expression of distress and fear.

You’d never seen that look on Silco’s face in all the times you’d seen him.

You’d never seen Silco, The Eye of Zaun, scared.

“What do you think you’re doing?” He whispered sharply as he tugged Jinx around to face him.

“I- I-!” She stuttered.

“Did I not say to stay by my side?” He crouched down, expression easing a little as he held her forearms in his hands.

“I-i’m sorry! I…I wanted to say thank you like you said…!”

“I meant later.” He sighed, eyes growing visibly tired from rushing to find her. Silco took a breath and stood, thin fingers combing through his hair.

“Oh…” Jinx bowed her head a little, embarrassed.

You shifted your weight in the doorway, watching a little awkwardly as Silco talked with her.

You uttered;

“It’s alright. Don't scold her.” You watched as the lower lid of his good eye twitched.

With a pat to Jinx’s shoulder, Silco spoke;

“Why don’t you wait inside, Jinx. I need to have a word.” His eyes landed on you, and you immediately felt the burn of his stare.

Your stomach dropped.

He wanted to talk with you?

Hesitantly, you let Jinx inside your apartment and shut the door behind you. Stepping onto the smog-blackened mat outside your door, you made sure to avoid eye contact. You were avoiding that eye. It scared you, made you a little uncomfortable, maybe. Instead, you stared at Silco’s boots and watched as he took a step closer to you.

This made you raise your head to look at him.

The softness that his eyes had held when he looked at Jinx was gone. Instead, replaced with mild hostility. Silco folded his hands neatly behind his back and cocked his head to the side ever so slightly, a strand of hair coming loose again. With an eyebrow quirked up his lips parted;

“Who said I was scolding her?” his tone was sharp, thin lips forming a scowl. You blinked.

“Your- your tone was harsh… that's all.” your eyes averted to the ground again. You were in no mood to pick a fight with this man. Certainly not when you had seen the burly woman he was usually accompanied with. Sevika.

“I was worried. Would you not be if your daughter was suddenly missing?” Silco insinuated his words with another step closer to you. You stepped back in time with him, shrinking away as your eyes shot him a sight glare. His shoulders were raised a little with tension, and you noticed how his eyes flicked across your form when you shied away. This seemed to make him back off a bit, letting out a strained sigh as he did so.

“You’re right. It’s not my place to say anything.” you reached for the door handle behind you. You just wanted him gone. He was stressing you out and you felt this weird tension. Something with the way his eyes followed your movements, watching like a hawk. Or maybe how you could see the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed steadily, still recovering from chasing after Jinx. You swung open the door and Jinx jumped back a little from the other side. You were surprised.

Had she been trying to listen through the door?

“We’re going home now, Jinx,” Silco spoke from behind you. You moved aside to hold the door open for her. She walked out, flashing you a beaming, nearly mischievous smile. You smiled back at her, but it faltered when you caught the underlying mischief in her expression. Silco seemed to pay no mind to it, and his hand hovered around the back of her head for a moment… almost protectively… before he shot you a look from over his shoulder, one you couldn't decipher.

Heading back inside your apartment, you noticed something glimmering on the counter.

The mechanical bird.

Jinx had left it for you.

The meeting the next day wasn’t a very long one. You spent most of your time towards the back admiring the way the sunlight filtered through the glass roof of the immense room and the faint wff wff sound of the fan at the top of the large, glass dome. The air was fresher here, instead of the heavy atmosphere of the lanes.

You took a deep breath and closed your eyes. Drowning out the rambling of the chem-barons had become a skill you’d acquired over the years you’d worked as Renni’s assistant.

His voice was always impossible to drown out, though. It slithered into the cracks of your mind, nestling itself there until you could do nothing but give up your futile attempts at blocking him out.

You realized, a little late in fact, that he was speaking to you when you heard him call your name. It sent an odd shiver down your spine to hear him say it.

The barons, except for Renni, were all leaving their respective seats and heading for the large doors behind Silco, which left his eyes on you.

“Were you daydreaming that whole time?” Renni scoffed at you, her eyes squinting quizzically. Your figure tensed up immediately.

“N-no, ma’am.” the stutter that left your lips did nothing to hide your lie. The baroness caught your falsehood, her complexion twisting into a mix of annoyance and disbelief. She opened her mouth to speak, but was quickly interrupted;

“Go. I need to have a word with them.” Silco rose from his seat.

Renni paused and looked at him. She didn’t leave until she saw the slow rise of Silco’s eyebrow and the low, “now,” that left his lips in an impatient tone. Or maybe it wasn’t Silco at all that had caused her to leave. Maybe it was the muscular woman behind him and a little to the left who brandished a similar eyebrow-raise accompanied by an amused grin.

Needless to say, the baroness was gone within minutes and Sevika with her at Silco’s request.

That left him alone with you.

You remained in your spot behind Renni’s empty chair, growing stiffer and more nervous by the second. The room felt stifling suddenly and you knew he was staring. You could see it from the corner of your vision. That faint golden-orange glow of his marred eye.

“Come here.” his smooth voice drifted across the room to you. It wasn’t quite a demand, more of a request. When you didn’t, he let out a faint ‘hm’.

“Are you afraid of me?”

“Yes.” your answer was too quick.

Another ‘hm’ as he leaned the backs of his thighs against the table. You looked over at his form now, feeling his stare fall away. Silco was sitting halfway on the table, his slender legs holding up most of his weight. His arms were crossed one over the other on his chest, shoulders rolled forward slightly while he kept his gaze ahead.

You realized that… Like this, only the undamaged side of his face was visible.

Was he doing that on purpose?

“I..” Silco began with a slow draw of breath like he didn’t even want to say what he was about to say.

“I wanted to… apologize for how I spoke to you yesterday.” his eyes flicked over to you. This time, you held his gaze.

You were a little shocked.

Why was he apologizing?

“What do you want?” you asked.

This elicited a huff from Silco. One of amusement, though his expression did little to show it.

“How long have you been working for Renni?”

“Two and a half years.” It was hard to believe, for you. It had felt longer than that. You supposed the routine of it all had gone dull. It was just because… well… you were lonely. Most of your time was spent with filing cabinets and a boy whom you were nearly twice the age of. You hadn’t had a decent conversation with someone since your mother left you after she lost her fight with the illnesses that working in the mines had given her.

Silco clicked his tongue.

“That's more than enough time to figure out when I want something.”

“So what do you want?” you looked down at your hands. They were feeling a little clammy.

“Are you willing to give it to me?”

His question threw you off, especially with the breathy lilt in his voice. You swallowed thickly and whipped your head to look at him.

“What are you suggesting?”

Silco seemed surprised at your reaction, eyebrows raised slightly as if he didn’t understand the suggestive undertones of his question.

“I'm sure you’ve realized I need some assistance with Jinx. I’m far too busy to tend to all her needs at the moment,” Silco said plainly, leaving you feeling embarrassed for thinking that his previous question might have contained something else.

Was he fucking with you? And was that why he’d apologized to you? To butter you up in hopes you’d accept his offer to be what… another babysitter?

“I- I can’t take care of two kids at once-”

“Then stop taking care of Renni’s boy.” his expression dulled.

You felt a bit of dismay at the idea. Even though part of you dreaded picking him up from that awful place, you’d grown attached to the kid.

“I… I don't know...” you scratched the back of your neck, voice laced with apprehensiveness.

“How much does she pay you?”

“It’s not about money.”

“Then what’s keeping you?” Silco pushed his weight off the table to stand to his full height. When you didn’t answer he squinted his eye, studying you.

“Ahh. You care for the boy.”

“Of course I do. I’ve been taking care of him for nearly three years.” your brows creased. Silco thought for a moment, pressing his tongue against the inside of his cheek.

“The boy’s nearly fourteen. He can handle himself.”

“But-”

“Jinx needs guidance.” Silco turned his head to stare you down.

“I can’t be there for her all the time, and Sevika is less than useful in that department.” you watched as one of his hands raised to rub at the back of his neck.

“Jinx is… playful and,” he sighed.

“I don't want to see her get in any real trouble.”

Silco’s eyes were tired, you noticed. Tired but.. Full of something else.

Care?

You sighed and slipped your hands into the pockets of your pants. Maybe at least, accepting his offer would bring about a change in your daily routine, a challenge. Though you weren’t too sure how you felt about the possibility of seeing him around more.

Even if a little unsure; you gave him your answer;

“I’ll do it.”

--

TAGLIST:

Your eyes studied the warm light that the lamp was giving off. He sat cross-legged from it, pale skin illuminated in the warm glow.

“We… haven’t had a date in a while.” Sebastian began, shyly looking down at the basket that was keeping the food he’d made safe.

“I figured I could set one up and uh… we could have one.” He spoke in a softer tone, dark eyes peering up at you from under his lashes.

“It’s lovely.” You gasped softly and seated yourself across from him.

“You’re right. It’s been a while.” Your eyes met with his and shared a loving look.

Sebastian stared at you for a moment, enamored with how you looked in this lighting with the soft rustle of the orchard trees and the scent of the sweet fruit they carried. Or maybe it was you that smelled so sweet.

“I um,” He shook his head and opened up the basket.

You interrupted his sentence with yet another gasp.

“Did you make all these?” You stared at him in awe at the food he’d prepared. Fruit and cheese kebabs- fruit, you noted, that had come from the garden and he’d used the cheese you’d made as well. Your heart was a flutter.

“Y-yeah.” Sebastian chuckled bashfully as he handed you one. you took it from him gratefully.

The fruit was sweet on your tongue, almost better than candy, you noted.

“You always impress me.” You smiled lightly, eyes squinting.

“Ahah… you’re the one who grew the fruit and made the cheese. I just… put it all together” Sebastian blushed lightly as he spoke around the piece of fruit in his mouth.

Always so humble.

Within a moment you were right in front of him, nose brushing his. Surprised, Sebastian’s eyes went wide and he nearly choked.

Your eyes were so soft as you looked at him. So full of love and adoration he thought he could almost feel the warmth of your gaze.

He’d really thought this all out? You wondered how long he’d pondered setting this up. Such a huge declaration of unspoken love from him. You’d known Sebastian well enough to know when he was expressing his love. And this was such a well-planned date. Your heart was soaring at just the notion that he’d been setting all this up for you while you did your daily chores.

His eyes slid shut when your hands cupped his cheeks, holding him delicately as you muttered your thank you’s.

“You- you don’t need to thank me, I-“

“Can I kiss you?” Your soft breath brushed against his cheek as you waited for his answer.

Sebastian shuddered, then gulped. His face felt hot and flushed as he looked at you while worrying his bottom lip between his teeth.

“Absolutely.” Came his whispered answer, lips curling up into a smitten smile.

Sebastian’s lips were soft and tasted faintly of the fruit he’d indulged himself in. He sighed against your lips and allowed his hand to rest on your waist lightly.

“Mmm.” You hummed when you finally pulled away. His hand remained on your waist, squeezing lightly as he spoke;

“We should definitely do this more often.”

However, you supposed that maybe that redheaded baroness was doing you a service. You found, perhaps, all the work you originally thought you were qualified for… perhaps you weren’t so qualified for. Or maybe Renni was just too controlling to let you handle any of the finance paperwork or the ledgers or the shipment documents.

Every day you tried to make yourself feel useful as you walked her son home from the shimmer plant she had him working at. Every day you’d bring your handkerchief and wipe the dust and grime from his cheeks. Every day the two of you would walk in mutual silence. He hated working there. You knew he did. You hated him working there. And why Renni had him working there, you didn’t know.

Greed, maybe. Getting an income even from her son.

You hoped Renni wasn’t that sick of a person. But you knew she was completely capable of something so disgusting. It’s not like she even needed the money with the wealth, status, and power that came with being a baroness.

That had been your daily agenda since you began working as the chem-baroness’s assistant.

Filing papers, cleaning her office, taking care of her son, attending the meetings with her. Occasionally, she’d ask you to serve drinks there at those meetings. Oh, you hated that part.

You hated it.

Only because once you’d made your way ‘round the table with a chilled glass of alcohol in front of each baron, you’d arrive at the one man in the room that made your hair stand on end.

A man of many names; the eye of Zaun, the kingpin, the industrialist… Silco. He’d always sit at the end of the long table, thin form hunched forward with a hand often busy with a cigar. Somehow, he always bordered between too quiet, or not quiet enough. Oftentimes he’d sit in silence until someone said something he didn’t quite agree with; in which he would quickly interject and make a reminder- a threat- about past events. Sometimes his lectures would go on for a half-hour at most. Your legs would start going numb from standing for so long.

You didn’t much enjoy it when it was time to serve him his drink. He always gave you this look you couldn’t decipher. Perhaps it was that eye of his. It didn’t have an eyelid- you realized on your first day at the job. The blackened sclera accentuated the goldish-orange of that warped iris that always seemed to bore into you when you came near enough to set the drink down on the table in front of him.

He’d never drink it.

He, however, was the only one who displayed thanks for the drink despite never taking a sip from it. He never said it, no, but he’d give you a slight nod. And his eyes would follow your form until you took your place back in the corner where Renni had instructed you to always stand until told otherwise.

He scared you.

“Ma’am…” you whispered to the baroness when the current meeting had come to an end and everyone had begun filing out. Renni paid you no mind as she conversed with Finn, a black-haired man who always seemed to be wearing too much gold for your taste.

“Ma’am, your son’s shift should be over by now, should you-“

“Go.” She waved you away, the action making her feathered collar waft with the air of her moving hand.

“Yes.” You nodded and backed away towards the door.

Another day of playing nanny, you supposed.

It wasn’t half bad. Renni’s son wasn’t the talkative type so it made for a… a walk, some exercise.

You’d almost thought; a nice walk, but no walk in Zaun is a nice one.

Zaun.

You’d gotten used to saying that. Growing up, you’d always just called your home the ‘undercity’. However, due to your boss’s boss constantly referring to it as such, you adopted the term as well.

Silco would go on and on about his nation of Zaun. The empire he strived to build, to make rise from the ashes and the grime and the pollution.

And that.

That part of his incessant speeches made you tilt an ear.

Maybe it was the way his lithe figure would stride about the room, hands expressing themselves as he spoke.

Maybe it was the way he’d stifle his cigar in the ashtray. One, two, three taps, and a final, quick rotation.

He always did that. You’d watched it maybe hundreds of times from your standing place behind Renni.

Or maybe you were so intrigued because…he had this… way of making you feel like it was really possible. Had this way of making you feel like the light was just at the end of the tunnel. Like maybe one day the air here wouldn’t drag in your throat with the weight of smog and pollution.

Despite how much he startled you, scared you, somehow, he could always draw your attention with the smooth lilt of his voice.

•

•

“On snug?” You asked gently to Renni’s son outside the Shimmer plant. You always gave him your mask. It felt selfish not to.

The redhead gave you a small nod, not saying a word as he followed beside your strides. The boy was nothing like his mother. Maybe it was the lack of engagement he received from her. It left him rather antisocial, and you tried your best to get him to come out of his shell when you had the chance.

There were times when you would be working at one of the baroness’s house parties, serving drinks and handing out the newest shimmer products- with much distaste.

You didn’t like it, but that wasn’t in your place to speak about.

Sometimes her son would wander down from his room, small hand gripping tightly onto the railing at the top of the stairs.

You’d notice him peeking from the top of those stairs and momentarily, you would leave the party to bring him back to bed.

There was no reason at all for him to be exposed to the vile attitudes of the adults here. Even if he worked at the source of quite possibly the life and death of Zaun itself. You strived to keep him shielded from things like that.

But it was futile, you knew, even as you read him a bedtime story while still dressed in that uniform Renni always had you wear when you served at her parties. It made you almost feel like a waitress at one of those fancy Piltover diners- had your black apron not been stained with a remnant of spilled shimmer when one of the guests got a little too rowdy.

You thought back on that happening while you led him through the ever-busy streets of the undercity. You always had a hand placed at the boy’s shoulder, guiding him through the streets carefully and shooting your best glare at anyone who looked like they were getting any stupid ideas.

You didn’t know how to fight. But using that knife that you always had stored away in the pocket of your pants was something that wasn’t too hard to use. You’d be left alone for the most part when people realized who the boy beside you was. Renni might not have been the greatest mother but she certainly wouldn’t let someone get off easy if they hurt her son. You’d brandish that knife if that thought alone didn’t scare a goon off.

•

•

You were reminded of how sad-looking your fridge was when you returned home late from dropping off the baroness’s son. It would have been lovely if Renni would give you a little raise after working for her for nearly two and a half years.

You would never bring it up with her, though. Her answer was already a resounding no.

You sighed, pulling out the mostly-empty bottle of fruit juice that sat near the back of your empty fridge.

Some juice and canned food would have to do for tonight. Maybe you’d go shopping tomorrow and see what you could find.

Your face lit up with the light of the flame that your small stove provided. You watched the canned food bubble in the small pot it had been poured into, eyes tired and bored and maybe a little sad.

You always ate with the lights off, sat by the only window in your apartment to gaze out at the city around you. The lights of the undercity always captivated you with their hazy glows of greens, reds, and purples. The bustle of hunched figures, a few boisterous drunks, and the occasional hiss of the pipes… Zaun had an atmosphere like no other.

Almost all the buildings in Zaun were made of iron and glass. Any person from Piltover would never appreciate the undercity’s strange beauty, the way the lights reflected off of the spiraling, glass-paned buildings, the endless suspended bridges, odd light fixtures, and huge lighted signs.

The steam that rose from your food warmed your cheeks as you raised a bite of it to your lips.

It tasted stale.

The market was as busy, if not busier than it was yesterday. The daytime bustle of the undercity was a little more uplifting than the night. People were more willing to flash a slight smile, especially if they’d seen you around a couple of times. Your eyes darted about the market, picking through items that would last you longer than others. Some more canned food, a bottle or two of something to drink. You paid up, setting down the correct amount into the stall owner’s palm.

You gathered your bag of groceries onto the crook of your arm, not quite paying attention as you backed away from the stall. There was a clatter on the ground as you bumped into someone behind you.

“Oh!” you exclaimed as you jumped a little and turned around. You’d knocked the toy straight out of a little girl’s hand. You watched with a guilty pang in your chest as her blue eyes squinted into a sad look down at her broken toy. It looked like a little mechanical bird, one of its wings snapped off and lying haphazardly on the grime-covered stone.

“Oh, oh im so sorry.” you cooed gently as you leaned down, scooped up the bird, and attempted to put it back together. Luckily it was just a messily crafted ball-and-socket joint. You carefully slid the wire that attached it back inside and clicked the ball back into the little socket.

“It’s broken…!” the girl cried, her lips pulled back in a frown as her short, blue hair bobbed with each shaky sniffle.

“It’s not. See?” you twisted the little key on the bird’s back and held it out to her as it began to chirp, little wings flapping. Her crying stopped immediately as she grinned and took the toy from your hands to hold it against her chest. That brought a smile to your lips as well, and you stood, a job well done.

You were so preoccupied with consoling the little girl you had failed to notice whoever was standing behind her.