Now there's a darkness deep in me

I keep falling asleep

To these wicked dreams

A soft knock came from the entrance door, echoing through the apartment.

There was no response.

Another knock, this one sounding more impatient than the previous one. Getting no answer from inside this time either, the person outside sighed in frustration and slowly cracked the door open. Much to his surprise, it wasn't even locked.

"Lux, are you he – what in the name of the gods are you doing?!" The man didn't believe his eyes when he was met with the sight before him.

It seemed as the apartment was suddenly too small for the battle it bore the previous night. Leftover food cluttered on the floor, clothes laid abandoned in every corner, bottles and glasses and bags of junk food littered the usually clean room. But by far the most worrisome sight was the small blonde head sticking out from the couch cushions, the back turned to the entrance, hair messy and body covered by oversized clothes. She didn't even react to him entering the apartment, as she was hovering over her laptop. With a roll of his eyes he crossed the distance to her.

"Hey!" His voice disturbed the silence of the apartment.

She continued to ignore him.

An angry vein bulged on his forehead. "I said hey." He nudged her back.

The blonde turned around slowly, baby blue eyes trying their best to focus in her current state, as she looked up at the newcomer. He rolled his eyes again. This reaction of hers was becoming a habit already, at least when he was the one dealing with Luxanna. She looked pathetic with tears streaming down her check, her nose running while she stalked a very certain individual.

"Deciuuusss~" Lux cried out as she jumped to her feet, turned and leaped into his arms. But for the motion was very sudden and she hadn't been standing in a while, she lost her balance and would've fallen to the ground, had the man not caught her with stoic calmness.

"And now," the young man mentally slapped himself as he placed the bag with ice cream on top of the woman's head to cool her down. "Get off." What came over her all of a sudden – ignoring the obvious signs given by the state of her home– he had no idea.

Lux took the cold snack off her head with a pout, taking out the ice cream, throwing the bag on the floor. She then vanished through the door at the far right end which led to the kitchen, to reappear and bring back one single spoon, only to drop to the ground in front of her couch before she began stuffing her face with the ice cream.

The man's brow lifted as he rounded the couch, kicking trash out of his way. Sitting down on the furniture behind Lux, he rested his chin in his palm while he put his arm on his knee, nudging the blonde once again. She had called him that morning, sounding like a walrus with a cold, demanding cheesecake ice cream. And now he found her in such a state.

"So?" Decius asked for an explanation.

She sighed. Without a word she nodded towards the article she'd been reading and upon seeing the headline, her behavior started to make sense. Decius let out a sound which was half a sigh and half a grunt.

"Why does Talon going to an event with Ahri affect you? Last time I checked you had nothing to do with him anymore." His brown eyes judged her as much as his tone did, making him not only look, but also sound like his father.

Lux didn't know what to say, much less how to explain her current state of mind. Thinking about it, she hardly knew herself what was going on with her. But Decius was the only one listening to her, so she tried to find the words nonetheless. "Because… ever since that night, he didn't try to contact me. All he's been doing is hooking up with that sly fox. Ugh!" She groaned, stuffing herself with more ice cream.

Decius leaned back against the couch. He ended up pushing an empty bottle further away from him. He noticed some other bottles in varying states of emptiness lying around. He couldn't help but make a face at the thought of her drinking all night and crying to herself, only to stay awake and demand ice cream first thing in the morning.

He knew he should console her rather than speak the words that threatened to slip from his tongue. But pretty words would not heal her wounds and would not help her in any way. As much as he hated to hurt Lux, if he wanted her to get back to her senses, he had to hurt her first. "If I remember correctly, you were the one who left him at the party." He didn't mean to call her out on her behavior for Lux and him had a rather strange relationship, but Decius couldn't understand why she was still acting like a kicked puppy which had alcohol and ice cream within reach.

Lux let out a heavy sigh. Putting the ice cream down between her legs, she ran a hand through her disheveled hair and leaned against his legs, the back of her head landing on one of his knees. Months had passed since that incident and autumn slowly set in. The weather was cold outside, mirroring the chill inside of Lux' heart. Although her first action after waking up had been getting up and leaving Talon behind in the hotel room, a part of her still hoped that he would reach out to her. Instead, true to his words, he had let go of her completely.

"Why do you have to sound so much like your father?" Lux asked with a small, sad smile as she turned around to face him.

Decius held her gaze without showing any emotion. "Darius has nothing to do with this."

Lux laughed without humour. Decius really took after Darius on more than one perspective. They shared many personal traits, a resemblance that reached far deeper than their similar built and facial features.

Although Darius and Decius hadn't been close ever since Decius' mother had abandoned them, Lux stepping into their lives had strained the father-son relationship even more.

"He asked me the same question before I left Noxus." Lux remarked.

She moved to the side until she sat next to Decius' legs, only for her to place her head on his knees once more. The young man started caressing her hair in an awkward try to soothe her.

"Maybe because we all ask us the same thing. My questions have nothing to do with my father, I'm only worried about you. You've been running away from that man" his chin hinted to the laptop, "for ten years. And now all of a sudden, you don't know how to run to him fast enough, how to latch on to him strongly enough. And that worries me." He ruffled her hair and Lux let out a small laugh. "I grew up with you. I only had you around me, ever since Darius brought you in. I remember the way you looked when you first came to us, the emptiness in your eyes, the only will left in you was to die. I spent months befriending you, trying to help you, to get close to you. I know why you are hurting Lux, but I cannot understand why you are still looking out for him. Didn't he hurt you enough already?"

Decius had a point, Lux realised. To the outside world her actions seemed to be illogical and senseless; and they would hardly result in anything but her burning her fingers again. It was already hard to provide an answer that made sense to herself. Why was she so obsessed with Talon? Why couldn't she just let him go? He had hurt her worse than anyone else. Worse than her parents who casted her out after she had tried to get away with him. As Decius had said, she had barely made it out alive and yet here she was, ready to jump for the slightest bit of his attention.

The first answer that came to her mind was an easy one. But as easily as it came, as difficult it was for her to say it aloud. Talon had declared himself, had set his vanishing into perspective, making it hard to hate him for it. "He abandoned me to return to his sisters. His adoptive mother died just before and Cassiopeia asked him to return home. So he did." Rolling her head to face him, Lux now stared into the young and still-forming looks of Decius. He was on the verge of becoming a young man, but his features still held the softer lines of a teen.

Decius snorted derisively. "Isn't that a good enough reason to let him be? Why chase him to such ends?"

Maybe Decius didn't understand because he had yet to experience his first love. Maybe others didn't understand because of various reasons. Lux had a difficult time understanding herself, and although she could provide the answers to most questions, she feared they would sound like excuses instead.

"I love him." She said aloud, even though she spoke more to the now empty bucket of ice cream.

The bucket didn't answer, and neither did Decius.

The silence became deafening.

She had kept those three words inside of her for longer than ten years, never speaking them out, hardly ever daring to think them inside her mind. They had always been there, in the dark corners of her head and now, finally, she had said them out loud.

"Then why did you leave?" Confusion mixed with worry on Decius' face. This woman was tiring him out. He wanted to understand in order to be there for her and provide what she needed, yet she made that a nearly impossible task.

"I'm scared of him not wanting me, of him pushing me away, abandoning me. Again. " Lux closed her eyes with a frown. It was complicated. She knew there were leftover feelings in Talon's heart, at least Lux could find no other explanation for his behavior. Seeing him like that, sleeping next to an almost empty bottle of alcohol had broken her heart. Still, they hardly were in a position to simply start over. Too many obstacles blocked the way between them.

The recent events made Lux wonder if maybe, just maybe their feelings matched. They both had some feelings remaining, maybe she more than him as the magnetic pull between them was too strong to resist. Repeatedly running into each other after spending ten years without even a glance of him gave her the feeling that the control over her life she had spent so many years establishing, spun out of her reach rapidly. They both had disappeared from the surface of the earth, and Lux was not exactly sure if it had not been better that way.

Maybe Talon was feeling the same struggle as she was… he simply had other unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Lux heard the rustling of fabric, indicating Decius shrugged. "I mean he thought you were getting engaged to my father." He stated casually, pulling Lux out of the swamp of her thoughts.

"I have no idea how those rumours started. Why would I be getting married to Darius? He could be my father." Lux dismissed the topic, ignoring the fact of Darius currently dating Cassiopeia, who was just slightly older than herself.

"If he had you when he was fifteen." Decius rolled his eyes. The topic of Lux and his father dating was quite unnerving to him. "Did you dismiss those stories as what they are?"

He stared into those beautiful orbs of blue she called eyes.

And stared. And kept on staring. Her not responding verbally was answer enough. "You didn't correct them, did you." His voice gained an accusing edge.

"No." Her voice was barely more than a whisper as she casted down her eyes.

Decius shifted his head in order to look into her face, to read her expression. She was easy enough to read on a good day, but right now Decius could only guess what her tightly closed lips and the pained expression meant. Shame? Regret?

A tiny meowl caught Lux's attention as a black ball of fur leaped on her legs, making the blonde lift her head from Decius' knees. She grasped for her kitten and ruffled the fur of the softly purring animal.

"At least Kurona won't abandon you." Decius stated flatly, looking at the adorable exchange.

"I can't ask him to stay." Lux said after a moment of silence, not meaning the kitten in her lap. "I told him I'd be leaving and he made no effort to make me stay. His sisters are more important to him than I am. I always knew. I got over it. I admit that I never dismissed the rumours. I wanted him to hurt, I wanted him to ask me about them. I wanted to see if he cares enough to say something. But he doesn't care anymore. He made up his mind. Letting me go was proof of that." She kept her back turned to the boy while she continued playing with her cat.

"Did you make an effort to stay?" Decius turned her words around.

Lux's hands stilled for a moment before a playful paw forced her into action once more. "No. I told him I'd leave... after."

Decius had long lost every bit of willingness to follow her tangled up thoughts. He wasn't able to make sense of anything Lux was saying. To him, it felt as though she was running in circles, over and over again.

He patted her blonde locks. "Well, I guess you lost your spot both in Talon's life as well as the chance to become Darius' wife." Decius said sheepishly, meaning to comfort her with the bad joke.

Lux snorted as she slowly turned around to face him. "Worry not, little boy, one day you'll wake up having Cassie as your mom," she taunted with a wink.

Decius rolled his eyes. He had no idea how Darius had ended up speaking with Cassiopeia at the end of that one fateful charity event, but somehow they had started to spend much time with each other before the media had started to lunge at them. Not getting wrapped up in even more rumours and drama, they pulled through the initial phase of too many articles with too many unfavourable photos.

"Ah, by the way." Decius clapped his hands, remembering that there was another reason for his visit. "Father needs you at the translations office at Monday. We are supposed to be getting some nice artefacts."

"Sure, will do." Lux agreed with another heavy sigh.

Can't fight the darkness deep in me

It's where she likes to keep

Haunting my wicked dreams

Looking at the wrinkled face of his father would never stop intriguing Talon. Although the signs of age slowly became visible, Marcus Du Couteau's most noticeable features had not changed. Strands of grey weaved through the red of his neatly tied back hair, the once emerald eyes were now glassy and faded while his beard held more white than red. The formerly intense glow of his green eyes slowly fading was more than certainly related to all the events that took place in the last years, the grief and misery he had put up with.

Talon sat across him in his father's study, watching his every motion with interest. Marcus had returned early from one of his countless expeditions and was currently looking through some old papers, trying to decode them. He had found them in one of the forgotten tombs of Shurima and had decided to take them back for translation.

Him asking for Talon to join in the unpacking was the reason the younger man stared at him now.

Talon was not impressed as of yet. He had so many things to do: papers to look through, to analyse, to speak with possible partners, just to make sure that the president's seat was warmed up when his father returned. Instead of doing his important work, Marcus planned to send him on a pointless trip to Piltover to have those old, but most likely meaningless papers translated. It was a simple messenger task, anyone could have gone in his stead. Why it had to be him, Talon had no idea.

Talon ran a hand through his dark locks, pulling a few strands free from his ponytail in the process. First he tried tucking them back behind his ear then he decided to let them be. He leaned into the chair, waiting for the head of the family to break the silence.

His father was eagerly skimming through the papers, obviously not understanding much – or anything at all, but his eyes were gleaming with curiosity. And who was Talon to ruin this moment of joy for him?

After another few moments of silence Talon leapt to his feet, unable to keep still any longer, and walked over to have a look through the huge windows behind Marcus' back. The wind was blowing quite angrily and clouds had gathered as a clear sign that it would rain later on. Autumn was not a happy season in Noxus for its abundance of rain. Crossing his arms in front of his chest, Talon leaned his head against the burgundy curtains, watching the storm outside unfold.

"Talon," his father finally called for his attention, "I have prepared one last task for you. After completing it, you can consider everything yours." Marcus' words as well as the undirected, but all-encompassing gesture of his hand made Talon's blood freeze in his veins.

What did he just say? More importantly, what did he mean?

Turning his head around slowly to look at his father, Talon was met with one of Marcus' rare, honest smiles. "What, you thought I'd let you work your ass off for the sake of someone else?" He snorted, enjoying the look of confusion on Talon's face.

"I don't understand."

"Obviously," Marcus bit back wittily. He then nodded towards the seat Talon had been occupying earlier and the man sunk back down seconds later.

Marcus had put a lot of thought behind this decision, not only because he had two other children to care for. Talon, despite being adopted, had shown great dedication to the family, up to the point where he sacrificed his own happiness for their sake. Since he had learned about it, guilt was eating at his conscience. Had Marcus been strong enough, had he not abandoned his girls when his wife died, had he not let all of his responsibilities fall upon Talon's shoulders from one moment to another, maybe things would have been different today. Maybe his son could have been happy.

Passing down his legacy was important for Marcus, yes, but not at the cost of one of his children's happiness. Katarina had obtained what she wanted, continuing to be the spoiled little girl she always had been. Things were slowly working out for Cassiopeia as well, as it appeared she had finally found her 'Prince Charming'. But Talon? His only shot at happiness, at real happiness was cut short when he chose duty over his heart's desire, making him abandon the pretty blonde girl.

So, in an attempt to fix his mistakes from the past, he would offer his son a gentle nudge in the right direction.

"Your final task with me as your president is to take these papers to Piltover. This is the address." He flipped another parchment over the table, Talon caught it effortlessly. "Once you return with them translated, you will find me retired so you may officially take over the business." Marcus said casually, eyes resting on his son's confused face.

"Why would you retire? You are not that old yet." He couldn't understand his father's actions.

Marcus chuckled a bit. "No, I'm not. But I'm tired. And I think it is about time you start achieving your dreams."

Talon cocked a brow upwards at that statement. Something was off. He just had no idea what.

"Anyway, you'll leave tomorrow, first thing in the morning. Once you return, we will take care of the formalities." Marcus said, making it obvious that it was time for Talon to leave.

Talon obeyed, continuing to look back at his father while leaving the office, eyes narrowing and generally confused about the conversation.

Walking out of the study and heading towards the grand staircase he saw Cassiopeia, who was obviously preparing herself for a nice evening in front of the giant mirror. Her hair was tied up in a neat bun, she wore a beige shirt and a dark blue pencil skirt to fitting beige heels.

Talon stopped next to her. "Where are you going?" He asked his sister curiously, even though her attire gave away enough.

Which was the reason for Cassiopeia to look him dead in the eye, holding his gaze for a long moment, asking herself if he was being serious. "To fight the dead. And bake cookies afterwards." She declared before heading to the stairs.

Talon rolled his eyes and followed her. "Darius?"

"Yep." She replied with glee. "We are going to have lunch."

Looking at her giddy self, Talon couldn't help but smile at one of his sisters. He was happy, as both of them were happy. Even Cassiopeia had managed to find love with a very unexpected man.

"I'm leaving for Piltover tomorrow, by the way." He said as he crossed his arms, following his sister into her adventure of getting ready in time.

"Father, right?" She glanced back at him while checking the contents of her purse.

"Yea. He also said he'd be retiring."

Cassiopeia halted her actions for a second. Talon couldn't see whether she was surprised or not. "Was about time to officially let you handle everything." She said with a smile as she turned around to hug him genuinely. "I'm so happy for you."

Talon looked away awkwardly. He didn't know how to deal with such affection. "...Thanks?"

Cassiopeia chuckled as she ruffled up his hair, but then her smile faded.

"I have news about… Lux…" Cassiopeia didn't know whether she should share this piece of information or not so she stood there awkwardly, waiting for her brother to give her a sign.

It felt like all of the air suddenly rushing out of Talon's lungs. True to her word, Lux had left before he had awakened and ever since then, he had felt hollow. Although she had never gotten engaged to Darius, she had still ran away from him. She had never tried to contact him, as if he didn't matter anymore, as if that passing moment of vulnerability shared between them had never existed at all. Maybe he had misinterpreted and he had been the only one vulnerable. Three quarters of a bottle of whiskey tended to make you imagine things. He had tried to move on and forget about her once more, like he had tried and failed for ten years now, but no other woman would ever compare to a strand of her hair. Talon realised at that point that he might as well be cursed for eternity.

He ached to hear anything about her, but at the same time he didn't, knowing that the information held the power to tear him to pieces.

But maybe, a tiny voice inside of his head whispered, maybe it was possible to heal. Maybe hurting was the first step to piece himself together again. Running away had not helped his cause, as the last ten years had shown. With a deep sigh he decided to take her on headfirst this time. Maybe this would finally work.

"Tell me." He let the pain burn at his lungs upon breathing in her name.

"Lux, she… she is not okay lately. She holed herself up in her apartment. Rarely leaves, doesn't eat anything, doesn't speak to anyone. Darius fears that she may be falling into depression." Cassiopeia said, with her head bent.

Talon forced his eyes shut, hands tightening to fists at his side. Then, he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. There, the first wave of the poison was out. Sadly, it didn't make him feel any better.

"I think I know what that feels like." He then replied with a sad, bitter stretch of his lips.

She sings

Unbury me

Unbury me

She sings

Unbury me

Unbury me

He had never liked Piltover. Everything was noisy and agitated, its people always in a rush – it was the City of Progress, all right. Yet to him, it was the city of broken dreams. In the past, he and Lux had ran off to Piltover, but with their money running out they had to find a place in the messy suburbs of Zaun instead. Returning to this place after so many years did not help his cause as the memories immediately returned to haunt him. Her head against his arm as they stepped into their new apartment, the warm gleam in her eyes, looking at him as if he was the only thing that really counted. We can do this. Her words echoed through his mind, as well the memory of his reaction. At that time, he had believed her.

Talon grimaced and pushed them back into his mind as he kept driving down the busy streets of Piltover. Crashing because he was lost in his own head would be stupid, so he tried to make sense of the address he was given by his father. The translation office was quite small apparently, pulled back to a less agitated part of the city. But, as Talon had tried avoiding Piltover as much as possible, he wasn't familiar with the streets.

At least the people he asked were able to give him instructions. The next time he'd go here, Talon swore to himself, he'd be getting one of those gadgets which showed the street names and the direction he had to take.

After hours of pure torment he finally arrived at the sought building and he took out the sealed box which held the papers, checking the car one last time before heading to the entrance of the building.

The receptionist was nice and polite, maybe because she recognised who he was.

"Oh, we've been informed of this personal request from Marcus du Couteau so our director will personally take care of you and your request." The woman fluted with a smile while checking her files. "Here is your access badge. You can go to the fifth floor where you will find her office at the very end of the hall." She then provided him with instructions.

Taking his badge, Talon thanked her and headed towards the elevator. When it arrived Talon made room for the people who were coming down. One rather tall guy caught his attention. He was different from the rest, even familiar in some way. But Talon wasn't able to pinpoint any more so he let it go. With the elevator being filled with more and more people as it stopped at every floor, Talon realised that the building itself was not very large. Each floor had enough space for twenty to thirty people to work in modest cubicles and, guessing from the glances he stole, it also housed a kitchen. The smart part was that the business owned five floors, four if you only counted the floors where people were actually working, since the ground floor was meant for management issues while the fifth floor was way smaller than the rest as it consisted of only a small hallway which led to the director's office.

Although Talon liked the idea of having a whole floor with solely his own office on it, he couldn't help but wonder whether the director felt lonely or isolated. Back at their own company, the director's office was strategically placed in the middle of everything so everyone could reach out to the one sitting inside, should the need arise. While it tended to be noisy all the time, it had proven to increase the loyalty of the employees and their ties to him as well as to the company.

Director, Talon tried the word in his head first. It felt weird, unusual. Maybe it would be better to decline the offer after all. He wasn't made to lead a company. He wasn't even capable of carving a happy life for himself.

Talon arrived in front of the director's door and placed his palm on the handle, trying to push the thoughts aside for the moment. The name tag didn't register as he knocked automatically, forcing his brain into its working mode.

The lightly chirmed "come in!" from inside made him steel himself, pushing the handle down.

Brightness greeted him as he opened the door. He had to blink against the sun's rays as he stepped into the room where tall windows let the light in, reflected by white furniture. A desk caught his gaze next as his eyes wandered to the person sitting behind. The air left his lungs once more as if someone had kicked him. It was her. He blinked twice then took a step backwards, out of her office, closing the door in front of him. He checked the golden plate from outside and his jaw almost dropped as he saw the name written on it. Opening the door again seconds later, Talon was met with the exact same imagery, the exact same person sitting at the desk, with the only difference that this time she looked at him with raised eyebrows.

Talon took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart "What are you doing here?" He asked like an idiot.

She rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms in front of her chest and leaned back in her leather chair. "I own this place." Came her flat reply.

The sign on the door should have been all the evidence he needed. "Right." Talon felt so awkward he had no idea on how to continue this interaction. Fate proved once again to be a fickle mistress. Sighing heavily, Talon decided to do the easiest thing, carry out the task Marcus had given him without further questioning. He crossed the distance to her desk to place the box on it, looking at his charge for a long moment before he had gathered enough courage to look up once more.

The light pouring through the big windows in her back blurred her edges, making her look ethereal and Talon found himself unable to look away, but also unable to just meet her gaze. He needed a bit of preparation to not falter, so he let his eyes wander up slowly. She looked gorgeous in her office attire, a simple white top with a black dress. Her platinum locks were secured in a messy bun. Talon's gaze wandered further, towards her bright eyes, currently shining with rage as she met his gaze. Only at the second look Talon saw the dark circles under her eyes and noticed how her lipstick was the only thing colouring her lips. She looked thinner than she had months ago, where her image had burned itself into his memory.

For a long moment they stared at each other, Lux with anger, Talon with... too many emotions to be named.

Talon decided to break the silence with a frustrated snort. "Good morning, Lux. Funny seeing you again," At this point he didn't believe in coincidences anymore. They clearly both didn't wish to, but continued to keep running into each other.

"Hello, Talon. Define funny." Her voice was cold as ice. She put down her reading glasses and massaged the bridge of her nose with two fingers, closing her eyes in the process.

Now, with having decided to stay, he gestured towards the seat in front of her desk and Lux nodded, eyes opening with her expression hardening, as if she steeled herself. Talon took off his leather jacket, remaining in a navy shirt only, and sat down. He ignored the prowling eyes Lux had followed him with the whole time as well as her chewing on the bottom of her lip shortly, clearing her throat afterwards. This was her being embarrassed, nothing else.

"My father asked me to get these papers translated. I had no idea it was your company doing the translations. I had no contact name, just an address, so... " He let the words hang in the air, not sure with how to continue the sentence, until enough time passed to make a continuation even more awkward than just keeping quiet.

Lux shook her head, expression unreadable. She didn't intend to ask more questions either, although she had known that Marcus would be sending his most recent discoveries. Who would have thought that he'd use his own son for a simple messenger task? Not her, as much was sure.

"Coffee?" She asked, trying to be polite at the very least, breaking the very uncomfortable silence.

She would be professional about the whole thing, ignore everything that laid on the tip of her tongue. She was able to treat him like every other customer. Even though Talon du Couteau was far from that.

Talon took a deep breath. She did not sound hostile, just tired. "No, thank you. I plan on having some breakfast once we finish here and then to return to Noxus shortly after." He replied, rubbing his eyes.

"Did you drive all the way?" Lux asked with a concerned frown.

Talon nodded, placing his hands on the armrest to stop himself from fiddling. "Yes, the old man asked me to bring these papers here first thing in the morning. What he forgot to take into consideration was the six hours ride by car from Noxus to Piltover." His voice was flat, as he tried to his best to hide the truth lying behind each syllable. He was furious with his father.

"So why don't you rest today? You can head back to Noxus tomorrow." She suggested casually. There was nothing hidden behind her words for once, as it was an almost normal conversation they were having.

Talon sighed and leaned against the chair back, closing his eyes for a second. Lux utilized the short moment to drink the sight in, his dark, shoulder length hair tied at the back of his head with a few rebellious locks coming undone, his navy sweater hiding the lines of his muscles she knew to lay beneath. And yet, the best part included a pair of black jeans covering those long legs of his, currently crossed by the ankles, and the military boots he was wearing. All of those, they all added up to this image of a wild, unrestrained panther in the form of a man. Lux felt the ache in her stomach, despite having done her best to try and hold it back.

It was neither the time nor the place, and most certainly not the right person to jump on to.

Talon contemplated his answer only for a second. "Marcus said that once I return, he will formally entrust the company to me." He opened his eyes, amber meeting baby blue. Talon had no idea why was he giving her so much information. At first, he had simply wanted to complete the task given to him; dropping the box for translation, having breakfast and then return to Noxus. He had no idea when his plans had changed, even though he technically knew he acted stupid.

Why did he want to steal such precious moments with her? Why was he trying to spend time with her, despite knowinge that it would end, leaving him in even more pain, because he had been given him a glimpse of what could have been his?

Talon knew the answer to that. He wasn't able to let her go, at least not now, not with her being friendly, without her showing the rejection, the hate that had followed him to his darkest nightmares. Talon knew that once he left her office, there was hardly a chance of seeing her again. So his father's request must have been as merciful as it was heartbreaking. One last act of pity towards an undeserving son.

"Congratulations!" She said with a small, honest smile, catapulting Talon right back to a time where her smiles at him had been bright, sincere and full of hope. "You will finally achieve your dreams!"

A strange feeling came over him upon hearing those words. His stomach turned upside down, as he was not sure how to take in the chiming sound her voice sounded like, compared to the cruelty her words brought, without her even noticing.

Talon had to avert his eyes, taking a moment to think about that. When had taking over the du Couteau company ever been his dream? It had always been something to achieve, to work for, sometimes more, sometimes less reachable for him. Something to make his father proud, and to show himself that he belonged into the family that had given him so much more than he deserved.

He looked into her face again, regarding her features with a sad smile. "Except, that was never part of my dreams. A goal, yes, but when I claim the company, I'll lose all hope towards my real dream." He continued, eyes fixating hers.

Lux's gaze wavered as she blinked and looked away.

He was going crazy, Talon knew. He should have left the second he had placed the box on her desk. The more time he spent with her, the more her presence rose to his head, dizzying like booze. He wasn't able to remain sane in her presence.

"Tell me," his voice gained a new, dangerous edge. "When I take over the du Couteau business, would that be reason enough to make you stay?"

What had gotten into him all of a sudden? Why was he pushing her limits and his own as well? Just what made him decide to overstep their boundaries? Had he finally gone mad? Was the fear of losing Lux, of never seeing her again that big of a threat to his already torn up heart? He had no answer to any of those questions. All he knew was that he had this moment. This one moment, and once it passed, it would become a memory too painful to carry around, or to even bury.

The question threw Lux off guard. She looked at him with disbelief and a frown. "The prospect of money and influence has never influenced my life choices. I turned my back to my wealthy family to be with you, as you might remember." Her tone was accusing and Talon was sure that he had insulted her.

Talon rose to his feet. For a second Lux thought that she had chased him away with her words, something she equally feared and wanted, for if he left now, it would finally be over. On the other hand… It would be over, then.

Why could she not make up her mind? A part of her wanted Talon to stay, while the remaining part was shivering in fear. Such conflicting emotions would be the end of her – that, if the presence of that man called 'Talon' would leave any shattered pieces lying behind.

"Why didn't you choose to stay with me? I am really trying to make amends, but you always leave. I know I made a mistake, the biggest of my life, and I get that you have every right to walk away. But… but... Am I really that bad of a guy? Am I still not worthy of our time now, years later?" He sounded and looked like a wounded, cornered animal, even though he was the one standing, towering over Lux, and she was looking up at him wide-eyed, trying to discern if his last option was to bite and try to scare away the non-existing hunters.

Lux rose to her feet as well, slightly leaning towards him, although he still had the height advantage over her. His wide shoulders and tall body could have been intimidating. Yet, she would not back down.

Not this time, at least.

Lux realised that this was a turning point in her life where she had to act. She could either finally stop hiding behind excuses, leave the past behind or back away forever. He had taken the first step, it was her turn to follow.

"Because you were the one who left the first time! How can you expect me to stay when there is still the possibility of you changing your mind once more, leaving me again? What reason can you give me to stay?" She raised her voice as tears began to burn in her eyes.

She hated herself, hated that she could not let go of him, that she was making a fool of herself, and the fear in her soul kept growing. What if he decided to come back for a grand finale where he was going to make sure that she was shattered beyond repair? Would she be able to live with herself if Talon would leave her behind a second time?

"I tried, but you wouldn't let me! I should have told you of the reasons myself, I did not want to send forth Cassiopeia to smooth the way, but the point is that you now know why I left in the first place. You kept pushing me away whenever you had the chance, you were never honest with me, and last time you chose to go. How can I dare to ask you to stay when you make it abundantly clear that you don't want to?"

She snorted. "Consider us even then. I never dismissed the rumours about Darius and you never asked, but started going out with Ahri. There. Neither of us was honest with the other." Lux said, clearly annoyed as she turned away from him, arms crossing in front of her chest.

Talon stared at the back of her head for a moment as her words seeped in and their meaning unfolded in his brain.

He walked around her desk and with a swift movement he grasped for both of her wrists, ignoring her pointed, slightly shocked stare as he gave her a shove and pinned her against her desk. Lux looked up, the initial shock subsiding to annoyance, although he could almost hear how crazily her heart was beating. His own heartbeat picked up as he was finally close to her once more.

"We are even, you say?" He extracted the important message out of her words, voice gruff. She didn't answer as her gaze alternated between her imprisoned hands and his towering form. The important part was, she did not object. "I hurt you and you made me suffer enough to atone? What do you want to do now that you declared us even?" He was taunting her, he knew, she knew, it was quite a wicked game, but since none of them were straightforward enough, hiding behind this game would suffice. For this was the important part – he asked because he really wanted to know what she expected.

Anything, just so they could be together again.

Blankness enveloped her mind, but then everything started to make sense to Lux. It felt as an eruption of some sort, like a volcano of feelings they had both kept dormant for thousands of years. She saw her small form scared and confused reflected in his warm eyes, and that was when she realised the truth.

Talon was just like her. If reflecting in his eyes was not solid proof, she did not know what else could count for it. He was going through the same torment she was, he was having the same wicked thoughts and moods – just like her. They both danced around each other, sharing lithe touches only to back off afterwards as if struck by lightning. Lux's fears were reflected by Talon's fears. They were both swimming in an ocean of uncertainty.

And after coming back to her senses, she found herself held by him, and could only see one path to take in front of her.

Lux still didn't try to free herself from his hold, made no move to push him away, but she bit her lip, looking up at him with reddening cheeks. "I think this is the moment where you kiss me and we can make up… Maybe." She held his gaze and Talon's face loosened into a wicked expression. "O-or you can just let go of me and return to Noxus, whichever option suits you best." She then added quickly, upon seeing his reaction.

He leaned into her slowly, waiting for her to display signs to stop. None came and her eyes fluttered shut right before he pressed his lips against hers gently, trying not to hasten his actions.

The moment she felt his lips against hers it felt like lightning rushing through her whole body and without a conscious thought Lux broke her hands free from his grasp, locking them around his shoulders, straightening her back into his front in the process. She moaned into the feeling as Talon deepened the kiss, one of his arms holding the small of her back while the other was busy pushing up her skirt.

She was bothered by him, by the way he made her body respond to his touches. It was raw, thoughtless, passionate; and she had never felt more like a woman than when he did that to her.

But even more so than that, her soul went up in flames. The broken pieces patched back up together, and the concrete walls around her heart came crushing down. How stupid of them, to waste so much of their lives avoiding each other when they could melt in that sweet feeling. Lux could swear that her soul, her whole being was connected to his, starting from their fingertips and ending in the most unknown parts of their conscience.

Talon's hands wandered to her thighs, pushing them apart as to make space for himself between them as he gave Lux a strong enough shove to push her on her desk, all the while recapturing her lips and ravaging her hair. Her hands roamed his body in the same way, fingers treading through his ponytail, making even more strands coming loose as she clawed at him with the same kind of desperation. Neither of them knew how to get closer, faster to the other, how to feel each other better.

Breaking the kiss, he traced his lips down to her neck, all the while his fingers pulled her skirt up high enough for him to play around. He bit into her soft flesh while tracing the lines of her womanhood through her underwear. Apparently Lux liked silk underwear way too much for his own good.

Talon realized that this was the kind of poison he could never get out of his system. It would most probably be the cause of his death, at one point or another. But dying while surrounded by the softness of her skin, the scent of lavender corrupting his senses and the way her body fitted into his palms, it was the kind of death he would succumb to for eternity.

She cried out and pulled at his hair, which made him grunt against her neck, the vibrations sending shockwaves to her core.

"Please don't play games." She breathed against his temple and his only response was to seize her lips again.

Having sex with her consumed by desperation wasn't such an unfamiliar feeling, and it was the best he could offer her right now. She didn't object, and the dampness under his fingers as well as her movements under him spoke volumes. So he took off her underwear, pushed down his own jeans and with a bit of help from Lux to refresh his excitement, he entered her in one swift movement, the sudden tightness, wetness, the feeling of lust nearly overwhelming him.

The feeling of her was something he could never get enough from. It was not the healthiest coping mechanism for either of them, but it was the best they got at the moment. Neither knew how to make love, they never learned to do so with each other- ten years ago it had been the all-consuming lust of two teenagers not really knowing about their bodies- but that was something Talon was willing to learn.

Lux's whole body tensed up at the sweet intrusion and she clung to him with despair. She pulled his head down to her level and kissed him with all of her pent up need and want, all the while urging for him to move with a cant of her hips. It wasn't easy for Talon to obey her. If he moved like she wanted him to, he'd probably finish the next second. Being inside her felt so good, so all-consuming that he almost forgot how to breathe.

Her small hands trembled just the slightest when she held onto him. She was scared of what was in store for them, but she was willing to take this moment and make the best of it.

Talon hoped that he and Lux shared the same hopes, that they would get many opportunities in the future to connect properly. His soul felt at home when she touched him, her body was his sanctuary.

"Talon," she whispered his name, and he opened his eyes to stare down at her flustered face.

Placing a gentle kiss on her forehead, he steadied an arm around her waist as he thrust into her, his pace slow but thrusts deep. He reached deep inside her and Lux started to quiver under his touch.

He could not get enough of her. This was different, different from the past, different from the previous collision of their bodies. The actions were raw, messy and clumsy, but he felt a warmth in his chest and he did not want to let go of her for dear life. Lux's feet were dangling above ground and she was leaning backwards on the desk, most of her weight being held by Talon. He had his face rested against her shoulder, as she clung to him with all her strength.

"What are you doing to me?" She cried out as she looked up at his dark features, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. This was different, she had felt it too.

"The same thing you are doing to me, but tenfold." He whispered and his lips pressed against hers, smothering her cries.

Her voice the sweetest melody he had ever heard, muffled by his unforgiving lips. He grunted, feeling his own release closing in As he was about to pull out as to not taint her insides, Lux, to his great astonishment steadied her legs around his waist, not letting him leave. The movement in itself made him lose his composure and his incoming finish came faster than expected.

They both remained like that, each a panting mess, clinging to each other. It was Talon who regained his senses first, grip around Lux strengthening as be pressed a long kiss on her cheek, relishing her dazed expression. Then he straightened his back, pulling up his pants and running his fingers through his hair before looking for some tissues to clean her of his mess.

Lux's eyes followed his movements carefully, wondering what he was going to do, feeling too good to get up from her own, not so ladylike position; sprawled on her desk with legs parted, underwear dangling somewhere on her right foot. The drawer of her desk opened and she heard Talon pulling something out of it.

The magic of the moment was slowly fading, and reality was pulling her back as inevitable as gravity.

Still breathing fast, Talon kneeled between her legs and Lux felt the blush deepening on her already tinted cheeks as he placed fluttering kisses on the insides of her thighs and started wiping up the overflowing juices that were slowly trickling down her skin.

"Wha–" She let out a yelp as she noticed what he was doing, but as she tried to push him away to avoid such an embarrassing situation, Talon simply clicked his tongue and glared at her.

His fingers remained dangerous close to her most sensitive area as he rose to his feet, once again towering over her.

"You asked me to stay. I do, and I also decided to take some responsibility." He told her without wavering. The smug expression pasted on his face threw the blonde off guard.

Lux's blush darkened as she fixed her gaze upon a spot on his shoulder, unable to look him in the eyes anymore. Indeed, her actions practically begged him to stay, although she wouldn't have assumed that Talon would go the extra mile and help her clean up.

"T-thank you," she stuttered embarrassed, yearning for a hole to jump and bury herself in.

The normal Lux and the horny Lux were very different in nature. But the horny Lux was rather tamed this time around, as she felt the most curious combination of two opposing feelings. Her body wanted one thing, while her soul demanded more. In the end, the two feelings mixed within her the moment Talon pulled he close.

Talon placed a gentle kiss on top of her head and continued to clean up the mess he caused, leaving stray kisses on her exposed skin. Pulling up her panties, he also tried his best to fix her skirt and shirt, all the while Lux stared at him blankly.

She could hardly believe that it had been this easy, convincing him to stay. The only answer she could provide was that, indeed, they both felt the same way.

"Why… are you doing all of this?" She found herself asking, and Talon looked down at her, meeting her gaze.

She had to ask, had to make sure. Make-up sex was one thing, but. she wanted to do this by the book. She wanted to know where they stood.

He sat down on her leather chair, pulling at Lux until she slid from the top of the desk into his lap, closing his arms around her. "Because I wanted to stay ever since I saw you again. Heck, I never even wanted to leave in the first place."

She tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. "But you still left." She said, voice lacking the sting of accusation they had held during their former encounters. She had become softer, much to her sudden realisation.

Talon sighed, leaning into her touch. "We were young, inexperienced and I was stupid to leave you. Had I known a better way, I wouldn't have abandoned you. But I didn't, I panicked with all those responsibilities suddenly overwhelming me. I want us to start over, for you are the only one for me." The gentle words whispered into her ear while he held her tightly made Lux melt.

Lux was scared, but she knew that Talon felt the same. They were way too similar for their own good and someone had to give in for the sake of a relationship between them working out. And because they were so similar to each other, they both knew of this. All of a sudden, however, it seemed as though that similarity was not that bad of a thing anymore. Lux could understand him and, although he was scared, so was she. Maybe they could make it work this time.

"I'm sorry for running away. It was hard seeing you again, imagining you in my life after all that time. I forgot how to act around you, I didn't know what to do, what to say, how to act upon my desires. I have wanted you for as long as I can remember." Lux confessed, unable to meet his stare. Instead, she buried her face in the crook of his neck, her arms locking around his shoulders.

Was this what happiness tasted like? It held such a sweet taste on her tongue, although she could also feel something salty, maybe that was the fear of uncertainty, of the path lying ahead of them. They had so many other things to face.

Talon chuckled at her embarrassment and snuck a finger under her chin, tilting her face upwards. "Someone has to stop running away in order for the other one to stay, right?" He joked and placed a kiss on her lips.

Her body was slowly coming back to life with each touch she received from him, with each caress and every kiss. It was amazing to finally be able to speak with him openly, without the need to hide behind masks and hurtful words. The effect Talon had on her body and general mood never ceased to amaze Lux. It was as though the past couple weeks had never existed at all.

She broke the kiss. "What about your sisters? Your father?" She asked with uncertainty.

Talon cocked his head to the side. "Apparently my sisters are both grownups and know how to deal with their lives. Besides, since they both have their own men now, they're no longer my responsibility. As for my father..." He glanced at the forgotten box lying on the desk. "I have a vague feeling that he wanted us to get back together."

Lux puffed her cheeks at that. "But what will they say if we show up together all of a sudden?"

He snorted darkly. "That we made up with each other. I'm pretty sure everyone in my family knows about us, pretty light."

Lux slightly blushed at his use of her old nickname, the one he had given her back when they had both been students at the Institute before they had even started to date.

Pretty light he had used to call her and although she had found it cheesy at first, she had grown on it, started associating the name with his presence. Seeing that he hadn't forgotten about it brought tears to her eyes.

"Hey, what is wrong?" Talon asked, suddenly worried and he cupped her cheeks with his palms.

Lux shook her head. "Nothing, I'm just happy." She followed the movements of his hands, looking up into his face with a bright smile and watery eyes.

For a moment they stared at each other.

Then Talon's stomach broke the silence with a loud grumble, Lux burst into laughter while Talon looked away, annoyed and embarrassed.

"How about breakfast? I know a good place," Lux chortled, tilting his head down to place a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"Fine by me," Talon agreed and helped her off his lap.

While she went to her hanger to put on her coat, he slid on his leather jacket and waited for her by the door. "What about the papers?" He asked, suddenly remembering the sole purpose of his visit here.

"Ah, that is just garbage, not even a real ancient language. But I suppose can make something work. You don't happen to be in a rush, do you?" Lux asked as they walked out of her office and headed towards the elevator.

Talon looked down at her with a knowing grin. "Not anymore, pretty." He leaned down to kiss her just as the elevator chimed and the doors opened.

It's where she likes to keep

Haunting my wicked dreams

Hello again, this is the third and final chapter of Wicked, and I hope you enjoyed it!

This chapter is a bit different because I had the honour of being helped out by Silver Queen's Goldfinch (who's an amazing person by the way), as she read the chapter and edited it for me. I can only say that I am forever grateful for the work and dedication you put into this and you have my endless gratitude! c:

An epilogue will be next, one shorter than the current chapter (I didn't mean for it to come out this long, but oh well), to wrap up some other things!

These being said, I really hope you enjoyed reading it so far!

See you next time~