Is This Betrayal? | Silco x Fem!reader
Description: The quiet moment before young Silco and Vander fight in the river.
A/N: Anon that just had to ask if I would write Arcane stories, I blame you for this.
Warnings for the entire fic (ie. parts to come): SMUT, angst, so much angst, like this will not end happily just know that now. Death. Abusive relationship (Silco is not the abuser just FYI). Pregnancy (Silco ain't the baby daddy, I'm sorry, but it'll still be fun).
Note: Silco is in his early 20's here and the reader is 18-ish.
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Ahead of you, a towering and shining city stands high, graced with blue skies and accented in gold and white. Clean air that’s never known the decay and rot of chemical runoff and fear. Far below your feet, a buried city chokes on its own death vapors. With one hand clutching the rusted metal of the rooftop railing, you peer down at the bridge connecting two very different worlds: your own and a fantasy land that pretends you don’t exist.
Your eyes cut to the side. “You’re staring again,” you murmur as you turn to the boy, a young man really, who stands next to you, dark locks shrouding his light blue eyes. A glint of gold reflects in them as he stares at the Piltover toll booth, guards exchanging passes into the upper city for whatever bits of riches the caravans can scrape together. It sets a bitter taste on your tongue.
“They’re paying to get out of destitution, to escape, only to find themselves buried deeper under fines from a city that will never accept them,” he breathes out, jaw clenching as the caravan lines begin to move before the next poor fool is pulled to pay his dues. “They’ll be lucky to find work, nevermind something worth living for,” he says and you sigh.
Stepping carefully over the broken and breaking metal platform, you set a hand on his arm, gently pulling him back. This isn’t the first time he’s said this, and it won’t be the last. But at this point in your life, you don’t have the energy or will to care anymore, much less think about how great the divide is between the surfacer’s city and yours.
“Come’on,” you say, leading him by the hand. He follows you, shoulders slumping as you walk down the ramp towards the ladder on the side of the building. “You promised me clean air and hot food, Sil, and all I’ve gotten are your philosophical musings and a shoddy view of an enforcer’s ass,” you tell him with a wry smile.
His fingers slide and intertwine with yours. “You like my musings.”
“Maybe in bed,” you shoot back, squeezing his hand as you smirk. Then you raise a hand to your mouth in a fake yawn. “They really put me to sleep.”
You loosen your hold on him as you come to the edge of the building, ready to start climbing down to the street when his hand tightens, and a tug pulls you back towards him. You raise an eyebrow in surprise as his free hand settles on your waist and his lips press against yours.
“Mmmm,” you hum as your arms wrap around his neck.
When you open your eyes, he’s already watching you with that crease between his brows as he scans your face. “I can’t decide…” he murmurs.
“Can’t decide what?” you ask, reaching up and running your fingers through his hair.
“If I like you better beneath the shadows of Zaun or in the open sunlight.”