Summary: Lux is determined to get Katarina to notice her this Snowdown. Will she be able to achieve her goal or will she go down in flames? Yuri warning! Completely AU from my current story "Betrayal." I hope you enjoy! And please do review!
I know it is late but WHALA! here you are a snowdown fic. Warning! There is yuri! (Lesbian pairing). Also this has nothing to do with my other story "Betrayal." If you think this one is a lot better written then my other thank Shaw Fujikawa and offering to help BETA (And yell at me for being an idiot). I was going to post it with my other story but it would just confuse people so it is now by itself! I hope you enjoy!
Blue or red? I had to look great for the party and I had finally narrowed my dress choices down to just two. The first was a sleeveless blue dress, similar to my eye color, which hung down to a little below my knees and had a neckline that hung just low enough to reveal a small amount of cleavage but still look formal. The red one was a bit more... adult, so to speak. It was also sleeveless, but the skirt hem was resting halfway up my thighs and the neckline fell a bit far for my tastes.
Normally, I would have gone with the blue one in a heartbeat and not even have asked Cait if I could try on the skimpy dress, but I had someone I wanted to impress! Everything they did was done with grace, and whether it was eating or killing, no one could look better doing it. Katarina Du Couteau - we had met several times before and she'd always had this cold aura about her, but I think that she is truly nice under that hardened exterior. I wanted to be the person to bring that out, but first I had to get her attention. Hesitantly, I slipped into the red dress, my face turning a similar color.
I have to do this, I told myself, trying to get over the embarrassment of wearing such a skimpy dress. Taking one step outside made me regret my decision, as the wind nipped at my exposed legs and arms alike. It was winter time after all, but I couldn't let that stop me. I looked down at my watch. The party had started about thirty minutes ago. Fashionably late. I mentally went over the pointers Ez had given me.
"You, Luxanna Crownguard, want to get someone's attention?" he had asked at first out of shock, but continued anyways, "Huh... well, revealing clothes, being late but acting like you're on time, flirting, and... putting out. Yeah, that would get them to notice you."
So far I was on the second, and I already had it all planned out. I would enter the building with gusto, casually make my way to a few groups, and strike up a perfectly normal conversations. Nothing could possibly go wrong... right?
Emboldened, my steps became quicker, making soft clacks from the heels that had been similarly borrowed from Cait. Though I was finding out rather quickly just how difficult it was to walk in the dress and heels combo. Just in the short walk from my room, I had already developed a blister on my right foot and the pain was throbbing all the way up to my knee. However, if everything went alright it would be totally worth it.
I was finally on the last bit of the walk. The ballroom was a giant two floor building, decorated by dancing lights crafted from both magic and techmaturgy. Artificial snow fell around the building and vanished as it hit the ground, all sort of gadgets and gizmos hung off the side, and several fake presents decorated the entrance. I gave them no amount of my time. My hand shook as I grasped the handle. I had only one chance to make the right entrance, and there were no do overs. With a deep breath, I swung the door open and strode in.
As I had hoped, I attracted everyone's attention, though not the way I had hoped. As I strode in I leaned too much to my left. Normally that wouldn't have been a bad thing, but given that I was wearing heels, the movement promptly snapped the stalk in half and I felt my balance wildly shift. I heard a high pitched scream, presumably from me. Luckily, the floor was carpeted at the entrance, preventing any injury besides the one to my ego.
For several moments I just lay there with my face planted firmly in the floor. I didn't want to get up, because doing that would mean I would have to face everyone that saw me fall. I stayed in that position for maybe twenty seconds when the scuff of someone's shoes on the carpet made its way towards me. My face already felt like it was on fire, and my eyes pinched closed to hold back the tears of embarrassment.
"Get up," an annoyed female voice commanded.
Oh no.
Please, lord, don't let it be Katarina.
"I said get up," the person repeated. My eyes cracked open to confirm my suspicions. Crouching over me was Katarina, the ends of her red hair tickling my cheeks. I wanted to disappear, to vanish, to be anywhere but here, but that wasn't possible.
"Are you going to get up or do I have to go get a stretcher?" she mocked. It would only get worse if I stayed on the ground. Halfheartedly, I propped myself onto my arms and looked around. Everyone in the entrance hall was looking at me with mixed expressions of amusement or sympathy, neither of which were helping nurse my bruised ego, but I began to clamber to my feet anyway. Forgetting that the shoes were broken, I immediately lost my balance again and fell sideways into a surprised Katarina.
"Useless girl!" she snapped, pushing me back onto my feet. Humiliated, I corrected my balance before removing the broken heels. Thankful to finally be steadied again, I turned to give a meek expression of gratitude to the red headed assassin. If step two failed I could at least attempt step three. Katarina's eyes, however, were focused above me; following her gaze I was met by a curious object. Jagged green leaves adorned around three small white waxy berries which hung from a petite red bow. I couldn't help but admire the simple beauty of it. It wasn't until my eyes fell back to Katarina that my mind decided to remind me of the plants name. Mistletoe, Viscum Album, known for the tradition of kissing underneath it during the winter season, though how the parasitic plant got related to love still baffled me. Here I was underneath the said love symbol with the person of my affections right in front of me. So I did what everyone in my situation would do, freeze up. The dozens upon dozens of eyes were boring holes through me; I could tell that they knew exactly what was above us. My eyes darted across every part of the room not occupied by a red headed assassin, hoping that she would instigate the kiss. Our impromptu audience was not so patient.
"Kiss her!" I heard Ahri, the Nine-Tailed Fox, shout. My eyes fell on her for a second as she cheerfully winked and gave me a thumbs up. It didn't help.
"No, kiss me, my Katarina!" Garen abruptly cried out. A dagger of a glare came from Katarina. Many other cries came out, but I shut them out. I stood there awaiting Katarina's action, praying for a kiss, only to have it dashed by one sentence.
"That is one ugly plant," she muttered. And with that, she spun around and stalked off, leaving me standing there alone and embarrassed. I don't know why, but I felt my feet begin to move. My steps were slow at first, but slowly picked up speed as my desperation increased. I couldn't let her leave, not without even succeeding with a single part of my plan!
I spun around the corner, nearly sliding into the wall as I lost my balance, and continued down the hall Katarina had taken. I could see her casually making her way down the hall, as if she had no clue I was there. I looked back for any followers, but all that remained of the incessant onlookers was a set of fox ears peeking around the walls. A scowl danced across my face, but I could deal with Ahri later. Spinning back around to face Katarina I almost lost my balance once again. Katarina had vanished, but I wasn't going to give up. I broke off into a full sprint down the hallway, hopefully losing that fox as well. The tuft of red that vanished around the next corner kept me going. I was at least heading in the right direction. One corner, two corners, three corners went by but it didn't seem like I was getting closer. Four, five and six only increased the distance between us. Thankful that I wasn't wearing my heels I continued, not wanting to miss this chance. "Faster!" I breathed to myself. Rounding the next corner I had a moment of panic as I didn't even see the tuft of red go around the corner.
A hand clamped itself around my shoulder, and roughly twisted my body around. One second I was looking at the next corner, next the ceiling with its wood trim, and then as my back hit the floor I saw an unlit chandelier in a dark room. Sitting up, I was hit by a wave of nausea. The fall hadn't actually hurt that much, but it confused my sense of balance a little. I blinked the swirls out of my vision and found myself staring up at the roof, once again on the ground. I tried to scramble to my feet once again, but a leather boot promptly found its home on my gut and slammed me back down. I couldn't help but cringe at the sudden pressure now resting on my stomach.
"Why are you following me?" Katarina's voice asked coldly. My eyes wildly tracked across the room, looking for her face. After finding the darkness unwilling to yield the result of my search, I cast a small Lucent Singularity that rested just below the ceiling to illuminate the room. Just to my left was Katarina, her hair dangling down over my face. It smelled pleasantly fruity and sweet.
"I asked you a question," she spoke, drawing my attention away from her hair and to her face. Her face was drawn into a dark scowl, an alien look on her otherwise elegant features. "Answer my question," she said warningly.
"Uh... I never got to um... thank you for... helping me back there," I said as a warmth spread to the back of my neck and cheeks.
She blinked in surprise, momentarily at a loss for words. "Oh." Her face gently tinged with a faint blush. "It was nothing, kid." Her fierce demeanour cracked for a moment as a hesitant smile curled the edge of her lips, but only for a split second. "Well..." she began, before clearing her throat, "I should get going then." She turned to leave.
"Wait!" I called out without thinking, my face exploding with heat.
She sighed. "What do you want now?" she muttered, her voice returning to normal.
"If you don't mind, maybe you would like to come with me to the party," I whispered, my brief rush of confidence fading.
"You'd probably just make me babysit you, so no thanks," she answered irritably, making to leave again when she stopped. Her eyes were once again focused on something hanging from the ceiling. Another branch of mistletoe. "What the hell is this damn plant and why is it all over the institute?" she demanded, her voice ringing with a sense of honest confusion.
"It's called mistletoe," I whispered. She turned to stare at me. "Also known as Viscum Album. As for why it's here... it's because... traditionally, people are supposed to kiss if they are underneath it, but only during winter," I answered. The room's temperature seemed to skyrocket as my blood temperature shot upwards.
She blanched. "Ah..." was all she answered as she just stared at the small branch dangling from the ceiling, but it was clear she was not seeing the branch but was lost in her thoughts. Just as suddenly as she had pulled me into the room her face turned so red it became hard to distinguish it from her hair. "I… I-I guess if it is a tradition... I should kiss you..." she said haltingly. "But I'm not doing this because I want to!" she added defensively. Her fingers toyed with the tufts of hair that danced around her arms. My mind, however, was still trying to articulate what she had said, and it wasn't until her shadow fell upon me did I notice what was happening. My mind screamed to pull away, but my body refused to listen and instead leaned inwards. It was a short warm peck on the lips, the kind the left you craving for more and soon our lips met again for a second simple and quick kiss.
"I-," I tried to speak but was interrupted by the loud creak of the door followed by the gentle steps of a certain fox.
"Oh, am I interrupting something?" Ahri mocked, grinning at the scene unfolding before her.
Katarina's face promptly went bright red. Whether it was from anger or humiliation wasn't clear to me. "N-no, I was just leaving!" she stammered, slipping out past the fox into the hallway. I, on the other hand, was still a mess and a half sprawled onto the floor, hair exploring every inch of the wood floor below me, trying to get a grasp on what had just occurred.
Katarina kissed me... twice...
Now I could never give up. In a miracle I could never repeat for the rest of my life, I launched to my feet in one fluid movement and flew out past Ahri. It was probably nothing but it almost seemed like Ahri whispered, "Good luck," to me as I dashed by, but I didn't have time to double check as Katarina was obviously more athletic then I last remembered. Either that or I could use some more exercise! It wasn't long before I found myself in a part of the Institute I didn't recognize. Lost, I began to fumble about, taking corners that probably were not the way she went. Oddly enough though was that there weren't even any summoners in the hall to ask for directions. My nose wrinkled at a putrid smell in the air. A chemical smell. That smell was soon accounted for when a tall man, bald except for a few stray hair adorning his head probably from his excessive chemical abuse, slammed through his door. I mean it, he just ran right through his door not even caring to open it. Luckily, I was able to slide behind a pillar, and as he passed I could smell the arid and putrid smell escaping the flask he held tightly in his right hand. Just one whiff caused a small gag but was luckily stifled by the hand I managed to shoot up to my mouth. This was most definitely the Noxian hall, and as I made my way past Singed's room I raised my arm to shield my face. The smell was greatly intensified, and one look at the grotesque scene inside just about did me in. I dashed past, not caring if anyone saw me.
"But it's so embarrassing," someone complained from behind another set of doors I passed.
"I think stockings look amazing on you, sweetie," a raspy voice that would stand out amongst a crowd answered. The nameplate next to the door further proved it was indeed Swain. I might of slowed down to eavesdrop, but was soon on my way again. Whoever Swain was with was none of my concern after all, though it would be juicy gossip. I was running out of ideas to where Katarina had hid, but that question was soon answered as I rounded the next corner. A door completely covered with signs "Demacians be gone" and "A sharp blade is better than a sharp tongue" along with the nameplate gave way to whose room it was. Nervously, I raised my, now shaky, fist to knock on the door. Just before my knuckles made contact with the wood, the handle twisted followed by the door swinging open. Sure enough, Katarina stood there, face wrought in an expression of mild nervousness as she looked at me.
"What do you want?" her tone gave indication of displeasure, yet also had the faintest twinge of excitement underneath it. My hand was still held up, ready to knock, before I returned it to my side. I stood there mouth opening then closing, as I tried to find the right words to say. I had chased her all the way back to her room, and not once during that entire chase did I think what I would do when I caught up to her.
Her face twisted into a more genuinely annoyed look. "Kid, if you don't have anything to say just leave," she said, the door hinge creaking as she made to roughly close it. Almost as if time had slowed I jammed my foot into the door path, stopping it from closing, but oh god was it painful. Nothing like those plays you see. I wanted to talk to her – no, I needed to talk to her.
"Can I come in?" I managed to squeak out. She glared at me suspiciously for a moment, but she soon gave a sigh and swung open the door, signalling for me to enter. I slid by, nervously placing myself into her room. It was a large room, much like my own, but was rather bland. There were little to no personal effects in the room. There was of course the necessities: bed, table, chair; the usual things one would find in a substandard inn room. Though I had thought that it would be like this, it still came as a surprise.
"So what do you want?" she spoke, bringing me back to reality.
My mind instantly lit up with, "You," but backtracked as I realised that would just end in failure, and plus I didn't have the confidence to say it. I rotated on my heel, hurting a little bit from the constant running without any foot protection, facing her now red face.
"Me?" she asked, baffling me slightly. "You want me?"
My face felt like it would burst into flame in horror. I must have said it out loud rather than just thinking it! Katarina wore a look of mixed confusion and embarrassment at first, but soon it twisted into a smile and a laugh. "Oh, I see how it is. So, who put you up to it? My sister? Or maybe it was Talon?" If I had been confused before, I was now lost.
"Huh?" I asked, almost as a reflex.
"Neither of them?" she asked, arching an eyebrow. "Perhaps you made a bet with someone?"
"I have no clue what you are talking about," I spoke meekly, trying to piece together what was happening. I had confessed that I wanted her and now she was talking about her sister and Talon? And now a bet of some sort?
She sighed in frustration. "You can drop the act, the door is over there," she half-heartedly nodded towards the door. Now I felt a spike of annoyance. I had just confessed my feelings and she was calling it an act? A joke?
"I-I'm not acting!" I spluttered. "I really mean it!
She simply shook her head and pointed at the door again before turning around. I felt a surge of anger pulse through me, and I wasn't sure if what happened next was foolish bravery or courage, but I shortly found myself storming up next to her, spinning her around, and slamming my lips into hers.
The kiss wasn't one of those short pecks like under the mistletoe, but a real kiss. Her lips were soft and tasted of cherry. At first, her eyes stayed jammed wide open out of sheer shock, but after a few tense moments she appeared to finally accept the gesture as she slowly closed them as she began to return the kiss. As cliché as it sounded, I truly felt as if she was the only thing in the world.
After about half a minute of being frozen in that position, I reluctantly realised that like most living creatures, I needed oxygen, and pulled away gasping for air. I wanted more, and I didn't have to wait long. I don't remember too much of what happened at that moment, there were more pressing matters literally pressing against me. She was the one to pull away the second time, her eyes searching my face for some sort of clue. "Still think it's an act?" I asked shakily.
One of Katarina's brows rose. "No, but you are a terrible kisser," she mocked, the edge of her lips twitching upwards into a slight smile, "I can fix that though." The grin that came after that was so tantalizing, I couldn't help but get wrapped right around her finger. I don't know how things will go after this, but what's the worst that could happen?
"So I hear the summoners are testing out these new two versus two practice matches," she said casually. "Want to try it out?" I didn't have much say as I was dragged towards out into the hall. Katarina seemed a little more upbeat, and I wondered if she had any other hidden sides to her. A slight warmth danced across my cheeks as my thoughts fell into less reputable territory.
Later, I told myself firmly. I had a lot to look forward to now and I am fairly sure we would have time to try that then.
Well that is all! I hope you enjoyed it! Please tell me what you think in a review and remember Shaw helped out a lot on this one! If you like my writing feel free to check out my deviantart or my twitch stream. Both are the same name as on here!