i. "I will never leave your side."
He clings to her, she's noticed.
Talon's embraces were warm and secure, strong arms wrapping around her waist as if to keep her there before kissing her in greeting. The hold would even linger a bit before they parted, but he was always quick to find her hand or any other way to be within physical proximity of her.
Other times he would press his body against hers flush like pages of a book as his hands worked themselves to find her weak spots like swell of her breasts, the flare of her hips, and the dip between her thighs, making her dizzy with pleasure. He'd bury his head in the crook of her neck and inhale her scent, muffling sweet sounds against her skin as she whispered his name and clung to him on her own accord.
And in their quieter moments, he would perform simpler gestures like resting his head on her lap, guiding her head to lean on his shoulder, or placing his hand on her back to show his gratitude towards her, to give her his strength or support, or one of the many other things that were difficult for him to say.
Riven hadn't thought anything of it at first, finding his sense of touch appropriate for a lover. After all, it wasn't like she minded his caresses – it was the complete opposite. But the more time they spent together, the more she realized how uncharacteristic it was of someone as outwardly cold as the Blade's Shadow to always be touching her, consciously or not.
Perhaps, she mused as her thumb traced the curve of his arm that fell sleepily around her middle as his chest rose and fell rhythmically against her back, it was because he hadn't yet experienced a sense of permanence in his life. From what he had disclosed to her, Talon had no memories of his parents, forced to fend for himself in the unforgiving slums of Noxus. He had murdered his closest friend in his youth in order to cleave himself from any sort of interdependence – deeming that the strong relied on no one other than themselves.
It was General Du Couteau and his mercy that had changed Talon's perceptions. Although his service to the family was built on the mercy that had spared his life, he had grown to admire the general and forged bonds with him and his daughters, forming the closest thing to a family he had ever known. And just when he'd realized that the camaraderie of others wasn't as detrimental as the so-called Noxian Way made it out to be, the general had been deemed missing and that sense of security that had been provided by him and his family had been shattered, leaving Talon alone once again.
She curled her smaller hand around his and gave it a firm squeeze. He'd confessed upon their reunion that her disappearance following the invasion of Ionia had struck him harshly as well. She hadn't been sure of what to say then except to apologize. She hadn't thought of those types of repercussions at the time of her self-imposed exile. Although they hadn't been romantically involved at the time, after their days in the Crimson Elite she had grown to consider Talon as a trusted comrade and a dear friend – It had never been her intention to leave him, to hurt him.
But she was here now and she would not abandon him a second time. With his arms still protectively wrapped around her, she wriggled carefully under the sheets as to not disturb him until she had turned herself completely around, smiling for a moment to appreciate his handsome, sleeping features.
Riven maneuvered her smaller arm under his to drape over the toned width of his waist, her face nuzzled against the warmth chest. Eyelids heavy, she whispered a promise before surrendering to her own slumber.
Part one of three, trying to get back into writing and honestly I only ever write stuff like this when I'm heartbroken SOO YEAH. But yeah, I've been meaning to write about these two for a while because they're the true League OTP for me. Because of the short length the other parts should come very quickly, so be sure to check for updates. Hope you enjoyed and don't forget to review!