Luxanna slumped dejectedly against a tree in the Institute's surrounding garden, staring up at the moon through bleary eyes. She rubbed her eye with a gloved hand, and realized she was still in her dented, singed, soaked, melted, and ultimately ruined battle armor. She hadn't gone to her room since her last match of the day.
She wondered idly if anyone was wondering where she was. If anyone was worried or looking. They would've been here hours ago, she thought, shooting herself down. She bit her lip and choked back a sob, another wave of tears rolling down her cheeks. Sobs racked her petit frame as she hugged her knees, not even caring about her volume anymore. She almost seemed as if she wanted someone to hear her cries. She was crying for help. For someone, anyone, to hear her. To hold her. To tell her it's alright. It'll all be okay...
Lux released her legs from her grasp and toyed mindlessly with her baton, bending the moonlight around small shrubs, making them invisible to the naked eye. She wished she could be invisible like that every day. She wondered what it would be like if she disappeared.
Some days, Lux thought she was better off dead.
She contemplated her options silently, staring up at the moon once more, until a voice from behind, while soft and quiet, startled her half to death.
"Lux?"
She internally fought the urge to bend the light around herself. Anything to ward off Ezreal, who was now approaching her carefully. She looked up at him, unable to hide her emotions behind her tear-stained face. He slumped down to the ground beside her and put his hand on her blackened shoulder plate, his fingertips going past its metal boundary and grazing her torn navy undershirt. She leaned into his hand slightly, enjoying a caring touch, but she didn't speak.
"What's wrong?"
Overcome by her emotions, Lux collapsed into Ezreal, clutching the fabric on his shoulders and sobbing into his chest. He was taken aback; he had never seen her like this, and he wondered how such a vibrant girl could be so depressed. He wrapped his arms around her comfortingly, stroking her back and resting his chin on top of her head.
"Ezreal?" Lux finally managed to choke as she pulled herself off of him. He gave a questioning glance and attempted to maintain eye contact, but she kept averting her gaze to the ground, as if it were the most perplexing thing she'd ever seen. "If I died..." She paused to choke out a dry sob, "would you care at all?"
Ezreal was speechless, tears forming small rivulets on his face. He took Lux in his arms tightly, as if she were the most precious artifact he'd ever found, and kissed her deeply. "Of course I would. Actually, Lux... I don't think this place would be the same without you." He brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face and planted a kiss on her cheek. She managed a small smile, and buried her head in the crook of his neck.
For the first time in a long time, she wanted to live. For the boy that showed her that the world isn't such a cruel place after all.