Aperture:
The size of the opening through which light passes in an optical instrument such as a telescope. A higher number represents a smaller opening while a lower number represents a larger opening.
The first time Lux sees him is in the Planetarium of Piltover. She is sitting in the auditorium, listening intently to the speaker drone on about constellations. He's a stout little man, clad in a gray suit, and he only means well. It's relieving that she enjoys astronomy and the like, otherwise she will fall asleep in her seat. She also enjoys the vast differences between her city, Demacia, and this one. Piltover had guns, cars, robots... Demacia had swords, horses, soldiers. There is a stark difference, but it is one she can admire.
The speaker then directs a question towards the audience. A hand shoots up before Lux even blinks, and it links to a boy with flaxen hair.
"That constellation would be... Aminus. It can only be seen once every fourteen years." He says, his voice tinted with confidence. She is alarmed. She has never seen anyone answer a question so fast; especially, since she was the one to graduate at the top of her class at the College of Magic.
"Rightfully so, Ezreal!" The speaker chortles. He continues on with the lecture, but the mage is no longer paying attention to him. She's focused on that boy with the flaxen, unkempt hair and those eyes that are filled with the hue of the cloudless skies.
Ezreal. What a name. Lux arches an eyebrow.
After the presentation, the audience is crowded around the displays of the universe that are planted across the hallways. But most of all, one can find that Ezreal is quite popular as well-a horde of fans approach the explorer, asking him for his autograph and where he's going next.
For some reason, Luxanna wants to approach him, but she cannot. Her feet refuse to budge. What an inconvenience. She's so used to acting proper and happy, but this time, she finds that she'd rather avoid him. He's invoking strange, foreign feelings within her. She feels intimidated by his presence, but she wants to be friends. Feelings that she wants to ignore.
And so she does; after all, she does have a strong will.
The facade does not keep up for long. With each trip to Piltover, Lux learns a bit more about the explorer. How he, a magical prodigy just as she, had taken a different route and dropped out of school to pursue his dreams of exploring the world. How he was much braver than she, although she loved her education. How he mapped each individual tunnel underneath the entire city of Piltover. How he had romanticized stories written about his adventures. He was practically a celebrity within the city, but he did not seem to act as so.
One day, she sees him out of the corner of her eye. She is in the Piltovian library this time, picking up a book about techmaturgy and hextech. He is across the way from her, his eyes meeting hers. Silence overwhelms them; Lux feels as if it has been minutes instead of seconds.
"Hello," the boy with flaxen hair says slowly.
"Hello." She responds, avoiding eye contact. She would be reprimanded for that, if her parents were here.
"I see you picked up the book instead." He flashes a grin towards her.
"My apologies." The Lady finds her voice, lifting the book over the gap in the shelf. "I was just browsing-"
Ezreal puts a hand up to stop her. "It's okay. I've read that book plenty of times. It's just a nice reference from time to time."
"I... I don't really need it," Lux says, suddenly embarrassed. "It's not like we have access to this technology at home."
"Oh. About that. You don't look like you're from around here." He laughs quietly. "Your armor is very distinctive-Demacian?"
"Yes, Demacian." Somehow, Demacian is pronounced with more ice than she'd like.
"What are you doing here then?"
"I'm... I'm a diplomat, I guess you could say. I'm here to oversee the developments between Piltovian and Demacian politics-"
He groans. "You lost me at politics. No wonder you're here...uh...?" The blonde boy awaits an answer.
"Lux."
"Lux. What a fitting name. Well, I'm Ezreal. I'll let you look at the book-you look too bright to be invested in that shit."
She raises an eyebrow at his response. Shit? How improper. He laughs.
"Well... it was nice meeting you, Lux." Ezreal offers her a grin again before pivoting around towards the exit of the library.
She waves at him, before considering the option of borrowing the book. She doesn't. The Lady places it gingerly back on the shelf, biting her lip with hesitation.