On Rainy Nights

Summary: On the night one thing ended, something else had begun. But in times of war nothing was certain, and the idiots willing to be driven by their hearts would most certainly end up dead. He was different though, he had to be. Otherwise he wouldn't have gotten to where he currently was. Or was he?

Characters: Talon, Quinn, Morgana, Katarina

Genre: drama, action, romance, and a bit of comedy

Rating: T

X

The Past is mostly biased. Memories are messed up, and depending on the individual, shifted to what they want to make out of stuff. Maybe this memory was the same. It had to be. Otherwise, it would make no sense. Not that anything made much sense. On the day General Du Couteau had disappeared, the day Crimson Elite was forced to disband, and the day Swain took control of Noxus, Talon and Katarina were ambushed by a small group of assassins, probably sent out by a certain birdman to silence them once and for all.

The two most notorious assassins of Noxus weren't to be defeated by such weaklings, despite both of them being tired and annoyed by the stupid rain. So they did the one thing they were best at: fight. Outnumbered and fatigued, they managed to cut through most of the enemy, but even their stamina was coming to an end. So, with a mutual understanding, they nodded at one another, and the last thing Talon du Couteau saw in the dark, summer rain, was a fickle dance of red, as his sister disappeared in the shadows. He followed suit, taking a different road from her, heading to the lesser known streets. Sure, the rain messed up his hair, but that was the last of his worries. He passed a dark alley, when he heard steps. He was drenched, worn out and annoyed, and if one of the assassins had caught up with him, he certainly was in no mood to prolong his stay, as he was in enough danger already.

But it was far from what he expected. From the small alley, a person stepped out. At a closer look, it was a girl. She wore a red coat, now soaked, and some high heeled boots. She had long, dark hair, and that was all Talon could see, because he turned around to leave.

A soft cry and a loud thud stopped him again. He turned around, hesitating a bit, just to see the girl on the ground, clutching at her side. He gulped, and walked to her curiously, the knife on standby. Why was he acting out of character? Why didn't he just flee?

A shade similar to her coat was spreading on the dirty ground, soon to be swallowed by the rain. The woman was bleeding.

Talon could care less. She must've been mistaken by one of his pursuers and shot down. Not that he cared. Why was she there in the first place? Still, curiosity got the best of him, and figuring he still had a few seconds before the assassins caught his trail, he wanted to take a look at her. He didn't care about the woman who would be his scapegoat, but the least he could do was take a look at her face. Of course, it was covered in that annoying thickness of her hair.

Flowers, some flowery scent was covering her, but the rain washed most of it off of her.

He did notice quite the scar on her left collarbone, which seemed rather new and not healed, but before he could pry some more, he felt multiple presences closing in on them and without much thinking, he turned on his heel and disappeared in the shadows.

X

He awoke with a start, amber eyes widening twice their usual size, as he rose in a sitting position, calloused hand walking through long locks of hazel. His breathing was uneven and he could hear the drumming of his heart. That dream, he had that dream again. That fucking dream was haunting him again.

"Fucking dreams," he cursed under his breath, as he pushed the covers off of him and got out of his bed. The first thing he noticed was the pouring rain. Was there any chance for it not to rain in Noxus? If there was, he had no recollection of it. As a Noxian to the core, he was most accustomed to the cold, rainy nights of Noxus. The same night seemed to annoy him to no end. Whenever he had that dream, that memory from years in the past, his mood always turned bitter.

Not because of the fact that he left a woman to die in his stead, not in the least (or that's what he would always tell himself), rather, it was for the fact that he couldn't see her face. That's the least he could do for her. Making a face, the man, tall with a lean body, long hair of hazel and amber eyes, decided to head out instead. So he changed into more casual clothes, deciding that his usual cloak of blades was not suited for a night of undetected drinking. That didn't mean he wouldn't be prepared with a few blades, though.

He could have sneaked out through his own window, but why would he? He wasn't a thief, after all. And if he wanted to use the main door, he would do just that. Even though that would mean comforting a certain redhead battling insomnia.

"Where are you going at this hour, little brother?" He rolled his eyes as he passed in front of the living room, where his sister, Katarina was busying herself with one of her novels. Red hair was long and playing with the flames, emerald eyes bearing into his amber ones.

"That's for me to know," he replied moodily, and added bitterly. "And don't forget that I'm the older sibling." Then walked past her.

Katarina scrunched up her nose and went back to her book. She knew better than to taunt Talon when he was in a bad mood. Then again, when was he not?

X

It was past the witching hour, and most of the streets were empty. Common people surely knew how to handle the rules. On the other side, there was him, moving with the shadows, like a predator would hunt down its prey. The rain annoyed him to no end, but with his swift movements, the raindrops would barely crash onto him. He just needed to drink away those memories. Besides, it happened years ago, so why would he still cling onto the memory of a ghost?

Talon chuckled at that thought. That woman wouldn't be the first ghost to haunt him anyways. After all, they would just pile up and stare at his back. The victims that had fallen to his blades and the people he couldn't save. There was Kavyn, there was the General, and finally, the woman in red.

On rainy nights like that, overtaken by melancholia and emotions, he would quietly go there and drink away his weaknesses, and clean up his head. He had found that pub back when he was living on the streets, but after losing to the General, they went there to drink, and they would do that every now and then, after wrapping up missions for the Crimson Elite, or whenever Marcus got into a fight with Katarina. Oh, the memories... There were few things that would make a grown-up man cry, and a certain woman in red was among them.

Yes, it bothered him that he couldn't catch a glimpse of that woman's face, more than the fact that he sacrificed her for his own survival, but after all, that was the world they lived in. The strong people lived while the weaklings perished. Sure, the Talon from the present was a different man, he had more experience, and a stronger will, for he had made a promise to protect what remained of his family but... Just one more time, for just a moment would do. He would need just that, to see her face, and it would suffice.

The inn came into view, and, as it was in the slums of Noxus, most certainly it was filled with the regulars. Still, Talon landed on the sidewalk without making a sound, and quietly made his way into the inn. He wore quite the normal clothes, this time. Sure, most people knew who the Blade's Shadow was and in what line of work he had made a name, but he wouldn't walk in there screaming 'Hey all, I'm a motherfucking assassin, and can wipe your asses on the floor.'

The assassin headed downstairs, into the basement, where the pub was located. As always, there were the usual drunks and the crappy blues, but the atmosphere was nice and pleasing. It gave a feeling of intimacy, especially because the bartender already knew him.

"Hello, Mr. Assassin. Another tough night?" The woman asked, corrupted wings deemed unable to fly casting shadows over the bar. Morgana was the best example of multitasking, as she was running the number 1 bakery in Noxus during the day, called the Sinful Succulence, while serving heavenly drinks straight from hell at night. How she managed to fit all of that into her schedule, it was a mystery even for Talon. But for all he knew, Katarina was dying to eat the cookies made by the Fallen Angel.

She already knew what he preferred, so Talon simply sat at the bar. He greeted the woman curtly and looked around the pub, noticing how it was rather filled, even during a weekday. Or, well, night.

Morgana returned a few minutes later with his usual drink. Talon thanked her and proceeded on sipping from it. Self-destruction, he yearned for it. And he would have done that so long ago, had it not been for Katarina. He made a promise to Marcus du Couteau after all, to protect the temperamental redhead no matter what.

He drank and drank and drank, until he nearly lost himself. What good did all drinking do, if it only dampened his senses, and it couldn't even ease his heart? Talon hated alcohol for this very reason, despite the fact that he contradicted himself by drinking his sorrows away. Then again, he couldn't drown the ghosts, for they knew how to swim. And yet, when the doors of the pub opened a little past 3 in the morning, he considered Morgana's drink to have some magic mixed in it. Because, for some weird reason, it felt as though the world stopped around him and all he could focus on was the scent of lily of the valley and something sweet. He didn't have to turn around to check for himself, but he knew that whoever walked in was headed to the bar and was going to occupy the seat next to him. Oh, and how right he had been.

Talon pretended to be engrossed with his drink, as the woman – what a surprise, he had gotten that right as well – took a seat in the only open stool, and pulled the drenched hood off of her head, taking off the cloak altogether. The scent of the lilies intoxicated his nostrils and Talon made a face. With her every movement, he felt the scent more and more, much to his annoyance. And yet, he couldn't disclose the fact that she seemed rather... curious. To say the least. She had brown hair messily resting on her shoulders, pale skin and a navy jumpsuit covering her body. He didn't miss the crossbow on her right forearm, nor the way she was sitting in such a high and mighty way. Not even the fact that when his eyes met hers, Talon felt as though he had been captured by a whirlwind in autumn.

"What? You're staring." The woman spoke with narrowed eyes and an annoyed voice.

The assassin rolled his eyes. This woman was not womanly at all. She seemed more manly that most guys at High Command. "No matter how much attention you're seeking, hitting on a guy first thing in the morning won't do you any good." He retorted without a care, shifting his attention back to his drink. Why did this woman seem so familiar? There was something about her, something that just wouldn't sit right.

"Asshole," she coughed and turned to Morgana, wondering what to have. Eventually, she decided on something not too heavy but not that light either. It was late, after all, or just very early in the morning. Either would do.

Talon sneaked a couple of glances at her getup. The cloak gave nothing away, it was a plain, travelling one. Her jumpsuit though, with no symbols, nothing to play with her identity. Times were still uncertain, as talks about the Noxian-Demacian war to come to an end were taking place everywhere. Still, it didn't mean that certain... infiltrators wouldn't sneak around the two states, collecting evidence and whatnot. Amber eyes rested on her crossbow. It must have been handmade, or something, since it looked like a bird, supposedly. Then, it clicked together, like perfect pieces of a puzzle.

When Morgana returned, handling the woman her drink, Talon found the perfect opportunity to taunt her.

"Hey, Morg, since when are you serving Demacian spies?" He then asked without a care and the Fallen Angel's eyes widened in surprise, the assassin's question making the whole pub go silent.

But mostly, the woman next to him tensed up visibly. That's when Talon knew that he had been right. He wasn't certain, but his bluff ended up uncovering some truth. Her figure did seem familiar. He had seen her before, albeit from afar. If he wasn't mistaken – and he certainly wasn't, as proved earlier – she was a Demacian Ranger, someone who had crossed his path on many occasions over the last years. They would spot one another every now and then, on certain missions, but always from afar. And since their missions had nothing to do with one another, they'd ignore the other. Up until that point.

"Come on Talon, don't be a dick." Morgana spoke with a heavy sigh, sending murderous glances towards the assassin. He just shrugged and turned his attention to the woman.

Not to his surprise, he was met with a glare. At least the missy could hold her ground. "Are you picking a fight, scum?" She asked with a low voice, obviously not knowing just who she was messing with.

A grin widened on his face. If he wouldn't get a taste of self-destruction, a stupid bar fight would do as well. Noxus wasn't a closed state, after all, and anyone was allowed to enter, after negotiations opened. Most Noxians didn't agree with Swain and his ways of promoting peace with Demacia, so they'd pick a fight with anyone who wasn't Noxian. Talon wasn't an exception.

"Bold of you to call me that, missy." He taunted, turning towards her and taking out a blade from thin air.

The Ranger wasn't impressed by his trick and readied her crossbow. Around them, the pub emptied within seconds, as people, be them drunk or sober or in-between, knew when to run. Not that either of the two cared enough to notice. The tension was building up between them, but none of them was ready to make a move yet. Moving meant exposing themselves and it could lead to disaster. Besides, she was better off for ranged combat, while he was a goddamned assassin!

You just love getting involved in messy situations, don't you, Quinn? You and that big mouth of yours! She cursed inwardly, eyes never leaving the assassin. He seemed much more relaxed than she was, but maybe that's because he knew the pub better than she did, since it was the first time for her stopping by.

But the tension was eating at her patience, so she was the one to move first. She shot her crossbow then leaped backwards, putting some distance between them. Of course, Talon dodged that shot easily, but he got up as well, rising to his feet and finally facing her. She wasn't exactly the frail type, from what he noted, but she was still a woman, and if it came down to brute force, then, well... The victor was obvious.

Still, Talon preferred to be on the offensive, so, not even a second later, he disappeared from Quinn's sight, closing the distance between them and reappearing behind her. But she was quick on her feet, so she turned around before he could place his blade at her throat and kicked him with her foot, putting some distance between them once again. Her action did annoy the assassin, but at the same time, he was quite happy that someone managed to survive his surprise attack. Maybe this woman would serve as offering some fun.

"Not bad for a Demacian," he then added with a smirk, which pretty much contrasted his words.

Quinn rolled her eyes and readied herself for another assault. "Don't waste your breath, boy."

Talon moved with the swiftness of the shadows, headed straight towards her, but unfortunately missing his main weapon, so he'd have to handle her with only his smaller blades. He threw a curtain of them and leaped on the closest table, ready to rain down on her with his blades, when she shot her crossbow, and whatever was aimed at him, blinded his sight for a few seconds, forcing the assassin to back off.

But as he was vulnerable, Quinn took this opportunity to get closer towards him and kick him in his stomach and side, sending the assassin flying into a table, and tearing it into pieces. Still, she knew just that wasn't enough to make someone like that succumb, so Quinn awaited his next move.

"So you like it rough, huh?" Talon spoke with annoyance as he rose to his feet, and upon running slender fingers through his locks, he noticed a trail of crimson on his skin. Touching multiple spots on his head, he came to the conclusion that his forehead was bleeding. What's worse, the smell of the alcohol was printed onto his clothes, as he more or less landed on glasses and bottles.

It was a first, for someone to anger him so. The ever so cold and unmoving assassin was starting to lose his cool. All because a fucking Demacian Ranger decided to have a drink in his favourite pub. It could be said that she was in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Talon would be sure to make it so. Steadying his shoulders and trying his best to ignore the ache in his head, he counted his blades and decided the remaining 8 he had on him would do. So, concentrating on her, he gathered the remaining of his strength and went all out in one final blow.

He hated alcohol, for it dampened his senses. He couldn't concentrate just as well, and sometimes he'd make the assassination painful for the victim. He'd miss the vital spot by an inch, and instead of a curt, sudden death, the victim would perish in torture.

That wouldn't be the case, however. Moving through the shadows almost undetectable, he threw out his remaining blades around the woman, and appeared behind her seconds later, managing to cut through her clothes, as she wasn't fully prepared. He was about to call back his blades and cut through her milky flesh, when he noticed a certain scar on her collarbone. His determination faltered then, as images from that goddamned dream resurfaced, and he lost the right pace. All sorts of thoughts raced in his mind, and most of them made no sense.

But as Talon was about to finish her off – or maybe call off her finishing blow – he found himself chained. Blinking twice, he noticed the Ranger was chained as well, by a dark, malicious binding, and soon, Morgana revealed herself, and she was practically fuming.

Oh boy.

"Just what do you think you're doing?!" She asked, barely holding back her anger.

Talon and Quinn shared a look then both faced the angry Fallen Angel. A dark energy surrounded the woman, and for some reason, they both had the feeling that they were going to spend their last seconds on this world in that situation.

"We got, uh... caught up in the moment." Talon heard himself say and a moment after, mentally face palmed himself. Talking back to Morgana when she was angry? Great job, Talon!

"Oh, really?" A vein popped on the bartender's temple, and Talon gulped in fear. He had made a huge mistake.

"We're sorry." Quinn spoke, with a similar voice of aggravation, and Talon sneaked a glance at her. She looked back at him and shrugged.

"Sorry? Of course you are sorry. You made a mess of my pub! Not to mention that it's going to take a while until I clean up. And what about the clients who will be too scared to return?! Huh? Because of you two!" And the rant went on and on.

"We... could help?" Quinn suggested and upon noticing that what she said angered Morgana even more, he was that close to scream at her.

"Help? But of course of you! Starting from now, at that!" The Fallen Angel shouted at them, releasing the two from her bindings. "You can start by cleaning up the tables and everything you broke!"

And then she went to the back, looking for whatever she needed, leaving the two alone. Talon was flabbergasted. Just how did he end up in that situation?! All because of that stupid Ranger and her big mouth. He was better off kicked out in the rain, than having to clean up. But what to be expected of Demacians and their busybody personalities?

The assassin stood in the middle of the room, scratching the back of his head and flinching when his wound started to bleed again. That woman certainly did kick like a bull. Just what were they feeding Demacians with? Not to mention, that scar... Stealing glances from her, Talon saw how she complained about her ruined attire, and the scar was visible on her left collarbone once again. So he didn't imagine it, in the end. Still, it made no sense. Could it be a coincidence? He certainly did not believe in coincidences, but it was too much.

"Now what?" Her voice brought him back from his thoughts and as Talon blinked his way back to reality, he didn't fail to notice how her tone was coated with annoyance. She had a hand resting on her hip, showing a rather casual pose.

Still, she was a mess, just as he was. "Why is it so hard to be kicked out instead?" Talon found himself asking with annoyance.

His head ached, and the dizziness inflicted by the alcohol was slowly starting to fade. He was turning sober, and outside was still raining. Why was it so hard to just... get in a brawl with someone then move on? What was wrong with that stupid woman?

Quinn looked at him with an unbelievable expression, regarding Talon's earlier comment. How could she just leave as if she never got involved, when she was one of the two starting a fight, in the first place? And she had injured him, on top of that. Still, the atmosphere shifted from murderous to just awkward, so she took advantage of that and stepped towards him, grabbing a random clean cloth from the bar. She watched as he watched her every movements, and she watched him stand in one place, that tall and handsome man with such a bad personality. When she stopped in front of him, she barely realised how tall he was next to her, despite the fact that she wasn't on the short side herself. She lifted her hand to place the cloth over his bleeding forehead, her whole body in trance of his eyes. Such a deep shade of amber, she felt as though she were swimming in honey.

But, just as she was about to touch him, his hand snaked out without a warning, grabbing onto her wrist. The Ranger winced a bit, but that was it. More than an act of surprise, she would never give him.

"Where did you get that scar?" His question surprised her, but Quinn followed his eyes and noticed he was looking at her barren shoulder. Her brassiere was showing, and under other circumstances she'd be embarrassed. Then, for some reason, she was held captive, and not by his hard grip only.

"What's it to you?" She replied with a question of her own and his grip tightened around her wrist. Luckily, it wasn't the one with her crossbow, so she could easily shoot him, if she wanted to. Maybe.

Talon made a face. It was a surprise, really, to find the Blade's Shadow, have a quarrel with him and even survive. Or well, up to that moment. Quinn had spotted him from time to time, and she could hardly fight the drive to move closer to him, to trace him, to find out more about him. Why, she had no idea, but ever since failing her first mission in Noxus, and nearly losing her life, she had wanted to meet the man she had fallen prey to and pay back the favour. She couldn't see his face very well, but ever since seeing Talon for the first time, whenever she thought about that man, it was always the said assassin that came to her mind. Weird.

"Don't make me repeat myself. Where did you get that scar from?" He was starting to lose his patience. He was tired, annoyed and wanted answers. It was the first time, in nearly five years, that he'd come this close to uncovering the woman in red who had been haunting him, and he wouldn't back off, no matter what.

He felt the coldness of her crossbow against his neck, as he grabbed onto her wrist more forcefully and slightly lifted her off the ground, but his eyes never left hers. Still, Quinn felt much more uncomfortable than Talon did, and he knew he'd be able to dodge before she shot. Then again, he desperately needed answers.

"I," the Ranger flailed in his grasp, unable to set herself free. "I got it a long time ago, when I was still a trainee." She then let out through gritted teeth.

All right, but that didn't answer much. So his next action surprised both of them. Talon cut through her jumpsuit, revealing the soft skin of her hips and stomach. Quinn shrieked at that, but even as she dug the crossbow deeper into his neck, the assassin wouldn't bounce. He didn't expect to find another scar where the woman was injured, back in the memory-turned-dream, but when he did spot the traces of a scar not healed correctly, his blood froze in his veins.

The woman who had been haunting him in the past years, the one he had used to escape, the one who wouldn't let him sleep... She was there, in front of him. It had to be her, right? Blood drained from his already pale features and his head was starting to become dizzy. His grip loosened around her wrist, so Quinn could easily free herself, first thing. The crossbow retracted from his neck as well, a ghostly whisper of a touch.

"T-that scar, where did you...?" He couldn't finish his question as the dizziness and loss of blood had taken over his body.

Talon prepared himself for a hard crash onto the ground, but instead, someone grabbed onto him and he ended up sitting on the ground. With a heavy sigh, Quinn kneeled on the ground next to him and began cleaning up the blood around his forehead and gently pressing it against the wound, to stop the excess of blood from getting out. The man reeked of alcohol though.

"I suppose we both were chasing ghosts these past years. It was my first mission, back then, on a rainy night like this. I was to find information about you and Katarina, but ended up wearing the wrong stuff, and because I was sloppy, I got shot. Guess I took a bullet for you, back there. It's a wonder I managed to escape from Swain." She spoke, without looking at him. How could she?

Her hatred towards the man who abandoned her in that alley was the only thing driving her to survive and live through that torture, only to find the strength to escape one day. And ever since, all Quinn could do was ask for as many missions in Noxus as possible, until she would meet the man whose face she no longer remembered, and to exact revenge in the end.

And yet... why was she taking care of the man she had sworn to murder in cold blood? Was it those eyes of amber that dawned upon her? Or the fact that he was holding her waist without her noticing, or the raw desire to run her hands through those messy locks? Damn, she had no idea, but what she knew for sure, that she was getting lost in him.

Lily of the valley mixed with alcohol wasn't the best option. But for him, it was the best he could grab onto. It was a first, for Talon to find himself at a crossroad. For the first time in his life, he had no idea what to do. He had found her, the ghost in his memories, the woman in red – though she was wearing different colours – and he had no idea what to do with her. Well, he didn't plan on killing her, so that was a start. And she didn't plan on killing him either, for the moment.

"Oh great!" The annoyed voice of a certain Fallen Angel broke the silence between them, forcing Quinn to jump away from Talon's touch. "I leave for two minutes to gather stuff to clean up, and these two are hooking up!" Morgana continued with annoyance as she walked to the two and threw brooms and dustpans at them.

"We're not..." Quinn protested with a blush creeping on her cheeks, as she walked up and grabbed a broom and stole a glance from Talon.

He shrugged without a care, as he was aiding his wound.

Morgana literally flipped a table at that. The Ranger and the assassin shared a look missing enthusiasm. "By the lord! I get my pub messed up because of a lovers' quarrel! And now they're back together, like the lovey-dovey couple they are. What did I do to deserve this?! I curse you, Kayle!" And the nagging continued.

The rain outside didn't falter, as the Ranger and the assassin began to clean up their mess. There were many uncertainties lingering in the air, and neither of them knew how to properly grasp onto that new feeling which presented itself, but it was a start.

Well, at least they didn't kill one another in the end. The rest will work out, somehow. Maybe.

X

Note: Well, I had so much fun writing this one xD But really, someone teach me how to write shorter oneshots I did not mean to have it so long, but I can't control myself. There's so much to write and ugh. Thank you for all the support you've shown towards my stories 3 I am very happy you enjoy my silly writing :'D I can't promise lots of updates though, cause I took a long break from writing and now it's kind of hard writing, so I might still suffer from writer's block or pure laziness (and uni and all that), so I'm sorry. I'll try my best from now on as well, tho :D Well, at least I'll try my best here, since in League I'm still a nub and a feeder. I wonder how I got to my elo lmao.