Author's Note
It's soooo late, I know, but here is the Riven simulation. I was lazy, and couldn't get around to finishing it for a while, but it's here now. The next one will be a Diana one as requested by several people. And as always review as post what you want to see next, or choose between Quinn or LeBlanc.
Lux had been avoiding Caitlyn like the plague. She knew it wasn't right, but she didn't know how to properly react to the knowledge of Caitlyn liking her. She was still confused at how she felt towards the Sheriff, and didn't want to ruin their friendship. As such, she gave Heim every excuse she could to avoid doing another simulation with Caitlyn present.
It had been a week of no simulations now, and the others were starting to get impatient. They all knew that Lux was trying to avoid Caitlyn like she was infected with some kind of disease or something. But they decided to give her the time to sort herself out. At least they had until today. It had been a week now and they were getting annoyed that she was taking so long.
Today, Caitlyn showed up at Lux's door, hoping to address the whole situation.
"Lux, can you open up? It's Caitlyn, we need to talk," the sheriff stated as she knocked on the door.
"Erm, I'm really sick right now, Caitlyn. Can you come back another day?" Lux lied, emphasizing her 'sickness' with fake coughs. She was in reality perfectly fine, simply sitting on a couch eating ice cream and watching cartoons on her hexavision.
"Lux, I know you're lying. You told Ezreal the same tale yesterday, and Heim two days ago. Look, I just want to talk to you. Please let me in," Caitlyn pleaded.
"...Okay...just... give me a second," Lux hesitantly responded. She attended to quell her nerves and fear, and got up to open the door. But as the door opened to reveal the sheriff, her anxiety surged right back up, and she was reducing to nervous jitters.
"Can I come in?" The sheriff calmly asked, noticing her friend panicking.
"S-sure." Lux led Caitlyn to the couch she was previously sitting on, nervous as to what Caitlyn would say.
"Look Lux, we both know that the last simulation changed a lot of things. You know that I watched, so you know how I feel about you," Caitlyn started as they sat down. "To be honest, I was really confused about my feelings until watching it. But when I saw it, I realized that that was the life that I want in my future. I kinda regret that I did watch it, or at least I wish my future self didn't tell you that I watched it. It would've saved us from all this awkwardness. Anyways, what I mainly want to say is that despite it all, I don't want my feelings towards you to change our relationship. I like you a lot, but I won't ask you out or anything else if it makes you uncomfortable. Okay?"
"Yeah, okay," Lux murmured. "So we are going to stay friends?"
"Yup, just friends. Or whatever you want us to be. Like I said, I won't push myself into you. I'll be there when you make up your mind, and if you don't return my feelings, that's fine."
"Are you sure, Caitlyn? I don't want to hurt you."
"I'll be fine, Lux. I'm a big girl," Caitlyn joked. "Now come on, I want to see the next simulation already. These past few days have been boring as hell."
Lux quietly followed Caitlyn out the door as the sheriff led them outside to the lab. But what she didn't know was how much it had hurt Caitlyn to say those words...
"You actually got her to come out her room? Great! We can finally do a simulation. So Heim, what sample are we going to do?" Ezreal asked once the girls had entered the lab. He and Heim had been bored waiting to see the results of Caitlyn's efforts for the past few minutes. Truthfully, Ezreal hadn't expected Caitlyn to be successful. He had been trying to get Lux all week, yet she listened to Caitlyn, the one person she was trying to avoid in the first place. It annoyed him that Caitlyn was more successful than him. Nevertheless, he was still elated to see his friend again, and was excited to do another simulation. In his opinion, it beat watching reruns on his hexavision any day.
"Ah, Luxanna. It is nice to see you out of your domain again. Glad you finally decided to join us. If you are comfortable and all situated, we can begin," Heim stated, ignoring Ezreal's question, placing his focus on Lux.
"Yeah, I'm ready now. Sorry for avoiding you guys lately," Lux meekly apologized with a slightly embarrassed blush on her face.
"It is alright, Luxanna. We understood that you needed time. Now let's make haste to make up for that delay, shall we?" Heim activated his randomizer to select the sample for the simulation. It landed on Riven.
"Hmm, Riven. That could prove to be quite interesting, indeed. If you would, Ezreal and Caitlyn, strap Luxanna in, we may begin," Heim instructed.
"On it," Caitlyn replied, while Ezreal merely hummed an "okay" in reply. Once they finished strapping Lux in, Heim activated his machine and sent Lux into Limbo.
"Alright, how are you feeling, Luxanna. It has been a while since you last experienced a simulation, and I want to make sure everything is operating smoothly for you," Heim questioned.
Yeah I'm fine, it will just take some readjusting to this place, Lux responded. So, how do I end up with Riven? She asked a few moments after.
"Ah yes, the background to this simulation. According to my machine, you and Riven connect through a series of events in Ionia. It is quite fascinating actually. Your relationship starts at Ionia. Riven, who is there seeking penance for her actions during the Noxian Invasion, is under the authority of Lee Sin and Irelia, who are aiding her with atoning for her war crimes." Heim took a moment before continuing. "Let's see. By the request of your brother and Prince Jarvan IV, you are sent to Ionia to discuss the creation of a trade alliance with one of the Ionian elders. Karma agrees to speak with you about the possible alliance over the course of a Lunar Revel festival that is about to occur at the time. As you discuss the alliance, you stay in Ionia during the festival and Riven is assigned by Irelia to aid you, as part of her rehabilitation process. Irelia has her show you around the islands and show you the basics of Ionian culture, in an attempt to get her to be more social and friendly. As she helps you throughout the festival, you begin to befriend her, and she begins to open up to you as well."
So basically, I meet Riven while I'm creating a trade agreement with Karma over a Lunar Festival. And she helps me to prove herself to Irelia and the others. That's the gist of it, right?
"Precisely. That is a simple summary of the events. After you two become close, she begins to fall in love with you it appears. You return her feelings, but must return to relay the resolution of the trade alliance to your superiors . As such, after the Festival ends, she stays to finish her assignments in Ionia, while you head back to Demacia. And after Riven finishes her rehabilitation, you and her strike up a relationship," Heim finished.
Okay, that sounds nice. Is there anything I should know before it starts?
"Well it seems that the simulation takes place in the same setting your relationship starts at: a hill in Ionia during a Lunar Festival a year after you two meet. I don't currently have anymore information at the moment though. If anything else comes up, I will let you know."
Thanks, Lux replied as the darkness of Limbo started to fade away.
The simulation started with Lux waking on top of something warm and soft. She got up to find that she had been lying on Riven's lap. Riven, who had been relaxing under the shade of a tree, noticed the removal of weight, and addressed her love wakening.
"Oh hey, Lux. How was your nap?" Riven asked. Lux assumed that she and Riven were lying beside the tree and she ended up falling asleep on top of Riven. She blushed in slight embarrassment, but replied.
"It was fine. Sorry for sleeping on you."
"It's okay. I don't mind, and to be honest, I like it when you lie on me," Riven assured fondly.
Lux tried to quit blushing as she tried to continue a conversation. "So, um. How are you?" She wasn't quite sure of what to say.
"I'm...fine," Riven replied with a pause. She wasn't really sure how she was feeling to be honest. She had been just sitting in peace, relaxing under a tree with her sleeping girlfriend. "I haven't done anything except for sit here with you, so I don't really feel any different. All I have done was sit here and look at the sky. Well, I guess that's not completely true. I have been thinking about some things while you slept."
"Thinking about what things?"
"I was...um..I was mostly thinking about this place, and um...you." Riven had a slight blush of her own after stuttering out her answer.
"Oho she was thinking about you," Lux heard Ezreal tease in a husky, suggestive voice. "She was probably thinking of ravaging your body while you slept, stripping you, and getting a good taste of your sweet-"
"Ezreal! Quit having such a perverted mind. Riven probably wasn't even thinking of anything remotely sexual. Get your mind out of the gutter, Caitlyn chastised.
"Oh sorry, Caitlyn. Your right, Riven probably wasn't thinking about Lux that way. But I'm sure you were though. Like you do every night."
Another, more indignant "Ezreal!" rang out, this time with Lux's thoughts accompanying Caitlyn's voice. Lux felt her face warm, and was sure the Sheriff's face mirrored hers. As the sound of flesh hitting flesh and Heim's cries for order in his lab and for the Sheriff to not kill Ezreal, Lux tuned back to the simulation, trying to ignore the background noise..
"Oh. What about me." Lux didn't know if she particularly want to know the answer after seeing the Exile's reaction and hearing Ezreal's teasing.
"I was just thinking how lucky I am to have you. I still don't even know why you fell for me." Riven looked downcast as she answered. Lux felt a bit sad seeing the Exile's expression.
"I fell for you because of who you are Riven. You may not think it, but you are strong Riven. You are very strong, one of the strongest people I know. A weak person wouldn't have made it this far on their own. They would have given up a long time ago. But you didn't. You persevered and joined the Institute. And even though you see yourself broken, I know you can be reforged. No, not can be, will be reforged. That is why I fell for you Riven." It wasn't really the truth. Lux didn't love Riven, or at least not currently, but she did admire Riven for the qualities she stated. And if she were to fall in love with Riven, those would be the reasons behind her doing so. So it wasn't really a lie, but more of an altered truth. But she wanted Riven to know that she was cared for.
Riven blushed at Lux's words and averted her eyes from the mage. She meekly replied, "That's why I am lucky to have you and why I love you. You were the one to believe me to be redeemable, when very few did. After the invasion, I always believed that I could one day change Noxus, but you were the one to give me the hope I needed. You were the one who believed that I can make my dream for Noxus a reality. You're my light in the darkness of my future with Noxus. With you, I feel like I can one day make a difference."
Lux blushed at the compliments. She didn't know how to respond to it, but she wanted to tell Riven how she felt...or at least how she believe she would feel if it was not a simulation.
"Lux, it's not hard, just tell Riven that you will always be there for her," Caitlyn suggested in an attempt to help her friend express her feelings.. But how do I do that? I don't know what to say.
Luckily for Lux, Riven continued before she even had a chance to say something.
"Anyways, I was also thinking about this place, and how special it is. I remember the first time we sat here. It wasn't that long ago that we enjoying the Lunar Festival. You know, I'm not one to celebrate much. Noxus does celebrate the festival, but I never really got into celebrating it. It was never a big deal for me. At least, it wasn't until I met you. I remember how giddy you were to celebrate it. You begged me to bring you someplace you could see the fireworks well, and so I brought you here and we sat and relaxed, like we did today. It was the first time I ever really celebrated a holiday, heh. And it was the time I realized that I had feelings for you. Right on this hill, under this tree." Riven finished with a content sigh, leaning back on the tree
"Yeah this place is really special," Lux agreed, even though it wasn't actually special to her. "It was so nice sitting here with you, enjoying the festival. I was surprised you had feelings for me, but I'm glad you did. I like being here with you." Lux lied back onto Riven who was surprised by the action, but quickly adjusted and relaxed again.
"By the way, I want you to know that I will always be your light in the darkness, Riven. I'll follow you anywhere to go."
Riven was taken by surprise again by Lux's words. But after a moment she smiled the biggest and happiest smile Lux had ever seen the Exile have.
"Lux?" Riven quietly started.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you. For everything. I love you." Riven finished by bringing Lux in for a warm hug.
Lux murmured "I love you too, Riven" and closed her eyes, resting in the warrior's arms. They stayed like that until the warmth of the hug faded to be replaced by the cold emptiness of Limbo.
"Well that was lovely," Caitlyn stated dreamily. Lux could tell that she had enjoyed the simulation by the tone of her voice
Yeah it was. Riven was really sweet, and a lot different that I thought she would be.
"Indeed the Exile was different than her usual, apathetic personality. It was quite refreshing to see this side of her," Heim chimed in.
Yeah, it was. What did think, Ez? After a moment of silence she repeated his name.
"Oh, he can't really respond right now. He's a bit...tongue-tied," Caitlyn told Lux.
What do you mean by that? How is he tongue tied?
"You'll see in a moment." Caitlyn laughed at the end, making Lux a bit nervous at what she will see.
After a couple of minutes she finally returned to reality. She hesitantly looked at Ezreal. She found that where his mouth used to be, stitched skin was now there. She shrieked in horror causing everyone in the room to reactively cover their precious ears. When she finally calmed down enough she managed to stammer out, "W-where i-is his m-mouth!"
"Calm down, Lux. I just used an invention of Heim's to temporarily close up his mouth. He was being annoying and I figured that he wouldn't stop. So I made him stop myself," Caitlyn explained, sounding a bit evil by laughing at the end.
"W-why would you even make a machine like that, Heim? That's terrible!" Ezreal made this rumbling noise that sounded like a grumble in agreement.
"Draven," Heim stated flatly. "I made it to mute that pompous, arrogant fool. He grinds my gears too much sometimes. I also made it for situations like this, when Ezreal is bothering Caitlyn. It allows her to ignore him, and avoid doing something she would regret, like castrating him."
"Pfft, I wouldn't regret that. The last thing we need is little Ezreals roaming the world. Hell, I would be doing Runeterra a favor," Caitlyn smugly replied. Lux didn't like the sound of that. Caitlyn sounded like she would seriously do it. Ezreal apparently didn't like Caitlyn's tone either and ran away in fear. The rest of them laughed as they watched her scurry out the door.
"By the way, how long does that even last, Heim."
"Oh, it is only temporary, and should only last about another hour or so. By then his mouth should unstitch itself. The stitches are not deep enough to stay attached for too long, and will only leave minor holes in his lips that will mend over time."
Caitlyn laughed again as she thought about how the poor explorer would miss dinner that would be arriving soon without a working mouth. Lux just shook her head at her friend's mischief and left to go to her room, thinking about her simulation.
