ACT 12
Green eyes stared through the mirror of the simple vanity, hands moving by itself and applying make-up on the face of the owner of the emeralds. The perfectly drawn eyeliner outlining her eyes gorgeously, the natural blush on her cheeks suiting her well and the red tinting her lips made it look more noticeable and eye-capturing.
Katarina didn't think much about her appearance, knowing a certain Queen would look even more beautiful than her. She stood up from the chair she was seated and walked towards the full-body mirror beside the vanity, viewing her current appearance.
She donned a fitted black dress that flared out at the bottom and revealed a generous portion of her back to any onlookers that can gather the courage to ogle at her. There were also a few parts where the cloth used in the dress is see-thru, so that also added more to the appeal that it already has.
This ball she's going to be attending soon, it's dedicated to the very day when the Frost Archer had come across the Avarosan bow. Based from the talks she heard earlier from the guards, champions from other factions, the ones allied and have no bad blood to Freljord, will also be attending.
It would be a miracle if she were to see a Noxian, except herself, at the party. Despite the fact that she hadn't seen the list of people Ashe had sent invites to, she is absolutely sure that no Noxian was on the said list.
As she surveyed herself with the assistance of the mirror, she started to think about what she and Ashe had conversed about two days ago at the carriage on their way back to Freljord. That was the last conversation she has had with the archer and it has been haunting her lately. From the past two days, Ashe acted so detached from her, avoiding in interacting with her in any way possible.
Tryndamere seemed to have caught on with the sudden distance that had developed between her and Ashe, and Katarina is honestly somewhat surprised that the barbarian still hadn't made a move in confronting her.
She hadn't even been able to question Ashe about what she and Jarvan were arguing about, but she does have a hunch. She has been contemplating the 'almost-assassination' a few nights ago, which led her to the conclusion that Jarvan had purposely assigned her and Ashe to share a room for the Queen to murder her once and for all.
Unfortunately for him, Ashe didn't go through with it, which mostly explains the glares the two rulers exchanged during their conversation at the balcony that time. Of course that's just her theory. Katarina's still not sure if she's right or wrong about it.
"I developed feelings for the puzzle."
Then, there's this.
After Ashe had admitted and said those words to her, Katarina ended up at a loss for any replies whatsoever. Every time she recalled that moment, she either wanted to throw herself out of the window or stab herself with her own daggers. Her reply wasn't really the most proper one.
"Okay."
That's it. That was her answer to Ashe's confession.
The hurt that showed in Ashe's eyes sent a sharp pang in her chest. When all of this started, the program, the journeys, the life-saving moments, Katarina would have not given a single sideward glance at Ashe's direction no matter how pained the archer looked. Now, with just a simple yet clear gleam of pain that shined in those gentle eyes, it sent Katarina spiralling down to a direction she doesn't even know what to refer to.
What made this all too worse was the look of understanding Ashe gave her once the pained glint was masked.
That's what Katarina hated the most. She wanted Ashe to snap, to become furious, to get angry at her for giving an answer full of shit. But no, the Queen is too tenderhearted to react like that. Katarina hated herself. She doesn't deserve the utmost understanding Ashe can offer AND has offered. She's probably the last one who should receive such a thing.
What has she been giving Ashe from the days that have passed?
Political complications, complaints, stress and a troublesome headache called Katarina.
And what has Ashe been giving her?
Trust, understanding, compassion and...
Dare she say it?
Love.
Something Katarina has never given to anyone.
Katarina's pride kept getting in the way every time she would think of something beyond Ashe's actions. If she were to succumb, let her emotions take over her, she feels like she'll become weak, that it will be her downfall in the end.
An assassin with emotions is a dead man walking.
She had a dream last night.
Or, was it a nightmare?
Wherever she is, she didn't care. She was just standing in a pitch black surrounding, but regardless of the lack of lighting, Ashe's bloodied form was as clear as day in front of her.
Ashe was clutching her bleeding throat with a hand, the other keeping herself from collapsing to the ground completely. Behind the archer, Swain and Jarvan stood, wearing different facial expressions. Jarvan had a look that can be described as a smug kind, while Swain showed how proud he was to Katarina.
"You should have killed her while you still had the chance." Jarvan said to the dying royal on the ground. "Look at what your mercy has done for you."
"Excellent work, Katarina." Swain complimented with a triumph smirk. "That's one nation less to deal with."
She could only stare at the prince and the tactician before her gaze turned to Ashe, who was looking up to her with eyes that shined with tears that refused to fall.
"I'm... I'm sorry..." Ashe choked out, her voice barely above whispering.
Katarina didn't know what to say or do once she heard those words. Once she had said her apology, Ashe's eyes drifted close and her body completely fell to the black surface, lifeless. The blades she held and was stained with Ashe's blood was dropped and forgotten, but its clattering was mute and remained unheard. All she could heard was her scream.
"Ashe!"
After that dream, she woke up, crying out Ashe's name in the process. Sweat practically coated her whole body and her breathing was uneven. Even though she's in Freljord, she still felt like her body was on fire for a few moments when she had left her slumber.
Katarina is losing her direction. When she had first arrived at Freljord, she wanted nothing more but to leave and go back to the Institute, or maybe Noxus.
Now, she doesn't know where to go. Yes, she's welcome to the Institute and of course her homeland, but her mind, her heart, her everything. All of that, she doesn't know where to put them, where it would be satisfied.
She has a feeling that if she stays in Freljord a week more, she is going to be filled with nothing but insanity. But what will happen when she goes to the Institute? Or to Noxus? A lot of possibilities, yet she can't envision a future for herself anymore.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Who is it?" She questioned without turning away from the mirror.
"Miss Du Couteau," Came a man's voice, probably a guard or a butler. "Guests are already arriving at the ballroom."
"I'll be down in a minute!" She called back, dismissing the caller.
Katarina looked into her own eyes through the mirror, taking a breath. Once she gathered her scattered thoughts, she turned away from her reflection and left the bedroom to make her way to the party.
When she reached the archway leading into the ballroom, she heard the claps of the guests, which echoed down the quiet halls of the castle. Walking into the ballroom, Katarina found it filled with guests from different nations. Not so surprisingly, she also spotted a few familiar champions. She guessed that there may even be more members of the League in the middle of the crowd.
Looking at the front of the room where a platform is set up, she saw Ashe smiling and thanking the guests before stepping down. The Queen wore a white and beautiful flowing dress cinched at the waist by a shiny silver belt that completed the whole outfit. It's a simple dress and the make-up on her face is on the same level, yet Ashe looked absolutely breathtaking.
"I never thought I'd see the day you'd be wearing a dress."
Katarina froze on the spot, the speaker's voice being the sole cause of it. She spun around, the hem of her dress twirling along with her spin, and faced the owner of the familiar voice.
"Cassiopeia?"
Her sibling smirked at her in greeting. "Hello, dear sister."
She looked at the half-serpent with disbelief. "What are you doing here?"
"We were invited,"
Her gaze whipped to the right and found the Deceiver approaching them with a dress as provocative as her usual outfit.
"Surprised?" LeBlanc asked, sounding like she was teasing her.
"By 'we', who are you referring to?"
"Cassiopeia, Talon and of course, me." LeBlanc answered with a sweet smile, gesturing a hand to herself.
"Talon is over there," Cassiopeia pointed to one direction. "Getting me some wine."
"How were all of you invited?" She questioned, looking between her two fellow Noxians.
Cassiopeia rolled her eyes at Katarina's glare. "The Queen sent us an invitation, how else?"
Katarina looked at them incredulously, not at all convinced with her sibling's answer. Noxus doesn't have any alliance or connections with Freljord, so the presence of not one, but three, excluding Katarina herself, Noxians in the Avarosan castle is quite shocking for the assassin.
"She sent you a what?"
"An invitation." A soft voice answered from behind her.
For a moment, Katarina became still before turning around halfway and looking over to the person who had just spoken, which turned out to be the very subject of their conversation.
"I sent them an invitation." Ashe completed, flashing a polite smile to her.
"Um, hi..." She greeted a bit awkwardly, her eyes leaving Ashe's face and trailing south, viewing the current outfit Ashe is wearing. In all honesty, Ashe looks much more divine up close.
Ashe nodded her head to her before turning her attention to LeBlanc. "Miss LeBlanc, may I speak to you for a moment?"
Katarina's face morphed into a surprised one, her sister mirroring her expression. LeBlanc and Ashe remained calm and formal to each other, as if the two of them conversing outside the Rift is a casual and daily habit.
"Of course."
Ashe gestured for LeBlanc to walk along with her through the party, but of course, the Queen turned to the two sisters and smiled.
"Enjoy the party, ladies."
After Ashe bid them those words, she and LeBlanc walked away, conversing quietly among themselves. Katarina instantly made a move to follow and tail the pair, wanting to know what they're discussing. Much to her annoyance, a hand clasped over her shoulder and prevented her from doing what she was about to do.
"Where do you think you're going?" Cassiopeia asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Let go, Cass." She growled.
"Oh, come on, Kata. Let them be. Whatever it is, I'm sure it doesn't concern us."
She turned to face the direction where the pair disappeared off to and opened her mouth to protest but a glass of wine was suddenly and practically shoved to her face by the newly-arrived Blade's Shadow.
"There," Cassiopeia said, who was now holding a glass of wine of her own, which probably came from Talon. "Have some wine."
Katarina wanted to do two things, slap the wine glass away or take it and throw the contents to either Talon's face or Cassiopeia's. After half a second's worth of time in deciding, she chose none of the above and just took the glass in a grip that almost made it crack.
"Don't any of you two think that LeBlanc speaking with Ashe is a little weird?" She asked the two. "We don't really see them having coffee and talking about the weather every now and then, now, do we?"
"They're not the only ones that's being weird here, you know." Cassiopeia then started pointing to various directions. "There's Leona with Heimerdinger, there's the Demacian blondie with Miss Fortune, the little prince of Demacia speaking with Jhin and Teemo speaking with Akali."
"You're missing the point." She gritted out.
"Katarina," Talon spoke up, capturing not only hers, but Cassiopeia's attention as well.
"What?" They chorused unintentionally.
"I found a trail."
"A trail?"
Talon nodded. "General Du Couteau may be alive and is currently out there, on the run."
Katarina stood stiffly, while Cassiopeia quickly casted a few glances around them, checking to see if there are any eavesdroppers in their conversation.
Cassiopeia then nodded her head to a secluded space behind a pillar. "Over there."
The three of them moved away from the crowd and headed towards the pillar. To make themselves look casual, Talon leaned his shoulder onto the pillar, while Katarina and Cassiopeia kept their postures relaxed.
"This trail, is it the same one you told me about?" Katarina asked, 'casually' sipping from her wine.
"It is, and like what I had said, it looks like I'm on the right track."
"Where did the trail lead you?"
"It led me to Demacia."
A moment of silence.
"Did I hear you right?" Cassiopeia gave Talon a confused look. "Did you just say Demacia?"
"Yes, I did."
"What would he be doing there? Are there any specific locations you traced it back to?" Katarina was feeling slightly anxious now.
"Not yet," Talon shook his head. "I'll report back to you once I increase my findings."
"As soon as possible."
"As soon as possible." Talon repeated with a nod.
"Mingle with the guests as casually as you can tonight," Cassiopeia murmured to the redhead. "Wouldn't want to attract any suspicions from those Demacians."
"Whatever."
"I'm going to search around the castle. Rumour has it, the Avarosan castle's library has a book that contains all of the hidden underground passages in Runeterra. It may be of use to us when I find it."
"Katarina and I will cover for you. Don't get caught." Cassiopeia said before the three of them dispersed in different directions.
As Katarina walked through the guests who moved out of her way to avoid any conflicts with her whatsoever, she decided to throw Cassiopeia's 'mingle idea' out of a mental window. She made her way to the classy and elegant-looking bar that's set up at one side of the wide ballroom, planning on thinking about the new info she received with alcohol as her company.
"I can count on you, then?"
Katarina stopped on her tracks and directed her gaze to her left, where she saw Ashe and LeBlanc heading her way.
LeBlanc chuckled. "Would I lie to you?"
Ashe sighed and shook her head at LeBlanc's words before she and the dark mage said their excuses and parted ways. LeBlanc may have changed course, but Ashe, who spotted her after the conversation, headed towards her. Just by the look in Ashe's eyes, Katarina instantly knew that the archer is planning on speaking to her.
She has been waiting for this moment, to be able to interact with Ashe again to talk about every single thing between the two of them and everything else. But a part of herself, a part that won over her so suddenly, cowered and decided to control her body and have her proceed to the bar.
In her peripherals, she saw Ashe open her mouth to probably call out her name, but Tryndamere abruptly came out of nowhere and grabbed Ashe's wrist, a serious look in his eyes. Ashe met his jade-colored eyes and the two of them exchanged a few words before they both headed away and out of the ballroom.
Half of herself is thankful that Tryndamere had taken Ashe's attention, a quarter of herself is disappointed and the remaining quarter became... jealous. Katarina nearly growled at the word she thought of.
Why would she be jealous? It makes complete and total nonsense to her.
She refocused and pushed that specific thought at the back of her mind once she reached the bar, which is being managed by none other than the Rabble Rouser.
"What's yer poison?" Gragas asked after chugging the contents of a small barrel of rum.
"Your strongest vodka and whiskey." She ordered after emptying the wine in her glass, wanting to ignore the feeling of jealousy gnawing within her.
"Yer lookin' to get hammered, eh?" Gragas laughed. "I'll make you my strongest drinks!"
"Hurry up, then."
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
The party is in full swing, but at the bar area of the ballroom, a certain red haired Noxian isn't. Despite the more than a dozen empty shot glasses in front of her, Katarina still seems ready to take on more alcohol. Gragas didn't even need to be called, for the bigger man took it upon himself to just slide five shot glasses sequentially to Katarina every time she finishes her last shot of the previously given batch.
Katarina felt like she's sitting on a fluffy cloud, leaning on a table made out of plush pillows and felt like she is high on the most illegal drug there is in Runeterra. All those aside, Katarina is actually just a hundred percent drunk.
She heard and saw someone sit at the stool at her right, so she turned to the occupant and let out a few mildly slurred words that can make any stranger uncomfortable.
"Want to get out of here and have sex?"
The occupant turned out to be her own sister.
"I'm not really fond of engaging any sexual activities involving my own sister." Cassiopeia said with a look that clearly said 'what the fuck have you been doing with you life'. "I said mingle, Kata, not get drunk."
The approaching sound of heels clicking and clacking on the marble floor entered Katarina's hearing, each click and clack echoing in her ears.
"Good evening, Ashe." Cassiopeia greeted, attention redirected.
Katarina turned more to the right, which is where her intoxicated senses told her the newcomer is at. Once her hands left the table, she fell forward and off the stool, caught by a pair of arms. She immediately locked her arms around the catcher's slim waist.
"Oh, Avarosa..." She heard Ashe say. "Is she drunk?"
"Apparently." Came Cassiopeia's voice from the side.
Katarina took in a breath, her sense of smell being filled with the refreshing scent of peppermint. In her drunken state, any traces of shame became absent. She was too drawn to the fresh scent, so she buried her face as much as possible to something soft, inhaling in and out deeply and quite loudly.
Unknown to Katarina, she has currently buried and is still pushing her face against Ashe's chest, the muffled but audible sound of her sniffing and loud exhaling causing a few onlookers to either blush, look away or both.
Cassiopeia turned her gaze away, murmuring something about Katarina being weird and a pervert whenever she's drunk. Ashe, despite the light blush dusting her cheeks, made sure to keep herself composed.
"Did she drink all of those?" Ashe asked Gragas, eyeing the empty shot glasses, while attempting to push Katarina's face off of her boobs without hurting the redhead.
"Aye, my Queen!" Gragas saluted with a laugh. "She's a drinker, I tell ya!"
"I drink like this every time!" She said when Ashe managed to pry her face away, sounding like she's proud of it.
"I wonder how your liver is still alive." Ashe said while still looking at the glasses, almost sounding like she was amazed and shocked at the same time.
"You and me both." Cassiopeia murmured from the side, drinking the glass of wine Gragas offered.
"Hey, Ashe," Katarina called for the archer's attention.
"What is it?" Ashe looked down, only to feel a pair of red lips peck her pink ones.
"One point for me." Katarina chuckled drunkenly.
The blush on the Queen's face increased one shade darker.
"Hey, Ashe," She called again when Ashe turned her head away, almost sounding like little kid trying to annoy someone.
"What is it now?" Ashe asked, exasperation hinting in her words.
"Cassiopeia told me you have a great ass..."
At the background, Cassiopeia spat the wine she had just drank back into the glass she held.
"...and she's right."
Ashe jumped when Katarina suddenly and shamelessly grabbed her rear with both hands.
"See?"
"Okay, that's enough 'drunk talking' for you." Cassiopeia intervened, placing the glass down on the bar and reaching towards Katarina.
Ashe now possessed a visibly flushed face, especially since Katarina still won't let go of her backside. Cassiopeia tried pulling Katarina off of Ashe by her shoulder, but the assassin merely squirmed and tightened her hold around the archer.
"Let me be, Cass," Katarina 'snarled', attempting to kick her sister, but failing miserably. Her attempt of kicking paid off in some way though, since Cassiopeia stopped. "Go get your own Queen, this one's mine."
"Katarina, we aren't in Noxus right now." Cassiopeia literally hissed. "You are embarrassing yourself! Let go of the Frost Archer!"
"Not a chance." She replied, sounding like a child defying her mother.
Ashe took action of her own and pried Katarina's hands off of her butt herself, making the redhead loudly whine. When Katarina managed to pull her wrists away from Ashe, she snaked her hands around Ashe's neck, her face settling on Ashe's shoulder.
The archer sighed but made no move in removing Katarina anymore. Ashe turned to Cassiopeia and said, "I'll take her to her room."
"Do you want me to help you with that thing?" Cassiopeia asked, looking at the drunk Noxian, who she calls her sister, latched to the Freljordian royal.
"Don't worry, I can take care of her. Please, enjoy the party."
"If you say so."
Katarina's heels dragged and scraped against the floor noisily as Ashe helped her out of the ballroom, her arms not at all loosening from the neck of the female assisting her. Katarina had no sense of rationality, not even an ounce, especially when she's drunk.
Right now, she kept telling Ashe how she was going to make the archer scream and thrash in the sheets. Thankfully, the guards, whose assistance Ashe declined, that saw them didn't have to be suspicious of anything since they all assumed it's just Katarina saying things out of pure intoxication of alcohol.
Katarina couldn't remember much with their trip to her bedroom. She felt like they had used a teleportation spell, because when she blinked, she found herself being brought into her bedroom. Ashe was halfway near the bed when Katarina suddenly, but lightly, pushed Ashe away and walked towards the open balcony in a very wobbly manner.
She kicked her heels off and walked out to the balcony, barefoot. The balcony isn't as wide as the one at Demacia or the one in the King and Queen's quarters, but it's still considered a big balcony. Ashe joined her there in just a few seconds.
"Katarina, you should lie down." Ashe said to her, a concerned look on her face.
"I want some fresh air, alright? Let me be." She said with a sloppy wave of a hand before leaning on the railing.
It took a brief moment of silence before Ashe relented.
"Fine, but just for a few minutes."
"Deal."
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
Ashe has a lot of matters, important ones, in her mind, but right now, in spite of Katarina being drunk, she gave herself an opportunity to take a breather and just appreciate the view of Katarina just gazing up to the clouded sky of Freljord.
She admits that the way she has been handling the things between her and Katarina are unprofessional and a tad bit immature. When Katarina told her nothing but just a simple 'okay' after she confessed her feelings, feelings that she shouldn't have even acted on in the first place, she was truly and deeply hurt.
That answer showed her that their view to each other is clearly not mutual. It felt like reality came up to her and slapped her across the face with the word 'responsibilities', waking her up from her delusions and fantasies.
She avoided Katarina, not out of anger, but because whenever she saw the redhead, she could feel the twinge of pain in her chest return and cause her heart to ache for hours and hours. From the past few days, she tried her best to convince herself to just forget about the feelings she developed for the Noxian, knowing she'll only get hurt the more she lets it control her.
"It's so cold here." Katarina commented after a span of time consumed with silence, taking Ashe out of her thoughts.
"Like I told you, you should lie down." She said to the redhead.
"I don't want to sleep yet."
"Why?"
Katarina half-slumped over the railing, eyes distractedly roaming over the garden below them. "I still want to talk to you."
"Katarina," She placed a hand over the female's shoulder. "You're drunk. We'll talk tomorrow when you're sober."
"I'm leaving tomorrow, remember?" Katarina grumbled.
"We'll make time to talk, so please, lie down."
"No,"
Even though Katarina is drunk, the redhead managed to surprise Ashe when she suddenly wound an arm around Ashe's waist and pulled her close. Katarina stepped back and trapped Ashe between her and the railing. The assassin now stood behind Ashe, body pressed against the back of the Queen's. Ashe felt Katarina bury her face near her nape, lips moving against her skin as she spoke.
"I just want to hold you right now."
Ashe assumed the alcohol is influencing Katarina's actions again, so she made an effort in not thinking too much about the words and gestures. Silently, she calmed her beating heart, which was on the verge of exploding within her chest.
"No, you don't." She answered back, holding Katarina's wrists and trying to wrench her hold around her waist. "You're intoxicated with alcohol, and you merely want to bed me right now."
...
...
...
"I know," Katarina suddenly answered, following it up with, "I know you tried killing me."
Ashe froze in Katarina's grasp, her hands becoming still over Katarina's own. Her heart loudly began to thunder, making her more and more nervous to the possibility that will follow.
Will Katarina kill her now? She knows that with just a simple twist of her neck, Katarina can execute her without making a sound.
"Is that the reason why you questioned my trust?" Ashe asked, feeling ashamed instead of being afraid for her life.
She truly is ashamed of herself. She whole-heartedly accepts it if Katarina will kill her now. After she had told Katarina various reassurances about trust and such, she was actually the one who had, in some way, backstabbed the assassin. Yes, she didn't go through with it. Ashe may not look like it, but she has been feeling guilty for the past few days because of that.
"Jarvan put you up to it... Right?"
"Even if he was the one who did, it was still my choice that would have decided your fate and mine."
"Was it for the alliance?"
"..." Ashe wanted to say yes, to nod her head, anything to answer Katarina's question truthfully, but her body refused to move or follow the actions her brain kept telling them to do.
Ashe felt Katarina's hold around her waist tighten significantly. "Why didn't you do it?"
"Every single day that has passed, I keep asking myself the same question." She whispered quietly. "Why didn't I kill you? It would have probably done my nation well, yet..."
"You chose me over Freljord."
...
...
...
"I did."
Katarina was silent, her hazy thinking preventing her from saying anything.
"If it would have been reversed," Ashe began, seeing that Katarina seems to be out of replies for the previous one. "In the end, who would you have chosen? Noxus or... me?"
Ashe whispered the last part, feeling as if it was an all or nothing kind of question. It sort of is though, especially for her. Silence came again, keeping them both company for a long while. When no reply came after a minute or so, Ashe thought that either Katarina refused to answer or the assassin had passed out in her current position.
She made a move to remove Katarina's hold around her, when Katarina abruptly spoke up.
"Don't ask a question you're afraid of being answered."
One minute, Ashe can see herself looking forward to the view Freljord offered her, the next? Tears pooled in her eyes and blurred her line of vision and no sooner did clear drops began falling and trailing down her face. Her fingers, which are over Katarina's, twitched and bent themselves, nails lightly scraping against the back of Katarina's hands. Her lips pursed in a tight line before parting.
"Of course," She whispered out, tears presenting no sign of halting. "My apologies."
...
...
...
"Sorry." Katarina uttered, her closed eyes perched over Ashe's left shoulder.
"Don't be..." Ashe's voice came out a bit cracked. "None of this is your fault."
Without any warnings, Katarina released Ashe and turned her around until she was looking into the two emerald orbs the Sinister Blade possesses. Katarina still trapped Ashe between herself and the railing, but now, her hands were on either sides of hers and prevented Ashe from going anywhere.
One hand that belonged to the assassin reached up and wiped the tears that ran down Ashe's face.
"I'm apologizing because I'm the one who placed you in this position." Katarina said to her, explaining her apology. "You never planned in falling in love with me, right?"
Ashe gazed at her for just a second before moving forward and engulfing her in an embrace, holding her as if she was going to disappear. The cool touch Ashe's hands offered to her bare back soothed her and made her fall into the embrace deeper than it already is.
"But, I don't regret that I did..." Ashe spoke, keeping her voice from breaking. "I still do..."
Two hands held her shoulders and pushed her away, ending the embrace halfway. Once there was enough space, Katarina leaned her forehead over Ashe's own. Ashe kept her eyes closed, while Katarina just gazed at her tear-stained face.
"And who says the feelings aren't mutual?"
Ashe's eyes opened and she found herself looking back to Katarina's, hoping for a few more words of clarity of some sort.
"You said to me that I'm like a puzzle, and you said that you have all the pieces." Katarina chuckled lowly and half-heartedly. "I'm the puzzle alright..."
"..."
"And you are the remaining missing piece I need."
More tears threatened to fall from Ashe's eyes. "Katarina..."
"I just don't want you to complete me."
"Why...?"
Katarina took a breath and exhaled. "It's because I'm afraid that when you do, you won't be there to piece me together again."
Maybe drinking alcohol has its perks, especially for Katarina. She may or may not remember all of this, but at least she finally said what she need to say. Ashe caught Katarina just in time before the redhead passed out and left her consciousness.
It didn't take long before the two of them were on the floor. Ashe sat on the floor, back against the railing and an unconscious Katarina held in her arms.
"You're the only puzzle I will ever piece together..."
Ashe held Katarina closely to her.
"...and I'll never get tired of doing so, even if I need to do it over and over again."
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
Author's Note: Hey, readers! I apologize if some of you are disappointed that a steamy scene between the two of them isn't here in this chapter. I just don't think it's still the right time for that.
But, look at the bright side (especially if you're a Kat×Ashe shipper), they finally came to terms with their feelings! Yay~!
But, again, this isn't happily ever after yet. After all, Ashe is a Queen and Katarina's an assassin. It just doesn't add up. Well, for now, that is. I'll try to make them add up, eventually.
I still have a few more twists in the story, which will probably make you readers go, "Holy shit! You did NOT just do that." (Hopefully, I get that reaction from at least one of you. XD)
It's a theory that I thought about after reading a few articles from LoL Wiki, so yeah, hopefully, none of you abandons this story once we get to that theory of mine. :3
Anyway, kisses and hugs to those who ACTUALLY read my long author's note.