I'll Protect You (Star Guardians AU)
The argument between Ahri and Syndra increased its volume more and more with each second that passed that they remained uninterrupted in the living room. It all started as a group discussion among them, but after their old teammate, Neeko, had woken up from her late afternoon nap, something seemed to have been triggered within Syndra.
The dark-haired woman seemed to be furious that Ahri was allowing Neeko to stay with them, claiming that the girl could possibly be tainted already and could highly likely corrupt them once they let their guard down.
Once Sarah heard such claims, she told Ezreal to take Neeko out for ice cream or something before the latter could be further blatantly accused by the older mage. She managed to offer a reassuring smile at Neeko before she and Ezreal vacated their place in the living room and left the house.
Shaking her head at the countless back-and-forth arguing, Sarah made a move to take her own leave, which seemed to have went unnoticed by the quarrelling pair. Sighing, the marksman ran a hand through her hair out of stress and walked out of the room, not at all intending in staying to hear more of the yelling between her two friends
Of course due to Xayah and Rakan's corruption, Neeko's unforeseen return and Zoe's threat not only to their group of guardians but also Lux's, Sarah was feeling as stressed and pressured as Ahri was.
The pistol-wielding woman might not be the leader of either teams, but she was the second-in-command of one of them. And, regardless of her official position, she cared a whole lot for the Star Guardians. They're like family to her, after all.
Attention too consumed by the mentioned details, Sarah failed noticing the mildly trembling female seated on the floor just outside and beside the doorway of the living room. She only spotted their fifth member when she nearly tripped over her hunched self, but nonetheless, worry was quick to take over her.
"Raka?" Sarah crouched down, eyebrows furrowing in concern and hand brushing away some of the light green strands of hair nearly obscuring the healer's anxious expression. "Sweetheart, are you alright?"
Sarah felt more than just a little stupid. She was too busy thinking about every problem on the table to the point she had forgotten about Soraka and how she would react to such absolute negativity going around her. When the innocent guardian had excused herself for a glass of water, Sarah knew she should've checked on her when she didn't come back sooner.
"Can... Can we go out, too?" Soraka asked in a quiet whisper, arms hugging her knees against her chest. "I don't really want to hear them fighting."
Sarah didn't need to be asked twice. Out of their group, Soraka was the one that mostly reminded her of Neeko's innocent gestures and attitude, so it was no surprise she became significantly protective over the kindhearted girl the moment they were acquainted with one another.
Nodding and helping her up, she gave Soraka a brief hug to at least calm her nerves before pulling her towards the front door. She knew just the thing to make the saddened guardian feel a little better than she was at the moment. Helping the other into one of the coats at the rack beside the door and wrapping her up with the green scarf hanging on one of the hooks on the wall, Sarah made sure her friend was warm and cozy before she dressed herself in her own outdoor attire.
It didn't take long for them to reach the little café a few blocks away from their home. Although it spent them more than ten minutes to get there, the walk wasn't as tense or uncomfortable as the atmosphere at the house was.
Sarah had one arm wrapped around Soraka and kept her all snug against her side, head resting on her shoulder and one of her hands rubbing the healer's arm every now and then in order to soothe her as the time passed.
Even though their entire trip to their destination was filled with nothing but silence, Soraka felt more at ease in Sarah's company. Ahri, Ezreal, Neeko and even Syndra were nice companions, but the healer secretly preferred Fortune's more than the others.
Reckless and always guns-blazing in their battles, Soraka always did pay more than just a fair amount of attention on Sarah. She knew the woman always relied on her and fully trusted her healing capabilities whenever there was a fight.
"Ahh," Sarah gave a little sigh when they finally reached the café and occupied one of the secluded booths that had more than enough warmth to keep them hidden and comfortable at the same time. "it's nice to be warm again."
Soraka smiled as she shrugged her jacket off, placing it on the space beside her. "Thanks for bringing me here, Sarah."
The said female turned to Soraka once she finished taking off her own coat, offering a smile as she said, "Now, now, I haven't even gotten you anything yet."
"You took me out of the house."
Sarah lightheartedly scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. "That doesn't even come close to what I'm going to order for you."
Soraka was no mind reader, but she didn't have to be to know what her friend was going to get for her. Smile becoming a bit more timid, while her cheeks were dusted with a nice pink hue, she said, "Just one will do."
"Two cinnamon rolls for you and one for me, gotcha." Sarah said before turning away and heading towards the cashier, her words causing the other to giggle quietly.
"I said, one!"
"Two, I know." Sarah purposely called back over her shoulder, chuckling to herself.
A few minutes later with Soraka just fiddling with her fingers while waiting, Sarah eventually came back with a tray carrying two small plates and two frappés for both of them. Once everything was taken off the tray and served on the table, Sarah returned it before situating herself to the seat opposite of Soraka's own.
"I ordered the usual for you." Sarah said, glancing down on Soraka's plate of cinnamon rolls. "Two rolls and one caramel frappé."
Soraka slightly blushed, smiling shyly. Out of everyone, Sarah was also the one who knew her best. "Thanks a lot, Sarah. How much is this again?"
Sarah scoffed and waved a hand. "Don't bother paying, this is my treat."
"Really?" Well, that was certainly a surprise. Sarah rarely treated anyone out for anything. Sure, she'd buy some stuff for them here and there, but she only did such if it was someone's birthday or there's an occasion as special as that. The woman always did have a tight clutch on her money.
"Mm-hm. Now dig in before I spoon-feed you myself."
Soraka giggled at Sarah's little tease, picking the fork on top of the piece of tissue and starting on one of her sweet little rolls. For a moment, the pair enjoyed their afternoon snacks in comfortable peace, which only came to an end when Soraka chose to broach the problem they were having in the household.
"Sarah?"
"Hmm?" The marksman hummed through the straw between her lips.
"Xayah and Rakan, they're your past teammates, weren't they?"
Sarah stiffened for a moment before she quietly cleared her throat and adjusted herself on her place, placing her own drink back on the table. "What about them?"
"They were corrupted, right?"
Silently, Sarah nodded.
"But Neeko wasn't,"
"No, she she wasn't."
"but Syndra thinks so." Soraka murmured, eyes hastily averting before she could meet Sarah's gaze. "Ez and I don't really think Neeko would hurt us, but I'm a little worried."
"Don't be." Sarah softly reassured. "Do you really think someone as cute and little like Neeko could hurt you?"
"It's not me I'm worried about."
With confusion knitting her eyebrows together, Sarah asked, "Then who?"
"I'm worried about everyone's safety, and it's not about how Neeko could be the one that corrupts us. What if Xayah and Rakan came and hurt Ez and Ahri? Or Zoe suddenly opens a portal and taints me and Syndra? Or maybe something worse?"
"And something worse is...?"
"What if you get hurt again?"
Sarah's face morphed into a crestfallen expression, while her heart somewhat clenched at the display of deep concern gleaming in the entirety of Soraka's gaze. She didn't even know how the healer knew about how badly injured she was when she and Ahri fought in the battle where they lost Xayah and Rakan.
"How do you know about that?" Sarah asked, eyeing her friend with a soft look.
Despite the fact that the gaze she was receiving wasn't threatening or anything like that, Soraka hunched her shoulders a tad bit as she said, "Neeko told me about it. Before she escaped the fight, she told me she saw you collapse and...-"
Sarah sighed, cutting Soraka off with the gesture. "Raka, listen. What happened there at that fight, it won't...-"
"It can't happen again." Soraka abruptly interrupted, suddenly engaging eye contact with the pistol-wielder. "Ever since we met, I always healed you and the others whenever any of you were hurt."
"Exactly why it won't happen again." Sarah pointed out. "We have you now."
"What if I'm not enough? What if I don't heal you in time?" Soraka suddenly questioned with tears pooling in the corners of her eyes, lips visibly trembling at such horrifying thought. "Sarah, I'm scared."
Without wasting a single second in even thinking about her next move, Sarah stood up from her seat and went around the table, taking Soraka's messily folded coat and gently tossing it to her previous place before she slid onto the vacated seat beside the said healer.
"Come here."
Soraka didn't hesitate in wrapping her arms around Sarah, who reciprocated the gesture without hesitation. She buried her face against her friend's shoulder, concealing the tears that spilled out of her eyes, while her form mildly shook in the markman's embrace.
"I'm here, Raka. I'm here." Sarah murmured soothingly, hand stroking over the green tresses of the weeping guardian. "Don't be afraid."
"I don't want to see you fall like Neeko had." Soraka spoke against her shoulder, lips quivering still. "Or any of you for that matter."
Sarah tried offering a small smile to cheer the younger girl up as she pulled back a little and brushed some of her hair away, tucking them behind her ear. Once Soraka's face was unveiled, she cupped the other girl's cheek and lifted her head until their gazes met again.
"What did I tell you about crying over these things, hmm?"
Soraka pouted and said, "Sarah, I'm being serious here! I don't want to see any of you hurt!"
"And you won't." Sarah simply stated, leaning in rather closely. "I promise."
Her pout threatened to become more visible and pronounced, but Soraka was stunned for a moment when Sarah suddenly yet gently booped her on the nose with the tip of her finger.
"Stop acting as if it's the end of the world. It isn't. Not while I'm around at least." Sarah confidently said, winking when she added the last part. "I won't let any sort of corruption touch any of you."
Soraka peeked up to her, asking in a murmur, "Even Syndra?"
As much as Sarah felt wary towards Syndra and her truest intentions, she sighed, rolled her eyes half-heartedly and replied, "Yeah, yeah, even Syndra."
Soraka made a pleased sound before she pressed her face back against Sarah's shoulder, hugging the said female as tight as she sighed in content. "Okay, I trust you, Sarah."
With Soraka calm and Neeko probably being entertained by Ezreal at the nearby ice cream parlor, Sarah chalked this up as a job well done for her and the blond guardian. Neeko was out of reach from Syndra's hurtful accusations, while Soraka was finally reassured enough to banish the fear she was feeling towards their team's current predicament.
Now, Sarah was only hoping she was at least capable enough to live up to her promise and keep her fellow Star Guardians safe.
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
Tossing and turning on top of the double-decker bed, Soraka made a face underneath her blanket in the dimly lit room. Ever since she and her entire team moved into one shared home, she ended up bunking with Sarah, especially since Syndra wanted to take one of the bedrooms by herself.
While Ezreal had his own room because of the fact that he's a guy, Ahri had her own quarters because most of them came to an agreement that their leader deserved to have at least a room of her own. With all these said, Soraka was left with no other choice but to room with Sarah, who was completely fine with the idea.
Regardless of their conversation earlier, which alleviated most Soraka's fears and doubts, the healer still couldn't bring herself to get some shut-eye. She peeked over the edge of her bunk bed to check on Sarah, only to find the gunslinger's back facing her and looking completely at ease in her slumber.
"Sarah?" Soraka called out in a hushed whisper.
"..."
"Sarah?"
"..."
Soraka laid back down her bed, thinking if waking her friend really was the answer for her troubles in sleeping. She huffed and lightly shook her head. Of course it wasn't. She'd probably just ruin the marksman's beauty sleep.
Another minute or two, Soraka twisted and turned under her blanket, practically tangling herself with the sheets in the process of it. She turned for the umpteenth time and peeked through the blinds covering the window where their bunk bed was positioned against, her eyes shimmering beautifully as the moonlight from outside reflected against them.
Moon-gazing wasn't exactly as entertaining as stargazing and it wasn't really much of a help for her, because when she retreated and laid back down, she found herself more awake than before. Soraka made a sound of irritation, groaning as she rubbed her hands against her face in self-exasperation.
"I need to sleep. I need to sleep." Soraka muttered quietly, making an adorably cute face in the cloak of the shadows.
"...I need to sleep, too, Raka." Came the slightly groggy yet abrupt reply from the bottom bunk. "Can you please stop moving so much?"
Soraka perked up, scrambling to the side of the bed and causing the entire structure of the double-decker to sway and rock, which was the complete opposite of what the other occupant requested. The quiet groan underneath was proof of that.
"Sarah? You're awake?" Soraka queried, peeking over the edge again, but this time her eyes were sparkling with an evident shimmer of excitement.
"I am now." Sarah spoke against her pillow before turning around and facing upward, green eyes leisurely trailing until they met Soraka's.
"Sorry," Soraka apologized with a light blush. "I couldn't sleep."
Instead of brushing her off and giving her a half-hearted advice, Sarah adjusted herself until she was laying on her side and holding the pillow against her right cheek. Despite her eyes drifting close again, she still spoke in order to hold a conversation with her more than awake bunkmate.
"Please don't tell me I have to sing you a lullaby." Sarah muttered, internally fighting off the hold of slumber threatening to take her.
"No, no, nothing like that." Soraka hid half of her face behind her blanket as she said, "But I really can't sleep."
Sarah groaned and opened one eye. "Do you need a teddy bear or something? I think Ezreal might lend you Mr. Cuddles."
Soraka tittered softly. "I'm pretty sure Mr. Cuddles is too busy keeping him company for the night."
"Then what do you want?" Sarah asked, trying not to sound like she was grumbling. It's not that she was irritated at Soraka's actions, but she sure was sleepy.
"...I don't know."
Sarah lightly groaned. "Well, you better figure it out, or else I'm going back to sleep."
Feeling slightly pressured, Soraka glanced around for something to inspire a reasonable response from her, but all she saw was Boki and Baki all snug against one another while they slept on their shared bed across the room and of course Shisa, who was snoozing quietly on his own little bed beside the duo. Somehow, the sight of hers and Sarah's familiars together gave her a spark of idea.
"Sarah?"
"Yes?"
"Can I join you down there?"
A heartbeat's worth of time passed before Sarah's left eye opened and slowly wandered until it was focused on Soraka's peeking self. The moment that followed consisted of silence and the two staring at one another, both waiting for either a reaction or a verbal response. Eventually, it was the marksman that spoke first.
"You want to go down here? On my bunk?"
Soraka nodded, that signature faint blush on her cheeks almost looking pronounced in the shadows.
"Why though?" Sarah finally lifted her head from the pillow, now focusing both of her eyes on the other guardian.
"It's totally okay if you don't want me to." Soraka replied, dodging the question in an instant. "I mean, I did wake you up and I know you're probably tired right now, so...-"
Sarah sighed rather loudly, doing such on purpose to interrupt her rambling rommate. "Alright, alright, you can stop there."
Obediently, Soraka shushed herself, still staring a tad bit wide-eyed at Sarah. The innocence gleaming in her eyes was enough to make her look so adorable and irresistible, so when Sarah just groaned and scooted deeper into her bunk, the healer instantly knew the wordless invitation.
With a suppressed squeal, Soraka climbed down from her bunk and swiftly joined Sarah at her own space. The older female rolled her eyes half-heartedly when the other slid under her blanket with her and merely stopped when their shoulders were touching.
"How could this," Sarah started, briefly gesturing at her now cramped bunk. "help you sleep?"
"It doesn't," Soraka admitted before turning and smiling at Sarah. "but it does make me feel better."
Sarah, who had turned her head to meet her friend's gaze, blinked at her before slapping a hand over her face and sighing yet again. "You gotta be kidding me, Raka..."
Soraka hunched slightly under the blanket, eyeing her bedmate with an innocent look. "Do you want me to leave?"
If Sarah were to decide in kicking her out and sending her back up to her bunk, Soraka would totally understand and would take her leave in a heartbeat. So, when the older female shifted and faced her, she expected a negative reaction the second their eyes met in the shadow-tinted room.
Much to her surprise, Soraka suddenly found herself nestled in Sarah's arms, which gave her this feeling that made it seem as if she was in an embrace that protected her from everything outside such warm gesture. Her breath brushed over Sarah's collarbone, but the gunslinger didn't seem to be fazed. In fact, the Fortune woman was actually making herself comfortable in their newfound bed position.
"Uhh, Sarah?"
"Go to sleep, Raka."
"But, my horn..." Soraka feebly pointed out, feeling too conscious for her bedmate's sake.
Out of everyone, Soraka was always the one having difficulties when it came to handling their appearance ever since they became Star Guardians. With a horn literally perched on top of her head, she always had to use an enchanted charm bracelet Ahri had given her to conceal the said horn from other people.
Since they were supposed to be asleep at this hour, Soraka didn't exactly think she'd need to keep the accessory with her. Knowing she might poke Sarah with it due to their current position, Soraka squirmed in the lightest manner she could manage, which then made the other guardian groan again.
"Raka, stop it."
"My horn." She brought up again, pouting slightly. "It might poke you in the eye or something."
Instead of moving away and putting some space between her and Soraka, Sarah softly sighed and gave the mentioned horn a delicate kiss, causing the healer to squeak in reply. She wasn't use to it coming in contact with anything, so the feeling of the light touch of Sarah's lips against it was quite an unexplainable experience.
"Just don't move too much." Sarah murmured, burying and brushing a hand through Soraka's long tresses.
"O-Okay..."
Soraka felt her face heat up as Sarah nuzzled her nose into her hair, head positioning just beside her horn. Although, she was too distracted to feel off with their placements. Eventually, the mage slipped her arms around her friend, making herself comfortable in the warm hold of the green-eyed guardian.
"Good night, Sarah."
"Night, Raka."
As Soraka gradually drifted close to the sleep that initially eluded her, her eyes wandered over Sarah's shoulder and towards the window. She could spy the moon through one of the thin slits of the blinds and while she absently stared at it, her mind trailed towards the problems her present bedmate told her not to worry about.
The whole quarrel earlier made her think they'll eventually end up divided, which also caused her to fear being left alone to either fend for herself or become powerless in helping her fellow guardians when it came down to it. Regardless, this was what life's about.
There will always be problems here and trouble there, but, as Soraka clutched the back of Sarah's shirt and buried her face in the other's chest, she knew she'll last through the heat. That they will fight through the dangers, emerge safely from such and with victory proudly greeting them in the end.
"I'll protect all of us." Soraka whispered mostly to herself, knowing the said woman was already asleep again. "And when you charge in like you always do, I'll be there to keep you alive. I promise."
"..."
Grip somewhat tightening around the slumbering Fortune, Soraka uttered her an oath she intended on keeping. "It's my turn to protect you, Sarah."
...
...
...
...
...
Lips curved into the slightest smile while eyes remained closed, the healer failed to notice the fact that the woman she made a promise to was fully awake and was merely keeping to herself as she listened to her quietly stated words.
Only when Soraka was asleep did Sarah allow a small curve to visibly shape her lips, head lowering until she gave the innocent mage a kiss on the forehead.
"Dream sweetly, Raka."
xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx
Author's Note: Oh, well, this was unexpected. Nonetheless, here it is and I hope you readers enjoyed it. :3
This piece is dedicated (and somewhat predicted by) JUrsus from Twitter, who was also really quick in making art for these two champs! And since this it's already December and all, consider this an early Christmas gift. :3
More to come hopefully? ^^
Oh, by the way, to those who might want to hit me up with an idea, wanna play League with me or just talk, don't hesitate in messaging me in Twitter or Tumblr~ (Heck, feel free to message me anywhere honestly xD)
Welp, this is one update down, so many more to go! As usual, see you all in my future updates! ^u^