This is my longest chapter thus far, by ~800 words... Enjoy!
The morning was meant to be simple. Sivir was taking Kai'Sa out on a date.
The dancer had wanted to scout out a new café that had opened near the city centre, and had therefore meticulously arranged another date amongst the several already noted down in her diary. Sivir would take her, the pair of them riding on the pizza girl's sole mode of transport; her scooter. Kai'Sa always felt the presence of their security personnel detracted from their time spent together and had always found a small delight in riding with her girlfriend.
They would sample a wide variety of the menu to ensure that each member of K/DA and Co. would be sure to have a choice of breakfast dishes that they would all enjoy when Kai'Sa would later recommend the establishment. Plus, she would always note down new things for herself to attempt in the confines of the penthouses's own kitchen.
A pleasant date that sated Kai'Sa's curiosity and allowed Sivir to enjoy one-to-one time with her girlfriend. The morning. Was meant to be. Simple.
So why were they now walking away from the café, Sivir hastily leading Kai'Sa by the hand after having only sampled half of the chosen meals? Why had a reporter appeared seemingly out of thin air and start running question after question off of his tongue? Not at Kai'Sa, but at her.
"If you could just please spare a minute of your time!" The rather aged, well fed reporter matched their brisk pace. "Honest to goodness, I swear I recognise you!"
"Hartlam, what is he going on about!?" A baffled Kai'Sa stumbled to keep up with Sivir's hurried, broad steps.
The commotion had already garnered more stares than Kai'Sa celebrity presence would already have earned. Sivir grunted with annoyance, unable to ignore the blood rushing past her ears. Not in anger, but panic.
"Probably just delivered you a pizza, Old Man!" She growled back at the reporter, eyes focused ahead onto her closing scooter.
"You may have the wrong person?" Kai'Sa suggested, remaining polite despite her confusion. "Sivir grew up in Egypt and only moved here four years ago-"
The tightening grip of Sivir's hand clenching tighter around hers caused her to falter and look back to her girlfriend. The Egyptian woman's jaw was tight and there was a jolt in her step at the disclosure of her heritage.
She'd tried her best to keep the specifics ambiguous to the media for a reason.
"That's it!" The reporter's eyes widened with enlightenment. "That's where I've seen you! With that Egyptian billi-"
Sivir came to a stop abruptly and spun on her heel. She stepped into the reporter's reach, grasping him by his collar and pulling the taller man down to her level with ease, staring firmly up to him.
"Stop talking shit. You. Don't. Know me. Got it?"
A brief pause followed. Kai'Sa was honestly shocked by Sivir's actions, and Sivir was too busy burning holes into his skull with her cerulean eyes, such was the intensity of her glare. On the receiving end, the reporter's following words had died in his throat.
She eventually released him, pushing him back and taking a few steps backwards, not looking away as if to dare him to continue from where he left off. Eventually satisfied that he wouldn't follow further, she retook the wrist of a speechless Kai'Sa and they finished the journey to her scooter.
"You didn't have to be so rough with him…" Kai'Sa protested weakly, taking the helmet offered to her as Sivir straddled her seat and silently adorned her own.
"It worked, didn't it?" Sivir snapped back, the feeling of discomfort in her gut sharpening her tone.
"Sivir…" Kai'Sa made no move to sit behind the disgruntled delivery girl, simply fiddling with the rim of her headwear. "What was that?"
"Want me to drop you off at your studio?" With a blasé façade, Sivir choose to avoid her question with one of her own, still looking straight ahead, hands tight around the scooter's handlebars.
Something Kai'Sa certainly didn't approve of. The dancer frowned at the blatant deflection, but sat with a muted nod in confirmation and held her hands to Sivir's waist. With a twist of her wrist, the 150cc engine spluttered to life with a high timbre roar and Sivir kicked off and joined the morning traffic.
The wind rushing past her ears guaranteed an end to any form of question from anyone and offered Sivir a blustering solace. One of the many things she appreciated when riding her decade old, somewhat rusty scooter. She could only imagine how much better it would feel riding a proper bike. Often, she had thought about upgrading to a bike and had at numerous times voiced her envy towards Riven and the rocker's pride and joy.
Not that she could build one like Riven had. She was good with numbers, not nuts and bolts. She'd have to buy one and… Well, she could actually buy one now if she really wanted to, but-
Sivir threw away her thoughts before they brought her back to the reporter and his questions. Instead, she focused on Kai'Sa's arms wrapped around her torso, her hands gripping her toned waist. Slender fingers habitually pressed into her lean muscles through the thin white tee she wore under her open jacket. Having always enjoyed Kai'Sa's touches, she didn't mind, but did feel a worried tension in the grip for a brief second.
With her relationship with Sivir being her first true relationship, thanks to her country-hopping in her years growing up, Kai'Sa had always been slightly awkward with affection. The touching was one of her more subtle displays, and Sivir adored it, allowing it to soothe her racing mind.
By the time she had pulled up outside the dance studio Kai'Sa attended weekly to give a special class, Sivir's thoughts had settled. At least, enough for the stress of the occasion to peter out. Kai'Sa dismounted, her fingers lingering a slow moment longer before she did so.
"See you later?" The dancer asked more out habit than for real confirmation, stepping up onto the curb.
"As soon as my evening shift is over." Sivir confirmed with a small smile, but noticed Kai'Sa body language. It was obvious that she was still worried. "Kai, I promise. He's talking crap."
The look Kai'Sa gave still held doubt, but she visibly relaxed. They bid goodbye and split off, the dancer entering the building and Sivir returning to the road and back home. Unwillingly, thoughts of the reporter returned to the forefront of her mind now Kai'Sa distracting touch was absent, his questions and resulting revelation playing on and on in her head.
"Hey, morning!"
Sivir blinked and looked up from the door handle she had just turned towards her flatmate who was stood by their stove, preparing her own start to the day. So lost in her own head, she hadn't even realised she'd arrived back at the apartment and let herself in.
She blanked. That's kinda dangerous, actually…
"What's with the look? I only said hello." Riven questioned quizzically.
"Ah, no, sorry." Sivir raised a hand in apology, closed the door behind her and began to shrug off her jacket.
Riven continued to eye her curiously, brow raised. "Did… the date go okay..? How was breakfast? Ah!" She jabbed a thumb towards the still steaming kettle. "Tea?"
"It was fine. No thanks." The delivery girl droned. So many questions. Desperate to move the topic away from the date for good, she raised her head from removing her shoes to scan the apartment. "Eve's not here?"
The attempt at a subject change seemed to work, judging by Riven's childish pout. The rocker turned back to the stove and dejectedly shuffled the bacon sizzling atop it.
"She and Ahri have a meeting with Sarah." She grumbled, raised her hands up, her covered one still clasping the spatula, and air quoted. "'K/DA's next big thing!'…"
A sarcastic whistle escaped Sivir's lips as she passed Riven to make for her couch. "Lucky them. I bet they're having tons of fun."
"Ha! Yeah, right." Riven scoffed while plating up her food, a full-works fry up. Sivir took opportunity of their proximity as she passed to nab a slice of toast Riven had just finish buttering. "Hey! Didn't you just eat breakfast!?"
"I'm a growing girl." She unceremoniously dropped herself on her sofa, ruffling a still dozing Second's head as she stepped over the hound.
"You're 24."
"Juf mabe anofber!" Sivir shot back having already stuffed a whole half of the now-folded slice into her mouth in one go, swallowing gluttonously. "You recording today?"
"…Yeah. It's my first session." Rolling her eyes, Riven forgave the bread-napping and moved to perch on her own couch. A small smile adorned her face. "I guess I have to thank you, in a way."
Sivir narrowed her eyes at her best friend, mid-bite. "Why?"
"For opening your big mouth on my birthday, I guess?" Riven shrugged. "You got that snowball rolling."
"Hey I just wanted to embarrass you." She admitted bluntly in return.
"Even so. I feel like I owe you at least something."
"Like?"
"Well," Riven swallowed the food in her mouth, an excuse to think over her words, "if you wanted to drop the delivery job I could see if I could put a good word in to Sarah? It'd be better pa-"
"Woah woah!" Sivir cut off her suggestion, waving her hand across her neck and sitting up in an instant. "Forget it, I'm happy as is!"
Riven looked confused. "Really? Siv, you're super smart! You could probably get any job you wanted with yo-"
"The job I want is the job I have, alright?" She interrupted her friend off again, attitude firm and unmoving. "Thanks, but no thanks."
"S-Sure?" Riven just seemed more bewildered. Between Sivir's mood upon arrival and her sharper tone, she could sense something was off. "If I've said something wrong, I'm s-"
"Riv." Sivir stood from her couch, scowling down at her. "Drop it. Just, drop it."
She didn't allow any time for anymore words to be shared, leaving for room and shutting the door firmly behind her. Dropping down onto the edge of her bed, she buried her face in her hands and let out a frustrated grunt. The reporter's presence had her completely jumpy. Riven had merely - totally innocently - mentioned something barely related and she'd just snapped at her for trying to be genuinely helpful. Her palms rubbed circles into her eyes and she groaned monotonically, until her phone buzzed in her pocket.
Instantly, she felt hesitant to look. Considering how that day had been going, it was probably…
She looked anyway, sighing in relief at seeing Kai'Sa's name. Or, the peach emoji she used in place of her girlfriend's name anyway. A low whistle escaped her lips when she tapped the message, opening a selfie taken in the dance hall's wall of mirrors. The dancer had her back to the camera with one leg up high on the support bar, achieving a vertical split with ease and offering Sivir a great shot of her legs and butt. A caption crossed the screen: 'You seemed upset. Hope this helps you feel better~!'
Bzz
The bar that appeared at the top of her phone screen ripped her away from appreciating her athletic girlfriend to read the sender-
Oh. She totally jinxed herself, didn't she..?
The name 'Azir' brought back the discomfort in her stomach, but a light knocking at her bedroom door gave her an excuse to avoid reading the message underneath.
"…Siv?" Riven's voice rose through the thin door, tentative.
With a click of her tongue, Sivir tossed her phone onto her bed and stood, moving towards and opening her door.
"Hey, look. I'm-"
"I'm an asshole." Sivir admitted, earning a surprised look from a previously sheepish looking Riven. She repeated herself with a humble smile, resting an elbow on her doorframe. "I'm an asshole. Sorry for snapping at you."
"…Yeahhh." Riven agreed after a moment, a teasing grin creeping onto her face. "You've been better."
"I could have been worse." The delivery girl retorted, both of them snorting a short laugh before she decided she owed at least a minor explanation. "A reporter was hounding me on our date. It got to me a little."
"Well, I won't pry, but…" Riven gave a look of understanding and crossed her arms . "You're alright?"
Sivir shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "I will be. Kai just sent me this awesome pictu-"
"And that's TMI!" Riven held her hands up in a plea for Sivir to cease her words, then held them out in invitation. "Best friend hug?"
"You know I'm not a huggy person."
"I'm giving you a hug." Riven pulled her in before Sivir could protest, now stood awkwardly in Riven's grip. "Kai'Sa told me you like hugs when you're upset."
"Yes." Sivir confirmed blandly. "From Kai'Sa. You aren't Kai'Sa!"
"Well fuck you I give great hugs too."
Sivir sighed and relented, reciprocating the embrace. "…Okay, this is actually alright."
"Told you."
…
…
"You're making this last too long on purpose, aren't you?"
"Oh yeah."
"Fuck you."
"I'll leave that part to Kai, if you don't mind." Riven laughed and dipped her head to dodge the predicted whack at her comment as she released Sivir and stepped back. She settled to a simple, warm smile. "I just wanted to check we were cool before I headed off."
Sivir let out an exaggerated sigh to feign being bothered, then matched her smile. "We're cool. Good luck with your first session."
A quick bump of fists was exchanged and Riven went on her way. Sivir followed her halfway until she returned to her couch and grabbed the TV remote. With a lazy wave in response to one last goodbye from Riven, she slumped into the set of furniture, determined to watch whatever she could find until her delivery shift started.
Those police camera shows were always fun.
The universe soon decided that the day was not destined to be hers to control, however. Only a handful of minutes later, while she was comfortably stretched across the length of the couch, one hand idly playing with Second's belly after the dog had stumbled over in a bid for her attention, her peace was torn with the loud chiming of the apartment's doorbell.
Once.
Oh come on…
Twice.
Threefourfivesixseveneightni-
"ALRIGHT OKAY FOR THE LOVE OF F-UUUGH!" She leapt to her feet and stomped over to the door, chuntering under her breath all the way. Not even bothering to peer through the spyhole, she wrenched the door open only to be met with a recognisable mess of dyed blonde hair. "…Nope. Bye."
"Hey! Hey, come on!" Rell rapidly protested, pushing her weight against her side of the door in an attempt to halt Sivir from closing it on her.
Naturally, given the differences in both build and stature, the change in result was negligible. Realising this, she slipped to the side, able to fit through the open gap, stumbling into the apartment. The door slammed shut behind her, Sivir's efforts suddenly having no resistance.
"What was that about!?" The teen complained after regaining her balance.
"Why? Why why why why why?" Sivir repeated futilely out loud, not even moving from the shut door, forehead pressed into the white-painted wood. "I just want to relax..!"
Rell beheld her with a brow raised in confusion, then turned to scan the room. "Is Riven here? Where is she?"
"No. She isn't here. You just missed her." Sivir answered nigh robotically as she reopened the door, not bothering to look in Rell's direction. "Please leave."
"Can I not wait for her to come back..?"
"No. Please leave." She repeated equally as flatly with a beckoning action with her free arm towards the outside world. "I'm gonna get in trouble if you ran… away…"
Her snarky voice trailed off after she turned to Rell, only to see the teen appearing distraught: arms crossed and held close to her torso, appearing quite vulnerable. The oversized jacket she was wearing made her look even smaller than her posture dictated.
Wasn't that Riven's old jacket?
Sivir's face scrunched up as the nagging voice of her conscience in the back of her head fought with her desire for relaxation. She sighed and closed the door. "Alright, fine."
Rell offered a nod of gratitude and made her way further into the apartment.
"But you'll be waiting a while." She added. "Riven likely won't be back for an hour at least."
"Oh. Why?" Rell queried, already now sitting back on Riven's couch.
"She starts recording today. She didn't tell you?" Sivir asked in turn, coming to sit opposite her. "You were out with her two days ago."
A moment passed of Rell pondering to herself, thinking back to the day out she had spent with her.
She soon appeared sheepish after a brief flash of clarity. "Oh, maybe she did. And I forgot…"
"Of course." Sivir remarked snidely. "Well, just so you know. If you make a scene and/or piss me off I'm making you go back. Got it?"
Her tone caused Rell to visibly bristle. "What's your problem with me!?"
Sivir scoffed and leaned forward, raising a fist as she began to run through a personal list. "Let's see… I've met you once and, well, you were an impulsive, rude little brat who stomped around even though Riven was actively trying to help you out. Even though you literally being here would get us in trouble - will get me in trouble - if you're found in our apartment! Riven sings your praises, sure, but you just barged your way in here just now like nothing's changed!"
Rell visibly flinched at each scolding detail, shrinking under Sivir's tirade and bringing her knees to her chest. She weakly mumbled something incoherent thanks to her mouth being pressed into her leg.
"What?"
"I said I'm not always like that..!" She yelled half-heartedly, no strength behind her voice. "It's just... I..." Rell's voice weakened further, her face scrunching into a frown. "I hate it there. It's so... suffocating, you know?"
The vulnerable - and frankly sorrowful - expression on Rell's face and the teen's words caused Sivir's brusque attitude to waver for a second time. A regretful groan left her throat.
"Alright, fine." She relented. "Just don't be annoying."
"…Thanks."
Sivir dismissed her gratitude with a wave of her hand and turned back to the screen. Wow, a cop just rugby tackled a dude. "You alright with TV?"
"TV's good." Rell mumbled simply, mood slowly improving as she switched her gaze to the box in the corner. "I dig cop shows. Never really get to see them at the orphanage. 'Too violent for the younger kids'…"
"Psh." Sivir scoffed. "Kids should watch it, I think. They'll learn a lot. Rob shit, get tackled to the ground!"
A smile formed on the teen's face for the first time since her abrupt arrival, following a huff of amusement and they settled into watching the screen in silence. Every so often they would comment on the show, laugh at random interactions between the cops and drunkards, and audibly wince at some of the crashes caught on camera.
At one moment, Sivir broke away from the screen to watch Rell cringe and whistle at an particularly hectic car chase, and for the first time found herself not feeling totally intolerant of the rebellious teen's presence. She wasn't sure if it was her growing soft all of a sudden or the resonance she felt at Rell's despondent feelings towards her forced lodgings. Much like how she felt upon learning of Riven's history as an orphan not too long into their budding friendship.
"That's that noise?"
"Hm?" Sivir blinked and zoned back in, actually focusing on Rell who was now kneeling on Riven's couch to peer over the back, spying a flat object slowly moving across the floor from the direction of the bedrooms.
"You have a Roomba!" She sounded elated in her discovery.
"Um, yeah?" Safe to say Sivir was befuddled by her enthusiasm. "Riven bought them not long ago. She said we were getting lazy with cleaning the floor so let's just be smart and lazy instead."
"Them!?" Rell's eyes glowed with glee. "You have more?"
"…Yeah..?" Sivir found her demeanour almost disconcerting. "Why..?"
A maniacal laugh filled the room and Rell clapped her hands together loudly. "You wanna do something better than watch TV?"
—
Nervousness had settled in Riven's gut during her ride to the studio. While it was mainly apprehension towards truly making a start to her career - now that the tedious publicity stuff was done with - some was due to Sivir's choleric temperament back at the apartment. Quite different from her usual 'Devil May Care' attitude Riven was used to, she couldn't help but wonder what could have been mentioned by that reporter to put her best friend so on edge.
As she pulled up outside the recording studio Sarah Fortune had given her the address to, an out of the way building on one of the last streets before leaving the city, Riven put that to the side in her mind for the time being so she could fully focus on the moment at hand. She applied the stand and shuffled her helmet off with a gasp of relief, then dismounted. A bell jingled as she pushed open the door after walking up the few steps to the entrance and stepped inside.
Compared to Sarah's illustrious headquarter's, the foyer of the Fortune owned studio was far more cosy. Warm lighting bounced off polished wooden panels that lined the walls, and cushioned seats dotted the floor around circular tables.
"Right on time."
Previously lounging on one of the said seats with his feet outstretched and propped up on it's accompanying table, a man sporting a large and bushy ponytail stood upon her entry and approached her. It only took her a moment to recognise him as Yasuo, member and producer of True Damage. He observed her for a moment, Riven not being able to read him at all thanks to the tight cloth that covered most of his face, and eventually offered out a hand.
"Nice to meet you." He greeted once Riven took his hand with her own and shook. "Fortune's asked me to oversee the recording of all your music. I thought I may as well introduce you to the place. You'll be here a lot."
"Thanks." Riven responded simply, quirking her brow. "You work here? I thought you were a part of TD?"
He shrugged. "We're also signed under Fortune's label. She asked if I could help out here and there whenever we aren't making our own stuff and I didn't mind. I worked with Akali and the rest of K/DA on their EP, too."
"Oh, yeah." That rung a bell in Riven's memory now that she thought about it.
"Anyway, I'm not going to bother with a tour." Inclining his head over to a set of doors across the room, Yasuo turned and headed towards them. "Only place you need to be is down here." He paused as he reached for the handle, instead jabbing a thumb at an adjacent hallway. "And the toilet, I guess. Come on."
Riven followed him through the double doors and through two short corridors, thanking him when he let her into the destined room before himself. The decor was similar, though instead of furniture, a mixing console sat dead centre of the room in an arch. Three booths lined the room. Opposite the entrance along the wider wall was a booth fitted for group recordings, and booths on either side were smaller for single recordings, with each of the booths adorned with several rows of foam panels. The booth on the right was currently occupied and a rigorous drum beat being performed by the woman inside leaked out through the thick glass. Already sat at the console and seemingly managing the drummer's recording was a young, thin to the point of being frail, man. He sported neatly slicked black hair and a heavily contracting pale complexion, with unusual purple tattoos on his chin and down his eyes. His face held a perfectly neutral expression while he observed and adjusted the sliders as he saw fit.
"Yo." Yasuo spoke up with a lazy wave to catch the man's attention. "Thanks for watching over for me. I'll take over again."
The man's face remain expressionless as he nodded, adjusting one final knob before removing a set of earphones and standing, allowing Yasuo to take his seat. He quietly made to leave the room, acknowledging Riven with a respectful nod when he passed, which she awkwardly returned.
"Good kid." Yasuo praised once the door behind Riven closed, swivelling around in the desk chair, showing far less attentiveness as it's previous occupant. "Still in training but learning fast. A little quiet, but everyone's got their own quirk."
"Ha, yeah. Don't I know it." Riven remarked sardonically as she also stepped further into the room, turning her attention to the female drummer.
They both silently observed her for a while. A dark-haired woman with a similar complexion to Riven. They seemed to also share a similar physique judging by her toned arms, on show thanks to her cropped leather vest, which were nearly blurs as she played, nary missing a beat. Small buds sat in her ears, and her left eye, the only one visible thanks to a patch covering her right, was closed tight in concentration as her head bobbed and nodded to the beat she was playing. Her appearance rang a bell of recognition at the back of Riven's mind.
"Impressive, isn't she?" Yasuo commented, sending a side glance up to Riven.
"Yeah…" Riven agreed, eyes narrowing in thought while she focused on the drummer's face. "I feel like I recognise her…
"Wouldn't be surprised. Drama's been following her around since forever.." Yasuo explained. "You heard of Samira?"
Enlightenment dawned on Riven's face once she had a name to put to the woman's face. Countless articles in music magazines in the past wrote about a, initially rising star, drummer moving from band to band rapidly, to the point of her going through five bands in a single year. She remembered the confusion that was passed amongst fans of the rock and metal genre with each successive departure, due to the reasons for leaving each and every band. Always touted for amazing performances, but always kicked out. It eventually got to a point at which no band would take her on thanks to her bad reputation, and around five years ago disappeared from the public eye completely.
"Sarah hired her?" Riven asked in wide-eyed astonishment.
"Only once she finally was able to contact her a couple years ago." Yasuo huffed in amusement. "Even then it took three attempts for her to accept the offer."
"Wow." In all honesty, Riven was somewhat star-struck. Despite her
sporadic tenure, Samira was an infamous name and seeing her in the flesh had Riven a tad giddy. "What's she recording right now?"
"Your music."
"Oh, righ- my music!?" She choked out after a neck-snapping double take, eyes bugging out as she looked between Samira and a overly blasé Yasuo.
Now she listened closer, she recognised the beat as something similar to, but far more intricate then, what her old drummer would play for one of Riven's own songs. It was amazing to listen to. Insanely so.
"Yup, Fortune wanted quality for this." Yasuo confirmed casually, reaching over to turn on the mic mounted to the console.
Riven realised what he was about to do. "Hey, no wait a sec! I'm-!"
"Hey, Sam. She's here."
His words instantly snapped the drumming woman out of her reverie, her jade-green eye opening and locking onto a flailing Riven instantly. A wide, cocky smirk spread across her face as she stood from and stepped past her kit to push open the glass door to the booth.
"This is the little girl I'm playing for?" She queried, a teasing lilt to her voice, emphasised by her distinct accent.
"Um… Yes?" Riven said blankly, slightly thrown by the way she was addressed, the nerves that had built at the prospect of meeting a well known musician dissipating in her confusion. "I'm not little, by the way. I'm, uh, 25-"
"You're younger than me, you're…" Samira paused to gauge their comparative heights with a hand. "…shorter than me, just. So you're a little girl."
"That's all that's needed?" Riven frowned quizzically at Samira's simple nod in response. She didn't understand the blatant show of disrespect. "Why? How old are you?"
Samira's sole visible eye twitched as her smug grin faltered, and she crossed her arms. "…Never ask a woman her age."
"She's 32-Oo..!" Yasuo began to answer instead, only to receive a kick to the shin courtesy of one of Samira's steel-capped boots.
"Shut it, Pineapple-head." She said bluntly, switching, not to Riven, but instead on the drumstick she began to skilfully twirl through her fingers. "I've listened to your stuff. Pretty good, actually. Thought I'd get a head start, see what I could come up with." She made a point to roll her eye as she swapped her focus from her still twiddling hand to Riven. "But I bet you have your own perfect little idea of what I should do, right?"
"Um, no..?" Samira's bitter words, soaked with tediousness, baffled Riven. Something her face made clear as she shook her head. "I mean, I play the guitar, not drums. Wouldn't it just be better for you to play whatever you think's best? What you were just playing sounded kinda great."
At first, she only earn a raised eyebrow from Samira until she stopped twirling her drumstick, holding it firm. For a split second, Riven swore she saw a glint of something - appreciation? - in the older woman's eye. But only for that brief moment before she spun on her heel and headed back towards the booth.
"Like I said, I've already cooked up a few things after listening to your music." Her voice turned echoey once she shut the door behind her, it instead sounding through the recording mic set up in the booth. "Sit back for a bit and let me show off a little."
Samira sat and reinserted the ear buds, that were presumably playing Riven's music, into her ears and instantly returned to playing. Sat on her own chair that Yasuo had limped away to retrieve, the pair watched and listened to the drummer play away. Her style of playing was - for lack of a better term - purely showboating. Between beats she would occasionally toss, swap and twirl her sticks, only to continue without missing a single beat. Partway, she locked her gaze with Riven's wearing the same cocky smirk that the rocker found herself becoming sure was Samira's default. And despite the constant flourishes, the quality of her playing was remarkable. Riven found herself transfixed for several minutes as she compared Samira to her old bandmate, only to realise that to do so was simply pointless.
Eventually, Yasuo took her attention away and left Samira to her own devices. She had been told she wasn't required to bring her guitar, the day more focusing on taking her through the general processes that she would go through on an average day of recording. She would mainly be working with Yasuo when re-recording her music, sometimes with the trainee from earlier assisting him. He had her enter the other small booth to become accustomed to simply being in one and how they would properly communicate either via the mics or various gestures.
It was a brief session, all in all. Once she felt comfortable with everything on a base level she was free to leave, and did so. She left Yasuo fiddling with his console to handle the Samira's recordings, retracing her steps back to the foyer to find the experienced drummer, who had left during Riven's initiation, slouched at one of the many tables. Her eye was trained onto her phone in one hand, a coffee from one of the two nearby vending machines in the other. The slight scuff of the opening door against the floor caught the older woman's attention and she tilted her head in Riven's direction.
"Oh, hey Little Girl!" She locked her phone and motioned for Riven to come over.
Riven did so, sitting in the seat adjacent, and found a second coffee placed on the table. Had Samira been waiting to speak with her?
"I played it safe and got you black." Samira told her casually with a shrug, the settled back with a smirk after receiving a hesitant thanks. "So, what did you think then, eh? And yes, I'm expecting you to be impressed."
"It was pretty awesome, yeah." Assuming Samira meant her music, Riven formed an awkward grin, somehow finding a charm to her arrogance. "Have to say, though. I thought I was blunt. You're…"
"Rude?"
"Ehhyeaahmkinda." Riven admitted flatly, taking a sheepish sip of her coffee. "You definitely don't care what people think, that's for sure."
"You need hard skin to not be bothered by the BS of being famous." Samira clicked her tongue. "Don't let anyone, shitty media or whatever, run your narrative."
Her words resonated with Riven. With all the speculation that first came with her relationship with Evelynn, and now her reluctance to show skin, she knew all too well how quickly outside parties would jump to assume for the sake of a headline. And she was only months into her time in the spotlight. She thought about Evelynn and the stark difference between the public persona her girlfriend currently adopted and the old, joyful Evelynn she saw pictured during her relationship with Tobias. Before the media latched onto their break up.
It gave Riven the impression that a similar thing had occurred with Samira. "You've had trouble?"
"I wasn't kicked out all the time if that's what you're asking." Samira answered wryly, then nodded. "A couple times, sure, but most of the time? They just never felt right for me. Of course, people eat up drama so that was the take they went with."
Realisation dawned on Riven and she thought back to when she first recognised Samira as the person who was constantly kicked out of bands. She'd been a sucker for it as much as the next person.
"I hate being held back." Samira continued, regaining Riven's focus. "All of them had their own idea for how they wanted me to play. Trying to tell me what do. And whenever they did that, I just left."
"I guess that explains earlier?" Riven commented.
"Got it in one." Samira flashed Riven a wink - blink? - with the same glint in her eye as before, but clearer. "It was nice to see you weren't the same."
"I know I'd hate someone being that way with me. I did hate someone being that way with me." Riven added at the thought of her old band. She sipped the last few drops of her quickly drained brew and stood. "Well, I think you're an amazing musician. I'll never be one to limit you like that." With that, she made to leave. "I looks forward to working with you."
"One last thing, Girl." Samira's mood became a tinge more serious, and she waited for Riven to pause mid-step and look her way again before continuing. "I've seen the headlines. Don't let the bastards get the better of you. Beat them at their own game and shut them up."
Riven's brain stalled at the sudden change in her tone, surprised by the sudden but sound advice. Her hand had already risen to itch her cheekbone, Samira's words seeming to click in her mind.
"Alright." Mentally shaking herself out of her stupor, she offered Samira a smile of gratitude. "I'll see what I can come up with then." She sent Samira a short wave and nodded to the empty paper cup. "Thanks for the coffee."
Samira raised an eyebrow. "I didn't say it was free."
"Ah- uhh…"
She barked a laugh Riven's stumped expression. "I'm joking!"
"Yeah…"
With that, and an awkward follow up laugh of her own, Riven bid a quiet goodbye and left the building. Upon reaching her baby, she took her perch but whipped out her phone before preparing to set off, having not looked at it for however long she had been out. Just over an hour, according to the device's clock.
Instantly she locked onto and opened a text from Evelynn. She was greeted by a photo taken of Ahri and Shen, the pair of singers having taken him with them for food after their meeting. The image showed Ahri trying her best to subtly lean into Shen's large frame while they walked ahead of Evelynn down the high street. A caption underneath adoringly commented on the pair's inherent cuteness. It drew a chuckle from Riven's chest, but when she closed the text to view the only other she'd received from Rell, her grin morphed into one of concern when she saw the message.
Rell: This is Layka.
Rell: I don't suppose you have any idea where Rell is?
Rell: Is she with you?
A mix of concern and confusion bloomed in her mind. Without any hesitation she pocketed her phone, slipped her helmet on and set off back to the apartment.
—
A loud bang filled the apartment. Second whined at the sudden, sharp noise, shuffling from his spot near the couch to huddle into Sivir's seated form on the floor.
"Fuck!"
Rell laughed victoriously from her spot knelt on the dining room floor, the table having been pushed aside to provide a wide, open space. Or, in this case, a battlefield. She stood to collect her Roomba. Taped to it's top was a kitchen knife, sticking outwards like a jousting stick, with a balloon was taped to it's rear.
"Too bad~!" She jeered.
Disgruntled, Sivir looked down to her own Roomba, equally weaponised but sporting a pierced, withered balloon of it's own. It continued to trundle around aimlessly, unaware of the vicious bloodsport it had been conscripted into, and the brutal loss it had just suffered.
She looked up to Rell. "Again."
A competitive smirk crossed Rell's lip and tossed Sivir another balloon to be blown up, then returned to her spot to release her minion once more.
And that was how Riven found them when she opened the door. Sat across from each other in the dining room, engrossed in watching the two robotic vacuum cleaners innocently charge, clashing and swerving around each other repeatedly. She watched, bewildered, as Rell's came dangerously close to popping Sivir's balloon, who flinched and whispering words of encouragement to the autonomous robot under her breath, fully engaged.
"What the hell are you two doing?"
They both jumped at the question, having been completely oblivious to her arrival, and turned to see Riven at the door with a completely unamused expression. Instantly, Rell's grin vanished, her distractions failing her now Riven had appeared. She fumbled to deactivate her robot and shot to her feet.
"Ri- um…" Her tongue tripped over itself.
"Layka contacted me." Riven directed her focus to the runaway teen, frowning and lifting her phone. "I thought we agreed on no running away?"
Rell opened and closed her mouth several times, the returning distress not letting her find her words. At her silence, Riven turned her stern gaze to Sivir, offering a look that demanded an explanation.
"Why didn't you take her back as soon as she showed up?" She questioned calmly but sternly.
Sivir pursed her lips. "She was upset, alright? I couldn't just kick her out."
"Then just give her a rid-!"
"Riven, please don't get mad at her!" Rell cut in, pleading as she finally found her tongue. "I practically begged her to let me wait for you to come home!"
"Rell…" Riven's tone instantly softened at the sound of the girl's quivering voice, but her face remained serious. Only now, it was from Sivir's words registering in her head. "Why're you upset? What's happened? You couldn't call me?"
"Um, well…" Under Riven's series of questions, Rell only seemed to exhibit further distress, having to steady herself with a shaky breath. "Layka did what she said she would and told the hag and she flipped…" She avoided Riven's eyes, instead looking down to the foot she was half-heartedly kicking into the floor while she swallowed hard. "I, um, you… S-She's not letting you visit me anymore…"
Riven barely picked up Rell's words from how weak her voice had become at the end, but she heard them nonetheless. Any shock she may have felt at the revelation was instead drowned out by a seething rage that quickly settled in her chest. Her eyes flicked from the distraught teen to Sivir, who looked shocked herself, then back to Rell.
"What?" Venomous anger laced Riven's tone.
In an instant, she had turned to coat rack by the door where she had hung her helmet and plucked it off. Hanging next to it was the helmet she had purchased for Evelynn's use whenever they rode together, which she soon lobbed across to Rell. The girl fumbled with it, not expecting the throw, looking between it and Riven.
"I'm taking you back." There was no room for argument in Riven's declaration. She wrenched open the apartment door and stormed back outside. "And I'm going to have a strong fucking word with that woman!"
As she headed for the block's staircase, Riven could hear Rell fumbling some words of thanks to Sivir, her hurried footsteps quickly catching up to her. They walked to the ground floor and to Riven's bike in silence, Riven too busy working out what words she would say to the Directress without blowing up. She'd felt off about her and her rules and the way she focused on Rell from the start, and this was the final straw.
As for Rell… "You're not mad at me, are you..?"
Riven blinked and paused from putting her helmet on, already straddling the seat. With her arms crossed and her posture uncharacteristically meek, Rell sent Riven an insecure gaze.
"It's just… It really upset me and I wanted to see you and tell you…" She fidgeted and constantly shifted her weight between her feet. "I didn't know what to do and I don't want to stop seeing you, and if that means I have to keep running away then-!"
The breath in her throat caught in a hiccup and cut her own words short. She didn't continue, simply avoiding Riven direction, not daring to look her in the eye.
Suddenly, Riven's anger settled and she realised how her attitude had been interpreted. "I'm not mad at you."
Rell cautiously peered over. "…No?"
Riven spoke gently, and shrugged. "Annoyed, disappointed, that you ran off again, maybe. But that's just because you'll make it harder for yourself, Rell." She let out a small huff of amusement at herself. "I'm not entirely sure I could ever be mad at you. To me, you're… well…" Shaking her head, she finished adorning her helmet and patted the seat behind her. "Not the time. Hop on?"
Rell found herself having latched on to what Riven had begun to say, and forced herself to block all the possibilities that flew through her head all at once. She approached and also mounted the motorbike, albeit awkwardly.
"Hey."
Just as she had finished fitting Evelynn's helmet, Rell felt Riven's gloved hand plant itself atop the headgear and pull her in. Their helmets knocked against each other gently and only Riven's eyes were visible under her visor.
"I'll fix this. I promise."
Whether it was the lump in her throat or the churning of her stomach, Rell couldn't reply aloud, instead simply nodding. Riven patted her helmet in response and returned the nod, then started the engine and pull out of the apartment block.
Dusk began to fall on the city during their silent ride to the Black Rose. For as calm as she made herself appear following Rell's insecurity, Riven was far from it on the inside. Any concentration other than on the road ahead was spent quelling her cindering emotions so that it didn't influence her driving, especially with Rell behind her. The arms wrapped around her torso and the helmet resting between her shoulder blades helped temper her mind.
The moment they pulled up, Riven's more collected appearance was betrayed by how hastily she stomped down the stand and dismounted her bike, though she was still able to pause to assist Rell with removing her helmet. They approached and entered the orphanage, Riven half a step ahead as she paced over to where she saw Layka sitting in her usual spot in the foyer. She saw them coming, and stood from her desk, relief prevailing over anything else upon seeing Rell safe.
"The hell does she mean I can't see Rell anymore!?" Riven demanded, planting her hands on the wooden surface. Her cool demeanour quickly fell away at the prospect of the coming confrontation.
Her sudden snap caused both Rell and Layka to jump, the latter shrinking at her tone, swallowing nervously. "I'm sorry… I have to tell her about these things. I don't have a say in what she decides, even if I disagree."
"And why should you disagree?"
Recognising the Directress' snide voice, Riven spun on her heels to face the woman who had just turned the corner from the main common room. Behind her, several of the younger children, including Annie, were peering round the wall, curious at the sudden commotion. "I hope there's a good reason for you barging in."
"Oh, good, you're here. I can ask you directly." Riven remarked, step up to meet the Directress partway. "What's the deal? I can't see her because I gave her a phone!?"
"It's one of my rules." She responded coldly, frowning down her nose at the glaring rocker. "The children are too young to use such devices yet."
A splutter sounded from behind Riven. Rell, who hadn't followed Riven up, wore a look of disbelief. "I'm nearly 17! I've got at least years on anyone else here!"
The Directress simply rolled her eyes in the rebellious girl's direction and sneered. "And what a terrible role model you are for all of them."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Riven growled. "I've been here enough times to see how Rell treats Annie and the others! She puts them to bed every night!-"
"I was the only one who could even talk with Gabriel!" Rell also chipped in.
"-I've heard and seen enough of how you act with her. Rell is only how she is around you because you treat her like a lost cause! Why the hell should she respect you?"
"And she's only gotten worse under your influence." The Directress seemed nonplussed by their protests, clicking her tongue. "Running away again, locking herself up like a child."
"I'm the one that got her out of her room…" Riven felt her blood boil, but held herself steady as best she could. There was several obvious reasons why blowing up here would be a bad idea. "Look, every other kid her age has one and the only person she has to talk to on the outside is me. What is the harm of her having a phone?" She firmly locked eyes with the Directress, who narrowed her own but gave no answer. It was Riven's turn to scoff. "There's not even a reason, is there? What, does it make you feel in control? Is that all it is?"
"…I encourage you to leave." The Directress utters, short and sharp. "I've disallowed you from being here and I'm happy to involve the authorities to enforce that."
"What?" Fire burned furiously in Riven's amber eyes, threatening to leak out.
"You may be on the television and such now, but it won't stop you from being arrested."
Holding her fearsome glare for a little while longer, Riven took a few heavy breaths in an effort to simmer down again. She looked back to Layka who responded with a subtle shake of her and a pleading look. Of course here was no power the carer had to help in this situation, she realised, and Riven finally backed off. She stepped back in line with Rell, who snagged a hold on the left sleeve of her leather jacket once she was in reach. The moment she relented, the directress appeared to lose interest, turning to usher the observing children away back round the corner.
When she looked to her side, Rell wore an, albeit wavering, glare of her own towards the woman's retreating back. A façade she was desperately trying to maintain despite the glossiness of her eyes. Riven sighed, knowing causing a scene wouldn't help Rell in any way.
"Hey." She reached across to place her right hand over Rell's that was gripping her sleeve, squeezing it comfortingly to gain her attention. "I'll sort this out."
"Tch. Right." Came the sun-headed teen's jaded response, looking away just as soon as she met Riven's gaze. "Like you can do anything."
"I'll find a way." Riven frowned at Rell's deflated self. She looked over Layka once again and nodded down to Rell subtly, a silent request to watch over her. When she received a sympathetic look and a nod in return, she nudged Rell gently. "While I fix this… please don't hole yourself up again, or run away. The other kids need you around. Forget all that bullshit that bitch just spouted."
Her sudden foul language forced Rell to bite her lip, amusement glowing through despite her anguish. To the side, Layka had instinctually peered over to check non of the children remained to have potentially overhear her.
"Alright?" Riven pressed, wanting confirmation.
"…Yeah."
"Alright." Riven turned to head back out, but Rell's grip didn't leave her sleeve and held her back. There was a pause as they shared wistful looks, and she gently pulled her arm free to squeeze Rell's. "I'll fix it. I promised."
She released Rell's hand and left the orphanage.
—
Sivir: Three assholes didn't tip today already :(
Sivir: I need lotsa hugs… ;(
Kai'Sa: Of course
Kai'Sa: As many as you want hartlam~ 3
Sivir: Oh, wow, you're actually awake.
Sivir: …Naked hugs? :3
From her position sat cross-legged on her bed, back against the side wall, Kai'Sa gnawed the inside of her cheek at her girlfriend's reply, not even smiling at the cheekiness of the following request. With the clock having recently turned 1:00AM, it was certainly far past the point at which the dancer would normally find herself fast asleep. Normally when Sivir had the late delivery shifts, she would let herself into the penthouse, having been given access at this point, and simply slide in next to a sleeping Kai'Sa. That certainly wouldn't be the case this time, however.
The white glow from the laptop resting in her crossed lap lit up her tired face and the wall behind her, the only light in her darkened bedroom. She locked back onto the window she had open, with several tabs lining the top opened up from an initial search.
The sudden interaction between Sivir and the vehement journalist that had promptly cut their breakfast date short had plagued Kai'Sa for the rest of the day. Be it her dancing lesson, watching trash TV with Ahri and Evelynn once she'd returned, or even cooking Akali's favourite spicy ramyun as a special treat when she brought Kayle over that evening; she couldn't shake the event from the back of her mind. And so, since retiring to her bedroom earlier than usual with the excuse of exhaustion, she had been conducting research.
Egyptian Billionaire. That was what she could swear that man was going to say before Sivir forcibly shut him up. Only one result had come back. A business mogul, a man who went by the name Azir. He was an owner of several companies worldwide that fell under the Shurima Co. name and owned partial shares of even more, spanning numerous industries. A name and presence seemingly so large, Kai'Sa was astonished she'd never come across it during her travels with her father. And he was was the only person the the journalist could have been referring to.
Yet she still had found nothing that could have linked him to Sivir in any way. Scrolling down the fifth and final page she had opened so far, she found it was just another article announcing his take over and successful rejuvenation of yet another failing corporation. Not much dissimilar from all she had read through thus far, some even comparing him to an emperor, such was his reach on the global market.
In a way, she felt relief at not finding anything, even chastised herself for doubting her girlfriend. But her worn mind still found itself bothered by the journalist's assuredness, as she found herself continuing to dig. Until finally, to the right in the eight webpage, last in a list of recommended articles, a headline stood out.
'Global Tycoon Shocks By Adopting Heir'
Stomach suddenly churning, Kai'Sa autonomously opened the link and instantly she found herself dumbfounded at the picture that filled the page right beneath the header.
Sivir. That was Sivir. Next to a less greyed appearance of a smiling and waving Azir, stood a young girl with her arms crossed stubbornly over her chest, not caring for the cameras all trained on her. Though she was much younger, easily pre-teens, Kai'Sa could tell. The jet black hair, olive skin and piercing cerulean eyes; that was unmistakably, undeniably, Sivir.
Kai'Sa forced herself to break away from the image and to skim the article. "'Having no partner to name…'" She muttered out loud as she read. "'…assure an heir to his empire, Azir announced his adoption of an Egyptian orphan from his home city…'"
A dull thud sounded as her body relaxed back onto the wall. She was dumbfounded. None of this she had been aware of. Sivir had always told her she came from an average family that wasn't anything to shout about. Working class, middling income, only able to enter a renowned university outside her home country through scholarship. And, simply put, it was all a lie.
Her mind was reeling, too confused to even know what to feel at the knowledge that she barely knew a thing about her girlfriend until a random journalist called Sivir out. But why did Sivir try to hard to keep his mouth shut? Why did she not want anyone, especially Kai'Sa, to know about this?
Shakily putting her laptop to the side, Kai'Sa tried to ease her aching head with help of sleep, but it alluded her. Upon Sivir's arrival after her shift, she pretended to have fallen asleep to avoid talking in her addled state, and those questions wracked her brain well into the morning.
More characters to add to the pool, and still more to come. Eventually.
Quickly, would like to say that, due to a little burnout that came with writing this chapter (I really struggled for a good week or two), I'm going to be writing a few one-shots to diversify things while still keeping my writing juices flowing. I also have begun a Rell/Sera story that I will update the next time I go into burnout from this story, so please check the ones that exist already and those that will exist in the near future!
Not much else to say other than it's Riven's birthday (release anniversary) next Monday and considering my uploads are pretty much monthly at this point, I won't have a chapter up by the 14th to celebrate best girl's release then. So now will do, yey!
Hope it was worth the wait, and thank you those that review, I love reading them! ^^