Quinn woke with a start, eyes snapping open as she inhaled sharply. She wanted to sit up, but her body was numb and heavy, only allowing her to move her head slightly. To her surprise, she was in a bed, covered in several blankets and furs. There was the sound of a fire crackling nearby and judging by the wooden walls and floor she was in a cabin of some kind.

"Ah, you're awake!"

The booming voice was unfamiliar and caused Quinn to jump slightly, whipping her head towards the stranger. He was huge, probably even bigger than Garen. What he lacked in hair he made up for with an impressive moustache, and despite the fact that he looked like he could snap someone in half with ease, he had an inviting smile that lit up his face.

Quinn watched silently, slightly terrified, as the man made his way to the fire where a pot was boiling. He ladled the pot's contents into a bowl and brought it to Quinn, who had attempted to move to the side of the bed to get as far from his as possible.

"Do not worry, small one," the man assured, "You are safe with Braum."

He offered the bowl to her, nodding eagerly when she looked at it suspiciously.

"It's good for you, makes you strong."

The scout wasn't sure she should be accepting food from someone she knew nothing about and shook her head meekly. The man, Braum she assumed, shrugged and set the bowl on the table at her bedside.

"I'm sorry, but where am I?" she asked, "How did I get here?"

"You are in Avarosa territory. I found you by the ice thanks to your feathered friend."

As if on cue, Valor squawked, having been asleep on the other side of the room but quickly waking up at the sound of Quinn's voice. He flew over to her side, nuzzling her face and cooing affectionately. Quinn smiled, happy to see that Valor was alright. But Braum's words had caused her memory to come rushing back.

The ice had cracked and she'd fallen in, losing her consciousness not too long after. Valor had probably gone to find help, but she should've drowned by the time he'd come back with Braum.

"You said you found me by the ice?" she asked.

"Correct," he said, "Your companion lost consciousness once I arrived, so I'm still unsure of what happened before I arrived. He hasn't said much since he woke up."

Talon.

Quinn's heart skipped a beat. Had Talon pulled her from the water? It was too crazy to be true.

"Where is he?"

"To walk. Get the blood pumping again. You were both soaked to the bone."

He went after her. He'd jumped in and saved her.

Blood rushed to her cheeks and Braum quickly reached out to place a hand on her forehead, worried that she'd caught a fever.

"I'm alright," she said quickly, "I'm just surprised that he would do that."

"Why not? He's your partner, yes? A man must protect the woman he loves."

That was enough to turn her into a stuttering mess, her face turning even redder than before. Valor rolled his eyes as the scout tried to explain that no, Talon didn't love her, but yes, they were technically together.

She was interrupted by the door creaking open, and though she still wasn't able to sit up, Quinn was able to tilt her head and spot the familiar figure. Speak of the devil.

"Ah, welcome back!" Braum boomed, "Your lady has just woken up, though she is still weak."

Talon was silent as he closed the door behind him, making his way over to stand beside Braum. He still wore the scarf to Quinn's delight, but it hid most of his face, preventing her from being able to read his expression.

"Tal–"

"Leave us."

His voice was rough and curt, a tone she hadn't heard from him in a long time. There was something different about him, his eyes cold. Braum knew better than to argue with a Noxian and swiftly dismissed himself, assuring Quinn that he would return shortly to make sure she was alright.

"Talon."

Quinn finally managed to push herself up onto her elbows and sit up, resting her back against the headboard to avoid having to hold herself up. She noticed that she'd been put in a warm fur robe and would have to thank Braum later.

Talon remained silent, his eyes darting to the bowl that Braum had set beside her earlier. Without a word, he sat down on the edge of the bed, taking the bowl in his hands. Quinn furrowed her brows in confusion as he held the bowl in front of her.

"Drink," he ordered.

"Talon, what's going on? What happened? You seem different –"

"Drink," he repeated, pushing the bowl closer to her face.

It didn't seem like he was in the best of moods, so she figured it would be best to do what he asked for now. She lifted her hands to take the bowl from him, but they trembled violently. Talon rolled his eyes and sighed, bringing the bowl to her lips.

"Open."

Quinn obeyed, allowing him to tilt the bowl into her mouth. She had no idea what exactly it was, but it was rich and warm on her tongue, her insides heating up pleasantly. When she pulled back after a sip, Talon shook his head and pressed the bowl to her lips again.

"You've been out for two days," he said, "You need energy."

"Two days?"

"Yes, drink."

Despite her attempts to ask him more, he refused, keeping the bowl at her lips until she had finished the entire thing. It left a pleasant warmth in her stomach, but she still had questions.

"What happened?"

"You fell in the water like an idiot."

Quinn puffed her chest in annoyance.

"It's not like I wanted to!"

"You shouldn't have been on the ice in the first place," he snapped.

He was right, but Quinn didn't want to admit it. She deflated instead, looking down at her lap guiltily.

"I jumped in after you," he continued, "Your bird took care of the attacker and then went to get help. Got you back on land and I lost consciousness. Woke up here. That's all there is to it."

It certainly didn't seem like that was all there was to it. Hand still shaking, Quinn reached out to take his, not expecting him to jerk away so quickly. He cast his head to the side, refusing to make eye contact with her.

"Why?" she asked.

"Why what?"

"Why did you go in after me?"

His eyes were on the fireplace, watching the flames lap against the metal of the pot. He had been asking himself the same question ever since he'd dragged her off the ice and he wasn't sure if he knew the answer.

"I don't know," he admitted.

Quinn could sense his discomfort, the way he folded his arms across his chest and tried to bury his face deeper into his scarf were clear signs that he was trying to avoid the situation. But she wasn't satisfied with his answer.

"How do you not know?" she demanded, "That's not something you just do for no reason!"

He remained silent, eyes intent on the raging fire.

Something burned inside Quinn. Anger. Frustration. How could he be so indifferent? If Valor hadn't found help then they would both be dead right now.

"You risked your life!" she insisted, "You could've died!"

"Would you rather I have left you to die?" he spat, "At this rate perhaps I should've."

The words were laced in venom and Quinn found herself physically flinching away from him. His gaze on the flames had not broken, unwilling to look her direction. She could feel her heart ache and became angry with his sudden coldness. It was as if he was reverting back to his assassin persona, treating her like a cold hearted Noxian would. The Noxian he was. If that's what he wanted, then she'd return the favor.

"There's no reason for you to save me? Why would you risk your life for me when there are plenty of other whores for you to pleasure yourself with?"

"Idiot!"

Before she could say anything else, he'd flung himself on top of her, arms pinned against the headboard on either side of her. The coldness had left his eyes and the fire had returned, burning more intensely than she'd ever seen. She could feel his hot breath on her face as he panted in frustration, trembling nervously at his sudden aggression.

"Is that what you think of me?" he growled, "That I'm one of the heartless monsters your beloved prince has painted Noxians to be?"

Quinn's mouth hung agape, shocked at his words. She wanted to tell him no, but there was a knot in her stomach that stopped her from speaking. There was a truth to what he said. She thought he didn't feel anything, but the pain in his eyes said otherwise.

"I wasn't going to stand there and watch you die, you stupid girl. I'm not… I'm not that heartless."

She finally managed to move her arms, reaching up to place her hand against his cheek even though it still shook. His breathing began to steady at her touch, his eyes closing in thought.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I thought you didn't care."

"So did I."

His lips found hers and he kissed her more gently than she thought possible, as if he was afraid the slightest touch would break her. It was so different than his usual kisses, so thoughtful and sweet that she could feel tears welling in her eyes.

"Talon…"

"As much as I don't want to admit it," he breathed, "I… I care for you."

A tear managed to find its way down Quinn's cheek as she stared at him in awe. This had to be a dream. Never would he say those words she'd wanted to hear, the words she'd wanted to say.

"I thought you didn't do feelings," she whispered teasingly.

Talon scowled in annoyance.

"I'm honest and you make fun of me? How cruel."

Quinn gasped at his remark but he merely smirked, the familiar grin that made her heart stumble. She leaned forward to rest her head on his shoulder, inhaling his comforting scent that she'd grown so used to.

"Is it safe to assume that you feel the same?" he asked softly.

"Yes," she replied with a kiss to his shoulder "I care for you, too, Talon. More than any Demacian should care for a Noxian."

"I've told you before, allegiances mean nothing to me. Can't we just be a man and a woman?"

"Wouldn't that be nice."

He chuckled bitterly, knowing she was right. They both had their loyalties, and while he considered himself loyal to Marcus alone, there was still a tie to Noxus that he could not break as much as he wanted to. Not until he had solved what had happened to the general. And of course, she was loyal to Demacia and he, nor anyone else would be able to change that.

"You'll have to be patient with me," he said, "I'm new to this whole 'feeling' thing."

Quinn laughed, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face into the scarf still wrapped around his neck.

"I only have so much patience," she teased.

Talon snorted in amusement as he reached up to run his fingers through her hair. His eyes wandered down and noticed the rather luxurious robe she was wearing.

"You seem pretty comfortable," he remarked.

"Would you believe that I'm still kind of cold?" she asked sheepishly.

While the robe and the blankets and the soup had done wonders for her, there was still a slight bit of cold that clung to her bones, something she assumed would only go away with time.

Talon raised a brow and began to pull the blankets back. She was about to ask what he was doing when he climbed in the bed beside her, pulling the sheets over them both. Warmth rushed to her cheeks as he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her as close as possible.

"One of the best ways to stay warm is to share body heat," he said simply.

Sure, his intentions seemed innocent enough, but Quinn couldn't stop her heart from racing when he squeezed her, intertwining her legs with his absentmindedly while he adjusted. She wasn't sure why she was so embarrassed all of a sudden, they'd already had sex several times. But something about this was different, the innocence of it making her heart flutter nervously.

"Better?" he asked.

Quinn could only nod in response, too flustered to actually speak. His arms were strong and secure, and she began to relax as a sense of safety washed over her. Despite the fact that she'd been asleep for two days, she felt so at ease that she couldn't help but begin to drift off.

She didn't hear the door open, only the thunderous boom of a voice echoing through the room.

"We're back!"

Talon shot up first, producing a blade from behind his back and brandishing it at the sudden intruders. Quinn, who was still half-asleep, groaned at the disturbance and clung tightly to Talon, burying her face against him and hoping the noise would go away.

There was a moment of silence before Talon scoffed, lowering his weapon.

"Most people knock," he hissed.

"So sorry! But I ran into the Queen and informed her of your arrival and she insisted that she come see you at once."

Quinn snapped back into reality, sitting up straight and feeling her stomach drop at what she saw.

It was Braum, of course, but he wasn't alone. A woman with silver hair stood beside him, her icy eyes widening upon seeing the girl in bed with such a man.

"Quinn?" she asked.

"Ashe!" Quinn squeaked, "Your Highness!"

The Demacian wanted nothing more than to crawl in a hole and hide for the rest of her life. She'd met Queen Ashe on her last trip to the Freljord and the two had gotten along quite well, the woman fascinated by Valor and the bond between the two. Now she was in bed with a Noxian and the shock on Ashe's face was apparent.

"It's not what it looks like!" she said quickly, "He was keeping me warm! That's all!"

Talon chuckled under his breath, only causing Ashe to grow more suspicious and for Quinn's face to laze red. Thankfully, he removed himself from the bed and Quinn couldn't help but notice the relief wash over Ashe's face when she realized that he was fully clothed.

"I see," Ashe said, "Braum told me he found the two of you under unusual circumstances."

"We were ambushed," Talon answered, "An archer shot the ice and Quinn fell in. I went after her."

Ashe's eyes wandered to Talon, who was leaning nonchalantly against the fireplace.

"You seem quite familiar with my Demacian friend," she remarked, "Who exactly are you?"

Quinn panicked for a moment. There was no way Ashe could know about Talon. If she found out she'd surely report to Jarvan and that would only mean one thing. Quinn could already feel the noose around her neck.

"Marcus," Talon answered with a grin, "I'm a Noxian informant for Quinn."

Ashe raised a brow suspiciously.

"Marcus? As in Marcus Du Couteau?"

Talon's smile turned wicked.

"If only."

Quinn was grateful for his quick thinking but wished that he would shut up.

"I see," Ashe said, "What brings you to the Freljord?"

That was right, Quinn was here on a mission.

"I'm here to inform you that Demacia offers aid to the Avarosa during your increasing conflict with the Winter's Claw," the scout said matter-of-factly.

Talon raised a brow. He'd been wondering what the hell she'd been doing out here in the first place.

Ashe's face fell as she looked at Braum, who also frowned at Quinn's words.

"Your assistance is appreciated," Ashe said carefully, "Though I fear I must decline."

Both Quinn and Talon looked at her shocked. To deny help from the Demacian army was borderline insanity, as they were known to be the best military in all of Runeterra. Ashe strode across the room to sit on the bed beside Quinn, taking her hands.

"Truly, I thank you and you can send my regards to your prince," she explained, "But I fear that creating an alliance will only push us closer to war. The Winter's Claw will see it as a threat and become even more violent. For now, I believe it is best that this conflict remains in the Freljord."

Quinn nodded understandingly. She knew how wise Ashe was, it was one of the things that made her such a great leader. Even though she didn't completely agree, she knew that she could trust Ashe's decisions to be good ones and trying to argue with her would be hopeless.

"If things do turn violent," Ashe continued, "I do hope the offer still stands."

"Absolutely," Quinn assured.

Ashe smiled warmly, squeezing Quinn's hands gently. She did truly appreciate the Demacian's offer, but she didn't want to drag another nation into her own's never-ending conflict. She would continue to follow her path of peace as far as it could lead her.

"Considering what you've gone through," Ashe added, "You are more than welcome to stay here for a few days to recover. Braum will escort you to ensure that no more… incidents occur."

"That won't be necessary –" Talon started.

"I insist," Ashe said sharply as she turned her gaze to him, "Forgive me for not trusting her to be alone with a Noxian such as yourself."

Talon's eyes narrowed dangerously, his hand hovering over his belt, daring Ashe to push him further so he could draw a weapon. The archer noticed this and turned back to Quinn, leaning in to whisper in her ear.

"I worry for your safety."

"I apologize for his behavior," Quinn said, shooting a glare Talon's way, "He's a bit of an ass."

Talon scoffed and rolled his eyes, mumbling to himself as he folded his arms across his chest. Ashe smirked to herself, amused at the Noxian's frustration.

"As I said before, please take your time to rest. Tryndamere has gone with some men to the area where Braum found you to track your attacker."

Valor, who had perched himself on the windowsill, cawed at the mention of the attacker, ruffling his feathers defensively. The scout had no problem understanding exactly what he meant.

"Val says he gouged his eyes out," Quinn explained, "So if he's still alive, I can't imagine he's gotten very far."

"I'll gut him myself if he is still alive," Talon mumbled.

Quinn appreciated his unusual expression of concern, but didn't reply. She was worried about this attacker that had nearly killed her. It was common for there to be bandits throughout the Freljord, but what if it was something more? What that something more was, she wasn't sure, but the worry gnawed at her.

"I'll leave you to relax," Ashe said, standing up to make her way to the door, "Please let me know when you feel well enough to return to Demacia. I'll make sure Braum is ready."

"Yes ma'am!" Braum bellowed.

Ashe sent Quinn one more friendly smile, though her face turned sour when she looked at Talon. With a quick farewell she left the cabin, leaving the other three in uncomfortable silence.

"Miss Quinn," Braum declared, "Is there anything Braum can do for you?"

"I'm alright, thank you," she assured.

"Shall I leave so you may return to your activities with Sir Marcus?"

Quinn could hear Talon snort as he held in a laugh, quickly falling back into a mess as she opened her mouth to explain herself yet again.

"That's not –"

"Yes, thank you," Talon cut her off, still trying to hold in his laughter, "You're as considerate as you are observant."

Braum beamed at the backhanded compliment while Quinn just hid her face in her hands, unable to hide her embarrassment.

"Then I shall go! Remember: Braum is here for you."

With that, he crossed his arm over his chest, placing his fist against it in a salute before leaving the cabin.

Talon immediately burst into a fit of laughter, stumbling over to the bed and collapsing on it, his head landing in Quinn's lap.

"Shut up!" she begged, "It wasn't that funny!"

"The look on your face!"

She wasn't used to him laughing like this, she'd always found his sense of humor rather dry. But here he was, cackling like a child over a misunderstanding.

"You're the worst," she groaned, "Now he's going to think I'm a… a –"

"Dirty Noxian fucker?"

When her face got even redder he just laughed harder, placing his hands on his stomach that was beginning to ache.

"You're the worst!" she groaned.

Quinn reached for one of the pillows beside her and swiftly smacked Talon with it to shut him up. After a few hits, his cackling calmed down to a soft chuckle, a stupid grin still plastered on his face. He couldn't remember the last time he'd laughed so much. It was kind of nice.

She relented in her attacks, placing the pillow on his chest as she tried to not notice the way his brows pulled together or his nostrils flared when he laughed. It definitely wasn't adorable, she told herself. Now that his laughing fit had ended, Talon was able to look up at Quinn's face, still tinted red.

"You're cute when you're embarrassed," he said absentmindedly.

Her eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected compliment, more blood rushing to her cheeks as she turned away bashfully. He brought his hand up to her face, turning it back to look down at him. Those eyes of hers were so bright, so warm.

"You know," he sighed, "Now that we're alone, we can get back to those activities Braum mentioned…"

"Talon, I swear –"

"I'm kidding, relax."

Quinn rolled her eyes and swatted at his hand playfully. While she wasn't exactly against the idea, they were guests in someone else's home and she'd probably die of shame if Braum or Ashe returned while they were making love.

"You should get your rest."

Surprised by his rational decision, Quinn eyed him as he stood up. He merely smirked and pressed her down against the bed, pulling the blankets over her.

"It's a long way back to Noxus," he said, "You'll need your energy."

Her brows furrowed together in confusion.

"Noxus?" she asked.

His grin turned sly as he leant closer to whisper in her ear, her body trembling when his lips brushed against her skin.

"You think I'm just gonna let you go back to Demacia after this? Oh no, I saved your life, remember? You owe me."

Author's Note: I have no self control, guys. I'm pumping these chapters out like a machine and I'm just waiting for that writer's block to smack me in the face. So until that happens, I'm going to update as much as I can. Also, thank you so much for the reviews! I'm kind of a slut for reviews, so after the great response the last chapter got I decided to treat you with this chapter early. Hope you like it! The next chapter's gonna be the longest one yet, so prepare yourselves. Until next time~