I've got announcement. During this and the following week I'll have so much work and studying to do, so I might have difficulties writing another 2 chapters, but who knows. I'll try my best, but I don't manage to do it, I'll make an extra long chapter later on to kind of make up for that. Anyway, enjoy.

Chapter VI - Heartache

Kha'Zix was waiting for Rengar in an absolute silence. The only thing he could hear were his thoughts. He knew he did something horrible. The pain of almost losing Rengar was unbearable, so what must Lucy be feeling all this time after losing her brother must be horrendous, he thought. All that time spent with Rengar taught him how to truly live. But he wondered, was it really something he deserved? He still was a Void creature after all. After he acknowledged that he killed Lucy's, his friend's brother, he kept tormenting himself, over and over, with the fact that he is only a monster, undeserving any form of kindness.

But for Rengar, he decided to stop this. His words would always make happier, more than ever. Kha'Zix started moving his leg while sitting in a chair in kicking motion. He sighed, he didn't know what to do. One part of him just wanted to return to his old, cheerful life with Rengar. Screw the town, screw new friendships. He didn't want to harm anyone anymore. But another part of him wanted something different. Kha'Zix grabbed his heart and looked down. He wanted to atone somehow. He wanted to make up for everything what he did. But he was sure Lucy wouldn't take it okay. She would be furious, she would try to kill him. Then a thought came to his mind. Would she even be able to defeat him? He has never seen her fight, what is she capable of, he wondered.

"That fucking sucks…" Kha'Zix sighed underneath his breath. His robe was lying on the bed, he started getting sick of it. At some point, he even considered shredding it to pieces, but then he realised it would be utterly stupid and irresponsible. On top of that, it wasn't really his, but Rengar's.

After some time, he saw through the window that Rengar has returned. Kha'Zix smiled widely and opened the door for him.

"Welcome back, Rengar." Kha'Zix greeted him. Rengar was happy that he wasn't in sorrow anymore.

"I'm back, as promised." he replied, and when he got close, wrapped his arms behind his hips and pulled a little bit closer, "Did you miss me?" he added and chuckled quietly.
"Hmm...let me think…" Kha'Zix said in his usual humorous voice. Without leaving any moment for Rengar to retaliate, he moved closer and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

"I really like that kind of greeting. You should do it more often." Rengar said while slowly, but steadily moving inside with him. As the were moving, he pushed the door with his foot.

"I can't complain, I enjoyed that, too." Kha'Zix added and smirked. Rengar smiled wider. His gaze was fixed on Kha'Zix's emerald eyes. "Anyway, what about those two?" Kha'Zix asked.

But in response, Rengar released a soft and quiet, silencing "Shhh…". He got even closer, his half-closed eye focused only on his beloved one, "I don't want to talk about them right now…" he said in low, soothing voice. "Instead…" he added, and then moved his lips to Kha'Zix's, sealing them together in a kiss. He didn't resist, quite otherwise. While still holding Kha'Zix, Rengar moved a little bit further into his house, eventually they bumped into a bed with their legs. Before Kha'Zix realised, they were lying on their bed, kissing and frantically moving their hands all over each other's bodies.
"What about we...you know…?" Rengar suggested while gently caressing Kha'Zix's cheek with the palm of his hand. His pupils dilated, breath quickened. He gulped. He knew Rengar well, he knew that Rengar would suggest it only, and only if he was completely and undeniably sure about it. He wanted to smile and happily nod, but something deep inside him couldn't let him enjoy this moment. His, until now, joyful expression, changed into doubting and melancholic look in his eyes.

"I'm sorry Rengar. I...would gladly do it, but…" Kha'Zix sighed. It hurt him to reject Rengar's offer, but he just couldn't, "I don't really feel like it…"

Rengar frowned when he noticed this sudden change in his behaviour. He knitted his brows and lay down beside him, looking straight into his magnetic eyes, "What's wrong, sweetheart? Please, just tell me." he said worried. Kha'Zix looked at him, a single tear started flowing down his cheek.
"I...I just can't take it anymore…" Kha'Zix replied, trying his best not to start crying.

"What do you mean?" Rengar asked again while holding his hands close to him.

"I…", Kha'Zix hesitated, "I feel guilty, I am guilty, yet you're doing everything to keep me, a criminal, safe from any harm, while I play dumb, and-" Kha'Zix let the sentence trail off and bit his lip to keep composure, but another shed tears sold him out. Rengar pulled him closer and wrapped his arms around him, trying to calm him down, but to no avail. To think a Void creature could have such a soft heart. He's no monster, he assured himself.

"Can we...stay like that for a while…?" Kha'Zix mumbled while crying. He hated himself for being so weak. He wished he had his old, strong, and confident will, but at the same time this same will kept him a monster.

"Of course, it's okay...just calm down…" he replied in an instant. It was breaking his heart. Knowing that Kha'Zix changed was making him happy, but then he was suffering because of that.

They kept lying together for some time just hugging in silence. "Rengar…?" Kha'Zix asked suddenly. Rengar made some space between them allow him to talk properly.

"Yes, I'm listening." he replied quietly.

"I...repent what I did, I truly do, and this ugly feeling of guilt makes me miserable." he whispered, but he wasn't crying anymore, "What do you think, is there a possibility for me to...atone in some way?"

Rengar thought about that for a moment. He understood well what was the cause of his breakdowns, but what could he possibly do to relief this pain, he wondered. On top of that, Rengar knew a simple promise not to do something like that again wouldn't be enough, but then again, what else could he do without risking his identity being revealed?

"Maybe...you could write a letter?" Rengar suggested, but Kha'Zix shook his head.

"How would I know who Connor or Lucy is?" he said, "No, it wouldn't do."

"Fuck, had I told them the Void creature is dead, they would have been gone by now...What was I even thinking?" Rengar asked himself out loud. He could have prevented it, but the sudden Lucy's reply shook him.

"It's alright, it's not your fault." Kha'Zix replied and sighed.

"Oh, by the way, is there a chance that you...left some kind of message in your old cave?" Rengar asked when he remembered about their discovery.

Kha'Zix tried to recall something like that, "I…I did. The day you told me you hate me…" he admitted bitterly. Rengar frowned, he was still feeling bad for saying it to him.

"But why was it concealed like that?" he asked.

"Why? So no one would see it, obviously." Kha'Zix replied, "I did that, because I've read writing down your thoughts helps you cope with stuff, or something like that…"

Rengar nodded slowly, he understood what he was trying to tell. Even then he wasn't a complete savage. Rengar smiled and kissed Kha'Zix in the forehead.

"Okay then, so what do yo-" Rengar paused when he heard a growling sound in his belly. Kha'Zix looked at him surprised, smiled faintly and chuckled. Rengar laughed quietly as well, "Wow, what a mood killer."

"I actually forgot that it's so late, I feel a slight hunger, too." Kha'Zix admitted and sat up.

"I don't really feel like cooking. Will dried meat be enough?" Rengar asked. Kha'Zix smiled and nodded.

"Sure."

After they were full, they spent some time lying in bed, just the two of them. Rengar wanted to forget, at least for now, about everything. Lucy, Noah, their "investigation", all of it. He wanted to rest, to finally relax. Kha'Zix was feeling the same. Lying like that without any worries was blissful, but they knew it wouldn't be eternal. They had to return to their usual duties eventually. But for that short moment, they just stopped caring.

It was getting late, but still long before dark. Rengar gently released Kha'Zix from his embrace and said "I hate it, but I have to go."

Kha'Zix nodded and sighed. "I know, I know…" he said as they were getting up. Rengar donned his armour and took his weapons. He was ready to go, but before that, he turned to Kha'Zix and hugged him tightly.

"I love you. Be safe." he said and kissed him. Then he looked at him and smiled.

"I love you, too. Now go before I stop you." Kha'Zix said and chuckled. Rengar nodded and left.

As he was going to Nidalee in order to think about something to explain those clues they have found, Rengar wondered what would happen if Lucy and Noah accidentally learnt who the Void creature is. Would they just attack, no warnings given? Or maybe they would hesitate and ask question first? He tried to push that thought out of his mind. They won't know, he told himself.

But then, as he was halfway, he heard something, his name. He turned around to look for a person who called him, but there was no one in sight.

"Who's there?" Rengar called, but the only thing he heard were birds singing and leaves rustling on the wind. He shrugged and started walking again, but then he heard that again, clearer this time.

"Rengar?" it said. He looked around, scanning every bush, every tree, but he saw nothing. "It's me, Noah.". Noah? Why? Where? Then, Rengar noticed something weird. This sound was in his head, he didn't hear it with his ears.

"What in the…" Rengar said under his breath. Why was he hearing him?

"Oh shoot! I forgot! You don't know how it works." he said in his mind. "Just think about what you want to tell me, I'll hear it."

What? Just think? Rengar was perplexed, has he casted some sort of spell or something? Confused, he tried to think of a short reply. "Hello? Noah?" Rengar "said" to him.

"Oh! I was afraid I confused the direction!" he replied. Rengar's eye bugged out. He actually replied to him. It was strange. He thought that telepathy was solely for magic casters, yet he was able to communicate with him. Was it because he was a magic caster?

"Why am I hearing you?" Rengar asked him.

"I wanted to talk to you, without Lucy. I'm close to where we met the first time. Can we meet?" Noah asked.

"Why? Can't we talk like that? It is weird, but it's not that bad actually." Rengar replied. That must be looking hilarious, he thought. He is just standing there, doing absolutely nothing. If Nidalee saw him, she would question his sanity.

"Well, theoretically, but maintaining this spell isn't the easiest thing to do, so…" Noah said. Now that he said that, he felt a slight exhaustion in his "voice". He sighed and turned back.

"Okay, I'm coming. I'll be there in fifteen minutes." Rengar said.

As he promised, he was there after some time. Noah was sitting on a rock, reading a book. When he saw Rengar, he put it in his bag and jumped down on the ground.

"So what was it you wanted to talk about?" Rengar asked, amazed that he wasn't hallucinating. He seriously just talked to him in his mind.

"It's about our search. I wanted to ask you something." Noah admitted with straight face.

"Okay then...but why isn't Lucy with you?" Rengar asked first. He thought they are inseparable.

"I'm afraid she would overreact…" he replied. Rengar raised his brow. Overreact? Why? What kind of question does he want to ask?

"Go on then…" he said, not sure if he was ready for his question.

"I wanted to know why...why did you lie about the Void creature?" Noah said. His brows furrowed and he almost gasped. Does he know? How much does he know?

"What do you mean…?" Rengar asked, uncertain of current situation.

"Right after you agreed to help us, you told us some things about the Void creature, remember?" Noah pressured him.

"Yes, I do." Rengar tried to calm down. Maybe he can refute his accusation?

"Most of those things were lies, weren't they?" he said, "You said you had always been severely wounded after each encounter, but it was a lie." Noah explained. How does he know, Rengar thought. Because he doesn't have that many scars?

"Why would I lie? Furthermore, why do you even think I lied?" Rengar said angrily. He thought that an innocent person would be angered if accused of lying.

"I…" Noah sighed. "If I don't tell you, you won't admit anything." he added.

"What are you talking about?" Rengar asked again. Noah looked at him and replied.

"I can sense if someone is lying." he admitted. He...what? Rengar couldn't believe what he just heard.

"Wait...you can...can you really distinguish a lie?" Rengar asked in disbelief. If it was true, then he definitely knew.

"I do, but some conditions must be met." Noah said.

"Conditions?"

"Well, I need to know one's name, given during birth. Also, I need to know more or less one's personality, what kind of person one is." Noah explained.

"And that's all?" Rengar asked. He was getting nervous.

"Well...for a long time I thought it was everything, but one year ago I discovered that I also need to know one's race. With all those three pieces of information, I can become a walking lie detector." he replied. "Wait, why am I telling you this? I was supposed to interrogate you!" he added with quizzical expression on his face. Know one's race, huh, Rengar thought. So everything Kha'Zix said he took for granted since he was sure it wasn't a lie?

"I...said all of that to discourage you, because-" Rengar paused. He can't tell that he is afraid they will die, it's a lie. He needs to go around it somehow.

"Because…?" Noah repeated after Rengar, awaiting some kind of response.

"Because...as I said, I don't want to be responsible for your deaths…" Rengar said carefully. Noah's expression didn't change. Did you trick him?

"I understand, you didn't lie when you said you have never defeated him, but Lucy isn't weak. She is very agile, and with my spells, I can make her a deadly opponent, even for him." he admitted.

"I don't doubt it, but I really don't want you to take that risk." Rengar said, this time it wasn't even a lie.

"To be truthful, I don't think this a great idea, either, but I would descend to hell with her if she asked me to. But hey, if we actually do that, we'll be known for slaying a Void creature!" Noah exclaimed, trying to brighten the mood.

"Yeah, you would be…" Rengar said slowly. It is bad, very bad, he had to do something, but what?

"But now that I think about it, why won't you help us kill it? Aren't you afraid it will come one day, ambush you, and kill you?" he asked, both concerned and confused.

"I...I actually am not." Rengas said confidently. To Noah's surprise, he didn't lie.

"How can you be so sure? Perhaps you know something we don't?" he said and sucked his teeth. He wanted answers. "Let's do it this way, I'll ask you one question, and you'll reply to it, no matter what, but I won't tell Lucy anything about it...at least for now." he added. Rengar glowered at him, he didn't like his overconfidence, but what choice did he have?

"Ask the question, then I'll decide." Rengar added, highly displeased by this situation.

"Do you know...the whereabouts of this creature?" Noah asked after a moment of silence. Rengar's expression softened a little bit, but because he was cornered. It was a very cunning move. Rengar didn't realise it at first, but there was no way to go back. If he refuses to reply, it will mean that he knows. If he lies, he will know. Rengar bit his lip and looked aside. He had no choice.

"...I know where he is…" Rengar replied. Noah nodded, he knew it wasn't a lie.

"I understand. I'm glad we clarified it." Noah said and started walking away. "As I promised, I won't tell her anything yet, I'd rather want you to tell her yourself." he added. Rengar was confused. That's it?

"Wait, you don't want to know where he is?" he asked, but Noah just threw is hand in the air in dismissal.

"I said I would only ask one question." he said and stopped. He turned around and looked at Rengar. "Unless you want to tell me yourself…?" he asked.

"I'll keep that a secret for now. I need time to decide." Rengar replied. Noah nodded and started making his way back to the town.

"Sure thing. See you tomorrow." he said and left.

Rengar felt bad. Not only all his lies have been revealed, but also he had to admit to know the location of what they are looking for. He wasn't sure whether Noah was honest about not telling Lucy, but he had to trust him for now.

"Fucking magic…" Rengar scoffed and went to Nidalee.

I realised my previous chapter had weird layout, so I'm gonna fix it in a moment. Sorry for that. See you (I hope) next week.