"So yer really threatened that Ionian!?" Graves asked with a loud laugh.The group that Jhin hanging with were odd at best. Graves, Twisted Fate, Jhin and League's scorching demon, Brand were sitting on around a round table. Brand's flames were diminished for the time being-since the oak furniture were not so strong against fire- and as everyone except Jhin drinking, fire demon was eating burned wood pieces from a large, metal bowl.
"How come you know it?" Jhin asked back.
Twisted Fate answered in place of the outlaw."Riven told Yasuo, he told Gragas, Gragas told Braum, Braum told Ashe, Ashe told Miss Fortune and Sarah told me. And I told Graves of course."
Graves took a breath of his puro as he tried to understand who told tobacco were spreading a pleasant smelling and warm smoke."Who da Sarah ? " He asked with confusion.
Twisted Fate understand what he said after hearing his there is no escape, he said, "Miss Fortune."
Graves took another smoky breath as the confused expression on his face seemed getting wider."Why did Riven talking with sword guy and more importantly why are ye on the first name basis with the pirate lass?"
"Are you living under a rock or something Graves?" Brand asked while stuffing his mouth with spoonful of wood pieces. They sound like cereals under his teeths."Two of them are going out for more than a month."
"Ye are fucking kiddin' ! Why no one told me!?"
Fate rolled his eyes. After years passed he expected to getting used to Graves' antics but soon he realized their effect will never fully fade."Probably because you're always drinking your ass blind before anyone can tell you anything."
"I'm an expert in a stressful field of work." said Graves. "Of course now and then I need a drink or two."
"You're an outlaw not a Zaunite chemist." Fate huffed. It's really a wonder how Graves could dodged the law and the bullets so long with his intelligence."Now and then doesn't mean every night and a drink or two is not more than a barrel."
The outlaws shoulders lowered."Maybe... wait." Then his eyes narrowed." Yer dodging my question."
"Which question?" Fate asked in such a surprise, one might think he never heard the word, question, before.
"Why are ye on the first name basis with Fortune?" Graves said, punctuating the word, Fortune.
"They're in a relationship for a...month?" Jhin answered in place of the card master.
Graves was shocked."Ye told him but not me!?"
"I didn't tell anyone!" Fate tried to can't understand why he was afraid of Graves' sadness."It's not even been month!"
"I overheard Miss Fortune asking for advice to Leona." Jhin said, smiling to that they can see under his mask."Also you had a faint smell of lilac and rose on you. The Bounty Hunter's perfume."
"O-oh ha-had I?Nothing get's past you Jhin." Chuckling nervosly, Fate put his hat to the table."Is it getting hot here?"
Jhin continued, not caring even a bit about his discomfort."She fears she's too brash for you. She heard you saying you like womanly womans."
"I-ıs she now?" said Fate.
"That's what yer call overhearing?" Graves asked."Then thank god ye weren't eavesdropping. Probably give a fuckin' opinion about the matter."
Jhin's laugh echoed in the small room."Do not act like you are not curious about the nature of their relation."
Everybody but the Twisted Fate in the table laughed. The card masters face was scrunched in worry.
"What is Sarah worrying about, Jhin?"
"As I said, she thinks she's far too much hardened for your liking. You know, the guns and all that stuff...Worrying she'll chase you away, if she doesn't change."
"Somebody is head over heels..." Graves commented, exhaling more smoke in the process."And that pirate lass no less..."
"Shut up for a minute Graves." Blinking, Twisted Fate said without really giving his attention to the outlaw."But I like her in the way she is. She doesn't need to change."
"That is also an another problem. You two are not talking enough." Jhin replied to the card master." Most of the things she knows about you is coming from the rumors or bar talks. You're not telling her how you feel. Basically she has an image of you in her head and she's trying to act according to it."
"How long you fuckin' overheard to know this?"
"I'm with Graves on this." Brand said.
Fate ignored them."She could've told me!"
"You think you're being too clingy. Did you ever talk this with Miss Fortune?" Jhin asked.
The question was catched the Fate off-guard. "Well...I..."
"You did you assume she wants a strong man. One without doubts and brimming with confidence." Jhin pushed further."You act on the image in your head, not the woman stands front of you. Fortune is strong I'm not going to deny, can get anything she wishes. But the only thing she wants a bit of your love and she has no idea how to ask for it. Is it so hard to understand her?"
Twisted Fate lowered his head in acceptance.
But that didn't satisfied Graves."If you can't understand, this is the part you go to yer woman, dumbass!"
Fate looked of them can see his desire to leave."If you gents permit me..."
Shrugging, Jhin said "Sooner you two settle things, better."
Brand followed him."Flames of love is not like of the a fan time to should be going." The Flame of Vengeance added.
He lastly looked to the Graves."Fuck off, now!" said the irritated outlaw.
"Well then, if you'll excuse me..." Getting onto his feet quickly, Twisted Fate grabbed his hat and proceed to the door. Jhin could see his hands slightly trembling.
"Go get that woman!" Graves shouted as the Fate exiting.
After the card masters exit, talk went on between the trio, mostly joking about the Fate and Miss Fortune. Occasionally they changed the subject but sooner or later one of them joked about Fate and the talk started all over again.
"So what's with you and Sona." When Brand asked the question Jhin was still laughing to a joke made by Graves. The question catched him so unprepared, he started coughing.
"What's with me and Miss Buvelle?" Jhin asked back when his coughing finally calmed down.
Graves laughed. No doubt Jhin's lose of compusure was entartaining him."Judging by the sudden loss of breath, a lot of things."
Jhin growled in annoyance. The outlaw can be very perceptive if he wishes to be."Bond between me and Miss Buvelle is merely a friendship."
"Friendship my ass." Graves replied.
"You are using fancy words when lying." Brand added."Like you're staging a play."
Jhin let out an annoyed voice again. Letting go of your serial killer persona was surely has it's disadvantages. Like an outlaw and an ancient flame demon digging your personal matters. "Did you ever look out in a snowy morning?"
"Hell, I've sleep outside in a snowy morning!" Graves answered.
"Did you ever see a lone flower that mornings? They're called hearth and blue petals gave them their name...Only one blooms in a huge field, full of beauty and if a hand to disturb it, the rose wilts immediately. Imagine you see it, heavy with snow, it's blood red petals are shining, like a lighthouse on a steep cliff. You want to have it but knew if you were to come closer it'll you watch it from far away, knowing it will never be yours. You understand that Graves?"
The Outlaw was dumbstruck. His puro was about to fell down to ground."A-aye." He stuttered.
"That's what Miss Buvelle is to me."
Maybe the talk went on if someone didn't knocked the door before anyone can say anything more.
The trio looked to each other. Twisted Fate can't come this early, or anytime for the night, there is no one brave enough to knock Brand's door.
"Yes?" Brand asked.
"Is the Khada Jhin with you?" The voice in outside answered. Slow and deep, it was clearly coming out of a male's mouth.
"Maybe!Maybe not!" Graves shout."Depends on who's askin' ! "
Jhin knew who was on the door."Is this urgent, Talon?" said the virtuoso. He still did not give the report of his last mission, nor hand out the piece he sent to took.
Answer was short."It is."
Jhin rolled his a hunch but he feels like Talon is the one whose wishing to see him. In years he work with Noxia, Talon was the only one who did not accept Jhin. Always questioning his ways, doubting his loyalty, fearing that Jhin will turn his gun to them one day...
To put it simple Noxian blade master was a pain in the ass.
Jhin got up and get the door. There he was, standing in front of the door with his usual violet robes and an annoyed look plastered his bony face.
"Who wants to see me?" Jhin asked, knowing even get an answer for this simple question will be a problem.
"Commander Darius."
He means, I get him out of his bed this late, just to get him more annoyed in case you finally did something wrong.
Still there is no fighting with him."Lead the way." said Jhin.
Without saying anything Talon turned around and began walking. The virtuoso followed him quietly in the dark halls of the League.
Only three, in addition to Talon was expecting him. In a dimly lit room, Darius, red haired Katarina and Draven were sitting side to side with Draven putting his feet on the table before them.
"Commander." Jhin give a graceful greeting with his head." Sinister Blade, Sir Draven."
Darius shook his head in reply, his brother though only yawned and stretched his arm.
"No hi's to Talon?" Katarina asked, smirking. She knew the animosity Talon harboured against the Jhin and always enjoyed pushing their buttons.
However Jhin was ready for the question. Over the years they worked together, or more likely the impromtu Noxian committe acted as his superiors the virtuoso has seen every kind of joke."The Blade's Shadow and I greeted each other beforehand, Miss DuCoutue."
"You do now?" Katarina replied with her cherry red lips. Her hair and eyes were in the unique harmony of crimson and green but also beauty of her face can't be denied. Only if she wasn't a sadistic bitch..."Maybe he told you why you have been called?"
"I assume it was about the device I need to acquire." Sliding his hand to his pocket, Jhin pulled out a tube with cables inside it. "Device of the Ekko."
"You found it?" Talon asked in disbelief.
Jhin looked to the robed man in triumph. "Certainly wasn't easy after all the precautions Ekko took."
"And here we're because Talon thought you couldn't made it." Draven said with anger in his voice."This late of night we're holding a council for a job done right...Damn great."
It was his job before Jhin. Talon was the first one sent to fetch the device but at some point, because he did not worked together the contracts there, blade master screwed it up, making Ekko realize someone was after him.
Jhin smirked under his mask. He knew Talon would assume that the virtuoso will fail like him. But he never guessed that proving him wrong feels this good. He put the little machine on the table.
"Good job, as always Jhin." Katarina complimented.
"I have a question. About the Foxes." Darius said.
"Ask away commander. No part of my is hidden to you."
"Why did you killed them?"
Jhin was also expecting that question."After the Blade's Shadow's fail, Ekko took some precautions. Get into touch with some people in Ionia, holing up in fortified place and so on... Catching him alone were nearly impossible and attacking to his position going to be a smoke him out when I arrived in the Zaun I sent a sealed, fake letter, their execution sentence by me in particular, to Liev because I know he's going to read it. At the same time I kidnapped a girl, someone Ekko knew. So when he read it, Liev called the boy to pursue me and Vladimir. Also before leaving, I made sure to arouse the Sheriff and The Enforcer's suspicions."
"So when Ekko learned their arrival, he muster courage to face you. You act like it was a simple murder while fighting with Ekko and took his device." Katarina added."Brilliant."
"More or less. But to make it look like real, I have to kill all the Foxes because I learned that they're whistleblowers." Jhin completed his explanation."Vladimir's rage was all real since he didn't know about my plan at all."
After a short stop to process what Jhin did, Darius asked."Are we the only ones know this?"
"Yes, it should be." The virtuoso answered without a second acting like it.
"Very well, Khada will send to you." Darius make a move with his hands, signing him to get out."You may go now."
"Good night, Commander, Miss DuCoutoue." Jhin turned around."Sir Draven."
Then with his dancing steps, the virtuoso left the room.
After Jhin's leave, Talon said, "We should kill him."
Darius was inspecting the Ekko's device with pleased eyes, when Talon talk. Lights in his eyes dimmed slowly as he lifted his head to face with Talon.
"What does that mean?"
"Talon is just upset because Jhin succeed where he fail." Linking her delicate arm to Talon's, Katarina placed a peck to his cheek."Nothing serious."
However, Talon wasn't sharing the same idea."You heard what he did. Will we let him wander?"
Yawning again Draven said, "Only thing I heard was Jhin pull through where you screwed."
"It's not his success what's bothering me." The blade master replied, though not to the Draven but to knew his brothers words were also his."The way he did things is problematic."
"Aaah comeeee ooon Talon." Katarina groaned."His plan was is going to be suspicious."
"Devilish. Word you're looking for is devilish, Katarina." Talon objected sternly, stressing the word, devilish." Jhin know no 's time we finish him."
"Over the years, Jhin only did what's necessary." Darius said slowly.
"He did what he decided necessary." Talon fixed him, not caring about Darius' glare. "He's a if his sick mind decides our deaths are necessary?"
Draven laughed to his words."We're the ones who supplying, protecting and helping wants us out of the picture?"
"You really think he's accepting this situation because what, we're feeding him? The time will come, sooner or later, his ego wouldn't take anymore of his it'll be only a countedown to our deaths."
"Either you're taking him too serious or taking us too light, Talon." Darius commented.
"You see the plan he did for only a you really think we'll be able to see the knife when he decides to stab us?"
"Oh shut up kid!" Annoyed by Talon's stubbornness Draven got onto his feet and walked to the soon followed him."Nobody is going to kill us and if someone going to try, they're fucking welcome!"
Katarina hold his arm a bit more forcefull, signing him not to talk Talon not going to bother anyway. He watched their leave with scorning eyes under his cowl.
"I'll see your bravado when we all fall to the web he weave." Talon muttered.
After door closed behind their back, "Don't you worry about Jhin, Tal." said Katarina slowly.
Oh how little she knew...