Author's notes:
2021-12-09: Hey, I would like to share a short preview with you. Though as I have mentioned recently, I will try to take more time to finish each chapter, rereading it a couple of times. So, please do not be surprised if some parts of the preview do not make it through into the final release. Besides that, enjoy the text :)
2021-12-10: Hey, added a couple of additional scenes.
2021-12-13: Hey, finished the chapter.
Don't forget to comment. I really appreciate your feedback.
Note that the dialogues written in italic are thoughts.
As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)
Changelog:
[2021-12-09]: A preview was released.
[2021-12-10]: I have updated the preview, added around 1k words.
[2021-12-13]: The chapter was fully released.
Info: Overall, the current plan is for me to write 'My home is where my heart lies' and 'Family tree' alternatively. Between the updates of these stories, I will try to upload other texts. Maybe, just maybe, I will be able to finish some of the short stories. However, I truly doubt that. It seems that most if not all of the stories will be extended both in terms of the time and the number of chapters.
Bonuses' section:
A new story taking place in the Warhammer 40k universe.
Story of one lost soul: The war call: rewrite.
An entirely new story (possibly Akali x [Irelia, Syndra, Katarina]).
A new short story (Vi x Cait).
An entirely original story (possibly even 2 stories, one taking place in medieval times, the other in the far future)
References:
Palisades - Memories
Judas Priest - Painkiller
Judas Priest - Prisoner of your eyes
Metallica - Fade to black
Metallica - The unforgiven (I)
*bonuses will be worked on when I don't feel like writing the chapters pointed out in the schedule :D
End of author's notes section.
Akali's POV (a couple of minutes later):
Surprisingly enough, the moment her fragile fingers touched the guitar strings, she felt much better. As softly as possible, each of them was being gently pulled, giving quiet yet pleasurable sounds. The young girl quickly checked the tunning, pleasantly surprised by the state of the instrument. Akali pulled a thick pick from her pocket at a moment notice, ready to start jamming.
The teen took a couple of moments to think. Her expression was alternatively switching between a smile and frow. Then, she started playing. She did not care that the guitar was yet to be plugged into some computer or amplifier. It seemed that all she wanted was to play.
Even though she was sitting in a room full of people, she regarded it as empty. In her mind, only she and the instrument existed in that space. And frankly, it was more than enough. The jamming session began shortly.
In the beginning, the slow and steady riff was played. It seemed as if the raven-haired girl wanted to feel the guitar, to test it. However, that state did not last all that long. After maybe a couple of segments, the tempo was significantly increased.
A small yet genuine smile appeared on the teen's beautiful face. Akali played her favourite riffs with little to no effort, warming up and feeling better. More and more, her proficiency was being displayed as she constantly challenged herself to step up her playthrough.
"Honey?" Katarina's voice brought the girl back to reality, shattering the silence surrounding her. "How about we plug these guitars into the computer and begin? How does it sound? Then we can all listen to your wonderful play. What would you say, dear?"
"Ehh," the raven-haired teen sighed initially, taking a moment to form a response. "Yeah, let's do it. Any preferences of what we are going to play?" she asked, curious to some extent.
"I might not be as good of a guitarist as you're, but should be capable of following alongside," the redhead replied, reserved. "So, it's your call to make. If I don't have the song already, I should be able to download it quite easily. So, pick what you want," she added, heading toward the computer slowly.
"Fine," Akali said simply. "Let's start with something heavier then," she added after a few moments of thinking.
By the time she finally uttered her thought, Katarina returned from her pc that cast lights like a Christmas tree of a sort. In her hands, a black, thick jack cable. Without saying anything, the red-haired woman plugged it into Akali's instrument, then returned to her own guitar.
"So?" Katarina started whilst adjusting the guitar strap. "What's the song of choice?" she questioned curiously, again.
"Hmmm," the teen hummed, possibly out of a habit than necessity. "What do you think about 'Pallisades – Memories'?"
"Fine by me," the redhead replied initially, frowning. "However, it might be a little bit too heavy. Not to mention a bit depressing. Something lighter?" she spoke after a moment of thinking.
"Painkiller, then?"
"Judas Priest?"
"Yeah, exactly," the teen replied, nodding. "It is faster, but not as depressing."
"Sure, let's play it then."
With nothing more to add, the red-haired woman reached for the wireless keyboard. A couple of moments later, the game was launched. The in-game overlay appeared on a massive flat TV that nearly covered the whole wall within a moment or so. Then, Katarina began clicking, going through some settings, tables, lists before selecting the mentioned song.
Even though most if not all people surrounding them were drunk or at least half-drunk, the opening drums of the song caught their attention. But then, the piercing scream of the vocalist doubled that effect.
Soon enough, the guitar part began, allowing the raven-haired girl to relax. She played the riff with ease, enjoying the results of the countless hours of practice. To some extent, Akali felt as if she was in a sort of bubble, separated from the others. With that in mind, her tensed, exhausted body relaxed, allowing her to savour the moment.
In the meantime, the bloody-red-haired woman tried her hardest to keep up with the song whilst keeping her eye on her girlfriend. It was so surprising that the teen could turn 180 degrees in just a blink of an eye. The confidence was nearly emitting from the raven-haired girl. To think that doubts had been residing there only a moment ago could be called absurd. It really did seem that playing was doing wonders in the case of the teen.
As time went by, the song progressed, quickly reaching its peak. But, with all honestly, Kat gave up as soon as the solo part started. It was simply too difficult for her to play comfortably. However, on her left, her girlfriend was thriving. No matter what the game required her to play, she did more than a phenomenal job. Though it was worth mentioning that the quickly flying shapes were complex.
Soon enough, the famous 'Painkiller' ended, leaving both women slightly flushed. It took the game around a couple of seconds to process their performance and display the final stats. The redhead spared one quick glance toward the screen only to prove her speculations. Katarina was not surprised that the raven-haired girl received a much higher score. Frankly, she considered these stats to be taken from some alternative universe – at least to some extent. There was no doubt in her mind that Akali was miles away from her in that very regard.
"Wow," Katarina spoke in awe. "You're rock too hard because you aren't a mortal man," she added, flashing a small smile.
"You did me dirty right now," Akali responded slowly, returning the smile. "You did not have to quote 'Beelzeboss'. But, fine, point taken."
"Why, though? It's the truth."
"Well… maybe from your perspective," the raven-haired teen replied. "I do not think I am that good. At least, not as of now."
"I guess we're in dispute then," the redhead responded, visibly shrugging. "Anyways, what do you want to play next? Maybe something a little bit easier so I can keep up with you?"
"How about some Metallica, then?" the teen asked, humming. "Some of their most popular songs are, in fact, quite trivial."
"What do you have in mind?"
"Let's start with 'Fade to black'," Akali offered. "Or even something much simpler, 'The unforgiven'."
"The latter," Kat decided, quickly returning to the keyboard.
As soon as the next song began, the raven-haired girl improvised, adjusting her mood toward a much darker theme. Thus, without a doubt, it followed the initial bass line perfectly. However, it did not last all that long, sadly. Soon enough, the guitar part began, preoccupying Akali, who seemed to try her hardest to make the basics more appealing for herself. As expected, she was perfect.
Katarina tried to play the song with her mind still mostly focused on Akali. However, it could not have been compared to her girlfriend's results.
Evelynn's POV (more-or-less the same time):
"How much longer?" Fiora asked suddenly.
"Only a few moments longer," the magenta-haired woman responded immediately with a scowl on her face.
"Eve, I know that you're worrying. But, I think she can handle herself and Katarina," the headmistress spoke. "You don't need to speed up all the time."
"Darling, let's be blunt for a moment," the siren started, sighing. "You don't know her even half as well as I do. So, don't be mad at me, but I'll pass on your advice," she added, trying to sound cool.
"You said that she was upset, didn't you?" the head of the school continued the topic with another question. "Was it only upset that you've heard, or there was something more that you kept to yourself?"
"It's a good question, actually," the golden-eyed beauty admitted. "Yes, Akali sounded upset. However, between the lines filled with sadness, there was something more. It's difficult to describe, but she seemed disappointed, shocked even with something. And… as far as I know her, it wouldn't be caused by something trivial," she explained, stuttering a little.
"What do you expect you to find when we're finally there?"
"I don't even want to make assumptions," Evelynn spoke a bit colder. "Such parties remind me about my youth. And, you know perfectly how these looked like. I only hope we won't end up in a house full of naked people, drinking, and having sex all the time."
"I don't think it's possible," the headmistress uttered quietly. "I fear that we'll see exactly what you've pictured."
"Then, the sooner we get there, the better," the diva commented. "Akali is very uncomfortable in such topics. So, I'd assume it's the reason why she called in the first place. Otherwise, she wouldn't want to bother me. For the fuck sake! Even though she ended up calling, she apologised for doing so a couple of times."
"Maybe I'm mistaken. But, I have a speculation that Akali has already figured you out," Fiora made a comment of her own. "She knows that your life is quite complicated, complex. So she doesn't want to bother you with problems of her own," the teacher side of Fiora was allowed to speak up.
"Unfortunately, I think you're right," the magenta-haired woman admitted.
Their conversation lasted for a couple of minutes more, quietly quickening the last fragment of the ride. So, before neither of them could really notice, they reached Katarina's neighbourhood. But, frankly, the moment it happened, both women got surprised.
They left the vehicle without wasting any moment longer and started approaching the assistant's house. Though before they could knock at the doors, Evelynn's phone started vibrating again. With a slightly irritated grimace, the dive pulled it out of her pocket, answering the call immediately.
"Evelynn speaking, how can I help?" she spoke, making her tone sound as neutral as possible.
"Good evening, Miss Smith," a soft voice greeted her.
"Lux?" the siren asked, decently surprised. "Something happened?" she questioned, knowing all too well that her assistant would not have bothered her without a good reason.
"I'm not entirely sure, Miss," the young woman replied instantly. "I'm at the party, and I spotted one of your cars parked nearby," she explained briefly.
"Oh," the magenta-haired woman hummed. "Are you at Katarina Du Couteau's house?" she asked.
"Yes," the blond-haired woman replied, a little bit surprised. "Ah… so, you're here as well, Miss?"
"Not yet, Lux," Evelynn responded. "Would you be so kind as to open the door for us? I'm here to pick up Akali. By any chance, have you seen her?" she uttered more questions.
"Hmmm," Lux hummed. "There's a girl who could be her. I can't really say for sure cause we haven't been introduced. So, that girl's currently playing the guitar, and she's really good at it," the assistant provided some pieces of information. "I'm coming to the door."
Once the diva received the information, she hung out. After all, there was little to no sense in keeping the call. Then, after a couple of moments, the door was opened by a slim blonde. Her bright blue eyes seemed to be a little clouded, possibly due to alcohol. But, overall, she was sober.
"Thank you, dear," the magenta-haired lawyer uttered as a greeting. "Hmmm… if I'm not mistaken, it's 'Prisoner of your eyes' being played. It's one of Akali's favourite songs, so it must be her who's playing. Excuse me, I'll go for her. Fiora, do you mind keeping Lux's company for a few moments?"
"Not in the slightest," the headmistress responded a little too fast.
"Fine, then, I'll be back in a moment or so," she added, sparing a quick glance of her friend. The raven-haired teacher had her eyes focused on an adorable and fragile Lux.
Fiora did not say anything more. So, the diva decided to delve deeper into Katarina's house. Sadly, her concerns turned out to be perfectly valid. All it took the woman to prove that was a couple of steps. All around her, Evelynn could spot people either half-naked, naked, or already having sex without much regarding their surroundings. It was oh-so-painful for the siren. It reminded her about her youth, about her mistakes.
The magenta-haired woman knew all too well that she caught unwanted attention the moment she had entered the big living room. She could physically feel the gazes of horny people gawking at her, undressing her in their minds. It was disgusting, to say the least. It was no longer appealing to Evelynn to be considered an object of sexual fantasies. It had not been for years.
Akali's POV (a couple of minutes earlier):
"What's next?" Katarina asked, visibly exhausted from the performance they had put in so far. "Something slower, easier?"
"I feel like it will be my last song for tonight, so I would want something big," Akali replied. "I am thinking about 'Prisoner of your eyes' by Judas Priest," she added.
"Well… I don't know the song all that well," the redhead responded after a moment of hesitation.
"It is fine. I can play it myself," the raven-haired teen spoke softly. "Take a much needed moment of rest. You did great," she added, praising her so-called 'girlfriend'.
"Will this song be for me?" Kat asked.
"We have talked about that already," the girl responded, lowering her tone. "And… frankly, I have never connected you with that song. So, please, sit down and enjoy the performance. After that, I will most likely leave."
The assistant visibly tensed, yet she did not utter a single word. Instead, she did as she was told, unplugging her guitar firstly. Then, she sat down, disappointed in herself a little. A clear grimace of anger and dissatisfaction covered her beautiful face entirely.
The song began before Katarina could regain her composure and continue her talk with the teen. Its sad and slow pace set a tone for the next couple of minutes. Compared to Akali's previous performances, there was a massive difference in her body language. It seemed that the teen was reliving the story the song was narrating. But, it must have been admitted, the scenery was intriguing. The raven-haired girl was slowly swaying her hips, moving oh-so-marginally to the sounds of the song. And… as soon as the vocalist began, so did she. Akali's voice did not sound so clean tonight. Instead, the hoarse sounds came from it, making her version more appealing and unique.
As expected, the peak was meant to be reached during the first solo part. To some extent, it could be compared to the explosion of raw emotions. The ever-slightly breaking voice of the teen, the cry of the guitar, the sad harmony, it was perfect.
Evelynn's POV (at the same time):
Even though the diva wanted to proceed forward, she found herself unable to do so. In her honest opinion, there was something magical in Akali's performance. She felt stunned, unable to move on. The siren did not dare to interrupt that marvellous moment.
After some time, the song finally ended. However, even though the original soundtrack faded away, the raven-haired girl continued to extend it for a couple of moments. From the side, it looked like Akali was in some sort of a trans, playing to fill a hole within herself. The longer the solo went on, the bigger the hole inside Evelynn became. That feeling was challenging to describe. The magenta-haired woman would have loved her protégé to play something else, something less dramatic and romantic. Cause her heart was bleeding, and the siren had no control over it.
"Akali?" Eve called the teen once she mustered enough courage to do so.
"Evelynn, I am so sorry that I have bothered you," it took Akali a moment to turn around, but she apologised nearly instantly. "I am so sorry," she added, casting her gaze down. The confidence that had been there a moment ago was gone.
"Darling, come here," the diva uttered quietly. However, instead of waiting for her protégé to come closer, she closed the distance herself.
It did matter little to no that the people surrounding them were gawking. She hated the feeling, but there were things far more important to be handled. So once she was close enough, she hugged the younger woman, pulling her as close as possible. It might have been a selfish act cause she wanted to feel the familiar Akali's warmth, but she did not care. However, the girl returned the gesture, hiding her face in the crock of Evelynn's neck.
"Are you ready to leave?" Eve asked softly.
"Yes, the quicker we leave, the better," the raven-haired teen spoke quietly, her voice still filled with overwhelming emotions.
"So, let's go," the lawyer replied in a whisper-like manner.
The magenta-haired woman let the girl go a moment later. After all, the guitar she still carried needed to be put down somewhere. However, the troubles did not end there.
"Damn!" someone yelled. "So, how about some lesbian action? I wouldn't mind two smoking hot chicks like these to bang," the male voice continued.
Many others began speaking the exact words to Evelynn's uttered embarrassment and distress. Then, both boys and girls chanted a single word – bang. To say that the situation was unpleasant would be a massive understatement. The lawyer felt dirty, contaminated.
Even though it only took Akali a couple of seconds to put down the guitar, the situation escalated. Some of the bravest drunks came closer, starting to invade Akali's and Evelynn's personal space.
"Katarina, do something with them, or I will swear some blood will be spilt!" the furious girl yelled toward her so-called 'girlfriend'. "Stay the fuck away from me and my guardian!" she threatened.
"Calm down, everyone!" the redhead tried to size control over the drunks. "They're leaving; leave them be!" she continued fruitlessly.
The diva extended her right hand toward the raven-haired girl. She wanted to leave that damned house before something terrible happened. Yet, before she could grab her protégé's arm, someone began touching her from behind. The lawyer wanted to explode. Who was so stupid to touch her without her consent? Though her rage was nothing compared to the fire that lit in Akali's eyes. Before anyone could react, the girl leapt forward, clawing at the man who was stupid enough to touch the siren. As a result of that, some people backed off. However, it did not solve the issue. Even though the man was thrown into the couch, another one closed in toward Akali. In the meantime, some naked and sweaty girl approach the magenta-haired, wrapping her arms around her. Utter chaos began its reign.
Soon enough, the redhead assistant pushed through the drunks. Of course, she wanted to help her girlfriend. But, once she managed to get closer, it turned out that her help had never been needed. Akali held her ground quite well, punishing anyone who was brave or irresponsible enough to get in her range. On the other hand, the diva shoved the clingy woman to the side, furiously carving her path toward her protégé.
It took them more than a couple of minutes to get away from the horny mass. It would have been an utter understatement to call that party successful. But, in fact, it was a hard failure in every single considerable field. In the end, help had come in the form of Fiora and Lux, who had appeared late. Finally, after a hell of a struggle, they left the building. In the cool night air Katarina, Lux, Fiora, Evelynn, and Akali stood in front of the house.
"I'm sorry," the redhead apologised as soon as she regained control over her voice. "I'd have never expected them to act like some feral animals in heat," she added. "I can only hope that nothing too drastic happened to you, Evelynn and Akali."
"I wouldn't be oh so certain about that," the diva scoffed, pulling the teen closer. "We might haven't received any physical injuries, but I doubt we can forget about that eventful night," she added coldly. "I want a full list of the guest by tomorrow evening, Miss Couteau," the lawyer requested roughly.
"I understand, Miss Smith," Katarina replied, lowering her head slightly and reddening. "I'm sorry, Akali," she whispered toward the raven-haired girl. "I should have never invited you to such a party. I'm really sorry."
Akali said nothing, allowing her guardian to maintain a steady hold over her frame. The fire behind her eyes extinguished, leaving the young girl in a conflicted state.
"Do you need a lift, Lux?" Evelynn asked softly. Though the fatigue could be easily spotted in her voice.
"I'll call Uber," Fiora spoke. "We've decided that I'll get her to her home safely."
"Hmmm…, I see," the magenta-haired woman hummed. "Very well. I'm taking Akali with me. And… I'd love to have a request for you, Miss Couteau. Please, never ever, put my protégé in such a dangerous situation. Am I clear?"
"Yes, Miss Smith," the redhead replied instantly, intimidated by the siren.
Akali's POV (a couple of minutes later):
"Thank you, Eve," the raven-haired girl started mumbling. "Thank you for coming for me."
"You're welcome, honey," the diva spoke, trying to sound natural, but her exhaustion could not have been hidden any longer. "Can you tell me what happened? Why were you so upset? I know that you wouldn't have called me otherwise," she asked curiously. Even though she could already picture at least a dozen of scenarios.
"Ehh," Akali sighed heavily. "I am not entirely sure whether I want to talk about it right now," she added.
"So, don't."
"But, you have asked. I owe you at least that much," the girl uttered quietly. "It happened when we entered the kitchen. I saw an ebony-skinned girl pleasuring a man whilst his 2 friends watched. I threw up; it was so disgusting. These people were not even regarding their surroundings. They were just having sex everywhere. Then, one of these blacks started talking to me, asking whether I would join the girl in their disgusting games. It was so overwhelming. I got furious and beat them up," she recounted.
"I don't think I'd have done anything differently if I were you," the lawyer softly replied.
"Thank you, Eve. Thank you for being there for me."
"Always. Always, darling."
