League of Legends Series

Ahri x Zed

The Institute of War. Ahri didn't believe she would like it quite as much as the rumors portrayed. It was much different from the forest life she had grown to love, and she was no stranger to other species, but the institute was enormous. She gawked at the interior, the massive ornate pillars, did little justice to the intricate patterns that layered the halls and murals. It was breathtaking. Nature was beautiful, but she had vastly underestimated the beauty in human-made structures.

 Never had Ahri seen something so massive, or so majestic.

It was her first day at the institute, and plagued by curiosity, Ahri wandered every hall, exploring every nook and cranny that met her eyes. The word enormous was starting to sound like an understatement, and she had yet to enter the Fields of Justice either. As it turns out for the weeks to come, fighting was a joy Ahri had forgotten. It was challenging, and she found herself in a state of meditation when she fought.

Ahri had her own rooms, and souls were provided for her, where they got those souls; it was not her place to question. She was happy and well taken care of, and all she had to do was fight to her heart's content. All in all, the bruises seemed worth it.

During her second week, Ahri made the mistake of trying to befriend Katarina. She was a snarky woman with a personality akin to fire. Plus, her expertise with blades was impressive, although they never met outside the Fields of Justice, they worked well together. Ahri never missed the way the assassin would smirk, blowing a strand of hair out of her face before shooting a flirtatious wink her way. Apparently, that side of her liked to remain solely on the battlefield.

It had been a mistake. Ahri had never been ridiculed so much in her life.

However, she found solace in her downtime. When the Fields of Justice were not occupied, she often wandered the jungle and befriended the adorable crab that roamed the river. It was kind of stupid and loved to eat, but it was cute, and a good listener, though she suspected it could not understand her.

The institute had amazing food, and while Ahri preferred to feast alone in her chambers, she did not want to be alone at the moment. She rarely entered the premises of the mess hall, the diversity in the room alone scared her. And as she learned the hard way, making allies in the Fields of Justice did not make people friends outside of that context.

After retrieving her food, Ahri glanced around for an open seat, she knew very few of the champions, having only been here a week. Katarina's vicious grin had her avoiding their table at all cost. Many of the seats were occupied, and Ahri spotted an empty table near the back of the mess hall. As she took a seat, she noticed it wasn't quite empty, a masked man sat silently near the edge, part of him covered in shadows, and Ahri smiled scooting on down to get a better look at the figure.

"Hi," she smiled. The assassin looked up, the red glow of his slits enough to let her know that he was not a man of many words if any. "You look like you could use some company." Ahri made herself comfortable at the table, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "So where are you from—oh, are those hidden blades, they look really sharp? Can I touch them? No wait, how many people have you killed, it must be a lot, you look like the shady sort." Zed kept his eyes on her, fingers drumming on his thigh. He wondered if she was daft or merely oblivious, although he supposed they weren't so far apart. Still, the man was annoyed that she was unable to read the mood.

"You...are annoying," he breathed out through the mask. "Keep talking, and I will slit your throat." Ahri blinked twice, and a dopey smile graced her lips.

"Ah, I see. You're one of those dark, broody types. Oo, are you also a bad guy cause you kinda look like one." Zed stood up abruptly, leveling the fox with a withering glare before vanishing into thin air. It seemed like the assassin had quite the temper, but Ahri never expected the man to just up and disappear like that.