SERAPHINE POV
Scratch: I FUCKING CALLED IT!!!
Ben: Scratch, come on... I've known Y/N for a little bit, when he says he's not ready, he's not ready. I really think all you gotta do is wait.
Sera: D-do you guys really think it's a rejection?
Ben: Well, obviously, yeah it is, but not an "I don't love you", type of rejection.
Scratch: Uh, yeah...
Ben: Uh, NO! It's more like... he loves you, but he really just isn't ready, he's postponing it. I mean, he was captured in Ionia for a week, he's been beat to a pulp by them too, I'm sure his sleep regimen is all over the place.
Scratch: Hmmm...
Sera: Yeah...
Ben: I mean, I hate to say it and ruin the moment-
Scratch: She's cute, isn't she?
Ben: You're not exactly a bad looking woman, and you aren't mean either. You're literally Zaun's innocence all rolled into one person. You're talented, you have dreams, goals, and you're not a bum, you're just in a rough spot.
Sera: Right... uhm... thanks?
Ben: Anyway, I think that he thinks that he just doesn't deserve you. That... or he's afraid of the life he lives and opening up to you.
Sera: Oh, that's obvious, that's something we both share.
Ben: I mean, you guys seemed to open up to each other enough.
Scratch: I'm betting on the first one.
Sera: I thought you hated his guts!
Scratch: I did, and I told you, I knew he was going to try something.
Sera: He didn't try anything!
Scratch: You live with the damn guy! Don't tell me he didn't try to place his hand where it shouldn't go like a damn corpo rat!
Sera: He's not a corpo rat! Him and his superiors care about the people affected, I mean... he realized he was an idiot for selling weapons and even got all his people to stop, despite one of them having a bit of a fit about it. I didn't know that his company was selling them to both sides just to profit more.
Ben: Surely, he had no idea about this, right? I know it's a bit of a stretch because he's the manager and every damn news station is saying he did, despite Viktor saying no.
Sera: Well, at least Viktor is on his side. I assume he tells me the truth if he lets me steal a kiss from him.
Scratch: You kissed him?!
Sera: You didn't? Also, you of all people should know where his hands go.
Ben: Oof... I don't like where this is going.
Scratch: I gave him specific instructions to leave his hands off me.
Sera: But not his dick.
Scratch: Ummm...
Ben: Alright, talk about this some other time. I came out so we could not talk about bedding one of my favorite customers, okay?
Scratch: Oh, Benji, don't get so bent up, he's nothing like you, I'm sure.
Ben: Yeah... hehe...
Scratch: He's a slimeball, and you're my timid little coffee boy...
I watch Scratch proceed to whisper and melt Ben into a good boy, making him sink into his one tub chair. I've never seen Scratch wear a dress, but something's got her going to wanna dress this hoity toity
Oh, Y/N was crashing a party, I don't know if you knew that. And... he didn't take me with him, even though that'd be a good date idea. I think he's just trying to separate me with my work, but Scratch might be half right.
He might not be who I think he is... when he's working. I've seen it too many times to count, boys acting worse or nicer around me. If it was like that though, why would he let me live with him?
Ben: Well, Sera, I think we're gonna get out of here, you gonna be okay?
Scratch: He could give us a ride...
Ben: As far as I'm concerned, I'm only... ahh... I-I shouldn't finish that.
Sera: Oh, you guys have fun, I'll... just hang out.
After they leave, I go right to the bar, sitting alone... and... well... I feel... oddly sad, ugh... Y/N. It's been a while since I've felt sad but... welp. God, I feel like I'm a lonely freshman all over again.
Hello darkness, what's up my old friend?
Y/N POV
Orianna and I are on the dance floor now, slow dancing as Jayce and Ezreal were talking stocks. Businessmen and stock prices, when it comes to those and shares in the company, oh and more companies, you can talk for hours.
Back to the dancing at hand, I feel Ori place her arm around my back and gently stroke it yet again, but it just feels so awkward. I look down into her eyes and she looks up in mine. I can even hear some of the synthetics in her face whirr as it turns into a smirk.
Ori: You seem... uncomfortable, am I making you uncomfortable?
Y/N: Well, it's not like you dance with cyborg that you were stuck sharing a bed within a cave for a week or so... who... seems to not have anything to say about what happened.
Ori: I guess this should be expected, you're not just scarred here on the chest, you're scarred in the head... Y/N, I'm sorry I don't wish to talk about it, but I... really... don't care too much about what happened there. Yes, while it was sad one of my coworkers and clients was captured, dealing with a life-threatening illness, to the point I had to augment myself, just made me see only the benefits in situations like that.
Y/N: What's so beneficial about being captured by terrorists?
Ori: You wanna get some air?
Y/N: Yeah, sure...
Ori takes me by the hand and both of us head outside, leaning on the balcony, away from anyone else that could possibly listen in. Perfect spot for a heart-to-heart... oh... Seraphine...
Ori: You feeling alright?
Y/N: Honestly, no. You heard about the Seraphine girl I was talking to?
Ori: I met her, she's really nice.
Y/N: We uhhh... well... we had a moment the other day and had a first kiss but... it felt strange... felt... wrong.
Ori: Why? What was so weird about it?
Y/N: Like, I like the woman sure, and we have good chemistry, we've cuddled before, but I felt bad after I kissed her. I felt guilty for some reason, like I did something wrong or that I didn't deserve her.
Ori: Is that what you think? That you don't deserve her? You'd think after this long you guys would know each other well, you didn't take advantage of her by the sounds of it. I mean, you got a nice paycheck, a nice apartment that you're even thinking about upgrading even further, you've been on the look for a car, and you told me earlier you got three you're interested in.
Y/N: Mhmmm...
Ori: Seems to me like all you need now is a lady and your Piltovian dream's complete.
Y/N: Maybe it's not that I don't deserve her, I really don't know. She willingly kissed me, she even tried to admit that she loved me but... I didn't say it back.
Ori: I mean, one week together, one week separated, the next week together, I'd expect a kiss too when you get back.
Y/N: We've only been on like 5 or so dates.
Ori: That's plenty to start thinking about a relationship.
Y/N: Hmmm... maybe, hey, thanks for this Ori.
Ori: Well, happy I could help. You can help me with something else. Do you know who signed off on an order of rifles due for next month?
Y/N: Not me, I haven't been at work. My sales staff don't have permission to do it either, and... since I didn't get an email or call, chances are they didn't do any of it either. Do you have a copy of it on you at all? I know this... dress is a little thin.
Ori: I got it.
She pops open a panel on her thigh and hands me and envelope. Together, we open it up and I skim through the documents. It's actually labeled as "rifles", but all the other numbers are out of whack.
Ori: Jayce has no idea and Ezreal has a hunch it's Viktor, but he didn't feel it was right to interrupt either Jayce or Viktor during their interviews.
Y/N: Oh, he just didn't want to do it because he's afraid of what they'll do. I know this company is in all kinds of shit, I need to see Jayce right now. Also, how the hell do I know you didn't sign off on this, head of R&D?
Ori: Because I just had to lay off half my staff today for following through with it! It's company policy we need executive approval! It's falling apart, we're in shambles right now... why do you think I've been with Jayce most of this night?
Y/N: Oh, I wasn't here for that long.
Ori: Well, yeah, I might've gone out with him but that's all we've been talking about.
Y/N: I'm going to Jayce, come on.
Ori and I march through all the donors, shareholders, clients, and arrive back outside where Jayce is out talking with a journalist.
Y/N: JAYCE!!!
Jayce: And-oh! Well, I'll see you later, bye!
???: But I-
Jayce: Bye!
???: You-
Jayce: BYE!!!
She runs off to Viktor as he turns around, climbing back up the stairs to talk to us.
Jayce: What's going on? Did you tell him about the thing?
Y/N: Yeah, she did, what the fuck is this? I knew they got ahold of our weapons, but this looks like we're double dipping... are we?
Jayce: That's what I'm afraid of, one of us is bad news bears. I run the fucking company, well... I try to run the company. Ori brought this up and I'm going to tell you the same thing I told her. I didn't do this, I'm the one who stopped the manufacturing so this shady dealing would stop with it.
Ori: Yeah, and now half my scientists are gone or arrested for it!
Jayce: I know this isn't you, because last time I checked you signed manifests and got Ezreal to write them correctly!
Y/N: Great, so it's like we have someone impersonating both of us. We need to talk to Viktor.
Jayce: Think you can manage? Fuck... I gotta go; Darius is calling me right now.
Y/N: Sure.
I find Viktor and it looks like he's trying to leave, coming out of the hall and heading down the stairs a little swiftly.
Y/N: VIK!!!
He ignores my first call, which he definitely heard.
Y/N: Vik! Come on, we gotta talk!
He finally turns around, it's definitely him. It's been him all along, I know it for a fact. Jayce is too naive, Orianna is too smart, so she would never be caught, Ezreal is... well... Ezreal, and Vik was the only one bitching the most about stopping the manufacturing. I just need to get legal, wait...
That rat bastard, that's right... I'm under vacation, and I'm being put up for injunction, so I can't file any lawsuits. I can, but I'd need a lawyer of my own. I hate... company contracts...
Vik: Alright, bye, have a good night!
Y/N quietly: Hey, hey, you seen this? What the fuck is happening here?
Vik: Y/N! Y/N... calm down, Y/N.
Y/N quietly: Vik-
Vik quietly: Come on, you can't be this naive...
Y/N quietly: I know someone here is double dealing under the table, who the hell is it? I know you know... I remember learning about the line not to cross when doing business. THIS... is that line, someone's double dealing, this is crossing it.
Vik looks over to his left, down the stairs, then takes a breath to stare me down. I can tell there's sweet murder in his eyes, like he wants to shoot me or something.
Vik: Let's get a picture.
He firmly jams his hand on my bad shoulder, making me wince as he turns us both around for the cameras.
Vik: Picture time!
He takes me down the stairs with him, and this is where he confesses.
Vik whispers: Y/N.... who do you think gave Jayce the suggestion of paid vacation? I was the one who filed the injunction against you when you tried to come back. It's the only way I could protect you...
Y/N whispers: So... it's you.
Vik whispers: Take your time off, and stay the fuck out of my way, or consider yourself terminated.
He pats my bad shoulder again, squeezing right on the part that hurts, then leaving through the crowd and to one of the limos. Jayce comes by, standing next to me as I'm in... well... a mixed state. Part of me is terrified while another part of me feels betrayed, as well as fucking pissed.
Yeah, I'm not ready for a relationship...
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Author's Note:
Jooj