Chapter Text
Vi hears Singed’s footsteps before she can see him. Two of Singed’s assistants had dragged her out of her cage as she settled down for the night. They put a muzzle on her, making sure she couldn’t attack them before taking her to that goddamn lab. She growled the whole way there, making the assistants glance at her nervously the louder she got, but she remained compliant. That was how she survived in this place. Faking the loss of her memories, listening to whatever Singed told her to do, and playing the part of a good pet. She hated it. She hated Singed and his assistants and wanted to devour them in a rage.
“Good evening, Willow.” Singed hums as he walks around the table she’s strapped to, “Tonight… Tonight you receive the final dose of the serum I perfected for you. Isn’t that wonderful, Willow? The final dose. You have become the most perfect specimen.” He grins patting her arm and making her want to lash out at him. Unfortunately, the chains holding her down wouldn’t allow her to. Singed looked awful. His eyes were sunken deeper than usual, skin sickly and showing his scars. Yet, it didn’t hide the manic look in his eyes. She could smell it on him, too, to her surprise. Singed was always guarded around her. It was rare she could sense anything about his emotional state or health. She suspected that he had some kind of blocker on when he visited her, as the assistants didn’t.
“Six years. It took six years and a few failed test subjects to get here. Warwick was the closest we got before he tragically died a few years ago. He did not survive the experiments as you did.” A low growl rumbles in her chest to show her displeasure, but a lump forms in her throat at those words. Even though his death was a few years ago, it stung every time it got brought up. Singed liked to give his experiments new names and Warwick was Vander’s. Vi watched helplessly as Vander was mutated and lost his memories, but he always said that she seemed familiar to him. That brought her more pain than anything Singed did. And now, Vi was the last of the test subjects… and the only successful one.
“You are my greatest creation yet. A perfect killing machine hidden in a human’s body.” She could hear the adoration in his voice, but it wasn’t for her. No. It was for his creation. The thing he turned her and her father into. Her hand tightens into a fist causing her claws to sink into her skin. The stinging pain reminds her that she’s not in a nightmare.
“When you wake up, things will change. You’ll be rewarded for being so cooperative.” Singed croons at her, “Don’t worry about a thing, Willow.” A large 60ml syringe filled with a light yellow serum is removed from his pocket. A touch of fear brushes the edge of her subconscious as the syringe reminds her of the first night in this place. Her serum wasn’t yellow. The one they gave her over the years has been green, but she can’t voice that thought as she feels the thick needle slide into her arm.
An unearthly scream rips through the silence as the serum is injected into her. It burns through her veins like acid and as the rest of the liquid is injected it feels like her head is going to burst. She lets out a howl and thrashes in her chains, screaming in pain as she desperately tries to find some kind of relief. It’s not long until her body becomes very heavy and her head starts to spin. The last thing she sees is Singed’s sinister eyes as she slumps unconscious.
“Y/n.” Jim - Singed’s main assistant - nods at you when you make eye contact with him. You give him a friendly smile as you hand the customer in front of you their fully repaired weapon. This was the tenth weapon you’ve had to fix today. ‘What are Silco’s men doing with these things? They’re definitely keeping me busy.’
“Hey, Jim.” You say cheerily, “Are you here to take my tools again?”
“No, actually, I’m hoping I can take you on a date.” Jim announces confidently. You raise an eyebrow at him as you wipe down your workstation. Jim has been coming to your shop since it opened a few years ago on behalf of Singed. You knew that he was crushing on you, but you weren’t into him. Your gaze was only for women, whether they were human, Vastayan, or another species. It wasn’t a secret, as everyone knows you’re Grace’s favorite client; a chameleon-like Vastaya who works as a Dominatrix at Babette’s. So, the confident way Jim said this made you chuckle.
“Sorry, Jim. You’re not my type, and by that, I mean a woman.” You turn to him and put a hand on your hip, “I’m gonna have to turn you down.”
“Of course, I’m not your type! I know that!” Jim laughs, but you can tell it’s forced, “I’m actually here to offer you a job on the weekends.”
“What kind of job?” You tilt your head, “It better be worth my while.”
“Singed is looking for someone to do an important job. It’s only two hours a day. He tasked me with finding a person and I thought you’d be best.”
“And, because it’s Singed… You can’t tell me more than that, right?” You snort, “How do you think that’ll get my interest?” You had already made up your mind to turn down the offer. You had wondered what Singed was working on, but you weren’t foolish enough to find out. He was the one who created Shimmer, after all.
“You’re the only one who can do it.” Jim pleads, seeing the answer on your face.
“It’s a no, Jim.” You shake your head and go back to your work. ‘Who am I kidding? I am foolish. I’m so curious about this job.’
“You’ll get to find out why you’re repairing so many things.” Jim rushes out, “I’m sure you have questions about it!” You sigh, knowing that he got you. Naturally, that piqued your interest and you found yourself getting a rundown on your new job that weekend. ‘Why does he need me? And, why am I the only one who can do this?’ You ponder.
Singed greeted you with a chill warmth but there was a glee in his eyes when they landed on you. He was quick to inform you about what he needed you for - an observation job. All you had to do was sign some forms - which you read thoroughly - and take a little pill before you went to see what you’d be taking care of. Singed wasn’t very forthcoming about specifics of the task, except for three things that involved your safety. One, always take the pill. Two, always announce your presence even if you know she can sense you. Three, don’t step past the white line or open the cage. You could only open it in emergencies.
You figured from the rules that it had to be an animal of some sort, as that was the only thing that made sense. You had asked what the pill was for and Singed told you it was important for your observations. You were so curious about what this animal could be that you took the pill without another question. It couldn’t be any worse for you than Shimmer or anything else in Zaun.
Five minutes later, Singed leads you down a long, bare hallway. You rub your arms as the temperature significantly drops, trying to keep yourself warm. The only thing down here is two large cages facing each other. One was empty but covered in scratches and what you could assume to be dried blood. Your attention was directed to the cage opposite it and your heart leaped into your throat. In the cage wasn’t an animal, but a woman. A very, very attractive woman.
“Before you freak out.” Singed glances at you, “Willow is not human. She only appears this way when she hasn’t… tapped into her nature.”
“Tapped into her nature? What does that mean?”
“Willow is a creature of my own creation. A werewolf. A predator hidden in plain sight. I assure you that you won’t see her as human when you witness her true form. She is the reason you’ve had to repair so many items.” You couldn’t take your eyes off of her. Something about her drew you in. In the corner she is laying in, there is a mass of blankets and pillows bundled around her. Off to the side, there’s a door into what you assume to be a bathroom since you don’t see any evidence of one in the main cage. ‘To have created a new species…’ You take a peek at the man next to you. ‘Just what does this man have spinning in his mind?’
“Is there anything I should know about Willow?”
“Willow has only been around men since she was born, so you’re the first woman she’ll be in contact with. I am not sure how she will act around you, but that is part of your job to find out. As such, all necessary information about her is in a folder on your desk.”
“The first woman?” You gasp in shock, “That adds some clarity as to why I was chosen for this job.”
“Yes, that along with your attention to detail. On the weekends, you’ll bring her a treat and spend some time with her. She may reveal things to you that she does not reveal during testing. But, don’t be fooled, Willow can speak like and understand a human. Don’t underestimate her.”
“Okay.” You nod, eyes still trained on her prone body, “I can do that.” You couldn’t help but feel a bit excited. You’re the first woman to interact with Willow, and that opens up so many questions. ‘It’s not every day you get to interact with a whole new species.’
Vi’s eyes snap open and she snarls in aggravation as her dream slips away. Her dreams were infinitely better than her reality. The past few weeks were filled with tests. She was poked, prodded, and studied to see what the completed serum did to her. Physically, it enhanced her muscles, making them bulkier than her working out did. It made Vi feel a little annoyed since she worked so hard to build muscle in the first place. But, Singed was gleeful about the physical changes in her. ‘A real apex predator’ was what he muttered during the last test. It also amplified her senses and even her canines felt more pointed than they used to be. Mentally, she was a lot more aware of her surroundings, quicker to act, and in tune with everything. They tested that by having her hunt some of Silco’s men who were unfortunate enough to make him angry. Singed mentioned something cryptic about her falling into her instincts and testing hormones but that wasn’t something she could piece together.
Today was a weekend day. She knew it was because the assistants came in late during the weekend. Singed would give her thick, rare meat that she would gladly indulge in, never questioning what kind of meat it was. The quality of it was better than what she was given during the week so it was something she looked forward to. It made her so excited that she started to pace the cage when she smelled it. Vi can feel herself salivating but the footsteps she hears puzzle her. ‘These are lighter than what I’m used to. They’re not ones I’ve heard before, so it’s… someone new?’ She listens closely to the steady steps and surprisingly even breathing. ‘Whoever it is, isn’t afraid of me either.’ Vi tilts her head and slinks back into the darkness, intending on studying who it is before they can see her. A body appears in front of her cage and Vi has to stop herself from recoiling in shock. The person in front of her wasn’t another man like she assumed but a woman.
“Willow?” A soft, delicate voice sounds and it’s music to her ears. ‘It’s been six years since I’ve been around a woman. All of Singed’s assistants have been men.’ Vi’s heart pounds in her chest as she stares at her. ‘She’s… gorgeous.’ She thinks in awe.
“Willow, I have a treat for you.” She watches intently as the woman places the tray on the floor. Slowly, the woman slides the tray under the bars and into her cage. Overtaken by an emotion she can’t comprehend, Vi races forward and slams into the bars. Her hands grip the iron tightly as she tries to get as close to the woman as possible. ‘Why is she here? Why now? What’s changed?’
A loud yelp comes from the woman as she stumbles back and falls over in shock. She lands on her ass with a low thud and a small groan of pain, “Ouch, I wasn’t expecting that.” The woman laughs to herself before they make eye contact, “Hello, Willow.” She says pleasantly, but it makes Vi flinch. She didn’t like hearing that name come out of her mouth.
“You’re a woman.” Vi’s voice comes out silky, alluring, but it didn’t sound strange to her. Not anymore. She’s had years to get used to it and it was a part of her just like her wolf.
“I am. I’ve been told I’m uh…” The woman adjusts her position so she’s sitting cross-legged, “the first woman you’ve been exposed to since you’ve been here. I hope you don’t mind me being here.” Vi was shaking her head before she finished her sentence.
“I don’t mind at all. All of my other prison guards have been men.” Vi huffs, annoyance rising at the thought, “They all smell disgusting.”
“Well, what do I smell like?” The woman asks, intrigued.
“I’d like your name first.” Vi mumbles, “What’s your name?”
“My name?” She questions in shock, “My name is Y/n. It’s nice to meet you, Willow.” A low snarl leaves her lips that makes the woman in front of her flinch. That action makes Vi frown. ‘I didn’t mean to scare her. I don’t want to scare her away. What if she never comes back?’ That thought makes her want to let out a whine. ‘I don’t want to be alone again.’
“That’s not my name.” She awkwardly clears her throat. She didn’t want this woman to call her by that name. Not the name that Singed gave her.
“Oh, I’m sorry. What is your name, then?” Y/n apologizes and gives her a kind smile. That makes Vi blink in shock. Singed didn’t like acknowledging that she was once human, so Vi never heard her real name uttered in these halls. Yet, here was someone new asking her for it.
“…Violet…but I go by Vi.” She whispers longingly. How long has it been since someone said her name to her? It was a miracle she could even remember it after so long.
“Vi…” Y/n tests and Vi nearly slams her face into the bars to hear it better. The way it rolled off of her tongue sent shivers down her spine. Y/n gets startled again but smiles, “I’ll call you Vi, but only when we’re alone, okay? I don’t think Singed would be happy that I’m calling you something else. It’ll be our little secret.” She whispers conspiratorially and stands up.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, hm? I’ll be here longer and we can talk some more. Today was only an introduction. I’m sure you wouldn’t mind female company after all of these smelly guys.” Y/n winks.
“Please…” Vi pleads as the other woman starts walking away, “Please come back.”
“Don’t worry, I will!” Y/n reassures her as she disappears from Vi’s vision. A wave of loneliness washes over Vi and she sits down heavily. ‘I couldn’t smell her… She asked me what she smelled like and I didn’t smell anything. Is Singed hiding her scent? Why would he do that? Then again, why wouldn’t he?’ Vi snorts bitterly. It was then that she realized she really missed having the company of a woman. The ache in her chest only furthered her yearning to hear Y/n’s voice again. To see her again. Vi spent the rest of the time eating and wondering what Y/n would smell like.
You walk into the lab and head over to the small office that Singed designated to you. You take the time to change out of your civilian clothes and into the white jumpsuit provided. It was important to Singed that Vi wasn’t exposed to any outside scents, so you would be wearing this each time you came in. On the counter are a bottle of pills, a glass of water, and the stuff you need for your reports. The file that contains all of the information about Vi was still opened on your desk. You pick up one of your report papers and note the sections that you should be discussing with Vi. ‘Ah, these are quite invasive… Then again, she is an experiment… I don’t think there’s privacy in that.’ You sigh and tuck the paper back into its alcove. You find it a bit hard to believe that she was born and raised in this lab. To you, she appears to be too human and she even speaks like one, but Singed told you that she has never seen the outside of this lab. You’re the first outsider in, too. ‘She must be so lonely in that cage. As far as I know, she’s the only one. There may have been someone else in that other cage… but I think it’s too soon to ask about that.’ You take one of the pills before you head for the small kitchen.
You wrinkle your nose at the raw meat, not used to seeing such a large amount in one place. ‘This is enough for a small family. Can she really eat this much?’ You wonder as you pick up the tray. With a deep breath, you leave the kitchen. ‘What should I talk about with her? Those questions he gave me to ask are too invasive. Maybe I should stick to the basics? What… would be the basics?’
“Vi.” You say softly, carefully placing the tray down, “I’m here.” You glance up into the cage to try and see her. The back half of the cage was very dark and you couldn’t see anything. It was like the light vanished when it hit the halfway mark and a wall of shadows took its place. ’I don’t know how they managed to get that to happen, but it’s Singed. It’s probably to give Vi a sense of privacy since there’s no wall here.’ It takes a moment but Vi comes bounding out of the darkness with a grin.
“You came back!” Vi’s eyes practically glow when she meets yours. ‘Or maybe they are glowing?’ She stops in front of you and grips the bars, “I was nervous that you might not come back. It’s been days since you were here last.” Her excitement to see you makes you feel flattered knowing that she missed you. ‘I like how she looks with a smile.’ You think idly. ‘So beautiful.’
“Don’t worry.” You smile and sit down behind the line, “I’ll be back every weekend until they don’t need me anymore. I can’t be here during the week since I run a shop on Main.”
“A shop? What shop?” Vi pauses, her claws hovering above the meat. ‘When did they change? I didn’t even notice. Does that happen instantly or does it take some time?’ You think in interest.
“I own a repair shop. I can fix pretty much anything you hand me, so my business is always busy. That’s where I am when I’m not helping Singed.”
“I wish I could see it. I’ve been in here for years.” Vi sighs, popping a piece of the meat into her mouth. ‘How could I be so insensitive!’ You scold yourself. ‘She has probably been in here her whole life and here I am talking about a place she can’t visit.’
“It’s not special.” You try to comfort her, “You’re not missing out on much. Besides, I get to come to see you. I think you’re much cooler and I enjoy being around you.”
“You’re… the first person to say that to me.” Vi mumbles sadly, “The other assistants are scared of me and don’t say much outside of delivering food…” Your initial reaction is to reach out and touch her but you stop your hand halfway. ‘I’m not allowed to. That’s one of the rules.’ You bite your lip feeling conflicted. ‘But, she’s clearly hurting.’
“You have me now.” Your fingers twist in the fabric of your pants, fighting the urge to reach out, “I’ll be keeping you company if you’d like.”
“… I’d like that.” Vi nods, “I’d like that a lot. Can you tell me about yourself?”
“Hm, well, I grew up here in Zaun. I didn’t tell you that… and my favorite color is pink, like the color of your hair, actually.” You point out and Vi runs her clean hand through it.
“You like my hair then?” Vi tilts her head, a smirk tugging on her lips.
“I do like your hair.” You giggle at her question, “And your eyes too, I think they’re beautiful.” Vi perks up at your comments and happily takes a bite of her food. When she does, you catch a glimpse of her sharp teeth and it makes you swallow hard. ‘Those are definitely not human teeth. If she can cut through meat that easily… I don’t even want to think about what she could do to me.’ Yet, part of you is very intrigued.
“I think you’re very pretty. Will you tell me more about yourself?” Vi asks, “I want to know more about you.” A blush rises to your face as you try to hold in a sympathetic sigh. ‘She must be dying to know more about anything other than this building. I can’t blame her for being eager to know someone new.’
“Alright, I’ll tell you more about me. My favorite animal is a poro…” You ramble on, telling her some basic things about you. During the time that you speak, she doesn’t interrupt you much, content to listen. When she does interrupt you, it’s as if she’s not aware of it. Vi will give you a compliment on something, but not even acknowledge that she did. So you thank her before continuing on with your story, feeling flustered from all of the compliments. You can’t recall a time someone did that without wanting to fuck you so it felt nice. Before you know it, two hours pass, and your watch’s vibrations let you know your time is up. You’re forced to cut your conversation short, but you promise to pick up where you left off tomorrow.
“I read your report from last week.” Jim stands in your doorway, “You shouldn’t tell her so much about yourself. She can use that against you.”
“Did Singed give you clearance for that?” You put the pill in your mouth and raise an eyebrow at him. You’ve only talked to Jim in passing when you’re leaving for the day. You were trusted to speak to Vi when no one else was in the lab, so you had privacy. Singed believed that she might not tell you the things he needed if she knew others might overhear. Jim had protested, stating that no one would be here to help you if something happened. Singed’s response was that you had signed the contract, so if something happened it was on you.
“I’m his assistant. Don’t be ridiculous, Y/n… and that’s why I’m qualified to tell you to be careful with her. Willow knows how to mess with your mind. She has killed a lot of assistants before you by talking them into trusting her. It’s why we have the line.” You can hear a hint of envy in his voice. ‘Why would he be envious of that? He’s worked here much longer than I have.’
“It sounds like you’re jealous she even speaks to me.” You snort, putting the glass down, “It’s my job, Jim. To talk to her. Besides, we only talked about my favorite color and other basic things. She can’t use that against me. What is she going to do? Serenade me with a poem?”
“I’m being serious here, Y/n. You don’t know this creature as I do. You haven’t seen her true form. You’ve only been here for three weeks!”
“You’re right. I haven’t seen her true form. I only know how Willow looks in her human form, but my job is to gather information. I can’t do that without giving my own. She’d never open up to me.”
“Well, don’t fall in love with her or you’ll end up like the guy before me.” Jim narrows his eyes at you, “Torn… to… pieces.” He hisses before leaving the room. You shake your head in disbelief. ‘What’s his problem? I’ve only talked to her a few times and he’s acting like I’m in love with her. Maybe he’s the one in love with her.’ You grumble and grab the tray with her treat. Watching her eat raw meat made your stomach turn, but she scarfed it down like it was a piece of cake. ‘Maybe I can sneak her in a piece of cake. Her records show me that all she’s been eating are meat and vegetables. She might like it.’ You head down the hallway, glad that you remembered to ask for a jacket this time around. It wouldn’t do you any good to sit there shivering in front of Vi for an hour or more.
“I’m back!” You call out as you clear the wall. To your surprise, Vi was already seated in front of the bars and waiting for you, “You seemed to know that I was here.” You muse, sliding the tray through. When you meet her gaze, Vi’s eyes are wide with wonder as she stares at you. You furrow your brow when she doesn’t take her gaze off of you.
“Vi?” You question worriedly. She blinks and shakes her head, pulling the tray closer to herself.
“I can smell you.” Vi glances up at you through her lashes, “I couldn’t smell you before.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, is it overwhelming?” You slowly sit down as she shakes her head.
“It’s faint. Very faint. The smell of the meat almost drowned it out. That’s why I was staring. I was trying to figure out what it was.”
“Okay, well… What do I smell like?” You tilt your head curiously. ‘I hope it’s nothing bad. She said the men smell gross. I hope I smell nice to her.’
“Sweet.” Vi pauses, thinking, “You smell like those cupcakes Jim eats for lunch.”
“I smell like a cupcake?” You laugh, not expecting to be compared to that.
“Mhm, you smell really good. It’s almost distracting me from my meal, and your scent isn’t as strong as others usually are.”
“Good to know.” You blush, then pause, “Wait, you can smell the kitchen from here?” Vi nods as she swallows her food. ‘Does Singed know that?’
“I can hear and smell farther than that.” Vi snorts, “Don’t worry, I won’t tear you to pieces. Jim is angry that I killed his friends.” You try to recall if you’ve ever mumbled out loud about her or your job. It would be humiliating or potentially distressing for her to hear certain things. ‘Like how I’ve suddenly started dreaming about her at night.’
“If you don’t mind me asking… Why… did you kill those assistants?” You inquire hesitantly. You weren’t planning on asking something like this so soon, but the opportunity offered itself up. You weren’t going to let this chance slip away. ‘Even if I am nervous about the answer.’
“I didn’t like them. They would beat me when I was chained down and took the opportunity to be rough with me when Master permitted them. To them, I am nothing but an animal.” You can hear the anger in her voice, “The first chance I got to sink my teeth into or rip them apart, I took it.” You thought the deaths had been unwarranted, but to hear that they were deserved only made you feel sad for her. ‘To live and be surrounded by no one who cares for you… people who only see you as an animal. It’s a miracle she even talks with me.’ That broke your heart.
“I’m so sorry, Vi.” You whisper, leaning forward, “You don’t deserve that at all.” Vi’s eyes drop down to her lap and back to your face a few times before you follow her gaze. You let out a squeak when you realize that your hand is on her knee. You jerk away as if you’ve been burned. Somehow, subconsciously, you had reached through the bars to comfort her.
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to- I didn’t mean to do that.” You stutter out, worried that you upset her after what she had told you. You had experience with abuse survivors and knew that some didn’t like to be touched without permission. So, you decide to move away when Vi’s hand shoots out and grabs your wrist. You freeze, the abnormally tight grip around it warning you that moving won’t be smart. Your heartbeat picks up and you feel a blush rise to your face as Vi gives you the puppy eyes.
“Don’t go. Please.” Vi begs you, “I-I didn’t mind. Please. Please, do it again.”
“Are you sure…?” You breathe out, being in contact with her makes your head spin. You squeal as Vi pulls you by your wrist as if you were the tray at her feet. Your eyes go wide as she places your hand back on her knee and holds it there, “I’m sure.”
“Okay.” You nod absentmindedly, eyes trained on your hand, “I’ll keep my hand here until our time is up.” So that’s exactly what you do until the alarm goes off. Vi never removed her hand from yours until you were forced to leave. For a split second, you thought she frowned when you removed your hand but the expression was gone immediately. You thought about it on the way back to your office, feeling a bit dazed knowing you broke the rules because Vi begged you to. Her icy eyes flash into your mind making your breathing hitch. ‘Get yourself together! Am I… Am I seriously crushing on her? Already?!’ You groan and hit your head against your desk.
“Y/n.” You jolt in your chair at the sound of Singed’s voice. You turn to see him hovering in your doorway with a smile that unnerves you.
“Sir.” You nod at him, “What can I do for you?”
“You’re making amazing progress with Willow. Her tests have come back positive, so please continue to do whatever you’re doing. I might give you more leeway if you keep this up.” He says pleasantly and you try to push down the bitterness you’re feeling towards him.
“Ah, t-thank you! Actually, I have a question.” He nods at you to continue, “Can I bring Willow a treat other than the meat we give her? I’m curious as to how her body might react to it.” You carefully word your request. ‘Please buy it. Please buy it. Let me bring her some joy.’
“Sure, why not?” Singed muses, “As long as you keep producing results.”
You fall into your bed with a tired sigh, not even bothering to put on any clothes. You had spent the whole Sunday morning with Vi, purposefully getting up earlier than usual to have more time with her. Vi wasted no time and jumped at the chance to have physical contact with you. At the moment you were too surprised to really process your feelings about it, but now that you’re home… that’s all you can do. Especially after the bombshell she dropped on you.
You yelp as Vi grabs your wrist and pulls you up to the bars the moment you sit down. Instead of putting your hand on her knee, she laces your fingers together and rests them on her thigh. Speechless, you can only watch as Vi contentedly digs into her treat. The heat radiating from her hand is warmer than you’re used to and a reminder as to why the cages are so cold.
“I like holding your hand.” Vi mumbles, gently squeezing your hand. Her words trigger something in your mind and you bite your lip. ‘That’s something else Vi has said that’s uncharacteristic of someone who’s never interacted with the outside world.’
“Vi… I have a question about something that’s been bothering me.” You say softly, tapping your fingers against the ground.
“What is it?” Her eyes flick to you, concern in them.
“You… talk to me like you understand what I’m saying, but from what I’ve been told… you’ve never been outside of the lab.” You swallow nervously when Vi fixes you with an intense stare, “Is… there something I should know?” Her grip on your hand tightens and the icy blue of her eyes goes colder.
“You can’t report this to Singed.” Vi says darkly, “I’m trusting you with this.” Your breathing hitches at those words and butterflies erupt in your chest. ‘Trusting me? She’s trusting me with something not even Singed knows?’
“I won’t. I promise.” You squeeze her hand and Vi lets out a long breath.
“I wasn’t born in this lab as they told you. I was human before this but Singed thinks I lost my memories as my father did. I didn’t say otherwise because I didn’t want them to be taken away.” Vi sighs, caressing your hand, “I didn’t want to forget who I am.”
“W-What?” You gasp, the world closing in on you, “So this whole time…” You trail off, too afraid to vocalize the truth.
“I’m not human anymore, but I did live in Zaun. The cage behind you? My father used to be there, but he’s gone now. I’m the only one.” The sadness in her voice makes your heart clench.
Tears gather in your eyes and you squeeze a pillow to your chest. You didn’t even know what to say to her after that. The fact that she used to be human made everything make sense, but it also made it scarier. ‘I knew Singed was fucked but this? This is… is a whole new level. Vi’s stuck in that cage and I’m the only one who even bothers to be nice to her.’ You groan in frustration. ‘I can’t get her out without Silco’s men raining down on me either.’ You shift your position in bed and try to sleep, but your mind has other ideas.
“Your scent is stronger than yesterday.” Vi tugs on your arm as if to pull you closer, “I really love it. It makes me feel warm.”
“I make you feel warm?” You tilt your head.
“You always have, but now that I can smell you, I feel like I can’t get enough.” Vi stares into your eyes, “You’re a welcome change from everything. I like having you around. I want you around more.”
“I like being around you, too. It makes me happy to hear that you like my company.” You shake your intertwined hands, “But, I can’t leave my business all the time. I can come earlier instead.”
“Please do.” Vi hums, “It’s nice to have someone beautiful to look at.” She hands you a cookie from her tray.
“Are you flirting with me?” You question, amused. This wasn’t the first time she complimented you, but she’s progressively gotten more direct with them. You didn’t want to assume she’s been flirting, but knowing she was human makes it obvious. Vi gives you a cheeky smile and brushes her lips over the back of your hand. It tingles where her lips touch you.
“Do you want me to flirt with you?” She bats her lashes innocently.
“I- No.” You huff, desperately trying to hold back a blush.
“You hesitated.” Vi points out mischievously, “I know you like me, Y/n. I don’t need to smell it to know. You’re not very good at hiding it.”
“It’s my job to observe you.” You playfully scoff, looking away from her, “I stare at you every day.”
“I don’t think that requires staring at my lips.” She chuckles, “But that’s okay, I stare at yours, too. I wonder if you’re a good kisser.” You choke on your cookie.
You put a pillow over your head as your face heats up. You didn’t want to acknowledge your rapidly developing crush on the werewolf. Nope, acknowledging it would only make it worse, but you couldn’t deny it. There would be no more running from it. It didn’t help that Vi seems to be thrilled about it.
“Vi, I brought you a different kind of treat today!” You say with barely concealed excitement, “I hope you don’t mind!” You stopped at the bakery in Piltover and picked up a variety of brownies for her to try. They were a new dessert that you loved. Your conversation last week reminded you that she hasn’t had anything outside of this building since she got here. You were determined to introduce her to new things as long as Singed let you… and if he didn’t, then you’d sneak it in.
You pause when you don’t see Vi waiting for you like she usually does. Your eyes immediately dart into the dark half of the room and you nervously adjust your grip on the tray.
“Vi?” You call nervously, listening for an indication that she’s there. You bite your lip when you remember that she went through more tests yesterday. ‘Could she be hurt? Is she okay? What if something went wrong and she’s not okay?’ Your anxiety rises and you place the tray of cupcakes on the floor, “Vi? Vi, are you okay?” You grip the bars in worry, still trying to see into the dark. When no response comes, you run down the hallway as you try to stop yourself from panicking. ‘Singed keeps the keys somewhere in his office, so they must be on his desk, right?’ You open the door to Singed’s office and immediately start digging through his desk drawer. It was covered in papers and notebooks but none of that was of interest to you. You find the keys to Vi’s cage and yank them out of the drawer. You sprint back to Vi’s cage, shouting her name as you do in hopes that she replies. There’s no response again, and you curse, jamming the keys into the lock with shaky hands.
“Vi? I’m coming in.” You announce as the lock clicks. You’re breaking every rule by doing this, but your concern for her won over any other thoughts. Your hands shake as you walk inside. ‘Why isn’t she answering me? If she was sleeping, my shouting would’ve woken her up. Gods, shouldn’t I be more worried for my own life?’ You were afraid. Not of Vi, but of the thought that something could have happened to her.
“Vi?” You whisper, taking a few more steps forward. A flash of pink streaks out of the darkness and across your vision making you recoil in shock.
“I never thought I could get you into here.” Vi’s awed voice comes from behind you, sounding deeper than normal, “Yet here you are… standing in front of me with no bars between us. All it took was being silent.” Your stomach drops as you whirl around. ‘How did she get behind me so fast?!’ You see nothing but empty space and it only makes your pulse race harder.
“You tricked me… to get me in here?” You shakily ask for clarification. You hear Vi hum from behind you and it makes a shiver go down your spine.
“I’ve been thinking about you all week. Your voice, your body, your scent, even the way you cover your smile when you laugh or blush.” Vi croons, “Last night, all I could think about was how nice your hand felt in mine. I wanted to know how you’d feel in my arms… so yes, I tricked you to get you in here. I’m sorry for scaring you, but I knew you wouldn’t come in if I asked.” Your mind takes that confession and runs with it, already fantasizing about being in her arms. It’s something you’ve thought about in passing, but having her admit those thoughts? That made you feel hot.
“You don’t know that.” You turn around, only to stare into the inky blackness, “I could have done it on my own. I’ve already broken most of the rules for you.”
“Mmm, yes. Yes, I do. You’re a very sweet girl, almost too sweet for the Undercity. Sitting over the line and letting me hold your hand is one thing, but being within my reach is another.” Her voice travels around the room, but when you look she’s gone, “I can smell your fear right now and I don’t like it. It taints your delightful scent. You’re not scared of me when we’re separated.”
“I was afraid that you were hurt. That’s why I came running in here.” You cross your arms, “I should be angry that you tricked me, but all I want to know is if you’re okay or not.”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry your pretty little head, cupcake.” Vi snorts.
“Then why won’t you let me see you? You keep moving away.” You huff, “I don’t think you intentionally tricked me with the way you’re acting.” Vi doesn’t respond but you hear her sigh. You turn in that direction, facing the darkness once again to see a silhouette step into the light. You stop breathing, eyes widening as you take a step back in surprise. Towering above you is a creature you can only assume to be Vi in her werewolf form. Dark reddish-pink fur covers the creature with a face that would’ve belonged to a wolf… if it weren’t for the human-like body accompanying it. But it’s the thick, rippling muscle and wicked claws that draw your attention. This was a creature that could kill you with no issues. You part your lips to say something, but nothing comes out. All you can do is stare as Vi stalks around you with her eyes trained on your form.
“Nothing to say?” Vi chuckles bitterly, “I knew if I showed you this form, you’d want to leave.” You couldn’t believe what she was saying. You didn’t want to leave her. You weren’t even scared of her.
“That’s-” You take a deep breath, steadying yourself, “That’s not why I’m speechless, Vi.”
“Then what is it?” Vi growls out and your heartbeat picks up. ‘I wonder how my name would sound coming out like that…’
“I… find you to be utterly stunning.” You say sincerely, slowly walking to her, “You’re still my Vi. You just look different, is all.” You pause, realizing what you said. ‘MY VI?! WHY WOULD I SAY THAT?’ You shriek to yourself. There’s no warning, not even an indication before Vi lunges at you. You let out a startled scream, instinctively covering your face when your brain processes the movement. You grunt as your body hits the ground and you try to catch your breath as it’s knocked out of you. ‘I didn’t see that coming.’ You gasp for breath as Vi pins you to the ground, an unreadable expression in her eyes.
“Say that again!” Vi demands, shoving her snout into your face.
“W-What?” You wheeze, “Say what?” You were thrown off by what just happened, making your mind foggy.
“What you just said! Say it again!” Vi snarls.
“That I think you’re stunning?” You furrow your brow.
“No, the other thing!” Vi whines desperately and that clears the fog from your mind. ‘Oh, Gods, that was hot.’ You groan internally, heat flooding through your body. ‘Now is not the time to be turned on.’ You scold yourself as Vi takes a deep breath.
“I said… that you’re still my Vi?” You say uncertainly. ‘I didn’t mean to say that. It… just came out.’ You yelp as Vi lets out a happy yip, nuzzling your neck as she does so. Your whole body freezes at the action, feeling her hot breath against your neck. You close your eyes begging the Gods to get this werewolf off of you. You were turned on and lying underneath her. ‘Please don’t let her notice. Please.’
“Again!” Vi demands, tightening her grip on you.
“You’re still my Vi.” You repeat for her, earning you a sharp nip on the neck. You yelp as Vi lets out a pleased rumble before backing off of you. You had a moment to exhale in relief before you were lifted from the ground and tossed over her shoulder.
“Vi?!” You squeal, gripping onto her soft fur as she walks into the darkness. Your eyes adjust to the lack of light and you realize it’s not hard to see when you’re over here.
“Y/n.” Vi rumbles, her claws gently scraping against your inner thigh.
“Um…” The words flee from you as your mind focuses on that. The tip of her claws against the sensitive flesh only makes your clit ache with need. Vi chuckles, lifting you off of her shoulder and gently placing you down on her nest of blankets. She curls around you, resting her head on your lap with a sigh. Hesitantly, you rest your hand on her head and run your fingers through her fur. You try not to acknowledge the ache coming from your lower body.
“I wouldn’t hurt you, you know.” Vi mutters, “I like you too much to allow myself to.”
“I trust you not to.” You say softly, “I don’t believe you’re the monster they make you out to be.” It didn’t matter what form Vi was in, you cared about her. In your eyes, she wasn’t a monster, and laying here with her made you realize that you’ve fallen in love with her. The cooling arousal was something new - that you hope she didn’t notice - and you’ll have to do a lot of thinking when you get home.
Vi nudged Y/n awake when she felt the vibrations coming from her watch. She was too thrilled at having Y/n in her arms to fall asleep herself. From the moment she laid her eyes on the new assistant, Vi knew that she was in trouble. Everything about her made Vi feel like she had plummeted into the river and wasn’t that a new feeling? Y/n made Vi happy. More than that, she made Vi feel like there was something worth this miserable existence. As a human, she could have protected Y/n with her fists, but as a werewolf, she can do more.
Vi watched her leave in a hurry, picking up the keys from the floor and locking the cage behind her. With a whispered goodbye, Y/n vanished from her sight but not from her other senses. Vi could hear her moving around and still smell the delicious scent wafting off of her. That very scent was driving her out of her mind. Now that she can pick it up, it made Vi want to go positively feral, especially earlier in the cage when it took on a spicy note. She had to do everything she could to keep herself from commenting on it or even acting on it. Placing Y/n in her bed had eased the reaction, but it made Vi feel more territorial than she planned.
Vi found something irresistible about Y/n and it kept her spinning through Vi’s mind. Day in and day out, Y/n was all she thought of outside of her old memories. Being stuck in her werewolf form robbed her of the chance to kiss her, but Vi knew that she’d get another opportunity. ‘Y/n had called me hers.’ Vi rumbles happily. It was relieving to know that she hadn’t been hallucinating Y/n’s attraction to her. Vi didn’t know what she would have done if that wasn’t true. Y/n was so gentle with her that Vi spent the first few weeks crying about it, and she didn’t want to lose her.
“Ah, Y/n. I see you have finished writing up your report for the day.” Singed’s voice sounds.
“Yes, Willow wasn’t very talkative with me at first, but we managed to get through it. She… was in her werewolf form. Was that supposed to happen?”
“A side effect of one of the tests we run. Normally we do that one first so she’s back to her human form when you come, but complications made it last.”
“Okay, that’s good to know. I was given quite the fright when I saw her.”
“I can only imagine. How… did you feel when you saw Willow’s other form?” Singed’s tone makes Vi feel a bit suspicious of him, he seemed too interested in that question.
“Quite stunned, if I’m honest. She looked magnificent. I consider myself lucky I got to see her in a non-hostile state.” That stroked Vi’s ego a bit and she couldn’t keep a dopey smile off her muzzle, “Although, I’m sure she is just as magnificent when fighting.”
“Indeed she is. Now, I must get to work but keep it up. Willow’s results this past week were through the roof. You’re doing a splendid job.” Vi closed her eyes as she heard you change out of your clothes. ‘I wonder what she looks like underneath all of that.’ She wonders, the memory of that spicy undertone popping into her mind and making her growl in displeasure. She wanted to smell that again, but she wasn’t sure what emotional reaction it was. It wasn’t her usual ones. ‘I guess I’ll have to figure it out.’