Chapter Text
“Settrigh!” Kanna’s voice echoed from the other room.
Sett’s ears perked up upon hearing his mother’s voice, he turned around, facing the way the gentle voice came from. “Yes?” He asked, fixing the collar of his mesh black t-shirt as he waited for her response.
Silence.
“Mama?” This time he made sure to be louder, perhaps she couldn’t hear him well, after all she was running around their small humble home, getting ready for yet another night shift.
Once again no reply.
Sett shrugged, continuing on with fixing his clothes as if nothing happened. He looked himself in the mirror, carefully observing his hair that he spent an embarrassing amount of time on. Despite not being in a good mood, Sett still wanted to make sure that he looked fine, he couldn’t imagine going out looking like a hot mess. He squinted his eyes, approaching the large mirror in his room before tapping his lips. A visible scar across his lips grabbed his attention, distracting him from styling his hair any further.
“How long has this one been here for?” He scratched his head, trying to recall the last time he got roughed up.
Countless scars decorated his handsome face, each one telling one hell of a story. A smile stretched across his face as he recalled some of them, what a life, how long would pass before another scar got to call his face home.
“Would ma really kill me if i repierced my eyebrow?” The thought lingered in his mind as he gently traced the spot his old piercing used to occupy.
That eyebrow piercing was his first and last. It was professionally made by his dear friend Rakan, who was barely thirteen when he got the bright idea that the two of them should get matching eyebrow piercings. Without giving it much thought, Sett agreed, allowing his friend to do his eyebrow piercing behind the school’s dumpster. To this day Sett has no clue how and where Rakan acquired such a large needle and perhaps he’s better off that way.
“I called you young man!” Kanna’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. She stood at the entrance of his room, tapping her foot against the floor as she stared at with with a playful frown.
“And I replied.” Sett smiled, completely unphased by her comment. She had a bad habit of calling his name and then waiting for him to appear before her instead of just saying what she needed.
“Don’t be sassy now.” She rolled her eyes, forgetting why she even called him in the first place.
A soft smile stretched across her face as she looked at her son. He was tall and handsome, his bright pink hair only a few shades darker than her own. Sett was a bright young man with a short temper but despite all of that he was still her son, her little boy. If you asked her, time passed by way too quickly, she swore that he was a tiny baby just a month ago.
“Going somewhere?” His mother asked, unable to hide her curiosity.
“Yea.” Sett nodded, “Going to Rift with Rakan. DJ Sona’s there tonight.”
He would’ve told her his plans for the night either way. The thought of her having to worry about his whereabouts made Sett extremely uncomfortable so he developed a habit of letting her know where he was going and when he’d be coming back. It made things a lot easier for both of them.
Ever since Sett’s father abandoned them, the two of them became inseparable, their bond growing stronger in his absence. Unfortunately that wasn’t the only thing that developed over time. Young Sett took to those news quite poorly, acting out and causing trouble whenever he got the chance. A child that had once been pure and innocent had become a man full of anger and resentment. As much as he tried to suppress those thoughts, they’d always get the better of him. Despite his tragic past, his mother never gave up on him. She stayed vigilant, determined to help him find joy and happiness in a world that had failed him.
“Wonderful.” Her lips curled into a soft smile. “Have fun dear.” She said, heading towards the kitchen before abruptly turning around. “And remember-“ She began, almost forgetting to remind him to behave but before she could finish her sentence, Sett interrupted her with a loud sigh.
“Yes. I know.” Sett cut her off, “Don’t start a fight. I know.” He playfully rolled his eyes, familiar with the sentence that would leave her mouth every time he headed out.
As much as he hated to admit it, her worries were justified. Sett had always been a troubled individual. But he loved her more than anything and was willing to change his ways if that meant making her happy. He’d keep a cool head if that was all it took to make her smile.
“Clever boy.”
His tail wagged behind him, cheeks burning as he attempted not to smile. No matter how grown he was, he was still a mama’s boy. “Don’t worry ‘bout me ma. I’ll be good.” He replied, phone buzzing from somewhere in his room. “And I’ll be back before you come home.” He quickly added before attempting to locate where the noise was coming from.
“Alright.” Kanna smiled, observing her son as he rummaged through his room in an attempt to find his phone. Unfortunately she had no more time to spare, duty called. “I have to go now. I love you darling.” She said, blowing him a kiss as she headed out.
“Love ya too ma!”
It wouldn’t be long before he left as well. On his way out he grabbed a leather jacket, an item he’d surely need if it got cold enough. He locked the door behind, feeling around his pocket one last time before heading off, he had to make sure he had everything he’d need for the night. Crisp autumn air chilled his skin causing him to shiver. It was cold yet not cold enough. Such ridiculous weather. Goosebumps appeared on his skin as he walked in silence and for a brief moment he regretted leaving his earbuds at home, just walking like that was somewhat depressing. In order to make time pass quicker, Sett began thinking about what his night out might look like. In all honesty Sett wasn’t looking forward to it, he would’ve preferred to stay at home but Rakan insisted, promising an amazing time filled with laughter, fun and alcohol. Lots of alcohol.
Sett reached the train station a lot sooner than expected which was surprising since he basically dragged himself there. Luckily for him it wouldn’t be long before his friend showed up, which was strange but not unheard of.
Rakan waved as he approached him, allowing Sett to get a better look at him. He looked decent enough, his blond hair slicked back, chest exposed by an unbuttoned blood red shirt. The tight pants he had on were clinging to his legs, showing off his muscular thighs. All in all, Rakan looked handsome, Sett wasn’t afraid to admit that, although not his type. He preferred them skinnier, with less chest hair and oh boy did Rakan have chest hair. Sett wasn’t a fan of his own, he’d get rid of it the second he noticed his chest getting fuzzy, Rakan on the other hand, well he wouldn’t miss a chance to show the world the bush that had spread across his torso.
“Bro…” Rakan slowly blinked as he stared at Sett with a look that could only be described as disappointed amusement.
Sett stared right back at him, their night out had barely begun and Rakan had already found something to complain about. Unbelievable. That man was unbelievable.
“What?” Sett replied, shaking his head as he waited for the other man to explain himself.
In situations such as this one, there were only two possible outcomes. Rakan was either going to complain about something that had just happened or something that was about to happen. Based on the dumb look plastered across his stupid face, Sett was more than certain that he’d be listening to some stupid tale that had happened to the other man before the two of them had met up.
“Seriously?” A loud chuckle slipped past Rakan’s lips.
Surprisingly enough, Sett was wrong. It seemed like the other man had found something way more amusing than a silly story to complain about.
“Fingerless gloves?” He said, pointing towards Sett’s hands as he attempted to stifle a laugh.
Oh that was definitely a surprise. Never in a million years would Sett have guessed that his friend was about to mock his outfit. Disappointed and slightly mad at himself for being surprised, Sett flattened his ears, rolling his eyes as he waited for Rakan to finish his teasing.
“You barely have a shirt on, what do you need gloves for?” Rakan laughed, clearly infatuated with Sett’s choice of clothing for that night.
“I swear to the stars above me, you are such a simple creature. It’s called fashion. Ever heard of that?” Sett asked, not expecting an answer from a man that was now choking on his own breath. He was clearly uneducated on anything and everything that wasn’t of his interest. No point in arguing with him over this. “Quit laughing you feathery bastard!” He demanded, attempting to hold in his own laughter as he watched Rakan laugh like a mad man.
Sett was willing to wait for Rakan to stop but it seemed like he was having just a tad bit too much fun laughing at those cursed gloves. Knowing what would get him to calm down, Sett opened his mouth to speak. “At least I look good.” Sett's sentence was accompanied with a nod, he knew that his comment would definitely grab Rakan’s attention.
The large smile on Rakan’s face immediately disappeared as he stared at the taller man with a curious look. “And I don't?” He asked, gesturing towards himself in an attempt to get Sett to acknowledge how handsome he was.
Instead of an answer, Sett shrugged causing the other man to loudly gasp.
“Answer my question!” The desperation in Rakan’s voice was more than satisfying.
“Oh would ya look at that, our ride is here.” He chuckled as he slowly walked towards the edge of the platform to board the train.
“Don't ignore me! Sett!” Rakan whined, following close behind.
The two men managed to find vacant seats, claiming them as their own as they got comfortable. They sat in silence with Sett staring outside, observing their peaceful town. The bright lights flickered like fireflies, reminding him of warm summer nights, reminding him of her. He met her exactly three months ago, during one of the parties hosted in Rift. She was out there with her friends, her long obsidian hair swaying behind her as she danced, a contagious smile stretching across her face. Sett was immediately smitten, charmed by her beauty and energy. His heart fluttered as they spoke, she introduced herself as Ahri but he called her darling. The two of them wasted no time and immediately began dating, happily announcing their relationship to friends and family. They seemed like a perfect couple and for a while they truly were one. But recently Ahri had begun avoiding him, spitting ridiculous excuses as to why she had no time to spend with him. Sett found that suspicious but refused to pester her about it, he trusted her, surely she had one hell of a reason for distancing herself. He trusted her, she’d definitely come around.
“You good bro?” Rakan snapped him back to reality, forcing him to forget about her and that warm summer night.
“Aha.”
“You sure?”
“Why wouldn't I be?” Sett frowned, visibly annoyed by that question.
“I don't know,” Rakan replied, “just asking. We’re almost there. Excited?”
What a silly question, Sett was nowhere near excited. How was he supposed to be having fun when a dark cloud full of worries loomed over his shoulder? Finding a solution to that question would have to wait because Rakan would not let him rest if he became aware of everything that had recently been on Sett’s mind.
“First round’s on me.” He smiled, hoping that his answer would satisfy the other man.
“Now we're talkin’!” Rakan exclaimed, perhaps a bit louder than expected.
——————————————————————
By the time they got there, a large crowd had swarmed the place, making it difficult to move through the ever growing sea of people. A smile appeared on Sett’s face, finally the time had come. He was about to relax and forget about his issues with the help of good music and alcohol. Waking up hangover was no longer a possibility, it was his future, written in the stars by those who knew how to spot an animal that was about to set itself free.
But something was off. The faces that flashed in front of Sett’s eyes looked nothing like the ones he had seen before. The two of them had attended many parties hosted by Sona and none of these people resembled those who were usually a part of her cheerful crowd.
“That’s strange.” Sett thought to himself as they headed towards the stage.
Sett knew something was definitely off the second he heard singing, Sona never sang, matter of fact, she never even spoke. He rushed towards the stage, desperate for an answer.
On the stage was a girl close to their age, passionately singing as she twirled her long pink hair. A wide smile stretching across her face as the audience cheered, motivating her to continue singing.
“Rakan…” Sett let out a disappointment hiss.
“Yea?” Rakan innocently looked up at him, meeting his ice cold gaze in the process.
“You lied to me.” He sighed, dragging a hand over his face as the realization slowly sunk in.
“Me? No! Never!” Rakan attempted to defend himself, flailing his arms around while insisting that he was innocent.
“Oh yea? ‘Cause that sure as shit doesn't look like DJ Sona to me.” Sett pointed towards the woman on stage, frustrated with the fact that he came all the way out there just to be met with the face of a stranger. His week had already been shitty enough, this shitshow was nothing more than a cherry on top.
“Maybe she dyed her hair pink?” The question was accompanied with a nervous chuckle.
Sett rolled his eyes, feeling insanely stupid for ignoring all of the signs that pointed towards the fact that Sona would be nowhere near Rift tonight. He knew this wasn’t a mistake on Rakan’s part, the other man had his reasons for dragging him out here and Sett would stand his ground until he found out exactly why the two of them were there.
“Cut the crap man, why are we here?” Sett asked, hoping that Rakan would come clean without putting up a fight.
“Fine.” Rakan let out a defeated exhale, “Xayah’s here tonight. Overhead her friend asking her out.”
Of course.
Of fucking course.
They were there because Rakan was desperate enough to drag him to the other end of the town just to see a woman he had never ever talked to. He shook his head in disbelief, Rakan was more than allowed to swoon over a beautifully fierce woman but why did he have to get him involved?
“Are you mad at me?” Rakan’s question was met with silence causing him to nervously smile as he repeated his question, “Sett? Are you mad at me?”
“Rakan.” He calmly replied.
“Yes?”
“You're pathetic.” He said, heading towards the bar as Rakan sulked behind him.
“I know.” Was all that managed to escape Rakan’s lips, a sad expression plastered across his face as he followed the taller man, hoping that he could find it in his heart to forgive him.
Fortunately enough, Sett could never hold a grudge against him, the two of them had been friends for so long he couldn’t even pretend to be mad. He’d find a way to make the best of it and he’d definitely help Rakan get the girl of his dreams.
——————————————————————-
The world seemed like a better place after a few shots of vodka. And brandy. And tequila. Sett was no longer bothered by the awful pop music or the people or the lights that seemed to blind him with each flicker and strobe. Tingles went down his spine as he pushed through the crowd, the room spinning with each drunken step. But he was happy. And he was calm, finally free from everything that had been bothering him for the past who knows how long.
“I wonder if I should text her? I don’t remember if we talked today.” Sett thought to himself.
This realization would have crushed him if it weren’t for the alcohol that nested inside of his body. He felt fine, unbothered, but still caring enough to think of his girlfriend. He missed her and the drunken lover inside of him had awakened the second he put his worries to bed.
“Fuck it! I’ll text her. She’s my girl. My darling.”
A sudden smack across this back brought him back to reality. He turned around, his brow raised as he stared at Rakan. A wide smile spread across the smaller man’s face as he excitedly bounced in place. “There she is! There she is!” He yelled, pointing towards a woman on the other side of the club.
“Go get ‘er tiger.” He nudged the smaller man.
Rakan happily nodded in response, fixing his hair as he left Sett behind, determined to finally talk to the girl that made his heart skip beats.
Before he knew it, Rakan was gone. Lost in the sea of people with only one goal in mind. Sett headed back to the bar, there was nothing he could do anyway. Time would surely pass faster with the company of tequila or whiskey, he hasn’t had whiskey yet. With a drink in hand and so much love to give, he pulled out his phone and immediately unlocked it. He opened their chat, making sure to avoid reading all of their previous texts, there was nothing worth reading there, even spearing a single glance would spoil his mood.
| (01:15) Sett: Love ya darling
His lips stretched into a smile as he pressed send, he knew she wouldn’t immediately reply, it was quite late and she was probably asleep.
As he stared at the lit up screen, he heard a giggle he had heard so many times before. A noise similar to a bell, coming from somewhere to his right. Sett perked up his ears in an attempt to locate the origin of the melodic sound that caught his attention. He looked around, now desperate to find where the giggle had come from. Desperate to find her.
“Could it really be her? Am I dreaming? Am I going insane?” Various thoughts flooded his mind, making him question if he imagined hearing it in the first place.
But his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him and this wasn’t a dream, he realized that the second he turned around. There she was, beautiful as ever, her obsidian hair flowing through the air as she danced. Sett felt his pulse quicken, he had no idea she’d be there.
“Ahri!” He involuntarily wagged his tail, smacking random passersby that found themselves behind him.
But before he even got a chance to move, Ahri wrapped her arms around another man, pulling him in for a kiss.
“What?” Sett blinked rapidly, not quite understanding what he was looking at.
“Ahri? Is that you Ahri?”
“Darling?”
The other man wrapped his arms around Ahri’s waist, pulling her closer to himself. The two shared a passionate kiss before pulling away, big smiles on their faces as they continued on, dancing through the crowded room.
“You've got to be fuckin’ kidding me.” Sett said out loud, staring at the two of them with horror in his golden eyes.
Suddenly he was sober.
But not sober enough.
Still drunk.
But not drunk enough.
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!” He felt blood boiling inside of him, he had to get away, as soon as possible and as far as possible.
Sett’s hand curled into a fist, ready to bash in the face of the motherfucker that stole his girl. His body reacted out of instinct, muscle memory. Whoever stood in his way would surely end up meeting his fists. Unfortunately he made a promise, he promised his mother that he wouldn’t be doing that anymore. He promised he wouldn’t make her cry ever again.
“Alright. Think about ma, think about your promise. Think about ma.” Sett thought over and over again, reminding himself to stay strong, to focus on what was important.
Within just a few seconds Sett was outside, bursting through the door as he gasped for air. He could barely feel the cold breeze against his skin, his body too hot with anger to be able to recognize any other sensations.
“Fucking bitch!”
Heavy stomps echoed through the empty parking lot, his eyes scanning the place for something he could lash out on. He could feel his heart pounding, body desperately begging for release.
“And that cunt of a man. Fuck!” He hissed, chest heaving with anger. Finally, his eyes landed on an old trash can.
Perfect.
He found his victim for tonight, a victim that wouldn’t be able to testify against him. Without a hint of hesitation, Sett headed towards it, preparing to go all out on an innocent object. Every muscle in his body tensed up, knuckles turning white from keeping his fists clenched. A storm was brewing inside of him and there was no one who could stop him from lashing out.
With a swift motion, Sett swung his leg back, gearing up a powerful kick. A loud thud echoed through the night, trash can breaking the second his foot connected with the helpless object. The sheer strength of the impact sent the contents of the trash can flying across the vacant parking lot. Sett grunted as the mental crunched under him, the trash can slowly losing its original shape with each vigorous kick.
“Fucking shit!” He yelled, unbothered by the pile of filth beneath him.
“Motherfucker!” Another grunt bubbled from deep within him.
Sett kept on kicking and stomping, swearing until he ran out of breath. He stared at the mess before him, exhausted by the burst of energy that was slowly abandoning him.
“Uh…” An unfamiliar noise snapped Sett out of his thoughts and when he lifted his head he was met with a face he had never seen before.
The man in front of him was tall, not quite as tall as him but tall nonetheless. Half of the stranger's face was covered by his pitch black hair and the little skin that was visible was covered in makeup. Baggy clothes hid his form, making his body appear unrecognizable.
“Are you alright?” The man asked, a cigarette bud in his hand.
Sett slowly blinked, staring in disbelief as the figure slowly stepped back, intimidated by Sett’s silence.
“Oh shit! Didn’t see ya there.” He snapped out of it, immediately apologizing as he realized he had destroyed the place where the man was about to dispose of his wasted cigarette. “Did I scare you?” Sett asked.
“No.” The man shook his head, still keeping his distance.
“I’m really sorry ‘bout that. I just- I- uh…” His mind raced as he tried to explain the situation, the last thing he needed was for the stranger to call the cops on him for destroying public property. “Just caught my girl cheating.” He said with defeat and sadness in his voice. There was no point in lying, no point in making up a story.
“Oh.” The man’s eyes widened as he nodded, perhaps to show sympathy for Sett and the situation he found himself in.
“Yeah.”
The stranger kept his distance but refused to move so the two of them stood there in silence. A stranger, the man with a cigarette bud between his fingers and Sett, an idiot, a man with a pile of trash.
“Why me? How do I always end up in shitty situations?” Sett through to himself, ears dropping low as he hoped the man would leave.
“Did you love her?” He asked, prompting Sett to frown.
“What kind of question is that? Seriously? Is he stupid?” The man in front of him was clearly a weirdo. What kind of person would ask someone something like that? “Of course.” Sett blurted out, confused by the man’s strange question.
“How come you're here then?”
Another wave of anger washed over Sett. His day was crappy enough without some idiot of a man asking him the most ridiculous questions known to man. “I'm sorry but who are you?” Sett asked, slowly considering breaking the promise he had made to his mother. He’d beat the living shit out of this fucker then go back in the club and end the life of that bitch that kissed his darling.
“Aphelios.” He replied.
“Alright Aphelios ,” Sett hissed, taking a step forward as he spoke, “word of advice, don't say stupid shit to strangers.”
Rapid steps interrupted him from getting any closer, he turned his head and saw Rakan, rushing towards him with a worried look spread across his face. “Sett!” He called out, voice cracking as he spoke, “I’ve been looking everywhere for you man. Are you alright?”
“So you’ve seen her as well.” Sett mumbled, turning away from Aphelios. What a lucky bastard, if it weren’t for his friend the annoying stranger would’ve been on the floor begging for mercy.
“What?” Rakan shook his head, confused and worried at the same time.
“Goin’ home now.” He replied, distancing himself from the two of them as he tried to come up with a route that would get him home safely.
“Wait Sett!” Rakan called out, picking up his pace in order to catch up to him. Not like Sett cared, his plan for the rest of the night was to get home and drink himself to oblivion, hoping not to wake up tomorrow.