Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Saturday night at the guild was bound to be exciting. It always seemed to be. Just about everyone was coming back from a job , therefore everyone had beer money, so it was straight to the bars. Lucy herself wasn't much of a drinker, maybe a fruity drink that would hardly get her tipsy but that was usually as far as she went. Unlike the rest of the girls at the table.

Cana, for one, was drinking even when she didn't have the money.

How? Nobody knows or really wants to ask. So even with her sipping out of a wine barrel with a curly pink straw she didn't even have a flushed face. No effect.

Levy and Juvia were both a couple shots in and were now nursing small cocktails. The shorter girl winking and blatantly catcalling her long time boyfriend, Gajeel, from across the bar. To which she was getting sly smirks and chuckles in return.

The other blue haired girl was fully turned in her chair to stare at the half naked mage that she was downright obsessed with. She never hit her crush and with Gray just realizing his eyes never met for more than a few seconds. They'd connect, blink and then Juvia would sigh. Everyone knew Juvia was into gray and everyone could tell he was into her as well. He's just to stupid to get on with it.

Mira-Jane and Erza weren't much of drinkers but took whatever shot the group was. Both of them each now having a beer in front of them. Both adding small bits to the conversation but mostly sitting and listening.

The girls didn't usually get together like this on Saturdays (mostly leaving their gossip sessions to a slower weekday) but Mira and Erza were leaving on an S-class quest tomorrow and they wanted to have their weekly meet up before they went. That left Kinana, Lisanna, Elfman and Wendy to man the bar and kitchen. It was getting closer to midnight and most of the quieter guild members had already filled out their homes. The biggest tables were filled with the girls and the other with their team counterparts. (Cana declared there get togethers as a girl only zone as she ‘couldn't get a guy long enough to bring home to the rest of them’)

“You wanna know what I just thought about?” Cana said over the toons of the music that was floating over them (something Bixlow put together so that the guild didn't have to listen to Gajeel ‘perform’ all the time)

“Here we go,” Levy said as she rolled her eyes and finished the rest of her drink, lifting it into the air. She could have been signaling Wendy or Lisanna who were a few steps away but the Iron dragon slayer was already on his feet getting her another drink.

“Shh,” Cana took another sip out of her barrel and then turned her head to Lucy. it was late enough into the night where the conversation could turn into complete nonsense or a serious talk about the universe. It was really a coin flip and depending on what it landed on determined whether each of them were going to be dragged home. “You used to be, like, super duper rich. Right?”

“Uh, yeah..?” Lucy replied as she popped another pretzel stick into her mouth. It wasn't often people brought up how Lucy was brought up. Mostly because it wasn't any of their business but also because of the blue haired girls at the table. Juvia was an ex-phantom lord member and Levy was continuously sticking her tongue down the throat of another. Nobody really likes to think of the fight against Phantom. Even if it happened years ago it was an uncomfortable conversation. Nobody really cares to talk about it. But with that, Phantom was only hired because of Lucy's father wanting her home. The topics were pretty much braided together.
“Did you ever go anywhere?” Lucy raises a brow at the question. Her childhome estate was huge,it practically had its own tiny village on the property. It wasn't like she was looking in a tower her whole life, she had everything a person could need on the property. But if she was asking about whether or not the blond could go hop on a train and spend the day waltzing around the capital then it would be a hell no. She could spend her free time however she wanted on the property and that was it.

“Like..?” the blond asked. She knew she wasn't the most well socialized person and she didn't want to come off as bragging that she had so much. Especially in a room full of orphans. (not that she isn't one – because she is)

The Card mage takes a longer sip of her drink and leans back into her chair, “Like, out of the kingdom. You get to see the world Luce?” she asked. Moving from the relaxed state before to one of curiosity. Some would say that Cana was curious, but with the friendship she and Lucy had, the blond knew she was just nosey. The blond shrugs. Anyway she sas it would come off as braggish. You basically have to sell both of your legs and maybe an arm to be able to travel in and out of Fiore. The Kingdom was one of the very few civilizations that has lived alongside magic. They are protective of who they let in and out. The wrong person could lead to an absolute collapse of their society. The mages of Fiore work in a way that no other does.

Most places with magic are full of bloodshed and war – it's difficult to have mages that don't want power. That won't fight and kill for power. It's why Fiore developed the Magic council; so a mage wouldn't go crazy trying to take over the place. The Royal family decides what's best for the people and the council for the mages. Not to mention how fickle and dangerous magic could be. The Mages in Fiore had developed a way to replenish what they use – whenever a mage uses a spell or operated a magic item they are able to reproduce the magic it took to power it. And when there isn't a mage involved with a magic item there are restrictions placed on lacrimas that are given to the general public.

The Kingdom of Fiore was strict on the borders. So to go and ‘see the world’ as Cana said you would need a shit ton of money and a name that carries power. Something the Hearfillias had plenty of.

“Sure, once or twice,” Lucy was hoping that the conversation would flow over. She knew that with her childhood that she got things that the other members of Fairytail didn't get. She felt like she was rubbing it in their faces whenever it got brought up.

“You sound so nonchalant,” Juvia said, now that she wasn't fully turned around in her chair.

Mira leans forward and places her chin in the palm of her hand, “I sense a story; you're keeping out on us.” The ‘She Devil’ was just as nosey as the alcoholic. The blond grins and shrugs.

“I didn't see much, plus I was 13; It's been a while.” Each of the girls were intrigued and were sitting at the edge of their seats.

At the other table the guys sag in their chair seeing that they are going to be here much later into the night.

“Oh, now you have to tell us Lu!” Levy said with Juvia nodding her head furiously next to her. Erza was also fully engaged – with the freaky sparkle in her eyes she got when she really really wanted something. Cana and Mira share a glance and their sly smiles grow.

“You don't have a choice Lucy, spill,” Cana said, resulting in giggles from the rest of the table. Lucy chuckles in defeat and shrugs her shoulders again.

“Buy me a shot and i'll think about it.”

Chapter Text

She walked a few feet behind her father, he was talking to one of the council women we had come to visit. There had been some rumors of a scientist trying to industrialize magic and it had found its way to Fiore's own magic council. There were a few mages that were employed by the council itself looking into the matter but a few of Fiore's wealthiest and most influential people were invited to play a more damage control aspect.

It could cause problems if Piltover thought that Fiore was forcing themselves into their business. The mages will find what they need, we got a few dinners and then everyone will be on their way. Piltover was still forming and was currently feuding with their downstairs neighbors. Lucy didn't understand much of what everyone was freaking out about. She understood that magic without boundaries could be dangerous; even Fiore had a dark guild problem. But if the city wanted to develop magically she didn't see a reason why they shouldn't be able to.

“How long are you in the city for again?” Caitlyn asked. The young girl had overheard some of the conversations her mother had had with the handful of Fiorians who had come to dinner. (it wasn't eavesdropping if they weren't necessarily hiding the conversation)

“For a few more days, I'm hoping I'll be able to see a bit more of the city.” Caitlyn was about Lucy's age,just a year or two older. She was born and raised in Piltover and was daughter to one of the head council women. Her hair was dark blue and went down to her mid back; it was straight and was pushed away from her face. Lucy herself was blond, and wore her hair in a high ponytail, letting her bangs frame her face. Caitlyn was nice, from what Lucy had picked up. Headstrong , family oriented, curious. Many of the same attributes that could describe the blond herself.

Caitlyn nodded her head and they continued to follow their parents in silence. It was strange for them to be so similar and not talk.though that seemed to be the thing that set them apart. The Piltover girl did have more of a talent with socialization. Lucy couldn't start and hold a conversation like she could. So they walk in silence and try to pick up wherever their parents' conversation had landed.

***

Lucy flops onto the lounge couch in the room she was staying in. It was spacious and had its own living area, bedroom, bathroom, office and a kitchen. They had given her a little apartment; her father would be staying in the one next door. The 13 year old was use to getting the ‘cold shoulder’ from her father; it would feel weird if they were staying in the same space.

Though, just because of them being distant from each other didn't mean Jude Heartfilia didn't see this as a learning opportunity for his daughter. She was allowed access to just about everything he was. That included a copy of everything that the Mages were investigating. Lucy had been ecstatic about it the first night but after the second night report she knew it wouldn't be anything important; nor interesting. How many times do you have to hear about a smudge magic item being confiscated before you get the message? 15, if it takes 15 times to get the message.

The other things that Lucy had gotten access to was some of the academy students' studies. The Heartfilias were old blood rich. They were new to the game and they were successful at it. Jude Heartfilia could take anything and make it into gold. The Academy took it upon themselves to allow access to the studies. Allow the student to get possible backing in their idea and science. A bit of funding could go a long way for a brilliant mind.

Lucy had gone through these too. Well, most of them. Her father deemed most of them nonsensical and downright useless. He stopped looking at them after a few short hours. Lucy, though, had a hard time falling to sleep at night and it turned into her late night reading. She wouldn't know what she would even try to accomplish if she didn't know about the capabilities of magic. Most of the things the students theories about could easily be accomplished with the right type of magic. Most of it didn't have anything of value but it was littered with passion. Everyone cared about what they were studying — even if it would all come to nothing.

But there was one student that seemed to peak her fathers interest; and in turn, hers.

They were having dinner with the Kirammans. It was grand, with exotic meats and drinks. It was one of the most business heavy dinners she had been to during the whole trip. Usually she would be wrapped up in the conversations, trying to keep up and learn enough that one day she would prove herself to her father.

Even with being Lady Lucy Hearfilia she wasn't promised a bit of her fathers business. That would be for her son. Her non-existent and unwanted son. Lucy made it her mission to claw and bite her way up the line. To show that she could be head of the house without any husband, marriage or child. She was educated and determined to do it. And whenever given the ability to observe the inner workings of her family's empire she was quick to sit straight and focus.

But the Kirammans were not the only people at dinner. They had the Academy student, Jayce. The Kirammans were his patrons, supporting him through the academy. He talked to the blue haired girl about going down to the under-city and getting some tools for his research.

Lucy may not be from Piltover but she had heard what people had said about the lanes. It was described as dangerous. But the only thing Lucy had was curiosity.

Why would his research need things from the “dangerous” under-city? Well, when she asked he said he wished to keep it private until it was ready to be presented. Meaning what he was looking into wasn't looked upon in a good light. It wanted it to be ready so that he could prove a point. Lucy wanted to know what point he was trying to make.

***

Curiosity was going to kill the cat. That is all Lucy can think about as she's spending her final day in Piltover breaking into Jayces apartment. Her father had allowed her to have the last day off. She told him she was going to walk around the city and go sightseeing. His only condition was to have her celestial spirit out with her the whole time. (the one of her choosing being Cancer– he kinda just went along with whatever Lcy was getting herself into with no questions asked). This being why Lucy was leaning against the wall while Cancer picked the lock with his scissors.

The blond hoped nobody would come down the hall, she knew Jayce wouldn't as he had to have a student meeting but it would suck if one of the city's enforcers came by.

“This is making my palms sweat..” Lucy mumbled to herself as she wiped her hands on a bit of her skirt. It was a light pink and went halfway down her calf. She was wearing boots that covered up the rest of her legs; and a white short sleeve blouse with a light brown jacket that didn't actually keep heat in.

“This may not be the best of ideas, baby,” The crab spirit said, not looking away from the lock. His holder sagged deeper into the wall and sighs. It wasn't rare for her to get up to mischief on her days off. They were the days she didn't have to worry about proving herself to her father.

“Don't be a downer today.. Please, I need this,” the blond said. The spirit shrugs his shoulders and gives her a small grin. Cancer had been passed down to Lucy from her mother, and everyday he saw more and more of Layla in the young girl. He was happy to tag along with her adventures and small acts of rebellion. He loved doing her hair like he used to do Laylas; he even loved when Lucy cut most of her hair off as a child. He and Aquarios lectured her about it. She wasn't Layla, he knew that. But Lucy was hers and it turn. his. And if that means breaking into a poor academy student's apartment to cure her curiosity, then so be it.

The door opens a bit before it's stopped by a chair. Enough to block a grown person but not a thin 13 year old girl. Lucy was quick to slip under Cancer's arms and practically threw herself into the apartments. The one someone was blatantly trying to stop people from coming in from.

Even if the young Heartfilia threw herself into the room she was quick to pause and freeze at the people that were also at the apartment. Two girls and two boys, each with a couple trinkets in their arms.

“Shoot, I wasn't expecting people to be breaking in while I'm breaking in.” the blond could tell that the things they were putting in the bag in the center of the room were mostly un important.

“We got here first, you got to find somewhere else to steal from,” one of the boys said, the pink haired girl next to him rolled her eyes before letting her shoulders slack. Lucy moved the chair out of the way and Cancer followed in behind her, the other people tense up again.

“Oh, uh, we don't mean harm.. Uh, I won't tell you if you don't?” She offered. The group glanced at each other, “I can point out some of the more pricier stuff if you want.”

“She's sticking around,” the same boy said. His hair was a dark brown and was wild, sticking up in every direction. The pink haired girl shoves his shoulder.

“How do we know you wont go running?” she asked. The other people in her group were glancing from the pink haired girl to the blond. Trying to see who would make the first move.

“I'm breaking in to? Why would I go and tell on myself?” the room was cluttered, it was somewhat expected. Lucy just thought that after seeing Jayce at the Kirammans dinner that he would be a bit more organized with his work. At least he seemed a bit more put together.

“Makes sense,” the second boy said. He was bigger than the first and wore thick goggles over his eyes. The group glanced at him and each came to the same idea. Nobody was going to tell, and if the weird girl was going to get them better loot what was the problem?

“Be quick, who knows when he'll be back.”

“We have at least an hour,” Lucy piped in, coming further into the apartment; cancer closing the door behind her. She moves to one of the desks in the room and shuffles around papers. Out of the corner of her eyes she can see the pink haired girl motion the wild one towards her.

“So..how'd you know about this place?” he asked as he leaned next to her. She glanced up at him and got a closer look at his features. He had thick brows and a gap in his front teeth. His eyes were green with the lightest tint of gray. Lucy felt a little jealous at the color when hers were only brown.

“I don't know, how do you know about it?” she wasn't going to be interrogated without getting a few question in herself.

He shrugs his shoulders, as if saying that she got him there. She wore her hair up again though now she was noticing how much her bangs needed a trim; as they kept falling into her eyes as she shuffled around books and opened scrolls. She didn't take the time to read them as the handwriting was downright atrocious. “Here,” she said, handing him a specific book.

He reluctantly takes it from her, look at it and his brow furrows, “you said you'd point out expensive stuff. Not books.”

“That is expensive. It deep dive into energy Lacrima, specifically ethernano. Extremely hard to find, especially here with you near non expansion.. Into.. magic..” Lucy rattled on, it was a book she recognised due to reading it herself. Most of her fathers trains ran on those types of lacrima, they were good at storing power and releasing it in bursts. Stop and go type things. What tripped her up is that its in Piltover. The place getting looked at for having signs of magic.

“Magic?” the smallest of the group popped out of nowhere next to the blond; making the girl jump. She had light blue hair, the majority of it being pulled back into a braid. Lucy could see Cancer cringing at the girl's choppy bangs. She was young, and a cute kid.

“Yeah…on second thought,maybe you shouldn't take that.” Lucy reaches to take the book from the boy and he pulls it out of her reach.

“No way, you said it was rare. Rare means pricey.” He tosses it over to the bigger boy and he shoves it into the bag. The blond rolls her eyes before moving to take it back out of the bag. She didn't know where these guys would sell it but wherever ended up with it and got caught by the mages were going to be in loads of trouble. She didn't want these guys to get into trouble with the magic council because of her.

“Why shouldn't we take it?” the pink haired girl asked. Lucy shouldn't tell her about the investigations, but she's never actually done something like this. Talk to people her age, she means. Even in this weird situation she hasn't felt this giddy in a long time. If she doesn't say when someones going to have to go; and if Lucy was anything she was selfish. (in this world, you have to get far)

Chapter Text

“They’re looking into Piltover's magic use, I don't want you to get caught with something magic based. Could mean trouble,”the blond girl explained. The boy with the goggles looks at the pink haired girl and she gives him a little nod; then he takes it back out of the bag. The blond girl continues to look through papers and the others go about the apartment, occasionally lobbing a piece of something into the bag.

“So, you're obviously not here to just take stuff,” the wild boy said. The blond glanced at him before opening one of the drawers (full of junk that the boy started sifting through).

“No, i'm not just taking stuff,” she said, the other boy was watching Cancer as he looked over a bookshelf.

“Then why are you here?” The two kids look at each other for a few seconds.

“Yeah, why are you?” the pink haired girl butted in. the two look away from each other to look at the (assumed) oldest. Her shoulders were broad and you can see the remnant of a bruise on her cheek. Lucy rolled her eyes, she was used to people acting better than her. Kids with a silver spoon in their mouth think that they are on top of the mountain. They're wrong, but that doesnt matter. But this girl was acting like she was more capable than Lucy. and seeing that they broke in without the use of insider knowledge or a celestial spirit show that she was.

But Lucy was born with a silver spoon, and she wasn't going to lose her mountain.

“And why should I tell you? Seems like my business, doesn't it?” she gets a glance from Cancer; he knew Lucy was bound to get in a fight with someone. Even back home. Lucy could argue with someone for hours. She could be vindictive and cruel - it was something she got from her father. A trait that he hopes the young mage would grow out of.

“Because I asked you,” the strong girl said, only getting a more obvious eye roll.

“And who are you? My Father? Give me a good reason to let you in on my plan,” the blond then turned and started shoving more papers around. The handwriting may be shit but she could see some of the equations the student had gone through. He was onto something. Something stupid, but something.

“Vi–”

“Hey!” Lucy yelped and she was turned around by the girl, the back of her legs hitting the desk. The girl's eyes were dark and she looked pissed off as she glared at the girl. Lucy glares back. Sure she wasn't used to people getting physical with her but she had a spirit already summoned. If she really did something she wouldn't get far before getting caught. So much for talking to people her age. There was a reason Lucy didn't have friends, even within her inner circles.

“It is always the same with you top siders – thinking you're better than us.” the blond rolls her eyes again.

“I'm not topsider, or whatever you think–”

“I'm not stupid, just look at yourself. You think you can just do whatever you want, how much money does your ‘father’ throw at your problems? Huh?” the blond reels back a bit before giving the girl the same glare she was receiving.

“Vi, maybe–”
“Who do you think you are, to judge me? You're breaking in the same as I am! You don't know me, or what I do. HAH!
How about–”

“Lucy.” Cancer cuts her off before she could continue to spew out her anger. He knew how pissed she would be at herself if she continued with her yelling. The wild boy pushed Vi away from Lucy and then looked at the other boy and the young girl. The older of the two making a small cough into his fist.

“Maybe we're off on the wrong foot,” Vi and Lucy scoff in unison with the blond mutter a ‘you think?’ under her breath, “Im Claggor, the one next to you is Mylo,” he gave her a small wave, “the small one is Powder and that's Vi.” Lucy doesn't say anything until her tall spirit gives her ‘the look’. The one Aquarius would give her if she was misbehaving. She lets out a sigh.

“Lucy,” She said, not making eye contact with anyone.

“And him?” Vi gestured to the Spirit.

“Cancer.”

“Like the sickness?” Mylo asked, his face contorted in confusion.

“Like the constellation,” Lucy corrected. Clagger moves forward, pushing both Vi and Mylo back.

“Well, it's great to meet you,” he extended his hand to the girl and she shook it in return, though it was with a bit of reluctance. Before any of the kids could speak up again Cancer gave a short cough, bringing all the attention to him – as well as the chalkboard he was standing in front of.

“What?” Violet asked , keeping her little sister next to her as Lucy goes to look at the chalkboard herself.

“We should signal the authorities, Lucy,” the crab said.

“Authorities?!” Violet cut in again.

“I thought we were cool now,” the wild boy — Mylo said under his breath.

“No, our authorities. Not those guys in blue.”

While leaving Fiore she may have had most of her magic items confiscated; such color changing magic, the two potions that she had carried with her and any and all forms of lacrima – but the one thing they couldn't take were her keys. And seeing as her keys led to her spirits they were basically backpacks for all of her magic trinkets she liked to have on her. Lucy reached into her pocket and took out a small green stone. It was rare to come across a photography based lacrima but she liked them compared to the usual camera. The photos just came out clearer, plus it was at least three times the storage.

She flips it up into the air, like a coin flip, and puts a small amount of magic energy into it. The stone flipped a couple times into the air before stopping in front of the board. I flicked a light blue and dropped back into the blond's hand.

“You gonna let us in on the secret?” Mylo said as he stepped closer to the girl in pink.

She chuckled and started to look more closely at the man's desk, “This guys an idiot.”

“What?” Claggor asked.

“Oh, I'd be careful where you step. Now that I'm thinking about it.” Vi’s shoulders tense again as the girl talked.

“Why?”

“He's trying to create artificial magic – Lacrima even…” Mylo had moved next to her now.

“What's a Lacima?” Powder asked from behind her sister. Only to get ignored by the mage. She was getting a flow now, opening notebooks and taking a shot before handing them to the boy that was standing next to her.

“We're not going to help you if you don't tell us what's going on,” Vi spoke, crossing her arms. She was the leader after all. She couldn't let her sibling head dive into whatever this weird girl wanted; she needed to make a choice.

“I don't really need your help… but if you care that much — holy shit!” Mylo jumps back at the girls yell and Cancer draws one of his scissors to his side. Lucy reaches out across the desk and picks up a small metal stand. It was a dark grey and accented with gold; much like the whole city. But in the center was a blue stone. Strpped down onto the stand and as Lucy pulled it closer to her face to look at it the stone gave off a small spark and pop. Nothing to cause problems but enough to get the point across.

“What?! What is that?” Vi called to the girl, pushing Powder farther behind her.

“Lacrima.” Cancer mumbled out as he reached to take it out of the young girl's hands. It wouldn't be good if his key holder blew up in front of him.

“God, he wishes this were a lacrima.”

“Still don't know what a Lacrima is..” Powder mumbled out.

“Man, this is so… horribly done..”

“Lucy,” The spirit said with his hand outstretched. Only to get waved off by his holder.

“Give me a second. This is so unbalanced – he's lucky he doesn't have a clear source of ethernano. This thing would barely be able to hold any type of energy at all..”

“Ethernano?” Claggor mumbles out.

“Would you mind if I borrowed him to look for more of these?” Lucy asked while pointing her thumb to Mylo.

“Uhh, yeah, we do mind. What even is that?” Lucy gave the pink haired girl a confused look before realization dawned on her face.

“Right, forget this stuff isn't normal here.” she holds the stand up in the air (rather recklessly – giving Cancer enough time to snag it away from her), “the science man is trying to recreate some form a magic by using these as a power source, since he obviously has no frame of reference he has no clue how complex this stuff really is.” The group gives each other looks in between Lucy's talking. “Basically, since he has no idea what he is doing, he's making bombs.”

Mylo instantly took five steps away from her. He thought she was pretty, but not get yourself exploded pretty.

“Lets.. get out of here..” Vi said as she grabbed the bag from the middle of the room.

“Wait, what?” Lucy asked, “why are you leaving?”

“You just said that thing was a bomb, and that you want to look for more.” they walked closer to the balcony, “we are not sticking around for that.”

“Oh..” the Heartfillia looked towards Cancer (who didn't really care if they stayed or went) and then clenched her fists. Almost the whole group was out. It was mainly just Mylo and Vi. “i'll pay you.”

“You Can't pay us to be your meat shields.” she snarled, “all of you top sides are the same.”

“I'm not topside, or whatever that means. I-I'll pay each of you to just stick around. I'll get you a ride home and get you dinner after – wherever you want.” the pink haired girl only shook her head before motioning Mylo to follow her out. Only he doesn't.

“How much?”

“I dont know..”

“Ok, whatever they get out of that bag –you pay the same.” Vi gives him a look before he gives her a shrug.

“I'll double it.” at that he pushed the balcony door shut and shooed off the rest of his group.

“Deal.”

Ok, Maybe she was blow yourself up pretty.

Chapter Text

Lucy had a good 30 Minutes to finish looking for more of these makeshift lacrima. That also meant 30 minutes to talk to this mystery boy. She didn't get to talk to kids her age much – especially boys her age. And sure he only stuck around because she had offered to pay him, but that didn't mean anything. Sure..

“Is the crab guy going to be death staring us the whole time?” Mylo said. The boy wasn't standing next to her but he was pretty close. Enough distance to be socially acceptable. In a way. Lucy had honestly forgotten about her spirit; it was so natural for her to feel someone there that it was something she just ignored. If it weren't Cancer then it would be Lyra (even if the spirit schedule gave Lucy a migraine to work around). It was sad but the blonde relied on her spirits in that way; so that she didn't have to be alone.

“It's either him or someone else my father hires to watch,” she said and she sorted through a dresser. Though, in the back of her mind, she knew that there was a mage somewhere in the city panicking over losing her. She knew her father had hired someone – it’s not her fault if they suck at babysitting.

“Wait, he works for your dad?” Mylo asked, his eyes squinted and judgy towards the crab spirit. Cancer only leveled the same look towards him. Waiting to see if the shifty boy did anything to his holder. Lucy giggles and shakes her head.

“No, he works for me. As if im letting some goon report my every move to my father.” the boy gave a short nod; he understood getting around an overprotective adult. It's what got him and the group here in the first place. Vander had made it clear that they weren't allowed topside, yet here he was. Though the muscles in his back and shoulders had long slackend and his breathing was steady. It was weird to not feel threatened whilst topside. Before he could respond to the girl, maybe to share his understanding, she gasps as she looks under a desk.

“Something!” she calls and she struggles to pull the box out from under the desk. Mylo lifts an eyebrow before going to help her move it. Her smile is slim and for a short moment he freezes as and blinks. her eyes sparkled with something, something he couldn't name. He snaps back as she lifts her side of the box. His arms struggle to catch up with her lift but it ended up on top of the desk.

“What it is?” he gasps out. There was no reason for a science nerd to have that heavy of a box. And how the girl next to him wasn't as winded as him was a mystery.

“Can’t you feel that?” she asked, the bodyguard moving up behind the two to take a peek at the box. She was right. The box had radiated a familiar feeling of magic energy. Chaotic but soothing at the same time. Though it was rare to come across something that is so.. Erratic.

“Feel what?”

“I don't know how to explain it..” she said, her eyebrows furrowing. It was something so natural to her yet she couldn't explain the feeling. How it was exciting and fun and how it felt like the nurturing voice of her mother. How was she supposed to explain the feeling that magic gave a person? “You just feel it.”

“Well I dont feel shit,” he said as he pried at the top of the box, “this… thing… is… glued on!” he grumbles as he pulls. Only for Lucy to nudge him back and press the golden button on the front of it. The attached huffed and they released and allowed the top to pop open. Mylo huffed and the fact he had made a fool of himself in front of the girl. He wasn't a natural leader like Vi was and Claggor was the man of muscle. His job in the group was the locksmith – meaning he was (basically) the brains of the operation. To Mylo it made the difference between him and the girl. After this he would go back to the underground – the slumps. She would go back to her ivory tower and have fine dinners. She’d continue as a princess and him, a street rat. It was unfair.

“Mylo, are you even listening to me?” Lucy had been going on about the ‘Lacrima’ they had found and how that they were practically useless. How they were now, they could hardly power a lightbulb. She could see why this was a private study. The academy would have deemed it useless. Because.. Well because it was.

“Huh? Oh yeah yeah,” he shrugs and Lucy doesn't press further. She wasn't stupid, far from it. She had one of the best educations her father could buy. She could tell when someone was bored by a conversation. She flicks her film Lacrima and then shuts the box.

“Help me put this back, yeah?”

“Wait, what? I thought you wanted to take them?”

“How will he get caught if we have all of the evidence?” she raised an eyebrow in question and he paused. He couldn't think of a response so instead just let out a huff of breath. “How are we on time, Cancer?”

“At least 10 minutes, baby,” he said while staying clear from the two teens moving the box back to where it was found. Mylo glared at the obviously strong guy for not helping them. Making him move a box all for nothing. Why was he calling her ‘baby’ anyway?

“Great!” She loops her arm around the boys and starts leading him to the door, “C’mon, I'm hungry and you get to pick the place.”

“I can't go out that way.” He would stick out like a sore thumb. Vander would kill him if he found out that he was topside. Vi would kill him for messing around with this girl where people could see him.

He would rather take the Vander killing to be honest.

“Uhh.. why?” he had dragged him out to the hall at this point; now he was trying to get out of her grip. He was too young to die.

“I'm not topside – they'll eat me alive out there.”The blonde looked unconvinced as they stood at the top of the stairs. “I came in through the balcony.” his voice was deadpan, trying to get his point across to the girl. He thinks for a moment that he might have to go into detail about the feud between cities and that he was here to steal stuff and not do whatever form of justice she was there for. He could see the realization dawn on her face. Maybe he was wrong about her being smart.

“Cancer, can you get a driver?” he nods before stepping out in front of them and Lucy grabs hold of the boy's arm again. A driver. Mylo longed for the opportunity to have a driver. He couldn't even dream of something like that. It wasn't even a possibility for people like him.

“So.. uhh.. Where are you from again?” Mylo couldn't deal with a silence; plus the blond seemed to like to talk.

“Fiore.” The answer was short and he thinks maybe he was wrong about her being a talker. The blond was just so inconsistent. Smart to dumb, talkative to silent.

“Cool cool..” He had no idea where Fiore was.

“Where are you from?” she watched the wild boy falter. As if he was too embarrassed to answer. She knew he wasn't ‘topside’, or whatever, but she didn't really know where else there was to be from.

“Not here,” he mumbled out with his brows furrowing. Yeah, she gathered that much. She could understand if it was a sore topic – maybe if it was shamefully to be where he was from. Lucy hadalways felt pride over her home. It was a place of magic and wonder and she loved it. Every breath was like a promise of something new. She could get the same feeling from Piltover – maybe if she stayed long enough – but it wasn’t the same as Fiore. She couldn't let this dwindle though. She didn't want him to ditch her if he got bored.

“Ok, soo are you going to tell me or are we just going to have to drop you off on the side of the road?” Lucy jested. She wanted him to talk to her, have interest. If she wasnt interesting enough to talk to she was just going to end up in the car on her own. She didn't want that. She was tired of being in the car on her own. Though, father has said that she could draw on; that she would go on tangents of the most nonsense and unnecessary things. Maybe he would think she was talking too much. Would he grow annoyed with her? Her attempt at a joke didn't go how she wanted. His brows furrow as he takes a step from her. As if she had cursed his blood line or something.

“What..?” she asked, her voice soft and confused. She was going to end up in the car alone, again, isn't she? Lucy just couldn't keep her mouth shut, why cant she be put together – be more formal. Of course she shouldn't have tried joking with him. She wasn't funny, why would she try?! Lucy felt her chest constrict, the feeling she got from public speaking or dinners with her father. She was freaking out. Because a guy wouldn't want to get food with her? Because he would refuse a ride home?

“You're confusing,” he said as he started down the stairs. He wouldn't leave, would he? He said it himself, he would need her to get home.

“What?”

“You make no sense.”

“I know what you said; I meant, what do you mean by it,” she had followed him down the steps and they were both now in a slim hallway by an exit. It was still brightly lit but if the two of them walked next to each other they would only have an inch in between their shoulders.

“That, that is weird.” how could she be so high up? He could tell what type of person she was, she had a silver spoon in her mouth and pretended she didn't. She never knew what his life was like – never live like he had to. She didn't do anything against him, he guessed, but it made his head spin because of her loose tongue and free actions. She was born into privilege – showered in gold– yet she acted like any of his siblings in the last drop. He'd see kids younger than him har words as sharp as hers. Of course Lucy wouldn't throw a punch (well, maybe not the first one) but that wasn't really Mylos place either. That was Vi and Claggor.

“I'm confused,” the blond said. She wanted to step easy; worried that he would take the ‘risk of topside’ rather than stick round with her.

“How are you so… I don't know,” he was leaning against one wall and Lucy took it as a cue to lean against the other. Leaving air in between them. “Carefree..?” Mylo himself sounded confused with what he was asking. Like he didn't know what category to put the girl in. Was she topside, or was she one of them?

“I wouldn't say carefree,” she answered. Mylo rolls his eyes as the blonds bodyguard opens the door and gives them a look.

“I would.” then they were both in a car, heading towards the bridge.