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Grayson’s True Prodigy (Sevika x POC!Reader) - Ch. 5

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Next Upload Date: October 4th

Act 1: Chapter Five - Life in Piltover

Warnings: Underage Tattoos, Bullying by entitled teens, Arguing about magic, small gay crush, fight training

Summary: You carry on with your life in Piltover, even though you yearn to return to Ionia.

When you came home from Ionia, you could tell that something changed with your family. Your sister seemed a lot closer to your mother and father, gushing about a trip they went on to the private island mother’s parents live on. You were a bit sad to know that they went without you but nothing could ruin the happiness you felt from the monastery. You had contentedly walked to your room after your mother gave you the list of lessons for the week. Caitlyn came with you, rambling about her trip and you partially listened to what she said. Truthfully, you were distracted by the fact that your staff is still pulsing with wild magic.

You drop your bag on the ground and a clinking sound makes you pause. You look down to see that your little wooden dragon had somehow fallen out of the pocket it was in. You smile to yourself as you pick it up from the ground and place it on your vanity. You found it in your room at the monastery when you went to change for dinner. Carved into the bottom of it were only three words - ‘Stubborn. Lee Sin.’ You immediately shoved it into your bag before happily skipping to dinner.

“-and then grandpa shot a turkey and the cooks made it for dinner! Apparently, dad owed mom some money because he bet that grandpa couldn’t do it.” Caitlyn chuckles as she sits down on one of your chairs, “So, tell me about your trip with Grayson. Where’d you go this time?” She brings her feet up onto the chair. You sit down in the chair across from her with a tiny shrug.

“We went back to the monastery. We didn’t really go anywhere else in Ionia except to Swirl Rock. There are some rocks there that are used in the monastery’s garden because of how they look in the sunlight.” You explain to her, “I did get to meet one of the new disciples who is closer to our age. He was a bit rude at first but I got him to open up to me by the end of the visit.” You mimic your sister and drape your legs over the arm of the chair.

“What’s the monastery like? What’s it called again… Haryana?” Caitlyn tries to remember the name, making you giggle.

“Hirana.” You correct her, “And the monastery is unlike anything here in Piltover. It’s at the top of a mountain, so you have to walk up a thousand steps to get there. It takes a while and the air is cold and misty but once you get to the top it’s absolutely gorgeous. The monastery is a large red-leafed oak tree that is connected to others by hallways. At each outer corner is a temple, the east wing are the sleeping quarters, and the west wing is where the dining hall is. You… have to see it to understand what I mean.”

“I wish.” Caitlyn sighs dreamily, “We haven’t gone on many trips outside of the city unless it’s to see grandma and grandpa Kiramman. Jayce tells me that everywhere outside of Piltover is not worth the time since we’re more advanced.”

“Jayce is an idiot.” You snort and readjust your position, “Just because Piltover is more advanced doesn’t mean that other countries aren’t worth the time. I personally think they’re better than here.” You shrug.

“Will you bring me along next time? To Ionia?” Caitlyn leans closer to you, “You and Grayson can show me around! I’d love to see the monastery you rant about all the time.” You blink in surprise but a grin spreads across your face.

“Yeah! You can come along to the monastery but it might bore you. You have to wear robes and there are only certain things you can do since it's meant more for relaxation than fun.” You excitedly sit up and face her.

“How about we go for our birthdays next year?” Caitlyn suggests that you feel your good mood plummet.

“I overheard you and mother today.” Your voice comes out as barely a whisper, “That Caitie and I are twins.” You watch as understanding crosses Grayson’s eyes and she sighs.

“I planned to tell you in Ionia, but I’ll tell you now… You know that Caitlyn’s birthday is on January 4th, 970 AN but she was born at 11:54 am. You were born on January 4th at 12:04 pm during a total solar eclipse. You are twins.”

“Yeah… Hey, I’m tired from the trip back here so I’m going to shower and head to bed.” You say softly, trying not to tear up in front of your sister.

“Okay! Sorry for bothering you!” Caitlyn laughs and stands up, “Get some rest, okay? We can talk more when my schedule is cleared.” She heads to the door but pauses in the doorway.

“Are you okay, Caitie?” You question as she turns back to you.

“Let's… hang out more this year.” Caitlyn hesitates, “I know we're always so busy, but I’d like to hang out with you once in a while.”

“I… would like that. Sure, let’s try to.” You smile at her and she returns it before leaving the room. Your smile disappears once the door closes and you gaze up at the ceiling. ‘That is… if mother will allow us to.’

Surprisingly, you and Caitlyn managed to hang out a few times. Some days she would hurry up and finish her lessons before they were supposed to be over. So, you’d spend the whole day together until your mother came home. While you had fun with it, the fact that you were twins was always on your mind. You realized that you weren’t going through puberty early, but on time. You weren’t growing faster than you were supposed to, either. Everything that happened to you was actually a year ahead of what you were made to believe.

A blessing in disguise came around when all of your teachers proclaimed that you were complete with your lessons. Your mother was taken aback when she heard this and thoroughly questioned them on it. Everyone from your etiquette teacher to your high school instructors said that there was nothing more they could teach you. Which was true, being locked in your manor encouraged you to read ahead. To prove your competency, you took a comprehensive test for each of your classes. You had passed each with flying colors and soon found yourself with more free time than you could handle.

Your mother tried to find more for you to do, but even the college professors denied starting you so early. With nothing else to occupy you with, your mother reluctantly let you out of the manor. The first day you walked through those gates without a care found yourself feeling rebellious. There were a lot of things your mother hated or disagreed with. Tattoos, piercings, and other unladylike things that would not be befitting a woman of your status. And what was the perfect thing to do than get both of those things done?

You knock on Grayson’s apartment door with a mischievous grin on your face. Today was a day off for her and you knew that she wasn’t aware of your freedom yet. Surprising her with a visit was sure to make the day even more of a lovely one. You have your money stashed in your pocket along with a change of casual clothes you purchased earlier. The door opens and Grayson gives you a smile while shaking her head.

“Did you break out or were you let out?” Grayson chuckles as she lets you into her apartment. You head straight for the tray of cherry apples and gleefully pick one up.

“I finished learning everything I’m capable of learning so mother had no choice but to let me go.” You grin and take a bite out of the fruit, “Today is the first time I’ve left the manor and I’m feeling a little rebellious.”

“Rebellious?” Grayson hums with amusement as she takes a sip of her coffee, “Now just how rebellious are you feeling today? Wearing the wrong socks with your shoes or eating cake before dinner?” She jokes. You pout and cross your arms with a huff. You hated all of the rules and regulations you had to follow as a Kiramman. If you were caught in the upper ring looking like you didn’t roll out of bed flawlessly, your mother would know about it within the hour. A Kiramman is to always look and act her best.

“More like… I want to get a piercing and a tattoo?” Your statement comes out as a question due to your nervousness.

“Your mother will kill you.” Grayson retorts and takes another sip from her mug.

“Technically, because of the lineagefasting, you’re my mother.” You grin cheekily, “So, what do you say, mama? Can I?” You beg her. You really wanted to do this for yourself. It would be a little act of rebellion that your mother wouldn’t know about until it was too late.

“You have to be sixteen in Piltover with parent permission.” Grayson shrugs, “You can’t get it done here.”

“What?! That’s not fair! I’m a year under the limit?!” You groan and toss the apple core into the plant pot.

“Unfortunately, but Zaun doesn’t have an age limit nor do you need parent permission. That would be unfair to their orphans.” Grayson mentions casually. She watches you from the counter as you process what she said. ‘I can get them! I can get them!’

“YES!” You punch the air in excitement, “That means we can go, right?! You’ll take me?!”

“I will.” Grayson chuckles, “Although I only have one rule about this. You can’t get a tattoo anywhere easily visible. I don’t want your mother kicking my door down in the middle of the night.”

“Don’t worry, I’m well aware of that fact.” You exhale, “So, what are we waiting for?”

“You’ve got to get changed, sweet one.” Grayson motions to your bag.

Grayson had told you about the conditions in Zaun, such as the burning in your throat and the smell of sulfur in the air. You weren’t expecting your throat to itch so horribly or that it was much harder to breathe. You didn’t comment on it though, because you were too amazed by the difference between the two cities. The Undercity seemed like it was emerging from the rocks with everything looking like it was strategically placed. There were so many cool pieces of architecture to look at that your eyes didn't linger on anything.

During the walk to the tattoo parlor, Grayson kept a tight grip on your shoulder. You were surprised to see her release her lion features but thrilled to see them again. During your last trip to Ionia, you learned that Grayson’s mother was a Vastaya. It was rare for Vastaya to inherit a spirit and that was the real reason her mother gave her to the monastery. With her features out, it would take a while before anyone realized she was actually the sheriff. Unfortunately, you couldn’t do the same. With your hair standing out too much, you kept your hood up to keep your identity hidden. When you got to the tattoo parlor, you were overwhelmed by all of the art on the walls. The tattoo artist walked you through the process, showing you their sterilization certificate from Piltover before planning out the piece with you. It took some time for you to explain what you wanted but the tattoo artist was patient with you. When he showed you the piece you couldn’t keep a grin off of your face, but the nerves about the situation set in once you were laying down on the cot.

Grayson sat down in your line of sight and raised an eyebrow as the stencil was laid down, “Are you sure about this?” She asks one last time. She had repeatedly checked in with you during your piercings and again when you asked for the tattoo. It warmed your heart to know that she wanted to make sure you were not having second thoughts.

“Positive.” You grin, “This will look incredible when I’m able to show my features.” You wink at her. Grayson rolls her eyes but nods her head in agreement. With a few words from the artist, the sound of the tattoo machine starts and you take in a deep breath. There’s no turning back now.

“You seem to have the hang of this even though this is your first time holding a rifle.” Grayson remarks as she observes your stance. You didn’t have an interest in guns, but you requested lessons from Grayson anyway. A dark part of you thought that it would be good to know in case you needed it. Your mother was enthusiastic about your learning and practically tossed you out of the manor. You didn’t dwell on it and immediately started walking to Gray’s place.

“I was there for all of Caitie’s lessons.” You reply, “I listened closely even though I thought it was boring.” Grayson laughs and shakes her head.

“The only weapon you know how to wield is your staff and a katana. You weren’t very interested in learning about using weapons yourself.” Grayson takes the rifle from you, “All you cared about was the theory.”

“My magic is my weapon.” You shrug, “I know martial arts and if I need to run someone through with my staff, I can. But, my connection to the wilds is too strong to let a tool take over.”

“Very well spoken. I learned how to use weapons so that I can protect my family. My mothers weren’t in agreeance, but they didn’t turn away from it either. The Hiranas weren’t always a peaceful family.” Grayson beckons you inside, “They-”

“-were one of the protectors of the First Lands. They learned to fight in order to protect it and continued to pass it down even when they became the founders of the monastery.” You recall the journal you read, “Now they do what they can to keep the connection and balance with the spirits.”

“Did you learn anything about yourself while devouring all of the knowledge in the archives?” Grayson teases you. You lay down on the couch with a sigh.

“Nothing. I’m starting to think that I’m never going to truly know what I am. Every text I read spoke of the fae being born from nature. Flowers. Trees. Waterfalls. Mountains. Not a single thing about a human.” You groan, “I’m going to have to meditate for life if I want to learn anything.”

“You’ll figure it out one day, sweet one. And there’s nothing wrong with being one-of-a-kind.” Grayson nudges you, “You’ve only scratched the surface of your powers. I mean, there’s a cherry apple tree growing in my pot now.” She points to the tiny sapling by the window.

“You’ll have to plant it outside soon.” You idly mention, “It’s starting to feel constricted in the pot as its roots grow.”

“See.” Grayson kisses the top of your head, “I don’t know anyone who can talk to plants and spirits.” She grins at you.

“That’s my problem, mama!” You grumble with exasperation as she laughs.

You agitatedly fiddle with the collar of your dress as you stand around with Caitlyn. Even she seemed more subdued for this birthday party. A lot of the upper-class children were born around the same time, so it was back-to-back birthdays for two months. After the first two, it gets very repetitive. You were sure to have a sugar crash with all of the sweets handed out, and it was impolite to turn them down. When you had turned down one little cupcake, your mother pulled you aside and scolded you for it. You couldn’t exactly tell her that you didn’t like the way it tasted. You were spoiled by the desserts in Ionia that weren’t as sweet as the ones in Piltover. ‘Everything is better in Ionia.’ You sigh wistfully, drawing attention to yourself.

“Y/n, I heard from Caitlyn that you were out of the country last month. Where did you go? Who’d you go with?” Talia, the birthday girl, questions. You never really liked her. Her family made it a point to always wear the highest fashion and she used to pick on you for your dress choices. With your healing tattoo being itchy as hell, you had a very short tolerance. ‘I hope she’s not going to say anything rude. I do have the control, but I might just let it slip.’

“I went to Ionia with Sheriff Grayson. As you know, she’s close to my family and she took me there as a birthday gift.” You force a smile.

“Ionia? Did you get to see any of the exotic animals they have there?” Talia squeals in excitement, “I absolutely want one of their feathered deer as a pet!” You snort, trying to contain your laughter, but the people around you pick up on it. Caitlyn subtly steps on your toes as a warning, and you give her a sideways glance. ‘Ouch. That hurt.’ You think sarcastically. Your sister gives you an exasperated glance as if she knows what you’re thinking.

“What’s so funny about that?” Tristen scoffs, “You don't think she’d be able to afford one?”

“Gods, no. It’s not about the money.” You roll your eyes, “You can’t take animals from Ionia unless they come willingly but they’re all highly protected. You wouldn’t be able to have a feathered deer as a pet no matter how much money you throw at it. I have played with them before, and they run away the moment they sense danger.”

“You’re just saying that because you don’t want me to have one.” Talia laughs, the others joining in, “It’s okay to be jealous, Y/n.”

“Awe, Talia, I was going to say the same thing to you!” You laugh fakely, “I’m sure you’ll get a chance to see the world when you stop thinking it belongs to you.” The laughter stops and they all stare at you in shock. You watch in amusement as Talia starts to turn red and glares at you. Caitlyn’s hand flew up to her mouth in an attempt to hide a smile.

“Listen here, Kiramman. You were only invited because my mother told me to, but I don’t like you. You always think you’re better than us and never wanted to play with us as kids. You even completed school three years before you were supposed to and rubbed it in our faces!” Talia gets in your face and pushes you back, “No one wants you here. Not even your own mother! You were a mistake!” She shoves you hard but a hand against your back braces you from falling. Talia’s eyes go wide as the others take a step back. Caitlyn brightens up.

“How dare you say that to my daughter.” Your father’s voice shakes in anger, shocking you, “Your behavior is appalling and I will be having a word with your mother about this. Now run along, Talia.” He says fiercely and the teenagers hurry away, dragging your sister with them. Without a word, your father guides you out of the room to a more private area to speak. Eh whirls you around and his eyes worriedly scan you for any injuries.

“Are you alright, little one?” Papa asks softly, “What Talia said was out of line and none of it was true.”

“I’m fine, papa.” You remove his hands from your shoulders and step back, “I’m just going to head home. I’m suddenly not in the party mood.”

“Do you want me to come with you?” Papa asks.

“No, Caitlyn might need you to rescue her. I’ll be fine on my own.” You shrug and head down the hallway before he has time to answer. You hated that those words got through to you. ‘I know mother doesn’t want me. She wouldn’t have locked me away for years if she didn’t.’ You sigh to yourself and walk through the doors of the mansion. A whistle grabs your attention as you step out of the gates and you turn to your left to see Grayson. You perk up as she tosses you a bag and beckons you over. ‘Mama always knows where to find me.’ You giggle to yourself.

“We’re going to stop at my place so you can get dressed, and then we’re going to resume your training.” Grayson states as she puts her arm around your shoulders.

“But, I thought we weren't going to continue my rifle training until next week?” You furrow your brows.

“I wasn’t talking about rifle training, young disciple.” Grayson glances at you and her cat eyes sparkle mischievously. You let out a gasp as a large grin covers your face.

“Sis!” Caitlyn calls to you as you enter the councilors’ meeting room. You blink and stare as she enthusiastically waves you over to her. ‘Should I? Do I want to? …She’s not stopping… Okay, she really wants me to come over there.’ Your mother had you come around to get a first-hand view of what she did for the council. You had grumpily shoved your feet into a pair of shoes and followed her out of the manor. The last few hours were spent leaning against the wall while you listened in on council business. Boring business.

“Excuse me.” A rich voice says from behind you.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” You apologize and step out of the way. The person comes into your view and you freeze for a moment. You recognized Councilor Mel Medarda and couldn’t help the blush that rose to your face when you saw her. She was an absolutely gorgeous woman and you had hoped to be like her at one point in your life. She had elevated herself up to becoming a councilor even though she wasn’t Piltoven. You admired her drive and the way she did things.

“That’s alright, Y/n. I can see your sister is trying to get your attention.” Mel smiles in amusement, “Are you going to join her?”

“Ah…” Your brain slowly processes that she spoke to you, “Yes! I mean, um… begrudgingly.” You laugh nervously and fidget with your fingers.

“Then I’ll let you get over there.” Mel chuckles, “Oh, and congratulations on graduating early. I’m interested in seeing what you choose to do after high school.” She says before heading for the champagne table. You exhale heavily and shake your head to clear your mind. ‘Why do I get so flustered around her?’ With a sigh, you make your way over to your sister who was still trying to get your attention.

“Yes, Caitie?” You sigh again and cross your arms. Caitlyn drags you closer to her and the man she is standing with. The man next to her was only a vague memory in your mind, but you could recall meeting him once.

“I’d like to introduce you to Jayce Talis. He’s the one mother is sponsoring at the University.” Caitlyn grins, “You met him once before, but that was when we were younger. Jayce, this is my little sister, Y/n.” She introduces you.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Jayce shakes your hand, “Caitlyn talks about you a lot, and I wondered why you’ve never tagged along.”

“I’ve been very busy.” You shrug, “I was taking a lot of lessons outside of my schoolwork, so I didn’t have time for anything else.”

“Jayce is working towards a science degree, and I thought you’d like to meet him… since you like science too.” Caitlyn motions between you two. ‘She…talks about me?’ You feel a little joy at those words.

“Yeah, I’m into science.” You nod, “I find it really interesting, especially when it comes to how Runeterra was created.”

“I agree. I study a lot about Runeterra’s origins, actually.” Jayce grins at you, “Have you read about how they think the Gods created the Freljord?”

“That’s more fact than theory, Jayce.” You raise an eyebrow, “And it’s not the Gods exactly. It’s the Demi-Gods.”

“Fact? So, you believe that the Freljord was created with magic?” Jayce crosses his arms. ‘Oh, boy.’ You sigh internally. That’s what leads you into an intense discussion with Jayce. You spent the next hour arguing with him and your sister while you waited for your mother to return.

You take a deep breath and pull the pin out of your hair. You feel your hair drop out of the bun it was in and twirl the pin between your fingers. You extend your arm out, spinning yourself around with it as the pin continues to twirl. It gets faster and faster until it becomes a blur and you focus on calling your staff forward. The magic of the wilds rushes through your fingers and arm as the pin heats up and bursts in your hand.

“HA!” You shout as you slam the end of the staff into the ground. Magic pulses from the staff and you watch as all of the plants and trees around you perk up. The leaves become greener, trees stand straighter, and you can feel the cheerfulness radiating from them. With a smirk, you twirl your staff around and take a deep breath, “For the wilds!” You shout and the world fades from your vision. Within seconds, you find yourself in your faerie form and your connection to the flora and fauna around you deepens. A warning glares in your mind causing you to whirl around and dodge an attack with a yelp. You turn to see Grayson’s lion form standing tall and proud. You were always amazed by your mama’s spirit. Her lion form stood as tall as you did, with graceful markings and crystals dangling from her ears. Great Lions were protectors of Ionia, preferring to stay in the spirit realm and manifest when there is danger. There were ancient texts that said the Great Lions formed the mountains in Ionia to kill a titan. It made you feel so honored that your mama was blessed with the spirit of one.

“Mama!” You laugh, “You could have hurt me!” The tilt of her head makes you nervous as you sense magic building beneath you. With a shriek, you dodge a pillar of rock that shoots up from the ground. One after the other, you twist and dodge them as Grayson tries to hit you out of the air. You let out a growl, landing on one of the pillars, and throwing your hand out towards her. Vines shoot out from the trees and Grayson turns back into her Vastayan form to dodge them. She laughs as you jump off the pillar and attack her.

“You’re getting bold, little one!” Grayson taunts you as you engage in physical combat.

“You’re getting slow!” You taunt her back, only to get grabbed by the wrist, “Shit!” You shout as she flips you over and you hit the ground with a groan.

“If that were an average person, you would have won.” She holds a hand out to you, “But, we don't train to protect Ionia from the average person. Again!” She calls as she gets into position.

“I get it, I get it. I’m getting rusty!” You pout but get into position. Moments like this, training in the forest all day with your mama, is what you live for. With a yell, the training begins again and you find yourself laughing during it. You could sense the animals around you paying attention to your fight. Their curiosity and their enjoyment of it only enhanced yours. It reminded you that your powers are getting stronger, in and out of your fae form.

#sevika x reader #sevika x you #sevika x y/n #sevika arcane #grayson & reader #grayson arcane #grayson's true prodigy

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