Chapter Text
Monday October 4, Pt. 3 (Time For Stranger Things)
Jinx seems to think that the longer she takes to eat, the less likely Silco is to keep his word. She stuffs the rest of the slice into her mouth and chews madly as she tugs him from the room. Sevika swaggers after them, snagging the entire box of meat lovers as she calls over her shoulder,
“Bring my beer, will you?”
You gather your plate and the bottle before noticing Tommy standing at the island, grinning.
“What are you smiling at?”
“I’m glad you convinced Silco to join the festivities. His family doesn’t do much together these days.”
“I can’t really take the credit. All I did was make a suggestion and Jinx did the rest.”
“Who would have figured it’d take Stranger Things to bring them all together, huh?”
Somehow, it made complete and total sense.
You smile. “Are you going to watch it with us?”
“Not today. I’m technically clocked out, and if I get home in the next half hour I might actually get to see my son before I leave to drive Silco for the week.”
“Your son’s name is Ekko, right?”
“That’s right.”
“He seems to be very important to Jinx.”
He shares your knowing look. “The two of them might actually manage to get somewhere, if my son wasn’t so blind,” He makes a disbelieving sound. “Love never is as straightforward as it seems, is it?”
“No,” You reply, your eyes automatically listing towards the living room. “Never.”
After a few moments of silence you turn back with a smile. “So I guess I’ll see you around?”
“I sure hope so. You’re good for this family, you know.”
“You think?” You ask in what you hope is a casual tone of voice.
“Absolutely. I’ve been around for a while now, so I know how they operate. Jinx’s unpredictability makes it difficult for her to make friends, let alone keep ‘em, so the fact that she’s invited you into her life this quickly means she trusts you. And she don’t give her trust easily, believe you me.”
This news isn’t really surprising, considering who her father is.
“Now her daddy, he’s another story.”
You try hard not to fidget under his strangely all-knowing gaze.
“Silco’s a careful, exacting man. I’ve long thought he’s needed someone in his life who could shake things up a bit, and these last few days he’s been more on edge than I’ve seen him in a long time.”
“And on edge is a good thing?”
“There’s nothing better. It means he’s come up against a force of equal strength to himself, and it’s stumped him. That doesn’t happen too often, so I think that’s why he’s taking his time trying to puzzle you out.”
Puzzle you out.
It would be a whole lot easier if he just handed you a questionnaire so you could fill in the blanks, and avoid getting tangled up in the unspoken angst of your emotions.
He tosses his plate in the trash and doffs his hat. “He’s also passed you the reins to one of his businesses, and that’s not the kind of decision he makes lightly. So keep doing what you do Miss Bob Ross, and who knows? You might just make a good, honest man of Silco one of these days.”
Your smile falters as he winks then leaves you standing alone in the kitchen. He clearly meant his words to be taken as a compliment, but all they’ve done is create chaos. Skepticism wars with hope and disappointment, creating a confusing mess inside your head.
This whole time you’d assumed (or hoped) that Silco was flirting with you, but what if you’d read him wrong? What if, when he invaded your space, asked you prying questions, apparently interested in you — he was simply interested in finding out what made you tick? Using ploys to try and figure you out before he made you a manager?
If that’s true, then he’s using very unorthodox methods.
You picture his reaction to your fingers tracing along his scars. The panic in his eyes, his tight grip on your wrist.
“That’s quite enough.”
You bury your face in your hands and repress a groan.
That had definitely crossed a line, somewhere.
But he'd invited it!
Hadn’t you told yourself a few days ago, in the shop, that it was stupid to fall for your boss?
Why didn’t you listen?
You’ve known him for a sum total of 5 days. Though you might not wear your heart on your sleeve like your sister or Jinx, it’s probably obvious to a man like Silco that you’re falling for him. After all, every interaction you’ve had with him so far has ended with you flirting and blushing and stammering like an idiot.
Come on, you’re smarter than this!
At least you have one thing in your favor.
He can’t possibly know you well enough to realize just how hard you’ve fallen.
“Yo, where’s my beer?” Sevika hollars.
“We’re going to start the show without you if you don’t hurry up!” Jinx shouts immediately after.
You suck in a shaky breath and rub at the strange hollow that’s settled in your chest.
One more hour. That’s how much longer you have to suffer through being in the same room with him, then you can go to your car and consider whether or not you want to succumb to an existential crisis on the way home. For now, it’s time to be an adult and suck it up for the sake of your new friend.
There are worse ways to bury your sorrows than in the synth pop beats of Stranger Things.
You paste on a smile and head to the living room.
Like a bad habit, your eyes flicker towards Silco as soon as you step across the carpet. He’s sitting in the second of two armchairs which directly faces the TV. He has one leg crossed over the other, his deeply lined face reflecting the glow of his phone screen as he scrolls through who knows what - probably work emails or reports.
He looks more at ease than you’ve ever seen him.
Or maybe he's just bored.
Sevika’s kicking back in the red recliner next to him, a half empty pizza box on her lap and a half eaten slice in her hand.
“What the hell took you so long?”
“Sorry, I was just talking to Tommy.”
“Well it must have been a pretty damn interesting conversation.”
“It was definitely an enlightening one.”
You don’t think you’re imagining the way Silco’s eyes narrow as they rise from his phone, and watch you hand Sevika her beer. You can also feel them track your progress to the sofa. You drop down next to Jinx, who’s just about coming unglued in her seat, and tuck your legs up against your chest.
“Go ahead and press play. I’m ready.”
She lunges over the arm of the sofa to flick off the lights while you settle more comfortably against the cushions and drape a blanket over your lap. Moments later she leans back and makes herself at home against your legs, stuffing her face with candy from one of the many bowls gracing the coffee table.
Only further proving Tommy’s point.
Maybe you are good for this family.
Well, you’re good for Jinx, anyway. And Sevika seems pretty comfortable with you now. But as for Silco…
It isn’t until the room comes alive with chirping crickets and the eerie sounds of nature that you sense his eyes shift towards the television and remain there.
You try to focus on the white words filling the screen, but even without him staring at you, Silco’s presence dominates your fractured attention. You wish you understood how to quantify your relationship with him. It seemed more than casual, but it was a far cry from professional, too, which begged the question:
What am I to you?
You peek over your shoulder at the armchairs. In the glow of the tv it’s clear that Silco is only half invested in what’s happening on the screen, his long fingers still poised over his phone to scroll at a moment's notice.
Only a few hours ago he'd gazed at your lips with such an expression that you could have sworn he wanted to kiss you.
You sigh, and suddenly he's looking at you. Pretending that you weren’t staring at him is impossible, so you offer him a fleeting smile before turning your head to look back at the screen.
Of course, that almost kiss could have been nothing more than your imagination.
But it didn’t feel like a game to me.
You bite the inside of your cheek as strobing lights fill the room. Jinx hardly even reacts to the jump scare as a man in a lab coat bursts through the door to a blaring alarm.
Sevika, on the other hand, swears loudly.
Your time in the Piltover corporate world taught you many things, but none of your epiphanies were greater than the realization that you needed to learn how to hold personal boundaries.
Jeremiah, your manager at the firm, swims into your mind with unwelcome clarity. He was like Silco: older, mysterious, and though he was much less brooding, he'd held a sway over you that didn’t make any logical sense. Your time as his assistant had been absolute hell, and most of it had been your own fault. It’s true that the first time he’d taken credit for your work, it was shame on him. But the second, third, fourth, fifth…?
You’d kind of known that he was a dirtbag from the beginning, but you’d still allowed him to take advantage of you because of your stupid, stupid crush.
This situation with Silco is different, of course. For one, he hasn’t tried to take advantage of your time or talents, and two, he’s clearly not a dirtbag. But this unspoken thing between you, this teetering on the edge of not knowing whether that spark you feel is just in your imagination...
Well, it’s not really working for you.
You figure it might be time to rip off the bandaid and learn the truth so you can either move on, or move forward. But the only way to do that is to be honest, and to ask him for honesty in return.
If only the idea of broaching the subject with him face to face wasn’t so utterly terrifying.
“Omg that was so much better than I could have imagined!”
Jinx dances around her studio as you slowly repack your bag, and despite your exhaustion, you can’t help smiling at her unbridled enthusiasm.
You’d managed to suffer through the first half of the episode before realizing that you wouldn’t be able to watch another, and as soon as the credits rolled you’d made your apologies and excused yourself to gather your things.
“You have to come back this week so we can finish watching it!”
“I’d love to.”
“What are you doing tomorrow?”
You’re not exactly sure when Silco’s leaving, so you decide to play it safe.
“I have training to do tomorrow. How's Wednesday sound?”
“Well…”
The idea of waiting is clearly killing her. In fact, you’re almost sure that the moment you leave, she’ll want to binge the entire first season.
“Tell you what, why don’t you watch it if you have the time, and I’ll just pick up wherever you leave off?”
She grins. “Deal!”
As she starts making more unintelligible exclamations over the show, you heft your bag and begin your slog down the stairs. You’re halfway down when you notice an unnatural shape attached to the end of your car. After a moment you recognize that it’s Silco leaning against your trunk, apparently smoking.
And waiting for you.
You should have known he wouldn’t let you leave without getting in the last word. This had been quite the strange day for both of you.
Dread follows you the rest of the way across the courtyard. Jinx is switching between whistling and humming the theme for the opening credits as you round the side of the car to face him.
“Wasn’t that amazing dad?”
“It certainly has potential. But I wish to reserve my judgment for the time being.”
She gasps. “So you’re going to finish watching it?”
“Perhaps.”
She pumps her fist in the air and does a strange dance as she chants. “Yes yes yes!”
You forget yourself for a moment, and grin at Silco. He’s smiling faintly at his daughter, but when his eyes meet yours it fades. As he takes a slow drag on his cigar and lets out a thick stream of smoke, you’re struck by the weight of his stare.
It's that unspoken thing.
Your eyes slide away to watch Jinx as she paces and continues to ramble, heedless of whether or not anyone is paying attention.
“... This is probably going to change the trajectory of my art forever. There are like, so many new ideas flowing into my brain and if I don't go write them down right now I think I'm going to explode! Sorry dad, but it looks like you're going to have to get a goodnight kiss from someone else tonight."
She dashes towards the stairs and starts taking them two at a time as she calls over her shoulder. "Night toots!"
As the door slams behind her you hear Silco heave a heavy sigh.
“My daughter means well."
"I know."
"Subtlety has never been one her strengths.”
You fold your arms across your chest, more for the illusion of protection than warmth.
"Yeah. But I understand that her feelings don’t reflect yours.”
“Hm."
You hear him take another drag on his cigar, but you still can't bring yourself to look at him. You focus instead on the lights in Jinx's studio, and the faint strains of music that definitely sound like something out of the 80's.
"You will be taking training courses this week, I understand.“
You nod. “In Sevika’s office. I think she said something about floppy discs.”
“I’m afraid the information on those discs will be rather outdated. I’d prefer it if you took an online course. All you’ll need is a security key to log in to the training program. I’ll email it to you before I leave tomorrow morning. However, I’ll expect you to have the entire course finished, and the test taken before I return on Friday. I’ll pay you for the hours you spend training, but I will only reimburse you for the price of the test if you pass on the first attempt.”
“That won’t be a problem. I’m good at taking tests.”
“I’m sure you are. You clearly have an excellent memory."
It’s the amusement in his voice that finally draws your attention back.
His chin is tilted upward as he blows smoke rings straight up into the air.
He really has a beautiful profile.
Your eyes can’t help tracing the sharp lines of his forehead down to the tip of his nose, then to the base of his neck. In the security floodlights he appears like a half finished work of art, his head chiseled from marble by a skilled artist with very impatient hands.
For the first time in years, you find your hand itching for a pencil and paper.
You wonder if he’s ever posed for one of Jinx’s pictures, or if she’s only ever included his eye.
“May I ask what you’re thinking of, when you look at me so intently?”
You start, then stumble over your own words. “Nothing! Or I mean nothing important. Just art, I guess. I was wondering if Jinx has ever asked you to pose for a painting or if she leaves you out of it…”
The corner of his mouth tilts upward. His red eye glows like a furnace, tendrils of smoke spilling out of the corner of his mouth in a way that reminds you of a wily, ancient dragon.
“Never. Though this morning she did try to convince me that I would make an excellent Cheshire cat.”
Maybe it’s because you’re so tired, but you can’t repress a laugh at the thought of a frowning Silco dressed in a purple and pink striped onesie with a tail. Once the mental image takes hold there’s nothing you can do to stop the snort, and suddenly you’re hardly able to stand up straight for laughing.
“I’m sorry,” You manage to gasp between giggles. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me…”
Tears are leaking from the corners of your eyes. You’re desperately in need of a tissue, and stumble towards the car. You might actually have slammed into the door if Silco’s hand hadn’t appeared at your elbow, steadying you.
“Th-thanks.”
“Anytime darling.”
Your eyes widen as you gape up at him. You can tell he realizes his little slip of the tongue seconds later, when his focus sharpens, and his hand momentarily tightens on your arm.
There’s no mistaking the tension building in the air now.
If ever there was a perfect opportunity to ask him how he feels about you, it’s now.
Your heart is pounding so loudly in your ears you’re sure he can hear it too. Instead of laughter, you find yourself fighting to swallow back a sudden swell of nausea.
You can do this!
“Silco?” You whisper.
“Yes?”
“What are we — ”
You choke back your words as Sevika bursts out of the house.
"What is it?" Silco snaps.
“I just got a call from Singed, and we got a code red.”
His jaw clenches, and he drops his hold on your elbow to reach into his coat pocket for his phone. He stares at the screen for a moment before nodding curtly.
“Tell him we’ll be there within the hour.”
Sevika turns on her heel and disappears back into the house.
The interruption and its conclusion were so sudden that your head’s still spinning, but those few words had diffused the mood. Now you’re fighting off embarrassment as you back towards the car door, wiping the now crystallized tears from your hot face.
“I’m afraid there’s a situation that requires my immediate attention," Silco says, after an awkward pause.
“Yeah, no, of course. No problem. I hope nothing too serious is happening.”
“It’s nothing Sevika and I can’t handle.”
“Good. Then I’ll just uh… be on my way then,” You send him a fleeting smile as you open the door. “Have a good trip, Silco. Be safe and I’ll see you… whenever, I guess.”
You duck behind the wheel before he has the chance to answer, and he only steps out of the way when you start the engine. You make a slow u-turn around the courtyard and your headlights swamp him with light, illuminating his ever inscrutable features. As you pull to a stop at the gate at the end of the drive, you can’t help taking one last look in the rearview mirror.
Silco’s standing almost perfectly framed between the archway, a lonely silhouette in the darkness, smoke curling from his cigar in lazy spirals towards the sky.