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Darkness. Akali frantically surveyed her surroundings but there was nothing but the bluish-purple smokiness of the void surrounding her and, well- the glass-like black and white checkered floor beneath her. If she weren't so bemused, she might've even marveled at the ground beneath her. Commenting on the beautiful texture with genuine interest. But here she was, surrounded by the void in nothing but her gray pentakill T-shirt and her red Christmas pajama pants with green Christmas ornaments and red and white candy canes. Although the time of year wasn't anywhere close to the holiday, she loved how comfortable they were, so she wore them often regardless.
After gathering the courage to proceed, she saw a strange reflection behind her on the glass floor beneath her. Feeling scared, she quickly turned around.
“What the-” She shrieked, staring at the tall and lanky figure before her. It was her best friend, Kai’sa. But something was wrong. Kai’sa was dressed as a star guardian but her outfit looked different. Her gloves were torn and dirty, her pink outfit dull and tattered, but the most important change of all was Kai’sa’s face. Her eyes leaked black, liquid-like smoke and the left side of her face slightly looked distorted. She smiled eerily, tilting her head in a broken motion before speaking.
“Hey, Akali.” Kai’sa’s tone was bitter and harsh but also controlled and robotic sounding. To say that Akali was scared shitless was an understatement.
“Kai’sa?...” She carefully called out with her brows slightly furrowed. Taking a step back, she felt her heart pounding in her chest. This wasn't like anything she’s ever seen, ever. She swallowed thickly before continuing.
“What…happened to you?” her tone of voice slightly raised as she spoke. She felt her hands shaking slightly out of fear. Just what the hell was going on??
Kai’sa’s already creepy smile widened even more, revealing sharp teeth. The black smoke leaking from her eyes was now blood red. Before a loud shrieking wail ripped through her. Effectively hurting Akali’s ears.
“You killed me!” Kai’sa wailed. Before repeating it over and over like a mantra. Akali’s eyes widened, taking hold of Kai’sa’s shoulders she shook her desperately.
“What?! No- what are you talking about?! I didn't kill anyone! Kaisa!!” She called out, but her cries fell on deaf ears and Kai’sa just repeated the same three words like a broken record.
“You killed me- you killed me!” The blood-red smoke turned into blood-red tendrils, leaking out of Akali’s eyes and wrapping around her arms, slowly crawling up them. Akali shrieked and tried to remove her hands from Kai’sa’s shoulders but she couldn't, her hands felt as if they were super glued there.
“Kai-”
Before Akali could even speak, the uncomfortableness of the void turned into soft, patchy grass on the ground with soft dirt beneath her, and the beautiful pink and orange hues of the afternoon sunset behind her. Suddenly, Akali was on her knees holding a dying Kai’sa in her arms. Kai’sa had a bloodied hand over her stomach and a peaceful look on her face. No longer was she the scary-looking figure she was earlier, while tattered and beaten up, she was herself again. She was her Kai’sa that she always loved. She was also bleeding out. Akali began to panic as she felt the warm liquid rapidly spill out onto her hands and clothes. Kai’sa looked as if she were about to fall asleep as she spoke, sounding drowsy and tired.
“Kai’sa!” She cried, pulling her closer and holding on to her tighter as she lightly tapped Kai’sa’s face. Her eyes were half-lidded and they were inching closer and closer to being closed fully.
“Stay awake! Don’t fall asleep! Please- damnit wake up!” she frantically pleaded
“It’s not your fault Akali,” Kaisa repeated. Akali felt the tears begin to form as she stared into Kai’sa’s eyes with a softness that was almost unreal for someone like Akali, she was never this vulnerable; at least not to people outside of Kai’sa and her uncle Shen.
“Stop saying that! Stop talking like you’re gonna die!” Her plea fell on deaf ears as Kai’sa continued.
“Don’t blame yourself for this. Nobody could've seen this coming. Not even Ekko nor myself.” Kai’sa’s voice had grown so soft now like it was going to fade away at any moment.
“KAI’SA!” She cried out, hugged her tightly, and buried her face in the crook of her leader’s neck. She was shaking, so terribly now as the tears fell freely down her face.
Kai’sa brought her frail hand to the back of Akali’s head, gently rubbing it with a soft and endearing expression on her face.
“It’s going to be ok.” Kai’sa’s voice was barely a whisper now. Akali wore a forlorn expression as she held Kai’sa tighter. She began crying uncontrollably; closing her eyes and shouting as the tears rolled down her face as if she were caught in heavy rain.
“No, it won't! Stop acting like this isn't my fault! Nothing is ok! I can't do this on my own- I need you, I need help! I- i'm not good enough im- Kai’sa?” She moved back slightly as soon as she felt Kai’sa’s hand on the back of her head drop like a dead weight sure enough, she was pale. Her soft and gentle purple eyes were now dull and lifeless, not a single movement could be felt from Kai’sa anymore.
“KAI’SA!!” Akali shouted, waking up in a cold sweat. Her breathing was frantic and her tears never ending. Her blue hair stuck to her face from all the sweat. She looked around frantically surveying the silent darkness of her room before she looked down and was met with the solemn expression on Kai’sa’s face as she slept next to her. Kai’sa wore a slight frown on her face as she slowly opened her eyes.
“Kali- Wha?” She sleepily mumbled, rubbing one of her eyes and propping herself up on one arm, and almost instantly she let out a yelp as she was tackled right back down to the bed, flat on her back by a trembling Akali, hugging her tightly as she murmured.
“You’re alive, you’re here” she sniffled, still crying uncontrollably.
“Woah, woah hey…” Kai’sa started, her voice soft and stern as she felt the remnants of sleep leave her. She instinctively wrapped her arms around Akali’s smaller form and rubbed her back in slow circles.
“I'm just as alive as you,” she continued, letting out a light chuckle and giving her a light pat. She leaned forward slightly, kissing Akali’s forehead before speaking again.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Akali looked up at her with those sad eyes and Kai’sa’s heart almost melted entirely, it pained her to see her best friend so shaken and afraid. That nightmare must’ve been a really bad one for Akali to be so shaken like this.
“You promise?” Akali’s voice wavered heavily, as she sniffled and wiped her tears.
“Yeah, I promise. If I left our team would never do any practice drills with only you in charge.” she joked.
Akali perked up at this and with a slight giggle she replied “Well, that part doesn't sound so bad…”
Kai’sa dramatically scoffed at this, playing along.
“And here I thought you’d miss me more…” she said, with a bad fake pout on her face, this made Akali laugh even more.
“You’re still a shitty actor Kai”
“What? I thought I did well that time!” Soon Kai’sa was laughing just as hard as Akali.
“It was so bad- like- awful!” Akali chuckled.
“You are so lucky I love you or I would've been so mad right now! I am not a bad actor!” Kai’sa defensively grumbled and Immediately her face lit up like a torch in a cave. Making Akali tilt her head in confusion.
“platonic- i ment platonically! yknow, like a platonic love! yeah!” She sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than Akali as she stammered and stumbled over her words.
oh. Akali looked away, refusing to make eye contact with Kai’sa but it was obvious how flustered she was due to the redness of her ears.
“yeah! yeah! of course it was platonic, why would it be anything else?” Akali laughed nervously, following up on Kai’sa’s comment a little too quickly.
After what felt like way too long of a silence to be considered normal for Kai’sa, Akali forced herself to meet Kai’sa’s gaze once more only to find her looking defeated slightly.
“yeah, besties..” She said with a little less enthusiasm.
Akali didn’t know what it was that came over her but seeing that crestfallen look on Kai’sa’s face made her heart ache in a way that made her wanna scream.
“What's wrong?” She asked carefully. When it came to getting Kai’sa to open up, it felt equivalent to pulling teeth. But tonight, luckily, wasn't one of those nights. Kai’sa nervously eyed Akali. She could feel the quick pace of Kai’sa’s heartbeat beneath her.
“woah, kai- Your heart’s beatin’ real fast..” Akali grew increasingly concerned at this before Kai’sa slammed her eyes shut and sucked in a huge breath and then exhaled. She opened her eyes to match the concerned purple orbs yet again before nervously speaking.
“I know.” She shakily replied, she slightly shifted beneath Akali before continuing.
“It's because…. I like you.” She felt her heart pounding in her chest as she finally said it. She was nervous and scared and she felt like butterflies were in her stomach but she finally said it and it felt like a weight had lifted off her sturdy and slightly burly shoulders.
Akali’s face flushed and she froze for a second, she could hear her own heart racing in her ears. she laughed nervously.
“I like you too! We’re besties, dummy! duh!” Even Kai’sa, who was notorious for her obliviousness when it came to social queues, sarcasm, and her inability to read people, could tell that Akali knew what she had ment. So why wasn’t she getting a proper response?
“Akali.. You know that's not what I mean..” She said, feeling a little hurt by Akali’s response. Her brows slightly furrowed as she continued.
“I.. like, like you..”
Akali let out a soft sight before hiding away in Kai’sa’s chest. She released a loud groan of annoyance and slightly banged on kaisa’s chest, not enough to cause any pain though. Her actions confusing the poor girl beneath her.
“It’s not fair!” Her voice was muffled but the clear annoyance in her voice only further confused poor Kai’sa who didn’t know how to react to this.
“What’s not fair?” Kai’sa’s brows scrunched further, slightly tilting her head as she tried to understand why Akali was acting like this.
“You! You’re not fair!” She shouted, no longer hiding her face in Kai’sa’s chest. Her face was incredibly red as she glared at Kai’sa and scrunching up her nose.
“im.. sorry??” Kai’sa hesitantly replied.
“You can’t just say that with a face like- that!” Akali whined.
“…..huh?” Came the only response from Kai’sa with a dumbfounded look on her face.
Akali sighed in annoyance as she shook Kai’sa.
“Do I have to spell it out for you?! I like, like you too- you dork!” She quickly shouted with her face practically lighting up like a beacon from how flustered she was.
“….oh,” was all Kai’sa could respond as she stared flabbergasted at Akali.
“ ‘oh?’ That's all I get? I’m pourin’ my heart here Kai!” Akali said nervously, Kai’sa knew she wasn’t saying it to be rude, it was probably her nerves getting the better of her. Kai’sa had to admit though, it was kinda cute seeing Akali this flustered. She never thought she’d see the day. She cleared her throat before responding.
“Right- um. Sorry..” She stuttered slightly, before continuing.
“I was just confused. Why the sudden change?”
Akali sheepishly placed a hand behind her neck, scratching nervously.
“I was.. scared, Actually. I knew what you said but I over-thought it and tried to play it off the best I could because- what if I was wrong and made things awkward between us? I don’t wanna lose you, I value our friendship just as much as I value you.” She sighed before speaking again.
“And then there’s my mom but then you said it again and.. That time I couldn’t deny it. I saw how determined you looked, even though you were afraid, and I thought to myself, that maybe I could try too.. but it was so difficult and scary to say, and you said it twice. You’re freakin’ insane.” Akali shuffled nervously.
“yeah, probably.” Kai’sa lightly chuckled. She nervously looked away before she spoke again.
“so, uh.. do you um.. yknow..” Kai’sa clumsily stammered.
Akali rolled her eyes. “For the love of- yes! Yeah, I wanna be your girlfriend! Who cares what anyone else thinks! Especially my mom! Or anyone for that matter! Fuck her! and fuck them!”
Kai’sa bursted into laughter at the unexpected outburst. which caused Akali to laugh as well after she cooled down.
“cool.” Kai’sa replied awkwardly.
“..cool.” she said once more.
“You really are a dork.” Akali snickered, before turning her head to the side and resting it on Akali’s chest.
“A dork that you adore.” Kai’sa replied with a smug grin.
“got me there, kai.” was Akali’s only response before she slowly drifted off to sleep.
The horrific nightmare was forgotten and no longer took a huge toll on Akali, and eventually Kai’sa drifted off aswell. They both slept peacefully, but this time in the safety of each other's arms underneath the warmth of the sheets they shared, with a new chapter of their lives starting together, all thanks to a nightmare of a fallen star.