Work Text:
Lanterns floated like stars above the palace gardens, but all Lux wanted was a night of peace.
Inside the ballroom, nothing was peaceful.
Powdered wigs, painted smiles, and laughter that clinked like glass. Silk swept across marble floors in delicate spirals, and musicians played as if the fate of Demacia depended on every perfect note.
Lux stood at the edge of it all—watched, admired, assessed. Her gown shimmered in shades of moonlight and pearl, the embroidery a masterwork of someone else's idea of beauty. She looked spoiled, behaved, she smiled when expected, nodded at names she only half-heard, and danced like a marionette on invisible strings.
On the other hand, the plan for tonight’s show was to escape.
It didn’t, necessarily, have to be something scandalous- she just wanted to go outside and let the moon hit her skin- anything that can make an excuse for her to prevent her from having to attend her princess duties.
Her eyes searched the room for his brother, because be might be a problem if she wanted to sneak out, and simply giggled when she saw him leaning on a wall with a letter on his hand, blushing. He’s not going to be a problem after all… she thought.
She walked away, smoothly leaning into the dessert table filled with cake, and then she saw him. He was staring back at her with a cup of wine on his hand, her eyebrow raised.
He was definitely not introduced nor escorted. And to make things funnier he wasn't dressed like anyone should be dressing, at least not by a (good) seamstress. A little too tousled, a little too smug. His entire presence clashed terribly with the curated palette of the evening, and he didn’t seem to care in the slightest.
He stood near the edge of the dance floor, if he was trying to pretend to be one of them he was surely failing miserably. Lux tried really hard not to make a mental list of all the small little details of why he wasn't part of the noblesse; like the way he was standing, or the way he simply ate from every single plate that the waiters had in their hands when they crossed his path.
But as she was mentally judging and considering to call the guards their eyes met—just for a second, and for some reason, Lux looked away.
It doesn't matter, I won't even be here for much longer.
She turned deliberately, offered her hand to a waiting nobleman, stepped into the next dance and she did not think about the stranger again.
Or at least she tried, because the way she kept catching him staring at her every two dances was something. Or near the table of sugared fruits and chilled wine, or when she finally slipped away from the crowd to breathe beneath a columned archway—and found him already there.
Lux paused in the archway, one hand resting lightly on the stone, cool air touching her skin. Behind her, the ballroom thrummed with motion, music, and meaning. Out here, the world was silent.
And — him?
The boy in blue. The one who didn’t belong. He leaned against a marble column casually, arms crossed, gaze tilted toward the stars as if they were something really interesting.
He didn’t look at her then. She huffed.
But this was her perfect chance to leave, to disappear into the maze of gardens or sneak into some place silent. So when she was about to start walking away he spoke.
“ Lovely - lovely night,” he said suddenly, without turning.
If we ignore the way his voice cracked as if he was a teenager, he sounded light. Lux stared and quickly got into a defensive posture “You’re not supposed to be here.”
“Neither are you.”
That made her raise an eyebrow. “I am supposed to be anywhere I want.”
“Sure you are, Princess,” he said, teasing. Lux's eyes squinted a bit, mentally asking herself if she should call the guards on him right now. She ended up sighing, adopting the same pose he was in, leaning against a marble column.
“Have we met?” she only asked because he kept staring, but she knew the answer.
“No.” he said. “But I’ve heard of you.”
He said it with a kind of reverence that wasn’t rehearsed. Like a legend he’d once read about and hadn’t expected to see with his own eyes.
Lux glanced away. “Big news.” she said with sarcasm, sighing “Are you even from Demacia?”
“Piltover” he corrected. “But right now, I’m exactly where I want to be.”
Cocky . Lux scoffed. The lanterns swayed gently above them, casting halos of light and shadow. Music still spilled from the ballroom, but it felt miles away now that she was kind of entertained .
“I shouldn’t be talking to you.” it was more a note to herself.
The blonde guy stepped forward—not too close, just enough. His voice dropped a little, softer now, without the bravado. “And? I shouldn't even be here”
The moment stretched—soft and quiet and impossibly fragile then, footsteps. Quick. Harsh.
“Your Highness?” a voice called out, too loud for the night.
Lux’s eyes widened and she looked panicked, if she were to be found at this exact moment there wouldn’t be any other moment for her to sneak out. He looked at her, confused and alert now, sharp beneath the charm.
“Guards,” she said . “I don’t want to-”
He was quicker. “Come with me.”
She hesitated for half a heartbeat, didn't really have enough time to say anything when he simply grab her by her wrist and pulled her away from the archway.
They slipped behind a tapestry-draped colonnade, then ducked into a narrow corridor between walls where no courtiers ever wandered. The air smelled faintly of old stone and roses. Lux pressed her back to the cool surface, breath quick and quiet, listening.
Bootsteps passed just feet away.
“Where is Princess Luxanna?” one of the guards mentioned. “The king is looking for her.”
He leaned in beside her, his voice barely audible.
“And who would have thought that our dearest Princess Luxanna was this rebellious”
She gave him a look. “Don’t call me that.”
“That’s your name?”
“Lux.” He raised an eyebrow.
Another voice called her name, closer now. Her pulse picked up.
The blonde guy moved, just slightly—closer. His shoulder brushed hers. She tried to still her breathing. “God forbids a girl wants some peace!” she groaned, her hands on her face as she sighed in defeat. “This is ridiculous. I should just go back.”
“You could ,” he said suddenly. “Or you could stay here for a little longer and have fun.”
The way he said it made something spark inside her. She was suddenly, acutely aware of the warmth of him beside her.
“There's no fun in being next to someone who sneaks into a ballroom uninvited.” she said then.
“I beg to differ.”
Outside, the guards moved on, their voices fading.
He turned to her, grinning. “I’m good at hiding, by the way”
Lux rolled her eyes, but her smile finally slipped through. She was actually thinking about sneaking out with a complete stranger, what were the possibilities? She looked at the sky, what he was a traitor who wanted to kidnap her? Was he even from Piltover as he just said? What could reassure her that this was not a terrible idea that could put the kingdom in chaos? Her eyebrows frowned in thought, bitter at her own mind, yet she seemed interrupted by the way he innocently smiled at her, he suddenly looked nervous. And maybe it was the brush of his coat against her arm, or the way her hand shifted, fingers accidentally grazing his. But all of the sudden they were both still, frozen in that delicate space between intention and mistake. Actually, the reason for her internal questionnaire to stop was something much more embarrassing she didn't want to admit: his hand had brushed hers.
Lux looked up—too close now, far too close—and found his eyes on hers.
For a moment, the world narrowed. No music. No guards. Just that impossible shade of ocean in his gaze, and the pounding of her own heart. Am I really trusting this stranger now?
She exhaled, the smallest sigh just as he stepped back, enough to break the spell (she wasn't aware that there was any to begin with).
“Typically princess story,” he said suddenly, voice quieter than before. “You’re going to make me believe in fairy tales.”
Lux blinked, caught off guard. A question mark on her face as she just stared at him “You—”
“But,” he interrupted, slipping his hands into his pockets with maddening ease, “ since your royal entourage is out for blood, maybe it’s time for a change of scenery.”
My royal entourage- yeah, okay, not someone i should worry about . She sighed (again) in defeat “Where?”
His grin returned—lazy, lopsided, and definetely trustworthy. “I know a place. High up. Good view.”
“That sounds like a terrible idea.”
“Exactly.”
She considered her options, her internal questionnaire back on because she should have demanded he to tell her who he was for now, or already had asked why he’d even been at the palace in the first place. She should have walked away.
But she didn’t. She said she was going to escape and he seemed stupid enough to not gather bad intentions- she wasn't being naive… was she?
Lux followed as he led her deeper into the shadows of the palace gardens, toward the hidden stairwell only someone who wasn’t supposed to be there would know about.
Behind them, the lanterns swayed, casting pale gold over the empty colonnade. The path twisted behind fountains and hedges, down worn servant trails and ivy-wrapped corridors long forgotten by nobles. This was a part not even she knew about.
Lux stayed just a step behind him, her slippers nearly silent on the stone. The air shifted the farther they went—cooler, less perfumed. Nicer .
Moonlight spilled through cracked arches overhead, and vines tangled around marble like time itself had grown bored of royalty.
They reached a narrow staircase tucked behind a half-broken statue of a lion. He pulled aside a length of trailing wisteria and motioned her through with a courtly bow that was pure mockery.
She rolled her eyes but a smile sneaked out too.
The stairs creaked with age, winding tightly upward through stone, dust and memory. Neither of them spoke. She didn’t ask how he’d found this place, part of her didn’t want to know.
At the top, he pushed open a small door. It groaned against the frame, and cold air swept through.
She stepped into silence.
The tower overlooked the entire city. Spires glittered like glass teeth below them, and the river cut through Demacia like silver ribbon. Above, the stars looked close enough to touch.
Lux moved to the edge, her hands gripping the low wall. Her breath caught—just a little.
“It’s not the palace,” He said behind her. “But it’s ours. For tonight, at least.”
She didn’t turn, but she could feel him watching her.
“I’m not even gonna ask how did you find this place” she side eyed him just in time to see him nervously laughing. “I used to climb up to rooftops when I was little,” she said softly, changing the topic and closing her eyes momentarily. “No one could find me, and it felt like the only place that belonged to me and no one else.”
He came to stand beside her.
“You feel that way now?” he asked.
“Like what?”
“Like the place belongs to you.”
She shook her head, a smile on her face as she stared far away into the night.
The wind tugged gently at her hair, and when he reached up to brush a strand from her face, his fingers paused for half a breath too long.
She didn’t pull away but he didn’t linger, either.
Instead, he leaned back against the wall, hands behind him, face tilted to the stars. “You know, this whole night was a mistake.”
Lux looked over, caught off guard. “What?”
“I wasn’t supposed to be here. Palace security’s a nightmare, by the way.”
“Why did you snuck in then?”
He grinned. “Curiosity is a big weapon”
“So you got past security guards just because you were curious about the palace?”
“No, no” he corrected, a small smile in his lips as he glanced at the distance “About you.”
Something stilled between them. The wind, the stars, the way her eyes widened just a pinch. The silence seemed to lean forward like it might fall into something irreversible.
He coughed. “Anyway. I’ll probably disappear before sunrise. No trace. Just a very charming rumor.” he winked.
Lux laughed then, light. She was being such a fool now, she didn’t know him. At ll. But somehow, she already knew she’d remember this night in a way she wasn’t supposed to.
“You’re gonna miss me?” he asked as if he was reading her mind.
“The guy that I don't know?” she laughed “Be grateful I haven't called the guards.”
He pressed his hand on his chest, acting dramatic. “Betrayal!”
Lux laughed again while she leaned her elbows on the stone ledge, her gaze drifting over rooftops, towers, and the quiet glow of the lanterns below. It was funny that this was the first time in a very long time that she didn’t feel watched. Or judged. Just there .
“What do you think about me?” she asked.
The blonde guy seemed surprised, he raised an eyebrow. “Huh?”
“No lies.”
He was quiet for a moment. Thoughtful. “I never expected you to be… like this.”
She looked amused. “Like what?”
He didn’t answer right away. “I thought you’d be another spoiled rich girl. Fake smiles. But you’re—” He cut himself off. Looked down at his hands. “You’re nice. And that’s rare.”
“You’re not used to nice people…?”
“Only fake nice people.”
She scoffed.
“And you?” she asked, after a moment. “Are you nice?”
He smiled crookedly. “That’s the trick, isn’t it?”
The words for some reason struck deeper than they had any right to. Lux turned away before he could see what they did to her. She didn’t know why it mattered. Or why the ache in her chest felt like longing for something she hadn’t even let herself want.
She reached up then—just lightly—and brushed a windblown lock of hair from his forehead. It was a small gesture. Almost nothing. But he stilled completely under her touch, it burned.
“I think you’re nice, too.”
Their eyes locked.
But just as it always happens, the spell broke with the sharp, annoying sound of the castle’s bell cutting through the air. Distant, but unmistakable.
Is probably midnight by now.
“They know,” she breathed. “Probably, that i’m gone now.”
The blonde guy stepped away, looking for another exit. “That’s our cue then.”
“Our cue?”
He shot her a wink. “What, you think I’m letting you get caught now ?”
She laughed—startled and breathless—and followed him into the dark.
The alarm bell rang again, louder in her head.
He was already halfway down the first set of stairs, turning back just enough to catch Lux’s eye. “You coming, Princess?”
Lux gathered her dress and followed, muttering, “This is absurd,” under her breath. But her heart was racing, and not definitely not from fear.
They flew down the tower steps, her slippers barely making contact with the stone. Somewhere below, voices shouted. The guards were organizing. And here she was, running like some common fugitive—with a boy who smirked like he lived for this kind of trouble.
At the base of the stairs, he paused to push open a narrow servant door. He peeked through, then waved her on. “Coast is clear. Well. Sort of.”
“Sort of?”
“Define dangerous, ” he said half laughing, already moving.
They darted through a moonlit corridor, down another flight of stairs, and into the side gardens—less polished than the main ones, overgrown and wild. Lux nearly tripped over a root, catching herself just in time.
He looked back, grinning. “Need a hand?”
“I’m fine,” she snapped, breathless, trying to maintain a shred of dignity while yanking her silk skirt out of a hedge. “This dress was designed for standing. Not —” she ducked as a branch whipped past her face “—for off-the-record athleticism!”
“You’re doing great,” he said, entirely too cheerfully, vaulting over a low wall like he’d done it a hundred times.
Lux stared at the wall. Then at her gown. Then at him. “Oh, no.”
He offered a hand. “C’mon now, or is Princess Lux all talk no action?”
She groaned—but took it.
His fingers were warm and sure, he climbed first, helping her out in every step before they finally reached a solid ground. She landed in a heap, skirts tangled, hair escaping its pins.
“Well,” she muttered, dusting herself off. “That was very graceful.”
He gave her a dramatic bow. “You’re welcome.” Some guards could be heard from where they were.
“This way,” he said, grabbing her hand again.
They ran through shadows, between hedges and columns, past rows of sleeping rose bushes. Laughter bubbled up in her throat, ridiculous and breathless, and she didn’t even try to stop it.
Finally, he slowed near a tall lattice wall creeping up the side of a familiar marble tower—her wing.
“This is where I leave you,” he said, looking up.
Lux blinked. “Wait. This is—my room?”
“Unless you’ve got another giant balcony with a view of the courtyard.”
She looked up at the vines. Then down at her shoes.
“You cannot be serious.”
He only grinned. “Princess. After everything? This should be the easy part.”
With a reluctant sigh—and a wild, breathless grin she couldn’t hide anymore—Lux climbed. Her limbs ached, and the vines scratched her arms, but he was right: it was the easy part. She can’t get attached to someone in just a few hours… Can she?
When they reached the top, she pulled herself onto the balcony, collapsing in an unceremonious heap against the floor. He laughed, both of them gasping for air as she held herself on the balcony.
He landed beside her a moment later, light as a cat.
They looked at each other then—really looked. Wind in their hair, leaves in her curls, cheeks flushed from running and laughing.
“Now that ,” he said, brushing a twig from her shoulder, “is what i call having fun”
They sat in the quiet, catching their breath, the distant sounds of the palace now muffled by the height and the wind. Lux ran her fingers through her hair, pushing stray curls behind her ear, but she couldn’t hide the smile creeping onto her face.
She glanced at him—, still with that effortless grin— She had never been so alive.
"You know," she said, still laughing softly, "I think I’ve lost a little bit of dignity tonight."
He turned to face her, his eyes warm in the dim light. "You’re still the most graceful person in the room."
Her laugh was quieter this time. She met his gaze, noticing the way the moonlight touched the planes of his face, the way the wind ruffled his hair—how he looked like he belonged up here, like the city was made for him.
Lux shifted slightly, leaning against the balcony "I can't believe I just did that," she whispered, her voice softer now. "I mean, I’ve never… never run away like that before."
He chuckled. "There’s always a first."
A comfortable silence fell over them, only the sound of the wind and distant voices below filling the space in between. Lux found herself stealing glances at him—his smile, his relaxed posture, the way his eyes never seemed to stop moving, always curious, always searching. It was… captivating.
“You never told me your name" she said, her voice quieter.
His expression softened, just slightly. "Well, you never asked"
She looked down at her hands, resting on the balcony. There was something about him—his openness, his unspoken understanding—that she could associate with freedom.
Lux turned her head back to look at him, closer now than before. The air between them felt heavier, charged with something she wasn’t sure she could name.
"Who are you?"
He met her gaze steadily, his eyes flickering with something unreadable. He leaned back against the railing, eyes still on her, his posture relaxed, but the way he looked at her now—like he was seeing something beyond—had her breath catching in her chest. There was no wall between them anymore.
“Name is Ezreal” he said.
“Ezreal…” she repeated. “Nice to meet you.” he chuckled.
She allowed herself to relax, maybe a little too much, enough to reflect about how she definitely had fun. More fun than planned. Everything about her world, her future, was decided by someone else. She had never been able to escape that until now, never had the chance to feel the thrill of running away and the anxiety of being caught.
“I don’t know if I want this night to end now,” Lux admitted, the words slipping out before she could think about them. Her voice was quieter, more vulnerable than she’d meant it to be.
He shifted closer, his presence calming in a way she hadn’t expected before. “It doesn't have to end just yet,” he said gently.
She glanced up at him, the space between them suddenly seeming so small. There was a flutter in her chest, and before she could stop herself, her gaze dropped to his lips, just for a fleeting second.
Ezreal noticed. His grin softened, and he inched closer, just enough to close the small gap between them. In the quiet of the night, with the city spread beneath them and the only light coming from the stars, it felt like the world had slowed down just for them.
Lux didn’t pull away when he reached out, his hand just barely brushing hers.
It was almost imperceptible, the way their hands seemed to naturally gravitate toward each other. But when his fingers brushed her palm, it was a spark—a sudden warmth that lit something between them.
“Ezreal-” Just as her heart seemed to swell, just as her mind was telling her to let go, to take the risk— They both heard it. The distant sound of guards, their footsteps echoing closer. The moment broke, pulling them back into the reality they’d both been trying to escape.
Ezreal straightened up, his eyes flicking back to the door. “I guess this is where we part ways.”
Lux felt a pang of regret that she couldn’t ignore. He was right. She couldn’t stay up here forever. Neither could he.
“You should go before they catch you out here.” He nodded. Lux’s heart felt heavy. There was so much more she wanted to say, but she couldn’t find the words. So, instead, she asked something she instantly regretted.
“Will I see you again?”
Ezreal smiled, stepping closer like he was before, enough so that their breaths mingled in the cool night air. “Maybe. But I can’t make promises.”
“I wouldn’t want you to,” she said, her voice just above a whisper, as she fought to hold back the emotions that threatened to spill out.
He reached out, his fingers brushing her cheek just lightly, a fleeting touch, but one that held more than words could express. His thumb traced along her skin in a way that made her heart flutter in her chest. It was warm when he finally leaned in.
His lips brushed hers first, just a small touch, before pressing firmly, their mouths moved with a bit too much passion, as if she knew him for a bit longer than just a few hours. He felt good, her skin was tickling when she felt his hand on her hip. She sighed in between kisses, not giving it a single moment to breathe. Lux’s hand shakily moved to his nape, urging him a bit closer as he pressed her back on the balcony.
When the kiss broke, she was panting, his forehead resting against hers for a moment. His hands lingered on her waist, while hers moved to hold his cheeks.
She could feel the weight of it all, of his lips, the tenderness, the goodbye, the question that neither of them had voiced out loud. He licked his lip before kissing her cheek.
Ezreal gave her one last, lingering smile, his voice soft. “Take care, Lux.”
She didn’t trust herself to speak. She only nodded, feeling a thousand things she couldn’t name.
And with that, he stepped back, his gaze lingering for just a moment before he turned toward the balcony’s edge, preparing to disappear into the night like he always did.
Lux watched him go, her chest tight. She should have said something more—she wanted to—but before she could find her words, he disappeared over the side, as effortlessly as he had arrived.
A sudden rush of sound snapped her from her thoughts. The guards had arrived.
Lux quickly darted inside, heart pounding in her chest. She rushed to her bed and flopped down, throwing the covers over her and attempting to make herself appear as though she’d been there all along.
The door opened, and two guards entered along with her lady-in-waiting.
“Your Highness?” she called out, voice quiet. “Are you well?”
Lux kept her eyes closed, doing her best to keep her breathing even, as if she were in the deepest sleep.
“I’m fine,” she murmured, playing the role of the princess who had simply grown tired. “Just tired.”
The guards exchanged a glance. “We’ve been searching for you. The ball—”
“Please,” she cut her off with a touch of feigned impatience. “I just want to rest.”
They hesitated, for a moment “Very well, Your Highness. We’ll leave you to rest.”
Lux heard them retreating, the door closing softly behind them.
And then she exhaled the breath she didn’t even realize she’d been holding. Her heart was still racing—not from them, but from the feeling that clung to her chest. She couldn’t stop the smile that crept across her face, nor could she ignore the sensation that everything had just changed. That something beautiful had just slipped through her fingers.
Maybe , she repeated to herself as she laid there in the quiet, staring up at the ceiling.
She pulled the covers up, closing her eyes, but it wasn’t sleep that came to her. It was the image of Ezreal’s smile, his easy confidence, the way he had made her feel like she could finally breathe.
Maybe one day, they’d meet again.