Gasping for air, the two of you remained motionless, you laying on the table while Silco was halfway laying on top.

His breath was quick, the warm clouds stroking your cheeks.

With a smirk, you let your fingers stroke through his short hair.

A soft sigh escaped him.

"Don't make me weaker than I already am.", he said, glancing up at you.

"Would it be that bad?", you asked and placed a soft kiss on his nose.

"Maybe not..."

His blue eye closed. He was enjoying this moment, there was no doubt about it.

For a while you stayed like that, you staring at the ceiling with a soft smile while his head rested on your chest. At that moment he seemed so gentle to you, so vulnerable.

Your hands stroked through his thick, black hair, gently scratching him.

When he stood up again, you felt a strange kind of coldness wrapping around you. Your hand stroked his cheek and you almost refused to let him go.

"How affectionate you are.", he said, pressing a kiss to the back of your hand. "This is not like you at all."

Smiling, you jumped off the table and fixed your clothes.

"I got soft for a moment too.", you pressed a kiss on the scarred side of his face. "But only for a moment, peacock."

A laugh made his scrawny shoulders shake. He straightened his hair, brushed back the graying strands, and glanced out the window.

"It's late. Time to go to sleep."

Nodding, you walked toward the door. Your hand was already outstretched for the handle, when he called out to you.

"(Y/N)?"

Your name from his mouth sent a shiver down your spine. A shaky breath escaped your lips and you had to close your eyes for a moment to get rid of the feeling.

It had been a long time since someone had said your name in such a way, as carefully as if you might crumble to dust.

Still facing the door, you glanced over your shoulder.

Your eyes met.

"Do you need anything else from me?", you asked.

His lips opened, for a moment he seemed to think. Then he stepped closer.

"I would be happy if you spent the night with me tonight.", he said.

Your eyebrows rose in surprise. A gasp escaped you, soft but still clear.

Confused, you looked around, your eyes wandering across the room, over to the door that led to his bedroom. You didn't know why he would make such a suggestion.

You had done it with each other, the lust was satisfied and also the restlessness you had felt before was silenced.
There was no more reason for him to want you by his side.

Overwhelmed by the request, your lips pressed together into a line. You did not know what to answer.

For a moment Silco gave you time to think. He just stood there, his gaze fixed on you, waiting, with no expectation in his eyes urging you to make a decision.

But when you didn't give any answer even after a few moments he came closer and let a hand slide under your chin. Gently he made you look into his eyes.

The tips of your noses brushed against each other.

"Jinx?", her name was the only thing your lips could pronounce at that moment.

With a gentle smile, he shook his head.

"She has her own room now.", he said, so softly that you could hardly believe it. "It was time she was given privacy. Besides... we both benefited from it."

His lips pressed a kiss to your forehead.

But still you couldn't understand why he made that suggestion.

"Have you gone too soft, peacock?", you finally asked. "Be careful, it might kill you."

His thumb stroked your lips while his eyes looked deep into yours.

"Perhaps.", he admitted. "Maybe one day I had to be punished for my vanity."

"So I am your punishment?"

He shook his head.

"My weakness. You and Jinx."

A laugh escaped.

"And you expect me to believe that? Tell me, Silco, why do you really want me? To ensure your survival in the future?"

"We all have to die sometime."

"Why then?", your eyes wandered over his face, hoping to see what his true intention was.

But there was nothing there, nothing but honest feelings and a gentleness you would never have expected from him.

"Every king needs someone to back him up.", he took your face in both hands and pressed his forehead against yours. "Stay with me and no one in Zaun will ever dare harm you or your children."

Still speechless, you now turned completely to him. Your hands rested on his. A bittersweet taste spread on your tongue. When you closed your eyes you had to sigh.

"Since when does Silco, the Eye of Zaun, promise happy endings?", you asked.

His lips found yours. Tentatively he kissed you before daring to answer.

"I make my own happy endings.", he said, looking at you with a pleading gaze. "If you want to go, I respect that. But you won't get rid of me from now on. I will always be with you, whether I have you watched or my men protecting you."

Grinning, you raised an eyebrow.

"Is that a threat to get me into your bed?"

"It's a promise to show you that your value is higher than that of an ordinary doctor. An ordinary Zaunite. You are so much more. I... trust you, (Y/N)."

Now you couldn't help but laugh.

"Such sweet words for a world that holds no joy.", you whisper and kissed him.

"There will be a future for us that is different."

"For you... that's what I wish. But I understand you. Let me give you some joy until the world you imagine can do it."

"You're staying?"

"As long as I can."

The thought that Silco wanted you by his side was enough to give you comfort for what you feared. The Undercity was an ugly place, but you knew you had to dig in the dirt to get diamonds.

And in a sense, his vision was just that, the diamond worth digging in the dirt for.

Or worth to die for.