“I’m not alone - It’s just me and your ghost and this cripplin’ depression.” - blackbear, me & ur ghost
Descripiton:A long time ago, there was a peaceful state ruling over the Lanes of Zaun. Yet one day, the protector was murdered by his rival and Lanes had gone to shit ever since, leading to the establishment of an independent Firelight base just out of Zaun. But this peace was to come to end soon with old friends coming back, rising from the dead, and getting killed.
Part summary: Watching you die had led Ekko to a deep depression - until he gets an amazing idea that is able to bring him back on his feet.
A/N: This chapter is much shorter, also more light than the last one I think (since the last one was overly serious) and it’s also bringing us to the time when Ekko will be able to shatter the time.
Time, to most people, will be an unsolvable conundrum that cannot be understood. It can fly by extremely quickly one day and the other it’s just pure torture to endure every second of every minute. On days like those, nothing feels good, nothing feels happy as if every emotion left the world just like that. On days like those, the world appears like nothing more than a few shades of grey smudged and Ekko realized that maybe more than some were able to understand the flow of time, since, at that point, he was one of those who were counting each second.
His brain was not able to cope with the sudden hurt of pain inside his chest. The man felt his organs bleeding out, pulsing, tightening, being torn apart, burned alive. He was bringing your body even closer, feeling the blood coldening in the night air; summer nighttime and its peacefulness was something you loved dearly… Or at least the smell of it. Ekko wasn’t able to fight his need to hold onto your body for a little bit longer, while you were still warm and soft; as if this had the power to bring you back among the living. Jinx watched it all with her head leaned to her shoulder, loading her gun. At first, she was devastated by her own choices; how, in the name of God, was she ruthless enough to stab her own former best friend to death? What kind of a monster did you have to be to carry out this deed?
The pain inside her chest intensified as she watched Ekko tugging on your arms, smoothing your face as he cried, mumbling all sorts of stuff with panic in his voice. His fingers were smudging blood all over your face, making the sight even worse. And in the spawn of the next few seconds, Jinx straightened herself, scoffed, and climbed back on her feet; she pulled the switch up as she rationalized all the actions. It wasn’t on her in the end, was it? Poor Jinx, poor her, was in imminent danger because you’d surely kill her as soon as you’d have a clear vision of her. She had to act in self-defense… Also, Milo was right. No matter which angle she looked at the issue from, you were an enemy. This was, indeed, a misery - but you were a Firelight based on the mark sprayed all over the back of your coat. Your people tried to kill Jinx countless times (with Ekko being the only one who almost succeeded), so what reason did she have to spare you? Because you were childhood friends? Oh, really? Where were you when Silco lead her away from the explosion site? Nostalgia was weak reasoning used by first-class pussies. And Jinx wasn’t a pussy.
Jinx’s cackling was something to catch both Vi and Ekko’s attention. This woman was far too gone to be called mentally sane. She had blood all over her body, clothes, and hands and even through that, Jinx simply chose to laugh it away. She was a freak. A monster. Ekko’s eyes snapped in Jinx’s direction as he heard Vi approaching. The man rose his palm up, telling Vi to back off immediately; this was his debt to settle and the man was planning on going in with one goal in his mind - only one of them was to leave that bridge alive. And he didn’t who will it be. Either he’ll avenge (despite Vi’s longing to be reunited with her younger sister) or he’ll be killed, following you to the other side. Caitlyn, seeing the clear determination written in Ekko’s expression caught Vi’s palm, tugging her away as the man picked himself back on his feet, picking up a long wrench that fell out of his backpack. Beaten to death was a brutal way to go, but knowing that Jinx brought it on herself was probably even worse. Vi knew he had it in him; he was in such an overload of emotion that begging or crying wouldn’t let him stop… Which turned out false just a few minutes later, but Vi couldn’t know that. Even Ekko would swear that at that moment, he had it in him.
“Leave them to it. Ekko will be fine, he’s a fighter.” - Caitlyn hissed at Vi, begging her to leave finally as she pushed the leather casing closer to her chest. The gemstone was currently her top priority; it needed to be secured and put away for good, hidden in Jayce’s laboratory. Caitlyn was feeling genuinely horrible, tired, and beaten up, but getting Vi out was more important than that. Her leg was bleeding out and each step hurt her. They had to go right now; knowing that, Cait put her arm around Vi’s shoulder, letting the woman catch her waist. - “We got to go before she steals this.” - But Vi didn’t move an inch. The woman was standing there, watching her sister loading up her gun as she snickered in the direction of their friend. Was she about to kill him too? As Caitlyn waited by Vi’s side, she also understood the inner fight Vi had with herself regarding Jinx. How was she justifying all of this? That Jinx was just too stressed out? Scared? Nervous? Confused? Anything could justify this. Anything. Finally, Ekko turned his head to them, telling them to leave immediately, which seemingly amused Jinx even more. The corners of her lips rose higher as she watched the man in front of her. And with that, both the women left.
Honestly, if you’d ask him about how it all went down, he’d be barely able to tell you anything. His mind got fuzzy and foggy after he turned his face to look at Jinx. Ekko was only able to recall three things cleary clearly; Jinx cackling as she taunted him more, his palm tugging out his old pocket watch in hopes of luring Powder out, and the vulnerable terrified gaze she gave him as he squatted on her, getting ready to give her the final blow… The very last thing he remembered crystal clear was the color of your eyes as he laid next to you, looking into your cold, emotionless face. He was laying on his back with intense pain circling throughout his body, barely being able to breathe. For a moment, he thought that was it - that he was to die there by your side. And Ekko was to take this sentence with grace and a smile on his lips as he caught your cold palm in his. The man was ready to go - why would he stay in a world that didn’t have you in it? What would be the point in that?
But as he laid on his back, the time was flying by and he was still alive and awake. The pain wasn’t enough to knock him out on its own and the blood loss wasn’t enough for him to bleed out. What was he supposed to do now? Wait until someone finds him and shoots him to his head as mercy? Looking at you, he was trying to figure out what would you do in a situation like this. You’d pick yourself up before it would be too late - you wouldn’t just lay there, waiting to die. You’d fight ‘cause the life you lived didn’t belong to you only; your people needed you to lead them. That was right. Your people needed Ekko and now they needed him more than ever.
And so he did pick himself up - with great trouble, the man tumbled back on his feet, trying to catch his breath as he picked up his old, trusty, and malfunctioning hoverboard. As soon as Ekko was standing fully on his feet, he knew that his ankle was either sprangled or broken. For one last time, he encouraged himself to take in the sight of you as he turned on his feet to get out of the bridge. It took him an hour; the man was in pain, whining with each step, only pushing himself to go forward because his conscience told him to. The people needed him to lead them and ensure their safety.
The night was already ending when Ekko found himself a safe spot near the entrance to Zaun. He felt hidden enough to close his eyes to regain some of his strength for the upcoming journey back - and Ekko, more than anyone else, knew that the journey will be a long and dangerous one. The nap he took was not a pleasant one; the events of the night haunted him in his sleep and he had to relive all of it at least three times before rumbling woke him up. Someone was right beside him, taking a deep look at his technology. It could’ve been a child or an intrigued adult, but they could be dangerous nonetheless - yet then Ekko listened into their mumbling. “This is wonderful, simply wonderful.” - The person said, rotating the metal construct between their fingers. With that, Ekko finally dared to stick his head out and take a look at the intruder; and to his surprise, it was a creature called Yordle. Yordles were ancient wise beings with memories of the old world; the world of bloodshed and Arcana and the ones who were trying to keep the modern world in check. Without a doubt, Ekko thought to himself, this Yordle would be very intrigued by Y/N’s abilities.
Heimerdinger helped Ekko reach the colony safely, helping Ekko repair the board once more and leading it behind himself through shady alleys and empty streets; by the evening, they were both safely back at Ekko’s where he got his ankle fixed up. To his surprise, nobody asked about you - either they assumed you carried on with the journey to the council or… Or knew what happened. Ekko got his answer early in the morning. As the nightmare woke him up again, he decided to sit in front of the opened window for a bit and to try to occupy his mind with pocket watches since putting them apart and back together always calmed him down. Looking down, right on the Wall, Chloe was already working on a new portrait. To his expectations, he’d recognize the shape of your lips anywhere; pocket watches were suddenly forgotten as he leaned his palms into the window frame, lowering his head and letting the tears drop down onto his palms.
If you were there, you’d smack it out of him - what was he doing with his life? Aimlessly wandering around the colony, not being able to connect to the present, trapped in the past, and not even daring to think about the future. People started to ask him about a lot of things that you used to run; one of the main topics was a coal delivery deal with the demon named Butcher, who lived in the Lanes, and another one was fresh vegetable delivery that was late. And shortening the amount of children’s clothing for the winter, since it got cold in the colony. For you, these issues were your everyday bread. You were an amazing haggler, spokesperson, and negotiator; yet for the hotheaded Ekko, these deals were pretty hard to go through. He was trying, he was trying to live by the pact you made all these years ago, but something was nudging him on the back of his head; especially when he walked around your accommodation - the place was dark, the dust was settling in and the air must’ve been awfully rotten since nobody opened up the window in weeks. But no matter what, Ekko forbade anyone from even coming close to that accommodation. It had all your stuff in there, intact in its place, just like he remembered it and he wanted it to stay like that.
As the days and weeks passed by, his mental situation wasn’t getting any better. In fact, it was deteriorating at an insanely fast pace. Day by day, he was falling into the dark hole deeper and deeper; no matter what he did, whether he tried playing with his notorious pocket watches, talking to people, or working with Heimer on new inventions, nothing was enough to keep him check. It felt like he lost a part of himself that night and that part was nowhere to be found.
The night was on his mind each time he opened up his eyes in the morning, as he first looked out of the window and watched the life moving forward. You loved this more than anything else in the whole world, you used to say - the sunshine sprinkling on the colorful walls, lighting up all the leaves of the mighty trees, and bringing out the innocent blue of the skies above. Kids were playing, squealing, and laughing and all the adults were calmer - there was enough food, warm fresh air, and serenity in the air. Summer was the most beautiful time of the year in the colony, yet the view alone was bringing Ekko many memories. And all of the memories were hurting him. It usually got even worse when the night came and he was left alone. This usually meant that as soon as he opened the door leading into his workshop, the darkest memories and thoughts started to resurface in his mind once more. There was even a time when his mind was rationalizing the worst possible solution to all of this - whether to follow you to the other side or not. It was at that moment that Ekko went insane (at least according to himself).
“WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?!” - A sweet voice yelled all over the rooftop he was standing at. He had just pushed one of his feet over the edge, taking a deep breath, ready to go down right then and there. Yet the voice made him jump back to the rooftop, falling flat to his ass. The man just sat there, looking down onto the empty street as he struggled to breathe. His palms started shaking, he was sweaty and there was this ice-cold feeling traveling back and forth on his spine. It couldn’t be. It wasn’t real. How did he know the woman wasn’t there? Simply - her portrait, with a crooked smile, was painted on the Wall of remembrance. Also because he watched her die in his arms a few weeks back. And even though that, Ekko heard you walking closer to him, kneeling down and pulling him further from the edge. Instead of touch, he felt a weird warm sensation surrounding his shoulders as you pressed your body onto his, smoothing his hair.
It was that bad, huh? The man was so desperate and depressed that he attempted to jump off a roof - and in that desperation, something broke inside of him; making him see shit. But at that moment, he was so fucked that he barely cared about you being real or not - Ekko circled his palm around your forearm as he wept, drying out the tears. You sure as fuck weren’t real, but you were there. And that was what counted. - “You fucking idiot. You fucker. Absolute moron.” - You mumbled, kissing his temple. Yep, this definitely wasn’t real, but also was everything that he got. Public affection was something you weren’t able to give or accept (at that point in your lives) so this must’ve been some strange version of real you viewed through his lenses. - “This wouldn’t have solved shit, you idiot. You’d only make us suffer more. Our people fucking need you and all you can think of is me being dead. Come on now.” - With that, you pulled him back to his feet, smiling kindly as you smoothed his cheek. You looked so proud and happy.
“You need to start forgetting about me. This won’t be good for you long-term, but… I’ll be here as long as your brain assumes you need training wheels.” - With that, you put the hand down and smiled at him sadly. - “Driving yourself crazy isn’t a solution. No one can ever replace me in your eyes, but if you’d jump off that roof… Ekko, think about the consequence. I know you can’t see it, but there’s a lot more in you than you imagine - you’re the only ones our youngsters are willing to listen to and you make sure of our technological advancement… And you’re the only one who can fix that damn plumbing issue during the winter.” “Is it because I’m small and I can fit anywhere? That ain’t fair.” “Maybe.” - You joked, making both of you chuckle. The man didn’t care if you were real or fake, if he lost his mind if he was just daydreaming about you… - “You’re not insane if you’re asking that.” - It was a fast answer; but knowing you were a projection made up by his brain as a defense mechanism, he wasn’t to be worried by you suddenly answering to things he was thinking. “And I’m still here talking to you.” “When you put it that way, it sounds weird. I’ll admit that. I’m inside your head - but that doesn’t mean that I’m not real to some degree, yannow?” - With that, you caught his palm in yours as you led him back to the safety of the staircase, making sure he won’t get any second thoughts. - “You’re technically arguing with a part of yourself, but does that necessarily have to be bad? I’m the memories you have of me, I’m everything you knew about me and everything you wished me to be. Ekko, you’re starting to cope, which is a good thing. But you should see a shrimp if you’ll keep seeing me long-term.” - And with that, you watched as he took the first step down. The man watched as you let his hand go with a smile, staying on the rooftop by yourself.
“Are you not coming with me? I’m unsure as to how this entire hallucination thing works.” - Ekko joked back, but you took in a deep breath, raising your hands above your head. “I’ve been dead for a month and a half, come on now. It’s been kinda boring and it gets kinda repetitive. I think it’s fair that I wanna take a moment off and look around.” - And so, he closed the cover and walked back to the colony with an uneasy feeling in his stomach - now that he got hallucinations, he didn’t want them to go away. The worst thing about it probably was that he didn’t precisely know how to evoke you. It happened when he least expected it - he was laying in his bed with palms under his head, watching the ceiling above him, longing to just hear your voice. And just when the pain in his chest got unbearable, you entered the room while drying your hair with a towel, as if you simply got out of the shower.
“I told you this isn’t healthy for you, Ekko. You’re only hurting yourself more, yannow?” - Putting the towel aside, you put your palms on your hips and walked around the room. The man picked himself up to sit straight, watching you waltzing around the room, taking in the surroundings. - “The portrait is very good. Tell Chloe I like it.” “There’s no reason you should be painted on that wall. Any of that shouldn’t have happened… Not to you… ”- Ekko answered, picking himself up to stand next to you while you both watched the wall. At first, you nodded before you started to chuckle quietly. - “What?” “It still happened nonetheless. Jinx saw a moment of vulnerability and did what she felt was right to do. You not agreeing will really not bring me back, dumbass.” - Still chuckling, you walked around the room, watching all the new tech-thingies Ekko was working on with Heimer. While Heimer hated to use Arcana during his work, Ekko talked him down to using some of it. - “This is simply impressive. Heimer loves working with you.” “You can’t know that, you’ve never seen him or talked to him.” “Oh boo-hoo, I’m a hallucination inside your head so I just base my opinions on the things inside your brain. You yourself know he loves it. You’re so alike, both intrigued by the limits of infinity. I think Heimer really is feeling bad for not giving Jayce and Victor the same confidence.” - As you walked around, you picked the golden pocket watch up, playing with the small wheel on the side, turning the clock hands backward. Ekko didn’t know he picked the watch himself and that he was staring at it intensely; he saw you holding it. And with a soft smile, you whispered… - “Wouldn’t you look at that… Ekko, the boy who shattered time. Wouldn’t that sound cool?”
Suddenly, Ekko took in a deep breath as his eyes widened. Your face contracted into a sweet smile as you handed him the watch, raising one of your eyebrows. - “Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?” “I’m not suggesting anything because once again, I am not real. You are suggesting the possibility of time travel…” “Therefore changing the time…And events that had happened in the past and even saving…” - At that, the boy chuckled to himself, looking you in the eyes. “But you won’t be able to it on your own, will you? You played with the thought since we were kids, but you never imagined you’d be able to ever achieve that.” - And with that, you looked each other in the eyes, and as your palms squeezed Ekko’s, he felt the warm sensation once more. - “Heimerdinger.” - You both said at once with huge smiles on your lips. Just a few minutes after that, Ekko went to sleep - and for the first time in weeks, he was filled with hope and great expectations. Because being able to travel through time wasn’t a fun option anymore - for him, it had become a necessity.
“Oh, the misery… Everybody wants to be my enemy.” - Imagine Dragons, Enemy
Descripiton:A long time ago, there was a peaceful state ruling over the Lanes of Zaun. Yet one day, the protector was murdered by his rival and Lanes had gone to shit ever since, leading to the establishment of an independent Firelight base just out of Zaun. But this peace was to come to end soon with old friends coming back, rising from the dead, and getting killed.
Part summary: Vi and her friend, Caitlyn, explain themselves and their reasoning behind coming to the Lanes - yet when the women find out about the gemstone in Ekko’s possession, they insist on returning it. And Ekko sees it as a wonderful opportunity for you to negotiate with Piltover’s council.
A/N: For most part, I love to devide my chapters into two parts that are set as a scene (for example: Y/N’s nighmare x training with Ekko; two scenes, two things happening, keeping it simple but detailed), but this part might be confusing and jumping from place to place since there was a lot to cover before jumping to the actual story I planned for this series. I hope you’ll still enjoy reading it.
Also: I gave it a lot of thought and I don’t think that Jinx or Powder would be able to do this - but the voices inside of them are cleaerly capable of it. We saw Jinx blowing up innoncent people whilst not giving a single fuck, so I really do think she’d carry this shit out.
Warnings:Gore, violence, guns, explosives and death… And also the lenght of this chapter - there was a lot I wanted to say haha.
Vi’s wide-open eyes were glued to your face are her lips kept on opening and closing. She knew who you were - of course, she fucking knew. Not in a million years would she be able to forget. It was probably stupid not to expect an adult to appear instead of that small, cute, and scared duckling she held dearly in her memories… But the number of changes you’ve been both through caught her off guard. Both you and Ekko weren’t kids anymore. You’ve been full-on adults now. And my oh my, you looked amazing. Sure, you were tired, in a bad mood, and partially still pissed off, but to Vi, you were beautiful. And Ekko’s expression said more than any amount of words could ever say. The deeply rooted emotion, the adoration, and amazement, he had it all in his eyes. - “Oh… My… God.” - She mumbled as she picked herself back on her feet, smiling at you. Her heart was racing as she approached you, hugging you before you could do or say anything.
You remembered Vi being respectfully strong with broad shoulders and an impressive frame, but she must’ve been at least twice as big and three times as strong than before since you disappeared inside of that tight, warm hug. It took you a moment to even accept the touch, and it took you even longer to give into it. You had to suppress all of the words and memories you wanted to throw into Vi’s face, you had to really calm yourself down to be sure that you won’t start freaking out, yelling, or worse - burning up. Ekko could see your palms shake just moments before you squeezed them into tight fists, keeping your calm self behind the steering wheel.
And to his relief, after a few seconds of trying to keep it in, you hugged Vi back; it wasn’t a normal hug, however. It was a passionate one. You gripped her shoulders so hard that it almost made her trip over and with even more strength, you pushed your face into her shoulder as you started to sob. Was it all of the anger leaving your body? Was it happiness? Was it relief? You couldn’t tell. All you knew was that the tears were hot and that there were a lot of them. You were a sobbing mess not even two minutes into the hug.
“Look at you…” - Vi whispered as she pushed you off herself just to palm your jaws, looking into your eyes and scanning every single detail of your face. While she gripped the memory of a little and adoring girl inside her head, now a beautiful adult woman was standing right in front of her. And it was obvious you and Ekko were inseparable based on the tone of the gaze he gave you… On a simple look alone. - “I’ve heard you’ve made all of this possible, this dumbass had told me… I’m sure it’s your smarts running this place, not his impulsiveness, isn’t that right?” - Her fingers were now smoothing your hair and cheeks as she still tried to understand that this woman is the small girl who used to accompany her everywhere. It was an obvious joke that could be answered in many ways and neither of them knew what you were about to say. It could be literally anything. You could blow up any second, you could throw an absolute tantrum full of yelling and tears, you could start wrestling her out of nowhere (even though there was not a single doubt in Ekko’s mind that Vi would absolutely kick your eyes and yet…
“Do you seriously think he’d be able to run this place without me?” - At that, you chuckled and put both your palms on your hips. - “It’s strange seeing you around here. We… We thought…” - Your breath hitched for a moment as your brain tried to catch up to what was happening. “I understand what you thought. And I want you to know that… There wasn’t a single day where you wouldn’t cross my mind. I was locked for such a long fucking time and now that I’m here with you, it almost feels unreal. You’ve been what has kept me going there. No matter if we’re talking about Ekko, you, or Powder… Or Vander, or Benzo… What’s going on?” - Vi stopped herself as soon as she registered the shift in your expression. Her palm resting on your shoulder tensed up a bit as your expression got more and more hateful. - “Did I say something wrong, duckling?”
Ekko, without asking a single question, knew what was on your mind. Vi was out of the picture for far too long - she was out of it, no matter where she spent all these years. But hearing the name, Powder, being said out loud after years of forgetting that girl had ever existed, was something to make you volatile. Of course, she was on your mind from time to time, especially when you reminisced about your childhood in the Lanes - the few years of happiness you’ve been given. You remembered… Everything. The way she spoke, the way she danced and tried to replicate Vi’s moves, the way she laughed and told you jokes. Powder was one of your best friends; the other one being Ekko. You’ve all been around the same age, you grew up together. You knew everything there was to be known about that blue-haired girl. And before the riot, you loved her above everything else.
For a long time, you thought that Powder actually might not be that bad. Sure, she joined Silco, but you were just children scared to bits. Spending her time with Silco and his people (who actually used to be Vander’s people and thus a part of the enormous family formed in the Lanes) didn’t make her necessarily bad from the get-go. That was until that one cold night. You remembered how the night started; you and Ekko had a couple of beers and you two still being kind of irresponsible at times, he managed to talk you down to a walk around the Lanes - mostly the rooftops. And it was beautiful. It was the calmest you’ve ever been. You spent a long time jumping around, having so much fun that you were sure you’ll burst if you keep on laughing. The boy was also only your best friend at the time, there was no sign of romance or lust just yet. And that was when you met her. Just her, on a lonely rooftop; nothing more than a skinny, scared girl with enormous blue eyes and long, braided blue hair. She didn’t even notice her at first and the two of you, being too shy to approach her, just sneaked behind one of the chimneys and watched your former best friend sitting on the edge, swinging her feet around. Her eyes were piercing the paper she was drawing on, she had a gun in the other hand and she was… Fucking talking to it.
I had a crush… Until she started talking to the gun. This line had a much deeper meaning than anyone could imagine. Ekko was tugging on your pants as soon as you heard the frantic mumbling, but you couldn’t bring yourself to move. The girl was sitting there peacefully and for a moment, you got blinded by the vision of Powder inside your head. Yet as soon as you stepped out of the shadows, barely containing your happiness as you called her name out loud, you knew that this person was in no way, shape, or form your former best friend. Jumping back into the moment, Vi was still holding your shoulder in her palm and watching you with worries, you shook your head as you laughed. And at that moment, the hair on her neck stoop up - you made a few steps back, shaking your head as you laughed without any emotion whatsoever.
“What is going on?” - Vi demanded an answer once more, but Ekko jumped in, shaking his head. Powder’s laugher; so high it was hurting your ears. The girl screamed something as Ekko caught the hem of your shirt, making you run away from her. First gunshot. Edge of the roof. Cold air pinched your skin as you fell down. Without a warning, you pushed your finger straight to Vi’s face, your nostrils widening as you took in a long breath - and she was not stupid. Knowing this alone made multiple people turn their heads your way, getting themselves ready for dragging her back into one of the cells; which would happen in case she’d made a single wrong move. Without hesitation, Vi raised both her palms as she made a step back. “Don’t you fucking say that name here or in my presence ever again, did I make myself clear?” “But… Y/N…” - Vi breathed out, watching you over Ekko’s shoulder. “That girl… Powder… She doesn’t fucking exist anymore. I’m starting to doubt she ever existed, she might as well be a damn hallucination. She is now Jinx, do you hear me? Jinx.” - As Vi watched your lips trembling, she kind of understood you. But hers and Jinx’s situation was different. Vi was her older sister and she surely had the power to bring Powder back among the living. - “Don’t hurt me by making me think about who she was and start taking into account all the things she is right now. Cause thinking about the past that sure as fuck won’t help me when Jinx decides she wants to paint the walls with my brain.”
You could say, with certainty, that Vi wanted to say something. She took in a deep breath, but Ekko put his palm in the middle of her chest, shaking his head. - “Just don’t. Back up for a bit and let me handle this, aight?” “Ekko, I just…” - “Vi!” - The man shouted at the top of his lungs, seeing your eyes already getting green. As soon as Vi noticed, she backed off - she had no clue as to what was happening to you, but the twitching in your face told her more than she needed to know. In the next moment, the boy was holding your face in his palms, watching you. - “You can’t blow up right now, girl. Come on. Take a deep breath, nice and easy. Do it for me. Come on now.” It took him about five minutes to calm you back down. The entire time, he was holding onto your face and whispering frantically to you, trying to make you breathe, relax, laugh, or whatever before your body decides to go into full TNT mode. And he had succeeded as by the end of it, you were giggling unhappily, catching his palms in yours, leaning your temple into his shoulder.
First off, the connection Vi established between you and him must’ve reached even further than she could imagine. He had absolute trust in you - just as you seem to feel the same way about him. Ekko’s voice and words alone were something that managed to keep you from anything that was about to go down. And secondly, Powder was a forbidden topic for you. Smiling, she approached you once more. “I’m sorry for upsetting you, duckling.” - She whispered, giving you one of those comforting smiles where she raised only one of the corners. - “How about you tell me more about this place while we gonna pick dumbass number two from the dungeon treatment?” - Vi joked, nudging your side with her elbow. She noticed another short gaze you gave to Ekko - by a nod, he said it’s okay to let Caitlyn out.
“We found this place one day, after barely getting by for a year.” - You started, looking around, watching the children run around and squealing happily. Scar was overlooking a group of small school kids that were on their lunch break - while simultaneously keeping his eye on Vi. - “It was a fucking miracle. We were starving, freezing and we hid in the sewers from Silco’s people. We were just… Teenagers who tried to keep their people safe. And then we bumped into here, all of a sudden - it was nothing more than a wrong way. But as soon as we saw it…” - “We knew this was the place. We knew we were home. If a single seed could make it our here, so could we.” - The young man finished silently with a smile on his face. You both watched the young woman being absolutely mesmerized by everything going on. The real trees growing out of the ground, the children running around with laughter, the adults just talking and laughing… The place was spacey, full of life and love, full of warmth that couldn’t be explained by words. She watched as some of the kids used old models of Ekko’s board, making tricks and laughing as they landed on the ground face first, the firelights flying by. Ekko was talking about Silco, shimmer, and what it did to Lanes just as a small girl cried out to all three of you.
You knew who she was, because of course you did, and you watched Wanda running to you with three flower crowns in her small palm. As Vi watched you smile, kneel and pick the toddler to your arms as you nuzzled the tip of your nose against her cheek. there was nothing more to be said. These people were your family; a tight community of people who’s risk life for one another. Kids adored both of you (noticeably the small girl or the boys gliding on the board), adults respected you. You were both natural leaders in your regard. And for a moment, Vi was jealous of what you managed to accomplish out of nothing. “I should’ve been here.” - The woman said quietly to Ekko, watching you and the girl whispering something. You already had one of the crowns on the head, the girl calling you a princess. - “For you. For everyone.” “That’s one way to drive yourself crazy. If I just went with you that day, maybe none of this would’ve happened.”
For a moment, you let them talk a bit more as you pointed at various things, making Wanda name each one of them. The girl was smart. As the conversation between Vi and Ekko got louder, while Wanda’s mom was approaching you since she noticed the girl bothering you, as she would say, you stuck your head between them with a wicked smile. “God, Wanda, look at these two grumpies…” - You mumbled, making the girl giggle. Ekko scoffed while rolling his eyes, crossing his arms in front of his chest. - “Do you think they’d look funnier with the crowns on? Huh?” “I do, auntie Y/N.” - The girl whispered back with a devilish spark in her eyes. “Give one to auntie Vi for me, here you go…” - With that, you let the girl lean forward, putting the crown on top of Vi’s head. The woman looked at Ekko cluelessly, but to your surprise, she literally bowed in front of the girl. - “And now give one to uncle Ekko… Oh wow, look at them. Now they look so much happier. Good job.” “Did you hear anything from what we’ve been talking about?” - Ekko scoffed as Maya, the mother of a said little girl finally made it to you. She was catching her breath, so you held onto the small girl for a bit longer, cradling her in your arms.
“Nah, we’ve been too busy talking colors and animals, ain’t that right?” - The small devil in your arms nodded happily. - “So I heard exactly nothing. Zero. Nada. Nah-ah.” “I’m so sorry for Wanda running off like that, she was just so excited to see you two. I apologize… She must’ve interrupted something important.” - “Come on, not at all. I’m always stoked to see my little princess. I think she actually brought a lot of smiling that we really needed.” - With that, you gave the girl back to her mother and waved at her as they both left you standing there. - “We have one more thing to show you.” - Ekko said with seriousness. - “Oh.” - Was all you answered. At that moment, something connected inside Vi’s head, and the thought overwhelmed her for a second. All the words that had been said, all your actions, emotions, and interactions spelled out one thing to her. It wasn’t the past or the future driving you forward - it was the present making each of you doing the decisions deemed necessary. She was about to see how much you learned from your past, how you refused to forget, but that wasn’t your main point. The secret was the present and your celebration of it.
As soon as she saw the thing Ekko deemed as super-important to show her, it all clicked together perfectly. It was an intimate place that you called The Wall of remembrance… That was getting a few new faces on just as she saw it for the first time. As Ekko talked to Vi, explaining to her something, you stepped a bit closer. First, you smiled at Chloe, the girl painting another portrait in there. With another smile, you let the tips of your fingers wander on handprints, watching all of them looking back at you. The price of your freedom… All those you’ve lost to get where you were at that moment. Lowering your head, you mumbled yet another thanks and prayer for all those who weren’t able to make it. “If you’re both done, let’s get the friend of yours out of shackles.” - The shift in your emotion was undeniable. You were much calmer and happier than when Vi pulled out the Powder bomb. And both her and Ekko were intending on keeping you that way. - “And let’s get you some food… And a shower. You fucking stink, Vi.” - And with that, she started to laugh loudly.
The warmth with which you took them both in was… Neither of the ladies expected such open arms. As soon as the local youngest noticed them, all of them huddled around the ladies trying to eat their lunch. The Enforcer lady was unsure as to what she is supposed to do - yet as soon as she saw Vi moving in the flow of the kids, she started to nod her head and smile. Caitlyn actually never saw something as amazing as this. Your people were honest, they were loyal and all of them made sure that they’ll be happy about every small detail. This was surviving, you managed to build a colony with a beating heart. While in Piltover people might’ve been seeming happy but crooked and in Zaun, they were honest yet living poorly, you got the best of both worlds. How did you manage to do that? Neither of them had no idea. But it sure was wonderful. On the other hand… You had other business at hand.
Just like with Vi, you showed the other woman around - she introduced herself as Caitlyn. While you were seemingly willing to listen to her opinions and reasonings, Ekko clearly already made up his opinion about her. It was nothing surprising, really. While you still held the memories of Grayson dearly in your heart, Ekko was in contact with the modern-day enforcers - especially Marcus, who was paid to hunt your people down like animals. And as soon as Caitlyn opened her mouth and discussion the situation with him. There was even a moment when Vi had to push him a few steps back. Everything changed when Ekko pulled out the blue shiny ball he showed you earlier. As soon as he did, Cait’s eyes widened and her expression softened. “You got it. You have to let me take that back.” - You all looked at each other while Ekko showed the small ball back into the casing. Vi didn’t hesitate, asking Cait what this was about. - “It’s a gemstone. It was stolen during the attack… By your sister.” “And you just forgot to mention that?” - Vi asked with confusion, but Cait didn’t pay the question much attention. “With this, someone with the right knowledge could build… Any Hextech device. If the Enforcers are becoming more aggressive, that’s why.”
Ekko, looking at the gemstone, turned his face to you. - “We could beat Silco with this.” “That won’t solve things.” - Caitlyn answered almost immediately, which was something that was on the right track to get Ekko railed up. Truth be told, you weren’t as good with technology as Ekko was, but this thing sure as hell was dangerous. It had the power to rebuild… Just as it held the power of destruction. As soon as you realized how powerful this thing could be, you wanted it out of the walls. “Easy for you to say. Your people aren’t dying around you.” “Ekko, it’s wrong what’s been done to you.” - Caitlyn started carefully, taking in a small breath. The young man was first trying to look away, twitching under her gaze a bit, but you put your palm on his forearm, gripping it gently. He hated this gaze when you used all the things he was feeling for you as means to listen. Yet in the end, he turned his head back to Cait. - “You’d be well in your rights to keep it. I couldn’t blame you… But if you do, the cycle of violence never stops. This is our best shot at setting the record straight. This city needs healing… More than I ever realized. Please, let me help you.”
There was a long silence. During the silence, Ekko was staring straight in front of himself, thinking about all the possibilities you could possibly have; he went through all the solutions. As for you, you first suspected that Caitlyn was just some upper-class princess who never set her foot out of Piltover - well, she might’ve been, but deep in her speech, you could feel the empathy and understanding she had for your people. And the people of Zaun. She wanted to help you and to be frank, you fucking needed help. Smoothing your hand up Ekko’s back and leaning your chin into his shoulder made him turn his face in your direction. Maybe she really could help you - maybe it was worth trying. And because of that, you nodded gently before stepping aside and looking at both women standing in front of you.
“You got a plan?” - He asked, turning his attention to Cait once more. “I have a friend on the council. Let me take the gemstone to him. He’ll listen to me - your people wouldn’t have to hide anymore.” - And this, this one short sentence right there was something that hit Ekko hard. Caitlyn returned the gaze of hope you gave her, having Ekko turn his entire body to face her. - “One condition. I’m the one who gives it to them.”
With that line, it was set to stone. You began to prepare for another week of fear - Ekko was about to leave the colony with Caitlyn and Vi to talk to the council while you were about to stay put and make sure everything is going smoothly. Hoping he’ll even make it back to you. It made you a bit upset (mainly because he barely got back and you only had one very serious conversation in the meantime), but you understood it. Especially if Cait would be able to provide your people with at least a fraction of the things she was talking about. This was very important.
Yet just as they were about to set on their way, Ekko surprised you by tossing one of the old leather coats they used to wear when setting out. With an unreadable expression on your face, you looked down on the coat and then right at Ekko standing in your doorframe. - “Are you out of your mind? I can’t go out there, I can’t just leave all of them here. Someone has to stay here with our people…” “I need you out there with me.” - The man cut you off, huffing as he sat down on your bed - catching his face in his palms, he started to massage it. He was tired, so very tired. It was starting to take a toll on him and truth was, Ekko didn’t know how much longer will he be able to hold on. - “Scar and Violet can manage it here, it won’t be a long trip. Three days at maximum, promise.” “You said that last time as well… You were gone almost a week.” “Don’t be like that, come on, girl. I really need you out there with me, you hear me?” - And at that moment, you looked Ekko in the face, piercing through those warm brown eyes. I couldn’t be more clear; he was terrified of anything that was right in front of him. It was the council you’ve been talking about, a gemstone with unlimited destructive power, Enforcers stationed at every route leading to Piltover, Silco’s men hunting him down ever since he last bumped into Jinx and Vi herself. She might’ve been your friend, but how much had she changed? Memories were a thing so powerful that they could overshadow rational minds; even minds more clear than Ekko’s. The nostalgia was really the main focus here - no matter how hard Ekko loved the past version of Vi, it had nothing to do with the present Vi, and the same applied to you.
As you started building the colony, a pact was made. That was why you had a thin scar on your palm, carrying it with you anywhere and everywhere - and each time you tended to get nostalgic beyond your own control, you looked at it and pressed your nail into it. You and Ekko respected the past a lot. You appreciated every sacrifice made and you were well aware that even the smallest decision was a part of getting to where you’ve been at. And at the same time - the past nor the far future could be your main focus. It had to be the present. To ensure a better future, you had to make decisions that were to positively define the present. This was the pact.
And surely, Ekko was now acting based on the pact. He was making a decision that could turn out unpredictable in the future while being exactly what the present needed. Ekko needed Y/N, right there and then. And that was his driving force as he sat in front of you. That also didn’t mean that Ekko needed you specifically - he needed your power. - “You’re the most important of all people in here… To me. You’re their leader, you know what their needs and aspirations are, you know about every smallest thing that this colony needs while I know only bits and pieces. And only you can tell that to the council.” - With that, the man caught your jaw in his palms as he looked you in the eyes. - “That’s why I need you to come with me.” “Do me a favor and stop lying to me. You’re scared Ekko, and that is human. But these two won’t hurt you, they’re your allies and they will protect you. And they won’t let Silco or the Enforcers take you away, you hear me?”
But you were wrong. You were so very wrong - Ekko might’ve been worried sick, but that wasn’t the reason. If the change was about to come, he needed you by his side. Of all the people in the colony, you held the most importance to him personally. He needed to feel your presence, he needed your smell to surround him and your witty sense of humor to make him laugh. Without you, Ekko felt he has no chance of making it. And in one vulnerable look, Ekko shot your way you could feel all the emotion. This made you stop for a second and caught his palms in yours. Sighing, kneeling in front of him and letting his forehead lean into yours, you thought about everything that might happen out there. Ekko needed you. Your people needed you to be their voice. And for a moment, you needed to be a real leader… Not just one that hides behind walls of concrete. And so, you nodded, accepting his request. - “Don’t worry… There’s anything that could go wrong.” - It wasn’t more than a mumble, but it made Ekko snicker against his will.
That very evening, all four of you set out to venture into Piltover. Since you didn’t need to be discreet, per se, the way to Piltover wasn’t as long in the end - by midnight, you were already entering the bridge surrounded in total darkness without a sign of motion. As expected, you led both women through a maze of sewer hallways and crawlspace, climbing out in the middle of the bridge itself. It was there where Vi stopped herself, looking at both you and Ekko. Without a word said, you both knew what she was about to tell you. “I can’t leave her again.” - The woman said, letting you both know that it’s already set in stone. Nothing could change her mind. - “You can’t change her.” - Ekko opposed, but you were both giving her that knowing smile - go and do what needs to be done. “I got to try.” - Vi responded, making Ekko scoff. Nodding, you walked to her first to give her a firm hug, thinking about when are gonna see her again… Or if you’re gonna ever see her again. - “Don’t get yourself killed.” - Ekko said as he watched the hug you gave her. Her thoughts were set in stone and you already accepted them. There was no going back.
“As soon as I’m done, I’ll see you again. I promise, duckling.” - The muscular woman whispered in your ear just before you let her go. - “I’ll hold you to that promise, buckaroo.” - You answered, finally letting her go. Now, it was Ekko’s turn to say goodbye. This time, Vi simply chuckled as the two of them embraced. - “No promises.” - As the two of them stepped away from each other, both you and Ekko let them talk in private for a bit, giving them the privacy they deserved. These have been through some shit already - and from what you’ve gathered, they didn’t even know each other for too long.
“How you’re holding up, girl?” - The man whispered as he leaned into the railing next to you. “I’m nervous, I suppose. What if… What if something goes wrong, yannow?” “Well if you keep thinking about shit going down…” - Ekko chuckled and nudged your side with his elbow, making you grin as well. - “It will go down. As Ria would tell you, you need to go to your happy place and relax. Everything’s fine. We’re fine. I’ll protect you, alright?”
It was not long after when you watched Vi walk away from you in the direction of lanes, back into the darkness. With that, your nervosity grew even more; so much so that you felt your fingers sparkling already. And you weren’t the only one - Caitlyn looked at your palm with a furrow and that attracted Ekko’s attention. Smiling at you, the man caught your palm in yours since he knew, your body will stop because you’d never consciously hurt him. A few deep breaths let you get the situation under control, making you relaxed. You continued through the lifeless darkness for just a bit longer - at the Piltoverian bridge exit, you bumped into a bunch of Enforcers. At first, they were pretty suspicious of you but when Cait showed them her badge, the force calmed down a bit as she started to negotiate with the captain. Watching the man walking closer made your arm ignite up to your elbow and just as you were to push Ekko on the ground and shot a fireball with your other one… The Enforcer shot.
The shot rang through your ears as you gasped for air, watching Ekko drop to the ground. The world around you slowed down for a few seconds, your eyes teared up and your heart pumped painfully. Your stomach was turning upside down. Was he… Did they… Did Ekko just die right in front of you? You were trying to take a deep breath so you could scream, having most of the men aiming at you, but Caitlyn barricaded your way, catching your cheek in her palm. - “You don’t want to do this, trust me, this would be so very stupid darling. Take a deep breath for me, come on now.” - The woman was watching every muscle in your face, the emotion in your face, and the position of your body, taking in every detail. The captain rose his palm up to stop any fire, being quite mesmerized by the flames slowly melting the leather coat, shining through the dark night. You were very close to losing it without knowing if Ekko survive or not.
As you wanted to look at the captain or at Ekko, Caitlyn’s grasp tightened. The woman knew Marcus is taking away the gemstone while pointing at both your hands, but honestly, she was more worried about you getting out of control. Which was a justified fear. You could hear Vi calling out Caitlyn’s name as Marcus forced the tip of his gun right into your vision, making you grunt. You didn’t want to hurt her - but you wanted to see that swine writhe on the ground, screaming with pain and fear. This man was to be boiled like a fucking crab. - “I told you to leave this alone.” - The man mumbled, looking at his squad; Caitlyn looked at him quickly before turning her attention back to you and Vi, who was sprinting towards all of you - seeing Ekko laying on the ground, your arm surrounded with green flames and all the men watching you. This was not looking too good.
When you turned your head in Vi’s direction, Marcus immediately pointed the gun at your temple, yet you couldn’t be more unbothered as you frowned, watching the sky. There was this… Mechanical flutter disturbing the silence and hundreds of green lights flying your way. - “Is that you?” - You asked the captain, turning your head so the gun was pointed at your forehead. The man straightened nervously, noticing that you didn’t give a fuck. - “Excuse me?” “I’m asking if this…” - Your finger pointed at the sky. - “Is your doing?” “No, miss, I don’t think…” “Oh, fuck.” - Before Caitlyn could catch your forearm, you started to run in the direction of the fire lights, kicking your shoes off - watching you run off, Vi clearly knew what is on your mind. But Caitlyn’s safety was more important to her at that moment. If this wasn’t your doing (which surely wasn’t) and it wasn’t their doing… It meant that there was a third party hidden somewhere. And you knew precisely who the third party was. With more anger filling you up, you jumped into the air, making the flames consume your feet and legs as you hovered around, looking for Jinx. Railing yourself up, you threw a few fireballs into the darkness, scanning the surroundings for any signs of life. That bitch was well hidden, you had to admit - and she had to admit that you were scary as fuck. For a little moment, Jinx rose her big blue eyes, seeing the butterflies reach their destination.
As all the bombs went off simultaneously, your eyes met hers for a small moment. And to your surprise, she didn’t have the eyes of a serial killer. There was something… Something warm and acknowledging in that gaze was equivalent to a smile you give to an old friend even if her actual lips didn’t move a bit. Jinx’s lips opened shortly as if she wanted to yell at you, but then she shook her head, hiding back into the shadows. You were enraged at that moment, yet you still felt that small, wondering part of you. What if Vi could be right? It was years since you have last spoken to Powder and even longer since she started shooting at you without warning. Could she still be there? Powder hiding inside that thin woman wasn’t a reason to hold back any emotion of fireballs.
The wave of air was so strong that it threw you to the ground, but you weren’t hurt. Frantically, you picked yourself up on your feet to climb up the pillar where she was hiding - yet reaching the vantage point, the girl was already gone, leaving you breathless - and it was in that moment when you saw all the destruction and only a few signs of life. Enforcers were gone; one by one detonated to shreds. A few people were trying to pick themselves up on their feet, but the number of dead people was higher than of the living. While the dust settled down, you still stood in the middle of the desolated bridge with a green fireball ready to be fired. Yet the girl who was responsible for all the chaos was nowhere to be found. As if she just disintegrated into thin air. Turning on your heels, you let the fireball fall flat on the ground. This was one of the most unpleasant views a person could see - all the Enforcers were laying on the ground, looking back at you with dead eyes - some had their limbs torn off their body, some at least visually resembled a human; gallons of blood poured all over the concrete were more than enough for you to understand that all of them were gone by that point. And it was all her doing.
Vi seemed to be fine, Caitlyn had pieces of shrapnel in her upper thigh and was bleeding quite bad, but she was alive - the injuries surely were to heal in a few weeks. Ekko was laying on the ground as you approached him, but he was fine; the iron plate in his chest just saved his damn life, making you smile with pure joy. He was safe and alive. “She’s gone!” - You cried out to inform the group, catching Vi’s attention for a second. The woman nodded back to you, putting Cait back on her feet. - “She ran away as soon as she saw me.” - You whispered to yourself, looking at your hand hardening before you put the flames out.
If there was someone to preach about all the dangers Jinx meant to everyone, it was clearly you. There were moments where you wished for nothing more than her throat being squeezed by your fingers. Many times, you muttered under your breath that Jinx would be better off if dead. Yet when your eyes met for a second and you could clearly see that she recognises you, you knew you wouldn’t be able to take her life away. Those huge blue eyes watched you with fear and a spark of… Something. It was an emotion of some kind. Sure, you’d pack a few punches, maybe knock her out in the worst-case scenario. But not in a thousand years would you be able to kill her. Catching your breath, you shook your head. You were getting nostalgic and sentimental.
Jinx surely didn’t feel the same about you as she crept behind you. For a moment, her eyes wandered around the frame of your shoulders, your arms, and the leather monstrosity you were wearing. As Jinx watched you being consumed with flames clearly looking for her, her breath hitched in her throat. It was you. The so-called Demon of the Lanes. It was you the entire time. It freaked the woman out for a second, but she managed to overcome the fear pretty quickly - you might’ve been looking for Jinx just a moment ago, but she was one step ahead; she hid behind one of the beams holding the bridge in the air and didn’t even breathe until she heard you yelling at your friends. As soon as she saw the opportunity, she caught up, showing each step you made.
Thanks to the dark of the night, none of them saw Jinx sneaking up on you. If they did, it could’ve all happened much differently. It would end up differently. Not as tragically. At the moment, the woman was right behind you with one of her palms gently risen up; as if she wanted to touch your shoulder gently just so you’d notice her… As if Jinx was building the courage to look in the eyes and to catch your attention. What was she supposed to do? She hated you to guts, she hated you for so fucking long, she wanted all of you dead, buried six feet under… But when you looked her in the eyes, there was some strange feeling of acceptance and friendly love. Just like when Vi hugged her before Firelights took her away. Should’ve she just circled her arms around your waist and hugged you? Should’ve Jinx brought you close? That surely was one of the options racing her mind. On the other hand… If she was to startle you, you were to burn her to bits. Silco wouldn’t be too happy about that.
Suddenly, everything clicked. Jinx’s breath hitched as she felt Milo reaching out for the screwdriver in the back pocket of her pants and Claggor laughing in her other ear. Her eyes widened in horror as both the boys started to talk - Jinx’s brain already made the connection even before the boys started to talk. Once more, the time slowed around as she felt her hand slowly reaching behind her waist. Jinx wanted to fight them… She didn’t want to kill you. Not now. Not when there was a slight chance of you maybe accepting her. She wanted just one last smile from you, a greeting, to hear a story, to talk to you. She didn’t want to be alone. Jinx… Jinx wanted to be loved. But her body was quicker than she ever could be.
“She’s a traitor.” - Milo mumbled to Jinx’s ear with a wicked smile. - “Just look at her. She has it written all over her damn face. What are you waiting for? Do it. It won’t take long.” “All of your friends left you, remember? No one came looking for you when you needed them all. And… Look. She took him away from you. Y/N’s with them now - with the Firelights. She would’ve spared a second before killing you.“ - Claggor joined with devilish laughter, leaning his forearm around Jinx’s shoulders. ’You’re both wrong… Wrong! Stop! Didn’t you see that look she gave me?’ - Jinx tried to oppose inside of her head, already feeling her palm grabbing the screwdriver as she pulled it out. - ’Maybe… Maybe if we’d just talk to her. To all of them.’ ”Didn’t you see how Vi hugged that other woman? She clearly replaced you, she doesn’t need you, she doesn’t wantyou. You are alone… Again.“ - Claggor mumbled in a low, mocking tone. Jinx watched her hand preparing in the air, holing on the screwdriver firmly. You had no idea. Not a clue. - "And you think the others will wantyou around after blowing everything up? Did you see how many people you killed? They think you’re a monster, that you’re beyond saving. They’ll kill you when the first opportunity comes, don’t be fucking stupid.”
“Y/N!” - Vi screamed in horror, seeing the pale arm reaching from behind your back. You stopped, but before you could locate what she was worried about, there it was - Jinx stabbed the screwdriver into your throat, making the blood pour on your chest as your mouth filled with your own blood. The young woman continued on stabbing (the first stab was the worst because your muscles, tendons, and veins were pretty firm), yet as she found her tempo, she kept on doing the same motion until you fell to the ground, holding your neck in your palm, trying to slow down the bleeding. For a moment, Jinx stared down at you with a devilish smile, scoffing, before she pulled out her gun and walked a bit back. Sure, she might’ve just relentlessly murdered you, but she wasn’t a complete monster. Ekko had every right to say his farewell before she kills him too. Honestly, no matter how loud did Vi yell at him, the man didn’t stop for the love of God. He literally collapsed on the ground next to you, putting your head on his thighs as you choked on your blood. One of your palms put pressure on your throat, the other one searched for his arm so you could hold onto it as you pass away. This was it. You could feel it. There was no coming back after this amount of stab wounds and blood loss.
“Don’t you dare do this to me, come on, girl.” - The man mumbled frantically, watching your widened eyes looking back at him in shock and terror. - “Come on, you’re strong. Just… Live. Live, for me. If you die on me, I swear I’ll find fucking way to break to time and I’ll hop back to fucking save.” “It’s… It’s you.” - Your voice was quiet and Ekko knew you were putting too much energy into talking. He tried to make you shut up, but you couldn’t be less bothered as you kept your stare glued to him. - “You… Saved me. It was always you.” - The man had little idea of what you were talking about, but he felt himself breaking down in tears as his fingers smoothed your face. His ears clung to every word you said because you seemed determined to tell him everything. The life was fading out of your eyes, skin, your body. Your heart was pumping with greater and greater trouble, it hurt and your body was starting too feel ice cold. With last grasps of breath, you looked him in the eyes, concentrating fully on what you were about to say. - “I… Love… You… Ekko…” “And I love you too, but…” - As he laughed unhappily at finally hearing these words he longed to hear all this time, the last breath left your body, leaving you starting at Ekko lifelessly. The grip on his arm loosened and when his hand reached your chest, he couldn’t feel anything. It was over.
The scream of sorrow, rage, and woe could be heard all the way in both Lanes and Piltover. Those who heard it would swear that their blood froze in their veins for a bit; there was so much emotion in a single, painful scream. Ekko was suffering and his heart was bleeding, he felt torn to shreds. Even Jinx froze as she watched the scenery. She wanted your love… Not your death. Soon, her eyes teared off as she started to bash her forehead with her palm, mumbling frantically as she argued with the voices inside her head. At that moment, Jinx hated herself. She wanted to take it all back, to jump back in time. But instead of that, she was too weak to protect you from all the trauma, anger, and rage she held within. With that, Jinx fell to her knees, watching the man still holding onto your corpse. - “What have I done?” - The woman whimpered as her face coldened again. Soon after, another scream followed. And this time, it belonged to Jinx herself.
Descripiton: A long time ago, there was a peaceful state ruling over the Lanes of Zaun. Yet one day, the protector was murdered by his rival and Lanes had gone to shit ever since, leading to the establishment of an independent Firelight base just out of Zaun. But this peace was to come to end soon with old friends coming back, rising from the dead, and getting killed.
Part summary: The boy savior left the colony to take a look at one of Silco’s zeppelin’s in Piltover’s decking station. But not only he comes back later than established, he also brings guests with him.
A/N: I spent a lof of time thinking about ma boy Ekko and I wanted to continue the series. Hope y’all doing the best you can and that y’all are staying safe. I’ve been kinda our of it in the last few weeks haha.
The promise was deeply flawed and full of unsureness as soon as Ekko let it slip past his lips. What was he even thinking to promise something like that? How exactly did he say it? “There’s anything that can go wrong?” With that, you were sitting on one of the benches next to the sewer pipe entrance, letting your ankles jolt and leg bounce as you bit the skin around your fingernails. First off, to start with, they were late. Sure, he warned you that it might take them approximately three days traveling to Piltover, to prepare the entire ambush, make sure the zeppelin goes down, and travel back to the Colony without being noticed… But five days had passed since you last seen them. Without any word, any sign. Looking at the small gold pocket watch Ekko had slipped on your night table right before he and his commando left, seeing what time it fucking was, they were already late. What could’ve happened? Did it all go wrong? Why did he make such a promise? Sure, all he was trying to do was to calm you down, but it only made you more furious with everything that happened.
It was the uncertainty that made you outraged. After another thirty minutes, you picked yourself up on your legs and started pacing around in front of the enormous pipe. With that, you started frantically mumbling to yourself as you started to come up with things you were about to fit into Ekko’s face as soon as he shows up. With that, you also started to hammer your fist down into your other palm, looking even more insane than a moment ago. It wasn’t long until one of the youngsters dared to approach you to ask you about what was going inside that head of yours. “Y/N?” - The girl mumbled silently in a low, sweet voice. She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear before making another step forward. - “Y/N!” - She exclaimed louder than before, making your head snap in her direction just so you could look at her. Seeing your eyes turn toxic green, just for a second, made her straighten up. Ria’s face got a bit paler as she smiled nervously. With that, you stopped yourself in your tracks and gave her a worried gaze.
“Sorry, I was out of it for a bit. What happened? Does anyone need my help?” - In a matter of a second, you were ready to run to anywhere in the Colony just to offer your help and services. It would’ve been a hundred times more effective than to prepare a whole fucking paragraph of anxious and infuriated speech that you were ready to spit at Ekko. Ria immediately shook her head, making you sit back on the bench. “I was just worried about you, that is.” - The girl smiled a bit, swinging on her ankles as she smiled. - “I’m sure that they’re alright, they’re all alive, breathing, and still kicking. They’re Firelights, remember? You taught all of us how to prevail and survive… And Ekko leads the parade of hotheaded, dangerous, and devious sons of snakes with all the pride and guts he has. He sure as hell will be coming back to you no matter what.” - The girl assured you with a spark in her eyes, sitting down next to you, leaning her temple into your shoulder. No matter what, you had to smirk at what Ria had said. That was right. You were all survivors. You were fucking fighters. Instead of simply growling at your enemies, you all started with biting… And you kept on kicking until the last bit of breath left your lungs. Yes, at that point, you were still worried sick about Ekko and his group, but you were a lot less furious. Dang, sometimes it was rather easy to forget how well you and all the adults raised all of the young people living in there. This had the power to make you calm down and so, so proud.
Ria was right with what she said. No way in hell they’d take Ekko himself down easily. He was capable of putting up a good fight. He was faster than them, he was more intelligent than all of them, he was… He was a Firelight. He sure as fuck was still alive and kicking. That night, it was hard to fall asleep since they failed to come back. For a long time, you were sitting at your window, looking out of it… Still hoping you’d see at least a glimpse of them. Something had to go wrong, something must’ve gotten out of hand - but you people’s trust made you serene. Maybe they were just waiting for the dust to settle down before sneaking back. They must’ve been hiding somewhere in the Lanes, waiting for the right opportunity. And damn, you’d be glad if you weren’t as close as you were with that assumption.
The next morning, you were woken up by a loud hubbub. As you put on your sweater, peaking out of your window, you could see an enormous amount of people gathering by the gates. It was hard to say who was there exactly - if it was Ekko coming back, or if it was the Enforcers finally discovering the hideout… Or even worse, if it was Silco and his people. Without a second guess, you made sure you have your hair off your face as you ran down the stairs. You ran so quick that your breath almost hitched in your throat. Barely stumbling on your feet, trying to catch your breath, you started to break through the crowd as fast as possible. Most of those who were out in the open, fighting Silco’s people and making sure that the new batch of shimmer never teacher Piltover, risking their lives for something that didn’t even have to pay off, had already gone their separate ways. They all looked tired beyond any recognition; all of them were dirty from head to toe, their faces and bodies were full of bruises, their skin was pale, some of their clothes were torn to shreds… But you still opened up your mouth as you watched Ekko talking to Jamie, a tall chunky guy, who had a…
Wait a fucking minute.
With your eyebrows raised, you watched the feminine figure draped over Jamie’s shoulder. It wasn’t a regular woman at all and that was the fact that freaked you the fuck out. It was a damn Enforcer knocked unconscious with a bag out of sackcloth over her head. Watching the scenery, you were taken back a bit when you realized that Morty, another member of Ekko’s commando, had another woman draped over his shoulder. All of the anxiety, fear, fury, and negativity were suddenly gone out of the window. Since when exactly did the Firelights start to kidnap people - and why weren’t you informed ahead of time? Sure, they might’ve been kidnapped, but their presence also meant that you had two more mouths to feed and two people to keep in absolute secrecy. Forgetting that for a short second, you slowly approached Ekko since Jamie had been given the order to throw both of your captives into a cell. You needed to catch a breath.
The good thing about Ekko was that in some instances, you didn’t have to speak for the boy to understand how you felt and what were you thinking about. Just as he turned to face you, opening his arms, you closed your eyes and let the man cradle you. The hug was tight and firm as if he couldn’t believe that you were there, alive and safe. Smiling, you gave into the touch even more. “I was worried that you… I almost… God fucking damn it. I’m so fucking happy to see you.” - It was not more than a quiet mumble said amongst all of the rumbling going on around the both of you, but it meant everything to the man. It was you. With this, the boy finally realized that after all that went down, he made it back home. Leaving a long exhale, you could feel one of his palms on the back of your head and one press flat on the small of your back as he embraced you, taking in your smell. - “What the fuck happened out there, big guy?”
At that question, Ekko straightened up once more, looking down at your face as he palmed both your jaws. This alone made you a bit worried since you two never got sentimental enough to kiss in front of other people and truth be told, you didn’t want to do that. You were still in a position of imminent danger, you couldn’t let your guard down. This wasn’t the time for feelings - this was the time to make sure you’re both in the right mindset to think critically and logically. Yet, instead of the kiss you’ve been expecting, Ekko just licked his lips, shook his head while letting his gaze wander off you, letting you go as he made sure he wipes all the sweat on his forehead. Something was wrong; something happened. Something that had the power to shake Ekko to his deepest core. With that, you couldn’t even watch him leaving you alone in front of the enormous entrance.
For the majority of that day, you did your best at occupying yourself with every possible thing you could be doing - you visited the school, then looked at all the cattle and greenhouses to make sure everything was going okay. The only issue you’ve been able to find was with the aqueduct, but that wasn’t anything that crazy - the guys were already working on fixing the piping issue. It was later in the evening when Ekko finally sorted out the thoughts inside his head enough to be able to look you in the face; the night had already come, when you sat in your room, filling out a report for the chronicle. It was exhausting, to say the least. When you got the finalized list of people who were injured or dead thanks to whatever happened out there, your heart grew heavier. With each name, you had to take a breath and close your eyes to gain the strength to continue writing. You knew all of the people since you were a small kid. You used to see each other on daily basis, you used to share jokes and storied, you spent time helping each other, you cried together, you argued… You were a family. And now, you were to never see them again.
“Hey.” - The boy mumbled after standing in the doorframe for a bit with two plates and two bottles of beer in his palms… Just as he promised. He was adhering to the bet you two made five days ago, that needed to be said. - “I’m sure you can finish that later. You need a minute off, girl.” “It’s just…” “I know, Y/N, I know.” - The boy sighed. His voice was tender and low, making you realize he understands everything you’re going through - not only did he understand, but he was also even more fucked up on the inside since he not only knew the people were dead… He most likely watched die. - “Please, come eat dinner with me.” - Ekko whispered under his breath, showing you one of the rare moments of tenderness and absolute, raw vulnerability. Not answering, you simply nodded and closed the chronicles, leaving the book on your desk.
In the loudest silence imaginable, you both sat down on the edge of the staircase, pushing your legs through the railings, letting the limbs hang and swing around. He brought you the best Colony could offer you - it was three buns, veggies, and some neatly done meat. And boy oh boy, was it delicious to chew on that since it was quite a while since you had a dish like that. “I think you’re the only one I can talk to at the moment.” - Ekko whispered, laying on his back to look at the dark, night sky. The fireflies started to surround the grand tree, the colony was slowly falling asleep, becoming dark and quiet in all the good ways. - “’Cause after that, I feel like I’ve gone crazy.” - It wasn’t a moment for you to start cracking jokes and you decided to follow that instinct. Nodding, you leaned your weight into your palm while looking at him.
“Take your time, I’m not going anywhere. Not like I didn’t do everything I could just to make myself occupied while waiting for you to come to talk to me.” - It was a quiet statement, but it made the man grin without any sign of happiness in the act. You knew him. And you knew him the best for the past 15 years. There was a certainty in your assumption - Ekko would come to talk to you no matter what. No matter how long it would take him to come to that conclusion, he’d appear on your doorstep. Without further ado, he started describing what exactly had happened. Of course, they ran into deep trouble - they ran into her, they ran into Jinx. Simply talking about her made Ekko shiver a bit; they shared a lot of history and to be frank, he remembered the days when he fell in love with her. It was not much more than a childhood love, nothing but a simple crush… But still. That was also where the first couple of people got killed and injured. A lot of their gear got blown or damaged… So they had to move on foot to make it back. Yet just as they were about to come back home, they discovered a few old, familiar faces. Against his promise, Ekko and his people decided to trail them for a bit before they used the rest of their functional gear to stop whatever was happening there. As logic dictated, you figured out that one of the people was the Enforcer lady who was unconscious in one of the cellars with her hands tied behind her back - and Jinx was also there. Did that mean that the other lady that was brought to your colony was… Her?
Bullshit, you stopped yourself in your track. Ekko, sensing that the gears inside your head started turning at the speed of light, sat back up and let you think about what he just told you.
You remembered Jinx vividly. Truth be told, it was almost four years since you’ve seen her, but this lady was well built, muscly and her skin tone was peachy. No way in hell this was the tall, skinny girl with long blue hair. Jinx was pale as a ghost, her wrist was so small that you’d be able to circle it four times with your fingers alone with just your fingers. The question remaining was…
“Who the fuck is that other person you brought with you?” - You mumbled with confusion, still trying to figure it out on your own. Whatever happened there, it could be felt from Ekko’s wording and seen in his eyes that it had emotionally moved him. He knew that person, he had an emotional connection to them and he cared. Since he didn’t tell you how long it was since he has last seen them, you had nothing to go off. You remained clueless. When the boy realized that none of this is making sense to you, he grabbed your hand and made you look into his eyes. - “Whatever I’ll say now, just remember that I haven’t gone crazy, right? I couldn’t believe it myself.” - He waited a moment, leaving you in the dark with your lips opened. - “We found Vi. I don’t know why she’s back or who’s the chick she was with, but I found her talking to Jinx. And I also found this.” - With a few fast moves, he opened a leather casing he was carrying around, letting a blue, shiny ball roll on his palm. As he talked about it, it was his typical hyper intrigued scientific mumbo jumbo, you honestly couldn’t care less. The entire time, you were looking through Ekko’s palm - until the bomb went off inside of you. From moment to moment, you picked yourself up off the wooden stairs with a muffled curse, almost losing it as you walked back into your room.
There was so… Much going on inside of you while your face remained stoic and seemingly absent. Vi. Ekko just fucking tells you he found Vi and glosses over it just to show you some Hextech thingy he found. First of all, there was denial; it couldn’t be her. Why? Because she died along Vander fifteen fucking years ago. Nobody ever found her body, or its remains, in the blew-up factory… And yet both Milo and Craglin died there in vain. It was only logical to assume that Vi was on the list of victims that were killed that day.
Then, there was this abrupt anger. You wanted to cry, scream or throw a tantrum. Instead of that, you picked up a glass and threw it against the wall as you breathed heavily, watching the pieces of glass all over your room. If she was alive, why didn’t she send you a message? Why did she just vanish into the thin air, leaving you all in deep shit? Why the fuck would Vi leave you and Ekko to ensure Colony’s existence when you were just kids? Why did you have to put your whole life forces into making this place, protecting its people, and ensuring everything worked? Where did she leave and why didn’t she come back? Now, it was too late to be sentimental with her. You were just furious as all the questions popped inside your head.
Ekko stood still in the doorframe, watching you go through the entire emotional scale in the timeframe of three minutes… It was unsettling to watch, but he understood why you needed to go through that. At first, he also felt abandoned and betrayed. Yet through their journey back, Ekko decided it might be in their best interest to talk it all out - he honestly needed Vi to explain herself, to tell him what happened and how it happened. He needed to hear where she went and why, in the name of God, didn’t she come back home to you. With a long exhale, you leaned your palms into the desk of your table, still huffing a bit as you tried to keep your temper under control for at least a moment longer. As you closed your eyes, you could feel it all; your heartbeat rising rapidly, the blood boiling in your veins, and your teeth clutching firmly. It was when Ekko saw the first bright green sparkle when he decided to put his hands on your shoulder, massaging the muscles rather delicately. This was his way of calming you down, switching between your right and left shoulder.
“This shit ain’t gonna solve anything, girl.” - The man mumbled with his lips close to your ear, leaning his head into the nape of your neck right after. - “I know whatcha feeling cause I’ve been there too. We need to hear what happened to her - hear it from her. If she won’t have any explanation or gives you a bitch ass excuse, you can blow her up, hm?” It was a joke, obviously, and it did make you grin bitterly. Leaning the back of your head into his forehead, you didn’t do much more than a chuckle. - “You wouldn’t let me do that. No matter how much you wanna make me believe that you’re a super tough guy, you’re more emotional than what you’re trying to sound like at the moment.” “I know I wouldn’t.” - Ekko mumbled, kissing a spot between your shoulders blades so tenderly that you didn’t even chance to feel it. It was for the better - you still weren’t ready to commit to whatever chemistry you had to go on and it make Ekko feel as close to you as he always wanted. That boy savior was actually madly in love with you, but he was fully realizing that there’s no space for this sort of attachment at the time of speaking; which didn’t translate to Ekko not wanting to do all of it… With you. He just had to wait. - “I know I fucking wouldn’t.”
The night went by quickly. The air was heavy and damp, but that was to be expected on a summer night. In fact, it was rather lovely sitting there in nothing but a sweater and shorts, letting your hair fall on your shoulders. No matter how hard you tried to fall asleep, no matter how tired you actually were, you still ended up sitting in front of your opened window with your ankles leaned into it. The whole time, you kept on biting your lips, lost inside your head. Throughout the entire night, you barely moved an inch; you just played with the hem of your sweatshirt with your lips pressed together, watching the fireflies flying through the dark. There was something serene about the silence, something comforting; something so fundamental that it made you vulnerable to all kinds of emotions and thoughts. By the end of the night, there was a moment when you accepted Vi as something entirely else than the strong girl who always protected you when you were just a kid… You accepted Vi as a human being in the forefront because that’s who she was, to begin with. Sometimes, you had to step back from all the opinions you had.
This whole trope that you’ve given to Vi was rooted deep inside your brain from the first moment you opened your eyes after being brought to Vander’s. You were nothing more than a small, malnourished, bruised up, and bloodied up girl with fear written all over her face and eyes… And there she was. She has been the first person you’ve seen there, she even outran Vander in this regard. Vi held a wet cloth in her fingers while delicately wiping the dirt and remnants of blood off your face. It struck you immediately; fuck, you’ve been nothing more than a kid shitting their pants, but you still saw it - the warmth, strength, and love in those big blue eyes. And just a second later, Vi reflected all of this in a smile as she smoothed your cheek. - “You’ve finally woken up, duckling. We’ve been kinda worried about ya.” - With that, the girl offered you her hand, wanting to shake yours. And all you did was stare at it. Seeing your eyes popping out of your eyelids, she chuckled and positioned your palm to shake hers. - “I’m Vi. It’s really nice to meet ya.” This was when the girl spotted all the vulnerability and panic for the first time - or at least vividly. Immediately, Vi started to back out. Her (already impressive) frame started to leave your personal zone, her fingers simply smoothed your knuckles before she let them go. Once more, she put the cloth back into the cold liquid and started to wipe the rest of the dirt off your skin. - “If you don’t wanna talk duckling, that’s cool. I don’t mind. Just remember that you can have all the time in the world, alright? When you’re ready, you’ll run that mouth of yours on your own terms and conditions. Hold still for a moment, I’ll take you to have something to eat… Vander had prepared something special for you.” This was the moment when your opinion of Vi started to form inside your brain. The girl herself didn’t have to do much - it was the aura she radiated that made them form it. All the kids adored Vi based on the way she spoke and validated them. She taught all of you how to be strong and how to take care of yourself. Going back to this time in your life, she might’ve been one of the sole reasons you weren’t murdered during the purge Lanes the night Vander died. Just because made each one of you a fighter.
As the night went by and you sat in front of the window, watching the forming sunset, you started to realise something. You still had a long way to go until realising that Vi, indeed, is just a normal human being. Now, you had to slowly and delicately reconstruct the idol you’ve made out of her. You still felt left behind, disappointed, and abandoned… But the foundation was there. To explain it, at least poorly… Vi was the things she made you feel - her confidence made you strong, her warm hugs made you feel like she can solve any problem coming your way, loved, and to have a sense of belonging. But Vi herself never said she was any of it. She never said she’s a protector, she never said she’s invincible and that she can outsmart anyone… Your brain automatically gave her all of these traits, crowning them all with the most recent one - a traitor.
Truth be told, and there was nothing more you hated about this, you haven’t been there the day Vander died. You and Ekko got trapped in the Lanes as the panic and chaos arose and neither of you knew what exactly happened in there - the only conclusive story could be told by Silco. All you’ve seen was all of your friends dead, families and lives ruined, houses burnt to the ground, Vander killed, Jinx holding Silco’s palm in hers and Vi… Vi was missing. Well, now you knew she was missing - at the time of speaking, she was dead to you. Don’t having a body didn’t stop anyone from mourning. And now… She was back. Immediately, your mind made a connection - based on all the traits your brain has given Vi, you assumed that everything was fake… And that she was a traitor. And frankly, none of that was her mistake directly. It was your wrongdoing for expecting Vi to be something she was not. Because she, in the end, was just a human being. Just like you, just like Ekko, Jinx, Vander… None of you was perfect. And therefore, perfection couldn’t be expected.
“You didn’t sleep, did you?” - It was Anna, sitting on the other side of the table, looking right back at you. To be candid, you were out of it for a long time, nibbling on mashed eggs on your plate. Smiling at her with sadness in your eyes, she didn’t even have to hear the answer. You looked exhausted and really, no surprise there. - “Ekko says he wants to interrogate both of them soon. Heard him talking about it just a couple minutes back… Right before I came in. I think you should be there.” With a grin, the girl tugged on your plate of eggs since it wasn’t usual for someone to have eggs for breakfast. On the other hand, the cooks liked to spoil you a bit, so it was very smart of you to finish your breakfast when you weren’t hungry in the first place. With a teasing grin, you put one last spoon of eggs inside your mouth before pushing the plate closer to Anna, leaving the table. It wasn’t exactly hard to find the man you were looking for - he was standing in front of the basement unit where the two people had been imprisoned. Both of them had been handcuffed, from what you were able to understand, and left without any food or water to make them more… Inclined to talk to you. There was a feeling inside your chest; you basically knew that Vi is one tough but to crack - a one that could break Ekko’s nutcracker to be precise. This could turn out either way, but you were positive about Ekko making the right call.
“Hey.” - Sighing, you joined the group waiting outside of the unit just as they talked about all the scenarios. Ekko glossed over your face, seeing the look of it - deciphering it immediately. All the questions you had for Vi could be answered in just a few seconds. But letting you in there would be unwise to say the best. She was strong, but when you got mad, you were three times stronger. Either way, your outburst wouldn’t end up well for Vi or the Piltoverian lady. - “Can I help with anything? I dunno, the questioning, bad cop good cop game or…” “No!” - Ekko exclaimed almost immediately. The reaction surprised you a bit, making you raise your eyebrows as you watched him in astonishment. It was rare for Ekko to raise his voice, especially around you. - “I’m sorry for being like that, this whole deal is stressing me out. Listen…” - With that, Ekko licked his lips and put his hand on your shoulder, leading you away from the crowd. - “I don’t think you should be here when we talk to her. It won’t be easy for either of us but of all people here, I especially don’t want you to go through it alright?” - Maybe if you weren’t exhausted to death almost, you would’ve heard the emotion behind what Ekko just said… Yet instead of being flattered, you simply asked… “Are you trying to tell me that I’m oversensitive? Is it because I’m not a part of your super cool commando? Because you don’t think I don’t have the balls to look her in the face?”
“I… Y/N, I’ve never said that. And I don’t think any of that about you.” - The man chuckled coldly, rolling his eyes all over the place. - “I’m saying that your reaction is literally unpredictable. I trust you with my life and you know that. But now is not that time. Just stay put before I figure it out with her, alright?” - For a moment, you still stared at his expression before you nodded. He was right in the end. You could literally blow everyone in the room up. With that, Ekko caught both of your shoulders to his palms, holding them firmly as he watched your face. - “Let me handle this. I won’t let you down.” After this, Ekko smiled a bit, bumped your chin with one of his fingers, and left you standing there. Soon, most of the people left the site as Scar led Vi out of the basement, holding a bag over her head, leaning her forward firmly. This position sure as hell had to hurt. After that, Ekko put his mask on and entered the small, dark space, closing the door behind them.
It was hard to assume the length of their conversation - you were sitting outside the whole time, your elbows leaning into your knees as you listened to both voices engaging in a conversation. In the beginning, it almost sounded like it was a begging of a lengthy argument… Yet both voices calmed down rather quickly. As soon as there was no sound coming out of the room, you were standing on your feet, ready to march right in. And that was why you jumped as the door opened, Scar watching you for a bit before he left the doorframe. Ekko and Vi were sitting on the ground, talking quietly. Vi noticed the shadow of another person creeping into the doorframe as the person watched them talking, but she didn’t fucking care. It was Ekko, the Little man, sitting right beside her, telling her everything that happened. Honestly, she wasn’t too far away from crying; she was really fucking happy at that moment. But Ekko looked at the person - and Vi understood in an instant.
His expression softened as soon as he laid his eyes on the person, there was this raw and adoring sparkle appearing in the gaze and warmth in the way he smiled at the incoming person. And Vi did her best to smile at them as well - yet as soon as she landed her eyes on you, the woman in the doorframe, her mouth opened and her eyes teared up as she watched you. It was at that moment that the Firelight colony started to feel like a real home to her.
