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Chapter Text

Powder and Ekko are eleven when everything changes.

The last time they see each other, Ekko has the worst expression she has ever seen, filled with pain, grief, and a fear that makes her blood run cold. She was never good at comforting others, and Ekko was usually the one comforting her. The last thing she remembers from that time is Ekko bawling his eyes out and talking about a monster that killed Benzo.

Jinx and Ekko are fifteen when Ekko tries to save Jinx from Silco, according to him.

She had just finished messing up one of the Firelight's lame attempts at destroying one of Silco's shipments when she was swooped from the alleyways of Zaun into the night. She fights, scratches, and bites the person, but the hold she is in is deadly tight. They make it onto the roof, and before Jinx can pounce on the attacker, he takes off his mask, and Jinx stops in her tracks.

Ekko is panting, his eyes wild, and holding the most depressing facial expression she has seen since the last time they saw each other. It occurs to her that this time, his expression is the consequence of the destruction and chaos she has caused. She takes the gun out of its holster in a second, but he has his hands raised. She doesn't remember much about it. He says something about coming back for her, that he couldn't leave her behind. She makes a snarky comment, letting him know she doesn't need saving. He was always trying to be a hero, the boy savior. They fight, as usual, and Jinx reports back to Silco that her operation was successful. She doesn't tell him that Ekko is the leader of the Firelights or that she put a new explosive in Sevika's arm just for funsies. She goes back to her hideout and plays loud music while she tinkers. If tears mix with oil, it is just for her to know.

Jinx and Ekko are eighteen when things start changing for the better.

She parades through the streets of Zaun with her hoodie up, making sure that nobody recognizes her. She has blown up one of Smeech's warehouses because she is in a bad mood, and Smeech is an easy target. Rain pitter-patters in the rocky asphalt, her boots splashing every time she steps on a puddle. Under her jacket, she picks at the corners of her nails, knowing damn well that she has been drawing blood for the past hour. She can't stop doing so, however, for the voices will turn louder if she stops.

It was a day like no other until Silco pulled her into his office to tell her that Vi was not dead, but, in fact, imprisoned in Stillwater. She is very proud of herself for not putting a bullet through his head or retching all the (minimal) contents of her stomach. Silco had been talking to Vander recently, something that Jinx never thought would happen again after Vander was able to recover from the explosion that fateful night. She suggested to Silco that he could tell Vander it was he who dropped his almost-certainly dead body into Singed's lab, but Silco always dismissed her, saying it wouldn't change a thing.

What a damn liar he was.

He made her promise she wouldn't go directly to Stillwater and try to break Vi out. For good measure, he took all of her guns, bombs, and gadgets and told her to blow off the steam somewhere else. That when she was ready to talk like adults, she could come back to him. That pissed her off, so she bolted out of there as quicly as possible. He might have taken all of her weapons at home, but he didn't seem aware of the ones she had stashed around the city, hence why a warehouse was burning a couple of blocks away from the alleyways she had taken.

She huffs heavily, wrapping herself in her arms. It is getting colder than usual, and the rain is not doing her any favors. She doesn't want to go back home, though, not when her sister, the person she loves the most in the world, was in a jail cell. Jinx was able to put two and two together, and knowing Vi's self-sacrificing nature, it was probably her decision to turn herself in after the explosion. Once she gets Vi out of Stillwater, she is going to beat her ass so bad that she will think twice before doing something stupid like that.

That is, if she still wants to be your sister.

She drags her nails over her ears, trying to silence Mylo. Claggor hums in agreement, and she presses the palms of her hands to her eyes. Shut up! She thinks, hitting her head a couple of times. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. That is the wrong move, because she can now see the silhouettes of her dead brothers mocking her, taunting her to try and prove them wrong. She growls and pushes forward, starting to run down the path to nowhere.

She doesn't run very far, however, when someone comes crashing against her. She falls to the ground with a loud OOF, and the air is knocked out of her. She doesn't give herself time to recover before she is up, glaring at the figure that had crashed into her, still kneeling on the ground.

"What the fuck?"

She is ready to swear and curse at the person in front of her when enforcers catch sight of them. Suddenly, the figure takes her wrist and drags her even deeper into the fissures. She tries to pull away, but then she sees the green jacket, the white locks, and the distinct owl mask at his side. She matches his pace and pulls him around the corners until they know they have lost the enforcers. By the time they reach the end of the street, Jinx recognizes the way to her hideout. She considers leaving Ekko to his own devices, but then he turns to her, and she stops dead in her tracks.

He looks different than the last time they saw each other. He is leaner, with more muscle than before, his face wrinkled with wisdom and bags under his eyes. He has a hand pressed against his left side, and as the rain drips down his leg, she can see the blood trickling alongside it. She doesn't think much about it before she leads him to her hideout. She will need to move her stuff at some point to make sure he can't find her again.

Once inside, Jinx stops him before moving forward. She does have a sense of self-preservation, after all.

"If I help you," she starts, "you have to promise you won't tell anyone about this place."

Ekko nods, the white paint running down his face. He seems tired, ready to pass out the moment he touches the ground. Jinx takes that as enough confirmation and pulls him to her workstation. With difficulty, she has him brush his jacket and shirt off so that she can help him clean his wound and wrap it.

"I can do it," he says weakly. Jinx scoffs.

"Sure, and then you'll bleed out on my lair. I guess I can have more dead bodies stacked in here," she says, arms wrapped above her chest and an eyebrow raised. He shakes his head, but passes the cloth with water to Jinx silently.

She might not have the best relationship with Ekko right now, and maybe she is not in her right mind after learning that her sister is alive, but she tries not to linger on how meticulously she cleans and bandages Ekko's wound. She doesn't linger on the warmth beneath her fingers, the pulse of Ekko's beating heart, just as fast as her own. She tries not to linger on the facts that in just a day, almost everyone she has previously hurt has come back to haunt her in one way or another.

"Thanks," Ekko mutters, sitting on the floor. She mirrors him and balances her chin on the top of her hand.

"Now you owe me, smart boy," she says, looking at her nails. They are as damaged as she expected them to be. "What did the enforcers want with you anyway? Aren't you all about abiding by the law and being good?"

Ekko chuckles softly.

"One thing is being good, and another thing is following Piltie pigs' rules." He considers her question for a minute. "They were taking people from the streets, presumably due to bad behavior, but I saw them throw the first punch."

"Always saving the day, aren't you?" Jinx says, amused.

She dares to look at him and gets caught in his eyes. He stares at her, but not menacingly like everyone else does; no, Ekko doesn't look at her like the loose cannon she is. He always looks at her with sorrow in his eyes, a softness that Jinx knows she doesn't deserve. She holds his gaze, scanning for any mockery or hostility, but she finds none. She sighs and gets up.

"You need to rest, Little Man," she says, opening one of the boxes next to her work station. She gets blankets and some old clothes she kept for memory's sake. "This might not fit you, but that's not my problem. You can sleep over there," she says, pointing toward the fort of blankets and pillows she has built for herself. "Dry yourself with this," she says as she hands him a towel.

"What about-?" Ekko starts, but Jinx holds up her hand.

"I'm not tired. You have to rest." He looks at her apprehensively, but he takes the clothes and the towel. "I swear I won't kill you in your sleep, pinky promise," she says, holding her hands up in mock surrender. This brings a small smile to his lip,s and Jinx has to pray to every version of Janna to push down the flutter in her stomach.

"Thank you, Pow-"

"It's Jinx," she says curtly before walking to her workstation. She needs to build something, feel the scrap in her hands, before she blows up and something bad happens. Curiously enough, the voices are silent; they have been ever since they arrived at her hideout. She tries not to think about it too much before she goes to the other side of her hideout to change out of her wet clothes and go to her workstation, tinkering with a bomb. She hears rustling in the fort, and soon enough, she feels more than hears Ekko's soft snores. She is used to being alone, so any new sound is evident to her. She shakes her head and continues to tinker with the bomb in her hand.

She doesn't notice when she falls asleep, but by the time she wakes up, she has a blanket wrapped around her, and Ekko is nowhere to be seen.

There is a piece of paper on her bed, and when she reads the words, she fights herself between ripping it to shreds or hiding it somewhere where nobody would be able to find it. That night, she screams into her pillow until her throat is raw. She tries to drown the voices of Mylo and Claggor making fun of her, of the little crush she always had on Ekko, fn the stupidity of thinking that Vi will come back to her as if nothing ever happened, of the hope that Silco and Vander can patch things up so that she doesn't need to continue killing, hurting, or ripping people apart. This time her tears mix with the fear that things will continue to get worse and worse and worse, but again, it is just for her to know.

****

A few weeks after saving Ekko from the enforcers and a few days after fighting with Silco over how to get Vi out of Stillwater, Jinx is tinkering angrily when a noise catches her off guard. She lifts her gun as quickly as possible and stares at Ekko, hands raised in the air, his hoverboard on the ground, and a sheepish expression. She is not in the mood and considers shooting at the ground where he stands, but he talks first.

"It's just me," he says, scratching the back of his neck. Jinx doesn't lower her gun, opting to glare at him. They stay like that for a few minutes before she lowers the gun and crosses her arms above her chest.

"What do you want, Ekko?" She asks, turning back to her workstation to continue tinkering.

"Can't I come see an old friend?"

"We are not friends."

He chuckles, getting close to her and sitting a few feet away from her.

"Says the one who saved me the other night."

They sit there, the only noise being the clash of metal against metal. She has a rough sketch of what the weapon should look like, but her calculations continue to be off. She had opted to complete the outer shell before messing with the chemicals. Ekko inspects the invention, and then his eyes roam over Jinx's calculations. His eyes narrow, and he places his hand on his chin. Jinx is transported back to the time they were eleven, and he would have the same expression every time he came up with a prank. At the time, Jinx would be elated when he was in such focus, because it meant that Mylo would suffer for the next week after.

"Your balances are off," he says, bringing her out of her thoughts. He gets closer and uses the pencil on the floor to fix the equation. "I think this will work."

She looks at him with confusion, but it dissipates the moment he meets her eyes. Jinx has always tried not to lie to herself, even when she knew since she was ten that she had a crush on Ekko. She would never confess to it, but the way Ekko looked now, with the weight of the years on his shoulders and the fullness of his demeanor, brings up things she thought she had buried a long time ago. And she is angry. She wants to lash out and scream or blow things up, but Ekko's presence was always her buffer. He looks at her with a vulnerability that disarms even the toughest fury she holds in her heart.

She doesn't know how it happens, but before she can speak, Ekko is pressing his lips against hers, tentatively. His eyes are hooded, but she can see the hesitation in his eyes when she doesn't reciprocate right away. It is just a peck on the lips, but the voices go deadly silent. She stares at him as he blabbers, holding up his hands as if he were caught in the middle of doing something forbidden, which, fair.

"I'm so sorry, I... I don't know what-" he starts, but she pushes him to the ground, shushing him up.

"Shut up," she says, taking the front of his shirt and pulling him close, so close she can feel his breath atop of her lips. "Do it again."

Jinx is angry. So angry at everything. At the pain she has caused and suffered. At the things she knows she can't control but wishes she could. At the people who have betrayed her and hurt her to the point of changing her entire identity. But here, in Ekko's arms, his soft lips tracing her skin like worship, she feels a sense of peace. She doesn't feel the need to think or push the voices away when she leads Ekko to her fort, grateful for the softness of the blankets and pillows. She doesn't need to say anything, because even after all these years, Ekko knows exactly what she needs and how to give it to her.

Jinx and Ekko are eighteen when Jinx's life changes once again. She doesn't know it yet, but the tenderness, the vulnerability, and the warmth they share with each other, Jinx's name on Ekko's lips like a prayer, and Jinx's whimpers like all the unsaid truths she's wanted to tell him, will bring a new chapter to her life. She doesn't think about it at the time, though, engulfing herself in the love and chaos Jinx and Ekko create together.

In two months, Jinx will disappear from the streets of Zaun, leaving not only Ekko, but Silco and Vander confused and worried for her safety. In a year, she will reconnect with the sister she always thought was dead, the sister who gave her the name she wears now. In three years, she will meet Ekko again, uncertain of what the future holds, but ready to face it because she is no longer living for herself. She now has the most beautiful gift she could ever ask for.

Chapter Text

In the sunlit ground, Isha scrambles one last screw into her previous project before inspecting it with the most serious face she's ever mustered. Or at least, that's what she thinks; she's just imitating what Mama does every time she tinkers and focuses on metal scraps, making sure they fit seamlessly. Once she feels satisfied enough, she picks up the heavy thing and walks towards a grassy field under the tree. Mama likes it the most when the sun is out and the breeze is cold. The flowers bloom all around, painting the place in colors Isha never thought she would see in her life. The tree provides shade, which is where Mama and Ekko like to work the most during days like this one.

Isha places the invention in front of Ekko, who is tampering with his own project. He takes off the safety goggles that make him look like a bug. Mama always makes fun of him when he brands them, saying they never used any of that when they were kids. However, Ekko annoyed Mama enough to the point where now Isha and Mama have their own goggles. Isha secretly likes having them. They match with those of Mama and Ekko, and it makes it feel like they are a real family. She frowns for a moment.

When going to her remedial classes in the Firelight sanctuary, she is able to learn a lot of new things and interact with new people. The problem is that not all of these new people are nice. She had gotten in trouble plenty of times, every time she fought with one of the kids who said unkind things to her or about Mama. Ekko had talked to her, always the voice of reason, and told her to come to him if they continued to bother her. Mama just shrugged and said Isha wasn't wrong in punching them in the face. Some kids need to be put in their place sometimes, she said with a furtive smirk. Ekko just shook his head, muttering something like Why do I bother? which seemed to be his favorite catchphrase. Mama made Isha promise that she would tell either of them if the kids continued bothering her.

They were not bothering her, per se, but something one of them said to her has kept her up well after Mama told her stories to sleep. You're not a real family, she hears, her frown deepening. A real family lives together. And your parents kiss. And you celebrate birthdays once, not twice. Isha doesn't see a problem with living with Mama. She loves their small house in the outskirts of the Fissures, close to the bridge. She gets to see fireworks when there is a celebration, and it makes it easier to visit Aunty Vi and Aunty Cait. She also doesn't have a problem staying with Ekko now and then, in his fancy apartment close to the edges of Piltover. It is nice and clean, and Ekko lets her tinker with any material that crosses her path. They usually don't sleep there, though. When it's late enough, Ekko carries her on his hoverboard, and they sleep in a room he has at the bottom of the tree in the Firelight's sanctuary. She loves the sounds of bugs and the leaves in the breeze, those nights.

She also doesn't see why parents have to kiss all the time. Isha has seen Mama and Ekko kiss three times, two of those times with them being all flustered and red from the liquid they don't allow Isha to drink. She always covered her eyes because ew, and it is none of her business. The third time happened after one of Mama's episodes, and they didn't know Isha was at the door. This was the only time she didn't cover her eyes. After they shared the kiss, Mama seemed to relax, her eyes soft and tender as she looked back at Ekko. She looked happy enough, so Isha was happy too. They don't need to kiss to make each other smile or laugh. They do that plenty when the three of them are together.

And what is wrong with having two birthdays? Isn't that double the fun? Isha was left confused on that one. She celebrates her birthday with Mama, doing everything Isha wanted to do. They would eat to their heart's content, they would redecorate her room with new doodles and drawings, they would hold bug fights, and annoy Aunty Sevika to no end. The weekend after her birthday, Ekko celebrates with Isha by taking her to the coast, teaching her how to swim, jump from cliffs that Mama thinks are too dangerous sometimes, eat all the fish she desires, and eat cake that Ekko sneaks from Piltover. They are her two favorite traditions in the world, so for the life of her, she doesn't understand why that wouldn't make them a real family.

However, it was something that kept popping up on her mind. She doesn't like it one bit, but it doesn't bother her enough to tell Mama or Ekko, or to throw another punch at the kid. She usually shrugs it off, trying to busy herself with something to do, like adjusting her own hoverboard.

Pushing the safety goggles aside, he inspects the hoverboard with calm curiosity, turning it around carefully, and smiling at the doodles Isha had done on the surface. After a few minutes, he nods his head and smiles with mischief.

"Alright, bug. Ready to take it for a spin?"

Mama takes her eyes off her own metal scrap, her goggles at the top of her head. She looks pretty under the sun, Isha thinks, with her purple pants, her black top, and the short hair she cut a few weeks ago. Mama said she wanted a new look and chopped her hair to her ears, but now they were all the way to her shoulders. Isha misses the braids, but she loves how the bangs frame Mama's face. She is the most beautiful woman in the world. Mama dusts her pants off after putting her invention away and getting up. She holds Ekko's jacket across her shoulders, insisting that she doesn't need it, but not giving it back until they make their way to leave. She walks over them and bends, looking at the hoverboard with a hand on her chin, laser-focused.

"Speed?" She says, and Ekko nods.

"Adjusted," he answers. Isha frowns. She didn't know her hoverboard would have a different speed than theirs. That was not part of their deal!

"Safety measures?" Mama continues.

"Up to date and checked twice."

I want fast, Isha reproaches, but Mama just shakes her head, adjusting the straps of fabric that hold the knee-pads and elbow-pads. She straps the helmet they both designed tightly on Isha's head and smiled at her.

"Not yet, trouble."

Isha pouts, crossing her arms. She was promised she could learn how to use her hoverboard if she helped them work on it. They never said anything about adjusting her speed. How is she supposed to gloat afterwards if she goes super slow? Slower than Aunty Vi, who already goes really slow when she has to travel in her hoverboard?

Ekko brings her out of her thoughts by placing her hoverboard at her feet, parallel to his. He still has his smile as he makes sure his knee pads are in place. Isha wants to complain that Ekko doesn't wear a helmet or elbow pads most of the time, but Mama said safety is non-negotiable.

"Okay, Isha, hold your hands out for me," he says, and she does. He takes her hands in his, and her lips quirk at the difference. She loves holding hands with Ekko. "Now, step on the hoverboard one foot at a time. You want to put your left leg first at the end of the hoverboard, here," he says, showing her where to put her foot, "and then your right foot goes here. You use this foot to control the speed, alright?"

Fast? She signs, and he chuckles.

"Not yet, baby. Let's get on the hoverboard first."

After they have situated themselves, each on their own hoverboard and Ekko never letting go of her hands, he explains how to adjust speed, what her stance needs to look like, and how she should take curves. Isha nods along, eager to get off the ground. He turns both of their hoverboards on, and with a swift move, they both go up a few feet. She squeals in delight, not thinking about the speed anymore.

Ekko explains how to balance herself on the hoverboard, never dropping her hands from his. They go from one end to another in a straight line, so Isha gets comfortable using both feet as her main support. He even speeds up a little, showing her how to crouch and evade things thrown at you. She laughs loudly as Ekko makes dumb sounds as he dodges and moves. Mama looks at them from below with a lazy smile, resting on the floor with both hands on the ground and her legs crossed.

"Alright, squirt," Ekko says. "I think you're ready to try on your own. What do you think?"

She nods impatiently, ready to let go of his hands, but he holds them steady. He glances down at Mama, who is trying to keep the sunrays away from her eyes. After a few moments of silence, she nods with a smile on her face. Ekko returns his face to Isha, and he slowly, painstakingly so, lets go of Isha's hands. She takes a moment to rebalance, but she feels ready. Noticing her excitement, Ekko chuckles.

"Start slow; you are going to go around the tree two times. See how it feels on the first round, and when you feel comfortable, you can speed up a little bit."

Isha nods and presses the lever slightly so that she can start moving. It is harder to do it without Ekko's presence next to her, but she is a fast learner. By the time she reaches the tree, she starts to turn, but loses her balance. She doesn't give up, though, and straightens herself with the help of the big trunk as she slowly goes around. When she merges on the other side, she gives Ekko and Mama a thumbs up, which makes them clap. She removes her hand from the trunk and experiments, turning again without the support. She manages, which gives her a spark of confidence. She pushes the lever for the board to go faster.

She yells in excitement because, although not as fast as Ekko's or Mama's, it is faster than Aunty Vi's. She goes back to the tree, sure that she will be able to take the turn this time. She crouches slightly, positioning herself to shift her balance. She almost made it, but she didn't account for how high she was taking the turn. Suddenly, a branch appears in her vision, and before she can swerve, she loses balance, one foot disconnecting from her shoe and the other one following suit. She screams in fear now, free-falling.

With a big OOF, she stops falling and she holds on for dear life until her feet touch the ground. Isha is in Mama's lap as she shushes her sobs, running a hand up and down her back, and pushing her short bangs away from her face. Mama sits on Ekko's hoverboard, and Ekko crouches to make sure Isha has no scrapes on her legs or arms. They had sensed Isha's wrong turn and made their way to catch her before anything bad happened.

Isha rubs her eyes, a pout on her face. She really thought she had it. She felt alright, and she knew her balance wasn't wrong, so why would she fail? This brings more tears to her eyes, now of disappointment and embarrassment. Mama and Ekko were so cool when they used their hoverboards, but Isha has failed miserably. She is not as good as them, and maybe she will never be.

Maybe we are not a real family because of me, she thinks, and starts crying violently. She shakes in Mama's arms, who comforts her and hugs her as tightly as she can.

"It's alright, my little scrap," Mama says. "This is why we don't do fast on our first try."

She runs her hand atop Isha's hair and hums quietly.

"There's nothing you need to be scared of," Mama says, kissing the top of Isha's head.

She buries herself closer to her and holds out a hand blindly, looking for Ekko. He huffs and takes her hand, running his thumb over it. Isha is not scared of falling. She did scream when it happened, but it was just the fright of falling. She is more scared of what she thinks. Is Mama secretly mad at her? Will Ekko let her try again? What happens if she can't do it? If she can't be like them? Will they love her less because of it?

She continues to sob silently in Mama's arms. Ekko rubs her back and squeezes her hand.

"What's wrong, bug?" He asks softly. He is always good at sensing that something is wrong. "Were you really scared?"

Isha shakes her hand frantically.

"Then what is it?" Mama asks, lifting Isha's head with her fingers. Mama and Ekko are next to each other, holding Isha like she could break at any moment. Isha pouts. She doesn't like it when they look at her that way, with eyes filled with concern and fear that something is wrong with her. There is nothing wrong with Isha. There is nothing wrong with-

You not being a real family?

She freezes for a second before she shakes her head again. She has never heard that voice before, but she doesn't like it. It's not Mama's voice, or Ekko's voice, or even Grandpa Silco's voice, who chastises her the most when she gets up to mischief. She takes a shuddering breath and rubs at her eyes again.

It's nothing, she signs, her hands trembling slightly. Mama and Ekko share a look, but they don't press. Mama presses Isha against her chest and hugs her tightly. Isha returns the hug, her mind running a mile per minute.

Maybe the voice in her mind is right. Maybe what the kids had said had gotten to her, and it was making her feel sad. She doesn't like feeling sad, however, and Aunty Vi has always told her that if there is a problem, then all you need to do is fix it. The gears in her head start to turn as Ekko removes the hoverboards away from them, and Mama takes off her knee and elbow pads. Isha just has to fix it. She glances at Mama and Ekko, who are talking to each other in low voices.

Yes! Isha fixes everything, from the projector screen that has given Mama such a headache, to the fountain pen Ekko likes using when he works on his equations. She will not be a failure, not like this time, falling from her hoverboard. She will show the kids at the sanctuary that they are a real family, and she will do it amazingly.

On their way to get some ice cream after the events of the day, Isha forms a plan. She has made a list of things she needs to complete to show others that they are a real family. She smiles suspiciously, something that Ekko comments on, but doesn't pry. She smiles as she holds both of their hands, swaying swiftly as they make their way to the ice cream stand near their house. She smiles like she knows something no one else in the world knows, and it is a fact, the wrinkled piece of paper condensing her master plan in different numbers.

She thinks and thinks, lapping at the ice cream absentmindedly and relishing the sugar rush that it brings. After a while, though, she grows tired, and Ekko drops them off at their house. Yes, she thinks. She will make it so that everyone knows how much of a real family they are. Once in her room, she takes the piece of paper and scribbles something quickly before placing the paper under her pillow. She goes to sleep with plans in her mind, the words she will use, and comes up with all sorts of scenarios. After all, the ones who need to realize first that they are a real family are Mama and Ekko.

Under Isha's sleeping figure, buried in the covers and the pillow, is a piece of paper with three things. In bold colors, the first one has been underlined.

1. Live in the same house
2. Make Mama and Ekko kiss like parents do
3. Celebrate birthdays together

Chapter Text

At the dawn of spring, Isha and Mama stare at each other with arms crossed above their chest. Mama looks at Isha with a frown on her face, probably confused by Isha's request, but hiding it behind stubbornness. Isha has her chin lifted with a scowl on her face. She planted herself before Mama before she could kick Ekko out of the small house and made her request in front of both of them. The stare off intensifies after Isha huffs stubbornly and Mama groans in annoyance.

"Isha, why would Ekko come with us? It's literally a week for just the two of us!" Mama exclaims, throwing her hands in the air and then pinching the bridge of her nose. Isha shrugs.

Ekko comes too; she signs decisively.

Isha and Mama go to Mama's hideout once a month when she is not feeling well to watch bug fights, draw and doodle around the place, and eat all the sweets they can. Mama doesn't like moving much during this week, so they spend most of their time inside the pillow and blanket fort. Isha loves this week and waits for it eagerly every month, even though Mama gets snappy every now and then. Isha also knows that this is the perfect chance to live like a family. It is not a house, but Mama's hideout is special. Isha was born in the hideout, and she spent her first year of life coming in and out of it. Isha gave Mama a scare when she took her first steps really close to the precipice, so now it has a railing that they decorated with vines. It is a special place, and Isha wants to share it with Ekko.

"Maybe I should go...?" Ekko asks hesitantly, looking between the two of them. He looks sheepish in Isha's eyes, but she doesn't catch the mirth mixed in his expression.

"Stay," says Mama, and Isha signs at the same time Don't go.

He gives a tight nod and drops lower in the comfort of the raggedy couch in the middle of the living room.

"I don't understand why you want to bring him now," Mama says, pointing at Ekko. "He is so boring! He won't let us do half the things we always do!"

"Hey!" Ekko says indignantly, frowning. "I am fun when I want to."

Isha nods, signing in agreement He is. This elicits another groan from Mama.

"Stop meddling, space boy, or you will have a shaved head in the morning." Isha giggles and then stops herself. She needs to stand her ground, not laugh at the image of bald Ekko! She needs to be strong.

He comes, Isha signs, and Mama rolls her eyes.

"He does not."

He does, she signs, exasperated.

"He does not!"

Won't bring cake to you, Isha signs, clasping her arms above her chest afterwards. Mama loves it when Isha takes care of bringing her cake to bed. She knows this could make Mama mad, but she really wants this to work. Mama gasps, her eyes wide on Isha.

"You wouldn't dare," Mama rasps, narrowing her eyes.

In another world, Isha would've retracted immediately. She doesn't like making Mama mad, but this is the only way for Isha to get what she wants, so she just shrugs again and tilts her head, staring seriously at Mama. Ekko snorts to her side, and she musters all her courage not to smile.

Mama looks her up and down for a few minutes. The silence is too big in the room; it feels like when Isha left Aunty Vi during a visit in Piltover after finding a shop with colorful bugs. Aunty Vi had chastised her for leaving her side without saying anything, but Mama? Mama was quiet. She just looked at Isha the same way she does now. At the time, Isha apologized to Aunty Vi and Mama. This time, she stays rigid, bouncing from one foot to another. After a while, Mama sighs and runs a hand through her face. She points at Ekko.

"You will do everything I say. The moment you piss me off, you are out. I don't want to hear anything about the Council or the Firelights." Ekko nods and salutes, which makes Isha smile. Mama then points at her, and she stops giggling, feeling anxious. "You will give me your piece of cake, and if you find chocolates, they go to me. If he's being annoying, you will deal with it."

Isha whines.

My cake!

Mama cocks her hip, a ghost of a smirk on her lips.

"Your cake or Ekko, you decide," she says, shrugging dramatically.

Isha looks at Ekko, not with malice, but something close to it. He laughs loudly.

"Come on, bug! I'll get you all the cake you want," he says with a wink, winning Isha over. She hears Mama mutter a soft bully.

Ekko, Isha signs decisively. Mama rolls her eyes again.

"Fine. Pack your bags, Ekko, you are about to have the worst week of your life."

****

Isha doesn't know if Ekko is having the worst week of his life, but she loves having him in the hideout. The first day was a little bit awkward because Mama would snap at Ekko at any wrong move, but he showed up with cake after a while and tamed Mama's anger.

They currently sit in a small circle, Mama lying on her side atop a pink comforter and a blue blanket around her waist. She holds her head with her hand and looks lazily at her cards. Ekko sits with crossed legs, frowning deeply as he stares at his cards. Isha lies atop her belly, a green blanket over her, swinging up and down with her feet. She smiles deviously as she plans her next move, the cards tight in her hands.

"I don't understand," Ekko says, looking at the pile of cards in the middle. "How are you so good at this?"

Isha laughs softly and just shrugs, picking her next card.

"Come on," Mama drawls. "We don't have all day, Ekko. Just place a card or admit defeat."

Isha nods enthusiastically. Ekko shakes his head, rolling his eyes, and places a card on the pile. Not a good one, but also not a bad one, Isha thinks. Mama places another card without thinking about it, and Isha reveals her trump card, effectively ending the game. Ekko groans and drops his cards, but there is a smile on his face.

"There is no way!" He says, looking at Jinx, with a funny expression on his face. Isha giggles and goes to collect the chocolates, but Mama swats at her hand and then extends her own.

"Come on, pipsqueak, 'fess up," she says, her eyebrows raised, and Isha knows that Mama knows.

With a pout, Isha pulls three cards from under her and gives them to Mama, who inspects them for a few seconds before nodding, satisfied. Ekko's mouth hangs agape, looking between Isha and Mama, who now collects the chocolates with a devious smirk.

"Isha, that's cheating!" Ekko says, looking at her between dumbstruck and worried.

"It's only cheating," Mama says, looking at the prize in her hands, "if you get caught."

Mama winks at Isha, and although she lost all of her chocolates, she smiles warmly at Mama. She is having so much fun! She wonders, briefly, if this is what it feels like to be a real family. Before she can go down that rabbit hole, though, Ekko gasps slightly, moving between the covers and blankets to the corner of the fort. He digs quickly, returning with a pink bunny plushy in his hands. He looks at it with awe, a smile playing on his face.

"Is this Vi's bunny?" He asks. Isha frowns and shakes her head.

Isha's bunny, she signs, extending her hand so he can give it to her. Ekko stares at the bunny for a few more minutes before handing it off to the girl. He scoffs.

"It was Aunty Vi's, bug," Mama says. She is now lying on the blankets and pillows, an arm hiding her face. "She left it before she disappeared, so I took it. You found it while playing around, and it became yours. You were probably too young to remember, but Aunty Vi said you could keep it."

Isha looks at the plushy with a frown before shrugging and holding it close to her. With one hand, she signs Mine. Ekko laughs at this.

"Time for bed, trouble," he says, pointing towards the corner opposite the fort. "Go wash your face and brush your teeth."

"You can use the creams Caitlyn gave you last time you saw her," Mama chimes in, still not removing the hand from her face. She stares at Mama for a little bit and frowns. She looks at Ekko and signs, Okay? Ekko takes a few seconds before he nods and smiles encouragingly at her. She gets up, and before she goes, she kisses Mama's exposed forehead. Before leaving to complete what Aunty Cait taught her was a skin care routine, she sees Mama's smile beneath her arm.

The pitter-patter of Isha's steps fades slowly as Ekko watches her run to the bathroom on the other side of the hideout. When she disappears, he looks at Jinx's figure. She looks smaller than usual, wrapped in blankets, an arm across her face and another clutching the fabric above her belly.

"She doesn't know how bad it gets, does she?" He asks when it's just them. "Is that why you didn't want me to come?"

He has always known that Isha and Jinx seclude themselves every time Jinx gets her period. She said she doesn't remember when it started, but Isha was always excited to spend the week in the hideout and do nothing aside from eat cake, chocolates, and play around. He asked to come once, but Jinx refused right away. He didn't understand then, but he can guess why she did. He is surprised that he has been allowed inside for two days now. He half expected to have been kicked out on the first day.

"And have you all hot and bothered?" She huffs, but there is no bite. "Your concern would've prevented us from having fun."

Ekko chuckles lightly. He wants to ask if she's okay, but he doesn't want to ruin it for himself. Her comment is a warning in and of itself.

Jinx removes her arm from her face, wrapping it around her belly. She stares at the blankets that cover the fort, a patched and ragged blanket that seems worn and old, but no less loved. Some parts seem to come from other blankets, an amalgamation of colors and fabrics that have their charm.

"I gave birth to her here," Jinx says suddenly, as soft as a whisper. He wouldn't have caught it if he weren't as close to her as he is.

He stops any kind of questions bursting in his mind, opting to listen to her instead. He didn't meet Isha until she was three, and Jinx was always private about most things concerning Isha. Any information he can get makes him happy, so he just sits there, encouraging her to continue with a small nod. When Jinx looks at him, she rolls her eyes, but there is a quirk to her lips that indicates she isn't as annoyed as she pretends to be.

"I might have the bloody sheets stashed in one of the boxes around my workstation," she continues, shaking her head. "Call me sentimental or whatever, but I couldn't push myself to throw them away."

Ekko hums.

"It was terrible!" She flails her arms in her dramatic style, which brings a smile to his face. "But then I got to hold her in my arms, and I didn't feel pain anymore. She was so... tiny. Like, the size of my forearm. I thought she was going to break in my hands, but she didn't."

There is a fluttery feeling in Ekko's chest. It is bittersweet. He wasn't there for the birth of his daughter. He wasn't there to hold Jinx through the pain or hear her cuss the life out of him while she delivered Isha. But he still feels a sense of joy hearing Jinx talk about it. He can imagine Isha as a little baby, writhing and crying for her mother.

"Was Silco with you?" He asks quietly.

It took a while, but he has taken the steps to have a relatively peaceful relationship with Silco. After the man decided to leave his post as a Chem-Baron and work with Vander to reach peace between Zaun and Piltover, Ekko worked closely with him and others to punish Chem-Barons who extorted their people, as well as supporting those in need. He is no fan of the man by any means, but Ekko knows how important Silco has been to Jinx. He is also, essentially, Isha's grandfather.

Jinx shakes her head.

"It was just the doctor and a midwife. I asked him not to be here, I didn't want anyone to see me this way, but..." She grows silent for a second before closing her eyes. "The hormones and adrenaline wore off, and there was something very wrong with me. I couldn't stop bleeding, and before I could do anything, they called him."

There is a grimace on her face, like remembering the details is something painful.

"I was in and out of consciousness, so I don't remember much of it, but Silco told me afterwards that I was taken to the quack doctor."

"Singed..." Ekko mutters, his name bringing bile to his mouth and a fire to his chest. Jinx nods.

"I survived at the cost of pumping my body with shimmer. Silco said he panicked and asked him to save me no matter the cost." She scoffs, a humorless laugh coming out of her lips. "He spent the next year apologizing every opportunity he had." Ekko frowns, and when she catches his expression, she shrugs. "In his own way. I don't blame him, honestly. I would have chosen it myself if it meant I could be there for Isha."

Ekko has the impulsive sense to apologize for some reason. It irks him that she has gone through so much pain, and he hasn't done anything about it. It's something they often talk about when Jinx leaves Isha at his apartment or at the Firelight base. He has apologized, and he knows there is nothing he can do to change history, but he still feels helpless when he thinks about those three years he missed.

"I'm happy you are here," he says, decisively. She looks at him with her brows furrowed, a curious expression on her lips. "I promise you won't have to deal with the pain alone ever again."

They stare at each other for a little bit. His heart hammers in his chest, but he means it. She scans his face, looking for any sign of deceit. She can't find it, though. Ever since she came back into his life, he has been fully honest with her; his worries, his concerns, his fears, his hopes, she knows all of them, and although he might not know all of hers, he knows he will do anything to make her desires, her wishes, her dreams come true.

A small smile appears on her face.

"Well, it's not like I'm planning on doing it again, so don't worry about it, pretty boy."

She turns to lie on her side, looking at him with honesty and amusement in her eyes.

"I will hold you to that, though," she says softly. He takes her hand in his and squeezes.

Ekko feels content like this, just to have her near him, to be in her presence. She squeezes back, closing her eyes. Things were rough those first three years, but things will be okay, he thinks.

Later that night, Isha tucks herself between them in the fort, surrounded by pillows, blankets, and her favorite plushies. Jinx buries her face in her hair, and Ekko wraps them both in his arms, planting a kiss on Isha's head and then Jinx's.

****

It is the last day on the hideout, and Isha's plan is a success. She didn't think it would work, but by the third day, Mama and Ekko were talking like they usually do when they work on a project together. She even caught glimpses of them holding hands, which made her giggle. They played cards, ate more cake, and a lot of Jericho's, captured bugs at Isha's insistence, and even painted along the floor. Ekko helped Isha draw her favorite insects and then stuck to Mama's side. They argued a bit about a drawing of a place they both used to know, but then they just laughed, and they painted together.

Isha's belly is full, her heart content, and her eyes sleepy. She is resting her head on Ekko's lap, watching as he braids Mama's short hair. She is talking about one of the projects she has back at home. She had seen her talk to Mr. Heimerdinger about it before coming to the hideout. Mama seems excited and with more energy, which makes Isha smile. Ekko hums and nods in agreement, and even though Mama can't see him, he has a smile Isha has never seen before.

If this is what living together feels like, Isha will make sure they can spend every time they can together. Maybe next month she can convince them to play paintball or teach her how to box like Aunty Vi does.

She nods to herself, eyes closed and placidly in between awareness and sleep. Ekko frowns at her, but continues his task. Here in the comfort of the blankets, the warmth of having her two favorite people next to her, Isha sleeps happily, excited at the prospect of crossing the first item on her list.

Chapter Text

One of Isha's favorite places in the world is the Last Drop. Grandpa Silco and Grandpa Vander are always there. Mama lets her steal knick-knacks from patrons most of the time (as long as they are not dangerous). Chuck always gives her her favorite juice without her having to ask for it. Ekko dances with her when the bar is closed. Aunty Vi and Aunty Cait sometimes help her cook behind the bar during celebrations. The Last Drop is the best, and standing in the door, the scents of alcohol and fried food wafting in her nose, the loud beat of music playing in the background, and the laughter clattering through the bar bring Isha a sense of home.

After her week with Ekko and Mama, Isha has realized that she thinks of different places as her home. Home is her small house, which she shares with Mama. It is also Ekko's apartment in Piltover and his space in the Firelight Sanctuary. Home is the hideout where Isha, Mama, and Ekko have spent the past three months, hanging out during those weeks when Mama doesn't want to be home. Home is the Last Drop with all of her favorite people, even if the small voice in her head that sounds pretty similar to her own voice tells her that it's not good enough, that she lives in a scattered, broken place, and that she is the problem. Some nights, the voice convinces her that Mama and Ekko don't live together because of Isha. It is a scary thought, so she ends up climbing Mama's or Ekko's bed to spend the night with them.

Today is a good day, though. She has a couple of coins, some notes and money bills, a weird contraption that looks like a metal puzzle (she stole it from Ekko), and a ring. She now has her eyes on her next target. Before she makes her move, Mama makes eye contact and winks at her, a conspiratory smile on her face, before she turns back to Ekko, just shrugging off his confusion. Mama's earlier words echo in Isha's ears: Rob them blind

Isha walks to the office behind the bar, looking for the brown, long jacket she has had her eyes on ever since she arrived. Robbing Grandpa Silco has always been the hardest challenge for Isha. He always knows and is always aware, but it's not fair! She walks around the office, dismissing the shelves with old books and safes with money, Mama's favorite record, and other things she can't touch (per Mama's request). The big table is no better, full of papers and maps and ledgers and things she doesn't really understand. Grandpa Silco is very smart and very good with numbers, which is why he spends most of his time in the office. Grandpa Vander is not good with numbers, but he is good with people, so he is always at the bar. Isha thinks they complement each other very well.

She dives into the chair behind the big desk. Perched on it is the prized possession she has been looking for. It is as worn and dusty as ever, but Isha thinks it is worthy of a king. Mama laughed when she told her that, saying something like Grandpa Silco was more of a kingpin, whatever that is. She holds the sleeve softly, caressing the used fabric underneath her hand. Ekko has a jacket, but it's rougher, more for safety than anything. He lets her use it when it's very cold. Grandpa Silco's jacket is different. It holds secrets and valuable experience in every stitch. She drops her hand to one of the inside pockets, her hand rummaging blindly around it, brows stitched with focus.

She feels a cold, smooth metal under her fingers, and she smiles widely. However, when she tries to push deeper into the pocket, her wrist is captured by somebody else's hand. She yelps and tries to take her hand back, but the other hand keeps her rigid. Grandpa Silco looks at her with a raised eyebrow. He is calm, which makes the hairs on her neck prick up. He tilts his head, and she drops her head low, rubbing a fist in circles on top of her chest.

Sorry.

Grandpa Silco releases her hand and kneels in front of her. He lifts her chin with one hand and gives her a sliver of a smile. She pouts, but she tries not to let him see her disappointment.

"Little flea, you can't just go into other people's things without a good plan," he says.

Isha sighs. She had it this time, she is sure of it! She even made sure to leave Grandpa Silco at the mercy of Uncle Jayce and his dumb ideas on alternate universes and their profit. Even Uncle Viktor was chiming in! She slumps her shoulders, but reaches into Grandpa Silco's embrace. He pulls her up and balances her on his hip.

"Let us see what you got this time," he says, extending the hand he is not using to hold her up.

She gives him the notes, bills, and coins, and he drops them in a glass jar. It's the jar Mama and Aunty Sevika add money to when they curse in front of Isha. Grandpa Silco inspects the metal contraption and smiles, giving it back to her. Lastly, he holds the ring between them with a frown. Then he nods.

"Ready to go back?" He asks, looking at her fondly.

She nods and signs, Don't tell Mama.

"Not a word," he says, the smile coming back before they make their way to the bar.

He usually drops her in Mama's lap, but this time he stops before getting to Mama's table. She is dramatically moving her hands, excitedly explaining something to Ekko, who is concentrated and nodding as he writes in a little pocket book. Grandpa Silco clears his throat, getting the attention of several people.

"Violet," he says, voice deep, precise, "a word?"

Aunty Vi looks confused, but gets up from her chair at the bar and follows them a few steps away from Aunty Cait and her friends.

"What's up?" She says, uneasy.

Mama told Isha that Grandpa Silco and Aunty Vi didn't like each other for a bit, and they sometimes act weird with each other. When Isha asked Aunty Vi, she just shrugged it off and said Grandpa Silco was very mean to her before Isha was born, but that they are good with each other now.

Grandpa Silco looks around and then drops his gaze to his free hand, the ring sitting still and shiny. Aunty Vi's eyes widen, and she takes the ring quickly before looking around frantically, making sure no one saw that.

"Isha!" She whispers, looking at her with disbelief.

She seems afraid. Maybe Isha messed up and now Aunty Vi is mad at her. The voice in her head comes back, taunting and laughing at Isha. Of course Aunty Vi is mad, Isha stole from her! The voice gets meaner and meaner, but before she could fight her way out of Grandpa Silco's embrace, he talks, a small smile in his words.

"Congratulations," is all he says, which confuses Isha. Aunty Vi goes as pink as her hair.

"Uh," she says, blinking rapidly. "Thank you..."

Aunty Vi hurries over to Aunty Cait and leans down, whispering something in her ear. Aunty Cait looks confused, but nods, and they leave the bar through the main entrance. Grandpa Silco smiles as he watches them go outside.

With that, he takes Isha to Mama's side. Isha doesn't understand much of what happened, but at least it distracted her enough to silence the voice. When Mama sees her, she smiles warmly. The weight in Isha's stomach is lifted, her shoulders feeling less tense.

"You got caught again, bug?" Mama says, extending her arms. Isha takes her hand and buries herself in Mama's chest when she sits down on her lap. Mama chuckles.

"She made good progress, almost had me fooled," Grandpa Silco says.

"She had you talk to Jayce, didn't she?" Ekko asks, raising an eyebrow. Grandpa Silco chuckles.

"Did you get anything exciting?" Mama coaxes. Isha nods and takes the contraption. She is about to tell Mama about the ring before Grandpa Silco interjects.

"She got something pretty exciting," he says, shrugging. "But it will take time before we know what it actually is."

He winks at her and then makes his way behind the bar to join Grandpa Vander, who laughs loudly with one of Aunty Vi's friends, Morris? Doris? She can't remember.

"Ever the enigma," Ekko mutters, closing the pocket book he was previously scribbling in.

"Ok trouble, what did you get?" Mama asks, disregarding Ekko's comment.

Grandpa Silco put money into the jar.

Ekko chuckles, and Mama nods. Isha takes out the metal device from her pocket, and Ekko makes a surprised sound.

"When did you get that?" He asks, and it sounds like the sound he makes when she jumps on him after he lies on the couch. Isha giggles.

"I told you to be more alert, space boy," Mama says with a smirk, taking the object from Isha's hand.

They both look at it, Isha signing to Mama when she finds the right way to twist it so that an image appears on it. After a few minutes, Mama's eyebrows rise with an impressed look. She gives Isha the device; she twists and pulls, ensuring the images match those on the sides. Isha feels the fear of getting caught and the hurt from making Aunty Vi mad dissipate as she continues to play with the metal device, which is forming what Isha thinks is a firefly, one of her favorite bugs. She laughs to herself, not minding that others can see her scrunched-up face and how the tip of her tongue lingers on the side of her mouth as she concentrates on finishing the image.

"This is your finest work yet," Mama says. Isha looks up, but she sees that Mama is not talking to her, but to Ekko.

There is a fond smile at the corner of her lips and tenderness in her eyes that is usually reserved for Isha. She smiles to herself. Isha's plan has been slow because it is hard to make Ekko and Mama kiss, but Ekko has been staying with them at their home more often, and they have sleepovers at Ekko's apartment at the end of the month if they don't have things to do at work. It is good progress, and Isha loves it.

"Spent a lot of time making sure it wouldn't be easy, but..." he trails off, a scowl on his face as he sees Isha's hands swiftly turning, twisting, and pulling. He has that face he makes when he is doing number things on his pocketbook, or when he checks on the machines he tinkers with.

With one last twist, she gets the full image. She hears a small kerchunk, and confetti comes out of the sides. Isha laughs loudly, clapping her hands. Mama whistles lowly.

"Damn Isha, you're running Ekko's money with the way you finish these so quickly."

"That's my smart girl," Ekko says, ruffling Isha's hair. She giggles, pressing a hand over the image. She looks at Ekko and animatedly signs.

Fireflies talk through light!

"Really? That's interesting," Ekko says, nodding at Isha's little facts. He is used to her spouting random things about her favorite bugs here and there, anyway. Isha nods.

Girl fireflies don't fly.

"Why not?" Mama asks, looking at the image on the metal device intently.

Short wings.

Isha is about to talk about the different colors a firefly can use when the door to The Last Drop opens, surprising all the patrons inside. Aunty Vi and Aunty Cait stand at the entrance, both looking extremely red. Aunty Cait's makeup is running down her cheeks, but she has the biggest smile Isha has ever seen. Aunty Vi has lipstick marks all over her face, and she has an expression she has only seen on Ekko's face after Mama gifted him a new set of earrings. She doesn't know what it means, but she knows it only happens when someone is really, really happy.

Everyone stills in the room, holding their breath, waiting for whatever Aunty Vi and Aunty Cait are about to say. Aunty Vi holds Aunty Cait's left hand with the biggest smile, and then her own left hand. Isha sees the flickering sparkle of the ring she had pocketed a few hours ago shining brightly on Aunty Cait's finger.

"We are getting married!"

Everything is set in motion, and there are cheers and screaming of happiness and joy. Grandpa Vander gets off the bar and runs to hug Aunty Vi and Aunty Cait. Uncle Jayce seems to be tearing up on Uncle Viktor's shoulder; Uncle Viktor rolls his eyes, but he has a smile on his lips. Mama gasps and then groans when Ekko starts laughing loudly.

"Pay up, Pow-Pow," he says, extending a hand towards Mama. Isha looks at Mama curiously, but Mama just shakes her head and gives Ekko a couple of notes and some coins.

"Can't believe she didn't wait another week," Mama says through gritted teeth. "She told me their anniversary was her end goal."

Ekko shrugs, smiling at her.

"Powder!" Aunty Vi exclaims, rushing to Mama's side and lifting her in a hug.

"God, Violet, put me down," Mama says.

It's not often that people use Mama's old name. Most of the time, if anybody tries to say it, Mama whacks them with the closest thing she's tinkering with or shoots them with a pellet gun (she stopped using real guns when Isha was two because of how loud they were and how scary they are for Isha). Only Grandpa Vander, Aunty Vi, and Ekko can use her old name without getting hurt too much in the process, and even then, they don't use it as much. Mama always has a soft smile when they call her that, though, at least now. When Isha was younger, Mama would get really mad and have a sad look on her face when they used it.

"Janna, I can't believe I did it!" Aunty Vi continues, putting Mama down and holding her shoulders. She glances at Isha and gives her a wink. "If it hadn't been for this little angel, I would have chickened out next week."

Isha frowns for a moment. Aunty Vi is not mad that she stole the ring? Isha doesn't really understand, but when she looks around, she sees Grandpa Silco giving her a thumbs up with his crossed arms.

"Oh, you little rat," Mama says, picking Isha up suddenly and squeezing her in a hug. Soon, Aunty Vi is joining them, and Isha squeals from surprise and then giggles. "You stole the ring and you didn't tell me? It's your own children, I am telling you..."

Aunty Vi squeezes them tight, their faces mushing together. They are laughing loudly, and the mean voice that had been trying to put Isha down is silenced. She feels very happy, even though she doesn't really know why. She has heard other kids talk about their parents getting married, but it is still a new tradition for those who live in Zaun. Something about staying with the person you love for the rest of your life. Does that mean she will have to marry Mama and Ekko in the future? She will just work a hundred times harder to steal two rings next time.

The evening turns into an impromptu party. Everyone sings and dances while Chuck works overtime to keep the drinks of the patrons flowing. Mama and Ekko take turns spinning her around to the beat of the music, and by the end of the song, colors blur and come together to form rainbows and stars in Isha's eyes. Everyone is extremely happy, which is rare when they all come together. Isha knows her family has had hardships and challenges in the past, like the time she didn't see Ekko until she was three, or the time when Mama had to be in the room if Aunty Cait came to visit. Grandpa Silco and Aunty Vi couldn't even look at each other for a couple of years after Aunty Vi came out of prison. Her family might be a little broken at times, but nothing ever beats the joy and happiness she gets watching them all together and celebrating with each other.

Deep into the night, when Mama and Ekko softly lay her down on her bed, they stay for a little longer. Mama hums a song she hasn't heard in a few years. Ekko runs his hands through Isha's hair, lulling her to sleep. In her deep unconsciousness, as she drifts to sleep, Mama kisses her on one cheek and Ekko kisses her on the other. She smiles subconsciously. Maybe it is not perfect, and maybe they don't kiss like parents do. But Isha will always be happy when she gets kisses from her parents. They are her favorite people in the world.

Chapter Text

Isha doesn't hear about the wedding again until Aunty Vi and Aunty Cait have chosen a day to take Isha dress shopping. Things like this are very new to Isha and her family. Even Aunty Vi seems a little hesitant about entering the fancy stores they see when they walk across the shopping district in Piltover. Isha is none the wiser, opting to pickpocket here and there when she has the chance. She currently holds three different-colored gems, a lot of gold coins, and a couple of bills. Mama and Ekko are going to have a field day once she comes home. She wants to use one of the gems for some of her trinkets because they shine prettily when held against the sun. She has never seen gems of this quality, and she is ready to rub them on Mama's face.

Aunty Vi and Aunty Cait talk animatedly in front of Isha, not knowing the treasure Isha holds in her pockets. It doesn't really matter, though, as she is suddenly pushed into a store, sent to a dressing room, and changed into what is possibly the most ridiculous white dress she has ever seen. She doesn't like it, but Aunty Vi says something about tradition and why it's important for her to wear a dress. When Isha asked her why, Aunty Vi couldn't answer her.

They don't do weddings in Zaun, as far as Isha or Aunty Vi know. It is customary for couples to hold Paintings, though. Isha has done a Painting with Mama before. She was five, and Mama let her choose the colors she wanted to use. At the time, she was obsessed with Mama's clouds, so she asked her if she could give some to Isha. In return, Isha gave Mama her best rendition of her favorite bugs, a million hearts, and her name above her heart (with Mama's help, of course). Isha got hearts, butterflies, clouds, and bunnies in return. She had a lot of fun that night. Zaunites use Paintings instead of weddings, according to Ekko. It's easier and less costly. Also, Isha thinks it's fun. It holds a very special place in Isha's family. She knows that Grandpa Silco and Grandpa Silco did a Painting after not talking to each other for a long time. Aunty Vi and Mama had one a year after Aunty Vi came out of prison. Isha is really excited to have a Painting with Ekko, but the right time hasn't come up yet.

Isha huffs, going back to her reflection in the long mirrors that greet her. The dress is too short, and she doesn't like how white it looks against her tanned skin. It's too frilly, too itchy, and too so-not-Isha, but she bites her lip and says nothing. Aunty Vi and Aunty Cait talk to the woman who offered the dress, and although Isha knows she can't make a scene or use one of her trinkets against the woman, she glares daggers at her. Isha hopes the woman understands that if it weren't for her Aunties holding her back, this place would be on fire already. She inhales and exhales deeply, rubbing the tulle between her fingers as she stares at the floor. Hopefully, it will be over soon.

"Isha?"

Aunty Cait looks at her with a knowing smile. Isha doesn't mention it, but aside from Mama, Ekko, and Grandpa Silco, Aunty Cait is the best at reading her expressions and knowing how she feels without having to say it out loud. Isha thinks it's because Aunty Cait understands what it feels like to live differently from others. Isha doesn't speak and is very reluctant to do so. She can, she doesn't want to. Aunty Cait had a really bad accident and now she can only see through one eye. She could hide her eye all the time with the patches she uses, but she doesn't do it all the time. She holds herself proudly regardless of whether she is wearing her eye patch or not, and Isha feels like that sometimes, too. It's not like she minds not speaking, but sometimes it's hard to get things across. Mama and Ekko have helped her be more proud and confident in herself, regardless of whether she speaks or not. Aunty Cait does it too.

"It's too much, isn't it?" Aunty Cait asks.

Isha hesitantly nods, looking at her with slight embarrassment. It is Aunty Cait's and Aunty Vi's wedding. She wants to make sure things go well. She also promised Ekko she wasn't going to give them a lot of trouble, just the usual (as Mama says). Isha was asked to be a flower girl, whatever that is. Aunty Cait explained that she would be throwing flowers before Aunty Cait enters Mr. Tobias. She doesn't know about that, but she knows her Aunties are really excited, and she can't mess that up.

"I thought so," Aunty Cait continues, amusement laced in her voice. "Vi gets way too ahead of herself," she mutters.

"Hey, I heard that!" Aunty Vi calls from behind them, where she's talking to the woman in the store. "Plus, she looks cute!"

Aunty Cait makes a humming sound.

"But it doesn't scream Isha to me, if I'm being honest," Aunty Cait responds, winking at her. Isha smiles. "We are going to continue looking, love. Let me know once you choose a suit."

Aunty Vi just makes sounds of agreement as she explains to the woman her measurements and what she envisions her suit to look like. Isha and Aunty Cait walk away as Aunty Vi flails her hands in the air and talks animatedly. The woman looks nervous. Good.

Isha and Aunty Cait go up and down different racks of dresses her size, sticking to the white color. There are a few shades that aren't as offensive to Isha's eyes, but nothing really sticks out to her. There is a moment where Aunty Cait talks to another lady who comes out of nowhere (do they just spawn on the spot when somebody needs help?), and Isha absentmindedly runs her hand through the fabrics of the dresses in a rack all the way to the back of the store. They seem to be forgotten, almost. She knows they were not taken to this side of the store, that's for sure.

A soft texture makes her stop, and she looks down at what she first thinks is a dress. The sleeves are puffy, made of the horrible tulle that her current dress is, but she doesn't dislike it. She runs her hand through the upper part, and the soft texture greets her fingers again. She pulls it out to take a better look at it, and it's not a dress! It has pants! The shirt and pants are connected with an elastic band. It is also not incredibly white, but has an almost lavender hue to it. She takes it out with both of her hands. The shirt part has a round neck, and the pants are wide at the bottom.

"That's a beautiful jumpsuit, Isha," Aunty Cait says behind her. Isha freezes for a second, hoping she's not mad that she strayed away. However, when she turns, Aunty Cait is looking at the jumpsuit in her hands, her chin pinched between her thumb and index finger as she nods slightly. "I think that works! Do you want to try it on?"

Isha looks back down at the jumpsuit. It's not the color they were looking for, and it's not even a dress. But she really likes it and wonders how she'll look with it on. She smiles widely and nods at Aunty Cait.

After taking the dress off and putting the jumpsuit on, she stares at the mirror, a small smile playing on her lips. She really likes how dramatic the puffy sleeves are, and it is not too tight like she thought the elastic on the waist would be. The lavender hue isn't very distracting, and it still follows the theme. She looks at Aunty Cait with bright eyes, and she huffs a laugh.

"You really like it, don't you?"

Isha nods vigorously, turning a round one more time so Aunty Cait can see how it looks. Aunty Vi comes out of a dressing room with her usual clothes, and when she looks at Isha, she smiles.

"Look at you, Isha! You look great!"

Isha nods and jumps up and down with excitement.

"That's the one, then," Aunty Cait decides.

They leave the store after paying, and Isha is delighted when they stop to get some chocolates before going back home. She skips across the bridge, holding Aunty Cait's hand on one side and Aunty Vi's on the other. Overall, today was a success! She found what to wear for the wedding, she got some cool gems to show Mama and Ekko, and she got chocolate as a treat. How can this day get any better?

****

"Alright, bug, we're waiting," Mama drawls from the couch in the living room.

Aunty Vi and Aunty Cait dropped Isha off a few hours ago, and the first thing Isha did was show Mama and Ekko the gems she stole from the Pilties, who were oblivious enough to let themselves be stolen from. Mama brought out a big lens, and after a few seconds, she whistled, nodding approvingly. Ekko didn't waste time and started sketching a design of Isha's favorite bug, the firefly. Mama and Isha sat next to him, making suggestions and talking about where to put the gems.

After a while, Isha remembered that she wanted to show them the jumpsuit she picked, so she asked them to dress up as well. Isn't it fun to dress up with your favorite people in the world?

"Come on, bunny," Ekko singsongs.

Isha jumps out of the hall and lifts her chin. She has her hands on her hips and a triumphant expression on her face. Mama and Ekko chant a chorus of Ooo's and Ahh's while they clap. Isha nods, satisfied, and joins them in the living room.

"It's really pretty, baby," Ekko says as he takes her by the shoulders to look at her one more time.

"You made the right decision, dresses are not for the weak," Mama says from the couch, popping another chocolate in her mouth. She has her legs across Ekko's lap, and she holds herself with her elbow on the back of the couch.

The wedding invitation said the dress code is white, and white is what her parents are bringing to the function. Mama wears a white skirt that drapes all the way to her knees and a white corset on top. There is a slight pattern around the neck; Isha is pretty sure Mama sewed it herself. Her corset doesn't have sleeves, so Isha can see Mama's clouds wrap around her shoulder and back. Ekko, on the other hand, wears an off-hand white dress shirt topped by a vest that is more shimmery white. He wears white pants that complement the vest. Both Mama and Ekko wear the earrings they made for each other a few years ago, the only pop of color in their attire.

"This is too bright for my liking," Mama mutters, popping another chocolate; she still has a smile on her face.

Ekko chuckles and pushes Mama's legs off to get up and walk to the dining table. He comes back with three dark jackets in his hands. He puts one on top of his shoulder, hands one to Mama, and then one to Isha. It takes a moment for her brain to catch up, but she realizes it's the jacket they painted and sewn on last time they were in the hideout. She throws it on and she's delighted to see that she chose colors that look amazing in contrast with the light jumpsuit. Mama's jacket is snug against her waist, and Ekko's has shoulder pads that give him a very stylish look. Isha claps and jumps up and down. People are going to be so blown away! And talking about being blown away...

"Alright," Mama says once they all spin around and show off. "Let's go back to the real world. Isha, you have a few days before the wedding, so you'd better start working on those flowers."

The flowers! When Aunty Cait explained to Isha what a flower girl was supposed to do, she found that it was the most boring job in the world. Who wants to walk and throw flowers delicately at people sitting down? She could just walk around the room and drop all the flowers in one spot, and then start kicking them to spread them around. Aunty Cait also gave her a pointed look when she asked if she could throw flowers at people directly. Aunty Vi had laughed, though. She told Mama her grievances, and with a devious smile, she told Isha to do it her way. She didn't really think much about it until Ekko came home, and when she told him, they spent all afternoon brainstorming ideas. Once she had a general idea of what she wanted to do, she asked Mama to help with the design. They gathered all the materials and tools. All that was left to do was assemble and tinker.

Once changed out of their wedding outfits and into comfy jammies, Isha takes Ekko's hand and brings him to the small table Mama had placed in the corner of the living room/working office for her to tinker. She shows him the sketch of her flowers, and he smiles. They silently sit next to each other, passing tools between each other. Ekko helps when there are more complicated things to be done, like soldering. He makes sure Isha has her goggles and her hat, and he lets her look over his shoulder. Mama sits on her side of the table, writing down formulas and finishing some sketches she needs to give to Mr. Heimerdinger. Mama has been more and more swamped with work, so Isha relishes the time they spend tinkering and sketching together.

It takes them longer than Isha expected, but she wants to make sure she has enough flowers for the ceremony. They move the couch out of the way and lay a blanket on the floor, placing a prototype in the middle. Isha giggles when she, Mama, and Ekko stand behind the couch, their goggles on, intently staring at the little egg-looking device. Once Isha hits the switch, she realizes she has added too much glitter to the device. Mama curses loudly, and Ekko laughs until he doubles down, holding his stomach tightly. Isha runs to her device and inspects it quizzically, but she is not sure what the next step is. Mama stands to her, holding her hand so Isha can hand her the device. She inspects it for a few seconds before handing it to Ekko, who has started to bring the corners of the blanket close to the center, useless in the way of the glitter. They whisper some things, and when they are done, they hand the device back to Isha.

"This will be a pain to clean off..." Mama laments, but takes Isha's free hand and brings her back to her working station.

They go over the mechanism again and adjust the number of things stuffed inside the device. Although Isha wants to continue going, Mama says it is going to be bedtime soon, so they need to start cleaning up. Ekko makes a run for it, saying he needs to get up early the next day, the traitor, but Mama catches him before he leaves through the door.

"Not so fast, space boy. You were in charge of the logistics in the first place. Now, go bring the broom," she turns to Isha. "Come on, bug, let's start moving the blanket so Ekko can clean it all up."

Ekko makes a pained sound, but he obeys. Isha sticks her tongue out at him when she knows Mama is not looking, and he gasps loudly. Mama frowns at him, but doesn't say anything. Isha just shrugs, playing innocent. Ekko narrows his eyes at Isha, shaking his head slightly. She smiles conspiratorially before helping Mama move the blanket and gather the glitter in one spot.

Ekko plays music from Mama's speaker, and they clean as much as they can, swaying to the music. At some point, once the floor is visible again and there are only remnants of the glitter on the couch, the cleaning turns into an impromptu dance session. Isha giggles and holds her arms up, letting them move to the rhythm of the music. Ekko takes her hands and they spin around, laughing loudly. Mama joins them, and they spin until they can't see straight, falling to the floor in a fit of giggles. Isha stares at the ceiling as it slowly stops spinning. Ekko and Mama are up again, but this time, instead of spinning, they stupidly throw their hands around to the beat. They look ridiculous, and Isha gives herself a stomachache from laughing so much.

The song shifts to something a little softer, and Ekko and Mama spin in a different way. Ekko holds Mama's waist and guides them through the room; Mama's arms are wrapped around Ekko's neck, and they seem to be whispering things to each other. It is not often that they share something so vulnerable, so intimate, in front of others. Isha has seen this version of them a couple of times only. She sometimes feels the need to close her eyes. She doesn't understand why, but moments like this feel private, as if she needs to give them space. But she is overly curious, so she keeps one eye slightly open, pretending to be sleeping on the floor. Mama smiles widely at Ekko, and he gives her a big smile in return. They no longer sway to the music, just staring at each other. Ekko moves some strands of hair off Mama's eyes, and she runs her fingers absentmindedly on Ekko's earrings.

Isha hadn't noticed that they were a different set. It's the set Mama worked on during late nights after putting Isha to bed, the ones she gave him a couple of weeks ago. They were circular with a blueish stone connecting in the middle. They weren't too big, but they shone brightly against the lamp. Mama doesn't wear earrings aside from the studs in her innermost part of both ears. She does wear bracelets and rings, though. She has her usual metallic bracelets and the wire rings she and Isha had made together. They also have matching string bracelets. She notices, however, a new ring on Mama's left hand, the one she is using to brush against Ekko's earring. It is similar to the earrings, a simple circular band with a blue stone in the middle. Isha wonders if Mama made it as well.

Once the song ends, they step apart. Their hands linger intertwined for a few seconds before they go their way. Mama looks at Isha, who tries to stifle a yawn, and smiles. She lifts Isha, and they both accompany Ekko to the entrance. Isha tiredly says goodbye, rubbing her eyes. They brush their teeth, put the trash in a big bag, and go to Mama's room. Under the covers, Mama rubs Isha's back and runs her fingers through her hair. She hums the lullaby she used to hum when Isha was younger. With a placid smile, Isha drifts to sleep, dreaming of fireflies, glitter, and blue stones.

****

There is no way in Janna's graces that a place could be so white, Isha thinks. The walls, the chairs, the flowers, the cool marble, and even the altar are sparkling white, with no speck of dust in the vicinity. It makes Isha feel kind of nauseous. Everyone is wearing a version of white on their own accord, but only she, Mama, and Ekko are wearing things with color. Even Grandpa Silco ditched his coat in favor of a white vest that matched Grandpa Vander's. Some people look very fancy, and Mama says that they are snobby. Ekko corrects her and says they are from Piltover. Maybe that's why they look at them with disapproval. Isha shrugs. She really likes her jumpsuit, and Mama and Ekko look good.

After what feels like forever, Aunty Cait's mom asks for Isha, which means it is starting for real. She looks at Mama one last time, and she winks at Isha. Ekko smiles and gives her a thumbs up while she is directed to the entrance of the venue. Isha holds her bag tightly. She is not nervous, or at least that is what she tells herself. There is a heavy feeling sitting on her stomach, and she feels like she wants to run. She is brave, though. She practiced with Aunty Vi and Aunty Cait the day before. That time she had used fake flowers, though.

Aunty Vi makes her way into the chapel, stopping when she sees Isha. She is wearing a suit that has a faint reddish hue. Her hair is styled back, and she is wearing mascara. She smiles and kneels in front of her.

"Are you ready, bug?" She asks, and in other circumstances, she would have nodded enthusiastically.

This time, she just shrugs, looking at her feet. Aunty Vi presses a hand on her shoulder, bringing her attention back up to her face.

"You will do great, Isha. I am excited to see what you have come up with."

She is looking at Isha's bag. Isha's mouth quirks up a little bit, and she nods softly. Aunty Vi is then taken with everyone else to the main room. Something about not being able to see Aunty Cait.

Like she has been summoned, Aunty Cait appears behind Isha as she gets ready to walk inside. Her suit is very similar to Aunty Vi's, but hers has a blueish hue to it. She smiles at Isha and winks, but before she is able to say anything, there is some clapping, which indicates the ceremony has started.

Isha bites her lip, pulling some of the fabric from her bag. It isn't long until it is her turn to go, and she walks in a little bit faster than she did during her practice. Granted, she hadn't practiced the use of her real flowers. Guests look questioningly at her as she dips her hand and drops the perfected egg-looking device on the floor, leaving a few feet between each other. She makes it to the altar, and she places two more on each end. Aunty Via gives her a curious frown. Isha stands clear of the devices, now lined all the way from the door to the altar, between where the guests are seated. She gives Aunty Vi a devious smile and then turns to smile at Aunty Cait, who has her eyebrows raised, but with an encouraging look.

With a flick of her wrist, there is a loud WHOOSH, and paper flowers fly across the room. Isha, Ekko, and Mama spent the last two days cutting paper to look like flowers and stuffing the devices enough that there would be a rain of red and blue, but not to the point where everyone would drown in it, like it happened when they tried it the first time. People on Aunty Cait's side scream; Isha can distinctly hear Mama's laughter, and a few people are clapping, extending their hands in the air to capture the paper flowers.

Isha turns to Aunty Vi, who has a surprised smile as she looks at the paper flowers falling slowly. She then looks behind Isha, and her smile widens. Isha turns as she comes back to her parents and sees Aunty Cait walk as the paper flowers rain around her. Isha thinks she looks the most beautiful she has ever seen her. Mama ruffles her hair when she sits next to her, and Aunty Sevika gives her a thumbs up from behind Grandpa Silco's chair.

It is a blast! Some people on Aunty Cait's side clutch the place over their hearts. They seem properly scared, and Isha giggles. It doesn't last long because Aunty Cait reaches the altar, and there is a loud SHUSH! This makes everyone stop talking, and the ceremony starts.

****

The ceremony is just as white and bleak as the venue Caitlyn's mom chose for Vi's wedding. The only interesting thing was Isha's flowers, much like Jinx knew it would. Things got better once they moved to the area where the reception party is currently being held. Although still white walls and tables, and chairs, there are red and blue ribbons. There are purple roses at the center of each table. And an open bar. An amazing open bar that she and Ekko have been visiting constantly, because there is only so much Jinx can put up with, especially with Pilties.

Isha is dancing with Vi and Vander, and Ekko is in an apparently passionate discussion with Jayce. Viktor seems to be arbitrating between the two of them, nodding thoughtfully when each of them speaks. Mel is sitting next to Viktor, amused at the conversation ensuing between the men, a drink in her hand. Jinx smiles to herself. They don't share much with Caitlyn's side; there are still some things they need to work on, and Jinx isn't necessarily a fan of change, but Vi decided to bite the proverbial bullet. They are part of her life now, regardless of whether she likes it or not.

She doesn't hate it. She works with Jayce and Viktor every now and then. They have a good working relationship, especially since Heimerdinger is adamant about them being friends. She also has a cordial relationship with Mel; Ekko started taking Jinx to some Council events or to consult when they needed her expertise, a few years after meeting again. Isha was three, and Vi offered to babysit so that Jinx could get more pocket money. After all, being the daughter of Zaun's most prominent businessman comes with the perk of not having to worry about money. The boredom was killing her, though, so she accepted. Ekko told her that Mel had advocated for Zaun's independence and freedom even before Ekko and Sevika became part of the Council. Jinx doesn't fully believe it, though. Mel Medarda is a smart woman, and she does nothing that does not benefit her in the long run. According to Ekko, her goal was always peace, and Jinx can agree that it could be true. She is still a Piltie, though.

Her relationship with Caitlyn is the only thing that has changed immensely, even if it hasn't changed at all. She despises everything Caitlyn stands for, even if she decided to demote herself to become an investigator and donates most of her family fortune to up-and-coming businesses in Zaun. She is still as obnoxious and irritating as ever. They fight and curse at each other every chance they get. But Jinx enjoys going to the Kiramman's mansion and spending time on the shooting range with Caitlyn. She can also agree that Caitlyn is smart, and she does everything to make Vi happy. It's hard to hate someone when they make one of your most precious people happy. Plus, she's funny. She's funny in the way dry humor is funny, and she's funnier when she thinks she can win over Jinx.

Point in case, it's funny when Caitlyn beelines to her table, a smug smile on the corners of her mouth. Her cheeks are rosy, probably due to the amount of alcohol Vi had her consume. Also, probably because it's her wedding day and she's radiating happiness. Semantics. Jinx taps her fingernails atop the table, a lazy smile on her face.

"Pay up," Caitlyn says in her deep accent, no preamble, straight to the goods. Jinx scoffs.

"I don't know what you are talking about, toots," Jinx says, shrugging. Her smile widens, though, especially when Caitlyn's eyes narrow.

"Fine," she says, sitting down next to her. She passes Jinx a white bouquet of roses. Jinx looks at her, confused. "It's your turn now. Think of it as a sign."

Jinx takes the flowers cautiously, turning them around, and pressing the pad of her fingers on the soft petals. She brings the roses close to her nose and breathes the scent in, closing her eyes. It's the bouquet Caitlyn had during the ceremony. Jinx has heard that it is tradition to throw it, and whoever catches it will have the luck of marrying next. Her smile comes back. She opens her eyes and smiles deviously at Caitlyn. It will take her a long time to understand that Jinx doesn't half-ass things, ever.

"I don't know, Cait," Jinx says, imitating Vi's high-pitched voice when she calls for her wife; "I am not one to chicken out when making a deal."

Jinx pushes her hair behind her ear. It shouldn't be as red as it was three days ago, when she had Ekko stop bitching and pierce her earlobes so they could finally match. She likes wearing rings, but she is afraid she is going to lose the ring. It took her a lot of time and effort to lose the ring in such an absurd manner. She also likes how they look on Ekko, so she wanted to see if it would look good on her as well.

It takes Caitlyn a while to catch on, so Jinx takes the earring off (which Ekko will be giving her an earful for, hah, later) and puts it on her ring finger dramatically. Caitlyn stares, her smile fading slowly and her brows furrowing. Jinx has to pretend she's staring at her cuticles for Caitlyn to notice. She gasps loudly, which gathers the attention of guests close to Jinx's table; she clasps her hands above her mouth, eyebrows close to her hairline. Jinx smiles smugly.

"But... wait... when?" Caitlyn babbles, turning suddenly to search for Ekko, which probably gives her whiplash. "How?" Caitlyn gasps again. "Vi doesn't know?"

"No," Jinx says quickly, "and you will not tell her yet. I have my own bets going, you know?"

It's Caitlyn's turn to scoff.

"You gamble with your life this way?"

Jinx laughs loudly at that.

"I only take bets I can win."

She winks at Caitlyn and gets up, pretending to dust her white dress.

"Now, if you excuse me, I have to go look for my man."

Caitlyn's eyes are ridiculously wide.

"Oh," Jinx turns, "and welcome to the family, toots. I expect my money bright and early on Monday!"

When she reaches Ekko's side, she smiles at him, pulling him away from the discussion without a word and into the dancefloor, where they join Isha. They dance like they did that time at her apartment. There are butterflies in her chest, and the voices are silent. The only things she hears are Isha's giggles and Ekko's sweet nothings whispered in her ear. And if she kisses Ekko once or twice while they dance, no one will ever know with the copious amounts of alcohol being served around them.

Vi comes knocking on Jinx's door days later, confused as to why Caitlyn owes Jinx money. She looks at Jinx with suspicion, but she never gives away anything. They talk, Vi blushes when she talks about married life, and Jinx hits her with a wrench to bring her out of her stupid thoughts. She is helping Vi prepare for a Painting with Caitlyn, so Jinx writes down all the things needed for the event. Zaunites don't get married often. It is expensive, and it holds no true meaning. A Painting, though? It is the most intimate form of celebration in their lives, and Caitlyn being open to the idea goes to show that she is not as stupid as she looks, according to Jinx.

The next few weeks will be busy, with her new design to improve the hexgates and Ekko proposing a new water filtration system to the Council. It's not going to be fun, but at least she will be able to relax and spend some time with her family. When Vi leaves, Jinx counts the money notes in her hand, leaving aside some notes for Ekko. After all, they share everything with each other, for better or for worse.

Chapter Text

Ekko's life did a complete switch the moment Jinx walked into Silco's office that day three years ago.

Despite his disdain towards the men, Silco started being less aggressive and more open to discussion regarding the safety and betterment of Zaun. He didn't really understand it, but he and the Firelights needed the money. Something changed during the years he last saw Jinx, and it felt like her absence led the way to talks of peace and improvement. Ekko hated it. What was the point of living a peaceful life without the person who made his days so colorful? What was the point of improvement if he had no one worth building it for?

He had been angry, exhausted, and resentful the whole time since he last saw Jinx. He knew it wasn't doing anybody any good, but he couldn't help it. He waited for months after the last time he saw Jinx, hoping that she would come back and that things could change for the better. He felt like a fool after the first year passed. Scar told him that he should have expected it, knowing that Jinx was a loose cannon meant to blow at any point. Ekko knew she wasn't dead; Silco would have turned the Undercity upside down already. It still pissed him off that she didn't say goodbye, or at least warn him. Maybe all that progress they made during those months they spent together was useless; maybe she hated him and just wanted to use him the whole time. He didn't care. He still felt worthless and used.

Two years into her absence, the sting was just a part of his heart now. He had to step up, help with recovery efforts around the Lanes, and lead the Firelights the way he was always supposed to do. He did it better, but he did it well. He could manage his emotions, regardless of how bad he felt on the inside. So he put all of himself into his work, advising leaders in the community, helping with rebuilding infrastructure, and creating a haven for those addicted to shimmer and hurt by shimmer alike. Two years in, he was approached by Sevika, who had taken Caitlyn's place in the Council to advocate for Zaun. Despite their differences, she saw his potential and his compassion. She knew he was a leader by nature, and she needed that in the Council. He laughed it off at first, but she was right. He loved helping others, guiding them, and ensuring that his people were taken care of. So he accepted.

It was frustrating at first, with Council members being dismissive of him and Sevika and their efforts to find a middle ground. If it hadn't been for Professor Heimerdinger mediating these conversations, he would have gotten into fistfights with Salo and been banned from Council chambers. Working with Sevika, though, helped him find that moral ground where he could navigate the conversation and finally start making progress. The problem was that the one funding this progress was no other than Silco. He hated it, hated going to meetings in his office at The Last Drop, hated that he needed to behave to get what he needed, and hated how much of a reminder he was that Jinx had chosen him, over and over again.

It became bearable, after a while, especially when Vi was released from Stillwater and started working with Vander at The Last Drop. It was a small comfort, but also unnerving. Nobody uttered her name or alluded to her presence, which meant they were as much in the dark as he was. He also never asked. He didn't have it in him, and he was afraid of how he would react if he did get that information. It made life easier, not to wonder, not to think about her the way he did every night at the Firelights base. He became accustomed to arguing with Silco and pointing out his mistakes, which allowed them to make informed decisions about improving the Undercity. It was a familiar song and dance he used to do with Jinx when they argued about teaming up for the betterment of Zaun rather than being enemies. The only difference is that Ekko didn't have any positive feelings towards Silco.

This time was no different. Ekko was having a bad day, though, so they skipped the arguments and got into planning the next proposal for more warehouses in Zaun. It was one of his first proposals, but Silco opted to finance the efforts to help those addicted with shimmer first. Regret and repentance didn't suit him, but at least he was using his money for good this time. Once that was taken care of, Ekko was finally able to lay out the proposal in full, Sevika making some comments on who would argue against it in the Council, and Silco pointing out how the budget could be tweaked for the least expenses and higher profit. A headache was brewing at the back of Ekko's head, but they were almost done, so he just had to push through for a few minutes.

The silence when the door opened didn't register in Ekko's head, opting to inspect the locations Silco had chosen to place the warehouses on the big map in front of him. The silence stretched for a moment too long, so he raised his head. Silco and Sevika were staring at the door, aghast. The moment he turned, though, he was petrified all the same. If you were to ask him today, he would say he was not staring and his jaw wasn't all the way to the floor, Jinx, stop.

His sight was trained on the soft pink of her wide eyes at first. There was no trace of the baby blue he used to drown in during those nights they shared. Instead, it was hot pink all over, electric and magnetizing to the point where he couldn't seem to breathe. Her blue braids trail down to the floor, but with the addition of bunny clips and some paint in her black shirt. Not only that, but she's holding a small girl in her arms, subconsciously turning her to the entrance as if to protect her from whatever could come next. Ekko's eyes are dark brown, but he would recognize the specks of gold in the girl's amber eyes anywhere. He always found them in his eyes when he stared at himself in the mirror. The little girl's hair was brown with some strands of blue, and her gaze was as intense as her mother's, staring Ekko down inquisitively while sucking on her thumb. Her pocket nose was similar to his, though, and those eyes...

Ekko's life changed for the better three years ago when Jinx finally took the courage to confront her mistakes and bring a gift into his life. That day wasn't pretty by any means, but he got to meet his daughter and start building a life worth fighting for.

This is why he now slouches on the floor in his room at Firelight's base, his hands still and fingers splayed out, as Isha runs a small brush over them, the neon green sticking to his nails. She holds her tongue out unconsciously, her eyes laser-focused on his hand. Her eyebrows are furrowed in the same way Jinx's are when she gets caught off guard. Ekko knows he is smiling, but he can't help it. Isha is the best thing that has ever happened to him, even if he wasn't necessarily there for the first three years.

Once she is done, he checks her work, dabbing a cotton swab on the corners of his fingers. Isha looks at her own nails, a small smile on her face. They are sitting on the floor of his room at the Firelight's base, paper and canvases moved aside, buckets of paint in the corner, and trinkets discarded on his workstation. It's been a while since they have come to the base to sleep.

He has temporarily moved in with them after spending more time there than in his apartment. Isha had been ecstatic, and Jinx... well, she was more than happy to accommodate a spot for him in her bed. He still commutes between Zaun and Piltover, but he finds it peaceful when he stays in Zaun. It is extra peaceful when he can spend the afternoon unwinding with his girls after a day fighting some Pilties regarding things they don't understand. The switch wasn't too bad, as he had expected, and in a few months, he won't have to worry about the apartment's rent any longer. Isha doesn't know, but this might be a long-term change they will be talking about after Caitlyn and Vi's Painting.

Isha gestures at him for his attention; he turns his attention to her.

Why do people kiss?

Isha has always been a curious little thing, asking questions out of the blue and always open about the answers. Questions like this don't faze Ekko the way they used to in the first months they started getting to know each other. He still remembers when she point-blank asked him if he was her dad. He contemplated that question for three days until Jinx beat some sense into him and confirmed that, yes, indeed, he is Isha's dad.

Now, he just frowns for a few minutes. Isha isn't insistent. She likes people to take their time with their answers. She likes it when you put thought and care into what you will say. He guesses she gets that from him; Jinx is a menace when it comes to talking your ear off. Isha takes that from her when anything bug-related comes into play.

"You kiss people because it's a way to show your love for them," he says, satisfied. "And you only kiss the people you love most," he adds, just for good measure. He doesn't want his daughter to go around kissing bugs or somebody in her class.

Isha frowns pensively, looking at the floor for a bit.

Why not kiss Mama, she signs, all the time?

He scoffs but plays it as if it is him clearing his throat. It is an interesting question, but she has been asking questions like these lately—things like why they don't live together, or if he really loves them. Isha is so confident that he tends to forget she is still a kid. She is bound to have worries and insecurities, which is why he answers with honesty. He ensures she receives the answers she expects and understands his responses.

"Isha," he says in a calm voice, a smile at his lips. "I love you and Mama very much, you know that."

She nods.

Then why?

He hums for a bit, but the answer comes automatically to him.

"Mama and I have a complicated relationship," he starts. "We were childhood friends, we were enemies, then we stopped talking, and then we reunited. With a little bug to add," he says, pushing Isha's shoulder softly. She giggles at that. "We have had our highs and lows, which is why we don't kiss that much. Also," he adds, his face twisting in a grimace, "I don't think you want us to be kissing constantly like Aunty Vi and Cait, do you?"

At this, Isha makes a gagging noise, shaking her head vigorously. He laughs at this.

"Kissing someone means different things depending on who they are, so there's also that," he finishes.

And me?

"Mama is the love of my life, but you are my favorite person in the whole world," he says, saying the word whole in a sing-songy voice. "Of course I'm going to fill you with kisses every time I see you."

Isha's smile is bright and fully-toothed (to a degree, she has a couple of them missing). To make his point, he scoops her from the floor and sits her on his lap, peppering kisses on her hair, her cheeks, and her nose. She squeals, trying to pull away, but giving up and taking his face in her little hands, dropping a kiss to his forehead. He could die right here, and he would die happy.

What does kissing feel like?

That catches him off guard. As much as he loves answering her questions, there are some things he still struggles with.

"Hey Jinx," he calls, pushing Isha down as she wrestles with him a bit. "Your daughter is asking me what kissing feels like!"

There is a loud pang and a squack, followed by a "WHAT?!"

Quick footsteps make their way to the door of his room. Jinx has her hair up in a ponytail, a few blue strands falling to her face. She is wearing one of his shirts and some shorts she adapted from the pants she used to wear around when they were younger. She has a hand on her hip and another one swinging a spatula with some specks that suspiciously look like pancake batter.

"Isha, please tell me there's not a little creep forcing you to kiss him-"

"Or her," Ekko chimes in.

"-or so help me, Janna, I will burn down this whole place down if it means you won't see them again."

"Can we, like, not burn the whole place down? Maybe just the classroom? Or their desk? We were really good at placing traps on Mylo and Claggor's beds, so maybe something similar can work," Ekko supplies, but Isha shakes her head furiously, her cheeks a bit pink.

Just curious, she signs rapidly and then motions her hands to show that it was a done conversation. Jinx hums, narrowing her eyes. They do their usual staredown for a few minutes until Jinx sighs.

"All right, but if one of those squirts tries to do anything weird, just show them the moves Aunty Vi taught you, 'kay?"

"Do tell us, though, trouble. It's okay to share these things with us. We are always on your side."

Isha nods, certainly satisfied with how the conversation went. He wants to ask what's up with the questions, but his nose catches a whiff of what certainly is something burning. Jinx's eyes go wide, as if she smells it too.

"Fucking shit," she says, sprinting to the kitchen.

"Language!"

"Fucking frik!"

****

Today is Aunty Cait and Aunty Vi's Painting. Isha wears an old grey shirt that miraculously didn't have any other paint on it. Everyone else wears old clothes that will soon be covered in different colors and shapes. Isha is excited, but she can't help but feel an impending sense of doom. She doesn't understand it, but the voices have been very annoying for the past two days, and today they seem to be the loudest. Nothing bad has happened, and she has seen Mama and Ekko kiss before! But she doesn't feel like this is about her list anymore.

A week ago, when she met with the kids in her class, she bragged about how her plan worked perfectly and that she had a real family, it just looked a little different. The kids had been silent, finding nothing they could critique, and Isha had been incredibly satisfied. But then she forgot to drop some keys Mama had given her to leave for Aunty Vi at The Last Drop, and Mama had raised her voice at her. She also wasn't allowed to go to Ekko's the next day to catch Piltover bugs. Isha has been feeling horrible ever since then. She let Mama down! What if Mama got tired of her one day because Isha forgot things easily?

It scares her, especially when the voices continue to feed her fears. They have become meaner, but she doesn't want to talk about it. Just as Mama deals with her scribbles, Isha can deal with these by herself.

She stays sitting down in one of the corners where the paint doesn't splatter as much. Paintings tend to be messy and colorful, but even the neon paints and laughter don't take her out of the mood she is in. She has already gone around drawing bugs, hearts, and stars on people. She drew a heart atop Aunty Cait's heart with neon pink and a bunny on Aunty Vi's arm with neon green.

From her spot, she can see Ekko shaking Caitlyn's hand, leaving his bright blue handprint on her hand. They smile at each other and seem to be talking when Mama jumps out of nowhere and clings to her back, earning a scream from Aunty Cait. Isha giggles a little. Mama has her shirt covered in pink paint and leaves Aunty Cait's back colored in neon pink. Everyone turns their attention to them, not out of fear, but curiosity. Aunty Cait turns to try and see the damage, but Mama is already laughing, and Aunty Vi is next to her.

"What was that for?!" Aunty Cait squeals when Aunty Vi holds up a mirror for her to see her back.

"I'm always one step ahead of you, toots," Mama says, a bright smile on her face. It softens a little bit when she catches Ekko giving her a thumbs up. "I've also given you a lot of problems to shoulder and stressed you out to the bone."

"That's right," Aunty Cait says, staring at Mama with inquisitive eyes.

"But I also got your back," Mama finishes, her bright smile back. "You are family now, and you know damn well I will do anything to protect my family."

Aunty Cait huffs a laugh.

"Believe me," she says, dipping her fingers in a bucket of neon blue, "I know firsthand the lengths you'll go to do just that. Thanks."

Aunty Cait brings her fingers back and gives Mama a look like she's asking for permission. Mama nods once, and Aunty Cait draws an X above Mama's left eye.

"I've always got my eye on you," she says, tracing the X once more for the color to be brighter. "This blinded me, but thanks to you, I can now see the bright future we have ahead."

Mama gives Aunty Cait a conspiratorial smile before groaning dramatically, earning a laugh from Aunty Cait and Aunty Vi.

"You and your Piltie prose, can't you say thank you like a normal person?"

"No can do," Aunty Cait says, winking at her before turning to Aunty Vi.

Isha smiles at their interaction and stands up to go be part of it, but when she gets up, she stumbles upon a bucket of black paint, spilling its contents on the floor. The sound brings everyone's attention. She is stunned for a second, and when she looks up, Mama has her eyebrows raised at her. Ekko is already making his way to her. It is at this moment that the voices decide to become louder. She can hear Mama's words when she chastised her for not dropping the keys at the Last Drop. She can hear the voice of her teacher chastising her in front of her class because she was disrupting. She can hear Ekko's voice when he explained to her that she couldn't just take one of the hoverboards and try to fly it. She can hear all the times when people have been mad at her, or when other kids were mean to her.

Isha feels like it's hard to breathe. She doesn't feel like she has control of her body. Before the sense of awareness leaves her completely, she turns around and runs out the door. They are in a warehouse close to The Last Drop. Grandpa Silco used it for things Mama never talks about, but now it's a storage unit for the things needed at the bar. Grandpa Vander repurposed it for the family to gather during celebrations, including Paintings.

The air outside is hot, and she feels sweat gather at her temple. She feels like her chest is closing on itself, her heart beating at a thousand miles per hour. She tries clenching and unclenching her hands, but she can no longer feel her fingertips. And then the voices come, being extremely mean, telling her how stupid she is and how dumb she is to think she deserves to have her family. She hears about how she always messes everything up, how she is always making things difficult for others. She doesn't even speak, even if she wanted to! She knows it makes it harder for Mama and Ekko to communicate with her, it makes it harder to answer at school, and it makes it harder for her to exist in general. Maybe the voices are right. Maybe she isn't worthy of the people close to her, worthy of their affection and their love. Maybe she isn't worth any-

"-Isha, baby, talk to me."

It's Ekko's voice, muffled to her ears, but she can hear him nonetheless. Her hands don't move, but she holds on to his words, even if just to stop the pain in her chest every time the voices say something mean. She is kneeling now, using a hand to hit her head every time the voices say something. She feels the distant touch of Ekko's hand on her arms, his light fingers trying to pull her fists away. She doesn't know if she is crying, but she knows she can't breathe, and it's too hot, and she wants her Mama.

By the grace of Janna, her prayers are answered, Mama standing a few feet away from Ekko and Isha. She looks weird, though. Maybe Isha is crying because Mama seems to be blurry, the neon colors blending with her blue hair and white shirt. She can't see her expression well, but she can feel her hesitation, especially when Ekko turns to her, pulling Isha's hands with him.

"Jinx-" He starts, but is cut by a string of no's that make Isha tremble in fear.

Has Mama realized that Isha wasn't worthy, too?

Ekko looks back at Isha, and he gives her a coin he digs from his pocket. She looks at him with confusion, her breath coming out very fast. She is feeling lightheaded now.

"Baby, I want you to hold this coin as hard as you can. Come show me once you can see the Kiramman's symbol on your palm, okay?" He looks at her intently. She takes the coin, confused. It takes a while for her brain to process, but she is already nodding at Ekko.

She holds the coin, spinning it on her fingers while Ekko walks to Mama. She focuses on the Kiramman's symbol, Aunty Cait's emblem, for a few minutes. Ekko has taken Mama's shoulders and shaken her a bit. Mama seems to be in a trance, hugging herself. Isha doesn't feel sad about that, which is weird. She spins the coin once more before closing her hand, feeling the warm silver metal on her skin. She tries to squeeze at first, but her fingers refuse. She knows she is crying now. She can't even squeeze a coin! Why would Ekko expect her to do this, anyway? It is stupid. She still hears the voices, and she now wants to throw up. She doesn't like crying at all.

Ekko whispers something to Mama and then kisses her softly. If it had been any other time, she would have noticed that it was the first time she saw them kiss like this, like Ekko is trying to convey all of the words in his mind using one simple action. Mama closes her eyes, and she holds onto Ekko tightly, breathing deeply. It's a conversation without words, a promise that the pain will pass. Isha tries squeezing again, and she can get her hand moving with her. She leaves it for a few seconds and then opens her hand, but the symbol is not there, so she tries again.

She tries, and tries, and tries until she gets frustrated to the point she wants to throw the coin. Before she can do so, though, Mama kneels before her and holds her shoulders. Isha goes still, waiting for Mama to scream at her for ruining the party, for running away, for being too sensitive, or anything the voices provide her with. But no, Mama just looks at her with a piercing look before she just helps Isha up. She hugs Isha tightly, and Isha is confused for a second, but then something in her crumbles. She knows she is crying very loudly, but she doesn't care. Mama runs her hands through Isha's hair.

"It's okay, bug," she whispers. "You hear them too, don't you?"

Isha nods energetically, and Mama gives a shuddery breath.

"They are the worst, huh?" Mama continues, sniffling a bit. "But let me tell you a secret."

This gets Isha's attention, her nose stuffed and her limbs feeling so, so heavy. It's weird how she can feel all of her body at once. She doesn't like it. Mama continues to hug her, and she wraps Isha's arm around her waist.

"Hold tight!"

Isha does so out of confusion, but she has no time to question it before Mama starts spinning her around, her arms on Isha's back. Her grip on Mama tightens, and her feet leave the ground. They spin for a little bit, and the knot on her throat dissipates into a fit of giggles. Mama spins them really fast, and by the time she stops and puts Isha down, she is out of breath because of how crazy the spinning was.

"Whenever the scribbles happen, I want you to come to me, okay? And we will spin until they shut up," Mama says, kissing the top of Isha's head. Isha nods hesitantly. She didn't want Mama to know about them, but the cat is out of the bag.

Later that night, when they have changed out of their paint-stained clothes, showered, and are comfortably sitting on Isha's bed, Isha feels much calmer. Mama distracts herself by trying to flatten the sheets, while Ekko pulls Isha's hair in pigtails to match his. They haven't talked about what happened yet, and Isha thinks they will just never talk about it again, but then Mama clears her throat. Ekko finishes Isha's pigtails quickly, and then he sits next to her. Mama stares at them for a bit and then huffs a laugh.

"You two are insufferable," she says, gesturing at their pigtails.

Isha smiles at Ekko, but she still picks at the skin on her nails. She knows they'll ask questions, but she doesn't know if she wants to answer them right now.

"Isha," Ekko starts.

Isha is ready to lock herself in the bathroom until they go to sleep. No can do, though, as Mama sits on the floor, effectively putting herself between Isha and the door.

"You know you can tell us anything, right?"

Isha nods solemnly.

"Then I want you to tell Mama or me when the scribbles start, okay? You don't have to deal with it alone."

Isha stays quiet, her eyes trained on her fingernails, the neon green chipping away every time she picks at her skin.

"They are hard to deal with alone, bug," Mama chimes in, a serious expression on her face. "I know how they make you feel, and if I can do anything to help, then I want you to come to me, understand?"

Isha nods again, but Mama shakes her head.

"Do you understand, Isha?"

Isha looks at Mama then.

Are you mad?

Mama huffs, shaking her head lightly.

"I will never be mad at you for something you can't control, baby. I am afraid because..."

It takes a while before Mama talks again, but her expression softens, smiling at Isha.

"Because I don't want anything bad to happen to you. And the voices tend to be very mean sometimes, right?"

Isha nods again. She is not fully convinced that Mama isn't mad, but she is always honest with Isha. They remain silent for a little bit, but Isha doesn't feel as nervous.

"We also know there has been something bothering you lately," Ekko starts again, looking at her intently. He does look ridiculous with the pigtails. "We won't force you to tell us anything, but we are here if you ever want to talk about it."

Isha considers this. Her plan has been going well. They live together most of the time, and Isha is sure she has seen them kiss more times in the past few months than in the past six years. But she also dislikes the pressure. She likes her family as it is, and every time she tries to change it, there is a nagging in her head telling her she is not worthy of it. She also doesn't want to have to celebrate her birthday only once. Will that happen now that they live together? Will Mama and Ekko become boring like her classmates' parents? She doesn't want that.

We are not a real family, she signs. Mama raises her eyebrows, and color drains from her already pale face. She is about to say something when Ekko cuts her off.

"What does that mean to you?" He asks, and there is no anger or reproach in his voice, just curiosity.

Isha frowns. She shoves her hand under the pillow and brings out the flimsy piece of paper with her goals. She passes it to Ekko, a furious blush in her cheeks. Can he and Mama hear her heart beating so loudly? Ekko inspects the words in the paper and shows them to Mama. They don't seem to get mad; it seems like they are more amused than anything.

"You're incredibly smart, do you know that?" Ekko asks. Isha just shrugs. Mama huffs after looking at her list more closely.

"You really got us, peanut; I think you've achieved everything here except your birthday. We can always get together and have cake twice, you know?"

That stuns Isha. She never thought about that alternative. She always thought that celebrating together meant celebrating once. But instead, maybe she could celebrate both times with the two of them. Mama is a genius!

"Was it something one of those squirts said at school?"

That stops Isha's excitement. Right. They are having a serious conversation. She considers shaking her head and saying it was just something dumb the voices came up with. But these are her parents, her favorite people in the whole world, and, probably, the only ones to understand her. She nods hesitantly. Mama huffs, already cursing and muttering about going to the school and giving them something to talk about, whatever that means. Ekko rolls his eyes at Mama and then looks directly at Isha. He doesn't press, he just waits patiently while Mama plans the kids' demise.

They said, Isha starts slowly, we're not a real family.

Ekko nods, contemplating this. Mama's neck goes red the same way when Aunty Cait defeats her on the arcade games under The Last Drop.

I prove them wrong, she finishes, pointing at the list.

They stare at each other in silence for a moment.

"And prove them wrong you did," Ekko says, smiling at her as he lifts the piece of paper. "But that doesn't explain the scribbles, bug. Is there anything else bothering you?"

Isha pouts. She has said everything she has wanted to say. She doesn't really want to talk about the voices, ever. Luckily, her brain is so tired that the voices stay mostly quiet.

"Did..." Mama's voice seems hesitant, her frown directed at a stain on Isha's bedroom rug. "Does it have something to do with me scolding you about the thing for Aunty Vi?"

Isha's pout grows more petulant, but she can't really lie to Mama. She nods; Mama nods too.

"My scribbles tend to get worse when I feel like I have failed," Mama explains. "They don't stop because they repeat things I tell myself when I'm not feeling good."

Mama looks directly at her, and Isha's eyes well up. She doesn't want to cry, but she also doesn't want to say things out loud. It feels like if she does, they'll turn real. But Mama knows. Mama is perceptive, she's smart, she knows the scribbles, and most important of all, she loves Isha with all her heart.

"We're not going to push you to tell us. But please know that we love you and there's nothing you can do to change that."

"Even if you make mistakes, that doesn't mean you're bad," Ekko chimes in. "And this is coming from someone who made a lot of mistakes in the past."

"And we are a real family!" Mama exclaims, throwing her hands up in the air the way she does when she's being dramatic. "Fuck those kids-"

"Language."

"-what do they know? The only thing they should be worried about is who your parents are, because I swear..."

Before she can finish, Ekko reaches for Mama, pulling her to his chest, a fake frown on his face. Mama stops talking, but she pouts the same way Isha does. Isha giggles a bit, looking down at the piece of paper. These few months have helped her realize that her family is different, but she loves them nonetheless. And they love her too, even if the voices sometimes say otherwise. Maybe Mama is right. Maybe Isha has been worrying over nothing. And sure, if the kids become really annoying, all she has to do is name-drop her parents, and they'll stop.

Mama reaches for Isha, and she gives in, moving into Mama's lap. She lets herself be embraced by her and Ekko. Mama runs a hand through her hair, soothing Isha into a relaxed state. Ekko rubs his thumb over Isha's hand. Yes. She is happy here, no matter what others say about her family. It is hers, and she will do anything to make sure it stays that way.

"Oh, my baby, I am so sorry for raising my voice at you," Mama sulks, her voice a little dramatic. "What can I do for you to forgive me? Candy? Cake? A workstation in Ekko's room?"

"You can't just bribe our daughter, Jinx."

Isha waves her hand dismissively, signing the number three. Mama laughs loudly. Ekko chuckles, even though he'll probably have Mama space out her delivery of these gifts. After all, Isha cannot have sugar twice a day or she'll stay awake for the next three days.

"We can arrange it," Ekko says, trying to sound reluctant, but he smiles at her.

After a few more minutes of peace, Isha starts to doze off, her head dropping against her will into Mama's shoulder. Mama smiles and laughs softly, picking her up and laying her on her bed. Ekko takes the comforter and pulls it up to Isha's chin, placing her favorite Bunny and stuffed toys next to her. Mama kisses her forehead and her nose.

"I love you, bug. Good night," she says.

Good night, Mama, Isha signs.

Ekko pats the covers and makes sure that Isha is comfortable before leaning and dropping a kiss on her forehead as well.

"Good night, trouble. Love you."

Good night, Papa, she signs, her eyes barely open now.

It doesn't take long for Isha to fall asleep. After weeks of having nightmares or the voices trying to keep her awake, she dreams of an apartment at the edges of Piltover, filled with paint and trinkets on the floor. She dreams of the living room in a small house close to the bridge, filled with music and confetti. She dreams of The Last Drop, with Aunty Cait and Aunty Vi whispering to each other and smiling, with Uncle Viktor scolding Uncle Jayce while Aunty Mel smiles conspiratorily to Uncle Viktor; with Grandpa Vander and Grandpa Silco discussing memories behind the bar. She dreams of Mama, her short hair braided into two pigtails as she paints a wide canvas. She dreams of Papa, stepping back to make sure his lines are centered, urging Isha to come so that he can carry her on his shoulders and have her put the finishing touches. She dreams of her perfect family, and she drifts to sleep peacefully.

Chapter Text

Jinx's life has always been incredibly eventful to the point where she fights for it daily. She does not want this and has never wanted this. Her life has also been extremely hard. She saw her parents dead on the bridge, she saw how her efforts to help effectively killed her two brothers and drove her sister and adoptive father away from her, and she continues to see all of her mistakes in the little actions and things she does in her current life. Claggor, advising her not to do something because she is not prepared or ready enough; Mylo, taunting and ridiculing her every time something goes wrong. Vander's disappointed stare when she fails to do something good. Vi's snarl and hatred drip from her every time she closes her eyes. At this point, she can't remember her parents' faces, and she doesn't know if she feels pain or relief about this. There are many things she wishes she could forget, but the ones she wants to leave behind the most come to haunt her constantly. It's not pretty, and it is exhausting. Jinx doesn't trust a lot of people, and the people worth fighting for are either dead, twisted, or hate her guts. She has been wondering if it's worth it. The scribbles have been getting worse, and she doesn't know how long she can keep going.

As mentioned, though, her life is as eventful as it can be. Even if she would like to end it all, the universe is cruel and unfair. Every opportunity she has to stop the pain or cease to exist, finally, something happens to stop her. It's like she can't die, and that is infuriating. If she hits harder, works swifter, or spends extra time making sure she creates the most damage, it is because it's her way of releasing anger. She knows she is smart, and she knows maybe this is not the healthiest mindset, but what else does she have? Her sister is dead, her adoptive family is dead, her brothers are dead, her other adoptive father is not father material, and the boy she has been in love with since forever despises her. She is truly and utterly alone in this world, and it should stay that way.

But no. Jinx's life is a bout of twists and turns.

She leans to the side for the third time this morning, throwing up whatever contents are left in her stomach. Bile sticks to her mouth like venom. She heaves deeply, holding her stomach and pushing her hair aside. It's been getting worse now. The first month, she was able to trick herself into thinking it was just the physical manifestation of her anxiety and stress. She had stopped meeting Ekko after a particularly deadly attack on the Firelights. She couldn't take pretending she didn't care about him anymore, couldn't pretend just to want him physically. She had fallen into dangerous territory the moment her feelings resurfaced, so she decided to cut it off completely.

The second month... She tried her best to ignore it. It's easier to ignore things when you pretend they are not happening to you, when you tune out the pain. But Sevika started to catch on, glancing at her during missions when Jinx had to stop for a second because she got dizzy, or making snide comments when Jinx snapped at her more than usual. And if Sevika knew, Silco did too. This thought scares her shitless. Her relationship with Silco is something she doesn't understand, but it's good. She relies on him, and he provides the safety and love (albeit twisted) she seeks. She can't mess that up. If he were to know of her condition, he could very well kick her out to the street, pull out all support he's ever given her, and render her a danger to the Chem-Barons, effectively making her everyone's target. She tried to ignore it, but she's not stupid. Self-preservation is always at the forefront of her mind, so she has resorted to lying and ignoring it.

"I don't know, kid, this doesn't look like regular food poisoning to me," Sevika says, her shoulder on the wall of the alley they're in.

She has her arms crossed above her chest, robotic arm tapping lightly on her flesh. She looks at Jinx like she's scrutinizing every gesture, every expression, searching for something. The truth, maybe. Tough luck because she's not getting it. At least from Jinx.

"Shut up, you dumb ogre. Not all of us can eat loads of food without issues like you," Jinx says back, cleaning her mouth with the back of her hand. She holds herself on the wall, trying to stop the tremor of her hands. She wants to go to her hideout and sleep. She has been so exhausted lately.

"That's funny because you don't eat, even when I force you," Sevika says, stepping a little closer. "I actually haven't seen you eat, so I wonder if it really is food poisoning..."

"Fuck off," Jinx says with finality, pushing herself off the wall and walking back to The Last Drop.

At least they were done with their raid. Smeech will think twice before trying to steal Silco's merchandise and equipment. And there were no Firelights in sight, so Jinx didn't need to worry about that either. All they need to do is go back, debrief with Silco, and then she can lie her way into secluding herself for a few days. She has been in more pain than usual (because Sevika is right, she is not used to eating consistently), and her fatigue feels like a block of cement on top of her limbs. She just wants to go to sleep and never wake up.

"You better be careful, Jinx," Sevika says, walking from behind. "Any small mistake can cost you, especially if you stop being cautious."

Jinx tries not to let the comment rattle her, but her shoulders go up a bit. Her heart starts beating fast. What if she's right? What if she hasn't been careful enough, and others know? What if Silco knows? If she steps into his office today, will she be kicked out? Will he abandon her? For some reason, her palms start sweating. A headache buds its ugly head into her skull, her blood pumping agonisingly beneath her eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Really? Because last time you dipped for a non-existent job Silco gave you, and you turned out to be at a doctor's office, which in my opinion-"

"Shut the fuck up, Sevika," Jinx hisses, her heaving picking up again. She turns to glare at Sevika, a hand caressing the gun in her holster.

"You think I'm stupid?" Sevika asks, pushing a finger against her shoulder. "First, you run off and around with that Firelight boy, then you start throwing up like an idiot, and then people see you at a doctor's place? Come on, kid, anybody's bound to put two and two together."

Jinx is properly freaking out now. Her breathing is ragged, and she can feel the blood pumping in her head. She looks at her feet. There is a sense of defeat in her heart. If Sevika knows, then there is no point in pretending. If Sevika knows, then Silco knows too. Her brain starts working on overdrive, thinking of lies, excuses, and ways to put this down to rest.

She knows in reality, this will not happen. She had visited the doctor that one time to confirm her suspicions. She threatened the doctor not to tell anyone, or she would make sure his death was slow and painful. He had offered to take care of the issue, which filled Jinx with such rage that he thought she would actually kill him. By the time she left, there were some extra money notes and an intact doctor. She couldn't go through with whatever he had in mind at the time, and she won't be able to go through with it now. She knows that she can take that option; it's not like she is afraid. But as terrifying as the idea of bringing new life into the world is, there is a part of Jinx that is exhilarated. She hasn't processed that yet, and this is no time to start.

"You can't tell him."

Jinx's voice is wavering, small, and pleading. It's been a while since she heard this voice. She often uses her authoritative voice, and most of the time, she puts an amusing tilt that irks everyone. She surprises herself with the voice she uses now. She doesn't like being vulnerable in front of others; hell, it's why she stopped seeing Ekko altogether. But here, a few blocks away from The Last Drop, her eyes wide, breathing heavily, and arms trembling, the only thing she can do is the thing that has always failed in her life, and pray to Janna it works this time.

"Please, Sevika," she says, gulping the knot in her throat. "He cannot know."

Sevika studies her expression, a scowl on her face. Will she loom this over her head later? Does she owe her life, and indirectly, her child's life, to her now? Jinx feels like she's going to pass out. All she knows is that she needs to end this conversation quickly before she starts blowing things up with no plan. Sevika gives her a look that Jinx can't decipher, but she ends up rolling her eyes.

"I'm not a snitch, kid. Your problems are your own. Just don't make them mine, and we should be good."

Jinx nods at that, too afraid her voice will waver to speak. They continue their walk silently to The Last Drop. Jinx holds herself close, trying not to spiral from the conversation alone. Mylo whispers malicious things in her ear, but her brain can't unravel the words; she feels more than hears Claggor's pity for her, and for her unborn child. It's overpowering, like oil covering her whole body to the point of sealing her mouth and nose shut, forbidding any attempt at breathing. She needs to get herself together quickly before she faces Silco. Any wrong move, and she might as well have hidden all of this for nothing.

Maybe Janna will grant her wish of disappearing.

Silco's office is still the same to onlookers. Papers are lined neatly next to books and ledgers that balance precariously on his desk. The lamp is on, but dust collects around its edges. The map on his wall has a few pins on it, denoting the principal locations of their last few jobs. The chairs are placed against the wall, leaving two single chairs in front of the desk.

Jinx knows that something is wrong, though. They are similar in the way that they operate in their personal spaces. Usually, the office has papers scattered around the floor, books open to random pages, and chairs on the ground from a previous fight, or just frustration. It tends to be organized chaos; if he ever needs a specific list, he can find it among the papers on the floor. The random pages are specific to the conversations he holds with the people who work for him. It all holds a specific place amidst the havoc in the room. Now, the cleanliness and order of things leave a sour taste in her mouth. Something is wrong, not only because his office is neatly organized, but also because Silco looks defeated.

Sevika and Jinx enter his office as usual, Jinx lying on the couch to his right and Sevika standing with her arms crossed. Silco keeps a cool stare as Sevika debriefs him on the last mission they were assigned to, going over what went well and what didn't. He listens intently, but his gaze drifts to Jinx now and then. It's unnerving. She feels her palms sweat slightly, but she maintains her aloof demeanor. The less reaction she gives him, the less likely he will go around asking anything.

Once Sevika is done, Silco stays silent. He motions for Sevika to sit, which makes Jinx spring up. He always dismisses them after a debrief.

"Very well. Thank you for your efforts in retrieving our side of the Lanes," he says, looking directly at Sevika. She grunts in agreement, sitting on the chair, legs splayed in front of her. "I am going to tell you something important, so listen well."

Sevika and Jinx look at each other for a second.

"The Council in Piltover has asked to meet. They want to discuss a possible peace treaty."

"Fat chance," Sevika scoffs.

Jinx frowns. The way he says it leaves no room for discussion, though. Jinx is not dumb. Although Silco is the closest thing to a father figure she has had in years, she knows that his avarice and greed know no bounds. She has done unspeakable things for him to ensure his position within the Lanes and the Chembarons. He is the wealthiest man in the Undercity, and he ensures that everyone knows it. It's one of the reasons why he sent Jinx and Sevika to mess with Smeech. Nobody ever gets away with making a pass at Silco. He is conniving, stealthy, and sharp. He has done everything he needed to do to achieve his current position.

But lately, he has let Enforcers seize his shimmer cargos. He doesn't attend the Chem-Baron's meetings as often as he used to. He doesn't plan any missions against Piltover. Jinx is grateful that she can manage her condition, but it has been gnawing at her. She doesn't know why he has decided to let so many things go, but she knows it started when Vander visited him a couple of months ago. She wasn't present, but Sevika said they talked for hours. Whatever happened that day has made Silco go soft. Ironically, the thing he made sure to instill in her is the thing that will destroy his empire. Jinx feels anger rise like bile through her throat.

When Silco brought her in, he made sure she understood that vulnerability is weakness. He built her piece by piece, gave her the name she carries, and turned her into the weapon she was always meant to be. Things like feelings, memories, or holding on to things were useless and could put her in harm's way. This is the reason why she stopped trying to free Vi from Stillwater. They always had bigger problems than grieving or mourning. They never had time for that. Jinx has worked nonstop ever since she left with Silco, and she has never looked back. Not once.

But now, in the stillness of Silco's office, he seems to have betrayed all he ever stood for. Sevika seems to notice it too, straightening her back at Silco's lack of response to her retort.

"So what," Jinx says through gritted teeth. "They ask you to meet with them, throw some money on the table, and that's it? You can't possibly believe this."

She glares at Silco, and he holds her gaze. There is no softness, there has never been. But his expression is complicated. He isn't mad, not at her, but he looks like he is ready to throw the papers off the table and start throwing books around. There is also something else, though, something she had seen in the days following Vander's visit. There is pain and exhaustion in his eyes. Jinx recognizes it well; she sees it every day when she stares at herself in the mirror. Jinx scoffs.

"What did he tell you to change your mind?" Jinx spits, anger fueling through her. "He comes back, and suddenly, all of these years fighting for Zaun are worthless? What did he say to you to convince you that this time it will work?"

"Jinx," he says her name as a warning.

"No! You said you wouldn't stop until Piltover paid for everything they have done to us. And now you want to be a coward and take their deal? Why-"

"Jinx," he says more sternly. Jinx shuts up, panic rising. He never uses that voice with her. She is still pissed, though.

"Then why?" She mutters, picking at the skin around her nails.

He looks at her, and with the most peaceful voice he's ever used, he says,

"I have more to lose now."

The room stays silent. Jinx wants to yank her hair. Mylo whispers a myriad of deprecating comments in her ear. Claggor mumbles something around He doesn't trust you anymore. She can see the bodies of her parents on the floor when she glances down, their blood seeping through the floorboards. She takes a deep breath.

"Take a break. The two of you," Silco says after a few minutes. "I'll let you know my decision soon. You need to take care of yourself for whatever comes ahead."

He says the last part while looking directly at Jinx, and her blood runs cold. He knows, Mylo taunts her, his dead body leaning against Silco's desk. Claggor is shaking his head behind Silco, looking out the window behind his chair. All the words she is ready to fire die on her tongue. He knows. He knows, and he is giving up on his dream for... what? Her? The thought sends a bolt down her spine, and suddenly she can't breathe. The picking at her nails becomes harder. She needs to leave this place. She needs to run away, run from the idea that this is for her and her unborn child, the realization that things are changing because of her.

So she does.

She doesn't wait to be excused, and she ignores Sevika yelling at her for it. Jinx runs through the streets of the Undercity like a wraith, consuming all specks of happiness around her. She runs like her life depends on it, breathing constricted, muscles aching, but her head blissfully silent. She doesn't pay attention the the glances or the whispers. She doesn't hear the words Mylo and Claggor try to say. She avoids thinking of her sister, wasting away in a prison cell for something Jinx did. Tears prick down her cheeks, and once she makes it to her hideout, she screams. She screams for herself, horrible thoughts all-consuming. She screams for her sister, whom she will never see again, and who was the only one she had left to lose. She screams about her mistakes, her dumb assumptions, and the sense of wonder that comes from it. She screams until her throat is raw and bleeding.

She comes back to herself a few hours later, lying on the covers and blankets of the little bed she has created for herself in a corner of her hideout. She clutches one blanket until her knuckles turn white. It is a selfish thought, but the only thing on her mind is how everybody in her life leaves her, one way or another. She hates it, but she hates being alone the most.

A gurgle interrupts her train of thought. She hasn't eaten anything today. Jinx runs her hands through her face and then traces one down until she reaches under her navel. She presses the palm there and waits. Nothing happens, obviously, but she still feels different. Her life may be shit and uncertain right now, but she has bigger problems. She knows she won't start showing until later, but to keep her mind occupied, she thinks about the things she needs to do to make sure nobody finds out.

She walks to her kitchenette and breaks a piece of bread that hasn't been touched by mold yet. She will fortify her hideout, close the entrances that come directly from The Last Drop, she will find new clothes, and maybe she can bribe the doctor to keep quiet every time she goes to him. She sits on her blankets, and a noise stops her. She scours the covers underneath her and finds a piece of paper, wrinkled from all of the times she folded it as small as she could fold it. She takes another bite from the piece of bread and reads the words over and over.

She sighs. Even if she wanted to, there's nothing that will solve itself from crying or lashing out. She will definitely use her pent-up anger to blow some things around the Undercity. Maybe if she's feeling generous, she can send a little present to the Council when Silco joins them. Nothing grand, but enough to show the distaste the Undercity has for Piltover. She re-reads the piece of paper and makes up her mind.

Maybe all of the people she's ever loved have left her. But she will not be like them. She doesn't know anything about being a mother or being caring. Hell, she doesn't even remember her mother's face. There is a fire within her, though, that makes up for all of the things she lacks. She will make sure her child does not have to live the way she has.

And down on the floor, scribbled in Ekko's neat handwriting, the note says,

I will always be here for you

Chapter Text

It shouldn't surprise Jinx how good Silco and Vander work together. By the time Jinx came into Vander's life, Silco and he had already separated from each other. He would talk about the times when he, Silco, and Mom would dream about saving Zaun and making it the place they knew it was meant to be. He told them about the times Silco and Mom would get in trouble whenever they skipped working at the mines to help one of their neighbors move things around. He didn't talk about the aftermath of their fight, but every time he spoke about the time before this, it was with fondness and inspiration. Silco didn't mention much of his time before becoming a Chem-Baron, but Jinx knew he kept some of Vander's letters, either from before or after the accident that killed her brothers. She knew he kept a picture of Vander, him, and Mom somewhere in his office.

He only mentioned Vander once, as far as Jinx remembers. They had been drinking late at night after ensuring that one of his shimmer shipments could pass to Piltover without the Firelights disrupting the process too much. Silco tried to drink as much as Sevika did, but he was no match for her. Jinx only had one drink. Alcohol and her scribbles don't mix too well. They had retired to his office, Sevika and Jinx going at each other while Silco spun in his chair. Sevika took a low shot and told Jinx that Vander would be disappointed in her, and that's why he never came back for her. Silco stopped suddenly and in a level voice said Sevika's name. They both stopped to look at him. Anger seemed to rise in him the longer the silence went, but Jinx was surprised by what he said next.

"Vander may be a stubborn man, but he would never be disappointed in Jinx. He is a better man than all of us. Sometimes..." At this, he caught himself, as if he had forgotten that Jinx and Sevika were in the room. He was staring at the ceiling, eyes glazed over. He took a couple of deep breaths before whispering to himself, "No, not sometimes. I know now he was right."

None of them mentioned it again, but Jinx recalled this the time they fought, and Silco said,

Is there anything so undoing as a daughter?

Now, in her predicament, Jinx can start trying to understand what he meant by it. Silco and Vander had done the impossible and gotten a peace treaty with Piltover for a time. They still needed to come up with the bulk of things, but at least there weren't as many Enforcers in the Lanes mistreating those in the Undercity. Violence was still a thing, but people were stepping up, stepping in, and helping their neighbors and those in their community. Silco had stopped his shimmer production and, from what she had heard, was working with a Piltover scientist to find a counterdrug for shimmer withdrawals. Vander was at the forefront of peace-building in Zaun, working with his supporters to help those in need with the resources they could obtain from Piltover. It was quite a sight, in Jinx's opinion, but she had other things to worry about at the moment for her to enjoy fully the quick progress her adoptive fathers had made.

She feels a little bit angry with herself for secluding and removing herself from their lives. She still corresponds with Silco via writing, telling him that she is okay. She doesn't want to give them more trouble than they already have, especially since she can't work in the same capacity she used to. It also pisses her off, so it's best if she doesn't put herself in that situation for everyone's sake.

All in all, Zaun is experiencing peace and progress since probably ever, and it is really weird. Jinx doesn't go out much; she is finally showing, and she usually doesn't have the energy anyway. It also doesn't help that the group keeping Chem-Barons in check is the Firelights. Jinx would rather be caught dead before crossing paths with Ekko again. She took a whole week to weigh the pros and cons of letting him know that she was going to have his child. It was a horrible week. One side of Jinx wanted him to know, wanted to reach out, and make amends. This side believed that he would love her then, that he would forgive her, and they could live the way she had only ever dared to dream. But her other side, the rational one, knew that it just wasn't possible. Jinx had done too much damage, had hurt him too much for him to ever forgive her, let alone love her. A child is also not something he might want. He has his duties as the leader of the Firelights, and a child would only slow him down.

Somewhere deep inside, she knows she is also afraid of his rejection. She doesn't think she can take it if she bares herself to him, invites him into her child's life, only for him to disregard it all with a cold shoulder. She wouldn't be able to survive that, and her child needs her. So she decided not to tell him. Things will go the way they need to go. She's never been spiritual, but lately she has been asking Janna for the safety of her child. Jinx doesn't know why, but it gives her peace of mind, especially with all the uncertainty around her.

She has been taking up some projects she either left unfinished or thought she wouldn't ever partake in ever again. She has a corner of her hideout filled with trinkets and prototypes for different toys. There are also discarded pieces of metal she was not able to find use for. She decorated her fort with new blankets and pillows. She then redecorated again, just because she could. Her hands have never been so busy, and it pleases her that there is no deadline, no pressure, and no stress over the fact that what she is building is meant to hurt others. Not anymore. The things she builds are for her child, for their safety and their entertainment. She was reluctant at first, but now that she has moved past the shame and guilt, her creativity is running rampant.

She stops her strokes for a bit and pushes her chair a little farther back to take in her work. It wasn't until last week that she started painting again. She and Ekko would paint the walls of the Undercity every chance they got, drawing their fears, their dreams, and their goals. This is what held her from painting, but after stumbling upon buckets of paint, an easel, and a canvas, she took it as a sign to start again. She looks at her progress skeptically, a hand absentmindedly atop her belly.

"What do we think, bug?"

She started talking to her child the moment she felt the first kick. She had been scared shitless and had to spend an hour or so calming herself down before feeling it again. She had avoided talking to them for fear that she would say something wrong, that she would jinx the poor child. She also struggled with some resentment towards the child; after all, having a child meant she had to seclude herself from the people who loved her, and it meant that her life wouldn't be the same. She has come to peace with this fact, and to not drive herself crazy, she started talking to the little thing in her belly. She calls them bug or trouble. It seemed fitting when she came up with them.

As if on cue, a kick to her rib popped on her, sending a pang of pain through her. She hisses and presses a hand where the pain shot up.

"All right, all right, I guess I have to honor my part of the deal."

Jinx knows she is delusional. It's not like she can make a deal with an unborn baby. However, the previous night, she prayed and begged the child to stop kicking and turning so she could get some semblance of sleep. In a state of delirium, be it from pain or lack of sleep, she had the child promise they would stop kicking, and Jinx would tell them about their dad. At the time, it seemed reasonable, especially since 1) the child isn't even born yet, 2) Ekko is not coming back, and 3) Jinx is pretty sure the baby won't remember anyway. So no, it is not delusion. It's just a way for her to pass the time. She needs that now more than ever, since she is approaching the nine-month mark soon, and the heaviness has settled in her bones like an unwelcome ghost.

Jinx sighs.

"Where to start..." She muses, looking at the brush strokes as they dry. Call her sentimental, but she has been missing Ekko lately. She has chalked it up to her hormones and the mood swings, but the boy has been popping into her mind lately, so she decided to paint him to let all of these thoughts and feelings out. And if she spent a lot of time ensuring the details were perfect and her lines were well done, there is nobody to confirm or deny aside from her child.

She looks at the portrait, the rough cheekbones on his face, his lazy smile, his white hair in a bun with golden cuffs surrounding the loose dreadlocks... She put the most effort into his eyes, though. It always leads to that. His eyes, even in a portrait, always find a way to disarm her. They are pools of honey, sweet and silky, and make Jinx feel like everything will be fine regardless of what happens. But they are dangerous too. Spend too much time dipped in them, and there is no way to get out, stuck in the stickiness and vicious tartness of it. She runs a hand atop the dried features, the bow of his lips, the intensity of his eyes.

"Your dad is a good man," she says, her voice low. "He helps people and does everything possible to make things better. He can be a dumbass, though," she snorts to herself. "But he is good. I hope you are good just like him."

Jinx doesn't know what her child will look like, but she prays to Janna at night that they look like Ekko. That way, the child won't be cursed with being jinxed by their mother. Her blue hair is not taken kindly almost anywhere. And Jinx has never had any reservations about her looks, but the least her child looks like her, the least her child resembles their mother, the better. It will make it easier for her child to atone for their mother's sins.

She also fears that the child will have her scribbles. She doesn't know how they work, but the doctor she's been seeing has given her some medicine that keeps the voices and hallucinations at bay. Apparently, not only is she crazy, but her brain is sick. It's not like she didn't know this already, but having confirmation digs the nail in the coffin. The doctor said it can be hereditary, but not to worry too much. Now that they know Jinx struggles with them, it will be easier to help her child in the event they develop the scribbles themselves. It's still scary that her child will have to deal with the pain and panic of them. Jinx will do everything in her power to make sure her child has a better experience than she ever did, that's for sure.

She looks at the canvas one last time before dropping her tools on her workstation to go eat. For some reason, she feels heat draw to her cheeks.

"I also hope you look just like him," she says with a smile.

Just as Zaun has been experiencing a time of serenity, so is Jinx. The days go by quickly when she spends time tinkering or painting. She eats whenever she wants to, and she eats whatever she wants. It gives her a sense of freedom she never thought she needed, and if she is honest, she loves the quiet. Not just from her head, but from her surroundings. This sense of quietude would end a week later when her water broke during one of her expeditions outside to get food. The sense of peace would end when she gives birth to a beautiful baby girl who screams when she is brought into the world. And her sense of freedom would end when she stops moving, stops breathing for a moment, and Silco makes the best and worst decision he has ever made for his daughter.

****

Six months after Isha's birth, Silco lets Jinx know that Vi is out of prison.

Aside from the scribbles getting worse for a while, Jinx went through what the doctor called postpartum depression. Taking care of Isha was exhausting, and her already horrible sleep schedule was squandered in favor of making sure the baby could rest, be fed, and taken care of. Jinx didn't hate Isha, per se, but for a few months, she felt disconnected from her body. She fed Isha, she rocked her until she fell asleep, she covered her in blankets if it was cold, but it never seemed to register that it was her child, that she was doing these things because she was her mother. Once this realization hit her, the voices would come into full force. She would go from not feeling to feeling everything too deeply. If Isha cried, Jinx would punish herself because she wasn't good enough. If Isha was happy, Jinx would stop herself from feeling that joy because it was probably a fluke. Jinx was not meant to be a mother; she wasn't meant to raise Isha. It would have been better if she had let someone else take her instead.

And the worst was when the thought of not having her would creep up on her; they would usually come after a rough day of trying to get Isha to feed and sleep. It petrified her. At first, she didn't know what to do with herself, so she would try to pace around the hideout, tinker, or paint. After a while, when she started ruminating on it, she would sit on the far end of the blanket fort, knees close to her chest, face buried in her knees. She knew better than to scream or cry out loud. Isha, Jinx found out quickly, was very sensitive to noise. So she would just focus on her breathing. It is something Vi had taught her when they were younger. When the voices would grow too loud for Jinx to think, Vi would sit with her and breathe slowly, encouraging her to do the same.

After all of this ordeal, the doctor gave her more medicine to take. It helped with the voices and her mood swings. She still feels like she is not good enough for Isha, but she can manage. Managing a newborn and her sister at the same time, though? That was too much. Jinx didn't know how to interact with her sister anymore. The last time they saw each other, their siblings were killed, Vander was badly hurt, and Vi had made it clear that it was all Jinx's fault. Was there any way to come back from that? Was there a way she could rekindle her relationship with her sister? Will she jinx it again? It was too much at the time for Jinx, and the uncertainty made it no better.

So she resorted to letters. Jinx and Vi started corresponding with each other. It was silly, especially since Vi could show up to her hideout at any point, or Jinx could just walk down to The Last Drop, where Vi was helping Vander with the bar. But to Jinx, communicating via letters, being able to craft the correspondence, and then waiting a few days for a response eased her nerves. She is glad they started this way. They talked about their fears, their worries, the good, the bad, and everything in between. Jinx always started her letters with apologies. Vi always ended hers with forgiveness. Jinx still has the letter from when Vi admitted she had been wrong, that it wasn't Jinx's fault, and that she should have done better as a big sister. Now that Jinx has someone to protect, it makes it easier for her to understand where Vi was coming from.

A year after Isha's birth, Jinx tells Silco that she is ready to meet her sister.

Her heart is pounding loudly, the blood thrumming in her ears. Isha is fast asleep on the couch in the basement of The Last Drop. Being back in the room reminds her of easier times with her siblings. It's been a long time since then, and Jinx doesn't know how to feel. She knows she's anxious, overall. Although a place from her past, it's still been a long time since she came down here, and it's been a long time since she saw her sister. She is pacing around the room, her eyes trained on the closed door. She has rearranged Isha's blankets and the position of Mr. Bunny enough times, undone and done her pigtails twice, and bit into her nails until they bled. So she continues to pace, arms crossed above her chest, when a knock is heard through the room.

Her heart stops all of a sudden, and she looks at the door with wide eyes. The knock hasn't woken Isha up. She takes a deep breath and gets in front of the door. She takes the doorknob and slowly opens it. A mass of red hair greets her, eyes as wide as hers. The first thing she notices about her sister is the awful tattoo on her left cheek. Her hair has grown out, with a fade on the sides. Her ears are pierced, too. Her bangs are as long as Jinx's. She looks nothing like she did when she was younger, and yet she is the same girl Jinx last saw all of those years ago.

"Hi," Vi says, rubbing her neck. She has a pained smile, like she is not sure if she is welcome in Jinx's space.

"Hi," Jinx answers. For some reason, she feels out of breath.

They stay like that for a while, silence surrounding them. Vi opens her mouth to say something, anything, but Jinx crashes against her chest first, her arms wrapped around her.

They don't talk. At least, Jinx feels like she can't say anything with her heart hammering in her ears. She knows she's crying, but she can't help it. She spent so much time trying to find a way to take Vi out of prison, so much time dreaming about what she would say, what she would do. But none of that mattered in this moment. She is in her sister's arms, truly real against her chest, and she can't stop the laugh that comes out bubbling. Soon, they are both an amalgamation of laughter, sobbing, and sniffles. Jinx breathes a string of apologies, forgiveness, and Vi mutters reassurance, her apologies, and forgiveness. Vi takes Jinx's face in her hands and smiles so brightly that it hurts Jinx. The only other time she felt such happiness, such peace, was when she gave birth to Isha, and she held her to her chest for the first time. She places her hands on top of Vi's and tries to smile as brightly. She hopes her sister feels the same happiness when she sees her.

Amidst a fit of giggles and crying, there is rustling inside the room, and Jinx is brought back to the present. She turns her head around suddenly, which sends a pang of pain to her neck, but she relaxes, and she sees Isha repositioning herself. She looks back at Vi. There is fear, but also a sense of excitement at introducing her daughter to the most precious person in her life. She takes Vi's hands and, with a small smile, guides her to the sleeping bundle on the couch. Isha is covered with a soft, pink blanket, arms around the bunny plushie. Her featherlight lashes brush against her rosy, plump cheeks, and her lips are parted softly, as if smiling in her dream. It fills Jinx with a newfound sense of love she never expected to feel. She looks back at Vi hesitantly, and is surprised to find new tears forming in her eyes.

"Is that Mr. Bunny...?" She whispers, letting go of Jinx's hands and kneeling in front of the couch.

She also seems to hesitate, looking at Jinx for permission, although Jinx doesn't know what for. She tilts her head, questioning, but nods slightly. Vi smiles, softly running a finger across Isha's cheek. She pushes brown locks aside from her closed eyes and rubs a thumb over her clutched hands. She is in awe, Vi realizes, and a small part of Jinx wants to curl in a corner. For some reason, she feels embarrassed. In an ideal world, Vi would have had children first with whatever girl she decided to settle down with. In an ideal world, things would have been different with Ekko, with Vander, with Vi, even with Mylo and Claggor. But Jinx can't change that. What she can do is be proud of the little bundle under the blankets, snoring peacefully with no care in the world. What she can do is guarantee that her daughter lives in an ideal world where she doesn't have to suffer the same pain her mother and aunt did.

"What's her name?"

Vi's words snap Jinx back, and this time she feels the embarrassment wash over her. For some reason, she never told Vi Isha's name. Vi knew she had a daughter, but details about her were scarce in Jinx's letters.

But Vi is here now, in front of her daughter, and Jinx knows she can trust her sister like she used to. Not the same, but a new sense of trust they have been building ever since Vi got out of Stillwater.

"Isha," Jinx answers, the name breathless against her lips. She smiles every time she says the name; she can't help it.

Vi looks back at the little girl, her smile widening. She seems to take her time, memorizing every feature and expression on the baby's face. There is wonder in her eyes to the point where it makes Jinx want to cry. I did that, she thinks to herself, and tears well up in her eyes again. What a ridiculous thing to cry about. But she can't help it. She has been smitten by the kid ever since she laid eyes on her.

"Oh, Powder, she's perfect," Vi says, looking directly at Jinx. Vi must catch the way Jinx flinches at the name, because she backtracks quickly. "Shit, I'm sorry, I mean Jinx, I-"

"It's alright," Jinx cuts her off, sitting down next to her on the floor. "I..." she starts, but doesn't know how to continue, so she closes her mouth and furrows her brows. Vi gives her the space and the time to find the right words. "After everything that happened, things changed, Vi; I changed. I can't promise you that I can be what you expected Powder to be, but..." she sighs. "I want you to be in the life I have now. Powder, or Jinx, it doesn't matter. It's just... me."

Vi looks at her, processing her words for a few seconds. She smiles.

"I would be honored to be part of your life now," she says. "Why wouldn't I? You're my little sister, after all. You can't get rid of me that easily."

Jinx chuckles, turning to face Isha instead. They don't talk for a while, rather content with watching the girl sleep.

"So..." Vi breaks the silence, rubbing the back of her neck, and a funny expression on her face. "Ekko's the father."

It's like a bucket of water has been thrown at her. It's not a question, it's a statement. She never told Vi who Isha's father was, but it makes sense she would come to that conclusion. Jinx's prayers were answered, in a sense. Isha had Ekko's nose, her skin tanner than Jinx's, and when she smiles, she has the same dimple he does. Jinx groans, covering her face with her hands. Vi seems to find this amusing.

"Pow- Jinx, what the hell?!" She exclaims, but lowers her voice when she sees Isha squirm at the noise. "I leave for a while, and you decide to speedrun everything with him? You couldn't even confess to him when you were younger! You were always so embarrassed. Remember the time when..."

"Yes, yes, I remember," Jinx says dismissively.

She knows she's blushing. It's stupid, really. Jinx has done so much more with Ekko, and yet here she is, ashamed and sheepish about her crush on Ekko. He doesn't even know she's in love with him. Janna, he doesn't even know Isha exists!

"I'm going to kill him," Vi says, ignoring Jinx's flusteredness. "I can't believe he didn't tell me about it. I can't believe he would knock up my sister of all people, what is-"

"No," Jinx whispers, swallowing the knot in her throat. Vi looks at her questioningly. She avoids her sister's eyes. "He... he doesn't know."

"What?"

It's not judgment, Jinx knows that. She still recoils at the way Vi says it, as if she's shaming her, questioning her decisions. Realistically, it's just Mylo's voice and Claggor's disappointment, but she still crosses her arms above her chest, closing herself off to her sister.

"He doesn't know," she reiterates. "And he doesn't need to. He has his own life and I... I don't want to ruin it for him."

Many emotions cross Vi's face as she opens her mouth, but she snaps it shut, forcing herself to nod emphatically instead. Jinx releases a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"Thank you," she says, trying to smile at her sister. Vi nods once again.

"Whatever you need. We will go through this together... Jinx. I will always be here for you."

Jinx rests her head on Vi's shoulder, watching Isha wriggle as she comes back to the world from her nap. She scrunches her little nose and grimaces when she opens her little eyes. Vi has always been with Jinx in some sense, and knowing that they can tackle things together brings comfort to Jinx.

"I'm always with you, sis. Even if we're worlds apart."

Chapter Text

Jinx’s life did a complete switch the moment she walked into Silco’s office that day, three years ago.

Silco had asked her to meet him in his office after he finished a meeting so that they could have dinner at The Last Drop afterwards. Jinx never thought much of it, and she had become complacent about her ability to avoid chaos ever since Isha was born. She stayed out of trouble, ditched guns in favor of trinkets for her daughter, and, most importantly, landed a job with scientists at Piltover. Not like she wasn't wary of the Pilties, but Viktor was originally from the Lanes; Jayce might be the boy of progress, but he was still awkward as hell and an outsider to Piltover, and Heimerdinger was just... a curiosity on his own. She wasn't sure if she liked him yet. It was nice, though, to know that her creations and inventions were not used for pain and suffering anymore. Instead, her ideas helped build tools to help the Undercity thrive and provide safety to both nations.

It was silly, the way she found the job. Or better explained, how the job found her. Even after conversations of peace and progress, Jinx was still a persona non grata in Piltover. Worse, she was wanted by bounty hunters and enforcers alike. It took a lot of effort for them to pardon her, and, unfortunately, it was thanks to Caitlyn's meddling that Jinx was not thrown to rot in Stillwater. She argued with the Council, standing on her belief that Jinx could be an asset to the twin cities. The first time Vi told her about it, she laughed for 30 minutes straight and cried a little. Why would a bluebelly advocate for her? There was a catch. Jinx didn't know what it was, but she knew not to trust an enforcer that easily, even if said enforcer was dating her sister. Which, ew; that development caught Jinx off-guard and still disturbs her to this day.

Regardless, it wasn't until she was asked to appear in front of the Council that she realized how much shit she was in. The counts against her stacked on top of each other, getting worse and worse. By the time Heimerdinger was done, her lip was bleeding from how hard she was biting it. She left Isha with Vander that day, something that made her restless. It made it worse when the sense of danger washed over her. Being thrown into Stillwater was a possibility. Maybe they would even go as far as to hang her at the plaza. A lot of things came to mind, and she was ready to enact her escape plan when Caitlyn and the Noxian princess stood up and asked the Council to make a trade. Jinx would be pardoned in exchange for her labor with Piltover's lab division. She would not be compensated for it, and all inventions would be the property of Piltover. She was not to create or work independently, and all projects were to be approved by her advisor, who she would later come to find out was Heimerdinger. This seemed to satisfy everybody except for Jinx, who laughed at the absurdity of it all. Not having ownership of her inventions? Piltover profiting off her ideas? It was just a ploy. They would use her weapons against Zaun; they would ruin everything Silco and Vander had been building these past years. What world would Isha grow in if Jinx continued to destroy?

But then Heimerdinger told her he valued her ingenuity and would like her to repay both Zaun and Piltover by using her ideas for good. He explained that he wanted her help to find the most effective ways to use the resources they already had to rebuild both cities, and hopefully, improve them. He didn't say anything about weapons or artillery, but Jinx knew how these things went. There was always a catch. Seeing that she was not convinced, Heimerdinger brought out some plans on what he wanted to build in the next few years. This was what made Jinx consider, and later accept, the offer. She could see his vision. She knew where to find certain materials, and she already had a couple of ideas on how to fix the equations on the prototypes Heimerdinger was showing her. They spent almost an hour on that, Jinx being hesitant, but asking questions, and Heimerdinger answering them excitedly. She asked him, outright, after a while, if she was going to be forced to make weapons for Piltover. The man (rat?) laughed and promised her there would be none of that. Piltover was meant to be a city of progress, and uplifting both cities was the only way to do just that.

Now she had a job, a purpose, and a beautiful baby girl to go back home to. Sue her for falling into her self-complacency. She had let her guard down because things were changing for the better for the first time in her life. It was really easy for her to find purpose in her work and taking care of Isha. The doctor had helped with her mental state, and the scribbles only happened when she was too stressed or felt too pressured. Heimerdinger was nice, and when he noticed she was exerting herself, he would give her the day off and encourage her to spend time with Isha. Viktor and Jayce were good coworkers. They were stupid in their own regard, but Jinx enjoyed their company and their input. Her relationship with Vi was mending; she spent more time with her and started being more vulnerable with her. Her relationship with Caitlyn was non-existent unless you take into account the few interactions they've had ever since Vi made things serious.

And honestly? This was all Chuck's fault. She asked him if Silco was done with his meeting, and he said yes, that she could go inside. She swings the door open, Isha in her arms. Her eyes are wide and filled with curiosity as always, sucking her thumb for reassurance.

As usual, Silco sits on his chair, arms crossed above his chest. Sevika stands to the side of the desk, hand in her pocket, as she stares at the map laid out. What is not usual, what is absolutely unusual, is the person sitting in front of Silco, his back to the door. Shoulders are up to his ears, tension resting in them. She can't see his expressions, but she knows he is scowling at the map. He holds a pencil in his hand, lightly tapping it on the desk.

She thinks it's her scribbles at first, but she's never seen him before; he's not dead, so she's never seen him as part of her hallucinations. She wouldn't put it past her, though, to materialize him like this just to her own detriment. It's the same when Mylo whispers her mistakes when she's angry, or when Claggor shares his disappointment when she falls to her flaws.

But she realizes it's not the scribbles in the way Silco looks at her with concern in his eyes; in the way Sevika stands straight, her eyes wide as if caught doing something she wasn't meant to be doing. It's in the way she turns slightly, placing Isha between her and the door, as he continues to stare at the map, none the wiser. But what makes it real, what makes her heart stop beating fully, is Isha's eyes, the smile that creeps on her mouth, as she lifts her hand to her forehead, thumb pressed against it, and wiggling her fingers. A sign. A literal sign that her father is sitting down a few feet away, and he still hasn't turned around, the jerk-

Silco stands up from his chair, catching his attention. Sevika and Silco work quickly, but Ekko is quicker. He turns around, and before he can ask questions, his eyes fall on hers. It's like time stops for both of them, like it's just the two of them staring, memorizing, reminiscing. He looks at her eyes, her jaw, her hair, and then it jumps to Isha, her hair, her eyes, her face. His eyebrows raise the longer he stares. She panics for a moment, but before she can leave, Silco takes Isha from her arms. He gives her a nod; she doesn't know if it's in greeting or encouragement, but it solidifies that she won't be able to escape this conversation. Sevika doesn't even meet her eyes, just walks past her, and closes the door after her, the coward.

They are left in silence, staring at each other. Jinx holds her breath. He looks tired. There's an exhaustion to his face, to his arms, and his eyebrows are knit so tight together, she's sure he'll have a horrible headache afterwards. He somehow looks older; his hair is tight in a bun, locks spilling on the sides. There are scars on his knuckles, his hands hardened, eyes level. She wonders what he sees in her. She hasn't changed much, in her opinion. She still looks at everyone from the top of her nose, glares at almost everyone who dares look at her, wears the same clothes, and wears her twin tail braids as she always has. A hand reaches up to her hair at this, though, softly caressing the clips that now litter her hair, matching with Isha. He holds her gaze, and she realizes he's probably taking in her eyes, or at least the new color that beholds them.

"Is she...?"

His voice cracks the silence like a blade, and Jinx releases the breath she was holding. He words it as a question, eyes steady on hers. He fidgets with the ends of his jacket, though, jaw locked. Everything in her is telling her to run as far as possible, to leave and never turn back. But she can't do that now. She has Isha to care for, and she doesn't want to remove her from the people she loves. Time to rip up the bandaid, Mylo goads. She shakes her head and walks to the couch on the side. She sits, brings her knees up to her chest, wraps her arms around them, and sighs deeply. It's a vague question; she can answer whatever way she wants. But she knows, as much as she has delayed this and wishes there was a way to avoid it, he deserves the truth.

"Yes," she says, pressing her cheek to her knees.

There's a flutter of emotions in his face that ceases as soon as it starts. His frown deepens, but his eyes never leave her.

"Why?"

She takes her time answering this. It's an unspoken question that the people in her life have held over her head for the past year. Even Isha has asked her, and Jinx has never had a true answer. What she knows is that it all boils down to fear. Fear that he won't accept Isha, that he won't accept her. Fear that he will take her away from her because he doesn't trust Jinx. Fear that he will be disappointed. And most of all, fear that she has deluded herself into believing that she has been doing better, that she is capable of doing this. Ekko has always grounded her, always brought her back to reality, and her life has been feeling like a dream lately.

Guilt is also a reason why she decided not to tell him. She has hurt him so much in the past years that she could not face him after Isha's birth. She tried, she really did. In the first few months, she followed him to the Firelights' base, a place that was easy to track for her. But seeing him with his comrades, the community he has been leading for years now, she stopped herself. He seemed happy, all things considered. He didn't need to deal with her or her problems. She couldn't ruin his life even more than she already had.

She picks at the fabric of her pants while mulling over her response. He sits back on the chair, his leg bouncing slightly. His eyes never leave her, but his glare has diminished. His ire sheds like ice under the sun, leaving only exhaustion and sadness in his eyes. She had seen it once after she had Isha. She had, once again, betrayed him and hurt him deeper than she could ever fathom.

She closes her eyes.

"At first..." she clears her throat. "At first, I think, it was just a power move."

Ekko scoffs humorlessly, but lets her continue.

"I wanted to show everyone I could do it. That I... that I wasn't as sick, or crazy, to do it, to take care of her. But that was misguided, to say the least."

He tilts his head, eyes narrowing.

"My scribbles were at their worst, and I got depressed. I didn't want anybody's help, though. You know me, strong-headed and shit."

This does elicit a laugh from him, and he nods slightly, which encourages her to keep going.

"I thought that it would be a mistake. I was afraid, I am afraid, even now. I left you again, but this time I had a reason to. I didn't know how you would react, and all I want for her is to have a good life. One where there is no fighting, and no pain, and..." she stops. She will not cry, she tells herself. "And us? It's always been pain, Ekko. I don't want that for her. And I know I have hurt you, and I don't deserve your forgiveness. But when I had her, all I could think about was protecting her from anything that could hurt her."

She breathes in, trying to keep the knot at her throat down. She hates how vulnerable she has become in the past few years. Working on her relationship with Vi forced her to confront truths she didn't want to face previously.

"I wouldn't have hurt her," he says, voice calm. Jinx opens her eyes, and she can't stop the tears from falling.

"I know. I know you wouldn't. But I couldn't take it. I couldn't face you and force you to have a relationship with her, knowing the things I've done to you," she starts to run out of breath, but she continues, flailing her arms pointedly. "I didn't know if you would care for her, if you would hate her because of me, or if you would want to take her away. I couldn't bear the thought of you taking her away from me. She... she needs me. She... she is the only good thing I have. The only good thing I've ever done."

A sob escapes her. She has never said this out loud.

She knows she has done more damage, given more pain, than anything remotely positive. Having Isha felt like a way to redeem herself, even if that meant losing relationships and building new ones. She has always been prepared to lose Ekko, even if her heart always leads her to him.

"Is she..." His voice is raspy, wavering. "Is she okay? Healthy? Is she happy?"

Jinx feels the knot in her throat easing a little bit. She opens her eyes tentatively and finds him rubbing his hands together, an anxious expression on his face. His leg is still bouncing as he stares holes into the floor.

"She was very small, but she's strong," she answers. "Unbearably curious to the point where I've gotten in trouble, so I would say she's as healthy as she can get."

Ekko huffs a small laugh and lifts his eyes to her. The way he looks at her, the way his eyes are half-lidded, covered with eyelashes, makes her heart do somersaults. She wants to throw herself out of the window right now.

"She got your genes, got it."

This elicits a scoff from Jinx. She tilts her head back and looks at the ceiling, laughing softly.

"I'll have you know she only gets in trouble for a good cause. Isha's big on fairness and justice; reminds me of someone..."

Ekko looks stunned when Jinx looks at him, but then laughs. It's strange to be laughing with Ekko and discussing her daughter so freely. The knot in her throat diminishes, but she still feels a certain heaviness at the pit of her stomach. She knows this doesn't atone for all those years, but when she notices Ekko's shoulders relaxing, the scowl a little bit less deep than before, it feels like it will be alright.

They share a silence that is not as uncomfortable as before. Jinx takes the time to study his figure this close. All those other times, she relied on her spyglass or her stealth skills. This time, he's right in front of her, living and breathing. For some reason, this brings heat to her cheeks. The years haven't been kind to him, but he still looks like the gorgeous person she thought he would be. His shoulders are broader, arms fuller; his hair is longer, now decorated with golden clasps with the Firelights symbol on them.

"Does she know?" He asks after a while of staring at each other. "About me, I mean."

"Yes," Jinx says without hesitation. "I didn't want to lie to her about you. She knows what you look like, and I've told her stories about you. It's not like I can have everyone stop talking about you like that." She shrugs, running her hands through her legs. "She recognized you, you know? When we came in."

His eyes widen with surprise, his scowl softening. He looks at her intently, looking for any sign of deception, but he won't find any. She stares back, almost defiantly. She knows this does not atone for her mistakes and the pain she has caused, but she won't lie to him. Not anymore, at least. The past three years have taught her the importance of being vulnerable with those you love.

She lifts her hand to her forehead, pressing her thumb softly on it and wiggling her fingers; the sign for dad.

"Would you like to meet her?" She whispers, hopeful.

There is a myriad of emotions that run across Ekko's face, but they flow quickly, leaving just as fast as they appear. They stare at each other for a moment, Jinx biting the inside of her cheek. She feels bold, but there is still some hesitancy. She doesn't know what will happen, how Isha will react, or if this is the right choice. But Ekko deserves to know her. Isha deserves to meet her father, too. After a while, Ekko shakes his head, a small smile on his face.

"Always a dance with you, isn't it?"

She smiles back and thinks,

Yeah, we'll be fine.

****

Jinx is not a morning person by any means, but as the morning light filters through the curtains of the bedroom, she stretches slowly, trying to avoid the mess of limbs around her. She cautiously removes Ekko's arm from her waist and helps Isha turn to her other side after being pressed to Jinx. She moves softly out of the bed and slips into the bathroom as quietly as possible. It's mostly for Ekko, anyway. They are both light sleepers due to their upbringing and the things they encountered in the past. Isha, however, sleeps like a motherfucking log, and nothing, and Jinx means nothing, can wake her up. She brushes her teeth with her eyes closed, a performance of languid movements and lazy actions.

She had made a deal with Ekko last week. He got up bright and early to cook breakfast while Isha and Jinx slept in last week, so now it is Jinx's turn. This is unusual, as Ekko always leaves earlier, but they have their exceptions.

She walks out of the bathroom, and before closing the door of the bedroom, she stares at the bundle of blankets, pillows, arms, and legs. Isha has found a way to bend herself in an L-shape and place her feet on Ekko's face; she hugs Ekko's midriff, Mr. Bunny tight on her grip. Unknowingly, Ekko holds Isha's legs tenderly with one arm, the other one lying peacefully in his stomach. Jinx leans on the door, arms crossed above her chest, a small smile playing on her lips. She commits the absurd image to memory, a fuzzy feeling growing in her chest. Scenes like this have increased back in her house, so it's special when she gets to experience them in Ekko's apartment. It is a crammed space with only one bedroom, but it's cozy nonetheless.

She closes the door silently and walks to the kitchen. Although small, the apartment is furnished the same way a Piltovian house would be. She would never admit it, but she loves the view from the kitchen window with the river flowing freely and the open view of Zaun. It's a shame Ekko's lease is up soon. Might as well enjoy the place as long as they can.

Ekko baked a cake for breakfast last week, so this time she decides to make her infamous loaded flapjacks. Isha goes crazy trying to guess what the fillings are every time. She does her best to pull all ingredients, pots, and pans as inaudibly as possible. Soon, she gets into the rhythm of cooking, mixing wet and dry ingredients, heating skillets, and pressing fruits on pots. She is making raspberry, vanilla, and blueberry with cream cheese this time. Chocolate is too predictable. Isha has also started enjoying tart flavors lately after Caitlyn took her to a bakery along with Jayce and Viktor. She doesn't know what they gave the kid, but Jinx hasn't been able to replicate it.

It's nice in the kitchen. She presses the raspberries and mixes the flapjack mixture silently, a sense of peace permeating the place. The birds chirp outside, the flow of the river is steady, and if she strains her hearing enough, she can hear the soft snores of Ekko and Isha in the bedroom. She puts on a pot of coffee for her and Ekko while the raspberries mix with the water and sugar, and the skillet heats up.

A few years ago, Ekko would have been hovering and making sure Jinx didn't burn the place down. Now, she enjoys cooking. It's very similar to when she created bombs for Silco. You methodically mix things, assemble the parts, and something interesting comes out of it. The only difference is that things don't go boom anymore. It's funny to see herself this way. Before Isha was born, she would have never thought about cooking; she didn't even eat at the time. But things change. Not to drag, but Jinx is the best cook in her family. It's just a matter of time before everyone agrees.

She works mindlessly, adding the batter to the skillet and then adding a spoonful of filling on each flapjack. While she waits for them to cook fully, she retrieves the pot of coffee, serving two cups, one black and one with cream, and two spoons of sugar. Ekko has gotten used to the fine coffee they have in the Council. Jinx, Jayce, and Viktor survive with days-old coffee at the lab if needed; she isn't picky. She flips the flapjacks and sets the table, sipping on the freshly brewed coffee. By the time the flapjacks are golden and plated, she uses the rest of the fillings to draw little bugs and insects. A little bit counterproductive, but maybe Isha will think Jinx is trying to bait her, and she'll guess chocolate this time. She can only hope.

A smile appears on her face after hearing the door to the bathroom close a bit loudly. She knows it’s Isha; Ekko tends to be more mindful when shoving the door. Luckily, Jinx is almost done, bringing out some orange juice from the fridge. Jinx takes some time to revel in the peacefulness within Ekko's apartment. Her scribbles have gotten better. Isha has also become more spoken when she gets her own scribbles. Ekko takes a break when things get too overwhelming for him because he needs to take care of himself, too. If you had told her they would have some sense of normalcy after all the chaos and pain they went through, she would have laughed in your face. Now, though, she smiles more often and breathes in deeper to appreciate her life.

She appreciates it more when she hears the pattering of feet running from the bedroom to the kitchen. Jinx hides behind the counter, waiting with a devious smile as the steps get closer. When she gets sight of brown and blue, she springs into action, catching Isha and spinning her around, earning a squeal from the kid. Jinx peppers kisses on Isha's face as the child squirms and giggles. Isha wraps her arms tightly around Jinx's neck, her smile bright and wide.

"Happy birthday, bug!"

The kid laughs softly, happy to be in her mother's arms. Jinx takes in her smile, the little dimples near her mouth, the length of her hair. She was a little bundle of limbs not long ago, so small Jinx had to hold her with a pillow to make sure she didn't fall through her arms. Isha grows every day, but it isn't until this moment, in her arms, that she realizes that her baby girl is not that much of a baby anymore. She caresses Isha's cheeks, Jinx's eyes a little bit wide. She is not going to cry on her daughter's birthday. She will not.

Fortunately, Ekko appears from down the hall. When he catches sight of Jinx, he gives her a tender smile before grabbing Isha from her.

"My turn," he says, taking Isha and spinning her around. Jinx busies herself with putting things on the table, trying to avoid being caught rubbing her eyes a little too roughly. She knew this day would come, but she didn't expect it to be so soon. Soon enough, Isha will be doing her thing and living her life, all while Jinx looks from afar. That thought is as terrifying as it is exciting. She shakes her head, trying to stop the spiraling. Isha will grow up, that's a given. But she can still be her baby today, especially for her second birthday celebration.

Once sitting at the table, Isha inspects and probes the flapjacks quizzically, with full concentration on her face. Jinx can't stop the smile that comes to her face. She is horrifyingly happy. Isha lifts and twists the flapjacks, eyebrows raising when she sees the bugs and insects. She looks back at Jinx, who raises her eyebrows quickly, taunting Isha a little bit. The kid goes with chocolate, predictably, and is delighted when she cuts into the flapjack with her fork.

They eat, they laugh, they tinker, and then nap. By the time Ekko brings yet another cake, Isha's eyes seem content and fulfilled. Ekko laces his fingers with Jinx's, singing Happy birthday. Once they finish, Isha looks at the candles, the light twinkling in her eyes. She looks at them for a second, looks at them intently. She smiles, nods, and blows out the candles. Jinx is not sure what she wishes for this time, but she knows that anything she sets her mind to, her baby can accomplish. After all, all the good things always lead to Isha.