Helios

You shoot surprisingly well for a simple scientist," Jinx taunted, swinging a kick at Ekko.

He dodged effortlessly.

"And you fight surprisingly well for a terminally ill girl," he shot back with a smirk, catching her by the braid and yanking her toward him.

"Ow, Ekko! That actually hurts—"

"Hah. Usually, you like it rough," he teased, his voice a low drawl.

In one swift motion, he spun her around, pressing her face against the wall.

"What the hell are you doing, Ekko?"

His hands were firm on her wrists, his chest flush against her back.

"Just putting you in your favorite position."

Jinx scoffed, shifting slightly against him. Too close. Too warm. Too familiar.

"And what exactly are you planning?" she murmured.

Ekko exhaled sharply, his lips barely grazing her ear.

"What I want to do?" He chuckled. "We can't do that."

She tilted her head, her grin widening. "Oh? And why's that?"

Ekko clenched his jaw. She was enjoying this. Way too much.

"Because I'm a special agent," he said, his voice lower now. "And you? You're the daughter of a drug lord."

Jinx laughed softly.

"Mmm, how forbidden," she purred.

Ekko tightened his grip on her wrists.

"And since we're not in a black-and-orange website video..." he continued, "we're probably gonna fight until one of us is dead."

He pressed his hips forward, pinning her against the wall, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"And given your position..." he smirked, "that's gonna be you, Jinx."

Jinx threw her head back and laughed, wild and unbothered.

"Oh, Ekko," she giggled, "is that a Glock in your pocket again?"

Ekko groaned.

"No," he muttered.

She smirked, her tone dripping with mischief. "Then what is it?"

Ekko exhaled through his nose, his voice barely above a growl.

"It's just your ass in those tight pants... way too close to me."

Jinx bit her lip, her eyes gleaming with something dangerous.

"That's because you pinned me against the wall."

Ekko's smirk grew.

"No, Jinx."

In a sudden motion, he spun her around, facing him this time. Lifting her effortlessly, he felt her legs instinctively wrap around his waist.

"That's exactly why I pinned you against the wall."

Jinx's breath hitched, her fingers curling around the collar of his jacket.

"I missed you, Ekko," she murmured.

His grip on her tightened. "I missed you too, Jinx."

She leaned in, lips ghosting over his. "I want you."

Ekko's pupils dilated, his voice dropping to something hushed, almost reverent. "I want you too, Jinx."

A grin curled on her lips. "So maybe we should call a timeout? A... pleasant intermission from all these spy games?"

Ekko huffed a small laugh. "You mean... a commercial break?"

"Exactly."

"Oh, we can, Jinx..."

Her hands cupped his face, pulling him into a kiss—hungry, desperate, as if neither of them had the luxury of time. Ekko responded in kind, pressing her further into the wall, swallowing every sound she made.

Then—something went wrong.

His body tensed. A flicker of something unnatural sparked in his eyes.

Jinx barely had time to react before his pupils glowed bright pink.

And in the next moment, his body slumped.

Jinx gasped as they both collapsed onto the floor.

"Shit—Ekko!"

....

One year before.

Jinx sat on a sun-warmed rock by the ocean, lazily tossing violet flowers into the waves. The petals drifted for a moment before being snapped up by the sleek, shimmering creature circling below.

Río swam in lazy loops, bioluminescent skin glowing beneath the surface as she snatched up the flowers like rare delicacies. Jinx smirked, kicking her feet in the water.

"Río, Río... if you could turn into a person, we could go treasure-hunting at the market together," she mused, stretching her arms overhead. "But instead, I'm stuck here, bored out of my damn mind. Everyone on this island is so dull. And ugly. Most of them, anyway."

Río blinked up at her, always listening, never speaking.

Jinx sighed, flopping back onto her elbows. "What's the point of being young and gorgeous if there's no one fun around? How am I supposed to go on a date when all the men here are pushing forty?"

She leaned forward, resting her chin in her hands, watching the water swirl around her toes.

"I mean, imagine if some guy just showed up here—young, handsome..." she trailed off, smirking to herself.

Río let out a bubbly chirp, as if prompting her to continue.

Jinx twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "What do I mean by handsome? Well... taller than me, but not too tall—I don't wanna have to stand on my tiptoes every time I wanna kiss him. That'd be annoying."

She tossed another flower into the water.

"Oh, and muscles. Gotta have muscles. And nice teeth—you know, the kind that make you wanna smile back. And tan skin. No offense, Río, but I don't want someone as pale as me."

Río splashed at her, playful. Jinx giggled.

"I know, I know. My skin's nice. Thanks, girl."

She lay back, staring at the sky, voice turning wistful.

"Ugh, everyone on this island is driving me insane," she huffed, crossing her arms. "They all treat me like some untouchable little princess just because my dad’s a big-shot."

She pulled a face, clearly annoyed.

"I want someone different. Someone new. Someone fresh." Her eyes flicked toward him. "Someone a little more... like me."

A sigh, dramatic and longing.

"Just imagine it, Río. I wake up one morning, step onto the beach, and boom—the man of my dreams is just... waiting for me."

She chuckled, shaking her head.

"Yeah. Like that would ever happen."

.....

The ocean stretched endlessly, a shifting sheet of blue and silence. Ekko stood at the prow of the boat, arms crossed, the wind tugging at his jacket. Sunlight broke through the clouds in streaks of gold, but none of it reached his face.

He was scowling.

"This is a mistake," Ekko muttered.

Scar, lounging against the railing with maddening ease, arched a brow. "You say that every time."

Ekko glanced over his shoulder. "Yeah? Maybe one of these days you'll listen."

Scar only grinned. "And miss watching you sulk in the wind like some brooding sea god? Not a chance."

They drifted in silence for a few moments, the jagged outline of distant islands slowly taking shape on the horizon.

Scar stared into the distance, his gaze sharp and unreadable.

"Somewhere out there," he said quietly, "Isha disappeared."

Then Ekko spoke again, quieter this time. "Stop. Why did Isha disappear?"

Scar's grin faded. He sighed, shoulders slumping a little.

"She went after Eva."

Ekko froze. "What?"

"Eva vanished six months ago. Went radio silent. Isha tracked her. Thought she could find her."

"And no one told me?" Ekko turned, eyes sharp.

Scar looked away. "Because we lost a kid, Ekko. And no one knew how to say it out loud."

A heavy silence fell. Only the sound of the waves, slapping softly against the hull.

Ekko exhaled. "What are the odds they're still alive?"

Scar ran a hand down his face. "I don't know. It's an archipelago—dozens of islands. No maps. No signals. Just fog, myths, and a lot of bad history."

Ekko's hands curled into fists on the railing.

"I'm not doing this anymore," he said. "I'm not your weapon."

"You're not," Scar agreed. "But you are the only one who can pull this off."

Ekko didn't respond.

Scar stepped closer, voice dropping. "You know how to disappear. Blend in. Read a room better than anyone I've ever met."

A pause. Then, with a crooked smile—

"And let's be honest. You're pretty, Ekko. Ridiculously pretty."

Ekko blinked. "What?"

Scar shrugged. "Don't act surprised. If I looked like you, I'd weaponize that face daily. These cult weirdos or secret island folks—whatever they are—they're not gonna kill you. Not with cheekbones like that."

Ekko rolled his eyes. "You're unbelievable."

"And you're beautiful," Scar shot back. "Which is why you're going alone. You don't look like a threat. You look like a goddamn painting."

Ekko groaned into his hands. "I hate this already."

Scar chuckled, clapping him on the back. "You'll be fine. Just a lonely fisherman caught in a storm. You wash up, act confused, ask the right questions. We get our girls back."

Ekko didn't look at him. But he didn't argue, either.

After a long silence, he finally muttered, "Last time."

Scar gave a solemn nod. "Last time."

Ekko stepped into the small skiff waiting for him, letting it lower toward the dark waves below.

Scar called after him, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Try not to fall in love with anyone while you're undercover."

Ekko didn't look back. But his voice drifted up with the wind.

"No promises."

A sudden tremor rocked the boat.

Ekko's fingers instinctively gripped the railing as a pulse of pink shimmer light flickered beneath the waves, casting an eerie glow against the hull.

A low, vibrating hum rumbled from below, sending an unsettling shiver through the deck.

"What the hell—Scar, was this part of your plan?"

Scar barely had time to curse before something massive broke the surface.

It wasn't just a shimmer mutant.

It was something worse.

The creature rose from the depths, its bioluminescent violet-pink skin glistening under the sunlight. Water slid off its body in thick, shimmering rivulets, revealing a grotesque yet strangely mesmerizing form.

Its huge, pupil-less eyes locked onto Ekko, unblinking, filled with an almost childlike curiosity. A long, forked tongue flicked out from its mouth, tasting the air, while its serpentine tail sliced through the waves with effortless grace.

For a moment, it didn't attack.

It just... watched.

Analyzing. Studying.

And then, it moved.

The water churned violently as it circled the boat, scanning the crew with eerie intelligence.

Ekko's breath hitched as it slowed in front of him—then tilted its head, as if intrigued.

"Shit, Scar..." His voice was tight. "Hextech rounds do nothing. It's absorbing the energy."

Scar muttered a curse under his breath.

The creature leaned forward slightly, its massive frame hovering just inches from the boat's edge.

Then—it struck.

A wet, clawed limb shot out, wrapping around Ekko's ankle in a split second.

His heart slammed into his ribs.

"SHIT—!"

Before he could react, a powerful yank sent him flying off his feet.

His body slammed against the boat's edge before the world plunged into cold darkness.

The ocean swallowed him whole.

The silence was deafening, save for the roar of blood in his ears.

Ekko's body jerked wildly as the creature dragged him down—deeper, faster, suffocating.

His lungs burned. His chest tightened.

The shimmer glowed all around him, illuminating the vast nothingness below.

Panic surged.

He thrashed, his arms flailing against the creature's iron grip, but it was too strong, too inhuman.

The deeper they went, the more the pressure crushed against his skull, his heartbeat turning erratic.

His vision blurred. His muscles screamed.

He was going to drown.

.....

Ekko's eyes fluttered open, his senses sluggish, his body aching. His lungs burned as if he'd just been drowning—maybe he had. The salt of the ocean clung to his skin, the sand beneath him coarse and warm.

And then he saw her.

Two glowing pink eyes stared down at him, impossibly bright against the morning light.

Shimmer mutant, his instincts screamed.

His body reacted before his mind could catch up. In one swift motion, he flipped her over, pinning her beneath him.

She gasped—not in fear.

In amusement.

Then she laughed.

A soft, lilting sound, both reckless and delighted, like she was genuinely enjoying this.

Ekko hesitated, breathless.

His vision cleared, and for the first time, he really saw her.

Small. Delicate. Her frame felt impossibly light beneath him, her warmth seeping into his skin. Her blue hair, damp and unruly, sprawled across the sand like a chaotic halo. And her dress—if it could even be called that—was a whisper of fabric, white, nearly translucent in the early light.

It clung to her like a second skin, revealing far more than it concealed.

His throat went dry.

She tilted her head, grinning like a cat who'd cornered her prey.

"Well, damn," she mused, her voice a husky tease. "If you wanted to be on top, handsome, all you had to do was ask."

Ekko's brain short-circuited.

Before he could respond, she moved.

A blur of motion. A shift in weight.

In an instant, she flipped them over, straddling him with ease, pressing him down into the sand.

Ekko let out a sharp breath, caught completely off guard.

She perched on top of him like she belonged there, fingers lazily tracing circles over his chest. Her grin was smug, knowing—utterly shameless.

"You were drowning, so I saved your life," she mused, tilting her head. "And now look at you. So ungrateful."

Ekko couldn't look away.

Her pink eyes gleamed in the sunlight, teasing, playful—but there was something else there. Amusement, curiosity, mischief. Like she was having way too much fun watching him unravel.

Then she laughed.

It was the kind of laugh that got under your skin—soft and taunting all at once.

"Wait, hold up," she said, eyes dropping to his hips. "Did you really bring a Glock 17? Or maybe..."

She shifted, her weight pressing down in ways that made his breath hitch.

Ekko stiffened.

Her gaze sharpened with realization.

"No," she murmured, biting her lip like she was piecing together a puzzle.
"Colt M1911? Maybe... with a suppressor?"

A slow smile curled her lips.

She leaned in, voice dropping to a whisper.
"Damn, pretty boy—you're full of surprises."

Ekko swallowed hard.

Her fingers skimmed across his chest, light and teasing. And then—just to push him a little further—she moved. A slow, deliberate grind of her hips. Testing. Playing. Tempting.

His hands shot to her waist, gripping her before she could do it again.

"Stop," he muttered, voice tight.

Jinx winked, feigning innocence.
Then her expression shifted. Thoughtful. Almost serious.

Suddenly, she leaned down over his face—and kissed him.
Hard. Deep. Like she'd been wanting to for a very, very long time.

Ekko melted into it. For a second, he forgot everything.
Who he was, where they were—none of it mattered. Just her.

But then, just as suddenly, she pulled back.

She whispered against his lips.
"What do you feel?"

She studied him like he was a lab rat in her favorite kind of experiment.

"You're really asking me that now—while you're half-naked, grinding on me and calling my dick a gun?"
Ekko blinked. What the hell is wrong with me?
Why haven't I already pinned her down and tied her up?

But this girl—she drew him in.
Her scent, her eyes...
He was pretty sure he was oxygen-deprived after metaphorically drowning in her.

He needed to pull it together.

"Dizziness. Nausea. Feels like a drug high," he finally said.

"Are you mocking me?"

"You're half-naked. On top of me. You kissed me like your life depended on it, and now you're asking if I'm high?"

"Uh-huh."

"I'm not high," he snapped. "And the only thing I want right now is to toss you into that damn ocean."

"You're such a grump."

"You could just... get off me?" he asked, his voice lower now, more strained.

Jinx puffed out her cheeks in mock offense.

"Aww, already? But I just got comfy."

"Get off!"

"Climb off a hot, breathing boy? Not even if you beg," she teased, refusing to budge.

Ekko inhaled deeply, counting silently to ten. He needed to focus. He needed answers.

Bracing himself on his elbows, still catching his breath, he ran a hand through his damp dreadlocks.

"Who are you?" he finally asked, his voice edged with exhaustion.

"Who are you?" she shot back instantly, grinning like it was a game.

Ekko sighed. He was too exhausted for this game.

"I—" He hesitated. His mind was still a foggy mess. He needed a story, a name, something to anchor himself. But all he could see was her.

Her smirk faltered just slightly.

"You seriously don't remember?" she asked, her tone shifting.

Ekko exhaled. "Something like that."

Then it clicked.

That hair. That name.

"...Powder?"

Jinx blinked, then let out a short, breathy laugh.

"Okay, weird name for a guy," she teased.

"No," he said firmly. "You're Powder."

She looked at him for a long moment, as if searching for a joke in his face.

Then she grinned.

"Sweetheart, I think I'd remember if that were true," she said smoothly. "Nah. I'm Jinx."

Ekko stared at her.

The name felt wrong.

But then again, nothing about this situation made sense.

"So what about you?" she prompted, leaning in again, her smirk widening. "Who are you, mystery boy?"

Ekko hesitated.

He could've made something up. Said he was a fisherman or whatever. Played it safe.

But something about the way she looked at him—so expectant—made lying impossible.

"...Ekko," he admitted.

Jinx's eyes lit up.

"Nice to meet you, Ekko," she purred, extending her hand.