Boy Savior

Ekko gasped, crumbling to his knees as the Arcane spat him back out in his timeline. He struggled for a moment, blinking hard and trying to make sense of his surroundings. His head throbbed, a high pitched whine piercing through his brain as memories slammed into him like a freight train.

Memories that he was never a part of.

Of Jinx and Isha. Of how much time they spent together. Of Vander, and what he is now. Of Vi and Jinx bringing the man now turned beast into a commune to healer. Of Noxus fucking everything up.

Isha smiling as she pointed Jinx’s gun upward.

The memories continued rushing in. Jinx trapping Vi in her cell. Him saving her four times. Them painting on each other as they prepared to fight against Ambessa and her army. Vi and Jinx fighting Vander. Him throwing an exploding Z-Drive into Viktor’s face. Vi’s painful screams as an explosion rocked the earth, killing Vander and Jinx.

Ekko snarled, screaming as he punched the ground. No…no. Hell fucking no. He wouldn’t allow that. He wasn’t going to allow that at all. Not after his time in the alternate timeline, not after seeing what could have been made him realize he gave up too late. Not after the feelings he denied again and again were finally accepted. He would be damned if he gave up now, not after the Anomaly supplied him with memories of what would have happened if he was spat out a few days late.

Picking himself off the floor quickly, he barely gave the corpse on the ground a glance as he rushed out. Poor guy, no one really deserves having their skull caved in violently like that, but he had bigger things to worry about right now. First order of business was to get his damn hoverboard, and race towards the commune. He hoped he wouldn’t be too late. Now of all times, being late was unacceptable.

---

“Isha!”

Jinx was about to run forward, blood dripping from her nose. Her body was slow to respond, and she cursed it. Now, of all times, shimmer failed to give her that boost she needed. Vi was there, already trying to reach Isha before her, but Jinx noticed the blood already dripping from her stomach and how pale the older girl had gotten.

Her sister won’t make it in time.

The thought sent a cold shiver down her back. Jinx struggled harder, almost crawling as she stumbled to get to Isha. By now, the little girl had aimed her gun at Vander’s head. Molten eyes noticed her, a roar escaping Vander’s lips as he looked down at little Isha.

Nononono, Jinx screamed in her head. Not her bug. She couldn’t lose her. Not after she lost everyone else. The so-called Hero of Zaun stretched a thin arm out vainly. Isha closed her eyes, and pulled the trigger.

ⴵ

Isha closed her eyes, but yelped when something suddenly slammed into her, making her lose her grip and drop the gun as she rolled away. A hoverboard, Jinx realized, as the object clattered into the ground uselessly beside the wheezing girl. Vi scrambled, reaching Isha and picking the girl up in her arms before running back to where Jinx was. Relief flooded her, thankful that her sister managed to get her little bug before any danger could reach her, before turning her attention back to Vander.

Her heart stopped again.

Ekko was there, and she now realized why that damn hoverboard was so familiar. He was holding the gun this time, his extra height allowing him to just angle the gun slightly upward instead of aiming it straight up right. Vander roared again, claws reaching out to him, while her childhood friend, her best friend because as much as she tried to deny it, he is nothing less, glanced back at her. A soft smile graced his features, as if telling her everything was going to be ok.

Vi was there suddenly, and she shielded her and Isha with her body as Ekko pulled the trigger. The world turned white, the sound ringing her eyes, and the air knocked out of her lungs from the resulting explosion.

---

Two weeks had passed after the events in the commune. Vi could barely remember what happened after the explosion. Between the heat slamming into her back and the stomach wound that caused blood loss, she had blacked out. When she came back to the land of the living again, it was the next day and Loris was sitting on her bedside. He explained what had happened, how Jayce and Caitlyn carried her, Jinx, Isha, and Ekko out of the wrecked commune and brought them all to the Kirimman mansion. Of course, her father had a few choice words about her decision, but Caityln put her foot down, and they were all allowed to stay. Vi’s injuries were minor at best, just a bruised back from tanking the explosion and blood loss from her stomach wound from a Noxian soldier who had taken a swipe at her. Jinx had a broken nose and Isha had minor scratches and a bruised chest, but both would live and be fine in a couple of days.

Ekko was another story.

Her reminiscing was broken when someone poked her cheek. She was in the living room, sitting on the sofa while cradling a glass of water (because both Jinx and Caitlyn had refused to give her any form of alcohol for the time being, a rare occasion where the two would agree on something) in her hand. Beside her was Isha who had been drawing on a blank piece of paper with crayons before the girl started poking her cheek.

“What’s up?” She asked softly, glancing at the tiny child.

A pout was her answer, before she showed her a sheet of paper. It was a figure, with white hair and a hoverboard in hand. Ekko, she realized. Vi frowned for a moment, before giving the girl a smile and standing up, placing the half filled glass down. Isha glared at her, then at the water, causing Vi to sigh dramatically and pick it back up to gulp the rest of the liquid down.

“Happy?” Vi asked.

A bright grin was her answer, and Vi only huffed in amusement and fondness as she ruffled Isha’s hair.

“Come on.” Vi grabbed Isha gently, holding her underneath her armpits and bringing her up, cradling her in her arms. Thin, small arms wrapped around Vi’s neck, and she smiled. “Let’s go see Little Man.”

Together, the pair made their way through the long hallways, stopping in front one of the many guest rooms Caitlyn had. She knocked on the door with her foot.

“Come in.” Jinx’s tired voice said from within, and Vi opened the door.

Her sister was a bit healthier now, thanks to the combined efforts of herself and Isha forcing the blue haired gremlin to eat the food Caitlyn would cook. Her skin was still pale, but it had a tone of color now rather than the stale white it used to be. She still had shimmer eyes, there was no removing that substance from her blood, but her eyes no longer looked like it was sunken. She was dressed in her usual wear, but Ekko’s jacket was wrapped around her like a blanket. She turned, smiling at Vi and Isha.

“Hey, sis.” She greeted them.

“Hey.” Vi answered as Isha waved. She set the kid down, watching her scramble to Jinx to give her a hug which was accepted. “How is he?”

Jinx snorted, placing Isha in her lap, making the girl face Ekko as she began re-braiding her hair that had come loose. It reminded Vi of when she would do that for Powder, and she couldn’t help but feel the pang of longing.

“Still sleeping.” Jinx muttered, eyes focusing on Isha’s hair as she braided them again. “The doctor your girlfriend brought said that it's up to him now to wake up.”

Vi suppressed a shudder when she remembered the list of Ekko’s injuries. Broken ribs, third degree burns that would leave permanent scarring, fractured wrist and a complete break on the arm that had shot the hextech filled gun, and a ruptured liver. Injuries that he should have died with, but Piltover’s medical science was more far advanced than Zaun’s (something she and Jinx couldn’t help but scowl at), so they had done what they could. The cast on his arm was doodled by both Jinx and Isha. Pink and yellow completely covered the cast, with random stick figures from Isha and monkey bombs from Jinx. Even Vi couldn’t help herself and doodled as well, even if she wasn’t as artistic as her sister and Isha. Red marker proved her existence, a simple hourglass that symbolizes his face paint that was long gone due to the need to clean him before the surgery.

Vi’s brain finally caught up to what Jinx said, and she scowled even as pink dusted her cheeks. “She isn’t my girlfriend.”

“Sure.” Jinx rolled her eyes. “Cupcake is totally a term you call your casual friend who you have no feelings for.”

“Wh-” Vi sputtered. “How do you know I call her Cupcake?!”

Jinx smirked, raising an eyebrow. “You talk in your sleep, Fat Hands. And I don’t hear a denial.”

Vi twitched, once, twice, before sighing and shoving her hands into her jacket.

“There’s nothing going on.” Vi grunted. “I’m pretty sure she burned whatever was going to happen when she hit me with her rifle.”

“She told me about that.” Jinx shrugged, and Vi saw a flash of anger in her eyes. “Said how sorry she was and blah blah blah. Seems to me like you two need to talk to each other. Stop avoiding her like she’s the fucking plague, sheesh.”

Vi twitched, before pausing again. “You two…talked?”

“...Yeah.” Jinx stared at Ekko, an unreadable emotion in her eyes. “Not much to do around here. She wanted to talk to me, and I was meaning to talk to her anyway. Long story short, we apologized to each other for our actions.”

Vi felt like there was a lot more to that story. She glanced at Isha, who turned discreetly and mimicked small punches. Ah, that made more sense.

“That doesn’t mean we’re about to be friends though!” Jinx exclaimed. “So dont’t get any funny ideas you have in that bloodless brain of yours. I’m pretty sure she still hates me for killing her mom.”

…Her sister had limitless ammo when it came to insults, didn’t she?

A groan suddenly stopped all movement in the room. All eyes turned to the only male in the room, who shifted in his bed. Hazel eyes opened slowly, blinking rapidly, before he turned his head slowly.

“...Jinx?” He asked hoarsely.

Despite how cute it was that her sister would be the first thing he saw when he woke up, because of course it would be Jinx, she shot her arms forward to stop the duo missiles that were about to slam into Ekko.

“Injuries.” Vi reminded.

At least they both had the decency to look embarrassed. Janna, it was like dealing with two Powders.

“Vi?” Ekko grunted, trying to sit up only to hiss in pain.

“Woah there buster.” Jinx said, this time leaning forward slowly as Isha shuffled off her lap and moved to the other side of the bed. “You’re still injured so just lay your stupid ass down, ok?”

“Who are you calling stupid?” Ekko jabbed back, groaning before slumping down into the bed. He glanced at his right arm, eyes furrowed at the cast. “...Why did my cast turn into a canvas?”

Vi chuckled, turning. “I’ll go let Cupc-” She cut herself off, ignoring the knowing look Isha sent her way and Jinx’s smug smile. “-Cait know that he’s awake.

She left the room hastily before Jinx’s snark comments could escape her mouth. Her sister could be a sassy little shit sometimes.

---

Jinx wondered where she would be now if Ekko hadn’t arrived the moment he did. She played with the thoughts of what if she had lost Isha, and Jinx realized that if she did Isha at that moment, she would have given up on everything and just wanted the pain to go away. The past two weeks in the Kirimman household were hectic. Jinx herself spent most of her time at Ekko’s bed side, always making sure his heart didn’t stop overnight. Isha would come and go, doodling on Ekko’s arm here and cuddling with her there. It was day three when both Vi and Isha teamed up to get her out of the room to grab food. The dinner table was tense, Caityln’s dad being absent due to the two people he hated living under the same roof as him. Caitlyn sat opposite of Vi while she and Isha sat beside either side of her sister. It was quite, uncomfortably so, and the whole time Caitlyn was trying to sneak glances at Vi, only for said woman to completely ignore her. Once the food was finished, all three Zaunites scrambled out of the dining room to get out of the strange and uncomfortable atmosphere that had settled.

Since then, dinner was cooked by Caitlyn, but the woman herself would not sit at the table. Jinx kinda felt bad, but it wasn’t her issue so it wasn’t her problem.

It was only five days ago did Caitlyn ask to talk to her. Suspicious, but curious enough to accept, she left Isha in charge of watching over Ekko and followed Caitlyn to her study. It was there that Caitlyn revealed what had happened after Sevika set off the bombs during their whole scuffle underground. Jinx was stunned, at first, before rage took control of her emotions, because no matter what happened, Vi was her sister. She loved her sister, and the moments they shared while trying to help Vander only made her realize that. Fists flew, words were said, and a lot of things were thrown. Eventually, a bit bruised and pride sore, both parties agreed to never speak of the incident again, and apologies were traded for their respective sins (though Jinx felt it was a bit unfair for Caitlyn to apologise when the blue haired Zaunite killed her mother, but she never said that out loud).

Since then, the mansion has been relatively peaceful. She and Caitlyn decided to team up to prevent Vi from getting her hands on any more alcohol. Something about her sister’s liver and what not. The rest of that time was spent sitting on Ekko’s bedside, wondering. Why would Ekko save Isha? Sure he had that weird savior complex going on, but he didn’t know the little girl. In fact, the last time Jinx saw Ekko was on the bridge when she pulled the pin on the grenade. She thought he was dead, and the fear of killing another person she cared about increased when she noticed the Firelights in the Stillwater with no Ekko in sight.

So when he finally woke up, and his eyes trained in on her first thing, her breath hitched and her heart pounded on her ears. Her name on his lips, a tone in his voice that wasn’t hate or anger, but something softer…it made her feel strange things. When Vi left, she glanced at Isha.

“Hey squirt, why don’t you give Little Man something to eat?” She said, “I’m pretty sure he’s hungry after two weeks of sleeping.”

“Two weeks?!” Ekko screams, then hisses as he tries to sit up again, causing Jinx to gently place a hand on his shoulder and push him back down.

Isha nodded, saluting and running out of the door. Jinx chuckled, watching her go with a fond smile. She wouldn’t trade anything in the world for Isha. Turning back to Ekko, she raised an eyebrow.

“Yep.” She hummed. “I mean, what did you expect? You basically blew up three hex cores at the same time at point blank range. That was pretty damn stupid, Boy Savior.”

Ekko merely rolled his eyes tiredly, then glanced at her hand. It was still on his shoulder, where Jinx had started stroking her thumb. Suddenly feeling very hot, she quickly reached back and sat down, wrapping his jacket around her tighter.

“Is that my jacket?” Ekko asked.

“Your brain took a rattle in there or something?” Jinx rolled her eyes, tilting her head down to hide a blush. “Yeah it is. Not the one you were wearing, though. That one disintegrated into dust. Your bat friend comes by sometimes and dropped this jacket off during his last visit.”

She didn’t say that she followed Scar back to the Firelight base under the pretense of grabbing some more of his clothes as he had said he didn’t know when he was going to be back. He had hesitated, of course, but decided to let her tag along in the end. After all, with war just over the horizon, the Firelight base was now being used as a safe place for civilians and people who couldn’t fight. Discovering his closet with two more of that same jacket almost made her laugh. Now the mystery of how he always wore the same damn jacket everytime they fought was answered, because she was pretty sure that the piece of clothing would either be a little singed or have bullet holes in it, but always looked completely fine when they fought again.

“Scar.” Ekko sighs. “Is he ok? Are the Firelights doing well? What about-”

“Slow down, jeez.” Jinx laughed. “You missed a lot, especially when you disappeared for a few months. I’ll explain later after you get some food, ok?”

Ekko opened his mouth to protest, but his stomach grumbled and he blushed, causing her to smugly grin at him. She was completely aware that she was a little shit sometimes, and she did not care.

A few more minutes passed by in silence, the small clock in the guest room ticking being the only sound, before Jinx shuffled, staring at him.

“Why?”

Ekko turned his head, a questioning look in his eyes.

“Why did you…” Jinx bit her lip, trying to find the words. “I…I’ve been nothing but…”

Ekko smiled softly, and Jinx wondered when the hell did his smile make her feel safe.

“Someone told me once.” He chuckled. “That the greatest thing we can do in life, is find the power to forgive.”

Tears stung her eyes, and her thin arms wrapped around her neck, careful to not press her weight down on him, no matter how small she is. Isha found them like that, Ekko’s good arm wrapped around her back while Jinx stayed hugging his neck. Placing the food down on the nightstand, she clambered on to the bed gently, then joined in the hug party.