#Heimerdinger's frustrated but Ekko is Done With Life | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

vanilla107 · 3 years ago

Text

Eclipse (in the shaded shadows where you and i meet)

Pairing: Ekko x Jinx

Words: 10 899

Summary: “Did you really mean what you said inside?” Ekko asked.

“Mean what?”

“The whole ‘you wanted to feel pretty and wear a nice dress for this evening’ thing.”

He watched her open her eyes and she looked at him before pushing down her skirts and gliding her hands over the fabric.

“We never got this kind of stuff in Zaun. I just wanted to experience it just this once,” Jinx murmured.

Tags: Fluff, New Year’s Eve Fluff, New Year’s Kiss, I needed an excuse to make them wear fancy clothes and slow dance, he is the sun, she is the moon, slow dancing.

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"Are you sure this isn't a bit...much?" Ekko asked, raising his arm and feeling the soft fabric against his skin, and Heimerdinger laughed.

"Of course not, my boy! This type of finery is completely normal at the Piltover New Year's Eve ball."

The suit was nothing short of extravagant. It was a white two-piece suit with a cape and gold embroidery adorning the shoulders and back. There was a large sun motif on the back of the cape that matched his gold shoes and rings. It was minimalist enough to not draw too much attention but enough to blend in with the other guests.

Ekko only stared at his reflection in the mirror before rolling his shoulders back and sighing. He was beginning to regret accepting the invitation from Heimerdinger as his plus one. He was aware of the annual Piltover New Year's Eve Ball and remembered his mother paging through the old magazines displaying the pictures of the guests arriving when he was growing up.

It was practically a fashion show and one of the biggest social events of the year, with celebrities, socialites, and leaders from all around being invited. Every year there was a theme and people who were invited went all out with their outfits. Ekko never thought he'd be one of the guests though, so standing in a Piltover boutique wearing a suit that surely cost more than his life, was surreal.

Heimerdinger had received his invitation a month prior and initially planned to not go but for some reason changed his mind last minute. He had begged Ekko to go with him and at first, Ekko had rejected the invitation. He despised Piltover and everything they stood for, so why would he go to a fancy ball that celebrated everything Piltover was when he knew that they didn't give a shit about Zaun?

But Heimerdinger opened up to him about Jayce Talis and Viktor and Ekko felt pity for the old professor. He could imagine how hurt he felt by Jayce's betrayal and in a moment of empathy, he accepted the invitation.

But standing in a Piltover boutique getting the last fittings done, it felt all sorts of wrong to go to a Piltover event as the leader of the Firelights.

"I don't know Heimerdinger...I don't know if I should do this," he mumbled.

Heimerdinger paused before ushering the fashion consultant out of the room. Once they were alone and double checked to make sure no one was eavesdropping, Heimerdinger lowered his voice as he turned to face him.

"What are your concerns about tonight, Ekko?"

"I...it just feels wrong. I'm the leader of the Firelights. I hate how topsiders treat us. I should be representing them. Not...not Piltover. And going to a fancy ball that’s reserved for the elite…I feel like a fraud," Ekko said with frustration.

Heimerdinger walked onto the platform and looked into the mirror at their reflections. He also wore a white suit with gold thread, the design simple in comparison to Ekko's suit, before standing up straight.

"I know this is hard for you and if you choose to back out, I won't be upset, but this isn't about representing Piltover at all. This is about representing you. You will be asked for your name and where you're from at the staircase and they will announce who you are. You aren't representing Piltover, Ekko. You're representing Zaun at a Piltover Ball. See this as an opportunity to show them who you are and what Zaun means to you. I would never ask you to represent a city that has let you down."

Ekko let Heimerdinger's words sink in before shaking his shoulders.

You're representing Zaun and what Zaun means to you.

He nodded and took a deep breath in before exhaling. He gazed at his reflection before grinning at Heimerdinger.

"Okay. Let's go to this fancy ball then."

~~~

Ekko was sweating under the bright lights as he walked towards the staircase. He didn't know how Heimerdinger was fine with his fur and the heat of the lights but he focused on relaxing. He was thankful that Hiemerdinger had chosen to skip the red carpet and avoid the paparazzi and cameras. He didn't need the Firelights to see him in the tabloids even though the likelihood of that was low.

You're representing Zaun. You'll be fine. Just schmooze your way in.

They walked to the announcer where Heimerdinger gave their invitation with their names scribbled on the top before the announcer turned to face the ballroom.

"Introducing Cecil B. Heimerdinger from Piltover and Ekko from Zaun."

It was as if the entire ballroom froze as their names were mentioned and Ekko's heart thudded in his chest as he felt the stares on him.

"Just be calm, my boy. You know who you are," Heimerdinger whispered as they descended down the stairs.

They walked down and Ekko took in the sight of the room. It was a marble and gold masterpiece with high ceilings and Piltover decor. There were white curtains along the sides of the walls and intricate centerpieces on the buffet tables. There was an orchestra softly playing music in the front and a few people swaying as they spoke but no one was dancing yet. Ekko figured that people would start dancing as the evening went on. He could hear the whispers of 'Zaun? That man is from Zaun?' and 'Heimerdinger? Wasn't he voted off council?' as they walked to the buffet table like filled with the most food he had ever seen.

This could feed the Firelights for at least a week.

He watched Heimerdinger take a plate and choose his food before following. Ekko wasn’t sure what he was looking for, so he grabbed a few things that look appetizing. They walked off to the side to watch other people mingle and he eyed Heimerdinger.

"Well that was…"

"Embarrassing?" finished Heimerdinger and Ekko chuckled. "I didn't expect a reaction like that to happen. I should've known about it with my status as an ex-council member and how some people here thrive off of gossip. I'm sorry."

"It's no problem. I'm used to large crowds staring at me with speeches to the Firelights," he said softly and Heimerdinger gave him a smile.

Ekko ate his food, his mouth in heaven as he tried the different finger foods. He wondered if this was everyday food for Pilties before taking another bite. He picked up a piece of fish (at least he assumed it was fish) and chewed it experimentally before nodding in bliss.

“If there’s one thing Piltover can do, it’s throw a good party,” Ekko hummed and Heimerdinger laughed as he bit into a mini sponge cake.

"Ah, Heimerdinger! So glad you could make it!" a voice said and Ekko looked up to see a beautiful woman in a halter-neck gold dress that reached her ankles. Her braids were loose and her sharp brown eyes took in his appearance.

"And you’re plus one from Zaun. Ekko, correct?"

"Yes. It is a pleasure to meet you, Councilor Medarda."

She raised an eyebrow in surprise and smiled, her expression softening almost instantly.

"The pleasure is all mine. I must admit when you responded to the invitation, Heimerdinger, I was surprised that you included a plus one and to hear that he's from Zaun was certainly not my expectation.”

“I wasn’t sure anyone would want to talk to me if I went alone so I asked Ekko to accompany me. He’s a brilliant inventor.”

Mel laughed and Ekko eyed her curiously. All the information he could find on her was sparse. All he could gather from research was that she was from Noxus and came to Piltover where she became part of the council a few years later.

Other than that, Mel Medarda was a mystery to him.

“Of course he’s an inventor!” she said as she regained her composure before focusing on Heimerdinger.

“Heimerdinger, I'd like to think that you aren't an outcast just because you're no longer on the council. While I came here to greet you, the real reason I’m here is because I don’t want any bad blood between us. I know a lot has happened but I do hope we can be civil. I don't want you to cut all ties with the people you've build friendships withjust because you aren't on council anymore."

Ekko watched as Heimerdinger nodded his head.

"No hard feelings Mel. I understand why Jayce made that decision."

Ekko wasn't sure if that was a lie or truth. While Heimerdinger had looked sad when retelling the tale to him, he seemed to be more at peace with the situation now. But then again, he didn't really know the feelings of the Yordle.

Mel turned her attention back to Ekko and he swallowed uneasily. He knew how powerful she was with her ties from Noxus and he stared back at her.

"Ekko, how did you and Heimerdinger meet? I will admit I haven't kept tabs on him but I am curious as to how your paths crossed."

Hemierdinger looked panicked for a second but Ekko knew how to answer.

"We met on the streets in Zaun. I was tinkering with an invention and Heimerdinger was inquisitive. We talked for a bit and shared ideas before he offered me an apprenticeship. I was hesitant at first but after a few lessons, I couldn’t say no.”

Ekko knew that was far from the truth considering that Heimerdinger found him off the side of the bridge with his ankle busted but the less Mel knew about him, the better.

“Oh, that’s wonderful! I hope some great inventions come from this apprenticeship and who knows, you might find yourself another Viktor or Jayce within Ekko."

"Ekko's his own person, Mel, no need for any comparisons. I have no doubt he'll create something marvelous," Heimerdinger said with a jovial tone.

"Of course. Apologies, Ekko I assure you I didn't mean it like that," she said and Ekko nodded his head in understanding.

"I'd love to ask more questions but I do have to see to the other guests. eimerdinger, you must come over for tea next week. I'd love to catch up with you,” she said, shaking Heimerdinger's hand and giving Ekko a nod.

Mel walked away and Ekko watched Heimerdinger exhale slowly before shooting him a smile of relief.

“I don’t know whether to be impressed or concerned that you’re able to lie so easily but I am happy you managed to make up such a believable lie at the drop of a hat.”

“Living in the Undercity will do that to you,” Ekko replied, taking another bite of food and Heimerdinger nodded before surveying the crowd.

“You don’t need to stay by my side the entire evening, Ekko. I assure you I’ll be fine as there are people here that I know. Mel was right that I shouldn't just cut everyone off just because I'm not on council anymore. Maybe I could learn a thing or two from my past students and friends here. Remember, think of this as an opportunity to show off what Zaun really is about,” Heimerdinger said and he discreetly pointed to a group of girls.

“I’m sure they wouldn’t mind talking to you.”

“And what makes you so sure of that?” Ekko asked in confusion.

“Well, they haven’t stopped staring at you since you walked in and you look rather dashing tonight so I’m not surprised,” Heimerdinger laughed. “Oh, look! One of them is walking over right now!”

Ekko didn’t expect to be approached so soon and he quickly eased his nerves before putting down his plate. He only acknowledged the girl when she was close enough to him and he looked at her curiously. She was a blonde with hair piled high in a up-do and wearing the most poufy pastel pink evening dress he had ever seen. Her strong perfume nearly had him sneezing before she greeted him.

“Sorry to disturb you! My name’s Eva Starling and my friends and I were wondering if we could have some of your time to talk to you. We’re especially interested in your outfit. It’s gorgeous!” she gushed.

Ekko was stunned for a moment. Did topsiders really initiate conversations like this? It felt so…formal but he shook off his bias before responding.

“I don’t mind. I got this ensemble at Ophelia’s on the edge of Piltover,” he said smoothly as he walked with her.

From the corner of his vision, he could see Eva’s friends giggling as they walked across the ballroom to them and once Eva introduced him to them, he was pulled into a deep conversation about fabrics and fashion. He inwardly thanked his parents for working briefly at the fabric factories and for retaining the knowledge as he smoothly maneuvered the conversation from fabrics to Zaun. He answered their questions lazily at first, not wanting to give them too much information about Zaun because he felt that the interest had to be authentic.

He didn't want to come off as a preacher.

Gradually the conversation spirled to the factories in Zaun and Ekko launched into one of the stories his mom and dad had told him after their shifts at work. Eva’s friends all gasped as he told them about the underpaid workers, his parents, and the factory conditions.

“That’s so horrible! How could the factory managers allow that?” Talia, one of Eva’s friends, exclaimed.

“Underpaid workers mean that there’s always a demand for money so they will work in those conditions to put food on the table.”

“Why can’t they just get better jobs?” asked Eva with a shrug of her shoulders and Ekko had to restrain himself from snapping at her.

Get better jobs? He had never heard of such ignorance in his entire life.

"Eva! You can’t just ask people to get better jobs!” Talia exclaimed.

“Most people in Zaun don’t receive a proper education as children because there’s a severe lack of funding for it. Without education, there’s no way a person is able to get a better job without those qualifications,” Ekko responded carefully.

They all gasped again and soon, Ekko was dragged to a couch on the side of the room, the girls sitting around him as he told them stories of Zaun. He couldn’t believe how easy it was to engage with them but also remembered Herimerdinger’s words.

They haven’t stopped staring at you since you walked in and you look rather dashing tonight.

Did that mean the only reason they were giving him the time of day was because he looked good?

Well he knew he looked good and if Pilties were only going to listen to him if he looked good in a suit, then so be it. He continued to talk to them, all nodding at his words, as if he was a king and them his subjects.

“I’ll definitely donate to the cause! You poor Zaunites shouldn’t have to suffer like this!” Eva cried as she wrapped her hand around his bicep and he chewed on the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from pushing her away.

Zaunites didn’t need pity. They needed a government that actually gave a shit about their city instead of prioritizing Piltover constantly and ignoring Zaun.

Ekko had noticed that Eva had taken quite a liking to him over the last two hours. She was fluttering her eyelashes, making eye contact whenever she could, and was practically on top of him on the couch. He knew that if the other Firelights had to see this, he would be teased endlessly.

He was sure Eva was a sweet girl, despite her not being the smartest one there, but he wasn’t interested in any sort of romantic relationship. His main priority was the Firelights and making sure that Zaun thrived. He didn't mind the attention, if anything, his ego was flying amongst the clouds but he was out of his element. Just because some upper class topsider women were showering him with attention, didn’t mean anything.

He had seen some of the other girls catch his eyes and blush but then they would look away. He realised that Eva was their leader. She had the most influence in the group and he realised that they were there with him because she was there.

He continued his conversations with the girls, the topics moving freely from Piltover technology, Zaunite street food, the tensions between Noxus and Ionia, and the Shimmer factories. Ekko managed to mix in lighthearted stories and humor with heavy topics to avoid giving lectures and casually complimented the girls on their outfits from time to time. He finally complimented Eva, who giggled at his words.

“I begged my dad to increase my budget for this dress because I wanted a pink one for tonight,” Eva explained as she smoothed down her bodice.

“I’ve been meaning to ask why pink? Isn't the theme sun and moon?” he asked.

“Because the sun is red and orange and pink is just a lighter shade of red!” she said with a dazzling smile. “It’s also my favourite colour and I didn’t want to wear a dress from last year like Talia. I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing the same clothes.”

It was at that moment, Ekko realised he found Eva insufferable as he watched Talia's expression fall and look away in embarrassment. It was one thing to be ignorant but to be a bully and humiliate someone in public?

That was cruel.

“I think your dress looks gorgeous Talia,” he said nonchalantly and he watched her slowly face him, her cheeks red, as she looked down at her red evening gown.

“Thank you, Ekko,” she said softly.

“I don’t see the big deal in always having new clothes. If it’s comfortable and makes you happy, then go for it. Maybe things are different in Piltover but…” he gave her a once over and smiled, “I think you look dazzling, especially your hairpiece.”

Talia touched it self-consciously before giving him a smile and he could tell Eva was seething from not being the center of attention anymore because her grip on his arm tightened.

“Ekko, how about we go dance?” Eva asked but he didn’t hear her.

He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. Surely that wasn't her? He focused on the staircase and he inhaled sharply, his stomach dropping as he saw the girl.

She was dressed in shades of blue, an unusual color for the theme but still somehow blending with everyone. He sat up straight and leaned forward, convinced his eyes were playing tricks on him but the blue hair was unmistakable.

Jinx was at the Piltover New Year’s Eve Ball.

Jinx...the girl who had tried to kill the same the councilors just a few months ago, who were present at the Ball.

"Presenting Miss Juliet Raelik from the Kasserak islands," announced the presenter.

Ekko knew that was a lie. While she carried herself with grace, he recognised her walk, her movements and watched as she descended the staircase before making her way over to the buffet.

“Ekko? Hello? Ekko!”

He snapped out of his trance to find all the girls looking at him, some of them failing to hide their laughter and others looking away with knowing grins on their faces. Eva was the only one who looked irritated.

“Sorry…I need to get a refill,” he said quickly before getting up, shaking off Eva’s iron grip, and walking towards the buffet.

He walked over to the buffet table only to find Jinx had vanished. He groaned before someone whispered in his ear, “Looking for me, Boy Savior?”

He turned around and there she was, in all her mischievous glory.

Ekko took in her appearance, her hair in a voluminous up-do with tendrils framing her face and light makeup. Her dark, long-sleeved, navy blue dress was bedazzled with tiny diamonds along the round neckline that gradually faded into the skirt in a lighter blue that looked almost white. He couldn't see her shoes from all the layers of abric but he figured she was wearing high heels with her being taller than him by a few centimeters.

He was temporarily stunned by her appearance and she grinned as she took a bite of a breadstick.

“Cat got your tongue?” she purred and he shook his head before the full force of the realisation hit him.

She was in the same room with the same people she tried to blow up just months ago and the only reason why all the councellors were alive was because Mel's armour saved them. They all needed hospital attention but healed over the months. Piltover amped up security and while no Zaunite ratted Jinx out purely out of loyalty to Zaun, they recognised that she had nearly started a war with Piltover. He hardly saw her these days but he refused to let her out of his sight tonight.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he hissed.

"I could ask you the same thing," Jinx said as she ate a mini cake before her eyes widened and grabbed two more from the table and shoved them in her mouth.

He watched her in disgust and partial amazement as she grabbed another one and attempted to fit it into her mouth.

"Uh…my plus one invited me and will you please chew before putting another cake in your mouth? I know they're good but you’re going to choke if you-"

"-Hmph, found yourself a Piltie? I knew you'd follow Vi's footsteps," Jinx said as she swallowed her cake and he was surprised to hear a trace of bitterness in her voice.

"What? No, I'm here with Heimerdinger."

"The rat thing?"

"He's a Yordle and you know that."

“You know I meant to say that. So you’re officially a Piltie now? Wow, three months was all it took to leave it all behind?” she said with sarcasm and a raised eyebrow.

“This has nothing to do with Piltover… I’m representing Zaun tonight,” he argued.

He saw Jinx’s eyes widen and she put her empty plate down on the table before rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.

“Okay so if you are representing Zaun and trying to make peace with the Pilties-"

"-I'm not making peace with them-!"

"-Why is an entire group of girls glaring at me from across the room?”

Ekko froze and he stared at her before she rolled her eyes and looked away, allowing him to quickly turn his head and see Eva and her friends glaring from across the room.

“They’re glaring at you…? Oh…they are. They’re…uh…I met them a few hours ago and spoke to them. I promise they're nice-”

“Oh, I'm sure they're nice to eligible bachelors who they've never seen before at their other little gatherings. Breaking Piltie hearts already? From Firelight Leader to Piltover heartthrob in an evening,” she chuckled and he watched her survey the dance floor before grabbing his hand.

“Jinx- what?”

“It’s Juliet Raelik from the Kasserak islands for the evening. Now, just dance with me."

She only giggled as she pulled him to the dance floor and they clicked into place as the orchestral music sang through the air. He inwardly thanked Heimerdinger for giving him waltz lessons as his one hand on small of her back and the other holding her hand in a waltz. She was in his arms, dancing in a gorgeous gown and it felt like something of a fantasy. There was a part of him that wanted to dance with her forever but he knew what Jinx was capable of and if he could prevent the evening from whatever she had planned, that was a priority.

"What is going on…Juliet?” he asked again sternly. ”If you're planning something-"

"-Why do I always have to be planning something?" she interrupted.

“Because the last time I heard of you, you had blown up the council headquarters, which by the way, has every member here present tonight,” he whispered furiously. "How did you even get in here?"

Jinx blinked at him before shrugging her shoulders.

“Ekko, I want one evening to feel pretty and wear a nice dress. Can you please shut up?”

But you’re pretty all the time, his brain screamed but he stared at her in confusion as he registered her words.

Did she just call him by his name?

Not Boy Savior.

Not Little Man.

Ekko.

Did that mean she really didn’t have anything planned after all? He was speechless as they danced and after he got over the shock of her using his real name he cleared his throat.

"Um…you look nice," he said softly and she peered up at him, a small smile on her face.

"You don't look too bad yourself."

He couldn’t help but chuckle at her words and he spun her in a circle before bringing her back to face him.

“Got yourself quite a fan club,” she murmured and he cocked his head in confusion before shaking his head with a laugh.

“I'm sorry they're not being welcoming...they were nice to me,” he mumbled and she sighed.

“It's just because you're an attractive, eligible bachelor so I'm not taking it to heart. Although...some of them are glaring at me like I murdered their parents! Especially that blonde girl. Do you know her name?”

“Eva? Does she have her hair in an up-do and wearing a pink dress?”

“Yeah and...her dress doesn’t even match the theme! And before you say ‘Juliet, your dress doesn’t match the theme either!’, it does. It represents the tides and how the moon controls them so therefore the moon is represented! Plus, people have hints of blue in their outfits too but none has pink, so she’s the only one who looks like a walking fashion disaster.”

Ekko’s shoulders shook with laughter and Jinx grinned.

“She’s…definitely something.”

“That only tells me that you dislike her intensely. Spill the beans. How awful is she?” she asked mischievously, leaning forward as if he was about to tell her priceless information.

Ekko watched her in fascination at how normal this all seemed. It didn’t feel like he was the leader of the Firelights and she was the girl who he had lost. They were two people just dancing and gossiping about topsiders. He decided to indulge her.

“When I was talking to her earlier…she told me how Zaunites needed to get better jobs if they were being overworked. She also insulted one of her friends for wearing the same dress as the year before and has been flirting with me all evening. I suspect she likes me more than I anticipated.”

Jinx’s jaw dropped and shook her head before rolling her eyes.

“Pilties and their privilege. Sounds like a spoiled brat to me. And she was flirting with you? Ew, you could do way better. Wait…do you wanna piss her off? Get a little revenge?” she asked, her eyes bright with mirth.

“I’m not doing anything illegal-”

“-No! No no no no…okay, just…just hold me, okay?” Jinx said, stifling her giggles, and she removed her hands from his shoulder and his hand before wrapping them around his neck. “Now wrap your arms around my waist,” she murmured.

They were only a few centimeters apart and Ekko felt his heartbeat skyrocket. He placed his hands on her waist and he heard her laugh softly.

“You should see her face. She is furious,” she murmured.

As they turned, Ekko pulled Jinx into him, so that their bodies were pressed together and he watched her eyes widen in surprise.

“There…now it’s not just one-sided,” he whispered and he took in her magenta eyes.

So unfamiliar but familiar at the same time.

“It’s like you want to cause a riot with some Pilties,” she said with amusement, looking down with a small smile on her face.

“I was never on their side. I’m here to represent Zaun. No one else.”

Their gazes met once more as the song ended but there was a clinking sound that echoed the room and they all turned their heads to see Jayce Talis tapping a champagne glass from the front of the room.

“Good evening everyone! Just a quick announcement from me. Thank you all for attending the annual Piltover New Year’s Eve Ball. We know that a lot has happened this year but I assure you that the council will do everything in its power to keep the City of Progress thriving.”

Ekko watched Jinx roll her eyes in annoyance from his peripheral vision.

“City of Progress my ass,” she grumbled.

“Now, without further ado, please enjoy the rest of your evening. We have cuisine on the tables over there to suit any palette, a beautiful orchestra to dance into the night and don’t be afraid to chat to new faces!”

Ekko applauded as everyone else did and Jinx slow clapped in annoyance. The orchestra began to play again and Jinx led him off to the side.

“All that dancing has me thirsty. I need something to drink,” she said and Ekko had no choice but to follow her. They stopped at the drinks table, a large bowl of a cocktail in the middle with glasses of water around it. Ekko grabbed himself a glass before Jinx dumped some liquid into the bowl from a flask.

“What are you doing?” he sputtered and she grinned.

“Having fun! You should totally try some!” she said as she poured herself a glass.

“If you poisoned it-”

“I said I wanted a normal evening, did I not? And why would I poison myself?” she shot back, glaring at him before taking a gulp of the drink.

He was about to ask what she had spiked the cocktail with but her face lit up in a fake smile. It was unnerving to say the least.

“Oh my gosh, hi! Your dress is so beautiful!”

Ekko’s brows furrowed in confusion before he realised that Jinx wasn’t talking to him but to someone behind him. He spun around and came face to face with Eva and her friends. Eva gave him a sickly sweet smile before extending a hand to Jinx.

“Thank you. I don’t think we’ve met before. My name is Eva Starling. My dad is the owner of Starling Enterprises, which I’m sure you know already.”

“I’m Juliet Raelik and I didn’t know that about your dad but thank you for telling me,” Jinx said as she ignored Eva's extended hand and Ekko bit on the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing.

“How do you not know?” Eva asked, lowring her hand immediately, a flash of anger on her face before looking shocked and her friends giggled behind her. “I thought everyone knew. It must be because you’re from one of the islands right? They probably don’t teach you about the major contributors in Piltover.”

Ekko felt anger burn in his stomach at Eva’s words. He knew that Eva was just trying to humiliate Jinx or…Juliet? Whatever, she was Juliet for the evening.

“Well the islands are quite advanced Eva. I’m sure you didn’t know that my mother is queen there,” Jinx said, her sweet tone hiding the fury in her eyes. “And besides, I’m sure I read somewhere that Starling Enterprises was in danger of going bankrupt. It was all over the news a few weeks ago.”

Ekko raised an eyebrow at the information and looked at Eva, who had gone scarlet from her neck upwards.

“That was a rumour!” she said a little too loudly and Jinx glanced at her nails before Eva changed the subject.

“Oh and your mother is a queen? So you’re a princess! That’s impressive! Do you have any suitors?” she asked and Ekko wasn’t sure how much longer Jinx could hold up her lie.

“I’ve rejected all of them. None of them really clicked with me,” Jinx shrugged. “But there’s quite a few people here who seem to be possible candidates.”

Ekko watched as Eva’s friends all gasped and he found himself watching the conversation in awe.

“Oh? Anyone caught your eye ?” Eva asked, her voice cracking.

“Hmmm, I better not tell. Don’t want to go into the New Year telling everyone who I think is attractive,” Jinx said with disinterest.

“Well give us a hint please!” asked one of Eva’s friends and Eva glared before Jinx laughed.

“Alright…um…they’ve chosen to dress as the sun counterpart for the theme this evening,” she said, shooting Ekko a wink and he watched as Eva’s friends comically squealed and Eva gritted her teeth.

He realised that Eva was not good at hiding her emotions well at all and decided to try and diffuse the situation somehow before pouring her a glass of cocktail and handing it to her.

“Oh, thank you, Ekko. That’s so considerate of you,” she said giggling too much and he saw Jinx only grin before remembering that she had spiked the same bowl just a few minutes ago.

He watched in horror as she downed the entire glass and prayed that she wasn’t a lightweight. Ekko had no idea what Jinx had put in there but the alcohol seemed to hit her almost instantly as her face turned a rosy colour.

“Ekko! We should go dance!” she said a little too loudly, causing some heads to turn their way. “We were so rudely interrupted the first time round so I’m sure we could-”

“Eva! Keep your voice down,” Talia said quickly and Eva glared at her friend.

“Excuse me? Keep my voice down? I’ll speak as loud as I want!” she yelled.

“Eva Marie Starling, will you be quiet!” a voice hissed and Ekko tensed up as a woman wearing a floor length silver dress strode up to them, her presence radiating authority. She took one look at the glass in Eva’s hand before taking it out of her grasp.

“We agreed that you’d go steady on the alcohol! What is this?” her mother demanded and Eva blinked as if her thoughts were foggy.

“Ekko offered it to me and-”

“Oh no, you are not blaming someone for giving you a drink when you know you could have declined. No one is forcing you here to drink, Eva!”

“But…but Juliet must’ve spiked it!” Eva said accusingly, pointing a finger at Jinx, who looked back in faux shock.

“But Eva…I’m drinking the same thing as you…see?” she said as she drank the spiked beverage and put her cup down. “I’ve had two glasses and I’m fine. Maybe you’re a lightweight?”

Eva’s mother glared at her daughter before huffing and grabbing a glass of water from the table.

“You are going to sit with me until you’ve sobered up young lady!” she said and Eva struggled against her mother.

“But mom-!”

“No buts! You can return to your friends once you’re in a better mind space.”

They watched as Mrs. Starling dragged her daughter away and as if a spell had been broken, most of the girls walked away to the dance floor or to the buffet. A few of the others stood back, to talk to each other but only Talia stepped forward.

“I apologise…she usually isn’t this…wild,” she said softly and Jinx grinned.

“It’s okay, a party isn’t a party until someone gets a little drunk. Oh, Ekko, why don’t you dance with Talia? I’m sure you’d love to show off your dance moves while I…uh…go to the bathroom and...freshen up.”

Ekko didn’t have time to ask what that even meant because Jinx ran off into the crowd. She was willingly allowing him to dance with a topsider? Did that mean she liked Talia? Or was she only going to cause more mischief? While he wanted to go after her, it felt rude to leave Talia when she was the only one who seemed to be genuinely nice to him the entire evening.

“Uh…may I have this dance?” he asked Talia and she fidgeted with her hands.

“I don’t think Eva would like that…” she mumbled and he shook his head before grasping her hand and leading her to the dance floor, and he could hear some of Eva's friends giggling behind them.

They walked to the middle of the dance floor as the orchestra played another song and they glided effortlessly across the floor.

“You shouldn’t let Eva control your actions, Talia. I don’t know if it's a Piltover thing but…she’s not the boss of you,” he said and she averted her gaze.

“I know…it’s just easier to let her get what she wants. We had another friend…she usually stood up to Eva but then Eva managed to make her life a living nightmare and she became a social outcast. Thankfully she moved after we graduated from high school but still…her influence is terrifying.”

“You’re joking.”

“Unfortunately not…Eva has a lot of power especially because of her dad. No one has stood up to her since…well since today. Juliet is quite the feisty one,” she laughed.

“Yeah…she is,” Ekko said.

Juliet was more than feisty when she needed to be and if only Talia knew who she really was.

“Do you two know each other? You seem awfully close and if there is something between you two I wouldn’t want to intrude...” Talia asked quickly.

“Oh no. There’s nothing between us. She noticed how uncomfortable I was with Eva and she wanted to be a menace. So she stole me away for a dance.”

“Ah, a menace." Talia chuckled. "I must admit…I was a little surprised when she brought up Starling Enterprises going bankrupt.”

“Why?”

“Eva knows that the majority of her influence is because of her dad’s business. If she loses that, she’d be nothing but empty threats. When that article was published she was hellbent on making everyone believe it was a rumour.”

“How do you know if it’s true or not?”

“I don’t but the way Eva was acting…I could tell she was nervous and she’s hardly nervous. I felt like she was hiding something so I drew my own conclusions.”

“Are you close with Eva?” he asked, aware how serious their conversation had become and tried to not look too interested in learning information about one of the most influential topsiders, and she sighed.

“We were close a few years ago but I don’t know what shifted. I still care about her deeply but I hate the way she treats people.”

“So why do you hang out with her?”

“It’s easier to be friends with her than not to be friends at all. It’s all about connections in Piltover and with her dad being so influential, I’d rather stay quiet.”

“But surely your parents have connections too?”

“Sure we’re wealthy but Eva is in a league of her own and standing up to her wouldn’t be wise. I know it’s nothing in comparison to your life in Zaun but there’s different ways to sink or swim in Piltover and being enemies with Eva is the easiest way to sink. She has the connections to control our futures or completely destroy our reputation...I can't risk it.”

“A blonde who has rich parents can do that?”

“Surely you know someone like that in Zaun?” she asked and Ekko was quiet as he thought of Silco, the most powerful man in the Undercity and all his underlings, the Shimmer factories and his influence over Jinx.

“I understand,” he mumbled sadly and she gave him a sad smile.

“She has her good moments but I don’t know how anyone’s supposed to change her. The only person she can change is herself. And I don’t think she wants to at this moment.”

They swayed before Ekko saw the flash of blue hair in his peripheral vision and watched as a waiter offered Jinx a glass of champagne that she accepted. He watched her take a sip before wincing. She didn’t seem to be up to anything too chaotic so he could afford to relax but then he saw Eva walk up to her. He watched them exchange words and from the looks of it, Eva was getting angrier with every passing second.

“Oh no,” he whispered and Talia turned her head to see what he was looking at.

“This is not going to end well,” she whispered as they slid out of the dance floor.

Talia tried to make her way to Eva but Ekko stopped her, holding her wrist.

“Talia, I think we should stay out of this,” he said cautiously.

While he believed Jinx wanted a normal evening, he didn't trust Eva's emotions. He knew Jinx could handle herself but he didn't want Talia to be caught in the fray because she didn't deserve it.

“But…what if something bad happens?” she said gesturing to Jinx and Eva, who only seemed to be getting more red with every passing minute.

“You can’t babysit Eva all the time. Remember what you said to me? The only person she can change is herself. She is never going to learn if you keep softening the situation for her.”

Talia looked at him incredulously before nodding and taking a step back.

“So we just...watch?” she asked.

“If things get crazy we can intervene-”

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

He saw Jinx grin before whispering something into Eva’s ear and he knew she had said something that caused Eva to snap. He watched as Eva turned red with rage, screamed in fury, and she lunged at Jinx, who only stepped out of the way, and crashed into the one buffet table. Unfortunately for Eva, that buffet table had the chocolate fountain and he watched in horror as Eva screamed as the warm chocolate got all over her gauzy pink dress and hair.

“My hair! My dress!” she shrieked.

Her mother and some of her friends ran to her aid, as did security personnel and Jinx darted out of sight. Jayce ran up to her and Eva cried as she was escorted out of the ballroom, leaving a trail of chocolate behind her. Mel walked to the front of the room, tapping a champagne glass hastily before smiling brightly.

"Apologies everyone! Just an accident. We'll have Miss Starling all cleaned up in no time. Please, eat, drink and dance! Only half an hour from the New Year," she announced.

Talia was frozen next to him with her hands to her mouth but Ekko realised she was hiding her laughter.

"Oh my...I should've helped her...but wow she looked...hilarious," she snickered and Ekko smiled at her.

"Maybe she'll learn to not lung at people next time?" he said and she struggled to conceal her laughter.

Ekko would’ve laughed because finally some karma but knowing that Jinx was behind the whole thing had him worried for her safety. Usually he wouldn’t be concerned but knowing that she wanted a normal night (at least that’s what she said when they were dancing) he felt oddly protective over her in a room full of topsiders.

"Are you concerned about Juliet?" Talia asked and he groaned.

"I can't help but feel partly responsible for her. I'm from Zaun...she's from the Kasserak islands...I'm not sure if it's her first time at this Ball but...I feel oddly protective of her," he lied.

Protective my ass. I need to make sure she doesn't get caught by security.

"Say no more. You clearly care about her and I suggest you find her before Eva blabs enough to get security involved. I don't think Juliet needs that kind of angst into the New Year. I'll cover for you and her. I should go comfort Eva and I'll keep her distracted for as long as I can."

Talia was about to turn away before turning back to face him.

"Thank you for the dance and for talking to me about Zaun...I didn't know it was that bad."

"Most topsiders don't know how bad it is but now you know. Do with that information what you will," he murmured.

She squeezed his shoulder before lowering her voice, "And thank you for sticking up for me earlier. I appreciate it, really."

"Thank you for being real with me," he said, giving her a genuine smile and she shook his hand before walking out the ballroom and following the trail of chocolate that was almost cleaned up by staff.

Ekko looked around the room for Jinx but he couldn’t find her until he spotted a curtain gently blowing in the breeze on the other side of the ballroom. Curtains didn’t move without wind which meant there must be a door behind it. He looked around, making sure Eva hadn’t come back, before slipping through it and found himself on a balcony. There were sconces providing light above him and realised that he was looking into the gardens of the venue. He spotted various rose bushes and the scent of them floated to his nose before looking across the rest of the balcony, where he found Jinx pouring the champagne out the glass onto the grass below.

“So…you want to tell me what just happened with Eva?” he asked hesitantly and she placed the glass down on the windowsill.

“She was being annoying,” Jinx said with a twirl, the skirt of the dress flaring out and Ekko watched the moonlight hit the diamonds on the neckline.

“I saw Jinx…you said things to her too and she ended up lunging at you.”

“She needed to be put in her place. No one disrespects you or Zaun,” Jinx said, as if it was the easiest answer in the world.

Ekko didn’t know how to respond for a minute. Eva had disrespected him? And Jinx stood up for him? If he had known how this evening was going to go, he would’ve prepared himself to not be stunned into silence whenever Jinx spoke.

“She disrespected me?” he managed to say after a moment and he saw her jaw tense.

“Bitch said some shit like 'she saw you first and that I needed to keep my hands off of you', like a spoiled child. We both know that no one tells me what to do and I hated that she was making assumptions that you actually wanted to be with her. Then when I defended you, she said how Zaun was dirty and only thieves came out of that city and that the Kasserak islands have nothing to offer like Piltover does. So I put her in her place.”

Ekko watched her lean against the balcony, the moonlight bathing her in silver and she looked ethereal.

“I told her that she was a two-faced Pilitie bitch and who had the blandest personality based off of the two minutes that we spoke. I told her that you’d never date….court… whatever Pilties say when they date people, because she was too ugly from the inside. And that if she wanted a shot at dating you, she needed to actually have worked a day in her life and not rely on her daddy’s money which might be non-existent considering the company is bankrupt.”

“You called Eva Starling a two-faced Piltie bitch?”

“And I’d do it again!”

Ekko heard some applause from the ballroom but he didn’t care if someone was giving a speech. He could watch Jinx here and no one would get hurt…but then again she had only caused minor chaos this evening.

"I have two questions for you," he said to her and she looked up in acknowledgement.

"How do you know so much of the Kasserak islands? And what did you use to spike the cocktail?"

Jinx threw her head back and laughed before responding, "Did a little research on the Kasserak islands before getting this dress. Wasn't hard to research and I spiked the cocktail with Fire's Breath."

"Fire's Breath? But that's not too bad unless you have three glasses."

"Yeah so poor little Eva was a light weight," Jinx said with a strech of her neck before facing the gardens.

They watched the gardens and the fountain water trickle from the balcony and Jinx sighed before closing her eyes, as if she was savoring the moment.

“Did you really mean what you said inside?” Ekko asked.

“Mean what?”

“The whole ‘you wanted to feel pretty and wear a nice dress for this evening’ thing.”

He watched her open her eyes and she looked at him before pushing down her skirts and gliding her hands over the fabric.

“We never got this kind of stuff in Zaun. I just wanted to experience it just this once,” Jinx murmured.

A melody floated out of the ballroom and Ekko watched as she swayed to the music. It was a slow song, the violins humming and he rolled his shoulders back before taking a few steps towards her.

“May I have this dance?” he asked, cringing at the awkwardness of words and Jinx snorted in laughter before accepting his hand.

“Who would I be to turn down the most eligible bachelor of the evening?” she said through giggles

"Oh, shut up," he groaned and they slowly danced under the stars.

Ekko wasn’t sure when his hands wrapped around her waist and hers around his neck but it felt so natural to place them there. She laid her head on his shoulder as they swayed from side to side.

“Who taught you how to dance?” she asked.

“Heimerdinger. Took a couple tries to nail the waltz but I got there.”

“The Yordle taught you how to waltz?”

“Well, who did you learn from?”

“I taught myself!” she said proudly.

“Bullshit,” he muttered and he felt her snicker into his shoulder.

He couldn't help but notice how she seemed protective of him and he couldn't help but ask her.

“What if I told you that I wanted to date Eva?”

He felt her tense up and for a moment regretted asking her but she only laughed.

“That’s hilarious, Boy Savior.”

“Why? What if I actually liked her?” he asked jokingly.

“You’d be bored of her in two weeks and she’s the most uninteresting person I’ve ever met,” Jinx said bluntly and Ekko couldn't hold back his laughter.

“So what you’re saying is that I need someone interesting?” he asked once he caught his breath.

“Someone who…keeps you on your toes. Someone who keeps you guessing and your mind going. It can’t just be anyone though."

She paused as if listening to someone in her head before nodding.

"You’re the leader of the Firelights and they obviously have to know about that…so yeah you’re a lost case, Boy Savior. No dating Pilties for you,” Jinx said with a nod, as if satisfied with her answer.

“Guess I’ll have to date a Firelight,” he said.

“Guess so but that could be messy if you break up.”

“It’s like you don’t want me to date anyone,” Ekko grumbled.

“It’s not my fault you chose to be the leader of the Firelights,” Jinx said dramatically. “Maybe if you weren’t, you’d actually have a shot at dating someone.”

“So being the leader of the Firelights is limiting me right now? That’s your conclusion?”

“Yep!” she said, before holding him tighter, as if that was supposed to silence him.

It did silence him and he wondered if this was her way of saying that he should only date her.

She said that he should date someone who wasn’t a Piltie, which she wasn’t. She said he should date someone who knew he was the leader of the Firelights but not an actual Firelight because the break up could be messy and if they still had to see each other everyday, it would be even worse. So if he wanted to date someone, they had to be a Zaunite who knew he was the leader of the Firelights but not be a Firelight who kept him on his toes and was interesting.

She met the description but with their messy history…was there even a possibility?

He decided he was over-thinking her words and decided to enjoy the moment with her instead. They swayed in silence for a while, enjoying each other's company before he cleared his throat.

“Was this everything you thought it would be? Despite Eva and the chocolate fountain colliding?” he asked her eventually and she raised her head off his shoulder.

“Everything and more! And Eva being covered head to toe in chocolate was the cherry on top!” she grinned as she looked into his eyes.

Ekko heard some footsteps from inside and voices gradually rising as they stopped outside the curtains. Ekko prayed the wind didn't pick up otherise the curtains would blow and giveaway their hiding spot.

“Where is Ekko? I must find him!” roared Eva and they tensed up.

“We’ve looked everywhere for him, Eva. Maybe you should give it a rest? And you still have chocolate in your hair,” Talia said and Eva only screamed in frustration before the group of girls walked away.

Ekko and Jinx laughed and the voices inside got louder before Ekko realised the people inside were chanting a countdown.

Shit, it was New Year's Eve.

He had forgotten after all the chaos that had happened that evening.

"Five!"

It was tradition to kiss someone.

"Four!"

And a Jinx was in his arms. He could kiss her if he wanted.

But was it what she wanted?

“Three!”

He was the leader of the Firelights. She was...she wasn't on the right side...but if anything, tonight showed she didn't have to cause that much chaos to have a good time. It made him feel oddly content. Part of him felt that kissing her into the New Year was a bad idea on every level possible but the other part of him that had dreamed a life like this with her was riding on a high from how they had danced together.

“Two!”

“Jinx…I don't know if now is the right time but-” he began but she cut him off with an index finger to his lips.

"Pucker up, Boy Savior," she whispered and pulled him closer.

“One! Happy New Year!”

Ekko was sure there was applause and cheering but all he felt was the soft fabric under his fingertips as he held her waist and her lips on his.

He felt her sigh into the kiss and he tilted his head to deepen it. He swiped his tongue against her bottom lip teasingly and she giggled before granting him access. Ekko wasn't sure how long they kissed for but it was everything he could've wanted.

It was slow and soft as if they were making up for lost time. He gripped her waist so tightly, he thought he was leaving bruises. The thought of his bruises on her only made her hold her tighter. She only tightened her arms around his neck in response. When they broke apart Jinx only chuckled before sliding her hands down from his neck to his chest, her lips pink and her face flushed.

"Happy New Year, Boy Savior. Thanks for sharing that with me. Unfortunately, I should get going," she said breathlessly.

"What? Why?" he asked, still dizzy from the kiss.

"Let's just say...I didn't buy this dress," she grinned before giving him a final kiss on his cheek and jumping over the balcony.

He watched her land and sprint off into the gardens, looking like a princess from a fairytale, when someone cleared their throat from behind him. Ekko spun around, ready to make up an excuse to a girl jumping over the balcony and running into the gardens, when he registered who was standing in front of him.

"Vi," he breathed and she raised an eyebrow at him before gesturing at the retreating figure in the gardens.

"You...idiot!" she yelled, her anger flaring and he winced. "Did you seriously kiss Jinx? Tell me right now what I saw was a hallucination!"

He didn't know what to say to her. He was so dead.

"Yeah, I kissed Jinx," he said finally, realising that he should just come clean.

They stared at each other for a minute before Vi's facade broke and she snorted before dissolving into peals of laughter.

"Little Man all grown up, huh?" she asked and he blushed as she laughed again. "C'mon, it's better that you say that you were out here for fresh air than kissing Jinx, who stole Juliet Raelik's dress and left her knocked out in a closet."

Ekko was too dazed to comprehend Vi's sentence as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders and dragged him back into the ballroom. He was surprised she wasn't upset with him. Those thoughts vanished when he saw Eva talking to a group of Enforcers tearfully in a corner.

"Some context would be great right now, Vi," he said nervously and she sighed.

"Juliet Raelik was found in her closet, tied to a chair and gagged. She explained that someone knocked her out in her hotel room and stole her dress, shoes, and her invitation to the New Years Ball. She woke up in darkness, gagged and bound to a chair. A concerned hotel resident said they heard noises from her room and Enforcers found her banging her chair on the closet door, trying to escape. The only reason I know about this is because Caitlyn got an Enforcer alert and demanded we stop by at the hotel to assess the situation. We came here as soon as we found out."

Ekko remembered what Jinx said about the dress and he watched the Enforcers leave Eva and exit the ballroom.

"No wonder she managed to get into the Ball so easily. She was lucky to get out when she jumped over the balcony. Enforcers probably know the dress description and now they'll have a description of Jinx from Eva," he said solemnly and Vi nodded.

"This is worrying as this might put Jinx on Enforcer alert because Juliet is royalty but it's honestly not the worst case. You want to tell me what happened to her?" Vi asked, glancing at Eva who ran out the ballroom to follow the Enforcers, and Ekko retold her the whole saga with Jinx and Eva.

"I usually don't condone Jinx's actions...hell I'm still getting over her blowing up the council quarters but…maybe I'll let this one slip. No one says shit like that about you or Zaun…even if she did steal a dress worth thousands and knocked out Kasserak royalty," Vi said and Ekko noticed the small smile on Vi’s face as well as her outfit.

She wore a subtle gold suit with white trimming on the cuffs and high heeled boots. Her hair was slightly curled and he swore he smelt perfume on her skin.

“I’m surprised you’re wearing those shoes,” he said and Vi rolled her eyes.

“Blame Caitlyn. I lost the bet and I have to wear these for the rest of the night. They’re not bad just…if something happened, I would break a leg first before helping anyone. What are you doing here anyway?” she asked.

“Here with Heimerdinger. He’s been really nice though and has let me mingle with other people.”

“Anyone to your liking? Like a girl with blue hair…?” she teased and he glared at her as she laughed.

“No comment, Vi. Are you here with Caitlyn?”

“Yeah, we ran late and only got here a few minutes ago but I still got my New Year’s kiss before the Enforcers arrived and so did you,” Vi grinned.

"You're never going to let this go are you?"

"Not a chance, Little Man."

They walked over to Heimerdinger who was talking to a thin man with brown hair before he beamed upon seeing Ekko.

“Ah! Ekko! Just the man I was talking about! You must meet Viktor! He was my assistant but is now the co-creator of Hextech!”

“Thank you Heimerdinger. I appreciate the praise but it is not needed. And you must be Ekko. I’ve heard a lot about you and from one Zaunite to another, I’m happy Heimerdinger has seen potential in you,” Viktor smiled and raised his hand and Ekko grasped it and shook it, aware of how boney Viktor’s hands were.

“Completely coincidental but I’ve learnt a lot from him in this short space of time,” Ekko said.

“That’s no surprise to me. I’d love to see what you’ve worked on another day-”

“-Viktor! Oh, thank goodness that debacle has been sorted- oh. Uh…Hello Heimerdinger,” Jayce said, faltering for a moment before straightening himself.

“Hello Jayce. I must say, you have gone all out with the decor this year,” Heimerdinger said and Ekko could feel the awkwardness between the two.

Jayce looked nervous but Heimerdinger seemed fine.

“I think I’ll give you two some time to catch up-” Ekko began before the Yordle interrupted him.

“Oh, that won’t be necessary. We have much to do tomorrow, Ekko, and I think it’s time we take our leave,” Heimerdinger said and Ekko nodded, not phased at the party being cut short.

He knew it would’ve been a different story if Jinx had still been there but he was fine to leave then. He had schmoozed with all the people he needed to and if Eva tried to talk to him again, he surely would not make it out.

"Tell Caitlyn I say hi. Sorry I missed her," he said and Vi squeezed his hand.

"I'll pass it on. Get home safe."

He said his goodbyes to Viktor and Jayce before following Hiemerdinger.

They left the ballroom and walked through the corridor to the carriage waiting for them outside. The plush velvet seats were heavenly as the carriage started moving to take them back to Zaun. They were quiet for a few minutes and Ekko was about to fall asleep before Heimerdinger tapped him on the shoulder.

“I do apologise for making things awkward just now. I suppose I wasn’t in the right frame of mind tonight to see Jayce,” Heimerdinger said as he fiddled with his hands.

“It’s okay. You seemed fine with him and Viktor. You acted well.”

“Viktor didn’t vote me off the council but they are partners. I can imagine Viktor must’ve felt torn too when he found out but I can’t make assumptions. Thank you for attending with me though. I got to catch up with some old students and council members. I do appreciate it.”

Ekko smiled, relieved that Heimerdinger had a decent evening after all.

“You seemed to have an eventful evening too. I saw your little group around you,” Heimerdinger said in amusement and Ekko chuckled.

“Yeah, that was quite an experience I’ll be glad to never have again. Piltover women are…intense.”

Heimerdinger laughed loudly and clapped his hands, “Intense one word to describe them! Do you feel you represented Zaun the way you wanted to?”

“I think I did the best I could under the circumstances. I think I might have gotten through to at least one person,” Ekko said, thinking of Talia and how similar their situation was.

He hoped that she would somehow distance herself from Eva but she could only change herself after all.

“Oh, before I forget! I managed to take this photo of you and that girl on the dance floor. I hope I didn’t overstep.”

Ekko thought he was getting a picture of him with Talia but his heart skipped a beat when he saw the blue hair. It was a photo between him and Jinx and they were smiling at each other with his hands on her waist and hers around his neck, and their clothes shining under the light.

"You seemed quite smitten with her all evening. I know there was some drama but I didn't have to worry myself in it. I'm not on council anymore so I don't need to!" he laughed and Ekko grinned.

This must’ve been taken when she was trying to piss Eva off.

"Happy New Year, Ekko. May this year be one of success and victory."

“Thank you Heimerdinger. Happy New Year,” Ekko murmured, eyes locked on the photograph.

He knew that photograph could be the only photographic evidence against Jinx since the dress description matched the one from Juliet but he wasn't planning on sharing it with anyone. He wasn't sure if Heimerdinger would ever ask him to give the photo to Enforcers as evidence but he would lie. Say he lost the photo or something. He needed to keep the memory of the Piltover New Year's Eve Ball and his time spent with her alive in every way possible.

Happy New Year, Jinx. I'm glad I got to into the new year with you.

He tucked the photo into his blazer pocket and watched the bright lights of Piltover dim into the neon ones of Zaun, before closing his eyes and dreaming of the sun and moon dancing together.

A/N: Happy New Year everyone!

I know it’s the end of January, but I had this fic in my head since mid November and only really had time to start writing it on New Year's Eve LOL. (Also it wasn't supposed to be this long but I kept writing and writing and...here we are 10k later).

I want to thank Kissun13 for inspiring this idea! She said in the Timebomb discord server something along the lines of how Ekko and Jinx are yin and yang and how they're the sun/moon, day/night, and light/dark to each other. She said that they should wear fancy clothes because they deserve it and I was like YES A FANCY PILTOVER BALL LET'S GO. She then proceeded to send me a whole visual concept of their clothes and the way I could see their clothes in my mind told me that I had to write this fic. It was my first idea that I fleshed out in the server when the server was still quite small so I feel weirdly sentimental about the fanfic. So thank you Kissun13!

The biggest of virtual hugs to you.

Also the Island Juliet is from doesn't exist so...yeah do with that information what you will.

Title credit to Kim Lip - Eclipse from LOONA

#ekkojinx #timebomb #arcane #vanilla107writes #jinx #ekko #my writing

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