#Oh Ionia

[missmeltycat]

I had to.

Sorry not sorry @totalownage42 @lady-ionia

;)

[lady-ionia]

I AM intelligent. 8D

[totalownage42]

Sup chumps?

Borrowing @lady-ionia's bod for a while.

[wonwhilebeingyoung]

leblanc & vladimir in 2025 season 1 cinematic league of legends 🧎🏻‍♀️🧎🏻‍♀️🧎🏻‍♀️

[0aurelion-sol0]

Everyone is freaking out over Mel's storyline this season while this is what that whole storyline is looking like to me:

It just makes me laugh because I know what it's about and my brain is genuinely having the most hilarious reaction to this plotline! x)

[ff2-soda-pop]

yknow while I'm thinking about mother 3,, I need to write something with my "kumatora knowing lucas and claus as kids" idea I swear

[leaffiii]

uh. league oc

[fleshmannequin]

“Through your eyes runs a gleam, but it's fading so fast I can hardly believe that Granada, that you'll never be real..”

[teeto-peteto]

Brief pause to say Bilgewater has the prettiest characters. Its not a debatable fact.

[missmeltycat]

Ah, y'all ain't ready

I'm just even more amped to draw these two goobers.

[lady-ionia]

Hi Honey

How was work?

✨

Love from a 15 foot tall robot.

[inkmagics]

✎ riot... where is Koyehn island?

[hexhomos]

Dropping into the Mel convo to add that I don't see how the stans that erase/ignore the Things She Actually Does And Says and claim she was just helping Jayce out of the goodness of her heart can claim that anyone pointing out that she's a billionaire imperialist who manipulated him for her own gain is racist when THEY'RE the ones claiming she spent all of season 1 helping a nonblack man for. idk. reasons. Why is it "better" for her to be a Black woman who supported a man and asked for nothing in return...?

That reading of her makes everything with her mother make no sense. Is she like, just mad her mom is interfering with her ability to Support and Love Jayce? Lmao.

The reading that the text and the inherent set up of the politics of Piltover/Zaun supports is a complex woman with her own personal motivations, wanting to live up to the image of the family she believes shunned her on her own (nonviolent) terms, using the craft of social engineering (manipulation, etc) within the political and economic sphere rather than through weaponry and warfare. She starts to shift due to growing some actual attachment to Jayce, but it's not a perfect switch flip, and then her mother arriving forces Mel to contend with what she had actually been doing by "preparing" the city for her family.

That's infinitely more interesting than "oh she just helped this guy out of the kindness of her pure heart and because he's hot" and also has canonical basis that can be pointed to In The Text. That's a complicated, multifaceted character. The fanon Mel who just helped Jayce because she's a good person is a flat, tired trope.

And personally, I find people who "love" characters but have completely inaccurate readings of them to be far more annoying than people who "hate" characters but understand them perfectly. Love/hate is just a matter of taste. If someone can spend time honestly analyzing a character, that's more important than ten thousand blandly positive comments or tweeted out fanfictions dressed up as appreciation.

Paragraph #2 on this actually blindsided me like I could kiss you on the cheek (consensually) rn I've never been able to properly articulate WHY the take rankled me so much even when I tried to see it from a completely best-possible-intentions perspective. And this gets it. It's like you're not even flattening her into a girlboss caricature, it's worse, you're actually making her a 2D saccharine pastry servant with no will of her own except furthering some man's narrative as his mommy and denying the one massive, defining character conflict Mel has in the entire show: she is her mother's daughter! She IS a wolf in sheepskin!

When you have all this power, all this privilege and resources at your disposal from day 1, and you choose to look the other way - what happens then? Is this really being kinder than her mother? Is this being merciful, or just prolonging a sort of system-wide torture? It's absolutely relevant to how we see kid-Mel in that flashback from s1 too. Her idea of mercy and salvation from her mother's more violent ends is to enslave someone. She puts it in gentle terms and dresses it up fancily as a beneficial thing to both parties, but that is what she is proposing, in the context of the Noxus' hostile invasion of Ionia; they'd chain that princess and mold her in training until she became an useful asset in their service. Is that kindness? Is that good? I don't think Mel is able to answer to this even in her big age during season 1.

She certainly thinks it could be, when compared to death, but it's also a lie she tells herself while she ignores the rest of the world and the place she holds within it. Mel hates getting her hands dirty, because she's never /had/ to do that to enjoy the brilliant spoils of success; her mother loves her enough to make sure she could avoid the bloodshed. She carries the strategist's fallacy of thinking whole wars and countries can be managed from the privileged seats up top, out of touch with the blood and gristle. From up there, when people die you don't see it. You can mark the numbers off as necessary collateral damage in the path to Exponential Growth.

The core assumption that has always bothered me is defining this as 'kindness' without actually examining what it says about her character and the story. She was created that way for a reason. She was clothed in this way for a reason. The first fact we learn about Mel in the first episode she appears in is that she is the richest person in the entire city, and then there is a 10 year timeskip, and she hasn't truly done anything to address or prop up the undercity at all (they are ONE city too, under her own philosophy; Zaun is only a separate entity in the mouths of the zaunites who want freedom.) In that context, when her goal of statecraft clearly is to continue advancing Piltover as much as it can be advanced and do nothing about the screaming bleeding diseased dying hordes below the bowels of her capital - is that goodness? Is that really better than mother? I think Mel's arc is about finding out really quickly and really horrifically that it isn't, and that she played a big part in making a lot of things worse.

It's not that she failed at her job, it's quite the opposite. She succeeded in her mission so incredibly well her mother could swoop into power in a single day and then put another hundred necks to the blade, no sweat, and Mel has to reckon with what that says about her, and what she thought of herself. The power she has obviously always had and never sought to use as it Should have been used.

The idealistic future-path here is that now in full control of her Mother's armies, she's returning to Noxus to challenge the predatory system it perpetuates on a world scale, but only god knows what we'll see come January. And all of this is infinitely more interesting to me than docile fandomized ship accessory n.9999

[aingeal98]

I need Mel to be in every single league of legends TV show actually. After the main Noxus plot she somehow gets involved in all the other plots that involve Noxus like the invasion of Ionia, then she gets tangled up in the rebellion in Demacia, then the Freljord, then she gets involved with the Aspects and Aurelion Sol and finally she ends up sent back in time so she can be a part of all the older league lore while trying to get back to her original timeline. At one point she gets sent to the spirit realm but escapes with the help of some champions. The black rose plot should be finally ready to be completed by this point but if not fuck it make a series about the void and find a reason for Mel to get trapped there too. She doesn't even need to be the main lead of all of these (a few wouldn't hurt though) but I need them to just keep adding her everywhere. Every single champions lore page I want to be able to point to and go oh yeah I remember that event. Mel was there.

Her face can be Fortiche's signature for their league work going forward like come on you made the most amazing character design with such fascinating lore and personality you're gonna let her go after two shows to focus on idk... Garen? Let Mel be everywhere let it become a meme how connected she is to everything I know this probably isn't going to happen but at the end of s1 we weren't even sure if she was going to be alive and now she's the link between arcane and future projects so fuck it I'm going to dream big. I hope 10 years from now we still don't know who her bio dad is and we have seven different theories based off all the different spinoff lore projects she's ended up in.

[morethanroommates]

What's coming AFTER Arcane? I have some thoughts...

ACT 3 SPOILERS! The show is out, but I know not everyone has been able to see it yet. This post is a long one, but I have a bunch of images inline with my analysis to support my hypotheses.

....

In the episode 9 epilogue, we see a three-eyed raven pecking at some arcane-corrupted rubble.

This raven is almost certainly one of Swain's Demon Ravens, which serve as his eyes and ears. Who is Swain? Oh, just the warlord leader of Noxus.

Meanwhile, the next scene shows us Caitlyn and Vi after an unknown amount of time has passed since the attack.

Caitlyn is sporting a fancy eyepatch. Fetch!

She's reviewing and adding to the Kiramman archives. As she does so, she gently holds part of one of Jinx's detonated monkey bombs. Her expression looks pensive and reflective.

A few of the archive's frames show documentation and schematics for Hexgates. I think Hextech isn't totally out of the picture for Piltover in the future. But Caitlyn isn't rash. The writers are showing us the info in the archives so that we know the technology isn't lost, even if its creators are missing or presumed dead.

Edit: After reading others' analysis, it's possible Caitlyn is looking at the schematics and seeing the ducts that Jinx could have hidden in to escape the explosion. The monkey bomb and Caitlyn's smile could indicate that. It's at least hinted that Jinx might not be dead. There's another edit lower down on the same topic.

Caitlyn overhears Vi's solemnly humming and is drawn to her.

And we cut to see Vi sitting by the fire in an expansive, dimly lit room.

Caitlyn joins Vi by the fire and remarks on her singing. Vi tells her it's a tune her mother used to sing... She appears to be at the beginning of her healing, embracing the beauty in the things she's lost. And she's lost so much.

And then Caitlyn rests her head on Vi's shoulder and asks her, "Are you still in this fight, Violet?" She calls Vi by her full name... This, plus the other reciprocated physical closeness in this scene, shows a deep level of intimacy, trust, and realism that we haven't yet seen between them until now.

Vi reassures her, she's here and she's not going anywhere, using a very Vi metaphor.

And then Vi rests her shoulder on Caitlyn, reciprocating the physical gesture Cait did to Vi earlier in the scene.

But what fight is Caitlyn alluding to? Sure, it could be a metaphorical reference to the dedication to their relationship. I think the writers intentionally implied that.

However...I think there's a -real- fight coming. In the last frame of Caitlyn and Vi together, Cait looks emotionally touched by Vi's reassurances and trust. AND...she looks determined. She's committed to Vi and to whatever is coming next...

WAIT... WHAT... WHAT'S COMING NEXT?

Well...let's go back to Swain's three-eyed raven and newly introduced antagonists: Mel's sister and the Black Rose organization. What do Swain, Mel's sister, and Black Rose all have in common?

Noxus.

With one of Swain's Demon Ravens appearing and Mel exposing her sister's duplicity in the last episode, we have a solid setup for a future installment of a League of Legends story arc. It's very likely that Mel's sister is a woman named LeBlanc, a very powerful and manipulative magic user from Noxus that can impersonate anyone.

In League of Legends lore, Noxus is regularly invading other nations. Caitlyn's father is originally from Ionia, so perhaps Cait, Vi, and Mel will go there to investigate.

In the fancy airship, because they're not using Hexgates.

OMFG... Does this mean we might get more Cait and Vi???

Let's GOOOOO!!!!!

Thanks for making it this far! What do you think? Are we getting more Cait and Vi in a new series?

Edit: Some have speculated that the airship could signify that Jinx is still alive and that's she's on it and leaving Piltover to go somewhere else in Runterra. That doesn't rule out the story continuing in Ionia or Demacia nor Cait and Vi being involved. I stand by my analysis of Caitlyn's comment about "this fight" being more than asking Vi if she's committed to their relationship.

[mofongomuncher]

𝙄𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙖

(Ekko X Reader)

❥ cast : ! Ekko, Reader, Sett (from lol) ¡

The world of Zaun had always been fast-paced, chaotic, and sometimes suffocating. The constant noise was all too much, even for someone like Ekko at times. You had seen the weariness in his eyes, and when you suggested leaving Zaun for a few weeks to visit your homeland in Ionia, It took more convincing than you expected. But after so much pleading and your promise to give him a real break, he finally gave in and agreed.

"I still don't get why you think I need a break.." Ekko muttered as the boat pulled away from Piltover's hustling dock. His familiar green jacket fluttered in the wind, his fingers resting casually on the side of the ship, but his eyes never left the horizon.

"I've seen how overworked you've been recently Ekko..." you said softly, brushing a lock of your long, whitish-purple hair—tipped with red—behind your ear. "Trust me. Ionia's nothing like Zaun. It's super calm...Maybe it'll help you clear that head of yours."

Ekko's eyes, usually sharp and calculating, softened for a moment as they met yours. His lips curved into the smallest of smiles. "If you say so..."

The boat ride was quiet, the only sounds being the rhythmic splash of water against the hull and the occasional whistle of the wind. You glanced at Ekko as he leaned against the railing, clearly lost in thought.

The longer you stayed near the white-haired boy, the more you realized how much you wanted this to work—not just the trip, but the bond you were slowly building.

As the boat drew closer to the shores of Ionia, the lush, vibrant landscape of the land greeted you. Tall trees, vibrant flowers, and the calming sound of distant streams filled the air. The tension in your chest, which had been building ever since you left Zaun, began to ease.

You felt Ekko's presence shift beside you. "Oh wow, this place..." His voice trailed off as he looked at the peaceful surroundings. His usual guarded expression was gone, replaced by a faint sense of awe. "This really is nothing like...Zaun."

"I told you." you said softly, your voice almost a whisper as you took in the familiar scent of the air.

As you approached the dock, a large figure stood at the edge of the water, watching the boat slowly approach. You could already see him standing there...your brother.

Sett.

Sett was hard to miss. His towering figure and strong build made him stand out everywhere he went, even in a land known for its strong warriors.

He had short maroon hair that only reached up to his eyes, and his piercing yellow eyes always seemed to hold a trace of anger, pride, and a whole lot of protectiveness. And of course, his wolf ears twitched every time they caught a sound, almost like they were always on alert.

"Little sis!" Sett called out as soon as he saw you, his voice booming. You quickly jumped off the boat, running toward him as he opened his arms to catch you in an embrace. His large arms wrapped around you tightly, lifting you off the ground with ease.

"You had me and momma worried kid."

You laughed, feeling safe and protected in his grasp. "I missed you so much, it's so good to be back home.." you said, your voice muffled against his chest.

Ekko stood back for a moment, watching the two of you with mild curiosity. Sett's eyes shifted toward him, immediately sizing him up. His gaze wasn't warm or welcoming, but instead, it was cold and calculating. He didn't need to speak to express his doubts—Ekko could feel it in the air.

Sett wasn't thrilled about you bringing someone from Zaun into his world at all.

"Ekkooo, this is my brother, Sett.." you said, gesturing to the large figure. "Sett, this is Ekko. He's....a friend of mine."

Sett's yellow eyes locked onto Ekko, his gaze sharp and stubborn, like a predator sizing up a threat. His ears twitched slightly, a telltale sign of his wariness. He leaned back, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "Huh..." he muttered, his tone dry. "Just make sure you're not stirring up trouble around here, yeah?"

Ekko didn't flinch under Sett's piercing stare. Instead, he gave a lopsided grin, casual but measured, like he was testing the waters. "Nah, I'm just here to chill..." he replied, his voice easy. "Nothing more."

Sett's lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes flicking to you with a faint frown. "...please keep all eyes open, little sis." he said, his tone gruff.

You could feel the weight of his words, the protectiveness he couldn't help but show. It was always there, just beneath the surface, even if he didn't say it outright. Sett was skeptical—of Ekko, of his intentions—but he wasn't going to voice it directly. Not yet.

"I'm fine, Sett..." you said softly, offering him a small smile. "Ekko's... different, okay? I trust him."

Sett's ears twitched again, and he let out a low grunt, his expression unreadable. He studied you for a moment, then looked back at Ekko with a subtle, challenging tilt of his head. "Different, huh?" he said, his voice quiet but still carrying its usual edge. After a beat, he gave a slow nod. "...We'll see."

During the first few days, you and Ekko spent most of your time exploring the quiet, scenic parts of Ionia. The calm here was unlike anything Ekko had experienced.

You took him to hidden streams nestled between towering trees. The water was so clear that you could see the smooth stones lining the bottom, with small fish darting between the rocks. You knelt by the bank, watching the sunlight filter through the branches, casting delicate patterns on the water. Ekko, sitting beside you, couldn't seem to take his eyes off the gentle flow of the stream.

"This place is..." He trailed off, his fingers skimming the surface of the water. He smiled, looking like he couldn't quite believe something this beautiful existed. "I didn't know places like this were real. It's like everything in Zaun is... so harsh. You forget that there's beauty all around the world."

You turned to him, your heart a little heavier with the realization of how much he must've missed.

Ekko glanced at you, his eyes softening for a moment. "I'm glad I'm here to see it all." he said, a smile tugging at his lips.

After a few moments, you stood up and offered him your hand. "Come on, let's see what else we can find. There's this little meadow nearby I want to show you!"

When you reached the meadow, you pulled flowers from the grass and started weaving them together into a crown. "This was something I used to do with my momma as a child." you explained.

Ekko raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "A flower crown, huh? I can't say I've ever tried it."

You laughed softly. "It's not hard. Here, let me show you." You handed him a few flowers and started guiding his hands through the motions. At first, he was clumsy, the flowers slipping through his fingers as he tried to figure out the process. After a few attempts, he looked at the mess in his hands and gave an exaggerated sigh.

"Well, I thought this would be easier..." he admitted, his brow furrowed in mock frustration. "Maybe I'm just not cut out for delicate stuff like this."

You couldn't hold back your laughter. "Don't worry, I'll fix it for you." You gently took the flowers from his hands and began working the crown, weaving the flowers together more skillfully. "There! now you're ready for a royal coronation."

He looked at the finished product, then at the crown still in his hands. "Guess I need some lessons from you, hm? You've got some serious skills" he said, his grin playful.

You giggled, reaching up to adjust the flowers on his head. "There you go. A perfect crown for a perfect king."

Ekko smirked and adjusted the crown, his fingers brushing over the petals. "Wow, not bad." he said, his tone softening as he looked at you. "I'll admit, it looks good on me."

You shook your head with a smile tugging your lips, rolling your eyes. Ekko shot back, his grin growing. The moment felt lighter, his usual intensity replaced by an easy warmth.

That evening, after a day full of exploring, you and Ekko sat on a hillside to watch the sunset. You both leaned back on the grass, content to be in the quiet company of each other.

"So, what do you think?" you asked, turning toward Ekko as you rested on your elbow. The sun was sinking lower, casting long shadows over the fields.

"It's... different." he said, his voice almost wistful. "I don't think I've ever felt so..." He trailed off, struggling for the right words. "So... relaxed, I guess."

You smiled softly, brushing a strand of your hair behind your ear. "I'm glad you're not all stressed anymore..."

Ekko's eyes met yours, and there was something in them that made your heart flutter. "Yeah.." he said quietly, his gaze lingering on you a little longer than before. "

You both fell into silence again, watching the sun set in peace. But the quiet wasn't uncomfortable. There was something comfortable about being with him in this moment—no pressure, no rushing.

"I could stay here forever..." he muttered, the words almost lost in the soft wind.

"Maybe you can.." you replied, though the weight of it sat heavily between you. You both knew the reality. He couldn't stay here forever—not like this. Not with everything waiting for him back in Zaun.

But you didn't want to think about that now. Not when you were in this perfect, fleeting moment.

Ekko shifted, propping himself up on his elbows to look at you more directly. "Maybe..." he said, voice softer. "Maybe one day."

You smiled, but the ache in your chest didn't fade.

"I hope so."

You stayed there for a while longer, letting the silence surround you both. The sun finally dipped below the horizon, and the sky darkened, but neither of you moved. You just lay there, together, knowing that this was one of those rare moments that you wished would last forever.

A few days later, Sett decided to take you and Ekko to one of his favorite pastimes—the fight pits. You knew the moment Sett suggested it that he was simply testing Ekko, pushing him to see how he'd handle Ionia's raw, unfiltered side.

You had been to the pits many times before, watching the intense, brutal battles between fighters from all over Ionia, but you knew this would be a whole new experience for Ekko.

The three of you made your way through the winding streets of your village, the air humming with excitement as you got closer to the pits. Sett walked confidently ahead, his broad shoulders cutting through the crowd like a blade. People moved out of his way without a second glance—he was well-known here, his reputation as a fierce fighter and leader of the place cemented in the minds of the locals.

Ekko walked beside you, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket as his sharp eyes darted around, taking everything in.

Yes, he had grown up in Zaun's chaos, where every corner hid a potential threat, but this kind of energy was a whole lot different. The sounds of clashing fists, roaring crowds, and the unmistakable buzz of anticipation filled the air, and you could see the curiosity and intrigue flicker across his face.

"This is... loud." Ekko muttered, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he glanced over at you. "Not exactly the peaceful Ionia you were talking about, huh?"

You laughed softly, nudging him playfully with your elbow. "Ionia's got its layers. Besides, this is more of Sett's thing than mine."

Sett glanced back at the two of you, his ears twitching slightly as he overheard. "Don't knock it till you've tried it.." he called over his shoulder. "This is where the real action is...None of that soft meditation stuff."

Ekko snorted, clearly amused, but didn't comment. You could see he was still trying to process the environment—the massive pit in the center of the arena, the bloodstained dirt floor, and the towering wooden stands packed with spectators shouting at the top of their lungs.

This wasn't the polished fighting of Zaun's underground brawls.

This was so much more untamed.

As the three of you entered the pit, the energy in the air seemed to amplify. Sett led the way, weaving effortlessly through the crowd as people greeted him with nods and cheers. You could feel the eyes of the crowd shift toward you and Ekko, curiosity and recognition sparking as they noticed you were with Sett.

Ekko, ever confident, didn't seem fazed by the attention, though you noticed his posture straighten slightly, his expression cool and composed.

Sett stopped near the front of the stands, where the view of the arena was perfect. You tried to find a spot where you could see comfortably, but the platform was packed, and even standing on your toes, you could barely see over the heads of the taller spectators.

"Ekkoo, I can't see.." you murmured, glancing up at him with a small pout.

Ekko raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting from you to the crowd before a mischievous grin spread across his face. Without a word, he crouched down slightly, his hands brushing your sides. "Alright, hold on..." he said, his tone teasing but gentle.

Before you could protest, he lifted you onto his shoulders effortlessly, your hands instinctively gripping his head for balance. You let out a surprised laugh as you adjusted to your new vantage point, your feet dangling over his chest.

"There we go.." Ekko said, his grin widening as he steadied you. "Now you've got the best seat in the house."

You couldn't help but laugh again, the sound of your voice drawing the attention of Sett, who stood a few feet away. His sharp yellow eyes flicked between the two of you, a puzzled expression crossing his face.

"You sure you're up for this, Ekko?" Sett called out, his deep voice carrying easily over the noise of the crowd. "Carrying her around and everything? You gonna fight her battles too?"

Ekko didn't miss a beat, smirking as he shot back, "I'll fight anything that comes my way, Sett. You included, if you're looking for a challenge."

We all knew good and well Ekko could never win against him.

Sett let out a booming laugh, clearly amused by the boldness of Ekko's response. "Careful what you wish for, kid."

The banter between the two brought a smile to your face, though you could sense the underlying tension in Sett's words. He was still testing Ekko, still sizing him up, but there was a flicker of respect in his tone—a sign that, maybe—just maybe, Ekko was starting to prove himself.

As the fight in the arena began, you couldn't tear your eyes away from the action. The fighters moved with a grace and ferocity, their strikes precise and powerful. You cheered loudly for your favorite contender, your voice blending with the roar of the crowd, and Ekko's steady hands kept you balanced the entire time.

"Not bad, huh?" Ekko said, glancing up at you with a grin as the fight reached its climax. His voice was light, but there was a warmth in his tone that made your heart flutter.

You smiled down at him, leaning forward slightly so your face was closer to his. "Not bad at all.." you said softly, your words carrying more meaning than just the fight.

Ekko's gaze flickered up to meet yours, his grin softening into something more genuine. For a moment, the chaos of the crowd and the roaring cheers from the pit below faded into the background, leaving just the two of you in your own little bubble.

"This whole place is growing on me.." he said, his voice quieter now, meant only for you.

"But maybe it's just the company I have sitting on-top of me."

Your cheeks warmed at his words, and you glanced away briefly, trying to hide the smile threatening to take over your face. Ekko always had a way of cutting through your walls with just a few words.

Before you could respond, Sett's voice cut through the moment like a blade. "Oi, lovebirds!" he called, his tone teasing. "If you're done making eyes at each other, the next fight's starting."

You sat up straight on Ekko's shoulders, glancing over at Sett, who was leaning casually against a wooden post with his arms crossed. His yellow eyes gleamed with amusement, but you could tell he was keeping a close watch on Ekko, as always.

Ekko chuckled, completely unfazed by Sett's interruption. "Guess that's our cue, hm?" he said, shifting his stance slightly to make sure you were comfortable. "You ready for round two?"

You nodded, your excitement bubbling back up as the next fighters entered the pit. The energy of the crowd surged again, and you couldn't help but get swept up in it, cheering and clapping as the match began. Ekko's hands stayed firmly on your legs, steadying you as you leaned forward to get a better view.

The fight was intense. You found yourself yelling encouragements, your voice blending with the crowd's, and every so often, Ekko would chime in with his own quip or cheer.

At one point, you leaned down again to speak to him over the noise. "What do you think so far? Still loud, or are you into it now?"

Ekko tilted his head back slightly to look up at you, his grin as sharp as ever. "It's growing on me. Might just challenge Sett one day.." he teased.

You laughed, glancing over at your brother, who had clearly overheard with those big ears. Sett raised an eyebrow, a half-smirk playing on his lips.

"You'd better train hard, Zaunite. I don't hold back for anyone."

Ekko met Sett's gaze, his smirk unwavering. "Good...I wouldn't want you to."

Sett huffed a laugh, shaking his head, but you caught the flicker of approval in his expression. He wouldn't admit it, but Ekko's confidence—and his clear determination to prove himself—was starting to win him over.

As the fight came to an end, the crowd erupted into cheers, and you clapped enthusiastically, still perched on Ekko's shoulders. You leaned down once more, your voice soft as the noise began to die down. "Thanks for this Ekko...For coming here, for... everything in general."

He glanced up at you, his expression softening again. "You don't have to thank me Y/N." he said simply, his tone carrying a weight that made your chest tighten.

Sett, who had been watching the exchange from a few feet away, sighed dramatically. "Alright, that's enough of the mushy stuff for one day. Let's get going before you two give me cavities."

You rolled your eyes, laughing as you slid down from Ekko's shoulders, your feet hitting the ground lightly. Ekko steadied you with a hand on your arm, his touch lingering just a moment longer than necessary before he let go. The brief contact left a warmth that you tried so hard to ignore, but it was becoming harder to.

The three of you made your way to a small eatery, the scent of grilled fish and fresh herbs wafting through the air as you entered. Sett led the way, claiming a table in the corner, while Ekko followed you with a slight smile on his face. His usual easygoing demeanor was more calmed down now, and you couldn't help but wonder what was going on in his head.

After a satisfying meal, the three of you walked back to the village. The quiet of the evening settled around you, with only the distant sound of the rustling of leaves breaking the silence. The moon was high in the sky, casting a soft glow over the landscape.

Sett, as always, kept an eye on both of you, but his usual gruffness was softer now, a clear sign that the tension between him and Ekko was finally at ease.

but you could sense that Ekko had something on his mind.

You walked alongside him, your steps in sync as the cool night air brushed against your skin. You didn't speak right away, content to simply enjoy the quiet company. But as the village came into view, Ekko's voice broke the silence.

"You know..." he began, his tone hesitant, "...I've been thinking a lot about... well, everything."

You glanced over at him, your curiosity piqued. "Hm? About what?"

Ekko hesitated for a moment, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. He looked up at the sky, as if gathering his thoughts. "We'll....about us. About how much things have changed since we first met in Zaun. I didn't expect any of this, especially not the way I feel about you."

Your heart skipped a beat. It was all starting to make sense now—the way he'd been looking at you, the lingering touches, the quiet moments between you. You felt a rush of warmth spread through you, but you said nothing, waiting for him to continue.

"I didn't think I'd let someone in like this, ever.." Ekko continued, his voice low. "But with you, it's so...so different. You make me feel like I can be... better. Like I'm not just some kid from Zaun trying to survive. You make me want to be more than that."

You stopped walking, your breath caught in your throat as the full weight of his words settled over you. Ekko turned to face you, his eyes meeting yours with an intensity that made your heart race.

And then, without another word, he took a step closer. His hand gently cupped your face, and you could feel the heat of his palm against your skin. The world seemed to disappear around you, leaving only the two of you standing there under the moonlight.

Before you could say anything, Ekko leaned in, his lips brushing softly against yours in a kiss that was tender yet full of the unspoken emotions that had been building between you. You froze for a moment, but then you melted into him, your hands finding their way to his chest as you kissed him back.

When he pulled away, both of you were breathing heavily, the air between you charged with something new and undeniable. Ekko's eyes were soft, his gaze lingering on your face with an almost reverent quality.

"Y/N..." he said, his voice quiet but filled with emotion.

You blinked, still caught in the whirlwind of everything that had just happened. But then you realized something—your ears had flopped forward in surprise during the kiss, and you could feel them twitching now in embarrassment.

Ekko noticed too, his gaze dropping to your ears with a smile tugging at his lips. "I don't think I've ever seen you so... expressive," he teased, reaching out to gently touch one of your ears, his fingers brushing against the soft fur.

You couldn't help but laugh, your cheeks flushing at his attention. "Stop it," you muttered, trying to hide your ears by tucking them back a little. But it only made Ekko chuckle more, his fingers still lightly tracing the tips of your ears.

"Hey, it's cute." he said, his voice playful. "I think it makes this moment even better.."

You shook your head, trying to regain some sense of composure, but you couldn't help the smile that spread across your face.

Ekko had a way of making you feel at ease, even in the most embarrassing moments. And in that moment, with him standing there, smiling down at you, everything felt like it had fallen into place.

"Okay, okay," you said, trying to act exasperated, but your heart was soaring. "But next time, just pretend my ears aren't there.."

Ekko grinned, his eyes full of mischief. "Ehhh, I can't really promise you that" he said, his voice softening again.

The days spent together were a whirlwind, each one more precious than the last. You laughed together, held each other close, built memories that felt like they could last forever. You had never expected this to ever happen, to be with someone who wasn't from your land, but here you were, falling for Ekko in a way you had never anticipated.

The night you shared together for the first time felt like everything you'd been waiting for. It was so intimate, beautiful. Ekko didn't care that you were Vastaya. He loved every single part of you—your soft skin, your white-purple hair with faint red tips, the flicker of your little ears when you were overwhelmed with emotion. You were perfect to him, and that was all that mattered.

But now, the cruel weight of reality had caught up with you.

Ekko had to leave. He had to go back to Zaun, to take care of the Firelights, to protect his people. You knew this would happen, knew that this moment was inevitable the moment you asked him to come with you to Ionia, but that didn't make the pain any easier to bear.

The thought of him leaving, after everything you had shared, felt like a wound that you didn't even know how to heal.

"I have to go, darling..." Ekko's voice was soft but determined, as he stood by the window—the sunlight streaming through, casting long shadows in the room. "Zaun, the Firelights—they need me. I—I can't just walk away from them."

You could feel the tears beginning to rise, but you swallowed them down. You had known this was coming, you had prepared yourself. You had told yourself that you would be strong, that you would handle it.

But hearing it now, seeing him standing there, ready to leave, it felt like everything was falling apart.

"I know..." you whispered, voice thick with emotion. You bit your lip, trying to hold it together, but the tears slipped out anyway.

Ekko's eyes softened, and he moved closer to you. His hands cupped your face gently, wiping away the tears that streaked down your cheeks. "Y/N..." His voice cracked slightly as he spoke. "You know I can't stay. I have to take care of my people. You know I can't abandon them."

Your chest felt tight, suffocating under the weight of the truth. You knew what he had to do, you understood. But that didn't stop the aching, raw pain that was spreading through you. "I don't want to be left behind..." you whispered. "I don't want to be alone. Not after everything we've shared. Not after... after you showed me what it feels like to be loved."

Ekko's heart tightened at the words, and he pulled you into him, burying his face in your hair. "I'm not abandoning you darling.." he murmured, voice thick with emotion. "I will come back...I promise."

You couldn't stop the sobs that racked your body, tears falling freely now as you clung to him, your arms wrapped tightly around his waist. "I—I don't want to wait for you Ekko....I don't want to live with this empty feeling inside me. I don't know what I'll do without you."

Ekko held you close, his hands rubbing your back, as if trying to erase the hurt. He kissed your forehead gently, his lips lingering there for a moment longer than necessary. "I will come back.." he promised, his voice almost desperate. "I swear to you, I'll come back. Please, just wait for me, okay?"

You shook your head, the words caught in your throat. "Ekko...please... please don't leave me."

As your cries became louder, Ekko noticed something—your little ears flickering with the intensity of your emotion, the way they twitched, each movement betraying your pain. His thumb brushed against them, tenderly, as if he could somehow ease your heartache with just the touch. His gaze softened even more.

"Im so sorry darling.." he whispered, his voice breaking. "I never wanted you to feel like this...I just...I just need you to trust me, Y/N. Please."

Your heart twisted at the sight of him, at the brokenness in his eyes. His usual confident, easy smile was gone, replaced with an expression that mirrored your own grief. You could feel the weight of the moment press down on you both. The finality of it all was suffocating. His presence, the warmth of him, was slipping away—and you couldn't stop it, couldn't stop the hurt that washed over you in relentless waves. The tears that had started to well up only grew.

He pressed his forehead to yours, his breath warm against your skin, his hands finding their way to your hair, threading through it with a tenderness that felt like a lifeline. His touch was the only thing grounding you to the moment, the only thing keeping you from floating away entirely in the sea of your emotions.

"You mean so much to me Y/N.." Ekko murmured, his voice low, barely a whisper against the storm that was swirling between you. His hands lingered in your hair, gently caressing you, like he was trying to memorize the feeling of you.

"But I can't stay...Not yet."

His words broke something inside of you, shattered the fragile hope you had been holding onto.

You closed your eyes for a moment, feeling his presence flood through you. You nodded, though the words felt like they had no weight. "I know.." you whispered, your voice strained and small. The words felt hollow, too thin, too weak to contain the pain that gripped your chest.

"I know."

But the ache, the loneliness that came with knowing he had to leave, only deepened. You wanted to scream at him to stay, to tell him that you couldn't do this without him, that you needed him here, now.

But that wasn't what this was about, was it? He had responsibilities—people he had to protect, a place that needed him. You knew that, you had always known.

You reached for him, your hands finding his, as though you could hold him here, keep him from walking out the door. His lips found yours then, soft and aching, as though he, too, was trying to make the moment last just a little longer, to savor the love between you before it had to end.

The kiss was everything. It was everything you had ever wanted and yet everything you were losing. It was so desperate, full of love and regret. It was a promise, a farewell, and it was not enough.

When he finally pulled away, his eyes were full of a sorrow that mirrored your own. There was something so raw in his gaze, something that made it impossible for you to look away. The room felt colder as he stepped back, the space between you widening like an unbearable chasm.

"I love you so much Y/N..." he said, his voice thick with emotion, soft but firm. He turned toward the door, his back to you now, but his words hung in the air like a fragile thread.

The finality of it crushed you. The door clicked open, and Ekko paused, one hand resting on the handle, as if he was waiting for you to call him back, to beg him to stay.

But you didn't.

You couldn't.

With a painful, lingering glance over his shoulder, Ekko disappeared, leaving you in the quiet aftermath of his absence. His promise echoed in your mind, but it did little to ease the ache in your chest. You were left standing in the emptiness, alone with the ghost of him.

And the tears came again, harder this time, because now...

you were truly alone.

A heavy silence settled in the room, and with it, the reality of him being gone hit you like a cold wave. The warmth of his presence, the laughter you shared, and the intimacy between you two seemed to evaporate the moment he walked out.

You'd given yourself to him—your heart, your trust, your love—and now, just like that, he was gone. The weight of his absence crushed you, each breath harder to take as you realized how truly alone you were now. Your tears came fast, unstoppable, as your body shook with the force of your grief. You couldn't control it. You didn't even try.

And then, as if drawn to the sound of your breaking heart, Sett was there.

Without a word, his large hands were around you, lifting you gently and pulling you into his chest. His embrace was warm, firm, a stark contrast to the cold, aching emptiness that had overtaken your chest.

Sett didn't need to say anything—he never did. He simply held you as you cried, letting you fall apart in the quiet of his arms.

"Shh..." his deep voice rumbled. "It's gonna be okay kiddo.." His words wrapped around you like a protective shield. But they weren't empty promises.

As the tears flowed, you felt Sett's arms tighten around you—holding you closer. His touch was gentle, but firm, and it reminded you of the strength he always carried—of the way he'd always protected you, even when things were dark.

He knew.

Sett didn't have to say anything, but you knew that he knew. There were scars on his heart too. He had grown up with that same feeling of abandonment, that same hollow ache from when their father had left them. The pain was there, buried deep, but it was there. It was something they both shared, something unsaid between them. But Sett would never talk about it—not in words. He didn't have to.

His silence spoke volumes.

You clung to him, your sobs growing quieter, even as the ache inside of you seemed to intensify. You couldn't help but feel the weight of Ekko's absence, but at least in this moment, you weren't alone. Sett was there, and he always would be, even if the world seemed to fall apart around you. His strong, calloused hands rubbed your back in slow, reassuring circles, each touch an unspoken promise that he wasn't going anywhere.

"You're not alone, alright?" Sett murmured, his voice rough but full of an unshakeable calm. "Me and ma will always be here for you."

The words felt like they were meant for both of you. You and him.

"Yeah." you whispered, your voice choked with emotion. "...I know."

As Sett's presence anchored you, the weight of everything came crashing down in waves. In the silence, you closed your eyes for a moment, letting the memories flood your mind.

You could see Ekko's face—his soft smile, the spark in his big brown eyes every time he laughed. You could hear his voice, the way it softened when he spoke to you, as if you were the only one who mattered in that moment.

You remembered the quiet moments—the way he held your hand when you walked together by the riverside, the gentle brush of his fingers against your skin when he tucked a strand of your hair behind your ear.

But it was the intimate moments that held you the most. The way his lips had felt against yours, slow and tender, as if he was savoring the kiss. You could still feel the warmth of his touch, how it made every part of you feel alive, like you were the only thing that mattered to him. The softness of his breath against your neck, the way he whispered your name, as though it was something sacred.

The memory of that first night together, when everything seemed to stop, when it was just you and him, intertwined, In complete heat, felt like such a dream. The way he had looked at you then, so full of love and tenderness, made your heart ache now.

You hadn't wanted it to end, hadn't wanted to let go of that connection you shared.

But now, as your heart twisted with longing, you knew you had to. You had known all along, deep down, that this time with Ekko was short. You'd known that when you asked him to come with you to Ionia. You had wanted to make these moments last, to hold on to the peace you had found with him—but you couldn't.

The memories played in your mind, so sharp and vivid.

You could see the way he had looked at you before he left, that sadness in his eyes that mirrored your own. You could almost hear him telling you, one last time, that he loved you. You could still feel the warmth of his hands, the softness of his lips.

But in the end, no matter how much you wished it could last, you knew you had to let go. You weren't sure when, or even if, he'd come back—but you knew that a part of you would always be with him.

And in that moment, as Sett held you, you realized you'd always carry those memories with you, locked away in your heart.

No one could take them away.

Even if Ekko was gone, he would always be a part of you.

I'm gonna miss this.

you thought quietly to yourself, as your heart ached with the weight of it. The memories of him—of all of it—would stay with you forever, even if you never said the words out loud..

Check out my Ekko one shots on Wattpad for more stories!! :3