#tiny milo au | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

playboysaleen · 21 days ago

Text

Through Ash and Iron (9)

Jinx x Reader x Caitlyn

Summary: Through Ash and Iron plunges you into the heart of Piltover’s gritty streets, where you’ve always felt the weight of your family’s failures. Rejected from the Junior Enforcer Program, your anger burns brighter than ever—until one fateful punch changes everything. The eyes of Piltover’s elite may look down on you, but it’s the wild eyes of Jinx that truly see you. She’s chaos personified, and you’re drawn to the destruction she promises. But that’s not all. Caitlyn Kiramman, a poised enforcer with a soft spot for rebels like you, offers you a chance to rewrite your future—if you can control the rage you can’t seem to escape.Torn between the order Caitlyn represents and the dangerous freedom Jinx offers, you stand at the crossroads of two worlds. As your power grows, so does the tension between these two women. One promises a chance at belonging, while the other ignites a fire you didn’t know you had. But the choices you make will change everything—not just for you, but for both cities teetering on the edge of war. Who will you choose? And how much of yourself will you lose along the way?

Warnings: Violence duh, gay panic(lol), cursing, all that jazz (whatever you seen in Arcane is what you gon see here)This is also a slight AU.(She/her)

Word Count: 5.6k

________________

The air in the Undercity had always felt heavy, but tonight, it was different. It was like the weight of the world was just a little lighter, as though the very ground beneath your feet had shifted in subtle ways. You walked along the outskirts of the city with purpose, your cloak drawn around you, hiding the glowing remnants of your eyes beneath the fabric’s shadow. Your hand was in Isha’s, her tiny fingers clasped around yours, her energy a contrast to your quietude. She skipped ahead, her enthusiasm infectious, pointing at the little lights that flickered throughout the ruins of the Undercity. The children, the ones who ran freely through the streets, were a reminder of what was still worth protecting in this place.

Behind you, Caitlyn and Jinx followed, though they kept their distance—Jinx was filled with excitement, her eyes darting from you to Isha as the girl pulled you along like a little magnet. Caitlyn, though quieter, remained steadfast, her gaze ever so watchful over the group. She had grown accustomed to seeing this side of you, but there was still something about it that made her heart ache. This wasn’t the person you used to be—not the one who had fought, struggled, and often retreated into darkness—but a gentler version, one who had learned the value of peace and healing.

As you continued your walk, you could feel the weight of the moment. You were here to make a change—one that started with the children. The orphans who lived and played here, in the field by the ruins, had little in the way of hope. But here, now, with every step you took, you felt something stirring in you—an unwavering determination to bring peace to those who needed it most.

When you reached the field, the children were scattered, laughing and playing among the debris. There was joy here, simple and untamed, like a breath of fresh air that hadn’t been stifled yet by the harshness of the world. But it wasn’t just joy that you saw in their eyes—it was hope. Hope that things could be better.

Your gaze swept across them, glowing gray eyes taking in every detail, and then a small figure limped toward you, his steps slow but steady. You knelt in front of him, your hand outstretched, waiting for him to come closer. His face was drawn, his tiny body wearing the marks of a life already heavy with struggle. When he reached you, he looked up, his eyes wide, filled with wonder and a quiet sadness that you couldn’t ignore.

“What’s your name?” you asked, your voice soft, the words almost like a whisper between you both.

The boy hesitated before answering, his voice barely above a murmur. “Milo.”

You smiled down at him, your eyes locking with his, and in that moment, something passed between you—something unspoken, something that made the air around you feel warmer. His eyes shimmered, glistening with unshed tears, and he gave a shaky smile. His lips parted, but before he could speak, you leaned closer, your tone gentle but cryptic.

“If I bring you peace, will you spread it?”

Milo looked up at you, confusion clouding his features for a moment, then he nodded, a single tear falling down his cheek. “I will… I promise.”

You wrapped your arms around him gently, pulling him into a soft embrace. The feeling of his small body against yours, of a life weighed down by the world’s cruelty, made your chest ache. Slowly, you placed one hand on his leg, feeling the warmth of his body beneath your touch. Your eyes closed, and as you focused on the energy that surged through your veins, a soft glow began to emerge around the two of you, lighting up the field like a beacon of hope.

The light that enveloped you both was bright, pure, almost blinding. For a moment, it was as if the world around you had frozen in place. Jinx and Caitlyn stood by your side, eyes wide with a mix of awe and confusion, but they couldn’t see what you saw. They couldn’t feel what you felt.

But Isha saw. She blinked away the brightness, her small face lit with confusion and then awe as she sprinted toward you. When the light faded and you stood, a soft gasp escaped from Isha’s lips. Milo, the small boy who had limped toward you, was now standing tall, his face lit with joy. He laughed, and within moments, he was running back to the other children, joining their play, free of the burden that had weighed him down.

Jinx and Caitlyn watched him, their mouths slightly open, unsure of what had just happened. But you simply stood there, your hand outstretched, waiting for them to understand.

“He was dying,” you said, your voice quiet. “Cancer. He had only a few weeks left. But now, he has more time. Time to grow, to live. Time to spread the peace I gave him.”

Caitlyn’s brow furrowed, her gaze moving from you to the boy and back again. “You healed him? But… how? I saw nothing wrong with him…”

You smiled, the glow still lingering in your eyes as you looked down at your hand. A faint pulse of light pulsed beneath your skin, and you raised your hand to reveal the faintest dark shimmer, like the shadows of the world had found their way into your touch.

“His body was dimming,” you said, your voice calm but heavy with the weight of understanding. “The darkness had already begun to consume him. But the light I gave him… it countered that darkness. He will live now. For a while. Until it’s his time.”

Jinx looked at you, her eyes wide, not quite understanding but in awe nonetheless. “So you… just healed him like that? No effort?”

You shook your head. “It wasn’t without effort. But he needed something more than just medicine. He needed something that could only come from peace… and love. The kind that heals what can’t be seen.”

The wind shifted slightly, rustling your cloak as the children’s laughter echoed in the distance. It felt like the world was slowly turning, beginning to right itself. And though there was still so much to be done, in this moment, for the first time, you truly believed that peace—your peace—was possible.

You watched as Milo joined the other children, playing without the limp that once held him back, and your chest swelled with a quiet joy. This was the beginning. The first step. The start of something new.

As the sun dipped lower in the sky, Caitlyn and Jinx stood by your side, their gazes unwavering. They didn’t need to speak to understand that this moment—this quiet victory—meant something far greater than just healing one child. It was the first ripple in a much larger change. One that would spread across Piltover, across the Undercity. Across the world.

And as the night settled in, you knew that whatever came next, you were ready for it. Together, you could change the world.

Weeks passed, and the world seemed to breathe a little easier. There were still struggles, still moments of hardship, but for the first time, there was hope in the Undercity. You had healed lives—children, families, those burdened by pain. Your touch brought peace. It wasn’t just the physical ailments you had mended, but the broken spirits, the shattered hearts. The people began to see the shift, the change. The city was starting to wake from its long, oppressive slumber.

But something was changing within you.

You couldn’t ignore it.

The light inside you—the energy that once burned bright and fierce—began to flicker, dimming in ways you couldn’t understand. At first, it was small. A slight heaviness in your chest. A brief twinge of discomfort when you healed someone too long or too deeply. Then came the limping. A soft ache that lingered in your legs, one you’d try to hide from Jinx and Caitlyn. They didn’t need to worry. They had enough on their plates. But the pain grew, slowly at first, like a quiet shadow that refused to be ignored.

You kept your distance, locking yourself away when the feeling became too much to bear. You stayed hidden from everyone, away from the light, the sounds, the calls for you. Isha, the one who had always been so full of energy and life, began to ask for you. She’d run to your door, her small hands knocking urgently, her lips trembling when she couldn’t find you.

“Where’s Spark? Where’s Spark?” her big eyes scanning the streets.

But you stayed inside, and the world outside continued without you.

Until one evening, Jinx and Caitlyn couldn’t ignore it anymore.

The distance between you was growing too large for them to pretend it wasn’t there. They exchanged worried glances, but neither of them had the answers. So, they made a decision together. They would figure out what was happening to you. No more avoiding the truth. No more pretending.

The two of them met at the base of your apartment, looking up at the rooftop. Caitlyn’s face was full of resolve, her jaw set tight. Jinx, on the other hand, couldn’t hide the fear that danced in her wild, chaotic eyes. She was nervous. You’d always been her constant, her tether to reality. But now… something was wrong. Too much had changed too fast.

They climbed the stairs to your apartment, the silence between them stretching thick in the air. When they reached your door, Caitlyn’s hand paused on the handle.

“Are you ready?” she asked, though her voice barely disguised her concern.

Jinx didn’t answer right away. She could feel the weight of the moment pressing on her chest. After everything you’d done, everything you’d been through, she didn’t want to face the possibility that you were slipping away. But she nodded. “Yeah… let’s go.”

The door creaked open.

You were there, slumped against the wall in a corner of your room, unconscious. The sight hit them like a cold slap to the face. You weren’t moving. You weren’t breathing as you should be. There was something so wrong about the stillness in the air that made both Caitlyn and Jinx’s hearts skip a beat.

“Oh no… no, no, no…” Jinx whispered, rushing to your side. Her hands shook as she cradled your face, her lips trembling with every word. “Come on, Spark. Wake up. Please.”

Caitlyn immediately pushed her aside. There was no time to waste.

“Call Ekko. Now!” she ordered, her voice sharp with urgency.

Jinx didn’t hesitate. She scrambled to the rooftop, her mind racing as she fumbled with the flare gun in her hands. Without thinking, she fired three flares—blue, green, and red—into the sky. They illuminated the night, streaking through the darkness with a silent cry for help.

The seconds felt like hours as Jinx paced on the rooftop, her heart hammering in her chest. But finally, a distant hoverboard cut through the night air, its low hum filling the empty spaces around them. Ekko arrived, his face tight with concern, his eyes flicking between the two women before settling on you.

Without wasting another moment, he rushed to your side, lifting you with ease and placing you on the hoverboard. The engine hummed louder as he pushed it forward, a blur of motion as he sped toward the laboratory—the place where it all began. The place where you had become more than you were. The place where he, along with Heimerdinger, had watched you fight and grow.

But now, it was a place where only questions remained.

Ekko arrived, his heart racing as he carefully laid you on the table in the familiar lab. The machines hummed quietly, blinking sporadically as the staff rushed to assist him. Heimerdinger was already there, eyes wide with alarm. The tiny scientist darted around, his thoughts moving faster than his hands as he began to assess the situation.

“What happened to her?” Heimerdinger asked, more to himself than anyone else.

Ekko didn’t have an answer. He could only look at you, the woman who had once stood tall and resolute, now pale and unresponsive. He clenched his fists in frustration.

Jinx and Caitlyn stood behind, their worry palpable in the air, each of them watching you like you were already lost. The fear in Jinx’s eyes was hard to hide, and Caitlyn’s jaw tightened, trying to hold herself together.

But it wasn’t just worry that lingered in the room—it was confusion. The peace you had brought to the world now seemed to have a price, one that no one understood.

Heimerdinger adjusted his glasses, scanning your vitals on the screen.

“Her condition is… troubling,” he murmured, his voice thick with concern. “She’s not just physically drained… there’s something else going on here.”

Ekko stepped forward, watching as the scientist fiddled with the machines. “What do you mean?”

“There’s a strange fluctuation in her neural activity,” Heimerdinger said, his tone low and cautious. “It’s as if something is siphoning her energy from the inside out. This isn’t just exhaustion or trauma… it’s something much more complex.”

Jinx’s voice trembled as she spoke up, “What are you saying? Is she gonna—?”

“We don’t know yet,” Heimerdinger interrupted, his gaze focused on the screen. “But if we don’t figure this out soon, we may lose her for good.”

Caitlyn stepped forward, her hands clenched at her sides. “We can’t lose her. We just got her back.”

There was silence as everyone stared at the still figure of the woman who had given so much of herself for the world. Everyone in the room knew that they couldn’t let this be the end.

Back in the darkness, you still drifted.

Viktor’s voice echoed softly, a guiding whisper in the abyss. You had heard it before, but now, it felt different. He was close, yet impossibly far away. The world felt as though it was slipping from your grasp.

“You are not lost,” Viktor’s voice said, his words reverberating through the void. “This is just another test. The power inside you… it requires balance. But you will find it. You must.”

You didn’t understand. You didn’t know how much more you could endure.

But Viktor was right.

“Come,” he whispered, “You’re almost there. It’s not the end, it’s the beginning. Let go of the pain. Embrace the change.”

And with those words, you felt something stir within you once more.

The Abyss was silent, its vast emptiness pressing in on you as you followed Viktor, each step heavier than the last. You had been walking beside him for what felt like eternity, the flickering light of his riddles casting strange shadows on the edges of your mind. His words were endless, a constant flow of cryptic phrases that swirled around you like the smoke from a dying fire. You didn’t always understand, but you trusted him, didn’t you?

You had to, right?

But something was changing in you. With each step, you could feel the weight of the truth slipping into your mind, a whisper that grew louder with each passing moment.

His voice broke the silence again, cool and calculated. “You’ve done well, you know. You have the power, the ability to make this world what it could be… if only you accept your role.”

You tilted your head, listening closely, trying to read the layers of meaning behind his words. “What role?” you asked softly, your voice tinged with hesitation. The riddles were becoming harder to piece together.

He smiled, a cruel curve of his lips that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “To be my right hand. Together, we will make the world a better place… for me.”

And in that moment, everything clicked.

The puzzle pieces you’d been trying to fit together for so long finally fell into place, and with them, the truth crashed over you like a tidal wave.

You were never meant to be the healer.

No, you were a tool. A pawn. A pawn in Viktor’s game. Everything you had done, everything you had healed, was never about bringing peace to the world. It was about him—his vision, his hunger for power.

You had been draining yourself. You were fueling him.

The realization struck you like lightning. Every time you healed, every time you gave of yourself, you were siphoning away your own life force to feed the darkness inside him. The shimmering light you had believed to be your gift, your purpose, had been nothing more than a leash wrapped around your soul, a way for Viktor to use your power for his own means.

You felt sick.

Your breath hitched, and your hand instinctively shot to your chest, feeling the emptiness inside. The energy you had thought was yours, the hope you’d built in the Undercity… it had all been nothing but a mask. You weren’t a savior. You were the fuel for his twisted ambitions.

As Viktor continued, his voice so smug and assured, you felt the rage stir in you, igniting like a wildfire in your chest. “You don’t understand,” he continued with his usual calm tone, oblivious to the storm brewing in you. “You think you’re healing the world, but it was always going to be this way. I have always known, and now… you know too.”

The world around you seemed to collapse, like a lens cracking under pressure. And then, Viktor’s voice rose to a higher pitch. “You’re mine. You always have been. You’ve helped me become who I was meant to be. And now… you’ll help me bring this world into its true order.”

At that moment, your anger burned hotter than anything you’d ever known. Every instinct in you screamed to fight, to break free. Your mind was no longer foggy with the effects of manipulation—it was clear. Your eyes, once a dull gray, burned with a fierce purple hue. The rage bubbled up inside you, taking form in a wave of violent energy.

“No.” Your voice was low and dangerous, a rumble that shook the very ground beneath you. “It’s time you learned how the real world works.”

Without warning, you charged.

Viktor’s smug smile vanished in an instant, his eyes widening as you barreled toward him. He tried to sidestep, but the sheer force of your anger knocked him back. You tackled him with all the power you could muster, sending his body crashing to the ground with an impact that reverberated through the Abyss.

In the chaos of that moment, something strange happened.

The connection between your body in the Abyss and your real form was severed for the briefest of moments. You felt yourself slipping back into your body, as though you were being pulled from the depths of this nightmare and thrust back into your skin.

Your eyes flashed open, the familiar white-hot pain of being pulled back into the physical world filling your senses. The laboratory rushed into view, the cool metallic walls and the quiet hum of machines.

But Viktor wasn’t the only one who had been affected.

The collision between you and him broke through the veil of reality, and everything around you seemed to slow to a crawl. In the lab, Ekko’s eyes widened as he watched you struggle against Viktor’s influence, the purple light in your eyes flashing brighter, more intense with each passing second. He knew something was wrong—this wasn’t just another manipulation. This was a battle for your soul.

The machines beeped and whirred as the flares—red, green, and blue—shot up into the sky from the laboratory roof. The emergency signals cut through the air, the city skyline illuminated by the light, a cry for help that reached the farthest corners of Piltover and the Undercity.

Jinx, Caitlyn, and Sevika all saw the flares, and the urgency in the air could no longer be ignored. They began to move, quickly, toward the one place they knew you would be—back to where everything had started.

In the Abyss, the world around you swirled as you dropped Viktor onto the cold ground. His form crumpled, but he wasn’t down for long. He stood quickly, his body moving with mechanical precision as he got into his stance, prepared for the standoff that would follow.

His voice was calm, but there was a hint of frustration in it now. “You don’t understand,” he hissed. “You can’t defeat me. I have been planning this for too long. Your role in this is… already written.”

But you were no longer the same person you had been. The calm, peaceful soul who had once healed the world had been replaced by something far more dangerous. You were a force of nature now, and Viktor’s riddles had no power over you.

The ground trembled as you squared off against him, your purple eyes glowing brighter than ever, the energy crackling in the air around you.

“I’m not your pawn anymore,” you spat, your voice laced with venom. “This is where your game ends.”

And with that, you lunged forward, the energy around you crackling like electricity, ready to rewrite the world.

In the laboratory, Ekko watched, his heart racing as he pressed a button, setting off the alarms. The flares were only the beginning—he needed to make sure everyone knew the stakes. Jinx, Caitlyn, and Sevika were already on their way.

But would they make it in time? Would they be able to save you from the darkness that Viktor had sewn so deeply into your soul?

The world held its breath.

The roar of the explosion ripped through the air, sending a shockwave that reverberated across the bridge between Piltover and the Undercity. Jinx, Caitlyn, and Sevika sprinted toward the lab, their hearts pounding in their chests. Just as the building’s rooftop came into view, a massive sphere of fire erupted into the sky, the shockwave hurling them back several feet.

Jinx hit the ground hard, shielding Isha from debris. Caitlyn groaned as she pushed herself to her feet, her hand instinctively going to the rifle slung over her back. Sevika stood, using her metal arm to shield her face from the heat. The three froze, their eyes widening as a figure descended in the chaos—a dark mass flung from the rooftop like a meteor crashing to earth.

The ball of fire slammed into the street several meters away, the impact sending dirt and smoke spiraling into the air. Caitlyn coughed, waving her hand in front of her face to clear the debris. Jinx pulled Isha closer, her pulse racing as she tried to see through the haze.

Out of the smoldering wreckage, they could just barely make out Viktor. His body was limp, sprawled in a heap on the cracked pavement. His once pristine metal enhancements sparked erratically, the eerie glow of his Hexcore flickering weakly. He coughed, blood trickling from his lips, and his eyes fluttered as he struggled to stay conscious.

Then, from the smoke, a shadow emerged.

The ground trembled beneath your feet as you walked forward, dragging Viktor by his hair, his lifeless limbs trailing behind him. The smoke clung to you like a veil, your hood fallen back to reveal the grim determination etched into your face. Your glowing purple eyes pierced through the haze, bright and menacing, a color that sent a chill down the spines of everyone watching.

Jinx froze, her breath catching in her throat. Caitlyn’s hand tightened around her weapon, but she didn’t raise it. Sevika stood still, her mechanical arm twitching slightly, as if ready to intervene but unsure how.

The laboratory doors burst open, and Ekko and Heimerdinger rushed out, skidding to a halt at the sight before them. The once calm, composed healer they had come to know was now an embodiment of raw fury.

You stopped in the middle of the street, the smoke swirling around you like a storm. With one swift motion, you flung Viktor’s body forward, letting it slump to the ground in front of everyone. His head lolled to the side, his eyes half-lidded as he coughed weakly, too broken to speak.

You straightened, your chest rising and falling with deep, controlled breaths. Your voice cut through the tension like a blade, low and sharp:

"All my life, I’ve been a pawn. Used. Manipulated. You all saw me as a beacon, as hope—but behind every step I took, there was someone like him pulling the strings." You gestured to Viktor with disgust, your voice rising as anger surged through you.

"He wanted me to believe I was making a difference. Healing lives. Bringing peace. But all I was doing was fueling his ambition, killing myself for his vision."

You turned, your piercing gaze locking onto each person in the crowd. “No more. No one will take what I love from me. No one will take who I love from me. Not him, not anyone. I am not a pawn anymore.”

Jinx’s fingers twitched, her usual chaotic energy replaced with an uncharacteristic stillness. Caitlyn’s lips parted as she watched you, her heart sinking at the sight of your pain and anger. Ekko took a cautious step forward, but Heimerdinger stopped him, shaking his head gravely.

The tension snapped like a bowstring as Viktor stirred, groaning weakly. You turned back to him, your expression darkening. His lips curled into a defiant smirk, despite his broken state. “You… don’t understand…” he rasped, his voice barely audible. “You can’t… stop this… I am the future.”

You didn’t reply with words. Instead, you lunged at him, your fist colliding with his chest in a burst of purple and gold light. The force of the blow sent him skidding back across the ground, sparks flying from his metallic limbs.

The fight was on.

Viktor rose unsteadily, his Hexcore flaring to life as he charged at you with surprising speed. The clash of power lit up the street like a firework display, bright flashes of purple and electric blue reflecting in the wide eyes of the onlookers. Each punch you landed sent a ripple of energy through the air, shaking the ground beneath your feet.

But Viktor wasn’t defenseless. His metallic arm shot out, striking you in the ribs with enough force to make you stagger. A spray of purple blood escaped your lips, splattering onto the ground. You wiped it away with the back of your hand, your eyes narrowing as the swirling violet in your irises deepened.

The blows came faster, more brutal. Viktor’s movements were calculated, precise, but you were driven by raw emotion, your strikes fueled by years of pain, betrayal, and rage. Each hit you landed cracked the air like thunder, while every counterattack from Viktor sent shards of pain lancing through your body.

The crowd watched in stunned silence. Jinx clutched Isha tightly, her nails digging into the girl’s small shoulders as she tried to hold back tears. Caitlyn’s hands shook as she held her rifle, torn between stepping in and trusting you to handle this.

Finally, Viktor staggered back, his energy faltering. His Hexcore dimmed, the once-bright light within it reduced to a flicker. You stood tall, bloodied and bruised, but unyielding.

“You wanted a future,” you said, your voice cold and steady. “But I’m going to make sure you’re not part of it.”

With a final surge of energy, you raised your hand, a swirl of purple and white light gathering in your palm. Viktor’s eyes widened as he realized what was coming, but he was too weak to stop it.

The light exploded from your hand, engulfing him in a blinding flash. When it faded, Viktor lay motionless on the ground, his body battered and broken.

You turned to the crowd, your breathing heavy, your purple eyes still glowing with residual energy. “This is not the end,” you said, your voice softer now but no less resolute. “We will rebuild. We will heal. But I will never let anyone control me again.”

As the others began to move toward you cautiously, Jinx and Caitlyn exchanged a glance. Whatever came next, they knew this was only the beginning of a new chapter in your story.

The aftermath was deafeningly silent. Viktor's body lay motionless on the ground, faint sparks sputtering from his lifeless Hexcore. Smoke curled in the air, and the acrid scent of burning ozone clung to everything. You stood there, the faint hum of energy still radiating from your battered form. But something was wrong.

Your knees buckled suddenly, and you collapsed to the ground. A sharp gasp escaped you as your body convulsed, the familiar glow of electric purple flickering in your veins. It clashed violently with streaks of white light, the two energies warring for dominance within you.

Jinx took an instinctive step forward, her eyes wide with panic. “No—hey, hey! You’re okay, right? You’re fine!” She reached for you, but you raised a trembling hand to stop her, your voice hoarse but firm.

"Stay back," you rasped, your words a command, laced with the strain of holding yourself together.

Caitlyn, despite her usual composure, found herself stepping forward as well, desperation flickering in her blue eyes. “You don’t have to do this alone—”

"Don’t come near me!" you bellowed, your voice cracking with the weight of your anguish. The sound echoed off the broken walls of the laboratory, freezing everyone in their tracks. The pain in your tone was palpable, and it cut through Caitlyn like a knife.

Heimerdinger stepped forward, his small frame trembling as he analyzed the glow emanating from your body. His voice was calm but grave. “They mustn’t interfere. The Arcane and shimmer within you… they’re battling for dominance. If she falters now, she could lose herself entirely.”

Your head dropped, your hands digging into the dirt as your body shook. The fight inside you was tearing you apart. White light flashed in your eyes one moment, then the ominous purple the next, each consuming the other in rapid succession. The chaotic struggle of colors made the veins on your hands and neck stand out, glowing like rivers of raw energy.

Minutes passed like hours. Jinx clenched her fists so tightly her nails drew blood, her whole body trembling with the effort not to run to you. Caitlyn’s heart thundered painfully in her chest as she whispered, “Please... don’t let go.”

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the glow began to fade. The clashing lights dimmed until a quiet stillness settled over you. Your head drooped forward, your breathing ragged. Slowly, you lifted your face, revealing your eyes. They were the soft gray of before, calm and steady, but with faint swirls of violet threading through them—a reminder of the battle you’d just survived.

You groaned softly, lifting a hand to your head, and then, as if on instinct, you smiled. It wasn’t a grin fueled by bravado or defiance, but something softer, something real. Your lips curled into a teasing smirk as you shook your head faintly.

"God, it feels good to be back," you said, your voice hoarse but full of warmth.

Jinx’s knees gave out as tears streamed down her cheeks. She half-laughed, half-sobbed, covering her mouth as she sank to the ground. Caitlyn let out a shaky breath, her lips parting in disbelief. Sevika crossed her arms, exhaling sharply as if she'd been holding her breath the entire time.

Ekko knelt beside Heimerdinger, whispering, “She did it.”

The old yordle nodded slowly, stroking his mustache with relief. “Indeed. She’s won her first battle… but the war may not yet be over.”

Despite the exhaustion weighing on you, your smile grew as you turned your gaze to Jinx and Caitlyn. You lifted a hand weakly, gesturing them closer. “You two gonna just stand there, or are you finally gonna help me up?” you joked.

The two women exchanged glances before rushing forward, each taking a side to lift you to your feet. Jinx’s grip on your arm was firm but trembling, while Caitlyn’s touch was steady, her thumb brushing over your knuckles. You looked between them, your smile softening.

"I told you I’d come back," you murmured, earning a choked laugh from Jinx and a watery smile from Caitlyn.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, peace settled over you—fragile, perhaps temporary, but it was there.

As you stood there, the soft gray of your eyes clouded by tears, you pulled both Jinx and Caitlyn into your arms. They didn’t resist, their own tears falling freely. For a moment, the world melted away, and it was just the three of you—together, alive, and whole. Then your gaze shifted to Isha, standing a few feet away, her helmet tilted as if she were hesitating.

You knelt despite your exhaustion, opening your arms toward her. Isha hesitated only for a second before running into your embrace. You lifted her with trembling strength, holding her close to your chest. She nuzzled against you, her tiny hands clutching your shoulders.

That’s when it hit you—a wave of emotion you could no longer hold back. Tears streamed down your cheeks, but they weren’t ordinary tears. They shimmered faintly, streaks of electric purple and silver falling like liquid stardust. You buried your face against Isha’s helmet, shaking with quiet sobs as Jinx and Caitlyn rested their hands on your back, grounding you.

You whispered through your tears, “I’m here. I’m finally here.”

The silence was heavy but comforting as they helped you to your feet. Jinx moved to your left, Caitlyn to your right, and Isha nestled against your chest. Together, they supported you as you made your way down the debris-laden streets toward your apartment.

--------------------

Problem solved.....right? Vik had to GO idc, my girl jinx would be alive RN if it wasnt for- ight lemme chill

137 notes · View notes