#arcanes2

Powder's shoulders shook, hands grasping at whatever material she could reach. Including Silco's new suit. Not that it mattered, now that it was covered in a think layer of ash and soot. "It's.. okay." Silco sighed, wrapping his arms hesitantly around the girl, whom had her face buried in his chest; a sobbing mess. It was a strange sight to see such a ruthless, violent, man comforting like Silco, comforting a child. As if he wasn't about to... well, to say it blankly... Kill her. "We'll show them," Silco assures, listening as the girl's cries turned into small hiccups and sniffles. "We'll show them all." ___ It was a strange night for everyone, to say the least. Most of Silco's 'workers' had been putting out the fires, and cleaning up shattered glass. While he was carrying Powder home, if you could even call it that. Though he planned to take over The Last Drop, he couldn't just yet. So instead he'd moved a few things around and given Powder a hideout. In all honesty it was really just an abandoned aircraft. But it worked. Silco quietly settled Powder down onto a couple of pillows, then laying a blanket over her. "Is it... comfortable..?" Silco half forced himself to inquire, though not entirely caring. This whole... parenting thing didn't entirely sit right with him just yet. Powder's dulled eyes avoided his gaze, she pulled the blanket over her shoulders, snuggling into it. A couple stray tears rolling down her cheeks. "...It's- all my fault." Powder mutters, hands lifting to cover her face. Guilt gnawed at her, dragging her lower lip out in a sad attempt to hold back anymore of her cries.

Ekko went months, not addressing anyone about the card he'd received. Was it real? He wanted to believe so, but… it didn't make any sense.

Jinx died 6 years ago.

And it didn't take long for him to forget about the letter either, it sat opened on his desk for what seemed like ages. Until he inevitably threw it out.

Some kids must've messed with him, it happened more often than not.

He'd fallen for the same trick so many times over, why again? He was going to move on, he had to.

It's what she would've wanted.

Though he was unaware of the raw mistake he'd made, the shakiness of her hands as she pulled the crumpled card out of the trash.

The anger filled sob as she tore it apart, throwing it to a random direction.. Her jaw clenched as she fought back tears, nails digging into her palms.

A bitter scoff left her throat, she really expected things to be okay? This wasn't some fantasy…

What happened to her plan of never coming back…? Staying dead for as long as she could? Rewriting her story?

And yet, after all those years of trying to heal, to become a better person..

She ended up here, feet dug into the sand, knees curled to her chest. Her eyes peeking out as she looked over the waves; the way they lapped gently at the shore, the soft white bubbles foaming and sticking to her pale skin.

And as if some cruel coincidence Ekko found himself walking down the shore, he never liked the beach; and yet he always seemed to find himself here-

-bathing in the memories of the way Powder used to drag him here, splash him with the sand and taunt him to race her to the water.

But a flicker of light caught his attention, a subtle yellow glow.

A lantern, sat beside a woman, dressed in a layered coat, presumably for warmth at this time of night. Her face was covered by a hood, and she sat facing the waves.

Before her hands gently reached forward, as she nudged a small metal toy into the water, a little fish. Made from twisted parts and rusted copper.

Ekko followed the small winde-up as it brushed against his ankle, carried by the water.

Picking it up he looked over it's patterns and small splotches of blue and pink colour.. he needed to stop giving himself hope.

"You uh, came here for a break too..?" Ekko mutters, taking a small spot beside them, though keeping a distance.

"You could say that…" The voice replied, their accent a little strange. One he hadn't heard. It almost sounded forced. But who was he to pry?

Ekko hummed, shoulders shagging forward, eyes hesitantly looking in the other person's direction. For a small moment he though he caught their eyes, but it was quick to be broken; their head snapping to the side.

"Do you ever feel like you're… going insane..?" Ekko asked, almost vulnerably. Head dipping as he folded his legs.

"Or you've just… stopped caring?" He answers himself, chuckling silently, yet there wasn't any real joy to his tone…

There was a silent shuffle of the person beside him, they gently nudged their hood down… Eyes burning into his neck.

Ekko looked over, confused. Why did she-

Jinx…

Her hair was a mess, her eyes still held that wild stare… and yet they seemed to be a faded crimson, despite her dazed smile, there was no joy in her face.

"So, you gave up on me too," She says, a hollow laugh escaping her lips.

"Or maybe… you just forgot."

There was a drawn out silence, shock laced the atmosphere. Ekko wanted to pinch himself.

But this was no dream, her gaze burnt all the same as it did. Her bitter chuckles still sent the same shiver up his spine.

It was no ordinary woman sat beside him, it was Jinx.

"Jinx-" Ekko breaths, his voice crackling and failing beneath him.

Her eyes fell, expression dimming with it as her hair fell to the side. It had grown some length back, tied into one messy braid. Sides trimmed into a messy self cut hairstyle.

"Cut it, Ekko." Jinx sighs, her side bang draping over her face as she cocked her head to the side; looking nowhere in particular.

Ekko was stumped for words, where had she been all this time? Why did she come back? Why now?

"Why did you.." He starts, chewing on his lower lip, pupils still dilated and blown wide with thought. He looked down at the little fish toy in his hands, the paint dripping slowly off of the wet metal.

Jinx folded her arms, the short braid swung over her shoulder. "I guess I- wanted things to go back to… how they used to be,"

Her eyes didn't hold the same pink glow, it'd faded. She was… different.

"Without all the.. flaws." She finished, back straightening as she leaned back on her hands.

Ekko's gaze was locked on her every move, as if any second now she would vanish again, and leave him. He didn't know if he was angry… or sad, or- pleased? How was he meant to respond?

"I thought you- died…? I- where'd you even go?" Ekko stumbled over his words, mind swirling in an uncomfortable variety of thoughts.

"Ionia," Jinx murmurs, pointing to the vague direction of the land across the water.

"It was a place I could think.." She hums, taking the winde-up fish from Ekko's hand. "And make these little shits," She chuckles under her breath.

Ionia? That… made sense, he supposed.

"The kids like these.." Jinx throws the toy back to Ekko, which he caught quickly before it could hit him.

This took ages for me to get motivation for but yk 🙏 And yes I wrote Jinx a little too sad but you get it :')

I'm just going to claim it and say she's a little calmer now lol

Anywho, I'm working on a part 3, and I might even do a part 4 if I feel like it needs more. Or if you guys even want that.

And of course, join my community! We're all super nice and don't bite :)

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Also, here's a little sketch I did of Jinx in my au