Chapter Text
Weeks had passed.
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More than Jinx had initially noticed.
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In the past, she had counted every day.
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Every week.
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Every month.
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Now she didn't anymore.
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Now time simply passed.
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And that alone felt strange.
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The morning began quietly.
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Sunlight filtered through the leaves of the great tree.
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The first Firelights were already awake.
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Somewhere, people were working.
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Laughing.
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Arguing.
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Normal everyday life.
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Jinx slowly opened her eyes.
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For a moment, she simply lay there.
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And listened.
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To the wind.
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To the voices.
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To the heartbeat beneath her ear.
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Then she smiled.
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Because she knew who that heartbeat belonged to.
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Ekko.
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She was lying half on top of him.
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As she so often did.
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One arm around his waist.
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Her head resting on his chest.
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Slowly, she lifted her head.
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And immediately noticed his gaze.
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Of course he was already awake.
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Jinx: "You're staring."
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Ekko: "You are too."
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Jinx: "I started first."
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Ekko: "Then you win."
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Jinx grinned.
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Jinx: "Besides, you've gotten old."
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Ekko: "I'm 21, just like you."
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Jinx: "Yeah, but I look better."
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Ekko: "Shameless."
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Jinx grinned smugly.
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Jinx: "So it's true."
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Ekko: "That wasn't the statement."
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Jinx: "Yes, it was."
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Ekko: "No."
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Jinx: "Yes."
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Before Ekko could reply, Jinx grabbed her pillow.
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And hit him directly in the face with it.
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For a moment, there was silence.
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Jinx immediately knew that had been a mistake.
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Jinx: "Oh."
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Ekko: "Oh?"
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Slowly, he reached for his own pillow.
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Jinx: "Ekko."
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Ekko: "Yeah?"
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Jinx: "Don't do anything stupid."
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Ekko: "Too late."
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The pillow hit her right in the face.
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Jinx: "BETRAYAL!"
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The next few seconds consisted of chaos.
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Pillows.
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Laughter.
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Threats.
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And at least three violations of peaceful coexistence.
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Jinx tried to flee to the other side of the bed.
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Ekko held onto her.
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She tried to push him away.
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He lost his balance.
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And suddenly both of them landed sprawled halfway across the bed.
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Breathless.
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Laughing.
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Jinx: "I won."
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Ekko: "In what world?"
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Jinx: "In mine."
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Ekko: "That one doesn't count."
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Jinx stuck her tongue out at him.
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Ekko rolled his eyes.
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Then he simply pulled her back toward him.
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And gave her a quick kiss.
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Ekko: "Impossible."
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Jinx: "And yet you still like me."
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Ekko: "Unfortunately."
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Jinx: "Liar."
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Then she snuggled back against him with a grin.
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For a brief moment, it became quiet.
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Pleasantly quiet.
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Until suddenly the door was thrown open.
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"JINX!"
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Jinx let her head fall against Ekko's shoulder.
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Jinx: "There she is."
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Mina stood in the doorway.
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Like almost every morning.
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Mina: "Scar says it's your fault!"
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Jinx: "For what?"
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Mina: "I don't know."
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A brief pause.
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Mina: "But he's probably right."
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Ekko laughed.
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Jinx threw a pillow at her.
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And missed.
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As always.
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Later, they all sat together at breakfast.
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Vi.
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Caitlyn.
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Scar.
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Mina.
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The Firelights.
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Family.
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Jinx would have hated that word in the past.
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Not anymore.
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Now she liked it.
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Very much.
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While Scar was telling some story.
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And Mina kept trying to correct him.
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Jinx watched the people around her.
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And suddenly realized something.
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This was her life.
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Not Bilgewater.
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Not the past.
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Not the mistakes.
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This.
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This moment.
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These people.
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In the afternoon, she worked in the workshop.
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Or more precisely:
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She tried to work.
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Because Mina interrupted her every five minutes.
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Mina: "What are you building?"
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Jinx: "Secret."
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Mina: "You always say secret."
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Jinx: "Because it's always a secret."
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Mina: "That's unfair."
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Jinx: "That's called style."
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Mina rolled her eyes.
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Just like Vi used to.
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The thought made Jinx smile.
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Later, Ekko came by.
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And stood behind her.
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Ekko: "Does it work?"
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Jinx: "Maybe."
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Ekko: "That's not a good sign."
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Jinx: "Yes, it is."
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Ekko: "No."
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Jinx: "Yes."
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Then there was a small bang.
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Both of them looked at the workbench.
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A brief silence.
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Ekko: "See?"
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Jinx: "Technically speaking, it works."
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Ekko: "Technically speaking, it's on fire."
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Jinx: "Details."
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In the evening, they all sat beneath the tree.
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As they so often did.
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The sun slowly set.
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Golden light filtered through the branches.
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The Firelights chatted.
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At some point, Mina had fallen asleep.
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Her head resting on Jinx's shoulder.
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Like a little child.
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Jinx didn't move.
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So as not to wake her.
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Vi watched the scene.
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And smiled.
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Vi: "You're good with her."
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Jinx looked down at Mina.
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Then back at her sister.
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Jinx: "She reminds me of someone."
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Vi immediately knew who she meant.
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Isha.
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For a moment, both of them grew quiet.
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Sad.
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But not in the same way as before.
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More like a memory.
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One that was allowed to stay.
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Then Vi placed her hand on Jinx's shoulder.
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Vi: "She would have liked it here."
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Jinx swallowed.
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And nodded.
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Jinx: "Yeah."
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She couldn't get out anything more.
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She didn't have to.
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Later.
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Much later.
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When most of the others were already asleep.
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Jinx and Ekko sat alone beneath the tree.
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Right there.
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Where so many memories had once begun.
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And ended.
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The wind moved the leaves above them.
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Thousands of tiny lights glowed between the branches.
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Like stars.
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Jinx rested her head against Ekko's shoulder.
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And looked upward.
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For a long time.
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A very long time.
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Then she spoke.
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Quietly.
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Almost thoughtfully.
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Jinx: "You know."
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Ekko: "Hm?"
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Jinx: "I used to think that in the end, all that remains is smoke."
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Ekko said nothing.
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He let her continue.
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Jinx: "From everything."
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A brief pause.
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Jinx: "From the mistakes."
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Jinx: "From the fights."
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Jinx: "From the people."
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The wind rustled through the leaves.
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Jinx: "But I think I was wrong."
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Slowly, she looked up at him.
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Ekko smiled.
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That familiar smile.
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The one she now knew better than any other.
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Ekko: "Yeah."
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Jinx snorted.
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Jinx: "You could at least pretend that was a profound realization."
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Ekko: "It was."
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Jinx: "Good."
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Ekko: "You're still wrong though."
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Now she had to laugh.
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Then she took his hand.
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And squeezed it.
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Warm.
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Familiar.
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Real.
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Ahead of them lay Zaun.
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Behind them, the Firelights.
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Beside her, her family.
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And for the first time in a very long time, Jinx wasn't afraid of tomorrow.
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She was looking forward to it.
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Above them, the lights in the tree swayed.
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And for a moment, it almost seemed as if old friends were watching from somewhere.
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Vander.
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Milo.
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Claggor.
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Benzo.
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Isha.
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Not as ghosts.
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Not as voices.
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But as memories.
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As people she had loved.
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And who would always remain a part of her.
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Jinx leaned a little closer to Ekko.
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He wrapped an arm around her.
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And together they looked toward the future.
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Not perfect.
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Not without scars.
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But full of hope.
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And this time...
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...that was enough.
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The End.