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~Ekko's side of story~
"Years ago, when I was younger..."
Years ago, when they were little, they'd play hours and hours in heaps of metal scrap; she'd find pieces of scrap, using them to make all kinds of unique toys. He knows just how bright her eyes were when they were playing together, sparks of joy glimmering in her gorgeous sky-blue eyes everytime she'd win (her happiness was what made him rejoice everytime he'd feel awful).
"I kinda liked a girl I knew..."
Ekko had to admit, Powder was dear to him. The dearest, most cherished person in his entire, little world. The way she smiled lightened his darkest times. The sound of her giggles when her pranks and jokes had succes just had the potential to melt him right away. Sometimes, rarely, worry would cripple at his mind and he'd worry at night 'What if she would just... Disappear one day?" It was worrisome how much Ekko cherished the girl named Powder.
"She was mine and we were sweethearts"
They were inseparable; All the hours they'd spend, playing and chit chatting and messing around with the older kids... Powder would get tired, so he'd allow her to rest, offering what he had best. A somewhat cozy place in Benzo's shop, in his own little room, and a little blanket, in case she'd get cold. He'd watch over her while she was peacefully resting. When she was awake, he'd see her laugh, smile, cry, he'd see just the happiest, most charming for him little girl in the whole world, past Piltover, past every region of Runeterra... When she'd sleep, he'd see that peaceful face, which kept his misery at bay.. How could he even be sad when he knew her?
"That was then, but then it's true.."
That was years ago. 'People change, it's normal' he kept on lying to himself, just for a sliver of comfort. Hell, he didn't even knew what happened. Was she kidnapped and molded in such a monster...? Did she willingly do this to herself? Or was it his fault? Was she just pretending to enjoy Ekko's company until now? Ekko absolutely despised what she had become. How he'd want to be there, determine what had happened to her, and repair everything... He heard that she calls herself 'Jinx' and that she was now the daughter of Silco, that vile man. He made Ekko's blood boil.
"I'm in love with a fairytale"
He'd seen with his own two eyes what she could do. How many lives she could mercilessly steal away, and not even bat an eyelid to it. He hates all the deeds she had done. All the crimes she effortlessly committed... But, he never could actually bring himself to hate her, as a whole person. He knew her since they were little. They were playing all day... He recalls: when she'd get bruises or scratches, who would tend to her little wounds? Him. He would find the cleanest piece of cloth and wrap it around the wounds... Then, she'd hug him and thank him, too.
"Even though it hurts"
And damn, everything hurts for Ekko. Why did such an innocently minded, kind and lively girl turn into such a monster? He knew all too well it wasn't her fault. It was that brute's fault. Silco. The man that had the fucking audacity to call himself her 'father'. To hell with him, he took Powder from him and transformed her into a merciless killing machine.
'"Cause I don't care if I lose my mind, I'm already cursed"
He is already in love with her. He was already cursed to live with the flickering love for the girl. No matter how vile she got, no matter how many people she would kill, he just can't bring himself to hate her. He can only bring himself to hate Silco, more and more and more, until the hatred towards that man would devour him, consume him with one wish in mind: 'Get Powder back from this vile beast'. He just doesn't care how much he gets hurt. He doesn't want to stop trying to reach Powder, reach through the walls she built around herself.
"Every day we started fighting"
And it's not like they stopped meeting each other. Oh no, they did see each other quite often. But not in a way he'd like. They'd only meet on the battlefield, only when Silco dispatched her, sent her to fight. His eyes shone of misery everytime he saw what she could do. He never directly hurts her though. He can't bring himself to even try to hurt her, not even if she would be willing to hurt him.
"Every night we fell in love"
He'd sometimes go to sleep and all night long dream about her. He'd dream of them two leaving all problems behind and just.. Forgetting their misery. How he'd dream about Powder. Not Jinx, but Powder, her long, mesmerizing braids, her frail and lithe figure, her pale skin, decorated with light blue cloud tattoos, her gorgeous eyes which reflect not hatred(which never seemed to be directed to Ekko) like they would do on the battlefield, but joy. Real joy, which she probably didn't feel since she was taken away. Oh, how did Ekko like having such pleasant dreams.
"No one else could make me sadder"
It was sorrowful, really. She brought herself to hurt, even kill many, many of the members in Ekko's group, The Firelights. They were good friends of Ekko(not as good as Powder, though). And Jinx killed them, not even regretting one bit. They were strangers for her, but won't she care to spare their lives, even for the sake of her childhood friend? No. Because Silco had to ruin her mind, lace it with sweet, deceiving venom. It brought tears to Ekko's eyes to even think at this, yet he did hide it very well.
"But no one else could lift me high above"
At the same time, no other person could motivate him more than Powder... Or Jinx, whatever Silco called her these days. He had lows, he had highs. Just one thought could help Ekko get through the lows. The thought of going back to Powder, saving her, erasing whatever lies Silco planted in her little, fragile mind. That was it. He only had 2 reasons to live. Make Zaun a better place, for everyone and rescue her. A third reason slowly makes its way to Ekko's list of reasons to live. Rid her of Silco... You know what? Rid Zaun of Silco.
"I don't know what I was doin', But suddenly we fell apart"
And yet he cannot stop thinking, even though he knows what happened to her actually. What if she just ran away from him? What if she didn't consider him dear? Was it all Ekko's fault? He doesn't know, and it looks like Powder won't even try to talk to him. Maybe it is like so. But then again, what if Silco just prohibited her to talk with him? Won't believing this just make it easier for him? Yes, it would, but Ekko doesn't trust this. Not without proof of some kind.
"Nowadays I cannot find her"
Sometimes, he finds himself wandering in their old playground - the scrap heaps and such - and he hangs around there for hours, when there is nothing to do. These days, he found old toys they used to play with. The paintball gun, which is now an object dear to him. It holds some value to it, too. It was made out of scrap metal, yet its value wasn't in the material, but in who actually made it. Her. That's why he was gonna keep it to himself, all secret, a comforting secret of his.
"But when I do, We'll get a brand new start"
He doesn't care who'll tell him to stop searching for her. May the Heavens - if they exist - strike him, he'll not stop. May all the world turn against him, to hell with it and back, he wasn't gonna stop searching for her. He'll try to redo it. Get a brand new start. Firstly, he needed to get her to meet him. And hell, he'll do the most he can do.
~Jinx's side of story~
"I'm in love with a fairytale"
Hell, she was sick. Sick of mind, and the sickness slowly made its way to her heart. One spot of her heart though, was reserved for Ekko, the one spot that shall never get rotten. She knew part of what Silco told her were lies. But who was she gonna trust if not him? He offered her a fatherly comfort when things were low. And Ekko? She hasn't forgotten him. Hell, he seems to always be on her mind. Always there, but not a ghostly voice. Not like Mylo, Claggor and Vander. He was there to guide her, not insult her.
"Even though it hurts"
Hell, she already had gruesome pain to carry. It just wasn't enough, was it? It hurts, because whenever they see each other on the battlefield, she wants to talk to him, say whay happened, tell him to save her, like the boy savior he is. But Silco doesn't allow her to. He said she couldn't lose time with street trash like Ekko. This was a lie, she believed. She didn't have the stomach to refuse her 'father', though. She is afraid he could just abandon her, like her sister did.
"'Cause I don't care if I lose my mind"
She's already lost her mind, what is there to even hope to lose anymore for her? Silco is much more older than her, so he'll die soon, right? Is it wrong to hope for it? She doesn't want to kill the man who offered her fatherly comfort, but she wants him to be dead, or at least let her talk to Ekko. And what does she lose? Pretty much everything. What if Ekko doesn't want her anymore, anyway? What if she just got over her and is happy-go-lucky without her?
"I'm already cursed"
Cursed by the devil knows what curse. The curse she is bearing is the voices she hears everyday. They are always there to point out flaws. And Ekko? Lurks in a corner of her mind, the corner that still wants to call herself Powder. Tiny part of her still wants to escape that place, search Ekko and tell him he can call her Powder, not Jinx. Cursed with the curse of the thought 'What if he doesn't want to talk to me anymore?' And a hundred more of these thoughts those voices induced, planted in her fragile head.
~No one's point of view/3rd person POV~
"She's a fairytale"
For him, she is truly a fairytale. For her, he is a secret wish. He thinks of her only the best. When he thinks about her, he doesn't think about all the horrendous things she did, she thinks at how pleasant it is to hold her hand, how calming it is to hear her laugh, that innocent laugh, not the one you hear when she slaughters countless people. When she thinks at him, she doesn't care what her 'father' prohibited or not. She created a false reality, only available in her dreams, where no problem exists, they two live together, happy and Silco is there too, but is a good father.
"Even though it hurts"
It hurts, it really does. Why can't Ekko's portrayal of Jinx be true? Why can't Jinx's little world be true? Some people are far more horrendous than ghosts, monsters and such. People. Hm. That's funny. So she thought, but it wasn't. People change and once they do, they say they can't turn back. Well, Ekko wants to prove that is wrong.
"'Cause I don't care if I lose my mind, I'm already cursed"
They are both cursed. Forever cursed, it's already ridiculous. She needed help, and he needed comfort. In the daylight, they meet on the battlefield and remember the wishes to speak to each other, but alas, they get overwhelmed by crippling fear - "What if she turned against me?" "What if he hates me for what I did?" - Is it their fault that their relationship got reduced to this? No. It's the world's fault. In nighttime, they allow themselves to be comforted, by their own dreams.
And do I need to say more? Jinx doesn't care in the slightest if she was to lose her mind. And Ekko? He wants to balance everything, make Zaun a cozy home for everyone and also be there for her. He sometimes feel like it's too much for him. Like his only choice is to give up. Yet he doesn't. Why? Well, that's up to him to answer.