Chapter Text
Jinx didn't believe in happy endings. Not for her, not for anyone. Sure, people in Piltover might have them—their shining golden mansions and glittering dresses made them seem like they walked out of fairy tales. But here in Zaun? Happy endings were as real as unicorns, and Jinx would sooner blow herself up than believe in that kind of nonsense.
She had convinced herself she didn't care.
That was until you came along. And then later, Isha.
————
The first time she met you Jinx didn't think much about you. You were just another face in the crowd of Zaun, another person struggling to make it through the grime and smog. She’d been trailing through the streets, looking for some scrap or bauble to turn into her next explosive creation.
And there you were, crouched in some abandond alley with your hands tangled in wires, fiddling with some broken-down device. You didn't even look up when she stopped next to you, a hand resting on her hip as she watched you.
"Hey, you planning on blowing that thing up, or is it just me?
You jumped, your head smacking against the device. Groaning, you rubbed at your scalp and turned to glare at her. "What do you want?"
Jinx tilted her head. "Ooh, feisty. I like that." She crouched next to you, her eyes darting over your work. "What's this supposed to be?"
"Nothing you'd care about."
"Try me."
You let out a sigh, but humored her. "It's a transmitter. Or it's supposed to be. Trying to fix it so I can get in touch with someone topside. Supplies down here are running thin."
She knew should've walked away. Jinx never got involved with other people's problems. It was easier this way: to keep to herself and keep the world at arm's length, to keep her heart safe, she couldn't handle loosing anyone else.
But something about you made her want to stay, something about you made her want to get to know you better, to open up her heart to you.
"Supplies, huh? Tell you what," she said, standing and shouldering her gun. "You make that thing work, and I'll make sure nobody messes with you until then."
You blinked at her warily but curiously. "Why?"
Jinx shrugged, a lopsided grin spreading across her face. "Call it a hunch. You seem… fun."
————
That was the start. You didn't trust her that much at first—who would? Jinx was chaos in human form, a whirling dervish of energy and bad decisions that sane people crossed the street to avoid, not to mention a wanted crimial. But she kept her word. For weeks, she stuck around your jury-rigged workshop, chasing off the more common sorts of Zaunite pests.
And against your better judgment, you began to grow accustomed—and even attached—to her.
Jinx was actually good company when she wasn't blowing things up. She had a way of making you laugh, even when the transmitter refused to cooperate. Her stories—wild and half-believed—painted in the picture of a girl who hurt more often than she let on.
One night, with the both of you sitting on the rooftop of a crumbling building, she turned to you, her usual manic grin replaced by something softer.
"Why're you still here, anyway?" she asked. "Zaun's a dump. You could've gone topside ages ago."
You fumbled for words, gazing fixedly out across the glowing neon lights of the skyline. "Zaun's home," you said finally. "It's messy, yeah, but… it's mine. People up there wouldn't understand."
For once, Jinx didn't have a snappy comeback. She just nodded, the understanding in her eyes making your chest tighten.
————
Then came Isha.
Jinx had always been good at finding trouble, and it just so happens that a little girl fell on top of her while running away from bad men.
Jinx protected her, of course, the guys weren't even a match to her so it was incredibly easy. By the time the dust settled, the little girl was staring at her, wide-eyed and breathless.
"Yep, that's me." Jinx said as the two looked at the wanted posters of her, "You ever need to curse a sibling or a family or a society... my card." she said as she started walking away.
The little girl immediately followed her, trying her best to catch uo with her, her little eyes filled with amazement.
Soon Jinx was at your workshop with the little girl trailing behind her. You immediately noticed the two, raising your eyebrow as you glance between Jinx and the girl.
"She yours?" you asked, raising an eyebrow.
Jinx shrugged. "I dunno. She just kinda started following meu."
You sigh, looking at the little girl then at Jinx. "Well, she's staying. She'll be safer with us."
Jinx didn't argue.
————
Months passed. The three of you became an odd little family, bound together by circumstance and something deeper that none of you could quite name.
You and Jinx spent your days scavenging and fixing whatever you could get your hands on, while Isha stood watch, her quiet presence a constant comfort, sometimes she would even help you two.
For the first time in a long while, Jinx felt something close to peace.
She'd never admit to it, not even to herself, but she began to look forward to the moments when you'd smile at her, your laughter filling up the empty spaces in her mind. She loved the way Isha would hold onto her, a silent reminder that she wasn't alone anymore.
And then there was the way you looked at her.
Jinx had seen a lot of things in her life, but she'd never seen anyone look at her the way you did. Like she was more than just a ticking time bomb. Like she was worth something.
It scared her.
But it also made her want to be better. For you.
————
It was one of those nights when the city weighed heavier than usual. You were tinkering with a new device that aimed to channel Zaun's toxic air into something breathable. Jinx sat beside you, mimicking your actions but with one of her bombs instead as Isha layed her head in Jinxs lap sound asleep.
"Do you ever think about leaving?" You asked her, looking up to look at her.
Jinx froze, her fingers mid-twist. "What, like… Zaun?"
You nodded, not looking at her. "Yeah, starting over somewhere else. Somewhere quiet."
For a moment, she didn't know what to say. The idea of leaving Zaun had never crossed her mind. This place was her hell, but it was also her home.
But then she looked at you, at the way the dim light caught the curve of your face, and she wondered if maybe, just maybe, there could be something more.
"I dunno," she said finally, her voice quieter than usual. "Maybe."
You turned to her, your expression soft but searching. "If you ever wanted to… I'd go with you, Isha would too."
Jinx's heart stuttered in her chest. She looked away, trying to mask the way her cheeks flushed. She looked down at Ishas sleeping form, her hands playing with the young girls fluffy hair.
"Yeah, well," she muttered, "don't go making promises you can't keep, alright?"
But the way you smiled at her made her wonder if you meant it.
————
The world didn't change overnight. It never does. But for Jinx, it didn't need to.
She had you. She had Isha.
And for the first time in her life, she thought that might just be enough.
Because when she looked at you, she saw something she never thought she'd have.
Home.
And that was worth living for.