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They stepped through the portal and, just like that, the world around them shifted. One moment, they were standing in the familiar, chaotic mess of Jinx’s lair in her universe, and the next, they were in the same space, but everything felt... different. Lux’s world.
The lair still had its familiar shape, the same worn walls and cluttered shelves, but the atmosphere was noticeably off. The usual energy of madness, of Jinx’s incessant tinkering and wild creativity, was absent. Instead, it felt still, weighed down by time and neglect. Dust had settled on every surface, the kind that built up when no one bothered to care for things. Spare parts and scraps were scattered in a way that looked... disorganized, even for Jinx’s standards. Unfinished bombs lay half-done next to discarded pieces of metal and sheets of drawings that were hastily sketched and then abandoned.
Jinx took it all in with a quiet glance, her eyes flicking from one object to the next, but she wasn’t focused on the disarray. She was looking at Lux. Her gaze softened, sensing Lux’s discomfort.
“I’m sorry for the mess,” Lux said quietly, stepping carefully over a pile of cloth and cables. She shifted her weight, brushing dust off of a shelf with the back of her hand. “I... It’s just, after everything happened, I wasn’t really in the right state of mind. I didn’t want to be here after...” Her voice trailed off, the weight of the unspoken words hanging in the air.
Jinx took a deep breath and walked over to a dusty window, her fingers brushing against the sill as she gazed outside. Then, with a smirk, she turned to Lux. “It’s fine. Really.” She waved her hand dismissively, not even bothering to hide the genuine comfort in her voice. “Mess is normal. What’s important is that we're here now.”
She could feel the tension in Lux’s shoulders, the hesitation, the way Lux was clinging to the past, to the memories of her Jinx. It must have been so hard, so painful to come back to a place that reminded her of so many things lost. Jinx didn’t push, though. She was used to navigating around Lux’s complexities—no need to rush her.
Instead, she stepped closer, her eyes softening. “Are you okay? Being back here, I mean.”
Lux hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering around the room before settling on Jinx. There was a slight vulnerability in her eyes that she hadn’t shown in a while. “I think I have to be,” she murmured. “It’s just... it’s all so different without her. And I’m... not the same without her either.”
The weight of her words hung between them. Jinx didn’t speak immediately, instead crossing the room to stand by Lux. She took a moment to study her, as if trying to figure out the words that would settle her.
“You’re not the same without her,” Jinx repeated softly. “But you’re still you. And you’ve made it here. That’s more than she ever could’ve asked for.”
Lux blinked, as though taken aback by the depth in Jinx’s voice. She looked at her, studying her expression, trying to make sense of the mix of emotions that danced across her features.
“I don’t know what to do with all of this,” Lux admitted, her voice almost a whisper. “But I know I’m glad you’re here.”
Jinx smiled softly, though her usual playful grin was tempered with something deeper this time. “Then we’ll figure it out, together. We’ve still got time.”
The mess in the lair was a reminder of everything that had been lost. But standing there with Jinx, amidst the unfinished work, the scattered parts, and the chaos of it all, Lux found a small comfort. They didn’t need to fix everything. Not yet, anyway. For now, they just needed to be there for each other, in whatever way they could.
They spent some time cleaning up the lair, sorting through the mess and tidying up the disarray. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start. The more they cleaned, the more Lux realized how much she had left behind in this place. She could almost feel the ghosts of memories lingering in the air. But with Jinx by her side, it felt easier. The usual chaos was nowhere to be found, but there was a different kind of energy. A comforting one.
While Lux was stacking some discarded papers, Jinx moved around the room, checking familiar spots. It didn’t take long before she found the generator, sitting in the same place she had left it in her universe. Jinx blinked, a faint chuckle escaping her lips as she ran her fingers over the familiar wires. “Huh, guess I’m still me, no matter where I am,” she muttered to herself.
As she rummaged through a closet, her eyes landed on something that made her freeze. Her heart skipped a beat. A skimpy bra top, super short shorts, and high leggings were tossed haphazardly in the corner, clearly not her usual style of clothing. Jinx blinked, startled by the sight. A small scream escaped her lips before she could stop it, and she quickly called out, “Sparkles! Get over here!”
Lux rushed to her side, her staff in one hand, sword in the other, clearly expecting danger. “What’s wrong? What happened?!”
Jinx held up the outfit with a deadpan expression, a mix of confusion and curiosity in her eyes. “What is this? And what’s with the sword?”
Lux blinked, and then, seeing the outfit in Jinx’s hands, she broke into a fit of laughter. She couldn’t help it. “Oh, this sword? It’s mine , I left it before.” Lux wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “And uh, that’s... uh... well, that was my Jinx’s stuff.” She bit her lip, her tone laced with a playful but somewhat embarrassed edge. “You know, back when she was in her ‘discovering herself’ era.”
Jinx’s eyes widened as she looked at the outfit again, realization dawning. “Oh... really?” she asked, a mischievous grin tugging at her lips. “Your other Jinx was, what... exploring her... freedom ?”
Lux chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. “Yeah. We all go through phases, don’t we?” She gestured toward the outfit. “She wasn’t the most subtle about it, either.”
Jinx’s grin stretched wider as she playfully waved the outfit in the air. “So, you’re saying I could’ve been this Jinx all along?” She raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the surprise and teasing Lux with her discovery.
Lux couldn't resist the playful glint in her eye as she leaned casually against the workbench, arms crossed. “I don’t know,” she teased, a smirk pulling at her lips, “maybe you can keep the outfit for future needs or something. You never know when you might want to... express yourself .”
Jinx froze, her eyes widening dramatically. “Wait— this outfit?” She held it up again, making an exaggerated show of inspecting it with a mix of horror and fascination. “You want me to wear this thing? In public?”
Lux shrugged, her smile widening. “Well, you are a pretty flashy person, Jinx. It’s practically your brand. And hey, it could give you that extra oomph when you’re out there making... an impression .”
Jinx’s grin returned, playful and full of mischief. “Oh, I can make an impression without this, trust me. But now that you mention it... maybe I’ll keep it around, just in case I need to remind the world who’s boss.” She winked, striking a dramatic pose with the outfit held up like a trophy.
Lux laughed, shaking her head. “I think I’d rather not see you running around in that... but, hey, it’s your world.”
“Exactly!” Jinx laughed back, dropping the outfit onto the table with a grin. “And I’m gonna make sure the world knows it.” She then paused, her smile softening as she glanced at Lux. “But seriously, I don’t need to wear that to know you like me just as I am, right?”
Lux's heart skipped a beat. She looked at Jinx for a moment, her expression gentle and fond. "Of course. You're perfect the way you are. No outfit needed."
Jinx grinned, the playful spark in her eyes never leaving. "Good. I like it better that way, too."
There was a beat of silence, heavy but not uncomfortable, before Jinx shifted gears, bouncing on her feet. “Okay! Enough mushy talk. The lair’s clean-ish, and I’m bored. Let’s go outside and see what this universe of yours has to offer!”
Lux blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift. “You want to go exploring ? Now?”
“Why not?” Jinx spun on her heel, already heading for the door. “What’s the point of being in some new, weird world if we don’t check it out? You’ve got to show me all the cool stuff here, Sparkles!”
Lux hesitated for all of two seconds before sighing, a small smile tugging at her lips. She couldn’t say no to Jinx—she never could. “Alright,” she said, grabbing her staff. “But you have to promise not to cause too much trouble.”
“No promises!” Jinx called back over her shoulder, her voice full of playful mischief as she pushed the door open.
Lux followed, shaking her head but smiling despite herself. For the first time in a long time, she felt the weight of her universe’s pain lift, if only slightly. As long as Jinx was by her side, she was ready to face whatever came next—even if that included keeping up with the chaos Jinx was sure to unleash.
--
Walking side by side, Jinx took in the world Lux had come from. Zaun, this Zaun, was not the one she knew. The air still had that familiar tang of metal and industry, but it wasn’t thick with smog. The neon lights overhead weren’t flickering, struggling to stay on—no, they burned bright, illuminating clean streets where kids ran freely, their laughter ringing through the air.
Jinx slowed her steps, her eyes darting around. There were vendors selling food, merchants haggling in the open, and people—actual people, not just desperate survivors—chatting on the sidewalks like they had nothing to fear.
Her Zaun never looked like this.
What happened here that didn’t happen in mine?
Jinx pulled the miner’s hat lower over her eyes, a nervous habit. She wasn’t afraid, exactly, but she didn’t want to take any chances. If people saw her, really saw her, there was a chance someone would recognize her face. And she wasn’t in the mood to be mistaken for a ghost.
She glanced at Lux, who had been oddly quiet. Lux wasn’t looking at the city the way Jinx was. She wasn’t marveling at how different things were—no, her eyes were distant, her fingers flexing slightly at her sides.
Coming back here, to this world, was bringing back memories.
Of course it is.
This was where her Jinx had lived, where she had laughed and fought and loved . Jinx shifted uncomfortably, feeling like an intruder in a past that wasn’t hers. Then, without thinking, she reached out and grabbed Lux’s hand, giving it a small squeeze. Lux flinched slightly at the sudden contact, her head snapping to look at Jinx.
Jinx just shrugged, keeping her gaze on the street ahead. “You okay?”
Lux blinked, then looked down at their joined hands. Slowly, a small, genuine smile curved her lips. “Yeah,” she said softly. Jinx didn’t let go. Lux didn’t pull away. They walked like that, hand in hand, as the city hummed with life around them.
The closer they got to the center of Zaun, the quieter Jinx became. She knew what should be here. In her world, there was a statue of Vander—big, imposing, carved out of metal and stone, standing as a reminder of the man who had tried to keep Zaun from crumbling.
But this world…
Jinx’s steps slowed as she looked up at the monument before her. Not just Vander. Silco stood beside him, his sharp features immortalized in metal, the flicker of a smirk on his lips like he knew something the world didn’t.
And in the middle, standing between them like she belonged there, was her. Or, at least, the other her. The Jinx of this world.
Lux’s Jinx.
Jinx let out a slow breath, staring up at her own face cast in stone. Her expression was calm, serene in a way she had never seen herself before. Her hair was still long, braided the way she used to wear it. The statue version of her stood tall, a weapon slung across her back, a defiant but peaceful look in her carved eyes.
Lux stayed quiet beside her, watching carefully.
Jinx tilted her head, crossing her arms. “Huh.”
She didn’t know what she was expecting. Maybe some pang of jealousy, some weird feeling of possession like that’s me, not her. But no—this wasn’t her. This was someone else entirely. She had never stood like that. Never looked that at peace.
“What… did she do to get a statue?” Jinx finally asked, her voice lighter than she felt.
Lux hesitated. “She… united them.”
Jinx let out a short laugh. “Yeah? Good for her.”
Lux bit her lip, watching Jinx carefully. “She wanted what you wanted, you know. A Zaun that wasn’t fighting to survive every second. She fought for it, and in the end… she got it.”
Jinx stared at the statue for a long moment. She listened quietly as Lux spoke, her eyes scanning the streets of Zaun. Kids ran past, laughing. A merchant haggled with a customer, their voices animated but not desperate. The air still had that familiar metallic tang, but there was something else now—something lighter.
Hope.
She could see it in the way people carried themselves, the way they looked at their city like it actually belonged to them. And it didn’t make sense.
“So, what happened?” Jinx finally asked, tilting her head at Lux. “How’d Zaun get like this ?”
Lux’s expression softened. “From what she told me… it started with that night at the tea party.”
Jinx scoffed at the name but didn’t interrupt.
“When she killed Silco,” Lux continued, “she thought that was it. That she had destroyed everything. But Vi—she broke free. She ran to Jinx, got down on her knees, and told her she was sorry. That she should have never left. That she wouldn’t leave again. And they can still fix things. ”
Jinx blinked. Well that didn’t happen in her world. After she killed Silco, she shot a rocket to the high council and things went to shit.
Lux nodded at her expression. “Vi said accepted Jinx. All of her. Not just the parts she wanted to remember. And Jinx… she believed her.”
Jinx let out a slow breath. “Huh.” She thought about her Vi, about the way they argued, the way Vi still looked at her like she was Powder with a bad attitude and a bigger gun.
“But it wasn’t just them,” Lux added. “Vi pulled Zaun together with Ekko. He didn’t trust her at first, but Jinx convinced him. And then Sevika stepped in. And people listened because Jinx… she was the spark.”
Jinx tore her gaze away from the statue, looking at Lux now. “You’re telling me I —” she corrected herself, “ she — worked with Vi? With Ekko ?”
Lux nodded. “It wasn’t easy. But she knew what she wanted. And this is the result.”
Jinx turned back to the city. It was a lot to take in. She could still see the cracks in the foundation—Zaun would never be perfect. But it wasn’t drowning anymore. And that Jinx…
Jinx looked up at the statue again. She wasn’t just a legend in Zaun. She was a leader. Jinx let out a slow breath, dragging a hand through her cropped hair. “Damn,” she muttered. “Guess I should’ve aimed higher.”
Lux chuckled beside her. “You did fine.”
Jinx shot her a lopsided grin. “You kidding? I made fireworks and flipped off the Pilties at Progress Day. This Jinx got a statue. ”
Lux nudged her playfully. “Maybe there’s still time.”
Jinx huffed but didn’t argue. Instead, she let herself stare a little longer at the world she could’ve had. And for once, she didn’t feel jealous. Just… curious.
Jinx listened intently, her playful smirk fading as Lux spoke.
"So, what happened with Noxus?" Jinx asked, tilting her head. "How did the war even start?"
Lux sighed, crossing her arms as she stared at the statue of her Jinx. "Everything was going well. For a while, at least. Piltover and Zaun weren’t exactly best friends , but they’d finally found a balance. Then one day, Vi and Caitlyn showed up at our lair, saying war might be coming."
Jinx arched a brow. " Might ?"
"They said Noxus wasn’t happy with Piltover refusing to weaponize hextech. And then, just like that—Mel Medarda disappeared."
Jinx frowned. "Wait, you mean that Medarda lady from the council?"
Lux nodded. "She was taken straight from her office. No one knew what had happened. And the next thing we knew, Ambessa Medarda was blaming Piltover for hiding her daughter."
Jinx let out a low whistle. "Shit."
"Piltover denied everything, of course," Lux continued. "But any attempt at peace was ignored. Noxus had already made up its mind. And in the end, war happened."
Jinx crossed her arms, chewing on her bottom lip. “Figures. War’s the only thing those guys know how to do.”
Lux’s expression darkened. “I told Jinx she didn’t have to get involved. That it was Piltover’s fight, not Zaun’s.”
"But she didn’t listen," Jinx guessed.
Lux shook her head. "She told me Piltover and Zaun needed each other to survive. That she couldn’t risk losing everything they’d built. So she rallied volunteers and went to war."
Jinx scoffed, shaking her head. " Damn. " She looked up at the statue again, eyes lingering on the version of herself standing between Vander and Silco—like a symbol . Not just a legend. A leader. Jinx let out a slow breath, rubbing the back of her neck. "So what happened next?"
Jinx stayed quiet as Lux spoke, her fingers gripping the hem of her jacket. The more she listened, the heavier her chest felt.
"I went with her," Lux continued, her voice steady, but Jinx could hear the weight behind her words. "We fought side by side. And for a while… Everything was alright. We were winning. I managed to keep her safe."
Jinx glanced at Lux then, seeing the faraway look in her eyes, the ghost of old grief creeping up on her.
"But then Noxus launched another attack," Lux went on. "Not at Piltover. At Zaun. "
Jinx's breath hitched.
"They didn’t care that Zaun had no real quarrel with them. They went for civilians, the weak, the defenseless. And when Jinx found out…" Lux swallowed hard. "She didn’t hesitate. She told me to stay in Piltover and help. She gave me one last kiss and said she’d be fine, that we’d see each other again once the battle was over."
Jinx clenched her jaw. "And you didn’t follow?"
Lux let out a bitter laugh. "I wanted to but there was no time for argument . I had a bad feeling. I should've trusted that instinct." She exhaled sharply, looking down at her hands as if they were still stained with something. "Because when the war ended, when the dust settled… I found her. Among the dead."
Jinx blinked, staring at her.
"People told me she saved them all," Lux said softly. "That she fought until the very end. That she made sure Zaun had a future. " She let out a shaky breath before whispering, " But I lost my Jinx. "
For a long time, neither of them spoke. Jinx turned her gaze back to the monument, her eyes lingering on the statue of her other self—heroic, strong, immortalized in metal and stone. The kind of person Jinx had never considered herself to be.
Finally, Jinx let out a breath, kicking a loose pebble on the ground. " Damn. "
Lux gave a tired smile. " Yeah. "
Jinx stared up at the monument, her fingers absently tapping against her thigh. It was strange seeing Silco honored like this, especially when, in her world, people still spat at the mention of his name.
She tilted her head, looking at Lux. "So... what’s the deal with that ?" she asked, gesturing toward Silco’s carved likeness. "In my world, people hated him. No way they’d ever give him a statue. What changed?"
Lux sighed, rubbing her arm. "She fought for it."
Jinx blinked. "Who?"
"My Jinx," Lux said, glancing at her. "This was before the war, by the way. She fought hard for it. Argued with Vi and Ekko about it for so long ."
Jinx snorted. "Yeah, that sounds about right."
Lux let out a small chuckle before continuing, “Vi and Ekko didn’t think he deserved it. Said he was a tyrant. That he hurt too many people to ever be honored like this.”
Jinx nodded, because yeah, that was the general consensus. “And?”
"And she told them they were looking at it the wrong way," Lux said, voice softer now. "She said Silco was a product of everything Zaun went through. That constant oppression and denial of freedom turned him into what he became."
"She didn’t excuse what he did," Lux continued. "She knew his methods were cruel. But she argued that he was a revolutionary—he wanted freedom for Zaun, but when that was denied, and when he felt betrayed , all that guilt and anger made him aggressive. Dangerous."
Jinx swallowed. Damn .
Lux turned to look up at the statue again. "She said putting up his statue wasn’t about glorifying him—it was about making sure people learned from him. That desperation can turn even a good man with good intentions into a bad one."
Jinx was quiet for a long moment, processing that. "So," she muttered, glancing up at Silco’s frozen expression. "Vi and Ekko actually agreed to that?"
Lux let out a small, almost amused breath. "Eventually, yeah."
Jinx huffed. "Huh. I knew I was stubborn, but damn. She really wore them down , huh?"
Lux smiled, looking at Jinx like she saw something familiar in her. Something warm. “Yeah. She really did.”
Jinx crossed her arms, staring up at the monument again. She let out a long breath before speaking. "You know," she started, voice quieter than usual, "Silco wasn't a good person. I know that." She glanced at Lux, searching for something in her expression before looking away again. "He did a lot of bad things. Hurt a lot of people. But..."
Lux stayed silent, letting her speak.
"But he took me in." Jinx’s grip tightened around her arms. "When no one else wanted me, when everyone said I was too much —too broken, too dangerous, too everything —he didn’t. He accepted me."
Lux watched her carefully, eyes soft.
"He raised me to be strong," Jinx continued. "To take everything that made me weak and turn it into something that made me powerful . He told me I didn’t have to be afraid of being different." She let out a small, bitter chuckle. "Sure, he wanted me to be his version of strong, but... I couldn’t help but love him for it."
Lux's hand twitched at her side, like she wanted to reach out but didn’t know if she should .
"He was my dad," Jinx admitted, voice raw. "And yeah, he was messed up . He did a lot of awful things. But I know, in his own twisted way, he loved me too. I think your Jinx must’ve loved him too."
She let out a breath, shaking her head with a small, sad smile.
"So... I'm glad he got a statue here," she said, finally turning back to Lux. "I think he deserved that much."
Lux didn't say anything right away. Then, slowly, she reached out, brushing her fingers against Jinx's hand before lacing them together.
Jinx glanced down at their joined hands, blinking. Lux gave her a soft squeeze. "I'm glad you got to tell me that."
Jinx didn’t say anything, just held onto Lux’s hand a little tighter and started walking away from the statue. She stopped abruptly, her eyes locking on a group of children playing in the distance. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw her—the familiar face that had haunted her dreams and memories, yet so different.
"Isha," she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the sound of children laughing and shouting.
Lux, who had been walking beside her, noticed Jinx's sudden halt and followed her gaze. When she saw what Jinx was looking at, a mixture of understanding and concern flickered across her face.
Jinx didn’t wait for Lux to catch up. She moved forward swiftly, heart pounding in her chest, drawn toward the group of children like a moth to a flame. She stopped a few feet away, her eyes never leaving Isha, who was chasing after the other kids with a wide grin, laughing as she dodged and weaved.
But then, the moment the kids noticed Jinx standing there, everything changed. The laughter stopped, and the once-joyful atmosphere fell into an uneasy silence.
Isha froze. She looked at Jinx with wide eyes, but there was no recognition. No warmth. No familiarity.
It hit Jinx harder than she expected, a sharp pain shooting through her chest. This wasn’t her Isha. This was a different Isha, one who had never known her as the mother she once was. The Isha in this world wasn’t the same child she’d raised and smiled when Jinx held her hand—this one didn’t even know her name.
Isha’s gaze flicked from Jinx to Lux, then back again. And before Jinx could say anything, before she could even try to step forward and call her name, Isha turned and bolted. The other children followed her, trailing behind in a chaotic run.
Jinx stood there, rooted to the spot, unable to move. Her heart shattered, the pieces scattering around her like glass on the floor. This wasn’t how she imagined it. She didn’t know what she was expecting, butthis—the absence of recognition, of anything familiar—was more painful than anything she could have imagined.
She blinked rapidly, trying to push back the sudden sting in her eyes. Her chest tightened. She hadn’t been ready for this. For the painful reminder that in this world, she was a stranger. Lux was right behind her, not saying a word, but she knew. She could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on both of them.
Jinx took a shaky breath, her eyes following Isha as she disappeared into the distance. Slowly, she turned to Lux, her voice thick. "I... I wasn’t ready for that," she admitted, her hands trembling slightly. "She... she doesn't even know me."
Lux didn’t say anything for a moment, but then she stepped closer, her presence a quiet comfort. She placed a hand on Jinx’s shoulder, a small but grounding gesture. "I know," Lux said softly. "I’m sorry Jinx."
Jinx swallowed hard, trying to hold back the flood of emotions threatening to spill over. She nodded, but the pain was still there, deep and raw. But Lux was quick to reach her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Hey... You don't have to go through this alone."
Jinx didn’t know how to respond. She didn’t know how to fix what she had broken. And she certainly didn’t know how to accept the truth that in this world, she was nothing but a stranger to the people she had loved most.
But then she felt Lux’s touch. She could always count on Lux to steady her, even when the world felt like it was falling apart. Lux didn't try to fix it, didn’t try to tell her everything would be okay. Lux just... was there .
After a long pause, Jinx finally nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "I know."
Lux squeezed her shoulder, offering a soft smile. "We can go, whenever you’re ready." Jinx nodded again. She took a breath, trying to steady herself.
As they turned to leave, Jinx gave one last glance at the children, knowing that this world’s Isha would never know her the way the other Isha had. And that was a truth she’d have to learn to live with.
--
Jinx stared out the window of Jericho's, her fingers absently tracing the edge of her cup. The place felt familiar, the smells and the hum of conversation like something she could grasp onto, yet the world around her seemed so alien. Everything here, from the cleaner streets to the strangers she passed on the way in, made her feel like an outsider. It was almost like she didn’t belong, despite how much it reminded her of the world she knew.
She could feel the weight of Lux’s gaze on her, soft and comforting, a silent understanding. She wasn't sure what exactly she was searching for here, but this world... it was too full of differences, too much of a reminder of what she lost.
"Hey Sparkles," Jinx muttered, her voice low, barely more than a whisper. "I think I want to leave. This place... it's too familiar and still so different. I don't think I belong here. Not in this version of Zaun, not like this."
Lux didn't flinch, didn't try to talk her out of it. Instead, she nodded, her fingers gently tapping on her napkin. "I get it. It's a lot. But before we go... there's one thing I have to do."
Jinx raised an eyebrow. "What’s that?"
Lux’s lips curved into a small, knowing smile. "Eat at Jericho’s."
Jinx chuckled, despite herself. "What is it with you and food? Is this your solution for everything?"
"It’s comfort food ," Lux replied with a playful glint in her eyes. "One thing I’ve learned traveling across universes is that Jericho's is a constant. No matter where I am, I know there’s always a place where I can get a meal that feels like home. And nothing feels better than some good food in a strange world."
Jinx couldn’t help but feel the warmth of Lux’s words. God, this girl... always trying to make things better. It was a kind of love she couldn’t quite put into words.
They ate in silence for a while, the clinking of silverware and the soft hum of other patrons filling the space between them. Jinx kept looking down at her food, not really tasting it but appreciating the small act of normalcy. Lux was patient with her, letting her take her time. Finally, after a long pause, Jinx broke the silence. Her eyes finally lifted to meet Lux’s, a curious spark in them.
"How did you do it, Sparkles? I mean... jump from universe to universe, looking for me? How did you keep going?"
Lux’s smile softened, her eyes reflecting a deeper understanding than Jinx had expected. She put down her fork and leaned back slightly, taking a moment before answering. "It wasn’t easy," Lux said, her voice quiet, contemplative. "Every universe is different. Some are small changes, some are... huge. Nothing is ever the same, but one thing was always constant—I wanted to find you. That desire kept me going, no matter what I faced. It was hard, sometimes. Sometimes I’d think I was too late, or maybe that I would never find you. But that never stopped me."
Jinx felt a tug in her chest. She hadn’t realized how much Lux had truly sacrificed, how much she had to endure just to get here. To find her.
"But I learned to adapt fast," Lux continued, her eyes gleaming with that familiar determination. "Every universe had its own version of me, just like it had its version of you. But it all led me here... to this moment. And in the end, it was all worth it. Because I finally found you."
The simplicity of her words hit Jinx harder than she expected. She felt something in her chest unclench, a warmth spreading through her at the realization of what Lux had truly done for her. She was willing to cross universes for me.
Jinx bit her lip, her voice thick. "You really... you really would have kept going, huh? No matter how many worlds there were."
Lux nodded, her eyes softening. "Of course. You're worth it, Jinx. I couldn’t give up, not when there was even the slightest chance of finding you. I’ll always find you."
Jinx felt the weight of Lux's words settle deep in her heart. She didn’t know how to respond at first, her emotions a mix of awe and vulnerability. The pull to her was undeniable. She never had anyone fight for her like this—not in her world, not in any of the other ones. But Lux... Lux had gone to the ends of the multiverse for her. For this Jinx. Jinx finally smiled, her lips trembling as she reached across the table to take Lux’s hand. "I think... I think I could get used to having you around."
Lux squeezed her hand in return, a smile of her own tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I’m not going anywhere, Jinx. Unless you tell me to."
--
They arrived back at the lair, the soft sound of the door closing behind them almost felt like a return to something they both knew, yet the weight of their shared silence hung in the air. Lux gently settled herself into one of the worn chairs, clearly tired but not quite ready to leave. Her eyes darted around the room as she took everything in, a slight frown tugging at the corners of her mouth. Jinx could tell she was processing, saying her own kind of goodbye.
“I think… maybe we should leave tomorrow,” Lux said quietly, her gaze falling to the floor. “I’d like to have a little more time to say goodbye to this place… to her.”
Jinx understood. There was no rush. Not when everything they had been through had led to this point. She nodded, settling next to Lux. “Yeah, tomorrow works,” she agreed softly, her voice more comforting than she realized.
It was then that Jinx let out a small chuckle, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Hey, Lux, what’s the strangest universe you’ve been to?” she asked, the question coming out of nowhere but with an unmistakable curiosity behind it.
Lux blinked, a surprised laugh escaping her lips. “Strangest universe, huh? I’ve got a few I could think of. Where do I even start?”
Jinx leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms, waiting for the story. She couldn’t help it. Lux always had the wildest tales.
“In one universe, I had pink hair,” Lux said, laughing as she leaned back in her chair, arms crossed behind her head. “And you—well, you had red hair and were taller than me. I could barely wrap my head around that.”
Jinx’s eyes widened in amusement. “Me, tall? No way.” She scoffed. “I can’t imagine that. And red hair?”
Lux laughed, the sound of it ringing in the room. “I know, it was pretty bizarre. And in that world, we were students— can you believe that? And we were part of some super hero team or something. But you know what? I didn’t stay long. That version of you and me… we already had each other, and I didn’t know if I was supposed to be there. It didn’t feel right.”
Jinx looked at Lux, blinking slowly as she processed what Lux was saying. She couldn’t imagine being a hero, much less a student. And to think of a world where she and Lux didn’t need to find each other, but instead already had each other from the start—Jinx couldn’t help but feel the bittersweet feeling that maybe there was a world where things were different.
Lux continued, her eyes softened as she spoke, the weight of her journey and the universes she’d seen present in her voice. “Then I arrived in a universe where… that Lux—she was so protective over her Jinx. She was ready to end my life,” Lux said, her voice quiet, almost too soft. “But her Jinx, the one there, she stopped her. She… protected me.”
Jinx was stunned into silence, her mouth slightly agape. “What? She tried to kill you?”
“Yeah, in that world the Lux is crazier than the Jinx I can tell you that,” Lux said, her eyes staring into the distance. “But I learned quickly that every universe has its own version of us, Jinx. They let me go once I told them my story. They said I should go find the Jinx who needed me, because no matter the universe, Jinx and Lux, we always need each other. We’re part of something bigger, something that… binds us together.”
The silence that followed was heavy, filled with the realization of just how many different versions of them there were, how many possibilities and destinies existed. Jinx thought about it for a moment, the weight of Lux’s words sinking into her like a quiet truth. She realized just how much Lux had been through, how much she had fought through to get to this Jinx. The one in front of her.
“Guess we really are something, huh?” Jinx murmured, a small smile tugging at her lips. “Always needed. Always bound.”
Lux’s smile returned, soft and tender. “Yeah. Always.”
For a moment, the world around them seemed to pause, as if the universe itself acknowledged their bond. Jinx didn’t know how to say it, but she felt it—more than just the words Lux had shared with her. Their connection, their bond, was more than just a fleeting moment in time. It stretched across universes, across countless versions of themselves. It was something bigger than either of them. Something that neither time nor distance could break.
And for the first time in a long time, Jinx didn’t feel so alone. She had found her place—right here, with Lux.
She didn’t have all the answers, and she didn’t need them. What mattered was that Lux was here, and she was here, and somehow, no matter what universe they found themselves in, they would always find their way back to each other.
“Tomorrow,” Jinx said softly, her hand brushing against Lux’s. “We leave tomorrow. But… I’ll never leave you.”
Lux’s eyes softened, and she squeezed Jinx’s hand in return. “And I’ll never leave you either, Jinx. Not in any world.” And in that moment, as the moonlight filtered through the cracked windows of the lair, it felt like maybe—just maybe—they had everything they needed.
The night passed quietly, the kind of stillness that wrapped around them like a blanket, comforting and warm. Lux had finally drifted off to sleep, exhausted from the emotional weight of the day and the endless universes she had traveled through. Jinx stayed awake a little longer, her mind racing with thoughts and questions about everything she had seen, everything that was different in this world and how it all connected to her own reality.
Eventually, sleep claimed her as well, though it felt light, like the world could shift under her at any moment. And in that moment, she knew it wasn’t just her own version of herself that she was trying to make sense of, but all the versions of them in different worlds.
But then, a loud crash broke the quiet, and Jinx was jolted awake, immediately reaching for her weapon. Lux, too, sprang from the bed, her eyes wide with alertness as she scanned the room. They could hear footsteps, rapid and hurried, echoing through the lair.
"Get ready," Jinx whispered to Lux, her voice low and calm. They both knew how to handle a surprise—there was no telling who might be breaking in. The door to the lair burst open, and they both immediately raised their weapons. But the figures that rushed in were far from the enemies they’d expected.
Vi, Caitlyn, and Ekko stood there, wide-eyed and breathless. The tension hung thick in the air as they all stared at each other, the silence between them almost deafening.
Finally, it was Vi who broke the stillness. "Jericho came to me," she said, her voice rough with urgency. "He said Lux is back, and he saw Jinx too. I thought for sure the old man is trippin’, but here you are."
Ekko, ever the one to question everything, quickly chimed in. "How is Jinx still alive? I thought... we thought..." He trailed off, clearly struggling with the impossibility of it all.
Caitlyn, ever the pragmatist, stepped forward, her brows furrowed. "Where did you go, Lux? All this time, and you just disappeared without a word." Her voice was sharp but laced with concern, the sting of unanswered questions evident in her gaze.
Lux glanced at Jinx, silently asking if she was ready to face them all. Jinx gave her a small nod, her fingers resting lightly on her weapon but knowing that no harm would come from these three. They were familiar, even if this world’s version of them was still so foreign.
Lux sighed, lowering her weapon slightly and turning to face them all, taking a deep breath. "I can’t just stay here, Cait, not without Jinx. So I finished Jinx’s hextech portal device," she began, her voice steady but carrying the weight of years spent apart. "I’ve been traveling from universe to universe, searching for her. Each world’s version of Jinx... none of them were the one I was looking for. But this Jinx," she said, glancing over at Jinx beside her, "she’s from another universe entirely."
The words hung in the air, and it was clear that Vi, Caitlyn, and Ekko all had a hundred questions they wanted to ask. But there was silence for a moment—one of those pauses that stretched longer than any of them were comfortable with.
Finally, it was Vi who stepped forward, her expression unreadable. She paused for a moment, as if collecting her thoughts, then closed the distance between herself and Jinx. Without warning, Vi pulled Jinx into a tight hug. It was a raw, desperate kind of embrace, and Jinx found herself freezing for just a second. She hadn’t expected that. But then, slowly, her arms came around Vi, and she squeezed her back just as tightly.
"I miss you PowPow," Vi murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "I... I never thought I would see you again."
Jinx’s heart pounded in her chest as she clung to Vi. This was a Vi she hadn’t expected to meet again—one who had moved on from her own grief and found some sort of peace, even if it wasn’t the way it happened in Jinx’s world.
"I’m not gone," Jinx whispered back, her voice raw with emotion. "Not in this world. Not now."
Caitlyn stood back for a moment, taking in the scene. Her gaze softened slightly, and she gave a nod before stepping forward. "So this is really it, then," Caitlyn said, her voice less accusatory than it had been a moment before. "You’ve found each other. You’re really back."
Lux looked at her, giving a small, tired smile. "Yes. I’ve found her. Finally."
There was a moment of quiet, just the five of them standing together in the lair. Jinx didn’t know what would happen next, but for the first time in what felt like forever, she wasn’t alone. Lux was here, and Vi, Caitlyn, and Ekko—they were here too. Even if they had questions, even if they didn’t fully understand, this moment was hers.
They had all been through so much—each of them had fought battles in their own way, and now, somehow, they were here, standing in a place of beginnings and endings. There was a weight to it, but also a strange, comforting warmth. And for now, it was enough.
"I think," Jinx said quietly, her voice soft but resolute, "we all deserve a little time to catch up."
Lux’s hand found Jinx’s, and she gave it a gentle squeeze. "Yeah. We do." And together, they would face whatever came next, in this world or any other.
They all sat down together, settling into a space that felt both familiar and foreign, the weight of years and different worlds pressing in around them. The lair was quiet, the only sounds coming from their breathing and the distant hum of Zaun outside. Vi leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees as she looked between Jinx and Lux. “So… are you staying?” she asked, her voice careful but hopeful.
Jinx exhaled, running a hand through her hair before shaking her head. “No.” Vi’s face fell almost immediately, the disappointment flashing in her eyes. Jinx hesitated before adding, “But I’ll come back from time to time.”
That perked Vi up again, and she gave Jinx a half-smile. “Yeah?”
Jinx nodded. “Yeah. Lux belongs in this world. I can’t take that away from her.” She glanced at Lux beside her, and Lux gave her an affectionate squeeze on the knee in silent thanks. “So yeah, we’ll come back.”
Vi let out a small breath of relief and nodded. “Alright,” she said, her voice softer. “That’s good enough for me. But what’s up with your hair? You trynna look like me or somethin’?”
“Oh this old thing? I chopped them off. Existential crisis, spur of the moment thing. Y’know, the usual.” Jinx shrugged it off.
Ekko, who had been watching the whole exchange with quiet curiosity, leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “So what’s your world like, Jinx? What happened over there?”
Jinx thought about it for a moment, rolling her shoulders like she was shaking off the weight of the memories. “We had a war with Noxus too,” she said simply. “And we won. But we lost a lot in the process. It’s gonna take time to rebuild.”
Ekko nodded solemnly. “War always takes more than it gives.”
Caitlyn, who had been quiet up until now, tilted her head slightly. “What about Lux?” she asked. “The Lux from your world. What happened to her?”
Jinx hesitated, then shook her head. “I don’t know. Never met her.” She glanced at Lux beside her and smirked. “The only Lux I know is this one.”
The conversation continued for a while after that, filling in the gaps of time they had all lost. They talked about what had changed in Zaun, what had stayed the same, what little things Lux had noticed across different worlds that made this one unique. Vi asked about the technology Jinx had in her world, and Caitlyn wanted to know how different the political landscape was. Ekko asked about the people—whether Vander, Mylo, and Claggor had made it in her world, whether their lives had taken a different turn.
Jinx answered what she could, leaving out the more painful details, and Lux filled in the silences when Jinx needed a moment. It was strange, sitting here and talking like they were all old friends catching up after years apart—because in some ways, they were.
Eventually, though, the conversation slowed. The weight of reality was still there, lingering in the air, but the tension had eased. They had their answers, or at least enough of them for now.
Vi stretched, letting out a deep breath. “Well, I guess that’s enough world-hopping talk for one night.”
They all laughed, the sound of it filling the lair, warm and real. For the first time since stepping into this world, Jinx didn’t feel so out of place. She wasn’t sure how long it would last, but for now, it was enough.
--
Jinx and Lux stood in front of the swirling portal, its edges crackling with unstable hextech energy. Vi, Caitlyn, and Ekko stood nearby, watching with a mix of awe and apprehension.
Vi whistled low. “Damn. That’s intimidating and cool at the same time.”
Caitlyn crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly. “It’s remarkable tech. A real game-changer.”
Ekko, ever the tech-savvy one, looked fascinated. “It’s impressive. But you sure it’s safe?”
Lux smiled reassuringly. “It’s safe. I’ve done this plenty of times.”
Jinx smirked. “Besides, if we get lost in the void or something, at least we go out in style.”
Vi groaned. “Not funny.”
Jinx chuckled before turning serious. She looked at them one last time, taking in the sight of Vi, Caitlyn, and Ekko—people she had known in her own world, yet still somehow different here. “I’ll come back,” she promised. “No idea when, but I will.”
Vi nodded, stepping forward and pulling Jinx into a tight hug. “You better,” she muttered.
Jinx huffed a laugh, patting Vi’s back before pulling away. She turned to Ekko, who simply gave her a nod of understanding. Caitlyn offered her a small but genuine smile. “Take care of yourself.”
“Always,” Jinx replied. Then, without hesitation, she reached for Lux’s hand. Lux squeezed it, offering her a soft smile, and together they stepped forward.
The moment their feet crossed the threshold, the portal collapsed behind them. The transition was instant. One step forward, and they were no longer in the world of thriving Zaun and lost chances. Instead, they were back—back in Jinx’s world.
Jinx blinked. The scent of gunpowder and metal filled her nose, the dim neon lights flickered just as they always did. This was her space, her home. The lair was exactly as she had left it, chaotic but familiar. She let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.
Lux, however, remained quiet, taking in their surroundings. Jinx turned to her. “You okay?”
Lux was silent for a moment before exhaling, her shoulders relaxing. “Yeah,” she said softly. Then, she looked at Jinx, smiling in that way that made her seem like the brightest thing in the room. “Because as long as I’m with you, I’ll be okay.”
Jinx stared at her. She didn’t know what to say to that, not really. No one had ever said something like that to her before. Jinx scratched the back of her head awkwardly before muttering, “You know I’ll never be the same as your Jinx, right?”
Lux’s expression softened. “I know,” she said.
Jinx hesitated. “Can you accept that?”
Lux stepped closer, reaching up to tuck a stray strand of blue hair behind Jinx’s ear. “Yes,” she said, firm and unwavering. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to change or be the Jinx I used to love.”
Jinx swallowed. “I’m glad. Because I want you to like me for who I am now. Maybe even… learn to love me like this.”
Lux’s fingers lingered against Jinx’s jaw for a second before she smiled again—gentle, understanding, full of something unspoken. “You don’t have to worry about that,” she said.
Jinx exhaled a quiet chuckle, looking down for a second before shaking her head. “You’re really something else, you know that?”
Lux just grinned. “I try.”
Jinx rolled her eyes but didn’t let go of Lux’s hand. She squeezed it instead, just to make sure she was still there. Lux squeezed her hand back and asked, “What about you? Are you okay? I know universe jumping is not easy.”
Jinx let out a long whistle and sat down on her workbench, contemplating for a while before answering, “It was harder than I thought it would be.”
Lux hummed in understanding as she leaned against Jinx’s workbench, arms crossed, watching her. “That makes sense,” she said softly. “It’s a lot to take in all at once.”
Jinx exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair. “Yeah, no kidding. Seeing different versions of Zaun, different versions of… me? And then Isha—” Her voice wavered slightly, but she shook her head. “That was the hardest part. She didn’t even know me. But… at least she’s alive and happy there.”
Lux reached out, placing a comforting hand on Jinx’s arm. “I know it hurts, but I think it’s good that you got to see that. In a way, it’s proof that things can turn out okay, even in ways we don’t expect.”
Jinx let out a small laugh, shaking her head. “Yeah, yeah. I get it, sunshine.”
Lux smiled at the new nickname but said nothing, simply squeezing Jinx’s arm before letting go.
Jinx sighed and leaned back against her workbench. “You know what, though? I think I’m in a good place right now. I mean, my relationship with Vi is… actually decent. Even Caitlyn and Ekko—yeah, they’re annoying sometimes, but we’re good. Not like I would ever admit that to them y’know.”
Lux tilted her head slightly, smiling. “And?”
Jinx huffed, glancing at Lux from the corner of her eye. “And I’ve got you.”
Lux’s smile softened. “Yeah, you do.”
Jinx looked at her for a moment before shaking her head with a small chuckle. “For now, that’s enough for me. No more universe-hopping for a bit. I need to process all this first.”
Lux nodded. “Fair enough.” They stood in comfortable silence for a while, the hum of Zaun’s neon lights flickering around them.
Jinx stretched her arms above her head, then smirked. “But when I’m ready? Yeah, I think I’d like to see a few more worlds.”
Lux grinned. “Good. Because I think you’d be surprised at what’s out there.”
Jinx raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? Like what?”
Lux’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “Let’s just say… there’s a world where we’re pirate captains.”
Jinx’s mouth fell open. “No way.”
Lux nodded. “Oh, and another where we’re in a rock band.”
Jinx narrowed her eyes. “Are you making this up?”
Lux laughed. “Guess you’ll have to find out yourself.”
Jinx groaned, but she was smiling. “Damn it, sunshine. Now I have to go see that.”
Lux winked. “I’ll be right there with you.” Jinx shook her head, but for the first time in a long time, the idea of the unknown didn’t feel so terrifying. With Lux by her side, maybe—just maybe—anything was possible.
-END-