Work Text:
Act I: My Juliet
It was another sunny day in Paris, the city of love and lights. Until… KABOM!!!
People started running from one side to the other when a stone monster appeared, terrorizing the peace of the Parisian population. The police force was no match for this creature, which had been akumatized.
Everything seemed lost, until:
“Look! It’s Firelight and Jinx! We’re safe”
Yes, the heroes of Paris. Firelight with the miraculous of luck and creation. And Jinx, with the miraculous of misfortune and destruction.
Ying and Yang.
Opposites that attract and balance each other.
“Nothing like another day of work” Jinx commented, observing the villain “Finishing villains alongside my little bug” ;3
“I’m not your little bug, Jinx” Firelight replied “But yes, let’s finish off the villain”
“I hope you can keep up with me” ;)
The stone monster looked at them, a butterfly-shaped energy mask appeared on its face “<Go! Get their Miraculouses. Firelight’s earrings and Jinx’s ring!>” Hockmorth, the bearer of the transmission Miraculous, which is used carelessly by its current bearer to turn ordinary people into villains.
The creature roared and advanced towards the heroes and the battle began. Firelight used his Talisman to create an object that would help him in the battle. After devising a plan, they executed it perfectly with Jinx using her Cataclysm, which destroys everything she touches, to destroy the akumatized object. “I got you,” the insect hero says, catching the little black butterfly that was trying to escape with his yo-yo. But don’t worry, the butterfly is fine, it just needed to be purified. It didn’t take long for the black butterfly to fly away with beautiful white wings through the sky. “Bye, little butterfly. Miraculous Firelight!”
The hero throws the object summoned by his talisman into the air, which transforms into a cloud of magical ladybugs that shine and surround all of Paris, repairing the damage caused by the villain.
Firelight smiles at the scene, this was her favorite part of the day, seeing that everything went well. “Victory kiss!” Jinx says, throwing herself into the hero’s arms, trying to steal a kiss from him, but Firelight pushes her away as much as she can. “Come on, just a little kiss.” >3< “Then three children and a hamster.”
“No!” He pushes her “You’re going to detransform already”
“What’s the problem? I just want a little kiss”
“If you reveal your identity, you’ll have to give back your miraculous”
Jinx seemed to wake up with what Firelight said, looking at her magic ring. Jinx’s eyes flashed with anger when she realized how little time she had, Firelight couldn’t deny that she was a little scared when Jinx was like that.
“This time you escaped, little bug, but next time I’ll have what I want” Jinx got close to Firelight, smiling devilishly “And I want you”
With that said, Jinx used her staff to jump over the buildings of Paris. Firelight did the same, going in the opposite direction using her yo-yo to move around. He landed in an empty alley and detransformed “That was close” Ekko sighed in relief “I thought she was going to grab me in the middle of the street”
“I think Jinx’s way of showing affection is just eccentric” Tikki, the little Kuami who created Ekko’s powers, said as she ate a single chocolate cookie “But I trust Plagg’s choice for the holder of his Miraculous”
“I highly doubt it” Ekko began to rub his eye, yawning sleepily “I didn’t sleep well last night”
“You can go home because of the Akuma”
“The Akuma is already gone and I can’t miss any more classes Tikki” Ekko argued to the Kuami “Come on, we still have time to get to class”
Tikki got inside Ekko’s backpack and he ran towards his school where his friend Scar was waiting at the entrance “Dude, did you oversleep again?” Scar asked, “Don’t you collect watches? You wear at least one of them?” “I’m here, aren’t I?” Ekko said as he walked to the classroom, but he simply froze when he saw someone running through the door. Powder, the girl of his dreams. Always impeccable, always delicate and always… Perfect. Powder ran into the room, late. “Sorry,” she said before entering. “Man, you’re drooling.” Scar woke Ekko up and pulled him into the room. “Just ask her out.” “As if she’d say yes.” Powder was a young model on the rise, appearing in magazines, commercials and celebrity reports. Compared to her, Ekko was nothing. His family owned a hardware and antiques store. They were friends when they were little, but after Powder went to New York with her stepfather, they never saw each other again. Until she returned to Paris and even though they studied at the same school, she didn’t remember him. But he remembered her very well. Seeing her again sparked something in Ekko and before he knew it, he was putting pictures of Powder on his bedroom wall. For some reason, seeing her inspired him to make inventions or draw.
But today was not the case, as soon as he sat down at his desk, Ekko began to fight sleep. On top of his academy projects, he had his job as a Firelight. He was simply exhausted.
“Ekko?” The literature teacher called him “Are you with us?”
“Yes teacher, sorry” Ekko mumbled trying to come back to reality.
“Can you recite the text of Romeo and Juliet that we are in?”
“Romeo and Juliet?” Scar discreetly points to the part of the text where they are “Hah! Yes, of course” Ekko looked at the text, still groggy from sleep “‘What light shines through that window? It is the East, and Powder is the Sun! Arise, fair Sun, and slay the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with sorrow, For you see that you, her servant, are much more beautiful than she.’” Ekko couldn’t hold it in and gave a long yawn “Sorry teacher and that I didn’t sleep well”
“Yeah. I noticed”
Damn, he must have read the text wrong. Ekko heard the whispers and muffled laughter of the other students. He discreetly looked up at Powder, who seemed… Confused?
“Man… Didn’t you notice?” Scar said with his hands on his face and holding back his laughter. “You said it wrong… I said Powder instead of Juliet.”
He said Powder instead of Juliet.
He said Powder instead of Juliet.
Instead of Juliet, he said Powder…
Powder…
He said Powder…
He said Powder…
“That’s what happened, Aunt Inna,” Scar explained. The shock was so great that Ekko simply froze. “So I brought him here.” Ekko had to be carried by Scar to the workshop. He was sitting sprawled on the couch, staring at the ceiling.
Inna looked at Ekko worriedly. “My poor son, he’s just a poor man in love.”
“He’s more like a crazy man in love. Have you seen his room?” Wyeth replied to his wife, “Even Benzo has seen him pining for the girl. He has pictures of her in his room.”
“She’s a model, what did he want?”
“Text messages and asking her out on a date. Because the way he’s going, he’ll never have a chance. Not after confusing her with Juliet.” His father’s comment awakened something in Ekko. He slowly got up from the couch, startling everyone. “Ekko? Son?”
He didn’t answer, he just went to the back of the store, followed by his parents and his best friend. “Ekko! Get down from there now!” Inna shouted, watching her son try to jump into the dumpster.
“No, I live here now.” He said, trying to jump into the dumpster. “I’m trash.”
“Son! You’re not trash! Wyeth, help me!”
But the older man was bursting out laughing along with Ekko’s “best friend.”
---*---
[Powder’s room:]
“HaHaHaHaHa!!!!” Plagg, the little black cat Kwami of destruction, was laughing on the table. “What an idiot!!! HaHaHaHa!!!” The Kwami’s laughter stopped when he had to dodge a pillow flying towards him. “Hey!”
“Stop laughing at Ekko!” Powder ordered, irritated by the Kwami’s attitude.
“Why? You went to the bathroom to laugh at him.”
“I can! I’ve known him since I was a kid. Even if he doesn’t remember me anymore.”
Powder’s life isn’t as perfect as everyone thinks. She and her older sister were separated after the divorce, and she stayed with Silco. He was so distant that the only thing he talked to her about was his modeling schedule. When she returned to Paris and met Ekko at her new school, she thought he would recognize her right away, but they just… He looked at her, said “hi” and left.
Lux, her friend, said that during roll call he would recognize his name, but he didn’t.
It was the worst day of her life.
Powder really thought that everything would go back to the way it was before? Seriously? She was a fool to think that going to school would make her freer.
Until she met Plagg and she really understood what freedom was: Comfortable clothes; That she liked; Say what she wanted; and act how she wanted.
Being Jinx gave her freedom.
Jinx was freedom.
“Listen, you little cake,” Plagg began to speak, preparing one of his sermons. “You are a piece of crap, don't be surprised that a boy likes you and confessed to you by accident.”
“Ekko? Like me? Hahaha!!! Not even in my nightmares. Ekko would never see me like this.”
“Who said?”
“Experience. He sees me like this, the Powder role model. But as soon as he remembers who I am, the tomboy Powder, he’ll back off.” Powder’s gaze went to the old necklace she made with scrap beads when she was a child. “It’s always like this.” Plagg put his paw on her chin thoughtfully. Then he smiled. >:} “Why don’t we go and put this to the test?” Plagg suggested like a little devil on Powder’s shoulder. “Go to him, see how he’s acting after the scene.” “Nice try, Plagg, but I know that look in your eyes, you just want to see the circus burn with a slapstick romance.” Powder flicked the black cat, throwing him away. “And anyway, even if he liked me, my heart is only for Firelight.” <3 <3 <3 <3 Powder had been pining for the hero of the Creation Miraculous ever since she saw him defying Howkmorth with all of Paris watching. He was the opposite of her, he was bold, cheerful and helped people because he wanted to help, not because it would look good for his image. In other words, he was real, unlike Powder.
“But… If he’s too embarrassed” Powder started to reason “He’s a perfect target for an akuma. And if he gets akumatized, I’ll see the father of my children twice today” <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
“Father of your children? Seriously?” -_- “Why are my carriers always strangers?”
“Plagg! Show your claws!!”
---*---
[Ekko's Room:]
Ekko was under the covers of his bed, embarrassed to leave his hiding place so early. He still didn't understand how he ended up confusing Juliet with Powder in the text. Seriously? Did it have to be with the novel where the guy is a traitor?
He spent the end of the afternoon trying to formulate a text message to Powder apologizing in a vain attempt to rebuild what he ended up destroying, but he wasn't succeeding.
“I give up, Tikki,” he said, throwing his cell phone away. “She thinks I'm an idiot now. I'm going to ask for a transfer to Siberia.”
“Don't talk like that,” Tikki tried to cheer him up, pulling the sheets off his carrier and flying them close to his face. “Try to see it as an opportunity.”
“An opportunity to be humiliated?”
“No. Opportunity to get closer.” Ekko finally got out of bed, paying attention to what Kuami, with billions of years of age and experience, had to say. “You can tell her that you saw her father’s latest fashion collection, which was inspired by Romeo and Juliet and ended up getting confused.” Tikki flew to Ekko’s desk. “Take the opportunity to show off one of your steampunk inventions.” “It’s a bit of a risky idea, don’t you think?” “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Tikki giggled at her quote. That’s when they heard something heavy on the roof. “What was that?” “Is there someone on the roof?” “An akuma?” Tikki flew to the roof, crossing the ceiling. “No. Tikki come back here.” Despite her pleas, the kwame didn’t listen. Ekko grabbed a baseball bat he had and climbed up through the skylight that led to the terrace. “Who’s there?!” He asked looking around “Tikki? Where are you?”
“Is that a runaway kitten?”
“AAAhhh!” Ekko screamed when he was surprised by a very familiar female voice “Jinx?!”
“In the flesh” Jinx said, spinning on top of the roof and then jumping to the terrace appropriately “Tikkie is the name of your pet cat? I’m good with cats”
“Ehh I don’t doubt it” Ekko saw the creation kwami behind a plant and then discreetly entering the room “But… Tikkie is a stray kitten that I feed sometimes” Ekko tried to dodge Jinx to enter the room again “And I don’t want to disturb a great heroine in a search for stray cats. So good night”
“Great heroine?” Jinx hugged Ekko from behind as he tried to go back to his room, he genuinely didn't expect this kind of intimacy, she's like that with Firelight, not with Ekko “I like you kid. I don't know why they're saying those things about you on your school's website”
“My school's website?”
Jinx used her staff to open a screen and show the page “Made a romantic confession in the middle of class? How bold”
“It's on the school blog?!” Ekko grabbed the staff, outraged by what he saw “It's official, I'm dead… Wait. Why are you on my school's blog?” ‘Did she find out who I am?’
“Do you know how many akumatized teenagers I fight every day?” Jinx replied, putting her hands on her hips “I’m on several school blogs. Teenagers are the first to tell when one of them has been akumatized”
“I guess that makes sense” ‘At least she didn’t find out my secret identity “So you came here to find out if I was akumatized?” “Also. But it’s a good thing it’s not, the night is too beautiful for a battle” Jinx leaned against the balcony railing, her bright eyes reflecting the city lights, Ekko however, didn’t seem to want to take a break “You know, you could talk a little about how you feel” She shrugged her shoulders, looking away as if that were a normal thing to say “Let it out”
“I’m not going to talk about my feelings as if it were something trivial”
“It’s not trivial, it’s just… Everyone has feelings, Ekko. I’m just saying that it’s good to let it out” Jinx looked at him in a way he had never seen before, she was delicate, pure and sincere “If you don’t feel like talking to a complete stranger, just pretend it’s not the first time we’ve done this”
“It seems easier said than done” Ekko crossed his arms thoughtfully, meanwhile, Jinx continued to lean her back against the terrace railing, with a short smile on her face and staring at him. Waiting for him. Finally Ekko sighed in defeat “Okay”
Jinx laughed out loud at having won once again.
Ekko rolled his eyes and walked to the railing, standing next to Jinx “So… There’s this girl, Powder, and she’s the epitome of perfect”
“A bit of an exaggeration, don’t you think? This Powder isn’t a super famous model”
“She’s a model, but I’ve known her long before that” The information took Jinx by surprise “She’s not just a pretty face like everyone thinks, she’s smart, funny and full of energy. She always saw the world in a unique way” Then he remembered her “We were best friends”
“Were they?”
“Her parents got divorced. Silco, the pharmaceutical industry baron, got custody of Powder and took her to the United States. I only saw her again in a drug comercial or I don't know... After that, I saw it in magazines, posters, on that billboard over there" Jinx looked up in the direction Ekko pointed, surprised by the huge photo of herself in a makeup ad "And when she went back to Paris, she didn't even recognize me"
'What's up, honey? I'm sure it was the other way around'
"But I know the girl I love is still there... Somewhere"
"Ekko I..."
"But I messed up!" Jinx was startled when Ekko hit his forehead really hard on the railing "I called her Juliet! In front of the whole classroom! And she dies in the end... Worst possible ending"
Jinx is almost sure Ekko is bleeding. He remained stretched out on the railing "You're not going to throw yourself, are you?"
"It crossed my mind, but my mother is down there" Ekko said crossing his arms and resting his head "I just wish I could go back in time, just for a few seconds. Just for a second... At least I would know what to do... Now she must think I'm an idiot"
"Idiot? No" Jinx said honestly, after all he was technically asking her opinion "A cute crazy guy? Maybe. Not an idiot. But you know, maybe this is your chance to get closer to her again" Ekko raises his head to look at the heroine "I bet she would want that"
"You're the second person to tell me that"
"Then it's good advice. You know, us idiots in love have to stick together. We're the only ones who understand why we don't give up on someone"
Jinx looked at Ekko, he was confused by her calm smile and shining eyes. Now, besides being embarrassed he felt guilty. He was opening his heart to her about a girl while he knows that Jinx is in love with Firelight, that is, him.
"Jinx, I-"
"Get down!"
---*---
Act II: Akumatization
Once upon a time there was a psychologist who works with couples. Many come to her to get back to how they were before. Some succeed, others don't.
One day, more than one couple came to her, calling her incompetent because she didn't give them solutions. A psychologist won't solve your life, he or she will help you solve your life. A couples psychologist won't listen to your spouse's problems and make them love you again.
You have to listen to each other and help each other. But how can you do that if you only fight and blame each other?
“<I think exactly that>” Howkmorph said through the psychic connection created by his Akuma “<Love is something fragile that must be taken care of with care>”
“They don't want to change, but they came here wanting something to change?!”
“<Yes, what hypocrisy. I understand you and I will help you solve your problems, giving you the power to make them listen to each other whether they want to or not. And in return, I want Firelight's earrings and Jinx's ring>”
“Yes, Howkmorph” She said and was soon surrounded by a black aura “I am the Mediator! And since this is the city of love, I will make everyone listen to each other and love each other! For better or for worse!!!”
After the akumatization was complete, the Mediator began to capture couples. They were placed in a bubble and then flown meters high, flying over Paris. As soon as the Akumatized saw Jinx on the balcony of that house, she shot one of her bubbles with her pen/gun.
Ekko and Jinx were caught in the attack and were now stuck floating above the city. A very cool fall.
“HaHaHaHa!!! One less” The Mediator said “Now, give me your Miraculous”
“Never!” Jinx shouted, positioning herself with difficulty between Ekko and the villain. “But if you want my ring, you can come and get it. I just can’t promise that I won’t use Cataclysm on you.” Jinx smiled sadistically from ear to ear. Ekko knew she wasn’t bluffing.
“Very well, since that’s how it is, let’s wait for Firelight to appear. At that point, you can’t do anything to destroy the bubble.” The heroine growled angrily. “Until then, enjoy the view. This bubble won’t go down until a real couple shows up. HaHaHa!!”
Mediator flew away from them, taking the opportunity to make more victims and get the other hero’s attention.
“Damn it!!” Jinx shouted, punching the walls of that prison. “Sorry Ekko, I don’t think we’ll be getting out anytime soon. Firelight is always late when an akuma shows up at night.”
Ekko looked away in surprise. It was true, he was a heavy sleeper. But this time it was different! He couldn't transform unless all of Paris saw it, including Jinx.
"It's okay, it wasn't the worst thing that happened today" Ekko shrugged, trying to ease the tension "I guess I should apologize. You were listening to me babbling and didn't see the akumatized one" Ekko smiled comfortingly at Jinx, who returned the gesture. That's when the ball began to slowly descend "What's going on?" The bubble descended a little and then stopped "What was that?" Ekko began to look around, seeing several couples of various types trapped in balls like theirs. The couples who were playing remained in the same place, while the couples who were talking or comforting each other were slowly descending "I think in order to descend we have to look like a couple" "How?" “Look, their bubbles are going down. And ours went down a little when we apologized.” Jinx looked at the couples. “You’re right, but… It’s too slow. By the time we get down there, the Mediator will have already arrested all the couples in Paris. Unless…” “Unless? What?” “Let’s kiss.” “What?!” “Look, I know you love perfect Powder and everything. But we have to get out of here.” Ekko started to think. Talking a little and hugging each other would make the bubble go down really slowly, and he had to transform out of Jinx’s field of vision and before all the men in the city were captured. “Okay! Okay, just don’t-!!!!” Ekko couldn’t finish his sentence. Jinx threw herself into his arms and pressed their lips together before they both changed their minds because of their passions. At first, the kiss was rough with a hint of desperation, but it had to seem real.
It had to be real.
Jinx placed her hands on Ekko's chest, who took courage to hold her by the waist. They were slowly relaxing into the kiss as if it wasn't the first time. Ekko had lost track of time when he felt himself falling to the ground.
The bubble had descended to the streets of Paris and vanished.
"It worked!" Jinx said, letting go of Ekko's arms.
"Yes, I'm glad it worked."
"You know Ekko, you're a pretty good kisser, but keep practicing when you get your Juliet's heart."
With that, Jinx used her staff to jump onto a building behind the akumatized woman.
---*---
Act III: Grand Finale.
[After defeating the villain:]
“Miraculous Firelight!” The hero threw the talismanic object into the air, which turned into a cloud of ladybugs.
He knew what was coming next. “Kiss of victory!” Jinx said, pulling the heroes by the collar and joining their lips.
Maybe it was the heat of the moment or what happened on the balcony of his room, but he didn’t stop it. He just… let it happen as if it wasn’t the first time they had done this, and in a way it wasn’t. Until he remembered Powder and the reason he had fallen in love with her.
When Powder returned to school, he thought she had turned into just another spoiled rich girl, until art class where they were paired up in a raffle. They had to make a poster, they barely exchanged a few words but they achieved a surreal synchronicity in the work and he saw her for real, with paint, glue and glitter destroying her entire expensive dress, but she didn’t care.
The victory kiss lasted 5 seconds. “That’s enough,” Firelight said, separating from Jinx. “We’re just partners, Jinx, nothing more, nothing less.” He reminded her.
“W-wait. Just give me one more kiss.”
Jinx tried to get closer again, but Firelight took a few steps back. “No! Jinx, I love someone else.” He revealed, leaving Jinx shocked. “I’m sorry.” And with that, he grabbed his yo-yo and jumped onto a building.
---*---
Arriving in her room, Jinx detransformed. Plagg seemed worried about his carrier as he lightly touched her lips “H-hey, Pow-pow, you got a victory kiss” He tried to break the ice, but Powder remained thoughtful “Forget about him, there are a lot of fish and cheese in this world, like that boy. What's his name again?”
“Ekko…”
“That's right, him. He likes you and seems really cool”
“Plagg… Are people's lips exactly the same?”
“Hmm… No. They're like fingerprints” Then she started laughing “Pow-pow”
Powder was laughing compulsively, scaring the kwame that had existed since the beginning of the centuries.
“Little bug! Do you think you can fool me?!” She started to mumble and finally threw herself on the bed. When Powder transformed into Jinx, all her senses were heightened. She kissed two people while transformed and it was like kissing a single person twice. “I found you.” She said as she looked at a picture on her phone from the school forum, noticing the very familiar pair of earrings. “And you’re mine, Ekko.”
The End.