Work Text:
I.
Noise echoed all throughout the room. The most prominent was her history professor's voice, talking about something along the lines of the "myth of the Arcane," or something. Not that she was listening, the speech was going in one ear and out the other.
She'd tried to seem like she was paying attention, she really did, but with everything going on today, she simply couldn't. She had an exam fifth period, a presentation sixth, and a project next period, not to mention all the homework she's supposed to hand in today (that she didn't do.)
Jinx shifted in her chair, turning to get a pen out of her backpack. She reached into her back pocket, swishing around it, stalling, yes, but also trying to find an actual good pen. She settled on a blue glitter-gel pen. She twisted back into her original position, looked at Ekko—who was currently sitting next to her— followed by a crossing of her legs into a criss-cross on the chair.
"Jinx!" The voice boomed. She felt everyone's gaze practically burn a hole through her. "When and where did the myth of the Arcane originate?" Jinx swallowed down hard. Of-fucking-course he picked on her. "Uh," She hesitated, met with the disappointed look of her teacher. She felt everyone stare at her, her face felt hot. She turned to the side, as if seeking approval, and she met Ekko, eyes full of concern.
Are you okay? They spoke.
She smiled softly, unsure, I will be.
A nod of Ekkos head followed, silent encouragement.
"So? See guys? This is was happens when you don't—"
"—The myth of the Arcane originated in Zaun, but does not have a set date of origin. When people began to believe you could potentially manipulate the Arcane was 192 APF." She spoke up, voice filled with bravado.
"…Correct.
Ekko looked back at her proudly, as if saying That's my girl!
She loved this boy so much.
For the rest of class, she spent it doodling on Ekko. Tracing her infamous monkey symbol over and over all over his arm. She had also begun to write "JINX WAS HERE!" Spontaneously placed. In spite of this, Ekko looked completely unfazed, as if used to it.
She reached towards his hand to stabilize it as she colored on him. Instead, he caught ahold of her hands, giving her three gentle squeezes.
One. I. Two. Love. Three. You.
She gazed over at him, mouth left agape. Then, she returned the gesture. Three loving, soft squeezes. I love you. Her attention remained fully on him, only not being reprimanded by their professor because they were in the very back, and stared as he brought her hands towards his lips, taking each and every one of her fingers and pressing his lips delicately against them.
Maybe it would be okay.
II.
When Jinx had heard that the firelight event was going to be hype, she'd expected it to be normal hype. The type were you sort of partied but mostly hung out. She knew this was a fundraiser event of some sort, Ekko'd thoroughly explained how the money raised would be donated to neglected Zaunite children.
Anyhow, she was completely wrong.
Music buzzed in every direction, the crowd all circled in around the DJ. She wasn't one to party, she'll admit. But she also wasn't one to not party. She'd stay at parties typically for an hour, before heading on a detour with Ekko or Vi. This time was different, though. She was here for Ekko. She'd stay for him, as well.
She was currently sitting on a concrete bench, far from the chaos, but still close enough to be in reach for Ekko. Vi had come, too, but she'd lost her in the crowd. Ekko had a speech today. One he'd been prepping for a whole, now. He was scared, she could tell. His eyes would slightly widen, and would fidget with either his or her hands whenever the speech took over the topic.
As if on cue, she noticed a certain white-haired boy pushing past the crowd in an attempt to get to her, whispering quick "excuse me"' s until he finally succeeded.
"Hi," He breathed out a laugh, visibly agitated.
Jinx beamed as soon as he'd gotten to her, she giggled and waved her fingers in his direction. "Hey," he took a seat beside her, getting ahold of her hand almost immediately and playing with her fingers.
Ekko looked… anxious, eyes not quite present, his teeth gently grinding. The girl shifted closer, their legs touching now. Jinx picked up one on her legs, then rested it atop Ekkos, a movement she tends to do to try to get as close as possible. She leaned her head onto his shoulder, never backing her hand away from his as she did. "How are you feeling, E?"
Ekko didn't answer, just gave her a soft, half-hearted smile, yet she knew exactly what he meant. She gave him a gentle squeeze with the hand he'd been holding, and leaned into his ear. "You'll do great." She whispered.
★ ★ ★
People began to gather around the stage again. Ekko was sitting in the front row, besides Jinx, preparing for his speech. Jinx' words kept echoing in his head "You'll do great." Over and over again.
Eventually, he was called up. "Hey, Ekko?" Jinx called out softly as he got up, to which he turned to her in reaction and was met by her gorgeous blue eyes, holding warmth, full of care. "Yeah?" She took ahold of his hand. Giving him three tender squeezes. I love you.
The corners of his lips twitched up, practically whispering "me too." Then he turned, giving her a quick, loving glance, and walked up the stage steps.
+ I
It was late; the sky near pitch black, but even before that, the day had seemed rather gloomy, clouds hiding the sun.
Jinx was lying on Ekko's hardwood floor, elbows posed up resting on a cushion she stolen from his couch, hands holding up her head.
This was their ordinary. They'd typically spend the day at each other's houses, specially if they wanted an escape, whether that was from homework, or from something… stranger. This time, Jinx'd asked him if she could come over and study. They both knew that wasn't the real reason she wanted to come over, but he left it alone.
Anyhow, once she arrived, they did not study, at all. Instead, they had spent the past four hours doing nothing at all, really. They'd started a random movie they found, but that got boring quick. Then, they'd moved to other things. Jinx had been reading for approximately fifteen minutes, and got… distracted, you could say..
"How many arms does a fish have?" Her voice disturbed and took over the silence suddenly, looking up from her book The Giver.
"None…? Why would you think they had any?"
"Ionno," She shrugged, looking back at her book. "Jus' curious"
"Mhm.." He hummed, skepticism seeping into his voice; he left it alone either way, but as time passed, he grew concerned. "Alright now, spill it." He commanded.
Jinx' eyebrows furrowed. "What?"
"Why did you want to come over? You know, I love you very much, but you're awfully quiet," he paused. "What happened? Something with you and Vi or something?"
Jinx' blue irises averted his brown ones as he practically started into her soul.
Ekko immediately soothed. "Jinx. Jinx, baby, it's okay if you don't want to talk, I'm simply worried about you, darling."
Her eyes snapped back to him, eyes tracing his every crease, studying him. Then, she sighed. "Ding ding ding. You got it!" She cheered unenthusiastically, apparently now interested in how her socks looked.
"You wanna talk about it?" He tried.
"No." She paused to think, placing a single finger on their chin. "It's just that… I may or may not have gotten into an argument with Vi." Ekko stared and directed any bit of attention towards her, taking in every detail as she spoke.
"—and before you say I'm overreacting, or that I'm dramatic—"
"—Which you aren't."
"—right okay anyways. Before you do, it's not even about…" she trailed off and begun once again. "I'm not even upset about the reason we argued. I guess I'm just.. scared that she may finally get tired of me." She let out a humorless laugh. "I'm so fucking stupid, aren't I?"
"You aren't. Come here."
She remained still for a couple of seconds, scanning him completely, trying to find out if there was any trick behind his demand. Upon finding none, she stood up slowly, and took a couple of steps towards him.
Jinx took a seat beside him silently, slamming herself against the bed and curling up into him on the ground. She rested her head on his shoulder, taking his hand in hers. "I love you, Jinx. I think you should just speak with her as you did with me. When you're ready, of course."
She opened her mouth, ready to retort a snarky comment, but he was honest with her, fully. She gave him a small nod along with a small smile. "I love you too, Ekko. So so much."
He leaned in closer to her, moving his thumb up to her cheek, caressing it softly. Ekko moved his thumb to her lip, tugging on it carefully, almost timidly. His gaze dropped from her eyes to her lips, then back to her eyes, full of love and desire. He inched closer to her, now only a couple of centimeters apart from her.
He could feel her breath hot against his parted lips. The corners of her mouth twitched upwards, as if daring him to do it, so he closed the distance, and it felt like their first all over again. Electricity and warmth trickled down his spine. Their lips moved in a familiar rhythm. They'd been dating a few months over a year and he still wasn't over the firelights in his stomach every time he kissed her. Her hand came up and tangled into his hair, making sure he wouldn't back away.
He moved his over hand on her waist, pulling her as in as he tried to close the gap between them.
They eventually had to part for air, unfortunately. Once they did, Jinx began giggling uncontrollably. "What?" Ekko asked with a slight whine towards the end. Jinx simply leaned in and whispered, "I love you."