"Cheater," Jay stated with delight, pulling her body away from the couch and inching it closer to the playing table.
"Jay," Yasuo replied in jest, raising his arms in the air, praying to the gods to bestow an ounce of sanity on his little sister. "Every time we play you scream we're cheating."
"Right," Jay replied with a wry smile as her partner Ekko looked on.
"Oh Gods, not again," Ahri chuckled as she sat beside Yasuo.
"Every time, love," Ahri continued, staring at the cards on the table. "Every time Yasuo takes your Queen, you claim we're cheating…"
"Stay out of this Ri," Jay replied with a smile, eyes fixated on the cards. "It's between me and him." Ahri pulled herself away from the battlegrounds, giving the combatants space to work it out. She rolled her eyes towards Ekko, chuckling with a shoulder shrug in return.
" Ace-Ace was the opening gambit; tie goes to the aggressor… us," Jay started, shutting her eyes, focusing on every hand in the game.
"Ekko attacked with a six of clubs… Ahri blocked with a six of hearts, I countered with a Queen of spades, and you… " Jay said, opening her glittering amethyst eyes, staring directly into Yasuo's soul, "you… topped it with a king of spades."
"Sounds about right," Yasuo replied with a grin on his face. "Nothing out of the ordinary so far."
"If it was any other hand you would be right… but here's the thing," Jay said, rubbing the two cards in her hands together in nervous delight.
"Go on?" Yasuo replied, staring back at Jay, refusing to back down from her challenge.
Jay gently pulled a card from her hand as if it was a newborn child, displaying it for the world to see.
She displayed a single king of spades before plopping it on the pile of cards - clear evidence of her adopted father's shenanigans on full display.
"I'm not skilled at this game," Jay said, brows lowering towards the table, "but from what I remember, there is only one king of spades in a deck."
"WHAT?" Ahri and Ekko exclaimed together, falling back in their seats with laughter. "Yasuo… what in the…" Ahri mustered between laughs, grabbing her lover's arm in solidarity, an elbow to the rib for good measure - a move she borrowed from her daughter, of course. "All these years and you couldn't tell me we were cheating?"
"Well played, kid," Yasuo said with a smile, never breaking eye contact with Jay as their respective partners rolled with delight. Jay sat in character, her face meeting her challenger's gaze, never giving an inch to his advantage.
"...but it's okay. I won't hold it against you," Jay quipped, never breaking eye contact with her big brother. "After all, at this table, we're all family."
"That we are," Yasuo replied, a slight sense of pride beaming at her words.
He knew what was coming.
She knew what was coming.
Let it play out.
"So what do you say we forget these silly transgressions and call it a tie?" Jay continued, never losing sight of her prey.
"If you think that's best," Yasuo said with a grin, stone face never revealing his true intentions. "After all, you are right - there is only one King of spades. How do we know yours is the real one?"
"Oh Gods… she's showing you mercy," Ahri chimed in, hoping to preserve whatever's left of Yasuo's ego, unaware of the metagame at play between her lover and her little sister. "Take it while you still can."
"Yes… a tie is…" Jay said with a gleeful smile. "Oh… but wait…" she continued, "what's this?" she whispered, rubbing the single card in her hand. "Oh, right… I still have a card to play."
"You don't say," Yasuo replied, a grin plastered on his face.
"I do say," Jay replied, leaning back into the couch in amusement. She flicked her wrist nonchalantly, the last card sailing through the air, gracefully making its way towards the table.
A single joker landed on the pile, face up, ending the game.
"OOOOHHHHHH!" Ekko and Ahri roared, their eyes widened, the situation too much to bear.
"YASUO… WHAT IN THE…" Ekko mustered between laughter, barely able to contain himself.
"HOW DID WE CHEAT AND STILL LOSE?" Ahri yelled, her cheeks glowing brightly with utter amusement at the situation.
Yasuo leaned back in his seat, raising a closed fist towards his mouth. He closed his eyes and gently kissed the tips of his fingers, opening his hand in the air to mimic an explosion - a sign of respect to his opponent.
if there ever was such a thing.
"Game. Set. Match, kiddo," Yasuo muttered to Jay with a smile.
Jay raised both fists towards her mouth, middle fingers protruding in the air. She paused for a moment, feigning a careful study of the objects in front of her.
"What's this?" She wondered aloud, a devilish grin displayed on her face.
"My mind is saying 'good game', but these darn fingers… they just refuse to go down." She curiously shifted her eyes between each digit before continuing. "I think... I think they're…"
She slowly moved her fingers towards her lips and planted a gentle kiss on each one, closing her eyes tightly and lowering her head with a smile, digits raised high above her head in beaming delight.
"Yep," she continued with a devilish grin, "they're stuck."
A sign of 'fuck you - I win.'
If there ever was such a thing.
Yasuo couldn't help himself, joining Ahri and Ekko in their contagious fit of laughter. He raised himself from his seat and made his way across the table towards little sister, slowly grasping Jay's wrists in his hands, middle fingers and all.
He gently pulled her from her seat and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, blanketing his arms around her waist. Jay buried her face in his chest, giggling lightly in his arms. She gripped him tightly, trying her hardest to contain her laughter.
"That's my baby girl," Yasuo whispered in her ear, playfully rubbing her back. "Never… ever… let them get away with it." Jay planted a light kiss on his cheek and grasped him tightly, resting her head on his shoulder. "Thanks, dad," her words escaped softly, in between chuckles.
"But…" Yasuo continued, releasing his grasp on Jay. He lowered his hands to her waist, carefully prodding her sides, "if you're going to call the kettle black…"
"Hey, what are you-" Jay yelped, reaching for his arms before he discovered her secret.
"...never be the pot!" Yasuo said, raising both hands in the air. He took two steps from the defendant and displayed the objects dangling between his fingers for the room to see, jokers in both hands.
Arhi and Ekko exchanged looks, mouths open like fireplaces on a cold winter's night.
"Last I checked," Yasuo snickered, "there is only one Joker in a deck."
"WE'RE CHEATING TOO?" Ekko roared in delight, convulsing in hysterics as he stared at the evidence from the prosecution. "Oh, Gods…" Ahri joined in, wiping tears from her eyes, "...like father, like daughter."
"YOU... YOU PLANTED THOSE!" Jay squealed, doing her best to feign shock at the accusations. "YOU… YOU…" she continued, taking a step towards her big brother.
"YOU…"
"…"
"…"
"…GIMME THOSE!" she yelled, hopping towards Yasuo's out-stretched hands, failed attempts to retrieve her prized possessions. "Now now, Miss Jay," Yasuo replied, swinging his arms from side to side, denying Jay's feeble attempts.
Yasuo smiled, eyes tracking his little sister's movements, "...how this? Let's call it a tie?" Yasuo turned gracefully, navigating past the coffee table, hastily making his escape towards Ahri's garden.
"TIE… TIE THIS!" Jay replied, flinging a drink coaster at Yasuo's head. Yasuo instinctively rolled his head to the side, the paper shurikens clanging against the doorway as he put distance between himself and his assassin.
"YOU… COME BACK HERE!" Jay yelled, jumping over the coffee table in one fell swoop. She planted one foot on the floor, lunging forward with all her strength, doing her best to make up for the lost distance. She crossed the doorway, braids dashing in a blue haze.
"KIDS!" Ahri screamed towards the garden and its guests, "NOT MY…."
Too late.
A loud crash reverberated throughout the house, signs of the perpetrator's misdeeds.
"...Bonzai tree…" Ahri muttered, cupping her face with both hands. Ekko stood and dusted himself, placing his hand on his sister's shoulder, doing his best to comfort her, the last of his chuckles slowly subsiding.
"It's ok, Ri," he said with a smile, playfully squeezing her shoulder. "We can rebuild."
"That's like… the eighth time," Ahri replied, settling her head on Ekko's shoulder. "Maybe it wasn't meant to be."
"Or…" Ekko replied, walking towards the crime scene with Ahri by his side, "ninth time is the charm?"
"Always the optimist, boy savior," Ahri smirked as they made their way into the garden.
One upside-down brass pot.
Check.
One base wood floor, littered with potting soil and Bonzai leaves.
Check.
Two perpetrators, rolling around on the ground, in a fit of joyous laughter.
Check.
"Sorry babe," Yasuo said, desperately trying to catch his breath. "It's your daughter's fault. GODS, she's quick…"
"ME?" Jay replied incredulously at the accusation, extending one leg to try to kick her big brother's shin, "You're the one that tried to hide behind her tree!"
"First of all, I wasn't 'hiding'," Yasuo replied, narrowly dodging his daughter's best floor-karate moves, "I was 'camouflaging'. And secondly, I didn't expect you to do your… crazy gymnastics summersault backflip on my forehead!"
"WHATEVER!" Jay squealed, gently shoving her dad's shoulders; the only body part within her reach.
"What in the gods name am I going to do with you two?" Ahri said, eyes closed tightly, tails gliding from side to side as she tried to decide what punishment would be appropriate for the occasion.
"Sorry, mom," Yasuo and Jay groaned together, laughing at the realization of their echoed words.
"JINX!" They yelled at each other, fingers pointing at the other, both scrambling to get the upper hand.
"Too late Jay, I called it," Yasuo said with a grin, starting yet another contest between the two.
"Stop it," Jay replied, "first of all, I said it way before you did. Second of all, you didn't say it to say it, you were just calling my name."
"Your name?" Yasuo exclaimed, mouth slightly ajar. "Powder… Jay… Sorrow… you girls hearing this? Jinx is back and she means business!"
"I'LL SHOW YOU SORROW!" Jay replied, once again flailing her legs towards her big brother, hoping to catch her toes on his shin.
"KIDS!" Ahri yelled once again, massaging her forehead into a soft mush. "Enough. Yasuo, get the broom. Jay, you're on pan duty. You two are NOT leaving this room until-"
The knock came at the door.
Suddenly.
Quietly.
As if it never came at all.
Fate.
If there ever was such a thing.
"Who's that, at this hour?" Ahri wondered out loud to the group. They exchanged glances, briefly, before turning their attention to the door.
"I'll get it!" Jay said. She made her way to her feet, dusting herself off, and took a step towards the door, hoping the interruption would get her out of pan duties.
"Oh no you don't," Ahri said, placing a hand on her waist, blocking her escape to freedom. "The pan is that way, young lady," Ahri continued, moving her little sister's body toward the kitchen.
"I'll get it."
Ahri made her way towards the front door, a slight hesitation in her movements. No one knew the home, secluded in the outskirts of town, much less its inhabitants. Whatever… whoever lied behind the door, was not welcomed. Jay ignored her sister's words, extending a hand to Yasuo who was still splayed on the floor. He grabbed her hand and raised himself, joining the land of the standing. Jay exchanged a nervous glance with Ekko; the group inching their way towards the door, Ahri leading the way.
Ahri creaked the door open, the cool breeze of a winter's night entering the room. The lantern on the porch pierced through the pitch-black night, snowflakes drifting slowly toward the ground. She looked around the yard, scanning the surroundings for signs of life.
No footprints.
No movement.
Nothing.
"There's nobody-" Ahri began, turning her attention toward the group, a foreign object catching the corner of her eye. A single white envelope flapped in the breeze, tucked between the porch and her welcome mat. She turned towards the letter, carefully grasping it between her fingers, and made her way inside.
"What.. what is it?" Jay asked cautiously, studying her big sister's face. Ahri squinted at the envelope, taking a moment before turning towards Ekko.
"Ekko, it's… it's for you."
Ekko stepped towards Ahri, sharing her puzzled look. She handed him the envelope, its contents still unknown. He opened the envelope gingerly and unfolded the letter within. Silence hovered over the home as the tenants patiently waited for the young man to take the contents of the note.
"Ekko?" Jay whispered after a few minutes, the anticipation too much to bear.
"It…" Ekko replied with a heavy sigh, staring at Jay before looking once again toward the paper. "It says…"
"Dear boy," Ekko continued, reading the letter's contents to the best of his abilities.
"I hope this letter finds you alive and well. I'll be surprised if it finds you alive at all, with that grenade you have strapped to your neck."
"Oh, for fuck's…" Jay muttered, shutting her eyes tightly, pinching the bridge of her nose as she instantly recognized the author's words.
"The situation here is… complicated. Zaun needs you," Ekko continued reciting. "The bounty on the little psycho has been lifted. I've bought you and any of your guest's passage on the first ship home. P.S. Bring the stick of dynamite with you. If you haven't ditched her body on the side of the road. Regards, Sevika."
"Ekko," Jay said, eyes once again shut as tight as she could muster. She sprung them open, quickly stepping her way towards her boy savior.
"Ekko," Jay repeated, placing her hands on top of his. She leaned down slightly, hoping to catch his gaze; divert his attention away from the letter. "Ekko, look at me," she said softly. Ekko raised his solemn eyes from the piece of paper and started into a pool of bright, amethyst jewels.
"No," Jay said curtly, gentle determination in her voice.
"Jay…"
"Ekko," Jay said, voice growing slightly louder as she cut him off. "No."
"I understand, but…" Ekko replied, his meek protest falling on deaf ears.
"No," Jay repeated, "there's no 'but'. She forced you to watch me die, one hundred and six times. Do you remember that? Do you remember what that felt like? Do you remember me holding your despondent body in my arms?" Jay swallowed hard, buried memories once again staring her in the face.
"I remember…" Ekko muttered, "...but…"
"NO. No. No. No. No." Jay continued, turning her head from his gaze, trying her best to fight the scrolling images in her head. "If you remembered, Ekko. Really… really remembered… as I remember. Remembered the heat of the bullet as it tore through your flesh. Remembered your body lying in a pool of blood at my feet… remembered how Sorrow… was born into this world… what she…what I… did to those…"
Jay sighed, eyes watering with every word. She turned towards Ekko, slowly, head tilted slightly sideways as she tried her hardest to plead her case.
"Remembered what… what you did to…" she continued, voice straining as she recounted the past.
"Remembered she sent us to die, my love," Jay whispered in a defeated tone, "remembered that she won. That we both died, that night, in that cold, dark, basement."
"Remembered when that wasn't enough," she continued, once again grasping his hands, "when it wasn't enough to break us, she placed a bounty. Forced you to choose between me and the people that depended on you Remembered her choice, disguised as mercy, sending us here, in hopes we would entertain her sick games one last time - a second death, away from our home… away from her doorstep, so she would never have to step over our corpses every time she left her house."
"Kids,' Ahri said softly, "maybe we should…" she continued, glancing towards Yasuo who nodded in understanding.
"No, Ri. Please…" Jay said, looking kindly on her family, "you two stay." Ahri smiled gently and nodded, taking a step towards Yasuo. She rested her head on his arm, sighing deeply, giving her daughter the floor once again.
"It's been eight years, Ekko. Eight… freaking… years," Jay continued. "We beat the odds… beat the gods… beat… everything they threw at us. I never knew… could never have possibly imagined, that happiness… true happiness… like this, existed. And now, you want us to throw it all away, leave the… the only real family we've ever known… for what? Sevika? Zaun?"
"I haven't said anything," Ekko said in a solemn tone.
"You don't need to. Your face says it all."
"And Vi?" Ekko asked quietly.
"What about her?"
"If she's in trouble, and we did nothing…" Ekko continued, "...could you live with that?"
"Ekko," Jay replied, "if Zaun is burning, she and her cupcake are holding the matches. Or did you forget she's a Piltie now?"
"One short, stupid letter from a woman that tried to end us - more than once. And you're ready to throw everything away… for Zaun… for Vi. For your sense of duty. And what about us? Me?" Jay turned her gaze toward her adopted parents, "...them?"
Ekko moved his hand towards his chin, brow furrowed in thought. His breath slowed, eyes closed softly as he took in the words of his sensible half. He contemplated the past years, each fragment of pain, joy, misery, and love, shared between the family before him, the ones he could call his own.
"We slept in a nightmare…" Ekko spoke softly, a wry smile on his face, "...and we woke to a dream."
"You're right, Jay," he continued, "I can't ask you to do this. To go back there, to that misery. All I have is a question."
"A question?" Jay replied, hesitantly.
"Yes. A question. Why are we here?"
"I don't…"
"Do you think finding Ahri," Ekko continued, "Yasuo, was an accident? Helping you discover your true self, was some cosmic coincidence?"
"I…" Jay replied, forehead in a slight crunch at her lover's words.
"You know me, Jay. Know I'm not a believer. In fate, the gods - whatever you want to call it. But this?" Ekko said, gently placing his hands on Jay's waist, bringing her closer to him.
"The odds of being banished to the ends of the world, only to find the only two people on this continent that took us in, understood us, helped you, unconditionally. If this isn't fate, purpose - what is?"
"I still don't know what that has to do with going back," Jay replied.
"We don't owe Sevika. Or Vi. Or even Zaun. But we do owe them," Ekko replied, a loving glance at his adopted parents. "And we'll never be able to repay our debt to them as long as we're here, instead of putting the gifts they gave you… me… to use."
Jay sighed heavily, breaking eye contact with Ekko. She lowered her eyes to his chest, searching for words to counter his call to action.
"You're it, girl savior," Ekko continued with a grin, playfully rubbing her head. "You've always been it. We can choose the easy path, staying here, in safety and happiness. Or we can go back, and share what we've been given with the ones back home - the ones that deserve the same."
"I…" Jay replied with a sigh, "do you have to do that 'thing' every time?"
"...what thing?" Ekko replied innocently.
"That… thing where you say something adorable that makes me want to shoot you in your naive little head while wanting to take you upstairs and fuck the ever-loving goodness out of your little boy savior's brains at the same time?"
"Er…" Jay said, correcting herself, realizing they were in the company of others, "sorry, folks," she muttered to Ahri and Yasuo.
"Don't fret, love," Ahri replied with a giggle.
"Ri, Yasuo…" Jay said turning towards the pair, "what do you think?"
"I… don't know if there's anything left to say," Ahri said, beaming with pride at her baby brother's words. "As Ekko said, it's your choice. But…" she continued, glancing at Yasuo with a smile, "...he's right about one thing."
"And that is…" Jay replied.
"...you're special, Jay," Ahri replied. "Not.. only gifted, but… really… special. I… I don't know what it is - I truly don't. As long as I live, I'll never really understand it. But there's something in you… some… quality that just can't be measured, or explained."
"I know, Ri," Jay replied, a bit weary of hearing how special she is. There was rarely a day when Ahri and Yasuo didn't remind her, and enforce her value in their eyes. After all these years, it became background noise. Something she would nod to, politely, with a smile not to upset her parent's undying love for her.
"No, love," Ahri said softly, tears misting around her eyes, "you don't understand. You've never really, truly, understood, what we all see in you. And that, my baby sis, is the problem," she continued, taking a step towards her little sister.
"Ri?" Jay asked with a slight concern at her sister's emotions.
"What you've done here, your time with us… was training. We gave you space, to find yourself. Tools, to help yourself. And so you did. But now, it's time for you, Jay, to find out what you're made of. You have so… so much left to give, love. And you can't do that, here, in comfort. It has to be out there, in struggle."
"Ri, I…" Jay replied, muscles tensing at her mentor's words. "You and Yasuo are my…" she continued, searching for words that could possibly express how much love and affection she has for her adopted parents. "I… I don't want to leave you."
"Love," Ahri replied with a kind smile. She glanced at Yasuo, who nodded in return. "Who said anything about leaving us?"
"What… do you mean?" Jay replied, slight excitement in her voice.
"We're coming with, of course. That is if you would have us-" Ahri could barely finish her words before she was met with a flurry of blue leaping at her waist.
"You mean you'll come with us?" Jay yelled, barely unable to contain her relief.
"Of course kiddo," Yasuo replied, gently stroking her head. "What did you think 'forever' means?"
"AAAAHHH!" Jay squealed, releasing an arm from Ahri's waist and latching onto Yasuo. "Thank you thank you thank you thank you!"
"Of course, honey. We're here for you, and Ekko. No matter what," Ahri replied, gently stroking her little sister's back.
"So does that mean I get to punch stupid Auntie Sevika in the face for banishing us halfway across the world?" Jay asked, burying her head in Ahri's chest.
"Um… I mean I wouldn't…" Ahri replied, looking towards Ekko who shrugged and smiled in return. "...sure, love, whatever you-"
"And I can find Auntie Cait and stab her in her stupid face for taking Vi from me?"
"Kiddo," Yasuo replied, scanning his eyes towards the others for support to quell his baby sister's murderous to-do-list, "We should really focus on-"
"And I can hunt down that evil Zeri for tricking my poor, sweet Ekko into terrible sex with her horrible stupid, slutty, whore ways?"
"What? Wait," Ekko replied in a stutter, "I don't think that's a good idea-"
"THEN IT'S SETTLED!" Jay squealed before anyone else could get a word in. "I guess that's it," she continued, amethyst eyes beaming brightly, a light nod and smile on her family's faces at her antics.
"We're… coming home."