Well I didn't think I'd be back so soon with a new fic, but here I am. It's a modern AU this time. I must worn that there will be some dark themes, especially with depression, littered around the fic so if you are uncomfortable with it please take note and avoid it!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Arcane characters

Chapter 1: Weddings and Hangovers

Jinx was fuming. Which wasn't to say that it was unusual for her to be. But she was extra fuming.

The soft, slow music drifting in the background grated on her nerves, its syrupy tones making her stomach churn. She fought the urge to throw up.

"Just smile and wave," her sister had said. Yeah, fucking right.

To make matters worse, she was entirely too sober for this occasion. She stared bitterly at the non-alcoholic fizzy drink in her hand, nursing it like a grudge she couldn't let go of.

Some nonsense about the venue not being insured for alcohol, or whatever. As far as Jinx was concerned, it was just a thinly veiled excuse to keep her from drinking. But it's not like it's her fault she can't stop at one drink—or ten. It was all semantics.

She kept her head down, her gaze fixed on the floral tablecloth. She didn't like the design of it, quite the contrary, the sight of it made her skin crawl. But anywhere was better than looking at the dance floor, where her sister was probably batting her pudgy eyes and twirling around with her.

The gall of her sister. Dancing on her wedding day.

But somehow, Jinx dreaded the song ending more than the sight of her sister, undoubtedly getting lost in the moment with that uptown girl. Because the moment the music stopped, all those eyes would turn—and it'd be her turn. The big, fat maid of honor.

Which was just her like because soon enough, the song ended, and Jinx reluctantly looked up. Her gaze landed on the MC of the night—Jake, Jaybe, or maybe Jade, it was something like that. She couldn't care less. He was some uptown bloke who took himself far too seriously, standing there with a microphone in hand like he was about to announce the second coming.

Jinx glared at him, willing him with every ounce of her annoyance to skip her name. Just move on, call it a night, forget she exists.

But no. Lady luck had abandoned her ages ago, and tonight was no exception.

"Now, it is my pleasure to ask Jinx to the stage for the maid of honor speech," his voice boomed with too much eagerness, and she let out a small groan.

Jinx's heart sank. She briefly considered faking a sudden, catastrophic illness—something dramatic enough to buy her an escape. But her eyes met her sisters ever so briefly.

Worry? Anticipation? Hope? Jinx couldn't quite tell what was swirling in Vi's gaze. Whatever it was, she hated it. That look had no business being aimed at her. She had asked for this.

Nevertheless, she stood, her legs feeling like lead, and walked toward the podium. Her heart hammered erratically, each beat louder than the last.

She was stupid to accept this role. "Let's make Vander proud," she had said. "Let's honor his wishes," she had said. What a load of bollocks. She shouldn't have let her sister rope her into this sentimental nonsense. Vander was a dead man, for crying out loud. He wasn't even at this blasted wedding.

As she reached the podium, she let out one last sigh. The crowd's collective gaze bore down on her, a weight she felt acutely. If she was going to crash and burn, she might as well make it memorable.

She cleared her throat, the sound sharper than she intended.

"Evening," she began, her voice slicing through the awkward silence like a blade. "For those of you who don't know me—which, honestly, lucky you—I'm Jinx, Vi's sister. And tonight, I have the enviable honor of pretending to be mentally stable for the next couple of minutes while I go through this speech."

The people laughed, a polite ripple of amusement spreading through the room. Jinx blinked, caught off guard. She paused, her grip tightening on the podium.

That wasn't a joke—this was going to be a long night.

—

Click, click.

"Ugh!"

Jinx let out a growl of frustration and chucked her lighter away. The lighter hit the bottom of the balcony with a sharp clang, the sound echoing briefly before being swallowed by the quiet of the evening.

She leaned against the railing, glaring at the city lights below. The fall night breeze did little to cool her temper, her mood as combustible as the unlit cigarette still lodged in her mouth.

What a mess. Alone on the balcony, while a party raged on inside, the laughter and chatter filtering through the walls like a constant reminder of everything she didn't want to be a part of.

"Need a light?"

The voice, smooth and casual, sliced through her simmering thoughts. Jinx turned sharply, her eyes narrowing at the unexpected intruder on the balcony. Her scowl deepened, ready to bark some snide remark.

But then her gaze landed on the outstretched lighter, its tiny flame flickering against the night breeze. Her expression softened, if only slightly.

"Ever the boy savior," Jinx muttered as she leaned forward, letting the tip of her cigarette meet the flame.

"You see me for the first time in five years, and that's what you have to say?" he replied, his tone somewhere between amused and wounded.

"Shut it, Ekko, not in the mood."

"Are you ever?"

"Ha ha, poke the mentally unstable person, see where that takes you," Jinx shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She took a long drag from her cigarette.

Ekko took a step forward, sliding into the empty spot beside her. He leaned back on the railing, his posture casual.

"Good speech."

Jinx snorted, her lips curling into a bitter grin. "Oh yeah, buster? Is that why you left the nice warm party? You came to rub it in?"

Ekko didn't flinch. He shrugged, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I see you haven't changed. Still the cynic."

"You say that as if it's a bad thing," Jinx flicked her cigarette, the ember glowing bright in the dark, a slight hiss as the ashes drifted away into the night. "But why are you really here?"

Ekko leaned in slightly, his smirk never faltering. "I'm just here to admire your charm up close. You know, in case I missed any of it from inside."

Jinx let out a humorless laugh, a sharp edge to her tone. "Well, you're lucky. Charm's a rare commodity—and I have lots of it."

She took another drag from the cigarette, staring out at the city lights, the distant sounds of the party barely reaching them.

Ekko gave a small chuckle before he spoke again. "You know, I meant what I said—about the speech," he paused. "I could feel you did your best, in your own way."

Jinx's gaze flickered briefly to him, her expression unreadable, but her tone seemed softened. "In my experience, 'best' usually means it's not good enough."

Ekko's smirk faded slightly. "Maybe. But it counts for something."

Jinx's lips twitched in what might've been the ghost of a smile. "Guess I'll take what I can get."

The silence that followed wasn't heavy or awkward, but strangely easy. Maybe it was the cigarette—the familiar burn at the back of her throat—or maybe it was the steady presence of an old friend beside her. Whatever it was, it calmed the edges of her fraying nerves, just enough for her to muster the will to turn and face him fully.

She studied him for a moment, the years etched subtly into his face, the same yet different. "What are you doing at the wedding anyway?" She asked, her voice quieter, almost thoughtful.

"Believe it or not, I was invited."

She rolled her eyes. "You can't expect me to believe that you flew across the border just to come to my sister's wedding because you were invited."

Ekko raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. "You know, it's a lot more believable than whatever wild story you've cooked up in that head of yours."

She scoffed, but the edge was gone, replaced by a hint of dry humor. "Sure, and I'm guessing you're just here to bask in my undeniable charm, right?"

His grin widened. "Exactly. I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Jinx flicked her cigarette again, the ember glowing bright in the dark. "Well, lucky for you, I'm a gem of a person to be around."

"I'm still here, aren't I?"

For a moment, Jinx was silent, then a laugh escaped her—a real, unguarded chuckle, free of sarcasm or bitterness. It felt strange, like an old habit she hadn't indulged in a while, but good all the same. She exhaled, her breath steady as the tension in her shoulders eased ever so slightly.

"Guess you're right," she admitted, the faintest hint of a smile lingering. "You're a sucker for punishment."

"Yep, that's me—a total glutton," Ekko replied, his grin widening.

Jinx shook her head, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Well, I won't stop you from indulging in your bad habits."

"You won't be able to anyhow," Ekko replied, his voice light at first, but then it shifted, the casual tone replaced by something a little more serious.

Jinx raised an eyebrow, her smile faltering slightly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I moved back," was the simple response.

Jinx's eyebrow shot up, a flash of surprise crossing her face. "You moved back?"

"Yep, just a couple of days ago."

Jinx stared at him, incredulous. "You left your cushy job in the States to come back to this shithole after getting out? Are you out of your mind?" Her tone was a mix of disbelief and something darker. "Whatever for?"

An unreadable expression flickered across his face for a moment, but he shrugged it off as if it hadn't been there at all. "Guess I missed it," he said, his voice steady, though there was something in his eyes that suggested more than he was letting on.

"Oh yeah? Guess I'm a wizard then."

Ekko let out a soft chuckle, his gaze dropping for a beat. "Maybe you are," he replied, his tone joking but tinged with something else. Something she couldn't quite place.

For a moment, he looked almost sheepish, like he'd been caught in a moment of vulnerability. But he didn't elaborate, leaving the weight of his revelation hanging in the air.

Jinx's eyes narrowed briefly in suspicion but she didn't push him. "Okay, sure, it's your life you're ruining," she muttered, her tone half sarcastic, half resigned.

Ekko seemed to brighten at that, clearly eager to shift away from the subject. He flashed her a quick, almost relieved smile, as if the change in conversation was a welcome escape from whatever he hadn't wanted to say.

"Hey, I was thinking," Ekko began, his voice tentative. "Want to grab a drink? Like aft—"

"Oh, god yes," Jinx cut him off, her voice the most certain and energetic it had been all night. She quickly stubbed out the cigarette, the ember fading into the night. "Let's go."

Ekko raised an eyebrow. "What now?"

"Didn't you mean now?"

"It's your sister's wedding."

"Don't remind me, blud," Jinx picked up the lighter she had thrown earlier as she walked past him. "You coming?"

Ekko blinked for a moment, clearly shaken from his brief stupor, then grinned and fell in step beside her. "Yeah, I'm coming."

—

Jinx's head pounded, a dull ache reverberating through her skull, and her entire body felt like it had been run over by a truck. She groaned, barely able to lift her hand as she blindly searched for her phone on the nightstand, her face still buried in the blanket.

When her fingers didn't meet the familiar edge of the table, but instead something warm—something human—her frown deepened. The realization hit her like a jolt. She shot up, her senses immediately on high alert, her heart racing as she scanned the room.

"Shit," she murmured under her breath.

This wasn't her room, nor her bed. The half-opened boxes scattered across the floor, the smell of new paint, and—most telling of all—the sight of Ekko, fast asleep on the bed. This was his room.

Her eyes widened, panic surging through her. Her mind blanked as she scrambled to recall the events of the night. But she bit her lips when her memory tapes pulled up blanks.

She groaned internally. She really, really had to quit drinking.

Her gaze darted downward, scanning her own body. A flicker of relief coursed through her as she noticed she was still in her old clothes, but it was fleeting. She wasn't out of the woods yet.

Jinx's eyes swept the room, landing on her phone across the floor. When she finally spotted it on the floor, she carefully slid off the bed, her movements deliberate and quiet. She reached for the phone, her fingers brushing it with a sense of urgency. Letting out a breath, she clutched it in her hand, her heart pounding as she unlocked it to check for any messages.

"Shit, shit, shit," she repeated, her anxiety spiking as she stared at her phone screen: 10 missed calls, 30 messages.

Her stomach twisted into knots. Her sister was going to be pissed.

"Powder?"

Jinx's heart nearly stopped. Ekko stirred behind her, the faint rustling of sheets cutting through. She stood motionless, her grip tightening on her phone, as if staying perfectly still would make her invisible.

She slowly turned her head, barely daring to breathe, already knowing what she would see—only to find his figure, tangled in the sheets, still sprawled in a peaceful sleep. He shifted slightly, murmured something unintelligible, then settled back into the steady rhythm of his breathing, his sleep uninterrupted.

She exhaled quietly, the tension in her shoulders barely easing. Steadying her breath, Jinx carefully pushed herself up from the floor.

Her eyes gave one last glance at the sleeping Ekko, his face peaceful in the early morning light leaking through the blinds. At least he gets to have a stress-free morning, she thought bitterly.

Shaking her head, she turned toward the door. Moving swiftly but cautiously, Jinx slipped out, her footsteps light against the floor. She gripped the doorknob and carefully twisted it shut, making sure it didn't make a sound as it clicked into place.

Once outside the door, Jinx paused, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the brighter light of the living room. It felt glaring compared to the dim, hazy interior of Ekko's room. She squinted, running a hand through her hair in a futile attempt to smooth it down.

Despite the bare furniture and boxes scattered throughout the hallway, there was an unsettling familiarity to the space, one she couldn't quite place. But Jinx shook off the thought, she had bigger concerns right now.

Her eyes scanned the area quickly, searching for her jacket. It didn't take long to spot it, crumpled on the floor near the exit. She sighed quietly and made her way over, her steps cautious to make any noise.

Grabbing the jacket, she straightened up and shrugged it on. This was it—the last stretch. Jinx held her breath as her hand found the doorknob. She turned it slowly, wincing at the faint creak, but the door clicked shut behind her without incident.

Letting out a long, shaky exhale, she leaned her back against the door and slid down until she was sitting on the floor.

"Made it," she muttered under her breath, her lips curling into a faint, humorless smile and her heart finally began to settle.

Her expression quickly changed to a frown as her phone buzzed. She didn't need to see to know who it was coming from. But she ignored it—at least for now. Her body was too exhausted, and her head pounding too relentlessly.

The fallout could wait. After she got home and caught up on some sleep, maybe then she'd have the energy to face her sister. Her sister was mad anyway. Dealing with mad or madder, it was all the same. At least she'd have some rest.

Now she just needed to figure out how to get home. She opened her phone, careful not to click any of the notifications. Her fingers swiped to the map app, but when it opened, her frown deepened. Not because she was far away from her apartment or the address was unfamiliar, it was quite the opposite. The problem was that the map showed that she was already home.

Her heart skipped a beat. She blinked, staring at the screen, unsure whether her mind was playing tricks on her. The map clearly marked her apartment building, and she could vaguely make out the familiar street corners in the digital display. But this couldn't be right. She was in Ekko's place, wasn't she?

Jinx pressed the screen a little harder, just to be sure, but the map didn't change. The little blue dot pulsed, indicating her exact location.

Then it hit her. She hastily pulled herself up and turned to look at Ekko's door. Her stomach dropped, the weight of the realization sinking in.

Her mind raced, replaying everything with fresh clarity. She'd been so wrapped up in the mess—the drunken haze, the frantic scramble to leave—that she hadn't noticed the signs. The bare furniture, the boxes, the oddly familiar layout.

Her eyes darted to the numbers above the doors on Ekko's and the one right across. 306 on one, 307 on the other.

She swallowed hard. Ekko hadn't just moved back in town—he'd moved across from her.

"Fuck."

Hope you enjoyed that!