Open your eyes

A ray of sunshine caressed her face, gently pulling her from sleep. Jinx blinked slowly, her eyes adjusting to the light that momentarily blinded her.

Behind her, she felt Ekko's warm body embracing her, still shielding her from the world. Her heart melted when she realized they hadn't moved all night, frozen as if they'd died in each other's arms. His breathing was heavy and soothing. He was drifting in some lullaby, his rest peaceful and unbroken.

She traced her fingers over his arms, appreciating the simplicity of his presence. Slowly, her hand slid into his, until their fingers intertwined. Her chest felt so full she feared it would implode with this odd feeling.

Ekko stirred, his face nuzzling into the crook of her neck, still half-asleep.

"Morning… Mister." She murmured, her voice raspy from sleep.

Instead of replying, he inhaled deeply, breathing in her scent and squeezing her, as if to make sure she was really there. She shivered under his touch, closing her eyes and slightly tilting her head back, instinctively meeting him halfway.

"This… Doesn't feel real, does it?" Her chest rose as she dragged in a deep breath, trying to engrave the feeling onto her brain.

"No." He whispered into her hair, his eyes still closed. "It doesn't."

"Maybe you're dreaming…" She teased softly.

"You smell good." His tone was hoarse. "I'm pretty sure dreams don't have smells."

She smiled lightly, shifting to face him. She tried to reach his lips unconsciously, but, as their eyes locked, a strange tension grew between them, halting her.

In the daylight, they felt naked. There were no shadows where they could hide their vulnerabilities. What had seemed so natural in the night before, now felt like a haze dream, fading away the longer they stayed awake.

The dawn brought light to the harsh reality of the situation, making them self-conscious and cringing with reservations. They could either accept this truth or retreat to the safety of old patterns.

"When I look at you, I don't know if I'm seeing Powder or Jinx…" He confessed the bitter truth.

"It's okay…" She paused briefly. "When I look at you, I don't know if you're the person I got to know in another life. If it's the Little Man I grew up with… Or if it's the boy that left me to rot on a bridge after nearly beating me to death." Her confession was equally gut-wrenching.

Ekko's face twisted with guilt as he hid behind his hand.

"I'm sorry…" He shook his head. "But when I saw you—really saw you behind all your walls—I stopped! But it was too late, you—"

"I tried to take you with me." She cut in, forcing a jest, her smile unwilling to reach her sorrowful eyes. "At least you know I had the shot, right?"

"I know. You never miss... unless you want to."

Their words hung heavy between them, lingering in the silence that followed. All truths lay bare—they never meant to hurt each other.

"I don't know how to move on from here." She finally admitted.

"Me neither." Ekko's face was heartbroken.

"Maybe we can't choose who we see." She said softly, her heart sinking. This was not what she wanted. Just moments ago they had felt like two different people.

"Maybe we can only choose if we want to try to see the good in each other." He offered.

"I'd like that." Her lips curled into a faint, forced smile, the gloom in her eyes betraying her.

Ekko brushed her cheeks, his touch tender. Jinx closed her eyes, relishing the affection as she leaned into his palm. His fingers brushed her hair behind her ear before he kissed her cheek with kindness. "I see the good in you."

She looked up at him, her chest tightening with affection "I see it too."

Ekko gently lifted her chin, pulling her into a shy kiss. Somehow, this tender and unhurried kiss was twisting her stomach in ways the others hadn't. A soft sigh escaped her lips, feeling the weight of the moment.

No matter who she saw and all they'd done to each other, every time their lips met, none of it mattered anymore. She surrendered to the crushing vulnerability.

He pulled back and whispered, "Maybe that's all we need", pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Maybe it really is.

Jinx sat up and looked at the city in front of them. Ekko stretched beside her, reaching for the sky.

Her fears were shrieking under the daylight as something started to occupy its place. She glanced at him and genuinely smiled, her feelings trying to reach him. It felt like a new beginning.

"You're a heavy sleeper, huh?" She quipped.

"Same." He shrugged. "I'm pretty sure you snored, too."

"Oh yeah, buster?" She laughed, punching him in the arm. "Big fat heroes don't snore." She grinned, standing up and placing her hands on her hips. A smug smile pulled at her cheek.

"It's a shame you're not one, then." He shot back, standing to meet her.

She flipped him off, showing him her bronze creation with amusement. Ekko grabbed her hand and spun her around playfully, catching her when she tripped.

"Forgot how to dance, huh?" He smirked.

"Never!" She took his hand and twirled again, remembering that night with delight. The spin ended with his arm around her, her back pressed against him. She looked up at him, her bright eyes shining with happiness.

"Powder…" He murmured, lost in his own joy. "You're so beautiful when you're happy." He leaned in for an adoring kiss. She matched him. Jinx, Powder… He could call her whatever he liked. They stayed there for a moment, enjoying their newfound ease around each other in the broad daylight.

"I'd love to keep this feast going, but I'm actually hungry for something with a bit more sustenance." She grinned mischievously, tapping her stomach.

Ekko laughed "Well, I was quite enjoying the snack."

"I'm delicious, I know." She teased, biting her lip and winking at him. She turned around, swaying her hips while she walked towards the stairs.

Ekko tried to roll his eyes, only to discover he was unable to look away.

"I know you're looking." She teased further.

Under the bright sun, Ekko felt his cheeks burning—definitely from the heat of the sun.

Upon descending the stairs, Jinx took a look at her bare lair, feeling somewhat lost.

"I know where we can go." Ekko said, picking up on the look on her face.

"Where?"

"You'll see."

"The Last Drop? I… I don't think I'm ready for that." Her tone was low, laced with fear and shame.

"No. You'll like it. Trust me." He extended his hand toward her.

Jinx's eyes shifted between his soft brown gaze and his outstretched hand. There was something in his expression—something delighted, hopeful—that she couldn't quite grasp.

"Okay, let me just grab somethings first. I think I'm done with this place." She turned to the workbench where she'd left the hourglass the night before—right before running away to the rooftop. On the far end of the table sat of the older machine guns she'd built. It was worn, a relic from another time. Still, she was a beauty. She pondered for a moment, running her fingers over its surface, then slung it across her shoulders without giving it a second thought.

"What? I still got a lot of enemies". She shrugged, catching Ekko's slightly shocked expression.

Next, her hand hovered over the hourglass.

"What is that?" Ekko asked—and Jinx couldn't understand if he was worried or simply amazed.

Jinx held up the hourglass. "This is how I got here." She began, about to showcase the device, when she noticed something very wrong. "No. No. No!" She started to raise her voice. "This isn't how I made it! It's not supposed to…"

"What?" Ekko pressed, his voice impatient, concern mounting.

"It was supposed to have two gemstones." She was shouting, panic bleeding through every word. "I built it with two!"

"You lost the other one?"

"No! They're encased! Don't be thick." Distress dripped from her voice.

"Then what?" Ekko frowned, stepping closer, intrigued. "It's just gone?"

"Not enough blood reaching the brain today, huh?" She quipped, making him squirm. "I… I think it means I used it. There's only one left." She stared at him, tense. "There's only one more try."

"Try for what?!" He promptly barked back.

"For whatever we want! There's just one more try, do you get it?" Jinx's words tumbled out, frantic. "Either I go back and don't return… never again. Or I try to fix things. But either way… I could simply get lost in there. Forever!" Her mind was spiraling.

Ekko stepped forward, gripping her shoulders firmly, forcing her to focus. "You can't be serious!" He said, his voice a mix of disbelief and fear.

She didn't take her eyes from the hourglass. "Jinx!" He shook her slightly, desperate to get through to her. "Or… or you just don't use it at all!"

Her gaze snapped to his, cold and unyielding. "I came all this way, Ekko. I have to do something. I need to fix things!"

"And you can." His voice softened, his grip loosening. "You can fix things with Vi. Just… not like this."

Her shoulders tensed under his hands. "But Vander! When I left, I didn't think—" She swallowed hard, her voice rising, raw with desperation. "I didn't think I'd never see him again! I just left him behind!" She was trembling now, desperation spilling out. "And Silco… Isha! She's alive there! Don't you get it? It's the same thing, all over again!"

Ekko lowered his eyes and his tone. "I get it." His hands dropped from her shoulders, letting his arms drop to his sides with sorrow. "But I'm here…" Their eyes met, gloom connecting them. "And Vi." He added, forcing a sad half-smile, shrugging.

Jinx hesitated. Then, in a beat, she slipped the hourglass strap around her neck, hiding it behind her back as if that could remove the problem altogether.

"We've got time, right?" She hugged him, unsure of what else to do or say. "We don't have to decide anything now."

Ekko hugged her back, holding her tightly without hesitation. But behind her, out of sight, his eyes glistened with unshed tears.