I posted this a while back when season 2 was three years away as some sort of closure for Ekko and Jinx. I decided to re-poist it as I edited it and improved the writing. It's set some months later after the season one finale. Even though not even in my wildest dreams I could predict the turn Ekko and Jinx relationship was gonna tak on season 2, this story still holds up pretty well to what we've seen.
Too Late
The sun was setting in, painting the clouds orange on its way out.
"You seem troubled, my boy," said the small wise creature.
"In case you didn't notice, trouble's about the only thing there is these days," replied the young man, tightening a screw with a large wrench.
"Unfortunately, that never ceases to be true. But I'm not talking about this city. I'm referring to you, as an individual," the Yordle clarified.
"Ain't nothing," the youngster replied indifferently, remaining focused on his present task.
"Nothing is often quite something," the older one said calmly. "I might be presumptuous, but given the recent events I've already arrived at a conclusion. I'm merely trying to bring up the subject."
"Not much of a question, then," the younger one replied dryly, not even glancing at him.
"My boy, this sort of matter can be a source of restless concern if left alone. I believe I can be of some assistance."
"How exactly?" Ekko exclaimed, now annoyed. "What do you know? For real."
The Yordle just shook his head sympathetically. "Dear Ekko, you may have already guessed, but I am a bit older than you," he said with humor. "In my considerable lifespan, I've seen my fair share of grief, more than words could possibly convey. War, death, suffering, love, tragedy... everything has a way of repeating itself, unfortunately," he said, his voice heavy with memories.
"What exactly do you wanna know, then?" Ekko asked impatiently.
"Oh, that's easy, yet not simple at all: How are you?" replied the little scientist. "For real," he added with a playful impression of Ekko's tone.
"Doesn't matter. I gotta end this, once and for all."
"That's not what I asked."
"It's the only thing that matters," Ekko stated firmly.
"Oh, young ones. Always thinking the weight of the world rests solely on their shoulders," the Yordle exclaimed with dismay.
"There's nothing else to it," Ekko said, his voice resolute.
"You're a very bright boy Ekko, so I won't entertain such thick-headedness. If I may quote you," he cleared his throat, "That's bullshit," said the Yordle, doing his best impression of the boy. "But you already know that."
"I'm doing what needs to be done. There's no way around it. I gotta end her." The boy stopped cranking, his hands suddenly numb under the weight of his own words.
"There might be other solutions. Every problem allows more than just one."
"Not this one."
"Did you consider what that might do to you? My boy, killing isn't something you can walk away from unscathed."
"This ain't about me. It's about everyone—it's about Zaun. Even your precious Piltover."
"But it is about you, at least from where I stand." Heimerdinger's voice carried a heaviness that matched his expression. "Science, as you surely know, is a delicate matter." The Yordle walked to the edge of the terrace, gazing pensively at the sky. "It's a never-ending enterprise with countless solutions, all bound by certain principles. Matters of the heart, however, are an entirely different species. Sentiments are contradictory—bound together yet entirely distinct, sometimes even polar opposites. Love, friendship, hate, duty—they all collide in ways that defy reason."
"This ain't got nothing to do with that. I'm no kid, and she's not Powder. Hasn't been for a long time. Believe me, after everything she's done, I'm not havin second thoughts," he said harshly, though deep down he fought to silence a voice that begged to differ.
"If only it were that simple, my boy," Heimerdinger said with a shake of his head. "I'm afraid it's not up to you to decide that. You cannot rationalize this, Ekko."
"She's a monster," Ekko exclaimed.
"Oh, dear boy," Heimerdinger replied softly. "Even monsters can be loved."
The night sky loomed overhead, with the firelights casting their warm glow over the two.
"So... no leads?" the woman asked suspiciously.
"Not really, just dead ends."
"Yeah. That's what you keep saying, but you've got that look."
"What look?"
"The 'I'm about to do something stupid' look," she remarked.
"Nah, just my regular 'Vi's a pain in my ass' look," the boy shot back.
"You're pushing it, little man," she warned, though her tone was far from threatening. "You wouldn't lie to me, right?"
"Can't say I never have." he said vaguely
"I'm being serious here, Ekko. If you've got even the slightest clue where Jinx is—" her voice faltered as the name nearly caught in her throat, "—you're telling me now."
"What're you gonna do if you find her?" the boy shot back defiantly.
"I'm locking her away," she said, though her voice betrayed her uncertainty.
"You know that's impossible, Vi," Ekko emphasized, fully aware that she already knew. "If you catch her, you know how it ends. They're never gonna let her live. Either that, or you let her slip away, and she keeps doing what she does. Then we're back at the starting point: everyone suffers."
"There might be a way," she said, though even she didn't believe her own words. "Fuck," she cursed, frustrated as a deep ache pressed against her chest.
"There's no way around it, Vi. I told you before—Powder's gone."
"Yet you couldn't finish her on the bridge," the woman exclaimed heatedly before quickly regretting it. "Sorry."
"You're right," Ekko admitted. "I hesitated. Now we're here, a war knockin at the door-bout to lose everything we've worked for because of her."
"You're the one who said there's no point dwelling on the past," she said bitterly, half-joking.
"Easier said than done," the boy replied with a faint chuckle.
"Ain't that the fuckin truth." A heavy silence settled between them. "What are you saying here, exactly, Ekko?"
"As long as she's alive, Zaun is doomed. We all are."
"She's my sister," Vi muttered, more to herself than anyone. Then, louder, "She's my fucking sister!" she exclaimed, slamming her fist into the wall, cracking it.
"I know."
"Just... please. If you get a lead, let me know."
"Will do." Ekko wondered if she really meant it, or if she was just playing along. He preferred not to find out.
Darkness enveloped the place, with pale moonlight sneaking through the cracks. Vapors refracted the faint glow in silver flashes, illuminating dust and rubbish scattered everywhere.
"You've reached Jinx. She's not available at the moment, so please don't leave a message and scram inmediatly. Oh, and don't forget to step on one of the chompers on your way out," a twisted voice echoed through the decaying walls.
"No worries. I wasn't planning on sticking around for long anyway."
"Now that's rude—especially since I'm being such a nice host," the voice replied mockingly. "Though now that I think about it, I don't remember asking you to come over."
"I let myself in," the boy said dryly.
A sigh echoed. "I really need to fix that door. Well, maybe getting one would be a better start."
From the shadows, the girl emerged—her purple, glowing eyes stark against the dark bags beneath them.
"Nah," Ekko replied, his gaze focusing hard on her. "I think it's better this way. Suits you."
Jinx let out a loud laugh. "That wasn't funny. But that thing there?" Her gaze flicked to the machinery in his back, curiosity lighting up her face. "Nowthatlooks fun. Been hearing you've got a shiny new toy."
"Something of my own making," he replied, his tone neutral as his hand rested on the Z-Drive.
"Well, well. Looks like we both got ourselves a tasty piece of Piltover's tasty pie," she quipped, amused. "So, what is this, then? The grand finale? Our pre-destined battle for the future?"
"You could say that."
"Told you," she muttered to someone unseen. "Actually, you said it. Isn't this all a bit overdramatic?" She chuckled again.
"It is what it is," Ekko replied, his face a mask of stone.
"This time, he seems more committed—I'll give him that." Her tone shifted as her focus landed squarely on him. "Hey, what happened with the whole we don't hand over our own Zaun motto" She exclamed with a mocking grin
Ekko's face deadpanned "I'm not handin you over, not really"
Jinx eyes widened "Oh so you're here to do it, right? To kill poor old me?" She grinned wickedly. "Figures."
"There's no way around it," he confessed, his mask slipping just enough to reveal a hint of weariness.
"Yeah, you're right about that." Her expression softened momentarily. "Funny, isn't it? From less than rats, we clawed our way to the top of the food chain."
"Only you became a predator."
"The apex, no less," she retorted, her smirk returning as her glowing eyes narrowed. "And you? You became the shiny hero you always wanted to be. Funny - She reflected - I thought Vi would be the one doing it."
"I decided to spare her that burden."
"Always the gentleman," she sneered.
"Like I said, there's no way around it. This can only end one way. Vi knows it, but she can't accept it."
"She knew you'd come to me?" Jinx asked, intrigued.
"I don't know. Maybe, deep down, she did," Ekko admitted, a heaviness creeping into his voice. "She can't bring you in, but maybe she's finally realized she can't save you either."
"What a breakthrough. Kudos to you, sister," Jinx said clapping her hands mockingly. "But you're not big on the saving part, are you?"
"We're way past that point," Ekko said, his voice sharp with anger.
Jinx chuckled, clearly amused. "I raised the bar too high, huh?"
"There's no going back now."
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, tilting her head. "Where were we before? Holding hands? Hugging it out? Living fancy, happy little lives?" She added with dripping sarcasm. "What exactly changed now?"
Ekko stepped forward, anger flashing in his eyes. "You crossed the line, Jinx. All of Zaun is paying for what you did. Even Silco knew where to draw the line."
Jinx rolled her eyes. "The line?Weare the fucking line, Ekko. Our very existence is the line. You seriously believe in something as stupid as peace? It was never an option. Can't you see that?"
"I see you're interested in nothing but destruction."
That struck a nerve. Her voice rose as she continued, "I'm the only one who gets it! You, Vi, all those dumb little Pilties—you're all clinging to some twisted building that's sinking into the dirt, its walls crumbling and dripping blood through every crack." Her blazing eyes locked onto his. "And I'm the crazy one? You're the one desperate to hold onto your fantasy."
"I'm trying to save my home," Ekko stated firmly.
"This—" she gestured wildly, "—this is how things are supposed to be. It's our true nature." She took a step closer, her grin widening. "I'm not the one living in a fantasy, Ekko. I just pulled back the curtain and showed everyone the truth." Her grin turned manic. "Crumbling a few walls in the process."
"No, you destroyed any chance for freedom. That's what you really did. Because you don't care about anything—and that's why we're different," Ekko retorted.
"Freedom?" she scoffed. "Come on, man, you're an idealist, but you're not that stupid. We were always going to end up here. What?" She suddenly turned to address the empty air, shouting at no one. "No, of course I'm right. I am!" She whipped back to Ekko, her eyes wild. "I just sped things up, dude! How long do you think it would've taken for them to figure out they got fat off our hunger, huh?"
"You never struck me as the ideological type," Ekko said coldly. "I'm not interested in making big statements. I just want Zaun to rise from the dirt—to give us a chance to improve. But you took that away."
"And you think handing me over to Piltover's golden boy will actually make a difference?" she spat amused.
"Could be worth a shot," he replied, his tone dry.
"Your precious chance." She laughed bitterly. "Always knew you had a thing for me," she added with a deviant grin.
Ekko chuckled bitterly. "Yeah, until you started talking to your guns."
Jinx laughed. "Oh, don't be jealous. You've still got time to get in the game," she teased, then paused, her smile fading. "Oh, you've got that look again," she said, her tone shifting to annoyance as her eyes rolled. "Every single time." She sighed heavily, exasperated. "It's always the same."
"What are you talking about?" Ekko asked, genuinely confused.
" 'Oh how I hate you, Jinx. I wish you were Powder. She was so much nicer than you' " she mocked, her voice rising into a high-pitched imitation. "You and Vi. every single time"
Ekko felt a familiar sensation creeping in—one he'd worked so hard to repress for so long: guilt. "Maybe you're right," he admitted quietly. "I hated you, you know? I hated that you took over Powder. I hated that she was gone forever. And I hated myself." His voice was steady, but the weight of his words was palpable "I told Vi wondering what she could've done differently was just a useless way to torture herself," he continued. "But I was so full of shit." He chuckled bitterly. "The truth is, I've spent my whole life drowning in regret, replaying all the other scenarios in my head. What if I never told Vi about Kiramman's lab? That's where things started falling apart. What if I went after you that night and stopped you from chasing Vi? Maybe everyone would still be here"
"But it did happen" Jinx said flatly. "Everything that happened, happened. We are what we are."
"Yeah," Ekko said, his voice heavy. "I've been so stupid this whole time. We're not our memories. You're not Powder, just like I'm not Little Man. We've always been much more."
"Yet here you are," she said, her voice eerily calm, her glowing eyes blazing brighter than ever. "Why?" She stepped closer, her tone sharper. "Shut up—I want to hear it from him," she snapped at the silent voices only she could hear, her gaze never leaving Ekko.
"I've already told you," he said, trying to mask his growing frustration.
"Yeah, yeah, you're here to kill Jinx. I got it." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "But why you?"
"You're not making any sense here" Ekko said defensively.
"You've never been a good liar," she said, studying him. "Still suck at it, you know? Your eyes give you away. I can hear them."
"Oh yeah? What are they saying?" he shot back, his tone challenging.
Her frustration boiled over. "No, he does! I can see it! He wouldn't do that," she muttered, her eyes darting nervously.
"Stop."
"He's not lying! I know he's not!" she insisted, her voice cracking.
"Jinx, stop!" Ekko shouted, alarmed.
"Shut up! Shut up!" she screamed, slamming her fists against her head. She instinctively pulled out her gun and aimed it at him in a flash. Her breathing was ragged, but her hand remained steady. "Heads up."
Ekko froze, his own frustration mounting. He'd been a fool—wasting time, letting his guard down. He should've done what he came to do the moment he stepped foot inside. And yet... here he was, standing still, staring into her eyes. They weren't just filled with rage or malice. There was pain—real, raw pain—and he wasn't prepared for it; certaingly wasn't prepared for how it made him feel.
"This was your plan all along, wasn't it?" she said darkly, a twisted smile creeping onto her face. "Throw me off balance, then take me out. Such a clever little man."
That's when it hit him. There was no point in lying to himself anymore. He'd fought against the truth for so long, but now, he had to face it. He needed to come clean. "You were right," he said quietly.
"Yeah, no shit," she replied, confused. "About what again?"
"Why I'm here," Ekko admitted, focusing on her eyes.
"Shut up," she snapped. "You think I'm falling for that? Stop trying to trick us."
"Tell them to fuck off," Ekko said firmly. "I'm talking to you. It's just you and me here Jinx."
"You couldn't just come straight and kill me, could you?" she sneered, her voice cracking. "You had to play the hero—try to save me, like some stray dog."
"This wasn't the plan," he admitted, frustration bubbling to the surface.
"Plans make clank," she quipped, her eyes fixed on him, expectant.
"What I told you before was the truth. I hated you. But mostly, I hated myself. I just... I gave up on you."
"I guess I made it pretty easy," she replied with a bitter chuckle.
"No. I just… I didn't know what to do," his voice cracked slightly. "I couldn't do anything. But it's pointless to think about it now."
"Yeah, sure," she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "It's too late... How late, exactly?" she asked, her voice trembling, almost pleading.
Ekko let out a hollow laugh, his gaze heavy with regret. "Too late for anything. Like you said, we're here now. Everything that's happened, happened. There's no escaping who we are."
She stared at him intently. For a fleeting moment, Ekko could've sworn he saw a flicker of blue in her glowing purple eyes.
"But you still..." Her voice faltered.
He exhaled sharply, his defenses crumbling. "Yeah."
"Even though I'm... different?" she asked, her tone vulnerable, almost childlike.
He chuckled softly. "Even though we're different."
She laughed weakly, her voice tinged with sincerity. "Maybe... in some less fucked-up reality, Powder and Little Man made it."
"Yeah," Ekko murmured, his voice thick with longing. "I hope they did. For real."
"But not here."
Ekko hesitated. He had to say it now, or he won't be able to make it. "No," he whispered finally, the word barely audible.
Jinx smiled—a bittersweet expression, free of malice or cynicism. "Always the savior."
And then, in a flash, it was over.
I hope You liked it, I'm not an English native so there might be some rough edges on the writing