Stuffy, Barren Home

by orphan_account

Summary:

After Jinx kills Silco, she falters in her plans. With her main motivator for destruction gone, her existence suddenly seems a lot more gray and she wonders if she really wants to be an agent of chaos. So, she does the only reasonable thing she can think of:

She runs away, and hides. Hides like a scared little girl.

Because whether or not she's Jinx, or Powder, or whoever, she is-deep down-just that. A scared, weak, little girl.

OR: Jinx destroys the world around her, and flees just as destruction calls her. She lays low for her own sake and things improve, but the past just doesn't seem too keen on letting her go.

CURRENTLY ON HIATUS!

Notes:

Welcome! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 1: Plummet

It's crazy, how everything can change in a split second. How your whole life can just get flipped inside out with a single decision.

 

It all happened in a moment of weakness. 

 

Because of course, of course it had. Jinx wields some of the most dangerous weapons known to both Zaun and Piltover technological history, all to mask the fact that despite everything she is still too weak to accomplish anything without them. Too weak too weak, always have been always will.

 

The taunting voices of Mylo, Claggor, and Vander had been building up over the whole evening, teasing and berating her as they most commonly did. She had ignored them for the most part, with varying degrees of success, until her dear sister Vi had made a mistake, dredging up their names up from the grave and suddenly their presence became much more feasible. They were here now, hounding all around the tunnels of her brain with horrible words, until all other sounds became distant as her mind crumbled under the pressure.

 

She vaguely heard Silco's voice, blunt and demanding like the razor edges of a saw, calling out to Vi for her to just shut up , because maybe he really did realize what those sacred and special names did to her. Vi hadn't stopped though, and Jinx's skull was pulsing with pain as static took over her other senses. She could barley hear anything outside of the shadows clawing at her brain.

 

But despite the static, the tell-tale click of a barrel gun whiplashed Jinx back to reality, and in a moment of true panic- she turned and shot first.

 

.

.

.

 

It all seemed… so blurry now, even though it happened mere seconds ago. Like maybe it was all a bad dream, or another hallucination. She had those a lot, it wouldn't be surprising.

 

"I never would have given you to them."

 

No.

 

"Not for anything."

 

No, this was all real. 

 

Her mind can make her feel as much guilt and shame as it wants, but only reality could cascade her in pure despair and agony the way this did. Only reality could manage that much.

 

"Don't cry. You're perfect."

 

And there, kneeling on her knees as she begged and grasped at her father's worn face like it'd be the last time she'd ever get to see him, she sobbed. It was so ironic it was laughable, how he'd loved her truly as his own. Despite what a horrible monster she was, despite gunning him down not even a minute earlier, despite her prudent flaws and her borderline animalistic behavior, he loved her .

 

And when his eyes suddenly lost focus, and his body became unnaturally limp, she desperately wanted nothing more than to rip all of her hair and scream, or curl up into herself until she was nothing.

 

He was gone. Just like everyone else she loved, she just couldn't shake the bad habit of killing them. A small, bitter laugh had escaped her for that one. 

 

She really was a Jinx.

 

She'd dragged herself up from the ground eventually, when she'd gathered all the pieces of herself and crudely put herself back together. Taking slow and tired strides to a chair adorning the word "JINX" in bold pink letters. She tilted the chair open with the gun she'd taken from her father's cold hands, and she sat. Jinx had predicted earlier that this moment would have some sense of finality, a proper assurance to her new identity. 

 

Now, it felt like she was just following a pre-planned script. She couldn't feel anything, aside from a full body numbness. It felt only quiet now, and the Not even her voices wanted her company now.

 

"Powder," a small whispering of that forsaken name shifted her eyes up, landing on Vi. Her sister's face was twisted in a mixture of concern and pity, with a small hint of silent relief. "It's… It's ok. We can still fix this. It'll be alright now." she assured her.

 

Jinx had… conflicting emotions about her sister, but she never wished peril on her. In that moment though, she numbly felt like raising the gun and shooting her still-unconscious girlfriend. 

 

Would it still be alright then? Could they still fix it then?

 

Everything felt broken and scattered on cobblestone, like a shattered porcelain vase that had been tipped a little too hard.

 

It was a little unfair, for her to be able to say something like that. Vi wasn't the one who lost everything just now, Jinx was. She didn't need her sister's sympathy, because she was meant to be giving it to the girl who fell down a well. Giving it to Jinx would be… misplaced.

 

"I thought," she began, and her voice didn't feel like they belonged to her, "-maybe you could love me like you used to.” she breathed, letting the stillness in the air surround her, “Even though I'm… different." The words were stale on her tongue, tasting the distant hope she had felt once she'd heard of her sister's return. A hope for what? Jinx didn't really know.  Whatever it may have been, it didn't matter now anyways. It's too late now.

 

Those thoughts belonged to a fool, and there's a difference between a Jinx and a Jester.

 

"But you changed too." She glanced blearily at the Piltover woman on the floor, face smeared with dirt and blood as her chest rose and fell steadily. It’s no wonder, now that she looked at the lady's angelic face and perfect soul, that Vi had chosen her over Jinx. 

 

It hurt, still. To know that she could never stand a chance against Mrs. Perfectly-pruned Caitlyn. Her sister loved the stupid girl, and as much as she wanted to take the spot of her sister's sole affection, it wasn't her place anymore. She was a stranger now, looking into the warm sanctuary of the kind of love she knew she could never have again. It hurt, the finality of it all.

 

Funny. She had made this tea party to show which of the two Jinx would align her intentions with- Silco or Vi. By the end of it, she ended up having neither.

 

She knows what she has to do now. Fishbones, her greatest creation yet and a gift to her father, lay buried in the rubble, waiting patiently to be heaved over her shoulder and used. She could already imagine the magnificent explosion the shark would make, the destruction fitting snugly against the Piltover Council's headquarters. She could see the destruction already, and It was beautiful. Perfect, even-

 

“Don’t cry, you’re perfect.”

 

Just a little longer. She has to stay in reality for just a little longer, and then she can let herself fall apart. Preferably in a quiet, private room-

 

It was all waiting for her, she needed to finish off the night with a fireworks show. It’s what her dad would have wanted, and it’s what Jinx needs to do, to show those Pilties what they were playing with.

 

Except. 

Except…

Except she didn't… want to.

 

It was a strange feeling, not particularly feeling like blowing something up for the simple sake of it. It was all she had learned to feel for so long too. Whenever she was stressed or angry, hurting someone or something else always seemed to relieve it. Whether it was because Silco’s men had crossed him and he ordered her to blow up their base of operations or simply because that building is there and I don’t want it there anymore . Destruction and brutality were things synonymous with both Jinx and Powder, so why the hell did she just not feel like it? 

 

Silco would properly encourage her, if he were… still here. Be what they fear Jinx or We'll show them all Jinx . His words always set her back on track whenever she lost her footing, like that of a proper mentor. The man’s ideals may have been questionable at first, but they'd also been a solid backbone to fall on. When everything else seemed lost, she could go to sleep well knowing that Silco would know what to do, what to say. If there would ever be anything right in the world, it would be that Silco was always right. A simple fact of nature.

 

Now without him here to say those words she desperately needed, to push her back on her feet, she lacked the desire to get up again. 

 

Like a toy maker or an artist suddenly losing interest in their passion, a strange numb sadness washed over her. How broken must she be, if not even violence could make her feel something. It made her want to giggle, then laugh uncontrollably in a sporadic fit, then cry until her head hurt.

 

Nothing was right anymore. She couldn't tell left from right, up or down, and no one was there to help her figure it out again. Not anymore.

 

Jinx heaved herself up from her chair slowly, because she had to eventually. The Enforcer lady was starting to shift a little, groaning as consciousness was coming back to her. Jinx didn't feel like staying long enough to see her anger for herself.

 

"Powder, what are you…" Vi gazed at her as she stretched her arm out, plucking the Hextech orb whatchamacallit from the cupcake's frosting. Jinx faltered there, caught against Vi's confused and slightly frantic eyes. She was bruised and battered a small bit, small cuts and wounds littering her face. She looked like she'd been thrown down a hill and was forced to climb all the way back up. Jinx would have torn Vi’s eyes out right then and there, if it meant she'd stop staring at her like that. 

 

Too much concern, too much worry, and none of it was for her, didn't she get that already?!

 

She wanted to let her anger boil over, to spit in her face or yell or something- rather than sag in shame over what she'd become, and what she'd made Vi go through. She felt so, so alone now, and Vi was the last familiar face she could ever see that didn't sneer in hatred at her. At least, not yet. Maybe when Vi got a better grasp at Jinx's true atrocities and realized who she really was ( not Powder, not her ) would she finally stop looking at her with so much unwarranted concern. It pissed her off so much, she wanted to tear open her skin just to show Vi whatever she was trying to find under the surface just wasn't there.

 

But… it hadn't happened yet. Even with Jinx's insistent pushing for hatred down Vi's throat, she hadn't given way yet. It's bound to happen eventually though, and Jinx had prepared herself for it accordingly. 

 

But it hasn't happened yet. She's not sure she'll see Vi for a while after this stunt, nor does she know if Vi will still feel tolerant enough of her to even stand her company. She'll surely hate her then.

 

It hasn’t happened yet.

 

So.

...

 

So… just once.

 

Just once, she'll revel in it. Then that's it.

 

Just… a little one.

 

She catches the way Vi's eyes grow as Jinx leans in, silently wrapping her skinny arms around the redhead's shoulders and rests her chin against her shoulder. She sags almost immediately against the older of the two, like she'd finally got to lay on a bed after a long day of work. Vi smells like hardwood and pine, like she always has.

 

Vi tenses at first, seemingly expecting something more violent from the girl, before quickly unwinding against her innocent hold. Even though she's still tied up, the redhead echoes Jinx and sinks her head into her shoulder and a still-tied hand finds purchase against her back. Although restrained, she still hugs Jinx like she's scared to let go again. 

 

Jinx scrunches her eyes as she sinks her head into the other's shoulder, because this hug, this love is all for Powder not Jinx, it could never be for Jinx. Only for Powder, not her. It's not hers.

 

Vi could never love her like she loved Powder. To Vi, she's a beast wearing a ghost’s skin.

 

Simple. as. that. 

 

Jinx unwinds herself from Vi and pushes herself off her, the older of the two making a pained noise as the contact ends. The relief and hope is more clear in her eyes now, like she’d  been scared to let herself hope so openly beforehand. Jinx let's a small bit of guilt rightfully scorch her, for leading Vi like that and letting her believe. And for letting herself imagine , even if it was just for a second. She'd had to practically shove herself away from the redhead, to ensure she wouldn’t fall too deep in and couldn't get out. If she did, who knows what could have happened.

 

Jinx was fine, she wasn't a kid anymore and she didn't need her Vi.

 

Whether Vi thought she was gonna stay, or let herself get turned in because it was ' the right thing to do ' or some junk, she'd be sorely mistaken.

 

The blue haired Enforcer was properly roused now, and pulling herself up from unconsciousness with a groan. Knowing time was running out, Jinx unsheathed one of her pocket knives and quickly cut out the ropes holding Vi down, before skittishly scattering away back to the other side of the table.

 

"Caitlyn!" Vi, predictably, launched towards the Enforcer, easing the other up with hushed words of concern. She would have let herself feel some anguish at the action, but there were more pressing matters to deal with. She glanced at Silco, before scrunched her eyes up as if the sight burned her eyes. She turned to the blue Hexcore sitting in her palm, rumbling with blue powerful thunderstorms inside. She still had enough time, if she could just sneak away without drawing attention to herself... 

 

Was… could she still do it? She'd been building Fishsticks for so long, planning this attack for even longer.

 

She thought about the countless bodies that would result from the attack. Did she have the strength now to laugh away all the emotions that came with them?

 

Was she really going to throw it away now?

 

She's not. weak. She's Jinx, the crazy gun-obsessed maniac. She grins at the sight of dead bodies and laughs at mourning families like it's all some big joke. She's a Jinx, stands for jinx.

 

But… when she tried to imagine exploding the Council, she felt nothing. Sure, the image was as spectacularly gruesome as she imagined it the first time, but that was it. No joy, no urge to giggle with crude glee as she once would have. All she could picture was the roots of her tainted heart and wrapping around her body with a sense of incompleteness.

 

That's right. Without Silco here, none of her stunts would feel accomplished. No one was there to praise her for them, no one to mutter a quiet "you did good," anymore. 

 

She'd never get to hear his voice again.

 

She bit back a sob as her shoulders wracked with grief. He was really gone, wasn’t he?

 

Not once in her life had she really had no one. She'd had Vi and Vander, then just Vi, then Silco. The change had no breathing periods in between, so now for the first time in her life she had no one. No one to tell her what she should and shouldn't do. No one to go back home to. No one except… 

 

She chanced a glance back at Caitlyn and Vi, the former leaning herself against the other for proper support. They were muttering to one another, conversation assumingly serious as both had their eyes furrowed in frowns of concentration. It wasn’t until Caitlyn gave Jinx a quick glance, her sky blue eyes caught against her own. She expected the blue haired girl to scrunch her face in reserved anger or concentration, as she always had done up till this point.

 

All she found was a general look of both pity and cautionary weariness. There was a small spec of sympathy too, but Jinx might actually pistol-whip herself with Pow-Pow if she focused too hard on that one. 

 

"Jinx," the Enforcer addressed, trying to stand taller and away from Vi as the redhead cursed under her breath. The tense atmosphere from earlier had died down, but it looks like it's resurrection was imminent. 'Looks like I took too long' Jinx thought tiredly.

 

"I'm not sure what your plan was here, but it's evident it didn't…," she cast a glance at the ruined dinner table. "-go accordingly. I can't promise you anything, as it's out of my jurisdiction, but if you surrender yourself to us and let me arrest you, the consequences for this stunt will not be as severe." She finished eloquently, but even though her eyes are sharp with clear prior training to a situation like this, her voice isn't unkind or brutal as she'd expected from an Enforcer. She sounded like she was bargaining, almost.

 

"Powder, please." Vi started, "I… I'll admit, I don't know what you could possibly be going through right now but I want to help you, we do. " She pleaded, voice crackling like cinders from a fire, "I've already left you alone for so long, don't let us be separated again." 

 

Jinx blinked, and if the day hadn't been as draining as it had been, she would have laughed. One was pleading, and the other was bargaining. It didn't matter though, Vi was still under the delusion that she was still that dumb little girl who still needed training wheels on everything and Caitlyn was just doing it to make her girlfriend happy. Instead she took a deep breath, and sighed.

 

"Hey Piltie," Jinx called flatly, "catch."

 

She flippantly tossed the Hexcore at Cait, the other fumbling with it as if she'd expected a bomb instead. That would have been funny though, if she had thrown one. The look on her face? Priceless.

 

The pearl shimmered with unawakened power as both girls gazed at it, Vi with furrowed surprise and Cait with shock, then clear-cut confusion, "What are you… why would you give this to us Jinx?" She looked up, sending the girl a perplexed look, "You tore apart Progress Day just to get this… why?"

 

Jinx blinked, and then shrugged, "I dunno" She mumbled, and it was the first truly truthful thing she'd said that day, "I don't really… feel like hurting anyone right now." Confusion still swirled inside her and hey! Maybe she'll get past this mood and she'll regret this decision, but at the same time…

 

She chanced another glance at Silco, before trotting over to his still body with a carefully blank look. She carefully undid his jacket, before holding it close to her heart. It was the same jacket she'd worn to sleep when Silco had gone away to off-country meetings. She'd always been happy for his return each time, but Jinx would always be a little heartbroken she she had to give it back.

 

Looks like she wouldn't have to worry about that anymore.

 

"Hey" She mumbled silently, turning to the two girls. They had probably been staring at her as she had taken his jacket, Cait looking more openly pitying at Jinx's predicament. She glanced at the blue-haired girl, then at the two of them before managing a cattish grin.

 

"Sorry for being such a crummy host."

 

With that, she unsealed a colorful smoke bomb from her belt and tossed it at the ground. She vaguely heard the two girl's shouts as she fled the warehouse.

 

 

»»———-♠———-««

 

 

 

Two years later

.

.

.

The crowded streets of Zaun bustled with activity as midday came around, the sun's rays nowhere in sight as the Lane's dark streets were illuminated with neon lights and buzzing streetlights. The biting cold of the late fall season decided to finally set in, a few more barrel-fires present than normal. Paved and dirty gray cobblestone bricked streets sat mostly crowded with well-known criminals and wooden wagons of roadside merchants, the streets loud with overlapping conversations and distant music from local bars. Citizens of all sizes, from towering Smith Ogres to street kids weaving through the crowds of people, were finally flooding back in the streets. Tension in the area finally seemed to be dissipating, and people found it just comfortable enough to start practicing their routine schedules again. After all, nothing can ever be too safe when Enforcers were still prowling the streets. 

 

She gazed up from the hood of her coat, large box shaking with a metal rattle as she held it close to her chest. Two Enforcers passed by her as she silently weaved through the streets, and she couldn't help the small smile that danced on her lips as they passed her without a second glance. What would their reaction be, if they later found out that they had just passed by one of Piltover's most infamous criminals? 

 

Sucker s

 

Jinx slowed her pace down and ducked into a desolate alleyway, stopping at the fourth door. She didn't worry too much about muggers now, this was the nicer side of the Underground after all. Just as the note instructed, she knocked two times rapidly before two more times rhythmically. She heard distant noises from inside the apartment before quick footsteps found their way to the door. The door's locks were -almost frantically- undone from the inside and a sickly pale lady with long, orange hair opened the door. She had a dirty pink apron tied around her waist and eyebags that darkened half her face.

 

"Oh thank goodness you're here." She gasped with audible relief, shuffling herself away from the entrance, "Please, come inside. And keep your shoes on please."

 

Jinx nodded silently, letting the heavy door close behind her. The apartment was small and tattered, rose-patterned wallpaper peeling in most places with a cluttered connected kitchen and living room in the same connecting space. "Don't mind the mess dear," the woman began as Jinx continued to gaze around, "I tell you, when you sent that note saying you had to delay for another three weeks, I had almost gotten a heart attack. I almost made myself think the Enforcers snuffed you out for good." The woman glanced back at her, "They didn't though, right? Oh! Where are my manners, would you like anything to drink sweetheart?" She asked rapidly, carefully stepping over a cluttered pile of boxes.

 

Jinx blinked blearily, scratching her head as she caught up with the onslaught of questions, "Uh… water is fine. And no Mrs. Thorn, the Enforcers haven't found me yet." Even after four full months of active services, she'd been incredibly careful about covering up her tracks after each job. After all: one false move, and it'd all crumbled from there. She heaved the box up lightly, "Should I give this to him now or…?"

 

"Hm? Oh!" She rushed back, beckoning her farther in, "Yes, he's right this way. Oh dear, I cannot thank you enough for this. This means the world to us, truly." She said so sympathetically that Jinx glanced down, letting her eyes linger away from the lady and on her worn boots and apartment's wooden flooring. Jinx suddenly wanted to just leave this hunkajunck and bolting. They passed old, faded family portraits as the hallway ended, revealing three peeling white doors, likely older than Jinx herself.

 

As they stopped at the end of the hallways, Mrs. Thorn hushed down and creaked open the golden door knob. Inside revealed an equally crowded room, sporting an old record playing and a hospital-like bed pushed against the room's wall. Tucked into the bed was an old boy, likely close to the age of seventeen, wearing spectacles and unruly ginger hair not too dissimilar to his mom. He held the latest copy of Piltover's newspaper close, reading it closely. They boy was a tad scruffy, but definitely better off than most kids in Zaun.

 

At the door's loud sound, the boy glanced up at his mother, then at Jinx with widened eyes, "Mom, you didn't tell me she was coming by today." He murmured, shifting in his bed as he set the newspaper down at it's rusted railing. 

 

"Oh I'm sorry dear, I forgot to remind you." The woman said sympathetically, letting Jinx set the box down at the foot of the bed. "Now c'mon, let's get that sheet off you now."

 

The old matted bed sheets were lifted to reveal 1.5 pairs of legs, as the boy's right leg stood in stark contrast to the stump of the left one, ending just about five inches before where the foot was supposed to be. The stump had cracked purple and black residue on it's end looking almost like a singed and charred tree stump. A telltale sign of Shimmer rot, a nasty illness formed from exposure to fissure while under the effects of Shimmer. 

 

Jinx pulled out her pocket knife from her heavy boots, tearing open the box. "That looked like it hurt, huh?" She's heard the characteristics of the injury enough from Mrs. Thorn's letters, but seeing it in reality was a whole new level difference. It's fine though, she's been doing this for enough time to be familiar with the sight.

 

"A little." He murmured, before his lips tugged up in a grin, "Maybe more than a little." The boy laughed, straightening himself up in bed, "That's what you get for working in a Shimmer factory though. Accidents are bound to happen. I was just the sucker to get caught in it."

 

"Rotten bastard, that Silco." Mrs. Thorn swore suddenly, unapologetically, anger laced in her tone, "Said he wanted to make Zaun independent, but all he did was make half the population dependent on drugs. And then what? Made our kids work in his factories."

 

"Mom, not now-"

 

"It's true! God bless that Sevika for stepping up afterwards, shutting down the last of those horrible death factories just a month ago. Late is better than never I suppose," Mrs. Thorn murmured, "At least no more kids will have to suffer at the hands of those anymore. It's like the man designed it to hurt whatever kids stepped in them-"

 

The box suddenly ripped itself in two, folding like paper as Jinx blinked at it, "Whoopsie," she muttered, eyes dejected downwards as she vehemently made her jaw untense. "Sorry. Don't know my own strength sometimes" She chuckled, though the sound was laced with numbed bitterness.

 

"Oh it's fine dear," Mrs. Thorn waved dismissively, sighing at her own behavior, "Sorry you had to hear that dear, that man just brings out the worst in me." she huffed, standing back up straight as she dusted her apron, "Anyhow, I'll get you that water while you work. I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything." She patted the boy's shoulder once, before rising and taking her leave.

 

Jinx hummed in acknowledgment as Mrs. Thorn left, heaving the heavy piece of metal up to the bed as the bed creaked. 

 

"Sorry about my mom," the young man mumbled as Jinx undid several leather straps, "She's never been the angry type, but ever since the accident she's never been shy about showing her hatred for that guy. Though, I guess that is most people's opinion on him." He lifted his leg up as Jinx waved a hand at him, aligning the prosthetic with the stump.

 

Jinx hummed, furrowed her brows in concentration, "Where'd you get a Piltover newspaper? I doubt you coulda walked on down over there yourself." She asked, a small grin pulling on her lips as she readjusted the straps.

 

Instead of taking offense, the boy laughed heartily, as if she'd said the funniest joke ever, "No, but I wish. My friends caught two Enforcers having lunch, and snatched it for me. They know I love keeping up with Piltover news."

 

Jinx hummed in acknowledgment, nose scrunched in concentration, "Good friends," she murmured, tightening the screws slightly. "Ok, try lifting it now."

 

The boy nodded and followed the command, staring in amazement as the sleek black prosthetic followed the boy's movements, even having it's toes curl up in tandem. The boy was caught in a trance as wonder filled his eyes.

 

"Wanna take it for a spin?" Jinx suggested, cutting the boy from his trance. He nodded wildly, shifting his body so that it faced the end of the bed.

 

Water dripped from the leaky faucet dispelling out black murky water as Mrs. Thorn frowned down at it. Light footsteps made their way from the bedroom behind her as she picked up the glass.

 

"Oh sorry if I was taking too long with your water dear, sometimes the water gets a little filthy and I have to filter it out myself-"

 

"Mom?" A quiet voice cut her off.

 

The lady froze in shock, before turning and facing the two young adults that peaked against her kitchen doorway. One was grappling and finding purchase on the arm of the smaller of the two, two wobbly legs shaking yet most definitely standing. He took a step forward without his cane, arms spread out like he was trying to balance himself.

 

The cup she was holding slipped out of her hand, shattering against the tiled floor as the mother bound up to her son, hugging him with such ferocity as she chanted wobbly, "Oh my God, oh my goodness my boy, oh thank God."

 

Jinx stepped back, giving the two some proper space. She looked down blankly at the shattered cup of water meant for her, sitting there on the floor all but forgotten.

 

---

 

"Is this truly all you want dear? Just two days ago I heated up some proper spaghetti and meatballs. I could let you take some if you'd like." Mrs. Thorn, one again, insisted. Of course she would, after providing what was likely a life-saving miracle for her son, she'd find it strange that the only thing Jinx wanted was a heavy bag full of busted electronics and scrap metal. 

 

Jinx sloshed the bag around, please to hear the bolts and batteries clinching together. Just as she was about to deny the ladies' kind offer, her stomach gave a loud growl at the prospect of a warm meal. Her words died in her mouth, and Mrs. Thorn grinned a small smug smile as she excused herself to pack the meal.

 

"What are you even going to do with all those scraps?" Mrs. Thorn's son asked, leaning on one of the living room's cabinets. You'd be surprised to learn the boy had been beyond not even two hours earlier. His knees were still shaking like that of a newborn fawns, but he insisted on remaining upright.

 

"You'd be surprised at what magical things you can make with just a little bit of metal and a whole lot of ingenuity. Home-made lights, clocks, prosthetic limbs," bombs, "-whole lotta cool stuff." She explained simply.

 

Steph whistled, seemingly impressed with the lady's arsenal of skills, "Sounds hard. Maybe I should start doing that though, I've always wanted to make my own stuff. I don't suppose you're open to sharing scraps though are you?"

 

Jinx grinned, flicking the guy on the head, "You can steal them on your own now. Maybe you can even sneak into Piltie land and get your own newspaper now."

 

Steph let out a honk of a laugh, and Jinx wonders when was the last time she managed to make someone laugh like this. "Here, I got you something," he said suddenly, reaching into his pocket and pulling out two folded sheets of paper, "I know you said you didn't need anything else, but I really wanted to thank you. My mom and I don't have a lot, and since you seemed so interested in them I… wanted to give them to you." He extended both papers out, Jinx carefully examining them, "I mostly read while I was bed-ridden, it's good practice and it's not like there's a whole lotta do anyways. These let me stay connected to the world, in my own way."

 

Jinx glanced up, twirling the paper in her hands. "If you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly missing any limbs. I'm plenty connected with reality." Nowadays , at least.

 

One folded paper was from Zaun, while the other was from Piltie. Both newly dated, and a rare treasure to find in a place like the Underground. Most flammable items were scary around the beginning of winter anyways.

 

"I'll keep 'em though," Jinx smirked, pocketing it back into her coat's pocket, "Just in case I do end up losing a limb or something and get bored." 

 

Mrs. Thorn came back then, a plastic bag tied tightly as steam emitted from the top. Jinx fumblingly thanked her for her kindness, and was unfortunately met with the same gratitude of " You truly don't know how much this means to us" blah blah blah.  

 

"If you need to reach my services, write a postage delivery for Ziggs's junk market. I go by the name Bluebell there." Jinx rummaged over herself, pulling the scratchy scarf back up her chin, "And don't write or talk to anyone about me unless you trust them to keep a secret. I was never here Mrs. Thorn. Unless you want Enforcers breathing down both our necks, I tell you to take this seriously" She reminded her grimly. She never particularly liked this part,  but it was essential. She only took up jobs she could trust enough to keep their mouths shut.

 

Mrs. Thorn, despite the threat, smiled warmly, "I understand sweetheart. You're secrecy is very important, and after all you've done to us, it's the least I can do. You're always welcomed here, so please visit." She ruffled the younger's hair and Jinx reveled in the affection, frozen at first before leaning into it. Her smile dimmed slightly as she gazed at Jinx's eyes. She must have showed or done something wrong then, because a small voice of concern suddenly peaked up.

 

"Sweetheart dear, do you have… anyone to go back home to?" Mrs. Thorn asked suddenly.

 

Jinx gaped at the question, already down a few steps as she looked back up to the mother and son with a small, sad smile, "Good day, Mrs. Thorn." Jinx whispered politely.

 

Heated meal in one hand, scrap metal in the other, she waved goodbye at the two, tugging her scarf up as fog escaped each of her breaths as she trudged through the homey Zaun streets.

 

---

 

The Outskirts of the Underground tended to be underpopulated, as resources like metal, iron, and victims to prey upon lessened, so did the people. The toxic fissure was still as bad, If not even worse, but Jinx had suffered worse. 

 

"Honey, I'm home," she muttered, jamming open the door with a bruising force. She locked the door of the small, musty apartment and flickered on the lights to reveal a cluttered and old living room. Empty stacked takeout boxes and sketchbooks were left strewn around the couch and coffee table, while the walkway remained cluttered with half-finished projects.

 

Empty . Mrs. Thorn's words bobbed back up in her mind, and all Jinx could do was sigh is resignation.

 

Jinx… has changed a lot over these short months. Sometimes the name feels like a necklace of gold around her neck, the brash temptation to show it off to others is there. Sorta like a ' Yeah Motherfucker! I'm Jinx! I blew up Piltover and I have the power to do it again! Don't you dare for a second underestimate me!

 

But now, that brash and crude glee she got from other's cowering felt so stale now. She's always felt more comfortable in Jinx's character, because Jinx never needs to think about things too hard. The urge to slip back into a maniacal psycho is strong, but she's different now. Things are different.

 

If there was any key and most important skill she learned from her period after Silco's death was self-awareness.

 

Maybe it's a side-effect of laying low for so long, or maybe 'laying low' is still an excuse for not having to hurt anyone for a bit. If she were ever thrust back into the limelight, what would become of her? Would she revert back to what she's known for so long, that angry, uncontrollable natural disaster that destroyed everything it touched?

 

What if she… never came out of hiding? Would she be stuck in this domestic life, spent alone and in a routine fashion for the rest of her life? She couldn't decide which possibility scared her more.

 

And then of course, there's Bluebell.

 

Bluebell, unlike Powder and Jinx, are not identities. Bluebell is a mask, a codename to be exact. To be fair, Jinx wasn't thinking to clearly when she had taken the plunge in this decision.

 

Do you make prosthetics to look at them all happy, to know that if you took it away again they'd be left so defenseless and weak again? Does it make you feel powerful?

 

" Shut up ." Jinx bit out, glaring daggers at the curdling shadows scribbles of her apartment. She couldn't make out the voices from one another, and she didn't really care enough to try to. The shadows morphed and singed at her, taunting and hateful as ever.

 

"Go to hell, you don't know anything about me." She sneered again, and the shadows seemed to glower slightly, resigning themselves to gazing with silent judgment.

 

She- Bluebell wants to help people. Bluebell helps people for scraps of metal and nothing else. No money to charge those poor mucks who already have nothing else, no strings attached to any Enforcer junk either. She uses the scraps to make bombs, and to tinker in her studio occasionally. She doesn't use them though, as the magenta and blue explosions we're Jinx's colorful signature to any violent crime that she should probably be avoiding while laying low. Instead, she sells her bombs to her dear friend yordle Ziggs, as she is his main supplier for high quality bombs. 

 

This has been her life for a full year, and for the first time in a while, she feels like she can breathe in her own skin. She always assumed Jinx would hate routine, caught up in the horrible monotony of an everyday schedule would set off a mental implosion of sorts. Surprisingly, it wasn't nearly as bad as she'd thought it'd be.

 

It's not bad at all. The voices we're still there and annoying as ever, but she doubted they'd ever go away.

 

Maybe because… She was finally allowing herself to break free from the past. She wasn't hurting anyone right now, a constant action throughout her whole life. Vander. Mylo. Claggor. Those names…  thinking about them now still brings pain, but it's not all-consuming and gut wrenching as it once would have been. It hurts, because they were there, and now they simply aren't. It's been two years since she's been all on her own, and maybe that's all she needed. Time to just... let it sink.

 

They aren't here because she- Powder killed them. Powder ruined her own life with the dumb monkey bomb.

 

"It was an accident," Jinx whispered brokenly, eyes downcast as her fingers clenched and unclenched. "I'm sorry."

 

Mylo, Claggor, Vander.

 

They were there, and now they weren't. 

 

"I'm sorry." Jinx echoed.

 

It's been awhile since she's heard their voices through her fogged mind. She thinks if she focuses on the shadows enough though, she can make out their forms from time to time. 

 

She inhaled deeply, before releasing the breath quietly. She shouldn't think so hard anymore, especially about what's dead in the past. No choice but to look forward now.

 

"Good afternoon Fishbones," she greeted politely, passing the hung mantle that held up the missile launcher. "Hope you didn't have too much fun without me here." She chanced a glance up as she set the table, Fishbones staring down at her with his signature shark-toothed frown.

 

See! Take that Mrs. Thorn!! I'm not lonely, I can never be while Fishbones is here.

 

She grinned toothily, mood suddenly replenished with the statement. She wormed her way out of her trench coat, small flakes of powdery snow falling off as she let it drop to the floor. She bounded over to her self-made Jukebox, and turned on some tunes. It was some dumb and boring Poltie Orchestra, a tune much too monotonous for her to properly shred to. It made for good background noise though, anything to outdo the silence.

 

Kicking her boots off, she sat herself down and unwrapped the plastic bag to reveal a still-steamy container. Her mouth watered as she popped it open, shoveling a warm bite into her mouth as she hummed in euphoria. Man, if Mrs. Thorn really allowed Jinx to return if she wanted to, maybe she could have her over for a proper dinner sometime.

 

She dug through her pockets mid-bite, intending to find her keys and set them down, only to come in contact with two folded up papers. She paused, and slowly brought her hand back up to her face. Two folded newspapers met her eyes, folded into two thick squares so they could fit inside of a pocket. She continued chewing, undoing the Zaun newspaper first. Might as well have some entertainment while she ate.

 

She unfurled the paper, revealing a large, slightly dirty brown newspaper, a coffee stain present in its front page. It smelled a little like ash and soot, the staple smell of a Zaunite merchant store.

 

"OVERSEER OF THE UNDERGROUND, SEVIKA XXXX, MAKING PEACE WITH PILTOVER. THE PROMISE OF INDEPENDENCE. " were the first words printed on the Newspaper's cover, a blurry image of the lady standing beside a council Emmerich present under it. "While proceedings with the Overseer and the Council's members have mostly remained private, Counselor Jayce Talis, sworn in just four years ago, has publicly announced that they are providing dealings with Zaun so that peace between the two would finally be ensured."

 

"Back at it again, huh Progress Boy…" ugh. She never imagined that boar Sevika would be a schmoozer for some prissy Pilties before, the general always seemed too good for that type of crap. Guess she was a follower, through and through. Jinx shoveled another pity in her mouth.

 

"In light of the Overseer's recent decision to shut down widespread Shimmer production, we are left to wonder if this action was a demand from the Council or a personal choice on behalf of the new Overseer. While not specifically addressing it, Counselor Talis's words do bring into question Zaun's permanent independence and breakage from the city. Will this possible treaty promise Zaun's independence? We conducted a survey and asked our readers what-"

 

"Ugh. Boring!" She whined with her mouth full, skimming over the page's long words. 

 

"-ght of recent butchering's alongside the Zaun grey alleys, we urge our readers to remain vigilant and avoid traveling alone."

 

Jinx's eye's widened in interest, "Ooooo! What's this about?" Jinx wondered, leaning back in to absorb the information.

 

"-Whether this rising threat is a possible up-and-coming serial killer or a new fissure disease, not enough is known to draw any solid conclusions as of now. An anonymous doctor's analysis has stated that the remains found at the scenes we're closer to 'what one would find outside of a Butcher's shop', the remains bearing a resemblance to minced meat. Neither Overseer Sevika nor any Piltover Officials have addressed this issue as of the present date, many outraged citizens claiming that they will continue to not address it until "the body count touches the roof"."

 

"A serial killer, huh?" Jinx pondered out loud. She wasn't particularly too concerned for her safety, Jinx never left home without Pow-Pow and at least four bombs on her. Those were more of a last resort though. And diseases -Jinx can personally note since her job kinda requires medical knowledge- never tended to violently mutilate humans either, so that was a plus.

 

The idea of going after whatever-it-was that was mincing schmucks on the streets wasn't a particularly smart idea. Jinx never took herself for the vigilante type either, since something like a savior complex always seemed so boring and stupid anyways. Who in their right mind sacrifices themselves just to save someone else? Jinx was a little insane, but not stupid.

 

But if she did by chance end up coming across it, she wouldn't mind picking a fight or two. 

 

With dear sister living it up in Snores-vile and Sevika too busy kissing the Piltie's shiny shoes, someone's gotta keep an eye out for the poor old schmucks of Zaun. A self-satisfied grin tugged at her face.

 

Would Vander be proud of me? For... thinking that?

 

The sudden thought made Jinx still, hands crumpling the newspaper she was holding slightly. The ink-pressed words seemed to blur against the page as her eyes misted over, a few tears escaping her eyes as she scrunched them together. 

 

-What do you think? That now that you're kissing the small little heads of poor orphan kids and thinking about killing murders instead of everyday citizens, he'll suddenly forgive you for destroying everything around you? Who do you thin-

 

"I miss him," she mumbled truthfully, and the admission felt tantamount to a breakdown for Jinx. The voices seemed to feel the weight of the words too, as they suddenly quieted in volume and writhed away from her ears. 

 

She missed him. A lot, actually. 

 

And that was that. Like a paleontologist blowing the dust away from an old, sacred rune, the statement felt like she'd cleared another part of her mind away and discovered a piece of wonder once thought lost to time.

 

Except, there was no wonder to be found. No sense of clarity, nor did she suddenly have a ground-breaking epiphany. Because it was simply the truth, one she'd known for so long but seldom acknowledged, especially when Silco came around. Silco may have ( and always will be) been her real father, through thick and thin, but Vander was her first one. He had tucked her in when she was still little, had been reassuring and encouraging whenever she messed up with her tinker-toys, even knew that offering a fresh glass of orange juice was always a sure way to cheer her up.

 

He may have looked like a brute on the outside, but underneath that towering strength was a man with a soft heart and a mind completely dedicated to his adopted children.

 

And what did she do to the kind man?

 

She killed him.

 

"Sorry," she mumbled, glancing at where the lines and shadows drew Vander's towering form. He wasn't hounding her now, just simply gazing at her in the shadows with a feeling of melancholy. 

 

Jinx sighs and lowers the newspaper, letting her face bury into her hands. Is this what Vi feels when she thinks of Vander? Had she been neglecting the misery of his death for so long, too overcome by guilt to really realize he was forever and truly gone?

 

She missed him. She missed Silco too. No one was left to look over her shoulder now.

 

.

.

.

 

The clock ticked as the record continued to play a soft melody, time passing slowly as the remaining food on her plate went cold. Jinx remained still for a while too, before raggedly breathing in and out and slowly removing her hands from her face. When had she gotten so tired? She crumbled the Zaun newspaper into a ball, while haphazardly pushing the Piltover one back into the pocket of her trench coat, deciding to save it for some other time.

 

Time passed without a care for anyone else, and the sun rose and set without uncertainty. The world spun, waiting for no one else to catch up.

 

Jinx blearily rose, sniffing one last time as the bags under her eyes weighed her down like gravity. They'd seemed to be stuck that way for a while now.

 

She glanced at a homemade clock of hers. The sun was due to set soon. She could probably squeeze in maybe six more bombs now in her studio if she worked fast enough, and then get four- maybe five hours of sleep afterwards. If she was lucky.

 

Jinx had learned early into her laying-low period that letting the days pass by while stuck in bed wouldn't change much reality wise. It was a slightly painful- but necessary lesson to learn in her solitude. No one else was going to wait for her to get up anymore.

 

She had to do things for herself now, not for anyone else. 

 

The world passed by and changed, and Jinx intended to keep up with it on both her feet.

Notes:

Thanks for reading! Please consider leaving comments of kudos if you enjoyed it, It's a big motivator for me ^^

Author's Note:

-Hello everyone^^! I'm so so excited to finally be able to post my first chapter!! If you haven't already seen, I already have the chapter-number pre-set and it's story mostly planned out. Chapter two is 70% finished in it's drafting phase and I've done a sporadic bit for the other chapters as well. Eleven may not seem like a lot, but I'm planning on making each as lengthy and bulky as this one. Some may be longer, but that's a situation for later. Anyhow, I really hope you all enjoy this! ~Fish

-Before you go any further, I think I have some things to explain about Post-Timeskip Jinx's personality.

I thought very hard about how to characterize this new Jinx, because I wanted to be able to make a more mature and sorta grown-up character, but not so much as to make her unrecognizable. And I'd say I did a pretty good job at it: She's a lot more used to company now, but it's clear she doesn't exactly know how to properly talk with people. Interacting with others normally leaves her in this awkward and reserved state, like she's clearly not used to talking and acting this way and is still trying to come into herself. There are obvious moments where she's able to come out of her shell, but those aren't particularly frequent. She's most crazy-Jinx-like she's actually all by herself, where she allows her guard down enough to address her hallucinations.

I hope I was able to let this personality archetype shine through, I think it'd make the most sense if she was trying to come to her own.

-I had to rewatch Arcane's end I don't know how many times to properly write it out. Even though it was just a summary to get the real plot started, It was one of the funnest scenes to write about.

-" Jinx, stands for jinx. " is one of Jinx's lines in League. The fact that Arcane has tricked me into indulging in several League videos is a crime in it of itself.

Chapter 2: Stray Alley Cats

You'd figure the city of Zaun would be at least a little more merry now that winter is starting to settle in, but by the looks of things, nothing in the world could ever dissipate the city's constant grouchy street mood. Except maybe alcohol. Jinx wouldn't know, she's never been much of a drinker. 

 

While it isn't common knowledge, most people who drink tend to have to know how to make their way back to reality. Maybe Jinx could try again now, but she doesn't particularly feel like going on a maniacal paranoia-driven killing spree at the moment. Some other guy is apparently doing that already.

 

Winter in Zaun didn't mean presents; it meant starvation and illness. You'd be lucky to walk through the street at night without finding some drunk guy on the verge of dying from hypothermia. Whatever kids still believed in the fat guy with the red clothes either fell down a sewer pipe from Piltover or are too ignorant for their own good.

 

Truly, the most festive of cities! Maybe Santa will give her something nice this year, like a hog-pig named Sevika. 

 

Her backpack rattled with metal clinks as she walked, the leather baggage covered under her trench coat to hide it from any unsavory eyes. Her boots thumped against the sidewalk as fog formed from each breath she took. It was chilly enough for windows to fog over and frostbite being a feasible thing now, but not cold enough for full lumps of snow to form on the sidewalks. Instead, it was some sick in-between of slush, grimy street-dirt snow. Gross.

 

She walked through the busier side of Zaun, the Lanes alive and busy with vendors and small crowds huddled around them. There were small barrel fires lit up around the street, homeless kids and adults alike huddling for warmth like a pack of penguins. The comparison would probably be a bit cuter if their worn and boney faces didn't scream starvation. 

 

One strange thing Jinx did note was the ever-so slight increase of Enforcers on the street. The increase was so slight that she doubted the normal law-abiding (well, as law-abiding as you can get in the Undercity) wouldn't be able to tell the small change. Instead of two Enforcers per block, there'd been three.

 

Huh. Maybe that Talis boy's 'awe-inspiring' words were just used to lower Zaun's guards for a real invasion. ' Looks like the ogre Sevika has got a problem on her hands' Jinx grinned wolfishly, 'Sucker.'

 

Her jovial walk ended when she reached a familiar unassuming tent, Jinx ducking into it's half-open tarp door. The small merchant shop smelled like ash and cast iron, weapons like scaffolding knives and fire pokers were put on display with priceless scrawled under their boxes. A single shining light bulb buzzed from the top of the tent, and an oil lamp was lit and put atop the register table. Other clutter like cages, loose boxes and barrels were pushed against the edges of the tent. A small note adorned the desk, 'OUT FOR LUNCH' scrawled messily on it.

 

Jinx gazed at the place from the edge of her hood, gazing at the plethora of animals and monsters alike stuffed behind the rusted cages. From monsters like Raptors and small mini Krugs scratching at their enclosure, to radioactive-looking lizards and mutated beetles; Ziggs's place really seemed more like an animal farm than a weapon smith.

 

Jinx caught the eye of one animal staring at her, it's singular mustard yellow eye gazing up at her while the other simply wasn't there anymore. Probably got it scratched out or something. The creature's tail slumped down, black fur patchy and tattered against it's pale pink skin. It sat in silence and almost complete stillness, a stark contrast to the constant hawks and shrills from the other animals. 

 

Jinx gazed back at the cat, unwavering to meet the feline's own stare. It looked like an endless black void, save for the eye. She recalls Powder once wanting a dog, an interest mutually shared with her sister, though the answer for a pet had always been no. They were too loud and hard to take care of, and "I already have enough mouths to feed with the lot of you, all four of you rascals."

 

I'm sorry, it was an accident-

 

Jinx briefly recalled all the dead strays she'd come across, especially around winters. Sevika had been particularly mad at one encounter, where Jinx had brought in a shivering stray calico and begged for the thing to at least stay the winter. The lady had growled and scrunched her face in disgust, but Silco had allowed the feline to stay. For those few weeks, Jinx and Patches were inseparable. It may not have been a dog, but Patches was just as affectionate and energetic as any run-of-the-mill dog was. 

 

When winter came to an end and hypothermia was no longer a looming threat, Jinx reluctantly let the cat go back to the streets. She couldn't cage something so beautiful and free at the calico, Jinx knew she wouldn't want that if she were in its shoes. A small Jinx waved happily as the cat left, leaving her with a small longing for companionship, but a warm feeling of 'doing the right thing and stuff' filling her heart.

 

The next time she'd walked into Singe's lab, she saw the remains of a cat's entrails scattered all along the walls of a small glass container. "A bad batch of Shimmer." was all the man had said, leaving a dead silent Jinx to shakily touch the glass, ghosting a hand over the familiar cat's lifeless bloody eyes. 

 

I'm sorry I'm sorry I didn't know-

 

Jinx physically stepped back, shadows wrangling around her as the voices became louder. She scrunched her eyes and shook her head, the cat twitching it's ears towards the girl as Jinx muttered under her breath.

 

"Oh yahoo~!" A muffled voice sing-songed, "whoever's in here better not be stealing from my register or I'll be testing out my new bear traps-" The familiar ducked into the tent from the edge of the tarp, gasping a large grin as he saw the girl, "Jinx! It's you!"

 

Jinx blinked for a bleary-eyed second, before breaking out into a slightly droopy wolfish grin, "Well duh? Who else would have walked all the way here to deliver your stupid package." With the words said, Jinx removed her heavy hood and reached an arm around to drag the backpack forward, slinking it off her arms as she set it on the desk.

 

The yordle's wicked grin widened (how that was possible was a mystery), fixing his round glass as he jumped on the table to inspect it, "Oh, I just knew today was gonna be great! First I find some perfectly good bones in the trash and now Jinxie drops by with some of her goodies! A truly happy day for this mad scientist!" The yordle stuck his head in the back, retrieving a pink metal chomper she had managed to finish last night.

 

"Safety pin on right… metal casing optimal… deceiving in appearance, as usual… ah, how I love your work Jinxie!" The yordle observed, sauntering over to the lower compartments of the merchant's table, "Bomb expert to Bomb expert, I often wish I could dissect that brain of yours. Your work is the best in the Underground, as many others simply do not meet my standards the way yours do."

 

Jinx chuckled, bashful scratching her head, "Aw hecks Doc, you're gonna make me go red with all these compliments. And sorry about the brain thing, I pinkie-promise you can take a look once I die or something. Or passed out if you think you can put me back together right." 

 

The yordle tsked, taking a more scolding tone, "Now don't say such tempting things to me Jinxie! You know how I can get. Plus, I barely know how to set my brain right, I doubt I could do that to my best friend." With a strangled grunt, the small furball heaved a large bag onto the counter, making a loud clicking noise as it hit the wood, "Well, there's your payment Jinxie! And here-" The yordle brought up a small stack of letters, placing them next to the bag, "-are all the letters you got this week. I love you Jinx, but if I see one more Bozo walk in here just to drop off a letter and not buy anything, I might start charging them a postage fee," he grumbled.

 

Jinx shifted through the small pile of letters, all addressed to Bluebell, "Aw stop crying Ziggs, you're just jealous I'm getting so much business while you're not. I'm sure when the Piltover raids start your business will go booming." 

 

The yordle seemed to brighten at that, calling as his grin widened, "Booming, both metaphorically and literally. I like your style Jinxie." He fixed the goggles on his head, "It'd be nice to start selling more creatures too. They go for a good buck and they're starting to get more annoying than me!"

 

As the yordle idly chattered, Jinx glanced back at the one-eyed cat. It hadn't looked like it moved from where it had been since she walked in, the only sign of life being its blinking and the occasional twitch of it's tail. It would have been unnerving to any normal folk, but Jinx simply tilted her head at it with curiosity.

 

"Hey Ziggs," she started, face blank as she kept the tellers in hand, "How come you're keeping a cat in here? Are you thinking about selling it or something?" With all the strays running around the streets of Zaun, finding one wouldn't have been particularly hard. Trying to sell one would just be bad business.

 

The yordle scoffed, still buying himself as he transferred the bombs from her bag to a box, "Selling it? I'd be lucky if I'd get a dime for it! Little rat came in here and tried to steal my lunch." He gave a long sigh, "I suppose I'll have to just kill it, maybe sell it's fur to some homeless kid out there. You know, winter and all." Ziggs hummed uncaring, much more interested in getting the last of the bombs out of the bag.

 

Jinx continued staring at the cat, eyes shifting slightly as she took in the information. 

 

Kill it? He's… going to kill it?  

 

It wasn't completely uncommon for the things to get hunted for one reason or another. That was mostly done by desperate folk though, starvation and the bitter cold enough to drive a person to butcher the small animal. The light fur had bad insulation and the meat was crude and unhealthy- what with all the junk those things ate on the streets.

 

It was a show of the depravity of humanity in Zaun, street cats eaten by street rats. 

 

Jinx bent down to look at the thing at it's eye level, Ziggs too occupied with the bombs to notice the interaction. From up close, it was much more ugly than she originally saw. It's left ear was mangled to bits, its fur matted down with filth of the Lanes. It's right eye was completely missing from it's socket, cut out almost too cleanly to be a battle wound. Had someone operated on it? Did this cat… use to have someone it loved?

 

It'd make sense if it did, otherwise the lack of aggression towards Jinx as she neared would have no explanation. It's strange, to think this filthy street cat may have once had a home, someone who loved it enough to take medical care of it.

 

Those people we're gone now, evidently having abandoned it, in the filthy Zaunite streets, with its wounds it'll never heal from. 

 

Abandoned. No one left to take care of her.

 

All alone now.

 

"You and me both, huh buddy?" Jinx muttered, a foreign emotion clawing in her voice. A cascade of conflicting feelings flowed through Jinx, throat dry the more she let herself think about the situation. The unfortunate similarities between the two made it hard to look away, but so what if she sympathized with the thing? After all, Jinx was a wanted terrorist and the worst thing this cat could have done was chew up some poor bloke's couch leg. 

 

Was it really fair then, for this kitty to be in the same situation as her when it's done nothing wrong?

 

The cat's tail thumped against the metal railing of the cage, uncaring as it's whiskers twitched. 

 

A sudden thought came to her then, and after a split-second of contemplation, she carefully grabbed the cage and stood up, walking to the counter where Ziggs had his bag turned towards her.

 

Setting the cage down, she resolved herself, "I want this cat."

 

Ziggs jumped at her words, looking back up and fixing her a surprised look, "Really now?" He blanched, "A black cat and a Jinx, guess it makes sense. You can have the feline for free, take it as a complimentary gift from yours truly."

 

Jinx's lips tugged into a genuine smile, looking down at the large-eyed cat. A small sigh of release escaped her, her heart suddenly lighter now that she saved the kitty from death's jaws. She leaned over, matching the cat's wide eye with her own violent pink ones. 

 

Maybe some new company wouldn't be so bad.

 

As she stuffed Bluebell's letters into her pockets and picked up the cat's cage, she bid a quick farewell to the yordle as she made her way to the exit. Maybe she could catch some grub for both her and her new guest before she got home-

 

As she went to leave the tent, a new weight suddenly crashed into her, knocking all her breath out of her as she spilled her letters from her trench coat pocket,  almost falling face first into the street. Jinx groaned as she dug her palms into the musty asphalt of the street, heaving a foggy breath against it as she tried to get up again.

 

"Aw shit," A new voice cursed, and Jinx stiffly froze at the recognition of it. 

 

The new figure collected up all the letters that had fallen, and Jinx prayed that her fuzzy hood could cover her whole face. "Sorry about that," the grown boy muttered, "You should be more careful, people like to use that trick to steal things from you." He held out the letter, waiting for her to stand at her full height as she got on her knees, back still facing him.

 

Her legs shook violently as she got up, heart beat pounding against her ears ever since she first heard the voice. What was he doing here? Didn't he have better things to do than take a nice old stroll around a bomb manufacturer?!

 

She clutched the cat around her chest as she clenched her teeth in resignation, bending her knees out until she stood at her full height again. Her hood worked against gravity then, thumping on her back as her long thin braids spilled out from where they'd been stuffed. 

 

She turned, facing the now dumbfounded boy as he stood stock still. He had finally grown out of whatever boyishness was left on his face, leaving a brutal and unforgiving man in its wake. A flicker of emotions passed through his face, and it was weird seeing him be anything but hateful towards her. 

 

Eventually his face hardened into a rage full scowl- there it is! As he all but snarled, " You ."

 

She took advantage of his still-present stillness, snatching the mound of letters from his hands. "Hello, Boy Savior of mine," she coyly teased, and gosh it's been a hot minute since she's had to crank her Jinx side past anything but a five. Hopefully he'll forgive her rustyness. "You're lucky no one knows what the infamous Jinx looks like, outside of friends n' stuff."

 

His eye twitched, standing with a predatory gaze as he glared, "You got some nerve-" He gritted.

 

Jinx groaned loudly, "Oh please, save us both the chat. Personally, I'm not interested in listening to whatever memorized mantra you got about how much you hate me , I'm a busy woman these days, y'know?" Jinx was tempted to just bolt away now, but she has a feeling that he'd just run after her if she did. She wasn't leaving until he was satisfied with whatever it is he wants.

 

He looked on again, thinning his eyes in suspicion, "Oh yeah, busy with what? Buying weapons? I thought you made all your bombs yourself, not buy them off some yordle. Guess some of us go rusty eventually." He teased, smirking as a flash of rage that coated Jinx's face.

 

Buying weapons. Right. "And what exactly were you gonna do in there Boy Savior? I don't suppose you were gonna buy some candy for your Firelight brats from a weapon smith, were you?"

 

His face blazed with renewed hatred, eyes sharp and intense, " Don't ever fucking talk about my team ." He warned dangerously, fist clenched, "I don't know if you need a reminder, but you're the one that killed some of those kids. I have to go to sleep and wake up everyday knowing that they aren't here because of you. Don't. Fucking. Test me ." 

 

'Yeah.' She thought with a scoff.

 

Yeah, she remembers.  

 

A lot of those memories are blurs now, just like the rest of them, but she remembers what she did. 

 

It'd be harder to forget it, really.

 

She rolled her eyes with an unimpressed sigh, " Geez , no need to get so grouchy with me. Ever heard of forgive and forget, Little Man? After two whole years, you'd think you'd go and give it a try. Guess it's a little hard, when your face still hasn't recovered." The man still had small burn scars along his left face and leg from the bridge's explosion, though they weren't as bad as Jinx thought they'd be.

 

He huffed, crossing his arms, "You're one to talk. By the looks of things, you aren't doing so hot either." He was right, of course. She'd stopped wearing mascara because her eye bags were dark enough to substitute them. Her skin was pale and sickly from fissure exposure and her muscles had grown weak from lack of fighting. (Not to say she's any weaker, Sevika's training lessons were ironed into her brain whether she liked it or not).

 

If he wanted to fist-fight her right now, no weapons, she wouldn't lose pride in saying he'd likely win.

 

A silence settled between the two, vendors and passer-byers filling the space with distant chatter. It was strange to say that the silence was… not comfortable, but not filled with the visceral hatred both had grown used to. Mutual, indifferent silence if she we're hopeful.

 

Eventually, Ekko glanced down, finally noticing the cat in her arms, "What the hell is that?" He asked, a perplexed look crossing his face. It was kinda funny, seeing such a serious man baffled at a simple feline.

 

Jinx held the cage closer, swinging herself on the balls of her heels, "She's my partner-in-crime now, my compadre ! And what you just called my so-called-weapon " she advised, looking down at the cat. She was staring at Ekko with her big yellow eye, flicking an ear every few seconds.

 

Ekko didn't respond, arms still crossed as he looked at the cat like it was a puzzle written in a foreign language. "Why?" He asked simply.

 

Jinx smiled widely, "Why? Why not? If dog's might be man's best friend, then cat's are definitely woman's best friend. Plus-" her grinned turned catfish, "-A black cat and a Jinx, double bad luck. Ooo! All I need now is to break a mirror. Quick, you got a hammer?" 

 

For once, Ekko returned the grin with his own, "Don't need one, I'm sure your reflection is more than enough." He confidently stated.

 

Jinx gasped, playfully socking him in the arm as he continued grinning, "So rude! No wonder you're destined to be single forever." She straightened with conviction, "In fact! I'm cursing you with my witch cat right now! A-and it can only be cured by… shaving off all your hair! At midnight on a full moon!"

 

Jinx stood stock still when the boy suddenly started to heartily laugh, the noise a completely foreign enigma to her ears. She found herself stunned, before quietly and cautiously joining along with a smaller fit of giggles, eventually leveling in at a normal volume. 

 

She laughed at the ridiculousness of it all, how the boy she'd scarred and betrayed had interrogated her the first time he'd seen her in two years. Had he been worried about her? Had he hoped she was dead, all this time? Her laughter felt foreign to herself, a wheezing mess as a small tear slid out of her eye. 

 

Is he laughing with Jinx right now? Or with Powder?

 

Eventually their laughter simmered down, leaving both breathless and reddened. She suddenly saw it in his eyes, the vulnerability and the undeniable tiredness to them. She could vaguely make out the boy underneath the hardened exterior, all the pressure weighing down on him. It must be hard, being the reason for so many of his comrades and loved one's deaths. 

 

Maybe she can relate to him on that level.

 

The air predictably tensed back up, as they both seemed to remember who they are and what they are to one another. 

 

Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.

 

The cat pressed to her chest meows for the first time, turning to face her. Jinx glanced at her, nodding in agreement. About time we end this.

 

She sighs heavily, "Listen boy savior, I can do two things right now. Option A: I throw a smoke bomb and ditch so that all the Enforcers on the street come jogging up or Option B: You let me and my cat walk outta here and you don't follow us." She doesn't think she's particularly worried about him trailing her, she's fairly good at losing people who do. The cat might make it a little difficult though.

 

Ekko seemed to analyze her words for a second, unfurling his arms as he heaved out a sigh. He glanced at the shop, then at the bundle of cat in her arms, and then at back Jinx. "I don't know what you've been doing for the past two years," he began soundly, "But for both of our sakes, and for everyone else's in fact, I hope to Zaun that it isn't violent."

 

Jinx let out a giggle, "Violent? When have I ever done something violent?" She smirked as an annoyed look passed back onto Ekko's face. Good. For a scary second there, she thought he felt anything but hatred for her. " Anyways, I gotta bounce. Got anything else you wanna confess?"

 

Strangely, he nodded. With a second of reluctance and hesitation, he cleared his throat.

 

"Vi and Cait. They were down here a while ago." He explained.

 

Jinx's heart dropped at the two ghastly names, heart almost pounding out of her chest at the mere mention of them. She suddenly felt a little sick. Why in all of Runeterra would they go back down the filthy streets of Zaun when they had fancy hand-washed towels and clean air over in perfect-land Piltover? "Why?" She bit out, though she absolutely hated how her voice cracked.

 

Ekko looked at her dead in the eyes, seemingly analyzing whatever reaction she had. He must have found whatever he was looking for, resigning himself with a flat tone.

 

"They were asking about you, if anyone had seen you around anywhere." He sighed heavily, "I think… something big is coming. And they wanna make sure they get to you first."

 

If 'don't hurt the messenger' wasn't such a renowned phrase, Jinx would have shoved Ekko down and made a bolt for it. Why? Why now? Why are they still bothering with her? Hasn't she done enough, haven't they realized that she's a monster? She feels like a cornered animal now, wall heavy against her back as the shadows and voices creeper in. Her eyes glazed over, lip trembling as she took an involuntary step back.

 

"No. No no no no no, shut up. You're… you're lying." They're all liars. She'd been doing well on her own. It wasn't perfect sure (Jinx had lost count of the amount of times she'd go through the day without eating), but it was fine all things considered. 

 

It was a mundane life, but it was miles better than living under the hollow shell of an insatiable monster. She doesn't need this right now.

 

She's so sick of people hating her, why do they have to drag her back up? Let Jinx and Powder both die in their memory, there's nothing salvageable anyhow.

 

"Jinx," a real voice began, and she snapped out of her stupor. Ekko was looking at her, face flat and sturdy as he kept his arms crossed, "I'm not lying. Not about this." Ekko insisted, and his stupid earnestly face made her want to rip her hair out.

 

"I'm not Powder, y'know." She highlighted, because she needs to make that clear, she has to. "She fell down a well and died. It's too late to save her." she mumbled, glancing down and away from the other's eyes.

 

Ekko nodded, eyes downcast, "I know. I've known that." He said so softly, as if he were mourning the loss of a real person. Good.

 

She experimentally took a step back, gouging at his reaction. When he made no move to stop her, she pulled the hood back over her head and got no further than three steps away before he heaved Ekko holler, "Hey!" 

 

Against all her better judgment, she glanced back, hands shaking where she was holding the cage. When the boy caught her violent pink eyes, he spoke, "You said it's too late to save Powder." He restated, before a more hesitant, "Is… can Jinx… still be saved?"

 

A lurch at her chest made Jinx want to collapse where she stood, the sickening feeling pulling all along her body. She painfully straightened herself in red-alert caution, blinking at the man with a tense lip. She turned her back to him, continuing on as if she hadn't heard him in the first place. 

 

 

»»———-♠———-««

 

 

The sun's silk rays weaved through the towering tree's greenery, letting the Piltover's royal horse stables bask in the shaded warmth of the afternoon warmth. The city's fastest and strongest mares we're fed less than two hours ago, now they were allowed to frolic around the gated pens green pasture. It was an unassuming Tuesday, airships and Hexgates operating above without any worry.

 

From her oak bench, Caitlyn peacefully erased and re-sketched a particular mare's back legs. The horse leaned it's head down to the tall grass to graze at the field's dandelions. She had white spots on her red body, brown tail flicking every so often. Caitlyn held her tongue in between her teeth in concentration, scratching the pencil against the rough paper. She leaned her tattered sketchbook against her crossed legs, sporting her regular day clothes as she diligently sketched away.

 

Caitlyn didn't even blink as a pair of arms wrapped around the back of her head, Vi's head coming to rest softly against her own. A distant chorus of birds sung, and the silence of the tree leaves breeze let the couple sit in silence together. The peaceful silence only lasted so long.

 

"Nice sketch," Vi murmured against Cait's shoulder, leaning her body over so she could gaze at the drawing, "almost looks like I'm looking at the real thing."

 

Caitlyn scoffed bashfully, "Please, don't try to flatter me. I've had to redraw this who knows how many times now." She fiddled with her pencil, bringing the paper up for a comparison against the mare. Aside from the back legs, the drawing looked identical to the real thing.

 

Vi scoffed with a smile, idly running her fingers through the other girl's deep blue hair, "Coulda fooled me. Plus, don't say things like that about your art. You've improved a lot since you first started."

 

Caitlyn groaned at the memory, pinching the ridge of her nose in annoyance, " Please don't remind me. They made my little cousin's crayon drawings look like masterpieces" It'd only been close to two years since Caitlyn started taking art a little more seriously as a side hobby, and although her progress had been steady the road to get there had been bumpy. With her job as the city's Peacekeeper and her dealings with the Council, it'd been an exhausting two years. She was lucky to have Vi there, the only person to make some long days bearable.

 

"How can I forget about them though? I think we should hang them back up on the fridge. You sure those were supposed to be realistic and not… abstract?" Vi grinned mischievously from behind Cait and the other girl gasped, flicking the redhead on the forehead.

 

"You're evil." She giggled, setting the sketchbook and pencil down so she could twist her body, now facing Vi face to face while her legs rested against the bench. The redhead's strong arms we're still wrapped around the other's shoulders, secure and all encompassing. The world's most secure and comfortable hug.

 

"Hi," Vi murmured softly, nose only a few inches away from the other's. The soft proximity left her heart thumping contentedly, warmth shared between the two. "Hello," Cait responded with a murmur, breath ghosting over the other's lips. They shared a slow kiss, pace made to match the peacefulness of the afternoon. Once they separated, they let their foreheads rest against each others, letting nature's chorus of leaves shaking in the wind and birds chirping fill the silence.

 

With all the recent happenings around the city of Progress and the Council, Caitlyn could not remember the last time they had shared such a peaceful moment outside of their home.

 

The blissful ignorance to what was coming though, only lasted so long. Work had to be done for today's speech, after all.

 

"How are you feeling?" She whispered, letting her fingers get lost in the redhead's undercut. It was evident to everyone that things relating to Zaun's independence were already set in motion. It's been hard for everyone, but especially Vi. She'd been the only emotionally involved person working on the situation, after all. The toll that must take on her… 

 

Vi sighed as the situation reared its head again, eyes not entirely focused on her, "I don't know," she whispered, voice rough around the edges, "I know we have to do it but… I wish we could just do it on our own. No one else should have some incentive to find her, hunt her down like she's just a paycheck. We could do it on our own just fine."

 

Caitlyn's brows creased, running a hand down to the other's cheek, "And we will too. This is just to make sure we have the highest amount of probability of finding her. While I'm not happy that bounty hunters might be part of that either, it gives us the proper edge we need." She lowered her resolve, tone softer as she ran a thumb over one of her many scars, "We've done the best we can. We're lucky that the Council has stuck out it's neck for us as much as it has." Of course, with some added pressure too.

 

Vi hummed tiredly, then let a large sigh out through her nose. The stillness returned for a while, the horses neighing further out in the gated field. Vi opened her eyes slightly, shifting up as she reached down for Caitlyn's sketchbook, half-finished drawing long forgotten now. 

 

Both girls stared silently as Vi flipped through it, passing by sketches of birds, fruit, architecture, and a few stencils of people (Vi being a prominent subject) until she landed on that fateful page. A hyper-realistic recreation of Powder- or 'Jinx' as the public had come to know her. She didn't look maniacal or crazy the way she'd appeared the first time they reunited, nor did her eyes hold the horrible sadness they once did the last time they saw each other. They were blank and curious at best, the most the public would need to recognize her. Aside from that, Caitlyn's photogenic memory really was scarily accurate.

 

After all, they had no pictures of her to use as reference.

 

Vi traced a light finger around the drawing, not quite putting it on the page- as if she were scared to touch it. Vi wondered absentmindedly if her sister even still looked like this. Two years was a heavy time frame, anything could have happened.

 

"I miss her." Vi muttered quietly, eyes still glued to the drawing, "All this time, even though I'm just a single city away, no bars or handcuffs holding me down, I'm still not there for her. Now all I'm doing is letting some political rich-men put a target on her back."

 

Caitlyn glanced at the drawing, then pressed a feather light kiss to the distressed girl, "Don't make yourself feel bad for being happy here. And Jinx is a… strong girl. Everything will be fine, I'm sure of it."

 

The silence returned, and suddenly the beautiful scenery felt out of place for a discussion like this. Vi sighed heavily.

 

"Ekko said there haven't been any sightings of her."

 

Caitlyn hummed, "I know. I was there when he said it."

 

"Do you think… she's… gone?" She mumbled, an iceiness present in her tone, "All I can imagine sometimes is all the things that could have happened to her after that fucking tea party. Sometimes… I can't help but think that I won't ever see her again."

 

"Hey hey, stop getting yourself so worked up." Caitlyn shush comfortingly, "We shouldn't think of a worse case scenario. Your sister is one of the strongest people I know-" that much was clear, "-and I'm sure she's just been laying low. We've been doing the best that we can now, and once our proposal gets approved, we can jump into Zaun's streets and take a look for ourselves." 

 

She ran a hand over the other's cheek comfortingly, "Let's be patient, just for a little longer." 

 

Vi's eyes remained with turmoil, but she nodded at the other's reassuring words. In a hushed whisper of a voice, Vi spoke, "Do you really…  think we can help her?"

 

Caitlyn's eyes dimmed at the question, watching as uncertainty plagued the usually boisterous and strong girl. While Caitlyn was a lady of refined reason and logic, she did not enjoy pondering the inner turmoil a lady like Jinx goes through nor a way to contain it. If she were to be logical by fact, she'd call Jinx a criminal and terrorist. One that should be punished accordingly and swiftly.

 

But of course, by dissolving the situation into such simplistic cause-and-effect order, she'd be ignoring the multiple layers the situation has. Jinx, for one, was likely led to do certain actions because she was advised to do so as a child. Another would be the girl's mental stability, and the lack thereof. To imprison or sentence one without analyzing key details such as these, they wrongfully judge someone who had been in dire need of proper help.

 

An injustice like that to take place in the City of Progress should never occur. They should strive for proper standards, not settle for convenience.

 

Then again, everything changes if Jinx is truly unwilling to change. Without a key answer to that, nothing can be certain.

 

"If anyone were to help Jinx," Caitlyn said resolutely, "-It should certainly be us."

 

 

»»———-♠———-««

 

 

Cats, as Jinxed found out, were quite fickle creatures. 

 

The black cat had gazed curiously into the cluttered apartment when they first arrived, gandering around as Jinx set herself out to kitty-proof the apartment, along with some cleaning up in general (no one else ever came to visit, and she was a busy lady dammit!) 

 

After Jinx finished up cleaning, she saw that her newfound roommate had managed to perch herself up on the rickety fridge's top, carefully watching her move around the apartment.

 

Jinx grinned teasingly, "What are you waiting for? Want me to give you a full tour?" She laughed. The cat simply blinked at her, unmoving from it's spot as it's tail flicked around.

 

Trying to pick up the cat had been a mistake seemingly, as the cat decided to jump on her shoulders instead of letting herself be carried, claws unsheathed as she tried finding stability in digging its claws into her exposed flesh. 

 

"Ow ow ow ow!!" Jinx hissed, swatting at the cat as it's claws dragged against her skin, leaving red ugly marks in its wake. Eventually the thing wobbled off, jumping down to the now-clean counter like she hadn't just shredded into her savior's skin for no reason.

 

Jinx glowered, " What was that for?! Fucking- " She hissed loudly, coarse pain still radiating from the red scratch marks. The thing let her pick her up a multitude of times, now it just suddenly decided it didn't like being picked up?! What the hell? The cat folded it's ears back at the raised tone, backing away from Jinx in perceived fear.

 

Jinx suddenly snapped out of her blaze of fury, mirroring the cat as she backed away, "Wait, wait wait I'm sorry- I didn't -" She cracked, voices baring their teeth down on her as she held at her wrist, knuckles white with the effort, " -I didn't mean to scare you, i-it was an accident. Please don't be scared of me ." She muttered.

 

I'm not trying to be a monster anymore, why are you still scared?

 

Jinx's back hit the fridge, and she let herself sing alongside it. When she landed on the dirty white tiled floor, she curled into herself. Why, after all this time, why is she still the same?! Hadn't she done enough? 

 

Still a monster still a monster nothing else-

 

She's done everything she's supposed to. No fighting, no drawing attention to herself, no messing with stupid Sevika and her stupid goons. She's laid low for two years and tried to repay her wrongs by helping people now. And now with her encounter with Ekko just today… it felt like she was on the cusp of another episode. 

 

She sniffed loudly, stuffing the crown of her head against her thighs until it hurt. Her breath was still ragged and uneven, body suddenly too hot under her clothes.

 

Why am I still… like this?

 

What else was she supposed to do… to make her stop being such a bad person? 

 

Just as she was about to let the urge to mark angry scratches along her face take over, a fuzzy weight pressed into her. Jinx snapped her head up in alarm, gaping slightly at the black cat. She'd pressed her tattered little body up against hers, seemingly wanting Jinx's attention.

 

Jinx was left frozen. What… what was it doing? Was it trying to attack her? Had her sobbing set it off on a killing frenzy or something?!

 

But… no. Jinx hasn't known this cat for much longer than a day, and all she'd seen it do is stare at everything with a blank eye, blink on occasion, and meow once. Did cats even do anything else? 

 

Cautiously, Jinx reached a hand out towards it. She was meaning to push it away a little (her episode's aren't common, but if she doesn't fall into herself while she's on them, she tends to break everything around her), but she almost ended up choking on air as the cat pressed it's head against her outstretched palm. Holding her uneven breath, she held her palm still as it licked her. It's tongue was rough and coarse, she almost wanted to pull away. Was it trying to eat her?

 

Sensing that it wanted something from her, she tried desperately to make out what it wanted. Food, maybe? She'd ordered both of them large chicken drumsticks, so it can't be that. Comfort? Was that it?

 

Jinx delved into the long forgotten waters of her memories, where Powder was laid to rest along with her memories. It was a place full of dust and fog, but she can still makeout figures and smells and voices if she tried hard enough.

 

She remembers Benzo's boisterous and infectious laughter, and how hearing it always made Powder want to smile too. She remembers Little Man's slugs to the arm, and how even as Powder punched him back, a cheeky grin was plastered on her face. She remembers Vander's good-night hugs, how they were always so all-encompassing and warm. She remembers Vi's small kisses to her forehead when she'd retreat back to her bunk after comforting Jinx- Powder from a nightmare. Even if she'd been scared of all the big monsters and creatures in her dreams, she'd always be comforted by her sister's company. 

 

As long as Vi was there, no one could ever hurt her.

 

I'm wasting time. Give me something to use on a cat , dammit.

 

As she searched the waters of her mind, she suddenly latched onto one specific flash. Vi always had a tendency of rubbing the top of her head with her hand. It'd always be met with an incoherent grumble, but it would always make her feel better. 

 

Jinx cautiously approached again now, shakily passing her long hands through the cat's head, her thumb caressing the bottom of the thing's ears. It wasn't hair, but hopefully it gave the thing what it wanted.

 

Jinx felt her mouth drop and her eyes blink owlishly as the cat pressed it's head against her hold, seemingly thriving under the attention as it… vibrated? No it was like… small snoring… or something. Jinx didn't really get it, but she felt enthralled at looking at the cat being so pleased with something she did. People never reacted like that to her! No wonder pets are so popular.

 

She sniffed, and that was when she finally noticed the cascade of tears on her cheeks. When had those gotten there? She sniffed again, and embarrassingly hiccups a little as she hesitantly pulled the cat onto her lap fully. It vibrated even louder now, like the noise was pushed right against her chest.

 

She stayed there in silence, the only sounds in the apartment being the buzzing of lights, quiet vibrations of the cat, and the occasional sniff from the blue-haired girl herself. She continued to comb a hand over the cat, the feline closing its eyes in relaxation. Jinx stared down at the cat with red-rimmed eyes, much too comfortable to even think about moving.

 

"Tatters," she offered in a whisper of a voice, because the cat was mangled and scruffy, tattered like an adored childhood plushie. 

 

"That can be your name, little lady. Is that ok?" 

 

The cat merely flicked it's tail in response.

 

A rich Piltie can buy anything in the world, but a poor Zaunite can have just as much in a bar, surrounded by friends. After all, companionship has no price tag.

 

It's the least she can do.

 

---

 

"-And that right there is Mr. Fishbones, my dear friend. But don't let the name fool you!" She quickly added, "-he's made of pure titanium metal, gunpowder, and a whole lotta' love. So don't try to eat him." She went on to explain, 

 

After finishing the personal tour around the house and giving Tatters a quick bath (she had a roll of bandages up along her arms for that one) she let the thing explore on it's own. Jinx wasn't too concerned, as she was sure she could hear if the cat caused any ruckus around the apartment. She also wanted to give the cat some space. Jinx doesn't know a whole lot about the fine details of owning a cat, but she's pretty sure they need time to adjust to new environments. 

 

She's crowded over her work desk in her study, the door left open a crack in case the new brat in town wanted a peek in. There, she finally mulled over all the letters she'd received earlier that day. The incident with Boy Savior was clawing at her consciousness, wanting nothing more than to resurface in her mind. Instead of confronting that mess, she all but dove straight into her work as a distraction. It was working considerably well too.

 

After two hours or so, she finished reading all her new individual orders, most commonly consisting of desperate parents and orphanage attendants. They could ask for standard body parts ranging from arms, legs, and fingers to glass eyes and even ears. The eyes and ears didn't actually function like the real thing, of course (her prosthetics were high quality, all things considered, but she wasn't some miracle worker. ) so the orders for those weren't all too run-of-the-mill.

 

She was close to finishing the off pile when a peculiar note stood out. Some worker at a homeless camp was asking for her services possibly continuously, politely inviting her to meet in person at the camp so they could discuss both her abilities and the compensation.

 

"Compensation, huh?" Jinx blinked down at the innocent paper, turning to show the text off, "Think I should take it? Or are they trying to lure me out so they can steal my eyes or something?" She asked Tatters, who had situated herself in between her foggy window and a large stack of medical books. The cat yawned, before snuggling back into sleep again. Lazy kitty.

 

Jinx hummed, turning to tilt it back into the lamp's light. "Maybe," She mumbled to herself. Jinx only really met with clients on delivery days, otherwise only writing back and forth a few times. The offer was intriguing, but she'd also have to be careful. Friendly and blissfully ignorant doctors and just generally good-willed people that wanted to help were usually seen as easy bait in the Underground. Whether the writer had taken her as an amateur or was legitimately seeking out her services, she could only find out one way.

 

Jinx bit her lip in a mixture of nervousness and giddy excitement. She'll definitely be looking forward to that one. 

 

She pinned the letter up in her 'priority' corkboard, before happily plucking the last letter from the pile. Only one more to go! Look at her, being productive and all. Maybe she'll have enough time to finally give Pow-pow that upgrade she'd been-

 

Jinx sputtered, dropping the letter back onto the desk like it was made of hot coal. She would have streaked too,, but Tatters was trying to sleep and she shouldn't disturb her like that..

 

She breathed roughly, staring down at the wax seal that adorned the letter. It sat innocently on the middle of her desk, like it wasn't going to be a whole new headache to deal with.

 

A Fireflight design sat there, imprinted against the cool dark green wax. A fancy fern stuck out of its side, the finishing touch to this destructive but well-decorated mail from hell.

 

How did they even hear about her?! And what in the fresh hell did they want with her?! Did they know she was Jinx? Are they threatening her with turning her in?!

 

 

"Vi and Cait. They were down here a while ago."

 

"They were asking about you, if I'd seen you around anywhere."

 

 

She groaned loudly, falling back into her chair with her palms on her face. Maybe if she didn't stare at it for long enough, it would disappear. 

 

And then, it clicked . Ekko picked up her letters. He must have accidentally put his in too! That means, i-it'd been a mistake! Ekko didn't know she was Bluebell! A wave of relief flooded through her. If Ekko didn't know who she was, Vi and Cait couldn't either. They were the last people Jinx wanted to see.

 

Buy then, if not for Jinx… why were the Fireflights contacting Bluebell?

 

She peeked from her hands, seeing that the letter hadn't disintegrated from reality. Maybe she should poke it with a stick, just to make sure it wasn't loaded with a bomb or something. Jinx bit her lip, slowly bringing her hand up to touch the edge of the parchment. Nothing so far.

 

Eventually, she undid the wax seal, slowly lifting the paper stuffed inside it with care. With cautious reluctance, she read.

 

"Salutations Doctor Bluebell,

 

     I hope this letter finds you well. As of recent, I came across your work in close knit circles. I was informed that you have a strict code of secrecy when it comes to your work, so I assure you that my knowledge of you has been contained to only my closest peers. On a first impression bases, your work certainly caught my intrigue and I couldn't resist taking a look at your pervious catalogue. You're work is certainly something to marvel at, especially considering the materials used. Thanks to your tell-tale sign of pure ingenuity, I have sought to extend an offer to you.

 

     My name is Professor Heimerdinger, and I come bearing the request for your services on behalf of the Fireflights. A student of mine has lost function in his right arm due to an illness complication, his amputation is scheduled soon. It's the whole reason I came seeking out professional prosthetics, and how evidently I came across your work. I'll provide the boy's measurements on the back of this letter for your personal use.

 

     And as an inventor and scientist at heart, I would be a fool if I didn't act on this. If the offer stands, I'd like to see your work for myself. The Fireflights could use someone of your skillset Don't be alarmed, you do not have to accept if you don't want to. But please, take it into consideration. 

 

     Once again, I've gotten a bit ahead of myself. Write back your confirmation or deny for both the order and my personal request when you can. Have a good day.

 

Sincerely,

Professor Heimerdinger"

 

 

Jinx stared blankly at the text when she finished. And when she reread it. And when she reread it for a fourth time. Eventually, she carefully set the paper back down on the table, backing away from it immediately as if it'd spontaneously burst into flames. The sight would be pretty, at least.

 

Jinx idly wondered if she should burn it, destroy another problem before it becomes a headache.

 

Jinx mutters a string of rancid curses and pinches the bridge of her nose, deciding to do the best thing she can do right now:

 

Push it to the very back of her head and ignore it. Also take a very, very long nap to end this nightmare of a day.

Chapter 3: A Nurse In My Cupboard

 

Becoming Overseer of the Underground wasn't particularly what Sevika saw herself becoming when she sided with Silco. Nor was playing nice with Piltover when she betrayed Vander when he did the exact same thing . The irony, as annoying as it was, wasn't lost on her.

 

When Silco died, Sevika (for the first time in her life) was at a loss at what to do. She could bring down enemies twice her size and wad through Zaun's most radioactive rivers, but she couldn't look at the lifeless face of the man she'd come to work under. The warrior wasn't prepared for the passing, like the death of Silco was simply a prospect she'd never considered happening before. Silco almost seemed above death itself, for Sevika.

 

Things like this though… never turn out the way people expect.

 

Power, naturally, would have automatically filtered down to the man's daughter. Like a king handing his crown exclusively down his lineage, Jinx would have taken over rule of the Underground.

 

However, thanks to whatever god was watching over Zaun, that disaster hadn't had the chance to come to fruition, as Jinx had strangely enough been a no-show. Sevika doesn't exactly know what happened to the brat, but she hadn't shown her face anywhere inside Zaun after Silco's death. It's like her presence, in all it's chaotic and annoying nature, became unnaturally silent and disappeared.

 

She at least knows the brat wasn't dead on-scene, or else she may have given the child more pity. Wherever she was now wasn't any of her concern anymore; if she wanted to hide, so be it. It's not her job to babysit anymore.

 

Sevika had stepped up then, before anyone could protest. She's seen what the Lanes looked like without a hound herding it's cattle. Things would have fallen out of hand once the local gangs realized the top spot for power remained unseated and would have fought tooth and nail for that power, uncaringly tearing down what was around them in the process. It was for the sake of peace inside Zaun, nevermind outside it.

 

Sevika was also Silco's second in command, people wouldn't be nearly as riled up if a known figure took over power, not just some random stray from the street. Unlike all of those street gangs, she had proper teeth and claws to brandish threateningly to those who defied her. 

 

If the Underground bowed its head in submission at Silco's bloody appointment, they simply silently growled once at Sevikas, before falling silent once more. 

 

She had power namesakes alone. That was enough to prevent catastrophe.

 

Sevika takes a heavy drag of the cigar in her hand, dark smoke plumbing from her nose as if she herself breathed fire. She didn't smoke as often as she once did, only when the stress of the week finally came down on her in full. She'd just gotten back to the Last Drop after another long tiresome meeting with the Piltover Council. How those high-ranking Pilties managed to do them on a regular day-to-day basis was an astonishing accomplishment, if anything.

 

"Overseer Sevika, it's been a full week since we put in the bounty for the criminal Jinx. Yet we have not received a single sighting from the Underground. Care to explain?"

 

"Councilor Talis, you seem to miss the fact that you only put that bounty on Piltover's newspapers, as you have no real command over the media industry in the Lanes." She had said, meeting the other's eyes matter-of-factly.

 

"Also, seeing as newspapers are more akin to fire-kindle rather than an actual news sharing source, you may want to reconsider your approach. Most people down there aren't privileged enough to learn how to read."

 

The Councilors sat and twiddled their thumbs all day, covered in luxury, while they expected all their problems to get solved by some finicky bounty, and complained to Sevika when it hadn't obviously hadn't worked.

 

Amateurs. 

 

Though, she guesses she shouldn't be too hard on them.

 

After all, they are still honoring Silco's deal even in death. Those who respected the word of a dead man should be respected on their own. Of course, Councilor Mel had been the one to herd the others into the continuation of the deal and got them to see reason. It was laughable, why even have a team of others when it was clear who was calling the shots? Guess the unethical distribution of power looked less morally bankrupt when there were other morally bankrupt shmoos running the show.

 

Now that all the Shimmer's production has ceased recently, though not without it's own half-a-year long struggle, the last component of the deal needed to be met. Once they'd finish it, Zaun would be left in peace and things were bound to get better. Or maybe nothing would change, but that's a problem for future-Sevika. 

 

It was a simple and easy task: Give them Jinx, and Zaun will finally have its independence. Turn in the blue-haired girl to the bastards so they can have their fill of self-righteous justice, and the nation would finally be left in peace. No more trenches on a bridge, no more civil unrest. Everything bad that had haunted Zaun could finally go past it, letting the new city finally have a chance to live, not just survive. They were close, close enough to taste it.

 

Sevika, frankly, was not expecting it to be as difficult as it was.

 

"No sightings," she muttered roughly, turning over the well-worn and bent page, "No arrests nor crimes traced back to her." it was unheard of, for a criminal of Jinx's caliber, to have a record that seemingly completely dropped off the map. Sevika had always thought of Jinx as a useless brat in the past, a constant omen to whatever assignment she'd been put alongside with. She was unstable and chaotic, close to never taking proper orders and not listening to them. She'd always attracted a spotlight to her, whether that was one from a theater stage or one from a prison. Her bizarre and outlandish attitude always made people turn heads, a sight no one could easily ignore.

 

Jinx brought attention to herself. It wasn't even an insult, just a simple truthful statement. 

 

So how could there possibly be nothing??

 

A suspected sighting at the aftermath of an explosion over in the south area of the Lanes was reported, and would have been the best shot Sevika had if it'd come in any later. But the report was from over one and a half years ago, centuries ago by Zaun standards. No Zaunite ever stayed in place for over a few months, it'd be too dangerous. Not since Vander still roamed the streets, anyhow.

 

It hadn't clicked in her head just how much Vander sacrificed for the Underground until she'd become the Overseer of it. Disputes between gangs that had to be settled sternly in discussion, not just massacring one to stop the fighting; the territory disputes between the south and the northern Lanes, it had all been a bigger undertaking than she expected.

 

Sevika had assumed that the Underground was self-sufficient, in a way. Piltover could slice off as many heads as they desired from the city, but Zaun would just grow three back for every one cut. It thrived in the bleakest, most toxic of environments and clung to life even after years of abuse and mistreatment. A testament to human nature, and what one is willing to give up for it to survive.

 

Except, she'd failed to consider the hierarchy. Of course, when she lived under Silco's hand, she thought she had a good idea of it: Us, those below us, and those who will be below us. She didn't concern herself with what the population at large had to suffer through, only what errands Silco wanted her to run that day or what brute was causing problems for them up north. 

 

Thinking back on it, it was an ignorant yet somehow blissful living. She had no true idea what Vander had to go through, to maintain that ugly treacherous peace she once barred her teeth at.

 

Funny , how she'd be the one evidently getting that. The one out of the three leaders that seemed least dead-set on achieving it.

 

She hopes both men rest well, at least.

 

A double knock at her door had her inked quill raise in the air, brows suddenly frowning. She'd been sure she sent out all her men on their tasks for the day, Sevika doubts she missed any. With a gruff, "Come in," the door creaked open, revealing a tall sickly looming figure standing in the doorway.

 

Her eyes widened a slight bit at the sight, the ghostly apparition of the man she very much thought was dead standing, bone and flesh in hand. She straightened herself, atmosphere suddenly much different.

 

"Singed," she addresses, "Back from the dead, I see."

 

The man stood gawky and tall, eyes sunken into his skull with heaps of dark rings surrounding a singular normal eye and one that glowed green. He was decorated in well-worn armor, most of his exposed skin covered in yellow scuffed bandages that needed to be replaces sooner or later. She eyed him cautiously. Whatever the man had been doing all this time, it looked like it took a considerable toll on his body.

 

"Sevika," the man rasped politely, "It's well to see you too, but I assure you I am the furthest thing from dead." He informed matter-of-factly. He sounded so sure of himself, she wasn't sure whether she should acknowledge the dread of what had given the man the right to sound so confident.

 

She nodded, But at what cost? "I'm sure, you look like you've been busy." She re-inked her quill, returning it to hover over a paper, "And just why have you decided to drop by today? I doubt you're having territory issues, so there mustn't be much of a reason to drop by at this time."

 

The man blinked slowly, glancing at the royal-looking bookshelf in the room. "I've always known you'd be a good leader one day Sevika." he inquired, "Ever since I saw your loyalty devoted to Silco, I knew the Underground would flourish if you'd devote the same amount back to it." He hummed, opening a book to inspect it's contents, "And peace, hm? While I must say I am surprised, seeing as your visceral hatred for Piltover had always been so prominent, It only goes to show how much you've matured. A true leader now, aren't you?"

 

Sevika glowered, gritting the teeth together, "Are you trying to make a fool out of me?" she growled, "Why are you bringing this up Singed? Just get to the point, for both of our sakes." He'd been here for less than five minutes and she can already feel the shift in atmosphere. He wanted something.

 

Singed simply adjusted his scarf idly, not paying any mind to her dangerous tone, "Permanent peace, a prospect that I'd considered on occasion but hardly fooled myself into believing it. Whatever peace had been available would always be one of temporary use, like what that Vander achieved. Beautiful and peaceful, yet all too short. I'm sure you already knew that."

 

She couldn't see his mouth, but his eyes scrunched in a small smile, "In a way, you will be more of a predecessor to him than either of his living children."

 

Sevika suddenly stood up, chair scuffing against the wooden floor with a rasp, her brows scrunched as her eyes laid sharp and filled with fury, " Do not use his name," she burned, voice as heated as a casting iron, "you don't deserve the right. Don't take me for a fool Singed, I saw what you were planning to do to him. To his body. Whether you achieved it or not doesn't matter to me, playing with the ghost of a dead man bears you no honor."

 

Singe blinked, tilting his head in curiosity, "Is that so? Then what exactly gives you the right, after betraying him so coldly? Plus, you made no move to stop my plans. We're you fine with it, or was your dog leash on too tightly?"

 

A dangerous and fragile quiet followed his words, Sevika left seething in it's agonizing silence.

 

The man simply grunted, in a way that he'd known he won the confrontation, and Sevika willed herself to calm slightly as she opened her mouth, "You haven't answered my question, Singed. Why. Are. You. Here? "

 

Singe shut the book he was holding.

 

"Jinx." He informed politely, like the name simply spoke for itself.

 

The name was the last thing she'd been expecting, head tilting back a slight bit from the pure shock and whiplash of it, "What about her? She's not here, in case you want to know."

 

Singed looked unimpressed, "Of course I know she's not here. After all, some of us do read Piltover's newspapers on occasion."

 

Sevika returned his stare, "So you're here for the bounty, then. I never imagined a doctor like yourself dabbling in becoming a hunter. Or by chance, maybe you're here to report a sighting?"

 

The man simply hummed, carefully returning the leather book back to its original place on the shelf, "I have no use for money or luxury. The finer things in life have never interested me anyhow, nor will they ever be useful to my endeavors. My lab is more than enough for me. And no, I have not caught any sightings of her." he explained rationally. His eyes ghosted over her office, seeming to take more pleasure in gazing around than answering her list of trivia questions.

 

Sevika ran a tongue over her teeth, tasting the ash of he forgotten roll. "So then why are you here?" she bit, trying to know what he was getting at.

 

Singed leveled her a look.

 

"I wish to make a deal with you, Sevika."

 

The Overseer straightened immediately, sharp gaze returning to her eyes, "And what exactly do you wish to offer?" Suddenly her guard was up again, not even realizing it'd been down in the first place. Stupid decision, considering who exactly she was dealing with here.

 

Singe reached a hand in his pocket, pulling out a vile full of deep red liquid. An ominous feeling rolled through her as she glanced at it, then back at the taller man. "Shortly after a predecessor of mine visited, Silco ran into my lab demanding I save his half-dead girl." He explained, "And I did, in spite of what cost it came with. This is the girl's blood I sampled when I was doing surgery on her. I first preserved it as a case study to observe what hibernating-like properties Shimmer had on a human subject, but obviously, my intentions have seemed to... have changed now."

 

He leveled her another serious look, "With this, I can get you that girl. An entry of mine has been taken for a test run recently, and while finicky, I'm sure it can fetch her from the ends of the Earth once it knows her blood."

 

Sevika pondered suspiciously, vehemently ignoring the raised hairs on her neck as she observed the man. She glanced back at the vile again, slightly pitying the brat at the focus of all this. Whatever he has planned, I fear you will not remain unscathed.

 

Sevika returned the man's stare, "And if you get me Jinx, just what would you like in return? I doubt you'd settle for a cash out, seeing you had no interest in the bounty."

 

Singe actually laughed at that, crude and wheezed like his lungs lacked any form of moisture, "Yes well, you stand correct. I don't want money," he cleared his throat, meeting her sharp stare with his own, "What I want is simple: Power."

 

Sevika blinked at the unexpected word, "Power?"

 

"Powerful connections." Singed informed, "Specifically: with the Council. Get me access to that, and the brat is as good as yours."

 

Suddenly the invisible dread building up in the room crashed in to Sevika at full force, crushing down on her shoulders as she willed herself to not move. For what a man like Singed would do with such  political power, Sevika didn't know. But she was wise enough to get the sense that it wouldn't be anything good. She was wise enough to know when to listen to her senses.

 

As she opened her mouth to respond, Singed cut in, "- Ah ah. Sevika, do not answer now. I wish for you to rethink whatever you're going to say now long and hard. It doesn't take a genius to know just what a fruitless search it is for you."

 

Sevika gritted her teeth, but hated hated the fact that the man made sense now.

 

No relevant sightings, no leads, no reports. Hell , she couldn't even prove that Jinx was still in Zaun. If the girl had fled both Piltover and the Underground, there was no telling where she could be. If she refused his offer, there was no other guarantee that could get her that brat. And if she didn't get her... 

 

Singed smiled slightly at the warrior's mulling state, turning back towards the door. "Consider it for me, why don't you? You know where to find me when you do."

 

»»———-♠———-««

 

 

Jinx is brimming. 

 

Exactly what she may be brimming with, she's not sure yet. All she knows is that she's had this uncomfortable itching feeling coursing through her veins, one that she doesn't exactly have a good feeling of.

 

It started not so long after her great master escape from Ekko's presence and conversation, and it only made itself truly present inside her once she finished reading the Fireflight's letter. An acidic type of dread that burned her throat and eyes settled in her, one of putrid fear at what lies just beyond the horizon for her. It's diluted for the most part, because Jinx has bad eyesight and can't exactly see past the horizon yet, but she can sense that the more she ponders on it, the worse the sting's bound to get.

 

So, Jinx does the only reasonable thing she can think of: She distracts herself.

 

She does about everything in her bucket list she'd been postponing, from delivering some of Ziggs's packages for some extra money to restocking her medical supplies back home, a task definitely easier said than done. By the end of the week, her apartment is almost sparkling clean after it's third hard wash-down. She's polished all her weapons, both new and old, and is slightly proud of herself when she sees her beautiful reflection on Fishbone's face.  It was a matter of time before Jinx ran out of things to do then.

 

And that's how she's ended up here, in the edges of a large homeless camp. After finishing a personal order in between, visiting Ziggs for about the third time that week for lunch (maybe she should stop dropping by so often, now that the Boy Savior caught a peek at her) and finally making Tatters as comfortable as she could be in her apartment, Jinx moves on to the letter she'd received from the camp.

 

There's sewn tents set up as far as the eye can see, all clustered together with barely any space to walk by them. There's steam rising from a few cleared out spots, where controlled bonfires had been set up with connected air vents set up as furnaces. People of all shapes and sizes walk into and out of the surrounding tents, only a few sitting or standing still outside in the snowy paths. Everyone generally unapproachable and seemed to keep to themselves, a thing to be expected in these types of places. You can't trust anyone while you're out in the streets, and these guys couldn't trust anyone in their own homes (not like they had homes in the first place though).

 

After asking directions from a particularly kind and hulking fellow ( -Piss off lady, if you wanna talk to someone, go bother the person in charge of this mess over there -), Jinx flips open the largest tent in the area, coming across a grey bearded man with large spectacles. Once Jinx had clarified who she was, he'd been quick to make her feel at home. 

 

The Director was weirdly polite, as most people she's interacted these days have been. He toured her around the snowy camp while asking her professional questions, on occasion stopping to help a few people who approached him. He wore a light business suit ( "with this type of weather? He's particularly asking for Fissure Flu!" ) but still helped people below him with a smile.

 

The last person who wore a suit like that was her dad, and she'd always though suit-people had to be mean and gruff like him. It was weird seeing it, how they both carried themselves with so much refine and polish but still managed to come off completely differently.

 

Ha. Suit-people.  

 

"What would you say your medical prowess is, Mrs. Bluebell?" The Director asked, light steam billowing out of his mouth from the cold.

 

Jinx hummed thoughtfully, "I've scavenged a bunch of medical books for the past year or so, and I've been treating people for a long few months too. Oh! Also I don't flinch at wounds, not even the worst of em." Mostly because she'd been the one to cause them. The most gruesome one she remembers was that one guy Sevika cut in half and all his guts spilled out. Who knew, the lady had strength to compliment the looks of an ogre. 

 

The Director nodded at the answer, like he'd been carefully noting everything she said, "Then you're familiar with treating wounds and illnesses?"

 

Jinx smugly nodded, smiling under her hood, "Of course. That's like… kid stuff." Disinfectant, rubbing alcohol, stitches, if it's too deep don't just cover it in bandages and call it a day, Yada-Yada a bunch more science mumbo jumbo.

 

"That's great to hear. Once your first week is over, I'll be sure to send you a proper payout for your services." he informed curtly, not particularly sounding like he'd just come to the decision. 

 

Jinx almost tripped over herself then, stumbling on the icy floor as she owlishly looked at the man, "Wait, I'm starting today?" She gaped.

 

The Director simply beamed, "Of course you are. Did you think this was a standard job interview?"

 

Jinx suddenly glanced down, idly kicking a pebble with her boot. Yeah, She kinda did. Jinx still hadn't made up her mind on whether or not she really wanted this job or not. Like most things, she dove headfirst into the offer without any hesitation or pondering beforehand. Thinking too much about thinks made her brain hurt anyways.

 

But... maybe she shouldn't be so quick to jump on things. This wasn't just some regular offer after all, this was going to be a continuous thing. She'd be seeing people for the better part of her days, interacting and talking with them on multiple occasions. Funnily enough, treating wounds and illnesses seemed to suddenly be the easiest part of this job.

 

"Maybe you should rethink things." A voice advised, "Once they see who you really are-"

 

Zip it. She doesn't have time for this.

 

An unexpected hand made contact with her shoulder, and Jinx had to fight the instinct to reach for her Pew-Pew, a smaller handheld version of her dear Pow-Pow. She came back to herself, realizing It was just friendly contact from a man offering her a job what is she doing.

 

"Always had an itchy trigger finger."

 

"It's cost you more than you can ever realize."

 

If Jinx we're alone right now, she'd bare her teeth openly and let herself shoot at the stupid shadows that swam in her vision, judgmental dead eyes staring into her violent pink ones. They always had something to say, huh? So annoying.

 

"I assure you Mrs. Bluebell," the man said warmly down to her, "we need as many hands as we can get here. I'm not looking for a miracle worker, but I've heard plenty of good things from you to consider you one. Just do your best, I'm sure you'll be just fine."

 

The warm hand on her shoulder almost melted through her waxy form, somehow letting his voice unknowingly puncture her heart. She gifted her teeth though, vehemently fighting off the warmth those words provided her. He's just a stranger, stop letting him get into your head .

 

She shook off the man's hand as politely as she could manage, muttering a small apology. Sorry bud, Jinxie here is booked! She has enough voices getting in her head as it, you'll have to make a reservation.

 

Jinx raised an eyebrow as the man turned towards an unassuming tent they'd been standing beside. When he pulled back the tarp, it revealed a warm candle-light spacious room, roughly four beds all pushed into their own corners. It's sides were filled with small rickety wooden units, cluttered with medical equipment. It... almost looked royal looking, she'd never seen such a space before. Was this really where she was gonna be working?

 

Jinx noticed the Director beckoning her in, ducking her head as she stepped into the warm sanctuary. Her heavy boots creaked under the wooden basing of the room, likely tracking in some snow on the way in. It was slightly dark but… oddly peaceful. Nice, even.

 

"I'll let you get yourself situated with the medical tent now. If you need me, you know where to find me," he stepped back, humming as he reached for the exit, "I'll be sure to let your coworker know of your presence as well."

 

'Coworker?' Jinx thought with a furrowed brow. But before she could ask any questions, the man had already left.

 

"Great," she huffed to herself. Aside from familiarizing herself with the new environment, Jinx was at a loss of what to do. And how could she 'prove her skills' to them anyhow? Were they planning on shanking some guy and see how well she stitches him back up? The idea was barbaric and made Jinx's teeth clench uncomfortably. She's sure she could do it, but the idea didn't sit on her shoulders properly.

 

In the end, Jinx decides to clean. It's probably the safest option at least, and she can spot the layers of dust accumulated at the back shelving units of the medical cabinets.

 

After a little bit of scavenging, Jinx managed to unearth an old duster and broom hiding behind one of the units. She peeked into the cabinets as she dusted, recognizing numbing drugs such as morphine and hydrocodone, along with coming across a few sets of sterile tools. They were either very well-maintained or no one ever found a use for them, their sides still sharp and shiny.

 

Once finished with the duster, Jinx moved to sweeping dirt and dust from the flooring, ugly brown straw rasping soundly against the floor's planks. She'd wrapped a handkerchief over her nose as she worked, setting her trench coat aside as candle light started making her head glisten with a sheen of sweat. The menial labor may have been an annoyance to most, but Jinx found herself grateful for the repetitive action. It kept her hands busy, previous anxiety over this visit quelled and corralled. 

 

She'd been so absorbed in the task at hand that she didn't notice the person who walked in from behind her until she picked up a set of quiet footsteps.

 

"If you're going to sweep, you should probably take off your shoes while you're doing so." a soft voice spoke.

 

Jinx glanced back at the voice, blinking as she took in the new lady that'd walked in. She was a few inches taller than Jinx, unsurprising as it seemed most people wouldn't find it hard to dwarf her underwhelming height. Her suspiciously clean and well-maintained lockes of blonde hair shined gold against the candlelight, framing her small-smiled ocean blue-eyed face. She looked like a doll with how pretty she was; Fake looking, almost.

 

Jinx blinked as she realized the lady was waiting for a response, breaking eye contact as she looked back down at the broom, "Sorry." She apologized with a mumble.

 

She could hear the girl approach, gazing around the tent idly, "New to this whole cleaning thing?" She teased, "It's alright if you are, it's not a big deal."

 

Jinx frowned slightly, "No, I'm just… not very good at it. I'm… rusty, you know?" She'd only taken cleaning up and organizing her surroundings again once Tatters came home. She couldn't let her guest get sick because of her, after all.

 

If Jinx we're to list the amount of problems she's caused others, it'd put a few medical books she's read to shame. Might as well avoid adding to it.

 

The girl laughed lightly, the sound not as grating as Jinx thought it'd be, "Need help then? It's been awhile since I've done a proper cleanup here, anyways. This place could use a makeover" She surmised.

 

Jinx nodded silently, passing a piece of cloth to the petite girl and directing her attention to the bed's undusted railing. The crevices we're too tight to pass the fragile duster through without fear of breaking, so she'd been postponing it for after she'd finished sweeping. The other simply nodded, allowing the two to silently work in tandem as they scrubed their own sections of the room.

 

Was this the 'coworker' the Director had mentioned? Was she some… type of maid? No normal Zaunite could even afford to think about having a cleaner or even this much medical equipment, heck no one but Piltie could afford the luxury of medicine in the first place. Not unless they were scheming something under the surface.

 

And maybe that Director was using a friendly facade, but Jinx didn't really care. What was she gonna do? Her, a renowned terrorist, stop a man from running a shelter that was vital to the survival of others less fortunate than her? That's rich .

 

"Is this your first time visiting the camp?" The other suddenly inquired, "We get outsiders from time to time here, but I scarcely ever see them for myself."

 

Jinx blew a blue strand out of her face,  readjusting the grip of the broom on her hand, "Yeah it is, but how come you don't know? Aren't you like… an assistant here or something?" Many would assume someone with such a high title wouldn't be saddled with the job of menial labor, but this was a homeless camp. She doubted they were picky about who did what here, so long as it was beneficial.

 

The blonde laughed sheepishly, "No I'm not. With how much work goes on around here, I almost feel bad for whoever is the assistant. Hey, can you pass me the cleaner solution?" 

 

"Why? I doubt it's hard keeping a bunch of sweaty men and gals herded in one area. Here." Jinx picked up the old yellowed-over plastic bottle, like it'd been refilled multiple times. She passed it without so much as a second glance. 

 

The golden girl tched lightly, "Have a little bit more taste, you make them sound like cattle. You should start trying to treat them with some respect, now that you'll be working here." She didn't sound mad , more like how Silco would sound when he'd be scolding her for exploding a batch of supplies. 

 

Jinx rolled her eyes, sweeping a bit of filth under the carpet, "Right. I'll keep that in mind when I'm tagging their ears with numbers." 

 

The girl seemed like the cute good-natured token assistant you had running around doing errands for you, walking less than a foot from your feet. Like an enamored golden puppy, cute almost.

 

Though she had to admit, ever since she made it to the medical tent, Jinx had felt… awfully confused. Weirded out, even. 

 

She had been walking and talking all around the streets of an unclean yet very familiar Zaun, and entering through the tent was almost like she'd walked into some Piltie's private nurses room. Naturally, this place was probably still too shoddy to belong in Piltover but it was close enough. Jinx felt like she'd stepped onto enemy grounds, the place too pristine and filled with luxury items like medicine to belong. 

 

Jinx, curiosity unsated, eventually ripped off the bandage and broke the small silence, "How do they have so much?" She asked.

 

The golden-haired girl continued wiping, back still facing Jinx (stupid move, never turn your back on someone you just met.) as she answered, "So much of what? The medicine? I mean, I guess it seems like a lot, that's what most medical wings look like." She laughed jokingly.

 

Jinx let out a mixture of a scoff and a laugh, because how could this girl just act like this was all perfectly normal in a place like Zaun. "Everything really. This whole place is too… not Zaun to be Zaun. I mean, they have mattresses here!" She could barely manage to scrape by enough to get a single one for herself, let alone four. How was she not seeing this?!

 

The girl finally turned back to her, a confused look as pulling at her as she turned around fully, "I beg your pardon but um… I don't understand what you mean." She apologized, "And what's… Zaun? Isn't this place called the Underground?"

 

Then, like a light switch, it clicked.

 

"You're not from here," Jinx simply stated, because no other explanation made sense anymore and Jinx might actually implode in on herself if there was one.

 

The blondie widened her eyes as she broke out in a sweat, bashfully looking anywhere other than Jinx, "U-uhm. I… am! Yes! I am from Zaun and have lived here for most of my life! I am just-

 

a pause.

 

… extremely forgetful ?" She tried to assure, the point sounded more like a question dunked in unsureness. 

 

Jinx could not recall the last time she'd felt so much second-hand embarrassment. She wanted to groan and die, on the girl's behalf.

 

 "Every person in the Underground can lie on a whim," Jinx deadpanned factually, because no ten-year-old or their mother hadn't learned how to lie. "If you can't, you're as good as dead here. We learn that lesson when we're kids.-

 

Jinx stepped closer, atmosphere erasing whatever friendly mood had been established earlier, 

 

-You're not from here." 

 

Lux sighed heavily in defeat, seemingly cracking under the pressure like fine China, "Okay, I'm not." She shuffled in place, head down turned in the shame of lying, "I'm here from an internship stay here in the Underground. I situated myself here to heal others in need as my personal mission . That's all." She explained, though her receded body language told Jinx that was probably not all it. 

 

It was kinda weird, seeing someone so open with their body language and emotions. Jinx had lived and breathed in the Underground for so long, she'd forgotten people could do that.

 

Looks like this Piltie bit off more than she could chew.

 

Jinx glowered to herself, feeling the slight rage bite at the surface, "Why the hell would you come down to a place like Zaun just to treat people. I imagine home-sweet-home perfect little Piltover could use more surface-value doctors," she bit scathingly. God this had to be a joke. Leaving her luxury rented hotel that probably had twenty-foot dressers and clean windows that touched the ceilings. No wonder she hadn't batted an eye at the room-

 

"I'm not from Piltover!"

 

The statement vertebrates through the tents room and walls, calling attention to it.

 

Jinx blinked owlishly, brimming anger suddenly gone as it left her staring dumbly. "You're… not?" She asked, whiplash in tone leaving her lightheaded.

 

The golden haired girl huffed, crossing her arms, " No . I'm from Demacia, a country up in the north. Like I said, I came down here of my own free will to help people in need. I visited Piltover first since that's where my parents wanted me to stay, but once I found out where the people really needed help, I came down here and stayed." she explained neutrally, a natural poise attitude slowly taking over her disgruntled feelings. She almost looked like a political leader with so much authority, or royalty.

 

Jinx blinked, too stunned to even think about responding. The concept was so insane, too unrealistic to be real. Jinx was tempted to believe this was a bigger joke she just wasn't in on, someone probably laughing at her awkward and rigid reaction. Because which rich daddy's-girl in their right mind comes to Zaun, as a semi-professional healer, for the simple act of helping others?!

 

(Jinx, ignoring the hypocrisy of such a thought, rationalized that she was not remotely professional. The only open wound she had really ever closed up was with a stapler gun for crying out loud.)

 

She'd imagine once she saw how decrepit the Lanes really were, she'd run back home back to mommy and daddy and their soft cloud room-wide beds and their. But it'd been obvious she had made the effort to stay after the fact, given the connection that if Goldie Lockes here really was a healer, this medical wing belonged to her.

 

"I'll be sure to let your coworker know of your presence as well."

 

Well, now she just looked like some asshole now, didn't she?

 

The girl, taking Jinx's nose furrow and lowered gaze as shame, sighed as she let go of some anger, "You really hate people from Piltover, don't you?" She asked, brow still furrowed and voice stern.

 

Jinx gazed at the candlelight, huffing a small laugh. You have no idea . "Most people here do Goldie. If you're a Piltie visiting Zaun, you're either buying from the black market or are some baby-killing Enforcer." The immediate thought that came to her was a dark-blue haired girl, blue eyes looking down on her as they stole everything from her while crying about her being a monster. There was lingering ancient rage there, just waiting to be set off, but Jinx managed to find the small strength in herself to not care. She'd almost wish the memory of the Enforcer could have blurred and washed over all together, like all the other ones. 

 

It was easier to stop feeling so much then.

 

The blonde seemed to consider the other's words carefully, eyes shifting lower as a more solemn look took over her face, "Something similar happened back in my home too, I can imagine how brutal it must be. I apologize then." A more contemplative look took over her face, "But… It also doesn't make sense. I came here not too long ago, but when I did there were talks of independence for the Underground from Piltover's side. Has that… changed somehow?" She asked questionably.

 

Jinx barked out a laugh, "Please. Personally, I think it's all baloney, what the Piltie's are farting around. Buttering us up so their next invasion isn't expected, at least. Don't listen to perfectly-white-teeth Mr. Progress Boy, his list of lies is longer than the amount of girls he's dated." She giggled, because if there were any topic that sheet took most pleasure in, it was making fun of those incompetent losers sitting in the Piltover throne.

 

Lux lifted and eyebrow as she tried to make sense of the other, "Uh… okay? I understand now, at least… I think." She reasoned, then raising an eyebrow, "Does this mean you don't hate me?"

 

Jinx hummed, striding up to the other to get a better look. Now that she really looked at her, she could tell her apart from the regular Zaunite. Her skin was peachy pink, small button nose and blue eyes bright enough to show a glimpse of the sky. She was a little dirtied up, imbecile hair left lightly messy with strands of gold sticking in odd directions. She wore dark yet faint eyebags, sitting starkly against her pale collection; not too dissimilar to Jinx herself.

 

The biggest sign though, was the girl's lack of scars. She was pale and even all over, no blemish nor bruises in sight. Jinx looked like an old beastly monster in comparison, prominent nicks on her lips and ears that hadn't disappeared with time. The most prominent marks were the old burn scars behind her ear and neck, a nice memoir to her two-year-old stroll along a lovely bridge.

 

Goldie Lockes wasn't so defenseless, however. Her eyes were sharp and observant, one who knew how to spot dangers of all sizes. She'd twitched her hand as Jinx approached closer, like sheathing a weapon to a possible threat was an ingrained instinct. 

 

The tell-tale sign of a fighter. Whoever this Piltie-wannabe was, she wasn't one to be underestimated. 

 

Jinx, luckily, has never been particularly keen on reading warning labels.

 

Jinx met the girl's quizzical bright-blue eyes with a catty slyness in her own pink ones. As the other tensed her jaw, Jinx smiled, "Don't take it personally Blondie, but I'm not exactly buddy-buddy with most people I met. But !" She proudly grinned, "-Luckily for you, I'm quite a generous lady myself. Plus, I kinda need some more mulla nowadays." Having Tatters around was an extra mouth to feed including herself. The cost of such a thing was going to start eating her wallet inside out, faster than they would be able to eat themselves. Ha! Get it? See what she did there?

 

"Don't bother me, and I won't bother you. You don't give me a reason to strangle you, and I won't do anything. How's that sound?" She grinned, sticking out a hand so quickly it made the other almost jump.

 

The girl seemed unimpressed, raising an eyebrow, "So… you're just promising to not attack me for the sake of attacking me? And… this is supposed to be a mutual deal?"

 

Jinx shrugged, "Call it whatever you want princess, I'm not interested in the fine print." She waved her hand forward, eyes slitting as she focused on the other, "I think you should take it. "

 

The other stood stiffly beside the book-filled cabinet, lips twitching in a frown. She ultimately sighed, taking the other girl's hand in her own, "I hope you're as good as the Director praises you to be, Mrs. Bluebell. He sees a lot of potential in you, so don't make me regret this." She laments.

 

Jinx smiled coyly, "I'll be sure not to disappoint. I'm only as good as a Zaunite doctor can get Mrs. Goldie Lockes , so I royally apologize if don't " she did air quotes, "- meet your standards. " She accented.

 

The other's face furrowed with repressed digruntment, much to Jinx' shagrin. She settled herself though, and simply sighed, "Please," she started, "If we're gonna be working together, you may as well find the courtesy to call me by my real name." 

 

"Oh yeah? And what may that be your majesty?"

 

"Lux."

 

"Lux? What kinda name is Lux? Is it some fancy foreign word?"

 

"What kind of name is Bluebell? Trying to hide under a codename?"

 

"...Touché"

Notes:

Author's Note:

-Hello Everyone^^ sorry for the delay on this chapter, it was taking longer to format and write properly than I would have excepted. Honestly? Not super-duper proud of this chapter (specifically the second half), not too bad but definitely not my best work. It was just such a key and important moment to Jinx that I had to be sure I did it right. I initially wanted to make Jinx go in a little more aggressively, but I eventually toned it down with reasoning the fact that this Jinx is older and slightly more aged. Her hatred isn't so all-out as it had been canon wise. I just let her and Lux get stuck in this mutually-dislike-you-but-it's-whatever state, and I can work with that.

This chapter sets up a lot of stuff, and I just had to be sure I got it right. I'm extremely excited for Lux's and Jinx's interactions in the future though! I remember contemplating if I should even *add* Lux to the story, originally meaning for it to be completely Jinx centered. And while it still mostly is, I decided to add her for a multitude of reasons I won't be sharing just yet ;) the most basic of reasons is that she follows the whole moral of "Jinx moving on and experiencing new things and people." Hope you guys can forgive me for the delay, I sincerely apologize! If it had taken any longer, I may have just split this chapter into two segments (though I don't prefer doing that, I'll do it if I have to). See you all in the next chapter! -Fish

-Jinx may not have realized it, but by the end of the chapter she was very much acting like herself. While it may not be favorable in making first impressions with others, it isn't the standard awkwardness we saw with her clients in the first chapter. Whether she realized it or not, her explosion over the prospect of having to work with someone from Piltover made her so mad she broke through her little mask she wore whenever she met with someone new. She's not being nice, but she's also not trying to be anyone else other than Jinx with Lux, now that the other had seen a very real part of her. I see this as an absolute win.

-Jinx: *Sees that Lux is probably a trained fighter despite her innocent look and should probably be more cautious around the other.*

Also Jinx: "That sign can't stop me because I can't read!"

-For those of you who don't know, aside from a writer, I am an artist. I have seen your pleas in the comments, wondering if Jinx has changed looks! While I'm planning and providing drawings later on, for now I'll leave you all with a description:

Jinx is short and gawky, stature more stiff and reserved compared to her pre-hiding. Her hair is still long and flowy, but tends to stick out more from their twin braids due to lack of proper treatment. She wears a long dirty yellow trench coat that ends past her knees, inside material this old stuffy cotton, which she sewed small little white flowers onto. It has a big bushy hood she has pulled up over her head while she's on the streets. She stuffs most of her braid's length in the hood, the ends of it barley spilling beside her neck. Jinx wears heavy leather fingerless gloves over her bandages, good for preventing injury but still lets her multi-colored nails tinker up close and personal. She's pale and marred with scars, dark and heavy eyebags hooded under her eyes from stress and late-night tinkering.

And that's the summary of it! It will mostly stay as this but will change over the coarse of the story. Please leave comment letting me know of what you thought of this chapter or the story as a whole, it really makes my day! See you guys next update <3

Chapter 4: It's the Least I can do

Jinx's eventual shift in routine wasn't nearly as big or destructive as she thought it'd be. 

 

For the past few months, Jinx would wake up at the crack of dawn thanks to her insomnia and tinkers in the comfort of her home, eat a light breakfast out of what she could scavenged from her own fridge, spend the day doing delivery and meeting with clients (maybe stop by Ziggs place to chat and pick up more letters), before returning back to her home to sleep in her own bed, ready for the next day. Sometimes it changed slightly (Jinx, more often than not, completely forgot about the whole 'eating' thing), but not by much for her to notice.

 

She had followed the same set schedule for the past few months now, and while following it so religiously sometimes grew dull, Jinx had learned to deal with it. It wasn't so bad. Because without a proper schedule, who knows what would happen to her?

 

The shadows would find better residency in her mind now that she wouldn't have something to distract herself with, quite a bother considering they tended to be more aggressive the more stable she felt. She still heard voices and saw things throughout a normal day, of course, but Jinx had taught herself to stand there and react minimally. Big reactions tend to draw people's attention, and that's one thing she's definitely trying to avoid.

 

Or maybe she'd revert back to that catatonic-like state she'd been for the better half of last year? Jinx idly recalls how she'd curled herself in the corner of a room, resembling more of a dead spider than a human, mind and body barely functioning with her head so dark and cavernous-like, finding it all too easy to get lost with the screams and guilt.

 

Things may be hard now, but they could be worse . At least she's come this far. At least.

 

It's… a time she doesn't like to dwell on too often, much more eager to ignore it completely if the opportunity arises. Not like it's particularly hard , considering close to nothing had happened over the span of time. Better to just let the fog claim that too, let it have something non-essential to chew on for a change. 

 

Things are changing now, a far cry to that state she'd been in. She wakes up at the brink of dawn thanks to her insomnia, and instead of tinkering away on some beta prosthetics ( "Do you think rocket launchers can be attached to these arm prosthetics?" She'd giddily asked a sleeping Tatters, "Who am I kidding, of course they can be! I am a master genius after all." ), Jinx actually heads to her job. It's good that she's up and at'em so early, mostly because the camp was located in the Entresol level, one whole floor above the Slums. It's a mighty trek for the amateur, but Jinx doesn't mind stretching her legs for a job. Y'know. The one she gets real money from now??

 

The first check she'd received had almost made her double-take. It'd been slightly less than what she earned from a batch of her bombs, but her beautiful bombs and chompers were expensive . Plus, she'd barely expected to get a scrap of a dime considering it was just some homeless shelter. She thought it'd be more of a charity-case, considering that.

 

With both checks combined at the end of two weeks, she must at least be making what a minimum-wage Piltie makes in one. While that may be considered an insult to some, some Piltie's make more money than she will ever earn just by living and breathing for a day, so the first comparison isn't too bad.

 

And the work hadn't been all too hard, considering what she was earning. She'd stitched up a few wounds, treated a few colds, not much else. If she wasn't needed in the tent, then she'd take her due diligence to walk around the camp. It may have been musty and reeking of old people, but it was miles better than standing around in a desolate tent with Goldie Lockes back there. Just because she decided to play nice didn't mean she was scouting for uncomfortable confrontations anytime soon. At least the other had held up her end of the bargain, scarcely attempting any interactions. 

 

She'd tried to start a conversation once, although clunkily and awkwardly. She took the hint when Jinx just grinned her teeth tightly and continued working in silence, not even acknowledging her words.

 

Although uncomfortable and socially-unbearable, to spend so many hours beside someone Jinx wanted to keep a full meter away from, it hadn't been bad. All things considered, the arrangement was fair. Hearty amounts of money and some time outside in return for bearing mentally-draining interactions with drunk, old sickly people and a singular blonde Piltie-wannabe. It was exhausting work mentally-wise, but Jinx supposed no job came without it's adverse factors. 

 

It wasn't spectacular, but she would take it. Things could be worse.

 

Which is why, after only a few days of her residing there, things just had to get worse. Jinx needs to stop thinking like that, or else she'll be really living up to her name.

 

The whole population of the camp seemed to decide that it'd be a pretty funny prank if they all simultaneously decided to get sick, letting a small plague decimate through their ranks. If a growing threat of infected water supplies being wasted and mortality rates rising was supposed to be funny, then Jinx must have been pretty close to collapsing from pure, unadulterated laughter.

 

People of all shapes and sizes came to stay at the tent, a long line forming outside of the cramped tent as the people waited for their eventual turn. Jinx treated open sores and wounds that the side effect had caused, even stitching a few who'd scratched a little too insistently. The hacking coughs and brutal sneezing had become an unfortunate and deathly chorus among the camp.

 

Jinx could at least find solace in the fact that she found the activity not too dissimilar from tinkering. If she closed her eyes and tuned herself out, maybe she could imagine herself being back in her lab. She avoids doing that though, because the voices and shadows more often than not seemed to sneak up on her whenever she did.

 

Least to say, it'd quickly become one of the most hectic weeks of Jinx's life. And that was saying something, given exactly who she was.

 

And then came the problem of her dear new and shiny coworker Lux. Jinx originally wanted to protest, still on shaky footing on whether or not she wanted to stay on good terms with the girl after their last interaction in that tent, but the stacking patient line made the complaints sour in her mouth. Lux had been the first to curtly inform her of their situation once she arrived, shoving a pair of medical gloves and mask into her unsuspecting arms, before turning away to tend to another patient. 

 

By the weary glances the other shot from time to time, it looked like the princess wasn't so over-the-moon about their arrangement either. 

 

"Pass me a soaked rag, his fever is rising again." Lux said, holding a hand up to the forehead of a dazed bearded man. who smelled like rotten eggs.

 

"In case you haven't noticed, it's the middle of winter Blondie." Jinx flatly replied, rechecking on another's pulse, "If you try to soak anything in here, it'll freeze in you damn hand."

 

"Then hold it over the candle light and defrost it," Lux said with impatience, shooting the other a glance, "Or do you think I'm too proper to do that?"

 

The sentiment was shared, at least. 

 

Despite their slight tenacity, It was a civil agreement they both seemed to abide by well enough, and Jinx doesn't know if she should feel ashamed that the words Jinx and c ivil can be put in the same sentence now. 

 

But it was whatever. They'd occupied themselves then, too busy dealing with two patients each at a time to make much conversation. Whatever conversation did arise, it was scathing and sharp, but short-lived as more sickly patients groaned and complained as they filed in. By the time both of their patients would leave, another pair would take their place. Jinx barely had the wherewithal to stand a single day of it, let alone a week. 'At least it pays well' had become her mind's signature mantra that first week.

 

At some point during the start of the second week, things finally slowed down. Patients weren't scarce per say, but they weren't flowing in like an uncontrollable faucet anymore either. Jinx was still exhausted from the constant social interaction with people, a thing she hadn't realized she was so rusty at handling. So much so, that being plunged back into whole schools of people at a time often left her with little desire to talk afterwards. Out of all the things Jinx thought she'd be, a social recluse was not one of them.

 

Which left her here, silently tending to a brute of a man who bent the small bed once he sat on it. The man had come in with a large slice embedded deep into his forearm, by grace, narrowly missing any major arteries. Jinx is thankful, because having another dead body at her feet would only be adding to a count she'd been desperately avoiding modifying any further.

 

The man was lucid and awake now, and with Lux's own patient still sedated, Goldie Lockes had taken to passively chatting with the man. She did that a lot, often getting in the good graces of most of the patients. It'd explain why she had such a good reputation -and evidently- why no one messed with her. The perks of being well loved, one Jinx had never experienced nor seen pursued with such visceral determination.

 

Lux chatted up the brutish of brutes while they both worked, almost like she had an animalistic instinct to be courteous. Hell, Jinx bets she could easily befriend a whole colony of Gutter Rats if Lux put her mind to it. It was actually a little terrifying.

 

"Today's shift at Factorywood was a bust. Damn machinery kept getting loose, and we can't do nothin' about it." Hearthorn -the man- complained gruffly, "The owner of the place is up in the Promenade level all day and refuses to fix it. He's as good as a Piltie, I tell ya."

 

Jinx was still faxing him while rewrapping bandages along his arm, but she could practically hear Lux's sympathetic smile, "I'm sorry that's been happening to you, is that how you got injured?"

 

The man nodded, glancing down at his dressed wound, "Yep, but it could have been a lot worse though. I walked away with just a scratch on this one. If you wanted to see some real damage, yah shoulda' seen right down here." He raised his right leg slightly in show, covered with a long baggy pant leg and dirty industrial boots.

 

Lux grinned, "I hope the damage wasn't too extensive then."

 

"Oh yeah, not extensive at all." Hearthorn grinned wolfishly, "Considering it came clean off."

 

Lux gasped slightly and even Jinx was caught off guard at the man's words. "That… sounds awful! Surely you get it reattached then?" Goldie Lockes cried.

 

The man barked out a laugh, "You got way too much faith in your predecessor's sweetheart. Most they did was treat my stump and recommended some people who made prosthetics. Should contact them again soon, I can hear somethin' rattling in it."

 

Jinx perked up then, the mere mention of prosthetics catching her attention, "You have a prosthetic? Can I see?"

 

The man looked down at Jinx with wide-eyed surprise, blinking at the ladies first addition to the conversation. He shrugged, careful to not pull at his stitches as he brought up his right leg onto the mattress, leaning down to roll up his pant leg and take off his boot. 

 

Jinx gazed with awed curiosity at the wooden sheen of the surface, hinges and large metal clips attached to the folds and turns of the leg. It's carvings of wood furnished and shiny after a run of rough sandpaper, the rings of the tree still visible. It was an old yet respectable design, one Jinx could tell was made by a master of their craft. There were more complex metal contraptions inside the leg itself, metal wires working and bending to function the leg like the inside of the piano. 

 

It was old and worn, but beautiful. Not exactly Jinx's type, but that didn't mean much. Like art, everyone had a different style to their craft.

 

"You said you heard a rattling in it? Can you show me where?" Jinx asked after carefully observing and appreciating the leg, turning to look at the man. He looked surprised, but bent down to point a gloved hand around the talus. "Are you like… some prosthetics doctor too?" The man asked questioningly.

 

Jinx hummed at the man bending down to take a closer look at the foot of the leg, "I make prosthetics in my spare time for other people. It's a side job, really. I'm a kinda… engineering doctor. It's not actually official, but it does wonders for my resume- Can you point your foot out for me? Thank you"

 

Lux was now observing over her crouched figure, leaning in with curiosity as she observed Jinx remove one of the outer wooden plates. "Do you really know how to fix it?" She asked with wonder. Apparently Jinx's skill of tinkering was able to temporarily purge whatever silent treatment both had been holding against one another.

 

Jinx hummed, placing her chin in between her thumb and index finger in a thoughtful expression. "Oh, I can. Though, I kinda wanna take it all apart first and then try to put it back together. Call it a Tinkerer's instinct." 

 

Lux seemed to be thrown for a loop for that one, a slight frenzy prevailing through her mostly composed figure. "B-but! Bluebell! You can't do that, it's not yours to take apart! What if you end up breaking it?!"

 

Jinx sighed leaning in to closely inspect one of the gears, "Re- lax Lux, I'm always able to put my babies back together. Most of the time, at least." She mumbled, earning a long-winded groan from the stressed girl. Man, what a worry-wart.

 

"Most of the exterior looks in good shape, but the in-between cracks look bent and really worn out. What did you say you do in Factorywood again?"

 

Hearthorn blinked, leaning in as if he could spot the indents, "Usually clean out the Sump Pools mam. Not a fun job, but it keeps food on my table."

 

Jinx nodded, fighting the cringed look from her face. Yeesh , poor bastard. The Sump pools were a radioactive hell and could probably give someone a bazillion illnesses just by standing near them, let alone wading through that crap. "You're gonna have to try to get that fixed." she evaluated flatly, "The bending probably got a few cogs loose and one must have fallen into the hollow part for your heel. I can try to get it out for you, but…" her words tapered off, biting the inside of her lip in contemplation.

 

"But?" The man implored with a raised brow.

 

Jinx reassured herself of her decision then, slight speculation clearing from her face. Jinx turned, her eyes sharpening with determination, "Lux," she called with a commanding nature fermented in her words, "Are you a masochist?" She asked, tone serious. 

 

Whatever she must have excepted to say, it must have not been it. Lux blankly gaped at her then with her mouth wide, unadulterated shock coating her features, "I… w-what? " Her whole face flushed red and rosy at the question. Not the reaction she needed, but she waved it off. That was irrelevant.

 

"Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me." Jinx assured, walking behind a still Lux as she placed both her hands on her shoulders, "You see that crevice there? You're gonna have to stick your hand in there and fish out a loose cog. The locks will probably trigger and violently shut on your hand; you might loose a finger, but that's okay. We all have to make sacrifices in life." She patted the other's shoulder reassuringly.

 

Lux, who had been standing perfectly still under Jinx's hold, suddenly turned from red to ghostly pale as she twisted herself to latch onto Jinx's shirt, "I-! No! I-I can't do that, are you crazy?! I kinda need my hands! Can't you use something else?!" She fixed Jinx with a petrified frowning face that screamed ' You have to be joking.'

 

Jinx furrowed her brows then, still holding onto a restless Lux, "I could try to trigger the locks beforehand with something else, but then the entrance will probably be blocked out and won't be accessible again without proper tools." She reasoned, thoughtfully tapping her boot against the floor as he drew her hands back. Damn, maybe she really should bring more of her tools to work.

 

"Doctor, I can just visit my manufacturer," Hearthorn assured, slightly sheepish and bewildered the display, "It's a hassle, but if yah can't get it out then it's more than alright-"

 

"No no no no. " Jinx assured professionally, crouching back down onto the floor beside the prosthetic, "I can do it. Prosthetic manufacturers are masters in their own right, but they're also masters in overpricing the shit out of everything. Plus!-" She placed one hand against the wooden calf of the leg, "-It's not the first time I've done something like this."

 

Both Lux and Hearthorn watched in horror as Jinx uncaringly plunged her right hand into the crevice, the former sputtering words of rapid concern as Jinx felt around the machinery. She could hear a few "Oh my Protectors Above," and other curses coming from the pacing girl, but she didn't pay the display any mind. The inside of the plates were coarse and rough with un-sanded wood, the texture scratching her up as she moved deeper. 

 

Jinx didn't even flinch as a loud clamp came from the leg, a sharp, hissing pain jolting through her arm as metal ridges deeply dug into her hand. Even with her gloves on, she could feel a warm wetness trickling down her hand, soaking through her fingers. She couldn't see her now, but Lux sounded close to fainting with how hysterical her cries were.

 

Jinx stuck out her lip as she continued her search, eventually running a finger over a loose small piece of metal, "Bingo!" She cried triumphantly, latching onto the cog as she attempted to pull her hand out. She could feel her skin bending under the tight lock, stubborn to leave it's prey. After a few tries, the maw of the metal eventually let her loose, blood flicking off her hand as she sheathed it out with a hearty pull.

 

" Told ya! Got it out all on my own, " She sings sang, brandishing the shiny rusted cog towards Goldie Lockes. There was a long sliver of her skin missing just over her knuckles, revealing her own red meaty interior as red liquid poured from her wounds. It was an ugly wound, likely bitten off in the machinery. 

 

Huh, she forgot how red humans could be.

 

Lux, instead of sharing Jinx's triumph ( like she should have ), looked absolutely sick to her stomach. "Oh gods…" the other muttered, physically turning away from the sight as she tried to compose herself. 

 

Jinx internally shrugged, turning to face a still Mr. Hearthorn, his face looking distinctly pale. She dainty placed the small blood-coated cog in the open palm of the man, tenderly shutting his hand, "I know you must be in shock at my awe-striking prosthetic surgery, but there's no need to thank me. Just get it fixed so that it doesn't happen again." She muttered, patting his closed hand, "Also, by the by, you may have some of my blood in you now. Sorry." She apologized flatly.

 

After shutting the man's leg back up, he dazedly checked out of the tent with a mutter of a thank you, still wide-eyed as he walked out. Jinx was gonna follow out too, thinking about what food she could pick up for Tatters as a voice called out for her.

 

"Bluebell! Hey wait- are you really planning on going home like that?" Lux asked from the middle of the tent, tone and expression incredulous.

 

Jinx glanced back from where she was facing the tarp of the tent, trenchcoat half on

 She lifted a brow, "Uh, no? I was planning on stopping by the markets for some food then going home. The night's still young, y'know?" Plus, the real black market type of shit wouldn't start until, like, one in the morning. She still had time.

 

Lux leveled her an unimpressed look, brows pulled into a questioning look, "Really? You're openly and profusely bleeding and you're planning on going shopping ?" She asked in a disbelieving voice.

 

Jinx raised both her brows in mild surprise, glancing down to see that yes, Jinx was still bleeding red. It had gotten smudges across her palm, the heavy scent of iron hitting her as she lifted her hand. Her ring and pinkie finger were completely coated in blood and dripping small droplets onto the floor. 

 

Huh. She hadn't even noticed. She was so used to her wounds and scratches that the gash itself simply faded into obscurity in her priority.

 

Jinx furrowed her brows, "Yeah, so? Why do you care?" Jinx scoffed, shifting uncomfortably in place, "Don't you have some fancy foreign dinner to attend? And why the hell do you even want to help me?" She bit out.

 

Lux seemed to physically glower at her comments, but the girl hadn't backed from her stance. After a tense silence between the two, Lux sighed heavily, "You're hurt, and I can help you," she answered simply, like that reply made any type of reasonable sense, "Don't make this harder than it has to be. Stop being so difficult and let me patch you up."

 

Jinx blinked owlishly, glancing at the tent's exit. Could she just leave without answering? She glared down at the floor. " No. " Jinx almost pouted, nailing the childish act to a tea. She sounded petulant, like a kid who was being forced to go to bed at their bedtime. 

 

Lux seemed to have been expecting the reaction, sighing less heavily than before as she trotted up to Jinx. "C'mere," she mumbled with exasperation, grabbing Jinx's unharmed and clean hand as she tugged her back into the tent. Jinx was tempted to squirm at the contact, but she had the feeling (with the way Lux had been glancing at her while she was boredly packing up) that Lux wasn't gonna take any resistance lying down.

 

Ugh, how annoying.

 

Didn't she have anything better to do than annoy her like this?

 

She plopped back down on the mattress, rickety bed frame squeaking at the sudden movement. Lux stepped away a little, fumbling around their packed-up equipment and she tried to find some proper tools. When Lux rose back up again, she had gloves back on and a sharp stare, along with a dry towel.

 

"Gloves. Off." Lux ordered, using the same tone she'd been using to order Jinx around the tent, passing and fetching her stuff like she was some head surgeon. Jinx childishly scowled and turned her head away in indignation.

 

" Bluebell ." Lux warned, and Jinx heaved a long-suffering sigh. She tugged off her dark brown gloves, idly spotting the darker brown splotches located around the upper part of the clothing piece. Man, she just got these cleaned.

 

She shoved her mangled hand up to Lux's gaze, her whole hand coated in a violent red tint. It smelled heavily like iron, and she could see a dark deep line engraved into her flesh just over her knuckles; where the contraption had shut itself along her hand.

 

Lux carefully cleaned most of the blood off her hand, leaving the wounds open to be properly inspected. Jinx's hand felt colder now as Lux carefully scrutinized it, like she'd stuck her warm blood-filled body into a pile of snow. She forced her subconscious into keeping her hand still, the delicate human contact like boiling and freezing water all at once. 

 

Jinx may have been on shaky terms with her coworker, but she doubted instinctually attacking her now would help things. Its the mature thing to do, after all.

 

Jinx, then and there, decides that she hates having to be mature.

 

Lux bent down, retrieving the very stitches Jinx had been using earlier on Hearthorn. There was a small silence shared between the two as Lux got the line into the needle. The quiet shared between the two was lacking any of the professional air they'd been sharing all week, now that they were alone together. The atmosphere wasn't as stifling as Jinx had expected it to be, but she was still keeping her guard up, leaning away whenever the other got too close for comfort. 

 

It was almost as if Lux was treating something more akin to a skittish animal rather than a depraived terrorist ( and with multiple questionable career choices later ,) turned doctor. 

 

If Jinx was asked where she'd see herself two years ago, she definitely wouldn't have answered this. 

 

Well, her actual answer would have been more along the lines of something like, " Dead somewhere ", but eh , that's neither here nor there.

 

"So," Lux started, slight awkwardness evident in her feet shuffling as she filled a needle with Ether, "Prosthetics, huh? How'd… you end up there?"

 

Seriously? She was trying this again? Jinx would have mirrored the girl's awkwardness, not exactly versatile in the art of actually talking to people either. But Jinx couldn't help but revel in the other's awkward fumbling through the one-sided conversation, finding it immensely pleasurable that the ever-courteous Lux was having trouble making conversation. Ah, how the mighty fall indeed.

 

It was a petty type of vengeance, one Jinx unabashedly indulged as she didn't reply to the other, instead fixing the other a completely blank expression. When Jinx says she fought a smirk from crossing her face as the other glanced around uncomfortably, Jinx fought, probably harder than she has for a long while.

 

"There aren't a lot of prosthetic makers from where I'm from," Lux informed, busying herself instead with carefully inserting in the fluid-filled needle along the side of the wound, "Demacia imports them from other nations all over Runeterra, mostly because craftsmanship and technology like that is much more prominent and advanced in other places." She smiled to herself then, "We're quite a prideful nation, but we can hang our heads from time to time too."

 

Whatever joy Jinx had been getting from Lux's one-sided conversation quickly plummeted to the gallows of her stomach, coursing a layer of shock through her whole body.

 

Was Lux really talking to herself? Did… did people actually do that?! Jinx had always been called crazy for talking to herself, now look at this farce! How was this any different?!

 

Jinx, despite her deep disgruntlement, would not break her petty silence. She grinded her teeth together and resolutely stayed silent, eyeing the other. Lux continued.

 

"Demacia is a lot of things, now that I think about it. If the lawmakers ever saw what Zaun was like for themselves, I think they might all simultaneously die from heart failure." She laughed, "Crime isn't taken lightly over there, especially with the punishments they hand out. I have a brother-Garen-that specifically told me to not leave my homeland. You can't imagine how worked up he got when I told him I wanted to practice foreign medicine," she grinned cheerily, a small fond smile on her face.

 

"Did you abandon him?" Jinx suddenly asked, unable to catch the words before they slipped from her mouth. 

 

Whatever light-hearted feeling Lux must have been feeling was tripped up, a look of confusion melting into her smile as her brows pinched, "I… What? No, of course not. I'd never abandon my family." She implored, slight offense laced in her words, "Garen is mature enough that he can accept my decision, and I still write to him whenever I can. I love my brother, I would never leave him." She stated, tone serious.

 

Jinx blinked, surprise evident on her face. But… Lux had left? She said she left her brother alone, why hadn't he hated her? Did… was she missing something? She remembers, through the fog, the utter anguish and destruction encompassing her as she watched Vi leave. It was one of the only things she can easily remember of that night, after all. Vi… left her. Left her, she left left left her, no sister would abandon me, 

 

she's not my sister .

 

Come back.

 

Confusion, however, prevailed over her other emotions spiked at the memories. Didn't this Garen guy… hadn't he felt betrayed? Lux said he got 'worked up' , but if they're still writing to each other… then that must mean they're on good terms.

 

I… I don't understand.

 

"Oh." Jinx replied simply, staring down at her boots as she frowned. "Sorry." She mumbled, voices and images pulling and stretching at her mind now that she'd asked the question.

 

They're like vampires; you leave the door slightly ajar and they let themselves right in.

 

After time passed with her shadows and scribbles clouding her vision, a new voice spoke up, "-Bluebell? Are you alright?"

 

"Hm?" Jinx idly hummed, eyes far away as she focused on the images flashing over her eyes. When she came back to herself, she daily noticed the present bandages wrapped around her arm, a finished and cleaned up Lux staring down at her with a questionable frown.

 

"I'm done… I've been done for a bit now," She curtly informed, handing back the bloody glove she acquired. "You've… I'm actually not sure what happened to you. I only gave you anesthetists, so I'm not sure..." She stated, a slight tint of confusion present, "Are you alright Bluebell? Do you want to stay the night here?" 

 

Jinx blinked blearily, still gazing at the stitches on her arm. They were small and delicate, done with care. How strange. "Hm? Oh… I'm fine. Hey, I need to go." She stated quickly, trying to spring up from her seat, only for her legs to nearly give out and almost fall straight into Lux.

 

Lux caught her clean arm, holding it to support the other, "Wha- hey, easy! Sit back down, I think you should wait until the morphine passes your system." she advises, "Whatever it's done to you, it might be dangerous. Just let me inspect you for a bit."

 

" What? Like you've been inspecting me all night?" Jinx bit out, trying to stave off a headache. Jinx breathed in a heavy breath, forcing herself to calm down, "And I'm fine Goldie Lockes, I just… hate surgeries. Quite ironic, I know." She gruffly informs, wincing at a flash of Singed's laboratory. There's a heavy pounding in her chest in spite of how lethargic she feels, threatening to turn into a full migraine.

 

Lux frowned, leveling the other with a look, "It's okay to not like surgeries, but this reaction doesn't seem like one of just personal feelings, this is affecting you physically." She informs, then more sincerely, "I'm just trying to help you, Bluebell." 

 

" Why?! " The other startled at the sudden raised voice, "Why? You're just some… some! Piltie-wannabe ! There are way more important things to worry about then me. No one else does, so why should you ?!" she yelled, the truth and confusion she herself felt slipping out of her mouth with ease. Jinx was playing a dangerous game here. Unlike all the others though, she didn't actually know which one she was playing.

 

"Every game that you play ends with someone dead. I bet you like it, revel in killing others. You do, you're just lying to yourself."

 

"You'll never be anything else, no one will ever forgive you. You're Delusional. "

 

"JUST SHUT UP," she snided with rage, angrily shooting the scribbled shadow a hard glare, "You don't know what you're talking about!" 

 

" Wh - But… I wasn't saying anything??" 

 

Jinx's head shoots back to Lux, her anger immediately dissipating as she catches the look of confusion and heavy concern on the other's face. Lux has her arms outstretched in mid air, like she wants to do something to Jinx but is unsure how to.

 

She needed Lux to just stop looking at her like that. She expected her to be angry, glower at her for the Piltie comment, but she just looked concerned. Concerned, confused, and (worst of all), sympathetic .

 

No one in a long long time has looked at her like that. It's dangerous, that look. 

 

She needs to get away.

 

And she does, she ignores Lux's words as Jinx grabs her coat and leaves the tent in a rush, muttering a quick goodbye, just because it's rude to leave without saying anything.

 

---

 

When the following days come, Jinx expects the worst.

 

 Some sort of interrogation, a reached conversation that would force her to claw up all the moss that had grown over her past, for her to relive it. Because there is no way any type of half-baked answer would explain her actions. And while she hasn't known Lux for too long, she's smart enough to realize how aware the other is.

 

But… when she walks into the tent, she finds it surprising just how… normal things are. Sure, Lux had looked at her for a split-second too long when she first entered, but the rest of the day wasn't nearly as invasive as Jinx had imagined. 

 

That is, of course, not saying that the day 

had gone exactly normal. Usually, she and Jinx would share a quick glance of acknowledgement before falling into their own rhythms for the day. If a day was slow and patients were slim, Jinx would tinker with small mechanisms and bolts while Lux wrote. Occasional snarky and teasing dialogue later, and their shift would be done. Easy-peasy.

 

The silence was constant, neither Lux nor Jinx talking with each other unless they needed to.

 

Now, however, things weren't per say different, but Jinx could tell something had changed.

 

"Good morning." Lux said, back facing Jinx as she wrote up the week's report destined to go to the Directors clutches. "Hope your walk went well." She said simply, tone flat.

 

"How's your hand holding up? You heal surprisingly fast, considering you're back to tinkering." Lux had brought up idly.

 

"Hey uh…" Lux began consciously, catching Jinx right before she'd gone on her lunch break, "I know you don't particularly fancy pep talk, but I'm… open to talk… if you want." Lux lowered her head, a cringed frown pulling at her face, "Just… yeah. I'll see you later."

 

"Hey… I've been meaning to ask you this but is your blood… slightly… pink? Sorry that's stupid, ignore me,".

 

Weird. So damn fucking weird.

 

Okay. The last one wasn't all too weird, considering the Shimmer still running through her. Jinx was sure she could use it for a joke either, try to convince someone they were colorblind. Innocent, but devilishly evil.

 

But that aside, Jinx couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at the continuous attempts at conversation, even consultation. It was just her luck, that it was a passive annoyance rather than some big episode. She didn't know how to feel about it, whether she should be relieved or disturbed. 

 

Well, with whatever new game they were playing, Jinx was winning by simply not playing. She'd mumble out a few words in response, but Jinx felt absolutely no desire to do… whatever Lux was doing.

 

Jinx sighed heavily, glancing over at Tatters as she chewed on her pencil while she designed her blueprints. The feline had shuffled herself into the nook of a stack of heavy, thick books. 

 

"Hey Tatters," she starts, "do you think I can make bombs out out unused bath bombs before Goldie Lockes stops… messing with me?" She questioned, scratching out another rubric. 

 

The cat flicked her tail, blinking it's singular eye as it let out a large, wife yawn. 

 

"I love you." Jinx says sincerely, voice close to a whisper as if to not let anyone hear her. She's not too sure what came over her for her to say that. Jinx would be embarrassed if it were anyone else for the moment of weakness, but it's okay. 

 

Because Tatters was hers, and she wants to let herself love her. 

 

Just… Just this once.

 

---

 

Lux is sick.

 

It's the first thing Jinx realizes when she comes into work halfway through the week. She'd first thought that damn plague finally got to her just as it stopped decimating the camp, but it was clear it was something else.

 

"Geez lady," Jinx groaned, finally speaking up for the first time that afternoon, "It sounds like you're hacking your lungs back there. Should you really be in here?"

 

"I'm fine ," Lux insisted, sniffling as she cleared her reddened nose, "It's just a cold. I can still do my job, you don't need to worry."

 

"I wasn't worried." Jinx bit back, mulling over a response, "I just find it ironic that out of everyone, a doctor gets sick."

 

Lux shrugs, "It happens to the best of us, in spite of their career path. It shouldn't be that bad."

 

Jinx wanted to believe that. She herself had a scarily effective immune system, likely due in part with her constantly getting sick as a kid. She sincerely hoped the other had one too, but judging by her noble exterior and behavior, Jinx has a feeling Lux wasn't exposed to the same elements Jinx and the rest of the Zaunite kids have.

 

Because even before she became a 'doctor', Fissure-Flu was by far the easiest disease to spot. It tainted the throats of those unused to the chemical air, quickly leading to infection and complications. It mostly affected children, but Lux, being a foreigner , obviously had been in disposition to get it.

 

Now that it was night and the temperature dropped again, her breathing only hot worse.. Jinx winced to herself as she heard another grave hack from the other, taking a glance at the other.

 

It was almost disturbing, seeing someone as bright as Lux look like that. Bleary eyed and miserable. She still insisted on doing her job (Jinx, for one, does not and will not understand why), and had waned in her efforts to start conversation with Jinx. She would have gotten relief from that prospect, but it was clear it was more because of the state the other girl was in than consciously making an effort.

 

As the end of their shift neared, Jinx felt a small hesitancy to leave the other like this. Fissure-Flu was a nasty thing to treat, let alone deal with without even realizing it was there. If Jinx left Lux to deal with this, she'd be leaving a helpless animal to the whims of their own destruction.

 

But it wasn't her problem. The sane thing to do now was to just leave without a second glance, mind your own business like a good little Zaunite. Jinx doesn't care about other people's well-being, it got in the way of surviving down here. It's stupid and idiotic.

 

Jinx makes up her mind and shrugs off the weird concern that had overcome her. She's supposed to hate the other, for being a Piltie-wannabe. She can't prance around and start actually feeling pity for the other when she's sure her parents could buy Jinx herself. Pls, Lux is a doctor , a much more professional one compared to Jinx. She'll be more than fine on her own.

 

As she goes to pull open the tent's entrance, she freezes at the sight of her bandaged hand. She'd haphazardly put her glove back on over the bandages, the yellowish rolls sticking out from where her fingers touched air. Her hand had likely healed over by now, but she'd kept the bandages on to keep up appearances. 

 

She remembers the delicacy of the other's hand, how Lux had insisted so rigidly that she had to stitch up Jinx. It had thrown her for a loop, making her both weary and incredibly anxious.

 

Because why… why would she help her? No one loved Jinx, and Lux was more than allowed to hate her too with the way they'd treated each other.

 

It scared her, when she thought about it too much.

 

Jinx hesitantly looked back at a sitting Lux, watching her re-sterile their tools. Her slack and weak grip caused her tired eyes to frown in disgruntlement, re-wiping over and over again in sluggish movements.

 

It was a weirdly sad sight, like those pictures of sad dogs they'd have put up all around the Post-Office. 

 

Lux looked… pathetically weak .

 

All alone. No one… to help her.

 

…

 

Jinx heaved a long -suffering sigh, brow twitching into a frown as she felt her itty-bitty moral compass take hold of her. Her! Jinx! A moral compass! It wasn't fair, stupid stupid stupid, just leave her!

 

But Jinx knew better than to fight it now. She had this disgusting habit that reared its head from time to time, taking pity on someone other than herself, Fishbones, or Tatters (because that was the list of the only one's she should be carrying about). 

 

Spending extra personal time with some orphan she gave a prosthetic to (she was just showing her how to work the damn arm, not because she drew drawings on it to cheer her up) or making a miniature prosthetic for some ugly sphinx that slicked around her apartment complex (she just wanted to see if her prosthetics could work that small. It also reminded her of Tatters).

 

It'd sink it's claws now and not let go until she did so, constantly bugging her to finish the charitable action. And she thought Fishbones was overbearing, her mind was even worse!

 

Still,

 

Maybe… 

 

She found some… small, microscopic part of her that-

 

Jinx came back to herself as Lux gave another violent coughing fit, the sound grating to her own ears. She scowled in disgust. Just because she was gonna do this did not mean she had to be happy about it.

 

"Alright," Jinx groaned, "C'mon Goldie Lockes, I'm taking you back to my place." She explained with a drawl, snatching the other's coat from the rack and throwing it at her.

 

In a both sad and extremely funny sight, Lux doesn't even attempt to catch it as it lands on top of her head, "Huh? What... why?" she sniffed.

 

Jinx pulled her own trench coat on, oversized sleeves bagging over her slender figure, "So I can get you some shit for your cold. You sound like a banshee when you cough," Jinx reasoned, pulling the coat off of Lux's head. It was fancy and embraided, high quality black fabric all around and- was that REAL cotton?? Jeez Lux, someone's playing nurse for fun. Jinx already knew that, of course, but the anger at the fact still bubbled under her skin. Maybe she should rethink this.

 

"I said I'm fine... I can just take some medicine here" she sniffed roughly, wheezing a little, "I could never be a burden on you like that, I'm- ugh... my head." she whimpered. Jinx rolled her eyes, yanking the other to her feet. "Stop making this harder than it has to be, dingus. The medicine for your illness needs to be homemade, I got some stuff for it too. Now get your ass up." Jinx begrudgingly helped the other into her all-expensive coat and dragged her out of the tent ]. She was protesting lightly, but mostly with things along the lines of 'don't worry, I'm fine,' and general complaints about how cold it was. Eventually, Lux reluctantly agrees with a defeated groan.

 

Well, at least she has the hard part done with. Now all she needs to do is drag them both all the way to back to the slums.

 

With a sense of deep disgruntlement, she thinks maybe Jinx really should have rethought this whole thing through.

 

---

 

Jinx begrudgingly leads the Blonde up the railing stairs, often stopping and resting to let the girl stabilize herself as another coughing fit threatens to topple her over. It's a nasty sight, and Jinx sighs heavily as she keeps a heavy arm slung over the other's shoulders, rubbing her arm in clunky sympathy. They eventually make it to the third floor, where Jinx unlocks and jams open the door with a hard shove. Jinx practically  drags Lux into the unlit room, the other sniveling and shivering as she clutches at her coat.

 

"Oh honey, I'm home." She gruffs out, guiding the other to walk across the living room. The line had slipped out on it's own, Jinx simply too used to saying it to catch it.

 

Lux, still dazed out and blearily blinking into reality, gasps, "You have someone over? Oh Gods, don't let them see me like this." 

 

Jinx rolls her eyes and shakes her head, "I'm joking, I live on my own. And I've already seen you as a mess dummy! Stop worrying about keeping up appearances to my prosthetics." She huffs.

 

Lux outstretched a hand to grasp at a cabinet for support, "You don't have to be so mean about it." Lux whines, sniffing miserably as Jinx leans her against the kitchen's doorway, the less delirious of the two carefully turning on it's bright buzzing light. Lux wines at the sudden bright light, and Jinx huffs again, "Stop crying ya big baby, I'm getting you some crap to make you feel better."

 

Lux manages a sporadic nod, before jolting a series of body-wracking coughs and eventually slides down the wall to sit on the floor. When the coughs let up, Lux sighs.

 

"Y'know, that's not the cleanest of places you could be sitting in." The couch laid bare and unoccupied, but Jinx already had her hands full trying to fish out more garlic from the depth of her freezer. Plus, the living room still laid shadowed in darkness, and Jinx didn't feel like fumbling through the dark.

 

Lux huffs tiredly and bonks her haid against the wall, " Why do you have to be so mean to me?? " She almost whines, as petulant as Jinx was when Lux treated her wounds.

 

Jinx gaped, " Eh?! How the hell am I being mean right now?! I just dragged your ass four flights of stairs while you were on the verge of passing out!" Was she delirious or something? Oh God, maybe she should get her to the bathroom or something.

 

Lux shakes her head, keeping her eyes closed as her golden hair shakes with it, " Noooo, not that. I mean, why does it matter so much if I'm not from here? I'm trying to be your friend, but you still hate me just cus I'm like… a Piltover look-alike or… something… " She mumbles, clearly delirious.

 

Jinx groaned, "God, you act drunk when you're sick. Not a good… sign..."

 

Jinx's hands freeze at the, just having dragged out an armful of garlic and honey, along with some ice. She blinked down at the girl, fixing her an unreadable gaze, "You… you wanted to be my friend?" She asked with a small voice, slightly disbelieving as she fixed her wide eyes to see if she was telling the truth.

 

In the end it didn't seem all too helpful, as Lux didn't seem too bothered about meeting her anxiety with her own. She simply let out a long, tired yawn and sniffed, " 'Course I do…you don't treat me like I'm some… princess…you're truthful and… I see you almost everyday " She slurred brokenly, " plus you're… really pretty n'... cool… ugh, everything hurts forever…" 

 

Jinx stood frozen where she stood, still mentally reeling at Lux's words. When had… someone voluntarily called her a friend like that. Ziggs had always called her his 'best friend', but he only ever saw the maniacal side of Jinx that fit together with his own chaos like a puzzle piece. No shame to the guy, but she could never see him connecting with her on anything else deeper. Ekko… Yeash, no thank you. Her conversation with him about a month ago may have left her feeling mixed emotions, but after all that Jinx had done to him? To his friends? Blah blah you killed my friends blah blah Powder is dead. Talk about a broken record. 

 

She had been nothing but insufferable and barley courteous to the girl, aside from her standard Jinx-like teasing that came with her character. 

 

Yet… she still… wanted to be friends?

 

I… don't understand.

 

Jinx was unlovable and unapproachable. She designed herself specifically to be that way, to easily keep everyone away at an arm's length. If she wasn't awkwardly withdrawn and standoffish, then she was loud and obnoxious and maniacally abrasive. Where the real her lies at this point may have been somewhere in the middle or nowhere at all, stuck haphazardly in the jumble of masks and facades she'd so carefully crafted over the years. The shadows screamed at her sometimes because of this very thing, letting the wires and scribbles close in whenever she doubted who she really was. They were unmerciful, sometimes begging for one persona to return while berating another. It had made it confusing and in the end, she didn't know what part to love or which to shun.

 

So, somewhere along the line, Jinx simply decided to hate all of herself and be fine with it. It was better to just accept it now than fool herself into believing anything anyways.

 

She's unlovable. It's Easy. Simple to comprehend.

 

So the fact that, in spite of all the sit she's said and done, the way she's treated Lux ever since she'd met her…

 

" You good?" The other sniffles at the other's silence, " You're as still as a statue, did you forget something? Kahina says I suck at cooking… but I can still help." She said through fluttering eyes, struggling to stay open against the bright light.

 

Jinx bumped the freezer closed as her arms laid full, muttering something to herself as she snapped out of her stupor, "It's fine," she muttered, setting the things down on the counter. She could have an existential crisis later, preferably when she didn't have a sick ball of the human equivalent of a kicked puppy sprawled on her kitchen floor.

 

She prepared the concoction while the other girl hummed a melody to herself. Even in her dazed and pathetic state, she still had the tune and grace of an angel.

 

Gross .

 

As Jinx searched her memory for the next step to add according to Sevika's old recipe, Lux suddenly stopped her humming and became very quiet. Almost like she'd been paralyzed in the moment.

 

"Lux?" She called as she stirred, hoping the other hadn't suddenly croaked on her fucking tiled floor.

 

" Hey… Hey Jinx? You said you live alone, right?" There was the indistinguishable sound of suspicion in her voice.

 

Jinx blinked as she stopped mixing, furrowed her brows, "I mean, yeah?" If you didn't count voices in her head, this place was just about as deserted as her social life. "Why?"

 

"C-Cus!-" Lux almost shrieked, shakily dragging herself to sit up against the fridge's bottom while owlishly staring at something around the corner. Jinx frowned and set down the medicine for a second, peeking over the wall to look at just what freaked out Goldie Lockes half to death.

 

There, in the darkness of the rest of the apartment, was a singular, bright yellow iris reflecting the light of the kitchen. "Oh." Jinx blinked, then dispelled any slight tension with an unimpressed sigh.

 

"That's just Tatters." As she said that, the feline came up from it's position and approached Lux, black fur reflecting slightly off the overhead lights. Now that she was out of the void, her long and sleek body was discernible from the shadows.

 

Lux blinked wide-eyed, previous fear unwinding in a smooth motion as she breathed a sigh, "A cat." She simply stated, "You… have a cat?" 

 

Jinx nodded, a little secret smile tugging at her lips as she looked down at the feline, "Surprised? She's not really mine, you can't really ever own something that's living and breathing. I just take care of her," and she takes care of me. Jinx has always had doubts about all the superstitions black cats got pinned with, but maybe if the supernatural sensing of human's rocky emotions were one of them, she may just change her mind. The most she had initially expected from having a new roommate was very little, shrugging at the idea of a new silent shadowy entity that scrawled along the corners of her walls. She already had so many to begin with, what was adding another to the fray?

 

What she had least expected, however, was literally gaining another shadow. That thing did a better job following her around than her own most days, finding great pleasure in swatting and clawing at her braids like cat toys. She'd acted so reserved and antisocial for the first few days (and while she definitely still was), it's a little crazy seeing the contrast between then and now. Like all the cat needed was some time to come out of her shell, and it's the first time Jinx really wondered if she could do the same.

 

She snorted. Doubtful.

 

Also meowing a lot, because cat's don't have sharp claws or teeth the way Jinx does. They can't demand or assert themselves or ask for stuff the way Jinx can. So they resort to being the most annoying things in the room, hoping to drive you up the wall enough to listen to their whims.

 

Jinx respects them for that, because she can do that too! Being an obnoxious annoying prick had its own perks, after all .

 

Tatters lightly trotted up, nearing the foreign girl as If she hadn't just scared her half to death. Lux gaped openly as she watched the feline press it's small body against hers, low thrums emitted from it's void black fur. Lux seemed to still be stiffened with a small bit of pent up tension, hovering a hand in the air as if unsure of what to do with this small ball of moving fluff.

 

"Go on," Jinx urged, giving her a toothy grin as she returned to the recipe, "She doesn't bite. At least one of us doesn't."

 

Lux's eyes fluttered at the other girl, wide and surprised. She turned her head back down at the cat and slowly lowered her hand, running a gloved hand up from the feline's head all the way down to her back. The cat happily purred at the act, pushing herself into the other's hand.

 

"Woah." Lux whispered in awe, beaming down at the cat as if it'd been worth more than a gold. "This is… wow ."

 

Jinx raised an eyebrow down at the bent metal spoon she held, "Never seen a cat before or something? Are they not native to fancy-land Dementia?" She called, pouring a spoonful of honey onto it.

 

" Demacia ," the other clarified, sniffing as she passed a thumb through the cat's ear, "And no, there were a lot of them roaming the kingdom's streets. I just wasn't allowed to touch them." She spoke softly, and Jinx started to finally approach while holding a spoon.

 

"Then why didn't you just do it anyway? I know I would have." Jinx has never had a particular strive to follow some measly rules, but judging from the little she knew about Goldie Lockes, she's sure the other would simply explode if she had to break a single non-assuming rule. "Here. For your fever." She spoke, bending down on her knee with the medicine-mixture in a spoon.

 

"I wasn't allowed to touch them because my brother is allergic to cats." Lux took the spoon and idly stuck it in her mouth, face souring in displeasure as she swallowed the liquid. "This is vile ," she striated in a grim frown, and Jinx couldn't fight the smirk that pulled at her face. "What is this?" She gawked.

 

" Auntie's special Fissure-Flu fixer-upper! It's as effective as it is disgusting, so you shouldn't have to worry about dying anymore. No thanks to me." Jinx smugly grinned.

 

Lux tilted her head in confusion, "Fissure Flu? What's that?"

 

"A nasty bug, that's what." Jinx grimaced, sitting down on the cold tile floor in front of the other girl, "It's an illness that comes from the mixture of the cold temperatures and a toxic gas that likes to coat most of Zaun called Fissure. It's present enough that most Zaunutes get it as kids once, but foreigners like you Goldie Lockes -" She pointed at the other idly, "-Are more prone to get it after a prolonged stay here. Fissures are dangerous, but non-lethal to someone who's been breathing it in for their whole lives."

 

Lux seemed to be taking in the information like a sponge to water, still idly continuing her small ministrations on the cat. When Jinx finishes, she frowned, "So if it's lethal, why hasn't Piltover done anything about it? Aren't they the ones that oversee the welfare of the Underground?"

 

Jinx laughed then. The issue itself wasn't actually that funny, but Lux's nativity did make it kinda hilarious. "The Pilties have never cared about improving crap down here, not unless they have something to gain from it. They take out minerals for their Hextech-junk and our shady brand of supplies for their not-so morally righteous inventions, but leave us to drown when we need something from them." Jinx glowered, "Upsiders… they don't care about us. Never have, never will. They take and take and leave us with nothing but toxins and dust. The only reason they'd want independence from us would be if they finally realized they siphoned everything we're worth for and are no longer of value to them." 

 

Goldie Lockes looked horror-stricken at that, a reaction Jinx hadn't exactly been expecting. "I knew relations between the two were bad but… I could have never…" She muttered grimly, a small resolute frown crossing over her expression. "That's no way a country should treat its own people. It's horrendous."

 

Jinx blinked dumbly at the girl's words, and for the first time since she'd met her, Jinx was at a loss for words. The conditions and bad blood between Zaun and Pilttover had been ingrained in her head ever since Silco took her under her wing, but after staying afloat on her own for so long, that hatred had simmered down on its own. It hasn't disappeared, per say, but it's become a simple fact now. Piltover will and always, with whatever chance they get, try to give Zaun the short end of the stick. Jinx didn't give the simple fact much of a second glance these days, because she has a cat to feed and clients to write to. There are more productive things to think about.

 

Jinx had half forgotten that the situation could have sounded half as bad to an outsider's perspective. Hearing a foreigner's disgust at the Upsiders' treatment of the Underground sent Jinx for a loop, because that just… never happened . Jinx was half convinced they just wouldn't care, because it wasn't even their country's problem so why would they? 

 

Lux, the unassuming doe-eyed golden girl with sparkles in her gaze, had just unashamedly bashed Piltover. Y'know, the most highly regarded city to foreign trade and connections.

 

This Lux girl… there really is something different about her.

 

"Yeah…" Jinx almost whispered, looking down at her mismatched nail polish, "It does suck." Looks like they both finally agreed on something.

 

Time passed, and the steel gaze of the golden girl eventually melted away with it. There was a distant drip coming from a leak somewhere, one Jinx would begrudgingly fix later. The silence present between the two was different now, a more peaceful blanket of warmth surrounding them as they sat facing each other, heavy boots touching from time to time.

 

It was weirdly… comfortable. When… when had been the last time she shared a moment like this with someone? 

 

"I don't think I need to tell you this," Lux began, a small smile pulling at her calm face, "-But I love animals. All kinds, in fact. It's just bad luck that my brother's allergic. I spent so much time down at the stables, grooming them and reading them stories because I thought they were lonely." The smile dimmed, turning into one of bright sadness, "Just like me. I… never had many friends as a child nor as an adult." 

 

Her eyebrows furrowed at that, confusion seeping through Jinx, "Why? You seem super buddy-buddy with just about everyone who comes in the clinic, you have to have someone back home." And seriously? The social-butterfly lovable Lux couldn't hold down a friend or two? Even Jinx had… wait, scratch that thought. Figments of her mind don't count as companions, do they?

 

Her smile perked up, sheepish yet bright, "Oh, I certainly have friends back home, but it's only been a recent development. I just never allowed myself to get close to many people." She rubbed circles around Tatter's mangled ear, the car preening at the attention, "I was… scared. That they'd judge me once they found out what I really was." She mumbled.

 

"And what was that?"

 

Lux gazed at her pink eyes, before looking down with a solemn look, "I'd… rather not talk about it."

 

Jinx couldn't help but mirror the girls gaze downwards as she heaved a heavy sigh, only slightly uncomfortable with how much she connected to the topic. It's strange, to think they could relate on such a small, irrelevant issue: childhood loneliness. Considering what her life was like as a kid she doubts someone like Lux, a girl from noble origins, could have faced some of her bigger issues in life. Then again, how could she really know for sure?

 

Loneliness was a powerful thing. It could break your mind irreparably, and it stemmed from all sorts of corners in the world.

 

"Guess that makes you and me both Goldie." Jinx mumbled with her head lulled against a closed cabinet, atmosphere too relaxed for her to prevent the comment from slipping.

 

Lux blinked at the comment, an unreadable expression crossing her face before gave a sympathetic smile. If it had been even a single day beforehand, Jinx would have been set off by the look; assuming it was a look of pity ( she doesn't need friends! Not like she's ever had any to begin with stop looking at me like I'm weak ), but Jinx was surprised at the void of reaction from her end. Maybe it's because of whatever kinship they'd struck just now.

 

"I'm not going to ask of you to change anything about yourself, that's your prerogative. But living life by your lonesome is never an optimal position to be in. There's always something to find in friendship, and I believe every good person out there deserves it."

 

Jinx grinned her teeth, "And just how can you tell I'm a 'good' person, eh? You don't know anything about me!" she accused. If Lux knew the things she did, what a monster she was, she'd be looking at her with the same rage-filled eyes. Whatever fooled Lux into thinking such idiotic things, it must have come from a place of ignorance. 

 

Lux just simply hummed, smiling kindly, "While yes, I may not know a whole lot about you, but I've gotten quite good at being able to tell out intent. Answer me this: Why would someone take the time out of their day to heal the ignorant foreigner they didn't like when falling ill with a lethal disease? Why would they, when they have no obligation to?"

 

Jinx blinked owlishly, gawking at the girl.

 

With her actions laid out so clearly for her, Jinx found it hard to believe she'd really been looking at her decisions.

 

Why… why had she done that?

 

She crossed her arms over her chest, heaving a long-suffering sigh as she hummed, "I don't know really," she admitted, the words coming out more vulnerable than Jinx would have liked. "If you knew me and better Goldie Lockes, you'd know I tend to do a lot of things that don't make sense." 

 

"Maybe it's just cause you looked so pathetic, I don't know." She offered, earning a small frown from the girl, "Why did you insist on stitching my hand? Last time I checked, I've been nothing but a dick to you. What obligation did you have?" Jinx, instead, accused. 

 

Lux opened her mouth, answer seemingly ready to jump out from her mouth, before she seemed to drag it back in and press her lips together. She flickered her gaze down to the cat as she frowned.

 

"You were hurt and you needed help." Lux informed curtly, tone seemingly unaffected at the barrage of snide comments, before tilting her head, "You haven't answered me yet. Why are you so avidly against being called a good person?-"

 

" BECAUSE I'M NOT ." Jinx yells, startling both the golden-haired girl and the cat, awaking it from it's nap. Tatter's slips out from the other's hold, and Jinx would only feel anguish for it once the other leaves. "I'm not." She echoes hoarsely. Jinx forcefully reigns herself in, because she can't loose her temper like that and be called an adult, "I'm just… look, I've done a lot of bad things in my life. Too many to be called anything close to a good person. You can't just wipe the things you've done, who you were. I hurt people, I'm no good. I don't go prancing around trying to help people just cause it's the right thing to do. Good and bad may be black and white, but I can never be either anymore." 

 

Lux looked on with ocean-blue eyes, sincere eyes trained on her as she replied softly, "And do you think offering your medical services at a homeless camp counts as a sin? I've seen your skill Bluebell, and I can say with certainty that if you wanted to hurt someone, you would have," she blinks, "Do you really think you can't be a good person just because of your past actions?"

 

Jinx tilted her head, numbly hitting the cabinet handle. She thought of blazing fire and loud shouts, voices that she loved and cared about yelling incoherent yet acid-like words that burned through her bones. "There are some things that you can never repent Goldie." Jinx says solemnly.

 

Lux tapped her boot against Jinx's, "Then are you going to punish yourself over it forever?"

 

Jinx stared at Lux, deep exhaustion heavy under her eyes. The 'yes' was more than ready to jump out of her tongue, but a heavy feeling of emotion pulled at her stomach. It made her feel sick almost, a dizzy spell gliding over her consciousness as she blinked slowly.

 

'I know this is what I deserve, what I asked for. But do I really have to? I'm tired of feeling like this.' 

 

'Am I not allowed to have anything nice? I hate this.'

 

'It's not fair… I hate this…'

 

If she were any less of a person, Jinx would have broken down into tears then. The constant mental blockage she boxed herself into wasn't one she liked to seldom acknowledge, but she eventually hits its limits when the grief becomes too much. She'll cry, destroy, explode herself, then shrink back into the size she was before, just as she had done before many many times.

 

A never ending cycle of torment, one with no light or hope to escape. Jinx's personal hell for her very own monster: herself.

 

But sometimes, she is foolish.

 

She trucks herself into thinking there is a ladder out of her deep cavern of foreboding shadows, somewhere else to go. To reach and clamber through and bask in the light's sun.

 

It's dumb, and idiotic. To think she can ever afford to be anything more than this: a pitying and remorseful form of what was once a demon. To think, she really thinks this will let her be forgiven.

 

It's crazy to think anyone can forgive her now.

 

Jinx, however, has never been sane to begin with.

 

And she's tired. Her walls of bricks have been worn away with the waves of her sadness and mental exhaustion. It had been a dumb idea in hindsight, to think this could protect her from her never-ending misery, but out there meant scratches, and blood. Her own blood on her own hands, because she's just a little kid and doesn't know how to not hate herself.

 

She's tired; so so tired.

 

"I don't," Jinx starts, voice oddly choked up, "-I don't want… to hurt anyone anymore ." She says slowly, like the truth is hard to put together in words. She feels so small, and she's waving around for the ladder blindly.

 

Jinx may not realize it, but Lux sees just about the saddest expression she's ever seen on the other. She looks lost and horror-stricken all at once, blind and overestimated at the same time. It looks like the expression of a lost child who just realized how much they've lost.

 

The golden girl may not know her personally, but she's more than aware she's treading on thin ice here. She needs to be careful, and gentle, if she wants to ease the girl.

 

Lux, however, nods. She moves closer, gently letting go of the cat as she drags herself to kneel in front of the other girl, careful to still keep plenty of space between them, "That's good, I'm glad you do." She says honestly, though Jinx gets the feeling the other already knew that. Like some creepy psychic. "And why do you want to help people?"

 

Jinx sniffs, swallowing roughly, "I… want to help people because… because I want to be better. I want people to l-like me and… I'm tired of them hating me. I want people… to forgive me," Jinx admits, the truth barking up a storm her valley of shadows and voices. She feels utterly exposed, like someone shredded all her skin to look at everything inside her monster. She's too naked like this, all her walls destroyed for all to see. 

 

But she can't bring herself to stop now. Because if she does, Jinx is scared she'll never get so high up the ladder again.

 

Jinx, luckily, focuses on Lux's small, hesitant touch against her hand. It's warm and grounding, unlike any type of scratch she'd used to keep herself in reality. "And that's what a lot of us want, too. We want others to like us, because we're scared of what happens when they don't. You're not alone for feeling like this Bluebell." 

 

Jinx sniffs sadly, eyes blurry and wet with tears as she shakes violently in the other's hold. She brings her head down to her knees and dips her head below them. Jinx, however, makes no move to retract her hand from Lux's intertwined one.

 

"I want the to… forgive me." She whispered, silent deadly tears falling down her nose Bridge from her position.

 

And maybe no one will forgive her, and that'd be fine. Jinx had made peace with that possibility long ago, almost certain of it's probability. 

 

Maybe this is all stupid, thinking there was a chance.

 

Lux rubs her gloved fingers over Jinx's bandaged one's, humming softly as she made sure to keep a safe distance for the other's sake, "I'm sure they'll consider it, if you're determined to show that you're sorry. It'll be up to themselves to determine if whether or not they'll forgive you, but you can start by forgiving yourself. After all, how can you except others to absolve you if you can't do so yourself?"

 

Forgive... herself? No, never- that... she couldn't. Jinx could never. Jinx stands for jinx, bad luck. She does bad things, done worse things. Too many things, she could never- she-

 

"Hey, hey. It's okay." Lux soothed quickly, catching Jinx as she started breathing raggedly, "You don't have to do it immediately. Just as long as you make the effort, little by little, it'll sort itself out. I'm sure of it." with a more slow and sincere tone, she emphasized, "Everything is fine Bluebell. There will always be people out there willing to forgive. And if you ever need someone to help, I'm always available." 

 

Jinx sniffed stiffly, glancing up just a little, "Are you real?" she asked.

 

If Lux was taken aback by the question, then she didn't show it. "Yes. As real as most people can get."

 

Jinx nodded stiffly, accepting the answers. Scratches and scribbled still clawed at her vision, but it was less... prominent now. Like Lux's presence kept them away with the glow of comfort, words so comforting and anguishingly real that Jinx wanted to so desperately believe it.

 

And... maybe she could. Just this once. Just... let her have this. Whatever 'this' may be, she wanted it. Even if it's just for a short while.

 

She has her head pressed against her knees, one hand holding Lux's and the other holding herself. She muffles a short word into her knees.

 

Lux raises an eyebrow, blinking as she tilted her head, "I didn't quite catch that. Do you mind repeating it?"

 

She raises her head slightly, and with a slight hesitancy, she repeats herself, "Jinx."

 

Lux raises an eyebrow, only slightly confuse, "Jinx?" she echoes. The other nods.

 

"It's my name... my real one." she mutters.

 

Names mean a lot in Zaun. Many people are born with nothing, some with something. Everyone, however, owns their name. It's a sacred thing, one of the only thing not even the Pilties could take away.

 

It's the least she can do. 

 

---

 

When Lux leaves that night, she's funnily enough the one that's not the sniffling mess. Funny, how things worked out like that.

 

"Are you sure I should take your trench coat?" Lux asked, glancing down at the oversized coat she had on, "I'm sure I can just clean it when I get access to water again."

 

Jinx waved her off, slightly unimpressed, "Sure, you can wear it and get everyone back at work sick again." Jinx huffed, "No, you can't. I'll disinfect it here, I have the supplies for it. Plus, I got plenty of spares for myself. You don't have to worry about that."

 

Lux nodded, seemingly accepting the information. After second of silence, the other spoke again, "Hey... Jinx?" she said softly. The other blinked, glancing away in nervousness as she nodded.

 

"I'm... glad I got to talk to you today. I know how hard it must have been, must still be, you know?" she cleared her throat, "I hope you'll be fine in me asking if we could be friends. I can only handle so many one-sided conversations and writing so many boring letters to distract me during the day." she smiled sheepishly, "It'd be nice too, considering I... don't actually have any down here."

 

Jinx blinked, looking down at her boots with self consciousness, "Don't you hate me? Find annoying at the bare minimum?" Everyone hated Jinx. Everyone. From the voices in her head to the average citizens of both Piltover and Zaun. 

 

Lux blinked, before her face melted into a more placid smile. She dipped her head slightly, eyes staring kindly, "No, don't hate you Jinx." She abashedly looked away, smile turned sheepish, "But I will admit, you certainly did put me off. People here just tend to ignore me for the most part, so it was the first real confrontation I've had with someone in a while." And Jinx believed her. Lux didn't seem like the type to get into petty fights intentionally. "You'll have to excuse me for my ensuing behavior, it was highly inappropriate of me." She bowed her head at her; Jinx fought the urge to cringe.

 

The blue-haired girl clenched her hands tightly, emotions straining her voice, "So what changed then?." 

 

Lux's sheepish smile simply turned sympathetic at her words, her eyes calm and placid as she idly observed the shiny tool in her gloves. "I've always believed you can tell where someone's heart lies by the actions they take, not the things they say. There are plenty of people out there who will meet your kindness with their own, willing to make you connect with them and gain your trust." Lux's eyes were looking off elsewhere now, as if her mind was somewhere else now. Her smile less prominent as a hint of solemness touched it, "Those people, however, tend to be the ones that throw you away the fastest."

 

Her jaw clenched with suppressed emotions and tension, before relaxing with a sigh, "People do not always like to be treated with raw emotions, where I'm from. They're more than happy to disguise themselves with a noble's fake pleasantry. Hell, for a long while, I did too. It was the only thing I knew for so long."

 

"So I came to appreciate your dialogue. It was real and unfiltered in a way no one dared to speak to me back home. Sure, the whole Piltover nobility jokes got on my nerves, but I had no prior context to your hatred for them. At least now it's understandable. You're very peculiar to me Jinx, and I'd like to get to know you better."

 

Jinx gulped, too many thoughts running rampant through her head. Her heart soared at the other's words, but her body plummeted at it's implication. Her skin still felt too sensitive now, the buzzing in her bones ringing through her body from her emotional over-exposure.

 

No one else was ever allowed to not hate her. She was a monster, one with razor sharp fangs and slime that oozed acid. Monsters don't make friends. 

 

They don't do that. They just can't… can't…  

 

…

 

People don't... forgive monsters. Do they?

 

… 

 

Maybe... she should stop being a monster for a change.

 

Maybe then... everything would be alright. It would be hard but... she'll try. Try not to be the monster she's' been for... too many years.

 

"Alright," Jinx responds, surprising herself with how soft she sounded, "Alright, lets... yeah. I can... hopefully... do that." she mumbled out sheepishly.

 

Lux blinks for a moment, then gives Jinx a smile brighter than any star there was, "I'll see you tomorrow at work then." she beamed.

 

Notes:

Author's Notes:

Hello! I sincerely hoped you liked it. This chapter took. so. LONG. It's over 10k+ words, I really hoped you guys like it as much as I loved writing it. Lux and Jinx, absolutely love them.

Chapter 5: Through my Heart's Walls

 

Jinx had thought she'd seen the end of it with Lux. A small, light moment between the two shared in her apartment before going back to begrudging mutual silence. Sevika and her always had those moments from time to time too, so why would it be any different this time? 

 

But… but then things… got weird. Really weird.

 

Specifically: with Lux.

 

"Jinx! It's nice to see you bright and early. How was your journey here?"

 

"Hey Jinx! I was hoping to catch you on your break! Have you eaten yet? I got some extra with me that I wanted to share."

 

"Oh Jinx! There you are! Hey, I heard about this one store called Delicatessens and I've been thinking about checking it later this week. I heard they have foreign stock there and wanted to check if they had anything from my homeland, want anything?"

 

"Hey Jinx, it's good to see you. How are you today?"

 

Lux just… keeps… talking to her.

 

The girl isn't even saying anything rude or mean to her, but maybe Jinx would prefer it if she did. At least that type of treatment would make sense . Ekko and his ragtag team of Chem-punks seemed to get the gist of that just fine.

 

But it's not , and it never is anymore. Always friendly conversations and greetings, like all the bad interactions shared between the two had up and evaporated with a single stay at her home.

 

"See you tomorrow Jinx, can you say hi to Tatters for me?"

 

Jinx had no clue how to respond, nor what the hell to do. She was too dumbfounded to be upset or happy, because when the hell was the last time she'd been treated like this? By someone new?

 

What exactly had Jinx done to deserve this? To be put on a spot for the receiving end of unwanted attention. Why couldn't Lux just go back to just placidly acknowledging her presence? It was so much easier keeping her heart from hurting back then…

… 

 

But… Jinx couldn't help but wonder...

 

Is this… what it's like to have a friend? 

 

" Hey, if you ever need help with that prosthetics business of yours, I wouldn't mind helping. I have a lot of free time after work, so don't be a stranger, alright?"

 

To… have someone just… there? 

 

It'd been awhile since…

 

" -Jinx! We are NOT using our patient's reports as fire kindle , that's strictly against our rules and a dangerous fire hazards- JINX!- "

 

Jinx hated selfish people. Pilties who owned more than they were worth, Zaun's wealthiest who earned their bank off of royaly screwing other people over. They always demanded to be heard, always wanted more than their puny small little selfish selves were worth.

 

Jinx is so so selfish.

 

Because…

 

She can't help but like it a little.

 

Monster .

 

To feel so… free. Like maybe for once in a long long while, she didn't have to go live day by day acknowledging the permanent red blood on her hands. 

 

Maybe she can just be Jinx. Nothing else. 

 

Not a jinx, not a wanted terrorist, not a family annihilator. 

 

Just… 

 

"Jinx! You're late! You made me think you weren't coming today! Who would I get to talk to then?"

 

Cherished. To one person. Is that… so much to ask? 

 

"Everyone betrays us, Jinx." A scratchy, familiar voice drawled, voice reverberating along the walls of her head. "We cannot trust those who are foreign to us, nor those who show us kindness. In the end, they will always want something from us that they can use against us: our trust."

 

Right. 'Thank you Daddy Dearest for your helpful insight.' She thinks numbly. Jinx would very much appreciate it if her head stopped patronizing her with dead voices just to get some rise out of her. Leave them in their damn graves already, they don't deserve this shit.

 

But… he does have a point. She's getting too ahead of herself, isn't she? Was she an idiot or something? How had this blue-eyed girl manage to weave through her defenses? Maybe she's gotten rusty.

 

Maybe she's gotten weak-

 

" I'm not weak ." Jinx mumbles harshly, clenching a hand around the tool in her hold.

 

"Did you say something?" A soft voice called over her shoulder, seemingly passing by and hearing the low mumble. Jinx fights off the curse on her tongue and shakes her head, returning to dealing with her patient's infection. She's cutting off dead skin, ready to stitch it back up at a moment's notice.

 

Lux hums, pressing a quick hand against Jinx's back as she passes by with a brisk walk. Jinx freezes under her palm.

 

"You were hurt and you needed help." Was all Lux had said to reason her actions on helping Jinx. Childishly innocent,like talking to the quiet kid just because they looked lonely. Her words reek of unsullied ignorance. 

 

But then again, Lux has said that she's been in the Underground for a few months now. Most curious Topsiders nowadays can't stand a mere few hours down in the Lanes, let alone days. For Lux to have achieved that…

 

It makes her different.

 

Different, because if she really hasn't given up on her goal despite seeing and wallowing in the nitty gritty of Zaun's streets for so long, then she just isn't the same as those Topsiders.

 

It makes her different, from those cruel monsters that take families away. She had gotten so riled up from just seeing the treatment Zaun in general suffered at the hands of Piltover. Lux had shown… real emotion then.

 

Anger. Anger for Zaun, and anger towards Pilties.

 

Jinx looks at Lux now, and all she can see is an enigma. Not a teeth-baring sharp-eyed Piltie or a Sludge-filled bloodthirsty Zaunite. No dangerous-red alarms echo in her head when she gets too close, nor do they promise violence when she sees her treating all those pathetically sick and weak patients with a blinding smile.

 

She's… different. Lux is not a Piltie or a Zaunite.

 

Not just nationality wise, but kind-heartedness too. No one in either Upside or Underground are truly virtuous, they always want something from the other.

 

Lux is different. She showed it as soon as she walked through that tent the first time. She truly proved it when she held Jinx's hand as the other broke down, a sacred and utterly vulnerable state that little to no one has gotten the chance to see.

 

Lux is different.

 

And… 

 

And…that means… 

 

Jinx… She can… trust her too.

 

She can have this. This… friendship.

 

Because whenever she sees Lux bound up to her now with that gleam in her eyes and that excited smile, like she's happy to see Jinx , she truly can't help but stare in fascination.

 

Fascinated that… this is all for her. 

 

All for Jinx: the wolf in sheep's clothing of Zaun, prowling and playing nice with everyone when she could attack and tear them apart at any time.

 

Monster. Unforgivable. her demons bit out, 

 

Jeez, I get it. Heard you the first time.

 

She is a monster; it's undeniable. Lux may have spouted some very convincing words out of her smart pretty mouth, but forgiveness simply wasn't feasible for her. Jinx may have been a genius tech-wise, but Lux came off as well-spoken and smart in her own merit; a master at putting thoughts into words. Hell, she even had Jinx believing her at one point!

 

Jinx knows better though. She may not know what people come to think of her, but she knows what she is-through and through . 

 

But despite that, maybe… some other developments are okay. 

 

Jinx glides her pink eyes back up to Lux, spotting her diligently writing a report to a returning patient who stood by the tent's entrance. Even when Lux's face is turned away, Jinx can still spot that small yet reassuring smile the other seemed to wear like a blanket.

 

'Maybe… we can be friends .' Lux had sheepishly suggested, posture reserved and cautious yet eyes sparkling hopefully. Jinx has never been big on literature, but maybe all those snobbish egotistical asshole-preachers up North had finally had something right: words really could tear you apart and rebuild you all at once. 

 

… 

 

…Friends, huh?

 

Maybe…

 

she can have this.

 

Jinx slowly blinks back to reality, her environment fizzling back into her peripheral vision. She idly ignored the whispers and small eyes clawing for her attention, instead widening her eyes slightly. While she was still stuck in her head, her mind had subconsiously fully stitched and cleaned her patient's wound and had failed to register the red blemish appearing beside the stitches. Jinx glowered and cursed under her breath. Man, she really needs to stop doing that. Stitching ain’t the same as tinkering idiot. From her short yet very educating weeks spent here so far, there were certain acts that needed her to actually pay attention.

 

Jinx walked to the Tent’s large-scale desk, wrapping her slender fingers around a golden handle and pulling a small cabinet open, revealing a small yet expansive collection of a spectrum of colored powders. ‘Something to treat minor inflammation…aha!’ she grinned triumphantly, fishing out a specific vial.

 

Capsaicin . The hot stuff in chilis. Ironic, seeing it’s remarkable medical effects on skin contact versus it’s disastrous application on open wounds. Hopefully she’ll avoid accidentally rubbing this shit on her eyes or something. It’s jar was small and fit in between her index finger and thumb, the film dyed a powdery distant red. A small little tag was tied to its opening, courtesy of Lux.

 

Despite appreciating Goldie Locke’s organization, there was one slight itty-bitty problem: the jar was empty.

 

In fact, now that Jinx really assessed the cabinet, it seemed most vials we’re barren and vacant. How hadn’t either of them noticed yet?

 

“Hey Lux!” Jinx called over her shoulders, still running a gloved hand over empty jars, “There's something up with the drug cabinet. How am I supposed to get my patients high in these conditions?” Jinx heard a huff, along with heavy-booted footsteps coming behind her.

 

“While your use of the word ‘drug’ isn’t factually incorrect, we are using it for express medical use. Unless you want to tell me something?” Lux questioned, though Jinx could hear the small teasing tone under it. Jinx grinned playfully, eager to match the other’s energy.

 

“ Course not Goldie Lockes! ” she gasped, “I may be fine with petty insults, but I draw the line at accusations. Have a little faith in me, why don’t you?” I may be an infamous and highly unstable terrorist, but I’m not some addict! Jinx had to physically fight off the urge to let the line spill from her barely-contained wild grin.

 

Lux cracked an amused smile, “Alright alright, you’ve convinced me.” she bent forward slightly, peaking over Jinx’s shoulder as she focused in on her, “So, what’s wrong here?”

 

Jinx hummed, “Empty. Most of them, at least.” Jinx inspected the jars again, empty vials clinking together as she pulled a few out. “If it wasn’t for the fact that we lock this desk up every night, I’d have figured we’d been burgled. How’d it get this bad anyways?”

 

It’d be slightly strange if Lux hadn’t known this, as she didn’t seem too surprised as she nodded resolutely, “Yeah, I noticed just this morning. I made a list of them already, and planned on restocking at the Boundary Markets after this shift ends,” her focused look wavered as she smiled apologetically, “I’m sorry I hadn’t told you earlier, really should have.” she surmised.

 

The shorter of the two chooses to ignore the apology, instead raising a confused eyebrow, "You- wait, the Boundary Markets? Have you ever even been there?" Jinx speculatively questions. She can't imagine a person like Lux even stepping foot in a place like the Boundary Markets without calling the attention of some bad people. Then again, maybe the princess could just use her witch’s spells and befriend her would-be murderers and be on her way.

 

Surprisingly, Lux scowled at the question, "Of course I've been there.” she curtly explained, “I wouldn't plan to go buy something there If I've never seen it. It's the most foreigner-friendly place in Zaun Jinx, I'm not that ignorant." She pouts, and even though Lux is taller than Jinx, she manages to look more like an upset teenager rather than an actual threat.

 

Jinx snorted, rolling her eyes as a wider smirk fought its way onto her face, "Foreigner-friendly?" She giggled maniacally, " Yeah sure , Foerign friendly as can be-if you like getting all your money scammed. No place in Zaun is 'Foreigner-friendly' " She mocks, mimicking quotation marks with her mismatched nails. Her words seemed to falter something in the other's eyes as her face fell slightly.

 

Lux stumped out of her scowl, face dimming as she glanced towards the ground with furrowed brows, "I… it isn't?" She asked, "But… I could've sworn…'' the other mumbled.

 

Jinx curses under her breath, watching the sunlight in Lux's expression cloud over with an embarrassed type of reevaluation. Jinx grinned her teeth together, almost wishing she hadn’t opened her stupid mouth in the first place. It was a sad sight, really; to have your own expertise and assurance take such an embarrassing and blatant hit. Then again, it would be news Lux eventually would have needed to hear if she wanted to properly situate herself here. To know how to properly pick out the bad apples from the bunch, not just determine something like that at face value.

 

Jinx had to relearn it all for herself not even two years ago, and the process had been nothing short of hellish. Jinx may not have believed in higher forces, but she prayed for Lux's sake that someone would take pity on the lady.

 

And just like that, an idea strikes Jinx; and she can feel her face tugging into a wicked smile.

 

"Let's go," Jinx suddenly implores, trotting over to where their coats lay and daintily picking both of them up, "I'll show you what to get and not get, most places there like to scam but you can find a real treasure if you look hard enough. Oh !" She calls, throwing Jinx's borrowed trench coat over an unsuspecting Lux,  "-I can also show you the art of haggling! It's kinda essential in Zaun if you're staying long-term." It can't beat pointing old Pow-Pow to their head and asking for it, but haggling does the trick too. 

 

The other flounders the coat and just as Jinx had hoped for, the other's upset expression is replaced with one of surprise and bafflement. "What- right now?! Jinx wait, w-we can't leave! What if someone gets hurt and we aren't here to help them?"

 

Jinx shrugs, "Maybe they should have thought about that before they got hurt. C'mon , it'll be quick!" She implored, quickly putting up an 'OUT ON A LUNCH BREAK' sign. She could hear the other's protest, but Jinx paid them no mind as she got on her backpack, teasing and excited grin pulling at her features.

 

The emotion thumping against Jinx's body was nice now, warm and natural in a way that her body readily moved to. She felt more belonging in her skin now, like her body wasn't threatening to split in two. Looking at Lux's disarrayed yet sheepish look had its own familiarity with it, and Jinx let her chaotic self back off it's leash.

 

"Jinx! It's the middle of the day, we can't just leave!" Lux pleaded,  “Look, we can go after work if you want to, but we can't right now!"

 

"Aw c'mon, stop whining so much! Plus, it'll be night by the time that comes around it'll be super packed. Do you not want to walk that far? Here, let me pick you up."

 

"It's not that Jinx, we have a job to d- H- HEY! Stop- put me down! I-i can walk just fine, I-i assure you!"

 

---

 

Jinx's boots stepped cautiously over the bricked street, careful not to slip over the walkway’s slippery surface. Snowdown was fast approaching now, festive decorations along the market and just about the worst of the winter season following close behind it. High-quality shops with real windows and towering buildings were built along the street, a large juxtaposition to the Slump’s roadside markets. They were equally as crowded and loud, but at least the brightened and foggy sunlit atmosphere didn’t make it seem like you were one wrong move away from getting mugged. 

 

There were decorated wreaths placed along the doors and red ribbon streamers hanging along the street’s lamp posts. It was no wonder it was by far the most presentable part of Zaun; it looked just as magical as the regular streets of Piltover. It was beautiful, a Sump kid’s Snowdown would be made just by visiting the streets.

 

“It’s beautiful,” Lux breathed, and even though half her face was covered with a mask, Jinx could hear the amazed smile in her voice. Looks like bringing her here hadn’t been such a bad idea. “And so well maintained as well. Though, based on what you’ve said, I’m assuming that’s for appearances, is it not?”

 

Jinx hummed and hopped over a mound of clean snow, and she simply pretended she didn’t almost slip and fall on her ass just then, “Ding ding ding! We have a winner,” she cheered, “The Boundary Markets are exactly what their name implies: the boundary point between Piltover and Zaun. Since there’s no direct Hexgates leading to Zaun, the wealthy of Zaun put all their extra dirty money into this place. It’s why everythings overpriced to hell too, those leeches.” Jinx mutters disdainfully. While Silco never actually allowed her direct contact with those greedy numbskulls, Jinx always had a curious streak in her, ending with her shuffling through the vents to hear what they discussed. Whenever the ownership of Mineral Mines or Boundary Markets showed up, each and every single one fought tooth and nail for their ownership.

 

It’s been a long while since she’s last seen them. And there’s some indescribable pure joy that pierces through Jinx’s heart at the thought of Sevika having to deal with those rats. 

 

Lux, however, doesn’t seem too surprised at the corruption now, “Still though, you can at least see the care that’s gone into building this place, even if it was for the sake of a clean mask.” she hummed idly, fixing the banners and decorations with another look of grandeur, “However, I don’t remember there being decorations last time I visited. It almost reminds me of Demacia’s streets during our Yellow Springs festivals… with less spring, of course.” She turned to look back at Jinx, “What are you all celebrating?”

 

“Oh, it’s just Snowdown. We celebrate the beginning of the new year, exchanging gifts and getting together for parties. Zaun’s a… community driven country, despite what those Chembarons want you to believe,” Jinx raised an eyebrow, face unimpressed, “How come you don’t know this? It’s like… basic Zaun knowledge 101.”

 

Jinx watched with amusement as she saw the blonde flush furiously, scowl tugging at her features, “Oh, cut me some slack. I’ve only been here for a few months, alright? And whenever one of our patients talked about it, I was too embarrassed to ask them to clarify. Like you said, it’s basic knowledge here.” Lux turned her gaze downwards, face still red with embarrassment, “I didn’t want them to think i was dumb, alright?”

 

And that's when it clicked for her. Staring at the girl now, Jinx seemed to realize just how out-of her depth the other seemed. Going to a foreign land like Zaun and simply having to play the act of knowing the land’s ‘street smarts’ so that she wouldn’t be taken advantage of by some bad apples. It made a lot of things make sense really: Lux’s tendency of steering away from political discussions with her patients and her embarrassment at assessing the Boundary Market’s pureness. It’s ridiculous, the fact that Jinx hadn’t pieced it together sooner. 

 

Lux may have carried herself with the confidence and assurance of a queen, but the underlying vulnerability was simple to see.

 

It was… eye-opening. Jinx sorta forgot people could be so… complicated.

 

Like her.

 

“Hey hey! don’t worry about it,” Jinx assured quickly, “Your rich-girl status is safe with me Blondie, so don’t feel bad about asking about Zaun-stuff. I’m like… your tour guide now! Yeah!” 

 

Lux sighed tiredly, but seemed to considerably brighten at the other’s words, “Thank you Jinx, it means a lot.” The words we’re sincere and thankful, and it made Jinx stiffen and twitch in place. She had gotten used to dismissing her client’s heartfelt thanks with the same precision as swatting away the annoying voices that hounded her everyday, but Lux’s words seemed to snake through her defenses and make her heart hurt. She seemed to have a skill for doing that.

 

“If you’d like,” the golden girl continued, “-I can tell you about Demacia’s customs to return the favor. I’d feel bad if you did all of this for me without at least giving you something back.” her suggestion was earnest and heartfelt, but Jinx had the inclination to think that whatever dumb vulnerability pulled at Lux was the same one making her feel guilty now.

 

“It’s whatever Luxie,” Jinx started, now nearing the door to their destination, “Personally, I’m not too interested in this Dementia place of yours, but you can do whatever you want.” They reach the well carved door, a pine wreath dotted with specs of snow hanging from it’s center. “Is this the place?”

 

“It’s Demacia, ” Lux stresses, but still nods in confirmation to the other. Jinx takes it as her go-ahead, reaching with a gloved hand to open the spotless golden doorknob. With a chime and a creak, she opens the door.

 

Immediately, the instinct to close it latches onto her brain. An immediate action, almost.

 

You see, Jinx forgot a crucial element about the Boundary markets: not only did the furnished and well-maintained streets of the upper level try to imitate those of Upsides, but their shops were practically the spitting-image of your average over-the-counter drug stores. But it’s none of her business, like it wasn’t the business of any sane-minded Zaunite who had the wisest inclination to keep their mouths shut. It was fine.

 

Except no- not fine -actually, because just looking at the spotless golden furniture pisses her the hell off. Because Jinx, for the past year or so, had seen with her very eyes what the gold just a piece of this place could do for others. It could finally bring proper rooming for individual orphans she visited instead of having to watch mountains of them flood out of a single room. It could raise proper funds for Mineral Mines so that they stopped losing limbs.

 

It makes her realize just how little those forsaken Chembarons have been doing, stuffing all their money into appeasing foreigners in hopes of stuffing their own pockets, not anyone else's.

 

A scary type of rage seethes through her because of that. Silent and dormant, but clawing at her veins with hounds and screams of injustice and how it’s not fair not fair.

 

But, ultimately, it was whatever.

 

She should have expected the interior to be like this, but then again she hadn’t exactly been expecting herself to react so viserily. It was like being thrown right back into the dead center of Piltover, and the world was just asking her to get angry. 

 

‘Screw the world. Screw this shit, just get the drugs and get out. ’ a voice helpfully added, and Jinx wouldn’t have been happier to comply.

 

The creature behind the counter dressed sleek and spotless and looked like the definition of a sleazy businessman. Well, business-cat would have been a better description, seeing as his whole body was covered in orange fur and his hands looked suspiciously tipped with claws. It’s a staggering contrast, observing the difference between the Lane’s bulky and scar-riddled sellers versus the one’s up here.

 

And if you were to ever accuse Jinx of being more unbearable simply because the privilege of this damned place got her in a mood, she’d tear off your arm and leave you with one of her business cards.

 

“Good morrow’ fair gentleman!” Jinx bellowed with a blatant accent, santuring over and leaning against the counter, “My name is Jinstastorous the third, and me and my friend here are here for your drugs, please and thank you.” she demands, and Jinx mentally pats herself on the back. Another successful request, she even said please and thank you! 

 

“ What are you doing? ” Lux whisper-yelled into her ear, and Jinx simply ignored the other’s pleas. She’ll just have to watch and learn, no way to do baby steps now.

 

The cat, however, seemed less than impressed even while sporting a polite smile, “Ah yes, that is what some tend to desire when they shop at a drugstore. Now, I sincerely hope you’ve come here to properly buy something for the sake of medical use. If not, I’m sure the services you’re looking for can be found in the Slums” he suggested with a polite wicked smile.

 

Heh. Heh heh.

 

Y’know what? This isn’t nearly as fun as Jinx thought it’d be. They should go back to shoplifting. Or maybe she should change career paths into becoming a professional cat-euthanasia worker. 

 

Except the thought of Tatter’s big large yellow eye flashes through her mind and Jinx crushes the idea. Too much work anyways.

 

Maybe she should just strangle the guy. 

 

Lux- apparently sensing the killing intent between the two -stepped in beside Jinx, handing over the list she had just made that morning, “Me and my friend work at a small clinic sir. We ran out of a lot of things just this morning and we’re just here for a refill.” she assured with a blinding smile, letting the man pluck the piece of neat parchment in between his slender hands. Jinx swore the man raised an eyebrow as he read over the list’s writing. 

 

“We’re under Director Vito’s demands, Sir,” Lux adds hopefully, and it was suddenly as if the atmosphere had changed. The tension present in the man's face eases almost instantly and his smile becomes welcoming. “Oh, why didn’t you say so earlier,” he beamed at Lux, very blatantly ignoring Jinx now “We’re… very good associates with the Director. I’m glad he sent someone… competent to buy from us.” he dipped for a moment, and grabbed an empty cardboard box.

 

When the bow was filled and taped shut, blaring ‘FRAGILE’ sticker placed on it’s side, Jinx was all but ready to take it and leave. She’d take her fill of pestering some unfortunate bastard down in the Slumps, and preferably not while surrounded by the embodiment of Piltover sticking it’s foot into her lanes. As she reached for the box, the clerk dragged it away from her reach.

 

“Ah-ah, we’re not done just yet,” he informed curtly, “The total will be over five-hundred gold. Special discount courtesy to Mr. Vito.”

 

500 GOLD?! Who the hell did this guy think he was?! That was more than her fucking rent! He probably had some Baron’s dial on his landmine or something, inflated his sense of worth in the grand scheme of Zaun’s hierarchy. Gods, she hated people like this: all snark and snobbish attitude without even the status to back it up. All bark no bite, like a crummy flashbang.

 

Lux hadn’t seemed at all bothered by it and began happily searching for her wallet, and Jinx almost wanted to burn holes into the other with a mixture of shock and disgust. Was she really just… fine with this?! Had she paid this bastard the same amount each time?? Maybe Lux was more of a lost cause than she initially seemed. The other stopped only when Jinx silently elbowed her, humming with her index finger and thumb as she pondered thoughtfully.

 

“Hey Clerk, I think both you and I know that this amount you're charging is a little-” she pouted, gesturing her hands out, “ -much , don’t you think? How about we play two-fifty and we’ll be on our way. You wouldn’t like it if Director Vito caught wind of this, would you?”

 

The man didn’t seem deterred, “I apologize miss, but this is the amount I charge everyone. No matter whose jurisdiction you’re under, the price stays the same. I can’t exactly keep a roof over my head if I take pity on every poor little orphan, drug-addicted Undergrounder that walks through my door. I'm a seller, not a charity worker. Now- ” he started evenly, “I suggest you pay at full price, or I’ll have to call in Enforcers to escort you out.”

 

Now, Jinx wasn’t one for hyperboles much, but she can assure that from the very core of her heart, the only thing she could see was red. She’ll kill him, she’ll fucking kill him-

 

The only thing that stopped her was Lux suddenly twining her fingers in her own and quickly tugging Jinx behind her taller body, resolutely throwing a hefty bag of coins onto the counter, “Five hundred gold, right?” she asked, voice defusing and almost breathless, “Well here you go, you can have it.” she snapped.

 

While Jinx’s anger had been anything but snuffed, it had quelled at the surprise she got when she looked at the back. While Lux had been testy about the exchange, the gold sprawled over the table was a lot more than what the average person should be carrying. And she had given it up so easily too!? Even now, the determined, focused, and slightly irked expression gave way to just about zero doubts.

 

Jinx knew she had compared Lux’s heritage to a Pilties, but she didn’t actually know she had the same funding as them.

 

The clerk looked on with equal levels of bafflement written on his face, before settling into a more appeased grin as he smirked, “Glad doing business with you ladies. Be sure to tell the Director I said hi.”

 

Before Jinx could but-in with an ever so graceful “ Fuck you ,” Lux curtly responded first with a surprising hot edge, “ Oh yes , I’m sure he’ll be delighted in your courteous words." She fixed him with a passive yet predatory glare, "In fact, I'm sure all your clients below the Entresol level will be more than happy to hear just what you think of them," and just like that, the man’s self-righteous smirk fell into a paled ghostly expression. Lux continued, "Oh, but that would just be terrible for business, would it not be? Considering, like so many others, you bottom feeders likely make your living relying on their charity. Hearing such terrible things about their own loyal clients would evoke a sense of betrayal. Ah, such a shame. After all-" Lux tilted her head slightly, a small smile no longer innocent or kind; instead filled with a graceful and terrifying kind of maliciousness, "We all know what kinds of things revenge can bring about."

 

And with that, Lux picked up the box and passed it to Jinx’s awaiting hands before turning around fully, heading for the door with a dark yet unbothered cast of shadow over her eyes. She skillfully caught the free hand of a stunned Jinx, murmuring a low " let's go. " as she tugged the other along. The rusted chime of a bell rang as Lux almost blew it open, heading down the stone steps as Jinx tried to keep up.

 

"Lux," Jinx breathed, eyes widened out as she tried to form the words. "I- what- How I'd you do that?! You didn't just chew him out, you fucking tore off his head and drank his blood Lux what the hell!?" She gapes with stars in her eyes. Never would she have thought someone as seemingly kindhearted and too-generous-for-their-own-good as Lux could decimate someone so coldly just with their words. 

 

"It was nothing much," she hummed, "Just some bargaining" Lux explained but didn't make a move to stop as she led them down the stairs, brows furrowed and features still pulled tight and tense in a braley-contained scowl and holy shit she was terrifying .  

 

Terrifying, hulking imposing and dragging Jinx along by the hand as if she were leading a puppy. 

 

"Hey Lux," Jinx spoke, voice falling on deaf ears, "Hey!- Luxie hey- chill out for a sec, will ya?" she urges strongly, forcefully stopping on the last step. As she finally tugged the other to an abrupt stop, Lux swiveled around to face her with her angered face (which almost made Jinx jump out of her own skin). Though as Lux finally made eye contact with the shorter, something in her expression must have given way to her worry, and the raging storm brewing behind her ocean eyes quelled as she looked into Jinx's own. "You're acting weird, y'know that?" Jinx points out with a small voice, "-And that's coming from me. Are you good?"

 

Lux wilts under Jinx's forign worry and has a long-suffering sigh; the noise of crowds and vendors are simply static and background noise when she's able to stand so close to the other. “I… I’m fine. I got a little… riled up is all,” she admits, eyes downcast. She tries to smile sheepishly, but the edges of it don’t seem to reach her eyes, “That… It was highly inappropriate of me, wasn’t it? I shouldn’t be acting this way, I’m better than that. I’m sorry-”

 

“-Oh no you don’t,” Jinx interrupts, “Don’t you dare apologize for just about the coolest thing you’ve done! Seriously Luxie! You knocked him off his high horse so hard he split his head open and bled out! ” she cheered, elbowing the other lightly as she eyed the other with awe, “How in Runeterra did you even manage that?!”

 

Lux flushed a deep red at the attention, stretching at her head as she laughed awkwardly, “It’s not that hard Jinx, you give me too much credit. I just threatened his finances and connections,” she reasoned, “If there's anything I’ve learned about my stay in Zaun, it’s that friendships and relationships between people are worth more than Gold down here. It’s almost like a human heart: if you don’t have it, you simply can’t live. A businessman’s code.” 

 

Lux rolled her eyes, as if the topic bored her to death, “Trust me Jinx, I assure you you don’t want to get into the nitty-gritty of it. It’s a dreadfully boring subject and a complete waste of time to learn about business relationships unless you have a stake in it. You work alone in your business, right?” She questioned. At Jinx’s eager nod, she hummed, “If you ever need an advisor or maybe just need me to bring some bottomfeeder down a peg, you can always call me,” she almost demanded, and Jinx felt like she couldn’t have said no even if she wanted to. “Businessmen may be sharks, but you’ll be fine if you know how to carve out their teeth.”

 

Holy.

 

Shit.

 

The fight between having the sudden desire to never-ever mess with Lux and Holy shit holyshit Lux is actually so cool what the actual fuck clashed between her emotions, excitment and starry-eyed happiness brutally winning by the end.

 

“Hey Luxie,” Jinx started, “You’re actually… not half bad, y’know?” The small statement brings a genuine smile to Lux’s face, and Jinx finds it hard to believe she caused it.

 

Before the Golden-haired girl could respond, the shope’s elegant door kicked open. The lanky cat clerk started wide eyed at the two, breathless as he called, “Oh thank gods, you’re still here.” He rushed down, quickly intruding in the two’s space as he crouched down to the Demacian’s eye level, not even sparing Jinx a passing glance, “I-I’m terribly sorry for the way I acted Miss. Business has been slow all week and it hasn’t left me in the greatest of moods. You know how it is.” he laughed nervously, though it sounded choppy and strained. 

 

“Here” he said, picking up a bag from his breast pocket and practically shoving it into the other’s hands, “There’s five hundred and fifty Gold in there, an additional amount as recompensation for my… unbecoming behavior .”

 

Lux stared down at the bag for a few seconds, passive look on her face steady as she seemed to think. She passed a quick glance behind the man’s shoulder and up at Jinx, meeting her eyes as with her own as she seemed to contemplate something. Seeming to come to a decision, she met the clerk’s eyes again with a bright beaming smile on her face, warm and sincere as the sun. “Oh Sir, there was no need truly.” she exclaimed brightly, “While I’m very thankful you have your wits straightened out enough to realize the error of your ways and seek to ask for forgiveness, I fear that you’re doing it the wrong way.” Lux conceded.

 

The man’s smile seemed to dim slightly, single brow furrowing, “My… what do you mean? A full refund plus an additional hefty compensation seems more than enough of an apology to me.” he huffs, “Trust me, many businessmen would give far less for much worse behavior.”

 

Lux laughed softly, like she seemed to derive some sick satisfaction at the man’s ignorance, “Yes well, aren’t we quite lucky we aren’t well-acquainted with these so-called ‘fellow businessmen’ of yours. They sound awfully dreadful, don’t they? No, the only thing that will truly buy my forgiveness-” Lux moves aside, shuffling over the cobblestone steps until she stands close beside Jinx, “-is a proper apology to my friend here.”

 

Jinx blinked stupidly, surprise coating her features as she left her mouth gape open like a fish. What… What the hell is she doing?! You already got the money back and then some ! Just jump overboard already! Glancing at the other trash of a cat-man, he seemed to share the shocked expression on his own face, not bothering to cover it up with some faux smile. He cleared his throat unevenly, “ My dear- ”

 

“What? She was the one you unheedingly harassed anyways,” Lux sniped with an amused smile, resting both her hands gently against Jinx’s shoulders, “You said one to me just fine, what’s the difference now? Don’t tell me… cat got your tongue? ” she quipped, but the atmosphere was to tense for even Jinx to laugh. The lanky cat man met Jinx’s violent pink eyes with his own, morose expression pulling at his features and making him look like a cross between clenched anger and disgust. 

 

Jinx hopes he stops looking at her sooner rather than later; he kinda looks constipated.

 

“I-...” he started, swallowing the lump in his throat painfully. “I’m…” He gritted his teeth and breathed heavily between his teeth, before getting out a sharp, “ Sorry. ” The words seemed to cause him physical pain, and Jinx was more than happy to revel in his misery. He may not have been a Piltie, but gods if that arrogance didn’t let him blend in just fine.

 

“ Apology accepted, Sir Kitty-Cat,” Jinx bellowed triumphantly, tempted to stroke her mismatched painted fingernails behind the man’s ear as a reward for playing nice. The temptation was strong, but Jinx ultimately decided not to. Tatters might get moody if she came home smelling like a Piltie-look-alike cat. Oh well. You win some, you lose some. 

 

Lux clapped her gloved hands together, already having pocketed the money, “Well, wasn’t that nice? Not so hard either, was it?” she smiled kindly at the clerk, he seemed to scrunch his nose up in what looked like a suppressed hiss. “Now, you better play nice with any other lower-leveled Zaunite guests you have from now on, or I will be reporting your horrendously inappropriate behavior. Come on now Jinx, let's go.” she turned, already heading down the last few steps.

 

Jinx didn’t wait around, quickly catching up to Lux as she carefully pressed the box against her chest, bottles rattling against one another as Goldie Lockes stalked her way through the crowd. Her stride was reserved yet confident, almost like she’d become an entirely new person. Jinx was silent behind her, still reeling from the blonde's crass and unapologetic actions. She’d not only been satisfied with an apology, but needed a personal apology on Jinx’s behalf. No one in their right mind would ask for something like that, especially not after being given such a hefty sum of Gold back. It was like eating your fill and asking for twice more.

 

Their walk was silent, letting the busy market fill the stillness between them. Rings of bells and scattered crowds mobbed the sides of the street, letting them peacefully walk with spacious strides. Jinx glanced down at the heavy box, before back at Lux’s pulled hood. She could feel the question eating at her insides, clawing and vying for her attention. She breaks.

 

“Hey… Hey Lux?” Jinx begins, a foreign type of reluctance making her skin crawl, “Why did you… make that guy apologize to me?”

 

She could hear Lux sigh, posture deflating as she processed the question, “Do I really have to explain that?” she eventually settles on.

 

Jinx almost scoffs. Yes, of course you do, you dolt! No one, in all of Zaun history, defends anyone here with that kind of ferocity! Not against people like the Chembarons, not against gang leaders, not against the rich of Zaun like that asshole clerk. Not unless you have a death wish. And Jinx had, in all honesty, likely deserved it. There are plenty of poor schmucks that deserve Lux to come to their defense! People that are much more worthy of it!!

 

What did I do to deserve that type of special treatment?

 

Why do you care about the way people treat me so much?! Can’t you see I deserve this shit?!

 

Monster. Unforgivable.

 

That’s what she is, what she’ll always be. 

 

So stop making me think I deserve anything close to this.

 

“ Please, ” Jinx pleads, and the words sound much more frail and desperate than she expected. Her skin feels chaffed and her monsters want to come out of her skin; they're tired of always waiting, waiting, waiting for her to mess up and just want to tear her apart already.

 

The disparity in her tone seems to catch Lux off-guard too, because swerves around and looks Jinx dead in the eyes. And Jinx can only assume, with the way her disgruntled face melts into smoldered shock before jumping to intense sympathy, that Lux understands just what was causing Jinx’s anguish. 

 

It didn’t take a skillful analysis to determine that Jinx did not trust many easily. Her heart was a frail, small thing; broken and shattered and put back together so crudely that the slightest poke was enough for it to shake and convulse sporadically. That’s why it was shut, locked up tight in the safety of solitude and distrust. 

 

Because loneliness hurt, but it meant no one could hurt anymore.

 

And maybe all of Jinx’s locks rusted and became brittle, because when Lux simply pressed open the gateway to her heart, it had given way with nothing more than a rattle. Or maybe it was special access, after having observed and reassured Jinx through one of her episodes. Of either option it was, neither couldn't tell.

 

Jinx did not receive much kindness from many, a fact that was evident to Lux now. Jinx had acted stilted and off-keter everytime Lux had done something nice for Jinx-hell, even friendly conversation seemed to confuse the other. 

 

Confused. Like it truly did not make any sense as to why someone would be treating her with basic human kindness. She hadn’t realized it sooner and just assumed Jinx simply wasn’t one for willingly returning affection (Kat was always like that too, always at an arm’s length) but it hadn’t connected that Jinx simply couldn’t. Because she couldn’t understand.

 

When… When was the last time anyone treated Jinx nicely? 

 

The question terrified her. Because the answer to something like that may actually drive her to violence.

 

It also filled her with irksome rage, but was a problem she ultimately could not erase. Whoever hurt Jinx was likely long gone by now, and all Lux could do was help her pick up the pieces. To help her restore that part of her, like a good friend.

 

Because that’s what she needs right now above all else: A good friend.

 

Jinx stiffened against Lux as the other looped her arms around the other for a hug, squeezing her head against the other’s. It’s a little awkward with the large box in the way, but Lux is nothing but determined. Jinx was frail and lanky, though those features seemed to have been set in stone a long while ago. Signs of malnourishment as a child, Lux decides, before retreatreating to give the other some space and fearing that she’d overwhelm her. She does, however, bring down her hands to hold the other’s elbows, a perplexed yet unreadable look in the other girl's face.

 

“You really want to know why?” Lux begins, no nonsense attitude present. Jinx nods robotically, as if verbal words simply could not form in her mind, “It’s because you’re my friend , Jinx, and no one should treat anyone like that. Maybe you don’t think that yourself, but I’m not going to let anyone walk all over you like that.”

 

Jinx blinks, searching Lux’s blue eyes, “ Friend… ” she echoes back, voice utterly small as she sniffs a bit, “You… you said that before too.” she whispers, “Did… you really mean it?”

 

Lux squeezes her elbow, and smiles sheepishly with a small laugh, “Of course I did. Why do you ask? Did you think I was lying?”

 

Jinx glances down, shrugging absentmindedly, “I don’t know, maybe… if I gave you some time, you’d come to your senses…or something.”she admits, the truth making her squirm in place. Lux tries with all her might to stifle the distraught she feels, because ‘who the hell convinced this poor girl into thinking she couldn’t have something as basic as friendship?’

 

Jinx, however, seems to have some finely tuned senses, as she seems to notice Lux’s shift in emotions and hangs her head further, hood concealing almost all of her face now. Lux, unthinkingly, acts quickly and moves to press a hand against the other girl’s cheek. Jinx seems to flinch in place, but doesn’t move away as Lux raises her head slightly back up.

 

“ Hey ,” Lux eases in a small, tender voice, “Jinx, I can say with absolute certainty that nothing will get me to stop being your friend. I don’t care what you’ve done in the past, what matters now is what you want to be in the future. I promise.” she says assuredly. Jinx seemed a little flushed, gaze glancing rapidly to and from Lux’s own eyes and anywhere else.

 

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” Jinx tries weakly.

 

Lux recognizes it: a last ditch effort. And she knows now that she’d made it past the last of Jinx’s walls. And after a long labyrinth of trial and error, Lux ends it safely as she passes a calloused thumb over a small fluorescently-pink tear peeking out at the edge of her eye. 

 

“I know,” Lux assures genuinely, “And I’m certain this is one of the one’s I can keep.”

 

Maybe... she can have this.

 

—

 

If there wasn’t something Sir Luminous hated more, it was local Zaunites.

 

On a good day, he plays nice and gets them whatever fix they’re looking for, whether legally or not. He stands there, like a gentleman, and bears their barbaric and crass nature until they leave the store. His fur always gets bristled at even the stench of them.

 

On a good day, he can bear them.

 

On a bad day, he simply shuts the door on them. What are they to do about it? Call an Enforcer on him for classism? That’s rich.

 

It had been a good day, all things considered. Until the new twining pains of his existence entered his shop. Maybe he should have set the garlic outside, to keep the beasts away.

 

What a horrible- utterly embarrassing play of events.

 

They come into his establishment, tracking their dirt in, and expect him to play friendly. It’s why he’s now suddenly decided that expanding his territory up North was pushed aside for the time being as his main priority, instead being replaced with a hellbent desire to do whatever in his power to ruin their lives.

 

Of course, such actions were easier said than done. It was just his luck; neither of them seemed to have registered medical licenses, at least under Zaun’s boards. He’d seen the blonde one some time long ago, a few months back, and had come in under Vito’s orders. She hadn’t looked native to Zaun or Piltover, considering the pinkish skin and the golden hair, so his likelihood of finding any local connections were scarcer than he had hoped. 

 

The blue one hadn’t been much luck either, aside from clearly identifying her as a Zaunite as soon as he’d caught the scent of Fissure and Shimmer. The latter option, of course, was what had made him so scathing towards the girl to begin with. He can smell a drug addict as well as he can smell bad feelings (both corresponding with each other of course). However, asking around proved no luck either, as his connections to lower Zaunite branches didn’t extend to individuals. And asking Vito seemed counter productive-he doubts the Blonde one will actually refrain from at least reporting to her superior.

 

So all in all-he’d hit the bottom of the barrel as soon as he started.

 

Well… all except for one factor… he supposes…

 

“Now, you better play nice with any other lower-leveled Zaunite guests you have from now on, or I will be reporting your horrendously inappropriate behavior. Come on now Jinx, let's go.” 

 

A name. One he vaguely recognizes, but cannot recall for what exactly. He hadn’t known what to do with the information exactly, as no Zaunite medical records had a ‘Jinx’ filed under it either. Perhaps a nickname? The two seemed close enough to have had that (especially considering the Blue one’s general unendingly-annoying attitude, he wouldn’t put it past them).

 

He had been mulling over the information for a few days, pushing it aside for the time being to tend to his actual job. He had been serving just a few days after the incident when an Enforcer waltzed into his abode, on the eve of Snowdown nonetheless. They’d dwindled in numbers in the upper levels of Zaun as of recently, filtering into the deeper regiments of Zaun as if in search of… something. It had vaguely caught his attention, but he made nothing of it.

 

Until, of course, the Enforcer had spoken.

 

“Piltover’s on the lookout for a wanted criminal; by judicial force of a collaboration between the Overseer of the Underground and the Councilors of Piltover, you are obligated to put this somewhere in your shop.”

 

He had raised an eyebrow, but taken the paper with clawed fingers nonetheless. As the Enforcer left the shop with a chime of his rusted bell, his eyes widened at the paper.

Then, he laughed. A throaty chuckle, then tuned hearty as his chest compressed with the strength of his laugh. Of course, he won’t be turning her in just yet. He has bigger plans, after all.

 

His compliments to the sketch artist; they truly did capture their best features.

WANTED ALIVE - JINX

 

GUILTY OF TERRORISM, DESTRUCTION OF PRIVATE PROPERTY, MULTIPLE ENFORCER AND CIVILIAN DEATHS, ETC. 

 

FREEDOM OF THE UNDERGROUND ENSURED UPON SAFE RETURN.

 

REWARD

-

 

10,000,000,000 GOLD

“Ah” he breathed, smirk crossing his face

 

What a wonderful Snowdown eve.

 

»»———-♠———-««

 

Art by Me! 

 

»»———-♠———-««

Notes:

Author's Notes:

-Hey Guys! It's actually super late when I'm posting this and I just speedran through this whole chapter. I'll go back and edit mistakes out later (if you notice them, don't be shy. Please point them out in the comments) I'm tired and exhausted and this chapter was so fun to make but I'm just too tired rn). Please tell me if you enjoyed it though! Your comments of encouragement are what make these late nights worth it. I'll edit this later.

-Also yes, I made the drawing. Something about what Jinx is wearing:

+It's actually a rough combination of both 'Silco's' and Vi's design. Jinx's inner shirt resembles her old shoe-tied shirt she wore when she was under Silco's wing, but more gold-rimmed and with an extended collar (resembling that of Silco's coat. Her trench coat, however, bears resemblance to Vi's Arcane inner shirt and jacket. It's to resemble that she's in both playfields right now, trying to adapt to a middle-way type of mentality of the two but is still very deeply confused. (The truth is that she doesn't know if she really wants of be either of those girls she was when she was with them, but it's a very scary time for her personality wise and wants to stick to something familiar)

Notes:

Thanks for reading! Please consider leaving comments of kudos if you enjoyed it, It's a big motivator for me ^^