Work Text:
"Dude, does your soulmate hate you, or what?"
Ekko's eye twitched. "Guess so." he muttered, rubbing the neon scribbles on his forearm.
Scar, his manager, clapped him on the shoulder as if to say, "I feel your pain, buddy." But the gesture only made Ekko want to howl like a beaten dog.
He’d been covered in neon scribbles since morning—arms, legs, clothes, even his face. Pink, blue, purple, and green drawings, symbols, and random words sprawled across his skin. And on his back ( thanks for the heads-up, Scar ) was a giant, angry neon monkey. A monkey! Seriously? On the day of the concert?
For four years now, Ekko had been shining on stage under spotlights, with dozens of cameras pointed at him and the screams of obsessed fans ringing in his ears. And for all four of those years, his soulmate had apparently made it their mission to give his stylists extra work. Not a single day passed without some strange doodle, cryptic symbol, or words like " Boom! ", " Bang! ", or " Pew-pew! " plastered all over him—all in blinding, toxic colors that also glowed in the dark. Sometimes, the drawings even moved, and on those days, Ekko looked less like a musician and more like a living cartoon.
Did it look cool? Yes.
Did it make him more popular? Absolutely.
Did it make his life easier? Hell no!
Ekko gritted his teeth and glared into the mirror. Perfect. A giant purple cross now dominated his face. It actually complemented his yellow eyes pretty well, but what the hell was it supposed to mean?
He buried his face in his hands and groaned. Four years. Four years of his face being splashed across billboards, magazine covers, albums, and TV screens. Four years of trending on YouTube and Twitter, topping charts, even scoring a Grammy for Best New Artist. At this point, those neon scribbles were practically his trademark.
And after all that time, he still hadn’t found the person responsible.
“Five minutes!” a staff member shouted, and Zeri immediately rushed to Ekko’s side. She gave him a critical once-over, adjusted the strap on his jacket sleeve, and nearly poked his eye out while fixing his smudged eyeliner.
“Hey, careful! I’m kinda fond of this eye,” Ekko grumbled, swatting her hands away. Zeri rolled her eyes and started shoving him toward the dressing room exit.
“Move it, superstar. Your fans are about to break down the barriers.”
“What do you mean, ‘about to’? I thought they already set the curtain on fire. Honestly, I expected more from them,” Ekko grinned smugly as a staff member hooked up his earpiece and tucked the wires under his clothes.
“Wipe that smirk off your face.” Zeri planted her hands on her hips. “Cool cross, by the way.”
“Ugh, shut up,” Ekko groaned, tilting his head back as someone shoved a mic into his hands.
Zeri cackled and gave him a mocking wave as the countdown buzzed in his ear.
“Good luck!”
Ekko flashed her a grateful smile, squared his shoulders, and took a deep breath.
“Let’s go.”
***
Jinx groaned loudly and dropped her head onto the bar. Again! Another two hours of listening to this damn playlist! Why, why, why did she have to have him as her soulmate?!
What evil thing had she done in her past life? Blown up a government building?!
The lyrics that had grown boring over the past four years echoed in her head. Yes, Jinx had heard him sing before—constantly, really. She’d even liked it at first; it was fun. She never felt completely lonely, because someone’s—no, not just someone’s, but her soulmate’s—voice often hummed in her head, bouncing between light melodies, cartoon themes, or grating commercial jingles. At first, it had sounded awful, like nails on a chalkboard, but over time, Ekko had learned to hit the right notes and keep the rhythm. Then his voice had started to crack, and for a year or two, Jinx would burst out laughing in the middle of class when his high notes squeaked or his low ones croaked.
Sometimes, Ekko was happy. His songs were playful and energetic, making Jinx buzz with energy, grabbing her stylus to scribble, scribble, scribble.
Sometimes, Ekko was sad. His quiet voice nearly brought Jinx to tears, and she’d burrow into her blankets, clutching her cats—Kuro and Shiro—tight.
But ever since her soulmate had decided to pursue a music career, Jinx mostly felt the overwhelming urge to shut his mouth and seal it with duct tape. Whenever she heard his voice—whether in her head or blasting from the radio—she’d start aggressively doodling everywhere: on café napkins, the bar counter, even concrete walls. It was her way of venting frustration.
Imagine her shock when, at seventeen, Jinx discovered that all her scribbles appeared on her soulmate’s skin and clothes.
Oh, she’d been delighted. It was the sweetest revenge.
From then on, she’d waged war—every time Ekko sang, Jinx drew. A desperate battle. Not for life, but for mutual annihilation. And Jinx was losing spectacularly.
Somehow, without her realizing, those stupid doodles had taken over the internet. They’d become Ekko’s trademark. The monkeys and grenades she drew were everywhere, taunting her. Her calling card! Hers! How dare he turn them into his brand?
“Ekko’s got another concert?” Vi slid a glass of juice across the bar and tossed in a straw. Jinx groaned louder and slammed her forehead against the counter, making the glasses rattle.
“I can’t take it anymore, Vi! Every damn day, it’s the same thing! Every. Single. Day!”
Her sister gave her a pitying look and kept wiping glasses with a towel. Vi saw this weekly—or even more often when Ekko was on tour. But all she could do was sympathize. Vi herself, in Jinx’s opinion, had gotten off easy. She could sense Caitlyn’s emotions when they were close—which was handy, since her soulmate had a habit of muffling her feelings, a side effect of her uptight upbringing.
Jinx’s situation was way messier. As a kid, their parents had worried she might have a mental disorder. She’d burst into songs she’d never heard before—mid-meal, even in her sleep. Back then, before she understood soulmates and their weird connections, Jinx couldn’t even explain it. They’d only figured it out after multiple doctor visits.
Vi couldn’t fathom how exhausting it was to have someone else’s singing permanently stuck in your head. No escape, no volume knob. Jinx couldn’t skip a track or tell him to shut up.
“I know, I’ve asked before,” Vi started, bracing for a punch to the face, “but… have you considered texting him?”
“Who? Ekko?” Jinx scoffed, flicking a red strand of hair behind her ear. “And say what? ‘Hey, dumbass, shut the hell up for an hour? Love, your soulmate’?”
Vi snorted but quickly schooled her expression. “Okay, maybe not like that. But something? It’s not healthy—you hear him even when you’re asleep. You’ve rearranged your whole life to work when he’s unconscious, because that’s the only quiet time you get.”
“Lucky me, he’s got a strict sleep schedule,” Jinx clapped mockingly. The stadium crowd, thousands of miles away, applauded with her. “And wow, what a thrill that he tours so much his time zone changes weekly.”
Vi winced. Yeah, that did sound miserable.
Jinx sipped her juice through a straw, closing her eyes in pleasure. Fresh-squeezed orange. Perfect.
She swirled the glass absently, watching the liquid vortex as Ekko's latest hit played relentlessly in her head. Ugh. Just kill her now.
"You know what?" Jinx suddenly looked up, eyes gleaming. "You're right. I'll write him. I'll tell him exactly what I think." Her laugh turned wicked, red hair practically crackling with energy like Medusa's snakes.
Vi pumped a fist in the air, grinning. "Hell yeah! Go get him!"
***
Ekko collapsed onto the leather sofa, stretching out his aching legs. Last night's concert had been fire, but every muscle in his body was screaming for mercy. He'd sweated off at least a kilo and a half during those two hours. Even his dreadlocks hurt! All he wanted was breakfast and twelve more hours of sleep. But work waited for no one.
"Aaaand... box number three!" A heavy cardboard package thudded onto the coffee table. Scar rolled his stiff shoulders, eyeing the exhausted artist sprawled across the couch. "You sure you wanna go through all this yourself?"
Three massive boxes sat before Ekko, overflowing with handwritten letters, fan gifts, half-melted chocolates, and whatever else his admirers had dreamed up.
From his earliest professional days, Ekko had made it a rule to read every single fan letter—whether paper or digital. Some were adorable, others bizarre. A few had him laughing till he cried, while certain ones made him groan into his palms. But that warm feeling after reading each one was what kept him going
"Damn right I do." Ekko grabbed the top envelope—black paper sealed with a red star sticker. Huh. That looked familiar.
Ekko opened the envelope and pulled out a folded black sheet of paper—an unusual choice. Scar peered over his shoulder, curious.
"Dear Ekko,
Congratulations on finishing another tour! You only messed up lyrics three times across eight concerts—that's a win! (Standing ovation from me here.)
Now that the hard part's over, I have one request:
Shut up. Shut up, shut up, shut UP. Stop singing. Fill your mouth with glue if you have to. No humming, no shower concerts, no smoothie-making serenades. No 'la-la-la's and definitely no pineapple songs! Not even once! Just one day of silence—is that too much to ask?
With all my greatest love,
Your soulmate"
Ekko finished reading in a stunned whisper, staring at the neon pink letters—slightly uneven, like they'd been written in a rage. In the bottom right corner, a monkey face blew a kiss.
Scar's booming laughter shattered the silence.
"AHAHAHA! Congrats, man! Your soulmate finally tracked you down!"
"Wha— This isn't funny, Scar!" Ekko elbowed him in the gut, then gaped at the letter like it might burst into flames.
What did this mean? A prank? Impersonating someone's soulmate wasn't just illegal—it was considered terrible luck. Especially since Ekko had publicly emphasized how seriously he took soulmate traditions. That's why he'd always dismissed those "I'm your soulmate!" claims—everyone knew forcing a meeting was dangerous. History was full of tragedies caused by soulmates who'd sought each other out deliberately. The last thing Ekko wanted was that.
Sure, he could've investigated. Someone, somewhere must've seen the scribbles being drawn. But he never would. And for years, he'd assumed his soulmate felt the same.
So what was this?
A hate letter?
But how did they know about his smoothie-making singing? Or the pineapple song?
"Damn," Scar finally stopped laughing and snatched the letter, examining it. "Knew you had a love-hate thing going, but this is next level."
"We don't have a love-hate thing," Ekko muttered, crossing his arms and wincing at his sore muscles.
"Yeah?" Scar asked, voice dripping with doubt as he waved the letter. "This how you flirt these days?"
Ekko choked on air, coughing violently. "We're not flirting! We've never even met—" His jaw clenched, shoulders tensing as his hands curled into fists.
Scar lowered the letter onto the table. "Relax, man. Just messing with you." He nudged Ekko's knee. "I know how serious this soulmate stuff is for you." Ekko forced a stiff nod, his smile brittle. Sighing, Scar dropped onto the couch beside him. "Look at it this way—it's your first real contact. Unless you count the neon dick they drew on your back last month." He gestured vaguely at Ekko's thighs, currently decorated with glowing crosses.
Ekko scoffed, crossing his arms. "Oh yeah, because 'stop singing and glue your mouth shut' is such a romantic opener."
"Come on," Scar scratched his neck, "you're always complaining about their doodles too."
Ekko's gaze flicked away. True, he'd spent years griping about the scribbles—but he'd never told the whole truth. As a kid, he'd been mocked for the marks staining his cheeks, dragged to the principal's office when teachers mistook them for cheat sheets. No amount of scrubbing could remove them. Eventually, his parents had to submit medical documents proving the marks were soulmate bonds—unremovable. The staff backed off, but the teasings never stopped. So Ekko learned to hate what should've been sacred.
It took him years to admit the secret warmth in his chest whenever new drawings appeared. How he secretly loved the possessive neon declarations screaming "MINE!" across his skin. He'd wear even the dumbest doodles with pride—if only he knew the artist behind them. He longed to ask about the four-legged sharks, the blue mushroom, and angry monkeys. He ached to meet the person whose imagination burned bright enough to color his darkest days.
If he were honest, Ekko was already half in love with the artist who painted his world in neon.
How had this happened? His music—his purest form of self-expression—only earned his soulmate's hatred. The realization sent a sharp ache through Ekko's chest.
"Well, we know they're definitely in this country," Scar mused, turning the envelope over in his hands. "Soon you'll meet—what was it you always say?—'when fate decides the time is right.' Then you can tell each other exactly what you think."
Ekko bit the inside of his cheek, roughly rubbing his eyes. "Yeah. Sure."
***
"So, how's it going?" Vi nudged her sister with her boot, earning a sharp kick in return. She raised her eyebrows; Jinx responded by sticking out her tongue.
"You won't believe this," Jinx groaned, flopping onto the bed like a starfish. "Not only did he not shut up—he apparently figured out I can hear everything he sings! Now he's making up stupid songs about everything he does. 'La la la, going to the gym today,' or 'Apple, orange, mix 'em up for your breakfast, eat it up!' Ugh! It's torture!"
Vi grinned at her sister's contorted expression. The situation kept getting funnier. "So what'd you do?"
"What makes you think I did anything?" Jinx huffed, but under Vi's knowing stare, she rolled her eyes. "Fine! I spent all day drawing dicks everywhere."
Vi burst out laughing. "No way! Please tell me someone got that on camera?"
Jinx shrugged. "Dunno. Probably got censored."
"Damn shame," Vi chuckled. "Then what? Did Ekko say— sorry, did he sing any response?"
"Oh yeah," Jinx growled, face-planting into the mattress. "I got treated to 'Pen Pineapple Apple Pen' all night long. That damn chorus is still stuck in my head!"
Vi gave Jinx's head a sympathetic pat before heading to the kitchen. "Suddenly craving apple juice. Want some?"
A pillow slammed into Vi's back, followed by Jinx's furious shout: "Go to hell!"
***
"Your feud is going viral," Zeri announced as she walked in, eyes glued to her Twitter feed. She popped her gum loudly. "There's a theory you two met years ago, someone cheated, and now this is their revenge."
"What? That's ridiculous!" Ekko grabbed her phone, scrolling through the thread with growing disbelief. "Do these people have jobs?" The post already had thousands of shares.
Zeri snatched her phone back with a shrug. "After 'Kiss My Ass' glowing on your butt during that Good Morning interview? Good luck convincing anyone this isn't personal." She tapped her screen. "Some fan account's even trying to find them."
Ekko's grip tightened on his own phone. This was the last thing he needed before a photoshoot. Breathe. Keep calm.
Zeri blew a bubblegum bubble that dwarfed her face. Pop. "Anyway—" She gestured at his face. "Let's make today's... artistic contributions work. Is that a cockroach? Charming."
***
Jinx tapped her foot impatiently in the endless coffee shop line. All she wanted was a damn bubble tea. The barista was a slowpoke, and now one idiot had been whistling in her head for three straight minutes.
Her jaw clenched.
The whistling grated like a dentist’s drill. Jinx’s eye twitched. Three minutes. Three. Full. Minutes.
Whew, whew, whew—
Shut up.
Please, just shut up.
For five fucking seconds.
Whew, whew—
"SHUT UP!"
Jinx panted, eye twitching, hands trembling. When she opened her eyes, her stomach dropped.
Two golden eyes stared back from behind oversized sunglasses. Dark dreadlocks peeked from under his hat, a gold hoop glinting in one ear.
For the first time in years—complete silence in her mind. Then came the tidal wave of panic.
Oh no.
No no no—
This isn't happening.
Not like this. Not with those as her first words. She'd take it back—she was just hangry, sleep-deprived, bubble-tea-deprived—she didn't mean—
"S-sorry," she choked out before bolting past him, shoulder-checking the doorframe in her escape.
Perfect. She'd literally jinxed their soulmate bond from the very first second.
***
"She said 'shut up'?" Scar asked for what felt like the hundredth time, draining his beer.
"Yeah, Scar. She said 'shut up'," Ekko muttered, still not opening his own can.
"Damn. Harsh."
"Not helping," Zeri snapped, shooting Ekko a sympathetic look. "What happened next?"
Ekko pinched the bridge of his nose. "She bolted. Just—whoosh! Gone. Before I could even blink."
"You didn't... chase after her?" Zeri ventured.
"Chase her?" Ekko's hands flew up in disbelief. "I was too busy short-circuiting! Just stood there like a damn statue."
"Pathetic," Scar declared, earning a sharp smack from Zeri.
"Don't listen to him. You were in shock. I'd freeze too if my soulmate's first words were telling me to shut up."
Ekko groaned into his hands. Zeri immediately winced at her poor word choice. Scar just chuckled and grabbed another beer. "So what's the plan?"
"There’s no plan," Ekko grumbled, finally cracking open his beer. "Guess she's hated me so long she doesn't even want to try."
Zeri subtly opened her phone notes. "What did she look like?"
Ekko's eyes drifted shut as he recalled her. "Red hair. Like, really long—with these little ponytails on top, kinda like yours. Amber cat eyes. Tiny—could probably lift her with one arm. And this raspy voice..." He sighed. "So beautiful I thought I was hallucinating. She'd been standing right in front of me for five whole minutes. And I just... froze."
"Wow. You're screwed," Scar drawled. "Any new doodles? Giant dick on your forehead?"
"Scar!"
"What? It's their thing! You write her a love song yet? Something corny like 'I love you like a love song, baby' shit?"
Ekko's jaw clenched. "No. And I won't. Message was clear—I should shut up. So I will."
Zeri shifted, slipping her phone away. "But... weren't you gonna write your soulmate a song when you met them? Her, I mean."
"What's the point? She's already heard everything I've ever written. If I tried now, she'd know before I even finish it." Ekko chugged his beer, crushed the can, and banked it off the wall into the trash. "Besides, she hates my voice. Done talking about this. Going to bed."
***
Lux eased the bedroom door shut with a soft click. The air hung heavy with the scent of melted mint ice cream and stale tears, the blackout curtains sealing them in perpetual twilight.
"Nothing online," she whispered, perching on the edge of the mattress beside a human-shaped blanket fort. "Guess he's not making this public."
The fabric mountain shifted. A single bloodshot eye peered out between folds. "Really?" Jinx's voice cracked.
Lux offered her a box of tissues. "Maybe it's not as bad as you think? Ekko's always been private about soulmate stuff."
"You know an awful lot about him." Jinx snatched three tissues, blowing her nose with trumpet-like force.
"Ezreal hangs with him sometimes." Lux rubbed circles between Jinx's shoulder blades. "And I do own a television. This isn't catastrophic."
"Not catastrophic?" Jinx shot upright, sending blankets flying. "I told my soulmate to shut up to his face!"
"You didn't recognize—"
"I sent him a hate letter!"
"That's just your love language."
"Drew dicks on him!"
"Low blood sugar."
"He paraded around with 'Kiss My Ass' on his—"
Lux bit her lip. "Okay, that one might've been wishful thinking."
"LUX!" Jinx's horrified shriek muffled into the pillows.
"What? Like you've never imagined—" She arched an eyebrow as Jinx's ears turned scarlet. "Exactly. So stop catastrophizing."
"I'm DOOMED!" Jinx collapsed backward like a felled tree. "The universe hands me someone perfect who'd actually get my crazy—and my first words are 'shut up'!"
"Hey." Lux gathered the human burrito into a hug. "Text him. Apologize. Ask him out. You're literally made for each other. It’ll be fine."
The responding whimper could've shattered glass.
Lux rested her chin on the quivering blanket lump. This required intervention. Immediately.
***
Zeri: Long red hair. Two ponytails. Amber eyes. Skinny. Likes to draw. Around 19-20 years old.
Akali: Are you giving us a lead or what?
Zeri: That's Ekko's soulmate. We need to find her. ASAP.
Yasuo: ???
Eve: They finally met?!
Scar: Zeri, leave them be.
Zeri: Ekko looks more like a depressed amoeba than a human right now. We NEED to intervene.
Akali: I'm in. Calling my girls.
Ezreal: Red hair... Ekko's soulmate? You mean Jinx?
Zeri: ...
Zeri: YOU KNOW EKKO'S SOULMATE??
Ezreal: Yeah??? She's Lux's best friend. Total firecracker. Finally! I thought this vow of silence would last forever!
Scar: Wait wait WAIT. Your soulmate is Ekko's soulmate's best friend? And you KNEW and stayed quiet? FOR FOUR YEARS?
Zeri: Quick, you got her number? Instagram? ADDRESS?
Ezreal: Um, wouldn't that be kinda… violation of her privacy or smt?
Akali: GIVE US THE DAMN ADDRESS
Ezreal: I don't know it!
Ezreal: She's at Lux's right now though.
Ezreal: Now I get why they suddenly planned a "girls' night"...
Zeri: Calling Ekko.
***
"I'm not texting her."
"But Ekko!" Zeri protested as he skated past, executing a perfect spin. "She lives here! You leave for that shoot in two days. When will you get another chance?"
"Never," Ekko snapped—then immediately winced.
He didn't mean never. He meant immediately. Or maybe... not quite immediately, he admitted, catching a whiff of his own stale beer-and-sweat aroma. Three-day-old stubble itched his jaw, and his hoodie could probably stand up on its own. Not exactly soulmate reunion material.
Jinx.
Her name echoed in his skull. And he hadn't even learned it from her.
Ekko collapsed onto the steps, face buried in his knees. He'd imagined their meeting a thousand times—always romantic. Sweet. Maybe they'd bump into each other at the gym. A café.
Oh wait.
They had met in a café. It could've been perfect—wrong orders, shared tables, accidental spills. Hell, he'd have gladly taken a boiling latte to the face if it meant seeing her smile instead of that horrified glare.
Even his worst nightmares never included instant hatred.
And maybe... maybe he deserved it. He'd had no idea she could hear everything—the shower concerts, the absentminded humming, the hours spent looping the same melody at the piano. No wonder she'd snapped.
At least her neon doodles didn't keep him awake at night.
For three days now, he'd been trying. Too hard trying not to sing. His vocal cords had literally locked up during rehearsal today—frozen by the terror of making her hate him more.
Zeri's glare burned into his back until Ekko finally looked up. "What do you want from me, Zeri? Should I put on some fancy suit, buy a giant bouquet of flowers and heart-shaped chocolates, then show up at her door begging her not to hate me? Maybe promise to rip out my vocal cords while I'm at it?"
"Honestly?" Zeri shrugged, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "I was just gonna suggest texting 'Hey, that first meeting was awkward—wanna try again?' But if you want to go full rom-com with the flowers and dramatic promises..." She waved a hand in front of her nose. "At least start with a shower. You reek."
Ekko groaned, faceplanting into his palms.
***
"Jinx, what are you doing?" Lux peered cautiously over her friend's shoulder.
"Buying tickets to Tibet."
"Tibet? Are you going on vacation?"
"No." Jinx gnawed her bottom lip. When had plane tickets gotten so expensive? "I'm becoming a monk."
Lux blinked, sitting up straighter while hugging a bowl of sour gummy worms. "That's... drastic. Why a monk?"
"Because when I step into a Christian monastery, I'll start sizzling like bacon on a griddle."
"You're being dramatic," Lux said, though the mental image was unsettlingly vivid—something straight out of Good Omens. "Maybe you should... shower? Change clothes? Air out your... everything?"
Jinx looked up from her laptop, fixing Lux with a deadpan stare. "What's wrong with my signature scent of heartbreak and despair? And my shark kigurumi."
Lux pursed her lips. "It's just—"
"Fine!" Jinx threw her hands up. "But I'm stealing your black lace panties."
"I don't have—" Lux's cheeks flushed pink. "...in the second drawer."
Jinx blew her a kiss and bounded to the dresser. Then she froze mid-rummage.
"Jinx?"
"He's not singing." Jinx's voice was hollow. "Three days. Complete silence." She turned, amber eyes wide with panic. "Lux, Ekko always sings. Always. What if he's hurt? What if he got into an accident or something? What if I never—and my last words were 'shut—'"
"Stop." Lux pulled her into a hug, feeling Jinx's rapid heartbeat. "He's fine. If something happened, we'd know. Ez would've called immediately."
Jinx took shaky breaths before nodding against Lux's shoulder. "Lux, I..."
HOOOOONK!
Both girls flinched and whipped toward the window. At nearly 10 PM in Lux's upscale neighborhood, horn blasts were about as welcome as a skunk at a garden party.
"Did we order pizza?" Jinx shook off her daze and crab-walked to the window.
Lux followed, inexplicably crouching too. "Pretty sure we didn't?"
They took up positions on either side of the window frame and peeked outside. Parked haphazardly in the street sat a sleek purple sports car. Leaning against its passenger door stood a man clutching a bouquet so massive it threatened to topple him over.
"Uh," Lux squinted. "Is that... Ekko? Jinx?"
Jinx emitted a high-pitched squeak and slid down the wall, back pressed flat against it. Her pulse hammered in her throat while her stomach performed gymnastics. "He didn't see us, right?"
"Who, Ekko?" Lux risked another glance. Ekko was staring directly at them and gave an awkward little wave. "I think so?"
"Think so?! What kind of answer is think so?!" Jinx launched upward to peer through the curtains again. Ekko's face instantly lit up. "Oh god he saw me! How? Wait—WHY is he here?!"
Lux tentatively waved back. "I'm guessing... you?"
"ME?! With that ridiculous floral monstrosity?!" Jinx's eyes narrowed as she scanned the car. "Tell me there's not a heart-shaped box of chocolates in there."
"Hard to see from—"
Jinx was already climbing onto the windowsill and wrenching the pane open. "WHO'S SOUL ARE YOU HERE TO TORMENT?!"
Ekko's grin could've powered a small city. After three agonizing days, hearing her voice—even yelling—made his chest ache. He gazed up at her like a sinner beholding an angry, shark pajama-clad angel.
"ISN'T IT OBVIOUS?!" He hoisted the bouquet with both arms, flowers now drooping from their own absurd weight.
"Slowly place the chocolates on the doorstep and retreat to your car!" Jinx commanded, ignoring his teasing. "I'm watching you!"
Ekko smirked, though internally he was a nervous wreck—years of performing just barely masking his trembling hands. "Or maybe you should come get them yourself?!"
"Go outside? At this hour? Not a chance!" Jinx crossed her arms, baring her teeth like a feral cat.
"It's ten PM!"
"Exactly! The witching hour!"
Lux tugged at Jinx's sleeve. "Maybe lower the volume—"
"WHAT'S ALL THIS RACKET?!" An elderly neighbor slammed her window open. "I'M CALLING THE POLICE!"
"Nobody invited you, crypt keeper!" Jinx leaned out further.
"YOU AGAIN, YOU MENACE! I'LL FILE A COMPLAINT!"
"File away! Call an ambulance while you're at it—it's a miracle you haven't turned to dust!"
Ekko watched, warmth flooding his chest, all logic evaporating. He grabbed the heart-shaped chocolates and marched toward the window, trampling pristine flowerbeds. Jinx only noticed when he was meters below her, yelping and ducking until only her eyes and ponytails were visible.
"Back to the car! And take that... that floral crime scene with you!"
"Don't like flowers?" Ekko examined the bouquet—absurdly large, yes, but Ezreal swore it was romantic.
"Those aren't flowers, they're a horticultural war crime! Return them to whatever dark nursery spawned them!"
With a shrug, Ekko tossed the bouquet aside. "Rapunzel, let down your hair!" he teased as Jinx peeked and vanished again.
"You're still too close!"
"That's the idea."
"No!"
"Then how am I supposed to deliver these?" He shook the chocolates. "Teleportation?"
"Throw them!"
"And risk spilling?"
"I'll eat them off the pavement!"
"Charming, but no." Ekko popped the box open. "If you hate them so much, maybe I'll—"
"DON'T YOU DARE EAT MY CHOCOLATES!" Jinx nearly toppled out the window.
"Then come claim them!"
"I'm coming down to END you!" She shook a tiny fist.
"Can't wait, scribble girl!"
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME, STAR BOY?!"
"You heard me!"
"That's IT!" Jinx scrambled backward. "Prepare to meet your doom!"
"Not moving an inch!"
"Jinx, are you sure you want to—" Lux's protest died as Jinx stormed past like a runaway freight train. "Nevermind. I’ll order us a pizza."
Ekko waited by the door, his pulse hammering in his throat. The chocolates grew sticky in his grip, distant police sirens wailed, but none of it registered.
The door flew open, revealing Jinx—glaring like an offended kitten. Small and cute. Which only made Ekko's grin widen stupidly, which only made her scowl deeper. Because damn him. Damn his stupid handsome face and weaponized smile. Damn how his dreadlocks framed that earnest expression, how he smelled like freshly baked cookies (or maybe that was the melting chocolates). Most of all, damn how her traitorous heart stuttered when he looked at her like that, short-circuiting all higher brain functions.
"If you ate even one—"
"Didn't touch 'em." Ekko raised his free hand in solemn oath.
Jinx lunged for the box, but Ekko pivoted, holding it aloft just beyond her reach.
"Mine!" she snarled.
"Nuh-uh." He smirked, taunting.
"You promised!"
"Don't recall that."
"I'll claw your stupid pretty eyes out!"
"Try me, wildcat."
"Hssss!"
Jinx sprang again—only for Ekko to catch her mid-leap, spinning her back against his chest.
"The hell?!"
"Trying to apologize here," he murmured into her hair.
Jinx went rigid. Apologize?
"What?"
Feeling her tension, Ekko lowered the chocolates and stepped back. He instinctively moved to rub his neck before remembering his hands were full. "I... caused you years of headaches. Even after your letter, I doubled down like an idiot with all that singing." His gaze dropped. "I'm sorry."
Jinx turned to face him, her gaze piercing. Ekko's stomach twisted into knots—if heartbreak could kill, he'd be the first casualty.
She opened her mouth. Ekko stopped breathing.
Then she huffed, looked away, stole a glance over her shoulder, and turned back. Ekko's shoulders slumped.
"Sorry..."
"What?" His head jerked up, staring at the back of her crimson head.
Jinx stood rigid, arms locked across her chest, every line of her body screaming discomfort. Had he imagined it?
"I said I'm sorry too!" she snapped. In the dim light, her ears burned scarlet, nearly matching her hair. "About the... the dicks. Sorry."
"I sang pineapple songs at 3 AM," Ekko offered with a shrug. Sure, that dicks incident had gone viral, but who hadn't embarrassed themselves online?
"And that thing on your... you know." Her voice dropped. "That wasn't cool."
An uncertain but hopeful smile tugged at his lips. "The 'Kiss My Ass' pants? Honestly thought about making a pair. Looked kinda badass in the tabloids."
Jinx snorted. Then, so quiet he almost missed it:
"And for yelling. That too was... shitty." Her whisper cracked as she stared at the ground, still refusing to face him.
"Jinx," Ekko sighed, stepping closer. "It's okay."
"No, it's NOT okay!" She whirled around, tear-streaked face glaring up at him. "I was wrong! I shouldn't have said—or written—any of it! I don't want you to shut up. I've always loved your singing. You had such a cute voice when you were little and off-key. Even when your voice cracked like a broken speaker. Your ballads are so beautiful, they helped me calm down when things got just TOO MUCH. And that stupid ‘kitten with white paw’ song? I sang it for a week straight—Vi nearly strangled me!"
Jinx's face was flushed, her hair a wild halo, her shark pajamas stained with ice cream. To Ekko, she looked radiant. The weight lifting from his chest made him really want to sing for the first time in YEARS.
"Marry me!" The words burst out before his brain could intervene. His hands cradled her shocked face. Oh shit. Backpedal. "Wait—"
"W-what?" Jinx's lip trembled. "WHAT?!"
"M-marry me?" he repeated weakly.
"ARE YOU INSANE?!" Jinx snatched the discarded bouquet and started whacking him. "WHO PROPOSES AT THEIR FIRST MEETING?!"
"Technically our second! OW! Not the face!"
"SHUT UP! I changed my mind—never speak again!"
"I yield! Stop hitting me! Put the—"
"GO TO HELL! Why'd I get stuck with an idiot soulmate?!"
"I take it back!"
"WHAT?! So now you DON'T want to marry me?!"
"No! I mean YES! I REALLY DO!"
"Moron! Jackass! Imbecile! And take your stupid—" She hurled the bouquet at him, snatched the chocolates, and stormed toward the house.
"Jinx! Wait! I apologized!"
"I wish you'd vanish! POOF!"
"Come on, that's childish! What did I—" Ekko trailed after her, nodding to Lux who gave a sheepish wave, phone pressed to her ear.
Jinx stomped upstairs. "You proposed THEN RETRACTED IT!"
"Okay, clarify! Do you WANT me to propose or not?!"
"MAYBE! I DON'T KNOW!" She tore at her hair. "I DON'T KNOWWW!"
"Okay," Ekko inhaled deeply. "That's fine. We'll figure it out. We've got... a lifetime."
"How presumptuous!" Jinx scoffed. "Who said I'd spend my life with you?"
"You DON'T want to?!"
"I DO!"
"Then that settles it!"
"THAT SETTLES IT!"
Jinx and Ekko stood catching their breath, gazes locked—until Jinx's lips twitched. A giggle escaped. Ekko tried to maintain composure, but soon collapsed into laughter too.
"Finished?" Lux peeked in, phone in hand. "Pizza's arriving soon. Ezreal's coming over—wanna watch Back to the Future?"
Two pairs of eyes—amber and gold—snapped to her.
"Sounds perfect," Ekko nodded, cheeks warming at having an audience for their spectacle.
"Living room in five!" Lux disappeared.
Jinx exhaled dramatically and flopped onto the bed. "Sit."
Ekko perched beside her, suddenly fascinated by his sneakers. "So..."
"Yeah..."
Silence thickened. Ekko rubbed his neck, blood rushing to his face. "Our first meeting was... chaotic."
"Uh-huh." Jinx hugged her knees.
"Maybe we could... start over?"
Jinx tilted her head, catlike eyes glinting. "How?"
Ekko straightened, wiped his palm on his jeans, and extended it formally. "Hi. I'm Ekko. Your soulmate. It's... really nice to meet you."
Jinx's lips quivered. She mimicked his gesture, shaking his hand. "Jinx. Your soulmate, unfortunately. Pleasure, I suppose."
Ekko gaped in betrayal.
"Kidding!" She lunged forward, arms locking around his neck. "I'm happy too."
Ekko's embrace came instinctively, like muscle memory. Warmth flooded his veins, electric and neon, every atom singing hymns.
Jinx nuzzled into his jacket—cookies and home—smiling secretly as his hands traced circles on her back.
"You're crushing the chocolates," she murmured against his collarbone.
"Son of a—"
"PFFT—HAHAHA!"
"My good jeans!"
"YOUR EXPRESSION!"
"JINX!"
"EKKO!"
"EZREAL!"
They jerked apart to find the blond frozen in the doorway, pizza box in hand. "What? Thought we were doing Shrek quotes?"
Lux facepalmed in the background. Finding your soulmate was one thing. Surviving them? That was the real adventure.
"Alright," she clapped. "Pizza, movies, and debating time paradoxes. Move it, lovebirds."