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Right now, in this room full of people, with dim light and loud music, and the eyes of her best friend on hers, while a mistletoe hangs over their heads, Jinx can only think of one thing.
She's gonna kill Ziggs.
It was suspicious enough when he insisted that she and Ekko must be at the Christmas party at his house. As her friend, of course she chose to give him the benefit of the doubt — and maybe his promise related to fireworks also have something to do with it. Because of that, she's now stuck in a party with mistletoe in every fucking corner, and a group of people doing everything to force them to kiss.
This is almost as bad as when their friend group tried to pair them up for the "seven minutes in haven" game at the Halloween party at Kay's. Jinx will definitely find a way to get back at them for that one, as soon as she finds a room without the damn plant. Jinx swears those things are following her, or rather more like following them.
As if things weren't complicated enough between her and Ekko, with everyone making comments about their friendship and how close they are. Now she has to keep an eye open in case another of those stupid things mysteriously appears over their heads for the hundredth time tonight. Luckily for her, Ekko remains oblivious to their friends' intentions.
Right now the best strategy is to keep moving; that way there's no time to look over their heads. Jinx quickens the pace as they walk under another mistletoe perched on the kitchen door frame. She can almost cry when she realizes the drink table is mistletoe-free. Though they can't stay there all night, it's still a small relief to have five minutes to catch her breath.
"I want another drink," she announces pointing at the table, and Ekko offers to prepare her favorite mix for her. Jinx gives him a shy smile that quickly dies when she sees a familiar green-haired girl waving at them, with one hand as she holds her freshly prepared drink with the other.
"Thirsty?" Zeri asks, giving them a playful wink.
"What are you having?" Ekko says as a greeting, not catching on the knowing grin Zeri has on her face.
"A paloma, you should try it," she answers, slightly shaking her cup and then giving it a small sip, "Ez brought two or three bottles of some fancy tequila brand"
"Tempting," Jinx distracts herself looking at the bottles Zeri just mentioned, "but I prefer my usual drink"
Ekko is already preparing the weird mix only him and Jinx know how to prepare. A fact that doesn't escape Zeri's attention when he hands the drink to Jinx. "I guess nobody knows what you prefer like Ekko does, right Jinx?"
Jinx glares at her but makes no further comment, not wanting to risk another 'innocent remark' that can potentially ruin the night. As soon as Ekko prepares his own drink, she drags him out of the kitchen, sitting on a couch near the stairs — checking twice that there isn't any mistletoe over it.
The moment Ekko sits, Jinx makes sure to put her legs over his lap. She still remembers the many times random people had tried to flirt with her Ekko by 'accidentally' falling on his lap. With this method she can always kick them before they even touch him — and keep a necessary contact with him at all times.
It's not meant to be possessive in any way, more like… building tension. A line she's not ready to cross yet, although Jinx has to admit that it's tempting sometimes. You see, Jinx has a plan. A plan that involves waiting for the right moment and the right place — which definitely won't be in a Christmas party with half-drunk college students everywhere.
Yet, their friends seem to believe otherwise, acting like some sort of matchmakers. She can decide on her own who she wants, even if that person is the same one her friends are pushing onto her. There's no need for that annoying weed, or their unsolicited help. Tonight, she just wants to enjoy a fun moment with her best friend. Hearing him talk about another of his projects, making fun of the drunk people at the party, and cuddling a little is enough for now.
She plays with his left hand while he points at some guys with his right one. They don't know them, so it's safe to joke about how they are already having difficulties in staying on their feet. Jinx makes a dumb joke and Ekko laughs. It's an easy and contagious laugh, the one that makes his eyes close as he trows back his head. The sight always pulls at her heart strings.
That is until she notices the evil plant over their heads. The color drains from her face, and she tries to hide it by taking the last sip of her drink. Time to move again. She curses under her breath and makes a mental note to take revenge on anyone involved with this. With the excuse of refiling her cup, they go back to the kitchen. Not finding anyone familiar on their way.
They don't go back to the couch. Jinx insists on staying in the hallway with the pretext of stretching her legs. She leans against him when he starts talking again about one of his funky dreams. There's little to contribute to his rant; both are somewhat drunk already, and Ekko probably just wants to get the thought out of his system.
Slowly, her gaze trails to his mouth. It's probably the mix of alcohol with the temptation, and yet she can't help but think about how it would be to have those plush lips of his in hers. Jinx doesn't have anything against kissing Ekko; on the contrary, she oftentimes fantasizes about it. She wonders how it would feel to have his hands on her body— surely those big hands of his can completely encircle her waist. Or maybe he would prefer to softly touch her face with one hand and grab her by the hips with the other. Pressing her body close to his as he takes the time to explore every corner of her…
Let's just say, she has considered it once or twice before.
A shaky breath escapes her mouth, and she hopes he doesn't notice. Jinx suggests dancing, if only to have an approximate substitute for her mental image. They hurriedly finish their drinks before abandoning the empty red cups on a nearby table holding hands as they go to the improvised dance floor. The living room is overflowing with people swaying to the music's rhythm, the perfect excuse to be closer — not like she needs it with him, but to keep other people's comments at bay.
It's something they've done before, her hands on his neck and his on her hips. A slow song is playing, and they take the time to find their own pace. It's simple, the way they fit together; surrounded by people but in their own bubble at the same time. There's a secret language they share in the way they dance, one they've never talked out loud before, but Jinx is sure to understand.
They dance in silence, looking at each other's eyes and smiling from time to time. Jinx thinks about her plan, and how good it'll be once she puts it into action. Would he fall quickly? Or she'll be forced to use all her tricks in order to seduce him? A mental image comes to her mind and she unconsciously bits her bottom lip. Ekko immediately catches on to it, furrowing his brow a little. And as he opens his mouth to ask her, a sudden bump makes them give a few steps to the side, ending just in the center of the room.
Their hold on the other tightens for a moment, and Jinx hopes that the heat in her cheeks is not so obvious. Then, both turn in the direction the hit came from, only to find Ezreal and Lux giggling while still swaying to the rhythm of the current song. Jinx suspects they must've already drunk at least one of the bottles he brought to the party to be already losing their balance.
"My bad, didn't saw you there," Ezreal says slurring the words and making Lux giggle again.
"But don't be mad," Lux continues, "you just landed on the perfect spot."
Ekko tilts his head confused, Jinx instead looks up. Yup, another mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. She narrows her eyes in silent fury, quickly understanding that this is just another of their tricks. She smirks, confusing the pair.
"Just in time," she counters, "I need to pee"
Letting go of him, Jinx escapes in the direction of the second-floor bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her once she enters. Her reflection in the mirror looks back at her with wide eyes and scarlet cheeks. Thank Janna those two interrupted them at the right moment. Ekko may be oblivious to unknown levels, but even he would notice when she's stupidly looking at him and daydreaming about wild fantasies.
Get a grip, Jinx.
A few minutes later, she gets out to search for Ekko, hoping that no one else is there to keep playing their stupid game. She's halfway down the stairs — where the mysterious mistletoe over the couch had disappeared again — when he sees Ekko saying goodbye to someone and turning to her direction. Her heart almost melts by the way his face brightens when he sees her.
"Brought you another drink," he announces, offering another red cup.
Jinx can barely contain the sigh threatening to escape her mouth by his thoughtfulness. This is going to be a long night of self-restraint, but how can she suggest going home and waste the chance to spend more time with her boy savior. She offers him a smile and takes the drink, giving it a sip.
⟡ ｡ ₊°༺ 🌿❅ 💋 ༻°₊ ｡⟡
The world feels fuzzy, and Jinx is not sure why they are running. Something to do with evil plants and… umm… Well, the important thing here is that they successfully escaped. Her hand is still holding Ekko's, and she can't, for the life of her, remember why they are laughing. Ekko closes the door behind them, locking it for good measure. They hug and laugh, bodies close — perhaps too close. But that's okay, they are the closest of friends anyway — nothing strange about this contact. Or perhaps there is? Jinx feels some sort of objection coming from a small part of her brain. Whatever it is, is not important enough to be remembered right now.
The laugh fades slowly, dwindling until it becomes a soft beam. Jinx looks up, the sides of her vision are blurry and all the focus her eyes can find is Ekko. She feels warm, though she's not sure if it's the alcohol in her system or because of his arms around her. Something with no name grows in her chest, big and heavy, that makes it difficult to breathe.
Vague images fill her mind. Flashes of hands roaming, lips exploring skin, and the satisfaction of adding a new memory labeled with her best friend's taste on it. Then, a pang of something — an objection she can't recall. She should ask him, her smart boy surely knows why they are not doing what her reason suggests and opposes at the same time.
Her mouth opens, but her question is drowned by the sound of a small explosion outside the house. The idea is lost once again, pushed to the back of her brain as her eyes search for the source outside the window. A few people are lighting fireworks in the garden, mostly firecrackers and squibs.
Jinx is ready to go and join the fun when he spots Ziggs preparing to light a couple of bottle rockets. She squeals in delight, choosing to stay for the show instead. Her eyes follow the trajectory of the small rocket until it explodes in the sky with a quick flash of light, obstructed by an annoying green and red thing that makes her scowl.
"Blue, look, a mistletoe," Ekko exclaims, as if the party wasn't filled with them. And it occurs to her that this is the first time she sees Ekko looking up all night.
"M-mistletoe?" She stutters, the haze of alcohol only allowing her to dumbly repeat his words.
"Yeah, there's this tradition about them," he explains, too drunk to realize that everyone knows about it, "but it all starts with the myth of…"
Ekko keeps talking and Jinx hears nothing of it. Her brain is trying to process her realization. Was he… focusing on her this whole time? The thought alone makes her blush, the desire to kiss his handsome face grows. Why is she restraining herself? There was a reason; she's sure of it. Yet, the more she tries to cling to it, the more it drifts away from her.
"… we shouldn't break tradition, right?" Ekko finishes, and with the whirlwind of ideas in her head she blindly agrees with him.
He gets closer, his right hand in the small of her back and the left setting aside her bangs as an excuse for cupping her cheeks. The contact is shy, a press of their lips between ragged breaths. Their faces are flushed when they separate, wondering if that is enough.
To fulfill the tradition, of course.
…
It isn't.
Lips collide — properly this time — with hunger and want, desperation and longing. So intense that it almost burns. Jinx wants it, needs it, lest she remembers why she was denying herself from this. Ekko bites at her bottom lip, forcing her to separate her lips to let out a needy whine. He takes the opening without hesitation, searching for something with his tongue in her mouth. Pressing her closer for good measure, as if she would ever want to escape from this.
⟡ ｡ ₊°༺ 🌿❅ 💋 ༻°₊ ｡⟡
Time and space melted, and whatever happened after the kiss didn't register in her memory. Jinx wakes up in her own bed, alone. The clothes and makeup she was wearing for the party are still on her. She finds her phone between the blankets and checks the time — 9:38 a.m. and no messages. A groaned curse to start the day and she gets up.
In the bathroom, she turns on the water to give it time to heat up. She starts to undress in front of the mirror, taking the chance to evaluate the state of her face. Her eyes widen when she sees her smudged lipstick, and the memory comes crashing back.
The kiss.
Oh no.
Jinx checks her phone again, still no messages. "Fuck!"