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“You’re shaking,” Ekko said quietly.
“It’s cold,” Jinx said, wrapping her pale arms around herself.
“You hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
Well, that wasn’t exactly an answer.
They were out on patrol, just the two of them. The city stretched out beneath them, lights and noises muted by distance. This high up, you could almost pretend it was pretty. Quite a view. Ekko had them working together on purpose; something had been bothering Powder lately. She wouldn’t tell him. You’d think after all this time she’d quit trying to lie to him. Although, for all he knew, Powder had no idea what was wrong herself. She didn’t exactly have a great grasp on her mental health.
“Thinking of the past?”
“More like the future,” she said to his surprise.
There was a short silence.
“I think I’m a pretty shitty mom,” she said finally. “Isha deserves better.”
“We’re all she has.”
“So, you agree? I’m a shitty mom?”
Ekko sighed.
“Neither of us are exactly parent material.”
“You are.”
“Yesterday I joked about you using your wrists as an ashtray in front of her.”
“Nothing she doesn’t already know. I don’t exactly hide my scars,” Jinx said.
“I still shouldn’t be joking about that in front of any kid, much less our own. Our lifestyles aren’t exactly child friendly.”
“Zaun isn’t exactly child friendly,” she pointed out.
“I think you just answered your own question. I’m not sure if you can be a good parent down here.”
“Vander and Benzo were good, weren’t they?”
“I think we both know they made their mistakes,” Ekko said.
She didn’t deny that. Instead she looked out at the city, still shivering.
“I just don’t want her to become like me.”
He wanted to tell her that was silly, that she was a great person and Isha would be lucky to become someone like her. But he knew that wasn’t true. He didn’t want Isha to become like Jinx either. Instead he just put his arms around her. She leaned into his touch.
“How are we supposed to take care of a kid and a city?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “But we’ve done crazier things together.”
“Guess you’re not wrong,” she said, smiling slightly now. “I sure as hell never saw this one coming.”
“We never do,” Ekko said. “Let’s get this patrol over with. Isha’s waiting.”