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Ekko rubbed his eyes tiredly as he marched up the spiral staircase wrapped around the great tree. His meeting with Scar had run far later than he’d hoped and Ekko found himself exhausted after the long day of strategizing and forming alliances.
The cause of his fatigue was a yearly tradition in the firelight community, one that had been put into place long ago in a well meaning attempt at giving the firelights and their families something fun to look forward to. Something other than the turf wars and raids that defined their lives and tore through the city they called home.
Looking back on it now, a community wide game of Capture The Flag was always bound to end in blood. It hadn’t taken long at all after its creation for every man, woman, and child in the hideout to treat the friendly game like it was a declaration of war against their fellow firelights.
And Ekko was no exception.
He’d led his team to victory every year since the game had begun, watching in satisfaction year after year as Scar tried desperately to thwart him. As leader of the opposing team, Scar was on the front lines of an impossible mission: beating Ekko.
He’d be lying if he said he didn’t take great pleasure in breaking the man’s spirit year after year. Scar may be his closest confidant and friend any other time of year, but when game time swung around, they were bitter enemies.
Ekko had spent the last hours confined to the meeting room arguing over preparations for the upcoming event. Scar had really pulled out all the stops this time, negotiating for all kinds of new obstacles and rules to spice up the game. A desperate bid for victory, Ekko was certain.
He didn’t let it phase him, of course. Ekko had never lost a game. He wouldn’t now.
He was, however, quickly losing his battle with exhaustion. Ekko eased open the door to his room and shuffled inside as he slid off his coat.
He tossed the garment over the back of his desk chair, taking a moment to stretch his tired muscles before beginning to tug his shirt over his head.
The sound of rustling fabric drew his attention, dropping his hands from the hem of his shirt and lifting his gaze to the source of the noise.
Jinx was draped casually across his bed. An oversized, long sleeved shirt that Ekko had no doubt was stolen from his dresser hung loosely from her torso, the edges of the fabric lifting higher across her bare legs as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. She eyed him for a moment, gaze dropping to follow the hands that had shied away from his shirt when he’d noticed her watching.
“Damn,” she sighed in faux disappointment and shook her head. “Just when it was gettin’ good.”
He smiled automatically at the sound of her voice, shaking his head at the tease as he took a seat at his desk in lieu of changing. “Didn’t know you were here.”
“Clearly,” Jinx looked off to the side, scooping up a book that had been left discarded by her leg and flicking it open casually. “What took you so long?”
“Meeting with Scar,” he replied vaguely. He didn’t think the game would be of much interest to her. The rules didn’t allow for use of deadly weapons, for obvious reasons. Nor did it allow any participant to maim or seriously injure the opposing team. Quite the opposite of how Jinx liked her war games.
Still, Ekko planned to rope her into playing regardless. Her gadgets would be a great asset to taking out the competition, so long as he convinced her to remove the explosives and deadly shrapnel.
“Since when do they take that long?” Jinx complained lightly, flopping back against the mattress with a theatrical huff of disapproval. “Not like you’re ever talking about anything interesting.”
“I’ll have you know we talk about plenty of interesting stuff,” Ekko remarked with narrowed eyes. “We’re getting ready for an event, actually.”
“Oh,” she murmured breezily. “That game thing?”
“You’ve heard about it?”
Her mouth quirked, though she didn’t look up from the pages of the book in her grasp. “Scar told me about it.”
On any other day, Ekko would find that response entirely innocuous. It wasn’t abnormal for the two to cross paths, nor for them to exchange a few words. They may not be the best of friends, but they were friends.
However, this wasn’t any other day. Ekko’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.
“Why were you talking to Scar?”
A smirk curved her lips as she glanced over at him, looking far too amused for her own good.
“He wasn’t kidding, huh?” She chortled, slapping the book closed and shifting to give him her full attention. “You’re like, serious, about this shit.”
He ignored that. “What else did he say?”
She shrugged innocently. “Stuff.”
Ekko stood from the chair, creeping closer and effectively boxing his girlfriend in as she continued to watch him with that taunting smirk plastered on her face.
“What kind of stuff?”
“I’m sure you must have some idea,” Jinx continued, frustratingly vague. Her smirk widened into a grin as he moved into her space.
She didn’t back away from his approach, instead leaning closer and extruding an air of complete self satisfaction as he processed her words.
He bit back a groan as he placed the cause of her delight. “You didn’t.”
She propped her head on her hand, looking positively radiant as she basked in his annoyance. “I did!”
He put a hand to his heart, caught between offense and amazement at the pure audacity of his opponent.
“You joined Scar’s team?”
“He had a very convincing argument!”
“Which was what?”
Her smile widened, a small giggle bubbling up from her throat as she replied proudly. “That it’d piss you off.”
“…Seriously?”
Jinx leaned back, propping herself up on her elbows and looking pleased. “I enjoy inconveniencing you. Is that so wrong?”
Ekko turned away, wiping a hand down his face as he paced the room. Scar was going to pay for this.
He turned back to her a moment later. She raised an eyebrow.
“What’s it gonna take to make you betray him?”
“Oh,” she purred. “We’re negotiating now?”
He ignored the burning in his cheeks at her intense gaze, focusing instead on beating his nemesis. He’d admittedly done a few underhanded moves to beat Scar in the past, but using Jinx against him? That was downright devious.
He’d get him back for this. Somehow.
“I can do better than whatever he offered you,” Ekko insisted, hoping he doesn’t sound desperate. He’s almost certain he does.
“Who says he had to give me something?” Jinx shot back, wholly unimpressed.
“Jinx,” he said warningly. Or attempted to, anyway. It came out much more like a whine. “Just tell me what you want. I’ll do anything!”
“Anything?” For a moment she almost looked interested. Then, she hummed dismissively and examined her nails as if they were more interesting than the current conversation. “Nah, you’d do that anyway.”
He crossed his arms defensively. “I would not.”
Jinx offered a faux pout in reply. “So you wouldn’t do anything for me?”
Ekko opened his mouth, then closed it again. He mulled over his options, rolling his eyes as he realized he’d fallen right into her trap. He always would, it was exactly why he had nothing to offer her that he wouldn’t already give her.
The game hadn’t nearly begun, and Ekko was already losing.
“There’s no winning with you, is there?”
“Nope!”
“Not even if I begged you?”
“You weren’t already?”
Ekko chuckled, admitting defeat and tumbling onto the bed beside her.
“I’ve never been so betrayed in my life,” he sighed theatrically, wanting to get her back at least a little for plotting against him. “You’re breaking my heart over here.”
“Or maybe it’s giving out over the stress of this dumb game,” she leaned over him as if examining him. “I think losing might be good for you.”
“Who says I’ll lose?” Ekko replied confidently, poking her cheek. “You’re going down.”
She scrunched her nose cutely in offense. “Oh, please. You’re hardly a challenge.”
Ekko smirked despite himself, bolstered by the competitive back and forth of their taunts. “If you think I’ll go easy on you-”
“I’d be offended if you did.”
“Are you sure you can take me?”
In one fluid motion, Jinx slid into his lap and connected their lips in a firm, enthusiastic kiss. It lasted only a moment, just another one of her taunts. Another way to leave him begging for more.
“I know I can.”
Ekko swallowed hard, his desire going down with it and refusing to let her have the win. This is one battle he won’t lose.
She leaned down again, eager to capture him one more time. He offered a cheeky grin in response as he lifted a finger to her lips to stop her.
“I won’t be seduced by the enemy.”
She leaned back and narrowed her eyes challengingly. After a moment, she hummed. “Fine. Have it your way.”
Jinx extracted herself from his lap in one swift motion, parting from him as easily and quickly as she’d come. She slid off the bed, footsteps padding against the wooden floor as she sauntered in the direction of the bathroom.
Against his better judgement, Ekko called after her. “Where are you going?
Jinx paused at the door, throwing a casual look over her shoulder and shrugging innocently. “To shower.”
The door creaked open, her hand falling from the knob and to the edge of her - his - shirt hanging off her body. Her fingers grasped the dark fabric, sliding it up, up, up over her head and giving Ekko a clear view of her milky white skin dotted with freckles and scars that decorated her backside like constellations.
Then, just as the shirt came loose and slid free from her hands, the door clicked shut behind her and forced his gaze away from her skin.
And as Ekko scrambled after her unashamedly, shedding his own shirt along the way, he decided that this was the one battle he could stand to lose.
⌛️
“This is embarrassing for you.”
Ekko pulled his gaze away from the checkered board, a painted white pawn clutched firmly in his palm as his eyes flickered to his opponent sprawled in the grass and leisurely eyeing the board like it was a passing attraction.
“What?” Ekko replied flatly, attempting to regain his focus. He’d gotten out of tougher spots than this. He just needed to think.
Jinx rolled her eyes, head lolling back and sending tendrils of blue trickling through the grass like a river cutting through a meadow. “You’ve been staring at that piece for ten minutes,” she snorted, shaking her head smugly. “Just admit you lost.”
“I still have my queen.”
“And I,” Jinx paused to flourish at her army of black chess pieces scattered around his side of the board. “Have her surrounded. You’re done.”
“Well, maybe if you’d let me focus-”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Jinx crooned, not sounding the least bit sincere as she pulled herself up from the grass and stretched her arms high above her head. “Am I distracting you?”
He glanced at her for only a moment, gaze fixing back onto the board stubbornly. “You have grass in your hair.”
Jinx just groaned, collapsing into the grass once again. “You know you can’t beat me.”
“I can get out of this,” he insisted.
Jinx muttered something unintelligible, though Ekko could imagine it was either an insult or something incredibly vulgar. He didn’t care to reply as his fingers danced along the carved wooden shapes spaced across the board, grasping hold of his desired piece and sliding it into a new spot and snatching the black piece previously occupying it. He nodded in satisfaction, holding his breath as Jinx reached forward for her turn.
One sharp swipe of the piece closed in her hand and it was over.
“Checkmate,” Jinx announced with little enthusiasm, having known her win was imminent. She flicked her rook at him. “Eat my dust, nerd.”
“Best two out of three?” He offered, already resetting the board and giving her mockery no response aside from a fond shake of his head.
“You’re that eager to lose again?”
“I wouldn’t be so cocky if I were you,” he flicked the chess piece back at her, making her huff in offense. “You won’t outsmart me more than once.”
Jinx tilted her head, a competitive fire lighting in her eyes. “Wanna bet?”
Perhaps if Ekko was a tad wiser and far less confident, he’d have the sense to back away from such a challenge.
Unfortunately, he was neither of those things.
He leaned forward eagerly, the desire for victory burning through his veins. “What are you willing to risk?”
A slow smile spread across her face, wicked and self assured in a way that made him shiver. “How about that game you’re so wound up about?”
“You’ll join my team?” He asked, voice tipped with intrigue.
“No,” she grinned, leaning in and whispering conspiratorially. “But I’ll tell you everything that Scar’s planning.”
“Deal!”
Ekko pushed his first pawn into place, already mapping out his next five moves before Jinx had even looked at the board.
Her eyes twinkled, almost glowing in the sunlight. “What about if I win?”
He shook his head, conviction flowing through him as he watched her make her first play. “Not gonna happen.”
Her mouth quirked, like that answer pleased her. “Your funeral.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Silence fell between them as their eyes dropped to the board, the clacking and shuffling of game pieces and the occasional soft huffs of frustration cutting through the fragile quiet. Neither of them dared speak, time passing with each held breath and patient acquisition of their rivals pawns until a massacre of wooden game pieces sat between them with only a few survivors dotting the black and white board.
Their eyes met over the board, the air thick with tension and determination swirling in their gazes.
“Give up yet?” Ekko remarked, voice sharp and focused as he planned his next move.
“You wish.”
The battle continued, hands flying across the board to grab at pieces mere seconds after the other finished their turn. Ekko spotted an opening, eyes widening and surging forward to slap his piece against the board. Just one more move and-!
He realized his mistake too late, watching in horror as Jinx lunged for the opening he’d just given her by moving his piece into her carefully laid trap. She’d tricked him, sacrificing one of her own to gain an opening and wipe him out. Her piece struck the board, the wooden clack resounding in his ears like a thunder strike.
Jinx let out a whoop of victory, fists raised in the air and middle fingers splayed in his direction, the painted smiley face on her prosthetic finger adding insult to injury. “Checkmate, bird boy!”
“Wh- wait!”
Jinx let out a cackle one could only describe as maniacal, jumping to her feet and cheering loudly in victory. It would be an adorable sight if Ekko weren’t sulking.
“You know what this means, right?” She plopped back down right in front of him, pushing aside the board unceremoniously and sending chess pieces toppling into the grass. Her eyes sparkled with pure mischief.
“You won the bet,” Ekko sighed, smiling despite himself. “What’s your prize?”
Jinx hummed conspiratorially. “You help me spray paint some very vulgar things on Kiramman’s lawn?”
Ekko huffed out a laugh. “Not that I’m against it, but-”
Jinx snorted, the sound puttering off into a cute laugh. “Kidding! I mean, I would, but Vi would be furious!”
“Ah, she’d get over it,” Ekko joked, scooping up the various pieces of the chess game and packing them away. “So what is it you want, then?”
Jinx hummed thoughtfully, reclining into the grass and relaxing into the greenery with her arms stretched above her head, the action making her already cropped tank top ride up and expose her tattooed midriff. Ekko found himself distracted by the sight, so much so he barely heard when Jinx finally answered his question.
“A favor.”
“What kind of favor?”
“Dunno yet,” Jinx shrugged, lips twitching into a subtle smile. “Just seems like a good idea in case I wanna rope you into something crazy.”
“This seems like a dangerous thing to agree to,” he mused to himself.
“Well,” Jinx began, looking smug. “When you start to suck less at chess, maybe you’ll get to call the shots.”
“Next time,” he promised. “You can only win so many times before I know all your tricks.”
“You’ll drive yourself crazy trying to figure out what goes on up here,” she laughed, rapping her knuckle against her temple. “Might as well just give up now.”
Ekko shook his head, wrapping his hand around her wrist and bringing her closed fist to his lips. He wondered if she knew that figuring her out was his favorite thing in the world. Learning about her, knowing her as well as he knew himself. It was a pursuit he’d never tire of.
“Never.”
⌛️
“Don’t you ever get tired of hitting something that doesn’t hit back?”
Ekko paused, dropping his fist halfway to the punching bag and huffing out a short laugh as his girlfriend slid into view.
“Not really,” he replied honestly, shrugging softly as he scooped up his water for a drink. “Just testing my reflexes before the game.”
It was only a few days away now. The whole hideout was practically buzzing with excitement, crafting last minute traps and plans and running about the small training area to practice their moves.
They’d all cleared out at nightfall, of course. Rushing off for a good night's sleep or to spend some time with friends. Any other night, Ekko might’ve done the same and holed himself up in his lab to work on some project he’d been putting off.
But not tonight, not when every punch and strike only seemed to rile him up more and more. It was the same way he got right before a fight or raid, too wired to sleep or relax.
“Those reflexes won’t do you much good when Scar socks you in the nose,” she came closer, teasingly pressing her fist against the side of his nose for emphasis. “I never got the point of hitting a stationary target. It’s so much more fun when they run.”
“Easy for you to say,” Ekko scoffed good-naturedly. “You’d catch them in a second flat with your reflexes.”
Jinx crossed her arms stubbornly. “I can fight without the shimmer.”
Ekko raised his hands in surrender. He didn’t doubt she could. In fact, he knew she could. Once upon a time, Ekko and his allies had been on the receiving end of her strikes. It didn’t matter if she had weapons or shimmer or nothing at all, she was deadly. “I know. I’m just saying you got an advantage now.”
Jinx let out a grunt, seemingly considering his words. He was just about to return to his punching bag when she tapped his arm urgently to get his attention.
“Fight me.”
“What?”
“Fight me,” she repeated, slowly as though mocking his previous incomprehension. “No weapons or fancy shimmer reflexes or anything.”
“Jinx…” Ekko wasn’t so sure he liked the sound of this plan, her words still reverberating around his mind and refusing to process.
“What? I could take you.”
“I know that, I-” Ekko sighed, trailing off. He knew that. He also knew he was capable of hurting her. The bridge flashed in his mind, red blood against pale skin. Sad eyes and the pull of a pin. He didn’t want to do that again, not even accidentally. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
Her lips parted slightly in surprise, her eyes darting away and telling him she knew exactly what was running through his mind.
“That was…different,” she began softly, hesitation in her voice like she was choosing her words carefully. “We were different.”
“I know, I just-” Ekko struggled to find the right words, thoughts whirling through his mind faster than he could process. “You’re not worried that I might…”
“I’m not scared of you,” Jinx said firmly, then faltered. “You don’t think that I would-?”
“No,” Ekko interrupted quickly, a small smile turning his lips despite himself. “I mean, I know you could take me. But that doesn’t…bother me.”
Her mouth quirked slightly at that. “No?” She asked softly, something vaguely teasing in her tone. “How’s it make ya feel, then?”
He chortled, turning away. “Shut up.”
She skirted around him, blocking his path and making him stop short. “Make me.”
He considered it a moment, she was clearly eager for a fight and he could use a sparring partner. Still, he couldn’t help but hesitate a little. “You’re sure?”
“Duh,” Jinx said flatly, playfully pushing his chest. “I wouldn’t be asking if I wasn’t, right?”
He hummed in thought, then nodded. He held up a single finger. “One round.”
Jinx agreed, then tilted her head. “How long?”
Ekko wandered over to his belongings, fumbling with his watch for a moment and setting a timer. “Five minutes? The last one standing wins.”
“Whoever lands on top,” she agreed with a cheeky grin.
The counter began and the pair circled each other hesitantly, falling into step on parallel sides as each one looked for an opening. Like animals hunting prey. Like dancers who moved to a rhythm only they knew.
Jinx lunged first, fist narrowly missing its target as Ekko raised an arm to block the strike as he maneuvered out of the way of her onslaught.
For a few moments, it was just a flurry of near misses and well timed blocks. Then with one swift kick, Jinx was sent stumbling backwards. Ekko froze.
Ekko’s hesitation in the following seconds turned out to be unnecessary, the blow barely slowing Jinx down as she recovered and flew back into the action. More hits were exchanged, blow after blow sending bursts of addictive pain burning across his skin.
Ekko ducked out of the way just as Jinx pounced, his arms circling her torso and her leg colliding painfully into his side as they crashed to the ground in a heap of flailing limbs.
They tussled for a moment as they both tried to gain the upper hand, Jinx kicking at his leg and trying to flip their current position. Ekko held fast, catching her wrist mid punch and pressing it hard into the dirt above her head, effectively pinning her down as her other hand joined the first in his grasp.
Things suddenly became very still, Jinx panting from exertion below him and tilting her head back into the dirt to examine the vice grip he had on her wrists. The position gave him a tempting view of her neck, bare aside from her usual jewelry and just begging to be touched.
Their eyes met for a brief second, her eyes traveling from her caged hands to his eyes then sinking lower to gaze at his lips.
Ekko could vaguely hear the watch ticking down the seconds somewhere off to his right, but he took no notice of the sound as he found himself leaning down ever so slightly to capture her mouth. His grip slackened on her wrists as she leaned up to meet him.
In one fluid motion, his leg toppled out from beneath him and sent him crashing downwards. In mere seconds, Ekko found his back flush against the dirt and his girlfriend straddling his waist. A hand was poised against his chest to push him back down when he attempted to struggle free.
The ticking stopped, the watch letting out a pathetic buzzing sound to alert that the five minutes were up before falling dead silent.
Jinx wriggled in place, an act Ekko was certain was meant to torture him further as she smirked slyly down at him from her perch. “I win.”
Ekko caught his breath, glaring up at her though he couldn’t manage to conjure any real ire to aim at her. “You cheated!”
“Did not!” Jinx protested, sticking her nose up at him and pouting at the accusation. “It’s not my fault you got distracted!”
Ekko puffed out a breath, a sound somewhere between a sigh and a laugh. “It was entirely your fault.”
He tried to lift her off him, but she pushed his hand away and not so subtly flexed her legs against his sides, squeezing his torso. “Admit I won.”
“Admit you tricked me.”
“Nobody likes a sore loser, mister.”
Ekko remained quiet, looking up at her expectantly. Jinx rolled her eyes. “Oh, so it’s like that, is it?”
Jinx slid off his lap, sauntering over to the watch and winding it back up. “One more time, then? Winner takes all.”
Ekko shouldn’t agree, not when she seemed far too eager. Not when they’d already decided on one round only.
But desperation was spreading like fire through his veins, thrumming just under the skin with the desire to beat her just once. To finally get one over on her.
So Ekko nodded, pulling himself to his feet and taking up a fighting stance as she strolled back over to meet him.
The fight began much the same as the first, trading blows and dodging strikes. Ekko watched her circle him, looking for the perfect moment to pounce. There was a glistening sheen of sweat across her pale skin, silvery moonlight creating a halo of sorts around her mussed hair. Ekko faltered for a fraction of a second, drawn in by the hypnotic rise and fall of her chest.
Jinx must have sensed his weakness, rushing forward to land another hit. Luckily, Ekko saw it coming. He jutted out a leg, pushing her back and dodging the fist flying in his direction.
Blow after blow and punch after punch still offered no clear winner. The ticking down echoed in his ears like the final seconds before an explosion, the both of them stumbling backwards from the others attack just as the telltale buzzing of the timer rang out.
Their eyes didn’t stray from each other as they caught their breaths, both of them storming forward and leveling their opponent with a fierce glare.
Simultaneously, they broke the silence between them. Words echoing around them and filling the air with conviction.
“I won!”
Jinx made a face, nose scrunching in offense at the shared declaration. “I hit you last!”
“No, I hit you last!”
“Did not!”
“Did so!”
Once again, voices mingled in the night:
“One more round!”
One more turned into two, which turned into three. Which, of course, continued into a fourth. Jinx was left in the lead, but Ekko wasn’t satisfied.
“One more!” He announced, already walking to reset the timer. From behind him, Jinx scoffed.
“No way! I already won!”
She raced after him, attempting to tug the watch away from him. Ekko hid it behind his back and reared away from her.
“We’re practically tied!”
“We are not!” She lunged behind him for the timer, snatching one end of it and tugging. Ekko held fast to his side, pulling it back and making her stumble forward.
She leveled an intense glare at him. “Let it go.”
“You first.”
She gave it a tug, rolling her eyes at him. “You just can’t stand losing, can you?”
He tugged back, her grip tightening as he did so. “And you can? I seem to recall you begging for another round too.”
“That was different!” Jinx insisted, stepping into his space and giving the device another pull, to no avail. Vaguely, Ekko heard a soft ticking emitting from between them, their constant push and pull having accidentally pressed the button.
Ekko wrenched it free from her grasp and she lunged instantly, he caught her wrist midway and pinned it behind her back. She made a sound somewhere between a laugh and a growl.
“Oh, I am gonna-!”
“What?” Ekko challenged, all bravado. “You’re gonna what?”
Jinx’s free hand shot out instantly in response, slapping the hand clenched around the watch and causing it to crumple to the dirt beneath them. Before Ekko could even protest, or try to retrieve his prize, her hand wrapped around his jaw and pulled him towards her.
Their lips collided in a searing kiss, the force of it sending Ekko stumbling back. His grip on her wrist slackened and moved to her waist instead, pulling her in closer and pressing their bodies flush against each other.
The kiss was a battle all its own, hands grasping skin in a vice grip and lips fighting for control with each forceful meeting of their mouths. Jinx caught his bottom lip, nipping hard and eagerly swallowing his responding gasp. Ekko tasted blood on his tongue, the metallic tang mixing with heated desire as the pair stumbled backwards and searched for some hard surface to rest against.
He tread over the watch, the hard metal digging painfully into his feet and sending the couple crashing into the dirt. Jinx let out a soft hiss into his mouth as her back hit the ground, arching against the dirt to press their torsos back together.
Ekko broke the embrace, a hand curling into her hair to tug her head back and expose the milky white expanse of skin along her neck and collarbone. He wasted no time in diving forward to lavish the area, leaving a trail of kisses and bites from her jaw to the crook of her neck to her shoulder.
Purple marks bloomed like flowers in his wake, marking her ruthlessly and to her clear delight if the sweet sighs and gasps erupting her from her parted lips were any indication.
Her hips rolled experimentally, the action sending spots of black dancing in his eyes. Her hand wrapped firmly around his bicep, nails digging into the skin as reality suddenly seemed to turn on its head. Ekko blinked the spots from his eyes, finding midnight sky when they opened and feeling hard ground beneath him.
Jinx didn’t give him a chance to complain about the new position as her hand fisted into his shirt and pulled him eagerly against her in another hot, forceful kiss searing with promise and intensity. She moaned against his mouth, fingers curling around his wrists to pull his hands flush against her waist and leading them up under her shirt.
At that moment, Ekko forgot all about wins and losses, games and rematches. He let Jinx take the lead, hands following her guidance and body bending to her will as she wordlessly told him where she needed him most.
He obliged, her every desire desperately fulfilled with eager touches and reverent hands.
Later, long after the ticking of the forgotten watch had announced the end to another round and petered off into silence, Jinx rested above him, his hands at her waist holding her upright as soft pants accompanied the heavy rise and fall of her chest.
Despite her breathlessness, Jinx’s lips twisted upwards into a satisfied smile as she met his watchful gaze. Her hand trailed up his cheek, grasping his jaw and tugging him forward as if to kiss him once more.
And then, lips centimeters apart and breath mingling, she laughed.
“I win.”
⌛️
Jinx crept around the base of the tree, makeshift obstacles and traps littering the ground. The flag of the opposite team stood proudly a few feet away, the deep green fabric fluttering in the night breeze.
Jinx glanced around the clearing. The other team seems to have dispersed completely by now, infiltrating the side Scar’s team had claimed to hide their own flag. Too easy.
Just as Scar had hoped, Ekko had stayed to protect the flag himself. No doubt because of Scar’s ingenious plan of recruiting Jinx for his cause. Ekko would never leave his prize unattended, knowing the type of tricks she had up her sleeve.
Jinx grinned as she watched him, her target unaware of her presence and standing protectively next to his team's flag.
She stepped backwards, slipping around the other side of the tree before he looked over and saw her. She tiptoed around the other end, planning the best way to get the jump on him as she came out the other end. She froze.
He was gone.
Jinx glanced around with a frown. Then shrugged carelessly and crept out from behind the tree to stroll over to the flag. She slipped past a trap effortlessly and reached out a hand to snatch the green fabric from the pole.
A hand caught her wrist, whirling her around to face him.
“What’re you doing?” Ekko asked casually.
“Oh, yknow…” Jinx said breezily, flourishing her free hand. “Just admiring this nice flag here.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Great craftsmanship. Mind if I-?” she reached out her hand again and he plucked her wrist from midair to join the other in his grasp. “Wow. Rude, much?”
“Is this Scar’s plan?” Ekko continued, unimpressed as he kept his fingers locked around her wrists in a loose grip. “Gotta say, I was expecting more.”
“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet, buster.”
Jinx pulled her hands back, poising them behind her back as she strolled back over to the tree. As expected, Ekko followed after her.
It was almost too easy to get him to leave his post, fighting back a smirk as his footsteps followed behind her. No doubt intent on keeping an eye on her in case she tried anything. So predictable.
“You know,” Jinx began, leaning against the rough exterior of the tree and tilting her head at him. “I could be across the base with that flag before you even have time to blink.”
“By all means,” Ekko gestured somewhat teasingly to the flag a few feet away. “Try it. See what happens.”
“Is that a threat?”
“A warning.”
Jinx put a hand to her heart. “Oh, I’m so scared.”
She took a few more stops in the opposite direction, the flag just barely in her periphery. In the distance, she watched Scar creep through the shadows towards the unprotected flag.
Ekko leaned up against the tree, his back to the flag and none the wiser as watched her. “What are you up to?”
“Who says I’m up to anything?” Jinx replied innocently, all but batting her eyelashes.
Ekko snorted, shaking his head fondly nonetheless. “That’s the least convincing thing you could’ve said.”
Scar crept closer, his eyes watching Ekko warily from afar. Jinx just needed to keep Ekko occupied for a few more minutes and get him far enough away to not be alerted. Then she’d give Scar the all clear. That’s what she was here for, after all.
“You already caught me trying to get the flag,” she reasoned carefully, stepping closer. “What else could I possibly do?”
“Oh, I’m sure you have plenty of ideas,” Ekko scoffed light-heartedly. Abruptly, he pulled her closer by the waist. “Guess I’ll just have to keep you close.”
Her cheeks felt hot, pale white giving way to a rosy red flush as fingers danced along her skin. “I guess so.”
Ekko seemed distracted enough now, the pair near fully obscured by the thick trunk of the tree. He’d never see Scar coming.
He squeezed her waist and Jinx gasped, all thoughts of the game slowly seeping from her mind as Ekko’s other hand lifted to trace a finger along her ear as he tucked loose strands of hair away. Jinx’s resolve faltered, leaning into the touch.
Jinx swallowed hard, trying to regain some control of the situation. She tried for a laugh, though it sounded far more breathless than she’d like. “Thought you were against fraternization with the enemy.”
Ekko grinned, brown eyes twinkling at the tease. His hand dropped from her face and down to her waist. Jinx didn’t have time to mourn the loss, inhaling sharply as he used the new position to hoist her into his arms. Her back hit the tree, legs scrambling around his waist as he braced her against the rough bark.
She bit her bottom lip, nails digging into his shoulder blades as he adjusted her in his grasp. He leaned in close.
“I won’t tell if you won’t.”
Fuck it. Scar could wait a few minutes.
Her hands fisted into his jacket, sighing contentedly into his mouth as he finally kissed her. He shifted against her, now holding her up with one arm and sliding the other out from beneath her and running it through her hair instead. Jinx preened at the attention, gasping approvingly as he moved stray strands of blue off her neck to suckle at the skin; still tender from the marks he’d left there just days ago.
Jinx went practically limp as he continued to trail his mouth along her collarbone, sliding her hands under his shirt to scratch and grasp at his tattooed back, fingers desperate for something to latch onto.
His lips returned to hers, surprisingly gentle as he explored her mouth in slow, intentional brushes. Jinx made a small noise at the back of her throat at the new angle, panting softly into his mouth and squeezing her thighs tighter around his torso.
He pulled at her hands, guiding them upwards. Jinx got the hint and wrapped her arms around his neck, the position bringing them even closer together. Ekko seemed pleased, humming against her lips and causing a breathless laugh to bubble up from her throat in response.
“Something funny?” He murmured, breaking the embrace briefly to tease her.
She shushed him petulantly, nuzzling closer to capture his lips again. He allowed it, the pair coming back together and exchanging slow, languid kisses that set her nerves alight.
The game was forgotten now, winning be damned. Jinx had never cared less about the outcome of some silly game than she did now, inhaling his intoxicating scent and surrendering wholly to the feeling of his mouth, hot and wanting, against hers.
A strange sound reached her ears then, voices overlapped in joyous shouts and getting closer by the second. Jinx frowned slightly, curiosity getting the better of her as she pulled away just barely to mutter against her boyfriend's lips. “What’s that?”
“That,” Ekko whispered back, eyes beaming with satisfaction as he took in the state of her. “Is the sound of you losing.”
Her eyes narrowed, letting out a soft hmmph and shaking her head uncomprehendingly. “The fuck are you talking about?”
“I knew Scar wouldn’t be able to resist stealing the flag himself,” Ekko explained smugly, pressing closer to nip at the shell of her ear. “And I knew he’d use you to get me away.”
The puzzle pieces fell into place, her lips parting in shock as she realized the trap she’d fallen into. The same one she’d planned for him.
“You tricked me!” Jinx wasn’t sure whether she sounded offended or impressed. She wasn’t sure which she was feeling, either.
Ekko let her down unceremoniously, watching with dark eyes as she caught her breath. “You didn’t seem to mind.”
Jinx flushed, crossing her arms defensively. “I was trying to distract you!”
Ekko offered a cocky grin in response. “I told you I’d figure out all your tricks.”
Jinx harrumphed and looked away stubbornly. She was honestly impressed by the deception, but it didn’t mean she’d admit he’d bested her.
Unfortunately for her, that seemed to be exactly what Ekko wanted from her.
“Are you gonna keep sulking?” Ekko mused, pulling her in by her belt loops. “Or can we go celebrate?”
She stuck her tongue out at him. “The first one.”
His mouth quirked. “Have it your way.”
Jinx shrieked in surprise as he scooped her up effortlessly, practically tossing her over his shoulder as he marched to where the other firelights were celebrating.
“Ekko!” She yelped, peals of laughter ripping from her throat. “Put me down!”
“Nah, think I’ll keep you for a while.”
“I know where you sleep!”
Her protests fell on deaf ears, though it didn’t help her case that she hadn’t made any real attempt to escape from his grasp. Compared to other positions, it was comfortable enough.
It wasn’t long before they arrived at the celebration. From her spot on her boyfriend's shoulder, she could see his team celebrating over drinks and a flickering fire. Scar’s team seemed in decent spirits, all pouting playfully as they enjoyed the get together.
Scar spotted them first. “Where the hell were you two?”
Ekko shrugged casually while Jinx wriggled in his grasp. “Oh, you know. Here and there.”
Ekko set her on the ground. Jinx huffed, making a show of dusting herself off and side eyeing him while the other firelights giggled from their seats.
Scar shook his head at her. “What happened to distracting him?”
Jinx gestured dismissively. “It didn’t really work out.”
Ekko plopped down into a seat, leveling a smug look at Scar. “Face it, man. You’re never gonna beat me.”
Scar scoffed, leaning back into his chair and waving a hand at Jinx. “That’s what she was for!”
Jinx just laughed as the two bickered, accepting a cup from a firelight girl - Tawny - and allowing herself to admire her boyfriend as he basked in his latest victory.
She loved the competition. The push and pull, the thrill of the win. Jinx had always especially enjoyed holding her victory over his head. Now, Jinx was beginning to think she enjoyed watching him win much more. If only because he looked damn good when gloating.
She’d still never let him win, of course. But she could enjoy the view while it lasted.
Ekko seemed to be thinking a similar sentiment, leaning close to whisper to her over the ruckus of his friends, though it seemed to fade out as he spoke. “How about we try working together next year?”
Jinx snorted softly. “Trying to get ahead of Scar this time?”
“Maybe,” he lifted his head, pressing a chaste kiss to her cheek. “Besides, we make a pretty good team.”
She relaxed into his side. “We do, don’t we?”
He hummed agreement. “It’d be nice to not be against each other for once.”
Jinx shook her head disbelievingly and elbowed him playfully. “Don’t pretend you don’t love it.”
He looked away stubbornly, the slight upturn of his lips betraying him. “No idea what you’re talking about.”
Jinx scooted closer, halfway in his lap now, and caught his gaze. She leaned in conspiratorially. “Admit it. You love the competition.”
“I like a challenge,” he conceded, pulling her fully into his lap. Jinx flushed a deep red, grateful that the majority of the party had ventured elsewhere. She preferred being alone with him anyway. “Easy is boring.”
“So that’s why you like me?” She teased, circling her arms around his neck. “Because I'm difficult?”
Ekko didn’t respond, instead lifting her chin and gently pulling her in. Jinx’s eyes fell closed.
Just as their lips met, a voice shattered the small bubble they’d found themselves in.
“Hey- woah!” Tawny glanced away quickly, clearing her throat awkwardly. “My bad.”
“What’s up?” Ekko asked as Jinx climbed out of his lap to find another drink.
Tawny jutted her thumb in the direction of the treehouse. “They’re busting out some old games up there,” Tawny explained. “They wanted me to see if you guys wanted to play.”
Both their heads shot up in interest.
“What kind of games?” Jinx asked eagerly.
“Uh, just some board games,” Tawny replied, looking slightly put off by the intensity directed her way. “A few card games.”
“Thanks, Tawny,” Ekko said quickly as he stood up and dusted himself off. “We’ll check it out.”
Tawny nodded, wandering off to likely join the others once more. Jinx and Ekko shared a look.
“You’re going down,” Jinx threatened.
Ekko glanced over to where Tawny had disappeared, as if considering. He leveled Jinx with an intense look. “First one there picks the game.”
“Oh, you’re on!”
“On three?”
Jinx rolled her eyes. “If you must.”
“Three…”
Jinx grinned.
“Two…”
She burst into a sprint, cackling maniacally as the sounds of Ekko’s protests and hurried footsteps followed after her.
“Cheater!” He called after her, voice alight with laughter even as he tried to sound cross.
“Ya snooze, ya lose!”
She raced up the steps, dodging his attempts to grab her as he thundered up the steps after her. She slowed to a stop outside the makeshift game room, laughter and jeers echoing inside.
And as Ekko caught up to her, grabbing her from behind to tickle at her waist in retribution as she squeaked with laughter, Jinx hoped he’d never tire of chasing her. Of fighting with her and trying to get the upper hand. She hoped he’d never stop trying to win.
She’d never make it easy for him, of course, but she knows that’s his favorite part of the game. She hoped he never stopped playing it with her, hoped this rivalry would never end.
She couldn’t imagine doing it with anyone else.