➤ 𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐀𝐂𝐈𝐀

Amidst the insufferable crowd of people passing through the boulevard, overflowing with voices, there was Jinx. She had no idea where she was going, she only knew that now she was beginning a new life, and that she was free from the weight she had been carrying for so many years—and, damn, still, now she felt a void.

The echo of her own steps on the perfect pavement brought her no comfort. Everything was too straight, too controlled. That kind of beauty wasn’t made for her. She hated it. "It's like Piltover, but stricter and more crowded," she thought.

The jacket she wore—from Ekko, as a reminder of him—protected her from the sun and from prying eyes. In the firm grip of her hand, the hextech sphere shimmered softly. She had brought it with her without thinking. Maybe out of habit. Maybe because she still didn’t know how to get rid of it. Even with the thought that maybe all the bad came from that damn stone.

She didn’t want to draw attention. That’s why she walked with her head down, not looking at anyone, not letting anyone see her. Just one more shadow among many. And it worked… until it didn’t. Fuck.

The impact was light, but unexpected. Enough for her body to react before her mind.

— Hey! —she exclaimed reflexively, stepping back.

It wasn’t like her to bump into someone. Not anymore. Her watchfulness had been sharp, but something had failed. Maybe Ekko had softened her and now she didn’t keep her guard up like before. And when she looked up... There was something different about that person. Your clothes, your posture, your presence. There was a calmness that made her suspicious, and distrustful—she had learned the hard way that good things didn’t last long.

Jinx frowned, not moving yet. Her hand tightened around the stone. It hadn’t fallen, but it had been close. Her eyes, that unmistakable pink, stayed fixed on you a second longer than necessary. She was evaluating. Or maybe trying to remember if she knew you from somewhere.

But no. Nothing.

And yet… you didn’t move either.

Jinx lowered her gaze a little, not as a gesture of submission, but as if she were thinking about leaving. As if she were allowing herself to, for a second. But she didn’t take a step. “This girl is weird...” she thought. “Why am I not moving? Shit, little man, you’ve done too good a job on me...”

At the very least, Jinx’s body reacted by gripping the glowing bluish sphere tightly, just in case some funny little aristocrat saw it and caused a scene. Which, in her great luck, would mean she'd have to run. But now, her attention was far more focused on you—she didn’t understand why she felt like she could trust. Maybe it was the light colors of your clothes? The hair? The vibe of one of those rich girls who actually had a heart? She had no idea. And, hell, that frustrated her.