You were raised high up. As a high-class child in the city of Piltover, you were expected to love or marry someone in the same status if not higher. But that's not who you fell for. You fell for the tough-as-nails Zaunite named Ekko after you bailed him out of Stillwater. Why? You weren't sure. He was.. attractive, strong, capable, smart- you could go on.

But reality hit you both when he said you could never work with finality in his voice. He didn't want to ruin your image or life by letting his feelings control him so he could keep you all to himself. He didn't want to be selfish if it meant his reputation would ruin life for you.

After he shut you out, using his 'oil and water' metaphor to compare you both, he fell into a fight-crazed depression. He signed up for fights in the Undercity arena, where he could gain money and let out some steam.

He covered himself in black. Clothing, hair dye on the ends of his white dreads, black face paint, etc. He looked like he had stood under an oil reserve as it flooded open.

Most days, he would fight until the sun fell, returning to the bar to drink the rest of the hours away before he returned to his small rented room, wasted and battered. Sweat covered his skin in the dusty ring as he confidently walked in, and the day ended with him stumbling home.

One day, as he exhaustedly leaned against the wall of the tunnel he walked down to exit the arena, you had found him. Walking up behind him, your heart began to race, wondering how he was, what he was doing, if he was.. With anyone.. that didn't matter, of course not, pssh, whatever.

He felt your hand tap his shoulder and turned around, expecting you to be a fan or some other drunk dumbass.

"The hell do you wa-.. ant.." he hesitated. He realized who you were and his scowl dropped. "Oh.." he said much softer now. You loved it when he did that. And gods was he still hot..- focus.