𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 || A Timebomb Fanfic

Collision Course

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T

he air in the tunnels was thick with the acrid smell of chemicals and rust, a smell that Jinx had long since grown accustomed to. She darted through the shadows, her boots making barely a sound against the cold metal floors of the undercity. Every step was calculated, every movement precise. Tonight, the plan was simple: intercept the shipment, cause chaos, and disappear before anyone knew she’d been there.

But, as always, her mind kept wandering back to Ekko.

Jinx let out a sharp exhale, shaking off the thoughts. It wasn’t like her to dwell on anyone—especially not him. He was just a problem to be solved, like all the others. Still, every time they crossed paths, it felt like the city itself was holding its breath, waiting for the inevitable explosion.

As she reached the tunnel’s entrance, Jinx crouched, her keen eyes scanning the faint glow of the streetlamps above. The shipment would be here soon, just like Silco said. And with it, her ticket to proving that she was still in control, still the queen of chaos in this broken city.

But tonight felt different. It wasn’t just a mission. She could feel it in the pit of her stomach—the anticipation of what was to come. The Firelights were close. And Ekko was always close.

She grinned, pulling her goggles down over her eyes. “Let’s see what you’ve got this time, Firelight,” she whispered.

---

Ekko crouched behind a stack of crates, his eyes narrowing as he watched the glow of the tunnel entrance. The Firelight team moved with practiced precision around him, their shadows flickering across the cold stone. He could feel the tension in the air, the anticipation of the coming confrontation.

He wasn’t nervous—he couldn’t afford to be. But every time he was in the same room as Jinx, the same narrow, grimy alley or rundown street, his mind seemed to race faster than his heart could keep up with.

Her, in particular, had a way of throwing him off balance. There was a reason why their encounters always felt like they were on the verge of a breakdown—an explosion, something irreversible.

He knew it wasn’t just the bombs or the chaos. It was her—her unpredictability, her sharp wit, and the way she saw the world. The Jinx in front of him was a far cry from Powder, the girl he’d once fought beside, the one who had been full of hope and dreams. But sometimes, on a good day, he still caught a glimpse of that girl beneath the wildness, beneath the madness.

As his team moved into position, Ekko’s mind wandered again—back to that night on the rooftop. The way she’d looked at him, with a mixture of anger and something else he couldn’t quite name.

Was it fear? Regret?

Or was it just the thrill of the chase, the game that they both seemed to be trapped in?

A crackle from his communicator brought him back to the present. Sira’s voice was low, almost a whisper. “Ekko. You see her?”

He leaned forward, eyes scanning the shadows. “Not yet.”

Sira cursed under her breath. “I’m telling you, she’s going to be here any second. We need to move before—”

The sound of footsteps echoed down the tunnel.

Ekko’s heart skipped a beat.

It was too fast, too precise, to be anyone else. He knew those footsteps. Jinx was already here.

“Everyone, move!” Ekko ordered, rising to his feet and signaling the others to fan out. He couldn’t risk losing her again—not tonight.

But as his team moved forward, Ekko hesitated. His gaze was locked on the darkened entrance, the place where the shadows clung to the walls like they were alive.

A soft, almost mocking giggle rang out from the darkness, and there she was. Jinx.

She stood in the doorway, her wide blue eyes glinting in the dim light, a mischievous smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She held a small, intricately designed bomb in her hand, like she was showing it off for a crowd.

“Well, well,” Jinx purred, stepping into the open. “Look who decided to show up. The Firelights, all in a row, waiting for their big moment.”

Ekko’s grip tightened on his Z-Drive, his mind racing. He hadn’t expected her to show up so early, or so confidently. There was no way she could’ve known about the shipment beforehand. Silco must’ve tipped her off, but why would he?

Jinx tilted her head, clearly enjoying the silence that had fallen over the group. “What’s the matter, Ekko?” she teased. “No witty banter this time? No clever little plan to catch me?”

Ekko’s jaw tightened. “You don’t belong here, Jinx. This isn’t your fight anymore.”

Jinx’s grin widened, and she took a step closer, her voice low and dangerous. “Oh, but it’s always been my fight, Ekko. You just forgot that part.”

She tossed the bomb from one hand to the other, her eyes locked on his. For a moment, the two of them were caught in an unspoken standoff, each waiting for the other to make the first move. And for a brief, fleeting second, Ekko felt the weight of everything between them—the years, the betrayal, the memories.

He couldn’t let his guard down. Not now. Not ever.

But Jinx was already there, pushing the limits, making him question everything he thought he knew about her. And about himself.

“You’re making a mistake,” Ekko said, trying to keep his voice steady. “You don’t have to do this.”

“Do what, Ekko?” Jinx’s voice was dripping with sarcasm. “Blow things up? Cause a little chaos? Maybe put a few people in their place?”

“You don’t have to hurt anyone,” he replied, but his words felt hollow, even to him.

Jinx’s smile faltered for just a second. There it was again—the flicker of something else beneath her madness, something she was trying to bury.

But before Ekko could process it, Jinx’s smile was back in full force. She threw the bomb into the air and caught it effortlessly, her eyes never leaving his.

“Here’s the thing,” she said, her voice dropping to a low, almost playful whisper. “I don’t want to hurt anyone, Ekko. I just want things to go boom. That’s it. It’s what I do.”

Ekko’s mind was spinning, his thoughts crashing together. This wasn’t just about the shipment anymore. This wasn’t just about stopping Jinx from blowing things up. There was something else—a tug, an ache, something far more dangerous than the bombs she carried.

He wasn’t sure if it was the city, or if it was her—maybe it was both. But in the middle of the chaos, in the middle of their fight, he saw her again. The girl he used to know. The girl he thought he’d lost.

He stepped closer, his voice low but steady. “You don’t have to do this, Jinx.”

For a moment, her eyes softened. Just for a moment.

But then her grin returned, sharp and cruel. She raised the bomb in front of her, her voice steady.

“Oh, Ekko… I already did.”

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