𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 || A Timebomb Fanfic

Ghosts of the Past

·:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:·

The Firelight base was alive with quiet murmurs of preparation as dusk settled over Zaun. Jinx lingered in the workshop, tinkering with a small explosive device she’d been working on. Her focus wavered, though, her mind drifting to the mural the kids had shown her. She couldn’t stop thinking about their wide eyes, their laughter, and the strange warmth it had left in her chest.

It scared her.

Ekko appeared in the doorway, his arms crossed as he leaned against the frame. “You’re thinking about it, aren’t you?”

She jolted, nearly dropping the device. “What are you, a mind reader now?”

He smirked. “You’ve got that look. Like you’re trying to solve a puzzle you don’t know how to finish.”

“Maybe I am,” she muttered, returning to her work. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

He stepped inside, taking a seat across from her. “It’s my business if you’re part of this team.”

Her hands froze for a moment before she forced herself to keep working. “You keep saying that. But let’s not pretend your Firelight buddies think the same.”

“They’ll come around,” he said simply.

“Will they?” She finally looked up at him, her expression hard. “Because I’m starting to think you’re the only one who doesn’t see me as a ticking time bomb.”

“Maybe I’m stubborn,” he admitted, leaning forward slightly. “Or maybe I know you better than you think.”

For a moment, she couldn’t look away from his steady gaze. The weight of his belief in her was overwhelming, almost suffocating. She wanted to shake it off, to laugh it away, but the words wouldn’t come.

The moment was broken by the sound of hurried footsteps echoing through the hallway. One of the Firelights, a wiry teen with a serious expression, appeared in the doorway.

“Ekko,” the boy said, glancing nervously at Jinx. “We’ve got movement near the Shimmer docks. Sira wants you to check it out.”

Ekko nodded, standing. “I’ll handle it. Stay here,” he added, directing the last part at Jinx.

She bristled. “Stay here? What am I, a pet?”

“It’s not about that,” he said, his tone calm but firm. “I just don’t want you walking into a fight we don’t understand yet.”

She crossed her arms, scowling. “I can handle myself, you know.”

“I know,” he said softly. “But I need you to trust me on this.”

The sincerity in his voice disarmed her, and she reluctantly nodded.

---

Hours passed, and Jinx found herself pacing the workshop, her restlessness growing with each minute. She hated being left behind, hated the idea of Ekko out there without her.

The door creaked open, and she whirled around, expecting Ekko. But instead, it was Sira.

“What do you want?” Jinx snapped, her defenses immediately rising.

Sira stepped inside, her expression unreadable. “I wanted to talk.”

Jinx laughed bitterly. “Oh, this should be good. What, you want to tell me to stay away from your precious leader?”

“No,” Sira said, her voice surprisingly soft. “I wanted to apologize.”

That caught Jinx off guard. She raised an eyebrow, skepticism clear on her face. “Apologize? For what?”

“For how I’ve treated you,” Sira admitted. “I don’t trust easily, and you… you’ve made it hard for anyone to see past what you’ve done. But Ekko sees something in you. Maybe it’s time I try to see it too.”

Jinx didn’t know what to say. The vulnerability in Sira’s tone wasn’t something she’d expected.

“Why now?” she asked, her voice quieter than before.

Sira hesitated before answering. “Because I see how much he cares about you. And because if there’s a chance you can help us, I don’t want to be the one who pushes you away.”

The words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning. Jinx didn’t fully trust them, but a small part of her felt the faintest flicker of something she hadn’t allowed herself to feel in years: hope.

---

Ekko returned just before dawn, exhaustion etched on his face. Jinx was waiting for him in the workshop, arms crossed as she leaned against the wall.

“You’re late,” she said, her tone teasing but tinged with concern.

He gave her a tired smile. “Didn’t know you were keeping track.”

“Somebody’s got to.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “It wasn’t as bad as we thought. Just a few Shimmer runners trying to stir up trouble. We handled it.”

“Good,” she said, her voice softer now.

For a moment, they just looked at each other, the silence between them comfortable.

“Jinx,” he said finally, his voice hesitant.

“Yeah?”

“I just want you to know… whatever happens, you don’t have to face it alone.”

Her heart twisted at his words, and for once, she didn’t deflect or brush him off. Instead, she nodded, her defenses lowering just a little more.

“Thanks, Little Man,” she said quietly, the nickname carrying less bite than usual.

He smiled, and in that moment, it felt like the distance between them had grown a little smaller.

·:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:·