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Jinx has a date! It’s tonight and there’s not a person in her contacts who doesn’t know. That consists of about five people but it doesn't matter because his name is Nate and he’s in her Communications lecture. They’d been talking for a month, and Jinx had been careful about coming on too strong; per the advice of her last ex. Yes, the break-up was messy and loud and Jinx still twitches when she remembers their final argument, but she's over that, and she is totally great at taking criticism. She knows she can be…a lot sometimes so Jinx had been really careful about showing her full self as she and Nate danced around each other and now it paid off! She has a date!
Jinx applies her lucky blueberry-flavored lip gloss in the mirror as she adds the finishing touches to her look. With a pink two-piece set with heart buckle platforms and heart-shaped earrings peeking through the curtain of her loose hair, Jinx looks sweet. Sweeter than she feels, but you gotta present your best self, right?
"Good?" She asks as she turns away from her mirror to face Ekko.
"You look great." He says.
He's said that about all the outfits she's shown him and she's changed seven times.
"Are you sure?" Jinx fiddles with the heavy rings on her fingers. "Maybe I should take these off-"
"No." Ekko gets up from where he was lounging on her bed to hold her hands in his. "You look amazing."
His hands are warm and Jinx forgets she's freaking out. He squeezes her hands tight, the way she likes and for a second, everything's okay. And then she remembers her dermal pericing is heart-shaped and what if Nate thinks she's trying too hard? Jinx frets in front of the mirror again running her hands anxiously through her hair. Her hands feel ice cold now and she kinda wants to ask Ekko to hold them again until her nerves are all gone but that would take hours and her date is in-
Jinx turns on her phone to check the time and it's two minutes to when Nate said he'd pick her up.
"Oh my God." Jinx lurches from her spot, nearly bodiying Ekko on her way to the door.
"Alrightwishmeluckbye!"
Ekko didn't love Jinx's new person of interest, there was the fact that the crush he had on her in high school never really went away, and honestly, Nate's just kinda whatever, but…Jinx looked so happy when she talked about him. Bouncing around and twirling her hair. Smiling at her phone when he texted, a dreamy tone in her voice as she recounted the entire interaction for Ekko. When the guy had finally agreed to a date Jinx had nearly shattered Ekko's eardrums with her shrieking before leaping into his arms in celebration. She had been so happy and Ekko couldn't help but be happy for her. Which was why it stung to catch her on the side of the road, shoes in hand, dejectedly walking home in the dark.
The date had gone bad. Before anything had really happened the guy had cut the thing short, saying they weren't really compatible, and ditched her. Then her phone had died because she left in such a rush and she had snapped the string on one of her shoes. She explains all of this to Ekko through hiccups as her tears dribble purple mascara down her face. The whole thing kinda makes Ekko twist up inside, she shouldn't be crying over a guy like that.
"I tried really hard to be like, normal, y'know?" Jinx's voice is thick with tears.
"I didn't talk too much or say anything weird, and it just didn't matter!" She shrieks.
"Jinx…" Ekko starts, trying to calm her down.
Jinx seems to realize how loud she's being and embarrassment stains her face. She curls up tight in her seat and doesn't say another word. Ekko buys her a milkshake and some food because her stupid date was supposed to get them dinner and Jinx let's it melt, eyes glazing over as she stares at nothing
Just a few hours ago she had been practically glowing with happiness and now it was like she wasn't even there.
"Hey," Ekko says softly. "Can I show you something?"
Jinx peers at him through her bangs and nods a bit. She wipes at her face with napkins and watches curiously as Ekko makes his way to the outskirts of town. They pull into a clearing just as the moon comes fully out.
"C'mon." Ekko says, hopping out of the car.
He's trying not to get his hopes up too much because Jinx is in such a bad mood but he's been dying to show her this, and now's as good a time as any. Ekko helps Jinx out of the car and her cool hands see his as he leads the way, making sure to watch for any sharp objects she might step on. They walk for a bit before coming into a large field. The grass is high and a lake sparkles in the moonlight as it cuts through the valley. The only sounds are crickets and the rippling water. Ekko turns to a hesitant and confused Jinx and gently tugs her out into the open.
"Look."
— — —
Jinx gasps as her vision fills with twinkling green. The entire field is covered in firelights. She takes a step forward and the grass below her lights up as the little insects swirl away from her step and make lazy laps around her legs.
"Oh, wow." She breathes.
Ekko's warm hand gently lowers her down into the grass and they both sit as green lights swarm around them. Jinx giggles a little as the bugs clumsily settle on her. She holds out her hand and a firelight bumbles onto her fingers, sluggishly flashing its little bum.
"I've been meaning to show you this spot for weeks now." Ekko says softly.
Jinx turns and her heart skips a beat. Firelights blink all around him, casting a soft glow like tiny lanterns in the night. The moonlight spills across Ekko like a halo and the soft green of the fauna reflects in his eyes, it makes Ekko look beautiful, breathtaking actually.
Then a fat glowing insect lands on his lip and he splutters. Jinx laughs high and loud, her earlier heartache forgotten. Ekko shoves her lightly and Jinx shoves back and soon they're shoving and chasing each other as firelights zip around, making room for their shenanigans. When Ekko tackles her to the ground they wrestle like they did as kids, squirming and tickling eachother until they're breathless and giggling. Jinx digs her hand into the soft side of Ekko's gut and he cries uncle, collapsing next to her in breathless laughter. They lay there for a while, just stargazing.
"Do you feel better?" Ekko softly breaks the silence.
"Mm-hm." Jinx closes her eyes and sighs. "Just getting used to the feeling of being single forever."
"Why do you think that?" Ekko asks.
It feels like pulling teeth to explain.
"Ekko you know me, you know what I'm like."
And you've never left. Is what she doesn't say. Even when they drifted apart in high school, he's still right here.
"Not a lot of people can stand me for too long. I'm not like, lovable, y'know? I'm not the kind of person you want."
— — —
"Jinx…I…"
I want you. Ekko wants to say.
I think about you all the time.
I care about you.
I used to count how many times you smiled at me.
You know me better than just about anyone.
I want you so much it hurts sometimes.
"I think you're great. I think you're amazing." Is what Ekko does say.
The things Jinx is saying, they kinda sound like what her stupid ex used to say. And everytime anyone would say something they'd claim it was just a joke.
"I think you're super loveable," Ekko turn to look Jinx straight in the eyes. "Like, the best there is."
A soft smile spreads on Jinx's face and she combs her hair in front of her face they way she used to when they were kids.
"You're so beautiful." She murmurs.
Ekko chockes in surprise. He was apparently not supposed to hear that because Jinx sits up, spluttering, her face growing redder by the second.
"I didn't-I meant…I meant-"
She then gives up and buries her face in her hands, tucking herself into a ball.
"Hey." Ekko moves in and taps her knee before she can start spiraling.
She peeks up at him, looking like she wants the earth to swallow her up.
"I'm sorry." She sounds miserable.
"You're beautiful too," Ekko whispers. "I- I meant it. What I said."
"You think I'm beautiful?"
If Ekko could blush you'd be able to see it for miles.
"Yes. And…about being lovable. You are." Her wide eyes pierce into his.
"You're-" Ekko gestures uselessly between them. "I'm...Jinx I-"
He can't say anything more, his ears are burning so badly it's choking him. Jinx uncurls, moving in close and Ekko swallows. There's no way she can't feel the heat coming from his face.
"You...?"
Jinx puts a cool hand on his neck, burning any words away. Ekko's mouth opens and closes uselessly. Jinx presses another hand to his face, near his mouth, a silent request. His heart is beating so fast he might keel over. Jinx brushes a thumb over his lip. Oh, he's about to die.
— — —
Jinx places her hand on Ekko's neck, his skin is burning and his pulse is like a jackhammer. Ok, so he's at least half as nervous as she is. Jinx is not cute when she blushes, she goes completely red, it's none of that cutesy pink shit. Jinx's face is fit to explode, she's got tears and sweat smudging her make-up, there's grass and bugs tangled in her hair. And Ekko still thinks she's beautiful, smeared mascara and all.
The little foresight Jinx has tells her she might regret this, I mean what had Ekko said, honestly? But this is the nicest not-date she's been on in years and if she said she was over that crush she had on him in grade-school she'd be lying. Jinx quickly stamps her mouth onto Ekko's and pulls back. Ekko chases her lips, letting out a muffled whimper and it's so unfair what that does to her. She might regret this in the morning. Hell she might regret this in an hour but the moon is literally shining off his skin and that brief moment of contact had her lips buzzing. Like honestly she has no other choices.
Jinx pushes Ekko on his back and tries to get him to make that noise again.
— — —
The car ride home is quiet but not uncomfortable. Jinx's hair is mussed and Ekko's grinning like an idiot.They keep exchanging glances out of the rearview mirror and ducking away. They'll have to talk about this, whatever this is later. But for now, Ekko tastes blueberry on his lips, and it's making his heart do somersaults.