Work Text:
The walk back was longer than it should have been.
Not because the distance had changed; Vi knew these streets by muscle memory, could probably make the whole route half-asleep and still dodge the broken pavement, the loose grates, the spots that used to be worse than they looked now. Her body moved on its own, steady, automatic.
It was everything else that was off.
Quieter.
No sirens cutting through the air. No distant blasts rattling metal somewhere down the line. No tension sitting just under her skin, waiting for the next thing to go wrong.
The city wasn’t holding its breath anymore; it was exhaling, slow and uneven, like it didn’t quite trust the quiet yet.
Vi rolled her shoulders as she walked, working out the stiffness from a long shift. There was a dull ache sitting in her knuckles, the kind that never really went away anymore, just faded in and out depending on how much she’d had to use them. She flexed her fingers once, twice.
Her jacket hung loose off her shoulders, heavier than it should have been, but familiar; grounding in a way she didn’t think about until it wasn’t there.
It had been one of those days. Nothing big, no fights worth remembering. Just enough small annoyances stacked on top of each other to leave her tired and vaguely irritated.
And honestly, she had been expecting more noise and chaos when she got back.
She had left Jinx and Ekko alone earlier; probably not her best call, but they had both waved her off like it was nothing.
Jinx had been sprawled across the floor with parts scattered everywhere, half a dozen tools she wasn’t using and at least three she definitely shouldn’t have had. Ekko had been leaning over her shoulder, arms crossed, trying (and failing) to look like he wasn’t invested.
“Don’t touch that–”
“I’m not touching it, I’m improving it.”
“That’s worse.”
Vi had stood there for a second, watching the two of them bicker over something that looked like it might either become a functioning device or explode in their faces.
With Jinx, it was always a coin toss. With Ekko there, maybe slightly better odds.
Maybe.
“Try not to blow up the place,” Vi had said, already backing toward the door.
“No promises!” Jinx had shot back, way too cheerful about it.
Ekko had just given her a look; half exasperation, half ‘I’ve got it under control’. Which, coming from him, actually meant something.
Still. Those two in the same room?
There was always some kind of noise.
Which was why the silence hit her the second she stepped into the hallway outside the apartment.
Vi slowed, just a fraction.
The door was right where it always was. Nothing looked out of place. No scorch marks creeping out from underneath, no faint glow of something actively on fire.
She paused, her hand hovering near the handle. “…huh.”
No music bleeding through the walls. No clatter of metal. No raised voices: no arguing or laughing, no Jinx muttering to herself like she had three conversations going at once.
Vi frowned faintly, then let out a small breath through her nose, shrugging it off.
Maybe they had gone out. It wouldn’t have been the first time Jinx got bored halfway through something and dragged Ekko along for whatever impulse hit her next. Maybe Ekko had managed to pull her away before things got out of hand; get her out into the open air, clear her head a bit.
Or maybe he had just gone home already. Left Jinx to her own devices, which… yeah. That tracked too.
She pushed the door open.
The apartment greeted her with stillness, the kind you sank into after a long day.
Vi stepped inside, boots thudding softly against the floor. She closed the door behind her with a muted click, eyes moving and flicking automatically around the space, cataloging.
No obvious damage. Good sign.
Tools were still scattered across the main table, bits of metal and wire left mid-project. A half-disassembled something sat at the center, pieces laid out in a way that suggested Jinx fully intended to come back to it. A brown jacket (Ekko’s, she thought) was slung over the back of a chair.
So they hadn’t gone far.
Vi exhaled slowly, tension she hadn’t quite acknowledged easing just a notch.
“Guess they didn’t blow up after all,” she muttered under her breath.
She shrugged her own jacket off, tossing it over the arm of the couch, then flexed her fingers again. The ache in her knuckles flared a little sharper now that she had stopped moving.
Yeah. That needed dealing with.
Vi reached into her pocket, pulling out the last of her clean hand wraps, and then paused, frowning down at the short length of fabric in her hand.
Right.
The rest were in Jinx’s room.
She had grabbed a couple earlier, meaning to replace them, and never got around to it. The usual.
With a quiet huff, she stuffed the wraps back into her pocket and pushed herself off the couch, heading toward the hallway. No hesitation, no second thought; just another small task to tick off before she could properly unwind.
The quiet followed her, pressing in just enough to stay noticeable.
Jinx’s door was closed, but Vi barely registered it.
That wasn’t unusual; Jinx shut herself in all the time when she was deep into something, either hyper-focused or just not in the mood for interruptions.
Vi didn’t usually bother knocking.
She reached the door, already half-focused on rewrapping her hands, and pushed it open with easy familiarity.
Every syllable she might have formed faltered, fading into the stillness before it could be heard, because the room was most definitely not empty.
Jinx was perched on the edge of the table, but not the way she usually was. Not sprawled, not fidgeting; anchored.
She had one leg hooked around Ekko’s hip, pulling him in close, the other brushing against his thigh. Her back arched slightly as she leaned into him, cheeks flushed, lips parted and breath just a little uneven.
She was also wearing very, very little; that was, even for Jinx.
Her skirt was still on, mercifully so; Vi chose to count it as a win, even if it was rucked up beyond decency and practically useless in a situation like this. Higher up, her bra was barely doing its job, straps slipping loose over her shoulders, her skin still faintly flushed where his hands had clearly just been.
Ekko was right there between her knees, close enough that there was no space left to pretend otherwise. He held a hand firmly at her waist, fingers curling faintly like he might pull her in again on instinct alone.
His shirt was gone as well, discarded somewhere on the floor without a second thought. His bare back was fully exposed under the caresses of Jinx’s hands, fingernails pricking firmly into his skin as she pulled him closer, like she refused to leave even an inch of space between them.
His breathing was quick, shallow, matching hers in a way neither of them seemed to notice, or care about.
And they were kissing.
Not awkward, not tentative.
Not a peck.
Not even close to something that could be mistaken for innocent.
No, Vi’s brain supplied, immediately and unhelpfully, they were fully making out like the rest of the world had agreed to stop existing for their convenience.
Slow. Deep. Familiar in a way that made something in Vi’s stomach drop straight through the floor, because it was very clear that this wasn’t new, uncertain, or even remotely accidental.
Which was great for them, really.
Fantastic.
Except for the fact that none of them had noticed Vi standing there, eyes wide and completely frozen.
Then the door creaked faintly behind her as it settled.
Ekko reacted immediately, eyes flickering open just enough to catch movement.
The moment he saw her, everything snapped.
He pulled back abruptly, breath catching, hands jerking away like he had been burned.
“Vi–!”
Jinx followed a second later, not nearly as dramatic. She leaned back against the table, chest rising and falling a little faster than usual, lips still slightly parted and kiss swollen, gaze drifting lazily toward the door. There was the faintest flicker of something – surprise, maybe, or the ghost of awkwardness – but it barely stuck before her usual composure slid back into place.
“…people knock, y’know.” she said, voice a touch breathless but otherwise completely unfazed, annoyed even.
Vi just stared.
Her gaze dragged from Jinx – very clearly underdressed, very clearly just interrupted – to Ekko, who was now in full damage-control mode.
“…oh shit,” Vi said.
A beat.
“…oh, that’s– wow. That’s a lot.”
Ekko was already scrambling, dragging his shirt down over his head the wrong way before yanking it straight, hands moving too fast to be coordinated. At the same time, he was trying to fix his pants, fingers fumbling slightly as he worked the buttons back into place.
“This– this isn’t– how I–” he started before giving up halfway through, face was still flushed and breathing not quite settled yet. “Shit.”
Jinx watched him for a second, amused, still leaning back on her hands. She shifted slightly, adjusting her balance, but made absolutely no move to cover up, not even trying to pretend she gave a single crap about the current situation she was in.
Vi turned halfway like she might give them a second, and then immediately turned back.
“No, no, I’m not missing this. You’ve committed, you’re finishing that struggle in front of me.”
Jinx snorted.
Ekko shot her a look that was half plea, half disbelief, but kept going, finally managing to button his pants and tug his shirt down properly.
Vi gestured vaguely in Jinx’s direction now, still without looking fully away from Ekko’s ongoing disaster.
“And you– shirt, now. Please. I don’t need to see all this. This is… god, this is gross.”
“Oh, chill out,” Jinx shrugged, completely unbothered, throwing her head back as she sighed. “We’re sisters. We’ve literally changed around each other a million times.”
Vi immediately made a face. “Yeah, and that only works when my memory isn’t permanently stained with the image of his hands all over you.” She pointed sharply between them. “Context matters!”
Ekko muttered under his breath, “I’m really glad that’s the part you’re focusing on.”
“Oh, I’ve got plenty I’m focusing on,” Vi shot back. “None of it good.”
Jinx cackled again, the sound bright and easy, whatever tiny flicker of awkwardness there was already gone.
Ekko exhaled as he finally got himself together, smoothing his shirt like that would somehow fix the situation.
“…okay,” Vi said at last, dragging a hand down her face as she stepped further into the room. “First things first.” She flicked a hand between them. “You two?”
Jinx grinned. “Well, duh.”
“Since when?”
“Hmm,” Jinx tilted her head, pretending to think. “Since you weren’t looking.”
Vi let out a disbelieving laugh, pacing a step.
“Unbelievable. I leave you two alone for five minutes and you start making out on tables like it’s a normal Tuesday.”
Jinx snorted. “Please, it’s been way longer than five minutes.”
Vi stopped, leveling a look at her. “You’re not helping your case.”
“Well, it’s not a case,” Jinx said. “It’s just reality catching up to you.”
Ekko rubbed the back of his neck, still tense. “We were going to tell you.”
“Yeah, well. A warning would’ve been nice before finding out like–” she gestured broadly between them, grimacing, “–this. A heads-up. A note. A sign on the door. Anything.”
“You’ve been so busy lately.” Jinx smirked, tilting her head in defiance. “Hard to schedule a meeting, y’know?”
“I literally live here,” Vi shot back. “In the same apartment you do.”
“Debatable.”
That earned her a look, but it softened just as fast as it appeared.
Jinx laughed again, stepping closer to Ekko like nothing ever happened, her shoulder brushing his.
Vi watched them; really watched this time. The way Ekko was still a little braced, like he was waiting for her reaction to swing. The way Jinx leaned into him without thinking, like it was instinct.
Vi slowed to a stop, her expression shifting.
“…huh,” she said quietly.
Then she stepped forward, closing the distance with Ekko in a few easy strides.
He straightened automatically.
Vi stopped right in front of him, looking him up and down, then flicking her gaze briefly to Jinx before landing back on him.
“Well,” she said, a crooked grin forming, “guess I should’ve expected you to go for dangerous.”
Ekko exhaled, a hint of a smile tugging despite himself. “You say that like you’re not the same.”
“Oh, I might be,” she said easily. “Difference is I don’t get caught like that.”
Jinx snorted behind him. “Skill issue.”
Vi huffed a laugh, then tapped a finger against Ekko’s chest, light but deliberate.
“Alright, here’s how this goes. You break her heart,” she said, voice dropping just enough to carry weight under the humor. “I break you. Deal?”
Ekko met her gaze, steady now. “Deal,” He said, voice sincere.
Vi held his gaze for a second longer before nodding once. “Good.” she said finally. “‘Cause I really like you, Little man. Would be a shame.”
Jinx groaned loudly. “Wow. Riveting. Are you done doing the whole ‘big scary sister’ thing?”
Vi snorted, stepping back. “Please, that was me being nice.”
“Terrifying,” Jinx deadpanned.
The edge faded just as quickly as it came. She stepped back, rolling her shoulders, glancing between them again with a look that was more amused than anything now.
“…still can’t believe this,” she muttered.
Jinx smirked. “You’re slow.”
“Yeah? And you’re annoying,” Vi shot back, no real bite in it.
She jerked her chin toward Jinx.
“But seriously, though. Shirt.”
Jinx groaned theatrically, rolling her eyes as she finally reached for it, dragging it on with exaggerated slowness.
“Happy now?”
“Immensely,” Vi said dryly.
She studied them for half a second longer, then nodded back.
“Alright. Then we’ll… talk about it properly later,” she said. “When my brain’s caught up and I’m not actively trying to erase the last five minutes.”
“Dramatic much,” Jinx muttered.
“It’s accurate,” Vi shot back, jerking her thumb toward the door. “And for now? Doors stay open.”
Jinx groaned instantly. “Oh, come on.”
“Nope,” Vi said. “You lost door privileges today.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Life’s not fair.” Vi replied easily, waving a hand between them. “We can revisit boundaries later. Preferably when everyone’s fully dressed, emotionally stable, and…” she glanced at Ekko, squinting slightly, “your pants are actually zipped.”
There was another beat.
Ekko froze.
Jinx looked down, and then back up.
“That’s smooth, Firefly,” she started, already laughing.
Ekko immediately looked down, realizing his slip. “…Shit,” he muttered, mortified, turning slightly as he quickly fixed it.
Vi just stared for a second, then dragged a hand over her face. “Yeah. Yeah, we’re definitely continuing this conversation later.”
Ekko turned around again, clearing his throat like that might restore some dignity. “I… yeah. That’s fair.”
“Good. Glad we’re all on the same page.” Vi nodded, satisfied. “Next time, though?” she added. “Lock that damn door. Or I’m coming back in with a bucket of cold water.”
Jinx made a face. “Oh, you wouldn’t.”
Vi grinned. “Try me.”
“Please don’t.” Ekko groaned.
Jinx snorted, then shot Vi a look. “Oh, so now you care about doors? Funny, coming from someone who disappears for hours with her Piltie and somehow forgets how walls work.”
Vi blinked, face flushing like Ekko’s. “That’s–” she jabbed a finger at her, immediately defensive, “That’s not the same thing.”
Jinx grinned wider. “Mhm. Sure. Real quiet too. Super subtle.”
“Yeah?” Vi shot back, without missing a beat. “At least we’re locked.”
Anorher second passed by, and Ekko choked on a laugh.
Jinx tilted her head, grin turning sharper. “Well, I could start locking the door if someone allowed me to close it in the first place.”
“Yeah, no. Try again tomorrow.” She answered promptly, scoffing. “I’ve had enough for today. Worth the shot, though.”
Jinx groaned. “You’re the worst.”
Vi snorted, already turning away. “And you’re still about twelve in my head, so be grateful I’m not reporting anything illegal.”
Ekko let out another quiet and breathy laugh, this time not even trying to hide it.
Jinx just rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling as she leaned back into him like she had never moved away at all.
Vi watched them for a second longer, shook her head, and muttered under her breath:
“…still gross.”
But even then, she couldn’t quite hide her tender smile as she left.