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It was adorable to see the two small hurricanes, usually called children, get ready in the house she and Ekko share, hushed laughter and giggles carried along the autumn breeze on their porch as they put the final pieces to their (admittedly tiny) Halloween costumes together. It is adorable to see Isha and her friend making the most out of their time before all four of them are going trick or treating, sheets already pulled over their heads.
The moment has already been eternalized, Polaroid camera dragged out of hiding and multiple pictures taken, now proudly displayed on the fireplace mantle. Vegetables have been eaten, complaints and excitements have been aired, which means all there’s left to do is… enjoy it.
Jinx is sitting on the small swinging bench they have standing against the window. Their opened door lets out all the warmth, giving way to summer’s end and allowing for the possibility of a hasty escape of their cat, but she can’t find it in herself to care. Not now, not when hearing the joy Isha and her new friend have found in the piles of leaves, kicking brown and orange into the air as they chase each other. There’s innocence in a child’s smile, happiness to be found in their ability to be completely in the moment, and Nora’s presence seems to draw even more laughter out from Isha than usual. The old, somewhat stained, sheet does little to hide it, the sound making it all the way to their front door from where they’re playing on the pavement without any difficulty, and it’s contagious.
Even though she’s sitting quite far away and isn’t able to see the details of their interaction, the smile Jinx wears is nearly etched onto her face. She watches a new gust of wind threaten to steal their disguises, more giggles coming her way when it fails, and her cheeks hurt from how big she’s grinning.
It’s their first Halloween with Isha, Jinx’s first time celebrating in general, and she was so worried of getting it wrong. Absolutely terrified of not getting enough candy, of not making a cool enough costume, of letting Isha down in any way. But it seems she hasn’t, delight shown on Isha’s face every step of the way. When choosing out which flavor gummy bears to get, cutting the holes in the chosen white fabric so she could see, making a spiderweb out of a chestnut, wooden skewers, and some yarn… it was hard to miss the hasty, excited, signing or the gleeful squeaks. The little rascal insisted her eyes be lined blue (an effort to be more like Jinx turning into one that has her looking like small ghost with glasses), was firm in her decision about cola flavored gummy bears, and jumped up and down at the mere suggestion of inviting a friend. Wonder in her eyes all throughout.
The process hadn’t been fun for just Isha either, Jinx got a fair share of her own enjoyment from watching Ekko run around trying to rise to all their expectations. How he managed to trip over not one but two chairs, how he dashed out of the door for another bag of candy to surprise Isha with— even though they already have too many, anxiety taking hold of him in a different way.
The entire day has been wonderful so far, is continuing to be so even as the evening chill creeps in. She’d even go so far as to say it’s getting better. Children slowly start flooding into the street with their parents and the first teenagers come out of hiding with their friends, occasionally coming up to her for their share of Halloween treats. Monsters and superheroes alike find peace for just a day as they bond over their mutual affection for sickeningly sweet goods, asking their greedy one-liner before they dip their paws or claws into the bowl of candy she set out for them. Their excited demeanor and enthusiasm, part sugar high, pave the way for much more good to come.
Plus… Jinx would be lying if she said the prospect of going trick or treating isn’t something she’s looking forward to as well, excited about seeing all the different kinds of characters people have chosen to be and curious to see what the holiday is all about.
She’s thinking of calling the little monsters she’s responsible for tonight over any moment now, of taking them out to have some fun and fill their pumpkin-shaped bowls. The urge is getting more urgent with each costume she compliments, except she doesn’t have anyone to alleviate her from candy-giving duty; leaving her unable to move from her spot. Ekko’s running late, probably having a hard time choosing what to get, and she’s getting antsier by the second. Simply sitting still and waiting has never been her strong suit and, well— a good amount of wrappers lies beside her already, the bowl in her lap getting emptier with every minute that passes as Jinx dips into her own supply. If he waits any longer, comes home any later, he’ll have to turn right back around and get even more candy for their stash.
But then he’d miss out on the experience of seeing Isha like this and she’d never deny him that, not while knowing of the serenity it might bring him. It’s like the calm right after a storm, the evidence of it still lingering around the living room and kitchen. Even as curious as she is, as impatient to take the kids door to door as she is, denying the view and warm feeling in her chest seems foolish, nearly impossible when another fit of giggles floats her way.
Isha notices their dinged up Kia driving up the street before Jinx does, excitedly pulling her friend along with her in the endeavor to greet him. The girls run towards Ekko’s car before he’s even properly made it to the driveway, nearly stumbling over their own feet in their haste. It’s still slowing to a halt while he rolls the windows down and waves at them, nearly matching the enthusiasm that gets thrust onto him with the beaming smile on his face he returns and the scared gasp as he exits the car, taking in their costumes for the first time.
“Oh no!” Jinx hears Ekko say, his tone wavering with humor he attempts to conceal in favor of playing up his shock. He’s not successful, not completely. His enjoyment still shows in his body, in the lack of tension flowing through his shoulders even when two demanding kids are asking for his attention, though she gets the impression he isn’t trying all that hard to push it down anyway.
“Ghosts! Two of ‘em!”
An amused sigh falls from her lips, tracing her eyes over the scene— wishing she could remember every detail. She smiles, meeting his eyes for a few seconds as she cups her mouth and yells back; “Who you gonna call?”
Ekko laughs, gracing her with an amused shake of his head. When he replies, shouting back the ‘ghostbusters’ cheer they’re both more than familiar with, he winks at her and she swears his grin grows so much she can see his teeth. Their moment doesn’t last long, only seconds have gone by before he turns his focus back towards the girls grabbing at his pants, but to Jinx it doesn’t quite end yet. She’s still enjoying the sight, still enjoying the domesticity she never thought she’d like.
He’s playing up the theatrics to please the tiny humans rising to their tippy toes to look in the car, trying to get a glimpse of what he brought with— Jinx can hear him deepen his voice as he compliments their outfit and crouches down to ruffle Isha’s hair all the way from where she’s sitting, feigned disbelief laced in every question he follows up with. Isha seems more than happy at the opportunity to brag about her costume, hurriedly signing him the details of her day and nodding so hard after Ekko confirms a piece of info that Jinx is afraid her head might fall off.
She loves them, that’s old news. Fuck, just about everyone who owns a pair of eyes and uses it to look their way must know of the affection she harbors. Yet the feeling in her chest burns just as bright as when she first noticed it, just as intense as when she listened to Ekko’s confession and just as overwhelming as when they first got to bring Isha home. In a way, it burns— though it’s oddly addictive. Warm, comfortable, she could curl up in it if she wanted to and die a happy woman knowing she got to experience this, listening to their happiness freely curl around the leaves floating through the air.
With one hand holding Nora’s, the other opening and closing the backseat door while he retrieves his bag, he watches Isha tell him the stories of how they couldn’t find any scissors, of how they finally found them behind the couch after hours of searching. She tells him everything, from how they baked cookies and burned them to how they decorated their living room with fake cobwebs and stuffed animals— most of which he was around for, helping her put a blanket fort together and making sure all her plushies got to look out the window. Though if Jinx were to trust his expression, if she were to go off the soft smile and how he continues asking questions he already knows the answer to, he doesn’t mind hearing it again one bit. The tranquility of his demeanor is not often found, he’s far from a stranger to passion and anger, yet amongst all the chaos of tonight’s events… he looks calm, jovial even.
When he asks about breakfast, his smile growing as he wonders about a meal he was very much present for, she knows he doesn’t mind— that he’s enjoying it. Not that she blames him, anything Isha shares is like gold to the both of them. Precious evidence of how their home has finally found its last puzzle piece, slotting together into the last gap perfectly when they hadn’t even realized there was a space waiting to be filled.
Ekko clicks the lock on their car keys and taps Isha’s shoulder as he watches her hands move, cocking his head over to the house to show Nora where they’re going and uttering a brief apology when Isha pulls his attention back to her story. Like a mother hen, making sure his chicks don’t wander off too far, he silently guides them on the path towards their front door. Towards her, Jinx’s mind sings, the smile pulling at the corners of her lips. The image nearly makes her heart explode, his face tilted down as he listens to Nora expand on one of Isha’s stories and the plastic bag he came home with tightly clutched in his hand, and when Isha stumbles over the hem of the white sheet she’s wearing it isn’t a surprise to see Ekko keep her from falling.
Isha was bound to trip sometime, Jinx reasons as she sits up straighter and drops her feet to the floor, trying to ignore the breath stuck in her throat. It was going to happen no matter what, she repeats in her mind, eyes still stuck on Isha’s every move and the insisted upon length of her costume as she shakes off the possibility of it happening again. Thankfully their little ghost isn’t caught off guard, carefreely giggling away while Jinx silently thanks Ekko for something she knows he’d have done no matter what.
Still, she stands up to welcome them anyway, to give him a hug, sliding on her shoes within record time and ignoring her untied laces. Wanting to give him a kiss on the cheek, to whisper something in his ear about one of the sillier costumes she’s seen tonight, perhaps even to help him put away some of his haul— just because, not to keep a small scare from growing in her mind. The bench sways behind her after she rises, the hinges creaking in a way befitting Halloween, and a few of the candy-wrappers that laid there get lost to the wind as the swing… well, swings back and forth. Jinx doesn’t bother chasing after them, nor does Ekko; not that he’s given much of a chance, even if he might have wanted to tell her off or pick the scraps of trash off the ground. By the time he has noticed, Isha’s already pulling him further onto their porch and his attention is held hostage once more by whatever tale she’s started telling him about now.
The remaining wrappers get haphazardly stuffed in her pocket, crinkling plastic joining the small bits of trash she’s already gathered there over the day’s course as she takes a step towards them. Towards her family; which still feels odd to say, even though Isha’s been in their home for close to a year now.
“Welcome home. We missed you,” she murmurs, putting minimal effort into fighting the smile on her face from growing out of control. Her eyes catch familiar brown, tension seeping from her shoulders as she pulls him into a hug. “Really, I say that— but we almost left without you. It’s good you got here when you did, pretty boy.”
He doesn’t call her out on the lie, the faint threat of leaving him behind, even if he certainly notices it— he always does, knows her better than Jinx knows herself. The teasing glint in his face says enough for both of them, warmth covering his every move as he lets himself be pulled flush against her and allows an amused huff to slip from his throat.
Ekko’s hand curls around her waist and he eagerly leans into the way her arms rest on his shoulders, an affectionate twinkle in his eyes as he looks at her. He dips his head down to place a kiss on her forehead, swift but firm, after which he lets his lips drift down to meet hers. She can’t help her smile from breaking through, can’t stop it from lifting the corners of her mouths as she leans into the quick peck he gives her. Nor can he keep her infectious joy from spreading, his expression mirroring hers when he moves away. He lingers less long than she’d like him to, less long than he normally would— the distraction in the background is swift to pull their focus back to reality. Nora giggles and scrunches up her nose while Isha lets out an annoyed huff, more than familiar with their antics by now yet just as ashamed as any other eight year old would be. Though as quick as she is to look away, as keen as she is to make her embarrassment known, Isha still sneaks a glance at her fellow ghost when she thinks nobody else catches her. When she meets Jinx’s gaze after a few seconds, the blush peeking from the holes in her sheet deepens and she’s swift to glance aside, making a firm point not to look at Nora again— until Isha does, her eyes flickering over to her companion when Nora lets out another string of giggles.
She’ll have to ask about that later, Jinx notes, but right now she find herself occupied otherwise.
“Are you sure? Those two little ghosts look like they managed to amuse themselves just fine,” Ekko says, pulling her attention back to his Cupid’s bow as he speaks. The beginning of a grin rests upon his lips, smugness laced somewhat into his tone— low, quiet enough for his words to stay inside the tiny bubble of safety they’ve momentarily found themselves in. “I’m beginning to think you might’ve just missed me.”
They watch the scene happening in front of them, for a little bit. Just a little while, happily freezing a moment they’ll both look back on later to their memories. Then, whispered so softly she almost doesn’t hear it, “I missed you too, bunny. ‘S good to be home”
The spell is broken when Nora tugs on Ekko’s pant leg, anxiously muttering something about needing to grab her bag from inside the house. He gives a featherlight peck to Jinx’s temple before he turns around, the small girl in front of him growing less hesitant when he tells her he needed to go in anyways— to put away the candy he says, though Jinx suspects that to be an excuse purely for Nora’s comfort. Though as much as she may mock his tactics, it works, seems to do the job of putting their guest for the evening at ease perfectly well. Nora nods, the movement bobbing her head exaggeratedly underneath the sheet, and whispers something to Isha before dashing off. She doesn’t really wait for him to elaborate or follow, runs inside their house like she’s able to find what she needs on her own just as well.
Which she can, Jinx supposes. She’s been over enough times in the past four months to know the layout to their home just as good as they do, is probably able to tell them a few things about it they don’t know yet; whether that’d be hiding places, lifting floorboards, or ways to turn their place into a whirlwind. Nearly as big a troublemaker as Isha, occasionally an even bigger one… it’s a good thing for an adult to go with her, to keep her from spreading even more chaos behind their backs. The blanket fort from this afternoon is still standing, one of the many pieces of evidence from their last big ‘battle’ to keep the Hallow’s Eve spirits from arriving too early in the day, and the mess it has left behind is— although worth the fun —huge and continuing to grow with each item that gets added onto the pile. Which she, of course, isn’t allowed to clean up. Not yet apparently, had been explained to her, not when there’s still the possibility they’ll come back for round two, a rematch before the spirits flee the human world again and the portal between realities closes again.
The warmth of Ekko’s touch peels away from her skin, an apologetic smile sent her way before he hurriedly steps through their front door, his voice faintly echoing through the hallway as he chases after Nora. Though just as quickly as he left, someone else flocks to her side. Someone who— albeit a bit shorter —is more than enthusiastic to take his place, filling the void within seconds.
Isha looks up at her expectantly, smiley expression visible behind holes they’ve cut too big. Seemingly jumping for joy, her excitement barely contained, she lets out a deep, loud, exhale and moves to stand closer; the breath forcefully pushed from deep inside her chest as she mirrors Jinx’s posture. The two of them together, standing by the balustrade as the rustle of leaves accompanies their near silence. Isha slowly gets used to the new quiet and relaxes her ghostly limbs with a sigh, slumping backwards. Her shoulder brushes against Jinx’s hip, the touch too strong to be accidental, and within seconds an arm is slung around her small shoulders in return, pulling Isha further against her side with a giggle from both their lips.
“There you go,” Jinx says, head tilted down to admire her little phantom. It’s hard to keep her voice level, contentment seeping into its cadence— though for once, she doesn’t mind the vulnerability. Her fingers move through familiar motions, pretending to comb through curls that are currently hidden underneath the white sheet, and the normalcy within the gesture feels like a distant dream, one she thought she’d never achieve. “Having fun?”
If the nod Isha gives her in return is anything to go by, the night is already turning out to be a success. She leans further back against the railing, creating some space for her feelings while she checks to make sure Jinx is looking. Her hands and fingers find their way from under the costume as she starts to sign, the blue polish adorning her tiny nails matching the one Jinx often wears. Her words are a flurry of excitement, her movements exaggerated, animated, and maybe slightly rushed. For a ghost— who are known to be pretty much the opposite —she’s overwhelmingly lively. Unapologetically so, dragging everyone around her along for the ride.
“We found a hole into one of the big trees… almost like a door! The gnomes live there, Nora said,” Isha starts. An amused snort follows, a slight shake of her head as she recalls the events. “She’s funny, I told her there weren’t any but she just shrugged and laughed. We gathered a pile of leaves so his home won’t get cold and tomorrow she wants to come over again so we can make it look like an actual little house. With a mailbox and everything!”
Jinx hums, nodding her head along to show her interest and gasping at the moments that call for a bigger response. The mental image the tale provides her is invaluable, their giggles from when this took place still echoing through her ears. Her cheeks hurt from smiling and she’s pretty sure she looks insane right now— filled with an amount of pride that may or may not be entirely appropriate—but Isha doesn’t seem to care, or even notice for that matter. She just continues her story, filling in the blanks of the day and looping Jinx into any and everything she didn’t know about before— with exuberance, at that; telling her of how the two sneaked through her closet looking for alternative costumes and the heels they tried on, about a squirrel they saw sprinting away from a dog.
All details get put on blast, the occasional story being added onto with a little white lie that’s far from believable to pad it out, to give it some more whimsical depth. Isha gladly follows Jinx’s example of never letting the truth get in the way of a good story, gauging her audiences reaction as she goes. It’s fun to listen to, easy to get swept away in the world she’s created for herself, and they both get caught up in the tale she spins. Until she gains a more contemplative expression, albeit still full of wonder, her words slowing in speed as she thinks of what to say.
“I think I get why Nora didn’t care when I told her now, after we drew a picture of how it could look. Because we had so much fun anyways, even if we didn’t see any gnomes. Even if they don’t exist. I just had fun with her,” Isha continues, the movement of her hands becoming more fierce towards the end of her sentence— though she quickly grows more hesitant, warily eying the door before she goes on, like she’s afraid someone might walk in on their conversation. She looks up at Jinx expectantly, her eyes wide and filled with mischievous curiosity, then declares; “She’s my girlfriend now, you know?”
“Woah!” Jinx says with an amused huff, her eyebrows raising up and up— something like ‘I thought I had at least five more years’ floating through her head as she meets Isha’s eyes. Where a happy, bubbly, yet somewhat anxious expression looks back at her, like her response is just as important as the development itself is.
She and Ekko haven’t even talked about it, the way they’d have this… talk. How they’d introduce her to the concept of what dating is, putting all the cards to what romance entails on the table— which she’s still too young for, by a long shot. And though the kind of puppy love Isha is talking about is far from what Jinx thinks of, it still manages to take her by complete surprise. It’s softer, warmer, and hopefully kinder; more like a friendship being added onto, figuring out the boundaries of being comfortable in someone’s presence and trying to understand what connection is. Not necessarily a crush, not even necessarily romantic, but two kids enjoying each other’s presence so much the term ‘friend’ feels too small. She knows Nora and she knows Isha, knows the situation well enough not to be too worried. She knows how they are together, has seen their friendship unfold and grow from something shy and timid into something close to encouraging and mischievous. Which is— admittedly —adorable.
After folding her arms over her chest, softening her expression, and inquisitively tilting her head to the side, Jinx bumps her hip against Isha’s arm with a small giggle. When she speaks there’s a teasing lilt to her voice, a gentle curiosity permeating the porch’s atmosphere. “Oh yeah? What’s that mean, bug?”
Isha practically lights up, her worries evaporating into thin air at the retort she’s received. The breath stuck in her throat comes loose with a soft sigh as she rolls back and forth on the ball of her feet, averting her eyes for a moment as her inability to stay still becomes more prominent. After which she finds Jinx’s gaze again, confidence shining through.
“I think… I think it means I can hold her hand!” she signs, an exploring certainty in the reply she gives. A rosy hue creeps up her cheeks, barely visible above the fabric concealing most of her face, and any hesitance fades away as she talks. She’s sure of herself, proud of the answer she scrounged up in the few seconds given to her.
Jinx laughs, giggles, and ruffles Isha’s head once more, pulling her into a sideways hug as she shakes her head a little. Because technically she isn’t wrong, she’s just missing out on a lot that comes with more adult relationships— as it should be. She’s glad her answer is this innocent, this unknowing of all things sex and hurt. Isha’s reply is the only confirmation Jinx needs right this second in order to get okay with the thought, even if she might still freak out later. In the safety of her bedroom, with Ekko to spill all her thoughts to. For now she can enjoy the childlike wonder, their puppy love; it’s tame, innocent. Sweet in nature, mischievous in the adventure it dares to take them on.
She hums, her nails softly dragging across the sheet like she’s dragging them across Isha’s scalp, and allows for a deep, deep, breath in. “That it does, so long as Nora wants to as well,” she says. Void of disapproval, something close to a teasing tone laid on thick as she fights back the plethora of questions soaring through her head.
Isha groans, averting her gaze while she nods and awkwardly conceals the way her fingers twitch into the empty air. She ducks before the embarrassment can creep onto her face, smushing her head against Jinx’s side and veiling any reaction she might’ve given. But it’s still noticeable. A huff falls from her lips, the hot breath worming its way through multiple layers of fabric where it tickles Jinx’s ribcage, and she nods into the cotton pressed against her face. She curls her arms around Jinx’s waist and tugs her close, pulling the two of them slightly off balance with her grabby little hands. Yet even as they falter, even as they sidestep to avoid a fall, she holds on for dear life, clinging onto the same person she’s stubbornly hiding from.
It’s endearing, slightly humorous, and it tells Jinx more than words could. For, once upon a time, the experience of puppy love had been hers. And she remembers her annoyance when taunted with the beginning of her blooming crush all too well, remembers her reluctance at simply admitting it existed and her refusal to talk about it.
Ekko and her are the exception, not the rule. She knows this, yet even then the memories from their youth come flooding back to her wave by wave. Of how they were at this age, the trouble they got into, and of the knowing look Vander would give her at the end of the day, after Ekko had gone home. Which, she realizes with an upward twitch to her lips, must resemble the expression she currently wears, looking down at the little girl trying to burrow her way through the barrier of skin keeping them separated with a knowing smile. Most of all, she remembers the anxiety of minuscule changes being blown out of proportion by her own childlike brain, way back when, after Ekko had first hinted at the possibility of something more existing for them— 11 years old, slightly confused at first, and absolutely terrified of altering their dynamic in any way that could somehow leave a negative impact.
“D’you think she might want to?” Jinx murmurs, loosely curling her hands around Isha’s head. She cradles her cheek, uses her nails to draw nonexistent figures onto the fabric covering the little girl’s hair.
Isha just presses closer, refusing to so much as acknowledge her question as she burrows deeper. Though after a few seconds she nods, again. Hopeful and guided by the undertow of something new. Her fists bunch the sheet’s edge together while she leans into the touch atop her head, a shiver moving down her spine with a slight huff as the night’s chill slowly starts settling in more and more. The expected October breeze sweeps through the air, rustling leaves everywhere it goes as it prepares for November’s arrival.
When she pulls always it’s almost tentatively, her gaze locked on the ground as she moves back and creates the slightest bit of space between them. Just enough to sign, not far enough to signal any actual irritation. “But don’t make it weird.”
Jinx laughs, folding her arms across her chest and leaning back against one of the many balusters that circle their porch. She watches Isha mirror the movement, biting onto the inside of her mouth to prevent her grin from becoming so big it would scare the girl off. Then, with more than just a hint of sarcasm laced within her voice; “Oh, you know me. I would never!”
Isha meets her gaze, frowns, and rolls her eyes with a huff. She drops the hem of her costume and raises her hands, though she gets distracted before she can start her sentence. Their conversation gets cut short by the sound of chatter from inside, the momentary bubble of peace they’ve existed in the past few minutes abruptly bursting. Her fingers still midair, halfway through their first sign, and she only lasts a couple more seconds before looking over at the noise’s origin, curiosity creeping in. The exit to the topic gladly taken in favor of focusing on something else, the tension on her face melting away like snow underneath the yellowing lamps above them whilst she fully twists towards the commotion.
It’s fine, they’ll talk about it in more detail later, Jinx thinks. Sometime that isn’t right before they’re going out, sometime she can actually look at Isha’s face while they talk. Sometime after she’s looped Ekko in, sometime after she’s able to gauge how much it’ll change the situation and after she’ll see if it’ll change their friendship at all. Soon— but not now, not if Isha doesn’t want to tell her. She’ll their discussion live on in her mind, will figure out what it means, what she’ll have to do next, and how to properly… parent her in this, as loving and explaining as she needs to be. Later.
Ekko and Nora’s voices get carried down the hallway, echoing throughout the corridor and gradually getting louder as they near the front door. She glances over at Isha one more time before focusing on their arrival, too, finally bending down to tie her laces as she listens to their muffled, slightly incoherent, talking.
One loop, she hears Ekko tell her to stay out of trouble. Loop around, twist, create a second loop, she hears Nora exclaim she’d never dare to get in trouble. Pull it through, make sure it’s secure, repeat with her other shoe, she hears him laugh, open and unabated, after which he asks her to help Isha stay out of trouble too. Even now, with them as far away as they are, Jinx is able to make out the tail-end of their conversation. As the nylon slips through her fingers she smiles, doing her best to pretend she isn’t eavesdropping— she’s pretty sure Isha is doing the same beside her, awfully quiet and uncharacteristically still for the tween she’s slowly been growing into.
By the time she stands back up, Jinx can see them step across the threshold and pull the door shut behind them, the lock loudly falling into place. His hands are full, his movements clumsy; amongst other things he’s still holding onto the plastic bag from before, the outside void of any lettering that would tell her prying eyes of its contents no matter how hard she tries. She watches Ekko hand Nora the SpongeBob backpack he’s carrying— watches him roll his eyes when Nora lifts her arms, turns, and enthusiastically demands him to help her put it on —and takes note of the hat he’s holding with his other. Her smile softens, shrinks, but doesn’t lose any of her previous happiness.
He briefly puts the paint-splattered, worn, and well-loved miner’s hat on Nora’s head as he guides her arms through the backpack’s loops, much to Isha’s dismay. She huffs out a breath beside Jinx, somewhat annoyed but mostly surprised. Frightened at the item being in someone else’s safekeeping, even if it’s Nora. Though those emotions too fade within seconds when Ekko picks the hat back up with an exaggerated bow, her muscles slowly relaxing and her fists unclenching again as he closes one of the many zippers on Nora’s bag and retrieves her source of comfort. His fingers carefully curl around the brim and, as he lightly taps Nora’s shoulder with the hand holding the mysterious plastic bag, a heavy exhale leaves Isha’s body.
He makes a comment about how ‘now she’ll have everything she could possibly need’, ushering Nora further onto the porch as he follows it up with a joke about her level of preparation, before he finally directs his focus towards Isha. And, by extension, towards Jinx.
“Alright, I think we’re just about ready to head out,” Ekko says, scanning the porch around him as he walks towards them. He seems content with what he finds, his attention swiftly pulled back when he closes the distance. As his radiant smile grows, he continues talking. “Well… almost, at least.”
With a little ghost still trailing behind him and the floorboards creaking underneath his feet, he comes to a stop in front of them. The mystery bag carefully gets put down onto the floor— its contents a surprise for later —as he allows some tension to roll free from his shoulders with a sigh. He momentarily meets Jinx’s gaze, soft acknowledgment within his eyes, before he crouches down to Isha’s height and adjusts the sheet over her head to make sure she can properly see. She giggles at his actions, the noise airy and high pitched as she weakly grabs at his wrists and shakes her head. An entertained laugh rolls off his tongue, too, joining in on the chorus as he finishes up and drops his arms to his knees.
“Your outfit doesn’t look quite finished yet,” he muses, the smile pulling up the corners of his lips audible in his voice. He raises his eyebrows at Isha’s confusion, playing into the bit and stretching the moment out a second or two, before gallantly putting the hat she carries around with her everywhere on her head and booping the tip of her nose.. “There we go! Found it under your bed, thought you might like to have it with you.”
The one item Isha had with her when thrown into foster care, brightly altered to suit a more joyful period over the course of the last few months. With shark teeth and funky goggles, vibrant blues and pinks, her miners hat pulls an old comfort to the present. Gradually healing a few old wounds in the process. And it’s just as big on her as it was when she first got here, slipping down slightly when she jostles— which she refuses to let hold her back. Isha nods in response to his words, relaxing underneath his ministrations and humming along to the sound of his voice.
After a moment of adjusting the brim, leveling it to be perfectly even, he rises to his feet. Though his care soon proves futile, before he’s even properly stood up Jinx manages to unravel it. She’s quick to tip the hat down over Isha’s eyes, wearing a nonchalant expression that gets broken through with laughter as soon as a short and surprised yelp escapes the girl. Ekko shakes his head with a huff as he moves to stand beside Jinx, following her example of leaning back against the railing while he intertwines their hands. A casual act maybe, in some world, but it doesn’t go past her how he squeezes her hand three times, conveying to her the same message he tells her every night before they go to bed. Amusement dances over his face as he quietly watches the situation unfold, looking at Isha pull the hat back up to its rightful place and turn to them with a… concealed expression, one too difficult to make out when nearly all of her face is hidden. Something close to reluctant enjoyment flows from underneath the costume, the begrudging roll of her eyes— that looks uncannily similar to how Powder used to roll hers when they were young —making way for a giggle to flow from her throat, which Nora happily joins in on. Joining in on the fun after being sidelined for a moment.
“Looking quite dashing there, Ish. Betcha you’ll guys be the flashiest ghosts on the block,” Jinx comments, a mischievous grin still resting on her face as she leans into Ekko’s shoulder.
He winds his arm around her, letting out an agreeing hum as he tips his head to rest against her hair. The warmth of his breath fans out over her scalp and the heat from his body against hers slowly seeps through her skin, his fingers gently resting on the small of her waist as he pulls her closer into the comfort of his soft sweater. Neither Isha nor Nora pay them much attention, already busy discussing the contents of her backpack and how much room is left for the amount of candy they’re hoping to have by the end of tonight. Facing away from them, in a tone so hushed they shouldn’t be able to make it out if they tried— except these are still kids, and their way of whispering carries over into a shout the more excitement grabs hold of them. Even Isha’s way of signing lacks any privacy she might think it has, reflecting her larger than life energy as she tells Nora which candy bar is her favorite. Her hands move through the air like the way she has her back turned will prevent anyone from knowing her words, despite the fact that she’s standing close enough for the adults to observe.
Jinx has half a mind to run back inside for her camera, to document the newly established costumes with the funny hat, SpongeBob backpack, and all. Two small ghosts, their shoes visible from under their sheets, with their own adorable added flair— it’s too cute not to. Yet when she tries to move away, making an abruptly stopped attempt at sneaking off, Ekko holds her back.
“Wait a second,” he starts, quietly speaking the words into her ear before he picks his plastic bag back up and pretends to think it over. Enjoying his own version of a joke way too much if you ask her, clearly struggling to hold back his enjoyment; even though she’s smiling just as big. “Oh, my. What do we have here?”
She makes a grab for it, quick in her movements but not quick enough. Before she can even get close he extends his arm up in front of them, still keeping her closely pressed against his side as he keeps it out of her reach. The bag spins back and forth slightly in his grasp, much like her braids are swaying back and forth behind them, and the dark blue plastic glistens underneath the porch lights. Ekko tilts his face down, twisting to see her expression, and waits until she looks up at him to provokingly raise his brow. Silently albeit overtly waiting for her to make a guess, to go in on his question, even as she has no way of knowing what unexpected item he brought home with him. She looks away with a faint scowl, not fully formed through the glimmer of her amusement, and takes a few more seconds to study the seemingly inconspicuous image staring back at her.
“I don’t know,” Jinx replies, a hint of playful defiance in her voice as she rests her head in the crook of his neck. The fuzzy fabric of his sweater feels nice against her face, the figures he draws into the sliver of skin peeking out from beneath her cardigan feel soothingly familiar. “What do we have here? Why don’t you tell me, pretty boy?”
The wooden railing digs uneasily into her lower back, probably his too if she were to guess. But neither of them make any haste to change that, instead choosing to endure the small hardship as they enjoy all else; the kids are busy off in their own world, the wind has died down somewhat into a much more subtle breeze, and there’s enough good to cancel out any bad that might be luring on the horizon. There’s a guise of safety floating around the veranda, an air of simplicity and ease encapsulating them that almost has her forgetting not every moment is like this one. The red of her top clashes against the green of his as she slumps further against his side, the colours swirling together into a mix that would suggest they’re preparing for a different holiday than Halloween, and the comfort that’s stolen by the balustrade is found in his presence next to her. The plastic crinkles in his hold, a soft chuckle being pulled free from his chest as he drops his arm back to his side, and even with his silly antics— maybe even more so because of them —she’s glad Ekko’s here.
He gives her a self-indulgent kiss on the forehead, his hand reluctantly leaving her waist as he uses it to pull the bag open and give her a look at its contents. “Well, it’s your first time celebrating Halloween too, isn’t it? Definitely the first time like this, with our little troublemaker under our roof. So I just thought…” He laughs, interrupting his own sentence with a shake of his head and a murmur under his breath. “I don’t know. I just thought it might be nice if you got to join in on the fun.”
When Jinx lifts her head from his shoulder to peek into the bag, she’s not entirely sure what she’s looking at. A blur of vibrant red greets her, smushed together to fit into the narrow space— the shade brighter than the one she’s already wearing. The… fabric, if she were to guess, is slightly see through and littered with relatively large black dots all over. She catches a glimpse of two elastic bands attached to the contraption, a slight shimmer woven throughout, and takes note of the framework keeping the entire thing together. Though her cluelessness doesn’t lessen her enthusiasm, her curiosity only works to drive it further up to new heights and beckons her to move closer while the emotion sinks its claws into her. She leans forward, reaches out, and when her fingers replace Ekko’s on one of the bags handles it allows him to return his hand to her hip, giving a soft squeeze while he listens to the pleased hum she lets out.
And then, suddenly, she understands what she’s seeing, gets what Ekko brought her, and her smile grows exponentially bigger as a startled laugh crawls out of her throat. Positively surprised, maybe, but mostly just impressed with the lengths he’ll go to for her, impressed with how he managed to know what might make her day even better before she did— before the idea had even dawned on her, the concept not even a possibility in her brain until now.
“You got me a pair of ladybug wings?” she exclaims excitedly, fleetingly looking up at him like she can’t quite believe what she’s seeing before she refocuses on the gift she’s been given. Jinx lifts the slightly tacky costume out of the bag and twists it in her hand, admiring it from all sides and holding it like it’s the most delicate thing she’s ever gotten. “Holy shit, I fucking love that.“
The tule-like fabric branches out into two halved moons, angled to leave a gap between each side that gradually grows larger towards the bottom. Like a circle cut in half, the metal wiring keeping the shape intact and the elastic allowing her to put her arms through— giving her the ability to wear the wings much like she would wear a backpack. And though she might have grown into a somewhat well adjusted adult, her life more in order than it’s ever been, all her grown-up solemnity goes out the window the exact moment she’s presented with an opportunity to reclaim a small joy that she missed out on in her childhood. So, without wasting much more time and without further ado, she drops the bag from her grasp and turns to Ekko, remnants of disbelief and wonder still etched onto her face as she meets his gaze with a teeth-baring grin.
“Help me put them on?”
He can’t help but laugh at Jinx’s request, revering her enjoyment of his present. He folds the plastic he’s still holding into a small square before swiftly stuffing it into his back pocket, eager to act on her entreaty. Eager to bask in her warm enthusiasm, eager to please. Their eyes are locked onto each other’s, hers momentarily fleeting down to his lips while her grip tightens around the fragile wings. His hands find her shoulders, brushing her hair out of the way, and meet at the base of her neck, where his fingers slowly trail up and down the exposed part of her spine.
“Of course,” he replies, quiet affinity woven so deep within his voice she can’t even imagine anymore how he’d sound without it. He gently guides her to turn her back to him, allowing his hands to roam the sides of her ribcage as he urges her to lift her arms a bit. “It would be my pleasure.”
Ekko takes the costume from her, allowing his frame to bracket her in for a few seconds, after which he stretches the elastic enough to guide her arms through the loops in a relatively fluid manner. The bands snap into place, pulling a gasp from Jinx’s mouth and a chuckle from his. She bites her lip, curls her fingers into the palm of her hand, and looks back up at his engrossed expression, unwavering focus shining through his admiration. His touch lingers, moving up and down her arms with cherishing tenderness. From her shoulder to her elbow, from the small scar that rests there— the one he’s traced countless of times. Now able to find it with ease, undeterred by the barrier of fabric —to her collarbone, repeating the motion for a blissful moment. Until he pulls himself away, a hesitant sigh on his lips, and adjusts the wings until they’re resting perfectly flat against her back.
With the red of her cardigan she must truly look the part, Jinx thinks. Which makes his nonchalant request for her to wear this specific item of clothing this morning finally fall into place, the reason behind his teasing insistence after she offered a moment of resistance only now catching up to her brain. Though she can’t blame him— when combined, the two slightly different hues of scarlet look stunning and she couldn’t have imagined a better top to pair it with herself. The elastic is tight around her shoulders, the pressure constant and something she’ll definitely have to get used to, yet it’s far from tight enough to cut off her circulation. All in all, it’s a good fit. A coherent ensemble even, when paired with the black jeans she’s wearing. She can’t complain— fuck, she doesn’t want to complain. Not if his idea of a last minute costume is still this well thought out.
“So?” she asks, turning around while he slides his hand down to her waist once more. Adding an extra spin as she tries to catch a glimpse of the outfit from over her shoulder, just because she can, before coming to a halt on wobbly feet. She feels her cheeks grow rosy, disbelief at the entire scene gradually fading into gratitude, and when she catches his eyes with her own, the corners of her mouth curl up further. “How do I look?”
One of Ekko’s hands wanders over to the side of her face, reverently cradling her jaw as he pulls her in for a kiss. A real one this time, a lasting one. His lips slot against hers in a way they’ve done a million times before, yet the feeling it fills her with rarely seems to dim. The hint of both their smiles prevents them from deepening it further, from tasting the flavor of joy the other harbors, and her giggles lead to a somewhat clumsy kiss. Their noses bump into each other, she’s unable to stay still— swaying back and forth in his arms as her fingers twitch into the empty air. But even then, it’s a fleeting moment of connection she more than willingly embraces. Accepting his sudden gesture of affection and eagerly reciprocating it with one of her own, chasing after the mixed tang of his heart on his lips and the candy they’ve been eating; sweet, so sweet, and hers. All hers.
It’s theirs, it’s all theirs— the entire life they’ve built for themselves, the shrine to all their hard work. Through gritted teeth, their blood sweat and tears poured into every corner of their house, they gave it everything they had until they finally managed to build a place to call their home. And then— now, after all this time —a place to call home for the little girl that’s miraculously come into their life, too.
“You look beautiful,” he murmurs, his breath tangling with hers. After a particularly loud noise from behind them he chuckles and shakes his head, serenely looking over Jinx’s shoulder at its origin while he talks. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re the cutest bug around here— but I fear that title has been taken. Though I have to say, you’re a close runner up.”
He whispers the words into her ear like they’re alone, as if they’re the only people on the planet and no one else could possibly know or decipher the extent of its meaning. Despite the fact that they’re both keenly aware of their company, tuned into the kid’s every move and all their various sounds even when she has her back turned and his face is halfway buried in her neck, for a moment it truly does feel like they’re one against the world. A solid front against anything life might throw at them. His gentle nature and the patience he possesses, reserved solely for her, make her feel like she’s not just seen but understood, the present he took home with him just one more drop of gold in an already overflowing pool of devotion. Jinx can only hope she does the same for him, does her best to keep the critical thoughts at bay for now. Yet any doubt that she’s able to offer him even a sliver of the comfort he deserves flees her mind when she tries to step back. As her feet move, so do his, and as she drops her arms, his wind around her tighter.
He smells like oil and soot, remnants from his work as a mechanic still clinging to him, and he does not want to let go yet. Though she can’t even feign to be annoyed, can’t hold back the squeak that escapes her— she’s the first to admit she doesn’t want to, either.
She stifles a laugh, sinking back into his chest while she hooks her fingers into his belt loops. Accepting his reluctance and matching it with her own, letting out a huff while she rests her face against his shoulder and pulls him to sway back and forth in their place like she’s doing. Her braids swing behind her, her newly acquired ladybug wings flutter ever so slightly in the wind. His compliment continues to float through her head, the tone he whispered it in gets seared onto the inside of her skull, and even as the need to check up on the kids starts feeling more and more pressing, she holds onto him. Whether it be out of selflessness or selfishness, whether it’s to appease his need or her desire, does that really matter? When he feels so soft against her, the sound of his heartbeat oddly soothing amongst the holiday excitement, and hears the gleeful noises Isha and Nora let out in the background filling the air, she can’t be bothered to care about the motives behind her actions. Can’t be expected to care. She just wants to keep feeling like this a little longer, wants to drown in the sense of community that lingers now that the street lanterns have been turned on and trick or treating has actually started.
Jinx takes a deep breath in, curls her hands tighter, and desperately tries to grapple for any words that would adequately convey her appreciation, never finding any that match what she intends to say. Yet despite her inability to express herself in as much detail as she would prefer, her voice rolls from her lips before she can help it; muffled in his sweater, earnest, and slightly embarrassed in its vulnerability. “It’s— they’re great, Ekko. The wings are great, I love them…” She shudders, pressing closer as if she’s confessing something sacred. “Thank you.”
He nods, pressing a kiss against her hair whilst his hands habitually trail up and down her sides. “Of course.”
She doesn’t mention anything about how there’s nothing ‘of course’ about it all, doesn’t say anything about how far out of his way he must’ve gone to make this Halloween special for her too, though she does let out a low hum. Ekko pulls back just enough to meet her gaze, small creases appearing next to his eyes when his smile grows. Her own does, too, and she doesn’t even try to hide it. Nor does she try to hide the way she scans his face, mentally tracing the image of his joy in her mind to properly put onto paper sometime later— even if the silent exchange doesn’t last more than a second or two. After which she begrudgingly retreats from his touch, moving to stand beside him once more as she pretends not to miss his warmth. His arm falls around her shoulders and her own comes to rest on his waist for a change, both watching the adorable ghosts in their care bicker and giggle whilst they attempt to drag the moment out a little longer.
It’s a nice sight to behold, the view of Isha and Nora huddled over a… snail, albeit a bit odd. Endearing, even. The pair look like they’ve been following the shelled gastropod’s journey all across the porch, the barely discernible slimy trail tracing back directly to where Jinx saw them standing last, and are now kneeling down before the small set of stairs leading further into their front yard. Where they’re examining every possible path the snail could take and waiting for Jinx and Ekko to join them so they can leave, visibly impatient to get out on the street and start trick or treating.
And well… who is she to keep them waiting any longer than they already have? As if she herself isn’t buzzing with a similar kind of anticipation, eager to indulge in the spirited excitement that has dawned upon the world much like they are.
“Hey!” Jinx calls out, swiftly drawing the kids’ attention onto her as she leaves Ekko’s side and starts walking towards them without looking back— she can hear him following her, anyway. “You guys ready to go scare some clowns?”