Arcane: Silent Frontiers: Mylo and Ekko
It’s a personal thing cause I don't really like his character, but I often HC that Ekko actually doesn’t like Mylo all that much. And it shows greatly in Silent Frontiers.
The reason i don't care for Mylo too much. . . is because he reminds me too much of people I went to School with. The mean comments and everything. And the thing about the fandom is they often say that he’s just a kid and too cut him slack. Except when you get bullied a lot growing up, you learn that kids like Mylo never tend to actually ever stop on their own. They just keep going and they keep going until they FINALLY stop but usually that’s because someone makes them stop.
Growing up, Mylo always had a need to impress people, but this often manifested in the typical behavior of a older individual ragging on the smaller and weaker then you sort. Growing up this behavior was usually directed at not only Jinx but Ekko as well. But when it came to Ekko alone it was often to a much lesser extent because Little Man knows about potential jobs and scores him the occasional deal at Benzo's.
However, unlike Powder, Ekko most certainly did not take as much of the jabs as Powder had done, absolutely biting back and having his own quips to Mylo way more often than Powder ever did at that age. However growing up Ekko became protective of Jinx, which means he probably also had grown up hearing what Mylo and others had to say about Jinx but because Jinx is Jinx, she’s probably also told him to just forget it and he has for her sake only. But sometimes he hears things and they make him mad
And we all know Ekko has a temper
In the weeks following Isha’s death, Ekko and Jinx had cut themselves off from everything and everyone. No one saw them. No one heard from them. And the only people who ever really knew that they were actually still alive were Benzo and Scar. They went into a period of mourning so strong that people don't see them for DAYS or even weeks. They hibernated so far from eyesight, hid so well that even the creatures in the Zone couldn’t even find them
Now in Silent Frontiers, in a effort to boost moral amongst those in the Lane Zone, the firelights, Ekko and Jinx (Mostly Ekko and Scar) took over what would have probably been the Last Drop, which in the end became like their little getaway. Because the one thing about Jinx and Ekko is that they have a LOT of "hideaway" spots scattered throughout the Lane Zone that's essentially their way of getting AWAY from people. When the social battery is drained, they're insanely good at hiding away to recharge and chill with one another.
When they don't have time for people at all,
they don't let people have any of their time
When the time came and they finally did reemerge who knows how long after their period of mourning, the first place they went was to the last drop, to the VIP section in the back where the two of them could just relax and stretch their legs without anyone bothering them
After all, they had just lost their baby. They lost their world. It only made sense that they didn't want anyone else to come close when the sky itself was collapsing right on top of them whilst they try and figure out what their next move was.
But most importantly going to the last drop was simply just a way for them to enjoy each other’s company in a sense of vague normality. To try and march through the day's as if nothing had changed.
However, with normality often comes other things. And one of the major ones is the fact that if you want things to be normal, then you have to deal with certain things that are common place.
One thing such being, is that certain people can’t keep their fucking mouth shut even when everyone else around them tells them too.
When Ekko and Jinx went to the last drop, Mylo had already been there with Claggor and a few other "friends" of theirs and was already on his way on being under the table. While everyone else gave Ekko and Jinx a wide berth when they had randomly shown up one night, unable to bring themselves to bother the pair, Mylo on the other hand is antsy, loud, boisterous a down right nuisance. But Ekko and Jinx are used to that. Mylo often has even less of a filter when he’s drunk and it's nothing they haven't dealt with before, so it's easy to ignore for the time being. They've done it plenty of times before after all.
But when Ekko walks out of the VIP lounge for a second to head to the bar, it’s noticeable that Mylo is flapping his jaws in a way that obviously is turning everyone's mood sour.
And that’s when Ekko finds out why.
Because Mylo is making digs at Jinx once again, at least that’s what Ekko think's he hears. He doesn’t really hear much, all he see’s is the sour faces of everyone, the roar of music playing on a stereo system and Mylo drunkenly swaying about, making wise-cracks to anyone who would listen and it’s very obvious whatever he’s saying no one wants too hear.
Even Claggor, so often used to this behavior, seems like he's trying his best at curbing his friends antics, often throwing uneasy watchful glances at Ekko as he comes by and Ekko for a moment doesn't know why even Claggor seems so unnerved. If Mylo is making cracks at Jinx again it's nothing that Ekko probably hasn't heard already. Same if the cracks are presented against himself. And if they are then he doesn't really care at the moment what Mylo has to say.
At least that's what he thinks. If that was all Mylo had to say then he would have indeed have left it alone. Had left Mylo to stew in his juices and booze until he got tired out like he always did. After all, Ekko did never throw him out all the other times this had happened
What was family for after all. . .
But then. . .Mylo says something.
Whatever it was. Whatever it is. Ekko did not know for sure at first, did not hear it clearly but the faces around them, even Claggor's suddenly looked shocked and appalled by whatever it was that Mylo had to say. And they all suddenly turned to look at Ekko when it finally registers what Mylo had said
And it’s the utterance of Isha's name from slurred, alcohol tainted lips that makes the world around him dark.
He hears voices, hears his name, people calling for him, trying in vain to convince him to just calm down, to just relax, that Mylo is simply just drunk and just flapping his lips and that he shouldn't hold it against him.
But Ekko had always grown up hearing that.
He’s just a kid
He doesn’t mean any harm
They're just jokes
All excuses for his behavior. Everyone giving him an easy pass to say whatever he wanted.
But Ekko doesn’t hear excuses. Not any more
All he hears is one thing
CRUNCH
and something soft collapsing under his fist.
When the world finally stops being dark, someone’s holding him up from under his arms trying to pull him back, someone else is shouting at him to stop because He’ll kill him if he doesn’t
(Ekko Stop it!)
(You idiot are you trying to kill him!)
But then the struggling is over and he calmly looks around. For a moment, he doesn't seem to understand where he is. He looks up. All the people in the bar are staring at him. They’re all quiet.
Seemingly suddenly afraid. . .of him.
And that's when Ekko looks down at his hand, clenched in a fist. And his knuckles are bloody, the skin is torn and raw, and blurry just outside of his peripheral, he notices that Mylo’s on the floor not that far from him; the barstool he was on tipped over and his face around his cheek and nose all bloody. He's holding his face as blood blooms between his fingers, spilling in between the gaps of his hand in quick, hot drops.
The fight in Ekko stops for just a moment. He’s panting. He test wiggles his fingers. Trying to check and see if they’re broken or anything. And there’s a sting under his skin but they’re fine. Nothing seems broken. Same can’t be said about Mylo though, who while still drunk, curses sniffly at Ekko from where he lays on the floor about what the fuck is his problem. Ekko goes to hit him again, but Claggor and Scar step in between them, trying to keep the situation from escalating any further
And thats when Ekko realizes. . .that Mylo looks scared of him almost, despite the slurring and cursing and sniffling.
In fact. . .everyone does. .
Everyone knew Ekko had a temper. Everyone also knew however that Ekko was protective and did his best to keep his temper in check. But they just never realized just how far he was willing to go to protect what was his.
Even if it means harming one of his own. Something he never did before.
He had never rose a hand against family. . .until now.
Ekko had scared him, solely because Mylo had never expected this
excepted retaliation where there use to be none
But Ekko doesn't say anything. He doesn’t offer apologies, doesn't try to placate the situation. What he says instead is simple:
Mylo is not allowed at the bar anymore. Ekko is officially banning him from the premises. And in doing so, Ekko also states that if he ever hears either Jinx or Isha's name come out of Mylo's mouth again that he'll blind him first and deal with the consequences of doin so later.
And its a threat said so clearly. . .so icy calm despite the absolute blackout-out of body experience that Ekko just had, that it actually scares Mylo into silence for just a moment, finally forces the loud-mouth to quiet and forces him to turn his bloody face down like a scolded dog. Just long enough for Claggor to pick his idiot friend up off the floor and drag him out before Ekko could loose his temper again when Mylo tries to interject for just a second.
When things quiet down, Everyone's staring at Ekko (afraid). Wondering what he'll do now. But despite everything. Despite the blood on his knuckles dripping on to the floor, Ekkos smart under pressure, and he's quick on his feet, and states Free Drinks for the rest of the night if no one utters a word about what had just happened.
And thats enough to turn the attention else where. And when that happens Ekko is quick to spin on a heel, despite Scar calling for him and head back to the VIP lounge.
He hears Jinx's voice when he opens the door, and she's questioning him over what had just happened
But Ekko doesn't respond. . .
He instead just notices that his hands are shaking.
Jinx doesn't have to ask again. Doesn't have to do anything more beyond look at him, truly look her lover up and down. See the shake of his hands, the trembling in his shoulders. The thousand yard stare within his eyes speaking far more vividly than any word he could say, if he could say.
Jinx doesn't wait for him to respond. Doesn't have too. Her own heart aches, her own throat tightens despite the gulp she attempts to give it. There's no softness in her posture, no affectionate warmth in her pursed lips. She is as tense as he is shaking, yet her eyes are knowing and sad and they are entirely on him.
Stiff as she is, when she finally approaches, she does not ask him again. Does not attempt to say anything, to scowl at him for hitting Mylo, to soothe and coo at him to ease the shakes.
Nay, Jinx walks right on up in front of him. Looks him directly in the eye. And then wraps him in the tightest cling of a hug she can.
As they both lament quietly about their situation.
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