A/N: Okay, so you're probably wondering the meaning of this one-shot, but this is an AU if Jinx had survived the explosion with Warwick BUT she didn't leave Piltover, staying with Ekko and the Firelights instead. Blyss and Whisper are NOT canon, but they are my fictional representation of TimeBomb parallels. When Ekko tells Jinx about the other universe of Powder, there's an opening for Ekko and Jinx to get together.

In other words, even if Ekko and Jinx are total opposites, I think TimeBomb would still survive. The opposite of a jinx is bliss (Blyss) while the opposite of an echo (Ekko) is a whisper (Whisp). Blyss and Whisp represent TimeBomb when they were younger and currently in the present too, no matter if it's Jinx or Powder or the circumstances. And Blyss and Whisp are in the current universe that Ekko and Jinx are in, proving that TimeBomb is also possible in that timeline too. I don't know if that makes sense, I'm creating my own lore at this point, but the short answer is that Blyss and Whisp are symbolism that TimeBomb can survive in both universes. Their love is universal, hence the chapter's title.

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Jinx's POV

Jinx wandered the Firelights Base in amazement, briefly stunned by how Ekko started this rebellion gang on his own. The war was over, so was the final battle, and Vander—or Warwick—had perished. "How's your injuries?" Ekko asked, walking alongside Jinx.

"I've gotten blown up before, I'll be fine." Jinx ruffled her freshly new haircut, free of her long braids. Well, she'd miss those eventually. Although Jinx wasn't welcomed by the Firelights at first, they had tolerated her stay after the final battle under Ekko's command. "You run a tight ship, Little Man. You know, Silco and Sevika never got near to this type of commitment with their goons."

Ekko laughed softly. "Well, they're goons for a reason."

They stopped in front of the Firelight Tree, giant and glorious respectively. It was the symbol of the base, Jinx realized. She stared for a bit, her jaw ajar. Hesitantly, Ekko rested a hand on her shoulder. That's what she realized about Ekko; she never once had a hullation of him, because all her memories about younger Ekko were happy ones. Not like Mylo or Vi, both of which called her a jinx.

Jinx cleared her throat, shrugging Ekko off. "Very nice tree. A paint job would look good, some blue and pink, eh?"

He rolled his eyes. "In your dreams, Jinx."

In the distance, Jinx spotted two kids in the background, attacking each other. Not meaning to harm each other, of course, but to train. The girl had long black braids to her feet—including some poorly dyed blue roots and tips—that swished behind her as she moved. Her opponent was a dark-skinned boy who had dreadlocks similar to Ekko's, and he carried a wooden sword. "Victory's mine, Whisp!" the girl cried out, holding a paint gun. They couldn't be older than fourteen.

"That's Blyss and Whisper," Ekko supplied, catching Jinx's eye.

She scoffed. "Blyss and Whisper? What, were all the good names taken?" Suddenly, Blyss shot a squirt of blue paint at Whisp, jumping up and down in excitement. Whisp sighed, admitting defeat. "They're... Firelights?"

"In training. They have far to go in terms of combat," Ekko replied. He smiled faintly, glancing at Jinx. Why do you always look at me like that, Ekko? "They kind of remind me of us when we were younger."

Jinx placed her hands on her hips, shrugging. "Back when I was Powder?"

"Maybe, maybe not." (Jaybe, jaybe not)

She cupped her hands and shouted, "I like your braids!"

Blyss stopped, finally seeing Jinx and Ekko watching them. Her jaw dropped as she shook Whisp's shoulders, clearly happy and hyper. "Look, look, it's the symbol Jinx!" she whispered, astonished. She gave Jinx a toothy smile, her amber eyes widening in joy. Even Whisp looked impressed.

"A lot of the younger Firelights idolize you after defeating Warwick," Ekko said.

Jinx slung her arm around Ekko's neck. "Instead of their Boy Saviour? Damn, that must hurt a lot, Little Man." They both laughed heartily. Maybe Blyss and Whisper were like them when they were kids.

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Blyss' POV

"I can't believe we met the Jinx today!" Blyss said, practicing throwing punches up in her room with Whisp. She was too shy to train in front of the adult Firelights, so they did it privately whenever they could. Blyss wanted to become one of the best Firelight fighters one day, and failing in front of Ekko or Jinx was not on her bucket list. "Maybe we can learn some tips and tricks from her!"

Whisp rolled his eyes, kicking up his feet on Blyss' bed. "I dunno, we're just kids."

"Ekko was a kid when he started the Firelights!" Blyss exclaimed, smiling widely. Then she stomped over to Whisp, smacking the back of his head. "Also, feet off my bed, you bum-bum."

Whisp shrugged. "Isn't Jinx the blue-haired girl on the mural? No, wait, that's Powder."

"Jinx, Powder, they're not too different." Blyss mimicked a pew-pew and pow-pow with her fingers. She looked up to Jinx, she was such a badass! "What do you think her deal is with Boss? She seems to know Ekko."

"They fought on the bridge before, remember?" Whisp, the overanalyst.

"Yeah, but I bet they know each other from before, that's what I heard Scar talking about. I was eavesdropping again," Blyss giggled, jumping up and down. Whisp looked at her softly, like she had eaten too much sugar. "You're so silly, loosen up and come train with me. What, too scared to get your ass kicked by me again?"

"In your dreams, Blyss." He hopped up to his feet and tackled her to the floor. Blyss whacked his head and he rolled over to his side, picking up a fallen pillow from her bed. "Oh, it's on!" They grabbed pillows and had a pillow fight, screaming and laughing maniacally. Blyss and Whisp dropped to the floor, out of breath from their laughter.

"The worst is you and I," Whisp joked.

"As if, we bring the best out of each other."

Suddenly, there were footstops above him, Blyss could hear it. It was the heavy thunks of work boots, like the ones that Ekko had. "I wonder why Ekko's up on the roof," Whisp said, rubbing the back of his head. There were softer footsteps that followed, though they were irregular. "I want to spy on someone today."

Blyss grinned. "Grab my telescope."

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Ekko's POV

Ekko sat down on the roof of the Firelights Base, glancing at Jinx who was seated on his left. Up on the roof, they watched over Zaun and its people below. "There's one thing I can't get over in the undercity," he said, resting his chin on his knee. "It's the view of it all."

Jinx scoffed. "Still so sentimental, Little Man."

"And you still act like it isn't above you," he replied back.

"I wonder what happens now," Jinx said, inspecting her nails, "before I jinx it again, you know." She chuckled, her head lolling onto Ekko's shoulder. His heart fluttered, remembering the days he spent in the parallel universe with Powder. Not Jinx, but Powder. He had left paradise to come back for Jinx, but it was worth it.

"There's something I need to tell you," Ekko said, averting his gaze. Finally, he looked Jinx in the eye, memorized by the touch of blue in her Shimmer-pink pupils. He exhaled sharply and told Jinx all about his time in the other universe. He described every little detail, including their dance and kiss, and for the first time, Jinx didn't interrupt. She stayed silent, listening intently like her life depended on it. "There's a good version of you, Jinx."

"But that version is Powder," she muttered, hugging her knees. "And she's gone."

"She's gone, but not dead."

Jinx's eyes flickered with a faint tone of powder blue, Ekko's favourite colour. She chuckled softly, her gaze falling on her blue and pink fingernails. "I always thought that there was no good version of me, Powder or Jinx," she admitted, sighing. She leaned back, like she was bored, but Jinx was trying not to cry. "Because I was a jinx. But maybe I'm different now, have I changed?"

"You changed so many times in so many different ways," Ekko agreed. "But you're here now."

Jinx grinned, leaning on Ekko's shoulder. "Like I said, sentimental."

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Whisper's POV

Whisp snacked on bug crisps, licking his fingers clean as they sat on a roof that opposed the Firelights Base in the distance. They had hiked all the way there just to see Ekko and Jinx. They were people-watching, which arguably sounded less creepy than people-stalking. Whisp enjoyed his spying sessions with Blyss, they were fun.

She was watching them through her telescope. "They're just talking. Boring!"

"Can I have a turn now?" Whisp asked, trying to steal the telescope from her.

"Be more patient with time!" Blyss shouted.

"Says you!"

She crackled, doubling over and almost dropping the telescope off the roof. She handed it over and Whisp wiped the lens before looking through. On the Firelight Base roof, Jinx and Ekko talked casually with Jinx occasionally dangling her feet like a child. Blyss did that too sometimes. "Do you think we're similar to them? I overheard Ekko the other day saying we remind him of himself and Jinx when they were younger," Whisp said, adjusting the lens.

"Why? Because of the braids?" Blyss held up her hair.

"I dunno, ask Ekko yourself." Whisp lowered the telescope. "What do you think they're talking about?"

"Beats me," Blyss said, resting her chin on Whisp's shoulder. They sat there comfortably without a care in the world. She smiled, her fingers interwinning with Whisp's dreadlocks. "I think Ekko was right though." She planted a small kiss on Whisp's cheek, almost teasingly. He blushed, flustered and stunned. "Now pack up, we should head back around now."