Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Hey! I'm heading out to get us some dinner." Akali announced, standing at the doorway to the living room. "You guys fancying anything in particular?"

Its four occupants, spread across the well-lit room, were entertained with various activities and it took some time for them to give her an answer. Ekko had recently started taking guitar lessons and was using most of his free time to practice. He seemed to be a prodigy at it, just like he already was at other things and despite not having been playing it for long, he was already comfortable with the instrument. The guitar strums sounded pleasant enough to the ear and filled up the room, creating a relaxing ambience. Senna was on her phone checking her social media and occasionally laughed or shook her head in disapproval as she scrolled down. Comfortably reclined on a chaise longue, Qiyana was reading a fashion magazine that prominently showcased a full-body photograph of herself in a long dress on the cover. Needless to say, that had been the incentive for her to buy it in the first place. Alienated to everything else in the room, Yasuo was sitting in front of his computer with headphones on, working on a new project that he hadn't yet shown to any of his friends. Qiyana emerged from behind the magazine and was the first to respond to Akali.

"A tuna salad would be good, honey. With cheese, olives and no sauce this time. I'm on a diet."

Ekko heard this and couldn't help himself.

"I see! So that is why you were ordering a new dress online the other night. The blue cocktail one you bought last month doesn't fit anymore!" He had been so loud that he had caught everyone's attention, including Yasuo's, even through the headphones. It hadn't even been that funny, but Senna and Akali cracked up at the comment, while the DJ tried maintaining his composure and at the same time, hold back his laughter. The vein on Qiyana's forehead became more prominent and gained a blueish tone as her face reddened profusely.

"You must think you're so funny, kid."

"Hey! You know what my mama always said? Truth is meant to be told." Ekko was wearing a cocky grin, had an eyebrow exaggeratedly raised and seemed very pleased with himself.

Qiyana gave off a killer stare in his direction and seemed ready to tell him off.

Akali rolled her eyes.

These two were like cat and mouse and their arguments could last a whole hour if no one stepped in between them. However, they were rarely if ever serious and the two friends had never actually gotten mad at one another for longer than a few minutes.

"Guys, please! I still have to drive to the shopping mall and it's getting dark and it's going to be freezing outside! What do you want me to bring for you?"

Ekko lazily leaned back against the armchair, the guitar resting on his lap. "I know you got good taste, Akali. Whatever you choose, bring the same for me." He said simply, with an enigmatic smile. It was like he was teasing or trying her patience.

She didn't make a big deal out of it: Ekko was just being Ekko.

"What about you, Senna?"

"I'd like some chinese. I haven't had Kung Pao chicken in a while. What about you, Yasuo?"

Yasuo's music wasn't loud enough that it would completely muffle outside sounds, but he had only heard half of the conversation. He took off one headphone and turned to Akali. "Chicken sounds good". He put it back on and immediately got back to work, not wasting a single second. Akali couldn't help but admire how passionate he was about his music and how seriously he took his job. No wonder he was considered one of the best in his field: so much discipline and hard work could only pay off.

Akali turned to the other three members of the band and did a quick recap, counting with her fingers. "So, it's a tuna salad for Qiyana, with cheese, olives and no sauce, Kung Pao chicken for you and Yasuo and Ekko eats whatever I eat. Got it."

Qiyana was still somewhat annoyed and was looking at Ekko with disdain as he strummed a tune on his guitar. Hearing Akali's confident affirmation, however, she took her eyes off of him for a bit and turned to her. "That's it? You sure you don't need to jot that down?"

"Nah, I'm good. Already got it memorized." The girl said as she walked to the door. Before exiting, she stopped at the doorway and looked back towards Ekko. She smirked. "What if I decide to get myself some liver and onions? Will you still want it?"

Ekko gave her a look that was a mix between clear disbelief and slight worry. "You wouldn't." A few seconds later, his expression had already shifted to his usual innocent bright eyes and his trademark cocky grin. "You love me too much."

Akali responded with a sly smile. "Don't try me." Without uttering another word, she turned around and disappeared into the hallway.

"So, Senna? How's Lucian?" Ekko asked. He had placed the guitar down on the floor as he felt he already had enough practice for a day. The boy walked over to the sofa his friend was sitting on and let himself carelessly fall on it.

"He's actually doing pretty good. He's supposed to be free at ten, so I'm going to try to call him then."

"Is he gonna show up at tomorrow's party?"

"He said he would. That's why I want to contact him: To be sure." Ekko felt a hint of nervousness in her voice.

The boy gave her a reassuring smile. "Lucian's a true blue. He'd never let his girl down." He let out in a sincere and cheerful tone.

"Yes, he would never." Senna gave him a small smile but it faded quickly, as she sighed in exasperation. "Things have just been so hectic lately with his new job and our new album... We're so caught up in our responsibilities, we barely see each other anymore."

Ekko put his hand on her shoulder to reassure her. "Hey! Senna, it's gonna be ok. Promise! Lucian is gonna come tomorrow, I know he will! He isn't one to break his promises. And you'll finally get to spend time together. You should look forward to it!".

Senna listened to his words attentively and she couldn't help it, as her heart filled itself with hope and her face lit up. Ekko could be young and naive, but his straightforward, positive outlook on life was intoxicating. One couldn't remain hopeless or sad around him for long, as he always found a way to lift their spirits up. And for that, she was very grateful. "You're right, thank you, Ekko."

"I always am, am I right?!" He exclaimed, half-serious and half-joking. Senna seemed much more cheerful now and even seemed eager to call Lucian as soon as possible, without a hint of worry in her eyes. As she took out her phone, Ekko got up from the sofa. "My work here is done." He thought, feeling like a superhero of sorts.

The teen looked at Qiyana who was on the opposite end of the room, lying on the chaise longue and still reading the same magazine. She felt observed and lifted her eyes from the pages to look at Ekko, making a face that defined boredom itself. She arched an eyebrow as if asking what he wanted from her. He gave her a sympathetic look.

"You know that I meant that the blue cocktail dress still fits you perfectly and that you're just being paranoid about this whole weight thing, right?".

Qiyana wasn't yet ready to forget what he had said, even though she knew he didn't mean to say anything hurtful, and just made an undignified sound and went back to reading.

Ekko knew she only needed time to accept to talk to him once again, and then he could give her a better apology. For now, he would just let her be. The boy approached Yasuo and took a look at the computer screen. "Yo! Yasuo! How's it going?" He was aware that the DJ couldn't hear him but felt like greeting him anyway, just for the sake of it. "Got anything good yet?".
Yasuo took notice that Ekko was standing behind him through the reflection on the screen and turned around. He stared at him for a few moments, seemingly deep in thought and then started furiously typing something. Ekko waited patiently, as he was used to Yasuo taking his time to do things and hated being interrupted. A few seconds later, a window popped up. The man took off his headphones and handed them to the teen. Ekko smiled, accepted them and put them on. Yasuo got the tune playing and the boy was engulfed by it. Music was truly something special that had the power to motivate people, make their hearts dance and change lives for the better. At least, that's how Ekko looked at it. People could call him naive, childish, a dreamer, delusional even. But no one was capable of denying the positive effect a song could have on him whenever he felt sad or disappointed in something. And he knew he wasn't alone in feeling that, as many others did. Yasuo's latest creation was very upbeat and powerful and made Ekko bob his head to the beat. Once it was over, the boy took off the headphones and gave them back to Yasuo.
"That's some good stuff. There's some KDA influence in there, am I right?"

Yasuo just answered by giving him a sly smile.

"I would go for a slower tempo on that last part, and the middle could be faster instead. Just a friendly suggestion."

The DJ listened attentively to his friend's comment and took some notes on a sheet of paper. Qiyana was watching everything over from the chaise longue.

"Ekko's the only one that's gonna get to listen to that before it's finished, right? As usual..."

"He knows how to give constructive criticism." Yasuo turned his chair to face Qiyana. "Unlike some people who only complain and offer nothing."

The girl rolled her eyes. "Why is everyone against me today?".

Ekko laughed. "Give her a break, man."

"You started it." Yasuo said jokingly. He adjusted his chair and went back to working on his music.

-----

The man exited the elevator and tiredly walked across the dimly lit hallway, searching for his keys inside his pocket. Once he arrived at his apartment, he retrieved them and opened the door. The place wasn't big or small but was a complete mess. There was a pile of unwashed dishes on the kitchen sink, an empty box of pizza lay on the couch, there was dust piling up on the furniture and different pieces of clothing were scattered everywhere. He didn't have much patience to tidy up, as he had better things to do with his time. He turned the lights on and took off his jacket, lazily hanging it on a chair right after. It had been a long workday and he felt like he was carrying boulders on top of him. His arms and legs hurt badly and it was as if his back had been broken in half. The man stretched and yawned. All he wanted right now was to take a shower, have dinner and get into bed. However, there was something he had to do before all that.

He walked up to a painting that was hanging next to his bedroom door and turned it around, revealing a key that was strapped onto its back with tape. He picked it up and approached a locked metal door. The man inserted the key into the lock, turned it and stepped into his study. The room was extremely small and the only source of light was an old flickering lamp hanging from the ceiling. It had no windows, and there were three metal shelves filled with paperwork and books, which gave it a very claustrophobic and eerie feeling. The only wall that didn't have a shelf in front of it, had instead an old wooden desk with a computer and sheets of paper scattered all over on top, leaning against it. Above that, however, there was a gigantic corkboard which was filled with at least a hundred pictures and a few posters of the same exact person.

The man smiled, took a few steps forward until he found himself right in front of the corkboard. He reached over to one of the pictures, removed the pin that was holding it in place and examined it from up-close for a few seconds. He approached it from his lips and gave it a tender kiss.

"Don't worry, my pretty. We'll be together soon." He whispered as if the person in the photo could hear him. "I wonder what you taste like?..."

Ekko was the one in the picture.

Chapter Text

"Hey peeps, I'm back!" Akali shouted upon stepping into the room.

Qiyana jumped in her seat. "Geez! I didn't even hear you arrive! When did you get in? You almost gave me a heart attack!"

Akali put the bags she was carrying on the ground.

"Oh, I'm so sorry my queen!" Akali joked. "It won't happen again".

Ekko was sitting on the window sill just looking through the glass at the night beyond. The street lights were being turned on as the sky became darker. He looked at Akali once she came into the room and laughed at Qiyana's comment.

"Qiyana's right, you know? I didn't even hear you coming in through the front door. Sometimes it feels like you're some kind of ninja assassin that sneaks up on people."

"Ah ah. Very funny." Akali said in an ironic tone.

"Wait! Ekko, is it just me or you're agreeing with Qiyana?" Senna commented. "This is the end of the world as we know it!"

"Yeah, you never agree with anything I say!" Qiyana joked. "What's gotten into you?"

Ekko just shrugged and put a hand on his chest. "What can I say? I'm a considerate, reasonable guy."

Suddenly, Senna's phone rang and she immediately picked it up. She took a quick look at the screen and her eyes lit up. "It's Lucian!" The girl looked at Ekko and gave him a big smile to which he responded with a wink and a thumbs up. "Excuse me, I'm gonna have to take this one." With that said, Senna quickly exited the room.

"So?" Akali turned to her friends. "Who's hungry?"

"I thought you were never gonna ask!" Said Qiyana. With the help of her hands, she sat upright on the couch and reached over to the nearest bag. "So, where's my salad at?"

Seeing Qiyana take the initiative, Yasuo finally decided to get up from his chair and join the rest of the group.

"Well, Akali, what'd you get for us?" Ekko asked.

Akali smiled and crouched to remove a still warm container from the bag at her feet.

"Well, I know you don't like liver. So, I decided that anchovies would be the best choice."

Ekko's face became plagued with confusion. "Wait, what?"

Akali walked over to him with the container in hand, and once she was close enough, she lifted the lid up to reveal its content.

"Kidding!" She gave him a broad smile which revealed her perfectly lined up white teeth. "I got us some lasagna. I heavily considered the anchovies though!"

"Stop trolling me!" Ekko gave her a friendly nudge and laughed.

"You should have seen your face!"

"You're getting a little too much enjoyment out of this aren't you?" Ekko asked with a big smile.

"Maybe a little. You're just so easy to fool, kid!"

"Hey, who are you calling kid?" Ekko attempted to defend himself. "I'm almost seventeen!

"You'll always be the baby of the group for us!" Akali stated, jokingly. With her free hand, she tousled his dark hair.

"Alright, cut it out!" Ekko exclaimed, letting out another good-natured laugh. "Let's just eat".

Akali nodded and put down the container. She was gone for a few seconds and fetched two plates from the kitchen cupboard. Ekko and her made themselves comfortable on the window sill while Yasuo and Qiyana ate together on the chaise longue.

"Hey! Where's Senna at?" Qiyana asked. Their friend had been gone for a good while now. "Her food is gonna get cold".

Speaking of the devil. Senna returned to the living room a few moments later and they all noticed that she didn't look very happy.

"Senna, what's up girl?" Akali asked.

"Lucian can't come tomorrow?" Ekko's expression was apprehensive.

Senna gave them a sad smile. "Unfortunately, no. But he assured me he'll have time next weekend. It isn't exactly what I was hoping for, but it's not all bad."

"Bummer." Qiyana said. Even though she didn't show it, she felt terrible that Senna and Lucian almost hadn't seen one another in two months.

"Ah, man! I'm sorry Senna, I know how much you were looking forward to tomorrow night." Anyone, even a stranger who didn't know him, could feel that Ekko was genuinely sad for his friend.

"It's ok, really!" Senna tried cheering herself up and broadened her smile. "I'll end up being with Lucian anyway, just a bit later than I had hoped."

"That's the spirit!" Qiyana tried giving her some support. She pat the seat beside her, signalling Senna to sit down.

Senna joined her friends on the couch and retrieved the last container from the bag. She decided to let her worries go and allowed herself to relax and enjoy the moment in good company.

Ekko was eating in silence, lost in his own thoughts.

"What's up Ekko? Has the cat got your tongue?" Akali asked, pointing at him with her fork.

Ekko distractedly looked outside at a car that was passing by and it took him a few moments to answer.

"Nah!" He turned around to face his friend. "I was only thinking about tomorrow's party."

"You do like a good party." Said Akali, sticking her fork into a bit of lasagna. "And Ahri throws the best parties in town."

"Yeah, I know". Ekko replied, indifferently.

Akali frowned. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no. Big parties are nice and all. You get to meet new people and stuff like that. I was just thinking that I've been liking small parties with close friends more and more now."

"Oh. I know what you mean. They're less chaotic, right?"

"Yeah. But not just that. Small parties are also more... I don't know how to put it. I guess they make me feel more comfortable?"

"Yeah, I get it." Akali gave her friend a comforting smile. "But you're nervous about the party? I've never seen you turn down a party before."

"I think I'm a bit nervous about Ahri throwing the party for us specifically, to celebrate the success of our last album. And that so many people I don't know are going to be there. It kinda makes me feel like they will only come to observe us from up-close and judge us."

"I thought you didn't care what others think of you." Akali pointed out in a teasing manner.

"And I don't?... But I also kinda do? It's complicated." Ekko laughed.

"You're a complex guy." The girl joked. But what she said was the undeniable truth. To the common observer, Ekko was simply the class clown and the life of the party, always eager to entertain and be the center of attention. However, someone like Akali who had known him for almost his entire life was perfectly aware that there was so much more to the boy than that. Ekko was full of contradictions and thoughts that didn't always make sense despite his logical inclined nature. Nevertheless, there wasn't a single side of him she didn't like.

After they were done eating, the two friends sat there in silence for some time, plates in hand, just looking outside the window. The other three members of the band were quite a bit far away from them and wouldn't be able to hear the two of them anyway because of how loud Qiyana was being.

"Hey Akali!" Ekko suddenly exclaimed, breaking the silence. "Do ya remember when we were little and a kid was asking his mom if she could buy him a cake but she didn't have enough money?"

"When You were little-er, you mean." Akali teased, which made Ekko roll his eyes. "Yeah, I do, as if it were yesterday. You actually gave him some of your own money to pay for it. You've always been such a goodie-two-shoes." She might have said it jokingly, but deep down, she truly admired her friend's kindness and goodwill.

"The kid looked like he didn't even have money for real food, much less to buy sweets." Ekko said, looking down at his empty plate with a stern look on his face. "I've been where he was. It's not pretty."

Akali gave him a comforting smile and gently gave him her hand. "Hey, it's ok. That's in the past now. And what matters is how happy you made that kid! He wouldn't stop thanking you!"

"Yeah you're right, I guess I really made him happy." Ekko's smile was a bit faded.

"What made you think of that, anyway?" Akali questioned, genuinely curious.

"I don't know... This? All this? The party, the band, this food we just ate, this house?" The boy made a gesture with his hand, encompassing the whole room. "I started off having nothing. And now I pretty much have everything I could want." He made a long pause and his eyes filled with sadness and compassion. "But how many others had the same luck? That kid might be better off now, but he also might not... It just doesn't seem fair."

"Ekko..." Akali started.

"The only reason I started rapping in the first place was that I wanted a way to entertain the kids of the neighbourhood back home. I always thought that music was a fun thing that could make people smile. It cheered me up at least, so I tried sharing it with everyone else. And boy, did they love it." Ekko looked directly at Akali and she could see that his eyes were shining bright like two stars in the night sky. "I just made everyone so happy... And then you came back home and asked me to join you on your new project and this whole thing started. I accepted because I saw it as an opportunity to gain some money for my parents who always worked so hard for me. I could finally help them...".

"Oh, Ekko..." Akali was almost getting moved to tears by his speech. She was still holding his hand and squeezed it a little bit harder to show her support. She was aware that Ekko didn't show his more sensitive side to just anyone. She was one of the few people he trusted wholeheartedly, so she listened patiently to his words.

"But now, I just think... Why me? Why did I get this opportunity and not someone else? There are people who were way worse off than me or people who could do so much more in this situation. There are so many young rappers and other performers out there... Some probably deserved it more than I do."

"Ekko!" Akali finally found a way to break through the flurry of words. "You are more than deserving of all this. Good things came to you because you're a good person. You did all you could to help everyone around you and you were rewarded for your kind acts. Nothing else." The girl's smile grew wider the more she spoke. Ekko's eyes were still downcast, so she gently grabbed his chin and lifted his head to look him in the eyes. "We've been friends since we were kids and you never changed. You're still the same dreamer who wants to help everyone without expecting anything in return. There aren't many people like that, Ekko. People who are truly good to the core and want nothing more than to make others happy. There isn't anyone in the world I'd rather be best friends with."

"Akali..." Ekko simply said.

"Now that you have this opportunity, you can share your passion with the world. You aren't just gonna make your friends happy, you can make so many more people happy with your lyrics and your rapping."

Ekko took in his friend's words and his doubtful expression started shifting to a more relaxed and happy one.

"You're right. Thanks, Akali."

Akali patted her friend's hand and looked back at him for a few moments. Then, she got up and piled up the two dirty plates.

"Well. I went out to get us the food, so... You wash the dishes, all right?"

Ekko grabbed the pile "Sounds fair." He turned to the rest of the group who had also finished eating. "The dishes are on me tonight!"

"All right!" Qiyana exclaimed, handing him her empty plate. "What about you clean up my room while you're at it, kid?"

Ekko raised an eyebrow and accepted the plate. "Don't even think about it."

Qiyana chuckled. "Hey, worth a shot!"

The boy smiled and jokingly shook his head in disapproval.

"So, Qiyana, you got your new dress picked for tomorrow night?" Senna inquired.

Her friend gave her a cocky grin and polished her own nails on her shirt. "Nah! I decided to stick with the blue cocktail dress."

Senna was surprised. "What made you change your mind?"

Ekko was about to exit the living room with plates in hand when he heard the girl's question. He turned around to look at his friends and answered. "It fits perfectly fine. That's all."

He and Qiyana exchanged glances and Ekko winked at her before leaving for the kitchen.

A new day dawned with grey skies and a cool breeze that signalled Winter was on its way. Each member of True Damage chose to spend it in their own way.

Yasuo, unsurprisingly to everyone, resumed working on his new track and experimented with the changes Ekko had suggested.

Qiyana spent the whole day at the spa receiving skincare, manicures and pedicures to look her best for the evening.

Senna went to the shopping mall with the intent of buying a present for Lucian. They both agreed that there was no need for a birthday party or any kind of special occasion to offer a gift to one another. For the couple, it was but a gesture of love and appreciation, and love isn't bound by time or special dates.

Ekko and Akali both slept in. They had stayed up late just chatting and reminiscing. Ekko's speech from earlier left them both thinking about all the fun they used to have, racing one another through the streets of their hometown and all the mischief they had been up to as kids. After waking up, the two friends cooked lunch together and later on, went for an afternoon walk. The streets of the city were hustling and bustling. The traffic was loud and the pavement beneath their feet was worn out by the thousands of shoes that walked on it every day. Akali and Ekko told jokes that only made sense to both of them, observed and made remarks about the people that passed by, either in a hurry or casually strolling. A light rain began to fall, but not even that stopped them from enjoying themselves.

The day was over in less than nothing and it was almost time for the party. Qiyana was the first to arrive home as she needed more time than anyone else to get ready. She put on her dress, carefully applied the makeup in front of her dresser and put on some hairspray to make sure that not even a single hair would fall out of place. Once she was ready, she exited her room and walked to the entrance hall where the rest of the group was already waiting for her.

"Will you look at that!" Exclaimed Akali with a smirk adorning her face. "Qiyana never misses a chance to show off!"

"Jealousy speaks louder than reason." Qiyana joked, putting her hand on her hip.

"Looking amazing as always, girl!" Said Senna, who also looked beautiful with the pearl earrings Lucian had offered her some time after their wedding and a shiny red dress that opened on the side.

Ekko pointed at Qiyana's perfectly groomed hair and turned to Yasuo. "Yo, I bet five dollars that she brought the hairspray in her purse for an emergency."

Yasuo looked at Qiyana from head to toe. "I bet she did not. That seems excessive, even for Qiyana."

The girl chuckled. She opened her purse and took out the spray can, revealing she had indeed brought it.

Ekko laughed and Yasuo rolled his eyes. He had lost to him yet again! The kid was really good at guessing stuff or just very observant, he couldn't tell which. Defeated, he retrieved five dollars from his pocket and handed them over to his younger friend.

"Pleasure doing business with ya!" Ekko said, collecting the money.

The five friends left the house and got into Yasuo's car. He asked everyone if they hadn't forgotten anything important, so he wouldn't have to make multiple trips and drove off with the KDA mansion as their destination.

"Wow! It's like half the city is here." Akali exclaimed upon arriving at the front gate. She almost couldn't believe her eyes. She had been to Ahri's parties before, but this one was more than likely going to be the biggest one yet. Groups of people were approaching from all directions on foot and dozens of cars were pulling over.
Yasuo signalled the group to leave while he went to find a spot to park the car. They did so and Akali lead the others away from the main entrance gate to a smaller side gate.

"We've got a VIP entrance, as usual!" She said, jokingly. The girl readily approached the gate, took out the keys from her purse, opened it and they all stepped inside.

-----

The man took a look at himself in the mirror. His back shirt and coat were impeccable and ironed and his pants fit perfectly. His hair could use some work though. He picked up the comb that was nearby and used it to fix his messy hair. He put the comb down and looked into the mirror once again. Now it was perfect. He turned off the lights and walked over to the door. Before leaving, he picked up a small white bottle from a side table and put it in his pocket. After that, he took out his wallet and made sure that his I.D. was inside. Everything was ready.

"This party is the best chance yet." The man thought to himself. "I can't let it slip by."

-----

Akali and the gang were approaching the front door where Ahri could be seen greeting some other guests. As soon as she saw Akali, she excitedly ran up to them.

"Akali" She exclaimed, giving her a quick hug. Shen then turned to the rest of the group "I'm so happy you all could come! The party wouldn't be the same without the guests of honor."

"It was really nice of you girls to throw it for the band." Said Akali.

"We're very happy to come." Said Senna.

"Of course! You guys are the sensation of the moment! We had to celebrate!" Ahri looked at each member from head to toe. Suddenly she furrowed her eyebrows. "Wait a second. Isn't someone missing? Where's Yasuo at?"

"Oops..." Akali's face turned slightly red with embarrassment. "I forgot I have to open the door for him. We left him outside because he was looking for a spot to park the car..."

"But why didn't you say so?" Ahri smiled. "He can park the car in our garage! There's plenty of room."

"I thought of asking you!" Akali exclaimed. "But don't Evelynn's cars take up all the space?"

"The red one is being repaired at the moment. Only the other two are in the garage."

"Well, that's good news. I hope he hasn't found a spot yet." Akali said, picking up her phone and walking back to the gate, in case Yasuo was already waiting for her there.

"Come in, come in!" Said Ahri warmly. "I'm gonna announce to everyone that you're here!"

They followed the fox girl inside and she led them to the gigantic living room where many guests were already comfortably reclined on the various couches and chairs. Ekko looked around at the gigantic plasma TV and the expensive furniture. He had been over to their place before, but his surroundings always baffled him: These girl's success was no joke. They must have made millions during the past year alone just to afford to live in a place like this. The music was blasting through the speakers and Ahri turned it down for a second, so she could be heard.

"Attention everyone!" She stepped forward to the center of the room and many heads turned to look in her direction. "True Damage is in the house!"

The other guests cheered and clapped and the group waved at them.

"Don't worry!" Ahri continued. "Akali and Yasuo are about to show up as well!"

A bunch of people approached the band and started asking questions and congratulating them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ekko! I'm a BIG fan of your rapping. Your solos in "Giants" were absolute fire!" Said a tall scrawny guy wearing a beanie, extending his hand.

"The pleasure's all mine, my dude!" Ekko eagerly accepted his handshake.

"I absolutely love your dress! And those earrings, oh my!" A blonde girl said, mouth agape, to Senna. "I've been studying your fashion choices in pictures from tabloids. I'm a professional fashion designer and lemme tell you: You're an absolute queen!"

"Aw, thank you so much! You're so sweet!"

"Qiyana! I can't believe I'm actually meeting the queen herself, what an honor!" Said a boy with glasses and a black scarf holding a professional camera. "You guys killed it on your last album!"

Qiyana laughed and exclaimed with pride, modesty aside. "We certainly did, didn't we?"

"Can I please take a pic with you?" The boy requested.

"Sure, I don't see why not!" Qyiana exclaimed, moving to his side and posing for the photo.

Fifteen minutes later, Akali and Yasuo came back. Turns out Yasuo still hadn't found a spot and was relieved to know he could leave the vehicle in the mansion's garage. More people approached once the band was reunited once again. Ekko was liking this attention and making everyone laugh with his witty remarks. It was always nice meeting new fans and spending time with them.

Little by little, everyone started to disperse and went off to do their own thing. Qiyana stuck with the camera guy and they walked up to the table on the other side of the room where all the food was. The music just got crazier and louder once Yasuo took over the mixing table. A group of people started dancing and Akali and Ekko joined in. Senna sat down on a couch with a glass of wine in hand and Ahri took the seat in front of her.

"So Ahri? Where are Eve and Kai'sa? I haven't seen them yet."

"They got caught up on something. They'll show up soon."

"I see." Senna said, taking a sip.

Suddenly Ahri remembered. "What about Lucian? Wasn't he supposed to come with you?"

Senna gave her a sad smile. "Yeah, but he also got caught up on something. I'll be with him next weekend anyway, so it's no big deal."

Ahri felt bad for Senna. But at that moment, to her surprise, she saw Kai'sa entering the room... and Lucian was just behind her! He had a huge bouquet in hand. She saw as Kai'sa smiled and pointed at the couch where Senna was sitting. The girl wasn't aware of anything as all was happening behind her back. Lucian's eyes found Ahri's and he put a finger on his lips asking her not to ruin the element of surprise. He handed the flowers to Kai'sa and then started slowly walking towards them.

"Hey, Senna!" Ahri said.

"Yes?"

"If Lucian were here right now, what would you tell him or ask of him?" She asked with sincerity.

"That's a strange question." Senna raised one eyebrow in confusion, but then just shrugged and smiled. "I'd ask him for a kiss, I suppose..."

"I think I can grant you that wish. Since I'm here and all." Lucian said, from right behind his wife.

She became wide-eyed and turned around in disbelief. "Lucian!"

Ahri grinned with satisfaction as Senna got up, walked around the sofa and threw herself into his arms. Lucian carefully held his wife against his chest.

"I missed you so much!"

"Me too!"

Once they parted, they looked into each other's eyes for a brief moment and then shared a loving kiss.

"I really thought you wouldn't be able to make it tonight!" Senna exclaimed.

"Well, I lied." Lucian said simply, winking at her. "I wanted it to be a surprise."

"And it was an amazing one." Senna's eyes were shining with happiness. She turned to Ahri over on the couch and smiled. "You sly fox!"

Ahri chuckled. Feeling forgotten, Kai'sa walked over to the couple, flowers in hand. As none of them noticed her approaching she exclaimed "Hey Lucian! Hello? Your bouquet?"

"Oh! I'm sorry, Kai'sa. Thank you so much for holding it for me." Kai'sa handed the flowers over, rolling her eyes but smiling. "These are for you." He said, giving them to Senna.

"Oh, Lucian! They're beautiful. I love them." In a reflex, she handed the flowers back to Kai'sa and held onto Lucian to give him a deep kiss. Kai'sa made an "I'm done with the world" face and left the bouquet on the sofa. Ahri, who was paying attention to her friend's reaction, let out a loud laugh.

Chapter Text

The man exited the taxi and looked around before closing the door. The mansion was there, right in front of him. It had been a whole year of spying, both on this building and those living in it and on the True Damage Household. Here, he knew the location of the security cameras on the first floor, both on the inside and the outside. He had gotten the info from a friend who was a professional that had infiltrated the KDA mansion one week earlier, passing off as a repairman. He had also leaked valuable information about the best plan possible he had envisioned, according to the layout of the house and the streets surrounding it.

He had laughed and commented about how careless those young air-headed stars were, just letting a stranger wander around their house with no supervision.

"They probably thought it would be ok to leave me be thanks to the security cameras. But I know how to do things without drawing attention to myself. Not even the shadows can catch me."

It had been a whole year of digging for information on these people from all sources available to him, legal or not. He had his contacts and friendships and most of them were with extremely shady people. He knew the outside of both buildings by heart and the surrounding streets. He knew the daily routines of all the young stars... especially Ekko's.

When he thought of the boy's name, his heart skipped a beat. He wanted to know what it felt like to embrace him, to lock his lips onto his. The kid was insanely beautiful for his age, with big hazel eyes and soft dark skin, and had the most amazing personality ever. The wonderful smile never left his young face. A mental image of the boy smiling at him crossed his mind. No. He couldn't wait any longer. It had to be tonight. He was going to make Ekko his and his alone, no matter the cost.

He was now in position. They could start the operation. The man picked up his phone and dialled a number. A few seconds later, the other person answered.

"Are you in position?" He asked.

"Come check for yourself."

He walked around to the side of the mansion and checked with satisfaction that the car his accomplice was calling him from was right on the spot. Unlike the main street that the mansion was facing, the other ones surrounding it were extremely quiet and there weren't that many houses nearby. The one the car found itself in had no buildings and was eerily quiet even during the day and especially at night. The KDA girls had chosen to buy that mansion in that specific part of town for some peace and quiet.

"You know what you have to do, right?" The accomplice asked. "Don't screw it up. I'm doing this for you, after all, old friend."

"Don't worry. The kid will be in my hands tonight." He replied, with an unsettling grin adorning his face.

Evelynn was in the hallway by herself smoking a cigarette and texting a few friends. She wanted to be close to the party, but not actually be a part of it. She wasn't the party type, unlike many people thought she was. She liked to stay on the outskirts of events, looking at what was happening from an outsider's perspective and socializing with whoever felt the same way and retreated to the same spot. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Someone was at the gate, but hadn't all the guests arrived already? She took a look at the screen and saw a man dressed in an all-black suit. She didn't recognize him. Who was he and what could he possibly want?

"Who is that at the door?" Kai'sa asked when approaching Evelynn.

"No idea. You know the guy?"

Kai'sa took a look at the screen. "That's Jayce! From the police department! I invited him." With that said, she pressed the button to open the gate and watched as the man stepped inside.

Evelynn looked over her glasses in disbelief. "You invited a police officer?" She approached the cigarette to her lips and jokingly said "Do you know what cops do to parties? They break them up."

Kai'sa laughed. "Nah, this one won't, he's a cool guy..."

Kai'sa hurried to the door.

"Good evening, Kai'sa." Jayce greeted her politely.

"Good evening, Jayce! What a surprise!" The girl said, holding the door and signalling for him to come inside.

"I'm sorry that I came so late. I wasn't' even sure I could come in the first place."

"You're the second person who said he wouldn't show up today and ended up at our door anyway." Kai'sa commented. "What a weird night. Come on in! You're a bit late but the party is still going strong!"

Jayce followed her through the hallway. After a year, he was finally getting to see the place from the inside. He could have looked around and admired everything around him. He could have told Kai'sa how nice the place was. He could have commented on the furniture and the modern decoration. But none of that came to mind. At the moment, finding Ekko was all he cared for.

The living room was right around the corner. The man almost couldn't contain his enthusiasm. All he had worked for and imagined was about to become real.

"Huh, Kai'sa?" He requested. "Could you please introduce me to the members of True Damage? I'm actually a fan of their music. And this party was thrown for them so..."

"Of course!" Kai'sa answered. Soon, they arrived at the living room. "Look, Qiyana's over there!" She made a gesture with her hand, asking him to follow her.

Jayce pretended like he cared as Kai'sa introduced him to Qiyana, Yasuo, and Senna, alongside her husband one by one. He was polite and answered various questions, while also making up his own. Some acquaintances of his showed up to talk to him and ask him how he was and how his work was going along. Strangers circled him. They wanted to meet the hero that had cracked so many cases and put so many criminals behind bars! The hostess of the party came to greet him as well and he acted as if he was honored to meet all these people. He was getting bored and impatience prickled under his skin. He just wanted them all to go away so he could finally meet the one person who mattered. Speaking of said person, Ekko was sitting on a couch beside Akali. He eyed the newcomer with interest.

"Hey Akali, you know who that is?" The boy pointed at him with his thumb. "People seem to be going all crazy for that guy."

Akali shook her head. "Nah. This city is way too big for me to know everyone. Unlike back in our neighbourhood in Zaun." She commented, making Ekko smile with the reference to his beloved city. "But it isn't too big for Kai'sa, it seems. She was born and raised here. Almost all the guests are her friends and acquaintances, did you know that?"

"No way!" Ekko exclaimed. "That's nuts! She knows half the city!"

Akali laughed. "Yeah, she's always been quite popular and has loads of contacts. People just like being around her, I guess."

"Have you noticed that the guy is always looking in our direction?" Ekko pointed out. "Maybe he's a fan of our music and really wants to meet us. Seems like it."

"Yeah, probably."

After almost one hour, Jayce was finally free from everyone except Kai'sa who had stuck around. He glanced at the two friends who were relaxing on the couch. To try to save himself from having to meet anyone else, he commented "Hey, you haven't introduced me to them yet! That's Akali and... Ekko." His heart started racing faster in anticipation, just from saying the boy's name.

Kai'sa looked in their direction. "Yeah, you're right. Sorry! Too many people to meet and greet. Anyway, c'mon!" And started leading him to the two True Damage rappers.

Jayce's breath quickened, his heart began racing once again and his face reddened profusely. Once he was face to face with the boy, he made a remark to make what he was feeling not seem too obvious. "Oof! It's hot in here. Pardon me." He said while attempting to cool himself by waving his hand next to his face.

"Nah, dude! It's all good." Ekko said. "That's a nice suit you got there, but it's prob what's making you sweat all over."

Akali covered her mouth with her hand to hide a giggle. It was amazing how at ease Ekko was with people that he had just met and it was funny how straightforward he could be with his comments.

The older man slowly regained his composure. And Ekko had completely put him at ease. What an extraordinary kid... "Anyway, I'm Jayce, of the Police Department." He looked at Kai'sa. "Kai'sa and I go a while back. We met at one of Caitlyn's birthday parties. She was the one who invited me. Anyway, I'm a big fan of your music. You probably think it's weird that a man like me would like music for youngsters..."

"Music is music!" Ekko said with a big smile. "It doesn't matter what kind you like!"

"Yes, I suppose you're right."

"Why don't you take a seat?" Akali said, pointing to the couch in front of them.

The man was caught off guard. "Oh, huh... thank you." Jayce said, accepting the suggestion. He couldn't believe he was this close to the kid. It felt unreal.

Kai'sa remained standing and addressed the group.

"I'm gonna get myself a drink. You guys want me to bring you something?"

"Nah, I'm good." Akali said, raising her hand.

"I totally dig that strawberry juice you got there. Could you bring me some?" EKko requested.

Jayce saw this opportunity and seized it. The plan he had envisioned was slightly different, but he could make this work. It was perfect.

"What about you Jayce? Want anything?" Kai'sa repeated as the man seemed lost in thought and probably hadn't heard her ask the first time.

"Huh... What if I go get the drinks?" He said, readily getting up. "It's the least I can do to thank you for inviting me. And it's not every day that you can bring international stars their drinks." Jayce winked at EKko who smiled at him in response.

"Well... ok! If you put it that way..." Kai'sa said, letting herself drop on the seat beside his. "It's very nice of you, thank you! Could you bring me a vodka, please? With ice."

"Wait!" Exclaimed Akali. "I changed my mind. Would it be a bother if you brought me orange juice? Please."

"Not at all! I'll be right back."

None of the three stars saw the evil glint in Jayce's eyes as he turned around.

The man approached the bartender, who was cleaning the counter. "Hey, two vodkas with ice, an orange juice, and a strawberry juice, please."

The girl looked at him for a second, stopping in her tracks, taking in the information, and then reached under the counter and started preparing everything. Jayce watched as she moved super fast and got everything ready in a heartbeat. These girls really knew how to throw a party! They even hired professional bartenders. She handed him the drinks on a small tray without uttering a word.

"Thanks." He said, accepting the tray and walking over to a side table in a corner. All he had to do now was make sure no one would see what he was about to do or suspect anything. He put down the drinks and upon making sure no one was watching, quick as the wind, he put a hand in his pocket and retrieved the minuscule white bottle, pouring the entirety of its contents on Ekko's drink. As quickly as he had gotten the small bottle out, he put it back. He had studied everything carefully beforehand and that was just about the right amount, given the teen's weight and height. No one had seen absolutely anything. It wouldn't have been easy anyway, as the man had practised this countless times and was fast as lightning.

Grinning with satisfaction, the man got back to the group.

"Sorry, did I take long?"

"Nope, you were pretty fast, actually." Said Kai'sa. She watched as Jayce put down the tray of drinks on the coffee table in front of them.

"I propose we make a toast." The man said, grabbing his glass and handing Ekko his. The boy, unaware of the man's true intentions, innocently accepted his drink with a grateful smile. Akali and Kai'sa grabbed theirs.

The man elevated his drink in the air. "To the success of True Damage!" He exclaimed.

"To your well-deserved success!" Said Kai'sa. "And to ours, of course." She sassily added, bringing the glass to her lips and taking a sip.

Jayce slowly drank his vodka, carefully studying Ekko's course of action. The boy was actually quite thirsty and emptied the glass quickly. The man grinned with satisfaction. Things just couldn't be going better. Now, in a matter of fifteen to twenty minutes, the kid would more than likely start to feel drowsy for no apparent reason. Then, he would put the second part of his plan in action.

"Hey, guys!" Ahri said, approaching the group. "Everyone is asking for a True Damage performance! You totally gotta do it! You can't say no!"

Akali looked at Ekko and smirked "Too tired tough guy?"

"You wish!" Ekko replied, jumping from his seat.

With Yasuo dishing out sick beats from the mixing table, Ekko and Akali dancing and rapping, and Senna and Qiyana's enchanting voices, no one stayed in their seats. No one except Jayce, who was still avidly observing Ekko's every move. He looked... absolutely beautiful under the party lights, moving his body with ease to the rhythm of the song, with his golden-hued eyes wide open in sheer ecstasy. A few drops of sweat escaped his head when he performed a slightly difficult move and shone in the surrounding light. It made Jayce wonder how hot Ekko's body would be. He imagined beads of sweat running down his naked torso, the teen all flushed, lying under him... His pants suddenly became tighter and he reddened profusely. In a hurry, he moved to a seat farther away from the crowd to hide the protuberance in his pants and tried to control himself. He had to be ready so everything would go according to plan.

When the band finished, cheers were heard from everywhere. The performers were all tired but happy. Well... all, except for one.

Akali, panting heavily from the dance routine she had performed alongside her best friend, turned to the side to look at him... and frowned. Ekko looked distressed and was holding his head in his hand as if he were having a headache.

"Ekko?" She inquired, worried. "Are... are you ok?"

Ekko lifted his head up and smiled at the girl. "Yeah, yeah. Don't worry, I'm fine. Just a bit tired."

Senna also noticed something was wrong with the boy. "Ekko, is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine, Senna. Don't worry about me girls, really. I'm just gonna go sit down for a bit."

Qiyana watched as Ekko distanced himself from them. "What happened? Is the kid ok?"

"Yeah, I think so. He said he was just tired. Maybe his routine was a bit too much. It's almost 4 a.m. too." Senna commented.

"Yeah... He does like to show off at parties." Qiyana commented wittily.

Akali smirked. "He's a tough boy. He's gonna be ok." The girl took her attention away from Ekko as fans circled her and the other girls to congratulate them on their last-minute performance.

Ekko let himself fall onto the couch. He was feeling a bit nauseous now as well. He carefully rubbed his temples and closed his eyes. They were feeling a bit heavy. Suddenly a shadow towered over him, obscuring the party lights.

"Ekko?" Jayce said, feigning concern "Are you not feeling well?"

"I... No, I'm just sleepy that's all." Ekko made an effort to raise his head, look the man in the eyes, and smile despite the dizziness and the slight pain he was withstanding.

"You're sleepy?" The man said, smiling on the inside. "What if you go wash your face? It might help."

Ekko considered that possibility for a few seconds. "Yeah, it might help. Thanks for the suggestion man." The boy said, getting up with a bit of difficulty.

Ekko was so incredibly close... Jayce fought the urge to just grab him right away, as it would be a terrible idea. Instead, he patiently waited for the kid to leave the room before going after him. Once he found himself alone, he picked up the phone and called the accomplice who was still waiting outside.

"Hello? You got the kid?"

"Not yet. I'm close though. Get in position."

Inserting his phone back in his pocket, he thought of the information he had been given. His friend had told him the hallway right outside the bathroom and the bathroom itself had no cameras. And it seemed to be the case, as Jayce could now see for himself. His accomplice had described the men's bathroom as being big, with multiple stalls and sinks. To their right, there were several high, medium-sized guillotine windows that let the sunshine in during the day. Wait... Jayce let that thought sink in for just a second: These girls actually had a separate men's and women's bathroom like the public ones inside their home. What?...

No. His thoughts couldn't deviate from the mission at hand...

He would have to make sure no one was around him and the boy, inside one of the stalls. Suddenly he could already see the bathroom door. Jayce's steps echoed across the dimly lit hallway. In that part of the house, the only light source was the moonlight that penetrated through the windows. When there was a party going on, the girls simply turned off all the other lights in the house that weren't needed to save energy and money. The man opened up the bathroom door and stepped inside.

Ekko was carefully washing his face in front of one of the mirrors. Nonchalantly, the man went to check on the stalls. They were all open. Perfect. No one around. He was free to act. Not wasting any more time, he walked up to the boy who could barely stand up anymore and was supporting himself on the sink in front of him. Suddenly, the teen lost all his strength and began to fall. Jayce caught him on time and didn't let him hit the floor.

"We don't wanna hurt that pretty face of yours now, do we?" The man said, holding the boy up with one arm and caressing his cheek with the other. Ekko's skin was so soft. He held his unconscious body against his chest for a few seconds, feeling the heat of his young body against his own. This... This was a dream come true. The boy he had been after for more than a year was now... his. All his.

He thought of kissing him. It was so tempting. The closed eyes, the dark brown hair with bits of cerulean blue at the tips, the slightly parted lips letting out soft breaths. The kid looked so angelic and innocent. It was so hard to resist the urge to plant his lips onto his... But he'd rather wait for the boy to wake up first, so they could experience it together. He wondered if the unconscious child in his arms had ever kissed someone. Or if he would be his first...

He was awakened from his thoughts when he felt his phone vibrate inside his pocket. He readily answered it.

"I'm outside. You can pass me the kid." His accomplice simply said before hanging up.

Jayce walked to the last bathroom stall. With Ekko in his arms, he climbed up to the cistern above the toilet to access the window. He opened it up and looked down for a moment to make sure his friend was there. And he was.

"Get his legs through first." The man said in a low tone.

Jayce smiled and carefully passed the boy through the open window which was just big enough for him to fit through. The other guy down below grabbed the kid by the waist and let his friend lower him slowly. Once the unconscious boy was in his arms, he swung him over his shoulder since the kid was pretty light despite his height.

"Hurry! We meet at the car." The man said, starting to run towards the spot where the vehicle was.

Jayce didn't waste time. He carefully closed the window, climbed down, and quickly left the bathroom. Upon arriving in the main room, he saw that many people were under the influence of alcohol. Happy hour had started! Great. Hopefully, everyone had been too distracted and no one had seen him even leave the room in the first place. All of a sudden he bumped into Kai'sa and gave her an apologetic look.

"Sorry, Kai'sa! The party was great. But I gotta go. Thanks for inviting me once again!"

"Aw, so soon? Ok. I'm happy you liked it. See you soon!"

Jayce hurried to leave the mansion. A few minutes later, under the cover of darkness, he arrived at the car without being spotted.

"No one saw anything?" His friend asked, laughing. He turned the key and got the car going as soon as Jayce was inside.

"Nothing. Some were too much into the party to pay attention, others were passed out drunk."

"Bunch of morons! No one's gonna notice the kid is missing?"

"His friends from the band might. Or that bitch Kai'sa. Let's just hurry up and get out of here."

He took a look at the back seat and was surprised but not at all disappointed to find out Ekko was there. He was lying on his side, facing the two men. His wrists had been tied behind his back and his legs were bound together. His friend had wrapped a dark blue cloth around his mouth that would muffle all the sounds he tried to make in case he woke up. In theory, the kid shouldn't wake up for at least another five hours. But it never hurt to be careful. Besides, he liked how helpless the boy looked. He wouldn't be able to deny any advances from him while bound like that. He'd have to submit to him. And submissive partners were just so sexy...

"You didn't put him in the trunk?" Jayce simply asked his friend.

His accomplice smiled deviously. "You're dying to be close to the kid, I know it. You'd die if he was here so close to you, but you couldn't see him. I know how you work..."

"You do indeed..." Jayce reflected for a moment. "But what if the cops ask us to stop or something? What if they see him?"

"It's almost 5 a.m. ... This place is an absolute desert. And we're driving outside the city. No one's gonna see anything. I already got the kid's phone and documents and locked them up too. Just in case..."

"Yeah. Anyway, thanks, pal. We did it... the kid's ours." Jayce said, sincerely.

"Yeah... we're gonna have lots of fun with him."

Back at the party, Akali was happily giving an autograph to a girl. Finally, this was the last one! More than thirty people had gathered around her asking for an autograph and her hand already hurt. She couldn't wait to check on Ekko and see if he was feeling better or if he was just sprawled on one of the couches sleeping. She smiled at the thought and made her way to where she had last seen him... But he wasn't there. Surprised, she looked around. He wasn't anywhere to be found.

"Strange..." She thought "Maybe he went upstairs? He knows he has permission to go wherever he wants inside the mansion."

Akali walked over to the mixing table. A black-haired girl had taken over and Yasuo rested on an armchair nearby.

"Yasuo? You've seen Ekko?"

"No. Wasn't he with you?" Yasuo looked surprised. Usually, where Akali was, Ekko could be found.

"He was..." She said. "But we got separated for a while and now I can't find him. He wasn't feeling well so maybe he went to rest upstairs? Or maybe he went to another room downstairs?"

Ahri was passing by and Akali approached her. "Ahri! Can you go check if Ekko is upstairs? I'll go check in the other rooms."

"He can't be." Ahri said, surprised. "We locked the access to all the other rooms since we were going to have so many people over. He has to be here or in the bathroom."

Something inside Akali started telling her that something was very wrong. However, she strove for the slim chance that his friend could be in the bathroom since he wasn't feeling well and all.

"I'm gonna go check if he's there." Yasuo said.

Akali waited patiently as her heart started to throb. A few minutes later, Yasuo came back and his worried expression let her know everything she needed to know without her friend even uttering a word.

"You didn't find him?" Akali's heart started racing against her chest.

"No. I don't know where the kid could be. It's not normal for him to disappear like this."

Suddenly, Akali felt someone put a hand on her shoulder. She turned around and saw Senna. She also looked worried.

"Akali, where is Ekko?"

Chapter Text

His eyes opened slowly. They felt so unbelievably heavy.

He closed them again.

But it wasn't only his eyes that felt that way. It was as if his whole body weighed a ton. He tried moving his fingers a bit. He succeeded, but ever so slightly. His legs were unresponsive. He tried opening his eyes again. He fought hard against the weight on his eyelids and ignored the wave of nausea that plagued him as he slightly moved his head to the side. He could see he was lying in a bed, tucked under the covers, his head resting on a pillow. He took a look at the room around him.

The walls were made of wood. There were a few windows through which almost no light passed, as they were incredibly dirty, as if they had never been cleaned. In the corner, a few rickety chairs covered in spiderwebs lay abandoned. The pendant light, hanging from the ceiling, didn't do a very good job of illuminating its surroundings and most of the room was hidden in shadows...

This wasn't home. He wasn't in one of the KDA mansion guest rooms either.

Where was he?

How had he gotten here?

Fear started taking over like fire spreading through his unresponsive body. He couldn't move. It was as if his head had been split open. His vision was blurry. Nothing around him was in any way, familiar.

What had happened...?

Despite the splitting headache, the boy tried his best to think of the last thing he could recall. He was at a party. In the KDA mansion. Ahri had hosted it for them. He spent the night hanging out with Akali. He'd met and talked with some fans. Someone had made a toast to the band. Who had it been? Ah yes, that cop that was friends with Kai'sa. And after that? He... he couldn't remember. It was no use.

He decided it would probably be best to stop straining his mind.

The boy inhaled deeply, exhaled and just lay there for long minutes staring at the ceiling. He rested his throbbing head against the pillow. As the dizziness and pain slowly slipped away, he became more and more aware and in control of his mind and body. As a direct result, the most critical questions started plaguing his mind.

Where was... here? Why was he in this house? Just what was going on? Was he...?

Was he in danger?

Suddenly he heard the sound of a key turning inside a lock. He looked with difficulty in the direction of the door. It was slowly opened and it revealed... The cop from the night before? The boy's eyes widened in shock.

Had... had that man locked him in there...?

With a racing heart, he carefully examined the new figure in the room. He hadn't paid that much attention to him the night prior. The man was undoubtedly taller than him and mildly muscular, with a strong jawline. He had big hands with thick fingers and seemed very physically strong. However, the thing that caught his attention were his eyes. They were small and dark-colored and were staring right at him with so much intensity. He felt shivers down his spine. It was so insanely creepy.

"Hello, Ekko". The guy said.

Suddenly, he began to move in his direction, closing the distance between them with each step. There was something about this person that made the teen want to get up and run away. Only, in that state and in his current situation he couldn't. All that there was left for him to do was wait.

The man had finished crossing the room and was now standing beside the boy. He sat down on the edge of the bed, looking down at him. Ekko couldn't let go of the feeling of uneasiness this man gave him. There was an animalistic hunger in his eyes. It made him feel like a trophy that had been won and was currently being admired. Like an object that could be claimed at any second. As if the man saw him as something that belonged to him...

Ekko struggled to sit upright, but with a lot of effort, he was able to achieve it. He wanted to be at eye level with the other guy. It made him feel better somehow. Being intensely stared at while lying down made the man a much more menacing presence.

"Who... are you?" Ekko asked.

"Huh? You don't remember my name? What a way to break my heart, boy." He said, feigning being hurt. He got closer to Ekko, their noses almost touching and whispered "I'm Jayce."

The boy's eyes widened.

Wait, Jayce?

Ekko felt dizzy for a moment and had to shut his eyes, as missing memories from the previous night flooded him. His mind was hazy and his thought process was slow at the moment but he managed to put two and two together.

"The drink... You put something in my drink..." He concluded, opening his eyes and looking at the man.

"What a clever kid..." Jayce said, smirking.

"But... why? Why did you kidnap me? What do you want from me?" Ekko asked, fear clawing at his insides.

The man gave him a twisted smile. "To put it simply, I've been following you for a year. I can't get you out of my mind."

The boy's heart skipped a beat. This... This man had been stalking him? And not he or anyone had ever suspected anything? Ekko started feeling sick.

"I saw you on the cover of a magazine a short time after your band's debut." Jayce explained. "And I fell in love."

Wait, what? Love? Ekko stared at him wide-eyed. What did he mean by "love"? Was he insane?

"You were just so incredibly delicious. With innocent eyes and the most beautiful smile..."

"You're out of your mind. You can't possibly love me." Ekko interrupted him.

The man looked like he had just been punched in the face and just stared back at the kid.

"What do you mean, I can't love you? I DO love you. I really do..."

Ekko couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You're delusional, man. You can't fall in love with someone you never actually met." The kid looked him in the eyes, his face emoting the disgust he was feeling inside. "Are you crazy or something? There's no way in hell that you can actually love me." Ekko was getting angrier by the second. This guy was a lunatic and needed a psychologist. "People don't drug and kidnap the one they love for starters!" He yelled.

The teen had expected his speech to have some kind of effect on Jayce. Maybe he had managed to slap a bit of sense into that pitiful human being. But unfortunately...

It had the complete opposite effect.

All of a sudden, the covers were yanked from him and the teen felt a hand on his thigh. Before he could even utter a word, he saw the man closing in on him very fast, coming face to face with him. He felt a hot breath against his face as Jayce looked him in the eyes. They were the scariest Ekko had seen them yet: They were wide open as far as they could go and the pupils were contracted. A wide smile adorned his lips. He looked absolutely insane. The boy instinctively distanced himself.

"You just look so cute when you get angry. I love that!" The man said, moving his other hand to caress the boy's face. His smile just got even wider. "Don't worry. I will prove to you that I love you. Right now."

Ekko slapped the unwelcome hand away from his face. "Don't touch me!"

Unfortunately, Jayce seizing the opportunity, grabbed his wrist and pulled him closer. Then, without hesitation or a single warning, he grasped the back of the teen's head and pressed his lips against his. Ekko' eyes widened in shock at the man's sudden action. He froze in place as his lips were cruelly invaded.

Probably almost no one would believe this if he told them. Since he had always been a target of many people's affection, even before he became a star, and he had had a few crushes himself. But he'd never actually kissed someone before...

Unlike many people his age, Ekko believed that a kiss was a special moment that one shared with someone when there was true love involved. To him, it held a deep meaning.

People were way too hasty in making decisions when it came to relationships. They were impatient and threw away meaningful moments without giving them a second thought.

He, on the other hand, was incapable of going around kissing people like it was nothing. He believed those moments had to be chosen carefully and shared with a person he cared for.

But now... He would never have the opportunity to share his first kiss with someone he loved deeply. It had been stolen from him. Pried away without him being given a choice. And the one to do it had been a man who had drugged him and taken him away from his loved ones by force.

He couldn't believe it... he just couldn't.

He felt himself getting invaded by a terrible sadness: There was no love involved in this kiss. It couldn't be called lust either. It was only about control.

He began panicking as he was running out of air.

Jayce finally pulled away to breathe and Ekko gasped desperately, trying to get air circulating in his lungs once again. He hadn't even recovered from the first attack and the man was already closing in on him once again. The boy tried resisting this time though, turning his head to the side and using his free arm to push the offender away. That wasn't stopping him though, as he was much stronger than the teen and Ekko was still under the influence of the drug, rendering him weaker than he would usually be. The boy's struggle barely meant anything. The man simply captured his other wrist and easily held both in one hand. Then he grabbed the boy's chin with violence and forced Ekko into another kiss. He had been dying to know what he tasted like though, so this time he inserted his tongue into the teen's mouth. However, Ekko panicked at the weird sensation and bit the intruding organ hard.

Jayce cried out in pain and pulled away, releasing the teen's wrists in the process. He closed his eyes hard to better withstand the pain and didn't move for a few seconds. Then he opened them up again. Instead of being mad though, he seemed turned on by what Ekko had done.

"Feisty, I see. I like that."

Ekko was getting scared. Nothing he tried seemed to slow or stop the man's advances on him.

Jayce tried getting into his mouth once again. But Ekko was prepared this time and had his mouth clenched shut.

The man smiled. More to himself than to the kid. Ekko liked playing it rough huh? He seemed to enjoy giving him trouble and play hard to get.

How fun...

He would show him he could also give him trouble...

Ekko was apprehensive, wondering what the man would do next when a strong hand pushed hard against his chest and he was thrown onto his back. The man positioned himself on top of him, his body weight being enough to stop him in his tracks. With one swift motion, Jayce pulled Ekko's shirt up, completely exposing his chest. Once again, as he tried fighting the man, he had his wrists effortlessly captured by a large hand and pinned down on the mattress above his head.

God... He felt so weak, his attempts felt completely useless. The man wasn't struggling in the slightest and he couldn't even move. He tried wriggling out of the iron grip, but to no avail. He knew the drug was taking its toll on him, but even if it hadn't been in his system, he doubted he could have fought off the older man. He was just so unbelievably strong in comparison...

Jayce was looking down at him, feeling pleasure in seeing how completely helpless he was.

Ekko felt a large hand on his stomach. It slowly caressed the area and then started roaming around, describing irregular patterns all over his upper body. The touch was gentle, almost like a caress.

But he didn't want it. It just felt wrong.

So wrong.

Once again, he struggled, trying to get away from the invasive hand, but he was firmly locked in place. He just closed his eyes and turned his head to the side, trying to somehow ignore what was happening.

The man's hand kept on exploring the younger body. It just kept on going, tenderly massaging all over the skin until it found the boy's nipples. With a terrifying grin of satisfaction, the man began rubbing one carefully.

Ekko's eyes shot open and he jolted at the weird and unwanted sensation.

"No... stop!" He begged, staring back at the man.

But he didn't stop. He instead began rubbing harder and faster. Waves of unwanted pleasure rushed through Ekko's body. The boy gritted his teeth. Being touched like this... felt so unbelievably gross. He just wanted it to cease at once.

The intense experience resulted in the boy letting a moan escape his lips. This caught the man's attention.

He wanted to hear Ekko moan again.

So, he decided to use his mouth. He approached the boy's nipple and started licking it and sucking on it. It began to harden, doubling the amount of unwanted pleasure he experienced and making everything worse.

"Stop it!" The boy shouted.

"Why?" the man said with a smile. "Don't lie to me, you're loving this."

"I'm not! Stop!" Ekko pleaded, desperately.

Jayce adjusted his body and got closer to Ekko's face. As he still denied him access to his mouth, he had an idea. He squeezed and twisted the boy's nipple violently, making him cry out in pain. Taking the chance, he invaded his mouth once again.

Ekko squeezed his eyes shut as the man's tongue hungrily explored everything inside his mouth. He thought of biting it once again, but... What would it accomplish? It had only made the situation worse the first time...

Realising that there was nothing he could do, he just accepted the intruding organ in his mouth with disgust.

The man was too lost in the pleasure of tasting the inside of the boy's mouth and he kept at it for a long time. Once he had had enough, he receded and looked at the boy beneath him, only to be met with a defiant expression and eyes burning with anger.

"Why are you so mad? Aren't you liking this?" He once again approached the teen and started planting soft kisses on his neck.

Ekko did his best to shy away from Jayce's advances. "No. I hate it." He said in a disgusted tone.

The man raised his head and smiling, looked the boy in the eyes. "That's ok. Let's do something else instead."

The man pulled himself up and leaving the boy be for a bit, he turned around and reached under the bed. A few seconds later, Ekko could see with horror that he had retrieved some rope. The boy's eyes widened with fear and he started backing off. This couldn't be good. He didn't go far though, as Jayce gripped his ankle and easily pulled him over. Even though it was more than likely a lost battle, the boy fought him with all he had. But it was futile. A few minutes later, he had been rolled over with violence and was now lying face down on the mattress. His hands had been tied tightly behind his back.

"Sorry about that," Jayce said, unapologetically and mentally praising himself for how effective his restraints were. "You just struggle too much and might end up hurting yourself if you don't stay still like a good boy."

Ekko fought hard against his bindings. He absolutely despised being restrained.

However, he stopped dead in his tracks when he felt a hand tugging at his pants.

His whole body turned cold.

His eyes widened.

No.

This man couldn't possibly be thinking...

Ekko didn't want to accept that thought as even being real. But Jayce's intentions were as clear as day as his pants were pulled to his ankles.

"No! " Ekko's heart began racing against his chest. "What are you doing?" He asked in a panic.

But he knew what he was doing.

He just didn't want to believe it...

Jayce smiled, eyes filled with lust. He whispered "Hush little one. I'm about to make you feel really good."

With that said, he yanked the boy's pants off of him and in a fraction of a second did the same to his boxers.

Ekko was filled with a sense of dread as the lower half of his body was fully exposed. This couldn't be happening. It simply couldn't.

"NO PLEASE!" He practically screamed in utter desperation as warm tears of pure panic started streaming down his face. "You can't do this!"

The man just ignored him and Ekko felt a hand forcefully grab his legs and pull them wide apart. Jayce used his own body to hold them in place with little to no difficulty and focused his attention on his next move.

Ekko jolted when one of the man's fingers slowly penetrated him. The boy flinched and made a sound of distress, squeezing his eyes shut.

It hurt.

It hurt.

It hurt so much.

And he was only using one finger...

The older man kept on feeling his insides, stretching them slowly, giving him time to adjust.

"I'm pretty sure this is your first time, at least with another man." Jayce said quietly in a lust-filled voice. "So I'm being kind and preparing you beforehand."

Kind?

Had the man said kind?

This wasn't kindness. This was an utter violation of his body.

More tears escaped Ekko's eyes. This couldn't be happening to him. It just couldn't...

"Please... stop." He pleaded once again.

And once again the man ignored him. As he felt the boy had adjusted to his finger, he added another one and kept on stretching. And then another one. The boy's insides were so darn hot and enveloped his fingers like fire.

"Damn you're so tight..." The man said. "I almost forgot what's like to fuck a virgin."

Ekko just lay there, completely taken over by a heavy discomfort. His eyes were slowly turning red as his face was constantly being wet by unending tears. His mouth felt like sand and his arms and legs were shaking like leaves against the wind from the fear and the pain he was experiencing. His throat and mouth emitted weak moans of unwanted pleasure.

He didn't want this.

He hated this.

He hated this so much...

After a good while, Ekko finally felt the intruding hands leave him, and his body was allowed to relax. The sensation of relief was short-lived though, as he heard the sound of pants being unzipped. The boy's adrenaline spiked and fear chilled him to his core.

He felt two hands firmly grab his hips as the man aligned himself in front of his tight hole. Then, he began to push. At first, the man's member and the boy's body didn't agree, despite him having been stretched beforehand. But the man was surprisingly patient and waited for the boy's muscles to adjust to the intrusion. After many thrusts, he was finally able to enter.

Ekko let out a cry of pain. Despite all the patience and gentleness, it still felt as if someone was cutting through him with sharp knives. His body was beyond tense and paled. Tears dripped from his tightly shut eyes as he grit his teeth.

The man just kept on abusing his entrance, seeking only his own pleasure. He used his hands to freely explore the boy's exposed back and hips, groping and touching him all over. He planted soft kisses on the back of the teen's neck as each thrust became harder and faster.

The boy was crying profusely, trembling and wailing in pure agony.

This was disgusting.

Everything was disgusting. The man's hands, that touched his body all over. The way he was being thrust into with no regard to his feelings. The animalistic groans and moans the man was letting out as he violated his small body. Disgusting.

And it hurt.

It hurt.

God, everything hurt.

"Please... just make it stop." Ekko thought in utter desperation. "Please make it stop. Make it stop. Please just let him be done with it..."

After what felt like an eternity, the man emitted a gruesome sound of pleasure as he came inside the young body below him. A white sticky substance started dripping from inside Ekko's behind onto the sheets below.

The boy felt like throwing up.

He had never wanted this. He hadn't asked for this.

It had all been forced on him.

He never even had a choice...

Jayce pulled out from inside the boy's ass with a grin adorning his lips. To him, the boy's tight little hole and body heat, the softness of his skin, it all had been pure bliss.

To Ekko, it had been a living nightmare.

Out of the corner of his eye, the boy could make out Jayce coming closer to his face once again. He flinched, hid his face and closed his tear-filled eyes.

He couldn't face the man who had done this to him.

He simply couldn't.

Jayce planted a soft kiss on his cheek and simply said "You were a good fuck. I might take you again later."

Ekko's heart dropped as he heard this. This couldn't happen again... Especially not that day. It couldn't. It was too much. It was more than his body and soul could take.

The man let go of the panicking boy's legs and started untying his wrists. Once free, Ekko desperately curled into a ball, trembling violently.

The realization of what had happened started slowly sinking into his mind.

This... This is how his first sexual encounter would be. Tied up, molested and raped by a man he didn't know and who didn't care about him in the slightest. His innocence straight-up ripped from him.

He heard the man exiting the room and locking the door behind him.

Ekko was left on the bed in agonizing pain, covered in bruises from being held down for so long and his wrists sustained deep painful marks from the bindings. This was so much more than he could bear. The boy felt a lump in his throat and his chest was heavy as if it carried rocks inside it. Ekko let out a whimper and covered his face with his hands. A sob racked his body as tears began to fall once again.

Feeling completely alone, the boy thought of his friends. How worried they must have been when they couldn't find him. How much his family would suffer when they heard he had gone missing.

He hated to be the cause of their distress.

His parents, Akali, Qiyana, Senna, Yasuo.

Would he ever see them again?

-----

"He wasn't at the park either." Senna reported in a worry-filled voice to her friends when stepping into the kitchen. Lucian entered right after her.

Two tired faces frowned deeply once they heard the news. The third one didn't even react, as she was somberly looking into her coffee. None of them had slept. Each of them had spent the rest of the previous night and the entire day looking for their missing friend around town.

"I don't understand." Lucian said sadly. "It's like the kid vanished".

"Any luck calling him?" Senna asked Akali with hope, even though she knew the answer would more than likely be negative.

The girl, with heavy bags under her eyes that contrasted immensely with the paleness of her skin, lowered her head in response.

"I see..." Whispered Senna. She looked at Yasuo who was silent as usual. But this wasn't a normal silence. It had so much weight to it. Even if he didn't voice his thoughts, they all knew he was worried sick about Ekko. She observed Akali who had made nearly 80 calls in 24 hours trying to reach her best friend but to no avail. She was getting increasingly desperate each time the phone gave the signal and there was no answer. Finally, she looked at Qiyana, whose silence was more surprising and had even more weight to it than Yasuo's. When she had been told the boy was missing, her eyes had widened with shock. She seemed in denial for a while until she accepted the situation was real. She had actually been the one to take the initiative to go out and look for him, abandoning the party without even saying goodbye. After hours upon hours of searching without finding even a trace, she had come back home and hadn't uttered a single word since. Senna eyed her with sympathy. She knew that despite their proneness to argue and the jokes the boy made about Qiyana's obsession with fashion and beauty, the girl cared for him deeply. Just like she did. Senna was still processing it all. It seemed so impossible for Ekko to just simply disappear. Yet it had happened. Where could he have gone? Or rather, where could he have been taken to...?

Senna had kept this thought to herself the entire time. If she voiced her worries, she would alarm her friends even more and they were already in a terrible state. It was just so unlike Ekko to leave without telling anyone. Even when he went out to buy groceries or take a walk, he always made sure to let at least one person know so they wouldn't be worried about him. He had absolutely no reason to run away either.

No.

She was almost positive something bad had happened to him.

The next day, around that time, Ekko would have officially been missing for 48 hours.

If he didn't show up until then, she would go straight to the police.

This was a living nightmare.

Chapter Text

Qiyana couldn't sleep that night. She had been lying down for what seemed like an eternity without being able to close her eyes. She and her friends had agreed that it would be best to get some rest for they had been awake for 24 hours straight, tirelessly looking for Ekko. She had tucked herself in bed, under the warm covers. But it was no use.

The girl's mind just kept on being plagued by thoughts about what could have possibly happened to her friend and every possibility was scarier than the last. She couldn't shake off the feeling that something terrible had happened to the young boy. Ekko was a responsible and mature teenager, he wouldn't just go missing without rhyme or reason. The prospect of a kidnapping was ever-present. And terrifyingly, it was the most likely scenario. What would they want though? Money? Would they ask for ransom? Would they be using him to get to one of them? Could they be trying to get information out of him? And if so, on what? Would... would they hurt him?

Qiyana rolled over and covered her head with her pillow. Why Ekko? What could someone possibly want from such a young boy? And if they did hurt him... how could they? Who could possibly be so cruel as to hurt a sweet innocent kid? He had never hurt anyone. He was kind, generous and concerned about the well being of others. He didn't deserve something like this to happen to him...

Qiyana's head began to hurt from the worry and the lack of sleep. All these thoughts were slowly frying her mind. Maybe getting up and walking around for a bit could help her calm down.

Sitting upright on her bed, Qiyana looked for the light switch. Once she found it, she turned the lights on and slowly got up. At that moment she started hearing faraway voices. Curious, she put on her pink robe and exited her room. The voices started becoming clearer the closer she got to the kitchen and now, even though they were still out of sight, she could clearly distinguish Senna and Akali.

The two girls looked at Qiyana in surprise when she stepped into the room.

"Hey." Said Senna with a sad smile. "Also can't sleep?".

Qiyana just shook her head in response. "I can't stop thinking about Ekko... I just have this terrible feeling...".

"That something happened to him?" Senna asked.

"Yes..." Qiyana replied. "Something... bad".

With worry defining their features, Akali and Senna looked at one another for brief seconds.

"It hurts me to say it, but I agree. Senna and I were talking about it just before you arrived. We really believe... "Akali paused and clenched her eyes shut before delivering, for the words hurt to even say. " ...he might have been kidnapped."

Qiyana tensed and locked her eyes onto the tile floor. "I guess... I guess we all reached the same conclusion." She said, rubbing her arm for comfort.

There was a moment of silence and tension before Akali spoke again. She had been waiting for all of them to be together to finally disclose her suspicions. Yasuo was absent, but she couldn't hold it in any longer.

"I think..." Said Akali looking very uncomfortable. "I think I know who might have kidnapped him..."

Senna and Qiyana turned their heads towards Akali with startling speed and their mouths dropped.

"What? Who?" Qiyana's eyes were wide with shock.

Akali became very serious and started reporting all she knew. "Remember that Ekko was perfectly fine and then he started feeling weird and tired for no reason? What if it wasn't for no reason? What if someone drugged him somehow?" She was looking Qiyana and Senna right in the eyes. They listened attentively and didn't even dare to breathe. "I suspect a guy that was with Kai'sa. Some Jayce guy. He brought us some drinks and some minutes later Ekko started saying he was feeling sleepy out of nowhere. I didn't think too much of it, but then the guy disappeared as soon as Ekko went missing! Isn't it too much of a coincidence?"

"Wow, wait!" Exclaimed Qiyana. "Aren't you being a bit hasty? It was pretty late and he danced for like ten minutes straight."

"I had heard of that man before." Commented Senna. "Jayce is a sort of hero to the city. He has already put many dangerous criminals behind bars and criminality rate has declined a lot in recent years because of him. Do you think someone like that would kidnap a teenager? It just doesn't sound very likely..."

"Maybe that's why he would do it." Akali sounded extremely convinced. "Because no one would suspect him..."

"Akali... I don't know..." Senna was pensive. "Those are some pretty serious accusations. Do you have any proof?"

"No..." Akali cast her eyes down. "But we need to go to the police anyway!" She exclaimed, lifting her head once again. Her eyes burned with passion.

"Yes... We need to warn the authorities. I'll pass by the police station tomorrow night." Senna said with resolve.

"Wait, what?" Qiyana looked at her friend in shock. "Tomorrow night? What do you mean? Shouldn't we go as soon as possible?"

"According to the police, a person is only considered missing after 48 hours. That is why we need to wait so long..."

"No way!" Qiyana was outraged and advanced forward, stepping in between her two friends. "What if it's too late by then? We already looked for him everywhere and we just can't find him. We can't wait!"

"But... it's the law! It's how it works..." But even she didn't completely agree with her own words.

"Senna, who CARES about some stupid law?" Qiyana turned to Akali and stared intensely at her as if challenging the girl. "He is OUR friend. Isn't he worth breaking any law for?"

Akali reflected upon Qiyana's words for a bit. "To me... he is worth turning the entire world upside down for..." She uttered sadly, her eyes lost in the white of the wall in front of her.

Senna was a bit concerned. "Qiyana... I understand where you're coming from. You're worried about him, we all are. But you can't make the police just obey you and go against the rules. They won't listen!"

"Oh yeah? Watch me!" The girl said, louder than she had intended. "I'm going to the police station first thing in the morning. And I'll MAKE them take this case A.S.A.P.!"

"Qiyana, please! We don't want trouble. We already have too much in our hands as it is."

"I won't cause any trouble, don't worry about that." Her tone changed from serious to cynical really fast. "But at least I'm showing that I'm worried about him!"

It looked like someone had slapped Senna. "Wait?! Excuse me? Are you trying to say that I don't care about Ekko?!"

Qiyana raised an eyebrow and wrinkled her nose. "It doesn't feel like it, no."

Senna widened her eyes in disbelief and her heart shrunk. But as usual, she managed to keep her emotions under control. "Why are you saying that?"

"You just look so... I don't know... Relaxed? Too relaxed? It's been what, an entire day? And I haven't seen you worry ONCE like the rest of us." Qiyana continued in an accusing tone. "A CHILD is missing. And he is your FRIEND! You just seem so... Detached from everything! It's like our Friend possibly being in danger doesn't affect you!"

"Qiyana! Do NOT assume what I'm feeling." Senna furrowed her eyebrows and narrowed her eyes sharply. Her tone was as harsh as her stare. "I care as much as you do about Ekko. He's an amazing kid and a great person with a big heart. Have you even considered that I might just be better at keeping my emotions in check than you?".

These words had some effect on Qiyana, who clearly hadn't considered that possibility. It was true that Senna rarely if ever let herself get affected by problems, or at least she kept her emotions very well hidden.

" I... Suppose that's true." Admitted Qiyana feeling like her friend was right. She took a deep breath and looked Senna in the eyes. "I'm sorry."

Senna's expression relaxed and she reached to Qiyana, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It's OK. I'm sorry too. We're all stressed out. You're right to be feeling like that and I don't blame you. I can try going to the police station tomorrow morning and see what I can do."

Qyiana's eyes immediately lit up. "Let's both go."

"Wanna come too, Akali?" Senna looked at her friend, who was sitting down at the table and was resting her head on her crossed arms. The heavy bags under her eyes and her vacant, lifeless expression, communicated exhaustion that was of body and spirit.

"Akali?" Qiyana tried getting her attention. But it seemed like Akali was too lost in her own thoughts to even hear her friends.

Senna slightly shook her shoulder. "Akali, dear? Are you OK?"

The girl jolted in her seat as if she had awoken from a bad dream. She looked at her friends with her face now full of confusion. "Huh? What is it?"

Qiyana looked worriedly at her. "I know we're all concerned about Ekko... But this must be affecting you the most... You've been friends your whole life..."

"That didn't even occur to me..." Senna said to Qiyana. Then she turned to Akali. "I'm so sorry sweetie. If I'm feeling this terrible, I can't even imagine what you're going through."

Akali gave them a sad smile. "It's OK girls, thank you." After a few moments of silence, she spoke again. "You're right, it's been really hard for me to deal with this. Because... I just can't bear the thought of losing him." Akali held her head with her hand.

The other two girls tried comforting her with understanding expressions.

"But on the other hand, I'm trying to convince myself that he HAS to be all right you know? Because... I don't want to believe that he isn't..." Akali said with a sad smile. "All my life, Ekko has brought me such positive energy. He always said: my boat doesn't sail on sad faces!" She chuckled. "So, I want to stay true to what I learned from him and think positively: We're gonna find him. And he's gonna be all right. I'm sure of it!"

Her friends looked relieved.

"Yes, maybe thinking positively would be a good thing... That's what Ekko does all the time." Commented Qiyana.

"Yeah. He does have a point. Negative thinking leads to desperation and clouds our minds. Right now, what we need is to be focused and have a clear train of thought." Said Senna. The others nodded. "So? We need to decide: who is going tomorrow?"

"You go with Qiyana. I'm gonna try searching for him again... Maybe I'll bring Yasuo along".

"Ok. Then it's settled..." Senna put her hand in front of her mouth to hide a yawn. Her eyes were starting to close by themselves. "Well, I don't know about you girls but I think I'm finally ready to catch some z's. Good night." With that said, she slowly headed to the door.

"I should go too. Maybe now I'll be able to sleep. 'Night Akali."

"G'Night!" Said the girl with a small smile as she watched Qiyana also disappear into the hallway.

Once she found herself alone, Akali's smile dropped and her lips started shaking slightly. Her eyes began to shine as if they were made of glass. Her friends were right. This situation was affecting her a LOT more than she let it show. Her heart was burning from the inside out and it felt like it would explode at a moment's notice. But there was already so much going on, she didn't want them worrying about her too. At that moment, they should solely focus on Ekko. That's all that mattered to her.

Akali took out her phone, unlocked it and looked at the screen with a heavy heart. The wallpaper was a photo of her and Ekko that hadn't been taken too long ago. Then, the two friends had spent an entire day doing graffitis on a wall of an abandoned outhouse in the outskirts of the city. They had agreed it was all for old time's sake, so the drawings were all of things that brought them fond memories of Zaun and their childhood. Akali examined the picture carefully. They were both proudly standing in front of the wall they had graffitied. She was throwing a peace sign with one hand and holding the phone with the other while Ekko had his arm around her shoulders and was wearing his enchanting smile. Looking at the figure of the boy made her heart skip a beat inside her chest.

"Oh, Ekko..." Akali whispered as if she were about to burst into tears. "Where are you?"

She felt terribly empty as if all the air had been forced out of her lungs, as if her veins had been sucked dry. She always knew she liked Ekko. A Lot. But she never imagined she would feel as if the entire world had lost its colors if he were gone. She could now understand why her mom often said that no one really knows how much things mean to them until they lose them...

But she wanted to believe she hadn't lost him. Not yet. It couldn't be.

They would find him.

They just had to...

Suddenly, a yawn interrupted her thoughts. Akali felt herself getting increasingly enveloped by tiredness. Her eyelids were heavy like two boulders and her whole body hurt. The girl rested her head on her arms. Maybe she could close her eyes for just a little bit...

No. She couldn't fight sleep. She had been awake for far too long. And it wasn't as if depriving herself from sleeping would bring her best friend back.

Before drifting off, the last thing she saw in her mind's eye was a very vivid image of Ekko smiling at her...

.............................................

"Good morning, can you help us?" Asked Senna.

The police officer was sitting at the desk, busily typing on the keyboard. Once she noticed the two girls in front of her, she coldly stared at them over the sunglasses that she wore despite being indoors.

"How may I be of service?" She said quickly, without even bothering to greet them.

"Well, we're here to report a missing person." Senna stated, going straight to the point. "Our friend disappeared at a party about 24 hours ago. We didn't want to sound the alarm too soon in case it was just a misunderstanding, so we tried searching for him around town first. But there is no sign of him."

"I see." Said the officer, with no emotion in her voice. She opened up a window on her computer. "Well, do you have a photo of him?"

Qiyana stepped forward and reached inside her purse. "Yes. Here it is."

The officer accepted it and studied the picture carefully.

"This is that teen star, isn't it?"

"Yes. His name is Ekko, officer." Said Qiyana.

The woman made a sound of understanding. She readily got her hands back on the keyboard. "Well, I got his name: Ekko." She quickly ran her fingers across the keys. "I'm going to need you to provide some more information like his age, height, the site where he was last seen and places he would likely go to."

As Senna kept on feeding the officer with information, Qiyana eyed the woman with interest. She was young and could be considered pretty, but her face was ever stuck in an ugly scowl. She wore her long blue hair loose and had long delicate fingers. She was wearing a very distinctive top hat on top of her head and whenever she looked over her sunglasses, her icy blue eyes would give off a stare that was cold and unforgiving. There was a somewhat arrogant vibe to her and Qiyana wrinkled her nose with distaste.

"Very well, I've got the basic information down. Now, can you tell me if there is any reason for your friend to run away? Maybe a fight he had with someone?"

At that moment the two girls exchanged glances. Senna was apprehensive, but Qiyana nodded to convince her to speak. The girl nervously clenched her fist and took a step forward.

"Officer... We don't think our friend ran away. He had absolutely no reason to do so. And even if he did, it's just not typical of him to avoid his problems. We... "

Senna hesitated for a long time and Qiyana intervened to help her. "We believe he might have been kidnapped."

"Kidnapped?" The officer raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think that? And is there anyone you suspect might be responsible for it?"

"It's just not typical of Ekko to disappear like this without telling anyone." Explained Qiyana. "I know him, officer. It's simply not something he would do. Only if he didn't have a choice or was forced to do so!"

"I understand. Any suspects? Maybe an enemy who could want some kind of revenge?"

Qiyana furrowed her eyebrows and hesitated for a little bit. "Well... We do have someone we suspect of..."

"Yes?" Asked the woman.

The girl tensed. She glanced at Senna and their eyes met. She was also doubtful. Would disclosing Akali's suspicions be a good idea? She could be accusing an innocent and an officer of the law. But her friend might have been onto something. Usually, nothing got past Akali. They decided to risk it.

"Hm... This might sound... Weird to you." Senna picked up where Qiyana had left off. She gathered all her courage and took a deep breath. "Our friend believes officer Jayce might be behind it."

At that moment, the tension in the room could almost be physically felt.

The woman froze with shock. She slowly reached for her sunglasses and gently took them off. She stared intensely at both girls while wearing a poker face. But for some odd reason, despite her expression, she didn't feel emotionless this time. It seemed more like she was filled with conflicting emotions and her brain simply didn't know what to order her to feel.

"Excuse me? Jayce? My colleague Jayce?" She asked calmly, clearly disbelieving.

"Yes. That Jayce." Qiyana tried to clarify everything. "Our friend Akali spent the entire evening with Ekko and she said the officer was around him for some time. He brought them some drinks and minutes later, Ekko started feeling drowsy for no apparent reason. She suspects officer Jayce might have put something in his drink. Then, as soon as our friend went missing, the officer disappeared from the party... It's just very suspicious."

The girls could clearly see the officer's brain was still processing it all. After a  few moments of silence, she finally spoke again.

"That's a very serious accusation. What makes you believe Jayce would do something like that?" The woman's tone was cool and collected but a bit of annoyance could be perceived through the wrinkle on her forehead.

"Well, we don't want to jump to conclusions." Said Senna. "We aren't here claiming to know what happened or to point fingers at anyone. It's only a suspicion that actually makes sense."

"I see." The woman was deep in thought for a while. "Even if the drink had something in it, did it occur to you that the bartender could be responsible for it and not my colleague? Or any other person?"

"It's a possibility..." Said Qiyana.

The officer looked them in the eyes, dead serious. "Putting professional life aside, Jayce is one of the most spectacular people I know. His efforts for this city have been felt heavily in recent years. Some of what used to be the most dangerous spots in town are now devoided of threats and it's all thanks to him. He isn't just an admirable police officer, he is an honorable man and one of my closest friends."

Qiyana and Senna listened attentively. Akali's theory made sense, but it really seemed so unlikely...

"I'm not going to say your friend's suspicions are outright impossible. But it's hard for me to believe someone like Jayce who has done so much for so many people would just go and kidnap a teenage boy. What would he gain from it? It doesn't make much sense in my head. Besides, do you have any sort of evidence to back up your claim?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, officer..." Said Senna. "As we said before: it is just a possibility."

"Yes, we aren't saying anything in concrete." Intervened Qiyana. She gave the officer a harsh stare. "But it shouldn't be dismissed!"

"Don't worry, we won't dismiss your possibility." Guaranteed the woman. She took out a cloth from inside a drawer and started cleaning her sunglasses. "Anyhow, if your friend isn't found by tonight we will take the case. We will start by investigating the  K/DA mansion where the party was hosted."

"I'm happy to hear that. Thank you, officer." Said Senna with a small smile.

"Is that all?" Asked the woman, her voice going back to the emotionless tone.

"Yes. That's all." Said Qiyana with her blood boiling in her veins. This police officer was getting on her nerves. "C'mon Senna, let's go." They both turned to leave and headed for the door.

"Wait, please. Just one last thing." The woman requested. Senna already had her hand on the handle but stopped to look back. Qiyana raised an eyebrow and stared impatiently at the figure sitting at the desk.

"If I'm going to be working on this case, that means we will see each other more often. And calling me officer all the time gets... old." She adjusted her hat and said "Just call me Caitlyn. It's what everyone calls me."

.............................................

Saying he had been surprised wasn't enough to describe how Yasuo felt when he stepped into the kitchen and found Akali sleeping at the table.

"Why is she even here? She would be a whole lot more comfortable in her bed." He thought. Yasuo was going to simply leave her be, but after a second glance, he sighed.

Without making a sound, he slowly walked to the living room and retrieved a warm blanket. He returned to the kitchen and carefully put it over the girl's shoulders. She must be freezing, being there all night long. He looked sadly at the phone beside her. Akali must have kept it around in case anyone called with news about her missing friend. Or if Ekko himself called. But he suspected the device hadn't rung or vibrated even once. It was there, completely still and quiet. He felt bad for her. He himself was insanely worried about Ekko. Akali was the closest to him, so she must be feeling worse than any of them. Yasuo sighed.

Since he was already there, he might as well make them both some breakfast. He got some bread, placed it inside the toaster and turned it on. Then he opened the fridge and grabbed the milk carton. He was pouring himself and his friend some when he heard a sound behind him. As soon as he turned around, he could verify that Akali was waking up.

The girl slowly opened her eyes and seemed lost for a few seconds, as she didn't recognize the figure in front of her and this wasn't her bedroom. Soon enough, she understood that she was in the kitchen and Yasuo was there with her.

"Good morning." He said. "Slept well?"

Akali softly rubbed her eyes. "Good morning... I must have fallen asleep here. I was just looking at this last night." She unlocked her phone and there was, once again, the picture of her and Ekko. Yasuo frowned when he looked at it.

"I sure hope the kid is all right." He whispered.

"Me too... That's all I would like to know right now." Akali said, somberly. Suddenly, she noticed the blanket over her shoulders. She grabbed a tip between her thumb and index finger, feeling its warmth and softness and turned to her friend. "Was it you? Thank you."

Yasuo smiled in response. He grabbed the two glasses of milk he had poured and took the seat beside hers. Akali cast her eyes down, staring at the polished surface of the wooden table, as her friend put down one of the glasses in front of her. She smiled sadly.

"It was my fault you know?" Said Akali out of nowhere.

Yasuo's eyes widened. He looked at the girl in confusion. "What?"

"It was my fault that this happened." The smile didn't leave her face. It wasn't one of satisfaction but rather of disappointment and contempt for herself. "I took my eyes off of him for a few minutes and then... he was gone."

"No, Akali. Please listen: it wasn't your fault." Said Yasuo putting a hand on her shoulder.

"It really was..." She continued. "Ekko wasn't feeling well. And I was a terrible friend and ignored it... I thought he was just tired and that he would be all right. I should have checked on him sooner. No. I shouldn't have left him alone in the first place..."

"Akali, please..."

"No, Yasuo!" Her eyes started filling with tears. "Ekko is God knows where, no one knows if dead or alive! And I could have prevented it... I could have..."

"No." The man interrupted her in a calm tone. "Nothing of what happened was your fault. You didn't know this was going to happen. No one could have seen it coming. No one."

Yasuo inched closer to Akali and moved his arm to encompass both of her shoulders. "Please listen to me. Stop blaming yourself. It's not going to do anything to bring him back." These words had some effect on the girl who turned to look him in the eyes. "Trust me. I've been there. I made actual mistakes in the past. I felt so responsible and blamed myself so much, it almost destroyed me. I had to learn to let go and forgive myself. But you don't even have a reason to put yourself down. There was absolutely nothing you could have done."

Akali just listened in silence.

"It's almost the same as blaming Ekko for disappearing. He's as much to blame as you are..."

Akali's mouth dropped. "You also believe he was... Kidnapped?"

"Yes... Ekko wouldn't just disappear like this. I don't believe it for one second."

"It's what the others think as well..."

"And it's what's the most probable." Yasuo somberly stated. "It's a very scary thought."

Akali slowly nodded in response. When she spoke, she sounded desperate. "Oh Yasuo... Where can he be? And do you think he is all right? If he was really kidnapped, I don't even want to think about what he might be going through..."

"Let's not." Said Yasuo. "We have to think he is OK. It's better not to suffer in advance."

Akali sighed. "You're right. We need to be positive. Like Ekko always tells us to be."

"Exactly." Yasuo smiled at her. "We'll all be together soon. It's best to believe in that." He slowly withdrew his arm, got up and took a look at the kitchen counter. "Well, the toast must be cold by now. I'll make us more so we can eat them warm with jam. Just the way you like'm." He wittily winked at his friend.

Despite everything, Akali smiled.

Chapter Text

After being left alone in that room, Ekko cried continuously, curled up and bracing himself, for hours upon hours. When his tears finally ceased, his eyes were red-rimmed and his head was throbbing. The whole room seemed to be spinning. The boy was beyond exhausted, yet, he didn't dare close his eyes. The threatening words of the man: "I might take you again later" lingered inside his mind, chilling him to his core. The still fresh memories of his attacker's breath on his neck, his hungry eyes and his disgusting hands haunted him. He kept his eyes locked onto the door, expecting it to open and imagining the man coming in once again to violate his body and his soul.

But he had already been waiting for so long... Was the man even coming?

Ekko observed as the light beyond the dirty glass of the windows slowly dimmed and the sky turned dark. The room now seemed smaller than before and the boy had the strange feeling that it was closing in on him. As if the darkness was alive and wanted to suffocate him.

Shaking his head violently and sending those thoughts away, Ekko tried moving for the first time in hours. As he did so, he saw his clothes on the floor, where they had been thrown. He hadn't dared redress in case Jayce came back, only to tear them off of him again. He had absolutely hated that feeling. But remaining partially naked made him feel extremely vulnerable, which he also utterly despised. In the end, he'd rather dress up. The prospect of warm clothes against his body, even if they were yanked off of him later, was just too good.

The teen slowly tried lifting himself up. His chest and wrists were sore which made supporting himself on his arms difficult. But it didn't compare in any way to the stinging pain that still lingered through his lower half. With disgust and a aching heart, he felt the remains of the sticky white substance dripping down onto the covers. Remembering the man holding him down, groaning like a wild animal while filling his insides with his seed made him nauseous... Ekko felt his stomach turning but covered his mouth and inhaled deeply through the nose to try to control the mild urge to throw up.
Slowly, he managed to sit on the edge of the bed and then carefully got up. Walking was torture in his weakened state, but he grit his teeth and didn't give up. He approached his clothes that lay across the floor after being thrown away carelessly hours prior and picked them up.

In that moment, he took notice of a door on the opposite side of the room that he hadn't yet seen. Curious, he walked up to it, gently turned the doorknob and stepped into a dark room. He looked for the light switch and clicked it once he found it. It took the small lamp, up on the ceiling, a few tries to turn on. Once it did, the dim yellow light revealed a decently equipped bathroom. The door had a hanger bolted to it. High up against the walls there were multiple wooden cabinets. Above the sink, there existed a big rectangular mirror on the wall, and to its left, a toilet and a bathtub could be found. Everything was dirtied up and covered in dust, but nothing a little cleaning wouldn't solve.

The boy tried turning the taps. The bathtub and the sink had clean running water but it was freezing.

"Better than nothing." He thought.

He hung his clothes on the hanger and proceeded to clean up the bathtub the best he could using only the cold water and his bare hands. After a good 15 minutes, he was satisfied with his work: The bathtub was as devoided of filth as he would ever manage to make it.

Then, he once again turned the tap, patiently waited for the tub to fill up and entered shortly after.

The frigid water messed with the nerves on his legs and made his muscles go numb. The hairs on his arms and legs stood up upon contact with the low temperature and his whole body started shaking in an attempt to produce heat. He discovered a small bar of soap and a sponge on the edge of the tub and immediately grabbed them.

The boy scrubbed himself violently. He felt filthy as if the man's hands had tainted his skin. He could still feel them groping his thighs, fondling his chest. The disgusting scent of his assailant still lingered on as if attached to his body. But worst of all, he couldn't get the feeling of having his insides brutally filled out of his mind. A phantom pain made him relive at every second, the moment the man had entered him against his will. Ekko cleaned himself the best he could, desperately scrubbing every inch of his body.

However, with a profound sadness, he reached a depressing conclusion.

This pure crystaline water had the power to wash away the drool, the semen and the sweat. But it wasn't capable of washing away the shame, the trauma and the hurt.

He would have to live with those horrifying memories forever, and nothing could undo what had already been done.

The teen's heart beat fast inside his chest and he tensed. If at least it were a one time thing... But the man had made it clear that he would take him again, sooner or later. So, until the moment he left this place, he would be under the constant threat of being violently assaulted.

A feeling of dread filled his heart. IF he managed to leave...

He had to be rescued someday or he would find a way to escape by himself. Right?

Right.

It would happen. He had to believe in it... He had to have hope.

His friends would contact the police and wouldn't stop looking for him. He was sure of that. He knew Akali, of all people, would never give up on him. He could trust her with his life any day.

After cheering himself up a bit, Ekko felt somewhat better and some of the tension abated. He reclined against the white wall of the tub and rested his abused body. Almost instinctively, he raised his hands out of the water and carefully examined his wrists. The painful, deep rope marks overlayed bruises which were barely noticeable by themselves due to his dark skin tone.

Ekko closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

He wanted nothing more than to stay there forever, letting the crystaline liquid immerse his body. The boy felt as if the water was some kind of barrier that surrounded and separated him from the outside world, protecting him from the imminent danger he was in. However, he knew he couldn't remain there. The water was so frigid that he could catch a cold if he stuck around for too long, and getting sick would only make his already bad situation worse.

Ekko slowly lifted himself up and exited the tub. He grabbed a towel that was hung nearby and dried himself gently, being mindful of his bruises and sore intimate parts. After he was done, he simply put his clothes back on.

Back in the bedroom, Ekko closed the bathroom door behind him, approached the bed and carefully slid under the covers. He fetched a pillow that was nearby and hugged it against his chest, trying to find some comfort. The soft mattress beneath him cradled his aching body and the warmth of the blankets enveloped him. He sadly thought of his mom who would always come to his bedside to caress his face and give him a goodnight kiss. His dad would enter the bedroom shortly after and would tousle his hair and wish him sweet dreams. Akali would sometimes do it too as a sort of joke to mess with him and he would give her an annoyed look. But deep down Ekko enjoyed those moments a lot. And he knew his friend did too. It made him feel safe and cared for.

His heart ached as if it were being crushed under a boulder. What he wouldn't give to be back home with his friends and family...

The boy still looked at the door for a few moments, but it seemed like the man had changed his mind about taking him again. At least for the night...

Ekko's eyelids started closing by themselves. After everything that had happened, he was beyond exhausted and it didn't take long before he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

.............................................

"We're home!" Announced Qiyana stepping into the entrance hall followed by Senna.

Nighttime had already fallen. After stopping by the police station, the two girls had spent the day running errands and taking care of some business with one of their sponsors. They even had time to go around town, looking for Ekko once again. Needless to say, their efforts didn't pay off.

Akali appeared at the kitchen doorway. She was holding a wooden spoon, signaling that her and Yauso must be already cooking dinner.

"Hey girls!" She greeted with a sad smile. "How was your day?"

"Not bad." Said Senna. "Well, we managed to do it. The police is taking the case. He still hasn't shown up so they're starting to look for him tomorrow."

Akali's eyes sparkled. "That's the best thing I've heard all day."

Senna gave her a reassuring smile. "They're going to find him, you'll see!"

Qiyana snorted. "They better! I hope it's a job worthy of Miss Sunglasses." She said in an annoyed tone.

Akali was lost. "Miss Sunglasses?"

Senna chuckled. "It's a little nickname Qiyana gave to the officer we talked to. She says she had the "Don't talk to me, I'm too good for you" attitude. She was wearing sunglasses indoors. That's where the nickname comes from."

"Oh!" Akali now understood. She smirked. "She looked like a bit of snob then, huh? It totally doesn't remind me of anyone!" She exclaimed looking directly at Qiyana.

"What an insult!" Qiyana crossed her arms. "That officer Caitlyn and I have nothing in common! My stance shows confidence! She was just arrogant!"

Both Senna and Akali looked at one another and laughed, making Qiyana roll her eyes. However, deep down, she wanted them to laugh and was really happy they were doing so. She had never seen Akali so down during the whole time she had known her. But it wasn't only her. They all needed some cheering up, herself included. So, instead of getting annoyed at her friends, she smiled.

"Hey! The three of you are going to just stand there chatting or you're going to help me?" Asked Yasuo, appearing behind Akali.

Senna immediately took off her coat, hung it and proceeded to enter the kitchen.

"Well, I'm here! I spot potatoes that need peeling." She said, walking over to the kitchen sink to wash her hands.

"Senna! You don't need to do that!" Said Akali upon entering the kitchen. "It's my turn and Yasuo's!" She said putting a hand to her chest.

Senna smiled at her as she was sitting down in front of the small pile of potatoes. "Don't worry about it dear! I've got it covered!" All she could see when looking at Akali was her sad, forced smiles and the bags under her eyes. Ekko's disappearence had taken such a toll on her, she didn't want her having to worry about anything or making efforts. Especially doing something like peeling potatoes: A tired mind and body handling a knife could end in disaster.

Akali shrugged. "I mean, fine for me. I'll take your place next week."

"Sounds good to me." Said Senna getting to work.

Akali made a small smile and went to sit beside Senna. Qiyana had also taken a seat at the table and watched Yasuo who was in front of the stove, stirring the contents of the steaming pot. Taking her eyes off of him for a bit, she shifted her attention over to the chair in front of her. That was... That was where Ekko usually sat. She could still see him in her mind's eye, cracking jokes and poking fun at her whenever he was bored. His smile and his laughter were so contagious... He always managed to keep everyone in a good mood and filled the place with life. She couldn't help but notice they all had been a little zombie-ish ever since he disappeared. It wasn't just the worry. It was how much his absence directly impacted their daily lives.

"Absence..." She thought to herself. And suddenly, an unpleasant thought came to her mind. She looked over at her friends and considered for a moment whether she should voice her concerns or not. She ultimately decided to do so and went direct to the point. " Guys?" She called to grab their attention.

Everyone looked in her direction and Akali noticed her friend had paled. "Qiyana, are you ok?" She inquired with worry.

"Now that Ekko has been officially reported missing... Who..." She hesitated for a moment and lowered her head before delivering. "Who is going to tell his parents?"

Chapter Text

The sunlight weakly entered through the glass windows and touched the boy's closed eyelids that started shaking slightly. He partially opened his eyes and blinked a few times. He saw the dirty windows and the rickety chairs in the corner of the room and his chest filled with sadness.

It hadn't been a terrible nightmare.

All he could recall was real. That place was real. Too real. He truly had been kidnapped. He had been locked up in that room. And then that man called Jayce had tied him up and had... He couldn't even bring himself to think about it...

His stomach growled. He hadn't eaten anything in almost two days. Was the man planning on starving him or would he bring him something to eat? He was expecting anything from him at this point...

The teen sighed and closed his eyes, turning around to lie on his left side. When he opened them again, he jolted violently and his heart jumped inside his chest.

The man was there. Beside him. Lying under the covers. Looking directly at him. He had a satisfied smile on his face and his eyes carried that lust from the last time he had seen him.

Ekko's entire body became rigid like stone and his eyes widened. The air escaped his lungs. He couldn't utter a word.

"Good morning." Jayce said, the grin never leaving his face. "Did you sleep well?"

He patiently waited for a few moments. All he got, however, was two wide eyes brimming with fear staring back at him. Disappointed for not receiving a proper answer, he reached for the boy in front of him.

Ekko panicked and tried to get away, but both his wrists were grabbed and he was dragged in the man's direction.

Jayce had to fight for control because the boy struggled heavily and now that the drugs had worn off, he was stronger than before. Nevertheless, he still wasn't a match for him in any way and was quickly overpowered. Jayce pulled the resisting boy against him and held him in his arms. The teen tried pushing him away to no avail. Even still, he kept his palms on the man's chest and tried to keep some distance. He refused to simply submit to this low-life and let him do as he pleased without fighting back.

"Precious child..." The man whispered. Jayce just lay there for long minutes, without moving or making a sound, holding Ekko close. His body was so small and warm. He smelled his hair and it held the sweet aroma of soap, signaling that he had bathed not too long ago. He planted a soft kiss on his forehead.

The boy flinched when the man approached his head and inhaled deeply to take in the scent of his hair. He recoiled at the feeling of those disgusting lips coming in contact with his skin. Why was he so damn creepy? Jayce made every hair on his arms stand up whenever he approached him.

When the man finally moved again, he weakened his grip on the boy, allowing him a bit of distance. Ekko immediately took the chance and pushed the man away.

"Get off me!" He complained glaring his assailant down.

The man smiled cockily. Without even giving Ekko a chance to understand what was happening, he shifted insanely fast, throwing the covers away and positioned himself on top of the young boy.

"What were you saying?" Jayce joked meanly. His lips contorted into an unsettling grin.

Ekko was shocked at how fast the man could move and dumbfounded at how agile he was. In a matter of seconds, both his arms were pinned down on each side of his head. The boy's heart started beating uncontrollably, as the situation was becoming more and more similar to what had happened last time.

Jayce gently kissed his lips but the boy immediately turned away. So, he shifted his attention to his neck and started sucking and biting it, leaving behind hickeys and teeth marks. Ekko closed his eyes and grit his teeth with disgust. Then, he moved over to his ear and began slowly licking its shell, breathing softly into it. The teen felt goosebumps all over.

"Are you liking this?" The man whispered eerily in his ear.

Ekko closed his eyes shut in response and shifted uncomfortably. Every single one of the man's actions felt revolting and invasive.

"You never feel like talking to me do you?" He heard the man say in a disappointed tone. He felt Jayce distancing himself from his face. The strong arms that immobilized him moved and Ekko felt his wrists being joined together and pinned firmly with one hand.

When he opened his eyes up again, panic filled his heart as he saw the man with the rope in hand.

Was he going to...?

"No! Please!" Ekko begged. His whole body turned cold and his face paled. He struggled against the iron grip, desperately trying to get himself free. He stared at the man, wide-eyed and terrified. "Please, don't!"

Not caring about what the boy was saying, the man tied his wrists to each bedpost while he tried to resist with all his might. The teen tugged violently at the ropes but they were too tight. He desperately watched as Jayce's hand approached his pants.

"Please..." Ekko tried. But the man, smiling and with his eyes filled with lust, touched the teen's lips with his index finger and shushed him.

The young boy felt warm tears starting to form in his eyes. Was he really going to have to go through that horrific ordeal again?

It couldn't be...

"No..." He managed to say, weakly, as a single tear streamed down his face.

Delighted with the fear he had instilled in the young boy, Jayce decided to prolong the wait to torture him for longer. The teen was just so sexy when he was submissive and scared...

He got both hands under his shirt and went straight for his nipples. He started playing with them between his fingers, rubbing and tugging at them. Ekko's body contorted at the unwelcome sensation and shortly after he had to suppress a moan by biting his lip.

Suddenly, there was the distinct sound of approaching footsteps in the hallway. Jayce looked at the door with a patient expression. Judging by his reaction, he must have been expecting whoever that was. Nevertheless, he got up, reached for his pocket, and took out a gun.

Ekko nervously looked at it. He should have known someone like Jayce would be armed, but it still creeped him out that he had been around him for so long with a hidden weapon.

The man leaned against the door with the pistol in hand and waited for the footsteps to come to a stop. Once they did, he spoke. "Who's there?"

From the hallway, a voice responded. "You dog!" It was the voice of a man in a joking tone. "You gave me the keys and you're surprised I came in?"

"Never hurts to be sure." Jayce said, now more relaxed upon recognizing the voice. He hurried to unlock the door and opened it up.

In the hallway, there was a somewhat short and buff man with an abundant brown beard and mustache. He was wearing heavy clothing and thin smoke came out of the lit cigar he had in his mouth.

"Morning." The newcomer said to Jayce in a deep raspy voice. Once he stepped into the room, his eyes were immediately drawn to the boy a few meters away. He took a few steps forward as Ekko eyed him in a mixture of fear and uncertainty. "Morning to you too. Having a good stay?" He asked, chuckling meanly.

Jayce caught up to him and smiled at Ekko. "Oh where are my manners? I should make the introductions. It's only fair."

The boy frowned as his heart raced. If this was just one more person to use his body like a toy and carelessly play with his feelings, he didn't care who the man was. He only wished he would go away. One abuser was already terrible enough...

But he knew he was out of luck.

"This is Graves. An old friend of mine. He and I go way back." The teen heard him explain. Had he said, friend? He almost couldn't believe it. These people had friends? "He was the one who helped me capture you at the party. He was waiting on the outside and drove off as soon as you and I were in the car. Not very original, but effective. Needless to say, you were a very easy target. I basically suggested you isolate yourself and you fell right into our trap." He laughed.

Ekko felt sick hearing this. It had all been planned out meticulously and neither he nor anyone at the party had understood what was about to happen until it was too late. If these guys were so good at surprise attacks and infiltrating buildings, they must also be great at covering their tracks and at not leaving clues.

How would... How would the police ever track them down?...

Ekko took a deep breath, trying to keep calm. He observed carefully, as the new man, that was apparently named Graves, latched his eyes onto his body. He instinctively curled up against the head of the bed and his sudden action made the man laugh.

"He's had you for himself once already. I know he doesn't mind sharing." Graves started approaching the bedside and the poor boy only got increasingly nervous. He jolted as the man grabbed his ankle and pulled his body towards him.

One of the man's hands held his leg while the other found his thigh and groped through the fabric of his pants for a few moments. Then, it slowly moved to his waistline and swiftly got into his boxers.

Ekko gasped as he felt the man grab his member and beginning to rub it. "No! Stop!" He pleaded, horrified. He tried kicking the attacker away with his free leg, but it immediately got pinned down. He turned his head and saw Jayce with his characteristic mean smile.

"Were you trying to hit my friend? Bad boy. Behave yourself." He joked.

Graves laughed and turned to Jayce. "He hasn't even gotten hard." He looked Ekko in the eyes. "What's the matter, kid? You're not liking this?" He asked, beginning to rub his member harder.

Ekko was unable to suppress a moan and his legs twitched. "No. I hate it." He managed to say, gritting his teeth.

This made Graves smile. "We're going to make you like it then." He proceeded to pull the boy's pants down and kept on rubbing.

He signaled Jayce to take care of the rest. He understood the message and while keeping the boy's leg immobilized with his own, he pulled his shirt up and grabbed his nipples. They kept on pleasuring him with satisfied smiles, ignoring the boy desperately begging them to stop.

Ekko couldn't prevent his moans. The two men knew what they were doing. He looked over at Graves. The man was delighted to see pre-cum be released from the tip of his manhood.

Ekko moaned softly and twisted his waist.

The two men were dominating his body mercilessly, working to make him feel good against his will.

But this pleasure he was feeling all over his body...

He despised it with all his being.

It was completely unwanted.

An unwelcome feeling.

It made his body tremble and light up on fire, but it didn't feel good.

It just felt wrong.

Completely, utterly wrong.

And worst of all, he started getting hard off of it.

It got him confused and horrified.

Was he... Somehow enjoying this? Deep down?

No. He wasn't. He knew full well he wasn't.

So why?...

Why was his body betraying him?...

Suddenly the two men began making his torment even worse. Graves wrapped his mouth around his now erect member and started sucking it, while Jayce licked and rubbed his hardened nipples.

It was too much. The boy started panting heavily and letting out loud moans as an uncomfortable sensation took over his lower half. Droplets of sweat started dripping down his forehead.

"No. PLEASE!" He tried again. His wrists were sore from endlessly tugging at the bindings. "Stop! STOP! I can't take it!" But it was as if both his assailants were deaf.

Satisfied with the teen's reaction, the men smiled as they increased their speed and started groping him all over. Jayce's hands roamed his chest and neck while Graves fondled his legs. Ekko clenched his eyes shut. Waves of pleasure rushed through his body, as the sensation in his lower half got unbearable. Suddenly, he gasped and started trembling violently.

"Please, I can't...!"

Unable to finish, he screamed as he reached his climax. His whole body tensed and he tugged violently at the ropes as white droplets erupted from his hardened member. The boy was sweating and trembling as he panted heavily.

He opened up his eyes to sadly look at the monsters who had forced him into this.

What was supposed to be a great moment of pleasure for him to experience, had been transformed into torture.

He felt so... used.

Ashamed.

Violated.

He watched horrified as Graves wrapped his mouth around his manhood and let the cum squirt into his mouth. He took most of it and then, looking directly at the boy, he swallowed.

Ekko retched. The man was gross.

Graves just smiled meanly. He approached the boy's face and Ekko tried backing away, but there was no escape. The man gripped his chin and forced him to look him in the eyes. "What? You taste good. You should try it sometime." With that said, he forced the teen into a deep kiss and Ekko wrinkled his nose with disgust. As expected, the man's breath reeked.

Jayce turned to his partner and smiled as a thought sparked inside his mind. "You know what? What a splendid idea!"

Graves let go of the boy for a moment. "What do you mean?"

"Why does he have to try it sometime? Let's make him experience it right now. Why wait?" The man said with a devious smile.

"You know what? You're right."

Ekko saw the exchange of glances between his two abusers. He got a lump in his throat and his body tensed. Whatever they were talking about, it couldn't be good. He flinched when both men approached him and started untying the ropes. He tried fighting back as soon as he was free but they quickly stopped him.

"Hey! Easy there champ. We just want you to have some fun." Said Jayce.

They made him sit upright and tied his hands behind his back. This made his heart race as his chest filled with fear.

"What... What are you gonna do?" He asked, unable to hide the nervousness in his voice.

"Shhh. Just be patient little one." Jayce whispered.

They dragged him to the floor, and forced him on his knees, facing the edge of the bed. The boy was filled with dread when Graves sat in front of him and unbuckled his pants. He now understood what they planned to do to him and panic took over. He started shaking his head wildly in pure disbelief.

"No... NO! You can't!" He screamed, struggling against the bindings.

The men just smiled and Graves grabbed his hair and pulled him in-between his legs with ease. The boy gagged when the foul smell of the man's penis and pubic hair got into his nostrils. He tried resisting with all his might and Jayce forced his head down while laughing.

"C'mon kid, just open your pretty little mouth." Said Graves.

Ekko thrashed around in a pure panic, closing his mouth shut and refusing to obey his abusers.

They couldn't do this to him.

They couldn't.

Jayce started losing his patience. "Stay still and just open your damn mouth kid."

The boy shook his head violently once again.

The man wrapped his arms around his torso like a serpent and pinched his nipples with all his strength.

However, Ekko gritted his teeth and endured it. They weren't going to get what they wanted out of him.

"Ekko, open your mouth! " Jayce ordered.

Graves was amused and just observed everything from above. "Why are you getting so worked up about this?" He said to his partner with a cunning smile. "Relax. It's easy to solve."

With that said, he leaned over to the child in front of him and grabbed his neck, strangling him.

Ekko's eyes shot open in panic when it became harder to breathe.

The man proceeded to use his other hand to pinch his nose and just waited patiently. "He's gonna have to breathe somehow."

"You're devious." Said Jayce with a wide smile.

"No. No. No... It can't be..." Ekko thought in anguish. He couldn't keep on holding his breath forever and his lungs screamed for oxygen. His limbs started losing strength and his eyes began getting bloodshot.

No. He couldn't keep this up.

It was shameful.

It hurt his pride immensely.

But he had...

He had to submit to them...

With tears forming in his eyes and a heavy heart, the boy finally opened his mouth to take a gigantic gasp of air. Seizing the opportunity, Graves stuck his cock deep inside the teen's throat.

"See? It always works! When it doesn't, they just faint from refusing to breathe. Which is just as funny. It's a choice they have to make." He said, chortling. He let go of the boy's neck and nose and gripped his hair forcefully, keeping him in place.

Warm tears ran down Ekko's face like a river, as he struggled against the hands that held him down. The man started thrusting wildly into his throat and the boy began to gag. The hand tugging at his hair prevented him from turning away.

The teen jolted when he heard the sound of pants being unzipped behind him. He felt his pants and boxers being slid down the rest of the way and getting forcefully removed. Jayce spit into his hand, wrapped his arm around Ekko's chest to keep him from squirming, and proceeded to coat his insides with saliva. The boy's whole body tensed when the fingers penetrated him and he clenched his eyes shut.

He couldn't believe it.

These people were so animalistic that they were going to just use him from both sides?...

When Jayce was done lubing him up and stretching him, he lined up his member and carefully began to push. It slid in somewhat easily due to the prior preparation but Ekko still made a muffled sound of pain.

The child just kept on being rocked back and forth to the rhythm of the men's thrusts. Tears streamed down his face that had paled significantly. His moans of pain were covered by his abusers' groans of pleasure as they relentlessly violated his ass and mouth.

One of Jayce's hands roamed his body, pawing his upper half. The other one found the boy's member and began rubbing it, trying it for himself and attempting to force the kid to feel pleasure. At the same time, he looked for the sweet spot inside his ass.

Ekko trembled and cried in fear and agony. He panted from the unwanted pleasure and gagged on his rapist's penis.

He had never felt so used in his entire life, not even when Jayce had taken him on for the first time.

He was being brutally filled with no regard for his feelings. Rocked back and forth like a rag doll.

It made him feel like he was worth absolutely nothing...

For a long time, the pounding of skin against skin alternated with sobs of despair and animalistic grunts was all that could be heard inside the house.

It only came to a stop when both men were about to reach their climax. Jayce came inside the boy's ass while Graves pushed his cock even deeper into the boy's throat and spilled his seed. The boy gagged and coughed immensely. Some of it escaped his lips and dripped down his chin. When the man finally left his mouth, Ekko was disgusted and feeling terribly nauseous. He was desperate to spit the white substance out but Graves pulled his hair wildly and covered his mouth.

"Swallow it, kid." He said with a smile.

Ekko hung his head in shame.

He couldn't believe what he was being ordered to do.

But he didn't want to be hurt further.

He was tired.

So tired.

So he complied and with great difficulty and repulsion, he swallowed the man's semen. His abuser laughed as he saw him gag and retch. Tears of desperation escaped his eyes. The man roughly patted his wet cheek and said in a mocking tone "Good boy. Just like that. To make you stronger."

The teen shivered while Jayce untied his wrists. Once he was free, his legs felt so weak that he couldn't even hold himself on his knees. He lost balance, fell forward, and had to use both arms to break the fall. Now facing down, he could see his own tears dropping down and wetting the wooden floor. Just like he could feel the man's semen dripping from his abused behind...

"It was nice spending some time with you, Ekko." Graves sounded amused. "I look forward to doing it again soon!"

Ekko's heart throbbed from hearing these words. He just wanted them to never come back...

Jayce kneeled down in front of him, cupped his chin, and forced his head up. "What a handsome young face. Such beautiful eyes and a delicious mouth. You sure are fun to play with." He said, caressing his cheek with his thumb.

Ekko flinched and looked away. The man chuckled at his reaction and let him go.

"We'll bring you something to eat later since you were such a good boy."

He heard the men distancing themselves while laughing and leaving the room. He was finally alone.

His stomach churned and a wave of nausea took over. The boy retched and wondered if he would be able to stand on his weakened limbs. He used the edge of the bed to support himself and was able to get up. Everything hurt and each step made a stinging pain shoot through his lower half. He approached the wall and leaned against it so it would be easier for him to walk. With great difficulty, he made his way to the bathroom as fast as he could. Once he was near the toilet, he desperately dropped to his knees in front of it and vomited. Ekko wiped away some tears with the back of his hand but more ensued.

Why was this happening to him?

Why?

What had he ever done to deserve this?

Once he was finished, he flushed and let himself fall against the bathroom wall. He felt so incredibly tired. As if he hadn't slept at all. And he was aching as if someone had pierced his heart with an arrow. The tears kept on overflowing, blurring his sight and reddening his eyes.

The boy braced himself and pulled his knees to his chest, shivering and sobbing.

He desperately needed to bathe again. He felt so dirty. So dirty. But not now. Not yet.

He rubbed his arms for comfort, trying to calm his troubled heart. It beat wildly against his chest like a trapped bird throwing itself against the bars of its cage.

The fresh memories of the abuse left no room for anything else in his mind. He could only remember the disgusting smell of the man's genitals, their awful taste as he rammed into his mouth, the pain on his behind, and the shame he felt when he had to submit to his rapists.

Guilt clawed at his insides. The words of the man echoed inside his mind.

"You were a very easy target. I basically suggested that you isolate yourself and you fell right into our trap."

He was right.

How could he have been so stupid as to listen to a stranger at a random party when he was feeling sick?

A sob racked his body.

All that was happening was his fault.

His fault.

And his alone.

And as such, it was his sole responsibility to escape this place.

He had to find a way.

He didn't know how much more he could take...

-----

"Who is going to tell his parents?"

Qiyana's words echoed in the room. For what seemed like an eternity, everyone was silent. Senna looked from Yasuo over to Akali and then back to Qiyana. Yasuo had furrowed his eyebrows like he was disappointed at something. Akali had guilt plastered all over her face. Qiyana's eyes were still downcast. Just like her, she also seemed not to know what to say.

Yasuo was the one to break the silence. "What do you mean? No one has told them yet?" He looked directly at Akali. "I thought you had called them."

The girl looked like she was about to jump out the window and her eyes darted everywhere nervously. "I didn't want to sound a false alarm in case it was some misunderstanding. They could suffer for nothing..."

"Akali, you are his legal guardian." The DJ was very serious. "It's your responsibility to take care of things like this. That couple NEEDS to know! It's their kid that's missing for goodness sake!"

Akali lowered her head in shame. "Yes... You're absolutely right. I'm sorry."

Senna intervened. "Please, don't be so harsh on Akali. One of us could have done it since we knew it was the right thing to do. Even you."

Yasuo's expression softened and his eyes shone with understanding and sadness.

"No, Senna." Said Akali. "He is right. I brought Ekko here. I agreed to and even signed a document to legally take care of him. It IS my duty. And I will honor it. Right now." She immediately stood up and took out her phone. She felt a hand hold hers.

"Don't you want me to make the call with you? It's not going to be an easy conversation." Kindly offered Senna.

Akali smiled and tightened the grip on her friend's hand to show her gratitude. "No, I'll be fine. Thank you." With that said, she left the room. She wanted to make the call in private. Having the others around, even if unintentionally judging her every move and every word made her chest tighten.

As she walked through the hallway, the butterflies in her stomach fluttered around, rapidly flapping their wings. She felt like she was carrying an invisible boulder on her shoulders. What was she supposed to say? How was one supposed to tell two parents that their only child was nowhere to be found and might have been kidnapped? She couldn't even fathom what they would feel like once they were told...

Upon arriving at her bedroom, Akali unlocked her phone. There, once again, was the picture of her and Ekko. His sweet eyes and smile haunted her.

Her eyes watered.

God. She missed him so much...

The girl took a deep breath to calm down and gain some courage. Then, she looked for the contact on the list and clicked the button to initiate the call. She held the phone up to her ear and waited. She clenched her fist and grit her teeth nervously as the ringing echoed continuously. It seemed like an entire year had passed when Inna finally answered with a joyful "Hello!"

Akali's stomach churned. "Good evening ma'am."

"Akali dear, it's so good that you called. How are you?"

"I'm good ma'am. How are things going over there?" She asked nervously.

"Oh, everything's fine, don't worry about us." Her voice brimmed with happiness. Akali's throat felt like it was made of sand. "And how's our boy? That little rascal hasn't called yet this week." Inna chuckled. Akali's heart beat wildly against her chest. "Can I please talk to him for a bit?"

"Ma'am I... Ekko... He... He can't come to the phone..." The girl stuttered.

On the other side, Inna's demeanor changed entirely. She could sense something was amiss. "Akali? Is something wrong?" She asked worriedly.

Droplets of sweat ran down the girl's face. Oh, goodness... She really didn't want to break this woman's heart. But she needed to know what was going on. And the sooner the better.

"That's why I called. Ma'am..." Akali sounded like she was about to cry. "He disappeared."

There was a long moment of silence before Inna spoke again. "What?" She said, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Ma'am, I'm so sorry..." Said Akali in panic.

"He... disappeared? Ekko disappeared? Our boy?" Her voice came off as if she were calm, but her chest felt incredibly tight as panic settled in. She was all cold inside. "But... But... what happened? When did it happen?"

Akali couldn't hold back her tears.

"It happened two days ago. We... were at a party at a friend's house. We were all having a good time. All of a sudden Ekko started feeling sleepy out of nowhere and we thought it was normal because it was very late. He went to sit down somewhere and rest and when I went looking for him... I couldn't find him. No one had any idea where he was. We've been searching for him everywhere around the city since then. But it's like he vanished into thin air..." Akali's chest hurt and her face was all wet. She started sobbing. "I promise we are doing all we can to find Ekko. We already went to the police and they will start their searches tomorrow. Ma'am... I am so so sorry about all this." The girl almost couldn't breathe at this point.

"Dear, please calm down. Breathe. I know you are doing all you can to find him, I wouldn't expect any less from you. You've always been a loyal friend." The woman's tone was sweet and understanding although filled with worry. "Don't... Don't you have any idea of what might have happened to my boy?"

Akali hesitated. Should she tell the woman her suspicions? It would make her worry even more. But at least she would be completely honest. Maybe... Maybe it was for the best... She didn't want to hide anything from his parents. She took a deep breath to ready herself.

"Well... no one knows what really happened." She was a bit calmer now. "But I was the one who last saw him and I do suspect of something and someone..."

"Who?" Inna interrupted her. "What is on your mind? Tell me everything."

"Please take it with a grain of salt... I don't know if it's actually true. No one does." She proceeded to dump all of the information about her suspicions. The woman listened carefully until she was finished.

"It does make sense. So you're saying that... you suspect that strange man... disappeared with my son?"

"Yes ma'am. There's only one problem with my theory. That man I suspect of is seen as a hero by everyone in the city. He is a police officer who has dedicated himself to helping others. The city was chaos a few years ago, overrun with crime and mafia, but it got much better, all thanks to him. It just... doesn't sound like someone who would kidnap a teenage boy. Or like someone with a good reason to do so..."

"It doesn't. But everyone has a dark side. You never know what you can expect from people. He might even be using his good reputation not to have anyone suspect him."

"Oh, ma'am! Finally, someone who gets me! Everyone else dismissed my theory because of his reputation."

"I just think you might be onto something." Said Inna. She paused for a brief moment and something occurred to her. When she spoke again, her voice was filled with panic. "Oh, dear...If Ekko really was kidnapped... Do you think that man will ask for ransom? What if we don't have the money!? What are we going to do?"

"It's ok. In that case, the band will help you pay. And my friends from KDA will help too. Together we will have enough money for sure."

"Bless you, my dear." She said. After some time, she asked "Akali? Do you think my boy is ok? Do you think they are hurting him? Do you think he's... still alive?" Her heart was beating so fast and her eyes watered.

Akali hesitated for a bit. She was trying to sound optimistic yet she also wanted to be realistic and honest. "I'm trying to convince myself that he is alive and well. Yasuo said that we need to think everything is fine otherwise we will desperate and we don't know anything for sure. We can't suffer in advance."

The woman sighed deeply. "Yes. That's true... Oh, Wyeth's here. Hi honey."

"Hi... is... is something wrong?" Akali heard him say in a worried tone. She could imagine his wife's sad expression had made him understand something bad had happened.

"I... I'll talk to you in a bit. Let me just finish this call." Akali heard her say. "Well, Akali, my dear, we'll catch the first train in the morning and be there as soon as we can."

"Ma'am...?" Asked the girl, confused.

"We want to help search for him. And help out in any way we can. It's our son we're talking about. We can't just sit idly by, doing nothing!"

"I... I understand." Said Akali sadly. If this was so hard for her, she couldn't imagine how hard it was being for his parents. "Ma'am?" She asked after a brief pause.

"Yes?"

"I'm... I'm so sorry. For everything. I feel so responsible. I spent the whole night with Ekko at the party. And when I took my eyes off of him for a bit, was when all this happened." She could feel tears running down her face once again. "He wasn't feeling well... I should have stuck with him. This... this was my fault. This was all my fault..."

"Akali dear, please don't say that! You may be his legal guardian, but you aren't his babysitter. You don't have to keep your eye on him at every second, he's a grown boy. No one can know these things are going to happen. You're not to blame for anything." Inna said sweetly. "All that matters now is how much you are doing to find him. You should have called earlier, but I understand how difficult it is to have this conversation. But you ended up telling us anyway and we really appreciate your concern."

Akali made a small smile amidst her tears. "Yes... Thank you, ma'am. I'll do all I can for you and your son. I promise." Even though she couldn't see it, Inna also smiled hearing this. "At what time will you be arriving tomorrow?"

The woman took a look at her worried and slightly puzzled husband who was standing in the middle of the kitchen, a few meters behind her. "Hm... Let's see. Around... eight? But why?"

"Eight. All right. I'll go get you at the station by car. Have a safe trip, both of you. See you tomorrow!"

The woman knew Akali's offer wasn't up for discussion, so she simply complied. "Ok my dear, it's a deal. Thank you so much. See you tomorrow!"

Akali hung up. Inna lowered her phone slowly.

"Inna? You were talking about Ekko. What happened?" She heard her husband gravely ask from behind her. When she turned to face him, her eyes were shining with tears.

"Honey... our boy... our boy disappeared..." Her heart sunk when she spoke those words. She saw Wyeth's eyes widening and his mouth dropping in disbelief and shock.

"W-what? No... It can't be..." He uttered sadly. His legs began feeling weak, so he had to sit down. "Not our boy... Not our Ekko..."

"Akali said he was kidnapped." She said with her eyes downcast. "They were at a party and she suspects that a man spiked his drink."

"Ekko was... Drugged?" The man rested his forehead on his hand as tears began to fall down his face. This was too much to take in at once. Too much. "He is only a boy. What... What kind of monster would do this?"

"Wyeth, honey..." Inna hurried to his side and embraced him. Tears of her own started streaming down her face. She couldn't see her husband cry. "It'll be ok. We'll find our boy. Ekko will be fine."

The poor man was completely silent. Warm tears kept on falling down. His chest felt tight and he had lost all strength on his limbs. His heart had shrunk. He was hurting so much he couldn't speak.

Their boy had been taken from them.

Chapter Text

The sun had not yet risen. It was a chilly morning and the cold seeped in through the small cracks on the wooden walls.

Victim of another abuse, Ekko was silently sitting on the edge of the bed.

He had been fed and given something to drink not too long ago, but he almost didn't feel the taste of the food. Not like he had been given much anyway.

The teen was hunched over as if the entire world rested upon his shoulders, his head was lowered and his eyes were closed. The bags he carried under them were a clear sign that he had barely slept. The boy had bathed and put his clothes back on, but one could still easily notice, even through the fabric, that his muscles were hardened, almost like bricks and trembled slightly. Hours had passed since he had been attacked, but his intimate parts were still sore and his jaws hurt from his mouth being forcibly kept open for such a long time. His thoughts were stuck on the memories of the horrific abuses he had to endure until now. The prospect of what the men could be planning to do to him in the future filled his whole being to the brim with dread. Just remembering the violent way they used him as if he were an object and not a human being, how they had the courage to keep on hurting him despite being desperately begged to stop. The way they gripped his face violently and forced him to look them in the eyes, when all he wanted was to hide it in shame. Those moments made him think of Akali and of how sweetly and gently she would grab his chin when she wanted his attention.

He missed her kind touch.

He missed Akali.

He missed his family.

He missed Yasuo, Qiyana and Senna.

He missed all of them...

The boy let out a whimper and his eyes watered.

He... He wanted to go home...

Suddenly, Ekko jolted when he heard the door being unlocked. He froze as he heard the man step into the room. His breathing became faster as his heart raced. He didn't even dare move as he heard Jayce approaching him.

"Hello my little one." The man greeted in a sweet yet lustful tone.

Ekko flinched when he felt one arm wrap around his torso from behind. Panic rose to his throat. The man kissed the side of his neck and his cheek as he tried fighting his way out of his grip.

But, to his surprise, Jayce let him go.

He looked up at the man, that was now standing by his side, in a mixture of confusion and fear.

"Just wanted to let you know I'm leaving for work."

With his heart racing at miles per second, the boy wasn't entirely convinced. He only now noticed Jayce was carrying a stack of magazines under his arm which he proceeded to put down on the bed beside him.

"I brought you these so you have something to do while I'm gone." The man explained. "No need to thank me!"

Ekko frowned as the man leaned forward to kiss him once again. He felt the back of his head being grabbed to prevent him from turning away and their lips briefly touched.

"Even though I'm aware these don't exactly make up for the sweet time we spend together." He said, smiling, while pretending like he didn't see the two eyes glaring at him like two embers.

He bid the teen goodbye and left the room. Ekko observed silently as the door closed and then turned to the pile of magazines by his side. He picked one up and absentmindedly flipped through it. When he picked up the second one, he stopped dead in his tracks. Ekko's eyes widened in horror when he saw the cover of the third magazine.

It was a gigantic picture of Jayce that covered the entire page with big bold white letters that read: "Officer Jayce, the hero we need but don't deserve."

The boy's heart skipped a beat.

Hero?

Jayce... a hero?

What hero?

Ekko's shock rapidly turned into anger as he picked up the magazine, glared at the front page for a few seconds and then threw it onto the floor with violence.

He had almost forgotten what Akali had told him. The city owed Jayce a lot. He was a hard working police officer who had changed everyone's lives for the better. He was their savior.

These people... were idolizing a monster...

If they knew all the evils that shiny smile was hiding...

Just the prospect of the man being given praises and being gazed upon with admiration while he was secretly keeping a teenager imprisoned and raping him...

And if he was doing this to him, who knows if many others hadn't suffered the same fate?

Anger prickled under his skin.

The boy raised his head and straightened himself as his eyes burned with determination. He had to get out of here. He had to get away from these men and let the world know Jayce's true colors!

He needed a plan, but first, he should study his surroundings. Suddenly as if nature had decided to help him, he heard a gentle tip-tap on the window. It had begun to rain. Ekko watched the dirt that covered the glass slowly be washed away as the world outside became more visible.

He was in... a forest?

Taken over by surprise, the teen got up and approached the window. The house was apparently situated in a clearing and his room was high on the second floor. There was only tall trees surrounding the house, forming a wall of sorts, obscuring his vision. However, none of them was even remotely close to his window.

Ekko spent the next half an hour studying the room and the surrounding environment looking for a way to escape or for some kind of fail in this place's security. But just like when it came to everything else, Jayce knew what he was doing. The vines that were growing on the outside of that old house had been cut. There was no way for him to support himself on anything in order to climb down. Making a rope with the bed sheets crossed his mind, but it wouldn't even be remotely long enough to reach the ground. And the windows were completely shut.

He was trapped.

But he couldn't stay here.

He couldn't...

The boy stared at the door. In his eyes, it was simultaneously the entrance of the devils and the gateway to salvation.

He sighed deeply.

That sturdy wooden door was his one and only way out.

.............................................

It was pouring. The lightning lit up the sky and the thunder roared. The two women contemplated the gigantic mansion as they slowly approached it and Caitlyn stopped the car.

"This place is huge. These girls sure dream big, eh Cupcake?" Officer Vi commented with her partner.

"Concentrate, Vi." Said Caitlyn in her usual emotionless tone. "We're here to investigate. Not to admire the scenery."

"Just wanted to lift your spirits up a little." The woman's expression was sympathetic. "You've been down in the dumps since yesterday, don't think I didn't realize."

Caitlyn sighed.

Vi furrowed her eyebrows. "Cupcake, you're always acting like nothing affects you and it works for almost everyone." Her tone was sympathetic. "But you can't fool me. I know that the girl accusing Jayce got into your mind. But it isn't possible, Cait. Jayce would never do something like that..."

"Please... we have time to deal with that later. Let's focus on the task at hand."

It was Vi's turn to let out a sigh. However, she made an effort to give a smile to her friend "You're the boss, Cupcake."

Caitlyn hurried to park the car, opened the door and got out without uttering a word. She retrieved a large umbrella from the back seat and used it to cover herself and Vi while she got a suitcase out of the trunk. The two officers made their way to the big entrance gate. Kai'sa was waiting for them there. "Hey Caitlyn, hey Vi. Welcome."

"What's up?" Vi's tone was casual.

"Good morning Kai'sa." Caitlyn's was polite and professional. "I trust you've already been informed of everything. We would like to initiate the investigation right away."

Kai'sa nodded. "Right this way."

The girl led them to the inside of the mansion and straight to the entrance of the gigantic room in which the party had been held. They had been careful not to touch anything so as to make the investigation as easy as possible for the police. "I think everything is just the way it was on the night of the party."

Steps were suddenly heard as they were approached by three girls.

"Ah, officers, let me introduce you to my friends. This is Ahri, Evelynn..." Said Kai'sa as she pointed her open palm at each of the girls "And this is Akali. She is also close friends with Ekko. She was the last person who had contact with him."

Vi gave them a warm smile. "I'm Vi and she's Caitlyn. Just call us by our names. It's what everyone does."

"Charmed." Quickly said Caitlyn as if she were bored to meet all of them. She took a second to adjust her sunglasses and Akali's eyes widened.

"Incredible. It's just like Qiyana and Senna said. It's storming outside and she's wearing sunglasses. And she seems really cold and distant. What a weird woman." The girl thought.

"So? Where and when exactly did you see your friend for the last time?"

Akali was taken by surprise by how direct Caitlyn was. "Oh... well, it was around 4 a.m. He went to sit somewhere and I never saw him again. And we sat over there earlier that night." Akali affirmed, pointing at the four seats surrounding the coffee table. "I was sitting there across from Kai'sa and Ekko was facing officer Jayce."

The two women got some rubber gloves out of the suitcase and silently put them on. Caitlyn also picked up a camera. The girls stayed in the hallway while the two officers entered the room.

"Hm... So this would be Ekko's glass, yes?" Asked Caitlyn as she picked it up and observed it carefully. She put it back down and took a quick photo of the table and its contents. Then, she proceeded to insert the glass inside a small plastic bag and then the suitcase. "We'll take it so the forensic analysts can look for any evidence of drugs." She looked at Akali. "We'll see if the evidence backs up your claim of a potencial kidnapping."

"Hm... Caitlyn?" Akali tried getting her attention. "Officer Jayce handed Ekko his glass after he brought the drinks. Just thought it could be important..."

"I'll keep it in mind." She took another look at the table and noticed something odd. "All the glasses they used seem to have been left here except for Jayce's..." She thought. "Why would he go leave his glass elsewhere? It could be a natural move but it could also be deliberate..." A part of her completely refused to believe her friend could have done anything. The more logical part of her, however, feared the worst... 

Vi was carefully looking around. Upon noticing one of the video cameras in the corner, she turned to the girls. "The video surveillance system probably caught something. We'll need access to it. Where's the control room?"

"I'll take you there. Follow me." Said Kai'sa.

Vi took a flash drive out of the suitcase "If you need anything call me."

"Of course. Go ahead. I'll handle it here."

Vi followed Kai'sa downstairs and they were gone for a very long time. Caitlyn investigated the room for hours without stop. The K/DA girls had gone over to another living room to take a seat and wait out the results, but Akali constantly went back to the room entrance to see how the investigation was going. She saw that Caitlyn had retrieved a magnifying glass and was looking at everything up close. She had also taken out other materials from the suitcase and was very concentrated on her work. The girl nervously rubbed her tense arms and sighed deeply. Ahri and Eve had decided to follow her this time and noticed her discomfort. With sympathy, they each put a hand on their friend's shoulders. The girl was surprised but thankful. It made her smile a little.

"Aw, darling. Don't worry. The police will find a lead." Said Ahri sweetly.

Caitlyn heard this and raised an eyebrow. "I'm not by any means trying to upset you, but I'm not finding much here."

Akali's heart sank, but the officer immediately added "I'm sure Vi will find something with the security footage. The cameras don't lie."

.............................................

"You didn't find... almost anything?" Asked Caitlyn a few hours later to her partner who was as perplexed as she was.

"No... All I saw that was even a bit incriminating was Jayce following Ekko into the hallway when he left the room." Vi was frowning deeply. "I don't like this, Cait. Even if I wanted to check Jayce out of the suspects list, he was the only person who was acting strangely. Throughout the night, he did seem to be taking quite an interest in the boy. In the recordings he was always looking in Ekko's direction."

"You really didn't see... anything else that was suspicious?..." Caitlyn's heart was beating rapidly inside her chest, but her face didn't express any emotion.

"No. It was just a normal party with people dancing and having fun. The only people that got close to Ekko that night were his friends, the party hosts, a few fans and Jayce. But to be fair, aside from always having his eyes on the boy, he didn't do anything on camera that proves he has anything to do with Ekko's disappearance."

Caitlyn rubbed her chin in deep thought. "Did you check the hallway cameras?"

Vi shook her head slightly. "There are no cameras on that side of the house. Kai'sa said that since it's just a lonely hallway, they thought it wouldn't be needed. And there are no cameras in the bathrooms for obvious reasons."

"Of course..." Said Caitlyn.

"I don't even understand why they have separate bathrooms. Must be just to show off or something..."

The two women were having this conversation near the K/DA girls and they overheard what Vi said. They took it as a rude statement, whereas the officer had deliberately been loud in order to get an immediate response. "It was Eve's idea." Ahri readily answered the question somewhat annoyed. "She said it would be cool to have separate bathrooms since this is the area of the house in which we host our parties. It's more organized and the bathrooms get less crowded. She always thinks big, isn't that right Eve?" She asked, turning to her friend.

Kai'sa raised an eyebrow. "Eve?" Now that Ahri had shifted their attention over to Evelynn, she noticed that her friend seemed...off. Her whole body was visibly tense. She seemed to have found interest on her own two feet because she had her eyes fixated on them. The girl didn't even seem to be hearing them.

"Eve!?" Called out Ahri, worriedly, while shaking her. It worked. Evelynn woke up from her trance-like state and looked at her friends, confused. "Are you ok Eve? You were so tense and out of it. That's not like you at all! Is everything all right?"

The girl looked around at the pairs of eyes set on her. When she met the officers' gaze, she stood still for a few seconds and then inhaled deeply. Her whole demeanor suddenly changed. "Caitlyn, Vi, I have a confession to make. There's something I know about that can help the case. But I'm going to get in trouble for it." She revealed frankly and directly.

Her friends' eyes widened as the officers' narrowed. "We're listening." Said Caitlyn.

"There is in fact a camera in the men's bathroom. I set it up myself. One of the mirrors is a one-way mirror and the camera is hidden behind it."

Kai'sa's mouth was agape. "What!? But... Why didn't you tell us?"

Evelynn chuckled. "You're all such goodie-two-shoes that you would tell me to not do it because it's illegal or something. And I have my... Hobbies. I need to be sure you know? No woman likes to seduce a guy only to find out they have it small." She now sounded amused. "The camera is linked to a small TV in my bedroom. I needed privacy and couldn't have anyone find out."

The girls were shocked with her bluntness. "So... So that's where you disappear to during parties... And when we see you again, you're all over some guy." Said Ahri.

"Exactly, darling."

Akali stared at her in disbelief and seemed conflicted. "But Eve... Ekko comes to your parties too. He's a kid... You don't...?"

Eve rolled her eyes. "Oh please, Akali. I'm not a pedo. He's like... the only underage person we invite over. Hasn't any of you realised that I spend my time smoking in the hallway instead of going up to my room whenever he's around? My methods may be questionable, but I have some decency."

"This is some quite interesting information." Commented Caitlyn, raising an eyebrow. "This can indeed get you in a lot of trouble. Setting up a hidden camera in an area that is specifically going to be used by guests without their knowledge for sexual purposes can get you up to three years in prison."

Evelynn was as unbothered as ever. "I know what's at stake... It wasn't easy to confess, but I had to tell you. That camera might have caught something important and I wasn't going to keep this information from the police just to save my sorry ass. Ekko might be in serious danger and he's a good kid. I would hate if something happened to him while I was hiding crucial information that could have helped the case."

"Aw Eve..." Akali was grateful but also sad. It would break her heart if she truly ended up in prison. Especially after she had been so noble in her approach to Ekko's case. The others shared the same opinion as they eyed her sorrowfully.

"Very well then." Said Vi. "I trust you will allow us to view that recording?"

"Yes. No objections. I'll go get it for you. You can watch it in the security room downstairs." Said Evelynn while getting up. She rapidly left the room.

Caitlyn looked at her partner. "Maybe now we'll fine something worthwhile.

.............................................

"Have you spotted anything suspicious yet?" Asked Caitlyn to Vi while entering the security room. For legal purposes, no one else was allowed inside.

Vi was sitting in front of the screens and smiled. "Cupcake, I've been watching this for ten minutes. Nothing has happened."

Caitlyn adjusted her sunglasses. "Only ten minutes? Seemed for quite longer than that..."

Vi tilted her head to the side in understanding. "You're still worried about Jayce having something to do with this whole thing. That's keeping you anxious."

Caitlyn sighed deeply and rubbed her temples with visible discomfort. "Yes... You did say he was acting suspiciously during the whole party. It only made me feel worse..."

Vi frowned. "You'll see, Cupcake. He won't have anything to do with this. I'm sure he won't."

"I sure hope you're right." Caitlyn could have chosen to take a seat, but she was way too nervous to stay still and remained standing up.

The next thirty minutes were uneventful. Vi rested her head on her hand while she looked at the screen in boredom. Cait impatiently tapped her foot. For what seemed like forever, no one came in or out of the bathroom. But suddenly, Vi's eyes widened. "Look! That's him! Ekko came in."

Cait's focus on the screen immediately doubled as she furrowed her eyebrows. The teen was holding his head in his hand and he stumbled when he approached the sink. "It's like he has a very painful headache. Or like he was..."

"Drugged...?" Finished Vi, taking her eyes off the screen for a moment to look at her partner. Even with the sunglasses on, she could see the tension building up in Caitlyn's face. It only worsened when the door opened and they both saw Jayce come in. Vi could almost hear the palpitations of her friend's heart as they got increasingly faster.

"Please Jayce..." Vi heard Cait whisper in a desperate tone.

Her chest also tightened as she turned back to the screen. Jayce was displaying some strange behavior, seemingly looking around the bathroom stalls to make sure no one was around. He then turned to the kid who was slowly losing his strength. All of a sudden, Ekko started falling and Jayce readily caught him. But it wasn't as if he saved him out of nowhere. His movements and body language suggested that he was expecting that to happen and was ready to act.

Then, the strangest thing of all unfolded. Vi's eyes widened as she observed Jayce get very close to the boy's unconscious body. Their noses almost touched as he caressed his face and then enveloped him in his arms. It felt... Weird and almost sexual.

"What the hell?" Vi thought.

Some time later, Jayce answered his phone and proceeded to carry Ekko over to the window. He rapidly got him through it to someone who was waiting on the outside and that was hidden from view. Then, as if nothing had happened, he left the bathroom.

The two officers were frozen in place. The shock had rendered them speechless. The seconds dragged on for millennia as their minds tried to make sense of the nonsensical. Vi was the first to recover. She slowly looked at her partner whose face was as white as a sheet of paper.

"Cait?" She called out to her. Caitlyn's mouth was closed, unmoving. She couldn't find anything to say. When two tears streamed down her face, that was Vi's queue to get up. "Cait!" She called out again worriedly. She walked up to her and carefully removed her sunglasses to reveal two wide-eyed mortified eyes. She put them down and embraced Caitlyn warmly. The poor woman didn't even hug back. She just rested her head on her friend's shoulder trying to regain her strength.

"Vi..." She stuttered. "He... This can't be..."

"Cait, I'm so sorry..." Whispered Vi, trying to calm her down as tears also welled up in her eyes.

Jayce.

Their best friend Jayce.

How could this be?

How could he have done this...?

And most importantly...

Why?

Chapter Text

"We really appreciate you going to get us at the station. You didn't need to. We could have just taken a taxi." Said Inna from the back seat.

Yasuo looked at the woman through the rearview mirror and gave her a small smile. "No need to thank me." He said simply. Akali had had to leave for the K/DA mansion early and had asked him if he could go get the couple in her place. He had plans to keep on working on his latest project, as he was very close to finishing it, but he just couldn't say no. He knew Akali would be needed at the crime scene.

Between the frazzled hair and the bags under her eyes, Inna looked as if she had aged twenty years overnight. But the characteristic smile still adorned her lips. She admired the skyscrapers and buildings that rapidly passed by outside her window with child-like wonder. They cast shadows on the other cars and passersby that went in all directions in a frenzy. Not even the less than welcoming weather seemed to rob the place or its people of their energy.

"Such a big city. Everyone seems so busy. Don't you think so, dear?" She commented with her husband in an attempt to start a conversation. She turned her head to look in his direction. Her smile faded. Wyeth was ruefully resting his head on his hand as he looked outside, while the rain gently fell down. His expression was vacant as his eyes stared into nothingness. "Wyeth, honey?" She called out to him.

The man jolted softly as if he was waking from a dream and shot a surprised look in his wife's direction. "Sorry, what is it?"

Inna's expression changed from slight worry to a small warm smile. "I said that this city sure is something. What do you think of it?"

"Hm... The city... Yeah. It has tall buildings... And lots of people running around. It's nice." He stammered in a tone almost devoid of emotion. He stopped, surprised, when he felt a hand warmly cover his. He looked up at his wife who was giving him a reassuring smile.

"Hey, it's going to be all right." Her voice was sweet like honey and her eyes shone with understanding.

The worry left Wyeth's face and the tension on his muscles abated. He wrapped his hand around his wife's in a gesture of gratitude and smiled thinly.

"We're here." Announced Yasuo from the front seat. The couple turned to look at the modern building that got closer and closer.

"It's just the way we saw it in the pictures Ekko sent us..." Thought Inna with mixed feelings. She felt genuine happiness for finally entering her son's home, but was also sad because he wouldn't be the one to show it to them.

Yasuo pulled over, got the couple's luggage out of the trunk and lead them to the front door. "I'm home!" He shouted upon entering. "The guests are here!"

A few seconds later, from the hallway, Senna and Lucian emerged to greet them.

"Hello! Be very welcome." Said Senna. There was an exchange of hand shakes and she was ready to introduce herself when Inna put her hand up and told her to wait.

"Our son told us all about you. Let me see if I get your names right. That young man who went to get us at the station is Yasuo, you're Senna and that's your husband Lucian."

Looking at the youngsters' surprised faces, Wyeth chuckled. "Inna has a knack for remembering names and faces. She rarely gets them wrong."

"That's an extraordinary gift." Commented Lucian, trying to be pleasing. But Inna, dismissed his compliment with a shaking of her head.

"It's nothing much, really. Ekko always talked so much about you that I had to remember at least your names."

Yasuo smirked and didn't resist saying "He said good things only, I hope!?"

Wyeth made a sad smile. Senna caught a glimpse of his eyes and they were filled with a profound hurt. "Yes. Our boy always chose good friends." He said lowering his head. "He always did..."

This made Senna frown. All the occupants of the house felt the same way: None of them really considered themselves a "good friend" for Ekko at the moment. He had been taken away right under their noses. The most logical part of her knew, there was nothing they could have done. But the other side of her couldn't help but feel guilt. "We're so sorry that you're going through this..." She said in a sorrowful tone. "We were responsible for your son. I'm... so sorry we allowed this to happen."

This completely changed the tone of the conversation. The tension in the room had doubled in just a few seconds. Inna shifted uncomfortably, but still made an effort to smile. "Oh dear, Akali said the same thing. You don't have to feel responsible, it wasn't your fault. We are well-aware of that."

"We will help you search once more. Later today." Promised Senna.

Lucian took notice of the rising anxiety levels in the room and decided to intervene. "May I suggest that we take a seat? We can go to the living room." What these parents needed was some moments of peace of mind in their company, not more stress.

The couple gladly accepted the young man's offer and followed him. Yasuo turned in the direction of the stairs and told them he would join them later, as he had work to do.

The living room's lighting was gloomy despite the curtains being open. The dark clouds did not allow the brightness of the sun to shine through, making the world below appear much darker, as the rain was violently swept by the wind. Wyeth and Inna took a seat on the chaise longue that Qiyana absolutely loved and Lucian and Senna sat on a comfy white sofa perpendicular to them. The couple looked around at the stylish room and Wyeth took notice of a guitar that had been forgotten on a nearby chair. "Is that... The guitar you gave Ekko?" He asked out of curiosity, in an attempt to break the ice.

In that moment, all the eyes in the room were drawn to the instrument. "Yes. A few weeks ago. He said he loved it." Said Senna.

Inna stood up and walked over to it to have a better look. "It's a fine guitar. Our boy always wanted to learn an instrument." She picked it up carefully and brought it with her so her husband could also examine it from up-close.

"Yeah, he's pretty good with it already." Commented Senna with a smile. "He always picks things up so fast. So we thought it would be the perfect gift for him."

Suddenly, the girl jolted slightly, gasped, and her eyes widened. "I completely forgot about it!" She exclaimed as she snapped her fingers.

Lucian was staring at her, confused at the sudden display of behavior. "Senna, are you ok?" He asked worriedly.

"Excuse me, I'll be right back." She said, getting up and quickly leaving the room. Lucian was puzzled, but he looked in the guest's direction and shrugged. Inna shrugged back, as she also hadn't understood anything.

The mystery didn't persist for long though. Senna came back shortly after, carrying a small box wrapped in a shiny purple paper.

"Sorry." She said apologetically. "With all that happened recently, I didn't even remember this anymore." Lucian observed as she sat down beside him and handed him the small box. "Here! Open it!"

Inna and Wyeth watched in silence as Lucian accepted the mysterious box. "A gift? For me?" He asked with a smirk. "You shouldn't have..."

Senna rolled her eyes. "Don't start. Just open it."

Lucian smiled at his wife for a few seconds before turning his attention to the small box and starting to unwrap it.

"I went to get you this on the day of the party... Before all this happened. Just because I wanted to." Senna said, with her eyes shining. "I hope you like it."

Lucian was done with removing the wrapping paper and proceeded to lift the lid up. Inside the small box, there was a fancy golden and black lighter that glinted in the dim light of the room. His mouth dropped slightly as he picked up the small object. "Senna, it's beautiful. But I don't smoke."

"It's never too late to start, you know?" She provoked, witilly.

"When did you become a bad influence?" Joked Lucian, not missing a beat.

"Maybe I picked it up from you." Senna readily answered. She chuckled and added "I'm just kidding. You'll see. It can come in handy. A lighter has way more uses than just lighting up cigarettes."

"Such as?" He asked, genuinely curious, as, at the moment, he couldn't think of anything off the top of his head.

Senna raised one eyebrow and simply challenged him. "Up to you to find out."

"Young love..." Wyeth commented with a small smile as he listened to the conversation. He looked at his wife. "They kind of remind me of us when we were their age."

Inna nodded and smiled at him. However, she caught a glimpse of her son's guitar and verified that no one was paying attention to her. Her fake happiness completely faded. She carefully gripped the head stock and squeezed it firmly between her fingers. "Don't worry, sweetie. We'll find you." The woman said to herself as she frowned with determination.

.............................................

"Thank you for your time." Said Vi, adopting Caitlyn's professional tone. Her partner was by her side, in complete silence, with the sunglasses back on. She looked as unaffected as ever, but the dark lens covered her red-rimmed eyes.

They currently found themselves in the entrance hall of the mansion and were about to leave.

"So, my suspicions were right all along. I knew it was Jayce!" Exclaimed Akali with conviction. "I just knew it..."

Instinctively, Vi shot a killer stare in her direction and clenched her fist. When Akali's eyebrows raised in surprise and confusion, she forced herself to calm down. She took a deep breath and her hand relaxed.

Ahri took a step forward. "So if officer Jayce really is guilty... how are you going to catch him? Do you have any idea where he might be at the moment?"

"He should be at the police station. And if not, at home, in his apartment." Quickly answered Vi.

"That... would make sense..." Stuttered Ahri.

"We don't have time to lose. If there is nothing else you need to tell us, we should be on our way." Said Vi.

No one had any objections, so the two cops bid them goodbye and silently exited through the front door. The rain had gotten lighter and it was now gently falling on the umbrella, open over the two women's heads. Vi walked slowly in silence and sometimes glanced at Caitlyn whose head was lowered as she dragged her feet across the ground.

"Hey Cait." Said Vi sweetly, putting one arm over her shoulders. "You ok?"

Caitlyn distractedly stared at the suitcase in her hand for a few moments before answering. "I'll be fine once we're over with this..."

Vi gave her a sad look that quickly turned to anger. Her body got visibly tense and she clenched her fist as her emotions overwhelmed her. "Jayce... I want to kill him! Just when you think you know someone..." She spat bitterly.

Caitlyn quickly looked up and stared wide-eyed at her partner. "Vi! Jayce is... Jayce is our friend..."

Vi furrowed her eyebrows and grit her teeth. "No. He WAS our friend. Or at least I thought he was! I don't want to have anything to do with a child kidnapper. And neither should you." She said darkly, her words like venom.

"Vi...!" Tried Caitlyn, unsurely.

"Cait!" Vi interrupted, her tone increasing in volume as the anger built up inside her. "Do you REALLY want to associate yourself with someone who drugged an innocent kid and took him away from his loved ones? To do heavens-know-what to him???"

Caitlyn suddenly stopped walking and was silent for a few moments. Her chest ached and her hands trembled as she said "I just don't want to believe it..."

"What we found is hard evidence. There is no denying what he did." Said Vi, unwavering.

Caitlyn sighed and resumed walking. "You're really... Just going to abandon him?" She almost whispered.

"Cait. HE abandoned us the moment he decided to do this." Vi said coldly. But when she looked at her partner once again, all she could see were the tears that threatened to fall and her heavy expression.

At last they got to the car. Caitlyn somberly grabbed the door handle and gently pulled it, but a hand suddenly covered hers. Surprised, she looked up and saw that Vi was giving her a gentle smile. "I'll drive. You're in no condition."

Caitlyn didn't speak and didn't object, but her eyes shone with gratitude. She gave her partner the car keys and quicky put the suitcase in the trunk before taking her place in the passenger's seat. Beside her, Vi roughly turned the keys and the engine roared loudly. She was still visibly fuming and it felt like the intensity of her gaze could cut through solid metal.

"Jayce is going to have a lot of explaining to do." She said simply and proceeded to turn the wheel.

Caitlyn sighed and took a last look at the mansion they were leaving behind.

.............................................

She could already see the Police Station in the distance and her throat tightened. She looked unsurely at Vi who was giving the building a hateful glare. The two women were both in silence as they approached the sidewalk.

Vi hurried to park the car, yanked the keys from the ignition and stormed out of the vehicle with a determined expression. Caitlyn observed her partner, as she rapidly marched to the building's entrance, before opening the door and stepping outside herself.

Vi had a destination to get to and didn't stop for anything. Maintaining her rapid pace, she ignored the colleagues who greeted her, leaving them shooting confused looks in her direction. She almost collided with half a dozen people who glared daggers at her and protested. She would have tore two doors off the hinges if they weren't so sturdy and she nearly knocked a plant over before finally reaching Jayce's office.

The girl didn't stop in her tracks. She didn't hesitate. She simply grabbed the knob and swung the door open. Her eyes immediately focused the man who was sitting at his desk doing some paperwork. His first reaction was giving an annoyed look at whoever had stormed into his office without knocking. But upon noticing it was her, his expression seemed to soften, although lightly.

"Vi? What is it?"

She looked at him directly in the eyes and her expression darkened. "Jayce, you're under arrest."

His jaw dropped. "WHAT?" He asked, seemingly shocked. "But why? I didn't do anything!?"

His reaction made Vi's blood boil in her veins. She lost it and charged in his direction, violently slamming down her fists on the desk in front of him. The sudden action made Jayce jump in his seat.

"HOW DARE YOU ACT LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED?" She shouted at the top of her lungs, letting out her frustration.

Jayce didn't back down though. "What do you mean? WHAT happened?"

Vi couldn't believe this. "Are you seriously denying that you drugged and kidnapped Ekko last Friday?"

She watched as Jayce's eyes widened and he stood up. "WHAT? I did what to who?"

Vi smirked. "You weren't expecting anyone to find out, were you? There was a hidden camera, Jayce. And it recorded EVERYTHING."

"Just WHAT are you talking about?" Asked the man once again. He looked behind Vi and verified that Caitlyn was at the door. She silently stepped inside the office, closing the door behind her.

"Caitlyn? Has Vi gone mad?" He asked her. "Can you help me explain to her that I didn't do anything?"

Cait removed her sunglasses to reveal a deeply hurt look in her eyes. "Jayce... I... I can't believe you still refuse to confess..."

The man took a step back. "You... You too Caitlyn? Have the two of you become crazy?"

"The only crazy one here is you!" Spat Vi, pointing her index finger at his chest accusingly. "Kidnapping sixteen year olds at parties and then having the nerve to deny it! Despite having been caught in the act!"

"Vi." He said, looking her in the eyes. "I don't even understand what's going on. But whatever you're accusing me of, I DIDN'T do it!"

Exasperated, Vi turned around and gave Caitlyn a "can you believe this?" look. Getting her attention back on the man, she said. "OK. Fine. We'll watch that recording together and I want to see you deny this once again in our face."

Jayce's expression was unwavering and he was giving Vi a harsh glare. "Follow me." She said, turning around and exiting through the door. Caitlyn saw Jayce give her an arrogant look before leaving after Vi. She followed them.

On her way to the Audiovisual Room, she couldn't ignore the absolutely terrible feeling growing inside her.

She hated this.

She had watched the recording. She knew Jayce had done something terrible.

But he... He was her friend. At least she still considered him one.

She was incapable of turning against someone who she had been so close to, up until that moment...

Upon arriving, Caitlyn verified that Jayce was beside Vi, in front of the screen. She noticed that even though he had that flair of unshakable confidence that was characteristic of him, there was a glint of nervousness. His body looked a bit more tense than usual and he eyed the pen drive Vi was inserting into the port with uncertainty.

Eventually, the recording was played. Jayce eyed everything with apparent confusion. And when he saw himself on screen, his jaw dropped. His expression was undignified.

"What? That's... That's not me!" He stuttered, his eyes wide like a full moon. "I swear that ISN'T me!"

Vi gave Jayce a cruel stare throughout the whole scene. By the end of it, she spoke. "I never expected this from you Jayce, of all people. But why? Why did you do this?"

The harsh words started getting to him and he only became increasingly nervous. He looked back and forth at his two friends. "Guys, please! That is NOT me in the recording. I didn't do anything! I was never near that kid in my life!"

"You still refuse to admit your crime with undeniable proof in front of our faces." Said Vi. "You know full well that only makes everything worse for you."

"I cannot confess a crime I did not commit." He said. "Plain and simple."

Vi shook her head in disapproval and  took a step forward. "Unbelievable... Well, whether you confess it or not, we have enough evidence. Follow me to the Interview Room without offering any resistance. I believe the use of force won't be needed, or I'll personally take care of it." She threatened, clenching her fist.

Jayce glared at her, but obeyed. He walked in front of Vi, as she told him his rights. She knew the words by heart. And so did Jayce, but he was forced to listen to the whole speech, as it was a mandatory procedure. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in court..."

As she watched them leave, Caitlyn was at war within herself. "I guess people aren't always what they seem." She thought. But those words made her heart crumble.

-----

The Interview Room was small and well lit. There was the traditional table with two chairs facing each other and two windows. Caitlyn was sitting across from Jayce and Vi was standing beside her like some sort of bodyguard.

"Jayce." Started Caitlyn, taking off her sunglasses. "You have been accused of drugging and kidnapping Ekko, a sixteen year old teenager, last Friday. I would like to know what exactly..."

"Wait, Caitlyn. Can I go first?" Vi interrupted her.

She looked at her with surprise in her eyes, but didn't object. She was used to Vi's bluntness. "Of course, go right ahead."

Vi didn't waste any time. She walked up to Jayce and there suddenly was a loud sound of something cracking and a yelp of pain. It was so sudden that Caitlyn couldn't understand what was happening until she saw the man bleeding from his lips. Then, it finally hit her. Vi had punched him right in the face. Her features were adorned with a smile of satisfaction as she looked down upon him.

"You know what I always say: Punch first. Ask questions while punching!" She stated, more to herself than to the other two that were present in the room.

"VI!? WHAT THE HELL?" Complained Jayce as the blood ran down his chin and dropped on the transparent table top. He was covering his mouth gently, desperately trying to stop the bleeding.

"That's for kidnapping an innocent child you asshole!" Vi exclaimed accusingly. She then turned around and returned to her partner's side. "That made me feel better. Thank you Cait. You can interrogate him now."

Caitlyn's expression was unreadable. It was somewhere between disappointment, shock and already knowing that she should have expected it, coming from Vi. "You know that I'm going to have to suspend you for this. This behavior is unacceptable."

"Yeah, I know." Said Vi, crossing her arms, completely at ease. "My fist was itching. I had to do it. You know I can't control myself."

Caitlyn gave her a bored expression and turned to Jayce who was still trying to get the bleeding to cease. Just to be cordial with him, she handed him a paper tissue and patiently waited until he was ready to speak again. Then, she reached to a compartment under the table and retrieved a picture.

"I'm sure you recognize him!?" Questioned Caitlyn, pushing the picture over to Jayce. "This is Ekko, the teenager you are being accused of drugging and kidnapping."

The man studied the picture for a few seconds. "Yes, I do know him. Would be hard not to. He's on TV all the time."

"You're saying that you only know him from TV?"

"Affirmative."

"That is not what the recording shows." Said Caitlyn furrowing her eyebrows. She sighed. "Jayce, where is the kid? What did you do to him?"

"I already told you I was never near him in my life!" He stated with a little bit of difficulty, as his lower lip was starting to swell. "Vi, Cait. You actually don't believe me? You think me capable of hurting a kid?"

He looked sad and Caitlyn felt genuinely bad for him. Vi was unwavering. Her stare was cold and unforgiving.

"I thought you knew me better than this." He lamented with a deep frown. "I thought we were friends."

His words penetrated Cait's heart and she started feeling genuinely uncomfortable and doubtful. However, they didn't have the same effect on her partner. Vi's eyes widened, her pupils contracted dangerously and she took a threatening step forward. Her fist was painfully clenched. "Are you trying to guilt trip us?"

It was Jayce's turn to widen his eyes. The man shrunk in his chair. "What? No!" Vi looked like a killer ready to strike.

Caitlyn raised her arm. "Vi, enough!" She said authoritatively before her friend lost it again. It was enough to stop her in her tracks. "Wait for me outside!"

Vi looked at Caitlyn with annoyance plastered all over her face. Even still, she turned around ruefully and headed for the door. She never disrespected Caitlyn's authority.

Now alone with Jayce, the young officer turned to face him. "Look... You ARE my friend. I don't want to believe you did this! But there is clear evidence that you were responsible for Ekko's disappearence. We can't just ignore a literal recording showcasing the kidnapping taking place!"

"I'll say it again and I know you won't believe me: That's NOT me in the video. Last Friday I went home early because I had a very unpleasant headache. I went to bed at around 10 and woke up at 7:30. I was sleeping soundly when that camera was supposedly catching me!"

"I do remember you saying you weren't feeling well..." Caitlyn said, thinking deeply for a few seconds. "But it could be that you went home in order to get everything ready and head to the party..."

"Caitlyn please... I don't know who took the kid! That man the camera recorded isn't me!"

Caitlyn stared at him right in the eyes and tried to find some small physical evidence that he could be lying. But his wide open eyes and intense gaze seemed so genuine... She didn't know what to think.

" Jayce I'll... I'll look into this. I'll investigate further. I know you. I don't really believe that you would hurt someone, much less a kid."

Jayce's eyes seemed to light up with hope. "So you believe me?"

"I can't ignore the evidence. But I also want to believe you. I want to give you a chance..."

"Oh, Caitlyn thank you." He said in a seemingly grateful tone. "I knew I could count on you..."

Caitlyn sighed and gave him a sad smile. She didn't know what the outcome of the further investigation would be. But she was determined to at least try and make an effort for her friend's sake.

Chapter Text

"Have you heard about it? That Jayce is responsible for a crime?" Said an officer to her partner.

"What?" He inquired, eyes wide open and almost spilling his coffee. "Is that true?"

Even though Caitlyn tried to keep it under wraps, she couldn't hide Jayce's arrest from her own colleagues. He had been taken into a cell to be kept under surveillance and the news spread like wild fire.

"I never thought this would be possible coming from Jayce. Can you believe it?"

Caitlyn would hear these whispers wherever she would go. Some officers would even ask her directly if it was all real or just rumors. And even if it hurt her, she couldn't lie to them. In the matter of a day, everyone knew.

In order to escape the curious voices that surrounded and overwhelmed her, she retired to her office. She was surprised to find out that Vi was there, looking through some files. After all, she wasn't supposed to still be around at all.

"Hey, Cupcake!" Greeted Vi interrupting her reading for a bit to look at her friend. "I was just taking a look through Jayce's files. He's got quite an impressive record. And yeah, everyone knows that. But one thing is to casually hear about it, another is to read about it in detail! Did you know that he arrested a guy who has no fingerprints? Crazy, right?"

Caitlyn made a bored expression, looking over her sunglasses. Vi was displaying the pure satisfaction she always felt whenever she got to punch someone. "Distracting me won't work. You're still suspended. You're going to have to leave."

"I'm not trying to distract you. I don't care!" The girl said with a sassy smile.

Caitlyn's eyes rolled behind the dark lens. She then extended her arm and demanded "Badge."

It was Vi's turn to roll her eyes with a naughty expression on her face. She handed over the shiny object without a care in the world. "I don't regret anything. He was asking for it."

Caitlyn didn't like the casual tone her friend was using and furrowed her eyebrows. "Vi, we've talked about this. You have to control yourself."

"Yes, mommy. I promise I'll behave." She joked.

"This is serious!" Exclaimed Caitlyn taking a step forward. "This was your sixth suspension. If I weren't your boss, you probably wouldn't even have a job anymore!"

"But luckily, you ARE my boss." Vi winked and smirked at her partner. "So I have nothing to worry about."

Caitlyn's jaw dropped at how irresponsible she was being. "Vi!..." She tried. But her friend was already almost at the door. She quickly raised her hand to bid her goodbye. "Well, I'm respecting your wishes and heading out. If you need me, you know where to find me! Have a nice week, Cupcake!" Vi winked and closed the door behind her.

Exasperated, Caitlyn sighed deeply and shook her head in disapproval. However, a thin smile rapidly formed on her lips. "What am I going to do with her?" She whispered to herself.

The young officer sat down at her desk and looked down at the files about Jayce that Vi had been browsing through. Caitlyn rubbed her chin in deep thought. She was ready to take on this investigation to find out whether Jayce was as innocent as he claimed or not. But... Where to start....?

She had appointed interviews with Akali and Kai'sa at half past ten. She was really looking forward to it. She hoped to learn more about Jayce's behavior at the party from the people who had interacted with him the most that night.

Making the most of her time while she waited, Caitlyn decided to follow Vi's example and read Jayce's personal files in search of some kind of evidence, hidden in his past. He had claimed again and again that he was innocent. There was a slim chance that someone had orchestrated all this to frame him. He had plenty of enemies, so it wasn't completely out of question. She just didn't understand one thing: Jayce had said that the man in the recording wasn't him. It was an almost unbelievable claim. But if it were true... how could someone manage to look exactly like her friend?

This was all so confusing...

An hour flew by. Caitlyn was so lost in her reading that when she looked at the time, she was already fourteen minutes late for the interview. "Oh goodness!" She jumped from the chair, dropped the papers on her desk and headed directly to the Interview Room.

Kai'sa was already waiting for her there, since an officer had allowed her in.

"Good morning, Caitlyn!" Greeted Kai'sa. "We arrived bright and early. Just like you asked. Akali came as well, she's waiting outside."

"Good morning. I'm sorry I'm late." Caitlyn excused herself while taking a seat in front of her. "Well, let's start, shall we? I asked you to come because I would like to know more about Jayce's behavior on the night of the party."

Tapping with her index finger on her lips for a few seconds, Kai'sa considered what she would say before answering. "Very well, I was with Jayce for almost the entire time. He arrived late, hours after the party had already started, at around 3 a.m. He had told me earlier that he probably wouldn't show up because he had a terrible headache. So it was a surprise." Said Kai'sa.

Caitlyn's eyes widened a little bit behind the dark lens. "That's actually something that he also told me. He left work earlier that day because he claimed his head was killing him."

"I thought that maybe he was just feeling better. One of the first things he asked me was if he could meet the members of True Damage. Because he said he's a fan. I took him to meet all of them. But now that I think about it, he did seem a bit bored the whole time. He only seemed actually interested when he finally got to meet Akali and Ekko."

"Interesting..." Whispered Caitlyn while jotting down some notes on a notepad she had retrieved from the compartment under the table. "Please proceed."

"Well, there isn't much more I can tell you. Jayce went to fetch us some drinks, we made a toast to True Damage's success and then I went to do my own thing. I only saw Jayce later on when he said he had to go. It did seem like he was in a bit of a hurry, but I thought it could be cop stuff, you know?"

Caitlyn nodded. "At what time did he leave the party?"

Kai'sa furrowed her eyebrows as she tried to recall it. "Hm... I don't know if it's right, but, a little past 4 a.m?"

Caitlyn frowned deeply. "That coincides with the time at which Ekko was kidnapped. I guess things are starting to come together."

"Hm... Yeah." Said Kai'sa. Her expression shifted from being in deep thought to slight worry. "I'm sorry, but this is all I have for you..."

"That's all right." Said Caitlyn. "I'm sure Akali will have some more details to share. That will be all..."

"Wait, Caitlyn. Before we finish, can I ask you a question?" Kai'sa interrupted her. "It may sound strange but I really wanted to know something."

Caitlyn furrowed her eyebrows. "Of course, go ahead."

"Why didn't you and Vi come to the party? You were the only people who didn't show up and didn't give an explanation." Kai'sa inquired, genuinely curious.

Caitlyn flinched from the surprise and her eyes widened. "I beg your pardon?" Her expression rapidly changed as she scowled and gave the girl a harsh stare over the glasses. "I don't mean to offend, but I think those matters aren't that urgent to be discussed at a time like this."

"You're right, I'm sorry. I've been meaning to ask you since the day of the party but all this happened and I forgot completely."

Caitlyn frowned deeply. "But either way, I don't know what you are talking about. I didn't receive any invitation or heard anything about the event."

Kai'sa's mouth dropped slightly. "But... You didn't receive it? Neither did Vi? But you had to have gotten it. I left it in your mail box!"

Caitlyn was clearly lost, so Kai'sa explained. "I like going around and leaving the invitations for our parties the old fashioned way. Of course I only do it with people who don't live super far away. The rest of them, I send by e-mail. People call me weird, including my friends back home, but it's something I always did when I was little. It's a part of my childhood that I'm trying to keep alive..."

Suddenly realizing Caitlyn's lack of interest, the girl stopped with her story." I'm sorry. I got carried away. I'm wasting your time..."

The officer arched her eyebrows. "No, it's fine." She said, even though Kai'sa knew it obviously wasn't. "But I don't know how I didn't get that invitation then. If you personally put it in my mail box."

"Maybe it got mixed up with other papers?" Suggested Kai'sa.

"No, that is out of question. I always double check every paper I get so I don't miss anything important."

"It's very strange..." Said Kai'sa in deep thought.

"Yes, indeed." Rapidly said Caitlyn. "Is there anything else you have to tell me that pertains to the case?"

"No. Like I said before, that's all the information I have."

"Well, thank you for sharing it. Please ask someone to tell Akali to come in." Caitlyn said calmly, trying to mask her impatience.

Kai'sa left the room with a simple "have a nice day" and her band mate turned up not even a minute after.

"I remember Ekko pointing out that Jayce was looking at the two of us quite a lot." Said Akali. "And when he came over he was super red and sweating and really focused on Ekko. We just brushed it off as something natural. Fans sometimes have some weird reactions when they meet us. I only thought he was excited and nervous."

Caitlyn hummed, signaling that she was listening attentively.

"Kai'sa offered to get us some drinks but Jayce insisted that he would go get them. He said it isn't every day that one gets to serve drinks to international stars. And that it was his way of thanking Kai'sa for inviting him to the party. We didn't see anything wrong with that, so we accepted." She commented. "He took almost no time at all coming back with the drinks."

Akali paused for a few moments and immediately resumed her telling of the events that had transpired that fateful night.

"He put down the tray and handed Ekko his glass before grabbing his. We all made a toast and drank. And then like, a minute after, Ahri came to us, super excited. Turns out, the fans had requested a performance by our band and we couldn't refuse. Everything seemed fine. Ekko rapped and danced normally. But at the end he was anything but ok." Akali's voice started sounding sadder by the second. "He was holding his head in his hand and started saying that he felt sleepy. I got worried, of course, and asked if he wanted me to stay with him, but he refused. He went to sit on one of the couches and I got surrounded by fans. That was the last time I saw him..."

The girl needed a little bit of time to collect herself and control her emotions. Caitlyn noticed this and just sat there without uttering a word, patiently waiting.

After a short time, Akali was ready to speak again.

"Ahri actually said that she saw Jayce talking to Ekko when he was sitting alone on the couch. But she didn't pay attention to it."

"So the kidnapping must have taken place not long after this you're describing me." Said Caitlyn furrowing her eyebrows in thought. "Is this all the information you have for me?"

"I'm afraid so." Said Akali. "Nothing out of the ordinary happened that night until we noticed Ekko was missing."

"I see..." Said Caitlyn somewhat disappointed by the lack of clues. Maybe she could try interviewing the bartender... "Very well, thank you for your time and the information you provided."

"Anything to help with the investigation." Said the girl with a very serious expression while getting up.

Right before stepping outside the room, Akali stopped. She hesitated for a brief moment and clenched her fist. Then, she turned around and made a plea. Her eyes were shining with worry. "Please, Caitlyn, find him... Bring my best friend back..."
She then exited without uttering another word.

.............................................

Back in her office, Caitlyn quietly sat down at her desk. She removed her sunglasses and set them down while picking up the notes she had taken during the interview. As she studied them, she frowned deeply. The information they had provided did almost nothing to help her make progress. And she was running out of resources. The officer rubbed her temples in exasperation as she tried thinking of a way to push the investigation forward.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door that made her deviate from her thoughts. "Come in." She quickly said, in her usual emotionless tone.

The door slowly opened to reveal a tall girl in a lab coat. She took a careful step inside."Good morning, Caitlyn. I'm not interrupting, am I?"

"No, not at all."Caitlyn assured her. "What brings you here?"

"I have the results of the analysis you requested. Of the glass you brought me yesterday."

"Yes?" Questioned Caitlyn bending herself slightly forward over the desk. "What did you find out?"

"This was... Ekko's glass. Yes, that is his name. I found evidence of GHB in the remains of the drink. He was indeed drugged."

Caitlyn's heart skipped a beat inside her chest. "Like we suspected..." She whispered. "What about fingerprints on the outer surface?"

"That is a bit puzzling." Said the girl arching her eyebrows. "Jayce has been accused of drugging him, isn't it? But his fingerprints aren't on the glass. There's only the boy's and the bartender's."

Caitlyn furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean his fingerprints aren't showing?"

"It's true. There is no evidence. Maybe he was wearing gloves."

"From what I saw in the recordings, he wasn't wearing any." Said Caitlyn. "And according to witnesses he personally handed the glass over to the victim."

"Hm... It is indeed quite bizarre. How does a person pick up a glass, bare handed without leaving fingerprints? We must be missing something here..." Said the girl. "Well, I must go back to the lab. I still have work to do. Good luck with your investigation, Caitlyn."

"Thank you." Said Caitlyn as she watched her colleague leave. Once she found herself alone, she got up and started pacing back and forth. "No fingerprints... How can it be?" She whispered to herself, feeling lost.

"Maybe if Vi were here we could figure out something together..." She considered for a moment. But she immediately regained her composure. "Calm down, Caitlyn." She said to herself. "Focus. This problem has no logical solution, right? Let's try thinking outside the box..."

She walked over to the window and distractedly took a look outside. "Very well... What options do I have? He either had gloves on, which he didn't, so that's not it. The only other way... Is if he had no fingerprints at all..."

Wait a minute...

"Did you know that he arrested a guy who has no fingerprints? Crazy, right?" Vi's cheerful voice echoed inside her mind.

The sudden realization hit Caitlyn like lightning. She snapped her neck in the direction of Jayce's files, grabbed them and started frantically browsing through them. Once she found what she was looking for, her eyes widened.

"Viktor..." She whispered. "Sex: Male. Age: unknown. Additional information: Suffered an accident during his arrest which resulted in the deformity of his face..." Her mouth  dropped in pure shock. Her heart was racing. Everything seemed to be falling into place. She read further down the page.

"Convicted of..." This was when her blood froze in her veins. "... Pedophilia, child pornography, kidnapping, sexual assault and rape of young boys..."

Oh no...

Feeling all cold inside, the girl's eyes instinctively darted to the photo of Ekko that had been given to her by his friends. "Heavens... If this is actually true... The poor kid..." She sadly thought to herself, her heart filling with compassion for him.

It seemed like she was on the right track as things were aligning perfectly. But she wasn't sure of anything yet. She needed solid proof. And she required more certainty on the evidence she had gathered.

First of all, she went to meet with a colleague who was a Forensic Fingerprints Expert.

"Adermatogliphya, also known as a lack of fingerprints is a genetic alteration of unknown origins. It's extremely, but extremely rare. Only a few living people on the Planet have it." He explained to her. "I'd say around fifteen to twenty people."

Caitlyn's jaw dropped. "That few?"

"Yes." He proceeded. "And almost every single one is female. There must be two to three males that were born with it. I guess that really narrows down your suspect list."

"It does indeed." Said Caitlyn.

"The catch is that these people are practically invisible to the police and investigators. With no fingerprints, there isn't a database on them."

"It's like they don't even exist..."

"Exactly." He concluded before resuming his work.

Distancing herself from the Lab, Caitlyn carefully analyzed the data she had managed to gather so far. So this "Viktor" was one of the few people alive with that kind of genetic alteration. That greatly reduced the chance of it being anyone else.

The next thing she decided to do was speak to the one person who could maybe give her more insight on who Viktor was. With a determined expression, Caitlyn strode to the nearest door and went through it.  She hurried to cross a long mildly lit hallway with rows of cells on each side. Her eyes examined each one she passed by and got back many curious looks. She came to a halt when she spotted a familiar figure in a corner. Jayce was sitting down and held his head in his hand. His half closed eyes and furrowed eyebrows communicated a deep annoyance with this whole situation.

"Jayce?" She called out to him.

When he heard her voice, he raised his eyes. "Caitlyn?" He rose up and started walking to the bars. "What can I help you with? Have... have you found something?" His eyes emoted uncertainty but in them there was also a gleam of hope.

"Well... yes. But it isn't enough to prove anything in regards to you yet. I need more. And I'm in need of your help. What can you tell me about a man named Viktor?"

Jayce frowned heavily and looked extremely bothered. "Is this Viktor you're talking about a criminal?" He wished to know.

"Yes. That is the one." Caitlyn confirmed.

Jayce's expression darkened even more. "Yes, I remember him... But hell! I wish I didn't." He complained. "He was one of my hardest cases ever. He would attack and disappear without a trace. Took me almost two years to catch him. The bastard was raping children... Makes me sick to think about it."

"I read that something happened during his arrest and his face was disfigured?"

Jayce thought for a few seconds before delivering. "Well... That's not exactly a pleasant memory." He admitted. "We had finally been able to track him down. He got into his car when he realized we were onto him and we chased after him. When we were close to the university one of my colleagues got a good shot at one the tires and he was forced to stop. In a last attempt, the guy jumped through an open window of one of the classrooms. I was the fastest so I followed him."

Caitlyn listened attentively to him with her eyes wide open.

"I didn't know if he was armed or not. I was afraid he could hurt one of the students. But that didn't happen, fortunately. He was quite fast but I caught up to him when we reached one of the labs." This was when Jayce's expression shifted from anger to genuine discomfort. "I got tricked. He was hiding and grabbed me from behind when I went through the door. He was squeezing my neck really hard. I tried reaching for my gun but he was ridiculously strong and tried to take it from me. It ended up escaping us and sliding away."

Caitlyn took a step forward and grabbed one of the bars as she listened. "And then what?"

"Then that's when it happened. I was running out of air. I tried my best to fight back and we ended up collapsing against a lab bench. He pushed me against it and kept on strangling me. I was in panic so I grabbed the first thing that I could and threw it at him. I didn't even see what it was." Jayce paused for a few seconds." He let me go immediately. And started letting out blood curdling screams. His face was melting or burning or whatever it was. It was horrifying..."

Jayce flinched and clenched his eyes shut. "I must have grabbed some kind of corrosive acid of sorts. I didn't feel the slightest bit of pity for that monster. But I can still hear those screams to this day..."

Caitlyn reached through the bars and squeezed his arm gently to show some support. He seemed to appreciate it. "After this there isn't much to say. My colleagues arrived almost immediately and we arrested him. I didn't face any disciplinary actions because what I did was in legitimate self-defense. As far as I'm concerned he's still in prison to this day."

Caitlyn was caught off guard by this statement. "What? Are you sure?"

"Positive." Declared Jayce without a hint of doubt in his voice. "Why? Do you think Viktor might have something to do with all this?"

Caitlyn nodded. "He was my prime suspect. But now I don't know what to think..."

The girl cupped her chin and thought for a few moments. Then she turned around and started heading back to the exit.

"Hey. What are you going to do?" Asked Jayce.

Caitlyn took half a turn and looked back at him. "Thank you for the information, Jayce. Now I'm going to take my own conclusions."

.............................................

"Well... I'm here." Caitlyn thought to herself while observing the concrete walls of the prison. She would never admit it to anyone, maybe except Jayce or Vi: But the tall massive walls and the darkness of the hallways in these places always creeped her out. The narrowness of everything made her feel like she would run out of air.

And thinking of that, she suddenly realized that she had stopped breathing. She instinctively raised a hand and touched her throat. Caitlyn took a deep breath to keep herself together. She was on a mission and irrational thoughts couldn't distract her.

"Focus." She told herself before taking a step forward. She entered the building and found herself in a room with half a dozen guards. She told them who she was, showed her badge and asked them to take her to the prison warden. They didn't waste time and within a few minutes she was face to face with the person in charge.

The prison warden examined Caitlyn from top to bottom with his eyes while she explained him her situation. "Well, yes, he is one of our inmates, Chief Caitlyn. He has been here for around six years."

Caitlyn listened attentively. "I see..." She pondered for a moment. "I would like to interview him. I'm working on a case and I need to investigate further. You see, he is my primary suspect."

The man looked at the guard by his side in surprise and back to Caitlyn. "Chief, I'm sorry to tell you, but you must have the wrong man in mind. This Viktor you speak of has never gotten out of prison. He's in his cell right now, like he's always been."

Caitlyn furrowed her eyebrows in a gesture of impatience. "Yes, I believe your claim, but I still want to talk to him."

The man's eyebrows arched and his lips parted slightly. He seemed ready to speak, but no sound whatsoever came out of his mouth. He closed it again, blinked several times and simply said "Very well then. You may interview him." He turned around and signaled two of his subordinates. "Bring the inmate from cell 16 to the Interview Room."

The two guards nodded and quickly left the room. The warden turned to Caitlyn. "I warn you of one thing. The reason why I'm hesitant is because you won't be able to do exactly what you wish. This man you want to talk to became a mute and blind about a year and a half ago."

The girl's eyes widened with shock. "Wait, what?" Information such as this completely destroyed the theories she had crafted in her mind.

"He built up a really bad reputation in here from the first day and made more enemies than I can count." He explained. "A year and a half ago there was a security breach. Someone infiltrated the building without anyone noticing, heavens know how, and opened all the cells to force an escape. It was utter chaos..."

The man paused for a little bit before continuing "Viktor was kept in a cell alone so there wouldn't be trouble with the other inmates. But with all the cells open, it was only a matter of time before many went after him. Apparently they had access to lighters. His vocal cords, eyes and fingertips were badly damaged. He was beaten and left between life and death."

"I see..." Said Caitlyn appearing unaffected by what she was hearing when in reality she was horrified.

"We have records that tell us that the week before this all happened many knives and other sharp objects were confiscated from the inmates. It makes us believe that it was all meticulously planned and someone had tried to get weapons in here to facilitate the escape. However, the lighters passed by unnoticed." Said the warden. "Needless to say, we were able to take control of the situation and actually no one escaped."

"No one?" Asked Caitlyn, disbelieving.

"There were no records of it. We never caught whoever was responsible for this attempt, though."

Suddenly the subordinate came back into the room. "The inmate is in the Interview Room. Accompany me, Chief."

Caitlyn thanked both of them for the information and followed the guard.

The Interview Room wasn't much different from the one back at the Police Station, just the lighting was darker.

Viktor was sitting at the table, handcuffed, with two guards by each side. Caitlyn saw that he was wearing a mask and it was easy to understand why. It should be horrific and unpleasant to look at his burnt face. She slowly took the seat in front of him.

"Well, Chief." Said one of the guards. "A Tactile Sign Language Expert is on her way. Then you will be able to ask all you need."

Caitlyn nodded and looked at Viktor. Her eyes got fixated on his burnt fingertips. Something felt... Odd. "I would like to examine his hands." She said.

The guards found this weird, but didn't ask questions. They gave her rubber gloves that she rapidly put on. The girl gently held one of his hands with her own and examined the back carefully. Then, she turned the palm up. Upon close inspection, her jaw dropped and she stood up in shock.

This man had fingerprints. They had grown back after being burned off.

She raised her head and looked the surprised guards in the eyes. "This isn't Viktor. You've been tricked. The real one was born with no fingerprints..."

The two men were staring at her, wide-eyed, mouths agape.

"The real Viktor is out there." Caitlyn said ominously.

Chapter Text

After the past rainy days, the sun was finally shining over the city that afternoon. The golden light was entering through the windows of Vi's home and illuminating every room.

"So... You think this Viktor guy is the one responsible for kidnapping Ekko?" Vi was sprawled on her couch, comfortably reclining against a pillow. She listened attentively to Cait who was standing up next to her television.

"Affirmative." Caitlyn readily answered.

"And you thought of all this because of a little something I said?" Vi smirked, satisfied with herself.

Caitlyn crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "Yes..."

"Oh Cupcake... I'm honored to have been such a great help to you. Hey... Maybe I could be an even greater help if I joined you! You love having me around!" Vi exclaimed, smiling wide.

Caitlyn knew exactly where this was going and raised an eyebrow. "I'm not going to lift your suspension early. Don't even think about it."

Vi frowned. "Awww... But Cait! There's nothing to do here!"

Caitlyn looked around her friend's spacious living room. To her left, she could see the books catching dust on the shelf, the canvas covered with an old cloth. To her right, there was the punching bag left forgotten in the corner, the computer on the desk and the TV that was turned off beside her. "I see plenty to do in here." She said. She then turned to her friend and smirked. "I only see someone too lazy to do any of it."

Vi looked around for a moment. She inquired ironically "What would you know? You know me way too well, Cupcake."

"Yes, I'm aware." Then she added. "And so does Jayce."

Vi's eyes widened briefly. She blinked and looked down as if she had found interest in her own lap. "So... You're really convinced that Jayce has nothing to do with this?"

Caitlyn didn't answer for a few moments and walked up to the window. "Yes... I'm more convinced than ever before."

After a long minute of silence, Vi spoke again. "I really screwed up, didn't I?"

Surprised, Caitlyn turned around to look at her friend whose expression was of pure disappointment at herself. "Well... Yes. But Jayce will forgive you. He knows how... Impulsive you are." She said with a smile.

Vi clenched her fist and observed it for a few moments. "I still feel bad about it." She said.

Caitlyn answered with a smile. "You know? Apologizing to him is always a good start."

"I'll think about it." Vi joked. She decided to turn on the television just to have background noise. But what was on the screen made her eyes widen briefly.

Caitlyn took notice of her friend's expression and turned around. "It's about the kid! Raise the volume, please."

Vi obeyed and the voice of the anchor took over the room in a crescendo.

"...past Friday, the young star Ekko, the lead rapper for the band "True Damage" went missing. He was attending a party at the K/DA mansion with his friends from the band. What seemed like an uneventful evening culminated in the boy disappearing without a trace. There is a possibility that a kidnapping might have taken place. There are no more details pertaining to this case as of now, as the other members of the band refuse to give interviews. The police is still investigating..."

Vi listened to the man speak with a deeply worried look on her face. "Cait... If your suspicions are true... Heavens have mercy on that boy..."

Caitlyn's expression was extremely heavy. "I have to get back to work. No time to lose."

Vi nodded but seemed apprehensive. "Do you even know what you're going to do next? You even said it yourself: you're out of leads to follow."

Caitlyn picked up her sunglasses from the coffee table where she had left them and clasped them in her hand. "That's true... But I have to do something! Ekko's life is potentially at risk..."

Vi looked down in deep thought for a few moments. "Hm... Are you sure you investigated the crime scene from top to bottom?"

Caitlyn was taken aback by her friend's comment. "Yes. Absolutely."

Vi frowned. "Are you sure, Cupcake? You weren't exactly super focused that day..."

Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowed and she rubbed her chin as she contemplated the possibility that something could have escaped her. "Well... You do have a point. I guess I could go back and take another look..."

Vi smiled thinly. "You honestly have nothing to lose."

"Yes... You're right. Thank you, Vi." She said heading for the door. Once she got her hand on the handle, she heard Vi speak again.

"You sure you don't want me to tag along? Don't get me wrong, you're doing a great job by yourself, but... you know.... this guy you're after sounds completely crazy."

Caitlyn smiled upon noticing her partner trying to mask the worry in her voice and turned around to face her. "Thanks for worrying about me. But I've got this. I promise that I'll call if I need you."

Vi looked more at ease. "You know I always got your back, Cupcake."

Caitlyn gave her a big smile of gratitude, opened the door and left.

Now alone, Vi stayed still, staring at the ceiling for a long time. She thought about how the things between her and Jayce would be. If he would be mad at her and hurt for her lack of trust in him.

But the thing is... She had never lost her faith in him completely.

Her anger had stemmed from not understanding why. Why he would ruin his own life to mess with the life of an innocent. And that anger had made her act on impulse. Like it always did.

Vi sighed. She decided to get up and walked up to the shelf where, other than the books, there were a few photos for decoration. One of the frames was lying face down on the smooth wooden surface.

Vi picked it up and looked at the picture. She was in it, beside Caitlyn and Jayce. It had been taken on the day she and Cait had graduated from the Police Academy and the man had joined them to celebrate. Smiling thinly, she set it down upright.

.............................................

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting?" Asked Ahri at the door.

Caitlyn was crouched down on the floor with numerous utensils surrounding her. A few meters behind her, there was a suitcase. "No. Do you need anything?"

Ahri hesitated and bit her lip. But ultimately decided to risk questioning. "I just wanted to ask how the investigation was going if that's all right. Have you found anything yet?"

Caitlyn raised her head and looked the girl in the eyes. "Unfortunately not much."

Ahri frowned. "Oh... bummer."

The officer picked up a magnifying glass and started examining the area around the sofa where Ekko had sat on that fateful night. "I can say one thing for sure: It was a very clean crime..."

Ahri looked at her own two feet for a few seconds. Then she raised her head. "Caitlyn, we would like to know... Do you think... Do you think you will find the boy? Is there hope? Akali... Akali is so down... I have never seen her like this."

The woman clenched the magnifying glass in her hand. It took her a few moments to answer, but when she did, her expression was dead serious. "I sure hope so. But not every case ends well. I'm sure you're well aware of that."

Ahri's eyes saddened even more upon being confronted with the cold hard truth. "Yes... I know that. I guess all we can do is wait."

"Yes." Simply said the officer. "Now please... I need to concentrate."

"Of course." Said Ahri. "Good luck..." She hesitated a little bit and took a small step back. Then, she slowly turned around and left.

Caitlyn's eyes carefully studied every inch of the floor for long minutes, looking for the smallest bit of evidence that could help her.

She was about to lose hope when she saw something: a minuscule hair that had previously passed by unnoticed.

"Hm..." She retrieved tweezers from her suitcase and picked it up. She observed it attentively from up close for some time before placing it in a small plastic bag. It wasn't much, but it was at least something.

There was a big probability that the small hair would lead to nothing at all, but in a case as cryptic as this, she had to take any chances she could get...

.............................................

"Hey, Caitlyn!" A voice called out to her the next morning.

The chief was holding a cup of coffee in her hand and turned around to greet her colleague. "Good morning. Have you found something already?"

The same tall girl who had analyzed the glass for her, was approaching rapidly. "I did extra hours yesterday to get this done for you. I know how urgent your case is and I want to be of as much help as possible."

Caitlyn was actually touched by her colleague's efforts, but, as always, her emotions were concealed behind the dark lens. "Oh, thank you. So, what did you find out?"

"I found a DNA match and I ran it through the data base." The girl said. "Turns out, that hair belongs to a man named Shen. He's a famous plastic surgeon, here in the city."

"A plastic surgeon?" Asked Caitlyn cupping her chin for a few seconds.

And then...

It hit her.

Her eyes widened and her mouth opened partially.

"A plastic surgeon! Of course! How did I not think of that?" She exclaimed.

The other girl smiled, satisfied. "Well, looks like my information helped."

"You don't even know how much... Thank you once again.

It was so obvious...

Viktor had undergone plastic surgery!

That's how he had managed to look like Jayce!

How could she have been so blind?

The other girl's eyebrows furrowed. "But once again, there's something fishy going on. There isn't anyone named Shen on the guest list you gave me!"

Caitlyn's eyes widened. "What? Are you certain?"

"Yes. A hundred percent. But I would check with the party hosts just to be sure."

"That's exactly what I'm going to do. Thanks once again."

When Kai'sa was asked to come to the Police Station later that day, it was confirmed.

"No, I didn't invite Shen. But I do know who he is! I know everyone... It's kinda my thing." Said the young star. "His office is by the stadium, if I'm not mistaken."

"But how did his hair end up in that room if he wasn't even there? Did you have him over at some point?" The officer wished to know.

"No, never." Answered Kai'sa. "I never actually talked to him. A friend of mine had her surgery done by Shen and she recommended him to me. That's how I know about him."

Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowed and her eyes narrowed behind the lens. If this man also had something to do with Ekko's disappearance, this case was about to become even more complicated...

However, she had to find out the whole story. The officer didn't waste time. At the first opportunity, she got in her car and drove off.

Shen's office was a bit far from the Police Station, almost fifteen minutes away. Once she got there, Caitlyn pulled over and exited the vehicle.
Curious, she looked up. The building towered above her, almost like a skyscraper, yet not quite. It didn't look new or old and it was hard to tell for how long it had been around. Then, the officer shifted her attention to the entrance door and started walking in its direction.

Once on the inside, Caitlyn headed for the elevators and pushed the button for the seventh floor.

She didn't know what she was about to encounter or who Shen was.

If he was associated with the likes of Viktor, she could be in danger. So, she gripped her phone inside her pocket for comfort, knowing full well that Vi would be on the other end of the line the moment her ringtone sounded.

Not to mention that she had brought a gun with her. Just to be safe...

The elevator bell rang and the light above the doors lit up. This was it: The seventh floor.

The elevator doors slowly opened in front of her and Caitlyn stepped outside. She was now in a well lit hallway with five doors on one side and big windows on the other. Her eyes were drawn to the end of the hallway and to the last door. Number 54. Where Shen's office was.

Slightly nervous, Caitlyn clenched her fist before taking a step forward. She walked up to the last room, hesitated for a little bit and finally rang the door bell. She started hearing the faded faraway voice of a man that got increasingly closer. Her eyebrows furrowed as her curiosity grew. A few seconds later, he was on the other side of the door and she could clearly understand what he was saying.

"It's going to be a little sore for a while, but it's normal after surgery. It may even itch. You have nothing to worry about." Said the man, who was seemingly at the phone. It was undoubtedly Shen. "There's someone at the door, I have to go. I hope you feel better soon."

Caitlyn heard the keys on the lock turning and the door finally opened. "Good afternoon." Said Shen, politely. "What can I help you with?"

"Good afternoon." Caitlyn retrieved her badge and showed it to him. "I'm Caitlyn, the Chief of the city's Police Department. You are Shen, correct?"

At that moment, Caitlyn saw Shen's eyes widen very briefly and his shoulder muscles tensed. This reaction made her eyes narrow. Of course, he could simply be surprised to have the police at his door.

But his eyes hadn't emoted only surprise.

There was something else...

Fear.

This might have passed by unnoticed to someone else. But not to Caitlyn...

"What brings you here, Chief?" Asked Shen.

Caitlyn decided to take off her sunglasses and hung them on the collar of her shirt. She wanted to pay close attention to Shen's eyes and body language.

"Well, do you agree to answer to a few questions?" Caitlyn stared at him directly in the eyes as if defying him.

"But of course." Said Shen.

"Well, first and foremost, I'm working on a case. And it so happens that I found evidence that puts you in the crime scene." Her stare was incredibly cold. She noticed Shen's muscles become tense.

"What... What do you mean, Chief? What did you find exactly? How can I have been in the scene of the crime?"

"I don't know. But the evidence makes you a suspect."

Shen's lips compressed slightly as his stare alternated between Caitlyn and the ground beneath his feet.

"You are a surgeon for a living, I've been informed of that. What do your clients have to say about it? Are they usually satisfied with your work?" Caitlyn questioned.

"Yes, they are. People love my work. I'm almost always busy."

"What is your field of expertise?"

"Craniofacial surgery. I specialize in reconstruction of the head, face, jaws and even the neck." He answered directly without stumbling on his words.

"Reconstruction of the face... Hm..." Caitlyn thought, seeing things fall into place. She asked. "Your surgeries are very successful then, if you have so many clients. How difficult is it to completely reconstruct someone's face from scratch? Let's say, if the person had an accident?"

Shen furrowed his eyebrows. His breathing was heavy. "It really depends on the injuries. But my surgeries have always gone extremely well. Even when other surgeons said it was a lost case, I managed to pull through successfully."

"Tell me, is it actually possible to transform a person into someone else through plastic surgery?"

Shen frowned deeply. His hands trembled slightly as the impatience kept on growing inside him. "Not in most cases. We can achieve something very similar but not a perfect copy. There are many physical factors that come into play, such as the thickness of the skin and the shape of the head. However if these requirements are met, which is very rare, it is theoretically possible to make someone look very similar to another person..."

"I see." Said Caitlyn. "Now, I'd like to ask you something a little different. Have you heard of the bands KD/A and True Damage?"

Shen's eyebrows rose in surprise and his eyes widened. "Bands? You're asking me about bands...? With due respect but, is this... Is this really necessary?" There was now a hint of desperation in his voice.

"Yes." Said Caitlyn, coldly and directly.

Shen sighed. "I know KD/A. My daughter is a big fan of them. I believe the one called Evelynn is her favorite. That's all I know, in all honesty. I never heard of the other one though. True Damage. Is that what you said?"

Caitlyn nodded.

"Hm... No. I don't recall ever hearing that band's name." Shen commented.

"Hm..." The officer rubbed her chin in deep thought. She looked Shen right in the eyes as she asked her next question. Her gaze was so intense, it was as if she were looking into his soul. "Does the name Ekko mean anything to you?"

The surgeon tilted his head to the side in response. He seemed genuinely confused. "Ekko? Hm... No. I've never heard of that name. Who is he?" The stare he gave back to Caitlyn was one of pure curiosity.

He seemed so legitimately oblivious of Ekko's existence...

If this man had ties to Viktor, could he simply not be aware of the man's plan to kidnap the boy? But if he had been in the crime scene... It made no sense.

"So, it seems like you don't know him." Concluded Caitlyn. "I'll tell you who he is in a minute. I'm going to ask you something else, now: Have you watched today's news?"

Shen's eyes narrowed. His whole demeanor communicated exasperation. "If I watched the news??? No offense, but, why is that relevant, Chief???" He snapped at her. His desperation and inner turmoil were increasingly evident.

Caitlyn kept her calm and collected persona and very simply raised an eyebrow at the man. "Is there some kind of problem with my question?"

Shen took a deep breath and closed his eyes to try and calm down from his sudden outburst. "No. I'm sorry." He opened his eyes up again. "Yes, I watch the news regularly. I like to keep myself informed."

"Well, have you perhaps heard of the recent alleged kidnapping of a young boy?"

The surgeon took a look at his turned off plasma television in the corner of the room. "Hm... Wait. I think I heard about it on TV this morning. Is that the case you're investigating?"

Shen's tone was so sincere... Maybe he really didn't have anything to do with the boy's disappearance. He could simply be one of Viktor's acquaintances.

"Yes, it is indeed. Ekko is the name of the boy whose disappearance I'm investigating." Said Caitlyn.

Shen's eyes stopped emoting sheer nervousness for a few seconds and genuine pity took its place. "Poor kid..." He said sadly. "I hope you find him."

The officer wasn't done with her questioning yet. "Please tell me. Where were you last Friday night?"

Shen looked puzzled. "Last Friday I did extra work hours. I stayed here in the office almost until sunrise. My wife can confirm it: I didn't sleep at home. There's also a surveillance camera that you can check." Shen said, looking at the device on the other side of the room.

Caitlyn frowned deeply." If that is so, how can you explain that I found evidence of you being at the same party where Ekko was kidnapped? It happened last Friday night."

Shen's eyes widened. "That... That simply can't be. I have solid proof that I was right here at that time." Upon saying this, he remembered she had told him he was a "suspect" in her book. "You think I was involved in the kidnapping? Chief... I would never do such a thing! I earn good money with my hard work. I don't have any reason to do something like that."

Caitlyn clenched her fist and decided it was time for the million dollar question. "If that is so... Do you happen to know a man named... Viktor?"

And that's when she became certain that the surgeon knew something...

His fingers twitched slightly, his eyes became plagued with a deep fear. Yet, Shen kept on trying to act natural. "No... I'm sorry, Chief. But I'm afraid I don't know someone with that name..."

And Caitlyn realized he wasn't being able to look her in the eyes, choosing to pretend like he was doing so, while looking slightly to the side. His muscles were so tense... His tone hadn't been the same as when he had told her he had no idea who Ekko was. That had sounded perfectly genuine.

"You're hiding something. Aren't you?" Caitlyn asked directly, risking it. She knew she was being a bit hasty. But she was so sure of her behavior reading capabilities she didn't second guess herself.

The man was getting increasingly nervous by the second. She could practically hear the fast heartbeat inside his chest.

"I... I beg your pardon?" Inquired Shen, mildly shocked and confused.

"You're not telling me everything. Your words say one thing while your eyes say another." Caitlyn affirmed.

There was a long moment of silence. The woman just kept on pressuring Shen with her intense gaze and he was seemingly at a loss of what to do.

She tried to convince him.

"Look... It feels like you're afraid of something. Is this correct?" Shen was quiet. He simply looked her in the eyes as she spoke. "If it is, you should tell me what it is that you're afraid of. I might be able to help."

Shen seemed extremely conflicted. He looked around for a few moments and then sighed. "Chief... I... I don't know how to say this, but... Just you being here puts them in mortal danger." He whispered.

Caitlyn's eyes widened. "Who is... them?"

Shen bit his lower lip. Now that he had started, he didn't want to back down... He looked around once again and looked Caitlyn directly in the eyes for the first time.

"Chief... I'm talking about my wife and daughter..."

Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowed and she took a step forward to get closer to him. "I'm listening."

"You mentioned a man named Viktor... He... He is my client. More or less..." Shen clenched his fist nervously. "About a year ago, he... He came looking for me. And demanded that I perform surgery on him without charging for it... Of course, I refused. It was an outrage! But he said he needed a work well done and that he had ways to make me accept."

Shen looked at his own two feet for a bit and then proceeded. "He took out his phone and made a video call to someone. When the other person picked up, he turned the screen in my direction. The place where they were, seemed very familiar. It took me a few seconds to realize that it was... The inside of my house."

Caitlyn's eyes widened.

"Then they turned the camera and I saw... My wife and my daughter. Just watching TV in the next room. With their backs turned. Completely unaware." Shen's face emoted the horror he felt. "He had people... Subordinates... Ready to hurt or even kill my family if I didn't say yes. I knew immediately that this man was not to be messed with. I begged him not to hurt them and agreed to do as he wished. And he just smiled. Like a psychopath..."

"That's... Terrifying..." Commented Caitlyn.

Shen's eyes narrowed in sadness. "All that man ever told me about himself was his name: Viktor. And I didn't even know if he was telling the truth. He asked me to transform him into someone you probably already know since you're both cops."

Upon hearing this, Caitlyn's chest filled with pure happiness. She already knew what he was going to say. And that meant that her theory was one hundred percent correct.

"Officer Jayce." Finished Shen. "He wanted to transform into a perfect copy of him. That's why he sought a professional. And not to brag, but when I finished he was unrecognizable. He came in for the first time with his face all burnt. It was... Horrible to look at. To say the least... And exited as the officer's doppelganger."

Caitlyn felt a smile draw itself on her face.

Jayce was...

Jayce was innocent.

Jayce was innocent!

It had been Viktor all along...

Shen became confused." With due respect, Chief Caitlyn. But what are you smiling about?" He wished to know.

"Oh..." She said, surprised. "I'm sorry. It simply happens that the information that you provided just helped me solve a big part of the case I'm working on. And I'm very grateful for that."

"That pleases me greatly." Said Shen, smiling thinly.

The woman suddenly turned serious. Her eyes narrowed as she thought really hard about something.

"But, none of the information you provided explains how I found your hair at the mansion if you were never even there."

Shen tensed up. "Oh... Viktor was here recently. Two days before that party you were talking about if I'm not mistaken. He wanted to make sure I hadn't opened my mouth about the surgery and threatened me with physical violence." he grabbed his own shirt as a demonstration, "he grabbed me by the collar and said my daughter would be the first to die if I ever said anything. That might have been when one of my hairs stuck to him. It was the closest that man ever got to me."

"That's a possibility," she said rubbing her chin, "and another thing. Is there any evidence that backs up your claim? There are files on the surgery you carried out, correct?"

Shen frowned. "Viktor didn't let me keep any evidence of the surgery. He made me burn all the papers and delete all the computer files in his presence and even demanded to check my phone image gallery..."

The officer's heart skipped a beat inside her chest. "There's nothing left...?"

Then, Shen's expression transformed. "Luckily... There's an old camera of mine that I keep around and that he never knew about..." The man walked over to his desk and retrieved a small device from one of the drawers. "And I captured some evidence with it, while he was asleep during surgery. If I ever had the chance, I would have ran to the police with it. But it's too dangerous to defy someone like Viktor."

Shen walked over to Caitlyn and handed her the camera. She accepted it and quickly looked into the image gallery. There it was. Some pictures of the before and after surgery. Viktor's burnt face was truly unpleasant to look at and she flinched when she first lay her eyes on it. And once she saw Jayce's face on that stranger, her heart skipped a beat inside her chest. The resemblances were striking. She almost couldn't tell if that was Jayce or not.

"Viktor was lucky..." Shen commented. "His skull is quite similar to the officer's. That really facilitated my work. No... That's what made it possible."

Caitlyn raised her head and gave the surgeon a look of gratitude. "Thank you for this."

"You are very welcome. I don't need the camera. Take it with you." Said Shen. But his expression darkened immediately after. "Chief Caitlyn, please be careful. I believe we're being watched."

Caitlyn's body tensed immediately.

"Viktor... has eyes and ears all over the city. He told me I would always have someone watching me, so it wouldn't be a good idea to go to the police. Those men were able to sneak into my house that day. I don't believe he was bluffing. That man is capable of anything." Shen crossed his arms and slowly walked over to his working desk, leaning against it. "If they know you are a police officer and they saw you come in here... I probably have my days counted. And so do my wife and daughter..." Here, his voice cracked as if he were about to cry. "That's why... That's why I told you everything... I thought that maybe, just maybe... since you're already here... That you would be able to help them..." He said sadly.

Caitlyn's chest hurt upon hearing this. She pitied that man whose life had been threatened and who was trying to protect his family with all his strength. "Of course I can help. I'll take you to the Police Station with me so you can testify against Viktor. And I will send officers to your house so they can protect your family."

Shen's eyes widened. "But Chief... If they see me leave with you to the Police Station... You'll become involved in all this. You'll be in danger."

The woman thought hard for a few seconds. "I have an idea: What if they see us leaving at different times? Whoever is spying on us shouldn't suspect as much."

Shen rubbed his chin with uncertainty. "I don't know... But I suppose not."

"Then, I'll leave now. Come over to the Police Station at seven. Thank you for your time and your cooperation."

"The pleasure was all mine." Politely answered Shen while accompanying the officer to the door.

Caitlyn quickly put her sunglasses back on as she stepped outside. "Once you testify against him, we will have completed a small step in putting an end to Viktor's reign of terror." She affirmed with conviction.

.............................................

After three days in the city taking care of some business, he was finally back. The man who had a striking resemblance to Jayce was slowly going up the stairs of his hideout. It had been a long and hard day of work and his muscles hurt quite a bit.

Despite that, he was smiling. To him, it was impossible not to, when thinking about the one who was waiting for him. He would open the door and the boy would look at him with his gorgeous golden eyes. He would show him his love by embracing him and kissing him passionately. He would hold the teenager close against his chest and it would be as if he had never left in the first place.

He knew the boy struggled heavily. He knew he begged him to stop. Yeah right... He sure loved making himself difficult for his captor. And that fascinated Viktor.

He would grow out of it eventually...

Ekko was one of the best finds he had ever made in his life. That was undeniable. His purity and innocence were so striking. His attempts at fighting him were too cute.

The boy didn't know that they would be joined by some of his friends later on that day. They must even already be on their way. Viktor couldn't even imagine how delightful it would be.

He could already see the door to the teen's room. His heart started beating fast. Each step he took, he got closer and closer. Once he got hold of the door handle, his eyes filled with lust. His nipples and cock started getting hard in anticipation. He retrieved the keys and slowly turned them inside the lock.

The door opened. Viktor stepped inside and his eyes immediately looked for the familiar young face.

However, all he found was an empty bed.

The man's eyes widened. Something wasn't right. He took a few steps forward, looking around the room.

A terrifying thought crossed his mind.

The boy couldn't have escaped.

Could he...?

But before the man could make up any more ideas in his mind, he felt a strong pain on the back of his head. In less than a second, everything went out of focus and darkness took over his consciousness.

Viktor fell flat on the wooden floor.

Chapter Text

His whole body was trembling.

He had been so scared that it wouldn't work. But it had. This first part had, at least. He now nervously looked down upon the body of his captor that lay unconscious on the floor.

While wandering around the room, Ekko had found that, even though the wooden chairs in that bleak corner were old and falling apart, their legs were quite heavy and sturdy. It hadn't been hard for him to pull one out.

The boy had planned to hide behind the door, for it would cover him once it had been opened. All he had to do was wait for the man to come in and then strike him on the back of the head with all his strength.

It was a simple plan. However, if it went wrong and the man spotted him about to attack him, he could be in big trouble. Ekko didn't know what Jayce would do to him if he felt like he was turning against him. And this possibility made him extremely nervous. The moment he had heard the entrance door downstairs open up, he had jumped from the bed and grabbed the hard piece of wood. He had then put himself in position and waited, with his heart in his mouth. The minute it had taken for his kidnapper to walk up the stairs had been perceived by the boy as an eternity. He nervously clawed the improvised weapon in his hands. His poor heart beat hard and fast like a drum inside his chest while he waited.

However, despite all the anxiety and the doubts, he had succeeded.

Ekko didn't waste time. He retrieved the rope from under the bed and tied the man's arms and legs so he couldn't follow him in case he woke up. He wasn't very good with knots and the stress didn't let him concentrate on the task. Due to how strong he was, Jayce could potentially get free from the bindings quite easily. He'd rather finish this as soon as possible and be on his way. Instead of being present to witness his captor waking up and potentially thwart his plans right on the spot.

As soon as he was done, the boy ran down the stairs. He had already envisioned what he was going to do and he looked for the entrance door. If it were closed and he couldn't find the key, he would try to escape through a window. He would try to open it and if that didn't work, he would try to break the glass with a heavy object.

However, when he got to the ground floor, he looked around and saw different rooms. Their doors were all open and he could clearly see the inside from the hallway. The kitchen was dimly lit, with the floor and table apparently cleaned up. But the kitchen utensils were scattered all over, creating a messy environment. The living room was small and the couches were in really bad state. The armchairs were covered in spiderwebs and it felt like they hadn't been used in forever. Even the hallway he found himself in had an old, putrid, dusty feeling to it. He couldn't wait to get away from this place.

However, something occurred to him. Instead of heading for the door, he decided to take a quick look around the other rooms. He couldn't take too long, but if he were able to find his phone, he would have a better chance of calling someone and freeing himself for good.

Sadly, he didn't find even a trace of the device. At the very least, he located the keys of the entrance door on the kitchen counter. Taking a deep breath, Ekko opened the sturdy door and stepped outside for the first time in what seemed like forever. He breathed in the fresh afternoon air and looked around at the surrounding trees.

He didn't know exactly how much time had passed, but it sure had felt like a lifetime. The boy locked the door behind him, to reduce even more the chances of the man chasing after him. He took one last look at the old house and then bolted into the woods, disappearing amidst the trees.

......................................

Graves couldn't believe his eyes when he stepped inside the room where he expected the kid to be imprisoned. Instead, he found his friend tied up on the floor. He was in the process of waking up and was dazed and weakened. Once Viktor realized he wasn't alone, he blinked several times, trying to understand who it was.

"Graves, is that you? How did you get in here?"

Graves furrowed his eyebrows and frowned. "You must have been hit in the head. I have a copy of the house keys? You gave them to me?"

Viktor was silent for a bit, trying to assimilate what his partner had said. "What happened?" He then asked, the confusion very noticeable in his voice.

"That's what I wanna know! I came in and just found you like this on the floor!" The man said, proceeding to untie his hands. He looked around the room in bewilderment. "Where's the kid at?"

Viktor's eyes widened.

The kid.

Yes.

He could remember now. The pain he had felt. He had been struck on the back of his head by a powerful blow.

Ekko had done this.

He had also taken the time to tie him up and then left him there.

Viktor's heart started beating wildly, a deep scowl drew itself on his mouth, his face reddened profusely. There were no words to describe the anger that he felt building up inside his chest.

Graves even fearfully backed off a little bit. "Viktor, you feeling ok?"

Two eyes looked at him with such intensity that it felt like they could cut through an armored door. The rage inside Viktor could almost be physically felt, like an unbearable heat that emanated from the innermost parts of his being. Graves jolted, uncomfortable with the look his friend was giving him.

"Does it look like I'm ok to you?" Asked Viktor in a very dark and cold tone. "That brat probably thinks that he got away with this. Well..." He said, rubbing his wrists that Graves had just finished untying. "He couldn't be more wrong..."

"Should I contact the others? This forest is huge. We will need help finding him." Said Graves.

"Yes." Simply ordered Viktor while untying his own ankles. "He can run. But he can't hide..." Once free, he slowly stood up and aggressively gripped the rope in his hand with an excessive amount of force. "I will hunt him down to the ends of the Earth if need be and bring him back. And once he's in our power again..." The hand that held the loose rope was red and shaking uncontrollably. "... I will make him wish he was NEVER born..."

......................................

The sun was slowly disappearing in the horizon. The forest around him was being engulfed by the growing darkness of the night that was drawing near. The sky was absolutely stunning in tones of soft pink, yellow and bright orange, signaling the twilight hour. Colorful leaves paved the path in front of him.

Yet, all this beauty didn't reach Ekko.

The boy carefully rubbed his arms in an attempt to keep himself warm. It was the beginning of October and the weather was starting to get colder and colder. He payed attention to the ground below him so he wouldn't trip on a branch or tree root or stumble on uneven terrain. The trees and heavy vegetation made it hard to see ahead. The growing darkness around him made it even worse. Everything looked the same.

His mind was being plagued by terrifying thoughts. His heart beat wildly and there was a tightness in his throat. This place was a confusing maze. What if he never found his way out of the forest? What if he starved to death? What if he were attacked by a wild animal?

Here, the chain of questions came to a halt. He stopped walking. The animal he had run away from was wilder and more dangerous than any beast he could encounter wandering this forest. He had attacked him relentlessly not because of an instinct to survive, but because of self-sexual gratification, and a desire to overpower another. Even though it was unbelievably scary, the boy would prefer to be killed quickly by the claws of a wolf. Rather than die slowly while his fragile soul and body were abused to their limits.

This thought made him shiver. Jayce was undoubtedly crazy. Would he come after him? Would he chase him down relentlessly? Or would he simply think he would die to the wildlife or of starvation and leave him be? The boy wanted to believe in the latter so badly... But it was just so unlikely, knowing his captor. He was well aware of the hungry looks he gave him. Of how much the man coveted his body. To him, he wasn't a person. He was simply an object of his desire. Something that he had acquired and now owned. And he wouldn't let him go just like that... Jayce would only give up on looking for him if he found him dead, right in front of his eyes.

Just the mental imagine of the man's dark eyes and creepy smile made him feel all cold inside. He resumed walking. Better to create distance from that putrid house than to stay in the same spot for too long, giving Jayce time to catch up to him.

Ekko sighed tiredly. He had been walking for hours. His legs and feet were starting to hurt. However, the fear of being captured again and the hope of finding help of any kind gave him the strength he needed to keep going.

The boy walked for almost forty minutes more, before hearing the sound of running water. He simply followed it until he found himself in a peaceful clearing traversed by a small stream. By that time, nighttime had completely settled upon the world and a veil of darkness covered everything. A chilly wind was blowing around him. The moon was shining like a pearl in the immense night sky. In his mind, he had created enough distance between himself and that place of nightmares and decided it would be ok to stop and rest. Ekko approached the clear water, cupped his hands and drank slowly until his thirst was quenched. He then sat down against a maple tree, providing a little bit of relief to his sore muscles. He rested his head against the smooth trunk and he allowed himself to relax for a few moments. The boy looked upwards at the clear starry sky and the millions of bright lights shone in his sad eyes. He thought of home. Would he ever be with his friends again? And his parents, whom he hadn't seen in forever? He wondered if he would laugh with them once more and spend good times with the people he loved. The way he used to...

However... Deep down... Ekko knew things would never be the same.

Because he felt different...

The boy slowly raised his hands closer to his face. He observed the painful rope burns on his wrists and sighed deeply.

He felt like something had changed inside him. Something important. Something that defined him. He didn't know exactly what it was. But he knew that he wasn't the same carefree teenager who had happily attended Ahri's party that night.

Just when had that been...? Seemed like another lifetime...

Since then, he had been drugged and taken away from his home against his will. His body had violently been broken into. And he had been robbed of his innocence. He felt filthy. Dirty. Impure. And nothing seemed to take away the feelings of guilt and worthlessness at the pit of his stomach.

Suddenly the figure of Akali appeared in his mind's eye. If he were to find her again... Would she still look at him the same way? With the same kind eyes and warm smile? Or would she eye him differently? With contempt or pity, making him feel even more like a victim? But what he feared the most was... What if his friend felt disgusted by him? His veins froze just from imagining that possibility.

But Ekko didn't want to believe in it. He had trust in Akali. She had always been nothing but loyal, caring and helpful to him. Why would he ever doubt her? And this certainty inside his heart was enough to keep the hope alive in him, like a warm fire on a cold Winter night.

......................................

A broken stick that had recently been stepped on. A fresh set of footprints on the cold moisty earth. Some bent over clumps of tall grass. The man, concealed by shadows, kneeled down to examine the trails and picked up a small piece of wood, observing it attentively. He then looked at the path of leaves and dirt in front of him. His prey couldn't be far off... He was certain. He slowly got up and swiftly ran along the path of fallen leaves while making little to no sound, like a ghost in the night.

......................................

Observing the soft grass beneath him, Ekko pondered whether he should spend the night in this spot. Or if he should be on his way. He was getting tired... But what if some thing or someone snuck up on him while his guard was down? It just didn't feel safe...

A sudden sound cut through the silence of the night. Some bushes rustled. This startled Ekko, whose heart started pounding like a drum against his chest. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind. Was it a wolf? Was it his kidnappers? Was it just the wind? The boy froze in place. He held his breath in anticipation. The world had stopped around him. The seconds that passed felt more like centuries. This was enough to make him feel uncomfortable about spending the night in this spot.

The boy immediately got up and decided to go on his way, even though exhaustion was starting to settle in. As he walked, he kept on eyeing his surroundings with uncertainty. Everything around him seemed eerily quiet. All he could hear was the crunching of the leaves beneath his feet.

But suddenly, a strange rustling sound cut through the silence of the night. The teen stopped abruptly in his tracks. He focused all his attention on the sound, trying to identify it. It felt like someone was slowly creeping up on him, prowling through the moisty grass...

His throat suddenly felt unbelievably tight. A cold fear crept up his spine. He carefully looked in all directions as panic conquered all his senses.

He... he wasn't alone...

Someone was watching him from the shadows...

The boy felt his legs move on their own. Suddenly he was sprinting through the trees, being guided only by the moonlight. He didn't even think to look back. He had a very vivid feeling that those were human steps he had heard. It hadn't sounded at all like an animal...

And whoever it was...

They were out to get him.

Ekko focused solely on running as fast as he could. The pure fear he felt gave him the incentive to not stop at any cost. He tried regulating his breathing as best as he could, but it was hard to do so. It was as if ice was growing inside him. Beads of sweat ran down his temples. Terror danced in his wide open eyes.

Whoever they were... They were here to take him back.

He just knew it...

Horrific memories started flashing before Ekko's eyes: Jayce's hands fondling his naked chest. The forced kissing. The intense pain as his body was violated. The panic. The horror. The shame.

Tears formed in his eyes.

He couldn't go back.

He couldn't.

He couldn't...

To his dismay, his legs began faltering. His tired feet couldn't keep him running like this for much longer. His arms and chest were heavy from the exhaustion. His lungs craved some much needed oxygen. The boy's sprint came to an end next to a very tall tree with knotty wood. He leaned his back against the trunk, sweating and panting heavily. He touched his chest with his palm, trying to catch his breath and calm his racing heart.

A rain cloud hid the moon. Darkness covered the forest completely. Ekko's eyes darted in all directions. But he couldn't discern absolutely anything. His ears tried listening for the slightest alarming sound. And they caught something...

Footsteps. Clear footsteps on the moisty earth.

Getting closer.

Closer.

Closer...

The boy's fear spiked. Now he was certain. They had caught up to him...

But he didn't even have time to finish his thoughts.

With no warning, a dark figure fell over him and tackled him to the ground. In pure panic, he struggled heavily, trying to fight the strong arms that tried immobilizing him.

No. This couldn't end like this.

Gathering his remaining strength, Ekko pulled his leg back and hit his knee, full force, on his attacker's stomach. A yelp of pain came out of the mysterious figure's lips and the boy felt the strong arms release him. He didn't waste time and rapidly got up. But, unfortunately, he only had the chance to take a single step.

A hand wrapped itself around his ankle and pulled his leg, upsetting his balance. Ekko fell forwards and hit the ground with a thud. His attacker had recovered from the blow to his stomach unbelievably quickly. The boy felt him slither on top of him like a snake.

As he was pinned down, the teen, desolated, accepted that he was defeated. His strength was absolutely depleted. His body was limp. His breathing was irregular as he tried catching a breath from all the running. He turned his head and looked up at the shadow that hovered over him. His poor heart beat wildly with fear.

A cold breeze blew past him and the dark cloud in the sky began moving. When the moon showered the forest once again with its light, Ekko could see, for the first time, the face of his attacker. And to his shock... it wasn't who he had expected...

This person wasn't Jayce. Or that friend of his.

This man was dead pale. His hair was bone white and his golden eyes were terribly cold and unforgiving. However, there was an almost unnoticeable yet unsettling smirk of satisfaction adorning his lips.

Suddenly the man moved. He slowly lowered his head and whispered into his ear. "Hello kid. You're Ekko, isn't it? If there is one thing that all my prey end up learning, is this: They can run. But I always catch up to them. Every. Single. Time." His voice was quiet and gravelly and it made the hairs on the back of Ekko's neck stand up.

Who... Who was this man? Did he know Jayce? Had he been sent by him?

As if he had read his thoughts, the man immediately answered, still whispering into his ear. "My name is Zed. Nice to meet you. Viktor told me all about you."

Wait... Viktor? Who was Viktor? Who was this man called Zed? Just how many people were after him...? What made them so interested in him...?

Ekko suddenly felt the man's body move around, putting itself in position to get up. Immediately after, a hand tugged at the back of his shirt. "Get on your feet." Ordered the man, this time in a normal tone of voice.

The teen didn't have much of a choice. He obeyed with clear difficulty due to the exhaustion and the soreness of his body. But Zed didn't show him any compassion. Firmly holding the boy's wrists behind his back, he gave him a hard shove that threw him against the tall tree's trunk. Ekko winced in pain as his right cheek and chest came harshly into contact with the rough wood.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed a curious detail about the man that had passed by unnoticed. He had a thick rope tied around his waist. Just laying his eyes upon it was enough to double Ekko's discomfort. It worsened as Zed effortlessly pinned him against the tree and immobilized him. He then proceeded to untie the rope from around his waist and used it to bind the boy's wrists behind his back. The entire time, the teen's eyes darted from his captor to the cursed object, all the while expecting something terrible to happen...

Once he was done, Zed reached into his pocket, took out his phone and typed something that Ekko could only imagine was the information that he had been caught.

A sinister question lingered in his mind.

What would happen to him now...?

He...

He didn't want to find out...

"I sent them our location. They'll soon be on their way." Informed Zed. "Viktor isn't happy. And let me tell you, that's never good. If I were you, I'd be worried." He smirked.

Ekko's heart started racing inside his chest. This Viktor... Seemed to be the one in charge. But Jayce had apparently orchestrated everything. Were they working together...?

He didn't get the answer he wanted this time. Instead, he noticed Zed was focused on his body, examining him from top to bottom. It was somewhat different from when Jayce and the other man had done it. In his eyes, there wasn't lust. Only pure curiosity. However, it made Ekko extremely uncomfortable all the same.

After a while, Zed spoke again. "You know, kid? You were one of the few who I caught and lived to tell the story. I was given orders to capture you alive. How lucky for you..." Hearing this made the boy feel all cold inside. "Viktor called me over because he said I needed to try IT sometime. And the one he had managed to kidnap was an "absolute beauty" according to him." He gave him a creepy smile as he carefully studied his young face. "I'm not into kids like he is. But I have to admit. You ARE something else..."

And this was when a feeling of dread took over Ekko's being. He suddenly felt the man's legs pressing against the back of his to prevent him from lashing out. And then, he felt an invasive hand begin fondling his behind. The poor boy's eyes widened in terror.

"No. Stop!" He instinctively pleaded.

Zed's hand cupped one cheek over the fabric of the pants. Then the other. He rubbed the whole area with slow circular movements that were now being stimulated by lust. He felt the child struggle weakly against his bigger body.

Ekko was filled to the brim with fear. He couldn't move. He could only stand there and take it as this stranger did what he wanted with one of his most abused places. Once again... He felt so weak...

One of the man's hands started wandering down the boy's thighs, pressuring lightly against the soft fabric. The other ventured inside his boxers, feeling the warm and smooth skin of the youngster's backside. His fingers creeped around the area and his palm felt the heavy tension of his muscles. It was just like Viktor had described it to him. The boy's body was small, hot, and extremely desirable. This didn't even compare to groping a woman's ass. The little moans of distress Ekko let out only made it all the more enjoyable. He felt in total control of something that was small and helpless. And for some reason that turned him on... He was starting to understand Viktor's fascination with the young ones.

Ekko was close to tears. His wrists uselessly struggled against the tight rope. His whole body trembled. When the man's fingers started inching dangerously close to his hole, he felt a shiver down his spine. His heartbeat went wild. He stopped breathing. His eyes were clenched shut.

"Please, no. Please, no. Please, no. Please don't do this! Please!" He heard himself scream inside his head in panic. He wanted to have said those words to the man. But the sound died even before reaching his mouth.

However, the abuser's hands retreated. Zed seemed satisfied with the experience and had decided not to go any further.

Ekko let out a shaky breath, relieved, yet nervous. The moment the man released him, he fell to his knees, and immediately created distance between himself and his attacker.

As Zed looked down at the boy, who was shivering violently, he heard the faint roar of a car engine in the distance. Ekko heard it too and his muscles turned to stone. They... They were already here? How...? For how long had Zed assaulted him?

The sound got louder. Two vehicles were approaching them, zigzagging between the trees and swaying from side to side due to the forest's uneven terrain. When both cars stopped, only a few meters away, the teen felt a tightness in his throat. The doors opened.

From the first, two unknown men emerged, holding their phones as flashlights. The tallest of the two had a slim figure and was wearing a brown-ish coat with hints of gold. The outfit was completed with a hat of the same colors atop his head. There was an aura of mystery to him, as the brim of the hat hid his eyes from view. The other individual, was very muscular, with long black raven hair. Some of it was worn loose while the rest was tied up in a ponytail. His eyes were icy blue and he had a stubble beard. One particularly odd detail was that he wore two weird looking bracelets which resembled chains hanging off his wrists.

From the second car, out came two familiar faces which Ekko wasn't at all happy to see. That man who had come over and had joined Jayce in raping him. And then... There he was... The devil himself. And the title wasn't an exaggeration.

The man had an air of authority to him that he hadn't yet shown. He was standing tall and mighty, wearing a deep scowl on his face. Like Zed had said... He was anything but happy. His dark eyes had a murderous look to them and the vein in his forehead seemed ready to explode. When he locked his eyes onto Ekko, the boy flinched in fear. His anger was so vivid that it was as if his soul was on fire. His breaths were long and deep as if he were trying to hold back the will to burn down everything in his path. The flashlight from his phone illuminated his face in a strange fashion, making him appear even more threatening.

Meanwhile, the other three men greeted each other. Graves extended his hand to the tall man and sounded genuinely happy to meet him. "TF! Long time no see!" He exclaimed, calling him by his nickname.

"How is it going Graves, old partner?" Twisted Fate accepted the hand shake and pulled his best friend into a quick hug.

Once they parted, they shifted their attention to their other accomplice.

"Hey Sylas. Causing much Riot lately?" Graves wanted to know.

The man with the strange bracelets put a hand on Fate's shoulder. "You know me. I never stop. It just so happens that a certain someone summoned me here. He said it would be worthwhile. " He explained, crossing his arms and looking over at Viktor.

Sylas and TF both noticed the intensity with which he was looking at the boy and they shifted their attention to the frightened kid on the floor beside Zed.

"I knew you were the man for the job." TF told the assassin. "I bet you could sneak up on anyone in an open space in broad daylight. And they wouldn't see you coming."

Zed gave him a small smirk. "The unseen blade is the deadliest." He commented proudly.

Graves realized suddenly that Viktor hadn't yet said a single word. And he also noticed that the man seemed to be holding back his will to murder the kid right then and there. However in this state of pure rage, he could just lash out at anyone. He carefully called out to him. "Viktor?"

The man sent a killer stare in Graves' direction which made him take a step back. He turned abruptly and shoved his phone into his accomplice's hand. Then, he shifted all of his attention to Ekko and began stomping over to him, fists painfully clenched.

The teen's eyes widened in terror as he saw the man closing the distance between them very quickly. He felt two hands grab his shoulders and he was forced to stand up by Zed. The man with murderous eyes, was almost in front of him. Ekko tried taking a fearful step back, but he couldn't, as he was being firmly held in place.

As soon as he was in range, Viktor didn't hesitate or waste a single second. He very simply pulled his fist back in a rapid motion and it came into contact with Ekko's stomach with brute force. The sudden blow was enough to make Ekko lose all his strength and almost fall to the floor. He only didn't because Zed was holding him up. The boy had his eyes and teeth clenched. He was letting out feeble sounds of distress and was bent over as he tried coping with the immense pain in his gut.

The sound had been loud and clear. The three men near the car even flinched when Ekko was punched. It's not as if they cared. But they couldn't help it. They knew it had to have hurt badly.

Not taking any pity on the child in front of him, Viktor grabbed a handful of his hair and violently forced him to straighten up. Ekko opened his eyes with difficulty and looked at the man in fear. He knew he was in grave danger. Viktor was holding himself back from beating the crap out of the kid, for he had a much worse punishment planned. Instead, he just spoke in a very dark and low voice.

"I was playing nice all along, you ungrateful brat. You shouldn't have done this..." Bitterness, anger and pure disappointment stemmed from his slow, ominous words. "Bring him." He ordered Zed, without looking in the man's direction. He simply let go of Ekko's hair, turned around and walked over to his car with long powerful steps.

"Move." Zed coldly said to the boy as he forced him to walk forward. Ekko knew it was worthless to resist, so he started walking, although with difficulty, while keeping his eyes on the ground. When passing by the two unknown men, the teen looked up at them for a few seconds. When he realized they were giving him extremely creepy looks, he looked away.

"Get in, brat." Zed ordered harshly while opening the car door. Ekko obeyed, sat down and was immediately followed by the man, who took the seat beside his.

The engines roared and the vehicles began moving. The teen rested his head against the cold glass window as he looked outside. The moon was still shining in the starry sky. The stream where he had quenched his thirst was still running free. But his newly found freedom... Just hadn't lasted.

Deep feelings of regret and pure terror clawed at Ekko's fragile heart. He had blown his only chance of ever getting away...

How stupid he was...

The boy felt two tears fall down his face as he wondered... What was going to happen to him now...?

Never in his life had he ever felt so alone.

Chapter Text

Vi was bewildered. Leaning against the desk in Caitlyn's office, she listened to the more intricate details of her friend's investigation.

"Remember when I told you that our invitations to the party apparently disappeared? I bet Viktor was behind that." Explained Caitlyn, properly sitting at her desk. "If we went to the party we could have potentially realized that it wasn't Jayce. Through his voice or his behavior or something else. He wanted us, specifically, out of the picture."

"Yeah. It makes sense." Said Vi, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Also. When I was at the prison where Viktor was supposedly being kept, remember that they told me there had been an escape attempt one year earlier? The warden gave me some details about it. A few days prior to the breach, many small blades were apprehended from the prisoners. Whoever broke into the facilities must have tried to sneak the weapons in specifically so the fake Viktor's fingers could be cut off. But then they only had access to lighters and his fingers were only burnt. Had they been successful in cutting them off I would have never gotten to the conclusion that Viktor was a fake..."

Vi's eyes widened and she shook her head in disbelief. "Cait... You're an actual genius. I still don't understand how you did so much on your own."

The young chief gave her a small smile. "Thank you. But I only did what I could. Any other office would have cracked this case just fine."

Vi circled around the desk and wrapped one arm around her friend's shoulders. "She's a genius and modest. That's my girl!"

Caitlyn's face reddened slightly as she smiled. "Oh, stop it..."

"Truth has to be told. That's what I'm here for." Commented Vi, with a big smile. Then, her expression got a bit milder. She carefully retreated her arm and straightened herself. "By the way... Thank you for lifting my suspension early. I promise I'll be more careful from now on."

Caitlyn blinked and looked distractedly out the window for a few seconds. "Oh, that." Then, she looked back at her friend with a smirk. "I hate to admit it, but... This place really isn't the same without you around."

Vi faked a shocked expression. "So you missed me! Aw Cait... You're so cute!" The girl teased.

Caitlyn gave her a genuine smile. Then, she cast her eyes onto the office's floor. "With Shen testifying against Viktor and all the proof I gathered... There is zero doubt. Jayce is innocent! " She turned to Vi once again and her eyes were shining with glee.

Vi frowned slightly and she nervously clenched her fist. "That's true... When are they going to release him?"

Caitlyn was brimming with joy as she exclaimed "Right now! Come on!" She jumped from her seat and rapidly headed for the door. Her excitement was almost like a little girl's on Christmas morning.

It was very rare to see Cait like this. Joy stemming from every inch of her being. But whenever she got to witness it, Vi's insides filled with sunshine. Despite her slight discomfort at the thought of having to face Jayce again, Vi just couldn't keep the corners of her mouth down.

Both girls made their way to the cells. To Caitlyn's delight, they arrived just as a colleague of theirs was letting Jayce out. The man stepped outside the cell with a somewhat sad expression. But once he saw the two girls, his face lit up. Caitlyn's smile was wide, her eyes sparkled with happiness. Although somewhat improper to her position, she ran up to him and wrapped her arms around him.

Jayce was a tiny bit surprised at his friend's reaction, but smiled and hugged her back.

"I really thought I was toast. My career was over... Thank you, Cait." He said, sincerely.

Caitlyn hugged him tighter and clenched her eyes shut as she was overwhelmed by the strong emotions of the moment.

The officer that had opened Jayce's cell hurried to take a leave to give the group of friends some privacy.

Vi was a few meters behind, discomfort clawing at her insides. Her heart beat a little faster than usual and her eyes were tainted with worry. Suddenly, she caught Jayce looking in her direction over Caitlyn's shoulder. His expression was neutral. No sadness, no anger, no disappointment in his eyes. No happiness or curiosity. Simply a blank expression. She took a deep breath and started walking over to her friends.

Noticing that Vi was approaching, Jayce carefully let go of Caitlyn. She gave him a big smile before completely retreating her arms. Seeing that his attention had shifted, she turned around and curiously looked at Vi.

The girl stopped. She was now face-to-face with the man. He was silent and standing still. Just waiting for her to deliver. It took her a few moments, but she finally decided to speak. She took a step forward.

"Hm... Hey." She said, awkwardly.

"Hey." Jayce replied, his eyes meeting hers. She felt uncomfortable and looked away.

"Hm... Well... I just wanted to say... I'm sorry." Vi confessed, raising her head. "For hurting you. I shouldn't have just lost control... I'm ashamed that I didn't trust you. We're supposed to be friends. And I wasn't a very good one. Unlike Cait. But she is always amazing..." She said looking at her partner, who blushed once again.

Vi kept going." I understand if you don't trust me anymore after turning against you like that. But I was just so angry that you had thrown your whole life away by hurting an innocent kid... I didn't know what to think and acted on impulse. Again, I'm really sorry. I was a complete idiot."

Now it seemed like she had finished and Jayce took a step forward. "Vi." He said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She looked him in the eyes this time. "You've always been an idiot. And we've always been friends." He gave her a comforting smile and proceeded. "I can't blame you for doing what you did. If I saw a recording of you stealing a car and then you told me it hadn't been you... I would want to believe you. But it would be hard, with such evidence in front of my eyes. And I know perfectly well how impulsive you are."

The girl looked more relieved. He was being really understanding and forgiving. But... He was Jayce. And that's the way he had always been. How could she have ever suspected him...?

"It's ok, Vi. I forgive you." He said with a genuine smile, comfortingly gripping her shoulder a bit harder.

"Thanks... I shouldn't really be expecting anything else from you." Vi said with a tiny smile adorning her lips. Then, she did something unexpected. The girl turned on her side, stuck her elbow out and patted it roughly. "Why don't you hit me? And then we're even!" She suggested as if challenging her friend.

Jayce seemed very lost for a bit. But he immediately recovered and gave her a sassy smirk. "I don't hit women." He replied in an amused tone.

Vi raised an eyebrow and returned the smirk. "What a chicken. You just don't dare mess with THIS woman!" She teased.

This led to Caitlyn letting out a good-natured laugh and both turned to look at her. Vi gave Jayce a friendly nudge and he accepted it with a smile.

However, suddenly, Jayce's expression darkened. "Guys..." He started, capturing the attention of the two girls. "I know it sort of feels like it's over." His eyes began burning with strong determination and he clenched his fist. "But it's far from that. The kid is still missing... Now we're sure that that monster, Viktor, kidnapped him. We have to find him as soon as possible..."

Caitlyn's heart skipped a beat inside her chest as she remembered the description in Viktor's file. The man was a pedophile and a serial rapist. And being aware of that fact made her fear for the boy. He was so young. Only sixteen. If Viktor did such a thing to him, his life would be destroyed...

The police chief frowned with determination. "Yes. You're absolutely right. That is our number one priority."

"Wait... Did I just hear "OUR number one priority"?" Vi provoked wittily, crossing her arms. "I thought you worked on your own now, Cait. What gives?"

Caitlyn blushed for the third time that day. "Hm... Well... I admit that I miss working in good company." She said with a small smile.

Jayce took a step forward and put each of his hands on his friends' shoulders. "As cliché as it sounds: We're in this together." He commented with a confident smile.

Vi raised an eyebrow and shook her head in disapproval. She didn't resist saying. "We've only now started and you're already making me cringe, old man..."

-------------------

Ekko let out a yelp as he was violently pushed to the cold hardwood floor. Having fallen onto his side and trying to withstand the pain, he looked around the dimly lit room. The same worn, dusty floor. The same rickety bed. The chairs in the corner covered in spiderwebs. The ominous yellow light emanating from the dangling lamp on the ceiling.

He hadn't been away long enough from this place. And he was already back here. Confined to these four walls. A prisoner at the mercy of a group of men with hearts made of stone.

From the corner of his eye, the teen saw his captors entering the room. Zed, who had been the one to open the door and give him a hard shove, was looking at him triumphantly. Two of the other men were carrying small cardboard boxes with unknown content that they had retrieved from one of the car's trunks. They made Ekko's heart start racing. Whatever was in there, it just couldn't be a good thing.

The last two men started approaching him. Viktor detained himself one step away from the boy and just stood there, towering over him, eyeing him coldly. Sylas knelt on one knee right in front of him and gently touched his face. Ekko furrowed his eyebrows with fear, not knowing what the man's intentions were. He tried shying away from his hand with no success. His muscles tensed.

"So this is the one? I mean, he's quite good looking for a sixteen-year-old." Commented Sylas. "But I just don't see the appeal. Women have two holes down there you know? If you want to rape them, it's double the fun." He added crudely with a cunning smile.

The boy grimaced. What an absolutely horrible thing to say...

Viktor's face contorted into an ugly scowl. "You'll see soon enough. Untie him and take him to the bed." He ordered in an extremely cold tone.

Ekko's eyes widened and he started trembling violently as the man moved to obey the order. As Sylas removed the rope from his wrists, the boy folded in on himself and his eyes were closed shut as if he feared being stabbed by some invisible knife. The teen didn't even dare move once he was free. He had already infuriated the devil and he didn't want to find out what would happen if he crossed the line one more time.

Sylas picked the unmoving boy up and walked to the bed. Then, he simply lay Ekko on top of the covers. The teen noticed, horrified, that they were all slowly gathering up around him. His breathing became irregular. He knew what was about to happen. And it terrified him to no end. His whole body was as cold as a winter night and his eyes were as wide as the full moon outside.

"Take his clothes off." Viktor ordered.

Ekko's fear made him act on impulse and he tried defending himself by wrapping his arms around his chest. But it was no use. He felt big hands grab his legs and wrists to prevent him from struggling. He closed his eyes as his shirt and pants were violently removed, followed by his underwear.

Trembling in absolute terror and shame, the teen was now completely naked. His face would have been bright red, weren't his skin tone so dark. Being exposed in that manner in front of strangers made his throat feel unbelievably tight. His chest rose and fell as he let out irregular breaths. He could feel the men's hungry eyes roaming across his naked body, examining him from head to toe. A deep fear erupted inside him. And his captors had barely done anything to him. With his heart racing at miles per second, Ekko felt the men pinning him down on the mattress.

Zed smiled meanly as he studied the kid's lower region. "He's quite big."

"The kid's black. What were you expecting?" Said TF with a grin.

"His hole is deliciously small and tight, though." Commented Graves.

"Silence. I need to teach this boy a lesson first." Viktor said, darkly.

In desperation, Ekko wished he had never awakened the lion inside this man. He was like a monument. Colossal, unmovable, cold and uncaring. He had never been so terrified of him as of now. The boy closed his eyes and his nails dug on the covers under him in anticipation. Sweat dripped down his forehead. He felt like this was his death sentence. He wouldn't live to see another day.

But this... This felt so much worse than death...

Suddenly, two large hands gripped his legs and pulled him towards the foot of the bed. Then they carelessly let go. He opened his eyes in surprise and saw the devil unbuttoning his pants as he glared daggers in his direction. Ekko's entire body froze.

It was going to happen. Again.

The child covered his face with both hands in shame and desperation as his entire body began shivering. His heart felt like it was going to come out of his chest.

There was nothing he could do.

Nothing...

Viktor scowled deeply at his accomplices. "What are you doing? I want to look him in the eyes."

Ekko quivered when the men pried his hands away from his face and he felt rope around his wrists. But the sensation wasn't familiar. This rope was much thicker and coarse and it slightly prickled his skin. He quickly looked up and saw the other end of the rope being tied to the posts at the head of the bed.

His attention immediately shifted to his lower half as his legs were lifted up. He observed the devil placing them on his shoulders as he aligned his erect cock with his tight entrance.

The boy's golden terrified eyes met with the man's unforgiving dark ones.

With despair taking over his entire being, Ekko dug his nails on his palms as he whispered. "Please... Don't do this..." Even if he knew it would do absolutely nothing to stop this monster.

Viktor saw the pure terror in the kid's eyes, tears threatening to fall at any moment. His words were like ice cracking. "You will remember this moment for the rest of your life."

And then, without a single warning or without even giving the boy a second to think, the man violently thrust his member against the tight hole.

No lube. No preparation. No patience.

Not a care in the world.

He just thrust into the poor child with all the strength he could muster.

A deafening scream cut through the silence of the night. Ekko's face became contorted in agonizing pain. The tears came running down his face like a dam breaking. White-hot pain shot through his lower half and traversed up his spine. He arched his back and his wrists pulled against the rough rope. His nails dug furiously into his palms.

He heard laughter. The men surrounding him cackled meanly at his distress.

Viktor thrust violently once again, rocking the boy's tense body. Ekko became as rigid as a stone and he let out another blood-curdling scream.

It happened again.

And again.

Ekko couldn't think. He couldn't utter a word. He could only let out agonizing cries of despair as the stone-hard cock of his rapist cut through his insides like a sword.

Horrified, the boy felt a fluid running down his hole. Had the man already came? So fast?

But he was wrong ... He quickly realized the liquid wasn't from his assailant at all. It was coming from inside him. It was blood. His own blood. If the boy's skin were lighter, he would have become completely livid. Throwing his head back, he contorted his body violently and more tears escaped his eyes. The man kept on pounding into him hard, paying no mind to his injured insides.

"Damn. You blew him up, Vik." Commented TF who, like the others had been silent for a bit, just watching.

Viktor didn't reply immediately. He looked at Ekko's mortified eyes and at his tear-streaked face. "He's lucky his blood will serve as lube. He should be thankful."

Graves smirked and approached the suffering boy. "You hear that? Say thank you, you insolent kid. Thank Viktor for bursting you open!" And he laughed.

Thank him?

Ekko could barely process what was happening. He almost couldn't think. His eyes were clenched shut, his face was all wet with never-ending tears, beads of sweat ran down his naked torso. The pain emanating from his rectum was like a hot ember burning inside him. It extended to his back, to his chest, to the tips of his fingers and toes.

He was being completely torn apart from the inside out.

His entire world. Was pain.

Amused, Sylas raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to thank him or what, kid? If you can use your mouth to scream, you can use it to talk."

Graves smiled and added. "Or for something else..."

Zed eyed the boy's tear-streaked face and closed eyes as an idea formed in his mind. "Let's see how well you can suck." He said, beginning to unbutton his pants.

Ekko's heart almost stopped.

No.

They were going to...

No... Why...?

The monsters got closer and closer. The pain through his lower half was indescribable. The devil at the foot of the bed thrust into him once again, pushing hard against his bloody inner walls, rocking him and the bed violently. It earned a scream of absolute agony from him. And his blood ran cold when he realized how easy it would be for Zed to get his way with his mouth wide open like that.

A freezing sensation took over his muscles. His sweat was like drops of winter rain dripping down his forehead. He began shivering violently as if he were convulsing.

He was a sitting duck. Just waiting for these people to do whatever they wanted to him. A fear and helplessness far greater than his pain erupted in his chest.

Completely taken over by despair, the boy pleaded inside his mind. "Mom, dad. Please help me...!" He felt warm tears running down his face as shadows towered over him, obscuring the light from the ceiling. His insides were ripped open once more and just as he parted his lips to let out another cry, one of the monsters stuck their cock deep down his throat.

The boy started feeling unwelcome hands all over his body. One wrapped itself around his member and began toying with it. Thick fingers roughly pinched and tugged at his nipples. Someone fondled his hips and a ghostly tongue started softly licking his belly. His head was rocked back and forth as Zed violated his mouth. Instead of screams of despair, Ekko now let out loud moans of pain each time his rectum was cut through.

The teen wanted to fight, protest, beg, shout. But he was alone. He knew he was just a sixteen-year-old boy against a group of men double his size. There was just nothing he could do. He simply stood still and took the abuse as tears kept on falling down like a river. His heart was beating wildly inside his chest.

This was his punishment. He was being punished for attempting to run away from these monsters...

It... It wasn't fair...

His abusers kept at it for what seemed like forever. The foul smell of sweat and the men's pubic hairs filled the air. It greatly worsened Ekko's nausea. As if the disgusting member invading his mouth wasn't enough to make him want to vomit. He felt kisses being applied to his stomach and someone took one of his nipples into their mouth sending chills down his spine.

"I hate this. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it!" Ekko thought in despair.

Soon, the men started taking turns. Zed left his mouth, thankfully without cumming inside it like Graves had done before. However, a few drops of pre-cum had managed to fall on his tongue. Viktor finally withdrew his member from the small bloodied hole and left the spot to let "someone else have a go at the boy". He approached the teen's face, still glaring down at him and roughly gripped his chin. Ekko let out a small grunt of discomfort.

"You're NEVER getting away from me... Never. Understand?" He affirmed firmly as his stare cut through him. There was a cruel satisfaction in his eyes when he saw the boy tense up even more and his eyes widening. He slowly licked the salty tears that were falling down his face and he brought their mouths closer together. He began by gently biting the boy's lower lip. Then, he forced him into a deep kiss.

Ekko could feel his whole body being fondled. From his nipples being sucked to his member being jacked off. Someone had gotten their fat cock into his tiny hole and it stung terribly. But he didn't know how: Viktor managed to be more invasive than any of the others no matter what he did. His strong presence was undeniable and unavoidable and made him feel very small. With nowhere to go, the child closed his eyes and accepted the unwelcome tongue that eventually entered his mouth.

During the next hour, there were many tears and loud grunts. The child's bodily orifices were assaulted non-stop. To Ekko's horror, two of the assailants filled his anal cavity to the brim with their juice. It stung. His nipples became sore from being twisted, turned and pulled at so much. His mouth felt salty from the droplets of pre-cum. Everything smelled of sweat and blood.

Eventually, Ekko felt the hands withdrawing and letting him go. The boy let out a grief-filled sob. He closed his red and puffy eyes and carefully licked his dry and chapped lips. He breathed in deeply, trying to ignore the sickening smell in the room. But at least it was over.

Or so he thought...

It wasn't long before the poor kid felt the evil presences come back. He fearfully opened up his eyes. And he immediately regretted doing so...

He saw one of his captors holding... My God... Was that a sex toy?

Was that what the mysterious cardboard boxes were holding...?

This... This couldn't be real...

He couldn't make a move as he was surrounded once again. He could discern Viktor's dark eyes observing him from above. The one named Sylas approached him and easily held his legs apart. That swift movement alone let Ekko know that he was even stronger than Viktor. TF was holding a string of extremely large beads which he started inserting into his small hole.

"No, please...!" He begged.

But he almost didn't have time to finish.

The boy felt an extremely sharp pain on his left cheek that made him see stars. His head was involuntarily thrown to the side. The loud sound echoed around the room, catching the attention of the other men. They stopped what they were doing to send looks of surprise in his direction. Viktor was glaring at the child below him with his hand still in the air.

"QUIET!" He demanded. "I'm tired of your screaming and your begging and your disobedience. You're going to learn that WE give the orders here and YOU follow! IS THAT CLEAR?"

Ekko grit his teeth to withstand the throbbing on his cheek and tears formed in his eyes. He didn't answer immediately and that only made the man even more furious. Another heavy slap was heard and the kid let out a yelp of pain as his other cheek was struck heavily.

"ANSWER ME WHEN I TALK TO YOU!" Viktor shouted, the thick vein on his forehead turning blue-ish.

Now trembling and trying to fold in on himself, the teen hurried to give him an answer, stumbling on his words. "Y-yes..."

Viktor seemed satisfied and lowered his arm. But that simple movement made Ekko flinch. And it made the man smile on the inside. He looked at his comrades and with a nod of his head, ordered them to proceed.

The teen tensed up and contorted his body as the large beads were pushed into his anus. The metal and string were cold and unforgiving and it hurt badly when they came into contact with his wounded walls. It was like a lit match being forced into him and then lighting his rectum on fire. He felt more blood pouring out of his hole. The poor boy screamed and moaned in absolute agony throughout the whole process. His nails dug into his palms until they too supported injuries and he tasted the saltiness of his own tears when they descend down into his mouth. Finally, the last bead was pushed in.

Ekko shifted his body uncomfortably. His rectum was painfully filled with remains of cum and the nasty string of beads. He could feel them buried deep inside him and the juice and blood were leaking from his hole.

"Filled up like a turkey." Graves commented with a mean smirk, slapping the side of his ass cheek. It made Ekko let out a yelp of pain.

"I haven't finished yet." Ekko's body became stone as soon as he heard that voice once again. He saw Viktor position himself right in front of his face. His cock was half erect and leaking pre-cum. The man didn't waste any time. He grabbed his penis and approached it to Ekko's lips. The frightened boy didn't even try to resist. He opened his mouth with disgust and it was immediately invaded. He thought it would last forever, but it didn't.

Viktor simply thrust into his throat a few times. The warmth and softness of Ekko's mouth made him get hard fast. This felt rushed. And the teen found it weird. Viktor or Jayce or whoever the man was, was going somewhere with this. And it made him feel a freezing cold at the pit of his stomach...

When his rapist withdrew from his mouth, his cock was almost throbbing. Ekko saw the man's hand reaching for his dreads and his head was pulled up. It didn't take long before a white and sticky substance landed on his face, contrasting immensely with his dark skin tone. It felt slimy. The smell was nauseating. The teen, scared and disgusted, clenched his mouth and eyes shut. The cum kept on covering his face and some droplets stuck to his hair. The poor child felt a tightness in his throat.

Even when it came to this monster, this was the lowest of low...

He was being claimed by him. Like a slave. Like an object...

He was his owner. And he... He was his subservient pet...

Laughter erupted around him once again.

Shame burned inside Ekko's chest and tears threatened to fall. He wished for a hole on the ground to hide in. Or to simply disappear into thin air...

Once he was finished, Viktor roughly threw his head back onto the mattress. He slowly put his pants back on while the rest of the men did the same. Ekko didn't open his eyes. He could hear them making remarks about how tight he was, how hot his skin became while they had a go at him. And laughing. He could hear a lot of laughing.

He felt the devil approaching his face and his whole body shuddered. He clenched his eyes shut as the man whispered creepily in his ear. "You belong to me, little one. Never forget that."

Ekko felt the monster distancing himself from him and then heard steps crossing the room. The door was slammed shut.

At last.

They had left...

He finally opened his eyes.

Two warm tears streamed down the boy's face. He began sobbing in anguish.

Everything hurt. Everything.

Every single muscle was sore. The pain on his backside was immense and it spread out to every inch of his body. The rope that was binding him, and that they hadn't cared to remove was burning his wrists. The blood was no longer flowing down his torn hole, but most of it had dried, leaving an uncomfortable sensation. The beads filled him up painfully. He was covered in cum. The stench of sweat in the air was unbearable.

He had been cruelly torn apart from the inside out. Beaten. Completely humiliated.

The child let the tears fall freely down his face and they wet the mattress below him. His entire body trembled in fear, shame and pain.

The tear inside his rectum wasn't the only injury he had sustained. Even deeper wounds had opened inside his chest.

His body had been broken.

His soul had been shattered...

Chapter Text

The door opened. Viktor, who was waiting with Sylas in the hallway, lifted his eyes. "The kid's still awake, right?" He asked coldly.

TF was exiting the room and replied with amusement. "Yep. He's too scared to even dare close his eyes."

Viktor squinted his eyes. "Good. He better be aware that the torment won't end until we're finished."

"You sure know how to get your message across, Vik. It's been three days and he hasn't had a second of peace." Commented Sylas.

Suddenly, the three men heard a noise downstairs. The entrance door opened. TF blinked in slight puzzlement. "Graves? You're back already?" He shouted.

There was no response.

"Zed?" Called Sylas.

Nothing.

All they could suddenly hear were steps coming up the stairs. The men started feeling slightly uneasy. Sylas got into a fighting stance and Viktor immediately reached for the gun inside his pocket.

However, when the mysterious person finally arrived at the last flight of stairs...

"Oh! It's you!" Exclaimed TF in surprise. "We thought you weren't going to show up. You missed almost all the fun!" He added with a smirk. Meanwhile, Sylas relaxed his muscles once again and Viktor slowly withdrew his gun.

"We didn't hear any keys, just the door opening." Commented Sylas. "That idiot Graves forgot to lock it again..."

The man slowly walked up to them as if he had all the time in the world. Viktor furrowed his eyebrows and inquired, not sounding interested in the slightest. "So? That business you had to take care of in the city? Did it go well?"

The newcomer simply replied in a rich and smooth voice. "Yes. Better than I expected." He looked to his left, at the door to Ekko's room. "Is the kid in there?"

Viktor's eyes also focused on the wooden door. "Yes, go ahead. You know what to do. He has to pay." He said coldly.

The man didn't say anything this time. He simply grabbed the handle and opened the door, almost without making a sound.

--------------

Ekko lifted his tired eyes with difficulty to look at the door that was being opened. He felt so unbelievably weak... His vision was hazy and the room seemed to be spinning. His head was throbbing. Every single muscle was horribly sore. The suffering he felt on the lower part of his body was immense.

A deep fear took over his weary body. They were back? Again? He had hoped they would be done... He had hoped with all his strength that TF had been the last one...

But him hoping had been in vain...

His eyes widened and his body tensed when he lay his eyes upon the figure that had entered the room. Was his exhausted mind playing tricks on him? This was... Yet another one of Viktor's henchmen?

The man was tall, thin and there was confidence in each step he took. His arm and both legs were covered in some kind of weird armor that made it seem like they were made out of wood. But the thing that stood out the most was the bone white mask that covered his face. The eye holes were small and an ominous wide grin was drawn near the bottom, where his mouth would be. Ekko felt chills down his spine when he noted the stranger's eyes observing him. His heart was pounding wildly inside his chest. He almost gasped when he began walking in his direction.

--------------------

He knew they had been hurting him for the past three days.

At first he had received a call, inviting him to join "them". Because they "thought" he would like "it". Even if it was just for the torture aspect of it.

There was a twisted beauty in the art of torture?

Perhaps.

But not when the victim was an innocent child...

But they had never realized that. They truly, firmly believed him to be one of them. He knew he was a good actor. He had always been. He just lamented he had to waste his talents in dealing with such low-lives. However, he was determined to accomplish his goal. Even if doing that implied dealing with these people.

Upon answering his phone, he had scowled, but he hadn't refused to come over. It just so happens that when he was getting ready to leave, he had received yet another call. An angry one. Apparently, Viktor's new pet had escaped into the woods.

And a part of him hoped it would be for good. It would save him quite some work.

But, as fate would have it, that scum assassin had been called upon too. Strange. He hadn't been around the gang for at least a year. He had ended up finding the kid. As expected...

There were many things that Zed "wasn't". But one thing he definitely "was", and he would never in his life say it out loud, for he would only be contributing to raising that nitwit's cockiness, was being good at his job.

And still... he was "good". Not "great".

Zed was an efficient killer: Find the target. Eliminate it. Clean cut. Use an easily disposable weapon. Disappear without a trace.

But he didn't understand the beauty and subtlety of the art of murder. He much preferred giving them a slow and painful death. Looking into their eyes as his life was drained from them. The blood running down their torsos from their open necks. All their sins being paid for in a magnificent grotesque display as they drew their last breaths.

How he loved it...

When he received the third call, he had been told the kid would suffer the consequences of what he had done. It made him grimace. He had been around Viktor for a while. He had seen many things. And he knew very well that angering that monster was a big mistake. "Suffering" was an understatement. Once Viktor was through with him, the poor kid would be absolutely destroyed on the inside and out.

He didn't want to show up now. At least until he had the knowledge that they were through with whatever punishment they see fit for the child. He didn't want to be there to witness such savagery. Much less be invited to join in.

And so he waited. Three whole days. He wondered, during that time, what they were doing to the kid. They were raping him. That's for sure. But what other torments were they making him go through?

He found out soon enough.

On the dawn of the fourth day, he received the last call from Viktor. The kid, who he now was sure was named Ekko, had suffered a terrible fate. For the last three days, he hadn't slept at all. They had made sure of that by continuously abusing him. He hadn't been allowed to eat. He had been given the minimal water needed to stay alive. But no more than that.

Animals...

Viktor had asked him when he would be done with "the business he had to take care of" and he had almost forgotten he had given him that excuse.

He told him he would be there that very day. So he got into his car and soon was on his way.

The house in the woods was a long drive away. More than one hour. It truly was hard to find if one didn't know exactly where to look. But of course, unlike the occasional wanderer, he knew. The man lifted his eyes to observe the path ahead. The dust of the earth that the car lifted into the air formed almost a mist in front of the windshield. However, he could still distinguish it clearly. There it was, at the end of the path flanked by trees: The old house. A prison far away from the world, holding an innocent suffering unspeakable horrors. He furrowed his eyebrows and his lips contorted into a frown as he got increasingly closer to it. Then, the vehicle came to a stop.

He stepped out and headed for the door. He wasn't surprised to find that it wasn't locked. Graves wasn't exactly the most responsible or the brightest person around... There was no doubt in his mind that he was responsible for this... He could hear voices coming from the upper floor. But as soon as he stepped inside, a heavy silence fell over the house...

--------------

When he entered the room, he took a look at the frightened child that was lying down on the bed. The boy's eyes were wide and terrified. They were red-rimmed and bloodshot from crying and the bags under them were as dark as night. He was laying on filthy sheets, completely naked and that let him see the heavy tension in every muscle. He was in an even worse state than he had imagined. There were horrible bruises, probably resulting from kicks, on his stomach. His dark skin was overlayed with blade cuts which he imagined could only be Zed's doing. The wounds were still fresh. Some looked infected, others were still letting out blood. But that wasn't all. It looked like Graves had been using his chest, legs and arms as his personal ashtray. There were deep nail marks on his hips from being firmly held in place and the sheets around his lower half were soiled with cum and dried blood.

It was a horrific sight to behold... The poor kid had been beaten within an inch of his life and had been abused to his limits.

Their cruelty really knew no bounds...

The man took a step forward and the teen immediately reacted in traumatic anticipation. His whole body tensed even more and he folded in on himself, his nails clawing at the dirty sheets below him. He let out a weak gasp of panic and his eyes widened in terror. He tried walking quietly and slowly not to frighten him. But it harnessed the exact opposite reaction. The kid perceived him as a predator, gradually approaching its prey. His eyes darted around the room in panic and he began shivering violently.

"It's OK. I'm not going to hurt you." He said in his soothing voice, trying to reassure him. But it didn't work. He could almost hear the poor boy's heart racing inside his chest. His breathing was ragged. He looked like a small cornered animal, waiting his demise.

Once he got close to the bed, he knelt down to make himself appear smaller. "It's ok. I won't do anything bad to you. I promise." He tried once again. The kid, clearly disbelieving, kept looking at him in absolute terror with his tragic red rimmed eyes, while trying to create some distance between them.

The man carefully reached out with his hand and the reaction from the boy was absolutely heartbreaking. His whole body jolted in panic. He curled in on himself and hid his face, as if he expected to be struck. Even when the man's hand started petting his head soothingly, he kept on trembling overwhelmingly as if he were submerged in freezing water. Tears of panic broke from his eyes and he let out a shrill whimper of such despair that it chilled him to the core.

God. This poor kid... He'd been through so much...

"Come on now. I'm a friend. I'm not here to hurt you..." He promised softly as he kept on stroking the boy's dirty dreadlocks. A bath would solve that and would potentially make him feel better. But he doubted the kid would be physically able to get up. Or willing to do so. Right now he needed water, food and rest.

Ekko's trauma was so profound that he hadn't even heard the man's words. He anxiously waited the moment he would cease to caress the top of his head. The teen was sure he was only taking a good first look at him. He would then, without a doubt, hold him down violently, beat him, pry his legs open and force himself on him. Why else would he be here?

However, that didn't... happen.

The man's hand retreated and he didn't feel rough fingers all over his body. What?

Scared, yet curious, the boy opened his eyes to see what the man was doing. He observed as he reached into his pocket and retrieved something that was wrapped in a white paper napkin. He slowly unwrapped it to reveal a fresh cheese sandwich. It looked so tasty and the smell was divine... His weakened and starved stomach growled.

"I brought this for you. Take it. I know they have been starving you." The stranger said, bringing the bread closer to him.

But Ekko didn't move. He studied with suspicion the man and the food he was offering. The creepy mask hid his true face and his real emotions. The bread was probably drugged with something that would make him easier to dominate. Or worse... This was too good to be true. It felt like a cruel trick. If he accepted it, he would be badly hurt for sure...

The man could clearly see Ekko's mistrust and fear in his eyes and in the tension of his muscles. Displaying incredible patience, he tried yet again. "It's all right. It's not poisoned. I made it just for you. Please accept it."

Ekko was really unsure. He didn't believe or trust this man. He was one of "them"... But it had been so long since he had eaten. He was so unbelievably hungry... Should he risk it?

The boy observed the man for just a bit longer before making a move. Without taking his eyes off of him, he began slowly moving his arm in the direction of the bread. The man didn't try to attack him, neither did he do anything to stop him. Ekko carefully grabbed the food and retrieved it slowly, never letting the stranger out of his line of sight. Once the delicious sandwich was near his mouth he took a bite out of it.

The man observed as the boy's eyes lit up. He smiled behind the mask. Just a little bit of food was such a blessing to this poor child after everything he had been through... He couldn't do much without the others finding out, but he would try his best for the boy's sake. Like he had done for others before him.

Without wasting time, the man got up, retrieved his keys and walked to the bathroom door. He had to unlock it, for Viktor had wanted to make sure the teen wouldn't just go ahead and drink from the faucet. That monster...

Ekko heard the sound of running water and nervously awaited the stranger's return. What would happen now? But he didn't need to have feared... The man came back with the toothbrush holder full of water. He knelt down in front of him and before handing him the cup, he retrieved two pills from his pocket. "Here's some painkillers. They will help you."

Ekko wasn't entirely willing to trust the man, but what other choice did he have? This could, once again, be just some kind of date rape drug... But if he kept on refusing, this stranger could very well get angry and just force him to take the pills either way. He wasn't in a position to argue. And he didn't want to be hurt further... In the last days he had already been through hell and back...

The teen reluctantly accepted the painkillers and the cup. The man's fake face was expressionless, but Ekko could swear he seemed almost pleased behind the mask!? Was it his imagination?

Once the boy was finished he handed the man the toothbrush holder back. "You're going to feel better soon, you'll see. I'm sorry that I can't do anything about the cuts and wounds. It's not easy to sneak in a lot of stuff at once."

Ekko furrowed his eyebrows. Was this man... Truly trying to help him? It seemed almost like an impossible thing. If he wasn't on Viktor's side... Who was he? Why was he doing this?

There was a moment of silence as the man reflected upon something important.

"Look, I know it's a lot to ask. You've been touched very intimately for more than a week now. You don't want anyone messing with your body at the moment. I understand that." Said the man. "But would it be all right for me to examine you? I'm planning on bringing some healing supplies tomorrow and I need to know what exactly I'll have to treat... If it's too early, I understand. You can just say no. It's your decision."

He was letting him... Decide? Ever since he had gotten here he hadn't been given a choice. They just did whatever they pleased with his body, however they wanted, whenever they wanted. He was just their toy to use and abuse. To hell with how he felt about it all...

This felt like a blessing. But the decision was tough. The boy was at war within himself and the man could see that. One part of him REALLY didn't want to be touched at the moment. He was still trying to cope with the feral abuse of the past days... But the other part of him wouldn't mind having these wounds treated... Everything hurt so much. The man saw the uncertainty and fear in the child's eyes and reminded him. "Your decision. I'm not forcing you."

Ekko closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Yes... Please..." He said weakly.

The man waited a little bit to see if the teen's decision was final. He seemed to accept it. So, his eyes started roaming his body carefully and analytically. He wanted to avoid touching him as much as possible. Ekko wasn't sure about this. The man didn't have that lustful and hungry look in his eyes that the rest of them had when looking at his small body. But he still watched the stranger's every move with fear. Deep down, this still felt like a trap. The man was so close to him. He could very well be bluffing and make him believe he only wanted to help, only to betray him and tear him apart later...

The man looked at everything in detail and grimaced at some of the wounds. He wasn't sure but some of them looked like they would need stitching to fully heal. But he couldn't risk such a thing. When he got to look at the boy's backside, he noticed the teen tensed up and panic shone in his eyes. "I'm not going to touch you. Promise. I'm only looking." He said, raising both his open palms to prove his claim.

When he looked back at the boy's wounded hole, he squinted his eyes in mild confusion. "What is that thing that's coming out? Are those... beads?"

He noticed the boy's eyes watered as he nodded weakly. "Yeah... It hurts..." He said in a husky voice.

The man's eyebrows furrowed behind the mask. "Do you... Do you want me to remove them...? I promise I'll be gentle." He offered reluctantly. The answer would more than likely be a no.

The boy's eyes widened in response. He did want them removed for good. More than anything. They were so unbelievably painful and intrusive. Deciding to put his fear and reluctance aside for a little bit, he begged. "Oh, please. Take them off! I can't stand them... They just keep on removing them and putting them back in..."

The man was surprised at how decisive he had been all of a sudden. The beads must really be unbearable. But he didn't comment on it. He simply nodded. He acted slowly and let the boy observe his every move so not to frighten him. When he grabbed the end of the string, he saw the teen's fists clenching as he prepared himself. He looked him in the eyes for a brief moment to know if he could proceed and the boy's nervous yet resolute look gave him the answer he needed. He began pulling the string carefully. It earned a moan of discomfort from the kid and he contorted his body.

"Please be gentle. It hurts when they force it out..." He requested.

The process took a while. The string was long and the beads were solid and large. The child's entrance was SO tight. The man wondered how they could even fit. The boy whimpered in pain when one of the beads touched the wound inside his rectum particularly hard and the man tried consoling him. "Shhh... It's ok. They're almost out." He said sweetly.

Suddenly Ekko's eyes opened and widened. "Wait! When they discover they were removed without their permission, they're going to punish me for it!" He panicked.

"Don't worry about that. I had to remove them because the string broke." The man said in a playful tone.

Ekko's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "It... It did?" And he moaned in discomfort once again as the last bead was finally pulled out. He sighed with relief as the sensation of fullness and invasion left him.

"There we go." Said the man with the beads now in hand. They were bloodied and most of the string was covered in dried cum. How on earth had they managed to force something as big as this up the rectum of a sixteen-year-old? It was beyond his comprehension. They had to have forced it extremely hard, causing him a world of suffering. But he didn't dwell on these thoughts too long.

From one of his pockets, he retrieved a pocket knife. Seeing the blade popping out of its compartment made Ekko tense up in traumatic fear. In his mind he could only imagine Zed crudely opening cuts all over his body and chuckling every time he let out a yelp of pain. But the man didn't do anything to harm him with it. He simply cut a bit of the string and then withdrew it. With it now weakened, it wasn't too hard for the man to force it to break with his own hands.

"How careless of me. I pulled it so hard trying to make you cum, it broke. I guess they can't use them on you anymore. Oh, how will I ever explain this to Viktor?" He joked.

This made Ekko almost smile. It really felt like the man was being genuine... It wouldn't be hard in the slightest for him to pin him down and have his way with him. But he had chosen not to... Instead, he had fed him, given him water and calmed his pain. The poor child hoped from the bottom of his heart that this wasn't a dream or that the man wouldn't turn against him later...

He suddenly felt his eyelids get heavy. Now that some of the suffering had dwindled, he felt like he could at last fall asleep. The man got the message. He grabbed the covers that had been pulled back and used them to gently cover the child's naked body. The boy moved softly under them to get comfortable and gave him a grateful look.

The man sat on the edge of the bed, beside him. Slowly and carefully, he caressed the teen's hair. "You're exhausted. Go to sleep. Do not fear, I'll watch over you." He promised sweetly.

The boy gave him a genuine sad smile. "Wait. Could you tell me your name first...? I'm Ekko. But you probably already knew that..."

"Oh, where are my manners? I didn't even introduce myself." The man scolded himself." It truly is a pleasure to meet you, young one. My name is Jhin."

The boy smiled thinly upon hearing his name. "Jhin... Thank you. For everything..."

The poor boy was slowly lulled to sleep at the rhythm of Jhin's sweet and gentle strokes on his hair.

It had been so long since someone had been kind to him...

Chapter Text

It was early morning. The Autumn cold could be felt all around and the weak sunlight was shining amidst the trees. Jhin had parked his car a bit further from the house so he could take a morning walk through the woods. In his pockets, like he had promised, he had some healing supplies to treat the boy's wounds. He sighed sadly, wondering how much suffering a teenager could withstand before breaking down completely. He wanted to prevent him from collapsing and reaching the bottom before it was too late and his mind and body were damaged beyond repair. It had happened before... One of the kids he had tried to help, had actually lost his mind. It had been absolutely awful to witness. The isolation, the physical and mental abuse had been too much and his mind and body couldn't handle it anymore. He could remember too well his wide open green eyes and the tears falling down his cheeks as he trembled violently in his delirium. The boy ended up dying a week later, in Jhin's arms, succumbing to the injuries and illness. Viktor's reaction had made him want to stab him to death.

"Ah. Pity. Guess I'll have to find another one. One not as weak and pathetic as this one."

The poor child who had been used and abused past his limits had been deemed weak and pathetic by the very man who had destroyed his life... Jhin had failed miserably to protect and help him. It was also his fault.

Now, as he walked through the woods, he remembered the vow he had made to himself: To never fail another kid like he had failed that one. And he wouldn't fail Ekko. He wouldn't allow this boy to be destroyed.

The man wasn't in a hurry to reach the house. He didn't know whether one of them was raping the kid or not at the moment and he would much rather not hear the poor child's screams. However, later rather than sooner, he ended up at the place. As everything seemed quiet, he felt confident to enter.

After inspecting the kitchen and finding no one, Jhin came across Zed and TF sitting in the living room. In front of them, on top of the coffee table, there was a set of cards and a collection of blades. "Greetings, gentlemen." He politely said.

The other two turned their heads in his direction. TF tipped his hat and Zed gave him a sassy smirk. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the artist himself. Did you come looking for ideas for your sad little paintings?"

Jhin raised his eyebrows behind the mask. "Unfortunately, no. I have plenty ideas for my sad little paintings at home. I was invited to come here by Viktor, just the same as you."

Zed laughed. "Oh, yes of course. Viktor just HAD to invite the starving artist into the group. I forgot."

"Viktor knows how to recognize talent when he sees it. Wouldn't you agree?" Asked Jhin.

"Viktor makes some very questionable decisions sometimes." He spat, examining Jhin from head to toe. "But I have to agree with you: I'm here, after all."

"Yes. I have to recognize his decisions aren't always the best. I just can't imagine what was going on inside his head when he thought about asking certain people to join." Said Jhin triumphantly, looking Zed in the eyes.

The assassin picked up one of his sharpened blades and admired it. "Viktor likes a job well done. I'm quick and efficient. You like playing around with your food."

"Some people are simply too small minded to understand my ways..." Jhin calmly threw at him, smiling behind the mask.

Zed snorted. "You really think you're so talented and smart. But you have the brain of a bird." Zed mocked him with a cocky smirk across his face.

But Jhin didn't miss a beat. "It truly is a shame I have such a small brain. But at least I was blessed with one." He said to Zed in his calm and soothing tone.

The assassin furrowed his eyebrows and grit his teeth. How dare that scum self-entitled artist insult him like that?

"Allow me to clarify a thing for you: you know why you were asked to join, by Viktor? There are many assassins who are just the same as you. They're as nimble as the wind and as precise as an eagle. But you're the only one who is available most of the time and their schedules are full. Because people have eyes and common sense and can distinguish the best and the worst in their field..."

At that moment he had to stop talking because a knife was put to his throat. However he didn't even flinch. Zed had gotten up and approached him very fast. His face was almost touching Jhin's. His eyes were almost sparking as he glared daggers at him and his mouth was stuck in a deep scowl. His breaths were deep and fast." Don't you ever talk to me like that. You pathetic artist..."

This earned a smirk from Jhin. "Getting insecure, are we? Hiding behind a blade against an unarmed man."

"Like you're any better, hiding your true face behind a mask..." He spat bitterly.

"As if you didn't wear one yourself." Jhin said. "Don't think I don't know that you wear a mask when doing your dirty jobs. You're afraid to be recognized. If you were as good as you say you are, you wouldn't need it, would you?"

"Intelligent people know they should shut up when they have a knife at their throat." Growled Zed, losing his patience.

"Intelligent people recognize a coward when they see one." Threw Jhin with his confidence and wit.

Just as the blade pushed harder against his skin, TF slowly yet firmly, put a hand on Zed's shoulder. "Calm down, Zed. We're not supposed to get into trouble. Lower the weapon."

Zed didn't move. He stayed in the same position, giving Jhin a venomous look. That fake grin of the mask was taunting him. It fit the owner perfectly. And it made his blood boil.

"Come on, Zed. You don't want to upset Viktor. He seems about to explode lately." Warned TF.

This seemed to have some effect on Zed. His face didn't emote it, but his body language did. He breathed deeply and his blade started slowly retreating. Jhin stood as tall and proud as ever as he observed the assassin taking a step back.

"Have a good day, gentlemen." Said Jhin as if nothing had happened. He ignored Zed glaring daggers at him and TF's curious stare and exited the room.

"Khada Jhin, you like hiding your face. But is that ALL you're hiding...?" Zed whispered to himself as a bitter feeling took over his entire body.

Jhin headed for the stairs and on his way there, he crossed with Viktor. They exchanged glances and acknowledge each other's presence with a simple "good morning". No more words were spoken. There was nothing else to be said. Viktor followed Jhin with his eyes for a few moments before getting his mind off of him and continuing going his way.

With his usual grace and poise, Jhin climbed the stairs and approached the door to the boy's room. Slowly and carefully, he unlocked it and stepped inside. While locking the door behind him, the man instinctively looked at the bed to check on the boy. And surely enough, there he was, lying on his side, facing the door. His eyes were closed and his arms were relaxed as he was in a deep sleep. But Jhin was saddened when he realized the teen didn't look at peace. He was breathing fast and his eyes were clenched shut in distress. His body moved around a little bit as if he were struggling weakly against an invisible enemy. It was clear he was having a nightmare. Jhin would be surprised if he didn't have any, after all the horrible things he had been through. Taking pity on the suffering child, he approached the bed and sat on the edge beside him, like he had done last time. He started rubbing his shoulder soothingly, trying to calm him down. "It's ok. It's only a bad dream. It'll be over soon."

Suddenly the boy stopped his weak struggle and his breathing became calmer. Jhin didn't know if the nightmare had come to an end or if he had caused this unintentionally by rubbing his shoulder. But whatever was the case, Ekko was about to wake up. The man waited patiently. Slowly, the boy's eyes began opening. Jhin hoped that his unexpected presence wouldn't frighten the poor boy. At first, Ekko simply blinked a few times before taking notice of the figure sitting in front of him. His body became tense, his eyes widened and he quickly looked up. Once the teen's gaze met with his, Jhin spoke. "Good morning."

Upon recognizing the mask and the voice, the boy, who was still in the process of waking up, relaxed a little bit. "Oh...huh...It's you. Good morning..." He stumbled a bit on his words. Jhin could see in his eyes that he didn't trust him fully yet. But it was OK. He wasn't expecting him to.

The wounds from the recent animalistic abuses he had to endure, both on the inside and the outside, were still fresh and open. The boy was terrified of the smallest movement. Jhin knew Ekko was still expecting to be attacked at any second, regardless of his promises of protecting him. But little by little, he hoped he could gain the hurt teen's trust.

"Were you having a nightmare, child?" Jhin inquired sweetly.

The poor boy's eyes were shadowed by sorrow. He hesitated for a long while before delivering. "I... I would rather not talk about it... If... If that's OK..." He stuttered.

The kid was so incredibly afraid... Jhin's chest filled with compassion. "Of course. There's no problem at all. Please don't feel pressured." He smiled as he saw the boy relax a bit. "Since you just woke up, I suppose you haven't eaten anything yet?"

Ekko took a second to rub his eyes before replying. "No, nothing."

Jhin smiled and reached into his pocket. He retrieved a shiny apple and the healing supplies he had promised to bring. "Here you go." He said handing him the fruit. The teen hesitated for a split second before accepting it with a small smile. "Thank you."

Jhin rapidly examined the boy from top to bottom with his eyes. "How is your pain? You're still very sore?" He wished to know.

Ekko took a small bite of the apple and shook his head. He swallowed the bit of fruit before replying without looking at Jhin. Instead he focused his gaze on the apple in his hand. "The painkillers really helped. I'm still hurting a bit, but I feel much better. Thank you for that too..."

"You're very welcome." Jhin told him as his eyes squinted with satisfaction. Then he got more serious. "Well... About your injuries: Do you want me to treat them after you're done eating? Are you alright with that?"

Ekko's eyes widened a little bit and then he looked down at the floor as he contemplated the difficult decision. Being touched and having others be in close proximity was a delicate subject. But this time, he looked directly at the man. "Well... I... Yes. Please, do it." He said firmly with his eyebrows furrowed. However, Jhin noticed there was a glint of uncertainty in his eyes. "But... Won't they be mad if they see my wounds were treated?" He hesitantly voiced his worries.

It was Jhin's turn to shake his head. "Viktor will end up wanting them treated at some point. He'd probably do it himself. He's only punishing you harshly at the moment because you defied him by trying to run away. But he doesn't want to kill you. He wants to keep you. Doesn't he tell you that you "belong to him"?"

The boy lowered his eyes once more. "Yeah... He does. Many times." He squinted his eyes in sadness. "It's so creepy when he says that... He scares me so much..."

Jhin frowned. "I know he does. Viktor's a mad man."

At that moment, Ekko stopped eating the apple and kept his eyes lowered. "Jhin, I'm confused about one thing: That man said he was named Jayce. But everyone calls him Viktor... He said he was a police officer, but... Who is he, really?" He asked looking at him through the corner of his eye.

Jhin pondered for a few moments. Then, he almost whispered. "Hm... Look kid, these people we are dealing with are incredibly dangerous. We're both deep in enemy territory. It's just better if you don't know a lot... You'll be safer that way. Do you understand?"

After a slight hesitance, the boy nodded. He finished the apple slowly as Jhin prepared the healing supplies.

"Very well..." The man started once he was all set. "What you have to understand is that Jayce and Viktor are different people. Viktor is the man who has been hurting you and Jayce is an officer of the law. Jayce put Viktor in prison a few years ago and as such, Viktor swore revenge on him. He underwent plastic surgery to look exactly like him so he would be framed for your kidnapping."

Ekko's jaw dropped.

Jhin continued. "Jayce is a very famous figure. So looking like him, while in the same city that he lives in was a very risky part of his plan. But Viktor took the risk. Killing him would be far too easy and not satisfying. He wanted him to be framed so he would rot in prison."

"Just like what Jayce did to him..." Finished the boy.

Jhin nodded. "If I had to choose a quote that represents Viktor it would definitely be:" An eye for an eye." It suits him perfectly." He stopped in his tracks when Ekko suddenly yelped in pain. A wound that was being treated had stung particularly hard. "I'm sorry. I'm trying to be as gentle as I can."

Ekko had a sad glimmer in his eyes, but he still tried being cordial. "No! It's ok. I'm fine, keep going!"

Jhin smiled thinly behind the mask and resumed his work.

The man and the boy didn't say another word to each other. Ekko simply stayed still, lying down on his stomach, while Jhin carefully tended to his wounds. It hurt a bit sometimes, but he knew the man was trying his best to be gentle with him. His touch was soft, not rough or sexually hungry. It really felt like he cared about his well-being... And that was more than Ekko could ask for...

---------------

"Hey Eve! Pass me the pepper, please." Asked Kai'sa while stirring the food inside the fumming pot. Evelynn, who was leaning against the kitchen counter, looked around for the condiment. Once she found the flask, she grabbed it and brought it over to her friend." Thanks!" Kai'sa said with a smile. "I really hope this ramen will cheer Akali up. It's always been her favorite..."

Evelynn's expression was serious. "Even if it doesn't, at least you tried." She answered with sincerity.

"Yes... But I would really like to do something for her. She's feeling so down..." The girl lamented while adding a pinch of pepper to the boiling water. "Has she arrived yet?"

"Yeah. She's in the living room with Ahri. She's trying to help her get her mind off of Ekko for a bit. But I don't think it's been working very well." She crossed her arms and shook her head. "I sure hope tonight's concert will cheer her up."

Kai'sa sighed. They all wanted to help their friend. All three of them had given suggestions, but Ahri had been the one to present the idea of having dinner together and follow it with a group outing. There would be an EDM concert starting in a few hours and it was a promising event. Many people they knew would attend and it was the type of thing that Akali liked.

"It's normal that she's worried about Ekko. We all are." Ahri had said with a frown. "But she really needs to get her mind off of it for a bit. Have you girls seen the bags under her eyes? She hasn't been getting any shut-eye! Qyiana said she almost hasn't eaten anything lately! And her hair? She's never looked this... frazzled..." Ahri had said. And the others had agreed. If they didn't, they would just outright be denying the truth before their eyes.

Evelynn took a look at the boiling ingredients inside the fuming pots and observed as Kai'sa expertly cut the meat. "That smells really good, Kai'sa. I wish I had half your talent... You know that I'm not much of a cook..."

Kai'sa smiled. "I could teach you one of these days." She offered.

"Nah. I don't doubt you're a good teacher, but I'm a lost cause. It's like you forgot what happened when I tried using the electric whisk... But thanks anyway."

Kai'sa rolled her eyes and smirked. "Like we could EVER forget that. You only need practice, that's all! But suit yourself." She added, shrugging. "This will be done soon. Could you go set the table?"

"Sure." Evelynn complied. She hurried to leave the kitchen and headed for the living room where Ahri and Akali were. "Hey girls." She greeted them.

"Hi Eve!" Said Ahri. "I was just about to let Akali know about your incident with the electric whisk a few months back!" She turned to the somber girl, sitting beside her on the couch with a wide smile. "I can't believe none of us told you about this yet! As you know, Eve is a DISASTER in the kitchen... Back in March she tried baking a cake for Kai'sa's birthday. No one knows how: but when she tried using the electric whisk, she managed to get batter all over herself and the entire kitchen! Then, she also let the bowl fall to the floor and it broke! When I heard the noise I opened the door, to find all that craziness going on! I saw Eve covered in flour and eggs and I...!" She was unable to finish because she started cracking up.

Evelynn also began chuckling as if they weren't laughing at herself. She just didn't really care. She knew she was a walking accident around pots and pans and she simply embraced it. Maybe this was what Akali needed to finally cheer up a little bit! She turned her head in her direction and studied her reaction. They had at least managed a half-hearted smile and a small giggle.

"That's a good one." Said Akali in a tone of voice that did a horrible job of masking her inner sadness.

Ahri's smile faded a bit. She knew the joke hadn't been very funny, but she had given it her best. It wasn't easy to keep up her happy and carefree persona when one of her best friends seemed to be nearing a depression... She turned to Eve, at a loss of what to do, and the girl got the message.

"I came here to tell you dinner is almost ready. Come to the dining room! I'm gonna set up the table." Said Evelynn making a motion with her hand for the girls to follow her.

"I'll help you! Come Akali, you're the guest tonight, so you don't have to do any work!" Said Ahri, winking.

The somber girl reluctantly got up from the couch and followed her friends.

Soon enough, the four girls were gathered around the dining table with fuming bowls of spicy ramen in front of them.

"OK, Kai'sa. You've officially outdone yourself! This ramen is amazing! What's your secret?" Ahri wished to know.

Kai'sa gave her an inigmatic smile. "If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret anymore, would it?"

The fox girl pouted. "You're no fun!" She joked.

Evelynn, who was currently just watching her friends and had already finished her food, turned to Akali to check on her. The girl was in silence, fiddling around with the noodles with her chopsticks. She had eaten, but not much. A heavy sigh came out of her mouth and Evelynn decided it was best to talk to her.

"Akali?" She called.

The silver haired girl jolted in her seat and her eyes widened as if she had woken up from a dream. "Oh. Yes, Eve?"

Evelynn frowned. "Are you not liking your ramen? You haven't eaten almost anything. Kai'sa cooked it especially for you!"

The other two girls turned in their direction once Kai'sa's name was mentioned. Akali smiled weakly but tried to sound happy and satisfied. "What? Not at all! The ramen is delicious! Just how I like it! My compliments to the chef!" She announced, looking directly at Kai'sa.

"I'm glad you like it..." The cook said with a smile. But it quickly turned into a frown. She breathed deeply and closed her eyes for a few seconds before delivering. "Look, Akali... We know how worried you are about Ekko. It's totally understandable. He's your best friend and he was kidnapped. Anyone in your place would freak out... Even WE are worried! And we're not super close to him like you are! But the truth is that you being THIS sad just won't bring him back...!"

Akali listened attentively to her friend. She cast her eyes down. "I know that. And everyone has been telling me that: Yasuo, Senna, even my parents. But I just can't help it... I can't get it off my head... Ekko might be dead and buried somewhere!"

Ahri'e eyes widened. "Goodness, Akali... Such negativity... This isn't like you at all!"

Kai'sa spoke once again. "We're worried about you, Akali. Very worried. We've never seen you so down for as long as we've known you... And we really want to help!"

Evelynn reached out to her and put her hand on Akali's shoulder. "We know that having him back is the thing you want the most and what would make you truly happy again. But as much as we'd like to, we can't do that for you." She said, looking into the girl's somber blue eyes. "However, we CAN and WILL try to cheer you up. And tonight's concert will be fun for sure!" She exclaimed, gripping her friend's shoulder a bit harder to show her support.

Akali looked slightly troubled. "That EDM concert? I really appreciate your concern girls, I do! But I don't know if I'll feel well attending a concert while this is going on." She slowly turned away from Eve and the girl's hand fell from her shoulder. "My best friend is missing... And I just go out to have fun? It doesn't feel right..."

Kai'sa sighed deeply in disappointment. The plan to cheer up Akali wasn't sailing smoothly at all... But suddenly, Ahri got up from her seat and slowly walked over to the somber girl. She positioned herself behind her chair and put her hands on Akali's shoulders. Her tone was warm and kind. "Look at it this way: Would Ekko be happy, knowing that you're feeling this depressed because of his disappearance? No. Ekko wants to see you smile, full of hope that he will return." Akali raised her head to face Ahri and her eyes were full of tears. "We know it's very hard, sweetie. But you have to be strong for him. We're all here for you!" Ahri wrapped her arms around her friend's shoulders, from behind, and gave her a caring hug.

Akali closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "You're right... Thank you girls. I mean it. I'm lucky to have you..."

"Ah, don't mention it! We know we're amazing!" Joked Kai'sa.

Akali gave her a sad smile. Ahri let her go and straightened herself up. "Are you going to finish that?"

The girl looked down at her bowl. "Of course! This is too good!"

"Then finish up so we can go get ready." Commented Kai'sa with a smile.

"But I thought I was only coming over for dinner." Akali looked at her old lilac sweater and watered-down black pants. "I can't go out looking like this."

"Ah, don't worry about that. I had already thought of everything. I can lend you one of my outfits. You're gonna look stunning!" Said Ahri with her eyes sparkling. "Oh, and I can do your makeup too! And your hair needs some work..."

Ahri's excitement over the prospect of a makeover made Akali laugh. "Alright!" She turned to her bowl and hurried to finish her food.

The other three looked at one another with satisfaction. Their friend seemed to be feeling a little bit better already! Their efforts actually seemed to be paying off.

--------

"So, girls! Are we all set?" Asked Kai'sa turning around to check on the others and opening the entrance door. "Then, let's go!"

The girls all looked amazing in their outfits. Evelynn had opted for a simple long-sleeved black dress, dark purple stockings and some high heeled over-the-knee boots. She also sported a black shoulder bag. Dark colors always helped her blend in. She was going to the concert for Akali, otherwise, she would have been very happy to just stay home. Kai'sa had chosen a red top, black leggings, a leather jacket and red chelsea boots to complete the look. Somewhat sporty, to make it easy to dance in, yet classy. Ahri had dressed to kill, like always. A sparkly short blue dress covered by a white fur coat, pearl earrings, ostentatious makeup and blue ankle-strap shoes. No matter how big or small the event, Ahri would always manage to steal the show! Akali, on the other hand, had chosen a much more discrete look. A black cashmere sweater, grey jeans and some black timberland boots. With a simple glance, Ahri could tell her friend was in a "Don't look at me please. Thank you." mood. The cold, washed-out colors she had chosen were perfect to pass by unnoticed. Normally, on a night-outing, Akali would have worn more vibrant tones like reds, bright purples and neon blues. It was understandable though. Even if she liked the happy, talkative, clad in neon colors Akali more...

Even though it made her a little bit sad, her friend seemed perfectly happy with the choice of clothes. Ahri decided not opening her mouth would be for the best.

The group headed for Evelynn's car and soon were on their way to the concert. They managed to arrive in next to no time due to Evelynn's expert driving. Things were looking good for them. However, there were tons of people around for the concert and they seemed to have occupied every parking spot imaginable. After searching for a while, Evelynn ended up having to leave her car quite far away from the concert grounds.

On their way there, everything was quiet in that street. The girls were simply chatting amongst themselves when they heard two motorcycles approaching. Two guys pulled up on the sidewalk near them. Within seconds, they started hearing whistles and one of them saying: "Hey, you there with the fox tails! Nice curves!" Followed by his companion laughing.

The K/DA girls decided to ignore and simply kept on walking. The second guy shouted: "What's a bunch of pretty ladies doing out here? Where you goin'? To some party?"

Kai'sa clenched her fist and turned around. "It's none of your business!" Ahri rolled her eyes and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't talk to them. They're not worth our time."

"Oooohh! They're feisty. I like that." They heard behind them. Four more guys were approaching.

"Wow. Who invited them?" Joked Evelynn, crossing her arms. Kai'sa's fist was trembling from being painfully clenched and Akali had put her sadness aside entirely. Now she looked like a lioness that was ready to pounce.

The guys inched closer to the group. One of them took a step forward with a cocky grin on his face. "We can't show up uninvited? But we wanted to make you a surprise!" He positioned himself right in front of Ahri. She looked him directly in his eyes and raised her eyebrows. The guy grabbed a bit of the fabric of her dress and felt it between his fingers. "Fancy dress, girl. It highlights your curves!"

Ahri smiled. "Oh thank you! So nice of you to notice!" The guys were too focused on Ahri to realize the rest of the girls had begun to move from their spots. "However... There's one rule every guy must know before they go out with me." She added, grabbing his hand gently with her own. She looked up slowly and met his eyes with a soft smile. "You DON'T touch the dress without permission!" The man's eyes widened. Ahri twisted his wrist so his palm was facing up, and swiftly kicked his elbow as she held his arm tight. The crack was followed by a blood-curdling scream.

"You bitch!" One of them began aggressively walking up to Ahri when he felt straps wrap around his throat. Evelynn had snuck up behind him without him noticing and was now strangling him, using her bag straps, with a satisfied smirk. "Woah! Where are you going sugar cakes? I wanna play." She taunted him.

Another guy was surprised when Kai'sa rapidly and confidently approached him. Quick as the wind, she threw herself to the ground, supported herself on her hands and swung one of her legs. They collided with the man's ankles, he tripped over and fell to the ground with a thud. Then, she quickly captured his wrist and stepped on his neck, squeezing it with her foot. "You wanted to have fun? This is how WE have fun!"

The three girls were all holding their ground, but Akali easily stood out from the rest. At the first opportunity, she lunged forward and took out the guy in front of her with a clean karate kick to the head. The second one was prepared for her attack and grabbed her wrists when she tried to punch him. The girl quickly thought of a solution. Without hesitation, she snapped her neck back, before throwing her entire body's weight, through her head, at the man in front of her. His grip loosened and he stumbled back holding his head, before his legs toppled and he fell backwards, smashing the back of his head on his motorcycle's engine. There was now only one guy left. But he wasn't where she had last seen him! She suddenly heard footsteps charging at her. Akali turned around and verified he was swinging a punch directed at her face. Fast as lightning, the girl ducked, threw a right hook at his kidneys and a left punch to his gut, for good measure. Then, to finish him, she gave him a hard kick in the nuts that made him howl in agony and fall on the pavement.

Absolutely defeated, the men lay scattered across the ground. The four girls stood tall and proud amongst the group of mostly unconscious bodies. They all had cocky grins adorning their faces except Akali, who was still giving them a killer stare.

"Well, it was fun hanging out with you boys." Taunted Ahri with her hand on her hip. "But the girls and I must be going now. Bye!" She blew them a kiss before turning around with flair and starting to distance herself. The other three followed her.

"Those guys really didn't know what they were getting themselves into." Commented Kai'sa when they had already created quite some distance.

"Yeah. They're gonna be sore for days. Just like the last group who tried the same." Added Evelynn.

"I love the way you took down that guy, Kai'sa! It was like you were dancing!" Ahri told her friend.

"That's because I WAS dancing." Replied Kai'sa, winking at the fox girl. "What I pulled off was a dance move. You gotta get creative. Not everyone is a natural fighter like Miss Ninja over here." She said, wrapping her arm around Akali's shoulders.

Ahri's smile was wide. "Yeah Akali, you were absolutely amazing! You took out three guys on your own."

Now that their attention had shifted to their youngest member, they realized she didn't look depressed anymore. In fact, Akali was grinning from ear to ear!

"Thanks girls. It's been a while since I was in a fight. I forgot how good it actually feels. I'm all pumped up!"

"Well, you didn't look rusty at all." Added Evelynn. "Has it really been long since the last time you fought someone?"

Akali nodded. "I haven't even been training that much... My workout routines are more based around preparing for dancing nowadays. I didn't realize I had left martial arts behind. But now I want to get back into it!" She said, her eyes shining with determination.

"That sounds great, girl. Go for it!" Said Ahri, excitedly.

The faint sound of electronic music was brought by the chilly evening wind. When they got to the next street, they could see dozens of people gathering at the venue's entrance. They were finally here.

"So girls, are you ready to hit the dance floor?" Kai'sa asked as if she were challenging them.

Eve said dryly. "Not me. I'm gonna watch."

Kai'sa rolled her eyes. "C'mon Eve! It's always the same! You can't come to a concert to "just watch"! It's a crime! I'm gonna make sure you join in. You can't escape this time!" She said, taking the lead and beginning to walk to the entrance.

Eve chuckled. "Guess I have no choice!" And she followed her.

Akali, who was only listening to the conversation, felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to her right and saw Ahri smiling at her. "We have a long night ahead of us. You ok? Ready for the concert?"

"Yeah, I feel better now. Thank you." She turned her head to look at her friend and gave her a grateful smile. "C'mon Ahri. Let's go!"

The girls walked together to the entrance where the other two were already waiting for them. Akali hadn't felt this alive in weeks and the grin just wouldn't leave her face. And being aware of her friend's newfound happiness, the corners of Ahri's mouth wouldn't turn down.

Chapter Text

The gigantic stage was brightly illuminated. Blues, yellows, pinks, purples and other colors lit up the venue, bringing it life. The first act of the night had just begun and a young man was on stage dropping the beat. There were dozens of people all around. Most of them were dancing without a care in the world. But others were chatting with their friends, a few girls in a circle were telling jokes and laughing, couples were making out in corners. A group of teenagers was laughing and running around like a pack of wild horses. They passed by the K/DA girls at lightning speed and one of them crashed with Evelynn, making her stumble.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" She shouted when they didn't bother to stop and apologize. The girl straightened her dress while giving them an annoyed look. "Stupid kids with no manners... What are they doing here anyway? This should be an adult party."

"Wow, Eve, you sound like my grandma." Joked Akali giving her a nudge. "Chill!"

Kai'sa giggled. "Calm down Eve. They're just teens." She positioned herself in front of her irritated friend and opened her arms in excitement. "And we're here to have fun! So nothing can ruin it!"

Evelynn groaned and rolled her eyes. "Fine..." She began straightening her hair and her purse with an undignified expression.

Ahri shook her head and chuckled at the scene that was unfolding. Then, her attention shifted when she spotted a bright set of neon lights from the corner of her eye. When she turned her head to check what it was, she recognized a familiar face near the stage. "Look, girls! Isn't that Sona?" She called out, excitedly.

The others turned their heads with curiosity. It WAS her! She was sporting the blue full body suit and the helmet that she always wore for her concerts and seemed very concentrated on her hovering mixing table.

"Hey, Sona!" The DJ suddenly heard. She looked around her and spotted the K/DA girls approaching. Ahri was warmly waving at her. Her smile widened and she happily waved back. "What a surprise to find you here! We thought you were on tour!?" Asked Ahri.

The mute DJ raised her hand in their direction, signaling them to wait. Then, she started looking around, seemingly trying to find someone specific. This puzzled the K/DA girls greatly. What was she doing?

Kai'sa lifted one eyebrow. "Hm... Isn't she just going to write down the answer on her phone like she uses to?" She thought to herself. She didn't say it out loud, since she could come across as rude or impatient.

Sona still kept on looking for a few moments. Upon not finding who she was looking for, she shrugged and took out her phone. When she was ready to begin typing, she took one last look at the crowd around them. Kai'sa thought she must have found the person she needed because she lowered her phone and a wide smile drew itself on her lips. The K/DA girls turned around and immediately had an idea of who Sona was smiling at. A girl who seemed slightly younger than them was approaching. She had short brown hair waving in the evening wind, and bushy eyebrows above her hazel eyes. Her nose was long and flattened and her face was spotted with freckles. In her hands, she was carrying two water bottles.

"Hey, Sona! I brought the water! Here's yours." She announced, throwing one of the bottles to the DJ. "Catch!"

Sona caught it effortlessly with both hands and gave the girl a nod of gratitude.

"You're welcome!" The newcomer exclaimed. Only then did she fully realize they had company. "Oh, I'm sorry!" She excused herself, turning around to face them. "I didn't see you were here... I'm TRULY sorry." She took a little bit of time to properly inspect them, and after a few seconds her eyes lit up. "Wait a minute... You're the K/DA group! Wow! It's a pleasure to meet you! I'm a big fan."

The girls smiled politely. "The pleasure is all ours." Said Ahri touching her chest with her palm in a cordial gesture.

The girl was smiling from ear to ear. "I'm Taliyah." She straightened herself with pride. "Sona's personal sign language translator. She hired me a little before her tour, when Summer started." She quickly explained.

Kai'sa's mouth was agape. "Incredible. I didn't know you learned sign language, Sona. When did you start? Was it difficult?" She wished to know.

Taliyah and Sona instinctively looked at one another. The mute girl began making a seemingly endless number of elaborate gestures that the translator observed attentively. Once Sona was done, her helper turned to face the other girls. "She began her lessons last year. Sona said it wasn't as difficult as she thought it would be and she really enjoyed it. I was her teacher, in case you were wondering. She made progress really quickly and was very eager to learn, so I REALLY liked working with her."

The K/DA girls' eyes were open wide. They all had witnessed similar things in the past. But observing two people understanding one another through sign language was always fascinating. "This was a great idea, Sona. It HAS to feel good to be able to communicate much faster and WAY easier than before!" Commented Ahri.

Sona nodded eagerly in response. Taliyah's excitement about everything that was taking place could almost be physically felt. The big smile on her face and her eyes shining with glee just said it all.

"So, Sona. We weren't expecting to find you here tonight. It was a surprise. When did your tour end?" Akali wondered.

Taliyah spoke on behalf of both of them this time. "The tour ended three days ago. We arrived yesterday and Sona decided to participate in the EDM concert at the last minute." She explained, turning to face the DJ. "We had to make some arrangements, but it worked out and here we are."

Sona was unsurprisingly silent, listening to the conversation taking place, with a smile adorning her lips. She looked kindly at Taliyah as she kept on speaking. One could say she seemed very pleased with the translator she had chosen. But seemingly out of nowhere, her eyes widened and her lips parted slightly as if she had realized something. Taliyah noticed this and raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Sona? What is it?" She wished to know. She observed carefully as the DJ expertly moved her arms, hands and fingers to communicate. The K/DA girls almost didn't dare breathe: The whole sign language thing was so awesome...!

"What time is it?" Concluded Taliyah once Sona finished transmitting the message to her. She took out her phone from her jeans and quickly checked the time. "It's ten to eight. We need to finish getting ready. It's almost Sona's turn!" The girl turned around to face the K/DA group. "I'm so sorry girls. We really need to finish setting things up. But I loved getting to meet all of you!"

"Once again: The pleasure was all ours, Taliyah." Replied Ahri. "And it was great seeing you again, Sona. Best of luck!" She wished her, while beginning to distance herself with the rest of the group. Sona and Taliyah enthusiastically waved them goodbye until they could see them no longer.

As they walked away from the stage, Ahri turned to Akali. "I liked that new girl. She seems so sweet." She commented.

Akali nodded. "Yeah, I agree. And Sona seems to like her a lot. I think she made a good choice."

Without thinking, Ahri stated. "If Sona hadn't been on tour, we would have asked her to perform at our last party. You know how she usually accepts, even if she's super busy. She's a sweetheart." She said with a smile.

Akali's chest suddenly felt tight. "Oh. Yeah... She is..." She said, trying to mask the hurt that had manifested inside her.

Being reminded of that last party they had thrown made her think of Ekko. The ambience of the concert around her also didn't help. All those people dancing and having fun... It was so much like the party on that fateful night... She hadn't been tempted to think about him from the moment she had fought those thugs on the street. But now, there he was again. His smile and sweet eyes haunting her. But this time, unlike the previous times he had come to mind, she took a deep breath. Her worries left her mind as if being washed up by water.

Ekko was just fine. And he would come home one day. He would. She now firmly believed in it. And that certainty inside her heart drew a smile on her lips.

Unnerved by her friend's sudden silence, Ahri became slightly worried. "Akali? Are you OK?"

The girl gave her a big, satisfied grin. "Yeah! I'm great!"

Ahri smiled with relief.

"So, girls, what are we doing now?" Akali spontaneously asked, turning to Kai'sa and Eve.

Kai'sa rolled her eyes. "Duh!? Why do people come to concerts? Let's dance!" She said, excitedly running up to join a group of people that were tearing up the dance floor. Half way there, she detained herself and looked back at her friends. "The last one to join me will do the dishes tomorrow! At lunch AND dinner!"

"Oh goody..." Said Evelynn in a heavily sarcastic tone. Then, she shrugged. "I suppose the dishes ARE worse..." And she began walking up to join Kai'sa.

It didn't take long before all four K/DA girls were stealing the show with their dance moves. The simple act of moving her body freely, throwing her arms up, taking carefully calculated steps, was enough to fill Akali up with pure happiness.

"When Ekko is back, we'll dance together again. Like we always do." She thought to herself. "And we'll have the best time! It'll be like he was never even gone. I believe in it..."

With no room for negative thoughts or sadness, the girl danced the night away beside her friends.

In the distance, Sona's techno music filled the air as she conquered the stage with her brightly colored mixing table.

-----

Jhin dipped his fingers in the frigid water of the bathtub and sighed. How he wished he could provide the boy with a warm bath, even for once. Inviting him to dip into this freezing liquid felt more like a punishment than a kind gesture. But there was no way around it. He patiently waited for the tub to fill up completely before closing the faucet. He took a look around at the dust covering the floor and the sink countertop and all the filth in the corners and walls. The mirror was so dirty, he couldn't even see his own reflection. The boy deserved so much better than to wash up in a dirty and dimly lit room like this. Even though it had to be this way, it didn't mean he couldn't try to make things a little bit better for him. Jhin picked up a piece of cloth that was lying around and rapidly cleaned the dirt away. He only stopped when he felt like he couldn't do any more. He looked around at his handiwork and a small smile of satisfaction appeared on his lips. He truly hoped the boy would appreciate this little cleaning he had done. It wasn't much. But he was determined to make him feel at least a tiny bit better.

Jhin turned around, walked up to the door frame and looked into the bedroom. Ekko was sitting on the window sill, looking at the night beyond, his eyes clouded by a deep, raw sadness. He could almost feel the boy's desire for freedom etched deep into his soul, the longing for genuine kindness and warmth in his heart. A way to escape his current reality. His sorrowful gaze simply gave it all away...

"Hey." Jhin called out, capturing the teen's attention. "It's ready. Come." He said simply.

The boy simply nodded to acknowledge Jhin. He got up with slight difficulty and slowly walked up to the man. Once beside him, Ekko took a careful look into the bathroom, at the bath that was waiting for him.

"Go on." Jhin calmly encouraged him. The teen raised his head to deliver a sad smile of gratitude. Then he simply entered the bathroom. Jhin closed the door to give him some much needed privacy. The boy would surely appreciate it.

"I wish I could do more for you, child..." The masked man sorrowfully thought to himself. He turned around so his back was facing the closed door and he leaned against it.

Ekko slowly entered the bathtub and sat down. Even though the water was freezing, he smiled at all the effort this stranger was putting into the smallest things just to help him feel better. "You're doing so much for me. I can only say thank you. Over and over again... And I still feel like it isn't enough." He thought. The boy ended up trying to relax more than to actually clean himself. He distractedly played around with the crystalline liquid, taking it into his palm and then gently letting it flow down. He blinked and looked at the door.

"Jhin?" He called out.

"Yes?"

Ekko hesitated for a little bit. "Thank you... For everything."

The boy's simple, yet kind words were very touching and made the corners of Jhin's mouth turn up. "Don't worry about it, child." He replied. But a sad feeling almost immediately washed over him and his heart throbbed. Ekko seemed like such an approachable and warm-hearted kid. All of Viktor's victims had been such sweet, innocent children... How?... How could these monsters be hurting them and feel no remorse...? He just couldn't understand. What they were doing was unforgivable... But he did his best to shake off those negative thoughts. "Look. I'd really like to stay for longer, but I have some things to take care of. I'll come back tomorrow, all right?"

Ekko let out a sigh. "OK. See you tomorrow." He ended up saying from inside the bathroom.

Jhin slowly crossed the room and took a last look at the closed bathroom door before leaving.

-----

It was dark outside. The forest was enveloped in an evening mist. The leaves on the trees were rustling in the cold wind and everything was eerily quiet.

Jhin stepped out of the old house and into the clearing. He breathed in the cold night air and looked around. A stiff breeze blew through the holes in his mask and chilled his face. As cold as it was, it was only strong enough to cause the leaves of the nearby trees and bushes to trickle ever so slightly...

Suddenly, his ears picked up on a strange sound. Something wasn't right. Jhin furrowed his eyebrows and kept on walking to his car as if ignoring what he had heard. He walked non-stop for a while amidst the trees. He could already see his car. Calmly, he kept on going forward. And his astute senses spotted something. One tree seemed to rustle for only a second longer than the others. Jhin had just reached the vehicle. He unlocked the driver side door before speaking.

"I don't know why you're watching me, Zed... But you make it far too obvious."

A shadow seemed to appear behind him before taking form as the assassin. Jhin turned towards him and let out a sigh. Zed had a killer expression on his face. His nose was wrinkled in pure, unbridled anger and his eyebrows were furrowed to the point that they seemed to be causing him physical pain. His grimacing mouth opened as he spat out with venom. "I've had enough of your insolence you pathetic worm!"

He readied his blades and pulled his arms up towards Jhin. But he hadn't realized that the artist had effortlessly drawn his hand cannon and was pointing it square at his forehead.

"I'd be careful with that anger of yours, Zed, it'll get you in trouble one of these days." Jhin spoke slowly and carefully, with the measured determination of a man in full control. He cocked his gun, before letting out a slight chuckle.

Zed's face was still contorted with rage but he spun around and walked away from Jhin. "I don't give a damn about what you think of me. I'm watching you because I know you're up to no good. And I will prove it."

Jhin smirked and lowered his gun. "I truly have no idea what you think you know. But if I can spot you hiding in a tree, I don't know how you think you'll be watching me." He once again reached for the door and placed his hand on the handle. But the shadow took form by his side once again. Zed was seething in anger. "You WILL show me respect!" He yelled.

But Jhin, again, was unmoving. He smiled and looked down at Zed's feet. He muttered something under his breath and Zed's eyes widened in exasperation. "Quit whispering like a coward so I can hear you..." He said, giving his rival a venomous look.

And Jhin, still smiling, conceded. "Three... Four." He finished counting, this time loud and clear.

Confused, Zed looked down but it was already too late. The small lotus trap wrapped itself around his ankle and exploded, knocking him to the ground. It didn't deal any damage to Jhin, despite him being mere inches away. The man in the mask let out a laugh as he finally got into the car.

"You really do make this too easy. So pathetically predictable..." Jhin chuckled as he closed his door and began to drive away, leaving Zed rubbing his ankle. Though the physical wound would sting for a while, Jhin rejoiced in knowing the damage to Zed's ego would last a lifetime.

-----

Ekko observed with mild curiosity the wrinkles that had formed on his fingertips. Throughout his life, he had always been a person of hot, quick showers. And that hadn't given his fingers many opportunities to wrinkle. Frankly, he wasn't much of a swimmer, either. He didn't usually remain in the pool or the ocean long enough to watch it happen.

But his new reality had forced him into long, cold baths. And although the temperature wasn't inviting, there was this iron will inside him to remain there for as long as possible. This was one of the few places where he could find peace and solace from the constant abuse. No creepy whispers in his ears, no disgusting hands all over his body. Just him, the silence and the crystalline water.

The boy sighed deeply and submerged his whole body. He stayed just like that, for a few seconds, laying down at the bottom of the tub, looking at the ceiling. For just a few moments, he closed his eyes. He imagined he was back home. He turned to the side and Akali was sitting beside him on the couch while reading a sports magazine. Yasuo was taking a break from working on his music and having a cup of warm tea. Senna was sweetly cuddling with Lucian on the couch across his and Qiyana was touching up her makeup in front of a hand mirror. They were just enjoying a quiet afternoon together, like they did when there were no gigs or rehearsals. How he missed these moments. How he missed his friends... And then, in less than a second, he was back home. His parents were coming in through the front door and he was there to greet them. He always asked how work had been. They asked what he had been up to with his friends. Then, they would prepare dinner together. And tell stories and laugh. Be a family. His kind parents... How he wished he could have one more chance to tell them he loved them...

Ekko opened his eyes and slowly rose up from underneath the water. He breathed in deeply and filled his lungs with oxygen. Then, he slowly breathed out. He did his best to clear his mind of these memories of things he no longer had and he wasn't sure he would ever have again... They were simply too painful. To keep his imagination from wandering much farther, he decided he had bathed for long enough. He stepped out of the bathtub and reached for the towel. As he gently cleaned his sore body, something caught his attention. Through the corner of his eye, he saw the mirror had been wiped clean. Jhin's doing, no doubt... But only then did it occur to him that he hadn't seen his own reflection in a long time. He was aware of the bruises and cuts all over his arms, chest and back. But he hadn't looked at himself from top to bottom ever since he had gotten here...

But did he want to?

A part of him feared what he would see. Had he changed THAT much during the time he had spent in captivity?

He decided to risk it.

Ekko turned around and looked at the polished surface of the mirror. He saw two broken eyes staring back at him. There was so much fear in them... And then that fear turned to pure shock. The blood froze in his veins, his heartbeat got faster. His face was untouched, save for the chapped and dried lips. But he winced at the deep cuts all over his body... The ugly bruises... He had gotten so much thinner in just a few weeks, from the worry, the stress and the starvation. His hair, even though he had just bathed, still looked dirty and frazzled. He reminded himself of a homeless person. And he FELT homeless and completely lost... He had never seen himself in this state. And it pained him so much... He started seeing tears forming in those frightened eyes that stared back at him.

He could have cleaned this mirror before. It would have been so easy. But now he understood why subconsciously, he had avoided it altogether. Looking at his own battered self, at what had become of him, had been a great shock. The profound sadness in his gaze was unbearable. He ended up looking away and closing his eyes, causing two tears to stream down his face.

He felt weaker than ever before...

Without glancing at the mirror again, the boy wrapped the towel around his shoulders and moved to the bedroom. He looked at his dirty clothes lying on the bed and decided he felt better without them on. They would be just yanked off of him anyway. What was the point in him dressing up? The shirt had even begun to tear from being forcefully removed so many times. He sat on the floor and leaned against the side of the bed. Once again he looked out the window above him at the world outside. The moon was shining down on him.

He felt so cold. Inside and out. Would he ever be free from this place and the torment? Or would only death give him respite?

-----

Akali let herself fall on a chair, gasping and her cheeks slightly reddened. Ahri followed her example and sat beside her, holding a bottle of water. She too looked tired from all the dancing. Unsurprisingly, Evelynn had been the first one to stop and had disappeared to a corner where it was less crowded. Only Kai'sa was still going strong on the dance floor.

"She never gets tired does she? It's like she has an infinite supply of energy." Commented Ahri observing her friend spinning around powerfully. She looked at Akali for a moment and noticed she hadn't brought a bottle of water with her. "Akali, do you want some of mine?" She asked, raising her bottle.

"What?" Asked the girl, turning to Ahri. "No, no. I saw someone was selling water in a stand nearby. I'll go buy some for myself."

"It's a lot cheaper to bring one from home." Said Ahri with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I won't forget next time." Replied Akali while getting up. She took only a few steps before stopping abruptly, because she had just crashed with someone. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't see where I was going!" She immediately excused herself.

"No, it's ok! I should have been more careful." The boy said. Something about that voice seemed familiar though. Why was it familiar? Where had she heard it before? The girl raised her head and took a quick look at the stranger. He was tall, had his long black hair in a braid and was slightly muscular. He had fair skin and his eyes were decorated with long lashes and were dark brown in color.

Turns out, he ended up being the one who recognized her first. "Akali?" His eyes widened in excitement and a big smile appeared on his lips. "Boy, am I glad to see you. It's been years!"

Akali furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head to the side. Who was this boy who seemed so familiar and also knew her? And then it finally hit her. "Kayn!?"

"The one and only!" He joked.

"It's been so long! How have you been? Where have you been?" She asked. "You know what? I'm going to buy myself some water and I'll come back in a minute. And then you can tell me everything."

"I'll go with you, if you want." Offered Kayn with a smile. Akali accepted and a few minutes later, the two were sitting on two chairs, near the stand.

"So, what have you been doing all these years? Are you still rapping?" Akali asked, her eyes shining with curiosity.

"Well, yeah. But I'm also a DJ! My manager told me it could be a good idea to branch out. I'm performing later tonight."

"Oh, so that's why you're here. That's cool." Said Akali with a smile.

"Yeah. I came to the big city to try my luck. But it hasn't been working out very well. It's hard to gain a following as a solo rapper nowadays. Especially when there's such big names going around, like yours." He commented with a sad smile.

She was taken aback by his comment. "Oh. I believe it's just some bad luck. I know plenty of solo artists in the city who are gaining track at the moment. Your time just hasn't arrived yet. But you'll be fine, trust me."

"If you say so." Said Kayn, looking a bit happier. "But K/DA and True Damage are such big hits. And a great part of that success is you and Ekko, in all honesty. Both of you have so much talent... I wish I had half of it."

"Don't think like that. You're plenty good." Akali said with a wide smile. Kayn had been a rapper for longer than both of them. Of course, he was also four years older than her. She remembered clearly as day, his look of shock when Ekko, at just twelve, had started spitting fire in front of both of them. She had been surprised too. Ekko was a master of improvisation and a natural lyricist, able to come up with new verses seemingly out of thin air. She really admired that about him. She also remembered Kayn seemingly growing a bit bitter overtime. She had found it a bit silly that he was jealous of a kid. But the truth is that Kayn didn't have half the talent of Ekko. As much as he tried, the younger kid always seemed to come out on top. And soon, Ekko had become the talk of the city, overshadowing every other aspiring rapper, including Kayn. "You know, Kayn? When I was creating True Damage I heavily considered inviting you to join. But I was much closer to Ekko and he had made such a big name for himself already. I just went with him instead. But you were definitely on my mind back then. So you're not a failure in any way."

"Wow, really?" Kayn's eyes were shining at the revelation. "I totally understand why you went with Ekko. But thanks for taking me into consideration. It really means a lot."

Akali smiled with satisfaction but her happiness dwindled when Kayn asked the next question.

"Speaking of Ekko, how's he been? I haven't seen him ever since he left to join your group." The young man wished to know.

"Ah..." The girl cast down her eyes for a few seconds. "You... You haven't heard anything about it, have you?"

Kayn raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Heard about what?"

Akali raised her head and looked at him once again. "Ekko was kidnapped at a party a few weeks back. Right under our noses... He's still missing..."

Kayn's eyes widened. "Kidnapped? Man, I had no idea." He raised his hand and put it on her shoulder to try and comfort her. "I'm so sorry, Akali. It must be so hard for you. The two of you were inseparable. Are you feeling OK?"

"I've come to terms with him being gone. So I'm feeling better now. I have hope he'll come back to us. The police is working really hard to find him."

Kayn gave her a comforting smile and let go of her shoulder. "I hope he'll be all right."

"Thanks Kayn." She said, smiling back at him. Akali didn't want to linger on thoughts about Ekko for much longer, so she decided to change the topic. "So... It's your turn to ask me what I've been doing."

Kayn smirked. "Are you kidding? You're just one of the biggest stars at the moment. I've been following you and the rest of the bands' members on social media. And I've been to some of your concerts."

Akali was going to reply, when she heard the familiar sound of a flash going off and a bright light blinded her for a second.

"It's Akali! She's over there!" She heard a man excitedly scream a few meters away.

Once she could see again, the girl realized that a group of people holding cameras, mics and notebooks was running at her. "Paparazzis..." She complained. "I'm so not in the mood to deal with them right now!" In next to no time, both of them had been swarmed by the group. They questioned the girl relentlessly.

"Akali, who is this young man? Why are you two alone? Is something going on between you? Are you two dating?" A girl asked.

"WHAT?" Asked Akali, her eyes wide in shock. She felt like she had to clarify this one. "NO!? He's an old friend of mine!"

Another woman was already shoving the microphone in her face. "We've seen the rest of the K/DA are with you tonight. Why did you come to the concert?"

"Akali, how are you finding the event? Are there any comments you would like to make on it?"

"Miss, you were seen with DJ Sona earlier this evening. Is there anything you would like to say about her performance tonight?"

"Akali, are there any news regarding Ekko's disappearance? It is known that the two of you are really close."

That question was the last drop. The girl felt her blood beginning to boil in her veins. "Please, leave! I'm not answering any questions tonight!"

Kayn, on the other hand, was absolutely ecstatic with seeing so many cameras flashing around him. This was the attention he so desperately craved. How could Akali hate this? He was absolutely smiling from ear to ear, but upon noticing the girl's discomfort, he rapidly leaned closer to her and whispered "Here's a backstage pass. Go hide there. I'll keep as many as I can distracted." She looked down and he was discretely handing her a small piece of paper. With her eyes shining with gratitude, she whispered a thank you and picked up the pass. Kayn smiled at her. "Run!" He advised her. The girl didn't need to be told twice. As she prepared to leave, she saw Kayn readily getting up. "Didn't you hear her? She isn't answering any questions! Please step back!"

As Akali made her way through the small crowd, she couldn't help but appreciate Kayn's kindness. He was really saving her right now. She would have to thank him and do something for him at some point... As soon as she was free and began running, many of the paparazzi chased after her. She looked back for a second and noted that a few people had actually stayed behind with Kayn. She imagined they must be dead curious about this boy who had been seen alone with one of the "biggest stars of the moment". He was finally getting some attention for himself! She smiled at the thought as she tried to outrun the people still flashing their cameras and throwing questions to the air.

Akali passed by the crowd attending the concert like a bullet. She could already see the stage's lights! Running out of breath, she made a last effort to sprint to the backstage. Once she got to the entrance, she rapidly talked to the security guard. "Good evening, here's my pass. Please let me through." She said with difficulty, gasping heavily and red as a tomato. The man examined the piece of paper for a few seconds before stepping to the side. "Right this way, miss." He said, handing her back the pass and pointing to the entrance. Akali thanked him politely and looked back to check on the group of people that were about to get to her. Without wasting time, she stepped inside. All she could hear now was the muffled voice of the guard saying that they weren't allowed inside and the words of protest of the paparazzi.

Chapter Text

Akali sighed deeply as she walked slowly through the crowd. She took a quick sip of water from the bottle she had bought as she looked around, looking for her friends. It had almost been forty-five minutes since she had sought refuge in the backstage. Those paparazzi sure were persistent, even with a security guard shouting at them, ordering them to leave. Patiently, she had waited in the empty room for those insufferable people to get tired and leave her alone. In there, everything was silent, save for the muffled sounds of the concert outside. The girl had taken a minute to calm her beating heart and to regulate her breathing from all the running. She usually didn't mind paparazzi all that much. They were only doing their job, after all. But at the moment, she really couldn't stand being asked personal questions. Especially about Ekko...

Her heart skipped a beat when an image of her friend being taken away appeared in her mind's eye. She could only imagine him, limp, in a man's arms, being put in the back of a van. Caitlyn had said something about his drink being spiked, hadn't she? He must have been so confused when the drugs kicked in. So scared when someone, probably armed, had attacked him out of nowhere. Had he cried in panic? Had he struggled and tried to get away? Had fear taken over, freezing him in place and rendering him unable to react?

Had Ekko desperately called out to HER for help? That possibility alone was enough to break her heart...

The guilt weighed her down like a rock sinking into water. She could have protected him. She could have given the kidnapper the beating of his life and saved Ekko from his clutches. Instead, while all of this was going down, she had happily been signing autographs for her fans. And with that, she had miserably failed one of the most important people in her life...

The loud sounds from the stage suddenly broke through the image in her mind. The colors of the lights fell upon her as if calling her to reality. Now wasn't the time to get lost in those depressing thoughts.

Swiftly, Akali zigzagged through the crowd of people dancing and enjoying the music, until she approached the area where she had last seen Ahri. From where she was, she could already make out the long blonde hair, the fox ears and the gigantic fox tails. Ahri was impossible to miss, even amidst the chaos. Eve had probably gotten bored from being by herself and had left her quieter corner to join Ahri. And Kai'sa had finally taken a break from all the dancing, even if she didn't look tired in the slightest. She wasn't at all flustered or sweaty. That girl's crazy energy and endurance were an absolute mystery.

Kai'sa was saying something to Ahri and seemed amused, but she ended up spotting Akali in the distance and signaled the others. Once the girl finally got near the group, Evelynn was the first to speak. "There you are! Where have you been?"

"Sorry I took so long. A bunch of paparazzi showed up and I had to run or they wouldn't leave me alone." Akali pointed backwards with her thumb in the direction of the stage. "Kayn gave me his backstage pass and I just hid there until they left." She explained.

"Kayn? Who's that?" Kai'sa raised one eyebrow.

Ahri looked at her and smiled. "A friend of hers. I heard them say they hadn't seen one another in years."

"Yeah. Kayn was one of the older kids in the neighborhood where Ekko and I grew up in. He wasn't exactly a "friend", more like an acquaintance, you know? After I left to join you girls, I never saw him again."

Evelynn was furrowing her eyebrows. "But you? Running away from paparazzi? That doesn't sound like you..."

Akali's smile dwindled. "Yeah... I'm not in the right state of mind to answer questions at the moment. And worst of all, they wanted to know about Ekko. And I just couldn't bring that up..."

Kai'sa, Ahri and Evelynn exchanged worried glances.

Akali sighed. She looked the others straight in the eyes and decided to finally voice all her worries. "There's this guilt inside me that just won't go away. I feel like I completely failed Ekko. I could have protected him. But I didn't... That night, if I knew what was about to happen, I would have faced anyone who tried to take him away. I would have stopped them. No matter the cost."

Kai'sa shifted uncomfortably. She hesitated for a few moments before delivering. "You know, Akali? Our conscience hasn't exactly been clear either after that night. We just didn't tell you, because you got absolutely devastated..." She glanced at Ahri and Eve, who nodded for her to proceed. "Just think about it. Ekko was kidnapped at OUR house. Under OUR noses. Imagine how we felt about that..." She put her hand to her chest to emphasize what she was saying. "If it were in our power, we would have defended him. IF we knew, whoever wanted to take him would have to get through us first."

The concert lights shone in Ahri's sad eyes. "We do feel guilty that something as tragic as that happened inside our own house. But we had no idea it would happen. His kidnapper obviously had a plan and executed it perfectly. There was nothing any of us could do. And as sad as it may sound, there was nothing YOU could do either!"

Evelynn straightened herself up on her seat and her serious gaze met with Akali's. "You've got to drop the idea that any of what happened that night was your fault. It wasn't! It wasn't Ekko's fault. And it wasn't our fault." She leaned forward slightly to finish explaining herself. "The person who kidnapped him is the only one to blame, Akali. The only one. The blame only rests on that person's shoulders. And that's the pure truth."

Akali's eyes were wide open. Her mouth parted slightly. Her body was petrified from the shock. She didn't speak for long moments and her thoughts were flying everywhere. Her friends... Her friends were so right. The person who had taken her best friend away... They were the only ones responsible for what had happened. They had probably spied on Ekko. They had concocted the plan carefully so everything would go smoothly. And the kidnapping had been successful. And now Ekko was somewhere out there. Alone. With this monster.

The blood began intensely boiling in Akali's veins. Her hand clenched into a fist. "I... I really don't know what to say, girls. But you're right. You're absolutely right. That monster is the only one to blame..." She spat out coldly.

Ahri gave her a sympathetic look. "If you had caught his kidnapper in the act, I can only imagine how he would look after."

"He'd be in a pulp." Commented Evelynn with a smirk. "That's Akali for you."

Kai'sa had her eyes on Akali and the girl, with her whole body tense like a rock and her fist shaking from being painfully clenched, seemed about to catch on fire. In that moment, if someone told her Akali's gaze could cut through steel, she wouldn't doubt it. "Hey, are you OK, Akali?"

Her friend raised her eyes and they were like two burning embers. "Yes, thank you. I was looking at this whole thing completely wrong..."

Kai'sa smiled and walked over to the upset girl. She put her arm over her shoulders to try to calm her down. "That's OK. We all need a little help sometimes. Please don't beat yourself over this."

Slowly, through some deep breaths and Kai'sa's encouraging words, Akali cooled down. On the outside that is. Because inside her, the flame that had ignited still burned bright like the sun. It was a powerful will to go out there and find Ekko herself. To save him from whatever torment he was being put through. And there was also this dark feeling of wanting to make his kidnapper pay for what he had done. For even daring to lay a finger on her friend...

"Thanks girls. Coming here really was a great idea. The last weeks have been really difficult for me." Akali said with a smile. Despite not showing it to them, now, more than ever, she felt capable of anything.

"We got you girl." Said Ahri with a kind smile that made the skin around her eyes wrinkle tenderly.

The demonstrations of affection were short lived. Evelynn got up out of nowhere and began intensely staring at someone who was passing by. "Oh. Who's that?" She asked as a smirk drew itself on her lips.

The others didn't even need to turn around to know that she had found a potential company for the night. The tone of her voice spoke volumes. Akali, slightly amused, rolled her eyes. She decided to check on whoever it was that Eve was interested in and her mouth fell open.

"Hey Akali! I've been looking for you." Said Kayn raising his arm in the air as a greeting. "Good evening, girls. It's a pleasure to meet the stars of the moment." He politely acknowledged the rest of the group.

Evelynn was interested in spending the night with Kayn? It wasn't as if he wasn't good-looking or anything. But for Akali, it felt somewhat weird that one of her best friends wanted to hook up with someone she had been childhood friends with, more or less. "Hey Kayn." She greeted him with a small wave.

"So this is that Kayn you were talking about." Commented Kai'sa looking him in the eyes. "It's also a pleasure to meet you."

Akali took a step forward and reached into her pocket. "I suppose you came for your pass?"

"Yeah, thanks. I hope those pesky paparazzi didn't bother you too much. " Kayn accepted the small paper with a smile. "I also came to ask if we can keep in touch on Twitter or so. It was real nice to find you after all this time."

Akali smiled. "Sure. Just message me anytime and we can talk!"

"Great! I gotta go now. It's my turn to hop on stage. Wish me luck girls!"

The young man began distancing himself and Evelynn crossed her arms in disappointment. "Ah, I see, he's busy. They always are. Men nowadays are a real pain in the neck."

Ahri chuckled at Eve's comment and turned to Akali. "So Kayn's a DJ."

"Well, from what I picked up, he's still a rapper. But he's trying to branch out as a DJ. He's not having much luck getting noticed you see?" Akali explained.

"Ah bummer." Said Ahri while she watched him getting the mixing table ready on stage. "I'm sure luck will come knocking on his door sooner or later. Let's see how well he does."

Kayn had just began sending out some beats and his music rapidly took over. He wasn't as experienced or confident as someone like Yasuo or Sona and that was pretty obvious. His movements were a bit stiff from the nervousness and he seemed more worried with keeping everything under control than with letting himself flow with the rhythm. But the music was actually quite decent. The surrounding crowd seemed to agree.

"Not bad." Said Ahri with a small smile. She looked at Akali and she seemed quite pleased with the sound. Her eyes were sparkling as she was really focused on Kayn and her grin was wide. She smirked and decided to mess with her friend a bit. "Do you like him, Akali? You're smiling a lot."

It was as if someone had suddenly poured a bucket of cold water on the girl. She ceased to smile and her eyes widened. Annoyed, she faced Ahri. "WHAT? Of course not! What makes you say that?"

The fox girl let out a pristine laugh. "Relax. I'm just teasing!" With a playful smile on her lips, she added. "Maybe you could help him get some recognition. Perhaps in a collab of sorts in the future?"

Akali's expression became milder when she realized Ahri wasn't being serious. "Yeah. That could be a good idea. I'll think about it."

Ahri smiled and looked around to check on the others. Kai'sa was already happily dancing to the beat and Evelynn had left them and was hitting on a blonde guy a few meters away. The nine-tailed fox sighed and shook her head. Those two would never change.

-----

Senna gently covered her mouth to hide a yawn. As she walked through the hallway, she was suddenly dazzled by the sunlight getting in through the window. The girl instinctively shielded her eyes with her arm and once she recovered, she took a look outside. The sun was shining above the skyscrapers and the sky was like a polished sapphire. The clothes that were drying on the clothesline were completely still, indicating there wasn't any wind blowing. It seemed like it was going to be a pleasant sunny day of Fall and that thought made Senna smile.

She adjusted her robe before making her way to the kitchen. Once she got through the door, she saw Qiyana and Yasuo were already there. "Morning, guys."

Qiyana looked like a pink hurricane, all enveloped in her fluffy robe and with messy hair. She was looking down at her coffee and didn't seem well-rested with small bags under her eyes. But maybe it was because she hadn't done her makeup yet. Once she took notice of Senna's presence, she lifted her head up and greeted her. Yasuo had already dressed and shaved as usual. He was holding the TV in his hands as he inspected it carefully and was very concentrated. He uttered a quick "good morning" but didn't even turn around.

"Is something wrong with the TV?" Asked Senna, raising an eyebrow.

"It's not working." Qiyana quickly explained, taking a sip of her coffee. "Any luck, Yas?"

The man shook his head. "I'll call the repairman later."

And Senna raised her eyebrows in surprise. "But what for? We can just ask Ekko to try and fix..." When she realized what she had just said, she instinctively covered her mouth. Qiyana jolted in her seat from the surprise and stared at her, wide-eyed. Yasuo froze in place, turned around and gave her a confused look. The tension in the room had insanely increased in a matter of seconds.

Slightly embarrassed, Senna gently rubbed her eyes. "I'm so sorry guys... I'm still half asleep." She tried to excuse herself.

There was now a hint of sadness in Yasuo's eyes. He turned around and put the TV down. Qiyana seemed a bit annoyed and somberly looked at her coffee. "His parents got up super early. They're already out, looking for him." She commented in a tone of voice that came off as a bit cold.

"I see..." Said Senna, rubbing her arm, trying mask her uneasiness. "They're going back next Friday, aren't they? They can't afford to miss more work."

"Yeah." Qiyana said, dryly.

Senna shifted uncomfortably. She went ahead and picked up an apple from the fruit bowl. As she leaned against the counter, the silence in the room was deafening. The tension, almost palpable. "Great going, Senna..." She thought to herself.

In that moment, the sound of approaching footsteps could be heard in the hallway. Akali showed up at the door frame, already dressed and with her hair perfectly combed. "Good morning guys!" She exclaimed, with a smile on her lips.

Yasuo had picked up a magazine he himself had bought that morning, and was now sitting down at the table across Qiyana. A cup of warm tea fumed in front of him. "You're up early." He commented, addressing Akali.

"Yep. Came back at 2 a.m." She explained. "Already slept enough." She walked over to the coffee machine and grabbed a cup that was beside it.

Senna was grateful for Akali's arrival. She had cut the heavy tension and killed the uncomfortable silence. Plus, she seemed way more cheerful. "How was it last night? Did you have fun with the other K/DA?" She wished to know.

Akali waited for the machine to finish pouring the coffee and for the noise to stop before replying. "Yeah. I missed hanging out with them. They really helped me cheer up." She said.

"I can see that." Senna commented with a smile. "What were you up to?"

"Kai'sa made us dinner. Because, of course she did..." She joked, rolling her eyes. "Spicy ramen. It was delicious." The girl pulled up a chair and sat down next to Yasuo. "Then we went to a concert. We were with Sona, even! She's back from her tour..."

Qiyana observed Akali as she narrated the events of the previous night. The ice in her veins melted. Seeing the girl who seemed so depressed the last few weeks, so happy, made her smile on the inside. Then, her eyes found Yasuo. He was sitting back and reading his magazine while sipping some tea. Qiyana smirked internally. She was sure he had bought it to see if there were any news on the upcoming Star Guardian comics. Senna was resting her head on her hand and simply listening to Akali with a smile adorning her lips.

This was the calmest moment they had had, ever since that fateful night. Seeing everyone just enjoying themselves and relaxing, filled Qiyana to the brim with joy. Even if she didn't show it.

But the peace was short lived...

All of a sudden, Yasuo straightened himself on his chair. His eyebrows were furrowed and he was supporting a heavy frown on his face. His eyes were focused on the pages and his hands were heavily gripping both edges of the magazine.

Qiyana was taken aback by his behavior and blinked in confusion. "Yasuo? Is everything all right?"

The man didn't answer immediately. His gaze was sliding through each line and his eyes kept on narrowing with the concentration. Once he finished reading whatever had warranted such reaction, he just lifted his head up and spoke. "Akali!? What is this?"

Confused, the girl stopped talking and turned to face Yasuo. "Huh? What's what?"

"Has Akali found Ekko's replacement?" He read in a very serious tone.

Akali's eyes widened. "WHAT!?" She was completely lost. "What do you mean?"

Both Senna and Qiyana had been caught completely off-guard. The shock had rendered them speechless.

"There's an entire interview here with the rapper that you supposedly invited to join us." Yasuo said, turning to the magazine once again. "My name is Kayn, I'm 23. Akali and I were friends when we were younger. We grew up in the same neighborhood. I was one of the people who introduced her to rap and she quickly surpassed me. She's always been so talented."

Akali's heart started beating fast as confusion and panic settled in. Was this what Kayn was telling the paparazzi when they surrounded him the previous night?

"It's not easy to gain track in an industry so big, so Akali has agreed to help me." Yasuo read in a disappointed tone. "Despite her moving away, we never lost touch. She said she came to the concert to watch my performance and to support me. I couldn't have asked for a better friend." Yasuo lifted his eyes from the paper to check on Akali, who looked absolutely horrified with what she was hearing. "Then it says: Akali, from the hugely successful K/DA has apparently contemplated the possibility of inviting Kayn to join True Damage. Following the tragic incident involving Ekko, the band has been left without one of its members. It's reasonable that Akali would try to find a replacement for the young rapper and Kayn seems like an eligible candidate. Could that be the reason why the two of them retreated to a quieter spot? So they could have this private conversation in peace? Or could there be something more going on between them?"

"WHAT? Just, WHAT?" Akali screamed, her face beginning to turn red with indignation. "It's true that I was with Kayn last night. But I NEVER asked him to join us! In what world does he THINK he can replace Ekko??? I NEVER said anything like that to him! And we DIDN'T keep in touch! HE'S LYING!"

Qiyana's and Senna's expressions had gone from shocked to worried. Yasuo just looked extremely angry. "There's more: Akali revealed to me tonight that she invited Ekko when she formed TD, simply because it was more convenient to her. Otherwise, she would have chosen me instead. But it is what it is and I respect her decision."

Akali was positively fuming. She put her hands over her face to try and control the desire to flip the table over. "I'm going to be sick."

Yasuo put the magazine down on the table. He crossed his arms and took a deep breath as he tried making sense of what he had just read.

Qiyana had recovered from the shock and was now frowning heavily. Her eyes were sparking with anger. "Puta madre! Que cabrón!"

This drove Senna to stare at her, wide-eyed. When Qiyana started swearing in Spanish, it was known things had just gotten real. That is why they all knew Qiyana had never been actually upset with Ekko, even when he really got under her nerves. She'd never thrown Spanish swears at him...

This little thought was a jab at her heart and she immediately sent it away. The present situation was difficult enough as it is.

"Asshole!" Akali complained. "Just to think he used me to get attention!" Her blood was like lava, burning in her veins. "If I get my hands on Kayn, I'm going to kill him!"

"He took advantage of Ekko's situation to gain fame... What an absolute jerk!" Commented Senna in a very serious tone. "Even if the worst happened and Ekko never came back, we would NEVER replace him."

"Ekko isn't a flat tire that we can just throw away. He's one of us." Yasuo said with a calm that he didn't feel.

"Agreed." Said Senna.

Akali was trying her best to regulate her breaths and keep calm. She was fiercely fighting the urge to break everything around her and Qiyana noticed it. Feeling bad for her friend, the Latina girl reached out to her and gently touched her arm. "Hey, it's ok Akali. We'll take care of that "hijo de puta". I'll give him a piece of my mind. Just you wait and see."

-----

"You didn't bleed this time." Commented Sylas meanly, while putting his clothes back on. "You must be getting used to us being inside you."

Lying down on the bed, Ekko had adopted the fetal position and was doing his best to withstand the severe pain rushing through his body. The poor child was trying to silence his own sobs and cried quietly. Sylas hated it when he sobbed and had forbidden it in his presence. He dreaded being punished for disobeying the man.

They all had different approaches when it came to taking him on. They all had different rules he needed to obey and distinct punishments if he broke them. But every single one left him feeling empty inside. It was as if every time they attacked him, they took a small piece of his soul. In its place, only pain, misery and shame were left behind. And every time, it felt like there was a little less of him. His identity and humanity were slipping away, leaving only a lifeless body behind. An empty shell that was meant to be used and abused and nothing more.

Amidst his tears, Ekko watched Sylas opening the door and leaving the room. Not even five seconds later, someone else emerged in the darkness of the hallway. Once the new presence came into the room's light, Ekko's body froze in place, his eyes widened and he stopped breathing.

"Hello, my little one." He heard. His heart began beating like a drum inside his chest. "I hope Sylas didn't hurt you much."

Viktor's voice was smooth, silky and calm. Very different from the bitter, rage-filled tone he had been using lately, ever since the attempted escape. He sounded very pleased... Fear crawled down Ekko's spine. Something was wrong. What could have possibly made Viktor happy? He was also keeping his hands behind his back as if he was hiding something. It made Ekko's stress levels turn up to eleven.

The man was already right next to him, giving him those creepy, lustful looks. The boy didn't move a muscle. He simply waited for the abuse to start, with his heart in his throat. And it didn't take long.

First, Viktor let go of whatever he was carrying and let it fall on the bed, but Ekko couldn't see what it was. The boy jolted when he saw the man's hands coming for him. Viktor wrapped his fingers around Ekko's neck and dragged him upwards, making him sit upright. Then he sat down on the bed beside him and forced the child to sit on his lap. Ekko was coughing heavily and taking deep breaths to recover from the short strangulation. But the abuser didn't give him much time to regain his composure. He simply pulled the boy back-first against his chest and wrapped his arms around the smaller body. Terrified and in pain, but without showing even an ounce of resistance, Ekko stayed still and waited for the rest to unfold.

But "the rest" did not happen as he was expecting.

Viktor didn't begin touching him everywhere or begin licking and biting his ear as usual. He stood still with his arms enveloping his chest and his head resting on the boy's shoulder. Like he was simply hugging him. Ekko's heart was beating wildly. He wasn't understanding anything. What was going on with Viktor? Why the drastic change in attitude? What was that object he had brought with him?

And then, the answers started coming.

"Little one, when you tried running away from me, you really hurt my feelings." Viktor began saying in a fake sad tone. "But it's ok. I want you to know that I forgive your attempted escape. I'm sorry I've been so hard on you, lately. You're still a child and children make mistakes, but you needed to learn your lesson. If I punished you, it's because I care." Viktor said with a smile. "I love you, Ekko. You know that, don't you?"

A few moments of silence followed.

The boy was at a loss for words. He didn't know what to answer to such a ridiculous statement. He became extremely divided. One side of him dreaded opening his mouth in fear of a harsh punishment for stepping out of line. The other side of him refused to accept what the man had said and was dying to talk back. He simply couldn't stand hearing the words "I love you" from the mouth of someone who had stolen him from his loved ones, taken away his freedom, his dignity and his innocence. A demon who had caused him nothing but unbearable pain. He could end up regretting it, but he had to say something.

"You don't love me." He whispered coldly.

Viktor frowned. "What is it that you said, little one?"

Ekko closed his eyes and gathered up the courage to speak louder. "You don't love me!". He spat accusingly. He could already feel the sting of a painful slap incoming.

But nothing happened.

He opened his eyes up again in shock. Contrary to his expectations, the man hadn't moved to punish him in any way. Instead, he was still holding him close and resting his head on his shoulder while breathing softly into his neck.

Through the corner of his eye, Ekko could see a creepy smirk drawing itself on Viktor's lips.

"Who loves you then, Ekko? Who? Your little friends back home? Your family?" And with a devious smile, Viktor played the last card. "Your dear Akali?"

The boy's heart skipped a beat. Was this monster really trying to go there? Was he trying to convince him that his loved ones didn't care about him so he would believe his empty, manipulative words? He knew Viktor was only trying to get into his head. And he wasn't going to let him. He trusted his parents. He knew his friends. He knew Akali.

They would never abandon him. Akali would never abandon him...
They cared about him. They cared. He knew they cared. There was no doubt in his heart.

"I'm important to my family and friends." Ekko spat coldly as he glared daggers at his abuser. "They love me. But to you, I'll never be more than a toy for your sick pleasure."

There was a long moment of dead silence. The boy, once again, waited nervously for a painful hit that never came. Instead, he heard a mean chuckle.

"They love you, is that so?" Asked Viktor with a creepy smile. "I wouldn't be so sure, little one. Because maybe I know something that you don't..."

Ekko's eyes widened. "What... What are you saying?" He stuttered.

With an enigmatic grin crossing his face, the man unwrapped one of his arms from the boy's torso. He reached out for the object that he had dropped earlier, revealing it to be a magazine. It was already open on the page of interest and Viktor displayed it in front of his captive. "This issue came out this morning." He informed him with a devious smile.

Ekko's blood froze in his veins. The one in the pictures... The wild platinum blonde hair, the slim figure, the big grey-ish blue eyes, the fair skin. It couldn't be...

Akali?

In one of the pictures, the girl found herself in the middle of a crowd, dancing with the other K/DA, without a care in the world. She looked so happy... In another one, she was walking alongside a guy with a very long braid that seemed slightly familiar. Was that...Kayn? They were having a conversation and were grinning from ear to ear. In the next shot, Akali was once again accompanied by Kayn, surrounded by a group of paparazzi.

A part of him was so happy to see her, even if it was only in pictures. But at the same time, she was well aware that he was missing. Why didn't she look concerned in the slightest? Why was she at a concert, dancing with her friends as if everything was fine?

The boy wanted to believe that she had gone there only to cheer herself up or so. Surely his disappearance had had some kind of negative impact on her... But then Viktor turned the page. The title in bold white letters at the top made his heart feel very small.

"Has Akali found Ekko's replacement?"

Replacement.

Akali was... replacing him?

He had disappeared out of the blue. Had been kidnapped. And the first thing his friends thought of doing, was finding someone else to replace him in the band? Like he... like he wasn't important?

Kayn was the person being interviewed... It was him that Akali had chosen to take his spot in the band? The guy wasn't even good. He had so many memories of him struggling to get the simplest bar right...

It didn't say anywhere that it would be temporary. There was no mention of them wanting to find him. There was no mention of any worry at all.

He felt like he had begun sinking down a dark hole. The more he read, the deeper down he went...

No. He had to get out of it.

This was only Viktor trying to mess with his head. This wasn't real, it couldn't be.

"See? They've abandoned you, my little one. I'm all you have left." Viktor whispered in his ear, sending chills down his spine. He pulled him closer and hugged him tighter. "But I'm not like them. I'll never leave you."

The boy had had enough.

"No!" He made an effort to shy away from Viktor's advances "You're only trying to hurt me. None of this is real! My friends DO care and they're worried about me. I know they are."

The man saw that strong, raw confidence in the child's eyes. Such trust in his friends. So innocent. So pure... But at the same time, there was a glint of fear and doubt in there. He smiled with satisfaction.

"So cute. You can believe what you want, little one. But not even your blind trust in your dear friends can deny the evidence you have right in front of you." He said sweetly. He then proceeded to kiss the boy's cheek and let him go.

Ekko simply stayed in place, unmoving, as Viktor exited the room.

He didn't believe him. He didn't. It was all fake. He knew his friends...

But then, why was the seed of doubt growing inside his heart? He tried ignoring it. But it was there. It wouldn't go away.

What if... What if what Viktor was saying was potentially true? He didn't want it to be. He loathed the idea. But what if it was...?

His friends hadn't wasted time with finding someone to take his place in the group. Akali seemed so relaxed and happy for someone whose best friend's fate was unknown.

Did they really care? Did... did any of them care?

They seemed to be in such a hurry to get the band up and running again... Definitely for the money and so they wouldn't lose popularity... In the end, it felt like it didn't matter to them who was in his position. It didn't matter that he wasn't around anymore...

The teen slid off the bed onto the floor and leaned against the wall. He wasn't sure if he wanted to keep on reading, but his curiosity got the best of him. He picked up the magazine again and looked further down the page.

"Akali revealed to me tonight that she invited Ekko when she formed TD, simply because it was more convenient to her. Otherwise, she would have chosen me instead."

It was more... convenient to her...?

A convenience...

Was that all he was to Akali deep down?

It said in the article that she had been by Kayn's side while he was being interviewed, just like the picture from the other page showed. She had heard Kayn say this. And she hadn't objected. It was true...

His heart was racing.

Now that he was out of the picture, Akali had hurried to find the next most "convenient" guy on her list to replace him. Just like he had been the most convenient friend for her to make back then. Otherwise, why would a nine year old show any interest in playing with a six year old? And when she had reached her teen years, what good reason did she have to choose him over the rest of the kids? What sane fifteen year old would want to be seen around a twelve year old?

Fake.

That's what she was. That's all she had ever been. Fake. Their friendship was a whole bunch of nothing. He loved her, he cared about her. But she simply "needed" him. He just wished he had found out sooner. He had been so blind.

He dreaded what she would say if she discovered the situation he was in. She would laugh. She would say all the suffering served him right for being stupid and gullible and believing she actually gave a fuck about him.

His whole body was stiff like a stone. He began trembling. Everything hurt. He was so cold, inside and out. Ekko let out a grief filled sob and took his hands to his head in desperation. Even if he ever managed to get out of here, some of the people he had trusted the most had shown their true colors. He couldn't ever look at them the same way again.

The tears were streaming down his face.

They didn't care about him. They didn't give a damn if he was alive or dead.

His dear parents... They were the only ones who had always been there for him. But they were far away. There was nothing they could do to help. And if he ever went back, he wouldn't have the courage to look them in the eyes.

What would they say when they discovered he had been raped? They would be ashamed. Disgusted. They wouldn't want to even get close. Their only son was now dirty and impure. He had let himself get tricked in a ridiculous way and that had led to his capture. He had been so stupid. There was no one to blame for this situation except himself. He could already see his mom's horrified expression and his dad's disappointed face. And how could he blame them...?

He pulled his hair in frustration and let out a scream of despair.

He couldn't feel anything besides the tears falling down his face. Everything was numb.

He was so weak. Helpless. Stupid. Filthy.

He was an absolute miserable failure.

He would be better off dead...

And with a heavy heart, Ekko made a difficult decision. He reached under the bed and retrieved the thick rope that had bound his wrists so many times. With a blurry vision, letting out anguished sobs, he began tying a knot on one of its edges. To make a noose.

He had no future here. He would only keep on getting abused and tormented every minute until he finally collapsed. He had no future if he went back home. He would be loathed, everyone would be disgusted of his battered broken body. And so much of his old life had been a lie...

For a minute, Jhin came to his mind. The man had tried to help him. He had been so kind and done everything in his reach. But not even he could save him.

"I'm sorry..." The boy thought as more tears fell from his red-rimmed eyes. "You tried. It wasn't your fault. It was my fault. All my fault..."

With difficulty, Ekko got up. His legs were weakened and wouldn't stop shaking. His head was spinning, a wave of nausea washed over him. He stumbled and almost fell, but was able to regain his balance at the last second. Slowly, he dragged himself to the opposite corner of the room. He picked up one of the old chairs that lay abandoned, covered in spiderwebs, and took it with him. He placed it below one of the ceiling beams. And with a horrible pain in his chest, he tied the rope so it was hanging above it.

This was it.

It would all be over soon...

As he climbed on top of the chair, he whispered what were about to be his last words.

"Thank you, Jhin. For everything."

-----

Jhin was going up the stairs. The dust he lifted into the air with each step spiraled around his feet. Everything in the old house seemed calm.

He wondered how the boy was. He'd looked so down the day prior. He felt bad about just leaving the child like that. He'd brought him some things that he thought could cheer him up. It was the least he could do to make up for it.

The masked man arrived at the dimly lit second floor and approached the boy's room. Slowly, he withdrew the key and unlocked the door. The hinges creaked ominously and he stepped inside.

And then he saw it... On the opposite side of the room.

Jhin stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes opened wide in shock. He suspended his breathing. His entire body tensed.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing...

Ekko's lifeless body was hanging from the ceiling, gently swaying.

Chapter Text

It had begun to pour. In the distance, thunder roared like an angry lion.

Jhin's blood had frozen in his veins. For what seemed like an eternity, he couldn't make a move. The shock had turned him to stone, and the horrifying scene haunted his wide-open eyes.

"Ekko..." He whispered in disbelief.

He forced himself to take a step forward and that was enough to resume control over his petrified body. The blood began circulating freely once again and he sprinted to the boy's side. He looked up in horror at the child hanging slightly above him.

Why...?

Why would Ekko do this...?

He knew he had been through hell. He knew he was suffering more than he could ever imagine.

But still... why?

Why did it have to end like this...?

"I'm so sorry, child. This shouldn't have happened." He said, even if Ekko could no longer hear him. "I failed you..."

With a heavy heart, without knowing what to do, Jhin gently took the boy's hand.

And then he realized...

It was still warm.

And it wasn't stiff...

The man blinked in surprise. His heart started racing inside his chest and he immediately checked for a pulse.

There wasn't one...

But if the body was still warm and there were no signs of stiffness... Then maybe, just maybe, he could still do something. He looked up at the teen's face with newfound hope.

Rapidly, yet carefully, he wrapped one arm around the boy's torso and used the other one to loosen the noose around his neck. His heart skipped a beat when the dark mark of the strangulation became visible. He winced at the sight, but he didn't let it stop him in his tracks. He was racing against time and if he took too long, it could end up being too late for Ekko.

Gently, he set the boy free from the rope and enveloped him in his arms. He couldn't ignore how light the child was. Ekko wasn't particularly tall and had undoubtedly grown thinner over the month he had been imprisoned. It was like holding a fragile baby bird.

"You may have lost all hope. But I'm not giving up on you, child." The man said with determination, gently laying the boy down on the ground. Without wasting any more time, Jhin placed both hands over Ekko's chest and put himself in position. Then, he pushed against the center of his chest with every ounce of strength that he could muster. Again, again and again, to try to get his heart working once more.

Jhin put his back into the task at hand. Beads of sweat began running down his chest and back. The mask was trapping the heat around his face, worsening the sweating. His arms and hands began hurting from the sheer amount of strength he was applying to the teen's torso.

"Come on, Ekko. You can pull through..." Jhin said to encourage himself to keep going, despite the fatigue and the pain. "I believe in you, kid." He stopped the compressions for a few moments and turned to the boy's face. After making sure his head was slightly tilted back, he carefully pinched his nose and administrated two rescue breaths.

The man kept on applying the first-aid procedures for what seemed like an eternity. He couldn't stop. Memories of the green-eyed boy that had died in his arms because of Viktor's abuse invaded his mind. He would do everything in his power so Ekko wouldn't suffer the same fate... He would keep on trying until all his strength had left him. Until there was no time and hope left. For the poor boy's sake.

And then, out of the blue...

He felt a tender heartbeat.

Jhin's eyes widened. "Ekko?" He whispered, his chest brimming with hope. He placed his hand a few centimeters above the child's nose and felt a soft breath. He smiled. With renewed strength, Jhin decided it was best to keep on applying the compressions until there was a more prominent physical response.

And there eventually was.

The man observed as Ekko's eyebrows furrowed. His eyes opened very slowly.

With sore muscles and his arms about to go numb, Jhin ceased the strenuous compressions. He sighed in relief at the signs of life and placed one hand over the boy's chest. The teen's eyes innocently turned to him. The confusion brewing in his mind was very visible.

"Welcome back, child. You gave me quite the scare." Jhin sweetly said with a tender smile that the boy couldn't see. Ekko's eyes moved around for a bit, observing his surroundings. One could safely say that, for a bit, he couldn't recall anything of what had transpired. He looked completely lost as he tried to understand what was happening.

"Jhin, what... what's going on...?" He whispered.

But suddenly, he jolted. The noose hanging from the ceiling came into view.

His eyes widened and his hand clenched into a fist. The memories flooded him like pouring rain, all coming back at once. With a racing heart and a bit of effort, the teen straightened himself into a sitting position. His tragic eyes darted to Jhin.

"Why?" He asked in a broken whisper.

The man's eyebrows furrowed. He eyed the boy with concern.

"Jhin... Why did you save me...?" Ekko demanded to know. His lips began twitching, warm tears forming in his sorrowful eyes. "Why?"

Jhin rubbed the poor boy's arm soothingly. "Don't cry, child. It's ok now."

The tears started running down Ekko's face. "Why? I didn't want to be saved. I wanted to go. Why didn't you let me go!? Why didn't you let me die?"

The despair in the child's words made Jhin's heart, break in two. He didn't know what to say. He tried simply holding the boy's trembling hand in a comforting gesture. "Ekko... It's going to be fine. You're going to be fine. I'm here now..." But the teen harshly pulled away. He wasn't listening. His entire body was shaking in anguish. His heart was beating so fast, it was as if it could rip through his chest at any moment. Giving in to despair, Ekko violently gripped his hair with his hands.

"Why? Why? Why? WHY? I wanted to go! I can't take this anymore! They're only going to use me. Again and again and again and again. They're going to keep on tearing me apart! Every single day. I can't take it!"

Jhin felt like a statue. Utterly useless. He couldn't reach Ekko. The boy was completely lost inside his broken mind.

Shaking uncontrollably, Ekko pointed his index finger at Jhin. "WHY? You want me to suffer even more, don't you?! That's your plan. You like to see me hurting! Just like everyone else! You're just pretending like you care! LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!" He almost shouted.

Jhin's heart nearly stopped. "Ekko, I do care about you. I'm doing all I can..."

With tears streaming down his face, Ekko covered both his ears with his hands. "Stop it! You're a LIAR! Everyone's a dirty liar!" He clenched his eyes shut. "I trusted Akali! I trusted her! I was loyal to her! And the moment I was gone, she FORGOT ME!" The child's sobs were uncontrollable. "My friends... They all abandoned me. They all did. And my parents... I can't go back to them. They're going to be disgusted of me. They're going to hate me! I can't go back. I can't go back. I can't go back. I can't go back!" He bawled, pulling violently at his hair. "I can't stay here. And I can't go back home. My only option was to disappear for good. And you took that away from me!"

Jhin's chest was empty. There was a tightness in his throat. Out of options, he inched closer to the weeping child and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Let go of me!" The boy instantly pushed him away. And Jhin backed off. The boy's eyes were seething with anger, like a raging fire burning bright. "Stop pretending like you care! I HATE YOU!"

The boy's words cut through him like knives. But he did not resent them. They were coming from a very dark place inside Ekko's crumbling heart, full of fear, anger and shame. The poor child had completely lost his way. He didn't know what he was saying.

"I'm sorry, Ekko... I'm really sorry. For everything. You don't deserve anything of what happened to you." Jhin said.

But Ekko didn't listen to a single word. With his heart beating like a drum, he pulled his knees to his chest, wrapped his arms around them and buried his face in them. Heart-wrenching wails began to echo around the room. His whole body shook with every painful sob.

Jhin just stayed in place, watching him with a hole in his chest. All he wanted was to give the boy a hug and guarantee him that everything would be all right. He wished he could wipe his tears, leave this old putrid house with him in his arms and take him home to his family. So he would be safe at last.

But things are never so easy...

Jhin hesitated a bit before speaking. "Look Ekko... I know you said your friends and family don't care about you. But I don't believe it's true. Why would they not care...?"

This time, the boy listened to the man's words. He raised his head and looked at him with his tear-streaked face. "I-I didn't want... to believe it." The sobs interrupted his speech. "But... I was g-given proof that they don't..."

Jhin frowned. This "proof" had to be Viktor's doing. There was no way the boy's family and friends would abandon him just because he disappeared...

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a magazine that had been dropped to the floor, next to the bed. That may be what Viktor had used to disturb Ekko so much. Curious, he got up and walked over to it. When he picked it up, the name "Akali" immediately caught his eye.

"This has to be it. Ekko said this "Akali" abandoned him." He thought to himself.

He skimmed through the page and what he picked up on was enough to understand what had happened. The journalist had more than likely blown everything out of proportion as the media always does. But Ekko was too weakened and distressed to think clearly and had taken everything written there as true.

Jhin looked over at the boy, weeping sorrowfully, with his face hidden in his arms. His shoulders twitched with every sob. His legs trembled violently. He looked so small and helpless, all curled up...

Jhin's chest tightened. Tears welled in his eyes. Unable to witness the child's horrible meltdown any longer, his sight fell upon the magazine in his hand. Ekko was only a child. An innocent young boy who believed he had been abandoned by everyone he ever trusted. And who was destined to remain in the clutches of a disgusting creep until he drew his last breath.

He didn't deserve this... This was torture he wouldn't wish on his worst enemy...

Gathering up the courage, Jhin turned to the side, to look at Ekko once again. And his eyes widened... He observed with horror as the teen's eyes closed involuntarily, his arms went limp and he began falling down. He landed on his back with a thud. Alarmed, Jhin hurried to his side and immediately touched his neck to check his heartbeat. Ekko's chest was rising and falling as it should. His heart was racing, but that was due to the insane levels of stress he had just undergone. Long tear streaks were drawn on his face. A single teardrop escaped his eye and rolled down his cheek.

The immense pain, horrific fear and intense panic, had been way too much for Ekko's fragile body and mind to handle, leading him to shut down completely.

Jhin sighed. He carefully brushed the falling tear off the boy's face with his thumb and even through the gloves, he could feel how cold he was. He gently wrapped his arms around his naked body and carried the teen over to the bed. The boy was gently laid down as if he were made of thin glass and the warm covers were pulled over him.

Jhin blinked rapidly to dissipate his tears. His hand clenched into a fist. Ekko's mind was very unstable. The smallest thing could make him snap, leading him to try to end his own life once again. He was nervous about leaving him alone. But he also couldn't wait. The longer he stayed without taking action, the worse the boy's mental state could get.

He had to do something.

He had to get Ekko out of here as soon as possible.

Without wasting any more time, the man hurried to untie the rope from the ceiling beam and proceeded to hide it under the bed. He then turned to the boy's unconscious body and with trembling fingers, took the phone out of his pocket. The boy's closed eyes and tear-streaked face appeared on the screen. It made Jhin's heart skip a beat as he pressed the button to take a picture.

-----

"He's hiding something, I'm telling you..." Zed said with a frown. He was standing in the middle of the old, dusty living room, trying to convince his partners.

Graves, who was sitting on the sofa next to TF, rolled his eyes. "Yeah. He must be really hiding something. Like the last twenty guys that you were suspicious of."

TF laughed. "You were even suspicious of me! You thought I was stealing stuff from Vik at some point, wasn't it? What did you even think I was doing with it?"

"You're just constantly suspicious of everyone and everything. How do you expect us to take you seriously?" Sylas added in a serious tone, shaking his head.

Zed became furious, being disregarded like that by his peers. "This time it's different!" He swore. "And I'm going to prove I'm right."

Sylas raised one eyebrow, clearly disbelieving. "Good luck with that."

"I mean, Jhin IS a weirdo. He never takes off that creepy mask..." Graves criticized. "But what kind of threat does he represent? Could he be planning to make an oil painting of us at home?" He joked in an ominous voice.

"Oh, that sounds terrifying!" Commented TF, letting out a loud cackle.

The assassin's blood was boiling in his veins. He tried reasoning with them. "Doesn't anyone find it weird that the last two kids we were imprisoning like this were saved by the police because they knew EXACTLY where to find us?"

TF looked bored. "Those hiding places weren't good enough. Even Viktor admitted he was a bit careless. And that's not something you hear every day."

"How is that linked to Jhin?" Sylas wished to know. "Viktor has known him for a couple of years and trusts him. Besides, the guy was already around when we imprisoned the first kids. And those times, the police didn't come for us."

"One of those died!" Zed almost shouted. The vein on his head was getting more pronounced and darker by the second.

"Whatever." TF reclined back on the sofa and put his hat over his face.

"I have better things to do." Sylas complained, hurrying to leave the room.

Zed was left fuming, with a bitter taste in his mouth. But he wasn't worried, for had a plan.

Soon he was going to make them eat their own words...

-----

"All right, I'm heading out. Gotta get some groceries." Said Senna, picking up her purse.

Qiyana, who was sitting on the couch, manicuring her nails, turned to her friend. "But I went to the supermarket yesterday."

Senna gave her a bored expression. "You forgot the asparagus and the carrots." She proceeded to roll her eyes. "Again..."

"Oh." The girl's eyes widened for a brief moment. She put on a forced smile and shrugged. "Oops..."

Senna made a small smile and shook her head in disapproval. She opened the door, ready to leave.

"Wait!" Qiyana called out, grabbing her attention. "Where's Akali at?"

"Upstairs. She said she wanted to hone her martial arts skills. I gotta go now. See ya!"

The door closed. Qiyana put her nail file down on the coffee table and admired her handiwork. Her eyes wandered off in the direction of the stairs and she wondered if Akali had already finished her training. The girl hesitated for a little bit before deciding to get up.

Akali's bedroom door was open. Filled with curiosity, Qiyana approached slowly. The hallway was entirely covered in carpet and the sound of her steps was muffled by the soft material beneath her feet. She peeked through the door frame and found Akali executing powerful karate kicks in front of the full-body mirror. Beads of sweat ran down her face and neck and her eyes were narrowed with the concentration. Soft grunts escaped her parted lips each time she thrust her leg and her gloved hands were clenched into fists.

It took a few moments before the girl spotted Qiyana's reflection in the mirror, staring back at her. Sweating profusely, Akali straightened herself and turned around to face her friend. "Oh, hey."

Qiyana stepped inside the room and looked around at the clothes scattered everywhere, the unmade bed and a collection of magazines in random patterns on the floor. "Sorry for the mess. I got really into the training and basically forgot about everything else." Akali excused herself, grabbing a bottle of water that she had left nearby.

The girl decided it would be better to leave that subject alone and didn't make any comments. "I didn't know you still practised martial arts." She simply said.

"Well, I kinda stopped when I joined K/DA, but now I'm training again." She raised the bottle to her lips and took a sip.

Qiyana thought about the reply for a few moments and furrowed her eyebrows. "Is it because of what happened to Ekko?"

The water bottle was lowered and Akali gave her a sad smile. "Yeah... If he ever comes back, I'll make sure to protect him."

Qiyana's eyes widened slightly. "That's... Well, very brave of you." She observed as her friend turned around and opened a drawer to retrieve a big fluffy towel.

"Thank you, but... It feels like just training isn't good enough." When Akali turned around, she was frowning. "I want to see if I can do something by myself."

There was a moment of silence.

"What do you mean?"

"I want to try to find him on my own. Conduct my own investigation. The police isn't getting anywhere. And I have nothing to lose."

Qiyana took a step forward. "Akali... The people who kidnapped him aren't to be messed with. I know you, Ahri and the others have put many idiots in their place before. But we're talking about dangerous criminals, not a bunch of drunk thugs who can't even see straight!"

It was Akali's turn to step forward. She put a hand on Qiyana's shoulder. "Look, I know it's very dangerous. But if I find even the smallest clue, I'm not backing down." The girl claimed. "I just... I just want him to be OK."

Qiyana frowned. She didn't want Akali to get hurt. She was beginning to doubt Ekko would ever be found. According to "Miss Sunglasses" there were almost no clues that she and the other police officers could follow. A month had passed. The chances of the boy coming back home dimmed by the second. With a deep hurt inside her chest, Qiyana sighed. "¡Ay, mi Madre! I understand. And it's not like I can stop you, you're way too stubborn. Just please be careful and don't do anything too crazy..."

A smile drew itself on Akali's lips. She let go of her shoulder. "Thank you, Qiyana. Please don't tell the others. They don't have to worry about me."

The discomfort on the girl's face aggravated, but she nodded in agreement. Akali's smile widened and she turned around to close the drawer. This action drew Qiyana's attention to a photo of all four K/DA girls on top of the closet.

"Well, I'm gonna take a shower." Announced Akali in a more relaxed tone, untying her long, wild hair and letting it fall over her shoulders. She grabbed the towel and headed for the door.

Qiyana was silent for a few moments, just observing the photo. "Hm... Kali?" She called. "Before you go: Didn't you say that Evelynn got into a bit of a mess with the police because of the whole bathroom camera thing?"

The girl, who was already halfway through the hallway, stopped and turned around. "Yep, she did. And it's not the first time she's at odds with the law. But there's little money can't solve, isn't that right?" She replied with a wink.

-----

Far off in the distance, the city lights were shining bright. The windows reflected the artificial illumination, bringing into existence an absolute mess of colors. The horns of the vehicles, the roar of the engines created a cacophony that filled the still night air.

Jhin parked his car on the side of the quiet road. He turned off the headlights and shut down the engine and the noisy vehicle fell into absolute silence. He was here, in this city that so many believed to be devoid of crime, but where so many horrible things still happened behind the scenes, with a single goal in mind.

Without wasting time, the man dipped his hand into his pocket and fetched his cellphone. As expected, he finally had good reception. He reached for a piece of paper where he had written down the approximate coordinates of the old house in the woods and took a brief look at it.

Jhin breathed in deeply. This was it. He had been extremely careful not to get followed and looked around to make sure no one was watching. The inside of the car was enveloped in darkness and the shadows would cover him. With determination, he looked for the phone number that he had previously saved and his thumb pressed the button to initiate the call.

-----

"You want some coffee, Cupcake?" Vi asked. "I'll get some for myself, so I can bring you a cup."

White as a sheet of paper, with bags under her eyes that looked heavy enough to pull her head down, Caitlyn was sitting down at her desk. Lost amidst mountains of paperwork, she tried hiding a big yawn. Needless to say, it wasn't a successful attempt. "No thanks, Vi. I'm not tired..."

Faced with such a blatant lie, Vi crossed her arms and shook her head in disapproval. "Yeah, Cupcake. You're not tired and I'm the Easter Bunny. You've been working way too hard. It's two cups for you!"

The young Chief stopped halfway through her signature to look at her friend. "No, Vi. I'm serious. You don't have to..."

But she was promptly ignored. "What about you, Jayce? Want anything?"

"Just bring me water, please." He requested without taking his eyes off the screen.

Puzzled, Vi raised an eyebrow. "That's it? No coffee? No soda? Just... water?"

Amused by his friend's confusion, Jayce smirked. "Just plain, regular, old water."

The pink-haired girl was not impressed. "You're so boring, old man." She joked, heading for the door. "I'll be right back."

Once Vi was gone, Caitlyn sighed as she finished signing her name at the bottom of the page. "I really didn't need that coffee. I'm perfectly fine..."

"There's no changing her mind once she decides to do something. You know that better than me." Jayce commented with a smile. He was sitting across Caitlyn, typing busily on his laptop. "I always thought I was stubborn, but then I met her... Sheesh!"

The girl let out a crystalline laugh that really helped her ease up and relax. She put down her pen to take a well-deserved break and Jayce followed her example by distancing himself from the computer screen.

"Jokes aside, Vi's right, you know? You've been working overtime every single day for the past weeks. You can't push yourself so much." The man commented with worry adorning his features.

"Work doesn't do itself... And you guys have been doing extra hours too."

"You're right, we have, but we sleep when we get home, and that clearly hasn't been happening with you. And you're also right about work. It doesn't do itself, but you have to look after your health." He added.

Caitlyn let out yet another sigh. "I know... But it's hard. It isn't just the Chief-related work. The latest cases have been nearly impossible..." Almost instinctively, her eyes found the picture of the missing boy that she kept next to the papers on her desk. "It's been a month. And we made little to no progress."

Jayce also looked at the picture and frowned. "That's a very tough case. Just like anything Viktor-related... But I've caught that monster once. I believe it can be done again. He's very smart, but the perfect crime just doesn't exist."

Caitlyn furrowed her eyebrows. "Yes, you're right. We have to just keep going and hope for the best."

Suddenly the phone began ringing, cutting through the silence of the night. Caitlyn looked at it for a second and quickly picked it up.

"Good evening. Los Angeles Police Department, how can I help you?"

The voice that answered was rich and smooth. "Good evening. My apologies, beforehand, for I cannot reveal my identity or location and made my number private. Just making this call puts lives at risk..."

Caitlyn's eyes widened. "There are lives at risk?" She inquired, grabbing Jayce's attention. Vi, who had just walked through the door, began putting down the drinks, listening closely.

"I could explain my situation to you, but that is not important." He rapidly explained. "What matters, however, is that I have information regarding Ekko, the boy who was kidnapped around a month ago. I want to help you find him."

The young Chief's mouth fell open. It seemed almost unbelievable. She furrowed her eyebrows with slight disbelief. "I'm sorry but, how can I verify the veracity of your statement?"

There was silence for a few moments on the other side.

"I've sent you a picture of the boy that I took in the room where he is being imprisoned." The man ended up saying.

A message popped up on the computer. Caitlyn's eyes widened once again. It was all happening so suddenly. She grabbed the mouse and clicked the file. Her shocked face in reaction to what she saw on screen, prompted Vi and Jayce to move to her side so they could check what she was looking at. Needless to say, their mouths also opened wide.

"That's the kid!" Vi said.

Jayce frowned. "Is the person on the phone asking for ransom? After so long?"

Caitlyn shook her head. She covered the phone with her free hand and whispered. "No. This man says he has information on him to help us."

Jayce's eyes narrowed. It was somewhat suspicious...

On the other end of the line, the man spoke again. "He is being kept in an old house in the middle of the woods. I'm going to give you the coordinates so you can get to the place."

In a flash, Caitlyn pulled a sheet of paper over and grabbed her pen. "Please, proceed."

"Very well." He replied. And began slowly enumerating the coordinates to make sure the officer would get them correctly. "Try to be as stealthy as you can. They will not hesitate to hurt the boy if they find themselves cornered. I trust you will save Ekko. Please hurry."

And just like that, the phone fell silent.

Chapter Text

In the darkness, the cellphone rested silent in Jhin's hand.

It had been done.

The man quickly looked out the window and checked his surroundings. The nearby parked cars were shrouded in darkness. The street was deserted. Everything seemed quiet.

He had been very careful not to get followed, yet there was this feeling inside him that someone was watching.

And his feelings were rarely if ever wrong...

He looked back at his phone. He wasn't sure if the police had completely believed him. A call like that had been his only way of contacting them safely, but they probably had found it suspicious. However, due to the lack of clues, he believed they would at least take a chance. Hopefully very soon, the officers would come to rescue the boy and arrest Viktor. Then, both of them would be safe. How he yearned for that...

A mental image of the kid crossed his mind and his heart felt tight. He had left him right after that horrible panic attack that made him faint. The child's mind was so unstable, he wasn't sure what he would do once he woke up. He hoped from the bottom of his heart that he wouldn't do anything crazy...

But hoping wasn't enough. He was dying to go check on him.

The ignition started, the engine roared and the tires rolled on the pavement as Jhin stirred the wheel.

But suddenly, something caught his eye.

For less than a second, an ominous shadow had moved inside a far-away car.

-----

"Ok, Akali. This is crazy." The girl thought to herself as she observed the police station in the distance. Even at that late hour in the night, many people were still around the vicinity. Old and young passed by in cars or on foot, talking amongst themselves, laughing and commenting on things. The street was very well-lit. Tall metal lamps shone their light on the pavement and on the passersby, from both sides of the road. Very few corners around the Police Station were left in the darkness.

For someone on a stealth mission, the odds really weren't in her favor.

Akali anxiously gripped the strap of her backpack as she revised the plan in her head. "Step 1: Find a way in without anyone noticing. Step 2: Try to find any kind of information they have on Ekko's case. Step 3: Get out without drawing attention to yourself."

Breaking into a Police Station and stealing classified information... Only a mad person would have come up with an idea like that. If she were caught, she would end up in court. Probably prison. A never-ending string of problems would come her way.

Was she in her right mind? Was this big risk she was taking, worth it?

Her heart began beating like a drum and her eyes shone with determination. She was doing this for her friend.

She couldn't back down.

In one swift motion, Akali switched off the motorcycle engine and took off her helmet. After hopping off the vehicle, she began making her way to the establishment. She kept her eyes on the people that went up and down the street and tried to act normal.

"I'm just a girl taking a stroll. Nothing to see here." She thought to herself when a man's gaze crossed with hers. Her breathing was uneven and her nails dug into the palm of her clenched fist. But the man didn't pay mind to her. He stayed on course and so did she.

Once she was safely enveloped by the shadows and the other people were a safe distance away, Akali didn't waste time. She sprinted in the direction of the Police Department, stopping only when she reached the back of the building. Her eyes darted around as she leaned her back against the brick wall.

It seemed like no one had seen her. Good. She took off her backpack and set it on the ground. This area, in stark contrast to the nearby street was submerged in darkness and she retrieved her phone so she could use the flashlight to see. Carefully, the girl looked around for the entrance to the air ducts. She cringed internally at how cliché her plan was. But she couldn't think of any other way to safely infiltrate the building. And desperate times require desperate measures.

Always on the lookout for unwanted company, Akali thoroughly searched the back of the Police Station until she found what she was looking for. She reached inside her backpack once more and retrieved gloves and a small wrench. The task that followed, of removing the bolts that attached the vent, was tiring and tedious. The rubber gloves on her hands felt weird. She had to put in some muscle work without making too much noise and while keeping on the lookout for anyone who could happen to walk by.

But fortunately, everything around her remained quiet.

Akali's arm was beginning to hurt when she finished removing the last bolt. With a few beads of sweat running down her forehead, she put the wrench away and quietly removed the air vent. Her phone's flashlight illuminated the inside of the duct. It was just big enough for her to fit through, which meant she couldn't bring her backpack along. She opted for just picking up her phone that would be needed to light the way and for photographing any evidence the police could potentially have. And she also kept the gloves on her hands so she wouldn't leave fingerprints all over the place.

Akali was a bit nervous about leaving so much incriminating evidence behind. She should have planned everything much more carefully. And there was also the danger of coming face to face with a cop while inside. But as she stared into the darkness of the air duct, she clenched her fist.

There was no going back.

-----

Covered by the darkness inside of his car, Zed watched his nemesis' vehicle leave its parking spot. The screen of the device in his hand was gleaming faintly, illuminating the cocky grin he had on his face.

Who knew tapping Jhin's phone would be this easy?

Viktor would lose his mind once he got to hear the recording. He had told his comrades about Jhin's strange behavior time and time again, but no one had believed him. And now that masked freak had betrayed them. So much for ignoring his warnings...

He checked the screen and smiled once more. The file was almost uploaded. After that, all he would need to do was send it. And Jhin would be finished.

Suddenly, there were three light knocks on the window.

Startled, Zed raised his eyes.

And he froze.

Through the glass, a gun was being pointed right at his face. Behind it, was no one other than Jhin.

"Hello Zed." The haunting sound of the cocking of the gun echoed in the assassin's ears. "It's a beautiful night to die."

The assassin's heart almost stopped. Cold sweat began dripping down his forehead. Everything was moving in slow motion as Jhin placed his finger on the trigger.

But something happened.

His phone began ringing out of nowhere. Someone was calling him. Jhin switched his attention to it for just a second and lost his concentration. That was all he needed.

Quick as the wind, the assassin grabbed the door handle and slammed it open, hitting Jhin on the chest. The shot missed and hit the car door. The gun flew into the air and landed a few meters away. Zed threw himself at the masked man and grabbed his neck.

To defend himself, Jhin grasped his opponent's wrists, made him bend forward and elbowed him the head. Zed was forced to let go.

"I admit I underestimated you. I never believed you had enough brain cells to know how to tap a phone. My bad." Even in such a stressful situation, the man still managed to keep his cool.

Zed was still trying to recover from the hit to the head. But it was his ego that had taken the real blow. This fucker still had the audacity to insult him, even when fighting for his life?

Filled with rage, the assassin picked up one of his blades and tried slashing him in the face. But his foe managed to kick him in the gut, successfully stopping him mid-swing.

Recovering quickly from the blow, Zed decided to try something different. Noticing that his enemy's balance was being upset as they fought for control, he quickly swung his leg across Jhin's ankles, making him fall backwards. Picking up another blade, the assassin lunged over his knocked down opponent like a blood-hungry killer.

Jhin's eyes widened behind his mask as he saw Zed falling over him with two blades pointing at his chest and face. He had no other choice but to grab Zed's wrists to keep himself from being stabbed. But the blades kept inching closer to his skin. As much as he hated to admit it, that idiot assassin was stronger than him.

In an attempt to turn the situation around, Jhin gathered all his strength and gave him a hard shove, making him fall to the side. Now he had a chance. He dove for the gun which was a few meters away and stretched his arm to try and reach it.

But that was when a large blade descended down and pierced through his skin. The man let out a howl of pain. Zed had stabbed him on the shoulder. As quickly as it sank in, the knife was pulled out, warranting another grunt of pain from him.

The gun was kicked away.

"You should have had a go at the kid while you still had the chance instead of protecting him." Said Zed. He forced his foe to turn around so he was facing up. There was a loud hit as he proceeded to punch him violently in the face. Droplets of blood began painting the ground, dripping down from behind the mask signaling that his nose had been broken.

Weakened, disoriented and in pain, Jhin could only watch as Zed climbed on top of him and pinned him down with his weight alone. The bloodied knife shone in his hand.

"You should have seen it, Jhin." He whispered in his ear with a devious smile. "How scared the kid was whenever I raped him. That tight ass, the soft skin, how he pleaded for me to let him go, the tears streaming down his face. It was so delicious... Try to picture that in your head. It's the last thing that you'll..."

He stopped abruptly.

He felt an acute pain on his chest. With a loud grunt, Zed looked downwards.

A large knife was piercing through his heart.

He didn't have the strength to look at Jhin's face again, but he could see his enemy's look of triumph even in his mind's eye.

The assassin made a guttural sound before toppling over.

Just like that, Zed was no more.

"You should have seen the kid smiling at least once, you bastard." Jhin muttered under his breath.

Weakened and hurt, the masked man dropped the blade and pushed the dead body off of him before proceeding to get up. He tenderly touched his shoulder and winced. The cut was deep and the blood was pouring out, running down his arm. At the same time, blood was also running down his face, dripping from his broken nose. To give himself some strength, he thought of Ekko and of all the suffering he had been through.

"The poor child endured pain infinitely worse than this. This is nothing. Put yourself together, Jhin".

As he made his way to Zed's car, he looked down at the lifeless body at his feet.

"What a fool. You should have known I always have a backup plan. I think of every possibility... I saw all of this unfold in my head and more the moment I spotted you inside your car..."

The phone was on the driver's seat. Zed had dropped it in a hurry to throw himself at him. Jhin picked it up and checked the screen. There it was. The recording of him talking to the police. He simply pressed the button to erase it and just like that, the only chance of Viktor ever knowing the police was coming for him, was gone.

Jhin sighed. He turned around and looked down at Zed's lifeless body once more. There was blood and large blades on the pavement, the phone in his hand.

He had to find a way to get rid of this evidence and do it fast. There was this sinking feeling in his stomach that he would be needed back at the house in the woods...

-----

The inside of the air ducts was dirty, claustrophobic and completely dark. Akali kept on crawling forward with the lantern of her phone as her only guide. She tried her best not to make a sound. Her legs and arms were hurting. Actually, her entire body was sore.

"This is so difficult. Not at all like in the movies." She thought to herself. It wasn't like she hadn't expected it to be. She was just frustrated and tired and this was taking longer than she had antecipated.

Suddenly she heard voices.

"Crap." She whispered. The Police Station had looked empty. She had hoped for the small chance she would find nobody inside. But her hopes had just been dashed.

However, her eyes widened when she clearly heard one word being pronounced.

Ekko.

Forgetting about the pain on her arms and legs, Akali rushed to the end of the air duct and turned to the left, where the voices were coming from. She saw light at the end of the tunnel, shining through a vent and she hurried to get to it.

Now looking through the openings in the vent, she saw a big office with a desk, computers and bookshelves with countless folders all around. Inside it, were three police officers and she quickly recognized them. Chief Caitlyn, that tall woman that had accompanied her to the mansion and Jayce, the man she had accused of the kidnapping but had been proven innocent. They all had very serious and inquisitive expressions on their faces. The pink haired woman was on the phone and the other two were talking to one another.

"Yes. It's an emergency, please hurry. Caitlyn will send you the coordinates, just in case." Akali could tell the woman was requesting backup.

"How do we know this isn't a trap?" Said Jayce. "Viktor is cunning. It may be that he plotted all this just to get us killed and already moved Ekko somewhere else."

Viktor? Was that the man who had kidnapped her friend?

Sitting at the desk, Caitlyn was typing on the computer, apparently sending information to the other agents. "We have no other leads. The kidnapping was too clean... It's incredibly suspicious, but we need to try our luck."

Jayce crossed his arms. "It's just such a remote location. If it ends up being a trap, we'll be isolated and will have nowhere to run. Who knows what we'll find there?"

"I understand your worry. It's a shot in the dark. But we have to take a chance." Caitlyn kept defending her position.

Jayce still wasn't convinced and the frown on his face was pronounced. But he relented. "I suppose we will have to try. But we'll need to be careful. Viktor is smart and dangerous and never works alone."

Having finished her call, the other policewoman turned to her colleagues. "We have reinforcements on the way. Four, to be exact."

"Good." Said Caitlyn, typing a row of numbers that were appearing on the screen. "Let's just hope these coordinates are correct."

Coordinates?

Akali swiftly picked up her phone and zoomed in on the officer's computer. Once she had seemingly finished typing, the girl snapped a quick photo. She checked it to make sure it hadn't come out blurry and smiled once she realized the numbers were perfectly visible.

When she exited the camera app, her eyes saddened. There it was once again. The picture of her and Ekko that they had taken before everything had happened. How she longed to see that contagious smile again...

Akali gripped the phone in her hand and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Hang in there buddy. I'm coming for you." She whispered.

The officers down below put themselves in motion. The chief put on her trademark sunglasses.

"We don't have time to lose." She heard Caitlyn say as she headed for the door followed by the other two. "This may be our only chance to save Ekko and arrest Viktor."

-----

The forest was huge and a little scary. The cold November wind was howling among the trees.

The moonlight and the headlight of the motorcycle were all Akali had to guide herself through the darkness of the night. The vegetation was thick and only further impaired her ability to see. She had chosen a route that was a bit different from the one the police were taking so they didn't notice her presence. This trail she was on, however, was quite irregular and bumpy and not ideal to drive on.

"I should have come the other way." The girl lamented. She was cold, tired and sore from crawling through the vent. The previous night, she had barely slept. The anxiety she felt had kept her heart racing and her mind boiling. The whole plan was insane. She didn't know what she was doing. She didn't know who she was going to encounter. She didn't know who these kidnappers were or what they could do.

What gave her all the strength she needed was the thought of finding Ekko after so long.

With a sigh, the girl looked down at her phone to check if she was getting any closer to the spot the GPS was indicating. She had already taken wrong turns because the forest was a labyrinth and everything looked the same and the app had failed twice due to the bad connection.

But soon enough, her eyes widened as she spotted something of interest, far off in the distance.

Among the trees, there was an old wooden house which was suspiciously well-maintained for being in the middle of nowhere. It was still a bit rundown, but there were no broken windows, no animal nests, no vegetation growing wild. It was odd.

Akali's expression darkened.

Could this potentially be where... What was his name again...? Yeah, Viktor. Could that man be keeping Ekko there?

Scared of being heard, Akali hit the breaks and stopped the motorcycle under a tree. After taking off her helmet, she looked inside her backpack. The wrench that probably wouldn't be needed, the screwdriver, the rubber gloves and her weapons, the kama and the kunai were all inside.

The girl took a deep breath and grabbed her fighting tools before stealthily heading for the house.

The building was two stories high and now that she could inspect it from upclose, she noted the windows were so dirty they didn't allow anyone to peek inside.

Akali hid behind some thick bushes and placed her weapons on the ground beside her. She studied her surroundings while trying to decide what was the best course of action. There was no one in sight, but on the ground in front of the house, there were tire tracks. So there was definitely something going on in this place...

Akali jolted when a strong arm grabbed her from behind. The surprise made her let out a terrified scream that was muffled as a gloved hand covered her mouth.

Akali's thoughts were racing and her heart was pounding inside her chest.

Who had captured her?

Could it be that Viktor the police was talking about...?

The shock had rendered her motionless, but she quickly recovered and began squirming in the stranger's grasp.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" She heard a man's voice say.

She couldn't free herself. She could tell the man was struggling to keep her in place, but he was still stronger than her so he came out on top. In desperation, she looked at her weapons on the ground. Why would she let go of them? What a stupid move.

A mental image of Ekko, backed up into a corner while trying to get away from shadowy individuals made a bolt of energy surge through her body. Her heart was beating like a drum. He was the reason she had come this far. It couldn't end like this. She had to find a way to get to her weapons.

She had to.

Chapter Text

Beads of cold sweat were running down Akali's forehead and her heart was racing inside her chest. Instead of saving Ekko, she could potentially end up a prisoner just like him. She couldn't let that happen.

Thinking quickly, the girl tangled her leg up around her captor's and then pushed him back with all the strength she could muster. But he was much taller than her and her attempt did little to upset his balance. Instead of freeing herself, she only felt his strong hands tighten their grip around her arms and mouth.

Beginning to fear for her life, Akali tensed against the man's chest. He must have noticed she was scared because he got his mouth close to her ear and whispered. "You're in a dangerous place, girl. Please answer my questions quietly. Who are you and why are you here? I will remove my hand from your mouth now. Please don't make any sudden movements or sounds. I mean you no harm."

With her lips finally free, Akali let out a soft breath of relief before replying. "I'm A-Akali... I'm here to save my friend."

She felt the man tense up. "I'll let you go now. No sudden movements. Please turn around, child."

Seeing herself free at last, the girl looked at her weapons on the ground. Diving after them was so tempting. But she didn't know if he had a gun or not so it was best to play it safe. She slowly turned around and finally took a good look at her attacker.

The thing anyone would notice immediately was that the man's face was covered by an odd looking white mask and there was dried blood near its bottom. He was skinny and very tall, but was hunched over and seemed weakened. His left hand was touching the opposite shoulder that was very visibly injured and his right sleeve was covered in blood that was pouring from the wound. Astonished, the girl actually wondered how he had managed to keep such a strong hold on her, while being this hurt.

"So you're Akali. Ekko told me about you..."

When her friend's name was mentioned, her face contorted with anger. "So you kidnapped him!"

The man shook his head. "A man named Viktor kidnapped the boy. I'm a spy, so to speak, working from the inside to help your friend escape this place. I only want Ekko to be safe, just like you."

He slowly reached for his holster and took out his gun. Akali's eyes widened and she took a step back. But she didn't need to have feared. The man simply dropped it on the ground and kicked it away. "See? I'm not going to hurt you. We're on the same side. We both want to help Ekko."

Akali hesitated. But he seemed to be genuinely trying to gain her trust. However what he said next, wiped all her doubts away.

"I was the one who called the police. They should be here soon."

Akali jolted. He knew they were coming? There was no way this man could know about the police unless he was telling the truth...

The girl felt herself relax and so did the stranger, because he approached her.

Her eyebrows furrowed as she examined him from top to bottom. "Who are you?"

"You can call me Jhin." He was also studying her carefully. "How did you even find this place?"

Akali frowned. "I kinda spied on the police... I know it's crazy, but I was tired of doing nothing. Ekko is my best friend. I just want him to come back home..."

Jhin's eyes narrowed. "The men who captured your friend are very dangerous. And you're still putting yourself at risk for him..."

"I knew what I was getting myself into." She said, clenching her right hand into a fist. "But I didn't hesitate. Ekko is too important."

Even through the mask, Jhin couldn't hide the admiration he had for the girl right now. And Ekko thought she had abandoned him. He could still see him in his mind's eye, crying his heart out, saying Akali had never truly cared about him. The boy had no idea...

"You're a brave one, Akali." He said. "Perhaps you could..."

But his sentence was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.

They both dove into the bushes to avoid being spotted and looked around. Caitlyn and the police squad were stealthily approaching through the darkness.

"Viktor will know that they're here soon enough." He said when the group of police officers was a safe distance away. "He has an escape plan in case a stranger wanders too close. If he pulls it off successfully, your friend will be out of the cops' reach once again."

Akali frowned. "We have to stop him then. We can cut him off, right?"

"We?" Jhin's eyes widened.

"Yes, I'm coming with you." Her eyes were shining with determination. "No way I'm just going to stand here, watching, while he runs away with Ekko."

"You're going to... You can't..." Jhin sighed and shook his head. He didn't have time to argue. "Fine. But do as I say and don't be reckless. They won't hesitate to kill you. Follow me."

Akali nodded and hurried to grab her weapons before going after Jhin.

-----

"You only want to see me suffering even more, don't you? You're a liar! Stop pretending like you care! I HATE YOU!" His own words echoed inside his mind. Again and again. Sitting in a corner of the room, shaking uncontrollably, the boy was close to tears.

When he woke up he had been disoriented and all cold inside despite the warm blankets covering him. Completely lost, he had dressed himself up to make himself feel better. But it didn't work.

One regret was eating him up from the inside.

He couldn't believe he had said such awful things to Jhin. Someone who had risked his life daily to help him in any way he could. Someone who had treated his wounds and fed him when he was being starved. Someone who had saved him from his own desperate suicide attempt.

Part of his aggression towards the man had stemmed from the trauma of the moment the rope had tightened around his neck. It had been so horrible, the fear had been overwhelming. At the very last second of consciousness he had actually regretted his decision, but it was already too late. And then, Jhin had given him another chance at life, saved him heroically without hesitation.

And how had he thanked him? By yelling at him and telling him that all his efforts had been meaningless.

The man must have been so hurt. It wouldn't surprise him if he decided to abandon him and never come back. But that thought stroke a chord inside him. If that were true, he had lost everything. His family, his supposed friends and now even Jhin. Tears broke down from his eyes and he buried his face in his arms. His heart was in pieces. He felt so alone...

He had broken down completely in front of the man. He had been hurting so much in that moment. But it was no excuse for treating him so poorly. He was so stupid, so ungrateful. He truly deserved to suffer in this filthy hole until the day he died.

Ekko was brought back to reality by the loud sound of approaching footsteps in the hallway. He raised his head and his red and puffy eyes widened.

The door of his room was slammed open with a loud bang and Viktor came in with a terrifying look of anger on his face. Like a mad man, he rushed over to the corner where he was. Ekko immediately froze and braced himself, thinking that he had barged in to beat the living daylights out of him.

Twisted Fate and Graves came in right after. In stark contrast with their leader, they were both incredibly calm.

"How much time do we have?" Graves asked.

Viktor looked down at Ekko, who was folded in on himself and trembling like a leaf.

"Not much." Viktor said in a cold, dark tone. He quickly checked his phone. The alarm had gone off, not too long ago, signaling they had uninvited guests. "The intruders activated the laser trip wire on the dirt road. So they're very close..."

Impatient, he reached for the boy's hair and pulled him up violently. "On your feet!" The teen yelped in pain but obeyed.

"We put the plan in motion? " Graves was waiting for orders.

"Of course, you idiot. What a useless question." He complained while tying Ekko's wrists behind his back. "Stay still."

The boy's breathing was ragged and his body was tense. Why was Viktor so angry? Who was getting close? What was going on? His mind and heart were racing.

"Are you really going to bring the boy?" Twisted Fate seemed annoyed. "We talked about this. You can just find another fuck toy, Vik."

Viktor scowled. "I went through too much trouble to capture him and keep him. I'm not just leaving him here." He finished tying the teen up, grabbed his arm and began dragging him along. "Move, kid."

With no other choice, scared and in pain, Ekko simply obeyed the man. Graves and TF followed close behind.

-----

"Don't make a sound." Caitlyn whispered to her colleagues.

Her and Jayce were on each side of the entrance door. Vi was on the lookout for unwanted company a few meters away. She was holding her gun with determination and her eyes were meticulously examining the perimeter. If some criminal tried attacking them from behind, they would have to kill her first before even having a chance to look at Caitlyn. Two of the officers had been sent to guard the back of the house, one was on the lookout like Vi and the last one was following Caitlyn closely.

"The door will have to go down." Jayce whispered to his boss. She nodded to show she had understood and signaled him to proceed. The man quickly checked his surroundings and began loading a small charge of explosives onto the doorknob.

"Stay back!" He demanded, while backing up. But his colleagues had already created distance.

Only a few seconds had passed when a small, yet powerful explosion tore the door off the hinges. Jayce ran up to it and kicked it, causing it to fall on the ground with a bang. Having completed his task, the man stepped aside and let his boss take over.

"Police!" Caitlyn shouted, placing herself in front of the entrance with her gun raised. She couldn't see anyone or hear anything suspicious in the hallway in front of her, but it was dangerous to let her guard down. She felt the presences of Vi, Jayce and another agent advancing rapidly to back her up. Without wasting time, the squad stepped inside.

The old wooden floor was run down and creaked beneath her feet, dust was spiraling around. Their flashlights were their only guides in the darkness. The ominous hallway in front of her had doors on each side and all of them were closed. A rickety staircase lead to the upper floor. Caitlyn frowned with determination and looking at her colleagues, she gave her orders.

"Jayce, check this floor with him. Vi, come with me."

She climbed the first couple of steps and the other officer quickly followed. Always on the lookout for a surprise attack, the chief held her gun steadily in one hand and her flashlight in the other, while Vi checked their backs.

When she got to the first door, Caitlyn signaled her friend to check the next room. She opened the door and raised her gun in self defense. But there was no one inside. The woman gripped her flashlight and took a look around.

She walked up to every corner, examined a stack of really old chairs in one of them, peeked into each small crevice, observed the windows and the ceiling attentively. The powerful white light then revealed a double bed in the center of the room. The air reeked of blood and sweat.

"Oh no..." Her heart began beating fast. "Vi!? I found something." She called out to her friend.

The pink haired officer immediately showed up. While she headed towards a door on the opposite end of the room, Caitlyn began walking in the direction of the bed. The sheets were a mess, soiled with blood and another white sticky substance.

"Sperm... The kid was raped here. Who knows how many times?" She said with a tightness in her chest.

But where was he now?

"It's just a bathroom, nothing to report." Said Vi. She got closer to the bed and quickly got on her knees to check under it. "Nothing here." She then got up and her eyes narrowed as her flashlight illuminated the very obvious evidence of a violent sexual assault. "Hell... The poor kid." And her eyes found Caitlyn's, who gave her a sad look.

The chief and her partner investigated the rest of the upper floor thoroughly. Every room, every door, every corner, not even a centimeter of the place was left unchecked. But there was no one to be found.

"He probably knew we were coming and made a run for it." Vi commented.

"And he took Ekko with him." Caitlyn concluded. She had hoped Viktor would leave the boy behind in fear of him slowing him down and thwarting his plans of escape. But he seemed hell-bent on keeping him in his clutches.

Suddenly, a man's voice was heard from the ground floor. "It's clear down here. We found nothing."

"We didn't have much luck either. We found evidence that Viktor was keeping the boy here and raping him. But nothing else." Said Vi. She looked over at Caitlyn and felt pity. The disappointment in her friend's heart was very evident in her eyes. They had arrived too late and the boy would pay for it.

But then...

"Caitlyn!" They heard the officer again. "Jayce found something!"

Their eyes widened and they practically flew down the stairs. The man was standing next to the entrance to the living room and was signaling them to hurry. "In here!"

Upon stepping inside the room, the two women's eyes lay upon Jayce who was crouched down, trying to open a metal hatch on the floor.

"It's too heavy. Vi, help me." He said. And she didn't need to be told twice. The woman leaped to his side and began pulling the sturdy metal hatch up. With their strength combined, it was open in no time.

The opening on the floor was as dark as night. They could see absolutely nothing. Caitlyn quickly aimed her flashlight and the brilliant light illuminated the hole, revealing something none of them were expecting to find.

"An underground tunnel..." Said Vi. And her eyes widened with the surprise.

-----

"Keep moving, kid. And I'm warning you, not a sound." Viktor spat menacingly as he dragged the boy. Terrified, Ekko was trying his best to obey, but he was having trouble moving.

He was in horrible pain. His lower half and his belly were hurting like they were on fire and he hadn't walked this much in a very long time. He was finding it hard to breathe. As much as he didn't want to, he had to stop sometimes, leading the men to give him hard shoves and having to pull him along.

The tunnel felt like it had no end. It was so dark. Only the flashlights allowed him to see. The expressions on the men's faces were menacing as they advanced forward.

In the distance, a light began shining at the end of the tunnel.

"We're almost there." Said Graves. They accelerated their pace to cover the last couple of meters quickly.

Ekko's chest was empty. His friends were a bunch of liars. He would never see his parents again. Jhin had abandoned him. These monsters would just keep on using and abusing him until he no longer served them. He had no tears left to cry.

They were about to reach the exit. They could already see the moon and the stars shining in the night sky. But suddenly, a tall figure appeared just outside the tunnel.

"Viktor?" Jhin called out. "Is the police chasing you?"

His sudden presence made Ekko's eyes widen. The man was injured and covered in blood. What had happened to him? Why had he left him alone? Where had he disappeared to? He had so many questions. But in that moment, there was one that stood out from all the others: Jhin hadn't returned to him, but had returned to Viktor. He was on their side now?

"No. We got to the tunnel before they entered the house." The man explained. "Where the fuck have you been?" He clearly didn't care that Jhin was very visibly injured.

"Zed was a traitor. He warned the police. But I fought him and killed him." He said, touching his ugly stab wound.

Viktor's face contorted with anger. "That motherfucker..."

Graves and Twisted Fate held undignified expressions.

"So "Mr. I don't trust anyone" turned out to be a traitor. Tch..." TF commented, touching the brim of his hat.

Jhin made a motion with his hand. "Come on, we have to hurry."

Ekko's heart would have crumbled with the man's betrayal if it weren't already broken in pieces. But he just didn't have the capacity to care anymore. Everything inside him was numb.

-----

She had been waiting for a while now.

Akali was antsy, dying to leap into action. Impatient, she fiddled with her weapons in her hands. The moment those scumbags showed up, she would teach them the definition of pain.

And soon enough, she heard approaching footsteps.

Just like according to plan, there was Jhin, and behind him, were three men. Being forced to move forward by one of them...

Was Ekko.

For a second, her chest felt warm, her heart began racing, her eyes watered.

It was him.

Her friend was there. In front of her.

She almost couldn't believe it was true.

It had been so long...

But her insides grew cold once she noticed his face was contorted in pain. He looked injured and exhausted. One of his captors lost his patience and shoved the boy, almost causing him to fall to the ground.

A fire ignited in Akali's heart. Her teeth clenched as a dark, powerful wrath grew inside her chest. Her eyes were that of a panther, hiding in the shadows, ready to strike. She violently gripped her kama in her hand as she waited for the right moment.

"They left their cars nearby." She could hear Jhin's instructions clearly in her mind. "When we reach Viktor's car, that's the moment to strike. Be patient and don't blow your cover."

"Relax, I can do this." She had guaranteed with a very serious expression on her face.

And now, here she was, waiting in the darkness. The group quickly passed her by and when they were a safe distance away, she began following them.

They soon got to an area enclosed by thick vegetation. Almost camouflaged by the leaves of the bushes and the surrounding darkness, Viktor's car wouldn't be easy to find if one didn't know what to look for. Even if the chances of someone passing by that remote area were low, he never took chances.

"We've got to get to the plane. Once we leave the country, we'll be fine." Said Viktor. He turned to Graves and Twisted Fate. "Take different routes. If we split up, we'll be harder to catch. Jhin, you and the kid come with me."

The other two men nodded and each went in the opposite direction. The leaves on the bushes rustled as they disappeared in the darkness of the night.

Maintaining a strong grip on Ekko, the devil dragged the boy to one of the back doors of the car. He quickly opened it and then forced him inside. "Get in!" He demanded as he clutched Ekko's dirty dreadlocks and pushed him down.

As the teen landed on the backseat, he brought his knees to his chest and curled up, trying to find a comfortable position. When he did, he leaned against the soft backrest and stood completely still, as the pain became more bearable. He jolted as the door was slammed shut behind him.

Without saying a word, Jhin turned around and headed for the door of the passenger's seat. He grabbed the handle but hesitated instead of pulling it right away. Suddenly, something felt wrong. Viktor had been in such a hurry, up until now. Why had he stopped in his tracks after shoving the child into the back of the car, instead of running to the driver's seat?

There was a clicking sound behind him. Almost instinctively, the masked man spun around to face his foe.

From inside the vehicle, Ekko's eyes widened as he observed Viktor's gun being held dangerously close to Jhin's forehead.

"You must think I'm stupid, Jhin." Said Viktor with a triumphant smile. "Zed was always suspicious of you. I dismissed it because you were always more competent than he was. But I suppose I put my trust in the wrong person."

Jhin's eyes sent a hateful glare towards him.

"So what were you planning to do? Kill me? And take the kid with you?" He laughed. "You're pathetic."

"Release him, Viktor." Jhin coldly demanded.

"Giving orders now? I'm the one with the gun." The monster chuckled darkly as he gripped his pistol tighter. "Now tell me the truth... Did you ever have a go at the kid?"

"I'm not a monster like you." Jhin grit his teeth behind the mask.

"I see." A sneer was plastered across Viktor's face. "But I tell you, when they begin crying, that's when it gets exciting..."

Jhin was reminded of Zed's words right before he was killed. These animals all found pleasure and excitement in forcing a literal child to have sex with them. And Viktor was taunting him with it. A nauseating feeling invaded his stomach. His fingers began twitching with the rage he felt building up inside. These people didn't deserve to walk upon the Earth. They were pure evil. Sick, disgusting, twisted demons.

His hand clenched into a fist. His eyes studied the surrounding vegetation. That girl, Akali, was his only chance to turn this situation around.

Where was she? He had told her to follow them in case something went wrong...

And then everything happened insanely fast.

A small sharp object came flying from a nearby bush and stuck into Viktor's arm. The man let out a cry of pain and his finger instinctively squeezed the trigger of the gun.

Jhin didn't hesitate. The moment the kunai's glint hit his eye he raised a powerful palm towards Viktor's wrist to move the gun out of his way. The bullet recklessly flew from the barrel and struck the glass window of the car, shards spraying over Ekko's crippled body as he cowered from the loud sound.

Seizing the moment, Jhin immediately grabbed Viktor's wrist and fought to disarm him. Even with a blade sticking out of his arm, the monster would not relent. Jhin's movements were slightly janky and weak because of his injured shoulder but he still gave it all. What was important was not letting the girl get shot.

Ekko, hearing the sounds of a scuffle, slowly sat up, and with a confused gaze watched the fight break out in front of him. What he saw next truly shocked him.

Like a lioness, Akali jumped out of the bushes. Viktor's confusion was all she needed to gain the upper hand. With Jhin forcing their foe's gun arm away from the two of them, Akali quickly dropped on one knee and sliced clean through his calves with her kama. The man let out an agonising yelp and fell to the ground. Jhin quickly stamped on his hand and kicked the gun out of reach.

Akali spun Viktor onto his back and mounted his stomach. The use of his legs were severely limited but she didn't want him fighting back at all. With almost surgical precision she sliced through the shoulder blade and bicep of his right arm before mirroring the cuts on his left. His eyes were tearing up from the agony she was inflicting on his body. And there was fear. So much fear.

But that didn't stop her.

Grabbing his right wrist, she pulled his arm out in front of his face. As blood spurted out from his shoulder wounds, he bit his tongue to fight through the pain. Akali spun the kama back into her holster and pulled out a shuriken. Holding it tight in her fingers like a short knife, she ran it over his hand in fury. The knife reached the tip of a fingernail. She pierced it down to the cuticle and flicked the nail from his finger. Viktor couldn't hold it back anymore and let out a scream.

Hearing a sound of pain almost awoke some emotion in Akali, but she did not relent. Taking the shuriken back to the tip of his finger, very slowly and carefully, she cut vertically down the whole length, leaving the skin peeling off. Viktor released a blood-curdling scream, the likes of which he'd only heard from his victims himself.

The man's agony brought a smile of satisfaction to Akali's lips. He should have thought twice before messing with Ekko.

The girl threw Viktor's wrist to the ground, stabbed the shuriken clean through his palm and impaled it into the ground. Blood oozed from the fresh hole in his hand and his eyes rolled back into his head.

He was starting to realize what pain truly was.

Akali frowned and slapped his face harshly. She wanted him awake and aware so he would keep suffering. Then, she turned her attention to his stomach.

Moving her knee out of the way and retaking the kama from its holster, she aimed for his kidney. The kama swung down violently and pierced through the soft fat skin of his stomach, angled towards the bottom of his ribcage. She knew she'd hit her mark when Viktor squealed like a stuck pig and writhed around underneath her in agony. She quickly yanked the blade back out, causing a pool of blood to quickly soak the ground beneath them. The girl grit her teeth as she struck the wound with her knee.

Viktor's eyes fully rolled back into his head and his body went limp. There was certainly not enough blood to kill him, but she was almost upset that he had passed out so quickly.

She wasn't done yet.

Blinded with rage, the girl began swinging at the disgusting kidnapper underneath her. Deep, horrifying lacerations began appearing all over the man's body.

On his shoulder, on his chest, on his thighs, on his knees, on his arms and wrists. His clothes were slowly turning into tatters, exposing his bloodied, wounded skin. Jhin simply stayed back and watched with interest and shock. Akali was a dangerous beast with a weapon in hand. He would hate to be in Viktor's place right now.

Inside the car, Ekko's eyes were wide open in disbelief.

Akali...

It couldn't be...

She was really here?

She had come for him?

But why...?

His numb heart was feeling warmer by the second. The ice inside him began to melt.

Could it be that he had been wrong?

She... She actually cared?

Of... Of course she cared. But...

He had lost faith in her...

As quickly as it appeared, the warmth vanished. His heart began beating wildly. It was as if someone had punctured a hole through his chest. Shame burned deep inside like a hot ember. It was unbearable.

How could he have doubted her...?

This was his Akali. The same girl who had stuck with him through thick and thin for most of his life.

And now she was here, at his worst moment. Protecting him from the man who had destroyed him.

She was ever loyal. Ever caring.

His eyes watered. Tears rolled down his cheeks.

He was so stupid.

So unbelievably stupid for believing she had betrayed him...

Viktor was now lying on the ground, unconscious and bleeding profusely. Akali had gotten up and was towering over him, her eyes burning with a wild rage as she held the bloodied kama in her hand.

This man...

No.

This monster.

He had taken Ekko away by force. He had stolen him from them. From her. And he had hurt him. She didn't know how. But Ekko was in really bad shape when she had seen him earlier...

There was no forgiveness for what this animal had done...

A pure, dark hatred grew inside her chest and took over her body. Once it reached her fingertips, she raised the kama above her head and pointed it downwards. She threw her arms down in a swinging motion, aiming at Viktor's chest. But just as the blade was about to find the monster's flesh, a pair of hands grabbed her wrists, stopping her mid-swing.

Surprised, she raised her head to glare at Jhin. "What the hell are you doing?" She barked at him.

The man's eyes were staring right into hers. "This is not a decision you should make lightly, child. The weight of this burden will haunt you for the rest of your life."

"What?" Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"If you weren't here, Viktor would meet his end at my own hands. But if you do it, you'll pay for it with your freedom."

Akali's teeth clenched with fury. "I don't give a damn about ending up in jail! He hurt Ekko. He deserves to die!"

"He does deserve the ultimate punishment. But you shouldn't be the one to give him what he deserves, for you'll end up in ruin." Jhin insisted.

The girl's face began reddening with anger. "Why didn't you kill him, then? Why did you only go to the police now? Ekko has been missing for more than a month! You had all this time to report his location. You just chose not to!"

"Listen child, there's more to my decision than meets the eye..." Said Jhin.

"Excuses." Spat Akali, glaring him down. She jerked her body backwards and successfully freed herself from his grip. "Let go of me!"

Jhin took a step forward, trying to reason with her. "Akali, please! Think of your friend. Ekko is going to need you, now more than ever. You can't be there for him if you end up behind bars..."

The girl's eyes widened a bit and she took a step back. She was sure Qiyana, Yasuo and Senna would take good care of him in her absence. And Ahri, Evelynn and Kai'sa would do what they could to help. But it was true that none of them was as close to him as she was. Except for his parents.

He was like a little brother she had always looked after. It certainly didn't feel right to not be there for him in his darkest hour.

The rage that she felt burning inside began cooling down. She looked over at Ekko inside the car and back at the unconscious monster on the ground. Her heart started beating faster. For a second she hesitated. The grip on the blade faltered.

It was true.

Ekko was her friend. He needed her. He was the priority.

Akali slowly lowered her weapon and nodded. Jhin's eyes glinted with satisfaction and he reached into Viktor's pocket to retrieve the car keys.

They both approached the door and Jhin carefully inserted the key to unlock it. Inside, Ekko simply stayed still as the door opened in front of him. The broken shards of glass from the window that had shattered earlier, glinted in the moonlight.

Akali kneeled down to be at eye-level with her friend. Her eyes sparkled with happiness as she looked at him. A smile drew itself on her lips and it was as if her chest would burst at any second with how fast her heart was beating.

"Hey there, buddy." She said sweetly. She looked him in the eyes, expecting some sort of reaction from him. Good. Bad. Happy. Angry. Confused. Anything. Anything at all.

But it never came.

Her smile turned upside down.

He was looking at her. But he wasn't.

His eyes were vacant, staring into the void of nothingness. She could see tear streaks on his face and some droplets on his eyelashes. He had been crying.

The girl felt a lump in her throat. "Ekko..." She whispered in shock and disbelief.

She had imagined how their reunion would play out. It had been somewhat immature of her to think Ekko would be overflowing with joy to see her, just like she was to see him. That he would give her one of his sweet smiles. He had been kidnapped and imprisoned by a lunatic for a long time. He would certainly be scarred from it. She shouldn't have expected him to be open to big manifestations of affection.

But she had expected at least a sad smile in her direction. Him whispering her name. His eyes locking onto hers in disbelief. A simple nod of acknowledgement. Anything but this dead, empty stare. As if his soul had been ripped from his body.

Akali felt a freezing cold at the pit of her stomach. Something was horribly wrong with her friend.

At a loss of what to do, the girl raised her hand and reached for the boy's face with the intent of wiping away a single tear that was falling down.

It was a big mistake.

Ekko suddenly acknowledged her presence, but in the worst way possible. His eyes widened in terror and his entire body jolted as if he were about to get stabbed. He backed up against the seat in sheer panic, desperate to keep away from her touch.

Startled by her friend's reaction, Akali stopped dead in her tracks. Her hand became paralyzed in mid-air.

What... What was happening? Why was he so terrified? Was he afraid she would hurt him? Could he not recognize her? Was he hallucinating?

"Ekko... It's me, Akali." She tried calling out to him. "Are... Are you afraid of me? I'm here to help you. You're my best friend..."

But Ekko was tense like a stone statue. His eyes were filled with dread, as if in front of him was a snake about to bite him and not his closest friend. His whole body shivered uncontrollably and his breathing was irregular.

Concern and fear clawed strongly at Akali's insides. She couldn't move an inch.

Ekko looked like a small cornered animal, waiting to be killed. The scars of his imprisonment ran deep.

What kind of horrors had he been through...?

"Ekko... What happened to you?" She sounded as if she were about to cry.

At that moment, the girl felt a hand gently cover her wrist and push her arm down. Jhin, who had given her some space to reunite with her friend, was now intervening.

"It's ok, child. We're here to help you. Please, calm down." He turned to Akali and whispered. "Keep your distance and don't touch him."

Her eyes widened. Ekko... didn't want to be touched? That at least explained his weird reaction.

But why...?

"Come out, child. Let us untie you, we'll be careful." Jhin promised.

Trembling like a leaf, the boy eyed them both with uncertainty. But after being given some space, he began moving while paying mind to the shattered glass around him.

Once he got out of the car he very slowly turned away from Jhin to allow the man to untie the rope around his wrists. But he stretched his arms out so he could keep his distance from the man. Akali observed him attentively, sadness and concern oozing from her innermost being. His gaze was empty once again. For a single moment he gathered the courage to look her in the eyes. But he turned away immediately. As if he was ashamed or afraid of her judgment.

"There." Said Jhin once he finished removing the rope. He held it tightly in his hand and took a step back to allow the child some space.

Ekko simply leaned against the car and let himself slide down until he was sitting on the floor. He pulled his knees against his chest and didn't move again.

Feeling lost and deeply disturbed by her friend's strange behavior, Akali looked at Jhin with wide, tragic eyes.

She needed answers and she needed them now.

Jhin understood. He signaled her to follow him to an area a few meters away where Ekko couldn't hear them.

"Jhin... I... What... What did that monster do to him?" She stuttered. "Please be honest with me..."

The man sighed deeply. "This will be very hard for you to accept, child... I don't even know how to put it..."

Akali's heart accelerated. "Please, just tell me. Even if it hurts me. I need to know."

Jhin's frown deepened. "Viktor, that monster you just tortured... He's a pedophile. And a rapist. He and other men sexually abused and raped Ekko countless times. And they did the same to many boys before him..."

The girl's body turned to stone. Her heart that was previously beating so hard, almost stopped. The blood froze in her veins.

"N-no... That... That can't be." She began shaking her head in disbelief. "Not him. Not Ekko..."

Jhin lowered his eyes. "I'm sorry, Akali."

The poor girl covered her mouth with her hands in pure shock. "No..." She whispered as a great pain took over her chest, her eyes clenched shut.

Ekko...

Her Ekko...

An innocent boy. Who had done nothing but think of others around him. Who had done his best to help his family. Who had always been there for her and had been the best friend imaginable...

Had been wounded in the most horrifying, animalistic way possible.

His innocence, his dignity, his soul, his future... Had been ripped from him.

By a vile, sadistic monster...

Her eyes instinctively opened up and darted to the unconscious body of the man she had tortured. Her eyes watered as a dark, ferocious rage took over her mind once again.

That... That thing. It deserved death. It deserved to get lost in the deepest, darkest pit and to burn forever in the fires of hell.

Why had she listened to Jhin? She should have trespassed it with the blade. She wished, with a burning passion, to rip out its innards and watch it squirm and squeal like a dying pig until the life was completely drained from its eyes.

It's all it deserved. It's what they all deserved. To suffer. To suffer horribly. For all eternity. Without a second's rest.

But suddenly, there was the distinct sound of a group of people approaching through the moisty grass. Akali was brought back to reality and she turned around to check who it was. She saw multiple flashlights. It had to be the police.

"Jhin, w-what am I going to say to them?" She looked downwards at her dirty, bloodied clothes. Uncertain, she breathed in deeply. "Jhin?" She tried again when the answer never came. She turned to the side and realized with shock that the man wasn't there with her anymore. It was just like when he had snuck up behind her. He moved without making a sound, like a ghost. How could that be?

Akali sighed. She took a nervous look at Ekko, who was still folded in on himself, unmoving.

The group of police officers lead by Caitlyn eventually appeared amidst the bushes and trees.

"Police! Freeze!" Caitlyn shouted, raising her gun in front of her. Her colleagues immediately followed her lead, adopting a powerful stance. But to say they were shocked by the scene in front of them, would be an understatement.

The chief's eyes narrowed as they moved from the girl with bloodied clothes, to the apparently unconscious man on the ground, covered in deep wounds and the young boy sitting against the car.

"What is all this? What happened here?" The woman demanded to know. The rest of the officers behind her also looked around, completely lost.

Akali stepped forward with both arms raised to show she wasn't dangerous. "Officers, please. Let me explain."

It was Jayce's turn to speak. "Stay where you are. Hands behind your head and get on your knees."

The girl obeyed. Caitlyn pointed her flashlight at her and took a step back with the surprise upon recognizing who it was. "A-Akali?"

"Yes, it's me." She explained calmly. She looked at the man on the ground. "That's Viktor. I did this to him. I had to get him away from Ekko..."

The chief felt Jayce moving behind her as he stared incredulously at the bloody, mutilated body on the ground. This small girl... Had done this much damage?

It reminded Caitlyn that her colleagues were all waiting for her orders. They had all been rendered motionless with the shock. How embarrassing...

"Jayce, you and the other male officers handle Viktor. Keep your distance from the boy or he might panic." She turned to a female officer. "You and Vi check on the girl. See if she's hurt. I'll try to approach Ekko."

They all nodded and hurried to obey her.

Left with the most difficult task, Caitlyn breathed in deeply to gain courage and strength. The child was, without a doubt, deeply scarred from all the abuse. She had to be very careful with the actions she took and the words she chose. One mistake and he might suffer a full-blown panic attack. He had to be taken somewhere safe and if he became scared of them, it would really difficult things.

The woman approached slowly, her light steps cracking dried leaves beneath her feet. The boy, who had his face buried in his arms, raised it slightly to see who it was.

"Hello. You're Ekko, isn't it?" She asked, after kneeling down. She wanted to make herself appear smaller so she wouldn't seem as menacing.

The boy didn't answer. He just kept staring at her with those broken, golden eyes.

"I'm Caitlyn. I'm a police officer. And I'm here to help you." As he didn't react badly to her presence, she inched a little closer and gave him a warm smile. "That man can't hurt you anymore. You're safe now."

He remained motion and expressionless.

"Ekko, listen. Does it hurt anywhere? Are you in pain?"

And, at last, he gave her an answer. He nodded slowly, confirming her suspicions.

"We'll have to take you to the hospital, just to be safe. Don't worry, I promise we won't hurt you. Can you walk?"

He nodded once again.

"All right, that's good..."

"Caitlyn!?" Vi suddenly called her.

She immediately turned around. It sounded urgent. "What is it?"

Her friend was crouching down in front of Akali and judging by the expression on her face, she had just been told something alarming.

"There were two more men besides Viktor here earlier. They said something about a plane and leaving the country."

Beside her, Jayce had both arms crossed and was shaking his head. "Doesn't surprise me. After a certain point, Viktor never worked alone again. They must have gotten to some stolen plane in a secluded area if they wanted to take Ekko with them." Then, the man looked down at Akali. "What baffles me is how you were able to take down a beast like Viktor. Did you really do it alone?"

Akali nodded. "Yes. It was just me." Jhin had explicitly asked her not to mention his involvement to the police. But she wasn't exactly lying. The man had disarmed Viktor. She had done all the rest, including throwing him to the ground.

Jayce's mouth was agape. He had fought Viktor himself, all those years ago, when his face had gotten burnt. And he had struggled. This young girl with a petite figure had managed to not just fight a fully grown man on equal terms, but dominate him completely and mutilate his body.

What... What was this girl?

"Even still, we should try to find out those men's whereabouts." Said Caitlyn. She turned to two officers and once again spoke loud and clear. "You two, investigate the area. Look for footprints, tire tracks, anything. And then come report your findings to me. We'll handle things here."

"Yes, ma'am." The two men said, obeying the order without question.

Caitlyn looked back at Ekko, who was looking down at the ground. That blank stare, the way he was all curled up, bracing himself for comfort, almost brought tears to her eyes.

She hated cases that involved children. It was so unfair...

"It's going to be all right now. You'll see..." She tried consoling the boy. But even she didn't believe in her own words...

-----

In the True Damage household, the fireplace in the living room had been lit up. The flames crackled rhythmically and served as background noise for the three occupants in the room.

Yasuo was sitting at the desk, in front of his computer, with headphones on. He was thoroughly checking one of his beats for any part that could warrant a change. Qiyana and Senna were sitting on the couch, holding pencils and sheets of paper, and were trying their best to come up with lyrics for the music. This was something that the girls should have started doing weeks ago. But with everything that had happened, they just hadn't been in the right mindset for it. Besides, Ekko was the best lyricist among them, and he usually did most of the work in that regard.

"I just can't think of a decent rhyme." Senna complained, gently tapping with the pencil on her chin.

Qiyana let herself fall against the backrest and tilted her head back in boredom. "Same." She said, looking at the ceiling.

"Ekko always does this so easily..." Senna commented with a hint of sadness in her voice.

They rarely spoke of him lately. It wasn't easy to do. It made everyone feel uncomfortable.

A bit taken aback, Qiyana frowned. Her expression was somewhere between worry and annoyance. "I wonder if Akali will find anything worthwhile. I just hope she doesn't get in trouble..." She thought to herself. She was getting increasingly nervous, not knowing of her friend's whereabouts. It was getting pretty late.

Suddenly, there was the distinct sound of the front door opening. Qiyana straightened herself and Senna lowered her pencil.

"Akali? Is that you?" Qiyana called out.

They focused their attention on the hallway to try and see who had come in. Even Yasuo took off his headphones and hung them on his neck as he stared at the open door. Seconds later, Ekko's parents emerged through the door frame. Their ever kind faces were shadowed by a deep sorrow, but they still made an effort to give them a sad smile.

"Good evening." Wyeth's greeting came out as little more than a whisper and Inna's eyes were filled with tears.

Qiyana's heart throbbed. She wanted to ask if something had happened, but the couple didn't stick around to chat. They simply went up the stairs.

With an emptiness inside her chest, the girl looked at her friends. Worry defined their features. Without saying a word, she got up and silently headed for the door. Senna and Yasuo's eyes followed her in silence until she was out of view.

Qiyana headed to the upper floor and turned to the guests room. But when she checked through the wide open door, it was all dark. They weren't inside. Where had they gone?

Through the corner of her eye, she caught the glimpse of a light shining at the end of the hallway. It was coming from Ekko's room...

Qiyana blinked in surprise and slowly walked over. She peeked through the half open door and saw the couple sitting on the edge of Ekko's bed. Inna was holding a framed picture of them and their son. Her tears were slowly wetting the glass as they fell down. Wyeth was hugging her close and his eyes were shiny as if he were also about to cry. He suddenly took notice of the girl's presence and signaled her to approach them. After a small hesitation, she stepped inside the room.

"I didn't mean to be nosy. But I saw you were crying and I got worried. I wanted to check on you." Qiyana explained herself.

Even amongst her tears, Inna gave her a small smile. "Thank you my dear."

At that moment, Senna and Yasuo appeared at the door. "Please come in. It's all right." Said Wyeth. And so they did.

"I'm sorry we worried you." Inna said as she wiped her tears. "It's just that... We have to go back home tomorrow. And despite our best efforts, we didn't find anything at all..." She looked down at the picture she was holding in her hands. "You didn't find anything. The police didn't find even a trace. Our boy... " Her voice cracked and she closed her eyes tightly as more tears began falling down. " It's hopeless..."

Wyeth pulled her a bit closer. Qiyana felt tears of her own threatening to fall down. Wanting to show some support, she sat down on the bed next to the crying mother and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry." She wished she could find the right words. But there was nothing else she could say.

Senna and Yasuo remained in silence, just watching with sadness in their eyes. The pain of these parents... They couldn't even imagine what they were going through. After Ekko's disappearance, it must have been so unbelievably hard for Akali to give them such shocking news...

Speaking of Akali. Where was she? They hadn't seen her all day.

And then suddenly, Yasuo's phone began ringing in his pocket. Surprised, he picked it up and looked at the screen to check who was calling him so late at night. Speaking of the devil...

"It's Akali." He announced to the other occupants in the room. Qiyana, who was the only one who knew what Akali was up to, tensed in her seat. With her attentive eyes on him, Yasuo accepted the call and took the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

At first, there was no response. But eventually, Akali found the words. "Yasuo... Hello..."

The man frowned. Her voice sounded brittle, tired, weak, as if all the energy had been sucked out of her. "Akali? Are you OK?"

"I... No. I don't even know..." She answered.

Something had happened. This wasn't the cheerful, confident Akali he knew. She sounded uncertain, lost, confused and above all, exhausted. It felt like the floor had disappeared from beneath her feet.

"Akali you're making me worried. Where are you? What happened?" He noticed Senna was giving him a very concerned look.

"Yasuo, they..." Akali tried speaking once again. "Ekko. They found him. They found Ekko..."

Yasuo's eyes widened like full moons. "Ekko was found!?" All the eyes inside the room turned to him in shock. Senna, in a reflex, covered her mouth with her hand. The crying couple jolted in their seats. Qiyana got up very quickly and just stared at him, dumbfounded.

"Akali? Is he OK? Please answer." Yasuo pleaded, becoming increasingly anxious with her keeping so quiet.

He didn't get a reply for what seemed like forever. In this long, uncomfortable silence, Yasuo could swear he heard his own heartbeats echoing inside his head. The seconds stretched out infinitely and it was as if years had passed when the girl finally spoke. "Ekko... Ekko is alive."

"He's alive?" The man repeated as a small smile began forming on his lips. He turned to the others and looked each of them in the eyes as he announced. "Ekko is alive."

The poor couple who had been turned to stone with such mind blowing news, slowly started to unfreeze. "Our boy was found. Our boy is alive! Thank the heavens!" Inna said, as tears, this time of joy, began falling down her face like a waterfall. Wyeth was out of words. He simply hugged his wife tightly as his eyes also filled with tears. Senna took a step back with the surprise. She removed her hand from her mouth and placed it over her chest, revealing a wide smile that showed her pristine white teeth. Qiyana's face was bursting with emotion. Her eyes were shining like stars in the night sky and her lips parted to whisper a loving "Ekko...".

But despite these good news, something was bothering Yasuo. He dropped the small smile and fearfully commented. "Akali? You don't sound very happy..."

More silence on the other side. But this time it wasn't as long. "Yasuo, he..." Akali sounded like she was about to cry. It made the man's heart feel very tight. "Ekko is hurt. He's horribly hurt..."

His eyes widened. "He's... He's hurt? What happened? Who hurt him?" He was dying for more details on his friend's situation.

"He's... They hurt him, Yasuo. They hurt him badly. They... They..."

Akali broke down in tears. She had tried so hard to hold it in. She had tried so hard to be brave and strong for her friend. But even she had her limits.

"Ekko... was raped..." She finally delivered.

Yasuo turned white as a sheet of paper.

"Ekko was... What?"

It... It couldn't be...

"They're pedophiles, Yasuo." She could barely speak. The sobs shook her entire body. "Ekko can't defend himself. He's just a kid... And they took advantage of him. Those fucking animals..."

The man's heart was beating hard and fast inside his chest. This had to be a nightmare. It just couldn't be real.

Horrified by her friend's blank expression, Senna approached him. "Yasuo? What happened? What is she saying?"

But the man didn't even acknowledge her. In his eyes there was shock, sadness, terror, confusion... He didn't know how to process what he had been told.

"They took him to the hospital." Akali explained amidst her tears. "I'll go meet him there soon. Please come too. I don't want to be alone right now..."

Yasuo opened his mouth to reply, but at first, no sound came out of it. He cleared his throat and then said in a voice completely devoid of emotion. "Of course, Akali. Of course.... We'll be there."

"Ok... Thank you. S-see you later..." Akali's voice was little more than a whisper. And then the call ended.

The silence inside the room was deafening. All the eyes were on Yasuo who simply let his arm fall down to the side of his body. He aggressively gripped the phone in his hand as if it were his lifeline. It was like the entire world was weighing on his shoulders. He now knew how Akali must have felt when she was told.

Angry. Miserable. Cold. Empty. Completely drained.

No wonder she could barely speak on the phone...

"Yasuo...?" Senna tried to reach him.

A long moment passed. Yasuo slowly gathered up the courage to look his friends and Ekko's family in the eyes. But his mouth still didn't open.

It was as if his lips had been sewn together...

Chapter Text

The number of journalists that had gathered in front of the hospital was nearly unbelievable. In little more than an hour, a crowd had formed. How had they found out about Ekko's rescue so fast?

"Poor little people. They're like dogs chasing a bone." Evelynn commented as she saw two men almost trample each other and get into an argument.

In the passenger's seat, Kai'sa was drumming her fingers on the dashboard. Every one of her muscles was tense. "Akali sounded so desperate on the phone..."

From the back, Ahri sighed. "Who can blame her? Poor Ekko..."

Kai'sa lowered her eyes. "I almost can't believe it... Who does something so horrible to a kid?"

The fox-girl's eyes narrowed until they were just two sky-blue lines. "Monsters..." She spat.

Under Akali's pleas, they had sworn maximum secrecy. If what happened to Ekko became known to the public, she could rest assured it wouldn't be through them.

The girls were swarmed by a mob and blinded with camera flashes the moment they stepped out of the car. They made their way to the hospital entrance ignoring every question and turning away from every microphone. Once inside, Evelynn approached the reception and asked where Ekko had been taken to. And as soon as they got the information they needed, the three girls didn't waste time.

To Kai'sa, this walk felt like an eternity. The worry for Akali, for Ekko, and the other members of the band burned inside her chest. This was such a difficult situation... What would she say once she came face to face with them? What could she say?

The girl looked at her friends. Ahri's head was lowered, her eyes were fixated on the ground. A million thoughts must be swirling inside her brain. Evelynn's expression was stern. Every step she took showed confidence. Someone who didn't know her could argue she wasn't at all bothered. But that wasn't the case. Just like them, she was at a loss of what to do or say. She was only incredibly good at masking it.

Suddenly, they came to a stop. Behind this heavy door was their destination. For a moment, they all exchanged nervous glances. Kai'sa took the initiative and stepped forward to grab the handle, but she felt Ahri's hand on her shoulder.

"Remember, girls. They're all going to be in shock. Don't ask questions, just try to give some support." Ahri said, as her trembling hand gripped the straps of her handbag.

Both girls nodded gravely.

The sturdy double doors of the hospital slowly opened. The group stepped inside without a sound... To be met with a bleak picture.

A few meters away, Senna was leaning against a wall with her arms crossed. Her whole body was stiff and shaking. Her lips were stuck in a frown, which was very uncharacteristic of her and her eyes were filled to the brim with worry. She turned her head slightly to see who had arrived but didn't open her mouth.

Qiyana was sitting down, leaning on Yasuo's shoulder. She was crying her eyes out and each sob rocked her entire body. The man had wrapped an arm around her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her. But mentally, he wasn't even present. He wasn't blinking, his gaze was vacant, his skin was white as a sheet of paper.

A couple in the corner, who looked so much like Ekko, it had to be his parents, were embracing one another. Their eyes were reddened and puffy as tears silently rolled down their cheeks. The man's crying worsened and he covered his face with his hand. His wife came to his rescue by hugging him tighter.

Akali was nowhere to be found.

Kai'sa's heart had shrunk. She looked behind her, at the other KDA, and they seemed just as lost and horrified as she felt. She didn't know what to do.

Taking a deep breath, Ahri advanced to talk to Senna. From all the people in the room, she seemed like the one who had it together. "Hello, Senna. The girls and I are here to..."

"If you're looking for Akali, she's getting checked. She was the first to know what happened to Ekko and they wanted to make sure she's mentally well." The girl let out in a single breath. She didn't even turn to look at her.

Ahri was left staring awkwardly at the taller girl. "Oh... Thank you. I mean, we came for Akali, but we wanted to check on all of you..."

"Thanks. That's nice of you." Senna's delivery was quick and dry.

Before Ahri's fox ears had the chance to drop, Evelynn stepped forward to salvage the situation. "Kai'sa, I think it's best if you go check on Akali. And you, Ahri, go talk to Yasuo or so. I don't think Senna wants your help..."

Thankful for Eve's intervention, the fox-girl nodded. She watched as Kai'sa walked up to a nurse to obtain information.

"Are you perhaps her family?" The nurse asked gently. Her face was very kind. Her skin was white as snow, her eyes were like two sparkling emeralds and her hair, long and wavy, was mint green. A pretty golden horn was growing on top of her head.

"I'm a friend. But I need to see if she's OK."

In a flash, the girl checked a notebook that she had on her. "Let's see... Room 203. You may enter, she's just undergoing a quick check-up. I'll take you there." Kai'sa thanked her and both disappeared into the hallway.

Following her friend's advice, Ahri approached Yasuo and Qiyana. She didn't realize that Evelynn's harsh comment had had an effect on Senna and she was currently following her with her gaze.

"Hey." She greeted. The man's eyes widened for a second and he blinked several times before turning to face her. It seemed like he had woken up from a dream. Or a nightmare.

"Ah, hello, Ahri... Please, take a seat..." He sounded so defeated, so tired. To show some compassion, she gave him a small smile as she sat down.

"Hello." Qiyana said weakly. She was no longer letting out heart-wrenching sobs, but the tears kept streaming down her face, wetting Yasuo's shirt in the process. In a kind gesture, the girl retrieved a handkerchief from her bag and handed it to her.

"Here you go."

Qiyana's eyes shone with gratitude. "Thank you." She whispered as she accepted the offer.

"Ahri... I'm sorry." A voice said behind her. She didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. But she did, anyway. Senna's eyes and head were lowered. She was rubbing one of her arms for comfort. "I... I didn't mean to come off as rude. I'm sorry if I hurt you." She took the liberty to sit down next to her. She clenched her eyes shut as she vented. "It's just... Ekko... This whole thing... I'm so frustrated, so angry. So sad, and confused..." A warm hand on her shoulder interrupted her speech. She opened her eyes to see Ahri giving her a warm smile.

"It's OK. We're all a little lost right now."

Senna sighed and nodded in agreement.

Suddenly, Ahri dropped her smile, her hand let go of the girl's shoulder and clenched into a fist. "Do you have any news about Ekko? How is he?"

Senna stiffened and looked away. She kept silent for some time. Ahri waited patiently for the answer. "He..." She hesitated before delivering. "He had to undergo emergency surgery. The internal damage was worse than expected. His bowel got perforated."

"They said it's very serious..." She heard behind her. Qiyana's voice was brittle and filled with hurt. "The wound was already in an advanced state. If they don't treat it fast enough, he might..." Tears broke down from her clenched-shut eyes. "He might not make it."

Ahri's jaw dropped in shock, her eyes widened in disbelief. "That's... That's horrible..." She stammered.

No wonder they all looked dead on the inside. As if Ekko having been raped wasn't nightmarish enough, his life was also at risk as a direct result of his abuse.

Ahri's chest felt unbelievably tight. The poor boy...

Evelynn, who was checking on Ekko's parents, turned around when she heard this. Her neutral expression turned into a scowl and she shook her head. "This is unforgivable..." She spat.

Meanwhile, Kai'sa and the nurse had just arrived at the room Akali was in.

"203, here we are." The girl announced with a delicate smile. "Do you mind telling me your name? I'll let her know you're here."

"I'm Kai'sa." She replied. "Is it really ok if I enter? Miss..." Curious, she looked at the nurse's identification badge. "...Miss Soraka?"

"I assure you there is no problem. The session must be almost over." Soraka knocked on the door with confidence.

A sweet voice answered from inside the room. "Come in!"

The door was opened, revealing Akali, who was sitting on a hospital bed. Across her, was a young woman with straight white hair and the bluest eyes Kai'sa had ever seen. She was sitting on a chair with perfect posture and her movements were precise yet graceful.

"Janna, I'm sorry I'm interrupting. There's someone here to see your patient. Her name is Kai'sa, may she come in?"

The young psychologist grinned from ear to ear. "Don't worry, we just finished." She turned to the somber girl in front of her. "Is that your friend, dear?"

"Yeah, Kai'sa. Please, let me see her." Her voice was almost inaudible.

For a lack of a better word, Akali looked... Empty. She was hunched over, eyes cast down, elbows resting on her thighs. She raised her head and saw Kai'sa was approaching. The tall girl kneeled before her and placed both hands on her shoulders.

"Akali... How are you feeling?" It was a bit of a stupid question and she mentally punched herself for not asking something else.

The girl looked outside the window as if the answer could be found there. "Me? I'm perfectly fine. But Ekko isn't."

Janna put on a more serious expression and spoke up. "Your friend is extremely worried about the boy. We've been assigned to take care of him. That is why we're also checking on Miss Akali." She placed her pen in the pocket of her immaculate white uniform. "Given the circumstances, there is some room for worry. The boy is currently undergoing surgery and it's a dangerous procedure."

Kai'sa's eyes widened. "Dangerous, doctor?"

"Yes. But we believe he'll make it through."

"Given all the physical injuries he withstood, he could already have succumbed to the infections." Said the nurse. She put on a smile. "I'm sure he's a brave, resilient boy. He'll survive the operation."

Akali began crying. "You're both so sure, yet there is no certainty at all."

"Kali." Kai'sa gently touched her face and turned it so she was facing her. "It's going to be fine. The surgery will be a success..."

"Even if it is? What about after? How is he going to cope with what happened to him? How are we going to face him?" The desperation in her voice was building up. "You didn't see his eyes, Kai'sa. They were so empty. He was afraid of me. He was shaking so much..."

Janna frowned, pitying the poor girl. "Miss Akali, please try to keep calm. You had a very rough night."

"We know better than anyone how difficult these cases are. We've seen it all..." Soraka exchanged a worried glance with her colleague. "We promise to do our best in regards to the boy. He'll be in good hands here at the hospital."

Akali glared at the two women. "It's so easy to talk..."

"Akali, don't be like that." Kai'sa scolded her. "They're trying their best to help. I'm sure they'll take very good care of Ekko."

"I know but," The somber girl clenched her eyes shut. A sob shook her whole body. "I'm so scared!" Her voice broke. Tears began falling down her face like a waterfall. Without warning, she threw herself in her friend's arms, holding onto her for dear life.

"Oh, Kali, I'm so sorry." Kai'sa held her close.

Both the psychologist and the nurse were looking at them with sorrow in their eyes.

"That's it. Venting is good, my dear. Let it all out..." Janna said sweetly.

Akali's sobs became even more desperate. More tears fell down her face.

Soraka sighed and looked out the window. Somewhere on the other side, in one of the rooms parallel to their own, the surgery was taking place. She clasped her hands together against her chest. "Oh please, let the boy be all right". She whispered.

-----

"Don't worry, Miss Soraka. I'll take good care of her." Kai'sa assured the nurse as they were heading to the waiting room. She was holding Akali tight and the kind nurse was following them.

"Please keep a close eye on her. She's very shaken."

Kai'sa turned around, smiled, and nodded.

Suddenly, two little kids passed them by. One was chasing the other and they giggled with wide grins plastered across their faces. "Can't catch me! Can't catch me!" The smaller one teased as they ran around in circles.

For some reason, they caught Akali's interest. Her gaze went from vacant to focused and she turned around to observe them.

"Children, go back to your rooms!" Soraka scolded them gently. But they either didn't hear her or didn't care. The nurse sighed and addressed the girls. "I'm sorry, but I have to take care of those little rascals." She turned around and hurried to catch up to them.

Akali only stared as she turned the corner and disappeared. Those kids, playing together with so much happiness. It reminded her of the time she had spent with Ekko when they were children...

-----

"She goes to train in the dojo every day after school. Both her parents are martial artists."

"They say she beat up a kid twice her size in her old school. And she got expelled after that."

"Yeah, I heard something like that, he ended up in the hospital."

"She must be dangerous. We should stay away from her."

These were the kinds of whispers Akali would hear daily when passing by the other children of the neighborhood.

As the new kid in town and with incredible physical prowess despite her petite figure, many rumors were being made up about her. Just nine years old, she was already smart enough to ignore all the noise and do her own thing. But the harsh comments still stung all the same. It's not like she hadn't tried to clear things up. But the other kids were hell-bent on staying as far away from her as possible. And if she tried getting close, they would either ignore her and leave out of fear, or push her away with insults.

It was fine. She didn't need them, they were all morons. Either way, she didn't have that much time to hang out with them, as her parents wanted her to practice every day. She'd been taught to fight by them from the moment she could walk, and she was really good at it. They had high hopes she would follow in their footsteps.

And back then, Akali didn't exactly have plans for her future. The fact that she knew how to fight and was strong, had always made the other kids afraid of her, even in her old school. She didn't want to admit it, but she felt very lonely at times...

However, one afternoon after school, things began to change.

The day had been unbelievably boring. She'd skipped math class first thing in the morning and that had warranted two hours of detention and extra homework.

"Stupid maths." She complained, kicking a pebble. When she got home she would still have training to do and she wasn't in the mood for it. The playground around her was deserted, save for a group of younger boys and girls that were talking amongst themselves. When a little kid exited the school building and passed by the small group, they tried to get his attention.

"Hey! We're going to the park. Wanna come?"

He didn't even stop to answer. "Not today. I'm busy."

The children were visibly disappointed. "Aw, your project again? That's all you care about lately."

"Sorry. Maybe tomorrow." He said. And he disappeared through the gate.

One of the kids in the group crossed his arms and frowned. "I heard the teachers say that he's gifted, that he's a genius. He must think he's too good for us." And Akali heard a buzzing of agreement from his friends.

That boy was really little and seemed to be a first-grader. And he refused to go play with his friends because of something he was working on? What kind of six-year-old does that?

"Weird kid." Akali thought. And she hurried to leave the school. As the girl didn't want to go home just yet, she took a much longer path. She was walking by the scrapyard, thinking of her infernal homework when she heard a yelp of pain.

"Ouch."

Alarmed, she rushed to the inside of the yard and found the same kid from earlier, lying face-first on the dirt, in front of a trolley. Inside it, there was a mountain of metal parts. He had seemingly fallen to the ground upon trying to pull the trolley along, for it was too heavy for him.

Akali hesitated. "Hey! Are you hurt? Do you need any help?"

The little kid was already back on his feet and shaking the dust off his clothes. "Nah, I'm ok. But this thing doesn't want to move."

Akali felt confident to approach him and grabbed the handle of the trolley to see if she was capable of handling the task. It moved almost effortlessly.

The boy's eyes lit up with excitement. "Wow. You're strong!"

His compliment made her smile. "Where do you want to take this?"

He made a motion with his hand. "Just across the street. I'll lead the way."

Satisfied for having an excuse to not go home just yet ("There was this little kid who needed help, mom, I couldn't just say no!"), Akali followed him. They arrived at a quiet, narrow street where the buildings were extremely run down. On one side, the houses were small and brittle and on the other, the walls of the apartment complex had cracks in them and the paint was falling off, leaving the bricks showing. At that moment it occurred to Akali that they were in the poorest part of the city.

"What are you doing around here, kid? You go to the scrapyard often?" She asked out of curiosity.

"I live here. That is my house over there." He answered, pointing at an old-looking yet well-maintained house.

"Oh." Was all Akali could utter. It had been a bit silly of her to not understand that from the get-go.

"We're here!" The boy's big, expressive, golden eyes sparkled in the sunlight. The place he had lead her to, was an abandoned storage room that didn't even have a door, for it had fallen off. Its interior was very clean and it was filled with a workbench, tools, and small gadgets made out of metal and other materials. "This is my workshop!" He stated with pride.

Akali stepped inside and let go of the trolley. She observed everything with her mouth agape. "This is all made by you?" He nodded vigorously. "So that's what the metal is for?"

"Yup! And because you helped me, I'm going to tell you a secret." He got closer to her and whispered. "I'm finishing building a robot!"

One of the girl's eyebrows raised in disbelief. There was indeed a small, unfinished, toy-sized robot on the ground near them, but there was no way it would work. Or would it...?

"You just met me and you told me your secret just like that?"

The kid shrugged. "Why not? It isn't that big of a secret. The whole neighborhood will find out about it anyway!"

Akali observed as he took hold of the small figure and chose a bit of metal from the pile on the trolley. He put both things on his workbench and after toiling diligently with various tools for a while, he placed the robot on the ground. Astonished, she watched with wide-open eyes as the machine moved its tiny legs across the floor.

"You... You actually made that? It isn't just a toy you bought? It... It moves." That was all she could say.

"I also made other robots. I took them home to play with them." He said with a smile as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

This kid. Was building various tiny working robots. And other things. From scratch. With old metal from a scrapyard. And apparently, it was all child's play to him. She remembered the other children's conversation from earlier: he was gifted, a genius.

"This is... This is so cool!" Akali exclaimed, kneeling to look at the tiny robot from up-close.

He flashed a grateful smile in her direction. Suddenly something occurred to him. "Oops! I didn't even thank you for helping me."

"It's no big deal." She replied with satisfaction. And suddenly, he said something she wasn't expecting.

"You're the new girl, aren't you? The one who got transferred from another school?"

Nervous, Akali raised her head to look at the kid. In his eyes, there was no hint of judgment. Only pure curiosity.

"Hm... Well yeah, I am." She admitted, getting back on her feet. "Did you... Did you hear stories about me? From your friends?"

"They say you beat up someone and hurt them. That's why you had to change schools." He said.

Unnerved, her eyebrows furrowed and her mouth curved into a frown. But then it occurred to her that the boy hadn't shown fear the whole time. "And you aren't afraid of me?"

"I don't believe in rumors. I like to get to know other kids first, to find out what they're really like. People make stuff up all the time. It's what my mama tells me." Akali was dumbfounded. It wasn't just about his inventions. This boy was intelligent in every sense of the word, especially for his age. "And you seem so nice and you helped me! Why would I be afraid of you?" He stated with an innocent smile.

His words touched her. Her heart began beating hard and fast. "You're the first to give me a chance. All the other kids run away from me."

"The other kids are scaredy cats. They're afraid of everything. But I'm not! I'm small but I'm brave." And that was the first time he gave her that trademark cocky smirk. "Oh, I forgot to ask. What is your name?"

Her chest felt warm. Maybe this was her chance to finally make a friend.

"I'm Akali." She said.

The young boy grinned from ear to ear. "My name is Ekko. It's nice to meet you!" And then his eyes regained that inquisitive look from earlier. "The stories they tell about you are true?" He wanted to know.

She hesitated.

"More or less. I did beat up a kid in my old school. And he was bigger than me, that part is true. But I did it because he was messing with the smaller kids. I had to teach him a lesson. He didn't end up in the hospital, though. He ran away, crying for his mommy."

"So you didn't get expelled because of that?"

"No, my parents and I just moved to a new place." She was so happy that she had finally been able to tell the whole story to someone!

The cocky grin was back on Ekko's face. "And that is why you should never believe in rumors."

"Thank you for listening. I was beginning to think no one would." She chuckled. She looked at the watch on her wrist and blinked with surprise. "It's getting late, I have to go. I have training to do and... maths homework to finish." Her nose wrinkled in distaste and she huffed in frustration.

Akali heard a cheerful laugh from her new friend. "You look so bored!"

"Maths is the bane of my existence." She joked.

His eyes lit up in excitement. "Maths? I'm good at maths. I can help you."

"I would love that." Her eyebrows furrowed with uncertainty. Just to make sure, she took out her notebook from her backpack. "But maybe these exercises are too difficult for you...?" She couldn't forget they were three years apart.

Ekko took a look at her notes on the graph paper and smiled with confidence. "I'm more advanced than the rest of my class. These are easy."

The girl's jaw dropped for the millionth time that day. This boy was definitely someone very special. "Are you serious? You can help me?"

"Of course!" He took his eyes off the page and looked at her. "It's my chance to do something for you."

This time she was the one who couldn't contain her excitement. "That's awesome! Thank you so much."

And Ekko gave her a radiant smile. "If you have trouble with maths, I can teach you all the things you don't understand." He pulled up two seats for both of them and placed her notebook down on the workbench. "You'll see Akali, you'll be passing your math tests in no time."

-----

"Those pesky journalists are still planted outside." Evelynn noted, looking out the window. "I'll take care of them before they set up tents."

Senna followed her with her eyes as she headed for the door. "Wait, Evelynn. I'll go with you."

The girl stopped and waited for her in silence.

On their way to the hospital entrance, they didn't exchange words or glances. They both had much to think about and the tension that had settled made it hard to start a casual conversation. However, tired of the heavy silence, Evelynn ended up taking the initiative to break the ice. "I'm sorry about your friend."

Senna's eyes widened. "Huh?"

The click-clack of the diva's high heels came to a stop. She turned around. "I'm sorry for what happened to Ekko. It's horrible and unfair. And you're all suffering with it."

Senna frowned. "Thank you, I mean it. But it's Ekko you should be concerned about. Our pain doesn't come close to his."

Eve's expression was serious. "And I do feel bad for the boy. For the short amount of time I've spent with him, I know he's a good kid. He didn't deserve any of this. But I'm aware of how much you're all hurting."

The taller girl lowered her eyes. Yes, Evelynn was right. Ekko was a "good kid". That's what anyone who had met him for five minutes would say. But there was much more to him. He was kind, compassionate, understanding, attentive to others' needs. There was this innocence in his eyes, a strong will to help those who were hurting. And she was a witness of that, as it was customary of him to approach her whenever she felt uncomfortable. He would try to distract her with jokes, smile a lot to get her to ease up, give her gentle words.

She remembered one such moment vividly as if it were yesterday...

-----

It was near sunset and the sky was gaining a soft orange hue. Senna and her bandmates were walking up to the private jet that would take them to France. It was a big, portentous machine. Its immaculate white paint was shining under the gentle glow of the setting sun, the impressive wingspan cast a long shadow on the ground. She almost felt intimidated by it.

"Paris, here we come!" Akali raised her fist in celebration and was grinning from ear to ear.

Senna could remember smiling at all that enthusiasm and feeling butterflies fluttering inside her belly. She could also vividly remember Qiyana eyeing the jet, not looking impressed in the slightest.

"Not bad. But I've seen much better..." She complained.

This made Ekko smile and roll his eyes. "It's not encrusted with diamonds, so it's not good enough for you. Is it, princess?"

Qiyana raised an eyebrow. "My family owns three private jets. Even from the outside, I know this one is far inferior. But I wasn't expecting a simpleton like you to understand. Hmpf!" She held her head high and turned away from him.

Ekko didn't say anything. He watched her distancing herself, with a cocky grin adorning his lips. "You can tell she can't contain her excitement." He said ironically.

Senna could recall chuckling at his remark and taking notice of Akali, who was signaling them to board the jet. She was the first to get inside, being immediately tailed by Yasuo. Qiyana followed suit, her nose still turned up in a clear act of superiority.

The girl slowly approached the stairs of the aircraft and admired it once again. It looked like it weighed tons and at the same time was light as a feather. It was so sturdy, yet fragile-looking. Frowning, she wondered how safe it truly was.

"Senna? Is everything all right?" Ekko suddenly asked.

The girl blinked in surprise. Her growing anxiety must have been a lot more obvious than she thought. "Yes, Ekko, don't worry. I'm just... a little nervous." She answered, trying to give him a reassuring smile.

"You don't like flying?"

"Not particularly..." She admitted, eyeing the stationary jet with uncertainty.

The boy shook his head and smirked. "Ah, don't worry about it! It's going to be fine. If we fall out of the sky, the parachute is right under your seat!"

Senna's eyes widened with worry and her body tensed. Seconds later, she heard a laugh.

"I'm just kidding!" He exclaimed with a big goofy grin across his face. Then, his tone turned more sincere and warm. "Nothing is going to happen, you'll see. Trust me on this."

Thankful for his attempt at calming her down, Senna felt her muscles relax and the corners of her mouth turned up. At that moment, a strong arm enveloped her shoulders. Lucian had finally shown up. "Hello. Nervous as usual?"

Her eyes squinted with satisfaction and she shook her head. "No. Ekko helped me ease up."

Lucian turned his head to look at the boy and flashed a thankful smile in his direction. "I see."

Like a pretend soldier, the teen saluted them with that goofy grin still plastered across his face.

"Hey! Have you decided to stay on land? Come on, guys!" They heard Akali calling.

"Coming!" Ekko assured her before she got up from her seat and dragged him inside. It wouldn't be the first time she'd done that. He hurried to climb the stairs and disappeared through the door.

Lucian turned to face her. "Ready?"

And Senna smiled and nodded in response.

...

"DUDE, WHAT?" Akali shouted from her seat. "This is legit the best thing I've ever heard!"

She was so loud that Senna, Lucian, and Yasuo, who were traveling in the back, leaned forward to find out what she was on about.

"What is it?" Ekko, who was sitting next to Akali, was super curious.

"You won't believe it! Everyone's saying I left KDA!" She said, looking down at her phone.

The boy laughed. "What? No way!"

"Yes way! Just look at this!" Akali guaranteed, handing him the device.

Senna heard him burst into uncontrollable laughter. Akali couldn't control herself and her laughs quickly joined his.

"Oh, man! This thread is the best thing I've ever read. You should abandon KDA more often." He said, trying to catch his breath.

Beside Akali, Qiyana was comfortably nestled in her seat with her neck pillow and her eye mask on. Senna heard her groan in annoyance. The diva straightened herself and lifted the eye mask as she glared at Ekko and Akali. "Hey! Keep it down! I'm trying to sleep."

Even though Senna couldn't see it, she knew the naughty smirk was back on Ekko's face.

"We're going to give our first concert abroad and all you want to do is take a nap? You're thrilling, Qiyana. When people see the pics we took, they're going to think we're the most boring band in the world."

"Oh but that's gonna ruin our image!" Akali joked.

Qiyana scowled. "Oh just shut it. You're like monkeys, making all that noise."

But Ekko just wouldn't back down so easily. "So that's your new insult to throw at me? Monkey. Very creative." He said, rolling his eyes. "Can't you think of anything else?"

"Gah! You're so annoying!" She blurted out, the veins in her forehead becoming more prominent.

"And you're just a boring, pampered princess." He said with satisfaction. He loved making her blow a fuse.

Literally caught in-between their argument, Akali huffed. "Guys, cut it out. You're bickering like an old married couple."

For a second there was silence and the girl believed they had stopped fighting. But she jolted as they both turned to her at the same time.

"Excuse me?" Qiyana barked at her, her eyes were full of indignation.

"How dare you?" Ekko's mouth was agape and he almost sounded offended.

Akali, who had backed up against the seat and was holding her hands up defensively, looked at the horrified expressions of her two friends and couldn't hold it. "You should see your faces, they're priceless!" She exclaimed, breaking into a fit of laughter.

Straightening herself back into her seat, Senna looked at her husband who was sitting across her, and shrugged.

"Are Ekko and Qiyana always like this?" Lucian wanted to know.

"Ninety-nine percent of the time." Senna replied.

"At least things never get dull with them around." The man commented, beaming with pleasure.

Beside them, Yasuo, who had lowered his comic book to listen to the argument, shook his head in disapproval and went back to reading. But Senna noticed that a small smile had formed on his lips.

-----

Her hand clenched into a fist.

Ekko. A boy with a heart of gold, always ready to brighten someone's day. He could sometimes be a bit immature and joke around a little too much. But he was only a child, still growing up, still learning.

How could something so horrible have befallen him?

The pain inside her chest worsened.

He didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve any of this. He didn't. It was a tremendous injustice.

"Senna?" Eve called out to her.

The girl shook her head. "Oh, sorry. I got lost in thought." With a heavy expression, she lamented. "Ekko always helped me when I needed it. And now I have to help him. But what do I even tell him? That he doesn't have to worry because everything will be all right in the end? I'm at a loss of what to say."

Evelynn rolled her eyes. "Why approach him with those cookie-cutter sentences? Give the boy a certainty."

The girl raised an eyebrow. "A certainty?"

Eve let out a very bored sigh. "Yes. Why tell him that everything will be fine? That he'll end up feeling better? You don't know if that's true. There's no way to be sure that he'll recover." Senna was appalled, so she hurried to explain herself. "What is certain, however, is that you'll be there for him. And you'll remain by his side for as long as he needs you. Because you're friends. Tell him that."

Senna's jaw dropped. What the girl had said wasn't exactly revolutionary. But it hadn't occurred to her. And it made so much sense. "Y-You're right." She stuttered.

"I always am, darling." Evelynn replied with a sneer. "Now let's send those nosy reporters back to the hole where they came from."

Senna was still a bit shook from the sudden realization. There was no shadow of a doubt that she would do whatever was in her power for the boy. It was the only thing she could ensure. The one certainty she could give Ekko. Just like Evelynn had said.

Despite the circumstances, a smile drew itself on her lips.

With newfound courage, Senna followed Eve to the exit.

-----

A few hours passed.

The anxiety in the waiting room had grown by the minute. The atmosphere was so heavy, one could cut it with a knife.

But no one was as restless as Akali. She wouldn't stop pacing back and forth and was driving Evelynn insane.

"Akali, for the love of all things sacred, you'll open a hole on the floor. Please sit down."

But her voice didn't even reach her. She was far, far away.

Tired of seeing her friend in such an anxious state, Evelynn got up. She walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Surprised, the girl looked at her with wide-open eyes filled with hurt.

"Akali, please, come sit down with me."

Her friend didn't resist as Evelynn held her hand and gently pulled her along. They sat down.

Akali was like a stone statue: Tense, perfectly still, hardly blinking. Evelynn touched her perfectly folded hands on her lap with her own. "Kali, dear? Relax a little."

Without saying a word, the girl shifted to lay down and rested her head on her friend's legs. Evelynn began stroking her hair, being careful not to hurt her with her claws. "We'll have news of him soon. Just be patient."

Akali closed her eyes and let Evelynn take care of her.

A few minutes passed.

The sturdy double-door that gave entrance to the hallway suddenly opened. In came a doctor, accompanied by a nurse that Kai'sa and Akali already knew. The golden horn on top of her head was shining under the hospital lights.

All the occupants patiently waited for the news with their hearts in their throats. Akali abandoned the comfort of Eve's lap and straightened herself.

The doctor came to a stop at the center of the room. All the eyes were on her.

"I have..." She started. Ahri, Kai'sa, and Qiyana had their fingers crossed. Akali gripped Evelynn's hand for strength. "...good news." She finished with a smile. "The surgery was a success. Your friend is no longer at risk and all his physical wounds will heal with time."

There was a collective sigh of relief. Ekko's parents hugged each other. Kai'sa flashed a radiant smile at Qiyana as if saying "I told you it would be all right!" Ahri put her arm around Senna's shoulders. Yasuo smiled thinly. The nurse winked at the nervous Akali, who Evelynn was holding close to her chest.

"Within two days you may visit the boy. He needs to rest for now." The woman said. Just then, her smile dwindled. "However, I'm sure you're all aware of the implications rape has on those who survive it."

Akali flinched upon hearing that horrible word coming out of the woman's lips. Rape. It wasn't good to feel unnerved by or be scared of words. But it sounded so harsh. She hated it.

It was Soraka's turn to deliver. "Be careful of how you approach Ekko. Keep some distance, preferably. Ask him if you can touch him, don't feel offended if he doesn't want your hugs or even your presence. Even if you are his family." Upon hearing this, his parents nodded gravely. "He's been hurt very intimately. He more than likely doesn't feel safe inside his own body. Just respect his boundaries and wishes and don't ask him to talk about the experience. It may be detrimental to his mental health. Most survivors open up, but only at the right time. That will be all."

The doctor took a step forward. "He may be better physically. But the mental healing is almost always the most difficult part. We have personnel here at the hospital and in specialized clinics to ensure that he begins his recovery safely."

Senna, as the most headstrong of Ekko's close circle, was the one who spoke on behalf of everyone. "We will also do our part to help him. Thank you both for your efforts."

The two women nodded, acknowledging her words. Then, they turned around and disappeared through the double-door.

Chapter Text

The hallways of the hospital were full of people. Nurses, doctors and psychiatrists, walked in a frenzy to attend to their patients. There were moans of pain, babies were crying, questions were thrown into the air, only to be lost in the cacophony.

However, Ekko's parents heard almost none of it. It was as if time had stopped for them. The nurse had disappeared into the room, for she had to ask her patient if he was OK with receiving visitors. She had been gone for at least ten minutes now and their nervousness was growing by the minute.

Inna was breathing hard and fast. She wasn't ready for this. She wasn't. Just imagining their ever-smiling, sweet boy, deeply traumatized, hurt and broken... It was making her heart tear in two.

Beside her, Wyeth was holding back his tears at all costs. This whole situation felt unreal. A part of him was still holding onto the hope that he would wake up from this horrible nightmare. Who would want to hurt their boy? He was such a kind-hearted kid. Everyone in the neighbourhood knew and liked him. Why would some sick pervert target him specifically to satisfy his disgusting fantasies? He wasn't wishing it had happened to some other kid instead. But why their son? Why their Ekko? It was so unfair...

Suddenly, the knob turned. The door of the bedroom opened and the girl stepped outside. She closed it behind her quietly and addressed the couple. "He's awake now and he agreed to see you. But he was visibly nervous." The nurse's voice was sweet as honey and she was giving them the warmest of smiles.

But not even that sufficed to calm their beating hearts.

Inna looked at her husband and frowned. Wyeth didn't say a word, but the worry in his eyes spoke volumes.

"Please just keep in mind what I said the other day. Respect his personal space and don't touch him without asking." Said Soraka.

The man nodded gravely. "Of course. We wouldn't want to make our boy uncomfortable."

"Or even worse, scare him." Inna grabbed onto Wyeth's arm for comfort.

The nurse's smile widened. Her head tilted slightly to the side, causing her horn to sparkle under the lights. "Very well, then, I'll be around. Just call me if you need anything. I wish you the best of luck."

The couple didn't move an inch as the girl turned around and left. The door was there, right in front of them. All they had to do was turn the knob and step inside. But it was as if their shoes had been bolted to the ground. Their bodies suddenly weighed tons.

Inna's hands were trembling. Their baby was in there. The prospect of being with him after so long made her heart flutter. But what would his reaction be? What if he turned away? What if something went wrong and he became afraid of his own parents? What if, in despair, unable to think clearly, he blamed them? There was no telling what could happen.

Just then, Inna felt strong, calloused fingers enveloping her hand. She looked to her left. Her husband was giving her a tender smile.

"It's going to be OK." He whispered sweetly. In his eyes, there was a bit of fear and uncertainty. But despite that, the smile on his face was so genuine, it slowly became her own. A warm feeling took over her chest. Giving each other strength, the couple stepped forward while holding hands.

-----

He knew they would come in at any moment.

Any second now.

Sooner or later, that door would open to reveal two of the most important people in his life. How many times had he dreamt of this moment, while confined to that dark, filthy room. How many times had he wished for this to become a reality. To see his parents. To be with them. To tell them, once again, how much he loved them.

But... How would they react to everything that had happened?

His trembling fingers clawed at the sheets below. His heart was racing. The muscles of his arms and legs had turned to stone.

They knew what happened to him. It was impossible that the hospital staff hadn't told them yet. They absolutely knew he had been...

His chest tightened. Tears filled his eyes.

They would be disgusted of his filthy body. Deeply disappointed at the way he had let himself get caught by some random guy. He hadn't even put up a fight. They would remark how he was just a wimp, not the man his father often said he was becoming. Angry at the fact their supposed genius son had been tricked and deceived so easily. That night, had he sounded any kind of alarm the moment he realized he was being followed into the bathroom... But he admitted, shamefully, that he hadn't noticed anything at all. He just assumed the man had entered after him, with no ulterior motives. The drug had made it hard to think clearly. And he had fallen right into his kidnapper's trap.

If his parents looked at him like he was a sewer rat, then he deserved it. Viktor had set everything up. But he had allowed it to happen. It was his fault. Every inch of him was unclean, inside and out. He felt dirty as if he had been tainted. Even if given the chance, he wouldn't have been able to fight off his kidnappers. They always dominated him so easily, in every situation. Zed had only needed his strength to pin him to the ground when he had caught him in the forest. Viktor would have captured him just as easily with sheer brute force. The drug had just made it easier. And at the end of the day, he wasn't a genius. His kidnapping had proved that. He was stupid. Retarded. A complete and utter fool.

The insults he had thrown at himself cut through his heart like knives. A tear rolled down his cheek, but he immediately wiped it. If his parents saw he was crying, it would only make him look even weaker. The already colossal disappointment that was their son, was also feeling sorry for himself? That would be too low.

The knob began to turn. The boy's eyes widened. This was it. He was about to be trashed by the two people he held closest to his heart.

And deservingly so.

Wyeth was the first to step inside the tiny hospital room. His eyes were immediately drawn to the emaciated figure laying down on the bed. An array of emotions burst inside his chest. Happiness, for finally being with his beloved son, uncertainty, for not knowing what to say or how to react, for he was afraid of hurting him in some way and above all, sadness, for being aware of the horrors his boy had suffered and seeing the state he was in.

Ekko's dark skin tone much like his own contrasted heavily with the immaculate white sheets. His cheeks and eyes were sunken, the shape of his bones was apparent through the battered skin of his arms. There were rope burns and bruises on his wrists and blade cuts up to his elbows. But what he saw in his son's eyes, made his heart skip a beat. It was fear. Pure terror. Dread. He didn't like that one bit.

Their boy was afraid of them...?

"Ekko..." The man said, worry filling up his chest.

Inna was standing beside him and hadn't said anything yet, as she had been completely overcome by emotion. The grip on his hand tightened. Her eyes filled with tears. A sweet smile formed on her lips. "Ekko, baby..."

The teen didn't say anything, neither did he react at all. He just kept staring at both of them, terror dancing in his eyes, as if he expected something horrible to happen at any moment.

Inna let go of her husband's hand and advanced towards the bed. But Ekko's reaction worried her. His eyes widened and his fingers clawed at the covers.

The woman stopped moving. "Sweetheart... It's all right. We're not going to hurt you." She kneeled next to the bed to not appear so threatening. "No one is going to hurt you. We won't let anything bad happen. You're safe now."

But his muscles were tense like a plank of wood.

The atmosphere in the room was so heavy, one could cut it with a knife. To alleviate it, Wyeth carefully approached the other side of the bed. He pulled up a chair that was nearby and sat down before speaking. "On the night you were found, we had given up hope. We were so scared. We thought we wouldn't see you ever again. But here you are. Safe at last. With us..." He said, close to tears.

Ekko still didn't say a word.

This silence made Inna's heart shrink. She knew these things... These awful things... Changed people. Especially if they happened when they were children. But it felt incredibly odd. Ekko had always been so talkative around them...

"Is it OK if I get closer, dear?" She wanted to know.

At first, he gave her an insecure look. She observed as he thought really hard about it. He was afraid of the proximity and the touch. But he also craved it.

She could tell, she was his mother.

But not long after, he was done deciding.

And he nodded in response.

Very slowly, letting her son watch her every move, the woman got her hand closer to his own. Just as their fingertips touched, she raised her head to look him in the eyes. "May I?" She asked, just to be sure.

He nodded once again, giving her permission to proceed.

She covered his hand with her own. And began stroking it gently, as if his bones would break under pressure. The corners of her mouth were adorned with dimples and the skin under her eyes wrinkled. But the look she was giving him... There was so much love, such tenderness shining in her eyes. He felt so... Safe.

Ekko turned around and looked at his father. The man had moved. He was now leaning forward, hand resting on the mattress, right beside him. In his eyes, all he could see was a relief. And an undying pride...

The boy furrowed his eyebrows in surprise and confusion. They weren't yelling. They didn't look angry in the slightest. They weren't tearing him down, shaming him for his mistakes.

They were being so kind. And loving. And understanding.

He had hoped for this reaction. He had begged for it, deep down.

But he hadn't expected it.

Suddenly, his father spoke. And his words echoed across the room. "We can't even imagine how hard this last month must have been for you. And we know you're hurting. What happened to you... Would tear anyone down. But we want you to know that we're proud you made it through it all. You made it back to us. You are so strong, son..."

Ekko's chest tightened. His face became warm. Tears began falling from his eyes. His parents dropped their smiles altogether.

"Ekko... Are you in pain?" His father was alarmed.

"Are we too close? Did we get into your personal space?" His mother retreated her hand. "Oh dear, we're really sorry."

The teen shook his head. "No, I..." He whispered. "It's not that. You didn't do anything wrong. I just..." He sighed before proceeding. "I thought you guys would be mad at me..."

"M-mad? At you?" Inna stuttered, horrified. She carefully got up and sat on the edge of the bed to be closer to her baby. Her eyes were open wide like two full moons. "But why?"

"But that's... Why would we...? Ekko, where did you get that idea?" Wyeth's heart was racing inside his chest.

More tears escaped the boy's eyes. "I don't know... I just... I thought you would be ashamed of me after what happened. I imagined you would blame me for being so stupid. It was my fault after all... I didn't realize that man had spiked my drink. It was all a trap. I didn't even put up a fight..."

For what seemed like forever, his parents couldn't find the words. Inna was unable to hide her shock. Wyeth became very serious.

The pain in his mother's eyes made his heart skip a beat. "Baby... Did you really think we would blame you? You're still a boy. What could we possibly expect? For you to fight off a grown man while you were drugged?"

His father crossed his arms. "And even if you weren't drugged and were an adult, we would never shame you for not fighting. The guy could have a gun on him or something. Sometimes it's safer to not show any resistance."

Ekko felt his mother's hand hold onto his to give him some comfort. He closed his eyes shut. The pain inside his chest was overwhelming. "I imagined you guys would want to keep your distance from me. That you wouldn't even think of getting close." He fearfully opened them. "I believed you would be disgusted of me..."

"D-disgusted?" The poor woman couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Y-yes. Those men, they..." His freezing hand gripped his mother's for dear life. He couldn't bring himself to say the word. "They... assaulted me. I'm dirty and filthy and..."

"Ekko. You're not any of those things. Please, don't say that about yourself. It's simply not true." Wyeth was making an effort to remain calm and in control, so his tone wouldn't become aggressive. He couldn't scare their boy. It wasn't with him that he was angry. And he couldn't risk making it seem like he was. "We're not disgusted of you. The only people we're disgusted of is the monsters who hurt you."

"Exactly. Baby, you're not dirty. You're not disgusting." She used her free hand to touch Ekko's face and gently made him turn to her." You're our son. You're wonderful, and smart and kind... And nothing of what happened could ever change that. You'll always be our boy."

"Please, Ekko, mark my words. Nothing of what happened was your fault. Nothing. It was all on that monster who kidnapped you. He's the only one to blame. You didn't do anything wrong." Feeling bad for his son, Wyeth gently wiped away the tears that were falling down his face.

Ekko took a few moments to process everything they had said. They didn't blame him. Such a relief... And they had been so kind and understanding.

He was so incredibly lucky to have them...

However, there was something he still needed to hear from his parents.

"But, that means... "With uncertainty still clouding his heart, his voice broke. "...You guys still love me, right?"

His parents' eyes widened and they looked at one another with concern and confusion. But when they turned back to him, they were giving him the warmest of smiles.

"Ekko... Of course, we love you. We love you more than anything in this world." Inna said, gently caressing his wet cheek. "And your friends... They also care so much about you. Akali almost couldn't eat or sleep for the entire time you were gone. Qiyana was crying her eyes out, the other day, in the waiting room. Senna and Yasuo don't show their feelings much, but we could see they were worried sick about you. Even those nice girls from Akali's group were concerned and anxious for news. You're precious to all of us."

Ekko's crying worsened. But not because he was sad or hurting. These were tears of pure joy. A feeling of relief washed over him like cleansing water.

After so much pain, it was so good to feel loved and cared for...

"Yes, we love you. You're our son. You're the most important person in our lives, don't ever forget that." His father's calloused fingers caressed the top of his head. "We would go to the end of the world and back, for you. And nothing could ever change that."

Ekko's chest was all warm inside. His heart was beating hard and fast. But for the first time in forever, it wasn't due to anxiety or fear. It was overwhelming happiness.

"Mom, d-dad..." He stuttered, looking them in the eyes. He wanted to thank them. He wanted to tell them he also loved them. He wanted to express his gratitude for his friends' concern. He was overjoyed. So happy that none of Viktor's lies was true...

But then he realized... Those awful thoughts were his own creation. Viktor had done nothing but plant the seed of doubt in his heart. The pain, the fear, the loneliness, had done the rest. And in no way did those thoughts reflect the way his loved ones saw him. His parents weren't disgusted of him despite everything or disappointed. Just relieved he was no longer in the clutches of his kidnappers. And his friends cared for him. They truly cared. Even the KDA girls.

The boy closed his eyes shut. He began trembling as the emotions overwhelmed him.

"Mom, dad!" With no warning, he threw himself in his mother's arms. He held onto her as if there was no tomorrow.

Surprised, Inna needed a few seconds to react. But when she did, tears had formed in her eyes. "Oh, Ekko..." She whispered, hugging her son back and pulling him closer to her chest. His silent crying had turned into sobbing, and each sob shook his entire body. His tears, running down his face like a river, were slowly wetting her shirt. But she didn't even feel it. She was holding her baby close right now. Nothing else in the world mattered.

Unable to hold back his tears any longer, in fear of upsetting their boy, Wyeth let them flow freely down his cheeks. He reached out to his son and began rubbing his back soothingly.

"I doubted you guys... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." Ekko stammered.

But his mom just smiled amidst her tears. "Shhh... It's OK, baby, it's OK."

"We're here, Ekko. Right here, with you. You're not alone." His father reassured him. He sat on the bed and enveloped his arms around his wife and son. The teen put one arm over his shoulders and pulled him into the hug.

And they stayed like that. Huddling close. A family of three.

Ekko's tears slowly subsided. And he simply rested against his parents' bodies. It was warm there. It was cosy. And above all, it was safe. And no one in the world, not even Viktor, could harm him while he was in their arms.

When there was a knock at the door, they didn't hear anything. After a few attempts, the nurse opened it slightly and took a peek inside.

"Excuse me. I'm terribly sorry, but the time is almost..." Her eyes fell upon the beautiful scene of the family reunited after so long. Their soft smiles and the tear streaks on their faces. The pure love, evident in the way they were holding onto each other.

She couldn't ruin this. The guilt would be too much.

With a warm smile, Soraka closed the door without making a sound. She took a deep breath and rested her back against it.

"Two more minutes won't hurt." She whispered.

-----

As he walked through the endless hospital hallway, Yasuo couldn't decide what to say to Ekko.

The girls had stayed home.

Akali was too shook from recent events and was still trying to cope with it all. They had been trying to give her the support she needed. But they were too weakened themselves to truly be of help.

However, one morning, Yasuo had walked into the kitchen and as Akali was already there, he greeted her.

But she didn't reply or acknowledge him in any way.

Strange.

He decided to examine her more carefully. Only to catch her staring off into the distance, with a murderous look on her face. Her head was tilted forward, her lips were but a thin line, exhibiting a bitter grimace and her intense stare was cold as ice.

"Akali? Is something wrong?" He had called out to her.

She jolted and turned around to face him with a very serious expression on her face. Without saying a word, she left the kitchen and headed for her bedroom.

It had been such a strange encounter. And it worried him a bit.

What could Akali possibly be thinking at that moment to be holding such a savage expression?

Senna had shut herself off completely. For the past three days, he had seen her a total of one time. But he knew she only needed to be alone to sort out her thoughts. He had seen her on the phone more than once. Talking to Lucian, no doubt. He was the only one capable of calming her down in very stressful situations. With his support, Yasuo was sure she would be fine.

And Qiyana had spent most of her time outside, in the front yard. He had sat down and spoken with her, just to check if she needed anything. And they ended up having a long conversation. She had cried and had voiced the worries they all had on their minds: How would things be, once Ekko got out of the hospital? How would he cope with what had happened? Would he abandon the group and just go back home with his parents? And if he decided to stay, how could they help him? How to make things less... awkward?

Yasuo had simply listened without uttering a word. He didn't know. He doubted anyone had all the answers. Those questions were so heavy.

But right now he didn't have time to think about them. With each step, he got increasingly closer to Ekko's room. His heart was racing with the worry of the inevitable encounter. What would he say in his friend's presence?

Each sentence he came up with in his head felt too casual, too formal, too insensitive, too awkward. Some were too much, others, not enough... None of them was the right amount of anything.

He had never been the best with words. That's what had led him to express himself through music, and subsequently becoming a producer.

And this situation required all of the right words. One misstep and he could gravely hurt his friend without meaning to. Ekko's mind had to be at a breaking point and he didn't want to be responsible for pushing him over the edge. If that happened, he could never forgive himself.

So ultimately...

He decided to say nothing. Or at least he would stick to speaking as little as possible. He would rather let his actions speak for themselves. He looked down, at the stack of comic books under his arm and a thin smile formed on his lips.

Once he found himself in Ekko's presence, he felt his blood evaporate in his veins. The smile abandoned his face completely. There were horrible wounds all over the boy's arms and he had gotten unbelievably thin... His eyes were just like Akali had described them. Sad, empty, filled to the brim with hopelessness and fear... His heart sank.

"Hey..." That was all he was able to say.

Ekko didn't reply. He slowly sat down on the bed and stared at the stack of books he was carrying as if asking what it was.

"I... brought you some of my comics. I thought you'd appreciate that. Must be a bit boring to stay here all day with nothing to do."

More silence. Not a single movement, or even a smile. The boy barely blinked.

"I, well, this is the latest issue of the Starguardians. I haven't read it yet. But you can read it first if you'd like." He carefully approached the chair beside the bed and put down the stack of books. Then he picked up two, keeping one for himself and handing Ekko the other. The teen hesitated for a few seconds before accepting it.

The ambience in the room was ridiculously heavy. With beads of sweat running down his forehead, the man created some distance from his friend, who would surely appreciate it. He pulled up another chair and finally sat down to read. But as much as he tried, he couldn't relax or concentrate.

He lifted his eyes from the page to check on Ekko. He had opened his comic. But he must be as concentrated as he was right now.

Yasuo's chest tightened.

Reading comics together used to be their thing. It was relaxing and fun and he liked commenting on the stories with the kid once they were both done.

He had kept his love for comics a secret for a long time. He had already been deemed too old to read them and had been ridiculed by some peers. So when he met the members of the band, he kept his hobby hidden from them, just like he did with everyone else.

But one day, that changed...

-----

It had been what, a month? Since Akali had brought True Damage together? And they had just moved into the house to work on their first track.

On that day, he had bought a few volumes of his favorite series and was trying to get them to his bedroom without anyone noticing. If they discovered he was reading comic books for kids, they would make fun of him. And he couldn't afford to ruin the image he had already built for himself. He cringed internally at how much he sounded like a high schooler. But the fear was stronger than reason.

He remembered getting in through the front door, checking the kitchen and the hallway. No one seemed to be home. Good. He advanced to the stairs with confidence.

"Hey, Yasuo!" Ekko's voice was heard from the living room.

He almost dropped the books. "Oh. You're... Here. Huh, hello."

The boy flashed him a radiant smile. He used to be filled to the brim with energy... "What do you have there? Need help carrying them?"

Yasuo looked down at his comics and tried to keep them hidden from view. "Eh, no thank you. I'm good. I have to go now." And he hurried up the stairs.

Once he found himself inside his bedroom he sighed in relief and dropped his books on the bed. The moment of calm was short-lived as he heard a knock on the door. Reluctantly, he turned the knob.

"Sorry to bother you. But you dropped this." Ekko was standing right outside, holding one of the comics.

Yasuo could remember becoming livid. The floor of the hallway was covered in carpet, so he hadn't heard it drop to the ground. "Huh... Thank you..." He stuttered, holding his arm out.

His heart was racing inside his chest. He had expected Ekko to belittle and mock him. In no time, the others would know about his embarrassing little hobby.

But the boy was innocently grinning from ear to ear. Before handing the book over he skimmed through it. "Star Guardians, huh? I read a few when they first came out. They're fun."

The man's eyes widened. Ekko... Seemed to be cool with it. There was no hint of malice in his voice. He really didn't find it weird that he read these books for children?

For the first time since they met, he took a good look at Ekko. He seemed to be a simple kid from humble origins. He was quite charismatic and got along with people. He had even tried starting conversations with him, but he had backed out. He feared putting his foot in his mouth. But the boy seemed so eager to get to know him, he didn't want to just shut the door in his face.

He had an idea. "If you say you like these comics... Wanna join me? We can like... Read together for a bit."

He smiled as Ekko's eyes lit up. He happily accepted the invitation. He was the first member of the band he had let into his space.

They spent the rest of the afternoon reading and occasionally commenting on the characters' antics. He admitted he had liked it. Even if there wasn't much interaction between them, they were still spending time together and slowly getting to know more about one other. It was the perfect activity for an introvert like him and an extrovert like Ekko to partake in.

When the boy got up to leave, he turned around and surprised him with his words. "Yasuo, you were afraid we would make fun of you, isn't it?

He was completely caught off-guard.

"Well...hm..." He stuttered.

The teen's eyes squinted with satisfaction. As usual, he was spot-on. "Man, you don't have to worry about that. The girls and I don't mind at all. Besides, you do you. The comics aren't just for kids, they're for whoever likes them. If someone gives you crap for it, just shrug it off. Haters gonna hate!"

Yasuo just stared at him with his mouth agape. Both his bluntness and good judgment were striking. The kid was right. It was stupid to be ashamed of something like that. He liked what he liked. And no one had anything to do with it. He smiled to himself. He couldn't believe a fifteen-year-old kid had just lectured him.

Ekko didn't say anything else. He just winked at him and left.

From that day onward, he started adopting the boy's carefree mentality. And little by little, he began reading his books in plain sight for all to see. The girls didn't mind his hobby at all. Neither did other people around him. Some strangers would look at him funny but he couldn't care less.

Soon he was taking the comics everywhere he went. And he would open them in front of anyone.

"Haters gonna hate." It's what Ekko would repeat whenever he'd see him with one in hand.

And the man would always flash a grateful smile in his direction.

-----

Yasuo was brought back to reality by the sound of the door opening.

It was the young nurse. She smiled and greeted him. "Good afternoon. You can stay for a bit longer if you'd like. I just came in to give him his medicine."

The man observed as the boy put the comic down and straightened himself with difficulty. His arms trembled under the weight of his torso.

As Soraka patiently waited for her patient to be in position, she looked at the pile of books. She smiled, clearly approving of his small gesture. "Now he has something to distract himself with. That's very kind of you."

"It was nothing."

Seeing his friend weakened, so quiet, barely moving, having to take all that medicine to prevent infections and pains... And remembering how happy and carefree and talkative he used to be.

It hurt.

It hurt so much.

Tears began forming in his eyes. He blinked a few times to dissipate them.

"I should get going." He said, getting up. He turned to his friend. "It was... really good to see you. And to hang out. I hope you enjoy the comics."

The boy forced himself to smile. "Thanks, Yasuo. See you soon." The corners of his mouth dropped immediately. It made his eyes look even more empty.

And his voice was so feeble...

The man couldn't take it anymore. He bid him goodbye and exited the room, just in time to hide the tears falling down his face.

With no strength left, Yasuo leaned against the hospital wall.

Crying.

Four days had passed without him shedding a single tear. He had been strong for far too long. The pain inside his chest was tearing him apart.

Ekko didn't deserve to be hurt like this. He didn't deserve to suffer. This was sick. Revolting. A complete and utter nightmare none of them could wake up from.

Suddenly, he felt a soft hand on his shoulder. He opened his reddened eyes. It was the nurse.

"I know it's very hard to see your friend like that. I've been through the same."

The man gently wiped his own tears. "It's horrible. He's just a kid... I had to see him. But we barely spoke. I was afraid of saying the wrong thing."

Soraka gave him a sympathetic look. "I understand. But I'm sure your visit was good for him. Seeing a familiar face can be very reassuring."

Yasuo hesitated for a bit. "I feel bad leaving him here." He confessed, looking at the door. "He's all alone in that room..."

"We keep him company throughout the day, don't you worry." She assured the man. "But we also try to give him some space. He needs it, after everything he went through."

"Is he a difficult patient to treat?" He wanted to know, out of curiosity.

"Oh, not at all! Such a sweet boy. And so polite. If every patient were like him, no one would ever say nurses are cranky." She joked to alleviate the tension.

It seemed to work. The corners of the man's mouth turned up. The remainders of the tears shone in his sad eyes. "I believe you. And thank you."

She smiled with satisfaction.

He was about to leave. But he turned around to make a request.

"Please, take good care of my friend for me."

Chapter Text

It was dark in the room. Ekko was lying down on his hospital bed, wide awake. He could remember asking the nurse to leave the roller blinds partially open, so he wouldn't sleep in total darkness. But she must have forgotten to do that for him. There was only a glimmer of light that came in from under the door and allowed him to see the outlines of the things in the room.

"What time is it?" He thought to himself. It must be the middle of the night because there wasn't that much noise coming from outside. Everything was quiet. Extremely quiet. The other patients must be having a peaceful night in the other rooms. All he could hear was the sound of cars driving down the road and the Autumn wind, blowing outside his window.

And suddenly he heard steps in the hallway. He blinked in surprise. Someone must be having trouble sleeping and had decided to take a walk. Or maybe a nurse was bringing medicine to one of their patients.

The sound of footsteps kept on getting louder until the light from under the door dimmed. Someone was standing right outside his room. The doorknob turned slowly.

"W-what?"

Ekko sat on the bed in the blink of an eye. His heart almost stopped. His eyes widened in terror.

That was...

It couldn't be.

The man stepped inside and closed the door.

"Hello, my little one. Did you miss me?" His voice was as lustful as ever. His eyes glowed in the darkness as he advanced slowly in his direction.

Ekko's heart was pounding. It became hard to breathe.

Just, how? How had he escaped the police? How had he found him so fast? How had he gotten through security, the nurses, and doctors without being seen? How had no one done anything to stop him?

He couldn't believe this. His heart was beating so fast it felt like it would come out of his chest at any moment.

The man got closer.

Closer.

The boy wanted to get up and run away. Tell him to stop. Beg for help. But his body was paralyzed. His voice just wouldn't come out. He was completely frozen in fear.

Once Viktor was beside the bed, towering over him, like a predator looking down at his prey, Ekko panicked. His body began shivering uncontrollably. And he suddenly found the strength to scream.

"HELP-!" But a strong hand immediately covered his mouth and he was thrown back onto the mattress. Viktor climbed on top of him. His body was pinned down.

The teen let out muffled sounds of distress, his eyes got inundated with tears. He couldn't move a muscle. The man's face got closer until their noses were almost touching. He could feel his hot breath, see the small dark eyes staring intensely at him, and his disturbing smile. "You thought you could run away from me, little one? That's cute. Always so naive..."

Ekko's body became stone. He felt the man lift his shirt and his free hand roamed his chest, pinched his nipples, and caressed his belly. Soon after, it slid into his boxers and he could feel it groping him. Touching him hungrily.

"No. Please, no. Not this..."

It was horrible. Disgusting.

Why was this happening again?

Why?

The blood froze in his veins when he felt his pants being pulled down.

More muffled sounds escaped his lips. With tears running down his face, the boy could only watch as Viktor focused his attention on his private parts. He was free to do whatever he wanted. And Ekko was powerless to stop the ensuing abuse.

In desperation, his eyes darted to the door. The hand covering his mouth pressed harder against his face. "Please, someone help me. Somebody, anybody... Don't let him do this to me, please!" He begged inside his mind. He clenched his eyes shut. "Akali... Jhin... Anyone!"

But he knew no one would come. A sob racked his tense body. Once again he was at his mercy. Unable to do anything. Completely alone. In the hands of a monster...

A scream of pure terror escaped his lips and it cut through the silence of the night.

Ekko jolted awake. Beads of sweat were running down his forehead. His eyes darted everywhere in a panic.

"A nightmare...? Just a nightmare. It was only a nightmare." He thought, bracing himself. He was sweating profusely, his muscles were hardened like rocks and his face was drenched in tears.

Viktor wasn't here. None of them was here. He was alone. In his hospital room.

He was safe.

...Right?

Trying to cope with the horrifying experience, Ekko struggled to sit on the bed. His entire body was shivering, and he was finding it hard to breathe. He ran his hand through the unruly dreads that were soaked in sweat. He brought his knees close to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, in an attempt to find some comfort. It had been a dream, but he wasn't completely sure if he was safe. A part of him still expected Viktor to emerge from a dark corner to abuse him once again.

Just then, quick footsteps resounded in the hallway. His body grew cold, his muscles tensed, his eyes widened in traumatic anticipation.

The footsteps came to a halt. The door opened. Soraka hurried to enter the room. "I came as fast as I could. Is something wrong?"

The teen let out a shaky sigh of relief and allowed his muscles to relax. He buried his face in his knees as his arms shivered uncontrollably.

The girl just stayed in place, hand resting on the doorknob and waited for him to calm down, as he was very visibly distraught. After a few moments of silence, her patient lifted his head and gave her a sad look. "I'm so sorry for screaming. I didn't want to disturb anyone..."

"Oh, don't worry about that. Did you have a nightmare?" She asked sweetly.

Ekko took some more time to answer but ended up nodding.

Soraka's eyes shone with understanding. She folded her hands and took a step forward. "Would you like to talk about it?"

The boy bit his lip. Should he tell her? The nightmare was weighing on him like a heavy burden. His body and his mind were poisoned by the feeling of Viktor's disgusting hands fondling his skin. For the whole time he had been here, the nurse had been so kind... He was well aware it was her job to take care of him. And so was the other nurses'. But it felt like Soraka's goodwill was bound to the nature of her heart and not just to her obligation. She felt genuinely caring. Maybe she wouldn't judge...

"I... I would like to." He said. "But... It was such a ridiculous dream. Do you promise not to laugh at me?"

The nurse nodded. "I promise." She walked forward and gracefully sat down on the chair beside the bed. She rested her hands on her lap and turned to face him with the same kind smile from before. "I'm all ears!"

The teen shifted uncomfortably. He was hesitant. "Well... In my nightmare, I was here in the hospital room. And everything was fine, I felt safe. But then, the man who..." His trembling hand clenched into a fist. He didn't dare to say the word. "... Did this to me... Appeared all of a sudden. And began... Touching me. It was so gross. I couldn't stop him or ask for help. I felt so weak."

The nurse eyed him with sympathy. "I'm so sorry, it must have been horrible..." This time she was the one who hesitated to speak. She looked down at the floor and then back at him. "Did the man do other things to you?"

Ekko frowned. "No. But he was going to." He confessed. "I just woke up before anything else could happen..."

And there was silence. But not the uncomfortable kind.

"That doesn't sound like a ridiculous dream to me." She commented after a while.

"The police caught him. And I'm still afraid he's going to come after me and hurt me again." He explained. "It's such a stupid fear. I feel dumb for being afraid of it."

Soraka shook her head. "That man won't capture you again. He would have to escape the police and get through us first." She stated, bringing her hand to her chest. "But many survivors like you have that same fear, that the person who hurt them will come after them. And it's completely understandable because that man scarred you so deeply. Don't dismiss your own emotions. They're not ridiculous or stupid."

Ekko had expected the girl to laugh at him and say he was being silly. To tell him to grow up. But she had taken him seriously. She had validated his feelings. A small smile formed on his lips.

"You know? I always heard that nurses are cold with their patients and really cranky. If that is true, then you're a real upgrade." He joked.

Soraka chuckled. "We have our off days. But we don't bite."

The smile on Ekko's face didn't last. A frown immediately took its place. "This... This feels like a dream. Like it can't possibly be real. I feel that I'm going to wake up one day and I'll still be his prisoner in that old house. And find out I was never rescued. It's just too good to be true after so long."

Soraka's chest tightened. This poor boy...

"Well, you don't have to worry about that. This hospital is real." She said with a smile, looking around the room. Then she pointed at herself. "I'm real. And your parents and that young man who visited you are also real. And most important of all, the love they have for you is very real."

Ekko hesitated before speaking again. "My parents live in San Francisco and came all the way over to LA just for me. But I was really afraid of seeing them again."

Soraka tilted her head to the side. "Why is that?"

"I... I was so afraid of their judgment. I thought they would call me weak and stupid and would blame me for what happened. When my mom began approaching, I was expecting her to hit me. Like, slap me across the face or something..."

The nurse's eyebrows furrowed. "Does she usually do that to you?"

His eyes widened. "No, it's not like that! They never hit me." He couldn't paint his parents in a bad light. "It's just... Those men who kidnapped me, hit me a lot. And I expected my mom to do the same because of that. Now I... always expect to be punished when I think someone is mad at me..."

She frowned. "I understand where you're coming from. But those men didn't care about you. Whether they hurt you or not, it wasn't important to them. Your loved ones wouldn't do anything bad to you." She finished with a smile.

The boy brought his knees closer to his chest. "And my friend Yasuo... I wish I'd said something more to him. I wanted to thank him for the visit and ask how the others were doing. But the words just wouldn't come out. I feel sort of ungrateful because I ignored him. What if I hurt him?"

"I spoke to your friend outside the room. He wasn't mad or hurt. Just sad that he had to leave you alone. But I promised him I would take care of you."

He lowered his eyes. "That's nice to know."

And for a long while, silence reigned over the room.

"Are you feeling any kind of pain? The surgery you underwent is not an easy one." She ended up saying. "I can get more medicine if you need. Or perhaps some sleeping pills."

The boy shook his head. "No, I can fall asleep on my own. And I can deal with the nightmares."

Soraka carefully studied her patient. Ekko was still all curled up with his head resting on his knees. But the tension of his muscles had abated and he had stopped shaking. His breathing had normalized. It seemed like he was feeling better.

"In that case, it's late, you should get some sleep." She got up and faced the boy. "Are you sure you don't need anything else? Want me to keep you company until you fall asleep?"

Ekko shook his head once again. "No, I'll be fine. But thanks anyway."

Soraka flashed him one more of her beautiful smiles and carefully approached the bed. As the teen was making himself comfortable, she pulled the covers and tucked him in. At first, fear shone in his eyes, for he didn't expect her to get so close. But once he realized she didn't pose a threat, his muscles relaxed.

"Don't worry, you're safe here. My colleagues and I will take care of you." The nurse promised him. She was making an effort to offer him some comforting words and gestures. With the monumental trauma he was carrying, this child was in dire need of kindness and affection.

For a few seconds, the boy's expression shifted. He seemed troubled. But she didn't have time to be worried about him, as it rapidly morphed into a small smile. "Thanks for checking on me."

"You're welcome, Ekko." She whispered. "Have a good night." Soraka turned around, exited the room and closed the door without making a sound.

Unbeknownst to her, the disturbance Ekko had felt when she covered him with the blanket was rooted in his memories.

"Go to sleep, child. Do not fear, I'll watch over you."

The creepy yet oddly comforting white mask, the slender physique, the graceful movements. The familiarity of warm covers being pulled over him, much like the nurse had just done.

Jhin...

Ekko's chest tightened.

How he wished he had thanked him one last time. How he wished he hadn't said horrible things to him during his mental breakdown. How he wished he hadn't doubted him when he had seemingly sided with Viktor. How he wished...

Jhin was the reason he was still alive. He was the reason he escaped that living nightmare. If guardian angels were real, that mysterious man had been his. He had even brought Akali with him, somehow. And she proceeded to save both of them from Viktor.

His dear Akali...

The horrified look on her face when Jhin told her what Viktor and the others had done to him... They both thought he didn't hear the conversation. But he could remember every single word. He couldn't blame Jhin for letting her know. She would end up finding out one way or another.

He owed them both his freedom. And he would love to express his gratitude. But after betraying the gang, Jhin had more than likely gone into hiding. He would probably never see him again.

And Akali... Her appearing out of nowhere to save him had felt like a blessing. But it had also been so awkward. He couldn't forgive himself for doubting her, of all people. How could he have thought she would abandon him? It was shameful. He could not imagine having a conversation with her anytime soon. The tension between them would be like a concrete wall...

The boy let out a deep sigh and shifted under the covers. The room was immersed in the soft moonlight that came in through the window. The world outside his room was enveloped in peaceful silence. His tired eyes began closing, his muscles relaxed.

His mind took him back to the house in the woods. But just this once, he wasn't afraid.

There was no Viktor, or Zed or Graves about to torture and abuse him. There was no Sylas or Twisted Fate about to give him a hard time for rejecting their advances.

All he could see was Jhin sitting beside him, looking at him with sympathy and caressing his head to calm him down.

Wherever Jhin was, he hoped he was all right.

-----

On the horizon, the sun was coming up, illuminating the packed, yet extremely tidy art studio. Shadows of the furniture around the room danced in the early morning light. A collection of intricate masks hung on the wall, while a simpler white one rested on a table nearby. Classical music was filling the air, coming from a very old gramophone.

Jhin was deeply immersed in the process of bringing his newest painting to life. He carefully picked a shade of red. For the rivers of blood all over the limp body and the moist grass.

He needed to finish this while the details were still fresh in his mind like a photograph. Cheating was not allowed as it detracted from the beauty of the realism of the scene. Every detail which surfaced was added, even the lighting and the irregularities of the soil.

These morbid paintings were part of his personal collection that he had created just for himself to admire and as a reminder of his achievements. It was unlikely his potential buyers would show interest in such a realistic depiction of disfigured people or dead bodies. But one could never know.

However, this painting was special for he had not brought down Viktor on his own. A slender figure, all dressed in black, could be seen towering above the body on the ground. In her hand, she held a bloodied weapon. Her face was shrouded in darkness.

Jhin smiled and stopped for a moment, thinking of the courageous girl who had changed his plans so abruptly.

And the savage way she had tortured Viktor...

Slowly, methodically cutting him, her blades dancing across his skin, leaving behind deep wounds and pools of blood. He had loved being a spectator for once, just smiling as the show unfolded before him, the sheer ecstasy of watching a monster writhing around in excruciating pain, his screams filling the air, creating a macabre melody. And the girl didn't stop until he lost consciousness.

Beautiful.

An extraordinary performance.

The artist resumed his work. His proficiency in painting with both hands had never been as useful as right now. He looked at the patched up injury on his right shoulder and sighed. It would take a long time to heal since the stab wound was so deep. And he would probably never recover from it completely. But it had been worth it. That scum assassin was gone for good and he wouldn't interfere with his plans anymore.

The final stroke of the brush crossed the canvas. He took a few steps back and admired his work. Satisfied, he put the brush down. After spending the whole night painting, a warm cup of tea would hit the spot.

As he crossed the room, his eyes wandered to the closed curtains. There had been no suspicious activity outside his studio since that night. His plan of coming here had worked thus far, as none of them knew the location of this little hideout. He wasn't sure if he was getting targetted or not, or if there was suspicion on him. He had to calculate every step, lay low and play it safe.

Once he arrived at a small, improvised kitchen, he poured some water onto a kettle and placed it on the stove to boil. As he observed the liquid slowly heat up, his mind wandered off. The truth of what happened to Ekko had been a hard pill to swallow for Akali. Poor girl. She'd looked so broken and defeated. But she hadn't lost her fighting spirit. She seemed so adamant about making Viktor pay for his crimes. Would she be interested in bringing the rest of them to justice?

Jhin firmly believed that working on his own had its advantages. He could be stealthier and move quicker. But this time, he could open an exception, given how he had almost been killed by Zed and Viktor. Not to mention, how injured he had gotten after the confrontation with the assassin. He didn't like the idea of dragging her into this mess, but he needed the backup. She was the right person for the job. She was strong and light on her feet and held a grudge against them for hurting her friend.

Lastly, the boy came to mind. Ekko was now with his friends and family that he so desperately missed. He hoped they would show him love, patience, care and affection and that they wouldn't judge or blame him. He also wished that Ekko would find his way and heal, no matter how much time it took. He was a nice kid who deserved to be happy.

The whistle of the kettle resounded across the small room, waking him up from his daydream. Jhin prepared the tea and poured the infusion onto a white teacup decorated with a red rose. He picked it up and sat on a comfortable armchair on the other side of the room.

Across from him, there was an old display cupboard showing a few framed pictures. One of them caught his attention and a ray of sunshine shone faintly on the glass. He got completely lost in the image.

Jhin stared at it for such a long time, that the delicious, steaming tea was almost forgotten. His eyes ended up closing as he forced himself to look away. He raised the cup to his lips and let out a deep sigh.

-----

"Kali?" A melodious voice called.

No reaction.

"Hello? Earth to Akali!" Ahri called once again to get her attention.

"Huh?" Akali blinked in surprise. She turned to the side and looked at her friend. "Sorry, I spaced out again. I'll pay attention now, I promise."

The fox-girl sighed. They were in the living room of the KDA mansion and she'd been trying to show Akali the lyrics she had written. But she was too distracted.

In the end, she couldn't blame her. The whole thing with Ekko was a nightmare.

"What do you think of these?" She asked, handing her a sheet of paper. Akali picked it up and her eyes perused the page from top to bottom. She tried her hardest to make sense of what she was reading so she could offer some constructive criticism.

"They're good, I think." She said. And then fell silent.

Ahri frowned. "Are you sure you're up for this? We can delay it for a few more weeks. We aren't in a hurry."

Her friend, pale as a corpse, with bags under her eyes, shook her head. "I can do this. We've been delaying our projects for too long now. The True Damage tracks are almost done because Yasuo is a god and never stopped working on them. That's why he's one of the best in his field."

Ahri didn't back down. "Your mental health is more important, Akali. There's no problem with..."

"I SAID I'M FINE, OK?" She snapped.

Ahri jolted. Yasuo had warned her of Akali's sudden outbursts. She'd been having them more and more frequently. She was growing increasingly bitter and resentful. She knew that despite them trying to convince her otherwise, Akali still blamed herself for Ekko's undoing. It pained her to see her like this.

"Hey, I get it. Calm down." She said, raising her palms defensively.

The girl suddenly became aware that she had hurt her friend and her hateful glare softened. "I'm sorry, Ahri. I didn't mean to lash out at you. I haven't been getting much sleep." She explained, holding her head in her hand.

Ahri made an effort to smile. People were really losing their patience around her lately. First Senna, now Akali. But she shrugged it off. "Don't worry about it. Maybe we should take a break. Some fresh air might do you good."

Surprisingly, Akali didn't object. She just nodded and readily got up from the couch.

It was a beautiful sunny day with clear skies, but a very unpleasant, cold wind was blowing. The two girls walked down the quiet road, away from the mansion. The neighbouring houses had well-maintained gardens, more than one car parked up-front or big garages. There was no doubt they were in the wealthiest part of the city.

They kept silent for a long time. Akali had her eyes fixated on the ground and hands in her pockets. Ahri was more relaxed, observing everything around her and breathing in the fresh air.

"Can I ask you a question?" Ahri suddenly said.

"Yeah?"

They had reached a small park surrounded by trees and the fox-girl sat down on a bench. Akali followed suit.

"It's a bit random, but I always heard you and Ekko say that you came from "Zaun". What is a Zaun, exactly? I thought you lived in Bayview?"

Ahri was thinking it was impossible to make Akali smile. But to her surprise, she did just that.

"Oh, it's kind of an inside joke. He's from Hunters Point, I grew up in Bayview. They're sister neighbourhoods. At some point, we came up with silly names to call different places and Ekko said that one. Just kids' stuff."

"I see." Ahri replied with a smile of her own. "No offense, but Zaun sounds like an alien planet."

Even more unexpected, Akali laughed. "That's what I told him at the time. He said I had no taste."

To Ahri's dismay, a frown took over her friend's features.

"Why can't things just stay the same? Why did this have to happen?" She lamented. "It was always so easy to talk to Ekko. He was always just one call away. But now... I don't know how I'll face him. It'll feel so weird."

Ahri tried consoling her. "Don't worry, you'll figure it out. You'll know what to say."

Her friend shrugged. "I sure hope so. When the police found him, he didn't even want to look at me. He didn't want me to get close."

"After what happened to him, those are natural reactions, Akali. It has nothing to do with you."

"Yeah... I want to believe that."

Ahri put a perfectly manicured hand on the sombre girl's shoulder. "Hey, it'll be fine. I'm sure he'll love it when you visit him."

Akali sighed and turned to face her friend. A sad smile drew itself on her lips. "Ahri, thank you. You and the others... You've all been so patient with me. I know I sound like a broken record."

Ahri returned the smile. "And I'm starting to sound like one too." She joked. "But we know it's very hard. You can always count on us."

Akali nodded. And just as she looked away from Ahri, her eyes widened.

At the nearby parking lot, behind a car, there was someone. A familiar figure. Had she... Had she seen it right? It was in view for a single second before disappearing completely. Could it be...?

Her heart began racing.

"Kali? What are you looking at?" Her friend asked, looking in the same direction.

She had to find an excuse.

"Oh, nothing. I thought I saw someone I know, but it was my imagination." She got up, stretched and turned to Ahri. "This walk made me hungry. I'll go get something to eat."

The fox-girl chuckled. She reached inside her purse and took out some money. "It's on me. But buy me a cinnamon roll."

"On it!" And she hurried to cross the street, being mindful of the traffic. As soon as she was out of her friend's sight, she began looking around. He couldn't be far.

Many people walked around, but she didn't let them distract her. Her eyes darted from the parking lot to a grocery store, to a narrow alleyway in-between two tall buildings.

"Maybe..." She whispered.

She advanced towards the alley and checked if there was any sign of the man. But there wasn't. However, there was an even darker street perpendicular to the current one. Akali squinted her eyes and began walking towards it.

Her eyes scanned every inch of the place. There was this ominous, eerie feeling that sent shivers down her spine. She half-expected someone to jump her from the shadows holding a knife. Unnerved, she reached for her belt and grabbed her kunai.

Once Akali reached the narrow street, she carefully checked her left and right. Still no sign of him. Had she imagined everything? Was her exhausted mind playing tricks on her? She walked a few meters while inspecting her surroundings.

"Hello, Akali." She heard behind her. Fast as lightning, the girl turned around and assumed a fighting stance. Jhin had finally revealed himself. His hands were raised defensively.

"It's all right, child. I didn't mean to scare you."

She scowled. "You sure like creeping up on people. I could have stabbed you!"

Jhin seemed to almost smile behind the mask. "Stealth has its uses, but it can be a bad habit. I'll improve upon it in the future."

Akali's grimace deepened. "What are you doing here? Have you been following me?"

The man lowered his hands with confidence, although she was still pointing her kunai at his chest. "My apologies, my actions have a bad tone to them. But I mean you no harm. I wanted to ask something of you."

Her eyes widened with surprise. "Huh?"

Jhin's expression was serious. "That night when we saved Ekko, you were phenomenal. You singlehandedly took down Viktor. If you weren't there, I wouldn't have lived to tell the tale. And the boy would still be suffering at their hands..."

"Just get to the point." She said.

"Your fighting prowess is remarkable. And you know how to blend in with the shadows. If you agreed to join me, we could finish all of them. Not just Viktor."

Her jaw dropped. Had she heard it right?

"You want my help to make them pay?"

"That is correct." He said. And looked at his patched up shoulder. "I'm not in any condition to take them out on my own. Your aid would be very much appreciated."

Akali's heart began racing inside her chest. The dark wrath she had felt that fateful night awakened inside her once more. Her eyes were again those of a panther ready to strike.

"How many were they?" She asked.

Behind the mask, Jhin raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Those monsters who did this to him. How many were they?" Her stare became even harsher.

Jhin raised four fingers. "I killed Zed and buried him in the forest. So he's already out." Then he folded one at a time as he listed the names. "Viktor was arrested. And Graves, Sylas and Twisted Fate are missing."

Akali was frowning, her glare was cold as ice. Slowly, she retreated her weapon and straightened herself. "Three fuckers still completely unpunished." Her words were slow and ominous. "They must think they got away from the police and they're fine. They couldn't be more wrong..."

"Can I take that as a yes?" Jhin wished to know, reaching out with his hand.

The girl lifted her head and their eyes met. With no hesitation, she gave him a firm handshake. "I'm in."

For a moment nothing was said. They carefully looked at each other from top to bottom, trying to decide if they had made the right decision. There was some apprehension because they were still strangers. But as their hands parted, they knew there was no going back.

"Can I ask how the boy is doing?"

Akali lowered her eyes. "My friend visited him yesterday. He said he's in pain and barely speaks."

The man's eyes saddened. "Poor child..." Then he added. "Will you visit him soon?"

Akali tensed. "I... I know I'll have to face him again sooner or later. But I feel so uncomfortable."

"The longer you delay your reunion, the harder it will be on both of you." He warned.

She sighed. "Yeah... I know. But when your best friend you've known your entire life is in a hospital bed, mentally destroyed and getting injected with morphine..." Her hand was clenched into a fist. "It's too much to handle."
   
After a brief hesitation, Jhin spoke again. "Just take your time. But please visit when you can. He needs to know you're there to support him." He could see tears in her eyes.

"I'll be there." She said. "I'll do my best." And wiped her tears with the back of her hand. When she looked at him again, her expression had hardened. "When do we start looking for those bastards?"

"Don't worry. I already have one under my radar. I'll give you more information tomorrow. Please meet me here around the same time."

She nodded. "All right. I'll give you my phone number."

He shook his head. "Buy a burner phone or find an old one you never use to contact me. I don't know who has their eye on us. And I'm not taking chances after my encounter with Zed." He spat, touching his wrapped up shoulder.

"Ok. We can exchange phone numbers tomorrow. See you then."

Just then, Jhin did something she wasn't expecting. He bowed to her in an exaggerated, theatrical way before turning around to leave.

"That was weird." She thought when she found herself alone. She had to keep her guard up. The guy seemed a bit... Loopy. She was choosing to trust him, but she didn't yet know what he was capable of. But if working with this man meant having a shot at avenging her friend...

She would take the risk.

"Well, I better get back to Ahri. I still have to buy her a cinnamon roll. Then she complains her diets never work." She joked to herself.

The girl took a last look at the dark, empty alleyway. And then finally left.

Chapter Text

"We're gonna miss you, you know?" Said Akali, while sitting backwards on a chair. She was hanging around the guest room while Ekko's parents packed their bags.

"Really, dear?" Inna was folding one of her shirts.

"Yeah. We kinda got used to having you around." She admitted.

The woman raised her head and gave her a sad smile. "I think your friends will feel the same way when you go back to the other group."

Akali thought for a bit. "Yeah, I guess you're right." She fell silent as she observed Inna finishing the task and placing the shirt inside her suitcase. "So, Ekko will catch a train once he's out of the hospital?"

Wyeth, who was buttoning up one of his shirts, turned around. "What do you mean?"

His wife straightened herself and gave Akali a puzzled look.

The girl was caught off-guard with their reaction. She hesitated before delivering. "Isn't... Isn't Ekko going back to San Francisco?"

Inna exchanged glances with her husband. "No, dear. Ekko is staying here, with you. He said it himself."

Akali blinked in confusion. "Oh. But... I thought he would want to be with his parents after everything that happened. I imagined he'd feel safer..." Her eyes became clouded with regret and sorrow. "Besides... you still trust us after we let him get kidnapped?"

Inna shook her head. "Oh, Akali, you didn't let him get kidnapped. We already said that wasn't your fault. It still could have happened if he was with us." She assured her.

Wyeth felt the need to give her an explanation and turned to face the girl. "The working conditions at the factory aren't the best and we have no fixed work hours." He said. "If Ekko came back home he would be alone, day after day. As bad as it sounds, we won't be available to give him all the support he needs. Our boy will be better off staying here."

His wife nodded. "We have all the trust in you to look after him. What happened didn't change anything in regards to that." She finished with a smile.

Akali's fingers gripped the top rail of the chair. She cast her eyes down. "Thank you for being so understanding. We'll look after him this time." Then she raised her head. "I promise."

The corners of Wyeth's mouth turned up, causing the skin under his tired eyes to wrinkle. "We know you will." And his wife nodded in agreement.

Akali forced herself to smile. It was almost unbelievable how ok they were with everything. She couldn't, for the life of her, forgive herself. Yet, Inna and Wyeth had forgiven all of them almost instantly.

Ekko truly had inherited their kindness and compassion...

"Are you done, Wyeth?" Inna asked her husband while closing her suitcase.

"Yes." He replied placing his on the ground. "We're ready to go, Akali."

"All right." She jumped from the chair and exited the room, being closely followed by the couple. She saw the door of Senna's room was open and walked up to it. Her friend was sitting against the head of the bed, looking intensely at a few pieces of paper scattered all over the covers. She was so concentrated she didn't see her. "Hey, Senna!" Akali tried getting her attention.

The girl jolted and turned to face her. "Yeah?"

Akali wondered what all those papers were, but at the moment, she didn't have time to ask. "I'm going to take Ekko's parents to the station. I won't be long."

"Ok, see you later." Said Senna. The couple smiled and waved at her as they passed by the door and she raised her hand in a farewell gesture.

"Poor things." She thought to herself. "I sure hope they'll be all right. Those smiles are so obviously just for show..."

Not even a minute had gone by when she heard the front door opening. Curious, she lowered the paper she had picked up and looked out the window. She saw Qiyana accompanying the couple to the car and giving each of them a hug before they entered.

Her heart skipped a beat. Two months ago, if someone had told her that Qiyana could get this affected by anything, she would have laughed in their face.

The vanity and arrogance had always made her unfeeling and cold in her eyes. But now, this whole situation had awakened something in Qiyana that just wasn't there before. Or maybe it always had been, she just never noticed it.

It was probably that.

The car began moving down the street. Qiyana waved one last time and just stared off into the distance until the vehicle was out of sight. Then, she went back to sitting on the front porch.

Senna quickly checked her phone. It was three in the afternoon. She had plenty of time before Lucian showed up. She looked once more at the paper in her hand before gently setting it down with a sigh.

Qiyana turned around in surprise when she heard the door opening behind her.

"Uh... Hey." Senna's greeting sounded unsure.

She was unfazed. "Oh... hi, Senna."

The girl walked up and sat beside her friend. "How are you?"

Qiyana shrugged. "Been better."

"Yeah, same." She admitted. "It's been... hard. For all of us."

The girl's expression remained stoic. "Yeah."

Senna kept going. "Too many things happened in just a month. Way too much to think about."

Qiyana's muscles visibly tensed. Something changed in her eyes.

"I have friends who went through the same as Ekko. And it was always so hard for me to try and help them. I was always afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing."

Qiyana didn't say anything this time. She didn't even look at her.

But her eyes were glossy as if she were about to burst into tears.

To break the ice, Senna decided to risk it. She took a deep breath. "I've never seen you like this, you know?"

Qiyana furrowed her eyebrows but kept looking forward. "What do you mean?"

Senna gave her a sad smile. "Back at the hospital, you were crying your eyes out. And I just couldn't stop thinking..."

"What?" Qiyana asked, finally facing her. "You thought I didn't care about Ekko?" The exasperation was clear in her voice.

"No, it's not that." She raised her hands defensively. "You were always so annoyed by his pranks and jokes. He seriously seemed to get under your skin." She brought her knees close to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "I just never thought you would be this worried about Ekko. Much less show it..." She admitted.

The girl smirked, her eyes glimmered. "What can I say? I love that annoying little prankster, even if he drives me insane."

Hearing this, Senna grinned from ear to ear.

Qiyana fell silent for a bit. Then, she raised her head and turned to her friend. "It's funny. When I met you, I thought you were a teensy bit fake..." She said, bringing her thumb and index finger close to each other.

"Hey!" Senna gave her a friendly nudge.

"I said a teensy bit." She joked, rolling her eyes. Then, her tone became sincere. "I thought there was no way anyone could be that nice and that kind to everyone. It had to be an act! But every day you showed me it was just you, being you. You're naturally loving and caring. There aren't many people I would say this about, but... you have a good heart."

"Wow. That's so sweet of you." Senna blushed and smiled. "I like how much you worry about people. Even if you don't always show it. When Ekko went missing you were the first one to go looking for him. You didn't hesitate. I really admired that..."

"Thanks." Qiyana squinted her eyes and smiled amidst her sadness. "We were both wrong about one another. First impressions truly aren't everything." But the shadow of worry erased the grin. "I just want Ekko to feel welcome when he comes back. I don't want things to be awkward. I don't know what to do."

"We all feel that way." Senna tried consoling her. "We're gonna have to support one another. Even more than before." She placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Together we'll think of a solution."

"Easier said than done..." Qiyana complained, looking away. "We can't act like everything is fine or he might feel like we don't care. But we can't make a big deal out of it and make him feel like a helpless victim." She shook her head in desperation. "This is going to be so hard..."

Senna frowned. She scooted over and enveloped the distressed girl in her arms, pulling her against her chest. "Like I said. We'll figure something out."

Qiyana relaxed a little. She leaned into the embrace and reciprocated the gesture, wrapping her arms around her friend.

"He won't be alone. And that's what's most important." Senna said. "And the rest of us will have one another."

"Of course. You guys can always count on me." Qiyana replied, pulling the other girl closer.

-----

After ringing the doorbell, Lucian patiently waited on the front porch. To pass the time, he dipped his hand into his pocket and took out the lighter Senna had given him. The tiny flame danced before his eyes, brightening the black and golden engravings of the lighter's body. It almost made him smile. Senna sure knew how to pick his presents, no matter how small. There was something enticing about that light. The flickering flame was almost hypnotic. But he couldn't quite explain why. Senna's comment on how a lighter has multiple uses and then challenging him to discover what those were, had sparked his interest. He hadn't given it much thought yet, for he had been extremely busy. But he was determined to find a good answer.

Speaking of the devil, the door opened and Senna came into view. Her sad blue eyes shone when she greeted him. "Hey, Lucian, come in!"

He smiled at her and stepped inside.

"You took longer than usual." She said, closing the door and leaning against him to kiss him. He gently wrapped his arms around his wife and pulled her closer. Their lips briefly touched. "Yeah, I have to apologize for that. I got stuck in traffic and..."

Senna giggled. "It's ok, I don't mind."

Lucian caressed her face. "How did you spend the night? Slept any better?"

She nodded. "Last night wasn't as bad. We got the confirmation that Ekko is recovering well from the surgery. That helped me get some rest."

"That's good news." He commented with a smile. But his expression immediately darkened. He hesitated before asking. "How's...the boy?"

His wife opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out whatsoever. She closed it again. A few seconds went by as she tried finding the right words.

"I haven't been with Ekko yet. But Yasuo said he's in really bad shape. He's malnourished and covered in wounds and is in a lot of pain. They're giving him morphine for that. He's very quiet, barely moves and doesn't feel very comfortable with other people in the room."

Lucian closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. "Poor kid..." Then he opened them up again. "What about the others?"

She sighed. "The visit to Ekko shocked Yasuo. He hardly leaves his room since that day. Akali is still very shaken and won't stop blaming herself. Qiyana is extremely worried and cries a lot. I was with her a while ago and tried to offer some support. We had a heart to heart talk and I think it helped us both."

"Venting with you always helps me. I figured it would help her too." Said Lucian. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "We're both lucky to have you."

Her eyes regained a spark of happiness. She created some distance and took his hand. "There's something I need to talk about. Come with me." She requested. And Lucian followed her without hesitation.

She led him to her bedroom and closed the door behind them. "Akali and Qiyana are out, Yasuo is probably in his room. But we have more privacy in here."

Lucian sat down on her bed. He was about to ask what it was she wanted to discuss with him when he took notice of the papers scattered all over the covers. Curious, he picked one up and read it with his eyes. It was a newspaper clipping that dated a few years back.

"Artist Signs Terrible Record Deal - The Dark Side of the Music Industry"

His eyebrows furrowed.

"One of the giants of the music industry, Thresh Records, began, once again, to look for new artists earlier this year. Such privileged work was naturally meant for the best of the best. And the Record Label had their eyes set on the biggest sensations of the moment. That's how the young but hugely talented Senna came into contact with the higher-ups of the company. She has been one of the most influential artists of the past two years, topping the charts, enchanting audiences worldwide with her mesmerising vocal range and selling out the tickets for every event she's partaken in. Partnered with a monster of a company like Thresh Records, the young woman seemed ready to take the world by storm. But it's apparent she overlooked some red flags. Other artists have expressed their distaste for the working conditions and an anonymous comment from an ex-worker brings it all to light:
"(...) It's like selling your soul to the devil in exchange for a more stable career. That place is a prison. Your creative independence gets locked up in chains, there are no fixed work hours for anything, you barely see any profits from your hard labour. I was contractually obligated to play by their rules. I was dead inside and they owned my soul."
Upon realizing the promise of a better future was bleak, Senna tried breaking free from the stern contract and even took the case to court. But there was nothing to be done. The defence attorney had their hands tied before the regulations that Senna herself had agreed to by signing the papers. (...)

With a disturbed look on his face, Lucian looked at the other newspaper clippings.

"Artists' Complaints about Thresh Records are Reaching the Masses"

"Another Jab at Thresh Records - Is this the end?"

"Record Label Stays Afloat Despite Wave of Legal Sues"

Lucian felt the spot on the mattress beside him dip as his wife sat down. He was speechless for a long time. When he finally found the words, he frowned. "What is this? Senna, why do you keep this around?"

Her stare was fixated on the floor of the bedroom. "Sometimes it's good to look back and see what I overcame. There are days when I don't feel so strong or the memories come back to haunt me. And lately, with all this stress, they're more present than ever." Senna explained. "This helps me in a way. It reminds me that I endured it all and made it through."

Her husband's concerns abated. "I-I think I understand."

"And this hurt me. You know how much it hurt me. I fell into a deep depression back then."

He took hold of her hand and nodded.

"But now, with everything that happened... I can't stop feeling that I was being a crybaby. It was never that bad."

Lucian's eyes widened.

"Senna, what do you mean it wasn't so bad? Every song you wrote was rejected. You had to sing the ones they wanted. And the worst part, they overworked you to the bone. You lost your voice so often because you didn't have the right to take any breaks. You fainted more times than I can count in the studio from overwork. Your manager was an asshole and a leech and kept so much of your money for himself! I was always telling you to leave, but you were chained by that horrible contract... What part of this isn't straight-up abuse and a violation of your rights?"

She looked away.

"After what Ekko went through, what right do I have to complain about my problems? I had no freedom and creative independence for a while. Big deal. Ekko was... raped and abused mentally and physically. He's got so many reasons to be hurt and depressed. And I broke down after nothing."

"Senna, those are completely different situations. You can't compare them."

But it was like she didn't hear a word he said.

"I'm constantly letting the memories overwhelm me, lately, more than ever. While I suffered almost nothing and Ekko had his life destroyed! I feel pathetic."

"Senna, stop." Lucian gently scolded her. He kneeled in front of her and held her hands. "Neither one of us can imagine Ekko's suffering. What they did to him is inhumane. But his pain doesn't invalidate yours. Just because what he went through is worse, it doesn't mean you don't have the right to be feel hurt by your past."

Her eyes were filled to the brim with sadness, pain and disappointment. At herself.

"Look, I understand where you're coming from. Reminding yourself of the past to empower yourself can be good. But not when it hurts you this much." He stood up and sat beside her once again. "You need to let it go. Leave the past in the past. It's for your own good."

She remained silent.

"Last time I checked, I was the one holding on to the past because I couldn't forgive Thresh and all those horrible employees." He said with a smile.

Her lips briefly turned up. "But you had the last laugh in court. I've never seen any other lawyer defend a case so fiercely. You dug up the dirt and gathered every little piece of information."

"They might have stayed on track, but all those sues cost them a fortune. It left a dent they won't recover from so easily." Lucian was brimming with pride.

Senna, however, remained somber. Her eyes were lowered once again, examining each of the headlines.

With a heavy heart, seeing his wife so down, the man put his mind to work. Unnerved by the heavy atmosphere in the room, he took out his lighter. He began flicking the switch, causing the flame to flash into existence and die down repeatedly.

As the fire shone in Senna's gloomy blue eyes, like a blaze lit up by some wandering traveller, next to the murky waters of a swamp, an idea sparked in his mind.

"Senna, do you have paper and a pen at hand?"

She blinked in surprise. "Hm, yes?" She reached for her nightstand, opened up the drawer and picked up the requested items. "What do you need this for?"

He smiled gently, looking her straight in the eyes. "Listen. I want you to think of everything that hurts you when it comes to your past with Thresh Records. And your honest, innermost feelings about it, no matter how painful. Also, mention how much Ekko's situation worries you but that you won't compare yourself to him, because trauma isn't a competition. Write it all down on that piece of paper."

She raised one of her eyebrows. "Are you gonna quit being a lawyer to become a psychologist?"

He chuckled. "A new career doesn't sound like a bad idea." He leaned forward and kissed her. "Trust me. Meet me in the living room when you're done."

With that said, he got up and exited the room.

"All smug and mysterious... Who are you, and what did you do to my husband?"

He winked before closing the door behind him.

It didn't take long for Senna to finish writing everything and head downstairs. Her hand gripped the papers as she wondered what Lucian intended to do with them.

When she arrived on the ground floor, she turned to the living room. Her husband was crouched in front of the fireplace, piling up wood. He turned around, as soon as he noticed her presence.

"You're done already?" Lucian stood up and dusted off his hands.

"Well, I had everything thought through. Wasn't too hard to write it down."

He dipped his hand in his pocket and took out the lighter. "Are you ready?"

She had already figured out what he intended to do.

"Yes, I am."

Lucian's eyebrows arched with surprise. "Oh, you brought the newspaper clippings too?"

She smiled and grabbed the lighter that he was handing over to her. "If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do it right."

He nodded and with his palm upturned, gestured for her to advance.

Each step Senna took felt heavy as if her body weighed tons. The silence engulfed everything, her hands were trembling from holding onto the papers with such force.

When she was in front of the fireplace, after what felt like a mile-long walk, she stopped, looked at the papers in her hands and took a deep breath. Before starting, she crouched down, rolled the golden spark wheel of the lighter and ignited a pile of dry herbs to set the wood on fire.

Senna stood up. "First, I'm going to say a few words: I'm ready to leave it all behind. That's what I'm here for. The painful memories, the shame, the regrets, the bad decisions. The past is no more, I will only move forward."

She picked up one of the articles, leaned the lighter against it and set it aflame. The paper was caught in the fire's embrace, shone brightly like the morning sun and then she released it, leaving it to rest among the ashes.

Senna heard footsteps and felt Lucian's presence right beside her.

"Accept that the pain is something that you feel, but isn't a part of you. Don't let it take over your life." He said.

The black and golden engravings of the lighter shimmered in the light of the room. Another piece of paper danced quietly through the air until it was consumed by the scarlet arms of the fire.

"Forgive yourself for the decisions you made and regret. Back then, you didn't know better. And also for lessening your trauma when faced with someone else's. You did it out of love and concern. But everyone has the right to feel hurt by whatever happened to them. Your suffering is yours alone and you deal with it however you can. It isn't a competition." Lucian's solemn words echoed across the room.

And another paper burned quietly, as the scent of burning wood dispersed in the air.

The rhythmical crackling of the fire accompanied the couple's words as each of the newspaper clippings disappeared in the flames. When the time came to finally burn the message Senna had written, she smiled.

She smiled for real. With her lips, her eyes and her heart.

She didn't fully understand cleansing rituals or why people did them. But there was a part of her that felt much lighter. As if the weight on her shoulders had burned with the flames.

"The past was full of hurt. And it may take a while for me to truly leave it behind me. I was pursuing my passion in the wrong place. But I'm happy for being able to leave that prison and being given a chance somewhere else. The friends I made in this group encourage and respect me and I'm grateful for having them. True Damage is my second home." She paused for a moment and gripped the cold metal lighter in her hand. "And so, I wish my friends the very best. And I hope that all of us, but especially Ekko, find a way to heal."

At that moment, she felt Lucian's hand on hers. She raised her head and saw he was also smiling. Together they ignited the lighter one last time. The message burned in an array of ephemeral orange and yellow flames as it gently fell.

Outside the window, the sky had turned grey and a light rain began tapping on the windows, which, together with the fireplace's crackling, was very pleasant to the ear. The fire's orange light illuminated the couple, huddling so close they could almost hear the beating of each other's hearts.

Senna was the one to break the silence.

"So? Was this some kind of thing you saw online?"

Lucian chuckled. "You'd be surprised with the things I know. There's a lot more to your husband than it might seem." He said with a smug look on his face.

She shook her head. "What am I going to do with you?"

Suddenly, there was a ringing sound coming from the kitchen. Senna blinked with surprise.

"Huh? What was that?"

"The timer. I heated some milk to make hot chocolate." Her husband explained. "They say you should sit down and relax after these things. So I figured you'd like a hot drink."

Her chest was all warm inside. "Sounds good to me."

"Then come, let's make it together."

As the couple walked towards the kitchen, Senna took one last look at the lighter in her hand. The gold engravings shone in the light, contrasting once more with the coal-black background. With a warm smile, she placed it in the pocket of Lucian's jacket.

-----

"Ok, I'm almost there." Akali said, walking along the quiet road.

The light rainfall, that had started around ten minutes ago, had intensified and was now falling heavily on her umbrella and creating puddles on the ground. The cloudy sky was so somber and dark, it was unlikely the downpour would end any time soon.

Akali was just about to reach the park where she and Ahri had been the day prior. She rapidly crossed the street, for almost no cars were passing by and headed to the parking lot. A strong gust of wind swept past her, forcing her to stop in her tracks. When she raised the umbrella to look forward, there it was: The narrow alleyway in-between two tall buildings.

The girl took a deep breath and stepped forward with conviction.

The alley was bad enough on a sunny day, but with the dimming light, on a grey afternoon such as this, it was absolutely nerve-racking. Once again, Akali held onto the kunai just to be safe. There was no guarantee Jhin would be the only one waiting for her there...

She turned on the flashlight of her phone to guide herself through the darkness. Her grey-ish eyes darted from side to side, her back was slightly arched and her legs were ready to sprint at the smallest sign of danger.

Once she reached the junction between the two alleyways, she raised her flashlight and her body relaxed. Jhin was leaning against the wall, with his arms crossed, just waiting for her to arrive. The spot where he was located offered shelter from the rain, so his black umbrella was lying on the ground, right beside him. His masked face turned in her direction.

"You have nimble steps, child. I had no doubt it was you." The man said.

But Akali wasn't interested in his comments. She zipped to his side and took out a small antiquated device from her pocket.

"Here's the old phone that you asked for. Now we can exchange numbers." Her expression was dead-serious. Without even giving Jhin time to say anything, she added. "Now spill: Where are we going and who's our target?"

Jhin straightened himself. "I admire your determination. And you're very punctual, I like that. I think we're going to work well together."

The girl crossed her arms with impatience. "So?"

The man shook his head. "Everything in its time, I'm still gathering information. Today I'll fill you in on what you need to know." He turned around and gestured for her to follow him. And so Akali did.

"Remember the night we rescued Ekko? There were two guys with Viktor. I've lost track of them, but there's another one I have my eye on..."

"And that's the guy we're going after." She completed his sentence in a single breath.

The man sighed and stopped in his tracks. Surprised, Akali looked at him.

"What we're doing is unbelievably dangerous, Akali. We can't rush things or be impatient. The walls have ears. Viktor's spies are everywhere and now that he got captured, they're out for blood. He may be behind bars, but that man is still a threat we can't ignore. Promise me you'll be careful."

The girl frowned and lowered her head. "You're right, I'm sorry. I'm just stressed out... I promise I won't be reckless." She said firmly, turning her head up to look him in the eyes.

Satisfied, he nodded.

"Come. My car is nearby."

"Where are we going?" She wanted to know.

He opened up his umbrella before stepping into the pouring rain. "To a safe place where we can discuss things. Safe for now at least..."

With just a hint of hesitation, Akali followed him, leaving the dark alleyway behind.

Chapter Text

"So, are you sure they... can't find us in here?" Akali stuttered, looking around the spacious art studio.

The storm outside had worsened. The cold water drops were lashing against the window, making it seem like the glass would break at any second. The wind was bending the trees, their branches almost touching the ground. But inside, the room was well-lit and warm and the seats were comfortable. When Akali sat down, a flash of light blinded her and thunder roared outside.

"I'm positive. This place is out of their radar at least for now. There hasn't been any suspicious activity." Said Jhin, making sure the curtains were closed.

The girl furrowed her eyebrows in response. "I never imagined Viktor had people working for him. Much less, spies. I thought he was just some pathetic loser..."

"No, child. That monster has a lot of tricks up his sleeve. He's someone very powerful, with a lot of underground influence. He's one of the heads in the child trafficking and drug trafficking industries. He just likes to keep a low profile to pass by unnoticed."

"Hm... So he's a pathetic loser with power, swimming in rivers of cash."

Jhin blinked with surprise at her bluntness. "Yes. I suppose that would be accurate."

"Tch... typical." The girl mumbled with disdain. Her eyes followed Jhin as he crossed the room. He picked up his laptop that was charging on the desk and brought it over.

"There's some interesting information I gathered these past few weeks." He said, sitting beside Akali and placing the computer on his lap. "This is who we're going after." He clicked a file on his desktop and an image popped up. "His name is Sylas."

The girl grimaced as she examined the messy straight black hair, the stubble beard, the icy blue eyes and the stern expression on his pale face. "Motherfucker..." She mumbled.

"He works at the docks, loading the ships." He moved the mouse and clicked another file, making a table with various numbers appear. "He leaves home at 1 a.m., drives for 24 minutes, has an hour-long break at 4, and leaves work at 7:15. He arrives home around 7:40. These are rough estimates, of course."

Akali's eyes were open wide. There was a map of LA, under the table, describing the whole itinerary Sylas took and some additional information. "They seem pretty accurate to me. You pay attention to the smallest detail."

"There's a need for precision and scrutiny when one does such a dangerous job. Ten seconds can be the difference between us capturing him or letting him escape. Or worse, making him aware of our plans."

The girl's eyes were about to jump from their sockets. "Wait... Did you say capture? Are we gonna capture that guy? As in... kidnapping him?"

Jhin's masked face turned to face her. She could swear he was smirking, almost taunting her. "Does that unnerve you, child? I thought simply killing him wouldn't quench your thirst for revenge. I imagined giving him a taste of his own medicine would be much more of your liking."

Her expression darkened. "Of course it's what I want. Making him pay for what he did to Ekko is what I'm here for. I just wasn't expecting us to actually kidnap him. I thought we would just torture him on the spot."

"But revenge is a dish best served cold, don't you agree?" The spark in his eyes indicated clearly that he was smiling. "We can make him our prisoner for a while. You'll have all the time in the world to make him wish he was never born."

Her heart began racing. "Yes. I'll show him what happens to people who hurt my best friend." She said coldly, clenching her hand into a fist.

Jhin became very serious.

"If Ekko were their only victim... But they've hurt more innocent kids than I can count."

Akali frowned, her chest tightened.

"Viktor assaults many little boys he finds on the streets. Elementary school children who are walking home, high school boys who get too drunk to think clearly... He always looks for the easiest target possible. He drags them into an alley or some secluded place and has his way with them..." His eyes closed shut. "God, I feel sick just telling you this..."

Akali's body tensed even more. "But doesn't he kidnap them, just like he did with Ekko...?" She wanted to know.

Jhin took a deep breath to regain his composure. "The ones he randomly targets on the streets are what he calls "the easy prey"... But when it's someone he finds particularly interesting, he becomes completely infatuated with them." The man was having trouble passing on the information as if the words coming out of his mouth would poison him. "He stalks them, discovers every detail of their life, tries to find a way to gain their trust... Before disappearing with them into the night."

There was a flash of lightning and another thunder roared outside.

"The ones he kidnaps... are the ones who suffer the longest. He wants them under his control so he can hurt them as much as he wants, whenever he wants. Then, one day, he gets tired of them. And they suffer a horrible fate..."

The masked man paused. He was almost trembling with disgust and rage. His chest was hurting as if there were sharp rocks inside it, tearing up his flesh.

Pale as a ghost, the poor girl was almost afraid to hear the rest.

"They... They end up in illegal brothels, ran by people Viktor knows. Or are sent off to some rich creep's mansion who paid a load of cash for them. And they are abused until their bodies and minds rot and they're no longer human. Just an object to be used..."

Akali was covering her mouth in shock. "So that's... that's what they were going to do to Ekko... if we didn't arrive on time..."

The laptop was now resting on the coffee table. Jhin was hunched over, like an old man with no strength left.

"Yes. Sooner or later, maybe in a few months, Viktor would get tired of him. And he would end up... in some whorehouse. In another State or even another country. Being assaulted by thirty men per day, being starved and whipped if he got out of line and slowly dying..."

Tears were forming in the young woman's eyes. "You've been there. You've seen it all happen..." She concluded.

He looked away. "I've seen way too much shit, Akali. People don't know a tenth of the horrors that happen in those places. You can't even imagine..."

Akali was so shocked she didn't know what to say. Her voice was dying in her throat.

The cold raindrops kept lashing against the window. The water running down the roof and the gutter hit the ground with loud splashes. The highway, far off in the distance was illuminated by the headlights of the occasional car that passed by, like a ghost in the night. Inside the room, both its occupants had gone silent, and deep thoughts swirled inside their heads.

Slowly, the girl found her voice once again.

"How... How many kids have you helped, Jhin? You saved Ekko, surely you've done the same for others?" She asked, hoping to turn the conversation a bit more positive.

"Yes. It was never easy, but I helped many children escape both Viktor and the brothels. I wish I could have done more but I had to be careful so no one would suspect anything. If I was killed, there would be no one else to help those poor kids. I'm their only hope."

She nodded, understanding.

"I've called the police to raid two of the brothels. They were successful in one of the attempts and failed the other because the girls had already been moved elsewhere..." He shook his head, disappointment filling up his chest. "Eventually, once I've gathered enough information, I'll report more illegal brothels. Those places are disgusting and inhumane and need to be taken down..."

"Speaking of the police, was this the first time you reported those rapists to them?" Akali wanted to know.

He turned to face her. "No, of course not. That's how I rescued two other boys who were imprisoned like Ekko. But this was the only time they were successful in capturing Viktor. And it was all thanks to you." His brown eyes were sparkling. She could swear he was smiling.

But she frowned.

"I wanted to kill that fucker so badly... I still regret not doing it." She let out, looking at the palms of her hands. "I understand you didn't want me to end up in prison but still... It was a price I was willing to pay."

"I admire your courage but..." Jhin closed his eyes and sighed. "Akali, this is going to sound incredibly selfish. But I have to be the one to put an end to Viktor. I have... personal reasons."

The girl's eyes widened.

"What?" Her voice was filled with indignation. "You didn't let me kill that asshole because you want to be the one to kill him? Are you fucking serious? Why didn't you kill him then? Are you secretly on his side and you wanted to spare him or something? I'm beginning to think that!"

Jhin's stare became harsh and unforgiving. His words were like ice. "Me, on Viktor's side? I want that monster dead and buried." He paused for a few seconds and took a deep breath to regain his composure. "I didn't kill him at that moment because I didn't want the police on my trail. I have plenty of crimes to answer for. If I'm caught, those kids in the brothels will have no one to help them. And also, if I did kill him, you could still be arrested for helping me with murder. And I didn't want you to get in trouble. I just couldn't let it happen..." He looked away. "I would feel like I tricked you into doing my dirty work for me. And then you would have paid for it, while I got away without facing any repercussions..."

Akali's mouth was agape.

"Oh... I didn't think of it that way..." She whispered.

Once again, silence invaded the room. The rain outside had become milder and it gently tapped on the windows. Akali opened her mouth to speak. It felt like she had to say something more. But she immediately closed it. His words had left her speechless.

Jhin retrieved his laptop. "Back to the matter at hand. We should begin discussing the plan to capture that asshole. It needs to be well-thought-out so nothing escapes us."

She nodded.

"So here's what we need to do..." He said, leaning forward.

*BAM*

A bolt of lightning lit up the room and thunder roared across the cloudy sky.

Breathing heavily, Ekko jolted awake. His eyes were filled to the brim with terror.

He could remember it.

The despicable smell of blood and cum filling up his nostrils. The dimly lit ambience. The ropes clamping his wrists, holding them tightly. Every muscle in his body was hurting. White-hot pain was shooting through his rectum. His head was heavy like a boulder. He was exhausted. So exhausted.

He could remember it all...

They had been using him all day long without giving him a second to rest. From dawn to dusk, he had been assaulted, beaten and humiliated in unimaginable ways.

He heard footsteps and lifted his head with difficulty.

He could remember Sylas opening the door, approaching the bed. "Get on your knees." That was all he heard. The man didn't even look at him.

His eyes widened. He couldn't obey, the searing pain intensified and he gritted his teeth. He could barely move, his strength was absolutely depleted.

He gulped to gather courage. His heart raced inside his chest. Desperate, he raised his arm with an open palm in self-defence. The rope holding it tightened, interrupting the blood flow and making his fingers go numb.

"Sylas, please... Let me be. Just this once. Please..." His throat was dry and hoarse. Yet, he still made an effort to explain himself. "Viktor whipped me with a belt. Graves burned me again. Zed tore me open. I can't take any more today... I beg you, just this once... You can take me tomorrow and I'll keep quiet. I promi-"

In a fraction of a second, Sylas turned to face him. His eyes, burning with fury and indignation.

His whole body became cold.

He knew he'd made a grave mistake.

A brutal slap to the face threw his head to the side and made him see stars.

"Quiet. Did I say you could speak?"

He wasn't given a chance to recover. Two large hands wrapped themselves around his neck and squeezed until he was gasping for air. Sylas' bulky form pinned his small body against the mattress with his weight alone.

In a panic, he remembered clutching at the man's arms, struggling weakly, fighting to not lose consciousness.

"The nerve this kid has. Telling me what to do." His tone was menacing. His cold icy blue eyes were fixated on his warm golden ones. "Listen here. In my presence, you're nothing. You're just a little whore that I use however I please. That's what Viktor brought you here for. Act up to me again and I'll rape you until your intestines tear and bleed. Got it, you piece of shit?"

His eyes had become bloodshot. He couldn't feel the tips of his fingers or his face. Even still, he forced himself to nod.

"Good. Now get on your fucking knees. You're testing my patience."

The hands released his throat, allowing the air to flow. He took a gigantic gasp and violent coughs soon followed. His hand touched his throbbing cheek. Tears welled up in his eyes as he hurried to position himself on all fours.

Everything had come to mind. Every excruciating detail...

The man didn't prepare him in any way. He just pounded into him brutally and the welled-up tears fell down his face. The severe pain took over every inch of his body. He couldn't see almost anything with his blurred vision and burning eyes. But he could feel every agonizing thrust. The man's arms wrapped around his torso like snakes, fondling him. He was unable to hold back a moan. And he closed his eyes and grit his teeth, disgusted with himself.

"Moan for me you little whore. Moan for me." Sylas said, full of lust.

And he could do nothing except take it all. And cry.

Now, sitting on the hospital bed, his stomach was churning. A wave of nausea, brought upon by the horrifying flashback had invaded him.

Ekko covered his mouth with his hand. And gagged. In a panic, he threw away the covers, jumped from the bed, and ran out of the room.

In less than a minute, he was hunched over in front of a toilet, throwing up the contents of his stomach.

"Get out of my head. Get out of my head. Get out of my head!" He said in desperation. With no strength left and sweating profusely, the boy rested his forehead against the bathroom wall. He tried his best to regulate his breathing and to calm his beating heart. The vomit had left a bitter taste in his mouth and the smell was nauseating. He hurried to flush.

Ekko didn't move for a long time. He stayed on his knees, resting against the cold wall, shivering uncontrollably. When he found the strength to open his eyes, he looked up. Sunlight pierced through the small window near the ceiling, signalling the break of dawn. A sad sigh escaped his lips. Another night had passed without him getting any sleep. Nightmares after nightmares had kept him awake. His trembling fingers gently rubbed his tired eyes.

Slowly, he got himself to his feet.

When he approached the sink to wash his hands, he kept his eyes lowered. He couldn't bear to look at himself in the mirror. His body was battered and broken, covered in bruises, cuts and burns. He was skin and bones, his eyes were sunken and carried heavy bags under them. He could still remember the reflection he saw in the bathroom of the house in the woods. The way he had changed so much, he almost couldn't recognize himself... The way his eyes were filled with a sadness so profound.

It was terrifying.

He kept his gaze lowered as he closed the tap and stayed that way while he walked back to his room. As he was approaching the door, he caught a glimpse of curly mint hair, almost touching the floor. He raised his head and saw Soraka was talking to another nurse.

As the girl took notice of his presence, she turned to him and gave him a worried look. "Ekko, are you feeling ill? Did you vomit again?"

He nodded, confirming her suspicions.

"Did the medicine not take effect at all?"

The boy looked away. "It wasn't the medicine." His voice was barely a whisper. "I had another flashback and I panicked..."

She frowned. "Oh dear, the nightmares and flashbacks are getting out of hand. I'll ask Janna to have a session with you. Is that all right?"

He hesitated but ended up nodding.

She tried smiling at the boy to comfort him. "Very well, then. Oh, by the way, your friends called. I think their names are Qiyana and Senna. They said they wanted to come visit you tomorrow. Are you willing to receive them?"

"Qiyana and Senna? As in, the two singers?" The other nurse's mouth was agape.

Soraka turned her head around. "Yes, that's right." Then she looked at Ekko.

"It's ok. They can come." He sounded as if he had no strength left.

"Very well." Her expression became more somber. "Do you need anything from me? I can't exactly help when it comes to bad memories but..."

The boy shook his head. "No, I'm fine. But thank you." He opened the door and disappeared into the room.

"That's right, he's from a band. That's where I know that boy from. His face was so familiar..." The other nurse commented.

Soraka gave her a sad smile that quickly vanished. "Yes... Someone so young with a bright future ahead of him. It's horrible to see him robbed of it..."

The other girl also frowned. "He looks like he's carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. He's just a kid. It's so unfair..."

"I just hope Janna can help somehow..." Soraka confessed with a sigh.

----

"All right, you can leave me here." Said Akali to Jhin.

He turned to her. "Is your friend very far?"

"She's here in the Plaza, I'll be fine."

The man stopped the car and she unbuckled her seatbelt. She had her hand on the door handle when he said. "Akali, please be careful, ok? If Viktor's men discover you're with me, you'll be in danger. You know well the risk of this job."

The girl nodded. "Don't worry about me. I promise to be careful." And she opened the door. She was watching the car disappearing down the road when her phone rang. She immediately picked up.

"Hello, Qiqi? Where am I? I just got to the Plaza. I'm right next to that restaurant Senna likes. Oh... You're near the fountain? Give me a minute, I'll be there." *Click*

It took her five minutes to cross the Plaza's garden and arrive at the center, where the fountain could be found. Qiyana was waiting there for her, wrapped in her raincoat, fuchsia umbrella in hand.

"Finally, it took you forever to get here. Why did I even go out in this weather?" She complained, holding a hairpin in her teeth to fix her hair.

Akali smirked. "That's on you. You hate the rain and still went on a walk." She put her hand on her hip. "So, you said he's here?"

"Yeah, he's back there." She mumbled in-between her teeth. Then she passed the hairpin to her fingers. "I'm more than sure it's the guy you showed me. Kayn, right?"

Akali's expression darkened. "Yes. If it's actually him, I'm so gonna let him have it...".

Her friend furrowed her eyebrows in annoyance. "Don't insult me. I wouldn't have told you to come if I wasn't certain. Now follow me."

Akali went after her until they got to a line of decorative bushes that offered them cover. On the other side, among a group of people, she recognized the long dark braid falling down his back. It was him, no doubt about it. She turned to Qiyana, who gave her a very bored look as if saying "I told you..."

When the group finally dispersed, the young man waved at his friends and headed to the exit.

Akali's blood was burning in her veins. He was alone. It was the time to strike.

"KAYN!" He heard someone scream. When he turned around and saw Akali approaching, a smile drew itself on his lips. He was going to open his mouth when she stuck an accusing finger in front of his face.

"You have a lot of nerve, you know that?" The disdain was oozing from her voice.

He blinked innocently. "Where I come from, people usually say hello when they see a friend." He joked.

"You're not my friend, you backstabbing low-life."

"Wow, Akali, so aggressive. What did I do?"

"Stop playing dumb. You know exactly what you did." Her harsh tone showcased the fury she felt." Nice interview, Mister! I didn't know you were replacing Ekko in our group. Last time I checked, I was the one making those decisions. When did that power get transferred over to you?"

He dropped the facade altogether.

"I simply saw an opportunity and grabbed it. It was just a small lie. The paparazzi eat anything you throw at them." A sly smirk appeared on his face. "Like dogs."

Akali scowled. "You disgust me..."

"Hmpf!" His head was raised in an act of superiority. "It's not like True Damage would lose anyone important. Ekko was never that good. He's overrated. You're just too blind to see it."

"You're just jealous! You always were! You don't have half his talent." The vein in her forehead was becoming more prominent and gaining a purple-ish tint. She noticed Kayn's expression shifted. His eyes were now burning. "Imagine being such a cunt that you make up rumors about someone who was missing and in real danger!"

The young man was positively fuming. In the heat of the moment, his words were like venom. Blinded by jealousy and bitterness, he didn't measure the gravity of what he was saying. "What a pity it would be if he wasn't found. Like anyone gives a damn besides you, Akali. No one would even notice if he disappeared for good. He's not that special, you're just biased-"

*POW*

Two seconds later, Kayn had taken a step back and was holding his nose to stop the blood flow. Akali had moved extremely fast and landed an aggressive punch onto his face.

"FUCK!" He yelped.

With no hesitation, she grabbed him by the collar. Despite their height difference, she managed to raise him into the air and only the tips of his sneakers were touching the ground. The rage burning inside her was so strong, her stare could kill. "Say one more word and you're joining Ekko in the hospital tonight."

At that moment she heard footsteps behind her and a hand touched her shoulder.

"Whoa, whoa, Akali! ¡Calma! He isn't worth it!" Qiyana sounded alarmed.

"Qiyana, stay out of this." She said.

"No, Akali." Her tone was now firm. "I'll handle it. Let him go, take a step back and breathe."

Even if a little vexed, the girl obeyed. She took one last venomous look at the older boy before setting him down and letting Qiyana gently pull her back.

Her friend didn't waste time.

"Nice feature on the magazine!" She said in a very sarcastic tone. "So you're the idiot that made up all those things about Ekko."

"Are you going to lecture me, shorty?" He barked while holding his nose. The blood was dripping down his hand.

The girl promptly ignored him. "I only know you're in the music industry cause Akali told me so. No wonder you have to lie to be noticed. I never heard about you." She sneered with a smile. "And you were dissing Ekko? He made a name for himself. Effortlessly. What do you have?"

"I've released songs of my own. And I have fans." He tried to defend himself.

"Oh yes, of course, you have fans. I'm sure all six of them love you." She retorted, all sassy. "And those songs you're talking about? Did you steal them like you tried to steal Ekko's spotlight? Cause don't try to convince me a nobody like you actually has ideas of his own."

Surprisingly, a devious smile appeared on Kayn's lips. "Who are you to call me a nobody? You have nine older sisters that have all the eyes on them. Do you think people forgot about the time you humiliated Inessa in public, just because you were desperate for attention? That's why you ended up in True Damage, isn't it? To start anew, to make people forget about that little incident. But people don't forget, Qiyana. I might have told a small lie, but you're just rotten and you'll step on anyone to get your way."

The girl was taken aback by his harsh words but didn't show it. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. With her cheeks turning red in fury, she barked. "How dare you talk about mi familia when this has nothing to do with them, you cabrón, hijo de puta!"

"Oh wow! Now you're pretending like you care to look good in front of your friend. You're just sad." He scoffed with a cackle.

It was the last drop.

Red as a tomato, shaking uncontrollably, her face contorted with rage, she started yelling at the top of her lungs. "VALES VERGA, SU CABRÓN! ERES UN COÑO, PENDEJO, MAMABICHO! CHINGA A TU PUTA MADRE, VETE AL CARAJO, CAPULLO DE MIERDA!"

Surprised by the sudden change in tone, Kayn's eyes widened. When Qiyana took a step forward to be right up in his face, he took a fearful one back.

Akali covered her mouth to contain a laugh. Seeing a giant like Kayn backing away from a girl as small as Qiyana was just hilarious to witness. Paired with the fact that he couldn't understand a word she was saying, which meant he'd felt threatened by her presence alone.

The girl kept yelling until she had no insults left to throw at him.

"You're a waste of oxygen!" She spat, but now in English. She stuck her finger aggressively in front of his face. "I'm not wasting any more time with you. Tell one more lie about our band to benefit yourself and you're a dead man."

He kept quiet, with both hands raised in self-defense as Qiyana turned around, grabbed her friend's arm and dragged her away from him.

"Wow, you really told him off." Said Akali, when they could no longer see Kayn. "Did you see his face?"

"Hmpf! That prick thinks he's so smart. Can't believe you were friends with him. I should have let you punch him again."

"He was more of an acquaintance. And yes, you should have." She said while watching Qiyana fix her hair once more.

"Gah, I'm a mess. That idiot made me so mad, my hair is all up in the air. Hold this." She demanded, handing her friend the fuschia umbrella. She rummaged furiously through her bag until she found a bottle of hairspray.

At that moment, something changed in her eyes. Her stare became focused on the bottle in hand and her anger turned to sadness.

"Yo, I bet five dollars that she brought the hairspray in her purse for an emergency." She could hear Ekko's voice in her mind and see his cocky grin as he challenged Yasuo.

It was that same hairspray. She had forgotten all about it. The night of the party where everything had gone to shit... When had that been? It felt like another lifetime.

Akali was perplexed. "Huh, Qiqi, are you ok?"

With reluctance, the girl put the bottle of hairspray back inside her bag. "Yeah. I think I'm heading home. You're coming?"

"Well, I..." Out of the blue, Akali's phone rang. "Oh, who's sending me messages at this hour?" She checked the screen and realized it was from Kai'sa. Filled with curiosity, she opened it.

Hey, I'm at the dance studio. Show up if you want. It'll be just like when you joined KDA and I spent every night giving you private dance lessons. I thought we deserve a little fun after all this madness we've been through.

Hug, Kai.

The kind words put a smile on her face. She looked at Qiyana.

"I'm not going home just yet. I have new plans for tonight."

-----

The moon was already up in the sky when Akali reached the dance studio. All the lights were off except the ones in the main room. She walked up to the open door and looked inside.

Unsurprisingly, Kai'sa was sitting on a mat, striking a yoga pose that would break all of Akali's bones if she tried to imitate her.

"Hello, Kali. I'm glad you showed up. I thought you'd just stay cooped up in your room."

She shrugged. "Thanks for the text. We haven't been together in forever. I mean, just the two of us."

Gracefully, Kai'sa let her body relax and picked up a remote control. "Yeah! It'll be just like the old times." She clicked a button and the stereo started blasting a familiar tune.

"Wait... that's the music we danced to in my first dance class!" Akali exclaimed.

Her friend raised an eyebrow. "What did I say? Tonight will be a blast from the past."

A divine smell reached Akali's nose and her mouth watered. "You brought snacks too?"

Kai'sa lifted a cloth to show her the food. "I made them, so we can eat them later. Now it's time to hit the dance floor!" She took Akali's hands and pulled her to the center of the room. But her friend didn't look very enthusiastic and her arms were stiff like planks of wood.

"Remember what you said to me when we met? For a dancer, you're too tense, Kai'sa, you need to learn to relax! Now, I'm the one telling you that. You're too tense, let loose! Let the music move your body!" Her smile was wide as she began spinning, dragging Akali along.

At first, the girl was somber and her muscles remained hard as stone. But as her friend's contagious energy enveloped her, she let herself relax. Little by little, being guided by Kai'sa's expert moves, she began throwing her arms around, moving her head to the beat and synching her steps with the rhythm of the music.

Kai'sa was in her natural environment, flowing from one movement to the next with grace and precision. But she wasn't even trying, choosing to pay attention to Akali's dance steps instead. For a moment, the girl was free, her eyes were shining, her body was moving around carelessly. It brought a grin to Kai'sa's lips. This was exactly what she had intended.

When the song ended, a slow melody took its place. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment, before Akali wrapped her arms around Kai'sa's waist and the taller girl pulled her closer. They slow danced, lost in each other's embrace, their bodies gently swaying to the music.

"You showed me what freedom was really like. You shared everything you had with me. And I'm so grateful. But... you've changed. This is not the Akali I met, fun-loving, a little crazy, always relaxed... I understand what happened would take a toll on anyone. But you've become a little cold and distant. And we've been worried about you since that night..." She said calmly. "I just want to see you smile again. But smiling for real, with the hope that things will turn out well."

Akali remained resting against her chest, completely silent, so she decided to keep speaking.

"What those people stole from Ekko, they're stealing from you too. Your light, your happiness, your optimism, your free spirit... Don't let them take what makes you, you, Akali. They don't deserve to have such an impact on your life. Monsters like that don't deserve anything at all."

Akali raised her head. "I know what you're saying... But the depressive ambience at home doesn't help. We're all so down. We never thought something like this could happen."

"No one imagined it. It's so horrible, it's unthinkable..." Kai'sa was looking deep into her eyes. "But I'm here for you. You don't have to go through this alone. And neither does Ekko." Here, a playful smirk took form on her lips. "By the way, we can go visit him together if you want."

Her friend's jaw dropped and for the first time in a long while, she created distance to look her straight in the eyes. "You're... you're serious?"

"Of course!" Kai'sa's smile was wide. "As long as he doesn't mind..."

"Nah, he'll be fine with it. At least I think so..."

"Great, it's settled then! Maybe with me tagging along, it won't be so uncomfortable." She commented.

But Akali had her doubts and her eyes were cast down. "But what if Ekko doesn't wanna see me? When he was found, he was almost... scared of me. He didn't want me anywhere near him."

Kai'sa shook her head. "Oh, Akali, he was in shock and scared. How would you feel if you were kidnapped, locked up, sexually assaulted and suddenly the police was all up in your face? I'm sure he'll react differently now."

"But..." Akali still wasn't convinced.

"No buts." She joked with a playful grin. She took hold of her trembling hands. "It'll be fine. He'll love to see you again. I'm sure it's exactly what he needs right now."

Akali sighed and raised her head to look her friend in the eyes. Slowly, a smile formed on her lips. "Thank you, Kai'sa. You're right. And this was exactly what I needed, a relaxing evening, away from everything. You really know how to cheer me up..."

The other girl nodded, satisfied with the direction things had taken. She watched Akali, with renewed energy, take a step back and stretch, throwing her arms in the air. She walked over to the table covered with a cloth and her smirk let her know exactly what she was thinking.

"So, about those snacks..."

-----

"Well, what I want to say is... we're here for you no matter what, ok? Even though we can't promise things will be all right, we can promise you won't be alone." Senna's words were warm and sincere.

Ekko acknowledged them by forcing a smile. "Thank you, Senna." He turned to Qiyana. "You too, Qiqi. Your visit meant a lot."

The Latina, who had remained quiet the whole time and was trying her best to keep the tears from falling, said in a weak voice. "Of course, you don't have to thank us." She got up and headed for the door.

"Goodbye, Ekko. Get plenty of rest." Said Senna with a smile before following Qiyana.

His eyes, full of hurt, shone with a little happiness as he waved at them.

Once both girls were outside the room, their bodies tensed up immensely.

"That was even harder than I thought it would be." Qiyana's eyes were shining with tears. Senna gently placed a hand on her back.

"Yeah. But I think we made him feel a little better. At least we showed him we care." And her friend nodded gravely.

There was the sound of footsteps across the hallway and the two girls raised their heads to see who it was.

"Kai'sa, Akali?" Qiyana's jaw dropped slightly with surprise.

"Hello there, what a coincidence." Commented Kai'sa with a smile. "You girls just came out?"

Senna nodded. She looked at the smaller girl. "Ekko asked about you. He wanted to know how you were and when you were coming. He's gonna be so happy with your visit."

Relief washed over Akali upon hearing those words. "Oh, really?" She lowered her eyes. "I thought..."

But Kai'sa didn't let her finish, giving her a soft nudge. "See? What did I tell you? He's going to love seeing you!" Fearing hesitation or an attempt to turn back, she curled her arm around her friend's. Now she couldn't try to escape. This reunion needed to happen. "Let's go in. See you, girls." And she gently pulled a reluctant Akali along.

Chapter Text

"Come in," said Ekko when he heard a knock on the door. He couldn't believe his eyes when an untamed, spiky, blonde ponytail came into view.

"Akali..." he whispered in disbelief. Immediately his body tensed and his eyes became glued to the ground.

"Hey..." she said, holding her arm in discomfort, as she walked into the room.

"Hello, Ekko, I hope you don't mind me showing up! Kali wanted some company, " Kai'sa greeted him with a smile.

"Of course not," he replied in a weak voice.

The two girls sat down near the bed and an uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Akali looked around her at the white walls, the large window, the recently cleaned floor, anything to keep her from exchanging eye contact with her best friend. And Ekko wouldn't raise his head to properly acknowledge her. Kai'sa took it upon herself to break the tension.

"So, Ekko, how has your stay at the hospital been? Is the food ok? I heard it's horrible. And the nurses, have they treated you well?"

He shrugged. "The food is pretty bad, yeah. But the nurses have been very kind to me."

Feeling like he wouldn't add anything else, she forced a smile. "That's good," and then turned to Akali. When their eyes met, she made a motion with her head in the direction of the boy. While hesitant, the girl straightened herself and looked right ahead.

"Ekko?" she managed to grab his attention and he looked up, "I... I have something to tell you. I'll burst if I don't get it out of my chest."

His eyebrows creased with uncertainty.

After a few more moments of silence, Akali began letting it all out. "I feel like everything that happened was my fault. If I hadn't invited you to join True Damage, if I hadn't brought you to L.A., maybe this wouldn't have happened," her heart was heavy and her fingers trembled. "The night of the party, I could have kept that creep from taking you away. I could have protected you. But I didn't, I went to sign autographs instead," she said with bitterness in her voice, disgusted with herself.

Ekko's jaw had dropped, "You didn't know what was going to happen," he tried to reason with her.

"Even if I didn't know, it doesn't excuse anything. You looked like you were going to pass out and I ignored you. What a great fucking friend..." she spat, looking away.

"You asked me if I was ok. I told you I didn't need any help. You didn't ignore me, Akali. You stayed beside me all night long..."

"But I wasn't with you when it mattered..."

Kai'sa put her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Akali has been blaming herself this entire time. And I imagine you blame yourself as well," she said, turning to Ekko. "But really... I'm more to blame than any of you."

Akali's eyebrows arched. She turned back to her friend. "What do you mean?"

"I was convinced I knew Jayce well enough. But he was an acquaintance at best. I shouldn't have let him grab our drinks. It was so stupid of me." she shook her head, "Doing that is just asking to be drugged."

"But that wasn't Jayce. It was an imposter. You trusted him because he's a police officer and-"

"Exactly," Kai'sa cut her off, "and that's why I was so dumb and gullible. Police officer or not, I still trusted a stranger. And... and Ekko paid for my mistake," she lamented. She turned to him with sorrow in her eyes, "I'm so embarrassed. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Kai'sa... we all trusted him. We let him disappear with our drinks. It wasn't on you," said Ekko, shocked that his friends blamed themselves this much.

With a freezing cold at the pit of his stomach, he hesitated before delivering. "I'm... I'm the one who has to apologize to you, Akali, "he said, eyes cast down, "when I was his prisoner, Viktor began toying with my mind. He knew how important you guys are to me. And he wanted to break me. He wanted to make me believe none of you cared I was gone..."

Akali's blood began boiling in her veins. "That little..."

"Shhh... let him speak."

"I... I'm ashamed to say this but... I was hurting so much, I felt so alone... I began believing him." he bit his lip. "I believed you guys didn't care, that you didn't miss me, that I was nothing to you. Especially you, Akali. I... doubted you the most."

Akali's heart skipped a beat, "Oh, Ekko..." she whispered, her chest feeling heavier by the second.

"I doubted you, of all people. My best friend... Someone who's always been there for me. Viktor showed me an article that said you were looking for someone to replace me in the band. As if me being gone was just an inconvenience and not something to be worried about... And I thought it was real. I was so stupid," he lamented.

Wait, an article? About them wanting to replace him? Her blood boiled in her veins.

"KAYN!" she screamed inside her head, "I'm going to kill him!" internally, she cursed Qiyana for not letting her finish the job after punching him in the face.

His voice was almost inaudible. "Please forgive me, Akali. When you showed up to save me, I realised how wrong I was. I'm so sorry."

His words were so filled with hurt, both girls could feel tears welling up in their eyes.

"Ekko, no. You have nothing to apologize for. You were suffering so much this whole time, and it's all because of that monster. I don't want you to hurt because of that," said Akali, "but I would never abandon you. That article you read was a big lie. Kayn made everything up to get attention."

The boy raised his head, "I believe you. But I didn't know Kayn would do such a thing. He was always jealous, but it must have gotten worse after I joined True Damage..."

"I already dealt with Kayn. Don't worry about him right now, he isn't important," she told him, "I understand why you'd start questioning our loyalty. You were desperate and alone. And that motherfucker was manipulating you. Don't blame yourself for a second."

And then, something unexpected happened. A delicate smile formed on Ekko's lips. He lowered his head. "I guess we were all dying inside with this guilt, huh?"

Akali rubbed the back of her neck in discomfort and looked at Kai'sa. "Yeah, I guess we were."

And then he finally found the courage to look them in the eyes. "But I forgive you, both of you. Even if there's nothing to forgive. I was blaming myself for allowing Viktor to capture me. But my parents helped me realize it was all that man's fault. I'm not to blame, and neither are you," he said in a warm tone.

"Ekko... " Akali whispered, touched by his words, "I was so afraid you were mad at me. I convinced myself that you blamed me for what happened. I didn't even know if you saw me as a friend anymore."

The teen frowned. "Me too. I was terrified of telling you this. I imagined you would say I'm a horrible person for doubting you and the others. And then you wouldn't want to see me again..."

She shook her head. "Never. I wouldn't do that to you. That would be me, blaming you for being abused by that monster."

A spark of uncertainty shone in his eyes. "But you forgive me, right?"

An affectionate grin formed on her lips, showing her lined-up teeth. Warmth filled up her chest. "Like you said, there's really nothing to forgive. But of course, I do."

His heart began racing. "Thank you. You don't know how much that means to me..."

Letting him watch her every move, Akali carefully leaned forward to offer him her hand, palm upturned. "You're never going to lose me, ok? I'll always be here for you."

The teen hesitated. His body tensed.

She had gotten a little too close.

Hugging his parents was one thing. He had let Jhin into his personal space out of necessity. But he wasn't quite ready to be touched by other people. Or to have them in very close proximity. Not even Akali.

But he didn't want to make things awkward.

Slowly, he stretched his arm and instead of grabbing her hand, only their fingertips touched.

"You can always count on me too," he said with a sad smile. And then he realized he had been ignoring the other girl completely. He turned to her. "This also applies to you, Kai'sa. If you need anything from me, just say it."

She chuckled. "Nice save! Thank you, Ekko. I hope my presence didn't ruin the moment."

Akali gave her a gentle nudge. "Stop it. Ekko liked having you here. I can see it in the way he's smiling. I've known this kid for half my life!"

He nodded and his tone was sincere. "It's true, thanks for showing up. It's good to know you care."

"Of course, any friend of Akali is my friend. I'm glad you're recovering well from your injuries. And I think this visit was good for you because you look a bit happier."

"Thanks." He said. There was an ever-present glint of sadness in his eyes, but some of the tension had abated.

The afternoon sun shone upon them and the three friends looked outside the window. After what had been two days of intense rainfall, the sunlight was peeking through the clouds again. It felt almost... appropriate. As if Nature wanted to partake in this reunion.

"We should head back before it begins pouring again," Kai'sa commented.

Ekko hadn't said anything thus far, but both girls were drenched to the bone, save for their hair. The umbrellas they left by the door had been leaking for the past fifteen minutes, creating a small puddle on the ground.

"You came here on foot in this weather?" he asked.

Akali winked at him, "C'mon, you know how Kai'sa is. Why take the bus if you can walk?"

"It's good for your body and mind," said Kai'sa with her index finger lifted and closed eyes, like a high school teacher. Then she chuckled and relaxed. "Alright, let's get going."

"It was good seeing you again. I'm glad we cleared up everything, "said Akali, her eyes shining like stars.

Their hands parted.

"Yeah, I liked having you here. See you soon..." and for a brief moment, the girl noticed his smile was genuine, with no trace of sadness in his eyes.

Then, as quickly as it formed, it faded.

Akali's heart skipped a beat.

His happy self was still in there somewhere, buried beneath the trauma and the pain.

With tears in her eyes, she promised herself that she would do everything in her power to help him get his joy, his confidence and his smile back. No matter what it took.

Starting by getting rid of the monsters who had done this to him, so he'd never have to fear them again...

When both girls stepped outside the room, Kai'sa turned to Akali with a smirk. "So? Was it so hard? Wasn't it good to talk to him again? Oh!" she was a bit surprised when her friend rammed into her to give her a big hug. Her head rested against her chest and her arms held firmly onto her torso, making her feel all warm inside. A wide smile was plastered onto her face and her eyes were squinted with satisfaction. Kai'sa returned the hug without uttering a word.

Through the large windows, the afternoon sun shone brightly upon them.

-----

In the Police Department, the officers were hard at work.

"I've been trying to contact Shen for the last three days and I obtain no answer, "said Caitlyn, holding the phone next to her ear, "At first I thought he must be busy with work, but now I'm not sure."

"That was the guy who did the surgery on Viktor, right?" asked Vi, leaning back on her chair, hands behind her head.

"Yes, he was forced to do it and his family was threatened. I'll have to pay him a visit soon. Any additional information he can provide will be detrimental to putting Viktor behind bars."

"Leave it to me," said her partner, readily getting up, "I need to stretch my legs. Desk work is Jayce's thing, I'm tired of being here all day."

Speaking of Jayce, Caitlyn turned around to check on him. He was sitting in front of his laptop, but he wasn't typing or reading anything. His eyes were locked onto the screen, but they were vacant and tension had taken over his body.

Caitlyn frowned. Her friend had been like this the entire day. And she knew why.

Seeing his face in place of Viktor's had been a shock. Of course, he knew what he was going to find, but it was an uncanny and unsettling sight nonetheless. And the idea that the kids that monster had assaulted would have his face engraved in their minds for the rest of their lives was a nightmare.

"Jayce?" she called out to him.

As if waking up from a dream, he blinked and turned to her. "Yes?"

"Are you feeling ok?"

Apprehensive, he scratched the back of his neck. "I didn't get much sleep. Viktor still hasn't left my mind."

That was when Vi walked up to him. Surprised, he looked at her.

"What you need is some fresh air. You and Cait have done nothing but sign papers. I'm going to check on some Shen guy. Tag along, old man," she said to him, smirking.

She believed it would take some convincing to get him to accompany her, but to her amazement, he readily got up from his chair.

"I thought I would never say this, but you're right, Vi. What's the address?"

The pink-haired woman had been left with her jaw on the floor. "Well, that was easy," she commented with Cait when he left the room to grab his coat.

Her superior feigned disappointment, "So you're going together, leaving me behind. I knew this moment would come. Give it a few days and you're calling him your partner."

"Aw Cupcake," said Vi, pouting and half-joking, "you know Jayce can take your place in the car, but he can't take your place in my heart."

Caitlyn beamed with satisfaction and gave her a soft push, "You're such a dork."

From the hallway, Jayce shouted, "Get a room, you two!"

And the two women looked at each other and laughed.

-----

"That's the address." Vi opened the car door and stepped outside. "We're here."

She was overlooking a big house with its walls painted white and blue windows. The front yard was well-maintained, with lively green grass and expertly trimmed bushes and trees.

"Rich people," Jayce commented, also getting out of the car, "I mean, he's a plastic surgeon, I shouldn't be that surprised."

"Well, let's get to it. Follow me." Vi started walking to the entrance. This amused her friend.

"You're giving me orders?" he joked.

"One of us has to take over for Cait. And I decided it would be me," she affirmed, pointing her thumb at her chest.

Despite all the hurt and confusion regarding Viktor that was still brewing inside his chest, Jayce smiled. "Right after you, boss."

They reached the front door and Vi rang the bell. They waited.

And waited.

Nothing.

Jayce furrowed his eyebrows. "Maybe they didn't hear it."

She rang again.

To no avail.

"Strange... His wife should be home by now, "the woman commented. She shifted her attention to the door and tried knocking. But as soon as her knuckles touched the wooden surface...

The door opened.

Alarmed, both cops looked at one another. Fast as lightning, they reached for their guns.

"Cover me," said Jayce as he prepared to step inside. Vi nodded, carefully looking around. As soon as her colleague pushed the door back, she moved to his side.

"L.A. Police!" Jayce screamed, pointing his gun into the entrance hall. He and Vi advanced through the house, pointing their guns in opposite directions. Their eyes scanned every inch of the place, looking for any sign of danger. They checked a few rooms, only to find them empty. When they reached the living room, Vi hid beside the door, guarding Jayce's back as he prepared to open it.

The handle turned and the door swung back.

The man's eyes widened. "Holy shit..." he whispered in shock.

Vi's heart skipped a beat. Once she deemed it safe, she peeked inside the room.

And her blood froze in her veins.

The family of three, lay dead on the floor, mutilated, covered in blood and surrounded by severed body parts.

-----

"You found nobody else in the house?" Caitlyn wanted to know, an hour later, while examining a few blood splats. She got up and straightened her sunglasses.

Vi was scowling. Some of her colleagues were cordoning off the area with tape, while others investigated the crime scene. "No. Whoever did this, had a clean escape. We can only hope to find some evidence to identify them."

"Shen mentioned Viktor's spies and said he was being watched. I assigned officers to protect the house, but not even that was enough. It's unbelievable..."

"They suppressed the alarm system and entered completely unnoticed. We already interviewed the neighbors but not even they have any information," said Vi, the disappointment was clear in her voice.

Jayce approached the two women with a look of disgust on his face. "His daughter had her fingers cut off and was the first to die. Then his wife had three nails ripped off and her left ear was chopped before being killed. They left Shen for last and cut his tongue out before slitting his throat..."

Caitlyn shook her head in disbelief. "He betrayed Viktor and said too much..."

The man's expression was sour. "A fourteen-year-old girl mutilated and killed in front of her parents. What has the world come to?"

Vi's eyes were burning and her fist was clenched. "Viktor and his minions sure love hurting children. Makes me sick..."

Caitlyn looked at the disfigured, bloodied bodies of the poor family. Tears welled up in her eyes, but the dark lens of the sunglasses concealed them. It was a horrific sight that would haunt her forever. Like many others would...

Vi sensed her discomfort and put herself in front of her, hiding the tragic scene. Surprised, Caitlyn looked into her eyes. Her partner raised her hand and tucked a strand of dark blue hair behind her ear.

"I know how much these things affect you, Cupcake. Don't look at it more than you have to."

Caitlyn lowered her head and didn't reply. She turned around and headed outside to get some air. Worried, Vi followed her.

A cool breeze was blowing, shaking the perfectly trimmed bushes. There was a sweet smell in the air coming from the flower bed, on the opposite side of the garden.

Caitlyn sighed.

"I feel like a failure," she said when she heard Vi's steps behind her.

"What are you talking about, Cait?"

The woman took off her sunglasses, giving her friend a clear view of her teary eyes.

"I always thought I was doing a good job on the force. So far, I've helped countless people and brought many cases to justice. But this whole thing with Viktor... If we hadn't received that mysterious phone call, we would never have found Ekko. In the forest, we were almost too late. Viktor was going to get away with the boy. If that girl, Akali, hadn't risked her life and stepped in... And now, a whole family was murdered. Even when I took the necessary precautions to keep them safe. I failed them... Maybe I'm not cut out to be a cop after all..."

"Nah!" said Vi, walking up to her. Her strong hands gripped Caitlyn's frail shoulders. "You heard what Jayce said. Viktor was his hardest case ever. The guy is absolutely nuts and knows how to execute his crimes without leaving behind any evidence. And despite all that, you uncovered his whole plan on your own! That was insane! Everyone was so impressed!"

Hearing the faint sound of an engine, Vi looked over Caitlyn's head. From the far end of the road, a silver car appeared. She ignored it and kept trying to raise her morale.

"You're our boss for a reason. You're cunning, intelligent, persistent and brave. And you care about all of us at the force. We respect you so much, Cait," said Vi with a kind smile, "I don't care what you say, you're a great cop. And we're going to bring all of Viktor's crimes to justice. Together."

Through the corner of her eye, she verified the car was about to pass by the house and it began losing speed as if the driver wanted to pull over. The windows of the vehicle were tinted, she couldn't tell who was in its interior.

"I... thank you, Vi," said Caitlyn, her eyes lowered to the ground. Gently, she removed her shoulders from the other woman's grip. "You should head inside, I'll stay out here for a little while longer."

Vi's eyes filled with sadness as she watched her walk away. Out of curiosity, she turned around to take a better look at the silver car.

And her heart almost stopped.

The front window was lowered, revealing the glint of a gun barrel. And her soul almost left her body when she realized it was aimed at Caitlyn.

Her instincts kicked in.

Her legs moved on their own as she sprinted faster than she ever had in her life.

"CAIT, LOOK OUT!"

Startled by the scream, the woman turned around. She stumbled when Vi threw herself against her chest and wrapped her arms around her shoulders in a protective embrace.

A gunshot echoed through the air.

And the next thing she knew, Vi's grip faltered. Her sturdy body began sliding down her chest.

Caitlyn's blood ran cold. Her eyes widened. She grabbed her partner's limp body, trying to keep her from falling, while it dragged her down with its weight.

"Vi? Vi! Can you hear me? Vi!"

Alerted by the loud sound, Jayce and the other officers ran out of the house. They arrived on time to see the vehicle disappear in a turn, its wheels screeching on the pavement. And at the same time, Caitlyn was on her knees, hanging onto Vi for dear life, as blood poured from the open wound.

"No..." Jayce uttered. His heart sped up. The shock tore at his chest like a knife. But that didn't hinder his ability to act or think. In a few seconds, he shouted, "After them!"

He and other officers darted inside two police cars and the engines roared as they zoomed down the road at startling speeds.

"I'm calling 911!" announced a female officer, with the phone already up to her ear, running to her boss's side.

Silent tears ran down Caitlyn's face, her whole body was shaking. Her heart was in shambles, her chest was empty. When the other woman landed on her knees beside her, she didn't even react.

"Chief, I called an ambulance, they'll be here soon. Is she breathing?"

"I'm breathing just fine," Vi said weakly as she opened her eyes. She coughed painfully and blood poured from her mouth.

"You c-caught a bullet for me. You're crazy," Caitlyn stuttered as she wept.

The other woman smiled and with some difficulty, raised her hand to caress Caitlyn's face.

"I couldn't risk losing you..." she winced in pain, "what would I do without my partner to boss me around?"

She clenched her eyes shut. The crying worsened. "But now I can lose you. The... the bleeding doesn't stop."

"You're s-selling me short, Cupcake. I can get... through this," she had to stop to catch her breath, "you know I c-can."

But just as those words left her mouth, her eyes closed and her head landed softly on her partner's lap.

"Vi...? VIOLET! STAY WITH ME! PLEASE!" Caitlyn shrieked. Warm tears poured down her face.

Kneeling by their side, their colleague's tone was professional yet soothing, "She still has a pulse. Keep applying pressure on the wound, Chief. It's going to be ok, the ambulance will be here shortly."

But Caitlyn didn't even hear her speak. She held Vi even tighter and a sob shook her whole body.

-----

Soraka was sitting outside the hospital room, her eyes fixated on the door. 

Ekko had recovered enough from his injuries to go back home. But she'd wanted to make sure he was mentally ready. And now, it was all in Janna's hands.

She'd told her about the nightmares, the flashbacks, his fear that his rapists would come after him once more. How nervous he had been about seeing his family and friends again. But how that had helped him feel better in the end.

Her fingers nervously tapped on the fabric of her lab coat. His physical injuries had been serious and dangerous to treat, as many of them were infected. The surgery had been so risky it could have taken his life. But his mental health worried her the most and she waited impatiently for her friend's report.

After some time the door finally opened and the psychologist stepped outside.

"Janna, how is he?" she asked, immediately standing up.

To her relief, the woman smiled, although concern tinted her eyes.

"Somewhat better than the first time I talked to him. All those nightmares and flashbacks. The shame he expresses, how tense he is all the time. Ekko exhibits clear signs of PTSD. He agreed to continue the sessions with me once he feels ready."

Soraka furrowed her eyebrows. "Do you think he's ready to go back home? Or do we keep him here a few more days?"

Janna picked up a pen to jot something down on her notebook. "He's staying with his friends, isn't he? Given how well he received them and how their presence was positive for his emotional development during the weeks he spent here, I think he's ready to go back."

The nurse nodded with satisfaction. "I thought so too. Thank you for your insight."

In little more than an hour, Senna and Yasuo were at the hospital to pick him up.

"How in the hell did the paparazzi find out he was leaving today?" Senna was not pleased. "There's a commotion outside. He needs peace right now, not cameras flashing in his face."

"They have their sources," said Yasuo.

"I know that! But the last thing I want is for him to freak out."

"We can protect him. It'll be fine," the man assured her.

At the end of the hallway, was a familiar nurse with a kind smile.

"This way. He's waiting for you."

When Ekko exited his room, dressed in the clothes that his friends had brought for him, it was a breath of fresh air. He looked so different out of his pajamas. The sweatshirt was a little oversized since he had lost so much weight. But it helped conceal how apparent his bones were through the skin and the horrific bruises. He had specifically asked for one with a hoodie, which he had immediately put on. His face was barely visible because of it.

"Excited to go home?" asked Senna with a smile. But it quickly vanished when Ekko looked at her with his broken, golden eyes.

"I-I guess," he uttered in a broken whisper.

Her chest became cold. Disheartened, she turned to Yasuo for support. But the man looked as unsteady as Ekko. The sadness in his eyes was raw and deep.

The atmosphere had become so heavy, so fast, Soraka stepped forward to try to help.

"Hey," she said to get Ekko's attention, "it's going to be ok. You'll see that going home is just what you need. You have your friends. They will be there for you."

To her delight, he smiled, although sadly.

"Yeah, I know." He looked at Senna and Yasuo and then back at Soraka. "Thank you for everything."

She beamed with satisfaction. "You're very welcome, my dear."

This calmed down his friends, who gave the nurse a look of gratitude.

"Ready?" asked Yasuo.

Ekko took a deep breath. "Yeah. Let's go."

He and Senna began walking away. Yasuo was also turning around to leave when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Take good care of him, alright?" Soraka requested, the smile never leaving her lips.

The man nodded. "I promise," and then followed his friends to the exit.

Once the doors of the hospital opened, and Ekko stepped outside for the first time in weeks, he froze. A crowd of paparazzi swarmed him. Questions erupted from everywhere at once. Dozens of flashes blinded him. His heart raced, his eyes widened. Terrified, he took a step back. Only to see his friends dashing forward in his defense.

"Stand back. We have nothing to say to the press." Senna asserted, loud and clear.

Yasuo pushed through the crowd, making space for them.

Ekko's muscles had tensed. Panic was growing inside him and his body was shivering. But suddenly, he felt a presence beside him. He looked up and saw Senna.

"Stay close to me," she offered.

He instantly closed the gap between them. And he didn't even mind when she put an arm around his shoulders and began leading him through the horde of journalists.

This was his friend, she wouldn't hurt him, he tried convincing himself. She felt like a shield, putting herself between him and those strangers. He still didn't want to be touched. But here, her proximity was soothing. Not invasive. And so, instead of recoiling, he gave in to her gentle embrace.

He kept his head lowered the entire time and grabbed his hoodie to ensure his face would stay hidden. Senna kept protecting him like a guardian angel. And Yasuo cleared up their path while keeping the eager journalists from getting too close. As soon as they got to the car, they entered and hurried to get out of the parking lot. Through the side-view mirror, Yasuo could see some journalists still chasing them, taking photo after photo. But none of them commented on it as they gained distance.

The drive home was uneventful. They all stayed silent. A million thoughts swirled inside their heads. Yasuo tried to focus on driving safely through the traffic. Senna nervously tapped her fingers on the tablier. And Ekko was looking out the window with his eyes full of misery and anguish.

After a while, the streets became more and more familiar. They passed the beach, the park, the grocery store he liked going to, the mall, the playground, the row of palm trees on their street. And then a modern house with a small front yard came into view.

Home.

He was really back home.

It had been so long...

Yasuo parked the car on the driveway and Ekko didn't waste time stepping outside. He wanted to get closer and take a better look. Just to ensure this wasn't all a dream.

He looked up at the balcony. At the immaculate windows that had been cleaned by Yasuo that morning (no one else could make the glass sparkle like that). At the green grass beneath his feet. At the small front porch where he knew Qiyana liked to sit when she needed to think.

It almost didn't seem real...

He heard footsteps behind him as his friends approached.

"I can't even imagine how much you miss this place," Senna commented.

Ekko lowered his eyes. "More than you know..."

Yasuo gave him a sympathetic look. "But now you're here. And we're happy to have you back."

This made the boy smile a little. With his heart throbbing, he slowly made his way to the front door. The keys clattered as they turned inside the lock and the door was gently pushed back. Ekko was the first to go through.

He looked around the hallway with the same wonder from before. The paintings on the walls, the wooden floor, the curtains on the windows gave him a strange feeling.

Everything was familiar yet foreign. He was happy to be back. But at the same time, it felt like a place he didn't belong to anymore. And it was in this state of slight happiness and melancholy that he met Qiyana in the living room.

The girl turned to stone when she saw him at the doorway. It was clear she didn't know how to react, what to say. But she gave it a try.

"Hey, Ekko... welcome home."

"Hi, Qiqi..."

She opened her mouth to say something else. But then gave up. No more words were exchanged.

Once more he admired the room he was in. His hand caressed the arm of the couch beside him, while his eyes wandered off to the lit fireplace and the perfectly centered, very clean rug on the floor. That was also Yasuo's doing, no doubt. And that thought made a smile creep upon his lips.

But it wasn't long before it vanished. His gaze fell upon his guitar that had been left there, on the night before the party. Slowly, he approached it and caressed its neck.

Memories of him and his friends happily chatting amongst themselves, poking fun at one another, having dinner together, commenting on the upcoming party that Ahri and Kai'sa would be throwing...

His heart sank. Tears filled his eyes. And Qiyana, who had been silent the whole time, just observing him from afar, asked, "Ekko? Are you ok?"

At that moment, Senna and Yasuo came into the room. They heard Qiyana's question, and their eyes darted to the boy.

"I... I'm fine. I'll be fine..." he stuttered, wiping the tears with one hand and grabbing the neck of the guitar with the other.

"Ekko..." Senna whispered with worry.

"I'm fine, for real," he repeated.

They all knew he was lying. His friends looked amongst themselves. They didn't want to push him, to ask questions, to make him uncomfortable.

"Do you... need anything from us?" Senna tried to break the ice.

Ekko shook his head. With his free hand, he pulled the hoodie, so his face was even more hidden. "No. I think I'll... go to my room. Please excuse me..."

And so he left the living room, guitar in hand and headed for the stairs. Leaving behind a very apprehensive Yasuo, Qiyana and Senna.

When the boy arrived at his bedroom, he slowly closed the door behind him. The afternoon sun was shining through the window and illuminating everything in sight.

And Ekko took off his hoodie and basked in that glorious light.

The room he'd been imprisoned in had had nothing but a dim yellow light hanging from the ceiling. And barely any sunlight came in.

He craved well-lit surroundings, feeling the warmth of the sun of California on his skin. At the hospital, he always opened the blinds to let the sun rays in or asked Miss Soraka to do it. But the tiny white room just wasn't the same as his bedroom at home.

How he'd missed this...

The teen left the guitar on its stand and his fingers strummed the strings, making a pleasant sound reverberate all around.

He looked over at his nightstand where there were many framed photos. And an arrow trespassed his frail heart.

So many pictures of himself. With some friends from San Francisco, with his parents, with Akali, with the whole True Damage squad. At the beach, at the concert in Paris, on New Year's Eve. Across each one, his smile was wide and true. His golden eyes were sparkling.

So many pictures of someone that he no longer was.

So many pictures of someone that no longer existed...

That Ekko had died in that filthy room, alongside his hope, his future and his will to live.

His chest tightened. Tears began streaming down his face. He closed his eyes shut and turned away from the photos.

His smile, his dreams, his positive outlook on life. His innocence. His dignity. His right to choose his first time. And make it meaningful and beautiful. It all had been robbed of him.

He was nothing but an empty shell.

With no strength left, he fell to his knees beside the bed. With his whole body shivering, he buried his face in his arms.

And wept.

It was unfair.

His life was over. Everything he had worked for, everything he had planned. Was meaningless.

The boy let out a whimper and his hand clutched the covers in frustration.

His heart was broken.

His soul was empty.

So empty...

His parents had tried to help. Jhin had been a fierce protector and trustworthy companion. His friends were loyal and supportive.

But in the end, there was nothing they could do for him.

He was damaged beyond repair...

-----

The air smelled of the sea and a gelid breeze swirled around the docks.

Sylas placed down the last box and wiped the sweat off his forehead. The cargo was loaded and at sunrise, the ship would sail off to high seas. After a whole night of strenuous work, his shift was over. And he could go home.

He didn't acknowledge his coworkers when he left. He never did. Here, almost no one knew anything about anyone. He suspected that the vast majority was involved in some kind of shady business like he was. So they preferred to keep to themselves.

But those thoughts never occupied his mind for long. He walked along the shore for a few minutes until he saw his car. He entered and put on the seatbelt.

When he adjusted the rearview mirror...

...his heart almost stopped.

There was a girl in the back seat. A young Asian girl, all dressed in black, who was glaring daggers at him through the reflection.

"What the fu-!?"

In less than a second, she dashed forward, covered his mouth with a gloved hand and then he felt an acute pain on the side of his neck. His buff arms grabbed her twig-like ones. But she was way stronger than he had expected.

The man fought as hard as he could, and even though the stranger struggled to keep him in place, she did not relent. Little by little, his vision blurred. His eyes started closing. And his arms fell to the sides of his body.

Sylas barely had the chance to take one last look at the girl. Her expression was of pure hate and rage and her glare was so intense, it pierced through him like a knife. In her hand, she held the syringe that had punctured his skin.

His consciousness then completely faded. He felt himself fall into an endless black pit. And he was enveloped by darkness.

Chapter Text

"Yes, of course. Please proceed with your investigation. I wish you good luck."

"Thank you. I'll update you within two days."

Caitlyn had just finished helping one of her colleagues. She had maintained a professional tone throughout the entire conversation and her face had held a serious expression.

But as soon as the young man left the room, she dropped her facade.

The straight line on her lips arched downwards and her eyes shone with sadness and concern. She slowly sat on her chair and leaned against the backrest, trying to find her strength.

Jayce came into the room all of a sudden and almost startled her. He never entered without knocking, so he must've had important news.

"Cait, we managed to make one of them talk. He gave us tons of important information on Viktor."

The woman straightened herself. "I'm listening."

"He gave us the address of his apartment, the names of the guys who always worked with him, information on his clients and associates, who bought the kids he kidnapped... and more. Maybe we'll find valuable information in his apartment to use in court."

"That's good news. You and I can go there shortly."

Jayce nodded in agreement. But he noticed her sunken eyes and the sorrow oozing from them. His tone shifted from serious to concerned.

"Cait, are you feeling any better?"

She shrugged. "A little. I took some sleeping pills before bed. They helped."

He tried his best to give her an encouraging smile. "Don't worry about Vi. She's not in danger anymore. And she's tough as nails. She'll be up on her feet in no time."

With an aching heart, Caitlyn turned her chair around, so Jayce wouldn't see her tears.

"She's stable now. But when she fainted in my arms, I..." she closed her eyes. "I was so scared."

"Me too, Cait," said Jayce. "When I saw her lying on the floor, with a pool of blood underneath, I feared the worst. But the thought of those people getting away with what they had done, gave me the strength to chase them down and capture them."

His words caused Caitlyn to smile. She turned her chair back around as she wiped her tears. "You did an excellent job. You kept a cool mind and were quick to act in a very stressful situation. I'm proud of you." Her eyes lowered. "I, on the other hand, didn't do much..."

He shook his head. "Don't sell yourself short. You pressuring the wound and stopping the blood flow was what saved Vi. And also keeping her awake by talking to her. It gave the ambulance enough time to arrive. You could have just frozen in place and done nothing, but you were a hero."

Caitlyn blushed upon hearing his words. "Thank you. All I could think about at that moment was her... Much like you, the fear of losing Vi was what made me spring into action. I... I couldn't lose her."

Jayce smiled. "Yeah. But let's not dwell on those thoughts any longer. She's ok now. And she'll be back here with her sassy remarks sooner than we think."

Slowly, a smile also formed on her lips. "Yes, you're right." Finally convinced, she got up from her chair with a determined look on her face.

"Come on. Let's go to the apartment and see what we can find."

-----

The drive to Viktor's apartment was a long one. He lived in an old building on the outskirts of L.A., away from unwanted attention.

"There's a ton of illegal activity still going on in this area. At night, there are lots of drunkards and drug dealers running their businesses. No wonder he chose to live here," said Jayce.

"Yes, it's got quite a shady reputation after dark," Caitlyn commented, turning the wheel.

They ended up in front of an old apartment complex. The walls were rundown and the doors had seen better days. Even the people that walked around had this suspicious look to them. They constantly checked over their shoulder, as if someone were to attack them at any point. And as far as both cops knew, it was a very real possibility. Some passersby observed them attentively as Caitlyn parked the car.

Jayce creased his eyebrows. "Stay near me, Cait. This place gives me the creeps."

His friend nodded and stepped outside the vehicle.

Viktor's apartment was on the third floor. As they walked up the stairs, they couldn't stop noticing that the interior of the building was as badly maintained as its exterior. The halls were dimly lit and the carpets on the floor were old and shabby.

Once they arrived on the third floor, the two cops advanced carefully, paying attention to their surroundings. They kept their guns ready in case something happened. After the incident with Vi, and knowing that their target to eliminate had been Caitlyn, they could never be too careful.

"We're here," Caitlyn said, stopping in front of a door.

Jayce looked at it, up and down, and concluded that, much like the building itself, it wasn't in very good condition.

"Stand back," he advised, grabbing his gun and putting himself in position.

All it took was one powerful kick and the door swung open.

"Nice work." Caitlyn put on some rubber gloves and raised her gun before peeking.

Jayce followed her lead and gave her cover as she turned on the lights and scanned the perimeter. Keeping her guard up, she advanced to the kitchen, at the same time that Jayce checked the bedroom. Everything was quiet.

"All clear," she concluded, relaxing her shoulders.

The apartment was a mess. There were clothes scattered everywhere, a pile of books had been forgotten in a corner, and the furniture was covered by a thin layer of dust.

"Has he never heard of cleaning?" commented Jayce, pinching his nose to avoid the bad smell that the room exuded.

"Focus. There has to be some kind of evidence of his activity that we can use in court. Try looking inside those drawers."

The woman turned the corner to check the bookshelf. And from this new angle, her jaw dropped when she discovered an armored door hiding behind it.

"Jayce? I think we already found what we were looking for."

Surprised, the man approached her and observed the strange door, so out of place in an otherwise ordinary apartment.

"It's either a really big safe, or a room he doesn't want anyone to get into. Either way, that one, I know I can't knock down."

"Let's just hope the key is around here somewhere."

But no matter how many drawers they opened, how many pockets of Viktor's jackets they looked through, there was no sign of it.

Jayce cupped his chin as he thought hard about the issue at hand. "If I were him, where would I hide that key?" He looked around the room, trying to think of a plausible place for his nemesis to hide the object. The paintings on the wall caught his eye. "Hm, maybe..." he whispered.

He lifted the first one. Nothing. Behind the second one, then? No, not there either. He walked up to the third one...

"Bingo! They always say the third time's the charm," he exclaimed, picking up the key that had been taped to the back of the frame. "Cait!" he called, exhibiting the tiny silver object.

She smiled. "Good job, Jayce. Now help me move the bookshelf out of the way."

The wooden bookshelf wasn't very heavy and they pushed it to the side with ease. Jayce approached the armored door and looked at his boss for confirmation. As soon as she nodded for him to proceed, he turned the key.

When the sturdy door was opened and they carefully stepped inside, they could verify it was a small study. Even in darkness, it was possible to discern the outline of two desks and several shelves. Caitlyn clicked the light switch and the room was illuminated, revealing everything inside it.

That was when both cops froze in place.

In front of them, there was a gigantic corkboard on the wall. On it, there were dozens upon dozens of pictures of Ekko. Some had been cut from magazines, others had been taken at concerts. But the creepiest ones, by far, had been secretly taken on the streets when the boy was running errands and doing normal day-to-day activities. They could have been taken by bold paparazzi. But they knew Viktor and his spies way too well.

"This... this is sick," said the woman, covering her mouth in absolute shock.

"Disturbing..." agreed Jayce, shaking his head.

He advanced to open one of the desk's drawers.

"Fuck... Cait, look at this."

She did. And her heart sank.

There were tons of pictures of the young boys Viktor had stalked and kidnapped. The older ones seemed to be around Ekko's age. But there were some that couldn't be older than ten.

"That motherfucker..." Jayce spat. His blood was boiling.

Caitlyn had a lump in her throat. She looked away from the photos and noticed a laptop on the other desk. She turned it on and examined its contents. There was a neverending amount of folders on the desktop. She opened one.

Video files...

Her mouth turned dry.

She moved the mouse over one of them. And with a trembling finger, she clicked play.

"Stay away from me! Somebody, help!"

There was a boy on the ground, being pinned down by the owner of the camera. He was completely naked. His tiny fingers were purple from the cold and his clothes lay torn in pieces all around him. The place where they were, seemed like some sort of alleyway and everything around them was enveloped in dim lighting.

A large hand was shoved over the child's mouth. And a grown man spoke.

"Shhhh... be quiet like a good little boy..."

The child's eyes were filled to the brim with terror. And Caitlyn's heart broke in two when a horrific, muffled scream escaped his throat.

Her eyes were open wide and filled with tears. Her whole body had turned to stone. She wanted to close the video. But her cold, trembling fingers didn't obey her.

"Cait! Turn that off!" Jayce came to her rescue by closing the laptop. His heart was racing inside his chest. "By God..." he whispered, closing his eyes.

When he opened them again, he saw his friend was still frozen in place and close to bursting into tears.

He hugged her.

"It's alright, Cait. Forget what you saw. I'm here."

Caitlyn didn't return the embrace. She needed her strength back. "Jayce, he... he sells pornography of children getting raped. I knew we were going to find something like this in here. I already had the feeling the videos would be like that. But I had to make sure..."

He pulled her closer.

"Cait, you know you're sensitive. You can't handle watching things like this. And no one can shame you for it. These recordings are inhuman. But you could have just told me and I would check the videos for you..."

He let her go and gave her some space to breathe.

"Well..." Caitlyn said after a long period of silence. Her voice was brittle and tired. "We got what we came here for."

Jayce sighed deeply and his eyes were full of sorrow. "I just hope the judge is fair and Viktor gets a life sentence. So he never gets to see the sun again... It's the least he deserves after all the atrocities he's committed..."

The woman lowered her eyes and stared at the ground for a few seconds. Then, her attention shifted and she touched the closed laptop with her gloved hand.

The evidence was one hundred per cent incriminating.

She only hoped it was enough...

-----

Everything he could see was darkness.

He could feel some soft material wrapping his head and a rope tied around his neck.

An even thicker rope was binding his wrists and legs to a chair.

The world around him was spinning, leaving him completely disoriented.

He only began getting a grasp on reality when he heard footsteps. Someone approached him very slowly. And began untying the rope around his neck.

The soft material he felt against his face turned out to be a bag. It was roughly pulled up, revealing the one who had done this to him.

"Awake, are we, Sylas?" the girl said in a bitter tone.

His blood boiled. "You! You fucking bitch! What do you want? How do you know my name?"

Her hair was spiky and tied up in a ponytail. And her almond-shaped, blue eyes were giving off a stare so cold and intense, he felt himself freezing inside.

She didn't answer his question.

"I hope you're proud of what you did, you cunt."

He blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Once again, the girl kept silent. She reached for a table behind her and picked something up before shoving it in his face.

Her sudden movement made him flinch. But he quickly realized it was just a piece of paper. His eyes narrowed as he analyzed the picture. And then widened.

"His face should be familiar," she said, "After all, you were one of the people who kidnapped him."

In a flash, she took hold of a blade. She held it close to his neck, just shy of piercing the skin. "And then you fucking raped him! A sixteen-year-old boy! A mere child!"

His eyebrows furrowed. "I don't know what you're on about. I've never seen that kid in my life."

A male voice spoke from the darkness, behind the girl.

"You haven't? How quaint. I could swear I saw you enter his room multiple times."

His heart began racing inside his chest.

This voice... It wasn't possible...

Slowly, the man stepped into the light, revealing his bone-white mask. "Good evening. Sorry for not making my presence known earlier. I usually display better manners."

Sylas grit his teeth, seething with anger. "Jhin... You motherfucking traitor..."

The tall man cut him off. "Traitor? Bold of you to assume I was ever on your side, to begin with."

Sylas' fingers began twitching with rage. "Son of a bitch. Zed was always suspicious of you."

"Yes. He was a nuisance for longer than I'd like to admit. That's why I had to dispose of him. I left his body deep into the forest, so the wolves would have something to eat."

"I can't believe that moron lost a fight against you. Some assassin..."

The Asian girl, who had kept quiet for a bit, suddenly pulled his hair and put her blade to his throat. "Enough talk. That's not what we're here for."

Jhin chuckled. "You messed with the wrong boy, Sylas. She's hellbent on getting revenge for what you did to him."

"WAIT!" he screamed in panic. "Listen to me! It was Viktor who kidnapped him. I can tell you where he is."

Her eyes narrowed with fury. "Nice try, asshole. I already found Viktor." she pushed her kunai against his neck and drew blood, making him wince in pain. "I broke every bone in his body and cut him up with this blade so many times he almost bled to death. He was only lucky the police arrived..."

Sylas was looking into her eyes and knew she wasn't bluffing. Her stare was that of a killer and she was gripping his hair with such force, his scalp was almost numb. This girl had to be stronger than she looked.

"That boy you hurt... We've been best friends since childhood. He's like a little brother to me. A little brother I failed to protect because of fuckers like you and Viktor."

The girl let go of his hair and withdrew the blade. His head bounced forward and a trickle of blood flowed down his neck. She distanced herself for a moment to retrieve an object from a corner of the room. When Sylas saw what it was, his eyes widened in terror, he began letting out irregular breaths, cold sweat ran down his forehead.

The pliers in her hand opened and closed in quick succession, making a terrifying sound.

"Was it fun? To see Ekko in pain? To see him cry? To hear his screams?" her tone became increasingly colder as she closed in on the man. "And all the other boys you raped? Was it exciting to see them tremble in fear? To see them bleed while they asked for help?"

White as a sheet of paper, Sylas began shrinking into the wooden chair.

But his behavior did not affect the girl in the slightest. She was looking down on him like he was a disgusting bug she was about to step on. Her stance was powerful and commanded respect. Each step she took echoed around the almost empty room. And her eyes were the worst of all: Her glare was intense like that of a wild animal.

He'd never felt so small in his life...

Terrified, he could only watch as she gripped one of his fingernails with the pliers.

His heart almost stopped.

"WAIT...!" he begged.

The nail was pulled at with ineffable strength, pressuring every nerve in his hand. Then it was ripped off in a brisk motion, sending indescribable waves of pain up his arm.

Sylas howled in despair.

His whole body shivered aggressively as he tried to withstand the unspeakable agony.

But he felt the pliers closing around the next nail.

His eyes shot open. Fear took over every one of his senses.

"NO, PLEASE! WAI-!"

But a kick to the stomach made him go silent. His torso was knocked forward with a pained "huff". A punch to the face immediately followed, which caused his lower lip to bust.

He felt a hand violently gripping his jaw and he opened his eyes with difficulty.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP! You didn't stop when Ekko asked you to. Did you, you fucking cunt? IF I HEAR YOU BEG AGAIN, I'LL RIP OFF YOUR TONGUE NEXT!" the girl growled. "I assure you that every bit of suffering you made Ekko go through, will be inflicted onto you in double."

She picked up the pliers.

"You're not getting out of here alive. But until then, you're going to wish to die, many times. Mark. My. Words," she said ominously.

Shivering, the man looked up at Jhin, who laughed in his face.

"Does it hurt?" he taunted him. He reached for the table and picked up two objects that killed Sylas inside: A needle and a hammer. "Oh, don't worry, you haven't felt anything yet," he said menacingly as he got closer.

It wasn't long before he was missing three nails on his right hand and had two needles hammered into the opposite one, between the nail and the flesh. Blood poured down the needles and onto the floor.

Sylas' screams of anguish filled the dark basement and could be heard on the first floor and even outside the house.

But the surrounding area was remote and completely devoid of life. There was no one to listen to his cries.

So they got lost in the night.

-----

Ekko looked at the digital clock on his nightstand. It was 5 a.m.

Yet another nightmare had awoken him and he had screamed at the top of his lungs.

His friends had immediately shown up at his door, offering him comforting words, asking if everything was all right. And with sorrow in his eyes, he had apologized for bothering them.

It had been a week since he arrived home.

And every night, he had woken up his friends with his terrified screams.

Each time, Senna had calmed him down with a warm smile. "You aren't bothering us, don't worry. It's not your fault you're having these nightmares. We just want to make sure you're ok."

But he looked at the others and could only see the bags under their eyes, how exhausted they were. Qiyana had almost fallen asleep while leaning against the door frame.

He couldn't help but feel guilty...

Now, lying down on his bed, he tried staying awake while staring at the ceiling. He knew he couldn't stay that way forever, but it broke his heart to see his friends being robbed of a good night's sleep. They had other things to worry about, like their album that had already been so delayed, deals with brands that had shown interest in them, interviews that they had put off for the last month and more.

He didn't want to be an obstacle in their lives.

As the numbers advanced on the clock, his eyes started feeling heavy. His eyelids began closing by themselves.

He had already deprived himself of sleep for nights after nights. His head was feeling heavier each day and it was becoming increasingly difficult to think clearly.

As his tired body was enveloped by the warmth and softness of the blankets, he surrendered himself to sleep.

It was scary to be at the mercy of horrible nightmares.

But even when he wasn't sleeping, Viktor and the others invaded his mind. The memories were always so vivid, they made him nauseous. He would always end up shaking and bracing himself for comfort.

He concluded, with a heavy heart, that being awake or asleep was the same dreadful experience...

Even though he knew he would wake up again in a few hours, drenched in sweat and tears, he closed his eyes. And letting out a sigh, the boy allowed himself to fall asleep.

Chapter Text

"Good morning, Qiqi," said Senna with a bright smile when the girl entered the kitchen.

She was still half asleep and almost bumped into Yasuo who was making them pancakes.

"Oh, sorry Yas. I didn't see you there," she excused herself before covering her mouth to hide a yawn.

He looked at her with concern. "Maybe you should try sleeping a bit more if you can barely see straight."

"No, no, I'm fine." she sat down at the table while hiding yet another yawn. She held her head in her hand and closed her eyes. "If the circumstances were different, I would be mad for not getting my beauty sleep. But I can't be angry at Ekko for this. It's not his fault. He isn't doing it on purpose."

Senna picked up her coffee and took a sip. "Yasuo, did you talk to him? Is he coming down to have breakfast with us?"

The man sadly shook his head.

"Oh..." she said, lowering her gaze. But the smile immediately returned to her lips. "It's... It's alright. If he feels more comfortable staying in his bedroom, it's all good."

"I just hope he leaves it at some point. It's been two weeks. At the very least he opens the blinders to let the sunshine in. But it would do him good to get some fresh air," said Yasuo with a grave expression.

Senna looked at the batter being poured onto the frying pan and a question sprouted in her mind. "Did you make some for Akali?"

"No, she isn't home."

Her eyes widened. "She left again? So early? But she got home at 3 last night, didn't she? I heard the front door open."

"I know as much as you, Senna. This hit her harder than we ever imagined. I think she's just trying to cope."

"It feels like she's avoiding him, though," she said. "First, she was very hesitant to go see him at the hospital. Kai'sa had to step in and go with her. Now that he's home, she's never here. It's worrying me."

"I'm worried too. We should talk to her. Maybe you could call Ahri and ask if she knows something that we don't."

Senna agreed and took another sip of her coffee.

Yasuo put some pancakes onto a plate and poured the syrup on top.

"Qiqi, yours are ready. Here you go." but when he turned around, he saw her head was resting on her arms and her eyes were closed. She was sound asleep.

"Oh, Qiqi..." whispered Senna, pitying her. Then, she turned to Yasuo. "Go take those pancakes to Ekko. I'll make her some when she wakes up."

He nodded and headed for the hallway.

The morning sun was coming in through the windows and it reflected itself on the plate as Yasuo went up the stairs.

He was staring absentmindedly at the food in his hand as a million worries sprouted inside his mind. For how long would Ekko lock himself in his room? Was he really eating the food they made for him? Or was the stress keeping him thin despite what he ate? In two weeks, he hadn't put on any weight.

He knew the events were still very recent and the boy's mental and emotional wounds were raw and open. They were giving him all the space he needed and not pressuring him. But he wondered what else they could do to help him feel better. He needed to be alone right now, it was understandable. But he couldn't hide from the world forever...

He lifted his head and sighed when Ekko's room came into view. He knocked.

"Good morning. I brought you breakfast. May I come in?"

A weak voice spoke from the other side. "Hey... sure..."

So he opened the door and stepped inside.

Ekko was sitting on the window sill, looking at the street outside. Like he always did as of late the moment someone approached him, he put his hoodie on. It must make him feel safe somehow. He didn't turn around to acknowledge Yasuo, so the man spoke up.

"I hope you like the pancakes. Please eat them while they're still warm," he said, putting the plate down on his desk. He looked around the room and realized that the pictures on his nightstand were missing. "Huh, Ekko? Where did you put the pictures?"

The boy hesitated before replying and still didn't move. "In my closet."

"Ah... Can I ask why?"

He waited. But there was no response.

Feeling a little awkward, Yasuo scratched the back of his neck. "Did you manage to get any sleep?"

Ekko sighed. Slowly, he turned around, revealing his sad eyes and the heavy bags under them. "Did you?"

Yasuo's throat tightened. "Well I... yes, actually. I slept better last night. I fell asleep at around-"

"Spare me the lies. You look like you haven't slept in days," said Ekko in a disappointed tone. He lowered his eyes. "And it's all my fault."

The man shook his head. "No, Ekko, you're not to blame. You didn't ask to have those nightmares."

The boy kept silent. He slowly brought his knees to his chest and turned to the window once again.

Unsure of what else to do, Yasuo let out a deep sigh. He walked to the door to leave the room and just as he was about to grab the doorknob, he stopped.

"Look. I know you need to be alone. But we're downstairs if you want to come by and say hi. A little bit of company could be good for you. Just... think about it."

And with that said, he left, closing the door behind him.

-----

"You're awfully quiet today. Is there something on your mind?" asked Jhin.

It was the middle of the afternoon and they were in his art studio. The closed curtains didn't let the sunshine in, leaving the room scarcely lit. The ambience had this grey-ish tone to it that enveloped the painting materials and the canvases as if a very thick fog had lifted from the wooden floor.

Akali was sharpening her kunai and was very concentrated on the task. She took some time to answer. And when she did, her tone was dry and cold. "Just thinking of new ways to torture that asshole."

He smirked behind the mask. "Ah, I understand." after a quick pause, he tried yet again. "Anything else?"

The girl blinked, surprised by his insistence. She stopped her task momentarily. "What?"

Jhin's tone was nonchalant. "I've been around you for more than two weeks now. I'm beginning to understand how you work. And I can tell that you have some deep thoughts going on inside your mind."

She shrugged and her eyes fell on her weapon once again. "I was thinking about my friends. Ekko is constantly waking everyone up because of his nightmares. They're so tired, they're nearing burnout."

She finished sharpening her kunai and went silent for a bit to admire her handiwork. Then she placed it on the coffee table in front of her.

"I wish I could tell them what I'm doing. I hate hiding things from my friends. But they have Ekko to look after. I don't want them worrying about me too. Besides, they wouldn't approve of what we're doing. Especially Senna. She would get mad and lecture me. Like she's my mom..."

"From what you told me, Senna sounds like a caring girl."

"Yeah. But you don't want to see her angry. It's the scariest thing on this side of the Planet. You said I looked fierce when I was dealing with Viktor or Sylas. But Senna... you would honestly just run away. Even her husband is afraid of her when she begins seeing red."

Jhin seemed entertained by the conversation. It was a nice change of pace from the gloomy silence that often plagued their interactions.

"That's a colorful group of friends you have."

A thin smile formed on her lips. "Yeah. They're good people. And much like Ekko... the girls from K/DA are like my family. We're as close as sisters... That's why it hurts me so much to see all of them this exhausted and worried. And why I can't give them any more reasons to lose sleep over..."

She was silent for a little bit, as she pondered whether she should touch the subject or not.

"Jhin?" she called to get his attention. "When I was so silent just now, I was also thinking of something else. About you..."

"About me?"

"Yes. I was wondering..." she turned to the display cupboard in front of them and motioned with her head. "That photo up there. I've seen you look at it a lot. Is that... is that your family?"

Immediately, something changed in Jhin's eyes. Even through the holes of the mask, she noticed it perfectly. His body tensed up a bit and he stopped breathing for a few seconds.

Akali's throat suddenly felt tight.

"Did... did I say something I shouldn't have?"

The man looked at her and shook his head. He took a deep breath before replying. "No, you didn't say anything wrong. It's just..." his eyes found the photo she was talking about and his gaze turned heavy and contemplative. He didn't speak for a while. "... some things are better left buried in the past."

"Oh..." she said, also looking at it. A young Asian woman was smiling at her through the glass. Her hair was long and black like a raven's feathers, her eyes were two shiny obsidians and her skin was fair and delicate like it was made of porcelain. She looked very frail and almost sickly. In her lap, was a sweet little toddler who seemed to be around two years old. His hair was black like his mother's but his eyes... were just like Jhin's. Rich brown in color, like the trunk of a maple tree. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"It's alright. It's just not easy to talk about it." the man's eyes were cast down as he spoke.

To lift the heavy tension that surrounded them, he promptly got up.

"Would you like some tea?" he asked.

"Nah, I'm good," she said, shifting uncomfortably on the couch. Her cheeks were slightly red. She couldn't believe she had asked him something so personal, especially since he never shared anything about himself.

However, Jhin seemed unbothered. He moved the jar containing the tea leaves and the kettle around with ease, despite the bandage on his shoulder.

Sometimes she forgot his shoulder was still hurt, due to how easily he dealt with an injury so deep.

"Do you need any help? Doesn't your shoulder sting or something?"

He turned to face her and she saw in his eyes that he was smiling. "Like you always say: Nah, I'm good."

A grin formed across her face and she chuckled. It was endearing to hear him speak in such a casual way.

Once the tea was ready, he went back to sitting beside the girl.

"Are you planning on going to the basement tonight?"

She thought for a moment and then shook her head. "I was thinking of going home shortly. I miss spending some time with my friends. Maybe we'll think of a way to get Ekko out of his bedroom."

He sipped his tea. "That's a good idea. I know you want to give Sylas a taste of his own medicine and he deserves it. But torturing someone takes a toll on your mental health, whether you realize it or not. And spending time with your friends will be good for you."

She picked up her freshly sharpened kunai and hung it on her belt. "I just hope they don't start asking questions..."

"Just say that you needed time for yourself. They will understand."

-----

Senna tiptoed across the living room to not wake up her friends.

Yasuo had been working on bettering some of their tracks. But he had been complaining about a severe headache and exhaustion began taking over. The man ended up falling asleep, reclined on his comfortable chair. His headphones had stayed over his ears. So, Senna had removed them and placed them on the table, to make sure they wouldn't bother him.

Qiyana had laid down on her chaise longue, covered herself with a fluffy blanket and had fallen asleep almost immediately.

Senna had lowered the blinds so the afternoon sun wouldn't wake them up. And after tiptoeing her way over to the couch, she sat down.

Satisfied, she looked at both her friends, all cozy and warm. She finally relaxed, leaning against the backrest.

Not even five minutes later, she heard footsteps in the hallway. Curious, she opened her eyes. And to her surprise, it was Ekko.

"Oh, huh..." he stammered, coming to a halt in front of the open door. His face was almost hidden because of the hoodie. "Did I show up at a bad time?"

Senna's heart filled with joy seeing him around them once again. "Of course not. Come on in."

He carefully stepped inside the room, looking over at his sleeping friends. "I was going to ask one of you for help with carrying the ironing board upstairs but..."

She thought for a moment before replying. "What do you have to iron?"

"Just a few shirts."

"Why don't you do it here, next to us?"

He hesitated. His body was extremely tense. But he went to get the ironing board.

"I'm exhausting you guys," he commented, his chest filling up with guilt and hurt.

Senna gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about us. We're resting now."

With a sigh, he placed down the ironing board and the laundry basket next to the window.

Things were quiet for a while.

Senna had her eyes closed and all she could hear was the soft rustling and steaming of the iron against the fabric. There was the occasional spray of water and the folding of some clothing. It was very calming and it almost lulled her to sleep.

And then, it suddenly came to a stop.

Strange.

She could have sworn Ekko would take longer to finish his chore.

When she looked over to check on the boy, her heart skipped a beat.

Ekko was stuck in place, completely unmoving. His eyes were empty, staring at nothing. As if he was in a trance.

The iron in his hand hadn't been lifted.

And in absolute horror, she began seeing smoke.

"EKKO!" she screamed, jumping from the couch and dashing to his side.

The teen flinched, his eyes widened. He looked down at his shirt and gasped. He hurried to lift the iron, to reveal a coal-black burn on the fabric.

"My God..." said Senna, putting her hand to her chest. Her heart was beating like a drum. "That was close."

"H-how...? How did this...?" the boy was looking down at the burn on his shirt in shock. His hand, gripping the handle of the iron, had been left suspended in the air. His whole body was shivering.

"Why does it smell like burning?" asked a very confused Qiyana in a sleepy voice. Senna's yell had awoken her.

Yasuo had also been startled awake and was getting up to see what was going on.

"It's alright. Nothing bad happened," said Senna, trying to calm her beating heart. "Except that Ekko's shirt got ruined." she turned to face him. "I'm so sorry that happened, I hope it wasn't your favorite..."

But Ekko wasn't even listening. His eyes were widened in disbelief.

"I... I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." he stammered, still holding the iron up in the air. The panic had frozen his body and mind.

"Hey, it's ok." Senna smiled to soothe him. She reached for the iron to pull it and the boy's arm down. "Nothing happened. It was just a scare."

But tears were already welling up in his eyes. "I... I could have hurt you guys. I could have caused a fire. I would have burned the house down..."

"But Ekko, we're all safe. These things can happen to anyone. Don't beat yourself over it," said Yasuo calmly as he approached them.

Qiyana had sat on the chaise longue and was observing everything play out in silence. Her eyes were focused on the young boy, who wouldn't stop shivering. She felt bad for him.  

"Do you want a glass of water to help you calm down?" asked Senna.

This time, she had his attention. Ekko shook his head.

"I need to go lie down," he said in a weak voice. He closed his eyes and held his head in his hand.

He hadn't done it on purpose. But he was furious with himself. At how he could have turned a quiet afternoon into an irreversible disaster. Shame burned inside his chest and his frail heart ached.

"Yes, that's a good idea, a nap will make you feel better." Senna encouraged him.

Ekko turned to Qiyana and Yasuo. "I'm so sorry I woke you guys up. I'll come back later and finish ironing. And I promise to be careful this time."

"It's no big deal, don't worry so much about it. Now, go get some rest," said Yasuo warmly.

"Well kid, you interrupted my beauty sleep. But I forgive you," Qiyana joked, winking at him. She readily got up. "And because I'm feeling generous today, I'll finish ironing for you. But forget about asking me again. It's a one-time thing."

Ekko lifted his hand and took a nervous step forward. "Wait... you don't have to do that..."

But she already had the iron in hand.

"Don't worry about a thing. If I'm doing this for you, it's naturally going to come out perfect." she boasted, while also trying to reassure him. She waved her hand in his direction. "Now run along."

The boy let out a broken sigh. "Thank you..."

Once he got to his bedroom, he very slowly closed the door behind him and leaned back-first against it.

At first, all he did was try to regulate his breathing. His body tensed up more and more. And then he opened his eyes, filled with anger and resentment.

He stomped over to his desk where there were many papers scattered all over. And with a powerful swipe of his arm, he sent them all flying. Light as a feather, they slowly descended onto the floor and stopped by his feet.

The boy groaned bitterly and turned to his bed. He raised his clenched fists into the air in frustration and brought them down, full force, against the mattress.

"Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?" he continuously asked out loud. Each time, he slammed his fists down with increased force.

As his body grew tired from the sudden outburst, Ekko came to a stop, panting. He buried his face in the covers and let his tense arms slowly fall.

Gradually, tears began forming in his eyes and he raised his head. He brought his trembling arms closer to his chest and his chin came to rest on them.

"Why... am I such a burden...?" he whispered as warm tears streamed down his face.

-----

It was 6 p.m. when the front door opened.

The three of them were stunned to see Akali enter the living room.

"Huh... hi," mumbled the girl.

"Hi," said Senna. The expression on her face was unreadable. It was somewhere between disappointment, curiosity and confusion. "I don't think I've seen you once during the past two weeks."

"I... I've been needing time to think. Just alone time, away from everyone."

"I see." Senna's tone was a little cold. She went straight to the subject. "I hate to break it to you, but we're not going to do your chores forever. We're five in this house and we share the workload as we've always done."

Akali became red as a tomato. "I... I'm sorry, you're right. I've been a bit careless, there's no excuse. I promise to do better."

"And our album needs to be completed. We can't keep delaying it. We're still waiting for you to do your part. We understand you're hurting, but so are we, and we still get things done."

"Yes, you're absolutely right." Akali cast her eyes down.

Just when she was trying to avoid a lecturing by Senna...

At that moment, she picked up a strange smell in the room.

"Did something burn in here?"

Qiyana looked at Yasuo before answering her question. "Ekko burned one of his shirts when he was ironing. I was afraid it would happen again so I offered to finish it for him."

"Oh..." Akali's heart shrank. The lack of sleep and the horrible memories playing in his mind were destroying him...

Senna had abandoned the unreadable expression and now just seemed worried. "He could have started a fire if I didn't react fast enough... But it wasn't his fault. How can we blame him?"

"He was so distraught when he realized what could have happened..." commented Yasuo with a frown. "Poor kid."

Akali sighed as her chest filled up with hurt.

But suddenly, her expression darkened.

An idea was forming in her mind.

"A hot iron... fire..." she thought to herself. Her gaze became as cold as ice. "Interesting..."

-----

"My head is killing me," said Yasuo a few hours later, when they were all gathered in the kitchen.

It was Qiyana's turn to make dinner and she had insisted on cooking them a dish that had been passed down in her family.

"Stop complaining about it then and go take an aspirin or something," said the girl with the wooden spoon in hand.

"Yeah... I'll do just that."

Akali didn't even look at him, as she was lost in deep thought. Senna followed him with her eyes as he exited the kitchen.

The man went up the stairs and straight into the bathroom. He opened up the medicine cabinet and his eyes carefully scanned each of the boxes.

But...

Something wasn't right.

"Qiqi, did you take the box of aspirin?" he yelled into the hallway.

She sometimes forgot to put things back in place.

The girl didn't take long to answer. "¡Claro que no! What would I need the aspirin for?"

He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Then who...?"

That's when a terrible realization dawned on him.

A freezing sensation invaded his stomach.

"Ekko..." he whispered, his eyes widened. He dropped the boxes, letting them fall on the floor and then sprinted out of the bathroom. His heart was racing as he hurried to get to the boy's room.

He banged on the door. "Ekko? Are you in there? Ekko?"

No response.

Panic took over. His hand was livid and shivering as he grabbed the doorknob and turned it.

"EKKO?" he practically shouted as he stepped inside.

The teen's eyes were wide as he looked at his friend with a puzzled expression. He was sitting on his bed, with headphones on, listening to music.

"Yasuo?" He took off the headphones. "Is something wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

The man was white as a sheet of paper. He let out a deep sigh of relief and leaned against the wall to regain his strength. His trembling hands swept the sweat off his forehead.

"I'm sorry, Ekko, I didn't want to barge in like this."

Ekko shook his head. "It's ok. Did something happen?"

Yasuo took a deep breath and began walking in the boy's direction. The teen visibly tensed and immediately put his hoodie on.

"I... I saw the box of aspirin was missing from the medicine cabinet. And I thought... maybe you had taken it..."

"Oh..." Ekko averted his gaze. His body tensed up even more. He rubbed his arm to try and shake off the discomfort.

Yasuo became very serious. "Ekko? You didn't...?"

The boy wouldn't look him in the eyes. He had guilt plastered all over his face. As he realized Yasuo wouldn't let it go, he sighed. He reached for his nightstand, opened the drawer and took out the box of aspirin.

Saying the man was in shock would be an understatement. "Ekko... no... you didn't try to..."

The teen's eyes were glued to the ground. He was gripping the medicine with such force his hand was shaking. "I... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I was going to... But I gave up. I got... scared." He stumbled on his words. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry!" he was about to burst into tears and buried his face in his hands.

Yasuo's tone was gentle. "It's ok, it's ok. Calm down. Everything is all right."

Ekko was now shivering violently. He folded in on himself as if a great pain had invaded him. "I... I feel so bad... You guys can't get any sleep because of me. You're all stressed and worried and don't take care of yourselves anymore. I'm just a weight on your shoulders. A bother... And today I almost caused a disaster. You could have gotten seriously injured. And imagine if you had lost your things because of what I did..."

"Oh, no..." whispered Yasuo, shaking his head. He kneeled in front of the boy to be at eye-level with him, "Ekko, what happened was an accident. I've burnt clothes before. It happens to the best of us. And you aren't a bother. You aren't a nuisance in our lives. Why would you say that? You're our friend, you're important to all of us. That's why we're so worried."

Ekko lowered his hands and became very serious all of a sudden. His words were like ice. "If I was gone, you wouldn't have to worry or waste your time with me. It would be better for everyone..."

Yasuo couldn't believe what he was hearing. "No, Ekko. No. It wouldn't be better. If you were gone... there would be a hole in our chests forever, that would never close. We would always feel like we failed you. You're important to us. Everything we're doing is out of love. Not obligation. You aren't weighing us down, please don't think that."

The teen's eyes were shining with tears. His voice broke. "I don't want to just be dead weight for other people to carry..."

His friend gave him a sad smile. "And you're not. Please get that out of your mind. You're our friend and we want to help you, that's all." he looked at the edge of the bed. "Can I sit with you? There's something I want to tell you."

The boy glanced at the spot beside him and scooted to the side to create some space.

"So, I want to tell you a story..." Yasuo started as he sat down, "About my past." He smiled when Ekko's tear-filled eyes widened and his jaw dropped. He rarely, if ever talked about himself, much less of his earlier years. This was unheard of.

"So it starts even before I was born. My mom got married when she was still very young, and out of that marriage, came my brother Yone."

Ekko gasped. "You have an older brother?"

Yasuo frowned. "Yes. I never talk about him. And you'll understand why." He noticed the boy's eyebrows had furrowed in confusion. "My mom's first husband ended up dying and she remarried. But the guy was nothing like the first one. He was a drunkard who kept all the money he gained for himself and gave no attention to his family. A few days after I was born, he just up and left. My mom had to raise both of us on her own."

"So you never met your father."

"No. And that had an impact on me growing up. I was so angry at him for abandoning us like that. And because of my roots, the people of the village didn't like me. They said: "He's going to be like his father, a useless drunkard. He shouldn't have been born."

"Man, how could they say something so horrible?" Ekko commented in shock.

Yasuo sighed. "They were a bunch of loony old people. The village was so small and nothing ever happened. They had nothing better to do besides gossiping and judging the lives of others."

The boy scowled. "I hate people like that..."

"My brother tried to help me deal with all the built-up anger. He was taking sword-fighting classes after school, so he took me with him. And I loved it. I discovered I was really good at it and I became the Master's best student."

Ekko gasped yet again. He was loving every second. "So that's why you use that katana on your mixing table! It's a reference to your past... I always thought that was cool but weird."

The man chuckled. "Yeah, many people probably think I'm a lunatic for doing that." Then his expression turned serious yet again. "Like you probably already guessed, our village was very old-fashioned, very traditional. So it was customary for the boys who chose to learn swordfight to do it until they were adults. And Yone and I did. Things were finally looking good for me. I didn't even listen to the awful things the people said about me anymore. But then... something happened." He paused for a few seconds before continuing. "An old man was mugged in the village. He was walking alone at night and someone jumped him. As luck would have it, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and I tried to help the man, but he was shaken and confused and pointed his finger at me. And I was blamed for the assault. I had just turned eighteen..."

Ekko's eyes and mouth were wide open. He barely breathed as he listened to the retelling of his friend's mysterious past.

"Of course, I tried proving my innocence. But no one believed me, except my mom. She was the only one on my side. Even Yone suspected of me, my own brother. He confronted me about it, he said the money our mother earned was more than enough to sustain our family and that I had lost my honor by committing such a crime. We got into a fight. I lost it at some point, pushed him back, and he hit his head on a rock. There was blood and I panicked. I thought I'd killed him. I was trying so hard to prove I wasn't a thief and instead I thought I had become a murderer... He was rushed to the hospital and they told us the bad news..."

"Did... did he die?" Ekko wanted to know.

Yasuo shook his head. "No. He was in a coma. And they didn't know when he would wake up." His eyes were filled with sadness. "My mom wouldn't stop crying, I couldn't soothe her. I felt like absolute shit. I began believing my existence had been a mistake, that if I hadn't been born, things would have turned out much better for everyone around me. The horrible insults of the people in the village began taking over my mind, the guilt of what I had done to my brother was too much to bear, my mom was in a deep depression from overwork and from what happened to her eldest son. I wanted to end it all, so no one would get hurt by me again..."

The boy's heart was racing inside his chest. He now understood where his friend was going with all this.

"I left in the middle of the night and took my katana with me. I walked into the woods to the most recondite spot I could think of, next to the local shrine. I wanted to just end it all. I was crying. I was so scared of doing it, but the pain inside me was too much. I closed my eyes and put my sword in position. I was about to strike when my mom called my name." He took a deep breath and then resumed the telling. "I turned back to look at her and she was livid and trembling. She began begging for me not to do it. And I insisted I had to because I was just a burden in everyone's lives since the day I had been born. I said not even my own father had wanted me..."

"Oh, Yas..." Ekko whispered.

"She told me that hadn't been my fault, that he had left out of his own will. That I had never been a weight on her or on my brother, no matter what the village folk said. That she loved me and didn't blame me for anything that had happened. That she just wanted me to go back home with her and she would take care of me." Tears began adorning his eyes like tiny crystals.

The younger boy gently patted him on the back to show his support.

"She apologized for never being there for me. Working so hard to support two sons was too much for a single mother and she had never given the attention either of us deserved. But she was determined to change that. I told her my brother would never forgive me. But she said it would be ok, that Yone would admit he was wrong once the real culprit was found. She had faith justice would be served. I just had to give her a chance to prove things would get better." The back of his hand cleared away the tears. "I was so touched, I began crying. She approached me, took the katana out of my hand and hugged me. That was the first time I felt genuine happiness in my life."

"Man, I had no idea. What happened next?"

"My mom and I became closer than ever. We began supporting each other through everything, being a real family. The thief turned herself in. It was an orphan girl named Riven from a nearby village. She was alone and hungry and desperately needed that money. She came to talk to me and asked for forgiveness for the pain she put me through. She was afraid but her conscience was weighing on her and she had to set things right. And of course, I forgave her. My brother woke up from his coma after three years. Our mom was ecstatic. I was nervous about talking to him again. But we worked it out. He apologized for doubting me, I apologized for hurting him, and let's say that we're on good terms. We aren't exactly close, but we don't hold anything against each other."

"Wow. Your life is a movie, Yasuo." Ekko commented, a sad smile forming on his lips.

"From that point on, you already know my life story. I felt like I should start anew somewhere else, away from Japan and all the drama. So I came to America and found a passion for music. I buried my past beneath the beats and the studies and in no time, I felt like someone new. Becoming a producer helped me cope with everything. Music can be very therapeutic."

The man looked down at his younger friend. Ekko averted his gaze.

"I found something better, my life took a turn and I was happier than ever just making my music. If I had ended it all that night and my mom hadn't helped me, I wouldn't have experienced all this. The joy of making beats, the recognition of the fans all around the world. I wouldn't have met Akali, or Qiyana, or Senna, or you. I would have missed out on so many wonderful experiences..."

"I understand what you're saying," Ekko said, the sad smile still adorning his features. Fearfully, he looked his friend in the eyes.

"I've been exactly where you are now. Under different circumstances, but still. You're hurting so much, you feel like a burden." His eyes were shining with kindness. "But you're not. Believe me, you're not. We're your friends, we love you, Ekko. And we want to help. Like Senna said, we can't promise everything will be alright, but we can promise we're going to be here for you. Always. Just turn to us if you need anything. You never bother us."

The poor boy was about to cry. "For real?" Two warm tears fell down his face. "Thank you..."

The man's lips curved into a warm smile. Carefully, letting his friend watch his every move, he caressed the top of his head. As a sign of trust, the boy took off his hoodie and allowed him to ruffle his hair.

"Well, Qiyana must have the dinner ready. I should go..." Said Yasuo, getting up.

Ekko grabbed the tip of his coat. "Wait, please." His friend turned around to listen. "Don't... don't tell what happened to the girls. I don't want them worrying even more."

Yasuo shook his head. "I won't, it'll stay between us. And what I told you is for your ears only."

"Don't worry, man," Ekko said with a sad smile. "The story of your past is safe with me."

Yasuo nodded. He walked to the door and as he was grabbing the handle, he heard steps behind him.

"So what's for dinner tonight?" the boy wanted to know.

The man turned around with his mouth agape. "You're coming?"

Uncertainty shone in Ekko's eyes and he took a step back. "I... yeah. I'm sorta tired of always eating alone in my room. Is there any trouble?"

"Of course not, you just caught me off guard." he stepped into the hallway, filled with satisfaction, "C'mon! The girls are going to be so happy."

-----

"Are you sure it's ready? It doesn't look all that spicy to me," Senna commented, looking into the fuming pot.

Qiyana rolled her eyes. "¡Por mi Madre! This is the exact color it needs to have. I'm the one who knows the recipe, why are you questioning it?"

"I'm not, I was just expecting it to look different." She turned to Akali, who was sitting at the table. "The Salsa doesn't seem very spicy does it?"

But the girl didn't say anything, limiting herself to shrugging. She was looking at nothing, and her stare was cold like winter rain.

Senna scowled. She didn't like this off-putting behavior Akali had been showcasing since she had arrived. She didn't like it one bit. But she refrained from saying anything to her friend.

"Where is Yasuo? He went upstairs and didn't come back. Well, I'm not waiting for him." Said Qiyana, stirring the hot Salsa and picking up a plate.

Speaking of the devil, the man came into the kitchen a few seconds later.

"Ah, finally!" The Latina girl exclaimed, turning to the door. "We were about to start without-"

She was incapable of finishing her sentence, as Ekko emerged from behind him.

"Look who decided to join us tonight." Said Yasuo with a smile.

"Ekko!" Senna was smiling from ear to ear. "It's so good to have you here. I thought you would just lock yourself in your bedroom again. I'm glad I was wrong."

"Well, ya know. T'was getting a little too dark and dusty in there. I needed a change of air." He confessed.

His presence melted the ice in Akali's heart. With her eyes shining like a starry sky, she addressed her best friend. "Hey, have a seat." And pulled up a chair for him.

Qiyana had been left with no reaction. She had a very serious expression and was completely motionless. Once she finally regained control over her body, she turned to the fuming pot, so no one would see the tears rolling down her face. With a warm smile on her lips, she scooped up some food. Before advancing, she wiped away the tears and her expression turned serious.

"Here you go." The girl said, placing a plate in front of him. "It's my abuelita's recipe, so no complaining!"

"Don't worry." The boy shrugged. "Being friends with Akali basically means you have to like spicy food." He turned to his best friend and she winked at him.

He looked down at the steaming grilled chicken, stuck the fork on it, and dipped it into the Salsa. Qiyana couldn't take her eyes off of her friend as she sat down across from him.

A genuine smile formed on his lips and his eyes lit up. "This is delicious, I love it." He said, biting some more right after.

Tears tried escaping Qiyana's eyes once again and she blinked repeatedly to dissipate them. Her heart was going to rip her chest open. "I'm glad..." That was all she could whisper as she smiled. Her voice was about to break.

Chapter Text

"So, I was planning on visiting her today. I think she'd like some company on Christmas Eve. It must get lonely in that hospital room," explained Caitlyn to Jayce as they walked to her office.

"Sounds good. I'll take care of things while you're away. Don't worry about a thing."

But when they opened the door, a surprise was waiting for them.

"Merry Christmas!" exclaimed the pink-haired woman sitting at Caitlyn's desk.

They halted at the door, stunned by the surprise.

"V-Vi... what on Earth are you doing here?"

It made the other woman pout jokingly. "Come on, Cupcake. I thought you would like to see me."

Caitlyn's mouth kept on opening and closing like a fish out of water. "But... I... it's not... you were shot! You haven't recovered yet. What do you think you're doing? How did they even let you out?"

Vi gave her a sheepish smirk. "They didn't? I snuck out."

"You did WHAT?"

Her friend shrugged. "I'm feeling much better already and they wouldn't let me leave. Besides, no way I was going to spend Christmas away from you."

Jayce was just watching them in silence, trying not to laugh at his boss's reaction. Caitlyn's jaw was on the floor.

"You... you snuck out of the darn hospital... and you're still injured. And now I have to call and explain everything. You're a headache, you know that?"

"I told you she would be back on her feet way sooner than we expected," said Jayce.

She gave him a death stare. "Don't encourage her! You two are the worst," she complained, walking back into the hallway to make the call.

Jayce turned to Vi with a smile and shook his head.

"What? I wasn't expecting her to get so upset," said Vi jokingly while getting up.

"Don't worry about it. Her parents are coming over for dinner. And my mom too. She'll be so happy, she won't even remember your little misstep." he looked at the spot where she'd been shot. "You sure you're ok?"

"Absolutely," she stated with a cocky grin. "That Viktor needs to throw a lot more at me to bring me down."

The mention of Viktor's name made Jayce's heart skip a beat. But he didn't let Vi see his discomfort.

Something was eating him up inside that he needed to tell both of them. He just didn't know when the right time would be.

----

A blood-curdling shriek cut through the quiet basement. The orange flames of a nearby lit fireplace illuminated the scene. The heat emanating from it was scorching and the prisoner's bound wrists were almost getting burned from being so close to the fire.  

"I hope you're having a good time," said Akali with the coldest of smiles on her lips, holding a bloodied knife.

Sylas wheezed and coughed. The deep cut she had made on his chest stung horribly and warm blood was leaking from the wound. His broken ribs made it hard to breathe. The blood from his nail-less fingers dripped onto the floor.

"Fucking bitch..." he uttered in a broken whisper.

"What was that?" asked Akali, her grin growing wider and showing her teeth, "I couldn't quite catch it."

Sylas' glare was burning with rage. "Stupid fucking bitch."

Jhin was nearby, just watching the scene play out. And his eyes widened when he heard a dark, condescending chuckle escape the girl's lips.

"Funny that you think so," she said, patting the prisoner's shoulder as if they had been friends forever. She disappeared from his sight for a few seconds to retrieve something. "By the way, it's Christmas. I'm sure you didn't know, being stuck down here and all." Her tone was dripping with sarcasm. "But I thought of you! And I brought you a little present."

Sylas' blood froze in his veins when he saw the red-hot iron in her hand.

"No need to thank me," she joked, right before another horrifying scream echoed around the room and the smell of burning flesh filled the air.

Jhin was frozen in place, horrified at how gleefully she tortured the man who had hurt her friend.

Akali sure had a dark side.

He'd done some research on her past with the bands, her solo projects and her social media. He had asked her about her past, about her friendships, and she always seemed rebellious, yet sweet. If he hadn't met her, nothing would make him believe she would be capable of torturing someone in a dark basement with a smile on her lips.

Up until that moment, she had been serious and bitter, letting out her frustrations, violently carrying out the vicious tortures. This... sick satisfaction was something new entirely, something dark that had awoken inside her.

And Jhin couldn't help but feel guilty.

He looked down at his injured shoulder and touched it gently. The wound was practically healed and it didn't hurt anymore. That had been the whole reason why he had asked her for help. He had never intended for this girl to become something she was not. And it scared him. When they were leaving the basement, he decided to talk to her.

"Akali, tonight is Christmas Eve. Go home, have a good time with your friends and don't think about him."

Her eyebrow arched. "What? I have better things to do with my time than think about that asshole. Why are you saying that?"

Jhin hesitated. But he wanted to be honest with her.

"I... I think all of this is consuming you a little too much. You spend your time here and are barely even home. And just now when you were torturing Sylas you were... smiling. As if you were enjoying it."

She blinked with surprise. "What's wrong with that? Didn't he smile while he was hurting Ekko? Didn't he laugh at his misery? Didn't all of them?"

"But you're not them, Akali." he saw as the girl detained herself right at the door, stunned by his words. "You're not someone who hurts because you find pleasure in the pain of others. You're only doing this because he hurt someone dear to you and you're making him pay. It's not the same thing."

A bit shocked, she bit her lip. "I... yeah. You're right. But knowing what he did to Ekko... after a certain point, it just became satisfying to make him pay, you know?"

Jhin sighed. "I... I understand. But that person I saw there, laughing and smiling amidst his screams... that's not who you are. At least that's not the person I've gotten to know better this past month." he made sure to look her straight in the eyes as he said his next words. "It's easier than it might seem to fall down a dark path. And finding joy in torturing someone is not a good omen. I... I don't want that for you."

A tender smile crept upon her lips. "Thanks for worrying about me. But I'm fine. I'm going home and I won't think about this until next week. That's a promise."

Jhin only had time to give her an unsure nod, because her phone rang.

"Hello, Kai'sa? You need me for something? It's... it's part of a present for Ekko? Alright, I'm listening. Where are you?"

The man waited in silence until she ended the call.

"Sorry, gotta bail. It's important."

He chuckled. "I heard "Ekko". You don't need to say anything else."

His remark made her smile. "Yeah... We're making sure he has the best possible Christmas." then, her expression shifted as she thought of something. "Hey, what about you? You're spending tonight alone?"

"Me? Don't worry about me, child. I don't celebrate anything," he assured her, "tonight will be a night like any other. You, on the other hand, have friends expecting you. Don't keep them waiting."

With a smile on her lips, Akali nodded and said her goodbyes as she ran to her motorcycle.

Jhin watched her from afar with a hole in his heart.

There was a reason for him not to celebrate Christmas or any other holiday. And Akali's mention of it had brought the memories back.

But it was something he wasn't willing to share with anyone.

-----

"And... done," said Ekko to himself, tightening the last screw.

The TV was once again brand-new.

"Nice one! That thing has been broken for months now," said a voice behind him. He turned around to see Akali. "Sometimes being a nerd pays off."

The boy chuckled at her comment and picked the television up to put it back in place.

"What are you doing here?" he wanted to know.

She kneeled in front of the oven and opened the door. "Yasuo asked me to watch over the pie. It should be done soon."

Ekko looked at the mess of pots, pans and wooden spoons around him. Yasuo and Senna had spent the whole afternoon cooking up the turkey and the Christmas sweets.

"It would be a shame if you let the cranberry pie burn," he joked with a sad smile.

"Don't jinx it. Yasuo would want my head!"

She got up and began decorating some gingerbread cookies. Ekko approached her. "So, how've you been?"

She smiled. "Shouldn't I be asking that question?"

"Well, I'm feeling better. The nightmares... well... I still have them. But I don't wake up screaming as often. I guess that's good," he said, scratching the back of his head. "But you've been acting a bit strange lately." She became tense. "At first I didn't notice because I was cooped up in my room all the time. But now I see that you're never home and arrive at four in the morning, only to leave super early again."

Akali put down the royal icing and turned to face her friend. A nervous smile was drawn on her face. "Well, I... I've been needing some alone time and..."

"That excuse might work on everybody else. But I know you better than that. You're hiding something," Ekko said, glaring at her. Then his eyes softened. "Akali, whatever it is you're doing, you can tell me. You know I won't judge."

But her expression became so sincere, he was caught off-guard.

"Ekko, nothing is going on. For real. I'm just... well... regaining my strength, at my own pace, in my own way. I'm sure you understand."

"I... yeah, of course," he said, "If you need to talk, I'm here ok?"

But he was the last person she would bother with her problems.

"Sure. Thank you, Ekko. But you don't need to worry." Carefully, as his eyes attentively followed the movement of her arm, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "Just promise me you'll focus on yourself right now."

"I'll... I'll try." Slowly, not to offend the girl, he gently grabbed her hand and pushed it off his tense shoulder. Fortunately, she got the message and retreated her arm with an understanding smile.

At that moment, Senna appeared at the door.

"Ekko, can you come here for a minute?"

He looked at Akali who had a smirk across her face and had already turned around to keep working on the gingerbread cookies. She knew exactly what this was about.

"Huh, ok."

Curious, the boy followed Senna to the living room.

Once he stepped inside, his jaw dropped. The fireplace was lit and warmed up the whole room. The lights that Yasuo had installed outside were reflected on the glass of the windows. Qiyana was finishing hanging up decorations on the wall. The lights of the Christmas tree were flickering in an explosion of colors, and underneath it, lay a pile of shiny wrapped gifts.

"Wow..." was he was able to say. They had never put so much effort into the Christmas decorations. Last year he had had to rally everyone to simply set up the tree.

But now, here his friends were. Making everything as beautiful as they possibly could. And all because he liked Christmas so much...

"Come sit," said Senna, gently patting the seat cushion of an armchair.

He obeyed and as soon as he sat down, a box wrapped in bright red paper was placed on his lap.

"Merry Christmas, Ekko!" Senna was grinning from ear to ear.

"F-for me? Thank you. You guys didn't have to..." he stuttered.

"Just open the present." Having finished her task, Qiyana approached them. She rolled her eyes. "I paid for that and you better like it."

Ekko looked at Senna and they both shrugged. Then, his attention returned to the shiny box and he tore the paper off.

"A-a phone..." His chest started getting all warm inside. A sad smile crept upon his lips.

"Well, you were going to need a new one sooner or later," said Qiyana, "I thought you'd like it. It's the latest model."

Ekko was stunned. His friend had spent so much on this gift just for him. Money was the least of Qiyana's problems, but still...

"I-I don't know what to say. Thank you so much, Qiqi."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I always think of the best gifts. You're welcome." Qiyana's expression was one of indifference. But deep down, her heart was racing and she was on the verge of tears. "Go ahead, turn it on."

He did. And when the lock screen showed up, his sad smile turned into a genuine, wide grin. One of those that make the skin under the eyes wrinkle and dimples appear on the corners of one's mouth.

It was a picture of graffiti on a wall. It was grand and colorful and the message read: "You got this! We're with you."

He teared up. Akali and Kai'sa had to be behind it. He had no other explanation.

"I helped them a bit," Senna revealed with a wink.

He looked up. "What? Since when do you do graffiti?"

"I don't. I drew it on paper. Kali and Kai'sa did the rest."

His heart was about to burst with emotion. "You guys..."

Surprise shone in his eyes when Senna reached underneath the tree and picked up yet another gift.

"This one's mine. I hope you like it."

"One more?" said the boy when the box was almost shoved in his face. Carefully he accepted it. "I'm happy ya'll got me these things. But you really didn't need to... oh..."

As the lid of the box was lifted, Ekko stopped in his tracks.

Inside was a comfy red hoodie. The pockets had silver garnishes and in the back, there was an engraving of his name, much like in the outfit he wore on stage.

"Senna... I... this..." he mumbled.

The girl's blue dreads bounced when she giggled. "It was tailor-made. I tried to find something that resembled that shirt that you burned. But nothing came up. So I asked Gwen to make you something special," she said with a wide grin.

Ekko picked up the hoodie to take a better look at it. "Gwen? The world-famous fashion designer?"

"Yeah. Normally it wouldn't be possible to contact her this close to Christmas. But we go way back and she gave priority to my request, even with her busy schedule. She's a sweetheart."

At this point, Ekko didn't know what to say. His friends had gone above and beyond to make this day feel special. And they had succeeded.

"Thank you. Thank you for real, guys. For everything," he said, getting up from the armchair.

Senna crouched and began picking up the torn paper. "Go ahead and get ready for dinner. Qiqi and I will take care of things here."

His eyebrows furrowed. "Oh, but I can help! I don't want you to do all the work."

Qiyana crossed her arms. "It's fine, kid. Just go dress up. Unless you want to have dinner in whatever it is that you're wearing," she criticized, looking at him from head to toe.

He looked down and saw what she meant. This shirt, pants and jacket were old and faded. It was Christmas Eve. He needed to do better.

"Alright, you win," he said with a tender smile. He picked up his new things and left the room.

Ecstatic, Senna turned to Qiyana. "I think it's working."

And the other girl crossed her fingers in response.

Meanwhile, the teen arrived at his bedroom and closed the door behind him. He opened the closet to hang his new hoodie and he halted. On the floor were the pictures he used to have on his nightstand. He had almost forgotten he had hidden them there.

For a moment, he considered taking them out and putting them back in place. But then he shook his head. He wasn't ready. Not yet.

When he came back to his new phone, he hesitated. As soon as he connected it to the WiFi, tons of messages would pop up on the screen. He hadn't checked his inbox in literal months. Not because he couldn't, his laptop was right there. He had just chosen not to.

There would be articles he had been tagged in, talking about his disappearance, his rescue, his kidnappers... and the worst of all... hate posts and messages.

He wasn't ready to deal with toxic people and trolls. Over the past month, with the help of his very patient friends, he had made progress in regards to his mental state. But he was still too weakened to simply shrug off the jealousy and bitterness of some people on social media like he used to.

But then again... there would also be supportive messages from fans all over the world, concerned with his well-being and reaching out to him.

And with that thought in mind, he clicked the WiFi icon.

In a few seconds, a waterfall of notifications dropped on the screen. A flurry of tags and private messages showed up with beep after beep, making his eyes widen.

Curious, Ekko began scrolling down.

Just as he expected, posts were detailing his kidnapping, people were theorizing what had happened to him, fans were showing worry and sharing the news so they would reach far and wide. Lots had messaged him, wishing for the best, saying they were praying for him to be found safe and sound.

Of course, there were negative comments, slurs and tasteless jokes, and even links to hate pages. But he did his best to ignore them.

Then, there were more recent messages from the time after his rescue. People were ecstatic, celebrating in the comments, posting drawings and photos of him to show their support, posting links to his and True Damage songs and asking everyone to stream them.

Every encouraging word, every kind post warmed his heart.

He ended up writing his first tweet in months, thanking everyone for their support. And in just a few seconds, the retweets and likes shot up like an arrow.

Damn. The enthusiasm of his followers was real...

Grateful for their concern, he decided to open a few private messages and reply to them.

The one at the top was from no one other than Sona.

"Hello, Ekko. I heard the news. How are you feeling?
Pentakill and I were worried when you went missing. It must have been a horrifying experience for you. I don't even want to imagine what kind of things you must have gone through. But I'm so glad you're back.
I hope your bandmates help you cope with everything. I'm sure they will, they're good people.
And I know we're not very close, but if you need anything, you can always call me. Artists gotta stick together, am I right?
The rest of Pentakill also want to know how you are doing and hope you have a safe recovery. I think Morde also messaged you.
Oh, and Taliyah, my translator also wishes you the very best. Yeah, I have a full-time translator now. Makes my life so much easier. Ask Akali, she knows her.
Anyway, I send you a tight hug from all of us. Get well soon!"

"Sona... always so kind..." he thought as he wrote a reply to show his gratitude.

Another message was from a fan who seemed to be around his age, with purple hair, snow-white skin and blue eyes. In her profile picture, she was wearing a pink swimsuit and was hanging around the pool. According to her bio, she was a professional swimmer.

"Hi! I know you're probably never going to see my message. But I hope you're feeling ok. I can't even begin to imagine what it's like to be kidnapped. It must be horrible. You must have felt so scared and alone. I'm so sorry. No one should have to go through that.
But I'm glad you returned to us, safe and sound.
On another note, I'm a huge fan of True Damage and I love your music. When I'm training for competitions, I blast your songs on my phone and leave it by the pool. They keep me energized and give me the strength to train harder. Besides, they're catchy as hell. I always rap along in your parts, ahah! ⭐
Anyway, have a good day!
Xoxo
Nami 🌊"

Her words left a smile on his face. He replied, thanking her for the love and support. And not even 30 seconds later, she was typing back.

"Omg. Omg. Omg. 😱 No way. You replied. Omg. And on Christmas Eve too!
Seriously. Thank you for this, it made my day. It was the best present I could have received. I can't wait to tell my friends, they aren't going to believe it!
I'm glad you're recovering well. I wish you the very best. You deserve it.
Have a merry Christmas!🎄"

With a growing warmth in his heart, Ekko put down his phone. It was almost dinner time.

He glanced at his new hoodie inside the closet.

He usually liked washing his new clothes first before wearing them.

But tonight he would make an exception.

And red was a festive color, after all...

-----

"Hey, Yas? Pass me the mashed potatoes, please," Qiyana requested.

He looked at the plate and shot a very bored look in her direction.

"They're right in front of you..."

"But you're closer," she complained. "Don't keep me waiting."

Yasuo rolled his eyes and passed her the mashed potatoes.

"Thank you," she replied, all sassy, with a triumphant smirk across her face.

"Anything else, your highness?"

"No, that's all. For now."

Yasuo sighed and shook his head.

Senna, amused with the situation, put down her fork and glanced at Ekko. Usually, this would be his queue to crack a joke about Qiyana and make her blow a fuse.

But nothing happened. He stayed in his corner, eating in silence. He probably hadn't even heard the conversation.

His presence used to fill up the room, his laughter used to be contagious. But now, he passed by completely unnoticed, almost like a ghost. The silence that plagued the stops between their conversations was sad and uneasy. And the exchanges themselves weren't even interesting. Only the Christmas lights flashing through the window brought any kind of color to that monochrome ambience.

But he was there with them.

That seat could have been empty. But it wasn't.

And that was something to be very grateful for.

However, Qiyana must have also been feeling bothered by the uncomfortable silence because she turned to Akali.

"Hey, Kali? What the hell is up with your outfit? Are you going to a funeral or something?"

The girl looked at her black shirt and pants and shrugged. "I didn't put much thought into it."

Qiyana raised an eyebrow. "No offense, but your choice of clothes has been dreadful lately. You couldn't have chosen something a little more... put together? Not even on Christmas Eve?"

"I just don't care at the moment, ok? I got home and put on the first thing I saw."

But Qiyana wouldn't let it go.

"That's strange coming from you. Don't get me wrong, you're nowhere near as careful as me when it comes to dressing up. But you usually try. And, no offense, but lately you've been so gloomy... You could try smiling once in a while-"

"Leave. Me. Alone." Akali interrupted her in a harsh tone.

At first, her friend froze, shocked by her hostile reaction. But she quickly recovered. "Chill. I was only joking!?"

"You don't understand anything. So stop getting your nose all up in my business."

"¿Qué? Excuse me? Just who do you think you're talking to-?"

"GIRLS!"

They both recoiled in their seats when Senna's voice thundered over their squabbling.

"Can you stop acting like children? Have some respect for the other people at the table," she reprimanded them.

There was silence once again. A bit unsettled, Yasuo and Lucian exchanged nervous glances.

Annoyed with Senna, Qiyana decided to sulk and Akali lowered her head and focused solely on her food.

And she would have stayed that way if a worry-filled voice hadn't spoken.

"Akali, are you really ok?"

Her demeanor immediately changed. She raised her head and turned to Ekko, who was sitting by her side.

"I already told you, don't worry about me, I'm fine. Just kinda stressed, that's all." She tried to reassure him with a smile.

The boy wasn't at all convinced. But he didn't want to pressure Akali, so he turned his attention back to his plate.

To break the tension in the room, Lucian cleared his throat. "Well, huh... Why don't we turn on the TV? They always show fun things around Christmas." He promptly picked up the remote and the screen flashed in an array of colors. "And thanks to Ekko's expertise, this one is working just fine now."

His comment made the teen blush. And to shake off the discomfort of having all eyes on him, he declared, "I think I'm having seconds tonight."

"Now that's a Christmas miracle," said Yasuo, "I don't remember seeing you eat like this."

"There's more turkey in the oven," said Senna, sounding as satisfied as Yasuo.

The boy nodded and got up, plate in hand.

Just then, the images on TV changed from Christmas celebrations to a story covering a brand-new discovery. The camera panned around a thicket to show an old house, hidden away in the heart of the woods. The reporter walked up to the wooden door and opened it for her cameraman to record the inside. The headlines at the bottom of the screen mentioned Ekko's kidnapping.

When the boy, alerted by the voice of the reporter, raised his head to look at the screen, his heart almost stopped.

Senna, who hadn't taken her eyes off of him, immediately realized something was wrong. She checked what was being shown on TV, and quickly put two and two together.

Her insides grew cold.

This wasn't going to end well...

-----

Meanwhile, over at Caitlyn's, everyone was also sitting at the dinner table.

Her parents were there, Vi was right beside her and Jayce and his mom had also been invited.

The unsolicited images that were shown on TV, were enough to disturb Caitlyn's peaceful evening.

"What!?" she exclaimed, getting up unexpectedly, "That house is under scrutiny. It's off-limits!"

"Wow, those guys got some nerve," commented Vi in a surprised tone, with her mouth full of turkey.

Jayce also got up from his seat and gently held his friend's wrist. "Cait, it's ok. It's Christmas. You can worry about that later."

But she shrugged him off. "This is unacceptable. If they tamper with evidence I..."

"Dear, it's alright. We know it's important, but don't worry about that now," said her dad.

"It's fine, Cupcake. We'll deal with that when we're back to work," added Vi, gently.

"Caitlyn, please..." Jayce tried once again.

Faced with everyone's insistence, the woman sighed. With reluctance, she sat down again, but her glare at the TV screen didn't pass by unnoticed.

-----

In a last-ditch effort to avoid a terrible outcome, Senna pleaded with her husband.

"Lucian, change the channel before-"

*Crash*

Everyone at the table jumped when a plate hit the ground full force, and shattered into a million pieces.

They turned around with their hearts in their throats.

Ekko was frozen in place, eyes wide-open with fear, shivering uncontrollably. His breathing was ragged. The images on the screen reflected on his irises.

Disturbed, Akali stood up. "Ekko?"

He didn't even react to her. He covered his mouth with both hands and stumbled backwards as if his legs couldn't support him.

Qiyana was frozen in place, horrified. "E-Ekko are you...?"

She didn't have time to finish her question.

The boy hunched over and vomited right then and there.

Qiyana covered her mouth in shock. Yasuo had to look away. Lucian was readying himself to get up and help. His wife stopped him.

"No, give him space. We don't want this to escalate."

Ekko's shaky, shallow breaths were accompanied by snot and saliva that he didn't even feel dripping down in his panicked state. Beads of sweat ran down his face, and his aching legs and arms wouldn't stop shivering. Suddenly, as if waking from a dream, the boy's eyes widened and he straightened himself. The look he gave his friends was heartbreaking.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," he spewed out as if he had done something unforgivable.

"Ekko, breathe. It's alright," said Akali taking a few steps towards him.

He didn't take it well.

"STAY BACK!" the boy shouted, as he raised his hand in self-defense. But when he saw the hurt in Akali's eyes, his whole demeanor softened. "Please... don't come any closer..."

Respecting his wishes, the girl stayed in place.

"Ekko, please. You're not in danger. We're here. We're all here for you. It's alright..." she promised sweetly.

The comforting sound of her voice was enough to stop Ekko's heavy breathing. But the shaking continued. His legs faltered and he ended up on the floor. He brought his knees to his chest and buried his face in them, trying to calm himself down.

Because of this, he missed the fury in Akali's eyes. And the way her nails dug into her palm.

They stayed like that, in absolute silence for what felt like forever. Then, Senna took a deep breath.

"Ekko... is there anything we can do to help?"

The boy shook his head without even lifting it.

"Ok... Yasuo, please get a broom and sweep those shards. Bring me the mop and the bucket so I can take care of... that," she said, wrinkling her nose.

But Ekko looked at her. "No, I'll take care of it. Just help me get up," he requested in a weak voice.

Qiyana, who had been frozen solid by the whole ordeal, sprang into action. She walked over to the boy carefully, terrified of scaring him and offered him her hand, which he took with some hesitation.

"Ok, ok..." said Senna, trying to keep it together, "Akali could you go upstairs and bring me-?" but when she turned to her friend she was no longer there, "Akali?"

Confused, she got up and darted to the entrance. When she opened the door, she was just in time to hear the rumbling of a motorcycle gaining distance.

-----

The door to the basement was swung back and hit the wall with violence.

"I'm sorry, Jhin. I couldn't keep my promise."

"I wasn't expecting you to. As I said, this is taking over your life more than you're aware of. I'm somewhat relieved that you're wanting to put an end to it."

Realizing at last that he was right, Akali blushed. She had literally run out of her home on Christmas Eve, leaving her friends behind without giving them an explanation. But this wasn't the time to think about that.

"Say your prayers, Sylas. You're not seeing another sunrise," she said menacingly as she closed in on the emaciated figure tied to the chair.

Behind her, Jhin came into the room carrying a jerrycan and set it down on the floor.

It was with pure shock that she saw Sylas had a wicked grin on his face. She scowled at him in disgust. "What... what are you smiling about, you fucking cunt?"

His smile turned into laughter and Akali and Jhin exchanged glances, thinking that he had lost his mind.

"You're killing me tonight, I see. You must feel so triumphant," he said, raising his head to look at her, "you must be expecting me to humiliate myself, to beg for my life. So you can kill me with a smile on your lips. But I'm not giving you that satisfaction."

Enraged, Akali gripped his hair and brought their faces closer together. She looked him straight in the eyes, shooting him a murderous glare. "I don't give a fuck how you're going down. You're simply paying for everything you've done to Ekko. And after you, your little friends are sure to follow. It's only a matter of time..."

She was disturbed by yet another laugh that escaped his mouth. It was as if the pain of his broken ribs didn't even bother him anymore.

"You're having your sweet revenge, how cute. Too bad we already won."

Akali maintained her composure. But her heart began racing inside her chest.

"You're doing all of this for that kid. Yet, at the end of the day, it will all be in vain. Torturing me won't change anything. Because what we did to him can't be undone. That boy is damaged beyond repair. And you know it."

Her eyes widened. It became harder to breathe.

"Y-you're wrong, he can still be helped. One day he'll smile like he used to. A-and you'll be long dead and buried..." she stuttered.

"Listen to yourself, little girl. You know that isn't true. It's over for your friend. He's never going to be who he once was. Those nights in the woods will forever haunt his memory and will always be a part of him. He's a broken child and he'll grow up to be a broken man. And there is nothing you can do about it. You'll be lucky if he doesn't jump off a building to end his suffering sooner," he finished with a sickening smile.

Jhin, who had stayed silent the entire time, simply pouring down the gasoline around the chair, looked directly at Sylas.

"The blabbering of a dying man. Pathetic until the very end."

He walked up to the lit fireplace and picked up a burning piece of wood. As he brought it to Akali, he could sense her discomfort. Gently, he took hold of her hand, placed the improvised torch between her fingers and closed them around it.

The girl looked at him as if the ground had fallen from beneath her feet, her eyes filled with a deep hurt.

"Do the honors, child," he simply said.

Akali took a deep breath and her face regained the look of confidence that she didn't feel anymore. She took a step forward and letting the piece of wood dangle from her fingers, she glared at Sylas. "Go to hell," she said coldly. And let it fall on the gasoline.

A gigantic orange flame erupted. The fire quickly spread and surrounded the prisoner, emanating a scorching heat.

Sylas' face had lost some of the smug confidence, but he still had his eyes locked onto Akali's. In his final moments, his expression was still one of defiance.

The room began being engulfed by flames and dark smoke, and Jhin gripped the girl's shoulder as a warning. "We have to go."

She remained in place for a few more seconds, watching as the fire closed in on the man, spelling his doom.

"Akali!" Jhin called again.

This time the girl listened. She shot one last venomous look at Sylas before turning around to go up the stairs. Jhin followed her.

Deafening screams from the dark basement cut through the silence of the night. They rang in Akali's ears as she ran out the door, out into the clearing. Then, eventually, they went quiet.

The fire began taking over the ground floor and the smoke swirled in the air, ascending into the starry sky. Jhin watched in silence as the old shack burned down, the flames casting their orange light on him and Akali. He looked over at the girl, worried about the impact of Sylas' words.

She was mulling them over inside her mind. That much was obvious. The tension of her body kept building up until she was shivering. Her fingers folded into fists. Her legs began weakening.

Without warning, she let out an anguished cry.

And fell to her knees.

Jhin's eyes widened, concerned that she had hurt herself.

But she wasn't physically injured.

It was her heart that was in pieces.

"He... he's right, Jhin..." she whimpered as tears fell from her eyes onto the earth below, "he's right. E-Ekko... will never fully recover. He can't. What this does to people... is irreversible. No matter how hard I try, there is nothing I can do in the end..."

She covered her red-rimmed eyes with her hand. Her whole body shook with a mournful sob.

"This... was all for nothing. Making him suffer won't take Ekko's pain away. I thought it would at least make me feel better. But I just feel..." her voice broke. "empty..."

Incapable of just sitting idly by as Akali's world crumbled around her, Jhin carefully closed the distance between them.

"I'm sorry," he said, kneeling beside her and refraining from touching her.

Used to calm down the kidnapped boys during their darkest moments, the man expected Akali to just ignore him. After all, none of the kids was usually ok with being touched. But when he least expected, her arms wrapped around his shoulders, locking him into an embrace.

Shocked, Jhin was left with no reaction for a few moments. However, once he regained control over his body, he returned the embrace.

Akali kept sobbing, letting out all the anguish that had pent up inside her heart. Her warm tears wet the man's shoulder.

And he kept her close to his chest as the fire raged behind them and the dark smoke went higher and higher until it couldn't be seen.

-----

"Hey," said Yasuo, peeking into the living room, "Mind some company?"

Ekko was sitting on the couch, wrapped up in a fluffy blanket that Qiyana had given him. His stare, which had gained some life over the past month, was blank once again. But at least he hadn't scurried back to his room at a moment's notice, choosing instead to stay on the ground floor with them.

It was a small victory for his friend, and Yasuo smiled to himself with pride.

Ekko needed a few seconds to even take notice of the man's presence, but once he did, he shrugged in response.

Yasuo sat beside the somber boy and handed him a small black box wrapped with a yellow bow. He accepted it with reluctance.

"I hadn't given you my present yet. Merry Christmas, Ekko."

He lifted the lid to find a silver chain bracelet with the True Damage symbol hanging from it. Feeling a genuine smile forming on his lips, he thanked Yasuo. But it quickly dwindled.

"Tonight was... I wasn't expecting that to happen. I'm sorry I ruined Christmas dinner for you guys."

"Nah, Christmas dinner is always boring. At least you spiced it up a bit," he joked. But it didn't land. Ekko frowned and lowered his head.

"Thank you for always being so understanding. I don't know what I would do without you guys. But I was making so much progress and... I feel like I set myself back."

Yasuo shook his head. "There will always be better days and worse days. Don't let a little setback discourage you."

Ekko nodded in understanding. He bit his lip before asking him a question. "Are you too busy next Tuesday?"

Yasuo gave him a curious look. "No, why?"

"I... I think tonight showed me that I still need a lot of help to get through this. I want to see Miss Janna."

Chapter Text

"We're here," said Jhin holding the door open for Akali.

The somber girl walked in with her eyes cast onto the floor. Slowly, she made her way to the couch and let herself fall on the seat cushions as if her body had suddenly shut down. The man eyed her with pity, not knowing what to do next.

"Would you like some ginseng tea? It calms the nerves," he offered, expecting a refusal like every other time. But to his surprise, she nodded. He brought her a hot steaming cup that she took without even looking at him. Jhin watched her blow on the tea and then take a sip. "Is it good?"

She nodded again. And then she didn't do anything else for a long while. Her eyes stared longingly into the brownish liquid.

Until she suddenly broke the silence.

"Jhin... why are you doing this?"

Through the holes in the mask, he shot her an inquisitive look. "What?"

Akali gripped the wing of the teacup.

"I'm doing this for Ekko. But you, Jhin...? Why are you doing all this? Why did you infiltrate Viktor's inner circle? Why did you help all those kids? What's in it for you?"

The man froze at first. Then, his eyes gained this contemplative look, as he thought really hard about something. In the end, he sighed.

Maybe... just maybe, he could tell her.

"It's... a long story."

His steps became softer as he stepped onto the carpet. Akali felt the spot beside her dip when he sat down.

At first, Jhin's eyes were once again lost in the framed picture of the woman and the little boy. And eventually, he began letting it all out.

"Like you already guessed, I had a family once. My wife suffered from arrhythmia and it ended up killing her. It was a tragedy. Losing her shook me to the core. But I didn't have much time to grieve. I was left with our two-year-old son in my arms. And he needed me. I raised him all on my own."

Akali became curious. "What was his name?"

He lowered his head.

"Shiro."

Just the sheer mention of his name brought Jhin pain. But he kept going.

"He was a very sickly boy, just like his mom. He inherited the arrhythmia from her. He couldn't practise sports or do strenuous activities. So I always encouraged him to try quieter hobbies, like painting and playing instruments." A slight hint of a smile danced on his lips as happy memories of his son played in his mind. "Shiro loved the piano, just like me. He was a prodigy. I remember him hugging me after winning a school competition and saying that he wanted to be just like me when he grew up. I told him he would be even better and how proud I was of him. But then... it never came to be."

Akali's heart tightened.

"It... it happened one afternoon. He was supposed to come home from school on foot like he did every day. But he never arrived..."

"Oh, Jhin..."

"I waited. And waited. Nothing. I called the school. They said he had left at the usual time with his classmates. I was growing anxious by the minute. I ended up calling the police and then left to go looking for him." he hesitated before continuing. "I... I wasn't ready for what I found."

Akali's eyes widened.

"Shiro... my boy... he was... he was dead. I found him in an alley. Covered in blood. His clothes were all torn apart. He was... raped."

The girl's heart almost stopped.

"Oh my God. No... D-don't tell me it was..."

Jhin's stare was sad and empty as he revealed, "Yes... it was Viktor."

A deafening silence fell over the room. Akali's heart was beating hard and fast. The shock made her jaw drop to the floor.

"When the autopsy results came in, the police said that..." Jhin stopped for a moment to gain courage, "that it was the arrhythmia that killed my boy. He... he got so scared while being raped that his heart couldn't handle it." running out of strength, the man rested his head on his hand.

"God..." she whispered.

What Jhin did next made Akali's jaw drop to the floor.

He took hold of the bone-white mask and gently removed it.

"Jhin... w-what...!?" she stuttered, stunned with the surprise.

His face was porcelain-white and devoid of any imperfections. The eyes were small and almond-shaped, much like her own, his nose was long and straight, and his eyebrows were thin and well-groomed. His lips curved into a sad smile.

"I haven't shown my face to anyone in years. The last time was when Viktor demanded to see it the night I requested to work for him."

Akali's mouth kept opening and closing like a fish out of water. "But... why now? Why show it to me?"

"If I'm already telling you all of this, it's because I trust you. Revealing my face is merely a plus," he said simply. "I hope I don't come to regret it."

She raised her hands and waved them nervously. "Don't worry. I would have nothing to gain from betraying you."

"I sure hope not, or I would have to kill you," he joked darkly, earning an apprehensive smile from the girl.

The lightness of the moment didn't last long. The man lowered his head and his stare became empty once again as he sighed. Akali looked at him with worry.

"So... you went after Viktor because you wanted revenge for what he did to Shiro? How did you even find him?"

"The police immediately identified his DNA. Viktor wasn't always this cunning and careful with his planning. The moment I had a face and a name, I was filled with so much rage and a deep, dark desire for revenge. I had to make him pay. He deserved to die for what he had done. I wasn't that different from you, child," he said, looking at Akali. Her eyes widened. "I orchestrated my own fake death to disappear into the city's underworld. I chose a new name, Khada Jhin and put on the mask that you're so familiar with. I was confident in my stealth abilities and my handling of various guns, so I began working as an assassin for hire. My name became well-known amongst the scum of the underworld and as soon as I had enough money to carry out my own missions, I began targetting rapists who had gotten away scot-free. Because I alternated those assassinations with my regular work, no one suspected of anything."

"Wait, wait, wait..." she requested. "How did you know how to handle guns even before you became an assassin? And how did you know Viktor would still be around for you to kill him? Couldn't he have just flown off to a different country or something?"

"His name is very well-known, child. I told you before, he is the head of the child trafficking industry here in L.A. He wasn't that hard to find once I was deep into the devils' nest. Besides, there were more attacks by him in the following months after my son's death. The police were on his trail, and so was I. And I learned how to shoot with my wife. She had a passion for hunting."

"Oh... So you found the guy. And how did you approach him?"

"I offered him my services. He had heard of me and was impressed. I carried out as many assassinations as he wanted, just to gain his trust. He mainly wanted to get rid of competition or traitors," Jhin explained. "When he started trusting me enough to be alone with me, I saw my chance. I knew the moment he died, I would have my days counted. His spies wouldn't rest until they had my head. But I didn't care. All I wanted was to avenge my son and then I would die in peace."

"What... what stopped you from doing that?"

Jhin sighed. He distractedly took hold of the empty cup of tea that Akali had left on the coffee table and began fiddling around with it between his fingers.

"That day he began putting his trust in me, he took me to one of his most coveted brothels. It was filled with little boys. The youngest was only eight years old, I believe. I was shocked by everything I saw. And it only got worse when he offered me to choose one and try it for myself. I... I felt sick... I disappeared with a kid who must have been fifteen, into one of the back rooms and didn't touch him. But I made him promise he would act as if I had. The poor boy was confused but also happy to find someone who, for once, wouldn't force him into anything. So he agreed to keep it a secret." as bad memories invaded his mind, the man gripped the teacup as if he wanted to smash it with his bare hands. "Seeing those children, imprisoned, living in poor conditions, getting yelled at and beaten, and even whipped if they disobeyed, the disgusting smiles of the pigs who dragged them into those small, dark rooms, how at ease they all were with the idea of forcing kids to have sex with them... it angered me so much I vowed that Viktor would die that very night. But then..." he took a deep breath and set down the teacup back on the table. "Viktor waited for nightfall and drove me to an abandoned apartment complex on the outskirts of the city. And there, he kept his crown jewel. A thirteen-year-old boy with whom he had become infatuated and who he had kidnapped. Zed was already there with the kid, using him. And it took all my strength to just watch and not vomit. Only those in his close circle knew of the boy's location. And now I was one of them."

"Jeez..." said Akali. "And they asked if you wanted to... rape the kid, right?"

"Not quite. I was the one who asked to have a go at him, by myself. The other two laughed like animals and praised my eagerness. They liked that "I didn't waste time" and "got down to business on my first night". But I stopped hearing them altogether when my eyes met with the kid's. All I could see was how terrified he was, folded in on himself, his thin, small body covered in bruises. Something awakened in me at that moment. I needed to protect that boy at all costs." his eyes were once again drawn to the picture of his family. "The moment the child saw himself alone with me, he began crying and panicking. I remember caressing him and wiping away his tears while saying "It's ok. I'm here now. I'll take care of you," over and over again."

At this point, Akali had tears in her eyes.

"I had to find a way to get him out of their grasp. And that's what I did. I began plotting to get the police to find the brothels and the boy. It dawned on me that I was the only person capable of saving all of them and if I died recklessly, as I had been planning, those children would never be free."

"And you never got to killing Viktor."

He nodded.

"I used to be a simple man. An artist, a husband and a father. But my thirst for revenge poisoned me and led me to do unimaginable things. I killed so many people, I began to enjoy doing it. And I was dead set on putting an end to Viktor, no matter the cost", he explained, "I lost myself. Lost sight of who I was doing all of it for. And that kid reminded me of just that..."

Akali wiped her tears with her fingers. "That's quite the story."

"Yes, child. I've been through a lot," he said with a smile. And it was easy to see it was a smile of relief. After so many years, he had finally shared his painful experiences with someone. And his eyes had a different shine to them because of that. He looked down at the empty teacup in front of him and asked, "Would you like some more tea?"

"Yeah. That was really good. And super relaxing too. Now I'm regretting not accepting earlier, I didn't know what I was missing," she said, earning a chuckle from Jhin.

"Then I'll pour myself a cup as well."

For a while, neither of them spoke. They simply enjoyed the ginseng tea in silence. Until Akali broke it once again.

"Do you regret it?" she wanted to know, "Killing all those people?"

He held the cup to his lips for a moment, as he thought of an answer. "No. I did what had to be done. I don't regret it. All those people I assassinated were scum anyway. But then again... I'm calling them scum for committing crimes when I just admitted to ending dozens of lives. Isn't that ironic?"

Akali's eyes saddened. "Doesn't that make me scum too? Regardless of them deserving it, I stabbed a man dozens of times and left him to almost bleed to death and kidnapped, tortured and burned alive another."

"And you regret doing all of that?"

The girl tensed.

"I... no. I don't regret it. I still feel like it was... me doing justice. But it's just... their screams are playing inside my mind over and over again. I know they deserved it. But I can't help but feel bad at the same time. Am I crazy?" she asked, looking expectantly at the man.

He only answered after taking another sip. "That only means you have a heart."

"I... yeah. But don't they have one as well? How can they become numb to the pain they inflict on others? Especially innocent children?"

"I don't know, Akali. But we all are a product of our own nature, the way we are raised, the circumstances in which we live and the choices that we make. Whatever the paths of those men might be, they lead them to commit those crimes. But they still chose to do those horrible things. It was in their power to decide. And so, they must be held accountable for their actions."

"Yeah... that... makes sense," whispered the girl, distractedly looking at the bone-white mask he had placed on the table.

More silence.

Seemingly out of nowhere, Jhin asked, "How old are you?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Nineteen. Why?"

His expression was neither happy nor sad. "If my boy was still alive, he'd be the same age as you."

"Oh..."

The conversation got interrupted by Akali's ringtone.

"Huh?" she picked up her phone and her expression grew nervous as she looked at the screen. "Oh no, it's Senna... she's going to kill me."

"At least let her know you're alright," advised Jhin.

She took a deep breath and picked up.

"Senna? Hi... Yeah I'm ok... Yeah, it was wrong of me to leave like that, I'm sorry. Yeah... I know I worried everyone, sorry. How's Ekko?" she nodded lightly as her friend spoke on the other end of the line. "He calmed down and is now sleeping? Thank goodness..." she exchanged glances with Jhin, who smiled with satisfaction. "Oh, where I'm at? I'm... with Kai'sa. Yeah, she stayed at the mansion this year. Family problems. You know the drill. I'm keeping her company..."

The man frowned upon hearing the blatant lie. There was already tension in the air. If her friends discovered she was lying, things could go sour.

"Yeah, I'm spending the night here, don't worry about me. Try to enjoy the rest of Christmas Eve with Yas and Qiqi. I'll be home in the morning. Bye!" *click* "That went better than I expected."

Jhin confronted her with a very serious expression. "Are you certain lying to her was the best decision?"

She gave him a nervous smile. "It's fine. If I told her the truth, that I was with a "friend that she happens to not know", she would only ask more questions."

Jhin wasn't convinced but changed the subject to alleviate the tension. "Alright, if you're certain... It was pleasant to hear some good news about Ekko. I hope he heals, no matter how much time it may take."

Akali's eyes began shining like they always did when Ekko was mentioned. "Yeah. Tonight was a rough night for him and I should have been there to give some support. But I'll make it up to him."

A wide grin drew itself on Jhin's lips. "Judging by how much you worry about him... it's hard not to think something is going on between you two."

Akali giggled. "I know. Everyone back home thought the same. Hell, many people still think that nowadays. But it's not true. Ekko and I... we're not a thing. Neither of us is straight..."

Jhin was caught off-guard. "Oh."

Her eyes sparkled like diamonds as memories flashed before her. "As a kid, I didn't have any friends. The other children were afraid of me because I was known for picking fights." She looked at her kunai resting on the coffee table. "Even when I changed schools, my bad reputation followed me, and everyone kept their distance. I acted like it didn't bother me. But in reality, I felt very lonely. But then, I met Ekko. When you're just a lonely kid, and someone shows up and wants to be your friend for real, you hold onto them very tightly. We became so close, I started seeing him as my little brother. He saved me. From being alone. I owe him a lot."

"You did a lot for him when you saved him that night."

"Yeah... But Ekko has done so much for me all these years... and not just for me. For his family, for his community, for everyone around him. His heart is as big as the World."

The man laughed. "You don't miss an opportunity to praise him, do you? And yet, you're spending Christmas Eve with a boring old coot, when you could be with your friends and that boy that you adore."

"I don't think you're boring. Or old. You told me a sad, yet interesting story about your life."

"You think my life is interesting?"

She nodded eagerly. "Of course. It takes someone incredibly brave and intelligent to do what you did. You're nuts. And also very kind. You watched over and saved all those boys. I'll forever be grateful that you helped Ekko so much. Besides, you make great tea."

Having never heard comments on his actions from an outsider's perspective, Jhin had never considered what Akali was saying. And it warmed his heart that she thought so highly of him.

"Thank you, Akali. I've been alone for so long, that I forgot what having good company feels like. Tonight is a night I won't forget." she gave him a big goofy grin and he suddenly remembered something. "Oh, goodness. We've been talking for hours and I haven't offered you anything to eat. Where are my manners?" he scolded himself, getting up from the couch.

"It's ok man, don't stress," she reassured him. "Hey... do you think I could sleep here? I can't exactly show up home after telling Senna all that..."

Jhin chuckled as he opened the fridge. "Of course, you can. There's a small bedroom behind that door. I'll sleep on the couch."

Her eyes widened. "Oh, no, no. I can't do that. I'm just fine staying right here. It's very comfy."

The man put down a plate of cookies in front of her. "I insist. You're my guest and it's only for tonight."

She still felt guilty about stealing his bed. But shrugged. "Well, thanks. Whatever you say, man... Oh, wow! Those cookies look really good. You also bake?"

He gave her an enigmatic smile as he sat back down. "I might have told you my life story. But there's still a lot you don't know about me."

-----

"Is everything alright Cait? You barely said a word all evening" said Jayce when entering Caitlyn's study.

The woman, who was resting her head on her hand, looked at him with a serious expression. "Sure... I just have a lot on my mind," she said in a slightly annoyed tone.

It wasn't with him that she was angry. Those reporters invading an off-limits area and disclosing information that was only to be known by the police on national TV still hadn't left her mind. And Jayce knew it.

"There was nothing you could have done about that. We'll just have to prosecute them."

"Yes, I know," she complained, tapping with her pen on the desk, "But what bothers me the most is how they found out about the house. We've been keeping everything under wraps. Did they follow one of our patrol cars?"

"I don't know, Cait. We've been so secretive about everything and it just feels like the information will blow up sooner or later. Ekko is a world-renowned rapper after all. The journalists won't give up until they put together every piece of the puzzle. We might have to prosecute more of them."

Caitlyn sighed and straightened herself in her chair. "And you? You were also quiet tonight. That's not very usual at family gatherings. What's the matter?"

She had noticed that during dinner, Jayce had been fidgeting his fingers and feet. Even now the muscles on his shoulders and legs were like stone. But despite his discomfort, he went straight to the point.

"I... there's something I've been meaning to tell you for some time now. And I don't know what you'll think of me once I do. It's about Viktor."

Her eyes widened.

"Let's go to the living room. I want both of you to hear this," he said, readily heading out the door.

Their families had already left to go home for the night, and Vi was alone in the living room reading a book. When her friends entered, she didn't even take her eyes away from the page she was on.

"Hey, Jayce! When you gave me this, I thought you were joking. But the story is actually really good and I'm enjoying it so far, so thank you. Maybe I should read more often."

When she finally raised her head, she noticed the frowns on their faces and put down the book.

"What's going on?"

Caitlyn stepped forward. "Jayce has something important to tell. He was waiting for our parents to leave to be alone with us."

Vi whistled. "You know how to keep the festive spirit alive, huh old man? What kind of mess did you get into this time that we'll have to get you out of?"

Crestfallen, Jayce sat down on an armchair. "I wish it was that simple. But this is about Viktor."

Her jaw dropped. "What? Did something happen?" she asked, turning to Caitlyn who was taking the seat beside hers.

"I believe Jayce means to tell us something about his past," she said.

The Christmas lights on the tree flickered and illuminated the man, who was gathering up the courage to drop the bomb.

"Viktor and I... we were a couple when we were younger."

The girls' eyes widened. "WHAT?" they almost screamed in unison.

"That's right... we were young, still in high school and we fell in love. Even when we went to separate Universities, him to pursue Robotics and me to study Criminal Law, we stayed together. At the end of our first year, that's when it happened-"

"You broke up cause you realized he's a piece of shit?" asked Vi, who got immediately nudged by Caitlyn, silently telling her not to interrupt.

"Viktor trusted me so much that he thought he could tell me his darkest secret, that he had a thing for children, and that I would accept him just as he was. But I froze completely. I couldn't believe what he had just told me. I even asked if it was some sick joke, but he was dead serious. All I could think about was that he was scum and an absolutely disgusting human being and that he had betrayed me, withholding that information for so long. And I told him just that..."

"And he didn't take it well, obviously," commented Vi. Caitlyn gave her a bored look but didn't do anything this time.

"Yes... he started getting nervous, trying to make me understand that he had never touched a child in his life. And all the love that he needed, he got it from me." his eyes were filled to the brim with shame and regret. "But I wasn't listening. I was so confused and mad and sickened that I just got up and left. And I never cared to even hear from him again."

The girls' jaws were on the floor.

"You left him? Just like that? No goodbyes, no explanations, nothing?" asked Caitlyn.

"I... I was so dumb. I should have taken that information in slowly. I should have reassured him that what he felt towards children was a mental illness and it was not his fault. I should have offered to help him find psychological help. I should have been there for him every step of the way. Instead, I hurt, humiliated and abandoned him when he chose to trust me with a painful secret he had kept his whole life. I was the first person he ever trusted with that information and I had the worst reaction possible... He dropped out of University one week later and just disappeared. The blow he took was so strong that he abandoned his life-long ambitions of becoming a scientist."

Silence fell over the room. Everything was so hard to process, Caitlyn had stopped breathing. Once she noticed it, she let out a shaky breath. "So... you blame yourself for Viktor's actions?" she asked as soon as she regained her composure.

Jayce looked at her. "Not exactly. Going after those children and hurting them is something that rests solely on his shoulders. But I still feel partially responsible. I could have helped him. I could have not been an insensitive asshole that day. And maybe things would have turned out differently."

"You think something broke inside Viktor because of the way you treated him that day and that was the trigger for him to start hurting children? To let out his frustration? He told you that he hadn't touched a single kid back then. But what if he was lying?"

Jayce shook his head. "I don't know, Vi. He didn't seem capable of such atrocities back then. But maybe I didn't know him as well as I thought."

Caitlyn spoke with a very serious expression, "Whether that faithful day was the trigger or not, he was the one who ultimately decided to hurt all those children. You can't be blamed for that."

"Yes, that is true..."

The blue-haired cop sighed and rested her head on Vi's shoulder, who immediately wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I always thought it was odd how Viktor was so fixated on you, when all you did was arrest him. This explains why he went so far to get revenge. You already had history together and bad blood with one another."

Jayce lowered his head and nodded. "That day we found out about his first attack, the victim of which was a nine-year-old asian boy... I almost didn't want to believe it was the same Viktor I had fallen in love with. I was in denial. It had to be another Viktor. But alas... It was indeed him and my heart broke into a million pieces. I went after him for two whole years. And when I found him and we fought, and the acid came into contact with his face, I almost panicked. There was still a part of me that cared for him. He had committed horrible crimes and I knew it. But seeing him screaming and writhing around in pain... it hurt immensely."

The girls gave him sympathetic looks.

"And then he went ahead and got plastic surgery done by threatening the plastic surgeon like a weirdo. I can't imagine how weird it must be to look at your ex-boyfriend and see your own face," commented Vi.

"Believe me, it's surreal. And sort of creepy."

Cait was once again lost in her own thoughts. After a good minute of silence, she decided to risk the question. "Jayce? You don't... you don't still have feelings for him, do you?"

The man creased his eyebrows and frowned. "Of course not. How could I possibly be in love with someone who has hurt tons of innocent children? That's all in the past."

And by reading his microexpressions and body language, Caitlyn knew he was telling the truth.

But there was something more in his eyes that he was trying to conceal.

Was it hesitation...?

-----

Thursday afternoon arrived in a flash. Yasuo dropped his younger friend off at the psychologist's office, just as planned.

"Come in, come in." Janna's soothing voice welcomed the nervous Ekko who had opened the door but was hesitant to step inside. The boy's fingers gripped the doorknob as he entered the room.

Janna's office was cozy and spacious with light wooden walls, a wooden floor, and a desk resting on top of an immaculately clean rug. There were colorful chairs, bean bags and couches all around that made the room feel very lively, and the window sills were decorated with potted plants and cacti.

It was an inviting space.

It felt safe.

"We can sit wherever you want. On the couch, on those chairs over there, on the carpet... Wherever you feel most comfortable."

Ekko blinked, a bit taken aback by her cheerful demeanour. However, it was a welcome change. For the last two months, everything around him had been nothing but monotone and depressing.

"The couch is good," he said simply as he watched Janna sit down. A few seconds later, he followed her lead. He made sure to keep a good distance from her by settling on the opposite end of the couch.

"Sorry if my question was weird. Every patient of mine is different. Some of them have certain traumas and beg me to just sit on the floor instead of in a chair amongst other things. It happens so often, I've just gotten into the habit of asking everyone what they want to do. You feeling welcome here and comfortable is all that matters to me." she smiled. "So, how have you been? You're still having all those nightmares?" she asked sweetly.

He lowered his eyes in response. "Yeah. But I don't wake up screaming as often. That's something I guess."

"Last time you weren't ready to talk about them. Are you willing to do it now?"

He hesitated.

"Well... yeah why not... They're all more or less the same thing. It's those men who hurt me coming after me. And... attacking me. And there's nothing I can do to stop them. Or sometimes, it's just flashbacks of things that happened. Awful things. The moments where I felt utterly helpless and alone replaying inside my mind."

She jotted down some things in her notebook. "Are those dreams more fantastical and abstract or more realistic?"

Ekko's expression darkened. "They feel way too real. Sometimes, when I wake up, for a brief moment I truly believe I'm in danger. Until I realize where I am and I remember my friends are in the other rooms."

"I'm so sorry. That must be incredibly stressful," said Janna with genuine concern. "However, it's a good thing you can rely on your friends so much and how safe they make you feel."

"Yeah, they're real ones..." he admitted with a weak smile. "They've been trying their best, but there's only so much they can do. That's why I called you."

Janna nodded. "You said something happened on Christmas Eve that you wanted to talk about?"

Ekko bit his lip, his hand clawed at the armrest below it. "I... I saw something on TV that just made me... snap. They showed footage of the house where I was imprisoned. I began having flashbacks, every moment of what they did to me started flashing before my eyes. Even things I didn't even remember anymore..." Troubled, the boy held his head in his hand.

"And how did that make you feel?"

"I started getting dizzy, everything was spinning around me. And then I just threw up. My friends were horrified. I knew they were there but I felt so alone. As if I was physically back in that old house, and at any moment my kidnappers could come and hurt me. It was all too real. Way too real. I... I was so confused and scared and ashamed. I couldn't breathe, I was losing all my strength, my heart was beating so fast I thought I was going to die. I just ended up on the floor, crying."

"Oh, dear... You suffered a full-blown panic attack. You seeing the place that caused you so much pain triggered it. It's something that happens a lot to people with PTSD, such as yourself. Everything you just described is normal in a panic attack, such as the feeling that you're going to die and your body faltering. So if you were concerned for your health because of that, you don't have to be."

"Well, I wasn't. But that's good to know," he admitted with a sad smile.

Janna scribbled more unintelligible notes. "I have to admit. I wasn't expecting you to be this talkative, it was a pleasant surprise. When I was with you at the hospital, you barely uttered a word. Your friends did a wonderful job with helping you and making you feel more comfortable." a glimmer of hope sparked in her eyes. "Since that's the case, do you feel ready to talk about the time when you were imprisoned? It may be too early, I just want to know."

The tension in Ekko's muscles was cranked up to eleven. He stopped breathing, and his eyes widened slightly. "N-no... that's... that's a bad idea," he stuttered, looking away.

"I'm sorry, I knew it was too soon. It would be too uncomfortable and too painful." she went silent for a moment, weighing her options carefully. "What about your feelings toward everything that happened? Would you be willing to share that?"

Ekko looked back at her. "How I feel about everything? I... I guess I could do that..."

Janna smiled. "Very well then. Can we start with the night when you were kidnapped? Is that ok?"

The boy's nails dug into his palms. "Yeah... But I don't have a whole lot to share ya know? I don't remember much from that night. Everything is very hazy."

"No problem, let's take it slow. What are you able to recall?"

Ekko took a deep breath.

"I remember being at the party with Akali and that man approached us. He was acting strange, but I didn't think much of it. Fans can get nervous when meeting us. I was so... I don't know... at ease? That he must have been staring at me all evening and I didn't even realize. He kept trying to act nice and offered me a drink that I didn't know was drugged. I..." he stopped. Shame was burning inside his chest. "I feel so stupid for accepting a drink like that from a total stranger. He said he was a police officer and my friend knew him, or so she thought, and it felt safe. But it was still a stupid thing to do, especially because he went out of our sight to go grab the drinks. I just... I just didn't think anything bad could happen."

Janna spoke calmly and softly. "I understand you're ashamed. But it's that man who should be ashamed for tricking you. You didn't ask him to spike your drink, you didn't do anything for him to come after you with bad intentions. I am going to repeat this a lot because it's necessary: it wasn't your fault. None of what happened that night was your fault. I need you to believe that without question. There will be people who will try to victim blame you. Even your mind defaults to victim-blaming after these things happen. But it's a lie. None of what happened was on you, Ekko."

The somber boy nodded, eyes glued onto the floor. "I've been working on shaking off the guilt. My parents and friends already drilled into my brain that I'm not to blame. It's not easy, but I think I'm getting there."

"It's good that you're already getting support from your loved ones," said Janna with satisfaction. "Please proceed."

"When the drugs kicked in, I didn't know what was going on. My head was hurting and spinning and I felt nauseous. My body began shutting down as if I hadn't slept for days. I got a bit scared, but I acted cool not to worry my friends. That man came after me again and advised me to go wash my face. I wanted to be polite, he was a fan after all. So I accepted. He just wanted me to isolate myself to make the kidnapping easier..."

"Do you also feel shame for doing as he wanted?"

"Yeah... I fell into his trap so easily. I was a moron. He had this weird look on his face, as if he was too eager to help, ya know? I should have been more careful and refused his suggestion, but the drugs were making it hard to think clearly..." the boy lamented. "That's about all I can remember from that night. All else is a blur."

"That's ok. What about when you woke up in an unfamiliar place? It must have been really scary."

His heart began racing inside his chest.

"It was. I... I didn't know where I was, what had happened, how I had ended up in that room. My head was hurting really bad, my body felt heavy, I couldn't move at all. It was terrifying." he admitted. "And when that man came in, I remember fearing for my life. I couldn't imagine what he wanted. I couldn't understand why he had kidnapped me. And when I found out I... I just wanted to die."

Janna could see his muscles were tense, his nails were tearing through the skin of his palms, sweat began dripping down his temples.

"Ekko, please. If it's too much for you, you don't have to talk about it."

The boy shook his head. "I won't talk about what he did to me. I just want to share my feelings. I need to let it out."

She nodded and then waited patiently for him to continue.

"I... I thought I could stop him at first. Even though he was taller than me and looked stronger. But he just threw me around like it was nothing. It... it hurt so much..."

"What hurt? How he handled you?"

"No. My pride..." tears were now shining in his eyes. "I always thought I would be capable of defending myself when the time came. But I got a reality check in the worst possible way..." he glanced at Janna who was listening attentively with a sad expression. "Everything that happened inside that room... it tore me apart. The pain I felt every time he had his way with me was indescribable. I could barely find a position to sleep in because it felt like my limbs would rip and fall off. And it always felt like my back would crack open right in the middle. But all of that doesn't even come close to how much I was hurting inside..."

Warm tears began streaming down his face and Janna shook her head, feeling pity for the poor boy. No matter how many times she heard these stories, she could never become numb to the horrible pain these people had gone through.

"I was scared of what he would do next. And when his friends came along, it all just became ten times worse. They would abuse me together. And make me feel... Disgusting. Worthless. Helpless." his voice broke and he let out a sob. "I... I'm so sorry..."

"No, it's ok. Sometimes it's all simply too much. Just let it all out," she said sweetly handing him a handkerchief.

But he raised his hand, rejecting it, letting the tears fall down his cheeks.

"All I could think about were my parents and my friends. I wanted to be with them. I wanted to go home. I tried to run away once, but that only made them even more aggressive and vicious. I... I don't know how to say this but... it got so bad that I tried to end my own life."

"Oh, my dear... I'm so sorry to hear that."

"I was weak. If I had succeeded..."

"No, Ekko. You were actually very strong. You were brave enough not to go through with it. You stopped yourself before it was too late. And that takes an immeasurable amount of strength. I'm proud of you," she said, her eyes shining.

"Thanks, Miss Janna..." replied Ekko, lowering his head. It hadn't been him. That was a lie. If it hadn't been for Jhin he wouldn't be here right now. "What I'm about to say is going to sound very strange. But in a way... I feel like I didn't survive my suicide attempt."

"How so?" she asked, uncomprehending.

More tears broke from his sad eyes. He hesitated before continuing.

"The person I was before all this, is dead. And that Ekko isn't coming back. He was destroyed in that old room. They destroyed him. I'm nothing but an empty shell now." he wiped his tears with the back of his hand.

"You truly believe that? That they destroyed you? And that you're damaged beyond repair?"

He nodded, his eyes red and puffy. "I can't even look in the mirror anymore. Or look at pictures of myself. I only feel disgusted. I'm reminded of everything that they took from me."

Janna stayed silent for a few moments, assimilating what the boy had said. Then, she reached into one of the drawers of her desk and took out a blank sheet of paper.

"Ekko, would you mind writing down a few things? Here's a pen."

He raised an eyebrow. "What for?"

"Trust me," she said. "In this corner, I want you to write the names of the most important people in your life. In this one, the things that you enjoy doing the most. And here I want you to list the things that you like most about yourself. Your best qualities."

Even though it seemed impossible, the teen now looked even more defeated than before.

"I... it's kinda hard to find something to like about myself right now..."

"I know that. You're in a very dark place and it's hard to see things in a positive light. But I had a session a while back with a certain girl who wouldn't stop praising you."

His eyes widened. "Akali? You spoke to her?"

Janna nodded. "You might not see it in yourself right now, but she would go on and on about how kind, caring, selfless and loyal you are. She said you were always there for her when she needed it most, to make her laugh or listen to her struggles. That you're good to the core and you have a heart of gold."

A hint of a smile was beginning to form on Ekko's lips. "She said all that?"

She winked playfully. "And that you were the reason she passed maths in high school."

Ekko chuckled. With newfound courage, he grabbed the pen and began writing. Akali was the first name he added to the list. Janna saw this and smiled. The way these two talked about one another, the way the eyes of one would shine whenever the other was mentioned. Perhaps they meant more to one another than they realized...?

"Alright, I'm done. What is this for, anyway?"

The woman didn't answer his question. Instead, she gestured towards the paper. "Crumple it up."

Ekko was confused with her order but obeyed.

"Now, I want you to make it smooth again, exactly the way it was before, with no wrinkles."

The boy's eyebrows creased. "I-I can't..." He stuttered, unfolding the paper.

Janna smiled. She picked up yet another blank sheet of paper and held it in front of him, between her index finger and thumb. Then, she tore it right down the middle. "This is what you just described. You feel destroyed as if your abusers tore you apart. And you believe there is no way to fix your soul and your body. That they're broken. That it's over. When in reality..." she took the paper he had unfolded and lowered the torn one. "you were just put under intense pressure and are weakened and scarred." To demonstrate, she crumpled it up again with both hands. "But you're still whole. You're not broken," she said softly, unfolding the paper and displaying every crease on its surface in front of him.

The boy could feel tears forming once again. His chest tightened.

"There is no old Ekko or new Ekko. There is only you. Everything that makes you who you are is still inside you. They didn't take that from you," she explained, pointing at all the things he had written. "It's impossible to go back to a time when you were free of all the trauma. What you went through left deep scars that will forever be a part of you. But scars can heal. And you can still take over your life and live it. A wrinkled paper can still be written on, isn't that right?"

She handed him back the paper with both hands, but Ekko didn't immediately take it, limiting himself to grabbing it with trembling fingers. He hadn't even realized that Janna had gotten so close to him, that they were both holding it from opposite ends. A warm tear fell down his cheek. His eyes were shining with gratitude. "Yes, I understand. Thank you, Miss Janna." And with a smile, the woman retreated her hands.

She waited for a moment, as he wiped the tears from his eyes, and then spoke again. "Now, about your nightmares... There isn't any medicine or specific treatment for you to get rid of them. But I know of a way to help. Through meditation."

He tilted his head to the side. "Meditation?"

"Yes, come with me," she requested, getting up and heading for the door. Ekko followed her and they walked together to the end of the hallway. His ears picked up on distant relaxing Indian music that filled the air. "Nightmares are usually the result of a troubled mind and a tense body. And the spiritual arts are a way to help with that."

She lead him towards a room that instead of a door, had a curtain of multicolored glass beads with brass bells at the end. The music got louder as they approached its source.

Janna pushed the curtain out of the way and the dozens of colourful beads and brass bells rattled against each other producing a pleasant sound. Inside the room, sitting on a yoga mat, was a young woman with her legs crossed and her eyes closed. Two jade dragons stood out right from the start as they were circling her head. It reminded him of Kaisa's wing-things that floated above her shoulders. He had never felt the need to ask what those were, but now he wanted to know. The woman's purple dress was long, flowy and open on the side, revealing golden tattoos on her legs.

"This is Ekko. He's that boy I told you about. I entrust him to your care."

The woman finally opened her eyes and turned to them with a smile. "He may come in."

Ekko tensed up at the prospect of being left alone with a stranger, even though she seemed to be a nice young lady. Janna, who was already turning around to leave, sensed his discomfort.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" she offered.

But he took a deep breath and shook his head. "No, I'll be alright." and pulling the curtain out of the way, he stepped inside.

"Your breath is shaky and I can see the tension in your muscles from a mile away," said the mysterious woman, "no one can sleep soundly at night with that much stress in their body."

Ekko froze in place and furrowed his eyebrows. "Who are you?"

Her smile was enigmatic. "My name is Karma. And I left the life in the monastery to help folks like you. Please have a seat," she said, gesturing to the yoga mat in front of her.

The boy followed her instructions hesitantly. "Huh...nice decór..." he said, looking around at the colorful tapestries, lit scented candles, unending rows of flowers and a small fountain in the center of the room.

The smile was ever-present on Karma's face. "I brought it all from my homeland. Except for the fountain. That one was already here when I arrived. I doubt it would have made it past the check-in at the airport, " she joked.

Ekko chuckled and some of this tension abated as a result. She noticed this and extended him her hands, palms upturned. "Is it ok if you give me your hands?" she requested.

The boy hesitated but did as he was asked. Karma gently took hold of his hands, which were a bit darker than her own, and began gently massaging them. She could feel the tendons moving slightly beneath the skin, the bones cracking, and the tension of the muscles slowly fading. He could hear the soft Indian music in the background, inviting him to let go of his worries and relax.

"Wow... that's... really working... you're amazing," praised Ekko, shocked at how much tension his fingers alone could carry.

"Now we work on the rest of the body. Close your eyes. Start by relaxing your neck. Focus on it. Let all that built-up tension go. Sometimes we don't even realize how tense a certain body part is until we truly pay attention to it."

Once again, Ekko did as he was told. And it was true. The hardening of his muscles slowly came undone and washed away like flowing water. He bobbed his head from side to side and his neck felt so free he could barely believe it.

"Now relax your shoulders. Then your arms. Your torso... Work all the way down until you reach your toes."

Under Karma's masterful guidance, his body slowly became more and more relaxed. The soft music enveloped him, making the process easier. The whole time, she didn't let go of his hands and maintained an encouraging grip on them.

"You can open your eyes now. How do you feel?"

"Hm... different. Better I guess," he admitted, letting go of her hands to rub his arm, shocked at how light his entire body felt.

She nodded with that same enigmatic smile on her face. "Good. Now let's focus on your breathing. Straighten your back. Close your eyes once more. And inhale slowly. Hold it for a few seconds... Now exhale." Karma was also following her own instructions, accompanying the boy in the exercise. "Good. Now do the same thing nine more times."

And Ekko did. With each soft exhale, he could feel his heart abandoning its crazed pace and switching to a more normal beating pattern. As if she could read his mind, the woman commented on it.

"That's it, keep going. When I was holding your hands, I touched your wrist and I could feel how fast your heart was beating. I trust this should help."

Ekko smiled and nodded.

"Wonderful! Listen, child, Janna also told me about your panic attack. If you suffer another one, try this exercise. Regulating your breaths is vital to calming your whole being. But it does more than that: it helps you ground yourself in the moment. A panic attack that includes flashbacks is very stressful because it makes you believe you're back in that place that caused all your trauma. But you're not physically there, it's all in your head. And you must try to convince yourself of that, even if it's hard with the intense stress. Focusing yourself on your breathing is a good way to bring your consciousness back to the present moment. As well as thinking: "this is not real, I'm safe, those bad moments are in the past and right now I'm ok." If you're not capable of doing all of this on your own, ask someone you trust to calm you down."

Ekko opened his eyes. "Yes, I'll do that. I already feel better... I almost can't believe it. I haven't been this relaxed in months. Thanks, Miss Karma."

"You're very welcome," she said, satisfaction very apparent in her voice. She extended her hands once again and the boy held them. "but remember, Ekko. Today you might feel better. Tomorrow you might feel worse. After tomorrow you might experience another panic attack. And the day after, you might feel better again. It's all ups and downs. What matters is to keep going. Healing is a difficult process and is never linear. But we'll be here as long as you need our help."

Ekko could feel tears wanting to escape his eyes again, so he blinked to dissipate them.

"Thanks again. You and Miss Janna did a lot for me today. I'll come back soon for another session."

"I'm happy to hear that. Now go, my dear, with many blessings."

Their hands parted and Ekko got up. When he opened the curtain, and the glass beads and bells sang in unison, he turned back to wave goodbye one last time, and Karma waved back. Then he left.

"So, how was the experience?" Janna wanted to know. She had left her office door open and Ekko had just stepped inside.

"That was nice. I feel much more relaxed."

"I can see that," she said with a smile, studying his body language. "When are you planning on coming back?"

"Huh... maybe next week?"

"Very well. See you then!" she hurried to jot the information down on her notebook.

Ekko was about to exit the room when she called him again.

"Wait, Ekko. Before you go, there's something I wanted to propose to you..."

Surprised, the boy turned around to listen.

Chapter Text

"You did WHAT?" Akali shrieked.

Ekko was giving her a smug grin, casually reclined against the graffitied wall behind him.

"C'mon, Akali. They needed to know the truth. You can't hide that you're a rapper forever. How else are you going to join that group those girls told you about? By running away from home?"

Akali had entered a rap battle that afternoon. Everything had been normal at first. The crowd had been as enthusiastic as ever. People had cheered for her like always. Her opponent had started the battle already intimidated. Nothing new there. She had spotted her parents in the audience...

Oh, God...

Her parents were here? How? Why?

E-Ekko was behind it?

How could he have done this? After swearing to keep it a secret from them?

She was on the verge of jumping out a window.

"Ekko, you don't understand! My parents will..."

"What? They'll do what exactly?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She bit her lip. "Well... nothing, really... but I bet they're extremely disappointed. I just broke their hearts..."

He rolled his eyes. "You can't keep on pretending that you want the same as them. Do you really want to end up as a martial arts teacher? What's going on with you? Where's that determined, confident Akali I know? She would never back down from something like this."

Her entire body drooped.

"I just... when it comes to my parents... they're so happy when they talk about passing the dojo down to me..."

"That's because they don't know what you really want. They're happy because they think you're happy," explained Ekko in a calm tone.

Akali sighed. "I just haven't had the courage yet. And now I don't even know if I'll be able to face them."

Ekko smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't be silly. You're amazing, you were born for this. And your parents will see it. They'll understand."

Akali eyed her friend with uncertainty. Her fingers were shaking a little. She almost jumped when she heard a familiar voice.

"Akali!" called her mother, making her way through the crowd, tailed by her father.

The girl's body tensed even more. "Uh-oh... they don't look very happy. Or am I seeing things?"

Ekko chuckled. "It's going to be fine. Go face them and make me proud!" he said, looking her straight in the eyes and squeezing her hand for comfort. "Gotta dip. This is between you and them. Come see me after to tell me how smoothly everything went." he gave her his trademark cocky grin and simply left.

"Wait! I..." she tried, reaching her arm out. But he was already gone. She sighed.

Her parents' footsteps got louder until they came to a stop.

"Akali, Ekko told us to come here because you had a surprise for us. And it was indeed a surprise. Your father and I weren't expecting..."

"Yeah, I know, I know. This looks bad," the girl said, turning around to face them. "I didn't want to keep it a secret, I swear! It's just... you guys are always talking about the dojo and how I'm going to run it one day. You're always gushing about how good my technique is and how amazing I'm going to be as a teacher. But mom, dad... as much as it pains me to say this... I don't want to inherit the dojo."

"Akali, we..." her father tried to break through the flurry of words.

"I know! I know what you're going to say. You're disappointed. You were always so happy about keeping the business in the family... I'm sorry, ok? I'm really sorry. But teaching martial arts is just... your thing. This," she said, gesturing towards the crowd and the spot where the rap battle had taken place, "is my thing. This is what I love doing. I know you're going to say music isn't stable as a career. But I'm really good at it. And I believe I can make it work. These two girls came to one of my concerts and said they wanted me to join a group with them and..."

"Akali, please let us speak," requested her mom. When her daughter finally stopped the rant, she seized the moment, "Sweetie, we're not disappointed in you."

The girl, who had her eyes cast down, raised her head in shock. Her eyes widened. "Wait. You're not?"

"No, of course not. You didn't need to keep this a secret from us. It's true that maybe we got ahead of ourselves when making plans for you." he exchanged glances with his wife before looking at his daughter once again. "Teaching at a dojo has run in the family for generations. And we just assumed you would want to continue the legacy. I admit your mom and I got a bit excited when trying to talk you into it."

Her mom was smiling apprehensively. "We never meant to make you feel like it was something you had to do. You were so good at it, a prodigy, that we were already seeing your future unravelling before our eyes. But it was wrong of us to do that. Your future is yours to decide. We just want to see you happy."

Akali's chest was all warm inside. She looked from her mom to her dad with her eyes shining. "You guys..."

They both smiled back at her.

"Wait, honey. What is this about two girls who want you to join their group? Is that what you said?"

Her mother was also curious and looked at her daughter expectantly.

Akali hesitated but nodded. "Do you know Ahri and Evelynn? They're big names in the music industry?" as her parents were giving her confused looks, she gave up. "Nevermind, doesn't matter. They saw a video of me that went viral and decided they wanted me as the rapper in their new group. Apparently, it's called K/DA." here, her eyes widened. "Oh! Only you and Ekko know about this! Please don't tell anyone, it was supposed to be a secret."

"Don't worry, sweetheart, we won't tell a soul," her mother promised, "What does you joining their group actually imply?"

"Hm... Ahri will sign a deal with the record label on my behalf because I'm not eighteen yet." she hesitated before speaking again and when she did, she sounded unsure. "And hm... the studio is in Los Angeles..."

Her parents looked at one another with worry.

"Los Angeles? That's so far away, dear. And you're so young..." said her father.

"Dad, please!" she begged, joining her hands together, "I promise I'll be responsible. This is the chance of a lifetime and I want to grab it..."

The man rubbed his chin as he thought for a moment. He checked with his wife once again and she nodded as if they could communicate telepathically.

"Alright. We trust you, Akali. But can we at the very least meet these girls? I'm sure it's a reasonable request," her mom wanted to know.

"Yes! Of course!" The girl couldn't contain her enthusiasm. She threw herself against their chests and gave them a tight hug. "Thanks, mom! Thanks, dad!"

"We're sure you're going to do great, sweetie. Just now, when you were rapping... is that how you say it?... against that boy, we didn't really know what was happening. But the crowd was loving you."

"We're proud of you, sweetheart. I hope everything goes smoothly when you join their group," said the woman with a smile.

"You guys are the best!"

But just then, it occurred to her, that it wasn't just her parents that she needed to thank.

"Hm... if you excuse me, there's someone I gotta go see."

Her parents nodded. She gave them one last hug and then sprinted down the street.

It didn't take long until she spotted Ekko saying goodbye to another boy he'd been talking to.

"Ekko!" she called.

He turned in her direction and smiled. "Hey! So how did it...? WOW!" he got interrupted when she rammed into him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Thank you, Ekko. Thank you. They're not mad. They said yes. They said I can go. It all worked out! You were right. You were so right. Thank you."

She felt his hand patting the top of her head, messing up her hair. "Aw, look at you. I'm so proud of my girl."

Amused with his gesture, she let him go, held him for a moment at an arm's length and then began ruffling his hair.

"Hey, stop it," he complained jokingly while laughing. When he was able to push her hand away, she noticed his smile was wide and true, but there was some sadness in his eyes. "I'm really happy for you, Akali. I really am. But... I'm going to miss you."

She felt her heart beat faster. Although he was speaking with conviction, his eyes were lowered.

"This is your big chance. Go get them, tiger! Blow their minds. But... don't forget about me... ok?"

She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and he raised his head to look at her. "Don't worry. We'll make a video call every month. I'll keep you updated on everything I do. It'll be like I never left."

He looked a bit more cheerful. "Promise?"

"Relax. I couldn't forget you even if I wanted to," she joked, winking playfully.

(...)

"Home..." Akali whispered, looking out the window of the moving train. Little by little, the landscape had transformed, giving place to high rises and streets she knew like the back of her hand.

Her heart was beating fast, her face was red with excitement. She had been away for far too long. Above all, there were some people she missed dearly.

When she hopped out of the train with her luggage in hand, it didn't take long for her newfound fame to begin working against her.

"Akali? That's Akali! She's over there!"

Before she had any time to react, a group of fans swarmed her, taking pictures, asking for autographs and screaming in her face. She smiled uncomfortably at the strangers surrounding her and tried to push through the wall of people, with no success. Suddenly, someone took her hand. The grip wasn't crazed or tight, just comforting. Curious, she turned around and immediately recognized the familiar face of a boy who was smirking at her. He began pulling her along, leading her through the sea of screaming people. Once they were out, both friends sprinted away to a quieter street to escape the excited fans.

"Guess that's why we don't have many global superstars in San Francisco. Their admirers are so crazy, they barely escape with their lives," Ekko joked, trying to catch his breath.

"I see you're still making bad jokes."

At the very least, one thing had stayed the same.

They looked at each other and laughed.

"Oh man, look at how much you've grown!" she exclaimed with delight, not believing her own eyes. The boy who before barely reached her chest was now taller than her.

"At least one of us did," the smirk was still plastered across his face.

That also hadn't changed.

"Shut up. Don't make me regret coming back to visit, " she teased, moving closer to give him a tight hug, "I missed you..."

He returned the gesture. "Me too..."

Slowly, they began walking down the street. Akali was surprised at how much the city could change in only three years. Some stores had closed, new ones had opened in their place, others had occupied spaces that were previously abandoned, they passed a playground that hadn't been there before... It was a whole new world.

"Time changes things," said Ekko.

"Yeah," she agreed, looking all around. She hopped in front of her friend, stopping him in place, "like when I saw your name making the headlines in L.A.!" she gave him a friendly punch on the shoulder. "You're going far, dude!"

He laughed. "Oh, that. Yeah, I've been making a name for myself. People have been coming from other states just to watch my shows."

"Oooooo! We have Mr. Popular over here!" she joked.

"Says the girl who is known all over the world and can't even exit a train without getting mobbed."

"Hey, don't be so modest. You've done all of this by yourself. I'm super proud."

He smiled. "Man, I missed hanging out with you..."

The girl smiled back. She was going to reply when she heard a familiar voice.

"Akali! It's so good to see you."

It was Kayn. He was confidently walking up to them and opened his arms to give her a hug. However, Akali had other plans and extended her arm, offering a handshake. "Hey, I'm happy to see you too."

Kayn's confidence quickly switched to awkwardness. His cheeks turned a light shade of pink. He quickly grabbed her hand, to try and save the situation, and gave it a comforting squeeze.

Ekko had to fake a cough to hide a laugh. Kayn gave him a death stare before looking at Akali once again. She didn't like that.

"So? You wanna hang out?" he asked as if Ekko wasn't there, "we could go down to the docks like we used to do. Just you and me. What do you say?"

"That's really nice of you, Kayn. But Ekko went to get me at the station and my parents are waiting for us. See ya later," she said with a forced smile. She wrapped her arm around Ekko's torso, which felt funny since she had always been tall enough to reach his shoulders and gently pushed him to continue their walk.

Through the corner of their eyes, the two friends could see Kayn glaring daggers at Ekko. He stayed further and further behind.

"He never stopped liking you."

"No! You think?" the sarcasm in her voice was very clear. "He doesn't take a hint does he?"

"I don't think anyone around here does. Rumors still say I'm in love with you."

"That never died down? Not even with me leaving for three years?"

"Nope. Still going strong. Speaking of that." a playful grin appeared on his lips. "Is there something going on between you and one of the girls?"

She turned red as a tomato. "No... Yes... Maybe...? How do you know?"

"When they film behind the scenes or you give interviews, I can see the looks you give Kai'sa. Am I wrong?"

She couldn't help but smile. "Well... it's nothing... official yet. But yeah... You have the eyes of a hawk, dude."

"I just know my best friend like the back of my hand."

"What about you? Anything going on?"

"Nah. I just haven't found... the right person yet. With the fame I've gained, there are tons of girls after me. They just don't know I have no interest."

"Tons of girls? Wow, you're quite the charmer. Never knew that side of you." she teased. "Not a single guy though?"

"Nah. It just... isn't my time yet."

She patted his back soothingly. "That's alright. You still have your whole life ahead of you."

"You sound like an old lady."

"Oh yeah? Then let the old lady pay you a coffee," she said walking up to a table outside a Café.

Ekko pulled up a chair. "Aren't your parents waiting for you? Or that was just to get rid of Kayn?"

"No, they are. But this won't take long. There's something I want to tell you. You know that we're on hiatus right now. And I have contractual freedom to do pretty much whatever I want..."

"Yeah?" he asked, filled with curiosity.

"Well... there's this side-project I'm working on. A new group, filled with a wide variety of talents from different backgrounds. And we're still missing one member. And I was thinking about...you."

Ekko's jaw dropped. "Me?"

"Yeah. I mean, you're a great rapper, you can dance, you're charismatic. You've already made a name for yourself all on your own. What's not to love? Having a friend this talented, where else am I supposed to look?" Akali couldn't hide her enthusiasm.

He, on the other hand, tensed up. "Akali... I... I don't know. Don't get me wrong, I'm honored. This is the chance of a lifetime. But..." he looked around him. "What about our neighborhood? What about my parents?"

Her happiness dwindled. "What about them?"

His eyes became clouded by worry. "You know my parents. They kill themselves working to support me. I can't just abandon them. Who will take care of them? And my city... I've been working so hard to put it on the map. To bring people here and let them know Hunter's Point exists and is thriving. And is not just a dying city in a hole the world forgot..."

"Ekko, you can still do all that. We'll do our gigs and you'll send money to your parents. Think about it: they won't have to work as hard anymore! And with all the international attention you'll get, everyone will want to know where that talented kid comes from. And everyone and their mothers will know this place exists. It's perfect!"

Akali looked expectantly at her friend to study his reaction.

And little by little, his eyes gained a glint of happiness.

"Well... To be completely honest, I hadn't thought of it that way..."

Akali's smile grew even bigger as the corners of his mouth began turning up.

"If you come with me, I promise you won't regret it. The other members are cool and you'll get along swimmingly. We'll need your expertise with lyrics and Yasuo and I will make the beats. Oh, and Senna and Qiyana have angelic voices and..."

She heard a scoff. Ekko raised his head and looked her in the eyes once again with a mysterious smile.

"Alright, alright, I get it. I already decided."

As if challenging him, Akali leaned forward while smirking, elbows firmly planted on the table and resting her chin on the back of her hands.

"So, what will it be?"

-----

"Akali? You're leaving again?" she heard from the corner of the living room.

And it almost gave her a heart attack.

Startled, she froze in place and her eyes immediately began scanning the room through the darkness. She managed to distinguish the silhouette of a person sitting on the couch right before the floor lamp beside it was turned on.

"Ekko? What the heck? What are you doing in the dark? You scared me to death!" she shout-whispered at him to avoid waking up the rest of their friends.

His demeanor was sad but firm. "And what are you doing, leaving every day in the middle of the night?" then, his voice softened. "I'm sorry about scaring you. I just wanted to talk. We haven't hung out for real in months. You're never home..." he paused for a second. Akali's expression had transformed from anger to deep hurt and regret. Despite the dim lighting, he could see it. "I know you don't want to tell anyone what you're doing or where you run off to. And I respect that. But... couldn't it wait? Just for tonight? Can we sit here and talk? There's something I really need to let out. And you're the only one I trust..."

He had sounded more and more hopeful with each word. They were like a knife cutting through Akali's heart.

"I..." she began. But her phone vibrated and she looked at the time. "I'm so sorry. I would listen to you right now. But..."

"But? But what?" this time, he sounded desperate. "You don't even have five minutes? What you're doing is more important than me?"

Her heart broke. Unable to hear anything else, and at a loss for words, she turned away. "I'm sorry, Ekko. I really have to go."

With that, she hastened out of the room and out the front door. The guilt she felt didn't let her look back.

Disheartened, the boy reclined on the couch and sighed. Sorrowfully, he got up, headed for the hallway and walked up the stairs, dragging his feet.

The lights of the second floor suddenly came on.

"Ekko?" Senna was at the top of the stairway, waiting for him.

He stopped right where he was. His fingers gripped the handrail.

"You were right. She is avoiding me. I was just too blind to see it."

"Oh, Ekko, I'm so sorry..." she whispered, shaking her head. She went down one step and opened her arms. "Come here..."

Feeling lost and weak, the boy walked into her embrace and let his friend's arms envelop him.

"I didn't want to believe it, but she doesn't make time for me anymore. We're growing so far apart... Even our conversations on Christmas day felt so distant..."

Senna sighed. "I don't know what she's trying to do. But I'll find out. I've been sitting idly by doing nothing for too long. Her private life is none of my business. But she's hurting you. And that, I can't tolerate." she caressed the back of his head. "You've suffered enough."

The teen gently let go of his friend and looked up at her.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Senna. Everyone always got along so well, from the very beginning. I would hate to see our friendships crumble over nothing."

The girl smiled.

"Don't worry, Ekko. I'll go easy on her," she promised, crossing her arms, "Now maybe you should go to sleep. You must be tired after waiting for her for so long."

He nodded. "Yeah. Will do. Good night."

Ekko disappeared through the hallway, into his bedroom. When his door was shut, Senna dropped the confident, tough facade and frowned. She looked down at the darkness at the end of the stairway and shook her head in disappointment.

Akali was making a mistake.

And she had to act before it was too late.

-----

"I'm so sorry I took so long. I know it's the oldest excuse in the book, but I fell asleep," Akali tried justifying herself as she entered the Art Studio. She held onto the doorknob, gasping for air.

Jhin was leaning against his desk with his arms crossed.

"It's only natural. You've been depriving yourself of a good night's sleep for some time now. Don't worry about it, child. Why don't you have a seat and rest?"

Thankful, Akali dragged her feet over to the couch and let herself fall on it. She worked on catching her breath and gave her sore legs a much-needed break.

Afraid of drawing attention to Jhin's hideout, she never parked her motorcycle nearby. So that night, she had run all the way, for ten minutes non-stop, afraid of arriving too late and thwarting their plan.

"Did something happen?" the man asked, out of nowhere.

Nothing escaped Jhin. Not even the slightest change in behavior or tonality of voice.

She couldn't understand how he did it. But there was no point in even asking "what?".

With the guilt eating her up from the inside, the girl lowered her head.

"Well... Ekko caught me as I was going to leave and said he wanted five minutes of my time. But I was already late, so I had to leave him hanging. I feel so bad..."

"I already told you I no longer need your help. My shoulder has recovered. You're here because you want to. I appreciate your efforts, but you should prioritize Ekko right now."

"I know but... there are still other kids out there, suffering in the same way he did. How can I sleep at night without first taking those brothels down?"

The man shook his head.

"You're an adult, Akali. I'm not going to tell you what to do. I understand you're still looking for revenge. I desire the exact same as you. But tell me one thing: have you asked how Ekko is doing this week?"

Her silence spoke volumes.

"I see," he said in a disappointed tone, "Excuse me if this isn't the nicest thing to hear: But perhaps you could stop throwing him to the wolves and trading him for the people who hurt him."

Shocked, the girl's eyes widened. She glared at him with such intensity, that it felt like she would burst into flames at any second.

"I'm trading him? How dare you say that? I'm doing all of this for Ekko and because of Ekko. He's all that I have on my mind."

Jhin looked at Akali's sour expression and tried to smooth things over.

"Listen, I'm not looking to start a fight, I'm saying Ekko needs you right now. I know he has his other friends. But you're practically family. And if you don't pay attention to him-"

"I get it. Are we done?" she spat, unwilling to let his accusation pass. Senna wouldn't let her be when she was at home. And now she had to deal with Jhin too? "I already came in late. The sun will be up in a few hours. Can we just go?"

Ignoring the harshness of her words, Jhin sighed. "Of course. Just one thing."

He walked up to a collection of intricate maks that were decorating the wall and chose one. It was a deer mask, white and blood-red with a symbol on the forehead and golden antlers sticking out from each side.

The girl's anger dissolved like water as she admired how beautiful it was.

"We're not just after a lone idiot anymore. Protect your identity. We're heading into dangerous territory."

-----

"Yo, it's Qiyana! You're Inessa's youngest sister, right? That Latin American mega-star? It's an honor to meet you."

She could remember how excited Ekko was to meet the other members of True Damage.

His enthusiasm was almost... sweet.

But the boy hadn't realized how displeased she had become with his statement.

Head resting on her arm, fingers tapping on the dining table, her expression turned from uninterested to sour.

"And you're... Ekko. Akali told me," she said, looking over her sunglasses and scrutinizing him from top to bottom.

"Yeah!" he exclaimed, offering a handshake, "Maybe you've heard of me before?"

"No, never heard of you," she coldly replied. "Come talk to me when your name makes the headlines in Latin America." she got up, walked away and left him hanging.

Instead of being visibly taken aback by her attitude, Ekko retreated his hand and squinted his eyes as if he was trying to figure her out.

Just as the girl was exiting through the door, Akali showed up.

"Hey, Qiqi. Have you talked to Ekko-?"

"Huh huh," she uttered without even stopping to address her friend properly.

"What's up with Qiyana? She left the room like her ass was on fire. What did you do?"

Unbeknownst to them, she stayed nearby to listen to what they would say about her.

"What? Nothing. We barely talked," she heard Ekko complain, "between you and me, she's a spoiled diva. I was nice to her and she ignored me completely."

His comment made her frown. How dare he?

But at the same time... could she really blame him? She had been rude and condescending. He was in the right to feel hurt.

"Qiqi does have an attitude. But it isn't like her to be that rude. I think you said something she didn't like."

"Nah. I can't see what could have upset her so much. I didn't say anything weird or made jokes. I'm innocent on this one," the boy swore.

She had not meant to make such a bad first impression of herself.

But he had mentioned Inessa...

Eugh...

And that had made her skin crawl.

People just had to keep bringing her up, didn't they? Her perfect older sister who had taken Latin America by storm.

And she was just Qiyana. Inessa's youngest sister...

The girl shook her head to keep the intrusive thoughts away and headed outside. She could use some fresh air. She arrived at the front porch just in time to see the mailman gain distance and Senna walking up to the house with letters in hand.

"Good morning, Qiyana. Just who I was looking for. There's a package for you."

"For me?" she looked behind Senna and saw a tightly-wrapped cardboard package resting against the mailbox. She took a few steps forward and froze in place when it became clear the address was from Bolivia. Flabbergasted, she didn't even care to take the box inside. She ripped it open on the spot.

"A... a phone. My parents sent me a phone. As a late birthday gift..." she stuttered, her eyes wide open with shock.

She checked behind her to see if Senna had heard her talking to herself. But the girl had already disappeared through the door. Relieved, she turned her attention back to the brand-new object.

This smelled fishy.

What was going on?

They had never remembered her birthday. Ever.

Why now?

"Maybe they wanted to congratulate me for joining True Damage and expanding my career," she could remember whispering to herself.

It was so improbable.

But the light had appeared at the end of the tunnel.

"I know it's hard to believe but... maybe they just remembered. Maybe... for once," she tried to convince herself.

And against all odds, she smiled. The phone glinted in the sunlight and she turned around to go back to the house.

The rest of the day went by without anything major happening.

Until it was time to sleep...

She remembered innocently walking up the stairs, eyes glued onto the precious gift and opening the door to her bedroom.

Only to suddenly let out a shriek that passersby had definitely heard outside.

A bucket had been placed on top of her door and the water had dropped all over her. She was drenched from head to toe, her pants and shirt clinging to her skin. As soon as she was able to put herself together, she was no longer just shaking from the cold, but also from the anger that she felt building up inside.

She didn't have time to open her mouth and protest, because laughter erupted from just around the corner. Ekko showed up, covering his eyes and holding his tummy, with an expression of pure delight.

"Oh man, you should have seen your face."

She glared daggers at the boy before remembering the phone in her hand. Panic took over when she noticed the screen was black and it wouldn't turn back on.

Ekko must have noticed something was wrong because the laughing ceased.

"You ruined it..." she said more to herself than to him.

The boy looked embarrassed.

"Qiyana, I'm so sorry."

Her eyes sparked with anger.

"¿Qué demonios estás haciendo? You ruined it!" she yelled.

"I-I just thought you needed to chill, so I set up a prank and I... I didn't mean for this to happen... it was only a joke."

"Oh, save your excuses!" she yelled again, red with anger and stomping her foot.

She hadn't even realized the other three people in the house, startled by her screams, had approached to find out what was going on. They simply stood still, watching the scene unfold.

"I-I'll make it up to you. I'll buy you a new one," Ekko tried.

But it made her completely lose it. She closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye and their noses almost touched.

"A new one? A NEW ONE? You insensitive asshole! This was a birthday gift from my parents!"

If the boy looked ashamed before, he was now absolutely mortified.

"What? I'm so sorry, I-"

Blinded by rage, she let out things she didn't mean to tell her closest friend. Let alone some kid she had just met that morning.

"They never remember my birthday. Never! Do you know how many times I've heard "happy birthday" from them? Zero! They don't call, they don't ask how I am! They don't give a shit! Because I have nine older sisters, who are perfect and who they love more than me. And when I finally decide to carve a path for myself and they notice it, for the first time in my life, they notice something I do, some random kid with the maturity of a 5-year-old just comes and ruins everything! Do you know how many gifts my parents have given me? One! This one! And you broke it!"

Ekko was too stunned to even speak. But his sad eyes spoke volumes.

Good. He should feel bad and be sorry for what he had done.

Completely over it, she turned her back on him and finally noticed Akali, Senna and Yasuo just watching in silence.

"What are you looking at? You guys have nothing better to do?"

"Qiqi, I..." Akali tried to say. But she walked up to the girl and interrupted her.

"And you! Remember to double-check before you invite someone to join the group. They might end it before we get our first gig!"

She had never been that angry in her life up to that point. And since then, she had only been even angrier than that once, when confronting Kayn about his lies.

She remembered thinking she might have taken things a bit too far. But at that moment, she had simply exploded and let out years of internalized hurt.

And she wouldn't apologize for it.

Ekko was the one at fault, after all.

With everything said and done, she left her phone on a table, beside one of Yasuo's potted plants, as it wouldn't be of any use to her anymore, and stormed off to her room, closing the door with a loud bang.

During the next three days, she remained sad and quiet and not even the attempts of the other members to cheer her up worked. She had planned on ignoring and avoiding Ekko, but it hadn't been necessary.

The boy had retreated into the garage, to do heavens-know-what and would only leave to grab a snack from the fridge after everyone else had gone to bed.

Akali had expressed her disappointment in him and had told him to grow up and Senna and Yasuo had shook their heads in disapproval. And this had affected him greatly. Not to talk about the guilt he felt.

As much as she didn't want it to, this worried her.

Ekko was only a kid. And kids do some stupid stuff sometimes. She didn't want him to punish himself with self-inflicted isolation. And by starving himself. And not allowing himself to sleep. Which is what he seemed to be doing all at once.

And so, on the third night, she was in the living room, readying herself to get up and go talk to the kid, when he appeared at the door.

He had his eyes glued onto the floor, and there were bags under them from the lack of sleep.

"Hey, Qiyana... You got a sec?"

A little surprised, she remembered uttering, "Sure," in a bored tone, and watching as he made his way onto the chaise-longue where she was. Her eyes widened and her jaw fell when he took out her phone from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Here. I'm sorry about the prank. It was stupid, I acted like a baby," it was like the dark circles under his eyes were pulling the eyelids down with all their strength, but the boy fought against it, "I'm really sorry. Can you forgive me?"

Her jaw was still on the ground.

"You... you actually fixed this? All by yourself?"

He smiled. "Well, it took three days and nights with no sleep. But yeah, I managed."

She suddenly realized her mouth was ajar and immediately closed it. She straightened her hair and put herself together. "Not bad. You did a... pretty decent job," she said, looking at the phone from all angles. "Nice one, kid."

"Thanks," he said, looking down for a moment. He hesitated at first but ended up sitting beside her. "So that means you forgive me?"

"Hm, I don't know. Let me think..." she joked, grabbing her chin. His smile dwindled a bit. "Sure, kid. Maybe you aren't so bad after all."

She had spent the past three days thinking the absolute worst of him when he had owned up to his mistakes and made a huge effort to make things right again. She could finally see why Akali was best friends with him.

The boy beamed with happiness, "I'm glad. Again, I'm really sorry."

"It's fine. Everyone makes mistakes. Well, not me but... I suppose I could have been nicer to you when we met. So... huh... sorry... about... that."

It had been so hard for the words to come out that she had closed her eyes the moment "sorry" was enunciated. But when she turned to face Ekko, she realized he had fallen asleep. He hadn't heard anything of what she'd just said.

"How rude," she complained.

But a smile formed on her lips. After all, she could show her appreciation in other ways.

She picked up a blanket and covered the sleeping boy, to make sure he wouldn't be cold. Feeling the warmth, Ekko unconsciously shifted onto his side and rested his head against the soft backrest.

"Good night, Ekko," she kindly said. And then she finally went to sleep.

-----

Qiyana didn't know why she had remembered all this, with all the details, all of a sudden. She had been listening to Ekko and Senna talk about his sessions with the psychologist and suddenly this entire memory came to mind and she had stopped hearing her friends altogether.

"Group therapy? She suggested that? Do you think you're ready?" asked Senna.

"I... maybe... I think so. I would like to try," Ekko stuttered. But in his voice, there was a hint of resolution.

"Go for it. Maybe it'll be good for you."

"Yeah... I guess I will."

Qiyana couldn't avoid noticing how his eyes were cast down and his voice was so brittle that morning. It's not as if their lives had been sunshine and rainbows as of late. But the boy seemed down in the dumps.

"Ekko, did something happen? Did you fight with your parents when they called last night?"

She immediately caught his attention. With a serious expression, he looked at her first, then at Senna, who nodded for him to proceed and then back at her.

"No, the fight was with Akali. It wasn't exactly a fight but... I guess we're not on good terms now..."

"With Akali? I should have expected that. It was only a matter of time until things would turn sour."

Ekko's gaze darkened even more. "I already knew it, deep down. Senna also commented on it with me. I just didn't want to see it."

Seeing the boy hurting so much, made Qiyana's heart tighten.

"So... what are we going to do about this?" she threw into the air.

But Senna had her answer ready. "Leave it to me. I already have a plan."

She creased her eyebrows, filled with curiosity. "So, what is it?"

"I'd rather keep it secret for now. I'll fill you guys in when I have more information."

Qiyana rolled her eyes. "You're boring, you know that? ¡Pero vale, que sea!"

Ekko rubbed his arm with discomfort. "I'm honestly afraid of that plan. What if you find absolutely nothing? And she's just away from home because she doesn't want to be near me? What if I disgust her now...?"

"No, Ekko, that's impossible. Akali wouldn't-" tried Senna.

But the boy immediately cut her off. His harsh words were filled with resentment.

"Impossible? She'd rather go out into the night than spend five or ten minutes listening to me. It took her almost three weeks to go see me at the hospital and she only did because Kai'sa dragged her along. She never even asks how I am or approaches me."

"But... I thought you two settled things when you were still in the hospital..."

"Can I really trust her words, when her actions show the complete opposite?"

Both girls were left speechless.

"I... I just hope that isn't the case, Ekko. I sincerely hope it isn't. From the bottom of my heart," Senna was able to say when she found her words once again. Her eyes met with Qiyana's and she saw the worry in them, clear as day.

Akali couldn't feel disgusted by Ekko because he had been...

She couldn't be avoiding him because of what had happened.

...Could she?

She almost slapped herself.

No. It couldn't be real.

She was going to get to the bottom of this.

And then the truth behind Akali's motivations would finally be revealed.

-----

"You're quiet today," said Janna that afternoon.

It was bright and sunny outside. She had opened the window earlier, and a cool breeze was coming through, messing with the papers on her desk.

Ekko tensed up.

"I'm sorry."

She smiled to reassure him.

"No need to apologize. Is something the matter?"

The boy bit his lip. "I... I had a fight with my best friend last night."

Janna blinked with surprise.

"With Akali? Over what? Would you like to talk about it?"

He hesitated. "She... I think what happened to me changed the way she looks at me."

"How so?"

His expression turned sour. "I think she feels disgusted when she looks at me. When she first saw me, after I was found, she had so much pity in her eyes. And she still looks at me like that. Like I'm something that broke."

Janna's eyes widened. "Has she said anything to you that confirms your suspicions?"

He shook his head. "We barely talk anymore. She's never home. It's like she's avoiding me."

"You have to talk to her and tell her how her behavior is making you feel."

"How? If she doesn't even make time for me? I asked her to stay home instead of going out last night and said I had something to tell her. She said she couldn't, didn't even look at me and left without saying goodbye..."

Janna frowned. This was a tough one.

"Try talking to Akali again. Just try. Give her a second chance. If it still doesn't work out... maybe I can have a conversation with her."

The boy raised his head. "You'd do that?"

"Of course. Maybe she'll open up to me and I'll find out what's going on," she said with a smile.

Ekko sighed. "If you manage to do that... it would be great."

"I'll give it my best," she promised, "Now, let's talk about you. I know I suggested group therapy in our first session. But are you sure you're ready?"

"Yeah. I know it's early. But I feel like I can take the next step," he explained.

She shook her head. "There's no early or late when it comes to things like this. Everyone is different, and some feel ready sooner, others later. It's just that meeting other survivors and sharing your story with them and listening to their experiences can be intense. I just want to make sure you're one hundred per cent comfortable."

"I am," he affirmed with confidence, "I'm sure."

She smiled, "Alright. It's settled then," she picked up her notebook and jotted some things down," but before we head there, I would like you to meet someone."

Ekko was caught off-guard. "Meet someone?"

Janna nodded. "A boy who is also in group therapy. It should be easier if you know at least one person right?"

"Huh, yeah. I-I think so..." Ekko stuttered, unsure, "Where is he?"

The woman delicately got up and gestured with her hand.

"Follow me. I'll introduce you to him."

Chapter Text

"Wow, cool," said the boy sweeping a strand of blonde hair out of his face. He admired the exotic blue stone that he had found at the bottom of the stream. It sparkled in the sunlight as he studied it from every angle. Satisfied with his discovery, he placed it on top of a pile of other gemstones that he'd been stacking for a while.

A notebook with a black paper cover lay on the grass beside him and he picked it up. He opened it, revealing detailed drawings, schemes and descriptions that he had made himself. Taking a pencil from behind his ear, he began jotting down a few notes. That was when the sound of approaching footsteps grabbed his attention.

"Hello, Ezreal. At it again, are you? Did you find anything interesting?" a sweet voice asked from behind him.

He didn't need to turn around to know who it was. But once he did, he noticed Janna wasn't by herself. Beside her was a boy he'd never seen before.

He wasn't much taller than him. His face was mostly hidden by his hoodie, but he could see just enough of his features. He had dark skin, unruly dreads and sad golden eyes. And he recognized that sadness.

How?

Because he was too familiar with it. More than he wanted to be.

"Hey, Janna. Yeah, actually I did," taking his attention away from the new boy, he picked up the stone he had found, "This one is Santa Maria aquamarine. I've never seen one up close, they're extremely rare. But I'm not surprised. Only someone like me would be able to find one here."

Janna smiled. "That's quite impressive." She looked at the other boy who was with her. "There's someone I want you to meet. This is Ekko. He'll be joining us in today's meeting." Then she gestured with her head in his direction. "And Ekko, this is Ezreal, my assistant."

"Number one assistant." Ezreal corrected with a smug grin.

"Of course. My number one assistant," she said rolling her eyes, "Would my number one assistant be so kind as to show him around the Center? I'm sure Ekko would appreciate that." She looked at the boy and his muscles visibly tensed.

"I huh... sure... I guess I'd like that," he stammered.

"Consider it done," Ezreal affirmed with confidence.

Janna couldn't help but smile. "Wonderful! See you, boys, later." And with that, she turned around and walked away.

Ekko watched her distance herself in silence. She seemed almost eager to leave. Was it his imagination?

Maybe she was just testing him and studying how he reacted when left alone with new people. Maybe she wanted him to get over the slight fear he now had of approaching strangers.

He didn't know...

Realizing that Ekko was too nervous to initiate a conversation and in order to break the ice, Ezreal spoke. "Hey, come check this out."

Curious, Ekko walked over to see what the other boy wanted to show him.

"See all these gemstones? There's pink and green tourmaline, clevelandite, kunzite and this is the rarest type of aquamarine on the Planet. It was first found in Brazil and that's where the name comes from. I've been here since 5 a.m. gathering them. Just like I do every day! Some might say they are extremely hard to find, but for me, it's a walk in the park."

Ekko raised an eyebrow. Modesty didn't seem to be his strong suit. It certainly reminded him of someone... But at least the gems were pretty. The... what was it again? Santa Maria aquamarine? Shone brightly among the others with a deep blue hue.

"What do you need them for?"

"I take them home and study them."

"You live around here?" Ekko wanted to know. He couldn't imagine himself putting a bunch of shiny rocks in a bag and carrying them around the city just to have a closer look.

"Yeah. In that house over there. The one next to it is where Janna lives."

"Oh." Ekko couldn't help but notice how he addressed Miss Janna so casually. They must be really close. "She called you her assistant, right?"

"Yeah, I work at the Center when school is out. I organize Janna's paperwork, do a little cleaning here and there and just all around help her with whatever she needs. And in my spare time, I come here. I like to go exploring and then I take note of everything I see," he explained, picking up his notebook and handing it to Ekko.

"That's nice," he said, browsing through the book, and finding detailed drawings and schemes of the planets, the cycles of the moon, insects, herbs and rocks.

Ezreal flashed a mysterious smile. "And you? Ekko, was it? What do you do for fun?"

"I... huh... I like... music."

"That's pretty cool. Do you play an instrument?"

"Well, I was learning guitar a while ago..."

"You were? You stopped, then?"

"I..." Should he tell him the truth? About why he had stopped taking guitar lessons? Or would it be awkward to just bring that up in the middle of the conversation? Whatever. That was the whole reason he was here anyway. "Let's say that the most recent events in my life haven't been the best. And I put all of the music stuff aside because... I just don't have the capacity to care right now..."

"Ah, I see..." the other said.

"Yeah." Ekko averted his gaze and pulled the hoodie to hide his face a bit more.

Silence fell between the two of them. The stream burbling as it travelled along its bed, and the wind blowing through the surrounding vegetation was all they could hear for a minute or so. During this time, Ezreal silently put all his gemstones in a pouch, his notebook and his pencil in a backpack and when everything was done, he spoke again.

"So, you wanna see the Center? You've only been to Janna's office, right?"

Ekko raised his head, but he still didn't look him in the eyes. "I've also been to Miss Karma's room."

"Alright! I'll just drop this off at home and be right back."

Ezreal didn't take long. When Ekko saw him again, he was smiling wide.

"Very well. Our first stop is... right here," he announced, gesturing around the green field surrounding them.

"Wait, this is part of the Center?" Caught off-guard, Ekko forgot to be nervous for a moment and looked Ezreal in the eyes.

"Yep. The place where the building stands was just another field like the rest of it. Until the original owner built the Center back in the 40's I think. And then he invested in the remaining land and began these orange plantations that extend for miles."

"I didn't imagine. That's kinda cool," said Ekko. He felt a smile creeping up onto his lips. "You sound like a tour guide, you know?"

"Yeah, I've been told. Natural born talent."

Like Miss Janna had done earlier, Ekko rolled his eyes. There was so much shameless boasting, that it was almost comical. He didn't know whether to describe Ezreal as slightly annoying or endearing.

Well, he was probably both.

But he had been very welcoming and had put him at ease with no effort.

So at least, he had that going for him.

"It's nice out here," Ekko admitted, admiring the rows of orange trees that extended as far as the eye can see.

"Yeah, it's pretty great," Ezreal agreed, his eyes shining. "Now I'll show you the inside. Follow me."

And Ekko, finally pulling his hoodie down, went with him without hesitation.

First, Ezreal lead him to the children's play area. A very colorful room, with pillows scattered all over the floor to be sat in and drawings of cute animals on the walls. They passed by a hallway with many closed doors where individual sessions were taking place. Miss Janna was the only one who had her door open. She was at her desk, surrounded by papers and she broke her concentration for a moment to wave at them. At the end of the hallway, just as Ekko already knew, was Karma's room, with the curtains of colorful beads and the fountain in the center. As the woman was in the middle of her meditation, the two boys simply poked their heads in not to interrupt her. The brass bells chimed as they moved the curtain, but Karma didn't move an inch. Finally, on the second floor, Ekko saw the rooms where group sessions were taking place. And his heart skipped a beat.

"This is our final stop," announced Ezreal, stopping in front of the last door. He opened it and gestured for Ekko to enter.

The meeting room was as inviting as everything else in the Center. It was big, with many small windows and a few paintings on the walls. Light wooden tones dominated the environment, from the floor to the furniture, to the chairs displayed in a circle. Much like in Miss Janna's room, the sunlight came in through the open curtains, giving the room a very calming vibe.

Ezreal confidently walked up to one of the chairs. He sat down and then patted the seat beside him. Ekko was still looking around as he sat. They had been the first to arrive. But how early were they, exactly? When would the others show up?

The sound of heavy footsteps behind him answered the question.

Through the corner of his eye, he saw a tall, buff man, in his late twenties, perhaps early thirties, wearing a blue scarf around his neck. His eyes were tiny and oval-shaped and were brown just like the hair. His lips were so thin, his mouth was barely a black line crossing his face and it gave him a stern, unfriendly look.

Ekko couldn't help but freeze in place as the stranger approached him. He hid his face with the hoodie, as his nails dug into his legs.

Ezreal tried to calm him down. "Hey, relax. It's just Garen. He looks tough but he's a cool guy." To prove his point, he spoke up. "Hey Garen, what's up?"

The stranger greeted him politely. "Hello, Ezreal. Nothing much. I just came here directly from work." Then, the man moved and he felt his eyes craved onto the back of his head. "Ah! A newcomer. Be very welcome, young man. What is your name?"

His tone was friendly enough, very different from his serious expression. Carefully, he let the hoodie fall and looked at the stranger. "I-I'm Ekko."

"Are you a friend of Ezreal's?" the man wanted to know.

To his relief, Ezreal had this one covered.

"He's a new kid. We met this afternoon. Janna asked me to welcome him and show him the ropes."

"I see. It's a pleasure to meet you. I know the first day is always nerve-wracking, but I promise we don't bite," he joked, "I hope this group will be helpful to you. Like it was to me."

"Th-thank you..."

With that said, Garen left to go sit across from them.

Ekko lifted his eyes to take a better look at the man. But his attention was immediately drawn away from him as he heard the sound of more approaching footsteps.

"Good afternoon, Ez," said the voice of a girl.

Surprised, Ekko turned around. What was a girl doing here? Wasn't this a support group for boys and men?

The young woman was tall, fair and elegant. Her loose hair was silver like moonlight and almost seemed to glow. She was wearing a black and periwinkle dress and heavy makeup. Beside her, was a slender boy with the same exact face, also donning a heavy dose of makeup.

"Twins," he thought.

The young man's pearl white skin contrasted heavily with his dark purple eyes and his hair that was black as the night sky. His expression was dead serious, making him seem a bit unfriendly.

"Oh, hey! You guys are early today," said Ezreal.

"Yeah, Phel didn't sleep in for once. You know how he likes staying up late," she replied sweetly.

Then, her eyes found Ekko's and her delicate lips curved into a smile.

"Oh, hello. Who are you?"

He hesitated. He looked at the young man, beside the girl, who was observing him with interest. "Huh, I'm..."

But to his surprise, the girl's jaw dropped. Sudden realization shone in her eyes.

"Oh my God! Wait... Y-you're Ekko. Am I right?" she looked at the young man who was just as shocked. "THE Ekko? The famous rapper?"

His throat tightened. "Huh, yeah. That's me, but..."

"Oh my God. Phel, it's really him!" A broad grin turned up on her face and the boy's jaw dropped. "I'm Alune, this is my brother Aphelios. We're big fans! It's an honor to meet you."

Ezreal's eyes widened. "Wait, what?" But he crossed his arms and raised his chin. "I mean... of course I know who he is. It just wasn't clicking at first. It's not my style of music you know?"

Alune laughed. "Ah, yes, of course you know. There isn't ever anything you don't know, isn't that right, Phel?" she asked, winking at her brother.

But Ekko wasn't registering anything of what the others were saying. His body had become tense.

Meeting the twins had awakened a new fear inside him.

Being recognized by fans in a place like this was a sure-fire way for his secret to suddenly become public.

Why had he decided to come here? Stupid, stupid, stupid...

He could only hope this boy and girl wouldn't go around telling other people that they had met him at a help Center for rape survivors...

"We were already your fans before you joined True Damage. Your lyrics always sound so perfect and your rapping is top-notch!"

Aphelios nodded and a slight hint of a smile formed on his lips. He must be quite shy. He hadn't spoken a single word thus far.

"Thanks, I'm, huh... glad you like it?"

Even though the siblings had both kept their composure, Ekko could tell they could barely contain the enthusiasm. Their eyes were shining like stars.

"Well, we better go sit down, the session is about to start. Come, Phel."

Alune and Aphelios sat down beside Ezreal and warmly exchanged greetings with Garen.

For the third time that day, Ekko was alerted to the arrival of yet another person. But instead of footsteps, he heard the spinning of wheels crossing the tiled floor.

"Here is good, Sivir, thank you," said the voice of a man.

When Ekko turned around, he saw said man was in a wheelchair and a younger girl was pushing it.

At first glance, the pair looked middle-eastern. And extremely rich. The man's skin tone was slightly lighter than his own, his dreads were significantly thicker and longer and he was wearing a lot of jewellery on his fingers and around his neck. The girl accompanying him had long black hair, tan skin and was wearing solid gold hoop earrings.

He watched as she removed the chair right beside him and replaced it with the wheelchair.

"Alright, uncle. I'll come to pick you up later. See you."

"Of course, I'll be waiting," he said in a solemn manner. The man's jewels glinted when he took notice of Ekko.

"Hello. Do I know you, young man?"

Ekko's nerves kicked in once more.

"I-I don't... know?" He tried smiling and acting natural, but the muscles on his legs were as hard as bricks.

"You are that child rockstar, are you not? I would recognize your face anywhere."

"Huh... actually I'm a rapper," he corrected him, "for True Damage."

"My name is Azir, young man. Son of the CEO of Shurima Enterprise. You are Ekko, correct?"

"Huh, yeah. I've... I've heard of you too."

This guy was filthy rich, sole heir to one of the biggest corporations in the world. Just what was he doing in L.A. in some random Support Center? If he needed help, didn't he have contact with some of the best psychologists in the world?

"It pleases me greatly to meet you. There is finally someone in the room who is famous like me. I no longer feel like the odd one out," the man joked.

"Yeah... sure..." he almost whispered.

The hairs on the back of his neck were standing.

He shouldn't be surprised that most people would know him. He was a public figure, for crying out loud!

But his head had been so full of so many different things up until that point that the possibility hadn't even crossed his mind.

Azir would definitely tell someone that he'd met him. And the twins would too.

Would it be ok for him to ask them to keep it a secret?

Would they accept it? After all, Alune and Phel were huge fans. What kind of person resists telling everyone and their mother that they met their favorite idol? That they talked to them? That they spent time with them?

His heart was racing. And his expression must have been filled with so much worry that Ezreal noticed something was up, even though he'd been trying to conceal his panic.

"You ok, Ekko? Wanna get some fresh air before we start? You look like you're about to faint."

"No, no. I'm good," he quickly replied before taking a deep breath.

It was fine.

He was going to be fine.

He would simply ask them not to tell anything to anyone.

And then hope for the best.

No big deal...

"Good afternoon. I hope you're all feeling well." As if right on queue, Janna walked through the door, dissipating all his intrusive thoughts and pulling him back to the real world. "We have someone new joining us today." She looked at Ekko, who shrunk in his chair as all eyes converged on him. "I trust Ezreal has introduced him to everyone?"

Ezreal gave her a thumbs up and she nodded with satisfaction.

"I've been thinking about the best way to welcome Ekko into our group. And I concluded that you should all share your experiences with him. Are you alright with that?"

Garen spoke up. "Excuse me, but shouldn't he be the one to tell his story first? That's usually how we proceed."

"Yes, that's true. But his experience is very recent and it's much too soon for him to open up about it," Janna explained, giving the apprehensive Ekko a reassuring smile.

Garen turned to the boy. "Ah, I understand. My apologies."

Janna sat down and straightened her dress. "Very well, who's sharing their story first?" she asked, looking around the room.

Ekko noticed that the two siblings, who had been relaxed since their arrival, now had very serious expressions on their faces. They exchanged glances for a brief moment.

"Miss Janna? Aphelios is ready to share his... our story," said Alune. Her voice quivered a little, but she remained firm.

"Wonderful, my dear. Go ahead."

Before starting, Alune turned to Ekko. "I'm sure you're wondering what a girl is doing in this group when it's meant for boys. But my brother Aphelios is mute and I speak for him."

Ekko had to control himself not to facepalm. The boy had been silent the whole time, there was someone who was not meant to be there accompanying him. It was so obvious...

"Our story begins when we were just three years old. Our dad was a businessman and was always going on business trips. He was maybe home once a month," she explained. "So we basically lived only with our mother. She was cold, distant and aggressive to us, but painted the picture of a loving mom to other people. She fooled everyone so well, no one ever suspected of her being abusive, not even our neighbors." she paused for a bit to look at her brother." I remember one day she beat me for some reason, I don't even remember why. And then she dragged Phel to her bedroom and... they only got out when it was already night. I tried talking to him, but he didn't even look at me and ran to our bedroom. I found him under the covers, trembling and I asked what was wrong. But he just turned away and refused to tell me anything. It was only days later that he came to me."

At that moment, Aphelios straightened himself and began expressing himself through sign language.

"He's saying: I was scared and confused that night. I didn't want my sister to look at me. I felt dirty and weird and I just didn't understand anything about what had happened. When I finally talked to Alune, I remember saying," I don't know what mommy did to me. But I know I didn't like it. She took off my clothes and touched me and made me do weird things with her. And now I feel gross. And I'm afraid she's going to do it again."

Everyone in the room had sorrow in their eyes, despite having heard this same exact story before. Ekko was in shock. Their own mother... someone who was supposed to protect you and always have your back... had hurt the twins physically and mentally, in ways they were still recovering from decades later. His own mother had been a pillar of strength for him after everything that had happened. He couldn't imagine her ever hurting him. Yet, Alune and Aphelios hadn't had the same luck...

The girl tucked one strand of white hair behind her ear and her eyes were cast down for a bit before she continued telling the story.

"My brother wasn't always mute. He was born with a voice like you and me. But our mother kept abusing him almost daily. Over the years, he just stopped speaking altogether. It wasn't a birth problem. It was the trauma that made him like this." hearing this broke Ekko's heart." At first, I didn't know our mother was raping him. We were way too young to understand. And I didn't tell anyone, because she threatened us and because I was afraid no one would believe me. But one day, shortly after we turned ten, we were home alone with our dad. And he noticed I was limping and that I had bruises on my neck and arm. He immediately realized something wasn't right and asked what had happened to me. I tried to brush it off, but he insisted. And I ended up breaking into tears and letting it all out. I told him everything. About mom, how she hurt Phel, how she beat me. And he called the police and she was arrested that same day."

Ekko's head was spinning.

They had been abused between the ages of three and ten years old.

Aphelios had been unwillingly sexually active since he was little more than a baby.

Man... in what world...

"The story gets happier from here," said Alune, her face lighting up. "We moved out of that house with our dad and he changed jobs, so he could spend more time with us. Phel and I finally felt like we had a real family. Dad was the one who convinced us to get therapy and that's how we met Miss Janna. And it's been a blessing. We both still have a long way to go, but things are looking better than ever."

After everything was said, the girl turned to Ekko, who blinked with surprise. "What happened to you is very recent and you're hurting a lot right now. We all here know what that is like. But it won't always be that way. Trust me."

The boy didn't know what to say, so he simply nodded.

"Thank you, my dear." Janna smiled. "Who's next?"

Ekko was still processing Alune's words and they were already moving on to another story. He took a deep breath to ready himself.

"Alright, I think I can do it," said Garen, straightening himself on his chair. "My story happened in the military. I was twenty-six and on my third year of service. I wasn't exactly a rookie, but I still had superiors who had more authority than me. I was well-respected and admired by my peers and I was good at what I did. But that sparked jealousy from many," here, his eyes darkened a bit, "that same year, my little sister Lux, enlisted in the military. It made me so proud. But I quickly realized that it would mean trouble for both of us. One night, a superior approached me when I was on cleaning duty and told me to stop working and follow him. He lead me to the showers and told me to... undress." He clenched his fist and Janna, who was sitting by his side, gripped his shoulder for comfort. "He said that the admiration of my colleagues had made me arrogant and that I had to be put in my place. I stayed quiet, avoiding eye contact while he also took his clothes off. He turned on the water and raped me right there in the shower. And then made me suck him."

Here, Ekko flinched and closed his eyes shut. A nauseating feeling began taking over his stomach. He knew what Garen was describing was like. And he did his best to keep his own experiences away from his mind. This was what Janna had feared and when he opened his eyes again, he found her looking at him with worry. To reassure her, he gave her a smile. And seemingly relieved, the woman returned the gesture.

"After everything was over, he suddenly said my little sister was really pretty. And that it would be a shame if something bad happened to such a sweet young girl. He had this sneer on his face that I didn't like one bit. I asked what I could do, so she wouldn't get hurt. He called me weak for surrendering to him so easily and laughed. If I didn't tell anyone what had just happened, and let him... use me... a few more times, she would be spared. Needless to say... I agreed. I would never forgive myself if something happened to her."

Ekko shook his head, shocked by the turn of events. What the perpetrator had done... was inhumane. And this man's courage to submit to the one who had hurt him just to save one of the people he held dear...

Garen continued. "Today I still can't take a shower. All the memories from those encounters come back to me and I break down. I've only bathed ever since, and I leave the water as soon as possible" he explained with a sorrowful expression, "So after all of that happened, I couldn't concentrate. And I began suffering from physical pains that made me miss training a lot. My performance got so bad, I ended up getting forced out of the army. My family was furious. They couldn't understand how something so shameful could have happened. They kept nagging me, until one day I finally broke and told them the truth. Instead of being met with understanding, I was met with disgust. By everyone, except Lux, who took my side. I was called weak and ended up being forced out of my own home..."

Man...

He hadn't realized up until that point how lucky he was for having a family and friends who supported him and never blamed him. He was grateful for their love and understanding. But after hearing Garen's story, he had become ten times more so.

"I felt so helpless. I felt like the assaults I suffered had taken away all of my power and agency, as well as my masculinity and sense of self-worth. I want to clarify I have nothing against anyone who is homosexual. I simply began believing I might have become gay because of the attacks. And that is not who I am, I've always liked women. So I began frequenting bars and engaging with every girl I could find. I'm not proud of doing that. That is also not part of my identity. I just wanted to feel in control again."

It was easy to tell the majority of his words had a touch of a certain psychologist to them. It was the talk of someone who had been intensely followed by a professional. Maybe more so than anyone else in the room.

"I ended up getting together with a girl and we were in a relationship for a while. Until one morning I woke up to her giving me a blowjob. And I never said she could. I never asked her to do it. She took advantage of me when I couldn't consent. And it angered me so much that I just pushed her off of me, got dressed and left as soon as I could. I didn't talk to her, I didn't answer her questions and I didn't look back. When I got to my car, I broke down crying. I couldn't believe I had let not one but two people use me like that. I felt like I wasn't a man. I was nothing."

This particular segment of his speech affected all the others around the room. Aphelios tensed and Alune took his hand and squeezed it in a comforting gesture. Ezreal's eyes saddened and he lowered them to the ground. And Azir touched one of his many golden rings with a contemplative stare.

"Man, I'm so sorry all of that happened." Ekko's heart was aching for the poor guy.

"Thank you, Ekko," Garen acknowledged with a nod, "In the beginning, it was indeed very hard to cope. I didn't want to talk to anybody and kept ignoring Lux's calls. But my sister never gave up on me. I ended up accepting her help and meeting up with her. I told her everything. And she was supportive the entire time. I even cried in front of her and she hugged me. I don't get emotional around many people. So it was very cathartic." He took a deep breath, the shadow of sorrow finally leaving his eyes. "A few months later, she began playing matchmaker and convinced me to go out with a friend of hers who was also in the military. Her name is Katarina and we're very happy together. She's also been helping me to the best of her ability. I'm very lucky to have them both."

"Thank you for sharing, Garen, I know how hard it can be," said Janna, squeezing his shoulder.

Azir, who was still fixated on his many gold rings, slowly raised his head. "If everyone agrees, I can try sharing my experience next."

"As long as you're fine with it." Janna smiled encouragingly.

Azir nodded and looked at Ekko. "Well, young man, my story is about people who prey on those who are defenceless. I suffered an accident in my childhood that rendered me unable to walk and I've been in a wheelchair ever since. Because my parents were always busy and they had the means to afford it, I was always looked after by personal caretakers. The problem lies in some of these people, despite being paid to take care of me, not having my best interests at heart. It's not hard to exploit someone when they can't run away..."

Ekko's eyes widened.

There were actually human beings who would stoop down so low as to sexually assault a handicapped person?

Of course, there were...

It was sick...

"It happened my entire life. Both men and women took advantage of me." Azir said. His eyes were fixated on his fingers once more and with one hand, he caressed his gold rings. "It only stopped when, one day, my niece Sivir offered to take care of me. We've always been good friends and I enjoy her company, so I accepted. I ended up telling her about my experiences and she was so horrified, that she decided to take full responsibility for me. And now, I finally have someone I trust as a caretaker."

"I'm glad. At least now you feel safe," Ekko commented.

"You good, Mr. Azir?" kindly asked Alune.

And the man smiled at both and nodded.

"Now, Ezreal, are you willing to share?" asked Miss Janna.

"Yeah, sure."

Ekko couldn't help but notice how, instead of tensing up and averting his gaze like all the others, Ezreal was comfortably reclined in his chair.

"My rapist was my dad's friend. He was so close to my family, he was like an uncle to me. I trusted him a lot. But then, one night, he caught me alone and raped me," while saying this, a slight hint of sadness shone in his blue eyes. He was silent for a moment. But the frown was quickly erased, giving place to a hopeful smile. "And yeah, it felt like the end of the world back then and I was depressed for a while. But that was a long time ago. Then I came to L.A. and restarted my life from scratch. Working at the Center has been pretty great and I made really good friends. So things are much better now."

Ekko's eyes widened. Ezreal was so casual about everything. He made it seem so easy...

Perhaps he had simply healed from it all and now, talking about it was no longer a problem.

His chest filled up with hope. Maybe one day he would be like that too...

"Ekko, dear, now that you've heard everyone else, would you like to share your own experience? Or is it too early?" Janna's sweet voice interrupted his train of thought.

His muscles tensed. His heart rate picked up speed. A freezing sensation rolled down his spine.

Could...

Could he do this?

In front of all of them?

"If you're not comfortable, it's alright," said Ezreal.

"We understand," said Alune giving him a warm smile.

Ekko lowered his eyes to the ground.

He took a deep breath.

And he looked at the others once again.

"I'll do it. I'll tell you guys."

And so he did. With a heavy heart, he began retelling his story, from that fateful night when he'd been kidnapped.

How he'd been drugged.

How he'd woken up in an unknown bedroom.

And how his kidnappers had made his life a living hell.

He chose not to go into too much detail. This wasn't the time or the place for that...

"So that's what happened when you went missing." Alune had turned as white as the full moon. "We followed the whole thing on social media and we always hoped you'd make it back safe and sound. But we could have never imagined..." she exchanged glances with her brother, who was also incredibly tense. "We're just... really sorry. You didn't deserve that..."

"Thank you," Ekko whispered, his eyes glued onto the floor and his chest feeling tighter by the second.

Alarmed by what Alune had said, Garen gasped. "Wait, you are that boy from the news. I can't believe I didn't immediately realize that."

Ezreal looked like he wanted to say a thousand words but was unable to. As if most of them had gotten stuck in his throat. And then, after much pondering, he decided to open his mouth. "Man, I'm... I'm sorry. I can't imagine what that must have been like."

Ekko's eyes began prickling, tears coming dangerously close to falling. Still, he risked an answer.

"It was the loneliest I've ever felt. And I was always so afraid. I never knew what they would do to me next. I lost hope of being found so many times... But then I would think of my family and friends and how badly I wanted to see them again... and that's what kept me going..."

The tightness in his chest only got worse.

There was a lump in his throat.

Suddenly he realized.

He was crying.

Silent tears ran down his face and his hands were trembling.

Why?

Why in front of all these strangers?

Stop it, stop it, stop it...

He tried wiping the tears away, but more broke free from his eyes.

"I'm... I'm sorry..." he whimpered.

But all around him, there were only understanding expressions. No one seemed to shame him for it.

"Don't worry about it, we've all had our moments," said Garen.

"If we judged you for getting emotional, we would be the biggest hypocrites," Azir consoled him.

Even though the tears didn't stop, a tiny smile appeared on his lips. He couldn't help it.

"Could you guys maybe... not tell anyone what you heard today? If my story became public, I wouldn't know what to do," he stammered.

His request shocked Alune. "But of course! We'd never do such a thing." Aphelios tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention and began using sign language. "We know exactly what you're going through. If there's anyone who understands, it's us. We know how much it would hurt if someone did that to us. We won't tell a soul."

Miss Janna gave him a reassuring smile.

She always smiled a lot.

But it always felt warm and genuine. Just like Miss Soraka back at the hospital.

"You don't have to worry, my dear. Your secret is safe with us."

His tears finally subsided. And a warm feeling erupted inside his chest. "Thank you, guys."

Ezreal's sapphire eyes met his.

And his heart skipped a beat.

They were so pretty.

"No problem. You'll see, Ekko. You'll be alright."

And for just a moment, he believed his words.

Chapter Text

This story hasn't been abandoned. It has merely transformed.
I brought it to life again through a Remake that I'm currently sharing on this same website, titled "The Road Back to Ourselves".
It maintains the core aspects of this original one, while having better prose and tighter storytelling, born from what I learned when writing this first version.

I'm publishing it twice a week, every Tuesday and Friday, so stay tuned!

Think of "Time Doesn't Heal all Wounds" as the first draft to this new story.
If you liked the first one, I'm positive you'll like the revamp :)

Please check it out here:

https://ao3-rd-8.onrender.com/works/72909421/chapters/189939566

And please, enjoy! <3