Arcane: Bond Beyond Death

Jinx stood frozen, Pow-Pow Zeta clutched tightly in her trembling hands. Tears welled in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks as she shook her head, refusing to pull the trigger, after Bael asked her the magnificent idea to shoot him in order to test the limits of hyperspeed senses.

"I can't," she whispered, her voice cracking. She looked up at Bael, desperation etched into her face. "I just can't do it, Bael. What if I hit you? What if something goes wrong? I—" Her hands trembled so much the gun rattled in her grip.

Bael's patience wore thin as he saw her distress. "Jinx," he said firmly, stepping closer. "You have to. If I don't test this ability now, I'll never know my limits."

She wiped her tears away angrily, still shaking her head. "No, Bael! I won't do it! What if you—you die? I don't care about your stupid shimmer ability, okay? I care about you!"

"Fine," he said, his tone laced with resolve. Slowly, he raised his mechanical arm, the faint blue glow of the Hextech crystal embedded within it beginning to flicker ominously. "If you won't shoot, then I'll make it happen myself."

"W-What are you doing?" Jinx stammered, her eyes widening as she watched him manipulate the Hexcrystal inside Pow-Pow Eta.

Bael's mechanical fingers flexed with precision, energy crackling around them as he established a direct connection with the crystal.

The barrels of Pow-Pow Zeta began to spin, and the whine grew into a deafening roar.

"Bael, please!" Jinx shouted, tears streaming again as she tried to pull the gun away, but her efforts were futile.

"Trust me, Jinx," he said, his voice calm but firm, even as the glow from his veins intensified. The weapon suddenly fired, releasing a rapid stream of glowing bullets directly at Bael.

Jinx screamed, her heart seizing as she saw the bullets speeding toward him. But then it happened again—time slowed. To Bael, the bullets hung in the air like fireflies trapped in amber.

Bael moved with a grace that defied logic, weaving through the frozen storm of bullets like a dancer in slow motion.

Eacg bullet ricocheted harmlessly off the wall behind him. Time snapped back to normal, and Bael stood unharmed, his chest heaving as faint purple light flickered across his veins.

Jinx dropped Pow-Pow Zeta, her hands trembling as she stared at him in shock. "H-How... How did you do that?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Bael exhaled slowly, looking down at his glowing arm. "I didn't dodge those bullets, Jinx. I saw them... before they even fired. It's like time slowed just for me."

"That's not normal, Bael!" she shouted, stepping forward and grabbing his shoulders. "You're not normal anymore! What's happening to you?!"

Bael looked into her tear-streaked face, guilt twisting in his chest. "I don't know," he admitted. "The shimmer... it's changing me. But I have to figure this out..." He said.

He leaned back in his chair, letting out a long, tired sigh. "Don't worry about me, Jinx. Besides, now that we've got Hextech and Shimmer in our arsenal, I say we call it a week. No missions, no experiments—nothing but free time for the next few days."

Jinx blinked, her expression shifting from concern to disbelief. "Wait... really? You're serious? No work at all?"

Bael nodded with a small grin. "Yeah. We both need a break. So... where do you want to spend the day off tomorrow?"

Jinx's eyes lit up, her unease melting away into an almost childlike excitement. She clasped her hands together, bouncing on her toes. "The surface!" she exclaimed. "I wanna go to the surface and have fun! Maybe visit Piltover and mess with some fancy people!"

Bael chuckled at her enthusiasm. "The surface, huh? Bold choice. Piltover might be risky, though."

Jinx waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, come on! You said no work, right? That includes worrying about risks! Let's just go and have fun for once. No Hextech, no Shimmer, no planning—just us."

He thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, Jinx. Tomorrow, we'll head to the surface. Just... promise me you won't blow anything up."

Jinx smirked mischievously, tilting her head. "No promises."

For a moment, the weight of Shimmer, Hextech, and everything else faded into the background. It wasn't perfect, but it felt... normal.

"Tomorrow," he murmured to himself, "we'll just be us again..."

...

Jinx couldn't contain her excitement as she rummaged through boxes of old costumes, wigs, hats, and random trinkets they'd scavenged over the years. Her manic grin stretched ear to ear as she turned to Bael, who sat cross-legged on the floor, watching her with a raised brow.

"This is going to be perfect!" Jinx said, throwing a ridiculous red feathered hat onto Bael's lap.

"Do we really have to do this?" Bael asked, holding up the hat like it was some cursed artifact. "I could just wear a hood or something, you know, simple."

"Oh no, no, no, Mr. Seriousface!" Jinx wagged a finger at him before throwing a long trench coat over his shoulders. "We're going all out. You said it yourself—if we're going to the surface, we can't risk being recognized! That means blending in!" She gasped dramatically. "Or standing out in the best way possible!"

Bael sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Jinx, blending in doesn't mean—"

"Shush!" She interrupted, clapping her hands. "No backtalk from the client! Just sit still and let me work my magic."

She swapped the wig out for a sleek, jet-black one and plopped a pair of oversized goggles on his head. Then, she dusted his face with some powder and painted a thin scar across his cheek with makeup. "Now you look like a mysterious inventor who's running from the law! Oh wait, that's already you. Scratch that!"

Bael glared at her. "You're having way too much fun with this."

"Duh!" Jinx chirped, sticking her tongue out at him. "Okay, okay, let's see... What about this?" She threw a navy blue scarf around his neck, tucked a small notebook into his pocket, and stood back to admire her handiwork.

Bael caught a glimpse of himself in the cracked mirror Jinx had dragged over. "I look like I'm auditioning for a Piltover detective drama..."

"Exactly!" Jinx clapped, ignoring his sarcasm. "You're Detective Mechanix, solving crimes and saving lives! No one will ever suspect it's really Bael, the genius outlaw!"

"I don't even look remotely like a detective," Bael grumbled.

"Fine, Inspector Overkill," Jinx teased, sticking a bowler hat on his head for good measure.

"Alright, my turn!" Jinx declared, spinning around. She grabbed a random cloak and goggles and flung them on. "Now I'm your partner in crime! The Great Hexslinger! Or... Doctor Chaos!"

"You're terrible at naming," Bael teased, crossing his arms.

"And you're terrible at fun!" Jinx shot back, playfully smacking his shoulder.

Despite the silliness, Bael couldn't help but feel a pang of gratitude. Jinx's energy and humor were a rare respite from their chaotic lives. If nothing else, this little outing might actually be a chance for them to just, be normal...

The morning sun cast a golden glow over Piltover's bustling streets as Bael and Jinx, now completely transformed by their disguises, strolled through the city. Gone were their familiar faces of chaos and infamy—Jinx's usual blue pigtails were hidden beneath a cascade of auburn curls, and Bael's serious demeanor was masked by the playful smirk he wore under his scruffy wig and oversized scarf.

Jinx grabbed Bael's arm, practically dragging him along as her eyes darted from one attraction to the next. "C'mon, slowpoke! We've got a whole day of fun to cram in!" she chirped, bouncing on her toes.

"Remind me again why this was a good idea?" Bael asked, adjusting the goggles that were now a permanent part of his disguise. "You do realize we're in the middle of enemy territory, right?"

"Oh, please," Jinx waved him off. "We look nothing like ourselves. I mean, look at me! I'm... uh... Luna! Yeah, Luna the Carefree! And you're... uh... what's your name again?"

"Victor," Bael replied dryly. "Victor the Reluctant."

"Pfft, boring! You need something cooler, like... I dunno, Professor Kaboom!" She giggled, skipping ahead and spinning around to face him. "Loosen up, Victor! Today's about having fun, remember?"

Their first stop was a street vendor selling exotic sweets. Jinx's eyes lit up as she spotted a towering display of candied fruit skewers. "Ooooh, I want that one!" she pointed to the biggest skewer, practically drooling.

Bael paid the vendor and handed her the treat, shaking his head. "You're like a kid in a candy store."

"Duh! Candy's the best!" Jinx said, taking a big bite and grinning with sticky cheeks. "Here, try it!" She shoved the skewer in Bael's face, and he reluctantly took a bite.

"Not bad," he admitted, savoring the tangy-sweet flavor.

They wandered through Piltover's markets, stopping to admire mechanical trinkets, street performers, and colorful stalls. Jinx couldn't resist trying on a ridiculous feathered hat, which she wore for the rest of their outing despite Bael's protests.

As the day went on, Bael found himself relaxing. He even managed to laugh when Jinx accidentally knocked over a stack of plush toys at a vendor's stand, apologizing with a sheepish grin.

"This is nice," Bael said as they sat on a bench overlooking the city's canals, the afternoon sun shimmering on the water. "I almost forgot what it's like to just... exist."

Jinx leaned back, resting her arms on the bench. "Told ya it'd be fun. We should do this more often."

Bael glanced at her, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "More candy and silly hats?"

"Exactly!" Jinx said, laughing. "And maybe next time, you can actually smile for once."

"I'm smiling," Bael said, though it was more of a smirk.

"Eh, close enough." Jinx rested her head on his shoulder, her voice softening. "Thanks for today, Bael. I needed this."

Bael glanced down at her and felt a strange warmth in his chest. "Me too," he admitted.

For a moment, the chaos of their lives seemed far away, and the two of them could just be... normal.

The night had finally fallen over Piltover, casting the city in a soft glow from the distant streetlights and flickering lanterns. Jinx and Bael, still in their disguises, made their way toward a quiet square, where a large stone fountain sat at its center. The air was cooler now, the hum of the city streets quieter.

Jinx was practically bouncing with excitement as they approached the fountain, the sound of cascading water growing louder. "You know, I think this is the perfect spot. A little water, a little night air... totally sets the vibe," she said, grinning from ear to ear.

Bael looked around, trying to hide his skepticism. "You really love this stuff, don't you?"

Jinx just gave him a playful nudge, "Come on, Victor. Trust me." She climbed up to sit on the edge of the fountain, the water splashing softly below her, creating a calming rhythm in the night.

Bael hesitated for a moment but eventually joined her, sitting down beside her on the edge of the fountain.

"I'm glad you made me come out here," Bael said quietly, breaking the silence.

Jinx didn't look at him but kept her eyes fixed on the water. "Yeah, you're welcome. Sometimes you just need a little bit of calm, right? You're always working, thinking about all the stuff we have to do. You never just... stop."

Bael let out a slow breath, his shoulders relaxing. "Maybe you're right." He leaned back slightly, letting his head tilt toward the sky, staring at the stars. It felt strange to just be without any of their usual chaos surrounding them. "It's nice to not have to think about... everything else."

Jinx smiled at the comment, though it was subtle, a small curl of her lips. "I told you. Nothing wrong with taking a break now and then."

They sat there for a while in comfortable silence, the cool night air wrapping around them. The fountain's water continued to splash rhythmically, creating an almost hypnotic sound that pulled them deeper into the moment. Jinx finally leaned her head on Bael's shoulder, and he stiffened for a second, not expecting the gesture.

Jinx looked up at him, her eyes soft. "You know... we should do this more often. Just, no plans. No missions. Just... us. No one else."

Bael let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. For the first time in a long time, he couldn't think of anything to say. Instead, he simply nodded, his heart a little heavier and a little lighter all at once.

"Yeah," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Yeah, I think I'd like that."

And for that night, the world seemed to slow down just enough for them to forget about the chaos they were constantly caught in. It was just Bael, Jinx, and the peaceful night around them.