First things first, I'd like to point out that the idea of this one-shot doesn't belong to me rather than incandescxnt-light on Tumblr, one of the best Lightcannon artists out there. I highly suggest checking her art out.I know I took the path that you would never want for me

Following lyrics belong to Imagine Dragons' song named «I bet my life»

I know I let you down, didn't I?

So many sleepless nights where you were waiting up on me

Well I'm just a slave unto the night

Now remember when I told you that's the last you'll see of me

Remember when I broke you down to tears

I know I took the path that you would never want for me

I gave you hell through all the years

"Come back here, you little thief!"

Jinx grinned behind her back as ran out of the store "No can do! See ya!" she shouted back with a salute.

She sprinted down the street, trying to hide a small bag filled with food inside her leather jacket. Another successful night when she could fill her empty stomach. She was satisfied with herself, yet not completely.

Something in her gut didn't allow her to enjoy her victory.

She kept running for a while. Jinx was well known for her ability to cover long distances with her tiny legs without spilling a sweat. Occasionally, she would look over her shoulder to check if she was being followed. She wasn't.

She finally decided to easy off and stop running. There was no reason for that. As she took a turn into a dark alley, a small piece of paper slipped off her pocket and fell to the humid ground. Sighing, she stopped to pick it up.

As she bended down, she noticed it was a photo. With a glance, Jinx realized that it was a picture of her and Lux when they were kids. So many memories flooded her brain and the pain in her gut became even more intense. She heavily sighed and reminisced for a couple of minutes, a hint of guilt on her face. Her trance broke when she heard the helpless shouts of a young boy at the end of the alley, begging someone to let go off him. Jinx put the photograph back to its rightful place before she rushed off to see what the problem was.

The end of the alley leaded in a small playground. There was indeed a young boy that was being pushed around by two other older boys that were twice his size. He looked terrified.

"S-stop, please!" The young boy pleaded, his voice cracking "I d-don't want any trouble."

"Aw, are you gonna cry now, midget?" one of the bullies mocked.

Jinx's blood was boiling under her skin. She was furious. These two assholes attacked a helpless boy just for the fun of it. She despised those people to no end and that's why she jumped in front of the little boy, using her body as a shield.

"Hey, back off!" she barked at them. The bullies seemed to be surprised at first, but then one of them recognized her.

"Well, well. If that isn't Jinx, the Loose Cannon of Valoran City." he smirked, not even scared of Jinx's presence.

She greeted her teeth. "Leave him alone." she spat, emphasizing each word.

"Oh, and what are you gonna do? Hm?" the other block said. "Last time we checked, we're both double your fucking size and we could snap your neck right now."

Jinx didn't respond at first. She remaint silent for a while until she stood straight, giving a little smirk at the bullies.

"You're right." she said. "You could snap my neck like a twig."

"We can do it right now!" one of the two bullies agreed.

Jinx humned. "That's one way to deal with it. Or then there's THIS way!"

All of a sudden, Jinx whipped out a gun and pointed it straight into their faces, smirking at their terrified expressions.

"A-alright. Take it easy." one of them shattered, raising his hands in the air in defense.

Jinx ingored him. "It's just one trigger away. I can just plant a bullet in your fucking skulls right now, and do you know the best part of it? I'll be able to get away with it! So, I'll give you two choices"

»You either fuck off or I pull that trigger. It's simple, really."

"Alright, you crazy-ass bitch!" they exclaimed before they ran off, peaking over their shoulders just to make sure Jinx wouldn't fire at their backs.

Jinx smiled at herself in utter satisfaction. There wasn't a better feeling than teaching assholes like them a good lesson. She turned to check up on the little boy who was starring with wide, yellow, sparkling eyes at the gun. Jinx noticed. She chuckled.

"Relax, kid." she said and then pulled the trigger, aiming up in the air, only for some water to start coming out of the gun hole. "See? Squirt gun. Oh, what I would do for a real one though..."

"T-thank you." the boy stammered "For saving me."

Jinx let out a sigh. "No problem kid, but what the hell are you doing out here so late in the night? Shouldn't you be home?"

Indeed, the boy seemed to be fairly young - certainly not older than eight or nine years old. His hair covered most part of his forehead and hid his terrified eyes, sometimes that must have proved to be quite useful for him in many occasions.

"I ran way..." The child admitted as he walked towards the sings and occupied one, then started swinging gently. "No one likes me there..."

Jinx stared at the kid with some pity. She couldn't deny that she had shared his feelings once in her life. She couldn't understand him at some extent. She walked up to him and sat to a swing next to him. "What makes you think that?"

"Everyone treats me like a punching bag." he admitted with a sigh "I have no... one and parents don't care. They say that I need to... «man up»"

»But I'm nothing like them. I'm weak. I couldn't stand them anymore so I..."

The kid started crying and Jinx shifted uncomfortably. She had never had the chance to comfort a crying child.

"Not even one friend?"

The kid raised his head to look at her with teary eyes. "W-Well, there's one..."

"What's their name?" Jinx asked.

"Annie..."

"Annie, huh? That's a... Lovely name."

Silence fell between them before Jinx spoke again.

"Y'know, I ran away from home too."

"You... You did?" the boy asked, surprised.

"Yup." Jinx nodded, swinging her legs. "After I came out to my parents, everything went downhill for me. Whenever they returned home from work and found me there, they would give me those scornful looks of theirs, a reminder that I shouldn't be born... Being a problem child didn't help either.

»But I didn't wanna change and that's bullshit. You can't change who you are. Even the idea of trying for your parents was completely none-sense to me. And one day, I told myself; «If they can't accept me here, I'll find acceptance elsewhere». I grabbed some stuff and got the hell out of this shithole."

"Do you regret it?"

"Well?"

"Yes..."

"May I ask why?"

"I left her," Jinx gulped and guilt was back full-force. "I left my best friend behind"

"Oh..."

"I don't even miss my parents." Jinx continued. "I want more than anything to go back just to see her again. But then I remembered that... I didn't even tell her that I was leaving. Not even a single note explaining the reasons behind my suddenly run away. I never called her, being scared of getting detected. What the hell is she going to think of me shall I ever return back? What is she going to say?And most importantly, I never got to tell her that..."

The boy looked curiously at her, encouraging to move on. Jinx wiped her eyes with the back of her palm, letting a humorless laugh.

"God, never mind." she said eventuall.y "Hah, here I am talking to a fucking child I just met, talking about the story of my life..."

"I-I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. Especially not about me." Jinx snapped. But then, Jinx heard the characteristic sound of a phone notification, coming straight over from Amumu's pocket. Interesting...

"Check your phone, kid."

"Huh?" he was surprised. "Why?"

"Do as I say."

The boy pulled his phone with trembling hands. He opened to see ten missed calls, all by Annie and his parents.

"Ten missed calls." Jinx commented "And you claim that no one cares? I didn't get shit when I ran away."

He was clearly in the verge of tears but he turned to look at Jinx nonetheless. His eyes were pleading for an answer from Jinx's mouth on what he should do.

"Go home, kidd.o" Jinx advised "Running away ain't for everybody. And if you're not going home for your folks, Annie at least must be worried sick, right?"

The boy chocked up and nodded. Unexpectedly, he abandoned the swing and jumped on Jinx, hugging her tightly, catching her completely off surprise. She pulled him away slowly, laughing nervously.

"Uh... That's enough of that."

The boy laughed.

"So, you do smile after all." Jinx noted "You seemed like the type who didn't"

He chuckled ."Maybe you're right"

The boy walked over to pick his bag that had been left behind when the bullies attacked him. He started walking towards the exit of the playground when he suddenly turned around to look at Jinx one more time.

"M-my name is Amumu." he said "What's yours?"

Jinx, who had been staring at the ground, raised her head.

"Didn't you hear the bullies? My name is Jinx."

"No, I mean like... You're real name." he said shyly.

Jinx smiled heart-warmingly, understanding.

"In that case, my name is Jessie."