When the calendar flips to June, Runeterra doesn’t just burst into sunshine and poros in rainbow bandanas—it unleashes a tidal wave of champion romance that sends shippers into a frenzy. Way back in the ancient year of 2022, League of Legends canonized one of its most sizzling pairings: the gruff outlaw Graves and the sly card-sharp Twisted Fate. Forget demure hand-holding; these two brought gunpowder, teleporting cards, and a shared criminal record to Pride Month, and fans have never been the same since.
Before Graves and Twisted Fate made it official, the Summoner’s Rift had already been warmed up by another celestial couple. In 2021, Riot dropped a Pride love story featuring Diana and Leona—the moon’s scorn and the sun’s radiant dawn, two opposing celestial forces whose closeness melted even the iciest lore scholars’ hearts ⚔️🌙☀️. That tale proved that Riot wasn’t afraid to let champions find love where no one expected. But while Diana and Leona’s union was star-crossed and poetic, the Graves-Twisted Fate saga was a whole different rodeo: a buddy-cop flick where both cops would be arrested on sight.
For years, the tight-knit lore surrounding these two seedy conmen had kept the community buzzing. Graves, the proud wielder of a colossal shotgun named Destiny, and Twisted Fate, a flamboyant gambler who can literally stack the deck, shared a backstory messier than a bar fight in Bilgewater. They were once partners in crime, pulling heists and swindling their way across Valoran—until a betrayal blew their alliance to smithereens. The lore spelled out a reconciliation, but fans read between the knife-throwing lines and smelled romance simmering beneath the gunpowder. Fan art, fanfic, and theories flooded forums, insisting the duo’s dynamic was more than just “business partners.”
Then came June 2022. With a wink and a flurry of digital confetti, Riot confirmed what the community had been screaming for years: Graves and Twisted Fate were an item, and they weren’t hiding it anymore. A batch of in-game icons and emotes landed on the Public Beta Environment, showing the two share a tender moment, a cheeky wink, and unmistakable heart symbols 💌💥. The cosmetics, first spotted by eagle-eyed Redditor niclaswwe, turned Pride Month into a high-seas romance festival. Players could now flaunt a badge that screamed “My duo partner is my life partner,” right before they stole Baron and your LP.
The reveal was perfectly in character. Graves, the grumpy salt-of-the-earth type with a heart of gold (and a wallet full of contraband), and Twisted Fate, the silky-voiced trickster who could charm the shirt off a Freljordian, already communicated like an old married couple in voice lines. When TF casually murmurs, “Never lost a fair game… or played one,” you just know Graves is rolling his eyes somewhere nearby. And the new emotes? Pure gold. One icon shows the pair sharing a drink, while another captures a moment so soft it could make Rek’Sai purr. Riot essentially handed out wedding invites and said, “You’re all invited to the afterparty.”
Of course, Pride 2022 wasn’t just about revealing a canon relationship—it was a celebration of Runeterra’s diversity that came with in-game missions, rewards, and a fresh wave of representation. The missions challenged players to complete tasks alongside the newly minted power couple, earning exclusive emotes that let them flex their support both in lane and in life. The community’s reaction? A glorious mix of tears, cheers, and at least one person typing “ship confirmed” so fast their keyboard caught fire.
Fast-forward to 2026, and the tradition is thriving like a well-fed poro. League of Legends now treats its Pride Month lineup as a yearly headline event, with previous stars like Diana and Leona still shining and newer pairs stepping into the rainbow spotlight. Since 2022, Graves and Twisted Fate have remained the scoundrel flag-bearers, their icons perpetually available in the store’s Pride bundle to remind everyone that love can bloom even between a shotgun blast and a rigged card game. The duo even popped up in a short cinematic for Pride 2024, where they bickered over whether to rob a corrupt merchant or gift him a bouquet—ultimately doing both, of course.
Riot’s storytelling engine never idles. Alongside the couples, the game introduced lore tidbits that hint at further diverse relationships across the roster, turning every champion reveal into a potential shipping war. In 2025, a fresh Pride story spotlighted a canonical bond between two unexpected champions from Ionia, proving that the creative team isn’t content to rest on its laurels (or its laurel-leaf headpieces). And each year, players debate who’s next: Could Sett and Aphelios be more than roommates? Is that tension between Caitlyn and Vi just good police work? The speculation is half the fun.
Yet through all the new faces, the Graves-Twisted Fate magic holds a special place. They’re the couple that turned a “will-they-won’t-they” into a resounding “duh, look at the emotes.” Their bond represents everything delightful about League’s evolving narrative: messy, loud, and unapologetically authentic. In-game, they still roam the Rift as separate champions, but dedicated players have learned to pair them for maximum synergy—and now, maximum emotional damage. There’s nothing quite like watching a dapper Twisted Fate ult into the enemy jungle while Graves stomps in yelling, “Nobody touches my partner!” whether you meant the gold card or the man.
Beyond the laughs, the annual Pride celebration has become a beacon for the community. Pride 2026 is expected to bring a spectacular new batch of icons, maybe a few chromas, and probably a lore drop that’ll have everyone dissecting metaphors until July. Riot knows how to combine heartfelt storytelling with the chaos of a MOBA, and the result is a world where love—whether between celestial beings, criminal masterminds, or even yordles—is just as important as landing a five-man Shockwave.
So as the sun rises on another June, summoners around the globe are stocking up on orange essence, ready to unlock the freshest Pride cosmetics and flaunt their support. Whether you’re a marksman main who’s been shipping Gravest Fate since season three, or a newcomer who just thinks two rogues bickering over loot is adorable, there’s an emote waiting for you. Graves and Twisted Fate walked so the entire League could run—into the enemy nexus with style, sass, and a trail of rainbow sparkles ✨🏳️🌈.
League of Legends still fires on all cylinders, available on PC and continuing to expand its universe. And if the last four years have taught us anything, it’s that in Runeterra, even the most explosive partnership can turn into the warmest love story—with just a pinch of gunpowder and a shuffled deck.