The Undercity was never quiet. Even in the dead of night, Zaun buzzed with the relentless churn of industry, the clatter of machinery mingling with the distant hum of voices. Ekko had long learned to tune it out, his ears attuned instead to the subtler sounds of his world—footsteps, whispered conversations, the hiss of a steam valve that could mean trouble.
Tonight, though, something felt off. As he walked the narrow streets, the hairs on the back of his neck prickled with unease. He adjusted the straps of his pack, his latest invention clinking softly inside. His route home took him past an abandoned shop, its windows cracked and smeared with grime. That's when he heard it—a sharp, high-pitched voice followed by a deeper, angrier one.
"Hey! Let go of me!"
Ekko froze. He knew that voice. Powder.
Heart pounding, he crept closer, keeping to the shadows. He peered around the corner of the shop and saw her, pinned against a wall by two burly men. One had a firm grip on her arm, while the other rifled through a small satchel she'd dropped at her feet.
"You think you can steal from us and just walk away?" the larger man growled, his face inches from hers.
Powder glared at him, defiant despite the fear flashing in her wide blue eyes. "It wasn't even yours to begin with!"
"Doesn't matter," the man sneered, tightening his grip. "You don't take what's ours."
Ekko's fists clenched. He wasn't a fighter, not like Vi or even Claggor. But he wasn't about to stand by and let them hurt Powder.
Digging into his pack, he pulled out a small device—a metal sphere no bigger than his palm. It was one of his newer gadgets, a flash bomb designed to disorient. He hadn't tested it under real conditions yet, but now wasn't the time to hesitate.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the alley. "Hey! Leave her alone!"
The men turned, their expressions darkening. Powder's eyes widened in surprise. "Ekko?"
"Yeah, it's me," he said, his voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through him. "And I'm giving you one chance to walk away."
The larger man laughed, a low, menacing sound. "You've got guts, kid. I'll give you that. But you're out of your league."
"Maybe," Ekko said, tossing the flash bomb in his hand. "But I've got this."
He pressed the activation button and threw the device. It hit the ground between the men with a loud crack, releasing a blinding burst of light and a deafening pop. The men staggered back, shouting in confusion as they clutched at their eyes.
"Run!" Ekko shouted, grabbing Powder's hand.
She didn't need to be told twice. Together, they bolted down the alley, their footsteps echoing against the walls. Ekko led the way, weaving through Zaun's maze-like streets until they were sure they weren't being followed.
Finally, they ducked into an abandoned storage shed, both of them panting heavily. Powder leaned against the wall, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.
"That," she said between gasps, "was insane."
"You're welcome," Ekko replied, dropping his pack on the floor.
Powder looked at him, her expression softening. "Thanks, Ekko. I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't shown up."
Ekko shrugged, but his face was serious. "What were you thinking, Powder? Stealing from those guys? They're dangerous."
Powder's eyes dropped to the floor. "I didn't mean to get caught. I just... I thought I could handle it."
"Well, you couldn't," Ekko said, his frustration spilling over. "You could've been hurt—or worse."
"I know!" she snapped, her voice trembling. "You don't have to remind me."
The anger in her voice made Ekko pause. He took a step closer, his expression softening. "Powder, I'm not trying to make you feel bad. I just... I worry about you."
She sighed, sliding down the wall to sit on the floor. "I'm not a kid anymore, Ekko. I don't need you to save me."
"That's not the point," he said, sitting down beside her. "I know you can take care of yourself. But you don't always have to."
Powder looked at him, her blue eyes filled with something he couldn't quite name. "It's not that simple," she said quietly.
"Then explain it to me," Ekko said, his tone gentle.
For a moment, she didn't speak. She toyed with the hem of her sleeve, her fingers fidgeting the way they always did when she was nervous. "Sometimes it feels like... like I have to prove I'm good enough. To Vi, to the others, to... everyone."
"Powder," Ekko said softly, "you don't have to prove anything to me."
She gave him a small, sad smile. "I know. But I still feel like I do."
Ekko reached out, his hand brushing against hers. "You're not alone, Powder. You never were. And you don't have to face everything by yourself."
She looked down at their hands, her fingers curling slightly around his. "What if I mess up again?"
"Then I'll be there to help you pick up the pieces," Ekko said without hesitation.
Powder's lips quirked into a faint smile. "You make it sound so easy."
"It's not," Ekko admitted. "But that's what friends are for, right?"
Powder nodded, her smile growing a little stronger. "Yeah. Friends."
They sat in silence for a while, the tension between them easing into something warmer, more familiar. Powder leaned her head against Ekko's shoulder, and he felt his heart skip a beat.
"Do you ever think about the future?" she asked after a long pause.
"Yeah," Ekko said, his voice quiet. "All the time."
"What do you see?"
Ekko hesitated, his mind flashing with images of the world he wanted to build—a better Zaun, one where people didn't have to fight so hard just to survive. But when he thought about it, Powder was always part of that vision.
"I see a world where we don't have to run anymore," he said. "Where people like us can just... live."
Powder sighed, her breath warm against his shoulder. "That sounds nice."
"What about you?" Ekko asked. "What do you see?"
Powder was quiet for a long time. "I don't know," she admitted. "Sometimes I feel like I don't see anything. Like I'm just... stuck."
"You're not stuck," Ekko said firmly. "You're just figuring it out. And that's okay."
She tilted her head to look at him, her expression thoughtful. "How are you always so sure about everything?"
"I'm not," he said with a small laugh. "I just fake it really well."
Powder laughed too, the sound lightening the heavy air around them.
As the night wore on, they stayed in the shed, talking about everything and nothing. They shared their fears and hopes, their dreams and doubts. For the first time in weeks, they felt like they truly understood each other again.
By the time the first light of dawn filtered through the cracks in the walls, Ekko and Powder had fallen asleep, leaning against each other.
And though the world outside hadn't changed, something between them had—a bond stronger than ever, forged in the quiet moments they shared.